What follows is an entirely nonprofit fan-based work of creative fiction. This story is a hybridization of Tappei Nagatsuki's light novels, the anime, a good chunk of my own work, and quite a few jokes from different parodies. Though that probably won't last after the first few chapters because there isn't a good abridged series that has more than two or three episodes. And even then, they only cover the first arc. Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts, so please leave your questions, comments, concerns, and criticisms in the comments. Now, please enjoy the story.

Teaser

The wooden swords clashed with a solid thudding sound as the two boys grinned with energetic delight. One wore black, and the other wore white. The one in white jumped back and moved the sword in a low and sweeping blow toward the other's knees, but he was prepared. He knew his opponent's next move anyway, so this duel wouldn't last long. He moved his closest knee back and kicked the other boy square in his chest, forcing him back into a roll that put him on his knees. The boy ran straight for him and jumped into the air, preparing to bring the sword down on his opponent. But the boy in white was too quick. He jumped up and spun around out of the way as the first boy landed.

"Almost!" Yelled the boy in white with a gleeful smile. "Gotta do better than that now, Fu." The boy in black, Fu, moved. In an instant, he was on his feet throwing furious attacks, one after the other, as fast as he could. This'll keep him off balance. Fu thought as he swung the wooden sword. But each time he swung it, the other boy blocked or tried to counter. Matching his strikes blow for blow in a near-desperate defense as he moved his shoulders and sword back and forth. Let the lungs loose! Fu yelled his lungs out as he finally knocked the other boy's sword aside and kicked him to the ground with all of his strength, knocking his sword out of his hand in the process. Then he ran a few steps and jumped up with his sword pointed straight down.

"Hhhaaaaahhh!!" Yelled Fu again as he landed with his knees on either side of the other boy's waist. I did it... I finally beat him. That was what Fu thought at least. Before he felt the other boy's hands on both sides of the wooden blade forcing the handle to nearly knock his teeth out as he kicked him hard on the left side of his torso, forcing him harshly to the right. As Fu rolled and tried to stand up, the other boy had already grabbed his sword and smacked the sword from his hand. He thrust the sword in Fu's face, practically begging him to dare move again as they both drew heavy breath after heavy breath in their mutual exhaustion. Several seconds passed, yet neither boy had moved from their place at all. Suddenly, without warning, the boy in white threw his sword to the side and held out his hand to Fu with a smirk. Fu took his hand and rose to his feet, patting his friend on the back. "I almost had you there, Gamada." The other boy's shoulders bounced as he laughed.

"Almost." Said Gamada. "You're getting better every week, Fuharu." He clapped a hand to Fuharu's shoulder. "I honestly don't doubt you'll surpass even me one of these d-." A loud tune began ringing from a bench by the edge of the mat the pair was standing on.

"Oh," Said Fuharu as he started walking toward the edge of the mat. "that's probably my mom."

"You better answer it then, don't want her to worry." Fuharu nodded as he picked up his phone and answered it. He talked with his mother for a few minutes before telling her he loved her, saying he would be home soon, and hanging up. Just as Gamada started saying 'Awww' at Fuharu's attitude toward his mother, the door threw itself open and another boy sauntered in with a goofy smile plastered to his face. He wore a dark jacket over a plain white shirt, with black pants and silver sunglasses over his eyes. His jacket had no hood, so his hair was messy from the rain. "Well, would ya' look at that, Fu. Keisuke decided to join us."

"Funny guy, Gamada-sensei, funny guy." Said the boy by the door as he chuckled and looked at Fuharu with a broad smile. "There's ma' best friend!" Keisuke ran at him and nearly tackled him with a tight hug. Gamada laughed at the boys.

"You guys oughta be brothers with how close you are." Said Gamada as he chuckled, making Keisuke detach from his friend.

"Oughta be?" Said the boy with glasses as he smiled and punched Fuharu in the arm playfully. "We basically are." With a smile, Fuharu shook off the other boy.

"Did you come to practice this time?" Said the boy in black. Keisuke stifled a laugh.

"You know I'm more of a lover than a fighter, bro." Keisuke punched Fuharu's arm again as the latter smiled. Gamada walked off the mat and over to a row of lockers on the side of the room. "Ya' know you are too, ya' just wanna beat Gamada-sensei so you can ask out Minori." Just as Fuharu punched Keisuke back in his arm, Gamada unzipped his wallet and called out to the pair of friends.

"Hey, lover boys." Said the trainer as both boys turned with bold expressions toward him for his teasing. Gamada tossed a credit card at Fuharu but Keisuke caught it. "Go and make yourselves useful, I'm really thirsty."

"What do you need?" Asked Fuharu. Gamada thought for a second then snapped his fingers.

"Just get me a water and some chips. You guys can get a couple things each as long as long as they're both under 300 yen." Keisuke performed a mock salute.

"You got it, boss." Said the enthusiastic boy as he turned to his friend. "Go put some real clothes on, bro. I'm bouncin' in about 5 minutes." Fuharu nodded, grabbed his bag from off the floor by the bench, and ran into one of the bathrooms to change. The atmosphere of the room seemed to change the instant the door closed. Even the fluorescent lights in the ceiling seemed to dim as Keisuke turned to face Gamada and twirled the credit card in his hand. "You think he's finally ready?" Gamada nodded firmly, his eyes now narrowed in concentration.

"You should've seen him today, he nearly beat me. I barely managed to throw him at the last second." Keisuke's eyes went slightly wide. Yikes... Thought Keisuke.

"My, how far he's come, Sensei."

"Truly, I believe he's ready." Gamada smiled as the lights seemed to brighten, causing the atmosphere to shift again. "At this rate, even Minori will have to date him once he gets to my level." The boy took off his glasses and smiled as he shoved them in his pocket. But there was something off about this grin. It held more depth than a thoughtful smile, but less cheerfulness than a smile of happiness. It wasn't smug or deceitful, and there was no malice in it either.

"Glad to hear this hasn't been a waste of time," Keisuke said to himself as his eyes came to wander around the room. What's taking him so long? It was pretty normal as far as MMA gyms went. There was exercise equipment in the corner by the bathrooms, a weapon rack with various bladed instruments of death on the far wall beyond the training mats, lockers adjacent to said mats, and punching bags behind Keisuke to the right of the door. He wondered who really would've won the battle if they had been using those katanas on the rack. "Gamada-sensei?" The other boy flicked his chin up and hummed in response. "How long have you been a black belt? I forget." He thought for a second and counted on his fingers.

"About a year, why?"

"Oh, no reason." Before the conversation could continue, Fuharu blurred from out of the bathroom and threw his gym bag directly into Gamada's back, throwing him from his chair onto the floor as the boy ran toward the door. He jumped clear over his sensei and landed in a roll that carried him almost directly into Keisuke if not for him stopping himself by standing up and dragging his companion out of the gym. Before the boy in the gym could even move, both boys tore off toward the nearest gas station.

* * * * * * *

"Hey, how come you did that to sensei back there?" Asked Keisuke. Fuharu shrugged his shoulders as he fiddled with his jacket's zipper before zipping it closed.

"Eh, he hurt my hand earlier in our match." Said Fuharu. "He'll be fine." Keisuke hummed as they walked toward the store. "Hey, are we still on for DnD and the usual binge hour tomorrow?" His friend smirked.

"Of course, man. Ya' know I wouldn't miss that. I live for the Dungeons." The boys smiled and started walking faster as they neared the gas station. Then, their smiles vanished. The store's already closed? Thought Fuharu as he looked at his watch and tapped it. It must've stopped earlier. He turned to his friend and clapped his hand to his right shoulder.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to head back then."

Keisuke sighed and started whispering something under his breath as the boys walked back. Fuharu figured he was just venting and decided to leave him be. Suddenly, the rain stopped. What? Fuharu looked up.

"The rain stopped." He turned back to Keisuke. "Hey, the r-" A bright light shining from Keisuke's pocket drew all of his attention. "Kei!" The light vanished... Then came the sound of a roar comparable to a jet engine. Even the boys' pained screams were silenced in the face of it, as the light returned and enveloped the area. Then, the sound stopped. And the light was gone. The rain continued. Even in the places where the boys had been standing.