A Place I've Never Known [Day 9, LA, Moriko's]

[Hato]

The heimen guard would dip in a quick bow. "My apologies, you have the wrong address. This is Laughing Meadows. Sunset Meadows is just down the street."

The guards would do nothing else to stop the ronin from leaving the building.

And leave the building she would, returning the box where she found it, and once getting notification from Yurei about the ingress point, regrouping with her.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"She's just in room-" and Koyuki mumbles whatever she says next as she exits from the building. Walking off around the corner while she fishes her inhalator out from her pocket. Toying with it while she walks down into the alley and finds her way toward the fire-escape. Giving the thing a good look over she walks backward to lean herself against the wall beside the fire escape and waits for her little entourage to be ready before slipping inside that way.

[Boogiepop]

Never assume that you're not being watched in a Scorpion city, especially with its share of cameras nearly everywhere save for some corners of the slums. The Soshi have made surveillance and monitoring an artform. However, there was nothing at the moment stopping Koyuki nor Hato from physically entering the building. The fire escape would lead into a painted concrete staircase with soft lighting that would take the group to whichever floor they wanted to go. Seeing as the building's elevator system was exemplary, they shouldn't run anyone going to the fifth floor...

The fifth-floor hallway was decorated with tan wallpaper and burgundy hardwood doors that would slide open with access. From the interior, it seems like the only way inside Moriko's place of residence.

[Hato]

Never assume that you're not being watched in a Scorpion city, especially with its share of cameras nearly everywhere save for some corners of the slums. The Soshi have made surveillance and monitoring an artform. However, there was nothing at the moment stopping Koyuki nor Hato from physically entering the building. The fire escape would lead into a painted concrete staircase with soft lighting that would take the group to whichever floor they wanted to go. Seeing as the building's elevator system was exemplary, they shouldn't run anyone going to the fifth floor...

The fifth-floor hallway was decorated with tan wallpaper and burgundy hardwood doors that would slide open with access. From the interior, it seems like the only way inside Moriko's place of residence.

Mindful of the fleeting passage of time, Hato was ready to proceed as directed. Hopefully they could wrap this little caper up before it got dark.

(OOC: Lemme know if any rolls are needed. Per/Investigation, Int/Use Computers, Agi/Perform: Dance (Macarena))

[Kuni Koyuki]

Coming before the door seized her heart solid for a moment and formed a lump in her throat. Looking at the door like it was the very beast that almost killed her. That beast that should have killed her. How she wished it had.. wished.. but not anymore? How frightening this confrontation of a woman of her past was seemed to only build with every step toward it.

And this would not be the last step. Looking to Yurei and Hato she would first say, "We need one of the wrist bands that tenants use to gain entry."

Trying the dumb thing first, she knocks.

[Boogiepop]

Who knocks, nowadays?

There was an elongated pause that would almost indicate that the knock was either ignored or there was nobody home. Then, the digital panel beside the door lit up and a voice responded on the other side. It didn't seem to be Moriko. "Hello, who's this?"

Looking at the camera installed at the top of the panel, much like a smaller version of what was found at the front doors, the occupant can very much see all of them standing in the hallway.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Or perhaps there are other paths to get what you want.

"I'm Kuni Koyuki. I fought alongside your wife. We need to talk."

[Yūrei]

Yūrei raises a hand and waves awkwardly.

[Hato]

What have I gotten myself into? Hato wondered.

Hato simply looked down the hallway as she pondered how to deliver the ability to spontaneously teleport to somewhere less awkward.

[Boogiepop]

"What?" The voice would say on the other side before some sort of realization sank in and there was something of a scoff. The line of communication was then cut.

However, there was a beep that followed and the door slid open to let Koyuki in. From what they can see the residence was a cozy but well-furnished condo unit with white and beige walls. It was open-concept with a direct view straight to the kitchen, dining room and living room. They could see there was a balcony. There was a short hallway to the side that would likely lead to the other rooms in the unit, likely large enough to host 2-3 bedrooms with complimentary bathrooms.

There was a woman who walked out from one of the rooms, dressed in a black suit and looking a touch managerial. She would regard Koyuki and her escorts with a bit of disbelief, much like someone had just told her that they ran out of soy milk at the coffee store.


Bayushi Seki

"You're Kuni Koyuki?" She would ask almost accusingly.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Taking in that deep breath with the first realization that this was going somewhere. Hard to mistake the tone of that first exclamation over the comm. Meeting the woman with that full height, the confidence of 'step off' she often held but with that twinge of uncertainty of what the angle was here. Not certain what any number of things might have been said. Willfully committing to her course.

"Yes," she says, like the drop of a stone in a bucket. Shoulder muscles taught with tension se waits the drop of the executioners blade.

[Yūrei]

Yūrei's eyes shift from Koyuki to Hato to the Scorpion and back to Koyuki. Maybe she could just sink into the ground and disappear forever?

"If I may, Scorpion-sama. Whatever has been said of Kuni-sama, I've seen her kindness and generosity first hand....I'm just going to go quietly stand in the corner now though."

[Boogiepop]

Bayushi Seki

Seki would offer a glance at Yurei for a moment before realizing that it was a talking ronin, or some samurai who didn't look very notable, only to look back at Koyuki. She looked mildly annoyed at Koyuki for many reasons but perhaps the stark answer with nothing else to go on was most annoying. Her patience was thin at the moment and it perhaps drove her to remember that migraine she suffer just recently. She swore she just got over that recently.

She merely walked off from facing Koyuki and went to help herself to some instant tea at the nearby kitchen, not offering any to her surprise guests. "Moriko isn't here, if you're looking for her. She hasn't been here in over a month."

[Kuni Koyuki]

Shock would dawn on Koyuki's expression. Glancing back to Yurei and then Hato in turn. Shaking her head, she gave a wave as if casually to dismiss them to their own means. Though she didn't exactly tell them to simply leave, letting the women awkwardly figure out what it was they wanted to do. Stay for the show or beat it. She was simply far too focused on the current moment that she'd stepped out of for even that brief interaction and yet felt like she'd left it behind for too long.

Stepping forward into the home behind her she goes to start saying something but reconsiders and stops. "I saw Moriko last night," the hook first. "What do you mean you haven't seen her in a month? What happened?" she asks, concern touched her tone. An earnest concern she would probably never be rid of.

[Yūrei]

Yūrei continues standing in the corner trying not to draw any attention. But the mention that Moriko had been away for a month...hmmm. Her eyes quickly flicker over the room to see if any clues to the contrary might appear.

Day 9 LA, scanning the apartment. Investigation/Perception TN 20 | 6k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 20)

[Hato]

While Hato did appreciate the Kuni's consideration, she wasn't about to leave without a direct dismissal. The job had been to get the Kuni to the Scorpion's apartment and back again. Leaving the Kuni behind was simply not an option.

Given the Scorpion's obvious distaste of ronin, Hato wasn't about to offer forth a testimonial about the Crab. Merely quietly exist in the space, content to be forgotten about by the aggrieved Scorpion.

[Boogiepop]

There was a beep from a nearby console. "Sorry to bother you on the emergency channel, Bayushi-sama. We've spotted some unauthorized visitors entering your unit. Do you need assistance?"


Bayushi Seki

Seki would give an alternating glance to each of the people currently in her unit before speaking. "No, they're fine. They're only going to be here for a few minutes," she would tell the person on the console in response, setting the timeline for their meeting.

Her gaze looked at Koyuki with distaste, not something she would bother to hide with the social masks that Scorpions are used to wearing. "Of course, you saw her. She's been obsessing over you for a while now and it's been more than enough to tolerate. I don't know where she is now and I don't care. She was so...consumed with what happened in the past that she won't listen to me or anyone, won't accept help, won't take a step back, won't do anything else. So, I had to kick her out and she didn't even bother fighting it."

As Seki turned to pick up her mug of tea, Yurei could get a moment to look around the place. It didn't seem very lived in by more than one person recently. Most of the footwear at the door seemed to only belong to Seki. Some things lingered around from the relationship, either packed to be sent out or just things that were repurposed for her use. They didn't seem to have too many pictures together it seemed, they were either taken down or it wasn't exactly a relationship of love. They might have just been roommates.

[Kuni Koyuki]

Tension drew her taught, she felt rigid and on fire. Yet that demeanor she carried remained alike stone. Solid, and faced forward at her task in hand. There was too much boiling up inside not to release a little with a sharper edge to her voice. Only managing to keep that angry edge to herself in check by the deep pit of sorrow that built in her chest from the realization how much she understood what that felt like without effort at all. Grinding her teeth she nods, thinking.

"Was she ever happy when she was here?" she asks. Such a stupid question, and yet she needed to ask it.

[Boogiepop]

Bayushi Seki

Seki gave a shrug of her shoulder at the question, looking like a woman who had her bridge burned by her wife. "Maybe at first, but things took an interesting dive later on in the relationship. Well, no details you need to know about. It just got absolutely intolerable the last month, hence the obvious separation and estrangement," she said before taking a sip of tea from her cub.

[Kuni Koyuki]

"Do you have any idea what changed? What might have.." she shakes her head. Breathing in deep to try and hold onto that calm as best she can. Pushing herself forward to the end, but having to grind her teeth a little to work through the tension to do so, "What happens if she comes back, and tries again? Can she fix this Bayushi-sama?"