[ The caution is expected, gives a good grasp of Ash's personality, of what he's working with here. It's only good practice to be prudent, particularly after Dino kindly furnished him with so many warnings of what his little protege could do, gave away just how much his loyalty might be worth. Minoru conducted that interview with a pane of translucent glass dividing him from Dino and two guns to his head. Ash by comparison is a walk in the park. ]

If you insist. Again, please, relax, and look at this. [ With delicate, slow motions, Minoru reaches into his pocket. Just enough to keep his target's focus, to have Ash staring a little too hard when he fishes out a small, shiny watch on a chain. ] Pretty, isn't it? And harmless, of course.

[ There exists no lie there, making it Minoru's preferred form of deception; the pocket watch has an elegant inscription of his own design, yes, has been used in countless inductions, certainly assisted in taking Shorter off the streets and from Ash's life. It is also just that, a pretty watch. A prop, just complex enough to capture attention. Minoru provides the rest.

Ever so slightly, he lets it swing from its chain between his fingers. ]

Shorter and I had a discussion about this watch, and how interesting he found it. He seemed to think the inscription was important, I recall; he watched it sway gently, from side to side, to see if he could make it out. Do you have any idea why?