We find ourselves peeking into the Mebuki living room. Their Tv flickered on with an ancient buzz long lost to our era, and two women appeared on screen in matching ringleader outfits —save for the color.
The first one in red struck an... interesting pose. Her arms curled with the form of a body builder to create the E Pose —lower case. Then the other girl in purple struck a T pose behind her, both forming the initials e.T. (for copyright purposes it is not E.T.)
The girl in purple dropped the T pose for a more lecturing point toward the camera. "The entrepreneur martial arts Tournament is on its way with promises!"
Her partner in red slipped in front, smiling cutely. "We won't just give the winner... One hundred thousand yen!" BOOM! the confetti cannons blasted past the camera a little too hard, bruising a crewmember, but red didn't bat an eye—just a drop of sweat.
"We also promise them the title of strongest shop in Nerima!" she continued, dropping into a showy lunge, one arm flexed—producing honest muscle—, the other arm flared ahead for extra... well, flair.
Purple leaned on her partners flexed arm, a pair of shades face appearing on her magically. "But first place isn't the only winner." she slid the shades down, to show the smug look she had on.
"Here, every one gets to show their talent!" Chimed Red.
The two then dropped to a crouch, side by side. "Their passion!"
The flexer pumped her fist. "At the festival,"
Poser pumped hers. "Or the tournament!"
Then they both spread their arms, ribbons slipping out of their jazz hands. "Come soon!" The two said in unison.
The jazz hands continued for an, improvised second before the advertisement abruptly cut to broadcasting.
"Mom?" Kinchō called out.
His mother was buried in her work, stray hairs threatening to sting her eyes, but she stopped to hear her son out anyway. "Yes honey?"
He finally unglued his eyes from the TV, the brightest smile on his face as he looked at his mother. "Can I join the tourna—"
"Not in a million years." She fixed her glasses and snapped back to work, ending the topic then and there.
If only Ringo had a parent around to keep him from going. Or anyone with enough authority really... Maybe just some guy even. "Take what you can get" they say.
He carried a-lot of problems on the top of his head as he strolled down the street. He was grinning to himself, still very annoyed, but trying to ignore it... Trying.
Maybe it was a migraine from Nabiki that caused the sharp pain on his head. Probably that, and the hawk half buried in his hair.
Ringo sucked his teeth, plucking Soufflé out of his hair, immediately looking for the stupid paper. He took the note from its leg when he found it then tossed the hawk.
"I've got better things to do." He mumbled, flipping the note open.
"Something more fun than a tournament?"
"Tournament? Fun? heh..." Ringo gasped in shock, checking all over the sheet of paper for a speaker... like it would even fit— "A voice message?!"
"No moron! I'm in front of you!" the scratchy old voice barked. Tonic's scratchy old voice. In the wrinkly flesh. The very old and— "SHUT UP!"
Ringo watched his grandmother shout at the wind, the slightest bit of concern crossing his face. "Have you gone senile?"
"Another PEEP about my age and you will be taking deliveries to the mountains and back!" Her outburst scared Soufflé off to the roofs behind them. And the old man that was ogling at her—robes...
"Okay, jeez." Ringo raised his hands in surrender, Rolling his eyes. "Old people."
"Read the note." She said sharply.
"Doesn't even have the courtesy to just tell me..." he mutters loudly, staring at the bitter elder.
Finally, he took the time to read more thoroughly than a skim. Though, a skim would've work just fine. The note said: "Join the tournament." Nothing else...
Ringo blinked. He blinked again, unsure how annoyed he was. Then he hummed thoughtfully for a moment, raising a finger.
his gaze never left the note. "Problem."
Tonic on the other hand was very sure she was irritated. "What is it," She spat.
He finally looked at his grandmother, a wry grin being the best he could manage. "I'm already going."
"You're going to the Entrepreneur—"
"Yada-yada, I'm in it."
"Watch your tone brat." Tonic hissed, but her irritation gave way to a sigh. "Good on you, taking initiative."
...A small breath slipped out of him. Too small for Ringo to notice. "I guess I can say I'm proud you showed up."
Tonic chuckled, brief and dry. "You sound lonely."
"Is that concern I hear?" He joked, a smirk loose enough to chuckle. If he did, it was probably drowned out by the distant splashing. "Don't strain your brain, I'm bothered enough."
"O-ho-kay," she said, unimpressed and turning on her heels. "Don't get too bothered. I don't want a delinquent running my shop."
Ringo gasped, his feather bursting for a short instance. "That" was after she deemed him "independent", then left. "How did—"
*Splash*
Ringo glared at the old cleaning lady staring back at him. He sighed, looking down in resignation. He was a stork now, awkward legs, extra feathers. "I was doing so well..."
No biggie, just a few bitter thoughts and the water boils. He was human again— wait... Ringo brought what should've been his fist in front of him, but it was a wing.
The lady watched the stork stare awkwardly at itself for a moment. Then it glanced back at her and approached, only to dunk it's head in the water, and burst into flames again.
"Any time now." Ringo thought confidently.
The steam covering his eyes made it clear.
It wasn't working...
A sharp pain took root in his chest, a reminder that in truth, "storks cant breath under water!"
In a panic that made the water boil more, Ringo collapsed out of the bucket taking deep, ragged breaths. "Why cant I turn back?!" was this permanent?
His vision started fading, his world turning black. More panic set in, till he saw the orange wisp appear.
Ringo sighed in relief, taking a good look at the wisp. It was tilted, a guilty tilt paired with its dim glow...
He stood up, not caring how tired he was, snatching the wisp out of the air. "What nonsense is this!? Hijack my body sure, BUT CHANGING IT!? how is that—"
"Ahem..." The glint interjected. "So, uh... I was at a curse counsel meeting."
"Huh?!" he considered crushing the thing right now, but it was answering.
"And Jusenkyo was mad... And really, you shouldn't've been using anger to fix your problems." The emotional therapist chided. "So. you're stuck as a stork for ten minutes... every time you try to use your flames to turn back."
"What?" he asked coldly.
"Bye!"
"You cant—" suddenly, his vision snapped back to the streets. Ringo was booted out of his mind, and stuck as a stork... The residue water boiled uselessly to steam off of Ringo's feathers.
"The Brunette, whatever Tonic knows, Now this..?" Ringo shook his beak helplessly before flying off to the tournament, with the hopes relieve this stress, and interrogate Granny. "How does she know—"
"—nothing about science?" Nabiki thought, not quite finishing Ringo's. "Look. Yukue, was it?" The girl beside her gave a mute nod. "Heat transfer is a work in progress," A big work in progress.
"I've got that tournament to tend to," Nabiki lifted another brick for no apparent reason. "So how about we go over ornithology—"
Yukue shattered the brick with a swift punch, bashfully clamping onto the science book moments later. "Along the way."
"B-But that's not taught—"
"Gotta start somewhere." Nabiki mumbled, glancing at the pile of scratched out books. Then she dropped the remains of the brick into the designated brick pile.
Yukue's eyes strained trying to understand the formula set before her, same as when she started. She bowed her head. "Thank you, but I don't think this is working—"
Nabiki slid a book forward. "Just try this one topic. I believe you can even help me with it."
"Really? What is it?" Yukue lifted the book, freezing instantly.
Nabiki lifted another brick. "The behavior of birds."
*Smash* Yukue crushed it just as fiercely, but the noise reeked of disappointment. "You want to know about Ringo, don't you."
That's his name... "Guilty as charged!" Nabiki beamed, clapping her study partners drooped shoulders. "You look so gloomy." The two stood, walking through the Tendo gates.
"It's nothing. You got me through one book," Yukue cleared her throat. "this is the least I can do." Convincingly, Yukue lifted her shoulders. "But why Ringo?"
"Were working together, it's simply professional that I know a little something."
"Well from what I know... He likes cold treats, almost too much."
Nabiki snapped her fingers. "Something to motivate him," But nothing to manipulate him. "What else? how is he to you?"
"Rude, Annoying, silly... petty," she listed, a faint chuckle escaping her.
"That's... That's close?" Nabiki sputtered. Was she missing something? Are jerks the new hot thing? "What does he hate?"
Flashes of Lee Yin came to mind. Then the favor day fiasco, his work ethic, and this tournament. "Being forced to work."
Nabiki rolled her eyes. Great, he is difficult too.
"Everyone doesn't like being forced." said the queen of blackmail.
Her eyes skipped around the empty shopping district. "Yea but, he really is only here now because of his grandmother. He still just does things whenever, and wanders wherever."
So there is someone who can tell him what to do. Someone she just had to see. "I'll keep that in mind... Thank you Yukue."
Nabiki grinned, her little investment was paying off, and soon she will have an obedient little birdy. What would she even need him for though? He'd make a very good personal delivery boy.
On the other side of town, the very same delivery boy landed at the entrance of the festival. His eyes were almost as wide as his onlookers'.
But was a stork really as shocking as a twenty foot wide banner popping up in the middle of Nerima? Screaming "GRAND NERIMA FESTIVAL"?
Yesterday, This very spot was a park, calm and serene at a glance. But now there was the distant thundering of drums, faint flutes, laughter. Not moment of silence, as if there was no space for it.
Rows and columns of food stalls, miscellaneous carts, shacks and vendors. Everywhere he looked, people buying and selling. Not a moment of peace, but it wasn't the worst kind of chaos...
Ringo looked further into the festival, spotting the large tent peeking well above the festival itself. It also bore a banner—not as noisy, just a quieter announcement: "Entrepreneur Martial Arts Tournament!"
Just below the—miniscule—ten-foot banner rested the tournament ticket booth... probably. Pretty hard to tell from oh-so far away. Or so Ringo thought, taking one far-too-eager step toward the festival and "missing" the straight path to the booth.
"Come and get your Yakitori! Hot and ready!" Announced the mountain man for-a-chef, his beard tucked nicely in a pink bonnet.
Pshh.
The scoff sailed across the dirt path from the opposing lumberjack for-a-chef—no hair to worry about. "Frrresh! Takoyaki! Hot and Ready!!"
Yakiō and Yōsei. Two bitter Rivals. Real bitter...
Yakiō leaned over his stall, raised fist toward Yōsei "Are you challenging me?!"
Yōsei spun a little skewer between his fingers, snorting callously. "How bold! calling that little dive a challenge!"
"Dive?!" Yakiō nearly launched himself through the crowd, choosing instead to hurl a skewer at his enemy. "We can settle this in the tournament—"
Tak. Tak.
A stork tapped against stall, holding a few coins in its beak. Once it had Yakiō's attention, it pointed its beak toward the skewers and dropped two hundred yen on the counter.
Yakiō pinched two of the chicken kebabs between his fingers, giving them a tentative wave. "Y-you want some?"
The stork nodded.
Slowly, Yakiō inched the kebabs forward choosing hand-feed it.
The storks eyes narrowed, snatching the kebabs fiercely and walking away with as much attitude as a bird can show —along with its flaming feathers.
A bead of sweat slid down Yakiō's face only to get caught on the curl of his lips. "HA! Looks like this dive got the first customer!"
"Oh please, that's just a bird!"
The stork glanced back, picking up on the slight. It turned and glared at Yōsei.
Across the festival, a crazy boy with a cat clinging to his neck knocked a cart loose. But that wasn't something a stork should worry about. Right now. One was currently stepping toward the man that slighted it. Yōsei froze as the flaming stork approached.
"WATCH OUT!!"
A tea cart—which is absolutely, unquestionably, very unrelated—raced aimlessly through the crowd, bouncing from stall to stall. It slammed into the stork, sending the poor creature careening down the road... straight into the ticket booth.
Ranma dashed up to the scene, wincing at the wreckage. "Oh man—Ringo! are you alright."
The rubble shifted, a muffled voice seeping through. "Just. Dandy..."
The rubble shifted again, only Ringo's head popped out, like some whack-a-mole. He rotated slowly, pointedly glare locked on Ranma. "I'm picking up on a guilty look."
"Look, I didn't—I mean, I did! But—It was an accident, kay!"
"Hoo~" Ringo's lips curled into a smug grin, tilting his head as much as he could.
Ranma reached a hand toward Ringo "Ya' need help?"
"No." Ringo replied casually.
"Then get up!"
"I can't."
"But you just said—"
Finally, he lifted half of his body out of the rubble, arms wide—incase anyone wanted to nitpick. "I'm naked."
"Why are you naked?!"
Ringo squinted at Ranma, holding back a few choice words—and a diagnosis. "I got hit by a cart full of hot tea. You tell me."
"Because someone got scared and bumped into a cart."
"Nabiki!" Ranma hissed, like she'd just announced his crime.
Nabiki glanced at him, unimpressed, already moving towards Ringo. "Look what you did. Scuffing my new prize fighter."
Ringo rolled his eyes. "I feel so precious. Where's Yukue?"
"Somewhere~ Curious?" Nabiki teased.
Ringo sucked his teeth, casting his attention to Ranma. "Hey Ranma,"
"W-what?"
"We never talk much. And Nabiki over here is being coy." he flaired his comment with a dismissive wave his hands, glancing at Nabiki.
Nabiki cut in front of Ringo. "Hey Ranma. Can you get Ringo some clothes?"
"Why do I—alright. Just... don't go anywhere."
Ringo muttered, "I truly wish—"
"We won't!" Nabiki interrupted.
Ranma leapt off.
Ringo stayed in the rubble, glancing up at the looming Nabiki. "You're creeping me out."
"That's how you talk to your clients?"
"Always so curious about yours?" Ringo snapped back.
Neither answered.
Nabiki sighed glancing back at the other stalls. "So, how about a game? To pass the time."
For a while Ringo didn't answer, only till it got obnoxious. "Sure."
Her lip twitched. "Great! the rules are simple. You tell me a fact and I tell you one till Ranma comes back."
"Well I like sweets. What about you?"
"I have to say... pretty jewels." she answered. "What do you think about Yukue?"
Ringo's eyebrows raised. "Fond," he smirked to himself. "Do you start with the left or right sock?"
Nabiki blinked. "What?"
"Left sock or Right sock?" Ringo repeated like she didn't hear.
"Why ask—"
"That's three questions."
"...Right sock." she spat "What would you truly want?"
"Some clothes." he brushed his shoulders. "What tree do you look at the most?"
"The one in my yard." Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Are you going to keep asking these questions?"
"Maybe. How long does it take for you to drink your tea?"
Her lip twitched again, snapping into a smirk. "I'm feeling generous. Try again."
"Hmm... Salt or pepper?"
Nabiki sighed. "...Pepper. Do you have family?"
Something imperceptible shifted in his eyes. "Three. Are you trying to manipulate me?"
"Of course. You hate that right?"
"Obviously. You love knowing things?"
"Yes. You're close to your family?"
His smug grin cracked. dropping to more of a cursive line. "No. You want to know about my grandmother."
"Hey~ questions only."
Ranma dropped in, holding a bundle clothes. "Ringo, catch."
The clothes landed squarely on the top of Ringo's head.
Ringo faintly grinned. "Thanks." then he burrowed under the rubble for some privacy. "What kind of clothes are these?"
How modest. Nabiki thought, before turning to Ranma "Who are you with Ranma?"
He jumped "W-What?"
"Oh come on. I know you don't secretly own a shop, and you aren't here for the bargains. So who—"
A purple blur shot out from the shadows.
GLOMP!
"Shampoo look everywhere for you!" Shampoo already latched onto Ranma's waist, nuzzling up into his ribs.
The rubble flew up again as Ringo fully rose to his feet. he was clad in flowing red along his vest, a golden sash with shimmering feathers flaring out from the bottom, and white baggy pants stopping short of his slippers.
Energetic brass blared in the background as Ringo tugged at his vest, one finger trailing the gold collar. "This is fancy."
"It was all I could find." Ranma said, still struggling to unlatch Shampoo.
"Ranma!"
"Ran-chan!"
Nabiki sighed as Akane and Ukyo arrive. Here comes the show.
Just as she was about to leave, she spotted Yukue peeking around a stall and winked at her. "Be sure to register Ringo, I'll be cheering you on~" Nabiki slipped into the massive tent.
"Please don't." he said brightly, watching Ranma desperately try to save his life.
"I just wanted to join the tournament! NOTHIN ELSE—"
And failing. He was pummeled, thoroughly. By the end of it, he was nearly six feet under through pure crushing power.
Ringo sighed, eating Yakitori he retrieved from—somewhere. "I'm glad that will never be my problem." He snapped around, grinning. "Right, Yukue—"
"Ah!"
Pow! The sudden move got him punched in the face for startling Yukue. Honestly, way harder than normal.
Ringo reeled back, clenching his nose. "This violence thing is getting concerningly common..."
"O-OH! Sorry Ringo!" She stammered, unsure what she was going to do with her hands.
"Nah, it's fine..." he muttered, turning to the ticket booth. He stepped forward, leaning over the counter. "Hello?"
He spotted someone shivering under the counter in the fetal position. "Y-y-y-y-y-y-yes-s-s?" The ticket clerk stuttered, lifting head his head up. "H-how can I help you?"
He gestured to the group behind him, smiling softly. "Tickets to the tournament please!"
Nabiki shifted her way through the bleachers, dropping into her seat. Her eye was caught on the strangest looking guy, wearing a lily pad mask and a bamboo rain cape. She even walked past a girl carrying a blatant spear earlier.
Nabiki shook her head "This place is calling all sorts of weirdos..."
"That's the fun of it." Cologne hopped to her seat next to Nabiki, another small elder following behind and taking the next.
The second lady immediately leaned out of her seat, squinting in the dark. mumbling under her breath, "Where is that brat..."
Anyway.
"Come now Tonic be patient, he will show up."
Right on cue a figure in a white robe appeared, just before the tournament had begun.
Four spotlights flicked on, shining on their respective squares. The beams of light began to circle around, slowly closing in on the circle.
Then the whole arena lit up, confetti cannons flying over the crowds. in the center of the arena, on a mobile platform stood a girl in a very ornate Kimono. "Welcome everyone! To the entrepreneur Martial Arts Tournament!"
The whole arena erupted in cheers. The girl looked around the stage at the sea of opponents. "We seem to have an eventful day ahead of us!"
"Woo yea! let there be blood!"
The show girl chuckled awkwardly, "And an eventful crowd... So lets go over these rules so we can get to the violence!"
"You go taiko!!"
Taiko blushed, whipping out a pamphlet "So here's how the tournament will go. There are four arenas as you can see!" two briefcases rose on separate podiums. "There will be two prizes for the boys and girls, and two arenas each!"
"The rules are simple; For each ring, there will be one main fighter—or as we call them, a cashier! Once the first two contestants enter, form a line and wait to enter"
"This cashier will have to fight every contestant who enters the ring. Whoever beats the cashier takes their place. The remaining two fighters for each gender's section will fight, leaving only one winning male and female."
"You may use your tools. If you are knocked out of the ring, or unable to continue fighting, You are eliminated."
Ranma cracked his knuckles. "So I just gotta get in the ring first and all of the fun comes to me."
"That's the gist of it, do you all understand?" Taiko asked, holding a hand to her ear.
Each fighter nodded calmly.
"Then let," she reached into her pocket,
Pulled out a revolver "The Tournament,"
"BEGIN!!" Taiko fired the gun to the roof, starting the tournament with a—
*BANG*
"YEAAAA!!" The fighters erupted, rushing to take the arena first. Ranma was ahead—above the crowd, skipping across heads and entering first.
He immediately kicked a hulking brute off of the arena and smirked cockily. "Who's next?"
Ringo stayed behind, not very interested in fighting as soon as possible. Same went for Yukue.
Akane pushed her way to the front, managing to get to the arena and swiftly knocking her opponents out of the Ring.
Shampoo actually waited till she saw Ukyo pushing up. Then she tripped her and leapt to the arena. "Wait turn spatula girl." she teased.
Ukyo slammed her spatula into the ground, She was now stuck twentieth in line. "Shampoo!"
The tournament started, people flying left and right, nearly landing in the bleachers on a few occasions. Ranma was having a breeze, ducking punches, kicks, the occasional bladed weapons... But no challenge yet.
Ringo watched Ranma fight, not noticing the chain wrapping around his waist. He was hauled into the ring, landing before mousse. Lazily shaking the chains off of him, Ringo asked. "What was that for?"
Mousse tucked his arms into his sleeves. "I was hired to test you," he confessed. "So I'm going to get you out of the way as soon as possible so I can deal with Ranma!" Suddenly, he flung an assortment of knives and chains at Ringo.
Ringo quickly plucked two knifes out of the air, deflecting the rest of the projectiles out of the way. A flail whistled over his head.
"Sorry if I come off as ungrateful," he hooked his foot on the chain, snagging the weight back and kicking it at mousse.
Mousse slipped under the weight. "Don't worry, I'm feeling generous." he spat back, quickly unleashing more chains and knives.
Ringo flipped over chains, tossing a knife into the loop of one chain, grabbing another and continuing to run around the arena as he looped through the chains.
With a burst of speed, he leapt over mousse and tugged the chain. It coiled onto many flails, claws, and more, sending them all tumbling back. The two leapt over the barrage. "I've got an idea." Ringo whispered.
The two landed, resorting to hand to hand combat. "What is it?" Mousse asked, ducking under a kick.
"It's clear I can still move," He weaved past three jabs "So what if I just happened to toss you into the other arena?"
Mousse pulled out a staff, thrusting at Ringo. But each attack was deflected. "There can only be one fighter."
Ringo caught an overhead swing between his hands. "Nuance shmuance, just trust me. You get to fight Ranma." Just as Ranma knocked out a fighter, Ringo monkey flipped Mousse into the other ring.
"Prepare to die Ranma!" Mousse cast a rain of knives down on Ranma and continued attacking relentlessly.
Ringo watched mousse go, whistling innocently. "Ahem! Shido!" Ringo's head snapped back to his own arena, looking fiercely at his next opponent. But his eyebrow quirked at the sight of a man wearing a lily pad on his face, and a bamboo cape.
But the man started to take off the accessories. the cape clattered against the floor. "We need to talk!" Then off came the mask, floating in the air. It was Ochiba, a stern look on his face. "I know you planned to reject me softly."
Yukue started to watch, but was far from earshot. Nabiki, she was glad she left early. "I just wanted to ask why... Is it me? Or is there someone?"
Ringo's expression softened, slowly he walked to up Ochiba. "Ochiba..." he placed a hand on Ochiba's chest. "Now... Is the worst time to talk." Ringo landed one small push, smiling as Ochiba fell. "It's a tournament."
Ringo started to prepare for the next fighter as Ochiba stood to his feet. "But Ringo—" Ringo glared, feather burning bright, Then a fighter was launched right into Ochiba.
Ringo finally knocked Mousse out of the ring, and since there was a pause to remove the pile of weapons, he heard most of the conversation. "I've seen those typa people before. Look out for any love magic." Ranma warned.
Ringo groaned, "He's an idiot, but he would never try that." He ducked under the swing of a giant pizza cutter. "He's too noble."
Akane eliminated another person, reapplying her stance. She was in her zone thanks to that horde of boys she fought everyday. But as she stood, a girl timidly stepped up to the stage.
"So you're up next?" Akane turned to face her opponent "I am Akane Tendo."
The girl bowed. "Yukue Fumei."