Mugen

Chapter 3
Strange Forces
Authors: Tsuki/Taiyo

Tsukiyo attacked him with more merciless attacks. “I’ll make you pay, Nataki!!!” His battle cry echoed through out the whole lunch room.
As the fight continued the students gathered at the door and one student, a normal blue uniformed student, made an unwise commentary in a very loud voice. “Way to go Girly Boy!!!” Even though Nataki was fully focused in the attacks being thrown at him, he heard what the student said. As he dodged he looked at the floor and found a bottle on the floor. With a quick motion he kicked it softly, making it jump vertically in front of him. As he dodged yet another attack he grabbed the bottle and threw it with out looking at the student who uttered those words, hitting him on the head and instantly rendering him unconscious. Zen and Z-tone who were standing by the knocked out student looked at each other. “Dude, do you think he’s alive?” Asked Zen to his friend. “Barely, yo, barely.” Out of now where the school nurses came and picked the student and took him to the infirmary. Right behind the nurses Mr.Yamaguchi arrived to the lunch room and saw the mess. “What…What is the meaning of this?!” Brenda, who had Jennifer and Tiffany acting like cheerleaders, approached the principal. “Yumekamino started all this!” The principal looked at the girl. “What?” Asked the startled principal. Brenda, who had a strange innocent face, repeated her self. “Yumekamino attacked Mayo-sama while he ate his lunch and on top of it all he released a strange energy.
The fight was going no where; Nataki was tired of dodging and parrying all of Tsukiyo’s attacks. “This is bothersome and tiresome too! I’ll have to finish this once and for all!” After dodging a combination of kung fu kicks and punches, Nataki made three flip flops back wards, gaining space and momentum. “It’s now or never.” He stood in a meditative yet defensive pose as Tsukiyo, seeing that his target was far, did the same.
The spectators looked with all the attention possible, Koji, who by now was standing and in a corner grabbing his tray filled with food, looked at his cousin and as soon as he saw his position he got worried. “Oh no…”

The principal dared not approach them now, for a strange energy surrounded them now. In Nataki’s case, the same white energy he used before as a shield covered him but this time the energy had small, dust size particles of blue that gathered all around him creating a pillar of energy as tall as the building. Tsukiyo, on the other hand, had the same purple force surrounding him in the same spiral fashion, but this time a black mist like energy flowed along with it, looking wild and chaotic.
The contender’s eyes were closed, concentrating on the up coming attack; suddenly a cup fell on the floor and as if the sound emitted from the cup was the signal to release their gathered energy, they discharging their stored power at each other.
The students screamed as the lunch room was destroyed by the mixed strange forces. Each energy flow tried to conquer over the other as their users struggled to win over each other.
The battle was decided; none of them won, leaving the room almost ruined and food scattered all over the lunch hall. They looked at each other panting over the excessive amount of energy they released in the moment. Tsukiyo’s ribbon got loose, letting his wavy hair run wild. Nataki’s braid was almost undone. Their uniforms were messed up. The instant they were about to attack each other, a loud and firm voice echoed through the hall, stopping them instantly.
Tsukiyo reacted; he looked around not turning his head, frozen, still on his stance. He looked at Nataki. “What have I done? I lost it…again…no! I can’t go back! Not yet!!” “What is the meaning of this Yumekamino?!!! They tell me you started this…this mess!” Tsukiyo lowered his head. Nataki relaxed and started fixing his suit. “Do you have anything to say for yourself, huh Yumekamino?!” Tsukiyo calmed down and stood straight looking at the principal with a blank stare. “No.” He answered in a deep tone, making it sound empty. “Is that your answer? How will you explain this incident?! How will I explain this incident to the Board?! Do you have any idea how much it will cost me to fix this room?!” A staff member from the lunch room advanced Yamaguchi-san. “Sir, the only broken objects are all glass objects and some tables.”
While the principal spoke to the staff member Tsukiyo looked at Nataki on the other hand Nataki just fixed his uniform but as soon as he felt someone looking at him he looked towards the direction of the ever so strong gaze and finds himself looking at Tsukiyo’s penetrating eyes. Tsukiyo shifts his gaze towards the mildly disordered garden; Nataki looks towards the two adults discussing the damage affairs.
He walks towards them. “Excuse me Yamaguchi-san.” Yamaguchi looks at the young man with a worried face. “Yes Mayo-san?”
“Since I had nothing to do with Yumekamino-kun’s attacks, can I go?” The older man faces Nataki, giving all his attention to the young man. “If you had problems with Yumekamino, why didn’t you come to me?” Nataki looks at the man in the eye and with pure honesty he tells him. “Because I am not the type to go running to my mommy when I have a problem; I usually like to handle my problems on my own.” When the principal heard Nataki’s honest reply he got angrier. “If you did that you could have avoided this mess and some problems as well, Mayo-san.” Nataki’s reaction was that of disappointment. “What? What do you mean problems, Yamaguchi-san?” Tsukiyo hearing this looked at them attentively now. “Do you honestly think, Mayo-san, that you are innocent when you lowered your self to the lowness of Yumekamino?” Tsukiyo gave two steps towards them; the principal backed up, running away from him. “Hey! What do you mean by that, huh? You’re calling me low! What kind of principal are you?!”
Yamaguchi fixes his tie nervously. “I will tell you what kind, Yumekamino. The kind that doesn’t like students wondering about and destroying all they find, the kind that like his students to respect him and the kind who hates students who brake the oh so simple rules this academy has stipulated through out the years.”
“It was his fault; if he hadn’t insulted me with that “Sakura Boy” shit in the beginning and rat me out to the security guard then I wouldn’t be in this mess.” Nataki popped at a vein. “I did not tell on you, for the last time, I had no necessity to do so.”
“Then how the fuck?” Nataki looked at him in disgust. “Is it really necessary to use such foul language, Sakura Boy?” Tsukiyo walked towards him violently. “You see what I’m saying?!” The principal got between them. “Calm down, both of you! One more fight and you are both expelled on you first day of school!” Tsukiyo calmed down. The principal got out of their way. “I will let this one pass, Mayo-san, Yumekamino-san, but remember this; One more from your part Yumekamino-san and there will be no suspension, you will be automatically expelled! And you Mayo-san, if I find out that you had another fight with Yumekamino-san, I will suspend you indefinitely, am I clear?”
“Yes, Sir.” Nataki responded.
“Crystal.” Tsukiyo looked at the principal as he responded.
“Now as for your punishment.” He looked at the students and security. “Security, take the students to the lunch hall in the Bara Edifice.” They nodded and began to take the students towards the other building. Koji and his gang approached Nataki. When Nataki looked at Koji he saw him completely covered with food. “Thanks Nataki.” Nataki chuckled. “Cute.”
“You’ll pay for this Nataki.” He looked at his cousin still making fun of him. “Is that all you have to say?” He collected himself. “Yeah, let’s go guys; I wanna take a shower.” His gang grabbed him and started cleaning him. “Don’t worry boss we will clean ya!” They all said at the same time. “What are you doing?! I can clean myself up!”
“No Oyakata, we’ll do it for ya!”
“Wait, wait, I can do it my self! I gotta take a shower anyway!” They carried him and ran with him as they all said at the same time. “We will carry you to the baths, Sir!” Koji was very irritated. “Let me go you idiots!!” As they ran out of the hall leaving every body behind.
Zen and Z-tone walked along with every body else. “Yo, Zen, do ya think that the guy that was hit on the head’s ok?”
“I don’t know man.” A female student looked at them. “If you guys are so worried, why don’t you go to the nurse room?” They looked at each other. “Let’s go.”
While the students walked out Brenda and her little followers screamed as the security guards pulled them out. “NATAKI-SAMA, WE KNOW YOU ARE INNOCENT!!! INOCCENT I SAYYY!!!!”
Once alone with the principal. “Take a seat.” The principal took a chair and sat down, so did Nataki, sitting with all his grace and refinement, Tsukiyo grabbed a chair and sat with the back of the chair facing both Nataki and Yamaguchi, resting his arms on it.
“Well, let us discuss your punishment for making this…” Yamaguchi looks around and sighs. “…this mess. You will be in charge of cleaning this place, but since it’s so big, I think that one week of cleaning will be more than fair.” Tsukiyo and Nataki looked at the man and at the same time they exclaimed. “What?!”
“You both should be grateful. What you did today has no forgiveness, but due to the uniqueness of your abilities and your high grades, I am obligated to give you both another chance; besides, if I expel you now, the reputation of this school and its principal, me, will be shattered.”
They reacted in very different ways; Nataki just looked down showing not a bit worry but on the contraire, as calm as always. Tsukiyo made a gesture of dislike and looked to the floor infuriated.
“After you finish your cleaning duties tonight, pass by my office before 8PM in order to give you both your class schedules, school IDs and your dorm keys, understood?” “Yes, Yamaguchi-san.” Nataki answered in a low tone of voice filled with calmness and tranquility; Tsukiyo nodded, shaking his left leg rapidly.
“Well, I shall leave you both. In the back room you will find everything you need to clean.” Saying this he stood up and left them both. Tsukiyo stood up and walked towards the salad bar and grabbed one of the remaining pieces of broccoli. “Great, I get to spend a whole week with a brat like you.” He took a piece out of it. “Believe, I am not happier than what you are.” Nataki stood up and saw the lunch ladies coming out of the back with all they need to clean. “Here you go.” Nataki smiled. “Are you all going to help us?” “Yeah, we really could use a hand.”
“Are you kidding?” They looked at the women with confusion. “What?” They asked to the women. “We are off for a week thanks to you boys.” Said one of the women. “Yeah and we are getting paid for it.” Said the oldest one. “I brought some beer girls, lets go to the staff room and drink to hearts content!” The youngest one said and as the celebrated they left the boys to their own.


~ * ~

Once alone they looked around walking in their own two separate ways. “I can’t believe this. I have never had problems…” Nataki looks at Tsukiyo who is leaning against the wall arms crossed. “….that is until I met you.” Tsukiyo raised his head and looked at Nataki with aloof eyes. “So now I’m the source of your misfortunes?” His voice showing the coldness of his demeanor.
Nataki grabbed a broom and an apron. “Let’s just start cleaning, the sooner we start the sooner we finish.” Tsukiyo walked towards the cleaning items lazily and took several things and an apron. “Why don’t you take the kitchen?” Nataki looked at him casually. “Why should I?” Tsukiyo’s emotion shifted completely in an instant and told him in a cocky tone. “Well, since you look so feminine I just thought you may be comfortable in there.” Nataki smirked angrily as he clenched his fist with a vein popping on it. “Well, I can see you haven’t had enough of me, Sakura Boy.” Tsukiyo twitched. “I just don’t get it? Why Sakura Boy, why?” Nataki saw Tsukiyo’s red ribbon on the floor and picked it up. He walked towards a slightly angry Tsukiyo who was glaring at Nataki, but something made him cool down as the beautiful young man approached him.
Nataki’s grace was more than Tsukiyo could handle. As Nataki walked all Tsukiyo could look at was the way his hips moved and the swinging tress moving rhythmically with every step. Nataki stopped right in front of him and undid his braid in a playful way. Tsukiyo looked in Nataki’s hand and realized that the ribbon he was carrying was his ribbon, the same one he had to use since Nataki undid the black one he had the first time they saw each other. “You…you still have my black ribbon.” He said in a low tone of voice. Nataki grabbed the red one and made him self a pony tail. “Yes, it’s in my pocket.” “Can you give them both back please?” He asked still mildly entranced by the boy’s beauty.
After brandishing his pony tail for a minute or so he took it off, creating for Tsukiyo another awe inspiring moment. “Here you go.” He handed Tsukiyo the red ribbon. ”I will give you the black one after we finish.” He left and started doing his shores; Tsukiyo kept looking at him charmed by him. “Yo man, wake the hell up!!!” He shook his head, and hesitantly, walked towards the west side of the room while Nataki took the east side.


~*~

It was 7PM already and they were both hungry and tired. They both realized that the place still looked like if nothing had been done. “Oh my god….” Nataki wiped the sweat off his fore head while Tsukiyo laid down on one of the tables. “I think we should call it a day.” Tsukiyo said while sitting. Nataki took his apron off and placed it on top of table. “Yes, there is only this much we can do in one day.” He walked towards a chair that he had turned in to his coat hanger and picked up his coat. Tsukiyo stood up and took his jacket from the table where he was resting just now. They walked and took their book bags, which were placed on a table near the entrance earlier by security, and made their way to the Main Building.
As they walked through the main building they found a room that said “Faculty”. Nataki kept on walking but Tsukiyo stopped. He looked to the bottom of the door and saw that the lights were not on, he checked the door know to see if it was closed; the door know shifted as it was open; he smiled. Nataki hearing the sound of a door opening felt curious and looked back and saw Tsukiyo entering the Faculty Room; he walked to where Tsukiyo was asking himself why he was doing it. ”It is not my business but still.” He went in as Tsukiyo turned on the light. “What are you doing, you could get yourself caught!” Nataki whispered in an advising fashion. Tsukiyo spoke low yet not whispering. “I’m hungry.” Nataki looked around and saw a fridge and some vending machines.
The room was simple; it was sufficiently big, equipped with normal café tables, not as detailed as the ones from the student cafeteria, but delicate yet simple enough. It was nicely decorated with nice floral and scenic paintings on white walls. There was a monitor on one of the walls and in the farthest part of the room there was a small kitchenette equipped with several microwave ovens and a sink. There were two vending machines; a beverage vending machine and a snack machine.
Tsukiyo walked towards the snack machine and Nataki followed looking back every once in a while. “If we get caught we are in deep trouble you know?” Tsukiyo turned around. “Are you scared?” He asked in an emotionless way. Nataki looked at him with slight bewilderment in his eyes. “Of course not! Why would I be anyway?” Tsukiyo looked at him with fierce and cold eyes. “If you are so concerned about your safety and about following rules then go, if you really are hungry then just shut up and grab something to eat; it’s free.” He turned around and kept studying his options; Nataki looked at him and roller his eyes upset at his companion’s tone of voice, but despite this he knew that Tsukiyo was right, Nataki was really hungry, they had done nothing but clean from noon till now even missing their classes and he knew he still had to go to his dorm room and make himself comfortable.
They chose their snack; Tsukiyo took several potato chips, two donut packs and a bottle of fruit juice, Nataki took a bag of Potato Chips and a pack of cookies and a Lime Soda can. “I’m goin’ to eat this and then go to that baka Yamaguchi’s office; if he sees us with this he’ll know we were here.” Nataki looked at Tsukiyo while he sat down on one of the tables. “What makes you say that?” Tsukiyo sat on top of a table and opened his first bag of chips. “Because there are no other Vending Machines in this area.” Nataki swallowed his food. “What makes you say that? You haven’t seen the rest of the school.” Tsukiyo took a sip of his juice and looked at Nataki with the same empty stare. “Remember, thanks to you I had to run for my life.” Nataki scoffed at this. “I will not talk about this anymore.” Tsukiyo downed his food with yet another sip from his juice and told him while looking at his food. “What; are you ashamed?” Nataki just looked at him with the corner of his eyes and kept eating.
They finished their snacks in 15 minutes and left the room leaving it as if no body had ever gone in after the janitor left taking their trash with them.

~*~

They reached the principal’s office and proceeded inside; Yamaguchi was sitting finishing some paper work. He looked at his watch. “You actually arrived 30 minutes earlier. Sit down.” They sat down in the same seats they had chosen when they arrived earlier in the morning. “Well, how was the cleaning up?” He asked as he looked through some papers; they stood silent. “I suppose it wasn’t a bit pleasant.” Tsukiyo looked away slightly ticked off by Yamaguchi’s commentaries as Nataki just looked at the man. “Well, let me give you your things, that way you can rest for the night. Tomorrow both of you will take your classes and will continue your cleaning task with one hour worth of lunch brake, do you understand?” Tsukiyo just looked away while Nataki nodded. “Ok, here you go; your schedule, student ID and your dorm keys.” They took their respective things and stood up. “The both of you will be sleeping in our “special” dorm. You will walk thru the Western Forest, thru the red Sakura garden directly until you reach a building. It is the only building, surrounded by a particular group of Sakura Trees; you won’t miss it. Nataki bowed as Tsukiyo started making his way towards the door.
They walked down the path directed by Yamaguchi for 10 minutes. “Where is this place?” Nataki asked as he looked tired. “Beats me, most probably he wanted us away from the masses; he was afraid when he interrupted our fight.” Nataki looked at the cold young man next to him. “Why is he always saying these strange things anyway?” “Well, if you say so.”
Finally they saw a building in the distance and noticed that the red Sakura Grove was turning from lush in to arid; the trees were withered as they approached the building. “I got a bad feeling.” Tsukiyo said as they stopped in front of the building; Nataki just looked at the place. “Shall we go in?” Nataki asked as he looked at Tsukiyo, Tsukiyo looked at him. “Sure, why not?”
They walked towards the big, old front door. They each grabbed the handle of each door that composed the entry way towards the inside of the old looking places surrounded by withered Sakura Trees. When Tsukiyo grabbed the handle he reacted weird in Nataki’s point of view; it looked as if a strange current had gone up to him. “Oh my god…” Said Tsukiyo still recovering from the weird sensation. “What?” Asked a curious Nataki. Tsukiyo shook it off. “Nothing, let’s go in.” “This feeling, it’s the same feeling I feel back at home.” Tsukiyo thought to himself and as he opened the door he pondered once more. “I hope this is just me because if not I will have a rough time.”
The doors were opened and in their eyes they saw the most shocking view they had ever seen as the place looked to them different yet the same; thru Nataki’s eyes the forms of a group of people gathered in front of the door of different ages and from different times begged for release glowing in white and looking sad; Tsukiyo’s point of view was more shocking since he saw them begging for mercy and scared of him shrouded in a blue aura and looking just how they looked the day they were killed. “Oh no.” Sighed Tsukiyo as Nataki smiled warmly as he looked around the place and saw more souls approaching him as if he was their savior. “It’s ok.” Nataki told them with a warm voice. Tsukiyo looked around and saw the place tinged in red with a heavy feeling of mixed emotions, all concentrated. “This is definitely not good.”
“You can see them too?” Asked an anxious Nataki with a big smile. “I can see them alright…” He looked down and then up as he saw those souls hiding from his stare. “So what’s wrong, they are only asking for our help.” Reassured Nataki while he smiled warmly at him. Tsukiyo looked at Nataki’s angelical face but it wasn’t enough to wash his confusion and sorrow away “…I don’t see that.” Nataki’s smile shifted in to a face of concern. “Then what do you see?”
One soul got close to Tsukiyo when he passed by him and Tsukiyo tried to reach for him in a gesture of genuine concern for the soul in front of him, but the reaction and the face of fear that distorted the face of the soul was so heart wrenching that it made Tsukiyo’s eyes turn dark and look down; Nataki was shocked as he saw the soul turn away from Tsukiyo and seek shelter behind Nataki as soon as Tsukiyo tried to reach him; Nataki was speechless. Tsukiyo looked at his hands and darkness still covering his eyes. “I’ve always asked my self…why they always run away from me…”


R&R, please n_n!!