Shangri La Pt. 1

45: New Acquaintances

"I will return whenever you need me, Great Pisces." Izumi spoke as she took a subtle bow while sliding the door back to close. 

She took a few steps back just to let out a deep sigh after thinking back to what the members of the White Lotus told her. 

'Looks like I'm gonna have to be a lot more careful from now on even towards people that I'm usually close to. Erm– And now it's gonna be harder for me to go into the city, but I really need to take care of mom. I'll have to check on all the savings I have to see if I could try and move mom out of the city soon. So many things are about to happen this month and next month that it's almost impossible to keep track. Let's go back to rest and figure out if there's a way for me to use my charm to change the color of my hair into a new disguise.' Izumi thought as only anxiety was starting to cloud her mind as to what could happen if someone did find out her real self.

And just as the disguised greenette was heading back to her shed, a certain silver haired Vice Captain peeked out of the corner to see her leaving. 

'Looks like I made it in time to get rid of these guys before they heard anything inside the Temple. How many more times are they gonna try and hire spies and assassins to listen in on our conversations? Geez, it's only gonna get more annoying from here on out.' Gin thought as there was a pile of unconscious men lying on the ground and covered in wounds done by the Vice Captain.

"Did you two really have to fight those mercenaries earlier? What do you two think would've happened if they recognized you and yelled who you are? We can't let ourselves be revealed as members of the White Lotus, you know that!" Zeri yelled as both Ray and Uma had no choice but to listen to the doctor without any amusement. 

"It's not like we expected it to happen that way. They started with words, but I couldn't listen to 'em." Ray replied as Uma nodded to that statement. 

"And you still think that's okay?!?!"

"Geez, what's got you so annoyed?" Gin interrupted while entering the Temple and making all the White Lotus members look over at him. 

"Eh? Finally decided to get here, Shark? Don't tell me you like being Vice Captain?" Ray joked. 

"Had to take care of some spies that were around the Temple again. And maybe if you would've paid more attention to 'em, then I would've been here sooner." Gin growled. 

"You–" 

"Ah– You say there were more spies around the Temple today?" Shiro questioned. 

"Yeah, and I can tell that these are different spies compared to the last ones I took care of. Either it be the Emperor or Empress that hired these guys, they can't really hide from me, I can sniff 'em out just fine." Gin answered.

"Shiro, did you foresee this happening?" 

"Something like that, but I didn't foresee what was to happen to Izumi earlier today in the city." 

"Hm~ then not only are there spies on us, but there could be spies that are supposed to be on watch of Izumi and her actions." Zeri noted. 

"Yes, and from what she told us earlier as to how those mercenaries were able to recognize her in her disguise would only mean that one of her friends has been going behind her back." Ayame added. 

"That may be true, but it's unclear as to who that spy could be that know's Izumi that well. Not even I can look that far in the future to try and see who this spy could be that is close to Izumi." Shiro spoke.