Ringo stood before Yukue's shop in the middle of the night "to think she would take advantage of the free challenge card so soon, in the middle of my rest!"
-Yesterday-
Ringo sat on the top of a vending machine reading a romance manga that caught his eye. He was fully focused on the book, so he couldn't see "miss work" walk up to him.
"Ringo. are you slacking off?" she looked at the cover of the book and back at Ringo.
he tossed the book two houses back. "...I'm on break."
"that's littering- Yea right... Remember yesterday?" she crossed her arms as she looked up confidently.
Ringo's body slumped "No i don't."
"For being brave enough to eat that rice." she mocked "Does that sound familiar?" she was smirking.
"Shouldn't you respect the grace period?" he packed his food and tossed it to the roof behind him.
"I challenge you to a fight!" she immediately began charging at him, "Wait I'm not!-" and because his legs were crossed he couldn't get up quickly enough to avoid the gut punch.
-Today-
He stopped rubbing his stomach, peeked inside of the, now closed, clothing store "No one here... perfect!" He had a glass bottle, a rag, and a few door related tools in a bandolier. He looked like a aspiring arsonist that's normal. "Revenge shall be mine." the feather tucked in his hair flickered brightly but was smothered.
"HA-*ahem*hahaha...." he cackled with a whisper before picking the locked door with a concerning amount of skill.
Rummaging through the dark, quiet squeaks, shoes clacking. as items are being shuffled Ringo snickers quietly as he slips out of the shop now holding the bottle and rag.
=the next morning=
Yukue rises out of her bed. she always got up early so she could escape her parents sooner, but they caught on...
*Thud*
*Thump*
*CRASH*
"IM TALKING TO HER FIRST!!"*Pow* the mother shouted
"You did yesterday! SO MOVE!!"*slam* at least the father was a bit calmer.
The noises stopped at Yukue's door, turning into discussing murmurs but she wasn't going to wait for them to burst in. she headed for the window where a prepped ladder was ready to climb down on- *click* "Were those the locks?"
"Morning sis." her brother giggled
"Omoide!"
*Slam* the parents burst in, already leaping "GOOD MORNING DAUGHTER!!"*thump*
"Breakfast is ready!" the mother announced gleefully through the dog pile
"It is your favorite! Apple pancakes!" Their joyful faces were nice to look at, so Yukue tried to hold back a smile so they wouldn't be inspired to do this again but nothing escaped their eyes. *smoosh* their grip tightened.
-
Plates clattered and clinked in the family office.
They all stared at yukue who nonchalantly.... finished her third plate.
"So..." Omoide passed glances between their father and mother.
"You and Ringo, Rivals that spend their off time together."
"IT, is just that."
They all gave knowing smirks.
"You remember those other two kids that were always bickering hon." she waited for an answer
"Mmm" Heiwa was busy admiring his grumbling wife's cooking
Shizukesa cleared her throat "Hon? Hon... Honey!" she shouted
"I do." all that did was garner a side eye, and a sigh. "Love you hon."
"Love you too." they both glared at yukue who nearly cleaved her empty plate
"Nothing...More." she growled before leaving. The adults of the family passed more knowing glances. before they settle on the still single son "Omoide, get a wife." Omoide slumped in his seat.
Yukue did a few stretches before the door before walking out to open shop "School is out, schedule is shorter, and Ringo-" she could see him standing outside of his shop, smiling and waving at her. "He is up early..." she simply grinned and waved back.
"Today will be simple." she kicked the glass bottle into the nearby dumpster "Score!" she cheered while she opened the door. She always left a scent maker in the shop so she could open the door to a fresh- *Clack* the door didn't open. "maybe i didn't unlock it, silly me!" she playfully pats her forehead and certainly, unlocks the door before trying again
*Clack*
"Huh?"
"It is unlock and push, i didn't forget something did i?"
She twisted the key both ways and even tried lock picking it with the little skill she had but, it was unlocked. She finally checked the hinge of the door to see a bottle cap wedged in the door.
-Ringo's perspective-
Ringo Heard Yukue click her tongue "Haha, very funny Ringo." she tried to push the door again but it still didn't budge but as she jostled it it finally opened with a pull She had an unamused but very confused glare when she looked at Ringo "Watch your step..." he muttered before chuckling.
-back with yukue-
The spacious shop was full of many colorful dresses and shirts and only more stored away. the three washer machines filled a small closet room where dirty clothes are stored and her counter had a smaller hanger for expected clients to retrieve their clothes. Her missing clip board that sorted all of the out of order clothes she had on display. And a small streak on the floor that she slips on.
"Wait my clip board is miss-!" a short squeal escapes her as she gracefully does the Saotome secret technique, "Spider death slam."
though this stoppable technique is ruined by a wooden block meticulously placed in the landing zone of Yukue's best elbow.
*thump*
The sudden sharp pain made her eyes widen as a single, restrained tear escapes from the corner of her eye. She grit her teeth to hold back a scream, turning it into a pained grunt.
"Ringo..." she growled furiously. Yukue stood up, almost slipping a bit, she decides to leap over the counter instead, now heading toward the door.
*clunk*
shoving the door open she stomped with a temper toward Ringo. slowly becoming a full sprint toward him "Ringo!" she flew into a kick ready to flatten her rival.
Ringo slips out of his chair and pulls out a bottle, slipping around Yukue's kick he force fed her a vial of hot-sauce. He planned it save for the fact that Yukue wasn't actually weak with spicy things. "What did that old man make?!" now he was blocking a flurry of blows.
"If i didn't know any-" he ducks a kick "Better... I'd say you aren't holding back."
Yukue unleashed a right hook that Ringo dodged but suddenly Yukue kicks a bucket at him. He caught it, but it was filled with water that still carried all of the momentum from her kick.
*splash*
He was doing so well to avoid transforming, seeing how it got him knocked out last time...
Yukue had heard from Ringo's grandmother that Ringo could transform, but she did avoid telling her what it was. "White feathers... black tipped wings... black, sharp, pointy beak! Razor talons!!" she was exaggerating -just a bit-
"A BIRD!!" She screamed as if she was falling again, worse even. "AAAAAAAAAAH!" she punched wildly even hitting Ringo once "....is it dead?" but her fears only worsened when this Monster, seemed to be far from dead and suddenly on fire.
This...Monster! spread its menacing wings coated in hell flames abruptly and began clacking that...blade of a beak! as it began to taunt her... laughing like a seagull. . . neck bob and all -minus the noise- (staring to think this fear may be irrational...)
Once Yukue was cornered and putting up a poor defense the stork paused, Neck stretched high, wings spread far, on one leg. Yukue peeked skeptically at it till it began the laughing motion again but paused like it was skipping to the next frame.
This time around the stork began snickering genuinely. Yukue was embarrassed and furious which reminded her... "Where is Ringo?" but the feather on the storks head was all she needed to know "You little!" She grabbed the endangered breed of stork by the neck and began shaking its head violently "Why, did, you mess with my stuff! you @#$%# *gasp* *$#%@!!"
She had long since stopped with the shaking and just swore at the bird for a while stopping only to breath for a bit. Ringo went inside and came back out as an irritated looking human "I hope you enjoyed yelling all of that nonsense 'cause its my turn, You, Stupid!*>:(*"
They just blindly tossed profanity at each other. Children plugged their mother's ears as they plugged their children's ears. young delinquents began writing down all of the new combinations they made. And they... slowly began to crack a bit Ringo snickered at the absurdity of some of the treats yukue made while she chuckled at the absurd combinations Ringo made.
"You-pft-heh-wha. what was that last one?" Yukue was the first to give in
Ringo simply shook his head as he refused to laugh "Nothing- just something dumb."
Yukue suddenly stopped laughing, an image of her parents flashed in her eyes. as she looked at the hotel to see her grinning parents in the window.
"What's wrong sour mouth?"
"My parents do this..." Her imagination was working too well now
"Is, their relation ship stable..?"
"OF COURSE IT IS!"
.
..
…
"Changing the subject. why were you so terrified when i was a stork?"
"Why did you torment me?"
"Oh would you look at that! you have customers waiting!"
"I wont let this go Ringo... Ukyo's after work! be there."
"Fine."
Ringo retreated to his shop. he was up early to see his least expected customer, "Where am i?" the lost boy said his eyes locked onto the assortment of familiar weapons and especially the poorly taped together Koi rod for sale.
Bad memories ran through his mind but something swiped the potential lesson he should learn to the side. "A second chance to catch Akane's heart!" he was brought to tears "But... it wouldn't be true..."
A sinister grin crossed Ringo's mind as he hides behind the counter.
Forcing a deeper, more ethereal voice he begins his plot "Boy... do you not know the truth?"
"Huh? who's there!"
"Boy! hear me. the god of the koi speaks to you!"
"The rod?!"
"Uhm... Yes, it holds a fraction of my power and allows me to speak to you!" Ringo patted himself on the back for the save.
"What is it?"
"You said that the love that comes from the koi rod wouldn't be true, did you not?"
"Yes it uses a curse and makes them love the user."
"Wrong!"
"What?"
"The rod does not make love that isn't already there!"
"But it worked on Ranma!"
"Uh- Bromance works too. yea..."
"Then if i use it on Akane"
"If it works then it was true love!"
"then...I shall buy it!"
Ringo hops up from behind the counter "Two thousand yen!"
"But the tag says-"
Ringo ducks behind the counter again "Boy... love is deeper than any wallet. buy it for the-fourteen thousand yen."
"But-"
"But what? do you not love her!"
"Alright!"
"Are you ready to buy?" Ringo was already holding his hand out.
-
Ryoga left the shop while apologizing to his wallet. before miraculously returning to the shop without getting lost "can you take me somewhere?"
Ringo thought about it for a moment. "some other guy may be down on his luck in the future ill need that back incase."
"Of course I'll help! where to?"
-Tendo household-
Ringo sat on the wall to watch the chaos.
Ryoga saw Akane angrily training "It must've been Ranma's doing. dont worry Akane I'll be better than he ever will be!" He cast the rod toward her but his aim faltered when he thought of Akari. "She is my girlfriend and I'm here chasing after Akane?!" he closed his eyes in confliction, leaving fate to decide. "Akane or Akari!"
*smack*
*pop*
A pit filled his stomach but he was still running around the corner with a smile and arms wide open for his future. a smaller, shorter body embraced him in his arms they felt cold and gross. like being held by it was disgusting. Ryoga peeked from his closed eye
A wave of despair shocked through him, petrifying the lost boy.
Ranma managed to get past his surprise "Gee... I didn't know you and Happosai! were so close." he joked
thanks to Happosai's small size Ryoga was able to lift the love stricken pervert and remove the marking. "Why was i hugging you!" Happosai spat at the ground like he ate something disgusting and leapt off of the petrified Ryoga and lunged at Akane "MY SWEET- *ough*" and there went Happosai, to be another wards problem.
"Eh? Hey P-Chan. why did you have this?" Ranma lifted the koi rod up
"Stop it Ranma! just because they have the same bandana doesn't mean you call Ryoga a pig!"
"Really?"
Akane confidently nodded like she didn't just trace around the two most obvious dots.
"Prepare to die Ranma!" Ryoga attacked Furiously, slashing and swiping wildly with the fishing rod. "Ryoga was competent enough with a weapon but this stupid thing can get me killed!" An image of Nodoka executing Ranma crossed his mind whit his last words being. "Ryoga My love..."
The sucker grazed his chest "That's it!" He chopped the fishing rod in half and stomped it past repair. "No more of that nonsense!"
Ringo leapt down "Aw dang it! why'd you go and break it this much?"
"Why do you care?"
"It sold for a lot of money! I could've slacked off for months!"
"Fare well Akane" Ryoga's final goodbye was muttered
"What's with him?" Ringo asked
"Will Ryoga be alright Ranma?"
"Dunno." He just walked to the house
"Such a shame..." he couldn't help but get mad a spilt milk.
"What about you?" Akane asked
"It's just a stick." He was frustrated but at least it gave a show and some money. "I'm bored..." the sun was reaching noon.
-At Yukue's shop-
"Ugh, that moron! messing up my stuff." she was searching for her clip board all over.
"Well i was going to help you but never mind." Ringo began walking out of the door but it was fixed *Bump* "pull huh?"
Yukue could've held back a laugh but it was karma "HAHAHA! that's what you get for-..." "-What you did! Hah" she went back to searching for the clip board.
"Have you tried looking under that rag?"
"It wouldn't be her-e." she sighed audibly.
Inspired by Ranma calling Ryoga P-Chan Ringo nicknamed Yukue "Aho-chan"
"What?" she was confused and insulted
"Nothing, Aho-chan. Doesn't feel right."
"Yea maybe don't, call me that."
"Mascara!" a third voice called, making Ringo's posture straighten in fear. "I Knew it was you!"
A staff pogoed it's way into the shop "Come greet your Honorary mother!"