“Popcorn.”
“Check.”
“Lemonade.”
“Check.”
“Lawn chairs.”
“Check.”
“Windy fighting grounds.”
“Check.”
“Thumbs up, thumbs down signs.”
“Check.”
“Video camera.”
“Check.”
~*F*~
“Okay! I think that’s everything!” Carumati exclaimed.
“You’re really into this, aren’t you, Carumati,” Ven commented.
“Ah, I guess? The boys in my neighborhood used to do this all the time.”
“Ah, I see.”
“By the way, where’s Ally? Shouldn’t she be here to help set up?”
“I don’t know. She said she needed to buy something on the way here. She said it wouldn’t take long.”
“Mm, makes sense. Alright! Now all we need to do is set up the fighting circle and blocks and we’re good to go!”
~*~
Meanwhile....
“Kat?”
Alameda looked up. “Ah! You surprised me! What are you of all people doing here?”
“Hmm? This is where I grew up, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but...”
“I heard that you were here and decided to drop by. This sure brings back a lot of memories. Ah- I’m sorry, I forgot about your problem.”
“No, it’s okay, really. It seems I’ve remembered everything and forgot it again. Crazy, right?”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Um.... I know this is none of my business, but what are you buying?”
Ally was holding up a bird shaped kite. “I’m buying a kite, what does it look like?”
“Well, I can see that, but what I mean is, why?”
“Ah, that. In case I get bored. See, Konrad and another friend, Blake, are having a showdown on the hilltop to win me (basically) and it’s really windy up there, so I thought I would buy a kite for when the fighting gets boring.”
“Kon and Blake are fighting for you?”
“They both want me to stay with them. I personally want to stay in GWANAN, though I really have no interest in Konrad.”
“No fair! I want you to come live with me in my mansion. That’s why I came down here to invite you.”
“Well, why don’t you join in the fight, then? Whoever wins, gets to take me with them.”
“Ah, but I’m not a very good fighter.”
“Too bad, I guess I won't be able to go live with you, then.”
“.... Alright, alright, I’ll join. Where do I sign up?”
Ally smirked.
~*~
“What! Cato is going to join in
the fight for you too?” Carumati exclaimed.
“That’s right. He wants me to
live in his mansion with him so we can pull pranks on all the
neighbors together,” Ally explained.”
“Ah, we’re gonna have to make
the fighting circle bigger then.”
“Wait, you’re gonna have them
all fight at once?”
“Of course! It wouldn’t be any
fun otherwise!”
“True.”
“Ally, are you sure about this?
This bet, I mean,” Ven asked as Carumati explained the rules to the
fighters.
“I don’t really care one way or
the other. Whichever one wins, I’m going to simply go on the path
that leads to justice. Where I live makes no difference to me. I
really don’t have a home, so if it changes, no big deal.”
“But... are you not interested in
any of those three guys?”
“Not really. Blake’s like an
annoying cousin, Kon’s an over-protective brother and Cato is the
younger, lazy brother.”
“Wow. You seriously put all those
guys in places where they can’t reach your feelings no matter
what.”
“Yeah, well, all of them are a
lot like myself. Prideful, arrogant fighters who live only to please
themselves.”
“I didn’t think of you as the
type to point out your own faults.”
“I wouldn’t normally, but
you’re the exception, because I know you won't tease me about it.”
“Thanks... I think. Isn’t there
a guy out there that you like at all?”
“Hmmm?” Ally gave him a cocky
side-glance and put a finger to her lips. “It’s a secret.”
“What? No way! Tell me!”
“If you really wanna know, then
buy me some ice cream.”
“But, look. The fight is
starting.”
“Oh?” Ally looked and sure
enough, Carumati was yelling, “Start!” and the fight ensued with
many hisses, bangs, and whooshes. She and Ven watched a couple of
minutes, and the more they saw, the more depressed they became.
“I can’t believe they can fight
so much and look like they’re enjoying themselves,” Ven
mentioned.
“Don’t they hurt? Why would
they do this for a girl they like?” Ally questioned.
“I know that you’re a fighter
too, Ally, but I’ve never seen you fight so... so....”
“Joyfully?”
“That’s a very good way of
putting it! Though I was thinking of something less kind....”
“They really only fight because
they like to. I fight because I have to. It’s something I grew up
with that I can’t let go.”
“That reminds me, Ally. You said
that you forgot your memories again. Why did you lie?”
“Oh? So you knew that I never
actually forgot?”
“Yeah. You... you just seemed to
have a playful look in your eye when you said you couldn’t
remember.”
“Hmm.... Yeah. I really remember
everything.”
“You lied to protect Konrad’s
fear of you leaving, right?”
“Partly. The other reasons were
because I didn’t want anyone like Blake to ask questions, and to
protect Cato and Mindy from my father’s associates that are still
out there. I still have to subdue them before I can freely say that I
remember everything.” There was a moment of silence as they watched
the fight a little longer. Finally, Ally sighed. “You wanna go get
some ice cream?”
“...Yeah. Definitely.”
Alameda and Ven looked at each
other, then laughed. Grabbing Ally’s hand, Ven pulled her over to
the stand where they shared a bowl of vanilla ice cream and the young
girl whispered in his ear the only person she ever really liked.
Carumati cheered as the three boys
fought over Ally. Little did they know that Ven had already taken
home the prize.
END
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