Pretty Pumpkin Princess

It was in the midst of autumn. A young girl by the name of Keomi Hollow was starting her first day of school after transferring from her previous one located in Giza Japan.

Her new school Tomo High School, located in Aomori Hachinohe Japan. She took a deep breath as she stood outside the gates, she did a quick spin in her school attire. She was wearing a proper school shirt, an orange tie, and a black skirt. Keomi fixed her backpack and walked into the school, students were walking about and getting together with friends.

"Wow, looks like there are already loads of friend groups around the place." Keomi said. She then saw a board in front of the entrance featuring many posters and applications.

Keomi smiled as she looked at all of them." Come and check out our student cafe in the Neo district! Open from 2 pm to 10 pm. Come on Saturday for a Maid dress-up day!" It was written on one application. "Like karaoke? Come and join the karaoke club! Free karaoke for the first day." Was written on a poster. Keomi took one of the posters and began to walk down the hallway to her left. The school felt so alive, like as if the walls were getting ready to sing at any time.

Keomi would even find herself skipping a bit as she made her way to her class. However, upon turning the corner to the hallway to her class. She'd see a few students on all surrounding a classroom, there were flowers and other items around it. Including a picture of another student, he was male, black-haired and his eyes looked joyful and full of life. Keomi stood away from the crowd. Her eyes couldn't be pulled from the sight. It was as if the moment she rounded the corner, all the joy in the school diminished greatly. 

Keomi watched as everyone began to leave the memorial as the school bell rang, she watched some of their faces hang and a few looked back. Her head would move back towards it. She then walked over to the memorial and got on her knees in front of it. "I don't know you..." Keomi said as she then grabbed her backpack, unzipped it, and reached inside. 

"But everyone must have cared for you a lot, I bet even some who didn't know you as well as others did, still came to this place. I hope that if your spirit still lingers around here, you're at peace. And know just how much everyone cared for you." Keomi said as she pulled out a small plastic box with an aster flower inside. Someone would peek around the corner and see Keomi at the memorial.

"I was saving this for a cat down the street to my house, but it looks like you need it. So here you go." Keomi said as she placed the aster down next to the picture. She then put her hands together and closed her eyes. 

Later on in the day, she would be in her classroom 4-B, with her teacher Mrs.Reiko teaching them social studies. Keomi was sitting at the front of the class, her attitude unlike a great many in class was more cheerful. Her head bobbing side to side. "Now, can anyone tell me wha-" However just before Mrs.Reiko could finish Keomi would already have her hand raised.

"..."

A few students looked at her with an odd expression of confusion and curiosity.

"Hollow?" Mrs.Rekio asked

"Yes?" Asked Keomi, "Would you mind letting me finish this question before you decide to raise your hand? Hmm?" asked Mrs.Rekio with a great sigh. A few of the students who were watching her chuckled. 

"Yes Ma'am." Keomi said as she sat back down and waited patiently...with mild head bobs. Mrs.Rekio stared at her for a moment before sighing. "I don't get paid enough for these kinds of kids." She thought before fully turning to the room.

"So, can anyone here tell me at most three themes of social studies? And remember, for questions like these they'll add to your classroom points. CPs for short. Once you get enough, you all get a chance to pick out a monthly activity to do to support the school and community.

It'll also look good on your resumes for those in here with success in mind." Mrs.Reiko said as she put her hands on her hips. Keomi raised her hand, Mrs.Reiko then gestured to her. 

"Three themes of social studies are....um, oh! Three are, Individual Development, Identity, and culture." Keomi said. Mrs.Reiko clapped her hands as a few other students did as well. "Good work Hollow, that's ten points for this class." said Mrs.Reiko as she went back to the board with her marker.

"Wow, even I didn't know that one." said a male student.

"She answered that quick." said a female student.

"I wonder if she has a private tutor." said another female student.

Regardless of the whispering Keomi still had a lot of fun during the class and as the bell rang for them, Keomi would volunteer to stay behind and clean. As she swept the floors and cleaned the desk in her homeroom, she could hear someone outside the classroom. Her head tilted a bit as she was curious about the noise. However, as she took a step she'd almost slip and fall over if she hadn't caught herself quickly using the desks to her sides. "Whoopsie daisy, probably should finish this before inspecting strange noises outside." Keomi said as she got her footing back and grabbed the mop.

"STRANGE NOISE!?" shouted a voice from outside, that's when the door swung open and revealed a female student. She had long blonde hair and eyes as bright as the ocean. She had a large black bow in her hair. She however, immediately ran towards Keomi who looked at her with worry. "Alright, you listen here! That's not strange noises, that's InvestigatioooOooO-" However as the girl got close, she'd then slip and fall over from the wet floor. Keomi winced a the girl would land hard.

"....Sorry, I meant to say that the floor is wet. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind you running. Need a hand?" Keomi asked as she leaned over and extended her hand. The girl was a bit dazed as she weakly reached for Keomi's hand. "In-Investigation noises, thats- thats what I meant to say...hehehe." chuckled the girl still a bit dizzy. The girl eventually started to help Keomi with finishing with cleaning the classroom while Keomi listened to the girl explain herself.

"I know this may seem crazy, and you are welcome to shun me like the rest if you wish. But-...I believe that the boy, Yasutake Motoki, may not have been kidnapped afterall!" shouted the girl as she dramatically threw her hands in the air. Keomi just stared at her curiously. The girl would turn away from Keomi embarrassed.

"I know this may all seem pretty crazy; I wouldn't blame you if you decided to no longer speak to me." said the girl.

"I don't think it's crazy at all." Keomi said as she put her mop down and walked over to the girl. Keomi put her hand on the girl's back. "Huh?"

"I think it's very brave of you to hold on to such hope, that you can cherish his memory so greatly." said Keomi. The girl looked at her and smiled. She got up and extended her hand to Keomi who shook it in response. 

"My name is Taga, Hin Taga." said the girl.

"Keomi Hollow." said Keomi, the two both shared a smile. "Oh, and one other thing Keomi, I meant to explain more, but here it is. As I said, I don't believe Motoki was kidnapped, at least not by humans." said Taga.

"Eh?" Keomi asked as she got confused at the statement. "Yes, in fact, I believe that Motoki was taken away, by strange spirits! OOOOoooOOoOooo." Taga said with greatness as she made spooky noises.

"Mmmm, I can't tell if she's not taking this seriously or I'm not." Keomi thought as she looked at a broom and picked it up.

"I've been collecting some data and investigating some very key spots here around the school." Taga said

"You still think it happened here?" Keomi asked. Taga nodded as she then picked up her school bag and walked to the door to the room. "Meet me tomorrow at the school lunchyard, and I'll explain everything. FARWELL!" Taga shouted as she closed the door dramatically and she could be heard running down the hallway.

"...Wow, what a first day...I made a friend!" Keomi squealed with joy. After finishing cleaning her homeroom, she would begin to make her way home walking past local stores, restaurants, and of course some neighbors. As she walked past them, she'd get some waves from an old couple.

"Hello there!" Keomi shouted.

"Why hello there! Aren't you a little young to be wandering around by yourself?" asked the old woman, the old woman then turned back to her home. "KAII!" shouted the old woman which surprised Keomi. "KAII GET OUT HERE! There's a young girl and she needs a flashlight." shouted the old woman, that's when a pair of loud footsteps could be heard coming to the front door. The woman's husband then arrived at the door. He looked like he had been repairing something as he had a grease towel over his shoulder. The Kaii fixed his glasses and walked out onto the stairs. He squinted his eyes and then groaned as he walked back and grabbed a flashlight from the drawer in an end table. He then walked out and towards the gate enclosing their home. Keomi walked to it as well and she then would be given a flashlight. 

"Oh my, thank you. This is a great gift." Keomi said as she bowed, but Kaii just waved her away. "Eh yea, whatever kiddo, just don't go telling anyone else. Don't need a line of kids needing flashlights." said Kaii as he waved away. "Look woman, can you not scream my name out? We already get complaints as it is." said Kaii when the old woman would then pinch him by the ear. "Just who in the hell are you calling woman?! Huh!?" shouted the old woman.

"Ah- I meant Miyo! That's what I meant hehe." Kaii chuckled nervously, Miyo would turn around and see Keomi watching them. "Take this as a lesson dear, if a man knows your name and calls you woman anyway, that ain't no man, its a boy." said Miyo as she then whacked Kaii on the back of the head before going inside. Kaii rubbed his head before following her. Keomi smiled as she then turned on her flashlight and began making her way home, eventually she would reach her home. She pressed got out her keychain and opened the door. Inside she'd see her pet dog, it was an akita named Rusty. 

"Ah! Rusty hey boy! Aren't you just looking amazing today." Keomi said as she embraced Rusty and nuzzled her face in his fur. She took a deep whiff of his scent. "Someone just got a bath." Keomi said happily, that's when her mother would round the corner. Her mother just like Keomi had black hair, except it was much longer, and she also wore glasses.

"So is there a reason you're here a little later than usual." asked her mother. Keomi nodded and then showed off the flashlight. 

"Oooo, where did you get that?" asked her mother, "From our neighbors Mr.Kaii and Mrs.Miyo." Keomi said. Her mother then turned away with a hand over he mouth.

"Mom? Mom is everything-" that when her mother would rush over to her work bag and reveal-

A FLASHLIGHT, AND IT LOOKED JUST LIKE THE ONE KEOMI HAD!!!

"WAIT YOU GOT ONE FROM THEM TOO!?" Keomi laughed as her mother laughed and nodded too. The two then relaxed as her mother began to get dinner ready with Keomi sitting at the table.

"So how was your first day?" asked her mother.

"It was great, I made so many friends!" Keomi smiled as the smell of her mother's cooking completed her day.