Notes – For the gx_100. Set post-GX by a year.

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"So if the plane crashes you have to use this thing here and put your head in your lap to cushion yourself, or if you have a baby you can use that instead. What if you have two babies, do you pick your favourite?"

"Fubuki, you're going to get in trouble if one of the hosts sees that you've already blown up your life jacket," Ryo replied, trying to ignore the bright orange garment that his friend was waving around as a demonstration.

"Not likely, I already flirted with the good looking ones when we were getting on, everyone is powerless to my charms," Fubuki replied, flashing him a smile.

Ryo shook his head and looked out of the window.

"Duel Academia, I wonder what's changed since we've been gone," he said.

Struggling to get the inflated life jacket under his seat, Fubuki replied, "It's only been a year. Bet they were happy to get through a full school term without anything too dangerous happening."

"It feels strange coming back with you," Ryo confessed, "I wasn't actually part of Juudai's year after all."

"I only was because I had to be held back," reminded Fubuki, though being held back had nothing to do with his lack of skill so much as it had to do with Fubuki being kidnapped, "And you're one of us Ryo, even if you won't admit to it. Samejima wouldn't have allowed for you to be left out."

Smiling at the clouds outside Ryo momentarily wondered who was worse at messing with his life between Fubuki, Samejima or even Shou.

"My brother will be meeting us there, he wanted to go ahead to see if Juudai was around," he said idly.

"There's a surprise," Fubuki laughed, "I'm glad that Asuka could make it as well, it's been a long time since even I've seen her. And everyone else was a miss, especially the cute girls. I wonder how Rei's been handling the second year; I heard she finally picked up a Blue uniform. Bet it looks good on her."

"She's still too young for you," Ryo reminded, the slightest edge of jealousy creeping into his voice.

Dismissively, Fubuki answered, "Only for a few more years. Anyway, I hope they bring around the snacks soon, I could go for a plate of gyoza." And Ryo had no doubt that Fubuki would ask for something as inappropriate and awkward to make even on a plane.

"Don't you think it's amazing?" Ryo asked quietly.

"What is?" Fubuki looked at him curiously.

"You'd never have even been able to imagine it at the beginning, but somehow we all grew up and flew away from this place," answered Ryo, watching Duel Academia become an approaching dot on the horizon.

"And now we're flying back, on a plane no less," agreed Fubuki cheerfully.

Ryo quietly wondered if they'd ever truly be able to leave, or if they would all be drawn back here for one reason or another. He shuddered to think of the ten year later reunion, which would probably be much worse than this one year one that he was attending. Though technically he was just a 'plus guest' who was attending with Fubuki.

"Though we could have done it with more style," mused Fubuki.

"You think the boat is more stylish?" Ryo asked, confused.

Waving a hand, Fubuki said, "Of course not. But if we flew here imagine riding in on a giant swan, we'd be the talk of the school for years."

"Yes. They'd all be wanting to know how it had been physically possible to ride the swan, as well as where we managed to find one that size," Ryo replied flatly.

"You have no imagination," pouted Fubuki, "But I wouldn't want to steal the swan from Asuka, that truly is her bird."

Though he hadn't been around at the time, Ryo had heard rumours of when the Tenjoin siblings had duelled that poor Asuka had been paraded into the arena on the back of a mechanical swan, soon after her brother had flown in on strings. Really Fubuki had some issues he needed to address.

"I think she'd object to that," answered Ryo.

"You and her are too similar sometimes," protested Fubuki, "It's still my mission to make you both lighten up a little."

"That was your mission in the first place?"

"Well you know now, so be wary."

"I'll be more careful when I start seeing you riding a giant swan," joked Ryo.

"Sooner than you think," warned Fubuki. And suddenly he knew what he was going to ride on for the next special episode of the Bucky Show.