Description: Shihong Mao has a problem. Her solution? Geese Howard. But just what could her problem be, and why is this scene so totally late in being published?! The answer: economical crashes and radical liberal conspiracies. FEATURING: the best ending you'll ever see. Ever.
For Shihong Mao, life has been quite extraordinary.
With the past few weeks' events fresh on her mind, the Syndicate woman has every reason she believes to call audience with the King of Southtown himself. A few phone calls later, she's been given the needed clearance to see the Syndicate's leader in the comfort of his castle. While it's not really anything special or new to Shihong, there still remains a lingering sense of uneasiness.
...which she tries to remedy with loud music and driving recklessly through town. With the busiest part of the evening since passed, Southtown's streets are hers for the taking. With the windows down and Brian Johnson wailing about the long way to the top, Shihong roars down the roads in her Jaguar XJ220, one hand absently drumming on the steering wheel. Despite the thrill of a fast car and obscenely loud music booming out of her windows, the woman maintains a stern-faced expression.
So much has happened so soon...
The car roars into a parking garage, where the woman exits the vehicle with a loud, distinct 'chirpCHIRP' of the alarm sounding behind her. Clad in surprisingly formal business wear, a black blazer and skirt affair with a silver silk blouse beneath, the woman moves with silently but with purpose, past security and into the lobby of the exquisite tower. They know her face; there's no need to question her. She summons the elevator, unimpeded.
Moments later, a soft 'ding' heralds the arrival of the elevator. Entering as quietly as she came, the woman pushes a button. The doors shut with a discreet hiss, lurching softly as it ascends. And that's when she exhales, removing her shades with one hand and rubbing at her face, fingers brushing over angry little scuff marks on her cheek. Her lips pull slightly, eyes snapping shut. Damned Ikari woman...
Ding.
At its final destination the doors give way, the Chinese woman emerging with the same stony look she'd entered with and the shades back on her face. A brief nod is given to the security desk outside the massive doors of the grand office, returned in kind before they're opened by a suited man. The woman enters silently, the doors shutting slowly behind her, latching into place with a light click. Only then does the woman draw her eyes shut and bow her head a fraction, a hand lifting and once more removing her thousand-dollar sunglasses.
"Forgive me for the late audience, sir," the Syndicate woman apologies.
For Geese Howard, life has been business as usual.
There really is no other way to describe it. Business flows on in Southtown in an unceasing. It is a well-oiled machine carefully supervised by its lord and master. Everything that happens here, happens expressly because Geese allows it. He's god.
And it is so very good to be god.
So what does a king do when everything is going as planned? "I asked you to doublecheck the numbers for that inventory, didn't I? And you didn't. And your screw up reflects poorly on me. Not by much, because at the end of the day you're really not more than a gnat and a gnat can't really be expected to have the mental faculties to -think- properly, but even so, I don't look kindly on incompetence, even when it's from people I know are losers to begin with. You're fired."
He tends to his more legitimate businesses.
The phone is hung up calmly as Geese Howard exhales calmly, a self-satisfied smile pulling across his lips as the suit-clad man looks out calmly over the cityscape sprawled out before him. "Aaah. That's always invigorating," Howard observes pleasantly. He looks like a man who has just had an extremely satisfying meal. It's been a good day.
A day that is suddenly interrupted as Shihong makes her presence known in the creak of opening doors; strong winds are there to greet Shihong as she enters the open-air rooftop office, as Geese's pale blue gaze falls upon the enforcer with the arching of a brow.
"Shihong," he speaks the name once before his gaze moves back to the horizon, the acknowledgment enough for her to enter in further. "Not at all, I was just taking care of some dull business. You can only enjoy the view for so long, after all. So," he looks over his shoulder towards Shihong, curiously. "What brings you here today...?"
The woman remains silent the moment her words leave her rouge lips; instead, a hand reaches up as a strong gust whips up, tussling her long black hair about before she corrals her locks into a pale hand. They're dismissed, swept behind her shoulder before--finally--her gaze regards the well-dressed blonde before her.
She's acknowledged. Her response is simple; bowing her shoulders she offers a short but respectful bow to the King of Southtown before slowly rising to full height and stepping forwards, into the open-air office proper. Her eyes shift, drifting from the man toward the view spanning before her of glimmering skyscrapers and countless buildings beyond. One day, she reminds herself...
"Is that so, well," the woman replies coolly, black eyes drifting to the shades as they're folded neatly within the palm of her pale hand. "I'm glad I haven't imposed upon important matters then." A soft exhale slips past her thin lips, her hands reaching up to the blazer and neatly pulled the lapel back, her shades tucked safely away. Only then does she step forward a few paces more.
"What brings me here today," Shihong explains calmly as her hands drift, hanging loose at her sides. "are a number of things I presumed may interest you, sir." Black eyes wander, gazing off to the side as she mulls over her options. Where the hell does she even BEGIN?
Good news is possibly the best start.
"I was approached by Seishirou Ryouhara, sir," the woman explains, her eyes returning to the blonde as she calmly speaks. "He professed considerable interest in my talents, so I have offered them to that terrorist-shinobi." She pauses briefly, lips pursing lightly before she adds, "I figured it would be of interest to you in doing so. I saw no harm." And she benefits greatly; that remains her secret.
"I...presume there is no conflict of interest..? I assure you that you and the Syndicate will always have priority over the interests Mister Ryouhara, should such a circumstance arise, sir."
The view is excellent from the top. Especially so when you crawl your way up from the mud and dirt to get up there. This -- this city -- is Geese's legacy. One would have to pry it from his cold, dead fingers to get it away from him.
And so far, such attempts have been vastly unsuccessful.
"Not at all," a hand waves through the air dismissively as Shihong speaks, Geese's tone markedly casual as he speaks. "I always have time to deal with important matters. And I'm sure the matters that you have are very important." Or at least, Shihong should hope they are.
At the announcement of such important news, though, Geese still keeps his view turned to the skyline -- until, at least, Shihong brings up her first point. Geese pauses in place at her words; he doesn't respond at first, letting the enforcer finish her explanations. Even afterward, there is silence, as if, perhaps, she'd done something wrong.
The smile on Howard's lips speaks of something entirely different, though.
"Of course you were," Howard answers in a self-assured tone, his smirk all-too amused as he turns to fully face Shihong, moving towards the interior of the rooftop office at a slow, easy gait. "So he wanted you to join whatever little shadow conspiracy he's whipping up in that slippery mind of his, eh? That's good. It's nice to know that ninja's hands aren't staying idle. I was worried he might disappoint my expectations." Geese moves the bar near his desk, right hand floating over the various liquors. Shihong speaks again, and Geese looks up to her with an arched brow, a frown creasing his lips.
"Conflict of interest...? ... Hah!" Geese's bark of laughter is short but pointed as he shakes his head. "Oh no, by all means, join Ryouhara's little clique. That works out very well, in fact. You've stumbled onto a gold mine." He pauses here, hand hovering over a bottle of scotch as his gaze turns to Shihong.
"After all, you're going to be keeping a close eye on that conniving little weasel for me from now on."
Shihong does, in fact, hope her concerns are of interest. It wouldn't do to waste someone as powerful and influential as Howard's time. It would be foolish, and she knows better than to do that. But, to her and her beliefs, her information is doubtlessly important. He could benefit from it--and isn't that what matters..?
Her expression remains calm and composed, despite the doubts that linger just behind black eyes. Watching the blonde as she speaks, her gaze never leaves him. She watches closely, trying to read his responses as carefully as possible. The silence is almost unsettling, but the grin that follows, however, odd, brings some sense of relief.
His words do as well, but the woman's features remain unchanged, her black eyes calm as she observes the blonde move forward. "It would seem they are not, sir," she explains. "He is planning something, it seems, but the details are minimal. He has taken interest in Taizhou; rest assured, mister Ryouhara remains a busy man. He will not disappoint you."
The frown, however, draws her thin brow up slightly, a discreet gesture before she gently exhales. "Is that so..?" the Enforcer replies, looking distantly curious before her eyes draw shut, lips tugging into a tiny smirk. Keep an eye on someone such as that terrorist..?
"So be it."
Opening her eyes, the woman--with a touch more confidence--regards the Lord of Southtown properly once more. If he's in higher spirits, perhaps...
"I was also wondering...after some time, I've come across that young woman I brought to you once before--Ayame. Since then I've accepted her into the company of myself, Miss Bouchard and Miss Nakatani; however..."
The woman's eyes falter somewhat, her shoulders stiff as she mulls.
"Forgive me if this sounds presumptuous, but...I think she would be a beneficial asset to the Syndicate if you were to consider taking her in properly. She is a talented young woman and is apparently known for her conartist and thievery talents. Likely, she can get where you or other members cannot."
Pausing, the woman's brows furrow slightly, lips pulling into a thin line across her pale features.
"I'm not sure if she can provide you with the full extent of her service at the moment, due to a rather unforeseen circumstance, but I assure you once things have been resolved--" Assuming Shihong can help the girl get to the bottom of it. "--it will not be an issue."
Geese calmly sets down his glass of scotch. He walks over to Shihong. He says nothing. Grabbing her and lifting her over his head, he walks to the edge of the roof, throws her off, snaps his hands into the air, shouts "DONE" and walks off.
THE END
'So be it,' Shihong says, and Geese's response is a simple nod; her answer is completely correct. So be it.
Because there really is no other option when Geese Howard 'requests' something.
"Good. I appreciate your hard work and diligence, Shihong," Geese finally says after her acknowledgment, his hand roaming over the various bottles before him. He grips up a bottle of scotch, moving down to get a glass. "This certainly isn't going to be an easy position for you to be in, but I'm sure you'll do just fine. Think of it as a learning experience."
The King of Southtown clutches a glass of bitter, amber liquid in hand as he moves towards his seat. Settling in calmly, he turns his pale gaze back to Shihong. "Report to me on his activities once every other week. Leave the exact date variable. If anything that requires my urgent attention occurs, than report to me sooner than that. I doubt even our little ninja friend would be so arrogant as to try and attack me when I've been so generous to him, but it's good to be well-informed. Don't you agree?"
Geese lifts his glass to his mouth as Shihong speaks next, letting the rim pause against his lower lip as he lifts a brow. He says nothing at first, sipping down some of that bitter liquid as Shihong explains the predicament of her newfound friend, and her subsequent request. Howard considers the words, and smirks.
"I found out about your little friend because she was stealing from my businesses," comes his initial response, setting his scotch down against his desk. "My Syndicate businesses. I know about her talents better than you likely do." That's his job, after all. To know people better than they know themselves. It makes business go more smoothly.
"I think she owes me to work off that debt, don't you?"
A brief pause follows, before Geese leans forward, looking pointedly at Shihong with those self-assured eyes. "But just what is her 'unforseen circumstance' she finds herself grappling with?"
"Thank you, sir," the woman coolly replies, giving her head a gentle bow forward in response. "Your praise is flattering. As for the position and circumstance, well. .." Black eyes lift from the ground, rising up and settling on the piercing blue gaze of the Syndicate crimelord without faltering. "I am not worried." She can't be worried. Her dreams, her ambitions, her goals...all of it is necessary to achieve that.
When he speaks and thoroughly explains his demands, the woman remains silent, her expression calm and reserved. Only after he has finished does a smile tug at rouge lips, her pale features touched by the faintest hints of amusement. "He knows I am keeping my place here in the Syndicate and expressed no qualm with being in your employ, as well as his. I do not believe you have anything to worry about from mister Ryouhara." Pausing, black eyes drift from Howard to the skyline.
"But, very well. I will inform you of his actions as you insist, mister Howard. I do agree that it is wise to be...'well informed.'" Even if it may very well compromise her safety at times, but she can't think or worry about that. Shihong has to stay focused on her goals.
Goals which include the young conartist thief. Her piece said, Howard's response isn't precisely what she had expected. Black eyes blink slowly, her lips parting a touch before she gently shakes her head, long black locks brushing against her shoulders. "Y-yes," the Syndicate woman replies, offering a discreet nod. "Perhaps you are right. So she has your blessing, th--?"
The brief pause catches the woman short, her words cut off as the Syndicate lord regards her squarely. For a brief moment Shihong looks speechless, her pale features turning just a shade whiter. How does she even explain something she isn't too sure of..?
Clearing her throat lightly, the woman draws her arms around her back as her gaze slips to the floor in a thoughtful manner. "It would appear that, for some unknown reason, miss Ayame is suffering from what I presume is amnesia. She told me she couldn't remember...much of anything. Even her staff was foreign to her. For the time being I have asked her to stay with me, and she has been. I also promised her I would help her out however I could."
Pausing, the Chinese woman's gaze drifts back onto Geese, almost hesitant.
"I have faith she'll be fine in due time, but until then I cannot assure that you would receive the utmost from her services."
"Good," Geese drawls out absent-mindedly, taking a long sip of his scotch. He lowers the glass, 'aaah'ing softly as he leans back.
"I'm glad we're on the same page."
That's all there is to be said on the matter of Seishirou; Shihong knows her job well enough and Ryouhara isn't quite important enough to Geese to specify anything beyond that. It's good to know where the players in your play are, this is no different. Geese's hands fold in front of him, chin resting atop them as he lets out a long, musing sound.
"Amnesia, eh? And you're sure it's not simply some sort of elaborate hoax on the girl's part?" the question is pointed and serious enough; Ayame is another slippery one. "If it is legitimate, then she really is no good to me as she is now, is she? I don't need some amnesic girl who can't wave around a stick properly to trip things up. See what you can do to help her recovery, then.
"I'm eager to let her start paying off her debts."
But, Geese imagines that's not the end of it. Arching a brow, the man frowns slightly, reaching out to grip his glass of scotch as the liquid swirls in his grasp.
"Was there something else you wanted to tell me...?"
The response she receives is one she was expecting. Really, one cannot expect someone as powerful as the leader of the Syndicate to show a shred of mercy to the lower echelons of the organization. Still, though, the Chinese woman frowns lightly--discreetly--before she merely bows her head and lets black eyes draw to a pensive close. Carefully, she considers her words.
"I know from past experiences that Ayame has no reason to lie to me. We have always gotten along well in our fights together in the past. Furthermore, I have more than enough reason to believe that she is not stupid enough to try and pull such an 'elaborate hoax' on the Syndicate or its members. And anyway," Pausing, the woman's hand lifts to her face, a long, spidery finger pointing at the woman's eye. As if on command, those black depths flicker, a shimmer of vermillion filling her gaze.
"I could feel she wasn't lying. Her feelings were genuine, when I spoke to her."
Drawing her eye shut, the woman calmly exhales, thin shoulders sagging as a tiny smirk edges its way across her porcelain white face. "Her recovery is a priority, sir. I will see what I can do." After all, she wouldn't want to disappoint her boss, would she?
When Shihong is called out, her face flushes slightly. Of course there's more she has to tell--it's the worst part of the batch of news she's come to present the King of Southtown. Part of her almost wants to avoid it altogether. But that is irresponsible, and Shihong wants to make an impression and gain reputation and ascend that twisted ladder.
The woman swallows heavily. For once, the Syndicate enforcer's posture and demeanor seems uneasy and nervous, her eyes off of the blonde and fixed instead on the floor before his desk. How does she even explain this..?
"Y-yes..." the woman uneasily begins.
"The other night..." Lifting a hand, she lightly touches at her neck, fingertips absently reaching up to brush over the angry red gashes that remain and serve as reminder. "I was attending to a shipment from some Russians in the harbor. It was an easy job--they had weapons, I was going to deliver them. B-but."
Her weight shifts, the hand near her face dropping loose to her side as the other arm comes forward, gripping at her upper arm in an uneasy fashion. Silence falls upon the woman, her gaze staring intently at the floor, her jaw locked and her body tense. She doesn't know how he'll take this...she can only pray that he takes it 'well enough.'
"The shipment was compromised. By an Ikari woman." She pauses, but only briefly.
"I nearly took the woman out, but she got to me first. She's a brunette who seems to fancy fighting with a whip. Fortunately, miss Nakatani was there to handle matters before that Ikari woman could hand me in to authorities. I believe she has been 'delievered' to one of your commanders."
The woman's eyes still refrain from meeting his.
"I apologize for my...inability."
"Oh?" comes Geese's inquiring voice, his expression curious as Shihong explains and defends Ayame. "Well, then, if you vouch for her honesty, that's good enough for me." It isn't, really.
The fact that Shihong so distinctly uses that unique Psycho Power is, though.
Geese exhales calmly as he awaits for Shihong's further report, leaning his head on one hand as the other swirls that scotch idly within its grasp. Of course she has more she'd like to tell. Geese Howard's observant eyes can see that much. His lips pull into a thin line as he patiently awaits her explanation. Given her hesitation, it would seem it's something she doesn't particularly want to voice. Which just makes it all the more interesting for Geese.
She begins, slowly. His pale gaze lifts briefly to the wounds scowering her neck with the idle arching of a brow as Shihong draws attention to it. She averts her gaze as she speaks. A shipment--
--interrupted.
Geese Howard pauses. His brows knit together as he stares intently at Shihong, allowing her to finish her words. There is silence, for a long moment.
"Did she destroy the shipment?" comes Geese's first, curious question, before his gaze falls back to Shihong's neck. "I'll assume those little wounds are from the princess who tried to save the day, then. Did you get her name, perhaps? What did she look like, what weapon did she use to cause those injuries?" It would seem almost like a whip, and if so, well --
It narrows down the categories a bit.
"But the situation has been otherwise contained. Who is our new guest in the care of, now?" Geese straightens, pressing a hand against his desk as he considers Shihong in his scrutinizing gaze.
"Do you feel shameful now, that you didn't manage to beat her on your own, Shihong Mao?" The question comes straight and piercing from Howard's lips as he leans forward. "I hope you don't think you're going to have to kill yourself now because of your tragic failure. I happen to like this carpet too much to replace it." A beat skips, as Geese pushes off his chair and onto his feet, standing tall.
"Apologizing is a sign of weakness. I didn't hire you to apologize to me, I hired you to get results. Whether you had to get someone else to help you or had some grand honorable duel to do it doesn't matter to me. You contained the situation. You got results.
"So you won't have to be ruining my carpets today."
"Not that I am aware of," the woman replies, still refraining from looking directly at the blonde at his desk. "Just as she was about to detain me Nakatani arrived and successfully thwarted her, detained her and took her elsewhere. Nakatani likely has all the details." The Chinese woman exhales lightly, thin shoulders sinking underneath her blazer. Did she get her name?
"I'm afraid I did not. The woman was tight-lipped about everything except her affiliation with the Ikari Warriors." The mention of Shihong's wounds cause her pale face to turn a discreet shade of red, eyes instantly hooding in a mix of anger and embarrassment. Damned soldier bitch. How DARE she humiliate Shihong.
Her eyes drift, looking up--but not upon Geese. "Y...yes," the woman hesitantly replies. "She used a whip, mostly, some odd, blue bullwhip affair. She also had a knife and apparently firearms at her disposal, among the gear her little clubhouse provided her to spy on me." Again the woman's shoulders sag, a weak shrug offered.
"I'm afraid I do not have the details. Again, Nakatani would have that information at her disposal. I imagine it is one of the higher-ranking men of the Syndicate, someone who can handle that damned soldier girl." Because damned if Shihong did a sufficient job. "If you like, I can look into--??"
But the blonde cuts her off, and for once the woman's black eyes flicker up, locking onto the piercing gaze that observes her with obvious scrutiny. She blinks twice, her face flush of color as she's called out. Does she feel shameful, he asks?
Of course she does. She should have handled that efficiently on her own. It's all a matter of Shihong and her fierce pride, that burning desire to get better and stronger, to become something and someone more within the Syndicate. But...
"Kill myself??" Her words are stunned, shocked. "Why--??" Again, the man cuts her short. Biting down on her jaw, the woman merely observes and listens, her eyes narrowed a fraction as he stands and speaks. And once he has said his piece, the woman merely bows her head, a soft, barely audible sigh escaping her rouge lips.
"Thank you for your patience, sir," the woman softly replies.
"Hmmm. A whip, eh?" Geese considers, before allowing a thin smile to spread across his lips.
That's good to know.
The rest of Shihong's words are all accepted in stride; Geese doesn't look too concerned. His business is big. Booming, even. One minor disruption of some Russians' gun delivery isn't going to sway him out of the good mood he has now. Perhaps, if it had been someone else interrupting -- but Ikari? That just makes for a good learning opportunity.
Thus, Geese's expression remains unwavering as Shihong speaks, moving up out of his seat and away from his desk. He shakes his head, lifting his glass to his lips. "It's a joke, Ms. Mao. There's no need to be so out of sorts about a minor upset. It's unbecoming of a woman." One long sip later, Geese looks back towards Shihong, frowning vaguely. "Oh, don't thank me. You did your job, you got the situation under control. Feeling shameful about that would be just stupid, don't you think?"
He sounds kind; and why shouldn't he? There are different ways to control different people. If Shihong had failed, she would be on the receiving end of a very -different- conversation. As it stands, though, this is just an opportunity to get another valuable asset even more under control. After all -- you can never have too much loyalty. And so, Howard smiles in a self-assured way, moving towards Shihong to place a hand on her shoulder. /Reassuringly./
"Don't be so discouraged, hrm? You did your job. And... you have much more potential to grow. You're not going to achieve that potential just by skulking around. There's far more to you to be dragged through the mud so easily. Remember that." A pause, and that hand slides away, Geese returning to his scotch as he walks towards his desk.
"Now, is there anything else?"
A joke, the King of Southtown assures the woman.
Black eyes lift up from the ground, peering toward the blonde as he takes a sip of his drink. Is she being out of sorts? Perhaps; she doesn't like the idea of being a failure. For too long she has relied on her talents to keep her employed, to keep her pushing up the ladder she's slowly but surely going to reach the top of. This, this was a setback. She doubted herself and her talents. But...
He's right. Of course he's right--he's the top brass in the Syndicate--he IS the top. Furthermore, he is a world-renown fighter, his strength and skill the stuff of legends. He has money, power, influence, skill, strength; everything she'd ever dream of.
Black eyes drift to the floor once more, gazing an empty stare at Howard's desk. Discreet is the faintest hint of red on her pale face, thin rouge lips pulled tightly across her face. It's unbecoming of a woman.
"You are right, sir," she replies.
Don't thank him. Don't feel shameful. It's stupid.
"Yes, I agree." Her gaze lifts a touch, finally settling again on the man. As cool and calm as ever he remains, his thoughts otherwise his own. She knows her place within the Syndicate, as a member of the lower echelons. But how can she not thank him? Or respect him as much as she does? The faintest of frowns dances lightly upon her thin lips. Really, she should count herself lucky things went the way they did...
Her gaze remains on Howard, even as he moves away from his sprawling desk and toward her with a confident smile. Slowly the Chinese woman blinks, her expression a mix of uncertainty and bemusement as he closes the gap that once stood between them. A hand lifts from his side, drawing the woman's attention before it finds purchase on her thin shoulder. She blinks again, black eyes flickering aside, toward his hand.
Again, the tiniest hints of red grace her pale face as her eyes fix on that reassuring hand and hear his words. He says she has plenty of potential. Her face turns a little redder--of course she does. How could she have been so dumb? She has to accept things and move on. Get stronger. Prove herself. Again her lips pull into a thin line.
But, soon enough the hand slides free, and the crimelord returns to his desk.
"No," the woman replies calmly, bowing her head toward the man. "I believe I am caught up on matters of importance. If you are busy, I will gladly take my leave, if that is what you wish, sir."
There is much for Geese Howard to mull on, now. The information that Shihong is useful; it won't require much effort to determine just who the Ikari soldier has been shipped off to, and from there, he can confirm his own suspicions and get some mild entertainment at the same time.
It's been a long time since anyone has been brave enough to directly defy the Syndicate on its own territory.
It should be fun to see just who would be so stupid as to tempt fate and death.
Returned to the comfort of his desk, Geese watches Shihong with an arched brow. Whatever's going through the woman's mind is beyond him, but as always, he is confident in it being to his advantage. This is his play to be written to his needs; this is just another part he's scripted out perfectly. The glass of scotch is set to the side as he leans forward, resting his elbows on the armrest of his chair after settling down within it. He considers the enforcer's words, and smiles thinly.
"Good. This is good news you've given to me today, Shihong; you should give yourself a pat on the back. You have no where to go but up from this point on." Speaking smoothly, Geese leans back in his chair, offering a single nod to the woman. "That'll be it for today. You can go back to your business; feel free to take the rest of the day off."
Picking up his glass, Howard takes a languid sip, finishing the rest of the liquid off in a timely fashion as he rests his arm against the chair's rest. "Aah, always refreshing. One day you should indulge yourself and have a drink, Shihong.
"You never know when you'll get another opportunity, after all."
With newfound confidence the woman offers a nod of her head, Howard's words earning him the tiniest of grins from Shihong. Good news? She'll accept that. After all, since her arrival to Southtown and having been taken into the Syndicate by invitation of Howard himself, her life has been nothing short of luxurious. She likes her job--no, she loves it and couldn't imagine doing anything else.
Thus do his compliments cause her pride to swell a bit, the grin edging just a bit further across her pale face. Sure, the words may be thin and manipulative, but she doesn't seem to care. Her job security is safe, her loyalties unquestioned. And his words...
"Thank you very much, sir," the woman replies, giving the blonde a deep, respectful bow from the waist up. Slowly rising, she lets her black gaze settle on the crimelord, still grinning as he dismisses her. The woman slowly begins to turn on her expensive heels--but stops. The man speaks once more, her eyes shifting toward Howard. She considers his words for a moment.
And then, slowly, she smirks.
"Perhaps...but I can't indulge yet. When the time is right, I will. But, for now,"
Turning her back, the woman lifts a hand, brushing off errant black locks of hair from her thin shoulder. Though her face is unseen, the smile can be felt as she adds, "Please enjoy your drinks for the both of us." Her feet stir thereafter, as the woman moves to the door. She pauses again, however, adding,
"If you need anything sir, do not hesitate."
Aged wood and brass hinges groan as the doors are parted, and without further word, Shihong steps out of the office, to leave the King of Southtown to his own machinations.
geese stands around boredly because he's bored and he thinks this is boring and wishes shihong would be more interesting and subtly metas that he thinks shihong is dull and uninspired
and then he sips his drink
Log created on 22:33:37 09/26/2008 by Geese, and last modified on 12:17:01 01/31/2009.