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[indent][indent][color=darkgray]As the rental [url=https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L9tZaEfSEtk/maxresdefault.jpg]Toyota Crown[/url] streaked its way along Route 42, blue-painted metal gleaming underneath the afternoon sun, the driver of the vehicle seemed to be eagerly scanning the side of the road as if searching for something. It couldn't be gas. The car's tank was still relatively full after being picked in Kagoshima earlier today. No, it had to be something else on the mind of Samira Boukhary. 

The young woman was still looking for some sort of familiar landmark that would call to her. A beacon of hope that she would able to get the supplies she needed for her mission in Satsuma. Finally, as she passed by a country club of rolling green hills, she found her salvation.

[color=3fd0d4]"Oh thank heaven,"[/color] she said softly to herself as she turned off the path to her assigned home base and pulled into the parking lot of one of Japan's fabled 7-Elevens.

It was a long trip to this point for Samira. One that had taken up two days' worth of travel time, if the calendar was to be believed. And frankly, Samira's idea of a tropical getaway wasn't a 70-minute layover in Honolulu while the Hawaiian Airlines flight from JFK refuelled for the second leg of its trans-Pacific trip to Tokyo. But the 18 hours in the air aren't so bad when they are dealt with in one of those lie-down seats that can be slept in like a proper bed, nor the on-demand video and unlimited power for her cell phone and other accoutrements. Thankfully, her wealthy superiors at "SunWolf" would be fitting the bill for all this.

As well as the night spent as the luxurious Royal Park Hotel where she tried desperately to recover from all the jet lag and finally managed to do so at the hotel bar with the help of six whiskey sours and an tall, blonde Australian businessman named Simon who taught Samira some noises that she never needed to hear with that accent ever again. At least she got to check out her exquisitely-appointed room eventually. There wasn't much sleep to be had before her 11:30 am flight, but it was going to be her last night as a free woman for a little bit, so she was going to live it up while she could. A quick glance at the roster chosen for this particular mission told her that there was going to be more babysitting in her future than bottle service. 

Which is why she mocked some of the chosen methods of travel that she knew were being considered. Teleportation? Boat? Very practical. How were people supposed to get around Satsuma inconspicuously? Clearly Samira had to think of everything. Hence, the rental of her lovely luxury compact upon arrival in Kagoshima. Surely it would not stay so pristine forever, but that was something for Hiroyuki to deal with upon its return.

The drive was lovely, but it also offered time for Samira to think about the email that was sent earlier. [color=3fd0d4][i]The fact that they don't have an actual safe house left in the area is probably not a good sign of things to come. If these rebels are intent on taking magic to the masses, they would target any necessary resources we have in the area. And if we're moving into a building that wasn't designed for a massive amount of people living in it, it's going to be a major problem. Plus, I'm not sharing a bed with a teenager. No thank you. No desire to do that again anytime soon. But that's going to make it very tough to get a whole of basic weapons and have a place to plan our suppression tactics... and food! Shoot, what are we going to do for food? If they didn't plan that out, we're going to have nothing to eat![/i][/color] Given that there was little substance in the packet of pretzels she was offered on the Japan Airlines flight, sustenance was going to be necessary.

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Hence, her stop at the 7-Eleven. It was less a convenience store and [url=https://www.insider.com/7-eleven-foods-japan-2019-2]more a candy shop[/url] for someone with as much experience with Japanese culture as Samira. She moved like a whirlwind through the aisles, grabbing bento boxes, onigiri rolls and a generous serving of JFC (Japanese fried chicken). She held off on ice cream, but did grab some dorayaki for the sweet teeth in the bunch. And of course, pizza chips. No trip would be complete without ALL the pizza chips.

As she brought her haul up to the counter where the young woman in the green and orange shirt stared, gun ready to try and scan everything, Samira offered a smile and a bow of apology. [color=3fd0d4]"こんにちは！たくさんの食べ物を手に入れたことを許してください！何匹食べなければならないのかわからないので、みんなのために何かあげました！" [i]"Hello! Forgive me for grabbing so much food! I don't know how many I have to feed, so I got something for everyone I hope!"[/i][/color]

Miyuki, as the tag announced, looked at the baskets of food and shrugged. [color=white]"ええ。心配ない。あなたがこのすべてのためのお金を持っている限り。" [i]"Meh. No worries. As long as you have the money for all this,"[/i][/color] she replied in a disinterested tone. Clearly some teenager plodding through a summer job before heading back to school.

The traveler grinned and pulled out the Guild credit card, a wonderful black piece of plastic that was as good as gold wherever she needed to be. Thankfully, Kyushu wasn't as remote as say, southern Chad, so the card should handle everything they need during their stay in Japan. [color=3fd0d4]"カバーしました！" [i]"Got it covered!"[/i][/color] She plopped down the magic ticket on the counter. [color=3fd0d4]"現金で二万円もらえますか？" [i]And can I have twenty thousand yen in cash please?"[/i][/color]

The clerk shrugged. Despite the sheer volume of Samira's selections, a lot of them were duplicates so she could ring one thing in multiple times. Bagging everything was still annoying though. Once the final total was apparent, Miyuki added the requested sum and opened the till, counting out the bills until she had enough to cover it. [color=white]"ほら、奥様。" [i]"Here you go, ma'am."[/i][/color]

[color=3fd0d4]"よろしくお願いします! " [i]"Thank you very much!"[/i][/color] Samira took the money and counted it herself, splitting it into two equal piles of 10,000 yen each. She pocketed one pile in her purse and handed the other half to Miyuki. [color=3fd0d4]"そして、私の感謝の印をとってください。" [i]"And please take this token of my appreciation."[/i][/color]

Miyuki looked stunned. Samira guessed the poor girl wasn't making more than this much in a week, and she always believed that one of the purposes of the Guild was to aid those who needed it, whether they knew it or not. Money was no object to the honchos in New York. When you have the power to create things out of thin air, it's no problem conquering the problems that alchemy tried and failed to do in the Middle Ages. [color=white]"あなたは...あなたは私を傾ける必要がないことを知っていますよね？" [i]"You...you know you don't have to tip me, right?"[/i][/color]

Samira giggled softly. [color=3fd0d4]"必要はありませんが、したいです。" [i]"I don't have to, but I want to."[/i][/color] She picked up the various bags in her hands and balanced the lot of them in the crooks of her arms. [color=3fd0d4]"夏をお楽しみください、みゆきちゃん。" [i]"Enjoy your summer, Miyuki-chan."[/i][/color]

The 7-Eleven worker merely nodded in thanks as she held the bills in her hands. Samira loaded her car up with all her goodies and pressed on towards the indicated address in Satsuma.

It wasn't hard to find the address. Samira was told there would already be people present when she arrived, so she expected at least some sort of cavalry to come greet her as she pulled into the driveway. There was one car in the driveway already, but she guessed that it wasn't being used for carpooling purposes. People were probably taxiing or teleporting their way here. [color=3fd0d4][i]Great. As if more people in the city need to know where we are at. People need to be more careful, I swear. You can't keep erasing everyone's mind without some people getting suspicious...[/i][/color]

Samira carried her truckload of food up to the door and with her knee, managed to open it enough to stick her foot in and get inside. There was a veritable blockade of people, and she wasn't too thrilled about it. As she eased her way in, she could see Kai standing there. Surely assigned to doorman duty, as was his want. [color=3fd0d4]"Please save it Kai. If you ask me who I am before I unload all these foodstuffs, I'm going to calmly freeze your tongue to the nearest bus."[/color]

Spotting the open kitchen counter, right in front of the Golden Child herself, Samira deposited her goods on the counter as gently as she could, not wanting to upset any of the boxes or smoosh any of the pancakes. [color=3fd0d4]"Thanks for the help with that, Salem. You're a dear,"[/color] she said sarcastically as she started to sort through the bags. [color=3fd0d4]"So, Melville, should I be impressed with this house that I know won't be able to hold everyone in it or worried that the other buildings are no longer options?"[/color]

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