Isekai and Pom Poms, Part 3

(Pov: Pommy)

The darkness I was trapped in -for who knows how long- faded when I opened my eyes.

What I saw wasn't a classroom or even a school. I was outside and looking at a brick wall, resting in a pile of snow. My butt was totally soaked.

When I tried to think back to earlier it only gave me a headache. My thoughts were all out of whack and the only thing I could think clearly about was Axel.

"W-what happened, Cheer…?" I whispered.

I looked from side to side hoping to see him next to me. From what I could tell I was in a dirty alley and sadly no Cheer in sight.

Why am I back in the alley?

"Hey Cheer?” I said louder as I waited for a response. When one didn't come my way I reached behind my back, thinking maybe he was asleep in it.

I touched my back.

Where's my backpack?

I got up to my feet and tried looking for it. The only thing around was a few trash cans and a pile of snow with my imprint in it.

"Cheer!?"

M-maybe he's buried under the snow.

I dived in and threw up the snow around me. I didn't have my gloves, I had left them and my jacket back in my locker. My hands started freezing as I kept digging. I held them up to my mouth and warmed them up with my breath.

"Huh?"

When I looked closer at the ground there was a dark spot. It kinda looked like dried blood.

I need to go...

I looked towards the exit and started heading that way. I was stopped when I bumped into someone entering the alley.

"Watch it you dick!" Yelled an extremely tall man.

I looked up to see the man's face. He had a nose piercing and long brown hair. He looked like he could tear a bear apart. If I was a normal girl I might have been intimidated by him.

"I-im sorry." I bowed to apologize.

"A girl? What the hell is a cute lookin' thing like you doin’ in a place like this." He walked towards me as I backed away.

"I was...just lost. Excuse me!"

I don't have time to deal with guys like him.

I tried to run past him when he grabbed my shoulder.

"Um...could you let go?" I couldn't hide the annoyance on my face.

"Not so fast, being a bit rude aren't ya? Why don't you tell me your name."

"Talking about rudeness, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

He laughed. "I can do that for ya babe."

Babe…? This guy really has no tact.

"The names Techno." He said proudly like I was supposed to have heard of him before.

...He is named after a type of music…he must be messing with me. Whatever, just smile and be nice.

"And now yours, sweetheart?"

"Pommy!" I gave him a wide smile.

"What kind of retarded name is that!?" He said with a disgusted face. His brows furrowed.

Your name Is Techno! You have no room to talk.

"A-anyways I'm looking for a boy named Axel. You wouldn't happen to know him?" I changed the subject.

"Why does that name sound familiar?” He scratched his head. “Axel...Axel...I think my guys mentioned something about an Axel yesterday."

"Really!? Do you know where he is?" I jumped towards him in excitement.

"No I don't know where the bastard is."

Darn it!

"Oh...ok. Would your friends know?"

"Why don't we stop talking about this Axel dick and start talking about us. I think we can get along real well."

"No." I immediately turned around and started leaving.

Then the big guy wrapped his arms around me, trying to hold me close.

"Hey, cmon babe just give me a chan-"

I smashed his face with the back of my fist.

He stumbled backward before falling over into the snow.

I looked down at him. He was knocked out cold.

I should say sorry…

I would never strike someone who wasn't a monster but this guy was pretty close to one.

But I really don't feel like it.

***

I walked through a crowd in a busy street. There were a lot more people than I expected to see today. I guessed that the monster attack last night didn't phase people.

Actually...the people seemed more focused on me.

People glanced at me from the corner of their eyes while some children pointed at me.

I thought maybe they were reacting to how I was dressed. I was in just my school uniform -a wet one at that- and the temperature was far too cold for me to be going without a jacket.

Are my clothes see-through!? Can everyone see my bra!?

I quickly examined my top, luckily that part wasn't that wet so you couldn't really see anything unless you squinted really hard.

Even still people kept looking at me, especially the children. A little girl's face almost glimmered when she looked at me.

Feeling self-conscious I went over and looked at a window at a children's toy store.

Do I look strange? My hair isn't a mess and I don't have anything on my face.

The reflection didn't match when I touched my face.

Huh?

As I looked closer I realized I wasn't looking at my reflection, instead, I was looking at a poster...a poster of me? I started to freak out.

Why is there a picture of me here!? I never signed anything!

"Hey, it's Pommy!" A voice came.

There was a group of little kids looking up at me. More of them were coming towards me. One little girl even shoved her mother away and came sprinting over.

"Wow, it really is her!"

"No stupid it's just someone pretending."

"Nu-uh I can tell she's real."

Pretending? Why would I pretend to be me?

"Arnt you cold, Pommy?"

"Hey, what was up with your show last night? Talk about a letdown."

What show? Was I on the news again, is that what he’s talking about? And wait a minute, my alter ego Magical Pom Pom is the famous one, not me.

“I…um don't know what you are talking about.” I bumped into another group of people as I tried to back away.

"Hi. Hi. Pommy!"

"Can I get your autograph!?"

"Can I have a hug, Pommy!?"

"Can I kiss you, Pommy!?" Said a fat greasy looking man.

I gulped.

I was a little popular at school but nowhere near enough to be treated like this. I needed to escape.

"I...um...gotta go. Sorry!" I took off running.

To my surprise, the children -and the one sweaty guy- started chasing after me. With their parents following.

Did Ragnarok make everyone go crazy!? I need to find Axel. He will be able to help me!

I was going to take a shortcut back to my place but I couldn't find it. I've been all over my city tons of times but everything was different, not vastly different but enough to throw me off. I got completely lost.

And no matter how long I ran they kept following.

My only chance to get away is if I found a place to quickly transform without anyone seeing me and make a quick getaway.

I looked for a place until a hand suddenly grabbed me and pulled me to the side of a building.

"Ah!?"

"Chill out and come with me." Said a girl with dirty blonde hair. She looked about my age.

She pulled me behind the building.

We peeked around the corner until we saw the horde pass.

"Coast is clear. You ok, pink stuff?" She turned to me.

"Y-yeah that was crazy...pink stuff?"

She took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth.

I'm pretty sure you aren't old enough for that…

She raised her pack of cigarettes towards me.

"Smoke?"

"N-no I don't smoke! And you shouldn't either."

"What a girl scout." She scoffed.

"Um...thanks for helping me out there."

"Don't mention it. We girls gotta watch out for each other. Why were they after ya?" She lit her cigarette.

"I really don't know…"

"Weird. I've never seen you around before. What school do you go to?" She said before taking a drag.

"New Castle High."

"You a new transfer student?" She asked while smoke left her mouth.

"No. This is my second year."

"Really? I've never seen you before. Maybe it's cause you dyed your hair?" She looked confused.

I was confused too, I had never seen her before either. I tried to get to know everyone at my school so I felt guilty that I completely overlooked her.

She seems like the rebellious type but that's no reason for me to not try to be friends with her. She helped me out after all.

"So...what's your name?" I asked.

"Chloe. How about you?"

"It's Pommy."

"What kind of retarded name is that!?" She had a disgusted look on her face. Her brows furrowed.

Why does everyone keep saying that!? Nobody had a problem with it before.

She started laughing so hard her cigarette fell out of her mouth.

"I think I'll just stick with calling you pink stuff." She grinned.

Please don't.

"Anyways I'm trying to find my boyfriend, maybe you can help?"

"Boyfriend…" Her head dropped down.

Why does she look so disappointed!?

"His name is Axel."

She suddenly looked more serious.

"He's your boyfriend!? How much did he pay you."

"Excuse me?"

"Did…he threaten you? Is he blackmailing you or something?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"Excuse me!?"

"Listen, pink stuff."

"O…kay."

"I know you're young and the idea of dating someone like him may seem…exciting, but you should stay far away from him."

What does she mean "someone like him"? And why is she lecturing me like she's my mom?

"He's just a worthless wannabe tough guy."

"Take that back…" I clenched my fist.

How dare you talk about my darling like that!

She took a step back.

"Guess I crossed a line there." She laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her head. "Sorry, sorry I don't want to fight you."

I forced myself to relax. I had never gotten so offended before. I thought I had gotten better at controlling myself but her talking about my Axel that way was too much.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's cool. No hard feelings right?" She patted my shoulder.

"Right." I faked a smile.

"If I know Axel, he is most likely at the arcade with Reji."

The arcade, of course! We have gone there together many times.

"I don't know why I didn't think of that." I started to leave. "Thanks for all your help."

"Yeah sure. See you at school sometime?" She looked like she felt bad for making me upset.

I shouldn't have gotten that upset with her. I think she was just looking out for me.

"Yeah let's be friends!" I waved to her as I left.

"Friends? Um yeah sure." She nodded.

I cautiously made my way towards the arcade, avoiding any and all children along the way.

After thirty minutes of wandering around completely lost I decided that I should have asked Chloe for directions.