Abracadabra
Author's Note: Shout-out to the Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) restaurant, where I was the day I finished this. The mentalist segment is inspired by Joshua Seth, who provided the dub voice for Yagami Taichi (Tai Kamiya) in the Digimon franchise and went on to become an entertainer. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Rockman EXE series.
Pairing: Pre-slash Netto x Tohru.
Summary:
Budding magician Eboshi Shuichi tries his hand at a new kind of magecraft: matchmaking.
Eboshi Shuichi marched in place next to his senior from Class A, hopping like an upbeat rabbit in a field of grass. "Netto-kun, want to see some tricks?"
"Yeah!"
The exchange student in green tie and knee-high boots clapped his hands together, slowly pulling them apart. A wand materialized in between them, which he twirled for the proverbial spotlight. He tapped it thrice, and in a poof of smoke it vanished. From his cuffs, he distended a chain of kerchiefs. Each was a different colour and sported a different pattern. They were knotted corner to corner.
"Watch closely," he advised.
With a flip of his wrist, the small-scale tug of war came undone, suddenly becoming a single burgundy cloth. Mumbling arcane-sounding incantations, he waved his fingers in a circle above the obfuscating sheet, before tearing away the curtain to reveal a marzipan orange in his palm underneath.
"Awesome!"
"Wasn't it?" Rockman agreed, having beheld the spectacle himself.
A rush of pride swept over Shuichi, but he quickly retreated into humility. He was a novice showman compared to his dad, the magnificent Mr. Hat, who toured all over the national stage with his equally spellbinding NetNavi, Hatman. That didn't stop Netto from lighting up brighter than a kid who scored two slices of cake at a birthday celebration.
"Here, you can have it!"
Netto reached to accept the offered sweet. It shrank as he neared until it was a mere speck of dust in Shuichi's grasp.
"No way! How did you do that?" The sixth-grader gasped, positively flabbergasted. What was the gag?
"A magician never reveals his secrets," Shuichi recited the old yarn, blowing the mote into the wind. He had to admit. His sleight of hand had improved. At this rate, he'd master spoon bending by the end of the week.
"That's so cool!"
Shuichi regarded Netto. The Net Saviour was a party cracker. Tug his wires right, and you were awarded an explosive pop. His childlike enthusiasm mesmerized, making him a joy to be around. But there was something further. An area Shuichi hoped to be of service, the supportive and considerate friend he was. The real motive for his impromptu street performance. Now that he'd gotten his audience's attention, it was on to the main event.
He cleared his throat.
Still enraptured by Shuichi's last feat, Netto believed he was lining up an encore. Linking rings? Guess the card? Levitation? He was ecstatic to discover what hocus-pocus Shuichi was hiding in his bag of mysteries.
The amateur thaumaturge had a loftier stunt in mind.
"While I appreciate your feedback, Netto-kun, isn't your praise a bit misplaced?"
"What do you mean?"
"You sure you don't want to be saying nice things to Tohru-kun instead?
Netto clammed up at the surprise accusation. Where did that come from? Weren't they having fun just a moment ago?
Shuichi was well aware of Netto's feelings for Hikawa Tohru. He'd caught Netto staring dreamily at Tohru a few jiffies during their walks to school when the boy wasn't looking, and even every now and then in his own direction when Tohru wasn't with them.
"Everybody is always telling me how we look like twins. So maybe it's easier for you to talk to me instead of him, when you know there's no risk of me rejecting you."
Dang. This illusionist in training was perceptive. Must have been those mentalism lessons his father taught him.
His confidentiality breached, Netto delivered some serious side-eye. He felt naked in the open. "What will it take for you to show me a trick where you make this conversation disappear?"
"More than you could afford," the younger laughed.
Netto's stomach growled. Leave it to his tummy to turn to food when he required a diversion, in spite of the large breakfast he'd chowed down earlier. Sadly, it didn't seem Shuichi was about to let him off the hook.
He expelled a long, drawn-out breath, badly bruised and optionless. Rockman copied the action, embarrassed for his operator. The Navi's holographic avatar flickered out of existence as he amscrayed to the home screen on his PET.
"You have no problem telling me how amazing I am. It should be a cinch to do the same for him. We're exactly alike! Trust me, it works both ways! Pretend he's me, and tell him, dummy!"
The timing couldn't have been more opportune (or worse, from Netto's standpoint). Tohru came running up between them, jaunty and gripping both straps of his backpack.
"Good morning, Netto-kun! Shuichi-kun!"
"Good morning!" Shuichi returned the greeting.
"Ah, good morning Tohru-kun!"
Shuichi conjured a pencil behind his back, stabbing the air and spurring Netto to make a move.
"Y-you look great today."
Tohru tilted his head, perplexed, chalking up the compliment to Netto being his usual, weird self. "Thanks?" He searched Shuichi for an explanation, only to find the transfer student clutching his face in one hand.
Dummies… Shuichi thought to himself. Matchmaking was more difficult and rigorous a skill than anticipated. He'd have to study up and take another crack at it. Meanwhile, better get Netto out of this jam since, glancing over Tohru's shoulder, Netto was signing cease and desists across his throat.
Abort! Abort!
Fine! Shuichi put on a fake smile, then lied, "I hypnotized him. Though I probably goofed. He's acting the same as he always does!"
Okay. Not the most flattering excuse at his expense in Netto's opinion, but for the time being, his crush remained under lock and key. No danger of Tohru learning his shame. With those doe eyes, fair skin, and handsome brain of his…
Netto was staring again. Dear Curry God, he was imagining falling cherry blossom petals around Tohru too!
Tohru frowned in concern. "It's not permanent, is it? He seems really out of it."
Shuichi inwardly slapped himself, yet stayed chipper for Tohru's benefit. "Oh, don't worry! That'll wear off, I swear!"
With Netto red and immobile, Shuichi had his doubts.
Yeah, I definitely need more practice at this.