★..Legacies and collaterals
X
Character info..★

Special announcement from your favorite narrator.

ASEOP: Hi there people. So, this is a semi character info chapter. The first of it's kind, cause the author didn't think she'd make this. It just so happened this was going to be the fourth part of CHAPTER ONE: Legacies and collaterals saga. When all of the sudden, the chapter was becoming longer than planned. Wanna know why? Well, it's because, the author begun adding more new notes to an already written chapter. Making it harder to determine where the chapter would end. Don't be alarmed however, cause it's all part of the plot arc. She's just confusing herself in my opinion. You Just have fun with it. Okay? Yeah great. So...shall we begin?

(★THE FRIENDS★)

★★★

The lot had gone on an excursion to an endangered animal reserve, where they got to discover new species of creatures they never knew existed. Everyone was bundled into groups. From the lower classes, to the upper classes. And their teacher's would act as their guide. Consequentially, in the heat of the experience, let's just say some people fell face first into a pit of dung.

Thumping her elbow on Chisa-kun's side, Ayame chuckled.

“Mizuki said she wanted to GO HOME IMMEDIATELY!!!!”

“Nah-h-h-h, she was more like;
'Ah-h-h-h get me out of this SHITHOLE!!!!'”
Chisa-kun taunted.

Mizuki let out a small laugh. She seemed unbothered by the whole thing at first. That was until...her smile turned upsidedown, and? she charged! Attempting to punish Chisa-kun by stuffing the dirty wipe she'd used on Nara into his mouth. Ayame threw her hands up in the air, rooting for Mizuki's success. “Lol don't encourage her.” Nara smiled, unable to restrain her giggles. In truth, the real reason Mizuki fell over?

Was....

because...

...of HER.

-Oh-h-h? Why am I not surprised?

Some senior girls escaped their group, and called for Nara to hang out with them when her teacher wasn't looking. Those girls were notorious, and well known for their nefarious misdeeds. This brought about a special kind of...popularity to them. But for a short while, Nara had been following them everywhere they went. Like an attention seeking pet, constantly converging the posse. She would tag along mindlessly, following behind them for...whatever reason.

-Why don't you ever know Author-sama? It's your book for Christ's sake!

In such a case, it was safe to assume she'd wanted to feel... among. You know?

-Join the 'Big kids'. Ah...the early, confusing stages of adolescence. 12year old Nara was just going through...'The Phase'

Even so, the foundation of trust she and Mizuki had built over the years through careful nurturing, begun to subtly withered away. Now, there was  undoubtedly a transparent Mile of distance, in-between them. Prominently evident for even an Ignoramus to see. It was like..their friendship was hanging on a weak tread.

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

In the process of trying to stop Nara from going away with them, Mizuki tried pulling her back. All efforts proved futile once she received a severe, and seemingly unintentional jab to the chest from Nara's elbow. Causing the girl to lose her balance, slip backwards, and topple over the steel barred delve. Crash landing into putrid mire.

That day, everyone present engaged in mind and soul scarring jocularity. Vehemently laughing their lungs out.

-Like suffocating chickens.

They clutched their belly's, as they sardonically partook in foolish banter. It was an unforgettable experience for them. Unfortunately, it was the same for Mizuki! -The victim.

Unforgettable!

The hot, lung burning stench of vile mush, vented in through her nostrils, hitting hard at the center of her brain. It got everywhere! Everytime she tried to get on her feet, her foot would get sucked deeper into the slush!

*Gagging*...

....Arrlgh, and that repulsive odor vaporing out of it!

It made her insides churn in disgust. Eventually, the slimy slush would give way beneath her, causing her to fall back in face first! Breathing through her nose was no longer an option.

-Lol, that's cause her nose was already full of shit!

Wait a second!

That means she...

*Disgusted*...

...She mouth breathed?

*Retching*...

...I think I'm gonna be sick.

Once her face was masked by the gunk, it's potent reek pervasively tackled her, causing the girl to retch and gag. She knew all hell had broken lose once her taste buds begun to feel...Unpleasant.

-Omg she ate boar shit!

She was stuck!

It was fucking humiliating!

And why couldn't everyone;

JuSt!

StOp!

LAUGHING?!?!

-If I may ask...were was Nara in all this???

Gone!

Probably having the time of her life with people who didn't care about her.

...Was their friendship only a facade?

She didn't look back!
Even when people begun to scorn and mock...

She didn't turn back in that moment to at least apologize for hitting her. There's no way she couldn't have felt it...

...Right?

There was no FUCKING WAY!

*Agitated*...

...Exactly! There's no way she couldn't have known. THE BITCH IGNORED YOU GIRL! You need to get better friends. Not people like...Someone. Who's name we shall not mention. I betcha she knew but decided to run off anyway. Anyway back to the...you know what.

The poor girl's entire uniform was tarnished! Her crisp, almost pearly white shirt, had now become an odor offensive, somewhat satirical piece of ragdoll wear, roughly smothered in ruin! It felt heavy from the weight of the clingy mire. That stuff just wouldn't let go. The stench fuming off of her chased even the teachers away. They couldn't help but hold the ends of their noses in defense from the putrid attacks coming their way. At this point it felt like it was all planned.

-Should'nt they be HELPING?!!! Omg they're just as despicable as those son's of bitches laughing their throats out! I hope they choke!

Was no one willing to help? None of this was funny!!!!

None of it!

Like an angel from above, the reserve ranger finally came to her aid. She thanked her stars those warthogs had been tranquilized earlier before. Otherwise?...Damn! She didn't even want to think about it!

-Which is understandable.

From that day on, Mizuki constructed concrete resentment towards mockery, and didn't do well in irreverent showcases.

-She does NOT, for any reason, condon ANY act of inhumane behavior from other's.

Especially the kind that prescribed poking jokes at people in seemingly unsavory situations. Like the kind she was in.

-So no Larry. She won't laugh at someone tumbling down the stairs. Or accidentally slipping and shattering their forehead on their table's metal surface! She'd rather attend their funeral!

She also happened to aquire tremendous HATE for uncleanliness. Or...as some might put it. She had the cureless, untreatable 'Fear of dirt!' and or, germs. Including a strong disliking to anything disorderly, and most of all anything 'disgusting'. This includes distasteful etiquette, bad hygiene, illicit behavior, terrible dressing.

-Basically Frank? She detested anyone who couldn't do the bare minimum. And...

In essence, she had developed a severe case of Mysophobia.

-Great! Nara gave her friend OCD!

Even the smallest germ causing spec irritated her. It wasn't easy for her to remain in the vicinity of certain smells. Like that of specific types of flowers, especially those with a high pollen estimate, certain food odurs, and even cosmetic products.

-For Example: Nail cutex.

Foul, and sometimes even regular stenches nauseated her. It had reached a point where the urge to take a shower would overcome her in any given moment. She couldn't even control it! Once, she jumped into a public fountain just to get the smell of fish off of her. Through it all? Mizuki didn't feel...human. It felt like she was secluded from the rest of the world, unable to partake in certain things because of the fear of being triggered by a smell, or the sight, and even feel of something. Nothing was like how it used to be. And when her friends noticed she'd suddenly become nitpicky, and expected everything, even food to be without blemish? They begun to wonder and question. But, she never spoke a word of it. Taking it that..it was her battle to face alone, and even if it was technically impossible to win. She could...At the very least, try to survive.

-Respect gurl! obviously though, word if it eventually got out, when a really crazy scene happened during their gardening classes. But...story for another day.

+++

Oblivious to the fact she'd indirectly caused a commotion. Nara came strolling back, -alone. Tears streamed down her face like a leaking pipe. Though traumatized, Mizuki was cleaned up, and was resting in a ward somewhere. Ofcourse you could imagine the shock on the teachers faces to see her coming along from a distance. They were almost driven to cardiac arrest when they'd just Now realized a student had been missing from the group. When they'd asked her what was wrong, Nara off loaded what I can only describe as; "An Atomic Bomb Of A Story" Which the principle most likely wasn't gonna hear about.

-The level of incompetence knows no bounds.

According to her. Nara went along with the seniors. They'd literally taken her away from the reserve to a not so far, but distant café.

They got her some snacks.

-Which of course Is Nara's ultimate downfall.

And she sat quietly, dealing with those sweet buns as if she'd been starving right from birth. The girls loitered about outside the small establishment -discussing. Nara was seated next to the window and had an open view on them. Watching curiously from the inside. Most of the time they would look at each other, talk a little, then glance back at her. "Wonder what they're talking about." She thought, not giving a single thought as to why they'd even brought her there in the first place!

Then...they called for her.

“Hey Nara! Come here for a sec!” The sound of the senior's voice sounded inaudible due to the glass obstructing the frequency of her tone, but, it was still understandable.

Nara hurriedly got up from her seat, holding a steamy bun in one hand, and stuffing her mouth with a second bun using the other. Although her voice had been muffled due to overfilling her mouth, Nara managed to respond.

“I'm here! Mmmph. Wh..where..a-are we going now senpai?”

Was that SenFai or Henpie?

“Aww.” One of the senior pinched her chipmunk stuffed cheek. Nara begun chewing slowly in order to swallow. “Wouldn't you like to know? It's a surprise okay? It'll be fun I promise.” She claimed, holding five fingers up, signifying her sincerity, while dubiously crossing her other hand behind her back.

Nara nodded.
“Okay!”

-Tsk! Nara you fool!
Do people still do that though? Eek whatever...

“Cool. Now come on. We'll be late.”

“Oh-uh? Right!”

She aggressively pushed the second meaty bun into the tiny hole she called a mouth.

-You dissing her too Author-sama? Hmmm???

The senior watched in disgust but tried best to conceal it. "Ewww, didn't her parents ever teach her not to eat like a pig? Hmph, no matter. I'll just have grandfather take EXTRA care of her. He'll teach you how to behave."

-Please be a Nickname!
Please be a Nickname!
Please be a Nickname!

They took her to an abandoned looking neighborhood. Completely different from the place they'd been earlier. Nara felt perturbed but..goodness, she was curious.

-I'm not even worried anymore since this is how she reasons.

They silently continued the trek. When suddenly, the senior in front of her stopped.

“Okay. We're here!”

“W-we are? But..This is just an empty alleyway?”

The senior grinned sadistically. Her bulging eyes said it all. She was going to enjoy this.

“Uh...Senpai? I...I think we should head back. The teachers might--”

“Who gives a shit about those teachers? We're here to have fun!”

“Bu-bu--”

Holding Nara's shoulders from behind, the second senior tried to convince her to stay. And If Nara hadn't felt it before, she was definitely feeling it now. Fear bubbled within her being.

“N-no I think maybe I should just..Ah OUCH! Senpai my... shoulder! It hu..it hurts!! ”

The senior tightened her grip, making sure her nails really pinched hard enough on her skin. Nara could feel the nail crushing on her shoulder blades.

-God damn did it hurt!

Moving in closer, the girl whispered in her ear; “You're not going anywhere Nara. Grandpa's gonna teach you how to be a good girl.”

Nara's heart rammed against her ribcage, threatening to plop out. “Grand-p-p-a??? Who?..who's that?”

From the distance, a suspicious silhouette appeared from behind them, -shadowing the light. Immediately, the senior merried; “Wo-o-o grandpa's here!” The second senior steered Nara towards the man's direction. Her soul nearly leaped out her body when she realized the truth. It was a grandpa alright, but what did he want with her?

“We've brought the girl just like you asked.” The first senior said.

In a strident tone, the man responded. Walking his tattered looking self, languidly towards them. “I see. You've done well girls, but..She doesn't seem to be showing me respect. Could you take care of that?” The girls smiled at each other, then dragged Nara by her hair, bending and twisting her arms like hot iron, till she was down on her knees.

“Ar-r-g-g-g-h!!! Senpai please STOP!!! W-what's going on?!! Who?...who is this man?!?!”

“Shut up!”

The second senior growled, striking Nara aggressively across her face. Stealing away all feeling from her cheek. It was as if her blood stopped circulating around that area, causing it to feel numb.

What was going on?

Instant strokes of regret whip lashed over her. Sending fiery goosebumps prickling onto her skin. She had been stupid.

-Really stupid.

The senior clawed aggressively on Nara's face, sinking her fingers into her cheeks. As though she were trying to implants dimples on the girl. “That's grandpa!” She explained, then harshly turned Nara's face to gaze at the him, before turning her face away again. The girl spoke with a firece dissonance. And Nara's face was dealt hot blows from the girls rabid breath.

“Kare wa koko ni imasu? miseru dō yatte Josei ni naru koto! [He's here? to show you how to be a woman!]
(彼はここにいます? 見せるあなた どうやって 女 性になること!)
She chortled manically.

“O..onna?
[Wo..woman?]
(女?)”

-???? My brain isn't following.

“Come on! We've gotta hurry. Let's hold her down and get this over with!” The first senior suggested.

“Wait! I wanna take a good look at her first.” Said the man. He knelt in front of Nara raising her chin up to look at him. The complete view of his face was shadowed by uneven light. Making the whole 
ominous atmosphere feel even worse than it already was. Although, his hands were surprisingly smooth. For an old man. “Aww don't cry. You'll ruin that pretty face of yours.”

Sobbing, shaken and overwhelmed. Nara mustered the strength to ask.

“W-what do you want with me?”

As if I wasn't already obvious.

“Awn nothing much.”
  He shrugged.

“Just...”

He trailed his gaze from her face down the rest of her body. “To have a little fun with you!” He said, then signalled to the seniors with a single nod. As if to say, he was ready. The seniors immediately let go of Nara's arm. The poor girl had begun to think that moment would be her chance to escape...except, this grandpa  had already anticipated her next move. So, with reflexes similar to that of an able bodied young man, he pounced on her! pinning both her wrists down with one hand.

Writhing, and straining to push him away, Nara screamed! The fear in her voice was immensely audible.

“PleASE leT Me GO!!!
AR-R-G-G-G-H Ah-h-h!!!”

Nara threw her legs up fiercely. The man had only been hovering over her waist so there was still room for her to move. But his grip on her wrists was so tight. She kept on swinging her legs stubbornly, kicking higher and higher till eventually? she managed to lift her knee up just high enough to tackle him. Aiming conveniently at his groin, she landed a bone connecting strike in between his legs. For an old man, his movements were so energetic.

-Why are they always so energetic when they're harassing people?

Feeling the pang of discomfort on his private region.

-Which serves him right.

The grandpa almost let go of Nara's wrist. However his grip was still firm. So with much effort, thrusting her arms like a recoiled spring with all her might. Nara pushed on his heavy chest, and gifted the man another bladder breaking strike. Which sent him into a pained craze as he flung off her.

-That outta make him more infertile than he already is.

The two seniors, staggered like drunken idiots. They were in too much of a shock to do anything, confusion tackled their reasoning, and before one of them could lay a grasp on her hand, Nara had thrown herself off the dusty concrete, and sent a resounding slap across the seniors face! It was so hard the girl stumbled backward, falling unto her accomplice! while holding unto her cheek as if enough face cuddling would stop the pain.

“NARA!!!!!
NARA!
WAIT!
WAIT! WAIT!
IT WAS A PRANK-K-K-K!!!!”

-I'm sorry what??!!

Nara didn't hear whatever it was they were saying, she could only assume those evil bitches were trying to beg her not to tell on them. Or better still, they were trying to stop her from escaping. In the current time, only the sound of her crying and drumming heart echoed through the air. Nothing but the will to get to safety pushed her to keep running. She ran the entire way without stopping. Panting and gasping for dear life, as though if she'd stopped, even for a second! she would met her end. Until...at long last? hope shone it's coruscate beam on her. Revealing the road back to the reserve. Now, she could be at ease. Even so, the recurrent question of; Why the seniors did that to her? constantly sparked within her mind during her sprint for survival. But...The only thing she'd wanted to think of ? was getting to her friends. -To Mizuki.

Seriously though, she was mortified!

-Well obviously! I'd be surprised if she wasn't.

÷÷÷÷÷÷

Her teachers and the ranger alike were short of words. It took a little while, but, after a few short hours, which sorta caused a delay in their schedule. The offenders were caught. So It turned out, according to their confession that is. That, the grandpa? He was a university student, and the older brother of one of the girls. Apparently, he was just disguised as an old man to help his little sister with her plan. It seemed they didn't think the excursion would be fun, so what better way to while away time than to fake a molestation? Just for a good laugh. The group of indecent nitwits thought it was a great idea to lead the unexpecting young girl to an abandoned alleyway and prank her. Giving her the impression there was no room for escape whatsoever. If, that truly was the case.

-If this doesn't teach you not to stray from the clan, I donno know what will.

The case was eventually presented to the principal. Those dumbasses were expelled! And Nara? Well..she was suspended. Bringing about her first major schooling offense. Even though it sorta wasn't her doing, she still strayed away from the group! which...If, the whole scenario hadn't been orchestrated, could have caused a major incident. At the very least, she might have been kidnapped. And as phones weren't allowed on the school premises. She wouldn't have been able to contact anyone. And? She probably would have been history.

-Actions have consequences, trust NO ONE PEOPLE! Except oxygen! Cause you can't even trust yourself.

*Embarrassed*...

...My quips are getting old aren't they? Anyway!

Eventually, after a week of suspension, Nara came to know of Mizuki's unforgettable dilemma.

-By hear say ofcourse.

So, she confronted her about it. The two girls engaged in word after word of heart aching discord. Goodness, even though they were talking about how she was at fault, Nara missed this. Yes! they sorta did talk to each other Almost All The Time! But, this particular exchange? felt...different. Like a massive weight was being lifted of their shoulders. They'd finally let it all out, their pains, fears, worries. And? They made up. Promising to tell each other everything, and trust each other with their troubles.

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

Looking back at it now, Nara hadn't realized how lucky she'd been to have an understanding, and forgiving friend like Mizuki. That girl's heart was forged in an unlikely mix of honey and gold. Which was the more reason she needed to tell her what happened at the party. If anyone would understand...It was Mizuki.

-Party?

There was a loud ringing sound, cautioning everyone that the address was about to begin. Followed by Chisa-kun gagging and retching, as he pulled out the wipes from his throat. “Ah-ugh! Meinudesu [ bitch!](犬です) I outa--” He was about to protest when Ayame pointed to the screen display. The logo had vanished. Next would be the address.

“Welcome, everyone,
to this assembly!”

÷÷÷÷÷÷

Aseop: Hi again people. The author wants to say something. As if she doesn't talk to much already. *Peeps through the curtain* You're up!

Author's address

Hi guys. Finally! Wooo! this chapter has to come an end after days of procasti...well not really procrastination, more like distraction. I just really want to post this and be done with it. Like Ar-r-r-r-g-g-h-h-h-h I need it gone from my mind, so I can start working on new chapters. Anyway that's all I really wanted to say. Also, to those who have been reading so far, I'd really love some feedback. So please, don't be shy to tell me your thoughts about the novel.

*Are you still invested?*

*Does the story intruige you?*

Please let me know. I want to improve myself, and I can't do that without you and your views!

Thank you! Bye lovies!

*Waving*

Aseop: Thank goodness that's over. I can go rest now. Y'all should look for something else to do with your lives we're done for now.

Next: LEGACIES AND COLLATERALS. Pt4