Kaleidoscopic Tendencies (Open)

He wasn't calling her old, right? Surely not even the dimmest recruit would be that brazen, and he had been ever so tactful. Asami resisted the urge to check herself out in a mirror as she continued to walk ahead. She looked very good for a soul of her age, she mentally reassured herself, a perfect model of healthiness given her line of work. Perhaps he was right in the implication that she was fortunate to have avoided some brutal injury or maiming, but it felt like downplaying her abilities to suggest she banked on luck.

"Duly noted, though flattery will only get you so far."

She might have smirked at that, were she in a lighter mood, but instead, it was met with little more than a dismissive flick of her hair. Still, he had probably meant well, so better she made some small exertion.

"There are plenty others that have more storied records than I, but I rather hope my career is still young enough to avoid stagnation."

"Flattery is quite useless and insincere, I assure you it was just an observation though I suppose it may come off as a compliment as well if you'd care to take it that way."

Kasha did consider that his way of talking a bit in leaving many interpretations would probably get in the way of his intent. He ought to be more clear even though he thought of himself as quite the muddy water. At least he had beauty on the outside, right?

"Everything carries ups and downs, I am sure in that regard the current shortage of personnel and so much workload must emphasise the value of all the members of the division at present."

It was an attempt of reassurance to her, he did consider how he might've insulted her with the last comment. This time he tried to avoid any negative meanings of it.

"We do face certain challenges now that perhaps our predecessors might not have, but the Stealth Force will always persevere."

The tenacious undertone to her voice as she delivered that final remark was rather surprising, given her previously dry tone. Though Asami did not break stride nor further show any fluster as she spoke, it was a momentary lapse behind an otherwise natural mask of calm. Kasha at least seemed sharp enough with his words to know where and when to tread softly.

"I am rather sure that your placement will be more than just documentation and logistics because of that fact. Should you have any inclination for it, how have you fared in martial studies?"

They were nearing her office now, as she deigned him with a prolonged glance that ran the length of his body from head to toe and back. He was a member of a great noble family, that placed certain expectations upon one such as him to exceed the abilities of their peers, and it did leave her curious as to what exactly he was capable of.

My, she did sound full of gutso there didn't she? It caught Kasha off-guard a bit but the years of Koizumi upbringing did make him barely show his surprise at her reaction. It wasn't something she had expected but Kasha was very good at not showing how he felt about something. Just be someone else, that was the secret to it.

"I am alright for my level, I think. Nothing too special though, I'm sure I will get some more practical assignments in the future but for the moment I have been reserved for documentation for the most part. I'm sure the day will come but until then I am quite content to be helpful in whatever way I am needed."

He added a small smile at the end of it when he finished, it was all cordial. He was quite sure there had never been a single complaint about rudeness from him, though whether or not people found his manners annoying or bothersome was another matter entirely.

Another predictably deflective answer from Kasha, though that was certainly not an issue amongst the members of the fifth. Perhaps he was as unexceptional as he implied, or it was a ruse to conceal something far greater, but it was of little use to waste thoughts on what might be and instead deal with what there was. Who was she to say that someone could not choose to be someone else anyway?

"Very well, if you ever wish for extracurricular training then you may come to me. It is one of the duties of an officer to ensure that their juniors are adequately prepared for any assignments."

With that, they had arrived at the door to Asami's office. It was far from spacious, leaving room for both of them to fit at opposite sides of the desk and several considerable stacks of paperwork to carry on with.

"Pull up a chair. Any document marked with a yellow will need to be checked for errors and corrected, start with those." She indicated for one particular pile and made for her own seat. "If you have any further questions, ask them as we go."