Deepest thanks to my Beta Reader KayCay for her feed back and for further polishing my work. ^^"
"I can't believe I have been walking around in circles, doesn't help that I've been away for five years."
Okara muttered to herself, also thankful that a kind passerby had pointed her in the direction towards the main stairwell that lead into the stands. While on her way up, Okara was passed by a pair of young boys on their way down.
"Excuse me, I'm a little late to the party. Can you tell me if the Buddy Fight match has ended yet?" She asked them.
"Yeah sorry lady, but oh man you should have seen it!" The taller of the two said excitedly with his fists clenched.
"Genma completely wiped the floor with President Shido, his Buddy monster Duel Sieger rocks!" The shorter boy chimed in.
Duel Sieger? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time... Not since...
Now was not the time to be lost down memory lane! As Okara snapped back to herself back to reality, she quickly asked the pair if Genma was still up in the arena.
"Yeah, he's still there and he's about to fight Zanya Kisragi so you'd better hurry if you don't want to miss it!" The tall boy called to her over his shoulder as the pair ran off down the stairs and out of sight.
Okara looked up the stairs as her heart began to pound in her chest again, a small knot twisted her gut; not about to let some per-reunion jitters slow her down, though they certainly didn't help, Okara swiftly ascended the steps until she exited out a large arched doorway and into the main room of the Fighting Arena. The stadium was packed as she suspected it would be, the air thick with the intensity of the oncoming battle. The dull hum of hundreds of eager voices from the spectators in the stands rippled around her only adding more tension as Okara felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.
Looking across the lower battle platforms, she could see a young man dressed in a white suit with a samurai sword-like Core Gadget in his hand. His posture was straight and his gaze told of strong confidence in his skills as a Buddy Fighter, by his side knelt a great black armoured ninja holding a samurai war banner. Okara could tell that this was clearly the young man's partner, though unfamiliar with his identity she knew she would discover it soon enough.
"That must be Zanya Kisaragi then," Okara thought to herself as she walked alongside the railing. "He looks pretty tough, I wonder if Genma will be able to win this? By the way where is-"
The young woman stopped dead in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat as she turned to see Zanya's opponent standing on the opposite end of the battle arena.
"G—Genma?" Okara whispered softly, slowly brushing her bangs away from her eyes as she looked down upon her childhood playmate. No longer a young boy but now as grown man who certainly cut an impressive figure, with his black uniform and arms folded across his broad chest adding to his already intimidating appearance. His hair was shorter than she remembered but nothing on his outside was what held her attention the most.
It was his eyes, Okara could not pull away from his deep, dark maroon eyes and how that iron gaze looked upon his adversary with a kind of cold removal. The joy and innocence she has seen in them during their youth had all but vanished, and this made her lightly bite her bottom lip with unease.
"Bandit Ninja Goemon, Attack Genma!" Zanya commanded his centre monster to commence the assault as Okara's focus snapped back to the younger fighter in that instant.
"Zanya is super quick to start, taking the dragon by the horns!" Paruko Nanana stated eagerly as the spectacle began to unfold before their eyes.
"Ha! There goes your Gauge!" The ninja warrior shouted as he struck Genma with his pipe in a downward slash, causing the one card in his count to shatter like glass. Okara was stunned to see him both unfazed and unimpressed by the attack, she was no expert on the mechanics of the game but losing Gauge didn't sound like a good thing in the least.
"In order for him to call Duel Sieger he needs three gauge, so I'll just keep taking it from him." Zanya said smoothly. "Even a charge of his next turn will only give him two, so it will be a while before he can call him out. He who controls the Gauge controls the Buddy Fight!"
Okara couldn't help but admire this young man's spirit, clearly knowing full well what he was doing but she also had known Genma since her youth and had a bad feeling that his tenacity would be more than this boy could handle.
"Zanya sure seems confident out there, stay in your seats folks 'cause this may not be a repeat of last year's finals after all!" Paruko shouted into her mic as she hovered over the heads of the crowd.
"You're about to be schooled." Genma said firmly as another card shot up into his Gauge. "I cast Divine Dragon Creation!"
Okara gripped the strap of her purse tightly and breathed in sharply as Genma's Life Points dropped from 8 to 6, he was planning something huge with that spell as he drew another card dropping his Life again from 6 to 4.
"Cast Rise and Fall of Dragons!" This caused Genma's Gauge to shoot up from 2 to a whopping 7 in an instant.
"Unbelievable!" Okara gasped, drawing her hands up to her mouth, but nothing could have prepared her for what was about to come.
"BUDDY CALL! MARTIAL ARTS DRAGON EMPORER DUEL SIEGER!" Genma bellowed as the arena filled with an intense pillar of hot yellow light, Okara clung onto the railing for dear life as great blasts of gale force winds almost blew her off her feet. Her scarf and long hair being whipped around her face, squeezing her eyes shut to block out the brightness.
"Great Scott, how many jigawatts is that?!" Paruko exclaimed as a powerful deep roar filled the air. With some crafty card play Duel Sieger is called out in the first round and Genma recovers 1 Life Point in the process."
When Okara was able to see again she looked up in terrified awe at the beast of fiery crimson that now hovered on four great wings before her. The childhood hero of their story book, with eyes a blaze of intense golden flame. Its head crowned with a mane of glistening horns as the aura of incredible power flowed from within it, armed with razor edged yellow talons that ensured their owner would be the last thing the dragon's foes ever saw. Such an incredible twist of fate as it was that a being once so admired by her best friend was now his most powerful ally, never in all her life did she believe she would ever witness a sight such as this.
"...His Excellency." Okara said under her breath but was left little time to reminisce as Genma commanded the great creature to attack.
"SIEGER, GO DEVOR GOEMON! SIEGER TORNADO!"
Sieger lunged forward like a tiger towards its doomed prey and shredded the hapless ninja with one swipe, causing the monster to burst into countless glowing orange shards. Gasping, Okara covered her eyes as Genma then ordered the Dragon Lord to then fall upon Zanya, blades of wind slicing the air as his Life Points dropped dramatically.
"Zanya really needs a new strategy or he won't last long against too many more assaults!" Paruko cried.
"Heh heh, I've won tons of matches with the odds stacked against me." Zanya chuckled calmly as the smoke around him cleared. "Now comes the real test."
Okara was very impressed with this Zanya to say the least, how he stayed so calm under seemingly insurmountable pressure. She watched with intrigue as he called a warrior named Electron Ninja Shiden to his left position, and using its Cyber Analyze enabled him to draw two more cards. Next, Zanya Buddy Called his silent companion Nanomachine Ninja Tsukikage to the centre, the warrior vanished from behind him at impossible speed only to appear centre stage in the blink of an eye.
"Final Phase, Lethal Formation!"
"About time, Zanya's speciality!" Paruko shouted with renewed enthusiasm. "Even with Duel Sieger on the field, if Genma's Life Points are less than 3, one blow could give Zanya another of his turn-around victories!"
"You're up again old friend, go attack Shiden!" Genma said after his Charge and Draw, Sieger growled as with a vicious swipe of his claws reduced the unfortunate monster to splinters. Not even Tuskikage with his great speed and agility was able to avoid a similar fate, swatted out of the air as if he were little more than some irksome gadfly as Okara's attention once again shifted to Genma.
"Gen... This is not like you." She said softly as she pulled her scarf closer around her shoulders, the anxiety welling up inside her was growing stronger by the passing minute. Overhearing an exchange above her head how Zanya's Lethal Formation failed due to lack of Gauge told of just how much trouble he was in and didn't help how she was feeling in the slightest.
"Those who control the Gauge, looks like they do control the fight. Looks like I win again!" Genma said darkly as an intense ball of flame appeared in his hand.
"GEN NO!" Okara gasped as her eyes widened in shock.
"Evil Crusher, Steel Dragon Barrage!" The Seifukai shouted as he cast his powerful Impact spell, Okara winced and looked away as Zanya cried out. The fireball hitting him with a deafening crash sending a pillar of flame high into the air.
"See that? Our reigning champ just took 4 life points off of Zanya!" Paruko shouted.
"No offence but you've hardly improved since last year, you're still relying on those ninja tricks. Where's your will to go all out? Don't be a coward, push yourself to test your limits! You can't achieve anything of worth without taking some risks." Genma said sternly.
"I am not a coward!" Zanya angrily shot back, then charged and drew another card "I wouldn't have done this last year Genma, I equip Ninja Blade Kurogachi!" Equipping himself with a powerful sword that strongly resembled a laser chainsaw.
"I call to the right Extermination Ninja, Slashing Asura!" In a flurry of orange flames a cackling black 6-armed monster appeared, holding an equally sharp and deadly samurai weapon in each limb. "I activate Asura's ability by giving up 1 Life Point and my entire hand!" Shouted Zanya as he reduced his Life Points from 5 to 4.
"Ninja Arts Asura's Blast!" On Zanya's command Asura called forth a burning pillar of raw energy and removed the dragon's final defence, Sieger in a blaze of green light returned to the field with a defiant roar.
"Your precious Sieger is out of Souls!" The young Buddy Fighter leapt to the centre stage ready to fight by the side of his powerful Size 3 monster. "Asura, let's get'em!"
"Link Up!" Asura said in its raspy, mechanical voice, drawing the Dragon Lord's attention as his Fighter delivered the final blow.
"LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE MY KUROGACHI!" Zanya shouted as with a powerful slash sliced Duel Sieger clean in half through his waist, destroying him in an instant.
"How is this even possible?" Paruko exclaimed in utter astonishment, as the crowd exploded with enthusiastic cheers. Outwardly the young ninja maintained his usual refined air but inside his heart swelled with pride. "Dragon Emperor Duel Sieger has been defeated and with Life link Genma will lose all 5 of his remaining Life Points! Zanya has done it, he has dethroned the reigning champion!"
"This is far from over." Okara said with an anxious look on her face as Genma's Life Points drained away, her instincts telling her the worst was yet to come.
"Huh?" Zanya asked in confusion at the very moment his opponent's Life Points hit 0 they began to shine with a powerful otherworldly glow. "What's going on, what is that light?"
"CALL DUEL SIEGER ENHANCED FORM!"
"Give me a break!" Zanya said, shielding his eyes from the intensifying illumination.
"I CALL THE DRAGON LORD MARTIAL ARTS DRAGON EMPORER DUEL SIEGER SPARTAND!"
Once again, the arena was flooded with impossibly bright golden light and raging winds that heralded the arrival of the Blazing Lord of Warrior Arts, now in his second more powerful form. Staring down at his target as if Zanya were nothing more than an insect waiting to be squashed, eyes burning like twin suns as his crimson body simmered with an intense orange aura.
"Once Duel Sieger is defeated I can call him from the hand, once he appears the Life link is cancelled and my Life Points return. I told you Duel Sieger is supreme, did you actuality think you had defeated him? Ha!"
Okara trembled, backing away from the railing and the behemoth that hovered before her, not knowing how much more of this she could watch. Her heart was beating so hard as she watched her best friend in total disbelief, her eyes staring to water as she then turned her attention to Zanya who looked as scared as she was feeling right now. Okara felt very sorry for him, having tried so hard to accomplish his goal only to fall so short and powerless to stop the fate that now awaited him.
"I failed... Again..." Zanya said in despair, the victory he thought he had claimed was once again far beyond his reach.
"Before we go any further listen up Zanya, I may have been a little too harsh on you earlier. You have improved a bit since our match last year but not nearly enough to defeat me."
Like the eye of a hurricane an eerie calm fell over the stadium, the audience were on the edges of their seats as Genma began to speak, heralding the coming of the eye wall and the fury well on its way.
"The sun's power is limitless, its presence lights the way for all living things. A leader is a ray of hope in the darkness like the sun itself, you fade in comparison. A true leader has the ability to help others see their paths, how can you expect to lead when you're still figuring yours out? You can't show people the truth if you yourself are blind, this truth is also like the sun. You can shut it out for a while but with time it will make itself known, nothing can stop it from returning. Just think of the Greek legend of Icarus; over confident he dared to challenge the sun's power and recklessly flew too close to it, like him you will be brought down to earth. YOUR TIME HAS COME!
"ETERNAL SPARTAND, ATTACK THE FIGHTER!"
"NO GENMA PLEASE STOP! HE'S HAD ENOUGH!" Okara shouted in anguish, her voice drowned out by the thunderous quake brought on by Spartand as he bore down on his victim with all of his unstoppable might.
"He still has one Life Point remaining... Finish him off."
Okara was long gone before the second impact hit, running down the hall and almost tripping as she burst through the front doors and out into the practice lot until she reached one of the trees on the right hand side. Panting hard, she slumped down behind it and put her face in her hands, every fibre of her being was telling her to just leave Aibo. Leave and forget this whole thing ever happened but, she just couldn't bring herself to. Gripping the charm that hung from her choker Okara let out as long pained sigh, dangerously close to crying as a wave of guilt washed over her like an ocean current.
"Oh Gen... What have I done to you?" She asked in a shaking whisper.
"Sir, an excellent fight." Doai said, standing at attention with two other members of the Seifukai as Genma entered the Buddy Pit control room. "As always the power of the Koryukien is unmatched."
"Indeed, which is why I want you to deliver a message to Gao Mikado to withdraw from the match." Genma told him, this didn't surprise Doai in the slightest. Spartand's brutal attacks were beyond the skills of a junior fighter as Kisaragi learned the hard way, forfeiting the battle would most definitely be in Gao's best interests.
"As you wish, Master Genma." Doai nodded before a thought hit him. "That reminds me, there was a woman asking for you, sir. She said her name was Kari and you would recognize it."
Kari... Kari! She's here? No it can't be!
"What did she look like?" Genma asked, Doai taking a moment to remember before describing the girl's appearance. His eyes looking away for a split second in frustration as nothing his second in command was saying were ringing any bells.
"She was also wearing a black choker around her neck... Hm, with a charm on it in the shape of a white cat holding a black rose in one paw and wearing a black top hat." Doai finished.
That got a definite reaction even though it wasn't obvious, Doai had known Genma for a long time and could pick up on subtle cues that others would miss. That woman had been telling the truth after all.
"Should I send our men to go look for her?" The deputy leader asked after a short period of silence.
"No, I'll handle this myself. Where did you meet her?"
"Just outside in the front of the building just before you fought President Shido, sir. She might still be out there right now." Doai answered.
After dismissing them Genma quickly left the control room and headed for the main exit, his mind already a storm of different emotions. Both hopeful and apprehensive, over the time they had been apart they had the internet, letters and phone calls to keep in touch but it just never felt the same. Then contact dropped all together as they both entered into their later school years, leaving him confused and broken-hearted to carry on wondering what ever became of his friend.
Stepping outside into the bright sunlight of the clear afternoon, the Seifukai leader started down the stairs as spectators in drifts and drabs began to file out of the stadium around him. His eyes scanning the open practice lot for any sign of the young woman who matched Doai's description, the lot was filling with students chatting excitedly amongst themselves but still he did not find what he was looking for. Uncertainty started to creep into his mind, maybe he had just missed her? Had she already left? Then just off to his left in between the tree and the small bleacher a soft bit of lavender fluttered into view from behind the tree trunk; giving in to curiosity, Genma walked towards it and looked around the massive plant to see a young woman leaning against it with her arms folded loosely in front of her stomach.
"Excuse me... Miss?" Genma asked with a gentle clearing of his throat so as not to startle her.
The woman looked up at the sound of his voice, her golden brown eyes meeting his as with a soft gasp took a quick step back from him, a ray of sunlight filtering through the leaves landing on the cat charm that dangled from her choker, causing it to glitter brightly. That cat with its body of carved moonstone, the rose it held and top hat of deep onyx. Just the sight of it brought a flood of memories rushing back to him causing his eyes to water a little, not all of them happy ones.
"Kari? Is that really you?" He asked her.
"It's been a long time Gen, far too long." Okara said, nervously, pushing her glasses up her nose having a difficult time keeping eye contact with him. This did not go unnoticed as Genma took a step closer causing her to take a step back, this sent a sharp ache through his chest. Was she... Scared of him?
"Kari, what's wrong?" Genma asked her.
"Genma, I would like to talk with you privately about this if you wouldn't mind." Okara said quietly. "Come with me."
The pair entered the small one bedroom suite on the top floor of the Ammy Inn, as Okara then turned and locked the door so they wouldn't be disturbed, undoing her scarf from around her shoulders she then set it on the bed.
"Are you okay Kari?" Genma asked her with concern. "Please tell me."
"I saw your Buddy Fight today Gen, you were way too harsh on that Zanya kid." Okara said still not looking at him directly. "He was doing his best, don't you think you could have been a little easier on him?"
"Kari, sometimes you need to be harsh to be hel-" Genma began but Okara cut him off.
"By ordering His Excellency to beat that poor boy's face into the ground?!" She countered, more from fear and confusion than anger. "Yes I'm sure that helped him a whole lot! Did it not occur to you how badly you could have hurt him?"
"I'm sorry Kari, I..." Her outburst was not born from ignorance of the game but as a response born from the content of her character, just as Genma had always remembered about her. Okara's compassionate nature and sympathy for all those who suffered is what made her come to the defence of his biggest rival.
"You're sorry? I think you should be saying that to him, not to me." Okara's eyes suddenly dropped as she quickly turned from Genma, rubbing her left arm uneasily. "I'm sorry Gen... Heh, who am I to talk? All this coming from someone who can't even keep her promises."
"Kari." Genma frowned. "What happened 5 years ago was out of your control, none of it was your fault!"
Okara shivered as the past was starting to creep back into the forefront of her mind, the guilt she had carried for so long ruining what was supposed to be a joyful reunion. A reunion that was not at all turning out like either of them had hoped it would, as a tear slowly started to make its way down her cheek. Genma walked up close to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, slowly she turned around to face him.
"Kari, look at me." He said softly, his voice low and gentle as he placed a hand on the side of her face. Okara lifted her eyes to meet his, Genma wiping away her tear with his thumb as carefully as if stroking a butterfly.
"I don't blame you for what happened all those years ago, I never did." Genma said as he then lightly brushed some of her strawberry blonde bangs out of the way. "I don't want you blaming yourself for it either."
Okara then wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face against his chest, her smaller body still trembling.
"Kari... I'm sorry if what you saw upset or scared you in anyway." Genma said gently as he ran his fingers softly through her hair. "I want you to know that I would never hurt you Kari, ever." Hugging her body against his as he soothingly rubbed her back, the Seifukai could tolerate many things but being feared by the one he cared for so deeply would have torn his heart in half.
"I've missed you so much Gen." Okara sniffled still gripping his uniform.
"I missed you too Kari and if there's anything I can do for you..."
"You already are Gen." She said quietly. "Just hold me.''