Erika Hana

The next day I arrived at school early, and entered my homeroom class. Class didn't start for another 10 minutes but most of the students were here already.

I walk over to my seat, and in front of my seat I already see Ryusei sleeping. I put my bag on the ground next to my seat and stepped over to Ryusei.

I bent over a little and tapped on his desk.

"Ryusei. Wake up, school havent started yet and you're already asleep."

Ryusei shifted a little bit. His head lifted off his arms just a little, he opened his eyes to look at me. Then proceeds to put his head back down.

"I'm too tired Suika." He mumbles.

"Why are you so tired? Were you up all night?"

Ryusei slowly sits up and rubs his eyes while nodding his head. "Yea, I was up all night reading this web novel. It's called The Ending after the beginning. It was so good, it's about…"

Ryusei begins to ramble on about this web novel, it seems him talking about it is waking him up. But as he rambles I kinda zone out for a bit, not really realizing he's going into a deep explanation about this novel.

I only came back to reality when I saw Takamei come into the class, she looked around for a bit until she noticed me. She smiles and hops her way over towards us.

"Hey Suika and Ryusei." She said happily.

"Hey Takamei."

Ryusei finally stops yapping and realizes Takamei's presence. "Oh, what's up Takemei."

I lean back on Ryusei's desk, putting my hands in my pocket.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked

"Well school hasn't started yet, and my friends haven't come yet so i thought i came here to hangout with you two."

"That's nice of you, I just got here not so long ago."

"And I was sleeping before Suika came and woke me up."

"Sleeping? School isn't in session yet and you were already asleep. Why, you stay up all night?"

"NO!" I shouted, but it was too late.

"Yea I was reading this web novel called, The Ending after the beginning. It's super good, it's about this boy who got reincarnated…"

Takamei quickly shuts him up by punching him on the head. "Ow!" Ryusei whines. As he rubs the spot she hit him at.

"I didn't ask for a yap session ok. Do that kind of thing with Suika."

"Hey! Don't pull me into that." 

Takamei turns and looks around the classroom. Looking at the people who are here.

"You two definitely have an interesting homeroom class."

Both me and Ryusei look at her kinda confused.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked

"Yea, what's so special about this class?" Ryusei jumps in.

She turned to look back at both of us. She points at me first.

"Well we got you, the new transfer. Who's somewhat kinda making himself known for stepping up to Rory." Her finger moves to the side, now pointing at Ryusei. "Then we have the crazed ice user, who wants to fight everyone."

"Hey! I have my reason okkk… I don't like being called crazy, I would say I'm a diligent ice user."

Takamei and I just looked at him. We both knew what he was saying was a lot of bull. 

"For someone who lost count on how many times they got in trouble fighting, you sure are diligent." I joked.

Ryusei didn't even try to answer back, he just leaned back and sulked in his seat. He knew I was right.

Takamei just shakes her head and continues. "Then you have the proclaimed King himself, Rory."

"Calling that kind of person a king is nonsense but for the reputation he built up is not as crazy as to say that."

Ryusei leans back up, that sad expression he had just a moment ago is gone and now replaced with an annoyed look.

"Even hearing his name ticks me off. Ooo i can't wait to get my hands on him again at the Fight Show. I'll pummel him to the ground and make him eat dirt. I'll show him who's a poor dog."

"Still holding that gudge from last year? Just forget about it, Ryusei." Takamei said.

Takamei looks around once more.

"But also a few other interesting people, especially those who work fo-"

The bell rings throughout the whole school, indicating that the first period should be starting. Takamei looks at us and gives us a small wave before leaving the classroom.

What was she about to say? Students who work?Like work for someone? Ugh, I can't process it, just how many unique students are in this class?

Professor Amane comes into the class, and everyone starts to take their seat. I also take my seat while still pondering Takamei words. 

An hour later class ended and it was time for P.E. Ryusei sits up stretching his arms up. 

"I can't believe you were asleep through the whole lesson Ryusei."

"Me either, I thought that he would wake me up or something. Maybe he's going to let me sleep in his class from now on?"

"Don't get too excited now. He probably just let you rest for the day."

We both stand up from our seats at the same time. We grab our things, as I was about to walk away Ryusei taps me on my shoulder.

"Yo, is she staring at us?" 

"What are you talking about?" I asked

He didn't point in the direction but I could tell by his eyes where he was looking. Me and Ryusei's seats are in the back left corner of the classroom, he was looking at the center of the classroom.

There was a slender and curvaceous teenage girl with lower-back length metallic silver hair that has bangs hanging on either side, large dark eyes. 

She just stood there, just looking at us. Everyone else went to the locker rooms to change so it was only us three in here. The air felt strange and cold

"Yo man she's creeping me out. Why is she just staring at us?" Ryusei whispered.

Her eyes were just an empty void, just looking into them feels like you're getting pulled into the darkness. But her eyes weren't looking at both of us but just me.

"She isn't just staring at us, but me." I whisper back.

"Why though? Do you know her, Suika?"

"Nope, not a single clue on who she is."

The silver-haired girl smiles at me and walks out of the classroom. We just stood there for a moment, we weren't really shocked by it but just frozen. 

"Dude, that's the first time I've been scared in a while. Those eyes of hers are like a black hole, just pure darkness. No light within them." Ryusei quavered.

"Lets just head to P.E already, i don't like the vibe in here anymore."

Ryusei nodded and we both left the classroom. We head to the locker room and change into our P.E clothes. It was just a simple white shirt with the school crest on the top right and blue shorts.

The class was outside on the field. The class was scattered around just a bit, where everyone was still close to each other. The teacher was reading a magazine on his way down the field steps. As he reaches the bottom, he throws the magazine to the ground .

"Attention!!" Old grumpy man Shouted. "Today you lousy students are going to be pushed hard, pushed so hard that you want to go back to y'all mama."

He digs inside his pocket and pulls out a long piece of paper.

"Okayyy, y'all going to pair up with someone today. I've already made the pairs, so don't get too sad if you're not paired up with a friend and hope to be lucky enough to be paired up with a friend."

He starts to read off the names of the pair. He read off the Ryusei name but he wasn't paired with me. Ryusei headed towards who he was partnering with.

Damn. Who do I team up with? The only person I know is Ryusei. Rory… he's not even here, but he'll be the last person I'll ever team up with.

"Suika and Erika!"

I heard my name being called and walked up to the teacher.

"You two are going to be paired up." He looks up from his paper, looking at all the students. "Ok now that you have a partner, just do whatever activity!" He shouted, he put the paper back in his pocket and reached down to grab his magazine.

Erika? I didn't know a Erika, well I didn't even know half of the people's names in my class. I turn to my left to see my partner and my eyes widen as I see the person.

It was the same girl who me and Ryusei saw before leaving for the locker room. That long silver hair and those pitch black eyes, seeing it up close is kinda scary. Just being around her sent a cold shiver down my spine.

"S-so what do you want to do Erika?"

It was a long pause before she'd answer. "Let's race each other, Suika."

"Sure, do you just want to race around the field or the whole school?"

"Let's do the whole school, I really want to make this race long."

I nodded and we began to leave the field. We walked all the way to the front of the school, and for the whole walk she just stared at me, not even looking away once. It sends shivers down my spine.

We made it to the front, where the front door was at. I begin stretching my arms and legs, Erika also does the same.

"So how many laps are we doing in this race?" I asked

"5 laps."

"Ok, that sounds good. I'm ready when you are."

We both get ourselves in a ready position. "Go!" Erika said. We both begin running. I would say I'm pretty fast myself but Erika is keeping up.

Now that I think about it, five laps of this with no stopping is really crazy. The whole school counting the gym is about 160,000 square feet and she wants us to do five laps!?

We kept on running, we didn't slow down not a bit. But as I kept going, I could feel the tiredness slowly starting to build up.

"Y-you s-sure want to do five laps?" I said breathing heavily.

She didn't say anything at first, to be honest it didn't seem like she was fazed by running this much. Is she used to something like this?

"Suika… stay away from Rory." Her eyes are still focusing on what's in front of her.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean what i said, this is a warning."

I stopped running and looked at her.

"Warning? I don't understand. What, do you think I'm going to overthrow that fake king?"

Erika also stops running, stopping about 5 meters in front of me. She turns around, eyes sharped.

"No, it would just be sad for a new student to die so early in the school year. It was only the first day yesterday and you tried to oppose Rory."

"Oppose you say? I guess you're right but I couldn't just let him insult my friend like that. Someone like him shouldn't be as praised as he is."

"You just don't understand him, he's the one above all in this school. The most talented person I've seen, his words are like a bible to me."

"If you cherish someone like that so much, something is definitely wrong with you too. Rory doesn't even recognize people, he only cares about himself. Anyone can see that."

"NO YOUR WRONG!" She shouted, clenching her fist. "Rory cares about everyone he interacts with. He's so lovable, and the way he talks smoothens a person's heart."

"... delusional."

Seems that word tickled her off, I could see a dark green aura building around her. Face full of hatred, a killer look.

"I'll show you who's delusional!" She snapped.

She holds out her hand and out of the ground many barbed vines come out and are launched directly at me. I dodge the vines left and right.

I tried to grab one of the vines, but quickly let go of it. "Ouch!" I said. Looking at my hand, I saw many cuts and blood slowly trickling out. 

I looked at the vines more closely seeing it have little thorns sticking out of it.

"Blades Leaves!"

The trees around us start to shake and leaves start to fly out, more specifically flying towards me. I couldn't even imagine how leaves were heading my way. So I just put up my guard.

The leaves were as sharp as a knife, feeling it cutting my arms and legs. After the barrage of leaves I finally put my guard down. The attack left my body covered in cuts and a little bit of blood coming out of those cuts.

"HAHAHA, just look at you. You want to try to step up against Rory, but you're here getting beat up by some leaves." She laughs crazily out loud.

I knew I couldn't just let her beat me up, so I began to actually get serious a bit. I kick my feet off the grow launching straight at her. Twilight arrows spawn behind me and I launch them directly at her.

Erika sees the incoming arrows, and raises both of her hands. "Roots of protection!" The ground shakes and a wall of tree roots appears protecting her from the arrows.

The arrows hit the walls, nothing doing much damage. Before I launched the last arrow, I grabbed it with my right hand. I pour more magical energy into it. 

I stop right at the wall and grip it with my left hand. The arrow in my other hand starts to grow. Growing 2x larger than a regular size arrow.

"Enhanced Twilight Arrow!" I launched down the arrow hitting the wall at point blank range. A small explosion happens, sending shockwaves through the air. The wall of roots was entirely erased, leaving nothing there to protect her.

Once the little bit of smoke cleared, Erika stepped back a few feet. She stands there, her expression still angry.

"To think that lousy arrow can just erase my defense so easily. What type of flames do you have? Well I don't care, I'll end you so Rory doesn't even need to think of you anymore.."

Her hand raised into the sky, more vines came out of the ground. But most importantly vines appear behind me, wrapping around my arms.

I gritted my teeth, trying to pull off the vines. But even when I tried to move, the vines' thorns would cut me even more.

She snapped her finger and plants started to grow out of the ground. Her hands begin to glow in green energy.

I have to get out of the hold! It seems like she's building up energy in her hand. Probably creating the plants so she could gain more energy out of them. Whatever she's about to plan I have to get out of the way but how?

She stops gathering magical energy and the plants around her seem to die, likely by giving her more energy. She slings her hands forward and a bunch of energy blasts are heading directly at me at high speeds.

I knew I had just a few seconds to react. So I quickly imbued my hands with my flames burning the vines that hold me. The blasts come close and a small explosion happens.

"YES! I beat that fool, he'll never mess with Rory ever again."

But I quickly jumped out of the way before the blasts connected with me. Seeing her distracted and I quickly rushed at her. She didn't have time to react and before she knew it a kick landed right in her gut.

The kick landed hard and sent her back flying, hitting and bouncing off the ground a few times. Before finally hitting the ground for the last time, with a loud "crash".

She stood up, blood and bruises now covering her body.

"Heh, who's the bloody fool now Erika." smirking cockily, I pointed my finger at her.

"You must be asking for a death wish, Suika." she wipes blood off from her mouth.

"Death is non exist in my terminology, I just can't die right here. I have people waiting for me."

I take a step forward but I suddenly start to feel a sudden pain throughout my whole body. The pain was strong, like my body was on fire.

But something else was wrong, I couldn't even move a single limb. I tried my hardest to move but nothing happened. I was basically frozen.

Erika's eyes widen a bit but then starts to laugh. "Wow i can't believe that it actually works, i was just trying to test out something. But I can see it works now."

She puts her hands on her hip and smirks at me.

"You see those vines I was launching at you weren't just normal vines, but a Foxglove vine. Foxglove is a poisonous flower that can paralyze the entire body and it seems to do so. With my strength now it won't kill but you'll be paralyze for about 5 minutes. Enough time to hurt you."

Damn! I wasn't even expecting her to do that. How could I? She didn't even think it would work herself. But I can't even more, whatever she does next, I might be screwed. How can I survive this situation?