I'm Baaaaaaaaaaackk! LOL.

Snow Weaver ..."that left me in tears...it was so sad" It left me feeling a little empty too! But you know what they say...into each life a little rain must fall. Unfortunately Sugoroku will be seeing more rain in the future. Take heart though, he will have some great times too! Wait till he meets his wife, he he he. Whoa boy! Talk about sparks! And not all perfectly good ones either. I had an inspiration for it and have been working a little ahead so you'll just have to patient. Very patient. Especially since it won't be happening for several arcs!

In the meantime, enjoy chapter 5, and as usual I look forward to your review...and any other reviews that may be forthcoming (crosses fingers, toes, arms, legs, eyes...)

Trixie21

Okay, you all know the drill. I have to take up valuable space and time to say that I do not own any part that is the coolness of the Yu-Gi-Oh universe. That honor goes completely to Kazuki Takahashi. Authoress as she bows subservantly before her shrine of great creators... "We're not worthy! We're not worthy! We're not worthy"

This Old Man: Sugoroku's Story

Part 1: Japan

5. The Headmaster…

Sugoroku had no time the following day to think much upon his sadness. He had little time for anything in fact. He had barely gotten up and dressed when there was a knock on the door. His mother answered and nearly fainted in momentary fright at the sight of two soldiers standing on the step.

"Good morning," Sugoroku heard her greet, "How may I be of assistance?"

A sharp face man answered in clipped brusque tones, "We are here to escort Sugoroku Mutou to school. Please have him outside in five minutes."

With that the men quickly walked back toa waiting jeep and stood in rigid attention by the open door well.

"Quickly," rushed Sugoroku's mother as she cut some bread off for the boy to chew, "they are waiting."

With a chunk of bread held to his mouth with one hand and a slipper in the other Sugoroku hopped out the door as he tried to put the shoe on at the same time but once outside he paused wide eyed.

Did they mean to drive him to school?

A shiver of elation ran up his back. He had never been privileged enough to ride in a vehicle before and now suddenly one was at his doorstep.

The soldier helped him in and with no other word the man jumped in and off the jeep went. They whizzed through the streets of the city quickly, Sugoroku reveling in the feel of the wind on his face until he saw the street his school was on slip by. He turned in his seat quickly and looked back in great surprise. Where were they going?

As if reading the boy's thoughts the sharp faced soldier said to him, "You will no longer be attending that school. You will have new place to learn."

A new place to learn? Did that mean a new school? Why did he need to go to a new school? Especially at this time. The end of year had not come yet. He had not had his ceremony of moving on. It was obvious then that he could not be going to an ordinary higher school.

The jeep took him further and further into Tokyo very nearly into its center and did not come to stop once until they had reached a gray brick building that reached nearly ten floors up. The soldiers led him out of the jeep and into the building and for another first Sugoroku was in a building higher than two floors. He followed the men into a large richly furnished room where he was suddenly left alone when the men turned and left, closing the door behind them.

Sugoroku was alone and feeling very much out of place. All around him stood bookcases fairly brimming with tomes of knowledge and large potted ferns and bamboo plants took up corners and filled the spaces under windows. The soft beige wallpaper was embossed with the outlines of flowering orchids and the massive carved desk before him was neatly arranged to reflect order and peace. The room, compared to his home, was truly an ornate piece of designing skill.

The boy took a hesitant step towards the nearest bookshelf and too nervous to get any closer than four feet he leaned forward and squinted to see the title of a massive book in black leather. The spine of the book revealed the title "In the Shadows of the Great: The History of Strategy".

A door behind the desk opened and Sugoroku turned to see a round faced spectacled man in a smartly pressed black suit stride in and hardly give him notice. At first glance he looked almost as though he might be the jovial sort with his young almost babyish face. But Sugoroku was to learn very quickly that appearances could be very deceiving.

"Sit," the man said tersely as he took his own leather seat behind the desk.

Sugoroku complied.

"Mutou, Sugoroku. Only son of Osamu and Sayuri. 12 years old. Correct?"

The boy nodded.

The man gave him a steely glare.

"You would do well to answer when asked a question boy."

"Yes, sir."

The glare continued as the man's eyes cut in irritation.

"Did I ask you a question then?"

Sugoroku faltered nervously ,"No, sir. I mean, you did just now, but not the moment before."

The man grimaced distastefully.

"You had better learn quickly to listen thoroughly and respond carefully or I can assure you, you will not last long here. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, Now, again. Mutou, Sugoroku. Only son of Osamu and Sayuri. 12 years old. Correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. You will be issued two uniforms shortly. You are to wear a uniform everyday you come here, no exceptions. You are to present yourself to this school in a clean and tidy fashion everyday, no exceptions. You will arrive to school everyday on time, no exceptions. You will work with dedication and strive to exceed the expectations of your Emperor and your teachers, no exceptions. There is no fighting, stealing, lying, cheating, mischief making of any sort and all assignments will be completed and turned in on time. No exceptions. If you should fail to follow these simple rules you will be soundly and thoroughly punished before the entire school and your attendance here will be terminated immediately. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"I will be watching you closely Mutou. If you set so much as one toe across the line I will be there to quickly and most happily put you back out on the street."

Sugoroku stared at the man in astonishment.

"Do you think I am being unfair Mutou? Should the rules not apply to you?"

"No sir. They should."

"Then why do you disrespect me by staring?"

The nervous boy looked down quickly.

"I'm sorry sir. I was just surprised."

"By what?"

"Because you don't like me."

"Get used to it boy. There are many who will not like you. Personally I do not think you should even be here. Intelligence runs in families of good breeding of which you are not. Military strategists are not born in the back water gutters. I believe you to be a fraud and I tell you now, I will find out soon enough and when I prove your presence here is a mistake you will be lucky to find yourself walking home to your hovel."

Fear began to tingle through Sugoroku at the man's words and inflection, but he pushed it back. It was all to clear that this man held him in very little regard and found him to be distasteful company. It obviously had to do with where he was from and his lack of money and he would be after him because of it. Sugoroku would have to be careful around this man. In that he saw no question.

"Get this boy out of here and in a uniform" he heard the man say aloud.

"Yes Headmaster Mouishi," replied a young, strict looking woman who seemed to have appeared at the main door as if by magic.

"Now get out of my office Mutou and while I would like to say that I hope your absence from this room is a long time running, I expect it to be a short lived thing."

The boy wilted as he was led away by the woman.

To be hated because he was poor…

He sighed.

Suddenly, being out of favor because he was small wasn't such a big deal anymore.

Next Chapter: For Better and Worse

R and R's gratefully appreciated: )