2158/Doumoarigatou Mr. Toshiro

Doumoarigatou Mr. Toshiro
Date of Scene:	19 June 2020
Location:	Fukuoka - Japan
Synopsis:	Bobbi taps an asset to narrow down the search for Whitehalls operation. Then she taps that asset.
Cast of Characters:	Bobbi Morse, Daisy Johnson

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Bobbi Morse has posed:
Even when you're a tall white foreigner, the very act of dying your hair black and speaking the language affords you a great deal more privacy than you'd otherwise expect in Japan. Bobbi with blonde hair would get stares on the streets. Bobbi with midnight black hair looks like she's trying to fit in. It's the way of the place. This doesn't stop the locals from telling her how good her Japanese is when she simply says "thank you" and "please" to them.

The flight over was uneventful, if cramped. That's what Japanese Airlines is like. Still Bobbi is small enough not to be too sore once she's off the plane. Her SHIELD credentials let her past immigration and security without barely a glance. That's hopefully the last time she'll be flashing them for her stay in Japan until she leaves. They are left in a SHIELD safe house in Narita Airport. She's on her own.. and that's the way she likes it.

It has been a while since she's been on her own like this. No backup, just a cool breeze on the back of her neck when her hair is pinned up. She has missed Japan. The Shinkansen takes her all the way to Fukuoka with much more comfort than the planes. Despite her paranoia, not a single person seems to care she's there. She's picking up her regional accent again - one she picked up by spending time with Toshiro Mori. He'll appreciate not having to speak English the whole time she's here.

A taxi drive through the city and to the fringe suburbs finally brings her to Toshiro's estate. It affords him the privacy a HYDRA agent needs to do his nefarious engineering away from prying eyes. She notes the enhanced security since the last time she was here, lifting her sunglasses and peering in to the nearest camera, giving a small wave. A surprise visit after their last brief encounter at the weapons bazaar in the Caspian Sea. Neither knew if the other had gotten out alive, ..well, Bobbi knew. She put satellites on his escape vector the moment they got free of the mission critical zone.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Toshiro Mori's greatest strength is being smart. But also his greatest weakness. Too smart for his own good sometimes. With Bobbi he has always believed himself to have the upper hand. That he understood what she was all about. A mercenary with a liking for the money. Just like him. It isn't as if he is one of those devoted fanatics of Hydra, even if world dominance does have a nice ring to it. No, he mostly likes the money, and being able to work on what he wants without annoying things such as scruples or following rules.

After the unfortunate island event he had gone back to his estate, his research diverted from what would had been a nice piece of technology in that AIM cannon and now focusing on another weapon developped by Hydra. Copying powers? Why not? Though it didn't mean his focus was so narrow that he didn't keep his people looking for those familiar faces.. And Bobbi's face wasn't an unknown one. At the airport she had been tagged by one of his men but the instructions had been to let it go. He knew she'd come visit sooner or later.

The estate is large and indeed the security seems to have been enhanced, though the gates start to open when there is that wave to the camera. Large security officers step out, holding out a metal scanner to look for hidden weapons.

"Konnichi wa, Morse-san. You will have to excuse my people. They are very zealous about my safety." Toshiro's voice heard on the intercoms.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
With the doors opening and the intercom coming to life, she steps up to it and presses the talk button. "Konnichiwa Toshi-chan," she says immediately working him the way she wants to. That title of a more familiar acquaintance, someone you have feelings for. She knows how he thinks and she's very good at getting people to like her. Her secret has always been to be honest. Bend the truth just a little bit, but be truthful with your feelings, they're too hard to fake.

Last time she was with Toshi she ended up in a big argument with Lance about boundaries on missions that resulting in them 'taking a break' - as he put it. Bobbi still can't quite fathom what the big deal is. They're spies, spies do spy stuff...

"It is nothing, I don't mind." Bobbi picks up her travel bag and wanders in to the place. The truth is, visiting Toshi is a pleasure. Sure he makes death machines for HYDRA and AIM and anyone else who will pay him to forget his morality.. if he even has any of that left. But, he's excellent company and when a spy is working a target that's the best you can hope for.

The path from the gates to his traditional style home - traditional on the outside and above ground anyway - is on a pebbled drive way with neatly arranged rocks and trees in the garden, a small weaving river carefully splined between them all to create that running water sound that is so calming.

At the front door, she takes off her shoes, places down her bag, then holds out her arms for security to check her. Of course she's packing heat - both a pistol with regular bullets, several concealed knives, and her staves. If she were anyone else Toshiro might even be concerned. This is an asset that Bobbi has been carefully crafting for years now.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
It is quite the reminder of what money can buy. A beautiful place on the outskirts of the big city, away from prying eyes. At least that's what Toshiro tells himself because in truth he has more than enough to retire by now. Yet there's always an excuse to continue on with his work. A work he has had to pause for the moment, his underground laboratory locked up and he walking across his house to go and receive Bobbi.

The two security officers finish the scan, eyebrows arching at the staves. One even has a smirk plastered on his face. Whoever uses staves anymore?! But unless stopped they will make sure to relieve Bobbi of those weapons, both the gun and the staves. One of the men speaks to an earpiece in japanese. "She's clean." he informs.

Moments later Toshiro appears, that smile of his on the lips and his arms opening just so. "Bobbi-chan." guess using familiar names is contagious, "It has been a while. I wasn't sure if you would had gotten out of that small mess a few months back."

And while his house may have the traditional look, the paper panels separating divisions painted with small sakura blossoms, wooden floors and even an inner garden the man dresses in a more pragmatic manner, a business suit. Because that's what he imagines Bobbi is doing here. Business.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
A little lie is necessary with Toshiro. He likes to think himself the detective, the one ahead of the curve, the one who has her all figured out. She greets him with a familiar hug. The weapons.. she knows where they'll be kept and she knows how to get at them. His security have no idea what she's capable of and they never will until it's too late. She doubts she'll have to show them though.

The hug is affectionate and genuine. At least, here in the privacy of his home she won't be judged by judgey judge face Lance Hunter. The lie, "I am in town for a few days and thought I'd stop by. I wasn't sure how you faired after that ridiculous cannon catastrophe." That was a bit of a stretch for her Japanese. She pauses and looks at his face for those micro-expressions that tell her if she muddled the language and he's just being polite about it. Nope, all good. "Did anyone seriously expect better from those idiots."

She shares a smirk with him and wanders in to his home. It is a peaceful place and she's lounged here looking out at the ocean for many days in the past. Sometimes he gets tight lipped, other times he's eager to share like an excited school boy who has just discovered he can burn ants with a magnifying glass.

"You look like you're busy with something, have I interrupted?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
The return is just as affectionate. It's not as if he has an heart of ice and while he knows that Bobbi has a bite he can enjoy these moments from time to time. His smile only deepens when she mentions being in town for a few days. "I am glad. Come, can I invite you for tea?" because in fact he had made sure his people had it ready for her visit. And it was becoming a tradition, having a tea when they met.

The mention of the cannon catrastrophe makes him arch an eyebrow. It had been a setback in whatever he was wanting to do, but not the end of the world certainly. That much could be read in his expression. As if he had placed it behind his back by now.

"Your japanese has been improving. Have you been spending time in Japan and not telling me about it?" he asks, also searching for those expressions on Bobbi even as he gestures for her to follow him.

"And I am still curious on what exactly you were doing there on the island. Maybe a story you can share while we have tea." hebegins walking through the house, most of the sliding doors close. But Bobbi knows he has his laboratory underground, even if his study where he keeps most of the information about his dealings is upstairs.

"I am always busy with something. Work never stops. But I do welcome the distraction." There is an eagerness to him though.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
There's a quick nod of encouragement at the mention of tea. It is a good tradition and it usually leads to alcohol later in the evenings. "Thank you. Sometimes you need to let something settle in your brain and when you pick it up again it just works better. That's what Japanese has been like for me. The moment I landed it all came rushing back, even this southern accent."

She joins him at the table and hmms, "Not a terribly long story, but sure. I was hired to escort a rich guy to the bazaar. He wanted to steal some people in tubes. It seems lots of people wanted the people in tubes." She rolls her eyes. "The security he hired to protect him turned out to know someone at the bazaar in an unfriendly manner. So between everybody trying to steal the people in tubes, the cannon exploding and the dodgy security this guy hired.. well, let's just say I got my pay ticket out of there as quickly as possible."

There's another sly little smirk. Easy money to keep a cash cow alive for another weapons bazaar another time. The cover story worked well for her then and continues to work well for her now. "How about you? did you really come for that crazy cannon?" She doesn't want to embarrass him by suggesting he had anything to do with its construction. "I always assume that if AIM is involved, unexpected explosions will soon follow."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Toshiro rolls his eyes at that. "Good help is so hard to find these days." as if he knew well what she was talking about. In fact some of the people Hydra had sent to his lab work as of late were ..., abrasive to say the least. But then again he always hated fanatics. "You do know if you came working with me nothing of that sort would happen. And the people I have been working for certainly have no problems where money is concerned." he lets that hanging for a bit, tossing that small hook to see if she bites.

Tea is brought to the table by one of his employees. This one Bobbi has seen before, an older man who is more of a butler than a security officer. He leaves the tea, departing, leaving them 'alone' again, a couple of security officers still looking on.

"I was curious about the technology. It would had helped some of my research. But apparently we can't have all we want in life.." he letting out a sigh, perhaps a double meaning to that.

A moment later he then leans forth. "Have you ever thought how it might be if you and I could have powers like those people that show up on tv do? What we could do?" clearly this appears related to whatever he is doing right now.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
She chuckles at his joke about the help. Of course, Tanaka-san was excellent help. She smiles to him and says, "It is so good to see you again, thank you for the tea." Her attention returns to Toshiro though. Just a little touch to remind him how familiar she is with this home. "You know I don't seek stability in my life. I like the unexpected. It pays well and delights my soul just the right amount."

"I admit when I saw the thing I was curious too. That blue power cell thing they had. But, I still expect the big booms from them and I was not disappointed. Some people were cut in two though. Terribly bad luck for them." A touch of ruthlessness to her persona, not entirely untrue of who she really is but she knows he likes to hear it.

"You mean like the vigilantes running around wearing masks and capes? Those fools should get a real job." Ah, good, he is in the 'excited I must tell you' mood today. She can play off this easily. "I am imagining a society where you get a license for a superpower, they give it to you, you then go and use it safely for your job. Like in that cartoon.. The Legend of Korra. All those people in the metal works shooting fire from their hands instead of using a blast furnace."

There is a touch of an amuse expression on her face, she wants to sell him the idea that her fantasy is his reality and boy oh boy does he have a wonderful scoop to share. She brings the tea to her lips and takes a small sip. "You are itching to tell me something exciting, aren't you Toshi-chan."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Tanaka bows deeply. Yes, he also remembered Bobbi and she had always been nice to him. So his smile looked genuine. But no words, he was as loyal as it got to Toshiro. Almost like family. Toshiro seems glad with the exchange though, "You won't know if that's what you seek or not until you try it." not as if he knew about Bobbi's relationship to Lance. Maybe a good thing that he didn't. But he lets that go, for him it was just planting the seeds in that game he likes to play with the other spy.

"Mmm, people cut in two." A shrug. He never cared about those that fell. "As long as that bad luck doesn't come for me I am good. No time to think on other people's ill fates. They couldn't cut it so they die." the amoral engineer coming to the fore. No care for human life. Or at least only caring for a few. Himself and a few select others.

Though with the focus going to his current work he smiles again. "No, I mean real powers. Fire, Ice, earthquakes.." his eyes glint as he says that. Clearly he is the type that always wanted to have his own set of powers. "But no, nothing like that .., cartoon. Only those worthy would have them." he states but then waves it off.

"I have been working on something that may let us do just that, Bobbi-chan. And you could be just one of those people that were worthy. Once I am able to stabilize the side effects just imagine what we'd be capable of.."

Bobbi Morse has posed:
Now was the time to let him feel like a genius with all the cards, the one who knows the bigger picture. It was a fun game to play, to stroke his ego, to let him 'win' while she got what she wanted. "You should be careful," she says in a caring tone. In one way she means it - she doesn't want her asset to be lost. Always lie with the truth on your side.

"There's a new player in town. He's been causing big waves apparently. North East coast of the USA." She pauses and lifts an eyebrow. "When there's upheaval it's always best for people like us to be on our guard." There is another small pause. She wants to look like she's being coy, giving up information she considers valuable for the sake of their friendship. "Goes by the name of Dr. Whitehall."

She lets the assumed implications dangle. If he's working on something special then this 'new guy' might try and take it from him. What a good friend Bobbi is! really the best kind of gaijin to sleep with from time to time. Now her trap is set, she just has to wait for him to walk in to it.

There's an art to the seduction. You don't just touch his hand. You half extend it along the table like you were thinking of it, but respected his personal space too much to complete it. The promise, the thought of fingers stroking each others bodies once more. Memories she solidified in this very house that she can play off so easily. There's a part of her that loves this game of manipulation and sometimes she even feels guilty about it. She reminds herself that it is only to be used on the chaos makers of the world.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Whitehall. That name makes Toshiro's expression shift slightly. Sure, he has his poker face, but the time he has been with Bobbi lets her easily see that he has heard the name. Or maybe even more than simply having heard of it. "Your concern is touching." he says after a moment. not losing all those cues, the friendliness, the half extended hand towards him. So tempting. "But I know how to handle myself." confirmation that indeed he may even be working for that man. His own hand extends, fingertips not touching but remaining close to Bobbi's, his eyes down on it.

"Is that why you are here? What do you know about Whitehall?" He then asks. There is a certain guardedness to him. Almost as if the name made him remember the man's face, that creepy look. Sure, he could be amoral and even heartless sometimes but that man just gave him the creeps. Even if the money was extraordinary, and the work they were doing revolutionary.

Though those memories of the past, and what they had seems to win out and he finally reaches out to touch his fingertips to the woman's. "I know you like playing both sides. But you will want to choose being on my side for this, trust me. When this moves forward there won't be any stopping to it. Don't become one of those that were cut in half." he alludes to their previous talk about the island 'catastrophe'.

Bobbi Morse has posed:
She's hardly going to outright admit she plays both sides. That's too much of a fantastic gratification for him. It'd ruin the mood. She smiles though as his fingers touch hers and she looks up to him. She has him, she never really had much of a doubt. But there is certainly a fear in him about this man she hadn't expected to see.

"He's scaring my clientele away. Everyone is getting jumpy and they're stopping operations. I want to know how to avoid him." Yes, she wants to know where he is. A big ask but her motivations are believable. "And I think you want me to avoid him too." Her hand draws back, the classic offer then deny. He doesn't get what he wants until she gets what she wants first. More tea is sipped.

Her eyes drift to the large glass panels looking out over his garden in the back. The pool out back is an infinity pool aligned to the horizon of the cliffs and the sea. "I step aside from the charging bull, unlike you I am not brave enough to stare it in the face. I won't be in its path, I won't be one of those that gets cut in half." Letting the idea linger that he can be her saviour, he can protect her from this fate. She flew all the way to Japan just for his help.. touching, romantic even.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I don't know exactly where he is." And it's true, Toshiro only has sparse contact with the man. And gladly. Though he knows a few things that he is quite willing to share. All to protect Bobbi, of course. Turns out he has more heart than would be expected. "But I recently sent part of my research with someone sent by him to retrieve it. He was trying to play it subtle but he was an amateur spy." a roll of his eyes. "He was bound for upstate new york. That's all I know. So you should avoid it for now." his smile again growing.

"And if you are staying a few days, well.." he gestures towards the infinity pool. "Might as well stay and create new memories, mmm?" such a hero that he is!

Bobbi Morse has posed:
Bobbi relaxes. She sells it as relaxing because she now knows how to stay safe, but she's relaxing because she can go home with a tighter target for the teams. The visible effect is the same though. Always lie with the truth on your side. She smiles to him and glances back out to the pool.

"Toshi-chan, I was hoping you'd suggest that.. while we watch the sun set, let's drink sake and you can tell me about all the superpowers I'll be getting." She winks, bringing a bit of levity back to the day.