There's Always Some Good News [MPC34 — WiC|FoYL] [Ryouta]

Of course Ryouta was really waiting the time to get to whitewater again. He wanted to have one long day, free from all this job and honestly... well, honestly he just want some time to be with his girlfriend. It's like polar opposite. She got no real responsibility, he got a lot, as a courier, as an assassin... well, organization wise, he just held some meager of power, though... most of it often ends in Koharu or Yuu's decision. Well, that aside... No one should be against him going to meet Mana, right? Even Koharu would tighten her rein on Yuu if she starts to be overprotective.

"Disculpe maestro... is there is anyone who turned on the AC to this freezing level suddenly?" Rosa asked, peeking out from the kitchen. "It's suddenly getting really cold. I thought we're going to tropics, you know?"

Only then Illum noticed the coldness, then Ryu and finally Ryouta himself.

"Rosa, can you check whether Grandpa Will is fine? I think this kind of cold would make him bothered."

"Si, maestro."

She quickly turned around and ran toward the furthest end of the compartment, where the poor Jyureimon must be waiting for the situation to be fixed somehow. The poor Jyureimon isn't used to sudden change of temperature. Luckily, to their relief, Ilbert quickly changed the temperature of the compartment. It's quite warm now, but...

"Illum, can you please take my coat out? I need to fetch Mana somehow."

The Wizarmon bowed. After about five minutes, the train stopped right in front of her house, with Ryouta coming out quickly.

"Mana! Are you OK? C'mon in to the train!"

Ryouta at first was a bit bewildered in the appearance of the recent addition of the team, but made no other blunder at how the girl acted. He decided that if the girl is the one who answered, the high case Mana would be... frozen. He nodded at her but kindly rejected her offer for once... or no, more like postponing getting in.

"Mana must be cold right? I'll get some thick coat first. Hope that would help her somewhat... what about you, Miya? Would you like some too?" he asked.

Should the girl wanted for it, he'd fetch two, but if she's not, well, he'd only fetch one. He climbed the stairs leading to Mana's room, and opened the door wider. How cute, she's struggling with her winter socks. He quickly draped some thick, yet fluffy coat on her, then put an earmuff on her.

"And so here comes the safe... actually, you should only wear that until the train. Why don't we board Ilbert? I'm going to check what's going on honestly."

"Ah is that so? Well, that's convenient and amazing ability. Will be depending on you to protect Mana whenever the rest of Mana's entourage would have problem with the climate then!" he told her, trying to cheer her up, but at the same time also half serious. Ayaka and Suzuran doesn't seem to come out, so it only leave either her or Penny, but where is the dragon? Or is she also having hard problem with the cold? Regardless, he goes upstairs and checked whether Mana needs his help or not...

...But turned not. He forgot that she was born in a place that's really cold. Not as cold as Hokkaido, he guessed, but still really cold. Of course she gave a typical Mana greeting, which made him smile wryly. He stroked his girlfriend's head. However, the mention of race made him thrilled so to say. Quickly, the boy bolted toward the door and parkoured, grinning and giggling at his girlfriend. Poor Miya though, she must be surprised when he bolted out of the door so fast and get inside Ilbert.

"First!" Ryouta said, raising an index finger and poses. Of course this made some of his mercenaries laughing at his antic. Now, Isana meanwhile wasn't in chipper mood. She just stared at him like he's crazy and muttered to Illum something about giving her something warm to drink.

"...This sucks," the plant lady muttered.

"Well, the loser should do what the winner said, shouldn't she?" Ryouta teased Mana, kissing her cheek and strokes her head. The boy was rather surprised when the girl approached Isana and hugged her, though. He wondered if the plant lady would mind... but turned out, not really? She just stared up at Mana and muttered a precious jewel:

"My bark is too old to weather the cold like this. Even Dark area is better than this sort of temperature. Plus Ilbert could raise the temperature just fine anyway... please do so, Ilbert."

"Understand, madam."

Looks like the temperature is slowly raising to warm, and Isana seem to be content at the heat.. "Those three instead should come here, because it's much more bearable in here," she suggested. "By the way... who was your name, child? Miyako was it?  I'm not offended, do not worry. I'm just someone who need right temperature to not act like some old woman waiting for heating service to fix the heater."

Ryouta meanwhile wondering at what should he do. Should he somehow ask whether she wanted to play santa claus for once, or she wanted to check the source? Whichever it was, he tell her...

"So I'm thinking to either ask you to play santa claus or come with me to check the source of this anomaly. Whichever works."

Ryouta only chuckled now. "Who's the mean one now? You're such a tease, Mana." Of course he understood that she'd feel rather miffed with the sudden heater turned on, but what could he do? Her partner not coming out of the house is already within his prediction, so he merely nodded. Still, the moment when she looked as if he's crazy, he stared back at her with the same look.

"...Oi, this is tropics. If there is somewhere in tropics suddenly snowed, I'd 100% get worried. I dunno where you got the funny idea that it's even normal in Whitewater of all place. Granted, it's Digital World, but still, that was uncalled for, you cheeky girl. Also, you might stopped believing in Santa, but lot of babies here probably still believe on him. Don't go on crushing child's dream!" he said with a pouty face. "...Then again, it's not like we celebrated 'em either, so to begin with I don't believe in him."

Though, beach and snow in Japan is very common, so he thought. Regardless, Ryouta ran toward Mana, catching up with her easily. Poor Miyako, though. He sent her some apologizing glance.

Of course Ryouta only chuckled at Mana. "There's no Digijesus although there's Jesmon, but Jesmon isn't exactly a messiah to begin with, otherwise there will be lot of people that worships the ground where Kenji walks just because his partner Gin the Huckmon would evolve to Jesmon, right? Well, then again, there could be data that seeped to this world, telling this world about what christmas is. You can't be too sure about Digital World I guess."

He rose an eyebrow at Mana, wondering why would she got preoccupied when he's wearing full thick coat at it, but regardless decided to strokes her head. "Just don't make the poor girl lose her head now. Rather than you, I'm worried more about her flustering too much because of your antics, girl."

Of course he purposely teases her for it. He laughed when Mana decided to make snow angel of all thing, but Ryouta followed suit this time around, making one too. To his surprise, the snow is thick!

"It's OK to be childish at times!"

"What would Japanese celebrate in Christmas, then?" he asked back. "Most Japanese isn't Christian, yet they still celebrate Christmas. To begin with, I think there are too many atheist Japanese, or maybe agnostic. Whichever it was, trading presents, being there with family and such is still a tradition in Christmas. It was popularized after they seem to be interested on doing whatever the Americans are doing, so all in all, it's probably not that different here either. 'Because it was popular' will be the excuse."

...though he find it incredibly ironic that she said mind game when he's actually as stupidly frank as he could come... why somehow his words to Mana lately sounds like some mind games? He thought he's being clear enough.

He only looked at the two girls that played about, and then hugged on the snow, but... oi, it's the snow. He can't help but to suddenly feeling a bit mischievous. He suddenly tossed a snowball lightly to Mana's back. although that should be enough of a poke.

"Well, if you said to have fun, then you should play with some snowballs too~"