Legend of the Other World (edited)

[WildFire]

The flight was long, but it was calm. Kasee sat by a window seat, letting the hum of the plane’s engine lull her as she drew. Her mom sat next to her, reading a book on something Kasee really didn’t really care about. She talked to Kasee once in a while as thoughts as random as can be popped into her head. One moment, soba noodles. The next moment, little black dresses. She was like an old teenager, with as much spunk and liveliness as someone that has drunk too much coffee. And that’s in the good way. Even though she was like this casually, she was also serious and very mom-like.


“I read that pamphlet, Mom” Kasee said, as she unfolded it to skim over it one last time. It was one of those tourist pamphlets with
restaurants and schools, and the latest and trendiest shops. Yet the text, it was all in Japanese. Her mom let her glasses fall down her nose as she peeked downward. “I know you’ve told me a lot about this place, but I just can’t help but wonder.”


“Wonder what honey?” Her mom asked, slipping an unusual tie-dye bookmark on the page she stopped at and slipped in back into her purse. Kasee sighed, and folded one panel of the pamphlet.


“It’s the fact that I don’t know what’ll be ahead of me. I’m going to be walking blind into a new school as a blank slate. I’m afraid that my behavior and nervousness will give them the wrong impression, and that I’ll permanently be labeled as a freak.”


“Honey! Don’t think like that!” Her mom exclaimed. “It’ll be just fine. It’s a fresh start. That’s a good way to show them that you’re not who you are at first glance, but rather a wonderful girl with lots of spirit once they try to get to know you.”

“You sure?” Kasee asked, clutching her backpack nervously in her lap.

“Sure I’m sure! First impressions are nothing with people like you. They’ll have to try a little harder when they get to know you of course, but that’s the fun of it. You’re a strong girl Kasee, and strong girls don’t go down without a fight.” She murmured softly, patting Kasee’s head. Kasee smiled and let out a chuckle. Her mom always knew how to cheer her up.

“Thanks Mom. I feel a lot more confident now, but I’m still nervous.”

“Who isn’t? The nervousness you feel is completely normal. Let me tell you something. I’m nervous too. I’m working a more important job, in front of really important people, and to top it off,” She said, turning to take out a small stack of papers.
“I have to read an initiation speech.” She smirked in a joking disgust, which made Kasee laugh. It was soon cut off when a flight attendant chimes on the PA system.

“Flight 304 to Tokyo ready for landing, please buckle up passengers. I repeat. Fasten your seatbelts passengers and prepare for landing.
“Well,” Kasee’s mom sighed. “We’re here Kasee.”
“We certainly are.” Kasee replied, holding onto her arm rests as the plane slowly descended towards the airport runway.

Chapter 2

That was 2 days ago. Kasee now sits at a table in her new house in a rural town in Japan. The stuff was already moved in by the time they opened the wooden door. The house was smaller than her other one back in the States, but much more comfortable and welcoming. Her room had a large window covered by a sheer but modest curtain, which had a view of the backyard. There was a small pond, but it was green from collecting algae. The people were nice here. They helped her mom get to the grocery store, and gave her directions to get into town. Kasee is pretty skilled in Japanese, but she isn’t quite that fluent.


Kasee sighed as she put her pencil down. She put a hand on her knee to get herself up. She heard a shuffling in the room, so she went to check it out.


“Mom? Is that you?” She asked softly as she strolled down the hall. Peeking her head through the door, she scanned the room. She saw that the closet doors were vibrating. She tip-toed in, and opened it a crack. Instantly, she saw her mother’s back. She let out a surprised gasp.


“Oh, it’s you Kasee. You finding your way around?” She laughed as she patted Kasee’s shoulder. She was hanging up all her clothes on a metal bar. “Uh yeah. I was just wondering. When do I get to do my school applications? I heard the new year starts soon. It’s different here than in the States, so we better check it out as soon as possible.”
She replied as she followed her mom out of the room and into the kitchen, where she checked on a casserole in the oven. “I was actually looking at schools before we even moved. There’s this one just about a mile away that best fits your needs.” She said, the hot puff of steam from the oven dampening her voice. She paused to add the top crust, and then set it back in the oven. “There’s and envelope in my room with the application papers. Take a look at it and fill it out if you like. The deadline is a little over a few days, so decide quick to set a firm ground okay?”

Kasee actually agreed with her mom. The school she chose was a good match to her abilities. The acceptance rate was about 60 percent at most, but she knew she could get in. She filled it out and gave it to her mom. She smiled and stuck it in her purse. Kasee plopped back down on her cushion by the table and continued on her drawing. “I am not shy to you mom, because you know me really well, but I know I will be at that new school. I’ll be even more different. English my primary language. Lived in the States all my life, and really keep to myself. I’m always drawing something, but I have to draw them, because if I don’t, I wont remember the image.” She explained, as she sifted through her skin tones, and chose a deep crème color. She sharpened it a bit and started shading. “Even if it seems to look dark and evil, it really has a deep and sad meaning to it.”

Her mom just sat there and listened. She liked when her daughter talked to her abut things she really wouldn’t talk about. She knew about the voices, but every time she suggested a doctor Kasee refused and explained why. She let it be, because she Kasee is still Kasee, and she will always be Kasee. No matter what kind of so called problems she may have.

The next day, Kasee and her mom visited the school, because it was a designated open house day for new and applying students. It was fairly large, and the uniform was modest, and surprisingly Kasee liked it. There were two for cool weather, and one for warm weather.

“It’s a lot like my old school when you take away the difference in curriculums.” Kasee commented, as they strolled around the school, peeking into the rooms and chatting to teachers.

“It is rather nice. I’ll bet you can’t wait to start.” Her mom expressed, which made Kasee cringe. She would keep in high spirit, but she knew with the way she was, that it really wouldn’t last long. When finally they got to the arts section of the building, Kasee found herself excited to see what those teachers are like. She stared down at her schedule and pointed to the sign hanging over the door.

“That’s the one. The 2-D creative arts room.” She said and walked right in. She was greeted by a wrinkly face. He spoke in rapid Japanese, which Kasee later deciphered as” Welcome, welcome. Please come in and take a look around. May I ask your name young lady?”

“Mason Kasee, sir.” Kasee replied with a small and courteous bow. The teacher, after watching her stroll around, had noticed that Kasee’s sketchbook had fallen out of her backpack. Sighing in a worrying tone, he brushed the dust off the front cover. Shuffling over to her, he gently put it back in. Kasee turned around with a perplexed look on her face.

“Not to worry.” He said. “It fell out as you came in. Might I say that your pictures are quite stunning!” He exclaimed, putting his hand behind his back. Kasee nodded.

“People have never said that to me, because they never give them the light of day. They always claim them to be too dark and bone-chilling.” She explained as she flipped and stopped at such an example. It depicted a monster with gnarly skin and a twisted face, and a man facing up to it with as much bravery a thousand men together would not have. Kasee’s mom was standing there, awkwardly looking down. The teacher scratched his chin as he looked at the charcoal sketch. Muttering small comments to himself and nodding, Kasee felt a certain vibe from him. It was comforting in a way that he was genuinely looking at it. Yet, she felt that she might be disappointed by his unofficial critique.

“This seems familiar. My son draws similar to you, and with similar subjects. But it seems that yours are from a different perspective.” He said finally, after an awkward moment of silence. He gently flipped it closed and handed it back to Kasee. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Kasee’s mom started ushering her towards the door.

“Thank you for coming. I hope to enjoy you in class.” He said, as we exited out the door. Kasee felt weird, slightly nauseous, but not to the point of fainting. As they walked away, the door in front of the flapped open quickly, and a kid smacked into Kasee. She went down on her butt, and her mom gasped in shock. Kasee rubbed her head and groaned. The kid that had hit her was right in front of her.

“Gosh…not thinking…new kid…huh?” She heard him mutter through clenched teeth. Getting up, Kasee stared at his face. He was a boy about her age, with strange colored hair, and nicely tanned skin. He wore loose fitting clothes, and to put it bluntly, it looked like he was gothic. There was something about him that told me otherwise.

“Seems like you came out of dad’s room huh.” He said to me, rather rudely. Kasee nodded.

“So you must be the one that draws like me at a different perspective.” She snickered. His eyes went wide, and shifted like he was thinking to himself. He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets.

“That may just be. He always has an eye out for me and my drawings. And for him to acknowledge yours like that, you must be special.” He said as he walked past Kasee towards an art room. Kasee whispered something to her mom, and they walked towards the exit again. But as she grabbed the handle, she heard him yell down the hall.

“By the way special girl, the name’s Kenji!”


BOOK 1- END

Next time:
Kenji has taken a likely to Kasee as the New Year starts. He’s in her classroom and is almost constantly bugging her by nit picking at her. But as things start to unfold, things also start to change. Kasee is more hostile, and Kenji seems more troubled. What does fate have in store for these two? Coming in Book 2, Rise of the Chosen Ones.

[Darthmat]

This one is like, a thousand times better.

[Suicidal-kun]

Sweet.

I can't wait to read more, I really enjoyed it.

[WildFire]

and. I only changed the first chapter. Thanks.