Starring:
Reina, Takuya
Date: October 6, 2014
Summary:
Reina returns to Fuuma to marshal her resources and Takuya. They prepare to go out and beat Keiko to the punch.
"Treasonous Talk"
Fuuma Alley
Reina has been gone for some time, to deal with some internal conflict. She comes back looking a bit wearing, wrapped in a ragged traveler's cloak. No she's not taking appointments from her subordinates or doing any business at the moment. Although she hasn't specifically said that to any of the direct members of Hakumei. She's in her residence in Fuuma, which is a spacious condo directly above the casino. Sweeping living room, spacious bedrooms, an office, and more. She's in the living room currently lying on the couch in the same dusty clothes she arrived in. She lies with her eyes closed as if taking a nap, but her breathing says she's awake. If Takuya wanted to come in, he'd only have to drop his name to the stonewalling security guards outside the doors.
Takuya heard about Reina coming back as he had watchers specifically out for her. Thus he knew. Tending to his work to make sure everything was up and wouldn't need his touch for a while Takuya went for that room. He'd stare at the guard outside of her room for a long moment, waiting to be recognized, before finally speaking. "I'm Takuya. Let me in." The guard would comply after that, refusing to be intimidated beforehand it seems. Stepping into the room, Takuya did his normal, sweep the place to make sure there wasn't a potential ambush around before his attention finally settled on Reina. Studying her for a long moment, he'd walk over closer, keeping a respectful distance away though. "You should wash up. It'll make your couch less dirty."
Reina opens her eyes when Takuya walks in. She lets out a sigh, one of profound weariness. "Hello Takuya-kun," she says softly. She closes her eyes for ten seconds, gathering herself. Then she sits up. Though she looks just as tired, her expression has regained its strength. It was a moment of weakness. She looks at the drawn curtains, the closed door, and around the room, before removing her cloak. Underneath she's gastly. A silk sling holds her broken arm tight against her chest. Her leg is bandaged firmly, maybe sprained. A few bruises. She's been in a bad fight, but one she's survived. "Don't tell anyone," she says firmly. She looks up at Takuya. "Have things been going well here? Running smoothly?"
Takuya's eyes narrow slightly as he'd realize exactly how badly she was banged up. He'd move forward to kneel in front of her and start checking over her wounds. He'd clean and replace what was needed, as long as she didn't protest. Pulling out a water bottle he carried under that dustier of his to help with cleaning them. "Smooth as silk. I refuse to let it do anything less. Anyone who tries to make it less quickly stops. Or simply vanishes." He didn't seem shaken that she got messed up, but his focus was on her being properly tended to.
Reina falls silent and lets Takuya talk and treat her wounds. Talking right now would only be uncomfortable for both of them, as she'd wince and grit her teeth now and then. Afterwards she looks over the patch up work and says, "Hmm, good job. You sure you're not a medic?" She swallows. "These wounds were from Nanashi. Or Keiko as she now calls herself. She regained her memories."
She smirks. "Yes, /she/. I was right. And with her memories she remembers the years of torture, imprisonment, and cruelty she underwent. She's on a rampage, but more than that…a stupid rampage. A self destructive one." Reina actually sounds worried. "I've tried to talk sense into her, and every time she sends me limping. She controls sand. She's monstrously strong…and she's a Jinchuuriki whose mastered her bijuu. I'd like to have my direct comrades — Hakumei — come and help to kill or restrain her. But she's powerful. She'd certainly kill some of us." She grimaces. "She reduced me to this in two blows. And right afterwards she carried me out of the town she planned to destroy, and patched me up." She covers her hands in her eyes. "She gives me a bad, bad headache."
Takuya sat back on his heels as he'd listen to Reina. Frowning slightly, he'd give a slow nod. "There's a reason I never trusted that one. Pity that she's on such a destructive trip. Guess we'll just have to curtail her actions." He'd look down at her wounds for a long moment before shaking his head. "If I was a medic, I'd be able to actually heal you. I'm a survivor. Which means I know how to patch stuff until it gets better." Standing to his feet, there'd be that brief moment of being able to see his face under that hat until he'd step away. "So we're hunting our own. If she's that strong is it worth it? The loss of resources?"
Reina lets out a light sigh. "She's saved my life more times than I remember," she says. "It'll be a shame to have to kill her. Or, well, if we wish to confront her we have one last chance." She rummages in her pocket and pulls out a slip of paper. "She dropped this. It's her next target. I came here at all speed, and I need to gather my resources. Both people and items. We're going there quickly to evacuate the town and either reason with her, or kill her." She huffs and stands up, putting her weight gingerly on her left leg. "There's one more option. We can forewarn the town. They may be able to prepare for her, and if they hire sufficiently strong shinobi perhaps a group of Jounin can do what we can't." She shrugs, though winces when she shrugs. "Those are the ideas that come to mind."
Takuya nods in response, arms crossing under the dustier. "I can tell you I'd probably die trying to take her down. Considering I'm just under you in ability and she was able to smear you. Seeking to take her down is a fool's errand and does not make survival sense. It'd be better to either hire people.. we have the funds to do that. Or warn them and wash our hands of it. Further use of resources is pointless."
Reina nods, troubled. If she thought her team could safely handle Nanashi, they wouldn't be having this kind of situation. "No, not Nanashi. Her real name is Keiko." She drums her fingers against her hip, in that rhythm that Nanashi always seemed to have stuck in her head. "We're going to do one thing only. We're not going to warn the village. I can't afford another open altercation with her, and she'd know immediately who tipped them off. Then she'd likely come after us. But we are getting there first, and finding this person she's going to target. We'll interrogate him before she does, find out what he knows about her, and unless we revise our plans, return at once to Fuuma Alley."
Takuya would contemplate as he'd watch Reina. Frowning slightly at the tapping of her hip. Finally he'd give a small nod. "That's the best path. We can avoid warning them so she won't know. Just get to the guy, get the information, end him so he doesn't tip our hand and leave. That would be harder to trace than the village being empty or anything else. Especially if we do it correctly." Takuya shifted on his feet a little. "I'd really rather avoid going against this Keiko.. Nanashi. Whatever she wants to call herself."
"Her real name is Keiko," Reina says. "And that rhythm is the sound that's driving her. As for Fuuma, I'm putting Hiken in charge of preparing for any…eventualities. I'd like you to come with me. I need to find a medic, and you need to hire the person with the fastest summon that can carry us all. Preferably a bird. Cost doesn't matter, because the information we're going for is invaluable, not to mention getting in and out before Keiko gets there. But more important than a bit of extra speed is someone who can keep their mouth shut, so choose carefully. And you need to do it immediately. I need to go get a medic. We'll meet on the southern fields outside Fuuma. Can you do this?"
Takuya nodded firmly, glancing towards the door. "I'll be ready in an hour, Reina-san. I'll meet you there with the required items. I'm packing for war." He'd turn away, starting for the door itself to pause before grasping the handle and glancing back at Reina. "I just hope you're not sending us to our death. I will be quite cross with you if we die on this. Just so you know." With that last tidbit, Takuya would open the door and step out. Plenty to do and he only gave himself an hour to do it in.
