Nanai went over to the staircase and made a long pause, she slightly turned her head in Hebi's direction and attempted to say something, but no words would crawl out or even make their way to her lips. Continuing up the stairs and heading down the hall to her room, Nanai made a mess of her hair to bring her old hair-style back, once in her room, she changed into her night gown and got into bed. Lying on her side trying to get some sleep, her eyes didn't close, for a while they were still, fading but resisting the need to shut. thoughts of her earlier conversation with Banjin returned again, like a plague, they blocked any other images from entering her mind, the way poison would shut down the body and constrict blood-flow. after a while of constantly staring mindlessly at the wall she faced, Nanai's eyes slowed to a close until halfway shut, to try to cut of the current train of thought she had, she decided to go into what she liked to call her 'MM' or 'Mental Memo'. within this 'memo' as she put it, was a strict schedule of her morning, noon, and night activities, most of which consisted exercises to keep from falling behind in training, this way she could still keep up with what Hebi has tought her so far, to study and practice as often as possible, and squeeze homework in between...somewhere anyway. This 'memo' can also, in a way, act as an alarm, if she was scheduled to do a certain exercise on a certain day at a certain time for a given time period, because of this, she'd never forget to do it. It was always accurate, and she was always on time, even to school.
(Nanai)"MM one, sleep til 7:50. MM two, 10 min. breathing exercises. MM three, 10 min. stretch. MM four, 20 mins. of punchs on the punching bag. MM five, 20 mins. of kicks of the punching bag. MM six, 10 mins. of laps around the house..." she calculated swiftly in her brain.
The list continued for about a few more minutes, she dozed off the moment she finished reciting everything, faintly smoring, completely out of it by the time Hebi came up to check on her. he knows that she often forgets to turn her light off befor going to bed, so he knocks to see f she'd awake and creeps in to turn the light out and tuck her in. Hebi stood by her bedside looking down on her, the way a father would do his daughter, he ran his fingers down the side of her face stroking her cheek, lightly rubbing her head, and then stroking her cheek again. Recognizing this routinely done act since she first came to stay there, feeling the warmth of his hand on her face, Nanai nuzzled up against his hand followed by a calm smile just before he left her side.
Hebi quietly shuts her bedroom door.
(Hebi)"Ah, such a lovely young woman she has become, she always made me feel like i really had a daughter, i remember it like it was yesterday, clinging to me day and night, rarely sleeping in her own room, especially on rainy nights, thunderstorms scared her to death. *Inhale, exhale* Nanai, it makes me wonder everyday she's here ,what kind of life she wants for herself, she doesn't talk about it, well, not that i asked her anyway, she's the silent type, only speaks when she feels like it, that's probably her shield against the outside world, to prtect herself, she's actually extremely kind and loving, i guess she just has a hard time expressing it..." Hebi walks slowly down the hallway to his room, ranting to himself, until he realizes what he was just doing.
(Hebi)"...uh...why am i speaking of her as if i'm actually talking to someone...?" He stopped right in front of his door looking puzzled.
He hears footsteps behind him coming from by the staircase, it was Banjin finally coming up for bed, the look on his face was sort of shameful, but after a moment, it became more smug, a skeemer's look, Hebi could tell just by how it crept onto his face while he slowly tilted his head.
(Banjin)"*Inhale* I couldn't help but overhear you talking to yourself a minute ago...a shield, you say?...being the silent type...'kind.'?..heh heh...'kind'...that girl...'kind'...i highly doubt it..." He said quite sadisticly, you could almost see horns forming on his head.
(Hebi)"...What are you getting at?..." He questioned.
(Banjin)"Nothing. Nothing at all...although she's been in my face this whole time, it suprises me to find out that she isn't who she seems to be, that girl shuts herself off from everything and sits alone in her room all days...doing god knows what...what to do?" He grinned showing off all his teeth.
(Hebi)"Listen Banjin...i've tolerated you're neglectfulness toward the both of us for so many years, even before she got here you were abusive, but i swear, if you ever do anything to hurt that girl...i'll make you wish you had never been born."
(Banjin)"Oh really? i'd like to see that." Banjin stepped up to Hebi, directly in his face, looking him in the eye intently.
(Hebi)"Don't do this...don't hurt Nanai..." Hebi said quietly, nearly pleadingly.
(Banjin)For some reason i'm not feeling obliged to answer to such a request, i'll start by repaying her for what she did earlier, she'll suffer the same embarassment i did. But before that, you're first on my list. How 'bout puttin' up a decent fight this time, help me enjoy it by fighting back."
(Hebi)"Is that what you call it? me not making moves against you isn't because i lack the ability to fight, neither is it because i don't believe i can beat you, i just find it easier to choose not to fight you. For one, it would be a waste of energy, i have better things to do around here than to play with an immature, abusive, weakling like you, 'Mr. Professional Dojo', 'Mr. Invincible', 'Mr. Too good to be nice anyone'. you make me sick! walking around here struting about, when are you gonna grow up and learn some discipline?"
(Banjin)"You don't know what you're talking about! 'I'm far stronger than you'll ever be! You don't know anything! I can't even explain how much i hate you, but most of all, how much i hate...HER!"
(Hebi)"You seem to hate not just us, but everything, everyone. Fine. I understand. Ok, Then answer me one thing. Why is that you hate both me and Nanai the most?"
(Banjin)"*Gasp*"
(Voice from down the hall)"Tell me, why do you feel the need to ruin my sleep?"
Banjin and Hebi revert their attention in the direction of the voice, it was Nanai. Still in her night gown, standing with her arms folded, she leaned on the wall with her hardly open exhausted eyes fixed on Banjin.
(Banjin)"Well, if it isn't the little 'Princess'! Why don't you run along back to you're throne, you're not needed here!"
(Nanai)"Oh yeah? i'm actually curious of what you're answer is gonna be. And another thing, i don't ever remember telling anyone i was a princess of any sort, i'm just me, always has been, always will be. So, what is it that makes you act this way, because believe it or not, i lose sleep thinking about my idiot of a roommate, and i have a pretty tight schedule to keep daily."
(Banjin)"*Scoffs* Screw you're schedule!"
(Nanai)"What. ever." Shew shrugs her shoulders.
(Banjin)"Yet another one of your annoying qualities, you have an 'I Don't Care' attitude about you all the time, why is that? Do you just feel that confident in youself? Like you can't be beaten?"
(Nanai)"Is that a question, a confession, or a complaint? i honestly can't tell."
(Banjin)"What?"
(Nanai)"*Exhale* What i mean is that you keep saying these stupid things, 'Oh you think you're all that!', 'Oh you're just a little princess!', 'Oh i just wish you'd go away because i don't like wimpering dogs hanging around my house!'...Tell me, is that me you're talking about or yourself? And you're wrong, i don't have an 'I Don't Care' attitude all the time, i just dont care about annoying people like you, their better off ignored."
(Banjiin)"Grrr! You tryin' to pick a fight?" Banjin Growled.
(Nanai)"That's all you ever think about, 'Fight, fight, fight'...what is it that you want? if you really hated us, you'd move out and never come back, but you don't, you stay around and pick on those you feel are weaker than you because you can't stop being reminded of how much of a piece of shit you are, because you're nothing but an underachieving, black-hearted, superficial bastard!"
All of them became quiet, Banjin's eyes were focused on Nanai, and then the floor, the longer he stood there thinking, the looser his grip on Hebi's shirt got. Banjin's eyes were red, as if resisting the urge to cry, his voice was raspy when he tried to utter a word, he bit his lip, calming himself, biting harder the more his anger rose, luckily, it started to drop before he could draw blood.
(Banjin)*Inhale, Exhale*(speaking with a raspy sounding voice)"I'm tired, i'm goin to bed. I need time to think..." He walked away with his hand over his face.
Banjin enters his room, and shockingly, he doesn't slam his door.
(Hebi)"*Takes a deep breathe*"So, what now?" He asked Nanai.
(Nanai)"...Get back on Schedule?" Nanai shrugged.
(Hebi)"Yes...that's a good idea, hurry to bed, you have school in the morning."
(Nanai)"Ok." She bows.
Nanai and Hebi went their separate ways and were able to finally sleep in peace for once. Nanai gets into bed and curls up with her favorite pillow (the once with the cat picture on it) and nods off, and Hebi gets into his nighttime attire, puts on a blindfold, and flops on his bed, soon drifting into the dream world as well.
The hours seemed to drag, one hour felt like five, one minute replaced the hour, each second replaced the minutes that went by as they all slept, but this hit Nanai the hardest, as usual, her schedule woke her up right on the dot every night, luckily for that time drag feeling she got so often, this keeps her from being so exhausted in the morning. around 4:48, her body twitched, the normal reaction to her body clock, she lied there for a few seconds, then slowly opened her eyes, blinking them until her vision was clear enough to see. Removing her covers and venturing to her closet was the first thing she did after rising from the bed, folded neatly on a shelf right by the door at the entrance to the closet was Nanai's casual outfit for such times, her routine workouts. the outfit composed of a custom-made brown t-shirt with an odd insignia on the front that stretched from the top of her chest to just above her belly button, shoes with a similar insignia and color, and ordinary jogging pants that she'd roll the legs up on to about knee high. when heading out, she wouldn't bother to fix up her hair, seeing as she was gonna wash it afterwards and she doesn't fix it up much for school either. This time she went bare foot to the training grounds, she walked down the hallway scratching her head, yawning, and stretching, but before leaving, Nanai made a stop at the bathroom to put water to her face and use the toilet. Once she was finally downstairs, she took a towel from a rack in the kitchen and went into the backyard. the training grounds were of about 8 acres in both length and width, two punching bags were hanging to the far right, 12 ft apart from each other, kicking posts were set 25 ft away from the punching bags, to the far left was an obstacle course, one that requires speed and precision, for not only is match the set movement record of the course, but to avoid traps set amount the trees and the ground. In the very center of this field were two nicely flattened plushy mats, which is where Nanai and Hebi sit to meditate in sessions, she prefers to meditate before and then once more during her session, completeing all of these tasks before getting ready for school. Nanai walked right over to the mat where she often sits (seated next top Hebi of course), there was a set of arm and legs weights right next to it that she leaves here until her next session comes. Nanai slipped the weights on and strapped them on as tight as possible, by the way she moves, they almost don't appear to be there all, she flawlessly maintained her composure as she stretched before sitting down to meditate. When Nanai was finally seated, she began to concentrate, but right before she could get into a deep enough trance, she felt someone's shadow lingering over her, Nanai looked up and saw Banjin standing over her looking down on her, the expression on his face was a bit confused, it was like he was watching someone do the kind of thing Nanai was doing all for the first time.
(Nanai)"So are you just gonna stand there all day watchng me or did you need something?" Nanai questioned without looking at him, trying to maintain her tone of voice, keeping herself from sounding very mean.
(Banjin )"..."
(Nanai)"What?"
(Banjin)"Nothing."
Banjin stepped over next to her, took a good look at how Nanai had herself positioned, and tried ot sit the same way with his legs crossed. Then he tried to mimic her gesture of sitting up straight, while having both arm rested in her lap, it was sloppily done but good enough considering it was his first time doing it.
(Banjin)"Tell me, what's the point of this? why sit here like this for so long? what are you suppose to do?"
(Nanai)"Nothing. you sit here, and you focus, focus until you zone out of consciousness, you won't realize how much time passes, you won't hear anyone speak to you or moving around you, but if you're meditation state is keen enough, you can still remain aware as well as ready. If you're focus is strong enough, you may not even think about food or water until after you come out of that phase."
(Banjin)"I don't know...that sounds like a lot of work...just thinkin' 'bout all the thinkin' i gotta do, makes me tired...and i haven't even started."
(Nanai)"Just fully relax yourself, calm the body, it makes it a lot easier, i sometimes come out here to use this session as a stress reliever, or as a way of ridding myself of anger. Just take a few good deep breathes, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, until you're good and calm and ready to focus completely."
(Banjin)"*Inhale, Exhale*Breathe...*Inhale, Exhale* Breathe...*Inhale, Exhale* Breathe..." Banjin repeated these words until eventually he was fully calmed.
Oddly enough, he caught on to what its like to meditate after a moment, but the thing that was most odd to Nanai was that he came to her at all. Usually Banjin is up in a rampage on all hours of the day, yelling, throwing punches, kicking Hebi across the room, grabbing handfuls of Nanai's hair and tugging on it just to see her in pain. Looking back on it now, he was like a bitter child, crying out for his family's attention, but not recieving the attention he craved, and after ganging up on him and meeting the subject head on, he broke down, realizing how cruel he's been to them. And although he was now aware of his past actions, that child was too stubborn to admit it and retreated to his room long enough for things to cool between them all. Several hours passed, Neither of them spoke, peeked at the other, or even budged to the sounds around them, so far, Banjin's first time doing what Nanai does on a daily basis seemed to be going well.
Banjin opened his eyes, he looked around himself, his new found calmness brought forth a kind of awareness to his surroundings, the likes of which he has never known before.
(Banjin)"Hey...it's funny, for some reason...my sight feels clearer, different, like seeing for the first time in my life...Nanai...is this how you felt when you first meditated?" Banjin said to Nanai sincerely with a sense of amazement in his voice.
(Nanai)"Actually no, looks like you were long overdue for a change, nothing changed, except for my sense of time...now that was what increased for me."
Banjin blushed of embarassment.
(Nanai)"S'Ok though. At least you gained something from you're first few hours of meditation, most people don't know the difference until after they do it long enough, i think you're doin' a good job so far." She slightly smiled.
(Banjin)"...You think so...?" he said with a bit of belief in his voice.
(Nanai)"Yeah...but it won't mean much unless you do it on a regular though...I...can help you out if you wanna commit to it, or do you not think you can keep up with my specially designed 'Super Schedule'?" She turned to him wondering.
(Banjin)"...heh...we'll see." Banjin got up from his seat and went back to the house.
(Nanai)"Good luck. You're gonna need it, because my training might break you faster than you can imagine." She smirked.
Nanai went back to her room, it was time to get ready for school, she put together a nice outfit, composing of tight-fitting blue jeans, a sleeveless t-shirt with a playboy bunny logo on the front, a statement in white letters written on the back that reads 'If you haven't felt what lies above and inside, i guess you don't know what lies below and between', and the words above, inside, below and between were in bold. For a while Nanai stared at this shirt, wondering whether or not it would seem slutty to wear it, she wasn't even sure when she first bought it, but she definitely liked it, for the hat she must wear to hide her ears in school, she set out a black beret. She decided to go for it and see what happens, mostly picking the shirt because it matched the color of her jeans, it was a dark blue, but not too dark to be counted as black. Now going to the bathroom to take a shower, she grabbed her shower gel, shampoo, two drying towels, and a wash rag from a shelf where each person's clean towels are kept. After adjusting the water to her usual shower temperature, she removed her clothes, starting from lower to upper, when she was about to take off her shirt, she stopped and paused. A vein jerked on the side of her head, eyes focused to the door but not motioning her body to show she knows something is wrong, she quietly took steps backwards, and stopped at the bathroom door. Nanai tilted her head toward to door nob and saw it turning slowly, thinking it was Banjin trying to pull a perverted move on her, when the person behind the door reached their hand inside, she made a lightning fast jab at it, smashing it against the wall, it wasn' until they spoke that she knew she actually struck.
(Hebi)"Umm...i'm sorry to intrude, but wanted to get my brush...i forgot it on the sink, i was gonna wait til you got out but i was hoping i could sneak by and get it without looking." Hebi whispered through the door holding back a shout of pain.
(Nanai)"Oh! Sorry sensei!" Nanai rush to get the brush for Hebi.
(Hebi)"Th-Thank y-you..."
(Nanai)"Sorry about that..." she sadly apologized.
Hebi walked away and Nanai was about to close the door back, but another voice came quietly to her, she knew it sounded too much like Banjin, so she prepared herself.
(Voice)"Hey! i just wanted to slip by and get-" the person whispered.
Nanai slammed her fist down on the next hand that came through the door, the shout she heard was clearly Banjin's, the vein on her head was there again, and it wasn't without reason.
(Nanai)"Now THAT one i'm definitely NOT sorry for...!" she grumbled.
Nanai continued to undress, taking her shirt off and and getting into the tub. She stood directly under the water, head up and eyes closed, rubbing her wash rag gently against her right cheek, and then the left, the soothing feeling of hot water on her skin at the temperature she liked best felt like heaven. She turned around and let the water run down her body front to back, all over her head, making it feel like her skin was getting softer, smoother, more lady-like, more than it was before anyway, her fit, solid, highly-worked body. the steam of the shower fogged up he bathroom, you couldn't see you're hand in front of you're face even if you wanted to, but it was only going to thicken the longer she stayed in, and she was just getting her towel soapy to wash up. She scrubbed all over from head to toe, making herself squeeky clean, she liked the feel of it, she didn't mind the dirty feeling she got during and after training very much, but this really felt good to her. Next was to wash her hair, Nanai scrubbed the shampoo in thoroughly, but shortly after put her head under the water to wash it all out. relaxed and refreshed she was now, just how our young lady liked to feel in the morning after an amazing shower, too bad they moment don't last long, she didn't want to hold up the bathroom trying to enjoy it to the fullest. Nanai turned the water off and stepped out of the tub, when finished drying off, she tightly wrapped one of the dry towels around herself and wrapped her hair up in the other, creeping across the floor through the fog, she reached carefully for the door nob. Once found, she slowly turned to keep anyone from hearing when she opened the door, Nanai peeked out to see if anyone was there, and when the coast was clear, she tip-toed her way out and made for the bedroom. after closing the door, Banjin and Hebi made a run for the bathroom to be next to take over, but htey both made it at the same time and fought for the way inside. Hebi decided to be the better man and let Banjin go before him, and when Banjin jolted in there without a second thought saying he would leave him shivering in the hall all morning, Hebi burned a furious red knowing that he was planning to purposely use up all the hot water, Banjin laughed at him on the other side of the door saying 'say hello to the cold water for me!'. While Nanai was squeezing into today's outfit, Kami was the prime subject on her mind, what to say, what to do, how to act to not give him any funny ideas, although it wasn't very important to her, she still wanted to be sure.
(Nanai)"Hmm, i wonder if this looks ok...maybe i should ask Hebi..." she adjusted the beret on her head.
Nanai stopped what she was doing and went to the door, noticing that Hebi was still standing at the bathroom door waiting for Banjin to come out, she called out to him.
(Nanai)"Sensei! Could you come here for a minute? I want to ask you something." She called.
(Hebi)" What is it dear Nanai?" He said coming her way.
Nanai walked back over to the mirror along with him, she posed normally standing with her hand behind her back, taking a deep breathe, she asked him.
(Nanai)"How do i look?"
(Hebi)"That's a very good look for you, i think you should wear a beret more often, its a look of artistic inspiration, and the shirt and jeans combo you're wearing now is very nice too!" He smiled.
(Nanai)"You think so?"
(Hebi)"Certainly. Nanai, i know i probably shown this more than i've said it, and i know you wished so many times i could have told you all these year, but...you're the daughter i never had...and i'm so very, very proud of you." He gave a loving smile.
(Nanai)"Thank you...Father..." She gave a big smile and hugged him.
Hebi stroked her hair gently, hugged her tightly, lightly tugged on the hairs of her cat-like ears, and Nanai giggled ticklishly as while resting her head against his shoulder.
When they stopped hugging and Hebi was about to leave, Nanai continued tending to her hair, but just before exiting the room, Hebi paused and turned to Nanai once more.
(Hebi)"So, you're still thinking about that Kami boy aren't you?" he asked nicely but with a suspicious tone.
(Nanai)"*Gulp* Geez! can you read minds or am i just that easy to read? What the hell's goin on here?" She thought to herself fighting off a little blush coming on.
(Hebi)"No need to worry! Don't get so aggravated, i was just wondering, *Exhales* young love, yet something else i could not have, a story for another time i suppose, you're a lucky one. I don't mind either way which ever decision you make, just, don't get youself hurt, the last thing i want is to have to see you unhappy, i don't think i could bare it."
(Nanai)"...heh...don't worry Sensei, you don't have to worry...it won't happen...ever...the last thing i need is some guy hangin all over me, boys suck anyway, its always about them and what they want, their selfish and self-serving."
(Hebi)"Need i remind you that i'm a man myself? you speak so harshly of the other gender yet you like me."He questioned.
(Nanai)"*Giggles* But you're different Sensei, your kindhearted, helpful, supportive, you stand by me when no one else will, you give me strength that i can find within myself half the time. Even though you're a man, you never make me feel down, you never criticize me, or bully me like Banjin, you make me feel...'Special'..." Nanai spoke these words from the bottom of her heart, he could tell by the way she emphasized every phrase, the way they came out would let anyone know that she truly did love, care, and respect Hebi very deeply.
(Hebi)"Gosh, i didn't know you thought that highly of me. I just try to be myself most of the time." Hebi chuckled.
(Nanai)"You're the dad i wish i started out with from the beginning."
(Hebi)"haha. Well, there are things that need tending to around the house, i'll see you when you get back from school later tonight."
(Nanai)"Yeah, ok, at dinner then."
Hebi leave the room and Nanai trails behind him shortly after, the bathroom was finally open, Hebi was about to take a shower, on her way to the stairs, Nanai looked through the still open bathroom door to see what Hebi was doing before she left, he was cleaning up the filth Banjin left behind on the floor placing it within the men's dirty clothes basket. He was top-less, and as strangely as it may sound, as long as she's been staying there, Nanai has never seen Hebi not clothed from top to bottom, maybe she just didn't run into him when he was, and neither has she seen Banjin without a shirt or anything, but since she didn't really care about how Banjin would look without one it didn't even occur to her what he might look like. Nanai stared at Hebi for while, her ears twitched beneath her beret, her eyes followed the lines of his muscles, his fit abs, his toned arms which she can't believe is so well hidden under the kind of clothes he wears, his back was solid, like that of a man who has done hard labor all his life.
Hebi turned noticing Nanai peeking in at him, Nanai hid from view, he continued to look toward the door in confusion waiting to see if she'd come back.
(Hebi)"Umm, are you feeling ok Nanai?" He asked very concerned.
(Nanai)"Uhh yeah, i'm fine...*clears throat* Yeah, don't worry about me, i just didn't know you were still in there."
(Hebi)"Hmm. Well, don't be shy, i don't mind you seeing me without a shirt on."
Inching her way around the corner, Nanai kept her eyes to the floor, she stood in the doorway and slowly raised her eyes to Hebi, his figure, as she described it in her mind while looking at it, was 'Artisticly Toned', the lined were refined and seemed to be perfectly placed. He had muscle, but was not buff, not too skinny yet not too muscular, Nanai was more fascinated with what she was seeing than she was interested, this is her 'Father' after all.
(Nanai)"Maybe this thing does work...I suddenly feel like drawing or something..." She patted the beret on her head.
(Hebi)"You know, you might be late for school if you keep dilly-dallying around here little Nanai."
(Nanai)"Huh?"
(Hebi)"School? I thought you were leaving?" He questioned.
(Nanai)"Oh crap! i totally forgot! Bye Dad!" Nanai ran down the stairs flustered.
(Hebi)"...Father... I never thought it would feel so good to have such a loving daughter..." Hebi chuckled very delightedly.
In the meantime, Nanai headed to school praying she wouldn't be late, her first period class teacher wasn't exactly the type of person who took kindly to being late. She can't go cat and sprint there on all fours, someone might see and it might cause a little speculation to spread around the city, the last thing they need are people breathing down their necks, especially knowing how much suspicion they arouse already. Upon reaching the school building, she stumbled from exhaustion and held herslf up on railing at the stairway just outside the school, only a few more minutes until the bell was to sound for class to start.
(Nanai)"Jeez. Sometimes i kinda wish i was able to be like a cat, at least then i could run this fast for a lot longer period of time without restraint. This sucks. Well, at least my attendance is good so far this year, maybe he'll let this time slide." Nanai moved her way up the stairs toward the door.
Nanai paused, she could hear footsteps on the stairs behind her on the same side of the stairs, when she turned to see who was coming, she found it was Ookami, usually he'd be first in class but for some reason he was late today. As he walked upward toward her, the closer he came, the more of a depressing aura she sensed eminating from him, why is someone she never sees without a bright spirited aura doing so gloomy? She felt like asking, but maybe this was something she was better off not knowing, Hebi has always taught her that some things are better left unsaid, and to only peer into another's mind if allow you to see what's there. Ookami's head was down, he appeared to be walking stiffly, like a zombie, the look in his eyes was like that of a man under a hypnosis, one are was up resting on his shoulder holding onto his book bag, while the other hung by his side lifelessly. When he finally got to the step she stood on, he bumped into her, as though he didn't see her there at all, for a second he stood motionless behind her, she watch him carefully thinking he'd spring an attack, or make a sleazy move likeshe expects of most guys. Still he didn't move or speak for minutes on end, it was becoming pretty creepy, and also sort of awkward to just have him standing behind her slightly up against her, faintly breathing on her neck with his chin on her shoulder.
(Nanai)"Yo uhh...(what's his name again?)...O-O-Ookami? would you mind stepping off of me? I don't like people just laying all on me like that." She said turning his way while pushing him back.
He said nothing.
(Nanai)"Hello-o-o? Ookami?...Dude?...Classmate?...Amigo?...Ringing any bells? What's the matter?" She said confused, trying to shake him until he came to his senses.
She smacked his face a little hoping he'd wake up soon, now he was starting to annoy her a bit, she had to resist the urge to knee him in the gut, or slap him too hard, but those were seeming like very friendly options at the moment.
(Nanai)"Hey! Ookami! Snap out of it! Now!" She shouted in his face, holding him by the shirt.
He jerked suddenly, looking around as if panicked, breathing rapidly and deeply, he turned to Nanai, who was still holding his shirt, stood up straight and finally spoke.
(Ookami)"Oh uhh...N-Nanai right? Sorry 'bout that...I don't know what was wrong with me...sorry if i freaked you out..."
(Nanai)"Uhh...it's...ok?"
(Ookami)"By the way, how come you're late? you often make the bell just in time, but i rarely see you late. Are you having problems too?"
(Nanai)"You could say that. Lately my household has been goin' through some changes."
(Ookami)"I can see that."
(Nanai)"Huh?"
(Ookami)"You're outfit. You changed you're dress-style too. That's a pretty neat style you've gone with, it's cute."
(Nanai)"...Cute, huh?..." She scratched her head blushing a little, fighting off a smile.
Bell rings.
(Ookami)"Well, looks like we're late now, i'm gonna head on to class, see you later. Remember, the library after school." Ookami resumed to climb up the stairs.
(Nanai)"I haven't forgotten." She walked on behind him.
There were no words exchanged the whole time they were in class together, she didn't tend to her usual habit and ask to borrow something from him, and he din't look back at her at all. this continued in ever class they had together, Nanai's silence continued even up to her gym class, but it was time to speak up, because the teacher had now called upon her.
(Teacher)"Nanai. Is Nanai present?" The teacher called.
(Nanai)"Yes Ma'am!" Nanai replied squeezing from the back of the crowd of students.
(Teacher)"Are you Nanai? You don't look familiar, did you just recently get moved to my group?"
(Nanai)"Yes."
Her new instructor was a european female with blonde hair and green eyes, wore light make-up, purple lip stick, and a wore similar outfit to the student track uniform.
(Teacher)"Well, i don't have you're recent track record, what was your last set time?" The teacher said looking at Nanai's information on her clipboard.
(Nanai)"I didn't spend enough time in my last group to set one."
(Teacher)"Hmm. Alright then, my name is Alice Devantre, De as in Destiny, Van as in Vanity, and tre as in the spanish number for three. I'm sort of new here as well so i can relate, i just recently transfered from a high school in the U.S. where i also coached a track team. So Nanai, is that a kind of title or something? I don't see a last name in your file."
(Nanai)"Actually...you could say that, no one in my family has a last name, its a tradition for those born in our family to have a name that describes their nature and personality."
(Ms. Devantre)"I see. Alrighty let's see what you can do, one lap around the track, do your best, have you done your stretches yet?"
(Nanai)"N-No ma'am, i'll do them now."
Nanai got in place on the track and stretched as she was suppose to, thinking it would arouse to much suspicion to go at her full speed, she had to go as fast as possible making it seem like that was her fastest sprint. Having cat-like replexes has its advantages, agility, flexibility, a keen sense of sight and hearing greater than that of a normal human being, if anyone were to witness a supposed human with these traits, the existance of Fates would be exposed.
(Nanai)"Hmm, just how fast should i go...i guess i should try going the speed that girl who went before me just went but slightly faster, that should be ok, right?" she thought.
Nanai got into her stance.
(Ms. Devantre)" Get ready. Set. Go!"
Her pace was good, she maintained her composure ensuring no one notice anything different about her, running on two legs is more difficult than four like a cat would, but something overtook her for a moment, a feeling, the feeling of freeness, it was overwhelming, like setting free a caged bird. A smile crept across her face, a satisfying smile, although she was barely trying to keep up appearances, holding back so much mae her want to try more. Without her knowing, her paces quickened and quickened until she actually overdid it, Nanai ran the track a second time none-stop and still wasn't tired. By the time she realized how long she was running, the teacher had decided to blow her whistle, it took a few tries before Nanai actually heard her, but indeed she stopped.
(Nanai)"O-Oh! I'm really sorry! i didn't...i mean...i guess i got caught up..." She scratched her head nervously.
Ms. Devantre was still looking at her stopwatch, there was amazement in her expression, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, her hand shaking as she lightly touched her lips, then she looked at Nanai. Uh-oh was her first thought, the teacher eagerly waved for her to come over, but being so nervous all she could do is inch her way over.
(Nanai)"Y-yes ma'am..."
Ms. Devantre showed Nanai her best time for the first lap, and then for her unnecessary second lap, the first was 2 mins and 98 secs, the second was 1 min and 20 secs flat, to move that fast on a full size track, who wouldn't be amazed?
(Ms. Devantre)" Hey Nanai, have you ever considered joining the track team?"
(Nanai)"Well...no, not really, i never felt like i had the ambition to get very far as a member."
(Ms. Devantre)" Are you kidding me?"
Nanai stepped back a bit.
(Ms. Devantre)" NO AMBITION? You run like you come from a long line of healthy athletes, if i had your skills i'd take it all!"
(Nanai)"I guess i never wanted anything, it just comes natural to me, but i don't think i want to run, i'm not the sort of person who likes to get all competitive, i compete enough in my own household."
(Devantre)" I see. Well if you ever change your mind about becoming a member of the team, i'm here when your ready."
(Nanai)"Sure..." Nanai reclaimed her place at the back of the group.
Ms. Devantre blew her whistle.
(Ms. Devantre)" Alright, thats enough for the day. Head to the locker room pronto."