Team Maaya: The Hawk and the Ox

[Jacior]

Manabu scowls. "Fine then. Yuya is limping on her right leg. I want to know why." He crosses his arms again. "But my other question remains private. It's not my business discuss the private dealings of others in public."

[ZeroNumerous]

Manabu

Masako shrugs. "Oh. That's because he squeezes his balls when he walks with his knees together. So he fakes a limp so he can walk like a guy."

Remi looks rather upset with Masako, and Yoko giggles when Masako says balls. "Masako", Remi groans, "you can't just tell people that. Keiji's really se--I... I just said his name didn't I?" Masako, Yoko, and "Yuya" all face palm at Remi.

"Yuya" finally speaks up in his defense. "Well, they're here to watch over you, right? So they'd find out eventually. My name is Saejima Keiji. I'm the bassist. But Queens is an all girl band, so I'm also Goto Yuya." Keiji speaks in a rough masculine voice that betrays his sexual characteristics almost immediately. Naturally, none of the girls are phased at all by this revelation. "The girls came up with it, and help me do make-up and things every morning. At least I don't have to wear a skirt like them, so it could be worse."

[Jacior]

Manabu blinks. "Hmm. That both makes sense and answers my other question at the same time." He shrugs. "As long as you are all ok with it." He is quickly regaining the bounce he had earlier. "I just count myself lucky to be near you guys!" The 8 year old doesn't spend much time dwelling on the reveation. He's too excited by being close to his favorite band. "So, what do you guys do when you're not practicing?"

[Cespenar]

Spoiler

Show

Momo continues hanging around the cafe.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

The STAR☆LIGHT members and the gangsters all remain where they're at. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that the gangsters aren't going to move at all until Remi does. STAR☆LIGHT on the other hand are just having breakfast.

Manabu

The band all look at one another, then collectively shrug. "We hang out. There's lots of places that are pretty nice around here. Like there's an arcade down the street that's pretty fun." Masako looks at Remi with a frown.

"Isn't that the one with the creepy guy who runs the money changer?" Yoko sighs at the two girls almost get off on a tangent.

"Basically we hang out, shop, go to the arcade, or harass Keiji for being in drag." Keiji crosses his arms under his "chest" and yells.

"Hey!" Keiji grumbles as Masako interjects.

"Sorry hun, but it's true."

Finally, Remi stops the potential argument by pointing out that Momo had left. "Hey, Manabu-chan. Where's your friend?"

[Cespenar]

Sighing as much as a cat can do, Momo trails back to the studio. Barring any surprises, she dismisses the jutsu in an appropriate place and walks back to the group. She shakes her head ever so slightly if her teammates glance at her inquiringly.

"What did I miss?" she asks jokingly, stretching his back.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Momo walks back in shortly before another visitor interrupts them. The middle aged man is muscular, ridiculously so, almost to the point of self-parody. The wall of meat that makes up his body ripples and strains against the tight confines of his shirt. A single flex of his bicep would no doubt shred his shirt into confetti, and his pants are in equally dire straits. His face looks like it had seen the worst part of a razor for several years, and the criss-crossed network of scars travels from his chiseled chin to his furrowed brow. His eyes hide behind opaque black glasses, and his spiked brown hair juts straight up. His head turns toward the band, then to the ninja, then back to the band.

"Ninja rock group. I love it. Listen: You ladies need to get finished here super quick. Got a buyer coming in. Sorry, but there's nothing I can do. I know, I know, you don't have to say it. You don't want the place sold. But, ladies, as much as I love the money you've made me this guy is offering more. How much more? Far more. So much money. I won't need you guys anymore. Sorry, but I'll need to ask you to leave. We're closing down for the day, and I've gotta get ready to retire. Good luck girls, now scram." He doesn't seem to ever pause for breath, and the stream of word vomit cascading out of his mouth leaves one clear message: Queens of Flowers just aren't as important as whoever is coming in.

The man asks you to leave once more, and Maaya points toward the door. Queens and Maaya head out first, and if you follow then you're treated to the band gathered around Remi as she starts to tear up. "W-we need to p-p-practice. We," she sniffs loudly to fight back the tears, "we're gonna lose e-e-everything~" Remi goes into full-on bawling mode as Masako hugs the young girl.

Almost as if on cue the giant wall of beef from last night, Gonzou, comes into view as he strolls down the road. A quartet of thugs follow his every move, and the man seems to be heading toward the studio the group had just left. A conservative estimate says he'll arrive in about a minute.

[Cespenar]

Momo was surprised. All the players were playing their hands awfully quick. And why was that? Because of a disturbing agent, such as their group?

Hmph, Momo pouts inwardly. Her earlier theory wasn't in the right. Not completely anyway. It was clear that Gonzou was in this somehow, but it apparently was important enough of a deal for him to spend an inordinate amount of cash.

Not to mention that the girl Remi was in the center of all this, she was almost completely sure of it, but why and how?

This seems like it will take some time to figure out, she thinks to herself while glancing sideways to her companions.

[Jacior]

Manabu stands with his mouth dropped at the revelation by the girls' apparent manager. He was selling their practice space and firing them, it seemed. How could he? The Queens of Flowers were currently topping the charts. It was inconcievable, yet it was happening before him. "How could you? These girls work hard, making you a fairly significant sum of money I'd imagine. And you repay them by selling their practice space and telling them to get lost." He seemed stuck at repeating the obvious. "May your greed lead you to an empty end."

He followed everyone outside and was overcome by the urge to start shooting lightning everywhere. It was a good way to blow off steam, but there was nowhere nearby he could do it safely. This city sucked. What was going on! Gonzou bought out the practice place of the girl he had lent money to hire ninjas to protect? Whose scheme was this? Where did it start and end?

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Gonzou seems set to keep on walking past your group without saying a word, but Remi's tears draw his attention. The thugs flanking him stop as Gonzou moves over to talk to your group.

"Oh? I didn't know this was your studio." Gonzou's mocking tone of voice shows the truth, even if his words were lies. "Well it looks I own all the studios in town now. And if you want to use them, then you'll have to sign on with my company." The beef-wall shudders and shakes as he laughs a deep belly laugh. "But... Since you don't have any other choice: My cut has gone up. 95%, and maybe I'll consider making your album."

Masako stares at the giant man angrily, clenches her fists, and given the last few minutes you've seen of her it's not hard to guess what she's about to do. Luckily Keiji's hand stops Masako from punching the yakuza boss and potentially making their lives hell.

[Cespenar]

Momo almost threw her hands out in frustration. She recognized economic bullying if she ever saw one, but it was all in business. Their group was explicitly hired to guard Remi's life for one week. How could they do anything if the opposition only played "legitimate" cards and didn't attack her outright?

"Listen," she says to Remi in an attempt to find a solution. "Just pack up and go to another city. You're the hottest band around these days. Studios will jump over each other to get you to sign with them. Seriously, you don't need to live in this hellhole."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Gonzou coldly glares at Momo for the young girl's suggestion. "I paid a lot of money to her father to protect my latest investment. If she leaves, then I'll want my money back. With interest it might only require that fat cow to sell his house. Maybe."

Remi looks a bit overwhelmed as Gonzou hammers his point home. "So leave the city. Go to Shurayin or Kanzebou. I don't care what you do. But your father will repay that debt if you leave, one way or another." The implied threat in his voice left a little to the imagination, but his point couldn't be clearer. If Remi left, then her father would be homeless--or worse. And in a city like Sunomou, being homeless may as well be the same as being dead.

[Cespenar]

"Ugh!" Momo grunts with overboiled anger as she revolves around herself if only to avoid seeing that man's ugly face anymore. It was so good of a set-up that their ninja team wasn't even probably needed in the first place. They were just hired to create a debt.

But they were there. So, the only thing they can do was to find a way to make themselves relevant. Somehow.

She glances at Remi to see what she will decide. This was their band, ultimately.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Momo finds nothing in Remi's stance or look that betrays anything close to resembling a plan. Remi likely doesn't have any idea on what to do, and it shows. The teenager's lost in darkness as her mind reels about searching for an escape.

Gonzou, feeling either benevolent or sadistic, just shrugs. "I'll give you time to think it over." Unless stopped by someone he and his thugs head inside the building to finish negotiating the sales contract.

[Jacior]

This turn of events has quickly made Manabu angrier than he had been in his entire life. So mad, that he was probably going to do something stupid. He followed the giant meat-wall Gonzou into the building, approaching the manager as Gonzou did. Before Gonzou could speak, Manabu started in. "I would like to purchase this building. What is the running price?"

Spoiler

Show

Wealth Check: (1d20+20)[28]

[ZeroNumerous]

Manabu

Gonzou just smirks as Manabu makes a play, but the manager looks a bit confused. He looks toward Gonzou, then Manabu, then back again before the gorilla-in-a-suit gives the manager a nod. He finally lets go of the breath he hadn't known he was holding in, then starts talking. "Uh. One million, seven hundred and fifty thousand ryo. D-Do you have anything like that?"

Unfortunately for Manabu, his ceiling of wealth only extends up to 200,000 at the moment. It's possible for him to purchase it, but he would need to take some time. Gonzou simply laughs at the kid.

"Good try. Get some more money and you might become human. Until then, be a good little sheep and get out of my building."

[Jacior]

Manabu looked at Gonzou with a small measure of contempt. He really couldn't blame the man for being as successful as he was, but his methodologies were repugnant. He looked backed to the manager. "Give me a day and a half. I can easily beat that price." The statement was seemingly fact. Though, coming out of an 8 year old, it likely sounds incredibly incredulous.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Naturally the manager scoffs at Manabu. Kids like him couldn't possibly have that much money, and there's no way they'd ever spend it on something like a recording studio. Even so, Gonzou just smiles. "Alright. I'll withdraw my bid for twenty four hours. Twenty four hours kid."

[Jacior]

"No can do. I need at least..." Manabu looked over the giant man's shoulder and thought for a moment. "35 hours. Preferably 2 days. But 35 hours minimum." He looks a Gonzou. "Unless, you're actually afraid that I can gather enough money to beat your offer in that time. I mean, I am merely 8. How could I ever get that much money?" He doesn't press farther into it than that.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Gonzou just shrugs. "Don't push my benevolence kid. You're lucky to get twenty four hours, and should keep your mouth shut concerning more time. Unless, of course, you got something to make it worth my while."

[Jacior]

"I am a full-fledged ninja. Certainly you could use something a ninja could provide." Manabu said, folding his arms across his chest. "Unless you don't believe that, either."

[Cespenar]

Momo cuts in and flashes a charming smile at the manager, and talks directly to him, as if Gonzou isn't even there.

"Day and a half," she repeats Manabu's words, trying to override Gonzou's 'one day'. "Trust the kid. He comes from a wealthy family, and the Queens are his favorite band. It's just a matter of procuring the money he already has."

"Plus," she adds as an afterthought, "We will personally guard your studio for the 36 hours. In case something happens."

Spoiler

Show

Taking 10 in Diplomacy for 27.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Gonzou ignores the young boy. Children weren't useful, and at best he'd just sell the boy for parts.

The manager looks extremely conflicted when Momo arrives. He really wants to help, but he can't just turn down the biggest yakuza in town for more money. He's not quite that suicidally enamored with the young Uchiha just yet. "W-Well, if Gonzou-sama agrees, then I have no trouble waiting thirty-six hours. B-But otherwise, I can't just put it on hold for more money. H-How greedy would that be?"

Gonzou smirks again. "Alright. I agree to thirty six hours, but only on one condition: If you fail to buy me out then all the girls, including that one," he says as he points toward Momo, "belong to me."

At this point Maaya makes herself known. "I can't let you do that. She belongs to someone else." Gonzou looks irritated, but the detached irreverence in Maaya's tone warns the yakuza that she'd have little trouble murdering him and everyone in his organization if he disagrees.

"Heh. Alright then," Gonzou says with a wider smile, "I guess the deal's off."

[Jacior]

"Certainly you'd take something else in exchange for one girl." Manabu says earnestly. "I'm certain we can come to some sort of agreement."

[Cespenar]

"Let's say, instead of that," Momo continues, not willing to let the hook slip just yet, "I'll do one... favor for you if we fail to buy you out. You can decide the favor," she adds, almost puking inwardly for even thinking of suggesting such a thing, but also aware of how it could be an effective bait. Also, she had no desire to lose the bet at all.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Gonzou shakes his head at Manabu's statement. "Sorry, not interested. I only want the girls because they'll make me a lot of money. You're only useful for your organs, but the girls have talents I can utilize. Either you agree to my terms, or I don't waste my time." Characteristic of what the group has seen of him lately, Gonzou seems to be solely motivated by how much money he can make off the deal. He doesn't seem like he'll budge for less than total control over the band and Momo.

[Jacior]

Manabu looks up at Gonzou. "If I fail, how does all the money I have sound? I already have 200,000 ryo."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Gonzou looks down his nose at the young genin. 200,000 was a lot of money, and it was an easy win so why not? "All of your money right now, and the girls outside if I win. If you win, then I'll let you keep the building and I promise I won't torch it. Deal?" His massive hand reaches out to Manabu in a gesture of friendship, but an evil toothy grin spreads across his lips at the same time.

[Jacior]

Manabu looks up at the mammoth man. "... Give me a minute. I need to talk with the girls." Manabu steps outside and looks up at the girls. "I have some news and a question or two." He starts, hesitantly. "Gonzou has agreed to give me 36 hours to collect enough money to outbid him. He has done so likely believing there is no way I can come up with one-million, seven-hundred fifty-thousand ryo." He looks down at his feet. "Unfortunately, one of the conditions of allowing this extra time, is that if I fail to gather the money... You all belong to him, in the sense that he will be selling your bodies, most likely."

He looks back up. "I haven't told him yes or no. That's not my desicion to make. It's yours. The question are: How much are you willing to risk for your dreams and are you willing to have an 8 year old manager?"

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The girls(and Keiji) all respond with varying states of surprise, except for two: Remi and Masako. Masako glares at Manabu. "Who the hell do you think we are?! We've lived in this place our entire lives. What you're describing: The fear of being nothing and dying in obscurity... That's a fear we've come to terms with! No matter what: I'll put everything on the line for my dream!" Momo, Manabu, and Takuya all know and recognize that Masako's "dream" is impossible for her on her own. Remi and Keiji are both her only chance to escape this world.

Remi, on the other hand, is much more apprehensive about the whole situation. "W-we can't. If we're all together, then the band can replace me and live on to chase their dreams. But if you fail, then none of us have dreams anymore. And... And they'll find out about Ke--I mean, Yuya-san. And h--she'll get..." She means to say "killed", but the word doesn't come when bidden. Instead, Remi just continues on with her statement. "I refuse to put them in danger. I couldn't live with myself if we failed. Please, forget about me and just save their dreams."

All three genin are smart enough to realize that the band is dead in the water without Remi. If she refuses, then the sale will go through as per normal. So Manabu's plan isn't workable unless there's some way to convince her to take the leap.