Ballad of a Brawler

All to happily Tyler took the cash, counting through it to make sure it was all there. "Pleasure doing business," he replied cheekily. He stuffed the money into his pocket. "Sorry, though. Don't know where she is."

"What!?" Rika shouted angrily. "Then why didn't you tell us that?!"

"What, I got to keep tabs on the kid at all times?" Tyler replied gruffly, closing up his coat and hiding his merchandise from law enforcement. "She's a grown woman. Well.....in body, anyway. The point is, I can't help you!" Rika's heart was crushed at the news. If Tyler didn't know where Sarah was, then there was no telling where she was. Tears sprung to her eyes just thinking about it. Tyler saw, and he sighed irritably.

"You," he suddenly declared, pointing straight at Akashi. "Miss Money Boobs. Why do you want to find Sarah so bad?"

Akashi was anearly livid when Tyler said that he didn't know where Sarah was. She was about to stuff the chicken down his throat when she was halted by his question. "Sarah-san is my friend!" She blurted out." She then sighed. "Well..." She stuttered a bit. "She's Rika-chan's friend... And Rika is my friend!" She said with renewed determination. "The last time I saw her it was on bad terms and I aim to rectify it anyway i can! For my sake and for Rika's as well!" She huffed. "And dammit for Sarah's too! I don't really know why I'm doing it." She admitted. "I should hate Sarah, but I don't! But I won't be able to live with myself if I don't at least try and talk to her. And what she is doing to Rika... that's not right either. And ..." She growled. "You!" She said marching forward. "You've got me talking in circles and flustered and spending my hard earned money on worthless junk, just for her sake! You better help me find Sarah or you're going to be crapping rubber chicken for a week!" She said advancing on Tyler.

Tyler seemed undetered by Akashi's speech, continuing to stare at her with his hands in his pockets of his trench coat. Rika on the other hand, looked at the sumo with wide eyes. She had no idea this meant so much to Akashi. Just like she had no idea Rika meant that much to her. A faint blush came upon her cheeks. It seemed the emotion was lost on Tyler. Until he suddenly grinned.

"Alright then," he said with a shrug. He gestured for them to follow him. "Let's talk." And he walked off down the street, not een looking to see if they were following or not. Rika's eyes lit up with hope.

Akashi was certainly glad that she didn't have to beat up the older genetleman and eagerly followed him when he said to. She gave Rika a hopeful smile as she quickly dashed behind Tyler.

Tyler fished a cigarette and a lighter out of his pocket, putting the stick between his lips and lighting the tip. He took a long drag as he walked. "Let me guess, my dear," he said to Akashi. "You're from that wresling league, ain't you? Yeah, I remember you. Sarah beat you in her first match. Pretty badly if I remember correctly. And yet you want to see her....." He eyed Akashi askance with an odd look. "You're not one of those people who likes being hit, are you?" Rika's eyes widened, and she blushed at the thought of Akashi being a machosist.

Akashi narrowed her eyes. "I'm from AFW and, yes, she won the first fight, but it was close enough!" She sighed. "You can't be a wrestler and not have a little bit of masochism in you." She admitted. "But I hardly like getting punched. I just like fierce competition." She then hufed. "And besides! I beat her the second time around!" She exclaimed. "So it's 1 to 1 for matches."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart," Tyler replied off-handedly. "It's all girls in skimpy outfits to me."

"Where are we going Tyler?" Rika asked along the way.

"My place. I'm not making uch of a profit out here today. Well, except for this sucker I sold a rubber chicken to for thirty dollars! " He snickered to himself cheekily, and then he suddenly blinked. "Oh wait. That was you," he said sheepishly to Akashi.

"Your place?" Rika repeated in a sigh. "Your place smells like something died in it."

"I actually cleaned that up," Tyler informed with a sky smile. "We'll talk there. Too many people listening out here."

Akashi was not pleased with Tyler at all and the sharky comments weren't really helping him much. When he called her a sucker, she pulled her arm back and attempted to slug Tyler in the shoulder. Nothing serious just a little pain to show his attitude was not welcome. "Listen buddy." She aid as she wagged the chicken at him. "I've still yet to get a stupid thing so right now you're still renting that 30 bucks, ya hear." She said with a sly grin.

"And I still don't see Sarah-san anywhere, so you're really pushing it." She then raised a curious eyebrow. "Wait a minute... why do we have to talk in private?" She questioned in a concerned tone.

Tyler winced when he was nailed in the shoulder, rubbing it tenderly. "What I find hilarious is that you're still carrying it," he noted with amusement. "The walls have ear, my dear," Tyler said in reply to her question. "There's much to discuss that can't be done out here. Plus that cop's been staring at me." He pointed at a police officer sitting in his car, and he was indeed giving Tyler the eye.

They soon arrived at an appartment building not to far from where they met with Tyler. "So really don't know where Sarah is?" Rika asked dissapointingly.

"Sorry, kiddo. Wish I knew," Tyler answered as he opened the door with his key. "She does owe me money." He opened the door and gestured them inside.

"I'm going to get my money's worth." She growled in determination. "And you laughing doesn't count!" She then followed them into his apartment and frowned when Tyler said he didn't know where she was and she owed him money. "Well how can you help us find her then?" She said seriously.