ENJOY YOUR YOUTH...
Azuki Ryo

Ribon Magazine August 1999

Summer Special '99 Issue Title: Welcome To Australia. You know that Rika-chan used to live in Australia as a child.

A color illustration is at the bottom of the page.

Page 2

Rika: Cool! There are so many kangaroos!

Kagetora: Hey Leo, want to get a picture with the kangaroos?

Rika thinks: Oh, a Japanese kid?

Author: You know manga's unwritten law. Leo's hair is blond, but he's still Japanese.

Page 3

Rika's mother: Rika! We're going over there!

Rika thinks: It's been so long. I want to talk about Japan.

Kagetora: Your mom is too busy to play with you, so how long are you going to sulk?

Leo throws a rock in irritation and it hits a kangaroo.

He and the kangaroo in question are both angry and have their hands clinched into fists. The bandaids on their heads implies they were punching each other.

Kangaroo: Hey! Hey! Hey!

Kagetora: Boys will be boys.

Someone: WATCH OUT! THE BOSS FEMALE KANGAROO....!

Page 4

Female Kangaroo: What the heck are you guys doing to my kid? (She talks with a kansai ben)

She grabs Leo puts him into her pouch and takes off.

Leo: I'm NOT a kangaroo!

Kagetora: Oh, nice for you, Leo. She's playing with you.

Staff person: Hey, he's been carried off!!!

Page 5

Sign: Rika's dad and mom.

Father: Hey, where'd Rika go?

Mother: Where?

Leo thinks: I'm gonna get eaten by the Kangaroo! Someone help me!

Sign: In his imagination he's been cooked like a deep fried shrimp.

Rika: WAIT!

Rika is in this female's pouch.

Another female kangaroo thinks: Why me?

Sign: For some odd reason, there's a volley ball.

Rika: A DEADLY BLOW! (Rika has clobbered the beast on the back of the head.)

Page 6

Rika: Love and Youth Thunder Attack!

Her bottoms say "bloomers". Her bloomers are something like short shorts with a puffed out look.

Rika: Are you all right?

Leo: Wh-Who are you? Ow.

Rika: I'm Rika. What's your name?

Leo: Leo.

Page 7

Rika: My "Deadly Blow" was neat, wasn't it? I learned it from Japanese anime.

Leo looks tearful and terrified.

Leo: That's not important now. How'll we get back?

Rika: It's okay. Sooner or later someone is bound to find us. Say, it's been a long time since I've had a Japanese friend. Let's play.

Leo thinks: Friends? We just met.

Rika: I've got some snacks. (Rika shares what looks like cookies that she takes from a little satchel.)

Rika and Sahara hold hands and watch koala bears in a tree.

Rika: Cute, isn't he?

Leo: I'm scared (of it).

Sign: Playing Hokuto no ken.

Rika makes the sounds that Kenshiro makes in Hokuto no Ken while she does martial arts kicks.

Rika: GET THIS, LAOH! (the name of Kenshiro's big brother).

The story is WAY TOO old for Leo to know. But Rika is into those older stories.

Leo: Who is THAT supposed to be?!

Page 8

Rika: Okay next... Let's play school. I'll to be the teacher. You'll be the class rep., Leo-kun.

Rika imagines: Hey everyone, let's go towards the sunset. (She's using the antiquated animation character art style in her mind even that this young age.)

Leo: NO WAY!

Rika: Huh? Why not? You want to play a gang leader (instead of a class rep?)

Leo: I HATE SCHOOL!

Rika: Why? Rio-sensei told me school is for adolescence. I don't understand what she meant. By the way, Rio-sensei is a teacher who only taught for a month at my school.

Leo: I...

Page 9

Leo speaks with a sad but honest look on his face.

Leo: I'm not going to go to school anymore. Some guys harrassing me and I hate them all in my class.

Rika: How about your teacher?

Leo: I hate him.

Page 10

Rika gets her determined, idealistic look on her face.

Rika: I 've just decided! I'll become a real teacher! I'll study about the Japanese schools! Then, I'll come to Japan and be a teacher. Then, I can protect you, Leo-kun.

Page 11

She grabs up little Sahara's hands into her, like we've seen her do in the regular part of the story.

Rika: Then, together we'll enjoy our youth.

Leo thinks: I think by then I'll be a grown up adult. But she's so excited about it, I think I'll keep my mouth shut.

Leo: Oh, that's my uncle's car.

Rika: My mom and dad are also in the car.

Kagetora: It's a good thing I put a transmitter on my nephew just in case. It was on his pants button.

Rika: Good, we're saved.

Rika's dad: What do you do for a living?

Rika: Know what, Leo-kun?

Page 12

Little Rika kisses Little Sahara-kun on the cheek.

Rika: This is my wish for you...for you to go back to school soon.

Kagetora grins from ear to ear.

Kagetora: What an foreward daughter you have. (He laughs)

Rika father: Perfectly shameless. (Referring to the kiss)

Kagetora: Leo!

Leo: RIKA-CHAN! KNOW WH...?!

Page 13

Rika: Oh!

Leo: I'll go back to school! I'll do my best! And I 'll get stronger! And someday, I'll be able to beat up anyone who harrasses me, including that kangaroo!

Rika thinks: Leo-kun smiled for the first time.

Rika: We promised that the next time we see....

Mother: Rika, watch out!

Leo thinks: When I grow up and see her again, I'll be the one to protect Rika-chan.

Page 14

Leo: No! That was...! I haven't grown up yet....!

Kangaroo: Oooooh! You naughty boy. You made me worry about you so.

Sign: Nearsighted.

Leo: I'm telling you, I'm NOT a kangaroo!

Staff: The kid's been absconded again!

Narrator: It happened just like that.

Kagetora: Kangaroos do so adore that boy. (Kagetora grins)

Staff person: Aren't you his guardian?! (The guy looks pretty irritated with Kagetora.)

Page 15

Kagetora shows up with a cowboy hat on. And there's a lasso around the kangaroos neck.

Kagetora: How far were you planning to go, Guys.

Narrator: Because of fear, Leo lost his memory for several days. In addition, the childhood memory (about Rika) went into a fog. But she has a good memory.

A TV screen: Shine Youth Institute.

Rika father: Where are that video come from?

Rika's mother: I used to love that story. (Meaning "Shine Youth Institute")

Narrator: The girl, who had no concept of contemporary school life, made her dream come true. The boy grew up strong, but in a different way. Some years down the road, they'll meet again and keep their promise.