Chapter Six: A Helping Hand

Hiromi sat still on the sand. She sighed and crawled over to a big rock, pushing herself up with it. She looked at her foot that had the cut on the bottom of it. She was in pain just from wearing her sandals. Hiromi sighed and kept her bag on her shoulder. She started off, stepping on the toes of her injured foot. She winced in pain and caught herself with her other foot, resting it. Damn. I'm such an idiot. Hiromi sighed, looking down. She stepped off again, wincing harder. Damn it. She made it to the woods, getting on the path of the cabin. She sighed, seeing the sun was setting faster than normal. What the hell is Zeus trying to do, kill me? She wondered. She sighed. Making it harder on me. 

She took another step, wincing and falling this time, landing on her knees. She scrapped them on rocks. 

"Fuck!"Hiromi hissed. 

"What ugly language for a pretty girl like yourself,"A voice spoke. Hiromi looked up, noticing there were legs in front of her. She trailed up, seeing Loki standing there. He smiled widely, waving at her. She sighed. 

"What are you doing here?"Hiromi muttered. 

"Now, now, don't get pissed off, Girlie. I'm here to help." Hiromi blinked up at him. Loki moved, picking her bag up from the ground beside her. He put it over his shoulder and then grabbed her, scooping her up in his arms. 

"Oi! Lemme go!"Hiromi exclaimed, her voice raising a pitch. Loki glanced at her face, noticing the same look fear there that had been there when he last had her by the shoulders. He tightened his grip on her. What is she so scared of? He wondered. Hiromi was shaking a little, feeling her fear grip her. He's not going to hurt you, stop shaking! She thought. Loki sighed. 

"I'm carrying you to the cabin, you won't get there on your own,"Loki told her. Hiromi gave him an annoyed look. He started off, walking with her in his arms. "Mitsuko, and Ume, and Eri are worried about you. Ren and Apollon went somewhere, we all got bored because we had nothing to do." Hiromi blinked at him. He felt a strange feeling wash over him as he held her in his arms. He sighed hard. What's with me? He thought. He got them out of the forest, making their way over to the cabin. "So, what were you refusing help for?" Hiromi stiffened. 

"No reason..."She lied. 

"You don't like causing trouble for others." Hiromi jolted. How the hell did he know that? She wondered. He grinned. "Readable. You're an open book."

"Sh-Shut up, I am not,"Hiromi hissed at him. He snickered. 

"Come on, Goddess, you're so easy to read I can do it in my sleep,"Loki replied. Goddess? She wondered. She blinked at him. He fell silent after a moment. "So what are you a Goddess of? Music?" Hiromi blinked. 

"No..."She murmured. He gave her a surprised look. 

"Seriously? You're not one of music? Your voice is..."Loki trailed off. Hiromi jolted. 

"My voice?"She repeated. She rose an eyebrow. "When did you hear me sing?" Loki blinked. He grinned. 

"The other day,"He told her. She gave him an annoyed look. He heard? She thought. He sighed. "So then what are you a goddess of then?" Hiromi rolled her eyes. Is he that dull?

"I'm not." 

"Of music, I know." 

"No, I'm not a Goddess,"Hiromi answered. Loki froze. Hiromi could see the cabin from where they were stopped. She grinned. Good, I can sit and bandage my cut. She paused, realizing Loki hadn't moved. Hiromi looked up at him in confusion. He held her up closer, turning so her face was level with his. She blinked in surprise, pulling back at how close they were. 

"You're lying, this is a school for Gods...you have to be one,"Loki told her. Hiromi shook her head. His eyes went wide. "You are human..." His eyes traced over her. He swallowed. What the hell? He turned away from her and hurried to the cabin. He opened the door and dropped her on a couch inside, tossing her bag at her. This human... His eyes bore into her as she gave him a shocked look. What's with him? She wondered. Loki clenched his jaw. He turned. "Aren't Apollon and Ren back?" 

"No,"Balder answered, walking over. He smiled at Hiromi. "Kuroyama-san. I'm glad Loki found you...are you alright? Does your foot hurt?" She stared at him. 

"Um...no,"Hiromi lied. Mitsuko walked over, holding a medical kit. She took off Hiromi's shoe and started cleaning the cut. Hiromi winced. Balder turned, noticing the look Loki was giving her. He frowned hard. What's with him? He wondered. Loki stared down at the human girl before turning and walking off, going to the balcony on the outside of the cabin. I was interested in her...so much...it's impossible. A human girl couldn't have captivated me like that, it's just unthinkable. Appalling. He turned, looking back at her on the couch. Mitsuko was yammering away, talking to her. Hiromi said something and looked away, crossing her arms as Mitsuko beamed at her. 

Balder stepped out on the balcony with him, staring at his friend. 

"What's the matter, Loki?"Balder asked. Loki sighed and looked at him. 

"I'm just confused....Hiromi told me she was a human." Balder blinked. 

"Yes...all the girls are,"Balder answered. Loki's eyes widened. But with them I get it, what about her is so different? Loki's eyes slid to Hiromi once again. Suddenly he heard a loud blast behind him. Loki turned in shock. He spotted Ren and Apollon coming up. 

"What was that?"Loki asked them, looking down at them. 

"Did a bomb go off?"Hades murmured, coming outside the cabin. The other gods all left the cabin and watched in surprise as the loud noise was heard again. In the sky a bright light appeared, a strange flower like image shimmering before disappearing. More of them appeared, loud booms sounding. The girls went outside to watch the fireworks, helping Hiromi to stand there at the balcony railing. She was beside Loki, looking up at the sky. 

Her eyes focused on the fireworks, blinking. They have everything here, don't they? Zeus just made sure of it, she thought. Loki stared at her instead of the fireworks. 

Why is she different? He wondered. 

What makes her different from other humans?

After the fireworks in the sky all stopped exploding, Ren and Apollon started handing out hand held sparklers. Hiromi sat still, holding hers, while she watched the others run around and chase each other. Hiromi hummed, looking down at hers as it fizzled out. She picked up another one and lit it, twirling it in her hand. Loki noticed her sitting by herself and walked over. 

"Oi, oi, why are you sitting there all disappointed like?"Loki asked. Hiromi blinked looking up. She rose an eyebrow and gestured to her foot. He hummed, remembering. He sat down on the grass beside her, holding his own sparkler in hand. He smiled as he looked at it. "So....do you think the others can make school fun like this all the time?" Hiromi hummed. 

"Well, let me see,"she answered. She smiled, and held her sparkler out, drawing a shape in front of her. Loki wrinkled his eyebrows. "Abracadabra." Loki blinked at her. She chuckled, holding the sparkler up and watching as it fizzled out. Loki stared at her silently, a little surprised. "A magic spell, to help make things fun." His eyes went wide.

"What?! Really?!" Hiromi sweat-dropped giving him a frown. 

"No...not really, I'm a human. I can't do magic,"Hiromi told him. He pouted. Hiromi giggled and put the sparkler on the ground. She sighed. "I'm sure it will be fun, though. When you attend school and make friends with each other...you have all sorts of fun." Loki blinked at her. 

"Well if you can keep it fun, I'll show up to class." Hiromi gave him a surprised look. Loki stood up, grinning down at her. She blinked up at him and then sighed. 

"I can't promise that,"Hiromi told him. She turned her gaze forward, watching everyone joyously dance around the fireworks. She hummed once, a small smile tugging at her lips. When you attend school and make friends with each other...you have all sorts of fun, huh? She thought. She moved, resting her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand. Just where did I get an idea like that? 

It's stupid.

*****

As they headed back to the cabin, Loki carrying Hiromi on his back, Hiromi glanced back to see Apollon running off. Hm, Ren must've wondered off, she thought. She leaned forward, her lips next to Loki's ear. 

"Hey Loki, why did you freak out so much when I said I was human?"She asked. Loki jolted, feeling her hot breath rush over him. It sent a shiver past his cheek and down his neck. He swallowed and adjusted his hands under her knees. She stiffened, shoving the giggles back down her throat. Damn, why is that the one place I have to be ticklish? She wondered. Loki sighed. 

"I was just surprised,"Loki lied. He closed his eyes and grinned. "It's fine though, you being human just makes you easier to prank." 

"Oi, what was that?!"

****

"I'd say this covers the main school clubs,"Ren spoke, putting down the piece of chalk. On the board she'd drawn different icons, with little people dressed up for each club. Hiromi rose an eyebrow, looking over all of them. 

"In other words interact with each other and promote friendship through club activities...right?"Apollon asked. Ren hummed. 

"That's the gist of it,"she replied. She gestured at the board and offered everyone a small smile. "I thought joining a club could help you understand the human heart." 

"Great thinking! As the Student Body President, you have my support,"Apollon told her. Ren turned to the people in the room. She held her hand up in suggestion. 

"Girls, when you attended school before here, what clubs were you in?"She asked. Hiromi leaned forward. 

"Well, you know which one I was in,"She told her. Hiromi shrugged. "Music club, and I'll be in that one this time too." Ren sighed. 

"Me too." 

"I was in the Art Club and the Runners Club,"Mitsuko chimed in. She grinned and closed her eyes. The others gave her interested looks. 

"You ran?"Hiromi asked. Mitsuko hummed and nodded enthusiastically. 

"I was club president!" 

"Fighting Club,"Eri spoke up. "I was also club president." 

"Excuse me..."a voice spoke. Everyone turned. Hiromi's eyes went wide. At the door, a girl who wore the uniform just like they did was peeking into the room. Everyone was silent. "H-Hi...my name is Chihoshi....Zeus told me to come here?" Everyone exchanged glances. She stepped in. "I'm supposed to...learn about humans with everyone?" Mitsuko jumped up and hurried over to the door. 

"Come in, come in! My name is Mitsuko Hishima,"Mitsuko told her quickly. She smiled with closed eyes. Chihoshi stared at her silently for a minute before breaking out into a wide smile. She stepped in and everyone gathered around her, talking. Hiromi sighed, not making a move to get up. She looked up when she noticed Chihoshi's eyes staring at her with a wide-eyed look. Oh great, here it comes. 

"A-A-Are you Hiro-chan?!"Chihoshi asked excitedly, pointing at her. Hiromi gave her a small nod. Chihoshi's eyes gleamed as she ran over to Hiromi. She grabbed her hand. She blinked, leaning away. "I am SUCH a huge fan!" Hiromi stayed silent. She gave her a nervous smile. 

"I can see that..."She replied quietly. Loki blinked, giving Hiromi a confused look. Hiromi closed her eyes, smiling nervously. "Um...could...you let go?" Chihoshi quickly dropped her hand. 

"Ah-I'm sorry!"Chihoshi exclaimed. She bowed at the waist. "Please forgive me, I just...I was so excited to see you, Hiro-chan! I love your music." Hiromi sighed internally. Come on, I thought we were past this, Hiromi thought. 

"Oi, Girlie...what does she mean?"Loki asked. Hiromi glanced at him. She sighed and shook her head. Chihoshi rose back up quickly. 

"Hiro-chan-"

"I understand you're a fan, but here, I'm Hiromi." Chihoshi paused. She stared at Hiromi for a moment before grinning widely. 

"Hiromi...Hiromi...is that your full name?"Chihoshi asked. Hiromi blinked. Chihoshi beamed at her. "I love it! Why just Hiro-chan? Hiromi-chan is better." Mitsuko, who stood off to the side, smiled to herself. Chihoshi giggled and looked at everyone. "I'm Chihoshi Oshiro! I'm pleased to make everyone's acquaintance."