My Enigmatic Life

    During break, my mates and I chat amongst ourselves as per usual. The next class is English, so I'm pretty much on an extended break. 

"Oi, Daisuke. You seem to be a good mood today."

"Yeah. I'm feeling really good right now.", I reply honestly.

Seeing Uncle Halman and Aunt Sofie yesterday raised my spirits tremenduously. I'll be having dinner with them this Sunday, and I'm greatly looking forward to it.

"It's hard to tell sometimes with those dead eyes of yours, though.", Takai remarks.

"Alright, stop that noise. It's easy to tell when I'm in a good mood. Besides, it's not my fault that I was born with my eyes like this."

Akai smirks wryly at my reply.

"It's honestly hard to believe that what you say is true, but it is."

"Is it really?", Takai says in disbelief.

I nod slightly. Gege, who's slumping over his desk in a sleepy manner, elabourates further.

"Akai and I asked Naoya about it a while ago. He says that Daisuke's eyes have looked like that for as long as he's know him, which is his whole life."

Now that Gege is (somewhat) awake, I need to ask him something.

"Gege. Have you heard about someone named Ariyama Sanemi lurking around these parts?"

"What?! How do you know that name?!"

Gege sits bolt up-right in his chair. This atypical urgency takes us aback.

"I 'ran' into him the other day. He works for Shade, it seems."

"Huh?!"

"Shh! Keep it down, Takai!"

Gege takes in this information and mulls over it for a bit.

"I've heard about Ariyama causing trouble around this district, but to think he's one of Shade's men.... What did he say to you, Daisuke?"

"Something along the lines of coming to get rid of me sometime soon. So, I ought to be ready for a squabble at all times."

Gege pauses to think once more.

"Alright, listen carefully. If you meet up with him again, call me, but don't say anything. That'll be our signal, alright?"

Akai, Takai and I nod in unison.

"Right."

 

      After school, there's usually two people who stay behind to clean up some of the more disheveled rooms. The way it's set up is First Year & Second Year, Second Year & Third Year, Third Year & First Year. This time around it's a Second Year/Third Year pairing, and those said students are Akane and I respectively.

"Well, that's over and done with. How'd this class get so messy anyway?"

"I've heard that Class 1-D is full of trouble-makers. So it ends up like that often."

Akane explains the situation to me. What a well-behaved bunch they are.

"I'm glad to see that the teachers are doing such a sterling job of maintaining our school's reputation."

Akane simpers at my usual sardonic remark.

"Don't be like that, Daisuke-nii. I've heard that they're a real handful."

"So are you, but I manage don't I?"

"Hey!"

She pouts indignantly at my retort, how cute. I reach over to pat her on the head consolingly-

!!!

"Akane, look out!!"

"Kyaa!"

DHOOOOMM

An big crash takes place right where we were stood, causing a plume of dust and dirt to rise in the air. Damn it! The bastard's come for me already, eh?!

"What the heck was that?!", Akane cries out.

"Akane, get going! Now!"

"But what about you?"

"Who cares? Just go!"

"I care!"

"Just go, okay?!', I says finally.

Akane hesitates a bit, but finally leaves. Quickly, I whip out my wooden sword and phone, I ring Gege and wait for him to answer. As the dust clears, and Sanemi is stood there with his arms folded and a wolfish grin.

"Hey there, Daisuke! I told ya that I would come to see ya, right?"

"Yes, how unfortunate that you didn't welch on your promise."

I hear Gege's voice over the phone, and then hang up. 

"What do I say, I'm a honest man!"

Sanemi rushes at me with blistering speed. Is he faster than Saito?! He aims one of  his massive fists at me, and I weave out of the way of it.

"Quill Point Thrust!"

I try to use my stabbing attack, but he grabs my blade and attempts to snap it, but with my mana re-inforcing it, there's no way that'll happen. I reach out to touch him, and he swiftly steps away. Does he know?

"Your magic won't reach me, Daisuke.", Sanemi smirks.

He knows. There goes my ace in the hole, that's wonderful. Sanemi then disappears from my sight. What the?! Where'd did he go?!

WHAM

"GUH!"

Sanemi's fist careens into the side of my face, sending me skidding across the ground. Great, now my uniform's ruined and that bloody hurt.

"Ahahaha! Ya sure are tough, ain't ya? The last person I hit with that much force died instantly, ya know?"

Yeah, I can believe it. You hit like a bloody lorry, you toss-pot.

"Watch out! I'm doing it again!"

Sanemi vanishes again. How's a big oaf like him so fast, eh? He caught me unawares before, but this time..

"Guardian Attack!"

I parry his strike, and follow-up with another attack. He evades it, but leaves his feet open, so I sweep his legs, causing him to fall over with a heavy thud. Now I've got you! With all my strength, I bear down on him with my attack!

"Boulder Splitter!"

Sanemi holds up his arms to defend himself, and it appears to be a stalemate before we break apart. I jump back to gain some distance.

Man, I thought I had him there. What a chore.

Sanemi slowly gets to his feet, his joking attitude from before gone completely.

"That was too close for comfort...You're more of a problem than I hoped you'd be, Daisuke.", he says seriously.

"Thanks for the compliment, I don't get those often, you know?"

Sanemi says nothing, and readies his battle-stance, with me following suit. Gege and the others are taking their sweet time, aren't they?

Well, I can't focus on that currently. Right now, it's time for round two...