After school, Chikara exhales satisfactorily, smoothes her dress, and leans against the large desk behind her. She watches as students not much younger than her rush out of the classroom. Her first official day as a teacher was successful but she can't help but feel a little down.
A lone silver hair-haired young man stands in front of her. She quickly covers her sullen mood with a bright smile.
"Oh, is there something you need, Yu?" she asks, proud of herself for memorizing the students' names in one day.
"Are you okay?"
"Me? Oh, yes. I'm just a little tired, is all…"
In a way, she isn't lying. The boy doesn't look too convinced, so Chikara sighs dejectedly.
"Just homesick, I guess," she states the partial truth.
Yu nods understandingly before she remembers something.
"That's right…You just moved here yourself. How are you? Did you make any friends?"
Yu nods again.
"…You don't talk much, do you?" the jet-black-haired woman raises an eyebrow. Her student shrugs.
…
On her way home, Chikara pauses in front of a building labeled Tatsumi Textiles. Intrigued, she approaches the store and peers through the windows. She sees a variety of different-colored cloths and scarves. An elderly woman in a green kimono is tending to the shop. Chikara, who has a weakness for anything cute or pretty, gulps. She's not in Inaba to shop! She has a budget! She…must…resist…
"Oh, welcome!"
…Curse you, legs! Chikara, embarrassed, waves at the petite woman.
"Is there anything in particular you would like, dear?"
"Um…N-No, just…looking around…" Chikara claims before she's drawn to a red scarf enveloped in flowers. She runs her fingers through the material.
"This is beautiful…" she coos.
"Do you like that one, dear? It's meant to be a couple's scarf, but a previous customer only asked for one of them."
"I-I love it! How much does it…?"
Chikara trails off when a figure catches her eye. She sees a young man strolling through the shop with an apple in hand. He has bleached platinum-blond hair, several earrings, punk-like clothing, and a permanent glare. He glances at Chikara and snarls at her before gnawing at the fruit. …Charming…
"I think you have a wild animal in your shop…" the woman says without thinking. Her lips tighten. She promised Akihiko she would be nicer!
"…?" the shop owner looks around until she spots the rude boy. "Kanji! Please come here and introduce yourself to our guest!"
Kanji inches toward his mother and Chikara while taking another bite out of his snack.
"Um…Hello…My name's Chikara," the jet-black-haired woman says amiably while bowing. "Did you help your mom make this stuff?"
The man's eyes widen slightly before he opened his mouth to say something. He stops himself and looks away. Confused, Chika decides to continue.
"I always wanted to learn how to sew. Maybe you can teach me sometime," she says, giggling.
"Wh…You makin' fun of me?!" Kanji snaps, clenching onto his fruit. Chikara and Mrs. Tatsumi flinch from the sudden outburst.
"What? N-No, I was just...It was a joke. I-"
"What's so funny about it, huh?!"
"Kanji!" his mother speaks up, shutting up the fuming boy. "Behave yourself!"
"…Tch…I better not see you again." He says before leaving. Chikara watches him as she attempts to figure out what she did wrong.
"That will be 1200 yen, please," Mrs. Tatsumi states as if nothing happened.
In the Junes department store, Yu, Chie, Yosuke, and Yukiko stand in front of a big screen television while in their school uniforms. Underneath their clothing is armor and weapons they bought from Deidara Metal Works. After ensuring that there are no passersby, the group enters a world inside the TV. They fall through a black and white vortex and land in Teddie and Bunny's home. Their meeting place looks like a crime scene with a target in the middle of a television studio.
"Sensei!" Teddie exclaims before readjusting the girl he's carrying on his back. "There's a powerful shadow in the room you found Yukiko!"
"I dunno, Ted…Don't you think those girls are too weak to fight this one?" Bunny sneers. "They might break a nail…"
"…Ahaha…Bunny Rabbit, you're so funny." the blue bear pinches his friend's leg.
"Ow! What was that fo-"
"So, you guys should get going! Heh heh…"
"Oh, um, alright…" Yukiko, who is personally involved with the dungeon, nods and leads the way. The group soon sees a gargantuan castle surrounded by a striped red and black atmosphere and statues of horses. Yu and the others enter the building after Teddie and Bunny wish them luck.
"…Bunny, would it kill you to be nicer to the girls?" the bear asks while trailing behind their fiends. Bunny sighs.
"Sorry, Teddie, but I can't help it," she assures while nuzzling her friend's soft fur with her cheek. "How else could I keep them away from you?"
"Wha? Why?!"
"You're a huge pervo and I don't want you to try anything."
"That's not true!"
"Oh really?" Bunny smirks before tenderly petting Teddie. Once she feels his ahoge, she twirls it with her finger. "Teddie-kins…Do you want to score with me…?"
"R…Really?!" Teddie blushes before getting a bop on the head.
"No, stupid. I'm just making a point." Bunny groans.
"I smell two enemies! Hang in there!" he states suddenly. Bunny knows he's talking to the fighters just up ahead. "Honestly, you should have a little more faith in me. …That was coooool, Yosuke!"
"Why should I? You see another girl for the first time and you're all over her."
"So? I'm a boy! …F-Five ememies?! Don't get discouraged!" Teddie makes another outburst. "Besides, why should it matter to you who I flirt with? …It looks like it's beeeeary weak to electricity! Heh heh!"
Bunny cringes when Teddie uses one of his infamous bear puns.
"Because…I…Can we talk about this later? You're busy…" the blind girl murmurs.
"No! You're my best friend, my Bunny Rabbit! Two enemies left! I don't want you to be mad at me…"
"Teddie…I'm not mad. I'm just wondering why I put up with your womanizing ways…"
"Because I'm irresistibly charming." The bear coos before receiving another smack on the head from his annoyed friend.
Vroom…Vroooooooooom…
"Ngh…" Chikara's eyes flutter open when she's awoken by a loud noise. "W…What is…Oh…right…biker gangs…"
She recalls the news special she watched before going to bed. Exhausted and irritated, the girl grabs her alarm clock and checks the time. It's 3 a.m.
"Ugggh…" she groans. "Okay…Okay…Just ignore it, Chika…Ignore it…Be nice…You promised Aki…"
VROOOOOOOOOOM…
…It sounds like they're getting closer. Chikara takes her pillow and practically smothers herself with it to drown out the noise.
"Be nice…Be niiice…" she chants but to no avail. Her first few days in Inaba were tiring and she refuses to lose sleep because of a bunch of hooligans.
"…I'll just politely ask them to stop…" she mutters through gritted teeth as she puts on her glasses.
…
She eventually finds the source of the noise and keeps a safe distance from the reckless drivers. One of the bikers sees her and smirks.
"Hey! Hey, guys, look a'this!" he waves to catch his friends' attention. "Check out the chick in the robe!"
"Hey there, cutie!" another biker says. "You wanna hang with us?"
"You think my standards are that low…?" Chikara says, yawning.
"What'd you say? ...Ohhh, I see, she already got hitched!" the first guy announces while grabbing the hand Chika used to cover her mouth and showing her wedding ring to his friends. She snatches it away, losing her patience.
"You can have a little fun for one night, right?" another biker says, invading her personal space. "Keep it between us...?"
"…Don't make me hurt you…" she grumbles.
"RAAAAAH!"
Chikara and the bikers nearly jump out of their skin when they hear someone make a battle cry. They whirl around to see a young man in punk-like clothing beating the crap out of nearby motorcyclists.
"Someone's attacking us!" the flirty biker states the obvious. "I'll deal with you later, beautiful."
He rushes off to help his friends. Chikara, much to her dismay, recognizes the man attacking the gang.
"You've got to be kidding me…" she pinches the bridge of her nose before running to the uncivilized blond she met earlier today. Kanji sees Chikara while he's holding a semiconscious man by the shirt.
"You again?" he says.
Chikara cracks her knuckles. She figures that she can release some pent-up rage on these bikers while no one important is around to watch.
"Hey, I don't need your help!" the platinum-blond shouts before dropping the body.
"And I don't need your permission, asshole!"
"…Fine! But I ain't responsible for ya, got it?"
"I can take care of myself, but thanks for your concern..."
A cyclist charges at her and attempts to punch her. Chikara dodges the attack and grabs him by his left arm and the right side of his shirt. She then puts her foot on his upper leg and yanks him forward. She rolls onto her back and, using her body as a catapult, throws the man over herself. He lands on his head before tumbling onto his backside.
"Akihiko Sanada was my mentor for a few years. I think I got this," Chikara continues while standing.
"…You for serious?" Kanji says. How about that, Aki is famous. Kanji finally stops lashing out on her and allows her to help. He uses brute strength by punching the daylights out of those who come too close. Chikara strategizes her attacks based on how the bikers assault her. A boy grabs her by the shoulders and tries to push her down. She imitates his gestures and matches his strength. Chikara sweeps under him with her right leg, tripping him. As he falls, she lunges him over her body and sends him flying. She unintentionally sends him in Kanji's direction, but the platinum blond sees him and elbows him in the mouth. Chikara nods at him and, for the first time, he grins at her.
"Watch out!" he exclaims before running to Chika and tackling her. They slide a few feet on the ground.
"Dude, you almost broke my glasses!" Chikara readjusts them before seeing a motorcycle speeding by them. The cyclists decided to play dirty and tried to run her over.
"You idiot! Watch where you're going!" Kanji sounds angry but looks almost worried.
"…Thanks…" Chikara is surprised that the man who hates her so much saved her life. Kanji nods before getting up. He lets out his hand and his comrade grabs it before he yanks her up. The boy on the motorcycle tries to hurt them again but they move out of the way and lift him by the arms. His bike drives off on its own as Kanji and Chikara forces the delinquent onto his back. The impact causes him to hit his head on the hard ground and knock him out.
After a short while, the remaining bikers drive away either out of fear or to get reinforcements. Chikara doubles over and catches her breath. Since it's been the first time in years since she fought something, she's not as fit as she used to be.
"That…wasn't…so bad…" she says between breaths.
"I could've handled it myself!" Kanji yells at her. Chikara stares disbelievingly at him. This ungrateful little…
"Have you ever heard of 'thank you'?" Chikara sneers while dusting herself off.
"Have you ever heard of 'butt out'?"
"Hey, I had to help your sorry butt out when you were being trampled by those bikers!"
"I was doin' just fine! …And didn't I tell you to stay away from me?! Are you deaf?!"
"Are you stupid?"
"Wha-"
"I was making an innocent joke because you live at a textile shop you flipped your shit!"
"…Huh?"
"Yeah, genius. If I hurt your feelings for whatever, I'm sorry, but grow a damn spine!"
"…B…But I thought…"
"What, what? That I'd laugh at you for liking to sew? I used to live with a man who liked to cook, and I..."
Chikara decides to stop herself when Kanji gets the point.
"…I…didn't know…" Kanji is in complete shock. Usually people are revolted by his more feminine characteristics. But this girl…
"Well, next time think before you pounce on your customers…" Chikara sighs before smiling. "Now…I don't think you properly introduced yourself. You're…Kanji Tatsumi, right?"
"Er…Yeah. You still remember my name?"
"It reminds me of home." the girl shrugs before something blinds her temporarily. She uses her hand as a visor as she sees more bikers and a van. A man with a video camera is sticking out of the van and taping the bikers as the group of vehicles surround Chikara and Kanji.
"Perfect, now the news is here…" Chika groans. She does a quick once-over on Kanji. Judging by his appearance, the news crew will think he's one of them…and she'll be dragged into the commotion as well. Wonderful. Once the cameraman aims his equipment at Kanji, the boy gets angry again.
"What're you punks doin' here?!" he shouts. Chikara watches nervously as the remaining bikers rush to their downed brethren and glare at her shortly after.
"Kanji, provoking them might not be the best course of action..."
"This ain't a show! Get bent!" Kanji ignores the girl as he punches the cameraman in the stomach. Chaos ensues once again and Chikara has no choice but to fight back.
"I just wanted to get some sleeheeheep…" she whines while trying her damnedest not to face the camera.