Little Guy

Juuhachigou woke up one morning with the sudden craving to shop. Sitting up and yawning, she eagerly pushed herself out of bed and grabbed an outfit from the closet on her way to the bathroom. The noise of the water running in the shower woke her sleeping husband.

Kuririn rolled over unto his stomach in bed and scratched his mussed up hair. He peered at the bedside clock, which read clearly five o’clock in the morning.

Strange, He thought. Normally I’m the first one up by a long shot

Crossing his arms and allowing his head to sink into the blessed warmth and comfort of the soft pillow, Kuririn stretched his mind for a reason Juuhachigou could possibly be so motivated so early. Nothing came directly to mind, so he turned over on his back and closed his eyes.

Oh well, He muttered, a deep happy sigh escaping his lips. He smiled. At least this morning I won’t be risking death trying to wake her

A few minutes later, the bathroom door swung open and an uncharacteristically pleased Juuhachigou strutted out in her bathrobe and took a seat in front of the mirror, toweling her hair and humming to herself. The later activity was what alarmed Kuririn.

Juuhachigou didn’t hum. She just didn’t.

He sat up slowly. "Juu-chan, are you okay?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

Juuhachigou turned around and flashed Kuririn a tiny smile, causing the small human to nearly pass out. The rare times that Juuhachigou smiled at him so openly were far and few in-between, and almost never just out of the blue. What in the world could have made her so happy that she would act this way?

Having finished drying her hair, Juuhachigou quickly brushed out her long, wavy blond strands and began to get dressed in some of her nicer casual clothes. Puzzled, Kuririn slipped out of bed and walked over to his wife just as she was pulling on her shoes. He dared to put a hand on her shoulder.

Are you feeling okay? He asked her quietly. "You’re acting kind of strange."

Juuhachigou looked up at him with a rather smug expression. She turned around and gave him a small kiss on the forehead. If he had been thinking clearly, then he would have realized that this unprecedented affection was undoubtedly a bribe.

"Kuririn," Juuhachigou began. "I was wondering,"

                             *****

Later that day, Kuririn was at the mall and miserable. Juuhachigou’s sweet disposition had been unbearably short lived. She was now in her shop-till-you-drop, get-out-of-my-way-or-I’ll-drop-you kind of mood, and Kuririn was long since forgotten.

Not that he wasn’t used to being ignored at times like this. Juuhachigou could be terribly one-minded sometimes.

At the moment, he was sitting on a bench in the middle of the mall, chin resting on the palms of his hands. A huge assortment of packages and bags lay at his feet, which he had just recently been allowed to set down while Juuhachigou searched yet another store.

Shopping. His worst nightmare.

Before Juuhachigou, he had blatantly avoided all shopping areas like the plague. He’d never really been a people person anyway. Now that he was a married man, and shopping was his wife’s great thrill, he knew that it had to be undertaken from time to time. He considered it a labor of love.

Kuririn looked up as he overheard Juuhachigou arguing with one of the salesclerks over something or another. He sighed. Though he loved Juuhachigou more than anything in the world, if he had to pay for any more damage repair caused by one of her "friendly chats" with the salespeople, then soon he would have to have to take up a more permanent income than just the occasion fighting tournament and his rather meager savings.

Kuririn! Juuhachigou yelled over at him, finally breaking away from her conversation. She strutted over and handed him a few more small boxes. There are a couple more shops I’d like to check out before we head home. Why don’t you go and get us something to drink from the Food Court and I’ll meet you there?

"Okay, Juu-chan." Kuririn readily agreed, the prospect of leaving lightening his mood considerably.

He got up and gathered Juuhachigou’s other bags, almost forgetting in his haste that of all the places in the mall; the food courts would be the most crowded

                                 *****

Kuririn was in a long line that seemed to stretch all the way out the door. He sighed and looked longingly at the much shorter line that came from a nearby shop. He could have gone there for the drinks, except he knew Juuhachigou’s favorite was this one.

On one of the first times he had taken her out, he had invited her here and bought her one of their famous chocolate shakes. Long story short, she had loved it. Since then, it had become a mandatory part of the mall experience.

Kuririn just wished the line wasn’t quite so long

He was suddenly jostled by a group of loudly laughing guys as they herded past, cutting him in line. They didn’t seem to have even seen him.

Hey! Kuririn called at them. What do you think you’re doing? I was here first!

When he got no response from the lumbering hulks he determinedly grabbed what looked to be the ringleader’s shirtsleeve and tugged furiously. He was determined not to let himself be bullied like he had in his youth. Heck, he was technically strong enough to through all these guys out the skylight.

Having gathered their attention, the ringleader stopped his laughing and looked down and behind him at the stony-faced Kuririn, looking determinedly and almost directly upward. Marking the little pipsqueak off as of no importance, the huge fellow absently brushed him off.

Beat it, midget. He ordered.

Kuririn was angry. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t used to being called a midget or anything, but it still stung to be totally disregarded for it. Everyone underestimated him! No way was he going to allow this big bully to push him around!

He snagged the guys sleeve and tugged again. "Excuse me," He said tersely.

Once again drawing the towering man’s attention away from his current activity, the guy finally got the message that this little pest was not going to go away on his own. That was okay, though. He would just show his the door his way

Need somethin’, twerp? He asked, voice full of cool self-confidence.

Kuririn’s hands were on his hips, partially to show his annoyance and partially to stop himself from accidentally powering up a Ki blast in public.

I think you may have made a mistake, He decided to try politeness first. I was in line in front of you, so if you’ll just

Kuririn was cut of as the ringleader began laughing in mirth. His pals soon joined him, and the single female in the group walked up beside the leader. She smiled down at Kuririn sardonically.

I don’t think we’re the ones who’ve made the mistake, hon, She said, looking up at the giant beside her briefly. My boyfriend doesn’t like gutsy little shrimps like yourself. So if I were you, I’d get lost real quick.

Anger again flared high in Kuririn, and he gritted his fists tightly.

Well? The ringleader asked, Get going! And he gave the short monk a good hard shove to help him along his merry way.

At this act of physical violence, the attention of the crowd was now drawn to the two as Kuririn stopped himself only a few steps backward and refused to back down. He walked surely back up in front of his much larger adversary.

Kuririn was clearly angry, and it showed in his aggressive movements and continence. His teeth were gritted so hard that he was sure they’d crack. Just were did this guy get off telling him that he was to leave? Under any other circumstances, Kuririn wouldn’t have cared if a couple of people had entered the line in front of him. The problem was that once again, for the one-millionth time in his life, he was being taken advantage of. And that was going to end

                                  *****

Juuhachigou was in a good mood as she walked down the pleasant mall walkways toward the Food Court. She had two bags of clothing dangling off of one arm and a smug smile on her face. Life was good. She had just had a wonderful day floating through her favorite place, doing what she loved the best. She made a mental note to remember to thank Kuririn for coming with her. He always was a good source of slave labor.

With a deep sigh of contentment, Juuhachigou rounded the corner and found herself staring ahead at the beginning of the food court. Already, the brightly colored sign of her favorite shop was seen, and she stopped to wonder briefly if Kuririn had remembered to get her a chocolate shake.

Coming closer, Juuhachigou was alerted to a great deal of noise and commotion. A large group of people were stationed in almost a half circle, observing what seemed to be a heated battle with great interest.

A strange foreboding feeling filled the cyborg’s stomach, and she strolled forward at a quickened pace. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the pile of her purchases setting unguarded at one of the only vacant tables on the other side of the Food Court. Where was?

Juuhachigou came to the edge of the crowd, a worried expression on her face. Excuse me, She said as she shoved in closer for a better look. Once in a better position to see, she scooped out what seemed to be so interesting.

Juuhachigou’s eyes grew wide as she recognized one of the two people in the center of the crowd, engaged in a furious verbal brawl. The diminutive size and storm-tossed jet-black hair left her with no doubts.

Kuririn That was Kuririn out there! What the heck was he doing?

Juuhachigou noted that her husband looked extremely upset, angrier then she had seen him in a long, long time. In fact, he looked about ready to burst into his powerful aura, and blow the taller, madder individual in front of him off the face of the planet.

His adversary was huge and irate. He seemed incredulous that this little punk was even daring to look him in the face and tell him to back off. After all, he had lost count of how many idiots just like him he had turned into putty.

Get out of my way! Kuririn yelled. I’m warning you

Oh no! I’m so frightened! Mr. big, tall, and muscular retorted. Then his face turned into a mask of malice. What are you gonna do about it? He growled.

Kuririn gritted his teeth, obviously trying desperately not to go to far in his rage. The bully was not intimidated, but took a step closer to the small warrior, overshadowing him as if he were an ant to be squashed. He spread his arms with a smirk, feigning good will.

"Look, runt," He said. "I’m giving you a chance to run"

That did it, and Kuririn snapped. Barely stopping himself from dropping into a fighting position, Kuririn stood up to the man bravely and shouted,

"I would never run from a fight, you, you STEROID INDUCED COWARD!"

The bully looked as taken back as if he had received a physical blow. Then his disbelieving face twisted into the look of the utmost lividness. His nostrils flared furiously as he pulled back one huge fist

Why you little ! He roared.

The crowd gasped at the terrible smacking sound that was made as he brought his closed fist down and the blow hit Kuririn hard square in the face. He reeled backwards at the force and fell to the ground

Then there was silence. Not a word from anyone in the entire Food Court as all eyes were glued onto the fallen Kuririn, sitting dazedly on the ground. The bully was breathing hard, rubbing his knuckles as he too stared.

Kuririn was slightly disoriented and shook his head, as if to clear his mind from the sudden fuzz that had hit him. Putting a hand to his head to stop the spinning, he dizzily began struggling to his feet.

Darn it! He thought to himself, the man in front of him slowly coming into focus. I should have been paying more attention.

The fact was that he had been concentrating so hard on keeping his power level down, that when the huge idiot had decided to hit him, he was as weak and defenseless to the attack as he would have been if he were normal. He sighed. That was what he got for trying to be a nice guy and not blast this guy into oblivion

Kuririn was shaken out of his thoughts by the sound of laughing. The ringleader and bully was looking down and laughing at him!

Well, that’s what you get for messing with real men, ya’ midget! He sneered. Then he turned to the crowd. Poor little runt got stuck in over his head!

A slight snicker went through the watching people like a wave. Kuririn’s face got red. Soon, he seemed surrounded by laughing individuals. Everywhere he turned, there were more faces making fun of him.

What an idiot, ta think he could stand up to me! The ringleader was basking in the attention. He turned an evil eye on Kuririn, standing as if he were lost in the middle of the circle. Then the bully spread his arms with a careless look on his face.

I guess he couldn’t help it, He said laughingly. After all, if his brains as small as he is, then it probably doesn’t even exist!

                               *****

Standing on the sidelines, Juuhachigou was appalled by what she was seeing.

Kuririn was standing there, head down and face red with humiliation while the people surrounding him laughed at him as if he weren’t even there. Why wasn’t he doing anything? Why didn’t he show them all what he was really made of?

Juuhachigou’s eyes traveled back to the idiot that had somehow managed to get in a hit at her husband. He was laughing at him louder that all the others, as if he felt that this victory gave him the right to act like a jerk.

Suddenly, the cyborg was very angry. She tossed one more furious glance at the man who had done all this, and then shoved her way through the crowd and into the center ring. Things quieted considerable as she stalked over to her husband and glared at them all.

You should all be ashamed of yourselves! She hissed at them, and grabbed Kuririn’s hand in hers.

The bully looked openly shocked by her intrusion, as if the little twerp having any kind of family was beyond him. He was quick to rebound though

Lookie here! He leered. The little runt’s brought in his girlfriend to fight his battles for him!

His words only made Juuhachigou angrier. She whirled around on him.

Almost subconsciously, her artificial energy began to build, fingers tingling. She just might have blasted him too, if it hadn’t been for Kuririn.

Just as she was about to let the jerk have it, Kuririn spoke up, Leave him alone, Juu-chan He said quietly.

She was so startled by his words that her mouth hung open and all her rage full energy dissipated. What? She managed. But why not?

Any outsider who heard them had absolutely no idea that the little Midget had just prevented an explosive fire show. Kuririn was staring at the ground.

If that was what I wanted, then I would have done it myself Kuririn muttered.

Not understanding, Juuhachigou reluctantly did as she was told. She took one more look around at the humans in the crowd, feeling her disgust for them at their willingness to treat someone so shabbily for no reason at all. Once again, she was struck with the question of why? Why did the Zed warriors fight for these miserable creatures?

Without another word, she left, pulling Kuririn beside her. She ignored the people staring at her as she marched away with her terribly upset husband, and tried not to listen to the further remarks made by the ringleader of the gang of bullies.

Once they had turned the corner and were out of earshot, Juuhachigou stopped and looked down at him. He hadn’t spoken a word. Feeling a wave of compassion roll through her unexpectedly, Juuhachigou didn’t resist the urge to squeeze his hand comfortingly.

Are you alright? She asked softly.

Kuririn looked up at her, and surprised Juuhachigou with a semi-sad smile. I fine, Juu-chan. He answered her. Thank you for helping me He sighed. It felt good to have someone on my side for once. The deeply moved look in his eyes softened his small smiling face.

Juuhachigou blinked, then slowly returned the smile. She gripped Kuririn’s hand a little tighter.

I will always be on your side She said quietly to him, for once not noticing the strange looks that passers by gave the strange couple.

She understood now why Kuririn didn’t need to see the bully blown to bits. He was just one more idiot that had chosen him as a target. When Juuhachigou had stood up for him, that was all that was needed to counteract what anyone had ever called him or treated him. He was cared for

Breaking out of their trance, Juuhachigou and Kuririn turned together and walked back toward the Food Court to gather Juuhachigou’s purchases. Juuhachigou had never released his hand.

"You know I couldn’t have turned that guy into leftovers," Juuhachigou said suddenly.

Kuririn looked up at her and smiled placatingly. "Can we go home now?" He asked.

Juuhachigou was happy. "Sure." She said.