[He didn't expand any further on it. If she didn't look into it, that was fine. Riki went about moving over to grab the next box and returned in the middle of her inspecting them.
This one was labeled 'Caltrops'. No mystery behind that one. As he set it down, he took a break to fix his hair, feeling the tickle of a rose petal he hadn't gotten to yet. He was about to head back for the next box when he came to a clear mental halt. Riki leaned over to murmur to Kodachi, not sure if he should have been quiet or not.]
Oh, right. Some shinobi snuck in earlier and I clocked him. Should still be tied up in the office.
[If there needed to be an explanation as to why poor Sasuke hadn't answered her texts in quite some time.]
Why aren't you boasting about it? Is it a record for something like "the most spicy ramen bowls eaten in 1 minute" or... [ Kodachi paused to think about other impressive feats. ] "Most pomade used for one hairstyle"?
[ She raised a brow as he leaned over to mutter the news. ]
So that's why my brother was distressed. He's absolutely codependent on Sasuke.
[ That was a new word she'd learned in college. She momentarily beamed, proud of herself for using it in conversation. ]
He'll find him sooner or later.
[ With that, she moved on to inspect the crates of duct tape. ]
I don't do pomade. Too much work. I just use mousse.
[The spicy ramen bowl challenge went to Kunio, too. As it was a bit of a sore spot for him he refused to elaborate.
At mention of her brother, he nearly cracked a smile. Tatewaki. That dork. Riki set down the next crate of 'festive livery', whatever that meant, down on the floor beside the duct-tape. He wasn't ready to leave it where it was, trying to piece together where it belonged thematically.
It exploded.]
Speaking of. You wanna grab ramen after this?
[Half-covered in soot and ash, now combing the burned curls out of his hair.]
[ Kodachi instinctively somersaulted out of the blast radius of the explosion, landing perfectly in the rafters above them.
Some moments later, she tumbled down gracefully in a flurry of silk ribbons, hanging upside down from her silks with her face right in front of Riki's so that they could hold a proper conversation. ]
That's not enough to pay for the box of cherry bombs you destroyed.
[ If he listened closely, he could hear the melancholy tune of a koto being played as black rose petals swirled in the random breeze... ]
[Well, it was one less thing to itemize and one last form to complete... except his predecessor was keen enough to fill them out ahead of time and just leave the 'date' and 'content' fields blank since they all somehow exploded roughly the same way.
Once Kodachi touched back down, he lifted his brows and peered around, trying to figure out where the music had come from. His brows scrunched together once he gave up.]
Just gotta order more. Whatever weird gimmick your dad came up with gets you guys more money than you paid through insurance claims.
[It was a wonder there were any insurance companies brave enough to support Nerima's industries at all. Riki offered Kodachi a weary look.]
The last one's just labeled 'Revenge'. You still want me to move it or do you think it's just gonna explode on the dock?
[ It was "I'm-sorry-please-don't-shave-my-head-and-spread-incriminating-photos-of-me-from-a-helicopter" money. Principal Kuno liked to do things with thoroughness - something his precious daughter learned from the best.
The truth was, they didn't need any insurance money. They just liked knowing that there was someone to torment if things didn't go their way. ]
Go ahead and order another crate, then.
Oh! [ Kodachi's dark eyes glimmered. ] That one contains a cursed relic - the bridal kimono of a girl whose groom-to-be jilted her at the altar. She was so sorrowful, so vengeful, that she placed a terrible curse on this kimono in exchange for her life. It is said that anyone who wears that kimono will find themselves unable to marry their true love...
[It was still marginally better than the yakuza. When Principal Kuno took over a school, he didn't actually try to bulldoze it rather than turning it into a shrine to himself.
He returned with the crate just as she began recanting the story, not quite sure if his brows could grow closer together without fusing. Something about it didn't quite make sense.]
Does it stop you from dating anybody? I heard marriage isn't really as popular anymore.
[ Her father was no less of a megalomaniac that way.
Kodachi was enjoying telling her story, her voice curling in delicious anticipation when -
She stared at him wide-eyed, so startled that she decided to flip back upright and land en pointe to face Riki. ]
Marriage isn't popular anymore? What is the world coming to?
[ She let out a dramatic sigh, falling to her knees and holding a hand to her forehead as she looked to the side, the very image of a distressed lady. ]
You owe me more than a bowl of ramen for delivering such horrid news - on top of having to replace that crate of bombs!
[Nonplussed, Riki lifted his chin, watching Kodachi nail a backflip from a stationary standing position nigh perfectly only to collapse just for the sake of theatrics. Mid-flip, he'd pulled out his phone to start scrolling down to see which places would be the busiest at that point in the evening.
His brow twitched when she pulled out her well-worn card. He wasn't going to fall for the dramatic despair for a fifth time.]
More than a bowl of ramen? Most of these places do water for free.
[He wasn't made of stone no matter what his weird kung-fu would have implied. Such was made evident when his otherwise stoic expression fell to pay Kodachi her attention when she moved into Act 2. The slight inclination he had that she might have fainted almost warranted a quick appraisal until she complained and kicked him in the ankle.]
Koda--
[Squatting down and holding his ankle, he huffed.]
You're lucky you look cute when you throw tantrums.
[Once he was done rubbing his ankle, he held out his arm for her, a sour little look on his face where there usually was one anyway.]
Fine. Tea. Dessert, too, but I'm choosing where cause I can't afford a whole sundae bar.
[The one time Ranma caught Riki and Kodachi spending time outside, he received a very grateful text from an unknown number. And another. And another. And another.
There were a fair number of positive responses to a relationship he hadn't managed to get to progress to a single, actual date.
He sighed at her and, in retrospect, the lot of them. All the while, Kodachi put on a rather coquettish expression that coaxed a little grin from him.]
Yeah, I bet he wouldn't. [Lay it on thicker, Samejima! At the time, it soured the taste of his battle okonomiyaki to be told to be so aggressive. There was no better way to get on someone's nerves than to throw one's weight around, he thought to himself in a room full of tools designed to help someone throw their weight around.]
If you're ready, it'll just take me a few to sweep up and lock the door.
[ To be fair, at the time Riki had caught them, Kodachi had been dangling Ranma over Mr. Green Turtle because he refused to eat the Valentine's Day chocolate that she'd bought for him. Riki had just caught them at the wrong moment is all - just a lover's quarrel. ]
If you insist.
[ He wasn't really insisting, but... semantics. Even poets had poetic license.
Kodachi flipped onto her feet and sashayed out the warehouse door, her "la la la~" following her as she skipped about. One could hear Sasuke's muffled shouting behind one of the storage rooms, but that was unimportant. ]
[He was just... so hungry. Absolutely everything about doing oddjobs for Kodachi ended in something catastrophic or some kind of convoluted altercation with a new martial artist.
The only bonus he could recall would be the really good restaurants throughout town. It turned out that having a passion for martial arts translated really well into culinary technique.]
Just don't get distracted--
[And she was off. Seeing her spring right back onto her feet and bound out of the warehouse as if gravity were simply a non-concern, Riki sighed and went about sweeping.
When he was done, he locked up, changed out of his jumpsuit and into jeans and a tee, making his way to the front. On the way, he hopped over moats with snapping turtles and lifted a giant boulder to get a single key out from under it to unlock the gate before passing to the street. Quietly, he reminded himself to go to the unemployment office for something with less travel time before and after work.
When he got to the front gate, Riki lifted his hand to shield his eyes from whatever bomb was sure to explode in his face.]
[ This time he'd stepped on the cobblestone that triggered a klaxon horn. No one even looked - the neighbors were accustomed to strange noises and explosions coming from the Kuno residence.
Kodachi herself was also unbothered, and she gave him a smile as she pirouetted in place. ]
[If it wasn't one, it was the other. He went stark-still at the noise, groaning just before he relaxed. He spotted Kodachi the moment he saw her mid-axis, furrowing his brows and hunching his shoulders so he could tag along with her.]
Yeah, yeah. You don't have schoolwork to do tonight, right?
[Genuine question. Not many people understood what in the world Principal Kuno did other than haunt the halls with clippers.
At a leisurely pace, he followed along. Riki didn't have much in his resume to speak of. Odd-jobs and a couple sentences ending with a prison-break. The only reason he wasn't in a cell had been that he took down Sabu but that wasn't going to keep him out for good. Refraining from mayhem on the street was important.]
I don't have any plans after this. Most of the guys run graveyard shifts so I'll probably just be...
[His train of thought, derailed.] Shoot. After this, I gotta fight a guy down at the pier.
It's not gonna be much of a fight. He doesn't even use one of those 'School of' styles.
[He probably shouldn't have begrudged the sheer number of dojos in Nerima. Most of them were somehow wealthy enough to keep afloat and have dinner on the table every night and plenty of them were willing to give him money to clean floors and trim gardens.
Noticing something important, he raised awareness to the dangers of walking ahead of him.]
What's a leg press? It sounds strange and unnecessary.
[ This coming from a member of the Kuno clan...
All of Kodachi's training had been practical. Tormenting her brother, feeding her crocodile, defending her honor in the most graceful and artistic way... There was just no other option but to live and breathe Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. Exercise for a certain amount of time per day was unnecessary when even coming home from school meant jumping from rooftop to rooftop to divebomb one's sibling. ]
[Strange? Maybe. Most things sounded strange when they were unfamiliar but he couldn't imagine jumping from rooftop as she did wouldn't give her the same sort of exercise. He did leg presses because he didn't feel like getting caught and fined for loitering...
And, really, he didn't care too much about running around like a shinobi.]
Ahh, nevermind. Did you see 'Girl and Dragon' last night?
[Quite literally his favorite teen drama about a girl possessed by an ancient dragon trying to live an ordinary highschool life. The special effects were terrible but it had all the YA appeal he was an utter sucker for.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sforzinda
no subject
Date: 2023-02-19 06:41 pm (UTC)[He didn't expand any further on it. If she didn't look into it, that was fine. Riki went about moving over to grab the next box and returned in the middle of her inspecting them.
This one was labeled 'Caltrops'. No mystery behind that one. As he set it down, he took a break to fix his hair, feeling the tickle of a rose petal he hadn't gotten to yet. He was about to head back for the next box when he came to a clear mental halt. Riki leaned over to murmur to Kodachi, not sure if he should have been quiet or not.]
Oh, right. Some shinobi snuck in earlier and I clocked him. Should still be tied up in the office.
[If there needed to be an explanation as to why poor Sasuke hadn't answered her texts in quite some time.]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-19 06:54 pm (UTC)[ She raised a brow as he leaned over to mutter the news. ]
So that's why my brother was distressed. He's absolutely codependent on Sasuke.
[ That was a new word she'd learned in college. She momentarily beamed, proud of herself for using it in conversation. ]
He'll find him sooner or later.
[ With that, she moved on to inspect the crates of duct tape. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 03:56 pm (UTC)[The spicy ramen bowl challenge went to Kunio, too. As it was a bit of a sore spot for him he refused to elaborate.
At mention of her brother, he nearly cracked a smile. Tatewaki. That dork. Riki set down the next crate of 'festive livery', whatever that meant, down on the floor beside the duct-tape. He wasn't ready to leave it where it was, trying to piece together where it belonged thematically.
It exploded.]
Speaking of. You wanna grab ramen after this?
[Half-covered in soot and ash, now combing the burned curls out of his hair.]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 04:04 pm (UTC)Some moments later, she tumbled down gracefully in a flurry of silk ribbons, hanging upside down from her silks with her face right in front of Riki's so that they could hold a proper conversation. ]
That's not enough to pay for the box of cherry bombs you destroyed.
[ If he listened closely, he could hear the melancholy tune of a koto being played as black rose petals swirled in the random breeze... ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 04:15 pm (UTC)Once Kodachi touched back down, he lifted his brows and peered around, trying to figure out where the music had come from. His brows scrunched together once he gave up.]
Just gotta order more. Whatever weird gimmick your dad came up with gets you guys more money than you paid through insurance claims.
[It was a wonder there were any insurance companies brave enough to support Nerima's industries at all. Riki offered Kodachi a weary look.]
The last one's just labeled 'Revenge'. You still want me to move it or do you think it's just gonna explode on the dock?
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 04:53 pm (UTC)The truth was, they didn't need any insurance money. They just liked knowing that there was someone to torment if things didn't go their way. ]
Go ahead and order another crate, then.
Oh! [ Kodachi's dark eyes glimmered. ] That one contains a cursed relic - the bridal kimono of a girl whose groom-to-be jilted her at the altar. She was so sorrowful, so vengeful, that she placed a terrible curse on this kimono in exchange for her life. It is said that anyone who wears that kimono will find themselves unable to marry their true love...
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 06:49 pm (UTC)He returned with the crate just as she began recanting the story, not quite sure if his brows could grow closer together without fusing. Something about it didn't quite make sense.]
Does it stop you from dating anybody? I heard marriage isn't really as popular anymore.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 06:59 pm (UTC)Kodachi was enjoying telling her story, her voice curling in delicious anticipation when -
She stared at him wide-eyed, so startled that she decided to flip back upright and land en pointe to face Riki. ]
Marriage isn't popular anymore? What is the world coming to?
[ She let out a dramatic sigh, falling to her knees and holding a hand to her forehead as she looked to the side, the very image of a distressed lady. ]
You owe me more than a bowl of ramen for delivering such horrid news - on top of having to replace that crate of bombs!
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 07:23 pm (UTC)His brow twitched when she pulled out her well-worn card. He wasn't going to fall for the dramatic despair for a fifth time.]
More than a bowl of ramen? Most of these places do water for free.
[It was definitely what she meant.]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 07:28 pm (UTC)Kodachi let out a juddering sigh before completely collapsing onto the floor. ]
Free? Free? My heart is worth more than... free water!
[ She kicked a foot out in the throes of despair, and if it caught his ankle, that was completely not intentional. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-20 08:05 pm (UTC)Koda--
[Squatting down and holding his ankle, he huffed.]
You're lucky you look cute when you throw tantrums.
[Once he was done rubbing his ankle, he held out his arm for her, a sour little look on his face where there usually was one anyway.]
Fine. Tea. Dessert, too, but I'm choosing where cause I can't afford a whole sundae bar.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-21 03:20 pm (UTC)[ She seemed to bristle all over, like a cat ready to shred his face to ribbons -
And then she blushed and looked away with a little "oh~!" ]
I accept your terms. But I'll have you know, my fiancé won't accept you complimenting me in such a cavalier fashion!
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 05:26 am (UTC)There were a fair number of positive responses to a relationship he hadn't managed to get to progress to a single, actual date.
He sighed at her and, in retrospect, the lot of them. All the while, Kodachi put on a rather coquettish expression that coaxed a little grin from him.]
Yeah, I bet he wouldn't. [Lay it on thicker, Samejima! At the time, it soured the taste of his battle okonomiyaki to be told to be so aggressive. There was no better way to get on someone's nerves than to throw one's weight around, he thought to himself in a room full of tools designed to help someone throw their weight around.]
If you're ready, it'll just take me a few to sweep up and lock the door.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 05:13 pm (UTC)If you insist.
[ He wasn't really insisting, but... semantics. Even poets had poetic license.
Kodachi flipped onto her feet and sashayed out the warehouse door, her "la la la~" following her as she skipped about. One could hear Sasuke's muffled shouting behind one of the storage rooms, but that was unimportant. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-22 06:43 pm (UTC)The only bonus he could recall would be the really good restaurants throughout town. It turned out that having a passion for martial arts translated really well into culinary technique.]
Just don't get distracted--
[And she was off. Seeing her spring right back onto her feet and bound out of the warehouse as if gravity were simply a non-concern, Riki sighed and went about sweeping.
When he was done, he locked up, changed out of his jumpsuit and into jeans and a tee, making his way to the front. On the way, he hopped over moats with snapping turtles and lifted a giant boulder to get a single key out from under it to unlock the gate before passing to the street. Quietly, he reminded himself to go to the unemployment office for something with less travel time before and after work.
When he got to the front gate, Riki lifted his hand to shield his eyes from whatever bomb was sure to explode in his face.]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 03:34 pm (UTC)Kodachi herself was also unbothered, and she gave him a smile as she pirouetted in place. ]
Shall we?
no subject
Date: 2023-02-23 08:31 pm (UTC)Yeah, yeah. You don't have schoolwork to do tonight, right?
no subject
Date: 2023-02-24 03:22 pm (UTC)[ He was literally writing her report for her. ]
What about you?
[ Without even waiting for his answer, she started walking down the street. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-25 03:35 pm (UTC)[Genuine question. Not many people understood what in the world Principal Kuno did other than haunt the halls with clippers.
At a leisurely pace, he followed along. Riki didn't have much in his resume to speak of. Odd-jobs and a couple sentences ending with a prison-break. The only reason he wasn't in a cell had been that he took down Sabu but that wasn't going to keep him out for good. Refraining from mayhem on the street was important.]
I don't have any plans after this. Most of the guys run graveyard shifts so I'll probably just be...
[His train of thought, derailed.] Shoot. After this, I gotta fight a guy down at the pier.
no subject
Date: 2023-02-25 03:42 pm (UTC)[ How else would they acquire their wealth? Aside from through generations of treasure, of course.
And, of course, Kodachi didn't expound on what exactly her father did. ]
Oh, a fight! I'm coming along.
[ She didn't ask if that was fine because she assumed he'd want an audience. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-25 06:12 pm (UTC)[He probably shouldn't have begrudged the sheer number of dojos in Nerima. Most of them were somehow wealthy enough to keep afloat and have dinner on the table every night and plenty of them were willing to give him money to clean floors and trim gardens.
Noticing something important, he raised awareness to the dangers of walking ahead of him.]
Hey, what leg exercises do you do?
no subject
Date: 2023-02-25 06:26 pm (UTC)[ At his question, Kodachi turned around, tilting her head to one side in puzzlement. ]
Hm? I don't exercise.
[ Ballet, gymnastics, martial arts... Those weren't exercise, were they? ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-25 10:59 pm (UTC)[He was pointedly trying to avoid giving the reason why he accepted the challenge. Most other times, he'd just ignore those guys.
Somehow, he didn't want to reveal how petty his reason had been.]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-26 01:28 pm (UTC)[ This coming from a member of the Kuno clan...
All of Kodachi's training had been practical. Tormenting her brother, feeding her crocodile, defending her honor in the most graceful and artistic way... There was just no other option but to live and breathe Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics. Exercise for a certain amount of time per day was unnecessary when even coming home from school meant jumping from rooftop to rooftop to divebomb one's sibling. ]
no subject
Date: 2023-02-28 03:19 am (UTC)[Strange? Maybe. Most things sounded strange when they were unfamiliar but he couldn't imagine jumping from rooftop as she did wouldn't give her the same sort of exercise. He did leg presses because he didn't feel like getting caught and fined for loitering...
And, really, he didn't care too much about running around like a shinobi.]
Ahh, nevermind. Did you see 'Girl and Dragon' last night?
[Quite literally his favorite teen drama about a girl possessed by an ancient dragon trying to live an ordinary highschool life. The special effects were terrible but it had all the YA appeal he was an utter sucker for.]