"It's been ages, huh."
"Ages? The last you've been here was around a year ago, give or take a few weeks. That doesn't exactly match the time span of 'ages', technically speaking, does it?" The blonde then grinned, taking a step back from the doorway to allow his visitor inside, his hand still on the doorknob. And it was a good thing that it was, because the brunette he was talking to refused to step in, and so he had to keep the door wide open for them to be able to continue with their conversation. His Mediterranean blue eyes darted around the dwelling's interior for a while, searching for something to offer his guest, and finally, his gaze fell on the dining room table. He turned back to his friend and asked, "Well, then… want some tea?"
"Thanks for the offer, but I can't stay long. Got an important meeting back at the HQ a few minutes from now, actually, but I couldn't let the opportunity of dropping by and thanking you pass me by. Having reached as far as you have, I wouldn't be surprised if you have fangirls and reporters crowding in to ask you about how things went out there, and all that blah blah. So here I am. But I don't want to keep you up for long either. You might be suffering from jetlag or something, since Germany's a pretty long way off from here," the other boy replied, tucking his hands casually into his pockets of his denim trousers.
"I'm fine, don't worry. I've gotten the hang of traveling," the flaxen-haired boy assured, before he realized that he still didn't know why the other came all the way to his place instead of attending an important meeting for a few words of thanks. He cocked a blonde eyebrow. "But… 'thank you'? Now what's that for?"
The brunette shrugged, the gesture evident despite how he tried to make it as unnoticeable as possible. "For everything, I guess," he answered in a not-very-sure tone, before he allowed a playful, mischievous smile to appear on his slightly tanned yet handsome features. A smile which the other had not seen for a long time, and had definitely missed. Those times were the times, after all. "Well… for knocking Gavin down and humiliating him, among all things."
"I don't know what to say, Mitsuke. That battle---"
"'You're welcome' will do," Mitsuke Ohmori interrupted him, nodding curtly as if relaying an order, his attitude as the leader and captain of Griffon Japan leaking in once again. He may talk in lengthy sentences and go around in circles most of the time, but when his boss-side kicked in, he loved going straight to the point with short, few-worded commands.
The blonde-haired Gear Fighter who he was addressing did not seem to mind that display of authoritativeness and semi-cockiness, however, as they were once teammates and he used to be under his command. Besides, he knew that the brunette --- even though Mitsuke would deny the allegation if asked then and there --- was still feeling a tad bit upset about his departure a year back, when they had begged him not to leave their team, and leave them in shambles. Specifically, when he, their captain, had begged him not to leave.
"You're welcome, then," he said, smiling lightly, meeting the other's brown eyes with his calm blue-green ones. They regarded each other silently for a few more moments, a conversation without words ensuing, before the brown-haired boy broke the spell and turned around to leave.
"We were a great team, you know? You, Kyousuke, Kazuya and I… sometimes I just can't help but wish we were together again, as a Gear Fighting team, as Griffon Japan. But things change… and I see it clearly now. I never thought I would be able to see the bigger picture --- I never thought this was the bigger picture, to begin with --- but well, it happened to pull you away, because you're both too good to stay in a team of losers…"
"It's not like that, Mitsuke. It's just that… I'm sorry. I can't go back."
"As usual, always the one to say no. It's nice to know that you haven't changed, Kuroudo. You're still the selfish French brat I've known from back then. I'm glad that there are some things that just never change." As Mitsuke's roguish grin transformed into a smirk, so did the smile on the other's flaxen features. "Well, I have to leave now. I still have an important meeting to preside over, as I said earlier. All the best to you and the Tobita Club… and don't forget that you're always welcome at the HQ. Au revoir."
"Same to you. And please extend my regards to everyone. Ja ne," the blonde bid farewell in return, the amused expression he had sported a while back still present on his pale, attractive face. They went through the goodbye process they had always gone through in the past years they've been together; the other three would struggle with their limited French vocabulary to send him off while he would try to make use of the few Japanese words he had in his arsenal to get back at them in reply.
As Mitsuke's form disappeared from his line of sight and into the bright morning sunlight, he slowly pushed the door to a close and allowed their conversation to sink into him and his subconsciousness. He loved his former team, yes, but he just couldn't desert the Tobita Club, not when they had come so far together. Don't worry, Mitsuke. There are some things that just never change, he thought, turning to look at the nearby table and at one of the picture frames on top of it. It wasn't a picture of his current team; it was of him and his former team, all of them grinning after having just won a major tournament, with him raising the trophy high above their heads.
He wiped his tears away before they could fall.
As soon as I saw the main door of the Marume mansion close, I felt that so did the future of Griffon Japan. It was nothing more than what I said it was: a team of losers. A year ago, we were making history. The team everyone in Japan talked about was ours, sometimes the feats of the deceased Asian Cup Champion Yuhya Marino and his beloved Tobita Club temporarily forgotten at the attainment of our own victories. We had the strongest, most powerful quartet back then, after all, with the unbeatable Master-Fighter tandem of Kyousuke and Kuroudo, to boot.
Now, we were going down in history, down to the forgotten realms where the most trivial, insignificant things were kept and left as they were. Forgotten. No wonder Gavin resorted to such tyrannical ways to get us all back into shape, no wonder he left the fate of our team in the hands of our former teammate; because it was Kuroudo who was responsible for our collapse, to begin with. Not that I blame him --- I don't now --- but if he didn't leave us, we would've remained as strong as we had been. In fact, I bet we would've grown even stronger. One year's long enough for improvement.
But the question was, could I have done something to prevent that unfortunate collapse? Yes, of course. Not only was I in the position to; I had the power and the authority to. Important though he was, he wasn't the only member of the team; there were many others who could take his place. Like Hiroshi, for instance. But what happened? I wasn't able to do anything to thwart that disintegration. I, the captain, the man in charge, just allowed the team to fall apart from the inside, simply because we lost him and his partner --- the duo we had so much faith and hope in.
Was it really Kuroudo who led the team? Was I just the stand-in leader-figure, the one who appeared in charge because the real leader was busy doing other things, like prattle with our Gear Master about their machines? So it seemed to me. When Gavin came and whacked us all in the heads for being the losers we were and still are, who did Kazuya run to for help, without giving a second thought? Who did everyone else look up to for salvation and deliverance? Who did Gavin want to battle to decide the fate of our team, whether it was to be continued or to be disposed of for good? And who ultimately saved Griffon Japan?
It wasn't me, as much as I wanted it to be me. It was him. Kuroudo Marume.
"Mitsuke, where in Japan have you been all this time?" Kazuya's voice exploded into my ears, and I realized that I had finally arrived at our headquarters after a long walk in the puddle of self-pity. It was also then when I realized that I was late for the meeting. Some leader I was. And to add to the bitterness I was already feeling inside, my long-time partner just had to rub it in. "You're late! We've been waiting for you!"
But I chose to ignore him, acting cool like a leader always was, although I did not apologize nor say a word about my delay. It was none of his business, after all; at least, the wallowing part. I began to make my way inside the quarters, stopping to call him in and reminding him to do it quietly, and in a matter of seconds I found myself standing in front of a crowd of Gear Fighters, male and female alike, all of them members of Griffon Japan. The team I was leading. No, I was believed to lead.
I told myself firmly not to say sorry, but I found myself doing anyway. Perhaps in a desperate attempt to retain my image as the good team captain? I didn't know for sure. And I didn't have the time to find out, because they were all staring at me expectantly, wondering what the gathering was all about. "Sorry for being late, everyone. You see, I had someone to thank for saving our team, and I took the chance of seeing him first before anyone else could. And yeah, he sends his regards." I didn't even have to say his name, because they immediately burst into a fit of cheers, murmurs and applause. And I was glad I didn't have to.
While waiting for the noise to die down, I tucked my hands into my pockets, feeling them grow clammy with sweat. In a few moments I was going to make the most important announcement in my life, and as much as I wanted to get it out of my system already, I was afraid of how they would react. I definitely wouldn't be able to stand the humiliation if they would start singing and dancing after I would say those words, although I was already expecting something that like that to happen. Maybe of less intensity, just a loud, unified cheer of happiness or sighs of relief, but still of the same kind.
"Anyway," I began after taking a deep breath, sweeping my gaze from one Gear Fighter to another in an attempt to predict their responses, "I called you here today for a very important announcement, with regards to the future activities of this team." I had to take yet another sip of air, but it still didn't help much, to my discomfort. "From this day onward, Kazuya Shichigawa will be the captain of Griffon Japan. I'm quitting the team."
Silence.
Deafening silence.
And then, Kazuya marched up to me, took me by the collar of my shirt, and started belting out his anger on me. At least the worst he did was shake me in hopes to bring me back from wherever I was. Well, he thought I was out of my mind, even though I certainly wasn't. I was only preserving the future of Griffon Japan, the future left of it. "Are you insane?! What in the world has gotten into you, Mitsuke?! I will not be the captain of this team because you are, and I won't let you quit not even if you have a very good excuse!"
Slowly so as not to hurt him, I pushed him away, turning away shortly from his puzzled eyes and the crowd murmuring to each other in confusion and disbelief. "I didn't visit Kuroudo just to thank him for saving us or congratulate him for his achievements in the World Cup. I went there to convince him to come back to the team, to lead us once again to---"
"Again? Since when did Kuroudo become the captain of Griffon Japan? Perhaps the star player, the record-holder… but the captain?" Then it clicked into Kazuya's brain. "Wait a minute, Mitsuke! There's something you're not telling me here! I --- we --- demand an explanation, right now! What's going on?! What are you trying to pull off?!"
"I've been nothing but the leader-figure in this team, Kazuya," I started to explain, my voice soft and its tone that of disappointment, towards myself. I wanted to just yell and let it all out on him and everyone who was listening, but I couldn't be mad at him, nor could I bear to display such lack of self-control. I didn't know why, but I had always found the need to maintain my composure, whatever the situation was. "The stand-in captain who puts up the act of being in charge, when in fact I wasn't truly in charge. I never was and I never will be. Ever since Kuroudo left, what has happened to the team? It's been falling apart. Gone are the glorious days when being part of Griffon was a dream of almost every Gear Fighting neophyte. Gone are the glorious days when we were the most talked-about team in all of Japan, the Tobita Club not even close behind. It's my fault why this is happening. Because I don't have what it takes to be a leader. I've just been pretending to be the leader; stop me from leaving and we'll soon end up in the dust."
"That's not true, Mitsuke! We might have not made it to the Asian Cup this year, but we're not yet defeated!" Hiroshi protested, rising from his seat to address me. Even though I could not see his face as I had my back turned against him and everyone else, I could sense how sincere he was with his words. And I admit, it made me feel good. "We wouldn't have made it as far as we have if it weren't for you! You've done a great job as the captain of this team, and don't say that you've just been pretending to be that because that's a lie!"
"We owe you so much, Mitsuke-san! You've done so much for all of us and we don't want you to leave!"
"Please don't quit the team, Mitsuke-san! We need you!"
Everyone else affirmed to that, and I could feel tears forming at the corners of my eyes. They weren't singing and dancing in celebration for my departure; they were begging me to stay. Just as how we begged Kuroudo not to leave us that fateful day, a year ago.
Kazuya then took the chance to make his speech. "You've never been the stand-in captain, Mitsuke! You've always been the captain, and I tell you, if you quit the team, then I'm going to quit as well! We've been together for so long and I can't possibly fight under the command of somebody else! Besides, you're the only one who can do what you've done! You've managed to keep Griffon alive for so many years --- how old were you when you started this business? And hey, if it weren't for you, Kuroudo and Kyousuke wouldn't have been a part of this team to begin with! Some other team would have utilized their talents, and we would've been in the dust a long time ago! You was, are and will always be the captain of Griffon Japan, no matter what you say, no matter what you think, as long as you live!"
"But what about that incident with Gavin? I wasn't able to defeat him, was I? I wasn't able to stop him from breaking our team apart! And who did he want to challenge afterwards? Who did he place the fate of our team on? Not on me, and I'm the captain! How do you explain that?"
"Being the leader doesn't always mean being the one in action. Leaders involve other people in their plans and activities. If you do everything yourself, you wouldn't need a team, right? You may not have been the one to defeat Gavin and save our team, technically speaking, but it was out of your position as the leader that I went ahead and asked Kuroudo to help us despite your orders not to --- I was aware that it was out of your pride why you refused to enlist his help and that you made that decision as his former comrade and not as this team's captain --- and that he, in turn, decided to fight for us. He still respects you as the boss, Mitsuke, even though he's not part of Griffon anymore. I haven't seen anyone who can wield such power and authority in a team but you. Please, Mitsuke. Don't leave. Griffon wouldn't be Griffon without you."
My shoulders already began bobbing up and down, and my sobs were beginning to be heard by the crowd, but I didn't care anymore. How could I have lost the faith I had in myself when even Kuroudo, who had officially left the team many months ago, hadn't? How could I have forgotten that being the leader doesn't mean doing everything? How could I have failed to realize that I was the one holding up the team all along, as its pillar and foundation, and that my thoughts of being the pretend captain, of being under Kuroudo's shadow of fame and grandeur, were the ones keeping me from moving forward and improving? How stupid of me.
But I had just been given a second chance.
Quickly, I wiped away my tears, stifled my sobs, and turned back to face the expectant members of my team, all of them meeting my tear-stained eyes with their pleading ones. So what if they'd seen their captain break down and go sentimental? There was always a time for dramatics. "Well…" I closed my eyes for a few more moments to compose myself, then opened them again to gaze at the crowd with the soft, encouraging smile I had been told to be good at projecting. "Aren't we supposed to practice today? What are we waiting for?"
Okay, that was crappy. I'm so sorry for that! *bows apologetically* Anyway, just for the information of those who don't know yet, okashira is the Japanese word for leader; Hiroshi is the third Griffon who battled in the Illusion Cup with Mitsuke and Kazuya against the Tobita Club (I just forgot who he was up against); au revoir is French for goodbye while ja ne is Japanese for see you; and the fic takes place before the World Cup finals, as the Tobita Club members had just arrived from Germany, where the semi-final round took place.
Despite the crappiness of this fic, I'd still like to dedicate this to two very good friends: Hareta aka Jirou, and yamitammy aka Mitsuke. They've both been very supportive and I just thought of somehow returning the favor. And one more thing before I go, I'd like to invite all of you CGT fanfic authors to join the contest I'm holding! For more details, please see gearytales.cjb.net. Arigatou!