5 years later...
Dust and the smell of damp rock seemed to emanate more intensely from the walls of the underground chamber, these same walls curving upward towards a square hatch in the ceiling overhead. This offering no comfort for the room's lone occupant who sat silently in the shadows, cross legged and far deep in his thoughts. Time had little meaning in this place it would seem, who knows how long he had been sitting down there. Hours? Days? Who knew, but one thing was clear, he would wait until the right time had come. He would conserve his strength until then, he would need it as the walls would attest to with his previous escape attempts. Indentations that spoke of tests to discover weak points dotted several locations now only told of failure against the unrelenting stone.
Slowly the man's broad shouldered frame shifted as he reached into the right breast pocket of his uniform coat and pulled out something wrapped in a small white cloth, holding it in the palm of his hand began to open it up to reveal what lay within. It was a pink hair scrunchie who's soft fabric was decorated in grey cats wearing pale blue collars, small plastic white gems in the shape of hearts were set within them. The man's normally stern and stoic features softened as he lightly pulled the hair tie's fabric through his fingers, the item's humble beauty and innocent sparkle could not be oppressed by it's bleak surroundings. Yet the sight of it brought an ache to his hardened heart, an ache that crept up every now and again unawares.
Genma Todoroki through intensive mental and physical training; fuelled by a stubborn iron will, had risen through the ranks within the Seifukai to become one of their most respected and noted leaders. A master of the powerful Koryukien deck, or was, until not too long ago when it was so easily stolen by that twitchy little ferret Magoroku Shido. How pathetic it was that he had been duped by such a simple trick but this turn of events was not shocking to say the least, Shido was a coward that much was true and a fool. If he thought that he could control the most powerful of the Koryukien he was in for a very nasty surprise, Genma's Buddy Monster was not only powerful but fiercely independent and wilful with only the strongest in body and mind able to gain his allegiance and rare approval. Genma's maroon eyes glittered in the dull light, there would be payback for this insult against him and his Buddy. That was a promise.
A sudden glint from the hair piece in his hand snapped him back to giving it's his full attention, letting out a long breath as he caressed the fabric with his thumb.
You still love her after all these years...
He supposed he did, ever since she had been taken from his life when they were both so young. His affection for that girl he met on the first day of Grade 4 grew stronger, so naive, he thought those days would go on forever. Genma would often retreat to the natural peace and splendour of the mountains, some days to train and others to try and forget. Still there remained so many unanswered questions that he doubted he would ever be able to answer or even want too. How was she now? Was she alright? Had she already found someone else, moved on and forgotten him completely? The Seifukai sighed and shook his head as this was not helping his mood any, but he simply could not be dishonest with himself, he loved her then and loved her still. Genma had remembered watching some of the 3rd Graders playing in the schoolyard, so happy and carefree in their games and if this is what being in love was like then he prayed for their continued ignorance.
Though if he were to have a final request it would to just see her face again, hold her in his arms and take that missed chance to tell her how he truly felt...but the boy he once was held his tongue and the man he had become regretted it ever since.
A sudden sound over head pulled his gaze upward as he quickly refolded the cloth and put the small parcel back into his pocket in response, a light knocking from somewhere far above followed by some muffled shouts and then a loud yell. The trap door opened and another prisoner came crashing down with a sickening thud onto the rocky floor, struggling to get up from the painful landing.
"I'll get them if it's the last thing I do!" A familiar voice growls bitterly.
The voice was the unmistakeable gruffness of his second in command, Deputy Leader Totsuo Doai!
"Doai!" Genma called out to his fellow Seifukai from the shadows.
"Master Genma!" Doai exclaimed, he had his suspicions that Shido was behind this and this turn of events came as no surprise. "Are you alright?...Sir have they really taken the deck?"
"Yeah." Genma replied with a low breath, unaware that the wheel of fate would turn in his favor sooner than expected.
Almost a day and a half away the Cho Tokyo Magnet Train snaked on it's swift and silent course through the country side, vast tree covered grassy hills merged with civilization before the hand of nature reclaimed the view once more. The sun was drifting down towards the horizon as afternoon was beginning to fade into dusk, the sky over head painted a rainbow of brilliant oranges and pinks. Aboard the train the stewards were serving out the evening meal for the passengers with vegetable stir fry being on the menu, with a young male server pushing as small cart ahead of him offering drinks of the diner's choosing.
"Excuse me miss, would you like something to drink?" He asked politely to a passenger in the second front row of the train.
The young woman looked up from her laptop and smiled back, slowly pushing her small oval rimmed glasses up her nose.
"Just water, thank you." She answered as he poured her some water with ice before moving on.
Lightly she sipped from her glass before returning her gaze to the world flying by beyond the window, soon eve would descend and the stars would come out to apply their trade. The beauty of the night sky did not enter her mind though, for her thoughts lay far ahead to what awaited her at the end of the line. As her supper was served to her the young woman put away her laptop away for a while, the sweet smell of the cooked vegetables and rice was too heavenly to ignore. Though try as she might her mind was simply not on the food, even though every bite was enjoyed immensely. She was on a very important journey and would not rest until she saw it through to the end, this despite the concerns of her parents.
"You risk opening Pandora's Box Okara." Her father who's disapproval was very clear even though his tone said other wise. "He may not even remember you and already have someone else in his life, I just don't want to see you getting hurt on some vain ambition."
"Honey, five years is a long time and time has a way of changing people, despite how you may feel for each other." Her mother tried to voice her gentle logic as she always did.
She understood their standpoint but she just could not let the issue rest until she knew the truth, it was never her style anyway.
Finishing her supper Okara handed the plate to a stewardess doing collection rounds, before she lay back against the seat. Night had fallen as a pale silver moon at it's full zenith cast it's soft heavenly light down upon the land. Sleep was starting to beckon her as she got her pillow out of the overhead box, Okara had a busy day ahead of her, at noon tomorrow the train would arrive at the station where her taxi would be waiting to take her to the Ammy Inn. A nice little hotel with great student rates she read and had already booked a room, her eyes started to grow heavy before sleep over took her and she drifted off.
The next morning came with Okara being awakened by the sound of the conductor's voice over the intercom announcing the time being 9:00am and breakfast would soon be served. As much as the lazy side of her wanted a bit more shut eye Okara simply could not follow through, already enjoying her breakfast with renewed energy. Afterwards she kept herself busy writing some articles for her biology classes she was taking online, getting so into her work that noon seemed to come in the blink of an eye. The train reached it destination right on time as Okara soon shut down her laptop and got her bags together, as soon as she got off the train Okara walked out through the train station and into the back parking lot where her cab was awaiting her.
"We're headed to the Ammy Inn right miss?" The young male cab driver asked as Okara placed her bags in the back seat and got in the front.
"Yes that's right." She said with a smile as they drove off.
"So you here on vacation or something?" The cabbie smiled, trying to make small talk.
"Yeah, sort of. I'm actually here to meet with an old school friend I haven't seen in a while. We both went to Aibo and so I thought I would start my search there." Okara answered.
The driver was silent for a moment as they rounded the next turn in the road and the Ammy Inn could be seen in the distance.
"Hey I just thought of something, does this friend of yours Buddy Fight?" He asked her.
"Yes, a bit when we were kids. Why?" Okara asked with a tilt of her head.
"Aibo is holding the ABC Cup right now but this is the final day for matches I hear, your friend just might be there." He replied.
"Hey that's right!" Okara said excitedly as they pulled up to the front doors of the hotel. "Thanks for the reminder."
Hopping out of the car after paying the fare and leaving a tip as she always liked to do, Okara grabbed her luggage and waved goodbye to the cabbie as he drove quickly out of sight.
The Ammy Inn loomed over her head like a monolith in the mid day sun, it's logo with the white howling wolf looking even brighter with it's head haloed by a blazing red disc. Smiling still at the thought of meeting her friend soon, the young woman was about to head inside when a light flash of white caught her eye. It came from one of the bushes just to her left as she set her laptop bag and duffel down to go have a look, rooting around among the leaves and short branches Okara saw the white flash again. Soon discovering what she was looking for amidst the dead leaves around the roots of the bush.
"Huh, a Buddy Fight Card?" Okara reached down and picked it up, looking it over front and back. The card art depicted a massive dragon like beast with four long horns coming out of it's head and a flat rocky looking face. Four great pinkish red wings spread high over it's back as Okara furrowed her brow in an attempt to read the creature's long name at the bottom of the card.
"Space Dragon Emperor...Galiazond? Gallie-azond? Space Dragon Emperor Weird-name-I-cannot-pronounce." She concluded. "It looks like some kid left you behind fella."
Not being a Buddy Fighter Okara's first response would have been to leave the card where she found it and walk away, but it looked so forlorn sitting there among the dirt and twigs like a lifeless bit of flotsam. Cleaning some more of the dirt off the card's surface Okara just shrugged and dropped it into her purse.
"Guess today's your lucky day Space Dragon Emperor Weird Name, you'll make a pretty bookmark at least." She said to the card as she retrieved her bags and went inside the hotel to check into her room.
Shido was relaxing in his office enjoying a refreshing cup of tea, everything was progressing smoothing as planned. With his biggest concern safely locked up he would have no trouble once again claiming the ABC Cup, eliminating the remaining elementary school teams would be child's play. A sudden violent shaking snapped him out of his thoughts of victory, the room trembled and heaved as the trap door burst open and a certain "biggest concern" slowly began to pull himself out. If he ever did meet up with his old friend again she would certainly be in for a very crazy story.
"What's happening?!" Shido cried out in utter panic as he cowered behind his desk, only to feel something grab him roughly by the back of his uniform collar and yank him violently off of his feet.
"THOUGHT YOU COULD HIDE FROM ME DID YOU? WHERE IS THE KORYUKIEN?" Genma shouted in Shido's face with a fist drawn back, his patience and temper stretched to the absolute breaking point.
"PLEASE I CAN EXPLAIN!" Shido screamed in terror of the Seifukai leader's wrath.
"That won't be any need for that..." A soft female voice spoke up suddenly from behind, Sofia Sakharov the Student Council VP stood quietly before them with Genma's Core Deck Case in her out stretched hand. "The Koryukien is here, just as you left it."
"No you can't give it to him!" Even though the Student Council President knew it was no use as Genma called on the terrible might of his Buddy, the top floor of the middle school filling instantly with a blindingly hot golden light.
Even after all these years this place still feels like home...
A flood of memories came rushing back as soon as she arrived on the school grounds. Okara had been on a quick tour around the Aibo Academy property, mostly because there weren't many places she could go as the classrooms were locked up due to the ABC Cup events. The pathways that lead to the various buildings around the school were mostly deserted with the occasional small cluster of birds hopping around, pecking away for any edibles they could find. She was now on her way to the Fighting Stage, even at a distance she could hear the excited screams and cheers of the student body who now filled the building to almost total capacity. Hearing the sudden sounds of pounding footsteps behind her Okara quickly turned to see a small group of middle school students in black uniforms running towards her as she was on route chatting excitedly among themselves, overhearing Genma's name being mentioned by one of them she immediately tried to wave them down.
"Excuse me? I'm looking for my friend Gen-" She tried to ask but the gang ran right on by without even acknowledging her.
"How rude!" She grumbled with a stomp of her foot, a second small group of similar students came swiftly afterwards. Okara's previous enquiry was once again met with the same treatment.
"AM I INVISABLE?!" Okara yelled after them waving her fists over her head, a sudden angry shout from behind her almost made her jump out of her skin.
"Hey watch were you going miss!" A gruff voice spoke from behind her. "You stepped out in front of me and I almost hit you, now please move aside I'm in a hurry."
Okara's eyes flashed with annoyance as she turned around to face a much older male student, he was wearing a uniform identical to the ones the others who came before but minus the hat they all wore. He seemed to be riding a strange golden Moai statue like device, his facial expression was calm but stern as he stared at her with piercing dark blue eyes.
"I'll move aside when I get some answers to my question." Okara said in a tone that would not take any response other that what she sought. "I am looking for my old childhood friend Genma Todoroki, do you know him and where he is right now?"
Totsuo Doai regarded this stranger's request with mild suspicion and noted her appearance, she had wider shoulders and hips to most girls he has seen. She wore skinny style blue jeans, white sneakers and a loose fitting frilly white blouse with large drooping sleeves. Her long golden brown hair was tied into a small pony tail near where the hair ended in the middle of her back, a small section of her long bangs that curled around the right side of her face was a pale strawberry blonde. She wore a lavender silk scarf that draped loosely over her shoulders and small oval framed glasses that she then pushed up her nose to dark honey coloured eyes, though trying to look tough only ending up betraying an inner gentleness. This woman didn't send off any signs of ill intent and in Doai's personal opinion was not unattractive either, still he had no reason to trust her and would keep an eye on her especially after suggesting to know Genma so personally.
"Master Genma is our Seifukai Leader and I am Deputy Leader Totsuo Doai. He is about to have a Buddy Fight with our Student Council President Shido right now which is why I must get going but if you wish I will tell him you are here looking for him."
Master Genma? Seifukai Leader?...Boy Gen we are going to have a lot of catching up to do, won't we?
Although her heart was starting to race from excitement Okara did her best to remain calm.
"Thank you Master Doai," Okara said with a respectful bow. "Please tell him that Kari is here, he will understand what you mean." (She hoped.) "I wish him luck in his Buddy Fight."
"Alright I will deliver your message, see you later." Doai nodded in response before quickly speeding off into the stadium.
Taking a deep breath Okara soon followed after him, now trying to settle down the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach. The roars of the audience, monsters and the commands of their Buddy Fighters told her that the match was well underway, standing before the main doors the young woman squeezed her purse uneasily. Genma was in there, her best friend whom she had waited on baited breath all these years to meet in person again. She missed him so much and wanted nothing more in all the world just to see him again. Yet now when the time had come she found herself feeling extremely nervous...
No! Get a hold of yourself Okara, you can't back down now!
That was all too true, if she turned back she would never forgive herself so she was determined to stay positive. Time had a way of changing people for good or ill she well understood, maybe she hoped Gen would be the one of the lucky ones. Slowly she pushed open the arena doors and disappeared inside.