'background speech'
"normal conversation"
thoughts and telepathic speeches
Sounds of explosions could be heard every second as Fuji and Echizen engaged in a battle a while ago. They started out using low level elemental attacks and normal physical attacks with just their bare hands. Echizen was basically launching all the offense while Fuji kept his defense in check.
As expected, Fuji dodged every moves targeted at him. His face was pasted with a serene flow as he kept his moves in check.
"Ahhhh!!!." Echizen screamed in frustration after he just landed a fire shot a Fuji who gracefully dodged with another explosion behind him.
'Echizen's destroying my beautiful landmark.' King Kutei brooded when another explosion sounded, destroying another part on his grassy field.
'Your Majesty.' Saeki appeared behind the bystanders of the battle. He greeted the king to which his domain (1) behind him bowed reverently.
'Ah, Saeki.' King Kutei turned around and smiled warmly to greet his men. 'Where have you been since dawn?' King Kutei asked then turned around to watch the battle.
'Fuji-san didn't tell you?' Saeki raised his left eyebrow and looked to the battle. Everyone turned around to look at him puzzling.
"Would you stop dodging!?" Echizen yelled; he was definitely getting angrier by the minute of Fuji fooling around. His breath was ragged from being the one who launched all the attacks at the graceful sage. "Or is that all you can do?" Echizen regained his steady breathing and smirked.
"Of course not." Fuji said without tiredness in his voice. He looked to Shiraishi as he unconsciously dodging Echizen. Lend me your sword?
Shiraishi nodded. He unsheathed his sword and threw it straight at Fuji.
As the sword closed into his range, Fuji arched backward and kicked up at the sword's hilt, turning the sword 90 degree, tip pointed to the ground. Fuji quickly flew up and pressed the sword down to the ground with his weight. He stood on the sword's hilt skillfully.
"Then show me your power!" Echizen demanded and grabbed the sword that has been riding on his back the whole time.
Fuji just smiled wider. He jumped off his sword and plucked it off the ground, swaying it before him, as if to test out the weight. "Come when you're ready." Fuji said playfully.
"I was born ready!" Echizen said proudly.
Cocky brat. Fuji thought.
Echizen flew toward Fuji in a jetting speed, but Fuji was just merely dodging without difficulty again. Fuji had an incredibly useful ability that allowed his perception to look at the world in slow motion. In reality, he only had flashed agility that was higher than others; his movement was like the wind. No physical attacks can touch him, unless his mind was strayed from focus.
Echizen was once again slashing at Fuji furiously. Though this time, Fuji made an effort to defend, instead of dodging. He wouldn't want the little brat to get mad again.
'Hey, let's have a bet.' Saeki announced out of the blue, with a playful grin on his face.
The other three lords and King Kutei perked their eyebrows at his statement, giving him a perplexing look.
'What!? I'm just suggesting we should have some fun while watching them going at each other.' Saeki explained. The faces on the others give him a weird look as if he's babbling nonsense.
'Sure, why not!' After a moment, Yukimura spoke up first; his confusion was replaced with a mischievous smile.
'Alright. Let's make this fun.' Saeki suggested, clasping his hands together energetically. 'The losers have to run around the castle outskirt with only a boxer on, and they can't use their powers to speed up their round.' His eyes lit up brightly, confident that he was the only one who got to witness the sage's power.
The others looked unsure as they glanced at each other. They knew Echizen was a prodigy; his power might even surpasses theirs. Yukimura and Atobe contemplated for a while; the idea was sloppy if they ended up being the losers. It wouldn't be good for their lordly image, and maybe somewhat to the bourgeoisies. But of course, none of them could let this chance to go by; humiliating another prestige man was an amusing concern.
Tezuka was the only one oblivious to the bet. All his attentions were focused on the battle ahead of him. King Kutei was like Tezuka, he was definitely not up for a humiliation of the century.
'Sooo?' Saeki stressed at the unsure of the lords and bourgeoisies.
'Sounds good.' Yukimura said, and then everyone followed his lead joining the bet.
'Okay.' Saeki smirked. This is good. 'Whoever bets on Echizen, step on to that side.' Saeki motioned to King Kutei's left side. 'And Fuji-san on this side.' He flung out his arms wide to indicate the area surrounding him.
Everyone shuffled around, thinking who's to bet on.
'I think Fuji-san will win.' Yukimura smiled and walked over to stand next to Saeki.
'I'll follow you!' Niou announced exuberantly, running over to Yukimura and flinging an arm over his lord's shoulders.
'Lord Yukimura knows best!' Kirihara grinned.
Atobe looked over his shoulders, seeing Fuji and Echizen still messing around. 'Echizen. Who knows what that prodigy can do?' He smiled and walked to the left.
'What about you guys?' Saeki inquired at the rest, who stood idly with unsure expressions on their faces.
'I don't like the bet.' Shishido voiced out.
Saeki lifted an eyebrow at him. 'Okay, new rule. You have to join the bet if your Lord takes part in it.'
'What??' Shishido groaned.
Irritated by his man's uncooperative act, Atobe proceeded to apprehend Shishido. "Don't be a pussy! I'm going replace your position for another if you don't make up your mind this instance!"
Shishido glared at Atobe and growled, then shook his head in defeat. 'Fine, fine.' Shishido walked to the left and slumped down to the ground, sitting with his legs crossed glaring at Fuji and Echizen.
The rest of Yukimura's men joined him on Fuji's side along with Tachibana and Shinji. All the others placed their bets on Echizen.
'Yo Oishi, Inui, Momoshiro.' Saeki called out to the trio who stood by Tezuka. 'You in?'
Oishi hesitated for a moment before Inui spoke up. 'We'll take Fuji-san.' Oishi and Momoshiro nodded, believing their data strategist. Though, Momoshiro was a little disappointed to hear Inui chose Fuji over Echizen.
Saeki looked to the two stoic men, Tezuka and King Kutei, and decided not the lure them into the bet. If ever those 2 to lose the bet, Saeki would suffer dire consequences.
Echizen and Fuji flew backward after another clash, no one had won yet. Fuji was getting bore by the minute. First of all, he didn't feel like fighting, but the brat just out right challenged him. Fuji never turned down a challenge. Secondly, he was somewhat tired from his early invasion. He wasn't up for a battle, especially to a cocky brat. Fuji pointed the sword at Echizen with his arms straightened out.
Hearing the ruckus on his left, Fuji turned his attention over to the crowd with a curious expression. His gaze then shifted over toward the inert people. His gaze met hazel brown orbs looking straight at him. Fuji was surprised that the owner of those hazel brown orbs didn't flinch or look away when Fuji caught him staring. He smiled at this.
Echizen didn't fail to notice the commotion Fuji was paying attention to. He followed Fuji's eyes and frowned. Stupid people, distracting us! Echizen quickly turned back to their battle. He smirked. Don't let your guard down. He mimicked Tezuka's catch phrase in his head.
Echizen took this chance and dashed toward Fuji.
Sensing Echizen nearby, he broke his gaze with Tezuka and directed back to his opponent. Echizen was closed to him. As quick as he could, Fuji pushed back, but the tip of the oppose sword slashed through his left cheek in a feathery touch. Blood spurted from the cut when the tip of the sword left his skin.
In an instance, Fuji sensed a shadow leapt before him so quick he couldn't tell who it belongs to. The shadow kicked Echizen's sword away, sending Echizen back 3 meters. The shadow then turned into a figure as his movement slowed down, standing with his back to face Fuji. Immediately, Fuji knew it was Tezuka.
"That's enough!" Tezuka said deeply at Echizen.
"Tsk." Echizen looked irritatingly at his lord. Ruining all the fun.
'Fuji!'
He could hear his name called out in the distance as he lifted his left hand to touch the sting spot on his cheek. He dabbed the spot with his fingers gently and put it before his vision. Blood?
'Oh shit, somebody's so dead.' Saeki said melodramatically, stressing every syllables of it. He earned puzzling looks from some of the men who stood nearby.
Tezuka then turned around to face Fuji and asked with concern in his voice. "Are you okay?"
Fuji looked up at Tezuka's orbs. "Hmm. Yeah." He lowered his gaze and his fingers started to glow over the injury on his cheek. After he moved his hand, the injury disappeared and his face was perfect again.
Tezuka looked a little shock at Fuji, but didn't show it. Oh right, he's a sage… "Do you want to discontinue this?" Tezuka asked softly, and froze when Fuji looked back up at him with his piercing blue orbs.
Fuji shifted his vision at the small boy behind Tezuka and narrowed his eyes. You are so dead.
'He doesn't like blood.' Shiraishi said calmly, knowing it was needed to be told. 'He gets angry at the mere sight of it.'
'Wait, does that mean…' Momoshiro stuttered at his terror thought.
'Like I said. Somebody's so dead.' Saeki repeated himself to answer Momoshiro's thought.
Not good. Atobe thought nervously as Yukimura sent a smirk toward him.
"Fuji-san?" Tezuka said, but Fuji didn't hear him. He saw Echizen backing up as Fuji neared him, but the little boy didn't show any frantic look.
Hmph. Finally serious? Echizen thought. He flashed an arrogant look at Fuji's serious one.
Fuji kept his glare at Echizen as he threw the sword back to its owner. The sword flew straight at Shirashi and he caught it without difficulty.
Fuji held up his right hand toward the sky. Immediately, a blue fire flashed out in a straight line in between his grasp. The blue fire took shape of a 2 meters spear. The head resembled a phoenix's head and its body stretched out along with the tail to wrap around the lengthen spear. The other end was an intricate design of a cactus flower.
Echizen's orbs narrowed at the phenomenon weapon in front of him. He looked to his hand at the simple sword. This won't do. Echizen sheathed his sword and threw it on the ground at the root of the tree behind him. Straightened out his arms before him with his palms facing upward, he closed his eyes and concentrated on gathering his energy. A heat surged through his body. Red fire flickered when he opened his eyes. The fire took in the shape of a schiavona. A flaming tiger wrapped itself along the sword. Now this'll do.
The sage and the master bourgeois jumped up into the air at the same time, moving in at each other as they dodged and threw elemental attacks on air. As they closed in, their weapons battled. Each clashed against both weapons produced an amount of energy that swept through the battle field, scorching the grass below them.
The bystanders had to put up an elemental shield to protect themselves from the surged of energy that burst at them.
When they got back on the ground, Fuji immediately dashed to Echizen and began slashing in multidirections. His swift offense brought Echizen on a defense mode, backing up as Fuji pushed on him.
Damn Sage. Suddenly releasing all your attacks at once. Echizen thought as he jumped up and flipped away from Fuji to avoid the dangerous blue weapon from cutting off his legs.
After succeeding getting away from the raging sage, Echizen held his sword up his chest, vertically as the tip pointing up toward the sky. "Drive A!" Echizen's voice extended across the field. A red comet shot out from the schiavona, traveling at a speed of light straight at Fuji's face.
"Tsubame Gaeshi!" Fuji countered the red comet directly at Echizen with a blue comet after hitting the red comet away with another loud explosion.
"Drive B!" Echizen jumped up the sky, followed by Fuji. Echizen pushed himself through the air forward and released 5 fire crescents at Fuji after 5 slashes.
Wanting to end this quickly, Fuji stopped his movement in mid air, floating, and waiting for the attacks to come at him. "Kagerou Zutsumi." His blue weapon glazed brightly before turning into a cyclone that wrapped around its owner. When the fire crescents came, they exploded into heavy gray smoke at the collisions. The smoke enshrouded Fuji's 5 meters radius as Echizen backed down onto the ground to get away from the smoke.
Echizen looked up, but didn't see anything except for the heavy gray clouds. Suddenly he saw a bright light and the next thing he knew, he was sliding backward in great speed as his body collided with the ground hard. "Urgh." He groaned after he stopped.
Fuji appeared in a flash, standing above Echizen's worn out form. He smirked. "That teaches your ego." He looked up to see people running over.
"Oi Echizen. You okay?" Momoshiro inquired as he hovered above the boy.
"Yeah." Echizen answered in short breathes as he propped his body up with his elbows. He rubbed his head irritatingly when he sat up right. He glanced up at a smiling Fuji. "Man, I could've beaten you if it's not for the heat." He just had to blame the sun.
Fuij shrugged and walked off, joining Tezuka to walk back to the shade.
"You still have the energy to say that?" Oishi shook his head disbelievingly.
"Sheesh, you got me scare for a second there." Momoshiro slapped Echizen's back. The crowd dissipated around Echizen as they saw no critical damage was done.
"Tsche." Echizen growled before standing up. He dusted his clothes and followed the crowd. Stupid people, leaving me.
"Your Majesty." Fuji said as he and Tezuka reached the shocked King.
"Ah. Fuji-kun." King Kutei smiled, but faltered when he saw Echizen standing up, like nothing happened.
Fuji kept silence as King Kutei narrowed his eyes at the approaching young bourgeois.
"Your Majesty?" Echizen said nervously when he stood right in front of the intimidating King.
"You are to be my gardener until my landmark is restored!" King Kutei commanded seriously.
"What!?" Echizen's face paled as he looked at King Kutei incredulously. "You are kidding, right?" Echizen asked, but the King's expression didn't waver. He turned to Tezuka, who stood next to Fuji. "My Lord!" He whined, asking for help.
"Don't turn to him, there's nothing your Lord can do!" Echizen shrunk at King Kutei's words.
He turned to Fuji and glared at him. I'm going to kill you. Instead of voicing out his thought, he said grimly. "It is your entire fault."
Fuji faked an innocent face. "What do you mean?"
Echizen scowled. Fuji broke into a giggling fit. "What are you laughing at!?" Echizen angrily yelled at him.
"Maa. You shouldn't be so grouchy." Fuji giggled again, cutely. "I could help you if you ask me nicely." Fuji offered.
"Che. Like hell I will. What can you do?" Echizen scoffed. "Become a gardener too?"
"Echizen!" Tezuka warned coldly. Fuji only smiled.
"I would ask Fuji for help if I were you." Eiji chimed in, glomming Fuji in the process.
Hearing this, Echizen reconsidered before saying reluctantly. Sounds like he can do it. Fine, better than being a gardener. Echizen formed a fake smile for Fuji. "Can you help me?"
Fuji grinned. "I guessed that's sincere enough." Echizen scoffed.
Fuji turned to the scorching field and squatted down to the ground with a hand laid flat on the green grass below him. Moments later, the field turned from yellow to green. Almost everyone gaped widely with their mouths shaping into a wide O.
Fuji stood up dusting his hands against each other. "Done!"
King Kutei marveled at the incredible sage in front of him. He admired the fragile man's unpredictable strengths.
After King Kutei left with Fuji and the uninvolved individuals of the bet, Saeki rounded everyone up.
"Tchst." Saeki hissed. "You all know what you have to do." He grinned slyly at the losers as they growled in anger, especially Atobe.
"Tomorrow morning after the sun rises from the horizon." Yukimura suggested.
"Awesome! Most people are awake at that time." Saeki exclaimed, while the others drooped lower in shame.
o0o0o0o0o
Later that day, King Kutei called for a meeting in the reception hall. After everyone took their seats, King Kutei began in a formal tone, causing everyone to stop un-ceremonial behaviors.
"As all you may know, Fuji-kun and his friends are here on an emergent situation." He stopped before continued on. "Doryou isn't a vast kingdom, but it has very strong military compared to kingdoms triple its size. I proposed that a war might not be so convenient in this case." He looked to Fuji, who nodded and took on the enlightenment.
"King Kutei and I conversed earlier. He permits me to borrow some of his men, and I'd like to request a few of you to go with us to save our Queen." Fuji said courteously. His eyes rounded the table before turning back to King Kutei.
"Before any of you decides anything, I've just received a letter from our brother country." King Kutei pulled out a scroll from his sleeve and placed it in front of him. "It says that our rival kingdom Yamabuki is keeping an eye close on our military strength. It's always planned an attack on us. There were reports of spies in our kingdom, and they have been active with our defense system and strength." King Kutei took a pause. "Therefore, I hope to have half of you all to stay behind to patrol on our border."
"Your Majesty." Fuji addressed. "It'd be a great help if I only borrow two of your masters and a few of your elites. I'm sure that is all we need," Fuji motioned to his companions. "A quick rescue mission doesn't depend on the quantity, but quality of the soldiers."
King Kutei nodded in agreement. "Since that's the case, would you like volunteers or pick out your unit?" He offered.
"I don't want to take anyone who doesn't to take on this quest, so volunteers sound good." Fuji smiled serenely.
"Actually, none of us mind if you just pick any of us." Saeki said lightly to Fuji as the others nodded in agreement.
"Then…" Fuji started as he looked to his right, starting with Yukimura and his domain. Fuji smiled widely at him, and Yukimura smirked in return. Moving his gaze to the left, he skipped Atobe and his domain, but stopped on hazel brown orbs. He stared into them, making no attempt give any signal or move his gaze away. His trance was only broken when the other cleared his throat.
"My troop and I will assist with Yukimura's." Tezuka decided, and no one seemed to mind, as if they expected him to be the one to assign who stays or goes. He looked to Echizen out of his eye corners. "Echizen will be staying, as well as Yagyuu."
Fuji did not notice anyone spoke up in protest nor had any comments. He was about to break the moment of silence when he saw Tezuka was going to continue.
"If it's a quick rescue mission, then we only need a few. One data strategist is enough." He made a hint toward Inui. "And two masters are enough with the addition of Fuji-san's crew."
Fuji smiled amusingly at the character in front of his focus. Tezuka was always brief with words, Fuji noted. "That'll work. Thank you." Fuji then bowed his head slightly to Tezuka reverently. "I suggest we move out tomorrow morning right when the sun rises. It's their weakness as shadow users."
"I agree." King Kutei said. "Do prepare yourselves suitably and use up your time wisely. That's all. Everyone is dismissed." He ended the meeting.
After the meeting, King Kutei left with Atobe and his domain to attend to the problems that his country is facing like famine, food shortage, etc. The rest lingered around afterward, except for Tezuka and his crew who excused themselves to a domain meeting.
"Sanada, why don't you continue trainings with Marui and Kaido. Please prepare them for tomorrow's leave. It's going to be an early operation." Fuji said to Sanada, in a tone of a leader.
"Yes." Sanada complied meekly. "Please excuse us." He, Marui, and Jiroh took a light bow before leaving. But before Sanada turned away completely, he stole a quick glance at Yukimura, surprised to see the other's orbs to be staring back into his own. Sanada continued on his way, smiling inwardly.
"Shiraishi. Eiji." Fuji called out to them. "Please organize a suitable practice for Yanagi and Kaido."
"Are you going to be okay alone?" Shiraishi made no sign of complying, so he asked instead hesitatingly.
"Relax." Saeki came over and patted Shiraishi hard on his back, making Shiraishi almost choke. Saeki didn't flinch at Shiraishi's death glare, only smirked playfully before draping an arm over Fuji's shoulders. "He'll be in good hands in your absence." Shiraishi glared harder. Saeki smiled back wider.
Fuji chuckled at Saeki and Shiraishi's childish non-verbal war. "Really, Shiraishi. I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. You're underestimating me." Fuji pouted a little with a sad face.
"Fine." Shiraishi complied with a heavy sigh. "We'll be going then." Shiraishi said and the four bowed before taking their leave.
"Be back before dinner." Fuji called out after them. He moved his eyes to look at Saeki who still had his arm draped over him. "You shouldn't tease him like that."
Saeki hissed and dropped his arm. "He's so easy to piss off. I wonder who's stronger, me or him." He looked at Fuji with curious, playful eyes.
Fuji let out a titter. "Why don't you try it? But if you want to live healthily, then don't get intimate with me." With that, Fuji smiled chilly and walked off.
"Interesting group of people, don't you think so, Yukimura?" Saeki asked without looking at the lord behind him.
"Yes, very interesting." Yukimura replied with a mischievous tone.
Saeki grinned idiotically. "Mhm hm…Okay, see you around!" Saeki waved and ran off, leaving his domain behind, sighing tiredly.
"Looks like he's going to the Grand Brothel again." Shinji shook his head.
"Come on, let's go." Tachibana motioned his companions to leave.
"Well, we need to prepare for tomorrow." Yukimura turned toward to his domain, who was the only ones left. "Make sure to stay out of trouble and refrain from tiring yourself. We wouldn't want you to be fatigue for tomorrow." Yukimura said, exuding a serious aura that he meant what he said, even though he's still smiling sweetly. He always smiles sweetly. The cue was understood.
AN:
(1) domain: the Lord's 4 bourgeoisies
Sorry all for the super late updates. I've been having so much to do. Can't believe my summer is almost over. =( But anyways, this is a short chapter, nothing happens much. I was going to make this a log one, but it'd make you wait longer. Thanks for reading and the reviews.