Waking the Sleeping Lion

...

...

[Meanwhile in Japan...]

For the past week, Yuri's school life has progressed smoothly. With the help (or manipulation of Watanabe), he's made many 'friends' within his class, exchanged numbers and email addresses. But throughout all this, Yuri had a hunch of what Watanabe was trying to do and the Prince was just waiting for the class president to strike. In addition, Yuri found it odd that there was this one student, who everyone treated like garbage. She was bullied by the other girls, and taken for a maid by the boys.

It puzzled Yuri, as he couldn't understand why she didn't stand up for herself. It was strange, and at one point, he had gone and asked her why she hadn't done something about it.

However, the response he got, was what he didn't expect.

"Why are you asking me this? I don't need your pity." She sassed.

Amused, Yuri replied, "And I'm not offering you either. I'm just curious as to why you're everyone's slave. Frankly, I don't care about what you want to do, I'm just curious as to why you're doing it." But the Prince dropped it there. Since she didn't want to answer his question, he left her alone to suffer. In reality, Yuri never liked to see how she's been treated, and wanted to help her out of her situation. But with an attitude like that, he changed his mind.

The only incident that happened in that week, occurred after P.E class, when Watanabe wanted Yuri to carry his bags. Of course, the Prince never did it, citing that "you are not injured, so why should I?"

This had prompted Watanabe to clapback saying, "Aren't we friends? Friends carry each other's bags, you know?"

Yuri had smiled at Watanabe here, but beneath that smile, lay something else. "But I don't hear you saying that you'll carry mine. Exchange is no robbery, right?" he continued for even more effect, "Plus, I'm not your slave or lackey. I won't carry your bag while you're in perfect health."

And with that, Yuri walked out of the changing room, never to look back. If he did, he would have seen the look of absolute rage on Watanabe's face.

...

...

It was now Monday, and as customary, Yuri and Mochizuki were dropped at school by the latter's father since he worked nearby in Tokyo. But the moment the Prince entered the schoolyard, he could tell that there was something odd. Heading up to his classroom and opening the door, he realized what was happening.

"Good morning everyone!" The Prince greeted, but no one answered. Inwardly, Yuri smirked. ⎾So it has begun, huh?⏌

Ignoring everyone around him, he made it to his desk where he stumbled upon something horrific. His desk was completely defaced, with harsh and derogatory words etched into the wood. His chair looked rickety as well, and for a measure, Yuri placed his hand inside his school bag and emptied his laptop and Twin Spears before dropping the bag on the seat.

Instantly, it crumbled.

"So I have no seat and my desk is defaced." Yuri frowned. "Is this all Humans are capable of?" He rolled his eyes with disgust. "Pathetic."

With a sigh, he exited the classroom, hoping to source a replacement chair. But one thing was for sure, this was just the beginning.

...

...

For the entire week, Yuri was subjected to bullying from Watanabe and his minions. With each passing day, the Prince's desk got worse, and his chairs were either missing or partially broken. Still, Yuri remained calm, and tried his best to not massacre the entire class.

By the time Friday rolled around, Yuri reached his breaking point, and was close to actually murdering the entire class. He's spoken to the guidance councillor the day prior, and all Watanabe and co. got off with was a warning ―a slap on the wrist. Of course, Yuri was not at all pleased about this.

Currently, Yuri was in English class, awaiting the lunch bell. His week was terrible, and it's taking every ounce of willpower to keep calm. If it was anything, everyone back in Saishi knew of his dangerous temper, and only those who wanted death provoked him regardless.

When lunch time rolled around, Yuri felt exhausted and he hadn't even done anything. The atmosphere in the class was stifling, and seeing all those derogatory comments on his desk, made his blood boil. It ached him to know that he couldn't rip the bastards to shreds.

So quickly he trotted to the cafeteria to meet with Mochizuki and two others —the two counterparts of his Mamoru and Kohaku. He had yet to meet them since the Inter-High Volleyball Tournament has begun, so the two weren't at school as often. He was curious as to what Kohaku would look like, given that Mochizuki told him she was male over here. It had been one of the many things on his mind ever since he came to this world.

Soon, the Prince arrived at his destination, and spotted Mochizuki immediately. He was conversing with two others, and upon seeing the males, a smile appeared on the Prince's face. As he drew nearer, he could hear their conversation.

"I'm telling you Satoru, if we were to face that school, we'd be in trouble. We don't have that much middle blockers and you know this." The teen on Mochizuki's right sighed. He had jet black hair done in the gentleman hairstyle. "If anything, I think Ishikawa will be overworked."

"That's true, but can't we pull off what those characters in anime do?" The other teen on Mochizuki's left replied, poking at his food with his chopsticks. "I mean, we can't always rely on Ishikawa. What's gonna happen when he's out of the rotation?"

"You're right, it is going to be tough on him." Haku sighed, totally ignoring the earlier statement about anime characters. "Unless we find some way to openly cheat."

"Haku..."

To Mochizuki's left was none other than Sato Mamoru, dubbed 'Satoru' and was the counterpart to Yuri's Mamoru Sato. He remained the same on Earth, which the Prince was glad for. However, to Mochizuki's right was another male who made Yuri's jaws drop.

"Kohaku?" He asked, the older male's name slipping out. Judging by the looks of the male, Yuri recognized him but not for who he was, but for who he looked like. The young Japanese greatly resembled the General of the Air Force, Mitsuhiro Ito, who happened to be Kohaku's father. And his only sons are currently infants which meant this teen right here had to be the male counterpart to Kohaku.

"Oi, oi," Haku said as he rose to his feet, the chair grating hard on the wooden floor. His face darkened like the coalescence of numerous rain clouds as he inched closer to Yuri. "Who gave you permission to address me as such?"

Mochizuki face-palmed at what was happening. But really, he cursed himself for forgetting to inform Yuri that no one could address Haku by his given name.

"Calm down, it's just that I haven't seen you in such a long time that it slipped out." Yuri said, raising his hands in front of him as a means of defense. "I didn't mean anything Ito." But Yuri still found it odd, Japan's Kohaku looked nothing like Saishi's Kohaku.

Haku looked to Satoru then back to Yuri. "What did you just call me? Ito?"

"Guys, it's lunch time." Mochizuki decided to intervene before the Prince's cover is blown. "Let's settle this after school, ne?"

Haku returned to his seat but kept staring at Yuri. "You're behaving different Tachibana. I know that you're in a different school, but it isn't the first time you're meeting us, so what's with the stiffness and..."

"...out of place behaviour." Satoru continued. "Have you forgotten that we've interacted with each other many times before?"

"I had disaster after disaster after disaster this morning, and I know it's only going to get worse." Yuri said with a sigh.

"Hmm, what happened?"

"Yuuki is being an asshole."

"Yuuki? Watanabe Yuuki?" Haku asked.

"Yeah, him." The Prince spat. "When I first transferred here, he was really polite and helpful, even the other students in the class, but now, I'm being treated like shit!"

"Isn't that bullying?" Satoru spoke up. "But then again, even if you report it, as the son of the principal, he'll get away with murder."

"Fuck." Yuri hissed. "So I have to suck it up until next school year?"

"Pretty much."

The indignant Prince drew back in shock. "Nuh uh," he shook his head in denial. "I'll pay them back twice the hell they're putting me through. By the hook or the crook." He whipped out Kei and typed speedily away at the keypad.

Mochizuki nearly broke out in cold sweat. He couldn't see what Yuri was typing thanks to his privacy screen but he knew it couldn't be anything good.

"Your Highness, you aren't planning on doing something crazy, right?" Mochizuki asked, leaning over in hopes of seeing the screen.

Yuri took a sip of his beverage with a playful look on his face. "Maybe."

"Yuri!" Mochizuki shouted, slammed his palms on the table as he rose to his feet. "Have you forgottwn what happened in your previous school? Surely, you don't want a recurrence."

"Keep calm, Taka." Yuri grinned, dragging Mochizuki back down to his seat. "I won't do anything stupid. I'll just hurt their reputation a little, that's all."

"Tachibana, I never knew you could be so devious." Haku smirked. "You wanna join the team?"

"He has martial arts to think about. The Prelims are coming up." Mochizuki said quickly. "Volleyball will be a distraction."

"Taka~" Yuri whined. "Don't be so mean!"

"Eat your lunch." Mochizuki said totally unfazed.

However, in the midst of this, Satoru looked at Yuri with narrowed eyes. For a fact, the older Japanese felt something off about the Prince.

...

...

At the end of the school day, Mochizuki and Yuri made their way to the dojo since Ayumu had lied to the instructor that his son was sick. And thanks to Mochizuki and videos from the internet, the Prince was catching on at an alarming rate.

"Taka~" he began his repulsive whining, fiddling with a small ball of Lightning in his palm. Mochizuki looked up at the Prince, waiting for him to continue. "Why do you think I'm being bullied?"

Mochizuki rubbed his temples. "I don't know. Did you do something to him?"

"No..." Yuri started, "Well, apart from telling him 'no' when he wanted me to carry his bag like a fucking lackey."

"Maybe he let you get comfortable and then...you know?" He shrugged. "But don't you go around murdering anybody now." he warned. "We can speak with the appropriate personnel when you're ready."

Yuri looked at Mochizuki incredulously. "I've learned my lesson that on Earth, violence is not the way to go. I'll fuck them up nicely later on, trust me."

"Your Highness..." Mochizuki started to fret. "Please...don't do anything rash."

Yuri smiled playfully. "I make no promises."

Mochizuki let out a stressed groan.

"But really, this has got to stop. I'm irritable. I'm richer than this whole country combined, I'm sure, but that Yuuki asshole is behaving like he's the hotshot around here. Sicks me."

"But he actually is. His father is the principal of the school, remember?"

"Your point?" Yuri deadpanned. "My father is the King of a grand Kingdom in which your little Japan has nothing on. What should I be afraid of?"

Mochizuki paused. "Wait, just how big is your country?"

"377,585 km²."

Mochizuki gaped in horror and shock. "Japan is 377,972 km²...and you're telling me that Saishi alone is almost the same size as Japan? What kind of gigantic world do you live in?"

That was quite true. For a fact there were four other nations located on the Nihon continent in Sekai, and for Saishi to be roughly the same size as Japan, then the size of the continent as a whole must be quite massive.

"Sekai is bigger than Earth, that's a fact." Yuri shrugged. "About five times larger."

"Five times!!??" Mochizuki gaped in horror. "Then... Shouldn't you feel lighter here? I mean, the bigger the planet, the greater the gravitational pull right?"

Yuri looked absolutely lost. "Where'd you get that from?"

"It's a fact! The bigger the planet, the greater the gravity!"

Yuri stared blankly. "But I don't feel any different here. Well," he stopped and looked up in thought. "I do feel different because there's no Mana here. But that's the least. I don't feel 'heavier' as you'd put it."

Mochizuki looked stunned. "Seriously? And Sekai is far bigger than Earth? How's that possible?"

"Don't question it." Yuri shrugged.

...

...

Minutes later, the duo reached the dojo, the other students that were present greeted them like normal. This was Yuri's first time at the dojo, so he just followed whatever Mochizuki did.

"Tachibana, are you feeling much better now?" One student asked, nudging the Prince in his side. "You missed the practice match between the bastards last week!"

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better." The Prince replied. "But you don't know how bitter I was since I couldn't attend the match! I was so pissed!" He said to get in Tachibana's character, if his counterpart even acted this way.

The student chuckled. "Everyone knew that. Plus, you know that Waseda was there too. And as usual he was behaving like the pompous asshole that he is."

Yuri paused. "Waseda? As in Hayato?"

"Have you hit your head, Tachibana? Or you hate him that much you'd forget his name?"

"What?"

The student pat Yuri on his shoulder and shook his head. "I knew you two were mortal enemies, but I never knew your beef was this bad."

As if sensing Yuri's plight, Mochizuki quickly scooted over, and said, "Tacchi gets like that sometimes, but of course he remembers Waseda's name, he's just playing with you. After all, they are friends."

Yuri looked at the young Japanese with horror. "WHAT?" He asked, as he couldn't believe his ears.

"Let's go Your Highness." Mochizuki said as he dragged Yuri towards the changing rooms. Yuri fussed all the way, and when they were finally alone, Mochizuki quickly said, "Tacchi and Waseda have this friendly rivalry going on. They're friends but at the same time, during a match they'll definitely kill each other."

"Oh. You better pray that I don't encounter him because I'll definitely rip him to shreds."

Mochizuki started to worry. "Your Highness..." he began, almost breaking out in cold sweat. "Is this where I should start to worry?"

"Nope, it's where you get on your knees and start praying."

Mochizuki paled.

...

...

After they were all finished changing —Yuri was shocked that Tachibana was already a black belt—the instructor ordered them to assemble.

"Before we start, let's do some housekeeping." The Sensei of the dojo started. "The Mixed Martial Arts competition and National tryouts are coming up so we need to get into high gear. The Preliminaries for the MMA start next week, here are the brackets." He handed out sheets of paper to males and females present, Yuri staring blankly at his sheet. Since he didn't have sports in his world, he had no idea of what was happening. As the Sensei continued to explain, the Prince could grasp the main idea.

Apparently, they're participating in an event called MMA but to get to the actual MMA Tournament, they'll need to get pass the Preliminaries. The sheet of paper indicates who their prospective opponents will be. And sadly, the Yuri of this world was one of the best in the sport; all eyes were always on him when he's playing.

The Prince sighed. This was not going to be fun. If he could only plan their strategies without having to step foot on the stage, then he'd be fine. But no, Earth's Yuri decided to be a star and now everyone expects great things of him.

How awful.

Yuri was not amused. This meant that he has to put in extra effort to be able to play this sport so that no one will know the discrepancy. Still, the only reason why Yuri is actually thinking of doing this is because compared to what Tachibana had to do in Sekai; learning Karate and the other Martial Arts is child's play.

"Tachibana, are you alright?" The Sensei asked, noticing the disturbed look on the Prince's face.

The Prince jumped in fright. "I was just caught up in my thoughts that's all."

"Oh, but make sure you're in the best of health come next week."

"Yeah, Ace-san." One student jokingly said while nudging him in his side. "You need to take down that Waseda bastard in the actual tournament."

"Don't worry, I will be." Yuri grinned. Mochizuki caught the grin and knew that the silver-haired Prince was up to something.