The Grapes of Wrath
Author's Note: Set immediately after episode 22. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of MAZICA PARTY.
Pairing: Pre-slash Kezuru x Cratch.
Summary:
A promise broken. A broken Cratch. Or…
Defeat tasted as bad as Gummizard's gummies. And Cratch would know. He gathered all of Gummizard's pieces in the forest after the Mazica Battle with Silver to decide who'd make it into the Best 4, and forced himself to eat them as a lesson for losing.
All Cratch's preplanning, and Silver still won. They'd tricked Gummizard into the skate bowl they threw together so Wanisuke and Nokokuwaga could cut Gummizard apart so fast the Food Mazin couldn't regenerate, but Oneknight finished both Cratch's Mazin with a single "Good Knight" attack.
Cratch was curled up in the hall, popping the purple candy. He'd broken his promise to Kezuru to meet him in the finals. And during the fight, he'd said too much. The whole student roster at Mazica Academy heard him fess up to loving his best friend, including Kezuru!
To me, Kezuru isn't only a best friend! I yearn for him too! Way to shoot your mouth off, Cratch!
Vulnerability and Cratch didn't mix.
Kezuru was his chihuahua. To pet when he needed to feel superior, and to kick around…when he needed to feel superior.
Cratch's loss to Silver meant he was a part of the club. A member of Team Loser.
"Cratch, liven up! Eric and I lost to Silver too! I'm not upset you broke our promise! Silver and Oneknight are seriously strong!"
"You're not? Yaay! That's a plus!" A Cratch other than the Cratch sitting on the floor showed up carrying a water bottle.
"HAH? Cratch x2? No way!" Kezuru's eyes bulged out of his head. "What's going on?"
"Fake news!" TVleon yanked off his Chroma Key Camouflage, the moping "Cratch" a projection of the influencer's monitor.
"A Mazin?"
"Impressive, wasn't I? Be sure to share your positive review, and I'll soon stand out on the biggest stage where I can grab everybody's attention! Yes, yes, yes?" Eric's Mazin boosted his profile.
"So Cratch isn't down in the dumps?"
"I was over it by the time I left the battlefield, Kezuru!" The real Cratch minimized his setback by raising a snide finger.
"Seriously?"
"Mm!"
"You came back from that quicker than I thought you would."
"Hm-hm-hm~!" Cratch mussed Kezuru's bicoloured hair. "Let's go, doggy!"
"Doggy? I didn't agree to that!"
"Do you not agree to it?"
"No, but…"
"Then you agree to it! Come on, let's hustle! The semi-finals are about to begin!"
A fist bump now and a booty shake next to Kezuru later, and order in Cratch's universe was restored.