Hi there again, I made this one longer as an apology for taking so long to update, time sure flies around this time of the year, so, that said, I hope you like this chapter, here you go.
Baka and Test: World War Baka
Chapter 11: Props, Actors and Idiots.
It was Friday again and Fumizuki Academy was ready for the Cross Cultural Competition, the second year classes were getting ready for their presentations, a group of teachers would go from class to class watching each presentation and scoring them, and in the end a winner would be decided. The first presentation was class A's one, then it would follow an alphabetical order, giving class F more time to prepare. In class F's room everyone was dressing up, their customs were a variety of clothes from the eighties, leather jackets, sweaters and other stuff that gave an European vibe from that time.
"Considering how simple this costumes are is incredible how hard they were to find." commented Akihisa putting an old brown leather jacket on, he had a fake brown mustache with a lot of gray hairs covering most of his superior lip.
"Well it's just logical, most of the clothes like this are old, they have holes and stuff, people don't tend to keep them." replied Yuuji who was wearing an old jacket. "At least we're ready now and the replica is looking good."
The replica they crafted had been finished, it divided the entire classroom in two, from the chalkboard to the end of the room, it was at least 5 feet tall, they had painted some graffiti on it so it looked more like the original one, it even had some "cracks" on it.
"Yeah, now we just have to wait here until it's time for our presentation." said Hideyoshi.
"By the way who's presenting now?" asked Akihisa.
"It should be class C's turn." replied Yuuji after looking at his cellphone clock. "Well then, let's do one last rehearse."
Everyone went to their respective positions and started their performance, thought it was different from the real act, because then they would have to destroy the wall. Yuuji's role was that of a man trying to break the wall with the help of other people, from the visible side of it, Akihisa was on the other side of the wall, he was playing an old man who had been separated from his children, played by Hideyoshi and Mizuki, who would reunite with him after the wall had fallen, lastly Muttsulini would be a militia officer from the other side of the wall who was crossing the wall along his wife, played by Minami, hoping to start again in that part of town. After the last rehearsal everyone was given a break until their time to present would come, which was in about twenty minutes, Akihisa took the opportunity and went out of the classroom and started walking towards the bathroom.
"I'm really nervous." said Akihisa after a sigh.
"You look funny." said a feminine voice, a girl he hadn't notice on the hallway who was now walking towards him, it was Gabrielle.
"Oh Gabrielle, why are you not at your classroom?"
"We already finished rehearsing so I came here to find you, I've got news about Johan's plan." said Gabrielle, after which her face turned more serious.
"That was fast." replied Akihisa with an amazed expression.
"It wasn't that difficult, he has been talking to me about the whole matter every day after school, I just had to tell him I'd go along with his plans."
"Well then, what's the news?"
"As you may already have figured out, Johan told Minami all about the transferring deal, although he didn't tell me about how she responded, I guess you'll have to find about that yourself." Said Gabrielle, Akihisa's lips twisted a little bit and he frowned in response to those words. "And about Johan's plan, he said something about setting a trap."
"A trap? What kind of?" asked Akihisa worried.
"He wouldn't tell, he just said that it was about letting Minami see the truth about you."
"The truth about me? What does that even mean? It's not like he knows anything about me that she doesn't."
"I think it's just something to make you "look" bad, something to break the friendship between you and Minami." Akihisa stood silent after hearing this words, so Gabrielle proceeded. "Your friendship is a bond that would make her unable to leave, so despite all of Johan's efforts if he doesn't break that link he will never succeed on convincing Minami."
"Then, all I have to do is not screw up things with Minami right?" said Akihisa a little nervous and trying to laugh.
"Well easier said than done, especially when is not up to you, whatever that trap is I'm sure is something good, Johan is a perfectionist, you'll have to be extra careful from now on Akihisa." said Gabrielle, it was the first time Akihisa heard her saying his name, though he wasn't surprised considering that western people were used to such things.
"Okay, but it'll be kind of difficult considering it could come from anywhere, I hope you can find more about this trap soon."
"I'll do my best, until then watch your steps." said Gabrielle, she smiled to him and then went on the opposite direction of were Akihisa was originally going.
Akihisa watched her walk away and then kept walking towards the bathroom, before the time for class F's presentation arrived.
"Okay people, this is it, everyone get in position, the teachers are on their way here, let's do this!" said Yuuji after being adverted by Muttsulini that class E's presentation had finished.
After about four minutes the teachers arrived at class F's room, they were the math teacher, the chemistry teacher, Iron Man and the Principal.
"Seems like you are ready, you may begin your presentation now." announced the Principal.
After this words Yuuji gave a signal and the presentation began. It started with Yuuji, followed by ten of his comrades gathering in a circle near the middle of the wall.
"Well men, this is it, the first step in the reunification of Germany, are you with me?!" yelled Yuuji with determination, a powerful roar followed his words in approval. "Then let's start!"
After this everyone started grabbing sledgehammers and pickaxes that they used to knock down the middle part of the wall, which crumbled down after being hit several times. The man cleaned their sweat and let go a yell of happiness for the completed task, a few of them sat down due to being tired while others started moving the debris.
"There's people coming from the other side, let's help them cross." said Yuuji peeking to the other side of the wall, then, one by one, people started crossing the wall through the space that had been opened, each time a person tried to cross they would be helped by people from the other side so they wouldn't trip on the rubble.
At least half a dozen crossed and then Akihisa appeared, an old man, with gray hairs all over his head and mustache, Yuuji helped him cross personally due to his advanced age.
"Dad!" yelled a couple of young adults from Yuuji's side of the wall, they were Hideyoshi and Mizuki, both of them hugged their father whom they had been separated from a long time ago.
"My little kids, look at you, you're both so big already, the days without you were eternal to me, how much I've missed you!" said Akihisa returning the hug with a strength he had stored for years.
"Father, it's been so long." said Hideyoshi with a crumbling voice. "M-Mom…she…she…." continued Hideyoshi, unable to hold his tears any longer, the three of them embraced each other with even more strength.
"I know son, and old friend of mine from the army informed me of her passing, I...I should have been there for you…for her" said Akihisa trying to hold the tears.
"Dad, I don't think… I believe mom would have wanted this to be a happy moment, let's not cry about the lost time, about those who aren't here anymore, let's focus on keeping our family together from now." said Mizuki with some tears on her eyes, then the three started walking away from the wall.
After this a couple crossed the wall, a man wearing military uniform and a women with a long blue dress and a coat, they were Muttsulini and Minami. Muttsulini was looking decided, he helped his wife cross without problems, then they both stopped in front of the wall and looked back at the path they had traveled.
"We've been waiting so long for this day, it's like a dream." said Minami smiling.
"We can finally start anew in here, now I'll fold my uniform, forever." said Muttsulini with determination.
"What?" asked Minami in shock.
"This senseless war has taken too much from us already, I don't want to have anything more to do with the army, I just want to spend the rest of my days taking care of you." said Muttsulini looking straight to his wife's eye.
"Oh honey, you'd do that for me?" said Minami embracing her husband.
"Of course honey, we can finally make our dream come true, start a bakery, make the family grow." said Muttsulini, after which a little drop of blood came out from his nose but nobody noticed.
They both shared an open smile and then they walked away holding hands.
Then the last person crossed the wall, everyone was rejoicing, tears everywhere and smiles as well, a group of people started handing glasses with juice in them, they even gave some to the teachers, then Yuuji stood up in the rubble from the wall and started talking.
"My fellow Germans, today we wrote history!" yelled Yuuji raising his glass.
"Yeah!" roared the crowd.
"It'll be written in the history books that today we stood up, united again after this war, as brothers, like we've always been, enjoy this moment, drink, celebrate, because today we stand free again, the wall has fallen!" yelled Yuuji with all his soul, he was answered with cheers from all the people, they raised their glass and drank.
After this everyone lined up in front of the wall, including Akihisa, Hideyoshi, Mizuki, Muttsulini and Minami, after which they made a bow, concluding the presentation, they were followed by energetic applauses from most of the teachers, except for Iron Man who was clapping with his normal enthusiasm.
"Well I've got to say that was really well done, I'm surprised, was this your idea Sakamoto?" asked the Principal.
"Only in part, Shimada came up with the script, the whole story was her doing." answered Yuuji, after this all the class started to applaud and cheer for their classmate which made her blush a little bit.
"What a great performance that was, though I can't say you're the winners yet, we have to watch the class G presentation, the winners will be announced an hour after their presentation, we'll see you then." said the Principal, then their group left the class F's room.
After the teachers left everyone relaxed, they were all in a good mood, feeling that the presentation had been a success, they were talking loudly and drinking the juice that had been left.
"That went out really good, the act was solid and everything went smooth." commented Hideyoshi.
"Yeah and thanks to Minami we should toast for her…Wait, where is she?" asked Mizuki looking around trying to find her friend, everyone around followed her example, but Minami was nowhere to be seen.
"That's weird, she was here a moment ago, Akihisa have you seen her?" asked Hideyoshi.
"Not at all, maybe she went out, I'll go have a look." said Akihisa, after which he abandoned the classroom.
Outside the corridor was empty, he looked both ways but she was nowhere to be seen, Akihisa had a hunch so he started walking towards class G room, after turning around a corner he found Minami standing against a wall looking to the floor, so she didn't notice him while he approached.
"Hey there, what are you doing here alone?" asked Akihisa with a light tone.
"A-Aki, I just, I wanted to…" muttered Minami, but no more words came from her mouth.
"You're worried about Johan?" asked Akihisa.
"No, not at all, I just, I was worried about their presentation, I wanted to know if it was better than ours." replied Minami still looking to the floor.
"It's okay, everyone's happy that the presentation was a success, they're waiting for you to celebrate." said Akihisa smiling cheerfully, to this words Minami raised her head and looked to Akihisa's eyes.
"Do you think we'll win?" asked Minami smiling.
"I mean I hope so, the script was kind of sloppy and the characters didn't completely sell it to me but…" said Akihisa joking but he's speech was interrupted by Minami who started bending Akihisa's spine.
"Oh yeah? Like you could have done something better!"
"I was joking! Well at least you've got your spirits back up, thought it cost my back." said Akihisa with a smile that started fading as the pain increased, but he was released just before he passed away.
"Hm, I'll let you go for now, but just because they're waiting for us." said Minami as she took the lead and started walking back to the class room, Akihisa laid on the floor for a second and then followed her.
Later that day after all the presentations were finished the second year classes gathered in the field, the group of teachers in front of them, and the Principal in front of a microphone ready to announce the winner. Class G was standing at the right side of Class F, they were still in their costumes from the presentation, everyone was dressed in a medieval Japanese way, there were even some in samurai armor replicas, Akihisa recognized Johan as one of them, though he couldn't see his face, the menacing aura gave him away.
"So they did some kind of Japanese medieval presentation, looks like they put a lot of effort in their costumes." said Yuuji.
"It's only natural, they receive funds for any expense that's related to their studies, that gives them freedom to do as they think convenient." said Muttsulini taking photos from the girls of class G.
"Look, the Principal is going to speak." said Hideyoshi making his friends turn their attention at the group of teachers again.
"Well then, first of all I want to congratulate everyone for such an amazing work, the objective of representing a part of the essence from the country you selected was accomplished, but now we have to pick a winner, and the judges have decided that the class whose presentation reflected the spirit from the country better was…class F!" announced the Principal, after which everyone in class F started cheering.
"We did it!" was the phrase that everyone was yelling.
"To the winners a special item will be delivered to their classroom on Monday that will help them in next Friday's competition which as you all may know is The Quest, now I'll proceed to explain what's the competition about so pay attention, The Quest, as the name states it consist of searching for eleven items that will be hidden all around the Academy, the participants will be 6 students from each class that will work in pairs, to find the items you'll get a number of hints that will help you, but beware, the items are guarded by teachers so even if you find them, if you are defeated by the teachers then that pair will be disqualified, and there are decoys as well to mislead you, so you better have your eyes opened and you minds clear, the class that collects the most items wins, and they'll be rewarded an advantage for the next competition as well, so everyone do as best as you can, I'll see you in Monday." said the principal, then the teachers left and everyone spread, most of them started walking to their homes.
"I guess that's all then, I'll see you guys on Monday." said Akihisa leaving.
Everyone else did the same, only Yuuji was left behind, he was tying his shoe in front of the Academy door when someone walked pass him, he recognized him as Luis from class G.
"Oh hey, you're Shouko's friend, Ryuji right?" said Luis after noticing Yuuji.
"The name is Yuuji, and yes, I am, you're Luis right?" answered Yuuji frowning a little bit.
"The one and only." said Luis with a smile.
"I've been wondering for some while now, how do you know Shouko?" asked Yuuji looking at Luis eye.
"Oh, that was, how do you say it? Faith? Anyway I met her last Friday, she was walking out of the Academy looking really sad so I helped her out, men I'll tell you, it was love at first sight." said Luis with his shining smile that hadn't left his face since he started talking.
"So that's how you two know each other." said Yuuji remembering the events from last Friday when something clicked on his head. "Wait, did you just said love at first sight?!"
"Yeah, and for both of us, we're kind of a couple now, nothing official though, we're taking it slow, we don't want everyone spreading the news all over the Academy, but as you're her friend I think it's all right for you to know." said Luis, still smiling, he waited for Yuuji to say something but he just stood there, so Luis continued. "Well then, I'll see you on Monday, and please keep this as a secret, good bye."
After this Luis left, leaving Yuuji behind, still in some kind of shock state, his face had no expression, and when he came back to himself only one though came up.
"There must be something wrong here."