[D2LA] Best Shot

[Usagi Rei]

As much as he liked some elements of the way things had turned out yesterday, namely a sort of date with the Akodo, the other two really had shot better than him. And so, Rei found himself back in the dojo, armed with a rifle this time, doing his best to focus as he lined up each shot.

It wasn't working too well.

Rei loaded another pack, but then paused. The Akodo... he remembered that look in her eyes, before she could hide it. Grunting, he set his rifle down for a moment, stepping back with a frown.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Just at that pause, from two booths down the sound of gunfire rang out- the vibration of the shots ringing out. They were steady at first, but quickly picked up tempo. It was, to a ear versed in the emotion behind pulling a trigger, the sound of someone quickly growing more furious with each successive shot. If this wasn't enough, when the cartridge was spent, there was a very audible slam of the gun down on the ranges counter.

Stepping away with a seething inhalation of breath, Koyuki stepped just off the main range floor and out into the waiting area behind the glass.

[Usagi Rei]

Oh. Her. Rei frowned, studying the Kuni. He recognized her immediately, of course; she'd made quite an impression last night. Just what sort of impression, though... he was still figuring that out.

Smiling, he gave her a bit of a wave. His pale brown eyes were curious as he watched her.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Bump into a guy once and he starts smiling at you like an idiot. Koyuki's eyes narrowed, as she chided herself for realizing some people are just happy, or whatever unknowable thing it was they were able to muster to smile at strangers like that. Shaking her head she sighed to herself, silently to Rei as she was on the other side of rather thick glass. Mustering herself up she spared the chance and raised her hand, giving a half-crooked wave in return like she'd never performed the action before in her life.

[Usagi Rei]

Well, it was time for a break anyway. Rei carefully unloaded the pack from his rifle, separating the necessary parts and replacing them on the rack before moving back into the waiting room himself.

Another moment as he removed his ear protection. "Kuni Koyuki-san, right? From the Wicked Wasp last night?" He smiled. "Fancy running into you here." His tone was dry, not flirty; given the way she'd ignored him in favor of pulling that Matsu onto the dance floor was clear enough.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Koyuki's brow rose, nodding. It was only one night, and she was pretty sure she was the drunk one. Well, there she goes again, with a mental chide she nods again as if she hadn't a moment prior, "I- am not sure how to respond to that, Usagi-sama. It was equally unexpected I was going to run into you again, here?" she says, a slight rise in her voice as if she still wasn't sure of the words as she spoke them.

[Usagi Rei]

Rei's brow creased, just a little. "... sure." He agreed, still smiling. "I mean, that makes sense."

Slowly, the smile faded, even as he studied her. "Kuni-san... is everything alright?" He crossed his arms over his solid chest. "I don't mean to pry, but I can't help but notice. It seems to me that you're having an unfortunate couple of days." Unless every day was like that for her. Well, she could always tell him to get stuffed. Rei's lips quirked.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Koyuki's eyes didn't hold ice, not a glare, but she did look at him for a few seconds. This was broken by her stepping away to find a bench before looking back to him. A raise to her brow, "You were in quite the crowd last night, Usagi-sama. I would not have realized it myself if it had not been for one of them but you were with some of the more famous individuals on the planet were you not?" she smirks, but it only ever rises in her eyes and the lip never shifts from its neutral stance. "I met Susumu Yakumo recently, and learned of who she was. From the looks of the others, and the way they spoke, I figure they were of a similar pedigree? Quite the prodigious company."

[Usagi Rei]

Rei accepted the change of topic with a nod. Fine.

He leaned casually against the wall, shrugging. "I suppose so. Susumu Yakumo, yes. Asahina Hinata. The other two were more of a surprise, Yogo Tamiyo and her friend."

Tilting his head, he regarded her. "But that's not so strange, really. Those with fame or power tend to gather in groups with the same." He smiled. "I suppose the strange part is that I was there, but that was more a case of luck than anything else. Was it the same with you?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

"During the festival we wound up together. She aided me in rescuing a wounded crab and seeing the poor thing home," she said, there was a touch of humor to her tone but only a touch. Notably, she never quite seemed to look directly at a person when she spoke thus far. Save for the situation he witnessed with Hide the previous night.

As if cursed to perpetually ruin her own fun, she added, "It was a small.. plushie thing. Kind of adorable" the word sounded foreign on her tongue, "in a permanently sad kind of way."

[Usagi Rei]

"I see." Rei was silent for a few moments, smiling affably, his pale eyes slightly narrowed.

Finally, he waved a hand, fingers spread. "Luck. Or fortune. Or fate." He said, still smiling. "And I suppose everyone enjoys rescuing adorable things." Not everyone. "You could always visit the cat cafe here, if you're inclined towards cuteness." Again, he tilted his head as he looked at her.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I merely thought the child who lost it might have been saddened by it's destruction," she sounded out, a little clinically. "What of you? How did you come to meet our joined companion? Or, perhaps, you might tell me more of who Usagi Rei is if you are so inclined?" she said, with a slight narrowing of her eyes. A voice in the back of her head started weighing bets on if her read of him was accurate.

[Usagi Rei]

Still leaning casually against the wall, Rei shrugged. "There's not much to tell in either case. I'm a senior attaché assigned to the Hare staff at the embassy here. I've lived here a few years now. Not quite the knowledge of a local, but if you have questions..." He spread his hand again, smiling.

"As for Susumu-san, she and I met each other at the festival. We both stepped away from the crowd at the same moment." Rei chuckled. "Actually, I didn't quite recognize her, not at first, but her rabbit mask caught my attention. It took a hint from an Akodo before I entirely understood."

He chuckled again. "And then Asahina-san spotted her... that was certainly a case of fortune intervening."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"I haven't paid much attention to idols, or their type. She was rather shocked to learn that herself, but I had at least heard her name once on anothers lips some long time ago," she said, but the trail of that line drifted into someplace where sentences go to die. Shifting herself forward a bit she lay her hands down on either side of herself, looking to Rei and measuring him with her gaze.

"What did you do before you came to the world of dreams, Usagi-sama?" she asks, and as if to lend credence to why she asked she gave a glance toward the range where the weapons were out. Notably, where her gun was resting as well. Empty holster on her leg proving the very fact of that point.

[Usagi Rei]

Rei's eyebrows went up a little, but he answered gamely. "I traveled with Hare ships, here and there, acting as a yojimbo in our diplomatic corps. And assisting in other duties as required." He paused a moment. "After a bit of elective training of various sorts, I was reassigned here." All true enough.

He looked at her. "I'd ask you the same thing, but I suspect we'd be speaking of the very recent past. Instead I'll ask: what brings you here?" Rei's tone was friendly throughout, that affable cool smile still on his handsome features.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"You'll get the same answer as if you asked the other question. I came here to serve as attaché to the Crab embassy here. I served in the Exploration Corps since around my gempukku and was transferred to other divisions across the Empire, usually in the diplomatic sphere. Now I'm here to do the same thing I've been doing elsewhere, offering what expertise I can to aid the delegations on this world in their task of maintaining relations with the Scorpion. As a Shugenja with my service record my advice comes with some decent weight to it, regarding certain matters," she says, with the detached tone of a former soldier. Something she didn't often wear, not so obviously, but when speaking of her past it was hard not to slip back into it a little.

[Usagi Rei]

Rei's smile faded, just a little, and his gaze sharpened. Also just a little.

"I see." Rei said. "And what is your expertise?" She was a Kuni, after all. Did it overlap with his? "If you'd like to talk shop sometime, well, I'm all ears." A wry smile at that.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"As a veteran of the expedition corps I have a bit of field expertise that is called to be relied upon, but more fully I am Kuni. There are few among us who would not appreciate a Kuni's word when it comes to making many important decisions. As well, of course, to some degree security is often a factor with someone as martially inclined as myself," she reports off, gauging Rei as she did so.

[Usagi Rei]

"Hmmm..." Rei's fingers drummed once on his leg before he stopped. Still his pale eyes remained curious as he looked at Koyuki.

He took a breath. "Security is often a concern here. At least, some sorts. I suspect that you will have your work cut out for you, Kuni-san." He said, inclining his head slowly.

Another moment, and he smiled again. "Anything the Crab would care to pass along to the Hare? Our clans do have a good relationship, after all. So if there's something of special interest..."

[Kuni Koyuki]

Koyuki was silent for no more than ten seconds, regarding him slowly. Then, looking at a glance around the room she leaned in toward him conspiratorily. Resting her hand upon the bench to give herself support. Speaking on barely more than a whisper, but in the space it was easy enough to hear, "There is one thing we have been dying to tell you, Usagi-sama. A devilishly handsome man with a silver tongue is walking the streets. Meeting up with many individuals in the public eye, and also those without. Rumor has it, that he is doing his best to pull information out of unsuspecting individuals as if in common conversation and sometimes, because of his charms, people fall for it."

Leaning back up, the conspiratorial look in her eye faded to neutrality as she says with a slight bit of annoyance to her tone, albeit monitored, "I am going to go retrieve my gun, Usagi-sama. One moment," and then rose.