Description: After defeating Roberto alongside Kaida, Kurenai accompanies the other martial artist around the park--and they talk about things both impersonal and personal. Is their relationship growing...?
It's probably not too long after that fight, the one that pitted Kurenai and Kaida versus Roberto. Fortunately neither girl was seriously injured; Kurenai is favoring her stomach, thanks to Roberto's long shot, but otherwise it's quite fun. And the season passes--well, the girls were already in, but today everything is pretty much free. That's why Kurenai is walking along next to Kaida, chattering away between bites of cotton candy and caramel apple.
"Ne, ne, Kaida-san, what ride do you think we should ride next? I think that big rollercoster looks fun but... mmm, I don't know! It's so much!" Yes, she can be quite the little chatterbox when she wants--right now the only thing that shuts her up is another bite of delicious apple and caramel. And it is /delicious/. Oh yes.
All in all the fight wasn't too rough for Kaida either, who's main punishment was in the form of a one-two combination to the face. And while that's sore at least it doesn't have any other negative affects. Along those lines she studies the sweets Kurenai is eating, "Hmm. Going on once couldn't be too bad, could it? We might as well have the must fun we can if we're going to come here, right? Although... do you think you'd be okay? I probably wouldn't be eating if I took a hit to the stomach like you did, and going on a roller coaster might not make that any better." It's obvious why that could be a problem! "I know I want to go on the Scrambler at least once more too."
Kurenai's eyes light up. "Ooh! The Scrambler!" She laughs, "That sounds -awesome-!" And pats her stomach, too, confidently. The confidence of the young.
"Don't worry, my stomach's fine!" Really, it is. As if to prove it, she not only finishes off the caramel apple, but produces a jumbo hot dog and eats that too!
"See! No problem--urp!" Fortunately Kurenai covers her mouth; she knows her manners, at least.
"S'cuse me... anyways... the Scrambler looks great! I say we take that first, and then we can ride the Exalted Snake of Heaven." That would be the giant rollercoaster, wouldn't it? The Scrambler is still a fair distance away, and so Kurenai continues to jabber as they walk.
"Neh, Kaida-san. Why do you think people learn to fight?"
"Alright then, lets do that. We'll hit the Scrambler first and then catch the rollercoaster." Yep, she's going to feel silly if she got the name of that one wrong. She gives a bit of a smirk to Kurenai when proof of eating too much too fast arrives. "You know, the way your eating now I'd almost think your parents didn't feed you, or that your moms cooking was horrible."
Kaida looks a bit caught off guard by the question, and pauses for a moment before giving her answer alongside a shrug, "I don't know. That probably depends on who it is. Maybe they want to feel stronger than everyone else around them." Another pauses is made and she studies Kurenai for a moment before talking again, "I guess they could just think it's cool though, since it's become a huge sport now."
"Yeah but--" Chew chew chew swallow. Glmph. "I mean... there're people who like fighting enough to watch, and enough to bet... and enough to try... but you know... it takes dedication to really do this. To do what we do... Look at the true masters, who have been doing this for decades." Suddenly, she's a little more serious, turning to walk backwards, so she can look at Kaida.
"There're more people who'd say we're crazy for putting ourselves in harm's way, aren't there? Even people who love watching it..." Kuenai purses her lips... then fixes her gaze /squarely/ on Kaida.
"Why did you learn to fight?"
Kaida goes along with the sudden change in tone, returning Kurenais' gaze when she looks at her so directly. "So that's where you were going with that question." A casual shrug despite the sudden atmosphere, "My father was a swordsman. I loved watching him when I was young so I asked him to teach me. Since he never had any sons to pass his knowledge to he was stuck with girls. Ever since I was a little kid I've been learning. Now that I'm old enough and good enough I don't see a reason not to do it in front of cameras. It'll help me get better, it's fun, and I need the money. What's not to like?"
An interesting answer. Kurenai has to hop--someone left some trash on the ground behind her, and so she nimbly hops over the offending trash, landing on her toes. "I see..." Her eyes narrow just a touch. Just a touch, to show that she thinks Kaida is hiding something. Holding back. And then her expression changes, perhaps so fast that the other swordswoman might think she just imagined it, Kurenai's expression shifting back to the carefree, happy young girl.
"Uwaa, that's so cool, upholding the family legacy! I don't have anything like that in my family, I had to learn on my own... but I love it too, even when it hurts! Does that make sense? It probably doesn't, does it? Do you think you'll ever get tired of the fighting? How far do you want to progress? I think I'd like to be considered a master someday..."
"Yeah. It can be cool, but it looks like you're just as good as I am without having anything like that. So maybe it's cooler that you're doing it because you want to. Or maybe if I was you and you were me we'd both hate fighting." If Kaida was going anywhere with that it doesn't show, because she leaves it at that and moves on without a second thought.
"Even when it hurts? Are you sure you just don't like getting hurt? That'd be a good reason to want to fight if it was true, since you'd almost always get what you wanted out of it." Tough questions are then laid down upon her that makes her actually have to consider, "Pretty far... I want to be better than my sister, and I can I'd like to surpass my father as well. That'll take a long time though, he can still beat both of us at the same time."
In a sudden maneuver she decides to take control of the conversation herself, "Actually, I had a question for you too, Kurenai. It's been bugging me a little ever since I met you, actually." Once again she studies the Seijyun student for a few moments.
"Is that your natural hair color?"
"People who hate what they do... can never be the best at it. That's what my sensei told me. He told me if I didn't love swordplay that he'd never teach me. That I'd only truly fail if I fell out of love with it." Another beaming smile. "And I think he's right, totally! Even if he was sort of drunk when he said it..." She trails off, looking thoughtful.
"But you don't hate it, and I don't hate it... I think it's really cool that you're continuing your family's traditions." Wait, she said that, didn't she? Oops.
"You have a sister? She's a sword fighter too? I want to meet her..." That thought is cut short by Kaida's question. Kurenai actually stops, selfconciously reaching up to touch her hair.
"Eh? Eh? M-my hair? Of course it's natural..." Look, even her eyebrows are pink! "Oh, we're almost there..."
"Yeah, that makes sense. If you're wishing you weren't doing something I'm sure you'd end up messing up all the time." The revelation of who it came from and that persons state gets a bit of a quirked eyebrow from her. "He was drunk? I hope you weren't training when he was like that. Then again I guess he might have gotten drunk to give you a chance to win?"
Kaida shakes her head a little after having talked herself into a corner that makes no sense at all. "Oh, yeah. Actually we're twins. Her name's Shika, and we both started learning at the same time. Actually, we're sort of competing with each other to see who'll take over as the head of the family line when our dad steps down. I guess you can probably see why I want to get better than her now, huh?"
And then comes the revelation that yes the hair is real, and Kaida actually stomps her foot a little, "Ohh, no fair. It's really cute, too, you're lucky." Definitely a bit of unconcealed jealousy there.
"Oh, I didn't fight him much. He wasn't... /always/ drunk..." Ahaha. Kurenai seizes on the mention of the sister, of course. "Oh, so you're her rival? Or is she your rival?" She wonders if the two get along... if they're competing... well, it could go either way.
"But yeah, I guess I can see why you want to get better faster. Have you fought her recently? Do you know who's ahead?" Simple, obvious questions... for now.
"Wha, Kaida-san, don't be mad! I was born like this! You're cute too!" Kurenai does seem to be taking this seriously, despite the fact that it's about... hair.
"You didn't fight him much? Did he have other students he taught then? I don't see how you could have gotten nearly as good as you are without practice. I used to practice with my father and sister every day." Kaida seems to be fairly open, as far as speaking about her sister goes. "We're definitely rivals, but not in a bad way. We're not always at each others throats, you know?"
A small laugh comes from her at the next questions and she nods her head, "Yeah, I fought her about a week ago. It was... well, she pretty much walked into my traps, so I kind of kicked her ass. It was a fluke though; we're usually pretty even. I mean, she's a lot stronger with her sword than I am, that's one thing she's always had over me. I'm pretty sure my dad thinks she's doing better than me too, since she uses her katana to fight with, even if it's just practice."
Kaida too is taking the topic of hair very seriously, giving a slight nod of her head. "You think so? Maybe... but you're definitely cuter. Shorter usually means cuter too. And you don't look quite so, well. Muscular." There was hesitation before saying it. It's a bit hard to tell with what she's got on, but if Kaida's calves are any indication she's got a real 'toned' look going on. Apparently not a good thing!
"Oh, I--" She smiles. "I fought a lot of other people. Just not him, so much... with the nature of my training, my school... he felt that fighting against other styles would be more useful experience than fighting him. Though we did occasionally spar. That old man... he is really crafty." She misses him, sometimes. Despite all his flaws...
"... traps?" Kurenai eyes her companion as she walks up the platform to get into the Screamer. "I didn't think of you as the type to employ traps, Kaida-san..." That's good, good news indeed, isn't it? Kaida is unpredictable. And that casual sort of sentence gives Kurenai more insight into her erstwhile partner.
"Oh, she uses live steel, hmm... that is dangerous... my sensei told me I'm not ready for live steel yet." Thankfully, she doesn't -want- to use live steel yet.
"Oh, but... but guys like a strong look, too, don't they? Especially fighters."
"Hm, I see. I guess that makes sense. You seemed to have a bit of an easier time getting to me than I did to you, and I bet that's why. It's hard fighting someone with a sword longer than yours!" Especially when they know how to exploit that advantage.
Kaida raises an eyebrow, "Doesn't everyone use traps when they're fighting? I guess if you're just really, really strong and have great form you could just keep attacking directly, but you're always going to do a lot better if you're tricky too, right?"
A bit of a sigh is heaved, "Yeah, she does. She doesn't have any problem at all using it either. I suppose I'd be a lot stronger if I used my katana, but I don't." As for guys she hums a moment and then shrugs, "Some of them might. I think most of them would go for cuter girls, though."
And would you look at that! Finally to the ride, and with not much of a line to wait in, either. "Now this is going to be fun!"
"Un. It was valuable experience, he said, because unlike in kendo... I wouldn't always be fighting opponents with the same weapon. So training on how to defend against just that weapon was useless, especially such a weapon as the Japanese sword... one that isn't used around the world. So I fought people not only wielding other weapons but barehanded as well... Still, I'm only at the beginner's level. Sensei made that clear..."
As she climbs into the car, locking the harness over her shoulders, her voice changes to an imiation of a rough man's voice. "You gotta understand, kid. I taught you everythin' you'll need. But you won't ever attain the peak jus' by studyin'. You gotta get your own experience. So get out o' here, don't come back 'til ya learned really."
She shakes her head. "I thought he was joking at first but now I know he's right..."
Kaida nods, "You'll have a leg up on me as far as that goes then. I've only ever really practiced against other swordfighters." She moves in beside Kurenai and makes sure the safety equipment is on right and then sits back to talk while she waits for the ride to start. "Wow, that's pretty harsh. So he told you to go learn on your and not to come back just like that, huh? I guess he's either really confident of you or got sick of you, doing something like that."
"I don't know... I'm not sure what he was thinking," replies Kurenai, as the machine operators check everyone one last time. "Someday, I'll come back, though, and I'll challenge him. I'll fulfill his expectations... /my/ expectations... and I'll continue to move forward. That's the only path in front of us, isn't it, Kaida-san?" And then the time for talking is over--the ride starts up and, true to its name...
Kurenai starts screaming, a joyous, thrilled screaming that isn't going to end until the ride ends, because it is just -too- much fun, riding these rides. She might be a serious martial artist despite her weapon, but she's also still a child...
"Hm. Do your best and keep working hard and I'm sure you'll make him proud." Not knowing the man, Kaida can't really make any judgment calls herself on to what he could have been thinking, and she already made her two guesses. "Only path? I don't know about that. Maybe the only -good- path, though." She screams too during the ride, but mainly only during the extra exciting parts rather than yelling the whole way through nonstop.
unfortunately the ride's over all too soon! Kurenai, however, hops right off, looking spry and chipper despite the explosive mix of processed foods in her stomach. "Aahhahaha... that was really fun!" She pauses for a moment, then looks up at her companion.
"Kaida-san. Thank you for joining me on this... you didn't really have to come, and I know we don't know each other that well. Probably we'll clash blades more than once... but I want you to know..." She rushes off towards the rollercoaster, as they'd determined, but stops to turn and glance back. "I think we'll be good friends someday! And I'm looking forward to it!" And then she's off again, as hyperactive as can be.
Kaida steps out of the ride rather than hopping out, her primary reason being that she doesn't want to fall down after being spun around so much. Her balance isn't exactly destroyed, but she's not taking any chances. "Hehehehe... I always love that ride, no matter how many times I'm on it."
As she heads for the rollercoaster she's caught a bit off guard bye Kurenai yet again. "Ehh..? Why wouldn't I want to come? I came to the theme park to have fun, didn't I? It's almost always more fun to do something with someone else than doing it alone." Following behind Kurenai, and having to be quick about it, she adds, "I think you're right though. I think I could be great friends with someone like you."
Once again, Kurenai turns around, despite moving at a quicker clip; she smiles, a moment that is disarmed and genuine. "I'm glad to hear it. I--I don't really have many friends. I'd like to have at least a few." Well, to be honest, Kaida is the first person she's called 'friend', ever. She has a great depth of feeling for Yurika, but that relationship is much more complicated.
Then, face forward once again. "C'mon! The rides are waiting!" And the pinkhaired girl zooms off, giggling, despite the weapon, rushing off to be a little girl, at least for a while.
"Really? I find that kind of surprising. I'm not sure why someone wouldn't want to be your friend." So says someone who does, and thus obviously wouldn't get it. Oh well! Kaida gives a bit of a smile, "Fine, fine!" And then picks up the speed, hurrying along after Kurenai with quite a bit more speed than before, meaning she'll actually be able to keep up this time!
Log created on 19:15:26 02/15/2009 by Kurenai, and last modified on 00:11:59 02/16/2009.