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  Pony giggled.

  John looked at the trees. “Pony?” He sheathed his katana and walked up the hill into the trees. “Pony?”

  No Pony.

  “Think fast!”

  In a blink, Pony lunged at John and disappeared.

  John felt cold air from her blade whip across his face. That was close! He unsheathed his sword and stood rigidly ready for battle.

  “Why are you standing like that?” Pony giggled.

  John looked but still couldn’t find her. He felt the sword whip by him again, this time above his head.

  “What made you come back?” John asked.

  “Uh, your form is way off.”

  “My form?” John asked.

  “It sucks.”

  John wheeled around. “You came back because my form sucks?”

  “Where did you get that sword? You didn’t tell me you had more than one.”

  John found cover behind a tree. “My grandfather collects them, and please don’t tell me you want this one too. He acted crazy about the one you took. I had to sneak this one out. He’s knocked out cold right now from pain meds.”

  “What’s wrong with him?” Pony asked, materializing on a branch above him, her katana sheathed.

  John sheathed his katana and looked up. “He’s got lung cancer and cirrhosis. He started drinking and smoking young, and his body is paying for it now.”

  “What did you tell him about the sword?”

  “I told him the truth.” John said.

  “You told him a Lolita girl came for it?”

  “A Lolita girl named Pony. Yes I did. He looked surprised at first. Then he said ‘okay,’ which is weird. I was sure he would tell me I was insane.”

  “Your grandpa sounds cool.” Unlike mine.

  “He is. He’s the one that taught me how to use swords, throwing knives, and guns. My dad left my mom and me when I was five. Gramps moved in shortly after that. He gave this house to my dad, something about him moving on or something. Pretty ironic he moved back in after only five years.”

  “We all end up where we are supposed to be eventually.”

  “That sounded kind of deep,” John teased. “And is my form that bad? I’ve studied form on the Internet. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t suck.”

  “You don’t hold it right.”

  “Then show me the correct way.”

  Pony dropped down. “Pull out your blade.”

  John pulled out the katana.

  Pony stepped close to him and adjusted his hands.

  John blushed.

  “Why are you blushing?”

  “Um, your hands, um …”

  “You blushed because I touched you?”

  John nodded. “Why are you hands so cold?”

  “I have poor circulation, now pay attention,” Pony said. “Your blade is koshi chu-kissaki. Medium curve. Medium thickness. Your right hand goes here, and the left goes here. They should be about two inches apart.”

  “That’s not that much different than what I was doing.”

  “It makes a difference if you’re actually fighting with it, John.”

  “I’m not sure about that.”

  “Fine, put your hands back where they were and let’s spar.”

  John returned his hands to their original position. “Let’s spar.”

  Pony circled him. “You’re going to lose.”

  “I won’t.” He moved with her taking a defensive stance, his hands gripping the blade handle.

  “Your knuckles are red!” Pony laughed. “Relax.”

  “I can’t relax. You’re circling me like I’m prey.”

  “You are my prey,” Pony said. “Come at me.”

  “Come at you?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  Pony read his thoughts. He doesn’t want to hurt me. Oh, isn’t that sweet? As if he ever could. “You want to train, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to hurt you,” John said.

  Pony laughed. “What makes you think you can hurt me?”

  “Well, I’m physically stronger than you are. I mean, you’re fast as lightning, I’ll give you that.”

  Pony zipped behind him, chopped hard on his hand, and took his sword. “You were saying?”

  John was speechless as Pony threw his sword down in from of him. John grabbed it and whipped it up, vertically slicing the air.

  Pony jumped back and countered it with hers. “Surprise attack?”

  John lifted the sword over his head and charged toward her. She sidestepped the attack, kicked him in the knee, John dropped to the ground in pain, and she grabbed his sword again.

  “Fuck,” John said.

  “You need to anticipate what your opponent is going to do. How he, she, or it will move their body.” Pony threw the sword on the ground again.

  John picked it up and got into the stance she showed him. “You’ve made your point.”

  He charged at Pony again, whipping horizontally. He quickly stepped back, avoiding his knee being kicked, and their swords collided mid-air.

  “Wow! There is a difference. I can feel more control this way.”

  Pony dashed toward him.

  He sidestepped, avoiding the blade, knelt down and jabbed toward her abdomen.

  Pony jumped back before the blade could make contact. “Not bad. But do you have any stamina for an extended battle?”

  John smiled. “I think I do …”

  Pony and John practiced attack and defense for an hour, and most of the trees had blade marks scored into their bark when they were through.

  John slid down the trunk of a tree to catch his breath. “Who taught you how to use a sword? And why aren’t you breathing hard? My lungs are about to explode.”

  Well, I don’t actually have to breathe … “My first father taught me a little, but my second father paid for me to take lessons.”

  “Second father?”

  Pony changed the subject. “Look at the time. I have to go.”

  “Wait! I appreciate the lessons and I want to pay you back. There’s this really cool mall a few miles from here. I could take you there and we could, um, we could hang out.”

  Pony shook her head. “I already told you that wouldn’t be a—”

  “A good idea,” John interrupted. “I know, I know.” He sighed. “I think it would be a great idea, not a good one.”

  “It’s not a great idea, either.”

  “Oh, c’mon. I get out of school at noon. I’ll meet you here at twelve-thirty.”

  Pony shook her head.

  “Please?”

  “I’ll think about it,” Pony said before whisking away into the night.

  “Don’t think too long,” John called out.

  “Please,” he whispered.

  Chapter Five

  Humaning

  Pony woke up to yelling in the room next to her.

  I am trying to sleep over here! If you don’t keep quiet, you will be my complimentary breakfast!

  She rearranged her seven pillows and checked the time.

  11:30.

  “Shit! I need to get ready!”

  She hopped in the shower. The pressure was low, but the water was nice and icy. “Ahh. Just right.” Pony washed her body and her hair in 3.7 seconds.

  She stepped out of the shower and hustled to the closet. “Eeny, meany, miney, mo.” She grabbed one of the many black Lolita dresses that were hanging there. This one had bright pink, lacy trim on the edges.

  “Daytime outing. I will need a hat.” Pony looked through her suitcase and found a mini top hat with feathers stuck to the side of it. “That’s not going to provide much protection.” She zipped around the room, stopping here and there. Her tight spiral curls bounced as she put the hat on and firmly secured it with hairpins.

  “Last but not least.” Pony put on a pair of black pleather buckled platform boots over black and pink knee socks, grabbed her parasol, and flew out the doo
r.

  In a blink she was outside of John’s house holding her parasol. Her top hat feathers fluttered in the wind.

  John came out and walked up to her. He wore black skinny pants with a white belt, a tucked in blue button-up shirt, and a striped blue and red tie. “You could have come to the door.” He gave her a firm hug. “You look amazing.”

  He … hugged me. The last human to get that close to me … “You look, um, good, too. I mean, you look okay.”

  “Thanks.” John said, smiling ear to ear.

  Pony did a quick 180-degree turn, whipping up dust and her dress as well. She pushed it down as she blushed from embarrassment.

  John grabbed her hand. “We could walk, you know.”

  The last human to grab my hand … She sighed. I have to stop thinking of this guy as a threat and a meal. “It’s kind of warm today, so …”

  “We’ll drive.”

  John led her to a Mazda CX-5 parked in front of the house. He opened the passenger door and Pony hopped in. She threw her parasol in the back seat and started messing with every button and gadget she could see. John laughed, retrieved his keys from inside the sun visor, and started the car. “We’re going to Aqua City.”

  “Aqua City? Is it a aquarium?”

  “That and much more. There are tons of stores and places to eat.”

  “I do need some new dresses.” Black, of course.

  “Then we’re headed to the right place.”

  John swiftly moved through traffic. With one hand on the wheel, he reached out the other to Pony.

  Pony blushed and took his hand. And here I am holding hands. On a date. My first.

  “Wow, you’re cold.” John laughed. “Want me to turn the AC down?”

  Pony shook her head and flipped the sun visor down, blocking the sunrays.

  They pulled into Aqua City Odaiba and John parked. He opened her door and helped her out.

  When they first entered the mall, Pony squeaked with excitement. “This place is huge!” And look at all this food, I mean, look at all these humans.

  John laughed. He liked seeing this side of her, this happy and girly side away from his backyard and away from sword practice. He wanted to get to know her. He watched as she walked around wide-eyed and excited. John stopped to look at some high top shoes in the Puma store window while Pony walked over to the customer service desk.

  Pony approached the counter to speak to the woman standing there.

  “Hi, can I help you?” the woman asked.

  Pony narrowed her eyes. She couldn’t smell this woman’s blood, couldn’t hear a heartbeat or a pulse. Pony hopped behind the counter and ducked down. The woman did not move. Pony poked her leg. She still didn’t move. Pony grabbed her hand and bit her wrist, which caused a jolt of electricity to burst through her body.

  “Pony?”

  Pony hopped back over the counter. “Over here.”

  “Ha. I see you met the customer service bot.” John waved his hand and spoke to the robot. The robot did not reply. “This one must be broken. She usually greets you when you walk up to her.”

  Pony laughed nervously. “She looks so real.”

  “I know, kinda cool, right? They have them all over this place.”

  All over? I know most humans are robotic, but this is ridiculous!

  Pony found a shop called Yukata Bazaar. She found about five dresses to add to her collection.

  John grabbed those shoes from the Puma store and led Pony to Lemontree jewelry. They looked over some of the pieces. He pointed to a gold necklace with a sword trinket hanging from it, and an associate opened the case and showed it to him. He lifted up Pony’s loose curls and put it around her neck. Pony felt his hands brush against the nape, sending electrifying goose bumps through her body.

  “How do you like it?” John asked.

  “I … love it.” What the hell is happening to me? I get goose bumps from his hand and use the word “love” a few seconds later? This humaning shit is messing me up.

  John paid for the necklace, and they headed for the food court where countless restaurants were lined up. Three girls approached them, and each one stood with her hands on her hips.

  “Hey, John,” said the blue-eyed girl in the middle.

  John fiddled with his hair. “Hey, Aiko.”

  “Haven’t seen you at school lately,” Aiko said.

  I hate this one, Pony thought. Her voice is … sexy. I do not have a sexy voice. And she is directing that sexy voice at John. This is unacceptable because I am on a date! He’s with me! I want to tear her head off and play soccer with it!

  “I only need two classes to graduate,” John said. “I’m only there a few hours a day. Aiko, this is my girlfriend, Pony.”

  Pony smiled and relaxed. He called me his “girlfriend.” He just saved your life, Aiko.

  Aiko sucked her teeth and examined Pony from head to toe. “Gothic Lolita is so passé. I guess you didn’t get the memo.” Aiko’s friends giggled. “I never took you for someone who liked the creepy, emo girls, John. Let’s go, girls.” Aiko snapped her fingers, and her friends followed her like a couple of giggling banshees.

  “I’m sorry about that,” John said. “She has, um, wanted to date me, but I don’t date mean girls.”

  Pony nodded, rolling her new necklace between her fingers.

  “When’s the last time you had ramen?” John asked.

  “It’s been a while,” Pony said.

  John guided her to a ramen stand in the middle of the food court. “We’ll take two bowls of Hiyashi Chuka, please.”

  As they waited for their dishes, Pony saw Aiko and her two minions go into a public bathroom.

  Want to date my boyfriend, do you? Not in this existence. “Can you excuse me?” Pony fluttered her eyelashes. “Bathroom break.”

  “Okay, I’ll grab us a table,” John said.

  Pony went into the bathroom and saw Aiko and her facially challenged friends applying copious amounts of makeup.

  Aiko put her hands on her hips and stared at Pony. “Look who’s here? The creeper herself.”

  Aiko’s friend laughed. “Aiko, you’re so mean.”

  Pony snapped her fingers. The three girls stood at attention. Pony looked Aiko’s two laughing hyenas in their eyes. “Out! Now! You never saw me.”

  The two girls walked out of the bathroom like zombies.

  Do I keep Aiko a zombie? No. I want her to feel this. Pony snapped her fingers again, and Aiko looked around her. “Where’d they go?”

  “Sale at Gucci,” Pony said.

  Aiko started to leave, but Pony flashed in front of her with her back against the door. “You called me a creeper. Not very nice.”

  Aiko stepped back. “I didn’t mean what I said. It was just a joke.”

  “Then why aren’t I laughing?” Pony asked.

  Aiko’s eyes widened as Pony approached her.

  Pony grabbed Aiko’s lipstick from the counter. “No amount of makeup can cover up that little bitch inside you.” She took the lipstick and marked all over Aiko’s face.

  Aiko tried to grab the tube. “Stop it!”

  “No, no, no,” Pony warned her. “You know, you should eat your makeup. Then maybe you will be pretty inside.” Pony shoved the tube into Aiko’s mouth. “Swallow it!”

  Aiko started choking.

  Pony laughed. “I’m surprised you’re choking with that big, fat, mouth of yours. It’s actually pretty ironic. You had so much to say out there with John.”

  Aiko kept choking on the tube of lipstick so Pony smacked her on the back, sending the tube flying across the bathroom.

  Aiko took in heavy breaths, holding her hands out. “I’m sorry, okay?”

  Pony read her mind. Bitch isn’t sorry. She grabbed Aiko by the back of her honey blonde hair and made her face the mirror. “Look at yourself. Nobody likes you. Your friends only hang out with you because they’re ugly. John doesn’t want you and he never will because you’re trash. Your parents probabl
y don’t even like you. Too bad your bitch of a mom didn’t swallow.”

  Pony bashed Aiko’s head into the mirror, shattering it. Shards of glass hit the counter and floor along with Aiko. Aiko wailed and began picking out pieces of glass wedged in her face.

  Pony knelt down and slapped Aiko. “Look at me. You’re lucky to be alive. You’ve never seen John or me in your entire life. Looks like you hated your reflection. I don’t blame you. I would bash my head in a mirror if I looked like you, too. Maybe you should self-harm until you look beautiful again. Yes. From now on, you will be totally emo and passé.” Pony kicked Aiko in the stomach and exited the bathroom.

  John waved Pony over to a table. Pony watched him slurp, chew, and smack ramen noodles. Pony thought back to when she was human and she enjoyed dishes like this: the taste, the smell, the texture. Vampires didn’t eat food, but not because they couldn’t. Food simply gave them no satisfaction. They could taste the food, but once swallowed, it just kind of sat in their stomachs until it dissolved or if the vampire got rid of it by throwing it up.

  Pony decided to play the part of “the hungry date” for good measure. Besides, she thought John’s excitement was really cute. No sense in raining on his parade.

  “Good, right?” he asked.

  Pony nodded. “Delicious.”

  There was commotion outside of the bathroom. Aiko walked out screaming and covered in blood. Emergency staff and security guards ran to her and tried to assist her.

  John looked over at the crowd. “Is that Aiko?” They watched from a distance as Aiko was carried out on a stretcher. “I wonder what happened.”

  Pony shrugged. The mirror on the wall didn’t tell her she was the fairest of them all, I guess.

  After they finished devouring the delicious pork dish, they went to the theater and watched Samurai Three. Pony kept pointing out how the actors were using the swords wrong. She was enjoying the movie although she was stuck sitting next to a little brat who wouldn’t stop whining.

  “Mommy, I want more drink!”

  “Mommy, I don’t like this movie!”

  “Mommy, I want toys!”

  “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”

  The little kid looked at Pony, reached over, and yanked one of her curls.

  Pony gave him evil look, quietly hissing and exposing her fangs. “Sit down and be quiet or I will eat you.”