[Kyon spent some time around a Chinese University, looking for the Page of Pentacles, or any other hints as to the location of Reiji and the Sword, but so far there's been no luck. It's mid morning and he and Kyoko are gathered in the hotel lobby.] [Session Start] * Kyon consults a guide book while sitting in a chair, trying to find other likely places to go. * Kyoko is wearing jeans today, and a loose shirt. She still looks pale, and coughs occasionally. * Kyon leans forward in his chair. He's wearing dark grey pants, and a black Chinese shirt open with a dark orange t-shirt underneath. He looks up. "Could keep trying universities. Be systematic. See if we turn someone up. Or turn to industry." * Kyoko coughs. "Are you sure universities are the way to go?" * Kyon shrugs tersely. "No. Good a place as any, though. Have a better idea to advance?" * Kyoko shakes her head. "Unless... Are there any Japanese companies based in China? I mean, the Arc-" she breaks into a coughing fit. "The Arcana are mostly Japanese, right?" Or... maybe we should look for a Japanese kid our age? * Kyon looks at her sidewise. "There are companies. Affiliates. Global economy. Japanese kid our age, in a city this big, think we're better off looking for places we can find them. I guess so... Where would that be? * Kyon shrugs quickly, and smirks. "Local high schools? Maybe there's an exchange program." * Kyoko shrugs. "I don't know... * Kyon closes the book. "Either have to try education or industry." He looks at her critically. "Going to collapse if we go out again?" * Kyoko doesn't answer. She probably doesn't know. * Kyon blows out a breath. "Don't want to waste time. Let's go." He stands up, picks up his bag, and heads to the front desk. * Kyoko nods. She follows Kyon. ( Front desk? ) (Unless local high schools are listed in the guide book?) ( Good point :P ) [There's a man at the front desk.] * Kyon steps up to the desk, and nods quickly to the man. ">I'm Sorata, from room 317. I was wondering if you could tell me if there are any high schools nearby?<" ">High schools? Umm....<" [He looks through a directory. ">There's two.<" He gives addresses.] [Either one is just a short train ride away.] * Kyon looks at them, and nods quickly before turning to Kyoko. ">Ready to see if they have anyone like you?<" He turns quickly and stalks towards the door. * Kyoko follows Kyon! * Kyon heads out of the hotel, and makes for the nearest train station. [The train station is not far, conveniently, nor does the ride take long; they reach the school in a short while. It's a small school on a city block, without much room, but it looks nice at least.] * Kyon regards it coolly from the outside, then shakes his head quickly and heads for the front door. [The inside is slightly different from Japanese high schools. Namely, there's no shoe lockers. The inside looks nice, too, although it doesn't give the impression of a rich private school. Nobody's in the hall; class is in session, after all.] * Kyon looks around, then starts stalking down the halls in search of the main office. While he goes, he looks into the different classrooms (if they have windows) to see if there's anyone interesting. Periodically, he checks to make sure Kyoko's still there. * Kyoko is still there! [There doesn't seem to be anyone who stands out in the schools. Just Chinese teens. And Kyon finds the office shortly.] * Kyon heads in, and goes up to the secretary. ">Hello. Doing well today?<" [The secretary smiles. ">Fine, thanks. Can I help you?<"] * Kyon nods quickly, and gestures quickly back at Kyoko. ">My friend here is impressed with Chinese culture, and would like to study abroad at a Chinese high school. I was curious if you had such a program here?<" He smiles a bit embarassedly. ">I have to say, I should have done more research on this before I came, but she's grown more enthusiastic since we've been here.<" [She peers at Kyoko. Kyoko offers a clueless smile. She turns back to Kyon. ">We do offer such a program, but usually it's Americans who come.<"] * Kyon nods, then cocks his head. ">Japanese students are not usually welcome?<" ">Well...<" She looks around, making sure they're alone. >"Japanese and Chinese people don't usually get along, you realize? I'm sure if your friend wanted to join, she would be most welcome; the teachers are open, but... between you and me, she might have a rough time with the students.<" * Kyon nods soberly. ">I see. Does that mean there have been incidents in the past I should be aware of?<" She blinks. ">You don't...? No, of course you wouldn't.<" She shakes her head. ">Japanese children wouldn't feel that way.<" * Kyon gives a quick laugh. ">If you're talking about history, I know about the past. I'm not inclined to worry about it too much. I meant student related incidents.<" ">Oh. There haven't been any to speak of, but that's because Japanese students don't come to this school.<" * Kyon nods quickly. ">I understand. In that case, do you know of any other schools we should look at? Although I do think we may apply here anyway.<" [She shakes her head. ">It's not just our school. Many Chinese do not get along with the Japanese.<"] * Kyon looks down, a bit sadly. ">There's nowhere with programs that admit Japanese students?<" ">Not that I know of. I'm sorry.<" * Kyon looks up. ">All right. Well, I will say that I'm disappointed, and I hope in the future, such programs will be made so that we can help repair any damage between our countries. But thanks for your time.<" [She nods. ">I hope so too.<"] * Kyon nods quickly, bows, then turns on his heel and stalks out. Presumably, Kyoko will follow. * Kyoko does! When they get ouside, she says, "That doesn't seem to have done much good..." * Kyon looks at her sidewise. "Blocked off a whole area to look in. No Japanese high school students in the area to look for. Not a waste." * Kyoko nods. But now what should we do? * Kyon shrugs quickly. "Same question as before. Education or industry?" We're not really getting any- * Kyoko coughs. Anywhere with education. * Kyon nods tersely. "Could try another college." He pulls out his guidebook and looks for another one. Are you sure that would work...? * Kyon shrugs quickly. "No. But we have to go somewhere. There's a contact somewhere. Just have to find it. Companies, government, education. Somewhere." * Kyoko taps her chin, wondering, "What would Japanese people come to China for?" * Kyon tucks the guidebook under one arm and shoves his hands in his pockets. "To work, to learn, to play." Hmmm... * Kyon smirks. "To look for their long lost next of kin." * Kyoko frowns. Well... Now where do we go? * Kyon shrugs quickly. "None of which is why I'm here. But I am. You have some other idea?" * Kyoko shakes her head. "No... but what was the reading, again?" * Kyon closes his eyes. "Eight of Cups, the Ace of Swords, the Star, the Page of Pentacles, the Sun." He opens them again. "Problem, situation, cause, easy part of solution, then the harder part." The Eight must be Reiji... what's the Ace? Is that the sword? * Kyon starts stalking off down the street. "Could be. Could be some person. Could be the card's actual meaning." * Kyoko considers. What does it mean? A beginning, a power, a force that can go either way depending on how you wield it. * Kyoko thinks. "That's kind of what the Sword is... It's probably the same thing. What about the Star?" Faith in your own power, your path, something that's leading you on. Slow realization of truth. That sounds like the cause... * Kyoko caughs. We're going slowly. * Kyon nods quickly. "That's why we're moving now." And the Page of Pentacles? Maybe it's not a person. Already thought about that. Still have to find some direction to go in. * Kyoko nods. * Kyon looks at her sidewise. "Thing about the cards is they were meant to come to you, not for you to go to them. The whole system we're working under is wrong. But we have to put ourselves in a position where we can find what we're supposed to." * Kyoko blinks. "Isn't putting ourselves in a place we could be found the same as finding them? * Kyon smirks. "It's all about the psychology." * Kyoko blinks. "Well... what about the last card?" Light from darkness. Redemption. An end to confusion. A new fountain of reliability. That's the hard part of the solution? That sounds more like a result. * Kyon barks out a laugh. "Getting to the result could be the hard part." I guess so... But it doesn't help us much. The part to focus on is the middle. * Kyon heads towards the Japanese Embassy. * Kyoko follows. [Before long they get to the Japanese Embassy. You can tell it's the Japanese Embassy, because it says so. It's a medium sized building.] [The foyer of the building is enormous. It's quite a sight.] * Kyon heads through it, looking for a likely information point. [There's a reception desk right in front.] [Also, some guides for the city, written in Japanese.] * Kyon picks up copies of the city guides, and heads for the reception desk. [There's a Japanese woman in her mid fourties there. "Hello. Can I help you?"] * Kyon nods quickly. ">I'm curious about Japanese government activities in China, and if there's anything I could do to take part. I've studied a lot about China, and working with other young people to help out here sounds exciting.<" [She shakes her head. ">There are no events at this time, aside from a few summertime tours beginning in June. However, if you'd like to sign up for our mailing list to recieve notifications of events in the country, please feel free to here.<" She practically sounds like an automated system.] * Kyon cocks his head. ">What about young diplomatic envoys? Do you have anyone working here like that?<" She thinks. ">Mr. Nakao Kitamura is a bright young man of only thirty-one. And Mr. Shiro Kurosawa is rather skillful at thirty- six.<"] * Kyon nods quickly and eagerly. ">Would it be possible to set up a meeting with either of them?<" She shakes her head. ">Mr. Kitamura is currently visiting the Southwest, and Mr. Kurosawa won't be free for two weeks.<"] * Kyon nods sadly. ">I'll likely already be gone by then. Well, I'll be in touch.<" He signs his name onto the mailing list, and turns to look for Kyoko. [She nods.] * Kyoko is looking over some of the guides. She notices Kyon. "No good?" * Kyon nods quickly, and stalks out of the building. * Kyoko follows. * Kyoko says, once they're outside. "We've got to be missing something... why is the sword in China in the first place?" * Kyon shakes his head irritatedly. "Because Reiji's here? Because this is where it always was? Because someone else brought it here?" Who? Whoever had it last. Could be from the last time there were Arcana around. * Kyoko taps her chin. "During the War?" * Kyon nods quickly. "No one's seen it since then that I've heard." Oh... So they brought it to China? * Kyon blows out his breath. "No way to know. Could be your brother found it and took it here just as easily. But why? Why would he take it to China? He'd try to get it himself. * Kyon looks at her sidewise. "Reiji was very unstable last I saw him. No way to know why he might." * Kyoko shakes her head. "But he's still Reiji." * Kyon blows out his breath. "Arguing whether your brother is sane enough to not run off to China with a precious artifact without telling anyone will get us nowhere. Need to move on." * Kyoko coughs. "Fine. Where?" * Kyon shrugs quickly, then moves to sit on the steps and tugs his cards out of his pocket. * Kyoko sits down next to him. * Kyon shuffles a few times, inhales deeply, closes his eyes, and lays a card on the step below him. [The first card Kyon draws is the Page of Pentacles.] * Kyon looks at it briefly with a thoughtful expression, then breathes in and out a few times, and flips the next card, placing it to the right of the first. [The next card, the Hanged Man.] [Third is the Ace of Swords.] * Kyon looks at the spread, and frowns briefly. "So, both your brother and the Sword go through the Page of Pentacles." Then... * Kyoko points at the Hanged Man. "What's this card for?" * Kyon taps it gently. "Inward searching for knowledge that can't be gained outside oneself. It's a card of mystery and paradox." ... So what does that mean? * Kyon snorts. "Means finding the Sword will take some creative thinking." Oh. That doesn't help. Probably means finding this Page will give us both your brother and a route to the artifact. That helps. * Kyoko nods. But what do we do now? * Kyon smirks. "We keep looking, then we put ourselves in a position to be found." * Kyoko nods. * Kyon scoops up the cards, puts them away, and looks out over the area. "So. Let's go." * Kyoko nods and follows Kyon out. [Session End!]