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 Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:05 am
~: biggrin owntown Oshu City::~
[The Syndicate City]
In better times this Downtown District was a natural hub for shopping, entertainment, and a place where people of all ages were apt to congregate in order to enjoy themselves when visiting the land that the One-Eyed Dragon once called his home. With arcades, stores, restaurants, karaoke bars, and all sorts of other attractions available to those who had the money to spend, the often-dreary city's people never came through without having a good time. Alas, with the rise of the Lin Kuei and Amakusu Syndicates, coming to prominence in Oshu, much of the beauty of the modern city has been reduced in some fashion. While many of the Downtown District's shops, theaters, restaurants, etc. are forced to pay the Syndicates for 'protection', many...like the Cool Old Man's Sweet Shop...are willing to cut a much more reasonable deal despite the times.
The streets are not entirely safe for travel, though many still come here in search of something to help them get by. Near the edge of the District there is a modern but discreet apartment building that houses a certain person...many refer to it as the 'Den of the Sakurazukamori'...and steer clear. The Lin Kuei Branch of the Amakusu Syndicate, however, is keen to know the truth about this mysterious urban legend for reasons of their own...and make no bones about picking on the citizens until they know the truth.
Locations in Downtown Oshu City include: Sai's Apartment, Cool Old Man's Sweet Shop, Dokuganryuu Park, the Azure Dragon Karaoke and Azure Dragon Theater, amongst others... Quote: Distance/Time by Train to Inaba: 1 full day.
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:48 pm
 Kimiko of the Lin KueiA splatter hit the wall as one of the girl's knives flashed. The boy who'd been the victim of her attack staggered backwards, clutching his neck as his body healed. The girl's hand flicked out again, sliding through the tangled defenses the boy tried to raise to score precisely where she wanted to hit him, and a strangled gasp came out of the boy's mouth as a lung was punctured. Before he could react again, the girl cut. And cut. And cut. Finally, one hand moved through his defenses, and the girl grabbed the boy's face. I want to eat.The boy let out a strangled scream, but only for a moment; all that he was vanished as Kimiko consumed him. Her job completed, the girl simply turned around and began walking away; the Lin Kuei's cleanup teams would be along in a moment, but none of that was any matter to her. She'd simply performed her job, eliminating a selection of the clan's members that had strayed too far. It had once been mentioned to her that the occasional death of an immortal was an effective tool in keeping the others in line; they were terrified of losing what they had. This meant nothing to Kimiko, other than its mere existence as a bit of information that could be applied in the future if she needed it to. She'd eliminated each target on her list, though, and the executioner of the Lin Kuei vanished into the back alleys of the city...
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Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:04 am
Suzume Kirihara [Location: Oshu High]  It had been a great first day of classes! Meeting with friends one hadn't been able to see during the summer, the excitement of meeting even more new people, and well, going back to school was always fun! Or at least, it was so for Suzume Kirihara. The brunette was as lively as ever, and the day had gone quickly and without accidents (well, leaving aside the several times she tripped with her own legs or some tiny, invisible pebble). She had paid attention to her class the first few minutes, spaced out and looked out the window for the rest of the day thinking about heroes and pudding dreams, and what she was doing to do later that day, about Track practice, about Sai... ... B-but she had reminded and promised herself to ask for the notes the day after, because she didn't want to miss anything important. It was, after all, the first day, and she couldn't do bad in classes if she wanted to graduate. Overall, the day had come and gone peacefully, and the only thing left before she were to leave and roam about the city was track. And to say she was happy would have been an understatement. The girl loved running, and despite her clumpsy nature, she could say she was fairly good at it. She never tripped, or stayed behind...she could even say she was one of the first to get to the finish line!
Arms stretched over her head, before hands lowered to the floor as she continued with the initial warm up. Deep breaths, twistings, balance...everything she did with an everlasting energy, a bright smile plastered on her lips as the coach instructed them on the exercises that day. Short brown locks were clipped back with bobby pins, keeping them away from eager chestnut colored eyes, sport shoes tightly tied to avoid any accidents, and the girl was ready for the laps to come. And surely, when the team had taken their places, and the signal had come, the energetic brunette ran with a speed that wouldn't compare to any of the rest. Many would think, given that it was the first day of training, and just a means to get back in line after the break, that it wasn't necessary to give their all ... not Suzu. She believed in always putting all her energy in anything she did (even if that ended up aggraviating anyone or ruining up something); and well, the fact she just loved what she did was an extra. She loved the air against her face and hair as she dashed forward; the speed that made her believe she could almost fly; the freedom she felt and the feeling that she could let go of anything and everything for those several minutes she kept going; the pounding of her heart and the adrenaline that pumped through her veins; and, why not?, the satisfaction of crossing that finish line and getting a few pats on the back, some 'good job' from her teammates and the occassional, special smile from someone special.
And so she ran, not worrying about the rest as light laughter escaped her... as she pushed towards the finish line. "I did iit!" Words left the girl between gasps, but it was clear she was anything but tired, and that she could keep going for a while longer. A small hand brushed her forehead, before returning to her side, the girl already jumping in her place to keep herself moving, and her body warm. "One more and we are done, right? Alriight! Let's do our best!"
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Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 3:12 pm
Sai Sakurazaka, the Urban Legend of Oshu City
"...You can trip as many times as you want; I will never let you fall..."It wouldn't be accurate to say that there was a time when Sai Sakurazaka ever thought that school was completely irrelevant; even as a youngster on the streets, surviving on his own, he had always sought out the opportunity to learn as a seminal means of staying alive. It would be more accurate, perhaps, to say that school merely wasn't always the place where he believed he could learn the most important lessons available to him...the ones that would keep him from being clipped during unwanted scuffles, that would allow him to earn money before he was of the legal working age, and that would teach him to defend himself from the darkest parts of the town that he had grown up in. School taught you information, but rarely did it afford you the opportunity to learn the practical skills necessary to survive in the lifestyle that he had endured during his childhood and most of his life until now. Sure, he had learned and gone to classes sometimes, and he had always been an ace when it came to exams, impressing his teachers with what he knew,, and so on. He had always been viewed as something of a waste of talent, however...a child who had grown up on the wrong side of the city and whose personal circumstances were of little concern to anyone. Classes were secondary in his life as well, and often he missed them in lieu of odd jobs to earn the money for the next month's worth of food. From a young age, Sai had simply needed to survive...that was his day-to-day concern, and everything that he did was geared towards that end. To obtain clothes, to obtain food, to keep himself from being targeted by dangerous people...to have a place to live, to obtain things of his own...these were the concerns he grew up with in place of worrying about the next exam or the girl in the next classroom that kept winking at him strangely. He had grown up too soon. He had grown up hard. School became merely a place that he went, a part of a routine that could be expendable if something more important came about, and when his solitary life had lead him into other things...like the world that he had left behind after that night not so very long ago...he had nearly been forced to leave school behind entirely, despite his High Scores and boundless potential...
...How he found himself starting another semester at Oshu City High School with no intention of missing a day, with teachers and classmates looking at him with a strange mixture of nervous confusion and begrudging respect, was a mystery that even he wasn't sure he could solve. Or at least, maybe he couldn't explain it all with such complexity...though if he were to search for a single impetus, one motivation that had brought him back here to finish his studies, to dominate the classroom and discover what his potential could do for him...all he had to do was look out onto the track around the school's soccer field at the bouncing girl with the brown, bobbed hair and brilliant smile. And so he did...
It was a remote spot on the campus of the large school that often went unnoticed by the average student and most of the faculty, tucked away on the far end of the visitor's bleachers that rarely saw any use outside of actual competitions. It used to be that it was just too much of a hassle to make the walk across the field and climb the bleachers for anybody to actually spend lunchtime there or watch games there, when the Home bleachers were so much larger and more accommodating at such a prime location. Then later, rumor had spread throughout the school that a certain urban legend appeared there from time-to-time...a student with an eyepatch and a red tie, violet hair and a sour demeanor that could intimidate even the largest of the student's more unruly bunch. His reputation alone was enough to keep the other students from wandering by, and it would have been easy for anybody to miss him sitting there, so far removed from every other person and thing of note in the area...so most people did miss him. But Sai didn't particularly care about most people...or to be more accurate, he couldn't care what they thought of him or what rumors they deigned to spread. People had always seen him, from his childhood, as that kid with the sour face (and eventually, with the nasty scars) that looked like someone who just had to be in one of the Syndicates. Nobody ever looked at his face and considered him to have any future or any promise, to be anything other than a delinquent or a dangerous deviant person. Nobody, that was, except for...well, her. And nobody learned differently until they found themselves in need, in the line of danger from people beyond their ability to suffer, until he appeared before them and helped them...until they looked past what they saw to the person that was there beneath the scars and the clothes and the calm, severe visage they had heard all those unpleasant things about before. But by the time they realized it he would have already moved on. Their opinion of him didn't matter, even if it was nicer to know that people out there didn't think of him with the same dismissive glares that they had before. Who mattered to him was just out there now, getting ready to run her final sprint for the day...the girl whose mere presence made him want to be better, made him want to finish school at the top of his class and do more...the girl that he had taken to Inaba not so very long ago and kissed beneath the fireworks at that golden shrine.
One crimson eye peered out over the city past the fence that hemmed in the sports facilities, and then shifted over towards the track before him, just for an instant, but long enough to find that girl with her brilliant chestnut eyes and boundless energy. Even now he wondered how she managed it, to stay to positive, to stay so full of life and hope, but he knew he could ponder that question for a thousand years and never really know the answer. Just one more rep until she was finished, he noted as she bounced in place in anticipation of the starting signals. His lips curled slightly...the tiniest of hints at a smile, that only she could manage to bring him...
Troublesome as it was, he supposed one more lap wasn't all that long to wait.
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 1:21 am
Suzume Kirihara [Location: Oshu High] One last run, and she’d be able to get home. It almost felt like the final race in an important competition, where she needed to give her best and win the prize! …In this case there wasn’t any real prize, but, hey! At least it made it more interesting, right? The brunette got in her place, preparing herself for the sprint, pressing her leg back against the floor to give herself a push the moment the signal went off, letting out a small breath to calm her pounding heart, and eyes shifting only for a moment to the bleachers. Seeing the place mostly deserted was nothing new, not many caring to watch the Track team practicing…specially on the first day, when there were a thousand more important things to do. The brunette didn’t really mind, and wouldn’t have expected anybody to be there cheering her on. So, it came as a surprise, and a very welcomed one at that, when her gaze landed on a lone figure at the other side of the field only for an instant, the familiar violet hair catching the girl’s attention immediately. Face brightened in recognition, and if she was unable to wave and call out at her otherwise unnoticed friend, it was only because in that instant the coach blew out the whistle of the starting signal, making the girl to snap out of it, startled, and dash forward in a slight clumsy start. It didn’t take long for the girl to regain her pace, pushing extra hard now that she knew that at the end of the lap, he would be there waiting.
She would have thought he had left school a long time ago, to get some job done somewhere; instead he had been waiting for her all this time. It made her smile, and she couldn’t help her stomach doing a flip at the pleasant thought. Spending time with Sai always made her happy and she could admit without any doubt that it was with him that she had the best time. And seeing him there, sitting at the far side of the Visitors bleachers made her all kinds of happy! Her gaze kept on her lane, her legs kept pushing forward, but her mind was already far away, daydreaming about plans that would come after practice. Perhaps they would go somewhere special! Or or perhaps he would just walk her home; or maaaybe they would go and have some pudding after all the hard work! The possibilities were infinite! Well… first she would have to meet with him and ask why he had stayed, but…well, it didn’t matter.
Slowing down to a stop after crossing the finishing line, the brunette leaned on her knees to catch up her breath for an instant, before returning her attention back to the rest of the team, little jumpy steps making it obvious she was eager about leaving right away. And when the coach dismissed them after an encouraging ‘Good job’ and a ‘Stop spacing out Kirihara, you’ll be able to leave soon’, the girl didn’t even waste a second in taking her bag and running off. “Okay! Bye! See you all tomorrow!” Suzu chimed out as she made her way out of the field, waving at them without turning back. She climbed up the bleachers quickly, apparently with energy left after all that running (but well, it wasn’t no surprise with her), reaching the place where the violet haired young guy was waiting. “Saaaaai!” Eyes seemed to sparkle as she caught sight of him, and with a leap, the girl was already tackling him in one of her usual Suzu-hugs. “How was your day?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 10:21 am
Sai Sakurazaka, the Urban Legend of Oshu City
"...You can trip as many times as you want; I will never let you fall..."It was so strange, a girl who could barely manage to walk down the sidewalk without tripping over her own feet being such an exceptional runner when set out onto the track with the rest of her classmates and peers from the club. There was no denying it, though. With her boundless energy and the freedom to run as far and as fast as she liked, there was nothing that could stop Suzume Kirihara from speeding like a bullet through her paces and continually proving again and again that she was one of, if not the best girl on her team at her chosen races. It wasn't a designation that Sai had ever missed in the few opportunities he had to watch her run, and every time he wondered what sort of focus it would take for her to take her coordination on the track and apply that to her everyday life. No more tripping over imaginary rocks, no more stray boards nearly toppling her over the railing down at the Inaba Boardwalk, and no more evil...well, he could go on and on with all of the silly excuses that she offered when she managed to fall...but somehow, he had the feeling that no matter how hard she concentrated outside of the track she would always be the same, clumsy girl that she had always been. It wasn't so much any sort of focus that he imagined she had on the track, anyway, but rather...if he had to guess, it was the freedom that made her so smooth out there. A singular focus, the restraints on her ability to run, to smile, to be free and just let go of everything for a single, high-speed sprint...more than the boundaries of focus and the handcuffing rules that made her walk when she wanted to run, temper herself when she wanted to shine, just letting her be who she really was out on the track was all it took for her to become someone even more brilliant than she already was to him. ...But running or walking, standing or falling, none of those really mattered to him, and watching her clumsy start recover into another well-run lap, he knew that the truth was something he could neither hide nor would he wish to hide away from. He liked her just the way she was. Always.
"Suzume, you..." the violet-haired young man stood smoothly from his seat, crimson eye peering back at her just as the sound of footsteps climbing the bleachers caught his attention...only to find himself impacted by her smaller frame, arms wrapping around him for a hug he could have identified separate from any other. Instinctively one of his hands wound towards her back, as much to keep her from tripping over the bleacher behind her and toppling down it as much as anything (or so he told himself), keeping her safe there against him for just a few moments longer before his strong hand gently found her shoulder and separated the two of them so that he could look down at her with that calm, appraising sort of look that so defined him. His face always seemed to be set in some sort of stone, never overly expressive, but with just a little hint here or there (a tip of the eyebrow, a softness in the eye, a quirk at the corner of the lips) to let her know just how he was feeling at any given time. To let her know if she was welcome, that she was wanted around, that she was cared for...he never failed to make some sign, known or not, and somehow this girl had figured out how to read him perfectly from those tiny cues. His face was not devoid of those now, either, but he wasn't exactly trying to hide from it. There was nothing quite so severe about him today, even if the school day itself had been mildly annoying. Seeing her now beside him, feeling her slight form and the warm hug she had offered, he felt suddenly...different than he had all day until just now, more full, as though the clouds were parting ever-slightly in the gray sky above them.
"There was...nothing of import," he answered her question calmly, seeing no need to go into details on the several different rumors, odd looks, and concerned whispers he had heard about him as he walked the halls...nor the need to mention the wary glances a few of her teammates tosses his way as they passed by on their way out of the school on the sidewalk below them. Such things were an everyday for him, and he knew better than anyone exactly what he looked like to them. They didn't matter, nor did appearances for that matter. Neither their prejudices or their suspicions were enough to cause him any personal concern, and as for Suzume, well...it didn't seem to matter what people said or how they looked at her, she just wouldn't stop believing in him. And for that, he would always be grateful. "Come, Suzume," if it sounded as a command, she would know that it was an invitation...and one she would likely accept...his feet already carrying him down the stairs, hand trailing just behind him to guide her down the stairs and, perhaps, just to allow her to take it if she liked, "You can tell me about your day on the way home..." He had a feeling that would be enough to snag her, to draw her alongside him with that same chatterbox tone and hopefully, one of her big, signature Suzume smiles. And if you asked him why that mattered, he probably wouldn't tell you. Maybe he could...but he wouldn't. Because to him, only one person really needed to know just why and how much he cared for this strangely innocent, boundlessly energetic girl the way that he did.
Besides, he had no doubt the teacher had told her something absolutely fascinating (to her, at least) this morning...
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 11:56 pm
Suzume Kirihara [Location: Oshu High] It was funny, how different they could look to all others, but how similar and connected their feelings were, really unknown to whoever stared and whispered about them. She would look up and everything in her expression would show the happiness she felt at the surprise meeting: eyes would bright up, softening when meeting with his, smile would widen, a small, chiming laugh could slip through her lips with a small comment at times...sometimes cheeks could color a soft pink, others her whole face could lighten up with a touch or the returning of a hug. She was like a mood ring, her colors completely visible for anybody to see at any time. It was with him though, that there was just a 'something' more, a tint of thrill on her self, something that made her whole. And then there was him, who always seemed so calm, his thoughts mostly hidden to the world, only letting small hints slip just for her. The warm hand on her back, accepting the hug, pulling her closer just for a moment; the his gaze locking with hers, softer, caring; the tiniest smile that could tell her how much he wanted to be with her, just like she wanted to stay close to him; the gentle movements, the hand waiting for her own to hold... They were always there, all these signs, and to her, it was even more special.
The girl hummed lightly, not inclined to move away just yet as he answered the question simply, chestnut eyes turning to his crimson one, a bit questioningly, almost as if she found it hard to believe that nothing interesting could have happened in the first day of classes. “Really? Mine was quite fuuun,” Suzu uttered with a grin, only stepping back when he started walking down the stairs, nodding and following close behind as her hand found his the moment he extended it, fingers tangling with his own. His invitation for her to talk freely about her day was taken just as fast, the bubbly girl giving up a skip to catch up with him before starting her tale. There was soooo much that had happened after all! “Well! Meeting up with friends is always fun! Mari chan and Kana chan are in my same classroom, so it should be a great year! And our homeroom teacher looks pretty cool. A bit weird, but, cool nonetheless! He talked about all kinds of interesting random facts…He never really got into the class’s topic, but… it was pretty fun!” the brunette chattered, her voice bright and carefree. “Like! He said that cherry blossoms used to be white a long long looong time ago…until a lady was killed under a cherry tree…so, her blood was absorbed into the dirt, and that is why the blossoms are pink now. I didn’t know that legend…” A pause was made, her gaze lowering only for a moment, almost as in thought, before returning her gaze to her companion. “But… it sounds like a sad story… I wouldn’t like to believe that is the reason for the pink color of the cherry blossoms… Hehe…well, it’s just a legend right? Doesn’t mean it’s true.” And just like that, she was smiling again, her train of thought already moving to something completely different: her lunch, a talk with a friend, her thoughts on clubs and her willingness to join one… "Oh! Will you join any club this year? I saw several posters at the entrance's bulletin board...Some look pretty interesting."
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Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:09 am
Sai Sakurazaka, the Urban Legend of Oshu City
"...You can trip as many times as you want; I will never let you fall..."How greatly perceptions could change over time; Sai could remember a time when he wondered just why it was that he listened to the long, rambling, happy stories of his current companion despite his lack of any inclination to listen to anybody talk about anything for such a long time, without rest, without pause, without losing any of the excitement that she had for her subject of choice. Not that he had actually minded listening to her even then, but if you had asked him why he dealt with it, whether he did so of any personal volition, he couldn't tell you with certainty one way or another. Now, listening to Suzume's stories as they walked through the town and hearing her excitement over this and that was just another natural part of his life...in his own way, listening was cathartic for him, a chance to hear about the world and see the world from a different point of view...from the point of view that someone who wasn't as jaded and scarred as he was. And listening to her happy tales, he could feel the weight that ever-lingered on his chest lightning with each passing moment, relief filling him just that she had spent another full day in this world without every changing, that smile on her lips never fading, and that look in her eyes when she saw him always, always so bright. His fingers in hers seemed to clench gently as she spoke, bouncing along beside him as they excited the school grounds and made their way out onto the gray streets of Oshu City, the path leading through Downtown the one they would walk to get to wherever they might wish to go. The old man's sweet shop wasn't far into the district, and the karaoke den was closer to the park, but for today, the violet-haired young man had no interest in taking up either of those pastimes. There was a reason that he had waited after school to see this girl he seemed to care for, this girl he would protect with everything that he had. Not that he needed a reason to stay behind for her (and usually he stayed either way), but today there was something...special. Or at least, something that he wanted to show her.
That thought wasn't far from his mind as she finally turned her attention back to his day, and the clubs that she wondered about him joining back at the school. ...No matter how he looked at it, he didn't really see himself as the club type. Too many people, responsibilities he didn't wish to undertake, and not enough time to spend with the one person he did wish to be near. No, clubs weren't of all that much interest to him at all.
"Clubs don't interest me very much, Suzume," he admitted calmly, much of the edge that usually accompanied his voice missing when it was just the two of them. He could relax with her in a way that nobody else could begin to make him feel, and while he was never truly off his guard entirely, there was something about her that made him feel...easier. In her, he had found the first person he knew he could always trust implicitly. Her hands were for him to hold...soft and warm, he kept them within his and her near to him as they moved through the streets...these were not the hands of a person who could stab someone in the back. Not ever. But what he could never quite wrap his mind around was the look in those chestnut eyes of hers that seemed to nod and smile back at him, saying that she believed in him, that he could never do the same, either. It was an innocent little thought and feeling...and he resolved all the more strongly to protect that feeling, too. "Were there any new clubs that interested you?" he let the question pass his lips calmly, knowing that his own lack of interest didn't mean she wasn't excited about new clubs...and perhaps thinking about them and talking would help to keep her from being disappointed that he wasn't. As he asked the question and analyzed her expression, the sweet shop passed them by on the far side of the road...the man behind the counter peering out the window and seeing the two of them for but a moment, tipping his confectioner's cap ever-so-slightly as they moved on. Most days, he would be forced to stop there and allow his companion to indulge her little (HUGE!) sweet tooth, but today...as he had already thought...was different. They only needed to reach their destination, and all of her possibly-growing curiosities would soon be satisfied.
...And maybe that sweet tooth as well.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:13 pm
[9/13 - Early Morning]  Titus and KimikoTitus quietly moved through the town, checking a message that had been sent to his phone - a quick call was all it had taken to get the details that the rest of the organization knew. Well, something like this couldn't be done without a bit of legwork, and if somebody of Sakurazaka's age was likely to be anywhere... it would be the school, right? Monitoring that for awhile and following up on any leads that presented themselves might be a good way to start, though getting into the attendance records might be a bit difficult. Still, he'd find a way. "You sure you don't mind helping me with this? I might have to ask a lot of things of you.""It's to help fulfill a request by our leader. I don't mind." said Kimiko. She'd even put on pants for this - and that was by far the weirdest thing Titus had seen today.
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 8:21 pm
[9/13 - Lunchtime] Titus and Kimiko"Right, let's compare notes." Titus said as he sat down with the reasonably-dressed Kimiko outside of a small little cafe. The two of them quietly discussed the things they'd seen that morning in observing the school. When you'd been alive as long as these two had, you learned to detect the little parts of people's attitudes, and what they'd seen had been very interesting indeed... which was why he'd ultimately abandoned going through the school and focused his attentions on the people in town instead. You had to ask the right questions to find answers, and the picture those answers had painted was very interesting indeed. They'd had to be discreet, of course, but it was an undeniable truth that one girl in particular was often seen in the company of the Cherry Blossom Killer. And that, as it turned out, would be their lead. "All right, here's what we're going to do..."
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:06 pm
Suzume Kirihara [Location: Oshu Streets] "Pudding! Pudding! P-u-d-i ... wait...are they two 'd's or just one? Ah! No matter~" The girl hummed cheerily as she skipped along the streets of Oshu on her way to get lunch, her completely made up and ridiculous tune making people turn their heads questioningly as she passed. Did Suzu care? Not at all! After all, she was in search of pudding, and that was the most important task right now! Oshu High's cafeteria was sadly lacking the delicious sweet and what else was she supposed to do but to go get some of her favorite food in the whole wide world? Besides, she promised she wouldn't take too long...and even with her distracted nature, and her proneness to getting lost, the brunette knew exactly where she was going. She could even get there with her eyes closed! W-well...perhaps that would have been stretching it a bit, but! She really did know the place like the back of her hand! Wait...that too was wrong. She didn't really know the back of her hand...there were so many little lines and wrinkles there and she didn't really take the time to examine it completely... In fact, who knew the back of their hand entirely!? What kind of saying was that? The point was that the Sweet Shop was a place she visited every single day, so it was almost impossible to get lost! She had visited it for yeaaars now, and recently, she had gone there with Sai thousands of times!
Her feet knew the way, and instinctively she arrived at the small shop, the smell of sweets and cakes making her mouth to water and her body to skip giddily. She was excited, she was happy, and she couldn't wait to see Kiri ojii-chan! He was so cooooool, looking all tough and serious, even if she knew he was the sweetest old guy out there! And without thinking more about it, the girl walked inside the store with a loud and cheerful "Gooooooood morning, Kiri ojii-chaaaaaan!" Little energetic steps took her to the counter, her goofy smile on her lips as she looked at the shop owner. "How are you today?" Big brown eyes wandered to the little cupcakes and sweets, her smile brightening even more. Perhaps she should get something for Sai... Though, he didn't like sweets all that much... Hm... Perhaps some dark chocolate then? It wasn't as sweet...
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:38 pm
Juugo Kirikaze, the Cool Old Guy at the Sweet Shop
"Cake or pie? Pudding, cupcakes, or parfait?"There were a lot of perceptions about the man behind the counter at a bakery, a confection shop, or any given sweet shop in the country of Japan. Seeing lots of young people every day, making all sorts of different delicious foods, and responding to all the interesting sorts who came in and out of the shop might have seemed relatively interesting to someone who didn't know the joint. Juugo Kirikaze knew the truth, though...running a shop was generally pretty boring. Except for the constant hassle of cleaning, baking, socializing with customers and such that kept him on his toes, it was generally a pretty quiet business. And that was just fine with him, really. He didn't miss what he had been doing before the day that he had opened this shop, and he didn't tend to care all that much when the people who came in and out of his shop treated him mostly as someone they merely needed to deal with until they could get their sweets. In his own way, his anonymity was his way of giving back to a city that had given him more than his share over the years. Nobody tended to ask much of him, and it was really better that way. There were only a few who even knew who he had been before the days when this shop became his home, and of the few who did, there were even fewer who cared about him these days. A couple of loyal patrons, one or two old acquaintances, but that was the extent of it. Except for them, anyway...the closest thing he had in this sorry life to a family right now. But as he milled about in the back of the shop, he knew that it wasn't likely for the two of them to come in at this time of day. School was in session, and even if that girl could get lost in a twelve-inch square, it wasn't likely that she'd wander into his place at a time like thi-
"Kiri ojii-chaaaaan!"
...
That girl...
...
"Is that my favorite customer?" he called out from the back room, already knowing the answer clearly enough. She had been into his shop more times than he could count, calling out to him in that same voice full of energy with that same half-cocked nickname that she had always given him despite his countless protests. He barely even tried to talk her out of it these days...there was just no getting through to her when her mind was made up, and in some ways, she was even more stubborn than that red-eyed boyfriend of hers. No point arguing it, really. And besides, today had been a particularly...eye-opening day of rumors and conversation in the Sweet Shop of Oshu City. He didn't have it in him to argue with her too much. However... "Don't tell me you're skipping school just to check on an old man, now," the shopkeeper groaned in a tired sort of way, teasing the girl with his smirk as he fastened the apron around his back once more, settling up behind the counter to dip into the pudding reserves he kept chilled at just the right temperature...his own secret recipe, no less, "I'm fine as always, Miss Kirihara...better if you'd stop calling me ojii-chan and making me feel like an even older man than I am." He protested after all, but it was half-hearted in the end. In a strange way it almost seemed as if the gruff shopkeeper was having...fun?
His hands drew up the scoop and dipped it deep into the delicious batch of chocolate pudding, gathering a more-than-generous portion in preparation for the order he anticipated was coming. Often as she came, this girl's bottomless stomach seemed to crave only one thing...she was by far his most loyal customer, and one of his two favorites, despite himself. She was innocent and sweet...really, she had no business living in a city like this one. And yet she did, and she was here...connected to that boy with all his own troubles, making something of a decent person out of him, too...giving him life, a smile, even...it was this infectious personality of hers that made him that way. Hell, it was even making him smile...wait, why was he smiling?! Wasn't she just calling him an old man and skipping school again? Wasn't it his duty as an adult to scold her or keep her in line, or...something?
"Nah...whatever. It's going to be the usual, right Suzu?" he asked, already guessing at the answer. He scooped out the pudding into a generous bowl, and set it out on the counter to let her know that he was already ready for her. And on the side, he made sure to pack a bit more...a little extra to take with her for later, a bonus for his most loyal patron. "Of course it is," he rolled his eyes teasingly, turning his attention purposefully to the mop and the floor behind the counter, debating whether to start cleaning or relax until the girl had come and gone...ultimately deciding on the latter and resting his elbow casually on the counter, "The day you go without pudding is the day that Sai of yours wears a pink, polka-dotted sweater."
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:16 pm
Suzume Kirihara [Location: Sweet Shop] "Ah? Skipping school?" The girl grinned sheepishly, almost as if she had been caught taking the cookie from the cookie jar, before shaking her head vigorously. "No, no! It is lunch time, you seeee! And well... the cafeteria doesn't have puuuudding...and I thought it wouldn't be a problem to get just a little bit before classes start! It gives me strength to study!" A fist flew up to the air, another giggle escaping the girl as she returned her gaze to the older man. "Besiiiiides, I have the time calculated! There's enough time to get back to school!" That was...if she didn't get too distracted chatting with the cool old guy. "So, don't worry, ojii-chan!" It was as if his protests went unheard once again, the nickname there to stay.
"Oh!" Before she could even mention what her order would be, a bowl of chocolate pudding was set in front of her. Her eyes sparkled at the sight, before turning back to the owner of the shop, the surprise visible in her gaze. Even if she ordered the same thing every single time, and even if Mr. Kirikaze knew the order by heart, it still, somehow, managed to come as a surprise to the girl that he could guess what she was going to ask for. "Thaanks! You are an awesome mind reader!" More like...she was easily read, but...yeah! "Itadakimasuuuu!" Wasting no time, Suzu took a big spoonful of the deliciousness that was the chocolate pudding. And despite her focus on her treat, it was hard not to catch what he had said last, making the girl to wrinkled her nose, a funny smirk on her lips as she imagined said picture. "Weeeeell, pink doesn't suit Sai..." she giggled. "Oh! Oh! Could I get some chocolate for him? Or...do you think he'd like something else instead? Theeeere must be something for him, right?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:30 pm
 Denmark
"Pffffffft..." Denmark raised a hand and covered his mouth when he heard the Old Man envision the stoic Sai in pink. He glanced in the shop's window briefly to see if they'd noticed, but with the bustling daytime traffic and a big bowl of pudding for distractions, it was unlikely that Suzu or the geezer were in any way aware of what was going on out in the streets. And what was going on was hardly noticeable indeed, as Denmark leaned against the wall of the sweets shop outside and kept a keen eye on Suzu without barging in and making himself known. He'd received word of a pair asking around about them, which seemed nigh impossible, but the descriptions of the terrible assassins had matched up with a pair from the old syndicate. You know, the one he'd been a part of? And it hadn't taken Denmark long to decide that taking a break from work to look out for Sai and Suzu's best interests might be for the better. Besides, it was hard to watch a kid-at-heart like Suzu's eyes turn to stars when she was given pudding, and not feel a smile pricking at the corners of your normally stoic face. This was more like a vacation than a stakeout. And true to form, now he was holding a hand over his mouth as he tried to hold back another laugh as Suzu accused the old man of mind reading. Because he guessed she wanted pudding. "Pfff...ha...g-get it together..." Somehow, it was like watching a baby duckling get drug to water, only to hear it ask 'Wow! How did you know I want to swim?'. I mean, you're a duck, it's just... "C-come on...keep it together..." Denmark paced back and forth at the corner of the building, away from the front of the shop, all the while waiting for the energetic girl to re-emerge once again.
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Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 4:50 pm
Suzume Kirihara It had been a good day! Classes had gone well, she had eaten pudding during lunch, she had been able to chat a little with Kiri-ojii and she had done sorta well on that English pop quiz! The one thing she regretted was not having seen Sai all morning. She wondered where could he be... Maybe he was busy? Certainly he wasn't sick, right?! A small worried pout managed to appear on the petite brunette's lips as she made her way out of Oshu High. No Track practice today, so... she was free for the evening. Oh! Oh! Perhaps she could give Sai a surprise visit! And perhaps they could go out somewheeere! They could go out on a date! The thought made the girl smile, her cheeks painted the faintest red, and made her practically hop in anticipation. Her walk turned more of a giddy jump, bouncing with each step.
But wait! If he really waaaas sick...then perhaps she could cook for him! Make him some chicken broth and cookies to make him feel better! And for Suzu that was a great idea. It...would have been even better if the girl could actually cook without burning the whole kitchen down. Or without cutting her fingers. Or without tripping and breaking the dishes. Still! That wouldn't stop Suzume Kirihara from trying! After all, Sai was someone very special to her, and she wanted to make him happy! And if he was feeling sick, the least she could do was to make him feel better, right? Right!
"Phone...phone...Where is it...?" Hands moved around the mess of cute notebooks, old papers and notes, candy wraps and some other unidentified things inside of her bag, in search of the little device. If she wanted to meet with Sai...she should call him first, right? Though...that wouldn't be a surprise after all... "Hm..." But...how could she cook if she didn't exactly know what he wanted? And of course...what if he wasn't really sick? Or wasn't home? Yeah...she needed to call him, Suzu decided. If only she could find her phone.
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