The Proximation of Hello and Goodbye

26

The red-haired man smiles widely, leaning forward in his seat. "Oh, that's great."

"It's not that easy," Shinobu answers. He reaches for his coffee and holds it in front of him, his hands cupping around the mug, allowing it to warm his hands. "I'm going to need you to answer a few questions." He brings the coffee to his lips, taking a sip before setting it back down in its original place on his desk. His eyes briefly catch on the, once again, distracting movement of the man's fidgeting legs and hands. "So, it would be in your best interest to answer whatever I ask honestly ."

Enmei nods, looking somewhat dazed. "Yes sir," he replies monotonously.

Shinobu smiles softly and reaches for a stack of papers that have been resting on the corner of his desk up until this moment. He skims through them for a short lapse in time before setting them back down and meeting Enmei's eyes. "So, how to did you come to find out about what we were really doing here?"

The man's eyes remain fixed on the wall behind Shinobu, unmoving and unseeing. Shinobu never gets tired of seeing that look on people. It sends a jolt of electricity through his entire being and makes him shudder with delight. His voice sounds just as it had before when he initially responded to Shinobu's demands, which shows that this should be promising one way or the other. Either the man will reveal himself as the traitor he vaguely suspects him to be, or he'll be clear of suspicion and he might even have someone to replace Haru. Shinobu scoffs at the mere thought of that sniveling little coward. He showed such promise only to disappear and evade him completely. If he ever manages to find him again, it will be the last anyone ever sees or hears from him again. That much is sure. "--and they set me up with the right connections in order to be a part of the organization so that I may be of assistance in any way that is deemed fitting."

"You spoke of an acquaintance. Remind me, who was that again," Shinobu replies. He hates that he missed most of the answer, but at least it wasn't an answer that matters that much in the grand scheme of things.

"She called herself Em."

Shinobu nods. "Em, hm? Seems she's been really good about getting people in on everything. It appears I'll be needing to meet with her as well," he murmurs more to himself. "So, what all have you accomplished since joining us? What have you done that is of any notable credibility if anything? What have you done that you believe would qualify you for this position?"

"I've managed to keep the team at my location motivated and well organized despite interpersonal conflicts amongst the team. I've also pushed rather passive members into being more proactive and forward-thinking with their tasks. After the failed attempt to capture Ms. Miyamoto, I've set surveillance out to keep tabs on her and we now track her every move. In addition to all of this, I've recruited a great number of people to our cause, all with outstanding capabilities that would be a huge asset to your cause and the organization, sir. You've already accepted a vast majority of these people into our ranks, offering them either well-off positions or trusting them with very important tasks. Those you have not accepted are pending further investigation," Enmei drones on. "As for what sets me apart, and excuse me if I step over the line here, but I overheard a conversation about another failed attempt."

"Oh? Is that so? What do you think you heard?" Enmei flinches, a side effect of his quirk's effect starting to wear off. Shinobu takes another sip of his coffee and tilts his head. "Well, I'm listening. Go on, tell me what you know."

Enmei settles back into a still state, leaning further back into his seat. "I believe it was something about one of your priority targets eluding you and your people again, but if I heard the name properly. I think I might be able to help."