Description: A chance meeting between Vince and Tyler at the Southtown Village Mall results in anger and tension. The girls walk in on the scene separately, one of them trying to diffuse the situation while the other get out her cell and hopes for a fight.
Night always seems to fall so very early this time of year. For this reason, many people seem to get it in their heads that they need to clear out of the mall and head home before they get locked into the perameters, even though it's no later than seven p.m. Tonight is surprisingly warm for the season, or at least "pleasant", with a somewhat humid atmosphere and cool breeze drifting lazily through. The pros of the open design of this mall truly comes to light, as the night sky is simply beautiful - rolling, silver-lined clouds with a full, round moon looming, completed with a shimmery ring of light.
This is mostly why Vince is in no hurry to leave. It isn't because rushing out the door is silly when it's so early; it's because the evening is excellent, one to be cherished before the season decides it must be cold and bitter again. So the swashbuckling noble is striding over the grounds to a crafter's store at the moment, jewelry and gems on display, cape trailing behind him in the breeze, and feather a'bob.
WHOOSH!
Flying through the mall on a skateboard is the one and only, Tyler. The Gedo student does a kickflip as he leapfrogs a set of stairs. His backpack strapped on his back.
He's probably got Mall Security chasing after him. He leans back and forth just enough to turn directions and as he comes upon a low wall around a fountain, he kicks the board up to hop onto the edge of the fountain and grind his way partially around it. Then he ollies back onto the floor with a little spin move as he lands. No helmet, though he does have knee and elbow pads on.
This is how the german-american student window shops... Not really, he's making his way toward the Cafe when he comes to a skidding hault just before running into Vince, kicking his board up to grab it with his hand,"Watch where you're going... I almost ran you over, dude."
If everyone is going to leave early before the shops close, then that's the perfect time to go do some shopping. Why brave the crowds if you don't have to? It's not like there are any special sales going on, and with nothing specific in mind there's little chance of missing out on something good because it's sold out. That's Kaida's assessment of the situation, as she strolls against tide of those departing. A quick mental checklist is made, and she makes note that she has plenty of clothes for the moment, but very little in the way of accessories. Maybe she can fix that tonight, if she finds something neat!
Someone zips by on a skateboard, causing her to pause for a short moment and watch. Hm, looks like he's having fun. "Not bad," she decides as he slides around the fountain. Continuing to her destination she sends another glance that direction after a couple of moments, surprised to see something, or rather someone, quite unexpected. "Vince LaRose." There's no one else who's going to be dressing like that- it has to be him. Putting her shopping momentarily on delay she starts to walk over, not announcing herself just yet.
It seems that the truth of the Mall is, in fact, that kids of all sorts and sizes love to go there. Kurenai does ike the mall, herself, though she doesn't go very often--however, at an odd loose ends tonight, with nothing to report on to Yurika and no pressing matters to attend to, the pink-haired Seijyun student has been mallhopping for... well, for a while. Probably she's been at the mall most of the day, though she still looks fresh and spry for all that.
She isn't with a bunch of friends, just by herself, and the only thing that'll really make her stand out is that she's got her yardstick slung across her back. Sure, it looks odd... but no odder than big, burly men wearing ripped out karatedogi and no shoes, or any other manner of fighting costume that people wear around town like they were everyday clothing. At the moment, she's just spotted Kaida, and has turned towards the fellow sword-wielder, though Kurenai isn't heading directly for her--and the pink-haired girl has a gigantic smoothie cup in her hands, one she's sipping from idly.
All seems nice in the world.
When suddenly, Tyler from the Bad Influence/Wrong Crowd gang shows up, probably to give him drugs! With his rad skateboard and longhair music! Grr!
Okay, that's about as far removed from Vince's thinking as can possibly be. The fairly well-composed teen simply halts himself short of the sudden appearance of the skateboard-guy. The comment earns the subtle quirk of an eyebrow, lending to that oh-so-recognizable 'Are you serious?' look. But his choice of wording is far less scathing than anything of the sort. "Perhaps if you went about a little slower, or took the word 'walkway' as more than a mere guideline...," is the soft placation, silky smooth, only slightly French-accented voice betraying no insult or frustration taken.
For the moment, Vince is unawares of the ladies en route. He just has to deal with this little thing before he can get back to business...
"Oh hey, where's the other two Muskateers?", is Tyler's response to the other boy's comments. He grins sheepishly at Vince, a little cockily too. He tilts his head to the side, he doesn't give Vince much opportunity to speak before he attempts to insult him again,"Oh, not a Muskateer? Oh I know! You're that caped crusader that's been running about town, what was his name... it was... uh.. Dork boy. Yeah, that's it." T.J. reaches over to give the other boy a light shove to Vince's shoulder and then he throws his hands out to the side and says,"What's up? You want to throw down right here? Cause we can, douche bag."
Tyler's no bully! He just likes to push people around a little, like for instance the Caped Geekster. Tyler just gives Vince a huge, arrogant grin, brimming with confidence like he knows he can kick the other boy's butt if it came down to that.
Kaida continues on her merry way, towards Vince, not yet knowing the potential trouble she might just get herself into. She's also vastly unaware of Kurenai at the moment, otherwise she'd probably greet the pink haired teen. Once she's somewhat close she lifts her hand to give a silent greeting to Vince, so as not to be too much of a distraction, since he's talking with the skater boy.
Catching the end of the Frenchmans comments, she's immediately caught off guard by a rather large amount of attitude. She blinks twice, and her eyes narrow. "You'd better watch yourself." She speaks up from behind Tyler, voice sounding rather stern. "He's got a sword, if you didn't notice. And so do I. Don't think you can try to intimidate people with the threat of fighting and get away with it. Not in a city like this." As if a threat she lightly places a hand on the hilt of one of her bokken. "You should apologize, or just go back to skateboarding."
Uh oh. Altercation? Kurenai slows down a little, her hairpoofs bobbing to a halt as she tries to be unobtrusive as she sidles closer. Of course, things are moving faster, but Kurenai has been taught not to act without thinking first. She doesn't know Tyler or Vince... and while she does know (and even like!) Kaida, she knows the girl can handle herself.
So Kurenai gets 'invisible', by standing in the crowd--kids perhaps sensing a fight starting up, or at least potentially starting up, and starting to gather, loosely. Kaida steps up to the plate, too, and that -does- change things... but Kurenai still isn't willing to jump in. Presumably, Tyler will not want to fight two weapons fighters at the same time... presumably. As an afterthought, Kurenai fishes around in a pocket and withdraws her phone, setting it to camera mode, and starting to film.
"That's a bit ru-"
Shove.
There's a moment of dead stillness from Vince.
This... -street trash- put his hand on him. And applied force. In a condescending manner.
Oh, hells naw.
In a flash, Vince's gloved hand is set to the hilt of his rapier, and were it not for the sudden stop, the 'shhk' sound of steel against leather might not have even been heard before the cut was made.
But it -was- stopped. By Kaida.
Vince, glinting blade half-drawn from his scabbard, stares wide-eyed at the girl he'd met before, now behind Tyler. "Kaida...," he whispers in surprise. It's a mixture of things he feels at the moment, but not an ounce of it is shame or insult. It's mostly just surprise. Surprise, respect, and maybe a dash of something else.
Given a second, his icy blue gaze returns to Tyler, narrowed. The silent question hangs in the air: What's it gonna be?
Tyler's attention sharply turns toward the girl that speaks up from behind him, then he glances between Vince and Kaida for a moment. He then grins widely, shaking his head and in a sarcastic manner, his tone of voice a little higher pitched than usual as he says,"Oh man, you two got swords? Wow, really? I'm soo scared..." He lifts his hands and waves them around as to immitate being 'shaky'.
Tyler then waves the girl off with his hand,"Go away, this is between me and Lord Geek here." Keeping his attention still between the two,"You think I'm afraid of you because you carry weapons? I could take you both on with one-hand tied behind my back."
Tyler then turns his attention to Vince again, smirking at him cheesily. Tyler then starts to lift his hand as though he's going to shove Vince again, but he turns his attention back to Kaida holding a finger up to her,"Wait a minute, don't I know you? .. WAIT, you're that girl from that competition thing the other night right? It was me, you, that flashy guy, and some freaky girl with a chain weapon, right?" He seems that Tyler has forgotten all about picking on Vince momentarily or their current situation for that matter as he addresses Kaida curiously.
The sword was almost drawn- that was a close one. It seems the insult was an even more deadly one to Vince than Kaida had expected at first- now she's even gladder that she's stepped in to run interference. She's taunted as Tyler responds to her, but it doesn't seem to faze her at all. "You should know when to quit. You're outmatched here." Unaware of the cell camera now on her, she seems to smile a little when she's told to leave, but when Tyler recognizes her she seems to relax.
"That's right. I thought I recognized you; now I know where from." She removes her hand from the hilt of her bokken and crosses her arms over her chest lightly in a casual manner. "My name's Kaida Inoue. I'm afraid I don't remember yours, but we never squared off directly." Changing her track of thought she looks to Vince and offers a small smile, "I hope you can forgive him, even if it was an insult. He seems to me like the type who enjoys fighting and will take it however he can get it." Keeping the smile she turns her eyes towards Tyler again, "Best not to encourage him." Fighting would just be giving him what he wants, right?
Kurenai moues a little. She wanted to see a fight. But... well, she might get her wish and she might not. She isn't going to complain either way; howver, just then is when a big oaf steps in front of her, to see what's going on. Kurenai is small, and so she growls indignantly, trying to find a better vantage point--only to be thrwarted at every turn, until she finally just has to hop up on a nearby bench, and from there into the branches of one of the trees that is 'planted' in the mall, to give it that green look.
Of course now she's really visible, and standing out, but she does her best to look nonchalant about the whole thing, swinging her legs back and forth, keeping her phone trained on the three young fighters.
"An exceptionally foolish disposition," remarks Vince to Kaida's explanation. "Such a reckless disregard for common sense will doubtlessly end his existence before too long, so I suppose it would be pointless to expedite it now."
But damn if cutting him in half for those comments isn't tempting.
The blade is slid back into its scabbard bitterly, and the swordsman side-steps Tyler completely to present himself more to Kaida - and in so doing, spots Kurenai hanging from a tree. This gets momentary distraction as he peers and tilts his head a bit. With that, he's suddenly aware of the crowding spectators. Oh naturally, with tension, they show up like vultures on a beached whale. ...Don't question the simile.
His attention draws back to Kaida suddenly. "I should like to speak to you, actually. Though perhaps at a time when the air is less crowded." A pointed look is shot to the crowd, the pink-haired girl hanging from the tree, Tyler... and the gaze returns to Kaida.
Tyler looks back and forth between Kaida and Vince questionably, giving them both a funny look before saying, "What? Wait... Hold up. Oh no, that's not how we're going to play this game, nope. No way." Tyler then takes his finger that he was pointing at Kaida and pokes her in the shoulder non-chalantly before pointing at Vince,"I can take /you/, him, and that strange pink-haired girl hanging from the tree up there", he lifts his hand to point the finger at Kurenai. "All at the same time. I don't need encouragement, if I wanted to fight, I would do it. It's as simple as that."
Tyler starts to take off his backpack, but that's when there's whistles and shouting, 'HEY YOU!' .. Tyler looks around paranoidly at that point, then he spots the mall security, he then sighs and shakes his head, sliging his backpack over his shoulder again as he drops the skateboard to the ground infront of him and stepping onto it. "Tell you what ladies, I'll be here tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and so on and if any of you have the guts to come and face me, then bring it... But for now, consider yourselves fortunate cause I'm not kicking your asses right now." Tyler laughs and pushes with his other foot, skating forward he calls out over his shoulder as he jetisons away,"So long, LOSERS!" And off he goes, being chased by the Mall Security... They're screaming something about no skateboarding or something, but is it really a surpise that Tyler doesn't listen to them.
"What an ass." Kaida's sole comment at Tyler's comments and challenge is made after he leaves, sparing only a moment to watch him skate off as security chases after him. Giving a small shake of her head she returns her attention to Vince, "I don't think you'll have to worry about him. If he does pull something like this again, I think you'd be able to stop him handily. In the fight last Saturday he left himself open constantly, and even let down his guard completely once." Even having seen him fight, she apparently doesn't take him seriously.
Uncrossing her arms she lets herself relax even further. His comments get her attention and she nods, "If you wish it. As I said before you can find me at Taiyo, or if you'd prefer we could just set a time and place to meet." Following his gaze she peeks around the crowd. She gives a slight double take when she notices Kurenai up in the tree, a hint of a smirk showing on her face. People she knows are just cropping up all over the place! A small nod is given, which may or may not be noticed.
Tyler's finger prods Kaida's shoulder, and Vince's hand sets to the green-polished handle of one of the many rosettes lining his belt.
But before anything can happen, apparently mall security decides they don't like him. He rides off, and Vince just peers after them for a moment. Finally, his head turns back to Kaida. "It never crossed my mind to worry," he says with a tired sigh. "But it -is- a pleasure seeing you again. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have the time now to talk with you. So.."
He pauses for a moment, casting a glance towards the cafe. "..Perhaps tomorrow, during our lunch times at school, we can meet there?"
Not that the school expects him to regularly attend classes while he's supposed to be 'representing them' in the Strolheim tournament. But still, there he is. While in Southtown, may as well attend classes.
"I admit that I was hoping to run into you again sometime myself, though I didn't expect that it'd be so soon." She'd never seen him before, so why expect to see him again in any kind of timely fashion? "Tomorrow at lunch?" Kaida considers the timing for a moment and then nods, "That would work fine for me." Taiyo is relatively close to the mall, so she should be able to make it there and back before her classes start. Probably.
Vince observes her in silence while she mulls over the proposition, and looks genuinely pleased by her response. "Excellent. I'll see you here, then. I just need to take care of some business now..." He glances past her to the shop he's been meaning to hit. Metalworks. He always winds up coming to these places.
Vince eases back a step from her, feather bobbing in his hat mildly with the dip of his movement. "So.. I look forward to it." He flashes her a smile, then tips in a quick, courteous bow. Following this? He whisks past her to the shop, making his way through the fairly disappointed crowd.
Poor crowd. They gathered together thinking they'd get to see an awesome fight, and with sword wielders too! But instead they just got to see a minor tussle of words and nothing more. Thems the breaks!
"I will too," Kaida responds to the notion of looking forward to their next meeting, and returning his bow quickly before he moves off. Now then, there was some shopping she came to do, wasn't there? Maybe if she can find Kurenai again she get her opinion on jewelry and purses. She can't see her now, but maybe they'll bump into one another in one of the shops. Only one way to find out!
Log created on 21:53:01 02/08/2009 by Kaida, and last modified on 19:32:22 02/10/2009.