[text; un: didnot] locked to tamamo / open

[bratherine]

( Today in questions which have been lingering on Kate's mind since she talked to Eula, and have only grown louder since. She locks this bit to the Tamamo clan, since it only applies to them. )

how many people here know how to fight

( A simple enough question to answer, she thinks.

But second, a more open post, because she's stuck inside growing more restless by the second. )

anyone want to work out after this shit's done

( Please she's so bored and only has her own thoughts to sit with. )

Comments

[bratherine]

( Ex-sprinter things, she does actually know her times. )

100m/13 sec's my fastest. what do you need?

[everblooms]

alright, nicely done!

[ she has no idea what that means but if she knows it then, probably? it's good. ]

i need some incense placed in an abandoned temple near neutral territory. civilians rest there sometimes, so i want it to be as safe as possible for them. sound busy enough?

[bratherine]

( hm. )

i can do that

( let her look up the layout of the city with her phone first... )

got any landmarks for that temple?

[everblooms]

[ Her response is simple; a GPS ping. It'll place the location northern of some of Tamamo's gates. ]

yeah! an apartment complex, family diner... go up the stairs past the street marked with a white ribbon. on a sign post. you can't miss the stairs after that. kind of a weird location. not very rural despite the description lol!!

[ Another ping will come; this one leads just outside the clinic in neutral territory. Aerith's pulling her weight on keeping people well. ]

if you can make it here i'll give you the goods and a hot shower to get the gunk off you. free umbrella too!

[bratherine]

( okay, that, under normal circumstances, would be pretty doable. Kate's response takes a few moments, as she spends that time checking through the map for potential routes to get to point one. ... And then point two. )

sure
where d'ya wanna meet so i can pick this up

( At least this helps explain all the threads she's got going on in the rain whoops. )

[everblooms]

i can wait for you in that area! you can't miss me, promise!

[ obviously, if only because Aerith will be standing there. In the rain, waiting. ]

i can't read it's fine. (':

[bratherine]

ok
be there soon

( And, true to her word, Kate is. It takes a little longer than it might under normal circumstances — she dodges more than a few attempts to grab her or otherwise corral her back to base — but eventually a five foot one inch ball of teenager skids to a halt in front of Aerith. )

... Y'good like that?

( Standing out in the rain, even with a brolly, seems like a shit gig. She would have just found a building. )

pls just know i didnt even notice lmao

[everblooms]

[ Politely, she waits, rain pelting heavy drops of blood onto the pink and floral umbrella she's holding. She wears a flowy dress and a shockingly bright smile, like she's waiting for a friend in agreeable weather. Momentarily, she's not quite sure she hasn't seen this girl from somewhere, and the smile falls as she contemplates. It's impossible to be acquainted with all of Tamamo... She'd have to ask Emily or perhaps even Kim.

Eventually, she decides that she'll risk it. ]

Aww, you worried for me? [ She's can't help a tease. ] That's good. It means you're nice, so I can trust you with a secret.

[ She beckons Kate closer, trying to cover her with the umbrella. It's a tight fit, admittedly, but she cares little. ] Some of us "Lost Souls"... we're working across faction lines. Unsurprising, right?

<3

[bratherine]

( Kate seems... less surprised that she doesn't recognise this woman. She hasn't exactly been running around, trying to make friends since arrival. Better to keep her head down and just get things done than to stick out too much, she thinks.

So, squishing under the umbrella, with a cock of the brow at that comment about her being nice (it's not nice, it's practical. This shit isn't anything anyone should be standing out in, right?), Kate lets Aerith talk. And yeah, that confession should be pretty unsurprising. Ryouma's all about working with others, and it makes sense he isn't the only one.

Though how trustworthy it makes someone who just drops that "fact" into a stranger's lap immediately, Kate doesn't know. Her response is, accordingly, cautious. )

Don't think factions matter right now.

( It's true. Even the heads themselves don't seem to care too much. This threat is bigger than whatever disputes the groups have going on. )

[everblooms]

[ A laugh bubbles up out of her, and she walks up to the road leading to the clinic. It is an abandoned street at the moment, the two of the seemingly the only life for miles. The umbrella is rained upon mercilessly, and the sounds of the storm seem that much louder when you're listening for another person's responses. Much of the sodium lights have died now, and a good deal of electricity is down. The clinic now sticks out more, despite attempts to keep it hidden. At least no one knows what it is until they walk in, she supposes, caring little when she walks into puddles of watery blood. ]

That's true... but this place isn't just around for right now.

[ The clinic door opens after she pulls on the door, dousing them both in clinical lighting. There's a lot of bustle inside, more than usual; Aerith has set up so that people are constantly cared for here in the on-going crisis. While many are pulling their weight, it's not as staffed as it should be given that it's a make-shift shelter for people who can't make it to one inside claimed territory. Someone is cooking in here on portable stove tops, and there's a great deal of discussion. Stepping inside, the umbrella is snapped closed and left in a basin full of water to soak off the debris. ]

Welcome to the clinic. [ Simple as that. Aerith fusses with a basket of fresh towels, and then motions for Kat to follow. They've set up in the bathroom for a shower; it could be worse, but they've hot, clean water and electricity. Good enough. ]

Keep it under your hat, okay? This is the only building with running water right now, so I hope you don't mind all the commotion.

[ With a gesture, Aerith motions for her to take advantage of the amenities. ]

If you want, I mean. It's a tight fit, but it works! [ ... ] Or, uh, you want to do the run, first?

[bratherine]

( Kate's quiet as she follows Aerith. She's here for a job and it's not one that's particularly pleasant at that — the trip here reminded her of that all too well.

There's a prolonged glance at that shower, because... Well, damn, it's tempting. She hasn't felt clean since this whole damn thing started, but— )

Pointless if I'm goin' straight out.

( Afterwards, though? You may have to peel her out of it. )

[everblooms]

[ Huffing a little giggle, Aerith understands. She nods, smiling still. ] Gotcha.

[ From there it's to the nearest empty table, where she'll open up a wood box with great care. The latch is undone, and though it's outside is stained with blood, the inside has been kept pristine. Several sachets are laid out, and Aerith plucks one out, leaving it on the table. ]

This is the incense that Emily, Shylock and I have been working on all this time. It's very precious, and we have limited quantities, but we need to protect the city.

[ The lock is redone, but she steals a glance upward to watch Kat, her expression falling serious. ]

The shrine I want you to make a run through is set up wide. The roof is gone, but the foundation is strong. So, hyakume go there to hide out from time to time. There's a bunch of smaller altars set up. [ She shows Kat that the bundle here is in stick form. Stick it in the altar bowl and run. Easy, right? ]

But, there's a good concentration of hatred in that area... Maybe one of the statues or something was haunted at some point. [ She couldn't say. ] So, I want someone fast to handle setting up the fortress there, as a precaution.

You'll be just fine. [ There's genuine confidence in her voice, but understanding in her gaze. There's still time to back out. ]

[bratherine]

( Being here for this is different. Standing on her own two feet, bloodied but not being carried in. Not here to pay off a debt but to make a difference.

Well. She fucking hopes. Making it there? That shouldn't be a problem, in theory. Parkour is out of the question in this storm-darkened city, but she's always been a good runner, even if sprinting is an entirely different discipline. She can do the run, as long as she avoids getting caught again. Whether this stuff really works is another question entirely, but Kate knows Emily's competent. Shylock too, actually.

But still. Cynicism is nagging and persistent. Isn't incense way too easy a fix for all of this? )

... Do I need to light it?

( Or does it literally just work untouched? Because if it does, this mission just became a whole lot easier. )