3rd Punch

[medicalpunch]

[On day 5 of their time in Luceti Valley, the tax hike has gone through, and Sakura Harukawa is pissed. She's taking to the streets of Lowtown, but not in a militant, fist-waving rage -- oh no, she has better plans.

She's taking the whole matter quietly, building up a resistance. Going door to door, checking on neighbors, chatting -- and trying to sow the seeds of a rebellion. Validating the anger of all the other Lowtown folk, agreeing that something has to be done, voicing her thought that the Mayor will never do anything, and the fat-cats around Lake Catheria are just going to enjoy their comfort on the backs of the working folk.

So if you're at home, or tucked away in a little corner business in Lowtown, you'll get a visit. A little 'hi, how are you?' Concern about how well you'll weather the hike. She wants to know that everyone will be all right, and wants to make sure that they'll all band together in the face of pressure, instead of falling apart under it.]

Comments

[aerialassault]

[Sakura wouldn't make it to the door of the Fittir residence without being spotted first. Cliff was out in the driveway working on the engine of his old, battered pickup when the young woman's footsteps announced her approach up the drive.]

Can I help you with something, Miss?

[Cliff snapped the hood shut and grabbed a rag to wipe off his hands. Have a greasemonkey that stood well over six feet giving you his full attention, Sakura.]

[medicalpunch]

[That's okay; she's more interested in talking to people than getting to the door, anyhow. So if he's out in the driveway, she'll go right to him.]

Good afternoon. My name's Sakura -- Sakura Harukawa. I don't think we've met before...

[He sure is taller than her... has to have more than a foot over her, she thinks.]

[aerialassault]

Cliff Fittir. I'd offer a hand, but...

[He held one grease-blackened hand. It was a mess that was too stubborn for a mere handtowel.]

[medicalpunch]

I'll take the word for the deed, Mr. Fittir. [She offers him a smile, charming but with worry sitting lightly under the surface.]

[aerialassault]

[The worry was obvious to him from the moment they spoke. It was obvious, because her approach was so purposful and she was a complete stranger.]

Glad to hear it, Sakura. What's up anyway? This isn't some friendly, neighborly visit, is it?

[medicalpunch]

Well, in a way, that's exactly what this is. Just... things aren't very neighborly right now at all.

[She doesn't have any kind of rehearsed speech for this -- everyone she talks to, she talks from the heart.]

You've heard about the tax hike, right?

[aerialassault]

...I have.

[It was hard not too, when it was the hot topic for every conversation along the streets in Lowtown. He was more concerned about it than he was going to let on to his wife. The deals he was running on the side would help, but it was far from a solution to the problem.]

What about it? [His tone was easy, as if commenting on the weather.] Do ya have something in mind?

[stilldontgotit]

[Ah, but does that negative attitude extend to her in-law? Because it just so happens that Riku's being kinda reckless and scoping out Lowtown himself.

He doesn't listen in on her conversations, but when she's done speaking to one of the residents, he'll go ahead and speak up.]

Busy day?

[Then again, with his dad raving about the tax hike, Riku knows well that the locals won't be too pleased. He's not pleased by it, really.]

[medicalpunch]

[As long as Riku isn't trying to stir up trouble, she's not going to get in his face about it.]

Riku? What are you doing in this part of town?

[It's not an idle question - he is being reckless, and she'd rather not return him to Ino the worse for wear.]

[stilldontgotit]

Trying to see how people are taking the... news.

[He sighs, shaking his head.]

And I'd like to help if I can. Not all of us are happy about the stupid tax hike.

[medicalpunch]

Not well. There's a lot of anger brewing.

[And more than that, besides -- or maybe, she doesn't know, she might be the only one who's having these weird... flashes, she wants to say. Things don't seem right. Riku... Riku's a part of it. An image of him stepping out of the door of an apartment, but she's never lived in an apartment building and neither has he, at least to her knowledge.]

But is anyone going to do anything about it? It's one thing to be unhappy, but those of us it's affecting are a lot more than unhappy.

[She knows Ino won't let her or Shikamaru starve, but who else has that kind of safety net?]

[stilldontgotit]

[She's definitely not the only one. Riku's had a few odd moments of uncertainty. Realization that one of his brothers doesn't look a thing like him. Similar memories of staying in an apartment; he's just trying not to dwell on them for now. Not with everything else that's going on.]

Truth is, most of them probably won't. I know my dad's raving about how great this is for the rest of us, but I see it as unnecessary.

So, I guess I'd like to do something. It's just figuring out how to do it.

[Particularly when a lot of the lower-class would probably reject any help he offered.]

[medicalpunch]

It's a lot more than just unnecessary! [Yeah, that's a snap. Riku's heart is in the right place, but he's right -- a lot of the lower class wouldn't be too thrilled about having him take such a... remote attitude about it.

A moment later, though, she pulls back on the snap.]

Sorry, sorry, I just... [Sigh.] When this kind of thing is leaving everyone in Lowtown wondering how we're going to eat, it's easy to get stressed out. I know you don't mean...

[But he's still reflecting some of that attitude.]

[stilldontgotit]

[He flinches at the snap, but swiftly regains composure. Her reactions are completely justified, and he knows there's a huge gap between them. How could he even begin to understand?]

I guess the better question is what can someone like me do? Because I'm lost, and I at least want to try.

[Worse, it's not like he can just march up to the Mayor's door and demand change.]

[towered]

[ When Sakura reaches Flora's street, she can be found sitting on the front steps to her house, head in her hands. Flora has enough trouble getting by now, and she's not really sure how she'll be able to make ends meet with the tax hike and the strikes and everything else.

She doesn't notice Sakura at first, and seems to be lost in her own thoughts for the most part. ]

[medicalpunch]

[This is exactly the kind of thing she's seeing way too much of. Sakura wastes no time in hurrying to Flora's side.]

Are you all right?

[Kneeling down in front of her, she's willing to be told to move on, but hopes she won't. They all need to hold together...]

[towered]

Mm. [ She wipes at her eyes, looking to Sakura. ] I'm...Well, it's just with this tax hike...there's no way--I-I mean finding work is hard enough already.

[ She has some options if she loses her home, Family she might be able to stay with. But she wouldn't want to burden them, not with how things are going right now. ]

[medicalpunch]

It is hard. It's going to hit us all pretty badly... but none of us are alone.

[She reaches out and rests a hand on Flora's shoulder.]

It's going to be okay. No one wants to see their neighbors left out in the cold. All of us, all of Lowtown together, we're gonna get each other through this, okay?

[weaponry]

[ Tenten herself is middle class but she was once a resident of Lowtown. As such, Sakura should definitely be able to come and contact her and see what strings she can pull for those that married high and/or settled low.

The news of the tax hike has left Tenten looking like death. Even though her business has increased since she offered to sew things with her own fabric storage and made decent money from that, she's not sure if that's going to make end's meet any longer even though it's not really outright a concern. ]

What can I do for you, Sakura?

[medicalpunch]

[Sakura's making the rounds of everyone with connections to Lowtown, so yes, she'll get to Tenten.]

Talk to me. [Her fingers twist in her skirt.] I'm trying to... trying to find ways for everyone to get through this.

[weaponry]

I think Naruto's parents might be able to help us so you shouldn't worry about that. [ She sighs. She's actually kinda miserable over this. ] I just wish it would end already. The economy has been paralyzed for so long, no one has any damn money and then they're asking more from us. [ Roar. ]

[medicalpunch]

My family can help my husband and I too, but... but that's not enough. When we work hard, we should be able to support ourselves, no rely on wealthier family no matter how much effort we put into our lives.

[She feels strongly about this, okay.]

It's just another way to keep everyone down. If we're struggling to put food on our tables, we can't fight back.

[weaponry]

I agree. It's absurd on how they think we can all survive such conditions. [ An annoyed pant. ]

Maybe we should gather up people for a rally? [ why no officer... rally doesn't have a violent tone to it at all... ]

[medicalpunch]

A rally? [Not even a little bit of a violent tone.] That's about right. We really need to organize things a bit. Everyone will grumble by themselves, but if everyone gets together and stands up to it, we'll actually have the power to get something done.

[weaponry]

That's right. We're individuals on our own, but united we're a fearsome body that can tower over any opposition.