Working In Darhk Times (Flashback)

Tamwyn arrived for his appointment ten minutes early as was his personal custom with interviews. He was dressed in his usual attire, as it was formal enough for such an encounter. As such he could be seen wearing an outfit of mostly black and gray. He had a black shirt and gray vest over it. The material nothing overly expensive or extravagant. Over the vest he wore a black cloak that had no hood. The clasp a golden button with the symbol of Kumogakure upon it. He wore black cloth gloves, black pants and reinforced black shoes that looked like they would fit in at a decent social gathering or being shoved up an opponents rear end from a solid kick. Upon his head he wore his usual hat, the only ornamentation upon it being a band with a blank silver disk upon it. His pale blonde hair hung down to beneath his chin, parted away from his face and his piercing yellow eyes gave him the look of some sort of predator.

In his never ending quest for fame and fortune Tamwyn decided to apply for a job in the explosively expanding Darhk Industries. The owner, a man named Damien, whom the company was named for. Was a man of repute for his crafts and innovations. The prodigal lightning user had applied for a bodyguard position, as he had no personal crafting talents. His personal strength was still growing rapidly and he had already begun to make a name for himself within Kumogakure for his talents with the nations favored element. He had also been taken on as a student for the soon to be Raikage, Ryuko Shizu Von Rose. That alone had thrust him somewhat into view and he was working hard to ensure that he didn't lose anyone's interest.

His burning desire, his need, to break the chains of obscurity that anyone who grew as an orphan faced was the entire reason he was here. The entire reason he was working so hard in general. He wanted to become one of the most legendary shinobi in the Land of Lightning, in the world even. Wanted his name to be known by all. There were multiple paths to such a goal. One could do so via personal power in the shinobi world. Or one could do so via wealth. Tamwyn was a firm believer in stacking the deck and in order to do so he would need to break his way into the high society of the country and become known as one of it's big names. To do so, he would need funds, at least one hundred thousand ryo a month that wasn't tied to any kind of payment that someone could cut.

To that end Tamwyn was here for a job. While yes, his pay could be changed, lessened, or increased. It would allow him to start making more money to begin making investments. So long as he was smart about where he invested. He could stand to make a guaranteed profit that would pay for the most extravagant lifestyle imaginable. A profit that couldn't be stopped so easily for it would be tied directly to the profits of the individuals company whom he had invested in. That meant he needed to make smart investments. Damien Darhk certainly seemed to be where the smart money was placed. It was amusing to Tamwyn to come to the man for work so that he could invest what he made back into the man's company. He was effectively working for the man to give him back the very money he paid him. The long term benefits of doing so however were staggering and the lightning prodigy was not stupid.

Arriving at the front desk he would look to the receptionist. "Good morning, my name is Tamwyn and I'm here about an interview for a bodyguard position." He would say, figuring he would be sent to the head of security for the interview. He expected his name to be on some list somewhere as he hadn't exactly just dropped in. Doing such a thing was rude and inconsiderate to another individuals time. So all the proper channels had been followed, which meant he should be expected. As he was now his hiring would essentially be an investment in itself. For Tamwyn wasn't overly powerful now. However being a student to the soon to be Raikage and the rumors of his talents with Lightning Ninjutsu would hopefully make the impression that he could become extremely powerful within a very short time span. An impression that the yellow eyed genin would try to milk for as much as he could. After all, business was business.

Darhk Tower the corporate headquarters of Darhk Industries, it was Mister Darhk's pride and joy. There was no hiding it either, it's two hundred and fifty stories visible from hundreds of kilometers away reflecting the sun's rays with it's windows. It was the only building currently in Moonspire that wasn't a home, though they were still in the process of building the town. Most of the efforts were focused upon the tower itself, in the dead center of the town though now with the tower completed Mister Darhk would be able to turn his builders to the other tasks. However with the company ever growing the need for employees within the company was at an all-time high, causing the young business entrepreneur to place ads around Kumogakure offering job opportunity. Of course there was one thing he was after that held the highest priority, a personal bodyguard. While Saburo had proven effective, with the growing of business Mister Darhk needed more than Saburo's pure might. Of course with a personal bodyguard, came the task of vetting the individuals. Ensuring that they would not leak corporate information as they would be privid to every area Mister Darhk himself would have access to, but Mister Darhk needed more from the bodyguard than simple muscle something that Saburo did not possess, intelligence. The man needed someone who could think for themselves, and knew when he was needed or when he should be no more than a shadow. One that could react in a mili-seconds notice should danger arise, and one that he could trust with his more delicate work. Shinobi seemed to possess a skill in those departments, that Zhu Li had yet to find in other individuals. Zhu Li handled the preliminary results from the applications, weeding out those that she knew would not be able to perform the tasks needed. However, there was one candidate that stuck out. Though he was but a Genin he was a student of Ryuko, which considering her stake in the company was enough to get the male's foot in the door. The male had no family history or anything that really stuck out about him other than Ryuko being his Sensei, it wasn't that though Zhu Li saw the same thing she knew her boss would see, Potential. To Mister Darhk, that was something he would always bet on, because if they had something to prove they would try harder and so an interview was set.

The secretary would motion for Tamwyn to have a seat in a chair not far from the desk, the lobby as it was took up the entirety of the first floor. Elegant lighting as well as rare plants from all over the world had been imported for his reception area, Damien knew the first impressions of a company came from the waiting area and so he spared no expense ensuring it was very welcoming to/ both clients and future employees. Tamwyn wouldn't have to wait long however, shortly after being asked to take a seat a ding would sound throughout the lobby marking the arrival of the elevator. The silver haired business woman wouldn't exit the elevator, she would look at the clipboard in her hand and call out across the room. "Mister Tamwyn," the elevator doors would remain open waiting for the man to enter it, the woman waiting quietly but far from patient. Every minute she had to wait for him to get in the elevator, the woman's facial expression would become less welcoming. Once Tamwyn entered the elevator the doors would close as if it had only been opened for him, of course it was exactly like it seemed. The masterful engineering that went into the Vast Tower was all for a purpose, even the smallest sensors of the elevator.

Zhu Li would silently press a button on the elevator causing it to begin their decent, the woman was not much for talking though if asked about why they were going down instead of up she would reply. "Though most business with the outside world is handled in the upper levels of the tower it is underground that the more delicate matters of Darhk Industries itself are taken care of." She would not speak other than that for the remainder of the elevator ride, her voice emotionless and monotonic. The underground portion of the vast building, while not as deep as the tower was tall, it's floors were much wider spanning nearly the entirety of the town itself with each of the fifty subbasements. Of course one wouldn't be able to actually tell that without some kind of special talent or equipment, after travelling down thirty floors the elevator would come to a stop. "This way," the silver haired woman would say as the doors open into a wide intersection of hallways, from an arial view it would look like a honeycomb with the elevator at it's center. The woman wouldn't wait for him and she walked with a brisk pace weaving through the honeycomb hallway, this was a test. He would have to walk hallways such as these on a regular basis, if he is easily lost than he would not do well as Mister Darhk's bodyguard as the man himself did not like to be slowed down. He was a man that believed time was money, and if you wasted his time... Well those people weren't around anymore. Zhu Li would lead Tamwyn, if he kept up, to a door that looked like every other door they past in the honeycomb hallways. The woman would open the door but not step in motioning for Tamwyn to enter the room, once he stepped inside she would close the door behind him without a word.

The room was dimly lit leaving shadows in the corners of the room, a small desk with a single chair on either side of it giving of the impression of an office mixed with an interrogation room. The room would be empty leaving Tamwyn alone in the low light of the room, there would be another door on the opposite side of the room from the one Tamwyn entered from behind the desk. Zhu Li didn't leave the male any instructions or tell him how long he would be waiting for the interview to start, leaving the male to his own devices.

Tamwyn nod his head in thanks to the secretary before taking a seat and beginning to look around the room idly. Various plants and welcoming lightning would be prevalent in the area. Giving those who waited the ability to relax and feel comfortable. The pale haired lightning user would sit calmly, his sharp yellow eyes looking around the room before a loud ding would echo throughout the room. A door would open, and a metal box would be what sat behind those doors with a woman holding a clipboard inside. Her silver hair gave evidence to experience, or massive stress, probably both really, and her voice would come out as she looked at the clipboard in her hand. Hearing his name Tamwyn would stand and move toward the elevator, moving with a brisk, yet controlled pace. He didn't want to keep anyone waiting, but he also didn't want to seem desperate to get there. Arriving at the elevator quickly he would stand next to the woman inside as the door closed behind him seemingly on their own.

Raising his eyebrow in curiosity at such a thing he would turn to face the door and wait patiently. He had no intention of giving away any nervousness he might feel at such an encounter by asking any seemingly stupid questions. Although he would note that it seemed like they were going down and not up. Still, to assume the woman had made a mistake would be ignorant, he doubted she would be here if she had such a tendency so he let the curiosity lapse. At that moment, he would be being watched and evaluated. Probably had been from the moment he walked through the doors in the lobby. He could ask questions later. Perhaps get the information via simply watching. It was clear the metal box that had taken them down would be an elevator. Despite him having never seen or been in one. Although it's ability to know when he had entered it fully before closing was interesting and would bear asking about.

So far other than that nothing else seemed particularly spectacular, it was a big building, and tastefully decorated, but that was it so far. When the elevators opened his guide would simply tell him 'this way' and begin moving. Keeping up was simple enough, and he kept track of where he was going as they moved throughout the honeycombed area. He wondered briefly if he would even be able to leave this place without someone to use the elevator. However that was a question for later too. He was in too deep already and to show distrust to a potential employers employee's was not a wise decision to make by any stretch of the imagination. So he would follow the silver haired woman without comment and making note of where the turns back were and looking down each hallway passed that they didn't turn down to see what might be seen down them.

Once they arrived at a door that looked like any of the others they had passed she would open the door and motion for Tamwyn to enter. He would nod his head to her "Thank you." He would say before entering without wasting any more of her time. Closing the door behind him he would look around in the dimly lit room with it's shadows in the corners, a small desk with a single chair on either side of it and otherwise the room behind completely empty. Another door would be behind the desk. Without instructions Tamwyn wouldn't risk opening the other door. It would be rude to do so as this was not his place of business. No, she had taken him directly where he needed to be. Looking around in each corner carefully as he moved further into the room he would see nothing and no one before he reached the desk. Checking under the chair quickly for any surprises he would ensure it wasn't booby trapped in some way before standing behind it.

While he doubted anyone would do anything dangerous, he was here to interview for a bodyguard position. A small trap to surprise him and test him wouldn't be out of the question and the only real place for that to happen would be the chair on the guest side of the desk. His decision to stand was calculated, he was a guest here, but had not yet had the common courtesies given to him by his host or a representative of said host. He would sit when he was invited to, and not before. Instead, he would stand behind the chair, hands resting upon the back of it and piercing yellow eyes wary of his surroundings by default. Any shinobi would be in an unfamiliar place and so far below ground, this was definitely unfamiliar to him.

The business man would watch the man from the monitors linked to the cameras within the room, it was a tactic he had picked up from Konoha. Though they had used a one way mirror, Damien had perfected it to the point of microscopic cameras so that the individual in question doesn't even know they are being watched. Once like he felt enough time had passed, Damien would enter the room from the door behind the desk, dressed in his usual business attire. A Violet colored suit embroidered with enteric designs over the jacket and pants, his best beneath the jacket was the same shade of Violet almost blending the two together. His shirt was a black long sleeve button down shirt, with a Violet tie and finally white gloves with a Fuuin seal upon the back of the hand. Normally he would also be wearing his trenchcoat, however he rarely did so inside the tower. Within his gloves hand he held a clipboard with various papers, as he shut the door he would turn to see the male applicate standing. "My apologies for keeping you waiting, I am normally very punctual However some corporate matters had come up. I hope you understand." Damien would state as he motioned to the seat in from of Tamwyn before taking the seat in front of him on the opposite side. Of course what he said wasn't completely true, he had made the man wait on purpose. Normally he was very punctual, however like everything else since the man arrived within Damien's tower has been a test of his character. Damien could have a bodyguard that got impatient any more than he could have one that couldn't keep up, sometimes business deals take longer than projected. He couldn't have a bodyguard that left in the middle of business negotiations because he wasn't patient, still seeing the man stand spoke volumes to Damien. He would look over the clipboard and clear his throat before looking to Tamwyn, "So you are a student of Lady Ryuko, I hear that she is quite a capable warrior. However if I am being honest that is the only reason why we are having this discussion, I have very high respect for Lady Ryuko and if you become half the warrior she is then you would make a great asset to my company. However, I must ask why would you want the job? And what makes you think you are capable of doing the tasks required of the job?" His tone would be monotonic and emotionless, however this was his normal tone of voice that the male would soon become accustomed too if he got the job. However, damien knee very little about this man and that was not something he liked. He liked feeling as if he knew everything, it kept him a step ahead of the competition. This man however was an unknown, and he would have to make himself known to Damien if he wanted the job. It was why Damien was interviewing the man instead of one of his employees, a job of this level required a more hands on approach compared to an everyday employee.

A little while later, probably a half hour or so if Tamwyn was any judge, the door would open and a man would walk in. The yellow eyed genin, standing behind a chair would take in his appearance with a glance. A violet suit, violet tie, black undershirt, and white gloves. The pale haired lightning user would meet the man's eyes confidentally, yellow meeting silver. This was Mr. Darhk himself. It made sense that the man would interview him personally for the position of his personal bodyguard. So this wouldn't really surprise the applicant. Within the man's gloved hands a clipboard could be seen and when he shut the door behind him he turned and spoke. An apology, for keeping him waiting? That was hardly necessary. He'd spent longer standing around guard duty with nothing to do. So this half hour wait was hardly worth noting. Giving the master of the tower a slight bow, hand over his heart, he would respond. "No apologies necessary Mr. Darhk, I understand completely." He would say politely before returning to his fully standing position. When Damien motioned for him to sit he would wait until he had done so himself before coming around the chair and sitting down, resting his arms on the arms of the chair Tamwyn would give the man a nod. "Thank you." He would say, his usual politeness in place, here especially.

A polite demeanor and respect would get you farther along in the world than you would expect. So Tamwyn made sure that he was always polite, and always treated others with respect. Even in combat, when his blood was rushing and he was loving each and every moment. He could be found being as polite as one could be in such engagements. Of course that was only when there wasn't an ulterior goal to be met. Such as destroying some construct, eliminating all hostiles, or guarding a person of interest. A shinobi couldn't afford many pleasantries in the face of such jobs after all. After the man had looked at his clipboard and cleared he throat he would speak. Listening carefully, Tamwyn would remain statue still as Damien informed him that the only reason he was here was because of who his sensei was. That was fair, and even expected. When asked the two questions from the man Tamwyn would take a moment before answering, taking a few moments to think before speaking. "I'll answer those in reverse order, if you don't mind Mr. Darhk." He would begin, always being respectful in terms of the mans name. "As a shinobi we are all trained in order to perform the tasks this job would theoretically require. Surveillance, guard, and escort duty are all normal tasks we might be asked to do. I expect my tasks for this job would be much the same. Being constantly alert for threats to your person. As well as protecting you from those threats, whether that involves removing you from it's presence, or removing the threat from yours. As well as keeping your confidence in regards to anything I might learn while simply being in your presence. If I'm incorrect in that assessment then please, correct me. With that said however my capabilities to guard and protect you should more than meet expectations. However I can say that all I wish, proving it is more difficult." He would say honestly, fairly uncertain as to how to go about proving to this man that he was capable enough for the job, more so in fact.

"I can tell you some of my capabilities for the moment and let you decide if it's worth it to you to hire me. You see, I possess the unique talent to utilize any lightning ninjutsu with absolutely no hand seals, and to do so far more efficiently to my chakra consumption. While my technique pool is rather limited at this moment, especially for a bodyguard. Ryuko-sensei did give me access to certain techniques that will solve that issue. I simply haven't had a spare moment to learn them as of yet. However I have plans to rectify that minor issue later today. That however only pertains to my physical capabilities to do the job. I can however be extremely discreet, try my best to be polite and respectful to all I meet, and don't like wasting time. Which means you won't have to worry about me accidentally insulting a client should I be required to speak to them and you'll have no issue with me keeping up with you as you busy yourself with meetings, projects, and any other business you might have. Those are the reasons why I would feel I have the proper attitude for the job. Finally, there's the mindset. Frankly sir, you'll be paying me to keep you safe. Nothing else will matter to me at any given moment while on duty. Buildings, projects, all of those things can be rebuilt and restarted. Your life cannot, which the reason you're hiring me in the first place. I won't let you go into a room not in this tower or the Raikage's office that I haven't vetted personally. Should danger raise it's head, then, and I'm sorry to say this sir, but your orders will go out the window because my overriding job will be to keep you safe from harm, via any means necessary. I'll throw myself into the path of a threat for you, I'll pick you up and carry you to safety if necessary, and if I'm able, once I'm able to ensure your safety. That is when I will tear whatever threats may have come apart." He would say, his voice remaining even as he spoke.

"In regards for why I would want the job, then there are a few reasons. Not the least of which is money. You see Mr. Darhk, I want you to understand me before you decide whether or not you'll hire me. I'm determined to become a legend in the world before my passing. I want to be remembered for generations and I intend to meet that challenge no matter what it takes. Becoming the personal bodyguard to one of the most well renowned and successful businessmen in the world? That would be a step for me in that direction. Attaining wealth and prestige would be another step. Not to mention that I'd have the personal pleasure of ensuring that someone who has so much potential to help my home stays safe. So when you ask me why I would want the job, when so many of my personal goals can align with it so well, my question for you is 'Why would I not want the job?'" He would say, finishing the answers to the questions and quieting down for Damien to give his response. That was it then, Tamwyn had given his best attempt to convince the man to hire him. Whether he would or not would be discovered within the next few moments. Interestingly enough though, Tamwyn himself was perfectly calm. Even if Damien didn't take him on he would attain his wealth and prestige in other ways/

Damien would sit quietly in his chair giving the man across from him his full attention as he would answer, watching him for any sign that he was lying. Damien had a special talent when it came to knowing if someone was trying to deceive him, it was the little things that gave them a way. However he would feel no dishonesty in the man's words, so unless the man was an exceptional liar his words were true. Damien allowed the man to finish, remaining silent for a few moments after as if contemplating the man's words. Though he already knew what his response was, he would not voice it yet. The truth was what this man lacked was something that could easily be rectified, and Damien was a patient man and could use the man whether he met all the criteria or not. He knew Shinobi were quick learners, so him not having a plethora of Techniques was not exactly a down side to employing him. Damien would lean forward in his chair placing his hands together interlocking his fingers on the table, "That is a very impressive resume, and yes I will be paying you to sacrifice your life for mine if such a thing was unavoidable. You will be paid handsomely of course, as my personal bodyguard you will have a salary of two hundred and fifty thousand Ryo a month as well as a housing here in Moonspire free of charge. That however is because the job is quite demanding, it will take most of your time away from other things, your free time, your shinobi work, and possibly other things. However, that is not to say you will not have days off from this work. I may be considered a hard ass by most of my employees but I am fair, and hard work is always rewarded here. There will be those that may approach you seeking to pay you to use your close position to me to betray me, I will just like to say up front whatever they offer you. I will double it." Damien would lean back in his chair as if throwing an unknown possible number out there was just something he did, it was of course true he knew there would be people that attempted to sway his employees to betray him but they could not compete with his bank roll. Very few actually could, and even few want to spend that kind of money. For Damien though, he knew no matter how much money it cost he could pay it. "now aside from the base pay there are also bonuses that can be earned though extra curricular tasks outside of the normal scope that you are hired for. However, we can discuss that if and when the needs arises. I believe you will be a fine fit here at Darhk Industries, however there is one final thing we must cover before it is official. Have you ever heard of the Curse tongue eradication seal?" Damien would wait for the man to reply, he was sure that most had heard of the simple Fuuin Technique that he had asked about but it never hurt to ask. If the man had not heard of it, Damien would explain it before moving on. However, if he did know of the technique then Damien would merely continue on. "I have developed my own version of the Technique, one that allows me to sleep easier at night.  Now I would like to believe that you would be discreet and not mention my work to other, I am afraid I cannot take that gamble. You see my seal operates much in the same way as the original Technique, I place it on you and forbid you from speaking of my business to outside parties. If you do the seal activates and paralyzes your body, however where my design differs is that if you're seal is activated or anyone other than me attempts to tamper with it. Your name will appear in the palm of my hand and I will know you have attempted to betray me." Damien would lean forward with a very serious look upon his face, his entire demeanor different than it was seconds before. "You Do Not Want to Betray Me, I can be a very powerful enemy and the sea is a washed with the bodies of those who place themselves as my enemy." Damien would close his eyes and inhale a slow breath before reopening his eyes and returning to his earlier nice demeanor. "If you can accept this seal, then I will be happy to accept you as my bodyguard."

Listening intently to Mr. Darhks reponses, Tamwyn would keep his features neutral at all times, including when Damien informed him of what his pay would be. Frankly, it was quite staggering given his current wealth and rate of pay from the village. Although he intended to use every cent of it to further that wealth overall. The information that this job would demand a great deal of his time was understandable and expected. Hard to be a personal bodyguard when you weren't there after all. Although Tamwyn felt that a few things needed to be made clear before their conversation was through. He would wait though, he wouldn't interrupt the man while he was speaking. Such a thing was hideously rude, and he abhorred rudeness. The question about the Curse Tone Eradication Seal would draw a nod from Tamwyn. "I have indeed." He would say politely, saying nothing more to let the man continue. This wasn't the time to bring up his personal thoughts yet. At the end he could bring them all up at once and allow Damien to respond to them all in kind.

The information of Mr. Darhks seal was, annoying to say the least, but acceptable. He was a powerful businessman and he probably had hundreds of projects going on at any given time. Information on any of them getting out could be catastrophic. He would have to take measures to protect his business. Tamwyn couldn't blame him for that, he would have to accept that. Although one thing did bother him about the whole thing. "The deal seems good so far, but I have a few points to bring up to make sure both of us understand one another. I also have a few questions so I don't have to bother with them later. My biggest question is about that seal. I can accept that, but your secondary function activates if the seal itself activates or if it is tampered with. But what about in an instance where such is done against my own will? Say, a genjutsu, or I'm knocked unconscious and someone tampers with it. What occurs then?" He would ask, the biggest question in his mind. A genjutsu attempt would cause the seal to activate, and thus his name to appear on Damien's hand to make him think he had betrayed him. It was also the easiest excuse to fall behind for why one had betrayed an employer, but it was still valid and needed to be addressed. On the same token, a fuinjutsu specialist who knocked him would have total access to the seal and he could do nothing to stop it. It could work out to be an effective way to get rid of someone employed by Darhk Industries you didn't want employed there. Knock them, tamper with the seal, and Damien himself would deal with the poor sap who had the seal in the first place. It was also, a point that needed to be addressed.

Once that point was addressed Tamwyn would most onto a bit of clarification. "I would like it to be understood sir, that my loyalty is to Kumogakure, to this country, and to Queen Ryuko..No amount of money can change that and while I will gladly and dutifully perform any tasks required of me in my position and will do so for all time necessary. I will not, ever, betray any of those three things. I understand that currently such a thing happening would be quite ridiculous given the good relationship between Darhk Industries and Kumogakure as a whole. However the future is never set in stone Mr. Darhk, and I want you to understand that if you ever expect me to act against my nation, in any way. I will respectfully resign my position, and consider any contracts null and void. With that said, you can forget about that offer to double anything someone offers me to use my position to betray you. You hire me, I stay hired unless I'm either killed, fired, or have respectfully resigned my duties for some reason or other. I'll bring you the information of who tried to hire me to betray you of course. Simply because I'm sure you'd find it good to know that someone tried and whom they might be. However that the only reason I'll bring it to you, it won't be to try to weasel more money out of you." He would say, steepling his hands in his lap as he spoke. His tone was respectful, but not of the kind trying to fake or overuse such respect. He simply always spoke that way.

"On the topic of 'money'. Two hundred and fifty thousand ryo a month is quite a generous figure. However I feel the question needs to be asked now to avoid awkward conversations later. Will that be my pay permanently? Or will there be opportunity for raises? You mentioned a benefit in being able to reside in Moonspire free of charge. What are the rules within Moonspire? Are there limitations in the size of home I am able to have? Is there any kind of sign-up bonus? Am I able to buy shares in the company? I have every intention of putting every bit of ryo I make into buying shares in Darhk Industries until you either tell me I can't or there aren't anymore to be had." He would ask, his questions coming quickly, but not overly so. He was simply, and politely, listing his curiosities to the man who he was wanting to work for, and was seemingly, interested in hiring him. "I believe my last two questions are 'Do I get a discount for Darhk Industry services, such as crafting equipment and such' and 'Is there a required uniform that I will need to wear.'" He would say, his features turning into a small grimace. "My apologies for all the questions. I like things to be completely outlined before agreeing to a deal if I can have it that way."

Damien would smirk at the man's question about the seal, it seems like Zhu Li had brought him a smart one. "Well allow me to alleviate your concern, the seal isn't place in an area most would be able to get to in order to tamper with it. The seal when I place it will seep through your skin and engrave itself into your very bones, therefore the only way for it to be tampered with would be either you told someone it was there or they cut you open and found it themselves. Let's just say if it's the latter, I don't think you will need to worry about me." Damien would sit back in his seat his hands forming a small circle in his lap, "now as far as the Genjutsu, the seal is not infathomable. There will be situations that I was not able to predict, something someone did out there that I wasn't prepared for. However mind controlling Genjutsu can be resisted by the seal preventing them from extracting the information from you so long as they are not smart enough to realize the seal is there. If they are smart enough to break the seal, well let's just hope I remain the smartest man in the world as it is." Damien would narrow his eyes as he spoke, it wasn't a threat it was a state of fact. The seal was strong enough to resist Genjutsu if they weren't his level of intelligence they would never know it was there, the only way anyone would ever know about the seal would be if he told them which he wouldn't be able to do. "How do you know serving me is not what is in the best interest of the hidden cloud village or Lady Ryuko? What if I told you that the gracious queen is my largest supporter, and it is through me that the village hidden in the cloud will stay ahead of the other villages. What if I told you that I was the Precious Jewel of the Hidden Cloud, and that Ryuko herself demanded my placement of shinobi bodyguards as the highest priority because her desires and mine are so in twined that she realized that I am one of her most valuable subjects?" The tone in Damien's voice would be his normal tone, his questions rhetorical as if simply saying it's possible but not necessarily true. "The fact is that Ryuko and I have a contract, and that is something I never break. While her contract holds different terms than the one you would sign on employment, I would still hold them both to the same standard. I would never ask you to do something against your country, that would serve me no purpose. The fact is Darhk Industries and the Kingdom of Lightning are partners, what is good for one is good for the other. However, my methods are often different than that of the Queen. While I would never ask you betray your Queen, there may arise points in time that I have to ask you to do something that might be seen as criminal in the eyes of the law if caught. Would you be capable of preforming such things? Do you have what it takes to do whatever it takes for the greater good of not my company but your country?" Unlike before the last two questions were not rhetorical and Damien would wait for an answer.

"On the subject of money, that would be your pay until your evaluation. If you are deemed to have gone above and beyond your designated tasks, there will be a possibility of raises. However, at the same time if you are deemed to have not lived up to the tasks assigned to you, then you will no longer be employed. As I've mentioned, I reward hard work. The more services you provide more you will be paid. For housing, all houses in Moonspire are the same. Everyone here no matter their job are considered equals, the houses reflect as much. In a village like Kumogakure it would be considered a wealthy lifestyle, the houses are two stories with a basement with a large backyard. What you do to the house on the inside to express your individuality is for you to decide, as the same for the backyard. The tower has a state of the art training facility that can accommodate even shinobi level training, which you are welcome to use as you see fit for your needs. As far as a signing bonus, two hundred and fifty thousand a month and a free house isn't  enough?" Damien would raise an eyebrow as he asked the question, after a few seconds a smile formed on his face. "You will be afforded the same signing package as every other employee, you will get your salary, a house, an employee uniform as well as gear based on your station. For you as my bodyguard you will get this," Damien would place a piece of paper on the table, the man would be able to recognize the simple item seal written on it. Inside the seal would be a DI uniform, DI Mask, fingerless gloves, and a pair of Trench Knives. While it may not seem like much at first, these were all hand crafted by Damien himself. The uniform was armor that could nullify most lightning based attacks against him, is woven in a way that stopped blades from penetrating but also enchanted to bounce back damage done to the wearer back to the source. The mask would not only hide the man's face similar to the Anbu making it harder for those to know who worked for him, but it is also capable of disguising his voice to further help hide his identity. The gloves held Vibranium woven into them allowing lighting techniques to be used at less chakra, and the trench knives were enchanted to be twin blades allowing a jutsu used on one to be copied on the other without extra cost. Additionally there would be a small pouch which held the first month pay of the two hundred and fifty thousand Ryo as promised.

Of course Damien would not allow Tamwyn to unseal the items until after the agreement was made about the seal that would have to be placed on the man. He wouldn't give him the knowledge of what is inside the seal either until the deal was made either, but he had a feeling the man would agree either way. He was a man of reason and needed to hear the man say it before he gave away secrets.

Tamwyn would listen carefully, his piercing yellow eyes never leaving that of the Damien's. It would be rude to look away while the man was speaking. His potential employer would explain how his seal was placed and how the seal worked. It would apparently seep into the skin and become engraved into the very bones. Effectively hiding the seal flawlessly, although that did bring up a curiosity to him. When he spoke of how genjutsu wouldn't be able to circumvent the seal Tamwyn would nod before waiting a for a moment to speak. Once Damian paused, the pale haired man would ask two more questions. "Does it stop people from pulling the information directly from my mind? What if the bones the seal is engraved upon is broken? Would the seal function?" He would ask respectfully. His curiosity about the manner of this seal was piqued and knowing it's potential flaws and drawbacks would be important for him to know to avoid those problems in the future. If his bones were broken, he'd have to work not to get caught. If someone tried to read his mind, he'd have to try to resist. Unless the seal took care of these issues of course.

When the point of his ideals regarding Kumogakure, Ryuko, and his country was brought up Tamwyn would smirk at the mans rhetorical question. It was a fair hole in his question, and entirely possible. When the actual questions came Tamwyn's smirk would drop as he considered for a moment before speaking. "If my job is to protect you, what task could you have me do that would be against the law? Protecting people is what the law was designed to do." He would ask in curiosity, his eyebrow raised. What duties could Damien give him that would cause him to do things that were illegal? He couldn't think of any off the top of his head, but after a moment he would speak. "Are you speaking of sneaking into locations to scope them out before meetings not in your own tower? If so, no problem. That's pretty much par for the course anyway I'd guess. If you mean murdering people, that's going to be a no. I'll kill to defend you if necessary, but I'm your bodyguard, not an assassin." He would say, his mind coming up with a couple of potential scenarios. The first of which was the most likely, it wasn't unreasonable, hell if anything it was in his direct job description, for a bodyguard to scope out an area to ensure his employer was safe. Potential escape routes, possible hiding places for assassins, cameras, hidden weapons, and other such dangers. Of course doing so in another person's home, or their place of business might involve some sneaking in. Which was illegal depending on how you went about it.

The other option, was the less likely but one Tamwyn felt should be addressed. He wouldn't murder a competitor on Damien's order. He wouldn't murder anyone on Damien's order. Only Ryuko had that power, and that was where the two differed. Damien could hire Tamwyn for his service. And he would be attentive, on time, and dutiful in his actions. Ryuko however commanded his respect and loyalty. Tamwyn would do a great deal for her, he would do a great deal for Damien too. However no one except Ryuko could order him to assassinate someone. Either by her own words, or by proxy via a higher ranking shinobi.

Of course the man could also be talking about how Damien himself would be acting outside of the law at times and Tamwyn, as his personal bodyguard and by necessity, confidant, since Tamwyn would know almost everything going on anyway by sheer proximity, he would be an accomplice. If that was the case it would depend on what the man did. If Damien murdered a civilian, Tamwyn wouldn't be able to say nothing. But he doubted the man would do such a thing. He seemed too, professional, with a lack of desire to get his hands dirty.

Now was the talk of other benefits. The pay was his base pay, and could be increased for good work, or decreased or himself terminated for poor work. Which was by no means unfair. Tamwyn would earn his way. He always had. All houses in the area were the same which, while fair, was not what Tamwyn was looking for. Tamwyn himself wanted to have a home that was incredible. He intended to have someone design and build him a manor the likes of which hadn't been seen yet. Hell, he might even commission Damien himself to do so. As such that part of the package didn't seem like it would do much for him. Although, he supposed having a home near where he worked was a good idea, even if he didn't stay there often he could do so between shifts. He could even keep assorted equipment there to allow him to restock when necessary. It seemed a shame to use such a home as a supply bunker and bed to sleep in between shifts but that's what it would probably become for him. Nodding his head as his considered he would smile. "This seems fine to me Mr. Darhk. Where do I sign?"

Damien smiled at Tamwyn's questions, he usually hated having to explain every detail yet the polite mannerisms seemed to make it not such a grueling task. The man was not a stupid individual like Saburo, he knew the questions to ask. It was quite possible the man would become a more valuable asset than a mere bodyguard, but Damien was not one to hold his breath for what ifs. "You need not worry, My Contract is very secure. I do not take chances when I invest in something, even if it's an employee. The information you learn during your employment here will be embedded into the seal, therefore protected by it. Trying to forcefully extract the information would do nothing for them, as even if they do manage to some how break the seal all the information is erased. Completely clean slate so to speak." There was a very important reason Damien designed his Darhk Contract the way he did, he had to ensure without a single doubt that his information would never be leaked. "As far as the concern for your bone breaking the seal that is not a worry, the seals will be engraved by my chakra into your bones and with my formula it would heal as part of you. The only way to break it that way is if your bones were turned to dust, and let's face it no matter how good you are. If that happens you would be dead."

When Tamwyn would ask about what damien would ask him to perform as a bodyguard and Damien was tempted to answer, instead the man then explained the scope of his legality so to speak. Not willing to kill, but willing to spy. Damien would nod his head and then look to answer the man's previous question, "as far as what tasks I may ask you to do, I am afraid I cannot answer that until we have an accord."

When Tamwyn asked where he signed Damien chuckled a little bit, "This is not that kind of contract." Damien would stand and hold out his hand to Shake Tamwyn's, once Tamwyn stood and shook his hand he would instantly feel a burning sensation on his bones. The level of discomfort varied from person to person but Damien imagined it was, at least considering the way most reacted to it. Damien's hand would remain holding Tamwyn's as the burning of the bones spread from the hand shaking Damien's all the way through his body, as the seal engraved into the man's bones Damien would speak the terms of the contract out loud. "I, Damien Darhk, bind you, Tamwyn, to this. Form this day forward you shall work for me, no one is to know your position within my company. We operate with discretion and anonymity, you are to tell no one of the things you see, do, or hear while you are under my employment whether it's about me, my company, one of my employees, or Any country that I have business with. You will do whatever it takes to protect me and those I order you to protect, even if it costs you your life and I will never order you to Kill someone however I may ask you to retrieve an item for me from time to time. You will be afforded living quarters for you and whomever you consider family here in Moonspire and your housing as well as your pay is completely dependant upon your services and I will never ask nor order you to do something that would harm the the Queen or her kingdom and you may never bring harm to me or my business and employees. If you ever attempt to betray me you will suffer and die for such."

Damien would release Tamwyn's hand once the seal had finished placing, instantly his body that would have felt on fire would return to normal as if nothing had happened. Damien would then reach down and pull out a bottle of scotch and two glasses, he would pour both a half a glass before placing it in Tamwyn's hand. It wasn't a question of if Tamwyn wanted the shot of scotch or not, he would take it. "Salut," Damien would say before downing his shot. With that out of the way, Damien would walk around the table. The lights would brighten slightly and Damien would walk towards a wall that looked to be bare with a single painting on it, "You asked before what I could ask you to do is illegal, you are now bound to protect me and my secrets and that in itself could be considered a crime. I have many titles, The Darhk Prince, The Collector, Master of Business, the list goes on and on really." Damien would pause for a second and his eyes would glint with just a hint of mischievousness. "However the one title no one ever connects to Damien Darhk is 'Kingpin'. I have run the criminal underworld within Kaminari no Kuni for the past year, but unlike the common riff raff you have dealt with in the past I am a league all my own. Now there are certain individual that see things like I do, in which law and order and organized operations go hand and hand. But then there are those individuals that believe such things to be criminal, You will be protecting me not only from those that attempt to take my life but also of those who seek to put an end to my extra circular Activity by placing me behind bars if they ever discovered who I was."

Damien would stare watching for the man's reaction to his words, not that the man could do anything about it now. Damien just wanted to see if he was still the eager man he saw when the man first entered the room.

Learned and Used:

Tamwyn would nod at the man's responses to his question, returning the smile Damien had gained when the pale haired genin had asked them. It would appear Mr. Darhk liked his employees to be able to think for themselves. That was good, because Tamwyn did a lot of that. Although respectfully, of course. The answers to his questions would prove that the man had indeed seemed to think of everything. At least, everything as far as Tamwyn himself could consider. That meant Damien had probably thought of even more to put into the seal in regards to protections for his work. It was clear that the businessman was far and again more intelligent than Tamwyn was. He would have to be in order to put all of this together. Perhaps the pale haired man would have to stop trying to find the holes in his thinking and just trust him to think of it all? Yeah, not likely. Intelligence was all well and good, but even super geniuses could make mistakes. Miss something that anyone could point out by sheer happenstance.

When he was told he couldn't be told of what illegal activities he might have to perform unless they had an accord he would look warily at the man. That was a slippery slope and Tamwyn's naturally suspicious mind began to wonder. He didn't expect that to cause the man any offense. A suspicious mind was part of why he was being hired after all. Either way, he didn't like it much. However he would agree to the terms. "Very well." He would say, however when he asked regarding where he signed Damien would would chuckle before telling him that's not the kind of chakra he had in mind. Standing, Damien would extend a hand toward Tamwyn, who would stand as well and exchanges grips. Of course the moment he did he would devoutly wish that he hadn't stood the fuck up but hey, sometimes you gotta deal with shit.

The fire that seemed to course through Tamwyn's bones would cause him to grunt in mild surprise. That friggin hurt, but he'd keep his bearing. His yellow eyes meeting Damien's silver. He wouldn't break eye contact through the process as Damien detailed the conditions of the contract. The pale haired man would listen to the conditions of the contract, silently agreeing with them all for it was as they had discussed. Once it was done, Damien would release the grip and the pain would be gone, just like that. A raised eyebrow in curiosity as the yellow eyed genin looked at his hand in curiosity. "Interesting technique.." He would say as his new employer poured them each a shot of scotch. Damien would place his in Tamwyn's hand and in unison with the man would say "Salut." Before downing his shot. Clearly, both men were drinking men. Damien would walk around the table, the dim lights brightening a bit as he moved toward an innocuous looking wall with a single painting on it.

Tamwyn would follow him, keeping in step a pace or two behind and to the left of the man. Listening to Damien speak of how he had asked before of what kind of illegal acts he could be doing while simply being a bodyguard. Now that Tamwyn was bound by the contract, he couldn't speak of what he learned. So the businessman held no more qualms about sharing. Hell, now Tamwyn could watch the man's full, point by point presentation of how he was going to take over the world and assassinate all kage except Ryuko and Tamwyn wouldn't be able to say a word of it to anyone. Still, that might be a bit farfetch'd...He hoped. As Damien spoke he spoke of his many titles and would pause for a second causing the yellow eyed bodyguard to note that it seemed his employer had a taste for the melodramatic.

His revelation of one title in particular would cause a curious eyebrow to raise as Damien explained that he was running the criminal underground in Kaminari no Kuni. Certain individuals saw things as he did, that organized crime and law and order were peas in a pod. Some would believe him a criminal regardless however and it would be part of Tamwyn's duties to protect him from those that would attempt to take his life as well as put an end to his criminal activities. To which Tamwyn would shrug once before asking "By chance, does one of those 'certain individuals' you mentioned, happen to be Ryuko-sensei?" He would ask, a small smile on his features. Damien wouldn't have told him this if she wasn't. Because he wouldn't have risked making the contract as he had if Ryuko would be actively trying to stop him. Should the answer be an affirmative then Tamwyn would nod as if 'that answered that' before falling silent.  

It simply didn't matter to Tamwyn what he was protecting Damien from, or what his actions were so long as they didn't betray Ryuko or the Land of Lightning. Organized crime didn't betray the Land of Lightning, hell if anything it would make the entire thing run far more efficiently. The genin had no delusions about such things, crime would happen, anywhere, period. A more organized crime syndicate however would keep casualties in the country to a 'minimum' and just the presence of this 'Kingpin' would keep the more..careless 'riff raff' as Damien put it in line. Plus give the businessman more money to use for his endeavors in building his company and thus helping the land even more. It was the very definition of a 'win-win'.

"The Queen and I have an certain understanding," Damien would reply to Tamwyn's question about which person Ryuko was. "So long as my extracurricular activities do not cause problems for her people, she turns a blind eye too it plausible deniability if you would. However, the Queen is not my issue. If Shimiko Chinoke ever learned about my activities I doubt even the queen would be able to quiet the implications that followed. Considering Ryuko's investment into my company as well as her cooperation in our legal business it would not be hard for someone to implicate her in the illegal ones. And whether it is true or not, once the rumor was out there would be no quieting it. It would ruin the Queen's reputation of lawfulness, and that is something I do not wish to risk. The Queen is very important to me, whether i serve her or myself it does not matter because she benefits from my work as much as I do. I will help her achieve her goals as well as my own, though as a free agent I am able to get around easier and can do things that other would not because they are guided by a flawed moral compass." Damien paused realizing as soon as he said the words he most likely insulted his new employee, the man wouldn't apologize though, deciding to change the subject instead.

Running a finger along the side of the painting he was standing next to, this activated a switch which would move the painting and apart of the wall revealing a small computer screen and a hand scanner. "If you would, place your hand up here," Damien stated motioning for Tamwyn to place his hand on the scanner. Once Tamwyn's hand was placed he would feel a prick of a needle in his middle finger before his hand print appeared on the screen, underneath the hand print on the screen held information such as his name, age, gender, etc and finally his bloodtype. Damien smiled at the fact that Zhu Li had already entered all the information into the database, all Damien had to do was add the hand print and blood sample. It was as if Zhu Li had known Damien would hire the man from the beginning, she really did know him better than anyone. Damien would press enter and the screen would go dark, as the wall closed back to how it was Damien motioned toward the door Tamwyn had entered through. As Damien neared the door it would swing open automatically, allowing them to exit the room. Upon entering back into the hallway, Tamwyn would be able to notice something extremely different than when he had walked the halls before. While still honeycomb in design, the doors would hold words upon them indicating which room was which and at every intersection of hallways would be a small sign with the lists of rooms found in the hallway. "It's one of my greatest security measures," Damien would say without slowing down or looking back at Tamwyn as he spoke. He would say it whether Tamwyn cared about knowing why the change happened or not, Damien just liked talking about how great he was. "You see it's a Genjutsu that I worked into a Fuuinjutsu that encompasses my entire building and interfaces with my database. Only employees can see the truth behind the illusion, which is why a non-employee is not allowed to freely wander and if they do.... Well let's just say they aren't seen after that, lost forever in the maze that is my Tower." Damien would reach the elevator and the doors would automatically open like the door to the room had.

Stepping into the elevator Damien would wait for Tamwyn to join him before the elevator began it's ascension, the elevator would stop at the ground floor opening to allow Tamwyn to depart. "One last thing before you go take this," Damien said pulling a small scroll out of a deep pocket. "This scroll has 5 scrolls sealed inside, those five scrolls hold a seal formula of my design. If you happen to come across items that you believe I can find use in, you can seal them within the scroll using your chakra to keep the items safe and viable." Just because he couldn't ask Tamwyn to kill for him, didn't mean he couldn't ask the man to bring him already dead bodies. Or at least Damien didn't think it did. "You will be given five days to get you're affairs in order and move into your house, you will begin work in seven days time when I have a meeting scheduled. I expect to see you before I see the sun rising on that day." With that said and Tamwyn off the elevator, the doors would close and Damien would be gone leaving Tamwyn on the ground floor to make his way out of the Tower

{Attempted Exit}

'Given this post':

Employment Package (Given earlier in thread):

The answer to his question would essentially be what he expected. So long as he didn't cause issues for her people in anyway then she 'didn't notice' his 'other' activities. However such a relationship was indeed highly risky, for if word got out that Ryuko had such a 'quid pro quo' going on than her reputation would indeed be harmed dreadfully, just as Damien had said. She would probably manage to survive it, she was a shinobi after all. A certain amount of 'in the shadows, behind the scenes' thinking and dealings was expected among them. However she would be denigrated to 'just another shinobi'. she wouldn't have the same level of trust from her people as she did now. That would make things much more difficult for her as a whole. Of course the minor insult in Damien's words which included Tamwyn as a target wouldn't go unnoticed but he'd let it slide. What could he do now anyway?

The man ran a finger along the painting and a secret compartment opened to reveal a small computer and what looked like some kind of hand sensor? Interesting. Doing as instructed and placing his hand on the scanner he'd feel the prick of a needle against it before his hand print and information about him appeared on the screen. Blinking at it, he'd nod his head in understanding. It was an information system that would probably give him access to the building and all those rooms he'd passed when being escorted here by Zhu Li. Damien would proceed to motion toward the door and Tamwyn would take a moment to collect the storage seal that had been on the desk. Damien had said it had equipment that would be his. As they walked he could now read the signs next to the doors and the maze like halls had guide signs at intersections. Damien explained more about his security systems. To which Tamwyn paid attention to because as the man's bodyguard he would need to know them.

Reaching the elevator, Tamwyn would enter after Damien and once the elevator had risen once more Damien would reach into his pocket and give the pale haired shinobi a scroll. Apparently it held five other scrolls in it that had a special sealing formula that could keep items 'safe and viable'. Now, Tamwyn, as previously stated, isn't stupid. A special sealing scroll wasn't necessary for your run of the mill items and the word 'viable' implied what was sealed would probably have an expiration date. Tamwyn pocketed the scroll, nodding. He wouldn't assassinate for the man, but who knows? Perhaps he'd stumble across an interesting corpse. Damien would give him his final instructions, five days to get affairs in order and move in, a week before his first shift starting before dawn. Tamwyn would nod "Looking forward to it sir." He would say politely before the doors closed and Tamwyn left the building to go get himself moved into his new home. Which probably wouldn't remain his personal home for very long.

Exit