A Deal

[23:46] Shizukana Kamikiri languished in bed a few days before she really began to recover. This did not prevent her, multiple times, from trying to tell the doctors off and leave. Eventually though she settled in to just healing. Jacque and Rose were gone for the moment, Jacque to school and Rose... well the spirit probably was nearby. She put in a request with the nurse. To call on someone for her, they needed to talk. She was in the middle of quietly eating a bowl of soup when she arrived.
[23:52] Street Spirit: (am I spectating, or did you want Rose about?)
[23:52] Jacquelyn Cross: Lauren knocks before entering--but doesn't wait for a response, either. She sags into a chair and sighs, taking a moment to recompose herself--there are dark bags under her eyes and she holds a huge thermos, eyes glinting with a madness composed of sleep deprivation and caffeine. "Ms. Tomiko," she says, snapping back to wakefulness.
[23:53] Shizukana Kamikiri sips some soup from her spoon and set it in the half full bowl. Her breathing is better. "Ms. Cross. Sorry if I called you away from important business." She still looked tired and haggard, her skin still sallow and her eyes still almost bruised with the exhertion of her pain and exhaustion.
[00:01] Jacquelyn Cross: "It is important, but I don't know if you need to apologize, yet," Lauren says, pausing to take a sip from her huge cup. "Though--I've also come to tell you that if you try to leave again, I'll be forced to put an officer outside your door. You're free to leave when you're healed, not before."
[00:02] System: Melech is offline.
[00:02] Shizukana Kamikiri took another sip as she talked. She wiped her mouth. "Jackie convinced me to stay until I'm better... And it'll be for her that I'm having this talk..." She seemed hesitant, her fingers drumming on the pull out table over her bed. "I... am interested in your offer but I am caught in several small conundrums..."
[00:03] Jacquelyn Cross: (Also, um, I'm not sure, I'm fine with doing Lauren and Inno talking terms and then Inno and Rose talk about it)
[00:03] Shizukana Kamikiri: (Mmkay)
[00:03] Street Spirit: (im ok with that too)
[00:07] Jacquelyn Cross: There's a hiss, just audible: white noise, filling the background. "Good. I'd be worried if you weren't," Lauren says. "I won't lie to you, though. My offer will cost you," the security chief looks off towards the wall for a moment. "But nothing you didn't already lose when you drew a sword."
[00:08] System: Ceinwen of the Sun is online.
[00:10] Shizukana Kamikiri: "It always costs. I never had a lot and I gave up a lot more..." She looked into her bowl. "I would like to open with the fact that, if possible, I would like to continue making charitable donations of security to several blocks of the Old Wharf District in my downtime... I am... honestly not sure if this is negotiable..." She seemed troubled, tired.
[00:14] Jacquelyn Cross: "Where the Hind is." Lauren thinks for a moment. "It wouldn't have to be charitable or on your downtime if they purchased our security services."
[00:16] Shizukana Kamikiri: "They couldn't afford it. I and a few others are the only reason most of the Old Wharf isn't under yak control still." She said as she pushed the bowl away. "I suppose you've been digging up more about me? I suppose you know by now."
[00:21] Jacquelyn Cross: "Know what?" she's coy. "Still... There's nothing that I can do to prohibit where you spend your free time, Ms. Tomiko. But a lone warrior is a dead warrior, and even if my only demand is your life--if you waste it needlessly, I will reach into Hell and pull your soul right back into this world."
[00:23] Shizukana Kamikiri: "I never waste it needlessly, those people are my family..." She says with a sigh. "How much would a security contract be, anyway? I... may be able to... drum up funds." She said as she lay back. "I would hate to waste such a previous resource thumping yaks in back alleys."
[00:27] Jacquelyn Cross: "A security contract in the Old Wharf... well, I'd hate to see the yakuza come back in, I still owe them several bullets, I'll call it a personal investment."
[00:33] Shizukana Kamikiri: "I certainly could work with this." She said with a chuckle. "So this would just be security work, what? I don't actually know what all gets in on your end of things, mostly I'm just used to... passing by. I think this might be the first legitimate job I've ever looked at, I might need to see a job descrip. I guess I'll have to wear a uniform." She said with a soft, mildly pained laugh. "What all does this entail? I can guess most of the perks, like better housing and consistent, if lesser, pay. Lots of contract work. I'm definitely someone's woman if you need someone protected or very, very dead."
[00:42] Jacquelyn Cross: "You'll be working directly for me," Lauren says. "Until you prove yourself, I'm not even giving you a leash." She takes another sip of her coffee. "First rule: I want them alive. No disintegrations."
[00:45] Shizukana Kamikiri nods. "Sounds good. I'm learning to do better with non-lethal. I'll keep that up definitely." She says as she picks up her water and sips at it. "I suppose we ought to get used to one another, with Jackie's plans." And laughs warmly but wheezingly. "So work with you directly. You're head of Shiawese Security for... just for San Fran? For the West Coast? Whatever, I think I can deal with that."
[00:52] Jacquelyn Cross: "Not with me, no. For me. Big difference. I'll have to retrain you first, but I'm hoping you're worth the risk... Second, my husband never learns about this deal. He would use it as an excuse to soapbox some patronizing bullshit about how I'm some exemplar of good. I haven't slept more than six hours in the last three days. I have seen my daughter four times in the last month, and every time I had to punish her because my husband was a ruffian and he refuses to act hypocritically. This job is thankless. Kids will call you a fucking pig. You will be shot at. You will be shot, probably more than once. You'll probably get stabbed, too."
[00:54] Jacquelyn Cross: "The pay is pretty shit, too. That's why half my officers are taking bribes, and I'll be god damned if I let them get away with it."
[00:55] Shizukana Kamikiri arches a brow. "How I am I supposed to explain to him working for Shiawese the next time we chat at a dive bar?" She says with a snicker. "And sounds about right. Not much different from what I already did. Except they called me 'devil' and 'monster' instead of 'pig'." She shook her head and shrugged. "This isn't my first time in a hospital, just the first time I was taken to one by someone I didn't pay to." She shrugged at the pay comment. "I have plenty of money saved up. If it can cover my living expenses and maintenance I'll be fine. I have had worse pay." And gave her a look that spoke very hard about her youth.
[00:57] Jacquelyn Cross: "And don't expect to get put back together if you get taken apart. I'm not exactly popular."
[00:58] Shizukana Kamikiri: "If I can avoid being made into a Bunraku by three different yakuza lords who are much, much deader than I am, I can keep myself together now."
[01:00] Jacquelyn Cross: She frowns. "I'm sorry."
[01:01] Shizukana Kamikiri shrugged and shook her head. "Wharfs're a lot safer now, was worth the risk. I think you underestimate my drive and determination, perhaps, Miss Cross."
[01:01] System: Shadeclaw Worlds is online.
[01:03] Jacquelyn Cross: She sighs, takes another sip of her coffee. "Do you think I do, Ms. Tomiko?" She raises an eyebrow.
[01:06] Shizukana Kamikiri: "I don't know." And shakes her head. "Honestly, people like you are very hard to read. I am, certainly, out of my depths in many ways."
[01:06] Jacquelyn Cross: "I'll correct you: I don't question your drive and determination. I question your motivations."
[01:07] Shizukana Kamikiri lay her hands on her lap and looked away. "My motivations are, I would hope, pure. Pry, if you wish."
[01:15] Jacquelyn Cross: "I would, but I think I already know the picture," she says. "I'm not happy about it. You and my daughter. You would have done her a kindness saying no, telling her to date girls her own age..."
[01:16] Jacquelyn Cross: "She's so much like her father it makes me want to scream, sometimes."
[01:16] System: Thesse is offline.
[01:18] Shizukana Kamikiri shook her head. "I didn't know she was six years younger than me until well after she had her hooks in me, Miss Cross." And smiled. "And I think I feel in love with her, perhaps, for the same reason you did with her father. It's that mix of kindness and free spirit that nothing seems to be able to break. I..." She wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow. "I honestly think she stay the hell away from people like me... But I also don't want to hurt her..."
[01:18] Shizukana Kamikiri: she should stay*
[01:22] Street Spirit: (awwww)
[01:23] Shizukana Kamikiri: "I also think, given your generous negotiations with me, that neither do you."
[01:24] Shizukana Kamikiri: She furrowed her brow. "I think also that you could demand me to stay away and that I would, but I am not the one who would ultimately keep me away."
[01:25] Jacquelyn Cross: She's quiet. "I also can't throw her in jail for a few days to teach her a lesson."
[01:27] Shizukana Kamikiri: "I guarantee you she would be out by night fall, some how." She said with a smirk. She sighed and shook her head. "Is there something you would like me to try and do about this situation? She is... quite smitten. And I am afraid it is rather mutual. The last year has been... uplifting."
[01:31] Jacquelyn Cross: "If I interfered, I'm almost certain my husband would withhold sex from me for the rest of my life."
[01:32] Shizukana Kamikiri burst into laughter then, having to hold her side as she winced. "I am sorry to trouble you so, Miss Cross." She said when the pain subsided. She breathed in. "I am sorry we had to meet this way, I think Jackie was avoiding it."
[01:33] System: Your invitation has been sent.
[01:34] Jacquelyn Cross: "Of course she was. And frankly, if I wasn't desperate, she would be completely right as to why."
[01:35] System: Natalie Albright is offline.
[01:36] Jacquelyn Cross: She sighs. "Now... I need to return to work. Heal. That's my first job for you. Then I'll see about putting together your application and seeing to paperwork."
[01:37] Shizukana Kamikiri: "I am very sure it ought to have gone very badly." She leaned in. "So you are so desperate as to take the help of a street waif? How sweet." She leaned back. "I will try. Get them to find me a boken so I can start doing my katas and exercises again."
[01:38] Jacquelyn Cross: "You were shot through the lung and you're lucky the round didn't tumble too much. You will stay in that bed until your doctors give you permission to stand up."
[01:39] Street Spirit: (oh it rejoined! nice. )
[01:40] Jacquelyn Cross: (Alright, I think it's time for Rose and Inno to talk!)
[01:40] Shizukana Kamikiri sighs and rolls her eyes. "Fine. Something to do then, please. I might send someone to get me things from the Hind..." And snickered and coughed. "Enjoy your work, Miss Cross. I hope it will be some kind of pleasure to work with you."
[01:41] Shizukana Kamikiri: (Yeah)
[01:41] Jacquelyn Cross: Lauren actually laughs. "That's a way to phrase it, isn't it? Have a good day, Ms. Tomiko."
[01:42] Jacquelyn Cross: With that, she leaves... leaving Innokenti alone in the sterile, boring hospital room. There's a trideo player, at least.
[01:43] Shizukana Kamikiri lets out a sigh and then, finally, coughs until there's blood on her palm. She wipes it on the bed spread, like usual. She lay back again. "What a pleasant woman." She said with a small laugh. "I think, though, that we will do Christmas with my family." She said jokingly. "Rose, are you here somewhere?"
[01:45] System: Morikawa Sachiko is offline.
[01:53] Street Spirit: "No," the wind whispers. "but if I was, I'd be waiting till the elevator dings."
[01:54] Shizukana Kamikiri nods and waits patiently for the ding.
[01:54] System: Inuq is offline.
[01:55] Street Spirit: There's a faint pause, as if waiting, before the faint presence of a wind elemental settles into a chair, lifting a finger, looking to the side, as if waiting for lauren to actually get going away. The spirit's half-real today, as if being cautious about monitored. Ghost mode instead of full body materialization.
[01:57] Jacquelyn Cross: The elevator dings a moment later, far down the hall...
[01:58] Shizukana Kamikiri turns her head to look at her. "First, when we're done here I want you to go to the Hind and get me my boken and the steel case in the back right corner of my closet. Don't worry, nothing below board in it." And smirks. "So what do you think of all that?"