129Melamin (私の愛)
Opening: Me Against the World-Nightcore
A dark elven figure stood over the Elven Star. The orb was placed on a golden pedestal with crystal lacing. The lacing continued above the orb and curved in several places. "Finally, Eldamar will be mine." He reached towards the orb and it raised up into the air. "Wha-?" Then it winked out of existence. "No!" he exclaimed. "Elaista!" He examined the magic where the orb had been. "A portal spell? But to where?"
Two elven guards burst into the room. They looked at the room, then one turned and left. The other one confronted the cloaked figure.
"No time to play," he said. "Assa!" A portal appeared and he stepped through it.
Moments later, Followede by one of the guards, four other elves; a male and three females, one of them an adult; rushed into the room in their nightclothes.
"Did you get them?" the male asked the guard.
"No, Sire!"
"Did you see who it was?"
"No, Sire! It was dark and they were cloaked. I'm sorry. I failed you."
"I'm sure you did your best," one of the younger girls said. "Why don't you take the night off?"
"Elaista!" the adult female exclaimed as the guard left the room. She studied all the magic in the room. "Well, there's a portal over here to the Beyonds. And another portal to..." she gasped. "THE HUMAN WORLD!"
"I must go after it!" the male declared.
"No," the adult female said. "With this new crisis, the elves will need their king for assurance. And he will need his queen for support."
"Then I'll go," the youngest girl said.
"You are too young," the other girl said. "As Crown Princess, it is my duty, obligation, and responsibility."
The king looked unsure. He hesitated for a few seconds. "Fine," he breathed. "So be it. Make all the necessary preparations. Be careful though. The human world is a dangerous place." Then all of them left but the oldest of the younger girls. She looked at the pedestal with determination in her eyes.
Chapter One: High School Blues
Harumi Osinaka stretched on the track field during gym, her brown hair dancing in the breeze. The track field had a paved track that formed a circle, with grass and equipment in the middle, surrounded by a chain link fence. She reached down and touched her toes on her right foot. "One." She straigthened back up and then reached down and touched her toes on her left foot. "One." She then redid the cycle increasing the count by one each time. A small blue light came swirling down from the overhead sky and landed on her head and sank in.
"Huh?" she asked, scratching her head. "What was that?" She looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Harumi shrugged and went back to what she was doing.
Satomu Furikawa stretched in the back of the art room. He picked up his pencil, looked at his drawing and scratched his bright red hair. It was a giant mecha punching a dragon into space using a giant drill. A blue light floated through the window, landed on his back and vanished. He stopped for a second, looked at the picture and began erasing some. "Let's make the drill BIGGER!" he exclaimed, drawing excitedly.
Ushio Kaonji was asleep in the library, her pink hair draped around her. "I knew you loved me, Satomu. I love you too. Hmmmmmm..." she murmured.
"Wish I could sleep like that," one kid in the library commented.
"If you were the top brains in school, you could too," another replied as they walked out the door.
A blue light blew past them into the library. It lazed around the room until it landed in Ushio's mouth. She smacked her lips a few times and the light was gone.
Kensui Kusinagi sat in his desk, tapping his pencil against its surface. My life is boring, he thought to himself. I'm tired of school. I'm tired of my life.
Kensui was seventeen years old, with black hair and green eyes. He had a skinny figure, wasn't very athletic and was a bit of a slacker. Some days he didn't even come to school. And since he lived on his own, he had no parents to nag him about it. If it wasn't for Harumi Osinaka, he probably would have dropped out by now. She wasn't the prettiest girl in school, but that didn't mean she didn't have a few curves here or there that were pleasing to look at.
He looked out the window as the teacher droned on and on about world history sounding like he was quoting from Wikipedia.
"Christopher Columbus; born between Aug. 26 and Oct. 31, 1451 and died on the 20th of May 1506; was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer, born in the Republic of Genoa, in what is today northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents. Those voyages, and his efforts to establish permanent settlements on the island of Hispaniola, initiated the Spanish colonization of the New World."
Why do I care? It's not like I'm ever going anywhere. Nothing exciting will ever happen to me anyways. He watched as a couple of bullies proceeded to beat the snot out of some freshman geek. Not my problem. He changed his view to the elementary school nearby, where it looked like a teacher was showing her class the different types of leaves on the nearby trees. To be that young again with hardly any worries. He sighed, turning his attention unwillingly back to the teacher.
What he or the rest of the class couldn't see was a blue light that drifted across the sky, wobbling on the breeze, like a feather drifting from place to place. It fell towards the school and hovered into his class. It spiraled around the room some and floated into Kensui's left eye.
"Ow!" he cried, rubbing at his eye.
Turning around, the teacher said, "Mr. Kusinagi, I'm delighted that my lesson brings tears to your eyes, but you don't have to interrupt the entire class to pretend that you have something in your eye, instead of simply being moved by my divine teaching."
He turned back to the chalkboard. "Now as I was saying…" He began again as the class chuckled at Kensui.
Kensui rubbed his eyes a few more times and then crossed his arms, grumbling. "What the hell was that anyways?" he asked himself, rubbing his eye one more time.
"Hey, Kusinagi," a voice called out to him in the hallway, as he felt someone slap him on the back. Kensui turned his head to see his friend, Satomu Furikawa, standing beside him. "Rumor's going around saying that you actually started crying in Mr. Fuwizaki's class. What's up with that?"
"I wasn't crying," Kensui growled. "Something got in my eye."
"Sure, man," Satomu said. "That's what they all say."
Kensui turned his head. "Whatever. Believe me or not, I know what happened."
"Whoa! No need to get so defensive and pissed, bud. I believe ya!" Satomu said, slapping him on the back again. "See you after school for track tryouts?"
"Yeah, I'll be there. You wouldn't let me say no, remember?"
"Whatever." Satomu lowered his eyes and a blush crossed his face faster than anyone could see. "I...um...I just want what's best for you," Satomu said. He waved as he walked off. "Later."
What the hell was that about?
"Kensui!" someone said as they latched onto his arm.
"Aren't I the popular one today?" he asked. I don't like this much attention. It makes me feel uncomfortable. He looked down to see that it was Harumi attached to his arm.
She playfully punched him in the arm. "Don't be like that," she said, giggling. "We've been going out, for like what, two months now?"
"Only because Furikawa wouldn't leave me alone until I asked you out."
"Meanie," she said, punching his arm again and sticking out her tongue. "It's only because he looks out for you, you know? He only wants what's best for you. Being antisocial all the time can't be healthy. Speaking of healthy, why were you crying in class?"
THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT! "FOR THE LAST TIME!" he yelled. All the students in the hall grew quiet and looked at him. "I WAS NOT CRYING! SOMETHING GOT IN MY EYE! THE NEXT PERSON WHO MENTIONS IT WILL KNOW HOW I FEEL AS I PUT MY FIST IN THEIR EYE!"
The students all stared at him, blinking, for a few seconds. Then a few of them laughed and the hallway went back to normal.
"Why do I even bother?" he asked, hanging his head dejectedly.
Harumi giggled. "So, will I see you out on the track today, trying out for the track team?"
"Only because I have no choice," Kensui said.
Giggling again, Harumi added, "That Furikawa. Anyway, I'll see you there!" She waved as she ran off to her next class."
I think I'm gonna skip the rest of the day. I don't want to hear anymore comments of me crying in class. He headed for the roof. There was a fence surrounding the roof so students wouldn't fall off. A table stood on the floor of the roof. Kensui dropped his bookbag down on the ground near the table and stepped up on the bench, sitting down on the table. He then swung his feet up on the tabletop and lay down. He watched the clouds drift by as he slowly fell asleep.
"Well, well, well," Kensui heard as he was suddenly yanked off the table. He looked into the eyes of Yusuke Fujio, the school bully. Yusuke was also known as the "Bully King" and was nineteen years old. His spiky red hair made him look taller and more intimidating. Rumor was, he'd been held back two or three times as a senior. Five of his comrades stood around the table. "What do we have here?" Yusuke asked, as he breathed into Kensui's face. "Do you know what we do to punks who trespass upon our turf?"
"Treat them to dinner?" Kensui asked jokingly.
"This one's a regular comedian, boss," said one of the guys standing around.
"Gotta pay the bills somehow," Kensui joked. Why am I pushing my luck?
"He ain't funny," Yusuke said. "How about we show him our comedy act?"
The guys all began cheering. Yusuke drew back his fist and let it fly towards Kensui's face.
Just then, the roof door opened, and out walked the principal. Mr. Hikawa was a small man, but rumors said that back in his day, he was the number one fighter in town. He had silver hair and blue eyes. "What's going on here?" he asked roughly.
"N-n-nothing much, sir," Yusuke stammered. Rumors also said that Yusuke had actually attacked the principal once. He had woken up in the infirmary.
"We were just showing our friend, Kensui here, our comedy act." He looked around at his men. "Right, boys?"
"Right, boss!" they all chimed.
"Right?" Yusuke growled under his breath, nudging Kensui on the side with his elbow.
Mr. Hikawa stepped forward and all the boys backed off. "Let him go, Mr. Fujio."
Yusuke dropped Kensui back onto the table like a sack of potatoes.
"Now, Mr. Kusinagi?"
"Yes sir?"
"Has everything Mr. Fujio said been true?" Mr. Hikawa asked him directly.
"Of course not, sir. He was about to show me what beef felt like when it was tenderized." What has gotten into me all of a sudden?
"Really? Mr. Fujio, you're suspended for another week."
"B-b-but…"
"And a call will be placed to your father."
Yusuke's face fell. "Anything but that," he said as he fell to his knees. "I beg you! Anything but that!"
"You should have thought of that before, Mr. Fujio. Have a nice day."
Yusuke got up and walked past Kensui. "You're dead, punk," he said as he passed him by and headed for the door.
"The rest of you, back to class. I come up here again, and any of you are here, the ones I find will be expelled. Am I clear?"
"Yessir!" all the boys said.
Mr. Hikawa followed behind Yusuke.
The boys looked at Kensui. "I hope you enjoyed your life, man," one of them said. "Because the boss is gonna kill you." The boys all chuckled as they left the roof.
After school that day, Kensui and Satomu did their stretches out on the track field behind the school in their gym uniforms. They were in the center area while other students ran around the actual track. Harumi jogged up, wiping sweat from her forehead as the sun shone brightly from overhead.
"Hey," she called to them. "You guys ready?"
"What's the point to all this?" Kensui asked.
"Because you need to be more active, man," Satomu answered. "You need to quit living like a hermit. It ain't healthy for you."
"Okay! Listen up!" the track coach called. "This being the tryouts, your test for joining will be to run eight laps around the tack without stopping. The ones who cannot do it, better luck next year."
She went over to the starting line. "Line up!"
Everyone lined up at the starting line. "On your marks! Get set! Go!" The kids all took off at a run.
At the get go, two people collapsed. A few made the first lap and collapsed.
"Kids nowadays," was all the coach could say.
At the end of the tryouts, only fifteen kids had made the full eight laps out of the forty that had shown up with Kensui coming in last. He was out of breath. Kensui had had to push himself at the end just to make it to the finish line. He collapsed on the grass by Satomu and Harumi.
"Congrats," the coach said. "You barely came in last but you still made the team."
"Whatever."
Kensui went to the locker room and changed for the day.
Kensui was walking through the park, looking at all the cherry blossoms. He saw a few couples scattered here and there, making out on benches. The night birds were just beginning to wake up and start their melodies. He was staring at a downed tree nearby when he came upon a girl. She looked to be seventeen with blonde hair. She was lying face down. "Oh my gosh!" he yelled as he ran over to make sure she was okay.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Can you speak?"
She opened her eyes. "Manke amin?" she murmured, her voice sounding like gentle bells.
"I'm glad you're awake," he said to her, sitting her up.
"Ya lle?" she said, apparently asking a question.
"Do you understand me?" he asked her.
"Lle rangwa amin?" she said. Then she shivered.
He took off his coat and put it around her and her eyes widened. She felt the coat, looked at it and then at him. "Vesta?"
"I'm sorry. I can't understand you," he said. "But it'll be okay."
She smiled and pulled out a ring and handed it to him. "Sinome."
He took it. "What do I do with this?" he asked, looking at the ring. She made the motions of putting it on her right index finger. He followed her example. There was a bright glow and when the light died down, she had a ring on her right index finger as well. She blushed at him. What's going on? Why is she blushing? Have I done something? And what was up with that glow? I don't think I like it.
At that moment, Yusuke and his boys appeared down the path behind Kensui, unable to see the girl.
Two of the guys came over and yanked Kensui up, dragging him over to Yusuke, not even noticing the girl. "I told you what would happen if we met again, Kusinagi," Yusuke said threating Kensui. "My old man beat me. Now I'm gonna beat you ten times worse."
He drew back his fist and smashed Kensui in the face making him fly back. "And by ten times worse, I mean dead."
Yusuke started towards Kensui. But suddenly, there was a girl in between them. She had orange hair with red hair on the side of her face hanging down in front of her ears to her chest and red bangs. She had olive skin, purple eyes, and ears that came to a point below the top of her head. Kensui noticed she had a ring on her right index finger.
"Get outta the way, bitch!" Yusuke said. Seeing she wasn't moving, he charged towards her. She dodged to the side faster than the eye could see, grabbed his arm, and flung him over while turning around. Yusuke hit a tree and went down.
The other five guys saw this and charged her. She jumped in the air and kicked while spinning around, taking out two of the boys. She grabbed two more of the boys and slammed them together, then clotheslined the third, punching him to the ground out of the air, all in one motion.
The girl then faced Kensui and knelt down in front of him. He stared disbelievingly as she grew shorter and changed into the girl he had just helped. Then she pointed at herself. "Mela."
"Mela?" he asked, repeating her.
She nodded, smiling and looking pleased. Then she pointed at him.
"M-me? Kensui."
"Canshwi?"
"No. Ken-su-i" he corrected.
"Kenshwi?"
"Almost," he said. "Ken-su-i. Ken as in the doll. Su as in sushi. And I pronounced as the letter e. Kensui."
"Kensui?"
"Right." She looked pleased.
Elsewhere, in the world of elves, a male and female elf were sitting at their large mahogany table. It was littered with fruits and vegetables of every kind. Not a speck of meat was seen. As they ate, they sipped from their wine glasses. Then bells began ringing around their house.
"Those are…" the woman started.
"She didn't…" the father said with eyes widening.
"If that's the case…"
"It's time to meet our new son-in-law," the male finished.
Ending: Listen to Your Heart-Nightcore
Do what? Son-in-law? What's Kensui going to do about this? Worse, how is he going to explain it to Harumi? Don't miss out next time.