first person POV fanfic... [Tyr/Rita ]
I
It was a sunny afternoon that day. It was a while ago so I can't really remember, but it feels like it was just yesterday. It was just like any other non-curse days. Mukumuku was riding on my head, and we were on our way to the bakery to grab some bread. We were just turning at the last corner to the bakery when we saw someone we knew... It was Rita!
Rita is this crazy scientist kind of person Tyr and I are friends with. She's kind of like Adlai back home, but younger, and probably less-forgetful. Oh, and destructive, but that doesn't matter unless you get her really angry. Anyway, on that day, Rita didn't look angry at all. She looked strange actually, but something told Mukumuku and I not to get too close. And then, that was when she pulled out a pink envelope from inside her pocket. You know what they say about pink envelopes, right? Mukumuku and I know well! But you know, this was also Rita. We didn't try to get close, because we were worried about being spotted, but we also wanted to know what was up!
We were going to give up then, head to the bakery and just, you know... forget about it. It could be a City thing, after all. As we were turning around, though, that was when we heard her:
"Oh! Tyr! If only I could give this letter to you-- I-- I've always liked you... But how do I tell it to you? Will you look at me differently if I give you this letter-- Aah!"
It was pretty unbelievable. And then she started hugging the letter. We decided to leave after that. I mean, what could we do? I didn't know anything about Tyr's feelings, and... I guess I could give Tyr the letter if Rita asked, but she hasn't really told me or anyone else anything.
We bought our bread then, and then Mukumuku decided to take a long way home. Little did we know that we were going to see something unbelievable going the different way. We went through the Xanadu, and there we saw Tyr! He was standing beside a pond and skipping stones on it. That wasn't the strange part though. The strange part was that whenever a pebble bounced, Tyr went: "She loves me," and another bounce, "She loves me not!"
At that moment, I realized Tyr and Rita were in love with each other! And they had no idea.
Tyr has really good ears so Mukumuku and I immediately got out of Xanadu, but the moment we were out, we looked at each other: We knew what we had to do. We had to get them together somehow. There wasn't much I could really do, and I had a feeling Flik would have a better idea when it comes to things like this, but I couldn't just let them alone! Rita will probably never give that letter to Tyr, and Tyr... Tyr has that lonely hero going with him. A friend like me-- No.
Sometimes, friends like Mukumuku and I have to make a move! And so, in the next few days, Mukumuku and I began Operation Get Tyr and Rita Together!
II
The first step was to let Tyr know someone was in love with him. For that to happen, we had to take a page from Rita's book. (Not really, but you get what I mean.) Someone had to send Tyr something, and that someone was going to be and Mukumuku. When Tyr and Rita were out, Mukumuku and I went to town to buy pink envelopes and paper. After that, Mukumuku went around grabbing flyers and newspapers around the City. Using those newspapers and flyers, we went on to make our very own love letter. Tyr knows my handwriting, you see, and Mukumuku's handwriting isn't really much better... so this was really the only way.
"Dear Tyr," I read out after we'd patched everything up together. Mukumuku sat in front of me, listening to my letter. "You don't know me, but I know you, and I just wanted to tell you that I really like you. Please meet me at Xanadu at 5 pm on Friday. Signed, your secret admirer."
"What do you think, Mukumuku?" I asked my trusty squirrel friend after. He cupped his tiny chin for a moment, and then "MU"d as he gave him a victory sign.
I nodded back at him. "Great! Mukumuku, can you deliver this letter while Tyr and I are out fishing later?"
"Mu! Mukumuku!" My friend nodded, and then after I put the letter inside the envelope and sealed it, he took it and hid it under his cape.
"Don't let me down, Mukumuku!"
---
When we got back from our fishing trip that afternoon, a bright pink letter was sticking out of the door. I silently thanked Mukumuku, but put on a surprised look for Tyr. "Hey, what's that?!"
Tyr, being his usual self, blinked at it. Oh, his usual self is: Speak as little words as possible and be unsurprised about everything. It's strange at first, but once you get to know him, it makes a lot of sense. What most people don't know is that Tyr's really older than me by at least three years. He doesn't get older anymore, though. That's the power of the Soul Eater on his right hand. In some ways, he's kind of like a vampire if I think about it. Only, he doesn't sleep a lot, or bite handsome young men like Sierra does. Another thing about Tyr is that he's really the great Hero of Toran. Practically everyone back home knows about his works in Toran! How do I know someone amazing like that? Well, that's not really important right now...
"Aren't you going to look at it?" I asked Tyr, who just looked at me. For a moment I was worried he'd seen through my plan, but he shrugged then and plucked the letter from the crack Mukumuku had put it in. He tore the envelope open quietly, and I watched him (secretly excited). He didn't look very interested at first, but when he'd unfolded the letter, his eyes widened a bit!
"So? What is it?"
He didn't answer quickly, so I asked again.
"So? So?"
"It's a letter of challenge."
'No, Tyr! It's a love letter! A love letter!' I wanted to say at that moment, but I played it cool at first. I took a peek over his shoulder and pretended to read the contents. "It looks like a love letter, Tyr! I mean, look, it says from your secret admirer!"
"Oh." Is that all you're going to say?!
"So, are you going to come?" I wheedled, because you know, Tyr can be a bit slow about some things...
He folded the letter and put it back into the envelope. He closed his eyes then. He looked like he was thinking. I thought, he better be! When he opened his eyes, he looked at me... and then shrugged.
"I guess so."
I guess so? He shrugged again and then went inside. Already, my plan was looking like it was encountering some trouble. But... uh... I guess it was still okay? I silently told myself then to just make Tyr go if he doesn't. On to phase 2!
III
Phase 2 involves talking to Rita and telling her all about Tyr's secret admirer and the meeting he's supposed to go to on Friday. Easier said than done. Walking into the place Rita's staying at is like walking into a dungeon. Rita's like the big boss, and then you have Flynn who might be in the kitchen. Flynn's not a bad person, but sometimes he offers you food that can kill. They look so nice, and yummy, almost like they sparkle when they're on the table-- but I've seen what they do. There was this one time, an accidental video came on the network, and it was just dead bodies on the feed.... and all because they ate Flynn's food.
After that, there's the cats... and well, Yuri's not all that bad. But anyway, Rita!
Sometimes, you can catch Rita at a bad mood and then she'll just... fling all these fire balls at you. You're not even safe indoors. Before I went to her place, I made sure to pack some herbs in my pack.
When I found Rita, she was in the library, looking kind of angry. I almost backed out of the library when I saw that face, but knew that I had to do this one. It's not like Mukumuku can talk to her, anyway.
"H-hi! Rita!" I tried not to sound shakey.
She turned to me with a scowl. So different from the girl Mukumuku and I saw in the alley the other day.
"What? I'm busy researching." She began shoo-ing at me.
"Eh?" I took that chance to step in. She's in the library, she can't really fling fireballs at me there, right? "What are you researching about?"
"Mana--" She looked at me. "It's not something you'll understand. Besides, why are you here anyway?" There was that pause. "And where's Tyr?"
I know your secret, Rita!
"Oh, Tyr's... Tyr's probably thinking about that letter he got the other day," I said casually.
"Oh," Rita didn't look too interested.
I pretended to be interested in a book from one of the shelves. With my back turned at her, I smirked a little. "Oh, uh. It looks like he got a letter from a secret admirer--"
Rita had been on this ladder thing when I entered, so I wasn't too surprised when a loud banging sounded immediately followed. That was Rita falling over her ladder with all the books she'd been keeping beside her.
"WHAAAAAAAAT?"
Before I knew it, I was being spun around, and Rita had that determined look on her face.
"Tell me! Tell me everything you know!"
---
Rita asked, so I told her everything! I added a few things, of course. Things like how Tyr had that really interested look on his face, and how he looked really determined to meet this secret admirer. Rita didn't believe me, of course, but then I put on my best innocent look and she was sold.
"But I didn't even send my--" I heard her say too, just when I finished telling her everything.
"So what're you going to do, Rita? Tyr's going to meet that person on Friday at 5 pm..." I looked at her expectantly. She looked surprised at first, but then quickly looked away, huffed, and folded her arms.
"W-who cares about who or what Tyr's meeting with- I-it's none of my concern! B-besides I have research to do and they're not going to research themselves!" She turned her back on me and began shooing me away again.
"O-okay," I left then, but that look on Rita's face told me that I'd succeeded. All I had to do was make sure they found their way to the meeting spot on Friday. Phase 2 was successful!
IV
Before Mukumuku and I knew it, it was Friday. I woke up to do my usual things then, and then sent a message on the network to Rita before I went out to buy bread at the bakery. "It's Friday. Are you going to do anything?" my message went, but I didn't get a response back. I didn't mind though, I knew Rita would go. The problem was Tyr...
"So, are you going to go?" I asked Tyr when I got back home with the bread. Tyr was sitting at the kitchen table then. He looked at me, looked up, and didn't exactly answer.
"Hey, Tyyyyrr," I tried again.
"I'm not sure," Tyr answered finally.
My plan was falling to pieces in front of me!
"But.. but they'll be waiting for you...." I said quietly as I set the bread on the table.
"I don't like them back."
I stared at him. Are you serious? That's what love letters are for! And secret admirers. At least, that's what Nanami -- that's my sister, she's gone now -- told me before. You send a letter to someone you love because you're too shy to tell them yourself until you meet them at that secret spot. Okay, something like that. I'm not sure, but I know letters are vital to love confessions.
"Well... you don't exactly know who they are." I sat in the empty seat beside him.
"I don't need to know who they are," Tyr said simply, before grabbing one of the bread buns I'd bought. "Thanks for the food."
I watched him as he hate the bread normally. I had to do something. Luckily, I'm pretty sure I had an ace up my sleeve. I folded my arms on the table and leaned forward, grinning up at him. "Is it because you like someone alreaaaady?"
That got his attention just I planned. He stopped his bread-munching, and looked down. There wouldn't be much to see for anyone else, but I knew a little bit about his mostly expressionless face. Tyr had this really good set of poker faces that he used, but I knew deep in my heart that what I'd said had hit something. I mean, I did see him doing the "She loves me, She loves me not" thing at Xanadu.
".................................No."
"That was a really long pause." I pointed out, sitting back. Inwardly, I smiled. I got you, Tyr!
"Well, it's none of your business." He started munching again, but while everyone else would've backed off, I knew this was when I should strike the iron.
"If it were me sending that letter, I'd like to hear a rejection from the person I love, at least! Then I'd feel happy to know that I'd tried--" I looked at him imploringly. This was the look I used when I asked him to join my army. I blinked for great effect.
"............... Riou, you're too close." He pointed out, and I realized I'd propped myself up with my arms on the table and leaned towards him.
"Sorry," I sat back. "But really, I think you should go and tell this person yes or no first. I mean, if you run away, it's just cowardly, right? And it's not like this person is going to fight you or anything..."
I may not be as amazing as Tyr, but I like to agree with the people who've said I've got the makings of hero like Tyr. Shu's taught me a thing or two about encouraging people by now.
Tyr stared at me, gave me a look. Then he sighed. I guess he probably thinks this is some ploy of mine. And it is, but I knew then that when Rita got there, Tyr would be thanking me!
"Alright."
Victory! I grinned at him because doing a victory arm-pump would be too much.
---
With twigs stuck to my circlet, I made myself comfortable in the bush Mukumuku and I were in. Tyr was just several feet away, standing by a pond and looking impatient. I hoped Rita would come by soon. There was just now way Tyr would wait too long. Nervously, I pulled my City device out and checked the time.
5:05 pm
Come on, Rita...
But another fifteen minutes passed, and no Rita. Ten more minutes after, Tyr made the motions to leave. At that point, I knew I had to do something-- anything -- to make Tyr stay. I jumped out of the bush just as Tyr spun around.
"No! Wait!" I made a grab at his arm, which turned out to be easy to do because he looked surprised for a moment. "Don't go!"
"Riou.... it was you?"
"Huh- M-me? Er... N-no--"
I didn't get to finish my words. My instincts told me to dodge, so I did, and only barely avoided getting hit by ten of those fireballs directed at me.
"W-whoa!"
"YOU! IT WAS YOU ALL ALONG! YOU WERE THAT PERSON WHO LIKES TYR?!" You know how I was hiding in the bush since 5 pm and waiting for Rita to show up? Well, it turned out, from the looks of it, that she'd been waiting for the secret admirer to show up and meet Tyr all along.
"I-it... that's a misunderstanding!" I looked back at Tyr who looked.... blank. Typical Tyr. Anyway, when I looked back at Rita, she had like another ten balls of fire floating above her head.
Then, just then, I had a brilliant idea. I didn't give it much thought, though...
"No, I mean! YEAH! I've liked Tyr from back then! What's wrong with that--!" I took a step forward and put on my best determined face. That was really hard to do because those fireballs had, by then, begun swirling really fast above Rita's head. I pointed at her. "I like Tyr! What do you have to do with that!?"
"WHY-- YOU..............ARRGH!"
And then, ten fire balls were hurled at me simultaneously. I did what I could do best, and dodged a lot. While I did that, I had a thought: If I just waited a few moments, I would have realized that telling Rita that would have her hurling hundreds of fireballs at me. Then, maybe, I wouldn't be dodging hundreds of fireballs. Maybe just tens.
V
Rita's really, really scary when she gets mad. I said that before, didn't I? Anyway, I was able to dodge her fireballs at first, but then the grass began burning and there was really very little I could do when the fire began enclosing me. The end result was me lying on the grass while Mukumuku tossed barrels of water on me.
But it was all worth it.
Somehow, because Tyr is amazing like that, he knew I was just bluffing, and walked towards Rita. It was really cool to see too. Rita had been hurling fireballs at our general direction, but Tyr made through all that easily and told her to stop.
"Stop, it isn't Riou, or I would know," I heard him say! And then Rita was all, "B-but- But!"
The fireballs stopped then.
"I was going to reject the person who came to meet me...... I already have someone I like."
At that point, I'd kind of forgotten about the fire. Thankfully, Mukumuku had come with his barrels by then. Without them noticing, I eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Riou's gotta be in on this! I knew something was fishy--"
"Rita, wait... " Tyr sighed. "He... " He sighed again.
Hey, what does that mean anyway?
"Just let him go.... It's probably my fault. I should have known the moment I got that letter."
"Huh? What does that even mean?"
Tyr looked downwards.
"The one I like... is you."
Tyr and Rita weren't that far from where I was so I was able to see Rita's face turn bright read.
"Huh- what-- what?! I-" She looked away. "Why are you saying this anyway? I-it's not like I care... "
I crawled towards them a bit, Mukumuku in tow.
"Why? I don't know..." Tyr had his back on me, but I was sure what kind of expression was on that face. He didn't look like it, but he did have a sense of humor. That was a straight-faced joke.
There was a beat of silence... and then... I had to strain my ears to get this one:
"I like you too," I was sure I heard Rita say before she began speaking loudly again, "I-it's not like it's a big deal or anything! I... you better not get the wrong idea! I just.... that way! We're still just friends!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
They left me behind after that, being lovey-dovey, with nothing but Mukumuku for company. But you know what? Getting Tyr and Rita together finally sure is worth it. Though, I guess, maybe I should've told Tyr to admit to Rita first.
Anyway, that's the story of how I got Tyr and Rita together!
So, what do you think? Isn't it great? I worked on it all day!
It was a sunny afternoon that day. It was a while ago so I can't really remember, but it feels like it was just yesterday. It was just like any other non-curse days. Mukumuku was riding on my head, and we were on our way to the bakery to grab some bread. We were just turning at the last corner to the bakery when we saw someone we knew... It was Rita!
Rita is this crazy scientist kind of person Tyr and I are friends with. She's kind of like Adlai back home, but younger, and probably less-forgetful. Oh, and destructive, but that doesn't matter unless you get her really angry. Anyway, on that day, Rita didn't look angry at all. She looked strange actually, but something told Mukumuku and I not to get too close. And then, that was when she pulled out a pink envelope from inside her pocket. You know what they say about pink envelopes, right? Mukumuku and I know well! But you know, this was also Rita. We didn't try to get close, because we were worried about being spotted, but we also wanted to know what was up!
We were going to give up then, head to the bakery and just, you know... forget about it. It could be a City thing, after all. As we were turning around, though, that was when we heard her:
"Oh! Tyr! If only I could give this letter to you-- I-- I've always liked you... But how do I tell it to you? Will you look at me differently if I give you this letter-- Aah!"
It was pretty unbelievable. And then she started hugging the letter. We decided to leave after that. I mean, what could we do? I didn't know anything about Tyr's feelings, and... I guess I could give Tyr the letter if Rita asked, but she hasn't really told me or anyone else anything.
We bought our bread then, and then Mukumuku decided to take a long way home. Little did we know that we were going to see something unbelievable going the different way. We went through the Xanadu, and there we saw Tyr! He was standing beside a pond and skipping stones on it. That wasn't the strange part though. The strange part was that whenever a pebble bounced, Tyr went: "She loves me," and another bounce, "She loves me not!"
At that moment, I realized Tyr and Rita were in love with each other! And they had no idea.
Tyr has really good ears so Mukumuku and I immediately got out of Xanadu, but the moment we were out, we looked at each other: We knew what we had to do. We had to get them together somehow. There wasn't much I could really do, and I had a feeling Flik would have a better idea when it comes to things like this, but I couldn't just let them alone! Rita will probably never give that letter to Tyr, and Tyr... Tyr has that lonely hero going with him. A friend like me-- No.
Sometimes, friends like Mukumuku and I have to make a move! And so, in the next few days, Mukumuku and I began Operation Get Tyr and Rita Together!
II
The first step was to let Tyr know someone was in love with him. For that to happen, we had to take a page from Rita's book. (Not really, but you get what I mean.) Someone had to send Tyr something, and that someone was going to be and Mukumuku. When Tyr and Rita were out, Mukumuku and I went to town to buy pink envelopes and paper. After that, Mukumuku went around grabbing flyers and newspapers around the City. Using those newspapers and flyers, we went on to make our very own love letter. Tyr knows my handwriting, you see, and Mukumuku's handwriting isn't really much better... so this was really the only way.
"Dear Tyr," I read out after we'd patched everything up together. Mukumuku sat in front of me, listening to my letter. "You don't know me, but I know you, and I just wanted to tell you that I really like you. Please meet me at Xanadu at 5 pm on Friday. Signed, your secret admirer."
"What do you think, Mukumuku?" I asked my trusty squirrel friend after. He cupped his tiny chin for a moment, and then "MU"d as he gave him a victory sign.
I nodded back at him. "Great! Mukumuku, can you deliver this letter while Tyr and I are out fishing later?"
"Mu! Mukumuku!" My friend nodded, and then after I put the letter inside the envelope and sealed it, he took it and hid it under his cape.
"Don't let me down, Mukumuku!"
---
When we got back from our fishing trip that afternoon, a bright pink letter was sticking out of the door. I silently thanked Mukumuku, but put on a surprised look for Tyr. "Hey, what's that?!"
Tyr, being his usual self, blinked at it. Oh, his usual self is: Speak as little words as possible and be unsurprised about everything. It's strange at first, but once you get to know him, it makes a lot of sense. What most people don't know is that Tyr's really older than me by at least three years. He doesn't get older anymore, though. That's the power of the Soul Eater on his right hand. In some ways, he's kind of like a vampire if I think about it. Only, he doesn't sleep a lot, or bite handsome young men like Sierra does. Another thing about Tyr is that he's really the great Hero of Toran. Practically everyone back home knows about his works in Toran! How do I know someone amazing like that? Well, that's not really important right now...
"Aren't you going to look at it?" I asked Tyr, who just looked at me. For a moment I was worried he'd seen through my plan, but he shrugged then and plucked the letter from the crack Mukumuku had put it in. He tore the envelope open quietly, and I watched him (secretly excited). He didn't look very interested at first, but when he'd unfolded the letter, his eyes widened a bit!
"So? What is it?"
He didn't answer quickly, so I asked again.
"So? So?"
"It's a letter of challenge."
'No, Tyr! It's a love letter! A love letter!' I wanted to say at that moment, but I played it cool at first. I took a peek over his shoulder and pretended to read the contents. "It looks like a love letter, Tyr! I mean, look, it says from your secret admirer!"
"Oh." Is that all you're going to say?!
"So, are you going to come?" I wheedled, because you know, Tyr can be a bit slow about some things...
He folded the letter and put it back into the envelope. He closed his eyes then. He looked like he was thinking. I thought, he better be! When he opened his eyes, he looked at me... and then shrugged.
"I guess so."
I guess so? He shrugged again and then went inside. Already, my plan was looking like it was encountering some trouble. But... uh... I guess it was still okay? I silently told myself then to just make Tyr go if he doesn't. On to phase 2!
III
Phase 2 involves talking to Rita and telling her all about Tyr's secret admirer and the meeting he's supposed to go to on Friday. Easier said than done. Walking into the place Rita's staying at is like walking into a dungeon. Rita's like the big boss, and then you have Flynn who might be in the kitchen. Flynn's not a bad person, but sometimes he offers you food that can kill. They look so nice, and yummy, almost like they sparkle when they're on the table-- but I've seen what they do. There was this one time, an accidental video came on the network, and it was just dead bodies on the feed.... and all because they ate Flynn's food.
After that, there's the cats... and well, Yuri's not all that bad. But anyway, Rita!
Sometimes, you can catch Rita at a bad mood and then she'll just... fling all these fire balls at you. You're not even safe indoors. Before I went to her place, I made sure to pack some herbs in my pack.
When I found Rita, she was in the library, looking kind of angry. I almost backed out of the library when I saw that face, but knew that I had to do this one. It's not like Mukumuku can talk to her, anyway.
"H-hi! Rita!" I tried not to sound shakey.
She turned to me with a scowl. So different from the girl Mukumuku and I saw in the alley the other day.
"What? I'm busy researching." She began shoo-ing at me.
"Eh?" I took that chance to step in. She's in the library, she can't really fling fireballs at me there, right? "What are you researching about?"
"Mana--" She looked at me. "It's not something you'll understand. Besides, why are you here anyway?" There was that pause. "And where's Tyr?"
I know your secret, Rita!
"Oh, Tyr's... Tyr's probably thinking about that letter he got the other day," I said casually.
"Oh," Rita didn't look too interested.
I pretended to be interested in a book from one of the shelves. With my back turned at her, I smirked a little. "Oh, uh. It looks like he got a letter from a secret admirer--"
Rita had been on this ladder thing when I entered, so I wasn't too surprised when a loud banging sounded immediately followed. That was Rita falling over her ladder with all the books she'd been keeping beside her.
"WHAAAAAAAAT?"
Before I knew it, I was being spun around, and Rita had that determined look on her face.
"Tell me! Tell me everything you know!"
---
Rita asked, so I told her everything! I added a few things, of course. Things like how Tyr had that really interested look on his face, and how he looked really determined to meet this secret admirer. Rita didn't believe me, of course, but then I put on my best innocent look and she was sold.
"But I didn't even send my--" I heard her say too, just when I finished telling her everything.
"So what're you going to do, Rita? Tyr's going to meet that person on Friday at 5 pm..." I looked at her expectantly. She looked surprised at first, but then quickly looked away, huffed, and folded her arms.
"W-who cares about who or what Tyr's meeting with- I-it's none of my concern! B-besides I have research to do and they're not going to research themselves!" She turned her back on me and began shooing me away again.
"O-okay," I left then, but that look on Rita's face told me that I'd succeeded. All I had to do was make sure they found their way to the meeting spot on Friday. Phase 2 was successful!
IV
Before Mukumuku and I knew it, it was Friday. I woke up to do my usual things then, and then sent a message on the network to Rita before I went out to buy bread at the bakery. "It's Friday. Are you going to do anything?" my message went, but I didn't get a response back. I didn't mind though, I knew Rita would go. The problem was Tyr...
"So, are you going to go?" I asked Tyr when I got back home with the bread. Tyr was sitting at the kitchen table then. He looked at me, looked up, and didn't exactly answer.
"Hey, Tyyyyrr," I tried again.
"I'm not sure," Tyr answered finally.
My plan was falling to pieces in front of me!
"But.. but they'll be waiting for you...." I said quietly as I set the bread on the table.
"I don't like them back."
I stared at him. Are you serious? That's what love letters are for! And secret admirers. At least, that's what Nanami -- that's my sister, she's gone now -- told me before. You send a letter to someone you love because you're too shy to tell them yourself until you meet them at that secret spot. Okay, something like that. I'm not sure, but I know letters are vital to love confessions.
"Well... you don't exactly know who they are." I sat in the empty seat beside him.
"I don't need to know who they are," Tyr said simply, before grabbing one of the bread buns I'd bought. "Thanks for the food."
I watched him as he hate the bread normally. I had to do something. Luckily, I'm pretty sure I had an ace up my sleeve. I folded my arms on the table and leaned forward, grinning up at him. "Is it because you like someone alreaaaady?"
That got his attention just I planned. He stopped his bread-munching, and looked down. There wouldn't be much to see for anyone else, but I knew a little bit about his mostly expressionless face. Tyr had this really good set of poker faces that he used, but I knew deep in my heart that what I'd said had hit something. I mean, I did see him doing the "She loves me, She loves me not" thing at Xanadu.
".................................No."
"That was a really long pause." I pointed out, sitting back. Inwardly, I smiled. I got you, Tyr!
"Well, it's none of your business." He started munching again, but while everyone else would've backed off, I knew this was when I should strike the iron.
"If it were me sending that letter, I'd like to hear a rejection from the person I love, at least! Then I'd feel happy to know that I'd tried--" I looked at him imploringly. This was the look I used when I asked him to join my army. I blinked for great effect.
"............... Riou, you're too close." He pointed out, and I realized I'd propped myself up with my arms on the table and leaned towards him.
"Sorry," I sat back. "But really, I think you should go and tell this person yes or no first. I mean, if you run away, it's just cowardly, right? And it's not like this person is going to fight you or anything..."
I may not be as amazing as Tyr, but I like to agree with the people who've said I've got the makings of hero like Tyr. Shu's taught me a thing or two about encouraging people by now.
Tyr stared at me, gave me a look. Then he sighed. I guess he probably thinks this is some ploy of mine. And it is, but I knew then that when Rita got there, Tyr would be thanking me!
"Alright."
Victory! I grinned at him because doing a victory arm-pump would be too much.
---
With twigs stuck to my circlet, I made myself comfortable in the bush Mukumuku and I were in. Tyr was just several feet away, standing by a pond and looking impatient. I hoped Rita would come by soon. There was just now way Tyr would wait too long. Nervously, I pulled my City device out and checked the time.
5:05 pm
Come on, Rita...
But another fifteen minutes passed, and no Rita. Ten more minutes after, Tyr made the motions to leave. At that point, I knew I had to do something-- anything -- to make Tyr stay. I jumped out of the bush just as Tyr spun around.
"No! Wait!" I made a grab at his arm, which turned out to be easy to do because he looked surprised for a moment. "Don't go!"
"Riou.... it was you?"
"Huh- M-me? Er... N-no--"
I didn't get to finish my words. My instincts told me to dodge, so I did, and only barely avoided getting hit by ten of those fireballs directed at me.
"W-whoa!"
"YOU! IT WAS YOU ALL ALONG! YOU WERE THAT PERSON WHO LIKES TYR?!" You know how I was hiding in the bush since 5 pm and waiting for Rita to show up? Well, it turned out, from the looks of it, that she'd been waiting for the secret admirer to show up and meet Tyr all along.
"I-it... that's a misunderstanding!" I looked back at Tyr who looked.... blank. Typical Tyr. Anyway, when I looked back at Rita, she had like another ten balls of fire floating above her head.
Then, just then, I had a brilliant idea. I didn't give it much thought, though...
"No, I mean! YEAH! I've liked Tyr from back then! What's wrong with that--!" I took a step forward and put on my best determined face. That was really hard to do because those fireballs had, by then, begun swirling really fast above Rita's head. I pointed at her. "I like Tyr! What do you have to do with that!?"
"WHY-- YOU..............ARRGH!"
And then, ten fire balls were hurled at me simultaneously. I did what I could do best, and dodged a lot. While I did that, I had a thought: If I just waited a few moments, I would have realized that telling Rita that would have her hurling hundreds of fireballs at me. Then, maybe, I wouldn't be dodging hundreds of fireballs. Maybe just tens.
V
Rita's really, really scary when she gets mad. I said that before, didn't I? Anyway, I was able to dodge her fireballs at first, but then the grass began burning and there was really very little I could do when the fire began enclosing me. The end result was me lying on the grass while Mukumuku tossed barrels of water on me.
But it was all worth it.
Somehow, because Tyr is amazing like that, he knew I was just bluffing, and walked towards Rita. It was really cool to see too. Rita had been hurling fireballs at our general direction, but Tyr made through all that easily and told her to stop.
"Stop, it isn't Riou, or I would know," I heard him say! And then Rita was all, "B-but- But!"
The fireballs stopped then.
"I was going to reject the person who came to meet me...... I already have someone I like."
At that point, I'd kind of forgotten about the fire. Thankfully, Mukumuku had come with his barrels by then. Without them noticing, I eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Riou's gotta be in on this! I knew something was fishy--"
"Rita, wait... " Tyr sighed. "He... " He sighed again.
Hey, what does that mean anyway?
"Just let him go.... It's probably my fault. I should have known the moment I got that letter."
"Huh? What does that even mean?"
Tyr looked downwards.
"The one I like... is you."
Tyr and Rita weren't that far from where I was so I was able to see Rita's face turn bright read.
"Huh- what-- what?! I-" She looked away. "Why are you saying this anyway? I-it's not like I care... "
I crawled towards them a bit, Mukumuku in tow.
"Why? I don't know..." Tyr had his back on me, but I was sure what kind of expression was on that face. He didn't look like it, but he did have a sense of humor. That was a straight-faced joke.
There was a beat of silence... and then... I had to strain my ears to get this one:
"I like you too," I was sure I heard Rita say before she began speaking loudly again, "I-it's not like it's a big deal or anything! I... you better not get the wrong idea! I just.... that way! We're still just friends!"
"Really?"
"Yes!"
They left me behind after that, being lovey-dovey, with nothing but Mukumuku for company. But you know what? Getting Tyr and Rita together finally sure is worth it. Though, I guess, maybe I should've told Tyr to admit to Rita first.
Anyway, that's the story of how I got Tyr and Rita together!
So, what do you think? Isn't it great? I worked on it all day!