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 Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:09 am
 ~::The Yellow Dragon of the Center::~
[Oshu City Tourism District - Lin Kuei and Syndicate Bar]In the days before the Syndicates of Japan began to separate and go their separate ways, the Lin Kuei was known as an ally to the other families of Japan...bound together by their studies, their secret, and as they spread throughout the many corners of their country there was a growing need for a place that they could all return home to when they needed to meet, to speak, to hear the rumors and plan for the future of their family. The place which was established became known as the Yellow Dragon Speakeasy, named as such for the beast at the center, the fusion of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellation (Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger). It was the place where the divided families would always come back together, where they could meet and discuss the goings on of the families, negotiate with one another, meet, spread rumors, and plan work together without the threat of any sort of retaliation from unfriendly sects. Once owned and operated by the Amakusu Kai of Tokyo, the largest syndicate in the country themselves, they eventually lost interest in property outside of the nation's capital and sold their bar to a young member of the Lin Kuei well known for his neutrality...a foreigner named Jugador Menor. The Yellow Dragon of the Center has maintained its reputation as a safe zone for members of the rival clans to meet, drink, talk...usually without the pressure of the Lin Kuei's heads looking over their shoulder.
On the first level of the speakeasy there are round tables spread throughout a wide room where drinking, poker, and other games of chance are played for the entertainment of the guests. The bar on the far side of the room runs the length of the hall and is stocked with alcohols from years most can't even remember. In this level rumors and conversation fly back and forth like a game of pitch and catch, those who come here always able to find some fresh, interesting bit of news if they talk to the right people. One table near the head of the bar is always left unoccupied, however, reserved for the heads of the Lin Kuei and Jian himself...Quote: Proprietor - Jugador Menor
Rules
"This speakeasy is a traditional safe zone for all members of the Five Families. Simply put, if you attack another member of the Families inside and are caught, there will be consequences, I promise you." - Proprietor
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 2:28 pm
 Titus Martillo
Titus quietly walked up to the door of the Yellow Dragon, one of the places that the Family had largely reserved for itself. Of course, a few others were always permitted inside, but only when they knew who to talk to, and who to avoid. Titus talked with the doorman for a few moments, confirming a few things - including the presence of the man who had become the leader of the group. Well, that had always been fine with him; he'd never been terribly interested in power struggles and politics anyway, and if the leader was good for the Family, then he didn't have any objections. Of course, there were still certain protocols that it was important to follow, and Jian did deserve respect despite being so young. Rather than simply barging in and sitting down, Titus sent over one of the staff of the bar to see if Jian was currently willing to speak to members of his Family. This wasn't so urgent that it had to be done right away, after all, and he planned to make it clear from the outset that he was respecting the leader of the Lin Kuei. He'd talk to Jian at a time that was convenient for the leader, not just for himself.
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:01 pm
Jian Lin Kuei, the Starless Dragon and Big Boss of Oshu City
"...Have you ever a life in your hands? Felt the warm breath slip through the fingers as you crushed its neck? That's real power..."He was a man who had everything.
Women, drink, money, power, and women...he had them all, any time, any place, and as much as he wanted he could have it brought to him with a single glance from his shimmering crimson eye. He was terror incarnate in this city, the ghost that each of them checked for in their closets and under their beds every night before they went to sleep, and he was the shadows in the mirror every morning when they woke up before they went off to work at this place or that. He was the whisper in the alleys which made you clutch onto your jacket a little tighter, carry your wallet a little closer to your heart, made your feet move a little more quickly to your destination, and made your heart beat all the faster when you saw a man in a suit walking closer and closer to you down the streets of Oshu City. He was that sort of man, the man who had everything, and yet he was a man who could never quite get enough of the everything that he had. Life in this city was nothing but a game, a war between good and evil which saw him on the side of the latter...and it had been ages since the side of good had ever been on the winning end around here. Trade, gambling, robberies, crime of all shapes and sizes, legitimate businesses with not-so-legitimate underbellies, they were all under his belt...toys added to an ever-growing toy box that increasingly bored him.
And yet life was not without some satisfaction, not when the drinks were this good as they flowed from the bar, nor were the women unpleasant when they were this supple and this sleazy, all glossed up and giggling and just begging for some small cut of the fortune that he had gained since he had taken over the city's most feared and prosperous crime Syndicate from his late father. The sparkle in his eye wasn't for show, but there was always something beyond the amusement and the temporary pleasures that he allowed himself to indulge within. Each grasp of soft flesh and each drink of warm liquor made that shine a little brighter, the pit beneath it just a little more hollow, and more and more his mind would drive some nights to those few mountains that he had left to climb in this town, nay, this country and this world around them. He was a dragon rising into the night sky, a starless sky, and he was the moon who lorded over all creation below him. He made the tides move, and if he wished to let his wrath descend upon this city there would be no stopping him, no corner of Oshu that would not be left in ruins by the disaster he could leave in his wake. But why destroy what was so much more fun to bleed dry? Why kill what you could keep alive for sport? This city was his to do with as he pleased. Its people lived as he pleased, and died as he pleased. They played where and when he wanted, and if he ever felt so inclined to take something from them, he did so with very little incident at all...and always with no small amount of blood.
Tonight, however, was one of the better nights. Or rather, it had been, as the morning was already come and the light crept through the windows upon he and the smoky bar room where the few lingering patrons (and the even-rarer early risers) were trickling in and out...the VIP table where the city's once and future king currently reigned was the only one still fully-occupied, a little muscle on either end and two gorgeous women younger than he was on either side of him...touching and brushing up against his arm in increasingly-suggestive measure in hopes that the night wouldn't go without either of them securing their score. But as the liquor glass kissed his lips and the last bitter drops of the previous night's hedonism slipped away from him, the speakeasy's quite trustworthy gatekeeper came to his side and whispered a little introduction on behalf of the newcomer to the club that wished to see him. Titus Martillo...a familiar name, indeed. He knew he'd be silly to simply send the man away if he had come all the way back from Inaba so fast just to speak with him. And there were...extenuating circumstances to their relationship, no doubt, that needed addressing. If he had come all this way and sought him out just to speak to him here, he was likely looking for something.
And Jian could always smell a deal in the making when it came knocking at his door.
"Don't stand by the door like a stranger. Come on in; step into the light, Mr. Martillo," the boss called out from his table and instantly the gathered crew around him fell silent, the thrumming jazz music of the club the only other sound competing with his own, deep voice...but his hand motioning Titus over would make sure that any question of whether or not he was calling to him was answered in-kind. His eyes were locked on new prey now, the wielder of the Alchemist Demon Beasts one of the family's oldest connections. Which meant that he had been one of his father's connections. This wasn't the first time the two of them had spoken, but it was the first time since that night...the night of the Starless... "You know what my father always said to me about you? He always said that you were a trustworthy person, Mr. Martillo. Honest, loyal...he also said that of all his closest friends, you were one of the toughest sons of bitches he had ever met. Which isn't saying much considering alchemists are generally a lot of p***y scientists grasping at nature's leavings for something to prop them up above the rest of us, but you, he had a soft spot for, if you don't mind my saying. ...I do hope you won't be too put off by the...change in leadership." Was he testing him with all these compliments and formalities? Or was he simply making conversation? His eyes never left his fellow alchemist until at last the tug of his drink curled his lips and stole his attention for just a moment, a long sip lingering and sliding down his throat before he set the glass on the table before him, attention refocusing once more on his guest.
"But you didn't come all the way up here just for that now, did you?" the predator asked rhetorically, the woman next to him brushing a finger through his white hair to pull it back and reveal the prominent tattoo on the side of his forehead...his own hand caught hers and purposefully set it aside, his patience for her fawning and pawing already growing quite thin...especially in the face of old friends, "Come, sit. Have a drink. It's been too long since you and I...talked, hasn't it?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:48 pm
Titus Martillo
"Time doesn't matter so much to people like us... but I do try to keep in touch." Titus said as he made his way over to the table. "It's one of the things you learn when you get to be my age. Besides, I thought I should pay my respects." He looked maybe mid-twenties on the outside, but he was a man who'd lived for centuries and still managed to remain relatively contemporary. He took a seat across from Jian a moment later, nodding politely to the ladies as he did so. He gave his order to the bartender a moment later - a nice, fruity drink with a powerful kick to it. Considering how fast their bodies healed, it took a lot to even get buzzed, so he'd long-since developed the habit of ordering from the stronger side of the menu. "Also, pissing you off seems like a good plan for a short future." Mostly because there wasn't likely to be a future past that if the leader of the Family decided he wanted someone, even another immortal, dead. Jian was scary when he was pissed, and it took a lot to actually worry an immortal alchemist who could summon enormous incarnations of the elements and devastate entire city blocks in minutes. Titus was legitimately scared of very few things, and Jian was pretty darn high on that list. Fortunately, the head of the Family didn't seem to be mindlessly violent. Aggressive, yes, but not senselessly so.
The man from the Martillo nodded again to the bartender as his drink was delivered, discreetly passing a folded bill to the man to pay for it. It was large enough to cover the drink and then some, which was always nice if he wanted to make any future orders. Jian might've been willing to pay for it himself, but Titus didn't really feel like testing that right now. Besides, it was bad manners to simply expect the head of the Family to go out of their way to clean up after you. "Speaking of the change in leadership, though, congratulations on that." He raised his glass in a small salute. "I've never been much for politics, but it's been a long time since I saw something even half as impressive as that was. Of course, I didn't come here just to suck up to you, either, so do you mind if I just get to the point?" He smiled slightly. "You have such lovely companions, after all, and I'd hate to take too much of your time when you could spend it on them instead." It was good to be pleasant, but even for an immortal, it wasn't always sensible to waste too much time. That was probably why his tone was relaxed - and Jian didn't really seem like the sort of person who tolerated bull**** unless it was particularly entertaining. Taking care of business and letting the new leader get back to his fun seemed like the best way of doing things for now.
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Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:08 am
Jian Lin Kuei, the Starless Dragon and Big Boss of Oshu City
"...Have you ever a life in your hands? Felt the warm breath slip through the fingers as you crushed its neck? That's real power..."His father had never mentioned that Titus could talk, but you learned new s**t every day. He didn't have the intention of wasting the Starless Dragon's time, obviously, but he could sure touch on a multitude of subjects in a short period of time. Still, it was good to see different faces every now and then, and even the prettiest companions could grow tiresome in the endless stream that their timelessness allowed them to experience. Granted, Jian himself was much younger than the majority of the immortals who still roamed the streets of Oshu City, but he had already experienced more than some of them had in decades. He lived fast, loose, and like any good rogue he didn't tend to play by any sort of rules save his own. Consideration and politeness were a means to an end, sure, but at the same time they were damned good ones when you knew when to use them. One of the girls on his arm began to whisper something in his ear about ditching the table and the stiff who had joined them and he cast a single look in her direction that froze her on the spot...her head turning away with a forced, uncomfortable laughter that made it clear she knew better than to keep intruding on this particular conversation. Politeness to these types of floozies was not on the list of considerations that made any sort of sense to him. They knew what they were getting into when they approached him in the first place. And little things like people paying for his drinks, picking up their own tabs when they were sitting with him, he didn't even notice those sorts of gestures anymore. They were old, not expected, but certainly he was far more used to them than most people were. Failing to pay respect to the Boss of the Lin Kuei could be a fatal mistake, and few ever made it. Frankly, the bullshit could annoy him at times. Titus, on the other hand, provided him with a much more interesting diversion at the moment.
It paid to have powerful allies in need.
"Impressive? ...No offense, but my old man lost his edge. It made it easy to get the drop on him. And no offense to the rest of 'em, but the Lin Kuei as a whole were getting soft just listening to him," Jian shrugged and leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as his lips curled into a malicious smile, easy and smooth as though it were his natural look from the start, "A Syndicate that's lost its taste for blood is just an illegal business. Those sorts of things can be busted up, fall apart...a Syndicate is a symbol of fear, brotherhood. A family...see? Cops can't break up a family...only a family can break up a family. That's what the Boneless Dragon never understood...and that's why I won. Our family wanted to survive in this modern urban lifestyle, so we adapted, evolved. It's as simple as that." He wasn't the sort who tended to go into great details about the past, his achievements; taking over the family was something that would have happened even if he hadn't been the one who take down the old man. Jian had merely sped along the process for his own goals...the family's goals, now. Leading wasn't what mattered to him. Domination, fun, respect...those things mattered to him, insomuch as he desired them from all people, this whole damn city. He took pleasure in seeing things through to the very end, in stamping out resistance...he enjoyed the feeling of blood against his skin and the voices of his enemies as the realization dawned that it was all over.
Titus was right to surmise that he wasn't the type who was mindlessly violent. Every move he made had a purpose, every death had a reason. But to think of him as anything short of the devil that he styled himself to be would have been foolish. And Titus had lived more than long enough not to make such a silly mistake...and to recognize that so long as their interests remained aligned, he'd be safer under the wing of the Dragon than he would be without. It was likely for that reason that he had been so polite thus far, why the change in leadership didn't really bother him, and why he didn't mind coming to him to ask whatever it was he wanted just now. Discussing business, after all, meant that they were still in business. The question remained...what exactly did the Black Summoner want? He seemed ready to get to the point after a few more words, though, and with those the women at his sides didn't seem all that interesting anymore. Nudging each pointedly with his elbows, he let his guest have the whole of his attention as the girls went off to get a drink at the bar and wait for the conversation to end.
"Those girls give me a headache. Pointless chatter...I don't give a s**t about anything they have to say, I just want to drink before we get to the good stuff," he dismissed the idea that they were pleasurable company with a wolfish smirk and a wave of his hand, leaning back in his chair to look down at Titus with some measure of predatory curiosity, "So let's hear it. What can the Lin Kuei do for you?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 6:00 am
Titus Martillo
"...It's true, nothing could break this Family up faster than the actions of its members. So to get past all the bull****, I need one dose of the Panacea and no questions asked." If Jian was truly going to lead the family for a long time to come, then he ought to be able to understand that. Many requests for the Lin Kuei's drink of immortality had been made over the years, and for a variety of reasons. One member had reportedly asked to immortalize the ladies of an entire bar just like this one, which hadn't really gone over that well. It was funny watching that guy get chewed out, though.
If Jian wanted the family to keep there edge, there was a compelling reason for not passing out any more of the Panacea: fear. It would remind the other immortals that even they could be killed, and that Jian would be quite willing to do so if he wasn't sufficiently pleased with them. On the other hand - and even he should've recognized this - ruling only through fear was almost certain to backfire over time. The ones Jian had killed were essentially the old men of the family, not the (relative) youngsters who'd actually done the work... and the rest of the Lin Kuei weren't weak. Jian was good, but if the entire rest of the family decided to oppose him, even he probably wouldn't be able to kill them all before they took him down. It probably wouldn't come to that, though... after all, if they felt that Jian was more of a threat to their personal plans than a hindrance, they might just... disappear one day and not come back. People simply didn't like to live under the rule of people who only oppressed them - they needed incentive and motivation on the positive end, and that had been rather lacking since the day leadership had changed.
From another point of view, Titus was offering Jian an opportunity to make a different sort of statement to the members of the Lin Kuei. This entire time, Titus had been careful to follow protocol and acknowledge Jian's leadership, which wasn't going to be lost on the people who were certainly watching this conversation. It was a message so simple that everyone could understand it - obey me and I will reward you on the things that actually matter. It was doubtful that anyone would miss the opposite, either - that failure still had death as an option. The best results were produced with both the carrot and the stick.
The last part of Titus' statement was something else entirely. Like his other words, it had been delivered in an easy but respectful way - in effect, he was asking Jian to trust him, and that was another component that was vital for a family of immortals. Titus was 322 years old, and for just over three centuries, he had loyally served the Lin Kuei. In all of that time, unlike many of the others, he had never asked for the Panacea. He simply hadn't ever felt the desire to after being the first of the immortals to kill another of their kind and discover the weakness their immortality had. Trust was important, and would be another signal to the rest of the Family - if Jian trusted the older members, then a sign of this would do wonders for improving his status as a leader. On the other hand... well, it was hard to put your trust in anybody if they didn't trust you as well.
Titus wasn't entirely sure what kind of a leader Jian was going to be, and there was no time like the present to figure it out. Was he the sort of leader who would dangle things just out of reach, demanding displays of loyalty from those beneath him? That might work for some, especially if they were new, but might not be the best way of getting the loyalty of people who had centuries of history as members of the Family. Jian might be a leader who ruled solely through power after all, and refuse the Panacea to all as a way of reminding them to keep their edge... or he might hand it out just to prove how little immortality mattered to him, and bring the hammer down anyway the next time he got annoyed. There were all sorts of ways it could go, really, but the only way to find out was to ask.
In the end, though, it was a fairly simple question for Titus. He'd never asked very much of the Family, but he had given them decades upon decades of help. Now that he was asking for something, though... was the Family going to repay his service, or was it going to refuse?
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:53 am
Jian Lin Kuei, the Starless Dragon and Big Boss of Oshu City
"...Have you ever a life in your hands? Felt the warm breath slip through the fingers as you crushed its neck? That's real power..."He could have gone on about the ins and outs of the family, whether he felt like it or not, but it was better to cut straight through to the crux of the topic. Any conversation was like old milk; leave it too long and it would spoil. That Titus wasn't going to draw this out any longer than necessary was something that the leader of the Lin Kuei could appreciate. And to say that he was curious what had brought the Black Summoner all this way would have been...well, accurate. No more than that, of course, but it was definitely something that was worth hearing. Most of the remnants of his father's regime who had refused to fight against their 'young master' or that had used some other such logic to stay out of the relatively short coup that Jian had undertaken...they didn't come around the Yellow Dragon unless they were looking for something, looking for a job, or looking to ingratiate themselves with the new leadership. Titus didn't seem to be the grovelling type, however, and he had never technically stopped doing jobs for the clan while he had stood aside from his taking down Lu Bei Lin Kuei, so there was really only one purpose that could have brought him here. He needed something, or wanted something at the very least, which made him a useful person to have sitting across the table from him.
And now the revelation at last came...quite a doozy, too. One full dose of the family's most carefully-guarded secret...given only to be taken by the most trusted and powerful members of the family...and he didn't want Jian asking any questions? That was an order standing seven-feet tall if ever there was one. Most of the elders from before, and even his own advisers, would be beside themselves if Jian even though of handing over something like that to a member of his father's old regime, let alone with no certainty as to whom he might deliver it. He might actually have to fear for retribution from the leaders of the Clan if he went through with something like that, except...
Oh, no, wait...he wouldn't. Because what remained of his family after the coup were the intensely loyal followers of his own ideals, the New Age of the Lin Kuei which he had put together and forged with his own hands. They were a bloodthirsty, cunning, and dangerous lot down to the last...and he had selected the members of the family who were in power very carefully, very purposefully...Jian was far more capable than even Titus imagined if he dreamed that the Starless Dragon had any kind of fear of a second coup now. Fear, power, insight...he ruled by all of those things, and the family was more prosperous in the last year than they had been in decades under his father. The city itself seemed to be almost entirely under their thumb, save for a few key points of resistance yet to be snuffed out. In fact, if there was one thing left in the world that could threaten him, he thought...one person out there who could actually strike any sort of fear or anxiety into the heart of the devious gang lord sitting behind the table now it wasn't anybody in this room...nor anybody left who was inside the Lin Kuei. And even though he was supposed to be dead, Jian knew...in the ache in his bones and the burning in the scars that remained from the last time the two of them had met one another...he was still out there somewhere.
And that thought, perhaps, is the one which made this opportunity all the more...interesting.
His lips curled into a smirk and he let his hands fall away from his lips, eyes locked onto the Black Summoner as if reading his thoughts. The way that he demanded the Panacea and no questions made it seem as though he expected something, as though he deserved it...as if debts incurred under the direction of his father still meant something to Jian himself. But at the same time, it wasn't unreasonable to expect continuing payment for continuing services, was it? No...but Titus, well...friend of his fathers that he was, he was a valuable friend of the family whose request was worth listening to no matter the reason. He was certainly someone who still had use to them...even if he made a request that would have made even his father laugh.
...
"Done."
...That was unexpected. His fingers brushed away a white bang from his forehead as he leaned back in his seat, bringing a drink to his lips but holding it aloft just above the skin at the last second, raising one finger away from the glass.
"On one condition."
...That was not unexpected. But given the value of the prize, it was something that had to have been expected. Nobody, not his father's only son, had received the Panacea for himself without proving his value to the family, proving an unwavering loyalty to their clan and the ideals upon which the Lin Kuei stood. The idea of giving it to Titus, a friend of his deceased father's now, without asking questions and knowing he could be giving it to anyone including someone who might have designs on avenging his father...well, it went without saying that some efforts to appear polite could be danger wrapped in a pretty bow. Titus never did seem the deceitful sort. However...were it not for the condition, there wouldn't have been any hope for his request from the outset. He should have been grateful, really...
"And it's not because I want to test you. I don't need a dramatic display of your loyalty to me, and I already know how useful you can be," the Starless Dragon explained calmly, taking a sip of his drink before setting it aside, arms spreading out along the back of the booth on either side of him, "I'm asking because it's a job nobody else has been able to accomplish, and I think you're the man who can get it done. You're not opposed to getting your hands a little dirty, right?" A rhetorical question, really. Titus was a Lin Kuei, which meant dirty jobs were his stock and trade. And nobody in the Lin Kuei refused a job from the clan's leader. Especially not with a prize like this one on the line...
"So..." he began, raising an eyebrow in amusement, "...do you want it, or not?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2014 7:23 am
Titus Martillo
Pointing out that Jian's words were technically a question might have been amusing, but also a fast way into a fish-filled bay... and besides, for all his own thoughts, Titus was a man who'd been a part of the Lin Kuei for over three centuries. He would have gotten out a long time ago if he hadn't been willing to get his hands a bit dirty. And, on the bright side, he seriously doubted that it was a trap meant to get rid of him; Jian would just do that himself if he wanted Titus dead (and with better odds of success, too - there weren't many traps that could do much to an alchemist of the Lin Kuei, and especially not to a man whose power was so great at smashing). No, if the head of their clan was asking Titus to do a job, then it was almost certain he seriously wanted it done.
"Just tell me what you want done." Titus said, setting his now-emptied glass onto the table. A job that others had yet to accomplish was something that actually perked his interest - few people wanted to report failure to their leader (whether or not it was their fault), and Jian's emphasis on "improving" the family hadn't exactly encouraged people to be lazy.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:16 pm
Jian Lin Kuei, the Starless Dragon and Big Boss of Oshu City
"...Have you ever a life in your hands? Felt the warm breath slip through the fingers as you crushed its neck? That's real power..."Good answer. Short, sweet, and straight to the point. Jian could come to appreciate this business-like, taciturn side of the Black Summoner if they were to continue doing business together. He knew that there was a rather large carrot on the line for this particular job that likely made him a bit more cooperative than he might have been otherwise, but Titus's loyalty to the Lin Kuei family had never really been in question, either. When his number had been called, he'd stepped up to the plate. This matter was simply his first in dealing with the new regime; it was nice to know that they were getting off on the right foot, though. The lips of the Starless Dragon curled into an easy smirk at the appreciable answer, and he set his drink aside in an instant to focus more on the task at hand. He could have pretended like the job didn't matter to him, but he really had no reason to underplay how badly he wanted this particular issue handled. If it wasn't important, a payday like this one wouldn't have been anywhere near the cards, and they both knew that was the case. On the other hand, he wasn't exactly planning to be all talkative, either...this issue was of particular importance, that one itch he had never been able to scratch. And it went deeper than anyone who didn't know their history could have known...
...
"Do you remember 'The Sakurazukamori'? An old friend of ours, in case you're not up to date with recent history," the young leader explained rhetorically, finding no need to elaborate on his former relationship with the one-time Cherry blossom Killer...merely the information pertaining to the job. Which wasn't that complicated when you got right to it. Perfect for a member of the vaunted Lin Kuei. "I want him brought to me. Alive, if possible. Dead...just as good." He lifted the drink to his lips and took a long, deep drink, setting the empty glass on the table in front of him a few moments later...his fingers motioning for the bartender to send over another round with the girls when they returned. His eyes flitted back to Titus after a moment, seemingly already impatient for the mission to be complete. "As one of the family's top...and most trusted...friends, I expect discretion. And once you've brought him to me, the Panacea is yours. No questions asked."
Leaning back in his chair languidly, he motioned towards the bar...a sign that the conversation was as good as finished to him. The girls were already on their way back with drinks, and the hush that had fallen over the few patrons of the Yellow Dragon to afford them quiet as they talked was all but gone now. Letting the girls slide back in on either side of him, he wasn't dismissing Titus...but if there was nothing left to discuss on his side, Jian had already said all that he needed to do on the matter before them. Something valuable for each of them...an even trade.
...
Equivalent exchange for a family whose very existence seemed to mock the concept.
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:33 pm
Titus Martillo
Titus had tried to remain minimally contemporary - for an immortal, it was a way of not feeling the weight of the years too badly. It was very easy to be changed by such things if you allowed them to affect you, and he usually did keep an eye on figures of interest. He wasn't about to go around musing and blabbering in front of the leader, though, and he simply nodded his assent. A man's word should be his bond, especially between men like them - he'd said what he wanted, Jian had made a request in return, and so it had been settled.
He didn't leave any parting lines; instead, he simply nodded to the girls as well and headed for the exit, simply lifting one hand in a small wave as he passed out the mouth of the Dragon and into the streets outside. Right... so he had to catch the Cherry Blossom Killer, hmm? An interesting job. He knew the kid by reputation, but not personally, so he'd probably need to start by finding some information about him. Let's see... kid like that, being pursued, would either be totally open or want to go into hiding to protect himself. Then starting with general questions would be good, especially going a bit further back in time...
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:37 pm
Gwendolyn Lembryant
The Mime Weaponizer As Gwendolyn had slowly walked towards the door of the Yellow Dragon, her clothes were drenched from the heavy rain, but it mattered not. Slowly opening the doors, she pulled back the hood of her recently acquired robes, showing instead of her typically worn mask was her long flowing hair and her eyes, pupils matching close in tone to her sclera. And in her eyes showed a stern determination, for she would not normally come here on a casual basis. She had come here with reason. And with that reason, she had made her way towards her leader, leader of the Lin Kuei. It was often rather easy to spot him in the crowd of the Lin Kuei, so it wasn't all that hard to go directly towards him. As she had come up closer, her expression softened only ever so slightly, just to show that there was nothing else on her mind but giving a pleasing smile to him. "Good evening, Mr. Jian""
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:36 pm
Jian Lin Kuei, the Starless Dragon and Big Boss of Oshu City
"...Have you ever held a life in your hands? Felt the warm breath slip through the fingers as you crushed its neck? That's real power..."Contrary to popular belief, it was rather difficult to get a direct audience with Jian Lin Kuei unless he had a mind to see you; visible in a crowd as he might be with his pristine suit and unique hairstyle, his bodyguards were ever-watchful...those that had been marked by their leader ahead of time rarely made it past the door of the Yellow Dragon. And if they did, they were watched like hawks unless their boss decided that it suited his whimsy to allow them to mingle. Gwendolyn, fortunately, had the distinction of being one of the younger members of the organization that had come into the fold during and after Jian's rise to power. He recognized her and nodded his servants away as she approached, finding nothing particularly convincing in the pleasant smile she offered. His smirk was much more sincere; having control over any given situation in which he found himself gave you the luxury to be amused with such things. Power...those who had it could revel in the forced and often insincere pleasantries offered by those who were forced to deal with and/or answer to you. Those without would bite their tongue and lick the boots of the powerful until their time to rise came, if ever it did. Did he think Gwen was simply grovelling to him out of fear or powerlessness? No, she was the sort who enjoyed her job. Did that mean she was particularly fond of him, especially given his recent coup and rise to power in the past few years? He took nothing for granted, there. And even if he could have her watched and find out the truth of the matter rather easily, the not knowing was actually rather fun.
"Gwendolyn Lembryant...what brings a wayward alchemist such as yourself to the Yellow Dragon?" his eyes were sharp and plenty mischievous as he watched her go through the motions from his seat betwixt a new pair of buxom women angling for an opportunity to sway him to their side for the night. His disinterest in them in lieu of Gwendolyn spoke to their chances at that; more than likely, the icy girl standing not far from the bar with her eyes boring holes into the invisible wall-maker was the most interesting woman in the bar to him, though he'd not deign to share that with any of them...and he wasn't exactly the type that you would call 'interested' in anyone on that level. That was why as attention-grabbing as Gwen might normally be to the men in the bar, Jian could simply make sport of her determination if he so chose. But to do so before he'd heard her reason for being here wouldn't have been any fun at all. "This isn't your usual haunt, is it? Such a shame...the men of Oshu do miss your...presence around here." His low chuckle spoke to a playful owning of the conversation, of the moment, and in a small way perhaps was meant to see what sort of reaction he could provoke from her. It wasn't sharp enough to sting, but the small bite would surely not go unnoticed. Now then, for the main event...
"So to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" his eyebrow raised in curious amusement, lips pressing to the rim of a glass of some colorful alcohol that didn't seem to have the slightest bit of effect on him aside from a delicious flavor, "You've been so absent from the Family lately...I can't imagine you came back just to see me, no?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:42 pm
Gwendolyn Lembryant
The Mime Weaponizer As Gwendolyn had bowed in the presence of Jian, she smiled as to show hospitality. She knew that you should show respect to those who held greater power above what you held as well as those with higher rank, and he was at the top of both. As he had made a claim that the people had missed her presence around here, Gwendolyn chuckled a bit. "If they truly missed me, they could try to find me." She tried musing back to what was thrown at her, but internally nervous of each word being a step either closer or away from a landmine. As to what her purpose of being here? She sighed softly as she then looked sternly at her leader. "Mr. Jian, I have come here to ask if there are any missions available that I may accept... and if any missions could grant opportunities for a piece of Grand Panacea for myself..." It was true that she had never seen it herself, but in the small whispers of the group, she had heard about the Grand Panacea and it's heard of abilities to grant fellow alchemists things beyond imagination. Though for herself, it was quite simple.
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 6:23 pm
::Yura Ketsueki, Bloody Murder::  "What's up with people coming out of nowhere asking for the Panacea? Is it on sale now? Some kind of new sweet deal I haven't heard about, hm, Boss?" A voice purred behind Gwendolyn, a woman with short, dark hair stepping beside her, leaning on one of the chairs in Jian's table. A wicked smile was painted on Yura Ketsueki's lips, a glimmer on golden eyes showing the dangerous thoughts in her mind. "I don't know what's the big fuss about it, really..." the woman continued as she looked at the mime from the corner of her eyes as fingers busied with a glass, the tip brushing over the rim of the glass slowly.
In an instant, her palm slammed on the table, shattering the crystal under her hand. Crimson dripped from the little wounds, shards sticking out of the white skin painfully. Never did Yura flinch though, the predatory gaze never leaving Gwendolyn. She pushed the chair away from her as she stood, taking the fingers to her lips where a pink tongue cleaned the crimson blood slowly. "Mm... Now that I think about it..." Her other hand was on the table, the shards there mending together into one jagged piece... sharp, long. In a swift movement, it was pressed to Gwen's throat, nicking at the skin lightly. "It does have its uses after all. If my hand were to slip... Whoops. You are dead. Then again... it would be disrespectful of me to dirty the Boss's pristine suit, don't you think?" Her voice was low, levered... but there was a promise about it... a crazed tint that made you think that...she wouldn't hesitate on doing it, if she so pleased.
Golden hues flickered to look at Jian for a moment, before they returned to her prey. "Now tell me, sweetcheeks... what makes you think you deserve it? Hell, I don't even know your name. No one in the streets know your name... maybe except the men here. And believe me, darling, they aren't exactly interested in your Alchemy..." The tattoos in her arm glowed a crimson red as the piece of glass pressed tighter against the paper-thin skin... "Do you know what they call me...? Do you know who I am...?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 7:32 pm
 Aoshiki Haichi
The Yuki Onna Do you feel the chill in the air?
The ice cold tendrils of winter
Seeping into your soul? ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ "They call you the Annoying Bloody b***h.. What is your point, Yura?" A cold voice hissed as a blade was suddenly held against the woman's throat. A light mist flowed from the sword as a thin layer of ice coated it. Aoshiki's crimson eyes locked onto the woman before glancing at Gwendolyn. "And you ought to pull your weight around here a little more before you start asking about the Grand Panacea.. Master Jian has no time or Panacea to waste on weaklings." The Yuki Onna glared at Yura once again, having no trust for the female at all before moving her blade away, sheathing it. She walked over to Jian, staying nearby in case anyone tried something reckless. Aoshiki prided herself on her loyalty to Jian and had his safety as the top priority at all times. There was no way she'd leave him alone with the questionable women currently nearby. ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ ═ Don't worry..
It will be over soon.
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