[Miki Route] 1-1: Beat of the Drum

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Author's Note

 I've decided to throw my hand into the mix (horrible pun intended) for the privilege of writing a Miki route. I'm not that great a writer, but spending time in KSG and Crispychat has inspired me to try and get on the level of all the other awesome people out there--you know who you are.

I have shamelessly stolen a passage from themocaw's Saki route, just because I think it is the most amazing way to completely derail Hisao from the primary characters' routes. All credit goes to him for that one, really.

The rest of this is mostly me, though, and one of the two Miki scenes in the game. I'll shut up now, so enjoy!

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Act 1-1: Beat of the Drum
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So I’ve been here a few days now and I’m feeling pretty good about this whole new school thing. Mostly. I think…

I’ve learned my way around and didn’t really get lost too many times (just a couple, really). I don’t seem to be too far behind in classes thanks to all the bookworming I did while chained to my hospital bed.
I’ve mastered the art of slinging more pills on a daily basis than a dedicated tweaker. Wait, that’s really not something to be proud of is it? I guess in my case it is but. . .

I still can’t figure out whether it’s rude to talk to people about their disabilities openly or not. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t, right?

And with the few people who do seem nice…their personality quirks have jumped right out at me and have made it even more uncomfortable to interact with them. Is this what I get for spending months with bound paper as my only company? Shit.

Okay maybe it’s not going so good after all.

Like right now. Yeah I’d say it’s definitely not going well.

After my operations, I used to be agonizingly aware of my own heartbeat. That thumpity-thumping little piece of chest-meat had already screwed me over once, so I felt like I was on Defcon-1 all the time afterwards just in case it tried to pull a fast one again. I’d sit there listening:

Thump.

Thump thump. Thump.

At the sign of any irregularity I’d frown and start to reach for that bedside call-button. Paranoid much? Yes, but I really wasn’t taking any chances. Can you blame me though? When your own body—something you’ve taken for granted all your life—suddenly starts to turn on you, trust issues are not a far-flung concept.

I learned to calm down after a while, though, and eventually things seemed like they were going okay. Until today.

Thump.
Thump.

Thump thump.

Thump.

For the rest of the afternoon, right after taking my lunchtime meds, this thing has been pounding like some godforsaken drum sounding out a war-march. It's not painful, just. . .loud. It resonates up through my ribcage and into my ears, rattling my skull. I have a headache that could be called legendary, and I think I understand why menopausal women get so…uppity… when they have migraines.
It must be those pills. Gotta go see Nurse later. Definitely.

So I’m sitting in the middle of class, rubbing my temples and trying to keep my act together. Mutou’s normally droning voice sounds like the combined roar of a B-52’s engines.

Thump thump.

The bell rings, a splitting banshee-cry that echos from the depths of hell, causing me to wince but also breathe a sigh of relief. How those two emotions mix and escape from me at the same time, I am not sure.

Thump.

My classmates start to gather their things and shuffle out, eager to enjoy what little of the day they have left before answering the call to homework duty.

I sit at my desk, motionless except for the smooth rise and fall of my breath and that lump beating incessantly in my chest. I try and tune out the sounds while gathering the energy to stand.

Thump

“. . . . . . . late. . . . . . . . . .should have started. . . . .”

Something. . . a voice. . . has gone and ruined my concentration.

I see colors. Yellow, blue, pink.
Then people. Lilly, Shizune, Misha.

Striking a dynamic pose, Shizune signs furiously at Lilly who stands near the doorway, hands neatly folded atop her cane.

Lilly’s eyes snap open, her slight frown disappearing as she begins to speak.

“The students responsible for the estimates were sick. If you would like I can have them come apologize to you for missing school due to their illness. I’m sure that would be no trouble at all.”

The air between Shizune and Lilly starts to ripple with the heat of their enmity.

Well, not really. But they can't disguise it any more, though. As the exchange continues, Misha looks like she's beginning to understand the real nature of this conversation.

I thought my presence in the room had gone unnoticed, but Shizune turns to me and signs rapidly. "Hicchan~!" Misha translates. "Don't you slack off either~!"

"What are you talking about?" I mutter. I’m just a bystander here, what gives?

"Aren't you taking part in the festival, Hicchan?" Misha goes on, as Shizune continues waving her hands at me. "You are, aren't you? Then~! I hope you're going to do a lot more to make sure it goes smoothly than this person~!" That last part is a gesture in the vague direction of the tall blind girl.

I don't understand why Shizune is suddenly getting mad at me. . . in fact, this situation is quickly starting to piss me off. Why the hell are these girls trying to draw me into their private argument? I haven’t even said anything. Maybe I wouldn’t care about it so much if it weren’t for that annoying…

Thump Thump.

Thump.

That’s it.

"You know what?" I say, getting to my feet. "Both of you can just piss off. I haven't even been here one week, and already you're trying to pull me into your stupid personal quarrel?" I point at Lilly, forgetting for a moment that she can't tell the difference. "So why don't [i]you [/i]get your act together and finish your damn assignment, and why don't [i]you[/i]," I say, pointing at Shizune, "leave me the fuck alone. I'm sick and tired of you constantly following me around and badgering me all the time!"

Two pairs of eyes regard me in stunned silence. Even Lilly seems taken aback by my sudden outburst, hands shifting uncomfortably on her cane.

The shock on Shizune's face slowly begins to melt away, and she starts to sign a few times. . . but then she lets her hands fall to her sides. "I'm sorry," Misha says. "I didn't realize we were doing that to you. We'll leave you alone from now on, Hicchan."

Shit. Did that just happen? I feel like a complete jerk.

Before my resolve can crumble, I grab my things and make a swift exit, resisting the urge to backpedal and start apologizing like the wuss I probably am.

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Some time later I find myself sprawled in the shade of a particularly large tree near the track field, propped up against its trunk. I’m not sure exactly how I got here, I just went where my feet took me.

A cool afternoon breeze dances through the leaves above as sunlight filters through them.

I think that if I sit still enough, maybe, just maybe, my head will stop hurting and my heart will shut up for a minute.

I melt further into the bark and grass, relishing the thought that here in this moment I am dead to the world.

Nobody dive-tackling me in the corridors. No paranoid hallmates ranting. No pink drill-hair laughing. Just peace.

“Man, you look like shit.”

A voice from above stirs me from my vegetative state. My eyes roll back out of my skull and slowly open.

I look up and see a tan girl with long dark hair grinning at me. She sports a shirt that I recognize as part of the boy’s uniform, a pleated skirt over a pair of black bike-shorts, and a wrapped bandage covering the stump of her missing left hand.

I recognize her from my class, but I’m taken off guard since the two of us haven’t talked much before, and I really didn’t think anyone would notice me here. Well, more like that’s what I was hoping, anyway…

“Hey, he’s alive! ‘Sup?”

She plops down in front of me, crossing her legs. I try to will myself into some sort of action.

“Hi. . .Miura, wasn’t it?”

“Yep. Just call me Miki, though. Surnames are too stuffy.”

“Likewise, then.” I say with a nod.

“So what brings you out here, Hisao? Are you practicing to be a tree, or maybe just hoping to catch a glimpse of some cute girls wearing bloomers?” she says, cocking an eyebrow at me.

We lock eyes and I can see hers shimmer with a hint of mischief in the afternoon light.

“That does sound pretty nice,” I laugh dryly, “But no, I honestly don’t know what I’m doing out here. Disappearing for a while, maybe? I think my meds got screwed up. I feel like a trainwreck and just want to relax.”

“Hmm, that’s not good. You should probably be hitting up the nurse for that, then.”

“Yeah, I know… But I’ve got a pretty good thing going on here though.” I feebly raise a hand and gesture to the patch of grass I’ve sunken into.

“Uh huh, so you won’t mind if I join you for a bit then, " her tone remains friendly but now has a hint of concern in it that is just barely-noticeable.

“Be my guest” I slowly tilt my head back to rest against the tree and try to catch a bit of that breeze again, “You’re a member of the track and field club, right?”

“Yup, been in it since I first arrived.”

“Don’t suppose you’re friends with Emi? Short, fast runner, no legs? I don’t think there are all that many track and field members," I pull up a few strands of grass absentmindedly as I try to remember anyone else. Still haven't met that many people yet...hm.

Miki laughs, a light and playful one, but with a breathy undertone that seems to match the wind moving through the trees, “Haha, Emi. Everyone knows about her, don’t they?”

A flash of that hallway collision passes before me once again, and I suppress the urge to grimace.

“But nah,” Miki continues, “I seem to get along better with guys, so me and Emi don’t really talk much. Anyway, what about you?”

“Ah, well, I’m not in any clubs yet. Real clubs, anyway.”

“Oh? So that would be the ‘This is me giving a fuck’ club, right?” Miki shoots me that big grin of hers as if she knows something interesting.

“Come again?”

“I heard you had it out with Thunderhands and that blonde Amazon this afternoon.”

Thunderhands? Amazon? Oh… she means Shizune and Lilly. I guess word travels pretty fast after all.

“I, er. . .yeah. Kind of was in a crummy mood and took it out on them for arguing. Really should go apologize.”

“Nah, screw that,” she smiles again and waves her hand down as if swatting something out of the air, “You’ve gotta have some balls to tell off the Deaf Dictator like that and come out still wearing your head on your shoulders.”

I chuckle a little at her choice of names--where does she get this stuff? She does have a point, though.

“Don’t worry about it though," Miki says reassuringly, "As long as you’ve got some friends to back you up, it doesn’t really matter.”

Friends?

Miki notices my brow furrow slightly as I look away, but doesn’t miss a beat:
“Not too solid in that department either, huh?” she scratches her jawline with the stump of her left hand, “That’s cool. This place takes some getting used to, so I was a bit hard up my first week here as well. ”

Considering how outgoing Miki seems, I find it somewhat difficult to imagine.

“How about we hang out then?” she offers.

I look up and search her face for any hint of. . .something. Ulterior motives maybe? My run-ins with the Student Council have left me a bit suspicious, to say the least. But written across her features, I see nothing other than a genuine desire to make a friend.

I smile and nod slightly, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Sweet!” she claps her. . .uh. . .hands together and flashes me another smile, “But before we can do that, we’ve gotta get you to the nurse. I really meant what I said earlier.”

She picks herself up off the grass, brushing away the loose bits that have stuck to her skirt. Miki extends her good hand to help me up, which I happily accept.

She then takes me by surprise as she deftly slips a shoulder under my arm to help support me. I pause for a moment, but then gingerly lean on her as we set off towards the main building.