Shaman King: Immortal Class

Written by DivineGuidanceAlpha

Requests and private comments may be sent to HitoSorrelius

Chapter 1: The Tournament is on!

There were many people watching their wrists in class that day. Most did it because it was the last day of school, but there were a few who were looking at the wrist that held something quite apart from a simple watch. It covered the entire forearm, and many had been looking at them all day, just as most students would look at a watch.

Just as the bell rang, the strange devices began to light up and beep, and no notice was given aside from by the wearers as the class, and the entire school, went to war to be first to escape into the open air of the summer. Those with the strange device on their wrists took alternative means, many simply slipping out a classroom window or into a bathroom to hide out until the general masses were gone.

Once the majority was gone, the people met up, walking the halls in small groups so they wouldn't get separated, many texting one another with the exact location that the whole group could meet at. When everyone got the message, they set off on their way. One of these teens, a kid with black hair and equally dark eyes, seemed to be the only one not overly excited about the whole thing. The device on his wrist was black for the most part, with a light golden trim. On the screen in the middle, the words "The Tournament has Begun!" were glowing, as they had once before a couple of months previously.

The young man looked up to see that the whole group had already gathered on the walk to their meeting location, which was actually his home. "So, what do you think about it, Sorrel?" A young man with red hair and equally red eyes asked, his uniform top already off. "I mean, it seems like it is starting completely over. If that is the case, who do you think is going to be put against whom? After all, they pair the first round up by who is in the local area. It won't be completely random, or even a distance of more than one city away. It's almost not fair, since we know a few of us won't be going on..."

The one called Sorrel smiled lightly, closing his eyes. "Just relax, Zane. We won't know for sure until the Oracle Bell gives us our opponents, and even then, we may get lucky." One of the group, a girl with red hair, walked up and jumped onto the red-headed male's back, clinging to him tightly as he righted himself to support the added weight.

"So, who are you hoping to face first, Sorrel? Kamon says he wants to settle up with Zane, and Christian and Teivian are already sharpening their claws."

Sorrel's visage didn't change at all, but he did open his eyes, a faint glow about them. "I dunno. We are all good friends, and I would hate to have to fight any of you, since it would almost be pointless. However, if I had to choose one opponent to face, I would want to face that Yoh kid we heard about. He should be a worthwhile battle." He grinned, drawing out a black book. "I mean, anyone who can face an Immortal Class Shaman sounds like an excellent challenge."

The rest of the group caught up, and it was a rather curious mismatch of people; Zane and the girl clinging to him looked like athletes; a guy with light blue hair and a girl with deeper blue hair, both of whom were rather quiet while walking; a pair of twins, one with black hair and one with white, both with eyes opposite their hair in color; and Sorrel himself.

All of them had something strange on them, except Sorrel. Zane had a single glove on his right hand, a dragon stitched into the palm. It had metal joints on the fingers, and the whole thing was made of leather. The girl clinging to him, named Ruby, was wearing a single hair clip, shaped like a throwing star. The blue-haired boy, Kamon, had an empty rapier sheath, called a frog, on his waist. The girl walking with him, Aurora, had a blue calligraphy pen keeping her rather long hair in a messy and unkempt bun. The black-haired twin had a pair of dagger holsters, empty for the moment, and the white-haired twin had a long scabbard, empty as well.

"I hope we get to fight a lot," the black-haired boy said, grinning. It was almost psychotic, but he looked like he had a hold on the chaos. "I haven't gotten to fight an opponent I don't know in ages, and I want to feel someone's bones breaking."

"I hope we get to fight a lot, too," his twin added to the conversation. He seemed bored, like he was tired of his brother's personality, which may well have been the case. "I can't say that I have been too focused on school lately. It's like...everything that the tournament gave us was far more important than what we are learning now. And we didn't even get to face Zeke or anyone else fun."

Sorrel sighed. "Couldn't be helped. Seems like we were destined to get caught up with our own conflict." Instead of fighting against Zeke and his minions, Sorrel's group, which had been himself, Kamon, and Chris, the blonde-headed twin, had done some infighting against Zane's group, which had included Teivian, the other twin, and a friend they had made on the road, Evan. Sorrel and Evan were pretty close, both as friends and in strength. In fact, until Sorrel had snapped, the fighting had been completely even. But Sorrel had indeed snapped, from a vision he'd had of what felt like the future. He wouldn't say what he saw, but it was strong enough to make him break his friend's ribs without using any Furiyoku while the other was protected by a full-Furiyoku shield. This was why no one fought him when he was mad.

"Not this time, though," Teivian said, holding a hand out towards the sky. "Even if I have an episode and break down, I won't let the rest of you guys get dragged into it." Kamon smiled, and Zane clapped him on the shoulder, but Chris frowned a bit; he knew his brother too well to believe that he could control that madness when it gripped him.

As the group arrived at the house, the group split up; Kamon, Teivian, and Chris went to get their weapons, while Zane, Ruby, and Aurora went to get the practice field set up, and Sorrel climbed onto the roof to escape the training-maniacal group. It wasn't that he didn't think he needed it, or that he was tired. He just wanted to enjoy this night his way, bathing in the glory of knowing he had another chance to fight.

Another chance to be Shaman King.