Summary:Batgirl drops in on Kenuichio to catch up on latest news. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The Yashida family holdings are not as extensive as some in the United States but they're extensive enough. Kenuichio Harada has been busy today overseeing them. It's not his favorite thing and that is perhaps evident as he steps into his rather simple apartment near the top of a very comfortable building. He has a meal of rice and meat and greens. Little more. There's some miso.
Of course being near the top means that it is possible to have a certain kind of visitor. That was most assuredly not the intent when Ken got the place but it is most undeniably a fact. He wonders if he will have such a visitor tonight. The kind that doesn't come in through the door at the bottom of the building.
It's Batgirl who comes visiting at this time of night though the red head would rather have gone as Barbara Gordon. That's just not possible though - her cover is too good and it's Batgirl that needs to speak to the Samurai at the moment.
Ken doesn't have to wonder long as the shadows near the windows moves, what light there is catching the yellow of the symbol on her suit and the lining of her cape as well as the red sheen of the long plait she wears. "Good evening Kenuichio." Comes the modulated voice. "I hope this isn't an inconvenient time to talk."
Does Batgirl know no personal boundaries?
"It is not provided you are alone." Kenuichio says, taking a bit of rice between his chopsticks and eating it. "Would you care to come inside?" This high up the windows don't really open but there is a balcony just over there. The door is closed but it's unlocked. Ken indicates it with a nod of his head.
Provided she's alone. He must mean provided Nightwing didn't come with her. Because Ken did definitely not approve of the man and most certainly isn't about to ask him inside.
"I am alone. I often am, in case you haven't noticed." Batgirl disappears from those shadows and appears on the balcony not long after, sliding the door open to step inside.
Why hadn't she sent him a message? Why had she just appeared to see him like that? Maybe she wants to see how he handles surprises.
She doesn't sit, just loiters for the moment by the door that she closes, watching the man eat his dinner. "You don't think much of my Family, do you?" Nightwing and he together, that was interesting. What would Dick be like with Ken, she wonders. "There's another player in the tale that's happening here. Eurayle isn't the only one pulling strings."
"Was that your family at the bank? Being loud and generally American? Then no. I do not think much of them. But then, I have not historically had high opinions of the members of crime families and I know a thing or two about them."
Ken takes another bite of rice and then rises to pour a cup of tea. Which can't be for him because he's got one. He comes back down to set it on the table in front of him and…
Wait. Members of crime families? Is he talking about Nightwing?
"So you've discovered something new, then?"
"You might say that. Nightwing and I have worked together for a long time." Batgirl answers. Generally American. She smirks a little behind her mask. Ken must think that of her as well.
"Crime family? No, the Bat Family. Nightwing is a Bat. Just like I am." She clarifies. That's a strange mistake to make though.
He made her tea? Well, that's going to be interesting to drink.
"Discovered more, yes. Questions mostly and very few answers. What do you know of an individual called Circe?"
"Not a crime family then?" Kenuichio says mildly as he takes a sip of his tea. "Curious. Because your Bat Family operates outside the law, in defiance of it in fact. You are territorial, quite violent and regularly evade the police. Your gear suggests that you either purchase on the black market or else hide your operations behind otherwise legitimate front companies. And you have a code of silence. It does sound rather like a crime family does it not? The one wrinkle is that the Bats only prey upon other criminals."
It's a good thing Nightwing isn't here to hear that, probably.
"Circe. Not much no. Not beyond the stories told of her, but I have heard the name before. Whispered in fear or awe in the dark places of society in cities like Singapore or Macau."
"No! We aren't a crime family. We're … " Batgirl sighs. It's hard to refute the argument. "Just because it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, doesn't make it one. We're vigilantes at best. We work with the legal justice system as best we can."
And Bruce is going to make contact with Ken. As Bruce to begin with but eventually, Batman will meet the Samurai.
"Do me a favour and don't say that to the others? Please?" The redhead knows she's walking a fine line. Sooner or later, she's going to find herself on one or the other.
"Fear? Awe? That makes sense, she seems to be some form of spellcaster and in charge of some of the gangs around here. What I can't discover is whether she's working with Eurayle or is in competition to her. There's something strange going on here. Why … are these people here?"
"Are they uncomfortable with such observations? I would have thought those who fancied themselves the guardians of the night to have thicker skins. But very well I shall keep such thoughts to myself." Kenuichio puts down his bowl of rice and meat and looks at Batgirl carefully. As in the dojo the table here is near the floor. Unlike the dojo there IS a table with chairs, it's just that he's not using it at the moment.
"Why are they here? I cannot say for certain, for it is such a question that I came to the West to answer. I know that they have a crime network, global in scale. My family was once part of it through it's Yakuza associations until the new leader and myself ended that. I came here to ensure our holdings were not coopted, but also to find out what the purpose of their schemes were. The only thing of which I am certain is that this city is central to what they wish to do and they will not abandon it easily."
"How would you feel if we called you Yakuza?" Batgirl returns. It's meant to gentle and soft but the modulator makes that difficult. "All of us pride ourselves on doing the right thing and bringing criminals to justice. We do not profit for their endeavours either. That, to the best of my knowledge, is not how Crime Families work."
Barbara is used to such looks. Batgirl … is thankful for the mask that she wears. It will make drinking the tea difficult and the redhead inclines her head. "Please do not think I am a poor guest by refusing the tea."
There's silence as Ken reveals that information. "Your family was associated with the network that Eurayle is part of? Is that what I understand you to say?" That's … news. "Do you know if she and Circe are cooperating or are they rivals? It will change how we deal with them."
"You would not be entirely wrong to say that. I was yakuza. I am not now. But it is an easy mistake to make." Ken says. He nods at her begging off drinking the tea but leaves the cup where it is.
"Your friend's arrogance will not serve him well in dealings with me. Nor will his bravado. To be clear, Batgirl, the only reason I was willing to allow him to threaten me is because I do not believe he can carry the threats out without dying. Which is what will happen if he tries."
Batgirl has seen Ken's abilities first hand and yes… there doesn't seem to be much that can protect from his ability in the final analysis. "To answer your question though, yes. Sort of. My family had ties to the Yakuza whom in turn had ties to Eurayle's network. We never dealt directly with any of them and often did not know the purpose of the services we provided to the Yakuza." So his family doesn't know much but the connection existed, however remote it may have been.
"Circe… I do not know. I suspect they are cooperating though. I have never had any hint in my journeys that members of this group are working at cross purposes."
"No, I would not but I would. Because you are not now and to remind you of such is impolite. You work for a different cause now." Batgirl points out, taking a seat so they can talk.
"I gathered you were not fond of him. I appreciate your tolerance the other day. I will leave the two of you to sort that out now though - I would appreciate it, if you didn't kill him and he didn't kill you. There aren't enough of us around to be fighting amongst ourselves."
She'll play peacekeeper as well as she can but these are two grown men.
"So we can assume that Circe and Eurayle are in concert. Though we should be cognisant of the fact that's not confirmed. Which still leaves the question of what they want with the gangs in Staten Island and whether there are more of them working together."
"Oracle hasn't been able to confirm anything of great import with the gangs. The usual drug and arms dealing that are common. I find it hard they'd go to effort of pushing the Hand out for those profits though… Maybe we're wrong about that."
"In Japan they coopted the local criminal underworld because they appeared to be very interested in specific locations." Ken begins, letting the matter of Nightwing rest for now. "Why they did this I never discovered. They had apparently gotten whatever they needed and abandoned the area. I would assume them to be doing the same thing here. So, the control of the local gangs is a means to an end. We should look for areas that show high activity, or areas that they forbid the common criminal element to go. The Hand must have been competition for some of those areas."
Thats a theory pretty clearly but it's the best one that Ken has.
"There's the symbols as well." Batgirl reminds Ken, nodding as he lays out his reasoning. "Oracle, start cross referencing the information Mister Harada has laid out. Create us a map with the information as you find it."
It's not going to happen immediately. This is going to require some investigation. "Tell the rest of the Bats what we're looking for. Solid information and rumours as well."
The masked face regards the Samurai as he sits there eating his dinner. "We haven't spoken since we raided the house the other day. What … did you experience when went through that field?" That's something Ken had experienced before but to the best of his knowledge, Batgirl has not. Barbara Gordon though …
"One moment Batgirl." Oracle says. That will take a little bit to lay out and will indeed require some investigation.
"My experiences? There was a haze. A confusion I had. I began to think that perhaps I was a samurai as of old. A warrior fighting in a land of swords and… possibly magic." That will probably square with her own observations. They'd both found themselves a bit… hazy.
"It was certainly new. I've never seen anything like that before. Most certainly not in the homes of those working with this group."
"I expect it will take you some time, Oracle. Just send through what you can as you can. If Mister Harada has your app, send the details to his phone as well." Batgirl answers. It's likely she'll be visiting Ken again in the future.
"You were a Samurai. A rather dashing one, I might add. I … I'm sure I was an archer. Like … Robin Hood. It was strange and certainly didn't seem to be part of the security system." beat "I… it was extremely strange and leaves me wondering."
"Yes, and you seemed as confused as I felt about the proposition." Kenuichio considers quietly. "I do not think it was part of a security system. It puts me more in mind of a demonstration. Or perhaps a room meant for relaxation. Though who would relax in that and why I am not sure."
He remembers the demonstration at the Convention though. The one Phobos had been at. That had been similar though he hadn't entirely stepped into it.
"I suspect it was some manner of… magic." His mouth twists in distaste at the word.
"Confused would be a good word for it. At least I am versed in archery." Batgirl answers, gloved hands folded on the table in front of her. "Perhaps it was just that and something we don't need to concern ourselves with. Maybe it's like a sauna or steam room."
She too remembers the one at the Convention. Though that had been Barbara who had seen that, not Batgirl. "Our mutual friend mentioned seeing something similar at a Convention recently, though. She was just as confused as to why she was shown it. I believe you were there."
"If it is magic, it's way out of my wheelhouse. I deal with physical threats and Oracle deals with the digital ones. I … wouldn't know where to start fighting that."
"And there's the sarcophogus at the Bank the other night."
"Perhaps…" Ken says. He's still thinking. She's used to that. He does a lot of his thinking in silence which might be a welcome change from being around people who do their thinking out loud.
"Yes. The sarcophagus. Who recovered that? Was it your… people? Or did the police take it into custody." He's interested to examine it. Why were they stealing it? And why had it been hidden in the first place. He doesn't know that room wasn't on any of the plans but it's not really a huge logical jump.
The silence is interesting. Certainly Barbara appreciates the company that Ken brings when they sit down to tea. Batgirl doesn't show any preference though, her mask watching his face as he does.
"The police did. We had to vacate and taking something that large was not going to be possible. I want to examine it, get some footage so Oracle can do their do thing, as well. Do I take it by that look on your face, you do too?"
"It doesn't make sense, Kenuchio. That building was newly renovated and that room was not on any plans. It makes me wonder that the room was added during the fitout … but why? And why were they trying to drill into it?"
"I do have some of footage of the sarcophogus. There are some interesting markings on it." Oracle supplies. "I can stream that to your suit, Batgirl. It's not very clear, you were moving about a lot in there."
The black clad woman looks at Ken, he can't see the question in her eyes but he'll know.
Ken nods. He'd like to see it. Perhaps he can tell something from it but then again… perhaps not.
"I do not know, Batgirl. Clearly it was being hidden, but from whom? I think the only real way to answer our questions is to do so directly. Open the sarcophagus and see what is inside. There is also the matter of your… Man Bat. Since he is yet alive he may provide answers." Assuming he can. Ken didn't stick around to see what his final disposition was.
"We might also look in on the company that did the renovation. It is possible that they might have some answers about the secret room. Though surely the police have already pursued this line of inquiry."
"Play the video, Oracle." The video of the Sarcophagus displays on the emitters on her suit. Oracle hadn't been joking when they had said the quality was bad. There's one good shot of the box though. "Oracle take the video 2.5 seconds and freeze frame. I want to look at that."
It's the box with the strangely greecian markings.
"Why would you use greecian mythology to mark what is typically thought of as an Egyptian device?" the redhead muses, thinking about Kens questions. "I can get us in to look at it. You don't mind a night time visit, do you? We'll be … uninvited and our presence will cause a stir if we are caught."
The mention of Man Bat gets a snort. "Nightwing found something on his neck and it took a lot more serum than it usually does to bring him back." The implication is clear, even if she doesn't say it. "We could speak with him as well. Though he's probably not well disposed to me."
"Oracle is already getting us a list of who did the work. Not just the surface stuff, but digging into contractors and holding companies. Maybe the police have and we can find out what they know. Detective Dick Grayson would be someone to speak to. He usually picks up these types of cases."
"The easy assumption is that you have buried something Grecian or in this case Minoan if I am not very much mistaken but the Egyptians were only the most famous practitioners of this art. It has been used by people from the Romans to the medieval Europeans." Kenuichio drums his fingers on the table for a moment.
"More questions than answers I am afraid. There is a repeated bull motif here which is not typically seen in funerary goods. We need someone who is more expert in this than I, I think… Do you know anyone who might be that? Or does Oracle?"
"More questions aren't generally bad though we do just seem to be getting more questions that we aren't answering." Batgirls thinking.
"Kitty is something of a student of Greek Ancient civilisations. We can ask him. If he doesn't know, he will have others who can help certainly."
The black clad woman rolls her neck and goes to stand. There's something a little stiff about her movement as she straightens.
"Thank you for the tea, even though I didn't drink any." She finally says. "We'll be in touch when we can get access to the sarcophagus. If you find out anymore, let me know. For now, I must patrol."
"Good evening Batgirl. I would say may your sword be sharp, but you do not use one." Kenuichio remains kneeling as Batgirl leaves. He picks up his bowl of rice and fish and begins to chew on it again. Unperturbed as ever. That is his way, but then… Batgirl knows that.