Description: Objective: Typical scamming. Obstacle: Curious kid. Alias: Reiko. Summary: Up to no good as usual, Ayame finds her pious miko act threatened briefly by a prior 'aquaintence'. However, quick talking and a convenient distraction has her making a clean break. This time.
It's any wonder that she has the gall to come back to the mall at all after her last two incidents within the shopping center. Half a year ago she created quite the scene for one poor student of Kim Kaphwan, Chae Lim, trying to make her out to be an accomplice to a crime of petty theft just to besmirch her name. It didn't end well, with the street rogue caught and dragged off to the guard station only to have to break herself out before the real cops could show up... And a second time when she and Elle ambushed Yurika when the poor Seijyun girl was just trying to buy a certain boy a certain pair of soft shoes...
But Ayame is never shy on tricks, and never one to give up on a rich source of suckers such as a shopping mall tends to attract. Which is why she's back at it in spite the risks. Of course security might not recognize her this time. Gone is the punkish mixture of chains, flirty skirt, pouches, and Doc Martins. In their place is the garb of one that no one would suspect of any wrong-doing. A miko. In the traditional garb - a white, flowing, oversized sleeves top and accompanying red, billowing hakama, the girl is the fitting image of feigned innocence. Soft, blameless brown eyes glance out at the shoppers, set in a pretty face framed by well maintained, long, beautiful strawberry-blonde hair. Sandle-clad feet stick out from beneath her hakama and the normally black hair ribbon has been replaced with one as white as the driven snow.
No way anyone would suspect her of being up to no good, right? No need to scrutinze a poor, humble miko just trying to raise funds for a shrine restoration project.... Or so the signs at her stand claim, showing photographs of a familiar run down structure many may be familiar on the outskirts of Southtown. Run down, weathered, the old shrine looks like it could benefit from some tender loving care, and who better to fund such an endeavor than faithful citizens of Southtown proper? What honest go goodness Japanese individual wouldn't want to chip in a little money toward restoring such a sacred location?
Shuffling from mall patron to patron, Ayame encourages them convincingly well to make a donation, drawing them over to her stand, waving her hand over the displays, signs, and other notifications that cover what she's all about. Of course while their attentions are on the displays she might help herself to anything that looks easily swiped. A ring here, a bracelet there, a coinpurse out of an open shoulder bag there... Quick, deft fingers have their way with anything of value her soul sets eyes on.
For a sprawling burg like Southtown, its amazing how small it can be from time to time. For instance, the very same certain boy wearing the very same pair of shoes finds himself standing in front of a office supplies store sandwiched between a coffee shop and an electronics retailer. Biting his lower lip as his mousy eyes slide back and forth over the various sales signs, rocking on his heels in energetic impatience as he considers his options.
They don't really advertise Summer School stuff, do they?
Kentou's life of late has been a complete whirlwind. Literally two weeks ago he was just a simple kid working deliveries.. Only dreaming of being a professional fighter someday. Now? Now he IS a professional fighter. He's quite literally living his dream. Not only that.. But the boy impressed the mighty Blanka so much the fighter ceded the match to him! After knocking the kid out, no less!
For the day afterward, the boy was certain he woke up in a parallel universe like an episode of Twilight Zone. Reporters wanted to talk to -him- for once. Mostly about what it's like to train under the famed Hotaru Futaba, but he's more than happy to go on at length about that subject.
And if that wasn't enough.. Kentou is going to start up classes at school very soon. He's actually going to school. Something.. He really didn't think he ever would. Ol' Sak actually insisted on it. Said it was 'Tha' bes' damn thin' tha' gahl e'er toldya ta' do ya' lazy bum'.
Reality.. Just doesn't feel very real to Kentou right now. He feels like he's been living in some kind of dreamworld.. afraid he could wake up at any moment. Its in this mind-wandering daze the youth continues to stare at the window of the office supply store. Half-thinking about buying the necessary provisions for class, the other half-thinking about training for his next NeoLeague match and..
..Huh, so that's who owns that shrine?
The youth's eyes squint a moment as his gaze catches a reflection in the window ahead of him. Peering closer to the darkened quasi-mirror as he notices the outline of a traditional priestess uniform. He knows that shrine! Frei has trained him there a few times.. He'll never forget his experience there! The boy never considered that the place was owned by anyone, as decrepit as it was.
Turning about, his wandering thoughts sufficiently hijacked by this mental detour, he blinks past his bangs towards the girl as she politely solicits her cause to various passerby.
Strawberry blonde hair...? Japanese girls these days do dye their hair pretty frequently anymore he's noticed. But, that's a pretty unusual color even today! Why is that so familiar though? There's something.. Hm.
Squinting further, the boy quietly moves across the bustling mall. Negotiating the labyrinth of taller shoppers as he gets closer and closer to the girl flashing the landscape photography about. "Excuse me..? Excuse me, Miko-san?"
The sight of the shrine resonates well with people. It speaks of traditions, of going back to religious roots so often forgotten in the busy modern world. It also just so happens to be an extremely common venue for Neo League bouts! Hardly anyone in the mall hasn't seen the relic of a bygone time one way or another. Coupled with the fact that Ayame played a very convincing miko, drawing on life experiences and combining them with her talent for forcing manipulative expressions and moods as the situation required, it was hard for anyone to resist the draw of her little 'charity drive' for the benefit of that Southtown landmark.
The panels and displays mention a restoration effort, a chance to fix the ol' place up a little. Fixing cracks in the wall around it, replacing shingles lost by storms over the years, and patching over holes in the worn flooring within. Before and 'hypothetical' after pictures showed how nice it would look once the project was completed. If people could just spare some change... and leave anything else that piques Ayame's interest before they go, then such a wholesome endeavor can't possibly fail!
But then comes the approach of one who stands a better chance of recognizing the disguised menace that is the innocent looking shrine maiden. Kentou speaks up, solicting her attention politely, and the long haired girl turns to face him quickly. It sounds like she has another potential sucker based on the meekness with which the young sounding voice has requested her attention. She's half turned to face him when she pauses, brown eyes just barely taking in the boy's form out of her peripheral vision. That pause lasts only a blink of an eye before she finishes turning to face Kentou. Only now her left arm is held up over her mouth, wide sleeve concealing much of her face as she seems to be stiffling a giggle, her right hand reaching out to pat Kentou on the head. "Well, hello there, young sir." the girl speaks, forcing her voice up half an octive as she oh so smoothly hides the fact that she's fretting he might recognize her and throw this smooth operation into disarray! She keeps that sleeve over her mouth longer than really makes sense, before turning halfway to the side as to break off eye contact with Kentou, "Was there something I could help you with?"
Given how eagerly she obessed over everyone else that got trapped within the radius of her display, her shift into only paying half attention to Kentou certainly seems suspicious enough, as if her behavior already might not come across a bit sketchy as is!
That particular Shrine at the fringes of Southtown has become iconic to many of the local fighters. A place to pay homage to the past and celebrate the old ways. As well as forge new ones. Kentou is no different. In fact, unquestionably one of the defining turning points of the youthful warrior's life was at that very shrine. The day that Instructor Frei had awakened the spiritual energies within him. An event that completed the boy as an initiated fighter, having gained abilities that most of the mortal world does not possess. To say the place left a lasting impression upon him goes without saying.
And here, finally having an opportunity to learn more about that sanctified locale, the boy doesn't pass up the opportunity!
Kentou smiles pleasantly, approaching the small crowd - Adding his presence to the flock of interested parties. As the quite-busy shrine maiden only half-heartily acknowledges his presence with a strangely rude head-pat, the boy blinks dis-concertedly. For a proper Japanese priestess, that was awfully informal of her! But then, this is the modern age after all! Girls these days, getting bolder by the day!
Hastily, the youth then bows himself, fist to palm, "A..Ah yes! Um.. I've visited the shrine many times a... and.." His voice trailing as the sleeve-masked Miko breaks eye contact, attempting to focus on the other interested patrons of the restoration drive kiosk. His own mousy eyes turning to the others uncertainly as he takes a step back, puzzling this out.
Huh.. Well, she is busy. He shouldn't be bothering her if she's trying to get some sort of fundraising quota in. Besides, he has a lot of chores to do. He can always visit the shrine later and perhaps figure out a better way to find..
Wait a sec..
Just as Kentou begins to turn away, the youth freezes. His head tilts to the side, as if alerted to some detail having finally wound its way through the labyrinth of his distracted thoughts and guileless concerns.
Those eyes.. He only caught them for a moment but.. There was something in those eyes.. Something familiar.
The boy then turns on his heel to face the restoration displays again. A perplexed frown dominates his face now as he squints at the girl, stepping to the side and allowing another donor past as he tilts his head to the side to look over the man's shoulder.
Has he met her before? Maybe in passing somewhere? The boy has met an incredible number of people around Southtown over the past year. More people than he could ever remember the name of. But.. There's something..
He needs a closer look..
The youth then tries to politely get back into line. Not wishing to cause a scene or anything, simply waiting his turn to approach the Miko once more as a handful of donors stand in front of him still..
There, Ayame mentally 'whews', thinking to have handily avoided spending a dangerous amount of time in close conversation with the mousy eyed boy. Of course she recognized him in an instant. The little pest that thwarted her thieving endeavors one fine morning in Southtown. Even if she didn't have a nigh photographic memory, there's no way she would have forgotten him after that. But now's not the time for revenge. She's raking it in great here. No one would suspect the pure looking girl harbored nothing but greed and averice. Even more distressing is the complete lack of guilt or shame in the charade. She'd talk an someone's grandmother out of her last yen without batting an eye if given the chance.
With Kentou off her back she's back in business, speaking with a middle aged businessman who looks to be in a bit of a rush. Unfortunately for him, the fastest way to get rid of the persuasive girl seems to be to fork over some money. Ayame reaches out to grasp his hand in both of hers with a very forward expression of her gratitude. The arm shake lets her slip his watch into her sleeve as she draws her arms back and turns away to swoop over to her next victim.
She's enjoying herself if the pleased expression on her face is any indication. It warms the soul to do volunteer work, as they say. A little self-sacrifice now and then helps one gain perspective on how rough others have it, growing in understanding and moving closer to enlightenment. Or something. Maybe Ayame's simply having fun because her scheme of the afternoon is working better than anticipated. Slipping over near the donation bin, her hands deftly deposite the watch and a bracelet the moment she's certain no one is looking.
And then it's back to tending the line. Patronizing a really short, old man with idle chatter, her eyes happen to glance over the line, skimming those nearby to see who the next ideal sucker will be. And it's in that moment that she notices that she's not as free of Kentou as she would like to be. Eye contact is fleeting before she averts her attention back down to the wrinkled head of the tiny man in front of her. "Yes, I was born at a temple. When this project is all done, I'll probably go right back..." She nods her head, answering muffled questions only she can hear, but as she does she risks another glance toward Kentou to see if he's still lingering around. That he didn't make a scene right away tells her that he didn't recognize her immediately. Given her lack of that punkish wardrobe of hers, it's not too surprising really. But now she's starting to wonder just how sharp his recollection is...
In many ways, Ayame is over Kentou's head. A competent thief and con-artist against suspicious victims. A boy as guileless and gullible as he has hardly a chance to see through such an elaborate masquerade. Had he no prior contact with the girl, the boy would never so much as think twice about this little operation. Likely donating himself and meandering off to return on his little quest to acquire school gear.
This time, however. Oh, this time.. Ayame made a mistake. If she had dyed her hair another color than her usual - if she had worn contact lenses - any little, tiny facial cosmetic shift: Kentou wouldn't be on to her. Perhaps she's become so brazenly confident about her schemes, she's become certain that nobody would recognize her. Regardless of all the public fights she's had in various disguises, or all of the individuals she's become acquainted with.
Kentou creeps closer and closer in line. Unable to quite see over the taller individuals to get a good look at precisely what the young lady is doing, or what legerdemain her fingers are performing.
The rushed, middle-aged fellow bows respectfully and heads away.. Allowing Kentou to suddenly move into the front-most position in line, "Excuse me, Miko-san.." Kentou blurts once more. Pointedly moving in closer and tilting his head, trying to look her directly in the face as she looks away, "..Do.. Do I know you? I think I've met you before.."
Yes.. Yes he's sure of it now! But where? Perhaps she studied briefly at the YFCC? A friend of fellow priestess Mizuki-san? Maybe he saw her watching on during one of his fights or another fight he witnessed? He needs a better look..
Careless to a fault as of late, Ayame has come to decide that she's smarter than everyone else around her. She has gone to greater lengths to disguise herself in the past, but why bother? While she has menaced quite a few people, the mathmatical odds of encountering any of them on a typical day in Southtown is fairly small. And her innocent miko act IS pretty convincing. Without her rowdy, colorful attire, or her bad-girl attitude, or her ever present weapons, she nearly DOES come across like an entirely different individual.
And while she puts on the act, she secretly derides it. It's a reminder of what she would be if she had never run away. REALLY doing these charity drives, really wasting away her days maintaining old relics of buildings no one should even care about in her opinion. It's ironic how easily she plays it off as she moves from person to person. Friendly, cheerful, delightful to talk with when she isn't deliberately brushing someone off due to having no money or being a risk, like, say, Kentou...
Speaking of which, the boy is back in line, and the line has thinned out in front of him, giving him that chance to address Ayame directly again. She saw him coming, so she isn't surprised to hear his polite voice pipe up, requesting but a moment of her time. Ayame breaths in then exhales softly. She can't brush him off a second time, or that'll just begin to look equally suspicious.
Turning around to face Kentou directly, she offers him a sweet smile without the slightest sign of guile. "Yes?" she asks, only to blink at his question, brown eyes looking thoughtful, the girl bringing her hand up to rest against her mouth as she studies Kentou ever so closely, trying to evaluate if he's trying to get her to screw up or if he really DOESN'T know where he might know her from.
"Hm..." she begins, clearly considering his question. "Have we? I admit I meet so many people every day, and I'm not very good with faces," she continues, managing a sheepish smile, clasping her hands in front of her. He doesn't know, she tells herself, convinced that while she saw some curiousity in the boy's eyes, she definitely didn't detect any attempt at baiting her into screwing up. "My name is Reiko!"
The shorter youth peers up at the miko with a suspicious look. Eyes half-lidded, lips pouting upwards, arms crossed before him as his chinese slipper taps the smooth tile floor. The boy was juuuust about to hazard a guess at the miko's identity until she takes matters into her own hands. Luminous eyes blinking once as she addresses him fully and confidently. Eyebrows arching as his disapproving look is immediately defused. Unable to process the girl's expressions as anything but genuine, Kentou begins to second-guess his own hasty observations, "O..Oh.." He murmurs awkwardly, head tilting to the side as his eyes drift to the floor in confusion.
Hmmmm.. Must not be THAT one then..
"W..Well!" The boy returns a sheepish smile of his own, uncrossing his arms to allow one hand to scratch the back of his head. Long braids dancing along his back with the motion, "I..I'm Kentou! I've been to the shrine tons and tons of times. Instructor Frei even teaches me there from time to time.. I was wondering if I met you there before, I mean.." While not precisely the truth, it wasn't exactly a lie either. While he was about to uncover her dastardly identity, he certainly allows for the possibility that he could have met her in passing at the Shrine before. "You wouldn't happen to know Mizuki-san, would you? She's also a Miko! We're good friends." His lingering doubts dissolving away quickly as he settles into easier going, casual conversation.
The boy is not very suspicious by nature and never thinks ill of anyone until they obviously deserve it. The very idea of trying to 'scam' someone is foreign to his sensibilities. He can't even begin to believe someone would actually masquerade as a priestess and steal the supposed donations!
Ha Ha.. The very idea! Nobody would do that. He can't believe he even thought she might.. Geez!
Confidence. Display enough of it and it seems like people will believe anything, or so Ayame's come to find with a lot of her interaction with people in and around Southtown. Unless it's one of those pesky Pacific High students. She's never had any luck trying to fast talk her way with them. It must be a foreigner thing. Buncha suspicious buggers. But Kentou? Now here's a kid Ayame can deal with. If she had known he was this gullible, she should have handled her last run in with him differently, she muses behind those all too kind eyes of hers. Perhaps giving him a sob story, or making up some story about revenge against the shopkeeper for prior wrong doing on his part... Ah well, that money was lost and it's in the past. Right now she just needs to get rid of him.
The boy speaks about his trips to the shrine and Ayame smiles pleasantly and patiently, even though inside she's squirming. The longer this drags on, the greater the risk of something not going smoothly. And then it's going to get ugly. "Oh? That's nice," she speaks, sounding very interested in something she couldn't care less about. "It's a good place for that... Learning from others, that is." And then he mentions Mizuki and Ayame gets the strangest look on her face. Oh, what a dastardly small world this is. The links between people are so distressingly small at times. She recovers quickly, then shakes her head, "Sorry, I thought maybe I did, but I was thinking of someone else I met. I don't think I know her."
The girl gets more comfortable talking to Kentou by the moment. He's such a nice kid. Probably had a nice life. Nice mom and dad that didn't drive him into running away at a young age to have to scrape out a living on the streets by any means possible like she has. "Is she now? I would like to meet her sometime." Ayame continues placating the boy, expression consistant now that she's managed to convince herself that he's not got a clue. "It's good that you-" she starts to add only to be cut off by a young man at her side.
"Excuse me, miss," he asks, intruding on their conversation. "You wouldn't happen to have seen my watch somewhere around here, would you?" he asks, looking a little distressed. "I know I checked the time right before we spoke, but... I don't know." he continues, sounding saddened.
'Reiko' turns to face him, expression becoming concerned, "I'm afraid not." she lies. She normally doesn't go for things so noticeable as watches. But this one... this one was nice. It called out to her. It wanted to come home with her, with its shiny gold band and what looked to be diamonds inset in the face itself... "I didn't notice anyone scoop it up or hear it fall on the ground, but it is kind of noisy out here... I'm sorry."
The man's expression becomes even more downcast, "...It was a gift from my wife for our annivesary... ugh..."
Reiko simply sustains her patient, worried look. If halos were real, she'd probably have found a way to fake one glowing over her head that moment to complete the image of innocence.
While Kentou possesses no level of social expertise, he can certainly tell when somebody is a wee bit distracted. And rightly so! After all, the young holy woman is trying to raise money for a good cause. With his case of mistaken identity realized, he knows he shouldn't be bothering the poor girl any further. Kentou hastily nods as she rambles about 'how nice' it is to train there. The boy's hope for common ground renewed as she seems to recognize the name of the fellow young Miko for just a moment.. Only to falter as it seems that potential venue is similarly a dead-end.
Still, the youth begins to step away to allow the next in line access to the fundraiser. "Sure! I'm sure Mizuki-san would love to meet you." Kentou adds as Reiko seems interested in such a meeting. Before he can converse further, the youth's attention is stolen by the wedded fellow. Brow furrowing at this terrible news as the young boy quickly steps up, "Here, I'll help you look!" Walking over to him with an encouraging smile. Clapping his hands and rubbing them together eagerly, the martial artist vaults into this new crusade, "Its gotta be around here, I'm sure! Lets see.. Do you remember when you had it last?" Kentou continues as his alert gaze roams downwards along the floor of the mall. Inspecting the polished terrain around the sparce forest of tennis shoes and slippers. Considering the possibility that someone else nearby might have kicked it somewhat further along on accident..
The faux Miko slips from his thoughts as he focuses on this new endeavor. Kentou's narrow attention span occasionally gets the better of him...
The man's plight is explained and the so called miko looks very concerned, masking her indifference readily. She hates when people come back asking, it tends to complicate matters. But it's just one guy... anything could've happened to his exquisite timepiece, right? And then Kentou, bless his soul, speaks up to help him look and Ayame glances to the side to look at him more carefully, a hint of paranoia making her wonder if he's expressing this interest out of suspicion or out of genuine interest in helping a complete stranger. The former idea reflects how she thinks, the later being something she would never do /herself/.
But everything about the way he speaks and immediately steps into action suggests that as hard as she finds it to believe, he really is legitimately interested in helping the distressed young man fretting about the worry having lost the watch would cause in his poor wife who saved up so much to afford it for him. The young Kenpo practioner and worried mall patron immediately set about trying to find the missing watch that Ayame knows they never will.
Pathetic, the girl mentally muses as she watches them. Buncha fools. They deserve what they get. If they wanted to keep their goods, they should be smarter about it. The man looks increasingly worried as all chances of finding that missing gift seem to be shrinking by the moment. It's just how life is, Ayame tells herself, turning to the side. If the young family has the money to afford such an expensive trinket, then they can spare the loss she continues pondering, her brown eyes only vaguely focusing on the next potential doner next to her display.
But as the search continues, she can't help but spare a few glances over toward the little good samaritan and the man he's trying to help. Part of her wants to tell them the truth, so they give up such a useless endeavor. Spoil their day, lower their opinion of humanity a few notches by dangling the watch in front of them then taking off in a sprint across the mall to inevitable escape...
But she doesn't. She can't blow a good scheme just for a little soul crushing amusement. Besides, as much as she tries to tell herself it'd be funny, she just can't really take that step of actually doing it. The whole time she's been pondering, a woman has been speaking to her and she hasn't been listening.
"...ring... missing... around here... just bought it..." the words barely register with the girl, her thoughts elsewhere for a moment as she contemplates the mysteries of Kentou and what it is that makes a boy like him tick. Such as what about his existence makes him want to reach out and help someone he doesn't know. Is he hoping for a reward if he finds it? Maybe that's it. Or maybe he wants the guy to owe him a favo-.. no, no, that makes no sense. The young bandit/miko shakes her head. Why be selfless when you can get so much more by just taking what you /want/?
Slowly her eyes focus back on the woman in front of her, "Hm? A missing ring you say?" she echoes back, the words escaping her lips without her giving them much thought, her brain only barely getting back up speed on the situation. And then it clicks. Oh. Yeah. She has that ring too. Things are starting to get a little hot. It's time for her to pack up and be on her way, "O-oh, no, I'm sorry," 'Reiko' stammers, taking a step to the side over to her display case where she starts folding it up. Yes, yes, she's done all right. Time to be on her way.
In many ways, Kentou is the exact opposite of Ayame. His mindset could not be more diametrically opposed. The Yang to her Yin. The boy cannot understand the very idea of preying upon others for one's own gain. There is no measure of material wealth that makes crime worthwhile for Kentou. A plenitude of reasons lie behind this moral decision; some obvious, some not. There is the question of honor and personal integrity. Obeying the law. Presenting himself as an upstanding part of society at all times. To act in a manner that brings shame to his family name is.. The boy would never do that willingly. Death before dishonor, indeed.
On a more humane level, Kentou could never do anything to make someone else suffer unduly. Of course, what the young martial artist considers 'suffering' is a fairly rarified notion. Pummeling his honored foes into submission has nothing to do with 'suffering'. Physical pain is just part of the sport. Like any contact sport. Defeating an opponent in combat is part of his chosen career. However, emotional anguish is different. As ready as the boy is to inflict bruises on competitors, he's not so quick to inflict injury to their spirit. Emotional pain is not something Kentou would willing inflict upon anyone. Even those who some would say 'deserve' it.
Just as important, Kentou does anything he can to help out his fellow man. Not for any thoughts of potential reward or that he could ultimately 'get' something out of it. He does it simply because he can. The boy has the power to help, and that in itself obliges him. To do anything else.. That is a mystery.
Which is why the idea that someone could have outright stolen the watch.. Never even occurs to him. He doesn't even begin to suspect such malfeasance. Instead, the youth continues pacing about with his eyes glued to the floor. Looking for anything particularly shiny or could present him with a clue to the whereabouts of the fancy bling.
"Not over here!" He calls out amidst searching, crawling on all fours as he tilts a garbage bin slightly to the side to check beneath it for the sake of being completely thorough. Again, Kentou becomes so focused on his chosen causes that he often finds himself blind to everything else. Including, for example, the 'Miko' folding up her display case and skipping town speedily. It will be some time before he looks up from his self-appointed task to offer the regretful news. Only then.. will he wonder what ever happened to that Priestess anyway..
Log created on 00:22:44 06/12/2008 by Ayame, and last modified on 13:47:16 07/03/2008.