Title: Conqueror

Pairing: Shori/Wolfram

Summary: The engagement is broken and Wolfram travels to Earth as Shin Makoku's ambassador. There, he learns that the Shibuya brothers play their roles as Maou in very different ways. Yuuri is a pacifist. Shori is a conqueror.

Chapter 1: In which Shori is introspective, and water is cruel to the Shibuya brothers.

A/N: I hope no one's OOC, but Yuuri's characterization has been somewhat influenced by his internal monologues in the novels. Names of former Maous are taken from the first novel, as is Yuuri's nickname, the "Turkish March". One of his former teachers calls him that because of his super ranting abilities, LOL. Other than that, this is my first fanfic... so don't feel you have to be nice to me. Brutal honesty is welcome. Criticism is delicious, like s'mores.

Oh yes, and bonus points if you can spot the Ah-nold reference.

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Sho-chan,

Mama is so proud of you and Yu-chan, you know? Ah! Both of my boys are going to be Maous! They grow up so fast! It seems like just yesterday when we took you to the optometrist and you got your first pair of glasses and they were so big (because you were so small) that they took up your entire face. And that time at the mall in New York where you helped pick out all of Yu-chan's new dresses, and then that time when…

Well, no matter how old you get, you'll always be my little boy. Mama wants you to know that even after you finish college and go to Switzerland like you and Bob-san have planned (and even if you never sprout wings), Mama's love will always be with you, Sho-chan. Just like Mama's homemade curry will be waiting for you when you visit. Don't you feel your Mama's love?

Oh, by the way, Sho-chan, are you seeing anyone? Yu-chan's already been engaged for years now and even has a daughter. Well, I suppose he's a bit young to be getting married… But Sho-chan, you never let me meet any of your dates. When are you going to bring home that special someone, hmm? Mama doesn't want to pressure you, but spending all day on the computer playing those types of games can't be good for your eyes.

Kyaaa! Sho-chan is so handsome and professional now. Your babies will be sooo cute! Oh, I hope they have wings! But no, Uma-chan says he's never seen a Mazoku with wings. So maybe…maybe little teeny tiny horns on their heads, or pointed ears. SO CUTE! I can't wait to put pretty dresses on my granddaughter!

…Or grandson. You can't let a little thing like gender stop you from being fashionable.

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Shori looked up at his mother while she finished vacuuming his room and closed the door behind her, moving into the hallway while cheerfully humming. She was always so happy and carefree, but with a wild imagination and a…unique way of showing her love. Yu-chan really does take after her. He adjusted his glasses and returned to the computer. There was a new message from Bob, which brought Shori's mind back to the fact that he'd be Maou soon. Very, very soon.

Bob had decided to retire. He confided in Shori that he was exhausted. Being the Maou of the Business World, as he was called, was hard work. Bob was determined to step down as soon as Shori had graduated, which had been just a few short days ago. He was 21 and Yuuri was already 18. Speaking of Yuuri, like their mother said, they really do grow up so fast.

Shibuya Shori was many things. Human, Mazoku, heir to the Maou of Earth, and, as Yuuri would say, "Overbearing, overprotective, annoying older brother. Stop stealing my octopus wieners, Shori!"

He was an ambitious young man well on his way to becoming a force to be reckoned with. Unlike Yuuri, Shori wanted power and recognition, and he actively pursued it. He didn't have Yuuri's innocent, sweet disposition. He couldn't bumble his way through the position of Maou and have his subjects love him regardless.

No, Shori could not be Yuuri, but he could damn well be the best Maou the Earth had ever seen. If that meant he had to constantly push himself to the limit, then so be it. He would rise to the challenge.

He remembered the time when Yuuri had started ranting about history lessons or something over breakfast. Shori, of course, had berated his lazy younger brother about not taking his studies seriously, and how was he ever going to make it into college with these abysmal grades? (Yuuri had, in fact, gotten in to an abnormally average school for students with mediocre everything. At least it was nearby.)

Yuuri merely pouted and grumbled.

"But Shori! You don't understand how violent the peoples' attitudes are in Shin Makoku. All I want is peace, but I'm up against thousands of years of prejudice and hatred. The Mazoku live for so long that they can really hold a grudge!"

"And? I thought you said you were going to change all that?"

"I am! I just get frustrated sometimes, especially when Gunter makes me read all those history books and all they have are wars that a former Maou started for basically no reason at all. You know there are these portraits of all the rulers of Shin Makoku, right?"

"Yes, I saw them while I was touring the castle."

"Well, the former Maous all have these horrible names like Henstridge Davidson the Slaughterer and Basilio von Rochefort the Cruel…"

"That doesn't sound too bad. There are plenty of rulers on Earth who have rather unsavory monikers as well."

"I know that, but not all from one country, not ten or so rulers all in a row, and certainly not as bad as Grisela Trintignant Yaft the Beheader. Brittany von Wincott the Blood-Spiller." Yuuri was on a roll now, and the Turkish March wouldn't stop until he'd either made his point or the current thought train completely derailed. Shori was secretly proud that his little brother could remember his history lessons with such detail. Secretly.

"All right, Yuuri."

"The Widow-Maker. The Cannibal. The Red Death. The Man-Eater. The Skull-Crusher. I'm surprised there isn't a Conan the Barbarian in there somewhere."

"All right, Yuuri! You've made your point!" Shori glanced at Yuuri, who pouted some more and looked back at Shori with those huge, shining little-brother-eyes, then stuffed a piece of toast into his mouth, cutely nibbling on the corner. Those eyes… and his cheeks were puffed out with food so that he looked just like an innocent little hamster. Damn, but his brother-complex was coming back full force.

"It's just that…I kind of wish some of them had had friendlier names, you know, like why couldn't there have been The Queen of Hearts or The Roller Coaster Tycoon. Or maybe like that store that just opened last week – the one with all the commercials on TV right now, the Mattress King? Well…maybe that would be a little too 'soft' for a Maou. Heheh. Waitaminute. 'Soft'? Aaah! Conrad's bad puns are rubbing off on me! I'm infected!"

"Really, Yuuri. I didn't know stupidity was contagious."

"What--" Yuuri blinked and stared for a moment while Shori smirked. Then the light bulb flicked on in his neglected brain and he gasped. "You just insulted Conrad! Take that back!"

"Oh? A little slow on the uptake, are we? I guess it is contagious then." Shori got up and walked toward the living room.

"Rrrrr… Why you-- That's it!"

Yuuri, puffing and red-faced, tackled Shori from behind. They ended up laughing and tussling on the floor like they used to, for the first time in almost a decade.

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Shori chuckled at the memory. Well, he was going to be Maou. The Maou was entitled to a few quirks. On the screen, the feisty Wakana-chan was pouting at him. Kiss her? Or hold her hand? Hmm… It was probably better to move slowly and hold her hand first. Girls liked that. He clicked. Wakana-chan angrily stomped off while shaking her cute, scantily-clad ass. "You lose, wimp!"

Yes, the future was bright and anxious, and the new Maou was a pervert. For now, though, he would calm his nerves by taking a bath.

Shori stretched, cracking his neck, which was a bit sore from sitting in front of the computer all afternoon, and most of the morning, too. He headed into the bathroom and drew up a bath. While the water was running Shori stripped off his t-shirt and jeans, revealing his lean body. He had his father's broad shoulders, and had filled out quite nicely. However, Shori had always been more of an intellectual than a physical man, and his looks would never be comparable to the uncanny beauty of the demons from Shin Makoku. He understood how Yuuri felt – compared to them, the people of Earth were decidedly average, homely even. "Mmm. I should probably work out a bit more. Wouldn't want to end up like Dad, who can't even keep up with Mom…"

He took off his glasses and set them on the counter, then stepped into the tub. The water was nice and hot, just how he liked it. Shori closed his eyes and leaned back, letting the water soothe everything away for a few blissful minutes. He briefly considered masturbating, but dismissed the idea and was about to start washing when he heard a bubbling noise. Bubbles? Why would there be bubbles in the tub? It's not like he had gas or—

"What the--?!" A head! A human head burst up between his thighs!