"Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome."

                               ― Isaac Asimov, American author, and professor of biochemistry

Touya and Motoki worked in perfect harmony – as if working together was not something they had just started to do. They wordlessly exchanged papers, each knew exactly what they were looking for and none questioned what the other was searching for.

Drake chanced to check on his strategists and smiled as they watched them work, "how is it so far?"

Touya fixed the glasses now perched on his nose, "so far, we have uncovered who they are and their relation to the people of our previous selves."

Motoki nodded and handed Drake several parchments, "according to the documents that we have, the Takano family has been a rival of the Higuchi's for years. It has been stated that the families have been fighting for power, land and recognition."

"The largest war of the clan happened during Lord Takemi Higuchi's time, father to Lord Takahiro and grandfather to Lord Daichi and Lady Eriya. Based on the records, he outsmarted them by defeating a total of 500 soldiers with his 100 and that angered the Takano lord of that era. Due that the family went underground and was not heard of until the time of Lord Daichi."

Both Touya and Motoki looked at Drake who was thinking, "no I do not have memories of my old self yet. Unlike Yuri, my consciousness has not been shared and it is frustrating me a bit"

*Sigh* "Let us not be rash my lord. I'm sure you'll be able to share consciousness soon enough"

Motoki patted Drake's shoulder as he stood and stretched, "if its any consolation... I have not shared consciousness with my old self yet too same with Minamoto san. So don't be too hard on yourself."

The phone in the library rang and the men jumped, Drake cleared his throat and answered the phone, "hello?"

Yuri spoke from the other end of the line, "hey its Yuri. It seems the intercom is working so we can talk faster this way."

Drake pressed speaker for the rest to hear, "go ahead Yuri. I put the call on speaker"

"STOP GAWKING AT HER AND DO YOUR WORK!"

Motoki facepalmed, "we know that's my cousin. Can you tell him to calm down?"

Yuri laughed (in the not so Yuri way), "that seems to be all I do today... moving on to the important matters, we couldn't find the Kawaguchis and Grandma Tania inside their rooms but close to their bed was a peony"

Touya gasped, "so the peony was not for Lady Raina and Eriya Hime but for the only living slave of the Higuchis"

Yuri sighed, "you are correct Takehiko. This is my oversight, Lord Daichi. I ask for your forgiveness"

Drake raked a hand through his hair, "no this is not your fault either Yuri. Grandma Tania's existence is a catalyst given that she was the first person who initially remembered everything about our past."

Jeremy was heard barking orders at the maids and Motoki facepalmed, "Yuri... please for the love of anything and everything holy... stop my cousin."

*Chuckle* "You owe me one senpai. Give me a second."

Yuri was heard shuffling on the other end of the line, "Jun chan! Can you please come here? You have been giving the maids too much of your time. I'm feeling neglected."

Shortly after Jeremy can be heard apologizing and saying he'll get Yuri something to drink and a cake. Touya chuckled and elbowed Motoki who was still facepalming in embarrassment. Drake was deep in thought, "Yuri?"

"Yes, master Daichi. I am here."

"Was there any other lead or evidence retrieved from their rooms?"

The rustling of papers (probably her notebook) was heard while she was looking for answers to Drake's question. Motoki seemed to have thought of something and immediately ran to a parchment before handing it to Drake. Drake scanned the parchment handed to him and nodded at both men behind him,

"Yuri, did you see any paper or photo scattered on the rooms? Anything that could be a short message sent for me?"

The sound of paper rustling stopped, and a calm voice spoke on the phone, "there are 2 pieces of papers that were torn in each location. We were able to collect them and will check once we have reunited with everyone."

Touya leaned on the wall before adding, "if we think about it...all of the deaths were close to a painting... "

Motoki walked to the blueprint copy and double checked the marked areas and the photos of the murder. Yuri asked for permission to double check the areas assigned to the Kawaguchis and Grandma Tania's which Drake readily agreed to.

After putting the phone down, Rainier knocked on the door and opened to let a few maids carrying trays, "we brought refreshments for everyone. You've been staying here for hours. I had them make hamburgers with fries for Senpai and Drake. I have ham sandwich for Touya senpai. There's coffee and cola for you to choose from and we are refilling the water pitcher."

"You are used to this aren't you, Minamoto san?"

Rainier blushed and scratched his cheek, "I'm surprising myself too. I don't know how I knew all the things you liked or the location of things, but I just knew. The maids haven't questioned any of my orders as well, like they are used to me asking them for things."

Drake smiled proudly as he placed an arm around Rainier's waist, "that's my wife. Of course, he knows what he's doing."

Motoki and Touya smiled and Rainier elbowed Drake who laughed, "I told you to not say that out loud! It's embarrassing!"

"It's okay wife, they know why we're like this."

Rainier sighed as a sign of giving up and the maids look ecstatic at the exchange. He motioned for them to take the cart away, "oh and make sure not to move alone, okay? Preferably move in groups of three or more. Its better to be safe"

The maids curtsied and in chorus replied, "thank you for kindness Madame... we are grateful that you are the young master's wife."

Rainier blushed beet red and was speechless while Drake was doubling in laughter, "see wife? They know"

Rainier took a pillow from Drake's chair and hit him with it several times, making him laugh harder and Motoki turned to Touya,

"Have they always been like that?"

Touya nodded while continuously looking at the parchments, "no changes on their relationship – past or present... though I think they are a bit sweeter now. Raina sama normally walks out when she gets mad but Rainier fights back which makes Master Higuchi amused and in turn leaves him in a better mood"

Motoki ignored the couple and continued looking at parchments, "do you think Rainier did this on purpose?"

Touya shrugged, "could be. Raina sama is Daichi sama's advisor after all. He is his everything and vice versa"

Meanwhile on Yuri and Jeremy's end, they followed the recommendations provided by Drake during their phone call, first they went to Grandma Tania's room. Jeremy and Yuri split to cover more ground inside the room to double check for other possible evidence.

Jeremy stopped to pick up something shiny on the floor, "Yuri!"

Yuri rushed over to his side, "what is it?"

An earring shaped like a triangle was found on the scene, Yuri's mouth was set on a grim line as she answered, "this is the earring of the first dead person."

Jeremy sighed and placed the earring inside an individual plastic and carefully hid it with the other evidence gathered, "whoever this is... he or she slipped. Let's take advantage of this and check for other possibilities."

The Jeremy – Yuri couple checked on the next rooms and listed all their recovered items together with the paintings inside or outside the rooms as advised by Drake during their call.

Jeremy wiped the sweat off his brow and Yuri patted his back, "still doing, okay?"

He nodded and smiled weakly, "being in a man's body but still weak... it's embarrassing"

Yuri shook her head and patted the taller boy's head, "its okay. There is a reason why we were reborn this way besides I don't mind that I'm being protected occasionally."

Jeremy hugged her close and sighed, "thank God I still get to be with you in this lifetime. I don't know what I'll do if I got sent here and I can't find you."

She patted his back and chuckled, "I'm sure you'll make a fuss and challenge the Gods if that happened. They probably know what you will do."

"They probably..."

Jeremy cut off mid-sentence and looked around, "Yuu kun... I can feel something that's not right."

Yuri straightened and squeezed Jeremy's hand, "take me where you feel it the most. You used to do this before, remember? There weren't any of these high technology things. I trust you."

Jeremy nodded, "I-I'll try. I'm not used to doing Miko work in this body"

"You can do it. I'll call master Daichi while you concentrate, Jun-chan. Trust yourself – it doesn't matter if your body is male, you're still you."

*Nods and closed his eyes* "four people... Yuu-kun... I see him. I can't figure out where he is... but I can feel them. They're safe but exhausted. Over... there..."

Jeremy pointed to the Southeast part of the house and Yuri nodded, "thank you Jun-chan. That's enough. Don't exhaust yourself too much."

Yuri caught Jeremy just before he collapsed, she sighed and gritted her teeth, "the only thing I hate being female is that this body isn't as strong as my old one."