I'll Be There For You
Chapter 1: Meetings and Realizations

Rune Valentine

Author's note:

This was the very first fanfic I wrote, a time too long ago. I've since decided to re-write it in hopes of making more sense than I used to. I was a huge To/Fuu fan back in the day, and I still love the pairing now and I'll end up having a go at writing this story better.

Disclaimer: Flame of Recca belongs to its respective owners. I merely borrow the characters for my own sad leisure.

It had been years since any of them were together fighting in the Urabotousatsujin. Long has the time passed that any of them were in much contact with each other. They had all gone their separate ways now.

It was just another normal day in Tokyo University. On a bench, eating his lunch quietly, sat Mikagami Tokiya, a second year law student at Tokyo University. He was minding his own business when a mob of fangirls ambushed him. Irritating words rang in his ear as he paused from his quiet lunch:

Mikagami-sama, what's your phone number?

Mikagami-sama, would you like to go out with me?

It was a ritual he could not escape from his everyday life in the University. He had a cult following that, while it sometimes still amused him, mostly irritated him. No moment of peace, he thought to himself. It was only their second week of school and already his following grew tenfold as the new batch of freshmen came in.

Although some Hokage members were now far away, some remained close by. Tokiya did not quite relish the fact that people from his troubled past still lingered by, but he took comfort in knowing some familiar faces in a sea of madness.

Kirisawa Fuuko, a first year engineering student of Tokyo University was somewhat lost when she stumbled into the fangirl frenzy surrounding her former teammate. She scoffed and laughed in her head:

Mikagami-sama, would you want to have lunch with me?

Mikagami-sama, can I be your date to the fall dance?

A sea of girls mindlessly droned praises at him, and she observed in sheer amusement. But one can only take so much testosterone-induced obsession. When Fuuko had had enough, she called out, "Oi, Mi-chan!" in her usual carefree manner. The sea of fangirls parted like the Red Sea in front of her. Tokiya thanked his good graces to find Fuuko standing at the other end, and he quickly gathered his things to approach her - which of course induced a series of cursing and angry comments from his fangirls.

Cool as he might seem, Tokiya was getting quite desperate to get out of that mob alive, "Thank you, Fuu-chan." He whispered, his voice only hinting of his gratitude. He started walking away with Fuuko, leaving the fangirls to their curses.

"No problem!" Fuuko grinned. She too was grateful to see a familiar face in the large population of the University, "But, um, I kind of need your help with something," Fuuko paused, looking down at her feet in embarrassment.

Tokiya arched an eyebrow. What would Fuuko need help with? She had always been the girl to be able to look out for herself. Pondering on this thought, Tokiya smirked a little, "As long as it doesn't include anything illegal, I suppose I can help you out."

"See, I'm not quite sure how to put this..." her gaze not leaving her feet, "I'm sort of lost." She finally declared. Oh, I know what's coming next. 'Monkey!' followed by a slap on the head, Fuuko thought, despite herself.

After having a completely bad day of not waking up on time to make his first class, to being completely disgraced by his professor for being late, to being tailed around by a mob of fangirls, Tokiya was in no mood to play around, "Tell me you're kidding," he replied. Fuuko did not move from where she was. This was mildly amusing for Tokiya, and his eyes widened as he realized Fuuko was not kidding. But instead of calling her a monkey, he let out a small laugh. This was highly unusual for him, and a few heads turn in their direction.

"I'm sorry," he composed himself again; "I just never thought the great Kirisawa Fuuko would have such trouble finding her way around campus." He mocked her, gazing down at his purple-haired ex-teammate, who looked up at him annoyedly.

"Well, who would have thought that the great Mikagami Tokiya could easily be defeated by a mob of raging fangirls?" she snapped back instantly. She was ashamed enough as it is without being mocked by her former teammate.

"Touché," Tokiya declared. "You got me there. So where did you want to go exactly?" he asked, being quick about the matter. Enough encounters with people for the day, Tokiya wanted to go back to get some peace and quiet.

"Back to the classroom, in the Engineering Department. The class was boring and I wandered off, but I remembered I didn't know this campus very well until I realized I was lost."

Tokiya faught back the laughter that was inevitably coming. He didn't want to be too familiar with his former comrade. "The Engineering Department is just over here," he pointed to the left. "If you make your way through the hallway and make a right, you'll end up in the east wing and back to your department." He finished without even batting an eye.

Fuuko's dim face brightened, "Arigatou, Mi-chan!" beaming, she couldn't help but jump at him and give him a hug. She released him as she made her way back to her department. Tokiya could hardly fight the heat rushing to his cheeks.

"Mikagami, you don't really have a choice in this matter!" yelled his classmate. "You have to go or you'll miss credits in Sociology". Tokiya wondered why he even took Sociology. Oh right, pre-requisites.

"Exactly who gave you this information, Haneda?" Tokiya demanded. He did not relish the fact that he would have to be interacting with people of inferior intellect, nor was he too happy about the formality of the event.

Haneda, Tokiya's classmate answered irretatedly, "Tatekato-sensei himself when I asked him if we really needed to attend. He just grinned at me and said 'Social experiment,' and told me he wouldn't give me any Projects credit if I didn't attend. 'And that's the same for all your classmates.'" Haneda immitated their professor.

Tokiya thought grimly, "Then there isn't much of a choice."

Curious, his classmate nudged him, "So who are you taking?" Which was then followed by a glare from Tokiya's direction. He hadn't pondered on this at all. Did he really even have to take a date? The thought of his cult following swooning over him in a formal attire made him cringe. He'd have to figure out who he could take that would possibly save him some sanity in the duration of this event.

"I can't even begin to –" he started, but was cut off all too quickly, "You're serious? Do even have the slightest idea of how many girls would literally burst into flames to even be near cosideration of you asking them to the dance?" Haneda's elaboration of his fears didn't ease Tokiya one bit.

Not wanting to show any sign of weakness, Tokiya merely looked blankly at his classmate before he proceeded to walk out the room.

Pondering on these past events, Tokiya was strolling mindlessly through the school grounds. He would have to have real friends in order to even have a list of people to consider taking to the dance. The main problem was that he rarely kept any friends, save maybe his former Hokage teammates. And they weren't exactly in an area of access too him. Well, maybe one.

More changes to come.

XO,
-Casket Lily