[D9, MM] Steel Claw Meets Plush Dragon?

[Tamori Kanna]

It was still in the glorious morning hours when Kanna, along with Igoro and Kaida, took the trip down to the Harbourfront to visit the shop of Kaiu Ryosei, dressed and ready to take on the day!

"Are you sure you're alright to be back to your duties already, Igoro?" Kanna asked as they approached the shop.
The heimin chuckled and gave a wave of his hand. "I'm fine, Lady Kanna. The kami you called upon have healed all injuries."
"But are you sure?" she followed up, "there could be lasting effects from that kind of wound!"
"I promise, on my honor, that I am fine and ready to get back into it. Thank you for your concern," Igoro assured her, giving one of his rare but honest smiles (most of the time his smiles were nervous or stressed).

Kanna relented, and they entered the shop to see if Ryosei was present.

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Snip

The garage door was open and the crab was working away at a piece of metal welding something together it seemed. Sparks filled the air as the man looked down mask covering face to eat h his work.

A light triggered as she walked in, some form of doorbell essentially that he could see when he was working on loud things.

He looked up and raised his visor a smile spread across his his "Ah Tamori-san it is good to see you well. I heard about that crazy business with a serial killer, crazy shit. How are you?"

[Tamori Kanna]

ding

Kanna gave a wave to the Kaiu at work, and bowed as he turned his attention to her. "I'm well, thank you. It takes much more than that to take out a Tamori! We're tough!" she held up a clenched fist to emphasize her determination and sturdiness. "Thank you for your concern though, Kaiu-san."

"How are you this morning? I didn't get the chance to congratulate you until now on that impressive catch of multiple greatsharks!"

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Snip

He laughed briefly "Small but tough. Might be a little crab in you somewhere. Though I promise the whole serial killer thing is pretty rare you're just very lucky, er or maybe unlucky that it happened to you."

He bowed in recognition of her compliment "I am well, the great sharks are fearsome but beating them is really all a mental game at the end of the day. I am glad no one was injured though, people have been before hunting the beasts. But thank you I was just doing my best for my clan as anyone would."

He took the visor off and set it next to the project he was working on "So to what do I owe the honor of you gracing my humble shop Tamori-san? Have a hidden fleshcraft I didn't clock when we first met?"

[Tamori Kanna]

tag

She giggled a little. "I wouldn't think it was a common thing here, seeing how nice everyone else is."

There was a light change in posture as he too was more at ease to speak. "Two things brings me here, I suppose, but no - I don't have any fleshcraft! Nothing against it of course," Kanna was quick to add in a friendly tone as she knew others might think poorly of it, "but I don't have need of any."

"First is about the upcoming Bon Festival. Yasuki Umiko-sama asked me to help out with the preparations, and of course I don't mind helping easening her load a little since she has so much to do! The local Daikoku monks said that donations were always welcome, but would also need help with other things - fireworks was mentioned, and some strong arms are always useful. I hoped that as Steel Claw is a local business, you'd be present for the festival, yes?"

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Boop

He nodded along "Oh yes I would try my best to be there. And that's awesome of you to be so helpful, so you are here recruiting. I don't think my arms are particularly strong but I'm happy to help."

"You said two reasons though, what was the second?" He asked curiously.

[Tamori Kanna]

beep!

"Willingness to help matters more than physical strength," she assured him. Easy for her to say as she seemed pretty fit herself. "And of course I'd help! Yasuki-sama asked, and we are allies, so of course! And even if not, I'd say yes still because I really like it here!"

Oh right. Second reason...

"Ah, that's a bit more of a personal request... or rather, for my clan. I know every Crab have their own opinions and goals, but I still wished to reach out personally and ask if you would be willing to assist the Dragon in the next coming days for the bidding?" At that, Kanna bowed formally. "If you would support us today and the next days, we would be very grateful! The Scorpion have a solid lead, and we don't want to change that."

Which made sense as the Scorpions were allies too.

"But if we could come ahead and gain second place, we would be more than happy."

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Clip

His eyebrows moved up a little and he smiled "Ah so I start winning a bit of influence and now I'm in the position to be propositioned. I vaguely understand how courtly games are played this would be the part where I ask 'whats in it for me' or something equally cliche but obviously in some way that doesn't just outright ask but insinuates I could help if I was motivated." He laughed

"Well I was never much one for courtly games so I'll be upfront I have some of my own goals but as no avenues to explore that more deeply have presented themselves I am happy to aid the ally of my clan."

[Tamori Kanna]

snap

"I won't lie and say it has nothing to do with it," she admitted truthfully, a touch embarrassed by it, but Ryosei deserved honesty. "But mostly... well, one of the reasons we have been slow to reach out for help is that we have been busy trying to get to know more about the locale and market, and know its people. To see if we can be a good addition to the community here and that we'll get along with the Crab as our neighbors."

She smiled, nodding to him. "Both Kitsuki-san and myself hope to see ourselves staying here in the future, maybe as a posting. We hope to be your new neighbors and community-members."

"As for what we can offer in return for your support, is future possibilities with our companies. Usagi no Yomogi that I represent is a medical spa - one of the services we offer is recovery after surgery and procedures such as that from installing fleshcraft. Knowing that there is someone nearby who is also working in the field related to fleshcrafts is a boon, and we could certainly work something out for both our benefits!"

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Ping

He chuckled a little at her embarrassment she was really too sweet but nodded along

"Well the province is better for it if you all stick around. You both have been excellent additions to the locale. As for the benefits I didn't really need them to help but I am glad that you'll bring a business like that to the city. It will be useful, rich people love medical spas and I'm sure it'll be easy to workout a partnership deal there."

[Tamori Kanna]

Ding!

Wow, if only everyone could be as noble as him! Kanna thought, surprised that he didn't ask for anything in return.

"Thank you, Kaiu-san. Hearing this means a lot to us. Truly, the people of Nakahama are so nice and welcoming!" She bowed once more. "Kitsuki-san will be happy for your words too when I share it with her. Do let us know if there is anything we can help you with in the coming days though, we're here to help eachother, yes?"

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Ding

"Of course I will." He bowed to the little Dragon "and give Kitsuki-san my regards. I am glad to have you both here and I will be glad to see you all become more permanent fixtures."

"I luckily want for little though and what I do need is something I don't think the Dragon can provide. So any calls you receive from me will more than likely be the social kind." He said with a smile

[Tamori Kanna]

snip

Wow.

"Social calls are always welcome!" she assured him with a smile, glad that this went so well. He didn't ask for anything at all! "May I ask what you were working on when I came in? I'm just a little curious..."

[Kaiu Ryosei]

Pang

His head tilted to the side and then his eyebrows went up "oh this? Nothing much really. I am just getting some parts ready to he laser etched. I have little skill with artistry but luckily I have some connects that can do the design work and I can have the machine do it for me."

He motions to the workbench and a long piece of metal that looks roughly the size on an adult forearm "there are many clients that like their fleshcraft to blend in but some see the metal as a statement in and of itself and will choose to have designs etched into it, not unlike a tattoo." He explained "I was simply getting this piece ready for the etching, doing finishing touches and polishing and such." He walks over to a large box with a door and a laser pointing down. On a panel attached an image was displayed on screen. A somewhat realistic crab holding a wakizashi in one claw with the words "Mess with the Crabbo get the Stabbo." On a scroll underneath.