The Bully

"Gods, you should have seen it, Ranko! Milk all over the counter, the floor, my brother, everything. My mom wanted to yell at her so bad, but the dog just jumped down off the counter, plopped down and started licking the milk off the floor like it was her plan all along, and Mom just lost it."Ranko giggled with her friend, shaking her head as she walked down the school corridor with Kumiko. "And that's why I don't have a dog. I have enough work to do, just cleaning up after what the humans do!" Heads turned as they passed. The idea of a girl that was something of a geek hanging out with a cheerleader – while she was in uniform, no less – was unheard of to them. That was part of the point of Ranko choosing to wear her uniform today, in fact. Kumiko was in dire need of some social collateral, and Ranko had more than she wanted. She was happy to share.Kumiko nodded, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "So get a cat. They're way easier."Ranko's whole body tensed up instantly, and her eyes darted to Kumiko's, a panicked tone rising in her voice. "Uh-uh. Can't do cats. Nope! Nope nope nope. Can't even talk about 'em. They… they freak me out really bad, Kumi."Her friend giggled, putting her hands up defensively. "Okay, forget I mentioned it!"Kumiko's laughter stopped suddenly, as did her steps. She looked forward, an intimidated expression casting its way across her face as she shrunk back."That her, Kumi?" Ranko gestured forward with her neck at an enormously tall young woman, easily two meters and maybe more. She was of stocky build with broad shoulders, and her face was sort of squashed like a pug's, the comparison emphasized by the choker chain she wore around her neck. Her ears were pierced with large surgical steel spikes, and she had a ring pierced through her nose as well. She wore thick black makeup on her eyes and lips.Kumiko nodded, saying nothing."Hey, it's okay, Kumi." Ranko squeezed her hand. "Just like we talked about. You got this. I'll handle everything from there. I promise, I won't let you get hurt." Ranko cracked her knuckles as she walked, tightening the red ribbon holding her hair in its high ponytail. This is gonna be too easy.Kumiko walked up to her locker, spinning the combination lock until it clicked open. Ranko stood at the vacant locker to Kumiko's right, swinging the door open and pretending to look for something in it."Hey, Kumiko. I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to show up today." The brutish girl approached from Kumiko's left, walking her fingers along the bank of lockers with a tapping noise as she approached. "You wouldn't want me to be hungry, would you?""I…" Kumiko swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Noriko. I just haven't been able to get to my locker today. I was running late."The giant girl glowered with a mockingly pitiful aww. "Well, that's terrible for you. But you're here now, so hand it over and I'll forgive you for being late this time.""Hey, why don't you leave her be?" Ranko leaned on the bank of lockers nonchalantly, peering around Kumiko at the bully. She knew she could take the girl in a fight; she was bigger than Ryoga but she doubted she was well-trained. As long as she didn't get a hit in, it would be easy. But if the ogre of a girl made contact, Ranko was relatively certain she wouldn't get up until tomorrow."Yeah?! What's it to you, pom-poms? Somehow, I don't think you wanna start anything you can't finish, so maybe you wanna think about keeping your airheaded nose out of other people's business." Noriko glowered over Kumiko's shoulder, and Kumiko backed away, not wanting to be between the two of them any longer than necessary. It was amazing how little the effeminate school uniform did to mute the threatening posture the bully took.Ranko shrugged, pulling a 500-yen coin out of her bag and holding it up. "I mean, I was just gonna offer to buy you lunch today so Kumi here could get some curry bread in peace. It's her favorite.""Huh." Noriko crossed her arms contemplatively. She'd never had anyone volunteer to be bullied before. "Well, okay. Kumiko, I guess you get a day off after all. But don't think you're getting out of paying me tomorrow."Gotcha, Ranko thought with a satisfied smirk. "Here ya go!" She flicked the coin with her thumb, sending it hurtling end-over-end in an arc over the tall girl's head. As she reached her hands up to catch it, Ranko slipped between Noriko's body and the bank of lockers with a metallic bang, emerging behind her where Kumiko awaited. Kumiko had seen her move her hands, but it had all happened far too quickly to have any chance to process what Ranko had done.With a sassy, satisfied smirk, Ranko reached up with her right hand, catching the coin over her shoulder without turning to look for it, or at the bully behind her. She cocked her waist to the side, putting her left fist on her hip. It was the sort of pose Ranko remembered the Furinkan cheerleaders doing whenever they'd turned some sad sack boy down for a date, as if the posture itself said, because I'm a cheerleader, that's why."On second thought, Kumi, we should go to Mr. Gojin's snack cart out front. He's got two-for-one octopus puffs on Wednesdays. My treat!" She giggled, putting her arm around Kumiko's shoulder and walking away from her friend's locker."You… you BITCH! GET BACK HERE! I'LL KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME?!"Ranko never turned to look at her, and neither did Kumiko, but the chorus of laughter from the onlooking students had been the whole point. Nothing could put a bully in their place quite like humiliation. Kumiko giggled loudly. "That was incredible. Thanks, Ran-chan."Noriko flailed her massive arms to catch them, but she couldn't get close enough. The door to Kumiko's empty locker swiveled back and forth on its hinges with a loud metallic squeaking as the bully strained to free herself. The choker chain collar around her neck had been secured to the latch of the locker door with Kumiko's combination lock.