"Akita’s Circus" Banzuke Sumo Toshiyori Part 2

"You all sleeping on Futons on floor, communally…Germans already knowing this…… Highest ranks getting own rooms though" continued the Shar – pei, as he wandered around giving the group a brief tour of his establishment, "Store your baggage in Hikari’s room, for time being…..’sure he not mind, you all only really need Mawashi’s and "Heart", he added, placing his hand metaphorically over his own.

The Akita opened his mouth to protest against his room being offered up as storage space, but he knew not to, as he was privileged to be allowed one of the few rooms and the Oyakata could just as easily take that privilege away… Bowing humbly to the stern, Masterly Dog’s decision, he went and opened the door to his small, sparse room, gesturing with his open palm that the others were free to store their belonging there.

Nervously, the new students, carried their baggage inside.

"Pile up, in corner !!", Barked the Akita, fiercely, "Mind my Console and Gamesoft…..". Dennis’s ears twitched at the mention, and he hurried to take his bag in as well, his eyes darted to scrutinise the Japanese Dogs collection of games, strewn across the floor next to a small portable television and PS one {Miniature Playstation} Mah Jongg, a Sumo game, and…..Umjammer Lami, and several Dance Dance Revolution /Dancing Stage games !!.

"Hey, Rhythm action games !!, are you "into" them ??…" Dennis beamed with delight.

"I NOT EXPECT YOU TO GO LOOK THROUGH MY THINGS !!", snarled Hikari, bearing his teeth, and wide eyed with rage.

"I’m Sorry…..I just noticed…..", coughed the crest fallen Badger, suddenly remembering that this was a heriacal situation, he was in now…..

"HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF……", Ferociously, the Angry Dog, whipped the rucksack out of the Badgers hands, opened it, and turning it upside down, sharply shook it. Causing all the contents to clatter onto the floor. Dennis’s clothes, toiletries, and an abundance of Console Games, Music CDs and Game CD soundtracks all rained onto the ground.

"Now on knees, and pick up !!…..", roared the Akita, venting his frustration on the hapless Badger, but his anger ebbed away as he slyly scrutinised each item as Dennis carefully picked them up, and replaced them into his bag.

"You have Dreamcast, as well as Playstations ?", Hikari asked in his normal voice, as the others continued traipsing past, neatly piling their belongings neatly in the corner as they’d been instructed.

"Umm, Yes Sir….." swallowing hard, Dennis nodded a quick bow to him.

"Have you all finish ??" hollered Mr Yamamoto, from outside "All of you, getting out here….NOW !".

Instantly the new recruits hurried to join him in the large Central training area, lining up like Soldiers on parade.

"There no need for that, just yet…bit late in day now, but tomorrow I start training you, all expected be here in Mawashi’s at Five in Morning…..Higher ranks, can start at Eight, though…..".

"Benefits int being Higher rank, act as incentive, Yah ?,…. Ist I one of few getting unt "Own room", Herr Yamamoto ??" sneered Shlank, smugly folding his arms across his chest, with a rye, self important smile spread across his face. Knall just snorted his disdain.

"Yes, Shlank…You, Daikonran, and Rasputin,….. All getting room’s to yourselves…….". As the Stable Master spoke, the group became aware of a side door creaking open, and a massive figure emerging through a cloud of steam and aromas….it was obviously the Kitchen door!.

"Fr-esh Meat ?" the bulky figure grinned sardonically, It was a large fat sweaty Rat, clad only in a Mawashi, splattered with various food stains and greasy marks. He practically ignored the group for a few minutes while he conversed with the Oyakata in Japanese, but sereptisiously looked them up and down from time to time.

"Do I get pick one as Tsukebito ??" Beamed the Giant Grey Rat, idly scratching his large podgy stomach, as he reverted to the same heavily accented Japanese / English, Mr Yamamoto and Hikari spoke in.

"Seem to have paired them off, quite well, amongst themselves, Kakera ….But maybe if one of them leaves? And have one odd left, ‘all be expected help in Kitchen and tasks anyway !!" said Mr Yamamoto, in his authoritarian voice. "Let me introduce you….."Class", this is Kakera, he is kind of the "Cook" here at the Shohoku Beya, as well as Wrestler same rank as Hikari !!". Collectively the new students, bowed politely to the sweaty Rodent, who returned it with a curt nod, and Mr Yamamoto started to lead him down the line up, introducing him to each in turn. Just then there was a timid knock on the front door, and Hikari, who’d been watching in the background wandered over to answer it.

"Ummm, is this the Shohoku Beya, Mate !?" Came a voice from outside.

"Seems we have MORE ……Oyakata !!" called the Akita, wearily.

"Show them in !" Mr Yamamoto replied, with a slight sigh.

"COLIN !!!" gasped Ralph, as his team mate hesitantly walked in, closely followed by Lyro.

"Yeah, it’s ME, you bloody Drongo !!, ‘Think I’d leave you on y’ own, to…", instantly Hikari cuffed him across the back of his head, making the Koalas large ears twitch.

"OWW!!, What’cha DO that for !!" protested Colin.

"For calling one of my "New Students" a…"Dr-on-go" ??" replied Mr Yamamoto, in defence of the Akita’s action. "Not just allow "Anyone" come in off street, and insult them……".

"Sorry Mate !, look, do I ‘ave to Fight him, or something to get "In" ??…I’ve got my Mawashi, here in my bag……?".

"Not necessary !, just have to show……" started the stern Japanese Dog.

"Please, Oyakata !!", Lyro threw himself at the Shar-pei’s feet, "Please would you consider, errmm "Us", as well, to be new students, I’ve given up everything, to be……" he whined, clutching at his ankles.

"Well, you "Second best", to Randell, but I have trained you before, and believe you having good potential…What do you think, Hikari ??".

The Akita just rolled his eyes, and nodded his grudging agreement, at the desperate Black Wolfs show of self-abatement.

" ‘That go for me, too ??", asked Colin, wide eyed with expectancy.

"B-o-w !!…BE POLITE !!", Ralph mimed and mouthed the words as discreetly as he possibly could, as the puzzled Koala caught sight of him behind the Oyakata. Swallowing hard, Colin bowed stiffly from the waist… "Would you "PLEASE" consider me, as one of your humble students, Mr Stable Master, Sir……??". He pleaded, earnestly.

"OYAKATA !!", Hissed Hikari, correcting him.

"Oya-kat-a, SIR…" Continued Colin, with growing trepidation, he could feel himself starting to sweat, "I…I…I’m the Captain and Founder of the Australian, Sumo Team….An’ I didn’t want to leave, Ralph……".

"How can this be?" mused Mr Yamamoto, quizzically. "Ralph say HE Captain of your team, does that mean one of you LYING !?!?".

"Well, to be truthful……Oyakata, Sir….", Choked Ralph, "We’re sort of "Both" Captains, we sort of "Both" do it…I let him believe he’s in charge most of the time…for the sake of a quite life…..".

"WHAT ?!, Rack off Ralph !!", snarled Colin, defensively.

"Yeah, well…WHERE do "We" train?, who’s drinks do "We" Blag, Who brought the Mawashi’s and does most of the organising…….." spewed Ralph, "You just turn up at MY Surf hire, hut and start Bossing everyone around, I’ve just been your Mate so long that I’ve grown used to it……".

"Well, that decides it, Colin Koala !, I thinking it be good for you learn some humility, you want stay here to learn, I think I making you Ralph’s Tsukebito, Lyro I have to find someone pair you with…..Badger bit heavy, I think…Dennis you take Jasper as your Tsukebito, and…Ruffert……".

Morgan drew breath, sharply…..

"You take Lyro as your Tsukebito !" continued the Shar-pei, unaware of all that had transpired between the Canines in the past.

"Umm, Ye..yes…Oyakata !", spluttered the German shepherd, nervously glancing at the Black Wolf, still knelt at the Oyakata’s feet, some how he seemed…different….

"Is that, alright…Lyro ?", asked the Stable Master, gently noticing the expression, on both their faces.

"Yes, Yes…Of course…", Nodded Lyro, eagerly as he got to his feet,

"And you…..??" The Shar – pei’s beady eyes turned to the Koala.

"Yeah…Ok,…Whatever !…I’ll be his Bloody "Tsukebito", snorted Colin, casually.

"Please, Mr Yamamoto, Sir…..", asked Ralph, politely raising his hand as though he was at school, "Forgive my asking, but WHAT is a "Tsukebito" ex-act-ly ??".

"You mean you come here, not knowing ?" Muttered the surprised Shar-pei raising his heavy eyebrows, "Ummm…how best to describe ??" and he glanced to Hikari and Kakera for advise.

"Attendant ?" murmured the Akita.

"Slave ??", added the giant Rat, again with a wicked, but slightly mischievous grin.

"Yes, both are right, in a way, I think…..", and scratching his wrinkled chin thoughtfully, once again addressed the group as a whole, along with Lyro and a horrified looking Colin.

"Those of you I classed as Tsukebito, are to serve and attend the needs of who I paired you with……You will see tomorrow !, But for now…..".

" WE EAT !!" added Kakera, slapping his rotund belly like a drum, "Food VERY important part of Sumo !", beamed the Rat, "Look like some of them needing get bigger, Oyakata !!….This Colin Koala, looking good though, but surprised he borderline in Lightweight’s….should bulk up bit more".

"My surname's "Kuburu" !!", Rasped the Koala with a slight sneer, angry at the way the Rat was looking at him like a Farmer with a prize Bull.

"…….Which means "Koala" in Aborigine !!", mocked Ralph [Which it did].

"GGGGGRRRRRRRRRHHHHHH", Snarled Colin, from between gashing teeth, as he fought to keep himself from rebuking him, which might result in another slap across the back of the head.

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"Whatcha reading ??" leered Syd, as he slowly woke up in the Airline seat, to find Tonneau was wide awake, thoroughly engrossed in a paperback book.

"Oh…."The City of Gold and Lead", By John Christopher…….", Replied the scholarly St Bernard, "I really enjoyed reading this series, as a Pup…an’ thought this would be a good opportunity to re-read it….".

"Wots it about, then ?", mused Syd only half interested, and awake.

"Well, this is the "Middle" book of the three, I mean four…. He did a Prequel one to the original Trilogy, at a later date…. It mostly deals with enslavement by an Alien race…..".

"Not to dissimilar to wot Mr Brock’s gunna be goin’ thru then, I shouldn’t wonder…..", the Weasel interrupted him again, as he slung back the flimsy blanket, and sat up in the seat.

"BING BONG……We will shortly be arriving at London Heathrow Airport, please fasten your safety belts and…….".

"Urrrgh, get up, Denn….", moaned the slumbering Fox, nearest the window.

"He’s NOT wiv’ us, REMEMBER !", barked Syd, in his usual unsubtle manner.

"Oh…..Yea’…..or…Axel…..", Croaked the Fox, as the heartache came back to him like a dagger to his heart. As he slowly came around, and brushed aside the airline blanket.

"Best buckle up, "Boss"…we’re coming inta LAND !", the Weasel reminded him.

Eventually, Flight 2086 from Japan, landed, and the weary passengers gathered up their coats and hand luggage, and disembarked. Heading for the luggage pick up, and passport control.

"Hey LOOK !!", Cried Syd, as he spotted a Television camera crew, milling around, "They’ve got the TV cameras, out f’ us !!".

"I don’t think so…..", sighed Rusty, "I think they’re filming that "Fly on the wall", "Airport" Documentary show…..or something".

"Oh, so it is….. There’s that effeminate, Bear that speaks Russian, what’s his name…??…. Jeremy ??".

"GO ON !!, Giv’ ‘im a Great big HUG, an’ FREAK the Crap out of him…", Hissed Syd, encouraging the St Bernard.

"No WAY !!". shrieked the Dog.

But it was too late, as the Uniformed Bear, and the attentive Camera crew had already spotted them.

"Well, look who we have here……", fawned the podgy, bespectacled Bear, addressing the Camera, "Some of the English Sumo team…..".

"Yes…. We’ve just returned from the Basho, and we’re all pretty tired…", began Rusty, desperate to get away from them, but there was no were they could go, until their bags had sailed down the conveyer belt.

"Where’s the rest of your team ?", continued the Brown Bear, unperturbed.

"Well, our Trainer, Mr Brock, has stayed on, in Japan, to train at a "Proper" Japanese "Sumo School" or "Beya"…….", announced Tonneau, eloquently.

"Yeah, an’ that Russian Heavyweight Wrestler, Rasputin, says ‘e FANCIES you, Jeremy !", Teased Syd, watching the Bear, squirm.

"CUT !!!", called the minor Celebrity, "Can we "DO" without the "Schoolyard" Humour……??".

"YEAH, KNOCK IT OFF, SYD !!!", glowered Rusty.

"If Mr Brock was here, he’d…….", added Tonneau.

"Ok, we’ll take it from where, you said about your Teacher stayed over there……", Spluttered Jeremy, composing himself, "They can "Edit" it, later….".

"So the rest of you, didn’t get the chance to "train" over there as well ?", continued the Bear, as if their little spat, had never happened.

"Nah, Not really….it wus MAINLY for the ‘ardcore, mad keen lot…", quipped Syd, as he snatched his bag, from the moving conveyor.

"We’ve actually got to oversee, Mr Brock’s Classes, while he’s away….", added Tonneau, proudly, "We train at the Church hall, in Notting Hill Gate, Mondays and Wednesdays, at Six pm and Saturdays at Ten am….".

"Nice "Plug"…." rebuked the Bear, with an appealing grin that brought out the mothering instincts in housewives, everywhere, "But this is the Beeb remember…no adverts, but we’ll let that one go…….I actually watch the Sumo, you know……".

"Hey, you should come along, an’ train wiv’ us !!", scoffed Syd, as he waited for the others to retrieve there belongings, from the steady stream of suitcases and bags.

"A….Ah….Ha Ha…..", blustered the Bear, dryly, "But my job at the Airport takes up a LOT of my time…..".

"So WHAT did you think of the Basho then ?" asked Rusty, asking the Bear, a leading question, instead of the other way around.

"Umm…I was a little sorry to see the Mighty Russian, Rasputin lose….", as he spoke, he fixed Syd with a beady stare from behind his thick glasses, "And what about that German winning the Lightweights…..!?".

"Yeah, ‘e kicked our…..umm, ‘e "BEAT", us, well an’ truly, ain’t that right, "Boss", Syd, nervously glanced to Rusty to "Back him up".

"Well, it’s been nice speaking to you………", Jeremy excused himself, as his walkie talkie crackled to life, hastily whipping it out of his pocket to answer it, he scampering away, closely followed my the Camera crew.

"That’s prob’ the Phat Doughnut shop, telling ‘im his "Dinners" ready……", sneered Syd, sarcastically, as the three of them hefted up their baggage, and started out in the direction of the passport control.

"I doubt "THAT’LL" get "On the Air"….", whispered Rusty.

"Yes, I’m inclined to agree with you…" murmured Tonneau.

Eventually the Trio, wandered wearily into the "Arrivals" lounge. The other passengers were already excitedly greeting friends and relatives their.

"Hey look, it’s Ringo, an’ the rest of the "Lonely Hearts Club Band"….", scoffed Syd, as he caught sight of a few of their team mates, waiting behind the metal barrier, "Remember when we where headin’ off…?".

"JUST SHUT UP SYD !", Growled Rusty, "Try not to be so FULL of yourself, just this once…!!".

"Yes, come on…" pleaded Tonneau, "I thought you’d grown up a bit since we where away…". The St Bernard was going to remind him, that he’d not behave like that if Dennis Brock was with them, but…..

"HEY, BULLDOG !!", called Syd, as he came closer and closer to the others, "Did’ya see us on telly then?, what ’ca RECKON !?!…..".

"I…"Reckon", I’d like to have a re-match against you, I’ve been training HARDER than you can possibly imagine……", Snarled Bruno, screwing his face up angrily "My Uncle fixed it for me to train with Mr ‘O Brian, he’s a……"

"Yeah, well.... Check this out, Mr Brock’s stayed in Japan to train in a REAL Sumo stable…..", continued the elated Weasel, ignoring the Dog’s threat.

"Yes, no doubt he’ll be putting us all, "Through the wringer", when he gets back….but until then…..", interrupted Tonneau, continuing Syd’s sentence for him.

"Syd and Tonneau, are to take his Sumo classes….", Rusty completed what the excited pair were going to say. "Axel has had to return to the ‘States, and I’ll be busy with my work…. So these two are now the Highest ranking Wrestlers, and as such, get to over see the class….Until Dennis returns….".

Bruno, and the others behind the metal railing, all drew breath sharply, their various faces, ranging from surprise to disgust.

TO BE CONTINUED……..

{What characters do you like ? who you’d like to see more of ? etc.}

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