〄Hᴀʟғ-Bʟᴏᴏᴅs' Lᴇɢᴀᴄʏ〄 [Ch. 4 Up!]

[Duskpond]

Awesome chapter! *Twirl* Sorry I was late, I had Thanksgiving and schoolwork. Where's the competition thread? I wanna tear it up!

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I've posted it in the first post. Read the big, bold, underlined stuff.

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Bump
I really hope that all you that might enter the competition, do. Otherwise I'll have a lot of nice pets just sitting there wasting away.

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No. XD I wish so much that I could've, but I created it on Photoshop. I edited the picture a lot, making the eyes blue, hair black, and adding a bit of a smirk. Then added the background, and tried to add a layer that looked like glass behind him (I kind of failed at that though XD). Then I used a lightning brush. I think the one in my siggy is better simply because I messed with the hair a little bit more to make it less messy looking, and fixed the lighting a bit.

I also love my avatar, but I found that on a youtube video and took a screen shot of it, so I did no editing on that one.

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I hope you all remembered that I'm not posting a chapter this weekend due to the contest. Also another lucky coincidence that I didn't count on, was that the anime convention that I've been planning on going to is being held this weekend, so I didn't have to worry about how I was going to be able to post. It is my first one, and it is awesome so far.

Also, I'd like to remind everyone that you have less than a week to post your stories, and I so hope that you do.

[scmarshtacky]

bump

[scmarshtacky]

I might extend the deadline since no one has entered. Working on the new chapter now.

[scmarshtacky]

Chapter 16 – Beginnings of a Journey

After the first couple of days, Mika began to get used to living in Kaito’s apartment. It was so nice to have someone other than herself to talk to, and she quickly grew accustomed to it, even expected it. However, she knew this arrangement would not last forever. She wished it would, but that was incredibly selfish of her, and it was unfair to Kaito to impose on him for longer than she had to.

“Mika?” Ayako asked.

Mika jerked out of her thoughts, and looked over at Ayako who had already filled her mouth with her lunch. “Oh... uh... sorry,” she apologized awkwardly.

Ayako quickly swallowed what was in her mouth and began again. “Well, as I was saying, if you two don’t have much to do over the summer break, you should come with me for a week down to our vacation house in Okinawa.” Ayako’s voice rose with excitement as she continued. “It’s on the beach and we have a boat, and stuff, so the whole area of the beach is pretty much ours. Anyway, I’m inviting you to come down for a week or so,” she finished.

“I have nothing planned,” Kana replied.

“I don’t either,” Mika agreed.

Ayako’s face lit up with excitement. “Good! This is going to be so much fun...” She began mumbling to herself about what she would need and what their plans would be for each day.

“Ayako...” Mika began hesitantly. Ayako was broken out of her thoughts and turned to look at her. “Is it just the two of us,” Mika indicated Kana and herself, “or...” she couldn’t bring herself to ask if Ayako was inviting Kaito, but she glanced at him on top of the roof.

Ayako followed her gaze and narrowed her eyes slightly. “Why? Did you want me to invite him?” her voice had a hard edge to it.

“No!” Mika countered quickly. “I was just curious...”

“You know that you owe me right?” Kaito’s voice sounded from above them. He had flipped onto his side, and had his head propped up on his arm, looking down at them.

“What?” Ayako nearly spat.

“I’ve already saved your butt twice; perhaps you’ll need me to do it again.” His voice was smooth, but Mika could hear the slight mocking tone in it. “And I hate to say it, but the three of you have an uncanny knack for attracting unnecessary trouble.”

“I can handle any trouble we run into,” Ayako retorted.

Kaito burst out laughing. “So you say...”

Ayako stood up, her fists balled at her sides. “Why don’t you come down here and I’ll prove it!” she shouted up at him. “Stop acting so high and mighty! You –”

“Ayako stop it,” Kana had also stood up, and had her hand on Ayako’s shoulder. “Unfortunately, he does speak the truth, and all of us are indeed indebted to him. Would it really be so horrible to have him tag along?”

Ayako’s face said it that it would be horrible, but she muttered, “Fine, do what you want!” and sat back down with her arms crossed. Mika looked back up at Kaito, and could swear that she saw his body shaking in a silent laugh.

I wonder if it will really be okay having those two together for a week... she couldn’t help thinking. She went back to eating her lunch, even more ready for the break to begin, now that she actually had plans. Although, it might not be such a good idea, but I really want to see the ocean. As long as I don’t go too far out into the water it should be okay, she reassured herself. She would be careful, and none of the others had to know that she couldn’t swim.

The bell rang, and the three of them stood up slowly. None of them wanting to go back to class now that they had a vacation to think about. “Just a few more days,” Ayako said to no one in particular. “Then we’ll be home free for a whole week at the beach.”

Mika nodded excitedly in agreement. “I’ll have to go out and buy a bathing suit. I’ve never been to the beach before.”

“Oh yeah! You came from Hokkaido. I guess it’s too cold to swim there most of the time,” Ayako said.

“Yeah, I’m not great in the water, but I can snow ski pretty well. During the winter break, maybe we can go up to my hometown.”

“That would be fun,” Kana said, and Ayako viciously nodded her head in agreement.

So, with thoughts of vacations prominent in their minds, they headed back to class eager for Friday to come at last. Time seemed to pass slower than ever over the next two days, but at last, at long last, the final bell on Friday rang. Mika threw her books into her back, and jumped from her seat.

“You ready?” Ayako asked unnecessarily.

“Of course!” Mika replied. “So where are we going to meet? Since we all have to get our things from our houses, and I don’t know where either of you live...” she trailed off.

“Hmm,” Ayako cocked her head slightly as she thought. Then, her eyes gleamed and she thrust out her hand pointing at Kaito. “We can crash his place. Since we all know where it is. Any objections?” She directed the rhetorical question at Kaito.

He simply shrugged. “Whatever, but if you wreak havoc in my apartment, you pay for it.”

“We won’t have to ‘wreak havoc’ as long as you do what I tell you to,” she said in the same nonchalant tone.

“Oh? Is that a promise?” He looked at her directly, issuing the challenge.

“Of course not, it’s a threat.”

“Children,” Kana interrupted stepping between the two of them. “If you keep this up, Mika and I will go home without you.”

“Hmph.” Ayako spun around on her heel and began heading to the door. She stopped at it realizing that the others were still by the desks. “Well, are you coming or what?”

“Yep!” Mika exclaimed jumping to her feet and running after Ayako.

Kana and Kaito followed behind them a bit more slowly. Both of them excited themselves, but able to maintain it much better than the other two. “Can you and Ayako really get along for a whole week?” Kana asked him raising an eyebrow.

“Sure,” he shrugged slightly again. “It’s just so fun to tease her, that I can’t pass up the opportunity when I get it.”

“Well do try not to let it get too out of hand and escalate into an actual fight.”

“I will do my absolute best,” he said, his voice honeyed, so that Kana couldn’t tell if he really meant what he said, or if it was sarcasm.

“Come on!!” Ayako shouted. Both she and Mika were already at the front gates to the school by the time Kaito and Kana stepped out of the front doors. Kaito and Kana sped up slightly, but Mika and Ayako ran off again leaving them behind in the dust.

“I’m not sure how they expect us to catch up when their running ahead like that,” Kaito said incredulously.

Kana shook her head, but said nothing else. It didn’t take them long for everyone to split up and leave Kaito and Mika by themselves. Mika had decided she would head to her house to gather more clothes and supplies that she hadn’t brought to Kaito’s apartment when she had moved in.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she said, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.

“Okay then,” Kaito nodded. “I’m going to go ahead of you and try to straighten up a bit. I can only imagine Ayako’s face if she saw your belongings strewn about.”

For the first time today, Mika seemed to lose her excitement, and her smile immediately fell into a brooding frown. “Yeah...” she said slowly. “I don’t think Ayako would like that too much.” She paused for a moment and then continued in a brighter voice, “I’ll see you in a moment!” And with that, she ran into the house.

Mika paused when she entered the house, looking around to see if her uncle might still be there. He’s not here, she realized with a sigh of relief after swiftly glancing around the living room and kitchen, but the house was an absolute wreck. Broken bits of glass, bottles, and cans were covering the floor making it almost impossible to walk without cutting one's foot. Wrappers and snack boxes also were thrown about in a slightly less quantity.

Although she was relieved that she no longer had to avoid the house, she also felt a sharp stab of disappointment that she would have to leave the apartment. In the past week it had come to be her home, and she loved the company that he provided. She sighed and shook her head trying to clear her thoughts, and went back to the subject at hand: packing for her exciting trip.

It didn’t take Mika long to pack everything she had, due to the fact she hadn’t bought much since she had moved to Tokyo. Her large suitcase was at Kaito’s, but the smaller one held enough for the weekend. She crammed in all of the clothes she had left behind, old tee-shirts and jeans, a baseball cap, socks, and old pair of shoes, and anything else clothing-related she thought she might need.

Then she moved on to packing her hairbrush, toothbrush, a couple of towels, and her shampoo. When she had crammed everything she thought she needed in the tiny bag, she stood back to admire her work, and went over her mental checklist of things she needed in her head. I don’t have my pajamas. I took them with me when I ran from the house, and my new bathing suit is there as well. Hopefully I can grab them from the bedroom before the other two get there. With that in mind, she grabbed the suitcase and left the house.

It was hard lugging the heavy bag down the sidewalk, but she didn’t have much other choice. As she went along, she was reminded of the last time she had walked down these roads with a suitcase; the night she had decided she could no longer stay with her uncle. It’s a much more pleasant trip this time though.

It didn’t take Mika very long to get to the apartment. She didn’t knock, but just swung the door open and gazed around. Luckily, she was the first one to arrive. She also noted, that she didn’t see Kaito anywhere. “Kaito?” she called. “Are you upstairs?”

There was an incoherent answer from the bedroom that confirmed Mika’s assumption. “Can I come up? I want to grab a few of my things...”

“That’s fine. I’m done,” he answered.

Mika headed up the stairs. She glanced around the room quickly before she entered. The bathroom door was open and steam was pouring out of it. He must’ve just taken a shower then. She walked quickly over to the corner where she kept the things she had brought with her from her house, and began rummaging through the bag looking for her pajamas. She found the in a minute, and shoved it into the other suitcase. There, now I think that’s everything I need. Mika sat back on her heels, and tried desperately to think of anything she might’ve forgotten, but nothing came to mind.

“Got everything?” came a voice from behind her.

Mika jumped. “Kaito, you scared me!” she protested whirling around to face him. She opened her mouth to say more, but stopped when she faced him. He had a towel wrapped around his neck, and his hair was slicked back again and still dripping, but the thing that threw her off, was the fact he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

Mika paused dumbstruck for a moment, and could do nothing but stare at him admiring the strength that he so clearly possessed. Mika gave herself a quick mental shake and quickly turned back around to face the wall hoping to hide the reddening of her face.

Kaito smirked. “I guess I’ll take that as a yes then.” He too, turned around and began fumbling in the dresser for a t-shirt.

Mika grabbed her now packed suitcase, and headed out of the room making a conscious effort to avoid looking at him again. Every time I think I’ve gotten used to staying with him, he does something that completely throws me off. Mika reached the bottom of the stairs quickly not even aware that she had, until she tried to take a step downward only to realize that she was standing on flat ground once more. She set her suitcase against the wall and picked up the TV remote trying to find something interesting to focus her mind on for a while.

Luckily Kana arrived soon after. She only had one medium-sized suitcase and a backpack. Ayako arrived shortly after that with several large suitcases that looked like they were about to explode from being so full. By the time they had all gotten their luggage situated, Kaito had come downstairs as well.

“So first we’ll take a train to Osaka, and then from there we’ll take the JAL Express airline over to Okinawa," Ayako was saying. "I already bought all the tickets and –”

“Ayako you bought all of it?” Mika interrupted.

“Well technically my parents bought –”

“I would’ve bought it,” Mika said the regret clear in her tone. “I don’t want you to spend money sending me to your resort house...”

“Don’t worry about it!” Ayako waved her hand indicating it wasn’t a big deal. “My parents wanted to do it. I think they’re glad I finally found another normal person to hang out with. Oh, and by the way, I have both of your tickets,” she indicated Kana and Mika. “But I did only tell my mom I was inviting my two friends so...” She glanced over at Kaito, although she didn’t exactly seem sorry about the situation.

“I have to get my own,” Kaito filled in with a sigh. “Of course. I figured as much.”

“Sorry,” Ayako said with a small shrug. “Anyway, the train is supposed to leave at six thirty, so we’d better go ahead and grab a taxi so we make it to the station on time.”

Ayako grabbed one of her suitcases and headed down to the street to hail a taxi while the others collected the rest of their things.
“Kaito is that all you’re bringing?” Mika demanded when she saw his backpack. It was a medium sized one but it still seemed way to small.

“Yeah,” he answered slowly. “How much do you think I need?”

Mika shrugged. “I don’t know... but it seems like it’d be more than that.”

“Truth be told, I’ve never really been on a quick vacation before, so I have absolutely no idea if this is sufficient or not, but I’ll figure it out when we get there.”

“You’ve never gone anywhere before?” Kana asked.

“I’ve never gone anywhere for a short amount of time,” he restated. “When I came here,” he gestured to the room around them, “well I couldn’t really pack for coming here. Come on, we’d better hurry up or Ayako will have a fit,” he said quickly before the others could bombard him with questions.

Kaito ended up hauling most of the luggage outside with Mika and Kana only carrying the lightest of the suitcases. When they walked out of the apartment complex, they saw that Ayako had indeed already gotten a taxi for them, and they all proceeded to try to shove all of the suitcases into the trunk, but however much they rearranged and shoved, there were always two bags that wouldn’t fit, so in the end, the three girls crammed themselves into the back seat, and had to set the suitcases on their laps.
Kaito, with nowhere else to go, sat in the passenger side of the taxi. It didn’t take long to reach the train station. Kaito helped unload the bags, and then headed over to get a ticket.

“Are we in a compartment Ayako?” Mika asked.

“Yeah, I think so.” Ayako reached into her purse and dug around for a minute before producing the three train tickets, and handed them out.

“Car 12, Compartment 13, seat 53...” Mika read aloud. She looked up as Kaito headed back in their direction. “Did you get –” He held up the ticket.

“Are we all in the same compartment?” asked Kana.

“I think so,” Kaito examined his. “I just asked for a seat in the compartment reserved by Hanashi Ayako.”

“And she gave it to you just like that?” Ayako looked at him dubiously.

Kaito shrugged and bent down to pick up some of the bags before heading off in the direction of the waiting area. The others quickly following suit while Ayako trailed behind Kaito demanding to know how he had obtained a ticket for their compartment so easily.

Mika looked at the big clock on the wall. It read 6:15. Fifteen more minutes left, she thought excitedly. The three spent most of that time babbling about what they most wanted to see, and Ayako told them about the exciting places in Okinawa. Within no time, the train was pulling up to the station blasting its horn loudly.

Kaito flinched and covered up one ear with the palm of his hand as if that would block out the noise.

“Are you alright?” Kana asked as she walked up beside him with her things.

“Too loud,” he muttered, but removed his hand from his ear anyway. They waited several long minutes for the other passengers to disembark, although there weren’t very many. Not compared to the amount going at least.

“Gosh, the whole train’s going to be packed!” Ayako exclaimed as she glanced around at the lines of people waiting to get on. “There must be at least a thousand people! It’s a good thing I got a compartment.”

The two girls nodded in agreement. Despite the large amount of people, the boarding was fairly simple and painless, and the four got onto the train and found their seats without any trouble. They got situated long before the train actually left. Kaito was on the right side of the compartment next to the window. Mika sat beside him, Ayako sat directly across from him at the other window seat, and Kana sat beside her. Kaito gazed absentmindedly out of the window while the girls talked in excited whispers.

In a matter of a few minutes, the train was pulling out of the station, and they were beginning the trip to Okinawa at last. “I still don’t feel like its summer break,” Mika said excitedly. “It seems like I just transferred to the school a couple of weeks ago.”

“I know!” Ayako agreed. “I feel like we’ve been friends for years, not just a couple of months.”

“Time passes quickly,” Kana agreed with a small nod.

The room turned silent as they all turned to look out of the large window. The scenery passed by in a blur, and the landscape was steadily moving faster as the train slowly gained speed.


A/N~ Beginning of a brand new arc, yay! I know that set up and be a bit boring, but it will get more interesting as we go along. I've never ridden in a train before so I have no idea how seats and compartments work on trains. Basically, I got the idea of a compartment from Harry Potter. XD If the train seems completely wrong, I'm sorry.

ALSO, because I've had no entries for the writing competition, I'll extend the date until next Friday, the 26th, and if I still have nothing, then I guess no one is interested and I'll end it.

<==Chapters 14+15

Chapter 17==>

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[melody.]

o.o

Again I must come forth from the shadows, and say...

Wow.
o.o


Lol, when I was reading the part about compartments I was thinking Harry Potter as well

Again, another amazing entry