While Johan started up a conversation about duelling, Asuka worked on sorting applications. Several of them had already been filled out during class, and what long classes those had been.
"So anyway, I don't think four thousand Life Points is enough for a standard duel, you know? It should be six or eight thousand so you can get a better idea of someone's real talent," Johan said sagely and nodded to himself.
Asuka nodded and looked at him quickly to feign attention to his monologue about Life Points or such. Johan was not a boring person, but he had a strange habit of talking about things that were of no real consequence. Just like Juudai, she reasoned. "That's true, Johan," she said.
"Say, what do you have there?" Johan entreated politely.
Asuka unconsciously pulled the stack of papers to her breast and leaned over. "These? Ah, they are applications," she said as she moved them from her body and back onto the table. She examined them without really reading them, keeping her eyes busy.
"Applications? For what?"
"College. I want to . . . I want to get a job in teaching." Asuka wondered as she spoke, wondered why she told him something she wasn't even sure she knew herself. When she was finished talking she eyed Johan to gauge his reaction. What was it about him . . . ?
"Ah, that's cool. Teaching is a really important job, you know?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Although, that may sound strange coming from someone who sleeps in class so much," Johan admitted as he laughed at himself. His countenance was quite pleasing, Asuka decided. And in his bright eyes there was not a single trace of caluclation or judgement. She felt guilty for a moment, but it was quick to pass as Johan smiled and rubbed the back of his head with a hand.
"Mmm. Perhaps, but you probably know the material even better thanks to hypnotic suggestion," Asuka stated.
"Eh, maybe. But that would just be an excuse. I would rather sleep all day and duel all night. Or stay up to watch the sun rise over the ocean with stars settled on the volcano."
Asuka regarded Johan for a moment and felt a certain wonder about him, possibly a dislike. He was too romantic for her, his head too high in the clouds to see the thousands of antlike detailts that made up daily stress. He seemed to simply float above it, glide through his day without a stress to ground him.
"Say, Johan, has anyone ever told you walk with your head in the clouds?" Asuka asked in an unthretening and unhurtful tone. She had no malicious or sarcastic intent and Johan seemed to notice it. Or maybe he would have never noticed those things even if they had been there.
Johan's head tilted and he flicked his finger thoughtfully. Then he said, in earnest, "yeah, they have. The only problem is that it is really hard to look up at the sky and not trip while you're walking."
"Wait . . . So you mean you have . . . ?"
"Oh, sure I have. And I have tried to walk backwards for awhile to see what goes on behind me when I am not looking just in case I missed anything. But that didn't go too well, either." Johan sighed and folded his hands on the table.
Asuka nearly fell from her chair. Looking at Johan stupidly, it was hard not to let her eyebrows quirk and ask him if he was okay in the head. She knew that Johan was eccentric - hey, everybody on this island was - but this was a bit much for her. Actually trying to walk backwards for the heck of it? Walking with your gaze on the sky? He was very literal, maybe a bit too much; the walking embodiment of dreaminess. Though, that was not a compliment. It was not a good quality to not be able to tell the difference between seriousness and playfulness.
But how could he ever take anything seriously?
"Say, Asuka?"
"Hmm?"
"Well, Teacher, could you answer me one question?"
"Yeah, sure, what?"
"When is recess?"
"Well, right after math and literature, I suppose," Asuka said, humouring him.
"Right. Fun is after academics."
Asuka nodded silently at Johan. Johan looked at her and frowned, wondering if she got any of the lesson at all.
---
Juudai found Johan laying on the edge of the grass right where the sand began. Wondering what his friend was doing, he asked.
"Say, Johan, what're you up to?"
"Hey, Juudai! How was detention? I'm just enjoying the sky. And since I can't do it while I am walking, why not lay down and do it?"
Juudai shrugged and joined his friend on the damp grass, sitting down and then sprawling out. The scent of grass mixed pleasantly with the scent of the ocean wafting up on a stray breeze.
"Eh, it was okay. Couldn't sleep, though."
"Ah, I see. So, I have a question for you. What're you planning to do with your future?"
"Well, I want to duel, but I'll worry about that later. First I have to get through today and tomorrow."
"Ah. You know, plans are but a joke to father time."
"Eh? Yeah, I guess," Juudai said without looking at Johan. He rolled over onto his side to observe the school building with the three coloured domes. "Plans are a joke, though. You never know what is going to happen. So why stress about it? I don't get it."
"Yeah. I'm glad we agree," Johan said as he closed his eyes and the image of a deeply blue sky burned on his eyelids. He imagined father time and Asuka sitting in a white room, Asuka trying to teach him how to stress while he smiled knowingly and shook his head once in a while.
She would probably never learn.
Lol, wut. Updated to include author's notes, just because I can. The point of this piece was to express the difference I see between Juudai/Johan Asuka even before the whole Haou mess. Asuka is strong in many ways, but some of these strenghts are her weaknesses. One of these, I believe, is her seriousness but her tendency to not do anything.
And on a side note, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! DM GX. Good grief, I am glad I don't. XD