2 weeks later, 8:55 PM Akizo Tonamiya. Inisha is over again, this time it is to help with her math, I didn't expect this to become a common thing but here we are, tutor day #8. As per usual, she and Suma get along pretty well, they seem to have a common bond over something but I'm not too sure what that is. Our missions have been going well too, we work really well together, it's almost like our abilities were made to complement each other, maybe too well. We actually got up to #5 on best ranger teams this month across Japan, Inisha also got to Rank 3 (#3) which is a big advancement from (#4) in Osaka. "Hey Akizo, do you know what the Sine law is?" "yeah, of course" Helping out has kind of become a fun hobby, it beats sitting around and reading until I get a ring. I have also found good ways to work around my bad arm. There are still 2 weeks left until I can go back to solo work, but do I really want to anymore? We have become great friends and work is sooo much easier and fun when you have somebody there with you. *Riiiiing* there it was, another ring, this time during tutoring. "Welp, we'd better get changed". "Hey Suma, make sure to tidy your room before we get back". This time the beast was a Lion, these are pretty smart so we might need to put in extra effort, "Inisha, take these glass shards and this Pipe, I'll distract it while you deal the brunt of the damage". With my enhanced speed and strength, I picked up every pebble I could get, Inisha was slashing away at the beasts back, leaving a bunch of gashes open, this was it, an opening, I jumped over the beast and chucked 3 pebbles at every gash, the beast riled and fell unconscious, then Inisha moved over it, threw the remaining shard at its head and struck it full force, the shard impaled the beast and killed it instantly, repairing the bakery and leaving our outfits dirty as always. "Is that beast #33?" With our combined rings, we both deal with each other's beasts, allowing us to fight them far more often.
11:24 PM, Inisha and Suma both ended up falling asleep, I quickly put Suma in her bed but what do I do with Inisha? She doesn't have a bed here. Oh well, I guess I'll just sleep on the couch tonight, I put her into my bed and went to the living room to read for a while, this helped me sleep faster. Although it was early for me to sleep, I just didn't have any reason to stay up any late today. I woke up with a start, "What am I doing here again?" Oh yeah, my heart skipped a beat, I went to check my room and surely enough, Inisha was sleeping soundly, I never really thought about what this meant, will she be angry that I just let her sleep here? I checked the time and it was "7:55 AM" but since it's the weekend, I have no school to worry about today.
9:32 AM. Inisha finally woke up, she seemed really tired still and was pretty clueless about anything around her, Suma woke up only 5 minutes later and realized that Inisha was still there. *dreary* "Wu? Is this Akizo's? Did I fall asleep here?" Still half asleep I see. Suma on the other hand was just pumped, "A girl slept in your bed Tona" she teased excitedly, "I know, the couch wasn't exactly comfortable". Inisha finally fully woke up "Oh, I'm so sorry, I fall asleep easily when I'm comfortable", "It's ok, I don't mind, the couch is a perfectly fine place to sleep" (lie). "Well, if you say so~". Well now that that's out of the way, I should probably start breakfast, I'm starving.
12:02 PM, I am now making lunch and Inisha is still here, I guess it never really came up, we have just been talking about ranger stuff lately as we are all caught up in tutoring for now. Suma also started her studies as she is planning to be doing extra level Junior high work before she gets there. School rumor has it we are dating, the "Scariest couple in town" How fast people jump to conclusions these days, I don't think people know what it means to have a female friend anymore. "Akizo? You wanna go to the ranger hall? I have some business there". "Uh, I'm fine with that but why must I go too?" "For the company I guess~". Well, here we are, the ranger hall, this place is a massive white building, resembling a modern laboratory and an old museum hybrid, the interior is slick white marble, with pillars reaching the second and third floor. As per usual there were lines of people here. Thankfully being Rank 3 we can go in through a personal door on the left, "So, what was it you were intending to do?" "I was planning on asking for a form resubmission, it's for my status". I wonder what that is for, I'll probably find out later so I shouldn't ask. "So, while we're here, do you want to see the museum" The question just slipped, I was just so in the moment. *Exited* "Sure, I'd love to". That was quick. We spent around 3 hours here, it was a pretty enjoyable time, I wonder why people don't do this all the time with their friends. <-(Clueless on what this implies with close female companions).
6:12 PM. Inisha requested to stay another night and study a bit more, even though there isn't anything else to study, I guess I'll go find something that we aren't learning. Her confidence is inspiring, she doesn't hold back on any requests when she's here, are all girls like this? Seems like I'm sleeping on the couch again, but this time I know she is intentionally making me sleep here, she must be testing my limit on the couch... "Tona? Is Ina staying again?". "Yeeaah, she requested to stay over this time". *Smirk* "Heeh, how cute, my big brother is already maturing". *angry* "Gah, be glad I would never punch you!" "You're even defending yourself now, that's a surefire sign of affection". Sheesh, little girls are a pain, at least she's only here on weekends.
9:44 PM. *Beep, beep* Unknown Caller: "Hey Toni, we wanted to call about Suma, she will have to stay at your place for a while, stuff is happening and we don't have time to look after her over the weekdays, I will call you again when we know exactly how long" *click*. Really? I'm not complaining but she can be so annoying at times, this is really going to be a challenge, and with Inisha here, she is only going to be more of a pain. *Riiiing* there, a beast, finally an excuse to do something else. I dropped my phone, t-this one is a porcupine! they are really deadly with their pines but they should be easy to avoid if you pay attention to their movements. Once we got to the scene, everything was already pincushioned, that beast must have had a great time wasting all those pines. "Inisha, lend me your strength in my boots and gloves, I have a risky plan". "Alright, here we go, and make sure to lend me a weapon, preferably a pole" I picked up the nearest metal pipe and tossed it to Inisha, This plan is going to require some nasty reflexes, those pines shoot at bullet speed. *Bang* the next set of pines shot straight at me but I dodged, the next round got close enough to graze my cheek, alright, here we go, "Inisha, enhance the ground under me so that it doesn't break. "Sure thing", Now that the ground beneath me was solid, I used the platform to launch myself into the air, the solid ground allowing me to go even further. Inisha threw her pipe at the beast, impaling the side and giving me just enough time to bring out my weapon of choice, a knife, I landed on the top of its pines and stabbed it in the back, the thing flailed but never locked off of Inisha. "No", At that point my instincts kicked in faster than my brain could process, I jumped off the beast right as it shot its next round, missing me barely. I landed on my right arm, sending excruciating pain throughout my body, "Ikizo!!, are you alright". "NO, WAIT!" The beast prepared for its next round, but not directed at me this time, I shot off the ground, the pain keeping me at full throttle, and grabbed her out of the way. it tasted like blood, I was hit three times, my left hand, right leg, and right arm. I was losing consciousness faster than I could pick myself off the ground again, my vision dimmed, and my mind started to blank, but I had to keep fighting or else both of us were not going to make it out of here, *Slowly* "I-nisha, I nee-d you to try buffin-g my bo-dy, not my gea-r, I kno-w you have been wor-king on that little trick for a while". "But, you-", "No ne-ed to worry, I have ha-d worse". That was right, no stab wound would stop me from finishing a task, this was my job to complete noo-w- *Blank*
3:19 AM. I awoke in my bed, my body bandaged and cast, my right arm was now completely broken. Inisha was sitting in the corner, still awake. *Soft* "Hey, why are you still awake, it must be late". *sob* "Don't give me that, you were badly injured because of me, how could I not worry". "Well then, how are we here" if I was out cold. "After you passed out, another member came bye and finished the beast off, he said he goes by Armon, Rank 2 (#1), he found us after the last attack, and according to him, he could feel a horrible pressure coming from somewhere in our area, he wouldn't elaborate any further though". "Do you want to form an official duo team Ishina?". *Cry/happy* "Of course, I really enjoyed the work we have been able to do lately, this is the most fun I have ever had, I couldn't imagine not working as a team after this". "That makes me happy to hear, we should submit the forms when I recover". "No need, I already re-opened my availability for teaming up yesterday". "Oh, so that's what you were doing". Inisha moved slowly and hugged me, I really look forward to this, let's make it big". "Agreed".
Bonus: Iroha's birthday is on April 2nd, Tonamiya's birthday is on April 10th, and Suma's birthday is on August 3rd. the current date of the series is September 19th, the 2nd semester of their 2nd year of high school.