Business is Boomin

Somewhere in the dusty village of Tanbogakure sat a man on a rotting wooden barrel, off the corner of a busy market street as his feet hovered about a foot off the ground. His hand twiddled and played with a toothpick that was growing soggier by the minute. All the while his eyes bounced from person to person, watching them go about their daily routines.

After all, he was sent here to do business and in his line of work it paid to know the neighborhood. His first impressions of the village were that it wasn’t all to different from his hometown in the land of hot springs.  It was a developing country, with a nice enough surrounding environment and plenty of opportunity. Most of the local business he’d seen so far seemed to be pretty run down, and there seemed to be no shortage of space to set up shop.

Maybe this won’t be too bad After all

He’d think, discarding the toothpick to the grass with the flick of a finger after realizing he’d been fiddling with it a bit too long. “Shinji, I think its about time we go tour some spaces, don’t you think” he questioned as he glanced towards his older brother. “I’m on board with anything that gets me off this dusty ass street” The eldest of the two would respond nonchalantly, before shrugging to emphasize his indifference. Shichiro’s eyes reflexively rolled at his brothers attitude, “You know you could at least pretend to be a little excited about this” He’d lecture his brother before hoisting himself off the barrel and onto his feet, “We’re gonna be here a while, might as well make the most of it”

Shinji groaned.

“I still don’t see why we’ve gotta set up out here, Things were going smoothly in the land of hot springs, why do we have to restart all the way out here” He’d say taking special care not talk in too much detail while in public. Shichiro laughed at his brothers whining. “It’s simple really, dad asked us to. He wants to expand, we expand. Simple, End of story really”

Shichiro of course had his own concerns with the plan, he’d liked their home and wasn’t fond of leaving it, but he was also interested in the opportunities ahead of him. What they had here was a way to prove themselves to their father, a real chance to finally climb the ladder that was their family business. The two were walking now, and well on their way to the military district, in search of the village leader. As they reached the gates a guard standing at his post atop the wall saw them and asked them why they’d come. Shichiro figured it was better he did the talking then his brother, who still seemed to have a sour attitude about the move.

“We’d like to speak with the village leader, we’re looking to open a store in the residential district”

He’d say, keeping it both short and to the point.

WC: 505

Time passed differently on the fringes of the world as if unmoored from the mundane laws of reality. Some days felt like weeks, some weeks like years, and then, in the blink of an eye, a year could slip by in what felt like a day. In these unwatched corners of existence whole lives could be lived and lost in the dark never to be seen. Or perhaps, Matsune Kei pondered, such temporal distortions were simply the everyday experience of an aging soul. The elderly gate guard couldn't be quite sure one way or the other, and she dared not speak such thoughts aloud lest they be taken as the signs of a decaying mind.

Fortunately, today's steady flow of foot traffic kept the woman on her toes, and her mind away from her darker reflections. Earlier in the morning, a long procession of pilgrims bound for Hoshigakure filed through the gates to visit the shrine at the base of Okada castle, a group of merchants lost their credentials, and not mere minutes ago a small man purporting to be the Komekage himself tried and failed to gain admittance to the military district—the duty of a gate guard was never done. And with the approach of two taller men, it would seem today was not going to get any less busy.

"Hello, dears," she leaned on her cane, squinting at the newcomers from behind her glasses. "A store you say? You wouldn't be the first; can I see your travel documents, please?"

Matsune's eyes filled with a mischievous glint as she continued.

"And, out of curiosity, what kind of store are you planning on opening?"

The older woman couldn't help herself. A new store opening in the residential district of her hometown? She couldn't very well not try and learn just a bit more about it. After all, tomorrow she played Majong with Enta, Zumi, and Haru; she needed something juicy to talk about, and a new store fit the bill to a tee.

[Matsune Kei's Stats]

Now that he’d gotten a closer look at the guard Shichiro was surprised at what he saw. The woman standing watch was not exactly what one would expect to see in that position. Her best years were clearly behind her, and she looked more like she belonged in a retirement home more so then she would standing guard.

“Hello dears”

She’d say in a warm welcoming tone before asking for their papers, and inquiring about their future store. Shichiro took note of the sharp line of questioning disguised as friendly conversation. It seemed that despite the woman’s age, her mind was still more than fit for the job at hand.

“Of course He’d start, before trifling through his pockets to find his papers. The travel documents were legitimate, listing him as a resident of the land of hot springs, and a member of the Hashimoto family. Although they were a powerful crime family, the Hashimoto family had managed to maintain a clean reputation to the public eye. They’d always taken special care to keep their misdeeds hidden, as being a rogue faction of the hidden leaf’s Nara clan left unwanted attention undesirable.

As Shichiro handed his papers to the woman, he’d motion towards his ill-tempered older brother to do the same. Shinji of course complied, but not before letting the woman know he was annoyed with an audible groan. Shichiro quickly sought to correct his brother, knowing that this would be the villages first impression of the siblings.

Image was everything

“Sorry, You’ll have to forgive Shinji” He’d start, glaring daggers at his brother.

“We’ve been on the road all day, and I think he’s a little exhausted”

Assuming all went well with the papers, and his apology was accepted Shichiro would then answer the womans question about the nature of their business.  “Our father owns a grocery store in the land of hot springs. Calls it Hashimoto’s Harvest. We’re looking to open a sister store in the village”

This was a half truth, there was of course a Hashimoto’s Harvest in the land of hot springs, but behind the grocery store was a much darker business model, one their sister store would soon adapt.

Shinchiro looked towards the woman before inquiring again about the village leader. “So, do you think we could set up an appointment with your village leader today? Or are they too busy, if it’s an issue we could come back at another time”
Shichiro wasn’t sure why, but he felt the need to be careful around this lady and wanted to get the conversation over with quickly. The less time his brothers attitude had to shine through, the better.

WC: 444
TWC: 949

"Oh," she waved off the silent one's groans with a smile. "It's quite alright, there's no need to apologize—I've dealt with much worse in my time."

Half listening as the younger of the two went on about his soon-to-be enterprise, Matsune flipped through the documents scrutinizing each seal and signature with an eye towards authenticity. Zukumiki's men had recently taken to employing an especially skilled counterfeiter from Fire Country and, as a result, the military district experienced a few scares that the elderly gate guard did not want to repeat. That said, in this case, everything seemed to check out and be above board from what the older woman could see.

"Here you are, Mr. Hashimoto," Matsune handed the papers back to the talker of the two men. "As for an appointment, you're lucky our leader is the eccentric type."

She glanced at the ornate watch on her wrist.

"He holds open office hours right about now," she continued, shaking her head in something bordering on disapproval. "Typically, they're meant for the shinobi of our village, but I doubt he would turn away a prospective business owner. Today I believe he's holding them in the courtyard just before you reach the castle; if you keep following the road you can't miss it—"

The muted staccato of hooves interrupted the conversation. Pulling up behind the two brothers, a large covered wagon came to a stuttering stop and sent up a small cloud of dust in doing so. There was never a dull moment at the gates of Tanbogakure and, judging by what looked to be fireworks in the back of the wagon itself, Matsune doubted the rest of the day would be the exception to that rule. What did anyone need with a wagon full of fireworks anyhow?  

"Now, if you'll excuse me, duty calls," she gave a pained attempt at a bow to the two businessmen. "Best of luck with your enterprise."


The song of a single blade filled the courtyard in the shadow of Okada Castle as Yasahiro moved through a series of stances. All too often an inexperienced swordsman moved either too quickly thinking it gave them an edge in battle or too slowly fearing a misstep or mistake. The Komekage, however, neither rushed nor slowed his movements. Instead, he aimed to flow through each one and onto the next at an effortless pace, where each movement followed the next as a matter of course, never a matter of force.

At times such as these, the very fabric of reality seemed to unravel and fade, leaving only the man and his blade. He could be anywhere in the world; Okada's grand courtyard, a backwater town in the middle of a swamp, or back home in the Land of Iron, it didn't matter. Indeed, even anxieties, passions, and his own sense of self fell away alongside reality. If ever peace existed it was here: between one breath and the next where flesh met steel and nothing mattered save for the next moment.

To the untrained eye, the wild-haired leader of the Rice Village would appear a dancer, not a warrior. Each twist and turn sent his shock of black hair about in a whirlwind of darkness that constantly threatened to break from the messy ponytail it sat in. And every well-considered step brought the slap of sandal on stone as his movements became progressively faster without losing an ounce of grace. In such a state of transcendence, it would take more than the silent arrival of two would-be grocers to break Yasahiro from his self-imposed trance.

Luckily the woman dismissed his brothers’ antics, and begin to shuffle through their papers. The process took a moment and she scanned the documents thoroughly, taking in every detail. The young entrepreneur smiled to himself, thankful for the fact that he’d decided against using an alias before they’d arrived. The woman’s eyes would rise from their papers shortly before she handed both documents back to Shichiro.

Her attention however seemed to have drifted elsewhere, and she hurried them along, giving them a brief description of where they should go before excusing herself, and wishing them luck. “Of course, thank you for your help” He’d say returning the bow, a courtesy which Shinji would not return.

Shichiro rolled his eyes at his brothers’ posturing, making a mental note of the fact that he was going to have to have a long talk with him about their perception. But first they’d need a place to speak in private, which was of course the entire reason they were standing where they were. The two moved along, allowing the wagon to have its turn at the gate, and making their way towards the courtyard.

It was relatively easy to find with the guards’ instructions, and standing in the center of it was a man going through the motions with his blade, in a manner which looked rehearsed, like he’d done it a thousand times and it had just become a reflex.

Shichiro smiled at the sight of it, he’d been collecting his fathers’ debts ever since the ripe age of 13, and he’d used a sword on every outing. That said, his methods were far less graceful, most people who find themselves in poor financial situations with his family didn’t exactly have the discipline of the man in front of them. More often than not they were drunks and users, and on the off chance they were an actual threat, the Hashimoto usually possessed strength in numbers.

Some time passed before Shichiro realized that the man would likely continue for hours if he was allowed to go uninterrupted, and decided to disrupt the man from his training.

“Ahem..”

He’d clear his throat, in an attempt to gain the mans attention.

“Excuse me, Mr… uuuuuh”

It just now occurred to Shichiro that he’d never gotten the mans name

“Village leader? Sir? ”

He’d finish, while his brother laughed and he cringed at the sound of his own words.

“My names, Shichiro, this is my brother Shinji… We just talked to your gate guard, she sent us your way.” He’d say pausing to catch his breath. We’ve traveled from the land of hot springs, were looking to open up a grocery store in the residential district of your village and were wondering if we could get your thoughts on that. And also maybe a recommendation on a property to purchase, that is if it’s not too much trouble?”

He’d inquire politely, curious as to what kind of man he was speaking too. He at least knew one thing for sure, if the mans sword routine was anything to go by, he’d be anything but boring.

WC: 519
TWC: 1468

The samurai's blade danced through the air as if possessed by a life all its own. A slight flick of the wrist sent it in one direction only for it to be drawn back to the body by a pivot of the elbow. Soon all traces of the simple, utilitarian form of the Land of Iron, and Yasahiro's youth, dropped away leaving behind something entirely different.  A new formless style born from instinct and honed by experience that still, in spite of its grace, lacked development and begged for refinement.

Ahem...

The Komekage's perfect serenity shattered as reality reassembled itself around him. First came the sounds of the busy military district, then the smell of a distant wood fire whose smoke he could almost taste, followed by the bite of the fall air on his skin, and, lastly, opening his eyes, the sight of the two Hashimoto brothers standing side by side. Neither of the men appeared familiar nor did they seem to be readily hostile—a step up from the previous week's office hours, where he faced down an angry horde of bar owners on the topics of predatory advertising.

"Yasahiro," he interjected as the younger of the two groped for a name or title. "Just Yasahiro."

An automatic reflex at this point in his life, the Komekage sheathed his blade without so much as moving his attention away from the two entrepreneurs. The idea of a new grocery store in the village had some merit. Currently, a single store run by a curmudgeonly bachelor cornered the market on all things from canned goods to fresh produce in Tanbogakure. And, though he lacked formal training in economics, the idea of a monopoly on essential items made the leader uneasy. A bit of competition might very well be in order.

"Always happy to help a couple of up-and-coming merchants," he wiped a bead of sweat from his brow just before it ran down his face. "That said, I would like to hear more about your business plan before we talk property. It wouldn't look very good if you started up only to fail within a few months, would it?"

A cool sea breeze swept across the courtyard, sending a shiver down the leader's spine.

"Do you mind if walk and talk?"

If agreeable, Yasahiro started on a circuitous route around the courtyard. Out of habit, the man's left hand rested on the hilt of his blade as they walked, and his gaze, though kind and cordial as could be, never left the two newcomers at his side. It always paid to be a bit cautious lest a wayward blade find its way to a place it shouldn't be.

Shichiro allowed himself to breath following the stranger offering his name, he’d apparently caught on to the young Hashimoto’s distress and interjected before things had a chance to get too awkward. He’d nod, acknowledging that he now knew the man’s name before continuing with his earlier monologue about the shop in the residential district.

Refreshingly, the mysterious village leader didn’t seem opposed to the idea of the store, in fact it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it looked like it might have even piqued his interest. The man took a moment to wipe his face, clearing the sweat leftover from his recently concluded workout before he responded, inquiring about their business plan. A reasonable ask, and of course, an expected one at that.

“Do you mind if we walk and talk”

Shichiro smiled, “Not at all” He’d say gesturing for the man to lead the way, and following as he began his lap around the court yard. As they walked, Shichiro observed Yasahiro’s hand resting on the hilt of his sword and the constant gaze, the man seemed to have a healthy dose caution when it came to dealing with strangers.

It was becoming increasingly apparent that his job and the kages had a significant overlap in necessary skillsets. A few moments of walking would pass, and as they did Shichiro would take in the scenery around them, the inside of the military district was different from the more relaxed look of the village on the outside in exactly the ways you’d expect from the name. The military district was built with purpose, and you could see it in every structure from the wooden stockades, to the towering castle.

Even the location of the district itself was an advantage, located at the height of a slope, and with a cliff to its backside, any enemy that wanted to take it was going to have to fight an uphill battle. Shichiro almost lost himself in thought before he realized it would probably be a good idea to strike up the conversation, wouldn’t do well to waste Yasahiro’s time.

“So, lets see. Where should I start… He’d say asking rhetorically and tapping his chin, as if to communicate that he was thinking.

“Well for starters, I’d like to assure you this isn’t our first store. We helped run our fathers for years in the land of hot springs” He’d say, embellishing the truth, they’d helped their father run a business but it certainly hadn’t been a grocery store. “He owns a store called Hashimoto’s Harvest there, and has a good relationship with the farmers to stock his shelves. We’d be opening a sister store here, and be importing most of our stock from there as well”

“That is with the exception of rice and sake, we figured it would make more sense to buy that from local farmers and brewers here. Help stimulate the local economy and save on some shipping costs”

…

“Any questions or concerns so far? Or Should I continue”

…

Shichiro had more to say, but he figured it was better not to dump it all out at once.

WC: 523
TWC: 1991

The Land of Hot Springs, had Asahi mentioned something about stopping through there on his travels? Yasahiro couldn't be sure—Asahi spun far too many stories for the older cousin to keep them all in his head. Perhaps, once the village stabilized, he would take a trip there; a vacation would surely do him some measure of good. After all, what better way to melt away one's worries than to soak in near-boiling water like some strange four-limbed crab?

Delusions of time off aside, the trio continued their route through the courtyard with Yasahiro on the right and the brothers Hashimoto to the left. Their path brought them around Okada Castle, past a couple of busy bureaucrats discussing the merits of varying village defenses, and around the busy construction site of the district's latest watchtower. Since the village's founding, the courtyard around the castle had never seen a quiet day. Far too much needed to be done in far too little time.

"I do have one question before you go on, and apologies if I'm getting ahead of myself here," he flashed a self-effacing smile. "On one hand, I appreciate the thoughtfulness of selling locally sourced goods. However, on the other, I suspect you may run into some difficulties on the import front."

He paused searching for the right words before continuing.

"Tanbogakure is still very much a small player, both in Rice Country and the wider world. As result, our borders are less than airtight, and bandits have been known to ambush even the most experienced merchants. How do you intend to secure your supply line against such a threat?"

The name Zukumiki didn't need to be said here. The warlord's name had long since become synonymous with bandits, miscreants, and ne'er-do-wells throughout Rice Country. What the Komekage omitted, however, was the uptick in attacks from the wayward warlord's forces. Something had accelerated their designs on the heartland of the country, and their attacks became both more frequent and more bloody than ever before—the clock was ticking.

The young leader beside him seemed receptive to the idea of buying from local businesses, but seemed to hold concerns about the process in which they were bringing in goods, hinting at the Zukumiki and their raids. Of course, Shichiro couldn’t come outright and say he knew who these attackers were, or that they were the reason he was here in the first place, so he’d play it safe for now.

“That surprises me, the village has seemed relatively peaceful since I’ve arrived”

He’d pause looking upwards in thought,

“Hmmm, I suppose we could fit some protection for our wagons into our budget. What do you think Shinji?”

He’d question his brother, who was trailing slightly behind the two.

“Perhaps some retired shinobi looking for work?”

Shinjis finger rose to his chin and he did his best impression of running the math, the answer of course was a no brainer. The Hashimoto family was rolling in cash, and already had two shinobi lined up for the job.

“It’ll be a tight fit, but we can make it happen”

He’d say before once more tuning out of the conversation.

Shichiro flashed a grin at the village leader. “Shinji here handles the finances, if he says we can afford I’m inclined to believe we can” Hopefully, that handled any of the village leaders concerns about their security.

Assuming no more questions were asked, Shichiro would go on to elaborate more of their business model. “So like I said, the land of hot springs Hashimotos Harvest will be our main source of funding, this would give us a safety blanket and help us cover the cost of early operation before we turn a profit” He had to stress this part first, because like Yasahiro had said, it would do the village no good to open a store that immediately closed down.

“As for the day to day operations, that will mostly be run by me, being the people person that I am I’ll be handling talks with the local farmers and brewers to fill up our inventory, as well as processing our imports from the land of hot springs, and hiring workers to fill our store."

Lastly there was the role of his brother which Yasahiro should be made aware of, “My brother here is not so much a people person as he is a mathematician, so like I said, he’ll be handling the finances of the operation. Bookkeeping, inventory, basically all the stuff I find far too boring, he seems to like for some reason… So I let him handle it”

Shichiro paused for a few seconds trying to think of something more to say, but came up blank. He decided he’d said enough about their business and that all that was left was really getting down to the main reason they were here.

“So, what do you say? Have you heard enough to recommend us a location? We’d prefer to rent an existing space, but we’re also open to the idea of building new”

He’d ask eagerly, hoping to have a plan lined up soon.

WC: 514
TWC: 2505

At least they had a plan. Far too many merchants, entrepreneurs, and would-be business moguls came before the leader without a plan in hand or a thought in their head. Many believed themselves entitled to success without putting in the work needed to achieve their goals. It did make one wonder what strange world such people lived in, it certainly wasn't anything nearing reality.

"Mmm, one recommendation, and then we can talk property," he drew his blade. "If you're going to be handling day-to-day operations, consider arming yourself as well. Hired help is a start, but they won't always be there for you."

He gave a few instructive swings through an invisible opponent as they walked. The first went through an imaginary midsection, the second tore ethereal flesh from bone across the chest, and the third slipped through a ghostly pair of ribs. He then repeated the movements once more before sheathing his blade. Men, women, and children throughout Rice Country carried some form of defense with them no matter their age, de facto civil war left its mark on the land and on its people.

"There's a blacksmith in town who's well-versed in blade work if you're interested," the leader shrugged. "Now, as for properties, you're in luck. I think we have two that might interest you. One is an empty lot on the arterial road leading up to the military district, and the other is an old warehouse down in the residential district. The latter could use a little work, but it's a corner property on one of the busiest blocks of the village."

Earlier in the year, a large international group of real estate speculators tried to buy up much of the village's prime real estate in hopes of making a quick buck. Fortunately, however, the combined finances of Yasahiro and Lord Naito were able to block the acquisition and ended up purchasing much of the contested land for Tanbogakure. In the interceding months, the pair worked to sell off this land at fair market price to those who would help grow the village, not simply profit from it. If one wanted a healthy village a little central planning went a long way early on.

"Both are reasonably priced and," Yasahiro directed this part to Shinji. "We can talk particulars later on, but do either of those interest you? I'm happy to set up a tour of both if you'd like."

Floating above the trio like living kites, a few gulls cackled into the growing sea breeze—a storm was coming.