Wow... what was in that stuff?

It was a still slightly unsteady Rei that made his way through the crowd. This time, he wasn't there to sit at the bar and have a drink. He definitely wasn't there to dance, but that was usual, of course. No, he'd made inquiries, and sent a message. He had a meeting.

Grimacing as the heavy beat made the room sway, Rei pushed through the door at the rear, breathing as the sound lessened somewhat. He looked around, trying to catch his bearings.

Kazumi had recieved the message and sat on a black couch near the back of the backstage. They didn't go on for quite some time and DJ Red Blade usually handled the early crowd. Young and inexperienced but passionate.

Kazumi nodded along to the current track a bit when they spotted a rather unsteady looking Hare. The Soshi stood in a fluid motion and walked gracefully over clearly light on their feet a surely slender frame mostly obscured by a looser fitting jacket and pants.

"Usagi Rei yeah?" Kazumi asked with a raised eyebrow the voice usually caught people first how it's pleasant rasp stuck in the ear while it's intriguing lack of masculine or feminine qualities often invited curiosity

"come join me." Kazumi motioned for him to follow back to the couch.

Well. How intriguing. And different. Rei smiled, the corners of his lips curling up almost playfully. "Thank you. And yes, Usagi Rei." He murmured, sketching a casual bow before following them back into the room.

He tilted his head, regarding the Soshi. "I've heard you perform quite a few times. You're very talented, Soshi-san. It's a pleasure listening to you." Indeed, Rei was a frequent visitor to various clubs and bars.

His smile grew a little wider. "Oh, and Yurei-san spoke well of you, too."

Kazumi laughed lightly "Well thank you Usagi-san, even though I've been doing this for a while it's always still crazy to me that I have fans out there. Or at least people that appreciate my music, fan feels like a weird word." They said with a slightly uncomfortable but still happy tone.

"Yes Yurei-san talked about you too. She's good people and a handy person to know in a pinch." Kazumi took a drink through the mask, at least they raised a glass to the mask and the liquid seemed to slip passed hard to see how it worked

"would you like anything to drink Usagi-san?" Kazumi asked as they set the glass back down.

"Hmmm. Sounds like you don't really do it for the fame, then. An artist then, dedicated to the craft?" Rei tilted his head as he studied them, his pale eyes curious.

"Did she?" Rei's eyebrows went up, but he didn't press. Instead, he looked at the drink, chuckling softly. "I shouldn't not with what still might be running through my system from earlier tonight." He flashed Kazumi a smile. "Well, it won't be the first time I've done something I probably shouldn't. Please."

In the meantime Rei tilted his head again. "As it happens, though, I wanted to speak with you for a different reason. You're familiar with Susumu Yakumo, I trust?"

Kazumi made a motion and a heimen came forward, Kazumi spoke quietly to them and they retreated for a minute returning with a amber liquid with a single medium sized ball of ice.

"you struck me as a Whiskey on the rocks man, How'd I do?" They asked raising an eyebrow "if it's not to your taste feel free to ask Honju and he will run to the bar for you." Kazumi may not have any status but the club took care of its regular performers.

Regardless how Rei responded about the drink Kazumi would cross their legs knee over knee and lean back arms spread across the back of the couch "I am indeed, it'd be hard to be in the music business and not have at least heard of the Spider Idol."

Rei's eyebrows went up. "Very close, actually. My drink of choice is barley shochu on the rocks. But whiskey is among my preferred drinks as well." He raised the glass to Kazumi, smiling, impressed.

He took a very slow sip of his drink, letting the cool liquid turn to a sweet burn as it ran down his throat. "Of course. She may be the most famous idol in the Empire right now." Rei paused, tapping a finger against the rim of his glass. "And she happens to be on planet."

Looking at Kazumi, Rei flashed another smile. "Would you have any interest in being part of a Yakumo show? Here?"

Though the expression on Kazumi's lips was hidden Rei could see the smile in Kazumi's eyes as they raised their own drink back to the Hare.

As Rei continued to talk Kazumi nodded along and when he finished Kazumi leaned back again their eyes were pensive "Yakumo-sama wants me to be part of her show eh? That is certainly interesting. How did you get roped into organizing such a thing? Working on a budding career as a promoter Usagi-san?"

Rei shrugged, although he couldn't quite hide his smirk. "Let's call it a favor for a friend. And you know how favors are around here, eh?"

He took another slow sip of his whiskey. "Very good, Soshi-san." He murmured his approval again. "Do you think the Wicked Wasp would be willing to book her on short notice? I know that's normally a challenge, but..." He gave Kazumi a look. "It is the Susumu Yakumo."

"A currency of their own really. Though a favor for a superstar, either extremely valuable or worthless. Depends on how much they view it as help really." They said taking another drink.

As they set down the drink Kazumi gave Rei a look "you're right it is Susumu Yakumo, as you said quite possibly the biggest pop star in the Empire right now. I'm sure the Wasp will be accommodating to whatever she needs."

Rei shrugged casually. "It's a chance I'm willing to take. Besides, I'm already on alright terms with the Spider. I don't suppose you know Susumu Yuji? He's a good friend of mine. Good guy, really."

Smiling Rei nodded. "Great. I'll pass it along... hmmm." He pursed his lips. "I've got a few other names in mind, but can you think of anyone else who should be a part of this?"

Kazumi's body language stayed relaxed and seemingly amused "I suppose it makes a certain sort of sense for you to be friends with Susumu Yuji-sama. I don't know him personally but he is....difficult to miss." Kazumi took another drink

"Well, I saw Asahina Hinata here with you both the other night a member of Usagi Drop would be a big addition of star power as well." Kazumi made a few soft thinking sounds "and I think Yogo-sama would make a good edition if she has the time."

"Indeed." Rei smiled. "His wife is a lucky woman."

He let it go at that. "Asahina Hinata... well, that'll be a matchup for the tabloids." Rei chuckled. "I heard Yogo-san perform. She seemed quite talented... have you ever worked with her before?"

Kazumi shook their head "No can't say that I have but I have seen her perform a number of times. She is good at what she does, a lot star potiemtial with that one. Her music can sometimes be a bit too popy and cute for me but her fans eat it up."

Rei chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I saw her performance last night. That sounds exactly right."

He took a slow sip of the whiskey, cool in his mouth. "Tell me something, Soshi-san. You're a performer. When you're offstage... are you still performing? I feel like that's very much the case with Yogo-san."

Kazumi gave Rei a long look legs crossed sitting back against the couch with one hand hold a drink and the other stretched out across the back of the couch. The eyes were more amused than before Rei could practically see the smile curling the Soshi's lips as they sat back

"hmmm why don't you tell me Usagi-san, Do you think I am performing for you?" Kazumi quicker an eyebrow and maintained eye contact over their cup as they took another drink.

Rei flashed them a grin. "Well, I certainly hope I'm worth the effort of at least a bit of performance, Soshi-san." Rei, too, kept the eye contact as he sat, casually sprawled, drink in hand.

After a few moments, he took a sip of his own.

A light laugh "Oh you're too much Usagi-san."

Kazumi put down their drink "I think it depends on the performer. Some have a brand or an image they have to maintain. Like Yogo-san for example her image and music is fun and light and cute. So she wants to project that off stage so fans think it is authentic."

Kazumi shrugged "Maybe she really is like that all the time. Could be genuine but I've met plenty who were....different behind closed doors."

Rei laughed softly as well, his eyes crinkling lightly as he looked at Kazumi.

"Hmmm..." He frowned thoughtfully. "You know, after I met Yakumo, I spent a bit of time seeing what info was widely available about her. There's a lot of fansites. A lot of wanting to know the 'real Yakumo'." He made quotes in the air with his fingers, a bit awkwardly with the glass he held.

Then he shrugged. "I suppose, if all we ever see is the mask, does it really make a difference?"

Kazumi reaches up and taps the mask covering their own face "but that brings us to why Scorpion wear their masks. Do you know Usagi-san? For more than a few it has just become tradition, many schools neglect to teach the significance of the masks."