A/N: The fascinating characters of Kamen Rider Gaim do not belong to me, but to their esteemed creators. Enjoy~
And So They Meet
Hase Ryouji had never gone out of his way to find out about the other dance teams. He was a pretty straight-forward guy, who simply fought because he wanted to become stronger. As a team, Raid Wild wasn't particularly territorial – they defended their turf, but they didn't go the extra mile of conquering other people's turfs – and neither were they particularly ambitious – they had no care for the rankings; they just hated to lose and wanted to win their fights.
Of course, there were teams, like Team Baron, which Ryouji kept an eye on because Team Baron - led by the infamous Kumon Kaito - was the team to beat, but every other team was barely a blip on his radar.
Until Team Invitto came along.
Team Invitto had been one of those teams, whose reputation preceded had them even before they had officially registered. While the team record wasn't anything of interest – they didn't have standout battle victories or particularly outstanding moves – the leader of the said team was the sole reason they had gained that much attention. He was weak, some scoffed, and a complete cheat; resorting to cheap tricks to win fights he would otherwise lose. He was intelligent, others countered, and used his brains where it mattered; he had never broken any rules after all, just jumped through loopholes and ran circles around them.
Truthfully, Ryouji probably would have paid no mind to the rumours, but along with the whispers came a warning.
Team Invitto was willing to do anything in their race to the top.
In the short span of time that they had entered the battlefield, they had already conquered three different territories and stages. One of the teams who had lost their stage had been Team Boost, with whom Team Raid Wild had had a semi-friendly relationship.
'The leader of Team Invitto, Jounouchi Hideyasu,' Kita, the leader of Team Boost had said, with grudging respect, 'don't underestimate him.'
And, anyone whom Kita respected – even a little – was someone whom Ryouji definitely took notice of.
So, when the challenge came along – in the form of a bespectacled girl, who looked more like she belonged in a library than on the Inves battlefield – Ryouji agreed to it without hesitation.
Jounouchi was nothing like he expected.
Sure, he had the whole glinting-glasses look down pat, but the guy looked more like a fashionable nerd than the ruthless leader that Ryouji had been hearing so much about. With a light-hearted greeting – though it was edged with a tone of challenge – and a polite smile, he certainly didn't look like someone who would invest himself in the Inves Games. Yet, this was the person who was making waves amongst the teams; this was the person that even Kita had warned Ryouji against.
All of Ryouji's skepticism, however, flew out the window the moment Jounouchi's summon destroyed Ryoji's.
Sudden and violent; in a blink of an eye, it was all over.
Even as he stared at the dissipating Inves in shock, Ryouji could remember the amber gaze sizing him up from across the box; cold, cunning, calculating.
For the first time in a long time, Ryouji felt a fire in his veins.
This guy was dangerous.
His hands clenched tightly into white-knuckled fists.
The leader of Team Invitto, Jounouchi Hideyasu. Don't underestimate him.
Ignoring the startled yells of both teams, Ryouji lunged at Jounouchi and gripped the other boy by the collar of his shirt. Something in those brown eyes flickered, but Jounouchi simply looked silently at him, not backing down in the slightest.
'Next time, I'll be taking back this stage,' Ryouji all but growled in his face, before shoving Jounouchi off, and stalking away with his team.
Because Jounouchi was strong.
But, Ryouji would prove that he was stronger.
After all, Team Raid Wild didn't go the extra mile of conquering other people's turfs, but they would fight tooth-and-nail to defend their own.
Team Raid Wild would not lose to Team Invitto again.
That, and Ryouji was a simply straight-forward guy who fought to win.
And, Hase Ryouji was not about lose to Jounouchi Hideyasu again.