The idea for the trip had come from Gray, in an offhand comment about Yamato having never traveled with Enjyu.
Yamato had jumped right on it, because there was never a time like the present, and an hour later he was out the door, two backpacks in one hand, other around Enjyu’s wrist and dragging him along. Much to the older boy’s protests, of course.
“Ugh, what the hell is this about?” Enjyu had tried prying an answer from both him and Tommi, but the most he got was that they were “going on an adventure!” together.
Enjyu loathed to admit it, but a week later, as they walked hand-in-hand into Waterville and the port town’s bustling hit him, there was no denying this had been a pretty good idea. For starters, a week of traversing the country with only his boyfriend, his boyfriend’s cat, a backpack, and not a single world-ending pressure or responsibility had turned out to be fun.
“We made it just in time!” announced Yamato, letting go of him to rush past Waterville’s great arch, toward the city proper.
Enjyu caught up with a short jog. “In time for what?”
“Our ship should be leaving in…a day maybe?” answered Yamato, looking up to him with a beam, “You know, I was worried we wouldn’t make it when Vinnie and our fans held us up, but we’ve got plenty of time!”
Enjyu winced, remembering the crowds at Winners City. Somehow, in the span of the two days it had taken them to travel from Cowtoon and Saitoon, word had gotten around that the champion and runner-up were traveling together. They’d had the same issues in their other stops along the way to Waterville, but those hadn’t been as bad as the impromptu press events they’d gotten caught up in.
“Yeah, no, we’re going round south on our way back,” he said, “Like hell are we dealing with that again…wait, did you say ship?”
But Yamato had raced off into the town already, Tommi at his side, leaving Enjyu to hurry after him with a sinking feeling in his chest. He’d never been on a boat before, after all.
TONIGHT ONLY!
WINNERS TOURNAMENT CHAMPION
YAMATO DELGATO & COBALT SABER
VS
WINNERS TOURNAMENT RUNNER-UP
ENJYU & BLAZING KAHN
EXHIBITION B-DABATTLE!
AT THE MEOWLANTIS B-ARENA
FREE ADMISSIONS (LIMITED SEATING)
FOOD AND DRINK FROM OUTSIDE THE ARENA ARE NOT PERMITTED ON ARENA GROUNDS
THIS EVENT IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE WINNERS TOURNAMENT
Enjyu yawned, letting Yamato lead the way along the well-maintained dirt path through the island’s jungle. Meowlantis Island was different from anything he was used to, and the air here was far more humid than that of anywhere he’d lived before.
“Aren’t you a sleepyhead,” remarked Yamato, turning to walk backwards so he could tease Enjyu. Tommi clung to his head, bobbing along as they continued down the path. “Even after that big breakfast, too.”
“And who exactly was it that kept me up last night, mister ‘let’s go again,’ hmm?” said Enjyu with a smirk, thinking back fondly to the exertions they’d gotten up to the previous night. A strange combination of the high from their exhibition match, the ambience in the hotel room given to them, and just being away from everyone had made for a…satisfying night between the two of them. “Not to mention that was after our battle.”
Said battle had been a surprise to Enjyu, because apparently Yamato had made this whole trip possible by leveraging their combined fame. Enjyu hadn’t minded though, embracing the chance for what had felt like a public, high-stakes battle for the first time since they’d saved the world.
Yamato only laughed nervously in response, his face flushed red. “W-well, you weren’t the only one who stayed up, but you don’t see me complaining.” With that, he sped off the down the path at a quicker pace.
With a grin, Enjyu followed, silently claiming victory in this conversation. Despite dating each other for some time now and despite how eager Yamato was for their evening activities, the younger boy still seemed to find it awkward when Enjyu casually and freely talked about said evening activities.
When he caught up to Yamato again, it was at the end of the path, and Yamato was smiling brightly at him as he stepped close enough to see what it was they had come here for.
“Welcome to Meowtra Temple,” said Yamato.
Enjyu didn’t gasp or oooh in awe. He only blinked in surprise at the towering ruins before them, eyes wide as he took in the ancient architecture. The temple proper caught his gaze first, a marvel of stonework in a shape not unlike a certain cat familiar to them both, then came the imposing cat statues that lined the way forward as two rows of guards.
“I didn’t know places like these existed,” admitted Enjyu, suddenly aware of a gap in his knowledge of the B-daworld. He’d known of Meowlantis Island and had been vaguely aware of some ancient history, but he’d never have imagined ruins like these that still stood.
“I didn’t either,” said Yamato, nodding. Tommi hopped off his head and bounded along down the paved path, and Enjyu could tell that Yamato itched to chase after him, but the boy hung back and continued. “We—Gray, Terry, Bull and I—found it when we were looking for clues on defeating Marda-B. I thought I could show you the place before we spend the rest of our vacation in the resort.”
Enjyu managed to avoid wincing at his mention of Marda-B, striding forward after Tommi instead, a signal to Yamato to start after him too. “It’s…kinda cool,” he said, pausing before one of the statues to read the inscription underneath. “‘To all who walk this path, we who walked before welcome you.’ Huh, real friendly there.”
“Wait, you can read that?” Yamato bounded back over. “Gray could read it too, that’s how we found our clue to go to Tsubakura City.”
Enjyu paused.
“Wait, Yamato, I shouldn’t know how to read that,” he said, trying to rack his brain for some possible explanation. “It’s some kind of ancient language, but…I kinda just know what it said and I don’t know why.” But even if he didn’t know why, Enjyu had a growing suspicion that it concerned a particularly terrible situation he longed to forget, and he didn’t like where that thought was headed.
Yamato seemed to come to the same conclusion, his eyes widening. Then he shook his head. “Let’s head back to the hotel, maybe this wasn’t that great of an idea.”
“No,” said Enjyu, finding a curious resolve within himself. He wasn’t one to run away, after all. “Let’s go straight up to the temple.”
“Enjyu, are you sure about this…” Yamato started, but Enjyu quickly cut him off.
“It’s not that big of a deal,” he said, “Look, Tommi wants to race you.”
Tommi was indeed standing a short distance down the path, turned back to them with all his ususal poise. Yamato looked up at Enjyu with a smile that Enjyu could tell was still worn with worry, but a moment later he was off after Tommi. When Enjyu followed at a steady pace, he took care not to look at any of the statues again.
They wandered through the temple interior almost aimlessly, Yamato warning Enjyu not to touch anything as they walked. Enjyu wondered what the reason behind that was, but Yamato didn’t seem interested in elaborating.
All things considered, the temple was a lot less interesting than either of them had hoped. Enjyu frowned as they rounded another corridor that was just more of the same bricks. It took only a moment of counting the turns they’d made to realize something was strange here.
“Wait,” he said, stopping in his tracks. Yamato, Tommi on his shoulder, strode right past him, turning back to him a moment later. “This isn’t right. We have to get back to the entrance.”
The words were scarce out of his mouth when a wall rose between them, slamming into place with a loud creak and a thud.
“What the—” Enyju leapt back from it, alert. He could hear Yamato’s yelling. “Yamato, I’m fine! I—”
A weight struck his mind, and Enjyu did not have time to resist before consciousness dropped away from him.
“Oh good, you’re up.”
Enjyu blinked as he staggered out of his room. There was a curious haze on his mind, as though he could not grasp the world around him. He shook his head, trying to clear it.
He looked up to find the familiar sight of his father with his back turned to him—there was that mess of dark hair and his broad shoulders, as he worked away and tinkered with some endless project. The only lasting impression he had of his father from throughout his childhood…
His father turned to face him, and Enjyu stared as his mind registered what he was seeing. They stood in a well-kept living room and kitchen, nothing like the rundown home he remembered. The sizzling sound of something nice cooking hit his ears, twining with a pleasant, mouth-watering scent. His father was gazing at him with concern, a spatula in one hand.
“Enjyu? You all right there, kid?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Enjyu heard himself say, and he moved toward the dining table, where three chairs waited. Since when did his father cook? Since when did they have this nice apartment? This nice life? Something felt wrong…
His father set down a plate of fluffy pancakes before him, and started back toward the kitchen. “You all packed up? Yamato should be getting here soon.”
Enjyu froze, fork halfway to his mouth.
Everything about this was wrong, his mind knew that, but…something about it felt just as right. He frowned, trying to remember just why.
Yamato. Something about Yamato.
The first time they met—
I’m Enjyu, and I represent the—
I’m Enjyu, and I wanna be a B-dachampion one day.
That’s great! I’m Yamato and that’s what I wanna do too. Hey, let’s play together!
A loud knocking filled the room, and Enjyu heard his father curse as he dropped something in the sink.
“Geez, when will that kid learn to use the doorbell?” he grumbled. “Enjyu, go let him in.”
Excitement filled him, and Enjyu bounded over to the front door, pausing only before the mirror in their entryway to check how he looked. His blue hair was thankfully tamable today, framing an unscarred face.
For some reason, it felt like a big day. He took the moment to steel himself, before walking over to open the door.
“Hey Enjyu!” greeted Yamato as brightly as ever. He leapt into Enjyu’s arms, holding on tight and rubbing one cheek against his. Enjyu grinned in return at the familiar greeting.
“Hey buddy,” he said, easily holding onto Yamato. He reached up to pat the younger boy’s head. “You look ready to get going.”
“‘Course I’m ready,” Yamato all but shouted, “C’mon, get your bag, let’s go!”
“Easy there,” said Enjyu, letting Yamato down. “Tommi not with you?”
“In the car with my parents,” answered Yamato. “You know, my dad’s probably impatient to get us going.”
“Yeah, I bet,” said Enjyu, grinning. He grabbed his suitcase where it stood waiting in the entryway, called out a farewell to his dad, and then he and Yamato were on their way. He inhaled deeply, as any sense of wrongness disappeared. What had he been thinking? Of course this was right. This was their childhood dream.
It was time to go to the Winners Tournament.
- Next chapter: think but this, and all is mended
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