Chapter 4: Tomari, Troubled

TOMARI, TROUBLED

CHAPTER 4 OF THE MANGA

( Anime Cross-reference---Compressed, edited, and included in Anime Episode 2, " The Girl Realizes That She is a Girl )

Previously
Because Hazumu and Tomari have been friends since childhood, it is naturally expected that Hazumu would look to Tomari for help and guidance with her now presenting as a teenage girl. But it is passionate girl Yasuna who actually helps Hazumu on one of her very important steps in affirming femininity, that of selecting her first bra. Is Tomari, the tomboy, really the best choice for Hazumu to go to for all things feminine ?

Chapter Overlook
As Hazumu progresses in her new life as a cute, teenage girl, it is Tomari who begins to regress into a 'don't bother me' mind set with regard to Hazumu. For one thing, Tomari still incorrectly uses male pronouns and phrases to refer to Hazumu, seemingly indicating that she has not accepted in her mind the obvious, that Hazumu is, body, mind, heart, and soul, a girl. But will Tomari back away and abandon Hazumu for good, or is there something that still binds them together ?

This Chapter's Story
Tomari is sitting on a chair in her bedroom. She is thinking about many things, past and present---

THEN---A long time ago a couple of neighborhood bullies are picking on Hazumu, and he is already crying. Tomari comes upon what is happening, and grabbing a heavy stick, chases the two boys away from Hazumu. She then tries to quiet and comfort Hazumu, tries to get him to stop crying with the assurance that it is okay to cry, and a promise that she will always be there to protect him.

NOW---It is Hazumu over and over, again and again, " Help me, Tomari ! " " What should I do, Tomari ? " " How do girls do this, Tomari ? ". . . . .Tomari, Tomari, TOMARI !!!

" OH SHUT UP !!!, Tomari screams in her mind.

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Next day at school, Tomari's thoughts become reality, as she angerly tells Hazumu in the hallway to quit asking her about every single thing !!! Hazumu has a stunned look on her face, as Ayuri tells Tomari that she, Tomari, has always been the watchful neighbor, and is the best one for the job of helping Hazumu. Ayuri turns to Hazumu and tells her that Tomari is not really mad. Ayuki and Hazumu then nonchalantly walk into the girl's dressing room and PE lockers.

Tomari follows them inside the dressing room, and practically 'blows a gasket' !

" WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE, HAZUMU ??? "

Ayuki calmly and peacefully answers, " Hazumu is a girl, and this is the girl's dressing room. Duh, figure it out. " Tomari spits out, " A girl ? He has always been a he . . . . " Still calm and collected, Ayuki offers, "Well, should Hazumu go to the boy's dressing room ?" Other girls chime in with Ayuki, telling Tomari that it doesn't matter, everything is O.K. One girl confronts Tomari, " Does it bother you, Tomari ? " " Not at all ", Tomari says, launching forth an obvious falsehood. Yasuna is undressing in front of her locker, but says nothing to the turmoil. Yet another girl says that it's like Hazumu ''has always been a girl. ''Tomari is mortified ! She turns around to glare at the other girls, but says nothing.

That afternoon, Tomari loses it again during English language class. As the teacher drones on and on with the lesson, Tomari is instead looking out the window and lost in her own thoughts. " Hazumu, these days, is really, really cute. In fact, he is prettier than me, and I'm a born female ! It doesn't matter how cute he is, it is no good that he became a girl ! What was he telling me privately the other day ? 'I'm a girl now. I haven't always been a girl, but from now on, I guess that my eventual lover should be a guy !' "

And with that thought, Tomari jumps out of her desk and assaults nearby Asuta for no apparent reason. The shocked teacher stumbles and falls out the open window ! Hazumu pulls Tomari off of Asuta, telling her to 'get a grip' ! Suddenly, Tomari realizes how awful she has just been, as students are now looking downward from the open window. Hazumu asks Tomari what is wrong with her ? Tomari merely answers that she is acting stupid, that's all.

Later that day, after school is over and the students are at their lockers to change shoes, Yasuna approaches Hazumu, with the comment, " Today, you were totally like a girl in the dressing room ! " Hazumu responds, " Tomari got mad at me today for not being careful, because I am not used to wearing a pleated mini-skirt that can occasionally show one's panties. " Just then, Tomari appears, with Ayuki and Asuta right behind her, and barks, " HAZUMU ! Let's go ! " Yasuna turns and with an exceedingly cute and super sweet " Bye ", subsequently leaves.

Once outside the school walls, Hazumu asks Tomari if she can go with the Gardening Club and gather plants from Mt. Kishima ? " The media will be all over you like moths to a flame ! ", is Tomari's sour remark. Suddenly appearing out of nowhere (*), Jan Puu is hugging Hazumu. Jan Puu tells Tomari that she sleeps and bathes with Hazumu, causing Tomari to 'flip her lid' ! " We're both girls, after all ! ", is Jan Puu's flippant response. Jan Puu tells of the many more dresses and bras that Hazumu's mother has bought, and wants to walk her home. Tomari turns away and also begins to walk home, alone. Tomari mutters to herself, still worked up over everything and fuming to herself. " I'm not going to care anymore ! Everyone treats Hazumu as if he was a real girl ! He's not going to change back ! Seems nothing can be done ! Every bit of him has changed. "

Just then, the noise of chaos in the streets assails Tomari's ears. She turns, and sees a bevy of rabid, foaming at the mouth Fox News reporters and cameramen surrounding Hazumu. Tomari runs back, and approaching the mob, tells Jan Puu to boost her up and over. Tomari lands next to an embarrassed and hurting Hazumu, and with the steely determination of a riot policeman, shouts, " STOP IT !!! KEEP AWAY FROM HAZUMU !!! I WILL PROTECT HAZUMU !!! IF YOU LAY ONE FINGER ON HIM . . . . "

Soon, the crowd has dispersed, but Hazumu is still uncontrollably crying like a baby. This triggers a memory for Tomari; the time so long ago that she fought off the two bullies with a big stick to protect Hazumu. Hazumu even begins to say that she is sorry, so, so sorry that she always has to protect her, just like each and every time. Tomari kneels down to the bawling Hazumu, and begins to comfort her and wipe away her tears, telling her not to worry, she will always protect her.

" Nothing has changed ! Nothing ! ", Tomari confesses to herself. " He may look different, but the old Hazumu is still there. "

" It's okay, it's okay ", Tomari softly utters, as she wraps her arms around Hazumu and gentle brings Hazumu's head to rest on her shoulder.

That night in Tomari's bedroom, once again she is in a quandary about what happened today. " That's not  Eros love  ! ", Tomari referring to the rescue of Hazumu from the reporters, " That's just Storge Love, just motherly affection ! "

The aliens are 'taking it all in' from their remote viewing site.

Chapter Lookback and Commentary
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Manga Fan's comments on this chapter

C3PO / 2 years ago / 1 like

Yeah, girl, go for [the girl in] twintails!

Mr. Vending Machine / 3 years ago

LOL! Did everyone [in that mob of reporters] really leave? *Dying of laughter*