Author's note: To keep this story as believable as possible I'm keeping Genma and Okara's relationship as behind the scenes as possible so as not to disrupt the canon flow of the anime as this starts during the later parts of the ABC arc in later chapters.
Future Card Buddy Fight and it's characters are (c) to Bushiroad
Okara Ayane and other OC's are (c) to Myself.
The dawning of a new day let it presence be known as the first few rays of a slowly waking sun cast it's golden light over the still slumbering city landscape. The sweet morning breeze of an on coming summer drifted down and found it's way into the quiet suburbs of the Cho Tokyo 3rd block, wasting no time in rushing into a small home's open upstairs window. The bedroom was still dim as the morn was stealthily creeping it's way in, a bedside digital clock glaring 6:30 am before squawking out a loud buzzing alarm giving the invading day away.
"Murrr...stupid clock." A small yet gruff voice grumbled as a tan skinned hand slapped the device into submission as it rattled from the blow before falling silent again.
"Genma Todoroki!," A middle aged female voice called loudly from somewhere in the home's lower level. "Are you still in bed? It's almost 7:00, you are going to be late for school!"
"Aw Mom, it's almost summer vacation!" The young 4th grader whined as he pulled the blankets up over his head. Genma was so not a morning person and the hot sunlight that had now lit up his bedroom with it's full power didn't help his mood any. "What is one missed day?"
"Don't give me that old line young man, summer vacation is not for another month and you are keeping your friend waiting." The voice retorted in a tone that ended any further argument in it's tracks.
"Oh, okay Mom!" Genma said in a both cheerful yet sulky manner as he hated to have to drag himself out his cool and cozy bed.
Ambling over to the messy dresser near his bedroom door with sleep still trying to maintain a strangle hold on his eyelids, the boy rooted through the drawers in his typical hap hazard manner until he found his favourite shirt and cap. Standing in front of his full length mirror beside it Genma ran his fingers through his thick wild looking dark hair until it was adjusted to his liking. His best friend once said his hair made him look like a cute little lion which Genma firmly told her never to repeat to anyone as a soft knocking on his door was heard.
"Gen are you done in there yet? May I come in?" A much younger female voice asked as Genma was rummaging around with hurried vigour, grumbling under his breath as to where his mother had put his shorts and clean underwear.
"No Okara I am so not ready, so don't you dare come in!" Genma shouted back as he began to search at double speed now, fortune soon smiling upon him as he found his underwear a least.
"Oh come on, there is nothing on you I haven't seen when you tried to boycott pants." The girl giggled in a teasing manner.
"You are never going to let me live that down are you Okara?" Genma said through clenched teeth as he hopped about on one foot trying to get his opposite though his newly found shorts left leg. "All because I lost your dumb bet."
The bet in question being a race to see who was the fastest getting from school to the local ice cream stand that set up shop every year on the street corner a half mile down the road. The loser had to obey the one wish of the winner, the boy and his stubborn pride was not one to turn down a challenge but had he known what Okara's wish was going to be he would have swallowed it and would not have gone through with it.
"Oh come on Gen, it was funny and it's not like anyone saw you anyways." Okara answered still giggling away at the memory of the event.
"Yeah right, funny for you maybe!" Genma huffed back, though Okara was right about that last part for as silly and weird as she could be at times she wasn't mean. Making sure that everyone at her house were gone before making him protest the evils of all things pant like, with no witnesses her friend would leave with his dignity some what intact. The 10 minute display ended up being kind of funny for both of them the boy had to admit and true to her word Okara never breathed a word about what happened to anyone afterwards.
After finishing getting his shorts on and straightening his now tussled shirt Genma opened his bedroom door to the cheerful smiling face behind it. Okara Ayane was dressed in her usual attire of her favourite pink Hello Kitty t-shirt and blue jeans with a waving Hello Kitty winking a heart on the right back pocket, her soft brown hair was done up in a short pony tail with a little jeweled cat scrunchie Genma got her for her birthday last week. Kari ate, slept and breathed all things that purred and chased mice he remembered. Though embarrassing as it was to stand at the checkout of one of the local mall's many gift shops holding that hot pink kitty scrunchie, seeing her golden brown eyes lit up with joy the moment she opened his gift made it all worth it in the end.
"Okay you two we'd best be off, I don't want you running late for your studies and I have errands to run." Mrs. Todoroki smiled at the children as she handed her son his lunch and ushered them out the door and into the car.
Opening the door Genma helped Okara into the back seat and passed her his lunch and book bag before getting in behind her, buckling her seat belt before doing his own.
"It's okay Gen, you don't have to do that every time you know." She smiled at him. "I wasn't going to forget."
"You're my friend Kari, it's my job to make sure you're safe." Genma said firmly as they pulled out of the driveway and headed of toward the Aibo Academy.
It was nearing 8:00 when their small blue mini van pulled up in front of the school grounds, the sun nearing it's peak as the building blazed white against the skyline. Countless other students of different ages and grades were already waving good bye to parent and guardian alike as the two children got out of the vehicle, waving good bye to Genma's mother as the pair headed inside behind the other 4th graders up the escalator.
"We'd better hurry Gen, Miss Haru is back from being sick all last week and I want to see her!" Okara said eagerly tugging on her friend's arm as he finished putting his books in his locker.
"Okay okay! We're go-ING!" Genma yipped as he was yanked almost off his feet, not blaming her for her excitement as he was pulled along behind her to the classroom.
Not only was Miss Haru really pretty but she was very understanding and kind, even going so far as to making cupcakes on each of her students birthdays. Always taking time out of her day to help those who were struggling in their lessons, when she was gone with the flu for a week all of her students were sad and very worried about her. Sending many get well cards and drawings in the hopes she would get better and come back as soon as possible. When Okara saw her standing outside the classroom door she let out a squeal of delight and ran right over to hug her.
"Miss Haru! Miss Haru! I'm so happy you're okay!" The young girl said grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm happy to see both of you Okara." Miss Haru smiled warmly as Genma lightly tugged his cap and nodded in acknowledgement. He couldn't explain it but just seeing Kari so over joyed like she was now made the boy feel very warm inside, her smile and energy...he didn't know but it just made him feel like he was glowing inside. Very strange indeed.
The small group headed inside as students cheered and clapped their favourite teacher's return, as Genma and Okara took their usual spots near the back of the classroom Miss Haru stood before them all and bowed. Trying her best not to become too emotional in front of her students, yet the sight of their smiling faces made her eyes water a little.
"Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and wonderful cards." She began lightly brushing a few of her deep navy locks away from her eyes. "I have missed all of you and am so happy to be back."
"We're happy to have you back Miss Haru." A young blond haired girl named Rika said from the front row.
"Inspiered by some of the art work you sent me I thought of a fun project for Creative Writing, what would you all think about the idea of writing your own illustrated story book? It can be about what ever each one of you agree on with your study partner."
"Can we have Buddy Fight monsters in them?" Asked a boy named Katsu with a raise of his hand.
"Of course, in fact you could have this monster in your story for example." Miss Haru replied as she turned on the classroom flat screen and brought up the card artwork of a monster by the name of Fortune Dragon, Forbolka.
The moment Okara saw that card Genma was sure she would have flown right through the roof of the school, spun around the moon three times and a half twist around the sun for good measure.
"Her! Her! We have to have her in our story Genma!" The girl said barely able to contain her excitement as she patted his arm like crazy.
Genma sighed as he pulled his cap over his eyes a little. "Don't you think you are overreacting Kari?"
"Can we have the cute kitty in our story Miss Haru?" Okara asked again making sure to raise her hand.
"She's not a kitty, she's a Dragon Lord." Katsu said looking back at her with a cocky smirk.
"Dragon Lord?!" Okara exclaimed in complete disbelief. "She's a kitty not a dragon, in fact she couldn't look any more less like a dragon than I do!"
Katsu just shrugged and simply said "Well like it or not she is a Dragon Lord, that's what her card says so that's what she is."
"Okay settle down you two." Miss Haru said with a slow wave of her hand. "Okara, it's your project so if you want to write about Forbolka as a kitty then you are free to do so."
"Yessss!" Okara cheered throwing her hands in the air in triumph as Katsu just groaned and clunked his head on his desk.
"Next we have a pretty interesting one, it is said that only the strongest leaders of the Seifukai can wield this creature's immense powers." Said the teacher as she changed to the next card over.
Now it was Genma's turn to stand up and take notice as the classroom began to hum with the excited voices of the other students as the image of a great red dragon with a crown of gold horns on it's head appeared on the screen. Completely spellbound Genma listened as Miss Haru said that this great creature's name was Martial Arts Dragon Emperor, Duel Sieger. It is not known as to how this rare and powerful card came into the Seifukai's famous Koryuken deck only that it had been there for many years and the real reason maybe a tightly guarded secret or forgotten over time, but Miss Haru did mention that Seiger was said to have two more powerful forms but those Buddy Fighters who when up against him usually never lasted long enough to discover them.
"Oh man that is the most totally amazing monster ever!" Genma exclaimed as his red brown eyes glittering in awe. "Kari we are going to have HIM in our story and ours will be the best in the whole class!"
"Whoooo's over reacting now? Hmmm?" Okara asked cocking one eye, the tone of her voice making him wince and blush a little.
The teacher settled the class down and told them to get together with their study buddy to brain storm plot ideas and write up the out line to show her afterwards, Genma was glad that his friend would cover the art portion of the project as he couldn't even draw a stick man properly but was eager to get down to business with the plot part. Okara already had her notebook out and was jotting down some ideas, she suggested that being an Emperor, Sieger would rule over a great country with his faithful attendant Forbolka by her Excellency's side.
"That's a good idea Kari," Genma said with a smile. "He would fight in many great battles and be super rich!"
"How could Duel Sieger get rich?" Okara asked, a little confused.
"He's an Emporer silly, they always have lots of money and cause Forbolka is the Fortune Dragon...er Kitty she can help him keep track of it all." He answered putting his fists on his hips and puffing his chest out.
"Uhhh right, I guess when you put it that way it makes sense." She said still sounding unsure but knew that they would come up with a great story together.
The morning faded into a bright and cloudless noon as the two friends when outside to have their lunch and talk about the story that would wow the masses, during that time Okara started sketching some illustrations for the book. Most of the other students at Aibo used the lunch break to practice Buddy Fights, trade cards or just get advice from veteran players on how to build better decks. Okara never really had much of an interest in the whole Buddy Fighting part, much of what she did know was what she had over heard from other students or from Genma. At first she was afraid that if he found out how she really felt he wouldn't want to be her friend anymore, those fears being completely unfounded as she remembered him telling her one Saturday afternoon at his home.
"That's okay Kari, I would never stop being your friend over that and I would never ask you to be a part of something you're not comfortable with. If you do decide to become a Buddy Fighter I hope you will let me train you."
"That would be wonderful Gen, but until then would it be okay if I were just friends with a Monster instead?"
"Sure, there is no rule against that!"
Smiling at that thought she finished a rough draft for the cover of their book, it was a scene of Sieger wearing a cape looking over a vast city with Forbolka holding a book in her paws. Even though it was a rough drawing Gen was very impressed with it.
"Wow this is so great Kari," He said with growing enthusiasm as he handed the art pad back to her. "Your art is the best!"
"It's only a sketch Gen," She smiled but still blushed at the compliment. "Sieger is going to be a real challenge to draw. I only hope I can make this good enough for our book."
"You will make it good Kari, I know you can. Besides has your art's biggest fan ever been wrong before?" Genma asked as he got up from his side of the lunch bench to sit down beside her.
"Well...there was that one time last Friday when you.." She started to say but was quickly cut off.
"Oh Kari I'm being serious!" Genma shouted throwing his hands in the air.
"I know I'm only joking!" Okara laughed at her friend's pouting expression.
Genma found he could never stay annoyed or even be mad at her, when she looked over into his eyes with that smile and golden brown eyes so filled with kindness like she was now that heat started to build up in his chest again. He just couldn't figure it out...so weird and when he sat so close to her the heat became an intense burning in his chest and his heart began to race uncontrollably...was it something he ate? Maybe.
"Genma! Hey you still there?" A sudden shout snapped him back to the land of the living as Okara looked at him with concern. "You looked really out of it for a moment there. Are you feeling okay?"
"Uh great!" He said with a huge smile before standing up out of his seat. "Just thinking about great our book's going to be when it's done!"
"Sure." She agreed but still didn't believe he was as "great" as he said he was.
When the ending school bell rang all of the children ran from the building as the cool evening air filled with the sounds of their many voices as cars and buses slowly filled to return them home for another day. The two friends Genma and Okara walked together as they always had many times before towards his mother's mini van, chatting and laughing away as Genma pulled open the door to let her in first.
"How was your day you two?" Mrs Todoroki asked as the kids settled in their seats.
"Great Mom!" Her son answered with a grin. "Kari and I are going to write the greatest story ever about Emperor Duel Sieger for our creative writing project."
"Co-starring his faithful attendant Forbolka the Fortune Kitty I might add!" Okara chimed in.
"That sounds like a lot of fun, I hope to get to read it myself when it's done." Mrs Todoroki smiled warmly as they drove off down the late afternoon street with the sky over head fading to water colour pink and golden blue.