(D9 MM) A Devils Bargain

[Miya Nishida]

It took Nishdia a while to find a gap in the market that he could exploit. Something that could bring in much, much koku. His plan was simple, convince the brains behind it, draw up a contract and then profit, profit, profit.

It was just that annoying social component he had to overcome, and people who weren't used to dealing were usually so hard to convince of what you wanted to sell them, even if both partners had something to gain from it, honestly!
So he grabbed the best suit he had early in the morning and prepared himself with his announced meeting with Soshi Kioku. For him, Koku was in the air.

After he was received he was taken to a waiting area where he waited quietly, impatience had no place this time and so he concentrated on the pictures on the wall that presented some of the exotic animals here.

[Soshi Kioku]

The meeting would happen in an inside room of the Spine Drake Centre. Kioku took a while to arrive, but she arrived with a cheerful, respectful smile.

"Miya-sama. What a pleasure to see you again", she says with a respectful bow. "I have been informed you had something you wished to discuss with me?"

(OOC: Will be around more tomorrow likely! Do you want to do some more simple chatting on the D6 thread, or just fade to talk and then get here?)

[Miya Nishida]

He detached himself from the poster and bowed to Kioku, "Indeed, I have a great offer for you and this establishment." he said, looking around, "But I don't want to reveal too much yet, how are you?" he asked, looking curiously at Kikou.

(We could fade to chatting D6! It's a concert anyway, to loud for a substantial talk )

[Soshi Kioku]

The words, how they were spoken, the whole situation leads her eyes to widen and her head to tilt sideways.

"I... have been well, Miya-sama. Thank you very much!", she answers simply, head still tilted to the right. She did seem cheerful, more so than two days before even. "I hope you have as well?"

She looks around for a moment, as if looking for a hint of what he would bring up. "I must say I am curious about this offer you speak of, though"

[Miya Nishida]

"Oh keep that curiosity" he said cheerfully, "How about we have some tea? I hear you run the research and breeding of the Spine Drakes, is that right?"

[Soshi Kioku]

"Oh keep that curiosity" he said cheerfully, "How about we have some tea? I hear you run the research and breeding of the Spine Drakes, is that right?"

Her head still tilted, she nodded. She wouldn't say no to tea.

"I will get us some tea, then. Any preferences, Miya-sama?" She gestures for one of the heimin around to ask them for the tea before turning to the Imperial again, a faint smile on her lips. "I do. Not alone, of course". She gestures to the half a dozen or so staff members walking outside the room - Nishida would have seen others at the lobby and elsewhere In the Centre. "But I've been leading most of our programme for the last few years, yes." She gestures at some of the Drakes playing or training outside, her smile genuine now. "I"ve come to see them like a family. Have you taken the chance to meet some of them, Miya-sama?"

[Miya Nishida]

Her head still tilted, she nodded. She wouldn't say no to tea.

"I will get us some tea, then. Any preferences, Miya-sama?" She gestures for one of the heimin around to ask them for the tea before turning to the Imperial again, a faint smile on her lips. "I do. Not alone, of course". She gestures to the half a dozen or so staff members walking outside the room - Nishida would have seen others at the lobby and elsewhere In the Centre. "But I've been leading most of our programme for the last few years, yes." She gestures at some of the Drakes playing or training outside, her smile genuine now. "I"ve come to see them like a family. Have you taken the chance to meet some of them, Miya-sama?"

"Good tea," he quipped, then shook his head and said, "I prefer the crab blends, if you have any."

He stepped a little closer to the window and shook his head again, "Not so far, no. I've heard some other samurai rave about you, though." He looked at the small scaly creatures out the window, "They are quite droll though."

[Soshi Kioku]

"Good tea," he quipped, then shook his head and said, "I prefer the crab blends, if you have any."

He stepped a little closer to the window and shook his head again, "Not so far, no. I've heard some other samurai rave about you, though." He looked at the small scaly creatures out the window, "They are quite droll though."

With the Crab and the Scorpion as allies, there was sure to be a crab blend of some sort around. "We should have some Yasuki blends here. Green or white?", she asks before relaying the order to the heimin. "They are really interesting. And quite friendly when you get to know them - more so now, of course, but even the rowdier wild specimens we started working with could be very loving if you knew how to handle them". Her voice makes it clear how much the creatures mean for her - 'a family of sorts', indeed.

"With your interest... may I assume what you had in mind had something to do with them?", she asks, her eyes curious but wary.

[Miya Nishida]

With the Crab and the Scorpion as allies, there was sure to be a crab blend of some sort around. "We should have some Yasuki blends here. Green or white?", she asks before relaying the order to the heimin. "They are really interesting. And quite friendly when you get to know them - more so now, of course, but even the rowdier wild specimens we started working with could be very loving if you knew how to handle them". Her voice makes it clear how much the creatures mean for her - 'a family of sorts', indeed.

"With your interest... may I assume what you had in mind had something to do with them?", she asks, her eyes curious but wary.

"I'll take a green blend, thank you" he said, turning around to Kioku.

"You are clever, not that I doubt it, but yes it is true. My suggestion is about these cute little rascals" he said and smiled, "How would it sound to you if your efforts were, officially, supported by the Miya?" he asked and got ready to sit down somewhere.

[Soshi Kioku]

"I'll take a green blend, thank you" he said, turning around to Kioku.

"You are clever, not that I doubt it, but yes it is true. My suggestion is about these cute little rascals" he said and smiled, "How would it sound to you if your efforts were, officially, supported by the Miya?" he asked and got ready to sit down somewhere.

"Green blend it is, then", Kioku answered, letting the heimin know before turning back to the Miya. "Officially supported?" She seems thoughtful. Maybe interested, but there's some wariness to her. "That... does sound promising. Perhaps a bit too promising. How would that work?"

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(OOC: As we're on the last day of D9, can you get me a Courtier roll done? I"ll base the conversation on it instead of asking for it later so the rolling gets done with)

[Miya Nishida]

"There would be an arragement" he began. "As you may have heard, the popularity of the Spine Drakes is growing, many samurai would like to own one themselves, as I myself have kept a Shiba Inu since my Gempukku, I can understand the deep bond you have with the little critters."

He paused to fix his glasses.

"This is where we come in. The Miya would offer some sort of early adoption/sponsorship solution. Samurai can apply to financially sponsor a pair of your Drake, possibly receiving mail from you once a year with pictures of them and a report on their condition. On the other hand, the sponsors will have a right to receive a cub one day, when the population of Drakes is large enough. And visiting rights, should they come by." he explained and wathced Kioku

"How does that sound to you?"


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D9 MM Can he convince Kikou? Courtier (Manipulation) 3 / Awareness 4, +1k1VP | 8k5 ⇒ 36 (TN: ?)

[Thimacek]

"There would be an arragement" he began. "As you may have heard, the popularity of the Spine Drakes is growing, many samurai would like to own one themselves, as I myself have kept a Shiba Inu since my Gempukku, I can understand the deep bond you have with the little critters."

He paused to fix his glasses.

"This is where we come in. The Miya would offer some sort of early adoption/sponsorship solution. Samurai can apply to financially sponsor a pair of your Drake, possibly receiving mail from you once a year with pictures of them and a report on their condition. On the other hand, the sponsors will have a right to receive a cub one day, when the population of Drakes is large enough. And visiting rights, should they come by." he explained and wathced Kioku

"How does that sound to you?"


----
D9 MM Can he convince Kikou? Courtier (Manipulation) 3 / Awareness 4, +1k1VP | 8k5 ⇒ 36 (TN: ?)

She scratches her head, thoughtful. "So... what you are offering is a sort of Sponsorship from the Miya, then?" She looks at one of the Drakes outside, her hands unconsciously wander to scratch the heads of Dawn and Dusk in her pockets. "They... would be adopting cubs from off-world, then? Or... is that the end result Miya-sama is looking for?"

Dusk comes out from her pocket and climbs to her shoulder. She tilts her head, touching him affectionately. "Miya-sama does understand it could be a long time before we could agree to send them off-world, yes? As successful as our efforts have been, they are still endangered." She pets Dawn on her pocket, the drake shakes her head and sets off flying close to the Miya to sniff him. "And... they aren't products. I trust Miya-sama understands that, hai?"

Despite her words, the Soshi seems at least interested in the Imperial's proposal, it seems.

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Soshi Kioku - Etiquette vs Nishida's Courtier roll. Nishida may receive bonus or penalty depending on how he handles the conversation | 5k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: ?)

[Miya Nishida]

She scratches her head, thoughtful. "So... what you are offering is a sort of Sponsorship from the Miya, then?" She looks at one of the Drakes outside, her hands unconsciously wander to scratch the heads of Dawn and Dusk in her pockets. "They... would be adopting cubs from off-world, then? Or... is that the end result Miya-sama is looking for?"

Dusk comes out from her pocket and climbs to her shoulder. She tilts her head, touching him affectionately. "Miya-sama does understand it could be a long time before we could agree to send them off-world, yes? As successful as our efforts have been, they are still endangered." She pets Dawn on her pocket, the drake shakes her head and sets off flying close to the Miya to sniff him. "And... they aren't products. I trust Miya-sama understands that, hai?"

Despite her words, the Soshi seems at least interested in the Imperial's proposal, it seems.

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Soshi Kioku - Etiquette vs Nishida's Courtier roll. Nishida may receive bonus or penalty depending on how he handles the conversation | 5k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: ?)

"I do" he replied, looking at the little rascals climbing around Kioku.

"The long sponsorship period is also for you to get to know the samurai on the other end of the Koku, especially since the sponsorship period is a good time to teach the samurai who have a vested interest in adopting a Drake how to handle them. There are a lot of benefits the whole thing offers you, the critters, and the facility. Don't get me wrong, Soshi-san, I'm trying to combine the practical with the useful here."

He extended a hand to offer a platform to the Flying Drake.

"You are a woman of knowledge, settling the species on several planets to have redundancy should be in your interest." Nishida already wanted to play the desolation card, but kept it to himself. "The income generated from this you can put into additional personnel, larger facilities and research, the whole combined with the official stamp of the Miya should support your efforts abundantly, more than it would have been the case otherwise."

[Soshi Kioku]

"I do" he replied, looking at the little rascals climbing around Kioku.

"The long sponsorship period is also for you to get to know the samurai on the other end of the Koku, especially since the sponsorship period is a good time to teach the samurai who have a vested interest in adopting a Drake how to handle them. There are a lot of benefits the whole thing offers you, the critters, and the facility. Don't get me wrong, Soshi-san, I'm trying to combine the practical with the useful here."

He extended a hand to offer a platform to the Flying Drake.

"You are a woman of knowledge, settling the species on several planets to have redundancy should be in your interest." Nishida already wanted to play the desolation card, but kept it to himself. "The income generated from this you can put into additional personnel, larger facilities and research, the whole combined with the official stamp of the Miya should support your efforts abundantly, more than it would have been the case otherwise."

"Miya-sama's offer is indeed interesting on many accounts", she says, thoughtful but still wary. "I... have reservations on some points, and Miya-sama will understand I will need to discuss this with my superiors at the Sanctuary. But with what Miya-sama is suggesting... if there's some space for defining some details and restrictions... I do believe this could benefit the Drake Programme, and the Sanctuary."

She flashes him a smile seeing Dawn settle on his hand. With a whistle, three other drakes to join them. "I have some main concerns we'd need to discuss. One of them, as you must imagine, is the possibility of sending them off-world." She looks around. "It is true that keeping all conservation efforts at a single site is... not ideal"

Some of that wistful energy she radiated about a week ago comes back, but with the...recent developments, it only lasts for a short time.

"But we do have some conservation efforts elsewhere in the planet. Some in-world exchange programmes, and maybe at first focusing on in-world possible tutors... I think that would make things more reliable both for patrons and for us. Unless off-worlders' sponsorsorship wasn't directly aimed, or so strongly advertised, at them eventually getting a Spine Drake of their own in their world." She seems to ponder the possibilities. "Does Miya-sama think that could work? It... could still of interest to them to have their name associated with the Centre and its programme, maybe?"

She then looks at the drakes again. "The second main thing is... we are very particular about our drakes' tutors. We are not breeding and training them to be mistreated later, as I'm sure Miya-sama must understand. And... in my experience, status and means are not always a good indicative of being good or caring with animals. So... I trust we could still keep a reasonable measure of control over who can or cannot care for our little ones? And keep tabs on each of our 'children', so to speak, and their tutors? To ensure they're being treated well, of course - nothing untoward."

[Miya Nishida]

"I would propose to stage the adoption program in waves. Maybe start with on worlders first, review how it goes, then allow planet In the closest vicinity of the world of dreams." He explained, trying to aim for a compromise. "Then review again, before launching it for all worlds."

He took his hand to him again with the Drake in him and began to gently pet the drake on his hand "They're warmer than I thought" ge said suprised. Before giving Kioku his attention again, "As for your concern of abuse. I'd like to say no honorable Samurai would do that, but,... as of my upbringing I know that this isn't always the case,... " he admitted, "But u think, with the Miya as third party negotiators, we could establish the Drakes as property of the Sanctuary with the right to check on their Drakes and to withdraw them, if they've got abused." He offered.

[Soshi Kioku]

"I would propose to stage the adoption program in waves. Maybe start with on worlders first, review how it goes, then allow planet In the closest vicinity of the world of dreams." He explained, trying to aim for a compromise. "Then review again, before launching it for all worlds."

He took his hand to him again with the Drake in him and began to gently pet the drake on his hand "They're warmer than I thought" ge said suprised. Before giving Kioku his attention again, "As for your concern of abuse. I'd like to say no honorable Samurai would do that, but,... as of my upbringing I know that this isn't always the case,... " he admitted, "But u think, with the Miya as third party negotiators, we could establish the Drakes as property of the Sanctuary with the right to check on their Drakes and to withdraw them, if they've got abused." He offered.

The woman hears the Miya's words with great attention. Something suggests she's still not wholly convinced at some specifics, but her eyes keep the sheen of interest in them.

"Staging the programme in waves sounds like a good idea. Although... again, I would rather not assume we will be able to send drakes off-world anytime soon. If we do start with that premise, that may give sponsors wrong impressions, and it may end up pressuring the Centre to do things in a way that will not benefit the drakes..."

Or the Sanctuary itself, she things, but doesn't say out loud.

"And of course, I would not expect most of our prospective tutors to be like that. If things were as they should, that would never even be a concern. But it is, and..." She shakes her head slightly. "I must say, in my experience, Miya-sama's suggestion on this aspect could be problematic." She gestures at one of the many training areas inside, where some visitors are getting to know some of the drakes. "If we trust a drake to a tutor only to find later they are mistreating it, checking on them and withdrawing might be a way to avoid even further problems - but our drake will have suffered already. It might even come back with a trauma, depending on how bad it is. This is why we're so particular about our prospective tutors before they get to adopt a drake. So what I'm considering is - perhaps, when off-worlders are involved, the project could focus first of all on having their names associated witht he Centre and the drake programme? And if one of them wants to actually become a tutor, we would be happy to honour them with a visit here at the World of Dreams, and in the Sanctuary, to get them to know our critters better, get to know their protegées up close, and find out if caring for a drake is really for them. Of course, that would give us the much-needed chance to make sure they would be right for our drakes too."

A prospective look at the imperial. "Do you think that could be feasible, Miya-sama? Or something like that?"

[Miya Nishida]

Snip

"Hmmmm" he thought out loud, while playing with the Drake.

He, intentionally, took some time before he answered, in wich he gave his attention the little scaly cats.

"I think we could build up on this premise" he finally answered.

[Soshi Kioku]

"Hmmmm" he thought out loud, while playing with the Drake.

He, intentionally, took some time before he answered, in wich he gave his attention the little scaly cats.

"I think we could build up on this premise" he finally answered.

The answer was received with a small, but friendly smile. "I'm glad to hear that, Miya-sama", she said, extending her hand in which both Dawn and Dusk perched. "I imagine you may need some time to consider and maybe discuss that with others? If the offer is made officially, I will gladly take it up to the Sanctuary management." A nod, and her smile widens. "If the conditions are right, I do believe this can be a great opportunity, both for the Sanctuary and for our little ones"

[Miya Nishida]

The answer was received with a small, but friendly smile. "I'm glad to hear that, Miya-sama", she said, extending her hand in which both Dawn and Dusk perched. "I imagine you may need some time to consider and maybe discuss that with others? If the offer is made officially, I will gladly take it up to the Sanctuary management." A nod, and her smile widens. "If the conditions are right, I do believe this can be a great opportunity, both for the Sanctuary and for our little ones"

"Oh, this is as official as an offer can get, I have a rather, high position." He smiled, "I am normaly in the service of the Imperial Revenue Service, as an Tax Audit Manager. Needless to say, I still need to figure out some details, contracts and the like, so I will come back again, with the drafts and the like" he said, with a smile.

"However, I hadn't had a chance to learn much about the Drakes, other than their really cute" he laughed, "Would you like to lecture me?" He offered to shift the atmosphere from business, to private.

[Soshi Kioku]

"Oh, this is as official as an offer can get, I have a rather, high position." He smiled, "I am normaly in the service of the Imperial Revenue Service, as an Tax Audit Manager. Needless to say, I still need to figure out some details, contracts and the like, so I will come back again, with the drafts and the like" he said, with a smile.

"However, I hadn't had a chance to learn much about the Drakes, other than their really cute" he laughed, "Would you like to lecture me?" He offered to shift the atmosphere from business, to private.

She nods, a pleased smile growing on one side of her lips. "I will be sure to take this up to management then. And of course, even before anything is settled, we thank you kindly for the offer, Miya-sama."

Looking at the drakes in her hands, then. "Lecture?", she asks with a small chuckle. "I could say so much about them, Miya-sama would probably get awfully bored! Besides... you could probably learn more if you tried dealing with them yourself. With my help where needed, of course", she adds, good-naturedly. "Would Miya-sama be interested?", she asks, pointing to one of the gardens where the creatures are trained.