Chapter 9 I have found a way

“Oi. You.”

Kohaku heard someone calling as he changed his shoes by the lockers. He recognized the voice, but he did not think it was directed at him.

“Oi, I’m talking to you!”

Kohaku sighed and turned around. “Asaki-senpai. Good morning.”

“What were you talking about with Narumi-chan yesterday?” Ryouko Asaki pointed at him. Her brash approach to him did not help at all.

“What’s it to you?” Kohaku asked, keeping his guard up.

“Hah?!” Ryouko did not like his tone, she put a hand on her hip. “Narumi-chan is my friend. That’s why I’m asking what you were talking about with her?”

Kohaku gave the same story Narumi used before. “We were talking about the excursion.”

“About what exactly?” Ryouko stepped forward.

“The reflection form that needed to be finalized.”

Ryouko narrowed her eyes at him unconvinced, “Really?”

“Didn’t you talk to Uchida-senpai yesterday?”

“She did not tell me much,” Ryouko said. “So I will ask you as much as I hate it.”

Kohaku replied, “Well I just told you, now you know.” He turned away to leave.

“Oi! Wait!” Ryouko stopped once more. Kohaku sighed in annoyance and turned to her again.

“Yes?” He asked.

“Is that really what you and Narumi-chan were talking about in the cafeteria?” Ryouko pressed the matter. “Nothing else?”

“Nothing else.” Kohaku answered. “If you don’t believe me, why bother asking?”

“Tch.” Ryouko glared at him once more, and Kohaku was not going to entertain it anymore. With a shake of his head, he took his leave. “Oi, I’m not done talking to you!” Ryouko spat.

“I’m done talking to you.” Kohaku said. He had lost his patience with Ryouko’s aggression. He trudged to his classroom with his hands in his pockets.

Kohaku Taiyo was no popular hottie, he was not a student model. He was a guy who kept to himself. He did not stick to a clique, or rather he could not. But he was no feeble prey either. If someone wanted to pick a fight with him, he would be the one to finish it.

His principles are simple. Just like Newton’s third law; if there is an action against him, there would be an equal opposite reaction. If someone was decent to him, he would be equally decent. If someone was rude towards him, he would be equally defensive. He would react accordingly. And more often than not, it was the latter case.

He entered his classroom, classmates were already chatting amongst themselves not even noticing him. It did not bother him, not anymore. He had gotten used to it.

He overheard them talking about the Tyrannosaurus Rex sighted last evening. He took his seat by the corner ignoring the rest of the class. A vibration in his pocket alerted him with a message in his phone, a rarity in his life.

He took out his phone and read the message, it was from Narumi Uchida. She had sent her message to the whole group.

Narumi – (I have found a way.)

In Class 2-A, Matabei and Etsudo read the text as well. They shared a glance at each other, a sense of hope came from Narumi’s message, it was definitely good news.

At the top floor by the stairwell, Daichi, taking a drag from his cigarette, read her message too. He knew what it meant, and as much as he was reluctant to join, these people were the only chance he had in getting his predicament under control.

Kohaku was the first to respond.

Kohaku – (You know how to change Uchida-senpai?)

Narumi – (Yeah.)

Matabei – (How did you do it then?)

Narumi – (I’ll tell you later after class. Meetup at Class 2-A again.)

Etsudo – (Where are you, Uchida-san?)

As if on cue, Narumi hurriedly came into the classroom taking her seat just before Yukari Tachibana entered the room as well. Calming herself down after rushing up to her classroom, Narumi turned around to Matabei and Etsudo. She gave an assuring smile to them, which they nodded in return. Things were coming around for them at last.

Lessons for the day had ended. Narumi, Matabei, and Etsudo still had to carry out their punishment. In Class Two-A, the three had finished their cleaning duty and the remaining two were making their way over there.

Daichi and Kohaku came across each other on the way to Class Two-A. Neither had anything to converse about as they entered the classroom. “Hey.” Daichi said drawing the door closed after stepping in.

“You’re here, great.” Narumi said to Daichi and Kohaku.

“You said you know how to change.” Daichi said, taking the nearest seat to him. Everyone’s attention was on Narumi.

“I do.” Narumi nodded, “And it’s not really that difficult.”

“What do you mean Uchida?” Matabei asked.

“We all just have to accept that we’re not the same. Not anymore.” Narumi said. “We’re all different now.”

Etsudo, having a somber face, asked her. “Because of what we have in us now?”

“No.” Narumi approached her. “That’s the problem with what we’ve been thinking. It was never about what was inside us. We’re all different now, not because of what we have in us. But what we are now.”

Kohaku and Matabei had a knowing look, catching on to what she meant. Etsudo’s eyes drifted away from the group.

“Are you kidding me?” Daichi groaned.

Matabei then said, “We’re dinosaurs now.”

“No, we’re not you idiot!” Daichi raised his voice a little.

“Kurosawa-senpai.” Matabei turned to him.

“What?”

“Stop being an asshole.” Matabei did not hold back on his words. “It’s not helping.”

Daichi was starting to clench his teeth, “What did you say?”

“Seriously, what is your problem? Did you come here just to whine?” Matabei said, getting annoyed with Daichi’s attitude.

“This whole dinosaur nonsense is my problem.” Daichi said. Calming his nerves, he sighed. “Look, I had my life on track. Get enough to graduate and work after that, plain and simple. And now this thing happens to me and there goes my simple life.”

“We’re both human and dinosaur,” Narumi said standing in the center. “That’s what we are now, as much as you don’t like it, Kurosawa-senpai.” She emphasized her point as her eyes started to change, showing them her green irises and black sclera. She let out a growl.

“Holy shit.” Matabei wowed at her eyes. “You did it.”

“It is how it is now, guys.” Narumi’s eyes slowly turned back to her human eyes and sat on her desk.

Kohaku was grasping everything the group had said. He finally spoke up. “Senpai, after you mentioned things are different about you, after that uh I discovered the same thing happening to me, and maybe all of us as well.”

Narumi turned to him. “What’s different about you now? Show me.”

“Um, well...” Kohaku’s eyes darted around trying to see what he could use, until he came up with an idea. “Uchida-senpai.”

“Hm?” Narumi perked her brows at him.

Kohaku approached her sitting on her table. “Hold on tight.”

A hand clamped on the edge of her table, and he easily lifted it over his head, with Narumi along with the ride.

“Whoa! Whoa!” Narumi immediately gripped the table for balance. “Taiyo-san!”

“Whoa!” Matabei exclaimed.

“Uchida-san!” Etsudo had a hand to her mouth.

“Put me down Taiyo-san!” Narumi squeaked at Kohaku and the boy complied, slowly setting the table. Narumi got off her table and stormed into Kohaku’s personal space.

“What do you think you’re doing to your senpai all of a sudden?!” Narumi brought her face too close to his, flicking his forehead.

Kohaku rubbed his forehead, “You said you wanted me to show you. Besides, is it so surprising for you now? You got hit by a car like it was nothing yesterday.” He took a pause. “The point is that you’re right. All of us are different in one way or another, it’s too late to turn back. You said you’ve found a way to change, can you show us how?”

Narumi gave Kohaku an earnest look. “First, don’t do that again. Second, thanks. See guys? Taiyo-san gets what I’m saying.” She slapped him on the back. Kohaku had a cough escaping him from that. Narumi headed for the door. “Come on, let’s get out of here and see what you all look like as a dinosaur.”

“Whoa hold on.” Daichi held his hand up. “Go where? Back to the forest beside school?”

“Why?” Narumi turned to him.

“You expect me to just transform and rip my uniform apart? Like you did last night?”

“Umm.” Narumi got stuck in her plan, she smacked her lips. “Dammit. Yeah, we seriously need to find a way to change while clothed.” Narumi shook her head.

“Like what? It’s not like we have dinosaur-sized pants.” Daichi said. Narumi sulked, she could not deny the truth. There was no such thing as a dinosaur outfit.

“Aw, if only there’s something we could use, that will fit a person and a dinosaur at the same time.” Narumi sighed. Etsudo’s attention perked up, the idea of apparel to cater to them and their ‘conditions’. She had an idea, an opportunity she could not pass up. But she had to get them to agree.

"Uh." Etsudo spoke up. The attention she was now getting made her a little uncomfortable, but she needed to speak her mind. "I-I might have something that could help. Could we go to my home?"

***

Soon after, the evening sky gave everything a tint of orange. Etsudo and the rest had reached the Morita estate again. She said to them, "My parents are away on a business trip, and Fujio-san is not working today. So no one is at home today, don't worry."

"You're living alone?" Narumi asked.

"For the time being." Etsudo nodded.

Soon the group was in the backyard the size of a small garden park. Etsudo sat on the porch and had her laptop with her running a program. Daichi said, “You’re going to tell us what your idea is now?”

“Ah right.” Etsudo began explaining. “I had a project item for the material science department in my family’s company. A fabric with high tensile strength, capable of great elasticity. Designed for aeronautic purposes. It can act as a form of clothing in case one of us turns.”

“This is going to work?” Daichi did not sound convinced.

“I-It should. I just need to take your measurements.”

The others had no idea what to make of her plan, but it was the best thing they had for now. Gathered at the center spot in the backyard. Matabei Itou was the first to volunteer. He stood at the center, ready to become a whole new creature. “So uh it’s a case of, I am a pterosaur? Is it that simple?”

Narumi nodded. “It’s not about bringing it out of you, because there is nothing to bring out. You are that dinosaur. It’s about feeling that you’re becoming it.”

But suddenly Matabei realized the idea of changing in front of them was not too pleasant, considering he would not be clothed as a pterosaur. He stared at the rest in uncertainty.

Etsudo caught on to the issue. “Uh Itou-san, why don’t you try changing behind the garden shed? It’s behind the thicket over there.” She pointed behind Matabei. “Itou-san, this is uh purely professional. If you don’t, I cannot help you.”

“Okay...” Matabei slowly complied. “It’s dinosaur time yeah?” He turned to them, “If any of you try to sneak a peek I’m suing your ass.”

Passing the thicket and behind the garden shed, Matabei’s mind focused on what Narumi had instructed. And sure enough, he felt it through him. His eyes turned into a vibrant blue. Half a minute later, an eerie noise screeched out in the yard.

“Itou?” Narumi called for her classmate. Another screech was the response, and Matabei poked his head out of the brush. Only it was not a human head, Matabei had a narrow snout bearing needle-like teeth with crests at the tip of his snout, and his eyes were a vibrant blue. Matabei had done it, he had turned into a pterosaur. The Tropeognathus.

“Oh man.” Daichi said under his breath, even he was getting overwhelmed seeing two dinosaurs in two days. Etsudo kept gasping.

“Itou? That you?” Narumi asked. Matabei let out a caw and nodded at them, his primal blue eyes showing his excitement.

“Hey! You did it!” Narumi whooped. Matabei let out an elated screech. He was about to leap out of the brush, he recoiled. They noticed his hesitation.

“What is it? Itou?” Narumi questioned him. Matabei hissed out but no one could understand him clearly.

Kohaku then answered for him, realizing Matabei’s issue. “Technically he’s still naked.”

“Oh. Right.” Narumi bit her lip. “Um come on, it’s fine right? I mean, nothing is looking like a guy now. Think of it like your dinosaur form is your outfit for now.”

The Tropeognathus leaped through the bushes, revealing the giant flying reptile before them. He was nearly as tall as Daichi, he had yellow scaly skin, and his muscles looked absolutely lean. He craned his neck up, letting out a haunting caw in the garden. Matabei needed to get used to his stance soon, being on all fours with his wings folded and his legs shorter than his arms.

“So he’s a flying dinosaur.” Daichi said.

Etsudo began running her photogrammetry program on her high-end laptop. The camera attached to her laptop captured the image of the Tropeognathus. But there was not enough data when Matabei’s wings were folded. She needed to know his full wingspan.

“Uh Itou-san?” Etsudo called him and the pterosaur bobbed his head her way. “Can you uh, can you open your wings?” Matabei tilted his head. He tried what Etsudo requested of him, fidgeting his fingers, he needed to get the senses in his fingers right.

“Come on, flying dinosaur! Spread your wings!” Narumi cheered. Matabei then had an idea, he pushed himself off the ground to stand on his hind legs. With his arms free, his wings burst open in a glorious sight. The underside of his wings displayed a beautiful citrine. It was a surreal thing to see for the group, nothing alive today had wings this striking. Etsudo shook herself out of her admiration. She continued gathering the data she needed, Matabei’s wingspan and height.

“Try to fly Itou!” Narumi suggested. They all had eager eyes on him, even Matabei was too excited with the idea of flying into the sky. He even forgot the fact that he was unclothed. Matabei began flapping his giant wings, the winds blew towards the group with every swing. But it did not help Matabei to lift him off the ground. The pterosaur flapped his wings even harder, the strain was visible in his eyes.

“Maybe we should try this another time.” Narumi grimaced. She turned to the rest. “Um...next dinosaur?”

About ten minutes later, Matabei came back in his uniform. And in the center of the yard, was an even larger beast. Standing at four meters tall and with a length of nine meters, Daichi Kurosawa was a massive three-horned face dinosaur. The horns above his eyes were more than a meter long, sharp and intimidating. His green pebbled skin gave the image of a very thick hide, like a living tank.

“He’s a...what do you call those? The horned dinosaur?” Narumi asked Matabei.

“The ceratopsians.” Matabei answered with a nod. Matabei made his way over to Daichi much to the dinosaur’s discomfort, Daichi snorted out a rumble from his nostrils.

“What kind?” Etsudo curiously asked as her laptop began running the measurements.

“A Triceratops?” Kohaku added.

Matabei began inspecting the dinosaur, the sheer size of it was something peculiar to Matabei, Daichi was too big to be a Triceratops. Matabei said to them, “I think it’s something bigger.”

“Bigger? Like what? How many are there?” Narumi scratched her head.

“Oh there’s plenty of them, a lot of species.” Matabei stepped away from Daichi. “But I think Kurosawa-senpai is a Torosaurus? No, he’s an Eotriceratops.”

The awkward crickets could almost be heard. Matabei saw it coming, none of them knew what he was saying. “Right.” Matabei sighed. “You don’t know much about dinosaurs.”

As Etsudo’s photogrammetry continued to run and measure Daichi, she searched for the name over the internet. Narumi responded to Matabei, “What’s the difference?”

“Simply put, Eotriceratops is an older and bigger version.” Matabei shrugged. Narumi had an unamused look, for all she knew it could just be the same species, but she had no interest in bringing the point up.

The excitement soon simmered, while Etsudo was still running her program and Matabei was still gawking at the giant horned dinosaur, and Daichi did not like it. Narumi remembered another issue, it was about Kohaku Taiyo. She shifted over to him, which Kohaku noticed. “Uchida-senpai?”

“Ah Taiyo-san.” She nudged him on the shoulder, “I almost forgot.”

“Hmm?”

“I heard you gave Ryouko-chan a hard time.”

Narumi noticed he froze a little. He asked, “What did she tell you?”

“That you would not answer what we were talking about, you were not being very friendly. That’s not good Taiyo-san.” Narumi flicked her junior’s forehead.

Kohaku’s eyes squinted from the flick. “She was not being very friendly in the first place.”

Narumi pursed her lips, she remembered what Ryouko said about him in the cafeteria. Kohaku then said, “She was pestering me about what we were talking about because you did not tell her. I didn’t tell her anything either. At least nothing about the fact that we’re part dinosaurs.”

“Oh.” Narumi had a look of restraint, before she continued, “Look um, I’m sorry about what Ryouko-chan said. She’s uh you know um...”

“It’s alright. You don’t have to apologize on her behalf.” Kohaku said.

“Oi. You two.” Someone called them both, it was Daichi. He had turned back already, not looking particularly happy. “Which one of you is going to transform so Morita can take your measurements? Hurry up, before this guy starts climbing up on me for a ride again.” Daichi pointed at Matabei.

“Hey I wasn’t!” Matabei defended himself.

“Yeah you were! You freak!”

Kohaku and Narumi shared a look. Both appeared to understand the issue at hand, who was up next?

“You go.” Both said to each other. Narumi pouted at Kohaku, but he did not budge.

“Eh, that’s not good Taiyo-san. You want your senpai to go change behind a shed? That’s horrible.” Narumi feigned the cute act. But Kohaku was not one to bend.

“Says the senpai who told her kouhai to strip in front of her.” He said it flatly.

“Ugh.” Narumi stammered, she did not expect that counter from him, especially when he was right. She huffed. “Alright, fine. Rock paper scissors?”

It was fair enough for him. “Rock paper scissors.”

They both got a fist out. “Three, two, one!”