SMO Chapter 4.1 : Avoiding

"Why hello there. Did you forget about me?"

. . .

Being dragged into an empty room, Suuco couldn't seem to find any other teachers around.

'They must be in their classes. Isn't this a bad time for the bell to ring?' The 2nd bell indicating the start of the next class rung.

After entering the room, Taki throws Suuco to the wall, where he pretends to take more damage than normal to avoid more of the beating.

As Suuco stands slowly, he looks up at Taki, who was just standing and smiling.

'What? Why is he just standing there? Is he waiting for something?' Of course, he was just waiting for the rest of his gang to get there.

"Now, little Suuco, any last words before we brake a few of your bones?" Taki slams his fist into his palm.

"Umm, leave me alone?" Suuco can only back up until he hits the wall.

"Nope."

Taki throws the first blow.

Somehow, It missed.

"What? Did you just dodge?" Taki's hand nearly hit the wall behind Suuco.

'Wait, was he always this slow? And when did I dodge?' Suuco realized that his head moved out of the punches way.

Throwing another blow, Suuco dodges. A few more blows, but they missed.

"The hell? Quit Dodging! You guys, get in here!" The other members of his gang join in, but Suuco continued to dodge, making some of them hit the others.

'This feels like I'm fighting Horned-Rabbits. Is that why they seem slow?' Suuco fought many Horned-Rabbits, but did they really affect him?

The Answer is, yes.

While fighting enemies, Suuco had to weave himself out of difficult situations. In the process, he also gained a sense of Bravery. Killing Fast Enemies would usually be tough, but he had pretty high Agility. The Agility also affect him, allowing for him to see things a little slower that they actually are. With all of this, he gained a form of "Subconscious Dodging".

Continuing, the others couldn't land a blow, or even create an opening. Suuco saw a small gap form, and jumped through, opening the door, and running away.

Before the gang could notice, they continued throwing punches, hitting anything or anyone they could get their hand off. After a few seconds, Taki notices that Suuco was no longer in the room.

. . .

'That was kind of fun.' Suuco can only smile at what happened. Before he can continue, however, he bumps into another familiar person.

His Homeroom Teacher, Mrs. Tarahashi, was a beautiful woman with a bad attitude. Everybody at school knew her, since she would get anybody in trouble for the smallest things, like eating a snack in class, or listening to music during a test.

Surprisingly, she's married to a man who makes decent money and owns a big house. The Married Couple are not on very good terms though. Their relationship was on it's last leg.

Rumor has it that her Husband has been fooling around with other women, which seems to put Mrs. Tarahashi on edge.

"Sorry, I was held up and tried running to class." Suuco uses a Half Truth, since he Was held up, but never tried running towards class. Suuco just wanted to get out of the room and as far away as possible.

With a sigh, Mrs. Tarahashi simply just walks away.

'That's strange. Is she gonna scold me or not?' Suuco walks up to the Teacher.

"Hey, you seem down. Are you okay?" Suuco tried asking her, but she simply continued to walk.

"If you can bother me, you can get to class. So hurry up and leave me alone." Coldly, she walks away, no longer having Suuco in tow.

'There is definitely something wrong. But that will have to wait until later.' Suuco walks towards class, as well as avoids everybody he sees.

Making it to class took a little longer, but he made it in time. Apparently there was a Test today, so even if he was late, that would just take time off of his work.

. . .

Managing to finish the test last second, he passes it forwards, and starts heading towards his next class.

P.E. was by far one of his most favorite classes. Suuco liked running, and also liked to see how fast he can go at max speed.

As PE goes on, he noticed some people sitting in the bleachers, and managed to hear what one of them said.

"Even if I increase my Strength in SMO, then without the rig-" Suuco kept running, and was only able to hear that much.

'So there are people in this school who can afford an FDVR Headset? Interesting. Maybe I'll try and get one for Mina, and then we can play together.' Suuco kept running, hardly out of breath, and the PE Teacher can only look in amazement as Suuco just continues to run Laps around the Track.

Suuco was thinking of other things, so he didn't notice the fatigue and aching in his muscles until class was over.

When the Teacher blew his whistle, Suuco snapped out of his trance, and fumbles onto the grass, finally realizing how tired he was.

'Oops, I guess I was in my own world for too long...' With the help of the Teacher, he was able to get back up and on his feet.

"You have some impressive Speed and Stamina kid. Ever thought of Running for the School? We have Cross-country if you're interested. You would be a hit, I guarantee it." The PE Teacher offers Suuco the Cross-country Form, but Suuco gently pushes it back.

"Thanks, but I like to run for fun. I also don't think others would be glad about me getting even a small amount of recognition." Suuco thanks the PE Teacher, who, with Suuco just now realizing, had a Name Tag.

His name was Mr. Hino. Apparently Suuco didn't know his name, even though he's half way through the school year.

"Oh, well don't let others get you down. If you ever want to sign up, come find me." Mr. Hino gives Suuco a pat on the back, almost making him fall, since he was still hurting from the aching muscles.

. . .

His next class was his least favorite : History.

'Well, might as well tolerate it for just a little longer.' Suuco goes to sid in his seat, only to have it be occupied by someone he didn't know.

"Um, excuse me." The person in the chair didn't seem to listen, or even acknowledged his existence.

The person in the chair was a female student who seemed to have an attitude. She had Blonde Hair with a small portion of Cyan Dyed Hair.

"Hello, you seem to be in my seat. So could you please stand up?" After saying that, she went into her bag and pulled out a large sum of money, throwing it in Suuco's face.

"Go find somewhere else, and keep the cash. I wanted this spot, so I'm keeping it." With that said, Suuco walks away.

Without pocketing the money, he throws it in the garbage bin with a *thud* and starts walking back. Having made a sound, everybody else in the classroom simply followed him with their eyes.

"What was that for? That was about a Hundred Grand! Are you a fool?" The girl stands up angrily, and begins yelling at Suuco.

However, Suuco was not phased. With all of the things that happened, he felt a little annoyed.

With cold eyes, he simply looks at the girl, who suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.

"I'm a little irritated right now. So please get up, or simply go away." Either option was for her to just get out of his seat.

"I... I can sit where I want. My Father makes a lot of money, and my Mother does too. I could buy this school if I wished for it. So why don't you find another place to sit." With a slightly worried expression, she sits back down.

'So this is what you would call a "Spoiled Brat", huh. First time seeing one, but I'm not exactly in the best state of mind right now.' In truth, Suuco was worried of many things.

He planned to look for a Job soon, since the Money that was left from his Grandfathers Will was starting to run a little low. He planned to get a Job before his School Life ends.

And if that wasn't enough, there was Mina, her Bullies, Taki and his gang, and the thought of Mrs. Tarahashi looking troubled.

He didn't want even more problems to pile up.

With an annoyed expression, he thinks of a quick solution.

"How about a coin toss?" The girl looks at him with a surprised expression.

"A coin toss? Hmm, I guess that would be more fair. But if I win, then I get the seat, and you have to sit on the floor next to me like a puppy." The girl agrees to Suuco's Coin Toss.

"Ok, but if I win, I get the seat, and you have to sit next to me for the rest of the year. Deal?" Extending his hand for a handshake, the girl takes it, and they shake on it.

Getting a Coin from his pocket, he explains a few things.

"If the coin us interrupted by something or someone, then we go again. We call which side it will land after it is in the air. If one person chooses a side, then the other cannot choose the same side. Do you get it?" The girl nods in agreement.

"I'm Suuco, by the way." He greets himself with a confident smile.

"Introductions? Very well. My name is Shina Bellpoint, but you can call me Shi." She introduces herself with her full name.

'Bellpoint? I feel like I know that name, but from where?' As Suuco tried to remember, he went back onto the main focus of the situation.

With the coin in hand, he goes into position.

"Ready?" Shi nods, and Suuco flips the Coin.

"Heads." Shi says as soon as the coin left Suuco's hand.

"Guess I got tails." The coin stops, then starts to fall.

Spinning, the coin hits the floor. Bouncing around, it suddenly begins to roll.

To everybody's surprise, the coin stops.

It didn't fall.

"Wait, so who wins?" A random student spoke out from the croud, and everybody begins to chatter.

"So it's a tie, huh?" Suuco picks up the coin from the ground.

"Wait, so what happens now?" Shi wears a confused face, not knowing what to do about the Tie.

"I have a proposal." Everybody stops what they were talking about, and look at Suuco.

Ignoring the stares, he continues.

"How about this, you get to keep the seat, but I have to sit next to you, which means that half of the deal will be kept. You get the seat, and you also have to sit next to me for the rest of the year." Everybody started to chatter again at Suuco's proposal.

"Hmm, what an interesting Idea. I suppose we could just call it a draw for now. I accept your proposal." They shake on it, confirming that the deal has been settled.

Luckily, the seat next to Suuco was always empty, since people always avoided him. He grabs the desk and scoots it over to Shi's new desk, and proceeds to sit down. Shi does the same, and sits in her new spot.

The Teacher was interested in what was going on, so he ignored the fact the he was supposed to be teaching until after the others sat down.

Going on with the class, the day goes on.

. . .