Touring the University

[felixfalora]

The day was a bright, sunny one, clear of clouds and any signs of rain. The trees were in full blossom, sakura petals falling from the branches and spreading in the wind. College students were traversing across the main ground, speaking to friends and classmates alike. Some were talking about mere gossip while others were discussing projects and schoolwork they had to do. Some even spoke in hushed whispers about their lord and savior Kira. At some point in every place in Japan, Kira's name would be mentioned. But despite his loyalty for the mortal diety, Shinichi was not here for discussions on Kira. "So... this is To-Oh University? It's so... big!"

Despite how mature he usually acted, Shinichi found himself almost childish in this situation. With a camera in hand lent to him by the orphanage, he began to take pictures of the building and the landscape. The beauty that it held was something he wanted to treasure forever. He had never seen such beauty before, even at his high school. There was just a certain aspect of the university that seemed to draw him in. Maybe it was the falling sakura petals. Maybe it was all the college kids, the cute girls and the masculine boys. Maybe it was the buildint itsself, the way it seemed to give off an aura of intelligence and radiance. "I really do have to work hard. This is the university I'd like to attend, but I hear they don't accept underachievers," Shinichi said to himself.

Just then, one guy bumped into him. "Hey, watch it!" he said rather rudely, then continued on. Due to his weight and size, Shinichi hit the ground at the bump. His camera fell and broke too. There was a painful silence that resonated in the air as Shinichi stared at the shards of the broken camera filled with the memories and pictures he had taken in his life and just now. Emotions welled up in his body and he could hardly control them. Shame in his eyes, he hid those eyes as tears began to form in them. Not only did he lose all the precious memories he had worked so hard to capture, but the orphanage would certainly punish him for this tragic accident. Life was so unfair.

[Dazzle]

It was just another day at To-Oh for Dazzle, walking to his next class, which was on Macronomics. It would be interesting to view the Japanese perspecitive on economics, as they had revolutionized many industries that Germany was once known for. With his military-issue backpack slung around his shoulder, his green thrift-store sweater, his torn jeans, and his military-issue boots, he got more than a few stares from the students, although most already knew who he was at this point. Or rather what he was, some weird German exchange student.

It was on this typical day that Dazzle saw something that was unfortunately also very typical. Some jerk knocked over either a new student or prospective student who was touring the campus. Although not one might call a do-gooder, Dazzle did not appreciate the actions of some of the preppy students that unfortunately came with a prestigious school. He began to walk over to this person, but something felt a little off. As he neared, he was not sure whether this person was a guy or girl. This is not the first time he saw a person with ambigous gender, but he usually could tell when he was within close proximity.

Dazzle finally got near the student when he decided that it was more than likely a boy, but a very effeminate boy at that. He approached the unfortunate new comer, smiled, and reached out to him with his right hand.

"Isn't the college experience fun," said Dazzle with a grin, offering to help the person up.

[felixfalora]

I'm doomed... When I get back to the orphanage, they're going to have my head, Shinichi thought as he sobbed silently to himself.

"We trusted that camera to you because we thought you would take care of it!" the headmistress said angrily.

"Please! It was a mistake!" Shinichi begged.

"I don't want to hear any of it. Security, remove this boy from my orphanage. We don't take troublemakers here."

"No! Please! NO!" Shinichi cried as two burly, big men dragged him outside of the orphanage and threw him out onto the streets before closing and locking the doors, leaving Shinichi to knock on it before the cold reality hit him. He was now homeless and vulnerable to the cold winter.

Why? All I wanted to was see the university I wanted to go to one day. Why does this have to happen? Oh lord Kira, please punish the people that would cause this to happen, Shinichi thought as he kept his eyes hidden. But when his tears finally started to die, he heard footsteps nearing him. His eyes widened. Who is it? Is it someone that wants to take advantage of the situation? Does this person want to beat me up? Who's coming up behind me? He quickly dried his tears and turned. The kid coming for Shinichi looked weird... Perhaps an exchange student? Shinichi never criticized for appearances. People with good hearts deserved respect, beautiful or ugly.

And this particular one had a good heart. He offered Shinichi his hand to help him up. Shinichi rubbed the tears on his hands off onto his sleeves before greatfully taking the German exchange student's hand. "Not really... I thought it would be fun, so I wanted to take pictures of it... But now the camera is broken... And it's not even my camera... It belongs to my..." His mouth immediately shut. He was not about to tell this man, nor anyone else, he was an orphan. "... My friend. It belongs to my friend. And he's going to be so angry at me now that's it broken. He's not going to want to be my friend anymore even though it was an accident... It's not fair."

[Dazzle]

"Wow," thought Dazzle as he helped the visitor up. "He is really worked up over this..." Dazzle had his fair share of feuds back in Germany, which partly shaped him into the person he is today, a man with almost no cares in the world except perhaps knowing everything and being the best. "Well," he thought, "This place can be tough on the unprepared an sensitive, the students and even the teachers around here to show no mercy..."

"Dude, if your friend will stop being your friend because you broke some camera, that's not a real friend," he said, trying to cheer the guy up. Not that he really cared really, he just didn't like seeing people being upset over trivial things, like cameras and "friends."

"Anyway's, you can call me Dazzle, if you plan on staying around this place. No, the name is not intended to be as flamboyant as it sounds...It's a nickname I got back in Germany..."

[felixfalora]

"T-Thank you," Shinichi said softly as Dazzle helped him back up. He could tell that Dazzle was a nice person from that gesture, though he didn't really know Dazzle on the inside, which proved that he knew nothing. He listened to Dazzle's words and his eyes fell. "I've been preparing for this university for a long time. I've studied hard and kept my grades up in a hard attempt to get in. Being sensetive or insensetive shouldn't have much to do with getting in or being educated here. As long as you can learn something, that's all that marred," he said softly.

Then he heard Dazzle give him the standard advice anyone would give a person about hearing their friend leaving them. Well Shinichi knew that, but he had lied to Dazzle obviously to hide his own shame. It was not his friend he was worried about. It was the orphanage. The camera had been a unique treasure in the building and now it was gone forever. Shinichi had felt his world crumble down around him before, but never as severe as this. If he were to drown, it would feel better then the emotions that were running through his mind and veins at the present moment.

Dazzle then introduced himself. Manners were always an important part of any human being. Shinichi tried to smile as he held his hand out and shook Dazzle's hand. He didn't have a tough grip and he didn't shake it too fast. Some could classify him as weak for that. "My name is Watanabe, Shinichi. It's nice to meet you." Then he let go and frowned. "But I should probably bring the remains of the camera back to my... friend... and see what he has to say about it." With that, he sighed, and then picked up the pieces of the camera before making to leave the campus.

[Dazzle]

"Alright bro," said Dazzle waving off his new acquantance. "See you around..."

Dazzle got back on his way to his class, and would more than likely end up getting there just in the nick of time. He preffered to do things that way anyway. Hearing that Shinichi was a real student and not some legacy or rich kid shoe-in was good to hear, although rather expected from Shinichi's personality traits. It's good to know that there are other people in the world who are willing to work hard.

"Hmm.." he thought, "Macroeconomics...This should be fun..." He stolled across the campus with big strides with hope of not scarring his life-long perfect attendence record, thinking of his trip to Japan and where he wants to go with the future. "The only thing to do," he thought, "Is suceed really. Being number one at To-Oh is going to be a challenge..."

[End]