Children's Day
Author's Note: Inspired by character designer and animation director Ono Sayaka's bonus art for the series. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of Cap Revolution Bottleman DX.
Summary:
READY CAP! CHILDREN'S DAY, GO!
Hocari Ryo was in a tough spot. As the new President of BMA, he was in charge of a business entity with many moving parts. Running the governing body behind Bottleman wasn't actually playing Bottleman in the field, which he could return to whenever he felt the thirst. Adults played Bottleman too, therefore that wasn't the point of contention. It was the optics of the BMA President making a habit of jumping back into the game without the novelty of a legacy comeback like the Bottle King or sister to the Bottle King that weren't the best.
Children's Day was a day to celebrate children, and by acting his true age, Ryo was acknowledging to the world and to himself he was still a child.
Coga Cota being Coga Cota, he didn't see anything inherently bad about acting one's own age. Ryo had spent a number of years this angry, jaded person, and had finally softened up after embracing the fizz and his dad, recapturing the days of wasted youth where he was sour – not sweet.
So regardless of Ryo being cross with him (complete with crossed arms and frowny face)…or in all probability oblivious to Ryo's discomfort – Cota slapped folded paper kabuto over both their heads and ran into the streets waving a koi-shaped windsock with kashiwa mochi stuck between his teeth.
Ebarata Ayata waved a blue koinobori, in contrast to Cota's red, doubly symbolic given it was Cota's colour and Cota was the eldest child in his family.
Reluctant master and enthusiastic apprentice, frolicking noisily, waving their streamers. Acting their age.
Having some pride, Ryo traced Cota's footsteps, at a reduced pace. The extent of his engagement was the headgear.
Cota considered Ryo not taking off the paper helmet a win!
Ryo was a fish out of water…without a fish.
To rectify this, Cota bounded up to Ryo and put a third koinobori in Ryo's hand.
What was he supposed to do with this? Just…
Ayata expanded his in the wind, hoping Ryo would copy him.
This wasn't going to be not awkward.
Ryo waved it. He waved the carp.
His outer disposition stayed in that tough spot briefly, but his inner child was shining through.
Sparkling Nova.