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[aceslow]

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txt; morning of the parade

[everblooms]

Hey, detective! Up for a friendly face at this hour?

[ She's teasing. It is, like, 8am, though. ]

So, since you and your partner are detectives... did you ever get past the Kappa protecting that little nook during parade prep? Orrr???

[aceslow]

Better a friendly face than the alternative.

[ He's already up, sitting on a concrete ledge outside of a convenience store, sipping shitty coffee and doing the crossword before he has to help with the last of Sutoku's preparations. ]

I couldn't get past them. I don't think Harry did either. Everyone I saw who tried eventually wound up in the river. Did you find something?

[everblooms]

Mhm.
They were protecting a machine of some kind...

[ She sends over pictures; none of them are very good. Just a few. The sewers are dark, and the light reflection did nothing for the images, too. ]

It's right under the main route. What do you think, Kim?

[aceslow]

What do I think? I think I have no idea what that is.

And that it can't possibly be good. There's no reason to hide anything with an ordinary function from those in charge of setting up the parade in the first place. Do you have any idea what it could be?

[everblooms]

Not at all. I was hoping you would.
To tell the truth, though? I don't really have a good feeling about it.

text | un: tequila sunset

[horrifictie]

[ about an hour after the assassination- ]

are you ok kim?

[aceslow]

Yes, I'm fine. Are you all right? Did you get hurt at all?

[ And his username is still Tequila Sunset... oh, Harry. ]

[horrifictie]

im ok
got out of the madness.

going to check in on a kid i know
after that we should regroup.

[aceslow]

Good plan. I have some business of my own to attend to.

Let me know when you're done. I'll come to you.

[aceslow]

Me neither. The Alliance has had us overseeing preparations down there, but our instructions were not to pry into what the Kappa were doing. If we did, we were ejected with great force. Not the most promising start to the parade.

Be on your toes. If I had to guess when whatever will happen, happen, it will be by the end of the night, when the parade is in full force.

[everblooms]

That's what I've been hearing. They must not not trust us, or... maybe they were working in their own interest.

[ It's hard to explain... but Kim really does have a way of making one feel like they have to listen to him. ]

Got it. I'll be on the lookout. I'll make sure to hit you up sometime in the day. Might as well keep in touch.

Think you can let me know if Harry's okay, too? I'm kind of worried about the guy. He doesn't seem bad or anything, but... you know, I think you already why I'm worried.

[aceslow]

Maybe. If we were to give them the benefit of the doubt, it's worth noting that there's no reason for them to trust us. We only just arrived, and even being nebulously part of the Alliance is no insurance of our loyalty.

[ They would be correct not to assume it. Kim feels no loyalty to the Alliance. Only to those beside him. ]

But we ought to stay in touch, yes. Let me know if you notice anything suspicious.

[ And then there's the matter of Harry, who she's evidently met. He pauses to consider what she could possibly be referring to. Is it the talking to inanimate objects? His inexplicable tendency to link everything he sees to communism or to feminism? His readily apparent struggle with addiction and mental health? The sudden, unpredictable shifts in mood for reasons beyond any bystander's comprehension?

He still stands by his more complimentary description of the detective. It just so happens there's a lot more to it than that. ]

So you've met him. I could guess, yes. But I'd prefer to know. What specifically caught your eye?

[everblooms]

Hadn't thought of it like that... you've got a point.

[ Something tells her that he's used to this, the distrust. Imagining it from his seat, she pictures a world distrusting of the government and... yeah, no, of course he is. Detectives get work done. ]

Aye, aye, cap'n! As for Harry, well, let's say I think he had a meeting with a white rabbit. He's like that all the time? Hmm... guess that's just how he is!

[aceslow]

[ He what? God, Kim thought he was clean. Relapse is relatively common and is frankly to be expected, but it's still a disappointment.

Getting high and terrorizing young women. Wonderful. It's like he's back in Martinaise again. ]

I see. Thank you for letting me know. You have my word that I'll keep an eye out for him.

[ Will he say anything? Probably not. But his palpable disappointment will do all the talking for him. ]

[horrifictie]

got it.

[ That's the last text he sends for a good while. A little more than an hour later: ]

hey all good now.
im in front of the enma hq but not sticking around.
we should grab food.

[aceslow]

I won't say no to some food. I'll be there in about twenty minutes.

[ Kim walks more quickly than he had accounted for; he is, in fact, there in fifteen. There are no obvious injuries on Kim, though he's clearly a little more scuffed up than usual, remnants of dust from collapsing concrete and plaster clinging to his hair, his forearms skinned and clothes dirtier and more rumpled than he generally cares to keep them. Mainly, though, he just looks tired.

No matter. Everyone looks tired after tonight. Kim was fortunate to have been spared from anything more than scratches and bruises, well equipped to face whatever the day throws at him tomorrow. He jogs over once he sees Harry, raising one hand in a little wave. ]

Good to see you're all right, [ he greets him. ] Was the kid you had to check up on okay?

[horrifictie]

[ Harry is no worse for wear than the baseline. There's a faint red spot coloring his face between his left eye and cheek, and he's sure it's going to look a lot worse in the coming days. At least he's used to his face being disgusting.

He's sitting on the steps that lead up to the entrance of Enma HQ, watching the scattered crowds pass by, until he spots the flash of orange in the distance waving a hand. Time to get back on his feet. ]

Yeah he was ok. He's part of the Enma Department, so they have him busy tonight. [ Dimitri is wound up so tight and Harry isn't sure if that's his natural state or if this incident has him shaken up. He takes a look over Kim, unsurprised he got roughed up, and sighs. ] Man. Did not expect political assassinations this early in.

[ Is it appropriate to make dark jokes yet? ]

[aceslow]

Poor kid.

[ Kim's not sure whether he's relieved he doesn't have to play clean-up for a change, or envious of him for being able to do something tangible. He'd helped plenty in the aftermath, but only as a voluntary citizen; it feels strange, wrong, to not have an official duty to do his part in keeping the peace.

With how tired he is now, he decides he feels relieved. Whether or not that's truly the case remains to be seen, but Kim has never been one to analyze his own emotions.

Kim lets out a short huff, not quite a laugh, but not not a laugh either. ]

Me neither. I was wondering, when they introduced themselves to everyone, if it would be wise for me to introduce myself as well, but... [ He waves a hand. ] Turns out it didn't matter anyway.

[ It's a particularly self-interested way of looking at things, but all things considered, Kim is incapable of looking at this as a personal tragedy instead of a political shake-up. ] I imagine Sutoku will be in shambles for a while.

[horrifictie]

[ EMPATHY - He understands well what it means to clean up after a major situation. Long nights, no respect. ]

Not that he had much to say. Spoke more in *symbols* than words.

[ There's a name to them that he doesn't recall in the moment. An expression of emotion through text. He likes it, though best conveyed when partnered with words. ]

Well Kim, it's a shame but this is just the way it is for communists. [ Another joke? Even he's not sure! ] C'mon, lets eat. Any thoughts on grub?

[aceslow]

[ Kim hesitates for a moment as he considers whether or not he wants to correct Harry on the Daitengu's pronouns. On one hand, he knows it's objectively the correct thing to do. On the other, that would mean explaining gender to a man whose mind was recently blown by the concept of homosexuality.

Whatever, Kim decides. He's not sure if it's a means of genuine gender expression or an extension of their anonymity, and besides, they're dead now. ]

I don't think they were a communist. I think you decided that one. [ And as for food -- the eating here is incredible, but Kim's tiring of the single cuisine that dominates the city. ] I believe there's a diner around the block. Western-style, they call it. [ Whatever that means. What Kim does know is that their food is at least vaguely familiar. ] It's cheap too, so let's go see if they're even still open after all this.

[ With that, he leads the way to a shabby little diner around the corner, serving a variety of your run-of-the-mill burgers, soups and sandwiches as well as some creatively interpreted American cuisine, owned and run by a thankfully human-looking yokai. It's probably unkind of him to defer to businesses where the shopowners are recognizably human, but there's nothing like watching your waitress' neck suddenly stretch and travel around the entire restaurant to make you lose your appetite. ]

text | un: andy

[killtime]

► really?
thought you kind of liked having me show up for stitches

[ See? She can do it too, Kim. Ignoring it when someone else tries to talk about love. ]

text | un: andy

[aceslow]

I like knowing you're still alive. I would know it just as well if you came in for a pack of cigarettes.

Though I admit I'm relieved your beau keeps you fed. I was beginning to wonder if you ever bothered eating.

[killtime]

[ He can't see it, but she makes a little face. ]

my beau?
let's not

[ More importantly: ]

besides you're good with the stitches
and i trust you with a sharp object near my face
can't say that for everybody

[aceslow]

[ Not a fan of beau, is she? That's a little funny. ]

You probably shouldn't trust me with a sharp object near your face. We hardly know each other. For all you know, I could have permanently disfigured you.

Maybe I'm just biding my time.

[killtime]

i don't know
might enjoy the novelty of being disfigured
somehow doubt that's your play though
you're too decent