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Tsuzura smiled as she balanced herself on the hoverboard. The long flat board requires the utmost concentration to stand on. As tsuzura floated above the ground; Mary couldn't help but marvel.
“So you got this how again?” Mary said.
“My parents ordered one. I don't know where they got it from though. They were really secretive about that part. It's kinda hard to steer. I’m afraid to move though.”
Yukimi and Mary watched in wonder. The jets held the girl in the air. The snowboard-like board was black and red. The bottom contained a red dragon surrounded by flowers. Not exactly tsuzura’s motif.
“Can i try?” Mary said.
“Yeah.” Tsuzura stepped on a pedal which lowered the board to the ground.
Mary got on the board and gently pressed the pedal…allowing her to hover.
“So it looks like that pedal is the key. If you keep your foot on it you hover higher.” Yukimi said.
“Whats that red one do?” Tsuzura asked.
“Lets find out.” Mary said as she stepped on it. This caused her to fly higher and lose control of the board. Soon she was above the academy moving in zig zags. Tsuzura and Yukimi screamed in amazement.
That amusement soon turned to horror as Something slammed into Mary ; breaking the board in half and sending her falling.
Tsuzura and Yukimi ran to catch her but found Mary had stopped falling. Looking up Mary noticed a THICK steel chain wrapped around her body. Farther up the chain was Midari who was also riding a board. This board contained a blue dragon surrounded by lightning on the bottom. Midari was currently hovering holding mary in the air.
“You! Put me down!”
Midari looked down and frowned. “People are always talking about “Midari aint this. Midari aint that. I’m in full bloom. I’m with the literary club.I have saotome’s protection. Last time i checked…My club had the highest earnings and the most dens. Besides, Saotome can't run a one on one…. Y’all act like i wont go on a rampage just because i am on probation.``
“What the fuck?” Mary said.
“Bitch who was talking to you?!” Midari said forcing electricity through the chain. Not enough to kill mary but enough to hurt. It sent tingles through Mary.
“Put me down.. NOW!” Mary yelled.
“Ok. i’ll put you down.” Midari said before smirking. Pulling on the chain Midari dragged Mary into the air before throwing her across the academy.
“Mary!” Yukimi and Tsuzura ran after her. However Midari wrapped the chain around tsuzura and carried her up to the board before flying away.
“Tsuzura!” Yukimi screamed. Torn between the two. Yukimi ran after Mary first to get help.
Panting she found mary in a field of flowers. It didnt appear she had any severe injuries.
“Tsuzura..Is she ok?” Mary said panicked.
Yukimi shook her head.
“Get kurumi and sakura.”
Yukimi nodded.
Tsuzura looked around as Midari sat across from her. In the corner three girls talked among themselves.
“Relax girlie. I’m not gonna hurt you…” Midari said as she passed tsuzura a cup of tea.
“I just wanna ask you something. That board… where did you get it?”
Tsuzura nodded but flinched as one of the girls slammed cards down and said, “Get your bitch asses off my table!”
The other two groaned as a fight looked like it was about to break out. Midari rolled her eyes and stomped her foot down, shaking the entire room.
“ENOUGH!” Midari said. “Yo…the three of you scram… I wanna talk to the girl alone. Take some money from my bag and go get some snacks for yourselves.”
“What about you?” one of them asked.
“I’ll eat later.” Midari said. “Now beat it!” Midari warned as a dark invisible aura filled the room. Tsuzura shook in fear. Her heart began to pound in her chest. Her hands were clammy. Midari’s friends ran for it. They were also afraid, it seems.
Standing, Midari locked the door and closed the curtains. She then sat back down. Tsuzura thought of running. The muscles in her calf twitching. Midari smirked and sipped her tea.
Tsuzura shook in fear. Midari held her hand. Tsuzura tried to jump back but found the gesture relaxing. She noticed midaris hands were rough and the palms were discolored… almost like Midari had been in a fire.
“Answer girlie.” Midari said.
“My..Parents bought it for me. They said somewhere downtown from a market”
“I see.” Midari said, looking at the broken board. “First I had to cut my auction short and now bastards are out here stealing my technology.”
Tsuzura looked confused. She watched as Midari placed the board on a desk. Using a screwdriver she broke the board down, removing the wires from inside. Frowning as she removed a small metal square.
The square began ticking. Tsuzura looked afraid.
“W…why…why is it ticking?”
Midari calmly threw the square out of the window where it exploded in mid air. Tsuzura screamed and hid under her arms. Midari didn't even flinch and shook her head in disappointment.
“An explosive device. It appears someone added it to the board. Mary accidentally activated it. But you are safe now. Tell your parents to be more careful buying things from strangers.”
Tsuzura shook. Midari gently rubbed her hair.
“Y…you were trying to save us.” Tsuzura realized.
Midari made an affirmative noise.
Tsuzura sighed in relief.
“You can go now.” Midari said.
Tsuzura shook her head. Midari tilted hers.
“I..I dont want to go back to Mary…” tsuzura said as she cried.
“So let me get this straight…Tsuzura got kidnapped. How amusing.” Kurume laughed.
“Kurume…this is serious.” Yukimi screamed.
“I’m sorry but who would want to kidnap tsuzura…i mean she is a decent gambler but aside from bait… i cant imagine why someone would want her.” Kurume was brutally honest. “Oh…prince mary can swoop in and save the day.”
Mary growled. “Look we dont have time for this. Tsuzura is in danger.”
“Oh dont worry…Ikishima wont hurt her.” Kurume said.
“I highly doubt that…” the group heard. Sakura, Sachiko and Mikura happened to be walking by.
“I’m so tired of picking up that girl’s messes.” Sakura said.
“Then why don't you arrest her? After all, sakura isn't that your job? Don't tell me you’ve developed a soft spot for the girl…how illuminating. I never took you as a type to like women.” Sachiko teased as she rubbed Sakura’s arm.
Sakura pulled away, disgusted.
“I try not to bother students unless they are behind in payments or committing an illegal act. Ikishima is caught up on her debts for now…”
“Well kidnapping is pretty illegal.” Yukimi said. “What are you gonna do about it?! Or are you as weak as Aoi claimed?”
Sakura glared daggers at the girl who hid behind mary.
“Alright lets go.” Sakura said, pulling handcuffs from her pocket.
“Oh my…what a kinky girl.” Kurume said.
Sakura didnt even justify that with a response.
“I see. I’m sorry Mary treats you like dirt.” Midari said as she offered tsuzura a shoulder to cry on.
“It’s just…Its not my fault I came from money. I try to be kind despite that and yet…I feel like there is always some resentment. She won't say it but she’s been acting differently.”
“Oh you poor thing. Judging one for their family is like judging one cause of their race. You came from money. Mary did not. Children who never experienced poverty and children who never experienced wealth see the world differently.” Midari said , rocking the girl.
“That experience will always be there but only when you look past those superficial differences…can peace be achieved. I know how hard it can be to look past those who have the experience you dont have but you should try. Try talking to her. Who knows? You may be able to look past all that and find you have more in common than you think.” Midari rubbed her stomach as aiko bit midari’s ear. Tsuzura couldnt see this however.
Tsuzura cried in Midari’s arms as Midari gave the girl a tissue. Tsuzura blew into it and gave it back.
“Um…thanks.” Midari’s soft voice surrounded the girl. “Why dont you lay down? I’m sure they will look for you soon.”
“I..have you ever tried to be friends with someone on the opposite side of the spectrum?” Tsuzura asked
“Yes.”
“Did it work? If so, how?”
“Yes. lots of talking and a willingness to communicate. Even the biggest bridges can be crossed if you are willing to look through a different perspective.” Midari rubbed aiko’s hair but made it look like she was scratching her own ear. “Its about giving people the chance and not letting silly irrelevant things like politics, religion, and family ties define them. Letting them truly be themselves and provide them a safe environment to do so.”
“Wow… I never looked at it that way.” Tsuzura said.
“Yes. Now get some rest.” Midari covered the girl with a blanket.
The group stood outside the door to Midari’s den. Mary was particularly pissed off. Noticing the door was locked, Sakura unlocked it. Yukimi looked at her strangely.
“A master key. The beautification president has a key to open any den and any dorm.” Sakura explained.
“Any dorm?” Sachiko said, intrigued. “Sakura, I may have to borrow those later.”
“Not a chance.”
Mary growled and kicked the old door so hard that it flew off the hinges and slammed into the ground.
Looking around the room was quite clean. A large TV with video games sat in the corner. To the right a table still covered in cards; its occupants had been playing spades (a popular card game). There was no sign of dirt anywhere and the shelves were stocked with books and games.
In a zero gravity chair laid the 1st year, she was asleep. An empty one liter bottle of alcohol laid next to hear. She was rubbing tsuzura’s hair. Tsuzura was also asleep.
The group looked in through the door. None of them wanted to wake the pair.
Mary stormed in but tripped immediately, skinning her knee on the door. Yukimi followed and suffered the same fate. The rest waited outside.
Mary growled as she grabbed the bottle and swung it at Midari’s head. The bottle slammed into the girls head and broke but Midari herself showed no response.
Mary scoffed and tried to pick up tsuzura but found she couldnt. Straining Mary was confused. Tsuzura wasnt that heavy.
Yukimi tried to help but they couldnt lift the girl. It was almost as if tsuzura was glued to the couch. Attempting to shake tsuzura in an effort to wake her up…it had no effect.
“Tsuzura? TSUZURA WAKE UP!” mary said, worried for her friend. When tsuzura didnt respond. Mary growled and walked back over to midari. Mary grabbed a piece of glass and pressed it against midari’s neck. It wasnt enough to kill the girl but enough to hurt.
Midari groaned and opened one eye. She looked unimpressed and smelled of alcohol.
“I would really appreciate it if you would….stop pointing that at me.” Midari sighed as she flicked mary across the room and into a wall. Midari then rubbed her bloody head. Yukimi backed up in fear.
Midari went to tsuzura and grabbed her with one hand before shaking her violently.
“Tsuzura baby…wake up dear.” Midari said in a soft voice.
“Who are you calling “baby” bitch?” Mary said.
“Bitch you ARE the drama… you do realize that right? I’m not even doing nothing.” Midari said.
She charged at Midari who grabbed Mary’s throat mid charge and slammed her face down into the ground. Tsuzura woke up.
“Midari? What happened?”
“Nap time is over sweetie.” She placed tsuzura down gently. “Yo sakura… you got some trash over here to pick up.”
“Who are you calling trash?”
“You need to fall all the way back right now.” Midari warned.
“I mean… you got a few good hits in but you still aint shit though.”
“You wanna get fucked up again?” Midari asked.
“Oh no.” Mary said, scared as the group left. Kurume leaving as well chuckling to herself
Sachiko, Sakura and Mikura stared at Midari.
“The fuck y’all looking at?”
Sachiko laughed. Mikura growled at Midari's disrespect and Sakura looked at Midari unimpressed.
They eventually decided to leave but not before Midari paid Sakura a fine for her public intoxication.
As the group left Midari washed her head and got on all fours. Shaking like a dog she was able to remove all the glass. She then swept it up and placed it in a break proof bag.
Aiko watched the girl clean her den.
“What is it?”
“You’re a big softie, you know that right?” the girl said.
“Yeah yeah. I wonder if that auction is still open? What did we bid…500 thousand for the lot…and thats like what 7 girls.” Midari said and snapped her fingers transporting them back outside.
“Hopefully nooone placed another bid.” Placing the board on the ground, she stepped on the pedal and began to rise in the air. Leaning forward, she flew through the sky via the jet powered board.
“Besides we gotta find out who is making these cheap knockoffs of my hoverboard.”
Midari flew away from the school.
“I hope tsuzura is ok…” She said to herself. "Mary can be so abusive... well...i'll have to keep an eye on them from now on."
The sun set over the city as Midari stomped on another pedal...accelerating the board.