Business
as Usual Sidetrack Six
wherein three rise to the
occasion
by Laura Bryannan
“It was all Her
Pinkness's fault,” Tatsu ever maintained, and perhaps it was
the truth, for the incident was undoubtedly spurred by Mugen and the
twins' ongoing rivalry for her attention.
Mugen was galled
most by the unfairness of the situation, it being eternally three
against one. He could usually handle Dork A and B when they got in
his way, but Fuu's devotion to their father remained the immovable
object to his irresistible force. Mind-blowing MegaMugen though he
may be, he was still only himself against The Impervious Niwa
Triumvirate.
Such odds would have deterred a lesser man, but
they only served to spur this one onward. Thus he was vulnerable that
fine day as the gang was gathered for a picnic, when the three of
them sat arguing the philosophy of certain activities and Fuu
wandered innocently into earshot.
“What about city
hall?” Kazu tossed out. “Anything uptown is taking a
chance.”
“Nah, that sucks,” Tatsu argued.
“I say the Mutual Life skyscraper on Gate. Tagging the top
would be something!”
“You guys are such weenies,”
Mugen laughed. “Tagging after everyone's gone home is nothing.
A 24/7 place like precinct headquarters would....”
“Tagging?”
Fuu asked. “You mean like graffiti?”
Three heads
snapped in her direction, so engaged in their discussion they had not
noticed her presence. “Yeah, like that,” Tatsu admitted,
looking sheepish.
“They been trying to come up with the
ultimate tag,” Mugen told her, “but they got no balls,
so....”
“Shut yer face, pizwire,” Kazu
interrupted. “I don't hear you coming up with nothing better.”
Suddenly the sweet sakura blossom eeeped and put a hand to
her mouth.
“What?” the three demanded.
“Oh,
I couldn't!” she protested.
They circled ever closer,
cajoling and flattering, until she was giggling with mischievous
eyes.
“No, you guys, I shouldn't say,” she
insisted. “I mean, tagging Takeda Delivery would be the most
stupid thing in the world, right?”
end