Chapter 35: Tomboyish Girl, Transfer Student, & the Revolutionary of Love 3
꒰ঌ Tomboyish Girl, Transfer Student, & the Revolutionary of Love 3 ໒꒱
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When school ended, Lucy disappeared from the classroom in a flash. Ever since her transfer here, her whereabouts had become the biggest mystery for Class 1-B.
"Her shoes were still in the shoe cabinet, so I don't think she's heading straight home after school."
"Gray, when did you leave school yesterday?"
"Hmm, about five."
"I saw Lucy near the staff room."
Homeroom's about to start, but Lucy's nowhere in sight. A group of students had gathered around her desk which is right next to me, and were exchanging information they had among themselves. Stop meddling in other people's affairs already!
"I thought she liked drawing since she chose fine arts as her elective, so I tried inviting her to the arts club… but she ran away after saying some strange stuff to me. What's with that!"
"Speaking of which, that girl does nothing at all during the lessons, right? All she did was open up her sketchbook and leave it there! Is there something wrong with her brain?"
"She should just choose music instead. She's causing a lot of problems for the teachers as well, right?"
Everyone's appraisal of Lucy was sliding down further as they continued talking, though that was to be expected.
"Oi Hentai-san, do you know anything about her?" Gray suddenly involved me in the conversation.
"Dammit, Gray! Can you please not address me like that. You're really pissing me off now!"
"Then how about 'Lucy Heartfilia's Exclusive Critic'?"
"That's even worse!"
"Then how about I combine both to make it 'Hentai Critic'?"
"Don't go about combining things randomly!" Due to Lucy's baseless slanders, I was facing a crisis in my life.
"Listen Gray, we just met once during the Spring vacation, so I knew nothing about her!" What's with those stares of disbelief!
The bell began to ring, but Lucy was still not in the classroom, and Yang still hadn't arrived either, as usual. It seemed like she was practicing the drums somewhere every morning. The advantage of being a drummer is that you can practice just about anywhere, so long as you have a pair of drumsticks, a metronome and a stack of old magazines. The moment the bell finished ringing and Yuuhi Sensei started closing the attendance book, the door at the back of the class suddenly opened.
"I'm safe! I'm safe, right?" Yang shouted while dashing into the classroom, and for some reason, she was pulling Lucy along as well.
The silent Lucy showed a grumpy expression, and flung Yang's hand away. Our teacher's nice though, and said to them, "I won't consider you two as late, so take your seats immediately." If Yang was alone, Yuuhi Sensei probably would have marked her as late without hesitation.
"Sorry, but lend me your notes for a while. I'll copy it quickly." Yang snatched my notebook after sitting down. I looked at her as she copied my notes furiously, and asked softly.
"What were you two doing just now?"
"I was practicing in the corridors on the third floor, and I saw Lucy. It seemed like she was lost."
"I was not lost… " Lucy mumbled. I secretly cast a glance at her, she seemed slightly angry, and her face was quite flushed too. This means… that this girl actually has a really poor sense of direction? The school is quite big, but it is quite ridiculous to get lost trying to get to your classroom, right?
"I made a detour to the music room, and on my way back…"
"Alright, I am about to start the lesson, so you three stop your chit-chatting," Yuuhi Sensei snapped, and our classmates gave a stifled laughter.
The music room? Why there? My doubts lasted for a brief moment though, as Yuuhi Sensei suddenly called me out to answer the questions in our assignments. With that, the only thing I could do was to focus on snatching my notebook back from Yang.
As usual, I escaped from Yang's attempts to rope me into the club after school. I made a trip down to the library to return the books I had shown Juvia that day, before walking towards the direction of the abandoned classroom behind the main building of the school. Just as I turned past the corner of the building and saw the chimney of the incinerator, the faint sounds of an electric guitar drifted into my ears. It came from the classroom which I've been using. And I suddenly thought, did I leave the room with a CD still playing? Shit! But as I approached the door and listened, I realized that wasn't the case. From within the classroom, came a tune that I hadn't heard of before, but I was very familiar with the melody all the same.
Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. This is an extremely difficult piano solo. During the endearing friska, the tune will be accompanied by notes that are played repeatedly at blazing speeds; moreover, what I was listening to is the guitar version. What's this? I don't have such an amazing CD… no, wait, this is live so there's someone playing it right now, with the electric guitar plugged into the amplifier that I had modified. I couldn't help it, but I was having goosebumps. It's impossible for a tune like this to be played by a person alone, even if he possessed four hands. However, the melody that was flowing into my ears definitely came from a single guitar. So who could that person be…?
I grabbed the door handle. Just then, that grand piano which was buried in the dumping grounds appeared in my mind. I pushed the handle down diagonally, and turned it at the same time. Kacha — a muffled metallic sound was heard, and I could feel the sensation of the lock coming loose through my palms. Just as I opened the door, the music came to a screeching halt. Lucy was sitting on the long desk and looking at me with a stunned expression. Her varnished guitar nearly slipped off her legs. I guess my expression then was probably the same as hers. Why… is Lucy here? In my classroom, which I'm using without permission, and holding onto a guitar? What the hell is going on here? When and how did this dream start? Could it be, that everything that dates back to my encounter with her during the spring vacation was just a dream…
"… Y-you." Lucy regained her senses a tad bit quicker and spoke first. I took a small leap backwards in shock as well.
"Eh? Oh shit! Wait wait wait, stop, you will kill me if you hit me with that guitar of yours!"
Lucy's face was flushed red, and she swung that slightly heavy Stratocaster of hers at me while she was chasing me. I slammed the door shut so as to escape from her.
"Why are you here? Hentai! Stalker!" Lucy's shrieks came through the gaps of the door. Wait, I should be the one asking that question!
"I've been using this classroom all along, so why did you go in by yourself?" Though I was also using it without permission.
"I… I obtained permission from Ultear before entering."
"Eh?"
Yuki Ultear, who's also my friend Gray's older sister, is our Japanese-American Music teacher. She came all the way from America to Japan to teach Music in our school. She is a young beautiful teacher who everyone finds approachable and yet scary at the same time.
I see, so that was the reason for her going to the music room in the morning? No, wait, why was she given permission to use the classroom? So that means if I had asked the teacher for permission, I would also be permitted to use the classroom?
"Just scram already!"
She was saying that, but I had already moved in a huge stack of my CDs, refitted a component amplifier, and had even prepared some cushions, I'd wasted so much effort to make this classroom as comfortable as possible! Even if you want me to disappear, you can't possibly expect me to say, "Alright, so be it" and obediently leave as I was told!
"… Eh, what's happening here? Why would the teacher… "
She didn't reply, instead the sound of a huge claw scraping against the walls could be heard, it was the electric guitar's feedback. Stop that, or else the amplifier will break down! All I could do was sigh and move away from the classroom door.
Back in the school building, a surge of anger swelled up from within me as I was walking through the corridor. That was obviously my territory, she came later, but there she was, sitting in there comfortably. Who can possibly accept that? If that's the case, I'll complain to Ultear Sensei. However, the anger died down in me as I approached the doors of the music preparation room. A huge poster of the Japanese Rockstar Capricorn Tayuya was pasted on the sliding door.
Could Ultear Sensei be a fan of the rock band Devil Queen? Also, is it fine for her to be pasting such a thing openly onto the entrance of the staff room? I had a staring contest with Utahime Tayuya as I tried to calm myself down. I could faintly hear the relaxing melody of a concert band practicing next door it's the music of the famous The Wizard of Oz's Over the Rainbow. Regardless of what you say, you've also used the classroom without permission, should I complain to her, then I'll get in trouble as well. Mmm, even so, if you want me to just back out like that, then…
"Yes? Looking for me, Uzumaki?"
I jumped in shock from a voice that suddenly came from behind me, and my forehead slammed into the face of Capricorn Tayuya. I turned my head around, and saw Ultear Sensei standing behind me with a light smile on her face. She was wearing a white blouse and a mini skirt as she is so disturbingly suitable for that sort of attire, the students call her the 'Ero Sensei' in secret. She is the reason that the first year guys who had chosen fine arts or calligraphy as their electives lived in regret. However, after attending her lessons, it was the guys who had chosen music as their elective that are the ones who have the deepest regrets now.
"Eh? Ah, nothing."
"It's fine, just come on in. I was thinking of having tea. Want to join me?" With that, Ultear Sensei dragged me into the preparatory room.
The music preparatory room is only about half the size of a normal classroom. As there is a shelf filled with musical scores, as well as an upright piano, the place is pretty cramped.
"Oh, there's hot water in the teapot, and the teabags are in the drawer. Also, cut a slice of honey cake while you're at it."
So you're delegating all the stuff onto me?
"Ah, just a cup of tea will do, and slice the cake into three pieces."
"Eh? You not having any?"
"What are you talking about? It's for me, of course. I never mentioned anything about you getting some."
Dammit… what else can I say?
"If you want to drink some tea no matter what, I can let you suck on those tasteless used-teabags."
"No thanks." This woman… ugh… I wanna go home already…
Ultear Sensei patted me on my back and said that it was just a joke. I was finally able to take a seat on the chair after I was done preparing two portions of tea and cakes. Just then, she suddenly said, "You're here to talk about the music building, right?" I nearly spat out my sip of tea.
"H-how did you know?"
"I know everything already. Like how you've been using the classroom without permission since Spring, how you've modified the CD player to link it to an external input-device, or how you've fixed the reception cables for the radio… and how the cushions are really comfortable to sit on…"
Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh! I was honestly considering if I should just hide under the table or something. No wait, if I do that, I'll just get slaughtered by her.
"But since you cleaned up the place really well, I turned a blind eye to it. I'm the only one who noticed anyway."
"Sorry sorry, I won't do it again."
"Since Lucy can use the classroom straight away as it is, the timing is just perfect." I released my arms that were hugging my head, and looked at Ultear Sensei's face. She said while laughing. "You are here to complain about that, right?"
"No… I am in no position to be complaining anyway."
"It's fine with me if you want to use it. I can't be rejecting you after granting Lucy special permission to use that room. You two should try to get along well with each other."
"No, that is quite impossible." Speaking of which, I was totally confused about the situation. "Could it be, that you and Lucy already knew each other?"
"Yes. I was a student of her father, and I used to play with Lucy all the time."
Ultear Sensei's expression was slightly lonely.
"As for… Lucy, something happened, and she ended up transferring to this school. She then told me she wanted a room that she can use by herself. This is just the Director's daughter being willful, but since she isn't causing problems for anyone… "
"I see… " So the staff had silently agreed to it already.
"So you can use that classroom too, if you are willing to share it with Lucy."
So ultimately, I was the one who was chased out!
"But, why is she playing the guitar? I've heard that she no longer plays the piano, is that true? She was originally going to the College of Music, right? Why did she transfer to our school?"
"I can't be the one to tell you all that…" Ultear Sensei's expression became serious immediately. "Moreover, she herself doesn't want anyone to know. To be honest… I think it's better if she doesn't do that, but ultimately, the decision lies in Lucy's hands."
I don't have the slightest idea of what was going on around here, and Lucy didn't explain anything to me either. Because of that, the biggest problem facing me was what to do about that classroom. If the case was that the school found out that I was using the classroom without permission, and angrily banned me from using it ever again, I would have given up immediately. However, if you want me to sit next to Lucy and listen to my CDs while she plays the guitar, there was absolutely no way I could do that, no matter what!
"Why don't you try talking to her, to see if you two can share the classroom?"
"But she was trying to smack me to death with that guitar of hers when I tried talking to her?"
"You give up really fast! How can a youngster be like that?"
After a sudden round of reprimanding from Ultear Sensei, I was finally allowed to leave the music preparatory room.
To be honest, I didn't tell Lucy something, there is a major problem with that classroom, the gaps of the door. The soundproofing in the classroom isn't perfect, so sound will travel out of the room. Due to that, a rumor about how "a very impressive guitar solo can be heard from the school's courtyard after school" had spread throughout the school a few days later.
"Which piece? Is it that 'Cyarari ~Spitting Milk from the Nose~'"
"I've heard that before too. I'll get dizzy if I listen to it for too long."
So it's actually Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565. That girl really likes Bach, huh? It wasn't time for homeroom yet, and I was listening halfheartedly to the broadcast of the girls' morning gossip, while recalling the pieces Lucy played.
"She played Farewell yesterday too. It was so~ very fast. Originally I couldn't figure out what piece it was."
"Ah, so that's Farewell?"
I had heard the guitar version of Farewell as well. Chopin had initially composed the piece to be played at a very fast tempo, roughly four times the speed of current day interpretations and so in a certain sense, Lucy's performance was actually the correct version. I wanted to say that, but everyone would definitely say I am a hentai critic or a stalker, so I chose to remain silent.
Ultear Sensei opened the door before the school bell was done chiming, and Lucy followed behind her. The whole class suddenly sank into silence. Everyone exchanged looks with each other briefly, before returning to their own seats as though nothing had happened. The only one who was unaware of the situation was the very person herself. Even so, it seemed like Lucy had sensed that something was going on. As she walked towards her seat, she looked at everyone with a puzzled gaze.
"Wanna go listen today after school?"
"Then I'll have a listen before my club activities start—"
I heard people whispering that, and I also saw a few guys sneaking a few glances at Lucy while grinning broadly. It had been a week since Lucy's transfer here, and the number of girls who would start a conversation with her had dropped to nearly zero, she was probably being treated like a rare creature by everyone. However, that had become quite a problem for me as well. That place was actually my resting place, and yet it was occupied by someone else. Looks like I'll have to snatch the classroom back from Lucy's hands.
I came up with a really despicable plan. I'll lock myself in the classroom, and with that Lucy will be shut out of the place. When Math, which was the sixth period of the day, was over, I immediately grabbed my bag and rushed out of the classroom after saying goodbye to Erza. However, I was dumbfounded when I arrived at the old music block at the back of the building. There was already a padlock hanging on the door of the classroom. Damn her, how dare she do that to my room! While looking at the lock before me, I remembered the paper-clip and the flat-blade screwdriver that were stored in my bag.
Don't underestimate the skills that I've acquired from modifying sound systems since I was kid, a long, thin wire is all I need to settle a lock of that cheap caliber. No, that would be considered a crime, right? Speaking of which, it will be game over for me if I'm seen by anyone while trying to pick the lock open anyway. However, if I do it quickly, it will probably take less than a minute…
"What are you doing?" A voice suddenly came from behind me. I nearly jumped three meters up in fright. As I turned my head It was actually Lucy. She was totally furious, and her golden hair looked as though they were standing on her head. "You criminal, you must've been thinking about picking the lock, right? Please do not come close to me ever again."
That is indeed the case, but on what grounds do you have the right to scold me?
"Why are you always following me?"
How mean, so she herself is treating me as a stalker too? Stalking is a criminal offense should she actually charge a complaint against me, looks like my life is in a very terrible situation right now.
"Hey, look… I have always used this classroom, and that amplifier was modified by me too." I explained while trying my hardest to hold myself back.
"You were just using it without permission!"
"But Ultear Sensei gave me permission to use the classroom too… "
"This is a room for practice, not a place for you to laze around and waste your time while listening to CDs!"
Lucy pushed me aside. She opened the lock, then walked into the classroom and shut the door. I froze on the spot and thought for a few seconds. I then barged into the room without a second thought, by opening the door forcibly as though I was trying to tear it down.
"Stop treating me like an idiot who is wasting his time! Life is all about wasting time till a person dies!"
"Then why don't you just die already?"
Did she just say something extremely cruel to me? Dammit… this just like I was facing another Naruko.
"… It's just guitar. I can play that too!"
Those words came out of my mouth unknowingly. They were no nonsense though. As a guy who listens to all sorts of rock, I used to play the guitar as well together with Sho, though that was something I did during the summer of my second year of junior high school. I found my mom's dusty guitar from the storeroom in my house back then, which I then used to practice the prelude to Stairway to Heaven fervently. However, I no longer touch it anymore.
Lucy narrowed her eyes, and her gaze became cold. Her expression looked as though she was saying, "I bet that's just you spouting nonsense anyway." Just as I was about to say something again, Lucy suddenly took up her guitar which was leaning next to the table, and plugged it into the amplifier. She then walked to my side, and forcibly put full-sized headphones on my head.
"Wha…?"
"Don't move!"
She gently grabbed the pick with her two fingers, and strummed the strings of the guitar. I suddenly fell into the flow of the melody. Amid the strong discords, those ever-changing descending notes came gushing out like the waterfalls at the top of a cliff. What followed next were the grand and yet eerie arpeggio arch, as well as a well polished melody that encompasses the stamping of feet along with the dance both of which were rising up from beneath the valleys.
That's… Chopin's Étude Op. 10, No. 12. A storm raged on in my mind, but that was forcefully interrupted by the sudden cadence. I was left dumbfounded. Lucy pulled off the headphones from my head, and the sounds of reality slowly crept into my ears. My heartbeats; the sounds of me breathing; the engine sounds from a faraway road; the cheers as the baseball team were running to the bases each and every sound I heard just seemed so unreal.
Lucy bent down and stared at me, as though she was saying, "Does your 'playing guitar' sound something like this?"
There was quite a heavy silence.
"Can you still say 'It's just guitar. I can play that too' with that?"
I originally wanted to say, "Stop treating me like an idiot", but I really could not say it convincingly.
"I've already said it. Get out. This is a place to practice."
"What's the big deal with playing a musical instrument?" I complained. "So your meaning is if I bring a guitar here, I'll be able to use this classroom too?"
"Don't mimic me if you lack the ability to do so. Scram!"
As I was at a loss of what to do, Lucy pushed me out of the classroom. Not long after, another piece flowed through the gaps from behind the tightly shut door. It's Chopin's Marche Funèbre from Piano Sonata No. 2 in B minor. She's deliberately looking for a fight? No wait, she didn't know about how the sounds could be heard from outside of the room, right?
I pressed my palms on the door as my head dropped downwards. For a while, I allowed my body to be seeped in the sounds of Lucy's guitar. It gradually turned into an unbearable pain, but I found myself unable to leave that place. I was thinking why guitar? Just play your piano honestly. If so, I could have listened to you playing the piano, while naively thinking to myself, "though she's young, her techniques are really quite brilliant".
Why do you have to step into my world? Nearly all the pieces that you are playing are piano pieces, right? What sort of prank is that!?
"Don't mimic me if you lack the ability to do so." I remembered the words of Lucy. My shoulders slumped unwillingly, and I retracted my palms off the door. If compared to the sublime techniques of Lucy, no one would possess skills within the acceptable range, regardless of who he or she is. It was especially so for me, since I gave up on guitar just after three months of playing it.
Can't be helped. It is a classroom that I was using without any prior permission since it is quite alluring to be in an environment where I can listen to my favorite CDs at full blast without the need of wearing full-sized headphones; however, that is also all there is to it. I won't feel particularly troubled without it.
Just as I turned around and was about to make my way back to the main building… "You're giving up already?" A voice suddenly came from behind me.
I jumped in shock, and quickly turned my head backwards. What came to my eyes was the sight of a sliver haired girl in her uniform, who was half kneeling right above the door — the low roof of the music classroom. She was wearing a huge, fearless grin. I could not move an inch, and could only look at her motionlessly.
… W-who's that girl?
She had a set of pretty facial features, with blue eyes that were giving off a horrifyingly sharp gaze. She was just like a female cat that had escaped from an exceptionally well-to-do environment where she was raised in, like Egypt or some other royal families.
"Are you gonna run away looking all crestfallen right after you had received a lesson from her? You'll become a true defeatist like this, you know?"
My numb legs could finally move, I moved backwards a little.
"… What are you talking about?"
That girl then hummed a song. It's Ray Charles' Born to Lose.
"Born to lose. Don't you think this song exists just for you?"
"We are all born to lose. Isn't that how it is all along?"
No wait, why am I answering her? I should run away. Things are not looking good. I better not get close to people like her. She gave a hearty laugh.
"So, you're actually quite good with your retorts, aye? I feel slightly relieved. Why don't you draw out your weapon? Your country is being ravaged by the enemy." Thud thud. She said that as she knocked her heels against the door of the practice room.
Why must I allow myself to be criticized by you like that? Then again, who the hell are you?
"Lucy Heartfilia should have played it to you just now. Chopin's Étude Op. 10, No. 12 — Revolutionary Étude."
She said that with her index finger outstretched. Nodded with a "Mmm", and then I suddenly remembered something I was wearing full-sized headphones, right? How did she know? That violent smile of hers could have caused even a lion to faint.
"I can hear all the revolutionary songs of this world." She nimbly jumped off from the rooftop and made a silent landing between me and the door, then straightened herself immediately.
"I wish to make Lucy Heartfilia my comrade. Therefore, I am in need of your help. Please assist me."
"No, stop, I really have no idea what the hell you are talking about"
"My name's Hatake Risana."
Risana. I'd heard that name somewhere before. I began to search my memories. Oh right, Yang mentioned that name to me before. Risana stretched out her hand towards me. "The Folk Music Research Club welcomes you in as a member, Uzumaki Haruto.
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
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