<@Grysar> [Date: Morning of May, 21, 2004. Taki was up late last night, but afterwards, somewhat to her surprise, she got her best sleep in days.] <@Grysar> [Kei Kashiwagi has checked in since she had the chance to speak with Yuki Ijima. He and Taki worked out this morning, before classes, for their next meeting, which has the advantage of making it easier to arrange a meeting further away from her people. The weather is pleasant warm, and way the sun's light catches the city rewards being up a bit early.] <@Grysar> [Start!] * @Kashiwagi is already there in his usual slacks, oxford shirt, and goggles ensemble. His sleeves are crisply rolled up. You see him first, and he's presently doing stretches standing at the edge of an alley of this pedestrian centric street. There's fairly few people out at this hour as most of these establishments won't be open to mid-day and cater to a more nocturnal crowd. * Taki has her hoodie on over a light blouse and dark brown jeans, she's going to class after this and she needs clothes that'll wear. She's got some supplies in her backpack because while she can just *go* home after this, some pretense of normalcy needs to be preserved. She takes a deep breath before aproaching and will wave when he notices her. * @Kashiwagi looks over and acknowledges her with a curt nod. He picks up a messenger bag that he'd rested atop a nearby newspaper stand and hangs it over his shoulder. "Shimiru-san. What news?" I talked to her, and she wants a lot more information than I've got before she'll commit to anything. * @Kashiwagi grunts at that. "And you vouch that if I share in good faith, she'll do her part?" I vouch that if you share in good faith she'll listen to you, hell, I'll listen to you. Right now all I know is that there's a bigger asshole than you who isn't in jail somehow and you want me to fight him for you. What is he doing that needs stopping? * @Kashiwagi ponders that for a moment. "With me, Shimiru-san. I lead from the front. If you can promise me that for yourself right now, that's good enough. You can condition on your satisfaction that I'm playing straight or whatever." He shrugs at that, confident in his case. Just don't forget the people in the back. If, if she agrees, she also wants her safty guaranteed. If you've got a good reason and a good plan, I'll probably agree to it, but neither one of us are going to say yes or no just because you say you have something. * @Kashiwagi lets out a breath. "Fine. So, two things up front. One, I have sources to protect. Two, there's some uncertainty in what I have, I'm going to be upfront with what I'm sure about and what I'm not." * Taki nods. "Thanks. That's understandable. Do you mind if I take notes?" * @Kashiwagi shakes his head. "Just be damn careful with them. And with who you share this with. Some of your people talk way too much." * @Kashiwagi gets a small notepad out of his own bag and flips it open about half way through. "We do have evidence that he's still producing. He's missing his partner which limits the shelf life. We also think he helped bust one of the Black Cards you captured out of jail and that he's trying to gather a crew, mostly Reversed." If this isn't the end of the world again, it'll just be me and Ijima-san." <@Kashiwagi> Smart. * Taki pulls a notebook out of her backpack and scribbles this down. "Do you know who he broke out?" * @Kashiwagi holds up a finger. "There appears to be some confusion, oh, are you perhaps refering to the KONISHITA Isamu?" He flips to a page and nods that his memory was right. "Ace of Pentacles. Bald, fights with a gun?" * Taki blinks and thinks. "I think he had an invisable sword too?" No, that was the other guy in black. * @Kashiwagi stays on the page. "Ibara Sosuke. He's the one that was sprung. We suspect with the aid of the Ace of Pentacles' partner. Can you tell me anything more about his powers?" * Taki thinks. "It's kinda hazy, he swung like he had a sword, but we were fighting in a stairway and he didn't hit anything that wasn't in front of him. Farther than a normal sword." She raises a hand as far as she can and stands on her toes. "Spear length, maybe farther if we'd been someplace more open. And not sharp." * @Kashiwagi walks around Taki for a moment, the better to get a reference of the height using a building. "Good to know. Don't assume he hasn't learned any new tricks, but that's better than I had." He's now standing with his back to the sun and almost looked like he was smiling for a moment, but it's hard to say. He jots down notes as he listens. Do you know his card? * @Kashiwagi flips to a different page. "Not certain. But taking a literal interpretation of his powers and going with our assumption that he's Upright, I'm going to guess Ten of Swords." * Taki frowns at that but writes it down anyway. "Does Kanishita have any powers? He got KOed before he could do anything." * @Kashiwagi flips back to the page he was on earlier. "His part in the process seemed to be stabalizing the drugs and also taking the power extracted from the prisoners and making it into that stable pink gel." Kashiwagi frowns. "I've got some more details, but I'm not sure the Ace is really all there anymore. Not that explaining our powers is easy in the first place." * Taki blinks. "Really all there?" <@Kashiwagi> Prison may not be agreeing with him. Some contradictions, some that seems more like ranting. But suffice to say, the Ace made mass distribution and storing up possible, but we think that he need a Major partner to pull off what he did. Not just the elder Shingo. Huuh. <@Kashiwagi> Hence, my search. * @Kashiwagi holds out his hands for a moment as he says that before clasping them together, closing his fist on the notebook. He does a quick scan of the area to make sure that you're still alone after hearing a small truck moving down a side street. Satisfied that you are along, he looks back down at Taki to await further questions. * Taki nods. "Any idea how many prisoners?" I'd offer to field, but I need to be awake to ask questions. * @Kashiwagi nods. "Just keeping cautious." He frowns. "Only speculation. Based on what little we have of his history, could be a half dozen. We've been keeping an eye on missing persons reports, but it's a big city." * Taki nods. "So, that's two. Does he have anybody else working for him?" * @Kashiwagi clicks his tongue. "That's where my sources dry up. We've been able to confirm that a call for aid went out to the Reversed. But all I've got is bits and fragments. Some cards, some rumors about the World Reversed." <@Kashiwagi> The younger Shinjo might be communicating with the Chemist somehow, but believe me, if we thought he was in Osaka, he'd be the priority. * Taki winces. "That's going to make sure you get all of them hard." And I think him being here and in contact with the Reversed counts as a potential end of the world, or at least Osaka. * @Kashiwagi looks a little confused. "Look, you want to go about the surviving Shinjo, I don't blame you, but he ain't here. He is Reversed, can't confirm the card, but trust me, we have a top man on tracking him." Kei sounds a tad bitter as he says that last bit, but doesn't elaborate. Sorry, too many uncomfortable elevator rides. When he showes up, then I'll panic about him. * @Kashiwagi holds up a hand. "I get it, but this is why we gather intel and we train. So if the day comes, muscle memory and habit are there to override the panic." * Taki nods. "Let's go back to things I can deal with then. At least two other Arcana, one of which both has offensive powers and knows what I can do. You want me to help fight them and anybody else they've got. And Ijima-san to help you plan and gather more information?" <@Kashiwagi> Right. I'm not asking her to fight, just to nail down what she can on the location, the number of Arcana, and the number of drugged. There's a lot more we can do with even two out of three. * @Kashiwagi has a hint of frustration in his voice as he says that last part. Now that you've had a while to talk to him, and watch him as he paces, there's some redness in his eyes and some tiredness shows in his gestures and stride. * Taki writes that down. "But, if any them, or their friends find out she helped, well then she's in deep trouble and can't fight or run away. And like I told her earlier, my power doesn't let me be everywhere at once." * @Kashiwagi nods. "True." He mirthlessly chuckles. "But here's the thing, Ijima Yuki-san knows as well as anyone that trying to stay out doesn't guarantee your safety either." <@Kashiwagi> Those poor sods under the Chemist's power, maybe they made some mistakes in life, but they don't deserve to be in danger either. * Taki snorts. "Now you learn to talk like somebody I'd follow. I'll have to talk this over with Ijima-san and she'll probably have more questions, but rescuing them is something that'll gnaw at me if I don't." * @Kashiwagi cracks a little more of a smile. "That's my Knight." He makes a quick note of Taki's plan. "Time is not on our side here, but it's worth getting right. Is there anything else you need? I want to keep intel off electronics, but if she has more questions I can come when she's ready." * Taki waggles a finger up at him. "Not yours. Allied maybe, but not yours. And I'm sure she'll have more questions, she's more clever than I am, so I'll write them down on paper and bring them to you, before it's too late." * @Kashiwagi snorts. "I don't seek to steal your heart from another." In one smooth motion he slips his hand past the waggling finger, grasping Taki's hand palm to palm. "Even in an alliance, there's only one Shugo. But we will save those who he has endangered and I will answer what questions she asks. Together we will be victorious." He swiftly lets go and heads back towards the alley you first saw him in. * Taki just kinda stares. * @Kashiwagi gives a backwards wave and after a moment is gone. * Taki wipes her hand on her pantleg. He'd been doing so well at not being a creep, jerk, or an asshole for a bit. There really are no good men, are there? No, wait, Satoshi. Can't give up on the entire half of the species yet. <@Kashiwagi> [End!]