OOC: I didn't even catch that. lol. They said he had to sign so he signed. ^_^' I'm used to the sign outs at work where the parents out their signature and we are in charge of marking the time on a different sheet. lol. Just as well, not sure he could have figured out what time to put down with his limited watch reading skills.

Hiei ducked into the first alley he saw and took a moment to ensure no one was watching before he took to the rooftops. He had dealt with all the human interaction he could handle for the time being. It was time to do something more within his area of expertise. He let himself run for a minute or two just to blow off steam before stopping on the roof of a very tall building and removing the ward from the jagan. A few moments of searching through the bustling city with his enhanced psychic abilities located the familiar demon he was looking for.

'He's moved.' The fire demon noted as he took off towards the energy signature, tying the white cloth back over the jagan as he went. As he neared the location he dropped down into an alley and slowed down as he moved out onto the street again. He came to a stop in front of a cluttered and dusty storefront with a sign that simply read 'Antiques'. It was a far cry from the dingy back alley operation his contact had run ten years ago.

Eying the cramped store, Hiei frowned and took a deep breath to steady the rising nervousness the small space caused. 'I can leave whenever I want.' He told himself firmly, hating the fact that the reminder was needed as he moved forward and pushed the door open with his warded hand. A bell jangled annoyingly above his head as he stopped and waited for his contact to show himself. He had no desire to move further into the cluttered room until he needed to.

"Hello! Welcome!" A chipper voice called out from the back of the store.

"Rinji." Hiei said in greeting as the tall blonde man moved into view.

Rinji grinned, showing sharp fangs that were the only sign that he might have been other than human. "Hiei. Long time no see. I'd heard you went home." Cool blue eyes narrowed as he took in the fire demon's attire. "Hmm...I never would've guessed you'd go native." He said curiously, noting the distinct human look to Hiei's wardrobe.

"Hn." Hiei shrugged. "I need a sword that can be concealed in human clothing." He said calmly, ignoring the blonde demon's implied questions.

Hana bought sushi from her favorite takeout restaurant and ate it alone in the park. Eating one of her favorite foods in such a nice location helped ease her broken heart. She didn't take her full hour lunch however as she had quite a few things she wanted to finish before she went home for the night.

The young woman left the park feeling refreshed but a bit apprehensive about returning to the lab and facing Shuichi. She had decided that her usual avoidance tactic would be the best way to handle the situation if Minamino didn't bring anything up. She hoped that would be the case because she didn't have a plan B if he did.

((Sorry, I wrote this up in the subway and then forgot to post it last night. >.>))

The tall thin blonde took Hiei's rudeness in stride. "Something collapsible maybe..." Rinji pondered. "Though it would have to be quite strong too to hold up at the speed you generally use to fight." He motioned for the shorter demon to follow him back through the shop.

Pushing down the urge to bolt out the door, Hiei trailed behind the musing weapon smith silently. They passed between the cluttered shelves of antiques and assorted junk. They then moved quickly through a dusty storage area where the black market dealer somehow triggered a hidden panel to slide away, revealing a spacious work area whose walls were lined with all manner of weapons from shuriken to rocket launchers. Hiei felt his muscles relax a bit as they entered the much less cramped space and he looked around at the wares with a critical eye.

"I've moved up in the world, ne?" Rinji grinned cheerfully. "It was time to expand so I moved in here about four years ago."

"Can you make me a sword or should I find someone else?" Hiei asked coolly, not inclined to engage in small talk.

"Don't be silly." The demon grinned again. "There's no one else anywhere near here." His smile showed more teeth than was strictly polite. "I made certain of it. How else do you think I increased my business?"

"Hn." Hiei snorted.

"Regardless, of course I can come up with something." The blonde man was all business. "When do you need to have it?"

"As soon as possible."

Rinji nodded, having expected that answer. "I can have something serviceable ready by tomorrow, or I can have something really nice for you by next week."

Hiei took no time to decide on the choice. "I'll be back next week, same time."

The smith nodded amiably. "Wonderful. I'll see you..." He trailed off as he found himself without an audience. "Well, clothes not withstanding, that one hasn't changed much in ten years." He mumbled, shaking his head fondly. The deceptively young looking man was actually rather fond of the irritable fire demon. He was a good customer who really appreciated the quality of his wares and always paid well. Not to mention he was a mystery, full of contradictions and Rinji had never been able to resist a mystery.

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