While Makoto worked on deer meat and attempted to maintain the attention of four little girls, the dhampir gathered in a circle to converse. Thankfully, the kids seemed a little stunned, perhaps with fright, perhaps with hunger, and they were mesmerized by the fire and the food Makoto began to hand them. Meanwhile, Makoto was able to keep an ear, and often an eye, out for most of what was being said nearby.

"So…" said Ren, "I didn't know your group was involved in this sort of work, Yukari."

Yukari grimaced and glared at Jin. "We were hired as escorts for a business venture, but were not advised of the exact nature of the cargo."

"A merchant needs to keep his strategies quiet, otherwise others move in on the niche," said Jin. "You agreed to the contract, Miss Takeba. I was not obligated to provide details."

Yukari seemed to be fuming silently. Meanwhile, Makoto thought Ren was probing the relationships of the trio by leveraging whatever prior relationship he had with Yukari. Was it a romantic relationship? An old flame? Makoto shook her head at herself. Was -that- really something to worry about? Now? Ever?! But it seemed like Yukari and Junpei were not particularly close to their employer, Jin.

Junpei laughed nervously and scratched at his goatee. "Ren, man, there really isn't any sort of work right now. What with all the exile contracts gone. You took the one for that cousin of yours, right? That was probably the last one anyone got. Anywhere. Exile hunting between the houses is over. Done."

"What?!" said Ren, genuine shock in his voice.

"Yaldabaoth Clan bought up all the contracts and announced amnesty," said Yukari, "so long as the exiles return and pledge to them."

"The other clans allowed that?!" said Ren, "Most of the exiles are Yaldabaoth Clan! Surely, Kurusu voted against that!"

"And they were the only ones," Jin sniffed. "-All- the small clans follow Strega Clan. And Strega stands with Clan Yaldabaoth."

Silence fell. Makoto wiped some deer juices off the side of the mouth of one of the youngest. She wasn't sure of all the connotations of that exchange, but it sounded like Ren's Clan Kurusu had suffered some sort of political defeat. And his foe, Yaldabaoth, had new allies.

"And anyway," said Junpei, "with no bounties. Freelancers are getting desperate. Most are signing up on retainer for one clan or the other… Yuki more or less disbanded us, for now. Everyone doing whatever they can. But no one is very eager to become just some soldier for a major clan."

"Narukami took all his people to Clan Inaba," offered Yukari.

"Inaba?" said Ren. "What is Clan Inaba going to do with seven freelancers?"

"Whatever Clan Strega tells them to do with them- eventually, anyway," said Jin. "War is coming, Mr. Amamiya. Everyone knows it. Yaldabaoth and Kurusu are finally going to have it out. Once and for all. And that bitch of the east coast is all alone. She's going to fall."

"Hey, uh, you know that Ren is-" started Junpei, but then he yelped as Yukari stomped on his foot.

"Is what?" said Jin.

"In need of work," offered Ren. "Who is offering the best retainer?"

"Strega, of course. Are you interested?" said Jin.

"Maybe," said Ren. "You're with Strega, I take it."

"He's my sire, yes," said Jin, proudly. Then: "You know, you seem familiar to me. Have we met before? Amamiya? Amamiya Ren? Is that your sire's name?"

"Yes," said Ren. "And I'm told I have a very common face."

"You don't say…"

A long silence.

"H- hey, how about we eat?!" said Junpei suddenly.

"A- a good idea!" said Yukari.

"I'll have my servant heat us some water," offered Ren.

"Ah," said Jin, his voice losing its suspicious tone. "A warm meal would be welcome. It's been a few days."

Ren wandered to his horse to fetch his kettle. Yukari murmured she was going to get her saddle for something to sit on. The others seemed to think that a good idea and headed back down the ruined ramp to fetch whatever they needed. Meanwhile, the sun was setting in earnest to the west, and Ren brought Makoto a filled water kettle.

"What is-" Makoto began, but was stopped by Ren having a finger over his lips.

"Heat this and bring it to me," he ordered loudly, then walked away to yell down the ramp. "Yukari. Junpei. Why not gather some long grass for the humans to sit on."

"Oh, that's a good idea, Ren," called back Yukari.

Ren stood there alone a moment, then Jin reappeared, carrying his horse saddle. He cleared the gap with an easy leap.

"Why do you care if they are comfortable?" said Jin, sounding idly curious.

"Have you ever tried to sleep on this road stone? And If my servant doesn't sleep well, she wakes up grumpy."

"I'd just beat it out of her," said Jin.

Ren's polite smile seemed to freeze dry on his face. "I don't like the look of bruises."

"Ah, yes. That is ugly, isn't it?" said Jin. He looked back at Makoto, who avoided his gaze.

"I take it she's a good rut? Nice legs. Bet they're fun to spread."

Makoto felt a surge of angry disgust. Meanwhile, Ren's smile twitched a little.

"That's not why I have her."

"Sure, it isn't. But if you do get tired of her, I'll buy her. Top coin."

Ren stared at Jin, he glanced at Makoto from across the platform, his eyes catching the sunset strangely. They gleamed brightly silver-red in that moment, giving Ren a very inhuman appearance. Makoto felt her heart flutter. A strange feeling of uneasy dread growing in her gut.

"I'll keep that in mind," said Ren, finally.

"Good."

"What about yours?" said Ren.

"What? Mine?" said Jin, surprised. "The children there?"

"Yeah. You selling?" said Ren.

Jin gave Ren a long look. "I already have a buyer lined up…"

"How much? Maybe I can pay more?"

Jin looked Ren up and down again. "I don't think that's in your price range."

"Try me."

"10,000. Each."

"Bullshit," said Ren. "No one is paying 10 for each of those brats."

Jin's hackles began to rise and he opened his mouth.

"No one except me," said Ren. "I'll pay you 10 each. 40 kay."

Jin froze for a moment. Then his mouth closed with a snap. "You don't have that kind of money. Do you? What clan are you from? Clan Mitekumi?"

Ren nodded. "That's right. When we get to Edgetown tomorrow, walk with me to the bank and collect your money. How about it?"

Jin was silent a moment. Then offered his hand. Ren took it. Makoto felt a flood of relief. The children were to go to Ren, and whatever might be on the Island over there, she was sure the kids wouldn't be devoured. Well- at least not immediately? Surely, Ren wouldn't just... give the kids to his relatives? Like a sort of travel gift? A snack from a far off place? Makoto shook her head. No, surely not!

Yukari and Junpei crested the ramp again, each with a horse saddle in one arm, and a sheaf of long reeds in the other. They saw Ren and Jin shaking hands and paused, looking surprised. They leapt the gap, landing next to the two dealmakers.

"We miss something?" said Junpei.

"Just a bit of business is all," said Jin, his voice the brightest it had been since he'd arrived.

"You sound pleased," said Yukari. She then gave Ren a curious look.

But Ren returned Yukari's glance with his placid stare that Makoto knew oh-so-well. It was somewhat gratifying to see him do that to someone else for a change. But for some reason, Makoto didn't like that it was Yukari that received it.

"A toast!" said Jin, "Is the water hot, yet?"

Makoto was about to say that it wasn't, but Ren quickly put a hand on Jin's shoulder and led him towards the fire. "You'd be surprised how long it takes for a full kettle to heat. Let's sit back down and let it finish. She will bring it forward when it is perfect."

That was agreeable to Jin and the others. They sat just off from the fire in a small circle of horse saddles. Above them all, the sky began to purple with the onrush of nightfall while the dhampir spoke of things Makoto couldn't make sense of. Some sort of sport or game? She wasn't sure. But they seemed markedly less tense than before- Jin's new business arrangement obviously improving his mood. Meanwhile, one of the children spoke to Makoto for the first time.

"Miss… I need to go poop."

And so Makoto became busy, ferrying children to the edge of the platform and holding them while they relieved themselves over the edge. Below, the grassland billowed in the early evening breeze. The dark of night was already gathering in the shadow of the ruined roadway, and Makoto spotted multiple pairs of red eyes in the dark vegetation, staring up at her out of the black. Ghouls. There was scrambling noises in the dark around the locations where the children's effluence landed, the creatures apparently drawn to the scent. Makoto felt intense disgust.

The process of assisting the kids and cleaning them up was more time consuming than she'd anticipated, requiring a few raids of Ren's saddlebag. The dhampir ignored her. She was just a human servant doing human servant things. Ren retrieved the kettle himself at some point, and by the time Makoto had the kids settled on their reed beds near the small fire, the dhampir were dropping their blood additives into their cups and taking their first sips.

Junpei grimaced. "I miss the Kurusu capsules. They taste so much better."

Ren perked up. "What? Are they off the market, or something?"

Junpei shook his head. "Yeah. Haven't seen any in months."

"Blood is blood," said Jin. "There's no real difference."

"Man, what are you talking about?" said Junepi. "You ever even taste the Kurusu stuff? They have something going on over there."

Yukari spoke out in a sing-song voice, her eyes closed dramatically: "Sweet is the fruit of the willing vine, from beneficence flows hearty wine."

Jin snorted. "Poetic drivel."

Yukari snorted back. "Draculesti the Third is not drivel!"

"If his philosophy was so sound, how do you explain the human uprisings?" said Jin, matter of factly.

"By the fact that they happened," said Yukari, her tone of voice practically calling Jin a moron. "If his philosophy had been more widespread, the human uprising wouldn't have happened!"

"Wishful thinking with no basis in fact!" retorted Jin with a laugh.

"Hey, hey! Why we arguing over ancient history?" said Junpei, his hands pleading. "We graduated from university so we don't have to talk about this stuff anymore."

"Did you graduate, Junpei?" said Yukari. "I forget."

"Why do you always got to bring that up?"

"Because it's funny."

"What was that you used?" said Jin. "That wasn't a capsule."

"Oh," said Ren, "It's a vial. But it's the same concept as a capsule."

"I've never seen that before. May I have a sip? Thank you. It's delicious! Who makes it? Are they selling it? Do they have a market?"

"Not yet," said Ren. "It's a… new product. Still being tested on me. Uh. By me, I mean."

"You've been gone for over a year, or something, right?" said Junpei. "There a trade post out where you were?"

"Over a year?" said Jin. "Where have you been, Mr. Amamiya?"

"Oh, a bit of everywhere."

A silence.

"You are astoundingly reticent with information," said Jin.

"... you're not the first to say something like that," said Ren. "A successful merchant needs to keep his strategies secret, else someone will move in on the niche."

Jin was quiet a moment. Then he laughed. Genuinely laughed. "I -like- you, Mr. Amamiya! But I still feel like we've met. You seem so familiar."

"Perhaps a brotherhood of like minds?" offered Ren.

"Maybe he looks like someone in an old painting?" offered Junpei.

Jin laughed at that, then his face went very serious. Very quickly.

"That's it! I saw you on Thorn Palace!"

Jin shot to his feet and drew his sword. Ren was an instant behind him, drawing his own weapon. They glared at each other in the growing twilight, silver eyes gleaming in the dim. Makoto's heart thumped and she reached into her poncho and got a grip on her Father's hand cannon.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" yelled Junpei. Yukari was wide-eyed and still.

"You're Akira Kurusu! That old bitch's little hybrid!"

"You shouldn't talk about Mother like that. It's unhealthy."

"Fuck your Mother!" said Jin, pointing his sword in Ren's direction. "Where's Madarame?! What did you do to my kin?!"

"I didn't do anything to him," said Ren, who circled out and away from Jin's reach, his eyes intent. "Why? You lose him?"

"Liar! Everyone watching the last Thorn Palace saw you. Plain as the moon. Claiming to have taken a human contract for his head! And now he's not broadcasting!"

"So what? Human contracts are legal in human lands. If I did get him, then what's your problem?" Ren continued to circle.

"All land is imperial land, traitor! There you see, you two?" Jin gave frantic looks towards Junpei and Yukari, both still seated on their saddles. "He's a traitor! Get up! Kill him!"

They looked at each other.

"Uh," said Yukari. "This is an intra-clan dispute. We're a neutral party."

"Not in the contract, man," said Junpei.

"Cunt! Coward!" spat Jun, "I'll do it myself, then!"

He sliced at Ren. Ren parried. Sparks of metal illuminated the night. Makoto bit her lip and watched. This had all gone off the rails very suddenly. She gripped her gun and made sure the children stayed near her and well out of the way.

The sword fighters had a good audience as they danced back and forth and around each other, most slices cutting nothing but the twilight air. They fought to the far side of the platform, their battle taking them to the brink. Makoto thought Jin looked like he knew what he was doing, but there was a notable lack of grace in his movements. And not two seconds after that thought, the night air reverberated with the familiar sound of a sword cutting through flesh and bone. Jin screamed as his sword arm separated from his body and landed on the pavement, not unlike the neck of a beheaded deer.

"You're going-" Ren said, but then he vanished in a sudden explosion of fire and smoke.

KA-KOOM!

The children screamed. The platform shuddered under Makoto. Bits of something or other impacted the stone everywhere around them. Meanwhile, Jin danced away backward from the cloud of smoke, a gleam of light in his remaining palm. The gleam faded away to leave behind a dark, ball-shaped object. He tossed the thing into the cloud that presumably held Ren.

KA-KOOM!

Another blast shuddered the platform. There was still no sign of Ren. Yukari and Junpei were on their feet, concerned looks on their faces. Jin danced backward again, stopping close enough to Makoto to be partially illuminated by the fire.

"How you like that, Kurusu?! Still alive?!"

Makoto pulled out her gun. Aimed. And shouted. "Hey, Jin!"

Jin's head snapped toward her, his expression about as surprised as he might have been if a rock had suddenly said his name. Makoto fired.

KOOM!

Jin's head snapped back and the top of his skull exploded outward in a geyser of red and gray. He fell limply to the ground, a little orb bouncing out of his loosened grip.

Ren appeared suddenly and kicked the thing away, it skittered over the ledge of the platform to explode harmlessly in the air. He looked at Makoto. Half of the skin on his face was blown away, leaving behind an ugly mess of white and blackened bone.

"Nysh shot," Ren said to her. Then he turned to Jin's body and sliced the head off the corpse, knelt down a bit drunkenly to pick it up, and then tossed the head over the side and into the grasses below.

Ren collapsed into his knees, breathing heavily. Makoto's ears were ringing. All four children were crying in fear.

"Holy shit!" shouted Junpei.