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 Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:32 pm
What's worse than being picked on all the time?
Most people would say "There's nothing worse!" and huff away, not even considering the options.
Kohaku... She knew.
What was worse than being picked on was being invisible. Just another statistic of a classroom. With bullying, at least people acknowledged your existence. They let you know you were alive and visible.
The girl felt like she wasn't even translucent enough to receive that. Yeah, the teachers talked to her. Or, at least... Mr. Ferre did. But it wasn't because she was special by any means... She knew why he continued to interface with her. Sweet did not necessarily mean naive.
It was a pretty spring day. The curly blonde would often sit on a bench under a tree just outside of the dorms, watching the leaves and petals fall around her, but never through her. It was refreshing, and the only thing that convinced her she wasn't a ghost sometimes. Christmas had been... Quiet. As Christmas usually was. On the days when it wasn't bitter cold, she would take a walk through the park and watch other people from a distance. Pretend she was the one talking to them. Think of what she might say and how they might react. But since nobody was out on Christmas day, she'd stay in and play. Any instrument that was around... Until her calloused fingers ached and bled. But it was better than silence.
Still, though all that, she smiled. Smiled with the anticipation that one day somebody would look her straight in the eyes and tell her how important she was again. Yes... Again... And maybe this time they'd mean it.
"Well hey there, curly cue." Came a voice from behind her. At first, Kohaku didn't acknowledge it, figuring they weren't referring to her.
"I'm talking to you." the voice said more sternly, causing those pretty blue eyes to widen and her head to turn. Oh. These were... These were those hive kids. three of them, with the biggest boy right behind her.
"Aren't you gonna say anything back?" He teased, causing his cohorts to snicker.
Kohaku knew what this was. But... She couldn't hold back a smile either way.
"Wacha so happy about, little miss mute? Is that creepy vampire teacher taking you out on a date tonight? Everybody knows why he talks to you."
When they didn't get the response they wanted, two of the boys looped around to face her, one of them grabbing her by the shirt and yanking her up. She was so... Light. "You hiding something? Maybe he's already had his way with you, huh?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:45 pm
Winter was finally ebbing away much to Blade's relief. He hated the cold weather, and the slowly warming weather was definitely a welcomed thing for him. Since it was a fairly nice day, he was out around campus taking a walk and chilling out with Riyo. It still wasn't as warm as he would have liked, but it was better than having snow all around.
As they walked around, he took note of three hive boys pushing around a much smaller girl. The thief couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sight of that. The Hive was more of a minor annoyance to him nowadays... seeing how he had to deal with a near death experience and a few others went through that as well. Not to mention the whole deal with Riyo's father. School bullies just didn't seem as much of an issue and their actions just seemed all the more idiotic to him.
Then, he realized he recognized the girl they were pestering. He didn't really know her all too much, but she was a quiet one and.. there were some rumors going on with her and the vampiric faculty. Regardless, he had a feeling she couldn't really defend herself against the three large boys.
"That's Kohaku isn't it?" he asked Riyo before making his way towards the gathering, "Damn Hive... we should probably help her out."
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:44 pm
"Kohaku?" Riyo repeated, taking a moment to place the name with a face. Riyo quietly looked towards the small scene. "Oh, mute girl." What an affectionate name. Riyo didn't actually have any problems with her, but she always found the girl's presence... Odd. She looked so innocent, yet there was something about her and the feline couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"Um. Sure, I guess." She'd never particularly liked to interfere with other people's issues unless those people were her friends... But she figured Blade would be keen on helping the girl, which meant that he might end up in danger, which meant it would be her problem soon enough anyways.
Slowly approaching the group, Riyo's eyes narrowed on the biggest guy. "Hey. You got a problem with her?"
The three froze and looked over to the source of the question. Oh, it was her. "T-that's none of your business!"
Kohaku seemed... Shocked when two people she'd barely spoken to came to her aid. She knew Riyo from music class, and Blade... Well, she remembered the camping trip, to say the least.
"I'll make it my business." Riyo replied promptly, taking one step forward as the two smaller boys holding Kohaku took two steps back. The third, however, was a little cocky. "Oh look. The corpse lover is coming to save her fellow necrophiliac. Wacha gonna do? You know if you use that ******** up magic of yours you could risk getting expelled."
At their leader's overconfidence, the two boys holding the fragile girl captive smirked and stepped closer again. Yeah, what WAS she gonna do?
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:51 pm
Glancing over at Kohaku for the moment, Blade quickly turned his attention to the three boys that were starting to taunt them (Riyo to be more exact). He saw their resolve waver for a moment as they saw her.
"Using magic on the likes of you would be a waste of energy," he said calmly, "Just back off and go give your queen some more head or whatever it is you do."
While he figured they were more intimated of Riyo than himself, he wasn't going to let her do all the work if possible. Most likely they weren't about to back down, but they didn't seem like they'd be a big problem to deal with physically. As much as he didn't generally interfere with others, something just rubbed him the wrong way about seeing them push the mute girl around.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:18 pm
Eyes falling upon Blade, the biggest of the three narrowed his eyes. "And what're you gonna do if we don't, asswhipe?"
Riyo was... Less than pleased at the taunts they were throwing out. Necrophiliac, really? And why the hell were they calling this chick the same thing? She wasn't dating a vampire, was she? (obviously Riyo was out of the loop due to her inability to give a s**t about those kinds of things).
Taking a couple more steps forward, Riyo could tell the two smaller ones were fighting the urge to leave.
"S-stay back." The pudgy one holding Kohaku's shirt spat.
"What should we do with them Blade?" Riyo asked with a smirk, hoping the two of them could just intimidate the hive away.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 3:23 pm
Narrowing his eyes back at the largest of the group, Blade showed no signs of intimidation from this lot. Whatever they could dish out really wasn't a big deal all that much any more. Along with Riyo, he walked closer to them before smirking back at his friend.
"We could always give these guys a taste of their own medicine? Or maybe we could try kicking it up to another level? I don't suppose Klyde would be hungry at all would he? Or would these guys' just taste like the s**t they are to him?"
He wasn't really thinking of feeding them to the vampire. But it might add to the boys' fear.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:01 pm
With a laugh, Riyo was about to follow up on Blade's words before she noticed something. All the guys had a look of terror on their face.
"What the-"
"Or I could just take care of the lot of you." Came a chill ensuing voice from behind Blade and Riyo. Wouldn't you know it, it was Mr. Ferre, and he looked pissed.
"We um... W-we were just talking to her..." The plump boy tried to make excuses as he sat the small girl back down, rubbing his hands together nervously.
"And maybe I'm just playing when I say I know how to dispose of a body with no trace, hm?" Lou replied with a lick of his cold lips, causing all three of the boys to run for the hills.
As Kohaku was released, she dusted her shirt off and looked up at her heroes with a smile.
"No need to thank me kids." Lou assured, giving Blade and Riyo a pat on the shoulder. It seemed like he was always around when Kohaku was in trouble... Kinda creepy.
Approaching Riyo and Blade, Kohaku took a bow in thanks for them trying to help her, which earned her a pat on the head from Lou. "I suppose I'll see the lot of you in class. Ta-ta." And with that... He just kinda... Disappeared.
Looking around trying to figure where the batshit insane teacher had gone, Riyo looked quizzically at Kohaku. "Doesn't he creep you out at all?"
Smiling, Kohaku simply shook her head. Taking out a small notepad from her jacket pocket, she scribbled something down quickly and showed it to Riyo. It said, 'We're all creepy in our own right.'
Yes... Yes, Riyo supposed that was true.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 4:06 pm
For a moment, Blade was just as confused as Riyo was when he saw that look of terror on the boys' faces. What he said couldn't have been that scary. Then, he heard Lou's voice coming from behind him. Tensing for the moment, he felt a chill run down his spin before glancing back to see the rather angry adult vampire. One thing was for certain... the hive kids didn't stick around long after that.
Neither did Mr. Ferre for that matter.
Furrowing his brow at how quickly that went over, he shook his head to himself and looked to Kohaku as he had the same question as Riyo really. He peeked over her shoulder to see what had been written and well..
"I guess you have a point there," he blinked, "Ah.. how are you by the way? They didn't rough you up too badly did they?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:57 pm
Kohaku simply shook her head to answer Blade's question, looking no worse for wear besides the fact that her shirt was a little out of place.
"Well, that's good at least." Looking around momentarily to make sure those guys were long gone, Riyo let out a sigh. "I guess we'll be-" Riyo faltered as she looked back at the girl's face that almost looked forlorn as she was about to mention leaving. As if... She'd heard that answer more than she cared to share.
Faltering a moment, Riyo looked to Blade, then back to the girl. "Kohaku... How many friends do you have?" The feline asked rather bluntly, her red eyes suggesting she expected an honest answer.
Kohaku seemed stunned when Riyo asked such a question, expecting the two of them to go on with their daily lives just as everybody did. Looking at her hands frantically, the small mute started fake counting on her fingers...
... But why lie about it?
Looking at the ground, Kohaku's index and thumb reluctantly formed a zero that she held up to Riyo in a manner that said she was ashamed to admit it.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:52 pm
Nodding, Blade was just about to walk on with Riyo but paused as she faltered. Blinking, he looked between the two girls and saw that forlorn look on the small girl's face. In somewhat of an awkward silence as he watched her begin to count her fingers, the thief couldn't help but feel his heart sag a little when she admitted she had no friends.
He knew well enough how that was... Even now he wasn't that much better with a grand total of one. But that still was something.
Thinking for a moment, he glanced from Riyo to Kohaku and smiled faintly.
"Do you want to just walk around with us for now?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:46 pm
That's what Riyo had thought...
Almost immediately, Riyo grabbed Kohaku's hand and started leading her in the direction they had been walking in, not waiting for the girl to give an answer. She also knew what it was like... To be friendless and alone. But Riyo didn't realize the extent of Kohaku's separation from everyone.
The feel of another being touching Kohaku's skin made her shiver, as if it was an alien feeling... But by no means did she dislike it. In fact, there was a sparkle in those pretty eyes of hers.
"Why don't we treat her to something?" Riyo suggested to Blade.
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Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:52 pm
For that matter, Blade didn't realize the extent of the separation either. He at least could be heard. Looking at Riyo, he grinned lightly and nodded. There was a sort of sparkle in her eyes, and he could almost swear if this were an anime there'd be pastel colors and bubbles floating all around her in this moment.
Well it was nice to know they were making someone's day, especially someone they could sort of relate to in terms of loneliness.
"Sounds good to me," he replied before looking at the girl. He didn't know anything of what she liked so he left the decision up to her, "Is there anything you'd like to do? Or something you'd like to eat?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:43 pm
Kohaku seemed so caught up in the moment that she couldn't process Blade's question right away.
When she realized the question had been addressed her way, the girl blinked and thought for a moment.
Tapping Riyo's shoulder, she pointed down to her hand, insinuating that she needed it.
"Oh, sorry." Riyo immediately complied when she realized what the girl was asking. For a moment, the two girls stopped moving forward. Riyo, to turn around and watch Kohaku, and Kohaku to scribble something out on her little notepad.
When she held it up, it said 'I like Italian' In beautiful cursive letters.
"Italian it is then. Shall we?" Riyo asked, gesturing towards the road that led to town.
Kohaku nodded furiously at the aspect of eating with people, her little feet following right behind Riyo and grabbing her hand as if the contact was addictive.
Riyo couldn't help but smile and give Blade a sincere "isn't that cute?" kind of look. "You don't mind Italian, do you Blade?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:53 pm
When the girls stopped, Blade paused as well, waiting to see what Kohaku wanted to do. He watched the mute girl before glancing at Riyo as she replied to what was written down. The thief was pretty amused with the look she had given him. It wasn't something he saw all that often and it wasn't something he would have thought she was capable of whenever he first met her.
But he had to admit, Kohaku's reactions to all of this was pretty cute indeed.
"Italian's fine with me," he said with a grin. Pasta was always good, and there usually were pretty good portions for that sort of thing, "I know one place in town that has really good Italian food."
"Shall we head there then?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:55 pm
"Lead the way, captain." Riyo agreed while Kohaku smiled. While the girl didn't think this would lead any place grand like she hoped some day, the wall flower would remember this day for the rest of her life... However long that may be.
She didn't fear for the future. Like Riyo, she never thought she'd have one. But... For different reasons. Her sickness was still undiagnosed, and while the prescription made her feel better for a short time, it left her in a weak, fragile state. She got sick easily, couldn't go very far walking, and... Looked rather pale in general. As delicate as rose petals, one might say.
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