Seeing as he now has their full attention, Jack watches anxiously for a reaction. The frog guy tends to stare deeply at everything, so it's no surprise that Ray's eyes are locked onto what he's holding. The actual surprise comes from Rio as her features soften as she listens to the song.
Rio meets his nervous gaze with a short huff. She makes a motion towards the inner part of the stand with her snout to welcome Jack in like some sort of tiny bouncer.
Jack walks over.
|| Pinned Post | Previous Post (The night before) ||
Ray gently takes the radio from Jack's hands, gingerly holding it close and looking at it like it's a long lost friend that has just come home. The radio continues to sing an upbeat song without a single crackle coming from the speaker…
... almost like it's triumphantly singing of its return and how everything's going to be alright.
“It’s uh… for what you did for me yesterday,” Jack clears his throat, “and what I did to you the night before that.”
He steps back into the street and takes a breath, thinking back to the words he practiced in the alleyway before coming here.
“When you brought the stand back a couple years ago, I got real excited. So it's extra messed up for me to do that, and it’s even more messed up that my mom cleaned up my mess. I’m… uh… sorry.”
"Apology accepted," Ray beams, turning the radio off so they could continue the conversation, "how much did this cost?"
Jack deflates from a combination of relief and the new hole in his metaphorical wallet.
"Way too much money, man. The guy said something about tubes ‘n quality and all that other shit I got no idea about, and then he says somethin’ about it being a rush order so uh… yeah,” Jack pauses, his eyes wandering up.
“That’s like, two and a half fights,” Jack mumbles after some quick mental math.
“We’re going to have to buy some extra tissues if you’re going to cry here two and a half more times,” Rio says dryly, earning a light swat at her side with the back of Ray’s hand and an embarrassed look from Jack.
“C’mon, lady.”
“Be nice.”
“I am.” Rio peers up at Ray, exchanging a glance with him.
“I don’t cry after every fight,” Jack mutters under his breath, shrinking in embarrassment, “but I don’t think I’m gonna go back there ‘til I get my shit together.”
A thought crosses Jack’s mind and he shrinks some more as he brings his shoulders closer to his whiskers.
"Y'know, with the radio costing that much and all, I... Uh..."
"Yes?" Ray smiles warmly. Jack opens his mouth before he could get the chance to start heavily second guess himself.
"You’re seriously not thinking-"
"Hush," Ray, without breaking eye contact with Jack, slowly clamps his fingers around Rio's snout during the beginning of a speech that would undoubtedly hurt the kid's feelings. “It would be nice to have the extra hands. Do you have any experience?"
"I'm good at washing dishes and counting stuff, but I gotta warn ya, I don't know shit about makin’ food unless it’s a sandwich made out of a piece of bread, a piece of bread, and uh… a piece of bread."
Rio immediately gives Ray an exasperated look at the remark. “Really? Him?” She growls out between her teeth. Ray smiles at her in response.
With her snout still firmly clamped, Rio turns away from Ray to glare at Jack. In response, he purses his lips together awkwardly until she ends her growling with an exasperated huff.
"Excellent,” Ray lets go. “When can you start part time?"
"I can uh… start tomorrow,” Jack lets the words sink in, still slightly in disbelief.
"Yeah... Yeah! It sure as shit beats lookin' at the job board every morning! But..."
((The second arc has finished--please stand by for what comes next!))
Ray and Rio have had a day shift, a weapon-of-mass-destruction scare, Matsumoto drama, some hurt feelings, a gala full of world-ending legendaries, some more hurt feelings, some more Matsumoto drama, a night shift, and another weapon-of-mass-destruction scare in the form of Reshiram, who's infamously known to change the atmosphere for the sole purpose of setting the air on fire.
With all of that behind them, they welcome the bed sheets with no decorum. They're so exhausted that making themselves comfortable is too much effort.
"Hey." Ray.
"What?" Rio.
"Lullaby me to sleep with Zekrom facts."
|| Previous Post | Pinned Post ||
|| Beta Reader / Editing Credit to @lustrous-dawn ||
"Do I look like a chippy chipper chatot to you? You need a lullaby after all that?"
"Indulge me. I promise I'll share Reshiram facts later."
Well now... That's too good of a deal to pass up. Rio takes a moment to think.
"... Everybody loved him. He was quiet and outgoing at the same time. He never made a big deal whenever he was in a room, but you could definitely notice it when he left. But every time he socialized, he needed a week to re-charge."
"He sounds very relatable right now," Ray groggily said, having not moved from the divot he made in the mattress when he was unceremoniously dropped into it.
"If I wasn't busy killing all of your assassins, maybe I would've returned his feelings.”
Ray considers sitting up to shoot her a glance but thinks better of it.
“You uh... rejected a founding dragon of Unova?"
“More like I didn't pick up any of the hints he dropped until I thought about it a couple hundred years ago," Rio mutters, "And he dropped a lot of hints."
"What kind of hints?"
"..."
"Don't leave me in suspense like that, this is supposed to be a lullaby," Ray complains, nudging Rio with a foot and getting a groan and a string of Unovan curses in return.
"It's embarrassing and I'm sleeping. G'night."
"So... when you say hints, you mean to say that it was a subtle confession."
"Uh huh."
"And in hindsight, it actually wasn't subtle at all."
"GOODNIGHT, RAY," Rio says out loud. Ray’s smile curves upwards in a smile, giggling until his laugh drifts into silence.
Today was filled with so much unpredictability that a tiny part of Rio expected the bed to spontaneously combust. She made friends with a Reshiram in human form. Anything can happen, at this point. The moon could collide into the earth and she’d greet it with an unenthusiastic “sure, why not?”
But even when every molecule in her body is begging her to please go to sleep, Rio's mind starts to buzz with the razor sharp instinct whenever she barely dodged danger. That moment of Ray almost losing his shit kept coming back to the forefront of her mind--a memory that's left on loop.
In that moment, she watched him turn back into the Ray she's known for over a millennia. She saw the Ray she's known her entire life, the Ray who wore his anger like a sword attached at the hip, hand always on the hilt.
While he’s been disguising himself as a Greninja, she was starting to believe that he let that part of him go. Hell, Ray’s always been too good at putting on a mask, maybe he was starting to believe it, too.
But that flare of anger showed that this core part of his being, the foundation of who he is as a person, that fury, is still there. He is, in fact, the very same Latios she’s known all her life.
This realization makes Rio feel…
… Relieved.
She’s been unnerved by how he's never showed that part of himself on the time she’s known him in his Greninja disguise. Maybe because the last couple times she’s seen him hide it, he used it as a weapon against an adversary. She's been waiting for the facade to finally fade away so he can start acting like the Ray she’s always known:
The bitter and brooding Ray--a rival, a peer, a counterpart, and a partner at different points of their history together. At least she knew how to be around these versions of him because she shares that same bitterness that constantly burns at the pit of their stomachs.
This newer Ray is unpredictable. He’s unfamiliar with this new mask.
But… what if it isn't a mask? What if those tears of his were genuine when he started crying earlier that day? When he was bare for her and the world to see--what if this is the actual truth?
At that moment, Rio finally realizes that it’s not just nerves. It’s not simple uneasiness that rudely crept into her subconscious during her time at the stand.
It's terror.
It’s fear that she was witnessing him at his wits end. It's dread at how easy it was to hurt the usually stoic, infallible counterpart of hers. It’s the icy hand gripping her heart as her memories flood her mind with the images of Zekrom pleading with her to end it with tears in his eyes.
So... when she thinks about Ray and his little spiel about promised violence, she feels relieved that she’s not the only one with unresolved issues. She’s not the only one with baggage that can be neatly tucked away. Watching his ugly-side boil to the surface felt reassuring. It felt familiar.
But Ray has been acting overly soft and kind because he wants to be. A large majority of her likes him this way, but Rio hates that she's been feeling uncomfortable around him because of it. He shouldn't terrify her when he's like this, but he does and that comes with so many unpacked questions...
How come she’s rarely seen this side of him over the course of their time together? Was it because she’s been holding him back from letting him express himself? Is she afraid of being left behind while Ray changes for the better? Is this all because she's scared that he's not as broken as she is?
What kind of shitty counterpart is she if she’s celebrating at the idea that he still has emotional issues? God, it’s no wonder their relationship was unhealthy, despite the amicable breakup.
But in spite of the maelstrom of new and feelings, even a demi-god’s brain had its limits. Her eyes involuntarily droop once more and she feels sleep wrap its tendrils around her consciousness. It never helps anyone to go to bed with these kinds of feelings, so she tries to remember something that gives her some actual relief.
"Arceus above, I hope it helps me too."
And with that final thought, Rio falls asleep…
…and shortly afterwards, so does Ray.
((The second night is over. Rio has become a full-time employee of the Ramen Stand.))
Chock it up to sleep deprivation. Blame it on the alcohol. Pin it on the other twenty different distractions. She should have seen it coming. Zhen was here earlier, and she didn't think to put two and two together that Reshi might visit?
It doesn't matter. She's here right now, and oh boy, Rio is not ready for this conversation.
In the "few moments" while Ray is turned, you somehow get the feeling that these non-psychic types are somehow talking to each other. And if you focus, if you tune your metaphorical ears to the right wavelength, you can hear them.
Really, really hear them.
Ray turns around before she can finish her telepathic shouting.
"Oh God I'm so sorry."
|| Previous Post | Rio and Reshi's Previous Encounter | Pinned Post ||
Three days ago, an Unbound Hoopa crossed into our reality. In his time here, he has created multiple tears in reality across the globe and has injured Lady Celebi in the process. This Unbound Hoopa has been summarily dealt with.
However, the aforementioned tears are still in repair. We have contacted Lord Hoopa in hopes to patch these breaches with the help of Lord Palkia, Lady Dialga, and Lord Giratina.
All field agents are to be aware that there may be anomalies in time, space, and distortions in the laws of nature. However, the most pressing matter is the ongoing encounters with unusual pokemon and humans with varying sapience, locomotion, intellect, and physical attributes.
For lack of a better term, we have dubbed these anomalous beings as "Alternates."
Fortunately, none of our encounters so far have been hostile. All Oathkeepers are to take any necessary action to ensure the security of our reality, but no efforts shall be made to antagonize any Alternate unless they have been deemed as a threat.
Most alarmingly, there have been alternative Gods inhabiting the same place of origin as our own. Personalities, powers, names, and lifespans differentiate from what we have grown accustomed to. All of the higher Gods have been made aware of these alternates and any lesser God shall be spared from this knowledge on a "need-to-know" basis.
Fortunately, it does not seem that these Alternates can damage our reality more than it already is. As long as our Gods are not harmed, we should still be in complete control of our fabric of space and time. However, this is purely speculative. An Alternate can still affect the people or places they inhabit. You will make any and all attempts to make sure the worst does not come to pass.
If for whatever reason, the Oath must be broken to ensure the safety of our reality, do what you must. The Triumvirate will see to your transgressions with grace depending on the context and severity of action.
Heavily affected areas include the following regions with increasing severity as the list goes down:
Hollis
Unova
Orre
Sinnoh
Alola
Johto
Kalos
Hoenn
Galar
Paldea
If possible, do not make physical or mental contact with any Alternates. If necessary, egress from the area and contact the local Shepherd after every encounter. No matter how small a breach, report any and all anomalous activity to the Research Branch. More information is to follow as this situation develops.
Walter: This time, he was at least much less tired, though he has that look of expecting the samurott to still be here. "Where's..?" A pause, it shouldn't be his business after all. "I'll have another Mushroom Ramen, please."
"I know Ma isn't the type of hand off cash as the only apology, but I still can't believe she worked here this morning."
Arceus on a fucking pogo stick I think I broke one of my ribs.
Every tiny movement threatens to elicit a hiss or a groan. Every breath threatens to turn into a string of pained coughs. He grasps the counter and flexes his hands in an attempt to wrench his attention away from the bruises all over his shoulders and torso. All it does is make him realize how much effort it takes to ball his hands into a fist.
He doesn't have any right to complain. He purposely went out of his way to be here because he didn't want any of his friends or family to see him like this. The thought of anyone coddling or worrying over him made his stomach churn; better to go somewhere where he doesn't matter. That sort of discomfort is the last thing he wants after a day like today.
The ramen stand seemed like the closest thing to nobodies to him, he thought coldly to himself when he sat down a couple seconds ago.
Although, judging from the concern he can feel emanating from the two stand employees, it seems like he's the only one who feels that way...
|| Previous Post || Jack's Fight || The Story So Far ||
He feels like his skin is going to crawl off his body in a desperate attempt to be anywhere but here. This kind of attention is the very thing he was trying so desperately to avoid. It's the kind of concerned look they were giving him, like he's something to be pitied--like they have something figured out and feel bad that he doesn't get it. The kind of look his mom and dad have given him every night for the past four years.
Stop looking at me.
Rio turns to the street and Ray towards the inner workings of the stand. For a split second, he thinks that maybe he grew some psychic powers. But he knows that it was most likely the nasty look he gave them. He probably looks miserable, he thinks to himself. He is.
“This was a dumb idea,” Jack mutters under his pained breath. When he was aimlessly walking around, at least the world had the decency to let him wallow in his misery alone. His hands stiffen on the counter to push himself up. Instead, the rest of his body refuses to budge.
A look of confusion washes over his face before he deadpans. His exhaustion is keeping him from getting up, but it's hunger that's keeping him anchored to the stool.
‘Right. I need to eat,’ Jack thinks dumbly to himself.
As he’s making that underwhelming realization, he watches Ray turn and walk towards him--the same kind of walk an adult makes towards a child who knows that he’s in trouble. Those deliberate steps towards him activates Jack’s fight-or-flight response and he shrinks, suddenly feeling self conscious.
Jack's usual order of miso soup is set in front of him. It’s the same one he gets almost every night.
He’s wearing that same expression he always does.
Jack realizes he's staring. He breaks eye contact, letting his hood act as a barrier between the two of them. Oddly enough, he feels more vulnerable here than he did in the fight earlier.
His eyes shift slightly side to side, a million thoughts racing through his head as he watches the soup's broth clouding over the tofu.
Why are you giving this to me, you knew I stole from you, right? Did Rio tell you anything? What did my mom tell her? Aren’t you going to tell me off or something?
He involuntarily cups the bowl close to his chest as if it's the only thing that's keeping his heart beating. Then, he raises his eyes upwards in realization that this is the first time he's seen him today. He never apologized to the one person he actually wanted to say "sorry" to.
“I’m sorry I stole your tips. That was shhhuh-sshtupid,” Jack croaks involuntarily, grimacing how he ungracefully failed to decide between "shitty" or "stupid.” Both words felt inappropriate for different reasons, but his mouth was always faster than his thoughts and the words unceremoniously flop out like a half-eaten fish.
When Jack looks up to see if Ray is still staring at him, he lets out a held breath in relief when he sees Ray’s back instead of those weird, unflinching frog eyes that seemed to look through him rather than at him.
But, as if he’s being punished for his thoughts today, Ray turns, his head looking over his shoulder and stops working for a moment to look at him with those same eyes he just complained about. I mean, come on…
… But Ray nods, gives him the slightest indication of a smile, and goes back to work.
Everything he doesn’t need to chew goes down the hatch, even if it threatens to scald the back of his throat. When he’s back upright, he chews all of the bowl's tofu and seaweed with the grace of a drunken miltank. He lets out a sigh of content through his nose, but it's still a bit clogged from his fight so it comes out sounding like a half-hearted whistle.
Jack's notices Rio from the corner of his eye. She's peering at him with a side glance and the corner of her mouth tugs upwards. She lets out a quiet “heh” before she curls back into a ball, facing away to avoid the sour face he's definitely making at her. His face heats up in embarrassment, but he places the bowl down, satisfied, still holding onto the cup for its lingering warmth.
Now that his body is no longer screaming the words "I'm hungry," and "Arceus on a fucking pogo stick I think I broke one of my ribs," Jack groans as a new wave of thoughts bulldoze him. He's eaten, but now what?
He can check into the pokecenter so he can hide every fractured bone, every cut, and every bruise. But the pokecenter never takes away the soreness. His mom has been around long enough to know the lingering smell of a pokecenter's healing kiosks. When she finds out (with the luck he's had tonight, she will), his dad's going to find out.
It's not fair. How come she gets the right to get on his case when she never shares anything to begin with? He sees the way she drags herself around the apartment, obviously weighed by problems that plague every moment she's awake.
She keeps all her problems to herself, but the worst part of it all is that she thinks she's getting away with it. How come he's not allowed to let her worry when every other day she's whispering to his dad about how many people got hurt at work that day? About how money is getting tight? About how dad's not feeling well and it's worrying her? It's infantilizing.
He pauses, stopping mid breath as he shakes his head. It's not like he's any better. He hasn't told her any of the heavy things weighing on his mind for the past four years.
In fact, he's the one adding more to her plate as if she wasn't busting her ass to give him and dad a decent life and he's off doing petty shit like picking fights and pockets to feel something that wasn't-loathing and disappointment for himself for letting his best friend get hurt beyond repair and-
Jack shuts his eyes and inhales sharply, using the pain in his sides to get his brain to shut up. His mind never does him any favors when the city falls asleep before he does. He can spiral after he limps to the pokecenter and heads home. It's time to get out of here. The least he can do is pay for the miso soup-
Jack's mind goes blank for a second. Another second later, his body wrenches control again over his thoughts, letting him know that a bowl of miso soup wasn't enough. He needs to eat this thing right now. But... it can't be his. This has to be a mistake, right?
He slowly looks up at Ray, who is taking his time, but adjusting his body so that he can say:
Jack processes three things as he involuntarily takes the bowl and brings it towards him.
First: the last time he remembers hearing Ray talk was when Tai was running the stand, back before life got tougher.
Second: Ray's voice was so soft and scratchy that he could just barely understand him.
Third: ...
Jack's hands weakly fall to the counter, blinking as he puts two and two together. It’s his favorite order. He knows who that "someone" is.
Goddammit.
After some short changes to the menu, the stand will open for a short time. Give them a moment. It's been a long day, after all.
