Meeting the local Talent

Oh oh oh, what have we here?
Thus far, his day had passed like most others since coming to Kiri and, in spite of its namesake mist, today the sun had braved the horizon and burned away the low cover of fog. You could not call it “sunny,” per se, nor had the temperature risen above brisk, but all in all it was beautiful outside today. The esteemed Osho ran to and fro conducting business of this sort and that, though he’d fallen on some hard times as of late. His burgeoning emporium had not been incredibly prominent nor well-to-do in Kumo, but the people of Kiri simply didn’t buy, well, anything to be honest. With the exception of a singular sword for the temporarily misplaced Blitz and a banger of a job reforging some legendary weaponry, he’d come by few buyers. Worse, Kiri had attempted to blockade the black market. Foolish and obnoxious all in one. The drug market here paled in comparison.

On the bright side, he’d managed to broker approval to build a shop here as well and had found and purchased some land. Well, he’d found and asked Kiri to give him the land, to be fair, but what’s ryo among friends anyway? All the while, he’d noted that a construction crew seemed to have finally decided to begin work upon the new Stag Tower, privileges obtained by none other than the blond merchant. The actual construction himself did not rise to the top of his priority list – he was not the operations manager of it – but he did note that it would finally begin. He had not heard of specific plans for the space, but if he knew Okane-sama, it would be truly massive. He’d returned home, mid-morning, to drop off some errands and dress himself more appropriately for his meeting today.

…

Near the construction grounds of the forthcoming tower, Gyo sauntered around to a new shop: Kiyoshi’s “Cosmic Menagerie.” The building had sprung up rather quickly, truth be told, which could be good or bad. Kiyoshi was, by all accounts, a serious business person and this demonstrated that. However, Kiri didn’t seem to thrive, at least in Gyo’s estimation, so the full-throated investment might not pan out. He shrugged as he approached and found two possible shopkeepers in the building, both of whom seemed to have expected him. Perhaps mere keepers of shop, but likely people a touch more important than that. As the pair sent him up to his meeting he gave a cursory glance through the wares in the glass cases, having already taken in the almost absurdly ostentatious foyer and entry to the entire affair. Not that Osho, of all people, had any room to talk about opulence.  

He entered the upper floor via the staircase, the last as per his style. The rainbow swirl of his eyes raked through the ridiculous but lovely appointments of this clearly more private space, lingering first upon the absolutely divine fish tanks. The puppets quickly caught his attention thereafter though he refrained from gawking for too long; he had company after all. Well, technically he was the company. Beyond the semi-circle of puppetry, one conspicuously covered, sat Kiyoshi across the expanse of the room. Osho looked up from the dolls, to him, then to the window and the lovely view off to his right. He would likely recognize Kiyoshi anywhere as the man held quite some high renown. Whether or not the two locked eyes in that moment would depend on how engrossed the red-head was in whatever document he held.

He exhaled, noting that the temperature seemed to have suddenly increased a number of degrees since ascending the stairs, and when he turned back, those colorful eyes of his clocked another man in the garb of a samarai, or at least garb which closely matched it. Finally, he turned once more to the one who had summoned him.

Before those gathered stood Gyokusho, of more renown for music in a foreign land than much of anything else. He wore a stiff, dark-as-night leather jacket in the style almost of a biker. It hung open nearly down to his navel, the zipper edge and collar artificially stiffened and standing up and out from him. The collar had been altered such that the top edge rested nearly up to his cheekbones. Leather, skin-tight pants of the same fabric complimented the outfit. The cuffs, shoulders, and zipper linings, fly-zipper, and entire front of the jacket and top of the collar had been fitted with a small lighting array that emitted soft, expertly diffused alternations of lavender and ice blue. The lighting of his outfit looks almost like the cold, distance of foreign galaxies. He wore no apparent shirt beneath the jacket but instead had a half-dozen or so silver chains of varying length and thickness, as well as a pencil thin black tie which had come undone. The 4 inch platforms of his thigh-high boots gave off the same coloration, and made him a towering presence of punk-rock.

He smiled, swept his arms to the side, and bowed far more deeply than the atmosphere likely warranted. His fingers looked as if they had been dipped in molten silver and tapered to points almost like claws. Body still bent in half, he spoke in his cool, low tenor. Kiyoshi-san, it’s an absolute pleasure. Even had the man not been effectively famous, he also happened to be the man who signed Osho’s checks. Well, most of them. Righting himself, he let his gaze drift to the multi-haired short stack at the bookshelf. A fellow reader?! I don’t believe we have had the pleasure. Gyokusho, at your service. He flashed a flirtatious grin to the other man before his curiosity forced him to cast a gaze back to the wall which had some fascinating sketches and blueprints, presumably those items and contraptions which Kiyoshi himself had created.

It’s a beautiful place you’ve got here, I must say, but I assume we’re not here to have a tea party. He winked, but felt a slight pang as, to be honest, a friendly chat would not be at all amiss. So to what do I owe the pleasure? He felt he might know the purpose of the meeting, but the kanji pupils of his eyes sharpened slightly in anticipation.

At Kiyoshi’s request, Gyo crossed the room to have a seat across from his benefactor, whereupon he was quickly offered both liquor from Kiyoshi and tea from this unnamed samurai fellow. He clapped his hands lightly together in excitement, eyes constantly flickering to the huge pillars full of fish, which had completely entranced him. Splendid! I think an occasion like this calls for sake, at the very least! Regardless of whether the request went fulfilled, he would watch keenly as Oda prepared some tea for the group, using nothing other than his hands on a small, collapsible tea set. His eyes lit up slightly and the genius of the contraption, but he found himself amazed at the preparation. Katon perhaps? Accepting the tea, he would dip his head low in gratitude, take a sip, and explain Delicious! Thank you so much Hinode-sama. He’d smile winningly before turning back to Kiyoshi. He did not quite know why this Hinode denoted such honor from Kiyoshi, but chose to follow his lead in this.

He nodded as he listened, the love and bullet of his eyes intently studying Kiyoshi, but also the room and those around him. The shop really was quite splendid. Yes, Kiyoshi-san, I do know who signs the checks. He winked before continuing, And I’m pleased to hear that our endeavors succeed to such a splendid degree under your watch! He’d take another sip of his tea, waiting for the punch to come around; Osho was no fool and realized there would, invariably, be some kind of ask. Even praise for securing the relationship between Stag and Kiri would not warrant a meeting of this kind, or at least he assumed as much. He did not know much about Kiyoshi on a personal level, so perhaps he simply enjoyed the social nature of his role.

The finances of the tower, a natural next point of conversation. Gyo’s eyes lit up playfully at the question.

Of course, of course. As you well know, there have been some issues with local leadership as of late, which has contributed to some slowness in these matters. I intend, now that construction is underway, to send them the invoice. They had agreed to front half of the costs, which I believe we now have a clearer understanding of. Valen, prior to his untimely demise, saw the benefit of such a partnership; I have confidence that new leadership will likewise see the value in this as well. Please consider it done, though you are more than welcome to come with if you like. His eyes wandered slightly to some of the surrounding puppets, his curiosity getting the better of him before his attention returned to Kiyoshi as the other continued on. Truly direct, he had not lied about that.

At the second line of inquiry, Osho’s face lit up – quite subtly, but noticeably to someone of Kiyoshi’s intelligence – with a touch of shock. He had in no way expected an offering of investment, and to be honest he did not fully realize what that would do. Money was always welcome of course, but he had a functioning shop already, though he did wish to relocate to something more… ostentatious. You are too kind, Kiyoshi-san! I appreciate any investments into my meager businesses, though I must say that Okane-sama has been far too kind to me thus far. I don’t want to be rude and decline, but I also don’t know I could possibly accept this. I am curious though, what sort of arrangement had you in mind for this venture?

He finished his tea, savoring the last bits as it slowly cooled in the nearly uncomfortable heat of the room. He glanced about, looking to see if the sake – or whatever Kiyoshi may have requested instead – was prepared. Business dealings always warranted at least a quick toast. He’d even gotten Okane’s messenger to agree to such! Yes, the drill… He looked down, slightly bashful or a touch ashamed. It is an incredibly potent and hard item and appears to have great destructive power and practical uses. I have not had as much time as I would have liked yet to fully test it, though I have made some small progress. It seems uniquely attuned to earth chakra, for starters

Sure I’ll analyze everyone, ½
This is a flashback for Gyo now

Gyo presented a small, polite bow of his head as Oda moved to further explore the room it would seem, examining the fish pillars with perhaps as much intrigue as Gyo himself. A fellow learned man in this den of puppeteers, perhaps? But back to matters at hand. 750, excellent; I needed to check what the final expenses were. Truth be told, he no longer had a clear idea of who controlled the purse strings of Kiri at present. He had heard that two of the three princesses had resumed control, though had heard very little else regarding their activities. He did not worry though; these sorts of connections tended to present themselves to him in his experience.

Osho nodded along as Kiyoshi further explained the Emporium’s investment scheme regarding employee and partner businesses, nodding along and smiling idly, looking around the space as Kiyoshi gestured. He did not fully understand even yet how it would bring in more money, but he did understand the power of good advertising and could certainly make use of some extra capitol. Well, when you say it like that it’s quite difficult to say no. I must express my continued thankfulness towards the Stag, Okane-sama, and yourself of course; I greatly appreciate all of the support I have received. The investment excited him and his eyes lit up with a bit of mischievous glee at the prospect.

Naturally, naturally, I’d be more than happy to get a second pair of eyes on it and your insights would doubtlessly prove invaluable. He accepted the strange goldenish surfboard item, sliding it over and fingering it lightly. Another homework project is it? He winked, though Kiyoshi proceeded to explain this one’s functionality. Fascinating, I shall have to tinker with this no doubt. Thank you again/ If nothing else this would be great for making shipments between villages! And then the final ask, which warmed Gyo’s heart just a touch. He did not know Kiyoshi well of course, despite knowing at least a bit of him through second hand gossip, but helping out a fellow crafter and employee of the Stag was something he would be more than happy to do, despite his otherwise strong penchant for asking for money for this sort of request.

Oh you honor me, Kiyoshi; you are a master and I a journeyman. But! I would be more that delighted to help you with your work here! Many hands make light work as they say, and I must confess that your blueprints, he gestured to the room around are more than impressive. It will be wonderful to help you work. How long are you remaining, by chance? I know of a few great spas and such you simply must attend. He’d pause for a second; something told him Kiyoshi was not the relaxing type, but one could never be certain and Gyo had many swanky places he could take the other man. Oh, I do have a small question you might know the answer to. Does anyone at the Emporium make these casting molds? He produced an old mold for senbon, worn nearly to smoothness from years of repeated use. I could use another set or two as mine are quite old.

Gyo toasted and drank of the sake with exuberance, his verve and lust for life so often infections that others could not help feel the same level of joy. He did not overstep himself or make a fool however, and likely both men would notice that despite his flashy nature and overall loudness, he was a person of great manners and a delicate sense of space. Oda seemed a bit more introverted, for example, and so while Gyo made sure to sit in such a way that Oda could reengage at any moment, he did not force him into the circle of drink, nor did he box him out. Kanpai! And he downed one of the sake cups quickly before settling into a more metered pace of drink. As Kiyoshi would form a seal and touch the table though, Gyo’s curiosity would spike and his eyes would swirl unnaturally for but a brief second, the chakra vision granting him the ability to see the seal, though briefly. Not enough to learn it, but to note what had been written and activated there. Kiyo possessed great knowledge and perceptual abilities; he’d doubtlessly notice this harmless gesture, though it was unclear if the man knew of the Devil’s eye itself.

Hearing that he would be able to get a new set of molds thrilled him so and he smiled broadly; they really did save so much time in crafting munitions, and to a regular ninja this may not matter, but a puppeteer could simply never overprepare, particularly when that puppeteer was Gyo. He found himself completely taken aback though when Kiyoshi offered him a copy of his notebook, filled with his crafts and blueprints. Oh Kiyoshi-san, this is too great a gift. I do not deserve such an honor. Gyo found outright refusal of gifts quite rude and would not do so, but he truly could hardly believe the level of generosity on display here. He toasted once more and sipped soberly as Kiyoshi flicked a cloth away from one of his magnificent creations.

Magnificent! Goliath truly is a terror, and a beauty! I’d never really thought to work on such a large puppet, but this gets my creative juices flowing. He stood and paced around the puppets, looking carefully here and there but refraining from touching for now. Water as a weapon you say… intriguing. I assume these holes in the feet have something to do with this, yes? And how does it work as a defense as well? Or do you combine it with Suiton to accomplish this? He did not intend to pry, but the idea of a water based puppet of some sort or another had been rattling in his head a bit, though he did not know precisely how to conceptualize it, particularly  as he himself did not have any proficiency in the water release skill. Perhaps this would get him over the small black he’d had.

Gyo would watch in rapt appreciation as his compatriot explained some of the inner workings of his various puppet designs, taking mental notes and looking here and there as Kiyoshi explained their various functions and apparatus. The water based weaponry contained within Strider did give him some interesting ideas regarding how to construct additional armaments going forward, and he poured over the proffered blueprints. He did find it quite shocking to learn, however, that the other man had no proficiencies in any form of basic ninja combat; had he not been forced to pass the academy of Konoha? How strange if so.

How fantastic, and what a marvel this glorious tank is. I hope to see her in action some time, though I would prefer to not be on the receiving end of such a demonstration. His face fell slightly as the other man pointed out the lateness of the day, the time having entirely escaped Gyo’s notice. Ah you’re quite right, I’d lost track of time completely myself. But thank you for your glorious hospitality, and Lord Oda, it was my absolute pleasure to get to meet you; I hope our paths can cross once more.

Before heading down to pick up a few of the molds and after making a mental note to remember the time and place of their meeting with Okane, he would pause to turn. Oh, before leaving my friend, please allow me to leave you with a small gift. A bit of Monarch Providence, which has become quite rare in recent times it seem. And a bit of a personal crafting materials I’ve been dabbling with. I love fabrics and clothing, as you may have noticed, and this has some unique properties to toy with. I hope that you can make interesting use of them you future crafts! With that small gift presented, he would make his leave, having wished them well. Ultimately he would stop downstairs to purchase a new set of the molds to keep up with his munitions manufacturing.


Giving 1 Monarch’s Providence
Crafting a set of Silk3, giving Kiyoshi 2 units
Potential exit