With the beaches packed yet again with the cheerful banter of happy samurai enjoying the cooling late night surf, Hato returned to the aviary. She listened to the bird's song for a while before giving her own offering to them.

How much more do I have to lose, before my heart is forgiven?
How many more pains do I have to suffer, to meet you once again?
One more time, oh seasons, fade not
One more time, when we were messing around

Whenever we disagreed, I would always give in first
Your selfish nature made me love you even more
One more chance, the memories restrain my steps
One more chance, I cannot choose my next destination

I'm always searching, for your figure to appear somewhere
On the opposite platform, in the windows along the lane
Even though I know you couldn't be at such a place
If my wish were to come true, I would be at your side right away
There would be nothing I couldn't do

I would put everything on the line and hold you tight
If I just wanted to avoid loneliness, anybody would have been enough.
Because the night looks like the stars will fall, I cannot lie to myself.
One more time, oh seasons, fade not.
One more time, when we were messing around

I'm always searching, for your figure to appear somewhere
At a street crossing, in the midst of dreams
Even though I know you couldn't be at such a place
If a miracle were to happen here, I would show you right away
The new morning, who I'll be from now on
And the words I never said: "I love you."

The memories of summer are revolving
The throbbing which suddenly disappeared

I'm always searching, for your figure to appear somewhere
At dawn on the streets, at Sakuragi-cho
Even though I know you couldn't be at such a place
If my wish were to come true, I would be at your side right away
There would be nothing I couldn't do
I would put everything on the line and hold you tight

I'm always searching, for fragments of you to appear somewhere
At a traveller's store, in the corner of newspaper,
Even though I know you couldn't be at such a place
If a miracle were to happen here, I would show you right away
The new morning, who I'll be from now on
And the words I never said: "I love you."

I always end up looking for your smile, to appear somewhere
At the railroad crossing, waiting for the express to pass
Even though I know you couldn't be at such a place
If our lives could be repeated, I would be at your side every time
I would want nothing else
Nothing else is more important than you…

Kuni Sumie

After a rather dismal showing at the Fantasy Fight even, a competitive Kuni decided to stroll around the city to blow off some steam. At least she could put all of this children's card game business behind her and get back to doing what was important with her time here, getting some rather spooky and/or wicked shoots she could use for a future video project. To her disappointment, the sanctuary was rather well-maintained and well-lit, at least the aerie. Maybe she should be visiting the depths, instead? "I can't use any of this!"

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 16, 2022 1:40 am

Kuni Sumie

After a rather dismal showing at the Fantasy Fight even, a competitive Kuni decided to stroll around the city to blow off some steam. At least she could put all of this children's card game business behind her and get back to doing what was important with her time here, getting some rather spooky and/or wicked shoots she could use for a future video project. To her disappointment, the sanctuary was rather well-maintained and well-lit, at least the aerie. Maybe she should be visiting the depths, instead? "I can't use any of this!"

When a Kuni is yelling, it is wise to pay attention. Cautiously Hato approached the steamed Crab, and offered a low bow.

"Is there ought this one can assist Lady Crab with?" she offered politely.

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni had her holorecord in one hand at the ready, seemingly ready to take some footage of this place before she was disappointed by the current surroundings. She would fiddle with the buttons on the side before she closed the viewer. Her gaze would glare at Hato when she approached at first before answering. "Do you work around here?"

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 16, 2022 3:51 am

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni had her holorecord in one hand at the ready, seemingly ready to take some footage of this place before she was disappointed by the current surroundings. She would fiddle with the buttons on the side before she closed the viewer. Her gaze would glare at Hato when she approached at first before answering. "Do you work around here?"

Hato bowed apologetically.

"Alas, this one does not, but perhaps this one could be of use in finding someone who does for Lady Crab?" she offered politely.

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni frowned at the response and shook her head. "Nah, I don't think I need to look for any employee. I just need to get some good shots of this place. I was hoping there might be some animals of note but all I'm seeing are these spine drakes here and they're honestly kind of lame. I need something dark, spooky, or gritty. You know, edgy."

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 16, 2022 1:49 pm

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni frowned at the response and shook her head. "Nah, I don't think I need to look for any employee. I just need to get some good shots of this place. I was hoping there might be some animals of note but all I'm seeing are these spine drakes here and they're honestly kind of lame. I need something dark, spooky, or gritty. You know, edgy."

Hato nods.

"Ah, this one better understands Lady Crab's frustration. The areas of the preserve accessible by guests are very safe, as the Scorpion would not wish for their to be any risk of injury to a guest."

Hato considered it a moment, there were a few possible solutions to this.

"Perhaps Lady Crab could apply her filmmaking skills to the Depths? It is no less safe, but with the dim red lighting used to not disturb the animals, with the right amount of skill, one could perhaps film something quite spooky looking. " she suggests.

Kuni Sumie

"I figured that they wouldn't...but maybe the possibility that they would have 'accidentally' kept one of the gates open so that one of the tourists would have a very convenient but gruesome 'accident' with one of the animals. That would be a pretty creative way to get rid of someone, if that's what they do around here. Getting that on holo would be very gnarly." She smirked at the through before frowning. "But I think if that happened here, the worst that would happen would be a drake stealing some dork's food. Not that exciting."

"Yeah, that sounds like a far nicer place. Do you want to take me there?" She said before looking her over, still wondering about her relationship with the sanctuary.

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 16, 2022 5:42 pm

Kuni Sumie

"I figured that they wouldn't...but maybe the possibility that they would have 'accidentally' kept one of the gates open so that one of the tourists would have a very convenient but gruesome 'accident' with one of the animals. That would be a pretty creative way to get rid of someone, if that's what they do around here. Getting that on holo would be very gnarly." She smirked at the through before frowning. "But I think if that happened here, the worst that would happen would be a drake stealing some dork's food. Not that exciting."

"Yeah, that sounds like a far nicer place. Do you want to take me there?" She said before looking her over, still wondering about her relationship with the sanctuary.

Hato bowed deeply.

"It would be this one's honor, Lady Crab." she offered, leading the way.

It wasn't a long walk, but it was still a walk.

"This one wonders is Lady Crab a journalist then?" she asked indirectly.

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni allowed the ronini to lead the way and she followed her, perhaps not quite beside her but barely trailing behind. It wasn't that she didn't trust her but likely still scoping out the place for anything worthwhile of her attention. Admittedly, the Grove provided a large amount of material she could use and it was hard to follow anything up after the spooky forest.

She shook her head at the question, letting out a dismissive snort. "Nah, I don't work for mainstream media. I'm pretty sure that they won't hire me because I'm too extreme and non-conformist to their tastes. All the Crab media wants is bad action movies, rigged sports, and excuses for heimen to hurt themselves. Super lame. This stuff is entirely for me. I'm a medic over at the embassy, you can call me Doctor Badass."

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 17, 2022 12:35 am

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni allowed the ronini to lead the way and she followed her, perhaps not quite beside her but barely trailing behind. It wasn't that she didn't trust her but likely still scoping out the place for anything worthwhile of her attention. Admittedly, the Grove provided a large amount of material she could use and it was hard to follow anything up after the spooky forest.

She shook her head at the question, letting out a dismissive snort. "Nah, I don't work for mainstream media. I'm pretty sure that they won't hire me because I'm too extreme and non-conformist to their tastes. All the Crab media wants is bad action movies, rigged sports, and excuses for heimen to hurt themselves. Super lame. This stuff is entirely for me. I'm a medic over at the embassy, you can call me Doctor Badass."

The nice thing about walking ahead of the edgelord Kuni was Hato could roll her eyes, as long as she was careful with her tone of voice. Doctor Dumbass seemed more fitting and rolled off the tongue easier, but it was of course, out of the question.

"Ah, this one understands, Doctor Badass. This one feels it must be a good sign that Doctor Badass has time to pursue her interests. A medic is the sort of important person you hope to never have need of, but are sorely glad you have when you do need them." she offered keeping her tone polite as they walked to the depths.

Kuni Sumie

"They ship me all over wherever there's Crab or anyone they're trying to cozy up to. Nobody is exactly bleeding on the floor and they've got plenty of Kuni around, so I'm just on standby until anything gnarly happens." She shrugged. "Kind of thought this would be the big one, people getting shot up on the streets or someone getting this freak 'accident' happen to them."

She did the 'accident's with quote fingers, obviously.

"So far absolutely nothing, meh. Are you sure this place is a Scorpion world?"

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 17, 2022 3:42 pm

Kuni Sumie

"They ship me all over wherever there's Crab or anyone they're trying to cozy up to. Nobody is exactly bleeding on the floor and they've got plenty of Kuni around, so I'm just on standby until anything gnarly happens." She shrugged. "Kind of thought this would be the big one, people getting shot up on the streets or someone getting this freak 'accident' happen to them."

She did the 'accident's with quote fingers, obviously.

"So far absolutely nothing, meh. Are you sure this place is a Scorpion world?"

It took all of Hato's etiquette training to not laugh at the Kuni's naivety. Fortunately, this character didn't take contrary, so no roll was required.

Her footsteps did slow a bit.

"Ah, well, forgive this one's ignorance, Doctor Badass, but this one would assume that Doctor Badass is in the wrong place to render aid. The Crab embassy is only two blocks from the castle itself. This one could scarcely imagine Doctor Badass being further away where she might see violence unless she was in orbit. Open violence isn't going to be near the Crab embassy unless the planet is about to fall to an invasion."

She shrugged a bit.

"For example, were this one to suddenly fall out a window onto a pile of bullets, and was still somehow mobile, this one would not be crawling to the Crab embassy for aid. This one would drag oneself to the Shrine of Passion more likely than not." she admitted.

Kuni Sumie

"Eh." The Kuni shrugged her shoulders. "I had a pretty good feeling that it wasn't going to happen but I thought it was a possibility, even if it was a freak accident. It's kind of why I'm just wandering around the city with this holorecorder to nab some footage when it happens in front of me. I'm sure something is bound to happen somewhere. But, in the meantime, I'll just make my own footage. Maybe one day I'll get sent to some Winter Court on some dangerous death world or something."

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 17, 2022 10:31 pm

Kuni Sumie

"Eh." The Kuni shrugged her shoulders. "I had a pretty good feeling that it wasn't going to happen but I thought it was a possibility, even if it was a freak accident. It's kind of why I'm just wandering around the city with this holorecorder to nab some footage when it happens in front of me. I'm sure something is bound to happen somewhere. But, in the meantime, I'll just make my own footage. Maybe one day I'll get sent to some Winter Court on some dangerous death world or something."

Ah yes, those famous Death Planet Winter Courts, dating back from the time when the Crab lost Shiro Hiruma but had already booked the caterers for Winter Court there.

Hato could see the tunnels coming up.

"Hm, perhaps, who can say what the future holds for anyone." Hato demurred. "However, if Doctor Badass would like to be informed of anything this one might see that could interest Doctor Badass, this one is willing to exchange contact information for such purposes."

Kuni Sumie

"Sure, whatever," she said with a noncommittal tone. "I haven't done all that socializing around here other than practicing for Fantasy Fight and whoever I run into during my filming runs. I don't really bother checking the rumours as they're probably filled with gossip on celebrities, who broke up with who, and the hottest mainstream fashion from the Crane. Like, retch, right?"

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 18, 2022 12:47 am

Kuni Sumie

"Sure, whatever," she said with a noncommittal tone. "I haven't done all that socializing around here other than practicing for Fantasy Fight and whoever I run into during my filming runs. I don't really bother checking the rumours as they're probably filled with gossip on celebrities, who broke up with who, and the hottest mainstream fashion from the Crane. Like, retch, right?"

Hato tilted her head at the Kuni's opinion.

"This one understands, Doctor Badass's disinterest in celebrity gossip and fashion. It takes either a frivolous mind or a very keen mind to appreciate such. Frivolous to enjoy the surface level, of course. Though the keen minded can use it much like a doctor can use a patience pulse, but instead they are taking the pulse of the city." she offers.

The pair reached the mouth of the tunnel.

"But if one tunes out everything, one can sometimes miss information they truly would be interested in. Such as news of the ronin who went filming in the Desolation." she offered.

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni nodded soundly at that, as that bit most certainly piqued her interest. Seeing as they were at the mouth of the tunnel of 'The Depths', which might sound edgier than it's meant to be, she also turned on her holorecorder again out of preparation. "A ronin in Desolation? I thought that place was off-limits, especially to ronin. So, did he get eaten alive? Did his face melt? Or did the magistrates find him and then sentence him to be drawn and quartered?"

Boogiepop wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:14 am

Kuni Sumie

The Kuni nodded soundly at that, as that bit most certainly piqued her interest. Seeing as they were at the mouth of the tunnel of 'The Depths', which might sound edgier than it's meant to be, she also turned on her holorecorder again out of preparation. "A ronin in Desolation? I thought that place was off-limits, especially to ronin. So, did he get eaten alive? Did his face melt? Or did the magistrates find him and then sentence him to be drawn and quartered?"

Hato shook her head.

"Of course, it's off limits, especially to ronin. But on a world as 'safe' as this one, one has to necessarily go to places that are off-limits to find that which is decidedly 'un-safe'" she offered, peering into the tunnels.

"It would be a brief, but gory story if any of those fates befell him, Doctor Badass, but no. His feet have kept him ahead of magistrate and Desolation....wildlife alike. He's apparently filmed some of the latter. Probably not the former." she teased.

Kuni Sumie

"Ugh, lame. Not even executed a little bit?" She snorted when it turned out that nothing bad happened to the ronin.

After a few beats in, she took a second thought about the situation. There was a light that dawned in her eyes. "Wait, so he went in there, avoided the magistrates, took some weird footage, and got out? That's pretty wicked, actually. Badass, even! I should get around to finding this guy, or seeing what he found. Is he a friend of yours?"