Forest City

Arashi sat bored in his science class. He looked around the room what seemed for the hundredth time and as usual no one was listening to Mr. Winchesters lecture that he gave to his students on the last day of school. Arashi looked out the window longing to get out so that he could go camping with his five best friends. He glanced at the clock. Only twenty minuets left. Ugh why cant the bell ring yet! He was glad that it was at least seventh period. He looked out at the window again. He didn't know how much time had went by when WHAM! He jerked up at the sudden noise and saw Mr. Winchester standing there with his ruler on his desk. "Mr. Kitsune, Please pay attention or ill have to report you to the principles office." Everyone's eye on him, he slowly swallowed. "Yes Mr. Winchester." Arashi replied. Mr. Winchester turned and slowly started to walk back up to the front of the class, he muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "Kitsune? Really what a stupid last name it sounds like a Japanese word, I hate the Japanese." He sighed and continued to the front of the class room "Racist basterd." Arashi muttered under his breath not loud enough for anyone to hear. Mr. Winchester continued his lecture for the remaining ten minuets of class and Arashi found himself staring out the window again.

Running back and forth on stage had its moments. These were one of the good moments. The crowd was loud and pumped up, chanting and cheering his name. Girls threw their bras at him. Laughing he kept singing and playing his guitar, the bright lights almost blinding. Looking left and right he saw his bandmates. How awesome was it that they were on stage and famous? He'd look to the front row and at the end of the song, he'd throw his guitar down watching one girl catch it, almost passing out. Turning around quickly, he'd grab the guitar as if on cue was thrown to him. "Now this nex-" SLAM! Dylan jolted upright in his chair, his eyes bloodshot red from waking up.

The teacher glared at him, almost as if Dylan were a bug on the bottom of his shoe. "I suggest you pay attention Mr. Hale. I would HATE for you to have to stay for detention." Her voice bitter and cold, demanded close to his face. Wiping the drool off his face he'd nod quickly before looking at the clock. Couldn't let me sleep for 10 more minutes? Seriously? He'd shake his head as her form retreated to the front of the class once more. Looking down at his notebook, he saw the drawings he had done beforehand and smiled. Soon... it would be the end of school... at least for a bit.

He impatiently tapped his foot before messing with his snakebites. Come on.. RING already. He thought as he eyed the clock once more, closing the notebook, ready to dash out as soon as the bell rung. He was ready for the school day to be over.

Sumiko couldn't believe it was the last day of school all ready. She finished her sophomore year without too much trouble. It helped that she had 5 good friends to support her. Of course a few of her teachers were concerned that a few of them appeared to be 'slackers' in their opinions and their 'habits' would rub off on her. In other words, they were worried her grades would suffer, when it was the total opposite. While Sumiko was a good student, she didn't become great until after she became friends with the 5 she knew now. It made her more social and she participated in the class more. Still, she feared letting her friends down in any way. At the moment, her eyes were focused on the elderly female teacher as she looked over their final assignments, which covered Shakesphere's A Midsummer Night's Dream. All of them had to turn in a powerpoint presentation. It didn't matter what they talked about as long as it related to the story.

"Miss Osaka? You're up next." Mrs. Berstein said, smiling maternally at the blonde.

Taking a deep breath, Sumiko came up and gave her presentation.

Raiko stared blankly out the window next him, not really listening to Mr. Edogawa's lecture. He was making a list of the things he would need to bring for the camping trip. He had only become friends with the other five a year ago, this was his first time on the camping trip. He usually enjoyed Mr. Edogawa's lessons, the Japanese man always brought in props or items from the time period to help the students understand. He was probably Raiko's favorite teacher. Today he was giving the class a sneek preview of next year's studies, the Sengoku Era. "Mr. Sanada are you listening?" Mr. Edogawa asked. Raiko turned his blank stare to the teacher. "Not really, I've read a lot of books on the Sengoku Era." Raiko answered in a bored tone. Mr. Edogawa nodded and adjusted the samurai helmet on his head. "Then can you tell me what battle took place in 1600?" Raiko thought for a moment, carefully selecting his answer before actually saying it. "In 1600 the Sekigahara was fought. Japan was divided into two armies, the East lead by Ieyasu Tokugawa and the West lead by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Both men fought to unite Japan under their rule. Ieyasu won, eventually leading the land into a time of peace known as the Tokugawa Era." Mr. Edogawa nodded again, impressed by Raiko's detailed answer and continued teaching. Raiko went back to staring out the window, thoughts far away once again.

Varick as per usual was flicking through a book,it wasn't an adventure novel or anything so exciting but a journal he had discovered lying in the sand dunes a few day's back. So far it's contents were nothing more than boring complaint's about life but there was a value to everything,a piece of the puzzle lay hidden in this book...or so he thought, just as Old Mrs. Haggard roared at him from the front of the room.

"Close that blasted book Varick!, Have you even been paying attention! This is new scientific data, just discovered and it could change the face of the world. We ALL have to learn it so we can understand it,and your reading that foolish old thing you found in the muck." She seemed to blather, Varick had no time for such thing's and neatly and quietly closed the book,keeping his thumb inside the pages before he spoke "If you'd like to look at the last name of the man who discovered this new and amazing science that we all apparently have to learn about and blah blah,I got bored half-way through your speech so I apologize that I can't make fun of your speech patterns better,Here let me try something." Varick paused for a moment and stood up,opening his mouth wide and chomping as he began shortening his arm's,he stifled a laugh as his classmates played the role they had assumed at the end of nearly every year of science. The scared citizen's,immediately they began running around the room screaming thing's like "Oh my god it's Hagzilla!" and "Run for your lives!, The Homework is unbearable. THINK OF THE CHILDREN!" before he settled them down with a good-natured Hagzilla arm wave.

"It's written by my Father, and if you'll notice in the credential's, I am signed as one of his Partner's. Now if you'll excuse me I have a camping trip to pack for." and that was it,he left the classroom to a shocked teacher and his usual round of applause before he went to wait outside the school for his friends.

Arashi burst out the door as every other kid in school hurried out of there class rooms. Of course the halls were jammed pack with students that were trying in vain to get out side and to home. But he knew he wouldn't, He quickly went into a hall that was practically deserted. And people never came this way because it was dead end. But what other students didn't know was there was a door that lead to the outside and was always unlocked. He slipped through the door way and went down the long twisted hallway. After five minuets he found the door that led to outside. He opened the door and stepped out. He went two the front of the school and there were some people out of the school but there were still a lot of people inside.

Ha people need to be a little more absorbent. He walked briskly to the parking lot were tons of students cars were parked.

The bell finally rang. "Don't forget we're going to chose who's going to be the warlords the first day next year, so practice your weapon skills." Mr. Edogawa said as the kids started leaving. Raiko got his stuff and started weaving through the other kids. It didn't take him very long to get outside, he was good at avoiding people. On his way home he had to stop at the store and get a 20 pound bag of flour for his adopted parents. He dropped it off at the bakery and then went home to pack. He started putting things in his backpack that he thought he would need. As he went around his room he noticed his pendant sitting on his dresser, he picked it and stared at it for a moment. It had been a gift from Yuki, the other person who had ever remembered when his birthday was. He put it on after a minute. Maybe bringing it wasn't the best idea, but he never went anywhere without it. Except for school because he didn't want it to get stolen by his arch nemesis, one of the bullies.

Varick heard the bell ring from his position sitting atop the schools roof-top. Staring out at the swarm of ants called students as they fled the ant-hill. Crushed underfoot by the holidays.

"Well, If they're all packing then I'm done slacking. Time to head home and finally get ready for this thing!" He said with a grin and a stretch,to nobody but himself. As he slid down and off the roof,onto a nearby stair-railing that he happily slid down with an attention catching shout,before falling off and landing hard on the concrete...he was alright..just winded,and grazed. "Ouch..ow...owie.....Ow again. Okay..Guess I'm adding first-aid to the list of things to do, Yay band-aids!" He grumbled,slinking off to his house.

Varick slowly pushed open the door to the dump that was his home, greeted only by his cat, the fast-food from the night before and an empty house. He picked up his cat 'Einstein' and trudged along the cracked and rotting floor-boards until he got to his room. The only room in the house that wasn't dead empty and wrecked. Piles of CD's DVD's and Games stacked up in neat cases along the walls around his king-sized bed, The only room that still had electricity thanks to his superb ability to hi-jack the neighbours.

He brushed down the bed,pulled out the new suit-case he had been saving up for months to buy and filled it full of everything he thought he'd need. "Aaah..Nothing like home eh Einstein?...I'll be gone for awhile, but I'm leaving enough food to feed an elephant so you better not leave me alone you hear!" He yelled,with fake enthusiasm as he trudged back out the house,leaving the promised mountain of food behind. "I'll be home soon...I alway's am.." He said with a hint of sadness,the door squeaking shut behind him as he left for the meeting place. One quick wave to his neighbour was all that was required to keep up the charade. The outside of the house was immaculate and the mail and bills were still being payed as they had always been.

Jess had skipped the last day of school for some fun playing pranks on teachers. What were they going to do to her? Expel her over the summer? She Had finished doing all her work why did they even make us go to school after the ests were over she thought to herself. She Loved music she blasted it loud in the school parking lot all day and no one could figure out where it came from. She drew on the Chalk bored during lunch making her goodbye day last enough till Summer break ended. Before school had a chance to end she had already made a mess of the cafeteria and some of the class rooms. it was her end of the year signature move. She walked away from the school as every normal kid would do. Except with a bang as always. She went to the park and ate a piece of lemon cake with some orange juice she was all alone but she didn't mind. She had her music to be with her. Shew watched kids go home from school and didn't pay attention to the time she had time she wasn't far away from where they all met. She knew it was going to be some time or another but she had everything she needed with her. She decided to go and hang around the place early like she liked to do. She aterted walking there and listened to her music on her Ipod.

Unlike most of the other students, when that last bell rang, Sumiko took her time getting all her things together.

"That was a great presentation Miss Osaka." commented Mrs. Berstein as she got her own things together.

"Thank you ma'am." Sumiko said politely as she zipped up her back pack.

"Have a nice summer dear."

"Same to you." the blonde said before leaving.

The empty hallways seemed like a ghost town and it unnerved the teen so she quickly exited the school and walked to the parking lot where the Sophomores parked where her car was. Even though Sumiko could afford the most luxurious cars, she prefer to get something that wouldn't stand out as much so she ended up by a 4 door Volkswagen that was beige colored. She drove home, which was several minutes away.

Sumiko's family was very wealthy so she lived in a high-priced gated community. Her home was a big mansion. It was just a darn shame it was empty most of the time, except for the paid live in servants. Her own parents were rarely there even on her birthday and holidays. They made it for Sumiko's 16th, but only because they had her "Coming of Age" Ball. She hardly knew her parents. The only thing she knew about them was their careers. Her father was a highly successful and world famous architect and her mother had her own editorial shoe line. Sumiko was expected to follow in a similar career route in the arts, something she still wasn't sure yet, even though she loved taking pictures.

When Sumiko pulled up to the front gate, she got out of the car and tapped in the security code before rushing back to her car and driving through the gates when they opened up. She parked the car in a huge garage before getting out and going inside the house on the side door.

"Hello Sumi! How was your last day at school?" asked the family housekeeper, a very friend middle age woman named Tess.

"It was good. I am going to get ready for that camping trip with my friends." Sumiko replied with a genuine smile.

"Sure thing sweetie. I am finishing a picnic basket too. Nothing too fancy I assure you. But it'll still be top quality. How does PB&J sound?"

"Great, as long as nothing exotic goes into it, hehe." laughed Sumiko before going to her room, which was up on the 2nd floor of the 3 floor house.

It didn't take her long to pack her things, which wasn't that much. She always packed a spare outfit just in case. Coming downstairs, she heard her cell phone go off in her pocket. Pulling it out, she got a text message from her mother.

You're father and I are traveling to Carmel now to check on that new loft he's building. Just letting you know dear. Have a nice summer.

Sumiko sighed. She had secretly hoped that after traveling to Hawaii to see her grandparents that they would be coming back for a summer break. Wishful thinking it seemed. Trying to push sad thoughts aside, she went back to the kitchen where Tess was and helped her finish the sandwiches before putting all the other things in there. Tess was smart enough not to ask what brought about Sumiko's down demeanor and wished she could be more of a comfort to her. Tess had been more of a mother figure to Sumiko than her own real mother.

"You have a good time Sumi okay?"

"Yes ma'am. Bye." Sumiko said before heading back to her car and leaving.

She was ready to see her friends.

Varick swung his suit-case down to lay on the floor of the meeting place,apparently he'd arrived early. With a grin he pulled his cheap flip-phone out of his pocket and spent five minutes struggling to send out texts to each of his friends. He was never one for texting,preffering to call or actually speak with people. That's not to say he wasn't a massive tech-geek when he could get his hands on something decent.

"Where're you at Slackers!, I'm sitting here waiting to get this thing started!, Hey,any of you got a spare pillow and a car battery? I've got everything else! K thnx, cya here!" The text read,having been proof-read about five times before Varick finally thumped his finger down on the send button. Leaning back with another wide-grin as he pulled a notebook and a pen from the suitcase before he relaxed ontop of it. Scribbling blue-prints and notes for experiments and inventions...aswell as the odd sketch or drawing of animals and fantasy creatures. Flicking to the back his grin could only widen as he read through the detailed sketches and profiles he had made for various Characters he had invented for Role-playing. Hey, It focused his otherwise very scattered mind.

He kept an eye and an ear out for Jess at all times whilst he sketched and wrote away in his book,occassionally checking his phone for a text. He knew they'd be around here somewhere,They had a habit of showing up out of nowhere, atleast to him. Then again he had a short attention span even for a teenager. He was just glad they're arrival was ussually proceeded by music otherwise he sometimes swore she would give him a heart-attack.

Sumiko heard her cell phone go off while she was driving. Instantly, she knew it was one of her friends, most like Varick. However she didn't answer it since she was driving and was actually not far from the meeting place. So minutes later, the blonde teen arrived herself. Turning off the car, she checked her text messages and saw that she did receive a text from Varick, which she answered immediately.

I am here. Sorry if I am late. Be right with you.

Checking for spelling and grammar, she sent it to Varick before getting out of the car and started getting her things out, including the picnic basket, which was a bit more heavier than she thought. She took her time though, not seeing any rush.

Just as he was leaving the house, Raiko's cell phone beeped, causing him to jump. He still wasn't used to having it, after all he had just gotten it a year ago. And it was his first one. There was a text for Varick complaining about the others being late. "Had to pick up some flour, I'll be there soon." he texted back.

Raiko went to the linen closest and got a pillow for Varick. He stuffed it in his bag and sent another quick text. "I'm bringing you a pillow."

It took Raiko a while because he had to walk, but he eventually arrived at the meeting place. He saw Varick so he went over to him. He took the second pillow out of his bag and set in on Varick's suitcase. "Here." he said quietly.

Jess walked up listening to her music it was playing fairly loud. "Hey what you doin? She leaned over Variks shoulder and watched what he was doing." they were just missing a few more people then they would be ready. she had looked foward to this like she did every year. She always liked being around her friends all tho they were all very different. Thats what made it fun the differnt personalitys gettin along and clashing it was all fun to her.

Jess continued to watch him untill he answered her question. She waved at the other two for now she figured she would make her way around and say hi once every one got here. she changed the song to something with lots of screaming she didn't know the song that came on she had only downloaded ten tons of music so she wouldn't run out of things to listen to. And if she wanted she knew she could always just barrow some ones drawing to look at if she missed the outer world to much which she never did.

Varick checked his phone with a grin. Seeing the both texts and awaiting both of their arrivals just as Raiko and Jess seemed to appear. He grinned wider as Jess asked him about his notepad.

"Just drawing and Writing inventions,characters and whatnot into my notepad. Speaking of which Hello you two! and thanks for the pillow!" He said with a slight chuckle before beginning to stuff various wires and odd devices strategically in and around the pillow itself until it too looked like a giant clockwork Gizmo. He seemed to be one of the few people whom liked to incorporate gears and old fashioned piston systems. Why he had such things in his bag was a mystery.

"Sweet! Now all I need is the battery and we have a ridiculously simple yet complex Lightning rod,heater and weird kinda dangerous giant speaker! Here's hoping Dylan brings one." He said, standing up and spinning around to give Jess a friendly hug,turning afterwards to offer a hand-shake to Raiko. What?, he liked hugs.

"So how was all you're last days of school?, Mine as is tradition ended with me being teacher Godzilla." He asked, He had a habit of bombarding people with words and actions,especially when he was excited. I mean,after asking he had begun excitedly climbing and jumping off things like a small child whilst he awaited all the reactions and answers. The teen was quite odd.

When Sumiko had all her things, she grabbed her backpack, her purse, and the picnic basket. She also wore a sun hat. School prohibited the use of wearing hats so when she wasn't at school, she was always wearing one. Seeing most of her friends there, she smiled as she came up.

"Hello guys. Sorry if I am late. My housekeeper made pb&j sandwiches and cookies for us. Could someone help me with this please? It's a little heavy." she said.

She hoped the rest would show up soon.

Jess smiled at Sumiko and all her stuff she went over to help her. "You know you didn't have to bring snacks for everyone rite?" Jess took the basket from her and set it on a flat treed stump "Is it the good jelly?" She asking wandering if it was some fancy jelly she probably never heard of before or if it was home made that was the best kind in Jess's opinion. She looked in the basket and looked at the cookies she didn't wait for every one else before sticking her hand in and taking one. She counted the cookies and sandwiches to see if every one was only allowed one. She knew they were probably men't for later but she didn't mind so much as how the cookies would get cold and Jess wasn't a big fan of cold cookies. "Nice hat by the way. You should have worn it to school today." Jess said with a smile she enjoyed getting in trouble the last day of school cause the teachers couldn't do anything about it. It was the only day she ever skipped school when she wasn't sick or worse.

Arashi had driven home without to much traffic in the way. He hurry and jumped out of his car and ran into his house. He ran into his room going back and forth getting his things for the camping trip. His phoned beeped and he took it out. At the same moment he was running down the hallway and tripped on something and crashed into the wall "Ow." He rubbed his head. He looked for his phone witch have had flown out of his hand. It beeped again so he was able to find. It was a message from Varik. He typed in his message: Sorry running late still trying to get all my stuff to gather. See you guys soon. He pressed send and continued to pack. "Okay lets see Toothbrush..." He ran into the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste. After collecting a few more things he walked into the Kitchen and grabbed some food to bring. He walked out the door and hoped into his car and drove off to see his friends at there usual meeting place.