Title: Elemental Futures
Characters: Kagemaru, Amnael, Ryou||Romance: N/A
Word Count: 500||Chapter Count: 1/1
Genre: General||Rated: G
Challenges: Diversity Writing, Hell's Ice, A79, K rated; GX Flash Bingo, #143, today is just the start; Include The Word Boot Camp, #3, statement
Summary: He's not Hell Kaiser of Ice just yet. But he had to be put on the path somehow.

"The Kaiser."

If Kagemaru could have bounced with glee, he thought he would have. Instead he peered down at the fifteen year old's sleeping form, turning over plans and recalling what Amnael told him about the boy.

Kaiser would be easier to break than he likely imagined himself. Excellent.

Amnael stood a short distance away, attention shifting between their unaware captive and his leader. "What did you want me to do with him, sir? Put him in the training room against Camula or Taniya?"

Either one of those would be a fascinating match to watch. Kagemaru vaguely recalled days when he'd held fire for more than just his youth, when he might have sought out a mate as Taniya did or followed Camula's path of revenge. But he wanted something different out of this.

"No." Resting in his life support tube gave him quite a lot of time to review more than the boring reports sent by his vast network of underlings. "No, I have a much better idea for him."

He tilted his head to stare at Amnael. "Do you recall that work on elemental theory?" It was a simple enough paper, that the six elements known to Duel Monsters could be filtered in various ways through human personalities, and with the right sort of assistance - theorized to be Duel Spirits - humans could actually manipulate those elements to their will.

At Amnael's nod, he indicated Marufuji Ryou. "What affinity do you think he would have?" Affinity simply meant what element someone would have a particular connection to: if all of this could be true and not a ragbag of nonsense.

"I couldn't tell without tests, sir," Amnael replied. "Would you like me to?"

"Yes. And make it a part of the curriculum at Duel Academia as well." He doubted that he would find anyone as skilled as Kaiser there; duelists like him came along so rarely. But it might assist him in further plans. Taking the Sangenma would require beings of unusual power as well as skill in dueling.

Amnael looked more than a bit worried at his statement but said nothing against it, heading to start his work. Kagemaru indicated for some of his minions to cast the unconscious boy into the nearest cell where Amnael could find him once he needed him. And where Kagemaru could find him as well when the time came.

The idea of Marufuji Ryou being able to control an element and being the sort of duelist Kagemaru wanted wasn't set in stone but Kagemaru thought he had a very good chance of getting what he wanted out of this.

He did hope Amnael could find the answer quickly. Time sped far too much and there wasn't enough of that to begin with.

But this was a good beginning.

The End

Notes: Can anyone guess what Ryou's affinity turns out to be?