Project Sakura (Bishoujo RP)

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#1

Want to participate? See the Character Thread for details.

Links:
Game thread: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6312
Discussion thread: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6313
Character thread: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6295

Shiki Nishimura quietly took a seat at the back of Class 12-A of the Japanese Academy for Scholarly Training (JAST for short). It was the start of his last year of secondary education. Soon he’d be sending in his university applications, and before long he’d leave this school behind him. Not that he had any particular attachment to this school. He’d transferred in earlier that Spring, and in the time since he hadn’t gotten particularly close to anyone. Which suited him just fine. His parents were in the military, so he’d spent most of his childhood relocating from place to place. He’d long since learned that there was little point getting attached to any particular place. Still, as he watched the mostly unfamiliar faces filter in, he felt a tinge of loneliness, if only for a moment. Would he spend his final year of academy alone too? It just seemed so meaningless. What was the point of it all?

Shiki sighed. Homeroom would be starting soon. He looked around the room. A group of girls were talking spiritedly near the door. He frowned. That type of girl annoyed him: the cheerful, talkative type that could never stop running at the mouth about meaningless things. Near the window, not too far from him, a few guys were casually talking about baseball, pointless chatter about stats and who was the best player on the local professional team. Shiki brushed a wisp of his dark hair to the side and looked out the window with an unsatisfied expression. It just all seemed so mundane, so boring.

He glanced at the door as one of the last students entered the classroom. She had long, flowing, silky, dark brown hair, and brown eyes with glasses. She sat down without a word at the back of the classroom, a few desks over from him. She seemed familiar, but he didn’t think they’d shared class together before. Where had he seen her before? Realizing he was staring, he looked away, but found himself sneaking glances at her occasionally. There was something about her he just couldn’t shake¬Ö

#2

It was the first day of school and Juki was running late; he had stayed up last night playing an eroge game and overslept. He wasn’t lucky enough to have a cute little sister or big breasted cousin to come in and wake him up the way the protagonist did in the games. That thought almost made him bitter … almost.

Despite the time, he paused at the gate to say hello to the lower classmen and few ‘first years’ who still looked shell shocked at the idea of what lay ahead. By the time he got to the hall he was out of breath and heaving - someone patted him on the back and said his name in passing, but he didn’t have the wind to look up. Only when people began dashing into their classrooms did he find the extra oomph to get him all the way to 12-A.

Taking a moment to support himself in the door, he looked around the room for the seat that would be his throughout the coming months. Most of the faces here were familiar - the same old faces he’d seen last year and the year before. A few were obviously missing, a few were notably new - and those he would make a point of getting to know - but for the most part it was another year just like every one before.

He did notice the guy, Nishimura, trying very hard to pretend he wasn’t looking at the pretty girl who moved past him. He considered doing something - riling the guy up so he’d slip, give up the “glancing game”, but class was about to begin and - besides - everything he’d seen of Nishimura made him out to be a stick in the mud … the guy probably wouldn’t take kindly to the good deed.

#3

NURSE HEART

Kokoro Komegura read the message and sighed. It was an email from Principal Payne (aptly named) who was again denying her application for a leave of absence during the school athletic festival in October, citing that someone had to be on hand to patch up the little wretches when they scraped their knees or cracked their heads, and she was the school nurse, after all. She couldn't argue with his reasoning, but maybe she should just break one of her own bones when the time came. She couldn't bear these athletic festivals; she just couldn't. Not since poor Shinji¬Ö
"Don't go there, Kokoro," she said quietly. (Just go the show, do your job, and then go home and take an overdose of sleeping pills or something.)
Principal Payne's email ended (as always) with: Gambatte!!
"Gambatte, gambatte," she murmured and placed a cigarette in her mouth. "it's always "gambatte' with that guy. She lit it, took a couple of puffs, then she put it out.
The next message was from her mother who said she had found a nice young man from a good family that she wanted Kokoro to meet. As 26 was a bit old for a Nehon josee to still be single (or so okaasan said), Kokoro's mother had made it her mission in life to scout out potential sons-in-laws and wave them in front of her daughter like prize fish.
She was about to delete her mothers message when He entered the room.
"Shitsureishimasu"
The first time she had ever set eyes on him they'd had to carry him into her office. He'd been beaten up pretty badly after mouthing off to a couple of third years. That was shortly after he first started at JAST; practically the first day. And after that first time, she'd seen him pretty consistently. He was fearless and a scrapper. Unfortunately, he wasn't much of a fighter and always lost. So he became a frequent visitor to the Nurse's Office. But the last thing Kokoro needed in her life was to have to touch this young man's bare skin over and over again. Always, when she'd finished, she gave him a stern lecture about fighting, but it never did any good. 
However, eventually people stopped messing with him. Still, he continued to visit her, using some lame excuse after another. She tried time and time again to discourage him. She put on the Stern Nurse Act and bombarded him with outright insults. But he just came back again and again. And at last, she just came to accept it.
But it frightened her. He made her feel vulnerable and guilty. But if he stayed away too long it made her feel miserable. After that business with poor Shinji, she thought she'd learned her lesson about young boys, but now she was again in danger of sailing back into those dark waters.
She lit a cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and put it in an ashtray.
"What do your want? Can't your see I'm busy? And shouldn't you be in class, anyway?"
Aw, it's only the first day. Professor Lamuness won't even notice I'm absent. He never pays any attention to the boys the first day. Only thegirls. Mostly the ones with the boobies."
"Hmm," she replied. She needed a cup of tea and went over to the table where she kept the tea service.
"I'd like one, too," he said.
"Hmm," she replied. "This isn't a tea party. If you want some, why don't you go to Café Ariel?" 
But when she looked down, she saw that there were two cups in her hand. She handed one of them to him, and he smiled at her. It was such a dazzling smile that her heart started pounding so loudlyshe was afraid he'd hear it. She felt sweaty.
"As a matter of fact, it's about girls that I came here to talk with you about," he said. "Well, one girl, really."
"A¬Ögirl?" she said, slowly.
"Yeah. In 12-A. She's new. I sort of like her, but I don't know how to approach her. But I figured that since you're sort of like a big sister to me, I could come to you for advice."
"A¬Ösister?" She choked out and had to sit down. She felt heavy all of a sudden, and it was like all the oxygen had left the room. "I think I need a smoke."
He talked about the girl in 12-A for about two hours. All during that time, she clung to her outward composure, but inside rage, hate, and jealousy surged through her brain like typhoons. And somewhere in the room the ghost of Shinji seemed to be hovering accusingly.
After he'd left, she went over to one of the beds they kept in her office for malingering students and lay down. For a long, long time she stared up at the ceiling fixtures. No one came in to disturb her.
Then she got up and went over to her desk. Her mother's email was still on the computer screen. She clicked "reply" and started to type:
Okaasan, I would be pleased to meet with your young man. Would this weekend be too soon? – Kokoro.
She lit another cigarette. This time, she finished the whole thing.
#4

Talimew woke up to the noise of his alarm clock. He reached out an arm and turned it off.
“Well, I might as well get up now, since I’m awake. Man, what a hassle…” He took a short shower,
ate a quick breakfast and headed over to the school. The dorm he was living in, was only a 10 minutes walk from school.
Even if he didn’t like going to school and he thought it a major waste time, he didn’t like being late, so he always met about 20 minutes before time.
This day was no different.

It was the first day of school after summer break and it was the beginning of his last year on JAST, before he graduated.
The weather was great and the sun warmed his back, as he went to the school. There wasn’t many people on the streets yet, but that
would change in about 5-10 minutes as students would start to head to the Academy.
He arrived at classroom 12-A and stepped over to his desk, that were in the back just next to the door. Not many people had arrived yet and it was quiet.
He hung his backpack at the side of his desk and then leaned back on his chair, his feet resting on the desk.

After about 10 minutes he grew bored and looked around. He then sighed. Nothing new except a few new faces. Probably just transfer students, maybe exchange students. Talimew wasn’t very good at talking with people, so he doubted he would make friends with any of them. Besides there was something about him that made people steer clear of him. Maybe it was his dark mood or something, but whatever it was, it scared people away.
Most of the people in class left him alone, and he was fine with it. Occainsionally there was some trouble, with the people who couldn’t deal with the fact,
that even though he didn’t do most of the homework, he’d still get good grades. But he didn’t care about them and he had managed so far, by ignoring them.

Talimew took a look around class again. Most people had showed up now, as it was getting close to homeroom, though there were the usual empty seats.
“Nothing’s changed, huh… Seems this is going to be as boring as usual. What a hassle. Sigh…” With those words, he took his feet of the desk, moved the chair towards it, folded his arms together and laid down on the desk, just staring out in the class and soon fell asleep.

#5

It was early in the morning, and the alarm was blaring that it was time to get up. Junsui Nakagawa rolls over, mumbling slightly, and gets up to turn off the alarm. Today was the first day of school after the summer break, and she knew that she had to hurry if she was going to be able to spend any significant amount of time in the garden. “Where did the summer go?”, she thinks to herself while she walks down the hall. The first day back from the break was always bittersweet, as it meant that it would not be long until she would have to bid farewell to the green vibrancy of the garden until spring next arrived. This year was especially poignant, as this was her last year attending JAST. Come next school season, she might not be living at home anymore, as she had yet to firmly decide on what she wanted to do. Counselors weren’t of much help either, as they often told her she was capable of excelling in any field she wished to pursue, given her high grades and scores on the aptitude tests she had taken in the hopes of guidance.
Having fully prepared for school, Junsui goes to her garden and begins to deadhead her roses, taking time to smell the live blossoms and humming a tune as she goes along. As she finishes up, she finds an excellent Deep Secret blossom. Going back to her bag, she finds what she needs: a small plastic vial to hold some water, and a few pins. Going to the bird bath, she fills the vial, then goes back to the blossom and carefully cuts it, placing it in the vial. She then pins it to her lapel, taking care to hide the vial under her scarf. “This should help keep my spirits up through the day.”, she thinks to herself. Looking at the time and seeing that there is plenty until she has to leave, she settles against a tree and drifts back to sleep in the gentle morning light.

“BZZZZ, BZZZZ”. Junsui is awoken by the vibration of her phone. She flips it open, looks at the time, and sighs as she cancels the alarm. “I’m five minutes behind schedule, but I should be able to make it to school in time without any unseemly running. It wouldn’t do to be late on the first day back from break.”, she says to the empty air.

As she approached the gate of the school, she steels herself for what lay ahead: the many jealous looks of girls who wish they could be like her, and the boys with their poorly hidden stares. “Thank goodness I can’t read the minds of those boys,” Junsui thinks to herself, “otherwise I would probably be sick with disgust”. Making her way to class 12-A, she makes it just in time, being one of the last in the classroom. Sitting down at her desk, she notices the boy a few seats over staring at her, paying mind to not let it be known that she has noticed. At first glance, she thought this was the usual kind of stare she received. However, the expression on his face seemed to indicate curiosity and confusion, as if he was trying to remember something…

#6

It was the first day of class. Homeroom was about to begin, but so far only a few students were present in Class 12-A. Yuki Tanuki glanced around the room. Over by the window, a bunch of the guys were talking about sports, and that mysterious transfer student, Nishimura-kun was sitting by himself at the back of the room, looking bored. But there was no sight of Ryo. Yuki sighed. Where was he? Probably in one of his hide-outs. It was well know that he spent a lot of time in the Nurse’s office.
Yuki and her friends, Eri-chan, Kimochi-chan, and the twin sisters, Eki and Miki were the only girls in the classroom, so far. They were all members of the Sewing Club. Yuki was their president, and she had an announcement to make:
“The Samba Club is going to put on a parade during the Cultural Festival and they’ve asked us to make their costumes for them.”
“Wa¬Ö,” Eri-chan exclaimed, “But those Samba clothes are always so ecchi!”
The girls in the Sewing Club preferred the Lolita Look, themselves. Right now they were dressed in their school uniforms, but later on they would exchange these for ribbons, tube socks and baby doll dresses. Yuki and Eri were what were called Sweet Lolitas, while the twins were into the Goth-Loli look: lots of black and red, with matching hair brooches shaped like little skulls. Kimochi was more of a Decorer, and she collected accessories like barnacles. Even now, she had about twenty barrettes in her hair and carried a large fuzzy purse shaped like the head of a panda.
“Speaking of ecchi,” she said to the others, “Have you seen this?”
She showed them a picture of a woman who was dressed very strangely. She was heavily made up and had on an outfit that looked like a kimono, but which stopped abruptly at her waist.
“Wa¬Öyou can see her pantzu!” Eri exclaimed, which was true enough. The woman’s shockingly pink undies were clearly visible.
“Dare desuka,” the twins exclaimed in unison.
“Her name is Emiri Miyasaka,” Kimochi explained. “She’s a contestant in some kind of beauty pageant. This is supposed to be her version of a Japanese national costume.”
“Is it Wa-Loli?” Eri asked.
“She looks more like an AV star, if you ask me,” Yuki said. “Where’d you get this, Kimochi?”
“I found it on the Internet.”
“Well, don’t let my brother see it.”
Just then, a new girl came in and-without saying a word to anyone-- glided to a seat at the back of the room. Everything about her was perfect: from her long, flowing hair, to her pure, smooth skin, to the lines of her clothes, and even the flower she wore as an accent. All the boys stopped what they were doing to stare at her. Even Nishimura-kun was paying attention to her, although more subtly than the others.
Even the girls admired her.
“Kirei na!” the twins exclaimed¬Öin unison.

#7

The last bell rang, signaling the uneventful end of the first day of the term. While most of the students prepared to go home or head off to club, Shiki didn’t budge from his desk. Instead he continued working on the day’s assignments as he had throughout the day, seemingly paying little mind to the ritual defining the end of one class and the start of another. As he intently read through one of the assigned texts, ignoring the bustle around him, his unmoving face seemed almost unreal, like something you’d see in a sculpture or painting.

“You’re not in a club yet, right? In that case, welcome to our new club! Shiki Nishimura, right? Just sign here and we’ll take care of the rest.”

Shiki looked up. One of his classmates, a boyishly handsome guy with cropped red hair, slipped a piece of paper onto his desk.

“I’m not interested.” Shiki resumed reading his book.

“Come on, don’t be that way Nishimura. Even if you don’t care to participate, we need more members to get the club recognized by the school. Besides, it’ll be a great way for a new person like you to get to meet people.”

Something in the philosophy text he was reading caught his eye, and Shiki stared into space thoughtfully. He reached for the pencil and notebook on his desk, then realized they’d fallen to the floor. A nearby girl scooped them up and offered them to him haltingly. “Please?” She eyeing him pleadingly.

Shiki then realized his desk was surrounded by a group of classmates. Each of them was gazing at him expectantly. “Fine, whatever. Just a signature, right?”

He glanced at the title of the document in front of him. “Project Sakura.” What a bizarre name. Well, whatever. He signed his name below the others and handed it to the red-head who seemed to be the leader of the bunch.

“Thanks man, we owe you one.” The girl holding his pencil and notebook shyly handed them to him as the guy beamed in victory. "Welcome to Project Sakura’s first visionary undertaking: The Casual Romance Club.

“Hah?”

Shiki’s pencil rolled to the floor.

#8

The Sewing Club

The Sewing Club met every Wednesday evening at the home of Yuki Tanuki, its president. Originally, they'd had an office at the school, but that had been taken over by a bunch of interlopers who were led by a scary girl with ribbons in her hair who acted like she was insane. Since none of the girls felt like messing with her, they'd decamped to Yuki's house. And, as it turned out, the move suited everyone just fine.
Yuki's home had a large, finished room in the basement where they had ample room for all their materials and equipment, and Yuki always made cookies for everyone that were just the best. In addition, Yuki's parents never seemed to be around, so the girls had the run of the house and could pretty much do as they pleased. The only fly in their ointment was Yuki's younger brother, Chinpo, who was seriously perverted and was always saying off-color things to the girls¬Öwhen he wasn't trying to flip up their skirts. Lately though, he was spending more time with the Survivalist Club he'd recently joined and was seldom at home. 
So there they were, working on the costumes for the Samba Club between mouthfuls of cookies and swapping the latest bits of gossip.
"Did you hear (munch, munch)?" said Eri, "Komegura-sensei is getting married."
"Uso-o," Kimochi replied. "The Nurse? Old Mountain Witch? Honto? I always thought she was¬Öyou know¬Ö"
Kimochi took her finger and wiggled it around forming the kanji for "one hundred" and then the one for "tribe." Together, they formed the word for "lily," which was also pronounced:
"Yuri?" Eri exclaimed, "You mean she's a lesbian? I hadn't heard anything like that."
"Shh, shh, shh," Yuki interjected. "The Twins might hear."
The Twins, Eki and Miki Mujikai, were over in a corner of the room sewing sequins onto the sleeves of a Samba dress.
"So what," replied Eri, a little puzzled. "How old are they, anyway?"
"Well," Yuki replied, "they are over eighteen, of course, as are we all. But they look and act a lot younger."
"That doesn't mean they haven't heard of lesbians," Eri replied. "Hora! They're twins, aren't they? So they probably are lesbians."
Eri, Kimochi, and Yuki all started laughing uncontrollably, spewing cookie crumbs all over their work, while the Twins looked on with puzzled expressions.
"So the Witch is getting married" Kimochi said after things had settled down a bit. "Who would be desperate enough to marry a crabby old maid like her?"
"I heard it was an arranged marriage," Eri replied.
"Figures," Kimochi  said. "Poor guy, he's probably blind or lame or something."
"No, no. I heard he's pretty rich and lives overseas," Eri replied.
"You sure seem to know a lot about this," Yuki said.
"Eto-o, I'm friends with a girl who works part time in the Principal's office," Eri replied. "And she sometimes passes things along to me. Although it's really no big secret, anyway. The Principal's in kind of an uproar about it, because she's getting married in October, and they're going away to Hawaii on their honeymoon."
"That means she won't be here for the Athletic Festival," Yuki stated.
"So desu ne. I think she arranged it that way. My friend in the Principal's Office says she was trying to get out of it, anyway. Payne-oyaji  is pretty upset."
"I guess," Yuki replied. "But getting married seems to be a pretty extreme way to do it. Oh! I almost forgot. I asked Nakagawa-san if she'd like to join the Sewing Club."
"No!" the other two exclaimed¬Öalmost in unison.
"What did she say?" Kimochi asked.
"Well, she was pretty non-committal."
"Stuck-up," Kimochi said.
"No, No!" Eri exclaimed. "She's nice. But, you know, she does seem very withdrawn. Like she has a secret or something. Anyway, I think it hurts her to be the center of attraction all the time. You ever see the disgusting way the guys all look at her?"
"I wouldn't mind being the center of attraction sometimes," Yuki said absentmindedly.
"I know whose attraction you'd like to be the center of," Kimochi replied. "Yuki and Ryo sitting in a tree. Kisu, kisu, kisu." With each "kisu" she pouted her lips and kissed the air.
"Iya¬Ö" Yuki screamed. She picked up a pin cushion and threw it at Kimochi. It hit her square in the nose. Kimochi retaliated with a thread spool aimed at Yuki's forehead.
"Ouch! That hurt!" Yuki exclaimed. She threw a tape dispenser at Kimochi, but it went wide and nearly got Eri, who ducked out of the way but threw a small pattern book at Yuki. Soon, various and sundry items were flying around the room amid screams and giggles from the girls. Even the Twins waded in, throwing handfuls of sequins at everyone.
BANG!
Suddenly, the door to the room flew open, and a dark figure stood framed in the entrance. All the girls screamed at once.
The figure took one step forward.
"Oneesan," it croaked out.
It was Yuki's brother, Chinpo. His clothes were ripped and he was covered in mud and scratches.
"Sis, you'll never believe what happened to me."
He took three steps forward and fell on his ass.
#9

She was dripping with sweat and out of breath. Hunched over by the stairwell, she barely managed to hold herself up on her tired legs as she gulped for air. Her first day in a new school and she was already late. Forget to set the alarm, miss breakfast, and then having to sprint in the summer heat. What a way to make her freshmen debut: sweaty and tired.

“Heh, heh, heh” she nervously cackled once she was able to breath fully again. Straightening up, Xallie hastily patted her skirt down and started down the hallway towards class. She already felt out of place having missed the first few days of school. She not only had to face a new city, but now a whole new class whose first impression of her was going to be of a delinquent, sweaty girl. “Heh, heh, heh.”

She was there, class 10-B. THe little sign over the doorway seemed to press down on her as she slowly reached out to the door. Shaking, her hand lightly knocked before slowly opening the door. Xallie immediately blushed as too many faces turned to see who was disturbing the class.

“Sorry I’m late.” she bowed slightly before meekly adding, “I’m Xallie Termyan, a new freshman.”

With her head still slightly bowed, she inched foward into the room. The air was suddenly too suffocating and she just wanted to get to her desk. Sadly, the gods of fate did not want to be kind. Her toe caught on the floor and she sprawled face first to the floor. For a few moments there was nothing but silence, then…

“Heh, heh, heh.” it started slow until she finally burst out in a hysterical fit of laughter. Not only did she miss the first few days of school and was late on the day she did show up, but she literally fell into her new class. An already perfect start to the school year and now she couldn’t even remember which desk she was supposed to sit in.

#10

School was over and Talimew was on his way to the dorm. It was a great weather, so he decided he was going to the park and chill out.
As he was headed there, he had his name called out. “Rurin-san, Rurin-san. Wait up!” He stopped and turned around. A girl was running towards, waving her hand in the air.
The girls name was Kokoro Kauru, and she was a third year student like him. They had both gone to the Kenjutsu club, but then he had stopped.
She had tried numerous times to persuade him to come back, but he had rejected it every time. As she got up to him, he asked her:
“What is it this time, Kokoro-san? I’ve already told you, I’m not coming back to the team, ok?”

She stood amount to catch her breath and then answered him. “That’s not what this is about.” She smiled one of her mysterious smiles and then continued.
“I was wondering if you were doing anything after school tomorrow?”

He eyed her suspiously. She was usually up to no good when she was smiling like that.
“No, I don’t have any plans for tomorrow, right at the moment at least. Why are you asking?”

She stepped up really close to him and looked him in the eyes. “There’s this new club. I want you to come join it with me.”

“Huh. What the hell?” He raised his eyebrows and stared at her. He just couldn’t figure her out. “You want me to join this new club, with you?”
He then said: “Sorry but I’ll turn the offer down.”

“Aww, don’t be that way. You could at least just meet up once, before saying no. Besides, what’s you got to lose?”
She turned around and gave the thumps-up to some girls standing a few meters behind. “He’ll join the club, girls.”
The other girls waved back with big smiles on they faces, and yelled: “Good job, Kauru-chan”.

“What the hell are you doing? I haven’t agreed to anything. I don’t even know what this club is about. Stop deciding what I wanna do. It’s annoying.”
He started walking towards the park, but was stopped as Kokoro grapped his arm.

“Come on now,” she said. “Just meet up once. You can decide whether to join or not after that. Please!.”
She looked pleadingly at him.

“Ok, ok. I’ll do it. Just once though. Only this one time. And now will you please let my arm go? You’re cutting of the blood flow.”
She let him go and smiled. “I knew you would do it, Rurin-san. By the way, the clubs name is The Casual Romance Club.” She ran back to the other girls.
Talimew just stood there paralysed, looking crestfallen. Kokoro turned around and yelled: “Don’t forget it now, Rurin-san.” The girls then wandered of together.

Talimew shook his head and gathered himself together. “What the hell have I got myself into this time?,” he muttered to himself.

#11

Brant oterra had arrived at home sometime last night, went to his room took off his sword and passed out. He slept a dreamless sleep. He was awaken by the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen. After he was dressed and washed he strapped his sword back on he went to the kitchen.

"Your food is on the counter Brant." His mother said
"Ok." he sat down and ate.
"You missed school." his mother said
"I still have a few hours left so I'll think I'll go." he said while washing his dish  

He did have a few hours left of school not that it matter anyway to him. He was only going to school cause he had no choice that and he was curious if something interesting will happen. He arrived at the school and headed to check the board to see the names of who might be in his class. He had travel around to get used to this place having only just got here earlier this year. He looked around and reconfirmed that class was still going on. He checked his sword did a quick survey of the area then headed in. He walked down the hall like a panther ready to attack or defend itself and entered his class. The door slid open the teach looked to see who it was.

"You are?" the teacher asked
"I'm Brant Oterra and I know am late can I sit down now?" 
"Hmm fine go find an empty seat. Don't be late next time." the teacher said

Brant looked around the class and saw most of the chairs empty and found an empty chair middle right with other empty chairs around it. He put his sword against his desk and half listened to the teacher while looking at the people talking to others, paying attention, sleeping or looking at others. Class continued on with talking and some teaching.  Class came to an end with he people that were sleeping were still sleeping. He put his sword back one and was walking out the door just as a group of students surround one student. He went to see if they had any club that had dealt with swords or any type of blade. He wont join the club if he found one rather he would see the forms the members used and make them his own.

(I could ask or just wonder around, I want to avoid other students for now. I could see if there are any teachers still here.) Brant thought and started to walk down the hall. Eventually he asked if they had such clubs and found out they had a kendo and fencing club. 

He was now watching the kendo in session someone saw him looking and walked up to him.

"Going to join?" the person asked
"No but I'll probably come every once in a awhile." 
"Wont it be easier to join, then you could practice against others." the person said
"Too much of a risk." 
"Risk?" the person asked as he walked away 

Brant now went to see the fencing club and hope this time no one will bother him. A match had just finished and spotted him standing there.

(Damn I have a bad feeling about this.) He thought
"You will fight me if you loss you'll join." the person said
"I will not fight." 
"Afraid that you will lose." the person said
"Fine but I don't know how well I'll do." 


He was hand the gear and a sword he only took the sword.

"If you don't wear it you'll get hurt."
"It just gets in the way." Brant said
"Suit yourself."

Brant and the person stood facing each other .

"Time or points." he said
"Points." 
"Points it is." he said

They both stood there watching each other for awhile neither moving then they started. They were evenly matched. The fight continued on for twenty minutes each with to points.

"Not bad. You sure you don't want to join?" 
"Risk." he replied
"You haven't got hurt though."
"To you or anyone else." he said
"I think I held my own against you."
"Yes but I wasn't using my other forms." he said
"How about you show me and I'll forget about getting you to join."
"No." he said
"Then welcome to the club."
"Damn it." he said
"Joining then."
"Fight me with no gear on. Then you'll see why." he said
"Oh you want to see me naked? Sense you can't tell if am female."
"Your enjoying this. And I can sometimes tell by the way someone moves if their male or female." he said
"OK, OK. I'll take the gear off." the woman said and started to take off her gear. A beautiful medium length black haired grayed eyed stood there looking at Brant.
"Meh.  I seen better." he said looking her up and down
"Shall we start." 
"We shall." he said and drew his sword which cause the woman to blink.
"You had that with you the whole time."
"I have. One thing no out of bounds." he said
"Alright I'll make the first move."

For the next ten minutes both of them fought each other evenly while moving around the place. Brant had decided he tested her long enough and changed his fighting style again. The continued for five more minutes.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" the woman added "Are you trying to kill me." While trying to keep up with him. Brant stopped just before he took her head off.
"You understand now." he added "Sorry." and sheathed his sword.
"I understand and Apology accepted. Names Miwa Masol." the woman said
"Names Brant Oterra." 
"I think we'll be good friends and perhaps we'll have another match but go easy on me." she said
"I wont join but I'll probably show up once in awhile to see how you all progress."

Brant started to walk and stopped. "Your going to enjoy messing with me aren't you." 

(I think this is going to be an interesting year.) He thought and started to head home.

Note: Sorry about the fighting and if this whole scene made no sense I really really am sorry. Another thing it takes me quite awhile to actually do this. Yet another thing I’ll probably make another fighting scene with Miwa.

#12

Miwa grabbed Brent’s shoulder as he was leaving. “Hey, that sword, it’s real isn’t it?” she whispered.

“Yeah, what about it?”

She stared at him, amazed. “If you get caught with that on school grounds, you’ll get expelled, maybe even arrested. You’re lucky no one else noticed.” She shook her head wonderingly, sighing. What a strange guy. The way he talked and acted…did he think he was a ninja or something?

#13

NIGHT OF THE LIVING CHINPO
(part 1)

My name is Chinpo Tanuki, and I have a strange story to tell.
I live in Ibaraki Province and attend the Japan Academy for Scholarly Training (JAST). I’m in Class 10-B; not too interested in sports, but belong to the Survivalist Club.
Don’t get the wrong idea. We’re not like right-wing nuts stockpiling sarin gas in a hidden underground bunker or anything like that, although we do sometimes camp out in the woods by the lake. Most of the time, though, we just play video games, read hobby magazines, and collect moe figures; normal stuff like that. Oh! And we also like to swap porn DVDs. We don’t let the school know about that part of our club, of course; although I think our Counselor, Shingo-sensai is cool with it.
The things that I want to tell about happened on a Wednesday night about two weeks ago, shortly after classes had started up again after Summer Break. There was a Club meeting that night, but I wanted to go see that Zombie Cop movie that was playing in a nearby town. I asked the guys if they wanted to come along, but none of them did. In fact, Kenta, the Club’s President (who everybody knows sleeps with his mom), has already seen it and said it was a dumb ass movie, not really worth anyone’s time.
But I still wanted to see it, so I went by myself.
Turned out he was right. Oh, it was scary enough at the beginning, but after awhile the sheer volume of blood and fake body parts started to get tiresome. There was even one scene where the monster squeezes a victim until his skeleton oozes out of his body like toothpaste from a tube, and it was a pretty fake skeleton, too.
In the train on the way back home, I found myself sitting across the aisle from a girl in a short skirt who was fast asleep. I took this for a challenge that could not be ignored. So I started to-ever so slyly-slump down, with the aim of bringing her panties into view.
WHACK!
Something struck me hard, right between the legs. I saw stars, and curled over, clutching my groin.
“Ow, ow, ow!” I cried out, angrily.
I made so much commotion that the girls woke. When she saw me bent over and clutching my nuts, she blushed, put her hand over her mouth, and fled to another compartment. Fortunately, there weren’t too many other passengers around to witness my pain and humiliation.
“The youth of Japan have no manners these days.”
I looked up in order to see who said that and noticed for the first time that there was a man sitting next to me. Funny, I never noticed him sitting there before, which was strange, because he sort of stood out.
For one thing, he was dressed like a monk, but he sure didn’t look like one. For one thing, he had long black hair, while all the monks I’d ever seen were bald. He was old, but not elderly. I figured he must be in his forties. He had this very dignified air about him, and he sort of reminded me of a Samurai. In fact, he resembled that actor in those old black and white Jedai movies. What’s his name? Mifune Toshiro
Across his lap was a short bamboo stick; the one he had used to crack me in the nuts.
“Hey, you fucker! What’s the big idea, man?” I spoke to him rudely, I know. Generally, I’m pretty polite to my elders, but I figured that when they try to wreck your unit, it’s time to make an exception.
“No manners, at all. There was a time, young man, when you would’ve been beheaded for behaving and speaking so in public.”
This guy was some kind of right-wing weirdo. Probably in a cult, too-the Nut Whackers, or something like that. I decided to go sit someplace else. But before I could leave, he grabbed my arm; his hand was like a steel vise.
“Learn some manners, young man, and be observant of how others behave, as well. Japanese society can no longer be categorized as such. People these days are just animals, like sheep. And where there are sheep there are also wolves. Remember that, young man.”
“Uh¬Öyeah. Right.”
By the time the train had arrived at my station, fog had settled over the town. We get that sometimes; it comes off the lake. Not usually this time of year, though. But we’d been having a lot of strange weather lately; global warming or something, I guess.
I didn’t see the stranger get off the train, which was a little strange, because it was the end of the line, and the train was practically empty. Not that I particularly cared what became of him, anyway.
I didn’t have any money for bus fare and I’d used up all my taxi coupons during Summer Break, so I was going to have to walk home. But that was okay, since it’s not that far. Besides, there was a short cut.
Out behind the train yard there was an old dirt road that went through the woods by the lake and ended up near my neighborhood. I figured that if I went that way, I could be home in forty-five minutes tops.

#14

NIGHT OF THE LIVING CHINPO
(part 2)

But the fog made it tougher going than I imagined.
There were no street lights in the woods, and the fog was thicker down there than it was in town. Before I knew it, I had completely lost track of where I was, even if I had been on this trail about a hundred times in the daylight. Strangely enough, though, it wasn't entirely dark, because the fog itself seemed to glow with a sort of greenish light. It was creepy, and I started to recall a scene in the Zombie Cop movie where the clueless victim blunders into the monster on the foggy moor. I thought it was a pretty hokey plot device at the time, but as the memory replayed itself in my head, it became a lot scarier. 
I guess I was beginning to weird myself out.
I took out my cell phone and started dialing my sister, but stopped. What good would she be to me, anyway? Besides, she and her Sewing Club gang would never let me live it down that her little brother came crying to Big Sis for help. 
So who else could I call? 
I could call Kenta. But he and his Mom were probably already in bed by now. I could call the cops, I suppose. But then there'd be a big manhunt, and a stupid lecture when they found me and it might even get on the evening news. Then everyone at school would laugh at me.
No! I had to figure this out for myself. So I put the phone back in my pocket and tried to recall any survival skills that I could use in this situation.
I'd heard once that moss always grows on the north side of trees, but I wanted to go west, so that was no good.
Just then, I noticed a light out in the distance, moving among the trees. Was someone else was out here? Maybe they could help me. So I started running toward it yelling:
"Dareka? Sumimasen! Tatsukette kuda sai!"
Whoever was out there stopped moving and seemed to wait for me to catch up.
As I got closer, I saw that the other person was a woman and the light was coming from a paper lantern she was holding. She was dressed in a yukata; like for a festival, but I didn't recall any that  were any going on tonight. Her dress was a dark grey color and covered with a spiral pattern. I mention this because that seemed like a very unusual design to me.
She was slender, although a little busty, and I figured she must be young, but I couldn't tell for sure, because she was wearing a surgical mask on her face. I guessed she must have a cold or allergies or something. Perfectly logical, considering that she was walking around in this damp fog, after all.
"Hajimemashite," I said as soon as I was close enough. ‘I'm kinda lost, and I was wondering if…"
"Ah! A young man," she replied. "What are you doing out here at this hour, young master? A tryst with some lover, hmmm?" 
The way she talked was sort of old-fashioned-like that guy on the train, and I wondered briefly if they knew each other.
I explained my situation to her, to which she replied:
"Ah! Such misadventure! How sad it is for one to be lost and not find a haven in the dark. It causes me to weep for your sake."
"Uh¬Öit's really not that big a deal," I replied. "I just got turned around in the fog, is all."
"But surely you must be cold and hungry and in need of some comfort. Please allow me to accommodate you, young sir. Won't you kindly accept my poor hospitality and accompany me to my home?"
Well, all I really needed was directions home. But, sure, I'd go with her. Who knows? Maybe this was my big chance.
"By the way, I'm Chinpo," I said.
"I'm called Kuchisake," she replied.
#15

NIGHT OF THE LIVING CHINPO
(part 3)

She led me through the woods until we were out of them, and suddenly I knew where I was, because we were standing on the bank of the river. The fog was much thinner out here, There was a breeze blowing, making ripples in the water, and I could see the lights of the city in the distance. If I just followed the shoreline, I’d be back home in no time.
However, Kuchisake still had a hold on me, and she guided me along the shoreline in the opposite direction, until we came to a small building.
“Hey, I know this place,” I said. “When I was a kid, I used to play around here with my chums. Nobody lived here back then. We always though this house was haunted. When did you move in?”
She didn’t answer, but just pushed the door open and said:
“Doozo. Ohairi kudasai.”
It was pitch dark in there, until she followed me in with her lantern. Even then it was hard to make out any details, but the whole interior seemed to consist of just a single space. Even with the illumination, the place was still pretty shadowy.
“Is your electricity out or something?” I asked.
“Oh ho ho, young master,” she replied. “There is no electricity. Please, sit.”
There were no cushions or chairs; she just indicated a spot on the floor, which was covered in rushes. Not particularly fresh rushes, either, judging by the smell.
“I shall make tea,” she said.
She went over to the center of the room, where (as I could see from her lantern light) there was a fire pit. She bent over and started to make a fire in it, using the candle from her lantern.
While I was sitting there, I thought I felt something moving in the rushes underneath me.
I shot up.
“Uh¬Öwell, thanks for your help and all,” I said. “But I really should be going. My family’s probably getting worried.”
She got up and rushed over to my side.
“Oh no no!”
She threw her arms around me and crushed my head against her bosom.
“Please reconsider, my lord. I get so lonely our here at night. Won’t you stay and ¬Ö and comfort me? We could comfort each other.”
I was getting a tremendous boner.
My head said “leave,” but my penis said “stay.” I was caught up the classic battle between Reason and Instinct, and since I was firmly caught up in her grip with my head flanked between her boobies, Instinct won out.
“Alright. I guess I’ll stay.
I tried to get a grope in, but she pulled away and said:
“I’ll make the tea. Please, sit sit!”
So I sat back down and started to wonder about what was going to happen next. Mr. Happy was still standing straight up, which made getting comfortable difficult. That song about the Norwegian Woods started playing in my head.
This is kind of hard to admit, but I’m still a virgin. But not from lack of trying, you understand; I just haven’t figured out the right approach to take with girls, yet. I never dreamed I could just luck out like this. But I sure wished this were happening in a love hotel, rather this gloomy old shack.
As I sat there in anticipation, my eyes started to adjust to the gloom, and I started to see the details of the room more clearly.
There wasn’t much to see. The place was pretty bare, in fact. There was no furniture, at all. Just the fire pit and piles of clothing and trash here and there. Obviously, Kuchisake wasn’t much of a housekeeper. There wasn’t even a futon, which caused me to wonder where we were going to do it.
I looked up at the walls. They were decorated from top to bottom with strange spiral patterns that matched Kuchisake’s dress. For some reason, that struck me as kind of scary.
Reason, seasoned with a little fear, was beginning to make a late rally, and I was getting ready to get back up and tell her that I really was leaving this time, when she came back with the tea service and sat down beside me; really close.
She poured out a single cup of tea, and offered it to me.
“Aren’t your going to have some?” I asked.
She simply pointed to her mask.
“Oh,” I said.
That was a little disappointing. Was she was going to wear it even when we got around to doing it?
I sipped my tea.
It wasn’t that good. In fact, it tasted kind of brackish. She obviously hadn’t used fresh water. What did she do, dip it out of the lake?
She snuggled up next to me so that our bodies were really close. She felt really, really soft, and Instinct took over again.
“Uh¬Öinteresting wallpaper you have.”
I don’t know why I said that; it was just some lame attempt at conversation, I suppose.
“Oh ha ha, Chinpo-sama,” she replied. “That is not wallpaper. That is the sigil of My Lord, Uzumaki.”
“What?”
Her voice, which heretofore had been sort of chipper, now took on a very serious tone.
“The god I serve,” she replied.
“Oh, then you’re a shrine maiden?” I said. Well, that would explain the simple lifestyle.
“I am the slave of Uzumaki. I owe him my soul.”
“Huh?”
Uzumaki is the great, churning center of existence, and all men and the kami as well are subject to his will.” Her eyes seemed to glow as she stared up at the walls, and little spiral-shapes seemed to be reflected in them.
“Observe the shape of the spiral, Chinpo-sama. Does it spiral in or does it spiral out? The answer is: it does both at once; one spiral for space and one for time. My Lord Uzumaki encompasses all of eternity.”
She just went on and on like that for a long time that, and I just sort of tuned her out.
“Great,” I started thinking, “another cultist. First that guy on the train, and now the Princess of Curlicues. What are the chances I’d meet up with two kooks like this in the same night?”
At length, she grew quiet. She just sat there as if deep in thought. Then, suddenly, she turned to me and asked:
“Chinpo-sama, do you think I’m pretty?”
Wow! Finally!
“Yes, Kuchisake,” I said in my coolest voice. “I do. I think you’re very pretty.”
“You do?” she said, doubtfully, “honto ni?”
“Sure.”
She put her hands on her face and pulled down her mask.
“How about now?”
Gasp (choke)!!

#16

Her limbs had that comfortable ache. Over an hour of drills and scrimmage on the football field had her muscles burning, but she liked the feeling of exhaustion that accompanied the game. It was the reason she chose to be a mid-fielder: long streaking runs up and down the pitch. Let the striker have all the glory, that didn’t matter much to her. And of course they would have had to tie her into the goal if they wanted her to be goalie. She needed the entire pitch as her canvas, not just the back or front third.

But now was time for a nice hot shower to soother her aching body. And the locker room was empty. Xallie smiled as she slowly started to peel off her sweat soaked trainers. It was rare to have the entire locker room to herself. Being able to strip, shower, and change with no one else to watch was wonderful. She hated having anyone around when she changed. All those glances burned into her naked flesh and made her squirm and blush a deep crimson when others were around. Now she could relax and allow herself to enjoy the next few moments, instead of worrying that someone was making a nice long list of her body’s myriad flaws.

She hugged her arm around her breasts as her shirt came off. Not even big enough to wear a bra, she sighed. Despite her many proclamations taking pride in her small breasts, she always felt uncomfortable. Especially if Cindi or Haruka were there parading their large boobs around the room. Even alone, like she was, she couldn’t help but be embarrased. No breasts, pale skin, and a figure that does its best to imitate the rectangle.

She slid out of her shorts and panties and quickly stuffed them into her gym bag. Grabbing her towel and shower bag, she closed her locker. Slinging the towel over her arm she turned around.

“Hello there.” a grinning girl is standing just inside of the door to the locker room, with the door wide open.

“Ahhh!” Xallie screamed and sprinted into the nearby shower stalls while hugging her arms around her body. “How long have you been standing there?!”

“Only a few moments.” the girl calmly stated. She then poked her head around the wall and looked into the stall.

“What are you doing?!” Xallie blushed as she huddled into the corner of the stall, her body curling up as tight as possible.

“My friends and I have been trying to create a new club here and were wondering if you would like to join us.” the girl smiled.

“I’m already in two clubs and I’m not interested in another right now.” Xallie hugged herself a little tighter. “Now I need to take a shower.”

“The club won’t take up too much time and we think you would be a perfect member.” the girl continued to smile at Xallie.

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m already in two clubs.” Xallie began to tremble under the girl’s cheerful gaze.

“O, come one. It will be fun.” The girl chuckled.

“No, thank you.” Xallie continued to tremble. She just wanted the girl to go. But the girl only continued to stare at her with her odd smile. “I need to take a shower.” her voice quivered.

“It will be fun.” The girl said again. Xallie declined once more, but the girl continued to stare, smile, and ask if Xallie would join. Over, and over, and over. Xallie’s entire body was now quaking. She had to be red from head to toe with the girl doing nothing but staring right at her naked body barely covered by her own hands. Tears started to well in her eyes as the the evil little troll continued to push her join. After a while, Xallie’s legs began to buckle underneath her huddled weight. Already exhausted from running up and down the field, they were now beginning to lose strength completely. Any longer and she might fall on her ass and flash that annoying little girl everything she had. She cried.

“FINE!” she screamed. “I’ll join your stupid club, now just go!”

“Just sign here please.” the troll handed Xallie a clipboard and a pen. Fumbling with her towel, Xallie managed to lay it over her legs and cover herself. With a trembling hand she quickly grabbed the board, laid it on her knees and signed her name. She slammed the pen down and shoved the clipboard back into the smiling girls hands.

“Here.”

“Thank you. And welcome to the Casual Romance Club.” the girl bowed slightly before dissapearing around the wall.

A few long seconds later and Xallie heard the door open then close. She collapsed to the ground, the towel sliding away from her body. She lowered her head into her hands and cried. Naked and alone she continued to tremble. Never again. I will not take a shower here ever again.

#17

Class had ended for the day, and aside from being asked to join the Sewing Club over the lunch break, it was an uneventful day. Given that she already had so many clubs to attend, she didn’t know how she could possibly join another. So she just gave a vague answer of “My weeks are really busy, but I’ll think about it.” to the girl. It was a Wednesday, and Junsui was looking forward to Kyudo practice. As she gathered her things and got ready to go, she noticed that a bunch of students had surrounded the desk of the boy who had stared at her earlier in the day.
“I wonder what that is all about.”, Junsui thought to herself.
As she left the classroom headed for practice, she overheard the phrase “Casual Romance Club”.
“What a strange name for a club.”, Junsui mumbled to herself as she walked down the hall.

With practice over (including the extra time she spent practicing by herself), Junsui headed to the locker room to change back in to her school uniform. As she entered, she noticed the sound of sobbing. Concerned, Junsui quickly searched out the source. She soon found it in the form of a naked young girl with blond hair who was on the floor with a towel at her feet. Junsui immediately rushed over.
“What happened? Did someone attack you? Daijoubu?”, Junsui asked the girl as she looked around for any signs of danger.

#18

“What happened? Did someone attack you? Daijoubu?”

She flinched at the voice, surprised that she had not heard the door or the girl walk into the locker room. Snapping to attention, Xallie quickly realised she was on full display before this new girl. She quickly snatched the towel at her feet and tried to cover herself up.

“I-I’m fine.” she mumbled as she wiped tears away. She felt a bit foolish, but she couldn’t help but blush again with someone next to her. “Just, just surprised is all.”

Xallie stood up and tried to wrap the towel around her body. She was able to cover her breasts, but unfortunately her long torso only allowed the towel to reach just below her waist. Every movement brought the edge of the towel up and showed way too much of her body than she cared for. Not too mention the slightly humid air tickling her flesh. Her blush deepened.

“I-I…” she stammered as she began to walk towards her locker forgetting the shower in favour of getting dressed again. Every step brought the towel up over her butt. With one hand holding the towel and the other covering her slight bush, Xallie was beginning to tremble again. “I was just surprised by someone. They, they wouldn’t leave until… until…”

Her body was beginning to really shake now. Remembering the incident from just a few moments before and trying to get to her locker had unhinged her. She was having a hard time thinking, let alone talk. She shoke her head.

“They asked me to… to join a club.” she shivered “I didn’t want to, but-but-but… she just kept staring!”

Xallie screamed as she got to her locker and hugged the front of her body to the cold metal.

“I’m fine now. Just please, please… turn away so I can dress.” she flushed a deep crimson as she whispered. “I just want to go home… I want to forget today and I-I-I don’t want to think about the stupid Casual Romance Club… o what am I going to do?”

Xallie leaned her head against the locker as her voice trailed into babbling and incoherent mutters.

#19

NIGHT OF THE LIVING CHINPO (part 6)

She took me down to a place by the river.
A flat, sandy area that bordered the marsh. It was hidden behind a stand of tall rushes. I've probably walked by here many a time without ever suspecting this place's existence.
The marsh was full of dead trees that stuck out of the water at crazy angles. The bark had long since rotted off them, and the smooth, white trunks-with the fog curling around them-seemed to resemble huge bones. This was probably the spookiest place I've ever been in.
I mentioned to Kuchisake how I'd never seen this place before, despite having lived around here all my life.
She put her hand over her mouth and laughed.
"Ha, Ha, Chinpo-sama, you are not very observant, are you? Well, he will not find us here. At the least, not until it is too late for him. Where is the Holy Blade?"
"I dunno."
"Did you not bring it?" 
"Uh¬Öno. Was I supposed to?"
"Chinpo-sama!" she said with anger rising in her voice. "I told you to bring it."
"No. You didn't!" I replied defensively.
"I am sure that I did."
"No," I said. "You just grabbed me and led me to this place."
She looked at me and made a face. She put her hands on her hips and said, clearly expressing her exasperation:
"I would have though, Chinpo-sama," she said very slowly, "that you would have at least had the presence of mind to take the only weapon that can harm me without my having had to say it in so many words."
"Well, I'm not a mind reader, you know."
"Baka!"
She threw her hands up and strode off into the fog, muttering something under her breath.
She sounded just like my sister, you know? She's always hitting me with: "I told you to do this" or "I told you to do that" and "Don't you remember?" Well, how can you remember something that never happened in the first place? Why are women like that? They seem to think they can run the world by remote control.
Kuchisake wasn't gone for long, and at length, she came back in a much better mood.
She put her arms around me and said:
Chinpo-sama. Please forgive me my anger. We have both been through so much this night." 
She put her head on my chest.
"That's okay, Miss Kuchisake," I replied, patting her on the back. "I'm sorry I forgot it, but just what is a Holy Blade, anyway?"
She didn't respond to my question. But just looked over my shoulder and said:
"Chinpo-sama! Look! Behind you!"
I turned around to see what was there.
I didn't see Kuchisake bend over and pick up a piece of driftwood.
Nor did I remember much after she hit me with it.
When I came to, I was lying on the ground. My hands and feet were tied up and there was a gag in my mouth. Kuchisake was standing over me, and she was stark naked. I could see everything!
She had torn her clothes into strips to make my restraints. I tried to ask her what was going on, but the only sounds I could make were muffled by the gag. 
What was going on here?
Was she still angry with me over that Holy Blade business? Or was this the prelude to some kind of kinky sex? If so, her timing was damned inappropriate.
Kuchisake crouched down and smiled at me.
"Ah, Chinpo-sama. Awake at last, I see. Good. It would be so very tiresome for you to be unconscious when Lord Uzumaki comes. It would impair our ability to take comfort from you."
What?
I started to flop around, trying to loosen my bonds.
"Now, now, Chinpo-sama, "she patted my head. "Be still."
"You are so wonderfully unobservant, aren't you? Such a rare quality. You meet a strange woman in the wood, follow her to her house, defend her from an assailant without even thinking about which side you should be on, and finally follow her to a secluded place where no one will ever find your remains after we, My Lord and I, take our comfort from you, our lovely virgin sacrifice. Such innocence is only found once every hundred years.
"I was telling the truth when I said I was a ghost, you know. I am the shadow that My Lord casts upon the Earth. Now, be still. Your have a great experience in store for you. There will be pain, of course. A great lot of it, and I am sorry for your sake. But My Lord requires it. It would not be enjoyable for us if there were none. But it will only last for a while, and then your soul will reside in the Great Vortex of Uzumaki."
She stood up.
"Just like these souls here," she said, turning around and around and stretching her arms out.
Suddenly, the air was filled with little glowing things; I don't know what they were or where the heck they came from. They were spiral-shaped, you know, like glowing mosquito coils, and they were hovering around Kuchisake like moths to a streetlight. One by one, and in bunches, they settled on her body until they covered her completely and she was one big shining figure. Then they seemed to sink into her skin, the light fading away in the process.
So that was pretty strange. However, I still wasn't going for any of this Uzumaki stuff, although maybe I should have. I just thought I had merely fallen into the hands of a dangerously psychotic woman; one of those yandere types, you know? I probably should have been more frightened than I was, but by this time I'd been through so much that I was just too tired.
Something started to happen to Kuchisake.
She made a strange noise, lurched to the ground and got down on her hands and knees. He body was convulsing itself, and there was a strained look on her face. Then there was this sort of wet  ripping sound and something white started to rise out of Kuchisake's back, the skin of which was slowly peeling away, accompanied by little rivulets of blood that ran down her sides.
That white thing was her skeleton! And it was oozing up out of her body the way a moth emerges from a cocoon. I have to admit it was a pretty good effect. A lot more realistic than that Zombie Cop movie, I'll tell you.
Now Kuchisake's innards had emerged completely from her body. But it wasn't just her skeleton that was showing; her internal organs were present, too. I could see her lungs and intestines and her beating heart and a bunch of stuff I couldn't remember the names of. 
This thing that had once been the lovely Miss Kuchisake, but now it was an evil sight. But it just lay there on the ground, unmoving. As if the effort of coming out of her body had exhausted it. But gradually it started moving, slowly. It dragged itself off of the husk of skin that was all that remained of her outer body, using its boney arms. It had no legs, and I remembered Kuchisake account of how her husband had cut her in two. 
Her head, however, still had skin on it. But her face had changed radically. Instead of the two cuts on her cheeks, her mouth was now one long Cheshire cat smile, filled with countless needle-like teeth. But it sure wasn't a friendly smile. Her altered face radiated what I can only call a sort of cosmic malice, if that makes any sense.
Now, don't think that I was just lying helplessly on the ground while all this was happening. Because, in point of fact, I had successfully managed to loosen my bonds and was on my feet. Girls can't tie knots for shit.
As hideous and this monstrosity that had once been Miss Kuchisake was, it looked pretty helpless right now, and I figured I could easily outrun it. So I headed out in the direction of the reeds.
 I never made it. Just as I was about to plunge into their shelter something wet and slimy slapped me and wrapped itself around my body. I was lifted me into the air, and pulled back until I found myself suspended over the top of that horror (which I had now pretty much accepted as Uzumaki himself--or itself? What's the term here?). Unbelievably, he had unwound his small intestine and turned it into a kind of tentacle. A kind of tentacle that was now tightly wound around my torso. And I had seen enough tentacle porn to know that I was in a bad way. I kept my mouth shut as tightly as I could. Here's another interesting thing:  what they don't tell you in those movies is that tentacles stink-especially when they're made from rotten, disgusting human bowels.
So there I was, suspended in the air above this horror. It had turned its head around to observe me. Its bony arms were reaching out for me, and I was slowly being lower down to them.  This looked like the end for me. I wanted my mommy.
But then¬Ö
Whoosh!
A dark figure flashed past me and a shiny blade sliced  the intestine in two like a hot knife through butter.
Suddenly, I was falling.
#20

NIGHT OF THE LIVING CHINPO (part 7)

I was falling, and it looked like I was going to land in one of two places.
Either onto the soft sand by the riverbank, or into the water, where I would bang my head on a submerged log, take in a lot of water and nearly drown.
Well, if you’ve been following my story up to here, you’d know this was my night for bad luck. So guess which direction Fate choose for me.

After I came up for air, I dragged myself over to the shoreline and crawled up onto the riverbank, where I was visited by waves of coughing and puking up of river water. 
There was a huge goose egg on the side of my head that hurt like hell when I touched it.
Meanwhile, a silent drama was unfolding on the land a little ways in front of me.
The Stranger (for, of course, it was him) and the monster, Uzumaki, were facing each other. Neither one of them was moved a muscle. They were both as still as statues and the fog-the way that it swirled around them-accented their motionlessness. It was like a classic "aida" scene from a kabuki play. 
But something was going to happen soon; I could feel it in the air; it was like electricity.
The Stranger had assumed a sort of martial arts pose. His body was turned half away from the monster. His left arm was extended in the direction of Uzumaki, with the palm of his hand sticking straight up. His other arm was curled over his head, with his sword pointing right at the monster, which had propped itself up to a sitting position with its boney arms.
I couldn't figure out why the Stranger wasn't just getting on with it. I mean, didn't he want to destroy this horrid thing? 
But, you know, it still had Kuchisake's face (sort of), and I'm guessing that the thing was still mostly Kuchisake and not so much Uzumaki at this point. There was an awfully sad expression on her face.
I wondered if maybe they still had some feelings for each other despite¬Ö
Despite what?
What was going on here, anyway?
Where has these two-a lovely woman who was a monster and a killer who was a husband-come from, and why did they talk like people in a jedai drama? And, for that matter, why had they chosen to barge into my life, bringing a lot of pain and danger along with them?
And what was the deal with Uzumaki?
Where had that thing come from? Was it a god, and demon? And how could such things exist in modern Japan, anyway?

And just look at him!
Kuchisake had talked about Uzumaki such grandiose terms that I was expecting him to be something a little more impressive than a pile of bones and guts. Why, his best trick had been that bit with the intestines, but with that out of commission, he wasn’t going to have to worry about getting too much fiber in his diet.
He didn’t even have any legs (which made me wonder how Kuchisake had managed to get around without bones in her legs.) And now the Stranger was here with the Holy Blade (which Kuchisake had admitted was the only thing that could hurt her), so Uzumaki was pretty much a sitting duck, in my opinion.
Suddenly, the air was filled with those damn glowing spiral things again! A dreadful feeling came over me.
“This could be bad,” I told myself.
Just like before, they all flew to Uzumaki and surrounded him with a strange light.
The figure inside the light began to change. It started to grow, get bulky.
By the time the light faded away, Uzumaki had transformed into something that looked more like a traditional demon.
He looked scary as hell.
He was definitely male now, with the build of a gigantic sumo wrestler, and his face no longer resembled Kuchisake’s in the slightest. He had a long mane of red hair, two long horns, a pointed nose and two serious-looking tusks sprouted from his mouth. His arms were huge, with long claws at the ends of his fingers. He must have been over 200 centimeters tall, and he was now supported by two new and very sturdy-looking legs. His entire body was sort of tattooed with little spiral-shapes, and it’s my guess that it was those little spiral-things that composed this new flesh he was now enclosed in.
Kuchisake had implied that they were little souls, the slaves of that monster and she had wanted to turn me into one of them. I wondered what part of his body I would have ended up as.
I tried to raise myself off the ground, but the effort made me dizzy and the lump on my head started throbbing like anything. I fell back down and upchucked a little more of the marsh.
All I could do was watch what was going to happen next.
The Stranger had changed his stance.
Now his body was fully facing forward – legs shoulder-width apart – with one foot in front of the other. Both of his arms were in front of him now, and he had a tight grip on his sword with both hands. I couldn’t help but wish that that sword were a little bit longer, and I bet he did, too.
The transformed Uzumaki let out a horrendous roar that shook the reeds and made me pee. He raised his arms (which were about the size of tree trunks) and smashed his fists down onto the spot where the Stranger was standing¬Ö
¬Öbut was not standing, anymore.
Honestly, I never saw a person who could move so fast. He slipped past the monster and cut a slice out of his thigh; a black liquid flowed out of it. Uzumaki roared out in pain. He turned and smashed his fists into the ground again.
And again and again.
Wherever the Stranger was at the moment, Uzumaki struck. But the Stranger was too fast, and all Uzumaki got for his efforts was one cut after another.
It was plain to see that the Stranger wasn’t just trying to avoid getting his by Uzumaki. It looked like he was trying to get closer and closer to his opponent, and his blows were landing higher and higher on the monster’s body. He seemed to be trying to get to some particular location on Uzumaki’s body. And that put him increasingly at risk from those huge arms and sharp claws.
At last, speed and agility wasn’t good enough for the Stranger, and Uzumaki got in a lucky blow.
His claws raked the stranger’s right arm. They ripped through his clothes and flesh. The Stranger cried out and fell to one knee, dropping his sword.
Uzumaki kicked him in the side, which sent the Stranger skidding across the sand, leaving a dark trail of blood in his wake.
Uzumaki then sort of waddled over to the spot where the Stranger now lay and raised one enormous leg. He was going to smash him flat.
But-and this is the really amazing part-the Stranger reached up with both hands, grabbed Uzumaki by the ankle and heel and twisted. Uzumaki went over with a thud. The stranger wasn’t as dead as I’d feared he was, and he’d even managed to overturn Uzumaki, who must have weighed 180 kilo easy. I mentioned, didn’t I, how strong the Stranger was?
Uzumaki had fallen over, but he quickly got to his feet. But-just as quickly-- the stranger got his head in an arm lock. It was the Stranger’s bloody arm, and I could see that the effort of holding onto the demon’s head had him in agony. But he held on.
Uzumaki struggled, but couldn’t seem to make any head way; their battle was beginning to take on the aspects of a traditional sumo match.
I watched them fight, and then I noticed the Holy Blade. It lay on the sand where the Stranger had dropped it, and it was about halfway between them and me.
I remembered Kuchisake’s words: it was the only thing that could hurt her.
If I could only get it to the stranger. I’m sure he needed it back. He was doing okay right now, but I wasn’t at all sure that he could win out against Uzumaki in the long run. Sooner or later he was going to tire or lose too much blood (his whole right side was bathed in blood), and that would be it for him.
If I could just get up, grab the sword and give the stranger quickly, maybe he could finish Uzumaki off.
I got to my feet and limped over to the sword; quickly was out of the question…
As I picked it up, a strange sensation came over me.
I felt? Yeah, I felt righteous! I felt that I was on God’s side at last, an invincible foe of evil. I guess that’s why they call it a “holy Sword;” it made you feel holy.
It had been my intention previously to just get the sword and return it to the Stranger, so he could use it on Uzumaki. But now, with the pure light of Virtue flooding my soul, I figured why couldn’t I be the hero; why shouldn’t I-the implacable foe of evil-- dispatch the creature, myself?
Yeah!
“Banzai!”
I ran (well, wobbled at speed) toward Uzumaki and leaped on his back, plunging the sword up its hilt. Gore sprayed my face.
I expected that at this point Uzumaki would collapse or vanish in a flash of light or something, but I very quickly learned that I had been the victim of my own delusions of grandeur. Because while Kuchisake and said that the Holy Sword was the only weapon that could hurt her, it merely seemed to piss off Uzumaki. He turned around with a roar and lifted me up into the air.
He could have killed me right at that instant, but he didn’t. I guess it must have had something to do with Kuchisake’s words earlier about how I was his chosen (virgin) sacrifice, and how important it was to him that my death be slow and painful. With a satisfied look on his face, he started to squeeze.
Being squeezed by a giant monster is just about the most painful thing I can think of; it’s worse than getting your hand caught in a door or something. It felt like my skeleton was just going to ooze right out of the top of my body at any moment…
But just when I couldn’t stand it any more¬Ö
Swoosh!
Uzumaki’s head parted from his body and rolled off onto the sand.
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl as the head drifted down to the ground. Then it snapped back to full speed as the monster’s headless body toppled over on top of me.
And as I struggled to get out from under it, a dark, blood-stained figure with a sword appeared and looked down at me.
“That is how you use a Holy Blade,” he said.