Principal Business(Principal Davis)

[Shuya Katsumoto]

With Kyukaku proclaiming himself to be the new school captain, Shuya had hoped that some students might finally take the insult and challenge Kyukaku. How unfortunate that the school seemed to actually be at a state of peace. Though he found it enormously boring, he was glad to see that their current situation was different from the previous one. The students seemed to recent fighting one another and in no way would that harm his position. But Shuya knew that fire burned in the hearts of several students and with Seth Calloway around, he knew he had to make a step towards Paragon Institute before Seth did… If Seth made that move, Shuya knew that his school would have a big chance of becoming ‘the one to blame’. He knew Kyukaku was right on that. However, Kyukaku’s motives for being the school’s captain weren’t good enough to defend the school… at least not in Shuya’s eyes.

“Claire… could you look up the phone number of Paragon Institute and make a call? I’ll take it from my office.”

Though Shuya and Victoria shared an office, she wasn’t in right now and in Shuya’s eyes that was the best opportunity he had at making an appointment with the Paragon principal without having Victoria sniff around. After hearing Claire give a short shout he took the horn in his hand and waited for the beeps to end.

”Paragon Institute, administration office, how may I help you?”

“Good afternoon, this is Shuya Katsumoto, principal of Hircine High. Could you please put me through with principal Davis?”

”I’ll let his secretary know you’re on the line, please hold for a few seconds sir.”

Another strange sound came from the phone as he was being put through with the principal’s office. It didn’t take long for the principal to pick up the phone however.

“Principal Davis, hello, this is Principal Katsumoto… I was wondering if you perhaps had some spare time for me some day this week to have lunch together?”

After getting a positive answer from the other principal, Shuya and he arranged a date and location before he hung up the phone and placed his feet on his desk, his fingertips touching each other in front of Shuya’s face.

‘Now let’s see how all of this could turn out for the better of both of us…’

On the arranged time and location.

Shuya had taken a quick look inside the small lunchroom but when he was certain Trent wasn’t in there, he went back outside to smoke a cigarette while waiting for the other principal. Eventually the other principal would arrive and Shuya would propose to enter the lunchroom where he had made reservations for the two men. Until then, he could only wait…

[Trent Davis]

It's too easy.

Despite having taken a backseat to recent events and letting things unfold as they would, the principal of the Paragon Institute had noticed that everything was working how he had anticipated. He'd been given fairly specific instructions from his higher-ups, as well as a somewhat strict timetable to do it in, but at the rate things were going he wouldn't even need to get his hands dirty for things to move along at the required speed. With a sigh, Trent adjusted his jean jacket as he walked down the street, feeling the familiar weight of Death and Glory handing at his sides underneath. Truth be told, ever since he'd heard of a particular killer's interest in him, he'd taken to bringing the blades with him everywhere, if only as a safety precaution.

Of course, a gun is much harder defend against.

Trent's frown deepened at the memory of the last time he'd faced a foe with a gun, the person in question being the very boy he had toyed with the past few years. Idly, he wondered what Kyukaku was doing now, whether he was still with his lovely girlfriend, one that Trent intended on reacquainting himself with sooner rather than later. With the shift in his train of thought came a shift in his mood, causing Trent's lips to curl upwards in a smile as he entered the lunchroom for this particular meeting. After a quick confirmation from the hostess and a point in the right direction, Trent allowed himself to be lead to his table. As fate would have it, he had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he had missed Shuya on the way in, though whether the other principal had noticed him had yet to be seen.

Regardless, Trent took his seat at the table, pushing his chair out far enough to allow his feet to rest on the tabletop, his hands resting in the pockets of his jean jacket while he waited for his Hircine counterpart. He pointedly ignored the looks from the people around him, passing off their opinions as unimportant. Instead, he waited patiently for Shuya, eager to get this meeting underway, as if it was about what he thought it was, then his plans were about to move far ahead of the timetable he'd been working from so far.

[Shuya Katsumoto]

It didn’t take long for Trent to show up, but his head was facing down slightly and it was clear to Shuya that the man was probably thinking about a lot of matters as he entered the restaurant. Shuya couldn’t really blame him, after all, this meeting would probably serve a greater goal than either of them could imagine and that was seriously something to think about. Shuya hadn’t wasted his time between the moment he had called Trent’s office and now. He had been digging up as much information about the man as he could and he did still remember the usefulness of this individual in the past. Though Trent would probably not know it, the fact that he had successfully framed Kyukaku had led to the opportunity for Shuya to get Kyukaku out of jail and with that, gain some form of loyalty from the student. A loyalty that would show it’s true potential soon.

Shuya finished his smoke before he finally entered the restaurant himself, giving a small nod to the hostess as he turned to the table that she had pointed out earlier only to find Trent making himself quite comfortable. With a smirk of amusement on his face Shuya walked over to the table and took a seat on the other end while his eyes were still fixed upon Trent.

“Principal Davis, thanks for being able to have lunch with me on such short notice.”

Shuya waited for Trent to make a response and while he did he gestured the waiter to come over to them so they could make their orders. Shuya was pleased with Trent’s current attitude, it showed the principal thought he had everything under control and could act laid back. This kind of personality would probably encourage the plans Shuya had and no doubt Trent had as well. The waiter in the mean time had arrived and Shuya ordered a cup of coffee and a salad sandwich. Shuya decided to at least start their conversation about school matters rather than making a lot of small talk first.

“So, how does the principal job kick in? Are you enjoying yourself? I heard Paragon is a difficult school to manage.”

Shuya crossed his arms as he waited for the other man to give a response and gave him the opportunity to ask any questions himself before they got this show on the road…

[Trent Davis]

Trent's eyes would shift upwards towards Shuya as the other man approached, calmly regarding him as he assessed the other male. Truth be told, Trent had never met Shuya face to face before, which left the oldest Rydell to rely on secondhand information on what Hircine's co-principal looked like. Once the other principal started speaking, Trent's apprehension was put to rest, and he responded in a voice just loud enough to be heard over the others in the restaurant.

"The pleasure is all mine, principal... Katsumoto, is it?"

The question was simply to make sure Trent was pronouncing the name properly, as he had read the man's name a few times during his investigation of Hicine's own infrastructure. In reading the reports, Paragon's principal had been surprised to see the similarities in himself and his Hircine counterpart, as both had been made principal a very short time after graduation. Such facts made him somewhat suspicious, as Trent wouldn't put it past the council to have others working on the same job he had. When the waiter came, Trent ordered a black coffee, not bothering to look at him as he did so, as his attention was focused soley on the man in front of him, at the moment.

"Quite the contrary, actually. Paragon practically runs itself, I simply give it gentle pushes in the right directions. The students' aggression is at an all time high as they fight for recognition to become Captain, or to simply prove their worth. Once a Captain has been found, they'll have all that anger and nowhere to release it, unless they're given a new target. This is where, I'd imagine, you come in."

As soon as he'd finished speaking, the waiter came with the drinks, something that Trent acknowledged with a nod. Bringing the cup to his lips, he slowly sipped as he listened to Shuya's response.

[Shuya Katsumoto]

“That is correct, Davis.” Shuya responded, ensuring Trent that he had his name right. He didn’t bother calling the other man principal Davis anymore, since both of them would probably get tired of that anyway. Besides, they knew what the other man was and though Shuya had looked up a lot about Trent, he was certain the man had been digging up information about him as well. He carefully listened to Trent’s response about his school and when the other man was finished, their drinks arrived and Shuya, like Trent, gave the waiter a nod.

“Yes, I heard Paragon had quite some aggressive students. A pity most of them went over to your school actually, since I’ve been missing out on a lot of fun… But I doubt that a captain in Paragon can keep his title for long… with all those fighters around him, I doubt everyone would just lay down their weapons and accept a captain… but in a way you are correct, eventually I fear they will concentrate their anger on my students…”

In truth, Shuya did not fear this at all. In fact, after the talk he had with Seth and Kyukaku, he was certain that the school’s students would face each other sooner or later… probably sooner. It was inevitable in a way and since Victoria wanted to stay blind to that aggression, it was up to Shuya to ensure things would go smoothly… that is, happen without the risk of his job being at stake. He had no idea what deal the council had made with Trent and at what time that man’s job would be at stake, but that was a worry for Trent, not for him.

“As far as I can tell, students from Hircine have shown their faces on your school grounds and vice versa. I doubt it will take long for someone to feel the need to fight the other school’s students… I guess that’s something you have anticipated as well… Besides, Hircine has a new captain nowadays, an old friend of yours, isn’t he Davis?”

Shuya smirked slightly as he allowed the man some time before he’d answer that. He had said enough for now, he wanted to know Trent’s his take on everything and in the process, he had shoved Kyukaku’s name forward indirectly, just to see what in Trent’s eyes Kyukaku meant to him. Apart from that, it was crucial he was certain of Trent’s intentions before giving away too much…

OOC: I’ll just give you a heads-up already, from next Monday I’ll be gone for about 12 days on holiday, so I won’t be posting in that time…

[Trent Davis]

OOC: No worries, I can wait.

IC:

A brief smirk was given at the mention of most of the aggressive students of Paragon being referred to as "fun", Trent deciding that if nothing else, Principal Katsumoto had an interesting sense of humour. However, at the mention of a certain individual being Hircine's school captain, Trent's attention was redoubled, his eyes snapping towards Katsumoto's as if reaffirming that the man wasn't lying. A few emotions flickered through him, hatred, amusement, even a small amount of fear, and Paragon's principal took a moment to compose himself before responding.

"So the sidekick's finally become a hero on his own... How interesting. I hardly expected him to be able to stand on his own, once his allies had gone and graduated on him. But since you know of our history, I hope you don't have any fondness for the boy. He's been living on borrowed time since I healed."

Trent's eyes narrowed in a glare towards his counterpart, as the man was typically furious with all of those without his blood in their veins. Of course, the mention of Kyukaku was enough to push what little self control Trent had to the side, causing him to become much more hostile, though the mass murderer was still curious as to what he could gain from this meeting. As such, he would push the conversation in another direction, one that was much more direct, and far less subtle.

"Perhaps a good way for one to become Captain would be to defeat yours? Wouldn't it be amusing to see an entire school of psychopaths targeting Hircine's top student?"

If nothing else, it amused Trent, who believed the thought could lead to several savage beatings to the young man. At the very least, it would intensify the rivalry between the two schools, and give another reason for the students to hate each other. After all, once the feud had become self-sustaining, Trent would be free to pursue his own interests at the same time.

[Shuya Katsumoto]

“ Well… I will be the first to admit that Kyukaku only got to where he is right now by the help of others… and about your history with him… let’s just say I am grateful that you put him in a position where he became useful to me…”

Shuya was referring to the whole jail thing that Trent had set up so that Kyukaku would be blamed for something he hadn’t done. Shuya didn’t know the entire truth but he did get to know Kyukaku and he knew the youngster couldn’t have done the things he was arrested for. After freeing the boy from prison, Shuya had ensured him of a student that still had a dept to pay to Shuya…

“As for the fondness… his face annoys me.”

Shuya took another sip of his drink as he looked to the side slightly, avoiding the other man’s eyes for a minute and just stare through the restaurant. When Trent suddenly shifted the conversation into another topic including Kyukaku, Shuya’s eyes shot back towards the man, calculating what he was looking for.

“How amusing it may sound, I doubt having several students fighting one would lead to a single captain. But your idea of having your students fight mine does sound appealing and was something I did have in mind… Our students want to fight… let’s give them their fights… and if you want Kyukaku to be one of the students who will be fought by your students, I see no problem at all…”

Shuya calmly judged Trent as he waited for a response…

[Trent Davis]

"The one to deal the most damage, becomes Captain. Simple enough. But I suppose it doesn't matter, your idea is good enough."

The problem lay in the fact that Trent had virtually no control over Paragon's students at the moment, something that he had planned for from the start. While it certainly put his students in the right mindset, there was little he could do to actually aim their psychotic tendancies towards Hircine rather than each other. Still, it was enough to draw the attention of both school's students, and that was enough for the moment.

"The trouble lies in the fact that Paragon hates organization. If we were to set up fights, as you suggest, very few of my students will support the idea. Only the minority wish to actually fight with just Hircine, instead, many of them simply want to fight anyone. If you were to bait Paragon, however, I have little doubt that they'll rise to the occasion."

In truth, Trent had no idea how the majority of Paragon's students would react to such baiting. However, he believed that even if most did not bother with Hircine, the more violent ones who were looking for any excuse to fight would jump at the opportunity, perhaps not even waiting for their fights to be set up for them.

"However, you are the... Co-Principal... How does your partner feel about your dealings, here?"

[Shuya Katsumoto]

“ Yes… that’s what I’ve heard… so it’s true. However, I also heard people start claiming the title of school captain at Paragon as well… I don’t see how a captain could really be established at a school filled with students who dislike organizing… However, as you suggest… I think I have the perfect student to provoke and lure them out…”

Shuya smirked once more as he thought about that one special student that, no matter what he did, always seemed to amaze Shuya. In a way, that student had gained the respect of the co-principal more than any other student Shuya had ever met. And he even dressed perfect for the occasions… there was no doubt about it, he was the key to starting this mess and Kyukaku was the treasure that would be set loose by the key…

However, shortly after he thought about that option, Davis made notice of his colleague, Victoria Alexander. Shuya’s smirk remained as he played with a new cigarette in his hand.

“Let me worry about her… she thinks this battle can be fought with words, rather than fists… She will sooner or later learn the truth about this and if not… I have my ways of getting things done the way I want it to be done…”

[Trent Davis]

OOC: Short, sorry, there's not really a lot going on.

IC:

"The Captainship is a tool, intended to heighten the aggression of Paragon's students. Frankly, i don't care who the Captain is or what he does, for whoever it is will just have a target on his back, rather than any real power. However, I suppose I'll have to put some faith in you and your student."

Paragon's principal didn't truly trust Hircine's, though his distrust naturally extended to everyone. In the end, however, there wasn't much he could do about Principal Alexander at the moment, not without compromising his own position. Instead he would need to let Shuya deal with things on his end, while Trent prepared on his own.

"Should things go as planned, how exactly would you propose we organize these fights? After all, there are already tournaments outside of the school for them to vent their aggression, I'd hate for it to be something as simplistic as those. A mere fight in a parking lot will hardly be worth putting together, since the students will likely do it themselves."

[Shuya Katsumoto]

OOC: I’ll just jump on that bandwagon.

IC:
“I’ve been thinking about that… you are correct that in contradiction to the regular tournaments we should make sure these fights are different… but what if we don’t even have more than one fight? I mean… what if we just ensure the students are at a location and have a reason to fight… It would certainly be quite entertaining if we’ve removed the chains and let them deal with the situation as they see fit… perhaps even throw in a nice pole or chain as a weapon…”

Shuya smirked once more as he saw the battle going on in his own mind. The Paragon Institute trash being measured by the strongest and yet also most aggressive Hircine High students. The situation could only go into the right direction for the young principal and even Davis would gain much from such a fight, whatever his intentions were. The real difficulty would be the have Seth follow his orders on this on… however, as long as it didn’t show as orders, Shuya had much faith in the youngster who would most probably like something big as this just as much as Shuya… he would perhaps see it as a favor… or less. No matter.

“So, what’s your thought about everything? For starters, I think we should agree on a location and even though it seems weather forecasts are nothing but rain, I think outdoors would be the best location… big yet secluded from the city. As fun as it would be, I cannot afford innocent bystanders get wounded on your and my watch. Any good ideas?”

[Trent Davis]

"As I understand it, few venture outside of the city into the desert beyond. It shouldn't be too hard to set up a crude arena of sorts, just enough so that the students don't shy away from this opportunity due to weather conditions."

Of course, there was no true concern for the students' safety or comfort, but there had to be a minimum of shelter in order for them to even consider taking part in such battles. Even something as simple as a ring of sandbags would be enough to keep the wind and sandstorms at bay, or at least, a reasonable amount of it away. While Principal Davis was more than happy enough to leave things at the bare minimum, there was little doubt the council would want things taken further, once he told them of this idea.

If I don't mention this, things will go faster and bloodier. But if I do mention it, they'll foot the bill. Decisions, decisions...

"If such a location is acceptable to you, I'll be able to have some sort of setup finished within a few weeks. However, there is one request I'd like to make of you."

Trent's feet slid off the table as he sat up, wanting to make sure every word spoken in his naturally quiet voice was heard crystal clear.

"When the time comes for your School Captain to have his fight against someone from Paragon, I wish to know ahead of time."

[Shuya Katsumoto]

“I think if given the right motivation to start fighting, even bad weather conditions won’t scare them off… And the wastelands on the outside of the city seem like a perfect location for the fight. I’ll worry about making sure your ‘students’ get a will to fight mine, you worry about the location and getting them there…”

Shuya casually awaited what the other principal had to say. By that time they had both finished their drinks and food and it was obvious that this little meeting was coming to an end. Victoria knew nothing about this meeting and Shuya didn’t really see why he would mention it to her before things really got heated up. Besides, after Seth’s actions, it wouldn’t be hard to just say it was all the student body doing and that he was just trying to ensure everyone’s safety. When Davis spoke of Kyukaku, Shuya smirked slightly.

“Well, Davis, I think it would be foolish of you if you thought Scott wouldn’t take part in all of this. As captain of the school, he is obliged to defend it from any harm, including Paragon students. I am certain he will be there… Unless someone of course strips him from his crown before you get your students ready to fight…”

With a simple motion of his hand, Shuya alerted the waiter that they were finished and wanted the check. He awaited if Davis had any more to say and if necessity had it, he would reply. If not, he would pay for both men and leave the restaurant behind after giving Davis a small nod followed by the words “Until we meet again.”

[Trent Davis]

"You misunderstand. I'm aware that he'll take part in these battles, I simply wish to know ahead of time when he is scheduled to fight someone from Paragon. I would like to make that particular event more... exciting."

For the first time during the meeting, Trent's lips pulled upwards in a smile, one that did not bode well for the young School Captain. Several ideas had already begun forming in the principal's mind, none of which ended with Kyukaku in good shape. The psychopath cared little if Kyukaku were the School Captain or not at that point, as instead, things were much more personal between the two.

He glanced up at his Hircine counterpart, nodding at the goodbye spoken and noting his own portion of the meal had been paid for. Katsumoto certainly knew how to act professional, something that Trent hadn't been in contact with since he'd given up the hired assassin life a few months back. It was nostalgic, refreshing, and left a good impression with the mass murderer.

Perhaps I won't have to kill him after all...