Starring:
Date: March 7th, 2010
Summary:
Shortly after a show at the Motai Theatre, two Council members argue outside in the intersection as Rika watches after finishing said show.
"Drama After the Show"
Sunagakure
Late afternoon, the sun hasn't gone down yet but it has begun its descent and the hottest part of the day is past. With it comes the elongating shadows that such a thing brings, a great time for ninjary if such was needed. Though it really isn't right now. the Theater district has some of the most eclectic parts of the village. The fancy foreign restaurants and the likes to get the ritzy theater goers… and is Rika one of those? It might seem so since she is just emerging from it!
Itami yawns and sticks her finger into her ear to coax out some water that was stuck in her ear from taking a dip in the baths. A popping sound would be made as she passed by and she would receive a few looks of disgust from the various people of ritzyness. She didn't care, though. It had to come out or she wouldn't be able to hear all that well. She did the same with her other ear also and once she finished, she'd sigh in relief and continue on her way towards one of the places here.
She had to make a delivery, evidenced by the paper wrapped fgure in her hand. It was for a restaurant here as they were looking for something to fit their theme and so Itami's services were requested. She thinks she might have come through on this. She'd be coming by the theatre and amongst the crowd, she sees Rika exiting out from the place. What in the world did she just go see? "Rika-san?" She asks. "Rika-san!" She calls while waving her hand in the air.
"Yes. Of course. I look forward to working with you again, Hihigi-san. Have a good evening" Kuoroke comes out of a bow, and turns around. The potential client walks off, and the polite, even friendly smile oozes off the acid-fisted Jounin's face as it is turned away from him. He begins walking off, and then notices Rika had left a nearby theatre just a bit before he passed it. "Good evening." The greeting is dry. A typical Kuroki Kuoroke greeting. Itami passes by and is noticed. "Hello, Itami." She gets a slight bow together with his greeting.
"Konbanwa senpais." Rika greets along with a bow towards the two as the three's paths cross. Rika on her way to a restaurant! In this case a noodle one from the looks of it, at least that would be a pretty safe bet from the direction she is heading. Of course, she's stopped now. "How are you two this evening?" Comes her inquiry, head tilted to the side.
Itami bows lightly towards Rika and as she says 'sempais', she looks for the other to which she referenced and rose from her bow slowly. "Greetings." She states to them both with a slight air of anger. "I am well enough, thank you. What of yourself?" She inquires while looking around to see if she can spot the restaurant she was to be delivering to.
"I think I got this village a well-payed mission." Kuoroke announces. "So, I'm doing quite well, thank you." He raises his eyebrows at Itami, and offhandedly mentions, "You don't sound well enough." and then immediately continues to say, "And I got a very nice dinner while pulling in the client." he smirks. Clearly just to make conversation, Kuoroke asks Rika, "How was the show?"
"Excellent. A jazz band from the Land of Grass. They did things really well. Though I think I still prefer the shows at the bar." Rika shrugs at that. "Just more fun then, better, well, environment for that sort of music. The theater's better for normal stuff." She covers her mouth and a yawn. "And what genious decided to have shows in the middle of the day is beyond me."
"I'm glad you weren't angry enough to notice. Could you tell me why you did it?" Itami inquires, almost completely ignoring Rika's statements, but tries to divide her focus enough to include them both in conversation. "It is nice to know that we are able to enjoy the presence of bands from other lands. That lets me know that this village is considered more often than I thought." She Shrugs. "Also, I suppose I should be appreciative of your efforts in bettering the village, Kuoroke-san, but there are some things…that leave a lot…to be desired."
"Oh, that. I expected this on the spot, to be honest. Let's see… because he spat at me… and then attempted to kick me." Kuoroke answers. There goes his good mood, being replaced by, predictable, anger. Well, only irritation at this point. Kuoroke's polite smile remains on his face, but becomes a cramped, fake grimace. "I remember you punching someone in the face, too, when they attacked a Jounin. I happened to think that a harder punch was in order." He just nods to Rika. "Yes, it is better for normal stuff. Probably because the heat draws visitors inside." After this comment, he returns to the tension building between him and Itami.
Despite the things that were said to her, here is where Rika needs to slip into silence and watch as things are being said between the two Councilmembers, a free hand reaching up to push back a stray bang and her gaze moving between each of the two.
"Spitting and kicking, from a /genin/ no less, is enough to disfigure his face, Kuoroke-san?" Itami asks with growing anger. No smiles would be coming from her. "I punched someone and even shoved his face into the ground, but that didn't put him in the hospital." She growls. "Your anger nearly killed a genin for spitting and kicking. That was enough to warrant death? To warrant a critical condition? Spitting and kicking?" She repeats.
"You missed the fact that he attacked me." Kuoroke responds. "And that my reaction was quite similar to yours when you found yourself in a similar condition. So you don't get to judge." His breathing becomes heavier, his eyes narrow, and his rage predictably, steadily grows, as does the volume of his voice. "Yeah, I put him in hospital. You know what? Everyone in this village would be better off if there were no people ready to attack a superior. I think we'd be better off without him. But if you disagree, good for you, 'cause I kept him alive!"
"I just hope it doesn't keep happening." Rika muses, her own sardonic little tone as she says it. Though does not go so far as to further elucidate it. And that's all she says in response to the situation at that. Still seems like she feels this is very, very thin ice.
"You're a Jounin! A Council member at that, Kuoroke-san! He wouldn't have been able to harm you in the way that you did him! Even if he defied you, it wasn't enough to place him in a hospital. You solve everything through overwhelming force! A genin, Kuoroke-san!" Itami shouts. "Don't hold your breath, Rika-san. It's bound to happen again. Kuoroke-san couldn't control /his/ anger even if his life depended on it. Let it be known that he was attacked by a /genin/ and even if the odds were in his favor, /he/ decided that this genin was /oh so/ disrespectful that his /life/ was threatened by a /Jounin Council member/."
"Yes, I am! And that's exactly the point! I am a Jounin, and if he chooses to attack a Jounin, that's what happens!" Kuoroke is full-out shouting now. Not quite roaring like he did during the events being discussed here, though. "He could not harm me and if the little brat has no other reason to respect the order of the village, he'll respect that one at least!" the Kuroki gives Rika a glance, but does not comment on her words. He's too busy with Itami's. "Oh, no, let's deal with things peacefully, and let the insubordinate kids kick at us! I decided that we have no use for someone ready to answer orders like that. I decided we could get rid of him. You don't? You're welcome!" Her words actually bring a smirk to his face, which had become quite angry as the argument became more heated, "Yes! Let it be known that I was attacked by a Genin and Genin do not get away with attacking superiors around here. The moment I attack the Kazekage, he's welcome to take out an eyeball or two, too!"
Nope, Rika doesn't look like she's going to say a word, though she still holds her ground for the moment, even if she is subtly trying to wave off the rapidly growing group of onlookers curious about why two members of the leading council of the village are arguing so intently.
"I didn't say everything had to be resolved peacefully! Obviously, I've attacked a genin also, but never to the point that I would risk his life!" Itami shouts. "You went out of line! Admit it, Kuoroke-san! You went beyond a punishment, it was an attack! Do you realize what can happen to you for this?" She inquires. "You're going to be suffering for this, Kuoroke-san." She calms, but it's evident that she's angry still. "I don't allow genin to kick me around, but I don't threaten their life either. You just…went too far. That is what I am concerned about. Your anger nearly killed a genin. I want you to just /think/ about what you did! You're not thinking, you're looking for justification of your actions!" She builds back up into shouting. "This is what I meant when I said that I don't want to be here. The other side I spoke of. Genin are disposable simply for standing up to superiors. Don't want to follow orders? That's fine. Kill them." She states with some lifelessness. "How can you call yourself being concerned for the betterment of the village when you attack its future?" She inquires and shakes her head. "I'm leaving." She states and leaves it at that. She doesn't state where she's going, but it's not away from the village. She'll probably be out in the desert. She walks off to finish her delivery, watching as the crowd begins to clear the way for her to exit the area.
"Of course!" Kuoroke shouts even after Itami has turned her back. "The future is ignoring orders! I know what'll happen! Nothing, I made a decision and I did what I had to do! You're just soft!" With that, Kuoroke also turns, in the other direction, obviously, and begins walking. "Enjoy your evening." He drops dully to Rika, with a voice that's still clearly angry. Walking down the road, he looks at his hands, and shifts his gloves back. Somehow, they had moved a bit off his hands. He doesn't look too happy about the conversation, even after the anger has subsided from his face.
Rika watches the two Jounin Councilmembers walk off, and only when they finally get out of earshot she massages her forehead with the palm of her hand. "The heck…" She stands there for a few more moments. "Lunch time." She says then, to a random passerby who shoots her a look like she's insane, which is probably more right than he knows. And thus she just walks over to the noodle place.
