Downtime 4

Fuchou does not want to give the dragon egg to anyone except a dragon and makes that known, he does start trying to get support for a mission to destroy the ghoul detecting device though; only speaking to those that know his situation directly and creating a facade to any of the new people that do not know his situation that he is a terminal patient in a remote hospital who is using his dying wish to help out the group with his drone skills.

He masks the reason for wanting to destroy the device for anyone that would wonder what is so wrong about killing ghouls that once this technology gets out that it could be used to hunt down anyone that the Cowboys don't like based off their "signature" (he is bluffing this reasoning completely) and give them more power than they should have.

He will never appear in person to them and instead tries to carve out a little place in the sewers that he can use as a base not directly under the community center, but close by. He will rig it with traps using his trap building skills to alert him to anyone approaching in a defensive pattern and try to communicate with Carl that he is on board for his mission even if it's only himself that goes.

WuJen spends the weeks after the ghoul cavern thanking those who aided in the rescue profusely, helping settle the survivors, and keeping Little Dragon company at her parents home until she can return to the world. He spends considerable time trying to expand Little Dragons formula to allow her to more fully manifest in the world, but in the end has to admit it's simply beyond his current skill. Regretfully he resolves to return to the metaplanes soon to accomplish the task directly, but events in the world have begun pressing again.

At first alarmed when Carl's message reached him, he is relieved enough of the group wants to help out with the developing ghoul situation that he can in clear conscience keep his promise to Sun, not to mention himself, in dealing with the Cobras.

He is concerned greatly by the dragon egg. While he does not want to sell it, he feels that it presents a danger to anyone in the vicinity should the wrong kind of persons take an interest. Given how it came to be at the community center, that kind of interest seems a foregone conclusion. Still, it has to take a back seat next to cannabalistic bikers and flamethrower weilding Cowboys.

Kitaro sometimes catches a glimpse of Fuchou skulking around the center after his transformation.
At first, he tries to stay as far away from him as possible. But after a while, the worst fears seem to ebb away.
Fuchou doesn't appear to have become evil, like a monster. He's more ... sad ... like Quasimodo.

So when Carl's message arrives Kitaro is a little upset by it.
Fuchou doesn't deserve to be hunted and burned alive because of a condition that he never asked to get stuck with.

On the other hand, it looks like Sun and Wujen have their heart set on dealing with a gang of riggers they ran into earlier.
From the sound of it, it's almost sure that dealing with this gang will involve large amounts of violence.
Not being fond of combat at all, Kitaro does feel like he owes Sun a debt for saving the entire team from the grenade on their previous run.

For the first time in a long time, Kitaro seems to be conflicted by a moral dilemma.
He feels strongly about wanting to help his friends, but he feels equally strong about keeping himself in one piece.

Kitaro will take some time to meditate in front of the Hotei statue in the lodge in his apartment.
Hoping for some guidance from his mentor spirit, or at least the peace of mind to make his decision.

Kin looks around the Community Center. He sees a hive of activity, with individuals moving about, groups coming together and separating.

Being on his own for so long and being wary of most people, he finds it difficult to not only open up, but put any trust in another being. He can't explain the feeling that comes over him as he takes it all in. Tension begins to lift from his shoulders. These people are complete strangers to him, but somehow he feels a sense of comfort among them.

He wants desperately to find his parents. Every day upon waking in his cramped apartment, it's the first thing that enters his mind. But, looking around, he wants to help this group, needs to help this group. Sure, he could use the money and, sure he could use the contacts, but there's something more. It's a feeling of belonging. That he was meant to be in this place at this time.

He's certain they could benefit from him as much as he could benefit from them. A small smile plays at the corners of his mouth. Not his usual smile practiced daily to put strangers at ease, but something genuine. This is as close to happy as he's felt in a long time.

While Kitaro is meditating he enters into a trance.

A scene begins to play in front of his eyes, he's back in the community center looking out of the window.
In the street, a young ghoul woman is running for her life being chased by a couple of cowboys with flamethrowers.
They catch up with her and set her aflame, her screams cut through the air like knives.

Suddenly the scene starts again like it's on a loop. The woman is running, but something looks different. This time it's not a woman, it's ... Fuchou?.
The cowboys catch up to Fuchou and set him ablaze. He collapses to the ground screaming, trying to crawl towards what looks like a manhole. A few feet from the manhole Fuchou goes limp and the corpse burns to ashes.

Cannis cracks his knuckles. He thinks Sun's mission sounds like just the thing to introduce himself and his skills to the group at large.