Chise Nara
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- Posted: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 00:42:22 +0000
At the turn of the century, Japan witnessed a turn of a new world. Kira's world. The terror that Kira brought was both a sweet and terrifying blade through the world of crime. The man named Kira was killed; at least, that's what they reported. The world returned to a crime infested hole, but still the threat of Kira was far too prevalent. So name changes were implemented. Babies born were named twice, and the first name kept secret in the minds of the parents, the second a legal identity. This process, the authorities thought, would protect the citizens of the world.
This story is told over and over, to emphasize the need to be good... should Kira ever return.
~~~
The life of a twelve-year-old is supposed to be easy. Get up, go to school, come home, do your homework, eat, converse with your parents, play and go to bed. Yet, for Yosho, it was normal to care for herself in the absence of her parents. Not to say they were dead; they weren't. They were in perfect health. At a board meeting, the girl thought, reading the note that said they wouldn't be home yet again, or "until late" so her mother's swooping handwriting read. She balled up the note and sighed, throwing it in the trash. Third time this week they hadn't come home. It was only Wednesday.
But still without being told, the girl sat at the table and started her homework.
A wise man told her that 'the road to advancement begins when you want it to, Yoshomika.' and she had taken to education already. Her father, the head of a large company and the marketing department as well, was shocked when his three-year-old daughter walked into his office one day and began to read one of his books in a paper and magazine strewed armchair. For as intelligent as the man was, he hadn't even noticed that she had begun to read small books, until she started to read one of his big books in front of him.
Yoshomika, or Yosho, as she had fondly been called by every person she knew, had earned her way into a very prestigious finishing schools in the world; or so she was told. She had been pleased at first, but she eventually begged her mother to let her attend the starting school downtown. It wasn't fancy, it wasn't advanced, it was normal. She didn't want to be advanced, she didn't want to be lost in a sea of people just like her, and in her mind it was a lost cause either way. Better pretend to be dumber, than to outwit other children that are just as smart as you.
At first, her mother refused. Unfortunately, Yosho had learned a patience from her Father, and refused to back down. She smiled, remembering the conversation as she did her English homework.
"Mother, six may not be a important age, and I may not know as much as you, but you've seen the test scores."
Elexial shook her head and continued prepping dinner. "No means no, Yosho. Your father insists as well. You got into a extremely hard school, and your tests scores were... well, perfect."
Yosho frowned, wishing she had not cared enough to do the test. "Despite what you and Father think of me, Mother," she growled, "I do actually have feelings." She glared up at the woman from her seat at the table, gripping the cloth of her yukata and gritting her teeth, but only for a second. Her mother had dropped the knife she had been holding and turned to face her, a look of mild shock, amusement and pride.
"Tell me then," the woman asked, coming to kneel down with her. "Tell me why my little girl wants to stunt her education."
"When a child starts walking, they start gradually," she stated, looking her mother full in the eye. "They crawl, pull themselves up and take a few steps. For some, it takes longer than others, but I've heard stories of children who never walked, they stood and ran. If one child stood up and was able to run, could he not stop and walk also?"
Yosho's mother hadn't spoken. Later, she told her daughter that the green of her eyes had been so intense, and her answer so honest, all she could do was go straight to her husband and tell him that Yosho would be attending in Okayama . Yosho had never been so happy, and proud of herself.
Now, six years later, Yosho couldn't be more disgusted. Not with school, it was to be expected. There were people of all sort, and they had been pleasant enough, and the work itself was easy and she stayed in the top ranks her entire school career. No, the fault lay on her parents.
Not to far back, Yosho's mother had got a promotion at work. It was very exciting and she announced that we would be moving to Osaka. As it turned out, Father had also been transferred to Osaka to work in a different branch. Moving, as far as Yosho was concerned, was of little interest.
After the move, however, Yosho realized how much time she spent in the house alone. Even on the days that they came home, Yosho felt alone. The new school wasn't as bad as she thought it was, however, there had been one problem. Bullying. It's to be expected in a new school. Yosh had never liked it, but then again, only bullies do, right?
As a nerdy student before she entered school, she was targeted a lot. Yet, starting in a new school forced her to decide everything would be different. She didn't know how she would manage, but Yosho promised herself she would never let anyone treat her wrongly. Or anyone else, for that matter. So when she saw a smaller student being harassed, she felt it her duty to step in.
"Leave him alone, you sorry excuse for a human," she demanded, stepping out of a crowd of students gathered to watch. It occurred to her, as she spoke, that everyone behind her took a few steps back. Still, she stood her ground, and glared up at the approaching boys.
"Do you know who we are?" the one with the crazy spiked hair asked.
Yosho smirked, and dropped her case that held her school books and cracked her knuckles. "You two are my new best friends," she growled. Without another word, she threw a punch. Her small fist caught the first one in the throat and when the second tried to retaliate, she maneuvered with a quick duck, grabbed her dropped case and flipped it into his face. The fight had ended with both of them on the ground moaning, and her in the Headmaster's office.
That night, her father sat quietly at the table. She knew the yelling would happen soon, but she was ready for it.
"Your school called," he started calmly.
"I know," she replied, taking a bite of her mother's tofu.
"Care to tell me why you attacked two students?" he asked. "Students, who were much older than you, I might add." He looked up from his plate, a smoldering fire in his eyes. "You are aware you broke both arms of one of the students beyond repair, aren't you?"
Yosho set down her chopsticks and stared back with a fierce intensity. "I stopped them from bullying another student. They tried to intimidate me and I used the skills you taught me to insure they would never mess with me, or anyone ever again."
"Yosho..." her mother moaned, looking to her husband.
Koichi was quiet for a moment, then returned to eating. The subject was never broached again.
Since then, no one ever messed with her, and when she noticed someone being picked on, it stopped at her word. It had made school easier, for her, and the rest of the school population. It had, however, made her unapproachable. Good for her, she did like her silence.
The silence in her house did make her nervous though, and she flipped on the television as she started her homework. She barely listened as she started her science, but the killer on the news registered in her subconscious, and she thought for a split second how she'd like to take him down, before moving onto the movement of electrons.
When her parents did return home, they found their daughter asleep at the table, head on her books and a line scrawling down from her last answer.
"Yosho," her mother whispered, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. "Wake up."
The girl moaned, and lifted her head quickly. "I'm sorry!" she blurted, but seeing the proud look on her parents' faces, she smiled and rubbed at her eyes.
"Does math not suit my little girl?" her father asked, loosening his tie.
"It was a long day," she replied, erasing the line and continuing her homework. "I only have a few problems left. Let me finish and I'll go straight to bed, I promise."
"That's my girl," her father said quietly. He even sat down with her to help her along.
Her work done, she stumbled up the stairs and down the hall. When she opened her door, she almost tripped over her kitten who dashed from the room. "Shiko!" she groaned, before collapsing into her bed.
This story is told over and over, to emphasize the need to be good... should Kira ever return.
~~~
The life of a twelve-year-old is supposed to be easy. Get up, go to school, come home, do your homework, eat, converse with your parents, play and go to bed. Yet, for Yosho, it was normal to care for herself in the absence of her parents. Not to say they were dead; they weren't. They were in perfect health. At a board meeting, the girl thought, reading the note that said they wouldn't be home yet again, or "until late" so her mother's swooping handwriting read. She balled up the note and sighed, throwing it in the trash. Third time this week they hadn't come home. It was only Wednesday.
But still without being told, the girl sat at the table and started her homework.
A wise man told her that 'the road to advancement begins when you want it to, Yoshomika.' and she had taken to education already. Her father, the head of a large company and the marketing department as well, was shocked when his three-year-old daughter walked into his office one day and began to read one of his books in a paper and magazine strewed armchair. For as intelligent as the man was, he hadn't even noticed that she had begun to read small books, until she started to read one of his big books in front of him.
Yoshomika, or Yosho, as she had fondly been called by every person she knew, had earned her way into a very prestigious finishing schools in the world; or so she was told. She had been pleased at first, but she eventually begged her mother to let her attend the starting school downtown. It wasn't fancy, it wasn't advanced, it was normal. She didn't want to be advanced, she didn't want to be lost in a sea of people just like her, and in her mind it was a lost cause either way. Better pretend to be dumber, than to outwit other children that are just as smart as you.
At first, her mother refused. Unfortunately, Yosho had learned a patience from her Father, and refused to back down. She smiled, remembering the conversation as she did her English homework.
"Mother, six may not be a important age, and I may not know as much as you, but you've seen the test scores."
Elexial shook her head and continued prepping dinner. "No means no, Yosho. Your father insists as well. You got into a extremely hard school, and your tests scores were... well, perfect."
Yosho frowned, wishing she had not cared enough to do the test. "Despite what you and Father think of me, Mother," she growled, "I do actually have feelings." She glared up at the woman from her seat at the table, gripping the cloth of her yukata and gritting her teeth, but only for a second. Her mother had dropped the knife she had been holding and turned to face her, a look of mild shock, amusement and pride.
"Tell me then," the woman asked, coming to kneel down with her. "Tell me why my little girl wants to stunt her education."
"When a child starts walking, they start gradually," she stated, looking her mother full in the eye. "They crawl, pull themselves up and take a few steps. For some, it takes longer than others, but I've heard stories of children who never walked, they stood and ran. If one child stood up and was able to run, could he not stop and walk also?"
Yosho's mother hadn't spoken. Later, she told her daughter that the green of her eyes had been so intense, and her answer so honest, all she could do was go straight to her husband and tell him that Yosho would be attending in Okayama . Yosho had never been so happy, and proud of herself.
Now, six years later, Yosho couldn't be more disgusted. Not with school, it was to be expected. There were people of all sort, and they had been pleasant enough, and the work itself was easy and she stayed in the top ranks her entire school career. No, the fault lay on her parents.
Not to far back, Yosho's mother had got a promotion at work. It was very exciting and she announced that we would be moving to Osaka. As it turned out, Father had also been transferred to Osaka to work in a different branch. Moving, as far as Yosho was concerned, was of little interest.
After the move, however, Yosho realized how much time she spent in the house alone. Even on the days that they came home, Yosho felt alone. The new school wasn't as bad as she thought it was, however, there had been one problem. Bullying. It's to be expected in a new school. Yosh had never liked it, but then again, only bullies do, right?
As a nerdy student before she entered school, she was targeted a lot. Yet, starting in a new school forced her to decide everything would be different. She didn't know how she would manage, but Yosho promised herself she would never let anyone treat her wrongly. Or anyone else, for that matter. So when she saw a smaller student being harassed, she felt it her duty to step in.
"Leave him alone, you sorry excuse for a human," she demanded, stepping out of a crowd of students gathered to watch. It occurred to her, as she spoke, that everyone behind her took a few steps back. Still, she stood her ground, and glared up at the approaching boys.
"Do you know who we are?" the one with the crazy spiked hair asked.
Yosho smirked, and dropped her case that held her school books and cracked her knuckles. "You two are my new best friends," she growled. Without another word, she threw a punch. Her small fist caught the first one in the throat and when the second tried to retaliate, she maneuvered with a quick duck, grabbed her dropped case and flipped it into his face. The fight had ended with both of them on the ground moaning, and her in the Headmaster's office.
That night, her father sat quietly at the table. She knew the yelling would happen soon, but she was ready for it.
"Your school called," he started calmly.
"I know," she replied, taking a bite of her mother's tofu.
"Care to tell me why you attacked two students?" he asked. "Students, who were much older than you, I might add." He looked up from his plate, a smoldering fire in his eyes. "You are aware you broke both arms of one of the students beyond repair, aren't you?"
Yosho set down her chopsticks and stared back with a fierce intensity. "I stopped them from bullying another student. They tried to intimidate me and I used the skills you taught me to insure they would never mess with me, or anyone ever again."
"Yosho..." her mother moaned, looking to her husband.
Koichi was quiet for a moment, then returned to eating. The subject was never broached again.
Since then, no one ever messed with her, and when she noticed someone being picked on, it stopped at her word. It had made school easier, for her, and the rest of the school population. It had, however, made her unapproachable. Good for her, she did like her silence.
The silence in her house did make her nervous though, and she flipped on the television as she started her homework. She barely listened as she started her science, but the killer on the news registered in her subconscious, and she thought for a split second how she'd like to take him down, before moving onto the movement of electrons.
When her parents did return home, they found their daughter asleep at the table, head on her books and a line scrawling down from her last answer.
"Yosho," her mother whispered, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. "Wake up."
The girl moaned, and lifted her head quickly. "I'm sorry!" she blurted, but seeing the proud look on her parents' faces, she smiled and rubbed at her eyes.
"Does math not suit my little girl?" her father asked, loosening his tie.
"It was a long day," she replied, erasing the line and continuing her homework. "I only have a few problems left. Let me finish and I'll go straight to bed, I promise."
"That's my girl," her father said quietly. He even sat down with her to help her along.
Her work done, she stumbled up the stairs and down the hall. When she opened her door, she almost tripped over her kitten who dashed from the room. "Shiko!" she groaned, before collapsing into her bed.
