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Post by niall on Apr 20, 2012 22:04:15 GMT -8
Sorry for taking forever. With a gulp, Masato strolled into the large home as the door was opened, advancing into the long and narrow entrance. His emerald eyes trailed the mahogany wood of the floors and walls, entranced already by the elegant carved designs of the interior. What entirely made the scenery, however, was the silvery light that gleamed from the lanterns ceremoniously displayed about the rooms. Small step-by-step, Masato moved throughout the entrance that led into the parlor room, taking in the overall quality of the household; which led him to have the utmost respect for majority of the noble houses. As he neared the entryway, the servants would take his cloak-like fur, muttering a small 'thank you' with an appreciative smile to boot. Then, he got an eye full of the place, and his jaw probably dropped...
Ice sculptures of foxes, red stones, floating wild flowers, the food, the company and music... all beautiful and extravagant in this occasion! Masato probably stood there dumbfounded once more for a brief moment or two, before composing himself and glancing around the room to see exactly who was here; and, more importantly, if he knew them. Perhaps a drink would serve him justice... especially in warming up to these people.
Still, maybe he'd be the black sheep of the crowd! [/color]
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Post by Mallach Dirson on Apr 21, 2012 13:03:25 GMT -8
"We mustn't delay! Hopping into the carriage Chiyoko quickly leaned out to give the driver one last bit of instructions. "Do not he spare the whip if need be, I can't afford to be any later!"
Leaning back into her seat comfortably, Chiyoko shut the door and wiped the snow from her feet. She heated winter, she was a child of the spring. Wait, she forgot something....
"The gift!" She couldn't afford to go back and get it now... Oh dear, she would be quite the terrible invitee. She made a note not to tell Malik about this entire bit of the story.
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Post by wizard on Apr 22, 2012 15:27:11 GMT -8
The War of the Buffet had hit a crucial turning point; Kazuo had sampled nearly all of the appetizers, save for those diabolical spicy things, and had moved on to phase two, which consisted of some fruit and berries to cleanse the palate and speed digestion. He was recovering from his first foray, and scavenging about for something to wash it all down with. Water would have been preferable, but, it appeared that plain old water was not a drink of choice at such a fine establishment. After a bit of hunting, he had finally resigned himself to retrieving a beverage from the tray of a passing servant.
The cup he came away with appeared to be fairly potent alcohol, and he frowned slightly as he sniffed at it. Still, there had been a number of studies done on the effects, and even benefits of alcohol consumption, and it would certainly help to prepare him for Phase Three: Operation Entree. Taking a hesitant sip, he found that it burned on the way down his throat. Sighing slightly, he finished off the drink and set the empty cup down. Now, it was time to march to war once again.
Sallying forth towards the entree section, he decided to start once more with the lighter stuff, picking at a few different dishes of rice and fish. The varying flavors were certainly intriguing, and he began trying to categorize the foods by flavor according to intensity, coloration, scent, and various other parameters. It would all be useful information, some day, when the buffet table rose up against them.
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Post by jira on Apr 22, 2012 17:55:03 GMT -8
Jira snorted in amusement at his response. It wasn't very lady like, but she couldn't help it. Then again, she didn't particularly care about the niceties of society. She flicked her gaze up from his throat to his eyes for a brief moment, before returning her visual attention to the task at hand.
"Why must one conform? You say that it is a hassle, so why be a willing party to it?" Yes, she was able to hear him, though he was speaking lowly to mask his feelings from others. She returned the tone in kind, careful not to let her voice travel freely about the room. Only Kusu would be able to hear her response, and perhaps his attendant if he was of good ear.
As her energy coursed through his throat, she took note of the change in his heart beat and breathing. Both slowed, and his muscles relaxed, and she looked up at him again to gauge his expression. She assumed he felt some manner of relief or relaxation, but she was not sure why.
Meanwhile, her technique sought out any abnormalities with his throat. Somewhere, the music playing registered in her mind, and she briefly thought longingly of dancing before squashing out the frivolous thought.
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Post by mayumi on Apr 23, 2012 10:24:33 GMT -8
Sorry for the delay, I haven't been on much because I haven't felt well the past few days, but posting will resume as usual on the 24 hour time limit, so make sure you get your posts in. The tempo of the music maintained its joyous beat as couples swirled around the room. For Suzaku, there wouldn't be much in the way of lip reading going on as most lips were parted for laughter and the passing conversations for the most part consisted of discussions of the decor, food, music, and praise of the host who was accepting Mayumi's greeting. "Oh yes! I had heard that the main line of the Natsume family had changed again. Of course I'm pleased to meet you! Perhaps I will have the honor of meeting the heir later tonight if he has graced this humble party?" It didn't seem that Kenkou was waiting for an answer from Mayumi for he was immediately besieged by other party goers and his pleasantries continued to fall from his lips.
Meanwhile, the carriage bearing Chiyoko turned and plodded out of Seireitei and across the path carved into the snow by the other horses. The driver didn't take the whip to the horse as Chiyoko had insisted he should for the animals would have to make a second trip to return the guests and then a third to get themselves back home in less than ideal weather conditions; pushing the animals past acceptable was out of the question. Not that the carriage wasn't moving swiftly. Frosted scenes flickered by the viewing port and soon enough it all came to a stop before the Komatsu's side branch estate.
Mayumi merely smiled and inclined her head politely as the conversation was whisked away by more outgoing types. She knew them well and appreciated them for the sole fact that they filled in the silence when Mayumi couldn't. Still, she had done her duty and had given Kusu plenty of time at Jira's side, so with Hikaeme at her own, Mayumi made her way around the edge of the dancing partners toward her brother and his company.
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Post by kusu on Apr 24, 2012 1:31:42 GMT -8
As the Taicho snorted, a wry smile tugged at Kusu's lips; with his eyes on the ceiling, to prevent his body naturally attempting to turn his chin down and impede Jira's work, he did not see her eyes move to his face, and so didn't know to remove it as he pondered the question.
"Some things we do to ourselves because of how they impact others, Rokujo-Taicho, regardless of how they do us." The answer was simple, honest, and it immediately brought to mind for Kusu the face of Mayumi, which had been full of fear and other emotions he couldn't place at the time when she realized she had been compromised. How would she feel now, he wondered, if her own new brother were to begin disgracing the family by acting the way of his upbringing, rather than the way he was expected to? Not well, it could be imagined.
As the sweet drug of Jira's reiatsu continued filtering into Kusu's throat, a small red flag raised in his mind, and he knew even as his back attempted to tilt slightly forward that he was entering dangerous territories, this calming effect reaching far deeper than it should. Gently, Kusu's hand opposite the hand at his throat rose up, slipping between her flesh and his and guiding it away as best he could without being too obvious. "Please, Rokujo-Taicho, enough; there is no pain, and I fear for what I could do if this were to continue."
His voice was still a murmur, of course, only now tinged with the obvious inflection of artificial calm, perhaps even numbness. He lowered his chin again and gave the woman a smile, unaware of his approaching sister. What he was instead aware of was that he was at a ball, music was playing, and he had a woman's hand in his own. He had been warned this could happen, and the blonde hid his smile well as Kusu lowered his head just so slightly. "Would you honor me with a dance?"
A new hand to these gatherings, Kusu could not be said to have any great experience at dancing; what he could claim, however, was the several hours of intense, mortifying practice Kerai had put him through in case of just such an emergency. While no master of the craft, if needed Kusu would be able to move his way through the most basic of dances, and with a respectable minimum of fumbling at that.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 8:31:50 GMT -8
Though Suzaku could not read any of the lips of the guests it did not matter. He simply just watched every movement everyone did in the room. He would bring a hand up to his chin studying the man who was still eating at the buffet table. He was wondering where perhaps he feel in rank. Letting out a low breath he had noticed he was asked to dance by a few ladies, But he simply just waved them off. He was not one to dance, not the way those ladies would of wished anyway.
His eyes kept on scanning the room there was a Natsume in the room of course Komastu's But yet none of the oldest noble family had yet to come. That was bothering Suzaku slightly, he always thought that family came to every noble party just to show they still where around. Pity really, then he noticed the young man who entered, he had sen him before when Malik and the others left. He just couldn't remember the name, Started with a the letter 'M' For sure. For sure he was the Fukutaicho of the command division. He seemed slightly out of place in the crowd. Suzaku pushed him self off the wall and started to walk towards Masato, once he got close enough he bowed his head showing respect to him. Then the name of the fukutaicho snapped in his brain.
"Good evening Masato."
His voice was cool and welcoming to the young man, though he just hoped with all get up Suzaku was in that the Fukutaicho would notice him. If not this would seem odd indeed.
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Post by niall on Apr 24, 2012 13:37:38 GMT -8
Luckily, someone had snapped him from his running mind as he still took in the place, causing his head to cock in the direction of the silhouette... a man! This man was familiar, in fact, Masato knew quite well that he had been graced with this man's presence before! It was just before Malik-Taichou departed with a few members of the Gotei to that tournament somewhere in the human realm. Those colors, the crest... this man was obviously of the Komatsu household! Masato politely bowed his head in return, laughing casually. "My apologies, this place is just too beautiful." He smiled, outstretching his hand as if to continue the polite gestures; offering to shake the Komatsu's hand gingerly. His face... his nobility... Komatsu Suzaku?
"Splendid to personally meet you on this fine occasion, Komatsu-san. You're looking as fit as any noble." He chuckled, awaiting his response.
Maybe he didn't need a drink or two afterall!
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Post by wizard on Apr 24, 2012 17:16:16 GMT -8
Mal asked me to skip him. So I did. Kazuo appeared to be fighting a losing battle. The more enemy food items he defeated, the more seemed to magically appear to take their place. It was uncanny, how they seemed to appear every time he looked away. Were they using some form of Shunpo to travel in faster than he could track? He frowned as he turned to look at a plate he was sure he had already sampled to find it entirely untouched, filled with food as if he had never made his assault against it. Dastardly. What he needed was reconnaissance. He had to study the enemy movements. Launching a vicious attack against a plate of shrimp, he harried the enemy forces before retreating with a napkin, wiping his lips and watching the table. For a time, everything was still. People milled about, minding their own business, dancing, chatting, laughing and generally having a good time. But there, in the darkness, something was stirring. He could feel it. His eyes were glued to the plate of shrimp, like a hawk watching a mouse hole for a meal to appear, but he was beset by the overwhelming urge to blink. He fought it for as long as he could, but finally, he had to relieve his tired eyes. In the split second of blindness, the plate refilled itself. Impossible! But no, there- A shadow fleeing in to the crowd. He watched carefully, and managed to pick out... Aha! Servants with plates of food. He had discovered the enemy supply lines. Clearly these servants were Onmitsukido trained, masters of stealth and food delivery. So how to control the situation... He had to deal with this little problem. When laying siege to any fortified enemy position, the first step was always to cut off supply lines. Yes, that was what he had to do. Cut off supply lines. He stared at one of the servants, contemplating setting him on fire. That would work sufficiently to prevent them from restocking the table. Yes, that was the answer: Set fire to the supply lines. But first, he was thirsty. Fishing about for a drink again, he managed to locate another tray, bearing cups of strong sake. He polished off the cup in one gulp this time, feeling the burn down his throat. Blinking, he shook his head slightly to clear it. Yes, set fire to... What had he been doing? Momentarily lost, he stared about before spotting a delightful looking tray of shrimp. Ah yes, that was it. He must continue his war effort against the shrimp. Wandering back over to the table, he resumed Food Combat Operations.
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Post by jira on Apr 24, 2012 17:40:03 GMT -8
How very strange... she mulled at Kusu's answer, wondering exactly why anyone would suffer the lifestyle of a noble for the sake of another. If anything, taking on such a title would rightly be for one's self, would it not? She would assume that the great, tempting perks offered to a person of status were the motive behind anyone bothering to put up with the pomp and circumstance. She was surprised that anyone would become a noble for a...well...noble reason.
She returned her focus to the examination of his throat only to be stopped. His warm hand enclosed about her own, the sudden contact more intrusive than intimate. Confused, with a thin eyebrow arched, she peered up at him as he attempted to explain.
What was he getting at? She wasn't healing him, so naturally he wouldn't have to stop her from stopping his pain. She was merely using a form of her healing powers to assess any damage or problems with the function of his voice. She really had no idea what he was going on about, but had she...she would have been very, very surprised. Jira had never heard of Chiyudo being addictive, ever. He would be a once in a lifetime case, something to study and dissect.
Be that as it may, Jira knew nothing of the events transpiring in Kusu's mind. Before she could voice her confusion and irritation, he spoke again, entreating her to dance. Were all men this strange? After her run in with Kazuo, and now Kusu's behavior, she was beginning to formulate a hypothesis.
However, she had secretly longed for a dance, and upon his request she found herself unable to say no. Wondering why he was still holding her hand, she nodded. "Yes, you may." For now, she did not see Mayumi's approach. Because she was a woman of such focus to attention and detail, she often missed the big picture, a trait that made her unaware of her surroundings at times. Had she noticed her, Jira would have diverted his attention to the female better suited on the arm of a noble. Then, she would have slid away into solitude to ponder the mysteries of the opposite sex.
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Post by mayumi on Apr 25, 2012 6:10:44 GMT -8
Chiyoko is being exited as per Mal's request. As the carriage arrived before the manse, Chiyoko continued to fret. The evening had already not gone as planned; she was late, despite her best efforts her hair had been mussed in the wind which had kicked up old snow, and she had forgotten the nonobligatory gift! Perhaps it would simply be better to not show up. "Driver," she called loudly and curtly through the partially cracked door of the carriage. "Please take me home straight away!" She shut the door just in to miss out on the expletives muttered by the chilled driver, but the carriage started to pull away as requested, bearing the lady of the Daidouji house back to Seireitei where she would be dropped off at the southern gate since the weather had yet to turn too terrible.
For Chiyoko's benefit, the departure was probably for the best, for things inside were about to become more complicated. Kenkou had moved toward the ice sculptures with his group of followers, leaving the buffet table mostly not assaulted if you didn't count Kazuo and the odd food connoisseur or five and of course the serving staff. In fact, more food was being carried in from the kitchen by the women who had been busy finishing the initial set up right before the guests had arrived. Like good servants, they were quiet and unobtrusive as they carried their platters to the table to replace those which had been emptied. All the while the room echoed with the sound of music, the patter of dancing feet, and the boisterous chatter of Kenkou punctuated by laughter from the jolly man and those around him.
That was until the light of the lanterns suddenly flickered to darkness.
The whole room became encased in shadows. It wasn't pitch black for there was still a modicum of light from the twilight riddled sky, but for the instant of ocular adjustment, it would be dark to all those present. Only shadows of moving people would be perceived as darker, but in the panic, many if not most party goers were moving, most trying to find a wall, the comforting arm of a friend, or the exit. There were whispers following some abrupt shrill screams from some of the more flaky women (and some men) that replaced the sounds of fun and life that had filled the room just moments before, but one sound was decidedly missing; the sound of Kenkou's reassurance.
There was no laughter, chuckle, or chortle about how they would have to party by the light of the moon, there were no comforting comments about how the lanterns would be repaired or candles would be brought out momentarily, and certainly no words of complaint or surprise about how such a thing had happened. Those who had been his most devout followers until darkness had spread were abandoning the location in favor of walls for the safety of having their backs against something solid in the darkness. Then there was a thud and a shriek as one of the serving ladies from before (the taller one) tripped over something laying between the food table and the ice sculptures.
It was directly after that moment that the lanterns glowed back to life revealing an unappealing scene for a party. Kenkou lay face down on the wooden floor were was even redder now that his lifeblood pooled across its reflective surface, having evacuated his jugular from a decisive slit across the throat. Atop him the serving woman was sprawled for it was his lifeless body that she had tripped over in the confusion that had taken place during lights out. The screams now far outdid those which had been done in mild surprise at the darkness. People tried to dash for the exits, wailing about how there was a killer on the loose, but guards had funneled through to see what the previous screams had been about. "No one leaves," one of the guards barked. "One of you must be the killer! So no one is leaving this room until the suspect is found!"
"Lady Natsume," Hikaeme said. "Yes, I see," came the reply as Mayumi watched Kusu take the taichou's hand and request a dance. She smiled, but allowed her eyes to move to the exit. "Perhaps it would be best if we leave, mistress. Your brother seems otherwise occupied and you should not be without an exit befitting your status and condition should something happen." Hikaeme's words were quiet and only for Mayumi's ear as the attendant stood at her elbow, but the inflection within them told Mayumi that Hikaeme understood very well what Mayumi's feelings were; she did not want to be a burden for her brother. "Indeed. Please inform Kerai-san of our departure."
Hikaeme bowed then approached the blonde as Mayumi headed toward the exit into the long hallway were she would wait for Hikaeme who bowed politely to Kusu's aid before erecting her frame and stating, "Pardon me, Kerai-dono, but Mayumi-sama and I shall be taking our leave. Please inform Kusu-sama of this." Granted, Kerai had not strayed far from the heir, so in normal circumstances he would be able to hear Hikaeme, but his current mental state and the soft volume at which Hikaeme spoke were not conducive of such. Hikaeme had every intent to return to Mayumi's side immediately after she had delivered the message, but it was at this moment that the lanterns dimmed to nothingness.
Rather than run and panic, both Hikaeme and Mayumi stayed in their previous positions; Hikaeme because she was naturally a calm being and Mayumi because it would look disgraceful to her family if she acted a fool. Still, when the lights came back on and Mayumi saw the scene before her, she couldn't help but press the back of her right hand to her for head and mutter, "Oh dear." Not because the scene was gruesome, but rather because the idea that there was a murdered in their midst. Mayumi was of a kind disposition and she simply could not understand why someone would murder another living being in cold blood. Speaking of the blood, the smell had reached Mayumi's nose and her complexion turned pallid beneath the makeup. Despite the entry of the guards, Hikaeme immediately found her way back to Mayumi's side, prepared to brace the young woman if she should be ill or faint.
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Post by kusu on Apr 25, 2012 6:22:58 GMT -8
A smile again touched Kusu's lips, and it remained there as Kusu began to turn, to lead Jira toward a more open area; he paused mid-step, however, when he heard the sound of Mayumi's aide speaking, and though his senses were so-slightly dull, he understood her words quickly enough to turn and begin to attempt voicing an appeal otherwise-
When the lights cut out.
Biting back his weak voice and his breath, Kusu froze in place, his hand firmly holding Jira's, as he snapped into full awareness. As the screams began to call in the darkness, Kusu's heart began to pump all the quicker; a panic, a mystery, and as the lights returned it became clear that the case was a murder.
Kusu had only gaped at the man for a moment, and had not paid attention to his words, and so he had been utterly unprepared to see the otherwise jovial-appearing fellow now dead. What he was prepared for, however, was the sight of Mayumi beginning to swoon. Though it was painfully rude, and though he never should have done it, at this sight Kusu released Jira's hand without a second thought, pushing forward to pass anybody he did not recognize in order to reach his sister, moving to stand before her and block her sight of the body even as he motioned for Hikaeme to slowly, easily, guide Mayumi backward, closer to where he'd left Kerai and Jira.
For his part, Kerai was frowning across the room at the body; though he, too, had been paying more attention to the people around himself than the large man, Kerai had also kept his glances to stealing toward the man, and he hadn't noticed anything to immediately presume somebody would want him harmed, much less dead. Of course, he hadn't heard all of the conversations the man had had to this point, so it was safe to call himself clued out...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2012 13:04:31 GMT -8
Suzaku brought out his right hand and shook the fukutaicho's hand firmly. A smirk came over his face as he heard the comment about fit noble. Then chaos began, the lights went crazy then when they returned there was a dead person. He simply just let go of mans hand then his eyes narrowed slightly as he walked over to the corpse and bent down near it.
He looked around the crowd wondering perhaps who might of done it. This party had turned into Clue, Though he truly wondered who would of done such a cruel thing in his family's side branch, the madness.
He started looking at everyone in the room trying to figure out who might of done this crime. He new for sure it wouldn't of been the man who was eating like crazy. Everyone else he wasn't to sure about. Though the one in his rank for sure wouldn't of done it either.
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Post by wizard on Apr 26, 2012 14:12:52 GMT -8
As Kazuo was working his way through the shrimp, he abruptly went blind. Some sounds reached his ears, vibrations in the air that would indicate human voices, but he ignored them, because they would neither cure his blindness, nor provide him with any useful intel about his enemy. He blinked experimentally, and noted that there was a slight change in the level of darkness he saw. Did blind people see darkness, or whiteness? Well, it didn't matter, really. He was experimenting to verify his new hypothesis that the lights had in fact gone out, when they came back on. Now, the mystery would never be solved. He frowned and stared at the pile of food before him, debating the mystery for a further moment before deciding it didn't matter.
More sounds reached him as he moved his way to a sushi platter, picking out his favorite ones and eating them. The sounds were also ignored, but as he looked around, he realized with great irritation that his allies in the battle of Man vs Food had abandoned the fight to stare in shock at some spectacle or another that could not possibly be as important as what was happening in front of him now. Further inspection, however, informed him that the servants were also distracted by said spectacle. Aha! Supply lines had been cut. Now it was only a matter of time.
With newfound determination, he set to the food once more, but not before retrieving another drink from the tray of a servant who was standing motionless, eyes wide and jaw gaping at some mass of color and shape in the distance. Draining the cup, he sighed and set it down. It really was quite good, this strong stuff. He could get used to drinking that. Mumbling under his breath about routing the enemy forces, he got back to work on the sushi.
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Post by niall on Apr 26, 2012 15:01:27 GMT -8
Sorry about the delay. Editing out my mistake of misreading what was said. Here Masato was, about to engage in a hopefully prosperous conversation with a noble, until the lanterns flickered and initiated the absence of light. Masato couldn't help but gasp, mainly because he wasn't sure if this was a planned spectacle, or if something was a muck. He wasn't sure what the case was, but his eyes, after adjusting of course, could vaguely distinguish the silhouettes of people moving to and fro. The worst case, however, was the shrilling shrieks in the dark that alarmed Masato into thinking something had gone horribly wrong; and yet, he had done nothing about it.
Like one of those horror films... lights on!
As soon as the room filled with sight, essentially, Masato's eyes glanced and trailed around to notice the crowd either at walls, furniture, and what not; but the obviously tragedy stuck out like a sore thumb. Well, things weren't all right by the looks of it, for that Kenkou person was deceased and laying upon the floor; soiling the once clean and pristine floor with a pool of his own blood. The woman was no doubtfully disheveled and upset, as were the others invited to this party, since they decided to all try and exit at the same time; except the guards were not having it.
Sighing, Masato was obviously displeased as he look back toward the Komatsu, stating. "Looks like we have an investigation on our hands, Komatsu-san..." He took in a deep breath and face-palmed at the man who resumed eating, despite the obvious death within the estate.
Things were about to get much more serious and frightening.
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Post by jira on Apr 26, 2012 20:39:26 GMT -8
They had just begun to weave towards the dance floor when they stopped. He was clearly distracted by something, though Jira had no idea what it could be. She was just turning her head to follow his line of sight when the lights went out. Though she'd would rather die than admit it, as the screams began to resound throughout the blackness that rendered her blind, she felt reassured having the warm pressure of his hand against hers. She didn't react in any way other than holding his hand perhaps a little tighter. She wasn't scared, persay, just startled and reacting naturally like any animal would in a sudden shift in environment.
Of course when the lights came back on, things changed. They always did, signifying some kind of end. Kusu broke away from her, wading through the crowd towards a paling female that Jira vaguely recognized. Lifting an eyebrow in surprise at his sudden departure, she shrugged and turned her attention toward the main attraction of the show: a body on the floor.
She cut through the crowd, abandoning Kusu's manservant to swoop down next to the body and onto her knees. There would be no way to navigate around the pool of blood that circled around the man, so her lovely kimono began to soak up the crimson fluid. Her shoes provided little protection from it as well, so her socks were splattered, but she paid these things no mind. While the guards were conducting crowd control and barking orders, her fingers pressed against his wrist to hunt for any sign of a pulse. If there was a single trickle of life to be found in this man, she could save him. He may have been a noble, but when it boiled down to it, she didn't care. It was the same when she was young and living in the slums. Even if the person brought into the healer's home was the worst kind of trash, she wanted to do everything she could to save their life. Call it compassion, call it obsession, either way, she was a woman on a mission.
Beginning to show a furrow on her brow that signified panic, she leaned in close to his face. Perhaps a shallow breath would escape his lips...but judging from the nasty slit across his throat, she doubted it. She waited, hoping to catch him before he tumbled into the darkness of death.
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Post by mayumi on Apr 27, 2012 10:54:10 GMT -8
Just a little note in case in comes up during 'investigation'. You state, "Sure, Kenkou was trying to calm those down, but had they perceived something nearby that those, like Masato, couldn't?" However, in my prior post in a couple of sentences, it clarifies that Kenkou's usual speech is absent:
"There were whispers following some abrupt shrill screams from some of the more flaky women (and some men) that replaced the sounds of fun and life that had filled the room just moments before, but one sound was decidedly missing; the sound of Kenkou's reassurance.
There was no laughter, chuckle, or chortle about how they would have to party by the light of the moon, there were no comforting comments about how the lanterns would be repaired or candles would be brought out momentarily, and certainly no words of complaint or surprise about how such a thing had happened." The scene around the body started to change drastically once Suzaku had approached it. Those who were less scared and more curious about what had happened began to ring around the face down corpse, preventing those on the outskirts from clearly seeing what lay within the center. The servant who had stumbled over the body in the darkness hastily removed herself from atop Kenkou, her face pale and washed in a cold sweat. Like Jira who had now joined the fray, her clothing bore the stains of blood once she stood, having dipped down into the spreading pool of fluid which slowly oozed in the direction of the ice sculptures. For the aforementioned captain, she would find no pulse nor breath in the body, which was already at room temperature. Like before the murder, chatter was now beginning to break out it hushed whispers behind hands to the nearest neighbors.
Mayumi's reaction to Kusu's arrival and attempt to remove her from the wall was a gentle resistance. With the volume slowly being turned back on across the room, Mayumi cast her soft voice into the fray with words meant only for her adopted sibling. "Thank you for your assistance, Nii-sama, but please do not move me closer to the body." Mayumi had no desire to approach closer to the smell of blood and the conspiracy theories that were undoubtedly brewing. "Hikaeme can tend to me for the time being, but I believe you could probably assist the others somehow." She knew he was apart of the Onmitsukidō after all, though she did not know his job was that of a guard rather than an investigator. In the end, it was all one and the same to Mayumi; if someone didn't figure out what was going on, they couldn't leave and Mayumi wanted very badly to be anywhere but there right now.
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Post by kusu on Apr 28, 2012 3:57:50 GMT -8
At Mayumi's admonition, Kusu paused before taking a half step away from his sister and a slow breath to clear his head; clearly he'd been lost between worry for his sister and the mystery of the death, which was the cause of his foolishly leading his sister toward the scene, if only barely. Fortunately, Kerai was quick to approach; he had seen the scene, more or less, and smiled as he leaned into the conversation. "Do not stay too near the door or windows, Mayumi-sama; put your back to something solid and keep the guards in sight."
After bowing to Mayumi, Kerai placed a hand on Kusu's shoulder and turned him from his sister, guiding him easily nearer the scene of the crime; the advice seemed sound enough, as both Onmitsukido agents assumed the perpetrator, if he had not already, would be most liable to break for either the room entrance or windows if he found a moment, and it would not do to have Mayumi too near them; even with guards at the door, it would be too likely the girl could be taken hostage. Given how the guests had been clustered, however, neither thought the villain would have escaped, not yet at any rate.
Nearing the scene of the body, the entirety of the sight blocked by Jira, Kerai leaned in close to his 'master'. "I'll attempt to get word from the staff and whoever else is loitering; you try to examine the body, see if there is anything that can be determined about our enemy." With that, Kerai broke off, seeking to blend into the nearest gossiping group whilst Kusu stared blankly at the Taicho and the fat man; given the amount of blood and the fact that so little sound had been made, Kusu immediately presumed the man's throat had been slashed, and that was roughly all he would be able to gather at that, not being a medical examiner. Yes, he could attempt to gauge whether the cut had been angled upward or downward or what have you, but Kusu could prove a thousand different ways that the method a man's neck was cut was not a true indicator of his killer's height or build.
To Kusu's immediate sight, there had been no actual spray of the red liquid, but that also may not be indicative of much; for all Kusu knew, if the man's throat was cut under lack of pressure, say while maintaining a calm facade in order to soothe nearby guests, the pressure on the artery may not have been great enough to cause a stream... though, again, that was an amateur's guess. So instead, Kusu attempted to gauge how much time had passed between when the lights had gone out, and when it would be most likely the man had been slain: because reaction to the failed lights had been nearly chaotic, with little screaming among the sudden hush of whispers, it should have been easy to divine the fat man's voice from the rest... but Kusu didn't think he'd heard it, though it should be noted he was also distracted.
Watching Jira attempt her miracle, Kusu bit gently at his lip; the lights had gone out all at once, too suddenly in his paranoid opinion to be accidental. The silence from the large man, as well, was a bit of a sign - this was not the sort of ploy any man with a grudge could attempt. This was not only a murder plot well thought out, but a murder plot made among several men. Who, then, would have the capacity to control so many into such a coordinated attack?
Kusu's eyes flicked across the crowd, searching for likely candidates... and wasn't that the Soshireikan standing above the body? Licking his lips, the mute did a quick survey; no blood on his person, save for the amount that had seeped onto his footwear given his proximity to the body, and no sign of a weapon... but he was the Soshireikan, would he make it so obvious he had one? It was silly to think it was him, Kusu began to admonish himself - what would the Soshireikan, head of the Komatsu clan, have to gain by murdering a jolly party-goer? Shaking his head just so slightly, Kusu looked away; though he had the means to commit both the crime and the dimming of the lights, as he did own the serving staff - presumably - Suzaku lacked motive, or at least, so Kusu thought; one would recall he had been busy having his throat examined at the time the Soshireikan had been seen beside the now-dead man.
The only other person Kusu knew at the party, aside from his harmless sister and their personal staff, would be Jira-Taicho, but when the lights had gone out, he'd had her hand firmly in his; that alone left the Taicho with alibi, forget the fact that she was a medic before all else.
Sighing, with so little to go on, Kusu's eyes turned to the crowd, scanning, seeking anything that would stand out: a face not as worried as the rest, a face perhaps even smiling... or perhaps even somebody more put-out than the rest. Kusu nearly wanted to snarl; investigation was hard work!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2012 17:46:44 GMT -8
"It would seem so Masato-kun
His voice was cool and calm, his eyes kept scanning the room for who could of done this. Perhaps the comment earlier Kenkou had made about Leiko. Could it be that the same people who kidnapped her, wanted to keep this man silent. Suzaku brought his left hand to his chin and rubbed it softly.
There where a number of people who spoke to the man, before he was killed, And Suzaku feel in that rank, But when he was killed he was talking to Masato, so he had no real reason to kill the man either. The young woman who was talking to (kusu) had come over and seemed to be acting like a doctor. Perhaps she was a doctor, really he had not seen her face.
With a soft breath Suzaku walked over to the man who was still eating and seeming not to care what as going on. He seemed like a bright man, perhaps he had seen something. He walked through the small amount of crowd what was in his way. Once he got close to the man he stopped scanning him over slightly.
"It would seem your enjoying the food here sir. Would you mind answering some questions for me?"
It was slightly forward of Suzaku, but Kenkou was one of his family, and he would make sure there would be Justice done.
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Post by niall on Apr 29, 2012 11:07:52 GMT -8
Sorry, read your post wrong. Edited my stuff out to avoid confusion. Masato was taking a wide-scope approach to things, so he hadn't neared the body as he began to scan around the room, making mental notes of the reactions of people. He wasn't a detective, to say in the very least, nor had he really investigated a murder scene before. Sadly, making reports and justice was once his department, and like a trusty side-kick to Malik, Masato always carried around a paper and pen, should the need arise, of course. Even-so, Masato had a few tricks up his sleeve from that fatherly figure of his.
As some surveyed the body, others attempting to flee the building, Masato stood in the spot he was in once before; right hand diligently writing and jotting down what he could recall: starting from the invitation, the supposed 'Komatsu Shiro', whom, speaking of which, had not shown his face or at least made those aware of who he was within the room, guess of the time of day the murder occurred, an estimation of the amount of people attending, any tabs held against the Komatsu house that was known by documentation, etc.
He began his investigation not with the body, but with the lanterns; sauntering over to the nearest one and trying to deduce if it was from a flick of a switch that caused the lights to all simultaneously cease, or perhaps a gust of wind -- but, he hadn't felt any change of that sort. So, he wet his finger and tried to pinch the flame out of that one lantern, noting the reaction within his notepad shortly after. Perhaps there was a lack of oxygen for each lantern, considering the amount of people in the room, or the extra-activity of each guest with their screams, and the like? These possibilities, even a little silly, he jotted down.
He shook his head slightly, realizing that the body had been tampered with, now, and people gathered around the deceased soul were liking littering the frame with their hair, skin cells, etc. Still, Masato needed to be calm in this situation, resorting to examine the body and tracks and note any suspects after 'meeting' them the last of this string of priorities. Paperwork first, so nothing should be forgotten in his mind!
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Post by jira on Apr 29, 2012 17:28:41 GMT -8
Jira sighed, finding no hope in saving the poor man. Such a loss, to see life so callously thrown aside when there was nothing to gain from it. Though, nobles were known to play such dangerous games for power...so perhaps this was some ploy. She rose, noting with another sigh at the stains upon her frock. It was her nicest, most expensive garment, and she already managed to ruin it. Great bloody stains spread through the delicate silk, marring it's cream and orange glory.
After assessing her damaged clothes for a brief moment, she noted the growing circle of curious bystanders. She scowled. "This isn't a show. Respect the dead and begone with you!" she hissed, quite scathingly at the onlookers. She glanced back at the body, frustrated that the only thing she could do now for this man was to protect him from gawking nobles.
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Post by wizard on Apr 30, 2012 5:34:09 GMT -8
Tragically, Kazuo was disturbed from his conquest by somebody approaching him. It took him a moment to focus the blur of colors and noise to the point where he could recognize that the person standing before him now was dressed in a noble's garb, and appeared to be wanting to question him about... Something. His attention wandered for a moment, gazing around the room before he saw a man lying down, making a mess of what was no doubt a very expensive floor. While his mind was more occupied with the food before him, part of his brain was still buzzing away in the background, absorbing and processing information.
"Questions posed, lingering in empty space, disturbing the meal." He proclaimed, before having another bite of sushi.
"Fallen host, in the company of friends, or is he?" Kazuo continued his recitation, before his eyes were drawn back to the food.
"Silent blade, striking the soul of the crowd, but where is it now?" He mused out loud.
He was probably asking where the murder weapon was. Probably. Why he was speaking in Haiku, he had no idea, but what he did know was that he wanted more of that delicious drink he had been sampling earlier, and began looking about for more of it.
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Post by mayumi on Apr 30, 2012 13:09:17 GMT -8
The crowd didn't seem to heed Jira's words despite the malice in them. They were all trapped within the room and the only thing of interest was the body. It wasn't every day they could observe such a tragedy up close; noble or not, morbid curiosity was a common part of human behavior. Still, some of those who lingered about the body were not simply participating as common spectators, like a few others, they were making observations about the body, trying to piece together what had happened so that they could figure out who the culprit was, lest they remain in the room forever.
Among such people was Masato of course, but he would find his investigation of the lanterns would yield a more unexpected result than a simple switch or candles. The 'flame' which he had pinched was comprised of reiatsu rather than fire, similar to that which lit the Kidou Corps, though these lanterns were all connected to one another by the string which affixed them to the wall. It produced no heat, but rather when Masato came in physical contact with the spiritual flame, he would be inundated with a sense of curiosity that did not stem from himself.
Mayumi did not require the instruction that had been given to her by Kerai. She had taken to the wall of her own accord previously and now Hikaeme was back at her side. Reiatsu flowed between the pair as Hikaeme offered up her invisible barrier to the girl, though the lesser form of such as to not drain the modsoul's reiatsu too quickly. Though her eyes never connected with the body near the ice sculptures, Mayumi took in the rest of the scene; observing people observing people as it were. It was unlikely, but perhaps the young woman would spot something from her removed vantage point or overhear something that would assist her brother and those seeking to solve to the mystery.
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Post by kusu on May 1, 2012 9:34:42 GMT -8
Sighing gently as Jira hollered for the crowd to back away from the body - a proper request on several levels, though he wondered if Jira was operating on more than only the level of decency - Kusu's eyes lowered to the floor. The spreading of the pool of blood was beginning to slow considerably, meaning the wall of people would begin halt their rearward inching... but then, there was another little oddity.
Frowning as his eyes scanned the floor, Kusu began moving forward once again, shifting through the crowd until he reached the edge of the blood-pool, where his eyes could better scan its perimeter. The mute scowled when, after a few moments, he found precisely what he'd been looking for: nothing.
No blood had dropped to the floor beyond where the pool had spread, which meant one of two things: either the cut had been made bloodlessly, which was plainly not the case, or the weapon had been abandoned within the pool of blood - which also was clearly not the case. Even the poor serving woman who had stumbled over the body in the dark, her face awash in cold sweat and pale in color, had not left the scene of the crime, standing at the very edge of the ring of blood, the droplets falling from her clothing the only blood to leave the pool.
Nibbling his lip at the difficulty of the situation, Kusu's eyes narrowed before he began to step forward, toward the shaking serving girl - and was promptly cut off by Kerai, who had apparently sensed his Master's intent and held him back with a smile. Indeed, Kerai was the more capable of the duo when it came to dealing with people: Kusu had a poor habit of coming across as intimidating, or so he'd been told.
Smiling softly, his face shining with worry, Kerai approached the serving girl and very gingerly placed his hands on the girl's shoulders, in an attempt to be comforting; it was in his experience that these little 'signals' assisted a 'shell-shocked' person in coming to from their surprise, and occasionally led to them extolling some new secret... such as whether she had stumbled over the body, or had perhaps been shoved. Of course, though he was a skilled person-reader, Kerai was by no means perfect; there was no telling until it happened whether or not his guess would bear fruit.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2012 18:42:40 GMT -8
Jira disliked being blatantly disobeyed. These people continued to ignore her, blathering on like the mindless sheep that they were. Gossip and intrigue milled through the crowd as they all gathered about in a tight circle, gazing at the corpse of a man. She could only guess at what they were saying and thinking, but she doubted it was anything constructive or helpful. Growling with impatience, she strode closer to the mob.
"Really, is this all you people amount to, staring and gossiping, while this man grows colder by the minute? If you haven't anything constructive to contribute, I suggest you step back from the scene of the crime." Her tone was clipped and disgusted.
She had noticed a few key players stepping forward to investigate, and from their actions she surmised they were not simply getting closer for the fun of it. They were at least attempting to be useful, which was far better than the expensively clad lot that cattled about the body for entertainment. Perhaps those who had begun to investigate would be able to piece together enough of the information present to conclude who the murderer was.
Jira, in the meantime, was attempting crowd control. Sure, she was keen to find out who the murderer was too, but everyone had a role to play in this dark game. Her role was being dictated by the disdain she felt coursing through her veins. Perhaps that would make her a suspect, but she knew her conscious was clear; she also never particularly cared what others thought.
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Post by wizard on May 2, 2012 6:57:45 GMT -8
Growing rather bored of being questioned and reciting prose, Kazuo returned his attention back to the food. Those breaded chicken bits were delicious, and whatever spices had been used in the breading was top quality. He was faced with a tremendous amount of food which he would have to defeat, and while the servants were no longer refilling the table, he also had lost his allies in the battle. It would be a difficult conquest indeed. Something, however, nagged at the back of his mind. He didn't care about the corpse lying on the floor (which he hadn't noticed yet, at least consciously), but, the lanterns had gone out. He was familiar with those lanterns, the same reiatsu powered devices that he had been partially responsible for developing. They were used in the tower for two reasons: First, an open flame was dangerous, and second, they didn't go out unless they were put out. How curious.
It was a great effort as he glanced between the lanterns and the food, debating which was more important. Finally, his great intellect reached a compromise. Finding an empty tray, he piled various different types of food on to it, and picked it up, carrying it with him as he wandered over to the lanterns to inspect them. They were not devices that just anyone would know how to put out, certainly. Snacking idly from his tray, he wandered about the room and examined them, studying them to gain some clue as to how they were extinguished, which may provide a clue to who had extinguished them.
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Post by shinji on May 3, 2012 9:26:05 GMT -8
Consider Masato and Suzaku exited for the event. I waited a few days, but as both posted absence notices after my event post saying to remove them as they probably can't post, we'll be moving on now. Getting no proper answer from the head of the Kidou Corps, Suzaku shrank back from the scene. Other members of the Onmitsukidō were investigating after all, and the organization prided itself upon not having to babysit its members. To the shadows the man would go, taking the Fukutaicho of the First Division with him. They would simply be spectators from inconspicuous spots, unlike the people Jira was hassling with. One indignant man turned his gaze from the corpse to the female Taichou, finger pointed dramatically at her in the process. "She doesn't want us looking at the body for clues," he cried above all the other noises. "Clearly she had something to do with this! She was the first one to rush in and 'contaminate' the scene!" True, Jira's actions had disturbed the body and the blood pool more than anyone save perhaps the servant who had tripped over the corpse in the darkness, the one Kerai was attempting to comfort as his guise for getting information.
The woman in question however, seemed anything but comforted as Kerai came into physical contact with her. Her entire body flinched and her shoulders where he had placed his hands tensed noticeably and stayed that way. "Wh-what do y-y-you want," she managed to stutter in response to his actions. Her eyes were averted from his face, cast to the floor at her feet though his left arm was in her line of sight due to the position he had taken across from her frame. Meanwhile, the body itself was growing rapidly cooler. A few of the people who were trying to be helpful made comment of the corpse's temperature, though most attributed the body's position in relation to the ice statues for such a thing. None of them had felt what Jira had though when the body had initially been examined, providing a touch that was at room temperature.
Now that Masato had retired from his inspection, there was none of the crowd to hinder Kazuo in his as he wandered about, eying the lanterns which bore similarities to those he was familiar with. Unlike those in the Kidou Corps tower, these did not emanate light in different colors. Instead, the 'flames' inside were of a soft yellow reiatsu, all uniform in shape and size, in addition to the same color. Of course, as mentioned before, the lanterns were all connected by a cord which ran from each lantern to hang them from the walls.
Mayumi's efforts to avoid looking at the body meant that she was not viewing the actions of Kusu, Kerai, or Jira, though she very much heard some of the louder voices ringing out. Still, as far as people, it was Kazuo who caught her attention as he examined the lanterns. Mayumi too was familiar with them, though perhaps not on the level that Misaki's superior was. She wondered if he had sensed or discovered something 'off' about the devices and if he did, would he relay it to the others investigating. Would they understand even if he did? Mayumi had a fair idea what the Dai-Kidocho was like after all. Even if her personal experience in interacting with him was limited, people at the tower talked.
So, in an effort to be helpful to her brother in case Kazuo did find anything, or if Mayumi could find something herself, the young woman approached him. "Excuse me, sir," she started as she neared his side with Hikaeme at her own elbow. "Is there something amiss with the lanterns?" Mayumi knew that they shouldn't have all gone off like they did at the very least and anyone at the party even without knowledge of the mechanics would find such a thing odd. Lanterns going off in unison just long enough for a murder to take place and then immediately coming back on wasn't exactly common.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2012 12:23:40 GMT -8
Kusu very openly scowled as the first fool made his voice well known, accusing a medic of all people of the heinous act. Kusu almost certainly would have made a scene were this any other place, but for right now, as he was, this was not the time. His sister would be incredibly unimpressed, after all, if the head of the Natsume family went and began kicking idiots in the neck in the middle of a murder investigation. So rather than haul off an teach a pompous noble a lesson in manners, Kusu instead stared at the blood pool as comments were made regarding the temperatures of the blood, and his eyes lit up at the recognition of the fact.
Crouching down in an attempt to make as little contact as possible between the blood and his clothing, because they were fine clothes, Kusu's left hand bundled up the cloth of his right sleeve whilst his right hand tentatively stretched outward, dipping a finger into the pool of blood: as claimed, it was cool, almost cold - too cold to reasonably be after having left the body, even with the proximity of the ice sculpture. Grunting, Kusu stood fully once again before stepping forward and into the blood, approaching Jira and offering her his right hand. "Rokujo-Taicho, please, come away from the body. Nothing can be done for it now but to get filthy off of it, and anyway I would like to get your opinion on a few matters." His voice was still soft, not a true speaking voice at all, but surely Jira would hear him? He wasn't exactly a subtle figure.
Kerai, meanwhile, smiled at the shell-shocked serving woman whom turned her head from him. A difficult case indeed, but lying at this point would do nothing but hinder the cause. "To try and help us all; please, dear girl, tell me, were you jostled or knocked over in the dark? Did somebody shove you, or did you trip?"
He didn't immediately say the name of the man she'd have tripped over; no need to say anything obvious to put her into shock. Of course, as Onmitsukido, it would be remiss of Kerai to speak to the body's founder without actually looking her over, subtly checking her clothing for protrusions or extensions - anything that may resemble the weapon used on Kenkou.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2012 18:32:17 GMT -8
Eyes narrowed, Jira was truly incensed now. "How Dare you," seething, she hissed through her clenched teeth. She was growing flushed, light pink blooming in her cheeks as her rage began to reach a terrible level. To accuse a medic of committing such a crime was an outrage. It slandered her name, but more importantly, it slandered her precious division.
Oh yes, she was quite ready to blow up, but found herself distracted by Kusu. She heard him speak, her ears keen to pick up such subtle sounds. Turning her eyes, which danced with the flames of her anger, she took note of his outstretched hand. This was a cue to her mind; she needed to calm down, and nothing could be done at this point. She wouldn't mind taking some flesh out of the insolent pig that dared to accuse her, but it wouldn't accomplish much other than wasting her energy.
With a forced sigh, as if she were attempting to expel the anger raging inside of her, she took his hand and nodded. "Very well, lead on." She would allow him to guide her away from the body to whatever destination he felt necessary.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2012 18:46:49 GMT -8
For a long moment, Kazuo didn't notice that somebody was speaking to him. He appeared to be mumbling absently to himself as he stared at the lanterns, studying the cable that was connecting them, while occasionally plucking food from the tray he carried and devouring it. What was the purpose of the cable? A centralized power source, maybe? Or perhaps just something to hold them up. Still, to extinguish all of them at the same time, maybe it had been involved. As he turned to follow the cable, he paused, nearly bumping in to the young woman who was speaking to him.
"Hm? Shouldn't you be at..." He paused and trailed off before shaking his head. "No... I mistook you for somebody else." He mused, having completely forgotten their earlier meeting. Her question then registered. "Yes? Maybe. Probably. Not supposed to go out." He muttered, half to himself. "Sushi?" He offered, extending the tray to her.
He only waited a moment before setting off again, following the cable, looking for any breaks or signs of tampering.
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