Chapter 37: Shades
[A few days later] [Saturday - 10:00 a.m.]
*Pam*
At Oboro's home in the small first floor gym, Doryoku found himself headfirst against the wooden wall with a dark red Gi after taking a beating from Oboro, who was dressed in the same way only as his Gi was the typical blue color.
They both trained from time to time without the use of their quirks, something unfair to Doryoku since Oboro had years of experience, but otherwise they would destroy something in combat at the very least.
"Bad bad little grasshopper, you thought too much about your movements and for a moment you lost your posture, in short it was very simple" said Oboro as he moved his finger from side to side and smirked.
"I know, I know, I think too much, but you can't blame me, I'm sure you don't even think" said Doryoku turning around and sitting on the floor in annoyance.
"Of course I think, right now I wonder what I could have for dinner today" said Oboro thoughtfully as he lost himself in his culinary thoughts.
Oboro shook his head to focus again, then said...
"Sensei taught me that martial arts are not studied or have theory, it is the body that learns and it only improves based on its own experiences, therefore any thought in combat apart from a strategy is useless" said Oboro with a more serious and explanatory tone when remembering the words of his teacher.
"But just think a bit, you hear? I'm sure you even have in mind right now how to do next Friday's math homework" said Oboro with a warning tone causing Doryoku to click his tongue with a bit of annoyance at being so predictable.
"In a few words you just have to take beatings until you learn how not to take them, simple and effective as well as quite satisfying, obviously for me" said Oboro with a wide smile causing Doryoku to have a vein on his forehead.
"You know? I did a bit of research about Aikido and found out that the training partner has a specific name..." Doryoku said as he seemed to try to remember what he read and Oboro looked at him curiously.
"Ahh, I remember, it was 'Uke' or 'the one who receives', how interesting isn't it?" Doryoku said smiling maliciously while Oboro had a rather shocked expression.
"You wouldn't dare" said Oboro narrowing his eyes at him quite impressed and sure that Doryoku would not end that insult.
"You have nothing to say Mr. Uke, I respect your guidance, but just in case I just consider you a great friend" Doryoku said with an innocent smile as Oboro took a hard hit on his masculine pride.
"Now you will see miserable, I'll make you little bits!!" Oboro said with white eyes with anger at being insulted so strongly.
"Don't worry, surely there will be many fugoshis supporting your decision" Doryoku said with a mocking smile without being afraid of death and ending up enraging Oboro.
And after a fierce fight to defend what little pride he had left, Oboro was obviously victorious, but he had already lost much more.
"That was a very good insult, I taught you well, perhaps too well" said Oboro sitting on the ground next to Doryoku still in a shattered morale and very dramatically.
"I know right? Maybe I am starting to understand this from the geek world and the insults" Doryoku said with what seemed to be pride as he turned around because he was upside down again.
Doryoku was a bit tired because he didn't have his quirk to give him energy, so it was best to rest every so often to learn better in combat.
Oboro went to the kitchen and came back with a bag of chips to eat while the two of them talked a bit.
"By the way I wanted to ask, why did High command-sensei hit affect you if you are supposed to be invincible to hits?" Oboro said with a potato chip in his mouth and curious to remember that.
"My quirk allows me to absorb the energy that I feel, for example absorbing a blow is very simple because it is something uniform and easy to notice" said Doryoku with an explanatory tone while he thought a bit how to explain correctly.
"The point is that High command used his finger or his hands in the form of a blade, it is very difficult for me to absorb and notice the kinetic energy in an attack like that, and by the time I know how to absorb it I already received a great damage" Doryoku said making a rather noticeable wince at the memory of that and making Oboro laugh slightly.
"You know Doryoku? You have changed a lot in a very short time, or rather, now it is easier to see what you always were" said Oboro with a calm and quite happy expression.
"Yes, I suppose a lot has happened to me in a very short time, but, I suppose I am quite... happy?" Doryoku said in a thoughtful tone and still confused about how he felt about him.
"Don't ask me, I'm not a fortune teller" said Oboro with a mocking tone causing Doryoku to let out a tired sigh.
"Something that has been bothering me is what happened to that girl with pink hair at the festival, I think it was Sakurai, I'm almost sure she hates me to death" said Doryoku a little worried about how to fix that problem.
"Ohh, I know who she is! I would swear she always has a calm smile on her face and she is kind enough" said Oboro suddenly remembering and with quite a bit of confusion never remembering that girl being angry.
"Ugh, that only worries me more" Doryoku said even more worried knowing that the problem was with him specifically.
"Don't worry! I'll leave everything ready for you so you can talk to her alone on Monday, although I won't be able to deal with Laser-sensei" Oboro said confidently enough until he remembered the little detail about his teacher.
"Thank you I suppose, although surely there is a strange reason behind" Doryoku said with a thankful nod and also suspicious knowing Oboro perfectly.
"Of course, this is for the future! In case one day we have to hunt girls it will serve as practice" said Oboro giving Doryoku small elbows with a conspiratorial tone.
"Yeah that's not going to happen, still I guess thanks" Doryoku said calmly causing Oboro to drop quite a bit and sadly eat potatoes.
Both friends ate potatoes in silence for a moment, until Doryoku remembered something that he had forgotten...
"And ... how are you feeling lately Oboro?" Doryoku asked with a calm tone and a bit of curiosity.
"Ohhh, is it time to go to the psychologist?" Oboro said with a mocking smile, but a little less energetic than usual.
"I guess fine, although to tell the truth lately I have had quite a few concerns with the academy and stuff, it is quite worrying to have so many activities and never be able to rest mentally" said Oboro, stopping smiling for a moment and letting go of all the insecurities he had.
At the end of the day... Oboro was also human, he always cared quite almost on the level of Doryoku, it's just that he always used his great spirit and energy to drown those feelings.
Still, that energy ran out at some point, a moment that only Doryoku knew about.
"I guess that's all ... I think I'm fine" said Oboro much calmer and more relaxed after releasing everything he had.
"I guess now I can contribute something to this session too" Doryoku said thoughtfully while Oboro looked a bit surprised.
"Still... I feel like an extension of my quirk... But maybe that's not such a bad thing according to Okā-chan" Doryoku said with a thoughtful tone and a slight smile when remembering his mother's words.
"It feels ... Pretty good, I guess that's an achievement for me" Doryoku said with nothing more to say and quite proud of himself.
"Ugh, we look like old men, can I have my baton? I can't walk without it" Oboro said in a tired tone as he reached for his baton.
"I do not see the bad, surely I would look great with gray hair" Doryoku said with a thoughtful tone and thinking how he would look with gray hair.
"I can feel the envy" said Oboro with a mocking smile as he ran his hand through his hair in style.
"I changed my mind" Doryoku said shaking his head and making Oboro feel an arrow go through his heart.
"I'm tired of sentimentality, I don't want to become a depressed teenager either" Doryoku said calmly, getting up and walking towards the center of the gym.
"I guess the real Doryoku doesn't disappear" said Oboro with a nervous smile and walking towards the center of the gym with quite a bit of excitement.
"Your hour has come Mufasa's projector, there are no faithful companions here, only blows to the face" Doryoku said with a mocking and excited smile as he stretched his body.
"And you say it you attempt of Accelerator? I took you centuries of practice" said Oboro also stretching his body and smiling mockingly with enough emotion.
The rest of the day was the same, Doryoku couldn't win any physical combat, but as always, it was quite an entertaining experience to fight his friend.
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Then coming home a couple of hours later, Doryoku opened the door and did the same as usual, preparing dinner and waiting for his mother calmly.
After a few minutes, his mother arrived quite impatient for some reason, to which Doryoku served dinner in a rather confused manner.
And just when Doryoku was about to ask the reason for his mother's expectation, she said something first...
"And ... when will you introduce me to your love interest?" Nintai said with a wide smile as Doryoku choked on the food.
"*Coff**Coff Damn you Oboro, seriously such a low blow?" Doryoku whispered as he drank water to pass the food and his mother looked at him expectantly.
"I don't have a love interest Okā-chan, that girl hates me with all her strength and I just want to fix whatever I caused" Doryoku said in an explanatory and calm tone as he continued eating and looked at his mother.
"''From hate to love there is only one step', there is hope for my little Dory-chan" Nintai said without paying much attention to Doryoku's words while he had a drop of sweat on the back of his neck.
'That thought was very of a grandmothe-' Doryoku thought with his eyes in white receiving a small blow on the forehead from Nintai.
"I know what you think Dory-chan, I'm a fortune teller" Nintai said moving her fingers with mysticism to give mystery to the moment.
"I guess it's also because I'm too predictable" Doryoku said a bit sore, rubbing his forehead a little while he continued eating.
"But speaking seriously Dory-chan, I'm glad that you feel bad about this situation even if it sounds weird, before surely you would have ignored her or you would not even have realized it" Nintai said with a wide happy smile when she saw that Doryoku gave more attention to what he felt.
"And don't worry! There is always a solution for every problem, I'm sure everything will work out if you talk to her using your adorable attitude" Nintai said pressing Doryoku's cheeks with a warm smile.
"I doubt I'm adorable, the last time I scared my companions with my eyes" said Doryoku a little downcast at that calculating part that he always had in his expression.
"That's only the first layer of Dory-chan, only those who get close to you even with that, will be your true friends" Nintai said with an explanatory and wise tone as Doryoku smiled warmly.
"Thank you Okā-chan" Doryoku said quite grateful for his mother's advice as always.
"I also have advice to get a girlfriend Dory-chan, after all I was also a teenager" said Nintai whispering loudly and with a knowing smile.
"Pfff, hahahahahahaha!" Doryoku laughed aloud at seeing the strange and almost desperate attitude of his mother.
"You don't understand the importance of this Dory-chan! I have to find you a girlfriend or I don't know what will happen to you!" Nintai said with a warning and concerned tone making Doryoku laugh even louder.
"Hehe, I'll be fine Okā-chan, I don't even have enough feelings of my own to think about that" Doryoku said wiping the tears from his eyes with laughter and quite calmly.
"Mmmmmmm, I guess I can let it go for now" Nintai said not very convinced but understanding Doryoku's point.
And so another day passed, quite a fun day for Doryoku.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Grim_Jester
Grim_Jester Not too much to say, have a nice day after Christmas I guess...
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone