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Season 2 Episode 5: Wonders of Scrapyard Inside his secret laboratory, Shorty Thinking - Dragon Strike Force's Scientist and Medic - was looking at the computer screen, consisting of his teammates' Armor Guardians. Most of them were badly damaged and in progress of repairing them. However, he looked tired yet frustrated and annoyed as he has yet completed his repairs on them since the Incident at Camp Everfree. Shorty screamed in frustration as he slammed his head against the computer's keyboard hard. Rarity and Asami, still chatting about the fashion shows and the mysterious 'Flanksy', have exited out from the lift. They both then found Shorty's head was on the keyboard, suspecting that he has failed on something again. They both approached and checked on him. "Shorty, are you alright?" Rarity asked in concern. "No. I'm not alright," Shorty exclaimed in frustration. He lifted his head up while looking at his computer screen, "After many weeks since Camp Everfree, I still haven't

"Akira?! What are you doing here?!" Akira was here?! I'm the shop?! In front of you?! NOW?! WHY?! WASN'T HE SUPPOSED TO BE HALF WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY ATTENDING A FUNERAL?! Why was he back here?! He wasn't supposed to be back so soon?! You stared in shocked silence at the handsome man in front of you as he stared back with a lazy smile on his face. Mrs. Satoshi looked bewildered at you and it wasn't until then that you snapped out of your stupor- "I mean-" You quickly cleared your throat and forced a smile. "Akira! It's so nice to see you again!" You smiled wider and tried to relax making you look as casual as possible. A hand coming up to rest on your cheek as your head tilted. "What brings you here? I thought you were going to help with your grandfather's estate in the city?" He seemed surprised when you addressed him with a smile. Eyes going wide before he smiled again. "My father and uncle are still settling things. Turns out my grandfather had more debts than he let on so it's been a few weeks of settling things and paying them all back. Unfortunately my Uncle was worried about my poor Aunt so they sent me to take care of the family business here." He shrugged holding up his arms lazily. "Family drama. Am I right?" You slowly nodded trying not to sweat under the anxiety rock dropped on your head. "Oh..How nice of you. What brings you to the shop though?" Again he shrugged. "My aunt seems to think she lost something in your store." His dark eyes looked your form up and down before not so discreetly looking around the front of the shop behind you where a lot of the already grown plants were. "I figured I'd stop by and take a look around to ease her worries." "Yes. About that.." Your boss rose a brow, hands on her hips as she looked at him. "She has been awfully rude to me and making demands to return something to her but refuses to tell me what exactly it is she wants. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to give something back if I never stole it in the first place and when I don't know what it is." The man fell silent before turning his thinned smile over his shoulder at the woman. "Ah yes. As silly as it sounds, she seems to be under the impression that you took a couple...pet fish from her." Your body instantly froze. Akira chuckled a bit. "It's really a funny thought-" "'Funny?' Young man, I don't find harassment, stalking, and being accused of theft 'funny'!" He held up his hands immediately. "No disrespect, Mrs. Satoshi. I don't really think it's funny either. That's why I'm here to fix the issues. Auntie just gets paranoid easily. If you could just let me have a look around to ease her worries, I would be so grateful." Mrs. Satoshi huffed staring down Akira with narrowed eyes. "I have nothing to hide!..But if it'll make her leave my store alone then go ahead!" She shooed him off. "You won't find any fish here. You can believe that." Akira's smile only widened. "Thank you, Mrs. Satoshi. I promise you won't even know I'm here." Your gaze followed his form as he turned on his heel and slowly walked around you towards the end of the large room. His eyes looking over everything with the calculation of a fine artist and his head slowly turning from side to side. You both watched him walk until he got to the end of the room until he stood in front of the closet door before he gave a small rotation of his shoulders- Without warning the door was yanked open by him so fast that it made you both flinch. He stood there a long moment looking at a broom, mop bucket, a few extra plants pots- CREAK. The door was slowly closed before his body turned back on both of you. Face neutral..Until his eyes turned to a second doorway that lead to the greenhouse connected to the shop and where all of the supplies and everything else was stored. A smirk was given towards both of you before he turned again hands in his pockets. Step after step your heads followed as he walked right up to the door and smirked at it. At you both like he won something. Before the door was quickly opened in the same fashion as the first...You saw when his smirk turned to surprise seeing nothing but rows of growing plants, stacks of fertilizer bags, and such other things- "Well I hope you're satisfied with your little hide and seek game." Mrs. Satoshi frowned upon him before pointing out the front door to him. "Now I'm sure there's not going to be anymore trouble since clearly I don't have whatever Ms. Henya wants." Akira stood silent for a moment before inhaling slowly and giving a stiff smile back her way. "Indeed. I guess my aunt is getting a bit confused in her old age." The door was stiffly closed. "You'll forgive us for all the trouble you endured." "I think it'd just be best if you leave." She never stopped pointing at the door. After a few  more seconds Akira stiffly walked his way to the door. "And tell Ms. Henya she still owes me a hundred for the rose bushes. If she doesn't want to pay, then she has until the end of this month to return them before I come to collect." Akira said nothing to that, only walking to the door creepily silent and boring his eyes into your boss's. You turned your head to look at her too to avoid looking at heim in fear he'd see any guilt on your face. Keep calm. Act casual. Don't show anything that could give you away. You didn't dare look away from the scowling face of your boss until the little bell  above the door rang out signalling he had left. A breath you were holding escaped your mouth and your body felt like a wet rag dunked in ice.  "Good riddance. I don't know what's gotten into that family but whatever it is they had better straighten themselves out." Your boss huffed and turned to grab a small tree sapling with a bag tied around it's roots. "Y/n, come help me with these apple tree saplings. Ruki Arago will be here any minute to collect them." "Y-Yeah. Sure." This was bad. This was definitely, ABSOLUTELY BAD! It's one thing to have a crazy old woman skulking around looking for a trio of mermaids, but now you have to worry about Akira also stalking the town?! And on top of that there was the matter of your entire plan being thrown out the window. If the rivers were overrun with fishermen desperate to escape the terror of the sea, then it'd be too dangerous to just release them into said river. It was starting to look like the only real option was to take them to the sea directly and release them there.  But...HOW?!  You had no horse. No wagon. No nothing. And it's not like you could just carry them all the way there! They were a lot heavier than they looked, and it would be way to far! Not to mention it was at least a month on foot and two weeks by horse. You didn't have enough food for you and three mermaids. You weren't sure what you were going to do but you couldn't just keep them in your bathhouse forever. It wasn't good for them in the long run and sooner or later someone was bound to find them. Then it would be all over. Until then you decided to just continue on with what you've been doing for now and hopefully things would be better soon.  "Thanks for your purchase, Y/n. It's always good to see you again. Try to stop by more often. Ok?" The young woman smiled at you and you smiled back at her taking the small hunk of meat wrapped up in paper. "Thanks, Takano. Is there any meat scraps or chunks ready to be thrown out available?" She nodded her pretty brunette hair matching her eyes. "Yep! Just like you asked. You're the only ones that wants all that stuff. It's a few days old." She grimaces scrunching up her face in disgust. "I dunno why anyone would bother." "Well it's not bad, and if you cook it it'll still be fine to eat." Takano cringed harder, sticking out her tongue in a yuck way. "Not for me! I'd rather die than let that meat touch my mouth." Shaking her head the brunette backed away pointing behind her. "I'll go get it, but it's on you to haul it away yourself." "That's fine. Saves you all the trouble of getting rid of it yourself." She gave you a strange look but left quickly. Once she was far away enough you sighed and reached a hand up to run your temples. How pitiful. Scraping up scrapes and scrounging for hand outs and anything else you can get your hands on just to feed yourself and three extra mouths. You weren't sure how much longer you could just put up with this stressful way of living. A scraping noise sounded out as a large basket was dragged along the floor nearly overflowing with what looked like random parts of meat. Steaks, a chicken leg or two, a few fish cutlets, ribs- Everyone else around you took a moment to stop and stare as Yuki dragged it slowly one foot at a time over to where you were standing. With a final grunt and a look of disgust she dropped it off at your feet. Embarrassment washed over your figure in waves feeling everyone stare at you like a spectacle. You didn't entirely blame them. You'd probably stare too if you saw someone just drag off days old scraps like a poor begger who couldn't afford anything. With an embarrassed and shameful feeling, you just shoved the fresh package of meat you bought on top before just grabbing onto the large handle and pulled- Holy crap! This thing was heavy. One pull up barely lifted it off the ground! What ended up happening was you struggling to pick it up a few inches off the ground, and shamelessly waddling steps towards the door.  "Come again, Y/n!" Yeah. Knowing how much those mermaids eat, you'd definitely be back for any more scraps. You continued waddle-walking in shame towards the doorway ignoring everyone else around you. As soon  as you got home, you had to cook up ALL of this before it did actually go bad. Waddling more and more towards the door you had gotten to it and kicked it open only to slam it partially into someone. "Ow!", a man's voice shouted out. "I'm so sorry!" You looked up. "I didn't mean-.." You froze. Staring at the person in front of you in horror. "Akira?!" Akira hissed reaching one arm down to rub where the door made contact with his leg, but stopped when he saw you. He stared at you, looked at the basket awkwardly in your hands, then back to you...And then smiled. "Well..If it isn't the pretty flower lady?~ Fancy running into you here." Darn it all! Why'd you have to run into the last person you wanted to see now?! Ever since his little visit three days ago, everything seemed to have settled down somewhat. Mrs. Henya hadn't been around since then, but you still had that awful sinking feeling. And now you had the misfortune of running into him here. Great. There was no way he didn't know about the mermaids his family imprisoned and was planning on doing who knows what with them! It made you just dislike him that much more. "Oh. Sorry, Akira," you apologized politely keeping your true feelings hidden. "Excuse me. I need to get this all home." You made to nudge past him but a hand on your basket and him leaning in way too close for comfort stopped you. "Now what are you doing with all this meat?" He rose a brow and smiled wider at you. "A healthy appetite for such a young lady.~" "I-..I'm going to dry most of this for the wint-ter," you lied giving a tug on the basket, "With the lost revenue and things being so tough lately, it's good to think ahead."  He hummed. "I agree. That's smart thinking. But you look to be struggling you poor thing. Such a delicate lady isn't used to carrying so much weight. Let me help you.~" With one yank he was easily able to lift the basket out of your hands and up into the air away from your outstretched arms.  "What?!" Your stomach dropped in horror. "No. Really it's fine-" You went to grab it- He held it farther from your reach. "I insist.~ You need a hand being a delicate flower.~" You wanted to argue. Maybe kick him where the sun didn't shine and make a run for it. But there was a crowd of people around you. It might look suspicious to suddenly be hostile to Akira, and then your friends - "....Thank you." You gritted you teeth outwardly annoyed however your face didn't seem to detour the smiling man.  "After you, Flower.~" You visibly cringed at the nickname. What followed was the most awkward walk of your life. You stiffly walked the ten minutes from the butcher's to your house looking straight ahead and not saying anything to the man walking next to you. The entire time you felt Akira's eyes boring holes into your head the entire way back. You never felt more relieved than you did seeing your front door so close to you. You stopped in front of the door and turned to him so suddenly it caught him off guard from the sappy, Dopey lovestruck look he was giving you the entire time.  "We're here." The basket was yanked from from him, making you stumble from the weight all of the sudden in your hands, but you firmly pulled it towards you. "Thank you for your..help but I can take it from here. You can leave now." He blinked. "Oh. I can help you bring that in y'know-" "No thanks." Using a foot, you slid the door open before stepping back and dragging the large nearly overflowing basket in before standing back up in the doorway to stare at him. "You can go now. Have a good day,  Akira." You made to close the door.  "WAIT!!" His sudden shout startled you into jumping and looking at him as he shuffled. "Look. I know we don't know each other a whole lot but I got a lot to offer." He started holding up a hand and rubbing his neck with the other as you just stared. "My family has a good business and I come from a pretty successful line." "Akira, what are you getting at with this?" "Would you possibly consider a marriage with me?" You stared at him. Mind going a blank as he hopefully smiled at you.  "After what I've seen of your family?" You frowned at him harder. "Akira you of all men are THE farthest thing I'd ever want my husband to be. We are never going to be compatible. You should look elsewhere if you want to find a wife. Try Old Lady Rayko. She's a matchmaker after all. Now if you excuse me, I have a lot of meat to cook before it goes bad." His shocked face was met with the door closing in his face and the distant sounds of grunts and a large basket being dragged away from the door. Three heads looked at each other in the next few rooms over shuffling in frustration. "HOW DARE HE?! HE'S GOING TO TAKE Y/N AWAY AND WE'RE NEVER GONNA SEE HER AGAIN!!" "Pipe down snails for brains! Do you want her to hear us eavesdropping?!" Suma whined when Makio shoved her head underwater to shush her cries. Hinatsuru sighed again shaking her head and making her sparkly earrings away.  "Now stop that. If you don't stop fighting, then she'll really hear you." "HE CAN'T HAVE HER!! HE'S CRUEL AND DOESN'T DESERVE HER!!" Suma pouted sticking her cheeks out. "I agree." Makio stunned them both with her sudden agreement but she pointed at them. "What? It's not like you two weren't thinking the same thing for a few weeks now. Let's just take her with us." "Well there's an underlying problem with that." "What's the problem? We all like her don't we?" Hinatsuru sighed harder. "Well here's the thing. You both like her. I like her. But the question is will Kyojuro and more importantly Lord Tengen like her?"  Both fell silent at that.. before Suma spoke up. "I'm sure they will! We just have to get them to meet her first! Tengen is sure to love her! She's 'flashy'!"  Neither of the others had time to answer her when footsteps approached and a moment later you opened the door with a smile. "Hey. Dinner's going to be a little late tonight since I have to cook it, but on the bright side I have enough food to last you three for the next three days. I just wanted to let you know." Hinatsuru smiled brightly at you. Unbeknownst to you the scheming they were going to have that night. "Sounds wonderful. Thank you." You were quickly running out of food at this rate. The only things left in your pantry was jars of jelly and pickled vegetables and soon those will be gone too especially since it turns out Suma really liked downing jelly from your jars with how sweet it was. The scraps and leftovers you managed to scrape up will help you but not in the long run. Not with the shortage of everything thanks to that merman driving everyone away and making prices rise and everyone panic. Just this morning you saw a family packing up to move away from the seemingly doomed town. And all of this was the fault of the Henyas. Their greedy actions weren't just hurting your friends but the entire town of innocent people too. Something had to be done soon. You just weren't sure what yet. "I'm going to go fish in the nearby river." You announced one day to the three. "There's probably not a lot of everyone else is fishing in there already, but I'll probably be able to catch enough for you to eat." "Alright. I feel a storm in the air. Be careful and come back before the storm hits."

The next morning dawns with a mix of dread and lingering excitement in the house. You’re still reeling from the previous night’s “fitting session,” where your mom and sister supervised you trying on every single pair from the Victoria’s Secret bag—bright logo waistbands, cheeky cuts, soft cottons in every color. A few more ended up ripped, earning you stern looks and promises of “extra chores to pay for replacements.” But most held up, and your mom declared the shopping trip still on for the weekend. What no one anticipated was your mom’s own crisis that same morning. As a high school English teacher, she had an unexpected substitute call-in canceled, forcing her to rush to school for her full day of classes. In the hurry—blaming the late night supervising your little fashion show—she grabbed her outfit without checking the essentials. Thanks to your extensive “borrowing” and destruction of the family underwear supply over the past months, her drawer was completely empty. Not a single