Okami-san and the Little Mermaid Who Actually Has Legs Already
(It is important to note that when the narrator is talking there will be a * at the beginning and end of the dialogue and when there is a flash back the words will be in italics. Thank you!)
* Once upon a time, yatta, yatta, yatta, let's get on with it! Everyone knows we're in Otogibana city, and-Oh! Look there's our little wolf, no surprise there...but who is that tired-looking girl she's talking to, never seen her before...!*
"O-Okami-san!" I turn to see some girl running toward me. When she finally gets here, her red hair is all messed up and she's breathless. Jeez, I would have waited for her...
"Where's the fire?" I huff. "Do you need somethin', or..." *Well, DUH!*
"Y-yes!" she gasps. "I'm sorry, it's my asthma." Once she's not practically having a heart attack, the girl looks up at me, straight in the eyes.
"Can you please help me? I heard you're with the bank, and I'm completely out of options." I narrow my eyes.
"Sure, I can hook you up. C'mon." She looks innocent, but it could all be another trick. Ever since that bastard Shiro attacked the bank I can't stop thinking about when his next move is, or what it is. But he used a girl to get to me last time, and it's not likely that he'd pull the same strategy twice in a row, so...
I take her to the little shack that serves as the meeting room for clients.
"Yo, Alice! We got a customer!" I know she's monitoring the cameras, so her constant virtual presence is pretty reliable. The red-head sits down. I notice she's wearing the standard Otogi Academy sailor shirt and matching skirt, except her stockings are fishnets, both with a blue ribbon and a tiny seashell glued to the tops. Her red hair is in a long fishtail braid that goes down to her butt, and there's one of those flowers that grows by the sea tucked behind her ear. Overall, she's a pretty cutesy looking girl, except she's all sweaty. I wonder what she wants.
Alice appears in her quite, stiff way...
"Good afternoon. What can we help you with?" she asks, after straightening her spectacles. We sit on the couch across from Red Head.
"Well, it is my understanding that you help people in need here- for a price, of course."
"Yes, that is correct."
"Good then. My name is Ningyo Toyotama, but you can just call me Toyotama. I came here because...I'm in love." *Teenager these days; always so dramatic!*
"Could you explain the situation?" asks Alice. Awww! This is like something in one of my novels! Man, am I glad nobody can read my thoughts... *Well, I can, actually.*
"It all started about six months ago-," *Oh, so now we get your life story...*
We all glare at the annoying narrator. *Ah! Sorry, sorry!*
Toyotama clears her throat. "Anyway, it all started about six months ago when I found out my asthma had come back. I had been on the swim team because my whole family is kind of into that stuff."
"Does your father happen to be Ningyo-sensei?" inquires Alice.
"Yes, that's him. He and the Aragami family go way back, as I'm sure you've heard. But as I was saying, I've never really had the knack for swim, which I know ticked him off. I would occasionally skip swim meets to watch the track team practice, you know, just to get a change of scenery from dudes in Speedos. I watched this one guy run in particular because he was really good. I found out later he was actually team captain.
"Then one day I watched him run alone."-*She was stalking him!*- "He was jogging across the street when some jerk on a bike hit him! I hauled him across the street, but he was knocked out the whole time. I don't know for sure that he even saw me." She sighs.
"I couldn't top thinking about him...so, I came today so I can finally make a move to be close to him." *Jeez, she and Ryoshi need to have lunch or something and trade stalker techniques!*
"I'm not giving up! So what I want you guys to do is train me. Teach me how to run and get into shape. Track try-outs are two weeks from now, and I need you to make sure I make the team so I can have a chance with my hopefully-future man!"
"Toyotama, you realize this request is potentially dangerous to you health. You could be seriously-"
"It doesn't matter! Don't think I haven't considered the price." Her hands tug at the hem of her skirt.
"Please."
Alice nods.
"Very well. Ryoko, this request will be yours to fill. You have the most experience with training."
I shrug. "Sure, I'm up for it." I pause. "Wait, if she has an asthma attack and dies, am I responsible for th-"
"Ryoko!" Ryoshi randomly bursts into the room. That screw-up manages to trip over the coffee table and fall right into Toyotama's lap. This really ticks me off… for some reason...
Toyotama pushes him off the same time I grab his shirt and pull him away.
"What is it, Ryoshi?" I ask, making sure there is a slight edge of annoyance in my voice, just enough so that it doesn't look like I like him here but also much less of a snarl than usual so he doesn't think that I don't want him here…exactly. He's breathing hard. *Is everyone in a hurry today?*
"I-I'm sorry…I thought it was just you in here…Ringo said that…" his sentence trails off awkwardly. Uncomfortable silence fills the room. *Looks like some people are experiencing some unrelieved romantic tension!*
"Sorry, I didn't mean to get all over you!" he exclaims to Toyotama suddenly. Remembering, I pull back my fist to knock him out but… Jeez, why should I? Why should I give a crap if he's all over some girl? Frankly, I couldn't care less! *Now, you all can't see it, but our wolf is making a very cross face right now, it's absolutely adorable.*
Toyotama laughs. "It's okay. Stuff happens."
"Who is she?" Ryoshi asks me.
"A client. I'm going to train her."
"To fight?"
"Nah. Running. Not my area of expertise but I can easily do it." I wonder why he came in here… I turn to Toyotama.
"If you don't have anything to do, we can start training immediately."
"Yes! I want to start ASAP."
"Ryoshi, you can come if you want. You've trained before too." I smile at him, remembering the reason he ever trained at all. He wanted to protect me. And…he did. No matter the circumstances, no matter what happened or how I acted or what he learned about me, Ryoshi never stopped. I…
Wait! Aah! Where did that come from?! *From your heart, dear*
His gentle emerald eyes smile back at me.
"Of course. I'd do anything for you." The entire room is looking at us.
"Ok…let's go outside." I break the silence awkwardly.
Outside, I stand next to Ryoshi so that Toyotama is facing us.
"First rule of training: Endurance." *Oh dear, it appears Okami-san is in full Drill Sergeant Mode! Toyotama, prepare yourself!*
"In most cases, this is more of a state of mind at first and later becomes a physical level. You should… close your eyes and really focus on why you're doing this."
She does and I watch her face set in determination.
"I'm ready!" She exclaims, and pumps her fist.
"Okay then. First, we should probably stretch…" *The session goes on like this. None of it is really important in particular so let's skip ahead shall we?*
Toyotama is hot and tired by the end, and we didn't get that far because of her breathing problems but it was just the first session anyway.
"Okay. I think we're done for today. Not bad, kid."
"Thank you, Okami-sensei!"
"Hey, just doing my job." *Guys, this chapter is way too long already. Continued in the second chapter!*
"Hey, we were just-!"
*To be continued!*