Sake owed

[evillurks]

The Rettigue apartment has sat empty for a few days, as The Shadow worked out of the Sanctum and another apartment across town, closer to the area he's been watching. With another drug ring at least temporarily stifled, he is ready to migrate back to this place that is the closest thing to a home he has.

He is also likely to arrive late to his own arranged meeting, leaving Ichi to jump at the opening of the door. The muted sounds beyond indicate a quiet hall rather than the outdoors, and the rattling cough that accompanies the entrance should reassure him to who is entering there.

Comments

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

It was meant as a joke, but his tone is sometimes difficult to interpret. "I don't normally drink, at all. Not unless I'm playing a role in front of others, and then I have to keep my wits about me even if I don't seem to..."

He accepts the cup back and holds it up, savouring the heat through the fine china. "I carved out a place for myself, once, but times change."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"You're a very successful person then, Shadow-san. Even though things are changing." The smile he gives is somehow wry, yet encouraging. He just might be trying to hide the twinge of jealousy he feels at The Shadow's statement. He tosses back the remainder of his cup and refills it.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The Shadow watches him over his cup, taking a slow sip. "I'm good at what I do, yes. You asked me, I think, if it's made me happy..." He frowns into the sake thoughtfully.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"...if you'd found what you're looking for." Ichi stifles a cough, having downed the last cup a little fast.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"I don't look for much." He raises an eyebrow, and reaches over to give Ichi a solid thump on the shoulder in an attempt to be helpful. "It's better if you don't inhale it."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

The whack helps, and Ichi clears his throat, his ears red from choking, and embarrassment.

"Thank you." He croaks, taking a conservative sip and setting the bottle down. "Sorry." He clears his throat again, his voice clearing. "Well, you've heard my thoughts about what I'm looking for."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

While he waits for Ichi to recover, The Shadow drains his sake cup and sets it aside. "I have, and I wish you luck..." Now that his hands are free, he falls to toying with the ring on his left hand. "If I allowed myself to recruit Nexus agents, I would have recruited you already, you know. You should be grateful I don't... that would be a hindrance to what you really want."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi laughs dryly and shakes his head, before sipping down some more sake.

"Perhaps you should have. The odds of finding a good wife without buying some poor girl's contract are about as slim as they can get for me." That's not to say he's given up, but he is beginning to see the futility of his dream.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

There's a thoughtful pause, with only the very soft sounds of his absent fidgeting. "You'd have to be trained to fit in with my world, here. I imagine the modern sounds would take some getting used to, but I could certainly see good uses for you. Of course then you might find some pretty young thing here or through the Nexus..." He gives a rattling sigh. Having seen a glimpse of some of the odd, but happy relationships other people form through the Nexus, he thinks better of Ichi's chances than Ichi does.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Hmm." The sound is bass-like as he muses, scratching his head. "Perhaps...we give it some time before we consider that road. But that doesn't mean I'm not available." He smiles, giving a chuckle. "If I can't find a lady, Shadow-san, then I'll come work for you, full time. Hell of a lot better chance to make things right, knowing I got a boss like you, instead of guessing if I'm on the right side of things."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"Of course, then you'd have my enemies to deal with." There's a trace of a smirk, there. "Just consider it an option. Mm... perhaps in the meantime I could start training you to a new trick?" For all Ichi's flaws, The Shadow can see where he could become a highly useful agent, if he can just be taught to fit into modern society. A change of clothes would be in order, of course, as would a crash course in English.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Heh, if you want to teach me something new, Shadow-san, I'm happy to learn." He tosses back the last of his cup of sake and sets the bottle down. The Shadow's spirits seem to be improving slightly, and Ichi likes to see he's doing some good.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

Instead of answering directly, The Shadow shifts on the couch and rummages in a pocket. There is the soft thud of his wallet being tossed lightly onto the coffee table, and a jingling of change. Pulling out a handful of coins, he sorts them in his palm, and drops the majority back into his pocket. One coin, smaller than the sort Ichi is used to, is pressed lightly into his hand. "This one's a penny, worth one cent." The next is larger and thicker, the difference easily noticeable. "This is a nickel, worth five..." He's extracted one coin of each denomination, knowing Ichi can easily learn the distinct feel and sounds of them, and later tell the monetary amount of a dropped handful of change. It strikes him as a useful skill, and one he's never quite mastered himself.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi's eyebrows raise high on his forehead as he lowers his ear towards the coins, the names of them completely alien to him. Once all of them are in his hand, he cups his fingers lightly, and gives them a jingle. For now, he'll settle with naming them by their value in his native tongue.

"One, five, ten and twenty-five." He explores the coins with both hands, noting the distinguished ridges, and the faint relief of the faces. "The one and the ten, are close in size." His brows knit together as he holds the loose fist up to his ear and gives it a good rattle. "They don't sound like gold, these are smaller coins, like the mon. Right?"

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"Small change, yes. Our larger currency is paper, so I'm not sure how you'd distinguish them. Those are copper and other cheap mixed metals. Zinc... They're useful though, for smaller purchases like a phone call, or small food items." It occurs to him that he'll have to explain what a phone call is later. "Keep those to play with."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Paper bank notes are not uncommon in Ichi's period, but they do prove quite a challenge, so he's understandably stuck to using coins exclusively.

"Paper is a challenge." He smiles shyly as he jingles the coins again, he's trying not to let on just how much this is amusing him. "Thank you." He pauses as he shakes them, his face growing concerned. The sound of metal has reminded him of something he considers important to address. "One thing about all this: you've mentioned guns before. I admit..." He seems rather timid about what he says next. Ichi doesn't particularly like revealing certain fears of his. "That's the one thing that makes me nervous about being here, Shadow-san."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"I believe the blind usually fold each denomination differently, to keep track..." Knowing what denomination they are in the first place relies on the kindness of strangers, of course.

"There's a substantial legal force, and the average citizen is unarmed. If I were going to put you to work, I'd use you for surveillance, not fighting. Your observational skills are more valuable, but..." He rises, moving to the coat by the door. "Our guns aren't the kind you're used to, but there's still a warning sound." He extracts a single automatic, bringing it back to the sofa. "There's a hammer, and when you prepare to fire the weapon, it has to be pulled back first." Without any further warning than that, there is the sound of the hammer being cocked. The weapon is aimed at the ceiling, of course. "There's a safety latch, too."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi listens, the expression on his face shows that he's straining every sense he can to take note, and memorize the sound. Even if he can't fight, he wants to know so he can at least duck for cover.

"Good to know." Ichi has had guns pointed at him on many occasions, at this point he's starting to develop a grudge against them, and so he's not about to ask to hold The Shadow's weapon.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The Shadow drops the cartridge out, and lowers and cocks the hammer a few more times for Ichi's benefit. "Most people will be going into a fight with the safety already off, so it's the cocking of the hammer you should listen for. I always find the best policy is to try to wait until what I hope is the last second, and then drop. People aim for the chest or the head, as a rule, so if you can drop low enough when the gun goes off... I know you're fast." He aims the emptied gun at Ichi and cocks the hammer again, unsure if the sound will be different down the length of the barrel.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

He gives a dry laugh at The Shadow's remark about his speed, but when the gun is pointed at him and cocks the hammer, there's a very visible flinch in his posture as he moves away from the sound the best that he can while sitting. Lacking a cane, his hands grasp the air at his chest for a brief moment before he flattens the palms on his kimono as it trying to dry them.

"They still use black powder?"

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"...Sorry. But it does sound different depending which direction it's aimed? That might be useful to learn the sound of, too." He is genuinely apologetic, even if that feeling is fleeting. "Technically, but not the way you're used to. Do you want to look it over, I took the cartridge out, there's no bullets to fire." The cold steel of the gun is nudged lightly against his hand.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Sorry." Ichi bows deeply, he feels bad, realizing too late that the flinch could be taken as an insult.

At the nudging of the gunmetal, Ichi's face becomes troubled, but he still reaches out, taking it tentatively and exploring it with careful hands. Not once does he ever actually hold it properly, but it's obvious he's aware of the business end, and the general shape, enough to figure it out on his own. After a few quiet, and tense moments, he holds it back out to The Shadow, glad to be rid of it.

"My cane, please." It's still by The Shadow. He feels too vulnerable, between the gun and the lack of the item, it will help him maintain his tough-guy poise a little better.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The Shadow does not seem to be offended, but the request for the cane makes him frown. "That's a psychological crutch, you know. I'm not going to hurt you, and if I were, I'd do it from out of swordreach." The cane is set into his lap, rather than his hand. "Leave it there, I want your hands free. Our bullets aren't what you're used to, either." It seems he is not ready to dismiss Ichi from the impromptu lesson yet.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi's closed eyes narrow as The Shadow calls him out on his dependence, even though he's already admitted to it. He waxes defiant as he picks it up, but leans it against the couch so it rests gently against his thigh. Both his hands are free again and he sets them in his lap. He'll continue along with the lesson accompanied by his crutch, thank you.

"They have to be smaller, from the size of that muzzle."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"Smaller, and more complex." He can tell by Ichi's reaction he's hit a sore point, but he makes no apology for it. Instead he moves along to having Ichi feel the cartridge, explaining the rudiments such as how it holds multiple bullets and enables him to fire off a number of shots between reloading. He also hurries to the bedroom and returns with a small case of gun supplies, letting Ichi feel two different caliber bullets, and an old and little-used revolver. As the skilled fingers explore the shape of a bullet, he explains what's inside, and the very fine markings engraved in the metal. There's plenty to learn, and it could all come in useful.

"Sorry I don't have any spent casings for you, but you'd probably be able to recognize one if you came across it, now."