Pledge of Relief

Mai had been running Darhkvale for months now, and everything had been going perfectly. Well, everything on paper had been perfect, but that was how paperwork tended to go. All the little mistakes and hardships were ironed out into a seamless fantasy that was balanced books. She knew Kara was more than smart enough to see past whatever small alterations Mai had made to give the illusion of perfection, but she also knew that Kara wouldn’t outright call her on it. That was the way business was done. What had occurred though was that Mai was inexplicably sent to the Heavenly Emporium by Kara to pick up some supplies. ‘Inexplicably’ was a stretch, she was told that ‘It should serve as a welcome relief to the minutia of verifying systems in Darhkvale’. The supplies she had been sent to retrieve were the same ones that had been wasted in one of the ‘smoothed over bumps’ that were in her last report. ’It’s fair I suppose. I would have done roughly the same were I in her position. Though I would have at least included someone to help carry this stuff.’

It was a hefty amount of building and office supplies; enough to reconstruct the several offices that were destroyed when a faulty sprinkler system had been overlooked. Mai was a small woman, and while she had a strong intellect, her muscles did not match that strength. So she was taking a break in one of the available bars, a dirty martini in her hands as she sat on a stool at the bar proper. Her long pink hair was braided and over the course of the day many strands of it had fallen loose and it was now a mess. An attractive mess, but a mess all the same. She was wearing a black business suit, custom made to hug her many curves, with a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned enough that when she bent down it was clear she was not wearing anything beneath it. A black silk tie finished off the look and gave her the appearance of modesty and seriousness, while in actuality only serving to further highlight her buxom frame.

These clothing choices were not accidental, she’d found that some of the assistance she’d required had been a direct result of her outfit. Mai gave a charming smile to anyone that caught her eye, but for the most part she sat and drank. All while looking over some paperwork she’d brought with her. Even on a break, she kept working. Anyone that watched her long enough would see that she was tired. Dark circles were beginning to form beneath her yellow eyes and when she didn’t think anyone was looking she slouched just a little.

[OOC note: This is Mai, Kara’s Unique NPC]

Spoiler:

It was another day at the Heavenly Emporium and another day that Seiryu would find himself seeking out a place to have a drink. Life had been dull thus lately for Seiryu, with no substantial events occurring to have him occupy his time elsewhere, the bored wanderer only found it suitable to drink away the time. He had a few eventful encounters in his time in Mizu no Kuni, but nothing that would keep Seiryu in the land for a substantial period of time. Seiryu was debating his next adventure, on which land to explore, yet he had no idea where he would head next. There was little in the way of the need to go anywhere. His adventures of the world lay in where his feet took him next and currently, they were taking him to a bar in the Heavenly Emporium.

Clad in his usual garb of a green and black striped kimono and zori, Seiryu leisurely entered the atmosphere, immediately blasted by the heat of the establishment compared to the light breeze that was flowing outside. Without a thought, Seiryu would take a seat at the bar proper next to an individual, a woman, with a mess of pink hair. It looked like she was a businesswoman, either waiting for a meeting to occur - likely later, as a table was better suited for a meeting - or she had finished one recently. “Sake, please.” He would make his order when the bartender made his way over towards Seiryu, and peeking a glance at the woman, it seemed like she had recently received a drink.

Amber orbs would glance over her appearance, lingering briefly at the exposed skin, before returning back towards her face. “Rough workday?” He would ask casually before he would turn his attention towards the drink the bartender would place before him.

Mai was trying her best to relax, but every time she thought of just sitting and enjoying a few minutes with a drink new worries would enter her mind. Bills and invoices she had to address, bookkeeping that needed to be done, new shipments from Hoshigakure. . . and on and on and on. Until the door to the bar opened and in walked a most welcome distraction. A tall dark haired man in a green and black striped kimono. Mai would give him an admiring look as he made his way to the seat next to hers. She’d had little experience outside of her work as of late, and she knew a tall glass of water when she saw one.

His lingering glance on her exposed skin did not go unnoticed and although she did not draw attention to it, she was inwardly pleased. She didn’t dress like this for no reason, and she was happy to see it was at least enough to garner an appreciative glance. She took a mental note of the drink he ordered, just in case she would end up with the opportunity to buy him another. And as he turned to her and spoke she would meet his amber eyes with her golden ones. “Very rough day, I’ve been sent to replace all the supplies that were lost because of my negligence. Business. . . things. . . not very interesting I suppose.” She didn’t want to bore what was a very handsome potential drinking partner with tales of ruined desks and paper, so she cut her explanation off short. “But, my day is now infinitely better, assuming you’re willing to keep me company.” She would offer the man a wink and a shy laugh as she took a sip of her martini and held out her hand in greeting. “I’m Mai. Mai Wen. Pleasure to meet you Mr. . .?”

“Business is almost never interesting.” It was true as far as Seiryu was concerned, though the work that shinobi did, did seem interesting enough, though it was work outside of the scope that Seiryu was in. He mainly picked up missions that shinobi would,as a way to make ends meet, and it was not too often that it was required due to living on the road half the time. “Well, I am here now, may as well use that time to keep you company.” A sparkle of mischief shined in Seiryu’s eyes as he attempted to memorize the face of the woman next to him. He deemed himself rather perceptive and wanted to at least remember people he had at least had a proper introduction with. “The pleasure is all mine Mai.” He would reach for her hand with a firm, but gentle grasp. He would attempt to bring her hand up towards him, as if he were to kiss her knuckles before relinquishing his hold of her hand entirely. “I’m Seiryu Imada. Not here to unwind from business… Just here for some drinks and some pleasant company.”

Mai couldn’t agree with the idea that ‘business is almost never interesting’. Business was her whole life, she spent every available moment angling for better deals, building her resume, and designing what she thought was a better world. Though without the experiences that she had with the business world, she could see how it would appear uninteresting. She never held it against anyone when they didn’t have the same passion for numbers and business deals that she had, everyone had different interests after all. And she especially wouldn’t hold it against someone so handsome.

She allowed the man to take her hand, owing in large part to the mischievous twinkle she saw in his amber coloured eyes. She could probably just sit there all day and stare into those eyes, happy in the knowledge that at least for now their gaze was just for her. It had been a while since someone had given her this much attention, she always had the quick appreciative glances of course, but most people she spent time with were either just employees of Darhkvale and its subsidiaries or they were clients and business partners. So while it was titillating to receive a taboo look across a boardroom table, it didn’t ever amount to much.

As Seiryu’s lips touched her hand Mai would blush lightly, reluctantly drawing her hand back to her drink as he released his hold of it. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Seiryu Imada. Though if it’s drinks and company you’re here for, I hope that given enough of both I can name you more than just ‘acquaintance’.” She would give him a wink as she slowly traced her finger around the rim of her glass, the movement causing a quiet but high pitched ringing noise to sound for a second before she lifted her hand away from the glass once more. The noise was barely perceptible over the din of the people within the establishment, their separate conversations creating a cacophony of murmuring that was somewhat distracting. Her golden eyes lit up as an idea came to her, and she leaned in towards the dark haired man. “There are private booths here, perhaps we should move to one? It would make it easier to speak. Quieter and all.” She would turn slightly as she spoke and gesture to a row of curtained off sitting areas towards the back of the bar, a smile on her lips and a hope that he would agree to the more private location.

At the prompt of becoming more than just an ‘acquaintance’ Seiryu’s response was a simple. His right brow would raise minusculely, while a grin would edge its way on to his features. The grin growing wider once he noticed the wink sent in his direction. His eyes would roam the room, while Mai would cause the high-pitched noise originating from the glass her finger circled. His ears were able to pick up faint noises, especially if they originated from a place fairly close by to where he was located. He focused on anything else but that sound. There were not many people of interest, nothing that would take his life back to where it had once been; a free spirit that wasn’t marred by grief. His life would continue to move forward while his past remained still and ever present in his mind.

“Lead the way.” His mind hadn’t truly registered what she had suggested, only that they move from where they were seated. A distracted look crossed his features as Seiryu would follow after Mai. “And where do you happen to be from, Mai Wen?” Seiryu himself wasn’t entirely sure; it was always a bit difficult to pinpoint ones place of origin just upon a first glance. Even if Seiryu had traveled the world, there were many places he had still yet to travel to.

Mai saw the grin on Seiryu’s face and she gave him a wide smile in return. This was going better than she could have hoped for. She had come to the Heavenly Emporium as part of her punishment for screwing up what should have been a very simple retrofit of a new office building, but she’d met someone that she clicked with instantly and the handsome man seemed receptive to her mild flirting.

As he told her to lead the way, she would stand and move towards the back of the bar, pushing past a set of heavy curtains that blocked out the noise and light and left a cozy sitting area. She would glance over her shoulder and beckon Seiryu to follow her into the small space, taking a seat on one of the cushioned wooden benches and allowing him to sit before she answered his question.

Once the curtain was securely back in place she would lean forward and answer the man. “I’m originally from the Land of Lightning, but there was a fabulous business opportunity that arose and I simply couldn’t turn it down. I live in a city called Darhkvale now, it’s further north in the Land of Bears. It’s a beautiful city, full of all the most wonderfu-” Mai would stop as she could feel herself getting excited about Darhkvale and she was definitely in danger of boring Seiryu, she assumed anyway. “I uh, well I run it. When Miss Darhk isn’t there anyway. So I get a bit excited about it sometimes, it’s sorta my baby you know? Great big engineering project and all. You should come visit though, I mean, there’s plenty of opportunity there. Jobs and whatnot if you’re looking. And also, there’s me.” Her last statement was quite bold, and she would lean forward a touch more as she spoke it. She hoped that he was at least interested enough in her that it wouldn’t come off as arrogant.

Seiryu’s existence had been roaming from place to place; the Heavenly Emporium being a new destination for him to visit from time to time. Today had been just another day for him; he had spent a bit too long in Mizu no Kuni, that the Heavenly Emporium was a welcome change. Seiryu’s visits to this place had been limited, and his previous stopover had been another visit to a bar that… well, it hadn’t resulted in anything, really. Today, he had expected much the same.

A conversation with a beautiful woman was not something out of the ordinary. What was, was the advances. Pondering what he was actually doing, Seiryu would follow after Mai and take the seat before her, ensuring the curtain was closed.

Seiryu would listen; one of the few things he was good at. Originally from Kaze no Kuni, and now residing in the Land of Bears… a place specifically called Darkhvale. He had not been there before, though he had passed through the Land of Bears a time or two before. Mai would explain her role within the city of Darkhvale and even extend a potential opening to him. He would ponder it for a moment, the expression on his face clearly showing him in thought. “So, you’re, essentially, the mayor of this… Darkhvale?” It wasn’t a question Seiryu wanted or needed answered, but it allowed him another moment or two to contemplate his options. “I assume this city is… hidden away like the major shinobi villages?” He would tap his chin lightly with his right hand, his expression no longer having the twinkle that was in his eyes earlier. “Say, I do take a job there… would I be free to leave? I’ve been… on the road for the past two years. I don’t know if I can sit still for long.” Seiryu didn’t know if he could or not… not after Keiko’s passing. He hadn’t returned home. He hadn’t found a place he could call home.

Mai was pleased that Seiryu didn’t seem to take offence to her advances, but she saw that he was seriously considering the offer she had laid on the table. She had thrown it out there sort of impulsively, but in the back of her mind was secretly hoping he might actually consider it. Now that he was she was momentarily confused by his question, and that confusion would show on her face in the form of a raised eyebrow. “Free to leave? Why wouldn’t you be?” She paused as what he was asking finally dawned on her, most places were run by the military and leaving the military was next to impossible so she’d heard.  

“Oh! Yes, yes of course you’re free to leave. It’s just a job, not the military or anything. And as far as mayor goes, I suppose that’s relatively accurate. Specifically I’m looking for security, kind of like a bodyguard I suppose. It’s more just for appearances sake, I don’t expect any trouble, but it’s good to have someone to look the part you know. And well, you look like someone I’d like to have around. If you’re seriously interested I could hire you right now and of course I can give you directions because yes, it is hidden. Or at least very hard to find.” Taking a sip of her drink she would look at Seiryu seriously, all hints of flirting were gone as she put on her ‘business’ face. “I hadn’t meant to trick you into a job interview or anything. Just happily worked out that way. The city of Darhkvale is owned by Kara Darhk and the Eclipse Federation; we’re a civilian business organization that is primarily focused on providing industry and innovation to the global populace. Simply put, we’re trying to make the world a better place. For everyone, not just the militaries of the world.” Mai would wait to see how Seiryu reacted to her ‘sales pitch’ before continuing, not wanting to seem too pushy. If he wasn’t interested she would just go back to flirting and enjoy the evening.

It was a relief to know that he could come as go as he pleased. How long he spent in once place remained to be seen, as two years and he never once settled in a place. The position Mai was offering him was not even military for the village, nor security for the company she was part of. Just someone who’s presence would likely deter individuals from attempting anything they should not. Seiryu’s expression lightened a bit at the news; glad that he would not feel obligated to remain in one place for far too long. “Well, that is certainly good to know. I do happen to have a… knack… for making people not try anything without having to lift a finger.” Genjutsu was easy to utilize, especially on those not trained in the ways of the shinobi arts. Random goons and bandits easily fell as well. He would still need to ensure certain genjutsus were still triggered, by the lack of hand seals would make it far easier than anything.

“If you provide me with directions to… Darkhvale… I’ll be sure to get there sooner rather than later. I do like to take my time travelling, so it may be a few days before I arrive.” His brow would slightly raise, a mischievous twinkle shining in his eyes once more. He would lean forward across the table, his voice dropping an octave. “Should I be expecting a welcoming party?”

Mai would smile with obvious contentment as Seiryu accepted her offer. Reaching into the inside pocket of her jacket she pulled out a pen and a business card. Her personal business card. Flipping the card over she would carefully write out directions for Seiryu, as well as instructions on how to reach her personally. It was forward, but then again, so was she.

Handing the card over to Seiryu she would grin again as he mentioned a welcoming party. She had quite a few ideas in mind for that one. “I will absolutely provide a welcoming party for you.” She gave the dark haired man a wink as she picked up her glass and finished her drink, either leaving the card in the man’s hand or in the center of the table for him to pick up if he wanted. “I have so much I would love to show you once you’re there.” She really meant that, it wasn’t just a line. She was proud of Darhkvale and enjoyed getting people excited about it. She also relished the idea of spending many hours, or more, alone with the handsome potential new employee. “I can assure you a fair starting wage, though with higher expertise comes higher pay. Though don’t worry, all employees are treated exceptionally well.”

His eyes would not drop to see Mai pull out a pen and a business card. Nor would he look at the card as it was put on the table before him. The entire time his gaze remained on the woman before him, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes shining the entire time as he would watch her head as she would look down as she wrote. Seiryu already had an inkling as to what the welcoming party for him would be; his hand would take the business card and he would flip it between his fingers, yet his eyes would never drift. “Well, since you are hiring me to be a bodyguard, I would show you a little something I can do before I depart, but it is inappropriate for the setting. I can guarantee you, this won’t be a waste of time for either of us.” His double-entendre was fully intended. He did not have a genjutsu prepared that was as subtle as he wanted it to be, one that wouldn’t haunt or affect the woman too much. “You’ll see me soon enough.”

[exit thread]

Mai was tickled pink by the amount of rapt attention she received from Seiryu. And was intrigued by the mischievous twinkle in the man’s eyes, so when he offered to show her more of his skills she eagerly agreed. Not the smartest choice she’d ever made seeing as she’d only just met him, but she caught the double entendre and decided to capitalize it. “I’d love to see anything you’d like to show me.” She had been sent here as a punishment for her failings, and had happily found someone that was anything but a punishment. “I’m counting on it.”

[Exit Thread]