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Backdated to the afternoon of Wednesday, March 3rd. Shinobi and Manuel finally get around to watching The Princess Bride. Bonding between spoiled rich bastards ensues. Yay!

Manuel took a deep breath, picked some imaginary lint from his dress shirt, and let the breath go before knocking upon the door to Shinobi's and Marie's shared suite.

It wasn't a very long wait before the door was pulled open, a curious Shinobi blinking once when he saw who it was that knocked. "Hi," he said after a moment, shaking himself and cracking a grin. "What's up?"

Manuel looked uncharistically ... nervous? "I wanted to apologize for the other day. I would like to make amends, in whatever way I may." he stammered. "Bobby will not speak to me, and you are the only other who knows."

Shinobi couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at the rather unexpected answer, glancing over his shoulder into the suite a moment before stepping back and drawing the door open a bit wider. "Nothing to apologize to me for, Manuel. We're square. You want a drink or something?"

"A drink would be good." he agrees. "You mentioned, a while ago, a movie that we should both watch together. I have never watched a movie outside of a movie-house. What was it ... something about brides and royalty?"

"The Princess Bride," Shinobi supplied with a smile, tilting his head. "It's a fun movie. We could watch it in here, if you don't feel like taking it down to the rec room and risking more people inviting themselves to watch. All we have to really worry about here is Marie."

Manuel smiles. "Ah, Marie. My good, dear friend. I'd rather watch it here, if that is acceptable. This should be something for just us, I think."

Shinobi nods, waving towards the kitchenette as he heads for the cabinet next to the television. "Help yourself to something to drink, and I'll dig the DVD out. I don't know if it has a Castillian vocal or subtitle track, though.. how's your French?"

"Terrible, or else I'd get along much better with Marie-Ange." he laughs as he steps into the suite and closes the door behind him. "It will be good to laugh - this is a funny film, is it not?" He then makes his way over to the kitchenette to look for something suitable to drink.

"A very funny film," Shinobi confirms, chuckling as he scans the accumulated collection of movies. "You'll like Inigo, the swordsman. But then, I think everyone likes Inigo.. ah." Brightening, he plucks the DVD from the shelf, stepping over to pop it into the player.

Manuel paws through the kitchenette, and eventually winds up with a carafe of orange juice and two glasses. "Your fridge is not very well-stocked" he comments as he brings the drinks over to where the DVD player and chairs are. "But this will do, I think."

Scooping the remote control up, Shinobi moves towards one of the chairs, nodding and smiling apologetically. "Sorry about that. I don't think I could get away with stocking wine for guests, unless Marie had it under the guise of using it for her cooking."

"You can do whatever you want, and who can tell you no? You can afford it easily, you're not likely to abuse it, so why not?" Manuel says with some confusion. "Aiee, this country makes my head hurt sometimes." He plops down in a chair with some grace, then pours the drinks with a practiced hand. "My English is not very good. I hope I will not miss most of the words."

"I can't do *anything* I want.. I have a feeling that if I broke them, Emma would have some choice words for me. Setting an example's a bit more fun to me, anyway." With a shrug, he similarly plops down to sit, paging through the DVD's menu a moment. "Spanish subtitles? Not castillian, but it's probably as close as we can get just now." He looks over questioningly, pausing and blinking twice. Manuel de la Rocha just poured him a drink without being asked? The world's gone all topsy turvy.

The confusion from Shinobi spikes through Manuel's brain. "You outrank me." he says with a smile, handing over the glass of juice. "Spanish subtitles will be fine - I should understand it much better that way."

Shinobi considers this a moment before making a faint, thoughtful noise, smiling wryly and reaching out to accept the glass. "Oh. I guess I do. Thanks." He lifts the glass in a salute before looking to the screen again, turning the subtitles on before prodding play. "If it moves too fast for you, let me know and I can translate. Just, uh, forgive me if I'm giggling too much to do it right away."

Manuel nods. "Forgiven, in advance no less. Before, in the kitchen, you mentioned something about ... what was her name, Lorna? Yes, that's it, I'm sure of it. Lorna. Green hair, loves to cook, hates to eat? Her." He then takes a deep drink of his orange juice.

"Lorna, yes," Shinobi nods, tilting his head curiously as Manuel steals his attention away from a bedridden Fred Savage. "I've never known her to hate to eat, but I'll take your word for it.. what about her?"

"She's not well." he comments astutely, one eye on the television screen. "Is that really what American bedrooms look like? How tacky!"

"Ah.. yes, Alison and Doctor McCoy are taking care of her, I think.. or trying to. She's very stubborn." Shinobi smiles fondly before nodding sagely, with a sympathetic grimace. "At least, American bedrooms from middle-income suburbia in the '80s. But yes, tacky."

"Princess ... Buttercup? Did I hear that right?" Manuel exclaims. "How very, very odd. And Lorna - she's so smug and superior. You're not going to like this, I can tell already, but she wouldn't leave me alone, and I was hungry. Hey, is this that Indigo character you were telling me about?"

"It's meant to be a stereotypical fairy tale, so yes.. you heard that right." Shinobi sips his juice, setting the remote aside and drawing his legs up to sit crosslegged in his seat. "Lorna is.. having a bad time of things, and has been for a few months. It would wear the best of us down. And no, that's Westley. Inigo comes in a couple minutes."

"I know." Manuel says quietly. "I would like to help, if I could. I actually have already tried, but she did not like being happy very much. Maybe I did something wrong, I can't tell. No one knows how my power works, least of all me."

Shinobi is quiet for a moment as he carefully considers his words, pursing his lips before looking over towards Manuel. "Forcibly being made happy is.. unsettling, and actually can be a bit scary, even when your intentions are of the most noble sort. The rest of us are used to being in control of ourselves, even when we can control nothing else.. having that control taken away can be terrifying. I think.. the best thing to do, for Lorna, is let her work it out with Alison and Henry's help, and if she, or they, think you can help, I know they would call upon you." He pauses briefly. "Perhaps offer an apology, a sincere one, to her, as well. Via Alison, if you must. I could go with you to do that, to make sure her temper does not get the best of her."

"Apologize? For what? I was trying to _help_. She needs it, quite frankly. And she was _mean_ to me." He turns his attentions back to the movie in progress. "The big one, there, reminds me of the groundskeeper."

"I understand you were only trying to help, Manuel, but sometimes apologizing is the best course of action, whether we mean it or not. I certainly didn't mean it when I made amends with the Russian. Burned bridges do no one any good. It's sometimes best to try and mend them, even when we are not necessarily the ones who burned them in the first place." He glances to the screen again, grinning. "He's a lot less grouchy than Marko is, but they are about the same size."

"Come to think of it, I haven't felt the groundskeeper in quite some time. Did he get sacked?" Manuel asked curiously. "What are they to me, or me to them? Nothing. But if you think it would be best, then I shall do as you ask. I would like for you to be there as well - perhaps you can be my friend like Marie is my good, close friend."

"No, he's still around, just living out of the boathouse. Maybe he's too far away to sense?" Shinobi shrugs, briefly frowning in thought before dismissing the thought as unimportant. "The less hostility in the house, the better, I think. Lorna is.. not someone one would want to be on the bad side of, when she's in top form. Badness would ensue." He nods solemnly, offering Manuel a lopsided smile. "I'm certainly willing to be your friend. Especially if you can teach me to fence. I've always wanted to learn, and just never got around to it."

Manuel looks deeply surprised by this admission. "You've never learned how to fence? I was told that it was one of the first things a well-bred young man was taught, in deference to the old ways and to the elegance of the duel. And I have sensed the housekeeper before in the ... what did you call it, the boathouse? Yes, there. But now, nothing."

"I suspect father didn't want me to learn how to use sharp, pointy objects for fear I would lop his muttons off," Shinobi muses, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "Strange, though, that you would stop sensing him.. I know he's still here. Perhaps you should mention it to Emma, if you haven't already?"

"She's too busy to be bothered with trivialities." he shrugged. "Where is Marie, anyway? I would have thought she would be here for this. This movie is very silly. You like it, though, so I like it."

"She's probably with Logan," Shinobi replies after a glance towards the clock. "If you want to borrow the movie to watch it on your own sometime, see if you like it without my emotions bleeding over, you're quite welcome to."

Manuel shakes his head. "No, this is fine. I want to watch this with you. It's no _fun_ by myself. That was the arrangement."

"Are you sure?" Shinobi asks curiously, tilting his head to the side. "I'm not about to chase you off, mind, but arrangements can always be altered to be more accomodating. If you ever change your mind, just let me know."

Manuel smiles with embarrassment. "If I change my mind, I will let you know. It is odd, that I feel this relaxed around someone as nervous as you are. But I want to watch this film. Is _that_ this Inigo you rave about? The one with the bad faked accent and the very pretty sword?"

"Sorry for my nerves. It's been one of those weeks." With a grin, Shinobi looks to the screen again, and the way he brightens is probably enough of an answer on its own. "Yes, that's him."

Manuel studies the cliff-top fencing scene very closely. "Whoever taught them the sword was very good - for a stage fencer. I could teach you this, easily - once I recover my own skills." His face falls at the last bit, and he takes a deep drink of his juice (down to the pulpy dregs), emerging with a pulp moustache.

"If you could, I would be tempted to reccomend a production of the film to Alison for the drama class," Shinobi admits, keeping his rather boyish excitement at the prospect of learning the fight scene off his face. Mostly. "And I'd be very grateful, besides. I've always loved the fight choreography in this movie." He looks to Manuel, choking back a laugh and snatching the box of Kleenex from the table to offer it towards him. "Don't worry if your fencing is too rusty to do it right away, Manuel. I understand. I'm patient."

The anticipation and the enjoyment bleeds over, and makes Manuel smile widely. He takes the Kleenex, and wipes the pulp from his face. "Thank you." he says, being deliberately vague. "Right now, even the purple girl could, how do they say, mop the floor with me?"

"We'll just have to get you back in tip-top form, then," Shinobi smiles, setting the box back down and leaning back into his seat's cushions. "You'll make a fine Knight, I think."

"I plan to. Which reminds me - you should know this, too. My father says that Emma plans to destroy us all, and made me an offer to help him unite the Club under de la Rocha control. I think that he is lying to me, but I cannot be absolutely sure. He is ... a very skilled actor."

Shinobi arches an eyebrow, the duel between man and giant forgotten as he gives Manuel his full attention. "Maybe he purposefully mis-spoke," he says after a moment, brow furrowing in thought. "Perhaps he is simply trying to weaken the White Court to preserve the Black?"

Manuel turns to face Shinobi directly. "From what he tells me, he is working to undermine Black, and he wants me to do the same to White. When both Kings and Queens fall, then the de la Rochas will be there to assume what he claims is rightfully ours."

"I suppose the question you should be asking yourself is whether or not he would allow you to remain, should that goal be reached." Shinobi frowns to himself, propping his chin up in a hand. "He cast you out once.. and now, you are in a position of power, a position of usefulness. Once that usefulness ran out, what would be stopping him from casting you out again?"

"Almost nothing." he admits with a smile. "Why do you think I am telling -you- this? If I thought that he was serious, you would beg me to drive the knife into your throat. But you are my friend, I think, so I discuss it with you."

Shinobi smiles lopsidedly, lifting his head enough to incline it towards him, acceeding the point. "True enough. I find sounding it out helps, though. Possibly I also like to hear myself speak." He wiggles his eyebrows briefly before reigning his mood back under control, grinning to himself as he sobers. "I appreciate that you are discussing it with me, Manuel. Thank you."

"Ahhhh, you are my _friend_. Friends discuss things with one another, do they not? Samson tells me this is true, and Emma tells me to trust Samson, so I do. For now. Wait - this movie is confusing me. Who is this person with too many fingers?" he asks, confused by the goings-on on the TV set.

"I'm your friend, yes, if you'd like me to be. I'm still getting used to having friends, so we can get used to having someone to talk to together." He glances to the TV, grinning slightly. "Ah, that's Count Rugen. Inigo's father was murdered by a six-fingered man, and thus.." He waves at the screen. "A six-fingered man is one of the film's villains."

"You have had them before - I had not, until I came here." Manuel muses, watching Humperdink plot the death of the Princess. "Marie is my friend, and now I think that you are. You do not castigate me for what I do, or for when I lose myself in the past. That is ... important, to me. I feel the suspicions, the angers, the jealousies. I need ... balance, as Marie would say."

"I only made real friends once I came here," Shinobi replies with a shake of his head, grinning to himself as he looks to the movie again. "Balance is very important. Very difficult, but important. As for the rest.." He shrugs, waving a hand. "You have not tried to maim, kill, or otherwise do harm unto me for simply being a Shaw. You treat me as if I am my own person, and not as though I am nothing more than my father's son. That's always been very important to me. So, I think we're about even."

"You would make a good King, in time." Manuel decides, then turns his attentions back to the television and the movie. "Ow. That's not a nice thing to do to a drunk person, especially a Spaniard."

Shinobi blinks once, looking to Manuel with no small amount of pleasant surprise. "You think so? Huh.. thank you." Smiling, he looks to the screen again, nodding in agreement. "I don't think it's a nice thing to do to a *sober* person, really. Must be a real shock to the system."

"Yes, but to do it to a man with those reflexes and that training - it is a good way to die." Manuel comments, like he's seen it before. "Like they said earlier - I've known too many Spaniards."

Shinobi can't help but grin at that. "I'll take your word for it. Even if he wasn't a Spaniard, nor so trained, there would probably be at least a small beating involved."

"At the _very_ least. He has the honor of the country to uphold, after all. Anything less, and we'd have to take his head at the border." he smirks.

"Ah, but Fezzik is his friend," Shinobi observes, glancing to Manuel with a lopsided grin. "And he only did it to sober him up, so that he could gain vengeance for his *family's* honor. That's important, too, yes?"

Manuel almost sprains his neck nodding. "Familial honor - there's almost nothing more important than that. For familial honor, even a little dunking into barrels of water can be tolerated." He then looks sideways at Shinobi. "Familial honor - something we both find somewhat - lacking, no?"

"Extremely lacking," Shinobi agrees seriously, nodding once as he returns his attention to the screen. "I only hope I'm up to the task of bettering my family name. It is.. rather daunting."

"A mountain on your back, a weight dragging your soul towards the eternal flames. Yes, you know these things as well as I do." Manuel pontificates. "Honor is what you make, not what you inherit. I tell myself this every day before I leave my room."

"As do I. I think I'm slowly beginning to actually believe it." Shinobi smiles wryly. "Figuring out what to do with my life to earn such honor is almost as daunting a task as.. well.. being Emma's Bishop. It's intimidating, but if she trusts me to handle the task, then I shan't let her down."

Manuel nods, then dryly adds "Try being her secretary."

Shinobi chuckles, grinning amusedly and bobbing his head. "I'm very interested to see what company we'll be keeping, as her court. It could be a very interesting dynamic, if she picks more people from the school to fill the remaining gaps."

"If you had your way, and had to choose from the school who would you pick?" The film playing in the background is temporarily forgotten, as Manuel turns to study Shinobi carefully.

"If they were actually interested, should I ask them?" Shinobi frowns in thought, running a hand back through his hair. "I'm actually not sure. The only person I know I'd be interested in working with that closely isn't at the school."

Manuel shakes his head. "No, just hy ... hyp ... just pretend. No one here intrigues you?"

"Hypothetically," Shinobi supplies, grinning a bit. "Several people here intruige me.. I'm just not sure if there are many who would be truly suited to my Court. Though.. Shiro, perhaps, would make an excellent Knight."

"The Jap? I haven't had the chance to talk to him. I was thinking of Marie-Ange. Seeing the future, even as imperfectly as she does, would be very useful. And, I must admit, she's very pleasing to all the senses." he gloats.

"True.. in that vein, Jake would be useful, as well. Perhaps Shiro would be better suited as a Rook.." He trails off, clearly giving the matter some genuinely serious thought as his eyes fall upon his book of Machiavelli. "I would want my court to be people I trust, and that trust me. If I do not have to worry about attacks from within, I can concentrate on protecting myself from attacks from outside."

Manuel smirks. "Empath, remember? Loyalty should not be an issue."

"Hypothetically, you raise a valid point." Shinobi grins. "What about you? Who would you choose, given the chance?"

"Me? Hrm. Marie-Ange, obviously. The others I know are either unworthy or of poor breeding or both. Would Marie accept, do you think? It would be good to have both my good, dear friends be rewarded with power and wealth."

"Truthfully? I'm not sure." Shinobi tilts his head thoughtfully, pursing his lips. "It's hard to say.. I can see her go either way easily. I know she's still interested in attending Club functions, though, even after this most recent one, so there is hope."

Manuel hrms. "She did look devilishly delicious in that ... outfit. Very risque. Is she Alison's lover in truth?"

"I don't think so," Shinobi chuckles, smiling lopsidedly. "As pleasant a thought as it might be.. I think they're just good friends."

"A pity, that. They were wonderful together. They should become lovers anyway." he muses.

"Logan might have something to say about that," Shinobi snickers, waving a hand and looking to the TV as Inigo starts screaming about Rugen getting away. "Besides, I only find it fun if they let me play, too. And Sarah would probably hurt me, even if they would. Alas."

Manuel looks confused. "Ah, jealousy. Such a bright, vibrant shade of green. I can see how that would be a problem."

"So people weren't just making it up when they said green was the colour of envy?" Shinobi asks curiously, making a thoughtful noise as he glances to the TV again. "Or maybe they just had a lucky guess."

"No, envy is something else. _Jealousy_ comes in shades of green. Sometimes. It gets complicated." he says, keeping an eye on Count Rugen as he gets skewered.

"It certainly sounds like it does," Shinobi agrees distractedly, tilting his head to the side. "I don't know if I'd be able to keep track of it all."

"I've been seeing them since I was fourteen, and _I'm_ not sure I can keep them all straight sometimes." he admits with a sheepish smile. "Nice stab-work." he says, referring to the Count Rugen vs Inigo match.

"Last swordfight of the movie," Shinobi says sadly, propping his chin up in a hand. "I wish there were more. They're quite entertaining to watch."

Manuel nods in agreement. "These were palatable. Stage-fencing, to be sure, but well-executed. No glaring flaws that I could see."

Shinobi grins, falling silent for the 'to the pain' exchange, because.. well, that's just not something one speaks over. It simply isn't done. "I'm definitely interested in learning how to do them, once you're in fit shape to teach," he says when it's safe to speak up, looking over. "It would be fun."

"Well, I spend as much time as I can in the fencing halls. But my technique is a disgrace right now, and not to be witnessed by anyone. It will be a slow process, so you will have to be patient." he shrugs. "Not much I can do, unless you know someone who can regrow muscle mass and strengthen tendons?"

"If I know them, I don't know it," Shinobi replies with a wry smile, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. "I'll be patient. Just let me know when you're alright to do it, and I'll make sure I have time."

"Will do." he says with a grin. "Hey, it's getting kind of late. Isn't your roommate due back any time now?"

Blinking, Shinobi looks down at his watch, brow furrowing in thought. "I'd imagine so, yes. Do you want to stay and say hello, or should I let you take your leave?"

Manuel smiles one of his rare honest smiles. "I would like to stay, if this is acceptable. She's my _friend_." he says, putting emphasis on the last word.

"I certainly don't have any objection to that," Shinobi smiles, inclining his head. "You're quite welcome to stay, Manuel. The company is nice, besides."

Manuel leans back in his chair, kicking his loafer-clad feet up on Shinobi's coffee table. "This has been ... nice. No pressure, no Others. It's almost like the way siesta used to be."

Shinobi doesn't appear to mind the table being used as a footrest, smile remaining in place as he nods in agreement. "Anytime you need a break, you're welcome to come and find me. There are plenty of movies to just sit down and watch over drinks."

Manuel eyes his now-empty glass of orange juice with some distaste. "Drinks. Right. I trust your judgement as to what sort of films are good to watch."

"You and I can go into the city sometime, find some movies with Castillian tracks. Subtitles, at the very least." Shinobi shrugs, with a grin. "If all else fails, we can find a movie in a language neither of us speaks and just make it up."

Manuel quirks both his eyebrows at that suggestion. "Perhaps we can go steal one of the Nip's big-eyes-little-mouth films and create our own dialog?"

"Shiro's," Shinobi corrects with a slight grin, shaking his head slightly. "And I'm sure he'd be willing to let us borrow something, if I offered him some Pocky in trade."

"Pocky?" he asks curiously. "Never heard of the stuff. And is that his name? OK. I can be _very_ persuasive when I want to be. If I want the film, he will hand it over, and be thankful for the opportunity."

"Pocky is a Japanese candy.. little pretzel sticks, without the salt, covered in chocolate. Very good snacks." He nods sagely. "I'll ask him tomorrow. I know you could persuade him - I have the utmost faith in your abilities - but I owe him a visit anyway."

"These are the same people who eat squid with little sticks. I'm not too keen on the idea of trying their _candy_. And if you wish to handle the issue, that is your right." he says with a smile. "I have enough to do as the White Queen's secretary."

"Always happy to save you some trouble," Shinobi chuckles, grinning lopsidedly. "If you are her secretary, though, what does that make me?" He casts an amused look towards his book of Machiavelli.

"Her pawn." he answers with total honesty.

"Well, someone has to be," Shinobi replies after a brief moment's consideration, folding his arms comfortably behind his head.

"It's a dangerous place, but the rewards are potentially enormous." he admits with some jealousy. "Just becareful she doesn't use you up and toss you aside once your father has been ruined. You and I both know she would, if she thought it advantageous."

"True enough," Shinobi agrees, despite himself. "Perhaps I'm naive, but I do like to think loyalty boasts some rewards.. still. I'll be careful."

"I will aid you if I can, but the White Queen has her own hooks in me. If it comes down to it, I might not be capable of aiding you no matter how much I'd like to." he admits cagily. "She is there, in my mind. She brought me back from Hell."

"As you did her, from what I understand," Shinobi points out with a smile, inclining his head. "I appreciate it, Manuel. If you need help from me, and it's within my power to do so, I'll do whatever I can. It's only fair."

Manuel scowls. "I was trying to _break_ her, Shinobi. I tried my damndest to break her to my will, so that your father could learn what he wanted from her. I regret that I was too weak to fight properly. I regret - many things, it seems."

"And she helped you break free, and once you were aware of that, you helped her to be better able to do it." Shinobi shrugs helplessly, holding up a hand. "I'll be the first to admit I wasn't there, and thus don't know all of went on, but as far as I'm concerned, the harm that was done with your powers was not done by *you*. It was done by those who had taken you. There is a difference."

Manuel stops to consider this new viewpoint, but doesn't say anything out loud. His expression, however, speaks volumes of confusion, pain, regret, and ... arrogance?