Ideals Collide!

Toshiko wakes up, staring at the ceiling in a cold sweat. "I'm so not ready for this." He whispers to himself, covering his face with his hands. In almost the blink of an eye, the promised time arrived. "Toshiko... Can I get your house when you die?" Kazuki asks. "No. None of you get anything! I'm not gonna die!" Toshiko responds. "I'll believe in you, no matter what. You've.. done a lot for me. So I'd like to think I can back you up too." Emi says. Toshiko nods. 

"I know I might be unreliable, but I'll support you in any way I can! You got this, Toshiko!" Hiroshi shouts. Toshiko nods, smiling widely. "Yeah, I got this. Thank you guys!" He exclaims. Before he can walk into the room, Kazuki puts his hand on Toshiko's shoulder. "Listen, man. You came to his place to inspire everyone, didn't you? When I met you, I knew you would be different. You got a fire in you brother! Let that spirit of yours soar! Don't let your doubts get into your mind, and just DO! No thinking, no worrying! Let your potential shine, and you'll go above and beyond! Show 'em what it means to have an unbreakable spirit!" Kazuki says. 

"You really make it hard to argue... Alright then, I'll show him what I'm made of!" Toshiko responds. He enters the room, making eye contact with Takeru immediately as a crowd surrounds them.

"Ah, you actually came? I thought you'd run away!" Takeru taunts. "Pfft, you wish! Still, I don't want to fight you.. what makes you think I want to hurt anyone here? I just want you to realize that things don't have to be like this!" Toshiko tries to appeal. "There's only one way this can end. You already know how." Takeru responds. "Can you stop being stubborn?! Learn to take a hint, loser!" Kazuki yells. 

"I'd not like to hear talk from a traitor or his parasite, thank you." Takeru coldly replies. The comment strikes a nerve with Kazuki, as he steps forward. "You piece of-!" He shouts, before Emi sticks her arm out. "Don't, he's just trying to get you kicked out!" She says. "Still so caring, aren't you? It's just a shame you're a lost little lamb in a world full of wolves, drifting aimlessly until someone comes to herd you back to the pack." Takeru taunts. Emi gains a more angered expression.

 "And what do you know about ME? I barely know you anymore, and good riddance! You've been like this ever since you transferred to Hakuryu! I don't know what I want to do.. but thanks to Toshiko, I at least can get there! More than I can say for someone like you!" Takeru chuckles a bit as Hiroshi steps back without a word. "You're fighting me remember? Don't play with fire or you'll get burned, right?" Toshiko taunts. The two get on opposite sides of a lengthy blue mat.

 A boy steps forward as clears his throat. "The first person to plant their feet outside the mat loses! Get ready..." Toshiko and Takeru smirk at each other. "Begin!" Takeru rushes in for a direct blow but is quickly stopped by Toshiko's knee. "You're a thousand years too young to be fighting me! Take this, Toshiko PUNCH!" He shouts, delivering a strong blow to Takeru's chest. "And another, Toshiko KICK!" He continues, landing a strong kick to his arm. Takeru grunts in anger. 

"Take this SERIOUSLY!" He begins to throw punch after punch, only for Toshiko to deflect each one. He salutes and sticks his tongue out. "My bad, I'll let you get your hit in!" Takeru goes for a sweeping kick, but Toshiko quickly jumps up. "You're wide open! Take me SERIOUSLY!" Toshiko stops the fist with his heel before tossing his fist back with swiping kick up. He lands on his feet before dashing forward. "Take this! SUPER Toshiko PUNCH EXTREME!" The punch connects, and Takeru stumbles back a bit. 

"Okay.. that hurt him I think.. I just need to end this quickly.. I don't think I can keep pretending for long.." Takeru holds out his hand as a member of the audience throws him a Kendo stick. Takeru slowly walks up to Toshiko, dragging the bamboo sword behind him. "What even drives you? A girl who doesn't understand what her life means? A traitor that puts on a show because he wants to be something he isn't?! A parasite that can't even stand up for his own so-called FRIENDS?!" Kazuki tosses Toshiko his own Kendo stick and nods without a word. Toshiko and Takeru clash swords. 

"Just because they have flaws... doesn't make them BAD!" Toshiko pushes Takeru back while rapidly striking his chest. "My friends just need TIME! We have all the time in the world to grow and change! They'll find their paths eventually, just let them LIVE AND FIND IT FOR THEMSELVES!" Toshiko disarms Takeru quickly and grabs his sword. He grabs one more from nearby and puts in his mouth before crouching. Takeru looks taken aback. 

"What's WRONG with you?!" Toshiko looks up. "This is my THREE-SWORD STYLE!" Toshiko slams into Takeru at full sprint, pushing him near the edge of the mat. He spits the sword out. "Gross... My mouth tastes like wood.. maybe that's why he does it with anything that's not wood.." Takeru waves his hands around, trying his hardest not to fall. 

Toshiko seriously looks at him. "Seriously. Don't you ever talk about bad about my friends again. Especially the ones you put through hell. You'd better up and change your attitude, or I'll NEVER forgive you." He smiles happily, having gotten his point across. "Glad we're clear on that!" Toshiko pokes him once, and Takeru hits the ground. "HE TOOK DOWN TAKERU!" A member of the crowd shouts. "HE MADE HIM LOOK EASY! THAT WAS AMAZING!" Toshiko kneels almost immediately, coughing heavily wrapped in a cold sweat once again. Kazuki, Hiroshi and Emi run to his side. 

"Sorry.. I think I was comin' down with something.. I pushed myself kinda hard.." Takeru slams his fist on the ground. "How.. how are you so strong?! You don't put effort, you don't WORK for your strength! I put everything I am into my strength! So why...?!" Toshiko looks at him, solemnly. "Strength isn't just physical. I'm fighting for something, you're fighting for yourself. Maybe if you fought for something besides your own Ego, you'd find new strength. Doesn't matter though. Strength isn't everything. But what would I know, right?" Toshiko chuckles, before coughing again. 

"Hey, don't waste your breath on that guy! Just rest!" Hiroshi yells. "haha.. HAHAHAHA! Strength isn't everything... Not a bad point.." Takeru whispers. Toshiko blacks out, before waking up in his bed. He leaves the room to find Kazuki, Emi, Hiroshi sitting at the dinner table. "What are you guys doing in my house. I mean technically it's my uncle's house but like.." Toshiko questions. "You passed out so we had to drag you home! It was so annoying but hey, you got a nice home!" Kazuki proclaims. "Yeah, it's pretty nice here! You sure you're from a village?" Hiroshi adds. 

"Yup! Matsukawa born and raised! My uncle's just has a... mysterious job that earns him a lot of money. Which is weird now that I say it out loud?" Toshiko retorts. "Nevertheless, you seem alright now. Surprisingly, you got a few days off school!" Emi proclaims. "And by proxy, so do we! Thanks to Haruka pulling some strings!" Kazuki explains. "Haruka? Why'd she do all that?" Toshiko asks. "She said she felt like she'd owes us for all the trouble, considering it was HER student council member that did all of that to us.." Hiroshi declares. 

"I still don't like her! But I'll take the break, can't complain about that!" Emi exclaims. "Pfft- HAHAHA! You're really changing, aren't you? Only been a few days and you turned into one of us!" Kazuki laughs. "I-i'm still the same! I haven't changed!" Emi retorts. "No, I think I agree! You were a bit uptight and cocky and irritable.." Hiroshi adds. "And stuck-up, don't forget that!" Kazuki continues. "OKAY! I GET IT! I don't need a ESSAY, aight?!" She yells, before covering her mouth in shock. "Did you just say.. "aight?" I'm so proud..." Toshiko says. "Okay, anyway! I'm gonna go home and change out of my uniform! I'll be back later and we can hang out! Okay? Okay, goodbye!" Emi proclaims before leaving. 

"Well, guess that's that. I guess I should do the same! See ya in a while, Shiko!" Kazuki exclaims, also leaving. "Well. That's the first time I've been called that. 7/10." Toshiko thinks. "...Hey, you don't think I'm a parasite.. do you?" Hiroshi ponders. 

"I don't know. I can't tell you that. I don't much about you, you know? I know a lot about Emi, and I can get a read on Kazuki. But you? Not a clue. Maybe you are, or you aren't? You hang out with Kazuki all the time, yeah? Maybe you should find your fire. Somethin' for you to be passionate about. Maybe something like that?" Toshiko responds. Hiroshi looks down, a bit dejected. "I see.." He replies. "That isn't to say it's not a bad thing for you to be timid though! I just think you should make yourself more known! Tell us more about who you are! When you know that, then you're golden!" Toshiko continues. Hiroshi looks at him with newfound confidence. 

"Thank you, Toshiko-san! I appreciate this very much!" Toshiko waves his hands, smiling. "Nah, drop the honorifics! I'm just Toshiko! Now c'mon, you gotta get home man!" Hiroshi grabs his things. "Right, I'll be back as well! Goodbye for now!" He exits like the others. "...I should plan a day for us.. things have gotten too serious recently.. I wonder what Uncle Renjiro's got!" Toshiko thinks, relaxing at the dinner table.

Chapter 7 - The End.