An Exhilarating Chase

(Author's Note: We're going back to Quis' Point of view. From now on I'll just say the point of view like this:)

Quis' POV:

"Do you mind If I sit next to you?"

'Hm? This is quite the development. Who would've thought that the seduction victim would confront the seductionist? I suppose this isn't bad though... I would even say that It's better. With this, I won't have to take the risk of immediate rejection. Not that it would stop me, but it would make everything easier. I was originally going to change myself a little to fit her tastes, but if she is approaching me... that won't be necessary.'

"Hm? I guess I don't mind. Sit away. I hope you don't mind if I talk to you because of it." I took another bite of my sandwich to dull my senses again. My emotions were trying to take over, and they weren't pulling punches anymore.

"Oh, I-I don't mind at all... but..." She looked around the room prompting me to do the same. I raised my head to the sight of the entire Fruit Hall looking directly at the both of us, especially one girl, she had an incredibly sharp gaze. I guessed she was a close friend of Pulchra's.

"I see what you mean... If you want to..." My speech trailed off as I began to blush a little. Unfortunately, this wasn't a part of my acting, my feelings were starting to overpower my will. I took a deep breath and exhaled uniquely. My body began to calm and I continued my thought to the girl who looked at me with... an expectant gaze? No... this type of look felt a bit scarier for some reason.

Ignoring that, I said to Pulchra, "Ahem. Would you like to go somewhere else with me? You know, so we can talk without interruptions. I know a good spot where we can be alone." My words were a bit pushy for the first contact with a girl. But for some reason, I felt as though I could say this sort of thing, which could easily be misinterpreted, without coming off as creepy.

"Alone... I-I would like that a lot. You can lead the way." She was acting more sheepish than how she normally came off. I inferred that she had a crush on the personality I created, which saved me a lot of effort. Normally the guy would have to pursue the girl, and I still will somewhat, but her feelings will enable me to not have to do much. I'll just have to act as I have been for the last few days, I'll have to act like Quis.

I nodded at her and stood up, everyone's eyes following me, "Um, I have to use the restroom." It was the best way to get out of almost any social situation: the bathroom excuse.

I motioned for Pulchra to stand up and do the same thing. She stood up and looked around the room, her sheepishness disappeared and she said with a clear voice so as to not create any misunderstandings, "I have to go the restroom." I didn't notice it until now, but she was able to be dependable in tough situations. She must have a good head on her shoulders, I'll have to be careful around her.

Maybe it was because of the bathroom excuse, or maybe it was because of the shock of the situation, but no one made a move as we walked until the door behind us was closed. Right as I heard the door shut behind us, my hand reached for Pulchra's and took hold of it. It was soft, not unlike Hasrem's, but it had a sense of clarity behind it.

It was soothing. It drew me in. It- Mgh!

Blood leaked out of the inside of my mouth, the familiar taste of iron cascading down my tongue and into my throat.

I had taken a chunk of flesh out of my cheek.

Pain was an effective way of clearing one's head, and I simply employed it. I also discovered something interesting with this interaction. Pain fell under the effects of the curse placed on this body. I had felt pain before of course, but I thought it hurt more than normal because I wasn't used to the pain of a human body. It seems that wasn't the case though, as biting the flesh off of my cheek sent unparalleled pain throughout my entire body, similar to having your finger cut off.

After memorizing this piece of useful information, I said to Pulchra who seemed stunned at the fact that I took her hand, "We'd better run now. Those people may be momentarily stunned, but that won't last long. Although it won't be all of them, I know that some of those people will chase us."

She nodded her head, but it was obvious she didn't render any of the words I just told her. She was unmoving as well. "Well if you won't move..." I gripped her hand tightly and began to run. This is what finally woke Pulchra up. Just as she was about to fall over from my sudden movement, her legs began to move, and soon enough she was running alongside me.

Just as this was happening, I heard an uproar boom from the Fruit Hall behind us, the sound of the door being thrown open following soon after.

"Pulchra~ I don't like being left out of the loop. You'd better tell me what this is about!" I didn't have to turn around to know who that was as I could feel her intense stare burning into my back. It was that girl who was staring daggers at me earlier. If I were to guess though, I would say she was cracking her fingers and smiling sweetly, a bloody truth hidden behind it, while her pony-tail tied brown hair swayed behind her.

"We've gotta book it, snap out of it, and get ready to go into overdrive Pulchra!" I yelled to Pulchra to make her more conscious of the situation. She stared back at me, her earlier attitude nowhere to be found, and said while picking up the pace, "That's Iusus, she's a bit of a nutjob so we have to make sure we get her off of us fast. She is good at close combat, but I know she won't hit me. So when you need to, use me as a shield to get away from her."

Huh? This girl really didn't care much about classical gender restrictions. She seemed a bit strange for a girl at her age before, but now... I could tell, she would be an interesting one. I couldn't be rude and deny her strategy, so I would naturally help make it more grand.

"Good idea, in fact, I bet that no one here would want you to be hurt. So why don't I take you hostage?" I calmly asked her this as though I were asking for her opinion on the taste of the food she had just ordered. She looked at me and I was half expecting her to have the eyes of someone who just saw a crazy person, but instead, her eyes shone with brilliance, "That's great! Say something like, "If you all don't back off right now, you'll see something that you won't be able to forget.""

She said this as she got closer to me, getting ready for me to do what I had to. Was this the girl the same girl who was just meekly following along a moment ago? Whatever, I won't think too much about it right now, that crazy person was approaching.

"Hey, outsider! I'm gonna pummel your head in for stealing Pulchra! How dare you act so frumpishly as to even hold her hand! I'll tear you apart!!!" She said this as soon as she got close enough to take a jab at me. But at that moment...

"Huh?"

Pulchra and I came to a stop just before I grabbed her by the shoulders and placed her right where Iusus was about to punch me. "What are you doing Pulchra? Get out of my way so I can punch this insolent brat-"

"Not happening." It wasn't Pulchra who said this though, it was me. She looked at me with a disgusted face and spat these words at me, "Who are you to speak in Pulchra's place, only I can do that!"

I gave a sly smile as the rest of the horde slowly approached, "I don't think you get it. Pulchra has completely surrendered right now, and isn't in her right mind." I shook her to exemplify this fact, and I wasn't wrong. She was still conscious, but it seemed like she had finally given up on thinking for any longer as she simply shook to my whim, similar to a ragdoll.

"She seems to be overstimulated to the point where she is practically a ragdoll. It would be bad if someone were to take advantage of a situation like this, for example... What if she were to have her shirt removed in front of everyone here."

Gulp.

I could hear every boy that was mixed in the sea of people give out a loud gulp after my words. Pulchra also shook a little after hearing my words, but it seemed like she soon came to terms with it. What an unscrupulous girl. By now, most would have slapped me a multitude of times, and for good reason too. But it was becoming more clear to me that this girl wasn't your average "pure maiden".

"You little-" Iusus was about to curse at me but she was immediately stopped by the quick movement of my hands. My fingers gripped the rim of Pulchra's school-issued top that was inscribed with the symbol of the Sect. I could hear another wave of gulps resonate throughout the school's front entrance.

Iusus became more panicked at the sight of my unrelenting gaze, she could tell I wasn't joking. And she would be correct. I've had to restrict myself for a while since most of my battle tactics involved shameless maneuvers like this one, but since I had been given permission, I wouldn't hold back.

"Now... let's not get too hasty. We can talk about this right? How about you just stop here, and then I'll only hit you five times-"

I responded to her demands by lifting Pulchra's shirt enough for her belly button to be exposed.

"EEK!" "AHH!"

I could hear the high-pitched screams of the girls in the crowd. They were all blushing while looking at Pulchra's exposed figure. The boys, however... They looked at Pulchra with determined eyes, only taking a couple of moments to look at me to give a nod of gratitude. Iusus was panicking a lot more than before, "Ok, okay! I understand. I'll let you go. Just go!"

"Hmmm... How about no?" I lifted Pulchra's shirt further, stopping only before the very bottom of her bra was exposed. Iusus looked at me with shock, she was so dumbfounded that she couldn't even form the words to tell me to stop. Everyone else in the crowd shared the sentiment and stood silent. Of course, some had different reasons for this, evident by the way they reacted as though a delicious dish were in front of them.

"I-I, outsider, no, Quis, or should I say, Sir Quiliae, can't we just talk this out like reasonable people?" She gave a smile and reached into her pocket before pulling out a bag. She held the bag out to me and shook it around, the sound of metal hitting metal resulting from the action. It was a bag filled with Dschungels.

"Throw it over," I demanded in a tone that didn't ask for negotiation. She seemed to have finally understood her position and promptly threw the bag over to me. I grabbed the bag mid-air with one hand, my other hand holding onto Pulchra's shirt, my eye still locked onto Iusus' every movement.

"Great. Now, I want all of you to turn around and move back to the Fruit Hall. Go on, make sure you do it slowly, I don't want any sudden movements. Good, just like that, I want to see you all slowly walk away. Uh-huh, just like that. That's great, I'm happy you are all so cooperative. Have a good day you all!"

I gave my sarcastic goodbyes to the crowd of people as they listened to my demands and slowly walked back to the Fruit Hall. Only after they turned a corner did I run out of the building for good. They might've ran after me as soon as I turned around, but I wouldn't know. I was already deep in the jungle, and no one would be able to find me.

After I determined that we had run far enough, I grabbed Pulchra by her shoulders and shook her a bit, "You can stop the act now, we're out of danger." No response. "Seriously, come on. Wake up now." Nothing. "I really need you to say that you were acting and allowed me to do those things!" I was getting more panicked. If she was not conscious during that moment, then when she figured out what I did...

"Boo!"

I jumped back in fright resulting in Pulchra laughing at my terrified face. I soon realized what just happened and my face blushed with embarrassment. "You... Why did you do that?!" I shouted angrily at her.

"That's what you get for showing my stomach to all of those people!", She just continued to laugh, her beautiful complexion that was complemented by the dimples next to the corners of her mouth shining with happiness. At this moment, probably because of my unstable mental being, I found her quite beautiful...?

Hm? I just remembered something quite peculiar.

I was still under the effects of the meditation technique.