Enemies There was no rain that night, but the dark ominous clouds remained poised aboved the city like a lioness crouched on a cliff overlooking a plain of antelope. It was waiting for the perfect chance to rain on the citizens of the urban plain. "Good Morning Hatoko-chan," whispered Misaki into Hatoko's ear. Hatoko clung to Misaki. "I want you to come and stay at my school, with me," mumbled Hatoko. She opened her eyes and looked at the person she held firmly in her arms. "I wish I could Hatoko-chan," replied Misaki softly. She began to pull herself up. Hatoko followed behind her as her arms were still wrapped around Misaki's warm, comforting body. Misaki glanced behind her. "Hatoko-chan, there will be more times when we can be togather, but today is not one of them. We still need to go to school, no matter how much it pains us to be apart for 6 hours." Hatoko looked at Misaki and nodded slowly, sullenly. She let go and proceeded to dress herself. Misaki did likewise. --- They left the house as they did yesterday. The rain began to pour only minutes into their journey. Misaki and Hatoko walked under the same umbrella until Hatoko had to part, and at that time Hatoko opened her own umbrella and walked up the steps to the entrance to her school. She glanced back and they said their sad goodbyes. Hatoko entered the building, only to find her friends looking at her. Hatoko slowed. "Hatoko, I never knew you had this kind of side..." said one of her friends. Her face became a contorted mixture of flesh as she wrinkled her face. "Your wierd. Girls aren't supposed to love girls, or whatever you want to call it. You can't be my friend anymore. Never. Ever. No more." The other so called friends nodded their heads. The first girl to talk to Hatoko approached her. "Each time I see you with her I will make it worth my while to get you. And I will get you." she sneered. She grabbed a small can from the floor and threw the contents on Hatoko. A black substance covered Hatoko. Paint. It dripped down the sides of her face, onto her school uniform, before running down to drop onto the floor. The girl before Hatoko threw the can to the side of the hallway. "I was your friend because you were a star. You disgust me. Stars are supposed to have boy friends, not girl friends." she was nearly screaming at Hatoko, who stood silently as the black paint oozed down her clothes. The mob of children that had stopped Hatoko ran off to their respective classes, leaving Hatoko in the doorway. Tears could not escape her eyes. She could not move her lips, her mouth, to open up and cry. She dropped to the floor, sitting on her feet with her knees forward and spread. And there she sat. --- Misaki didn't hear the commotion as she left for her school. She didn't want to look back at Hatoko, she didn't want to miss her, but she couldn't stop herself. She missed her very much already. She paced along to her school. --- Misaki sat through the boring hours of the day. Tamayo tried to cheer her, but to no avail. She handed in her essay earlier that day, and it was returned later, just before she would be leaving school, with a note and a grade. The red ink on the paper stuck out from the graphite marks made by her pencil the night before. No credit. F. For Failure. A tear escaped Misaki's eye. She removed the small note attached to the paper by a clip. "See me after class." was all it said. Her Language Teacher was known for this. These mysterious notes and red ink. Misaki looked up to find the classroom empty, the bell had already rung and the class had left to leave Misaki alone in the room with her teacher. Her teacher glanced at her. Her glance didn't fade, and it became a stare, an endless gaze. Her dark eyes made her point concrete in Misaki's mind. "Why?" asked Misaki quietly. Her teacher approached her. "It's disgusting. It is not meant for reading, but instead it is meant for the trash bin, or better yet, the fire." she replied coldly. Her gaze was firm, and Misaki shuttered slightly at the harsh words. Misaki gathered her courage. "How dare you insult love," countered Misaki. The teacher's face became alive with fury. "Don't you dare talk back to me. People like you are destroying our world. Pray for mercy, child, and abandon your evil ways, or the devil will take you to hell himself." The Teacher's tone rose considerably. Misaki could feel tears welling up inside, but she fought them back and stood up. The teacher, who was now only feet away, stepped back. "Don't you get near me," she exclaimed as she took another step back. Misaki stepped forward. "There was one thing I learned in Angelic Layer," she said as she took another step forward. The teacher took another step back. "To pursue your dreams," she took another step forward, but the teacher could no longer step backwards. "I'll have you expelled child," she yelled as she flattened herself against the wall, "you people are contagious." "Try it. You can't touch me. You can't be prejudice against me. You are the one that will be expelled. I will stop at nothing to pursue my dreams of a life with Hatoko-chan. Never will I stop. Not even for this red ink on my paper. You asked for this paper. You're going to accept it." Misaki shoved the paper in her teacher's face and walked off. The teacher didn't know how to react and remained silent. --- Misaki raced down the hall, preparing her umbrella as she bounded out in the rain. She ran to Hatoko's school, her heart a mess, her tears falling on the wet concrete below her feet. --- Hatoko stood in the corner of the courtyard, alone. The black paint that had been splashed upon her was slowly being drained out of her uniform by the relentless rain. Misaki appeared at the entrance to the courtyard of the school. Misaki knew something was wrong. She dashed to Hatoko and was at her side before Hatoko had noticed her. Misaki didn't know what to say as Hatoko looked up. Their eyes met, and for several minutes they stood in the rain staring deepinto each other's eyes. Finally, Misaki spoke up. "Let's go home Hatoko-chan. Let's go home." said Misaki softly, but solidly. She took Hatoko's hand and they went for home, the only haven they had left, it seemed. --- Misaki led the sullen Hatoko to the bathroom and turned on the water. She raced to Hatoko's bedroom and grabbed her pajamas before racing to the guest room to grab her own. Misaki came back to the bathroom to find Hatoko sitting on the edge of the bathtub, silently trying to cry away the sadness, but again, the tears did not come. Misaki turned off water and removed Hatoko's stained uniform and undergarments. She helped Hatoko into the tub. Misaki had already figured out what had happened to Hatoko that day. "Hatoko-chan, I know what happened to you today. Some kids have difficulty understanding emotions..." said Misaki softly. "... as do some adults." she finished. Hatoko looked up, understanding what Misaki meant. She started to say something but Misaki put her finger to Hatoko's lips. "This bath is for you, not me." stated Misaki. Hatoko looked at Misaki as she scrubbed her hair with shampoo. Hatoko remained speechless and closed her eyes as Misaki poured warm water over her hair to rinse out the bubbles. Upon finishing, Misaki grabbed the soap and sponge and began to wash Hatoko's black shoulders. The pain, the sadness, the stress, it all began to come undone as Misaki washed Hatoko with her caressing care and love. Hatoko began to cry at last, distracted while Misaki undid her uniform so as not to get it wet. Dropping the uniform to the floor, Misaki sat on the edge of the tub and wiped the tears from Hatoko's chin. The ceaseless rain could be heard outside as the silence in th bathroom permitted it. Hatoko reach up and clamped onto Misaki like a vise. She pulled her into the warm water, undergarments still on. "Hatoko-chan!" said a suprised Misaki. Hatoko smiled softly. She was feeling better it seemed, thanks to Misaki. Misaki removed the last sock and tossed it to the floor, and then turned to Hatoko. "Don't let them get to you again Hatoko-chan. Never let them win. Never. Show them that you have feelings, Show them that you are better then them." whispered Misaki into Hatoko's ear. She scrubbed Hatoko's back with the soft sponge. "You had a hard day too, it seems..." mumbled Hatoko. She glanced at Misaki. "I survived. Don't worry about me." replied Misaki. "You sure?" questioned Hatoko. "For the time being," answered Misaki with a sly smile. She reached Hatoko's foot and began to delicatly wipe the bottom. Hatoko squirmed wildly as the sponge tickled her, giggling softly. Misaki was about to grab the loose foot when Hatoko pounced her with another sponge. Misaki was caught off guard and was pinned to the back side of the tub, her arms caught underneath Hatoko's. "Your turn. Now stay still..." cautioned Hatoko as she gently scrubbed Misaki. Misaki closed her eyes as her own sadness and stress disappeared. --- Kotarou listened intently as Misaki and Hatoko giggled and talked quietly together. He sat down on the wallway outside the bathroom and hung his head. The giggling stopped and Kotarou grew curious. He looked up. Ruffling could be heard, and within a moment the dorrto the bathroom slid open and two young girls appeared, wielding damp towels. "Kotarou-kun, evesdropping are we?" accused Misaki. Kotarou backed up, only to find himself against a support beam. "Me? No... I wouldn't do that... Never would do that," herambled on, making odd hand gestures, trying to portray his innocence. Misaki and Hatoko raised their weapons and began to attack Kotarou as he jumped and began to scurry away. Misaki and Hatoko followed him as if they were pirates with swords. "Come back here, me matey! Thar will be walkin da plank!" yelled Misaki from behind Kotarou, waving the towel around her head. "Aye!" replied Hatoko. Kotarou kept running, but they eventually caught him. He fell to their mighty damp towels, and he was punished pirate style severely, but that's another story ^_^. --- Yay! Another chapter done! And no one had to bug me this time! ^_^
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