For the gx_100. Set after Ryo's graduation but before season two. The superstitions referenced at the beginning are, yes, English – just because I am not completely familiar with Japanese superstitions.
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As a general principle Ryo Marufuji was not a superstitious person. He respected those that were; because to Ryo respect was the most important thing anyone could have in life, but he didn't follow those beliefs himself. He did not touch wood when he spoke of illness, he did not recite any sort of chant when he saw magpies and even as a child he didn't put his baby teeth under a pillow to expect money from some fairy.
Ryo just preferred fact. He found his efforts were much better focused on elements of life he knew were there than make up new ones that probably weren't there at all.
That being said he didn't do much with the concept of wishing. Not that he opposed the notion, he just always felt it was more sensible to go out and do something yourself if you wanted it done instead of wishing for it to happen.
So with that said he'd been a bit floundered when Asuka had brought up the subject of wishing at the lighthouse. It was light-hearted talk, unusual for the two of them. Some days before Ryo was due to graduate one of them must have noticed that for all the time Ryo had spent at the lighthouse with Asuka and for all the time he'd spent there with Fubuki before her there had not been a time when the three of them had been there together. So they sought to fix that, to have one last time at the lighthouse before Ryo left, as two siblings and their friend.
For the most part, as they spoke of wishes Ryo listened quietly to what Asuka and Fubuki thought of the concept. It wasn't until afterwards as he travelled home on the ferry that he had time to dwell upon it.
Both of them were quite similar in their opinions, though they probably didn't notice it. If Ryo pointed out any similarities between the two siblings they'd both look as if he was suggesting something unspeakable.
Though as he mulled over the reactions they had it became clear that they both looked towards the future. That was the sort of positive people they were. Neither of them wished to change anything about their pasts, even with some of the traumatic experiences that had happened during their times at Duel Academia. They both wanted to have health, successful careers and stay close to their friends.
As far as he could fathom the concept of wishing this seemed logical to Ryo. You could try your best to work at all of those aspects of life, but some of them were just outside of your control. If there was any outside force helping you with your life it would be best to focus it on an area you couldn't control yourself.
Which brought Ryo onto the subject of what he'd wish for himself. If anything, the aspects mentioned by the Tenjoin siblings seemed sensible to him. He was about to take a huge step in his career – entering the Pro Leagues. So he wanted his health to be sure that he could perform the best that he possibly could. He'd worked up to this moment for so many years, so he wanted the Pro Leagues to go successfully so it wouldn't feel like the studying he'd done had been wasted. And of course he wanted to stay in contact with his friend.
This last point worried him most of all. The other two he could control a bit better, because they involved going to the Pro Leagues and he was heading there anyway. But going to the Pro Leagues was exactly what was causing trouble with the last aspect. For by going there he was moving away from his friends.
He was the only one of them who graduated that year, so there'd be no one to stand by his side. He wanted them to do the best they could in the academia but at the same time he didn't want them to forget about him. Especially not Fubuki or Asuka.
Out of everyone he felt closest to them. Fubuki had been his best friend since the first year and he'd spent so much time with Asuka trying to help her find her brother after he'd gone missing.
But at the same time he didn't want to hold Asuka back. It felt odd even thinking about her like that, but he knew that over the course of her first year Asuka had spent so much time with him. He appreciated it but at the same time he could tell that part of her wanted to be with Juudai's group more. She had too much pride to become a tag-along to Juudai but he offered her a sense of fun she probably hadn't seen since her brother had left. At least now that Ryo had graduated he knew that Asuka could spend more time getting to know her other friends.
Fubuki was a whole different story. Ryo didn't quite know where to categorise him. At first he thought it'd be hard for Fubuki, because of the absence in his life and education. It felt wrong to leave Fubuki with a younger generation that he did not know. But Fubuki proved him wrong and fitted right in with the others almost instantly. They all found him a fun person to be around, as was often the case with Fubuki.
And for all it made Ryo happy to know that Fubuki would not be alone there was also a pang of sadness inside of him. Ryo didn't mix well with others; he was distant so it took a lot for him to make friends. It didn't feel right that Fubuki could so quickly find others to be around and yet Ryo would probably never find another friend like Fubuki. That boy meant more to Ryo than he'd considered before…
So he decided on his wish, should he ever have to make one. He had to focus on his friendships, since this was most difficult to control.
For Asuka he wished that she would go far in her friendships with Juudai, Manjoume and all the others she chose to be close to. It would help her to be around people who would encourage her to open up as a person, Ryo thought.
For Fubuki…
He wished that Fubuki would not forget about him.
He had no need to wish for Fubuki to have success in new friendships because Fubuki was so good at friendship on his own. He wanted to keep part of Fubuki for himself, for the other to remember that Ryo had thought of him as a close friend.
And that was it.
There were no cosmic energies attached.
Ryo suspected that it was all fake, but he felt better for getting his potential wishes out of the way so he could focus on what he could control.
He then noticed that his phone was ringing. It must have been going for about a minute. What kind of person could have the patience to keep ringing for that long?
Looking at the name on the phone he realised that it wasn't so much the patience as it was the determination.
"Fubuki?"
"Hey, Ryo," called the other cheerfully, "You didn't think I'd let you get away that easily did you? I know you said goodbye and everything but to think you might have to spend a whole two years without me – how horrible for you! So I've made a pledge to phone you everyday."
Perhaps Ryo had made his wish too soon.
