789/Shadows in the Night

Shadows in the Night
Date of Scene:	27 March 2020
Location:	The garment district in Gotham
Synopsis:	Chizue is in ninja pants, and meets another in similar. But less chatty.
Cast of Characters:	Chizue Nakamura, Cassandra Cain

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Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    The rain had been off and on for hours, but finally it was starting to really get going. An evening spent chasing down the remnants of an old enemy's plans to invade Gotham had been, well tiring quite frankly. What nobody thinks about is all the running around on roof tops between combat you end up doing. It's frankly a little obnoxious.

    Whilst rain obviously isn't enough to stop a -True- Ninja from doing whatever the hell she wants, incidentally what Owari wants to do is just get out of the god damned rain for once. So she finds a roof to suit her needs, and produces a featherlight tarp from beneath her cloak. A few moment's spent rigging, and presto! She's constructed a roof between four towering AC units, Here she finally reaches down to pluck her swords from her belt, before fwumping down with a sigh.

    Her cloak finally powers down to reveal, well the Ninja Owari of course. A mask is selected and with an audible little -click- of the magnets she drops the polygonal Shibe mask over her faceplate. "Ehhh, Shikata ga nai." Even Ninjas have off nights it seems.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Thumbs in her belt, a passing nobody stops to buy a pretzel; one of the obiquitous vendors is happy to get rid of it, wanting to get out of the rain. It lets him finally pack up his stall, and sends the female customer on her way.

There's nothing to connect these two, the ninja on the roof or the passerby in the street. Not until the woman's face turns upward, looking in Owari's direction. What made her turn is uncertain, but her face is clear and visible.

And then she dashes into an alley, vanishing. A short time later, if Owari didn't move, there would be a second shadow on the rooftop. Not a sound, no motion. But something is different.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    That mask sweeps left and right slowly, before fading into deep black. She snags her swords as she slips out from beneath that tarp, staying flawlessly still as her cloak gets back to work. Slowly she fades into all but invisibility. She holds station there, letting the mask's augmented reality pour in the sensor info. Then with a flick of the wrist, she sends a tiny little device skyward.

    It's about the size of a pill, and rubber coated as it is the device lands all but silently. It's a tiny speaker, usually utilized for distractions but now?

    "Look if you're working for Lady Centipede, I already kicked her ass back to Japan. If you're anyone else, I'm not one of the bats nor did I come here to start shit with them. So lets just be cool customers I've had enough rooftop battles in the rain this month you feel me?"

Cassandra Cain has posed:
A motion passes the area, something moves. No attack, just a response of sorts. The response, if you can call it one, is interesting. It comes in the form of a pretzel, which appears under Chizue's tarp. Warm, purchased from the vendor below. It smells edible...

And a silhouette of a smallish figure casts a shadow on the roof. Above, having placed itself where it could be noticed. If you know how to look. But that is clearly not an attack. It could be poison.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "Well we're something new, somebody in America has a little bit've talent it seems."Owari rolls up to her full height, Plucking that mask from her face as the cloak is flipped back off. Under that mask is a sleek visorless armored faceplate, decorated by three diamonds in a circle. "I am Owari, disciple of the third school."That voice is incidentally coming from our favorite Ninja now. That visorless gaze sweeping towards Cassandra.

    "I'm a friend of a Robin, if that helps. If this is going to be some sort of show down I'd rather we just get to it, otherwise I've got lunch to share in return for your offered generosity."Swords held low at her side. She's a hard read, and it's not just all that black she's wearing when her claok isnt doing the camouflage thing either. Theres the sort've economy of motion that comes with a lifetime of training, and a certain level of precision in her movements which clearly doesn't read as entirely human. "I've got treats, unless we need to have a sword fight."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The face staring down wears no mask. Female, possibly Chinese. Not speaking, she is letting Chizue fill the gaps. She is wearing a hood, but hasn't pulled it to hide her face. Crouched down she makes a small target for ranged weapons, her body saying as little as her words.

Until she speaks of Robin. That makes the silent one tilt her head to one side, as if reacting but uncertain what to make of the statement. Nothing happens through the rest of her diatribe, until the end. And the silent one flows down the side of the crate it was on, standing. And shows empty hands, without blades in them.

Her face is simple watching, it has little in the way of emotion in it. A trained ninja would know the face. Give away nothing, keep it inside. But her motions, they're a masterwork. She has no wasted motion, this goes beyond simple economy. And the sounds she makes, they're clearly by choice.

As she walks a step closer, still not a word.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Not all Ninja speak, some of the more religious traditions take life long vows of silence. So she reads it for what it is, and offers a soft nod. Nodding towards the tarped area, before slipping inside and flopping down oncemore. She's careful to make noise with every step, to make her own intentions quite clear. Her swords are plucked free and set aside, and before her cloak is flipped over one shoulder to get it out've the way.

    Leggings and what look like sneakers are split toed and entirely too soft souled. Theres some sort of featherweight jacket covered in an almost shaggy black pile, for stealth of course. Some sort of rubbery chest rig to carry a plethora of pouches, and then theres that hip lenght cloak made from some sort of black rubber. Theres also the bulge across her shoulders of an SMG hidden under there, some sort of computer rig running to her left wrist, and of course that helmet. A professional Kunoichi, equipped by one of the big formal houses no less.

    She leans foreward, producing a pair of neat black bento boxes made resin and kevlar. Then comes that nalgene, which smells of green tea and something spicey. Quietly she pops the top of those Bento to expose, well theres plenty of goodies in there. Lots of Eeel, and little rice rolls prepared to look like adorable panda bears. The other is stacked with multicolored Daifuku. Quite the feast for one woman, considering Owari is such a tiny little thing.

    "May we partake as strangers, and depart as friends. Please, eat all that you desire and know my sincerity through my hospitality."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Interestingly, the newcomer doesn't even pause. She sits cross-legged and holds out her hands for one of the boxes, showing less manners than a Ninja would even with someone that they hated. Oddly, she doesn't seem to be doing it to insult, since she immediately hesitates visibly. Then pulls her hands back and adjusts to a kneeling stance. And then she's patient, as if she realized she was doing something amiss.

The message is clear, if performed in a roundabout manner. She's willing to sit and eat. But the way she did it is so abnormal, as if she were being told what to do by someone. Someone else.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Chopsticks are produced, and a lid is used to load up a "plate" before it's offered over, with a little bow. "You've got very sharp eyes."She offers, softly. "You're no Kunoichi, clearly. I do not expect you to know my manners, I take no offense." She pauses a moment to load up her own plate, which includes that offered chunk of pretzel of course.

    Then she cracks that armored faceplate, hinging it upwards just enough to eat. "This is the best Eel I've had in America so far, I'm honored to share it with a practicioner from a foreign school." And well hows the food? The rice is sticky and rich in texture, whilst the eel is deliciously semi sweet with a lovely ginger snap to the after taste. The product of a master chef, clearly. "Hmmmf."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Eel is eaten without a hint of America's gag response to such a thing; the young lady sitting opposite Chizue has no issue with it. Or chopsticks, she engulfs food as if it were preparing to vanish before her and she wanted to get it bef...she thinks she has to eat fast?

After three bites eaten too quickly, she slows her pace and pauses, then motions to the food with the chopsticks. A slight crack in her armor, her face suggests appreciation with a hint of a smile. Also with the obvious willingness to eat what is offered.

She motions to the city, or it seems so, and then rolls her eyes. Then to the food as she picks up a bit of sticky rice with the practice of one who grew up with chopsticks. And then, then she eats again. It seems she's talking, but no words are to be forthcoming.

Well, it's rude to talk with your mouth full anyway.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Nods softly "Theres a few good places in New York, but Americans have no idea what to do with anything that can't be cooked on a grill."And a pause as she considers "Or Pie, Americans do Pie pretty well. I thought I was going to -die- the first time I had real Apple Pie in America, It was absolutely amazing."

    Owari eats far slower, she's used to having to stretch her meals out for days. All the same she doesn't give Cassandra's speed a second glance, if anything she's just happy Cassandra likes it really. "You're the first one I've met in America who operates on my level. Hows the big Bat, better or worse?"She glances up, seemingly looking through that armored face shield after Cassandra. "Robin had some moves, solid sense of timing. She seemed too afraid she was going to really -hurt- somebody, if you know what I mean. Makes everything so much more difficult if you're trying to fight with gentle hands."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The guest's eating slow as Owari talks, her eyes clearly watching her motions. She has yet to show that she even speaks English, which may or may not be the case. Asking about Batman and Robin gets no reaction at all, in fact. She chews her food, avoiding the squid if there is any.

Then, without taking all that she could but having eaten and enjoyed, she places her chopsticks down. Then Cassandra sits and watches Owari talk, her eyes almost mesmerizing in how complete is her focus. Ninja speak of the art of hypnotism, but it was never something used through a meal. She has yet to lose her positioning, she is still balanced.

And then, she snaps her fingers softly. Then holds her right hand out upside-down to a handshake, right palm to the right. An awkward position, but one used to do a very few pressure point kill-strikes. When it's aimed at the section of body she's pointing it at...on Owari.

But she doesn't seem to be threatening. Merely a demonstration, as any teacher would do. There's something she wants to convey.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Theres a slowing, as she watches. Then well, she lets that motion hang out in the open for a moment as she considers before finally setting her own plate aside. "Alright."She returns finally. Slowly she cracks open her own guard, intentionally making herself vulnerable for the purposes of demonstration. It's a slow dismantling, before offering a gloved hand foreward so as to allow Cassandra to essentially fix her positioning however she needs to convey whatever she's trying to say.

    "The armor may make it somewhat difficult, as It's designed primarily to foil enemy Ninja. People like us, in other words."Yet she doesn't seem terribly worried. Indeed her heart beat is still, well goodness knows how low but the calm is impressive truly.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
There's a smile then. A smile, real and honest, and clearly a reaction to something that Owari has just done. The newcomer removes her hand, waving away the words that are being used. They apparently are not important. Or the armor is not, or...it's difficult to tell sometimes.

But she stays kneeling, then simply makes the motion again. The kill strike, aimed at the liver. Then she shifts the hand upward, curling into a fist. Lung, also a kill at that angle, it would shatter the floating rib. Her other hand sits in her lap, a message that she's not aggressing.

And she goes through them. The trachea, the center of the bicep, which would make an opponent unable to defend that side. She perfectly identifies ten kill or cripple shots in as many seconds...then holds up a finger. Wait.

Then she does the same moves, but in slightly different angles. The same effort, but vastly different results. A lung shot that simply takes away the air. The cheekbone instead of the nose, a knockout point. Half an inch from the heart, a truly, awfully difficult move. If she can do that, she's scarier than this 'Robin'. Because that one is meant to slow the heart, not stop it, and is technically impossible in a fight.

She's either bragging, or she's saying...something more. I can do this instead. So could you.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Her eyes may be shaded, but it's clear she's watching with a certain sort of intensity you can't get from lay people. She follows the blows, turning herself into "blows" She can intuit are coming as a sign of simple recognition. "Ah, this is the Chinese method. I have seen this once before, the technique is different than ours."And then slowly, she gives her free hand a shake to form her index finger into a deadly weapon. Expertly braced between thumb and middle finger, she repeats the sequence slowly. The attacks are essentially the same targets, but delivered at more oblique angles. "I do not commonly use my empty hands, my tradition stresses the use of tools."And with a snap of the fingers and a little sleight of the hand?

    She's worked one of those slender needle like shuriken into her hand, it's tip braced under the pad of her index finger. A roll of her wrist, exposes four more. "I am alone in America, I cannot risk an injury. So I stress disenguagement, and generally try not to get in so tight. It does not matter how good you are, sometimes you are just unlucky."

    And then with a soft smile, gives her wrist another little snap and those needles are gone. Quick hands, and downright superhuman dexterity? Check. "I could show you a trick if you want, though you'd need brass knuckles or a gauntlet to keep your hands intact. I knocked out the Beast of Ryukyu with it however, actually let us play a game hm? There is video footage, You tell me if you can figure out how I did it?"

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The appearances of weapons come across with so little reaction that either the silent girl knew they were there, or she's a robot at hiding her reactions. Either seems possible at this point given the way she's been acting thus far.

However, there is a moment when she moves. The instant that Owari says 'I stress disengagement' she tilts her head, as if the point is important. But again, no words. None should be expected by this point. The offer to 'show her a trick' is stared at. Not a yes, not a no. She's listening, that much is crystal clear. If those eyes miss anything, well, let's just say they probably do NOT.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Theres a moment spent fiddling with that little computing rig mounted to her forearm, before she's able to get it sorted. She snaps her faceplate back down into position, and pulls that hood back. The flat armored faceplate bursts into faint white light, before a frame from a TV broadcast forms across it's skin. Using her own armor like a TV screen. Incidentally the resolution is quite high.

    Two girls, one dressed like a stereotypical Western Witch and backed by a domestic black cat the size of an Ox. The other dressed like a maid, only she's got a brilliant golden scarf pulled up around her face and a pair of sparring gloves and shin protectors on. The video rolls, and well they're fighting suited tough guys. The girl in the maid costume moves like a knife, and never once seems to totally go in until she's got somebody dazed. Her foot work exceptional, her striking game absolutely world class. Then comes the big bad, eight foot of muscled suit wearing tough guys spills out into the street. Theres a moment spent between the girls, before the one in Yellow takes off in a dead sprint. "Here it comes" offers Chizue helpfully.

    The pavement buckles, hurling the girl in Yellow skyward. Her right fist comes back as she tucks her knees in tight to the left. Then it comes, her left glove sweeps out to the side, and the girl in Yellow stops mid air. She snap pivots to the left as that fist comes foreward, landing on the brute's chin and sending him down in a single swing. Her left glove stays out for the side for a moment longer, before she shakes it out. There, the video ends.

    "I was only twelve or thirteen at the time I think, not bad right?"

Cassandra Cain has posed:
During the video the silent watcher's face settles into her normal expression, which is to say none at all. She seems to lean away slightly, which has the effect of putting her barely out of the range of Owari's arms with the needles in hand. Likely done by choice, as she adjusts her focus slightly to watch the screen, not as much on the person. Even now, defense is foremost it seems.

Clearly she doesn't answer. The eyes flickering about took in the moves. The body attached to them seems relaxed. A slight flicker of her eyes to the left suggest that she's thinking the moves intensely in her mind. Then a wry smile quirks the corner of her cheek only. No more than that.

But she does stand then, rising to her feet. It's a simple move, and for once she doesn't make it look like art. If anything it's a compliment, as they both know that she could do so. She just stands, as if it's a human thing. Then she pauses and touches her right hand's fingers to her brow.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "You'd be the first one who wasn't a Ninja to figure it out."Chizue follows, giving that helmet a snap. Popping the faceplate back open and sliding it to the sort've resting position it was previously. "I didn't realize it at the time, but I broke the -hell- out of my right hand there. I was down for a week, my instructors were furious I'd attack in such a way that I'd injure myself."Her own body reads as, well casual now. Just as Chizue knows how athletic Cassandra can be, well yeah Chizue's not even putting on an act anymore.

    "It took me a few years to get the move worked out so it wouldn't break me, but I can do that move without injury now. Dirty tricks and armor are inolved of course, but such is the ninja way."

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The words go past her, she smiles and lowers her hand. Seeing that the touch to her brow hasn't been taken, she nods. Then pauses to bow just slightly, a show of respect. Then she steps backward into the rain.

The falling water patters off of her, the light shifting differently when not protected by the sheet. And she takes one more step off of the edge of the roof, falling away without more warning.

She vanishes with a hint of a sound, something that would sound oddly familiar to the Ninja seated under the tarp. There was nowhere beneath to fall onto, but it was her left side the sound came from. And left behind was a subtle thing, hard to see. Unless you knew the trick, or had just shown in on a screen to someone.

A shuriken, on a razor-thin line. Which she'd used to swing away, and left it behind. A message, from one very sharp-eyed person to another.

And then one is gone.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    She watches Cassandra go, and nods sagely. A friend indeed, who can read the secret language of Ninja. Not everyday somebody can read your dirty tricks, right?

    She breaks camp, taking care to smooth over the gravel on the roof. Cranking that cloak back up and letting it shimmer in the light rain. Slowly she peers about, before thrusting those swords back through her belt. Theres a moment more spent, before she's off. One more shadow in the dark, slipping across dim rooftops towards whatever Ninja hijinks she's up to.