A/N: I think people misunderstood when I said that I won't be writing much Bakugan fanfiction anymore... I didn't mean I'd stop. I won't be making much of them, but I won't stop...

Oh, and kudos to anyone who figures out the name of the anime character that made a cameo appearance in this rewritten chapter.

02. Educational Mishaps

-000-

Early Monday morning, exactly two days after Friday night's incident. Small desk clocks roared their alarms, waking anyone who was within range of its shrill rings or loud buzzing and beeping. Lethargic bodies would either groan in displeasure of hit the floors after being forcefully pulled out of their sweet and wonderful dreams. These rude morning wake up calls signified the start of the five day perdition of any adolescent's life. The new beginning for an entire week's worth of hell that can send a shiver up any one's spine. The weekend was over and so was every student's short vacation away from school.

Every student including Shun Kazami.

"Saturday and Sunday offs aren't enough." Muttered the bedraggled asian as he covered his mouth with his hand to stifle a yawn. Mouthing off to himself about how many others would agree with him if anyone had heard him at all. The sun shone brightly through the windows of the classroom, illuminating the room's only occupant who sat in the fourth row next to the window itself. It was early, too early actually. Thank God that no one was stupid enough to come to class this early. There was no one to even dare try and ask him about why exactly he was wearing an incredibly depressing scowl on his face, nor to ask why he seems more unkempt than he usually does. Not that anyone would even dare to.

The time itself however, explained Shun's bitterer than usual attitude and his need to openly complain about things that he's never had any problems putting up with before. But he couldn't help it today.

Today's circumstances made it imperative that he avoid Dan. He had this strange feeling in the very bottom of his gut that was telling him to do so.

Things didn't end on that one Friday night. In the span of two hours that he'd spent talking to that girl, he'd managed to get her e-mail address, cell phone number; she even gave him her home phone number of all things! The very next day, other than his usual training routines, and those two hours that he'd wasted trying to tutor his best friend in math; his evening had been spent in front of the computer screen, talking to Alice.

He never spoke a word of it to Dan. How the brunette even found out that he was taking an interest in actually opening himself up to someone else other than to him was beyond Shun.

He never even dropped him a hint.

The next day, Sunday morning to be precise, his landline and cell phone never stopped ringing and he had to barricade all entrances to his apartment, all because of one hyperactive brunette who could never leave his social life be.

Dan.

The whole ordeal had lasted for a good thirty minutes, until one of his neighbors intervened. Dan must've been terrified to the point of soaking his pants because Shun swore that the rug in front of his door was definitely not dry…

Either that or someone spilled beer all over it.

Shun couldn't blame the brunette if it was the former. Said neighbor was a frightening man. He was a tall and muscular male in his early twenties whose gray eyes were almost always masked by either red or light purple contacts. Even his hair was intimidating, two shades, dark gray and black. And if all that failed to warn anyone, then the scars that covered his arms were like billboards advertising to anyone who has the will to live to not mess with this man.

"Please let me go man! I didn't mean to bother anyone! I jus-!"

"Shut the hell up… Damn, you're even more annoying than Tyson…"

"But-!"

"Kid, I will fuck your face up if the girl sleeping in my apartment wakes up."

…

He was sure that even Dan got the message not to come back after a few, poorly disguised death threats like that.

At least, Shun hoped so.

…

He groaned and leaned back against his chair, knowing that he was going to have an incredibly tough time sidestepping his best friend for the rest of the day. There was no one out there who was better than Dan when it came chasing Shun around. He was much like an annoying dog owner who kept pestering a poor disgruntled puppy that didn't want to have anything to do with him and unfortunately for the dark-haired teen, he was that puppy.

Damn it.

The sound of heavy footsteps began to echo throughout the corridors as students who feared being caught the first bell of the day came rushing in. The sound of chatter and hurried footfalls drew Shun's attention, making him turn towards the classroom's entrance, watching with little interest in his eyes as it opened and a flood of teenagers entered the room. All of whom were in hurry as to avoid being scolded if ever their professor were to arrive on time for once.

Very few took notice of his presence, just how he preferred it.

As the first bell rang and everyone took their place in their respective seats, Shun turned towards the window once more and took one last look of the early morning sky before dropping down to look at the courtyard to see if anyone had the unfortunate luck of being late.

His eyes widened.

Right outside, running like the lazy, oversleeping idiot that he is, was Dan Kuso.

"Crap."

"Mr. Kazami… Would you like to tell us what you find so interesting outside that you would cuss in my class?"

Double crap.

-000-

Halfway through the day and he still saw no signs of Dan coming after him. Not even a grand entrance that involved bursting through the classroom doors and asking an overly embarrassing question. At this, Shun sighed in relief and began to ease relax in his chair, thinking that Dan might have given up his attempt to find out what he wanted to find out. He didn't even bother listening to Mr. Bennett, the teacher in front, who was explaining how to solve the math problem he himself had written on the board.

Shun had his own goddamn problems!

Besides, not like anyone else was paying attention anyway. The blonde sitting in front of him was touching up her makeup for heaven's sake and the noise inside the room itself hinted that more than one pair of students were talking.

Either Mr. Bennett was blind or those black, thick-framed glasses were just for show.

"Okay…" Mr. Bennett turned to the class, a full smile gracing his face. He looked proud for some odd reason that was completely lost on Shun. Seriously, could he not see how many faces there were planted on the desks?

"Any questions? Because if there are then I'd be hap-" He was cut off by the lunch bell as it roared. Anyone and everyone perked up and made a mad dash for the door, leaving Shun and Mr. Bennett all alone in the room which, of course, led to the overzealous teacher to direct his attention on him.

Uh-oh.

"Ah!" All of a sudden Mr. Bennett's face was pressed close to his, making the disgruntled teen jump out of his seat in shock, how the man even made it past so many desks so quickly was a complete mystery. The teacher's glasses gleamed and his voice was overflowing with happiness as he tried to hold himself back from hugging his student, his favorite student.

"Does that mean-! Oh how wonderful! I knew an ace student like you would understand the joys of learning!" The man began to clap his hands, twirling around in the room like a chimp on drugs and other forms of illegal medication. It was really starting to terrify Shun.

"Oh happy days!"

Shun took a step back. If there was anything that he understood here it was that Mister Zachary J. Bennett was one crazed fruit loop. Somewhere inside that brilliant mind of is was a screw too loose that was just waiting for it to be given the final nudge for it to fall. Give him terror teachers everyday but keep ones like Mr. Bennett away from him. Even his grandfather wasn't as crazy as this.

"Come Shun Kazami! Let us explore the wonders of math toge-!"

"No thank you." His voiced out nonchalantly. Before the estranged teacher could even stop his little dance of joy, Shun had grabbed his bag and stepped past him. He was out of the room in four seconds flat.

"…Eh… Oh-! Um…" Mr. Bennett's shoulders slumped as he watched the door close behind Shun. He looked defeated and somewhat melancholic. Like a beaten up dog on left to fend for itself out in the streets.

But that was for only a second.

"Okay! Some other time then!" He waved towards the door, dismissing Shun's haste for something else.

Truly there was no other teacher out there who was as enthusiastic and completely bonkers as this man was.

-000-

"That was a little too close." Too close. If the man wasn't a teacher that could give him a failing grade in one snap of a finger then Shun was sure that he would have punched him. Men had limits when it came to the intrusion of their personal space. One that was so pent up with his frustration and urge to hit something could only take so much. With quick steps he weaved through the sea of students. He wasn't going to have lunch, but he was eager to get away from the noise and possibly hide somewhere where a certain friend wouldn't be able to find him.

Hopefully. He wasn't going to answer to anything today; most especially not to Dan's ceaseless-

"Hey!"

…

…

"SHUN!"

"…" He didn't even dare turn his head to see who it was that tried to call his attention. He knew that voice all too well. There was no mistaking it.

No other man was loud enough to call his name in a place where noise drowned out everything else.

Not wanting to waste another precious second, Shun kicked it off into high gear, sprinting towards anywhere that could free him of the menace that was Daniel Kuso in the need of some dirt.

He shoved away anyone that blocked his way, ducking, and avoiding anything and anyone that could possibly hold him back for more than the short amount of time it could take for Dan to get to him.

"GET BACK HERE SHUN!" This was bad. Really, really, really bad. He could still hear Dan, could hear everyone yelling an telling the two of them to stop running in the halls and shoving people aside.

That could only mean that the brunette was close. Crap. Why did there have to be so many people in the halls today of all days?

"Shun!"

He snorted as he kept on running. For the sake of his pride and his reputation, he kept on running. He was sure that if Dan were to catch him something bad and incredibly embarrassing was going to happen.

"I'm not stupid enough to listen to you, Dan!"

But lady luck wasn't on his side today. When was she ever? Before he could even register what was happening, Shun found himself falling face first onto the tiled floor, arms wound tightly around his waist and a head in between his shoulder blades.

What?

WHAT?

…

Dan was- He was tackling him? And on a tiled floor no less!

"Gotcha!" Roared the brunette triumphantly.

The fall wasn't the most pleasant experience that he's ever had. Dan's added weight just made it ten times worse.

"I knew getting tackling lessons from Jake was a great idea!" Stated Dan with fists pumping into the air as he straddled Shun by the waist.

"Get off me Dan!" Shun began to squirm, pushing his hands against the floor below him in a futile attempt to get back up to his feet.

"No way!" Screamed Dan as he tightened his legs' hold on the flailing teen's waist in a way that made their silent female spectators swoon.

The two of them were beginning to attract unwanted attention now. Shun could just glare at all the girls and guys that were giving them dirty looks. What the hell did they think they were doing anyway?

"Dan, get off!" He all but growled as he tried to kick the hyperactive brunette off of him. Still, the hold around his waist showed no signs of loosening. This was, by far, one of the most humiliating positions that he's ever gotten himself into. No one wanted to see two male senior students down on the ground like that. It just looked so... Wrong. Combine that with the fact that rumors about Shun being gay have been circulating around recently.

"Dude! She said that you exchanged cell numbers! You never do that with anyone! Hell, it took me months to get your number and you looked ready explode when I introduced you to Julie, Runo, Marucho and Joe! What the hell gives man?"

Oh great. So Shun was right all along.

Great, just so goddamn great.

Now his sarcasm was starting to kill him.

"None of your goddamn business! Now get off!" Shun began to kick again, only this time they were harder and judging from the yelp he heard and his waist suddenly being left bare when one of his kicks connected, he was sure that it wasn't a very pleasant place that he'd hit. He just hoped Dan wouldn't blame him if he somehow ended up impotent.

"O-ow…"

Leaving Dan to writhe and curl up into a tight ball on the ground, Shun stood up and began to smooth away the creases that the fall had left on his tan pants and white shirt. Even the dark green choker that wrapped itself around his neck was askew. "Dammit. Thanks a lot, Kuso."

"I didn't know that… you liked pretty girls…" For the second time that day, Shun's eyes widened at his best friend. It was surprising that he could still form words for someone who just got kicked in the groin.

"W-what? Did you hit your head or something?" His voice broke as he tried to defend himself.

"Dude." Dan called out playfully and grinned as he looked up at Shun. He winked and gave him a thumb up before snickering like mad. "Way to go you stud!"

This earned him a kick to the stomach. Which earned him a sympathetic wince and hiss from the students who were watching them. Everybody knew that Shun had strong legs. He didn't set the school record for the school's hundred meter dash for nothing.

"I-I'll try to… S-set you up… With her again soon… Buddy." Dan said in-between groans, watching with half-lidded eyes as his so-called 'buddy' began to walk away from him.

"Shut up, Dan."

-000-

-00-

A/N: College is tough... And I should be studying right now...