The Dream Shifter

Chapter 192

"Don't go making assumptions until the fight's finished!" Yuki and Seiji charged at each other, fists ready. After the first few blows most of the details to the fight disappeared for Seiji. He just remembered the feeling. The feeling was unlike any of his other fights before. All his fists ever felt was a dull pain burning with heat that made his stomach churn long after which only cure was another fist. Against Yuki, his fists ran cold. All of the rage disappeared in those moments. It was pure.

At the end, Seiji laid on the ground looking up at Yuki with the sunlight cracking between the buildings. It darkened Yuki's face leaving only an offered hand in sight. "…I lost?" ask Seiji, smiling. While most would not smile in such an utterly one-sided defeat, Seiji did not smile because of his loss. He smiled because he had found something that he thought he had lost.

Yuki looked down at Seiji on the ground a little confused by the reaction. "You're a strange one. You're the first one I've beaten that actually smiled afterward. You some masochist?" The helping hand remained extended out to Seiji.

It was the first time that Seiji looked with his eyes unclouded. He saw nothing in Yuki's face, just another person. Yuki held no judgment or even an interest in the personal matters that plagued him. It was simply pure. (It should be noted that this a flashback generated entirely from the memories of Seiji and as such, there are likely distortions in the facts.) Seiji sat up still nursing his pain from his ribs. "No, I just saw something."

A flat expression came over Yuki in response to Seiji. "I'm not that sort of guy."

"Neither am I!" shouted Seiji. He coughed several times dealing with the sudden pain. "You don't understand. It's not like that!"

Yuki's features returned to normal. "…whatever…"

"Damnit! You're ruining the image!"

"I said I'm not like that!"

"And I said you're mistaken!"

The two stared at each other for a while locked in their last position. They slowly calmed back down and remembered the situation. Yuki looked at Seiji. "You ever going to take my hand?" he said as a side comment. "I was right. You're very strange." When Seiji finally accepted the offer and stood up with the grin still emblazoned on his face.

After his first meeting with Yuki, Seiji was never the same again. He had found a new a purpose in his life. While he still fought, there was something different powering his fist. The rage he had disappeared. A new fuel replaced it. He had a goal.

Seiji stood over the unconscious body of a student from some school that he did not recognize. He held out his fist tightening it. "This is not it! I must find it!" With his decision, Seiji turned around and walked out, forgetting about the kid he just pummeled.

The search that Seiji made lasted forever. It took him many opponents to finally reach the goal that he sought. So many scars and bruises, but he had it in front of him. He stood out in front of the gate of a junior high school that he did not recognize, even though he sought it. The goal was within his vision. It was near.

"I found it!" he declared with enough volume that everyone in the schoolyard heard him and turned. Seiji threw out his arm pointing it at Yuki, who stood leaning against the opened gate to the school. "It took me years and countless foes, but I've found you once again!"

Lazy and uninterested, Yuki cast his flattened eyes toward Seiji. "It's been one week… You really are strange."

"Time is meaningless!"

"Can't understand it, huh?"

"Yuki! I'm sorry!" shouted a girl coming out from opposite of the school building. She closed the distance quickly without missing a beat. "The coach needed me get the new list! I hope you weren't waiting long!"

Yuki turned away from Seiji, but still kept the same attitude. "It's fine, Saki. You ready?"

She gave him a quick nod and started for the entrance. When she caught sight of Seiji, she came to a stop. "Who's this, Yuki? Someone you know?"

"Just a strange person." Yuki gave Seiji no further thought and started walking out. "Let's go, Saki." He disappeared behind the fence, not waiting for Saki.

Seiji held a blank stare completely taken aback. Yuki ignored him. The goal that he searched so long for left without any acknowledgement. Some of the students murmured comments to themselves about the state of Seiji, but he did not hear them. He closed his fists and looked up to the sky. "I must have to prove myself! He won't acknowledge me until I'm his equal! That's it!" Upon his decision, Seiji ran off in search of Yuki. Unfortunately, he had no clue where to look for him and ended up wandering the town until the night came.

The following day he returned to Yuki's school with the same determination. He challenged Yuki to a fight, which Yuki reluctantly accepted. The outcome remained the same as before and Yuki left Seiji no further in his progress. Similar meetings for them occurred continuously after school for several of weeks. Seiji refused to see any differently in his path and Yuki gave him what he wanted.

However, one day on his way to meet with Yuki, something interrupted him. In his eagerness for another chance to prove himself to Yuki, Seiji did not see the arm that reached out to cloths line him. He dropped to the ground almost flipping in the process. His head smacked into the concrete sidewalk painfully. "…damn…what was that?" Seiji looked up while holding the back of his head. The arm that had knocked him flat reached down to pick up him and dragged him back to the alleyway. The stranger threw him to other wall waking him up. When the older teen came for another blow, Seiji rammed his knee into his stomach getting him to back off. "Who the hell are you?"

The rough boy stood much taller than Seiji and ground one hand into the palm of the other. "The big brother." With no further exchange, another fist came at Seiji catching him in the lip. A little blood did not stop Seiji from dropping down for a tackle to slam his shoulder into the boy's stomach. The older brother's back pounded against the brick forcing a small grunt from him. It did not do enough to slow down the teenager. He gripped both hands together to slam down on Seiji's back followed by a knee to his stomach as well.

Seiji lost his hold staggered by the quick combo. He almost fell to the ground, but the kid did not allow enough time for that. Seiji's face took another blow in the cheek flopping him around and to the ground. Once he hit the dirty and moist alley ground, a foot came to meet his ribs. He only allowed a single strike to get through without response. Seiji latched onto the leg when he returned for a second kick with his arms. Momentarily grappling the leg, he threw his own leg up to kick him in the waist, trying to drop the boy.

When Seiji's leg came in, a loose grapple caught him as well. The two threw themselves into a strength check falling over, but Seiji came out the loser. His opponent kicked him free from him and Seiji rolled over against the wall. Seiji coughed and panted feeling the fatigue starting to build with pain. He threw himself back into the fight quickly taking swings at the taller boy. A few managed to connect, but Seiji's face and chest received more. "…damnit…" he uttered under his breath leaning against the wall.

It had been a while since he felt himself losing. His fights with Yuki always ended in a quick loss, but he never felt like it was a loss so much as a learning experience. Any other fight he had been in he came out the victor. It had truly been a while since someone left him completely outclassed and went the extra distance to prove it.

Seiji could only feel the pounding against his ribs from the ground, where he lied. He struggled to try to stand back up, but his strength disappeared. The beating he took gave him no quarter, as well. '…damnit, I can't do anything!' Then the echoed pulsing ceased through his body. Seiji turned his eyes up to see the sun shining down blinding him.

Only a black figure, shorter than the older brother, stood before Seiji. Seiji looked around painfully until he finally found the unconscious body of his opponent. He turned back to stare up again at the one that succeeded where he failed. "…Yuki…" rang Seiji, building a little grin on his face. It was not a hope or a wish, but a certainty for Seiji. He rolled on this back starting to see him more clearly.

"So you lost again, huh?" Yuki turned his head looking up at the sky, but continued to speak. "You know they say you learn something from losing too…or some crap like that… What did you learn this time?"

The soreness in his body faded away with the sight of Yuki. His goal stood before him. "To punch harder!" he declared throwing up his arm to the sky.

Yuki knelt back down and stared for a moment in silence. "Figures you'd say that…" He offered out his hand to Seiji, already half way there. Seiji took the offer and stood up once more.

It felt lighter for him suddenly, but he did not know why. He glanced over at Yuki with a question. "Why did you come?"

"I didn't…" Yuki replied, turning away his head to look forward, "I was simply passing by after school. I just don't like people who beat up someone's already lost."

Seiji broke away from Yuki and jumped out in front of him blocking his way out of the alley. "I didn't lose! He just caught me by surprise!" He threw out his arm point his finger at Yuki, as though it strengthened his argument.

"Honorable or not, a loss is it still a loss regardless of how it happened. Just accept it."

"A real man declares his intent before the battle!"

A low snicker came out from Yuki. He dug his hands a little deeper into his pants' pockets. "A real man, huh? Are you claiming to be one?" Yuki leaned a bit forward managing to cast a fairly ominous shadow for not trying too hard.

Imposing or not, Seiji felt his determination waver a bit. He knew the truth and he had a long way to go. It was a goal still. "…no…" Seiji lowered his head with his face darkening out completely. However, his hands balled up into a fist and he raised his head back up. "But I will be one day! I promise you!"

Another chuckle came from Yuki. "Strange indeed. Well, if you plan on being a real man. Then a real man admits when he's lost and owns up to it. A real man doesn't run away from it."

Seiji staggered having not thought about that angle. He held his reply to stand in silence taking it in. The truth that Yuki spoke sank into him and struggled with the thought. "I lost?"

"Yes, you did."

"…I lost…"

Yuki patted Seiji on the shoulder and passed by him. Once he reached the end of the alley, he stopped, still not facing Seiji. "However, when you stand together with those you trust…" Yuki began walking away hearing the call of Saki in the distance. "…you never lose."

The words barely made it to him, but Seiji engraved them upon himself. "I'll never lose? Together?"