Of Beginnings

Chapter 5

Rain splashed against the little stepping stones of the gigantic pathway to the school. A group of school-girls waiting underneath a tree immediately scrambled due to three school-boys chasing them out from under them. Itami Junior-High was, in all honestly, quiet that morning. Under one tree sat Itazura. Quietly, he stared down at his beaten arms. Scars had formed where Headmaster Ran'yō had beaten him. Sighing, he stretched his arms out into the rain. The soothing feel of the water on his torn skin was almost overwhelming. Yesterday, he almost slipped. "Don't let your temper overtake you..." He muttered to himself. "What did just say to me?" Itazura's eyes flashed open. Standing in front of him was Gosu, the School Bully. Gosu had long black hair that was never tied up. His eyes looked like he hadn't slept for years, and his body complained of hunger. His figure was thin, this was for sure. He always wore a black overcoat with the collar up. "Get up." The boy hissed. "No, Gosu." Itazura replied slightly irritated. "I wasn't speaking to you." Gosu stared down at him, then turned and punched Itazura in the gut. Itazura immediately sat up from the blow. Blood dripped down the side of his lip. "Damn it, Gosu." He muttered. Gosu smiled as a crowd formed around the two. "What's wrong, Yowai, Scared?" Itazura struggled to contain composure. Calm but shaking, He stood up. Running forward, he knocked Gosu to the ground. Once pinned down, Itazura punched Gosu in the face. "How's that for weak, Gosu?" He shouted. Half the girls began shrieking for Itazura to stop, while the other half was fawning over him. While he continued, Gosu looked up and noticed Itazura's right eye, which was always covered by his hair. "What the...? What are you?!" He exclaimed. Itazura stopped and realized that his eye was showing. Immediately, he jumped up and backed away. "Headmaster!" The boy shouted. Immediately Headmaster Ran'yō came to Gosu's side. "What is it, Gosu?" The headmaster asked. He turned and pointed to Itazura. "We got in a scuffle, but I didn't mind that part. The real problem was that Itazura was using this...hidden magic against me!" The Headmaster turned his eyes to Itazura. "Get over here, boy." He growled. Itazura shook his head while trembling. "I didn't mean to, I s-snapped..." The Headmaster grabbed Itazura by the neck of the shirt and stared into his left eye, the one not covered by his hair. "I don't see any trace of magic in this boy, Gosu." He hissed. "No! The other one, the one covered by his hair!" The Headmaster turned back toward Itazura and moved the hair out of his face. There, his eye revealed itself. The Headmaster dropped Itazura on the ground. He grunted once then went silent. "I cannot believe my eyes, A true gypsy, just waiting to break free! Guards! Bring the constraints!" Only a few seconds later did the guards appear. As They chained up Itazura, the Headmaster stared down on him. "Do you know where you're going?" He asked. Itazura blatantly looked toward him. "You're going to Gōmon no ba, which the students call 'Hell on Earth'." Itazura then stared into the headmaster's eyes, the hair now uncovering both of his. "Ah, I guess see you there, then." He stated monotonously, but grinning in a seemingly lazy or drunken way.

A guard threw him into a carriage, and Itazura called just before the doors of the school were shut. "And I'm not a Gypsy! I'm a-"