An Old Industrial District, Tokyo, Thursday Evening

[soniaroadsqueen]

One of the things that Ringo really loved about visiting home, besides seeing her awesome sisters, was getting to AirTrek with people who had been doing it almost as long as she had. The scene had continued to evolve since the last time she'd visited, but that just meant that it was possible to get involved in a pick-up match of almost anything. You could even get into a casual game of Balloon, which hadn't really been something she'd ever imagined.

And while she might find it difficult to admit, the public nature of AT gatherings in Tokyo (well, public within the community, anyway) gave her a chance to show off. Sure, Ringo tried not to be too, you know, arrogant or anything, but she knew she was good. Really good. And having people who could recognize that, and appreciate it, was a real thrill.

It just felt awesome to have people clap and whistle appreciatively at some of the tricks she'd spent so much time practicing over and over back at Fandom. The hard work wasn't for nothing.

"This is so much more amazing than last time I came out to one of these!" Ringo declared excitedly as she flopped down on the ground next to her sisters to take a quick breather and chug water from the bottle she'd brought with her.

Comments

[rebelseekspizza]

"Still could do better, Ringo!"

Yeah, you expected Dante to be here and not heckle? Come on, Ringo.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ugh. Why had she even invited him.

(Maybe it was the way she grinned as she flipped him off.)

"You want to get out here and do better?"

[rebelseekspizza]

"What, hoping I'll pick up your slack?" Dante said, giving her the finger right back. "You're dreaming."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Uh huh." Ringo rolled her eyes.

"You at least enjoying the scenery?" she asked. After all, serious AirTrek folks were in shape. And even in December you could work up enough of a sweat to toss your jacket with the rest of your stuff.

[rebelseekspizza]

"It is not a bad show," Dante had to grant her. "Some of these people really know how to push it."

Yeah, sure. That was it.

[soniaroadsqueen]

She rolled her eyes. "Bet you could pick up more chicks out here if you knew how to do some proper tricks."

Though, given Dante's look and attitude, he probably wouldn't have trouble finding someone without even putting on a pair of ATs, even here.

[rebelseekspizza]

"The only reason I haven't picked up someone yet is because I'm here to hang with you for like... two days," Dante pointed out. "But hey, I can go off and spend that time better, you're right."

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo grinned. "Aww, you do care!"

And she was glad. It meant a lot that he'd agreed to come.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante rolled his eyes. "Don't push it."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Did you seriously just say that to Ringo?" came a sudden interjection from Ringo's sister Mikan before breaking down in laughter.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Ringo asked, turning and glaring.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah, I did," Dante called over Ringo's shoulder. "She needs to hear it more than most."

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Do you even think she heard you?" Mikan asked, still laughing.

"I can hear both of you," Ringo snapped, her expression turning a little petulant.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Good," Dante said.

Perkily.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"You both suck," Ringo accused with a pout.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Don't deal it out if you can't take it," Dante sing-songed.

[soniaroadsqueen]

"I didn't even do anything!" Ringo objected.

Which just made Mikan double over, unable to breathe through the laughter.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Stop talking shit!"

[soniaroadsqueen]

But it was basically her natural state, Dante!

She opened her mouth to retort, but Rika's hand snaked around from behind Ringo, who hadn't even seen her sister walk up behind her, and covered her mouth.

"Quit while you're ahead, sis," she suggested with a fond smile that took most of the sting out of it.

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante grinned, giving Rika a quick, appreciative once-over.

"Good seeing you guys again, too," he offered.

[soniaroadsqueen]

Rika laughed. "Nice to know some things never change."

This time last year he'd visited.

With Kathy.

Something that no one had mentioned so far.

[rebelseekspizza]

"Hey, I like to be consistent," Dante said, grinning. "What've you girls been up to?"

[otherroadriders]

Ringo pouted, but didn't actually interrupt. Because she was kind of interested in the answer to that question, too.

Rika smiled and shrugged. "It's actually calmed down quite a bit. The first year that Ringo was gone was pretty chaotic as everyone tried to adjust to the way everything changed. AirTrek basically exploded in popularity after Ikki's little stunt with the Sky Regalia, so basically anyone with experience was running around trying to keep things sort of organized. And while there are plenty of adjustments to make, people seem to have figured most stuff out by now."

[rebelseekspizza]

"So you get chances like this to let your hair down," Dante summarized, waving vaguely at... everything behind him. "Not a bad way to live."

Hey, he could say that to Ringo's sisters. Not to Ringo.

[otherroadriders]

"No. It's not." Rika grinned, glancing over at where Ringo had gotten pulled into a conversation on technique with Mikan.

"I'd like to think that this place will eventually become somewhere that Ringo isn't sort of afraid to return to. A place where she can leave all those old memories of how it was before behind." She shrugged a bit helplessly.

[rebelseekspizza]

"You're worried she can't?" Dante asked, frowning.