Tokyo, Japan, Monday

[soniaroadsqueen]

Portalocity was weird. Ringo hadn't really traveled with them much, so this was something of a revelation for her. Somehow booking a reasonable late-morning departure from Fandom resulted in a just-after-dawn arrival in a small park a couple of miles from the apartment she shared with her sisters. Of course, despite that, all three of them were waiting.

Rika, with her knowing, motherly smile, managing to look like a carefully-styled model even this early. Mikan, tomboyish hair cropped short and sticking out every which way, smirking mischievously and tapping her foot with nervous energy. Ume, seated on a bench playing with her dolls, but glancing up and meeting Ringo's eyes when she arrived.

With a grin, Ringo dropped her bags and rushed forward into a big group hug, melting into the group for a moment. All worry and stress disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"Now then," Rika said as they eventually disentangled themselves, "why don't you introduce everyone, and then we can go get some breakfast?"

[ooc: For those along for the ride. NFB for distance.]

Comments

Monday Morning

[otherroadriders]

Rika thoughtfully looked over the people Ringo had brought along with her, smiling slightly. It was something of a surprise, but a good one, that her sister had made good enough friends to want to show them around Tokyo during the holiday.

Re: Monday Morning

[rebelseekspizza]

Hey, Ringo had a hot sister. Cool.

So of course Dante smirked at her for, like, a second. "Hey," he said. "Thanks for having us, or whatever."

RE: Re: Monday Morning

[otherroadriders]

An inch or so taller than Kathy, but with Ringo's curvy build, yeah, Ringo had a pretty hot sister.

Who eyed him in for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Dante, right?"

Ringo rolled her eyes from behind him, which had Rika cracking a little grin.

Re: Monday Morning

[rebelseekspizza]

"That's me," he agreed. "Don't believe anything Ringo told you."

Because it'd probably not be flattering.

Re: Monday Morning

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy's greeting was a little more subdued than it normally would be; between several days home with her family and a trace of nervousness that came from meeting new people, she was feeling a little shy again. "Hi," she said with a small smile and a quick wave. "Thank you do much for your hospitality. We'll do our best to be good guests."

RE: Re: Monday Morning

[otherroadriders]

"Hey!" Mikan was about Kathy's height, and looked to be about the same age, but was way more tomboy-ish. She walked over, aiming a friendly punch at Kathy's shoulder. "Don't feel like you have to try too hard." She grinned. "I mean, you've been taking good care of our sister, so I figure we owe you or something."

Re: Monday Morning

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy didn't even think--if she had, she wouldn't have embarrassed herself thirty seconds into meeting Ringo's family. Even as part of her brain was registering Mikan as one of Ringo's sisters and her host for the duration of the trip, the rest of her was focusing on a punch coming her way, delivered by a stranger.

She moved when Mikan's fist was just milimeters away, writhing out of the way with unnatural speed, then darting behind the other girl to position herself for a strike--

--Only to have the rest of her brain scream STOP! FRIEND! at the last possible second. Horrified, she dropped her hands, only to have them pop back up to cover her mouth. "Ohmigosh, I'm so sorry!"

Could she blame jetlag? Portal-lag maybe? Was that a thing?

Wednesday Evening

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Ohmygosh!" Ringo declared, practically bouncing. "This is awesome!" She'd been hearing about these AirTrek pickup sessions, but now she was back in Tokyo and could actually go to one!

The AT community had apparently laid informal claim to an entire industrial complex, bringing in portable flood lights to turn the entire thing into the stark contrast of concrete, steel, and shadows.

There were at least two marked Dash courses around the area that took advantage of the tall, machinery-cluttered areas to be more like obstacle courses than race tracks. A handful of areas had been completely cleared to open up pitches for Disc, with teams identified by brightly-colored strips of cloth tied somewhere on the players' bodies. There was also a cluster of massive plexiglass cubes, ten meters on a side, and about half of them were occupied by pairs of riders locked in combat.

"No Balloon?" Ringo asked, pouting, only to get laughed at by her sisters.

"You know how hard it is to get the right field for Balloon," Rika said with a grin. "And as awesome as this space is, it's not nearly tall enough."

"Awww." But even Ringo couldn't be too disappointed. Because this was awesome! Now she just needed to decide what to do! Maybe she could convince Kathy and Dante to team up with her for one of the smaller three-on-three Disc matches?

RE: Wednesday Evening

[rebelseekspizza]

"So this is where you do your skating around, huh?" Dante said.

He wasn't looking at any of them; he was wandering around, looking up, identifying obstacles.

RE: Wednesday Evening

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, I've never been in this particular space," Ringo said, eyes still shining. "But it is pretty awesome, isn't it?" She followed his gaze to the tangle of pipes and ducts and walkways and girders overhead linking the various buildings together.

Re: Wednesday Evening

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy's eyes were also up on those pipes and ducts. "Oooh,"she whispered. "Do you know how much fun it would be to bounce through all of that?"

Early Wednesday-Tune Up Time

[spin_kick_snap]

"Okay," Kathy said, her ATs slung over her shoulder. "So, umm...what do I do? Or what will you do? What's going to happen is probably the best way to ask this?"

RE: Early Wednesday-Tune Up Time

[otherroadriders]

All four sisters were in the room with Kathy, and Rika looked over at Ringo thoughtfully. "Depends. Which of you is going first?"

Ringo looked nervous, glancing back and forth between Kathy and Rika without answering, so Ume spoke up. "Ringo first. Kathy should see what it's like."

Rika nodded. "Right." She turned to Ringo, tapping her foot impatiently.

RE: Early Wednesday-Tune Up Time

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo flushed and hesitated, but under the glare of all three sisters she gulped and nodded, and began taking off her clothes. Very, very carefully not looking at Kathy while she did so.

Re: Early Wednesday-Tune Up Time

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's okay, Ringo," Kathy said. "I know, I'm American, we have weird nudity hangups. But I've spent time in Korea and even some of the American jjimjilbangs have naked rooms. I'm not about to freak out."

Because surely that was why Ringo was acting so cagey, right?

Thursday Morning - Festival prep

[otherroadriders]

"Stop squirming." MIkan sounded playfully frustrated as she scolded Ringo, who was sitting in a lone chair in the middle of the main room.

"But you're pulling too hard," Ringo complained.

Mikan rolled her eyes. "Come on. You're supposed to be tough! Brushing your hair shouldn't be a big deal."

"I can brush my own hair, you know," Ringo pouted.

"Yeah, but I like to, and I'm your big sister, so you haveta let me."

Ringo sighed dramatically, but leaned back slightly and grinned. After this, Ume was probably going to insist on helping with her yukata, and then Rika would "offer to help" with her makeup. She'd missed her sisters.

Re: Thursday Morning - Festival prep

[spin_kick_snap]

"Umm..." Kathy was wearing a short robe, her arms full of brightly-patterned fabric-and, yes, legs going on for roughly miles. "Would someone mind helping me with this? I'm used to a hanbok, but yukatas are entirely different creatures."

Dante, you were free to offer but Kathy knew better than to try to let you 'help.'

RE: Re: Thursday Morning - Festival prep

[otherroadriders]

Rika was wearing a similar robe herself, with similar legs, and she looked over from where she was leaning against the wall watching the proceedings and grinned. "I'm not involved in this whole hair thing, so I can give you a hand if you want."

RE: Thursday Morning - Festival prep

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante? Dante wandered in way late into the morning, and not from his bedroom. His hair was mussed and he was wearing the exact same thing as he had last night.

It was probably better not to ask.

"What's up?"

Re: Thursday Morning - Festival prep

[spin_kick_snap]

"We're getting ready for the festival," Kathy said, trying to not visibly smirk at him. "You know, with the New Year and everything?"

Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo was practically skipping with excitement as they finished climbing the stairs to the little maze of streets the festival was spread out over. Stalls, lit with bright lanterns, crowded up against each other as far as they could see.

Her wooden geta sandals clopping on the stone pavement as she dashed ahead, then slowed down so everyone could catch up. "This is going to be so much fun!" She looked over at Kathy and Dante. "It's like the Homecoming carnival thing, but with way better snacks!"

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah?" Dante asked, slanting a look in her direction. "What's the food like?"

All food was good food, of course. But still.

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Come on," Ringo declared excitedly, reaching out to grab at his sleeve without really thinking about it and dragging him toward one of the nearest stalls. "Let's to some takoyaki!"

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy followed in Ringo's wake, glad for her insane balance in the unfamiliar footwear. "So what's on the agenda for the night?" Kathy asked. "Besides stuffing ourselves silly with--oooh! Good luck noodles!"

Yeah, Kathy was easily distracted when there was food on the offing.

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo laughed. "Did we need more plans than that?"