Ringo Pumilia

“Quick, Nono, up the ladder!” Rodan commanded.

“Gotcha!” Nono acknowledged and immediately climbed the ladder to their house’s main entrance followed by Rodan himself.

Standing before the door, Rodan noticed that the door was slightly opened. It wasn’t broken. But that was not his primary concern. He worried of those in the house. Nono looked at him while getting his hand on the doorknob. Rodan nodded slightly, implying him to open the door.

When they got inside, they found nobody inside. It’s just their messy living room like how it was. Rodan walked in front of Nono while rolling his eyes all around the place.

“Hmm... it seems she’s not here,” Rodan said while crossing his arms. “Well, then, where’s Ruru?”

In the end of his words, he stopped right in front of a doorway leading to a storage room. Shortly, Ruru got out of the kitchen.

“Oh, Ruru, we’re home. So, did something happen?” Rodan asked casually.

In the end of his words, Ruru responded with a slight nod, but immediately, someone charged at him from the storage room with their fist—

“DAMN ROODAAN!”

—but Rodan did not even flinch. He tilted his body a little and easily evaded their blow. Instead, their punch landed right at Nono’s temple. Their strength was overwhelming, causing him to crash into the wall.

“Nono!” Ruru shouted. She immediately went to check on him.

“AH! S-Sorry, Nono! I-I didn’t mean to hit you!”

Rodan gazed upon his poor friend before ultimately scolding the person who tried to strike him.

“...Ah, how many times do I have to tell you, Ringo? Reparations aren’t cheap. Medications are also not cheap! Nothing is cheap for me! GRR! Maybe I should just pluck your hair out of your head so that I can fix your rotting brain, ah?!”

“No! Not my hair~! I’m so sorry!”

Eventually Rodan let the girl go and helped Nono back up with Ruru.

“Are you okay, Nono?” Ruru asked kindly.

“Ahh, I’m fine, I’m fine, thanks for worrying me. Heh-heh... yeesh! Somehow I can tone down her power a bit,” Surprisingly, Nono did not suffer any major injuries, despite how hard the crash was.

The girl who punched him was a young girl wearing a red dress with red hood that leaves a partial of her hair exposed. She has medium-length light green hair stretching down to her shoulders. She has an ahoge that resembles a lot like an apple stem and a leaf-shaped hair on it. The young girl who looks like an apple, that’s Ringo Pumilia.

“I’m sorry, Nono,” She apologized directly.

“Ahhahaha, it’s okay, seriously. In fact, I’m much tougher now! Your punches might have no effect soon in the near future, hahaha!” He bragged with pride.

“I see. Glad to hear it, hee-hee,” she chuckled.

“Heheh, right, glad to hear it, he-he-hee~ FOOL! Quit making someone into your punching bag, will ya? Look at him! He’s slowly shifting into the dark side every time you let loose your iron hand!” Rodan ranted all over the place.

“Well, it’s not going to be like that if you didn’t avoid me, Ro-ro. Besides, how did you manage to evade me flawlessly all the time? You didn’t even look at me!”

“Hmph, my reflexes do the job for me, I didn’t even need to look nor realize what’s gonna hit me,” Rodan responded.

“H-Huh... I don’t know whether to say it’s cool or scary...” Ringo replied in a scrunched face.

Shortly, Rodan noticed how Nono was somehow grinning and talking to himself of how he’s getting better and better in holding against a strong blow. Rodan noticed him began blushing for some reason.

“Uhh... Ringo?” Rodan nudged her.

“Yeah?”

“I think it is best you stop your habit of punching people. Seriously, I don’t want my disciple to become a masochist. The more you fail to hit me, the more you will hit him. That will develop a new fetish, no? I mean, look at him. He’s slowly drifting into that bleak path. Perhaps now he’s just a step away from it.”

“Y-Yeah... I g-guess you’re right... I’ll try to stop.”

“Sheesh, how unbelievable to have you come here, Ringo...” Rodan rubbed his head. Meanwhile, Ruru was trying her best to snap Nono out of his delusion. She tried waving her arms in front of him, patting his back, and softly calling his name.

“Then, what do you want? I don’t see you bring any of my apples,” Rodan turned his attention to the apple girl. “If you don’t come with them, then why do you even bother coming all the way here?”

“Well, that’s why I’m here, Roro. I need your help!”

“Huh?” Rodan’s right eyebrow rose.

“Actually...”

Ringo then explained her reason of coming to his house empty-handed.

“You need a help taking out monsters in your place?” Rodan retorted. Meanwhile, Nono had returned from his delusion and sat down on the couch with Ruru.

“Yeah... it’s been three weeks since Wild Woruvens began appearing outside Astur city. Just a few days ago, they attacked one of my gardens. Seeing the aftermath made me think that it will be impossible for harvesting. They’re really bothersome to my employees, you know?”

“I see,” Nono responded. “That must be hard for you, isn’t it?” he asked in addition.

“Yeah, my guild cannot proceed like this,” Ringo replied in a low voice.

“Woruvens are low level monsters that resemble wolves. Adventurers can easily beat them, you know? You can request that to the guild house in Gantz or in your place, you know?” Rodan stated.

“No way! I refuse to do that,” Ringo denied. “If I ask for adventurers or other guilds to help out, then my guild secrets will be spilled out! I don’t want that to happen.”

“H-Huh... just how dense your company can be? Secrets are more important than your company’s sustainability, huh?” Rodan retorted.

“It’s not just that!” she responded back. “You see, I won’t bother calling adventurers if it’s just those wolves, since they’re weak and all. But those monsters were not weak as how they used to! They’re far more terrifying and dangerous!

I...

I decided to come here... after five of my guild members were killed. I realized that it wasn’t safe anymore for us. I must ask for help!”

Nono were shocked to hear her, “Oh, lord...”

“...” Meanwhile Rodan remained silent.

“You’re pretty strong, Rodan. That’s why, I can only ask for your help! Nono, you will help, right? Please?”

“Hmph... Give it up, Ringo. We’ve some problems here as well. Why not just go to the guild house and request their help?” Rodan rejected.

“Roro, that’s just rude...” Nono stated.

“No, I won’t ask for their help. Even if they would help me for free, I won’t accept it. Please, Roro, I can only ask for your help! With your power and strategy combined with Nono’s brilliant magic, I believe you two can stamp them off!

Ah, don’t worry. I will give something in return! Since you really love my apples, what about if I give you three times of free apple packages?”

“Green apples?”

“Yes, green apples.”

Almost immediately, Rodan changed his expression and openly willing to help her out.

“Right, name your task, Ma’am Ringo. I will rid of all monsters, if I have to.” Rodan stated quickly as he kneeled on the wooden floor.

“Yay! Thank you, Roro! I promise you will not regret it!” said Ringo happily.

“H-Huh, what a quick change of heart...” said Nono in response.

“Hey, Nono...” Ruru pulled his sleeves.

“What?”

“Are you going somewhere again?” she asked delicately.

“Well, I guess so. It’s just our way to get paid, that is,” Nono replied with a smile.

“Huh...”

Shortly, Nono realized Ringo was staring at him for some time. “Uwaah... he’s really getting mad, Roro. I’m going to supply you with some psyche-healing potions later.”

“Uh,” Rodan nodded. “Much obliged, Ringo.”

“HAH?! What are you blabbering about, Miss Ringo? I’m fine, very, very fine!”

“If that’s the case, then who are you talking to?”

“...”

“...”

The entire room was turned silent almost instantly.

“Eh? W-What do you mean? Don’t you see her?” Nono pointed his hand to Ruru.

“I think you’re really getting crazy, Nono. I’m so sorry for hitting you dozens of time—

“—HEEEEY! I’m serious here! How come you didn’t see her?”

Rodan was quite shocked as well to see this coming.

“Ruru’s the most obvious and the flashiest in this room and Ringo couldn’t see her? Unthinkable, what could’ve caused it?” thought Rodan.

Shortly, Ruru walked to Rodan, “Um... Roro...” she called silently. She whispered something to his right ear, which led him to expand his eyes in surprise.

“I see...”

“How outrageous, you really can’t see her?” Nono yelled.

“What am I supposed to see beside you if not the couch?” she replied.

“Enough you two,” Rodan ordered. “Ringo, what Nono said was true. There’s a third person in this room.

Ruru, it’s okay to show yourself. She is not a threat to us, so you don’t have to hide your presence.”

“Eh?” Ringo looked at Rodan.

Ruru revealed herself to be standing beside Rodan while holding his shoulder. Sparkling balls of white light gathered around her as she reappeared. She looked at the apple girl in a cautious stare.

“A g-girl?!” Ringo’s eyebrows rose.

“Ringo, allow me to introduce my, uh... new disciple. She is um... just moved to Gantz. She lost all of her money and doesn’t have another place to go to so she stayed in my place by becoming a disciple.”

“Woah! He just made that up, didn’t he?” Nono thought to himself.

“Ruru, can you introduce yourself?” Rodan asked the white-haired girl.

“Understood, Roro,” Ruru affirmed. “My name is Ruru Blanche. What he’s saying is true. I am a traveller but I don’t have any more money to spend the night in the city.”

Rodan was surprised. Despite him making a made up story, Ruru could actually played along with his rhyme of lies.

“Whoa... she can actually follow where I’m heading, huh? Good, good!”

“O-Oh... you seem to be pretty polite. Anyway, I’m Ringo Pumilia, nice to meet you!” she stretched her right hand to handshake her, only to be responded with Ruru pulled herself and hid behind Roro.

“H-Huh... I see, you’re the shy girl, aren’t you? I get it, I get it. In any rate, nice to meet you, Ruru,” Ringo pulled back her right hand in awkwardness.

“Ruru, don’t be scared. She’s not gonna bite you. After all, she’s just an apple.”

“NGH! How could you say that?!” Ringo retorted.

“What, it’s true you’re an apple, right? In Astur, you’re known as Apple Girl, so why do you even bothered by it?”

“I-It’s just sounded weird if you call me that!”

“Apple... girl...?” Ruru wondered.

Ruru’s cautious face melted into a curious one when Rodan said her nickname of Apple Girl. She looked into her eyes, and vice versa.

“H-Huh...? W-What’s with this girl...?”

Ringo stared back at her. But for some reason, when she looked into her eyes for some time, she quickly fell for her.

“AHHH!!! How cute of you! I’ll let you call me that, or anything you want! Ahh, so cute!” she yelled all happily while caressing Ruru excitedly. “That’s it, I’ve decided, I’m going to be your big sister! I’m gonna take care of you!”

“—WHOEEEY! Don’t decide things for yourself, darn it, who do you think you are?!” Rodan responded rapidly.

“What, you’ve got a problem, Roro? I always wanted a little sister, you know? Besides, she’s so cute that it’ll be a waste if she had to stay with you!”

“—Okay, that’s it. Nono, get the tape from my room. I’ll lock this damned woman’s mouth,” said Roro. His nerves were getting visible as he got irritated by her.

“Roger,” Nono affirmed instantly.

“No-no-no, just kidding, just kidding! Please don’t do that!

...Besides, you two don’t seem to be taking care of her properly. Look at her hair, all messed up. That’s why I’m going to make her up to look like a proper girl, tee-hee.”

“...Well, that’s right, though. I don’t get that much of what does a girl needs. Ruru, what do you think?” Rodan asked casually.

“...um... I... I don’t want to leave this place...” Ruru answered shyly.

“Well, who the heck’s going to kick you out of here, anyway? I’d rather kick her out instead of you, Ruru.”

“You actually hate me that much, huh, Roro?” Ringo retorted funnily.

“Besides, Ringo, you’re staying here for the night, right? I refuse if you ask me to go tonight.”

“Huhu~ of course I want it as soon as possible. But, it’s pretty tiresome after a long ride from Astur, so I guess we’ll depart by tomorrow morning. By the way, did you say ‘staying here’? Do you even have a room for me?”

“Well, sleep on the couch. Simple, right?” Nono replied offhandedly.

“No way, darn it!”

“Hah... what a noisy woman... don’t worry, we have extra rooms. Not so long ago, we just made some renovations and add a few rooms. Well, most of them were empty so I guess you’re free to use one of them. Nono, get a sleeping bag for her, please?”

“You got it, Roro,” said Nono immediately.

As the sun went down, Ringo Pumilia decided to spend the night at Rodan Rouge’s tree house. They’re going to depart to Astur by tomorrow morning.

But... their night didn’t seem going to be a peaceful one.