The Investment of the Century!

Meanwhile, at the entrance to the fabled Unseen University Campus in Hoshigakure-no-Sato...




She's dressed in her best: wearing a black, long sleeve, high-collared, qipao-styled blouse plastered with graphics of golden lily flowers and equally vibrant gold sashes that wrap over and under her right shoulder and another across from her right shoulder to left waist, and accompanied with a silk, yellow long skirt secured with a brown belt—which she loathes for the length to be needlessly long—and black-buckled platform shoes. Her forehead protector, as always, secures itself around her hips facing forward and Honor's Student Pin fastens itself below the diagonal sash of her dress. Her platinum blonde hair styled into several curls with gold highlights—one of them sheltering her right eye—gently shuffling with the breeze and a pair of golden eyes with black eyeliners shifting to and fro, awestruck at the architectural design of the establishment before her.




To say she's feeling giddy would be an understatement, considering this is not only the first time Jurei's visited the famous Unseen University Campus, but requested a personal audience with the Hogokage months prior to finally discuss possibly her greatest undertaking since her great-grandfather. For this reason, she left Ninjiro under the care of her servants while she was away, telling him she had "a matter of utmost importance to attend to". If it were like any of the stories her father told her, her etiquette wouldn't need to adjust a great deal, although he warned for her to exercise a degree of discretion considering the significant discrepancy in each other's status. Even then, she would put her best foot forward as she would with any other business dealing.

Approaching the doorway entrance to the village's administration building, she's greeted by two Queensguards who stand guard at either side of the doorway. They both donned dark armor with soft-colored trimmings, each holstering a weapon by person and a helmet that covers their entire head save for the slits that reveal their eyes.

"Halt!" The Queensguard on the left shouts, holding out his hand. "This is the Unseen University Campus! State your business!"

Jurei composes herself and bows politely before speaking. "I am Ryoinsatsu Jurei. I'm here to speak with Lord Hogokage about arranging an audience with him."

The Queensguardsman on the right responds, "Lady Ryoinsatsu, you're expected. Please follow us." He then turns around and opens the door for her to enter.

Jurei nods and follows behind them as they escort her through several hallways until they reach their destination: The Hogokage's Office. Along the way, she has an expression akin to a kid at a candy store: the interior design of the ground floor is indeed worthy of its reputation for being one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire village. The walls are painted with intricate murals of various scenes from history, etched with gold trimming and framed with wooden carvings that depict scenes of nature. The ceiling is decorated with paintings of clouds and stars, giving off an illusion of looking out into space.

The Queensguard on the right approaches the office door, followed by Jurei in the middle, and then the Queensguard on left. The former then knocks on the door twice, awaiting a response from beyond the wooden barrier as Jurei takes a deep breath to subdue her nerves.

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“Related Stats”:

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WC: 558
TWC: 558

Today's attire was elegant and traditional, befitting his status as the Hogokage. He wore flowing black robes, meticulously crafted with intricate patterns that hint at his heritage and rank. Over these robes, he draped a pristine white cloak, its edges adorned with delicate, traditional embroidery. The cloak fell gracefully over his shoulders, adding an air of regality and timelessness to his appearance—or so they often told him.  He knew what complemented his striking ensemble was his pale white skin, which contrasted sharply with his dark brown hair framing his face, and his mesmerizing eyes, tinted a captivating shade of white lavender.

Ayato glanced up from his desk as he heard the knock on the door. His office's intricate designs and elegant decor always had a calming effect on him, starkly contrasting the often chaotic duties of being the Hogokage. He knew who was on the other side of the door—Ryoinsatsu Jurei, the woman who had requested an audience with him months ago. Her reputation preceded her, and Ayato was curious to hear about her grand undertaking.

"Enter," he called out, his voice calm but commanding. 

The door opened, and the Queensguard stepped in, followed by Jurei. Ayato stood up from his desk, a welcoming smile on his face. "Lady Ryoinsatsu, welcome to the Unseen University Campus. Please have a seat," he said, then looked at the two men with her.

The Queensguard once stood as the primary force protecting the city before the shinobi's arrival, their expertise in swordsmanship rather than jutsu. Their faction held power when the Old Daimyo's family ruled Haven in the days preceding Hoshigakure. They served the village faithfully until some former members did not. Now overshadowed by the Nova Corps, the Public Security, and the Yomiyama Samurai who guard the gates and the standard troops on missions, their token presence of Queensmen was relegated to patrolling the Unseen University and a section of the Spring Palace. 

They performed their duties decently, and Ayato sent them on their way with a wave of his hand. "Okada, Ryoji. Thank you for escorting Lady Jurei here. Dismissed." They nodded through their closed visors, placed their hands on their swords, and, with a twist of their heels, walked out, closing the door behind them with a soft thud.

He would expect Jurei to bow politely before sitting opposite him, her eyes filled with excitement and determination that was known to define her. Ayato took his seat, his hands resting on the desk. "I've heard a lot about you and your work. I'm eager to hear what brings you here today."

As she began to speak, Ayato listened intently, appreciating her poise and the significance of her visit. He valued such meetings, where ambition and vision could potentially lead to significant advancements for the village. And so, he prepared himself for what he hoped would be a fruitful and inspiring discussion.

[WC: 480]

Upon hearing the a serene yet firm voice respond to the knock, the forefront Queensmen opens the door to the Hogokage's chambers and proceeds through, followed by Jurei, and then the rearguard Queensman. The forefront Queensman maneuvers to stand at the left-hand side of the entryway while Jurei approaches forward an an unhurried pace, followed closely by the rearguard Queensman strides to stand at the right-hand side of the doorway until they were soon dismissed from the scene. Jurei's eyes are immediately drawn to the intricacy of her Lord's abode, elegantly adorned with various paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and other works of art.

Soon after, her gaze affixes to a surprisingly young man with a beguiling smile and disposition. She had not come with any preconception regarding the Hogokage's appearance when she scheduled an audience with him some months ago, but she would be lying to herself to say she didn't find him comely given how his minimalistic attire complements his physique. She returns the grin of goodwill, bowing politely before speaking in a soft yet firm voice that matches her demeanor. "Lord Hogokage, thank you for agreeing to meet me today." She then takes her seat opposite to him with knees and legs together and her hands visibly above her lap.

When the Hogokage speaks, she feels a stir of confidence well up when he notes of his recognition of her person. Although her immediate station pales in comparison to the village's members currently in active duty, it does spark a sense of pride to know that her reputation precedes her—even to the village's leader. It helps to remind Jurei that this endeavor is not merely a matter of personal ambition, but one that would potentially benefit many. After he offers the floor for her to speak, she bobs her head, her disposition unchanging, and responds.

"Thank you. I wished to discuss with you regarding setting the stage for a matter of importance. You may be aware of my clan's history. My family's history, to be exact. My father told me about how my Great-grandfather was a man of extraordinary vision, having long been involved in various industries that range from arms manufacturing to mining and his rise to fame and fortune through his entrepreneurial exploits to give my parents and grandparents a better life than he had growing up as a mere merchant."

She pauses briefly before continuing on, as if to allow him time to process this information, "I understand that this may sound like a strange topic to broach with you, but I believe there is an opportunity to leverage my family's wealth and influence for the greater good of the village." She takes another moment to compose herself before continuing on, "As you may be aware, my family has amassed a vast fortune over the generations—a fortune that we have invested in numerous sectors across Haven through... questionable means. Although our public image isn't particularly the best, given how some media outlets portray us, I believe that there is an opportunity for me to use this wealth not only for profit but also for public service. Specifically, Lord Hogokage, I wish to propose an affiliated partnership between my business and the Hoshigakure Bank."

Steadily raising her hands from her lap to level with her waist, she performs the following hand seals: Rat → Dog, before a folder containing various documents outwardly blinks into existence and gently rests the item on his desk. "I have prepared some documentation outlining my proposal and providing additional details about the specifics of our partnership. I hope you will find it beneficial to both parties involved."

Should the Hogokage choose to take the folder and unveil the folder's contents, he will find a neatly stacked layer of paper, including a title that reads, "Ryōin Investments Partnership Proposal" along with a table of contents, details on her company's why in the executive summary, a problem or need statement, a proposed solution, qualifications, a timeline, pricing, billing, legal information, clarification of terms, et cetera. Should he also choose to rifle through the pages, the key details of the proposal, in summary, explain of the investment bank's askance of approximately 250,000 Ryo as investment capital in exchange for the following benefits rendered to the Hogokage himself and the Bank:

1. Under terms and conditions to be discussed in-depth between both involved parties, Ryōin Investments becomes an official affiliate partnered to the Hoshigakure Bank as the latter's parent company.
   
   
2. The Hogokage and his/her descendants  will exclusively receive a lifetime, 30 percent shareholder ownership of the company's stock and be considered as a single shareholder entity, in accordance with village law.
   NOTE: This benefit will be rendered to the respective owner(s) after Ryōin Investments amasses approximately 1,000,000 Investment Capital to commence the company's first Initial Public Offering (IPO).
   
   
3. Under terms and conditions to be discussed in-depth between both involved parties, the Hogokage will be granted permission to incorporate his/her own investor's policy—within reason of the company's general capacity—at the time of this proposal's agreement.
   

Jurei then continues to speak, her tone light yet firm. "I understand that this may sound like quite a bold proposal—especially given how my family has conducted business in the past. However, I want to reshape the animous disposition toward my family's name to mean something more than just profit and greed. I want to use our wealth to help others—to give back to those who are less fortunate than us. I believe that by partnering with the Hoshigakure Bank, we can create a lasting legacy of generosity and compassion that will benefit generations to come."

She bows earnestly, bending her torso forward 30-degrees—being careful not to bump her head against the desk's edge—as she surmises. "I hope you can understand my vision for Ryōin Investments. And if you have any questions or concerns. I'm more than happy to listen and assuage them to the best of my ability." She then raises herself upright once more as she awaits his response, maintaining her composure despite feeling a sense of nervousness well up within her chest.

---

WC: 1,012
TWC: 1,570

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The Stats:

The Hogokage of Hoshigakure leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes scanning the document that had materialized on his desk. The room was quiet, save for the soft rustle of paper as he flipped through Jurei's meticulously prepared proposal. The subtle scent of ink mingled with the faint aroma of sandalwood from the incense burning softly in the corner.

Ayato had listened attentively as Jurei spoke, her steady voice and clear intentions leaving a strong impression. Her ambition was evident, and her proposal was bold and intriguing. Yet, as he examined the details of her investment partnership, a flicker of unease crossed his mind.

The Hyuuga clan was steeped in tradition and dedication to Hoshigakure’s well-being. As Hogokage, Ayato pledged to uphold these values and shield the village from external and internal threats. Here sat Jurei, a representative of a family with a checkered reputation, proposing a partnership that could link the village’s future with the fortunes of the Ryōin clan.

His gaze shifted to Jurei, who sat across from him with a composed yet tense demeanor. Despite her calm exterior, Ayato could sense her underlying nervousness.

"You've presented a thorough proposal, Jurei," Ayato began, his voice measured. "I appreciate the effort you've invested in outlining the benefits of this partnership. However, I must consider your family's history—the... questionable methods by which this wealth was amassed."

He noted a brief flicker in her eyes—perhaps frustration or resignation—but she remained silent, allowing him to continue.

"You talk about reshaping your family's image and using your wealth for the village’s good. That’s a noble goal, and I commend you for it. Yet, it's a significant risk for both you and Hoshigakure." He paused, reflecting on the gravity of the situation. "Accepting this proposal would mean tying the village’s financial stability to the reputation of Ryōin Investments. It’s a gamble that could strengthen our economy or lead to unforeseen complications that our enemies might exploit. And with our threats, we certainly don’t need more challenges."

Ayato took a moment to consider the weight of his decision. Balancing risk with opportunity, he recognized that partnering with a family with a controversial past could invite scrutiny, but supporting an underdog family seeking redemption also resonated with his values. "The Kage of second chances," he remembered Sebastian Loghain’s words, reflecting on the nickname that had once been bestowed upon him.

This could be when Jurei’s proposal was dismissed with laughter or met with a polite delay, leaving her hopes unrealized. But as he considered his journey, he remembered the pivotal moments that had shaped his path—if Kyousuke Snow had dismissed him as merely his father’s son, or if Yasaki had not named him over Haegon Hoshimura as his succesor, where would he be today? 

Leaning forward, Ayato’s gaze was steady. "Hoshigakure was founded on resilience and the belief in giving everyone a fair chance. Your proposal aligns with those principles. I believe in offering opportunities to those who wish to make a positive impact, and I see that in you." The opportunity he had been given had defined his path, and now he saw a chance to offer the same to Jurei.

Firmly and convictionally, he concluded, "I accept your proposal, Jurei. We’ll move forward with this partnership between Ryōin Investments and the Hoshigakure Bank. Your investment will be a cornerstone in strengthening our village's economic foundation, and Hoshigakure will ensure that this partnership benefits both our people and your family."

Ayato offered her a reassuring smile, signaling the end of their discussion and the start of a new alliance. "Let’s proceed with drafting the formal agreement. My advisors will work with you on the details. Know that you have my full support. Welcome to the future of Hoshigakure, Jurei."

[WC: 625]