Psycho Bum
Rikko down a crowded Tokyo street with several items of food in his arms. He was being chased by a man with a metal baseball bat, who was gaining on the Rikko. "Stop you thief" yelled the man. Rikko began to slow down from the hunger that had been growing for three days.
"Crud. I can't keep running like this for long. I gotta lose this guy." Thought Rikko. He grabbed an apple from his loot. He jumped up in the air, turned and threw the apple to hit the man square in the forehead. As the man stopped running, Rikko crashed backward into a light pole and fell to the ground, face first.
Jeremy glanced down at the thief with his single eye and shook his head as the police approached. A couple glanced at his scarred face, but he just turned and carried on his way, he looked how he looked, nothing could change that. *The irony. These scars were during a time I fought against Japan, now I defend it and the world.*
Minako cocked her head curiously to the side, watching the police and the thief from the other side of the street. It wasn't an unusual sight, but for some reason she couldn't pull herself away from the scene.
In a flash, a blonde girl jumped out in front of them. "Great! GREAT, I LOVE IT!!! Just two more takes, and we'll be done!" she crowed, holding up a small video camera. A small sweatdrop came into tow as she glanced at the cops. "Oooh, gomen nasai. They should have told you, ne?" The police officials stopped as Jakurin Kitsune flipped a beret onto her head. "We're Virtue in Reality, a small community drama group, very new, very hip! My card," she grinned, flashing a streak of white in front of their faces. "Yokonoi Kitsune, director and photographer. You did GREAT, man!" she said, falling upon the boy. "It moved me!!" The officials looked at each other, confused, as Kitsune jumped up and got in their faces! "Oh, oh, oh! I know what we need!! Honest official! The whole big brother kick! Would you mind posing for us?" The leader blushed. "Us? In a movie?" "Hey, all the guys should be in this!! Go back to the office and bring'em all down!" she said, flashing a big smile. The star-struck officers fell over themselves and hustled on their way, excited about their big chance to be on the silver screen. With a loud exhale of air, Jakurin pulled off her beret and waved in front of the downed boy's face. "Yo. You awake, buddy? *The fuzz is gone*."
Rikko muttered loud enough for Kitsune to hear, "Am I dead?" Then Rikko's face winced in pain as his right hand clutched the back of his head and grunted, "I must be alive death CAN'T hurt THIS bad." As the pain subsided, he looked at Kitsune and said, "Thanks for taking care the puercos, but who are you?"
Jakurin smiled as the sun shone down on the two. "Come on, buddy. Let's get you cleaned up," she said, putting a arm under his head. "Can you stand?"
As Jakurin helped Rikko to his feet, the store owner began to get up as well. "What the... Why you little...!" Exclaimed the store owner as he raised the bat over his head and ran toward the two. Rikko reached down to his right leg, moved a lever on the scabbard under his jacket and pulled his Claymore out in a swinging motion, and met the store owner's bat so hard that the bat was flung out of the owner's hands and accross the street. "Don't you have a store to run?" Said Rikko as the owner looked on in fear. As Rikko put his sword away, the owner turned and ran back to his store. As Rikko turned back to Jakurin, his stomach growled so lound that it began to attract attention. Rikko's face turned a shade of red and he began to wobble from hunger.
Zoisite was perched atop a building, staring down at the little drama with a grin on his lips. More than anything, it was interesting to watch the mortals at play. Feet dangling over the edge, the height of four or more stories didn't seem to bother him in the least. At the male brandishing a sword, he had to giggle. Now *that* was something he didn't see everyday.
Jakurin's eyebrow twitched as the boy put his sword away. "...ano... nice toy," she said, draping under his arm and half-walking, half-dragging him over to her ATV. Once depositing him there, she gather up all his food items in a pan-dimensional bag, and grinned as she stuffed it into her jacket as though it were a quarter. A few moments later, the small taxi-bike-wanna-be scooted out from the alley as Jakurin shouted over her shoulder, "You allergic to anything? I know a great Chinese place, but we could split a bowl of gohan and your groceries outside in the parking lot."
Dunican was walking up the other side of the street going towards Minako. He looked over across the to where Minako was looking and blinked a few times as the scene. He watched as the bat went flying across the street towards Minako. Then he watched as Jakurin helped the bum into her ATV. *A claymore? What was he doing with one of those?* he thought and then started to run towards Minako. "Minako! What is going on?" he asked. Still trying to figure out was going on.
Rikko leaned forward so Jakurin could hear him and said, "I haven't eaten in 4 days, I'm not that pickey.", as his stomach growled again.
"Speaking of 'picky'," she grinned, pulling out a wallet and waving it as they zoomed down the road, "those officers need to get chains attached to these things. We'll be eating tonight!" she crowed, racing up the hill. About a hour later, Jakurin was straddling her seat backwards on her bike as she munched on her second pint of white rice. "I could eat this forever, mmmmm!" she said, wolfing down a forkful. "So, what's your name, stranger? And sorry about not introducing myself. Kitsune Jakurin," she said, taking off her driving gloves and leaning forward for a handshake.
Rikko put down his third and shook her hand and said, "The name's Saki Rikko and thanks for the food Kitsune-san. You're a real life saver." He pulled his backpack off and pulled a can of Faygo Cherry out of it and handed it to Kitsune. "Here, have one." He then pulled one out for himself. "Where did you learn to pick pockets like that?"
"Pick-pocket 101," she joked, catching the soda with one hand. "To be honest, I just thought it was the safest trade since I've been living on the streets for awhile. I'm sorta homeless, but when I'm really desperate I sleep and eat at a small joint called Tudo's. It was kinda weird how that came about. All I did was walk in there, tell a few jokes, and now his daughter has a bed for me almost every night. One of these days I'll get my own set of keys, though. If Tudo will trust me with that cash register." Jakurin's eyes trailed off as she thought of her American family, staring at the can. Then, her eyes bugged for a second as she blinked, then nervously laughed. "Gomen! Looking back at my past kinda spaces me out!! But about the pick-pocketing, I've just become better at it in recent months, and I always return the wallets I've stolen. Minus the money, of course. I also run a taxi service," she said, flipping the sign next to her briefcase that read: "Kitsune's Tokyo Taxi Tours" With a wink, she said, "This ride was free, Rikko. Might have to come work for me next time."
Rikko placed his hand on the horrible looking scar on the back of his head, revealing it, unconciously to Kitsune, and muttered, "I know that feeling about a tragic past all too well..... DAMN YOU KEIKKO!"
A sweatdrop went down Jakurin's head as Rikko shouted the curse to... Keikko?? She looked either way, then twisted her back a bit to glance behind her. "Ano... just you and me." Downing the soda, she wiped a small streak of soda drool off the corner of her mouth with her sleeve. As she leaned back, she could better see the scar in the back of his head. "Whoa. Bummer of a birthmark, Rikko." She tossed the can into their paper bag they were using as trash and said nonchalantly, "So, that's from Keikko? An old girlfriend?"
Rikko's eyes seemed to glow red for a second and a voice from Reikko seemed to say in a diffrent voice, "How RUDE! Old girlfriend indeed!" Rikko's eyes drew back in horror as he sweatdropped. "Well, it happened about 8 years ago... It was during a mideval reenactment tournement. I was winning one of the fights and started to let my guard down. It proved to be a little painful. I had a fractured skull, and a little encounter with some really weird stuff. I became a Skitsofranic." *MY GOD! I DON"T BELIEVE I JUST TOLD HER THAT!* Thought Rikko.
Jakurin started choking on her eggroll as he mentioned mideival she had been spent the better part of her month in school, and wondered if he was one of the men from her class-- nah. "*cough cough!* Schitzophrenic, ne?" she repeated, coughing hard a few times as her eyes watered. "G-gomen ne, excuse me- *cough cough*" She quickly reached into her jacket and pulled out a rather large paddle. Reaching behind her, she gave herself a good whack on the back. The small ball of gummy rice launched itself into the air until it landed with a sickening splat on the pavement. Jakurin and Rikko stared at it for a second, then Jakurin began stuffing the racket back as though nothing happened. "Schitzophrenia, ne?" she said again. "Can't be much harder then waht I'm cursed with." She flashed hima disarming grin.
Minako shrugged when Dunican reached her. " I dunno..." she said simply , really having no idea what had just happened.
Niwanochi Yuri held a flower pot in her hand as she walked down the street, she spotted Duncian and Minako and walked over to them. "Hello Minako, Duncian, how are you two doing today?" She asked them.
Jeremy leaned against the wall in the dark shadows of a nearby
building,
his body hadn't
moved no more than a couple inches of adjustment since they had parked
there. He had seen the
claymore display and had not been amused. The boy was an inexperienced
thief from the looks of
things, but one carrying a dangerous weapon.
*As if I didn't have enought to do, at least I wear all black
most of
the
time, makes
following people easier. All I need is for him to try his claymore
stunt
again and he's going
downtown.*
Jakurin jumped a little as Rikko-kun grabbed her hands.
"Kitsune-san.
Please, I'm beggng
you, Don't tell anyone what i just told you. PLEASE! PROMISE ME!"
"N-na ni?!" she said in shaky voice, giving off a nervous
smile.
Rikko
grew closer to her
face, as Jakurin's own emerald eyes delved into his own, colorless...
lifeless...
"I promise," she said in a voice below a whisper.
He reared back, grabbing his head in pain again. Giving her
his
thanks, he tripped over
the wheel hub of her rider and then dashed off, leaving Jakurin's own
heart
beating her chest.
"What... the..."
She blinked a few times, then turned and saw that Rikko-kun had
left
behind his bag, plus
the food.
Letting out her breath in a shaky sigh, she gathered it up and
tried
her best to smoosh it
all into the cage next to her briefcase and with a last look in the
direction Rikko had gone,
she placed her helmet on her head and sped off the other way.
As Rikko reached the park, Keikko finally removed Rikko from the
control of
his body and took
over happily, letting out a maniacial laugh that could be heard all
through
the general
vicinity. "Now that this body is fed" Said Keikko aloud, "Let's get
down
to the mayhem." As
Keikko was sizing up his surroundings, he heard a girl scream in the
near
distance. "Sounds
like someone already beat me to the punch." He said as he took off in
the
direction the scream
came from. He climbed a tree and surveyed the area where he heard the
screams come from.
The scene was a normal one for the streets of Tokyo and one that Rikko
and
Keikko had seen many
times before in the streets of Detroit. Five thugs had cornered a girl
near
a tree and were
advancing toward her with weapons drawn.
"We only want your money." said the leader.
"Yeah, the money." said one with bright red hair with black roots.
"We don't want any trouble." said a tall one that was weilding a
chain.
"Yeah, Trouble" mimiced the red head again.
"Just your money, so don't make it difficult on yourself, or we may
have to
hurt you, Right
Bobo?" said a short one and nudging a very large man whojust grunted
at the
little man.
*That big guy may be a problem, but I need to take those othersout
first.*
thought Keikko. He
jumped out of the tree and dove at the tall red head with his daggers
drawn.
He stuck his
dagger into the red head's eye and pulled the switch. The red head
dropped
like nothing.
Keikko turned to the rest of the bunch, who was comming toward him.
Keikko
made his way between
them and the girl, who was now trembling with fear at everyone there.
Dunican looked at Minako and then to Yuri. "I'm ok Yuri," he said with
a
smile and then looked
across the street. Noticing that the police was helping the store onwer
and
getting clues. *What
was that all about?* thought Dunican as he looked over to Minako. His
eyes
were telling her that
something was up and something was going to happen very soon.
As the group moved in to mangle the poor girl, there was a red
blur
that seemed to drop from the tree in front of her. In two shakes of a
lance, two of the men were dropped to their knees with groin pain, as a
very
animated jester saluted the rest.
"*Picking on the weak? That is sooo cliqhue'*," teased
Jurei-Jurei,
as
she backed up towards the tree, lance at the ready. Turning her head
slightly to the side, she commanded, "Run, girl! Run!"
The girl complied, but the big leader took advantage of Jurei's
distraction and tackled her full force, knocking away her lance.
Jurei-Jurei saw stars, as she found it hard to breathe with
300-pound
muscle jerk sitting on her.
"G-Gomen *cough*, but ain't you *cough* a little heavy?!"
The leader grinned, as the others swarmed over her and their
fallen
partners.
"We're gonna turn you into dog meat," threatned one.
"Now, why dog meat? *cough* Why is it always dog meat? Why
not
cat
kibbles or fish food or-ack!"
The leader had a meaty hand around her throat, and said, "But
first,
let's shut that pretty mouth of yours."
"Hey! She's got a mask!"
"Got something to hide, dearie?" sneered the leader, making a
motion
to
rip it off.
As the goon grasped teh mask and began to pull it off, he heard Keikko
shouting, "Hey, Pinche Pemdjo! Over here!" Shouted Keikko as he bared
his
rear and patted it while making kissing sounds. The goon released his
captive jester and made his way toward Keikko at top speed. Keikko
drew his
daggers again and as the goon got within striking range, Keikko stuck
his
daggers into the goons head and pulled his switches. "Take that
Damaramu!"
Sneered Keikko. This stunned the other gang members as they had made
thier
way to Juri-Juri.
Jurei-Jurei wheezed as the over-bearing leader leapt off
her, and
quickly made short work of herself as she rolled out a pan-dimensional
line
and hopped into it. With a slight wind gust from Nature, she rolled
inbetween the legs of the other hoods and down the park's paved
sidewalk.
Everyone present just blinked as the jester suddenly made her exit.
Keikko
took advante of the situation and began to wildly swing his knives in
the
air and began to scream in a wild fashion. Two of the gang members run
away
in sheer terror and the other two charger Keikko and delivered several
wounds to the skitsofranic before he took them out. "Crud, they got a
few
hits in." said Keikko as he began to calm down and noticed that his
arms
were bleeding slightly and his chest hurt. *Well, can't hang out here
forever. I gotta get out of here.* Thought Keikko as he started to
run out
of the park.
Unbeknownst to Keikko, a small hair-line was chasing him. It
was
rolling end over end until a gust of air blew it up so the hair could
attach
to his back. Once there, in a small yellow puff of smoke there was an
extra
137 pounds added to his spine in the shape of a woman.
Jurei-Jurei knocked on his noggin with her gloved hand.
"*Hola*,"
she
said with a grin as she was cradling his back and shoulders.
Zoisite dropped down to the sidewalk, sides still hurting badly
from
gigling too much. Tears washed down his pale cheeks as quickly as he
could
wipe them away. Shaking his head ruefully, he let out a slow breath of
air
to bring himself under control. "At least the senshi haven't gotten
any
smarter since the Silver Millenium. I suppose that's a good thing.
That
jester just is not a credit to them."
Letting loose one last laugh, the sakura glanced about
thoughtfully,
considering whatelse he could get into today. Jaden gaze pausing on a
darkened figure in the shadows, he cursed softly and took a step
backwards.
The height and form was basically the same as the Guardian, and he
wouldn't
put it past the senshi's protector to be here with the jester. He,
Kunzite,
and Nephrite taking the other man on was one thing, but alone? There
was no
way *that* was happening. Taking a beating or getting captured by the
enemy
wasn't in his plans for the day.
As Keikko felt something land on his shoulders, he panicked. When the
something talked, he knew it was after him. He brought his arm up and
swung
his elbow into the side of the something, which made it release it's
hold.
He unschethed his dagger, swung around and pointed it at Jurei's
throat.
With a choke of surprise, Jurei-Jurei lost her hold and
twisted her
body as she landed on her stomach and rolled to her left onto her back.
No
sooner did she blinked then she stared up at a small, steel blade...
and
stared... and stared... and becoming cross-eyed.
Shaking her head a bit, she glanced up at the man. "Does this
mean
you want my autograph?" she said with a smirk, her wide eyes showing
nervousness.
~This senshi stuff is going to kill me one day. Maybe I
should
take
out a life insurance policy... but how do you explain 'Death by
Youma'!?~
"Hey, aren't you that stupid jester that got laid on by that big
guy a
while ago?" said Keikko. He looked down at the fallen jester that he
just
sucked punched, and seeing how nervous she was said, "Oh, sorry about
that.
Thought you were a puerco." He flipped his dagger backwards and
offered
Jurei a hand up.
Jurei-Jurei's eyebrow twitched as she took his hand, and he
ripped
if
off her wrist. Nonchalantly, she looked at her stub where her hand
once
was, and stood up by herself. "Yes, that's me, the stupid jester. All
I do
are parlour tricks, really," she said tightly with a smile, taking back
her
hand and screwing it on.
"Name's Keikko. You got a name, or do i just call you
baka-jester?"
asked Keikko as he watched Jurei's 'parlour' trick.
"...Sailor Jurei-Jurei will do fine, for now," she said quickly,
turning on her heel.
"I guess I should thank you for saving me, so thanks," she said
over
her shoulder.
Keikko fells to his knees, dropping his daggers with several loud
clanks. "'Thank you.' Those are two words that no one has ever said
to me,
ever." he said with a tear running down his cheek, "Nither one of us.
No,
thank you Sailor Jurei-Jurei."
Sailor Peace Keeper smiled at Jurie Jurie from behind
the corner. "What are you nuts...get back out
there!"
she said to her softly. She had been watching he
entire time, but didn't want to interfer. This
was
just too wild. "Don't let this catch get away."
Jurei-Jurei blinked three times in
sucession
behind her mask. The first, that a sudden change
had come over
this
Keikko
fella. Secondly, he shed a tear over two words:
thank you. And
thirdly,
she could have sworn she heard a woman's voice...
nah, too many
blinks in
one day.
Turning back around, she rested her left
hand and switched
her
staff to her right. "Gomen, did I hear you right?
No one's
ever said 'thank you', to you? That's not right.
Sometimes I
wonder
what's happening to Japan," she said, giving a
small smile, then a
big
grin. "I'm far from royalty, and the ground
doesn't suit your
lovely
legs.
Here, let me help_you_ up," she laughed,
offering a hand.
Keikko looked up at Jurei Jurei with his red
eyes
and thought,
*She's
kinna scarey when she grins like that. Anyways,
Rikko, at least she's
cool
like that other blonde you like. What was her
name?
Oh yeah,
Jakurin.*
*You got that right, I never did trust anyone that
smiled THAT much!*
thought Rikko. *Well, you gotta admit, even
though
she acts like a
damn
loon, she is kinna cute. Even if she does need
some
vitamins.*
thought
Keikko. *If I could see your real face, i'm sure
you
have an evil
grin.
Anyways, yes she is cute, but so is Jakurin-kun.
Maybe even cuter. I
mean
why does this chick need a mask?* thought Rikko.
*Well, not sure, but
there is one way to find out.* thought Keikko as
he
looked past
Jurei-Jurei's outstreched hand, and to her mask.
*If
she wants us to
see
her, she'll show us when she's ready. AND I won't
let
you do anything
diffrent.* Thought Rikko. *You think, well,
we'll
see.* thought
Keikko as
he began to think how he would move past
Jurei-Jurei's
hand and remove
her
mask. As he began to move, Keikko's eyes went
pure
white and then
Rikko's
eyes returned to his skull. Rikko turned his head
slightly to the side
and
muttered, "Well, Keikko, age and treachery will
Always
prevail over
youth
and skill." He looked back at Jurei Jurei, picked
up
Keikko's daggers,
took
her hand and made his way to his feet. He
schethed
the daggers with a
half
spin trick and looked back at Jurei. "Well,
Keikko's
out for a
while....
lovely legs?????", he asked Jurei Jurei. *I feel
like
a piece of
MEAT!!!*
he thought.
The Venus Knight and Sailor Venus stood nearby.
"Looks
like we came tom
late
Venus," said Dunican as he looked over to Minako
and
gave her a small
smile.
"We seem to miss out on all the fun," he said.
Slowly
he started to
make his
way over to the others.
Jurei-Jurei blinked yet again, only this time
it was a small
facial
tick. "Ano... Keikko's 'out' for awhile??? And
what happened to
your
eyes?
They're... softer--??"
Speaking of which, out of the corner of her,
Jurei-Jurei saw a
a man
in
interesting coverings, with a sailor right behind
him approaching
the
two.
Jurei-Jurei turned to get a better look, and
cheered loudly upon
seeing
who
it was.
"It's Sailor Venus!!" she crowed happily,
whipping out a
notebook
and
a
huge pen from nowhere. Speeding the last
remaining feet over to
her, she
shoved the book in the blonde's face. "Oh, oh,
oh, may I have
your
autograph, oh pleeeeeeeease!?!?"
Sailor Peace Keeper had been watching. *What a
cute
couple.* she thought with a smile. *And Venus
said
she was the only ne who could be any good at match
making*
Peace Keeper turned to walk off when a glint of
something caught her eye. She turned to see a
dagger
in the guy's hand. "Why that little..." she curse
and
headed over to the area. "Got a problem, buddy!"
she
asked, looking very pissed off.
Jurei-Jurei turned at the new harsh,
feminine voice that
wafted
over
to her ears. This was yet another senshi... but
this one looked
like she
demanded respect, lest she slit your throat.
"Whoa," she said, dropping her notebook and
pen into thin
air.
Rikko turned toward the new senshi, and
stepped between
Jurei-Jurei
and
Peace Keeper. He pulled out his Claymore and held
it in front of
him in
a
defencive stance. "Well, only if you have a
problem with me or
her."
answered Rikko in a very calm voice, as he made a
motion with his
head
toward Jurei Jurei. He then looked toward the
'venus twins'
without
taking
the lesser sight from Peace Keeper and said, "Same
goes for you
two."
Sailor Venus bounced after Venus Knight,
looking curiously at
Rikko. "
There's no need to be so defensive..." she said,
shrugging slightly.
The Venus Knight stopped in his tracks when Rikko
addressed the Venus
Twins.
"We are not here
to fight," he said
to
Rikko. "We heard a fight and come running over," he
explained. "But we
were
to late."