Paradoxical Composition

by eirish d'salmon luver

Series of one-shoots of these two different people that was brought together by a game of fate. This chapter: It was the first time he initiated their meeting. And it was also the first time he ever gave her a present. But even though she seldom could read his mind, she at least knew that there was always something behind his intention. ShunXJulie central.

6. Of Strength and Pride

Paradoxical Composition

By: irish d' salmon luver

Author's Ramble: I'm quite heartbroken, for the last chapter I didn't get much review… maybe it really *that* sucks. As for the update, well… actually, I have plenty of time right now, but… let just say that my drawing spirit is more roaring than my writing spirit. Seriously, I bet my fat that my writing muse already gone suicide. I don't even know what I should do with my other fanfic ^^;

Disclaimer: *Knocking on Sega's door* Hello, could you please let me have Bakugan? I promise I will feed it, bathe it, and play with it *puppy eyes ON*

XXX

Chapter 06: Of Strength and Pride

"You know what, Shun? Let's battle!"

One elegant eyebrow arched.

"Battle?"

"Uh-huh."

"With you?"

"Yeah!"

"Right here, right now?"

"Yep! Yep!"

"Bakugan?"

"Nope! Fistfight!"

A look of pure amazement crossed on his face. Amber eyes stared inquisitively at the silver haired girl. The moment ago, without warning she opened a deck card and made him trapped inside another dimension, alone with her. He thought she was bored and thus decided to brawl with him, but what she was requesting was out of question. He knew she was an airhead, but to challenge him to a battle, nevertheless a fistfight? He was a ninja, and he could easily break someone's arm like snapping a twig, and everybody knew this fact, but this girl, without waver and doubt, asking him to battle.

"What are you waiting for, Shun? Let us begin!" she shouted, snapping him out of reverie. She already took her position, body crouched slightly, and arms stretched in front of her, fists balled.

'Dear Buddha, she's serious,' he sighed.

"I'm sorry. I don't do girls."

WHACK!

Shun could feel the sting of pain on his left cheek and coppery taste of blood inside his mouth. His eyes went wide; dumbfounded eyes betrayed his still calm posture.

"I'm sorry, did that hurt?" Julie said with concerned eyes, but a smirk escaped her plump lips.

He blinked once, twice, and regained his scattered emotion… and pride. Never, NEVER he thought that anyone beside his gramps was able to land a fist at him. It was his pride, to be untouchable in any fight. And Julie just broke it all without even trying.

And for a spoiled girl, she sure could punch like men.

Shun spitted the blood inside his mouth and wiped the remaining on his lips. He tried to move his mouth, checking the damage. It still hurt, but he didn't have any problem with speaking. It was a good thing she dragged him to this another dimension, or people would see him getting beaten by a girl.

"Why… do you want to battle?" he gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the stinging pain from the bitten flesh inside his mouth. Julie's smirk only went wider, and it sickened him. She definitely enjoyed this every moment.

"Why? Well, maybe you don't know, I've been training in martial arts for a while, and I think my progress is pretty good! So I think: to whom should I try it out? And who could be any better to be my practice partner than the silent ninja, Shun Kazami? Right?"

Shun could feel a comical sweat dropped on his head. .stupid.

"Like I've said before, I don't do girls. So just leave already," Shun turned his back and began to walk away from her.

"Awww… Are you that scared, Shun?"

He stopped walking.

"I never thought that with only one of my fist you would be back off from a fight. If only I knew this, I shouldn't punch you."

He balled his fist.

"Yep, I shouldn't punch you… I should've kicked you! In the nuts! So that you'll not be able to walk the same way again!"

A (almost) visible vein popped on his forehead.

Don'tloseyourcoolnessdon'tloseyourcoolnessdon'tloseyourcoolness—

"And then I'm gonna take a picture of you, kneeling at the ground, hands between your legs, silently hoping you're still able to make child…"

Keepcalmkeepcalmkeepcalmkeepcalm—

"Oh, shouldn't forget the video! I wonder how many people will view and like it if I put it on YouTube!"

She'sjustbluffingshe'sjustbluffingshe'sjustbluffing—

"I'm not bluffing, Shun. Here, I got my digital camera. And guess what? The Brawlers will get the privilege of seeing it first! Can't wait to let Dan, Runo, Marucho and Alice know about this!"

Shun could hear something snapped inside his head.

"Julie, you went too far. If you want to fight so much, fine, I'm going to give you a good one. Just don't regret it later."

"Same goes for you, Shun."

XXX

Hours passed, both Julie and Shun were still struggling to be the winner. Both had long reached their limit, but their pride told them to keep going until one gave up. Small and quick breaths echoed through the dimension and sweats covered the soil. Violet and light brown eyes hung low of fatigue.

But the girl and the boy still held their feet on the ground.

"Darn, Shun, why can't you just give up and say that you're a loser!"

"You're a loser."

"Change the subject first, please!"

"I'm not a loser."

"Don't change the verb!"

"Isn't it supposed to be your part to say that? You're barely standing, I know it."

"And I know that you can barely speak, right?" she snickered.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…why can't we admit that we're both on our limit?"

"I'm not tired! I can still go on!"

"I call that bullshit. Your feet are already shaking, and mine too. Your fists are trembling, and mine too. Your eyes can't focus anymore, and mine too. So let's stop this stupid fight."

"Only if you admit your lose."

Shun sighed. Maybe it was because of her attribute, or because she was a real simpleton, but even stubbornness had its limit. Both Julie and he were stubborn, but someone had to put a stop of this. And since he was more mature than the girl, he had to be the one to stop being stubborn and admit his lose. Just for this one, he let himself swallowed his pride.

Shun dropped his stance and closed his eyes, "Okay, okay, I lost. Now stop this fight and let us back to our dimension to treat our injuries. You might not be able to see it, but your face is all swollen and you have bruises all over your body. Don't you care about your appearance than me to mine?"

Julie dropped her fighting stance too and grinned widely, "My appearance is of no importance than your admittance of losing."

Well, she at least can speak with some highly words, despite her stubbornness and stupidity…

Shun sighed, "Well then, let's hurry up and go back—"

"Not so soon. I still want to talk with you."

The boy snapped his eyes open and almost shouted at her, but decided to shut his mouth as he saw her serious face. Julie was rarely serious, and when she was serious it was either bad or worse.

"…What do you want to talk about?"

"About Dan and Runo."

Shun could hear something snapped inside his heart. Could it be that Julie, the most airhead and idiot person he ever known, knew about—

"I know, Shun. I might be an airhead, but I'm not ignorant. Well, at least I'm not ignorant about my friends' romance."

He balled his fists, "And what could you possibly know about it?"

"You are jealous of them. Ever since Dan and Runo became a couple, you had this look on you and began to keep your distance from them."

He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain from his bruised cheek and bitten lips. I hope she was mistaken—

"At first I thought that you were jealous because you like Runo or something like that, but then I realized just who you were really gazing to."

Damn.

Julie looked straight to Shun's eyes.

"You were looking at Dan."

XXX

The next thing Julie knew, she was thrown to the ground and Shun hovered her body with his hands gripped her shoulders tightly. He looked at her sternly, yet her gaze didn't waver; instead she looked at him with eyes of pity.

"What the— Don't look down on me!"

His grips on her shoulders tightened and marred her bronze skin. Julie winced at the pain but she didn't try to break free.

"What do you know, from all the people, about my feelings?! Huh?!"

Julie reached out her hand to caress Shun's trembling cheeks.

He was on the verge of crying.

"I never intent to judge you, peek into your heart, or look down on you," was her soft reply.

She felt his teardrops fell on her cheeks.

"He… is my best friend... he's my closest friend. After all we went through up until now, we can finally become friends again yet he became distant ever since he went out with Runo."

Shun let go of his grips on Julie's shoulders and move aside to sit beside her. Julie sat up while maintaining their close proximity; her hands covered the bruise on her shoulders.

"And you become jealous of Runo who got Dan's full attention to her, am I right?"

He nodded, "It's not like I come to hate Runo. I just don't like her hogging Dan to herself. Doesn't it irk you to see Dan always together with Runo? Or don't you have anymore feeling to Dan?"

Julie let out a small chuckle before answering "Oh, believe me, I want to tackle Runo so much when they were officially dating, but hey, it was Dan choice. I may be an airhead with dumb crush, but I know when I should stop playing around. Also, I don't want to compete with my own best friend. I think I cherish friendship more than romance."

Shun looked at the silver haired girl and found her smiled warmly with her eyes starring off to nowhere. He also noticed her misty eyes gleaming with unshed tears.

Screw his pride; it was nothing to compare with this girl's strength.

XXX

A/R: I was in doubt whether I should stop writing this chapter or give a proper ending. Well, I decided to just leave it as it is and leave the rest of the imagination to you readers: what Shun will do to comfort Julie? Will Julie or Shun go bawling their sorrow? Will they ever get out of the alternate dimension?

Sorry again for the LONG delay, I hope the next chapter will up before this year ends :D