Breakfast in Bugei. (Alida and open)

[alida]

Suishoku wanted to smack her head on the table with that answer. Everyone? Everyone!? Sure as hell he's going to piss people off to get them to be serious with him. "Crying out loud...poking dragons....bosses in mook clothing..." she grumbled while stirring her soup to a whirlpool before picking up the bowl and drinking it down in a long gulp. She did hear Jin stand up to confront Kamui and some other stuff have happened. By the time she set her bowl down, the sound of Kamui stomping away and waving after them just looked weird. "At least he cares to wave. That's a plus one." Turning her spoon upside down, she took a satisfied breatha dn clapped her hands together in thanks for a good meal. Guess breakfast is about over for them now, or so she assumed.

[Deleted]

Jin caught the glasses with ease, his hand highly-coordinated and his reflexes keen. There wouldn't even be a smudge on the lenses. Kamui decided to leave in a huff, or rather a 'Tch!'. This did not disturb the older boy, as when you get on his bad side...it's very unlikely that it was HIS fault. He began to lighten up a little as he actually returned the glasses to Akarui's face.

"Much better."

"At least he cares to wave. That's a plus one."

He understood that Shoku was trying to see the brighter side, but he had a few flaws. At least Akarui - regardless of clan - was not going to irritate people.

"A person like that should be denied rather than placated, at least a few times. Reminds them that the world isn't their personal pet or servant. Try not to hurt him too badly, would you Akarui? He would only learn to hate if you overdid it."

[xkxixaxbx]

Normally, Kamui would put up a fight until he won but somehow that did not seem likely to be the case. The kid actually gave up and just walked away as if nothing happened in the process. What was the reason for that so? No matter, at least he did not cause any problems because then that would have been a pain to deal with school staff. Actually, thinking about it, Kamui seemed to have become a bit soften ever since that time...unless, he was just playing along then it would not be good to keep one's guard down.

Akarui then took her glasses from Jin, "Thank you." As she putted on her glasses, Jin spoke, saying that she should "try not to hurt him too badly".

For a brief moment, Akarui paused...and giggled at the remark done by Jin "Heh, more like I have just spoiled him more. However, Kamui's acting like that because he felt threatened and jealous. Anyway, sorry for my tone earlier. I am Akarui Tachimukau, 2nd year, Tokugawa Faction, a pleasure to meet you Toyotomi Faction, 3rd year, Jin Kazuya." With that said, Akarui had already stretched her hand out to Jin as an appreciation of thanks.

[alida]

Suishoku remained seated after her meal was finished, it's nice to hear Aka-chan talk a lot more when not scolding someone along with Jin opening up more than prior on the roof top. In her mind, maybe those two could hit it off fairly well with Aka-chan acting more normal than her fit with Nobuyori. Checking the time, she calmly noted there being just enough time to anything else before returning to their upper floor classes.

"Heh, more like I have just spoiled him more. However, Kamui's acting like that because he felt threatened and jealous."

She chuckled a little, having the image of a scrappy dog with Kamui's face on it. Threatened and jealous huh? How very modest of Akarui yet spot on. Wonder if he'll act like that for every third year he meets. "thought he was more of the fighter type," she commented to no one in particular. She then raised a brow and looked at Akarui oddly for mentioning what faction she was a part of. Maybe it was just a family thing as Suishoku didn't recall either faction advertising publically.

[Deleted]

The fact that Kamui gave up on things too easily actually marked him in Jin's mind. He was already seeing patterns of action that, if he pushed one way and Kamui moved another, would be fairly easy to predict...which was never good in a serious situation. That was the boy's basic problem. Still, that was no longer an issue for the moment, and he nodded in acknowledgement of Akarui's thanks. Her laugh, however, struck him as a bit funny, since he was actually a bit serious when he saw the girl hit him before.

"Heh, more like I have just spoiled him more. However, Kamui's acting like that because he felt threatened and jealous. Anyway, sorry for my tone earlier. I am Akarui Tachimukau, 2nd year, Tokugawa Faction, a pleasure to meet you Toyotomi Faction, 3rd year, Jin Kazuya."

He took her offered hand in what he hoped was not coming on too stongly and gave it a polite shake. He even smiled.

"Thank you. If all our clan socials were this easy, I wouldn't have need of training or otherwise."

"thought he was more of the fighter type,"

He blinked, a bit confused for a moment, before realizing that Shoku meant Kamui. Hmmm...hard to say, really. He didn't seem like the sort who would obsfucate just to reserve himself for more serious moments, to put up a clever ruse of character just to keep people off-guard. He seemed more...impetuous and impulsive.

"I don't know about him... Perhaps he simply did not wish to cause a ruckus, despite the disapproval on his face."

[xkxixaxbx]

"thought he was more of the fighter type,"

"He is but since the upper management of the academy has put a tighter leash on him, he as to be careful or else he is going to be get more consequences than what he has gotten," said Akarui to Suishoku to make sure that she understood the jest of why Kamui has become a bit less of a rebel since the last time it happened was really a bad experience.

"I don't know about him... Perhaps he simply did not wish to cause a ruckus, despite the disapproval on his face."

"If only you knew," said Akarui as she seated herself down as something occurred to her as she wanted to go over with Jin.

Considering the incident that happened with the Student Council President, a Tokugawa faction member, and between a Toyotomi faction member, who started it, things seem to have been edgy with all the three factions, especially between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi. However, there were the non-affiliated students who may have no parts in it but the pressure was there and they could truly feel it. Not only that, even those who are part of the factions, that do not want to take part of what happened cannot seem to settle down calmly. ”Jin, I want to ask you…concerning that incident between the Tokugawa Student Council President and the Toyotomi student up spring…heard anything?” asked Akarui.

[alida]

"A tighter leash?" This certainly made a lot more sense now but what about the other times when Akarui wasn't around him? Or at least in two instances she could name off the top of her head. Folding her arms in thought, the one thing she can be more certain about is Kamui could have more about him when his leash deal isn't on the line. Hmm, hopefully I wasn't imagining things if Kamui has been nicer on his own. He may not need you to be his baby sitter after all....at least not more than sixty percent."


Toward's Jin's comment, she looked up at him with a more analyzing tint in her eyes before turning her focus to the table. "Then there would be a money shortage if that were to apply to the business world." Suishoku shrugged to Jin's comment of him and Akarui's peace talks being so 'easy'. Her family did support the current reigning faction but it's not as though they bend over backwards praising them as 'gods' but delving into family matters right now had zero to apply on in this meeting. It's not like Nobuyori's case where he has to maintain a family face where as these two looked to already have chosen their sides on their own accord.

As Akarui sat with them, rarely she did ever stick around, Suishoku smiled a little and remained seated to listen in. "Hope you don't mind, I am also curious about this since that public event. Usually the Student Council has been so quiet so I hope to know what is in the water."

(fill free to skip me if needed in the convo till I get back. I'll put in an exit post if you two finish before I get back.)

[Deleted]

"If only you knew,"

"I'd like to, if you'll tell me so. New info is always welcome."

Yyyup, that honorable military-esque mind was always thinking, considering, planning, and weighing in terms of how things are and how they should be done. He was strategizing his very life and commanding his future, basically. To Shoku's comment, he merely nodded. Business was hardly an easy thing. It didn't play by the very rules it was given, all thanks you sickening greed. Jin loved his work, though, because it was so blatently honest and normal that it couldnt' be perverted so. Now, however, Akarui held a question. Actually, they both had one, in a way. A very important one.

”Jin, I want to ask you…concerning that incident between the Tokugawa Student Council President and the Toyotomi student up spring…heard anything?”

"Hope you don't mind, I am also curious about this since that public event. Usually the Student Council has been so quiet so I hope to know what is in the water."

Glancing at Shoku, he gave another nod, simply saying...

"Feel free to chime in anything that comes to mind. I don't curb tongues for talking sense."

...before pressing his fingers together as he leaned elbows on the table to speak plainly with Akarui. That situation had been both bold and violent in a way that only politicians can perform. The attack had been to the mind and to the fear, not to the blood and the body. The spirit was the target. He didn't like to deal in those damages.

"I haven't heard anything exactly about it. I know what happened there and I have my thoughts about it. A strike was dealt to the Tokugawa and it was addressed by the President to re-assert control of a crisis, to show that he is taking action. It's a move he had to take for his own good, which is why Akiyama came himself. He moved to attack the credibility of his opponent, a bold but opportunistic strategy which exposes him to a great deal of danger where the Shinsengumi are concerned, should he be the one responsible."

They all knew what those people were like. They don't care WHO is responsible for the injustice. Their creed is to find out and kill that person, swiftly and without mercy. And yet...

"The truth is, unless someone here has more than supposition on who did it, it could be the doing of any person with the agenda of creating very-predictable unrest. Or it could be either of those men and that they are very good at pushing opinion in either direction. What we need are facts, and if the Shinsengumi are on the hunt, facts will be found and someone's blood will be spilled before the word even gets out who did it and why."

So no, he hadn't heard anything special. He could just see the patterns of how deceptions and gambits might turn one way or the other. Akarui's clan could have done this to push blame on the Toyotomi. Or they could have done this to spite the Tokugawa AND to throw suspicion on them to bluff those who would punish dearly to inflict the damage upon the victim as well. Or equally, someone could want both sides to hurt badly and create more trouble along the way. In any case, it made him want to figure it out. He looked at the other two, wondering...

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

[xkxixaxbx]

Hmm, hopefully I wasn't imagining things if Kamui has been nicer on his own. He may not need you to be his baby sitter after all....at least not more than sixty percent."

”I hope not more than 80% percent since I am already doing 30% at the academy and 50% at the dorms,” said Akarui with a sigh.

"I'd like to, if you'll tell me so. New info is always welcome."

”Heh, then feel free to do so by coming in contact with the kid…” said Akarui to Jin with a grin.

As Jin spoke, Akarui listened in. What he said actually hit on what she has been processing since that incident but it looks like things have escalated behind most of their backs. Even though there may be eyes watching from afar, a majority of everyone is trying to stay neutral – safe to be exact. However, staying safe no longer seems to be the case…for it has started to become where if you are not on either side your dead. Scary moments at a time like this, aside with the Shisengumi and all, but now it seems that things have just riled up more people.

Sighing, Akarui ran her hand through her long hair with frustration as she said, ”I am also on the same boat here. However, what worries me the most is that obviously, most of us, we, do not want to be part of any quarrels even though it may end with bloodshed if one does not aid either side. Despite whether you're labeled part of a faction or not...”

[alida]

Suishoku stretched for moment while listening to Jin speak and then Aka-chan. Both of them seem more on the ball of what's going on than herself who just about forgot what the student president even looked like if the obvious signs of guards or a swarm of people asking for his advice on stuff weren't around. Aka-chan is right about what herself and most of the other neautrals are doing to stay out of it in some way or another. Course, anyone neautral never stays that way for long. Once Aka-chan brought up the part of eventually being labled, she wondered briefly on what side she would most likely ended up being associated with.

"Would need more staged shows to draw people in. I think the last one pretty much scared people to maybe leaning toward the challenger's side due to the imposing harsh suggestion to get the school to shape up properly. But isn't that something more for the school and the Castle to enforce to turn everyone into hard core Marines or something? Though, I feel as though the speech was to add more pressure to the people with items than the combatants who put real work into being here."

Looking around the cafeteria, Suishoku hummed to herself and held her chin briefly at a wild thought before returning her full attention to Jin and Akarui. "Wild idea but I wouldn't be surprised there is a secret police or something thanks to the President's right hand's movement display. As much as I don't want to find out what the Shinsengumi really are here for, I honestly would like to see both sides on the move again. You don't hear much about Akiyama if the main talk is the President's scare tact."

[Deleted]

He listened to them both speak, closing his eyes for a second as he put their opinions on...what could be called the battlefield of the mind. To know their positions is to know how to respond and to find the way to get them to his line of thinking. Akarui was right in assuming that many people would not want to be involved because of how exposed and open it makes them look. However, Shoku seemed to prefer that somebody do something rather than this endless dancing around, even though she found the prospect of the Shinsengumi around to be troubling. It didn't seem as though either would be unwilling to undertake this. Good. He opened his eyes once again, looking very sharp in expression.

"If we are truly concerned, I think that we should set an example and try to discover the truth of things ourselves. In the eyes of others, it won't matter what they think, because it is simply the right thing to do. We should discover who is the cause of what, and who is manipulating who...and why, no matter what the answer actually is. They cannot fault us for getting down to the heart of the matter. However..."

And now, he spared them both a glance of understanding.

"I would not ask anyone unwilling to follow me into this. I feel it should be done, and I'm going to do it. If you two, or anyone that would be want to, believe as well, then I would be glad to have the company."

Yeah, Jin just went into serious mode on this. What do you say?

[xkxixaxbx]

After having given full attention to this matter that they were talking about, Akarui could not help but give a devilish smile. Straightening up herself on the cafeteria’s seat, Akarui crossed her arms. Giving an adventurous look, it turned serious for a moment, and then changed to her normal self.

”Jin, you are really interesting. I’ll be honest here; I’ve been doing a little research – dig up, and let’s just say that everything is well blocked off to the students, even those who have a higher access over the others. As an informant, I was surprised at how many locks and pass was there – security was tight to the point where I could not access anything. Therefore, I came up with not much online information but if we were to do it the traditional way, asking around, it still works,” said Akarui.

So, she was in – already were that is. Despite how tight it was to get information, it should not have been too hard, as being an informant, you are allowed to be granted pass to almost any information that you require. However, after encountering what she had encountered, it could only mean that there was something being hidden from them all and only the Student Council know what that is along with the school staff - maybe…

[alida]

Eh? Suishoku restrained herself from a sharp cough. Worse yet, he was serious about it. Herself and the words 'setting an example' didn't go well since her first year and now it just has to be this. Unfortunately, Suishoku caught that devilish smile on Akarui's face, her being the first to give their answer to Jin's request. Aka-chan really is that geared for it? The second year wondered about her friend while she herself wasn't all too keen on the idea. Won't that draw attention? But, hold a moment, the Student President hasn't done anything yet and with both sides being quiet, maybe it is safe to think some investigation work may help. If they did somehow catch wind of some people snooping around then it may also be safe they would be left alone for awhile. As Akarui side, most of the net information is off limits. Who is left to ask?
Scratching her head at the issue, she finally let out a groan and nodded in agreement. She may as well be involved now for just being here.

"I'm just not all keen with the traditional way. It's like leaving a paper trail if who we ask has some good connections once we part ways with them. There may be...one or two off the top of my head I could ask but once we do find the answer, then what?"

Suishoku remained skeptical, even after somewhat agreeing with Jin and Akarui. She didn't want to say it out loud but who would be manipulating who? It could be just two people playing chess and being that damn good about it only last time, the challenger took a bolder move than a simple pawn forward. It would be somewhat of a shame if Akiyama was just a pawn but in the end, all they needed was more truth though move of it is too soon on their investigation plans.

[Deleted]

He first nodded at their assertions into the cause, their concerns. He knew that this was not an easy thing, nor was it safe and secure...but enough people were so fixated on their personal safety that they were overlooking the important thing: That they may not be safe at all. There were times when the gambit must have a calculated risk in order to be all the more useful in the end.

"I understand that this is a risky thing, Shoku. We need not fear the Shinsengumi on the matter because we would, inevitably, be helping them. In fact, if anyone else starts to have funny ideas about the questions we ask, it might be better to have them observing us so that one might think twice about an unwarranted move."

Dayum, but when Jin got into a seriously strategic mode, he went all out. He was already plotting against plotters unseen that he expected in the course of battle using allies he hadn't secured merely by guessing the way in which they would react to something. He was mapping out human reaction.

"I think that more traditional methods of seeking information should be done, because everything else - everyone else - is already in the shadows. That avenue is well overdone. And as to what we do with the information? I suppose that depends on who is responsible for what. In the end, we may yet allow the Shinsengumi find their evil and eliminate it, because I am not convinced of the simplicity of this two-sided debate."

They would have to decide soon. Breakfast was almost over. At least, if nothing else, he had made the better acquaintance of someone from another clan, and such an understanding between two people would be beneficial in the long run.

[npc]

(OOC: should anyone decide to hack the school or government computers to find out information please contact the admin on messenger or PM and we can discuss it. ty. goodbye)