View source for A Valued Employee

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2013/07/05
|Location=The Ame-no-Torifune
|Synopsis=Souji rewards Minette for her work. This is totally normal and not going to be a problem for people at all.
|Cast of Characters=Souji Murasame,  Minette Odam
|pretty=yes
}}
:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>The Ame-no-Torifune flies above Luca today, ruining their tropical sunshine with the cold hard stormfront of corporate reality. <br /><br />But that's not what matters right now. Right now, a communication has been sent out to Minette Odam to have them come to Souji's office. The notable thing is it is just Odam. The second thing is it's not demanding information on some scheme or another. The third thing is he actually wants to see her in person, and not for her to send a presentation document to him. <br /><br />The cabin itself is well-appointed, but generally functional. There is a well-crafted table of ebony, upon which rests a tea service. In a cabinet to one side is a wine cooler and liquor cabinet, as well as a set of crystal glasses. There is an office desk in the corner, the glimmer of a magitechnological computer present. There are several folders on the desk, as well as a framed picture of a teenaged woman in a pure white dress and red hair. Minette knows this woman as Tira Hyral. Windows on the sides of the cabin afford a view of the area outside, while a locked door leads further in, presumably to private sleeping quarters. The business is clearly handled here.<br /><br />Souji himself is standing at a bay window that looks out over the storm that perpetually surrounds the Ame-no-Torfune as Minette arrives.

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Ever since the deal with Milner Tool Works went down, Minette Odam has been living high on the hog. That is to say, she's been either insufferably snotty or annoyingly self-aggrandizing with most anyone that hasn't run away fast enough. Ever since the Torifune 'docked' in Luca, the crew has been bought a reprieve because Minette, being reminded very much of home by the city, has inflicted herself upon it instead of the airship.<br /><br /> The summons found Minette while she was out and about. She adapted to the local style of dress by putting on her bathing suit, a sarong, and sandles, and that's what she's wearing when she comes skidding (literally), into the room, panting and out of breath. "S-sir..." She huffs. "Came as... as... as soon as... got message." Huff, puff, "Sent for files... they're on their... way..."

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Souji's hands are folded behind himself. He doesn't turn as Odam arrives. He doesn't even look at her when she enters. Then again, that's not unusual. "Odam. Why did I call you here?" Souji asks, simply. <br /><br />There is a crack of thunder, appropriately timed, from the storm outside.

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Minette's face abruptly goes from 'oh gods oh gods oh gods i'm going to die of exhaustion' to 'AAAAAAAH, I SCREWED IT UP SOMEHOW'. She flinches, visibly, though Souji surely can't see it he can still feel it. It's one of those instinctual things. Minette, as is typical when she screws up, is the last to know how. So she shoots in the dark.<br /><br /> "To... tell me how awesome I am?" Her voice carries that feint twinge of desperate hope to it, reminiscient of a man on a desert island waving frantically at a jet plane flying high overhead.

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>He can feel it. He doesn't need to look to know exactly what Odam is feeling. She is an open book, an honest soul. Well, as honest as an accountant gets, anyway. <br /><br />Souji, finally, turns, looking towards Odam with that narrowed gaze. Lightning cracks behind him, giving his expression that perfect ominous cast. For several seconds, he is silent, drawing it out. <br /><br />And then he shrugs, relaxing as he walks over towards the liquor cabinet. "Not far off." Souji says. <br /><br />He pulls out a bottle of chilled wine, the good stuff, and pours two glasses. "I may be hard on you, Odam, but I am equally rewarding when you perform beyond expectations." He gestures to a seat. "Please, sit." He offers her a wine glass, and sits down himself.

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Minette flinches as if struck and then goes; "Wait, what?" And then, not wanting to correct Souji and in doing so exhibit ideas/opinions/a personality of her own, she corrects herself by saying, "Er... of... of course, sir. I worked /really/ hard on this." She did. She made a speech and everything.<br /><br /> Minette sits, but hesitantly. Part of this feels like a trap. But no, that would be silly, Souji is her friend (even if he is also her boss), there's no trap here. Minette relaxes, picking up the glass. "Thank you, sir."

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> No trap whatsoever. Minette is /useful/ to Souji, and only a fool wastes useful people. <br /><br />Souji himself takes a drink of the wine. It's clearly safe, he drank first. It's a deep red Damcyan vintage dessert wine that has a fruity aftertaste. For Souji, this is a matter of course. A lot of rich people drink lots of alcoholic beverages. For Minette? Who knows. "Your handling of the Milner Tools operation was exceptional. I expected far greater resistance, but it never materialized. This... World of Ruin has a great deal more opportunities for unopposed expansion than Gallianda had." <br /><br />He pauses, rolling the wine around in his glass slightly as he thinks. "Regardless, you have helped give us the needed base capital to make ourselves a truly indepndent force. Even with the amount taken by the shareholders, the liquidity we gained will give us the ability to move forward far more quickly. Your proactive efforts on behalf of the Zaibatsu have not gone unnoticed."

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> No trap whatsoever. Minette is /useful/ to Souji, and only a fool wastes useful people. <br /><br />Souji himself takes a drink of the wine. It's clearly safe, he drank first. It's a deep red Damcyan vintage dessert wine that has a fruity aftertaste. For Souji, this is a matter of course. A lot of rich people drink lots of alcoholic beverages. For Minette? Who knows. "Your handling of the Milner Tools operation was exceptional. I expected far greater resistance, but it never materialized. This... World of Ruin has a great deal more opportunities for unopposed expansion than Gallianda had." <br /><br />He pauses, rolling the wine around in his glass slightly as he thinks. "Regardless, you have helped give us the needed base capital to make ourselves a truly indepndent force. Even with the amount taken by the shareholders, the liquidity we gained will give us the ability to move forward far more quickly. Your proactive efforts on behalf of the Zaibatsu have not gone unnoticed."

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Minette throws back her glass and downs the whole thing in one go, because she is Minette and thus terrible. You should see what she does to tea; Artyom won't let her near his custom-made tea blends anymore, quoting 'butchery' as the reason. "Woah..." the accountant exclaims, putting her glass down. She wasn't prepared for /all that/. <br /><br /> "Yeah, I think everyone's still sort of in the same boat that we are. Nations are still establishing relations with their new neighbors, various technologies and magics still haven't fully proliferated yet, and there's... like... no economic overwatch. Like anywhere. Currency speculation between nations is starting to turn into a big business, but I'd recommend against getting into that because it's, well, only going to be a matter of time before countries start cracking down on that and besides which it's kind of not respectable anyway." The order of Minette's objections is slightly telling.<br /><br /> "But... but anyway, I'm just glad to be of service, sir. Now that everything's all settled and junk I've been doing the whole 'de-stressing' thing like HR's always after me to do. Laying on the beach, shopping, ah, little of this..." She holds the backs of her hands togather, rubs them back and forth. There is no forthcoming explaination as to what this bizzare gesture means.

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Agreed." Souji says, regarding the currency speculation. "We have far more profitable avenues ahead of us. He does, however, just stare at Minette as she makes her hand gesture like she's grown a second head. <br /><br />"Right." He sets the glass down, and the thinks better of it, picking it back up and taking another drink. He might need more by the time this is over. He doesn't move to refill Minette's glass immediately. <br /><br /> "Regardless, in recognition for your efforts, I wanted to present you with a token of the Zaibatsu's esteem and value." He pulls out a long black case from his coat, and slides it towards Minette across the table. "This is for you."

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Minette is used to being stared at, she thinks nothing of it. The first time that Thirza was presented with the gesture, she replied, 'what is that... is that 'sex'?' to which Minette replied, 'it is when /I/ do it'. This responce was, technically speaking, a lie. <br /><br /> "Eh? For me?" Minette replies in that annoying habit of hers of questioning obvious statements that people have just freaking made. The accountant reaches forward, tentatively, and picks the box up with her slender fingers. A case like that, she's expecting perhaps a decorative pen or... OH! Maybe an embossed nameplate for her desk. Oh, now that would just be totes sweet. When she opens the box, she is shocked... and not in the bad way, either. <br /><br /> Minette holds up the long silver chain, letting the small blue crystal pendant dangle a little in the air. It catches light from the lightning strikes out the window, throwing blue splashes across Minette's glasses as she stares, transfixed, at the necklace. Her mouth hangs slackly open; she doesn't seem to notice. She looks up at Souji, then down at the pendant, then up at Souji.<br /><br /> She points a single finger at her chest, then mouths the word, 'Me?' silently.

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>Souji nods. "Yes, it is for you. It is a gift for your service. I am told it will be perfect for you." Souji takes another drink of his wine. What does that mean? Oh well. "Do you not like it? I can acquire something different if it is not to your tastes."

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Minette bites on her lower lip to keep from grinning from ear to ear like a total spazzoid. It doesn't work. "S-sir." She stammers when she trusts herself enough to attempt speech. "Would... would it be inappropriate if I were to hug you, now?"

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Very." Souji says.<br /><br />"Regardless, continue to perform exceptionally for the Zaibatsu and you will continue to be commensurately rewarded, Odam. Did you have any questions?" He pauses. "Besides the hugging."

:'''[[Minette Odam]] has posed:'''<br><span></span> Minette is momentarily crestfallen at Souji's reaction. But she brightens quickly; this is basically the bestest of the best days ever in the history of best days, ever. And that's a lot of best days. When Souji asks if she has any questions, she briefly raises a finger, opening her mouth. And then she shuts it after he specifies. "Can I go show it off to everyone now, sir?!" She's practically bouncing in her seat with excitement.<br /><br /> "Ooooooh, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" It is almost heartwarming seeing Minette this happy about something. She bounces up out of her seat and slips the necklace over her head. The pendant settles against her chest and she takes a moment to look down at it admiringly, as if transfixed.<br /><br /> She makes it two steps from the door before there is a sudden moment, when all the world's colors seem to invert themselves and Minette can't feel anything but an abrupt, omnipresent crushing pressure. She mentally blanks out in the face of this; it feels like forever.<br /><br /> The moment passes and Minette finds herself leaning on the door-frame with one hand, bent almost doubled over with the pendant dangling freely in the air. She feels dizzy. "I... woah... must have... spent too much time in the sun. Not hydrated enough. S-sorry, sir. Won't... happen again. And thank you, again, so so so much!" Minette practically skips off down the hallway, occasionally sounds of girlish glee float back from the direction she left.

:'''[[Souji Murasame]] has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You may." Souji answers. Minette immediately moves to go do so. Souji watches as she stumbles, leaning against the doorway, and does not reply as she vanishes out of the office. Souji fainly smiles to himself, lightning and thunder rolling in the background as he raises his glass. The light reflects off of his glasses as he toasts nothing in particular. "May it bring you all of the joy you hope for, Odam." He drinks, draining his glass. <br /><br />It's so good to reward your loyal employees.