nexus_crossings | (no subject)

Taylor's sitting up on a small wall, she's looking at the sketch in her lap, She's just glad that the Twins let her look at their hidden blades so she could figure out what to do about rebuilding hers. Though she had other things on her mind too.

"If you were given the chance to lead a group of people... Only because they think you'd be the best for the job, even though you're still only a Novice.... Would you accept the offer?"

She was just glad that they weren't asking her to lead the WHOLE brotherhood, just a small subgroup of about thirty people. Most of them were double her age, though those were the men and women that had suggested that she lead them.

"Or would you come and hide here vowing never to return?" Because really, that's one of the options she's liking more because really, she's no leader, she just wants to go on treasure hunts, and surf. Neither option is really leadership qualities.

To top it off, she had just found a perfect store front for an antiques shop, which would give her something else to do here.

The sketchbook with the plans for her new hidden blade went tucked away into one of the pockets of her cargo pants.

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She gave a faint grin at that. "Shinobi of the past would be more appropriate, though still not right." She thought a moment trying to think of how to put it in Japanese historical terms. "More like Samurai, when we are done training we have a blade that is suited to our combat style. Many of modern times don't use them though." She glanced down. "Our Mentor would be the Daimyo, and the one that is the head of our order right now, wishes to keep the ones I'm with hidden away, as well as me, saying we're all too Novice to help. What makes that funny is most of the people I'm with have been Mentors, in wars that make what he's dealing with a small skirmish. But, they're all non-traditional. They took the rank by changing the system for the good. Not hiding in the shadows."

Isamu listened carefully as Taylor described a bit of the structure of her world’s society. “I am afraid I may be squarely out of my area of expertise…”

“Bro, change is still change. Not feeling like you’re good enough. Not feeling ready to handle something. That’s pretty universal.” Minoru shrugged a little. “Truth is, you never know what something’s going to be like until you get there.”

Usually, for Minoru, that worked out just fine. Like picking up and moving to a new city, and looking for a new job, every time his brother changed schools. He followed him into interdimensional space, after all. They both lived and worked here in the Nexus.

“You won’t know if you can handle it until you do it.” This time, he thought more about going back to school and then dropping out. “And if it turns out you can’t, you figure it out as you go along. Until you find a way that works for you and you can.”

She was silent a moment thinking over what was told to her. "You're right. At least they understand I'm still fighting through all the BS ingrained into me from David. I'm sure they'll be fine if I ask them if I'm Mentor on paper only, and they continue to train me properly, since I missed that growing up as a Templar."

Just saying that last word made her shudder, that wasn't her. She had never fit in with the order and strict laws that they went by, she was too much of a wild child, which was why as soon as she could she escaped. Setting her book down she hopped up from her perch giving both of them hugs and a kiss on the cheek. "Isamu-kun, Minoru-kun, Domo arigatou gozaimasu." She knew she didn't have to be that formal with them, but they had helped her.

When Taylor started brainstorming possible solutions, Minoru nodded eagerly. Sometimes the right answer wasn’t ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Sometimes, it’s ‘yes, and…’

“It doesn’t hurt to ask, right?” He encouraged, and was soon met with a hug.

Hopefully, Taylor would forgive the disgusted expression he made to being kissed on the cheek. He tried to be polite, but that caught him completely off guard.

Isamu, however, smiled. He replied back in matching formality, humbly insisting that it was no trouble at all.

“We are pleased that we could provide some comfort and advice during a moment of need.” He added. “While the circumstances may differ, Minoru is right. We have all faced similar hurdles. And sometimes, we could all use a sounding board.”

"You're right."

Taylor chuckled at the look, she knew public PDA was kind of a no-no in Japan, And she really didn't mean anything romantic by it, so she wasn't going to take the look personally.

"I did, thank you. Would have felt weird talking to the group about it."

The twins, while from a Japanese family, were actually born and raised in the United States. Their parents came to America for their masters degrees and ended up staying. The reaction had nothing to do with cultural norms.

This was really just Minoru’s personal quirk - the feeling of wet lips on his skin was icky. (There’s a reason why Ziggy’s always nuzzling him on the top of his head. That fluffy hair is a kiss shield!)

“I can see how that would be awkward, yes. But now you have a plan with which to structure your conversation. So it will undoubtedly be less so.” Isamu smiled. “Good luck!”

“Yeah, let us know how it goes!”

Taylor nodded. "I will. Don't worry none of that mess will come here. Though the two who have taken to personally training me have told me to come here if they give the order. More so until I fix my blade or have a new one built for me."

Basically they liked the idea of a safe place for her to go if they thought it was too dangerous for her, all because of the agreement they had made with her family to keep her safe.