Open The Lesser Permutation

[Akamine Sota]

Fulfilling a reward is the long-forgotten expression of pain. Looks something like this:

Brows coiled into one another. One eye shot wide; the other too swollen to mirror its twin. Quivering lips, defensive arms, little noises burying... cries — and yet, not quite, for the boys from Sota's neighborhood protected their pride like lions. Even if it meant sacrificing the option of relief.

Sota stares down at it, this forgotten hobby of his. He straddles a boy. One hand fists the boy's collar, the other takes to the sky. Lifts its dead weight in the air then comes back down — WHACK — with wearying strength. They're both out of fuel, huffing and puffing at each other. He doesn't remember when a crowd had formed, but they're surrounded by a meager one. Unrecognizable faces, save for a few; the standing and the downed. Those of which belong to the boy's friends. Sota's old circle. Last he checked, their eyes spat venom at him, their teeth a-snarl for the kid that'd abandoned them. Last he checked, their own blood poked spikes out of their bodies. Like thorns from a rose's stem.

WHACK

"Somebody! S... stop them...!" comes a weak cry from somewhere in the audience. But nobody interrupts a fight between ungovernable kids; street dogs known to bite at any hand that hovered too close. Especially not when one lays on his deathbed, slick lines of blood connecting from his mouth to the other's knuckles.

A guttural sound crawls into one of Sota's ears. Distant. No, right here. Right beside the ringing from sickly veins.

Sota recognizes it for his voice. "I'll kill you," it promises.



—
wc 269
tldr; sota is punching another kid on the ground

 

[Ryuu Goro]

A brisk stroll through the busy narrow streets where little luxuries peek around every corner. Glistening sunlight shimmering against panes of glass with a gentle breeze caressing a young

maiden's face. It was a wonderful day. An almost perfect day. Wrapped so snug in her elegantly embroidered family haori and pink kimono. Miyako continues down, quick glances into passing shop windows until a commotion catches her attention. An uproar of cheering and howling accompanied by the distinct sound of a brawl. An honest to god street brawl, unfamiliar to the prim and proper samurai. Still, her curiosity gets the better of her and she steadily tiptoes forward, ever so slightly until she is upon the cusp of barbaric blood-sport. She was excited. Her meager heart's thumping overwhelming the boisterous crowd. The little rabbit should have listened to its warning. A bunny's thump is always an omen - the imminent threat of a predator.

"Excuse me! Pardon me!" She pushes through, shoved a few times in the mild chaos until she finally breaks free. The thumping had ceased. It had long since escaped. She was all alone now, trapped in a blizzard. The blood beneath her skin freezes over - a rabbit stuck in a snowstorm. Why did it have to be him? No. Of course it was HIM! You should have just walked away Miyako. Minded your own damn business. The one person she would have been happier to never see again. She wasn't ready to, especially not right now. She just can't see the good things that Utsumi has told her about. He's barbaric. Savage. Downright mean. A grating howl snaps against flinched ice. The unrepentant declaration of a beast about to consume its prey with the final gnashing of teeth. Run little rabbit. Nobody would blame you. You're already stained in crimson. Blood in the snow.

"S-STOP!" Miyako steps out from the captive audience, arms outstretched to push Sota off his would-be victim. She blinks. Once. Twice. Is she an idiot? She trembles, stamping her foot down to thump into the stony street in a defiant act of courage. Her arms raise balled up not to fight, but for the slight bit of security they might add as she avoids his gaze, looking towards the ground. Miyako wasn't opposed to fighting if pushed against the wall, but everything in her body screamed at her to retreat. "Th-that's enough! You've already won... Isn't that... enough?"

 

[Akamine Sota]

Adrenaline should rule him stronger, harder. Steeled to his position, unbothered by a rabbit's meek pawing. But he's all out of adrenaline. Ran out half an hour ago, when he'd first thrown his weight over the last of his foes (see: current subject stuck under his person). So, the limb that extends to him — clothed in fine robes; layers of last spring's palette — easily swipes him off his feet. Back on the ground, onto a back that hisses at him a reminder of his own aches.

Snap! goes the gaze of a wild dog, searching for his next meal. And, a dog growls and a dog bites, but... she's no meal. She's an interruption.

"And who the fuck're you to meddle with people's business?" sounds closer to the Sota that Sota knows. Less use of throat, more use of teeth. They bite down & bare for her. Look close enough and you might find red dotting one or two pearls. Common of spray.

And no, he doesn't move. He shifts, yes. He crawls back on his feet, stays hovered to the ground. But he doesn't push her to any walls. He's busy trying to keep his own from collapsing.

"You," he spits in a half-whisper, head cocking, eyes narrowing. "I've seen you somewhere."

((The lesser permutation rings in one ear; begs him to pounce on her, finish an unfinished job))



—
wc 223

 

[Ryuu Goro]

Carnivorous. Gluttonous. A discordant gnarl of fury and scraping fangs. Disgusting dissonance that makes the bunny hold her lops. Ugh! He's so unpleasant! She was trying to do the right thing even for someone she wasn't quite sure deserved it. For someone that genuinely terrifies her.

"I-I'm- B-Beating someone to death... I-It doesn't matter.. You'll get kicked out of school... or worse..." Her voice inflecting the very relationship of predator and prey, softly inflecting whenever her heart quiets long enough to allow it. She lingers on his fangs, bloody and bare. She can almost hear their calling, piercing through the icy wind - beckoning her home.

He rises, slowly, but intimidating all the same. Fight or flight? Her warrior blood tells her that she could defeat him in this state but, it's not the one speaking right now. The rabbit is. He's sizing her up, scowling. He's coming... Get ready, Miyako. She braces herself and he slips his teeth in, venomous barbs that fractures fragile ice. What!? H-He doesn't even remember me?? How? He wasn't doing it out of jealousy? Am I really so bland and forgettable? No! He's just a dumb dog! She would stand there bewildered, eyebrow twitching with her mouth agape, her own razor sharp teeth protruding out. She leans in with an almost annoyed groan. God, It'd be so easy to- A passing thought pushed from her mind. Whatever fear she had before was overwritten in the moment her ego was struck. Tormentor to enemy to dog. "You seriously don't remember...? After terrorizing me? Me? The remarkably adorable girl that you soaked in your disgusting filth during Ayeka-Sensei's class. Wow, I sure did freak myself out over nothing." She extends her arms out in a shrug, almost sneering, almost pouting. "So, whatever~ Is there at least a reason for all this or what?" If he wasn't malicious at least Miyako could attempt to get on his good side. Dogs get docile when handed treats, right? It usually works on Utsumi. She steps towards him, reaching into her bag to grab a piece of hard candy, extending it out to the mangy mutt licking his wounds.

 

[Akamine Sota]

Silk and cotton stitches forth a face of theatrics. Yes, rings bells. Does remind him of the tear-struck baby from some evenings ago.

"Ah." (That day, their teacher had echoed her name far more than any other. What was it again...?)

When Sota lifts himself, he's slow, not deliberately-so — weighed by the last 2 hours' drudge — and unfocused. Sees her and yet doesn't at the same time. Tries to pull his ear away from the devil, tries to pin eyes and mind to what stands before him. What blabbers at him. What extends out to him. Eyes don't snap this time. They fall with ease. See: a candy. Feel: a twitch. Right by lips that'd woven into a line on the promise that his day would end here. 'Course he's wrong.

At least the sight's attractive to the masses. They see a pretty girl handing an ugly dog his reward, and they rule it safe to retreat to their mundane lives. Some don't scatter; boys of equal standing, but for those who do... Sota waits.

Always been a patient boy, hasn't he?

Out goes a hand to swipe at his reward. Retrieves it, doesn't store for later. Just tosses it into his mouth, and starts: "tell you what," forgoing manners he never had. "You do something for me, and I'll forgive you for getting in my — fuckin' way. Yeah?" A step forward heralds him close enough. Out goes the same hand, carrying for her a-something. "You're right. I do shit, I get punished." Sleek, sharp, metallic. A kunai — "but you — " the opposite end, to which she'd be able to grab.

"You're a princess. You do anything 'n they'll gloss right over it like it ain't nothing. Hell, might even pat you on the back for it!"

Sota jerks his chin. Up, at her. Unspoken: so — "here."

"Kill him, Miyako."



—
wc 308

 

[Ryuu Goro]

Ugh. That dissonant snarling spewing vulgarities. He's so mangy. Vile. The icy chill forming glass that dig into her skin. Still, he takes the treat like a good mutt. Maybe there was hope for him, yet? A curious thought that maybe she could tame him if even just a little. She furrows her brow, trying to tune him out by concentrating on the logistics of domesticating this cagey animal. She closes her eyes. Seeing him only makes it worse. If only she could plug her ears and obstruct the bitter poison from reaching a pure, maiden's heart. Her lops wiggle, perking up to rally behind the single utterance of flattery. He was soooo right! Miyako was a princess~

Oh, shiny. Miyako parts pastel waves, the shimmer of the sun caught in the mirror. The dog was holding something out for the princess. A toy to fetch, perhaps? She wipes her eyes to refocus. The mirror cracks and all that remains in a shard. A weapon of war. Kill him? Me? Miyako wasn't squeamish to the thought of killing but, she wasn't particularly... thrilled. She was trained to cut down her enemies without mercy before ever becoming a student. She wasn't completely naive. She understood her path would be strewn with corpses that would put this grisly scene to shame. Snow is transient - Ephemeral from the day it's sprinkled into the world. It'd be tragic to corrupt it so soon. The maiden wanted to bask in the illusory innocence of the world. She had just washed out all the blood.

Still, she takes it from his protracted paw in a daze, eyes widened as she stared at the kunai in disbelief. What the hell is wrong with him? He's insane. She lifts her head to meet his gaze with precariously parted lips unbecoming of a prim and proper girl. "H-Huh!?" She almost looked embarrassed as she scrambled to toss the weapon behind her, trying to put as much distance from the murder weapon as possible. Not that one was committed, yet.

Inu. A Very bad Inu.

Miyako claps the back of her hand, holding it in place to gather chakra. Ugh, he's so difficult to deal with. She points at him with an expression that could only be described as confusion, drawing her thumb back. Ready! Aim! Splash! "Wh-what? Are you out of your mind? Yeah, I'm adored by a lot of the adults, but even my devilish charm has limits, you know? I can't LITERRALLY get away with murder? Or could I? Th-that's not the important part!" She sighs, a much needed breath from the jittery panic. Oh Fu-frick! Miyako realizes she had just spritzed a rabid dog. A little stream of pure blue striking his battle-bruised forehead. Mm. Nice aim, Miyako! She waves her hands out in front of her, backing away ever so slowly - A little whirlpool to impede any doggy-paddling invaders. "Listen! Listen! Not to rain on your parade or anything, but, I don't wanna kill anyone! Can you at least tell me what happened first! Uwaa!"


[OOC: Miyako just splashes Sota with a little water from Rinse Off]

 

[Akamine Sota]

It'd been effort to get back at her. For daring to toy with him, for daring to call him a street-roaming hound. Not only danced the title of dog in her eyes, but she dared to extend him a candy as a follow-up to a question. What, if not the definition of a bribe. As though he looked like the type to take them. If he did, then it would be on Sota's terms. Or, well. Sometimes, just a better deal sufficed. But alas!! Returning to the point:

Sota doesn't expect her to actually wrap & dirty her pretty fingers over the weapon.

What he does expect comes only moments after. And, just when she succumbs to her nerves — just when a smile can re-discover purpose and replace a scowl... "Wh — " he sputters, harsh blinks batting away at the liquid. The hand that rushes to wipe it off rules it a harmless one. In fact, it's just "water.."

...................

"Fuck's your issue? You wanna die or something????"

She steps back, he steps forward. One step, two. Pauses before his third. The mention of death & the earlier clink! of a blade hitting the ground remind him of the unspoken mantra from before. How he'd felt like he was... starving, and how he, now, feels no need to sink his teeth into anything. No longer a yearning. No longer a warning to bite, but... only a promise of a bark. Just as things ought to be. Back to normalcy.

Sota's brows soften. "Huh," mutters the hint of surprise and nothing more. Give it a pause, and see the feeling fully unwind his expression. "Whatever. It's none of your business — like I said. So you can fuck off to whatever temple you came from now."

"Don't think so," whistles a third party. One of the boys that'd been forced to the sidelines. He grips his bleeding arm, and the hand of his bleeding arm grips a kunai. Behind him; the count of three. They're all injured in a variety of shapes. Mainly lacerated in their limbs, and bruised in their jaws. "Nobody ain't leaving just yet." Guess they'd rested well over the last half hour. Before Sota knows it, the dog & princess are surrounded. He keeps his gaze casted over his shoulder, not wanting to force his body to rotate just yet. Not wanting to risk a faltering display. A limp, or worse.



—
wc 400

 

[Ryuu Goro]

A sigh of relief with misty breath. More barking. Miyako was getting accustomed to it. "Fine, fine! I will. Just try not to do anything that would make the people who care about upset. Remember, good boys get treats!" A wink and a grin, with honey-drenched words. She turns around with a wave to return to her everyday routine. Sota was right. She had stuck her nose where it didn't belong. Still, it was worth it. The crippling fear she had within his presence was mostly evaporated. He was more yappy than actual threat. More spontaneously unpleasant than a threat personally targeting the ever illustrious maiden. Though, even that kind of stings. Every heroine needs a malicious ne'er-do-well and he was perfect to play the part. Shrug~ Oh well, he's still the closest thing so it's fine to give him the role~ Maybe it was possible for her to domesticate the scrappy stray and turn him into an dignified, well-mannered boy! Well, probably not, but still! Oh, Miyako~ Does your beauty and grace know no bounds? Heh Heh Heh~

An annoying voice cracks through the fragile sanctuary of her indulgent delusion/ She opens her eyes and see three of the boys, bloody and beaten with the discarded kunai in hand. Are they stupid? They had plenty of time to escape thanks to their savior, Tachibana Miyako, and instead raise a weapon to hold her hostage. Her lip trembles from the absolute gall. The sheer stupidity! Another sigh, tired. So, so tired of stupid boys and their stupid games. She draws her sword and reverses it to the dull end, cracking it into the boys hand wielding the kunai. "Hey... If you have a death wish, I guess I don't have a problem granting it... I'm a benevolent princess~ If you pick up that weapon again... I'll take it as a challenge, okay? And I won't use the blunt side of my blade anymore. You don't want to be my enemy do you~?" She blinks, smiling at them with her sword pointed at them, tracing their outlines. She didn't have a stake in this fight, but she wasn't bluffing. An icy chill flows into her blood as she controls her breathing , twirling into her stance. Her haori obstructs her face like a gale of drifting snow. The rabbit emerges from the snowstorm.

 

[Ōtakemaru]

Groceries… that was really all Take planned to do at the moment. He and Nova took turns filling up the fridge, it was proper roommate manners… he’d be cruel to not uphold that rule. Cruel and a rude roommate, and that thought pained him. Why sink so low? He already knew how it felt to be at his lowest…

The events with Aria still lingered in his head, but the walls were pressed in such tight space, and there was no room for further trouble. It was like a balloon enduring excess air. It was likely that his pains would never disappear… but his friends believed in him. He could endure and move on, as he rightly deserved.

… Somebody was confronting a Nanjirou kunoichi and a redhead brawler who looked like he’d just gotten kicked all over the place. And people were gathered around them at first, but more began to scatter at the sight of a kunai- quickly was it disarmed by the swordswoman, but the two were outnumbered if they planned to fight back. Take hadn’t met them before, had he? He didn’t know what they were capable of… or if he was in the right to intervene. Maybe not, but… he was a Chūnin now. What did Chūnin do, especially Journeymen?

Well, one such duty was to guide the youth – from Keniwa’s explanation, he remembered.

“Did… something happen between you all?”

His voice surprisingly low but clear, he appeared from behind the group of kids facing Miyako and Sota, standing atop a sheathed, floating katana and with a white grocery bag in his left hand. Instead of throwing the hammer down harshly, he instead sought to figure out the root of their scene – maybe they could all be friends again, in the end…

Dude forgot to state his rank, and while the floating katana did give him a few inches, he had rather… deep, feminine features to his face. At least when relaxed.

 

[Akamine Sota]

A dog is offered no respite, so a dog snarls. Bared teeth 'n all. Her honey is too sweet, too artificial for a boy like Sota. But she's nothing more than that: a piece of overstimulating candy. Like the one that he chews on. Might need to chew on her big head next. Alas, he's got bigger fish to fry. (Bigger fish to chew on?)... Eyes flit to the interrupting company, and........

Sota's frown contorts. The tape pauses, suddenly. In the mirror of his gaze, he catches stunned stars & agape jaws. Just slightly, just enough to rule their expressions as legitimate. The kunai is slapped from one of the boys' hands, and instead of growling at the princess, he... blinks. They all stand, stupefied. And, when a voice finally cracks aloud, it's tamed. Too tame for the boys Sota once knew. It all but stumbles:

"N...no, of course not."

"What? Why not?"

"We'd never wanna be your enemy..."

"Hey, hey, what's your name?? We ain't seen you around here before."

"What the fuck?"

Did… — (all the boys jump) — something happen between you all?

Heads are whipped in the direction of their newest interruption. Some flinch a fair distance away, others pull out new weapons. After a moment's worth, they exchange looks. One of them beats Sota to it: "don't you see? This guy's beating up our friend — "

"and now he's trying to hurt the pretty girl, here. We're just trying to help."

"Yeah, yeah! We're trying to help!!"



—
wc 238

 

[Ryuu Goro]

The truth is Miyako was completely lost at this point. The situation was spiraling way past the capabilities of the airheaded bunny. "Huh? What the hell!?" Oh no. She conquered one fear, only for it to be replaced with another far more insidious thought. Maybe Sota was right for pummeling them... Maybe they deserved it. Miyako was dumbfounded. Her body goes limp, katana falling to her side as she just stares, expressionless, as cold as ice. "Hey... You're kidding, right? You must be... That's okay! It's okay! I have no interest in any of you morons, so just beat it, okay?" She looks up, a face painted in what could only be described as disgust and disappointment. Her usual glowing smile replaced with scorn as she stares daggers at the ringleader that held the kunai.

A voice snaps her to attention. The bunny poking her head out of the avalanche as a new actor joins the stage with a simple inquisition. Finally, maybe someone that could defuse this situation! "Oh! Hello! Whoa you're really pretty! Um... To be honest... I don't even know anymore! I broke up a fight and now I really wanna slug these boys!!" Miyako scampers up to hop towards the beautiful figure, shaking off snow from her coat when one of the boys pipe up. Something, something about a pretty girl and trying to help. "Hehe~ one sec!" Maintaining her cheerful smile as she gathers up a pebble from the pavement, despite the blood vessel struggling to burst in her forehead. She gives it a quick toss before winding up to hurl it at the boy's head. "Shut up! Geeeez! I don't need your help! You're so annoying!" She stamps her feet and yells as the piece of hail slams into his forehead.

She bounces back, running toward the samurai atop their katana. A kindred soul to be sure! She dives toward him, tugging on his sleeve. "Sorry about that! Between you and me... I think maybe boys my age aren't the brightest. I really don't know what happened between them. I just didn't want anyone to get hurt and now I'm mad!"

 

[Ōtakemaru]

Help… the redhead didn’t exactly look like the most peaceful kind of guy – not with eyes that could kill. From that first impression, it’d be easy to conclude that Sota here had started shit again, and that Take should just go from there, but… the girl’s input threw him off. Blinking twice, he had next to no clue how to handle being called pretty in any way, shape or form, not exactly the kind of word he’d ever received from anyone else ever before.

But… she broke up a fight, accordingly, and had a bone to pick with all of them. “… If you got into an argument or something, please just apologize and be friends again,” he suggested the very much most obvious solution to their squabble, most likely undermining whatever they’d been through, suffered or committed upon each other for such an idea to ever sound… sound and sane, solid and ingenious. But Take honestly had no other suggestions – like, damn, many of them had blood on their hands, and one of them had even drawn a kun-

Why on earth did she throw that at him?

“That’s… not really helping,” Take pointed out the pebble incident; regardless of how small the piece of hail was, he was astonished by the kunoichi’s action going against her very next words of ‘not wanting anyone to get hurt’. Take wasn’t exactly putting up any strong front, however – though he didn’t want things to escalate, so he had to say something more substantial. “…”

There was a very injured boy still on the ground close to Sota, and Take decided to help him out first. Passing by Miyako and Sota, he paid them little mind as he tried to help the kid up on his feet again, or if he was unconscious, carry him. He ought to bring him by the Byoin, but first, he couldn’t leave these kids to themselves, not one bit.

“I’m taking him to the Byoin. You all should follow me, too – if I leave you to yourselves, you’ll just eat each other. And, uh…” His gaze back at Miyako, “Please, sheathe your sword… looks like mine.”

WC: 364 [MFT]

 

[Ayeka]

It was only for a moment but wisps of green chakra drifted through the air before gravity seemed to exponentially increase on the boys that Sota had been confronting weapons clattering to the ground followed by the kids as they fell to their hands and knees immobilized by the sheer weight of the atmosphere magnified tenfold to hold them still without actually inflicting any injuries with only the injured boy, Sota, Miyako and Take unaffected by the strange turn of events. Take would easily sense the chakra of a large figure sitting on the edge of a roof above the group her trademark hood hiding her features casting an ominous silhouette over the gathering as they were observed. Legs swaying freely in the air Ayeka looked over the group slowly, first at the boys she had trapped carrying weapons with her gravity jutsu, then to Sota who looked just as beat up as the boys he had been fighting before her attention fell on Miya and Take.

Tilting her head to the side as if she was deciding what to do next Ayeka's form flickered as she vanished in a burst of speed before appearing in front of Sota, crouched low so she could look him in the eye and close enough that the boy could see the girls face as she looked at him with a tinge of concern since she was aware how much her brother favoured the boy. "Um Sota-San e..e.explain what's g.g.g.oing on?" Unfortunately Ayeka ruined any cool points she may have earned with her entrance with her own faltering speech as she looked around at the the scattered groups of boys surrounding the group. The one boy laying beaten and bloody on the floor didn't look good for the red head boy but as Ayeka arrived on the scene from above she had seen a group of kids with weapons arguing in the street so the most logical course of action would be to shut the problem down and while Sota was a loud mouth and prone to hitting without thinking he didn't strike Ayeka as evil or malicious just a bit stupid.

As Ayeka waited for an answer her gaze drifted to Take a small involutory blush appearing on her face as Aria stirred within the recesses of her mind causing the share girl to worry that her other half was going to kick up trouble with her old flame but the worry was only for a moment as Aria's presence vanished again almost alarmingly fast as if she was hiding from the pretty boy.

 

[Akamine Sota]

Miyako's lack of interest is no invitation to stop as is her sour reaction; the boys look no less eager to try. To force their wishes on the Leaf's self-proclaimed princess. Some look ready to chime in with more persuasive attempts, but are once more stopped. Comes by the force of a rock. A yelp, and an entourage of surprised noises later, Sota's ready to hurl an opinion of his own:

"apologize???? Give me one good-fuckin'-reason! You can't, 'cause this ain't your business, either." What did he know? Aside from them being past friends? Which, now that he thinks of it: how did he know?

Nobody moves a muscle when the boy steps up to Sota. Like a ghost, he easily floats by, towards and back. Sota doesn't interrupt a hero's act. His own body begs for respite. But respite is for the deserving. Sota and the boys count in a different category —

"GAH," one boy cries out. This time, not due to Miyako's doing. Again, heads are whipped (if gravity allows it) in the direction of their umpteenth interruption.

A familiar lady appears. "Fuck me, man." The teacher that'd echoed Miyako's name enough for Sota to lose interest in it. Whatever flashes in her eyes, Sota doesn't pick up on. Is running on the lowest of batteries, and decides to throw a finger in the air. Towards Miyako. "Her fault. All of it. She instigated, started 'n finished." An old trick in the book that he decides nobody will believe. But he doesn't need for them to. His feet are on the move before he knows it;

makes way past Otakemaru & Ayeka. "I gotta go check on my —... on someone. Y'all deal with the brat on your own." And if someone were to try and stop him, an explosion of clouds would leave nothing but the cold air behind. (And a blood trail towards a nearby alley.)



—
wc 315
[topic exit]

 

[Ryuu Goro]

Miyako sheathes her sword as instructed, not one to push the situation any further under the watchful eyes of adults. She was beginning to calm down, little by little from the tensely chaotic situation. "Ah! I'm sorry! I just wanted to disarm that idiot over there! I'm not looking to really fight! Honest!" She points to the annoying boy, that had picked up the discarded kunai with disdainful eyes, tugging at the pretty samurai's sleeve. "If you don't mind I'd like to-" Her plead for escape was interrupted by the appearance of another actor to the stage. A dynamic entrance complimented by Ayeka's trademark adorably soft stammering. Miyako's eyes light up as she releases to samurai's sleeve, bouncing over to dive at her.

"Ayeka-sensei! That was so cool!" Miyako clings to her side, wiggling in place with doting eyes fixed on her inspiring silhouette while she listens in on the following conversation - A simple inquiry to the boy responsible (assumedly). And the answer he gives leaves her absolutely astonished. The nerve! He was pointing the finger, quite literally, at the pure maiden who put her neck on the line to help. What the hell was his problem!? She just stares at him, mouth agape while he scampers off into an alleyway. Okay, Miyako. We're really in it now. Logically speaking, she was at the scene of the crime with a weapon drawn and she did just assault one of the boys with a rock in front of that pretty boy samurai. Maybe fleeing was the correct choice? No, no, no. That won't do at all. Ayeka would find her in no time. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Miyako sniffles, peeking up at Ayeka with pleading eyes, little tears welling up threatening to burst. Miyako was an expert at this maneuver. Fake tears to enthrall adults, twisting them around your finger for unimaginable evil. Well, in this case... Miyako simply wanted to be over this dreadful situation littered with stupid boys. "Sota and the boys were fighting and, and Sota was screaming that he was going to kill one of the boys and nobody was going to stop it, so I tried to, even though I was so scared... Everything happened so fast and I just wanna go home. Boys suck!" A little lip quiver for good measure before Miyako buries her face into Ayeka's side, fake whimpering as she snuggles in. That should do the trick.

 

[Ōtakemaru]

Most of the boys fell to their knees in a sudden act of… submission? No, there was chakra in play – and Take knew that hoodie. It was Ayeka, and she possessed quite a unique set of Jutsus if she could make a group of troublemakers fall to their knees from a distance like that… was it Kinetic? Take had practiced a few Kinetic Ninjutsu himself, and they could make objects move around from a distance too.

Sota ultimately blamed the situation on Miyako, then took his leave. He didn’t give the swordsman any tidbits to the situation or the circumstances behind the scenery he entered, but nobody wanted to walk across a random street in the Village Hidden In The Leaves and witness one kid getting his teeth punched out by another.

… Ayeka-sensei? She, at least, gave a record of the situation – Sota and the other boys got into a fight, and it must’ve been over some sensitive topic, because according to her, Sota screamed bloody murder at one of the boys – likely the one Take was supporting right now – and the others… couldn’t stop him? With a kunai? Sota was unarmed, no? It was worth a rising eyebrow, but alas-

“… Is… she your student?” he asked Ayeka, visibly astonished at the emotional outburst from Miyako, “I’ll go take this guy to the Byoin, then. Uhm…” He… his heart fluttered for a moment, as if some invisible force tickled it with their presence, but he couldn’t figure out why it did so all of a sudden.

A faint, faint blush was the last he left behind before leaving for the Byoin with the injured brat on his back.

WC: 280 [MFT]

[Topic Left Unless Stopped]