Meet Jun Magami ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Yoi shakai Marketplace, Tokyo, Japan “Just one of those salmon would do nicely! Thank you, sir!” Yoko smiled as the friendly fishmonger withdrew the selected salmon fish from the ice with his gloved hands. He immediately dried it off with some fresh paper towels, then surrounded the fish in wrapping paper. Yoko gratefully received the fish, placed it in the basket at her arm, then withdrew some slips of yen. The fishmonger returned Yoko’s smile as he was handed the money to pay for the fish. “You’re in a chipper mood, Yoko,” He said. “I never knew you enjoyed grocery shopping so much.” Yoko shook her head. “Oh no, it’s not because of that. I’m just excited because I recently heard from my brother. Plus, I really don’t mind shopping more my grandfather. So, I’m going to make him a big meal today. Salmon and rice is his favourite.” “Ho, ho, ho!” The large fishmonger laughed. “You are a good one, Yoko. You’ll make some lucky man a very wonderful wife, one day.” Yoko sweat dropped. There were a few things she didn’t tell people about her love life. “Um… thank you, sir. I have to be going now.” The fishmonger nodded his acceptance, then looked over at the next person who wanted to be served, a middle-aged woman. Yoko bounded down the long open street, watching everything around her take place. She loved markets. She loved the sound of stall owners yelling out the prices of their fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and spices to curious consumers out for a bargain. She loved how neighbours would meet up with each other, make some idle banter and then move on to buy new things with their hard-earned money It was a safe, happy community, something she never really saw when she was living with her father and brother in Sunset City. It made her love Tokyo even more. The young girl made her way through the thick crowds, relishing that sweet smell of fresh fruits and vegetables out in the wide, sunny open. Then this cheer was cut to the side, by the arrogant laugh of some young woman, and the sound of a older man’s yelling. Yoko looked to where the voices were coming from, the right. A crowd had formed a circle around two people. Yoko managed to barge her way through the spectators till she reached the first line of people surrounding the centre. Two people actually were there, but were vastly different from each other. One was a tall hulking man, thick jaw, bald head, ragged clothes, powerful stink, and a bad attitude. The other was a young girl, probably the same age as Yoko. And the first thing Yoko noted about her was how pretty she was. Her wavy, shoulder long ginger hair clung loosely, curving at the edges of those tresses. It matched the sweet green of her eyes, and the cute freckles on her cheeks. Though she was probably Japanese in origin, she seemed to have some American blood in her. She was dressed in some blue denim shorts and jacket, and wearing a pair of sandals on her small feet. Yoko blushed as she watched this girl face off with the larger man. She hadn’t seen a girl this attractive since… well, Yoko didn’t feel much like bringing *her* up. The redhead in the centre of the crowds circled with the taller man. Though it seemed like she was signing her death warrant by trying to fight with a man that seemed large enough to snap her in two, there was a confident grin on her face. One that seemed to indicate that she wasn’t to be taken lightly. The taller man, sneering, charged at the girl, who remained still as he advanced. The redhead smiled at him, then ran forward, ducking under his arms before he could hit her The girl swerved around the guy, jumped up, then went to work. She wound her arms under his arms, curling them back, then rose her knees up and buried them into his back. The taller man stopped as he was, then stumbled to one knee, realizing that he had been caught by some form of technique. He slipped downwards so much that he fell to two knees. Yoko looked at his eyes. They were slowly slipping shut The next thing to touch the ground was his hands, that slapped to the soft stone of the street. The redheaded girl tightened her hold on the man, grinning like a Cheshire cat, digging her soft knees into his weakening back. This hold continued for over a minute, and soon the towering man was face down on the floor, completely unconscious. The girl climbed off him, still grinning. She removed something from his belt, something that looked like a handbag, then got up and walked over to the crowds. To an elderly woman. “Here, ma’am,” She said. “I believe that this belongs to you.” The old lady took the handbag and nodded in thanks, mouthing a few words that Yoko couldn’t quite understand. The redhead simply nodded, then turned back to what obviously was a thief. “Humph! What a loser. My Stunner Grab gets ‘um all the time.” The crowds began to disperse, almost as if this was not a random occurrence. Yoko was one of the few who remained. She was surprised. From the ‘pampered’ looks of that girl, Yoko would have never believed that she was a martial artist And a half-decent one at that. How many girls could have taken down a man twice their size with a body hold like that? The redhead had to be very skilled to pull that one off. Yoko, almost thoughtlessly, walked up to the girl, past the downed thief. She tapped on the redhead’s shoulder, who immediately turned around “Something wrong?” She asked. Yoko shook her head. “No. I was just… really impressed by that technique you just did.” “Are you a martial artist, too?” The redhead asked. Yoko nodded Though she wasn’t so exclusive that she announced it to everyone she met, it felt right to tell this girl that she was a fighter. Maybe some of her brother’s rashness had finally rubbed off on her. The redheaded girl smiled, slapping her hands on Yoko’s shoulders. “Well, well, well. Another fight like me, huh? I thought I was the only girl my age who knocks around with a bit of fighter’s lust. So what’s your name, honey?” Yoko suddenly felt timid around this girl. “My name? Yoko. Yoko Asagawa.” “Jun Magami!” She replied, supplying her own name. “Nice to meet ya, girl! So tell me. What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a market?” “Shopping,” Yoko wiggled the basket at her arm. “I’m going to make a special supper tonight, for me and my grandfather.” Jun smiled once more, curling her arm around Yoko’s shoulder. “Home cooked meal, huh? That’s even sweeter! I wish I could whip up something nice, but I can’t cook worth a damn. Must be a disease in my family. Neither me, my Mom or my Dad can cook.” “That’s a shame.” Yoko supplied. Jun breathed a humorous sigh. “Yup. But hell, that’s what we have take-out for! Besides, it doesn’t matter much. In four days, this cute little number is travelling in style and profile to a full fledged tournament! That’s when I’ll kick back and enjoy great food. And, you know, kick a little butt.” Yoko blinked, surprised. “You’re competing in the God of Fighting Grand Championships?” “You didn’t think I was just a pretty face, did ya?” Jun winked at Yoko, whipping out the tournament invite in her pocket. “Beyond this hot, sexy exterior is the soul of a true, kick-butt fighter… hold up a second. Are you fighting in it as well?” Yoko nodded Jun was thrown for a loop. “Holy crap! So, that must mean you’re pretty tough, huh? Fine! It’s settled! You’ll be cooking for three tonight!” “Wha?!” Yoko spluttered, “What are you talking about, Jun?” “Being that you’re my newest friend and more importantly, my newest rival, I feel it’s my duty to inspect your fighting power first hand and prepare myself against you for the tournament. And, y’know, at the same time, score some free food.” Yoko blushed as red as a tomato as she realized that there was no getting out of this. Jun’s impact-like smile confirmed that. But she also realized that that she wanted to get to know Jun better. It had only been a couple minutes since they had actually met, but Yoko liked her. Maybe it was her aggressive, flirty nature that made Yoko so charmed by Jun. Such a difference to the cold, iciness that Li Ming had… Again, Yoko tried not to think about her. That was the past. It was time for the future. Yoko smiled at Jun, then grabbed her by the hand. “If you’re going to be eating any of my meals for free,” Yoko jabbed playfully, “Then you’re going to help me get all the ingredients for them. C’mon.” Jun followed along with a fake sigh and another bright grin, as Yoko dragged her towards some new stalls. They didn’t even notice the police coming to cuff the dude that Jun had knocked out. It may have seemed strange for two people to connect so easily as that, but with Yoko, new friends were made everyday. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Asagawa Training Facility, Tokyo, Japan “Yoko! Hurry up! You’re missing the best part!” The brunette Yoko scrambled to get up the wooden steps to her room. In one hand was a cup of cold spring water, in the other hand was a tape of her favourite Asian actor, Ryoma Taneda. Ryoma was Chinese, a great fighter in Jeet Kune Do that had taken to the action films scene, and had done a few comedy films alongside it. As it turned out, Jun was also a fan of him. It was surprising how much Jun and Yoko had in common They both liked action flicks alongside romance novels, they both liked ice cream, they both liked the Japanese rock band, ‘The Valkyries’ and they both loved hanging out. And considering the fact that they went to the same school, it was surprising that they had never met before. Still, it was Summer, school had been out for almost three weeks now. Yoko walked along the polished floorboards of the upper living space, then came to her door. She slid it open with the big toe of her foot (because both of her hands were full) and walked inside. Yoko rested the tapes on the table in her room, took a sip from her glass of water, then turned to look at Jun. She was sitting at a seriously close position to the TV, her legs crossed, one of her hands holding a bowl of leftovers from tonight’s meal, the other hand used a pair of chopsticks to bring rations of the bowl’s contents to her mouth. Her green eyes remained glued to the television set, until Yoko zipped in. “Yoko!” Jun said eagerly, a little soy sauce on her lip. “You certainly took your time! You’re missing the good part! This is where Ryoma has to fight off a dozen armed guards with only his bare hands!” “Your eyes are going to melt if you keep sitting so close to that television set.” Yoko replied. Jun turned back to the set. “Oh, stop worrying! I eat a lot of carrots. That’ll balance it out, don’t you think? Besides, this is a Ryoma Taneda film! And not just *any* Ryoma Taneda film, this one is ‘Fall of the Screaming Dragon’, Yoko! One of Ryoma’s best films!” Yoko took a seat next to Jun. “You think Fall of the Screaming Dragon is his best film?” “Of course it is.” Jun said blankly, still watching the screen. “Well, what about ‘Battle Lord 3: Return to Hell?’” Yoko questioned. “That was pretty cool, and the critics said it brought out the best of his acting skills.” Jun looked over at Yoko with a disapproving smile. “Oh my god. Don’t tell me you’re one of those Battle Lord fangirls. The Battle Lord series is *boring*, Yoko! Too much computer generated visuals and not enough raw human sweat!” Yoko chuckled lightly. “You sure do love your films, Jun.” “Yup!” Jun nodded, taking another sample of food from the bowl in her left hand. “I’m a serious film fanatic. There are only two things I like more. Food, and fighting. There’s nothing like ‘um.” As Jun turned back to the TV to watch the film, Yoko couldn’t help but smile at her. She really liked Jun. There was something about her. Something that Yoko couldn’t place, but something she could very much feel. Having as much in common as they did, that was just a bonus. No, there was something deeper about Jun that made Yoko like her. For instance, though she came off as abrasive and somehow rude, she wasn’t anything of the sort. When she introduced Jun to her grandfather, Nobuo, Jun was perfect. Even through the meal she was polite. Maybe a little loud, but that just made Jun more appealing. That rough finish to beautiful diamond, it was more alluring than it was repelling. And it really hadn’t escaped Yoko’s notice how cute she was. Those freckles just made her want to melt Yoko smiled, moving a little closer to Jun over the floor. “I’m really glad you’re here, Jun.” “Hey, I enjoyed coming over.” Jun replied. “You gotta come over to my house, so I can repay the favour. But I won’t cook. We’ll just have to order a pizza. I live in Roppongi, so it’s not that hard” “Pizza?” Yoko blinked. “Isn’t that a Western dish?” Jun giggled “Well, yeah. But hey, I’m half American anyways. Plus, you’ll love it. It’s kinda like Okonomiyaki, accept it tastes a whole lot better. It’s a bit more expensive, though.” “I’m sure I’ll love it.” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kakumei Apartment Building, Nagoya, Japan “Hnnnnnnnnh…..!” Xiangau focused his actions. His body came still, his mind became clear, he made his heart devoid of emotion. He spread his feet apart, tightened his fists, controlled his heartbeat, and turned all of his pure focus on the thick rock in front of him. After concentrating for a moment or two, there was a twinge, and Xiangau knew that was the moment of readiness. “Hyaaah!” The silver-haired boy thrust his fist downwards, which smashed effortlessly through the chipping rock. His punch broke through the boulder till it rammed the ground, splitting it into two cracked halves. Xiangau took a deep breath, sighed, then withdrew his hand from the rocky fragments. There was a towel on the table next to him. He took it, used it to dab some of the sweat that had generated along his face. It was getting late, the sunset falling along the background was enough to prove it. But he didn’t mind coming up to his apartment building’s roof to practice. The rocks that were left up there were from the construction business that had taken place in the surrounding area. And with all the money that Xiangau earned by working for Mukasa in the Dead-End nightclub, he could afford to rent out this rooftop as his own from the apartment building manager. It was strange For a boy as young as 21, Xiangau had quite a bit of money on him. It was acquired by beating up people who owed money, and by part-timing as a bouncer at the club, but none the less, money was money. He could afford to live in a fancy apartment building, eat the best foods, enjoy the best clothes and remain relatively secluded from the outside world, which was what he wanted most. So why wasn’t he happy? Maybe it was an ever so slight twinge of guilt from earning out of other people’s suffering. Or maybe it was because he lacked something that most people had. Knowledge of his past. Xiangau had no memories of his life before the age of twelve. All he remembered, was his times living on the harsh streets of Tokyo. How he had to work his way up from the bottom using only a fighting style that he had no memory of learning. For years, he thought of fighting in street fights as earning a wage packet. Fighting was all he knew. So when Mukasa eventually found him and recognized his abilities, Xiangau left with him to go to Nagoya. At least that way, he could make better money. Though it seemed like he didn’t care, Xiangau did want to know about his past. Why was it that he could not remember where he lived or who his parents were? Why couldn’t he remember where he had learned this fighting art of his? Or who had taught it to him? These were questions that Xiangau longed to know the answer to And for the most part, his life would never be satisfactory until he knew. Which was probably why he was taking this tournament invite so seriously. Xiangau removed the towel from his forehead and walked over to a second table, just by the door that led into the building. On it was a glass and jug of water, a pair of knuckle guards, the top half of his suit (at present, Xiangau was wearing only trousers and shoes of his suit) and the tournament invitation. There was no reason why he should have even trusted that man, the man who handed him that tournament invite But, Mukasa had agreed to him taking four days off to compete in it. And, that man somehow knew that Xiangau was in the dark about his own past. For these reasons, he had to enter. If this tournament could help his discover his true self, then he would pursue that goal to the every end. Xiangau hung the towel around his neck, then looked up to the ruby-gold sky. His powers were his biggest mystery, and in the end, they would be the key to uncovering it. “The God of Fighting Grand Championships…”
Back to The Tokyo Dragons 1994: Rise of Gaia Index - Back to Original Fiction Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction