Chapter Summary:
This chapter has Ryuk and Alice clash with the trio of Ringo, Tux, and Jake from my friend's original story: Tagoda. Other than a fun fight, there is no plot significance or character development in this whatsoever. That is to say this chapter is non-canon. It solely exists as a fun, tongue and cheek crossover.
Quick Tagoda Character Synopsis:
Ringo – A strong hard-working lightning mage and main protagonist of her story. Traveling around her world on the hunt for a series of magical artifacts, she believes that acquisition of all of them will allow her to fulfill her dream of becoming God.
Tux – The straight man and Ringo's companion since grade school. Level-headed, he has been bequeathed one of Ringo's artifacts for the time being to defend himself. Other than the ability to sense when more artifacts are near, Tux has no other magical capabilities.
Jake – A young tag-along that joined Ringo early in her quest. Jake has a lot of potential as well as a strong magical bloodline. Childish, naive, with a lack of drive, he has a long way to go before becoming truly great.
– TEAS: The Lost Archives –
Chapter 5: Main Character Syndrome
It was a morning like any other. The trio of mix-matched mages and not found themselves in the current town they were traveling between. Having arrived in the dead of night, the group had immediately located the nearest inn and tavern to crash for the day's night. Luckily and to Ringo's approval, the first floor doubled as a bar. One that Tux needed to quite literally drag her away from upon their initial late arrival.
Just when the three were all beginning to wake up and prepare their morning routines and rituals, the group's level-headed seer started staring off all of a sudden, just as he was sitting up from his bed. Gaining his friends' attention, his eyes lit up.
"What'cha see?" Jake asked, leaning in close almost as soon as his friend had readjusted himself to his familiar bearings. The older blonde of the group would have scolded the youngest's impish actions if she herself was not just as curious, admittedly for different reasons.
With a short frown, Tux pushed their young Casanova away from his immediate area with a less than gentle shove to his face. This action causing the other male to tumble off the side of the owner's bed. Looking up, Tux gazed up at Ringo who was staring down at him. "I think I saw a new god item. I wasn't even looking for it, it just sorta came to me."
Crossing her arms, Ringo listened on. "It must be strong. It may even be close by if it had that much of an effect on you." Reaching for her bag of belongings, the deity-to-be pulled out her manual. "What did it look like?"
Closing his eyes, Tux took a moment to recount his vision in his head. "It was a pair of ornate glasses. The frame seemed to be made of bronze, the lens were almost like a jagged crystal."
Raising a brow, the team's female stopped where she was halfway through the god manual. Shutting it closed, she tucked it under her arm.
"What's wrong?" The group's oldest male asked inquisitively up at his friend.
"It took me a while but I read this thing inside and out, y'know." Ringo pulled out the incandescent tome once again for reference as she spoke. "There's nothing in here about glasses, Tux."
Hopping back up on the foot of Tux's bed, Jake leaned against the back wall. "If it ain't a god item then why'd Tux have a vision." With a playful smirk the late teen stared over at the bed-headed male across from him. "Has Tux finally gone crazy?" The youngest teased, placating shock.
Growing a playful smile of her own, Ringo put her manual back in her bag with her other belongings. "Oh definitely." Just as she received an indignant and less than amused glare from the recently awoken older of the two males, she leaned on his head with one arm as she faced Jake. "Still, we should probably check it out before we leave town."
"There was something else." Tux mentioned, garnering the attention back. No effort put into removing Ringo's arm as it sat on his clean combed head. Perhaps it was due to just waking up or maybe he finally realized going against his friends when they teased him like this only earned a bigger rise out of them, he simply put up with it. "The glasses belonged to an old man, but there was another person there." The other two stared attentively as he continued. "He looked like a teenager. Long coat. Cowboy boots, I think. He was armed. He had a sword on his back with a pair of hand guns at his waist. A bodyguard maybe?"
Upon his new information, Ringo uprooted herself and took a step forward, cupping her chin in thought. "Doesn't sound like anyone we know. Too young." Earning a nod from the team's seer, she turned back to the door. "We'll prepare after some breakfast."
Hearing an unusually composed and patient course of action from Ringo, Tux couldn't help but smile earnestly up at her. "That sounds like a gre—"
"To the bar!" The long haired blond shouted like an enthusiastic drill Sargent instructing his men to the mess hall. As soon as she could take one step, she was stopped when she felt a tugging on one of her wrists. Looking behind, Ringo found the anchor point had been a hand, and it belonged to a less than cooperative looking Tux.
Flinging his bed covers off of himself and onto the floor, Tux rose up to meet Ringo at eye level. "I must still be half asleep." His tone being very heavily forced into his state of normal composure. "There's no way you actually intend to start drinking this early in the morning!" The man's fleeting composure running out by the end.
"You said it yourself, our target has armed forces. I'll need to prepare accordingly. I definitely need to be on the top of my game." Her face uncharacteristically flat. Her apparent desire for alcohol overtaking her as she tried throwing Tux's information back at him in an attempt to sway him. Receiving a second helping of the glare from earlier, she went on further. "If they didn't want me drinking at this hour than why do the barkeeps offer liquor this early, Tux?" She explained in an almost matter-of-fact tone in vain justification of her bad habit.
Leaning closer, Tux met the woman's less than plightful expression with a scowl. "It's open so the owner can make money off of alcoholics like you."
"It's good for my health!" Ringo shouted back, turning her full body to him and away from the door.
As the two began to bicker, Jake just stared with disinterest. His growing excitement from earlier disappearing. With a sigh, he remained seated. "Oh, just get married already." He lamented to himself, neither hearing his complaint over their own growing tones of outrage.
. . . . . . . . .
Walking along the dirt path which led from the direction of the town's harbor, two fairly young individuals walked side by side. The two were a pair of adolescents, one a boy, the other a girl.
"It's gotten hotter all of a sudden." Alice commented as the two continued walking. Just now making it to the port-side entrance of the less than rural town. A frail wind gently blowing her red ponytail behind her. Her eyes naturally drawn to the town's most prominent landmarks and other eye-catching architecture.
Before responding, the boy shrugged his shoulders momentarily. As he began his people watching of all those in front, he opened his mouth. "What do you expect? We're not gonna get the cool sea breeze all the way over here. No, instead we'll be met by the hustle and bustle. Well, this place isn't that big, but you get what I mean." Ryuk wrapped up with a brief fanning motion of his off hand, a pleasant smile sent toward his companion. A light jingle of his spurs humming with every step.
"Should we have taken Zigbur with us?" The girl asked. Meanwhile, her head tracked a nearby towering stone building as they passed by, paying no immediate mind to what was in front of her.
With another shrug, Ryuk shook his head. "Naw. It's fine just letting him play around with those kids we met at the beach. We make him do enough chores as it is. Let him enjoy himself a bit."
As the redhead gave a low murmurer of agreement, she remained focused elsewhere. Unbeknownst to her, an older looking man dressed in a tan leisure suit that probably would have more befit someone during his birth date as apposed to the current day, appeared from the shifting crowd up ahead. Underneath one arm, he clung desperately to a black leather parcel. With a partially jank sprint in their direction, it would have been harder for the male teenager to avert his gaze than catch a passing glance.
Just as the man was about to run passed the pair, a displaced people found its way under his front most foot. That single slip up was all it took for the gray haired man to lose his balance and be sent tumbling forward at Alice.
Noticing his partner's current less than attentive behavior. Ryuk slung his right arm around her waist and swung her off to the side. As the old man was about to plummet face first onto the stone pavement as a result, the knight acted upon that as well. Right before collision, with his other arm, Ryuk snuck his hand under the man's belt and halted his collapse as well as hoisting him back upright. "Careful." The teen warned casually without skipping a beat. "Everything all right?" The youth asked as he flashed a smile.
With a pack of heavy breaths escaping him, the older man turned to the pair of teens as he took a moment to recuperate. "H-Hm? Wha— Oh! W-Why yes, my boy." Still catching his breath, the older gentleman gave a slight embarrassed bow. "I do apologize for my actions. I just wanted to make certain I would be able to catch my ferry ride across the way to the accompanying peninsula." With one last heavy huff, the man cleared his throat.
"Ferry?" The black haired teen asked curiously. After a second, his eyes widened a bit before resetting. "Oh!" All of a sudden, he snapped his fingers near his head. "Large thing? White paint? Little red tastles on the side?"
With a hearty laugh, the old man nodded. "W-Why yes I believe so. Have you ridden before?" His interest piqued despite his hurry.
"Ridden? No." Ryuk's smile dying down bit by bit as he would continue. "I have seen it before though. Recently, in fact. I saw it at the harbor, almost ten minutes ago, actually. As it was... leaving." The bad news being delivered as quickly and gently as the youth could muster.
For a moment, the kind seeming old man could do nothing as his expression faded away from his face. "Departed? No no no. That can't be—" Seeming instinctively, the elder reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pristine pocket watch. "Oh."
"Are you gonna be alright, sir?" Alice asked in genuine worry toward the man who had almost flattened her moments ago.
"Hm?" The man mused, perhaps contemplating his next course of action.
"It's pretty early in the morning." Ryuk spoke up again, trying to calm the older man. "Ferries take round trips. I'm sure you'll be able to take the next one once it's come back."
Before responding, the gray haired man stared down at his satchel. "Well... yes. I'm certain that would be the case. My only worry is—" Looking back up, the old man stopped as he looked directly at Ryuk. For the next few moments, his eyes darted between his weapons and attire. "Y-Young man, you look quite capable."
With his smile resurfacing, the teen crossed his arms. "I'm listening." His partner laughing partially at his response.
Presenting his concealed parcel forward, the man began to explain his circumstances. "What I hold inside this bag is a family treasure that has been passed down my line for generations!" His tone raising as so did his importance of which his spoke. "I don't expect anyone to attempt to steal this from me as my coming to his town has been in secret. Although, I would feel much more at ease with the security of another."
Contemplating the offer for only a second, Ryuk turned away as he spread his arms a little wide. "Well... as much as I'd hate to be involved with what could potentially international incident..." Glancing back over, he noticed his partner shooting a wry and knowing smile his way. Seeing this, a proud smile grew as his shoulders stiffened in a more presentable manner. "...we'll do what we can. A knight could never turn a blind eye to—"
Stopping mid-sentence. The adolescent's gaze was shifted back in the direction of the town. Out of the corners of his eyes, a small group of three, almost a block away stood out to him. The one in front, a blond woman had pointed over to the three of them. She then seemed to ask something to one of the men behind her, as if asking him for confirmation.
Witnessing the trio continue their approach. Ryuk turned back to his partner and his new acquaintance. "You sure no one's looking for you?" The teen asked, pointing behind him with his thumb. When the man was quick to shake his head, the boy smirked as he turned back around once more. "Stand back, things are about to get flashy." His smirk widening slightly at the end before calming down.
"Wait!" Alice called out moving beside her partner. "There's a tremendous amount of mana emanating from around that girl over there."
Ryuk's eyes narrowed at this new poignant and helpful information. "Anya did say this place was a county full of mages. If they're dangerous, then starting something in a crowd would be a very bad idea." Raising up one of his free hands, he bit into his thumb knuckle as he thought about his options. "And if I can't show off..." Pulling down his hand, he looked over to his partner. "...then there's only one other thing we can do."
Silently, Alice nodded as she awaited her trusted partner's instructions.
. . . . . . . . .
Just rounding the corner, Ringo and her companions continued to set off for the town harbor. Almost as soon as they entered the new block, she blocked the sun from her eyes as she looked forward. After, she pointed over to the road leading off to the sea and looked over her shoulder. "That them over there?"
Even after squinting, it took a few more houses and buildings before the team's seer could adequately respond. "I couldn't even see them from here. What, do you have the eyes of a hawk now too?" After his brief criticism, the male looked back at their potential targets before turning back to Ringo. "But yes, I'm almost certain, even from here."
Grinning proudly, Ringo turned around and began back-peddling as the three proceeded down the not particularly crowded streets. "Hm. That does sound like a fairly god-like quality, doesn't it?"
"I don't think it really matters if it's them or not right now." Jake, the youngest commented casually.
"Why's that?" Tux asked for the two of them.
"They're running away." Jake pointed out without much alarm.
As Ringo turned forward once more, Tux shared in her view. Across the way, they saw the red haired girl grab the older man by the arm and lead him off to a nearby alley in a hurry. The teenage male stayed behind momentarily to safely watch over their escape. Just as he was about to follow after them, he turned to notice the trio's eyes all on him. Flashing a smirk, he gave a cheeky two fingered salute before making a dash for the same alleyway.
With an indignant groan, Ringo was the first of the three to brake into a sprint after them. "Oh I hate it when they run!"
Almost stumbling before following behind, Jake looked over at Tux as he went to chase after their zealous companion. "Whoa! That was fast. I mean— like, really fast. Are we scary or something? Do we stand out?" When the older male hadn't immediately answered his passing question, he hurried up to shorten his growing distance to the other.
Just as Tux thought about this statement, a battle cry from Ringo reverberated down the street. Alerting all behind, beyond and those unfortunate enough to get caught in between. "You can't run from God, kid! I'll find you!"
After a slow blink, Tux let out a brief sigh. "Some more than others." The man complained aloud but ran after his two friends nonetheless despite such thoughts.
. . . . . . . . .
Running down a narrow alleyway, Ringo never let her target get too out of sight. Even as the youth she was chasing would toss down trash cans and like receptacles behind him to slow her down, the blond would have little trouble or use much effort in knocking them out of her path or simply jumping over them.
Even with the crisscrossed nature of the tightly compacted surrounding buildings, the determined woman was never lost to its maze or her target's quick turns down branching paths.
Eventually, both parties found themselves in a large open area behind the tightly knitted buildings. The tall architecture looming over the two of them and painting the concrete backways in a rich shadow. The morning sun not yet gracing the empty lot with its presence.
The spacious area was by no means a dead end. It seemed that many of the adjacent alleys led into it, like branching roots to a tree or rivers to one central lake. The old man she was after and the young girl with him stood on the opposite end, near another alley which would be used if escape was needed. In front of them, by the middle of the lot stood the adolescent who had mocked her earlier on.
"Gotcha." Ringo spoke aloud as she crossed her arms, staring down the younger boy. At this time, both Jake and Tux who had only just now caught up to her, stood at opposite sides of the woman, both equally out of breath despite her unhinged state.
Placing one hand on his hip, the teen smiled gently toward the trio. "I'd prefer it if we don't have to stoop to violence. What are you after?" His tone soft sprinkled with a hint of naivety.
Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Ringo answered his request. "We just wanna see the glasses that old man has. We'll give it right back when we're done taking a good look at it."
His smile weakening partially, Ryuk looked away momentarily. Rubbing the back of his head as he did so. "Well you see, I'm not too sure how willing you'll be to give it right back when you're done. You can understand where I'm coming from with this."
Taking a step ahead of her companions, Ringo dropped her arms to her sides. "You'll just have to trust us." Her direct words implying how little of a choice she was willing to give.
With a quiet sigh, the black haired boy stood up more ridged than before. "It seems there's no other way." Reaching over his shoulder, the teen pulled out his curve less katana. Holding it awkwardly in front of him, his hands gripped it far to closely to the blade guard. His footing spaced too close together. An uneasy looking growing on his face. "Please go easy on me. Believe it or not, this is my first time holding a sword." The sword trembling noticeably in his hands.
Both Tux and Jake exchanged a less than impressed glance before resetting on the boy. "Go easy on the kid Ringo." Tux suggested with a nod of agreement from their party's youngest.
As Ringo began walking forward at a steady pace, she kept her alert up. "Is that so? I'm not so sure." She admitted earning a barely noticeable glare from the youth in front of her. As soon as she saw this, the blond broke out into a sprint. With in seconds, her charge had led her directly in front of her opponent. Pulling back her right arm, she prepared to deliver the first strike.
Not intimidated, the young swordsman smirked to himself. "Well, if you're gonna be difficult..." Twirling the katana in his hands, it was gripped more firmly in a more naturally state. His back foot sliding further back to balance out his stance. The boy's shoulders being held much for confidently as his eyes traced the direction of the oncoming punch. All of these precautions corrected in a mere second. "...I'll have to oblige."
Allowing the punch to get closer, Ryuk spun his sword in his hand once more. With strong grip with his right hand, he removed his left. Rather than attempting to cut his attacker, he instead grazed the side of the sword on Ringo's inner forearm. Pressing his left hand against the blade, he pushed the direction of the blow away from himself as he moved closer to his opponent.
Not differed, Ringo used her redirected momentum to spin around and tried to land a quick elbow on the boy's now much closer face. Seeing this, the youth acted fast with swift duck. As he stood back up he was greeted with the woman's second punch, her form recuperating much faster than he anticipated. Acting just as quickly, he brought one leg up and took the blow to his knee. Jumping back, the two returned to staring each other down, neither truly injured or damaged to any noticeable extent.
"You could've really hurt me." The teen scolded up at his elder. "How distrusting. I'm hurt." The adolescent teased attempting to get under the blond's skin.
Simply smiling as a result, Ringo slipped her arms down onto her hips. "Is that a request?"
On the sidelines, both remnants of Ringo's group watched on in surprise. Jake crossing his arms as he looked on at the child he up until recently wrote off as just some meek kid. "So he was just faking it before? I couldn't even tell. Even I wasn't that good when I was a pickpocket." His modest compliment spoken out loud as an attempt to get a rise out of the other, but nothing happened.
Tux was too busy focused examining Ringo's newest opponent, and as a result had only heard the first half of Jake's comment. "Yeah. I didn't either." A partially worried expression growing over his normally stoic face if only for a moment. What else could this kid be hiding?
Perhaps following a similar mental track, Ringo balled a fist in preparation. "I hope you got some other tricks, kid. You'll need 'em." Aiming toward the ground, the older woman delivered a strong punch directly on the ground beneath her. "Mountain Wall: Earth!" As soon as the words were spoken, a trail of stalagmites ripped through the concrete in front of her. Directed ahead of her and toward the youth and back wall he was currently standing in front of, the size and width only grew the further it distanced itself from her.
Slipping his hands into his pockets, Ryuk's golden eyes never widened even half in inch in surprise or worry. Dashing backward, he kept a firm eye on the size of the growing and speed of the stalagmites which were keeping up with him and even closing the distance. "So this is what mages can do, huh? Pretty scary stuff." The teen commented to himself just loud enough for himself to hear.
With the adolescent's back practically pressed up against the back wall of one of the many surrounding buildings, his confident smile never faltered. Rather than skipping backward like before, he leaped straight up into the air. As soon as he left the ground, the final and largest of the sharpened earth broke through beneath. Acting instantly, he kicked off the wall behind him and landed perfectly on the tip of the penultimate shard of earth as the final rose up violently behind him. The youth, unfazed as he stared down at the source of the spell.
Standing up, Ringo chuckled a bit to herself. "I'm normally not too fond of upstart kids who think they can do anything. Still, I've never seen anyone face my spell like that."
With a slow shake of his head, Ryuk began walking down the descending spikes with ease, as if it were a staircase. Pulling his hands out of his pocket, he even gave a partial shrug. "That's fine. After all, I feel the same way about thick-headed adults who are all talk."
"All talk, am I?" Just before Ringo could produce her next move, with one lightening fast movement, Ryuk had drawn one of his revolvers and was aiming it directly at Ringo's forehead from his elevated position. As her entertained face started returning to the alertness she wore at the start of the duel, Ryuk gave a quick wink. Pressing back on the hammer of his gun, the chassis was coated in a burning red hue and the trigger was pulled.
Ringo had faced enchanted bullets before. What had exited the small handgun was something she was not expecting. From the barrel spawned a giant fireball nearly the size of carriage. Thankfully for the mage's sake, it traveled slower than a normal bullet would, but was still hurdling directly toward her. Eyes widening in surprise, she dove out of the way. As the fireball hit where she previously stood, rather than dissipating, it seemed to detonate, sending out a shockwave of dust in the surrounding area.
Standing up and covering her eyes from the oncoming debris, she found Ryuk aimed down at her once again, still standing tall on the elevated stalagmite's she had created for him. As he pulled back on the hammer once again, he fired off two more fireballs in quick succession.
Forced to offensively defend herself, Ringo made a dash for the wall of earth from which the teen rained fire down upon her. Explosions going off behind her, she ignored them as she pulled back her fist once again. "Lightening Quake: Earth!" The gray concrete broke off from beneath and molded to fit a gauntlet of sharded earth. With a dashing blow, as soon as the strong punch made contact, the trail of towering stalagmites gave way over their own weight as though their foundations had been turned to dust.
His footing wavering, Ryuk put away his handgun as he leaped onto the opposite side of the crumbling wall where the blond mage had countered her own spell. As soon as the youth had landed, he turned to see Ringo stepping through the hole of the shattering wall she had made.
With a stern look Ringo pointed directly in front of her toward the teen. "You don't know what you're up against." Pulling her arm back, she pointed at her chest with her thumb. "I'm gonna be god!" The woman proudly decreed.
Unimpressed, Ryuk slid his hands back into his pockets. "Sorry, but I don't believe in god. I believe in me. Guess that marks me a heretic." His confident tone and demeanor remaining unchanged as he ignored the heavy handed claim.
Her grin returning from before, Ringo dropped her arm back to her side. "Don't worry. I'll turn you into a believer." Cracking her knuckles, she tightened her right fist. After a deep breath, she widened her stance partially. "Lightening Quake: Plasma!" As a blinding light began to light the dim lit urban arena, lightening seemed to form out of thin air and mold to a physical gauntlet similar to the concrete one made moments before.
With a sigh, Ryuk took a step behind in precaution. "Seriously, why is it every lightening user I meet is so full of themselves?" He lamented to no one in particular.
The old man started trembling as he watched the display in worry. "Young girl..." He questioned poking Alice on her shoulder. "Are you certain what that young man said will work? That woman seems awfully strong." Pulling out a handkerchief from his breast pocket, he wiped down some accumulating sweat off his forehead.
With a polite smile, the teenager looked up at him reassuringly. "She is." Despite such acceptance, her attitude never fell. "You heard what he said before that woman showed up. As long as I enchant his weapons when he gives the signal, I'm sure Ryuk will be able to come on top. Leave it to us, sir."
Drawing his sword once more, the teen took up a defensive posture. "Maybe we should dial it back a little bit. I'll even do the same. Honest, you can trust me." Rather than responding, Ringo reinforced her offensive stance. His shoulders dropping partially at her chosen rebuttal, Ryuk shook his head mildly. "Darn, I pegged you as the gullible type. I'm sorry. I'm usually not this bad at reading people." Standing up more nonchalantly, he laughed lightly. "Tell you what. I'll make it up to you later, okay?" Finishing with a quick wink, his sword was coated in flames as he retook his stance from earlier.
Before vaulting forward like Ringo was preparing herself to, a realization all of a sudden dawned on her. "Only enchantments, and that girl who's..." Looking over her shoulder, Ringo caught an unexpected glance from the red haired girl guarding the old man. Smirking to herself, she turned forward once more. "You're not from around here. You're one of those knights from overseas, aren't you? Heard you were a bunch of barbarians who still use stuff like shields and swords." The adept mage taunted at the end.
With a playful laugh, Ryuk nodded and accepted the claim. "So many rude insults. I really am just the kinda guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. Truly." A polite smile worming its way onto his face less than meaningless at this point to his opponent.
"You're as transparent as glass." Ringo commented before stifling a laugh.
Ryuk suddenly stood up straight once more. Holds one hand behind his back and inside his coat, he stood in a mock salute. "I keep telling you, I'm just not that kind of person."
Right before Ringo could even consider presenting the already mountain sized amount of accumulated evidence to dispute this, her earrings shook, such a act completely unnoticeable to even the most astute of onlookers. Focusing in on the adolescent, a normally silent and inaudible mechanical click entered her eardrums.
Acting immediately, Ringo ran to the side and dove out of the way once again. As she did so, Ryuk pulled out his revolver and took what was originally going to be a potshot at the adult with his previously free off hand. The fireball missing its evasive target as it destroyed the remainder of the rock wall.
"Good instincts." The black haired knight complimented as the mage immediately got back on her feet, a harmful glare overtaking her stare. With a cheeky smirk and light nervous laugh, Ryuk glanced away momentarily. "Alright. I know what that looked like. But..."
Before anymore lies could be conjured in front of her, Ringo made the decision to rush him. Putting his gun away, the knight took up his sword with both hands. Running up, the two met each other at the peaks of their sprints. For the first time since the beginning of the duel, the two met in an even cross. The electrifying gauntlet of the mage slamming against the oncoming slash of the knight's blazing saber. Neither committing too much to the first strike, both were able to push each other away and retaliate with a quick flurry of punches and slashes neither able to land the slightest of hits on the other.
After going at each other for over a minute, neither of the two were able to get the upper hand on the other and were forced to break away from each other. Impressed with the quick movements, Ringo smirked. "Not bad kid. Didn't think you could keep up." The mage mentioned offhandedly, her chest rising and falling at a steady pace.
Standing more easily, Ryuk rested the broader edge of his katana over his shoulder. "You've got some nice moves too. I can see why you wanted to cut a rug with me so badly." His smug expression still prominent even as his fiery enchantment wore out.
Going back into her fighting stance, Ringo's smirk widened just a little bit at the other's words. "What can I say? From the moment we first met, I've wanted to sweep you off your feet."
In an unexpected turn of events, Ryuk stood up tall as he sheathed his sword over his shoulder. Rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, the knight started performing a couple of roundhouse kicks to the air in front of him. Once getting into a rhythm he was comfortable with, the teen stopped for a moment to take a deep breath and close his eyes. A second later, as he reopened them, his golden iris were dyed crimson. Performing the same kicks from before, the teen swiped his open hands just above the spinning spurs of his cowboy boots. Once he had finished and retook a proper standing position, the metal behind the boots only sped up as opposed to slowing down, after reaching an exceptionally fast speed, the metal was set ablaze. The speed of their cycles causing the youth's duster to blow slightly behind him from the waist down. After another deep breath, the boy's golden eyes returned.
While her eyes had widened at first in alert-fulness, this was soon after replaced with mild eagerness and intrigue. "Interesting."
These words seeming to signify the start of the second round of their close-quarters combat. Ryuk being the first to run in this time. The mage doing the same, the fighters met in the middle once more, when Ringo was able to get off the first strike, her punch was almost immediately swatted away by a quick flying roundhouse kick. Using the same momentum, the knight followed up with a second kick from his other leg.
Watching the swift kick, Ringo leaned back and parried the attack by pressing her forearm just below the youth's oncoming knee. This pushing the kick more upward than intended. The still quick spinning and flaming spur tracing inches away from her pulled back head.
Expecting the assault to end there, it did only the opposite. Even after miss after miss, Ryuk kept up his relentless attacks. Roundhouse kick one after another using the same initial momentum from the first and only added to with further well made approaching foot movements. The mage uncommonly pushed onto the defensive.
Having enough of parries and dodges, Ringo met the current backward roundhouse head on. Slamming her electrifying gauntlet against the burning metal, the adolescent was pushed away and sent flying in the opposite direction.
Landing on his feet, Ryuk rose up without much dismay. Taking advantage of the brief moment of clarity. The blond mage ran forward, pressing her advantage. Once again face to face with her opponent, she pulled back her gauntlet as she took immediate aim.
Watching the preparation of the physical rebuttal, the knight swayed to his left and his feet shifted accordingly.
Witnessing such obvious preparation, Ringo retaliated by leading the direction and letting loose a precise jab. To her surprise, the teen had avoided it in the complete opposite direction.
Disregarding her prior mistake, she followed up her attack with an uppercut. Seeing this, Ryuk responded by preparing a rising kick and moving inward. Observing such a decision, the expert mage followed through with her attack. Once again, to her disbelief, the opposite had happened and the younger of the two had pulled back for a simple dodge.
Keeping up a basic offensive stance, Ringo decided to give her opponent's movement's her undivided attention. Taking a step forward, the teen responded. Swaying back and forth on his feet, the knight stopped short and went in the reverse direction, as soon as Ringo made the slightest hint of a retaliation, he swayed back to follow through with his original feint flawlessly without any misplaced energy.
The mage's blue eyes widened in understanding. "Feints on top of feints...!"
Hearing his opponent's breakthrough, the knight dashed in. At first, Ryuk vaulted forward and started a rising knee. Understandably, Ringo rose her hands to block it. As soon as she committed to the block, the knight smirked. Lowering his knee, he used the original momentum to shift into a sideways dash and jump into a spinning roundhouse kick.
As soon as Ryuk's feet left the ground, Ringo broke her own block prematurely. If only for a moment, the younger's cocky attitude was broken, for even he knew his mistake would cost him.
Stepping into the kick, Ringo was able to wrap her left arm over his leg near the knee and away from danger. When the teen tried to retaliate with a kick from his other leg, Ringo caught it in a similar way with his other arm. Grinning in satisfaction, Ryuk could only weakly smile in a much more heavily forced nature than earlier.
Using the momentum from the knight's aerial roundhouse, Ringo started spinning. Her feet staying in the center, the knight was left air born for roughly three full rotations. As he went to reach for his revolver, Ringo completed her giant's swing and launched the youth far away and high into the air. Even after bracing his fall, the teen landed rather bluntly and ended up tumbling quiet a ways, the burning enchantment on his spurs fading away. While Ringo would have normally pressed such an advantageous situation, she was left stationary until her makeshift arena would stop spinning.
Noticeably giddy in excitement, Jake jumped up a little bit getting caught up in the moment. "Wrestling is so cool!" the youngest of the mages exclaimed.
"It's also fake." The oldest reminded, as if trying to be difficult.
"You're such a stick in the mud sometimes." Jake responded with a short pout.
Frowning,
Tux stared the younger down, as if scolding. "I am not."
Rolling his eyes, Jake turned away. "So..." A childlike smile resurfacing. "...wanna take bets on how long until Ringo wins then? I'm thinkin' ten more minutes, tops."
"You can't be serious." The group's eldest commented in disbelief. After a brief moment of silence, he turned back to the duel. "You really think it'll take that long?"
When the knight was back on his feet, he was quick to pull out his revolver once again. "Good thing no one important saw that one." The teen admitted, one of his inner thoughts leaking out after being shaken up a bit.
Readjusting herself after her previous technique, Ringo stood tall. "If talking is all you know how to do, this fight's gonna be over soon." The older warned.
Shooting back a smile, the teen stood up as well. "Words can be a deadly weapon."
"If that's the case, do a favor for me." The older of the two proposed dawning a serious look.
Upon the request, Ryuk wore a more polite smile as his expression softened. "Hm? How might I be of service?" He asked genuinely, perhaps for the first time since the start of the showy duel.
"Stick your tongue out the next time I uppercut you." The mage elaborated as she grew a smirk.
His smile wavering a bit, Ryuk held up his revolver. "...You're a little scary. Anyone ever tell you that?" With a weaker wink than before, his weapon was once again refreshed in a burning red hue.
As this had transpired, Tux's eyes had wandered to the girl in charge of guarding the old man they were after. Her hands were in front of her as it seemed she was reaching out for something. Upon seeing Tux's prying eyes, she quickly pulled her arms down. Brushing it off she gave a very awkward and forced wave. Before the seer could think much about this a poking elbow had butted him in his ribs.
Jake was beside him, staring at the same sight. "I think she likes me." The youngest mage spoke up among his budding wide smile. Afterward, he gave a small wave of his own.
Rolling his eyes, and with his train of thought lost, Tux turned back to the fight. "Yeah. I'll alert the presses."
Even after averting his gaze, there was something about the red headed girl that was troubling him. Stepping to his right, he quickly received a curious look from the other. "Jake stay here, I'm just gonna check things out myself."
As soon as the gray eyed man took his second step across the lot over toward Alice and the old man she was protecting, a stray fireball had been fired off in his general direction. Gritting his teeth, he leaped back almost falling over when the fireball detonated.
"Hey! Hold up!" Ryuk shouted practically motioning a time-out hand signal. I can't keep track of every little thing going on. Tell those two wondering Apostles of yours to stay put. It's for their own safety."
Looking over her shoulder, Ringo shot a glare over at her friends. "Tux, Jake, just stay over there! I don't need any help. I'll take care of this and wrap things up quick." The mage instructed running back in.
Disgruntled, the seer walked back over to the other younger blond.
"Whoa! You were lucky not to get hit. That was like a sign from Ringo and everything." Jake mentioned mostly in relief.
"The expression is: A sign from god, Jake." The more straight laced member of the group brought up.
"Right. What did I say?" Jake followed up, completely unaware of his verbal tick just uttered a second ago.
With a sigh, the man massaged the bridge of his nose. "Congratulations. You've been brainwashed." His eyes once more drawn to the now swiftly dodging youth. During one wide dodge, it almost seemed as though he met Tux's stare if only for the briefest of moments. Was that really an accident? Or does this kid really have that high a level of situational awareness?
Still concerned with their current discussion, Jake let out a single forced laugh followed by a scoff. "Pfft. Like you haven't." The younger callously brought up not afraid to throw a little dirt in a freshly healing wound.
"Do not bring that up, Jake!" The black haired seer cried out in understandable outrage.
The sun finally broke over the rooftops of the Eastern wall. Its light, painting both warriors as they continued staring each other down.
Back on the defensive, Ryuk could only dodge his opponent's thick offensive. Thankfully, dodging had become something he was more than adept at. Getting up close and personal, the blue eyed mage unleashed a swift and precise forward punch.
Watching the enclosing blow, the misleading knight leaped up into the air and parted his legs. Pressing down on the top of his opponent's head he proceeded to leap frog directly over her and land behind.
A bit aggravated, Ringo turned around only to have her mood worsened. Abandoning her completely, the younger was now leaning on the back wall beside her two companions, going as far as even having what seemed to be idle chit-chat. "...yeah, I dunno. I just can't seem to get a good rise out of her. What do you usually do?" His words casual as well as matching his attitude.
With a small laugh, Jake turned to face him fully, his face lighting up little. "Oh, well I know Ringo hates it when I—" Before he could finish, Tux had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. At the same time, Ryuk had glanced back over to his right before leaping backward as well.
Just as the two boys moved away, a devastating lightening punch was delivered in the wall where Ryuk previously stood, the concrete exterior crumbling in a small crater around where the strike had landed.
Facing the tempered adult with a cocky smile, the knight slipped his hands back into his pants pockets. "Finally hit a nerve, did I?"
Clenching her gauntlet and hand, Ringo leaped over to the speedy youth. When he instinctively jumped away, she instead slammed her fist down on the ground. When the black haired swordsman landed, he intended to skip back a few more steps but almost stumbled when he tried to. Looking down, he saw that his spurs were being pulled down toward the ground by strands of lightening spawning from the earth below. "What the—?" The teen gaped nervously, caught off guard.
Standing back up, Ringo wore an appeased and satisfactory smirk. "Gotcha!" She called out in celebration. Slowly walking forward, her gauntlet in hand lit up as sparks of electricity seemed to fly out of it. "No more running away."
With a nervous chuckle, Ryuk did his best to keep up his confident facade. "Well then..." Gulping momentarily, the teen clapped his hands together before holding them up as though in surrender. "...let's talk about this." His expression stiffening up as he tried pleading toward the approaching mage.
Still standing on the sides, both Tux and Jake stared on in mixed degrees of worry. "This is definitely an unfortunate turn of events for that kid." The older admitted with mild concern for the youth.
"Uh oh. This is bad!" Jake shouted out, some sweat building on the side of his face.
The team's seer nodded, a rare time when the two of them would be in agreement. "It's definitely worrying. Ringo might be going a little overboard here."
Still staring, the younger of the two grabbed the sides of his head with both hands. "At this rate, I won't win the bet!"
Nearly stumbling, Tux looked back over at the young blond mage. "That's what you were worried about?" The older spat out.
Stepping forward, Ringo electrifying rising uppercut. As she did so, she witnessed the unease on the boy's face wash away as self-assurance took its place. Leaning back, even with his feet practically glued to the ground, he flawlessly dodged the strike as his knees bent at a near perfect ninety degree angle.
As soon as the attack was retracted, the teen flung back upright, a hand cupping under his chin. "I was worried there for a moment. At first I thought you were trying to hit me." The younger berated.
With an irked smirk twitching on her face, the blond mage gave a couple more swift punches one after the other. Being traced with his golden eyes, the younger leaned left and right one after the other, narrowly avoiding any serous injury.
Done playing around, Ringo made the gap between the two of them nearly unnoticeable. Grabbing him by the shoulder, she went for a clean and swift blow to the stomach.
Ryuk, Utilizing his free hands, grabbed his sword in its sheath from over his shoulder. Pulling it down, he used it to block the direct impact and reinforced it with his other arm. This resulted in the electricity coursing through him and diffusing the magnetism holding him down, this also meant that he would take the punch head on and was sent flying back, sliding back first across the ground half a dozen feet back.
With a small grunt, the dislodged knight sat up and pushed off his knees back into a stand. "Remind me not to arm wrestle you. You'd break the table." The teen complained as he fitted his sword and sheath back over his shoulder and onto his back.
Standing where she had just launched her younger talkative opponent, her eyes traced his movements. "Why are you doing this? The old man's right there, so you're not trying to buy time. Which means you've been trying to get a rise out of me. And if that's all you've got planned, then this fight's gonna be over quick."
The knight lowered his head as to hid his eyes as he responded. "You think you've got me all figured out, huh?" His words less bombastic than before.
Crossing her arms, it was hard for the adept mage to not ware a prideful advantageous smirk as she looked up for a second at the now afternoon sky.
"Something like that." This single line spoken in unison by both competitors.
Her eyes widening, Ringo stared down to see Ryuk had been standing in a mirror opposite stance as her, arms crossed and all. "W-What?" Was all she could mutter at the time.
Easing back up into his casual standing pose, the knight wore the same cocky smile he'd been trademarking since the beginning. "If you really think you were the only one paying attention, then you really were right before. This fight is gonna be over soon."
Once again surprised by her younger opponent, the mage couldn't help but let a somewhat eager expression overtake her.
As Ringo took her first step forward, the knight drew one of his revolvers. Winking, a burning enchantment overtook it. The sixth fireball being fired from that particular gun. Rather than trying to avoid it like the others, Ringo broke into a sprint and took the attack head on. Pulling her arm back, the mage gave a stern running strike at the center of the hellish fireball. As if in fear, the fire dispersed in the surrounding area and Ringo's gauntlet deflected the lone bullet which remained. Rather than stopping afterword, she kept running straight forward toward her target.
Wearing an impressed smirk, the knight jumped back trying to increase the gap between the two of them. "So you were counting my shots. Not bad. Not bad at all."
Finished with his compliment, Ryuk reached into his coat pocket and tossed six new bullets into the air. Popping open the chamber of his revolver, with quick and precise thumb movements, he pushed all six chambers empty of their bullet shells. With his left free hand, he reached up and scooped three of the fresh air born bullets between his fingers and slid them into place with his thumb. Snatching the remaining three, the process was repeated and finished just as Ringo closed the rift separating them.
As Ryuk completed loading his gun, he slammed the chamber shut and pointed it dead ahead at the point-blank mage. About to press the trigger, his gun and hand were knocked skyward by a hidden left jab. Punching with her right, the gun was whipped right back down and a fireball was fired at close range. Despite this, Ringo never halted her advance, the fireball was hammed in just as it was being created. This causing a destructive explosion between them.
With a cloud of smoke rising up from the center of the vacant inner lot, Tux, Jake, and Alice were all about to run in to check on their friends when suddenly, both parties were thrown from the center at opposite ends of the smoke. Both of them landing on their backs.
The smoke clearing, a wide but shallow crater emerged in the middle of the lot. A few flames lingering behind. A few loose shaken chunks of rubble somehow pulsing with strands of lightening.
Grunting more deeply than before, the knight once again began pulling himself upright. "I was wrong. I thought you were just trying to get rid of me, but you're trying to kill us both."
With a fair grunt of her own, Ringo started doing similarly. "You're definitely determined, for a kid." She commented pushing off one of her knees.
Watching the mage rise up back into a proper stand and ready for more, Ryuk couldn't help but stare in a respectful awe. "What's your name anyway?" The youth asked outright.
With a single chuckle, the blond crossed her arms once more. "It's Ringo. I'm the woman who's gonna become god." She boasted yet again.
Laughing at the claim, the younger slid a hand onto his hip. "Yeah, I remember. A mage with delusions of grandeur."
Underfeed, Ringo stared forward. "And just who are you anyway? Besides some knight who can't even follow his own rules." She shot back, feisty.
Grinning in preparation, the boy took a stop closer as he pushed his shoulder back and stood up straighter. "That's right. Remember it, commit and engrave it to memory." Lifting his free hand, he pointed up at the sky. "Ryuk, the knight who steps away from tradition!"
"So..." Jake began, watching the duo with a wry look. "...they try to kill each other like eight times, then decide to introduce themselves?"
Tux nodded in like agreement. "Yup. And they say the abnormal should be a dying breed."
Drawing his recently reloaded revolver, the knight stared down the sights and the quickly readying mage. Instead of firing, he pointed it away from himself and fired a blast behind him. Vaulting forward at the same time, the youth was rocketed forward. Halfway through, he put his gun away and reached for the handle of his katana.
Instead of running, the mage grounded her stance. "Lightening Quake: Plasma!" Ringo roared, her gauntlet reforming around her right hand. As soon as her opponent's sword was drawn, it seemed to be ignited in a raging flame. As Ryuk used the unsheathing slash combined with the launching momentum, Ringo delivered a powerful rising jab to alter the blade's course with her electricity.
Even though his attack was deflected, the knight was far from unmotivated in the slightest. Flipping in the air, he sheathed his sword and pulled out his gun. Currently, the youth was positioned just above the mage in the air. Kicking off her shoulders, he flung himself high into the air.
Still determined, the mage looked up at the currently high flying teen. Nearly a dozen feet above, his body was completely upside down with his feet pointed up at the sky. Instead of shooting right away, he pulled out his second revolver with his other hand. When her eyes widened ever so slightly, he winked down at her.
The second gun became enchanted with the same red blazing enchantment as all his other weapons. Slamming both sights of the guns against each other, the two barrels were not side by side and pointed directly down at the mage. Pulling the triggers, the two exiting fireballs merged together as they became a much more rapidly traveling torrent of flames.
Not enough time to dodge, nor the incentive, Ringo grinned at the fast approaching danger. Spreading her legs to get the most grounded footing possible, she gave an upward chop with her lightening gauntlet, this resulting in the blast quite literally being forcibly split back and two and away from her body.
Now trapped skyward, the youth could only stare down in astonishment. With a grin shot up at him, he couldn't help but produce a reactive gulp.
With her free hand, the powerful mage reached up toward the sky. "Fire Tornado: Air!" The fires she had cast away moments ago trembled before launching forward in a large swirling tempest of infernos.
Seeing the blazing tornado fly up toward him, Ryuk aimed away from himself with his gun and blew himself across their makeshift arena and onto his feet, the skyward gust dispersing around where his body hovered just moments ago.
As soon as the youth had touched down on the ground, Ringo pulled back her gauntlet. Punching down at the ground in his general direction, her lightening coursed through the shattered earth.
Learning from the first time, Ryuk and jumped away, using his gun to launch him up into the air again, his body was hurled at a nearby building. Landing feet first, the knight ran along the side of the wall as he wound his forward momentum down and landed back on ground level far after the lightening trap had dispersed.
Spotting such a performance, Ringo grinned as an idea worked its way into her head. Preparing another ground punch, the knight repeated his earlier actions and vaulted toward an eastern building.
As soon as the knight made contact near the top of one of the more larger buildings, the mage sprinted for the building as well. Jumping up, electricity flowed through her and magnetized her feet to the wall as she sprinted straight up the face of the building.
"Bad bet, blondie." Ryuk commented to himself as he decided to sprint down the wall to meet her in the middle. Halfway toward their meeting point, the rising afternoon sun poked out from the sky above the roof of the building the two were running against.
Squinting and blinded for an instant at the longest, Ryuk took full advantage. Leaping downward, he pulled out his gun and aimed it behind him. Firing numerous times upward, he was propelled downward at nearly three times the rate as his sprint. Drawing his sword, his body spun from the elevated g-force as his body itself was shot forward.
Too late to go back on her decision, Ringo pressed forward with all she had. Vaulting upward right before the two met, she gave a radiant and electrifying swing. Meeting a little below the center of the mufti-floored building. While Ringo was stronger without question, the fact that neither of the two were grounded let gravity take over. All her forward momentum was made worthless as the two started plummeting toward the base of the building. Busy blocking the blazing sword in front of her, the mage could do very little as she fell back first and roughly onto the ground.
With a loud crash, the two dueling warriors collided with the ground. Much like their point-blank explosion from earlier, a smokescreen blinded any onlookers from witnessing the true outcome.
A second later, Ryuk was hurled outward and roughly tumbled away from the point of impact. His sword dislodging from his grip and landing blade first into the ground near where his body had stopped. Taking a second to recuperate, the teen pushed off the earth with a victorious grin. "Let's see ya get up from that one." His body no doubt pleading for him to stay down as he stood back up.
Dusting himself off, the knight turned to the mage's two companions who had been watching from the beginning. "Alright you two. Unless you want some more, I think it'd be best if you picked up your friend and left this old man alone." The teen warned, whether or not he would be able to back up such threats were a different story entirely.
Worry overtaking them for a second. As relief filled their faces, Ryuk turned away to the source. The smoke clearing, and although leaning heavily on the back wall, Ringo stood tall if not bruised.
Agape, Ryuk almost fell back at the sight. "C-Come on. A-Are you made of stone or... or something. Collapse... already." The knight, heavily out of breath and no longer able to hide such a fact.
Staring defiantly, the mage crossed her arms as she took a single stomp forward. "T-This is n-nothing. B-Bring it on!" Her legs wobbling to the point of her needing to reinforce her stand by leaning on the back wall again for a second.
Holding his knees to stand, the young black haired knight stared across the lot with equal defiance. "Tell... Tell ya what. I-I'm feeling generous. If you want, I'll l-let ya quit." A hand rubbing his sore ribs.
"Y-Yeah right." The mage disregarded as she staggered forward. "You're on y-your last legs."
"I'm ending this now!" Ringo called out almost tripping as she pushed herself forward into a run.
Whether it was from pain or perseverance, the knight stood still and unmoving. Hiding his poor state with a confident smirk, he pulled out one of his handguns and aimed it forward. "Are you now? So predictable."
Concerned, Tux took a few steps ahead. "Ringo! Get down!"
Ignoring her friend's advice, Ringo only increased the speed of her charge. "You're... BLUFFING!" The blond woman roared pulling her bare fist back as she prepared a final punch.
Pulling back on the hammer, the knight smiled wider as he pulled the trigger and nothing happened. The sound of the empty spinning cylinder filling the vacant lot. "Good call."
Up close once more, Ringo let loose a wild and barely controllable forward lunging punch.
Purposely letting his legs give out, the knight had started falling back to avoid the punch which soared directly passed his face. While doing so, his free hand reached for the sword which had plunged itself into the ground beside him. His hand grabbing the handle, a weak but cocky smirk arose. And from this angle, you won't be able to deflect it. It's over, Ringo.
Just when the youth was about to dislodge his sword, he felt a grip on the collar of his shirt. Surprised, his hand slipped as he was pulled back up by the mage's left hand. "Huh?" The male spat out. Gritting her teeth, she pulled the younger of the two upright and leaned forward, bashing him with a violent headbutt to the forehead.
Blood spewing from both parties, Ringo released the teen as she staggered back. With his legs turning to jello, the knight wore a completely distraught and beaten expression. "H-How... barbaric." The teen whispered falling back first onto the ground and slipping into a light unconsciousness.
Staring down at the boy, Ringo wore a victorious grin in satisfaction. "Not bad, kid. Try again in a hundred years." The mage taunted to the knocked out teen. A single stream of blood flowing down her head and dripping off her chin.
Her objective met, the hard headed mage set her sight's on the knight's party which had been watching from the opposite side of the lot. With sloppy footing at first, Ringo walked over to the two. As she approached, Alice stood in front of the older gentleman and spread her arms wide defensively.
Staring at the young girl for a moment, she reached forward. This simple action causing the pony-tailed girl to wince lightly in fear. Instead of what she was expecting, Ringo had put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Staring up at the battle warn mage, Alice relaxed if only a little bit.
The words which exited the mage's mouth next were either caused from the amount of blood loss or a budding kindness and comradely deep inside her. "It's okay. You can go check on your friend now." Ringo suggested, pointing behind her with her thumb. It was probably the blood loss.
Looking behind her at the older man, Alice whispered a low apology before abandoning him to go check on her partner's condition.
Agape in disbelief, the old man reached out where Alice left to. Turning back to the strong blond mage in front of him, his mouth closed back up again. "Oh heavens." The man blurted out unthinkingly.
Sighing, Ringo placed both her hands on her hips. Both her friends joining her on opposite sides. The two examining the extent of her injuries momentarily before also addressing the fourth party. "Listen old man, we just wanna see your glasses for a few seconds. That's all. We'll give it right back, I promise." Her request due to her lack of energy coming off more closely to a threat.
Out of options, the man pulled up his leather suitcase and handed it over reluctantly. His hands trembling lightly as he did so.
Snatching the parcel, Ringo almost ripped off the unlocked sealing mechanism in the front as she pried the top half open. In the center of a series of tightly packed cloth for protection was a pair of bronze glasses kept in regal condition.
Picking up the specs, the mage unfolded the frame and looked through the gemstone lens. Looking over at Tux, she held it up for him. "These them?" When he nodded, she placed them back in the suitcase and handed it back.
The older man stood almost slack-jawed at the sight. "Th-That was it?"
The head mage nodded. "Yup. Just like I thought. They're a fake."
"So we had a big dumb fight for nothing. Wonderful." The knight responded sarcastically and dryly without motivation.
Turning immediately in surprise, the younger of the two mages jumped when he turned to his right and found Ringo's dueling opponent standing directly beside him along with his partner. "Whoa! When'd you get here?" No real worry in his voice, mostly shock.
"Wh-What do you mean it's fake?" The old man asked, rejoining the discussion.
The older of the blond mages shrugged her shoulders. "It's magical, but it's not one of the god items. So I don't care about it." Ringo said excessively blunt to the man's discontent.
"N-Now I'll have you know my family's been passing this artifact down my family line for generations! My father and his fore-fathers all saying from our first head centuries ago that this is indeed a god item!" The old man shouted, perhaps beginning to feel mistreated.
"That so?" Ringo asked uninterested. When the man nodded, she leaned closer. "They lied." She acknowledged without compassion.
Temporarily agape once again, the man stared at the youth. "S-So all this time... My family has been passing down a fake treasure?" His tone much more disheartened.
"Pretty much." Ringo conceded.
"It seems so." The group seer commented.
"Sorry." Jake apologized very apathetically. The three of them practically talking over each other in the process.
Smiling politely, Ryuk held his arms in a proper manner. "Look at it this way, at least it's a certified forgery."
The knight's red headed companion laughed nervously at his comment. "I think that came out meaner than you think."
Feeling very downtrodden, the old man took his suitcase and stored the spectacles back neatly inside. Turning around, he started walking down the alley beside him. "I-I think I'm going to go home now."
Placing his hands behind his head, Ryuk faced the trio. "So you guys really aren't your common variety thieves after all." The youth commented with a smug look.
Crossing her arms, Ringo frowned temporarily. "Of course we're not crooks. Is that really what you were thinking this whole time?" A bit of indignation flaring up for a moment.
"Well technically speaking, there was that one time we broke into the library and..." The team's oldest stopped as he saw a mildly annoyed glare being shot over at him over Ringo's shoulder. "...It's not important."
. . . . . . . . .
A few hours later and into the early evening, the trio found themselves relaxing at the bar located at the first floor tavern of their inn.
Seated at the front of the bar was the only recently patched up mage. Bandages and the like dressing her most important wounds. Playing with the ice in her near empty drink, Ringo sighed. "I can't believe the ferry's being delayed a whole day."
Tux sat at the stool beside her and to her left if only just to rest his legs. "It's not that surprising. Apparently after we broke that old man, he wandered into the harbor and started making a scene. Throwing things into the riverbed and shouting over toward the oncoming vessels. When the police had to block off the docks to detain him, the ferry passed right on by to its next stop further up river."
With a disgruntled huff, Ringo called over the bartender to refill her drink. "Guy's lucky I wasn't there or I'd have thrown him into the river."
With a slow blink, Tux just stared at the woman for a moment. "You do realize it's pretty much your fault, right?"
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." The blond commented taking a swig of her freshly poured liquor.
Turning away, he saw Jake staring at something out the front windows. Looking, he couldn't help but smile for the briefest of instances. "Might wanna look alive, Ringo."
Ignoring the comment in her bliss, the mage let out a satisfied sigh after gulping down half her drink. "Why's that?"
When the faintest sounds of jingling spurs came approaching the main door, the mage's expression dropped. "You're kidding."
Kicking the door open, Ryuk stood with his hands in his pockets. "Fear not, your entertainment for the evening... has arrived!" A flashy smile on his face. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing for the briefest of moments but then turned back to their drinks and conversations directly afterward. After shrugging over to his partner he spotted and began walking over to the familiar trio at the front.
As he approached, the trio saw that while his face had been cleaned up, the rest of his cuts and bruises were simply concealed by his clothing. "Surprising to see you're still in town." The knight opened up with, addressing Ringo.
Arching a brow she looked up at him from her stood. "Oh? Why's that?" She asked without much concern.
He grew a cheeky smile before responding. "Well, you caused tons of city property damage, drove a kindly if not paranoid old man to the brink of insanity, and let's be honesty, you're kind of a menace to society."
"Oh yeah?" The mage egged on, partially amused by the claims. "What's your excuse?"
Feigning surprise and appalling shock, Ryuk pointed at himself. "Me? Oh, well I'm from overseas. I'm pretty sure that means I have diplomatic immunity, to some degree."
Nodding with a growing smile, Ringo continued to face the spunky youth. "Do you now?" Leaning closer, she called him closer with one of her fingers. "Well I'm gonna be god. I win."
Smirking at the response, Ryuk turned over his shoulder toward Alice. "She's got me there."
Taking another sip of her liquor, the knight sat down at the bar beside the others. Knocking on the counter, he garnered the attention of the barkeep. "We'll take a couple glasses of ginger ale... on the rocks." This request causing the mage to snicker lightly as well as remind her of the teen's age.
Receiving the first of the drinks, Ryuk handed it over to Alice who now sat next to him. "You're pretty lucky though. Where I'm from, we knights fight in pairs. If this had been two on two, you wouldn't have lasted a minute." The teen casually warned from the side.
Finishing her currently second glass of alcohol, Ringo waved over the barkeep again. "What are you talking about? She was helping you fight from the beginning." The mage mentioned nonchalantly.
Hopping off his stool, Ryuk was fast to draw his gun. "You dare call me a charlatan? Explain yourself, you wench!" The youngest proclaimed in grandiose fashion. Pointing right passed Jake, the young mage understandably leaned back in his stool to the point of falling off completely. Tux even jumping up despite being on the opposite side of Ringo.
Ignoring the firearm, Ringo took a new sip of her freshly poured drink. "She was doing all your spell buffs for you." She explained pointing over to Alice with her free hand.
Staggering back with over the top fashion, Ryuk grasped the area over his heart as though he had just received a piercing wound. "I-I was found out." Falling backward, Alice had to narrowly hop out of her seat to catch him, just in the nick of time. Pushing him back up with all her strength, Ryuk walked right over Jake and took his seat as he leaned on the bar. "So how'd you notice? What gave it away?"
Holding her breath at first and with heavy exhales immediately after, Alice leaned on her chair to stabilize herself. When Jake rose back up off the ground, he patted her on the back to ease her accumulating strain.
With a musing sigh Ringo had decided to explain herself. "That girl of yours had a few noticeable hand movements. And because I was watching you so closely, I could tell it wasn't you doing your own spells, for the most part."
Walking over, Alice glanced away. "So it was my fault."
Hearing her disappointment, Ryuk turned around, flaunting a smile. "Don't worry so much, Alice. It's not a bad thing for someone to say you aren't good at misleading others."
Ringo couldn't help herself from smiling hearing this, that didn't stop her from hiding it with another sip from her glass.
Quick to rise up from the stool, the knight pulled Alice over then pointed her over to the door. "Well, I think it's time to go. If we doddle any longer, Anya will be sure to chew us out. Still, it's a shame we could never find that part she told us to look for."
Confused, Alice looked over at her partner. "What are you talking about? We didn't go to any stores at all today." She stated plainly.
Ryuk shook his head at this accurate criticism. "You must be mistaken, Alice. We surely must have visited every shop in the city. It's why we were out until so late, remember?" The knight proposed, spinning the story which painted him vacant of any fault.
The redhead's face scrunched up, still uncertain. "Huh? That's not what happened. Did you hit your head?" The girl asked with growing concern.
With a long sigh, Ryuk shook his head. "Alice, you're missing the point here." Exiting first, he held the door open for her as the two took their leave.
Watching the two go, Tux retook his seat beside Ringo. "Seems he's gone." The male noted.
"Good riddance." Ringo commented aloud. Ignoring the other's stare she continued drinking all the while avoiding eye contact.
After a moment of silence as well as another patented slow blink, Tux reopened his mouth. "So, he's grown on you, has he?"
The powerful mage nearly spat out her liquor at the accusation. "Shut up!" She cried out having heard enough.
Not wanting to press the subject, Tux dropped it. "I guess the kid's fine. But I think your opinion is going to change very shortly." He warned.
"Hm? Why's that?" The mage asked having lost the other's thought process.
With a light sigh, Tux returned to meet Ringo's stare. "Tell me, when did Ryuk pay for his drinks?"
With an arched eyebrow she responded. "He did it right before—" When the realization that what she was about to say was not what actually transpired, the adept mage jumped up into a furious stand. "I'm gonna knock that kid out again the next time I see him!"
Author Notes:
While I was writing/curtailing TEAS, a good friend of mine was writing Tagoda. As a birthday present, I wrote them this story and they earnestly adored it.
My friend has been converting their story into a comic. Feel free to check out /purowag if you'd like to learn more about the world or characters of Tagoda.
