Nakahama

Thankfully, getting a reservation for this "exclusive" restaurant proved to be of little difficulty for Bayushi Kazushi - between his natural charm and their trouble filling tables, they were glad to have him. He takes his seat at a little two-seater table while Kurumi and Katsumi sit at the bar. Looking over the menu, the Scorpion designer is suddenly very glad for corporate expense accounts.

So he sits, waiting for a tiny Lion...

The tiny Lion is escorted to the table. The young lady is wearing a orange and brown maxi dress. She bowed to the Scorpion and took her seat. "Good evening Bayushi san. It seems that the rain follow our meetings." The Ikoma giggled.

"It does indeed," agrees Kazushi. "This island seems to storm-prone, at least during this season. I believe another one is expected in two days' time. Hopefully it won't affect the governor's plans too badly..."

"The governor must have been prepared for them." The Ikoma shrugged. "If one is to become the governor one must study the history of the place."

"True enough," Kazushi agrees, "although this doesn't seem to be the only storm she's weathering. Does the phrase 'Forever Night' mean anything to you?"

The woman nodded. "I have heard it around but I have not much of a clue. Even though I have heard stories of places where there is a forever night... but I doubt that is what they are talking about."

Kazushi shakes his head. "I don't think so, either. Nothing to worry about, though," he says, quickly changing the subject. "So, this game you're working on..."

"Ah yes Heavenly Torii... it is an RPG adventure with lots of different characters. I think that the kitsune and the bakeneko would be good merch." She nodded. "An adventurer is given the quest to escort a priestess to a temple."

It's a good thing it's not Day 4 yet, or Kazushi might have walked away the moment "RPG" was mentioned.

"With twists and turns along the way, I imagine," he adds instead. "So, kitsune and bakeneko mascot characters, I'm assuming? We can work with that - the standard array of logos and characters on shirts, of course, along perhaps with fox- and cat-ear hoodies, maybe some plushies for the Susumu Sumikos of the Empire..."

"Yes, the main villain is a Kitsune...ooops" She covered her mouth as if she had spoiled part of the game. " My bad... but yes they are part of the main story plot and I think people would enjoy them a lot."

Kazushi chuckles at that - he doesn't need to explain that people love a good villain, as he's proof enough of that himself.

"I'll have to get in touch with the development VP," he says, "but I think we've probably got a good opportunity here. Now, one more thing, though - are you developing this independently, or is there a company involved?"

She gave a sigh. "I wanted a collaboration with Kitsu Golden studios but they haven't answered me yet. For now it is independent work." The woman sipped her drink. "I am open to offers."

"I might be able to arrange for that," says Kazushi, reassuringly. "The Orchid Department doesn't do a lot of work in games, but Soshi Entertainment does, and we naturally maintain a good relationship with them. I'll have to check on it, of course, but it shouldn't be a problem."

The girl gave it some thought. "Hmmm Soshi entertainment has following but I don't know how would my game fit in. " Then a light bulb came up. "A movie..." Then she shook her head. "That would be lame." The movie adaptation of a game have been flops in the box office.

"I'm told they're trying to expand into other areas," Kazushi suggests, "as it's often easier to make their own tie-in games than it is to farm it out to a third-party developer, and usually with better results."

"It would hurt to try... what would be the catch?" The Scorpion has built a reputation of being an underhand. "There must be something that you may want in return. "

Kazushi puts on his best innocent, Who, me? face.

"Aside from the rights to handle the distribution and a reasonable cut for the merchandise we produce?" he asks. "Nothing. I don't stand to gain anything by exploiting or otherwise abusing a creative talent, and indeed I prefer to maintain completely positive relationships with the artists I work with in order to ensure that there's a benefit to both sides to continuing the arrangement. I'm not that kind of corporate monster..."

...he says, though his tone leaves open the possibility that he's a completely different kind of corporate monster.

"Of course, all I'm offering at the moment the connection," he continues. "I'm not empowered to approve a project or write a contract, after all, but I can assure you that I'll do my utmost to see that your game reaches the market, creative vision intact."

"That sounds good. But business is not quite friendly. I would need also approval from the staff that is helping me. I may have a knack for storytelling but some of my art renders are bad..." She giggled remembering her artistic interpretation of some things. "I can show you some of my work and I can even show you what I did with the pictures that I took."

//sorry for the delay week has been crazy.

"Of course, of course," Kazushi says, very much understanding of how red-tape-y business could get behind the scenes. "This is an arrangement that's going to take a while to make."

(OOC: No problem! I know how that goes...)

"I know and understand Bayushi san. There are many steps on building a good relationship. I know that sometimes the relationship between our Clans has been not quite in the positive side bridges can still be built." She nodded. "Just let me know ifvyou want to see my renders."