化物狩団

He didn't feel like waking up today. The reason was a bit complicated, and no one believed him anyway, but it was still annoying enough that he would rather lay on his futon all morning.

This wasn't a good idea, though; he needed to get to school.

He sighed and got up, putting on his uniform and putting away his futon. He looked at the clock and realized that there wouldn't be time for breakfast. He sighed again.

Homework, yes. School bag, yes. Hat, y-wait a minute. It was gone from its usual spot. He did a quick glance around the room; no hat.

Raizou could tell that today wasn't really going to be a good day.

It had probably taken his hat. He frowned at nothing in particular. It was always more playful than murderous in the morning. Not wanting to waste anymore time, he decided to leave his hat for later and just go to school.

Something hit him in the back of the head as he walked out of his room. His vision filled with stars and the force almost knocked him over. He rubbed his head (thankfully not bleeding) and turned around. The hat was laying by his feet. He picked it up and reached inside, removing a rather large rock from the hat. The rock was thrown out the door and the hat was put on Raizou's head. He angrily shut the door and headed off to school.

"Raizou...hey Raizou!"

"What!" Oh, Chihaya was still talking to him. She had been talking about some thing on the radio last night, but it hadn't been important so he had stopped paying attention, not like she expected him to listen anyway. Apparently though, she had switched topics.

"Remember? We're supposed to go see the principal before class today."

"Was it before class?" Whatever it was, it could probably wait until at least lunch time.

"Yes..." She sounded a bit annoyed as she rolled her eyes at him. "Let's go, hm?"

The two friends headed towards the main office after reaching the school. They had to wait since the principal was busy with someone else, so they sat outside the door.

Eventually some other distraught student walked out of the office.

"Jinrai! Kanachi! The principal is free now." The two entered the room with expected enthusiasm. They sat down on the other side of the desk.

"You two," the principal, whose name Raizou was having trouble remembering, not that it really mattered much, started, "don't do many school activities. You always head straight home after school."

"Sir, both of us spend hours studying after classes," suggested Chihaya, with a claim that really wasn't backed up by their grades.

The principal gave her a doubting glare. "Be that as it may," he slowly said, "school isn't just about grades. It is also about interaction with your peers. I think you two should join a club of some kind."

Raizou didn't like the sound of this one bit. He wasn't very interested in any of the clubs at school, especially the sports. He also wasn't too excited about being forcibly made to interact with other students; he had other things to worry ab-

Suddenly he had a fantastic idea, marked by a change in expression that only Chihaya would be able to see.

"Sir? Would I be allowed to start my own club?"

"It depends. What activities would it include?"

"It would involve the research and study of traditional Japanese legends and folklore." He smiled.

The principal raised his eyebrows. "That doesn't seem like a bad idea. I'll consider it."

"Actually, I've been thinking about this for a long time," Raizou lied, "and I would really like to be able to start this as soon as possible, if it's all right with you." Really anything to get the man off his case about this.

"Such enthusiasm!" The principal laughed at this. Raizou cringed inwardly a little. "This is fine then; I'll let you start meeting today after school."

The meeting was thankfully wrapped up at that point since class was to start at any minute; all the actual club-starting finery would have to wait until after school. The two students excused themselves and headed for class.

Later, during lunch, Chihaya stared at Raizou curiously.

He stared right back. "What?"

"That idea actually sounds interesting for once. How did you think it up, anyway?" She took a bite of her lunch.

"The club you mean?"

She nodded.

He turned his head to the side, away from her. "So ah, how would it sound if I told you a ghost is trying to kill me?"

She almost choked on her food trying not to laugh.

He stared at her again and frowned. "I'm serious."

"I know you are." This didn't stop her from laughing. "It's just, really? A ghost? Are you sure it isn't something else? Are you sure it isn't Raiki playing tricks on you?"

Raizou sighed and put his head in his hands. "Yes, I'm sure! It attacks me at least once a day. I have to get rid of it somehow."

The conversation ended there as lunch was officially over.