Kinda based on a true story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin
( ( ( ( ( * ) ) ) ) )
When Kaoru's patience had been tested at the dojo she had several options for revenge- all in the guises of teaching. As a bank teller she could only smile politely while mentally screaming.
"Why don't you people ever break it down?" complained the old woman in front of her.
It was a $150.00 check. Kaoru had given her seven twenties and a ten. To most rational people, that was broken down. A hundred and a fifty was not broken down.
"I apologize. Did you ask for it to be broken down?" Kaoru asked. Maybe her mental screaming was too loud.
"No."
Kaoru sucked in a short breath and controlled a twitch. "How would you like it back?"
"One twenty. Everything else smaller."
Kaoru took the twenties and the ten back and counted out the desired bills. The woman made her count it a second time, as she had been too fast the first time. Kaoru clenched her teeth. She waited until the Customer From Hell had left the building before allowing herself to thump her head on the counter, just once. In her two months of working here this was undoubtedly the worst day. The customers had been many, lots of crabby people, the phones wouldn't stop ringing… just an all around genuine bad day.
"I'm going in the back for a quick snack," Chou said.
Kaoru turned to look at her coworker and realized he was done with his customer. "Fine." It was the first time in an hour and a half there were no customers. She was going to enjoy it.
Less than two minutes later the door opened. Kaoru drew in a deep breath, plastered a smile on her face and pleasantly called out "Hello, how are you today?"
The man who walked in didn't respond. She felt a stab of annoyance at his rudeness. He didn't say anything as he walked up to her window. He didn't seem suspicious- no mask, large hat or sunglasses, just a hoodie and some jeans. Kaoru felt a sliver of unease all the same.
"Are you enjoying the warm weather?" she asked perkily as he came to a stop before her. In answer he tossed an envelope on the counter. Figuring it was a deposit Kaoru grimly kept her smile on her face as she opened it. Her smile faded as she read the note inside.
I HAVE A GUN PUTALL YOUR MONEY ON THE COUNTER
She looked back at the man. He had one hand in a hoodie pocket and it looked like there was something else there as well. Weather it was a gun or not she didn't know.
"Are you sure?" she asked without really knowing why.
The man looked at her like she was an idiot and nodded.
Kaoru felt the fear drain out of her in a flash to be replaced with hot anger. She was being robbed. This was the last straw. All the training about peacefully handing over the money wasn't even a thought. She was so furious she wanted to growl. She knew her hands were out of sight, which gave her an idea. She opened her money drawer with her left hand and grabbed her stapler with her right. She unhinged the stapler and grabbed a fifty strap of singles. She glared back up at the man. He made an impatience gesture with his free hand.
Kaoru threw the singles at him. While he was distracted by that she lunged across the counter and hit him on the forehead with the stapler, the force enough to drive a staple into his skin. He fell back, screaming. She hadn't lost her grip on her weapon so she threw it at him. It hit him square on the nose. There was the satisfying crunch of cartilage and a rush of blood as he fell on his back.
"Call the police," she snapped at Chou who had come running out after the first scream.
She yanked her mouse from the modem and went over the counter. She kicked the would-be robber in the ribs to flip him over before grabbing his hands to tie them. "Shut up," she growled when he screamed again.
"Um, miss?"
Kaoru looked up to see a redhead standing before her. "Go away. We're closed."
"I was just going to offer some help…" he raised his hands in surrender when she glared at him "but I see you have everything under control."
"The police are on their way," Chou announced.
Kaoru stood up. "Good. I'm going in the back to eat some chocolate."
As she went in the back she heard the redhead ask Chou for her name. When she bit into her candy bar she realized she felt better. Getting aggression out really was good for the soul.
( ( ( ( ( * ) ) ) ) )
The old woman was a customer my coworker had the other day- a horrible day that inspired me to write this.