Showdown at Sunset

[beforethedarkness]

Who: Sasuke Uchiha (beforethedarkness), Bowser (kingbowser), Lightning Farron (soggypastry), Obito Uchiha (itsjustdust), Tenten (usedswift), "Evan" (Riku Replica) (falseshore), Ren Jinguji (saxsongs), Hope Estheim (eagletalons), and anyone else who happens to be in Olivine City at the time
Where: Olivine City, near the gym
When: March 15th, early evening
Summary: Being in hiding doesn't stop Sasuke from going out to try and get his third badge, but on the way back home he's interrupted by an unwelcome surprise visitor.
Rating: PG
Log:

That was an easier battle than he had expected; although Getsukage was still weak from the bout, but Hiruzen and Senshi still did amazingly well. Obito, Evan, and Tenten had insisted on joining him, and it was hard to turn them away -- especially when Lightning thought that the additional company and protection was a good idea. Sasuke couldn't win against the argument, so all three of them ended up spectating for Sasuke's battle.

Still, something felt unsettling as he began to walk back, and in an attempt to not think about it he kept his eyes focused on the badge in his left palm, walking back towards the house alongside the others and no longer paying close attention to his surroundings. Unfortunately, that lack of attention paid was going to bet the start of a rather untimely event.

Comments

[beforethedarkness]

He didn't answer, not looking at Obito and instead just slipping forward and into the main area to sit. He was just exhausted, both mentally and physically, but he had to make sure that Lightning at least got home all right, since she was the last one out there...

[itsjustdust]

He sighed, then just moved to look out the window. He'd watch for Lightning then, let Sasuke sit on what he said.

[usedswift]

As soon as Obito had moved, Tenten shot another glare at his back before moving in close to take a seat near Sasuke himself. "Hey. How're your injuries?"

[beforethedarkness]

"I've had worse," He muttered a little, breathing out a heavy sigh before he raised his good arm to cover his stomach a little, "I'll be okay."

At least that wasn't making him feel physically dizzy or sick anymore... No, at about that time his nerves were doing a good enough job of that.

[usedswift]

"Don't worry. I got the thing that punched you with a knife to the eye," she offered by way of reassurance, a hand moving as if she might touch her shoulder before just clasping them both in front of her. "Sorry I couldn't back you up more."

[beforethedarkness]

"... We heard. There's a warrant out for you now because of it. The police almost thought it was us at the center," Sasuke breathed, though it wasn't chastisement so much as it was a warning for Tenten. The last thing they needed was to have her get arrested then...

[usedswift]

"What?!" She froze and stared at him, eyes hardening. "Wait, how does him attacking us turn into a warrant for me stabbing one of his rampaging monsters?!"

[beforethedarkness]

"Because you used an illegal weapon. It doesn't matter what the reason is -- even if it was to defend yourself, they don't care here."

[usedswift]

"That doesn't make any sense! How are we the bad guys in this?!"

[itsjustdust]

"The same way that we'll probably get a lecture. Because people here don't make sense, and think their way is the only way. I'm sorry you lost the blade, though, it was a wonderful throw."

[eagletalons]

Oh kids, do you think you're off the hook just because you don't think Hope can hear you? Because he totally can, having arrived with Sasuke and has been in the room ever since. "Every action has an opposite reaction, and this is the reaction you get for breaking the rules. You're forgetting that you're not home, and there's absolutely nothing in this world that's similar to yours."

Pushes himself off the wall to stand up properly, towering over everyone in the room. Acting as the alpha is something he hasn't done since arriving, having relinquished it to Lightning as he's always done, but he just cant let this one go.

"Bowser was in the wrong for attacking someone directly, but in the eyes of the law here, you are as well for having a weapon-- I wont begrudge you for having illegal weapons on you for self-defense, as I have one too, but your actions right now are totally unacceptable."

[itsjustdust]

"Nothing? This world has a great many things similar to ours actually. I know the rules here are strict on the matter of weapons and violence, but what right do you have to say what is or isn't unacceptable? We're not children."

He padded away from where he'd been standing, planting himself firmly between Hope and his genin. "We're trained shinobi. We are those that civilians come to for their protection, and our country relies upon for intelligence and war. We are young, yeah, but what place do you have to treat us like we're civilian brats who were never taught tactics or how to think?"

[usedswift]

"Breaking the rules. Protecting a comrade is breaking the rules?!"

Tenten wasn't about to take that sitting down either, lunging to her feet, even as she stayed near Sasuke. "Do you want me to apologize for not letting one of his monsters punch my razorbird out of the sky? I'd like to see you survive having a hundred pounds of sharpened steel falling on you! If that's not self-defense, I don't know what is!"

[beforethedarkness]

Oddly enough, Sasuke was remaining silent and just listening to the conversation. Whether he was actually listening or dwelling in his own thoughts was debatable, but it seemed like he had no intention of ganging up on Hope on top of what Obito and Tenten were already trying to do.

That likely wasn't going to change any time soon, either.

[[OoC: In other words, free to thread without me for a while.]]

[soggypastry]

Before Hope can reply, the front door clicks open and shut. In their moments of distraction caused by arguing over a weapon, Lightning had returned to the house, stalking across sand and wooden floors alike like some big cat on the hunt. She's smoke-stained and clearly not happy, long strides eating the ground until she's standing in front of the waiting group and casting a glance around. Hope gets the longest look and a nod--don't worry she's fine---but then she turns her attention to the ninja kids milling about the front room. Her eyes narrow at the state they're in--smoke stained and tired--but the anger doesn't fade. If anything, it just gets colder.

"So. Does anyone want to explain why none of you ran the second you saw Bowser, or either time I told you to go?"

She crosses her arms over her chest, shifting her weight onto her back foot while she waits for someone, anyone, to answer. Something tells her she's not going to like this.

[post order Tenten > Obito > Sasuke > Evan > Hope > Lightning.]

[usedswift]

Her relief at seeing the older woman return relatively unharmed was palpable, but short-lived when she realized that she was under fire yet again. First Obito, then Hope-san, and now Lightning-san, too? Why didn't anyone understand that she hadn't done anything wrong?

"The second we saw Bowser, we did," she pointed out, jutting her chin defiantly, hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Then you guys charged in, and you expected us to do anything but reinforce you?"

[itsjustdust]

Obito didn't even glance at Tenten, instead shifting on her feet to put the girl more firmly behind him as he looked at Lightning. "You say that like it wasn't attempted, in spite of the fact that he would have followed us. We're not idiots, and we do know how to handle being at risk from a higher level opponent. Yelling at us to run in the middle of battle didn't help anything at all, and just made a tactical retreat, if anything, harder."

[falseshore]

[Rep wanders into the room just after Lightning comes in. He'd been taking the chance being home to lay down, but was attracted by the yelling. His entrance is a lot quieter, though, as he's trying to figure out what exactly is going on now.]

[eagletalons]

Hope waves Evan in, but doesn't round on the boy. Not yet anyway. He still doesn't know Evan's contribution to this whole fiasco, and reserves his mouth until he knows.

"Sasuke risked his Pokémon to create a smokescreen and yet you still did not use that to your advantage? No one would have been able to see through a Smokescreen move unless they have Pokémon with special abilities such as a Luxray."

But he's not done yet. Not at all. In fact, given enough time, Hope's temper may just get worse-- which startles even himself, considering he hasn't been like this since he was younger. Hope takes a deep breath before continuing.

"I repeat, this is not your home world. The rules are different here-- which means you cant do anything you would have done at home. None of us can, so don't think it's only you who are being backed into a corner by these rules."

[soggypastry]

While Evan's entrance doesn't do much more than earn him a glance from Lightning, the anger in Tenten and Obito's voices makes her raise a brow. They want to pull that card? Okay, fine. They can pull that card.

"What I was expecting you to do was listen and take advantage of a distraction while it was still there." She raises a hand, ticking things off on her fingers as she continues.

"You had cover with that smoke. From the sounds they made, none of Bowser's team were Pokémon with the ability to see through it and neither he nor they could have followed you away. You had backup, and I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the Pokémon that Hope and I have are both higher leveled than the majority of yours. We've both been here long enough that we don't need to be reinforced, Tenten." She lowers her hand, recrossing her arms.

"I don't know what kind of training you've all had on your world, but around here? None of it counts. Not your training, or what Hope and I have had. Attacking other trainers or their Pokémon yourself only earns you a warrant out for your arrest, and Bowser has the whole of Team Rocket behind him if he wants to hide and wait it out. All you three have in this mess is this house and the two of us. The faster you understand that, the better."

It's not a threat, but cold hard statement of fact. She won't kick anyone out, but they need to understand the stakes here. Need to understand that this isn't their home world where throwing weapons into eyes is a valid and actually good idea.

[usedswift]

Excuse you, Obito. Not that she doesn't appreciate the support, but she can stand up for herself. A step forward to stand beside him, not about to cower behind someone of allegedly higher rank.

"With all due respect, neither've of you are listening." She's trying to keep her voice steady, but the tone and volume kept increasing until she was nearly shouting by the end. "We were using the Smokescreen until you lot showed up! Are you trying to say that we're useless? We were attacked first! And if I hadn't thrown that knife, a hundred pounds of razorbird would've fallen on me and Obito-kun here. Would you rather that, Hope-san, Lightning-san? Huh?!"

[itsjustdust]

Obito reached out and touched Tenten's arm, a staying gesture as his demeanor, which had been angry before, yes, but hot anger, rapidly cooled to a veneer of ice. His tone was entirely controlled. "They're not listening Tenten. It doesn't matter what happened, and they're not going to ask for any kind of report before they assume their facts are the right ones."

Obito never looked away from Lightning, his eyes hard and unreadable, not a hint of friendliness in them. "If we're still welcome to stay here until the warrant is expired, I believe we're finished, and me and mine will take our leave of the conversation."

[beforethedarkness]

He knew it.

The words were like a knife twisting in his gut, and his fingers tightened in his shirt to the point where it made his arm shake. He wasn't needed then at all -- he was too weak. Even though Hope had said it before, it just seemed to hurt so much more when it came from Lightning. His training and effort meant nothing at all, even after all this time.

He just kept his head bowed, listening quietly for nothing more than the signal to leave, otherwise losing himself in his own emotions behind that completely cold face of his.

[falseshore]

As a somewhat passive participant in the battle, and someone who had fled when most of his Pokémon couldn't stand up to the higher-level attacks, some of what was being described was news to him. And while he does agree with what Lightning and Hope said, he agrees with the ninja trio slightly more.

"So what would we do if something happened to one of you two? If the reinforcements failed and we had to face Bowser's team anyway?"

[eagletalons]

"You think we would have failed that easily?" For that, Evan gets a frown.

"Being here for years, we know how this world works. Like Lightning said, we know this world and have prepared for it better than anyone else in this house. And neither Lightning nor I aren't such civilians," he remembers those words, kids. He knows, "that we don't know how to defend ourselves. throwing knives or fighting Bowser isn't the problem.

"The problem right here, right now, is your attitude. How do you expect me to agree with you when logically, your thoughts and actions make no sense? Hypothetically, if you were to go to the police and argue your case against Bowser, they would take all of you to jail anyway-- belligerence gets you nowhere. Stop and think of your actions as if you were a spectator or even the police, watching someone throw a knife at another in such a public place, even if the latter began the fight. I know I wouldn't want all of those people to roam around if I were the third party."