Oxbridge Edition
The Quidditch pitch was empty, casted in shadow by the ever darkening evening, a half moon illuminating the sky. Then, out of the silhouettes that surrounded the edges, Nekozawa appeared, being led by a lone figure.
“If you want to win the tournamount, you must get in shape!” Soma shouted enthusiastically.
Soma was a new transfer student from India, a rael prince, and Nekozawa’s only friend. Soma had seen how lonely Nekozawa was, and declared himself Nekozawa’s brother. At first Nekozawa was annoyed, but had softened to him in the last few months after Soma had proved himself as a reliable and close friend.
“I will prepare you, it’s what my little brother Ciel would have wanted.” At the mention of his old friend, Soma’s eyes grew sad, still grieving for the young boi that had been slaughtered by the all powerful beast Pokkle. But he pushed the memory away, trying to focus on his new bff.
“I don’t even want to compete!” Nekozawa whined, “I’ll just let myself lose, who cares?”
“Oxbridge cares! The whole school is rooting for you!”
“Then where are they?” Nekozawa swept his arm round the empty field. "No one else is here to help me train."
“They're asleep of course. it would be useless for them to come anyway, only you can see in such darkness due to your emo ways, and we can’t turn on the stadium lights without you freaking out on us,” Soma replied enthusiastically. “Lets get started! Well start with twenty laps around the field!”
After an exciting montage of Nekozawa working out, which included boxing, climbing a big hill and lifting weights, Nekozawa was ready for the tournament, just in time before the sunrise.
“Just one last test!” Soma announced. He wasn’t tired at all, bouncing happily from one foot from the next. Nekozawa on the other hand was dripping with sweet, palms sweety, knees weak, arms heavy, Tonpa’s spegetty. Nekozawa felt nothing but admiration for his energetic friend.
“What is it?” Nekozawa asked hoarsely.
“We’ll cure your phobia of light!”
“I’m not scared of light, I’m allergic!” Nekozawa screeched angrily.
Soma ignored him. “We’ll just start with a hand first,” he said, bringing out a torch.
Nekozawa couldn’t refuse his friend, although he already knew the result. Shaking, he uncovered one hand from his robe. Only his fingertips were visible. Soma shined the light down.
The first reaction was Nekozawa’s wince. Soma continued, grimacing .
“Mmm, sausages,” Soma said. His stomach rumbled.
The scent however was not sausages but rather Nekozawazwa’s burning, crisping fingers. Tears dripped out of Nekozawa’s hood.
-
It was the next day, and the students were in the common room. Zoro and Sanji were sitting on the sofa. Zoro was napping. Chuuya sat on the side, silent, still affected by Hawkeye’s words all that time ago; that time when he had called Pokkle a quote-unquote ‘great singer’. He hadn’t sung since, scarred by the words of his teacher. Atsushi lay on the floor, reading ‘101 ways to get friends’, a book he’d borrowed off Nekozawa.
The Great Luffini ran into the room. “Nekozawa, Nekozawa!” he shouted. “He’s the next task!”
Everyone’s eyes (bar Zoro and Sanji and other people who didn’t really care) followed his pointer finger.
“Atushi! Atsushi is the next task! Aren’t you, Atsushi? He’s the next task!”
Soma gasped. “Atshusi, we’re friends – why didn’t you tell us?” his eyes welled with tears, betrayal clear on his facial features.
“The Great Luffini has spoken,” Tamaki said, referring to Shanks’ young nephew. “Nekozawa, you must prepare to fight Atsushi for the first task.”
“How do you know?” Kunikida frowned at the child.
“Do not question magic!” Tamaki cried, fear tainting his tone.
In actuality Luffy knew of the first task not for his magic, but because a purple fruit he had been planning on eating had rolled into Fukazawa’s office. He had followed after it, struggled to find it, and hidden under the headmaster’s desk when Fukazawa re-entered.
The man, followed by the headmaster of Knottingham Trent (Deus), had said, ‘Yes of course I have planned the first task, the competitors will fight Atsushi Nakajima! Also will you please stop adjusting time so Yuki has more prep, he’s not going to win and none of your students seem to care to aid him in so. Unlike MY students.’
Luffy had stopped listening to the bickering pair soon after, having found his fruit near one of the table legs and taking a bite. Thankfully he hadn’t found the nearby cheeseboard, a chair leg poking out of it.