OK, so the full summary is, Eva met Ria and Lina at Stern, and the three just got along. Ria became the little mother of the group, always looking out for the other two. Lina is the genius, very quiet, but heaven help you if you make her angry. Eva, well, you've seen her in the show. This is where the group really gets to know one another, and you'll have to read for the results! Hope you like it, there may be a little OOC ness, but that's not really intended. Read on!
"Almost done." Koji wiped his brow. "This thing takes forever to clean."
"Yeah." Stan agreed and stepped back to see if they'd missed a spot while cleaning the Whizzing Arrow II. "We're pretty much done." He saw the hose lying on the ground, and decided to cool his partner off. Picking the hose up, he gave him a quick, cold shower.
"HEY!" Koji ducked and moved out of the way, avoiding the water. "Stan, quit it!"
Stan was too busy having fun. He moved the hose, and hit the wrong person.
"What the-!" Ria looked down at her wet shirt. She WAS in the middle of bringing them lunch, when Stan accidentally doused her with the hose.
"Uh oh." Stan quickly dropped it and stepped back. "Ria, I didn't-"
"Ok, that's it." Her dark eyes flashed and in a snap, she had the hose in hand and was soaking him.
"Hey!" Stan and Koji started running, and flew around the Arrow.
"What's going on?" Jordan walked out and happened to be in their way.
"Jordan!" They both hid behind him and let HIM get wet when Ria aimed.
"Oops. Wrong dolt." Ria shrugged. "Ah well."
"Grr." Jordan ran after her and wrenched the hose away.
"Hey!" Ria started running and hid behind the boys.
"Ria?" Lina and Molly had heard her and wanted to be sure the boys weren't hurting her. Jordan accidentally got them.
"Alright, it's on!" Molly grabbed a bucket, while Lina grabbed a sponge. "Ria, help us!"
"Right." Ria joined her sisters, making it guys vs. girls. "I declare all-out war!"
Water flew through the air, and in minutes, everyone was absolutely soaked.
"What's going on out here?" Don walked out and was suddenly hit in the face by a stray sponge.
"Uh oh." Everyone paused and waited for the rant.
"What are you doing? Stan, Koji, you were supposed to be washing the Arrow, not yourselves!"
"We were-"
"Molly, Jordan, you were supposed to be training!"
"Rick was-"
"Ria, Lina, you two were supposed to be calculating for that new engine!"
"We fin-"
"And you, young lady!" Don pointed at Ria. "Have you looked at yourself?"
Ria looked down and realized that the white shirt she had on was now transparent. Lina gave her a towel big enough to cover her.
"You're a bunch of-"
"Goof- offs." Rick walked out and tried not to smile at the lot. "Hitting the boss with a sponge. Tsk tsk." He scolded. "I suppose that they should be taught a lesson." He smiled evilly. "Meet me at the pond tonight. We'll do some training."
"Good." Don marched off, feeling justified, while the six teens groaned.
"This is all your fault!" Ria pointed at Stan. "If you hadn't started this-!"
"Hey, YOU'RE the one that started it! I didn't mean to!"
"Well, you-"
"Alright, COOL IT!" Rick broke it up. "Girls, go change; guys, you all clean up."
"Grr." Ria stomped off, with Lina and Molly trailing behind her.
"Great." Stan rolled his eyes. "Now WE'RE stuck doing all that dumb training."
"Just clean up," Koji sighed, picking up a sponge.
That evening, after a quiet and tense meal, the six walked out to the pond.
"One, two, three, four, five, six. Good, everyone's here." Rick smiled his approval. "One lap to start with. Get."
A collective groan came from the six as they started jogging around the pond.
One lap later, they all plopped down in the grass.
"What're you doing? Come on." Rick motioned them to follow him.
"What now?" Ria muttered to her sisters.
They were all led to a bonfire, with several logs around it.
"Pull up a seat." Rick sat down and motioned the others to do the same. Once everyone was seated, and it just HAPPENED to be guys on one side, girls on the other, he looked from one to the other. "It probably goes without saying, but you guys don't exactly act like a team. It's kinda biased, actually." He stopped Ria from retorting. "Until you act like a real team, we won't get very far." He smiled craftily. "So we're gonna figure out how to do that. Stan," He pointed. "You're the oldest, so we'll start with you. What's up with not letting the girls help?"
"You're kidding, right? These guys have had NO training, no real experience, and we've been doing this for years! Plus, it's heck annoying when they try an' show us up."
"True." Rick nodded. "But, if you haven't noticed, they're bright, eager to learn, and they've done quite a job teaching themselves. Lina was the one that helped perfect that new hyper- drive."
"He's got a point." Koji admitted.
"You bet I do." Rick then turned to Ria. "You... you're hard to place. You aren't exactly biased, but you have this issue with the guys."
"Yeah, so?"
Rick looked at her for a long time. "You've been burned."
Ria gave him a dirty look.
"I thought so." Rick nodded. "Now it makes sense. You're trying to keep an eye on your sisters, and keep an eye on yourself." He grinned. "And I must admit, it makes you pretty strong when you're mad. I saw what you did to Stan the other day. It WAS impressive."
Stan scowled. "Humph."
"Thanks." Ria let a rare, true smile shine through. "Comes from years of hard work."
"I'll bet. But instead of constantly sheltering, mothering, and being flat out annoying, let up a little. Yeah, they'll get burned too, but they'll have you to run to. And you'll be a lot more fun."
Ria pouted and crossed her arms, while the guys snickered.
"Quit." Rick gave them a look. "Koji, own up. What's your issue?"
"Have you SEEN those three when they're angry? Not pretty."
"Quiet, Cricket." Rick stopped Ria's outburst. "Yeah, but have YOU seen them when they work? I've stayed up as late as they have. Ria won't sleep until the job's done, or she passes out. And yes, you HAVE done it." He gave Ria a quick look before she could say anything.
"So?" She pouted cutely.
"I said quiet, Cricket. Jordan?"
"Everyone knows that a girl behind the wheel is a bad idea."
"Why you-"
"Tiger, SIT!"
"Tigress, for the umpteenth time." Lina sat and scowled at the guys.
"Jordan, you've seen her race. And I've seen you attempt it."
It was the girls' turn to laugh.
"Girls, shush." Rick covered his own laugh. "Alright, Ria?"
"Dang." Ria sighed. "Guys are so lazy! You've seen them, lounging in the kitchen while my sisters and I bend over that stove. Heck, even AFTER I've worked longer than them too!"
"That is partly your own fault. You shouldn't need to stay up so late. From now on, if two of you aren't awake, everyone's in bed."
"Dang it." Ria sighed. "Men."
"I'll ignore that for now. Lina?"
"They're so LOUD. Try reading around these guys. It's almost impossible."
"Hey!" Koji scowled.
"Ok, except you."
"That's a start." Rick grinned. "Ok, two book worms, and by the looks of it, two workaholics. What about you, Molly?"
"I just don't like them," she said honestly. "Jordan's hot-headed, Stan's just grumpy, and Koji reads even more than Lina."
"You're hot- headed too, Little Mouse." Rick reached over and ruffled her hair. "And Stan is not a grump. That's all Don's job."
"Amen to that!" Ria smiled and punched the air.
"Down. Now that that's all out, we need to relax a bit." The smore ingredients seemed to appear from nowhere. "I can't get rid of these by myself."
"Alright!" The six gleefully dug in, and for a while, all the tension was gone. Then an awkward silence settled in.
"Hey, Ria."
"Oh, dear."
"I've heard you in the kitchen. Go ahead."
"No."
"Do it." Rick held up the camera that had several pictures with her goofing off, and they looked ridiculous. "Or else."
"Blackmail is illegal, you know." Ria scowled at him. "Besides, I have no idea what to do, so there."
"Jordan, start playing."
"What?"
"I've heard you with that harmonica. Play something."
"Uh- alright." Jordan took out a beaten old harmonica and smiled. "Grandad used to play this. Everything I know I've learned from him."
"So show it off." Ria, who had a strange soft spot, gave him an encouraging smile. "If you know one I know, I'll sing."
"OK." Jordan started playing and it took Ria a few seconds to have it click.
"Oh, that one!" She hummed a few bars, then shot in, as strong and loud as she could.
"Whoa." Stan and Koji glanced at one another.
"Good, Ria!" Rick pounded her back. "You've got something there."
"I'm gonna lose it if you pound me like that, though." She shot him a look. "Go ahead, Jordan."
"Right." Jordan started again, and this time, both Stan and Ria recognized it, and Rick knew it.
"Perfect. Try to complement each other's voice."
"Like THAT'LL happen," Ria muttered.
"Hey!"
"Relax." Ria waved it off. "I'm really all bark and no bite. Start again, Jordan."
"OK." Jordan obeyed, and Ria was the first to start singing. Stan, after a minute, reluctantly joined in.
"Hey, they're pretty good." Lina and Molly smiled at each other and started clapping in rhythm.
"That's good!" Rick was very pleased. Once they found something in common, they could find some sort of ground to meet on. And who didn't like music?
"I gotta admit, Stan, you aren't half bad." Ria smiled. "I just might consider doing that again."
"Glad you approve. Hey, what kinda music do you listen to anyway?"
"I've heard it. She's the newer country stuff," Koji threw in.
"Not only that," Ria protested. "Anything that makes me wanna get out of my seat and move."
"YOU dance?" Stan gave her an odd look.
"Yeah, doy. I also help tutor and teach those that have problems."
"And she's one HECK of a teacher, too," Molly added. "She can teach just about anyone anything."
"THAT I would like to see." Rick leaned back and smiled smugly. "Cricket can hardly hop as it is."
"Says you!" Ria jumped up and put her music player on the ground. "Molly, help me."
"The fireside one? That's my favorite!" Molly jumped up and joined her as some music started playing.
Suddenly, the two were moving quickly, just barely missing the flames of the fire. Ria did a daredevil jump over the flames, and landed gracefully, awing even Rick. Their eyes burned, and it seemed they were becoming one with the very heat of the fire. Faster and faster they danced and moved, twisting and turning, jumping and landing. Finally, it ended, and left them both panting for air.
"Whew!" Stan whistled and clapped with the rest. "How can you do that and not get singed?"
"Carefully." Ria sat in her place and smiled. "I can't remember the last time I did that. It's been so long since the last time."
"Why?" Koji queried.
"I work, that's why."
"Wait, you're only, what, sixteen?" Rick gave her a look.
"Yeah, why?"
"How long do you work?"
"Does it matter? I worked, who cares when or where." She waved it off. "All I know now is, we're not going back." She flipped on her music and smiled.
"Hey, wasn't that the one you won the contest at school with?" Lina nudged her sister.
"Maybe." Ria smiled and moved away. "Hey, are those fireflies?"
"Not quite," Koji put in. "They're similar to our fireflies, but they're kinda warm."
"Cool!" Ria and Molly jumped up and started running around, trying to catch some.
"That's them." Lina shook her head. "Poor Ria. She hardly ever has some real fun."
"Why not?" Stan tore his eyes away from the two girls.
"She's always too worried about Molly and me. She's the one that worked through school so that we could have some sort of future. Sleepless nights and hard days started to take their toll, and if she wasn't studying, she was asleep."
"Wow." Stan looked at Ria as she and Molly danced about. "I'd never've thought..."
"That should tell you a lot about her right there." Rick gave the three boys a hard look. "She's loyal, loving, and a good friend. She'll do anything to keep the ones she loves safe."
"Wow," Stan said again. "I guess we had her all wrong, Koji."
"Ya think?" Lina added, none too nicely.
"Yeah, well- AYAH!" Stan suddenly jumped up and tried to get the bug Ria had placed on his back off. "GET. IT. OFF!"
Everyone else broke down laughing.
"Seriously, guys, get it off!"
"Oh, hold still." Ria stopped him and scooped it up. "It's just a little- hold that thought." She ran to the edge of the cliff they were on and looked over it. "Be right back!" She jumped.
"Ria!" Everyone rushed to the edge. They couldn't see anything, though.
"Someone get a flashlight!" Rick was worried about the girl.
"Working on it." Molly took out her small, but powerful light and aimed it downward.
"Coming up!" Ria was climbing upward, with someone on her back. "Make room, up there. This cliff is steep."
"Here, Ria." Stan reached down and took her hand. "I've gotcha."
"Thanks." Ria climbed up with a small, squid child- thingy on her back. "Going down." She carefully set him on the ground. "There you are."
"Look at her face," Rick muttered to the guys. "That's not the face a total jerk would have."
"True." Molly nodded in agreement.
Ria, who for all the world looked like a small mother, bent over the terrified little one.
"Easy, now. You're alright. No one will hurt you here." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a handful of candy. "Try some."
After a moment of hesitation, hunger got the better of the small child. "Thank you," he murmured shyly.
"You're alright." Ria looked up at the rest. "Groor was after him. Musta been awful sore after that last defeat."
"Ugh. Some people never learn." Molly rolled her eyes and sighed. "So who's your little friend?"
"You know me. Save first, intro later." Ria turned to the small one. "You have a name?"
"Takato."
"Aw. I had a friend named Takato at school. I'm Ria." She bent over a bit and smiled. "Do you live far from here?"
"No. My parents were behind me when I was running. They should be here soon."
"Until then, it's getting cold. Why don't you join us near the fire?" She led him gently to the fire and let him crawl into her lap. "How did that old bully start chasing you?"
"I accidentally hit him with my bat."
"Ah. Grumps don't like that." She held out more sweets. "Go ahead."
"Wow." Jordan shook his head. "How do you do that?"
"She knows just what to say." Rick smiled at Ria. "And how to say it."
"I'll go keep an eye out for the others." Molly left her place and looked over the cliff.
"Careful, Molly. You'd probably go falling over," Jordan warned.
"If you're so anxious, go stand with her," Lina advised, earning her a smack from Ria.
"Fine." Jordan joined Molly, leaving the others alone.
"Lina, why don't you and Koji go get some water to put this out? As soon as Takato's safe, we'll be going in." Rick shooed them off.
"Fine." The two ran off.
"Clever, Rick." Ria scowled playfully. "Pair them off already."
"Book worms, hotheads, and workaholics. I don't have to."
"Hey!" Stan turned red and looked away from Ria.
"Takato!"
"Ria, they're here!"
"Mama! Papa!"
"Easy there." Ria put him on her back and started down the slope. "There you are."
"Takato!" Two more aliens held him tightly. "Where were you?"
"With her." Takato pointed to Ria. "She saved me."
"Thank you." The mother said sincerely.
"No need." Ria waved it off. "I have two girls to look after. It's almost a hobby of mine."
"Ria, you ok?"
"I'm fine, Molly." Ria smiled. "I have to get back. You be good, Takato."
"I will!" The little one hugged her leg, then ran off with his parents.
"Kids these days." Ria rolled her eyes and started the steep climb back up. "I should write a book..." As she crawled to the top, some earth moved from underneath her, and she almost fell a good thirty yards from the ground.
"Ria!" Eva reached out and caught her hand, but the force almost took her over the edge. Jordan grabbed her hand and managed to bring them all up.
"Ria?" Lina rushed over. "You're wrist-"
"It's just a bruise, Lina. I'm fine." Ria turned to Jordan. "Thanks."
"Uh- sure." Jordan gave a silly grin. "No problem."
"Alright, anyone under twenty one hasta go to bed." Rick put out the fire and ushered the teens to the hangar. "Lights out in fifteen."
"Fine, be that way." Ria made a playful face and marched away from him.
"Ria." Lina laughed at her and followed.
"Girls- ugh." Stan, Jordan, and Koji all laughed and raced off to bed.
"WHAT is all the racket out here?" Don walked out of his small office and scowled. "It's almost midnight!"
"His fault." All at once, the six pointed at Rick.
"Training." Rick shrugged. "Bed." He waited until they'd run off, then grinned. "They needed to learn to get along. Only time will tell if it worked."
"It had better." Don stormed back to bed.
"Hey, so what do you think of them now?" Ria asked her sisters as they dressed for bed.
"Koji's ok," Lina admitted. "At least he reads as much as I do."
"Nerd," Eva muttered, earning herself a hard hit over the head. "But I guess they're ok."
"Even Jordan?" Ria ducked a dirty sock. "Come on, admit it! He's kinda cute."
"That's because you like guys with-"
"Lina, I'll put that book down your throat."
"Alright, miss touchy. But what do YOU think about Stan?"
"He's- he's ok. I guess I could learn a thing or two from him."
"You like him," Eva teased.
"Oh, yeah, that's good coming from you, 'PRINCESS'. You're the one with two guys after you, not me."
"Jordan? Nah, I don't think so."
"Hey, I said to get to bed!" Rick pounded on the door. "Now!"
"We're going!" Eva got into her bed and Ria and Lina climbed out her window to sneak into their room.
As Lina and Ria were passing the boy's room, the window was open and curiosity made them stop.
"I dunno, Koji. She's alright, I guess."
"Come on! You couldn't take your eyes off her!"
"Yeah I did."
"Not willingly. Admit it, you're head over heels."
"I am not!" There was a small scuffle, which made Koji laugh.
"Yes you are! Just admit it!"
"Never!"
"Say it. You adore her."
"No."
"Do it!"
"Make me."
"I can always tell her for you."
"Now that's just plain evil."
"Say it."
"Alright, if it'll make you shut up! I- kinda sorta like- Ria. There, now-" There was another loud crash, then Stan's voice was heard again. "Now it's YOUR turn."
"Alright, I guess that's fair. I like Lina."
Both girls stared at one another, both a bright red. Ria made a rushed motion and they both crawled into their window.
"Um..." Ria started giggling. "I don't think we were supposed to hear that."
"No, I think you're right." Lina started laughing with her. "THAT was a bit embarrassing."
Rick heard the two laughing like naughty little girls.
"What are they doing?" He stopped and listened carefully.
"Wow, I didn't think..." Ria laughed. "I mean- HIM of all people."
"What? He's cute enough, I guess. He's up to your standards, at any rate."
"Now you're teasing me!" Ria pouted and crawled into the bottom bunk. "So I have a thing for guys like that. So what?"
"I just find it funny." Lina climbed into the top bunk, not escaping a slap from her sister. "But even I'd admit that he looks good."
"That's not helping, Lina." Ria laughed again, trying to smother it. "I wish I could've seen their faces. I actually feel sorry for him."
"Koji's the one to feel sorry for. Living with HIM, heh."
"Oh, now you're just tryna be contradictory."
"Oh, nice vocab word."
"Thanks." Ria yawned and turned over. "I suppose we should sleep now."
"Yeah. I'm kinda tired." Lina turned on the fan. "Night, sis."
"Night."
"FINALLY!" Rick burst out, making them squeak in surprise and start giggling nervously. "Shut up and sleep."
"Heh." Stan and Koji both peeked out of their door and grinned.
"You too, you two. Bed." Rick waited until there was quiet. "Teens now days." He shook his head and started toward bed, when six voices started laughing all at once. "I said shut up!" He couldn't help but smile. They were all so much like him when he was that age. "Now sleep, or I'll start biting."
"Oh, bed bug Rick!"
Rick paused and for the life of himself, couldn't figure out which girl had said it, but whoever did it made the rest crack up.
"Right, last warning. One more peep and you'll all be running laps until you can't feel your legs!"
There was an instant hush.
"Good." Rick turned. "I'm sure that was Ria..."
In her room, Ria sneezed.
Anywho, that's that. I'm Ria, Lina is my BFF, another OC of mine. Any and all reviews are welcome, the characters may be a little OOC, but that's not entirely intended. They are supposed to relax a bit here, so they may act just a little different, right? Oh, and that bed bug comment, nothing crude intended, just in case someone takes it that way. *bows* Thank you… ~Ria Wei~