Chapter 3: A Potential Good Guy?!
Shu presented the solldoll and talispod to the entire assembly. The entire Legendz Club was there: Dino Sparks, Meg Sprinkle, Mike 'Mac' Mcfield, and their legendz: Greedo Blazedragon, Leon, Wolfy, Zuou the Bigfoot, Garrion the Griffin, and Shiron the Windragon. They all looked at the talispod in anticipation and fear. The decision that would release or condemn the defendant was yet to be made.
Shu concluded his case. "Well, we all already know why this is here," he said, holding up the talispod, "but no one has yet come to a agreement. I believe it is my duty, as club president, to allow the club to vote before I reborn Ranshiin. Vice-President Shiron will distribute the ballots, and everyone will write down their decision and place it in the Vice-President's hat. The ballots will be reviewed, and then the winning decision will be placed into effect. You all already know my stance on this; I hope you will all agree." He said, placing the talispod on the table where everyone could see.
They were all impressed with how seriously he seemed to be taking the situation; they had all believed Shu was incapable of even being serious. But it seemed his classes in basic law and the mock trials in school were affecting him. The club members all watched as Shiron distributed the index cards to each of them, then collected them in his hat later on, once everyone had reviewed the case in their minds and written down their answer.
Tension reigned in the air.
Shiron handed his hat to Shu. Shu nodded at him, sweat dripping down his forehead. He picked up a card with a shivering hand and read the transcript. Then the next...then the next...and the next.
Everyone watched him silently. Shu stood up and sighed, then faced the club. He smiled and picked up the talispod as Shiron dumped the cards into the trash and put his hat back on. He watched Shu with apathetic blue eyes-- weary, but indifferent.
"After all the ballots have been counted, the club has reached a final decision," he grinned as he held up the black talispod. "Ranshiin! Reborn!"
Everyone watched in complete silence, and no one was smiling; they simply observed as a black tornado materialized from the crystal and left the dark windragon in front of them. His arms were crossed and his eyes were closed. His white wings were folded close to his sides.
Dino squinted. "Weren't his wings black?" the rich young man asked as he leaned in his chair.
Ranshiin opened his eyes.
Everyone froze and watched him, rigid, as if ready to spring on him if he so much as moved a feather out of place. Ranshiin only blinked and sniffed dismissively at them before turning to Shu with a smile. He bent down and held out his hand to him.
"Kaze no Saga, thank you-"
Shiron and G.W. Nicole were on him in five seconds, successfully pinioning him. Shu jumped on Shiron's arm and tried to pull him off.
"Hey! Cut it out! He didn't do anything!" he cried.
"Yet," Meg muttered under her breath before being elbowed by Mac.
Greedo nodded. "He looked like he was about to try something."
Zuou tilted his head. "It looked like to me he was just going to shake Shu's hand." he said.
Shu nodded. "Exactly! Let. Him. Go!"
Shiron glanced down at his saga, then at Ranshiin. The black windragon glared back at him from underneath the three Legendz. He murmured something, and Leon lifted his paw off of his snout.
"What?" The manticore asked, tilting his head.
Ranshiin bared his teeth. "I said," he hissed slowly, "get off of me, you are crushing my wings."
One of Wolfy's ears twitched as he glared down at him. "Funny, sounds like to me you said: 'Get off of me, you doltish cretins, or I'll dismember you.'"
Ranshiin smiled innocently-or at least, it seemed as if he was trying to look innocent, as it was hard to tell from the rage in his eyes, and his sharp teeth. "Did I say that? I meant: 'please remove yourselves from my person, gentlemen,'."
Shiron growled and got off of him. Greedo, Leon, and Wolfy slowly did the same. Ranshiin snorted and stood up, brushing himself off. For a long moment, they stared each other down, neither side moving, neither side speaking.
Shu was apparently the only one immune to the animosity in the air, as he exuberantly bounded over and climbed up Ranshiin's coattails with a leopard-spotted handkerchief in hand. He tied it around the windragon's neck.
Ranshiin blinked at it and rubbed a leopard spot between his fingers, as if making sure it wasn't a stain. "What is this?" he asked.
Shu beamed up at him from the Legendz's shoulder. "It is your official Legendz Club uniform! We meet on Saturdays at 6 AM. You are hereby assistant to the president and vice president, and are also the Executive in charge of electric fans, or EICEF, if you like."
Ranshiin looked at the boy, then his cast his glance slowly across the others. They all stared back at him with equally curious, furious, and terrified faces. His sharp blue eyes assessed them; he could sense and feel their emotions. He had only to play his cards right, these cards they carelessly laid before him...and he could earn their trust.
He made a list in his head, assessing each character before him based on threat level and how naive they were; the boy was the easiest target, and had the most power over the others. His trust was already given full-heartedly. He only needed to use the boy to convince the others…
Ranshiin grinned and laughed. "Great. Where do I start?"
Shu pointed to a large, dusty box fan in a corner. "You can start by turning on that box fan over there! It's a bit stuffy in here!"
Ranshiin nodded and shooed Shiron and the others out of his way. He shot the white windragon a look as he passed, one Shiron was able to translate perfectly clearly. The message made him want to tear Ranshiin's wings off. But he couldn't, when his saga trusted him so blindly.
He watched with the others as he and Shu laughed and conversed as if nothing was wrong. The wind from the electric fan blew around the room, blowing away all the impurities built up over time; Shiron, however, felt like it had a bad air.