I don't recall ever giving you permission to be around Shiro." Natsumi said to Yuka, with a possessive glare. "I don't recall needing your permission to be near him." Yuka retorted.
I don't recall wanting to be in such a shitty situation.
"Shiro is mine and mine alone, so stay away from him." Natsumi claimed. "I don't belong to you, and please don't scare away my new friend." I told her.
"But we were supposed to be together forever."
"We might be, but it wouldn't kill you to find a boyfriend."
"That's just harsh." Yuka stated.
"Shiro, you idiot!" Natsumi said as she shyly looked away.
I knew exactly how she felt. I knew exactly what she meant. And I knew exactly what I said. But I pretended not to know. For the best.
"Do you treat all women like that?" Yuka asked.
"No, just Natsumi. Her and I go way back."
"It's obvious that she likes you."
"I know."
"Why not date her? She's pretty, sweet, and caring."
Since I was little, I spent my days with Natsumi. I've always had the desire to protect her. I was unsure if a relationship fit my agenda.
"She's the ideal girl, yes. But I've always just wanted to look out for her. I don't know if going out with her would be for the best."
"Are you single?"
Yes.
"Would it make her happy?"
Yes.
"Then go out with her." Yuka proposed with dejected eyes.
No.
"Why the hell not?"
"Because like I said, I don't know if it would be the best for her. If we dated, I might be holding her back from being with someone who could make her a lot more happy than I could."
"Also, the future is uncertain. Who knows if a girl might come along and sweep me off my feet?" I said knowing full well that I had no plans of dating anytime soon. Yuka looked nervous as a reaction to my comment.
"Anyway, you'd think that as the only male Rook, you'd be hella popular." Yuka changed the subject.
"It seems that guys aren't welcome here. Though, I did will the duel against Harumi, so I hope I won't be having any huge issues."
I had several incoming huge issues. They were incoming, like missiles launched from a world government onto their trajectory.
"Come to think of it Yuka, where do I use the restroom? A male Rook was unthinkable until now, so there's no way they've accommodated for me. Also, this is a boarding school. I can't sleep in the girls dorm's or use the girl's facilities."
Several incoming issues were here. Issues that I had forgotten about, no, I hadn't even given them a second thought, nor a first. What was I to do-
Ring. My phone.
"Sure you can use the girl's dorms!" Meari's voice soared through the speaker.
"You were listening to our conversation?"
"Sure was! I've got all the security camera feeds right here."
"What if you overheard us gossipping about you? What if you overheard me say 'Jeez, Headmaster sure is a good for nothing leader.'?"
She informed me that something similar happened before, and that didn't stop her from spying on the camera feeds. Though her self esteem took a decent blow.
"I told you to call me Meari."
"Right. Meari. How do you expect me to get away with using the girls' dorms with no uproar from the students? They're only tolerating me because Harumi lost."
"You must be really close with the headmaster if she lets you call her by her first name." Yuka interjected.
"That's right! We are close, so Shiro, you can live in my room. Oh, my heart races from thinking about sharing a room with Shiro. I can't wait to lay down with him and feel his warm embra-"
"Meari. Please be more formal, you're on speaker. You can't see," Or maybe she could, since she was peeping in on all the cameras. "But people staring. They think I'm some lecher now, probably."
"I'm sorry, let me fix this." Meari's idea did not fix this.
Over the school intercom, I heard "Students in the cafeteria, please ignore what you heard me say over Shiro's phone. Thank you."
I can't believe a woman who thought such an idea would work found her way into the headmaster position. I had yet to see her qualifications.
"I'll stay in your room if you don't do anything strange." I said.
"That's okay Shiro, I've thought of a better idea. There's a vacant room I just remembered about that you can use. As for facilities, the room has a toilet and shower."
"Thanks."
"Yep, also, please come to my office immediately. I have serious business to discuss with you." Meari hung up.
"Yamazaki Shiro to the Headmaster's office." Blasted over the intercom.
Hadn't she already made herself clear?
I apologized to Yuka and Natsumi for having to go. Natsumi warned me not to let that "homewrecking slut"(Natsumi's words, not mine) put the moves on me. That isn't the way I would talk about Meari, but I wouldn't put that type of behavior past her if she was really desperate for something. I like to think that Meari is an upstanding, respectable woman, though. I dismissed Natsumi with a "Yep, yep, got it" and went toward the Headmaster's office. As I treaded the halls, I got my fair share of looks of disgust. Actually, it was really unfair. I hadn't done anything. Perhaps taking the number one spot on the school leaderboards on my first day was too much? I hadn't meant to. No, that wasn't it.
"Come in, Shiro."
"What did you need to discuss with me?" I asked Meari.
"You're storing away your true power, aren't you?" She asked.
"No idea what you mean."
"You can't fool me. You're much more powerful than you have people believe." Feigning ignorance wasn't going to work on her. Meari was also becoming quite intimidating with that attitude of hers. I saw how she got the headmaster position. A woman this fierce could run a school three times over. Why doesn't she normally act like this? I guess it subtracts from her casual yet mature appeal.
"I might be. Why do you ask?"
"I want you to show me your true power. No, I need you to show me your true power."
"It's more like showing you the true nature of my power. And few know about this. You must be prepared to keep this a secret."
"It will stay within my mind."
"You'll also see me for who I truly am. My true nature. You might hate me after you see it. Are you prepared?" I wasn't.
"I don't need to be prepared, because I could never hate you." She said coyly.
What's with this grown woman blushing and acting like a schoolgirl who just got confessed to by her crush? Wait. Oh. I see. That's not weird in the slightest. Well, she is a girl and she's free to like whoever she wants.
"Meari, materialize your Malevolant piece."
A Rook's Malevolant piece is a weapon made from a light essence that's unique to the wielder. In simple terms, no two Rooks can make the same Malevolant piece.
Hah. What a joke.
"Done." In Meari's case, hers was a rifle.
"Interesting." I said.
"Now, watch. Don't get mad at me for this." I continued.
I put my palm straight out in front of me. An essence appeared in my hand. Not of light, but its converse. Dark essence. The dark essence pulled Meari's Malevolant piece from her hands into itself, and consumed it.
"You-" I cut Meari off with her shocked face.
"I can use the full power of an Ash Wraith. I can wield the light essence to restore and create, and the dark essence to consume and destroy. Try using your Malevolant piece."
Meari struggled, and yet, she couldn't do it.
"I took your ability to make your Malevolant weapon. Take it back though."
Meari tried once more, and was again able to use her Malevolant piece.
"You're quite unique." Meari said.
"That's not all." I retorted.
With my light element, I recreated Meari's Malevolant piece.
"That's impossible. No two Rooks can use the same Malevolant piece."
"And using essence to create defense was impossible until a few hours ago."
"I suppose this shouldn't surprise me, coming from you. So you consumed my Malevolant piece, and now you can use it?"
"No, taking away someone's Malevolant piece is a completely separate ability. I can use any Malevolant piece to begin with."
A Rook's Malevolant piece is like their most powerful weapon, their ultimate move. The last resort.
"How about it, Meari? Do you hate me now? Since you know that I'm a unique monster with a destructive nature?"
"No, I don't hate you at all."
"...?"
"In fact, I like you even more now. I don't find that darkness scary at all. Sure, Ash Wraiths are monsters, but you're not one of them. You're as much of an Ash Wraith as any other rook. I think of you even higher now. You have this tremendous power, yet you hide it away, and don't use it to harm others or to try and get ahead in life. That you have such amazing power and remain such a good person shows how great you are."
Those were words I didn't know I needed to hear. I did know that I wanted to hear them.
"Thank you, Meari. That means a lot to me."
"So, will you go out with me?"
I was shocked by her sudden question.
"Heh. I'll think about it."
"That's great for now."
"I don't know what you see in me, but I'm happy that you have interest."
I can't say I wasn't tempted by Meari. But I determined it was unfair to Natsumi to date a girl on a whim when I had been steadfastly rejecting her for all this time. As I said, dating isn't on the agenda. I wouldn't give up all hope if you want a romance, though.
That evening, walking down the path to the dormitories, I heard a rustling sound from nearby bushes. Senselessly, I checked it out. Then, as I was crouching through some shrubs, I encountered her. A masked woman, cloaked in black. She must have really not wanted anybody to see her face, because this mask was a full cover, not just the ear loop mouth and nose cover type mask that I like to wear so nobody recognizes me. Well, nobody who would recognize me existed until recently, because up until today nobody really knew who I was. I suppose the real reason I like to wear a mask in public is so people don't get the opportunity to see my face. I don't know why I like to hide my face. I just do. And so did this lady. Perhaps we had some overlapping character traits? Her and I could be friends, maybe. "You are the Dark one." She proclaimed.
"I'm sorry, you must have mistaken me for someone else. I'll leave these bushes to you then." As I went to realign myself on the path to the dorms, the mystery lady said "Wait."
Any person with common sense would bail as soon as possible when a masked stranger asks you to wait. I didn't. This isn't to say that I have no common sense. I just differ from the common individual. That's all. So I waited. "You have the full power of the Ash Wraith." She said.
"How do you have that information?" I asked.
"Well, I can't tell you."
"Well, I see you as a threat, so talk or else I'll use 'self defense'. You seem to already know what I'm truly capable of."
"Wait. Wait."
How long was I going to have to wait for this woman?
"I'm not the bad guy. I'm with the good guys."
"It's a bit premature to throw around 'good guys' and 'bad guys' when you haven't even told me who you are."
"I can't tell you who I'm with or where I'm from. Just know that my group has been watching you for a while, observing your strength. We want to help you hone your true power."
"Sorry, but I want to use that as little as possible."
"My mission is to get you to the strongest condition possible. My group is prepared to use force to make that happen if needed."
"I have no interest."
"It's not about whether you're interested or not. You don't get a choice." This girl was starting to piss me off. Suddenly telling me to grow the abilities I had worked so hard on supressing and keeping secret? Like hell.
"I'll decide whether or not I have a choice." Good one, Shiro. Real smooth.
"Well, I'd certainly lose on my own, so l retreat for now." She implied that she was too weak to best me alone, but with her crew they could take me down. That's entirely possible. But taking pride in calling your buddies to help finish a job when you couldn't do it alone is a new level of cowardice. I think. And this is just an assumption. This girl may have not been like that. She might be the "proud warrior" type, or maybe not.
"I don't want to see you again."
"Sorry, I can't make that happen. Until we meet again, my Black Rook."
"..."
She was gone.
Black Rook. That wretched nickname. That was it's origin. No mistaking it. Unfortunately, the nickname just stuck. Not to me, but to everyone else. The entire school knew of it the next day. That woman was undeniably behind it. It was like she put up wanted posters around the campus, but instead of a bounty, it said "This is Yamazaki Shiro, the Black Rook". She certainly didn't help my reputation. To me, a nickname like Shiro the Dark Rook is as bad as Shiro the panty bandit or Shiro the massive idiot. The nickname Dark Rook also did no favors to my credibility and reputation. Damn that woman for feeling the need to spread her pet name for me. Did she do this on purpose? Maybe she wanted to make me suffer. Though she sounded like she wasn't all bad, the mixed signals I got from her ominous presence made me feel even less comfortable after our encounter.
Well, I'm glad that's over, time to head to my new dorm room, is what I thought.
Suddenly, boom. I witnessed an explosion in the distance, and I saw smoke and fire coming from the dormitories. "Hey, uhh, sorry about this, but the empty room that we had planned to move you into just blew up." Said Meari over a call.
"So for now find someone who will let you stay in their room. I get that it might be awkward asking a girl to let you stay with her, but it'll only be for a month at maximum, and I'll make sure there aren't any problems. And don't try anything weird. Save that for our private times." What kind of relationship she thinks we have is a mystery to me. We certainly didn't have any private times. Nevertheless, I tried to appreciate her calling to inform me about the explosion after I watched part of the dorms get obliterated.
"We don't know what the source of the explosion could be. Personally, I think it was a student who just doesn't like you."
"If that's the case, then your suspects are every student at Ataraxia!"
That wasn't it. That was just short of being a terrorist attack. If a student was behind that, their animosity towards me would have to be seeping through their pores. They would have to wear their malice as an accessory. I would be able to breathe in the hatred from that person. My standing at school hadn't become that low.
That clad in black woman or her team was likely the culprit. "I have an idea of who could have done it. I'll discuss it with you later." I said.
Now, to find a roommate, I thought.
Natsumi was the first to come to mind. She's been my friend since forever ago. She's nice and caring, but a bit too possessive, and becomes really scary when that side of her takes focus. She's also a bit to keen on us becoming more than friends. She might try something if we stay in the same room. That's a no.
Next is Yuka. A friend I just met, but she seems earnest, kind, and laid back. She probably wouldn't mind me staying with her for a bit. But there's an issue: she's too cool. I didn't want to lose her as a friend. While she'd likely say yes, I didn't want to risk making things awkward between us by asking. That's a no.
Harumi. The girl who up until her admission to the infirmary, had unwavering belief that I was scum that would forever serve below her. Though she became gentler toward me after, she still likely has a way to go before I can comfortably ask her for a favor like living with her for a short time. That's a no.
Meari. Just imagining that situation makes me uneasy. "Oh Shiro, it's my first time. I may be an older woman, but please be gentle with me."
"I'm just trying to help you get this button unstuck."
No.
Nurse Megumi. She's in the same boat as Meari. Too horny. That would be a disaster. Also, the aftermath of Harumi discovering me staying with her mom would be catastrophic. That's a big no.
And just like that, with careful consideration, I'd exhausted all my options.
All that time I was thinking about a potential roommate, I had wandered into the halls of the dormitories. As I was walking along, finishing my thoughts, I heard a voice say "I heard you're in need of a room."
There she stood, at the end of the hall. Tall, beautiful, flowing pine green hair in a scruffy ponytail. "Fujino Kimi. Dorm Leader." Damn, I guess anybody who's anybody at this school has an intimidating title. Not that Dorm Leader is a particularly intimidating title, it was just the atmosphere and the way that she delivered her introduction that made it seem that way. "I'll be frank. I don't like you. And to keep you, human garbage, away from the rest of the classmates, you'll stay with me until you can get your own room. It's a shame that your room blew up."
"You say that casually as if you know something."
"Don't be rediculous. I know nothing."
"So you admit to being an airhead."
"I know nothing pertaining to the incident with your room." Kimi corrected herself.
"Uh huh. Well, guide me to my temporary quarters." We took a turn, and proceeded to the end of the new hallway.
"Here we are. This is where we'll be staying for a short while."
We entered the room. It was surprisingly empty and unfurnished.
"We'll be staying? Not just me? Isn't this your permanent room?"
"..."
"To tell you the truth, my room was adjacent to yours, so it got blown up too. The easiest way I thought of going about things was having you and I share the same temporary space. This also happens to be the last open empty room, and you and I are both in need of one, so..."
"I get it. Thanks for sharing."
"Hmm. So even pigs like you have manners."
"I'm a pig? Last time I checked, I don't live off mud, straw, and scraps."
"You're a man, same thing." Do all girls in this academy have a grudge over me being a man?
"My gender automatically makes me a pig?"
"A pig, garbage, scum, whatever. It's all the same to me. But yes, that's you. And all men."
If being male was problematic at Ataraxia, it's one hundred times even more so in her presence.
"So then why are we sharing a room?"
"Because there's no other option. Also, if you try anything, I'll kill you."
"I wasn't going to. If I'm trash, I'm royal trash. Wait." Attempt to lighten the mood: fail.
"Whatever. You take that bed, I'll take this one. Don't do anything odd. Any strange movements, actions, gestures, inappropriate remarks, or comments will be deemed as hostile behavior and I will act accordingly."
This girl definitely had some trauma with guys in her past. No girl would be this high strung and cautious unless she did.
"Okay, okay, understood."
"I'm going to shower. If you peek, you're dead."
"Okay."
I laid down in bed and fell asleep. Nothing else eventful happened that night. No more explosions. No more visits from masked women in black. Without looking as she stepped out of the bathroom, I said "Goodnight, Fujino."
"..."
"Goodnight."
The morning after, I woke up before Kimi. I showered and got ready as quietly as possible in order to not wake her. She may have hated my guts, but I wasn't an animal. I was going to slowly show her that I'm not a pig like she thinks I am, and neither are all males. In fact, I even made her breakfast before I left. I don't know if she ate it, and I don't care, but I do wish I knew what her face looked like when she saw that I made the effort to cook breakfast for her.
Believe it or not, nothing else eventful happened that week. I lived with Kimi for a week, and after that our own rooms were prepared. Whether it was fate, coincidence, or it was just Meari trolling, after new arrangements were made her room and my room were right next to each other. Just like they were before the explosion.
The first day of that next week is when things became eventful again. Meari had called me in to talk to me, as she so frequently did. "You want me to what?"
"I want you to start a club." Meari bluntly said. "What for?"
"I got in contact with Niyomi Labs, and-"
"How did you know I'm involved with them?"
"That's a secret. Anyway, from what they told me, you're the most powerful and most advanced Rook humanity has ever seen."
"Who told you that?"
"The girl on the phone."
Damn it Xifeng. I bet she was laughing her ass off as we spoke. I could sense it.
"Hehe, your secret isn't safe with me, Shiro." She would say.
"I'll overlook that you potentially have government secrets for now, what does this have to do with you wanting me to start a club?"
"Well, think of it as more of your class then a club. You'll still meet after school, but you'll have your club available to the students for one period in the school day."
"You're just asking me to become a teacher!"
"Basically. You'll also have to give up on your elective period to teach."
"That's bullshit!"
"No, it's not. We'll pay you."
I already moved my stuff out of my old place, and officially moved out myself. I no longer had bills and rent to pay. I didn't really need money immediately.
"Money is good."
"So you'll do it?"
"Sure. I'll do it. But-"
"Good. You start tomorrow."
"Wait. I'll do it, on the condition that if a week passes, and no one signs up for the class, you'll scrap the idea and release me."
I wasn't being held captive by Meari, but it sure felt like it, forcing me into this position. Also, a student teaching a class? Unheard of. Sorry, correction: club, not class.
For four of seven days, nobody signed up for the class. On the fifth day, students showed up to the empty classroom.
"Yo, Shiro. Please teach me well." Yuka.
"I'm so excited for your class, Shiro." Natsumi. "It's not like I want to take this class. I just need to make sure you're behaving yourself." Kimi. "Give me your amazing lessons, honey." Megumi. No, that last one was just my imagination. Thank God.
"All three of you dropped your elective for this?"
They all nodded.
I thought back to my conference with Meari earlier that week.
"So, what will I be teaching?"
"Your combat capabilities are above anything I've ever seen. You're above our instructors, or on par at least. You'll be a combat instructor. You'll teach how to fight and how to use essence to the fullest. You'll surely get students signing up to that class, because they're always looking for excuses to use their Room abilities. Students even fight with one another and start conflicts just to use their abilities. To be truthful, it's so bad, the student council has had problems dealing with the fighting on campus. Your class will help them grow as Rooks, and he'll repress their urge to fight by giving them an opportunity to use their abilities. Plus there's many students that would jump on any opportunity to beat the shit out of you."
Was I despised that much?
"Fine."
"Get your training uniforms on, and meet me at the practical training gym." I said to the girls.
"I'll whip you into peak performance mode."