Disclaimer: I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh GX
Title: The Many Faces of Marufuji Shou
Characters: Shou, Kenzan
Word Count: 1,276||Status: One-shot
Genre: Friendship, Humor||Rated: G
Challenge: Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section D36, write in the humor genre; Written for the One Character Boot Camp. prompt #19, chickens; Written for the Halloween Trick or Treat Bag (Advent), day #23, write a fic that is harmless fun.
Note: This takes place early in season two, just after SHou is promoted to Ra Yellow and before Edo's second duel against Juudai.
Summary: Kenzan wants to take Shou's aniki away from him? That's not allowed. And Shou has a very strange way of making certain Kenzan can't do it.
This had to be the best idea that Shou had ever had. He'd already decided on at least two different excuses if anything genuinely bad came out of it, which he didn't think that it would. But hanging around his dear aniki for the last year or so had taught him to plan ahead: mostly because Juudai never did.
So, on the day that he'd packed up his possessions and moved officially into the Ra Yellow dorm, he made his way over to where Kenzan lounged in the Osiris Red cafeteria and gave him a look.
"What do you want-don?" Kenzan eyed him cautiously; probably the best idea. Shou knew very well that this newcomer wanted to take his dear aniki away from him and he wasn't going to let that happen. Juudai was his aniki and no one else had any rights to him, least of all this guy who'd barely been here a full month yet.
"I just wanted to show you something." Shou rubbed the back of his head, giving his most innocent smile. He hadn't tried using this one in a while, not since coming to Duel Academia, but he thought it still worked. Kenzan didn't look disturbed by it, anyway. "It's to say thank you for your advice, you know."
The sad part was that Kenzan had actually been right with his talking about evolving and having to move forward and get better. That didn't mean Shou had to like it, of course, and there was always the chance Kenzan really would appreciate what he was going to show him.
But Shou didn't think he would. Which meant he was going to like what would happen all the more.
Kenzan tossed the last of his lunch down his throat and stood up. Shou hated seeing him on his feet like this. It reminded him far too much of how short he still was, and how short Kenzan wasn't. Why was everyone taller than he was? Had he just lost the tall genetics lottery or something?
"What kind of something?" Kenzan did look just a little wary still. He wasn't going to go running off just because Shou said he should.
Even though he should. Shou was his sempai, whether Kenzan liked admitting it or not. Shou would teach him that, sooner or later. He had no doubt at all.
"It's a surprise! Come on, let's go!" He didn't wait another moment, but hurried his way toward the door. He'd checked beforehand to make certain Juudai wasn't around anywhere. He didn't want his dear aniki getting involved in this and maybe getting pecked or something. Not to mention that Juudai could actually not want Shou to do this.
Which was all the more reason, Shou felt, that he should do it. His dear aniki was far too trusting and accepting for his own good. Someone had to make certain that riffraff like Kenzan with his disgusting height and rippling muscles and annoying existence in general stayed far, far away from Juudai.
It didn't take him all that long to guide Kenzan to where he wanted to go. What took longer was Kenzan trying to ask where they were going and if Juudai could come along. Of course, he kept calling Juudai 'aniki', which meant Shou had to stop and glare at him for a few moments, and that slowed them down.
He's going to learn. Shou reassured himself as they drew closer to the target area. And the right teachers were so close.
Kenzan sniffed, brow furrowing, and looked down at Shou. "Chickens? What're chickens doing here?"
"Oh, you didn't know?" Shou did his level best to look surprised. "Tome-san keeps them for the eggs. Every now and then, a special egg gets laid and she makes it into the golden eggwhich." He thought sometimes the chickens might also end up on the dinner table, but he'd never asked. They certainly didn't end up on the Osiris Red plates, that was for sure. "I thought you'd like to see them. You like birds, right?"
Kenzan drew himself up, eyes glittering in the afternoon light. "Of course I do! Me and birds get along really well!" He strode ahead, sniffing now and then, following the scent. Shou hurried along after him, stifling a grin. These birds didn't really seem to like anyone from what he'd seen, except Tome-san, and she'd already paid her daily visit to them.
The chicken coop wasn't really that far from the main building, close enough so it was only a short trip to visit, but far enough so that none of the odors one associated with a coop would drift over to annoy anyone. Tome-san kept the area scrupulously clean, of course, but still, no one here wanted a chicken coop in their back yard.
Shou fell back a couple of steps, while Kenzan hurried up, a wide grin spreading across his face as he got a better look at the chickens and the wide coop.
"Hey, there, guys!" Kenzan pounced up to the door of the coop, fumbling with the latch. "I bet you're glad to see me! Haven't seen too many birds around here. Just the ones up in the trees."
Shou managed not to laugh. He had no idea of how he managed it, but he somehow did. The laughter choked in his throat and he wrapped one arm around a small tree just to keep himself on his feet.
He thinks they like him! Shou wasn't surprised when a small squeak made it out of his mouth. He was surprised it had taken that long.
The chickens, one and all, stared at Kenzan as he stepped into their coop. There was a single moment of pure silence, replaced by an earthshattering collection of squawks and rage and feathers as they all charged at the intruder, beating their wings and squalling in the most unholy fashion anyone could have ever devised.
Kenzan stumbled back, eyes wide, arms windmilling as he tried to keep his balance. Shou couldn't control himself any longer and let out all the laughter that wanted to bubble up inside, still gripping onto the tree, and not caring if Kenzan heard him. He also didn't care if the chickens heard him; they couldn't get him from inside the coop.
The problem with that was that Kenzan had left the coop open. And the chickens heard him.
A flurry of white feathers and rage peeled off from attacking Kenzan and shot towards Shou, squawking and flapping fit to terrify almost anyone. Shou took one look at the oncoming chicken disaster and started backing up as fast as he could.
"Don't forget to close the coop! And make sure all of them are inside!" He shouted once he was far enough away that the chickens heading for him started to slow down. He thought Kenzan heard him. He kind of hoped that he did.
Finding out that Kenzan hadn't and the chickens decided to investigate the main building and the Obelisk Blue boy's dorm gave Shou a lot of practice in using his 'I am completely innocent and have no idea of what is going on here face'.
Finding out that Kenzan got two days of detention for letting the Academia chickens loose gave him a lot of practice in using his 'I am trying hard not to choke on my own laughter but I'm failing pretty hard at it' face.
Finding out that Kenzan tried to blame him for it and that no one believed him gave him lots of practice in using his 'this is the stuff dreams are made of' face.
The End
Note: Thank you for reading and a hope that you enjoyed the story. Please let me know what you thought of it if at all possible.
