| Violence Mission, Phase 11 | |
|---|---|
| ACT.169 | |
| |
| Character/s in the cover | Kyoko Mogami and Ren Tsuruga |
| Volume | 28 |
| Arc | Violence Mission arc |
| Chapter Guide | |
| Previous | Next |
| ACT.168 | ACT.170 |
Violence Mission, Phase 11 is the 169th chapter of the Skip Beat! manga series.
Plot[]
Ren learns a lesson about the strengthening magic of the woman one loves.
Chapter Summary[]
Several years ago in America Rick comes across young Kuon naming a chicken in the yard and isn't impressed. He thinks that Kuon gets taken advantage of because he's so nice it's pitiful. He knows full well that Kuon has the martial arts skills to fight back, but that he holds back out of worry for causing his parents trouble. He'll end up destroying himself if he keeps it up and then will no longer have any place to breathe, any roles to act.
Kuon agrees to eat a chicken. Rick doesn't think that's enough. He can't buy pre-made chicken nuggets and considering it a conquering. He needs to destroy and flame a chicken himself. Kuon goes out and buys a chicken, then makes omelet rice, only he's a terrible cook. It comes out awful. Rick makes him eat it anyway, because it's foul like a monster which makes it an enemy worth conquering.
The metaphor continues, and Rick tells him to eat it all or it will win. Kuon counters that if he eats so much, it will become a part of his flesh and blood, and he'll still have "chicken" inside of him.
"Then transform this 'evil chicken' into a 'powerful chicken' so that when it becomes flesh and blood it gives you strength. It's easy. Have the woman you love put a spell on it, like 'you can do it'. or 'you can win for sure.'"[1]
Kuon informs Rick that Miranda dumped him. Since that was even faster than when Lorraine dumped him, Rick wonders if he isn't "treating them right" or is he a chicken there, too? Kuon says he never gets complaints in that area, but the women always leave him.
Rick decides to put the spell on Kuon's chicken himself, an old family secret he's only ever done for Tina before. While writing in ketchup, Rick intones, "Happiness come again, bring good luck with you and stay by Kuon's side so he can be happy for all time." The fake word RELUCK is written on Kuon's chicken.
Back in the present, Ren has finished his Oahu omelet rice and is face-forward on the coffee table. Kyoko is standing nearby holding a packet of antacids while an imaginary Grim Reaper is staring intently at Ren and counting backwards.
Ren declines the antacid because he'll lose if he doesn't digest it himself. Kyoko sets them nearby just in case and starts to pick up. When Ren says she can leave it, she protests that since he cooked she should clean, otherwise she won't feel there was a purpose to having come over. Ren consents and Kyoko's demons destroy the imaginary Grim Reaper while she does the dishes. She thinks over Ren's good luck ritual, and intuitively factors in the fact that chicken in English can mean wimp or coward. If it were her, she'd be terrified of doing the car chase stunt again. Ren is different from her though, so maybe he is a little scared?
Left alone to his thoughts, Ren reveals a lot of things that he'd left unsaid. He's terrified that when he's with Kyoko he'll forget about Rick. Yet he needs her so that his darkness doesn't take over. He can't choose between her and Rick, which is why he didn't answer her call. But he needs momentum so he doesn't hesitate to charge forward with the path he's chosen. That's why he had Kyoko write the "spell" in ketchup even though he doesn't believe in magic.
Ren wants to play BJ, and to make that happen he has to win against himself.
Ren remembers Kyoko-as-Kuon's words to Kuu when his father left Japan. "I'll fight with all I've got. I'll believe in what I can do!" Ren thinks to himself that his possibilities are infinite.
"I don't think you should limit yourself," Kyoko's words make him open his eyes. [2]
"What?"
Kyoko apologizes for waking him, but she has something important to tell him, Ren dismisses the apology because he wasn't asleep. "What is this very important thing?"[3]
Kyoko wants to give him Princess Rosa for magical assistance. Ren tells her the stone isn't magic, briefly breaking her bubble, but she rallies. "You must experience it in order to believe it." Dangling the necklace and pendant before Ren, she continues. "I feel invincible when Princess Rosa is with me. No matter how weak I feel, even when things seem insurmountable, she makes it possible."
Ren hears Rick's old words in his head, and sees the woman he loves putting a spell on him as Kyoko speaks.
"So, you should be able to do it." You can do it.
"Even if you encounter trouble again, you'll be able to win this time." You can win for sure.
"Put aside your doubts and be with her." She's the strongest good luck charm available. (This time, it's Lory's words.)
"Alright," Ren says, making Kyoko beam. He holds out his hands to take the dangling necklace from Kyoko, but the image is very close to him reaching for Kyoko's hands. "I'll be with her."[4]
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
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References[]
- ↑ Skip Beat! Manga Series VizMedia (3-in-1 Edition): Volume 28, Chapter 169, Page 147
- ↑ Skip Beat! Manga Series VizMedia (3-in-1 Edition): Volume 28, Chapter 169, Page 162
- ↑ Skip Beat! Manga Series VizMedia (3-in-1 Edition): Volume 28, Chapter 169, Page 163
- ↑ Skip Beat! Manga Series VizMedia (3-in-1 Edition): Volume 28, Chapter 169, Pages 165-168