"Ya know you're pickin' a fine buncha devils ta lay next to, doncha?"
Who: Motoko Kusanagi, Gin Ichimaru What: deal making between a police officer and an assassin in a tea house. Now with added narrative bubbles! When: after these text messages. Rating: Low/Medium, language Status: Complete!
Now was probably a bad time to meet with Gin, yet at the same time, it might be a good time. At least it wasn’t her thoughts that were being broadcast, just her actions, but it could set Gin at ease. Motoko slid into her seat, back to the wall and face to the door. She was relaxed, and calm, and waiting for her contact. She had no idea Canaan was making some deals of her own.
Considering everything that was going on? It was probably a great time to be meeting with Gin. He found that he was having one heck of a busy social schedule, not to mention all of that damn accounting coming up. At least he enjoyed his work.
He walked in, not expecting Motoko to have been afflicted with the same balloon thing that a lot of other people were experiencing. He even poked a finger at one hovering over a waitresses' head as he popped by, where it had a angry black scribbly cloud in it. The smile on his face spoke volumes of how amused he was, even if it looked like it was a permanent fixture on the lower half of his face.
There was the police officer lady, waiting for him and he noticed the fading trace of a balloon there. This was going to make things interesting. He stopped and stared, opening his eyes a little, so that the blue of them was plainly there to see. Just as fast as that happened, it was gone, and right back to the happy squint.
"Looks like ya got slapped upside the head with some weird," Gin pointed out, before he pulled a chair out and silently sat down in it, sitting a little sideways, and letting one arm droop over the back of the chair. He looked less like he was sitting, and more like he had been draped there, and couldn't hold himself upright if he tried.
Motoko shifted her vision as he came over, tilting her head slightly in greeting as the systems in her irises overlayed infrared and ultraviolet, and several spectrums in between. It was an odd effect, but it did prove Mayuri right. He would be insufferable about that.
The bubble translated her action thusly:
The law officer studied the man, trying to get a read on him. Gin was always impossible to read, and it was irritating, but she did enjoy a good challenge. She leaned forward and clasped her hands together.
Motoko squinted up an eye, then leaned forward and clasped her hands together. "You could say that."
Gin's smile went poof and he stared at her like he was dumbfounded, albeit with the same squint as always. It was, of course, just for show, because he was very much amused by what he was reading along with.
"I irritate ya? I'm deeply wounded, Motoko~chan. Ya hurt my feelings. Better buy me lotsa tea to make up for it." He smiled and waited for her to make the next move, not realizing that he had been scanned like that or that Kurotsuchi had been his usual asshole self and sold him out.
If Gin had a balloon, which he doesn't, but if he DID? It would have conveyed the fact he was suddenly very inwardly amused over most of the Shinigami captains being assholes. Even the perpetually pissed off ninja bitch.
"I hope ya dinnit bring no stale rice crackers. Those were nasty. I want somethin' nice this time, or I'm never goin' out on another date with you."
“You’re like a ghost, Gin, but my ghost hunting days are over. I have other prey to worry about.” She gestured towards someone to bring more tea. “Order whatever you want, it’s on my dime.” Motoko leaned back, folding her arms and smiled at him, trying to play nice. She actually respected him, a little, despite his alleged crimes.
"...huh?" was Gin's flabbergasted response at what her balloon was saying, as he ignored entirely whatever she was babbling about, regarding her being a ghost buster or the likes. It didn't get a rise or cause anything in him to register, except he did point up at the balloon with a finger. "Whadda ya mean TRYING ta play nice and what's that about despite crimes? I'm more hurt now, than ever. Good thing you're gonna pay for my lunch."
When the waitress came back, Gin grinned at said "I'd like one of everythin' on the menu, please. We'll share it. Aww heck, better make it two."
He yawned widely and then lounged across from her, looking way too satisfied.
Motoko rolled her eyes. “As you can see, I’m forced to be honest. So I’m going to tell you why I wanted to see you. You seem to possess the skills to go unseen when you don’t want to be seen, and I need that.”
"Well I don' go poof or nothin', so I ain't sure I know what ya mean." He was smiling like a fool. Technically, he couldn't go in and out of existence, since he was there all of the time. Moving, however, he could seem to disappear if he moved fast enough, but he was nowhere near as fast as some others were, others like Byakuya Kuchiki. Not that he was about to admit that. "Ya mentioned needin' an accountant, didn't you. So here I am. I even got a calculator in my pocket."
He took his phone out of his coat pocket, put it on the calculator app, and then wagged it between his thumb and index finger, making a show of him having one. What? She might have to be honest, but he didn't!
Plus, he was waiting to hear what she had to say, or how much criminal stuff she thought she had on him. Without actual evidence, she was going to have a hard time pinning him doing anything, and that was harder now that he wasn’t alive like other people were.
“Part of accounting is observing the numbers. I have been trying to track the movement of certain … funding.” This entire way of talking was annoying. Motoko wanted to get right out with it, but Gin liked to play his game, so she’d play along. “And those numbers are big enough that I’m willing to overlook certain accounting discrepancies.”
"I got big financial clients and they're very private, important people. You're also gettin' kinda snippy, and that's kinda like sad stories with me. I don't like 'em."
He sighed and stared right at the balloon bubble, so he could see what she was really thinking. Well. As much as he could stare through the ^_^ that was his normal expression. Luckily the tea and things arrived, because he was already watching for a bullshit meter, like a hawk.
"I guess I dunno what ya mean by games either, Missus Police Officer," he said after taking a sip of his tea. "I'm an accountant. I got my money invested all over the place." And he did, too. It wasn't all in one spot or one account. He's not stupid and he knew there was no way for Motoko to track every last cent of it. His parents were accountants, and his rainy day money was wrapped up in legit stocks and bonds and IRAs all over the place. If it was the 'other' numbers, then he wasn't admitting to anything, noooooope. "It's like you think I'm a bad accountant or somethin'. That ain't no good. I take pride in my work."
“Cut the bullshit, Gin.” Motoko rolled her eyes skyward. Right now, she didn’t particularly care about his finances or his ‘finances’. She knew exactly what he got up to on the side, just could never prove a thing. And right now, she actually didn’t care. “Do you want to do something good and get the hounds off your trail at the same time?”
He might be smiling, but his tone was deadly serious, and no longer teasing nor playful.
"Guess I don't know what bullshit ya want cut. Since ya don't seem ta have proof that I did anything, anyway."
He popped a little teacake-like thing into his mouth and chewed in an annoyingly slow way. One that not only served to annoy, but also meant he was - ironically enough - listening. And if he was listening, that at least meant he was willing to think it over. After all, he had a lot of things to think over, thanks to his dreams and certain someones who had shown up, lately.
It might not change his employment status either, because then he would have to juggle hiding more from Yachiru, who was a Yakuza infiltrator. And she already suspected him of all sorts of stuff. Messing with the Yakuza and them finding out about it, wasn't good for one's health.
Oh wait, he was doing it anyway, ha ha. That was ever since he had only gotten into the racket, to get revenge his father's set up and death at their hands. Ooops. Gin idly popped another little tea cake into his mouth, and waited to her what she was going to say.
“There’s a group, they do things to cause pain and chaos just because they can. They’ve even gone so far as kidnap innocent people, and kill others. I’m trying to track their movements. They’ve had ties to people you say you don’t work for in the past.”
"Still don' see how this has anythin' ta do with me. Why should I care what some other people are doin', simply because ya think I had ties to 'em? I don' see no strings attached." Gin raised up one arm, smiling as he wagged it out. "Nope. No strings here."
It was obvious she either needed a.) hard evidence or b.) something much more convincing when dealing with the fox faced bastard.
Motoko clasped her hands together again, pursing her lips thoughtfully and regarding Gin with an even gaze. “I’d think you’d want me to leave you alone. I’d think you might want to be a good, upright citizen and help shut down some people who find it fun to blow up air liners. You help me, I help you.”
While it was true that the thought of that appealed to him, it also meant he would be running a risk, without finishing what he had set out to do, so many years ago. Setting aside that many years of revenge was a hard task, even if it wasn't as long a time as spending a hundred years being set on revenge. When in a den of snakes, one had to blend in, before finding who the leader was and sliding in close enough to bite them on the neck.
"Ahh. But what makes ya think I can stop people who think that's fun?" he asked, a little too innocently. "I think ya just wanna 'nother date, Motoko. This' a pretty nice one compared ta the others. You're splurgin' on me. I feel kinda special."
He popped another tidbit in his mouth and chewed while smirking. He was, however, considering it. Vaguely. More risk was being weighed against a potential end game, after all.
The woman tilted her head, and her eyes became more visible as she brushed her hair away. They were a striking purple and most assuredly not the same color they’d been the last time he’d seen her. She didn’t seem dissuaded; in fact she seemed confident. “I can see what you are, Gin. I can see that you’re as far above me as I am above everyone else in this cafe. You’re not even strictly alive.” She wondered what color Canaan would see Gin as. Blue, like the color of the sun, the color of an enemy? White, like Motoko’s color, bright but emotionless. A warm red, or a purple? Or something different entirely. Her own vision offered no clues, no matter how she shifted the spectrums around.
If it was anything like when he released any of his spiritual pressure, it would be a pale purple in color. Although, if it was right now, she might be seeing what he was seeing: red.
"Ahh. Looks like ya aren't what you seem ta be, that's fo' sure," he finally said, after a long moment of consideration, the smile disappearing entirely from his face. "I also see ya know someone named Canaan. Ain't that interesting. That balloon there's comin' in real handy. At least it is, for me."
He kept his thoughts to himself, but wondered to himself if Motoko had a habit of gathering up assassins to do her dirty work for her. Much like Aizen, he didn't trust her or her motives, but neither was he appearing to look tense or irritable about it. Gin was very good at wearing his mask, except when cornered. Then it was time to curl up with a smile and wait to strike, when the time was right. And now he knew there was a bit of bargaining leeway, thanks to knowing that the police officer knew someone named Canaan, and there wasn’t many people he knew about, with that name.
"So, if I gotta keep ya quiet without leavin' a mess behind from a police officer, guess we better start with the checks an' balances. Looks like we might have to have some kinda agreement. What is it ya want me ta do? Fight fire with fire, so you'll look the other way an' leave me an' my business alone...that right?"
Motoko's expression shifted a little at Canaan's name. It was a brief, but entirely too fond look. She could be easily compromised by her relationship with the woman. “Investigate, put down if necessary, and I look the other way, yes. I don’t really mind the balloon, because as irritating as it is, you can at least know my motivations are good.”
That was noted as well as the fact that if he really wanted to, all he had to do was whisper like a little birdy in certain directions, and it would cause complications. Hopefully Motoko realized that, when she was done being a sap ass and having it broadcast to the entire tea house. Even Gin's face was of the profoundly 'huu?' side of the spectrum as he stared at it.
He liked Canaan, though, which was the only thing right then and there, that was keeping him from waltzing out and being a snitch.
"You're rattin' out someone I've heard of, so it might be good, but it might also be dangerous. Lucky, I ain't the paranoid type," he said, looking and sounding casual and calm, which was true, inside and out. It wasn't like he was worried if they sent one or one thousand Yakuza members armed with bombs, flamethrowers, and guns after him. He could wipe out enough of them in an instant, that the rest would probably crap their pants and think twice about getting any closer. "I think we got 'nuff that we could mess up each other's business a bit, if we really wanted to. But I like bein' an accountant. I think I'd rather keep on doin' that. So havin' some cop that's been on my butt tryin' ta check my books since Osaka an' Tokyo look the other way? I ain't saying yes right now, but I wanna think on it."
After the latest hit was done, then he could say yes. But before he did, he had to ask, "Who is it ya want looked into?"
“That’s fine, Gin. I just want you to think about it. They’re called Cerberus. There’s a cell moving into the north part of the county that I think is going to be trouble.” She wished she could issue an actual threat. She was vaguely aware of how powerful he was, and it galled her that she couldn’t protect Canaan. Not that Canaan particularly needed protection. But still.
Gin's mouth hung open a little and his eyebrows raised up. Somehow, he managed to keep his eyes squinted up. He has excellent control over his facial muscles, obviously.
"Ya gotta watch that thing, Motoko. Ya know, keep that up an' you're likely gonna make ya both into huge liabilities." He shook his head. "I'll think about it but I've been knee deep in my own accounts an' I don't know a thing about a Cerberus."
Which was the truth. He had hadn’t encountered them before, not that he knew of.
Gin finished his tea, thinking that he needed to tread carefully. Even more than before, now that Rangiku was around. The last thing he wanted was something to happen to her. She couldn't defend herself now like she would be able to, later. And he didn’t want her to get hurt somehow, more than she was going to be, when she finally remembered what he had done.
"You don't need to worry about me, unless you do something to make that happen," he finally said, leaning in and opening his own eyes, which were a vivid sky blue in color. He stared at her for a long moment and then asked, serious if only for the next few seconds, "I gotta have your word. No matter what I do on the side with my accounts, that you're gonna look the other way. I got stuff that still needs done there, and I’m going to finish it. Deal?"
“I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my fingers crossed,” she admitted, holding up her left hand to show that they indeed weren’t crossed. She held out her right hand to shake on it. “My word is good.”
He shook her hand, with the smile on his lips again. Even though he didn't want to say that they both had people they cared about, Gin at least acknowledged that when he told Motoko, "She's a nice girl, just dinnit know there was a cop that was that fond of her. But then again, if you're askin' someone like me to look into this stuff and makin' deals like this...then ya aren't a normal cop at all. Are ya."
“I’m fond of unconventional methods. Sometimes things like laws get in the way,” she replied, shrugging a shoulder. Her skin still felt human, but she wondered sometimes if she’d lost some part of herself that had been. Which was nonsense. The soul wasn’t limited to the body.
"Well ya really ain't normal then, are ya." Gin looked a little too delighted to hear that. That, and the unconventional methods, because sometimes, some things needed work-arounds or to go outside of the laws of the land. "Gettin' pretty philosophical too."
His delight was a little worrisome, but she smiled anyway. “I’m still human, where it counts, it’s my body that’s changed, and with it my perspective.”
That people got worried, uncomfortable, or creeped out by him was entirely normal.
"Ahh. Guess that might happen, if ya got shuffled around somehow," he asked, pleasantly enough. "So what are ya?"
“A human soul inhabiting a cybernetic body and brain.” There was no point in lying. It was who she was and it wasn’t like she could lie to him right now, even if she wanted to.. “A ghost in the shell.”
"Kinda sounds like a soul in a tin can, actually." He shrugged a shoulder, and imagined it was just like when soul reapers had to use a gigai, which shoved them into a fake body. Gin probably wouldn't admit what he was in full or give a full idea of what he could do, because he liked to cover his butt, in case of a backstabbing. "It works, and you're alive. Guess there's not much to complain about, huh?"
“It’s a little better than tin. But it works and I’m alive. I was able to download myself into this body.” Motoko considered it a fortunate accident. It could have gone really badly for her. Revenge had been...sweet.
"Might as well get a gettin'-ta-know-ya outta the way." Gin poured himself some more tea and looked like he was settled in for a while. He couldn't just leave, not when there was a free meal here. "Revenge is always sweet. Goes without sayin'. But who're the ones who put you in the tin can? Same ones you’re sendin’ me after?”
“No, actually, though I believe he’d been in contact with them. High ranking member of the old Fire Nation syndicate. He got in a lucky shot. With some kind of incendiary round…”
"Aww, sounds like ya had all the fun," was Gin’s teasing reply, with the same ever-present smile on his face. "If ya burned up tho, then that still doesn't explain how ya got into the tin can. Unless they put ya there. Then that's just kinda sadistic."
“I had measures in place,” she assured him. Her eyes seemed to dance, and a smirk appeared on her lips. “It pays to know people.”
Gin simply smiled. Because he figured out there was probably only one place currently able to pull that off. The guy was a freak but a genius, and could do amazing things in very limited time. He's very good at guessing and he already knew from their brief network interaction that they weren't going to be friendly any time soon.
"They probably dinnit charge ya for the chance ta do it, either," he said. "Hopefully ya dinnit get a free clown makeup kit afterward."
“I got the family discount,” Motoko replied, since Gin had obviously guessed.
"You two're related? Wow. Never woulda guessed." Even if he had guessed who it was that was capable, this last piece of information came as a true surprise. "We know which side o' your family tree has all o’ the crazy in it, don't we?"
He grinned and popped another tidbit into his mouth, chewing slowly and looking vaguely triumphant. Which wasn't hard, because his expression didn't change much.
“I don’t disagree.” She picked up her tea to sip at it. “His methods are troublesome but sometimes you have to lay with the devil.”
"He's kinda creepy," said Gin, who had no room to talk, considering his profession and his perpetual smirking. "But if he's gotta chance ta rip into someone or somethin', he innit gonna waste it."
It wasn't a warning or a diss, exactly, but it wasn't a glowing review or approval of Captain Kurotsuchi's methods, either.
"Ya know you're pickin' a fine buncha devils ta lay next to, doncha?"