853/A letter to the editor...

A letter to the editor...
Date of Scene:	29 March 2020
Location:	Daily Planet
Synopsis:	Chizue and Lois enter into an alliance
Cast of Characters:	Lois Lane, Chizue Nakamura

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Lois Lane has posed:
It's after dark at the Daily Planet. Lois had insisted she needed to stay to finish up a project, and Clark did have somewhere he needed to be, so it worked out in the end. It left Lois alone with the paperwork in the work room, most of the lights in the building off other than the few she needed to get through the rows of cubicles and to the room where she was currently working.

The table is piled with papers, a stack of them in Lois' hand as she sorts them neatly into piles stopping every once in a while to skim the page to be certain it was in its proper place.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    She chose her target with care, plugged herself into the paper's servers just to study the network activity. Establishing patterns, and narrowing down the window for contact. From there the rest was relatively easy, all things considered. She pulled the blueprints, located a weakness in the building's security infrastructure and slipped in. She'd had time to slip into the server room first of course, install a bit of her own hardware mid stream to keep an eye on things. After all it was all for naught if her contact got compromised, right?

    From there it's into the news room, using keys copied from a janitor no less. Just a vague outline amidst the shadows, and silent as death itself. Another glance around the room, before gently planting a gloved hand on Lois's shoulder as she leans in. "Do not turn around Miss Lane, you're in no danger but the security cameras are running. I have something you'll be interested in, but it's dangerous. Does that sound like your sort of story, Miss Lane?"The voice was washed through a filter but, female for certain.

Lois Lane has posed:
While Lois doesn't turn, the hand on her shoulder is enough to startle her a bit. She's unflappable, though, this isn't the first time something like this has happened--so she's prepared enough to handle it. "Alright. Not turning around." She agrees, setting her pile of papers down neatly. She'd found, surprisingly, that most situations like this, when they said 'you're in no danger' were actually fairly correct. It was usually the other person taking the risk.

"You've certainly come to the right person if you're interested in running a dangerous story. I'm good at those. I consider them my bread and butter these days." Especially with no real Superman stories out there to be had.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "Hikari Ito was chairman of the Great Pine investment firm, New York Post reported that he died in a traffic accident three days ago."And finally that hand lifts away, and for a moment silence before. "Camera feed is looping, you can turn now if you care to. Now how much would you like to see his autopsy photos, and his rap sheet from back when he was still using his real name."Not that she waits for Lois to answer, she sets a thick manilla folder to the side, before easing back.

    "Not many cars inflict sword wounds, nevermind the wad of cash they found in his mouth. I haven't pulled the coroner's file yet, but I can source it for you if you like. I figured it was secondary, but you're the first American Journalist I've worked with."Arms folding across her chest as she leans back against a nearby desk. "I intend to offer you the same deal I had with your Japanese peers, and they all seemed quite satisfied with the arrangement."

Lois Lane has posed:
With the camera looping, Lois turns to face the figure, then to the manilla folder. She doesnt pick it up right away, but she nods slowly as she listens to the story. She slides the envelope over to pick it up, leaning just slightly on the table. "So I'm guessing you'd like to be a confidential informant?"

Given the way she refered to 'American' and 'Japanese', it seemed more likely to Lois that she was foreign. "Those are people who tend to give us information with the understanding that no one knows who and where we got the information from. Tends to be those who feel justice isn't being served, but that either they're in danger from doing it themselves or they're doing it from within an organization." She taps the envelope with her fingertips. "Sounds to me like whatever you had with the Japanese journalists would be beneficial here."

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    Split toed sneakers, leggings and some sort of waist length cloak with a hood. All if it, seemingly somewhat transparent. The edges are there, but it's hard to derive a lot of detail. The one thing that is easy to make out is the mask, a big cat rendered in decidedly polygonal glory and backlit in a deep all but navy blue. "I am the Ninja called Owari, and my clan have been friends to journalists in Japan since journalists came into being. I am not offering to be your confidential informant, I'm offering to be your friend."

    "We have a philosophical belief in the necessity of a free and powerful press, we believe evil men should lay awake in bed in fear of you."Theres a slow roll of the shoulders. "If you need something, you only need to ask. If there is information you require, I will obtain it. Just do not ask how I've accomplished the task, professional curtesy yes?"

Lois Lane has posed:
Interesting. Lois nods slowly at the suggestion. "Owari. Well, you already know who I am so no introductions needed there," she notes with amusement. "But I appreciate the offer. It's good to know that there's someone who is willing to get information." That's much more of a proposition than a simple CI could be. "If information happened to fall into our laps, I certainly wouldn't be opposed to running with it."

She looks at the envelope. "Especially if it was something really worth running. I've seen a lot of bad people get away with some pretty bad things just because no one was willing to push that tiny bit further."

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "Do not mistake me as being wholly charitable in this endeavor, as your honesty serves my ends. Nor am I particularly peaceful by nature or profession, I merely believe information is another weapon to be used against my enemies. Of course I suspect you would find my foes unpleasant, so theres little conflict of interest here."She lifts a gloved hand to reach under that short cloak, and produce a slip of light green paper which she offers over quite casually.

    "If you call this number, I will know where you are. I will not answer, nor will any message be recorded. I will merely presume you desire a meeting, if you're in peril press the number one in addition. I will come as swiftly as I am able, but please understand I'm a very busy Ninja. Lots of birthday parties to entertain."

Lois Lane has posed:
"I'll keep it in mind. Don't want to let any of those kids go without their very own birthday ninja," Lois notes. "I usually figure something out with danger, but it's good to have that as an option." She reaches out to take the green paper. "But I figure this works just fine for both of us. I don't expect anyone to be entirely altruistic these days."

She's no idealistic young journalist... she's seen enough of the world. "And, you know, if you need to contact me I do have an office number here at the Planet." She sounds amused. "But somehow I picture you just dropping in." Kind of an alarming thought.

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "When I want to speak with you Miss Lane, you will know it for certain."which, ok maybe that came off more intimidating than intended but whatever. "As this pertains to the mess I have delivered to you, and to our new friendship I do have some general information to impart which will provide you with considerably more context."

    "Ninja were birthed as the biproduct of a thousand years of imperial maltreatment of the peasantry, and these traditions originally rested with five clans. In time the Ninja came to serve the imperial house proper, and endeavored to protect the emperor from european powers. Two clans however saw no problem with this european commercial interest, and sold themselves to these europeans. These two clans were declared outlaw by the Emperor himself, and stripped of their name. They fled in the face of a unified front from the three remaining villages. These two clans, fled here to America."She lets that bit hang for a moment. "I believe you have already read of them yes?"

    "They abduct children, and indoctrinate them. Sanctioned drug use, mind control, rampant assasination, Mercenary activities. These men are no longer Ninja, they are just criminals who know some tricks from the old country. Hikari Ito was a money launderer in their employ, he embezzeled and they killed him for it. They will not be pleased by your activities, and they may well seek to do you harm."Theres a little shrug there. "I'll likely kill them first, but it's important you understand the stakes. Also why I would prefer you not refer to these criminals, as Ninja."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Okay, so the Ninja are the good guys, these guys are just the scum that ran off and embraced capitalism and little else?" Lois is summarizing in an overall general sense. She gets the nuance, she's just making the overall objective clear. "It's not the first time I've found myself up against those wishing me ill for publishing the truth they don't quite like seeing the light of day."

There's a nod. "I'll leave the chasing down of these 'gentlemen' up to you, but if they come to my doorstop I've got a good deal of connections to help me deal with them. They won't soon come knocking again. The heads up is always appreciated though."

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "Originally, these days it's a mixture of mercenary attitudes and a desire to rule the entire world as undisputed emperor."Because, yeah of course. "At least some of them are getting high off their own supply, others are quite mad I'm certain. It's all garbage though, Theres only been three Ninja in America since the first world war, and all them were temporary until me. The Throwing stars, the black pajamas, all that is these particular nut jobs."

    "In anycase we're in this together now, as friends. If I should fall another will take my place, and act as your ally in my place."Theres a shrug of the shoulders as she rolls her head back and fourth a little. "We'll have tea some time, I'll see about rounding up a Yukata for you. There should be a lovely spring festival by the Inari temple in Metropolis, presuming you're not intimidated to walk amongst celestial journalists."

Lois Lane has posed:
"Oh, so you can just decide you want to be emperor of the world now?" Lois does look amused at the suggestion. Someone declaring themselves a ruler over Earth seemed like a purely silly concept. Surely no one would actually /do/ that. Surely. The suggestion of tea and yukata gets a slightly raised eyebrow from Lois.

"I didn't know I got that as part of the package deal. I appreciate it, though, that sounds like it would be a lovely time. And celestial journalists certainly sound like they'd be entertaining."

Chizue Nakamura has posed:
    "Eh the Kitsune are basically propagandists for the Goddess these days, all about selling that brand you know?"Owari finally rolls back onto her shoes. "And yeah, I mean I'm a professional not an ass. I know I'm asking a lot, and who doesn't love a good festival right?"Gently she plucks that mask free, exposing the armored faceplate below. That mask is folded carefully and tucked away, replaced with another mask which unfolds with a snap. A kitsune, because why the hell not right? "Anyway Miss Lane, I won't detain you any further. Do have a pleasant night."She taps the nose of that mask, casting it into simple flat black.

    "Oh and, don't forget to get milk. Yours expired this morning, and breakfast is the most important meal of the day."She takes a step away, and another and just sort've fades into the background shadow. Straight up, Ninja fucking vanish.

Lois Lane has posed:
Lois raises an eyebrow at the milk comment, but lets it go as she simply waits for Owari to disappear into the darkness. She waits for a moment more, as if to see if she's actually gone before she gets back to her paperwork. Weird ninja visits or no, she did have work she needed to finish. Nothing gets in the way of journalism.