Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Red Tide Week ❯ Red Tide ( Chapter 1 )

Red Tide Week


It was bound to happen sooner or later.

It was unavoidable, unpredictable, and could be as scary Hell when it happened.

Well, for men anyway.

It was something all had to deal with at one point or another. The effort to wait out this tide of emotions until the peak has passed. This unprovoked terror, normally lasted for a week's time, but that may be all it takes for something bad to happen.

The name for this cycle of dread is most commonly known as PMS.

Premenstrual syndrome.


~*~*~

"Hey guys?" Ryo Sanada asked quietly, as if keeping a secret.

"Yeah, Ryo?"

"What's up with Naste?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's been acting all cranky lately."

"Probably her period."

"Her per-what?"

"Yeah, you know, PMS."

"What's PMS?"

Four pair of eyes glued themselves to Ryo, who was standing at the foot of the stair case. Seiji had put the paper down, Touma had looked up from his book, Shuu gawked at him from the couch, and Shin, sitting across from Shuu, was giving him the "What the Heck!" look.

"What?" poor Ryo asked, confused at his friends' reaction to his question.

"You don't know what PMS is?" Shuu asked, still in shocked that Ryo no clue about the 'that' time of the month.

"No, what is it?"

The others gave each other a look of bewilderment, and tried to think of a reasonable way of explaining this.

"Well, Ryo," started Shuu, "do you remember when there was a time you avoided your Mom, just because she was acting weird?"

"No, not really. Don't forget, my Mom died when I was still pretty young."

"Oh, right, sorry man."

Ryo just shrugged. The topic of Ryo's mother was a touchy subject, so it was best to just to drop it before any sparks start to fly, literally.

"Okay then, Ryo, remember during Health when we learned about puberty, and how the body changes as we grow older?" asked Shin.

"Briefly, what does that have to do with it?"

"Do you recall what they said about when girls get older what happens?"

"Uh, I think I slept through that part," he gave a small "heh" then scratched the back of his head.

Touma sighed, "Figures."

"What?"

"Nothing,"

"Come on guys, what does a period have to do with Naste being cranky and all," each boy sat quietly and thought about this. In truth, they knew very little about the subject, except when it happened to one of their female associates, they avoid the women at all costs. Fortunately, there was one brain in the group who could help.

"All right Ryo, you really want to know?" Touma's face was lit up with the fact that he was allowed to ramble on unchecked.

"Yeah, what's the big deal Touma?"

"Okay, you might want to sit down for this."

"I'm fine."

"As you wish," sighing, Touma stood up and faced Ryo. "You see, normally once a month; all women who have reached the age of puberty go though a cycle where the lining of the uterus replace itself."

"Okay, what does this have to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to it. When this process occurs, their hormones become unbalanced." He paused. "Out of whack, thus they get moody, have these cramps that make them totally useless, and they begin to bleed."

"Bleed?"

"Yes, you see. . ."

Several minuets later.

"Ew!"

"Yep."

"That's just-ew!" Ryo cringed as while just Touma nodded. "They bleed though their-"

"Uh huh,"

"Ah man, no wonder she's in a bad mood. I can't even imagine bleeding . . . there!"

"And she has to go though that once a month."

"Geez," with no warning, Ryo flopped down the couch, next to Shuu.

"Sorry you had to hear it like that man," Shuu patted him on the shoulder.

"Thanks," taking a deep breath, he contemplated the information that he just heard. What an earful! "So, how long does this normally last?"

"About a week. It really depends of the person, it varies for women."

"What do we do? I mean, is there anything that we could do to . . . help?"

"Nothing really. Just stay out of her way, don't piss her off, and keep plenty of chocolate in stock."

"Why chocolate?"

"Don't know. Women just seemed to have a craving for it during their period."

"Ah crap!"

"What Shuu?"

"I just remembered something!"

"What?" asked Shin.

Before Shuu could reply, footsteps were heard coming down the steps. All heads turn to see Nasuti wearing a pair of sweat pants, and a baggy sweat shirt. Everyone was silent, as they watched her make her way to the door, and slipped her shoes on.

"Nasuti, where are you going," asked Seiji.

"To the store to pick up some stuff. We seemed to run out of a few things. Right Shuu?" she glared at the boy on the couch.

"Um, yeah. . ." Shuu sunk down into the couch, as though he was trying to hide.

"May I please accompany you? I need to pick up some things as well." He asked politely.

The others were shocked to hear Seiji ask such a thing, at such a time.

"All right, but be quick. I'll be waiting in the car," and with that, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

"Seiji are you sure you want to do this, I mean . . . you know," Ryo asked watching the bearer of Korin head for the door go to put his shoes on.

"Why not? It's just that time of the month and there are things I need to get. Since she's heading out already, why not go along?"

"But she's-"

"Ryo, I have two sisters and a mother who go though the same thing about the same time. I can handle this,"

In all respects, Seiji probably had it worst then the rest of them.

Touma lived with his father, and so probably missed most of the visits of his mother's "monthly visitor."

Shuu just had his Mom, and since he was the oldest of five, he had other things to worry about.

Shin nearly had it as bad with his mother and sister, but at least they didn't run the household like his mother did, (second to his Grandfather of course) and Ryo didn't have to go though all the mood swings and cravings till now. It was a sad thing to say, that he was easily an expert of dealing with women at this point of the month.

"Okay, good luck."

"Thank you. Shuu?"

"Yeah?"

"If you want to live though this week, I suggest you don't eat all the chocolate again."

"Gotcha'."

Then he left, leaving the others in silence.

"That wasn't so bad," Ryo said.

"You just wait, it's only the beginning!"


So as a warning to all men, stay away during Red tide week.

Or it might just be your last!

The end?