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

[medicalpunch]

[She looks down, trying to gather her thoughts. Someone like Riku... what can he do?]

I wish I could give you an easy answer, wave your hand and make it better. It's pretty tempting.

I guess... the best thing to do is advocate. We don't have a voice, in this part of town. No one with power cares what happens to any of us.

I'm not going to ask you to feed all of Lowtown on your own dime. That isn't fair. No one wants handouts. We just want our work to be enough to feed us.

[It's so unfair. Riku doesn't work any harder than Shikamaru, but he's comfortable, and they're starving.]

[stilldontgotit]

It'll be tough. Some might argue that even one extra voice won't change a thing, but... I'll try. That's actually part of why I came out here, anyway; to understand the situation. Maybe see if I can clue-in others like me who are content to laze around in luxury while you guys don't even register as a blip on the radar.

[His expression sours.]

I just don't see how they can live that way. You'd think they'd have a little thing called, I don't know, sympathy?

[His parents, his brother... He won't deny that he's had trouble getting down to this level, but it still seems morally wrong.]

[medicalpunch]

One voice... in the right place, coming from the right person, it can do a lot.

[She manages to dredge up a smile for him, although smiling is the last thing she feels like doing.]

That you care, that you're trying to understand what's going on here... it says a lot. You're a good man, Riku; I'm glad to have you as a brother-in-law.