Rainy Day (Open)

[Kit Lee]

The clouds shifted across the sky, instantaneously bringing darkness to the already dark Hircine High filled with those of thick and heavy hearts. It won't rain, one student said to another as they noticed the weather change. It will rain, the other replied. Kit glanced up, feeling a thick drop smack him across the face. It slid down his pale skin, eventually stopping on his chin as the droplet slowly lost its consistency. Another soon gave it the push needed to go on, though this one contained salt within it. And just like that, the salt was washed off his face as the skies cried along with him. Students ran inside, some popping open their umbrellas as they must've watched the weather forecast that morning. Kit just stood there, letting the rain pelt his face, his clothes, his shoes. Kit was not one who loved the rain, who loved getting soaked in it the romantic way people often did in movies, who didn't mind being soaked for the remainder of the school day. Kit despised getting soaked. He did not like being cold, letting the wind cut sharply on his face while the rain soaked up his body heat. He was not one for romance, especially since there was nobody for him to love here. He was also not interested in squeaking down the hallway in wet sneakers, or having the damp feeling of his clothes sticking to his skin like a leech on an animal, sucking at his life. Why then, did he stand in the rain?

_An hour back_

*BZZZZTTTT*
Kit picked up his cellphone and murmured a "Herrlo?" in between his bite of a surprisingly juicy cheeseburger. The voice was very faint, with what sounded like some quicky short inhalations of air in between. (In cantonese) "Kit, are you in class now?" Surprised at hearing cantonese, the language he had not heard since he had came to America with the exception of his parents, he quickly looked at the smudged screen of his cellphone to check the caller. Sure enough, it was his parents, and from the sound of the voice, probably his mother, though he could not tell because the voice was quite distorted. (In cantonese) "Mother? What is wrong? Why are you calling at this time of the day?" Kit asked, scared to hear what his mother would say. If she had called at this time of the day, and with what sounded like crying in her voice, something was definately wrong.

"Your grandmother... she died of cancer."

"WHAT?" Kit shouted into the cellphone, so loud that everyone in the cafeteria had looked at him. Kit paid them no attention. He had jumped up from his seat, allowing his unfinished burger splatter across his plate with the help of gravity. This could not be, Kit thought. His grandmother was a very healthy woman, who exercised on a daily basis with jogging and led a Tai Chi group in the park. She had been a huge part of his life as Kit had often consulted her for advice, and had listened to her stories of how he should live a moral life. This must be some strange twisted prank his friends back in Hong Kong were pulling on him. It could not be true. Otherwise, this must be a dream. Thats it, a dream. Kit punched himself hard in his abs, letting out a gasp as it forced him to exhale. It was no dream. Nor was it a prank as the strong voice of his father was heard, the sniffle of his mother tainted in the background.

"Kit, we didn't tell you that she had cancer, because we did not want it to interfere with your studies. We did not have money to pay for treatment and she was already in her late stage because she did not go to the doctor until recently when she had a really bad cold. The doctor noticed that she had a lump in her throat and told her to get scanned and that was when we found out that the cancer had spread from her throat already and was in the late stages."

Kit stared blankly at his shoes, gripping the plastic phone tightly despite the sweat that had collected in the palm of his hand. "I understand. Good bye." Kit quickly closed his phone, wiping his hands on his jean pants. He did not wish to speak to his parents at the moment, enraged at the news. He chucked his unfinished burger in the trash, too angry to do anything aside from finding a way to vent out his anger.

_Back to present time_

Kit wanted to scream along with the roars of the wind, the splattering of the rain, and the sonic shockwave in the sky that echoed through Kit's fully soaked body. But he didn't. It would cause unwanted attention by the entire population of the school. Instead, he let himself be fully doused in the mess of a day, staring at the sky, wondering why this would happen to such a wonderful woman. It seemed so cliche, so unreal, yet it had happened to him. Should anyone try to start trouble with Kit now, should they force him to move from his position, they would definately be sorry as Kit would relentlessly attack them for interrupting his moment of silence to his grandmother who had been his source of guidance throughout his life. If someone should talk to him, he hoped they could relax him, to ease him of his pain, though it was highly doubtful after Kit's experience with the majority of the population in the school.

[gary]

A shift of weather, not the most unusual of things, and if memory served correctly it happened a fair few times back in Ireland. At times it was a surprise, the weather chaps making mistakes they weren't paid to make, other times they did a bang up job. This time the prediction was right and Gary had luckily decided on wearing his overcoat. Although it only kept the torso and most of the legs dry, but Gary lacked caring, the feeling of getting wet was not all bad.

Students immediately began trying to rush into the hallways of the school, some opening umbrellas, others using whatever was at hand to try and cover themselves form the rain, all the while a traffic jam of students was bound to clog the hallways of Hircine High. Gary however, simply stood, in his sneakers, khaki pants, white dress shirt and overcoat while dropping his half-eaten sandwich to the floor; eating soggy bread did not take his fancy. Making to stroll towards an entrance into the schools interior, Gary noticed another student outside, another in solitude. This one however, stood staring at the sky, standing with his own brooding silence. Staring at the back of this person, Gary wondered, would this mean another fight? Not something that took to his liking in the rain. Could prove to be rather interesting though.

Rather than start a fight, Gary figured he could talk instead. If this fellow had something that would allow for him to mull over without a care for any illness that could follow the getting soaked in the cold, if indeed anything was wrong, perhaps Gary could consider helping. Not bothering to walk any further, but rather talk to the persons back, Gary said "Most people go indoors when it rains." In addition to saying that, he also understood that it could easily be applied to him also, but then, perhaps neither of the two happened to be like most people?

[Kit Lee]

Music was somehow able to still play through the soggy felt covering of Kit's headphones. LMF - R.I.P. was playing. How ironic. Of all the LMF music he had in his mp3, this was the one that played the moment he had turned on his mp3. Rest in peace indeed. His grandmother was probably resting right now, in a casket made of a mixture of steel and wood, that was being prepared for her funeral. He had considered flying back to Hong Kong just to see her one last time before she was buried, but his parents would most likely not allow it. The days of school he would have to miss would be too much and Kit was not exactly a genius that could pass without attending class for so long. In addition, the cost of suddenly purchasing a plane ticket would be quite high. So his tribute would be right here, in the courtyard of the school. He would stand here, and look up at the sky, as that would be her next destination. Kit was not one who believed in religion, but he would believe it for now for her sake.

Kit was getting quite cold. This would probably increase his chances at getting sick, but it didn't matter. He rather freeze in this painful weather than boil in anger inside. Kit thought he heard someone's voice, but he would not stray his eyes from the sky. If someone had something to say, they would have to tap him, to snap him out of his trance.

[gary]

'And that means what to you? I guess we are not normal. Simple as that' The thoughts allowed themselves in and out of the mind, not breeching the silence that would have rested, if not for the patter of rain.

Gary figured something certainly was not right, this person, staring at the sky, was being blissfully ignorant of the surroundings. But then, the question became why? "Not my business then." He muttered, walking up to the boys back, placing his hand on the right shoulder, it was then he noticed the headphones lodged into the ears. This raised some doubt, but there was still the rain and gaze into the sky. Speaking louder than his muttering a moment ago, Gary said, "It's a good idea to talk about things that bother you, helps with dealing with it."

Dropping his hand to his own side, Gary stuffed his hands back into his pocket, walking towards the doorswithout leaving much time for a reply. But he wouldn't enter the school, he'd rather stand under the small bit of shelter that remained just before it. The corridor hadn't yet cleared itself of the mess that was the student body, so Gary would rather wait outside until it had. Or until the next lesson began, either way, he'd live with it.

[Kit Lee]

Kit shifted his gaze as he felt a hand on his shoulder. A boy dressed in an overcoat had placed it there. "It's a good idea to talk about things that bother you, helps with dealing with it." Why was this boy randomly coming to him to offer his help Kit wondered. Kit looked at the boy who had turned and walked back towards the school, stopping at the small bit of shelter in front of it. Whatever his reason, he sure was not very passionate about carrying out his offer. And then a flashback occured.

_Flashback_

The weather was extremely hot. A young boy of nine, Kit was an adventurous little child. He scoured the earth for insects and worms in the small garden by his grandmother's apartment. He would be chased away by the security or park manager, only to silently sneak back in to continue his excavation. After several times of this repeated cycle, his grandmother would wake up from her nap on the park bench and drag him away.

They passed by a small alley that often contained the trash from the apartments on Tuesdays. Instead of trash though, a big flea infested dog layed there today, panting as it hid under the minimal shade provided by the building. His grandmother told Kit to run upstairs and fetch some water for the poor dog. Kit rushed to fetch some water and came back down with a plastic container full of cold tap water. However, Kit simply placed the container where he stood, as opposed to in front of the dog. Kit was afraid to approach the dog. His grandmother grabbed the container and walked towards the dog. Kit pulled her back, not wanting to see her assaulted by the dog or to receive any diseases from it.

(Cantonese) "Why can't we leave the container over there grandma?" Kit cried as he pulled on her arm. She gave Kit a stern look as she set the water right in front of the dog without showing any signs of fear.

As the dog lapped on the water furiously, Kit's grandmother replied, "If you help someone, help them to the end. Give them all your passion, your care, otherwise don't help at all because help without your full effort may become a detriment instead. If you just left the water over there and the dog didn't have the energy to walk over, what would be the use of your help?"

_End Flashback_

Yeah, I won't forget the morals you taught me, Kit thought as he decided to lie down on the grass, not ready to let go of his current train of thoughts and converse with the boy who had offered help only to walk away.

[jdmthe1st]

The masked luchador walked outside of the classes that he just got out of. He noticed it was raining and there was a boy somewhat older than him standing in the rain all alone with headphones on. Why would a boy stand in the rain listening to music? Antonio saw a kid walk away from him. Maybe he got into a fight or lost? Or maybe that kid was trying to help him. Antonio couldnt think of why someone would stand in the rain but he walked over to find out.

Antonio walked over and tapped this kid on the shoulder to get his attention. If he lowered the volume or took off the headphones he will say with a smile

"Hey why are you out here by yourself? Rain is one of the worst things in the world to be standing in besides a fighting ring. What is wrong?"

[Kit Lee]

Kit's vision of the dark ocean of a sky was interrupted by a masked figure towering over his body as Kit was laying down and the figure was standing up. A crack of lightening struck across the foggy sky and shot light across the figure's mask. As he spoke, Kit freaked out and jumped up. (Cantonese) GUI AH GUI AH!!!! (translates to GHOST! GHOST!). Kit did a back flip that landed with the sloshing sound of the mud. He then turned and made a run straight into the school. Holy crap, why is there a ghost here? I have done nothing wrong! Kit ran into the school, down the hall and into the bathroom and slapped himself to make sure he was awake. There was no doubt about it. This was no dream. It must be a hallucination then. He had probably stayed out in the rain for way too long.

Squeezing the rain water out of his pants and clothes, Kit flooded the already gritty boys' bathroom. He stared at his pale reflection, with dishelved hair hanging over it. What a mess he was right now. Looking at the time, Kit decided to go eat before he ran out of time and would be late for class. His tribute was over, and he'd never forget his grandmother. She would be disappointed if he couldn't take care of himself.

[jdmthe1st]

Antonio looked as this person run and Antonio thought maybe he this person got the wrong image about him. Was Antonio really that scary as a luchador? Antonio did not find himself scary but he had second thoughts about what others might think. He had no idea what Kit said to him. He didnt even understand the dilect and what language it belonged to. Hopefully Antonio would find this person again to apologize for making him feel scared.

[gary]

Another person joined the two, and approached the one standing in the rain. Of course, it was another person with consideration in mind, but seemed the one with the problem wasn't expecting someone else to come and start talking. Or perhaps it was the leering appearance with a mask and inconvenient timing from lightning?

Quickly stepping aside to allow the doors to the school to be used, Gary watched as the Cantonese kid sped into the school, followed by this masked fellow. "Odd" That was all he said, stepping into the rain to let it flow freely down his body again. He would not forget what he had just seen for quite some time, it would be quite a story to tell. He would also have to find out what the boy had screamed, just for curiosities sake.

Shaking his head a little, Gary sighed, perhaps he should have been a little more persistent in helping, and at least it would have helped with preventing the scare. Well now, there wasn't much he could do. Maybe that weird person with a mask would do a better job.