Out in the cold once more and headed south of Fleur Boulevard; their breakfasts had and Kineko sat at ho with a babysitter.
Clouds thickly coated the sky—dark greys they were. The wind howled, leaving little rays of sunlight to freckle the roads. "This is the place," Kazuo told as they walked across the street after looking both ways.
The busy road had been split into four at an odd angle, leaving uneven symtry between them. Between the gothic streetlamps and the ongoing traffic, were hundreds of people making their way across and around.
They were no different and they headed towards the building with its entrance at the corner. The red-bricked building was only two stories high and the windows above were all seemingly shut.
No sign was on the building, no decorations around the dark doors other than a doorbell. "So, you’re more like a private investigator than a detective?" Jotou scanned the building, wearing her adventuring attire, sword and all.
"They’re not mutually exclusive," Kazuo fished the keys out of his trench coat and approached the lock on the door. "I started as a detective under the police at first.
At so point, I moved on from that and found a new agency just starting up. Years later, here I am—Investigations Co."
He lifted the door slightly and he pushed it inwards. Imdiately the scent of coffee and perfu was what greeted them through the doors.
The interior was lit dimly by yellow light, enough to see at the very least. Their shoes clacked on the peach tiles and phones rang left and right.
The main foyer revealed all of the building for the most part. They could peer up through the large square atrium in the centre of the building, to the second floor and the roof.
Office doors with na plaques were around as well as general office spaces and storage spaces for files, evidence and such. "I’ve been here before," Fuko recalled sothing from her very early mories.
"I brought you here a while back," Kazuo made his way to one of the offices on the sa floor.
"Ooo, where do you keep all the bad guys?" Asobi flourished her wand and turned her magician’s attire into that of a detective—complete with a monocle and a smoking pipe that spewed bubbles.
"We don’t keep criminals here kid, that’s the police’s jurisdiction."
"It’s a quaint agency. It’s nice and quiet to even think," Hotaru’s ears flickered around.
"The building’s got heavy soundproofing. All the windows are tinted and sealed. Beyond that, having only ten detectives, this place works perfectly to be able to do my job—police precincts can be... hectic."
A short man in a bowler hat approached, a moustache and a little portly, "You know I would’ve had drinks co by Kaz, you just said a couple-a guests," he greeted with a broad smile, his voice a little gravelly and high.
"One’s not old enough to drink you get Pete," Kazuo replied. "Peter Werner—founder of the agency," he introduced.
"Pleasure," he lifted his hat. "Oh my, my, my, this your little girl? Look at you, last I saw you, you were a teensy little ankle-biter and now," he pinched Fuko’s cheeks.
"Hey, ow, ow, ow!"
"All grown up, eighteen soon," he let go with a chuckle.
Fuko contemplated reaching for her dagger... "Is there still drinks?" she queried instead.
"How’s a glass of whiskey kid? Got a bottle of that."
"Not today," Kazuo glared to Fuko and Peter.
Peter’s face scrunched and he held a hand up to his face as he said to Fuko while pointing to Kazuo, "Strait-laced ain’t he? No smoke, nothin—got him enough booze to get a horse drunk and he was still fine."
"You’re overexaggerating there," Kazuo’s eyes glazed over.
Fuko smirked.
"This must be the legend from Kria herself," he glanced to Jotou.
"Legend’s a bit much, but I’ll take it," she smiled.
"Azure Firefly, great work, great work," he scanned his eyes across.
"Thank you," her tail wagged.
"And this is...?"
"The Amazing Asobi!" Asobi dropped the illusion and threw a spotlight on herself before tipping her hat.
"There’s sothin you don’t see every day," he noticed her pointy ears. "Nice to etcha. Welco yourselves, make yourselves at ho," he threw his hands up before giving a single clap. "I’ll see ya around."
"Hold it," Kazuo halted his steps. "The conversation over the phone?"
Peter turned with a squeak from his shoes and faced him, "You still sure bout’ this?"
"No doubts."
"Alright, alright, give a few, I’ll get the files," he waved while walking away.
"What was that all about?" Fuko gave him a narrowed gaze.
"You’ll see soon enough," he continued walking towards his office, but paused. He could glean from the translucent screen where his na and title was displayed—soone was inside.
By the size of the shadow, the location of the person, he could figure out by the form of the body as to who it was. He entered with caution, but also with ease. "Morning," he uttered.
In his office were filing cabinets and a pinboard with enough red string to knit a large sweater. Behind the desk at the back of office was a wide window with the blinds closed halfway, letting in rows of light.
The figure inside, standing at the desk, was a tall dark-skinned woman with short curly black hair.
She wore a dark blue trench coat going till her knees with a tight belt around her waist, causing one side of the coat to overlap the buttons on the other side—white clothing beneath.
Her slim face had tilted slightly seeing their entrance. She moved her right leg that was crossed over her left and stood proper, adorning black lace-up boots with buckles; she stood slightly shorter than Kazuo, but was taller than everyone else who entered.
Her impassive face glanced at the guests, "Morning detective."
"What’s brought you into my office all of a sudden?" Kazuo took off his trench coat and tossed it onto the coatrack by the side.
"Mrs Atherton?" Fuko fluttered her lashes.
"Hi kid; been a while," her face didn’t change a wrinkle. "I’m just here to drop off so new intel that cos from your favourite source," her hand went over the docunts scattered over his desk and picked up the envelope with pink ink written on it.
Kazuo froze on the spot and glanced around the room slowly.
"And what’s that source?" Fuko asked.
"Oh, just the one thing that can always get the jump on dear Detective Namora," the woman replied.
Kazuo had his head on a swivel, "She’s not here, is she?" his voice trembled and his eye winced.
"Hm, you make wanna say yes with that face of yours," a little hint of a smile she gave. "Unfortunately, she had other things to deal with."
Kazuo sighed in relief, "Thank god... You realize the people I have with , it’s not dealing with her I’m worried about."
"Mhm, whatever you say. Poor girl would just hound them for a scoop, that’s all."
"But once they’re on her radar..." he muttered shaking his head slowly. The woman gave it a second’s thought and gave a nod to the sentint.
"Sorry, introductions? I’m Hotaru Kinoshita."
"Morgana Atherton—PI." she replied.
"Pie?" Asobi tilted her head.
"Private Investigator," Fuko tightened her lips.
"Jotou Howllett," the blonde walked further in.
"I already know who you all are," Morgana replied. "The sa group you want to talk about the cult with, have I got that right?" she raised a brow to Kazuo.
"Yes, that’s correct..."
"Does confidentiality aning nothing anymore?" she glared.
He sighed, "Think of it as an expert team to handle certain situations. Besides, they don’t intend to leak anything to the public anyhow, they want to be away from the public eye."
She shook her head and folded her arms, "That isn’t the only thing. I’m just at a loss detective.
The sa daughter you kept cooped up for years because you were too afraid, ca back after running away and you’re suddenly okay to let her in on the case about the cult of all cases?
I’m most probably missing context, but things ain’t adding up and that’s not sothing I’m gonna let slide by."
"How about, I explain to you later?" Kazuo put his hands up.
"Later?" she tipped her chin down.
He gave a shrug.
...
"Alright, fine," she let it be.
"Why, you don’t want on the case or sothing? Think I can’t do it?" Fuko questioned.
"Kid, I’ve been the one trying to convince him for years not to keep you locked up in that house like so canary. He suddenly has a change of heart after all this ti and I’m not supposed to be the least bit suspicious?" her words were quick and clear in her irritation.
"Well, you were the one who convinced to leave her be in Kria after she ran away," Kazuo admitted more quietly.
Her face twisted and she winced an eye, "You were halfway across the damn continent."
"Yes... and what you said also helped decide to turn back around..."
"Is that so?" her face oozed with doubt.
"I’m not lying," he said as he approached his desk. He reached for the letter with pink ink in her hand.
Morgana flicked her wrist away and brought it away from his reach. Kazuo took his hand back. She flicked it back and poked his chest with the corner of the envelope, "You better know what you’re doing detective," she warned in a hush and leered.
"When have I not?"
Morgana kept leering with her piercing green eyes.
Kazuo closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "I’m trying to trust her more," he whispered.
She kept her leer... and flipped the envelope so that he could take. Her eyes relaxed, "Good enough."
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