Day 27: The Day Before

"Welcome back," Shade picked up the mug of hot cocoa on the table. "How was the underworld?"

"Lucifer treated me well," Brianna replied. "So, when do I get to see him?"

"Probably not until tomorrow," Shade sipped on the cocoa. Brianna had gotten used to the masks enough to notice that he was uncomfortable.

"Why not?" Brianna asked. "He's my brother. I should have every right to see him."

"Well, there were some… circumstances that have come into play since your death," Shade sighed. Ryan's memory loss was the last thing Shade wanted to talk about with Ryan's sister of all people, but alas, he had no choice. "Let me break it down for you…"

-

"KIKKERIKIII~!!!" Kiara exclaimed through the phone. "Are you all packed on China tomorrow?"

"I have to pack?" Ryan asked. "Aren't we going to be spending the entire time fighting and stuff?"

"No, we ran out of China after Moona-senpai broke everything," Kiara growled. Ryan sighed, as Kiara was the one to break the China while they were fighting.

"I'll be sure to get some on the way to work today," Ryan said.

"Thanks! You're a lifesaver!" Kiara chirped before hanging up. Ryan sighed. Just another day at KFP.

-

"So, what kind of China do you want?" Ryan asked through the phone as he walked through the store.

"I don't know, just get China," Kiara replied. "Ryan, I'm kind of busy at the moment."

"Yeah, I'll leave you to make out with Calliope-san," Ryan said.

"How did you know?!/We're not making out!" Kiara and Calli exclaimed at the same time.

"I'll give you two lovebirds a few more minutes," Ryan said before lowering his voice. "I'd like to live to tomorrow, thank you very much."

"I heard that!" Calli shouted.

"Am I really on speaker?" Ryan deadpanned. His eyes drifted off to some random girl. When their eyes met, the girl jumped a little and scurried off.

'Man, I knew I was ugly, but this is a whole new level of insult,' Ryan thought to himself. The more he thought about it, the more the girl looked familiar. He couldn't exactly place his finger where he may have met her, but he has.

"You know what? I'm probably going to die tomorrow. I'd rather not help my chances," Ryan grumbled hanging up the phone. Ryan grabbed the first set of China bowls he saw and went for the register. When he exited the store, he noticed the same girl staring at him.

"Can I help you with something?" Ryan asked, causing the girl the stiffen.

"No," she replied. "You just reminded me of someone."

Ryan opened his mouth to speak, but the girl turned and stalked away. 'Weird,' he thought to himself. 'I better get back to the KFP.'

-

The craft of arriving at the KFP on time but after Kiara and Calli's makeout session was an art form, and Ryan had gotten a hang of such an art form. "Am I dead?" He asked as he opened the doors.

"No, surprisingly," Calli was sitting on a stool, sipping a glass of wine. "As much as I want to kill you for those remarks you made earlier, Kusotori won't let me."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," Ryan smirked coyly as he walked around back to put the plates away.

"Morning, Tenchou," Ryan said as Kiara walked out from the break room. "You ready for tomorrow?"

"You bet!" Kiara exclaimed, shooting her fist in the air. "Those assholes are going to pay for kidnapping me!"

"We killed all of the ones who kidnapped you," Ryan deadpanned.

"Yeah, but might as well wipe them all out," Kiara shot back.

"OHAYOLLIE!" The vague memory of Ryan's meeting with Ollie flashed back to him as the zombie girl busted in.

"Ollie, did you really drag me out of bed to come here?" Anya dragged herself into the joint.

"Ah, Kureiji-san, Anya-san, welcome to KFP," Ryan walked back over to the counter as the two girls took a seat next to Calli. "My name is Ryan Shade. What can I get you?"

"Ollie'll have some ramen!" Ollie chirped. "Ramen Guy hasn't been at the store often so I'm craving!"

"I'll have some too," Anya nodded. "Agent 85 always did make good Ramen."

"Agent 85?" Ryan blurted.

"YAGOO," Calli offered.

'Huh, last I remembered, Anya called him YAGOO. That's weird,' Ryan thought to himself. He considered asking, but it really wasn't any of his business. "What kind of ramen would you like?"

"Beef!" The two said in unison.

"Alright, I'll be right back with your order."

-

"Captain of the Houshou Pirates Houshou Marine has arrived!" Marine burst through the doors, a huge smile on her face.

"My name is Ryan Shade," Ryan said calmly as he placed the two bowls of beef ramen on the counter before turning to address the pirate. "What would you like?"

"Give me booze!" Marine plopped on the seat, slamming her closed fist on the counter.

"I'm going to have to see some ID," Ryan replied.

"Uhhh…" Marine rubbed the back of her head.

"Don't worry about it, she says she's seventeen even though she's really forty," Kiara said through the back.

"Thanks Kiara-cha-, wait WHAT?!" Marine's face contorted in rage as she slammed both fists on the counter. "I'M FOREVER SEVENTEEN!"

"Whatever you say, Houshou-san," Ryan sighed. He went into the back and plucked a bottle of Dragonson Liquor. If Marine wanted booze, then Ryan would deliver. As he placed the bottle in front of her, the doors opened again.

"Konbanmusuru~!" Noel and Flare walked in, holding hands, friendship rings shining in the light.

"Shiranui-san, Shirogane-san, I see you've finally tied the knot," Ryan smiled softly when he saw the rings. "Congratulations."

"W-we're not married!" Flare exclaimed. "These are friendship rings! Friend! Ship! Rings!"

"We can get married if you want~," Noel said in what Ryan dubbed her "sexy voice" while offering her "friend" a wink.

"That sounds nice-, I mean not now!" Flare shouted.

"You didn't deny anything," Anya pointed out.

"But-," Flare started, but sighed, finally admitting defeat. "Marine, want to take a table?"

"Sure!" Marine chirped as she grabbed the bottle of booze before skipping over to a table.

"Gyudon, I suppose?" Ryan asked.

"Gyudon!" Noel exclaimed, shooting a fist in the air.

"Today's going to be a long day, huh?" Ryan muttered to himself.

-

"SHUBA SHUBA SHUBA!" As Ryan balanced fifteen bowls of gyudon onto Noel's table, a duck with a hat walked in and pecked his lower leg.

"Good morning, Oozora-san," Ryan smiled at the duck. "I can't really understand bird, so I didn't really get what you said."

"SHUBA!" The duck quacked.

"I'll just get Tenchou," Ryan sighed as he went to the back.

"Hey Tenchou," Ryan called over. "Oozora-san is here. Can you take her order please?"

"How do you-," Kiara stopped herself. "Alright."

As Ryan followed Kiara back into the main joint, Choco and Ayame were talking with the duck.

"Nakiri-san, Choco-sensei," Ryan offered a small smile. "It's nice to see you."

"Ara, is that really you, Ryan?" Choco asked, putting a finger to her lips. "It's been a while."

"I apologize, but I don't have my memories," Ryan said.

"I heard," Choco replied, giving Ryan a patient smile. "That's okay, you're still the Ryan I know."

"Fair enough," Ryan said as the doors slammed open again.

"I can't believe you made us late, Baqua!" Shion yelled.

"And you didn't, Kusogaki!" Aqua shouted back.

"Can we please not fight?" Ryan stepped in between the two women. "I already had enough of that yesterday."

"What's your deal?" Shion shot Ryan a glare.

"Don't we have an important event to go to tomorrow?" Ryan asked. "It would be best to save the fighting for tomorrow."

"Fine," Shion pouted as the 5 friends took a seat at their own table.

Ryan sighed. Tomorrow was going to change his life as he knew it, so he might as well enjoy today.

-

"Today was fun, huh?" Kiara asked Ryan, who was wiping down the counter.

"Kureiji-san is never allowed to pull the sword out of her head in here again," Ryan grumbled.

"You're no fun," Kiara pouted.

"Aw, how could you say that?" Amelia bust through the door with Gura in tow. "Ryan's a load of fun."

"He gave me doughnuts!" Gura chirped.

"That doesn't mean anything," Calli muttered, still sipping on her wine.

"You're still here?" Ryan asked.

"Always has been," Calli waved her hand dismissively.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" Amelia asked.

"I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be," Ryan replied with a shrug. "I mean, it's not like Ihaven't done this before."

"Fair enough," Amelia sighed.

"So, how's the marriage?" Ryan asked.

"It's great!" Gura chirped. "Ame finally moved in with me and we get to do a lot of collab streams together!"

"Hey Ame," Ryan leaned towards Amelia's ear. "I'm going to tell Tenchou about the whole time travel thing after tomorrow. I feel like she deserves to know."

"That's fine," Amelia replied. "It'll probably be better if I was there."

"That sounds good," Ryan said. As he said that, the doors opened as Ina calmly walked into the joint.

"I guess everybody's here," Ina walked up to the small group.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ryan asked.

"I'll throw my two cents in," Ina replied, throwing two American pennies onto the counter. "Just make sure no one dies."

"We got this!" Gura exclaimed. "All of us are certified badasses! Yes, even you, Ryan."

"I'm touched," Ryan deadpanned.

"Alright, you all should rest up, so you'll be ready for tomorrow," Kiara said, clasping her hands together.

"Since when were you the mother figure in this relationship?" Ryan asked.

"You're so silly Ryan," Kiara waved her hand dismissively. "I've always been the mother hen."