View source for 2025-10-30: Indirect Message

*'''Log: Indirect Message'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Jun Kashihara]], [[Tamaki Uchida]]
*'''Where:''' Kuzunoha Detective Agency
*'''OOC Date:''' October 31, 2025
*'''IC Date:''' August 03, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''Jun stops by the Kuzunoha Detective Agency to have Tamaki take a message for Suou.''

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 (|======================== Kuzunoha Detective Agency =========================|)
 -=================================================== Sumaru City/Aoba Ward ====-
 The first thing that greets visitors to Kuzunoha Detective Agency is a giant    
 golden lucky cat statue that, with its left paw raised, bids a hearty welcome to
 customers and opportunities alike. Inspect it, and a mewling voice will ask for 
 donations: 100 yen from students and other children, and 1000 yen from adults.  
                                                                                 
 A pair of dark couches that frame a coffee table have an excellent view of the  
 massive HDTV and dual stereos on the far right wall. On the far left wall are   
 shelves upon shelves full of books, none of which definitely can slide to one   
 side. A large desk with a lamp and computer stands in front of it. This is where
 the portly older ex-gumshoe, Chief Daisuke Todoroki, makes his business, as...  
 blessed... by the agency's original owner. He investigates (and will spread) all
 manner of rumors to find out the truth (and change reality), assisted by veteran
 Persona User Tamaki Uchida.                                                     
                                                                                 
 The back room is nothing special; it has a stove and a sink, so it's a simple   
 task to always have tea ready for customers. There's a bathroom there too, but  
 it seems like it's always occupied. Don't ask who's in there, meow.             

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    It's hard to relax after being approached by a group like Strega. It's even harder when you learn that the seemingly nice man you recently met on the way to the school where your father teaches is actually an infamous serial killer. Jun's shared all he knows with the police officer and detective he knows, and he's been reassured to know that there's a police officer looking out for him, but...
    
    He promised Tatsuya he wouldn't get involved anymore. It doesn't sit right by Jun that, for reasons beyond his control, he won't be able to keep that promise. If it's going to be like this... he ought to at least let him know.
    
    It's important. He doesn't know why, but it is.
    
    So, it comes to pass that Jun arrives at the Kuzunoha Detective Agency in Aoba Ward. He pokes his head in--a handsome, even beautiful young man, in light and airy summer casual wear, a sprig of lavender in his breast pocket. (Lavender is in season, and it really helps to have a soothing scent nearby.)
    
    "Hello...?" he calls, looking around as he lets himself in. "Is Tatsuya here today?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
<poem>
    Seated behind her desk, Tamaki is looking very much worse for wear today. Todoroki's out in the kitchenette, brewing some tea. The lucky cat statue is unusually quiet and doesn't emit its usual tinny cries asking for donations.

    Bleary-eyed and groggy, she lifts her head up to look at the newcomer, though her face lights up in recognition. She stands up from her seat, but shakes her head 'no' at Jun. "I'm afraid not. I haven't seen him for a few days, honestly, but I know how to get in contact with him."

    It's then that she remembers when she last saw them together, and to her recollection, the conversation seemed ... tense. Her concern shows on her face. "Is everything okay?"

    "I, ah, don't think we got to properly introduce ourselves when you were here last time, ahaha! Tamaki Uchida, apprentice detective here at Kuzunoha Detective Agency. Chief Todoroki's out in the back, making tea. Would you like any while you're here?" She gestures to a pair of couches surrounding a table in the middle of the office.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    Jun soon spots Tamaki and gives her a slight nod and smile of greeting. That smile stays when she says she can get in touch with Tatsuya, even if he isn't here now. That smile soon fades at her question, though.
    
    "I'm afraid not," he says, a touch apologetic even though he has no reason to apologize to her. His expression softens as she introduces herself properly, though. He'd exchanged hellos with her and Chief Todoroki before, but yes, he'd been far more concerned with Tatsuya and his injuries last time.
    
</poem>
 <Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
<poem>
    Tamaki takes a seat on the couch opposite to Jun. She winces slightly, holding a hand on the right side of her stomach, but then smiles up at Jun. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kashihara ...-kun?" She says the honorofic tentatively, uncertain. "-- is that lavender I smell? I should really use it for some aromatherapy, myself -- ahh, but I'm getting off-topic."

    'Something he ought to know.' When she hears this, she's thinking more of the mundane variety of maudlin teenage drama. Patching up a friendship or other relationship.

    She glances over at her desk. She'd left her notepad there ... so she brings out her cell phone instead. "I can do that! Just let me know what you'd like me to relay to him."

    Deadpan in her delivery, she adds, "Please do not worry about taking up my time, I appreciate having something low-key to do for once." She resumes her normal cadence as she adds, "So thank you!"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    Jun is fine with being addressed as -kun! He is a boy younger than her, after all. He offers her a smile, then nods when she remarks on the lavender and gestures to the sprig on his breast. "I like to wear flowers," he explains, "and they have an especially pleasant scent, don't you agree?"
    
    Especially if she wants to use it for aromatherapy. "I hear there's an aromatherapy store in Rengedai that's highly recommended. Kaori, it's called." Easy to remember since Kaori means 'scent.'
    
    He laughs a little at her deadpan delivery--though that laugh turns awkward when she thanks him for something ''low-key'' to do. "Well... This might be low-key by comparison, considering I don't know what you normally do, but..."
    
    He sobers, folding his hands on his crossed legs and meeting Tamaki's gaze. "...I met the Joker Killer the other day. I didn't realize it was him at the time, though. A few days after that, his allies in Strega approached me to ask me why the Joker Killer is so preoccupied with me. I managed to get them to leave, and I've reported it to... the authorities," he says carefully, given that Tatsuya likes neither Akechi nor his brother, "so I have some protection, but there's no guarantee they won't approach me again..."
    
    Jun sighs a little, eyelashes fluttering to half-mast as he lowers his gaze. "Please tell him I'm sorry. Fate itself doesn't seem to want me to keep out of trouble, if it's so determined to chase after me."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
<poem>
    Tamaki closes her eyes at the thought of lavender's scent. For a moment, it looks like she's on the verge of drifting off before she shakes her head to snap out of it. "-- ahem. That they do. I've been to Kaori before, but I wasn't yet sure what I was going to do after work today. That sounds like just the ticket." She laughs lightly behind a hand.

    She looks up and taps her chin in thought as she composes her response in her head, then lowers her gaze back down to address Jun. "It ''is'' on-par with what I normally do, but ... Call it a return to normalcy. It has been a physically-demanding week, far outside of what I'm used to. I'll ... leave it at that for now."

    She has had an AWFUL week. One night, she had a client die on her, and she nearly died last night, herself!

    As Jun speaks, she gives him a serious nod and begins typing. Todoroki brings out two mugs of tea and places them on the table before returning back to his desk to make a phone call. It'll be a moment before Tamaki takes her first sip, though, focused as she is on taking down Jun's message.

    Once she finishes transcribing, she uses her mug of tea to delay having to speak as she processes the contents of the message. She quizzically raises an eyebrow at Jun. "You met him? Someone didn't call him on you, I hope? And might I ask which authorities specifically? I won't alter the message, just ..." If Tsubasa's suspicions are correct, then ... "It might matter greatly ''which'' particular authorities you trust."

    Tamaki glances to the side. "And ... fate has a way of pulling people in despite their wishes, doesn't it?" This is something she knows all too well, and it creeps in through her voice.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    Jun smiles when Tamaki laughs. Sumaru is his hometown and he's familiar with all the wards, but generally speaking, if he's in Rengedai, it's to see his father at Seven Sisters. For some reason, he doesn't generally care to stop at the mall there. Smile Hirasaka has more shops, anyway, and Kameya Alley is an old familiar friend. It's good to know he's heard correctly, though.
    
    "I'm sorry to hear that," he says with sympathy. He doesn't press, given that she says she'll leave it at that. 'Physically demanding' could mean all sorts of things, and the important thing is that Jun can relate. He knows how to fight and can defend himself if necessary, but he generally dislikes physical activity...
    
    He shakes his head. "I don't believe so. He didn't attack me. He didn't even make me uncomfortable. He just... looked like a normal man." Not that he really remembers what the Joker Killer is supposed to look like, given his blurry memories of the attack on Kasugayama High School. He debates internally for a moment, then continues, "Yes. Katsuya Suou-san and Goro Akechi-kun. A mutual acquaintance put me in contact with them. When I told them about what happened, I mentioned his description, and they said... that was the person they suspect is the Joker Killer." He purses his lips. "It's too much of a coincidence, I fear."
    
    He looks back up when Tamaki comments on fate. The way she says it... it seems to him like she can relate, too. Maybe that's why Tatsuya seems to trust her and Chief Todoroki.
    
    "Yes," he agrees quietly. "Whatever you're going through right now, Uchida-san, I'm truly sorry."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
<poem>
    Tamaki has lived in Aoba Ward since starting university, herself, though she grew up in Shinjuku Ward and had a habit of checking out the restaurants there. It's a habit she's kept after moving to Sumaru City, and it's quite serendipitous that a good number of Rumormongers operate out of restaurants and bars here, too. Unlike Jun, the Seaside Mall area is one of her usual haunts, especially since Jolly Roger's is close to where she goes to therapy (and as she recently found out, her old classmate even works there).

    There's no avoiding the pharmacy no matter where she goes in Sumaru, though. They're everywhere. The song will haunt her for the rest of her days.

    Tamaki laughs it off and waves at Jun to dismiss the thought. She drops her normally formal mode of speech for a moment. "Ahahahaaaa, thanks. I've been through much worse, though, believe it or not." She gives Jun a wink. "I'll be fine."

    Hearing about his encounter with the Joker Killer, Tamaki gives Jun a nod. "That's good, then. I saw him the other day at that ... ''circus'' that popped up in town. Not attacking anyone, just trying to enjoy the festivities -- as you said, he just looked like a normal man. I ... was inclined to let him, despite what he's done. There was a crowd of innocent people, and an altercation would have needlessly put them in danger, at the very ''least'' among other reasons to not confront him there."

    Ulala had also told Tamaki that he's the foreign minister's son. She considers letting Jun know that, but refrains for now, unsure of how sensitive that particular piece of information is.

    "There are some ... other people I know who may feel vengeful towards him." That group includes Tatsuya Suou, though she's definitely not telling Jun that. "But I don't want to act rashly, myself. I get the feeling that he's not at the top of some chain of command. We should stop him from committing any more murders, yes, but ... I'd like to extend some compassion to him, too, in spite of what he's done. He, ah, reminds me of someone I once knew."

    His brother and Akechi, huh? Tamaki taps the side of her chin again. "I'm distantly familiar with them both. I haven't heard anything suspect about them, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're in the clear." Flatly, she adds, "Though I can see why you'd refrain from telling him you spoke to his brother."

    "Just to make sure we're talking about the same guy, tall guy in his late 20s, bleached hair? First name also Tatsuya? Scarecrow-looking fellow?"

    She smiles sadly at Jun's comment, but it soon turns to confusion when he says 'right now.' "Eh? Oh -- yes! Right now, ahahaha ... haa ..."
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    Always on the side of those who fight: your friendly~ local~ drug store~ o/`
    
    Jun blinks, surprised, by Tamaki's cheerful reaction. It's ''so'' cheerful that it actually cheers him up a bit too, and when she winks at him, he chuckles. "That's very reassuring! I suppose it ''would'' be silly of me to worry about a professional investigator." (Even if she is technically a part-timer.) "No doubt you see all sorts of things all the time."
    
    But... she's seen him too? "A tall man, with long white hair and a square jaw?" Jun asks urgently. Akechi and Katsuya technically said they only ''suspected'' it. Not that Jun doubts either of them, but if he can confirm it independently...
    
    He does not indeed yet know that Tatsuya Sudou is specifically the son of Tatsuzou Sudou. Who would suspect such a thing? He ''does'' have plenty of concept that Tatsuya is at the very least vengeful-adjacent towards Sudou--him and his brother both--though the nature of why Tatsuya wants to take him down is also not known to him. Even so...
    
    "You don't?" Jun leans back in his seat, folding his arms. The Joker Killer... has someone above him? Even though he's a serial killer? Does she mean Takaya...? No, that doesn't make sense... Jun got the impression he was in charge of the trio he was with, but not in charge of the Joker Killer. If he were, there wouldn't be any need for him to approach Jun the way he did. He's curious about the person Tamaki says he reminds her of, but he doubts he'd know who she meant even if she told him, so he refrains from asking.
    
    "I see... I hope you--we?--can stop him." He looks a bit distressed. "Though even now, I don't know if I should try to involve myself further... but if they're going to approach me on their own, what can I do?"
    
    His expression turns vaguely apologetic when Tamaki comments on Tatsuya's brother. "Yes... And Tatsuya made it clear there's no love lost between him and Akechi-kun either. Still, this isn't a situation where we should let our personal differences and biases divide us." His expression darkens when Tamaki provides her own description of Sudou. "Yes... Tatsuya Sudou. Though he introduced himself to me as Tatsuya Sutoh. I'm not sure why. As lies go, it's paper-thin."
    
    Tamaki breaks into nervous laughter. Jun gives her a look of concern, but... he doesn't press further. It seems like he should have kept his sympathy to himself...
    
    "What circus do you mean, though? I did hear something about that, I think, but those kinds of carnivals aren't generally of interest to me..." Jun adds cautiously. They're not things his parents ever took him to, even after they patched up their marriage.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
<poem>
    At least she got to keep a friends and family discount there. All it costs is hearing that song again for a few minutes. Tamaki just has to ... face the music.

    Tamaki rolls her eyes and grins. "Buddy, you have ''no'' idea what kinds of things I see."

    She nods at Jun's description of Sudou. "That's the one."

    Tamaki fidgets with her hands and furrows her brow. "Maybe 'chain of command' isn't the right phrase there. It's more that I think someone enabled him. I don't have hard evidence, but ..." She stops herself short before she goes on about Rumors and explaining her train of thought to Jun. Tatsuya Sudou's supposed to be in an asylum cell, but he's on the loose as the Joker Killer because of a Rumor, one that Suou had come to this very office asking if it had spread yet. She's inferred that someone else besides Tatsuya Sudou must have spread such a Rumor -- it's highly likely that he couldn't do such a thing while confined.

    But as far as Tamaki's aware, Jun's not initiated in this particular world, and she's not yet willing to let him in on all that just yet. Not without at least getting Suou's thoughts on it. So she pivots.

    "I do think he must have had help in order to perform those killings, is what I'm getting at. I still don't know who. It could be that Strega crew, but there are also plenty of other possibilities. I don't know for certain, and I'm sorely lacking on details." She shakes her head. "And even still, it's merely inference, not deductive reasoning. Take my thoughts here with a grain of salt. I don't have any hard evidence to support it as of yet, and I may even be proven wrong if the facts come to light."

    Her tone becomes flat and unimpressed. "Still, though. If he improvises with a fake surname like 'Sutoh' instead of Sudou, that doesn't seem to indicate much of a solo capacity for the kind of planning his killings would otherwise require, now does it?"

    Tamaki curls a finger against her chin for a few moments, then points it in the air. "I don't have an immediate answer on what you should do, but it doesn't seem like they want you dead. They want you involved where Suou-kun doesn't. We can dedicate some time to formulating a proper strategy."

    "I ''did'' know that about his brother. I hadn't heard about any of Suou-kun's misgivings about Akechi, though ... but I agree, we should work together if we're able. I deliberately chose to work in the private sector because I didn't wish to be a part of law enforcement proper, but I'm more than willing to cooperate with them provided they're not on the take."

    Jun's look does cause Tamaki to feel like she should clarify. She clears her throat, then explains, "Fate came calling for me about five years ago, that's all. You become aware of so much, and you lose the luxury of being able to look away and do nothing about a situation. Take that into consideration before you decide to answer fate's call or not. Once you do, there's no going back."

    "Oh, the circus? The one over in Konan Ward, by the beach. Good lord, don't go if you can help it." Especially if you're not Awakened, she thinks.
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    "I certainly don't," Jun says politely. But... so it was the same man after all. Jun furrows his brows, expression darkening. One dubious bright side to all this is that he seems to be getting... inoculated, so to speak, to mentions of the Joker Killer. Before, it felt like any mention of him brought him to the verge of a panic attack. Now... Maybe it's exposure therapy. The more he hears about him, the better he can handle it. He's still unsettled, to be sure, but he's not freaking out... much, anyway.
    
    He listens as Tamaki starts to explain what she means about a chain of command or enabling. However, she cuts herself off. Jun waits a moment in case she's just collecting her thoughts, and indeed, she does restart, if from a different angle. "I see. I hope you and Tatsuya can figure out more of those details, Uchida-san."
    
    Jun doesn't even know rumors come true in Sumaru--barely pays attention to rumors in general. He barely knows about the Sevens emblem rumor, and certainly doesn't know the 'update' to that rumor. He nods once as Tamaki disclaimers herself again, but laughs weakly at her criticism of Sutoh vs. Sudou. "It does seem quite shallow, yes..." His smile fades. "But if it's true he's 'obsessed' with me or someone in my family, maybe I was meant to notice."
    
    He shakes his head. "Regardless, while Strega is allied with Sudou-san, they aren't cooperating with him when it comes to me--assuming they were telling the truth, anyway. Hopefully I convinced them I know too little to be of use to them--that's why they left in the first place..." He shakes his head. "But it might not be enough."
    
    Tamaki's take on fate is good advice, generally speaking. Jun gives her a faint smile. "I already decided I wasn't. Unfortunately, fate's response was to call even louder." He shakes his head. "I promised Tatsuya I wouldn't get involved further. I just worry I won't be given a choice." He sighs and brushes his hair back. "I suppose I should listen to myself. There is no 'we.' I'm just giving you important information to pass on to him, so he can deal with Sudou-san as he needs to. Let's leave it at that, and I'll leave it to you all to form an appropriate strategy."
    
    The circus in Konan Ward, by the beach... Jun frowns in recollection. "Oh, yes. I think I spotted their tent when I was at Seaside Mall recently, now that you mention it. I'll take your advice and avoid it, then." He reaches down to drink his neglected cup of tea, with a pause to nod to Chief Todoroki in belated thanks for the drink. The benefit is that it's cool enough to drink right away at this point. When he sets down the empty cup, it's with a faint sigh. "Well, thank you again for everything. I suppose I should get going shortly. If anything else happens, I'll... send another message."
    
    And hopefully Tatsuya won't be too upset that this happened in the first place. Jun's gaze is distant, and slightly forlorn, as he considers how he might react to this news. Then he focuses back on Tamaki. "Before I go, is there anything else I should avoid?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Jun Kashihara has posed.
<poem>
    The circus in Konan Ward, by the beach... Jun frowns in recollection. "Oh, yes. I think I spotted their tent when I was at Seaside Mall recently, now that you mention it. I'll take your advice and avoid it, then." He reaches down to drink his neglected cup of tea, with a pause to nod to Chief Todoroki in belated thanks for the drink. The benefit is that it's cool enough to drink right away at this point. When he sets down the empty cup, it's with a faint sigh. "Well, thank you again for everything. I suppose I should get going shortly. If anything else happens, I'll... send another message."
    
    And hopefully Tatsuya won't be too upset that this happened in the first place. Jun's gaze is distant, and slightly forlorn, as he considers how he might react to this news. Then he focuses back on Tamaki. "Before I go, is there anything else I should avoid?"
</poem>

 <Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.
<poem>
    Tamaki folds her arms and leans back before she gives Jun a nod. "We're working on it, and I'm already cooperating with more people than just Suou-kun. Rest assured, we're on it." She clears her throat. "When I spoke of strategy, that is in fact the 'we' I had meant, not you and I."

    Maybe he was meant to notice. "I can't discount that. But Strega's not cooperating? That's interesting... Sudou doesn't want to kill you, nor do you have knowledge that he would find useful, I assume. It's goddamn puzzling what he wants from you."

    Jun talks about not being given a choice in the matters of fate, and Tamaki glances to the side as her expression darkens. Her reply is bitter and mournful. "That can certainly happen, too, despite my best efforts." That could mean any number of things, but most recently, her thoughts turn towards the Hayashi siblings. All that they did was stumble across a flash drive. Akira didn't deserve to die for it.

    She finishes her own mug of tea to take her mind off of that thought. "But I shouldn't get into that. My apologies."

    What else should he avoid? "Mmm. Avoid Tatsumi Port Island at night, if you ever have reason to go there. Maybe also avoid Triple Seven. Stay off of conspiracy theory message boards." Where else, where else ... nope, nothing comes to Tamaki's mind, not even a museum.

    She smiles brightly at Jun's thanks. "Of course, Kashihara-kun. Anytime. I learned some pertinent things from you, so I can't complain. If you need a place to run to, it should be safe here."

    ...

    As for the message to Suou itself, Tamaki waits until Jun's gone from the office before hitting 'send' in the text message she had composed. Tatsuya Suou should receive it momentarily.
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]