OPEN i'll come to know the living

[iida ryosuke]

It was not particularly uncommon to find Ryosuke lingering around the Doctor Caves like a bad smell. For whatever reason, the hybrid had formed some sort of attachment to Xanti, and found itself in the cheetahs company, or at the very least nearby, more often than not. Today, like all days, was much the same.

Tussling with Ichiro was one of Ryosuke's favourite activities. They were the only two children on the island, let alone creatures of similar size that wouldn't be grotesquely squished under-paw; cough, Vale, cough; and that meant they were really each other's only options when it came to playful sparring. Honing their skills, Nikolai had once put it, but now that Ryosuke had a brain that worked a bit better (debatably), he was starting to think that was an excuse to not have to deal with its antics. Peace and quiet time, or something along those lines.

He was about to bop Ichiro on that scaly nose of his when it heard Xanti call for it. And just like that, any ideas of tussling were out the window. He turned, the mention of a gift filling it with newfound excitement, and made a bee-line for the entrance, where Xanti's head was poking out.

"A gift? Presents for Ichiro and Ryosyuke?" He queried, curiosity seeping easily into its tone, trying to duck under Xanti's taller body as if it would be able to get a glimpse of whatever the gift in question was.