Thanks for the reviews! I think I should fix this as there will definitely be shounen ai in it (as I am incapable of writing nothing but straight boys. : ) And sorry, suppi, you'll have to wait a little longer to see Kai and Tala. Maybe a lot longer, the way this is going.. : )
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Chapter Four
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The school was an unimpressive building not too far from Kai's. It had seen better days, with it's windows cracked, snapped hinges, and peeling paint.. Profanity and minor violence rang through the halls without reprimand, the teachers hurrying to scurry by the students lest they accidentally make eye contact.
Zeo had never before been inside a public school and was immediately enamored with the whole idea of it all, his eyes dancing from the students to the teachers and to the signs and artwork adorning the walls. "It's like a move."
"Yeah, well, for us it's reality," Max snapped. "I'm gonna go find Miriam."
"See you later."
He gave them a half-hearted wave before stalking off in the opposite direction. "See ya," he called behind him.
"What's his problem?" Zeo asked, perplexed.
You. "No idea."
But an idea struck him. Zeo's presence might actually be useful. It would provide him with an excuse to approach Barthez Battallion. They'd been on bad terms with the group since Aaron had joined in a round of beating up Rei with Bryan and Ivan from the Demolition Boys.
Why had Kai picked him to be the one to talk to him? He could easily lie to himself and pretend Kai asked him over the other two because he believed him to be the most qualified. No. Rei had a strong link to the Tigers from having grown up with Lee and Mao, and Max likewise had one to the Saint Sheilds through Miriam. No, he'd merely gotten the leftovers. But at least he could use what was in front of him to his advantage.
"Let's go find Mathilda."
Zeo looked surprised. "Why?"
"Don't you want to talk to her, after last night? She's probably traumatized from all the excitement with you and Dunga."
He shrugged. "She bores me. Too timid."
Stifling an aggravated groan he pulled Zeo onwards. "Just come on."
"You're very controlling, you know that Tyson?"
"I don't care."
Miguel and his cronies were where he expected them, near the water fountain in the east hall, where they usually hung out in the mornings. The Bladebreakers sat out in the commons by the old wall of desecrated trophies. He was pretty sure the Demolition boys had been the ones to desecrate them. Back when Kai was with them, no less.
Unfortunately, Zeo wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to where he was going, so intent was he to drink in the contents of the walls, reading every sign and gazing at every picture or piece of student art; he kept bumping into people. Tyson practically had to hold him by the hand to keep him moving.
"Hey!" he greeted in a friendly manner as they approached.
"Zeo!" Mathilda crooned, throwing her arms around the boy who was busy reading the posters of those running for class president and he squealed in startled surprise.
"Hi," Miguel guarded him with a wary expression.
"We were talking about last night," Claude Hammond told him, leaning heavily against an ancient locker. "About the Demolition Boys attacking Trevor from the Blade Sharks."
"What?"
"Yeah. I think it was right after you left."
So he wasn't just being paranoid last night. "Why'd they jump him? I thought parties were supposed to be neutral."
Miguel shrugged. "Some crap with you guys, we think."
"I'm not aware of anything going on on that end."
Miguel shrugged again, as though it were the answer to everything.
"Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about," Tyson said in a softer voice, mustering up the courage.
"What?"
"Come here." He waved for the boy blond to step away from the safety of the group with him.
"What is it, Tyson?"
"Kai wants to hold a meeting," he explained. "A meeting of all the gangs." He gave him a run down of Kai's initial plan.
Miguel looked thoughtful, maybe even a little impressed. "It sounds reasonable enough. But what if we don't attend?"
"Then you're not included in the land division. It'll be as though you don't exist."
"Did Kai say that?"
"I'm saying that."
He nodded. "I'll be there, Tyson, I promise you. And so will the rest of Barthez Battallion. You make sure you say that to Kai."
"Oh, I will. Saturday night at eight at that warehouse on Central and Eighth."
He pried Zeo from the clutches of Mathilda and they were on their way to Tyson's first class. At least that was one thing out of the way.
Miss Kincaid had no doubts with Zeo's story, though half the class was looking at the turquoise haired boy with curiosity, wondering what he was up to.
Tyson poked Kenny in the back of the head while Zeo stood before the class giving the little spew all about himself. "Let me see your notes."
"You really should do your own homework, Tyson," he hissed.
"Let me see your notes," he repeated, poking him harder.
The smaller boy passed him his notebook with a sigh.
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Miriam found Max before he could find her. The dainty fingers of a girl obscured his vision from behind and he turned around with a bright smile.
"Hey," he said shyly, desperately hoping he wasn't blushing.
"I had fun last night," she told him, taking his hand as they walked down the hall. "I wish you could've stayed longer."
"Me, too."
They walked towards their first class in an almost awkward silence. They kept trying to speak at the same time. Then they would both laugh and continue walking in silence.
"When I went home last night," Miriam finally began, "I found that little creep Daichi poking around in the bushes outside my house. He about peed his pants when I snuck up behind him and he took off."
"Weird." He tried his hardest to keep his voice neutral. He could only imagine what she would think if she knew he and Tyson had told the brat to get her underwear in the first place. That would be a fun conversation.
"I can't wait for our date on Saturday," she told him.
"Yeah. Oh, wait." He pulled her over to the wall. "I wanted to talk to you about that. Saturday Kai's planning this big meeting with all the gangs. He wanted me to talk to Ozuma. Do you think you could et him to meet me during lunch."
She nodded. "What kind of meeting is it?"
He pulled a stray strand of dark hair away from her face, trembling at the contact with her skin. "I'll give you all the details later. I promise. But for our date, can we go out Friday instead?"
She sighed regretfully. "I'd love to, Max, but I have to go to Josef's stupid play. He got the main part and my parents are making a big deal about it."
"What about Sunday, then?"
She nodded, smiling slightly. "That should work out. What do you wanna do?"
"Between the two of us, we'll think of something," he told her with a shrug.
The warning bell shot off and he gave her a quick kiss on her lips. "We should go."
"I guess."
Slowly they walked down to their shared first bell, only just making it into the classroom as the bell rang."
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After school the Bladebreakers met out front. "Did you do what I asked?" Kai said to Tyson and Max.
Tyson nodded. "Miguel said they'd be there."
"Ozuma, too."
"Good."
"What did Tala say?" Tyson asked.
Kai didn't answer.
"Tyson!" a voice squawked behind them.
He knew that voice. With growing impatience he asked, "What do you want now, Daichi?"
"I got them!" the scrawny kid yelled. "I had to skip school to sneak into her house but I got 'em!" He waved in the air like a flag a pink pair of panties dotted with weird dolphin like creatures.
"What? Miriam's underwear?"
"Yeah!"
"Don't wave them around like that!" Max hissed, taking them from him.
"Why'd you steal her underwear?" Rei asked, perplexed.
"They told me to!" Daichi yelped, pointing to Max and Tyson. "They said if I stole a pair of her panties they'd let me join you guys! And I did, so now I get to be a Bladebreaker!"
"We did not."
"You did! You did! Yesterday!"
"I don't recall ever making such a promise. Do you, Max?"
"What? No." He was hurrying to conceal the underwear in his book bag before anyone saw him holding them, least of all Miriam.
"I believe my exact words were that we would assess the situation and decide if you were Bladebreaker material."
"But--but you said--"
"That is what I said. Now run along. You've done well. And your dedication to skip school for it I commend. We'll keep you in mind for future assignments. Now get."
The small red haired boy's lower lip trembled, as though he were on the verge of tears. He ran off before they could see him cry.
Rei chuckled softly after he was out of sight. "What are you gonna do with her underwear, Max?"
Tyson didn't think he'd ever turn that precise shade of tomato red.
"I'll give it back to her."
"And that won't be awkward at all."
Max walked hastily ahead of them.
"Max, can we us that fold out table of your dad's for the meeting," Kai asked. He'd been so quiet Tyson had almost forgotten Kai was with them.
"Yeah, sure," he replied, caught off guard from Kai's request. "I doubt he'd mind. You want the chairs, too?"
"We'll need six. How many do you have?"
"Four."
"Gramps has a bunch of chairs for his poker nights. You can use two of his," Tyson volunteered.
"Friday after school let's move them all to the warehouse."
Casey and Stewart from the Blade Sharks stood talking in hushed tones right in their path. Kai didn't even have to say anything. With a mere look they quickly scurried out of the way.
Tyson smiled as they passed. He really did love being a Bladebreaker.