Chapter 18: Riko and Warfare
"Okay..." Riko muttered, staring into the bathroom mirror with an air of confidence betrayed by the uncertainty lingering in the depths of her eyes. "You can do this. You might not be her best friend..." The young dragoness shifted her gaze to the ground as she added, "...you might've barely talked to her since you got here..."
For a moment she remained silent, her face a mask of worry and indecision. However, with a shake of her head and a slap on her cheeks, she turned to the mirror once more with her confidence restored, saying, "You can do this. You're Saikawa Riko the Great. Heck, she should be honored I'm giving her the opportunity!"
Thus, with a pump of her fist to the heavens, she yanked the bathroom door open and declared, "Now it's time to go ask Kamui Kanna to walk home with me!"
...and found herself face to face with the girl herself.
For a moment, neither said anything, Kanna staring emotionlessly at Riko with her unwavering gray eyes while the dragoness began to blush, growing redder by the second. After the initial shock wore off, Riko desperately tried to get a firm hold on her emotions, processing what was happening and becoming more and more flustered as she realized where she was and what she said and who she said it to and oh god this is all so-
"Okay."
Riko blinked, unsure if she had heard the impassive girl correctly and what it had meant. All she could stutter out was a garbled, "Buh... huh?"
Still staring at her classmate, Kanna said, "I'll walk home with you. I think you're cool."
It was all the young dragoness could do not to collapse.
...
A giddy smile creeping across her face despite her best efforts, Riko desperately pushed down the urge to skip as she walked down the street with her soft, quiet classmate. After a moment of relative silence, Riko thought back to Kanna's comments and with a touch of smugness asked, "So you think I'm cool, huh?"
With a nod that was likely quite enthusiastic by her standards, the silver-haired girl replied, "Oh, yeah, you're totally wicked."
The corners of Riko's mouth began an inexorable climb upwards as her face noticeably reddened.
"When we're in class you're always alone and have this 'don't mess with me' face. Oh, and when we split up into groups you go stand in the corner and stare at the ground like you're gonna kill it or something. You're totally cool!"
Though her mouth might have stopped its ascent-quite the opposite, in fact-Riko's face continued to redden, albeit for different reasons than it had started with. She stared at the ground for a moment, occasionally stealing a glance at Kanna (her eyes now sparkling with excitement and interest) as she reflected that Kanna probably had the best intentions and truly believed what she said was a good thing. In a way, that made it only sting more.
For a moment, they walked in another stretch of silence, the air charged with an awkwardness that Riko doubted her companion could feel. Eventually, she decided she would have to say something to break this mood.
"Hey, uh... Kamui..." Riko began.
"Kanna's okay," the girl interrupted her.
Pausing to force down a squeal that threatened to explode out of her at this, the young dragoness said, "Y-yeah, so, anyway, K-Kanna, I was th-thinking that maybe-"
She froze, the world around her seeming to slow down as she noticed it-a white sphere hurtling towards them, directly at Kanna. Her pupils dilated, her mind going blank and everything faded away as she came to realize something was threatening to hurt Kanna.
When she came to, she found herself in front of her quiet classmate with the ball crushed between her hands, smoke pouring out from between her lips as she seethed at the mere idea someone would dare hurt her dear...
Riko came to her senses at this thought, realizing that she wasn't sure what the girl was to her, only that Kanna was precious. And that she had to protect her.
"HEY!" She shouted, tossing the tattered remains of the ball aside like a dead rat as she turned to its source. "WHO'S THE IDIOT THAT THREW THAT!?" She glanced over her shoulder at Kanna, for whom the shock of what had just occurred was only now setting in. "YOU COULD'VE HURT MY...!"
Once more, she trailed off.
Before she could come to a conclusion, a group of teenagers came running up to them, their leader looking a bit sheepish as he approached. "Sorry, there!" He said, contrition etched into his face, "We were playing dodgeball over there, but we got a little too..." Glancing at the ripped pieces of rubber on the ground, he stopped cold before asking, "wait, did you pop the ball!?"
If he had originally intended to placate Riko, he had failed miserably, a fact that was becoming increasingly apparent as her expression grew more and more grim. "You bet I did!" She snapped, glaring at the boy with a quickly swelling antipathy. "You could've hurt Kanna! If you're gonna do stupid things, you had better do it where you're not gonna make an idiot of yourself in front of everyone!"
As their ringleader opened his mouth to respond, a figure in the back shouted, "You've got a mouth on you, kid!"
"Oh no..." the leader sighed.
Stumping up to the front of the pack, a hulking teenager with a short brown haircut and a crass sneer leered at the children, saying, "Get out of here, kid, the big kids are playing right now and they don't want to deal with you. So, scoot on home, alright?"
"Ryo... we've talked about picking fights before..."
"So what?" The bulky teen shot back, "what's the kid gonna do, cry to her parents?"
Gritting her teeth with every word the rude stranger said, Riko muttered, "No..."
"Ohhh?" He replied, raising his head to stare down his nose at the young dragoness. "What's wrong? Gonna cryyy?"
"No." She repeated, glaring up at the boy and the posse of teens he was with. "I'm gonna challenge you."
The group fell silent, unnerved by the child in spite of her small stature. There was something about her, something they could sense but not put into words; there was a dangerous air to her.
The leader stepped between Riko and the hulking teen, waving his hands frantically as he said, "O-okay, sure, fine; let's just do that tomorrow, okay? So, let's go... now, guys," he finished, shooting his friends a meaningful glance.
"Feh," Ryo said, turning to join him, "whatever..."
Riko watched them walk away, her eyes boring holes into their backs before turning to Kanna, asking, "Are you alright?"
The silver-haired girl nodded, her eyes sparkling once again as she murmured, "Cool..."
...
"I'm baaack!" Tohru sang, walking into the apartment with her maid headband still on before promptly collapsing onto the apartment's couch.
Walking into the room with a cup of coffee on a saucer and a smile on her face, Meisuke said, "I can see that, yeah." As she placed the coffee on the table before her master-and surreptitiously removing the headband-she asked, "how was work today?"
Pulling herself into a sitting position and taking a long sip from the saucer, the young woman replied, "Boooring. Joui kept on whining about how everything I did was wrong, and how I should be more 'proper' as a maid, and then the manager ditched like halfway into a shift..." She trailed off with a sigh and took another sip of her coffee, her eyes lighting up as she drank.
"Hey! It's perfect!" She enthused, turning to the butler. "It's just the right temperature, and just the right amount of sugar... it's like you knew when I was coming home!" She blinked in surprise, turning away with a demure blush. "Could you have been watching me come home, I wonder...? Or could it be... love...?"
With a roll of her eyes, Meisuke replied, "no way; talk about creepy and stalkerish. Just because I have magic doesn't mean I abuse it like that. Especially when you have a schedule, and I know you always run away from work as soon as your shift is up so no one tries to make you stay longer. I just figure in travel time and make sure a cup is ready when you get home."
Tohru pouted, turning away as she muttered, "you could've just said yeah... I know you wouldn't do that, and you didn't even mention the second part..."
"Oh! Miss Tohru! How lovely to see you again!"
The woman in question glanced over her shoulder in surprise to see Shouta entering the room, clad in full priestly vestments and carrying his own cup of coffee. With a quick bow, the ancient dragon said, "I have come for more of this 'coffee' drink! Meisuke informed me that you would be home soon, though she seemed rather uncertain of the fact. She's been scrolling through this 'traffic and local news' on the 'Television' for nigh on half an hour, I should think, or at least well prior to my arrival!" He pointed a golden staff topped with a small gold cross at the TV, adding, "Your tarrying appeared to be of great concern to her, so it brings joy to see you well!"
"'Schedule', huuuh~?" Tohru repeated, turning to Meisuke with a smug grin.
Standing up with a small cough, the butler excused herself from the room after offering a vague statement about getting more coffee-though not quickly enough for the small blush forming on her face to avoid Tohru's attention. The young woman giggled to herself, finding that occasionally awkward stoicism of her friend charming, if somewhat frustrating.
Shouta watched Meisuke leave the room, waiting until she left before turning to his host. "Miss Tohru!" He declared. "I apologize for the most dishonest terms under which I invited myself to your home. I did not, in fact, come for your coffee." He offered a deep bow before continuing, "In truth, I came with the sacred purpose of observing Meisuke in her transition to life in this world. Additionally, it is my belief that Makoto and that 'Takeshi' fellow he seems so fond of have come with similar intent, though I'm uncertain as to why the gloomy one has come as well."
"What?" Tohru asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. Before she could inquire any further, however, a knock came from the front of the apartment. She rose to answer it, opening the door to discover the pair Shouta had mentioned was, in fact, standing there, a glowing smile on Makoto's face that almost beat out the death glare Takeshi was directing at the sun. His face was scrunched in concentration as though staring hard enough would cause it to blink out of existence, the dark bags under his eyes emphasized in the clear afternoon sun he was so unaccustomed to.
Well, I guess when you get old enough you have a knack for guessing these sorts of things... The young woman thought with a sigh, That, or he used magic. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she turned to the two, saying, "What's up, guys? Come on in, I think Meisuke's making coffee right now. D'you want some?"
Nodding his thanks, Takeshi stepped into the apartment, took off his shoes, and walked over to the living room. Makoto, on the other hand, wavered on her doorstep for a moment, and the young woman's eyebrow began to raise in surprise. Finally, Makoto rubbed the back of his neck, glancing out at the sidewalk as he asked, "Well, yeah, but... uh, is there a reason Riko's running over here at full speed with a human?"
Tohru blinked in surprise, pushing her way past the dragon to stare out into the street. Sure enough, she could make out Riko rushing towards the house, seething rage on her face as she dragged a child that looked about her age-physically, anyway-and had an unexpectedly detached expression for one being carried through the town at a speed typically reserved for motorized vehicles.
Something had evidently happened.
...
"...and then they ran away," Riko concluded, sitting at the kitchen table with Kanna, each holding a holding a pouch of applesauce.
Tohru was fuming, her face flushed and eyes wild as she declared, "There's no way we can just let this slide! We're gonna go with you tomorrow and show those bullies! We'll help you show-"
"No."
Tohru blinked, cocking her head in confusion at Riko's denial. "Huh? But-"
"No." Riko repeated. "I want you guys to come-but you're not coming to help." She grit her teeth, a grim shadow falling across her face as she continued, "you're coming to witness me crush them. You're coming to watch them pay. You're coming to-"
"Yeah, yeah," Meisuke cut in, placing a hand on the younger dragoness's shoulder. "Violence, blood, destruction, blah blah blah. Jeez, I forget how hot-blooded other dragons can get. For a kid, you're pretty much the best dragon I know and actually like, Riko. 'Course, I do like you, so..." With a grin, she finished, "We're behind you all the way. I don't like the idea of people who try to mess with the happiness of others. Just don't kill them, alright?"
Nodding in agreement, Shouta added, "It will be good to partake in merriment and sport, to see something that truly moves the heart and warms the blood! I shall come to witness your triumph!"
Makoto pumped his fist with a small cheer, grabbing Takeshi's hand and raising it as well. After a bit of prodding from the dragon, the gloomy man finally offered an unenthusiastic "yaaay..."
A fire burning deep in her eyes, Tohru declared, "Allll RIGHT! Let's do it!"
...
The squad of teenagers stood on the dodgeball court with vague confusion, glancing around the playground as if searching for something. Finally, their leader stepped forward, asking, "Uh... hey, kid... where's the rest of your team?"
Clenching and relaxing her fists as her stare bore down the court, Riko replied, "They're all riiight here. All me. That's all it'll take."
"What about those guys?" He asked, pointing at the group of strange characters that had accompanied the little girl. Particularly concerning was the child dressed like the pope, clutching a golden staff. Depending on how this goes, we'll need that guy, he reflected.
Riko narrowed her eyes and widened her stance, saying, "They're just here to watch you guys get thrashed."
The hulking Ryo suppressed a snrk, passing a ball to the ringleader as he said, "Go on, Akira; if the little twerp wants this, then you'd better give her what she wants. It's ruuude to keep a 'lady' waiting, right?"
Accepting the ball with a soft sigh, the boy looked down at the ball and then at the young girl.
If I just throw it lightly and tap her, she'll be out and this'll be over with, right? He thought. It's not like anything's at stake here. I just have to throw it soft enough to touch her without hurting her. So resolved, he raised the ball, drew his arm back, and then flicked the ball down the court...
At a considerable clip.
"Ah crap!" He shouted, his regret immediately evident. That shouldn't have happened! The ball was supposed to-
With a single hand Riko halted the ball, staring down the court with nary a change in expression. Creaking could be heard as she clutched the ball more and more tightly.
Ooooh no... Akira thought to himself. I should've just stayed home after all...
...
Riko dusted off her hands, staring at the worn bodies strewn about the court with contempt.
Gazing upon her conquest, her harsh expression giving way to a smug grin. "And that's what you get for threatening my friend!" She declared.
"Friend?" A soft voice asked.
Her grin becoming a shocked blush, the young dragoness turned to find Kanna staring at her, her eyes sparkling once more. "You think I'm your friend?" She asked.
Riko turned away, her eyes sheepishly trained on the sidewalk as she replied, "Yeah..."
For a moment, Kanna said nothing, standing completely still. It quickly passed, however, and she jumped towards her new friend, throwing her arms around the young dragoness as she quietly said, "Then Riko's my friend too."
"Awww," Tohru said, smiling brightly at the sweet beat between the pair. "That was nice. Not really all that satisfying, though; it was all that big kid's fault, and the whole game was kinda sorta a curb stomp."
She frowned, stroking her chin for a moment before snapping her fingers as a flash of inspiration took her. "Meisuke!" She cried, turning to her friend. "Maybe we could have some kind of tourna-"
"Nope." The butler replied, cutting Tohru off mid-sentence before taking a sip from a can of beer. "It's troublesome, and I doubt that it's exactly 'good butler etiquette' to go around getting into dodgeball fights.
Makoto nodded in agreement, adding, "Yeah, and I doubt the court could take much more punishment."
With a pout, Tohru muttered, "Spoilsports..."
***End of Chapter 18***
A/N: As it turns out, I did, in fact, have Oreo's hanging around.