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That's right! The sequel to Monomyth is here! This will be more of a mini-series but I hope you'll all enjoy it as much as the original!

Cast:

Akira Nomura - Acid burns to lower jaw, neck, shoulders and chest. Victim of a malicious attack by a student at his junior high that left him withdrawn and unsociable until going to Yamaku. Natsuki befriended him and sees Miss Kapur frequently for counselling. Class 2-3.

Natsuki Takeda - Achondroplasia, limited to lower body. Bigger than life personality, always with a smart-ass remark or joke. Playfully teases Akira but relies on him a lot too. Walks with a cane sometimes due to fatigue. Class 2-3.

Hikari Endo - Paralysed from the waist down due to car accident in childhood. Aspiring track star but has a mental block that keeps him from winning. Tutored by Emi Ibarazaki from time to time. Loved by female students. Class 1-1.

Mono aka Mitsu Ono - Partial Complete Cryptophthalmos, has no right eye. Eccentric, deceptively clever and only close friend to Hikari. Only member of the (unofficial) Urban Legends Club. Class 1-1.

_CONTENTS

Chapter 01: Rolling Start (below)
Chapter 02: Convergence
Chapter 03: Serendipity
Chapter 04: Prey
Chapter 05: Questions
Chapter 06: Answers
Chapter 07: Progression
Chapter 08: Chance
Chapter 09: Masquerade
Chapter 10: Legacy

Chapter 01: Rolling Start

~Hikari~

My arms burn as I fold them above my head, free-wheeling to a gradual stop as I cool down. I close my eyes and focus on breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth as I feel my chair stop. The trees rustle in the distance and I allow myself a brief moment of calm before the inevitable onslaught of criticism…

“Good work out there, Hikari. Very good.” That doesn’t come. I guess talking to Miss Miura last Sunday calmed my trainer’s zeal somewhat. Not that I mind.

“Thanks, Miss Ibarazaki.” I bow a little in my seated position as I roll towards the fence where my trainer stands, hands on hips. Her long amber hair gently waving in the late afternoon breeze. “Sorry to keep you behind so late.”

“Don’t worry about that! I’m happy to put in some extra hours, especially since I won’t be here for a while. I got called back to Ajinomoto to help out again.” She says apologetically, rubbing the back of her head. “The burden of being an inspiration, I suppose!” Her giggle is almost child-like, as is her general attitude sometimes. It’s hard to believe that this woman is a little over ten years my senior.

“Well I truly appreciate all your help but I’m sure you could be offering more to the kids with Miss Hatanaka than coaching me one-to-one.” I smile earnestly but the pout on my trainer’s face soon makes me rethink my statement.”

“Yamaku will always come first to me, Hikari. Ol’ Kazu might be doing a fantastic job for future paralympians there but this place was my starting block and I will always be here for its’ students.” She crouches down and takes a hold of my shoulder. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with a little inter-school rivalry, right?” She winks playfully and I chuckle.

“No, ma’am. I’ll try to do you proud.”

“You better! You’re not getting my title until you’ve thrashed some serious competition.” She laughs as she rises before pointing towards the school. “Now move your butt! You shouldn’t spend all your time on the track.”

“Just most of it, right?” I half-joke but the glint in her eyes tells me that I’d be out here all damn day if she had her way. I make a break for it while I can, hoping to grab a quick shower before heading over to Mitsu’s to study.

----------

“What’s the password?” A voice demands from behind room 113 of the girl’s dorms.

“It’s Sunday, right? Um…” I scratch the side of my face as I search my memory for what particular code-word she uses on Sundays. “… Dullahan?”

A series of latches sound off in the peculiar order that only Mitsu knows, the door finally sliding open and I’m greeted by the sandy-haired one-eyed girl.

“Hi, Endo! C’mon in!” Mitsu waves her arm in a circular motion to coax me in, as if she was directing planes on a runway. I shake my head with smile and roll into her room, the door almost closing once Mitsu had taken a peek into the halls.

“Making sure I wasn’t followed?” I joke and her lips purse a little as she passes me and plonks down on her rather extravagant leather desk chair.

“The handsome track-star visiting the girls’ dorms is bound to attract some attention, Endo.” She folds one pyjama-clad leg over another as she tents her fingers together. “I’ve already had the vultures from the Newspaper Club hound me for any scrap of information I may have. Luckily, it seems like they don’t know who you’ve been visiting.”

That makes sense. I’m thankful none of the Newspaper Club have the investigative knack that Mitsu does or she’d have far more attention on her than she’d find comfortable.

“I’ll try to be more careful in the future, Mi--”

“What have I told you!” She narrows her eye at me and I quickly correct myself to use her preferred moniker.

“Sorry, Mono. So what are you looking into today?” I ask, rolling closer to her desk to peer at her PC monitor and see the image an old newspaper with what looks like a picture of a scarf on the front page but I can’t really see the headline from my vantage point. Huh. Must have been a slow news day…

“Just another Yamaku urban legend… Still gathering data at the moment. I’ll give you my findings once I’m satisfied.” She comments idly, moving the mouse cursor to minimize the window and reveal her cluttered desktop.

“I look forward to it.” I smile earnestly, recalling her last club report being about some manner of ghost that haunted Class 3-3. Spooky and very well researched but, as with all her reports, the evidence was inconclusive. “So what’s on the docket today; Math, Science or History?” I ask as I retrieve my book bag from the back of my chair.

“I was thinking of Math, since you always need my help for that.” She smirks as she brings up her music folder and then selects a sub-folder titled ‘Study Jams’. She sets the music to play randomly as she retrieves her own Math workbook and courteously clears a space on her large desk for me.

“Thanks, Mono. ‘Preciate it.” I smile and she nods, chuckling under her breath.

----------

~Akira~

A loud yawn escapes from my companion and I have to tug my scarf down to peek down at Natsuki.

“Long n-night?” I ask and she nods pathetically before looking up at me with sleepy eyes.

“That damn Kyoko was roaming the halls again…” She sighs heavily before her brow curls downwards. “She just wouldn’t leave me alone. She was convinced that I had a boy in my room and when I showed her that I didn’t, started probing me about some first year guy she clearly wants to bone. I’m not sure whether the guy should be flattered or scared.” A loud snort grumbles in my throat and she grins widely.

“D-do you know who it is?” I ask, curious as to the phantom boy who has caught the attention of many of the female students.

“That’s the best part! She doesn’t even know his damn name. She must be the worst reporter this school has ever seen.” Natsuki laughs loudly, a powerful booming laugh that betrays her diminutive frame. “All she knows is that he’s a black-haired first-year in a wheelchair.” She shrugs before bracing herself against a concrete wall lining the entrance ramp to the main building.

“Gimme a minute, Akira.” She huffs and I dutifully wait. It’s pretty early for her to be resorting to a cane but hopefully it’s just a bad night’s sleep that’s left her fatigued.

“I h-heard back from the Theatre Club, by the way.” I offer and Natsuki’s smile makes me feel bad for having to break bad news to her. “They g-got their wires crossed and already h-had a stage-hand for the next performance.”

“Bastards! What the hell is that jackass Shijima playing at? He said he had spot for you.” She growls and I wave my hands to calm her.

“It’s f-fine! Really! I don’t h-have to join a c-club, right?” I stammer a little and she relents.

“Yeah, but it’d be good for you, man!” She protests.

“You’re n-not in a club.” I state plainly and the devilish smile on her lips tells me I’m about to be made fun of.

“But I’m not an anti-social weirdo.” She smirks and I pull my scarf down a little so she can see my mouth.

“Heeey…” I whine, acting a little hurt. “I r-resemble that remark.” I smile a little and Nat’s smile becomes brighter than the morning sun. She gives me a thumbs-up and begins walking into the main building.

We reach Class 2-3 and dance around the assembled cliques and take our seats in the back row, Natsuki literally hopping up onto her chair and allowing me to shift her closer to her desk.

“Such a gentleman!” She teases and I blush hard. Damn it, Natsuki… Our homeroom teacher enters and I quickly take my seat beside her.

------------------------------

~Mono~

Ominous but calming. A dusty relic of a more analogue age. I take measured steps toward the slumbering sentinel. I rap my knuckles gently against the oak desk and receive no reply.

“Miss Suzu?” I ask into the near-silent air, only the distant hum of the air conditioner filling the void of anti-noise. I tilt my head to the left, strands of hay-coloured hair flickering past my field of vision like a zoetrope of Sleeping Beauty. I’m amazed she’s not been fired before now. Her service is dreadful.

I don’t need her help to find the archives anyway but I thought I would at least say hello. I head towards the farthest wall and find the dusty metal filing cabinet for old editions of the school newspaper. The digital image I have cuts off part way through the article, I require the hard-copy since Kyoko refuses to let me access the original computer files.

“2005... 2006... Ah, 2007.” I mutter as my fingers trace along the year folders, and then into the monthly card dividers.

“I thought I heard something back here.” A sweet voice comments behind me.

“Hello, Miss Suzu. Pleasant dream?” I ask, pulling out the edition that I need and placing it on top of the cabinet as she moves to my left side.

“Hehe, yeeeeaahhh… Sorry I couldn’t help you find what you need, Mitsu.” She apologises with a bow and I shake my head. Try as I might, the teachers and staff simply refuse to use my real name.

“It’s okay, just a little research.” I comment, retrieving two more newspapers before closing the 2007 drawer and opening the next year’s. I stare at the month folders and try to remember the rumour I was told. Miss Suzu picks up the hard-copy I retrieved and gasps.

“Wow! It’s Hana’s first article! I remember Akio telling me the story behind this.” She chuckles with a heavy air of nostalgia and I freeze mid-extraction.

“Wait… You knew the original reporter?” I ask and she nods, turning the paper towards me and tapping the by-line bearing a name.

“Yup! Hanako Ikezawa, we were in the same class when I was a student. What kind of research are you doing if you have to dig up this silly little story?” She asks curiously and I stare blankly at her. She went to this school and she doesn’t know the legend? I pull the November 2008 edition out and show it to Miss Suzu, her brow furrowing in confusion. She really doesn’t. Curiouser and curiouser.

“Miss Suzu, what can you tell me about the Nocturne Joker?”

I confess, I did not see this coming. I am, however, very happy that it did. Characters like these scamps are always fun in my book.

I'll be back for more later

Wait, why November 2008? By that time, Hanako and the gang graduated. You meant 2007, right?

HoneyBakedHam wrote:Wait, why November 2008? By that time, Hanako and the gang graduated. You meant 2007, right?

Japanese school term is April 2 to April 1 the next year (technically), so yes Hisao was at Yamaku from June 2007 (late transfer) to March 2008. Why does the yearbook have a November edition, I wonder?

Liking the characters so far, particularly Mono. She seems like allot of fun. Considering how good the original was, I'm looking forward to more.

brythain wrote:

HoneyBakedHam wrote:Wait, why November 2008? By that time, Hanako and the gang graduated. You meant 2007, right?

Japanese school term is April 2 to April 1 the next year (technically), so yes Hisao was at Yamaku from June 2007 (late transfer) to March 2008. Why does the yearbook have a November edition, I wonder?

She's looking at old school newspapers, not yearbooks. Remember, she was looking for articles by Hanako and Suzu brought up Hanako's first article.

HoneyBakedHam wrote:

brythain wrote:

HoneyBakedHam wrote:Wait, why November 2008? By that time, Hanako and the gang graduated. You meant 2007, right?

Japanese school term is April 2 to April 1 the next year (technically), so yes Hisao was at Yamaku from June 2007 (late transfer) to March 2008. Why does the yearbook have a November edition, I wonder?

She's looking at old school newspapers, not yearbooks. Remember, she was looking for articles by Hanako and Suzu brought up Hanako's first article.

Ah right, but wrong year, certainly.

some manner of ghost that haunted Class 3-3. Spoopy.

Shin?

Ominous but calming. A dusty relic of a more analogue age.

I like mono already.

Looking forward to more as always, Sharp!

Glad everyone enjoyed the first chapter, I hope you'll enjoy what's to come!

Just to clarify: Mono isn't looking for Hana's articles in particular, she just happened to be the originator of Mono's current urban legend research. The fact that she pulled out a newspaper from November 2008 is pretty interesting though...

swampie2 wrote:

some manner of ghost that haunted Class 3-3. Spoopy.

Shin?

Lelouch? The person Hisao replaced? Who knows!

Wait, so the Nov 2008 part wasn't a typo? Well, shit...I'm gonna have to reread Monomyth and see if I can find any clues now. Thanks, Sharp. -_-

There's no real clue in Monomyth since that newspaper is from way after Hana and Akio graduated.

But...there has to be a reference of a second-year student we all missed. I hate not having an idea of what's coming next, especially for a series sequel.

Chapter 02: Convergence

~Natsuki~

With lessons over for the day, I wait impatiently for Akira to finish the last of his notes, my fingers tapping a rapid, sequential rhythm on my desk.

“D-do you mind?” He shoots me a sideways glare and I stop. As soon as his eyes turn back to his notebook, I beat the rhythm in reverse, a sadist smile stretching across my lips as he groans and closes his notebook.

“Is it really th-that important we g-go right now?” He sighs in an annoyed tone and I slip off my chair gently as he rises.

“No time like the present. Plus the quicker we go, the quicker we’ll be back.” I explain with a smile and he nods reluctantly.

“Yeah, I guess. Let’s g-go then.”

------------------------------

Lumbering back up the hill after our trip to the Aura Mart, Akira curses under his breath as the heavier of the two bags digs into his flesh. I offered to carry it but he just wouldn’t give in and now he’s paying for it.

“Just gimme the damn bag, you big baby.” I say, thrusting my arm towards him. He shakes his head sharply, his dirty blonde locks waving side-to-side.

“I g-got it.” He says with a slight wince, his pained smile fooling no one. I snatch it from his hand and throw the bag over my shoulder.

“Now I’ve got it. It’s all my stuff anyway…” I admit with a twang of guilt as Akira flexes his near-white fingers, urging the blood to pump back in them.

“Thanks…” He smiles down at me and I shake my head.

“Nah man, thank you for coming with me. I know you’d rather be studying than helping my short ass reach high shelves.” We share a chuckle at my self-deprecation.

“I don’t mind, Nat.”

“I know you don’t, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t thank you any chance I get!” I playfully bat his hip. “Are you sure you don‘t want me to put the screws to Shijima when we get back?” I offer in return for being my pack-mule and he looks a little further up the hill in thought.

“I’ll p-pass. I thought going back into a theatre club m-might be good but I d-don’t think I need a distraction like that. This semester’s workload has been pretty tough. I’m struggling to remember half the stuff we learned today, even with notes.” He chuckles dryly.

“Really?” I moan, a little crestfallen that I wouldn’t see my buddy do his thing on stage, or even back-stage. From what he told me, he used to love doing plays and stuff in junior high.

“Got a m-memory like a sieve, remember?” He knocks the side of his head twice with an apologetic smile. “B-Besides, this stammer’s basically shot my l-leading man potential.” He wryly smiles and I giggle.

“I dunno, man. I think some girls would dig a shy leading man.” I smirk at him, Akira shaking his head with a small smile in response as we pass through the school’s wrought-iron gates.

~Akira~

I hand off the other plastic bag to the pint-size powerhouse and wave as she totters off to her dorm. I slink my hand backwards through my hair before placing both hands into my pockets and walking towards the main building.

A tittering couple pass by me in the hall heading towards the library, making me tug my scarf up a little. It’s a really bad habit but I’m working on it. The words of the older couple I met a little while ago struck a cord with me. Hanako? Was that her name? She wore her scars with confidence and I want to be more like that. As the couple passes me, I pull the scarf down with an annoyed sigh, mostly at myself. It’s a work in progress…

I reach the library and just as I’m about to open the door, it’s thrown open outwards, catching my hand harshly and I’m sent spilling backwards by the person rushing out. We crash to the ground and my shoulders take the brunt, a pained hiss pushing itself out through gritted teeth. I lay sprawled across the checker-tiled floor with a significant weight on my chest and newspapers strewn all around.

“Fuck…” I curse under my breath as I sit up, the female student with hair like sand already gathering up her scattered newspapers frantically. I lift one arm to rub my shoulder with a wince. “Hrrn, are you okay?” I ask with a mildly annoyed tone when the girl finally looks me dead on.

Light blonde bangs, much lighter than my own, hang over one shining, cobalt blue eye that stares at me for an uncomfortably long time before her lips begin moving.

“Sorry! Wasn’t paying attention, misjudged the distance to the door.” She mutters, casting her gaze down but not out of embarrassment, to focus on picking up a paper that had landed beside me. She leans over me and grabs it, turning her head slightly to look at me with her single left eye. “Depth perception isn’t really my strong suit.”

“I c-can t-t-tell…” I squeak, the girl mere inches from my face. Mentally, I roll my eyes at the ludicrous series of coincidences that had to have lead to this girl being within kissing distance. This is the kind of maudlin contrivance you find in trashy romance movies or light novels. Or bad fan fiction.

She sits back on her knees and organises the newspapers into a neat stack while I get onto my feet, stretching my back out. The girl rises elegantly from her seated kneeling position and thrusts her hand towards me, almost thrusting it into my stomach.

“I’m Mono.” She smiles broadly and I edge backwards a touch to take her hand, shaking it gently. What an odd name.

“A-Akira. Akira Nomura.”

“Sorry again, Nomura! I’ll be more careful next time I run into you.” She bobs forward quickly before setting off down the hall.

“N-Next time?” I mutter as she bolts down the hall towards the stairwell. “Mind how you go.” I offer a friendly warning before entering the library, intent to find the history book that I need to fill in the blanks of my notes from earlier.

~Hikari~

As I rapidly tap the door to Mono’s room, I hear the hum of the elevator rising from the floors below. Crap, she managed to catch sight of me this time.

“C’mon, Mono! I don’t have time for passwords today!” I holler, rapping my knuckles against my door a little louder. “Kyoko’s on her way up here and I do not want to be interrogated or worse! God damn it, you spaz, open the fu--”

FWEEEEEEEEEEE~

A piercing whistle cuts through my desperate tirade and the otherwise quiet hallway, causing me to look down the row of several doors behind me to see a girl's head and shoulders beckoning me toward her as the hum elevator grows closer. To hell with it, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

I run my wheels in reverse and race backwards towards the open door, spinning my front end around two-hundred-seventy degrees before barging through the open doorway to my salvation, the door sliding closed and locking as I hear the faint ding of the elevator opening.

The soft trundle of wheels passes by the door and I shut my eyes tight, praying to the various gods that she won’t harass my saviour. The sound circles around and then rolls back towards the elevator, my new best friend and I breathing a shared sigh of relief.

“Nice moves, slick.” The girl giggles and I turn my chair to face her, my eyebrows furrowing as they slowly descend from where I usually find a person’s face until meeting the eyes of my hero, about a foot and a half lower than I expect. My eyebrows shoot back up my forehead as I take in the sight of a girl with short legs. Very short legs.

“Let me guess, I’m taller than you expected?” She smirks, crossing her arms across her chest and I don’t know if I should laugh or not. I choose to play it safe as I scratch my cheek nervously.

“Sorry for intruding, I don’t make a habit of barging into strangers’ rooms.” I mutter, my eyes wandering around the foreign room.

“You were invited, slick.” She comments with a smirk, waddling around me toward a beanbag and plopping down on it. “So you’re the hot piece of ass that our rolling reporter has been chasing.”

“I… Guess? Has Kyoko really been asking everyone about me?” I grimace and she nods, her hands pressing against the plush material to make herself more comfortable.

“Uh-huh. Gave me a grilling the other day about a boy being in here. Guess her timing’s a little off.” She laughs and I chuckle nervously. “I’m Natsuki Takeda, by the way. Class 2-3.”

“Hikari Endo. I’m in Class 1-1 with Mo-Mitsu. The girl whose door I was knocking on?” I explain and Natsuki looks surprised.

“Huh, so that’s her name. Well, it’s nice that she has at least one friend here. I never see her hanging out with any of the other girls in the common room…”

“Yeah, she’s a bit of hermit. Perfectly nice but best to let her approach you, y’know?” I offer and Natsuki finds it amusing.

“I’ve got a friend like that. So how are you two finding Yamaku? I know the first few months can be a little overwhelming.” She smiles sympathetically and I nod. It’s quite an adjustment to make. I had my family around while I was in junior high but now…

“Living on my own is a little strange. Don’t think I’m used to that yet.”

“I know what you mean! Even though it’s a dorm, it’s kind of like having your first apartment. Budgeting is a bitch but at least the store in town is cheap enough. Oh, and there’s this great little café you should check out once it reopens.” She grins widely.

I look at the petite older girl in front of me and smile. Never really had the chance to speak to an upperclassman so candidly before. Doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty cute. Curves in all the right places but her legs are what interest me most. They’re so short. I have to wonder if she has all the correct bones, just miniature.

“Checking out my goods, slick?” Her sly comment smashing through my own thoughts as my cheeks burn. Stupid.

“Sorry, Natsuki… I shouldn’t have stared.”

“It’s okay. Even amongst this motley group, I stand out. Pun intended.” She winks playfully and I laugh.

“If you don’t mind…” I almost choke on the question before I even ask it but as my dad always says: fortune favours the bold. “What’s your condition?”

“Achondroplasia, or dwarfism if you prefer. Specifically, I have rhizomelic shortening in my legs.” She pats her thighs I nod along, looking thoughtful, having no idea what those words mean. “Cliff-notes version: I was born with short legs. How about you, slick?”

“You keep calling me that…” I mutter, unsure if I’m a fan of this nickname or not. I press on by patting my own legs. “Just your standard crippling. Got into a car accident and, thankfully, I was the only one who got seriously hurt.”

“Thankfully?” She asks, tilting her head with a confused expression.

“Yeah, my whole family was in the car; Mom, Dad and my little sister, Kaede. God, I’m so thankful nothing happened to her… I was the only one permanently injured. Pretty damn lucky they escaped with a couple broken bones.” I explain, shuddering a little internally.

“Sorry to bring it up…” Natsuki mutters, looking as guilty as a thief caught red-handed but I wave my hand dismissively.

“Nah, you told me your story so it’s only fair.” I smile reassuringly and it seems to perk her up. “I think I better head off now the coast’s clear. Thanks again for letting me hide here, Natsuki.”

She rises to her feet surprisingly quickly and waddles to the door as I manoeuvre in a circle to face the door.

“Going to check on Mitsu before you go?” Natsuki asks and I shrug.

“Don’t know where the hell she is if she’s not in her room so I’ll just shoot her an instant message when I get back to mine.”

“Well you’re welcome to wait and chat if this happens again.” She offers and I smile genuinely down at her.

“Thanks, always happy to have a foxhole if the rolling reporter comes after me again.” I retort and she laughs, patting the back of my chair as I wheel myself into the hallway, turning to look at her side-on.

“It was nice meeting you, Hikari. Hope to see you soon.” She waves and I respond in kind as she closes the door. I peek over my shoulder at Mono’s door and shrug. She can tell me all about why she skipped class after lunch tomorrow.

"I think I better head off now the coast’s. Thanks again for letting me hide here, Natsuki.”

..head off now the coast is clear?

Another good chapter, keep it up!