Duel Masters – Heart on my Sleeve
Wow, for the first time in probably close to a month, I've booted up Word, sat down and wrote something. Very odd. But maybe this is a good thing, considering. So, why am I writing about something I know so little about? I don't know. You tell me. I've only seen a total of four episodes and have one comic (the aus version, meaning two) and well…kyaaaaa…! Forgive me if they're out of character XD
It's entirely up to you, folks. Kyoshiro Kokujo finds himself in a delicate situation involving the matters of the heart and we all know it's going to end in tears. Probably someone else's I might add. A dare by the illustrious Toru goes awry, and even Hakuoh feels the burn of the mistake. So what will happen is up to you, reader, when the time comes.
Just be gentle.
Chapter One: Toru speaks his mind
It was day. It had to be day, because if it were night, no one would be able to sleep and the amount of electricity used by the streetlights would be wasted. It was break time – for two weeks the schools were closed. The children roamed the streets and arcades and made local shop owners want to tear their hair out with frustration at the casual shoplifting and loitering that now rated as number one and two pastimes.
Picture a street.
No, too common. Picture a park. An actual park, not a grassy cause way; there was trees and play equipment that was currently standing still in the midday heat. The air shimmered, but at least the shade was cool. The shade where everyone's favourite duellist was currently dozing along with his ragtag group of friends. Shobu Kirifuda snored quietly as his friends Toru (no last name supplied, probably due to witness protection) and Rakuda (annoying best friend who doesn't deserve a last name) leafed through his deck of beloved playing cards, pointing out the ones they liked and the ones they didn't.
"…Hey, he got another Bolshack."
"He did? Damn. It'll take me awhile to find something to combat more of those bastards." Toru picked his nose industriously as he examined the offending card, frowned, and ate his findings. "It's hard enough knowing he's Kaijudo master, but he has this weird ability to find the best cards."
"Apparently it's all part and parcel of the job." Rakuda replied, gathering them all up again. "Other than the fact he's the main character, and if he didn't, then he wouldn't be the strongest."
"I still say it sucks." Toru sighed mournfully, and lay back against the grass and ignoring the sensation of ants crawling along his flesh. "It's so hot!"
"Swimming weather." Came the absentminded reply. There was a short silence as both boys contemplated this, the cool water, the hot sun, and a pair of girls in bikinis.
Coughing to clear his throat, Toru looked at the sky. "Yes. Swimming." His mind had been wandering lately. Girls seemed more important then cards, and this was worrying. Especially how he kept noticing that Mimi-
A shadow fell over them, just for a moment, and the air actually felt colder. Shivering with the chill, both boys looked up, in time to see the dark shape of Kyoshiro Kokujo slip past. They did a double take – he was without his black trench coat. In fact, he was dressed in what could be considered normal, and was taking a shortcut across the park to…well, possibly anywhere. Streets are never mentioned, are they?
Maybe it was the heat.
Maybe it was the thought of girls.
Maybe Toru's just a prat.
"Hey."
No reply. The master of disaster kept walking.
Looking for something to throw, Toru found a stone and casually threw it at the blue haired duellist. It wasn't really thrown with care, which was why it fell short. The next one hit the target very nicely.
Perhaps a little too nicely.
Kokujo span around and sighted them, glared, and stormed over. Right about now Toru sincerely wished he hadn't been so forthcoming, but what the hell, he was out of the frypan now, might as well enjoy the fire. He grinned stupidly at the older boy and gave him a little wave. "Hey."
"What the hell was that for?"
"'Cos you didn't hear me."
"I heard you fine, I just didn't care!"
Toru smirked. "Yeah, sure. You came across here because you know that everyone visits the park. You wanted to see us."
Even Rakuda took a glance at the spindly green haired youth. Kokujo pinched the bridge of his nose, right between his eyes and counted to three. "Did it ever occur to you, moron, that everyone does indeed use this park?" He waved at the horizon and his voice went syrupy sweet, as talking to a small child. "Look over there. Do you know what they call that? A post office. See this?" He waved a bright yellow card in front of Toru. "This is a parcel warning. It has my name on it. Yes, I'm going to pick it up. Someone cares enough to send me something. Obviously you wouldn't know about this, you second rate, unloved hack."
Toru jumped to his feet and glared. "Hack?! How dare you insult my duelling skills, I oughta-"
"Shut the hell up? I wish."
"Hey!" Managing to muster up what little courage he had, Rakuda jumped between them, then immediately wished he hadn't. He'd forgotten how tall both of the other boys were.
Coo.
"I challenge you to another duel, Lone Wolf!"
"Good, 'cos I got another brewing right here-"
"I didn't need to know that-" Rakuda muttered.
There was what could quite possibly be described as the quack of a duck. Only it was longer and much, much wetter. A stink rose in the heat, a stink so foul all three faces went slightly green.
"Holy shit, Kokujo, you weren't kidding." Toru moaned, backing away.
But the dark haired boy was also staggering back. "That wasn't me. I swear."
Rakuda promptly fainted.
Shobu turned over in his sleep, let a little more escape, and yawned. Then he opened his eyes and gave everyone a manic grin, completely undisturbed by what he had just done. "Hey, what's hangin'?"
"My lunch if I don't get out of here." Kokujo rapidly made an exit and stalked across the green.
"Weird one, him." Shobu blinked. "Toru, where's my deck?"
oOo
Particularly incensed by what had been said over their last meeting, Toru kept glancing over his shoulder, not trusting special effects nor long introductions so tied to bad guys. When Kokujo came back on the return trip, he was going to get him for that hack remark, let alone the whole unloved part. Shobu then let out a whoop, and the other duellist realised he'd lost the game. With a snort, Toru lay down the rest of his cards and folded his arms in disgust.
"Wolfie will be back soon." The smaller boy said cheerfully, not at all worried about his friend's lack of interest in the duel. "Then maybe he can help lug Rakuda back home. I probably shouldn't have had that extra cabbage at lunch eh?"
Toru grinned. "I don't know. It got rid of ole' dark and nasty pretty quick."
"We should probably write a book or something on how to get rid of him you know. Not permanently, but I know he upsets the other kids."
"He upsets everyone." Toru sighed. "So…we can say he's allergic to cabbage?"
Shobu laughed. "Yep! And the colour pink!"
"Puppies!"
"Hairdressers!"
"Fast food!"
"Anchovies!"
"Girls!"
"Ribbons!" Shobu laughed. Then he stopped. "What?"
"What, what?"
"No, I said what. What?"
Now Toru was mystified. "What?"
Shobu shook his head, confused, then jumped right in. "You said girls. Wolfie doesn't like girls?" He scratched his head, perplexed. "I know they have cooties and all, but Sayuki and Mimi are cool."
"No, I mean he doesn't like girl-girls. Going out with them."
"You mean dating?"
"Yeah."
Shobu's eyes widened. "Where'd you hear this?"
Toru suddenly found himself in uncomfortable territory. Unlike Rakuda, Shobu was still very innocent in the ways of life, and was still concerned with his deck more than the pretty faces of girls. Toru had come to terms with the way a heart could thump maddeningly as a girl went past, and her sweet perfume hung in the air for just a moment. The way the skirt could rise and show a bit more leg than usual. The hypnotising way her…chest…moved. How it could make a boy blush and stammer as they looked in their direction…and then walked away. Rakuda had recently found this out himself, and their talks were long and satisfying – the female of the species was a weird and wonderful beast. But ultimately scary. Mimi and Sayuki were bad enough, at least the boys could talk to them without feeling like complete idiots. But the others at the school…well…
"I mean, I don't want to date yet. Just 'cos Kokujo's a couple of years older than us doesn't mean he'd be any different."
"You don't know hormones." Toru muttered and searched his mind for an answer. "Look…you remember Hakuoh?"
"That guy with the long hair that duelled me–I mean that cooking guy? The one that was really creepy?" Shobu asked.
"That'd be him." Toru looked at the ground. "I dunno. There was a rumour that Kokujo came to the temple once or twice for intensive training and stuff. I know he's not there now…it's just…"
"What, a no girls policy?"
"No. Like…" How to explain the rather grossing fact of a guy…kissing another guy? "…Hakuoh asked him to come and see him…and he was like…there…the entire night."
Shrugging, the smaller boy picked a blade of grass and looked at it. "So he slept over. So what? Maybe they were playing videogames or something."
"Hnh. I don't know."
"Well, he does kinda look like a girl." Ahh, Shobu's wisdom. "But why'd he wanna kiss a guy?"
"I don't know. It's gross, huh?"
"Yeah. I don't want to kiss anybody." Shobu snorted. "But I wanna clear this up. If we see him, which I think we will 'cos of poetic narrative and act of plot an' stuff, we'll ask him."
Toru stared, floored by Shobu's openness, but also the act of plot comment. "What?"
"Come on, Rakuda will be fine. I have his wallet."
Ah. Firmer ground. "Is that because you're broke?"
"Kinda."
Toru allowed himself to be pulled along, and to his surprise they did indeed find Kokujo, near the shaded entrance to the other side of the park and sitting all alone on a park bench while staring at the box in his hands. For a moment at least, Toru saw something he didn't want to see in someone's eyes. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was the most emotion he'd ever seen in the feared duellist's face that wasn't anger, hatred, annoyance or…well, more anger. Stumbling to keep up, he bumped into Shobu's back and found himself looking into the rather stressed face of Kokujo.
"What…what the hell do you two want?" He snapped, pulling himself together. In his lap were the remains of the parcel's wrapping, but the box itself was unopened. If anything, he looked like he was scared of it.
"We have to ask you a question."
"Look, go play with yourselves, will you? Leave me alone."
"No-o this is kinda important." Shobu folded his arms. "Toru and I were talking and we were both curious, do you like girls?"
The question stunned the two older boys. Toru twitched, realising that Shobu had never heard about the word tact, and would probably ask how you cooked it. Kokujo's jaw dropped. "What?"
"Girls. You know, with boobs and stuff." Shobu tried to think things over. "And dresses. Ooh, and panties. Right Toru?"
Suddenly it clicked in Kokujo's mind. Toru could see it in his eyes. Deciding to jump whole-heartedly into the grave, Toru butted in. "There was a rumour going around the temple you were sleeping with Hakuoh." Ignoring Shobu's questioning glance, he continued on. "Do you like girls?"
If it had been any other day, Kokujo would have sent them both packing. But this day was not a good one for him, and spluttering for breath gave the fuel for Toru's confidence. He smirked behind Shobu's back, suddenly filled with ammunition.
Kokujo saw this too.
"I do so like girls. Where the hell did you hear that Hakuoh thing from?"
"Nobody important." Toru smirked. "You like girls eh?"
"Yeah."
"Name one girlfriend you've had."
"Uh…"
"Hey, Toru, this is boring, let''s go poke Rakuda-"
"Shut up, Shobu. This is important." Toru took a breath. "I know a lot of people who'd think differently about all this."
"You blackmailing me you little creep?"
"If you like girls, then prove it." Toru purred. "Meet me here tomorrow, just after 3pm…and dress nicely."
to be continued.
Good god that was random. This is easier than I thought…does this mean the drought is over for my story skills? Mmmm…shonenai…XD So, do I continue and stuff? What? Yeah? I haven't seen very much, so…pyo. Kokujo…is that his first name or his second? Oh, and, um, yeah? Let's see what happens next…
