New Start Volume 1

NEW START

Chapter 1 - Crimson Haze
Bright light entered a decent sized room and the blinds did little to stop it waking the occupant of the room up with a yawn, as the figure got half way up the blanket slowly slid off and on to the person's waist. One hand went up to rub her eyes in an attempt to stave off sleep.

" Hmm ... Good morning, Kazumi," a voice said from the night stand where a small bracelet could be seen resting.

" Behemoth-san, good morning," Kazumi said as she lifted the rest of the blanket up and got off the bed. Hanging next to the bed was her school uniform and the start of a new term. It's not too long ago that Sakai and Shana were in school yet no one even remembers that they were here except me, Sato-san and Tanaka-san she thought as she pulled the clothes of off the wall. I wonder how they are doing...

" Hmm... Missy is something the matter?" Behemoth asks from the stand.

" I'm fine, just thinking about Sakai-kun and Shana-san, it's been over a year since they left but it still feels like I will be seeing them at school like nothing ever happened," she replied. Placing her now taken off pajamas in a small basket and wearing her school outfit.

Behemoth stayed quiet for a moment and then said " Hmm ... that is to be expected, it will take time before you become use to them not being around as you have a strong connection to both."

Kazumi picked up the last thing she would need for school her bag and said "It's not that I'm sad or regret what happened, everyone fought for what they wanted and believed in but I guess I feel a little left out Shana-san and Sakai-kun are gone, Sato-san has left with Margery-san." The room grew quiet for a short while before she started talking again "It's one of the reasons I have to thank you for staying with me." I was really surprised when he showed up with Margery-san.

Flashback

It's been a little less than a month since Yuji Sakai and Shana had left the world to Xanadu the paradise world for Crimson Denizens leaving Yoshida Kazumi behind in Misaki City. The young girl was still having trouble getting over everything that had happened since she found out that the boy she loved turned out to be a torch and sent her down the path of knowing the truth about the world and leaving without so much as a goodbye. She constantly found herself by the bridge connecting Misaki City where many events happened and dozing off.

It was on such a day that Margery and Sato had arrived in front of her surprising her out of her little daze. ", Sato-san," she said looking at him and then moved her attention to the Flame Haze "Um ...Margery-san was it," she said unsure of her self. The Flame Haze simply nodded her head in reply which was really unusual for the loud mouth. Suddenly her thoughts were overwhelmed by thoughts of something bad happening like an attack or someone had been injured one of her friends perhaps.

Kazumi finally calmed herself down enough to ask "has something happened?" with a trembling voice. Clearly not ready to get involved in any fights once again as she was emotionally exhausted from the ordeal.

"No, just stopped by to tell you that I'm leaving with Margery before the next term starts to help deal with Outlaw," Sato says with his hands firmly placed in his pockets. Margery decided that this was as good as time as any and said "Old geezer, you sure about this you could have gone to Xanadu."

Sato pulls out a familiar bracelet from his pocket and a comforting voice for Kazumi was heard speaking "Hmm... I am fine with th if the young missy would have me 'Chanter of Elegies'."

"Behemoth-san, I thought you left?" Kazumi asked confused as to how he was here still in the bracelet.

"Hmm... After my contractor... died... I chose to remain in this form, for the time being, to be truthful I have grown weary of fighting and simply wish to stay in one place for some time... Which is why I have come to ask you if you would permit me to stay with you for now," Behemoth replied.

"Hai, it would be my pleasure Behemoth-san" Kazumi said happily.

End of Flashback

While Kazumi had been thinking about the past she had left her house and began on her way to Misaki Municipal High where she would be attending for her 2nd year of high school. ''Now that I think about it I don't know much about their world, except for the things Khamsin-san told me about, she thought. Maybe I'll ask Behemoth-san later.''

As she approached the gate of the school she could see Ike and Ogata waiting next to it. Ogata nudged Ike and said "Kazumi's here."

"Yoshida-san, good morning," Ike said as she was now walking with them into the school.

"Good morning Ike-san, and please call me Kazumi," she replied.

Ogata watched the two of them talk to each other and thought when did Kazumi start to come out of her shell, she certainly has changed so much over a single year. "I hope we could be in the same class again this year," she said to the two.

"Ya, well I can't wait for this year's festivals, wonder what everyone's gonna do," Ike said as they walked to the class boards he let out a sighed and said "I hope we don't have to have another parade."

"Oh, some one didn't like being a scarecrow then?" Ogata said laughing at the end.

"Who would like being a scarecrow it was very uncomfortable, although Yoshida-san looked very nice," Ike said blushing after complementing Kazumi.

Kazumi suddenly moved in-front of Ike and said "Ike its Ka-zu-mi!"

Ogata just couldn't hold back her laughter and kept it going while thinking she's definitely gotten bolder.

"All right you three why don't we just check what class you're going to be in," a voice said from behind them.

"Hirai-san good morning, what class are you in?" Kazumi asked first to notice the girl behind them.

"Class 2-C the same as you two," she replied and suddenly pushed ike forward and grabbed Kazumi and Ogata pulling them to each of her sides "Sorry Ike, looks like it's a girls only club this year," Hirai suddenly pulled the other two and started to run off "bye Ike were going to class"

Before they entered the class Hirai stopped pulling both of them and said "So I hear there's going to be a small shrine festival in a few weeks are you guys going?"

"Tanaka already asked this morning... Though it was by text," Ogata replied "He can be stupid sometimes"

Kazumi opened the door to the classroom and walked in pulling off her bag and setting it down on one of the desks near the back closest to the door and sat down.

"Eh, Kazumi did Ike not ask?" Ogata asked as she plopped her self down on the chair next to Kazumi.

She pulled her bag open and started to bring out her pencil case while saying "Ike-san is focusing on preparing for college he doesn't really have the time after school for stuff like that," placing a few notebooks inside the desk Kazumi then said "Besides I don't think they are going to do it in the end, it's near Misaki bridge where the area is still cordoned off."

"I suppose you're right, that night was really weird I mean all that stuff had to be special effects for some movie that's coming out, It's not like people really have powers and all, that's too much like an anime," Hirai said "Although it would be cool to have powers" After Hiari was done the bell started to ring and both Hirai and Ogata quickly start to pull their stuff out and get ready for homeroom.

The homeroom teacher walked in and placed a small book on the table at the front and opened it saying "All right to start off the new term and year I'm your new homeroom teacher Katie Williams and yes I'm from the United States and the new P.E teacher for this year," Katie then let out a sigh and said "let's see there's something I was supposed to tell you, but I don't remember what that is."

"Sensei, are you sure you just weren't paying attention to whoever told you?" one of the boys in the back row asked her. Now normally the kid would have no interest to Kazumi but she noticed that he was seemed different to her friends.

Now if this was an anime the teacher would have one of those little tick marks on their head to show they were upset but this teacher wasn't even a bit upset she just said "I was paying attention how else would I know I had to tell you something, although I did zone out for awhile," "Well then I'm gonna leave now"

After she left the room Hirai said "didn't she forget to take attendance?"

"Well if anyone's late, it's good for them" the boy from earlier said to Hirai. The rest of the class was just talking about how strange the homeroom teacher is.

The bell signaling that all classes were officially over for the day rang and the group prepared to leave the class after their history teacher left. I can't believe I'm being called to the sensei's room on the first day Kazumi thought as she picked up her bag and waved bye to Ogata, and Hirai.

When she reached the teacher's lounge she could see that the door was slightly creaked open and she could hear her teachers having a conversation.

One of the voices was definitely coming from a male as it said "I can't believe you forgot to take attendance and tell them,"

"What's the point in remembering, this place is simply a stepping stone for me, nor do I plan on staying long," Katie could be heard saying from the room.

Kazumi stood there listening and thought, maybe I should go in before sensei gets into more trouble. She pushed the door open a bit more and it let out small creaking noises and said "Um I was called here for someone,"

The male teacher now that she could see was her P.E teacher last year when shana and yuji had the same class. At least he doesn't remember what Shana did to him, she thought knowing that would cause her some problems with him.

Katie suddenly got out of the seat she was sitting in and walked over to Kazumi and turned her around back out the door, placing her arm around the young girl and said "See you it's time for girl talk," she looked at Kazumi and said "you came at the perfect time, I was about to come up with a lame ass excuse to ditch him,"

Kazumi's face paled at that and let out a small whispered "He can still hear," Katie looked back and could see that the P.E teacher was visibly shaking in anger and moved her arm so that it was know holding Kazumi's wrist and took off running while saying "I believe it's a good time to escape!" with a bit of urgency.

When they finished running through the halls and stairs they ended up at the roof of the school and Kazumi was taking deep breaths in an attempt to gain control of her anemia and even her breathing. "Sensei that was not necessary, you just had to apologize."

"I'm not gonna do that, especially not to a jerk," Ellie said as she puffed her cheeks up after word and crossed her arms.

Kazumi let out a sigh and thought, sensei is gonna be a pain, I hope she doesn't forget more important things. After thinking that she could hear that her teacher was still going on about how much of a pain the P.E teacher is until she was interrupted by a voice saying "My dear, you're getting distracted from the important things again"

Katie had a blank look on her face and said "important things?"

The voice could be heard again and now that kazumi could hear more it resembled a man's voice saying "such as the letter"

Katie still stood there with a blank face until it suddenly lit up as if someone had turned a light on in that brain of hers and pulled a white envelope out that was addressed to Kazumi and Behemoth. She just laughed it off and said "I completely forgot, the Chanter of Elegies asked us to bring this while we were here,"

Kazumi accepted the letter and placed it in her bag's pocket while thinking I'll look at it when I get home. "Sensei your a Flame Haze, right?"

Katie suddenly had a very proud atmosphere and said "yup, I'm known as the Enhancer of Strength... don't call me that it's horrible," she pulled a small pen from her pocket and said "this is the love of my life Mori"

Mori in reply said "my name is not Mori and I apologize for my contractor's idiocy."

"It's good to meet you Mori-san, but I do have to get home soon I'm supposed to help get dinner started," Kazumi said as they walked to the entrance of the roof. To their surprise, a boy was standing there and both girls paled and Kazumi asked "did you hear any of what we were talking about?" Please don't let him I don't want to bring more unsuspecting people into this, she thought.

The boy simply smiled and said "totally heard every single word," he took Kazumi's hand shook it and continued talking except, rather fast "my name is Inari and I'm a Crimson Denison that was sent here to watch the area by my stupid lord who wants's to rule over all humans and denizen and kill his family to gain strength and might be crazy... I was not supposed to tell you that shit...Can you forget this conversation just happened?"

Kazumi shook her head no in shock and thought I don't think anyone can forget what he just said so casually.