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[SeriousConcentrate]

Setsurou edged closer to Rengoku.

"_{I suggest you try to subtly test whatever food and drink they give us for poison or medicines. We can't be too careful.}"

[Chevaleresse]

Madoka's hand moved to rest on her blade at the comment about her shyness, but nodded when Todoroki called himself the talker.

[Praefectus Screptum]

"The man who isn't fond of shirts raises a good point. We are also hungry."

[Aurorix]

"I mean, so long as they're offering I could go for something to eat myself." He was initially hesitant but they might be here for a while if the rain keeps up. Might as well not starve himself right?

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Rin simply quietly nods. Kiyomaru waves, a few servants you hadn't seen before rushing into another room.
"Excellent. Dinner will be in an hour. Please, wait here. When your meal is ready, we will invite you in. I have some business I need to attend to for the moment, so I'm afraid I won't be able to attend you for now. Please, make yourselves at home."
Kiyomaru walks out of the room, as Tomoe looks around, concerned.

"Something isn't right. Tanjiro and Yukiko were here with us, but....hm. Perhaps they went off to-"

Her eyebrow props up, before she suddenly whips her lance out, parrying a spark of lightning clean out of the air. Rin jumps.
"T-Todayama!"
"Even here, you'd chase me?"

Emerging from an adjacent corridor, a young woman, pale skin against a black, flowing robe and silky, black hair, emerges, lightning sparking around her fingers. At her waist, a violet Gnosis pulses, sparking with electricity, the symbol of the god Rau faintly revolving within.

Keiko Kuroda, the Cursed Horse of the Zodiac, was standing before them.

"You should've left me alone, Boar."
"Kuroda! We aren't enemies in this!"
"You, not my enemy? As the Empress' lapdog? You're joking."

She glances around at the other Cursed.

"Yamada, Tenjuu....Mitsui, what the hell are you doing here with this Empress' pet?! Don't tell me the Empress got to you too!"
"K-Kuroda! We're here as friends! Trust us!"
"Why the hell should I believe you?"

[IcyTea31]

Miyako stepped forth to look Keiko in the eye, speaking very seriously.

"Because we didn't leave Soumahara just to walk back in, Keiko. Yes, we had a few tense moments with Tomoe as well when she came after us, but we all know she didn't have a choice. It took some clever interpretation of her orders, but for that stunt, I trust her fully."

She had to be careful with her words, not to reveal too much to the servants around them.

"I've also talked with Hiroyuki. He had some good things to say about what you've been doing."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"If you can't believe her, believe me. I will never let the empress lay her filthy hands on Yusuke ever again, no matter the cost."

Setsurou took his gnosis in hand as he spoke, examining it himself but also for the benefit of Keiko, to let her see exactly what kind it was and see the truth in his words. After a moment he put it away.

"We are not here to fight you or capture you or whatever you wish to believe. This is a staggeringly improbable coincidence, but a coincidence nonetheless."

[IcyTea31]

"Setsurou, I'm way past believing this is a coincidence. After meeting Kaori, Hiroyuki and Momo, each in separate 'coincidences', it's clear that...our group is drawn together, somehow. Tomoe and Hisao, too, though that was less of a coincidence."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"I'm not exactly a believer in destiny, if that's what you're suggesting. The only plans for people are the ones their rulers make, and the only fate we have is that which we create ourselves."

"There's a future I want and I'll see it happen or die trying. If there really is some divine plan, then I'm going to fight tooth and nail to impose my will on it."

[IcyTea31]

_{"Easy for you to say."}

Miyako muttered under her breath, but didn't push it further. This really wasn't the time to argue about divinity.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Setsurou let it go. He knew being born a Misaki meant there probably was some divine plan for him, but he had made up his mind what he was going to do with his life, destiny or not. If it turned out his intent matched that of the Gods, then that was a happy coincidence, but that would be all it was.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Keiko's gaze immediately flies to Miyako.
"You've spoken to Honda? ....you must've found the Resistance, then."
She glares back at Tomoe.
"What did you do to them, huh? Did you rat them out? Sell 'em to the Empress?"
"I assure you, I did no such thing. I want out of the Curse as much as you."

She stares at Setsurou's Gnosis for a second, then back at him.
"Tsubouchi....so it's true. The prodigal son...."
"We promise, we're not here to fight you. We're trying to run away from the Empress. Promise."
"I assure you, I did no such thing. I want out of the Curse as much as you."

Keiko processes her words, her eyes still fixed on Tomoe.

After a few moments, electricity stops sparking between her fingers, and Keiko softens. She still glances at Tomoe suspiciously, but Tomoe, at least, seems to judge it safe to put her lance down.

Keiko glances back at Miyako.
"....coincidence? No."
"Don't you feel it, Tanigawa? We're bound to each other. Coincidence has nothing to do with it. It's an artificial connection. I would know. I've been hunting information down. Come with me. I found somewhere we can talk in private. I'll explain there."

Without waiting for them to acknowledge her, Keiko returns down the corridor whence she came.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Perhaps her information will be useful; I think we should hear her out."

He waited to see what the others thought.

[Praefectus Screptum]

"We don't oppose this idea."

[IcyTea31]

Miyako looked at her friends and allies.

"Of course it will be useful. If Hiroyuki is to be believed, she's the authority on research into our condition."

Without waiting further, Miyako went after Keiko.