First off, I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful ideas they've offered me, which will be put to good use, I promise.
Second, this chapter is dedicated to Serenade of Water, for being awesome.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bakugan, but dreams can come true!
Circus
My little rendezvous with a net in the kitchen ended tragically. It was all Grandpa's fault. If he hadn't taken my tea, I wouldn't have had to make another cup for myself, breaking three in the process. It also wasn't my fault that tea spilled all over the wooden floors.
Oh, and the net didn't make it. Nope, definitely not my fault.
I stomped back to my room after grudgingly cleaning up the mess. In all honesty, I felt worse now than I had after my friends had left. The good thing was that no traps caught me by surprise on the way there. Gramps knew better than to pull something like that when I was in a terrible mood. With a sigh I entered my room and silently slid the door shut. Leaning against the door frame, I shut my eyes.
What I needed was a shower and some sleep. The open closet jeered at me, but I ignored it. I would deal with it another day.
---
My biological clock woke me up at exactly four thirty in the morning. The summer sun wouldn't be up for another hour. A whole hour to kill before training began. I was a little thankful for that. Training used to begin a lot earlier, but Gramps wasn't as young as he used to be. Now I had time to go out and enjoy at least part of the sunrise.
I jumped out of bed and took a moment to stretch before turning toward the closet. I had no clue what Grandpa had in mind for today's session, so I slipped into a pair of black jeans and a navy shirt. Gramps had never heard of a schedule, so the order of his exercises was completely random.
"Always be ready for anything," he reminded like a broken record.
Slipping out the window, I settled myself on the maroon-tiled roof. The moon's silhouette was fading and dipping lower in the sky. It was an indigo canvas spotted with the light of dying stars. They twinkled feebly, their brightness vanishing in the presence of the stronger light.
The first rays of dawn reached out, climbing clumsily out of their slumber. The sky was tinged gray, and I could vaguely make out the sun's form rising in the distance. I felt at ease during the sunrise, knowing I was free to just live. It was a great contrast to everyday life.
Too bad good things never last. Pale orange luminescence descended across the land and sea, signaling the end of the moment. I breathed out a sigh and made my way back inside. I soundlessly left my room, carefully winding around pit traps through the dark corridors. I reached Grandpa's room in no time.
Listening intently, I waited for the telltale signs of his awakening. Slowly but surely, I heard his mattress creak followed by a loud snap, a muffled crack, and an obvious pop.
I allowed myself a grin. Those were the sounds of his old body booting up, so to speak, and they'd earned him the nickname "Rice-Crispy," after a popular pop culture icon. It was only one of the many names I'd impudently bestowed upon him.
He emerged from his room, glancing disinterestedly at me through slanted glasses before shuffling down the hall in his pastel pink—I mean, "off-white"—bathrobe. I followed, sarcastically offering to lead him by the hand to his destination. Rice Crispy only scowled and continued toward the kitchen and out onto the back porch.
His white hair stood up at odd angles and glistened in the sun like the dew-drenched foliage did. The tall trees soared above us, and the leaves fidgeted against the cool breeze.
"What now, old man?" I asked, crossing my arms. Normally, Gramps didn't train in his bathrobe. Then again, he never failed to surprise me, and he kept up that streak by pointing up.
---
Part of the ninja job description was to be a skilled acrobat. This probably gave rise to myths about flying ninjas.
One technique, used for climbing over walls, involved one ninja climbing up another's shoulders. Alternatively, two ninja could propel another into the air by lifting his feet up, and the latter would use the momentum to make his own leap and 'fly' over the wall. Several ninja could also make a human pyramid, so the uppermost man could attain a greater height. The rest of them would usually vanish with as little sound as possible.
I don't have a problem with doing dangerous stunts like that.
What bother me is that ninja acrobatics were meant to be done by young, or even middle-aged, men, not by old-timers that needed help getting around.
But no. The Frail Fogy insisted that he could go through with today's training, despite the fact that in would involve twisting and flipping through the air. With his bad hip. In a bathrobe.
I just didn't understand him sometimes.
Acrobatics were something we didn't practice regularly because it involved both of us working together, which proved to be a challenge sometimes. During most exercises, we'd start out together, and then go off and train separately. This, however, required that the two of us train together the entire time. And frankly, I didn't think Rice Crispy was up for it anymore.
"Come on, Shun," he nagged, doing a few meek stretches to warm up. "Do you want to climb on my shoulders, or should I get on yours?"
I think that was a trick question. Would he be able to hold my weight? Or did I want to have his life on my shoulders?
"You hold me up," I decided, stretching as well.
"Fine, fine."
I jumped and tried to land gently on my grandfather. His wrists locked around my ankles, and I stood up straight. Looking up, I caught sight of the tightrope stretched across the yard, one end tied to the house and another to a tree.
As a rule, all I had to do was reach up to grab it, but today, I fell inches short.
"You've gotten much heavier, Shun," Gramps grunted, practically crouching down. I rolled my eyes, already seeing the work out cut short.
I leaped onto the roof, and from there, I knelt down to help him up. I pulled on his outstretched arms, wincing when I heard another snap. Grandpa's face contorted in pain, and I let him go.
"I think you threw out my back," he wheezed, doubling over in agony.
"Are you going to be okay, Gramps? I can take you to a doctor, you know." At the mention of a doctor, he straightened considerably, though he kept his hands on his lower back.
"What? I don't need one of them. I'm just fine, Shun." I opened my mouth to speak, but he interrupted. "Just do some flips on the tightrope without me. I'm going to go…lie down."
He hobbled into the kitchen and off into some other part of the house. I shrugged, easing myself onto the tightrope. With the Frail Fogy, it was best to let him cope on his own, although I had no idea why caused his aversion toward doctors. Treading lightly, I kept my arms extended for balance.
Time whizzed by as I did my best to leap and jump across the tightrope alone, making it all the more dangerous, since no one was around to catch or at least watch me. Hours later I walked inside, surprised to see a nutritious breakfast on the table.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
Rice Crispy turned around from his search of the fridge, milk in hand. "Well, breakfast doesn't make itself," he retorted, softly settling himself at the head of the table.
"Yeah, because I make it most of the time," I muttered, examining a piece of burnt toast.
"So do you have any plans for today, grandson? And by plans, I mean are you expecting your crazy friends?"
I shook my head, already heading to my computer. Just because I told them I'd visit, didn't mean that they wouldn't come to me anyway.
My room had brightened significantly, and I flicked the switch to start up the machine. It took its sweet time loading its information, and I waited anxiously for it to finish. I checked out our chat room, but found it empty, much to my relief. Typically, one of the Brawlers (usually Dan) was on at a time, and whoever it ended up being insisted that I come out of my "hole" and talk with them. A bolded message popped up on the screen.
Inbox (25)
Not surprising, really. The first thirteen were from Dan, the subjects calling out something about pudding or hanging out. The next one was from Marucho about confirming my attendance to a party. Then, ten messages from Komba, which I'd read later. I continued to scroll down, finding the last message and quirking an eyebrow at it.
It was from Julie, but unlike most other messages she sent me—about miracle hair care products or the like—this one's subject was "Exercise." Confused, I clicked on it.
Dearest Shun,
I totally hope you don't mind, but I am coming over today around ten. It is uber-important, and I have to talk to you in person!
XOXO
Julie
….What?
For a second, her message didn't make sense, until I reread it a couple times.
Important and Julie weren't two words that could be related in a serious way. Maybe in a ha-ha, that's ridiculous kind of way would Julie have something important to talk about. And everyone knows that in an orderly universe, it just didn't happen.
I groaned inwardly, trying to think of a way to stop her. I glanced at the time noted in the screen's corner.
9:58
Damn it! I had to stop her. That or I had to hide. I ran out of my room, determined to get Gramps to make her leave. I had a perfect plan. He'd go ninja on her, and she'd panic and run. Simple, quick, easy.
Yes, that was my solution. All I needed to do was—
"…there's this great rejuvenating serum that would make you look, like, ten years younger!" her voice sliced through the silence in the kitchen like nails on a chalkboard.
"Really?" I heard the geezer reply in astonishment as I stood frozen in the doorway.
"Yep, and what's great is that it evens out your complexion, too," Julie added. Perhaps I could just sneak away before she saw—
"Shun!" she shrilled, giving me her signature grin. "I was just explaining to your wonderful Grandpa that there are products out there for everyone."
"He doesn't buy into that," I replied stiffly.
"Actually, Shun, this young lady has me convinced! I never knew that there were so many options available, especially for someone of my age," he answered wisely as if it was an old proverb.
Oh, great. Now she's brainwashed my own grandfather.
"Remind me again why you're here?" I asked, inching away.
She smile disappeared and her expression became somber. "Well, I heard something from Dan, and I was wondering if it was true."
"That's what was so important?" I inquired. "Gossip?"
She looked offended, balling her hands into fists and placing them on her hips. "Hey, I do more than just gossip, Mr. Hot-Shot! And no, it wasn't gossip. Dan told me you were way into aerobics," she finished with a huff.
"Aerobics?" I repeated, not recalling any conversation that mentioned the exercise.
"Yeah, like, ninja exercising and stuff. I totally want to try it out, so I was wondering if you would—"
"Julie," I interrupted, suddenly understanding. "Ninjas do acrobatics, not aerobics."
Her cobalt eyes scrutinized me, as if to see whether or not I was lying. "Oh!" she shouted, her face lighting up. "I didn't know you were in a circus, Shun. Can you, like, teach me?"
Rice Crispy chuckled lowly, and I narrowed my eyes. "No, I was most definitely not in a circus. And no, I won't teach you."
Julie blinked rapidly before pouting. As if that would make me change my mind. Then a dastardly scheme hatched in my head, one that would make her leave almost immediately.
"On second thought," I reconsidered slowly, "follow me."
"Ay ay, captain," she conceded, giddily trailing behind me as I led her out the kitchen door and into the forest. Once she got tired of hiking, which I assumed would take about five minutes, she'd beg me to turn back, and my problem would be solved.
"Ouch!" she cried out two minutes into the hike. Even better, she was hurt! I hopped over a log easily and held in a smirk.
"I think I broke a nail," she whined, catching up to me in no time flat.
"We have to go back," I compromised.
"You bet we do, and I have to go get my nails done."
Everything was going according to plan, until her uninjured hand clamped around my wrist. She pulled my hand up to her face and inspected my nails.
"Shun, you so have to get a mani, too!" I tugged my arm back, but she wouldn't let go. Her grip was like steel. "Don't worry," she soothed, yanking me back home. "Guys can get manicures and still be manly and tough and all that."
Julie winked, and I felt an unknown emotion pool inside me.
Fear.
You like? Review, then!
Oh, and a heads up, the next chapter might be awhile. So sorry about that, but real life happens DX
Cocoacharm15