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[Nor does he. But where she looks out the window, he looks around the tea house, scanning for the people who are — or were — there, glancing at Rin every so often while her attention seems to be elsewhere.

The sight of the coffee perks him up as well, though he's nowhere near as suddenly cheerful as she. He tilts his head, smiling and a little curious.]

Where's home?

I'm from Edo. A long time ago from here, and my guess is from you too. [She picks up the mug and inhales steam, just a moment. It's different from the tea she knows, hits the same chords but all a little off-key.] But I've been through some other worlds in between so... it's not as much as jump as it might have been.

[And here, okay: he'll bring this conversation back around to the real reason they're there. He folds his hands and leans forward on the table — his coffee goes ignored, for the time being.]

Were you with Jesse in Canada?

[-- blinks. And frowns.]

In Canada where?

Siren's Port? I think he said it was in... [He looks up and off to the side, thinking.] Actually, no, I have no idea what province it was in.

... I was in the Port, yeah. But he wasn't there at the time.

Oh.

[Another pause for thought, and for a sip of his coffee.

It sucks, but it could be worse.]

Did you know Lisbeth, then? Or Nill?

I knew Nill for a long time. I recognized her when she came here. I never met Lisbeth. Maybe she was there and we just didn't run into each other, maybe she wasn't there, same with Jesse.

I left... well, Nill was there a while after I was.

[He's starting to get a picture of all this, he thinks. What a mess waiting to happen.

...er, happening.]

And now you're all here like one big, happy family.

[It's a joke, but Saul knows it's not funny.]

... Frankly, I don't talk about it with most people unless they ask. It's a little awkward. Nill is the only one I knew.

[Until now, she didn't even know Jesse was also in the Port - it just never came up. But she'll... sit on that unless she's asked.]

Ships passing in the night, then.

[He shrugs.]

So, you want to join Team Jesse?

I think I can be helpful to you. [She shrugs and sips her tea.] I'll help you out and listen to you, I think that'll be better for both of us than me tromping through things on my own.

Helpful how?

[That's the important part. Saul watches her carefully, making no effort to hide how critical his gaze is.]

[She considers the table for a moment. Then her eyes slide up to him. She's very serious and she's very calm.]

I'll tell you about this, on the condition that you keep it absolutely secret. If I find out you told anyone about it, or if anybody mysteriously finds out about it, I will kill you. I'll make it hurt first.

[Well.

This is familiar.

Saul's eyes narrow slightly. If there's one thing he's learned during his stay here, it's that there are a number of people who don't look like they could kill him but probably definitely could and would, if given good reason. So he takes a moment to stick Rin's name on that mental list of his, then nods once.]

That sounds fair.

[She sits there, considering for a moment. It's probably easier to show than to tell, right? She glances at the counter, out the grimy window, confirming that they aren't observed, and then concentrates.

A split second and it's like she's a soap bubble, filmed over briefly with rainbows. Then it's just like she's gone, all sound and sense of presence erased.]

[This might be one of the most useful things he's come across yet. He straightens immediately, interest and wonder clear, and squints at the space where Rin-should-be-but-isn't.

Or is she?]

...Rin? Are you still there?

[There's a little box of sugar packets placed at the middle of the table. Rin reaches out and palms one, tucking it against her hand - that disappears too.

A moment later she's flicking it at him, aiming at his forehead. She's clearly in the middle of some kind of field here, as about a foot away from her the sugar packet blurs into view again, still flying towards him. Does that answer the question?]

[So the invisible girl just hit him square in the forehead with a packet of sugar.

Yeah, that answers the question.

It takes a lot of self-control to keep from grinning manically at this discovery, but he manages. What appears instead is an impressed little smile, brows slightly raised.

This — this is a good revelation.]

Wow.

[She allows herself a secretive little smile, cloaked in invisibility still. When she slides out of stealth the same brief burst of rainbowy glow happens in reverse, and she's neutrally composed again, the blank assessing look returned.]

As you can see, it's the kind of ability that's more useful the fewer people know about it.

Understood.

[Saul needs a minute. He focuses on his coffee while his thoughts go a-tumblin' through all the possibilities, but he figures he'll leave the ball in her court. This is her power; she can use it against him just as easily as he could ask her to anyone else.]

So what'd you have in mind?

What do you have in mind? [She seems to have settled down some, now that she's assured he's taking her seriously. Or more seriously at least. Rin watches him casually.]

Jesse wouldn't really give me any clear information about this guy, but I saw you and him in the catacombs and you sound like you know what's going on... so who is this person?

That — [he taps the table with a fingertip] — is something I'll have to think about.

[This is something that requires careful planning, not his knee-jerk reaction to ask her to spy on Walter whenever she has any free time. It's not like Saul doesn't know where Walt is at any given time, anyway — provided he's got his tablet. And he usually does, it seems.

Rin's next question makes Saul sigh. He doesn't bother hiding the look on his face: a little exasperated, a little afraid. How many times will he have to explain this?]

What information did Jesse give you?

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