Chapter 6 Dinosaur power, release?

Narumi – (Hey guys? I made this group chat for us, are you all okay?)

She stared intently at the screen for an answer from anyone. The hanging tension lasted for about a minute until a response finally came. It was from Kohaku Taiyo.

Kohaku – (Uchida-senpai.)

Well at least there's that, the kouhai can answer. Narumi clicked her tongue. Another message appeared, this time from Matabei Itou.

Matabei – (Yo guys!)

Soon after about half a minute, Daichi sent his text.

Daichi – (Hey.)

Finally, Etsudo sent her message.

Etsudo – (Uchida-san. I am well, thank you for asking. And thank you for making this chat group.)

They're all answering, great. Narumi typed out her next message.

Narumi – (Did anything happen to you guys? Did anyone change or something?)

She waited for them to answer. The tension in knowing whether any of them turned was gripping her, she could only imagine how much it gripped them as well.

Matabei – (Nada. Nothing actually, same old same old.)

Daichi – (Nothing.)

Etsudo – (Uchida-san, nothing happened.)

No one changed again? I didn't either, not since last night. Narumi squinted her eyes at the messages.

Kohaku – (Did something happen to you Senpai?)

Narumi – (No nothing.)

Matabei – (Well we have to figure out how to change again right?)

Daichi – (What?! Why would you want to change again?)

Matabei – (We can become dinosaurs! How frigging cool is that? We're dinosaurs!)

Daichi – (We are not dinosaurs! This is stupid!)

Matabei – (Yes we are dinosaurs, and it's not stupid. It's awesome!)

Narumi – (Guys enough.)

Narumi – (We got to see if we have this situation under control. Any ideas?)

There was silence after she sent her text, it lasted for a minute and Narumi thought perhaps they were all stumped on what to do. She figured any other high school kid in the same situation would be too.

Kohaku – (Uchida-senpai. I suggest we meet after school?)

Narumi – (After school?)

Kohaku – (Yeah, at the forest beside the school?)

Matabei – (Where I saw you as a dinosaur?)

Kohaku – (Yeah.)

Narumi – (I say that's as good as any other idea.)

Etsudo – (Uchida-san?)

Narumi – (Yeah Morita?)

Etsudo – (Do you think maybe we should tell Tachibana-sensei about this?)

Narumi choked the second she saw Etsudo's text. Tell Yukari Tachibana about what was going on? It would be a disaster waiting to happen. Narumi could not help her outburst when she replied to Etsudo's text.

Narumi – (You're kidding right?)

Etsudo – (Uchida-san?)

Matabei – (Hell no!)

Dachi – (No way!)

Narumi – (Morita I tried to tell my parents and I ended up looking like an idiot.)

Etsudo – (Okay, sorry. I'm sorry I asked.)

Narumi winced at Etsudo's apology text. Okay, that was harsh.

Narumi – (No Morita it's okay. Sorry I got too worked up there.)

Daichi – (No one else needs to know about this crap already.)

Kohaku – (Uchida-senpai. Tachibana-sensei will still come for us soon.)

Aw crap. Narumi put her phone away and laid her head down on the pillow. She stared at the ceiling with a sinking feeling in her chest. It is going to suck tomorrow.

***

Narumi was seated on a couch in the counselor's office. Matabei and Etsudo sat with her and Yukari Tachibana was sitting opposite them over the coffee table. Yukari was looking displeased, to say the least.

"I'm assuming you three know why you're here." Yukari said. Her tone was slow and leading. She had one leg over the other with a tapping finger in her crossed arms. Etsudo was quivering in embarrassment, she could not even lift her eyes up to face her teacher.

"Uh...yeah..." Narumi seated in the middle said and nervously scratched the back of her head. Narumi, Etsudo, and Matabei flinched when Yukari put her foot down hard.

"Where were you three?" Yukari asked with a stern and raised voice. "You, Itou. The class said you bolted out of the classroom before the lesson began. Even your belongings were left in the classroom."

Matabei choked up. He tried to make up something in seconds. "Uh...w-well something came up yesterday?"

"What?" Yukari asked, "What came up?"

"Uh...well." Matabei fell to silence, he had driven himself into a wall with this conversation. His eyes darted to Narumi and Etsudo. The girls eyeballed back at him, none of them anything to come up with as an excuse. Yukari Tachibana was getting annoyed at her students and she massaged her temple.

"Oi. What's going on with you three?" She asked them.

"Um..." Matabei bit his lip, and Etsudo still writhed in embarrassment.

Narumi, on her part, just could not say anything. She was just stumped on whether or not she should tell the truth. She could simply show Yukari the photograph of Kohaku as a dinosaur, but she knew it would not be fair for Kohaku at all.

Tell her? Tell her not? Tell her? Tell her not? We don't have much of a way out of this, none at all.

"You played hooky? Is it that simple?" Yukari asked them. "Morita, you faked an illness just to skip school and have fun?"

"No! Sensei that's not it!" Etsudo blurted out. Everyone had their eyes on her and she squirmed in silence once more.

"Okay, then what is it?" Yukari pressed on. Like before, none of the three students gave an answer. Their teacher sighed, "Okay look. I know you guys are not the sort that would indulge in truancy. So what's really going on? This is the third time I'm asking already."

The response was still the same, uncomfortable silence.

Yukari had enough, she dished out her punishment. "Okay fine. You three will be doing cleaning duty for two weeks. Maybe you three may decide on coming clean then." Yukari got up from her seat and went for the exit. "I'll know if you skip on any of them."

Narumi now separated from Matabei and Etsudo dragged her feet down the hallway. Her lunch break was cut in half after getting told off by Yukari Tachibana.

She got to the cafeteria and as she had dreaded it was packed. People were lining up to get their snacks. "Aw come on..."

She whined and joined the line, waiting impatiently along with the others. At last, it was her turn and she got her food, yakisoba buns and a chocolate milk packet.

With her food scooped up in her arms Narumi surveyed the tables, and unlucky for her everywhere was occupied. At the far end of the cafeteria by the windows, she finally spotted someone.

Ryouko Asaki was seated at a center table along with her classmates, and her eyes lit up when she caught sight of Narumi.

"Narumi-chan." Ryouka gave a wave, but Narumi was not looking her way. Instead, Narumi headed elsewhere away from Ryouka. She got quite confused with her friend's actions. "Narumi-chan?"

Ryouko watched as Narumi went over to another single table by the windows, occupied by a first-year boy, sitting alone and having a beef rice meal. Kohaku Taiyo, looking out the window with a listless face.

"Taiyo-san." Narumi called out to Kohaku and he raised his head up from his bowl. He quickly swallowed the rice in his mouth.

"Uchida-senpai?" Kohaku greeted her.

"Let me have this seat." Narumi said, grabbing the chair opposite Kohaku. She did not even wait for a response from him and sat down. A few other students started turning their heads, seeing their idol second-year girl sitting with a first-year nobody.

"Taiyo-san." Narumi said, her face forming a frown. "Guess what? We got cleaning duty for two weeks."

"Oh?" Kohaku did not expect this.

"Yeah, because I had to get all of us out of school before you know what." Narumi said. "Guess I should not expect anything less for playing hooky."

"Well um, thanks again." Kohaku said and took a piece of beef from his bowl. He already noticed the onlookers from the other tables, it made him quite conscious of them.

"Hey, so nothing happened right? You didn't change again after we split up?" Narumi leaned forward trying to be discreet in their conversation.

"No nothing." Kohaku shook his head. "Same goes for the others right?"

"Uh yeah." Narumi said. However, she recalled what she had gathered once she had gotten home. The traits of a dinosaur. "Hey listen Taiyo-san."

"Mm?"

"Alright. The thing is, I think there's something different. About me." Narumi said. "Yesterday when I saw you on the road to school, I could see you so far away right from the school gate. It's like binocular vision, you know?"

Kohaku subtly got taken aback. Narumi continued. "And I could run fast, like really fast. I took a two-story drop like it was nothing."

"And you made a dinosaur noise yesterday." Kohaku reminded her as he finished up his rice bowl.

Narumi flinched and narrowed her eyes at him. "Shut up."

She then said, "Uh...well you know...I mean you know what I'm getting at here? Have you noticed anything similar for yourself? As a...you know as a human."

Kohaku gave a thinking look for a second. "Not that I am aware of."

"Hmm hmm, damn." Narumi then had an idea. "Ah right. We need to meet after school with everyone right? It was your idea."

"Yeah?"

"So, you're going to come to class Two-A after lessons."

"Eh?"

"You can help finish the cleaning duty faster and then figure out this whole dinosaur nonsense. I'll send the text to the chat group, get Kurosawa-senpai over later." Narumi suggested with a shrug.

She then grabbed her food, stood up, and pointed at Kohaku. "So I'll see you at the classroom later alright?"

"Uh..."

"Okay, I'll see you in the classroom later." Narumi did not wait for a response and turned away. Only to see Ryouko coming right for her fast.

"Narumi-chan!" Ryouko called her. "What's going on? Why were you sitting here?"

Narumi did not expect Ryouko to appear before her out of the blue. She tried to come up with an excuse quickly. "Ah? Ryouko? Uh, I was just talking to Taiyo-san here about the excursion."

"Hah?" Ryouko raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah. Ryouko, this is Taiyo-san." Narumi introduced her to the first-year student. "Taiyo-san, this is Ryouko-chan."

Kohaku opted to be polite. He stood up and greeted Ryouko. "Hello, I'm Taiyo Kohaku of class Two-A."

Ryouko was not so courteous. Instead of greeting him, she gave a short glare at him, something he did not appreciate. Ryouko turned back to Narumi. "Narumi-chan, I should let you know. It's really sending a message to everyone around when I called you over but then instead of sitting with your friends, you are sitting alone with this creep."

"Creep?" Narumi said, a little shocked by Ryouko after what she had just called Kohaku.

"Uh I-I mean this guy." Ryouko pointed at Kohaku.

Kohaku picked up his lunch tray and stood up from his seat, gaining both of their attention. Narumi noted his darkened, upset eyes. His usual aloof face now had a scowl at the corner of his mouth. He did not even give either of them a second look, he just took his finished lunch and left. "See you."

Narumi could only watch as he went off on his own.

Hours had passed and lessons were over for the day. Which left the cleaning duty students in the classroom. Namely Narumi, Etsudo, and Matabei.

As they got the brooms out of the closet, the classroom door was drawn open. Daichi Kurosawa stepped in with hands in his pockets.

"Hey." Daichi said. The nicotine in his breath was noticeable.

"Oh look, you're actually in school." Matabei smirked, "And you've been smoking."

He handed Daichi a broom to help with the cleaning. Daichi did not take the broom, he said to Matabei, "What? It's your punishment. I'm only here because our meeting had a change of venue." Daichi grabbed the nearest chair and sat down with his feet on the desk.

"Wow seriously?" Matabei said with a flat tone and carried out his cleaning.

Kohaku arrived a second later. This time it was Narumi who went up to hand him a broom.

"Ah Taiyo-san. Help us with the cleaning, yeah?" Narumi said. Kohaku made a nod, he simply took the broom and started sweeping with the rest.

The group continued cleaning up the classroom, after some time even Daichi got up to help clean the board. While Narumi was wiping down the window, she noticed the dark grey clouds coming from the city's horizon and more were brewing.

Matabei returned from disposing of the trash and said to the rest, "Okay, so now can we get back to figuring out how we turn into dinosaurs?"

They all turned to him and Matabei continued, "That's what we are all here for right? To find out how to change back into dinosaurs?"

"We're not dinosaurs dammit." Daichi groaned.

"Yeah, we are." Matabei argued, "You saw all the evidence yesterday."

Etsudo broke her silence and spoke out, "Uh..."

Eyes were pointing her way and the attention was on her. She said, "I-I think maybe we should not try this at all."

"Why not?" Matabei asked.

"Um, well isn't it uh, dangerous?" Etsudo gave a crucial point, "We don't know anything about this."

"Well, figuring out how to change is the first step right?" Matabei said eagerly. "Do you guys not see the possibilities?"

Daichi crossed his arms. "All I'm seeing is that this is baggage that I don't need."

The tension in Etsudo was starting to reveal itself, her timid nature had a tint of annoyance. She addressed the problems Matabei did not see. "Itou-san. I don't want to change into a dinosaur, we don't know if we can change back and might stay as a dinosaur. We know so little of this."

Narumi threw her piece into the conversation. "Guys stop. We're going to find out how this works, and we're supposed to help each other along the way."

The decision was made for the group, they were going to stick to the plan. Matabei then asked, "So who's our guinea pig?"

Narumi quickly grabbed Etsudo's arm, pulling the girl her way. "Not us, that's for sure."

"Hah?" Matabei raised a confused eyebrow. "Why?"

"You already know what happens if you change. Your clothes don't change with you." Narumi brought a hand to her chest as if to cover herself. "One of you boys do it."

"It's your idea jeez." Matabei scratched his head, "Well then uh..."

"I'll do it." Someone else said first. Kohaku, who was sitting quietly by the side, raised his hand. Everyone save for Daichi was not expecting the freshman to volunteer.

"Taiyo-san, really?" Narumi questioned him and Kohaku nodded. In his viewpoint, it only made sense that he would have to be the experiment. Since there was photographic evidence of how he looked like as a dinosaur they would be able to check for consistencies.

They vacated the classroom and moved to the hidden forest beside the school. Kohaku was surrounded by the other four anticipating anything to happen, and he was starting to regret this idea.

Narumi had her phone up, recording their experiment. "Okay um, what should we start with?"

Narumi gave a suggestion, "Try like uh I don't know. Try calling it out?"

"Calling it out?" Kohaku asked.

"Yeah, like try summoning it out of you. It's like inside of us right? Try bringing it out." Narumi said, and the rest kept their focus on Kohaku.

A stumped Kohaku shrugged, "Okay then." He spaced his legs and announced, "I am uh speaking to the dinosaur inside me...come out?"

Silence lingered on and nothing happened, except for the sound of wind flowing through the forest. As if it was not awkward enough, Narumi was still filming him standing there like a fool. She continued to encourage him. "Try again Taiyo-san! Focus and transform! Go Taiyo-san!"

"Ugh." Kohaku complied. He clenched his eyes and tried to focus. "The dinosaur within me. I call you out. Transform." Kohaku tightened his abdomen. His forehead popped a vein and he gritted his teeth as he continued to strain. "Dinosaur power, release!"

Narumi, Etsudo, Daichi and Matabei just stared at him pitifully, and Kohaku had enough. "This. Is. Stupid."

"Alright enough, enough." Matabei said. "This isn't working, what the hell do you think this is, a sentai show?"

Narumi thought back to the Morita Estate. She made that dinosaur noise after being barked at by Etsudo's dog, Weyland.

"Now what?" Daichi said.

"Maybe it works through emotions." Narumi threw in an idea. "Like maybe the more emotional are, you know."

Matabei snapped his fingers, catching on to what Narumi meant. "So you need to get angry, is that it? Maybe get super angry to change?"

"Eh?" Kohaku narrowed his eyes.

Daichi took out a cigarette and lit it up. As he took a drag he gave a cruel suggestion. "We need to piss you off then."

Etsudo got nervous with that, she could not handle confrontation or aggression of any form. Before Narumi could object, Daichi and Matabei then started their tirade.

"Okay dumbass, what's up with your face huh?" Matabei supposedly threw an insult. "Is that your nose or is that a cockroach on your face?"

"E-Eh Itou-san?" Etsudo gasped.

"Is that hair for real? Or are you wearing a wig for a joke or cosplay? No wait. I got it. God just gave up on making your face look nice." Matabei went on. "Yeah, I see your tiny brain piecing it together. And you're right, I don't like you." Matabei said his final piece.

"Itou-san, stop. Please." Etsudo urged Matabei.

Kohaku however did not budge at all, standing with crossed arms unfazed by Matabei. "This is not working." Kohaku said. "I know it's not real."

The group fell silent to that, but then Daichi took his turn, "What makes you think it's not real?"

The atmosphere soon took a dark turn. Daichi exhaled out his smoke and glared at Kohaku. "Yeah I see right through you." The amber in his cigarette lit up as he drew the smoke in. He sneered, "Looking so gloomy and lonely. You think yourself a loner right?"

Daichi continued, "You're all sulky because of what? No friends? No one likes you? No one cares about you? You thought you could get a social life after middle-school? Is that it?"

Kohaku's face darkened, his eyes slowly and menacingly drifted to Daichi's direction. Etsudo turned white and Matabei knew this was over the line.

"What? You want pity? Is that it? Face it, you're just a loner." Daichi spat. He was not impressed with Kohaku's glare. Taking one final drag, he flung his cigarette at Kohaku.

"Enough!" A voice roared through them all and Etsudo shrieked in shock. Narumi stood in between Kohaku and Daichi. She pointed at the senior student, "Stop it! Leave him alone!"

Daichi made eye contact with her for a moment, he was not expecting this kind of aggression from her. "It was your idea, Uchida. Don't take it out on me."

He leaned to the side to address Kohaku, "I guess it didn't work?"

Kohaku let out a long exhale. "No."

Etsudo and Matabei simultaneously sighed in relief now the tension was reducing. Up in the sky, a flash of lightning followed by a booming thunderclap rumbled through them. The storm heading their way and the showering rain was going to show up very soon.

"We're not getting anywhere with this." Narumi said, looking up at the thick clouds. "We'll pick this up tomorrow."

"It can't be helped." Matabei shrugged. The group made their way out of the forest, they did not make any progress at all. And the storm coming was almost as if it was to rub it in.