[takeda sadako]

KILLING YOUR IDOLS IS A CHORE

Kuwana sucked shit. She looked sixteen at least, was way more mature than half the actual sixteen year olds who were roaming around, and yet she wasn’t allowed to try even one drink. It wasn’t something she’d ever been interested in before—her aunt was pretty chill about most things, and had offered her a glass of wine once or twice, but Sadako had declined once she found out how much sugar went into that shit—but now that she was formally being denied, it wouldn’t leave her mind. She left their quarters, blowing off her sensei’s question of where she was going with a wave of her hand and a curt, ’training.’ She didn’t mean to lie. She really had been on her way to the training facilities. But—it was kind of late, and one of the bars she passed by on her way to the gym was loud and lively. Sadako paused, staring at the establishment from across the street, her brow creasing into a frown. A geeky-looking kid—probably at least sixteen, if she had to guess—with orange hair and a stupid jacket walked down the road in front of her. "Hey, you,” she said, reaching out to get his attention. Her other hand was shoved into her own jacket pocket, and she glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to her. She pulled out a fistful of cash, and held it out to him. "Go buy me a drink. Nothing with sugar, got it?” That this was a wholly unreasonable demand to make of a complete stranger didn’t seem to cross her mind.

Kyuumu Suzaku -- 266

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

Suzaku had snuck out, the young boy almost looking like he was trying too shrink as he wandered around the city, constantly looking over his shoulder in the most conspicuous way possible. The orange haired boy wasn't used too this, this type of outright defiance, this rebelliousness. Being a ne'er-do-well. Even when he'd "rebelled" according to his parents by being able to appreciate their majesty and beauty, he'd never neglected his duties, as the two crows flying just above the boy showed. But something managed to make today harder to withstand than an entire day of his mom's micro-nagging, and that was Sora-sensei's very overt lecturing.

The shaggy haired boy's eyes almost glazed over in the middle of the city, thinking of having to withstand another day of Sora-sensei going on about how careless their team was for not coming fully prepared. The boy was honestly expecting a presentation at some point from his four armed teacher. So, he'd snuck out. But now, in the middle of the city, unsure of exactly where he was and unsure if Sora-sensei was tracking him down at this very moment, the boy was starting to get nervous. Or, at least more nervous than usual. And so here the boy was, just trying not to get an ADDITIONAL lecture on top of the lecture he was trying to avoid. When he ended up outside a building that really stood out from the others.

The first thing he noticed was the noise, he could tell just how busy it was even from out here. The chuunin exams were a special occasion after all. The second thing he noticed were the lights, the entire building was lit up, the boy flooded with light. And each and every light was flickering semi-rapidly, the squinting boy already starting too get a headache. Of course, for everyone else the lights would be fine bright and normal, but the crow eyed genin's brain processed movement far faster, and a place like this was all but torture with how each light flickered at a different time. A place of indulgence? We must enter right away. All you will think on in death is what you have indulged. The two birds chittered on his shoulder, only he able to understand their hedonism from regular cawing, as the young boy rubbed his forehead. My head hurts way too much for your guys debauchery right now... Thankfully there would be something to distract him from the lights and bozos accompanying him, as a hand reached out as he was about to continue on his way.

The jacket wearing boy turned at the hey you, visible confusion on his face. Huh? At first he'd thought it was Sora-sensei, having found him finally. But instead he'd find himself looking at a girl, one far taller and more muscular than the small boy. The blush on his face would be almost immediate, looking up at her black hair flowing down her face. Y-Yeah? Do you, uhh, n-need something?... The boy was once again visibly nervous, just for a different reason now. And then cash was jammed into his chest, along with her telling him to buy her a sugary-free drink. M-Me? I-I mean, uhh, y-yeah! OK! Sure, no problem! The very inexperienced boy started excitedly agreeing to buying her a drink, as the two devils on his shoulders pitched in. You really trust a female, especially one dressed like that? Perhaps she is blind or dumb, she is asking him after all. Or perhaps both. Suzaku immediately shooed the two off his shoulder, pushing them away. Shut up and go eat street garbage or something. The two crows cried indignantly at the shove off, before flying off, with only one last cry before leaving. Do not forget to buy the sweet indulgence!!

As Suzaku entered the bustling building he wasn't sure what he wanted to cover first, his ears or his eyes, the noise far louder and lights far brighter than they'd been outside. And each and every one of them flickered, on-off with what felt like a full two seconds between each interval for the suffering young boy. Luckily, he did have a response, and pulled out a pair of Kumogakure-Grade-Sunglasses™, guranteed to block the Sun from atop the clouds!™ And he was filled with relief as he put them on, the strobe light show coming to an end as all the lights around him were dimmed to near night levels. And his vision let him see fine in the night. Which meant now, he could focus on important things, like the girl that'd asked him for a drink. And why! I've never had a pretty girl ask me a favor before, especially to buy a drink. That means...THIS IS A DATE!! SHE MUST LIKE ME! The boy was suddenly yelling so caught up in his excitement, and even in such a loud place it got him a few looks, smiles of endearment for a boys first romance. Not knowing the real situation. It'd take a while given the business, but eventually he'd get to the bar too place an order. I'll have two...umm...She said something with no sugar...Oh! Juice doesn't have any added sugar right? I'll have two juices please! And satisfied with his order, and it never occurring to the innocent boy to get something stronger, he'd head back out and give the girl her drink, sticking around as he waited for her to take a sip. S-So...You're from Ame right? The boy still had his shades on outside, hiding his eyes observing the girl, trying to make casual conversation. When the girl would take a sip he'd finally reveal what he'd gotten. I think it's apple juice, I just said juice but it looks like apple juice.

[takeda sadako]

KILLING YOUR IDOLS IS A CHORE

Nice. The stupid kid blushed as soon as she talked to him, which was a rush of power that went right to her head, and he was eager to scamper off with her money to do her bidding. Sadako could get used to this. The birds were weird, cawing and chattering as they abruptly flew off, but whatever. She was getting what she wanted. THIS IS A DATE!! SHE MUST LIKE ME! Sadako heard faintly from the din inside the bar. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Maybe this had been a mistake. …a feeling which only became more cemented as the minutes ticked by, and the boy didn’t come out of the bar. What was taking him so long? Just as Sadako was about to throw her hands up and leave, accepting her money as lost, the kid came back out, two cups in hand. Sadako took hers with an upnod—not a thank you in earshot—and lifted it to her lips. S-so… you’re from Ame, right? Sadako grunted an affirmative, tapping the hitai-ate she wore loosely around her neck. She gave him a quick up and down and replied, "Kumo?” before taking a sip of her forbidden beverage. There was a brief moment of cognitive delay that resulted in true, genuine joy, when the sweetness of the juice first hit her tongue—a flavor she hadn’t had in years, that she’d nearly forgotten the taste of entirely, that brought memories rushing back of a childhood that she’d fought for years to lock firmly away. Sadako very nearly smiled. I think it’s apple juice— Her brain caught up, and before she had the chance to swallow, she spat the juice out on the ground. Without quite realizing what she was doing, her grip went white-knuckled, and the glass shattered in her hand, sending juice and shards flying over the sidewalk. Curious heads turned to see what was going on, but Sadako hardly realized anyone else was there. "Are you a fucking moron?” she hissed, wiping her sticky hand on the fabric of her leggings, apparently oblivious to the fact that tiny shards of glass were lacerating her skin with the movement. "Fruit juice is all sugar, asswipe!”

Kyuumu Suzaku -- 366

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

Suzaku felt like he was walking on air, a bounce in his step as he returned with the drinks. He'd never had a girl show interest him before! Though what should talk about, did they have anything in common, what if this was serious true love? She wasn't from Kumo, that much was clear, so what would happen? Would they become star-crossed soulmates, forced to give up on love for their country? The very inexperienced boys mind raced a mile a minute, playing what felt like every scenario in his head that could lead from being demanded to grab drinks by a stranger. But his wild imagination did bear some fruit as he realized there was one easy enough topic to talk about, the reason they were both here, the Chuunin Exams. But first he had to return to her with the drinks! Thankfully while the wait to get the drinks had been long, exiting the bar would be far easier, and soon the boy would be approaching the stern looking girl. The annoyance on her face would be palatable to most, but the boys sunglasses might as well be rose tinted for how he was seeing the situation he was in, and all he could see was the gratefulness the girl would show for him getting her something so sweet tasting before the match. And when she would thankless l'y grab the drink, all she'd see is the young boys big, dumb, goofy grin and sunglasses.

And it'd only get bigger as the girl revealed her hitai-ate to the boy, hanging around her neck. Oh! Looks like we have similiar tastes! And he'd pull down his jacket collar, revealing his own hitai-ate that'd been hidden beneath it. Yeah. It's a lot different from here...I can't wait go back honestly... While the boys eyes were still hidden beneath his shades, the tone from his voice made it very clear just how little he thought of the Land of Earth. But he'd soon perk up once more. My names Suzaku by the way. The young boy was excited, excited about this date, and excited that he might've somehow found the one nice thing about being here. And as the taller girl took a drink, he thought that it'd be the beginning of something. And he was right, he just hadn't realized it'd be the beginning of a horror show.

Shattered glass was an interesting thing to watch, at least for the keen-eyed boy. He could see the glass crack, the foundations of the crystal slowly breaking as the shocked girl squeezed harder and harder, he could see each and every tension point. And he could see them give as the glass finally shattered, each piece flying in different directions, too many pieces for even his brain to count, thousands ofdifferent sized, different shaped shards flying about. And he could see their arc, where they were flying, see them fly towards the girl who'd shattered the cup, juice slowly dripping down her hand. It was mosaic, like a painting, so much happening in one moment that there was almost beauty to it. But this moment would only fill the young boy with horror. A-Are you okay?! A dumb question. He'd seen the glass fly into her hand, he knew very well how the girl was doing. W-Why would...W-What happened...W-Was something... He couldn't finish any of the questions racing through his mind, ironically unable to process all the information. He was in full panic mode, and it showed sunglasses or no. And as the girl finally revealed the problem, he was even more panicked. He'd done this. I-I didn't... I thought...I-I-I.... He was repeating himself, his voice cracking more and more. It was quite clear he was close to tears at this point, completely overwhelmed at what he'd done while at the same time not fully understanding just what he'd done.

[takeda sadako]

KILLING YOUR IDOLS IS A CHORE

Sadako’s fury was as white-hot as it was wildly disproportionate. What little sense she still possessed bid her to keep her voice down to avoid causing even more a scene—the fear in the back of her mind that she would be disqualified if she raised too much of a fuss in a public space. But she stepped up into Suzaku’s space, jabbing one sticky finger into his chest as she glowered at him. "You didn’t think,” Sadako snarled. "You didn’t think because you don’t have a single fucking brain cell in that stupid-ass head of yours powerful enough to string a cohesive thought together. I told you to do something so basic that a literal infant could have done it without issue, and you failed, because you’re stupid. You’re trying to be a chuunin with that dipshit brain of yours? That’s fucking hilarious. If this is the competition I’m up against then Lord Fifth better just hand me a promotion right now because I’m gonna wipe the floor with the tissue paper inside your skull, you useless god damn moron.” Nostrils flaring, chest heaving, Sadako reached out to snatch the sunglasses from Suzaku's whimpering, pathetic face, and crushed them in her sticky, lacerated fist. "Well?” she demanded. "What do you have to say for yourself?”

Kyuumu Suzaku -- 204

LAIKA OF THQ

[Kyuumu Suzaku]

While the infuriated girl might be trying to actively avoid a thing, there was no such thought going through the orange haired boys mind, no such concern, as the only thing he could even think of was how the pretty girl from before was now screaming at him. The boy didn't know what he'd done wrong, why she was screaming at him the way she was. Hadn't he done what she'd wanted, gotten her a drink? W-What did...What was...Why are you.... But he couldn't finish any of these thoughts, no words could come out of his mouth. The young boy was speechless, and the girl unrelenting in her dressing down of the boy, leaving no room for protest or interruption. The water in his eyes grew deeper, hidden behind the tinted shades, as it became clearer from his face that he was one push away from crying. Then she grabbed the boys sunglasses.

WAIT NO- He reached out in panic, his shout ruining the girls efforts to keep this a quiet affair. And the angry girl would see something herself, the boys eyes. They were human, yet inhuman. His pupils too perfectly round, swimming in amber, like a bird ever watching it's surroundings. Except this boys eyes were focused on one thing, his sunglasses being crushed being crushed between the girls hands. At first a whimper would be his only answer to her demand for an apology, an explanation, as she demanded just what he had to say for himself. Until he looked up at the light.

Kumogakure made very strong sunglasses, as was natural given how high up they were and how much the sun shined down on them. Which was great for the young boy, as it meant artificial lights were no more than a mere sidethought compared to the usual headache they were. But now the boys eyes were adjusted to the dark, not light, and the thing keeping it that way was gone. They were blinding, the lights as they hit his eyes, completely and utterly blinding. There was no night sky, no angry girl anymore, just a void of white. Then half of the whiteness disappeared, replaced with a blurry building and blackness of the night. And then the sides switched, blinking repeatedly, no respire from the blinding, his eyes unable to adjust as they switched between night and light. The girl would see him looking at the lights for only a minute, but for him it was like an eternity of torture, the pain in his head getting worse and worse with each blink until he finally burst. AHHH!!!

The boys head felt like it was going to explode, his eyes felt like they were going to explode, the girl was still there enraged at him. And he simply became overwhelmed, curling up in a ball in the middle of the street outside the bar, sobs escaping as he his his head in his knees away from the light. imsorryimsorryimsorryimsorry....

[takeda sadako]

KILLING YOUR IDOLS IS A CHORE

Her efforts to avoid causing a scene were for naught, because Suzaku started screaming and crying, sinking to his knees on the street, head in hands, apologizing in a litany so desperate that it made Sadako feel like she was going to throw up. She felt sick. Sour. Like she’d chugged a gallon of milk and eaten a lemon and now her stomach was curdling, chunky and thick and wrong. "Stop,” she said. Her voice sounded faint, far away. "Hey, quit it…” If he could even hear her. He seemed lost to the world around him. Ruined. Sadako stood there, stock-still, paralyzed. "It’s your fault,” she spat, and she ran. She flew through the streets of Kuwana, sandals pounding against gravel and dirt, forcing the tears welling up in her eyes back and down and away through sheer force of will. She wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to cry. Sensei greeted her when she returned with a bewildered expression, but she ignored them and fled to the dojo where she tore apart half a dozen training dummies before she finally worked enough of the adrenaline out of her system to sleep. When she finally got back to her room, she locked the door and buried herself under layers of blankets, blocking out even the faint trickle of moonlight that shone through her window. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced the image of Suzaku’s wet orange eyes from her mind. [exit.]

Kyuumu Suzaku -- 242

LAIKA OF THQ