Pawns! [D-Rank]

[Morishige]

Mission Rank: D
Mission Type: Modded - Solo
Participants: Shashu
Mod: ME
Description: It's the end of the fiscal quarter and the Titan Corporation has found itself far busier than usual and found it easier to pay the village to do some of it's busy work rather than wasting resources by sending their own agents to get this done. The task was this: Head to the many businesses that have taken loans out from Titan and pick up their payment for that quarter.

---

Shashu was a shinobi now! But still one of the grunts who got all the crappy missions that the village was given. And this was a mission that fit that description perfectly! But what was her duty? In the mission report that had been given to her, there were several pieces of information for her to read. By far, the most heavy reading was the shop names of explanation of what they owed and otherwise. The real trick would be finding these places. The Susukino was a rather large center of commerce, and unless she frequented the area, then it would be kind of the like a scavenger hunt. But instead of a crappy prize at the end, she got LOTS of yen!

And today was the day! The date on the dossier, the date she no doubt had marked on her calendar, the very date where she would begin to make a name for herself as a nefarious member of a crime syndicate! Oh wait, that's not right... She was simply a collector looked to help a totally legal and non-anarchistic company get some of it's money back.

So, you may be asking, where to first? There were three locations listed on the dossier. The Boutique; a place so stuck up that it simply made its name that very word. The Black Lotus; a massage parlor that was famous for it's... special treatment. And, the last place was Freakazoid; a dingy little smoke shop. She could go to any place she wanted, or stick around to ask people for directions. The choices were up to her!

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

Hmmmmm... Shashu thought to herself as she read the slip of paper outlining the mission while she headed toward the Titan building. Collecting loan payments from local businesses for the Titan Corporation? Isn't that the sort of thing they would handle themselves? Shashu remembered hearing some discussion about them, mostly to do with how they were the new big fish in town, swallowing up alot of the smaller businesses like it was going out of style. She shrugged. Well, it's not really my business. Heh. Horrible pun Shashu. She thought with a small grin on her face, not quite chastising herself.

After arriving at the building she looked around but failed to see anyone openly looking for her, so she headed to the front desk. "Hi, my name's Shashu, I was sent by the Academy? I got your mission statement, but I was wondering if I could get any additional information on the shop owners. You know, in case things turned nasty." Shashu knew well enough how irrational people could get when it came to paying what you owed. It was always one more week, one more month, so on and so forth, and when you forced a confrontation people tended to fight rather than to pay their dues. It wasn't always their fault, and there were extenuating circumstances sometimes...but debts were debts, and she was a big believer in paying what you owed. It was one of the few lessons her mother had been adamant that she learn, which had made it a big deal as far as Shashu was concerned. Her mother was pretty lax about alot of things, but when it came to something that mattered, she wouldn't budge an inch.

Shashu shook her head, turning her thoughts back to the task at hand. "Oh, and don't worry about directions, I'm familiar with the area. I live here after all." She glanced at the paper once again, noting once again the descriptions of the businesses. "These aren't the sort of places I would normally visit, but addresses you included should be sufficient." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear in sort of am embarrassed manner. A high class beauty parlor, a 'massage' parlor, and a smoke shop. Yeah, definitely not the sort of places she would visit. She slipped the paper to the lady at the front desk. "Anyways, a little more information would be nice, just in case, then I'll be on my way."

[WC-412]​

 

[Morishige]

The camera outside the door gave a feed of the entrance to the building. And since the only way to gain entrance was through a locked door, it was up to the secretary who manned the unlock switch to make a decision to let her in or not. Thankfully, Titan was in the information business, and it was known to the staff that a shinobi might be dropping by since a couple requests were sent to the village. So with a simply press of the button, Shashu was given entrance and let within the lobby.

Naturally, she would move to the front desk, and speak to the apathetic woman. She had but one simple conversation, or question rather, to which the woman looked at her plainly in response. naturally, as the young genin continued speaking, the Titan employee realized what she was talking about and began to look up the information that was needed. In the few moments of conversing and silence however, if she took a look around, she might have seen a few people move amongst the halls, and even a glimpse of the supply closet (and how it was eerily empty of supplies). There was even a moment when the sounds of machinery reverberated through the walls. However, she would only be able to guess at what was happening.

But besides that, the woman who sat before Shashu began to speak. "Here is what I am cleared to tell you." Strange choice of words, don't you think?

"The establishment known as Freakazoid is ran by the name of Hayakuro Tazuna. He'll probably be the hardest to weasel our money from, but he does have a weak point. His business is his life, and if anything were to happen to his goods he would be ruined. Just simply something that can ruin his stock and you should be in the clear. The Black Lotus is a place we have had mixed dealings with. Sometimes they pay perfectly and on time, maybe even a little extra than what is required, and other months they just seem to...forget. The owner usually never hangs around. So you should seek out Etsuko Hitomi, known as the girl with Red Eyes. Not much I can tell you aside from that; the Lotus is a mystery in itself. And finally, The Boutique is a simply clothing store that likes to believe they are above paying their dues. If you have any fire jutsu, it might come in handy there. Otherwise, just appear ready to get your hands dirty and those stuck up bitches should run like the ugly civvies they are." she concluded, all in a rather monotone voice. It seemed like she had been involved with the boutique before. After all, the malice in her voice was a heavy clue.

"Now you should get going. You aren't even supposed to be in here." she suggested, glancing toward the supply closet, and then gesturing toward the door.

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

The woman at the desk wasted no time in looking up the information Shashu wanted. In fact, she seemed like she was in a hurry to get Shashu out of the building, even though it was pretty obvious there was no one waiting on her. She took this time to look around the rather sparse lobby of the Titan building, noting a few people moving around, but nowhere near the activity she would expect. There was an open closet that was suspiciously empty, and the sounds of running machinery echoed lightly as she waited, though it had no apparent source. This place sure does feel off...like they're hiding something. Before she could think too much about it however, the women had pulled up the information she needed.

"Here is what I am cleared to tell you." The woman told her, and after relaying the information to Shashu the secretary made it clear that she was to leave. Nodding and giving her thanks, she headed out the door. Cleared to tell me? That's...odd. Shashu shrugged. I guess they're pretty secretive about their client list.

Once outside she consulted the paper again, checking the addresses. From the Titan building it was only a few blocks to the Boutique, as Titan was at the edge of the upper-class portion of Susukino that the Boutique was housed in. Shashu cut across a few alleyways to shorten the trip even further, and she was there within ten minutes.

The exterior of the Boutique was every bit as high class as the secretary's information had suggested; the building was in perfect shape, no paint fading or chipped, and the glass displays showcased the latest fashions from all the most popular designers. After heading inside, Shashu could attest that the interior was the epitome of posh. All the clothes from the displays and more filled the racks of clothes, with even more clothes displayed on mannequins spaced throughout the store.

Not ten seconds had passed from the time she entered the store when one of the female employees came up to her, took one look at her functional (but hardly stylish) tunic and athletic shorts, and gave her a look of disdain. "Sorry girlie, but this shop is above your price range. The stuff we sell is for, like, important people and stuff." She looked Shashu over again. "Which you obviously aren't. Now get lost before you give anyone the wrong idea." The employee made a shooing motion with her hands and made to go back to whatever it was she was doing, likely arranging merchandise.

"Hold on, I'm not here for clothes." Shashu said, moving to catch the girl before she walked away. Grrrr...I hate stuck up people! "I'm here on behalf of the Titan Corporation. I have business with the owner of this...store." Shashu picked her words carefully, standing straight, trying to both look and sound professional. Hopefully the girl would get the message and take her to the owner or, barring that, the next highest in charge. Let's hope I get out of here quickly and peacefully, this place gets on my nerves. She didn't know if it was the high-class nature of the place or the aura of snobbiness that permeated the place that was annoying her. Most likely the latter, as she had never had much problem with high class places before. At any rate, how this turned out depended on exactly how full of themselves the people who worked here were going to be.

[WC: 587, Total WC: 999]​

 

[Morishige]

"Hold on, I'm not here for clothes."

---

The woman who spoke in a pink manner turned to look at Shashu with an even more perturbed look than before. "Then even more reason for you to leave." she replied in a matter-a-fact tone. However, our present heroine wasn't just going to up and give up. No! She was the future of the village, and how would it look if she failed the simplest of missions? Bad! So she definitely was going to stay and see this through.

Her words were firm and precise, and her mannerisms were that as well. Even though her size seemed to be a disadvantage, there was a visible look of...alarm on the face of the employee. It was apparent that she had been warned about someone from the company stopping by. But following that alarm was confusion; how could someone like Shashu be from this corporation. Then again, we can only speculate on what management had told this employee, but whatever it was, Shashu's words got the girl moving.

"Follow me." she said shortly, moving off at a brisk pace toward the back of the store. Deeper into the rabbit hole of vanity, you could say.

Less than a minute later, the employee opened the door to some office behind the counter. Inside the room sat a obviously metro-sexual man who appeared to be busy with the books of some kind. His desk was simple and clean, and on the opposite wall was what seemed to be a one way mirror that gave him a view of the cashiers. They had come in without a knock, so he jumped slightly upon their entrance, looking for an explanation.

"Sachiko, what is the meaning of-" he began, but was quickly cut off.

"Titan." she barked and then swiftly left to go back out onto the floor.

A look of fear just briefly crossed his expression before one of forced intimidation and power. He had obviously been thinking for himself lately, or maybe was getting some bad advice from a friend. Whatever it was, he knew he hadn't paid what he owed, and he looked like he was ready to resist. "I'm done with our deal, I want out." he said in a simple tone. Who was he to know that Shashu was a third party who knew nothing of the backroom deal that had gone down. All she knew was that she was collecting on payments, so it sounded like he perhaps was going to refinance, if she knew what that was.

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

What, he's just going to try and get out of it, just like that? She thought. Maintaining her (hopefully) professional attitude, she addressed the man. "I'm sorry, but that's not an option. It is your duty to pay what you owe, just as it is mine or anyone else's. To do otherwise is not only dishonorable, but also foolhardy. I don't imagine that Titan will simply sit by while you skip out on your debts. I'm here to persuade you otherwise, but should you still choose that course of action, I have no doubt Titan will take more...extreme measures than I will."

Of course, Shashu meant legal action, but the man in question didn't know that. Shashu had no way of knowing just how nefarious the Titan Corporation really was, but he certainly did. Abruptly she coughed, shielding her mouth with her hand. This was no ordinary cough however, as the man was certain to notice the small tongues of flame that licked around her fingers. The secretary had said a little fire jutsu would put the screws to the man, and Shashu had no tolerance for deal-breakers. It's not like he can't afford to pay it, this place is pretty upscale and well situated. It obviously brings in a decent amount of money.

Her unsettling mirror-like stare didn't leave the man's eyes for a second as she finished her little display. "My apologies. I certainly hope we can come to an arrangement before then." She said evenly as her hand fell to her side, flames flickering briefly before going out.

[WC:262, Total WC: 1261]​

 

[Morishige]

Shashu's words were firm and precise, and very rhetorically sound. Her professional attitude was well matched by her vocabulary and it be seen that this form of passive aggression was used quite a bit on the man. His expression hardened, and his hands which were visibly in sight clenched up into tight fists. "Now listen--" he began, but was rapidly silence by Shashu's auditory fit of...sickness? She must have been pretty sick if she was spitting flames from her mouth. His eyes widened a little and his bottom lip quivered as he fully realized what she had indirectly conveyed to him. In those flames, he saw the ashes of all his merchandise, the charring of the walls, the ruining of his lifes work. In those tiny flames, he saw his life burnt to a crisp. With a sigh, the man pulled open a drawer and withdrew a letter before looking up into her eyes as she spoke.

"Of course." he replied and placed the money on the desk for Shashu to take. "Tell your masters I was simply waiting on investments please..." he pleaded before resting his elbows on the desk and his head between his hands. Just how much money did he owe? How much was Titan taking from him?

But did his dilemma matter to the instrument of war before him? Probably not. One of three pick-ups were a success, now where was she going to go next.

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

Shashu picked up the envelope, silently weighing it in her hand. Judging by heft alone there was a sizable amount of cash in there. Yevon's name! How much did he owe?? "You know, these things don't need to be this unpleasant." She said, her expression softening slightly as she witnessed the man's seeming depression. "It is better to not get in this situation in the first place, but even so you should never have let it get this far. Perhaps you should reconsider some of your decisions if they are leading you to be this far in debt." She turned to leave, raised a hand in farewell over her shoulder, and called out "Remember to pay your debts next time!" as she left.

Once outside Shashu headed for a nearby food stand and purchased a few meat buns which she ate on the way to the Lotus, her next destination. Honestly she would have rather gone there last, as it seemed like the owners there might be of a more easygoing sort. She would have liked to end this job on somewhat of a good note, but getting the job done quickly was more important. The Lotus was located somewhat between the two other shops, indicative of it's ties to both the reputable portions of the district as well as the shadier ones, and as such was the obvious choice for her next stop.

After a bit of walking Shashu found herself in front of the Lotus. It's exterior was well kept; the dark wooden siding exhibited little signs of wear from exposure to the elements and the paint that adorned it's shutters, signs, and banisters was in good enough shape that it had to have been given a fresh coat within the past few days. All in all, an old establishment, but very well kept.

She headed inside and was immediately aware of the smell of the place. It wasn't unpleasant...just odd. There was incense in the air, along with some sort of underlying scent Shashu couldn't identify. The two combined with the dark wood and red velvet decor to to give the place a languid, sensual feel, seeming to suggest that you relax and leave your inhibitions at the door.

Directly in front of the double doors that marked entry to the building was a fine, solid oak desk, manned by a single woman surrounded by what looked like portfolios. Upon closer inspection each would reveal a list of services available to a potential customer, ranging anywhere from a simple spa treatment to a special VIP treatment, each administered by their trained 'body specialists'. Shashu knew the Lotus' reputation from conversations that she had overheard while working at the Dragon's Rest, so she knew there was more to the VIP treatment than the brochure suggested.

The woman at the desk eyed her with a look that somehow managed to be lazy, skeptical, and disinterested all at once. "I think you've got the wrong place honey, you're a little young for what we offer." The lady examined her nails, adding to the aura of relaxed disinterest she gave off. "Then again, we do see all shapes, sizes, and ages in here. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by girls your age showing up." She then leaned forward with a smile on her face, her elbows on the desk and fingers laced in front of her. "So honey, what can I do for you?" The woman practically growled.

Shashu could feel her face turning a fiery red. The emphasis the woman put on her words suggested that she had all sorts of things in mind for Shashu, and that she wouldn't mind showing them to her, personally. Why does it seem like no matter where I go, every older woman in the country is after me?!? "N-no that's ahm....that's not what I'm, uh, here for..." She stuttered. Damn it Shashu, get it together! At this rate you're going to end up getting a nosebleed every time you see a pretty woman!

Shashu made an effort to straighten up and shake off the embarassment. Facing the woman once again, who was watching all of this with a little grin on her face, she spoke in the closest to an authoritative tone as she could manage while trying to keep her face from burning up. "I'm here on behalf of Titan. You're past due on your payment for the quarter, and they've sent me to collect." Shashu just hoped the woman wouldn't laugh at her. "So I would um...appreciate it if you would...cooperate..." She finished lamely. This was so much easier at the Boutique.....

WC: 767, Total WC: 2028​

 

[Morishige]

"So I would um...appreciate it if you would...cooperate..."

---

Shashu was right in her thinking as well. This wasn't going to be like the boutique in the slightest. Unlike the first barrier back at the high end fashion retailer, this red-head seemed un-phased by the name of Titan. In fact, she seemed to have ignored Shashu's words completely and was focusing on those rosy cheeks.

Thankfully, she realized her lack of attention at came back to reality with a smile, still watching intently with her fingers intertwined with each other. "I'll tell you what, I'll make you a deal. I'll cooperate with you, after you cooperate with me~" she said with a sly wink.

What Shashu didn't know, was that this girl was but a peon, and unlike the Boutique where the owner had let his staff know to watch out for Titan, that was not the case here.

Meanwhile, down a a few steps and across the room, Hitomi was busy chatting with well to-do looking gentlemen. She stood behind him, her fingers upon his temples, soaked in a very potent and fragrant oil meant to relieve headaches and stress. Naturally, the man's head was against her bosom and he had a goofy smile on his face. Whether it was the oil treatment he paid for or the fact a beautiful woman allowed him a comfy resting place that fixed his headache, would be unknown. But after a period of time, Hitomi slowly craned her neck to look into his eyes. And in an instant he was asleep; Hitomi gently resting his head upon a pillow nearby.

Standing from her kneeling position, she took a rolled cigarette out of her cleavage and lit it on a nearby scented candle. Inhaling slowly, she oriented herself to look toward the door. The view wasn't good, but she could see that Shashu was rather short and childish looking. Naturally, this wasn't common place so she carefully weaved her way through several other pairs of men and woman receiving their more standards services until she was poised next to a wall. Simply watching, her cloudy red iris' watching the exchange between receptionist and stranger.

Would Shashu recognize her as being the woman who was mentioned back at Titan's corporate building? Or be too focused on the dame in front of her?

Spoiler

Hitomi's Sharingan contains no Tomoe or markings of any kind. They appear to be moving in the fashion of storm clouds. Brighter and darker shades of red constantly mixing and separating.
She wears nothing specifically vulgar or revealing. In fact she seems to be the most well dressed in the establishment, even compared to the receptionist.

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

I'm cursed, I really am. I have to be. Thought Shashu as the lady at the desk delivered her ultimatum. "Co-cooperate with you? I'm not sure I f-follow...I'm just here on an..um...errand. Yes! An errand! No time to waste! Ehehe..." Shashu stammered, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. She knew she wasn't making things any better by getting all flustered, but she couldn't help it. I swear by Yevon, one of these days I won't even be able to leave the house without getting mobbed. I should become a nun!...except then I would get attacked by all the nuns...

As she rambled on with a deer-in-the-headlights look Shashu flicked her eyes left and right, keeping an eye out for some sort of escape route. She couldn't just leave though, she still had to get the payment from the Lotus to complete her mission, so what she needed was an excuse to go looking for whoever was in charge. Fortunately for her she spotted a well dressed girl with cloudy red eyes, causing her to remember what the receptionist back at Titan had said. Seek out Etsuko Hitomi, known as the Girl with Red Eyes. Hmmm...

Shashu quickly bowed, excused herself to the red haired receptionist before her face got any more red, and walked over to Hitomi. "Hello, my name is Tsuirakuya Shashu, I'm here on behalf of Titan." She introduced herself to the girl, being careful not to breathe in any smoke from Hitomi's cigarette. "I was told to speak to an Etsuko Hitomi when I arrived, would that be you?"

Shashu was able to put her game face back on as she spoke to Hitomi. She was certainly pretty, perhaps more so than anybody else working here that Shashu had seen so far, but she was closer to Shashu's age as well, which set her more at ease. She also lacked a certain predatory air that older women seemed to have around Shashu, as if they were about to pounce on her at any second. Well, hopefully this will go smoothly from here... Shashu thought hopefully. She felt a small shiver go down her spine and quickly glanced back to see the receptionist still watching her with a suggestive smile, which she followed up with a small wave of her fingers as she caught Shashu looking. She quickly flicked her eyes back to Hitomi, who no doubt noticed the little exchange. Or maybe not.... She thought, heart sinking with every second.

[WC: 420, Total WC: 2448]​

 

[Morishige]

As the scene presented itself to Hitomi, she smiled ever so slightly; almost in indication of her finding humor at it. Which, let's be honest, who wouldn't find humor in this. An older woman, still pretty good looking, was making a pass at the young girl. And naturally, any person of her age-- no, any person at all would be embarrassed by such a brazen approach. But she seemed to handle it well by keeping her mind on the task at hand.

But as soon as Shashu caught sight of Hitomi, she quickly took it as an exit and paid her respects to an elder and quickly made her way over to the blonde. A curious look dawned Hitomi's expression as the girl held herself quite well despite the obvious burn of her face. For a moment, Ms. Etsuko wanted to reach out and caress her cheeks to feel just how hot they were, but she knew that if she did, she would get all worked up. See that's why she was in this business. It was the only way to momentarily sate an insatiable desire. But with meditation and very wise decisions she was able to keep it at bay unless her job specifically called for it. Which it often did. But besides that, it was her time to respond to Shashu.

Even that would be difficult. The playfulness of the receptionist and Shashu already had Hitomi's mind going. A momentary nibble on her bottom lip was a prologue before her true words. "Ah, yes that would be me." she began trying to compose herself. She fidgeted and then took a deep breath. "Titan you say? I see they have been recruiting young then. Quite bold." Hitomi assumed, not knowing of the situation."Why don't you follow me, I can give you a tour on the way the safe." she said, a devious smile. She knew this wasn't going to be easy; but there was a chance even the small girl would get curious about...intimacy.

With a sexy little curl of the finger, Hitomi beckoned her shadow to follow. They would pass the lobby from where Hitomi came from. A bar lined one of the walls, and the place was covered in cushions and other comforts. Nothing to fancy, more like a very informal waiting area. A couple of customers were getting some neck and hand massages. But nothing too striking. Naturally they would need to avoid that if they wanted the law to keep off their toes. But as they continued down a hallway, they found several doors with viewing slats at a moderate height. In a lowered tone, Hitomi turned to Shashu and spoke, while gesturing for her to take a look. "This is where we make the most money, as you can probably assume." she lied. If the small girl dared to look through the slat, she would find a woman in a silk robe, working on the thighs of someone's who face remained hidden.

As they continued further into the building, a few other halls branched out. Hitomi pointed to a room where a roar of laughter seemed to be pouring from. "We hold private parties as well, so if you have any friends you should let them know." but just then, what sounded very much like a muffled scream sounded from a door without a viewing slat. Hitomi could only smile and look to Shashu to see her reaction. "Ms. Tsuirakuya, I'm sure you have heard the rumors about our honorable establishment. So can you keep a secret?" she said, not really needing an answer. Someone so young wasn't going to cry wolf. And in the best case scenario, something would stir within her; something that Hitomi could use to her advantage. "The rumors are true. We cater to the rich, the poor, and the married." she said with a small giggle. "Esteemed shinobi have taken rest in our private rooms many times; and let's face it. What happens here will always find a way to happen with or without us, so why not make some money from the exchange?" she said, sounding quite capitalist. After all, she was their most popular 'masseuse.'

This was when she turned toward Shashu, her cloudy eyes starring into the young woman's mirror like iris'. If Shashu would keep prolonged contact, Hitomi would use subtle genjutsu to implant some very sensual images into her consciousness. Nothing erotic or illicit; just sensual. "If you follow me, we are almost to the office." she said with a sideways smile, reaching out with a hand to touch the debt collectors chin.

They approached a door and opened it, only to be flashed by the bare breasts of a woman on the fat belly of a rich looking man. "Oh-! Sorry, so sorry!" cried Hitomi, shutting the door quickly. This was, surprisingly, not apart of her little plan to plant a seed into Shashu's mind. "I apologize, I have no idea what they were doing in there, honest." she quickly spewed, bowing to Shashu to show her meaningfulness of the apology. From beyond the door, some angry sounding voices resounded and the fat man came storming out with shoddily put clothes on. "You won't be getting any payment from me!" he shouted and stormed off. The women who was 'busy' with him came out looking both regretful and angry. "Apologies Etsuko-sama, he insisted on the office..." she whined. Hitomi just shook her head and stepped aside for her to pass."You should have let one of us know to tell the others." she scolded and then quickly walked into the room, motioning for Shashu to follow.

The interior smelled of sex, but Hitomi didn't seem phased by it. Instead she was bent over, her butt in the air, opening the safe to take out the sum they owed to Titan. Turning, she gave the cash money to Shashu with a small smile."There's a little extra in there for yourself." she said, obviously hinting at it being some kind of payment for silence."Is there anything else I can assist you with?" she concluded, sitting on the desk in a rather suggestive pose.

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

"Ah, yes that would be me." Hitomi replied, confirming Shashu's guess."Titan you say? I see they have been recruiting young then. Quite bold. Why don't you follow me, I can give you a tour on the way the safe." Shashu opened her mouth to deny any actual involvement with Titan, but stopped herself short. It might be better to let her think I'm with them for now, in case things get difficult. It rarely hurts to be extra careful. With that, Hitomi beckoned, and Shashu followed.

Shashu couldn't help but wander around a little starry-eyed in Hitomi's wake. The scenes that she could see as the two walked the scented halls ranged from relatively tame massages to glimpses of things that were normally done behind locked doors in the privacy of one's own home. The scent that the Lotus bore also changed as she followed Hitomi, growing thicker as they went deeper into the establishment. The underlying smell from before got stronger as well, a sort of musky, sweaty smell that continued to evade Shashu. It seemed familiar somehow...as if she already knew it, but she couldn't place it. Whatever it was it was mildly intoxicating, causing Shashu's thoughts to dwell a little longer than they should have on the many sights to see here in this house of pleasure.

Shake it off Shashu, focus! You've got a job to do here, can't go getting distracted by this...stuff... She shook her head vigorously, barely managing to keep track of Hitomi's words through the haze that muddled her mind. She was saying something about how they made the most of their money in this area. How can she even think straight in here? Uughh... She peeked in to see another well furnished room, still in the ever present reds and blacks, where a silk-clad woman was massaging the thighs of another faceless patron. Shashu blushed a bit, but it was more due to the particular headspace she was in at the moment than what she was seeing. Massages weren't that uncommon, even in the village she was raised in. No, it was the atmosphere of this place that was getting to her.

They further explored the halls, Hitomi's destination obviously deeper towards the heart of the sprawling building."We hold private parties as well, so if you have any friends you should let them know." Laughter echoed from larger party rooms, and screams of pleasure, muffled but still high pitched, emanated from some of the rooms marked as private."Ms. Tsuirakuya, I'm sure you have heard the rumors about our honorable establishment. So can you keep a secret?" Hitomi asked, turning slightly to look at Shashu's reaction to the latter category of sounds. Shashu could feel her face turning red, not an unfamiliar sensation to her, but the odd part was she wasn't feeling embarrassed. On the contrary, she was feeling more comfortable and relaxed here the longer they stayed.

"The rumors are true. We cater to the rich, the poor, and the married." Hitomi spoke, giggling slightly. "Esteemed shinobi have taken rest in our private rooms many times; and let's face it. What happens here will always find a way to happen with or without us, so why not make some money from the exchange?" Hitomi turned and looked her in the eyes, and Shashu's mind conjured images and sensations of fingers trailing over exposed flesh, the feeling of closeness, of hot breath across her skin. It put Shashu in sort of a daze, that look, and she didn't catch Hitomi's next words, though she managed to follow her towards the office. She barely even reacted when Hitomi ran her thumb over her chin, forcing Shashu to look into those cloudy red orbs once again. Much like the first time, thoughts and feelings ran through her consciousness at the eye contact, and it wasn't unpleasant. Not even a little bit.

Fortunately for the little Shinobi, she was jolted out of her reverie by the sight of a man and women, both naked, in the midst of doing...well, something. Hitmoi slammed the door shut and apologized, going so far as to bow to her. Shashu nodded absently, still a little out of it. There was yelling from behind the door and the man charged out, grumbling under his breath. The woman he was with also apologized, but to Hitomi this time. Hitomi told her off and beckoned once again for Shashu to follow her into the office.

The musky scent that permeated the building was out in full force here. What...is that...sex? Shashu wondered. I mean, I know what this place is, but still, I didn't expect....this... Hitomi bent over and reached into the safe, causing Shashu to try (and fail horribly) to keep from admiring her rear end. She is really pretty...Damnit Shashu snap out of it! Job! Focus on the job! After spending entirely too long rummaging around in the safe for it to be coincidence, Hitomi turned and handed her the stack of money, adding "There's a little extra in there for yourself." The weight of the money in her hands served to bring her back to earth somewhat.

"Wow, I guess it's true what they say. Sex does sell." Shashu thought. Or thought she thought, her face turning red in real embarrassment as she realized she had spoken aloud. Hitomi just smiled a smile that said entirely too many things, followed up with "Is there anything else I can assist you with?" while parking her butt on the desk and arranging herself in a seductive pose.

"That's um...uh...that is to say...I ahm...I think I should probably get going! Don't want to waste your time, ehe..." Shashu stammered. A small part of her..hell, a large part of her simply wanted to answer 'Yes!' and see what happened. Oh heeeelllll no. You are NOT doing this Shashu. This just screams bad idea. So what if she is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and more experienced, and probably knows all sorts of neat tr-OH NO not going there. Nope. Not going there at all. We're getting out of here before we do something stupid.

Through all of this Hitomi just sat on the desk in that pose, a satisfied smile on her face. What she was thinking, Shashu had no clue. Scratch that. I can probably guess what she's thinking. Shashu took a deep breath, composing herself as best she could. "Thank you for your offer, Etsuko-sama, but I really must be going. Places to go, people to do. See! People to see. Yes. *Ahem*" Shashu coughed. "I'll ah. I'll see myself out then. Good-bye."

Shashu bowed to the waist and practically fled out the door, not stopping till she was a full block away. Only then did she pause to catch her breath, her chest heaving more out of emotional exertion than physical. By the Fayth, I hope I never have to endure that again. I don't know if I could make it a second time. Though, much as she might deny it, a certain part of her had liked the feelings and sensations. Even now, if she thought about it she could feel Hitomi's gaze showing her all manner of things, stopping just short of going off the deep end. And that part of her wanted what was in the deep end. Wanted it badly.

She wiped the sweat from her brow (When did I start sweating? Sheesh, I'm going to have to shower when I get home.) and headed to her last destination, putting thoughts of Hitomi and the Lotus behind for now. "Well, bring it on Freakazoid. I seriously doubt you've got anything worth worrying about after that."

[MFT- WC: 1294, Total WC: 3742]​

 

[Morishige]

Hitomi just watched in pleasure as Shashu stammered her words and fumbled her thoughts. No doubt the simple conjuration of images that the red iris' brought forth assisted in such things. The look on her face was a sure sign that the seed had been planted, or perhaps had even grown if it had already been planted upon her entrance into the establishment. There was a certain glaze on her eyes as Shashu looked at Hitomi that the manager could quite obviously sense. However as time moved forward, and more words came from her mouth, Ms. Etsuko was saddened by the rather expedient departure of such a young and impressionable girl. The speed at which she left was amusing at best, but Hitomi wanted more time with her. She would need to find a way to bring her back here....

---

Meanwhile outside, Shashu found herself in front of Freakazoid, the smoke shop. The owner, Tazuna, was behind the counter inside dealing with a few older gentlemen about some cigars. Should Shashu enter in her current state, the few customers inside would cast strange glance but Tazuna's focus would remain on those he was serving; as a serviceman should strive do. The air was filled with a unique stench. Not very bad smelly, but extremely potent to the nose. Whatever was inside of the goods in the draws and safes were probably not all legal, however, Shashu was here for money, and not for the law.

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

So this is Freakazoid. Shashu thought, stopping about two buildings short of the store. Sheesh, I can smell the place from here! No wonder the stores on either side are vacant.... The building in question was a stark contrast to the other two businesses she had paid a visit to; where the Boutique was high-class and the Lotus was lovingly well kept for an aging building, Freakazoid was just old. The once fashionable brickwork was crumbling apart in places, revealing the concrete it was meant to hide, and what little woodwork that had once adorned the storefront was either rotted away entirely or so little remained that it would have been better off gone. To top it all off, the smell emanating from the building was intense, practically tearing the hairs out of one's nose as they approached.

Shashu took a moment to compose herself as well as to straighten her clothes and fix her hair. She needed it after the ordeal at the Lotus and the trip through the less than savory portion of Susukino. After all it wouldn't do to present herself as less than professional; the owner might get the wrong idea and refuse to cooperate or, worse, try to take advantage of her. Not that he would succeed, but still. Never a good idea to put yourself in that kind of situation.

After fixing herself up Shashu strode into the establisment where the smell got even stronger, if that was even possible. She recognized some of the smells now: certain illegal substances could be found even in remote villages such as she hailed from, and living in the Susukino district for the past few years had afforded her ample opportunity to become familiar with drug users. Shashu wrinkled her nose in distaste and advanced to the counter, waiting until the two men were done with their business before proceeding.

Once they were gone, Shashu would address Tazuna himself. "Hello, my name is Tsuirakuya Shashu and I'm here on behalf of the Titan Corporation. Recently you have fallen behind on your payments, and considering the nature of your rather....aromatic establishment, I am disinclined to believe that you lack the necessary funds." Shashu paused before adding "To be clear, I have no interest in how you conduct your business. To each their own, as they say. However, it is well known that trading in such things can be a rather profitable venture, and despite the shape your store is in you would not have lasted so long nor invested so much if you were not good at it."

Shashu leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter. "With that being said, let us cut straight to the point. Titan has grown tired of your attempts to weasel out of your debt. Either you pay now, or things get...messy." At the last bit Shashu made a small motion with her fingers, likely unnoticed by Tazuna as he was focused on her and not her hands. A fire here would rapidly spiral out of control and cause more problems than it was worth, so that was out of the question. No, this time Shashu turned to water.

At her gesture a small pool of water formed around her crossed arms and began to trickle down the other side of the counter, no doubt where Tazuna kept some of his quicker moving stock. It would only take him a moment to notice, at which point Shashu would follow with "Ooops. We wouldn't want to ruin your stock now would we? You should probably clean that up..." She trailed off, eyeing Tazuna expectantly. If any water got into his product it would ruin it, diluting and leeching the chemicals that produced the drugs' desired effects. Shashu didn't really care how much got ruined before Tazuna came to his senses; she had a very low opinion on drugs in general. She would not be sad to see them go down the drain, as it were.

[MFT- WC: 664, Total WC: 4406]​

 

[Morishige]

When the young girl entered the door and made her way toward Tazuna and the customers, no one quite paid her any mind in the slightest. After all, she didn't appear to be civilian police of any kind so there was no worry there. In fact when she had moved into to speak with the owner, he had simply begun to chuckle and turn around to conduct some business of putting product back in the cases. The corporation has sent a child to do their dirty work and that was all the more reason to ignore they very large 'interest rates'. While she lectured on, Tazuna locked up one of the glass cases separating himself from her.

Now Tazuna was a greedy man. And she was right. He did make quite a bit of money running this joint. Heh. Joint. But like most greedy men, money was his only focus in life and he was tired of giving it away to the people who helped him get situated in the illegal side of his business. See, it was Titan who hooked him up with suppliers under and agreement for a percentage of his profits and what not, and that's what he was skimping on. He felt that it was about time that deal expired.

As he was about to berate her for coming in and speaking as though she had authority over him, he then noticed to trickle of water and her words that accompanied it. A sheer panic consumed him and he rapidly grabbed tissues from nearby and paired them with a scooping motion to try and stop it from reaching the goods. Unfortunately, for the man, a small pool had already reached a set of finely wrapped goods and had begun to seep into them.

His face grew hot in anger and for a moment he seemed ready to reach out and slap her across the cheek. But as his veins bulged, and his neck strained, he stomped off toward a picture frame and hit a switch that lay nicely hidden beside it. With a click, Shashu could tell something was opened, and then he was out of sight. Was he making a run for it? No, not at all. The guess was up to her, but behind the door he ventured through lie a small closet where the safe was hidden. Tazuna returned with fresh cash to hand to her, however the crisp bills were all out of sorts from his anger.

"Get out of here and don't come back, else I'm getting the village to do something about you devils." he grunted and turned back to cleaning up the watery mess.

[Objectives Met, Mission Complete]
[Post your exit and you are done]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

"Devils hmm? I think you should take a look around yourself before you call the kettle black, Tazuna-san." Shashu said, flipping through the rumpled stack of bills to make sure he hadn't padded it with paper or some such. She nodded briefly and turned to leave, but turned and stopped at the door.

"As for coming back...well, pay your dues and we won't have to worry about that, now will we? If I do have to come back..." Shashu slowly dragged her gaze around the room, noting the not unsubstantial amount of disarray in the shop before shooting Tazuna a fierce grin. "I think I'll have a little 'Cleaning' to do."

With that Shashu walked out of the shop cackling evilly, letting the door slam behind her as she went. She stopped laughing as soon as she got out of ear and eyeshot and wiped her brow. Phew. Thank the Fayth I'm out of there. It's going to be weeks until my nose is back to normal as is. She hefted her back back over her shoulder, looking every part the crook with a sack of loot save for her clothes. Time to get back to Titan before someone decides they want to see what's in the bag...

After heading back mostly the way she came (with a rather nervous look at the Lotus as she passed it), Shashu ended up back at the Titan building. Fortunately the same secretary was still on duty, so she was let in to the lobby without incident. She explained to the lady at the desk that she had the money that she had been sent to collect, to which the secretary motioned for her to take a seat as she messaged someone on the intercom.

Within a few minutes a tall, unassuming man in a white dress shirt and wire-framed glasses exited the hallway behind the desk. He looked briefly at a sheet of paper before addressing her "Tsuirakuya Shashu yes? I believe you have something for me?"

Shashu nodded. "I do. Here you are." She handed over the bag, adding: "It's sorted by client, so you shouldn't have any trouble sorting it out."

The man pushed up his glasses and nodded, accepting the satchel. "That will do. Thank you for your assistance." He then slung the bag over his shoulder and headed back into the complex without another word.

Well. I suppose I should head to the Torre Celeste to see about getting paid.... Shashu thought as she left the Titan building, her arms crossed above her head. Not too bad for a days work, not to mention that bit that Hitomi gave me. Shashu shook her head and blushed as she remembered a few of the juicier details from her trip to the Lotus. That certainly was a close call....

Shashu would certainly be remembering this mission for quite a while...but for now it was time to get paid. And perhaps some food after.

[MFT- WC: 495, Total WC: 4901]​

[Topic left, Mission Complete!]​