A Golden Opportunity! [Open to All]

[Morishige]

For the past months, perhaps even a year, there was a small vacant shop that sat idly across the street from the academy; it used to be a family owned donut shop until it was closed down due to some legal reasons. (What legal reasons could a donut shop have anyway?) But as I said before, it had been closed until recently when a small construction crew invaded and began to fix the place up. Everything seemed to be going normal, and maybe even the locals got interested in what was being put in. But in just a few weeks it was apparent that it would be a small outlet-like clothing store. When the sign was eventually put up, it was simply three numbers: 888. A popular clothing store for all ages of tweens, teens, and some young adults. Naturally it had an ideal location right outside the academy, so whoever decided to put up shop was a genius.

However, the true attraction was a sizable booth outside of the store that seemed to always be manned by a work. The sign upon the booth read "Titan Recruitment: Find Your Future Today!" What the public didn't know, was that 888 was actually owned and operated by the Titan Corporation, and that the booth outside was not there by chance in a hope to attract young individuals to the store. In fact, it was quite the opposite. 888 was the attraction so that the workers of the both would be able to chat up young hopefuls or drop outs into good careers for their future. After all, Kumogakure's stable place in the world left many ninja with insufficient pay to support more lavish lifestyles. Titan sought to take advantage of such greed and acted accordingly. The question was, would anyone like a job aside from that of low-paying shinobi; for all they knew, people liked being apart of the working poor.

Upon closer inspection of the booth, there were several information pamphlets on display for people to pick up and read, or maybe even take home for later. A couple flashy posters sat nearby, as well as some informational ones. Additionally, eye catching slogans adorned most of these visual devices, such as: "Don't Settle for Less! Join Titan Today!" -- "Gifted Individuals Needed for a Brighter Future!" -- "Men and Women of All Ages Welcome to Apply!" -- "We can Answer All your Questions! We are Here to Help!" -- and finally, "A Variety of Careers Available for Those who Work Hard and Want to Advance!' which seemed to be followed by a list of available positions the company was looking to hire for.

This kind looking woman sat in a small chair, straightening some of the pamphlets that were left out. Her name tag read 'Nori' and she sat with a smile waiting for whomever would grace her with a visit that day. She often had repeat customers, mainly young boys who just like to talk to a girl outside of their class. And she was happy to oblige, often reminding them to give thought into joining Titan. She assured them their future would be secure until retirement if they joined, and sometimes even kissed them on the forehead to try and seal the deal. After all, he paycheck was dependent on how many recruits she got per week. Nevertheless, there was sat, waiting for potential recruits to come out of the store or just stop by to see what all the posters were about.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Familiarity was like mask, obscuring the face of change. It was like watching a favorite pet gradually becoming an adult from birth. Your new kitten stayed adorable and cuddly, but when did it specifically become a cat? Eventually, the mask was pulled off and the sudden realization of change slapped a person in the face.
Today, that person was Ai. Wrapped in his favorite cloak, the teenager strode towards the academy with his usual lack of interest in the world moving around him. All the usual sights and sounds were there, children bustling this way and that and the same old vendors selling the same old merchandise. But today, there was an exception. Seemingly out of the blue, an old store had been resurrected, the bright posters and constant coming and going of students grabbing Ai’s attention, snapping him out of his thoughts and into the world around him. ‘When did that get there?’ The bald boy wondered, pausing in the middle of the path to examine the building. ‘888, peddling… Wool to sheep.’ Scoffing, the practical boy was all set to move on when one of the bright monitors caught his eye.
-- "Gifted Individuals Needed for a Brighter Future!" --
Titan… Ai wasn’t familiar with that particular company, but they seemed fairly well off. The shop they placed their kiosk in front of was not just some common thrift store. Obviously wealthy people, mostly pre-teens and teens, were hustling in and out of the store, hands loaded with bags and pockets full of their parent’s money. ‘It had to be expensive to place their stand there. These people don’t look cheap.’
What really interested the boy were the promises spelled out on the monitors and posters. Career opportunities for hard working, gifted individuals of all ages? It was potentially a huge commitment, but despite himself Ai couldn’t help but fantasize a little.
Too often, the boy found himself frustrated by the slow pace of the academy. He felt as though he was being held back, as if the other students were dragging his classes out, asking unnecessary questions and making avoidable mistakes. The boy couldn’t count how many times his lessons had been interrupted by some emergency or another, most notably an explosive note accident that had decimated a small classroom on the third floor. Dumb people doing dumb things were slowing him down, and perhaps this was the answer.
Gathering his thoughts, the skinny teenager wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and approached the kiosk, behind which sat a not unattractive blonde girl. There were stacks of pamphlets and take home kits, all of which seemed to promise the same thing.
‘We will use you to your potential’
“Hello,” Ai said, offering the attendant a slight smile and a nod “Could you tell me what this is all about?” As much as he detested social interaction, in some situations it was necessary and it seemed like this was one of those times.
‘Doesn’t mean you have to like it’ He thought to himself, assuming his usual disinterested expression as he waited for an explanation. ​

[Entered]

 

[Morishige]

It was only a matter of time before the curious made their move, as Nori had seen many times before. She would watch the little tykes of the academy often walk by, gaze over in interest and then just hurry to catch up with their friends without coming to check it out. However, too many times did those people return to learn more about this 'Titan Corporation'. Whether it be right after the first viewing of the booth, or after the seventh time seeing it, they always came to see just what it was about.

And today was no different, as a duo of friends departed with a pamphlet, Ai approached with what seemed to be a shy hello and smile. Nori returned a kind smile and folded her fingers together, ready for what he had to say. And boy, did she need to be. Often came the broad questions that was obviously difficult to answer, so the attendant had to come up with some responses to explain both her and her companies duty with the booth.

"For such a broad question young man, a broad answer will be returned. No doubt this will spur your mind to ask more specifically, but here goes." She began, then cleared her throat. "Titan Corporation. Innovation, Technology, and Sustainability. We pride ourselves in our ability to perceive changes in the future and adapt with the changing times. Titan Corporation has taken steps to secure it's future. We employ our own security and give them hands on training. We have a private detective force that investigates rumors of corporate espionage and crimes within itself. Our scientific division is ahead of the game in our changing world, often producing technologies that other companies and governments don't have the financing to discover. And the most exciting part about it as we are expanding into other areas of the world! The chance to travel while being paid to do so is an exciting one! Titan's growth in the past few years are at about one-hundred and eighty-seven percent. We do good work and our investors know this, hence our wondrous funding. This is why joining Titan is the way to secure your future. This is why Titan needs unique and talented individuals. We need those who are willing to do their best and put in every ounce of effort so that we can come out on top. Naturally, we pay very well for those who show promise, and advancement is nearly guaranteed."

Nori took a deep breath after the long winded, cookie cutter response to his question. Every potential recruit was different, and responded differently the recruiting tactics. It was a matter of trying to pick up on what he was interested in and pushing that topic. Hopefully, from his reactions to her tiny speech she would gain either more questions, or a hint as to what he was interesting in.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Ai listened intently to the attendant’s speech. Though the student could tell how impersonal the speech was, he understood the purpose of it. She was casting a net, baiting the water with a wide assortment of enticing options. It was no wonder the company was doing so well, they seemed to have all their bases covered and then some, but what could a lowly student do that would be of use to such a behemoth corporation? If they were so wealthy, one would assume they could have a vast array of A and even S rank Shinobi in their employ. Why spend so much to recruit children?
“I see,” he lied, nodding his head slightly in faux understanding and meeting the gaze of the young woman. “Hypothetically, if I WAS interested in pursuing a career with your company, how would you decide my field? Would I just be lumped into whatever branch required more bodies? Or would there be aptitude testing involved?” Despite himself, the boy thrilled a little on the inside. It seemed as though he had stumbled on a potential purpose, assuming he agreed with what they asked of him. After all, he could receive specialized training with these people, and he had no doubt he would be well paid for it. But what interested him most was that they seemed to be looking for exceptional students, something Ai couldn’t help but feel he fit the bill for. He learned quickly, diligent in studies and his training, while his peers played and gossiped. Of course, there was also the matter of his hidden… talent, but he would have to make sure that he could trust these people before they were privy to such personal information.
‘Titan needs unique and talented individuals, eh? Well, talented may be a stretch, but I’m certainly unique.’​

 

[Morishige]

The hook landed, and everyone who asked question hypothetically pretty much admitted to asking them for real. Nori found it quite cute actually and couldn't help but giggle at him, quickly silencing her reaction to his humorous action. It was rude to laugh at someone, but she just couldn't help it. The woman quickly got down to business listening to what he wanted to know and formulating and answer that would suit his need for knowledge.

"At Titan, we believe in efficiency. It would be inefficient to put someone who is specialized in making cheese per say, into our security force. We would much rather have them making cheese for the security force. So basically, the answer to your question is the latter of your assumptions. We administers tests and trials to see what might an employee fit in the best, and then train them from there on forward. And should the employee seek a different route within the company, we also try to make that available to them." she explained in a knowledgeable fashion. "I actually wasn't always stationed as a recruiter ya know, I was actually apart of the intelligence division for Titan. I worked as a undercover agent trying to root out corruption within the company. But after a few assignments, it lost its zeal and I wanted something simpler. I let my supervisor know and here I am, talking to you!" she smiled, chuckling a small bit.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Raising an eyebrow at the blonde woman, Ai couldn’t help but let another smile ghost his lips momentarily. She had found something he said amusing, though for the life of him the socially inept student couldn’t figure out what. It was unlike him to dwell on trivial matters like figuring out the complex rules of social convention, so he turned his focus back to the matter at hand.
“We administers tests and trials to see what might an employee fit in the best, and then train them from there on forward. And should the employee seek a different route within the company, we also try to make that available to them.”
It was as Ai had hoped, they wouldn’t just toss him behind some desk, mop or perhaps worst of all, a recruitment desk. The student would be able to make sure that he wasn’t trapped in a mundane position, dealing with social trivialities or mind numbing paperwork. In fact, she had mentioned something that had actually set the hook in the boy’s mind, though he didn’t consciously realize it.‘Intelligence eh?’ The idea of making his trade knowledge, the obtaining and selling of information had always fascinated the teenager, who fantasized about being a position of importance. What was more important than knowing anything and everything? Yes, the boy was certainly hooked, but he would still require a little reeling in.
“Alright, this all seems very promising… Extremely promising in fact. But, what about my Shinobi career? I have plans for advancement in the village as well. Will Titan be flexible in that regard?”​

 

[Morishige]

"Ah, a question I am asked alot, believe me." said Nori with a true smile on her face. It was looking like another recruit, and that meant more money for her. "We actually encourage shinobi to join Titan the most. Given the nature of shinobi life, there is actually a lot of down time between your guys' missions that allows for work from Titan. Also, there are times when employees of Titan are sanctioned to do missions of their own and having the skills or a shinobi or kunoichi is quite helpful. Should a mission from the village present itself, our managers are quite flexible in that matter and will almost ALWAYS let you go serve your country." she said with a smile, but looked down to mumble something inaudible. Whether he heard her or not was up to his hearing, she looked to him with a smile, ready to answer any more concerns. Or walk him through the application of course.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

"Should a mission from the village present itself, our managers are quite flexible in that matter and will almost ALWAYS let you go serve your country."
‘Almost.’ The clever boy let the word roll through his mind, bouncing around down different avenues of thought. There was something being omitted here, but despite his usual caution Ai was caught up in the moment. It seemed he had settled on it, the wrestling match in his mind had reached its conclusion. This warm woman was saying all the right things, or, almost all the right things, and teenager was feeling Froggy. It seemed like all the causes of his frustrations were suddenly solved, as if by divine intervention.
Chuckling at the thought, the boy rested his hands on the table and leaned forward to examine the different articles laid upon it. Raising his eyes once again to address the attendant, he took a final moment to assure himself of his decision.
“Well… Where do I sign?”
​

 

[Morishige]

One could almost see the dollar signs in her eyes. "Wonderful! Glad to hear it; won't regret your decision I promise." she exclaimed and moved to open the door of the booth. "Just come on in here and take a sit, and we'll get all the paper work filled out."

And for the next few minutes, Nori helped Ai with what needed to be filled out and then sent him on his way. "You should get some notification in the mail that contains our Kumogakure address and a date for an appointment. Don't be late!" she giggled, and waved him goodbye.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

With a final smile and wave, Ai set off back towards home, his original reason for heading to the Academy long forgotten. He had a lot to think about, and he was anxious to see where and when he would begin his new employment. Of course, only time would tell, but the boy couldn’t help but be impatient, the strange encounter filling his head with a hive of thoughts.
‘I wonder what I just got myself into?’​

[Topic left]

 

[Ryu Hime]

Anii was heading to a class. Being a genin she did not visit the academy often, but sometimes there were classes that caught her attention. It was nice that the academy allowed genin to participate in classes, however as she nears the school building she sees the sigh, an 888. She had heard rumors of one opening up but she didn’t know it was true. Finally she can shop at a place that would have the Goth style she is looking for. The class was not for another hour so there should be time to do a little shopping. As she comes to the door she notices the booth in front of the shop with interesting advertisements. She never heard of Titan before and she wondered what type of company it was. “What type of careers do you offer? Do you need any talents that of a Tsubaki priestess?" It would be common knowledge that all priestesses of the Tsubaki clan is of the Tsuchimikado bloodline. Of course being so young she has yet to achieve all her skills of that bloodline, but she would still be of some use.

 

[Morishige]

Now this was a development that Nori didn't foresee. Yes, many types of inidivduals had come to Triple Eight to purchase clothes, accessories, and other things of that sort, but not one of those who matched Anii's type had actually stopped at the booth for information. Perhaps this was a welcome change to the goth community? Not that it mattered. Nori was here to make money and recruit people for Titan's cause.

"A Tsubaki priestess?!" exclaimed Nori, immediately paying her honors with a low bow. "O-of course! Though the positions rarely open up. I am sure the administration would be eager to open a position just for you, dear priestess. There is a portion of Titan that is often forgotten, even by mainly of the higher ranking employees. It's our paranormal division." Nori explained with a devious smile. She had considered it when transferring. But rumors of raising the dead and souls being sucked from people's bodies dissuaded her.

"It's not a full fledged division however, more like a pet project of the CEO himself. And if I may add, paid quite well due to the unique nature of the job." she continued with a chuckle. But her expression soon grew curious and she leaned forward. "I haven't had many clergy stop at the booth, and if I may ask, what interested you?"

 

[Ryu Hime]

Well darn. The division she would most belong to was nothing more than a pet project. To Anii that was quite disappointing. Despite the woman’s assurances in getting a position in the company, Anii could not help feel unwanted. A bit of laughter emanated from inside her backpack, which was followed by a voice. “Aw, my poor Anii doll, it looks like this company isn’t looking for your kind.”

Anii kicks the bottom of her backpack, “Shut up Maho, nobody asked for your opinion.” The voice that came from her pack was of an adult male, but not one that would fit in such a container. The woman has to be wondering what the hell going on. “I consider myself a gifted Individual.” Anii was obviously pretending like nothing unusual happen or she is just that use to it that she doesn’t consider it unusual.

 

[Morishige]

And wonder indeed. The scene that was unfolding before Nori was a strange one. With sounds of men coming from a tiny backpack, and the young girl responding with violence toward it. Perhaps there was a ghost inside? Tsubaki were known for their dealings with spirits. "I'm sure you are, but may I inquire as to what exactly just happened?" she asked, pointing to the backpack.

 

[Ryu Hime]

“Come now my beautiful doll. It would be rude not to introduce me to your new friend.” Anii with a sigh agrees with the voice. She takes off her backpack, unzips the zipper and pulls out a stuffed brown rabbit by its ears. Maho then introduces himself to Nori. It was a little weird when he spoke. His mouth was nothing but fabric so it didn't move. A voice would just emanate from him. “Good morning my dear, I am the beast of devastation or at least that’s what they use to call me until this chanter of elegance sealed me into this vessel.” Maho was once a great and powerful demon that took the form of a dragon. Now he is nothing more than a plush toy. “It is a pleasure to me you… Nori.” He reaches out with a paw, which upon closer inspection would reveal a mark similar to a curse seal.

“Maho was some sort of demon lord that the Tsubaki clan sealed into an iron coffin long ago. It seems that after centuries of confinement he has weaken a bit, but he does possess some knowledge that I find useful.” One type of knowledge she wished to attain from him was the knowledge of her own clan. He knew the priestess clan before they became the Tsubaki. Back when the priestess was truly a weapon to be feared. “I have many others in my collection. I guess you can call it a hobby.” A strange hobby to the normal person, but could prove interesting to the paranormal division of Titan.

 

[Morishige]

Now this was quite the treasure to behold. As Anii produced the rabbit, it actually began speaking, though Nori knew not how something could be. It was almost like something out of a story book. As he spoke and introduced himself, he requested a shake of the hand, to which Nori could only giggle and comply. Taking his paw in hand, she gave it a firm shake and then looked to Anii as she spoke.

So it was a hobby to force powerful demons into tiny vessels for transport and other uses. Now if there was one thing the Titan needed, it was souls of powerful demons, that was blatantly true. A recent notice given to all employs was to report any kind of demonic presence so that the corporation could capture it for the good of the human race. Which usually meant using to for the progression of research. But that was besides the point. This young girl was needed. The trick was enticing her.

"Well, I think your little friend has the wrong idea Anii. If there was a time for 'your kind', that time is now. Not only would you be an asset to the paranormal division, your talents would not go wasted in the larger scheme of things. If you joined Titan, we would be able to offer you resources and projects that could provide whatever you needed. You'd most likely be apart of a team that specifically apprehends demonic entities and seals them away for storage. And then of course, all the time you would have to pursue your own projects as well. We like to give employees their own time to work on what they need to, as long as they share results with the company." she explained.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Asset? Hell, if Anii had her way she would be running that division. Of course there are some things she must address before considering joining. “If I join Titan you should know that my loyalty to my gods, to my country and to my clan take higher precedence than my loyalty to you. In that I would require days off for mission and rituals.” Being that they were mostly likely after shinobi they should be flexible with their hours. “Now if that is alright, where do I sign?”

Maho on the other hand was feeling a little bit ignored, “Hello, what about me? Don’t tell me you can’t think of a good use for me outside the paranormal division. I mean come on, look at me. Can you think of a better spy? Hell I can even be an assassin; just give me to a child and I can weave a tale that will get him to do the work for me.” Of course the one problem he has is that he cannot move on his own. He was only able to shake hands before with the help of Anii’s puppetry.

 

[Morishige]

Nori smiled widely as she began to profess her loyalties. It meant that she was seriously considering joining Titan, which meant more money for the fair haired woman at the recruitment booth. "Of course of course, we have other shinobi in Titan who have obligations else where. And we are very open religiously as well, just be sure to let whomever you are working under before hand." explained Nori. With some thought, Anii seemed to make the mental leap to take a step toward a wealthier life. "Well why don't you come behind the desk and we can get the paper work sorted out. Shouldn't take to long." instructed the blond, as her ears picked up on Maho's protest. The small object seemed to think that be might be of use within the corporation. And while he did make a good point at being the best spy, the only problem with that was getting him into enemy territory to begin spying, and then somehow getting him out when his mission was complete.

So Nori looked to Anii. "I have nothing against him working alongside you, but do you think he could actually be viable on his own considering his...status?" she asked.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Okay now that ticked Maho off. “How dare you talk about me like I’m not here? If you have a question about me you can say it to my face. Do you know who I am?” Anii sighs as she places the rabbit on top of the booth while he continues his ranting. This was starting to be a daily occurrence. Well she guessed some demons are more easily broken than others. With her puppetry she slams the rabbit back of the head into the booth. “Hey I’m not finished yet.”

“Do you know who you are? Let me remind you.” She then flips him on his belly and turns him towards her. He was force into the most embarrassing position for a Demon Lord to take. His legs were tucked, arms out straight and chest against the ground. It was a full fledge bow to one that is vastly superior. “You are MY bitch and you bend to MY will! As punishment you will stay in that position silently as I fill out this paper work.”

 

[Morishige]

Nori watched the annoying little object go off on a ran, Anii controlling him through some kind of puppetry, she assumed. But the recruiter did her best to ignore it while she ran through the required information she had to reveal so that they wouldn't be sued by the family if an agent died. But soon, the banter from the little rabbit was getting to be a bit much and Anii took action.

The position she set him in was indeed very humiliating. It was the ultimate form of submission when one needs to put themselves beneath someone else when they made some kind of mistake. Nori couldn't help but smile, almost feeling a sort of a win in this situation. He was indeed getting quite mouthy. But the words that came from Anii were kind of surprising. The recruit couldn't help but stare for a moment, only to recover with a blush and pointed to a line. "Sign here....and here..."

They continued through the paper work until they finished and Nori went to shake her hand. "Welcome to Titan, Anii. You should receive a letter in the mail with information regarding the trials for placement. Though, the administration will have my notes and may chose to skip those, depends how they feel." she revealed. "And unless you have any more questions, I think we are done here!" she announced with a smile. Most people were eager to finish the paperwork and go to get lunch or something.