Tusktaker's Secret Part 11

“And I’m telling you, you’re wrong, Illustrated Man is his best collection! “ Lorka shouted
“Bullshit, Martian Chronicles had more depth, and it had a better narrative.” Countered Thomas
“It was barely even a narrative, they just shared Mars as a common setting! “
“Oh so you’re going to sit here and tell me the book where everyone dies for the first half was as good as stories like the Veldt and Marionettes, Inc.?”
“I’ll give you those two, Kaleidoscope, and the Other Foot…but you really think they can match up with There Will Come Soft Rains, the Fourth Expeditions story, or Usher II?”
Lorka rolled her eyes. “You only like Usher II because its critical of Political Correctness.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Am I wrong though?”
Before she could say anything, Rakka plopped down next to them. “What are you two nerds blabbering on about now?”
“Trying to decide which Ray Bradbury Collection was the best. But Lorka lets her emotions get the better of her objectivity.” Thomas explained.
“And Thomas doesn’t understand that Martian Chronicles isn’t as good because he thinks a loosely linked narrative makes up for weaker overall material.” Lorka said.
Rakka nodded her head and pretended to listen. “Neat. Thomas you up for a game of Mecha Mayhem?” she said as she waved her PSP at him.
“Later, this is serious business. Can’t be dating someone that has such low taste in Bradbury.” He teased.
Lorka laughed and gave him a shove. “You’re such an ass.”
Loni smiled at the bickering pair as she ate her sandwich. “You guys gotta slow down, or you’re gonna give each other a stroke.”
“Seriously, all this nerd talk is annoying as shit.” Nerada snorted.
“No one cares, Nerada” Thomas and Lorka said together.
She rolled her eyes and continued to flip through her copy of CuteBoys Monthly.
The orcs, plus one human, were sitting in an unused classroom they discovered. The orcs had managed to convert it into a nice, private lunch room they could enjoy away from the packed cafeteria.
“Sooo, Thomas. Lorka tells me you are meeting her mom tomorrow?”
“Yeah…I’m a little nervous.”
“You should be, she’s gonna take one look at you and laugh.” Nerada said.
Thomas didn’t say anything; he just looked down at his food with a frown.
Loni smacked Nerada on top of the head. “Stop being such a dick, Nerada. I’m sure you’ll be fine Thomas. How’s the Orcish coming?”
“Better, still not great but I think I can manage a little bit.”
Loni nodded. “I’m sure she’ll just be glad to hear you trying. Radha’s good people.
Thomas got up from the table. “I’m gonna grab something from the vending machine. I’ll be back in a minute.”
The orcs nodded their heads, and Thomas closed the door as he headed off to grab a coke.
After he picked up his drink, he started to walk back to the lunchroom when a red hand grabbed him by the back of the shirt and pulled him into an unused classroom.
Thomas vision reel as an oni smashed the back of his head into a wall.
“Hello little gaijin. What are you doing wandering away from your keepers?” she purred, alcohol reeking from her breath as she looked down at him.
Fujiko.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thomas gritted his teeth. Fujiko was one of the worst delinquents in the school. She had her own gang of small time Japanese monster thugs. They often clashed with Nerada and the rest of Lorka’s friends.
 "What do you want Fujiko?"
Her lips widened into a predatory smile. "Silly gaijin, you know what I want!" Her smile dropped in an instant. “I’m going to use you to make those orc cunts miserable. I see you with them every day; I know you mean something to that pig Lorka." She snickered. "I can't wait to see the look on her face when I'm done with you!"
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would you even..." Thomas didn't get to finish his sentence as Fujiko slammed a fist into his stomach. He nearly vomited; it felt like someone had hit him in the gut with a sledgehammer.
"I would suggest you treat me with a little more respect, gaijin, unless you want me to lose my temper.”
Thomas whimpered as he coughed, trying to keep himself from throwing up. “Why are you doing this?"
She grabbed the back of his hair and leered at him. "They've been fucking with my group for too long. They don't own this school, I do. But the prance around acting so tough like they own the place." She spat in disgust.
"Now," she continued. "You have given me an interesting opportunity. It's been hard to get at them because they're always together...but you're the weak link. So I guess you have two options. I could make an example out of you, or you could be my own personal fucktoy."
"Those both sound fucking terrible."
She laughed again. It reminded Thomas of a hyena's laugh. Menacing and completely insincere. “Well one of those will result in a couple broken limbs. Another will...you know what I'm not that careful when I fuck humans, but at least if I broke something, it wouldn't be on purpose."
Thomas spat in her eye.
Fujiko wiped the saliva out of her eye, her malicious expression replaced with cold anger. “I guess you gave me my answer, little gaijin."
"Before we start, can I say something?"
She laughed again. "Why not? I'm sure it would be amusing."
"Lorka taught me something about hunting. It doesn't matter how tough the skin is if the prey still needs to see.”
"What the fuck does that...GAAAAGH!" Thomas reeled his head back and slammed his forehead into her nose. Momentarily disoriented, she let go of Thomas as she instinctively tried to protect her wounded nose. Before she could react, Thomas stuck both of his fingers into her eyes, digging into them.

Fujiko roared as she threw Thomas across the room, he grunted as he impacted the wall. The oni cursed as she wiped the blood from her nose and tried to clear the tears out of her eyes.
"Mudder fucker, you brhoked my noze!"
She tried to lung at him, but she was disoriented. He hadn't dug his fingers deep enough to cause permanent damage, but she was probably barely able to see. Thomas knew he didn't stand a chance versus an oni, pound for pound; she was a physical powerhouse. He had to get out of here and find help. He managed to almost get out the door when she caught him by the back of the shirt and pulled him down to the ground.
Fujiko straddled him and began to rear her fist back when the door slammed open.
"Get away from him, you BITCH!" Thomas looked up in time to see a huge green blur slam into Fujiko, sending her crashing to the ground. The snarled like animals as they were locked in combat, both of them trading one vicious blow after another. Thomas finally got a better look at his rescuer. It was an orc. Lorka?
Thomas got to his feet as the two were grappling. No... It wasn't Lorka. She didn't have as many braids and her skin was a lighter shade of green and that voice sounded just like…
Nerada!?
Nerada and Fujiko were hitting each other with everything they had. There was no civility, it was an out and out brawl. Bites, scratches, hits to the eyes…it was savage. Thomas didn’t know what to do. If he left, Nerada wouldn’t have anyone to help her. If he stayed, Fujiko might win and beat both of them to a pulp. But Thomas wasn’t going to abandon Nerada after she risked her skin for him. He grabbed a heavy wooden plank off one of the tables. Luckily, the shop class stored a few things in this room.
“Nerada!” he shouted.
The orc saw the piece of timber in his hand and gave him a nod. She locked her legs around the Oni’s torso and grabbed her arms. Fujiko leaned back for a massive head-butt…only for Thomas to break the plank in two over the oni’s head. Fujiko went limp under the blow, sagging on top of Nerada. She grunted as she shoved the larger girl off of her.
“Are you okay?” Thomas asked as he offered Nerada a hand.
“Yeah, I’ve had worse. “ She said as Thomas helped pull her to her feet.
Nerada grabbed some rope from the shop class locker and began to hog tie Fujiko’s limbs.
“Guess we should take her to the nurse’s office, and then the principal can sort her out.” She said as she finished tying up the unconscious oni.
Thomas stood there for a moment, the shock and adrenaline wearing off. Nerada had saved him? The same Nerada that spent all of her time treating him like shit?
“How did you know Fujiko grabbed me?” He asked.
“One thing about onis, you have a good enough nose you can smell that paint thinner shit they drink a mile away. I went to take a leak after I left and I smelled Fujiko nearby. Heard some noise coming from this room, and figured that bitch might be up to something.”

“I don’t understand…why did you help me? I thought you hated me?”
Nerada looked up at him with a dumbfounded expression. “You really don’t get it do you?” She sighed, “Thomas, I’m not a big fan of you. I think you’re a weak little runt who hides from the real world and spends all his time reading big books with big words. But you’re my Clan sis’s Aru’ka. And that means you’re basically family until you inevitably fuck things up with Lorka.” She gave him a proud grin and playfully tapped him on the shoulder with her fist. “Maybe I should give you a little more credit. You weren’t doin' too bad against Fujiko before I jumped in. We might be able to make a Tusktaker out of you yet.”
Thomas was overwhelmed. Up till this point, he though Nerada was…a bit of a spiteful bitch. But she’d risked serious injury to save him without a second thought.
He wrapped his arms around her chest and hugged her. “Thanks Nerada.”
The orc stood dumbfounded for a moment before she pried Thomas off of her. “H-hey, no need to get all mushy and stuff. Ugh, I can’t stand this crap.” She tried to hide the fact that she was blushing, to no avail.
“The hell is going on in here? It sounded like…Thomas!” Lorka and the rest of the orcs rushed into the room. Rakka sat on top of Fujiko to make sure she didn’t try anything while Loni pulled out a poultice and began to rub it on Nerada’s wounds.
Lorka scooped Thomas up in her arms and moved over his body, checking for injuries. “Are you hurt? What the hell happened? Why is Fujiko hogtied in the corner? Why is Nerada covered in bruises?”
“Geez Lorka, slow down, you’re suffocating the guy.” Nerada said with an annoyed snort.
“Thomas, explain.” Lorka said in a stern voice.
“Fujiko pulled me in here. Said something about hurting me or turning me into a fucktoy to get to you guys. I…politely declined and before she got a chance to hurt me, Nerada saved me.”
Lorka clinched her teeth and her eyes blazed over with fury. “I’m going to fucking kill her!”
Nerada grabbed her before she could reach Fujiko. “Hey…I know I’m the last person that wants to deny Fuji a beating’…but don’t you want to get into that fancy college?”
“So what?”
“I don’t think putting someone in the hospital is gonna look good on you record.”
Lorka’s anger began to cool. “But…she hurt you and my Aru’ka. She could have seriously hurt both of you and I wasn’t here to help…”she sniffed, her anger replaced with concern.
Nerada patted her on the back. “Your ‘Aru’ka’ broke Fujiko’s nose, and smashed a piece of timber over her head. I’m sure that’s going to be embarrassing enough for ole’ Fuji when she wakes up.”
Lorka’s jaw dropped. “Thomas did that?”
“Yup.  Maybe you’ve got better taste than I thought, Lorka.”
“You guys think maybe we should stop standing around having a hallmark moment so we can take Nerada and Fuji to the nurse’s office?” Rakka said.
“Yeah, yeah. Shit, I thought I was supposed to be the killyjoy.” Nerada mumbled.
Loni and Rakka took Fujiko by the arms and legs and carried her out of the room.
Before she could leave, Lorka stopped Nerada. “Hey…thanks for helping Thomas. I just…if you hadn’t been here and something happened to him, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”
Nerada slapped her on the back and gave her a smile. “Anything for you sis.”