Centennial Celebration

[evillurks]

On the seventh of January, in what is now 1992 in the Old Tiger's world, a gift shows up in Myra's home in New York. It's a fairly large box, neatly wrapped, and the less she ponders over that the better. On Christmas day a basket of teas and an elegant little dagger showed up, unmarked but too utterly familiar as a seasonal gift from him. This, so soon after, could make her suspect the sinister hand of someone else, but there is a small tag attached to the ribbon neatly marked with the characters Lăo hŭ.

Inside is a silk kimono robe, elegantly embroidered with a tiger. The very nature of the gift borders on daring a familiarity he is usually careful not to take with her, but it is an outer robe, at least. When she lifts it out there is also a small red envelope with a little money, of the sort usually given on one's birthday. It is not her birthday, of course, but on his centennial The Shadow has decided to take a somewhat backwards approach.

Comments

[myra_reldon]

Myra likewise sends him teas during Christmas, it's something of an exchange these days but the second gift so shortly after surprises her. She eyes it suspiciously until she sees the familiar print, and then she worries. She isn't certain if she should open it or message him first, but she decides that since he sent it, she'd humor him and then see what caused him to send it.

To say that she's stunned at the sight of the robe is a bit of an understatement, and she nearly misses the small envelope, save for it's familiarly bright, red coloring. She holds a half-hope that there's an explanation within, but instead finds only money, and more questions. If it had been for a special mission there would have been instructions. She couldn't puzzle out his motivations for the generosity, save for some potentially morbid thoughts that quickly ran through her head and found her reaching quickly for her PINpoint. Once she had it in hand, her logic tried to take over but the only conclusion she could come to troubled her. Was it a sending-off gift? For him or her? The idea that this might be something of a reverse-birthday gesture doesn't even cross her mind.

She's at a loss for how to broach the troubling thoughts in her mind with him tactfully, so she defaults.

Free for tea?

[evillurks]

The reply is not immediate, but that should hardly be cause for concern, as busy as he keeps himself these days. When first she met him in the Nexus, he claimed to be semi-retired, but the past few years have seen him working non-stop. His activities are often mysterious as ever, but what information she can glean from unavailability warnings and other hints show he's taken a hand in world politics once more, and travels out of the country a handful of times each year on his own errands and plans.

When he does distractedly reply, roughly half an hour later, it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Where? Am @Rettigue Apt.

He's just as content to PINpoint to her place, but at least he is in town. Late fall saw him away for a while, all agents braced to take up the slack until almost the first of December.

[myra_reldon]

Interested in a visit to the past?

She's already busying to move the gifts to a side table and putting a kettle on. Hopefully he doesn't mind visiting her place. She doesn't expect him to stay long, but she would like to have a conversation with him. And find out what prompted his unexpected beneficence.

She's dressed casually and water is already heating in the kettle if he decides to take her up on the location. She can just as easily change to the apartment he keeps for her under Helen's name, but it's not quite as homey as the apartment she has in her own world.

[evillurks]

Depends. Not for business? Your home or somewhere else?

He's had enough business in his own world to take care of, lately, but asking if it's for 'pleasure' sounds slightly awkward. She should know better than to misconstrue that, but all the same he'd prefer to phrase it this way. Tea and conversation, however, might be a welcome break in his current work.

[myra_reldon]

Casual. My place. Water's already heating.

His tone, or at least, what his choice of words seems easy-going in a matter of speaking. There's clearly no urgency here and she's wondering if she's misread the meaning behind his gifts, but it leaves more questions instead of answering any. It's a matter to address once they're face-to-face though, so she picks out one of the teas he sent her and sets it to the side so she can have it when the water's ready.

[evillurks]

She hasn't misinterpreted the tone, and indeed once he sent out gifts, he returned to paperwork and thus has been somewhat distracted from any significant thoughts on his birthday.

He arrives, a few minutes later, in a slightly threadbare grey sweater and dark slacks, but there is a fluffy red scarf around his neck and shoulders. Even in the apartment, he's been feeling the chill of winter, and the slightly odd scarf has come in handy. There are also reading glasses perched on his nose, but when he belatedly realizes he's wearing them still, he removes them to pocket along with his PINpoint. "Afternoon..." The old Tiger looks distracted, a little tired and drawn, but his mood seems bordering on pleasant, or as close to that as he ever is.

[myra_reldon]

((Apologies for the delay. I'm probably going to be on-and-off again like this for most of the month.))

She turns when he PINpoints in, a gentle smile on her face at the sight of his glasses and that fluffy scarf. It suits him but he seems more like a gentle older man wearing it, and it amuses her. She knows full well he's far from that, but it's also good to see him in person. It's been a while, thanks to the convenience of PINpoints, as well as her keeping busy. She's been rebuilding relationships she lost when she'd been removed from the FBI, and doing what she can in her own time to help The Shadow.

"Good afternoon, Lăo hŭ." She gives a friendly bow of her head. She makes no pretense that she's received his gift; in fact it's open and sitting on a nearby table, laid neatly back into its box.

[evillurks]

((That's fine!))

The scarf, fluffy and slightly out-of-character as it is, was a gift from Metody. That probably wouldn't surprise her in the least. He's wearing it because he's cold, and very practical, and it was close at hand.

"Afternoon." He may look milder in these clothes, but the gaze that passes over the table is sharp, taking in both hi gift to her and the tea. It's been quite a while, but he's also been keeping very busy, both on the local streets and abroad. Privy as she is to some of his methods, she's probably noticed the flood of arrests and unconventionally revealed criminal rings that always come in the wake of his return from a trip overseas. She's lucky he sent anything for Christmas, because his entire December has been spent cracking down on everything and anything that was brewing while he was away in November.

"You're not in need of work, by any chance?" He gives a mild smirk, as straight to business as ever, then gives a few deep, rattling coughs. Something else has been brewing, too, and he hasn't coughed like that in a few years.

[myra_reldon]

Her smile dims a bit at the cough. She hasn't heard that sound in a long time, and the memories it evokes are less than pleasant. She puts on a good show though, not wanting to make too much of it since he's only just arrived. He's mercurial, and on top of that, it would be downright rude to point it out.

"Do you really need to ask?" Her smile turns a little more genuine, though she wonders if that question and his cough are related. The kettle is already starting to whistle as she motions for him to pick a seat at her small table while she prepares the tea. True, she's busy but she knows an offer to do something for him when she hears it, and she's not about to turn him down. As out of time she can feel, it's a challenge to operate in his world and she welcomes the chance to prove she's capable of handling it.

[evillurks]

His mood does seem good enough, today, but of course that can turn on a dime. He has the sense to assign her legwork when he's under the weather, though. Giving a mild grimace at his own cough, he takes a seat with a shrug. "No, and I'd give you the work either way." He settles in and stretches out long legs under the table, making himself at home as easily as if it's only been a week or two since they last saw each other for tea.

"I seem to have picked up a chest cold while I was in Russia," He continues with an expression of mild distaste, one hand waving vaguely in the air. It's an explanation, but one designed more to forestall any comments on his health than for any other reason. "It's inconvenient for stakeouts and espionage, so I have a few errands I'd like to put you to."

None of this explains the dress, mind you. He's content to leave that gift as an elephant in the room, unless she asks.

[myra_reldon]

"Of course." She serves the tea, settling down in the seat across from him to allow his long legs more than adequate room to stretch without the awkwardness of hitting hers. She takes a sip of her tea and decides the elephant has been in the room long enough. Some things were worth ignoring, this one seemed to be confusing, though a little less harmless than most.

"So the dress isn't an omen of things to come?" If he's working in Russia, and in his time period, she highly doubts the dress had anything to do with the work, but it's the easiest way to tie in the object to their current discussion.

[evillurks]

He accepts his tea with a mild nod, and sips it first, as if considering his answer. It would have been too much, perhaps, to hope she wouldn't question it. He is out of the habit of giving gifts enough, that there was no way it would not seem out of the ordinary.

"...It's a birthday gift." Not hers, of course, and he sent Green a gift as well, although it's doubtful they've had time to compare notes yet.

He does not look up, listening instead for the metaphorical penny to drop. The last time they discussed his birthday was five years ago, and that one seemed momentous enough at the time.

[myra_reldon]

The penny seems to take its time dropping as she first has to register his words and parse them. Once that's complete her mind is initially slow to make the connection, but then when he doesn't look at her it starts to click. It's abnormal for him to keep his gaze from someone, and then she recalls the conversation from a while ago. At least, it feels like a while to her.

Finally her mind picks up speed, and races for the finish. She had her guess to his age but this one would have to be something important to warrant giving out gifts. He'd never made it a point to do so in the past and then her chair creaks slightly as her posture straightens.

She feels that she shouldn't be so shocked as she does the math in her head quickly, her eyes staying on him. Once that's over though, she realizes she's staring and quickly ducks her head, casting her eyes down to her tea. She's struggling for what she should say, feeling like she should speak but for some reason even the words 'Happy Birthday' almost seem inappropriate, or at least inadequate.

"Thank you." She's finally decided upon something at least, and her tone is quiet, though surprised. She rarely celebrates her own birthdays, seeing little reason to mark the passing years but to recognize his... It was hard to believe she was sitting with a Centennial who looked easily 20 or 30 years younger.

[evillurks]

He would prefer not to be nursing a chest cold over his birthday, as poor health simply grinds in the thought of how old he truly is. Just in the last week he was in a minor shoot-out with some drug dealers, however, and certainly he's come out of that and every other move against crime the past month with relative success. It is some small consolation, to still be hard at work, at an age he never expected to attain.

Carefully, he lifts his gaze to meet hers, and gives a mild nod. "You're welcome. I have no need for more things, and it seemed a fitting celebration to send out a few gifts instead. I'm just lucky Green hasn't tried to throw me a party." He gives a mild grimace at the idea. It was suggested, of course, but he's never liked social gatherings. Like all things that bother him on some emotional level, The Shadow prefers to mark this event as he chooses, then swiftly move on to his latest work. Myra's reaction, quiet as it is, pleases him more than any gushing over his longevity ever could.

[myra_reldon]

At the mention of Green throwing him a party, Myra finally smirks and shakes her head.

"I haven't seen Green in a while, but if I hear anything, I'll let you know." She's not a fan of surprises herself, particularly parties, so she doesn't feel bad letting him know if Metody contacts her about any sort of gathering in his honor.

At least his gift isn't an omen. True it marks an unusual age but, even with a chest cold, he's incredibly lively and she knows now that she can look upon the dress with fondness instead of dread.

[evillurks]

Knowing Metody, it would be likely to involve bright colours and lots of food, but perhaps he knows better than to try pushing something like that on the old man.

"We spoke in the Nexus not too long ago..." He does hope Myra wouldn't enter into conspiracy against him, however well-intentioned. In this he will trust her at her word, however. They are both, he has been very surprised to realize, his friends, but Myra has had more time to learn his likes and dislikes, with the advantage of knowing his close alternate. She knows better, and she also seems willing not to pester or baby him about his health. Perhaps she's simply more subtle.

He sips his tea, breathing in the steam, which can only help to ease the mess in his chest. "Anyway, I'd rather you didn't remind the other me." That warning given, he's quick to move on to work. "I've done a fair job catching up since I got back, but this cough has me back to paperwork the past couple of days. I need a good pair of eyes to check out a couple of things."

[myra_reldon]

Myra's fairly certain that the younger Shadow wouldn't need reminding. He was well-aware of the date in the Old Tiger's world, and likely kept abreast of exactly how old he'd be. She wonders briefly what it would be like to imagine meeting yourself at 100 years old, and being greeted not with frailty, but vigor.

Then he's back to business and her wandering mind returns, hinging on his words with a solemn nod.

"You know I'm glad to do whatever I can." It doesn't need saying, but she does anyway. She's eager for work in his world, and the type of jobs he gives her are more challenging, the kind he prefers to reserve for himself, the kinds his younger self also prefers to handle personally. The last thing she'd wish upon him is a cold, but she does find a perverse enjoyment at the chance to push her skills.

[evillurks]

While his alternate is certainly capable of noting the date and its significance, both men prefer to focus on their work, and the Old Tiger would prefer not to remind him. Only Myra, Metody, and Ichi have received gifts to mark the date.

As far as vigor goes, he's certainly felt better, and the chest cold grates at him. It's taking him far, far longer to recover from this than he'd like, and only that continued cough has prompted him to restrict himself to lighter work. Myra should be grateful, not only that he's making some effort to take care of his health, but also that this effort gives her more exciting work than might otherwise be available.

The Old Tiger gives a couple of rattling coughs and sips his tea before he continues, mind racing down several tracks at once, as always. "The arms dealers are, for the time being, either in chaos or laying very low, so we're back to chasing down drug traffickers. I suspect ultimately the higher-ups will prove to be outside the country, but I need to pick up some more solid leads. Keep your PINpoint handy, I want to post you in a tight spot or two to listen in. How's your Spanish, by the way?"

finally. BACK for a while. /so late to all the things

[myra_reldon]

Spanish? While in her time there were enough immigrants speaking Spanish to be of some note, her background is certainly not one that inclines her to have learned the language. She gives a telling grimace and shakes her head.

"Not good. I can work on that." At least she has a propensity for languages, though certainly not to his degree. Still, she can muddle along and if all she needs to be is a pair of ears, then she can learn to understand the language enough to dig out the information he needs while playing the part of an oblivious party.