Moira and Shinobi, last Wednesday

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Moira juggled the coffee cups in her hands long enough to free one up enough to knock at the door. "Shinobi, 'tis Moira, can I come in before I burn me 'ands off, lad?" she called out.

"Coming!" True to the muffled response, it only took a moment before the door was pulled open, Shinobi flashing a sheepish smile as he backed up to clear the doorway. "Sorry about that. C'mon in."

"Nay worries, really." As she stepped in, Moira handed him one of the cups of coffee and smiled. "Wish I could go out but this'll 'ave ta be as close as we can get right now. Ye up fer tha' discussion?"

Shinobi accepted the cup with both hands, waiting for Moira to be fully inside before bumping the door closed behind her with a foot. "We can raincheck going out," he nodded, smiling lopsidedly. "An' yeah, I'm up for it. What's up?"

"Nothin' serious," she assured him, settling down on the couch. "I 'ope it doesnae become serious but Warren reminded me ta talk ta ye 'bout this." Moira sighed. "'Tis 'bout yer father...again, I should say."

Blinking, Shinobi's smile faded, replaced with a rather more serious expression as he followed and settled onto the couch a little ways away. "Oh, lovely. What's the old bastard done now?"

"It may be wha' I'm doin' t' th' old bastard," she muttered into her coffee, taking a quick sip of the hot liquid.

"Well, that's okay then," Shinobi replied, his cheer back with surprising speed. "What are you doing to him, in that case? Can I help?"

A little surprised, Moira laughed. "Well, unless I make me my stock broker," she teased. "In a nutshell, I invest, fairly 'eavily. 'Tis 'ow I keep me family's money still goin'." She leaned back. "I dinnae trade under me 'workin' name, so ta speak. 'MacTaggart' is me ex-'usband's name an' I kept it mainly because I published under it. Wit' a good bit o' revenge on th' side as well," she remarked, dryly.

"I'd be a bad stock broker. Not really my strong point, that." Shinobi grinned, listening attentively and taking the opportunity to have a tentative sip of the coffee, unable to help a surprised blink at just how strong it was. Well.. yum. "Revenge is fun," he replied sagely, nodding his head.

"Aye, it can be. It also left me th' chance ta trade in piece, so ta speak. Under me maiden name, an' title, I plunged quite a bit int' yer father's various companies." Moira frowned. "'owever, when I found out wha' 'e was doin', really doin', I decided tha' I couldnae in good conscious keep me stock wit' 'im. I've been slowly wit'drawin' and placin' them int' other stock, like Warren's father's company. Th' reason I wanted ta say somethin' was tha' after a while, it'll become noticeable. Warren nearly shed feather's when 'e found out tha' I was th' most recent, most lucretative, person dabblin' in stock. It doesnae take a rocket scientist ta connect Lady Kinross wit' Dr. MacTaggart, 'tis nay a secret."

Shinobi blinked in surprise again, but this time, the coffee wasn't to blame. "You're Lady Kinross?" He seemed to consider this a moment, before a wide grin split his face. "Nice. Yeah, that's gonna have a lovely effect on the company, from what I can recall."

Moira facepalmed slightly. "Dinnae realize it was tha' recognizable," she muttered.

"Only to those of us who pay attention," Shinobi chuckled, grinning and reaching over to give Moira's knee a quick pat.

Chuckling, Moira grinned at him. "Well, good. But knowin' yer father, 'e probably 'as." Her face darkened. "I dinnae know if'n 'e knows *yer* 'ere, but 'tis fairly well known tha' I am. I dinnae really want 'im gettin' all pissy because I've set 'is company fer a wee spin."

"Oh, he knows," Shinobi replied, running a hand back through his hair. "He knows Emma is here, he knows I'm with Emma, so.. he knows." He shrugged a shoulder, not seeming too terribly concerned by this notion. "There isn't much he could do, if it did irritate him. Not legally, not illegally. Not while you're here."

"...remind me nay ta leave without Nathan." She really wasn't all that concerned about her own safety, she had just been concerned about him trying to strike at Shinobi with this being one of the reasons.

"Or Cain, maybe," Shinobi suggested, a grin tugging at one corner of his mouth. "He told dad off beautifully, just after the Hellfire Club function a little while back."

Moira blinked. "Cain?" She looked kind of dumbfounded.

Shinobi nodded, pausing only briefly as a thought occurs to him. "I can't recall exactly how father knows of him," he said carefully, "But he tried to hire Cain to take Emma and I to him. So, Cain told him off. I really, really wish I could have seen dad's face."

She couldn't help but snicker. "I'd pay good money," she mused. "Never met 'im though I saw 'im at one or two functions a lon' while back."

"When he's in the public eye, he and Pym might get along," Shinobi mused, grinning over the top of his mug. "There's a scary thought, innit?"

Moira shuddered. "God, aye, it 'tis. I'd think th' egos would blow them bot' up if'n they got so much as a foot from each other."

"Maybe we should arrange a meeting, in that case," Shinobi suggested. "Two birds with one stone."

"Oooo, now there's a thought I could live wit'," Moira said cheerfully, perking up at the idea.

"Fifty bucks says Emma could arrange it," Shinobi laughed. "Wanna ask?"

"An' turn down th' chance t' see bot' those idiots blow up? 'ell nay." She winked at him

"Another fifty says she could get it recorded for future viewings," Shinobi countered, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'd buy 'er dinner if she could pull it off."

"That makes two of us. We should definitely ask. Should we ask?"

"Aye, we should...at th' least she'll be amused."

Shinobi nodded, grinning brightly. "And hey, it's a noble cause. I'm sure she'd be happy to try and arrange something."

"We're evil."

"In a good way. I think."

Moira looked innocent. "Oh, but o' course."