Intro:
An AU set after Kapital (Weiss Kreuz first series). Both Weiss and
Schwarz have disbanded, and Omi has adopted a daughter left to his care
by a former Kritiker agent. This daughter, however, happens to be
telekinetic, which poses certain problems...and finally Omi decides
that he needs professional help. And there's only one telekinetic he
knows....
Omi sat, and stared at his monitor, and chewed on his lower lip. It's not like I don't do this all the time, for fuck's sake. This is my damn job! But a job didn't have stakes this high. The young man looked over at the corner, where a sunny-faced girl child worked on her homework. Spine straightening, he clicked for a new e-mail message, and put his hands on the keyboard. This would work because it had to work. Getting the address at all had taken three weeks of careful dancing and delicate negotiations. Nance didn't deserve to have him sit here and waste more time.
>>>
Date:
Mon, 12 Apr 2004 08:13:59 UT
From: "Hideo Doi" <krnk.sys@yahoo.com>
To:
"Richard Watanabe" <ric.sys@hotmail.com>
Subject:
I understand you have a knack I'm looking for...
A mutual acquaintance mentioned your name when he heard I needed some assistance on a project. I'm working with a very gifted young lady, and her talents in certain areas are, frankly, your specialty and not mine. I was hoping you might be interested in working with her on a training run, show her some of the ropes.
So far I've done the best I can, but the world can be cruel to people whose abilities don't mesh with the popular masses. I think it could make a great difference in her life, if she could work with someone who truly understood the knack she has.
I'll be checking this address for a reply. I hope to be working with you soon.
<<<
Sighing, Omi did a final read-through. Vague, certainly...he'd be willing to show the thing to anyone off the street. Hopefully, he'd trigger Nagi's curiosity.
A click of a button, and it was pointless to worry any longer.
Leaning back in the well-worn computer chair, Nagi watched the cursor blink at the bottom of the screen, drumming his fingers on the desktop thoughtfully. This e-mail....was not what he had expected. Given the circumstances, he had been expecting a job proposal--but for killing or hacking, not something this...esoteric.
A training run? The phrase triggered warning bells. This could be another attempt by some organization to 'recruit' him. Psychics were invaluable tools, after all. Too bad he refused to be one anymore.
This required more research--and more information from this mysterious 'client'. Leaning forward, he began to type, choosing his words carefully.
>>>
Date:
Mon, 12 Apr 2004 11:13:59 UT
From: "Richard Watanabe" <ric.sys@hotmail.com>
To:
"Hideo Doi" <krnk.sys@yahoo.com>
Subject:
Re: I understand you have a knack I'm looking for...
I do not usually train other people's employees, Mr. Doi. I find that my techniques are usually incompatible in a corporate environment.
Given my areas of expertise, I would be interested in hearing why you believe that this individual needs personalized training as opposed to a more general course of study. Please provide all details necessary in an encrypted file sent to the ricsys folder at the bluemudjava.com server, using the included encryption key.
Thank you.
<<<
Omi had just finished checking Nance's geography homework--tracing a map of the country, and labeling the states, for pity's sake. Maybe I should move her to a country with a decent school system he thought, for about the two thousandth time that week. He knew he wouldn't. She had enough disruption in her life, learning about her esper power. She didn't need to be 'the foreign one' on top of it; facts and figures could be crammed into the brain any time.
Smiling down at the little girl, he said, "Looks good, Nance. Why don't you go grab a snack, and then we'll do some practicing, alright?" He was careful not to frown at the lukewarm reaction he got. Two months ago, she would have been eager, and prodding him to play now now now! But these days... Please, please, let Nagi answer my e-mail he prayed to any passing friendly spirits.
As if in answer, his computer chimed softly.
Already? Desperately hoping that a ...three hour turn-around time meant interest, and not flat-out rejection, Omi brought up the message.
>>>
Date:
Mon, 12 Apr 2004 12:05:38 UT
From: "Hideo Doi" <krnk.sys@yahoo.com>
To:
"Richard Watanabe" <ric.sys@hotmail.com>
Subject:
Thank you for your prompt response
I apologize for any confusion my own lack of clarity may have caused. I am not writing you about an employee, Mr. Watanabe; rather, about a child in my care. She is nine years old at the moment, and certainly not interested in an active business life.
However, she extremely bright, and very advanced for her age. She shows promise of being exceptionally skilled in a specialized field, one I understand you are a top practitioner in. This really isn't the sort of thing taught in a standard course of study. I simply don't want to hold back her progress, or harm her understanding with my own limited grasp of the basics.
I hope that the attached file contains information that will lead to a positive reply on your part to my admittedly unusual request.
1 Attachment
<<<
Omi studied the key briefly, and had to smile. Nagi had definitely not been idle. With this, even he felt sending details to an unsecured e-mail was safe.
>>>
Attached File
Nagi- I'm trusting your key. This is Omi Tsukiyono. PLEASE. Please keep reading.
I need your help. More specifically (and more likely to interest you), my ward needs your help. She's nine years old, like I said. I've had her for three years; her mother was killed in a car accident. Officially, no one understands how the child survived.
She survived because she's a telekinetic. And she's strong, Nagi. I've done the best I can, remembering what I learned ..clashing? with you. But she gave us both a good scare two months ago, and I'm still trying to get her to trust herself again.
Nancy really needs someone who knows what she's going through, who can teach her properly. I don't want her to be afraid of her talent, or of herself. And I don't know enough to help her.
Ordinarily I wouldn't trouble you, as I know you're scarcely inclined to do me any favors. But telekinetics don't grow on trees. I've heard of a few others, but...I don't know them. I know you. I think you're the best teacher she could have.
Please consider this request, Nagi.
<<<
Scowling at the screen, Nagi pushed himself roughly away from it, lunging to his feet and pacing restlessly over to the large windows. Hands in his pockets, he watched the tree branches rustle outside in the dark, a sheltering canopy of green that ensured his privacy from prying eyes.
Tsukiyono's identity had not come as a surprise--in fact, had matched the information he'd pulled up on his prospective 'client'. But the other...
A child. Tsukiyono had somehow gotten saddled with a child--and a telekinetic one to boot. The irony was almost too much. And now Tsukiyono was asking for HIS help in dealing with it. He frowned at his own dark-tinged reflection.
It could be a trap. But if it was, it was an easily verified one. And if it wasn't....well, he owed nothing to Weiss. He owed nothing to anyone anymore, much less a child he'd never met. But...he had to confess to a certain curiosity. It had been a long time since he'd worked with another Talent, and even longer since he'd last met a telekinetic.
He thought about it for a long time, moving about in his normal routine unhurriedly. Breakfast, morning workout, some miscellaneous hacking--he pulled the file and overwrote the contents of the directory he had given Tsukiyono, just in case. Watered his plants, went for a jog...thought about what a telekinetic's fear could do. And who would notice.
When he woke up the next morning, he had made his decision. His reply was brief.
>>
Date:
Tues, 12 Apr 2004 9:05:38 UT
From: "Richard Watanabe" <ric.sys@hotmail.com>
To:
"Hideo Doi" <krnk.sys@yahoo.com>
Subject:
Re: Thank you for your prompt response
I will be in the city two days from now. Take Nancy to the zoo at 1700 on Friday--I will meet you there.
<<
As Nagi had not specified a particular location in the zoo to meet, Omi knew the telekinetic would no doubt be watching for them, and probably observing them for some while before approaching. Ah, that good old Nagi paranoia, he thought with some amusement, I could have taken lessons from him in that. He didn't let it concern him, as he'd told the other man only the truth.
Resting a protective hand on the shoulder of the small girl accompanying him, he grinned at her squeals. "Oh, Omi-poppa, look! Isn't it so cute?" He glanced from the ... creature, to the sign identifying it as a "Almiqui", and back. Amused, he pointed out, "Nance, that looks like something that would bite you, and cause gangrene out of spite!"
"I know!" the little girl chirruped, braids flying as she bounced a bit on her toes. "Isn't it adorable?" She devoted one eye to reading the sign. "Adorable AND thought to be extinct...cooooool."
Omi grinned, and lifted his hand to lightly rest on the top of Nance's head, and shook it slightly. "I suppose you want to do your science report on this thing, now, instead of...what was it again? The 'coffin fish'?"
"Oh, I dunno. Either is going to make the teacher give me really squinty looks. They're both good, really." Nancy grinned, a bit slyly...an expression she seemed to have copied from her 'father'.
Sheltered behind the foliage-and-glass of the nearby aviary, Nagi watched the child smile up at Tsukiyono. They were affectionate, no doubt about it...this was not some random kid playing a part. And so far he hadn't spotted any other agents or tails, psychic or otherwise.
Nagi leaned forward, elbows on the rail, pretending to be just another zoo-goer fascinated by the birds. Time to see if Tsukiyono had been telling the truth about the child's talent. It was warm inside the aviary, the artificial tropical humidity bringing back memories of the home he'd left behind to answer Tsukiyono's call. Outside, though, it was a bright, breezy day, the wind tugging at coat sleeves and hats and scattering leaves across the concrete. If she was as Gifted as he had said, she would feel the brush of his power, even if she didn't recognize what it was.
Outside by the almiqui exhibit, the wind picked up a bit, a light breeze ruffling hair and sending leaves skirling around ankles. As people turned up collars and shoved hands in pockets, two brown-patterned leaves separated themselves from the rest of the blowing mass--and then began to waltz slowly away, twirling and dipping in a stately pattern of their own.
About to urge Nance along, Omi glanced around sharply as he felt her stiffen. "Nance?" Carefully, he made sure he sounded casual. "What's up?"
Eyes so wide they were almost round, the little girl was darting glances from side to side, and she unconsciously stepped a little closer to Omi. "Someone wants something to move," she whispered. "I can feel them pulling...oooooooooh." She took a half-step forward, lips curving in a delighted smile, eyes shining...although she didn't let go of Omi's hand. "Look, Omi-poppa! Someone's making them dance!" She was still keeping her voice quiet out of habit...talent was always quiet-talk, private talk.
Nagi? Omi was...flummoxed, to put it bluntly. He'd expected something, Nagi would want to make sure the situation was as reported, but...dancing leaves? Suddenly, he felt a lot better about what he'd felt he had to do. "That is very cool," he said approvingly, and looked down, tugging lightly at her hand.
Biting her lip, Nancy looked up and let her eyes plead. Talent-not-in-public, and ... talent a little scary now, even though Omi-poppa said she shouldn't be afraid. But...no one had ever asked her to play like this....face lighting up in a happy grin as Omi-poppa nodded slightly, eyes twinkling, she glanced at the nearest leaves. Picking out two pretty orangey ones, she wanted those particular things to move in this particular way...
The waltzing leaves were joined by another pair ... they would no doubt have been more graceful if the child had ever had a ballroom dancing lesson in her life, but they swayed and spun to the same rhythm.
Nagi felt a slight smile tug at his lips. She was a telekinetic all right--and with reasonably good control, given her age and lack of training. A slight thought, and 'his' leaves twisted and spun around hers, leaving their stately dance for something more spontaneous. It was interesting to feel her power at work, and he delicately probed its limits as her mind tugged at the leaves, 'pushing' just enough to test the resilience of her grip.
With one final madcap swirl, he let the leaves flutter into the sky and be taken by the breeze. Then he straightened from the rail, hands in the pockets of his dark slacks. Tsukiyono had been telling the truth, after all--which left no reason why they shouldn't meet. Nagi left the aviary, and began walking towards the exhibit, weaving his way through the crowds openly. It would be interesting to see how fast he was recognized.
Nancy made a small disappointed sound as the brown leaves swirled away naturally with the wind, and looked up. Omi smiled down at her reassuringly, and pulled out his wallet. Fishing out a five, he told her, "Why don't you go buy some peanuts and feed the animals? Where I can see you, mind!" Smiling a bit sheepishly, he admitted, "I actually need to meet someone briefly, for work."
"Oh, Omipoppa!" Nancy pretended to be annoyed, but she wasn't. It was nice, that Omipoppa made time to do things with her while he was working. She took the five and started to walk away, still a little wistful.
{{Why not see if you can 'find' your playmate?}} he called after her, speaking Japanese for a little extra security. He had no idea how or if one could do such a thing, and knew Nancy didn't either...but this was the first time she'd been happy about her talent in so long. Maybe she'd want to push herself a little.
Settling himself with his back to a convenient light pole, Omi made sure he could see the area Nancy would be in, and then started looking for Nagi. Pity I have no idea what he looks like; watching for Japanese men doesn't work very well in this town. One, two, three, four... he counted, somewhat amused, before his eye was caught by a sense of purposeful movement. About his height, slightly formal attitude and clothing...that would probably be the telekinetic. He grew as well, Omi mused absently, nodding politely to the approaching man. Please, benevolent spirits, let him agree...
They were about the same height now, though Tsukiyono had put on more muscle than he had, and Nagi was amused to note that they now looked about the same age. Ironic, considering how much younger they had both been when Weiss and Schwarz had first clashed. But now Tsukiyono had apparently gone American-casual in appearance--slightly shaggy blond hair and jeans giving the impression of relaxed confidence. It probably came in handy, given his current line of work.
"Tsukiyono-san," he said once within earshot. He stopped an easy conversational distance away, eyes flickering briefly over to where the girl was waiting to buy something. "Interesting of you to invite me all this way." His voice was calm, patiently neutral. Time to see what Tsukiyono really wanted.
Omi automatically evaluated the other man, assessing him as a possible threat. He didn't think Naoe was going to attack him; he wouldn't have bothered traveling to do that. It was simply an automatic response, ingrained after his years in the business. Naoe moved more confidently than he used to, with a smooth, easy grace. He had the look of someone used to combat, but his muscle mass was consistent with what Omi remembered. Hn. Telekinetic metabolism at work, I suppose... Thinking about the sheer volume of food Nancy could pack away, while remaining stick-thin, infused his smile of greeting with more warmth than he'd intended it to contain.
"Naoe-san," he returned easily. "I thank you, for being willing to travel. I assume you were somewhere you could see Nancy, while you were confirming that I wasn't lying, simply out of some misplaced desire to see you again?"
"I saw her. She's a pretty kid." Raising an eyebrow at the almiqui, Nagi turned his back on it to face Tsukiyono fully. "And you'll forgive me if I seem suspicious of your affiliations. My work is not appreciated in some quarters." He said it without arrogance, a simple statement of fact.
"Neither is mine," Omi said, with a shrug, smiling again at the compliment to Nancy. "And I have no affiliations, Naoe-san. I'm an independent agent, working for myself, just as you are." He let a hint of his fierce insistence on that fact through, knowing the other man would understand.
Meeting the telekinetic's eyes, Omi said baldly, "I told you the simple truth, in my e-mail. Nancy needs someone who knows what the hell he's talking about, who can help her. I've done the best I could, these three years...but it's time to face facts. Trying to make this up is not working, and my daughter needs, and deserves, better than that. If you won't consider teaching her yourself... do you know someone trustworthy, who would? Someone who won't try to use her?"
"What do you expect me to teach her?" Nagi said coolly, a quick glance showing no one near enough to overhear. "How to be a telekinetic? She's already one." He watched the older man carefully. "Or do you want someone to teach her how to kill with it? She could be a useful agent for you, I suppose. She's powerful enough."
Nagi's words filled Omi with blind, unreasoning rage, and he didn't, couldn't, pause to think. Seeing red, he lunged forward, right fist lashing out at the other man's sternum with enough force to crack it if the blow connected, left leg tensing for a take down sweep to counter an attempt to dodge.
A viselike hand closed down around Omi's wrist, sweeping it to one side, iron fingers crushing down and twisting the vulnerable joint painfully. Wrapping a telekinetic grip around Omi's chest, Nagi tightened it relentlessly, enough to deprive the older man of air and send him sagging towards the ground.
"Attacking me in public, Tsukiyono-san? Not smart." They were drawing attention. This would need to be resolved quickly--one way or the other. His eyes were flinty as he listened to Omi's ribs creak. "Care to think up a different answer?"
After getting the peanuts, Nancy wandered over to the nearest animal enclosure, not even paying attention to what she was feeding. Chewing on her lip, she thought about what Omi-poppa had suggested she do. She didn't really have the slightest idea how...but Omi-poppa always said she could do more than she thought she could.
Leaning on the railing slightly, she tried to think of...not wanting to grab something in particular, but just ... wanting to grab, and how it felt, in her head, when she got ready to try. Then she reached out, fumbling, 'looking' for anything else, that felt that way. She wasn't finding anything, and was giving herself a headache, when she felt the powerful surge of someone pulling, hard. Remembering her lessons, she ducked into the crowd, trying to look like any normal little girl, starting to move toward the pull...and realized she was heading straight back to Omi-poppa.
Quickly looking for him, her eyes found him sagging against the light pole...and a strange man was in front of him. He's doing the pulling! He's hurting Omi-poppa! She whimpered, suddenly scared and feeling overwhelmed. Talent scary and talent-not-in-public and Omi-poppa in trouble and too far away and too many people to notice...
Not really thinking about what she was doing, she reached out and yanked at the sprinkler head she'd noticed while checking out the alquimi, ripping it free and directing the blast of water at the strange bad man who was hurting Omi-poppa. When Omi-poppa had blasted her with the hose, she couldn't concentrate, and stopped hurting herself. Maybe she could surprise the bad man, and Omi-poppa could take care of him, and then she wouldn't have to hurt him...
Nagi felt the telekinetic surge moments before the spray hit, drenching him. It was an interesting tactic from the girl--albeit an annoying one. Water dripping into his eyes, he kept his concentration on Tsukiyono. He'd rather not hurt the girl--unless he had to.
Omi instantly realized what must have happened. K'so! First I tell Nancy to look for Nagi...and then I provoke him into using his powers! Now she's more frightened... His attention shifted completely to the approaching girl, his body sagging lightly in Nagi's 'grasp' as Omi stopped trying to resist the hold. Indeed...he'd stopped paying any conscious attention to the other man at all, and didn't even notice how he had to wheeze for the air necessary to speak, or his choice of address.
"Shit! Nagi, this is what Nancy did, to herself, that frightened her so badly! Let me go, I need to reassure her, before she panics."
Nagi hesitated, wary of a trick. But Tsukiyono's fear seemed genuine--and it wasn't of *him*.
"Fine." Another quick glance, and a slight grimace at all the attention they were attracting, and he released his grip, letting the other man stagger away. "But don't push it, Tsukiyono." He turned his attention to the girl watching them, eyes wide and scared. Strong emotion was not conducive to maintaining control--if necessary, he *would* take any steps necessary to keep her from revealing their telekinesis to the public.
Omi allowed himself to sag to his knees, and gestured for Nancy to come to him, subtly forming his hand in the signal for 'safe/all clear'. As the little girl ran to hug him, he said, loud enough for the closest people to hear, "Just a little pang of pain in my heart, Nance. Don't worry, you know the doctor said they weren't anything to worry about."
Nodding at a few people as necessary, to get the crowd moving along, Omi ducked his head to speak into Nancy's ear...making sure he was loud enough for Nagi to hear. {{It's alright, Nance. Naoe-san wasn't hurting me, he's not going to hurt you. And I'm so very proud of you! You did everything right. You were quiet, and quick, and made sure you wouldn't be noticed...and the water was very good. You made good decisions, and you acted promptly.}} He filled his tone with warmth and reassurance, hoping desperately that he hadn't frightened her too badly.
{{But, but...he was hurting you, Omi-poppa!}} She felt safer, with Omi-poppa holding her...and the bad man couldn't be too bad, or Omi-poppa would be keeping his arms free, to hit him with. But he had scared her! She glared at Nagi, not even thinking about "manners".
Omi laughed quietly. {{Look at ME, Nancy,}} he said, grinning slightly. Waiting until she did, he made sure she saw him wipe the smile off his face. Gravely, he told her, {{I realize you're going to find this very difficult to believe, Nancy-chan...but sometimes I'm the one who makes the mistake. It was a misunderstanding, that's all...and it was my fault.}}
Nancy stared for minute, and then threw herself against Omi, shaking with laughter, and sniffling back her tears. "Omi-poppa! Silly!" Turning her head, she said politely, "I apologize for being rude, Mr. Naoe, sir."
Nagi watched Omi reassure his adopted daughter, eyebrows rising. It was certainly a unique tactic to take. He wondered how well it worked, compared to Estet's more draconian methods of discipline.
"That's all right, Nancy." He glanced over at Tsukiyono, and shoved his hands into his coat pockets, grimacing at the feel of the water-soaked material. "Perhaps we should go somewhere else to talk?" All the attention they were getting was making him uneasy, and zoo workers were still scrambling, trying to fix the sudden flood of water.
Standing easily, still holding Nancy in his arms, Omi looked around briefly, and winced slightly. "That sounds like an excellent idea." Meeting his eyes, he huffed out a small breath. "I owe you an apology as well, Naoe-san. I...should not have done what I did, it was the wrong course of action." He didn't want to be more clear with Nancy listening...let his daughter know that Nagi had infuriated him to the point of provoking a physical attack in a public place, and it would take far too long later to convince her to work with the man.
"If you do not object, we can continue this discussion at my place?" Lips twitching, he offered, "I'm fairly sure my clothes will fit you, and we can throw yours in the dryer."
Nagi considered the suggestion. It wasn't one he particularly liked overmuch--going to Tsukiyono's house gave the man an advantage, if only a psychological one. But it also showed a small measure of trust, that he would let Nagi into his home. Nagi doubted he would have been so generous if their roles had been reversed--but then, he valued his privacy a great deal.
Coming to a decision, he nodded. "All right, then. I'll follow you in my car." While he knew their address, there was no point in advertising it.
Omi just looked at Nagi for a second, and then the corners of his lips lifted in a wry smile. "Certainly, Naoe-san. If we should happen to get separated, my address is 1437 Lenox Way, over in West Portal. I assume you came equipped with maps of San Francisco; the nearest cross street is Ulloa." And I know damn well you already knew that, Nagi. I may not be in the phonebook...but that is still basic intel. Can we try not to be overly cute about this, please? "It's fairly easy to recognize...look for the yard with rocks instead of plants."
Omi accepted Nagi's silence as they walked to the exit rather gratefully. He did not want Nance to have any idea of what was possible until the two men had settled what was definite. With a jerk of his chin, Omi confirmed which vehicle was his, and waited to learn what car he'd not be ditching on the drive home.
West Portal was in a hilly area located outside San Francisco proper; heavily residential, it remained a self-sufficient neighborhood thanks to the many businesses dotting the area. Many of these business could have been lifted from the Eisenhower area, and there was a refreshing lack of chain stores. Combined, these elements graced the area with a pleasingly time-slipped attitude.
Lenox Way wound back and up into the hills; 1437 was at the crest, on a large lot where privacy was assured by a thick screen of old trees. Even in winter, trunks and branches would provide heavy security. A large two story building, recently painted a rich cream with green and brown gingerbread accents, is indeed set back from the street behind a large rock garden.
It was probably that the neighbors had not been pleased, having the grass and flower beds of the previous owner ripped up, but the garden was tasteful and elegant. A red brick path cut through, leading to the front door and dividing the yard approximately in half. The left half focused on a natural obelisk of gray-toned granite, surrounded by sweeps of small rocks in shades of browns and reds, arranged in patterns of crashing waves. The right half had no obvious focus, but a Japanese speaker would immediately recognize that the various sections of texture and colour are designed to highlight the kanji for 'home' laid out in a granite rubble that matches the obelisk.
The drive had been uneventful, though tailing someone *openly* for a change was a bit amusing. Nagi stepped out of the rental car, clicking the security button, and surveyed the little house. It was good-sized for San Francisco, an ordinary two-level family home distinguished from its neighbors only by the elaborate rock garden. He tried not to wince, looking at the careful sweeps of gravel and rock--but suddenly he missed his home and all its overgrown greenery a great deal.
He nodded as Tsukiyono and Nancy approached, saying politely, "Nice house."
"Thank you, Mr. Naoe, sir," Nancy chirped. It was obvious that more talking had happened between these two in the car; before the child's politeness had been empty form, and now it seemed quite sincere. "I helped paint the trim! Don't you think it's pretty?" Distracting herself before Nagi could possibly answer, she glanced up and hissed/whispered "Tour, Omi-poppa?"
"No tour, Nance," Omi said gently. "Naoe-san and I have more business to discuss, after we take care of his wet clothing. And I'm sure you have homework to be doing during that, ne?'
Rolling her eyes, the little girl made a face. "Not important homework, Omi-poppa. About an hour of busy-work for witch-sensei, that's all."
Voice mild, Omi looked down at the little girl and said, "That sounds like an hour you'll be busy, then."
Shoulders slumping, Nance muttered, "Yes, Omi-poppa," sounding resigned. She paused, waiting for Omi to unlock the door, and bobbed a bow to Nagi. "It was nice to meet you, Mr. Naoe, sir. I apologize for getting you all wet like that!"
Witch sensei? Slightly amused, Nagi nodded gravely in return. "All things considered, I don't mind. It was just a misunderstanding." What the misunderstanding actually was remained to be seen, though he had his suspicions. Smiling slightly for Nancy's benefit, he added, "It's not like I'll melt, after all."
Tsukiyono unlocked the door, and Nagi followed him and the girl inside. Casting a wary eye around the small foyer, he reflexively cast his power outward, feeling for any unwelcome extra visitors. A flurry of small, furtive movements out in the next room gave him pause--but after a second, he could tell they were too small to be human. Pets, most likely. It wouldn't surprise him if Bombay's motif now extended to pet felines as well...Tsukiyono had apparently gotten quite domestic over the years.
Satisfied that all was as it seemed, Nagi shrugged out of his still-damp overcoat. He draped it over one arm, unconcerned about Browning now visible in the cross-draw holster at his waist. This was America, land of the free and home of the NRA, after all. And licenses were pathetically easy to forge.
Omi rested a gentle hand on Nancy's head. "Grab something to munch on, and go downstairs to do your homework, Nance. And stay there, please. Naoe-san and I shall be discussing work matters."
After smiling happily at Mr. Naoe, glad that Omi-poppa's friend wasn't mad at her Maybe he'll want to play later? Omi-poppa would let me, I know he would! I'll be very, very, very good! No sneaking or listening! Nancy hugged Omi tightly around the waist. "Yes, Omi-poppa. If I finish and you aren't done, may I get on the computer, please?"
"Of course you may. No chat, though. You're still in the dog house about that little prank, you know," he frowned just enough to let her know he was serious, confident the message was received despite the eye-roll and grin he got in return. As soon as Nancy had disappeared through the arched opening to the kitchen, he turned back to Nagi.
Rubbing my nose in something, Nagi? Omi thought, raising one eyebrow slightly. I wonder what? You scarcely need a gun to kill me; we've already been through that demonstration. Moving to hang his own jacket on the coat rack revealed his Desert Eagle 50 AE in its shoulder holster, but obviously he didn't need to be concerned about that.
Politely extending his hand, he contented himself with saying mildly, "Please, let me take your wet coat, Naoe-san. And you are fortunate that my daughter believes that I and my associates are in the security field, and accustomed to guns. I would greatly appreciate it if you could avoid frightening her with too-obvious references to our actual professions." Smoothly switching tacks, he continued, "Can your coat go in the dryer? If so, I'll take care of it immediately. And would you like a change of clothes?"
Nagi raised an eyebrow. Where did that come from? Handing over his coat, his reply was icily polite. "It will be a strain, but I'll try to refrain from revealing your deep dark secrets." The way Tsukiyono acted, he apparently had no faith in Nagi's ability to be discreet. Which was ironic, considering the number of Very Important People who did. "And the coat can go in the dryer, but there are no guarantees what size it'll come back out as. It'll dry soon enough on its own--as will I."
"Naoe-san, you seem to believe I would permit my little girl to go through the sort of hell being molded into a child-assassin entails. At this point, I don't feel safe assuming I don't need to spell things out for you," Omi said calmly, turning away to hang the man's coat on the rack. Taking a moment to spread the fabric out to help it dry, he turned back with a polite gesture at the living area. "Please. If you do not wish to change, make yourself comfortable. May I offer you something to drink while we talk?"
"I fail to see why else you called me all the way here. You know what I do--and it certainly isn't babysitting. It is not an unreasonable assumption." Nagi glanced around as he entered the living room, assessing it. The main room of the house was spacious, with the exposed beams stained a warm, mellow cedar. Combined with the pale goldenrod paint on the walls, the room seemed to collect and hold the sunlight pouring through the windows. The walls were lined with half-height bookcases stained to match the beams, filled with books and other miscellaneous objects Nagi didn't bother to identify.
He prowled the homey room, trailing a finger over cushioned furniture and glancing over the boa constrictor in its large aquarium. Not cats, then... His eyes flickered over to the baby mice and rats in their separate cages. Tweaking off a dead leaf thoughtfully, Nagi glanced over the ragged and drooping houseplants arranged near the animals.
"Have you ever considered that, hell or not, that kind of life may be the only option she has?" Nagi kept his voice low, but made no effort to disguise the flatness of his tone. "Psychics are too...useful...for too many people. Most of us live the way we do for a reason."
Omi looked away, the hand farthest from Nagi clenching into a tight fist. "I won't let that happen. You got away. I'm no esper, but I got away from a similarly-minded organization." Meeting Nagi's eyes again, face set, he started grimly, "I will not.."
"Omi-poppa!" came as a loud shout. It didn't sound like Nancy was upset or in trouble -- more like she was being very very good and staying far far away from business talk. Blinking, Omi shrugged apologetically at Nagi and crossed to the entry way. "Yes, Nance?"
"I'm sorry, Omi-poppa," a breathless little girl said, rapidly, appearing in the kitchen entry way from nowhere, like a magician's rabbit. "But I forgot Boris wouldn't eat this morning an' I need to try an' feed him an' can I get Trisk an' take her downstairs an' sorry to interrupt.."
Laughing, Omi crossed the hall and covered Nancy's mouth with a gentle hand. "Breathe, child! One of these days I'm going to time how many words you can get out in a single minute," he teased gently. "Go, take care of Boris. Naoe-san, I'm sorry, what did you say you'd like to drink?"
Nagi moved away from the aquarium setup, looking at the books on the shelves instead. "Water or tea, please," he said politely, watching Nancy bounce around.
Nancy went straight to the aquarium, and started to go up on tip-toe, straining for the lid. Then she stopped, and looked hesitantly at Nagi.
"Um...it was you, wasn't it, Mr. Naoe, sir? With the leaves?"
"At the zoo?" When she nodded, he gave her a little bow. "Yes, it was. Did you like it?"
Ducking her head shyly, the little girl smiled broadly. "YES! It was fun." Sounding wistful, she confided, "No one's ever played with me like that. Omi-poppa tries, and we have fun, but he can't pull." As if mentioning her father had made her remember something, she looked over her shoulder, biting her lip.
Then she looked uncertainly at Nagi, put her weight back flat on the floor, and used her Talent to lift the snake-cover off instead.
Putting his hands in his pockets, Nagi leaned against the side of a large window to watch her work. Interesting. A good basic grasp on moving things--but she's using way more power than she needs to. Extending his senses, he could almost 'feel' the excess telekinetic energy ripple off of the simple movement.
"Well, there aren't many people who can do what you can," he said quietly. He had a sneaking suspicion that at least one or more of those baby mice weren't long for this world. "Playing the way we did is kind of special."
Nancy moved over to the breeding cage and lifted this lid off by hand, it being well within her reach. Squinting into the cage, she poked at a pile of squeaking fur.
"I know, sir. That's what Omi-poppa says. And he says I have to be careful, because having teli, tele-ke, ki-ne-sis," it was obvious she didn't use the longer term very often, "doesn't make someone nice. I'm glad he said I could play, at the zoo," she finished happily, then scowled. "Dammit, where's the fat one?"
An intent look on her face, Nancy leaned forward until her nose was pressed up against the glass, and delicately reached into the hidey-hutch with her Talent, being very very careful not to squeeze or 'burn' by pulling too hard, and tumbled another pile of squeaking fur into sight. "There you are!" She snatched up the largest rodent in the cage, and put the lid back on securely.
A faint smile ghosted across Nagi's lips. "No. It doesn't make someone nice." At least she hadn't accidentally mangled the baby mice...
Having apparently decided that using her Talent in front of Nagi was acceptable, Nancy 'lifted' the frantically squeaking, plump, adorable baby mouse up to the opening in the aquarium...and let go. The resulting drop and landing stunned the creature, leaving it lying motionless near the head of the boa constrictor coiled inside.
"C'mon, Boris-love," she cooed in a coaxing tone of voice, "It's nice and juicy! You're not sick, you just didn't want to eat this morning for some snakey reason of your own, ne?"
So Boris is the snake. Nagi watched without commenting, amused by Nancy's peculiar ruthlessness.
Apparently snakey reasoning had been untwisted during the day, because the boa's tongue flicked out, scenting warmprey smell, and he began to slide forward. Nancy cooed approvingly with a pleased smile, and then 'lifted' the lid back on, making absolutely certain that it was secure.
Looking up, she said confidingly, "The first time I used my Talent, to do the lid, I kinda goofed. Omi-poppa wasn't really happy about having to go get Boris out of the heating ducts!" Bobbing her head as she moved away, the girl went to the rat cage on the other side, and began making strange clicking chirrup noises. Soon after, a sleek black rat with one splash of brown across his haunches popped out of a tunnel end and sat up to 'talk' back.
"I can imagine," Nagi said dryly, eyes flickering over to the kitchen. Wondering how much Tsukiyono was listening, he continued, "At least he didn't decide to take a tour of San Francisco. Then it would have been really hard to find him." He wondered exactly how Tsukiyono had taught his daughter how to fix her mistake. Trial and error, most likely.
Nancy giggled, lifting the rat gently out of the cage and setting the creature on her shoulder, petting it gently, It promptly stuck its nose in her ear. "Triskeeeeeelion! That tickles!" she squealed shrilly. Not liking the noise, the rat moved on to chewing on a braid.
"It was nice talking to you, Mr. Naoe, sir," she said politely, passing her father in the entry way as he returned, bearing a tea tray. "I'm going downstairs now, Omi-poppa, and I'll stay put!"
"Thank you, Nance," Omi said, smiling, and crossed to a low table between two chairs not facing a sun-wards window. He set the tray down and straightened, smiling wryly at Nagi. He knows I'll have been listening anyway... "Well. That would be my daughter, Naoe-san. Congratulations; you handled your first real conversation with her with much more grace than most adults."
"I'll have to take your word for it. Children are not something I've had a lot of experience with." Nagi moved over to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down. Now down to business, I hope. "She seems like a happy child, though. So at the risk of repeating myself--why did you come looking for me?"
Omi poured the fragrant white tea into two delicate cups, handing one to his guest and proceeding to ignore his own. He settled himself cross-legged in a chair facing the other man, and gathered his thoughts briefly, looking like he had a headache.
"Naoe-san.. I am aware of the danger Nancy is in. That's my concern, not yours. I didn't contact you about that, or for 'baby-sitting,' as you term it. I have an answer for you, about why I asked for your help, if you will be patient with a bit of rambling."
Sighing heavily, he rested his chin on one hand, propping himself up with an elbow against his knee. "I'm not a telekinetic, Naoe-san. I don't really understand esper, at all. I've done the best I could, to teach Nancy.. trying to guess how things might work, encouraging her to experiment, to play. Setting up tiny tests, just a little beyond what she'd done before, urging her to try. My little girl has been doing just fine sorting herself out, and I'm so damn proud of her." The truth of that assertion was abundantly clear, pride ringing in his tone.
"But two months ago, she did something wrong. I don't know what happened, really...all I know is I looked up from watering the trees, and she was turning blue." In a haunted whisper, he confessed, "I thought she was dying."
Rubbing his forehead, he looked turned his head, staring blankly out a window. "If her hair hadn't been down, and moving just a bit, I would have thought it was her heart, and tried to get her to the hospital. I turned the hose on her, trying to break her concentration, and she passed out. Ever since then.. her Talent scares her. She only uses it when she has to, or when I prod her."
Finally meeting Nagi's eyes, he admitted, "I think, deep down, she realizes now that I can't really help her, and that she's alone with something big. She needs you, Naoe-san. All I want you to do is train her. Teach her how to understand her Talent, what it is and how it works, so that she can continue teaching herself, without being too afraid to try new things."
Sounding very wistful, he said softly, perhaps not intending to speak out loud, "I just want to see her glowing again, when she does something marvelous."
Sipping at his tea, Nagi looked away, out the window. What would it have been like, to have been...wanted like that? Old memories never quite died, he thought--they just found new ways to sneak up and stab you in the heart.
He looked back at Tsukiyono, confident that nothing of his thoughts showed in his face or voice. Living with a telepath for years had turned him into an exceptional poker player. "So you want me to teach her enough that she doesn't kill herself? Or do you want more than that?" He set the cup back down on the table with careful hands. "Those are two very different things to ask, you realize."
Finally reaching for his cup, Omi took a sip of tea. Nodding, he said calmly, "Yes. And obviously, I'd like 'not killing herself' to be covered fairly early on." Sighing softly, he leaned back in his chair, gravely examining Nagi.
"As for the 'more'...you realize, that I don't know what you can teach her. I don't know very much about what is possible. In simplest terms, I want her to be able to have as much control over her Talent as she can gain. Whatever she does, I'd like her to understand what effect it will have, how she is achieving that effect, the best, most efficient way to do so..." Lips quirking in a wry smile, obviously remembering some specific incident, he said with a hint of good humor, "Back when she was using her Talent as much as she could, sometimes she'd be so...enthusiastic? about doing something fairly simple that she'd fall over, afterwards."
"Most important, however, is the future. I doubt you want me or Nancy squawking to you for help on a regular basis, we need to be able to handle the changes as she grows. Even as a non-esper looking at her from the outside, I can see how much more powerful she is now, than when I got her. I expect that will continue...and I am NOT looking forward to puberty!" Twisting his head to the side, cracking his neck, Omi grimaced. Really not looking forward to that. Female facts of life would be bad ENOUGH.
"Nancy, at least, and I would prefer that both of us do, need to learn enough about the mechanics of telekinesis, that she can keep learning and improving on her own. Again, without the 'killing herself', and also with the 'no accidental killing of random bystanders', by choice."
"So, in essence, you want me to train both you and Nancy at the same time." Nagi took another slow sip, shielding his thoughts behind the rim of the cup. "This...is problematic, Tsukiyono-san, for several reasons."
He leaned back in the chair, raising a finger. "Point number one: You're not a telekinetic. I can only tell you what to expect. I can't train you to predict it or--in some cases--how to stop something. You simply won't have the ability, and that's something you'll have to accept."
He raised a second finger. "Point number two: Training Nancy how not to kill herself or someone else accidentally is relatively easy. It can be done in a few months, if I take it slowly--or in less than a week, if I teach her the hard way." Nagi smiled grimly. "That will *not* be full control. It simply will be the psychic equivalent of teaching her not to play with a loaded gun."
A third finger. "My third and final point: If you want Nancy fully-trained--happy, well-adjusted, with complete control over her power as it changes--" -as complete as it ever gets, anyway- "-then we are talking about training that could potentially take *years*. We are talking about me taking at least a year out of my life, my work schedule--possibly relocating." And exposing myself to any enemies. "We are also talking about me giving you access to the kind of specialized knowledge that--if you decided to sell to certain parties--would give you access to a great many details on my potential weaknesses."
Nagi stared over the table at Tsukiyono. "If that is what you want--then what are you prepared to offer to get it? Because I'm not in the habit of risking myself for charity."
What do you want?" Omi said, simply. "Name it. I'll manage somehow."
Nagi shook his head. "Tsukiyono-san, I'm not sure there is a price. I *do* know that it would take more than just money to convince me." He silently held out his cup for a refill.
Pouring, Omi shook his head slightly. "At least a year? I realized that this would take time, but...I wasn't thinking on quite a large enough scale. Foolish of me."
Leaning back again, he shrugged. "And I was not necessarily speaking of money, although I am aware that will be part of it. I can afford to pay you well." Although I'll need to take at least a few pretty profitable jobs over the next year, or I'll be dipping too deep into my cash reserves... "Any conditions you specify, or requests you make, I will also do my best to satisfy. Starting with your current points..."
Smiling slightly, he mimicked Nagi. Holding up a finger, he said, "Point number one," and shrugged. "I am aware of my own limitations, Naoe-san. My primary concern is to increase my knowledge to the point where I can help her puzzle out her own questions, by at least having reasonably intelligent clarifying questions of my own."
Nagi inclined his head. "All right." And how well will he handle his first telekinetic temper tantrum, I wonder?
Raising a second finger, "Point number two...obviously, my preference would be for the slow method. However..." Speaking more slowly, Omi said, not reluctantly, but not necessarily happily, "that choice, and all others regarding training methods, would be yours to make. I would like to know what you plan to do ahead of time, so that I can offer any information I have that might cause you to change your strategy," and so that I don't go completely out of my mind with terror when you do something unexpected that I see as 'hurting' my little girl "but the final call would be yours."
That would be necessary, yes." Remembering the zoo incident, Nagi added, "It would have to be explained to Nancy as well, to protect both of you. Or we would have more instances of what happened today."
After a brief pause-- "Given your preference, that brings us back to number three." He folded his hands around the cup and waited.
"Yes, it does. However, before we get into the mechanics of the time frame involved, there is one matter I would like to clear up." Expression hardening, Omi almost glared at Nagi. You're apparently an IDIOT about some things, namely...that, or you think I am. "Let me assure you that specialized knowledge of telekinesis would never be 'for sale', in my eyes. If you aren't willing to trust that I won't stab you in the back for doing such a large service for my daughter, then consider this. I am aware of the danger my little girl is in, simply because she is an esper. Why the Hell would I put information that might one day be used against NANCY, on the market?"
"Point," Nagi said calmly, sitting back. "Though that does not eliminate the possibility of blackmail or other means used to pressure the information out of you. You know the contingencies as well as I do, so I won't bore you with spelling them out." An assassin with a family gave hostages to fortune. Nagi wondered how Tsukiyono slept with that at night.
"A valid point, Naoe-san...but you can believe that I shall never divulge the information willingly, and I have my own safeguards in place against other attempts." Shaking his head slightly, Omi returned to the main topic at hand. Briefly raising a third finger, he folded his hands in his lap.
"Before I go into your third point in depth, I do have a question about the training. Is this something that needs to be fairly continuous? Or can it be done in between your other commitments? I had no intentions of disrupting your life to that extent."
Nagi frowned, tapping a finger against the table as he thought. He really had his own previous experience to draw on, which consisted of years of intensive training, day in and day out--and Estet was probably not a good model to use. Especially considering what else he was taught during those same years.
"The training would have to happen at regular intervals, I think. Maybe not every day, but there are minimum requirements involved." He gave Tsukiyono a direct look. "You can't teach a person to read by showing up every month or so and handing them a new book. Or teach someone to fight by only giving a lesson whenever you get around to it." Unconsciously, he repeated an old saying from Rosenkreuz. "Control and power comes from repetition and discipline."
Omi looked thoughtful at this, steepling his hands in front of his face. Something in Nagi's words had obviously touched a chord in him, for he remained silent for sometime, eyes occasionally moving to sweep over various parts of the room -- the entry way Nancy had vanished through, Boris' cage, the section of shelving devoted to education books.
"The difficulty is that I'm not quite prepared to make a unilateral decision that would so heavily impact Nance's life without some input from her," he finally said, apparently not thinking about the fact that Nagi had no way of following his thoughts.
Looking up, he pointed out, "There are multiple ways of handling the difficulties involved. Nance and I have a comfortable life here, and she has her friends and her lessons. But it sounds as though she would need to make many sacrifices for this training, regardless...so perhaps it would be less of a shock to her if we were simply to be the ones to relocate. I don't know. I would need to at least ask her, what she thought."
Shoving a hand through his hair, Omi said with mild frustration, "But I don't want to ask her anything, until we have at least determined that you will actually train her. I won't offer her this, and then take it away."
Nagi raised an eyebrow. "I can't make a decision until I know what's being offered." And I can't *believe* he asked me to come all the way to meet him without even having an preliminary offer in mind...
Omi blinked at Nagi, and said mildly, "I am aware of that, Naoe-san. However, your third point is not necessarily as clear-cut as you make it sound. You appear to be operating under the assumption that I would expect you to endure all of the inconvenience."
Placing his teacup down, Omi stood and went to the window, staring out. "I will admit, part of me would like for the training to take place here, so that Nance would have a stable, familiar environment around her. But the training you describe sounds quite as intensive as that Kritiker gave me as a child--and if that's the case, she's not going have time for her reassuringly normal life!"
He turned to face Nagi again, leaning back against the bookcase at his back. "Our relocation is a perfectly valid alternative. The advantages to yourself should be clear." Frankly, he admitted, "Those advantages would have to offset the crimp this option would put in the amount of financial remuneration I can put on the table. Wetwork is still the most profitable part of my business, and if I took Nance away from the support system I have here, I wouldn't be able to take jobs unless you assumed full responsibility for her care at those times."
With a slight shrug, he finished, "It is difficult to begin negotiations until I'm clear on what I'm negotiating for, Naoe-san. While I will caution the second requires Nance's agreement -- I doubt either of us wants to deal with a miserable nine-year-old telekinetic! -- which option do you prefer?"
Propping an elbow on the arm of his chair, Nagi leaned his chin on one fist, thinking. He honestly hadn't expected Tsukiyono to offer to move, given how obviously settled he was in the area. However, it was obvious that he would do exactly that, if that was the only way he could get Nagi's cooperation. Even if he didn't know exactly what he was letting himself in for.
Having them visit him every week or two was right out. His home was located deep in the hills of southeast Asia, remote and only moderately accessible--and for good reason. The disruption to the girl's schedule aside, it was too dangerous; a few months of repeated trips, and anyone who was paying any attention at all would be able to track their movements. Estet may have been fractured beyond repair, but there were other organizations just as far-reaching, and he could not afford to assume they wouldn't notice.
Long minutes ticked by before Nagi finally answered. "This training would not be as all-encompassing as you fear. I do not propose taking her away for a year-long telekinetic boot camp." He gave Tsukiyono a sardonic look. "The best way to preserve Nancy's tender sensibilities would be to treat this as just another kind of schooling, no different from, say, piano or dancing lessons."
"I believe a compromise may be in order, Tsukiyono-san." He glanced around the room, with its plants and animals and lived-in clutter. "If we can come to terms on payment, then I will agree to stay in the area for three months, to teach her the fundamentals as best I can. After that, depending on the circumstances, we will make other arrangements for lessons." He added dryly, "Perhaps you shall discover a sudden predilection for traveling."
Smiling slightly, Omi inclined his head. "That sounds quite reasonable, Naoe-san, and I thank you for your generosity in making that offer." He appeared to calculate briefly. "Three months is actually perfect.. with a two week break after that, it will put us at the start of summer vacation. The perfect excuse for broadening travel, to improve Nance's mind," he said, looking very solemn except for the twinkle of humor in his eyes.
"Very well, Naoe-san. For now, what I offer shall constitute payment solely for the initial three-month training period, to be conducted here," Omi said formally, slipping smoothly into 'business mode', "and this agreement shall not guarantee any further training unless we can reach a new agreement." With a slight smile, he pointed out, "At that point, I will know enough to put a true value on said continued training. The payment I'm prepared to offer for Nancy's first set of lessons will be financial recompense, arranging for and covering all costs relating to your living arrangements, and .." here he smiled, a slight, rather sly curve of his lips, "yes, that should do nicely. A copy of a certain piece of code, which I accepted as payment for a job last year."
Leaning back in his chair, smiling in a more neutral fashion, Omi concluded, "As for the living arrangements.. if it suits you, the upstairs consists of three suites, and you are welcome to the guest quarters. You would have a bedroom, study, and private bath, as well as access to the proper Japanese bath I had put in on this level. If you prefer your privacy, I will rent any apartment or small house you deem suitable for your needs."
"Living arrangements..." Nagi looked down, tapping a finger against the tabletop as he thought. Living with Tsukiyono...it would be uncomfortable, most likely. The girl seemed polite enough, but two people with assassin instincts under one roof, unused to working around each other, made for tense living conditions. He would also have to compromise a good bit of his privacy as a live-in instructor--something he hadn't had to do since Schwarz.
Getting his own apartment might be the better option, though the prospect of living in a bland, prefurnished room was not overly thrilling. Still, he'd lived in far worse. However...the possibility of being observed was still there, especially if he ended up making multiple trips back and forth. The last thing he wanted was to set himself up in any kind of predictable pattern. As it stood, no one knew he was in America, but that could always change.
He decided to let that one stew for a while. "Let's put that aside for a moment. What is this 'piece of code' that you think is worth three months of my time?" Nagi said, giving the other man a skeptical look.
Slowly, very slowly, Omi's lips curved in a smile. One foot swung down, to brace against the chair, and he leaned forward slightly. "You have, of course, heard of the Ghost, Naoe-san?"
"I assume you mean the Ghost? Of course."
Eyes sparkling, Omi had the look of a man who finally, finally, gets to gossip about a closely held and very delicious secret. "I have a piece of his code. Ice-breaker. Not complete, but with functional aspects."
The skeptical look never wavered. "Oh really? And how did you manage to pull *that* off?"
Omi laughed, leaning back a little. "It was payment for a job I did, one as difficult as I'm hiring you for. And no. Details of the job and my contact are not on the table, nor will they be. My clients know that their privacy is assured." His tone is flat; this is not subject to negotiation.
"I wasn't planning on asking," Nagi said frostily. "However, no one's managed to tag the Ghost before, so I don't think I'm out of line for asking for proof of this 'wonderful' piece of code of yours."
The smug smile returned; Omi leans back in his chair, looking completely relaxed, and steeples his hands under his chin. "You are, of course, familiar with the multi-tiered security system used by the Swiss banks. I assume you have gone through the traditional hacker rite de passage," this was given the proper, French, pronunciation, "and attempted to gain access?"
"I've fooled around with it in my spare time." And I'll be damned if I tell *you* how far I've gotten...
"I am certain you've cracked the first level, Naoe-san." Omi gave Nagi a considering look. "From what I've heard, I would believe you've cracked the second." His eyes were almost glowing. "I took one of the core algorithms, from this 'wonderful piece of code of mine'. Replaced my own algorithm with it." Very quietly. "I broke the third level...and I'm almost through the fourth, I think."
He's....telling the truth. Which changed everything.
After a few seconds of respectful silence, Nagi gave him a slow nod. "You're right. Such a thing would be worth three months of training. Especially if you're willing to hand it over in its entirety?"
Omi laughed. "You will understand, of course, that the work I have done, to utilize it, would be a separate negotiation...and since I know you understand the joy involved in the process, I doubt very much we'll be having that particular conversation. But yes, Naoe-san. You will receive a complete copy of the original file. In fact, if you would prefer, I will give you the original CD I was paid with."
"All right, then. We have a deal." This job had suddenly turned a great deal more interesting...and in light of that fact, Nagi found himself predisposed to be accommodating. "Three months training in the fundamentals of telekinesis. And if you are sure you can afford to spare the space--" and the inconvenience "--I will stay here in order to expedite matters." He cocked his head, watching for Tsukiyono's reaction.
Omi's broad smile appeared to be completely genuine. "You are quite welcome here, Naoe-san. Simple furnishings are present; anything not to your liking shall be replaced or expanded on. Naturally, I shall also cover the costs of shipping anything you will find necessary to bring with you from your home, to have on hand during your stay." He seemed serenely unconcerned by the logistics involved with this last offer; Nagi got the impression he could inform that man that he wished to refurnish the room entirely with his own belongings and have that wish granted.
Nagi inclined his head. "Thank you. That is quite generous." Pushing away his now-empty cup, he leaned back again. "So...how do you propose to break the news to Nancy?" He found himself wondering what tack Tsukiyono was planning to take. Well, at least he wasn't the 'evil telekinetic' anymore...
Omi blinked slowly, reaching out to pick up his cup of now-cool tea, then nodded at Nagi's acceptance of the deal as it stood. No money mentioned? Interesting. Wistfully, he wished that he and the other man had a relationship that encompassed friendly hacking challenges. I would love to see what he does with the Ghost's code...ah well. That is neither here nor there, at the moment.
"I'm not altogether certain, any longer," Omi admitted, sounding slightly rueful. "I know how to get her to accept the concept of training-in-general...but my unfortunate actions at the zoo may have considerably complicated her reaction to training from you." He sighed, and put his cup down again, not having taken a drink. "I should not have attacked you, and I do apologize. But the thought of Nance being taken and trained as a killer-slave," his eyes closed. "It makes me see red."
He shook his head, slowly. "I wish I had a way to judge ahead of time, how much of the trust you earned with your invitation to play I managed to restore during our talk in the car. But I missed most of your conversation. Would you share your impressions, Naoe-san?"
"As I said, I don't know children well," Nagi replied carefully. He certainly had not expected Tsukiyono to ask *him* for advice on how to handle his own daughter. "She seemed cheerful enough, playing with her pets. And she said she liked playing with the leaves."
"Did she?" That news pleased Omi. "Well then, that gives me a place to start, at least..." Rising, he went through to the kitchen and called down the stairs, "Nance? Finish up what you're doing and come into the den, please. I need to speak with you about something." Retrieving a third cup for the child, he returned and refilled both his and Nagi's cups.
When Nancy sidled in, she looked slightly guilty, and Omi raised an eyebrow at her, waiting in expectant silence. I wonder what on earth she's been up to down there? he wondered, amused.
The little girl fidgeted, and then clasped her hands together behind her back, looking warily from Omi, to Nagi, and back again. Then she blurted out, "I'm sorry, Omi-poppa! I wasn't sure, but I thought it was okay, because Mr. Naoe knew, and you said I could play at the zoo, and here is private, so I used my Talent, and I didn't think you'd be mad, but I wasn't sure and I should have asked but I did make sure it was really him at the zoo first and I'm sorry!" Finally stopping to suck in a breath, she looked warily at her father.
Omi was trying hard not to laugh. Oh, dear! But she used her Talent, that's wonderful! "So you made sure, did you? How did you do that, young lady?" he asked her mildly.
Miserably, Nancy said, "I asked Mr. Naoe if it was him, with the leaves...and he asked me if I meant the zoo, and said that it had been." She peeked up, to see how much trouble she was in, and her jaw sagged open a bit. "You didn't know?"
Grinning a little, Omi shook his head. "Nope! It sounds like you did fine, Nance. Although you should have asked if it was Naoe-san at the zoo, and let him supply the data point about the leaves," he instructed her gently. "We were only at one place today, so the other would be too easy to guess."
Nancy stared for a second, and then stamped her foot and said something very rude in Osaka dialect, which made Omi laugh, and reach out to ruffle her hair.
Starting early, I see. Watching Tsukiyono lecture a nine-year-old on the proper way of interrogating someone for information was amusing, to say the least--and reassuring as well. It looked like he wasn't so overprotective of 'his little girl' that he was refusing to teach her the things she might very well need when on the run.
"Have a seat, Nance...and use your manners," he chided softly. Waiting until she had pulled up a chair and joined them, Omi handed her the teacup, and said calmly, "Later you are welcome to give Naoe-san that tour after all, Nance. We've finished our negotiations, and he will be staying here for three months."
Eyes widening a little, Nancy darted a quick, surprised look at Nagi before focusing again on her father. "Yes, Omi-poppa?" It was obvious she wanted to ask why...but 'manners' also meant no questions.
Omi watched the little girl carefully while he delivered the news as a flat directive. "Yes. You know that he's a telekinetic, like yourself, and he's agreed to train you properly, the way I'm not able to."
Sitting bolt upright in her chair, the little girl threw 'manners' straight out the window, hands flying through the air as she argued back. "What?? NO! I don't WANT 'training'! I don't want to have to do this anymore! Why can't I just stay the way I am now? I don't wanna do anything else scary!" she wailed.
Her teacup remained in the air in front of her, where she had been holding it. Wobbling a fair deal, the liquid in it was not quite spilling...
Nagi 'reached', wrapping his grip firmly around hers and steadying the cup. Not trying to take it away, just supporting--letting Nance 'feel' the steady pressure of his mind for the first time. The tea settled, rippling slightly, and he watched the girl silently, waiting for a reaction. It was Tsukiyono's job to convince--or tell--his daughter about this. He would not interfere unless it was obvious Nancy was getting so emotional as to be dangerous.
Just as Omi was about to order Nancy to calm herself, the little girl shrank back slightly into her chair, wide eyes focusing on the 'floating' teacup...which had stopped threatening to spill over onto the carpet. Interesting, he thought, not looking over at the other telekinetic in the room. "Training is not optional," he said firmly. "You will spend the next three months beginning to learn properly how to control your Talent, and you will obey Naoe-san as you would me, while he is your sensei."
"Your Talent is a gift, Nancy. You used to believe that, and enjoy stretching your abilities," he said quietly, moving to kneel next to her chair, and make his daughter look at him. "I want you to get that back, chibi. Naoe-san can help. I know you're afraid now." He reached out and brushed a few loose strands of hair off her face. "You've realized two things...that I'm not really qualified to be your 'spotter' in this, and that your gift is also a weapon. It's all right to be scared, but you know that you can't ostrich about it." Still quiet, but sounding stern, Omi reminded her of the rule. "What is the rule with weapons, Nancy?"
The little girl looked down at her knees and whispered, "Weapons are not toys. Any weapon you pick up is a serious thing, and it is your responsibility to know how to use it properly, so that you don't hurt anyone accidentally."
Nagi watched the little scene intently. Maybe I won't have quite as much groundwork to do as I thought. Tsukiyono had taught her proper respect, at least--he'd been more than half afraid that he was going to have to pound some manners into a rebellious American brat.
"We're more than weapons, Nancy," he put in quietly. "Aren't you tired of being afraid?"
Nancy hunched over, then looked up, her eyes miserable. "I don't want to be afraid. I don't like it. But I don't want to be a weapon at all!" she wailed. "I don't want to hurt people!"
Nodding at Nagi, hoping to encourage him to continue talking to Nancy, Omi put an arm around the unhappy child's shoulders, squeezing gently. "And that's just fine," he said quietly. "You don't have to hurt anyone, Nance. Especially not with your Talent, not if you don't choose to. But that's why you need proper training. Control is what will make you feel safe again, not trying to pretend there is no problem. Don't you want to be able to play again, without worrying what you might accidentally do?"
Nagi decided to answer another way. Carefully pulling the teacup from Nancy's telekinetic grip, he floated it over to his side of the table. This is going to be a little tricky...never letting go of the cup, he reached inside, carefully forming his power to cup the tea inside.
The tea floated out of the cup, an oddly pale wobbling blob--then separated itself into several parts, dividing like frantic amoeba. They darted around themselves briefly, then settled into perfect spheres, and began orbiting around the cup like little planets around the sun.
Without moving, eyes still focused on Nancy, Nagi said calmly, "What about all the things you *could* do besides hurt people? Do you want to give that up too?" His face was neutral, with no evidence of strain or concern.
While he knew that this was a parlor trick for Nagi, Omi was still impressed. He'd been dealing only with a child, a half-trained child at best, that it was easy to forget what was truly possible. I should have asked him sooner, he admitted to himself. He'd thought about it, more than once, but dismissed the idea as impossible. But now he could see that he hadn't done Nancy nearly as much good as he'd hoped to manage.
Meanwhile, Nancy had sat up straight, mouth and eyes forming near-perfect circles. "You.. that's wet! I can't move wet stuff, it sloshes! How do you do that?" The little girl forgot about being afraid, and even all the distressing talk about weapons, and 'reached' out, trying to touch one of the moving balls of tea.
Nagi obligingly moved one out of its little orbit, holding it still for Nancy to examine. He could feel her fumbling exploration, the pressure against the little shell of telekinetic pressure he was holding to keep the liquid in place. The tea-asteroid indented a bit under the pressure, and sloshed--but didn't lose its shape.
"It takes a lot of practice--like balancing an egg on its end." He gave her a steady look. "But I could show you how to do it, once you're ready...if you want me to."
Nancy drew back a little, and looked up at Omi uncertainly. He smiled, and hugged her tighter, but didn't say anything. Training was not optional...but it would be easier for Nagi if his girl agreed on her own. Although heaven help him when she starts being dedicated... Carefully, he hid his laughter from them both.
"I...I could do that? Really?" She seemed almost more afraid than excited. "But...when I tried to move the air, I hurt myself...what if I hurt you?"
Omi reached out a finger and turned the little girl's chin, making her look at him. "That's why I wanted Naoe-san to be your sensei, Nance. I guarantee that you can't do anything he can't handle."
This surprised Nancy almost as much as seeing floating tea had. "But, but, you always tell me not to guarantee things, Omi-poppa!"
"Because you can't control everything, that's right," Omi nodded. "I still guarantee this, Nancy." He looked over at Nagi. "I'm not wrong, am I, Naoe-san." It wasn't a question; especially after Nagi's little reminder, he was confident about that.
"No. You're not." Nagi gave them both a level look. Reminding them. "It would be a very, very long time--if ever--before you could hurt me, Nancy." He left the implications of that unspoken. A nine year old girl had no need to know exactly how easy it was Nagi found it to kill with a thought.
Omi grinned, and mouthed at Nagi over Nancy's head, "Please do try to control her without the stone walls option?"
Nancy swallowed hard and shrank into her father slightly, looking nervous. She knew that look. That was the look Sashiko-sensei got when they were about to learn a new throw...by being bounced all around the room. "Yes, Naoe-sensei," she said meekly, then blinked, startled. But... "I, I do want to learn. I want to know I'm not going to hurt anybody," she said hesitantly, "And I want to know how to do that!" she said, pointing at the whirling tea-blobs. She definitely wanted to learn that!
The last of Omi's tension drained from him when Nancy called Nagi 'sensei'. Good. Good. I knew I could count on my little girl,, he thought, proud of the way she was facing her fear. He hugged her again, and whispered just that into her ear, before taking his seat again, and drinking from his cup of (once-again) cold tea.
Nagi inclined his head, accepting her words. "Good. That's the best place to start." At least he hoped so. Having never been given the option of learning or not learning himself, he could only pretend to know how to approach a budding telekinetic who thought she did.
Reforming the tea back into a single blob, Nagi slid it back into the cup, careful not to spill any. A tiny smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he gave the cup back to Nancy--with his hands this time. "Here. I'm afraid it's cold, though." He could have warmed it again, if he'd been willing to waste the power or the concentration. But he found that he wanted to be selfish, and keep a few of his secrets for a little while longer...if only to surprise Tsukiyono later on.
"That's all right, Naoe-sensei," Nancy said politely, taking the cup and holding it. "I don't like it anyway, hot or cold. Omi-poppa just keeps trying. He says I'm not civilized if I don't drink tea," and she shot her father a cheeky grin.
"I'm stuck with an American barbarian-child," Omi agreed placidly, not seeming to notice that the tea he was sipping was, in fact, stone-cold. "But I continue my attempts to civilize the monkey, because she shows occasional flashes of human potential," he said gravely to Nagi, ignoring the way a throw pillow on the couch behind him was starting to rise wobbily into the air.
"Very admirable of you," Nagi agreed, poker-faced. "Perhaps if you listed all the healthful benefits of tea?" He kept one eye on the pillow, wondering idly just how much force Nancy would put behind it when it hit.
Omi started to answer, but was distracted as Nancy began a sing-song recitation of said benefits. As soon as her father's head turned back towards her, she launched the pillow at him.
Unfortunately, when he ducked, that left it on a direct path for Nagi...and Nancy looked so horrified, it apparently didn't occur to her that she could stop the throw, as well as start it...
Stopping the pillow a bare inch from his face, Nagi floated it gently off to one side. He'd been wondering when Nancy would correct for her error--and now he saw that she apparently *couldn't*. The pillow incident, while amusing, was also a good indicator of how far they had to go.
"Control will be our first lesson, I think," he said calmly.
Eyes very wide, back pressed hard into the chair back, Nancy looked the very picture of contrition, and sounded very meek when she responded, "Yes, Naoe-sensei."
Omi looked from one to the other, ended with a steady look directed at his daughter. "Why didn't you stop the pillow when I ducked, Nance?" he asked, sounding quizzical.
"Um. I forgot?" The little girl looked, and sounded, very sheepish.
This got two raised eyebrows, and a hint of disapproval. "Perhaps you should avoid moving harder objects until you stop 'forgetting', then," he said mildly. Turning to Nagi, he tilted his head slightly. "When do you wish her first lesson to be, Naoe-san? She has several after school lessons throughout the week that we can discuss rearranging to suit you, but weekends are kept free."
"I realize you're eager to start, but I will need a couple days to get settled." And to make sure no one has noticed my movements thus far. "After that--a lesson two or three times a week would be the bare minimum, I'd say. When you want them, I will leave up to both of you." Nagi gave Tsukiyono a direct look. "I will also need to speak to you about the other training methods we discussed earlier."
"Of course, Naoe-san. We can discuss the details either tonight or over the weekend, at your convenience? In the meanwhile, would you care to stay for dinner this evening? I'm not certain what plans you had made for your stay in the city, and I would hate to begin inconveniencing you immediately," Omi said a bit dryly, watching his daughter out of the corner of his eye, "but you are more than welcome. I'm sure Nance would be pleased to give you a tour of our home while I cook."
The little girl in question didn't look exactly pleased. She looked, in fact, distinctly nervous. 'Other training methods?' Oh, great, he's gonna be another Sashiko-sensei! Why does Omi-poppa always find me the sneaky senseis? Nancy gulped, and smiled weakly. "Of course I would, Omi-poppa," she said bravely.
"Are you sure your larder is up to it?" Nagi asked, slightly amused. With a telekinetic child in the house, no doubt Tsukiyono knew just how big a dinner he'd need for one--but two? "If it is, then I will accept your invitation."
Omi grinned broadly, and looked rather pleased. "I think the larder can stretch for tonight, although I believe two shopping trips a week are shortly going to be called for," he said cheerfully, eyes holding the laughter he was restraining. Standing, he paused on his way out to rest a hand on Nancy's shoulder, shaking her gently. "Give Naoe-san the full tour, Nance, and then set the table, please?"
The little girl tilted her head to the side and rested her cheek on Omi's hand. "Yes, Omi-poppa," she said obediently enough, although she sounded a little discouraged. Kneeling down by her chair again, Omi pulled her into a tight hug. "It will be all right, Nance," he assured her quietly. "I know it's scary and annoying right now, but it will be like Aikido. Once you start learning, the learning will be fun, and using your Talent will be more fun than ever."
Nancy wrapped her arms around her father and squeezed tight, holding on for a minute, and then pulled away and bounced up, smiling a little uncertainly at Nagi. "Where would you like to start, Naoe-sensei? Downstairs, upstairs, or outside?"
Still a bit disconcerted by being called 'sensei', Nagi said absently, "Why don't we start at the top and work our way down?" How the hell did I get myself into this again? he thought as he stood up from the table and eyed the bouncing chibi. The tour probably wasn't necessary, but it might give him a better chance to understand what he was going to run into with this impromptu student of his.
Nancy hesitantly offered Nagi a small bow. "The stairs are back here, then, at the end of the hallway." She led the way to the entryway, where Omi stuck his head briefly out of the kitchen. "Ah, I forgot to ask...are there any foods you cannot or prefer not to eat, Naoe-san?"