ax_main | Shinobi and Lil - Backdated to November 14

Shinobi drops by to talk business with Lil, and then they move on to other subjects.

Humming an upbeat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mHPrkhE_Tg he'd overheard during one of his trips to the city, Shinobi bopped his way merrily through the main hall of the girls' wing. He wasn't exactly a stranger to the general vicinity, but this particular room would be new to him. And new things--and especially new people--were always exciting. The fact that the object of his visit that afternoon happened to have made a favorable impression on the ever-reticent Nolan was just the fortuitous whipped cream topping his metaphorical sundae of delight.

Stopping before the door with "208" engraved upon the gold-cast identification plate in front, he gave the aged wood a sharp rap with the back of his knuckles approximately two seconds before he phased his face right through, leaving the rest of his body solid on the other side.

"Ohayou gozaimasu!" he greeted the interior brightly. "Is this a good time?"

Lil had time to look up and nothing more before Shinobi's face materialized. At first, she had the bizarre idea that Dana must have gone out and gotten one of those singing fish things you mounted to the wall and stuck Shinobi's face on it, but no, that was Shinobi and he did have his head stuck halfway through the door. Lil might have thrown something at him except at that moment Dolly Parton launched into the chorus of 'Here You Come Again', and she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face at the timing. "Well, you'd fucking know that by now, wouldn't you?"

"I'm very good at reading a room," he told her immodestly, his beaming expression not dimming in the slightest. "May I come in? Normally, I would just phase the rest of the way through, but I have something with me that won't take the trip very well. And I'm not a complete barbarian when it comes to inviting myself into other people's rooms." He just had his own, personal standards of etiquette. That was all.

His face screwed up in confusion as he caught the music which filled the room. "What on Earth is that?" he asked, frankly perplexed.

"Dolly Parton," answered Lil as she got up to open the door. The mystery of what he might have with him was pretty good motivation to let him in. "Country music, the good stuff." She gripped the door handle. "Please tell me that if I open this, your head isn't going to come with it."

"It hasn't yet," he reassured her. "But I suppose there might always be a first time. Here, let me set your mind at ease." Shinobi's face vanished back through the solid wooden panel, and he waited patiently outside to be allowed in.

She opened the door and stepped aside to wave him in. "Well, you've already seen it so I'm not giving you the grand tour." Another thought occurred to her, because why else would Shinobi be in her room? "If you're looking for Tamara, she isn't here."

"Merci, no. I am looking for you." He stepped across the threshold and held a slim laptop out to the Canadian. "This is an official Shaw Industries laptop. It's encrypted as hell, and comes with a non-disclosure agreement that would make most grown men wet their pants. But it's for you, for that data-entry work we'd discussed earlier. The login information and password are enclosed inside."

Lil hesitated a moment and then carefully took the laptop. All the doubts about this just being a make-work project evaporated, made real by the computer and all of the restraints Shinobi delivered with it. It was a real job, of a sort. "God, thank you." She smiled and brushed a hand over the top of the laptop before putting it carefully on her desk. "Instructions are in there too? Like, I can open it and get to work whenever?"

"Once you open it up and sign in, you'll find a messenger program already installed--sort of like Microsoft Outlook, but with more Shaw flair. Your first message will contain the instructions you need, along with the details of what you'll need to do, how you will be compensated, et cetera. I think you'll find the arrangement satisfactory, but please do not hesitate to let me know if you do not. I have an interest in the way the company treats our employees, after all. Even part-timers."

Lilian nodded, taking it all in and deciding she would get to work soon as Shinobi was gone. She'd have to read through everything of course, but after that how much she earned depended wholly on how much she worked, and she intended to work like a dog. But there was that one issue. "What about the not-allowed-to-work-in-the-US thing? "

"As far as this laptop and Shaw Industries are concerned, you're working from Canada," Shinobi told her, smiling. "You'll be paid in US dollars, though, so it will be up to you to convert them into Canadian ... Rubles? Drachma? Waffles? I honestly have no idea what they use for money in the frozen north. Unless you choose not to. But once the checks are cut, we really don't inquire that much."

"Dollars, but they're not that butt-ugly green that yours are." Damn it all, she liked this guy. She'd sort of thought she wouldn't, not with how he'd hijacked Tamara's attention at the party (nevermind that it was his party), but here she was, enjoying his company. "But you wanted a hat too?"

"I prefer a nice, pale Yen note, myself," he confided with a wink. "But we can't be too choosy, given our geographical realities, neh? I suppose we'll both have to endure as best we can."

His near-black eyes lit up at the mention of the hat. "Hai, that is also something very much worth discussing. Do you have raw materials available, or will we need to go into the city for supplies? I'm perfectly good with either; I flatter myself I'm a great patron of the arts."

"Well, I don't know if I'd consider it art, but no, I don't have anything you'll want. I got cheap stuff from Walmart, and you want some really nice merino wool at least. Plus, you'll want to pick your colours." This was the exciting bit. Walking into a yarn shop with money to spend... That was the dream. "You pay for the yarn. If I need needles, and I probably won't, I'll pay for them 'cause I'll be keeping them. And then it's $15 an hour for probably about four hours of knitting. No, I won't be charging everyone that much, but it's what my work is worth and you can afford it, right?" she smiled, big and bright. If there was one thing she was confident about, it was her knitting. If there was another thing she was confident about, it was that Shinobi Shaw wasn't getting any breaks.

"I'm flattered--I had no idea I'd made such an impression," he noted wryly, but with a good-natured smirk curving the corners of his mouth. He also refrained from mentioning that he was perfectly fine with Walmart yarn; this seemed to be a very important consideration, to Lil, and he hardly wanted to seem like a skinflint. "You have quite a head for business--everything in my upbringing urges me to haggle, but your terms seem fairly reasonable, so I'll suppress that impulse." He produced his wallet from a pocket and plucked out a few bills, holding them out to her. "Do you have any color samples available? Otherwise, I can only fall back on the old standby of 'the brighter the better'. I am the most magpie of magpies."

Lil shook her head but retrieved her phone, found an online store with a good selection, and passed the phone to Shinobi. "And you said herringbone, but you mean like a colour pattern right, not the stitch pattern?"

"Mostly the color pattern, yes," he told her, leaning back against one of the desks and accepting the phone. With idle swipes of his long fingers, he began browsing through the selection. "So, have you been craft-y long? I have no capacity to produce anything useful, myself, so I very much envy the talented."

"It's just a hobby. Mom started me on it when I was a kid to keep me quiet while she watched her godawful movies." Well, not exactly, but he really didn't need to know personal stuff, not if he was paying her. Except she was already sort of tied up in his personal life, wasn't she?

"Sou desu ka," Shinobi murmured, nodding. His attention appeared to be wholly focused on Lil's phone. "Bonding time with one's parents is important, I suppose." Dark eyes snapped upward. "I'm thinking something in pastels. I have a very colorful wardrobe, after all. And one does like to be noticed."
"One does," Lil repeated, smirking. At least he seemed to be taking the hat thing seriously.

He tapped a several colors for reference and held the phone out to Lil. "What do you suppose you could do with this?"

Lil took the phone. "Well, those'll get you noticed all right. And yeah, I can do what you want with that. In fact, I can order them off this site if you want and get to work in a couple of days." Not right now, because she'd have to run out for a Visa card, but today. "No need to run into town, and you can move right on to interviewing me to see why the fuck Nolan went out with me, eh?" Because that had to be part of why he was here.

"I do like an expedited business arrangement," he grinned. "And I wasn't planning to interview you, as such. I'm just ... curious. Nolan doesn't really take so readily to people, in my experience." Shinobi shrugged. "Of course, the people of our mutual prior experience were all fabulously wealthy cretins, so I can't really say I blame him."

"Well, I definitely don't have that 'fabulously wealthy' problem." Lil pulled out her desk chair for Shinobi and then sat down on her bed. Truth was, she was just as curious about Shinobi as he was about her. She didn't plan to ask him many questions though, not yet; it'd be more fun to see how he reacted to her right now. "I had a shirt on at your party. It was... " Lil made an exaggerated 'v' on her chest. "Sort of revealing. Like, double-sided-tape-required sort of thing. I'd say it's about 80% that and 20% that I don't have much of a filter between my brain and my mouth, and Nolan thinks that's a good thing for some reason."

"Nolan ... isn't the most trusting sort," Shinobi confided, cupping a hand to the side of his mouth and speaking softly, as though there was a chance they might be overheard. "He has a marked preference for the people he knows lack both the desire and the capacity to lie to him--like us!--though he's not an infallible judge of character. I suspect he may be onto something, in this case, though. As to the other consideration," he studied Lil closely, as if for the first time, though his expression was more clinical than lascivious, "I suppose I can see how that might have influenced the judgment of a healthy teenage boy."

"Well thank you sir, you're very kind," Lil gave him an imaginary tip of the hat. She meant it, surprisingly enough. Compliments were generally shuffled away, but something about Shinobi's delivery made his easy to take. "And yeah, I noticed that about Nolan. And he's not all that chatty about himself, but I can wait for that. In the meantime, I'll just dazzle him with my knitting skills and cleavage."

"I'm precisely as kind as I need to be," the half-Japanese mutant corrected with an impudent grin. "My ancestry will permit for nothing less! In any event, you're quite right: Nolan is not very quick to talk about himself, for all that it's a fascinating story. Give him a little time. I realize we've only just met face-to-face, and we're just barely on speaking terms, but I assure you it's worth the wait. There are very few people for whom I harbor genuine affection, and he is most definitely one." Shinobi appeared to consider for a moment, then added, "No need to tell him I said all that, by the way; it will just embarrass him and make our conversations awkward for a few weeks. Better to just continue with the dazzlement campaign; if the knitting doesn't win him over, the cleavage certainly will."

Lil nodded at Shinobi's request, that could definitely stay between them, but the rest had her laughing. "Well, I don't know if I'm out to win him over exactly. not yet. Got to find out if he's worth winning first. I mean good-looking, nice, smart... there's not much there a girl could find attractive, right?"

"Don't forget rich," he added. "I had some modest part in that, so I can't let it go unmentioned. Though I imagine that's not a tremendous concern, just now." Shinobi gave her a measuring look. "I'm not certain what you're in the market for, but I've always rather thought Nolan was worth winning. I trust you two will work it out in your own time."

"I sure, but yeah, the rich thing is... meh. You won't get any thanks for that." She shook a finger at him for emphasis. "That's part of why I had to get some work. You wealthy guys are expensive to keep up with."

"I am desperately underappreciated in my own time, like all great entrepreneurs," Shinobi sighed, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "And I've never noticed we're that difficult to keep up with. Especially if you just let us pay for everything. My nameless, faceless coterie of sort-of acquaintances in Japan used to be quite good at that."

"Yeah, I think I'll stay away from that tradeoff. I'd rather pay for supper sometimes, even if it means Nolan's gonna have to get used to McDonald's every once in a while." She wasn't going to pretend that keeping up with him meant keeping up with how much he could spend, that would be ridiculous, but she needed to make some sort of contribution to preserve her dignity. Besides, her mom would kick her ass if she learned Lil was letting a man take care of her. "There's the real test. Am I worth suffering through a Big Mac?"

"Are you ready to suffer through Nolan's usual wardrobe choices at the Salem Center McDonald's might be a better question," he fired back, laughing, then he gave her a scrutinizing look. "Seriously, let me know when you go. There are days when I would literally commit homicide for a McNugget combo, but I'm usually in no condition to drive, at those times."

Shinobi shrugged. "I'm sure he would prefer money not be a ... thing. I mean, it's useful, and it's rather nice to have it, but people tend to be vastly more interesting, in my experience. Anyway, in my case, I rather enjoy the occasional outraged phone call from my father regarding my atrocious spending habits."

"Not a problem I have." Lil grinned. "With that laptop, I'll probably have more spending money than Mom. But yes to the nuggets. First paycheck I'll drag Nolan off to Mickey D's and bring you back some. Or you could just come too. I'd feel like a big spender if I could treat you both."

"While I enjoy feeding the egos of others almost as much as having my own ego fed." he told her mischievously, "I don't think I could bear being a third wheel. And Nolan and I are roommates, after all, so I'm sure I would hear about it at length. I mean, he's usually so considerate of me, it's the least I can do to give him a little private time."

Shinobi's expression remained lighthearted, but there was something a bit wistful in it when he added, "And do make certain to brag to your mother a bit about your good fortune. They have a way of making even trivial accomplishments take on the luster of truly momentous deeds. At least, in my experience."

"She's a little low key sometimes, but yeah, I get what you mean. I'll brag for sure, about the money and about the people I'm gettin' to meet here." Lil made a mental note to ask Tamara about some sort of double date where she could pay for them all, McDonald's of course, because she was pretty sure buying fast food for a couple of guys with pockets as deep as Nolan and Shinobi was something she'd smile about for years.

"Certainly nothing to be modest about in earning a living and meeting the very finest sort of people," Shinobi said. "Especially when one of those people is yours truly. Why, this face is notorious on three continents! Though I'm not usually considered family-friendly, so you may want to take that into account before you suggest your mother Google me."

"Wait, are you famous too?" Jesus, for a place that was supposed to be a bit of a secret, there sure were a lot of well-known people.

Holding out a hand, Shinobi made a so-so motion as his face took on a rueful cast. "Sort of. Famous the way Paris Hilton used to be famous. So ... more infamous, really. Known for spending too much of my father's money in all sorts of wildly inappropriate, occasionally indecent ways. I don't think anyone will be offering me my own reality television show anytime soon, though. If that helps."

Lil shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I won't hold it against you." She smiled to make it clear she was joking, but he didn't seem the sort that would have trouble figuring that out.

"It's perfectly all right if you do," he reassured her quickly. "I am constitutionally incapable of feeling things like guilt or shame, so I can be fairly unbearable from time to time. My amusements tend to be shiny, noisy, and intrusive. But my very favorite thing is a secret."

"Jesus, now I'm curious and pretty fucking sure I don't want to know what it is." Lil winced. "You're a little like Nolan you know, not saying much about yourself. Except he does it by keeping quiet, and you do it by telling, um, a whole lot... If that makes sense."

Different strategies, same endgame," Shinobi said, grinning. "Ours is a fairly hazardous environment, you know--even without the teenage angst and emergent species politics thrown into the mix. But you misunderstand me, which is perfectly understandable as I was being playfully opaque. My favorite thing is a secret. I love secrets. I love knowing the things other people don't want me to, and I love keeping the ones other people want to know. It's a bit ... exotic, I know, but I had a very lonely childhood. And when money is no object, desires tend to turn toward less tangible things, neh?"

"I'll take your word for it, I guess. The loneliness I get, but I was lucky enough not to have any money so, I'll just stick with the knitting."

"It's probably the healthier option," he nodded. "Certainly the more productive one."

"Well, if you ever want to learn, I'll teach you free of charge. In the meantime, should I be making some sort of threat about Tamara or something?" She tries to give him something of an intimidating look, but couldn't quite manage. "You knew her before I did, but she's sort of my best friend here so..."

"You have excellent taste in friends," said Shinobi. "However, I feel it incumbent upon me to point out that threats are of very limited utility on a boy with the ability to become a ghost at will."

"Eh, I don't really think I need to bother anyway. Even if I thought you'd mess around with her, she can handle herself. I mostly had to say it because I'm supposed to." The whole threat thing, considering their respective talents, was a bit of a lost cause with both of them.

"Sou desu ka," he hummed thoughtfully. "I'll admit, having friends who live in the same time zone consistently is a bit novel, for me--I'm more used to conference calls and drunken wall posts, for keeping in touch. So I'm probably a bit hazy on the etiquette, involved. Does this mean I should be extending a similar warning to you with regard to Nolan's seldom-glimpsed squishier parts?"

Lil laughed. "Maybe, but you got the same problem I do: I'm invulnerable. I think we're gonna have to trust each other on this. Well, trust Nolan and Tamara to deal with us if fuck up more like."

"Invulnerability is no excuse for a lack of imagination!" Shinobi protested. "Besides, I deplore physical violence. I would just ... constantly be in your space. Like, literally in your space. People tell me it's creepy, but I think it's just fascinating, to be honest." He quickly waved the thought away. "In any event, I do think we can trust both Tamara and Nolan to handle their own affairs like responsible-ish teenagers. I admit you letting me off the hook is something of a relief; I was worried I would also be obliged to have 'The Talk' with Jean-Paul and Simon. Frankly, the one intimidates me a bit, and the other can just be plain tedious, at times."

"You're a friend of Warren's then?" Who wasn't? Maybe Lil would have to revise her opinion of him one of these days if everyone else seemed to think he was okay. Maybe. "Yeah, I don't think I'd bother with Jean-Paul either."

"His disposition is a bit forbidding, isn't it? Still, if Warren fancies him, I suppose he can't be as irritable as he seems. Probably." The Worthington heir's tastes, after all, could sometimes be as abstruse as Shinobi's own. "And yes, the pinioned prince and I have been friends since pre-pubescence. Actually, he was my first acquaintance with that unusual condition--prior to Warren, I had considered people mostly set-pieces for entertaining pranks or as a means to an end. You know, insert flattery, achieve your material desires. That sort of thing. Having actual feelings about things was odd at first, but I can't say I hate it."

"They're pretty useful sometimes," Lil agreed. He was a funny guy to talk to with comments bouncing from shallow to deeply personal without any warning. Might be his honesty thing. Whatever it was, Lil didn't know how to read it.

"Sometimes," Shinobi agreed. "But not nearly so useful as a good hat, neh?"

"More useful. I've gotten into some miserable shit because I just didn't give a damn. Having some emotions might have helped." Lil stood up and took another look at her phone. "But this is going to be an awesome hat, so maybe you're right this once."