They'd decided to come down together almost twenty four hours ago. So, here she was walking alongside Usagi Rei once more. Having met up previously for a bit of reading together on the oh so important topics at hand she was ready to dig around a little more. On the walk this far she'd certainly argued her point long enough that Rei should let her do the talking because giving up control was not her favorite thing to do. Well, she didn't say that last part. Back on the point though, ultimately, she decided to acknowledge that his pleasant charm and ways probably would help them a whole lot more than her methods for getting folk talking like they wanted them to.

It was still bullshit though.

It was definitely an argument that needed to be had. There was a time when you needed to hit something with a rock, and Koyuki was excellent for that, literally and figuratively. But sometimes things required a softer touch.

And so, neutrally dressed, wearing a jacket over his colors, he and Koyuki went about the slums, looking for info. Who knows what they would find? So long as it wasn't trouble...

D7LA, Inv/Aware to get info, 1CR, vp 1k1, Witchfinder 1k0 | 8k4 ⇒ 32 (TN: 30)
https://shadows.fallenash.com/viewtopic ... 360#p12360

In the end, they had some answers. Still too many questions, but at least they had a direction.

Pausing under an awning, Rei reached into his jacket, pulling out his pack of cigarettes. Wordlessly, he offered Koyuki one. "So. Seems like the next step is to find out more about this spirit. That sounds like a you thing?" He asked.

Muttering a quick prayer to Jurojin she quickly accepts the cigarette. Waiting with it held between her fingers for Rei to manage to get them both a light while she glances out across the streets. Giving herself a momentary chance to breath, "Yea."

"I could speak to the kami, and see what they might have seen but," she toys with the unlit cigarette a moment, twirling it between those two fingers. "It wouldn't be a simple task. I can get in fine, I can walk the perimeter fine, but if it happened in the dojo like they said I'll need to be able to perform the ritual. It isn't long, but.." she bites the corner of her lip, shaking her head. "Scorpion would not take kindly to it."

Pulling his lighter from his jacket, Rei lit first her cigarette, then his own.

He tucked his lighter away again before taking a long drag, blowing the smoke out onto the street. "I suppose they wouldn't." He was silent for a few moments. "How long does it take?"

"All together.." she looks out toward a distant traveler, much too far to be of any concern. Just another person going about their day in this giant Jigoku-bound city. Sound of a distant block party of sorts taking place. Some of those buildings which had their power cut to meet demands doing as people always do and figuring out how to manage. Distant sound of children laughter as they played in the open. Koyuki exhales the long drag from her cigarette.

"I would say no longer than ten minutes. One minute preperation, and then I speak with the kami. That could take some time depending on what answers they have for me.. it's unclear," she says, offering a mirthless smile. Pulling up the cigarette again, sucking it down so the ember burned a little brighter at the tip.

"That's a bit of time." Rei said, frowning as he considered. "Maybe a few of us together might be able to keep things clear. Or, hmmm. Maybe some sort of private tour?"

Re shrugged. "Perhaps that's something that Susumu-san could arrange." He frowned. "Or perhaps she could just get him to submit himself for evaluation." Still frowning, He took another puff, letting ash drop to the street.

"With all we know, we cannot be certain exactly what we are looking for. I want to know what happened to his wife first, that is the thread we have to yet pull on before we start pushing into him directly. Once we do that.." she taps out her own, watching the ashes fall and scatter to the ground. A passive glance around the area just from habit. Much as Mariko was concerned the other day of passing yoriki, Koyuki was much more confident they weren't gonna have a single problem here.

"Well, if we go to him with anything the game is up. We will need whatever we can gather first to give ourselves the best chance," she said, somewhat absently. "I'll talk to her, tonight," she says, a little pang in her throat at the mention of the woman and yet avoiding her name in current company.

Rei sighed. "Yeah. It's not a good idea. For one thing, we don't know how dangerous he is." Rei chuckled. "Even totally setting aside the mundane dangers, which are considerable."

It was true. The authorities here, such as they were, were more concerned with bigger things. And so was Rei. He gave Koyuki a sidelong glance. "Oh? You're seeing her tonight?" He asked.

"It's all for her so- she should be brought up on what we know," she says, that dismissive tone seeping in. Casually glancing away with he pang of guilt she sucks down on that cigarette more and lets the smoke burn it's memory into her lungs before promptly forgetting about it. Tapping the finger holding the bottom of the cigarette against her forearm with a bit of a fidget.

"I-" she pauses, there isn't the admonishment from herself she was expecting. Just that tickle of nerves which felt like a wall. Never was much of a climber. "I think she might have an idea on how to help. We'll need the dojo unattended for a bit she.. might be able to work something." Now, that wasn't quite right on what you were looking for was it? No. Just sa-

"I'm sorry."

"I agree." Rei said, lips twisting wryly, not quite a smile, not quote a frown. He let his cigarette burn down slowly, no longer indulging.

He looked at her as she spoke again, eyes narrowed. Slowly, he nodded. "That's a good idea. None better than her at that, I imagine." Rei chuckled softly. "Well then. Keep me informed, huh?"

He'd started to look away but the apology drew his gaze back. He looked at her, head tilted, silent. There were a few things she might be apologizing for, or all of them. It didn't matter. Rei shook his head.

"Don't be."

"You don't get to decide that," she says, a touch.. well, touchily. Narrowing of her eyes as she focuses on the space in front of her she takes another drag of the cigarette. Letting the smoke sit with her, the warmth fill her, and the building nerves soothe with the sensation of it all. Exhaling the smoke with a sigh she raises up her shoulder a bit.

Words sitting just on the tip of her tongue she works through everything she might say. I. You. We. This. Her. None of the starts hit quite right and she was left wondering if she could put the words together at all. What was she even trying to say? An apology, right, because she was weak and he picked up after her despite owing her nothing. Like she was some kind of child. It was pathetic.. right? She wasn't so sure as she might have been yesterday.

Rei groaned softly. "Oh, come on." Chuckling, he shook his head. Now he did pause a moment, taking a drag of his cigarette, closing his eyes as he did so.

He gave a long exhale, blowing smoke in front of him. "Fine. If you want to say something, go ahead. Just maybe stop verbally kicking my ass every time I try to engage a little?" He shot her a sidelong smirk.

Sparking a little of that fire, snappily, "No."

Relenting, she groans and leans her head back against the wall she'd at some point found herself up against. Looking up at that awning like it might give her all the answers she'd need.

"Okay. You left for my sake yesterday. I did not ask for it-" she grimaces. Damnit wrong, no, back. "You did not have to do that." Better, better. "I-" she shakes her head again, swinging the cigarette a little in her hands and causing that thin smoke trail to dance around a little. "You must care for her too. Why else would you have been there? Which means you gave that up for me. Which you don't owe me. So- why?"

The sharp response made Rei laugh, shaking his head. "Wow." He said.

He quieted as she spoke, listening carefully. As she finished, Rei couldn't quite help himself. "Well, as everyone knows, man-feelings are tougher than woman-feelings..." he quickly held up a hand to forestall incoming shouting and/or violence.

"That was a joke." He said firmly. He looked at her. "No. The real reason..." Rei looked away, sighing. He took a drag from his cigarette, letting it go with another long exhale.

Finally, he looked back at her. "She and I share something. And we have a connection. And I'll be there for her." He smiled, just a little. "But I can tell at a glance that our connection isn't the same as your connection. And me being there was just... diluting that. And I think it was better for her if I left, and a lot better for you, and no matter how many times you bite me I still care about that for some reason."

Grunting, Rei aggressively stubbed his cigarette out against the wall, looking away again.

Man-feelings. Woman-feelings.

A dark expression replaced whatever she had, eyes locking on him as she slowly leans forward to stand tall. Slow, insidious, she plants her one foot down steadily when- That was a joke. She stops, and processes. Watching him for a bit with eyes for the details before she huffs and leans back against the wall.

Listening with intent she just focuses herself on the words and her cigarette. Taking it slow, easing through the sensation of it without any rush. Relaxing herself again despite the veritable storm lurking just beyond the gates. Out there where anything was possible and everything was trying to kill her. Except..

"Thank you."

Koyuki's voice wasn't defeated, not quite soft, but it held none of the steel it so usually did. Made her seem a touch more human despite it all, that releasing of the tension in her shoulders as she sank a bit against the wall. There were a lot of other things she could say, all the ways she could have judged him for being how he is, but she didn't because.. those weren't really his faults. They just were. Exhausting of a concept as it was to sit with she let it sit.

Rei closed his eyes. "You're welcome." He said, his voice rough. Then he fell silent again. For his part, tension was visible in his masculine form as he leaned back against the wall.

Then, slowly, he relaxed. Looked over at Koyuki. Managed a smile of sorts. "So... are we good? With all of this?" He waved his extinguished cigarette vaguely around. "Or is there anything else on your mind?"

"No."

Looking down at the cigarette in her hand she contemplates it for a moment. How much came together for such a little thing. It was odd, something about it felt quite like this moment. Down even to the detail that they were slowly burning. Everything coming to a head, an end, it would come quicker than expected. She places the cigarette between her lips, sucks in one last pull from it and lets it fall from her hand to the floor. Stomping it out with her boot. Adding a small twist of her heel for good measure to smear it.

"Is there anything you need to say?" she asks, it was only fair.

Rei shook his head. "Nothing I haven't already said." He shrugged. "So... I guess we're good then."

He pushed off of the wall. "When you see her tonight, say hi for me." Rei considered that for a moment, frowned as he realized it might be awkward. And then shrugged.

Koyuki was half ready to just let him leave. Let him walk off into the sunset or whatever else was waiting for him. Yet she couldn't, a need caught in her throat like an egg and she had to swallow it down before pushing off her own wall.

"Wait," she said.

Stepping up just a couple feet away she looks him over. Brow knit into the question she hadn't asked vocally, or maybe never would Just piecing together how she could tell him something so he'd understand better and yet not say anything at all. A task that was as absolutely ridiculous as the outcome. All she needed him to know that it wasn't his fault, any of it. How she was- what she couldn't allow to happen. That she was- that she couldn't let that happen. Not again.

"I lost people," she said. Feeling the weight in her chest barely shift, a press to move forward and keeping going from behind. A meaningful look in her eye when she found his, the intent of her words becoming clearer. "I can't do that again."