Smart Boy

Vrrrrm! Caleb’s phone buzzed and Mean Loli displayed on the caller id. He smiled and answered the call.

“City morgue, you kill em we keep em!”

“Ha, ha! You silly boy! What’re you doin?”

“I was saving the world in Call of Conflict 6 until you interrupted, you babygirl. What-choo-doin?”

“I’m two steps from your building, buzz me in, and you better had cooked! Click!” she hung up.

“Tch, bratty girl!” Caleb laughed to himself hit his buzzer and waited for Rica. He heard her hustle up the stairs and he knew she would jump him. And when Rica reached the top step and saw Caleb, she jumped him.

“Rica, no! Aaah!” she climbed on top of him kissing and biting him amid his protest, “Rica, oww!” She responded with evil, “Hee, hee, hee!”

Caleb manned up and fought back. He bear hugged Rica, pinning her arms to her side until she stopped struggling, and behaved.

Holding her he interrogated her, “Where you been? Hunh, I been calling you since Friday?” Rica hid her face in his chest and half answered him, “Nnnn...those bad Chinese girls had my phone, and that’s all I can say.”

Caleb read Rica’s body language and knew not to press her. He took the bag she carried off of her shoulder and saw her school uniform in it. Caleb guessed she was sleeping over. He teased her.

“Cranky girl crashing here tonight? Hm? I bet you’re hungry.”

She pouted a response, “Hmph!” Rica was hungry, but also needy and wouldn’t let Caleb go.

“Babygirl, I can’t cook if you're hugging me like this," he said.

“You can’t or you won’t? Choose wisely!”

“Rica, you have to-”

“No!” she pouted.

“Oi!”

Don’t worry, Caleb can handle her. He baby talked Rica into sitting in the kitchen with him while he cooked, “Hmph!” she compromised and helped him clean his kitchen table.

Fuses, gunpowder and firecracker chemistry crowded the table top. But Rica pointed out the little square paper thingies.

“Caleb-kun? These paper thingies?” She picked one up.

“Careful babe, those things are super flammable, here, lemme show you!”

The paper thingies were double the size of a postage stamp and called strikers. Caleb took a striker and wrapped it around a fuse string and rubbed the two together between his thumb and index finger, Tiss! The fuse lit on fire. Caleb held up the burning fuse for Rica.

“Wow! You can light a firecracker without a match?”

“Yup! They're called strikers, for the pyro on the go, bro!” he smiled,happy with his rhyme.

“Oh my god, you are so lame! Ha, ha!” she had to let him know!

The baka couple laughed and ate and laughed some more. Later Rica asked Caleb to look something up for her. Something important. But not now. Right now she wanted,

“My Caleb pillow, nya!” all bratty and cute.

“But babygirl, that means you gonna fall asleep on top of me and-”

“And what? You mad cause I won’t let you play Call me Connie Six with your boyfriends, hmm?”

Caleb defended his gamer honor, “It’s Call of Conflict 6, and they ain’t my boyfriends, they’re mah clan! And they need me!”

“Anh hanh, Cock-6! A boys love game made by a boy lover! Admit it, hee, hee, hee and that’s why you like it!” accused the mean loli!

Caleb lost the argument but he had a plan. Since he made Rica a big-ole-plate of food, it only took twenty minutes laying on him on his couch before she passed out. Snoring and everything.

Caleb slipped from under Rica and shifted her on the couch to let her sleep. He knew she was stressed about something, and knew she wouldn't tell him the details. That's fine, as long as she's safe.

“What am I gonna do with you?” he whispered in her sleeping ear and rubbed her hair. But now it was time for some Call of Conflict 6. Caleb grabbed his game controller and spawned in with his clan. His fighter name, CruelFateBx!

Style

After school the next day Rica made a surprise visit to Tara and Kitty’s Kung Fu studio in Chinatown. When Rica arrived she found the studio loud and busy as Kitty-Ne-chan lead a class of ten young students in kicking and blocking drills. Rica waited in the back for the class to end, when.

“Hi Rica-chan! Are you here for a class today? How cool!” Kitty spoke loud and her students turned and gawked at Rica. Rica turned red.

“Uhh, Kitty-Ne-chan...I um!”

“Yo, Mongoose!” Tara walked in from somewhere and patted Rica’s head from behind.

“Oh, Senpai! Ne-chan, I needed to talk to you both, with action.” Rica mumbled the last part and Tara and Kitty didn’t know what she meant, but it was cool, Rica's their baby sis.

“Ok, why don’t you and Tara wait for me in the other studio, I’ll be there in a second.” said Kitty.

Tara and Rica entered the adjacent empty studio and flicked on the lights. Tara checked herself in the big wall mirror and joked with Rica.

“Dag, It must be urgent you came all the way down here, little Rifle Girl. You didn’t kill anyone did you? Ha ha!”

Rica smirked and removed her school blazer and white shirt. Under Rica’s shirt, a dark grey tank top, with the Chinese characters on the back, 貓鼬 Mongoose.

“Ooh, what are you doin there uh...Rica?” asked Tara, unsure.

“Senpai, that man...that monster, is strong, very strong. But he’s not you.” Rica deadpanned.

“Uh, hunh? Oh..so what? You think if you come here and beat me up, you can beat this monster?” Tara guessed and Rica confirmed.

“Senpai, I can’t beat you up and you know it!”

“That’s right Waataaaa!!!” Tara kicked in the air doing her Bruce Lee impression. She was so lame and Rica loved her.

“Ha, Ha, Senpai, I can’t beat you, yet...But I don’t need to beat you. I just need to move you!”

Tara caught on. “Move me, hunh?...So you sized this guy up and you think that’s what it takes to beat him?”

“Yes I do, and I can beat him...if I can move you.”

“Hunh, hunh, hunh...Why don’t you just shoot him?”

“Because he deserves much worse. And I’m going to give it to him” Rica stripped down to shorts and a tank top. She tightened her ponytail and positioned into a fighter’s stance.

“Senpai, I will move you!”

“Well, you seem convinced.” Tara unzipped her own hooded sweatshirt and, all cool, revealed her own dark grey tank top with her Chinese character, 兔 Rabbit!

Rica smiled, she was ready. Tara drew an imaginary circle around herself with her foot.

“Little Mongoose, you talk a big game, but let’s see you move me outta this circle...and don’t waste my time.”

Rica lowered her gaze, took a deep breath...And attacked! A full frontal assault with a right punch directly at Tara’s face.

“Won’t work kid!” Tara raised her left hand to block, and Rica vanished!

But Tara knew this trick. She couldn't see Rica, but Tara jumped and avoided Rica's spinning kick aimed at Tara's knee. Tara then kicked to her right side into the gut of the reappeared Rica, knocking the Rifle Girl backward in the studio.

“God!” Rica cried out as she rolled twice on the floor, holding her belly in a fetal position. Tara wasn’t impressed.

“Sooooo, you were all talk then, hmm? Well I guess you-”

“Wait! Cough, cough...I’m not done..cough, cough…I’ll move you.”

“Hunh, hunh. Are you sure that’s what you want? I mean, if I kick you again-”

“You won’t kick her again!” Kitty stormed in the studio and helped Rica up.

“Rica-chan, I know what you’re trying to do here, but getting the shit kicked out of you by Tara won’t help you!” Rica heard Kitty.

“I know, that’s why I didn’t want to fight you Ne-chan. I knew if I fought Tara-senpai, you would see what i did wrong and tell me what to do, hee!” Rica smiled at Kitty, she knew Kitty would help her.

“What? You planned this, hunh? Ha, ha, you little sadomasochist!” Kitty patted Rica’s head.

“Hey, what ya’ll talkin about!” Tara yelled from the circle. Kitty yelled back, “Nothing! Stay in the circle and shut up!” Kitty then broke Rica’s inefficiency down for her. And Rica listened.

“Rica, me and you are cat sisters, nya?”

“Oh yesh!” Rica agreed.

“Ok, so you have to listen to me. We cats are fast and sharp, but we’re small. And you and I are not as strong as Tara and all these other big dudes. But I beat Tara all the time!” Rica’s eyes widened, “You do?”

Tara yelled in defense, “No she doesn’t, she’s a liar!”

“If I’m a liar than step out the circle and watch me prove it!” Kitty scowled at Tara, scaring her.

“Uhhh? To hell with you Kitty! Just hurry up and teach that brat something.” Tara pouted but didn’t want to fight with Kitty, those fights hurt.

Kitty turned back to Rica, “Honey, when you fight, you use Reyna’s technique. But I gotta tell you, that ghost technique works for Reyna because she’s perfected it for her speed and strength. But you, little one, are not there yet.”

“But..I can get-”

“Take it easy Mongoose. I’m not saying to abandon what Reyna taught you. What I am saying is you need to adjust your style to what you are...A mongoose, or as we say in Chinese, a cat-ferret.” Kitty motivated Rica.

“I want to be a cat-ferret! What do I have to do, Ne-chan?”

“Ha, ha! Well, you’re already fast but you need to adjust for your power. Now, when you drop out of your opponent’s view, using your ghost move. I see that you spin and side kick, or side elbow to knees and stuff. And that's a good move, if you’re as fast and as strong as Reyna. But what I want you to do is this. Instead of swinging out to the side, and lowering your speed and impact. I want you to drop and forward kick Tara with everything you got, like a coiled spring. And you’ll also find another advantage.”

“Another advantage?” Rica asked.

“Yes, go do what I told you. You'll find the advantage, and you'll move her!” But Rica wasn't so sure.

“How do you know? What if-”

“Like a coiled spring! And because I have faith in you, nya!” Kitty spun Rica to face Tara.

Tara taunted Rica. “Hunh! So are you gonna keep wastin my time?”

Rica shot back, “No. Get ready!” and attacked Tara again. Full frontal and faster than her first attack. But this time Rica threw a full right punch at Tara!

“Heh!” Tara chuckled and blocked Rica’s punch with her left fist, and with her same left fist punched at Rica, trying to lead Rica to Tara’s right fist. But Rica evaded both of Tara’s punches and spun 360 and side kicked Tara. Tara blocked with her leg, jumped up and forward kicked Rica back. But little Rica, blocked, and merely slid backward on the floor, one hand slowing her down, like a proper shinobi! Tara loved it.

“Not bad brat, but you still ain't showed me nothin, heh, heh, heh!” Tara taunted Rica again. But Rica learned fast.

“Raaaah!” Rica charged full speed at Tara. Tara smirked, she knew what was coming. Then Rica, vanished. But before Tara could jump for a side kick, Rica appeared directly in front and below Tara and forward kicked up at Tara’s gut, “Raaaah!” like a coiled spring.

“Shit!” Tara yelled as she crossed her arms for the block. Pow! Rica struck Tara’s center, but Tara managed to block and talk smack, “Ha! Ima brick house! you can’t-”

But Rica’s new move, had an advantage. From her forward facing position Rica pivoted lower and side kicked Tara’s knee, Whack!

“Fuck!” Tara stumbled back,“No! I won’t-” and teetered, refusing to fall down!

“Yes you will!” growled the evil Rica as she stood over the teetering Tara. Until, Thump! Tara fell out of the circle and on her butt.

“Aaah, I didn’t fall! You cheated, you brat! We gotta do it again!” Tara shouted, and Kitty shouted back, “Shut up, she beat you fair and square!”

“Kitty you couldn’t a taught her a move like that on the fly, bullshit!”

“Yes I did, and she executed, didn’t you?” Kitty patted Rica’s back. Rica glowed with pride and embarrassment.

“I did what you told me, Ne-chan. And when I positioned myself forward, I had more power and...I was able to get off another kick since I wasn’t spinning on her side like the first time. That’s the advantage, I think!”

Kitty loved it, “Ha, ha! You are a quick study, and I knew Tara kicked blindly. She just guessed where you were. And since you were in a position to pivot, you used your speed to get that second kick. And that, little one, is how cats fight, meow!”

Rica lit up, but stayed humble. “Thank you, Ne-chan, but I still need practice!”

Tara shouted, “Yeah you do, that was luck,” and patted Rica’s head, “But a win is a win, good job you!” Rica felt her confidence swell. But knew she had to stay grounded.

“Ne-chan, Senpai...I’m close to finding that guy. That monster that took those girls.”

Tara and Kitty let Rica explain.

“That monster said something on the phone to another man in Texas. A name. When I find out what that name is, I’ll find those girls...and that monster.”

Tara didn’t like it, “Hey man, he ain’t your enemy. He’s some shit me and Kitty gotta deal with. So if you find him, all you have to do is call us-”

Rica cut her off, “No!...I mean...Senpai, when I call you, please, just trust me.”

Kitty didn’t like it either, “Rica-chan, you don’t have to do this alone.”

“I didn’t say I’d be alone, not completely, just, when I call...Ne-chan, Senpai, please lend me your strength. And let me handle this the way my mom would expect. The Rifle Girl way!”

Tara felt Rica’s conviction, “Aiyaa! Leave her be, Kitty! Rica’s gonna do what she wants anyway. Let’s just hope she doesn’t kill herself, and then ask for our help afterward, ha, ha!” Tara palmed Rica’s hair and rustled it good. Then Tara gave Rica a “Good luck, Mongoose!” wave, and Tara left the studio.

Kitty faced Rica and asked, “So you think you got this, hunh? But you know as your big sister I don’t approve-”

“That’s because you want to protect me, Ne-chan! And I understand. But yes, I got this. Please have faith in me.” Rica stood firm.

Kitty disapproved of everything Rica said. But Kitty knew the little Rifle Girl would ultimately do what she wanted, and Kitty had to respect that.

But since Rica was in Chinatown, Kitty could take her to, “Joe’s Shanghai! The best soup dumplings in all of New York City, matter fact, all of America, yum!” Kitty explained.

Rica loved dumplings, “Ya! that sounds yummy, let’s go!”

The cat sisters took off to Joe's Shanghai. On the way they conversed in awful weeaboo Japanese mixed with nya sounds. In the middle of Chinatown. Because Otakus have no shame.

Tara and Kitty at Manga-con: Read it here: http://royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=24613