( closed ) 005

[harimaya]

Who ⬤ Hizen & Various
What ⬤ Closed prompts for July and August
When ⬤ July-August
Where ⬤ Various!
Content Warnings ⬤

❀ Prompts in tags
❀ Taking it kind of easy in July for RL reasons but if anyone wants to do anything, hit me up!
❀ contact; yosakoi | discord: eski#9874 | PM

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( closed ) for kazuma

[harimaya]

(The arena is the center of Shuten territory and while it's most known for its fights, there are also offices that some of the ranked members use. One day a few members show up for what looks like a meeting all dressed up in suits and ready to discuss business. They watch a few fights, take bets, share drinks, discuss whatever Shuten business there is to discuss, and when its all over, they leave in relatively good spirits.

Some oni leave first followed by a few miscellaneous youkai. They chatter about the fight they just saw and tease each other for losing bets or buying drinks for everyone after. Trailing behind is Hizen who is definitely both one of the smaller and most obviously human-looking members. He hooks his tie with his finger and loosens it. One of the friendlier oni asks if he's going to meet them at a certain bar and Hizen shakes his head no. He lies and says he has work to do.

And when all of the ranked Shuten officers make their way to the elevators, Hizen makes his way towards the stairs instead.)

[karumic]

[Kazuma isn't exactly spying on anyone, but it's not too difficult to start noticing the trails of those who seem to be clan bigwigs--Kazuma is a card-carrying member, after all, with his pin and everything, and even if he wasn't those in Shuten don't seem to be big on subtlety. It's simple enough to hang around the site of a suspected meeting and see who comes out of it.

He's almost ready to give up when Hizen emerges. It's not that Kazuma is scared of youkai, exactly, but he knows they can be volatile and that he's at a disadvantage. Much safer to risk the ire of a fellow Soul if he can.

It helps that Kazuma is already loitering around the area of the stairs. He raises a hand to grab Hizen's attention as he approaches.]

Excuse me, sir. I have some questions, if you don't mind.

[harimaya]

(Tie undone and shoving it into the useless tiny pocket of his suit, he looks back when he hears someone approaching... him? Yeah, it sounds like they're coming for him, especially since they just called out.

He sighs to himself and looks to see who it is,)

What d'ya want?

(He isn't exactly polite when he answers but... he does stop walking and give Kazuma his attention. He taps the handle of his sword athis side impatiently, though.)

[karumic]

[Whoever this guy is, he doesn't seem to appreciate being accosted out of nowhere by a stranger. Kazuma can't blame him. He also doesn't care, though, so Hizen can stay mad.]

That was a meeting between higher-ups, wasn't it? [He nods at some of the straggler youkai still trickling out through the building's main entrance.]

Does that make you one of them?

[harimaya]

Yeah, what about it?

(It sure was a meeting with some of the higher ups,)

I ain't much. Don't really know a lot about what's going on if you're trying to get answers. I don't work with other guys.

(A lot of his assignments are indepdenent work.)

[karumic]

It's not that I'm interested in working with you.

[He's not, like, opposed to it, but it's not the end goal.]

I want to fulfill my end of my contract as quickly as possible. I was hoping someone who's made some advancements might be able to give me some guidance.

[harimaya]

(THen what the hell does this guy want he wonders. For the spirit of a sword, he can't really imagine anyone wanting to talk to him unless they have something they want done. He waits for Kazuma to explain and...

Guidance? He raises a brow. As far as he's concerned, Kazuma couldn't have picked a worse person to come to, then. His job has always been to judge, not to teach or guide. Crossing his arms, every inch of his body language showing his impatience,)

No promises. (He isn't going to guarantee he can help or anything but--) Let's hear it.

[karumic]

[Kazuma falters a little bit, because honestly he's not quite sure where he wants to start, now that he's gotten here.]

Do you know of anyone who has fulfilled their contract? How long did it take them?

[harimaya]

(An easy question,)

There're a bunch of guys here earning yennies and getting a bunch of favors... but never heard of anyone paying everything off.

(Therefore, there is no answer for the second question.)

[karumic]

[So either such a thing is impossible, and the faction leaders lied, or it's simply very difficult to accomplish. Neither of these scenarios are appealing.

Kazuma clenches his fist and squeezes his eyes closed, letting out a deep breath. Ultimately, this doesn't change much. Either the contract price is a lie, and he's stuck exactly where he was in the first place, or he has to be very patient.

He hates being patient. But he can do it.]

Then tell me the fastest way I can advance.

[harimaya]

...

(Hizen's own promotions are from getting into fights and carrying out hits for the clan. Looking over Kazuma, he isn't sure if this guy is much of a killer. He seems eager enough but...)

What're ya good at?

[karumic]

[Kazuma falls silent for a moment, unsure how to actually answer the question.

He's fairly sure he's good at a number of things, but having a gut feeling is much different from actually having the remembered experience of it. He doesn't want to promise something he can't actually do, not when it's this important, and the list of things he's actually had an opportunity to try while in Hell is rather short.

The obvious answer is law, but what use does a faction like the Shuten Clan have for that? That doesn't involve corruption, anyway, which Kazuma staunchly refuses to do. That only leaves...]

Swordfighting. [Probably. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to test out a real sword yet.]

[harimaya]

(He waits. Patiently? No. But isn't really impatient, either. It's expectant like he's waiting for something worthwhile to be said. He doesn't mind waiting if it's something good. He will mind if Kazuma gives a quick and foolish answer.

Ah, there's something that catches his attention and Hizen turns his attention back on Kazuma properly. He looks him up and down-- notes his height, his apparent age, his hands, if he has a sword on him... he's sizing him up.)

Good enough for the arena?

[karumic]

[He has no idea. Probably.]

Yes.

[If there's one thing he's good at, it's sounding very confident! Enough even to mask his distaste at having to fight people to earn clout, but that really does seem to be the only language people speak around here.]

But I don't have a sword yet.

[harimaya]

...

(He looks Kazuma up and down and lets out a sigh,)

Got money?

[karumic]

[...Kazuma winces.]

Not... just yet.