Confident Strides (open)

[Rina Vade]

Raven hair billowed out, shimmering like dark water under the bright, hot, mid-day sun. Veridian eyes scanned the lush, green grass almost lazily, watching the antics of all around her. Some of the teens were playing games or other kinds of sports, some were chatting in large groups, and some were sitting or standing alone.

The dark-featured girl with strikingly pale skin walked with a strong, confident stride, though she wasn't aware of how she walked in such confidence. It was natural for her, since she was raised to be strong.

But her steps did not swagger as if she though herself to be better than anyone else. Oh no, not at all. She knew she wasn't higher up on any rankings than most of the freshmen here. No...her stride revealed her years of experience and knowledge. She may be new here, but she wasn't going to be taken advantage of, nor bow down to any of the seniors.

Rina's stride did not falter as she passed by a small group of chattering girls, all of them with bright, blond hair and fluttering lashes and green eyes.

The girls seemed to pause as she walked by, but she paid them no mind and continued on her way towards the bleachers. Beneath the shadow of the metal seats lay a plastic box full of sports equipment. Her blue eyes were locked on that box as she passed by.

The girls noticed this; that she wasn't any threat to them, and began their loud conversation once more.

[Deleted]

Time for more clichés! Kiyoshi, gang leader/bad boy extraordinaire, was just sitting around and chilling atop the metal bleachers. A cigarette was dwindling down as it hung from the corner of his mouth, plumes of smoke wafting skyward. He was fading in and out of sleep to the white noise of the rest of the students that were scattered around, a dangerous proposition for someone like him however… he didn’t care. Yes, beyond his skill and wherever it might rank him amongst the student body was the fact that he had an uncaring arrogance about it all, which could be a draw for some and a bother for others.

It was only when the clucking hens halted their incessant chattering that Kiyoshi had any movement at all, tilting his head down to stare at whatever shut them up. A small devilish smirk crossed his features at the sight of the rather pale little girl crossing the field like she was on a mission. Oh wasn’t that just the cutest thing ever. He waited until she neared hear target, which seemed to be a box underneath the same bleachers he sat atop of… ain’t that convenient!

“Why so serious?!”

The shout came as young Rina reached the item of her desire, when or if she looked up, she’d see Kiyoshi peering down at her over the frames of his cyan-tinted sunglasses with his ice blue eyes with a bright, white, toothy smirk on his face. That wouldn’t be the most noticeable thing about him, nor would his wild shoulder-length jet black hair. It would be the fact that his baggy black jeans had neon-orange shooting stars along the legs and his white spandex muscle shirt was covered by a rather large black trench coat.

[Rina Vade]

The boy sitting at the top of the bleachers was silloueted by the sun. As she neared, Rina could make out the colors of his clothes and the sunglasses perched on his nose. The orange stars made her scrunch up her eyes in distaste. She returned her eyes to the box as she stepped under the seats, the shadows falling over her and making her look even paler than she was.

Without looking up, she replied, "I'm always serious. Get used to it." she leaned over the box as she spoke, black hair slipping over her thin shoulders and framing her pale features.

She rummaged through the box until she found somthing useful; a basketball. Flipping it expertly behind her back and through her legs, she dribbled it on the pavement experimentaly. Satisfied, she hooked an arm over it and leaped up onto the middle bench, then up next to him with ease. Her exptression showed nothing, but her eyes glittered, the only way one could tell what she felt. "You play?"

[Deleted]

The girl’s response brought a low chuckle out of Kiyoshi, to think someone would actually walk around being serious all the time. It was the funniest thought in the world to him, and if serious, the biggest challenge in the world. However he didn’t say anything further, instead he took to watching her and her frame rummage around for whatever it was. Oh… a basketball, which she proceeded to dribble about for a moment fairly well but Kiyoshi gave zero indication of impression, even when she started hoping up the bleachers with ease. The only reaction he gave was shifting his eyes to look at her’s with each change in position.

After a moment, Kiyoshi finished the remainder of his cigarette and ground the embers out between his fingers before flicking the butt away. An arrogance smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he looked at her while thinking about his response.

“Yeah, I have. I take it you want a piece of this?”

He extended his arms out to the sides in a rather showy manner as the grin grew. It had been a while since he’d played but he was rather good, even on the school team at his old school. The reason he didn’t play much any more was the fact he was to busy doing other things, or in some cases other girls.

[Rina Vade]

Rina's eyes followed the cigarette before he put it out. She made a mental note to save some money for her own pack. His expression became slightly arrogant and showy as he replied. Her expression didn't change, save for the slight rolling of her eyes at him showing off. "So, you mean you don't play anymore then...?" she questioned, sitting down beside him with one leg bent and the other hanging down over the edge of the bleachers.

Her ocean orbs glanced down at the chattering girls for a second and she scowled. "Stupid preps..." she muttered. "What do ya mean I won't last a week?" she snorted.

She lifted the ball and spun it on one finger, then dropped it beside her again with a sigh. Damn it all. "You don't have another cigg, do you?" she finally gave in to her addiction. Her tone was irritated, but clearly at herself for not being able to keep from asking.

[Deleted]

“Heh… not in any organized manner. I have too much important things to do, though if the right incentive is raised I can be persuaded.”

Kiyoshi responded in a rather factual tone without any hint of innuendo, a rarity. However he noticed the eye roll, many didn’t often did such things to arrogance and the like, but as much as that is what it came off as… it was really the pure confidence Kiyoshi had in himself. So then why would he back off? There were different ways to play the game he played, and he couldn’t just stick to one method of playing. Anyway he would let her have the little self conversation in piece before she decided to ask to bum a smoke.

“Here.”

He reached into the inside pocket of his trench coat and removed by pack of Marlboro lights and extended it to the young lass sitting beside him. There was no care to age or ethics, he was a corruptor after all. She’d find the pack about half full, a bic lighter placed inside with the cigarettes. He waited a moment before speaking again.

“Don’t let those girls bother ya… they just fuck somebody to get by. Two on the left… me.”

Bragging again? No, again just the matter-of-fact style reporting.

[Rina Vade]

He seemed so sure of himself, so Rina thought that maybe it was just natural for him. Maybe he wasn't showing off out of arrogance. "Sorry, I have nothing to offer, cept a challenge." she replied with a wry smirk. She accepted the pack of Malbros and nodded a thanks, taking one out and lighting it swiftly, then returning the lighter to the box and placing it down beside her, so that he could pick it up if he so desired. Taking a long drag, she shifted the basketball onto her lap and then let it roll down to her feet, where she balanced it atop her ankle. "It amazes me how shallow they can be." she muttered, glancing at him.

"Well, the names Rina, but most call me Rin. I have been dubbed Wolf Girl, but I do prefere the first." she told him, taking another drag off of the cigarette and blowing a lazy smoke ring from behind her lips.

[Deleted]

Kiyoshi took the pack back and placed it into the pocket again without much a mention of it. Though the Crows were just starting out, the wild parties he had them throwing at the Crows’ Nest with charging admission and liquor paid him quite a bit of money as leader/building owner. It was no big deal to through around cash or give away cigarettes to him, not that it ever had been. Kiyoshi wasn’t going to retire.

“The good ones always are…”

There was small infliction in his words as Kiyoshi responded to the girl’s comment on only being able to offer a challenge, his eyes wandering up and down as he spoke with a sly smirk. He was checking out the competition in a manner of speaking. After his little observation, he sat back and listened to Rina introduce herself in a friendly enough manner. He gave a bright smile while returning the favor.

“Kiyoshi Akechi. The Great Kiyoshi Akechi.”

[Rina Vade]

"Nice to meet you, Kyioshi." Rina let a rare smile grace her lips. It didn't stay long, as usual. Her expression became nuetral as she contined to roll the orange basketball from atop one ankle to the other. She suddenly smirked.

"I've heard of you, Mr. Gang Leader." she said, taking another drag of the cigarette and looking over at him. She did not let her gaze fall away from his own. To do that would show submission, and she'd be damned if she subitted to anyone.

The cigarette was almost gone, so she put it out to save it for later. What did he mean by 'the good ones always are'? Are what? A challenge? But what did he mean by that? Her eyes darkened in thought, but her steady ocean-blue gaze remained unwavering. She finally asked, "What do you mean by that?" and tilted her head slightly in question.

[Deleted]

A small raised of his brows was the response to the mention of his fame. It was most likely not the last time this would happen, nor was it the first but it just seemed odd. Kiyoshi couldn’t place his finger on the feeling at that much. Still he gave a small smirk of confidence and humor with a wink.

“I’m sure you’ve heard only good things.”

If Rina was questioning what Kiyoshi meant by his comment, she hadn’t heard enough about him. Or maybe she just at just the right amount of ignorance but it. Either way didn’t really bother him too much, it might change his approach later on with the revelation of which one was the case. Anyway, he held her gaze while his brain jumped around on that matter, his hold of the gaze mostly being do out of curiosity of why she was starting at him like that and signified by a slightly askew eyebrow. Did she want to jump him? If so she didn’t have to wait.

“Oh… you’ll find out, eventually.”

[Rina Vade]

At his first response she snorted and looked away, leaning back as she let the ball drop to the ground between the metal bleachers. "Good and bad." she said. "It seemed you are not very well-liked by one of the other gangs. Someone has it in for you, I'd be careful."

Absently, she wondered when she would find a gang to join. It was so different being on the outside. She was used to being in the group and helping watch each others backs. They protected their own. She let out a quiet sigh and glanced over at him again. She was bored and none of the preppy blond chicks seemed to be the sporty type. And all the other guys were already playing a sport or game. What could she say to presuade him to play....?

An idea popped into her mind and she smirked, turning her gaze on him again and asking, "So, when am I gonna get to whup you in basketball?"

[Deleted]

A wide pleased smirk formed for Kiyoshi when Rina seemed to laugh, albeit briefly, at his joke. It was nice to see the girl lose the serious face for even the moment and loosen up. All that seriousness all the time would do no good, fun was in the insanity of life. Or at least that is what Kiyoshi believed. Anyway he merely shrugged at the thought of others after him, no bother to him in the end but a small curiosity.

“Huh… not surprising. Anyone in particular?”

A random shot in the dark. He really didn’t care if she actually had names or organizations but it would be helpful if she did. With that information something could be done, which would be good with a target in mind otherwise Unfettered might start tearing the city apart more so then he already was. However he broke from that train of thought when challenged.

“You whup me? Oh ho ho ho. You are little miss sweet thing.”

He accepted the challenge while rising to his feet.

[Rina Vade]

Rina placed a finger to her chin in thought and swung her legs idly beneath her. "Hmmm, not that I know of." she mumbled. "Some overly tall guy with wiry, black hair, glasses, and an arrogant attitude that should be illegal." she said, standing up as well. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him directly.

"So, you accept my challenge then?" she asked, raising a brow and smirking in triumph. "Is that really all I had to say to get you to play basketball...? That I'd win?" she snorted, holding back laugh and dropping between the metal bleachers.

As she fell, she grasped the underside of one of the seats and swung forward to another bar, then let go, landing lightly on her feet and picking up the basketball, placing it on one hip. "Let's go Kyioshi." she called over her shoulder as she walked over to the edge of the courts and stood there, a smirk on her lips as she waited for him to follow.

[Deleted]

Kiyoshi’s eyes narrowed at first as Rina’s description was suspiciously like him save for the “overly tall” part. He started to think she was somewhere between full of it and covering for someone but shrugged those thoughts off as the simple irony that being a gang leader probably just attracted a certain type of person. There wasn’t much he could, or cared, to do about it anyone.

He didn’t readily respond to her comment, instead he merely watched as Rina dipped away in her impressive display of gymnastics. A small grin formed for an instant before Kiyoshi casually walked down the staircase between the sections of the bleachers and around toward the court, no rush in his step at all… he had all the time in the world. Of course there was always the urge to show off, but when the other person does that the simple stroll of confidence was so much more powerful it would squash such urges.

It didn’t take Kiyoshi long to catch up to the young girl. He removed his coat and sunglasses to set them aside in order to prevent any damage coming to them in the game. After that he walked beside Rina, reaching out to brush his hand along her cheek,

“Actually, you only had to smile and say “please”…”

Insert cocky grin.

[Rina Vade]

Rina rolled her eyes as he took his time getting down from the bleachers and over to the basketball courts. She shifted, moving the ball to her other hip as she sighed. Patience was not one of her strong points.

"C'mon slowpoke." she said, trying to get a rise out of him to make him irritated. Usually, that worked, but this guy didn't even flinch.

Interesting.

As he neared, she shifted to step back and turn around to walk out onto the concrete, but he did something that surprised her. He reached out and she felt him run the back of his hand over her cheek. She blinked, surprised.

“Actually, you only had to smile and say “please”…”

Then, an arrogant smile found its way to his expression. "Why that cocky little--!" she stopped her train of thought and inwardly shook her head. There went her temper again. "Okay, I'll remember that next time I feel like beating you in basketball." she finally replied, letting her own smirk form on her face.

She stepped back, out onto the court. "So let's go....pretty boy." she grinned, holding the ball out as she walked backwards, icy gaze taunting him with a playful gleam.