Meetings cloaked in shadow pt. 1 (social/invite)

The poison mage sat alone in the small, unmarked tavern. Located in a back alley of Oak Town, the place remained easy to overlook. According to the locals, the proprietor dubbed the grimy joint 'Hiro's' in a moment of self-import. Why anyone would want to associate themselves with this place, Nemuru had no idea. Seating herself in the a far corner seemed a wise choice as she observed the shifty dealings and bar brawls. She wore a simple dark blue kimono, so dark the lighting made it appear black.

Swirling a glass of a cheap mixed drink, she watched the blue liquid shift in the dim candlelight. The drink acted as a ploy, she'd never let her guard down on the job. Thankfully, her magic left her immune to mundane poisons. Taking a sip, she spluttered a little at the foul taste. Well, guess I can't expect anything but swill from a place like this... A soft sigh escaped her lips as she looked at the worn handbag carefully held on her lap. Warily watching the other patrons, she clung tight to it. It contained something more valuable than currency inside. Information. And she was here to trade.

Nemuru tapped her foot under the table in impatience. Come on all ready... I hope you didn't get held up by the district's clientele.

Everyday life was always like this, there was never a single day without being chased by little children and stray animals across the streets. Evening was about to fall, as the time of winter draws near the atmosphere in Oak town would rise up to match that of Mt. Hakobe, cold and dry, threatening unharvested crops and animals to make due before winter comes. The little critter runs for its life, running on all fours just to survive, not to get caught and to triumph without a scratch on its little head. Its was a small critter, it was too adorable to even ignore and it was wearing a small piece of cloth resembling a cape, its fur was soft and fluffy pretty much like cotton.

Hence it was called Cotton.

---

It wasn't like he had a choice as the one who made the request chose the location for them, Mejai could be quite sensitive when it comes to these arrangements especially for an inquiry. Well it was his fault anyways for having the meeting to be in a shady place but perhaps it was the only place one can think of that isn't public or where the informant's rivals would least expect it to take place. Entering the bar was a man in silken and white robes, long hair with a crest on his face, with a wooden staff in hand.

Seeing the little girl again, his finger scratched his chin and can't help but think that this was a familiar face, even though they have met before but once again he must introduce himself.

"Why hello there Nemuru, or shall I call you Nemu?" He chuckled as he bowed down apologetically, removing his hood and revealing the face of a young man. According to information, Mejai is 60 years old but in actuality, he's the oldest man in all of Oak town right now.

"I apologize to keep a young and beautiful lady like yourself waiting, I've just only recently answered another client's request on the way here, now shall we get started?" Mejai shot a smile as he takes a seat.

---

"Its only an interview, its not like anything bad is going to happen to the old man." Placing his foot on the cemented railing on the highest floor was one of Mejai's aides, Robin who is a toxicologist, the bowman's eyes scanned every street corner carefully.

"You can't blame him Robin, you know well that master is constantly on the run." The girl wearing the jacket and shorts was none other than Kyrie, one of Mejai's aides.

"Besides if any of our listed enemies managed to catch him, it would create big problems for us all." She added, as she flicks her hair and sits on a hard metal ventilation pipe.

"Huh... that thing he was talking about sure is something, must be worth more than what money can offer, well I'm going to extend the search range, keep a close eye on the Old man." Robin said as he run off and jumped to another building, scanning each corner for anything suspicious.

Nemu? Mother used to call me that... "Either are fine for one such as yourself." If anyone passed by the two, it might be noted despite her slightly greater innate magical power, the poison mage paid utmost respect to the mage seated across from her. "What will you have me call you?"

Nemuru's eye's flicked over him as she took in the details of his finery, and his young face. Her low, soft voice continued under the chaotic din of a bar fight. "If I may, you look much younger than I expected. Especially to be running a company of any note. As to why I asked you here, it is to trade these..." she slipped the pile of paper's from her purse and across the table. "for an interview and a mission statement. I'd like to proceed with the creation of this month's Informant. The distribution is up to you, of course."

Her eyes narrowed as she pulled out a simple pad. Her eyes flicked to the fight, an expression of relief crossing her face. "Is there a statement you would like to make to your employees on behalf of your company? Perhaps a reference to the year of establishment, or why the founder saw need for it?"

He couldn't help but chuckle all because she looked almost exactly like the woman from a few decades ago, the face of a person who used to cooked dishes for him is now working as an informant. The thought of it remained redundant, as she spoke he came back to reality and answered her question.

"You may call me Mejai." He answered.

The beautiful informant drew out a few papers out to him that contains details about certain events, reports of strange phenomena and occurrences in different parts of Fiore. Some were quite interesting indeed, a notable report was the Curse Manor. All of them are mysterious cases needed to be cracked and haven't been released for the view of the public. He was always hungry for the paranormal and mysterious magical cases, these are the kinds of events he fancies, like a kid been given a chance to eat candy for free, internal screams and urges to jump up and show it to his aides just how cool it is.

He remained calm and composed. "Flattery is no currency to negotiations, I'm satisfied with what you have to offer but are you sure a simple interview is worth the information you have given to me?" There could be another reason for their meeting but that aside he must answer her inquiries as best as possible, its not in his place to ask, at least not yet. Mejai's hands clasp together as he begins to answer the inquiry.

"I get that all the time." Glad that Nemu didn't mention anything about his old age, Mejai is quite sensitive when it comes to being an aged man. Like any senior, he misses youth but unlike most seniors, Mejai has some methods to cope with it and make his life better despite the fact that he's to be considered an old man. He did find it surprising that he didn't form wrinkles.

"Well Garan no Dou, my contract agency, started in the year XXXX, the year right after I quit my position from the department of research, back then I used to teach the new comers magical theories and phenomena and basic alchemy. Establishing Garan no Dou allowed to do some field work alongside my aides and contractors, we usually tackle mysterious cases, strange occurrences or phenomena as you'd like to call it. Working with Era did not grant me such luxury as most of their cases remained confidential only to the higher-ups. Though its functions are similar to that of a Guild my contract agency is something you'd like to call a guild for the underworld."

Nemuru quirked a brow at his laughter, but wrote it off as a quirk in his character. "Mejai it is then. May I quote said name for your articles?" Best to clarify, lest there be no backlash.

"Information is a valuable thing, of course I expect some in turn." Though she smiled over the lip of her glass at him, something vaguely predatory shined in her eyes. "An interview may be worth a good bit more than you realize. Furthermore, an interview with one such as yourself will help 'The Informant' gain attention within the company." One would hope at least...

Without even taking her eyes off him, the poison mage's pen flew across the page. She recorded his speech word for word under a note of 'first page.' As he finished, she flipped to a dog-eared page with some scrawled notes on it.

"Garan no Dou is dissimilar to a guild, in some ways though. Is there any particular reason you hire the guildless? Many guildless prefer the freedom that detachment offers them. Do you worry about information leaks? Have you hired other mages from either guilds or the various factions?" She worded each question slow so as Mejai would have time to answer the first batch.

Holding up a finger in a wait gesture, the poison mage waved the waitress over. Nemuru gestured the woman closer and whispered an order in her ear. She held up two fingers to emphasize a point. As the waitress scurried off, the poison mage visibly relaxed.

"Very well I shall allow it and if you ever demand a full name, its Mejai Kaijura."

Its good to know that Nemu took her job as an informant seriously, in fact she never shoot a glance to anything else other than him, not that it bothered him or anything, been awhile since his last interview.

"That's why I have given them the option of being contractors, contractors in terms of the Garan no Dou agency are usually those kinds of people that can perform and answer jobs without any forceful demands on their service. You could consider it as extra work for the Guildless mages if they are looking for any, otherwise I cannot force them to work if they don't want to and if that's the case I'll answer it myself. This doesn't mean that I would just hire any mage, only to those I see fit, only my most trusted of aides handles the information, if information is leaked out then I can't do anything about it since information told to the wrong person may eventually become malignant. However I'd like for you to know that it is us who leak this information but only for a price, the informants who acquires the data will earn a huge sum of money, I'm pretty sure my informants aren't that foolish to make it malignant knowing how much profit they can gain from it cause usually the kind of data we have usually revolves around private parties such as syndicate activities and secrets of several big companies. Information brokering is just only one of the few functions of Garan no Dou that why we offer a variety of services, contracts, anything that tackles magecraft and of course my own personal service as an underworld doctor."

"Like I said before I'd hire any mage regardless of where they hail from as long as I see them fit to be part of the agency."

She tapped the end of her pen against her lip in thought after she finished quoting him. "Service as an underworld doctor? Would you like that mentioned in the article?" She paused, "now... what further plans do you have for Garan no Dou? Do you intend to keep it as a contracting agency? Or perhaps are you looking in the future to the options a proper faction or guild hall would give you?" Nemuru returned to sipping at the truly awful drink.

Thankfully, the waitress returned shortly to place a sparkling mixture of fruit juices in front of both of them. Nemuru handed a few jewels over and absentmindedly waved the woman off. She sipped at the new mixture and smiled with relief. No alcohol could be detected if one were to smell or taste the drink.

Another fight broke out among the less savory clients of the establishment. The waitress and bartender appeared to be trying to break it up.

A man was losing the fight, before the bartender and the waitress could even approach, the man was hurled backwards, heading where Merlin is seated. With a heavy poke from the staff, he pushed the man away from him and send him right back into the fist fight and not once did he take a glance.

"Hmm I rather not, I'm sure you know we tend to reserve these kinds of unofficial activities to the underworld, rather I prefer my patients would find out about me on their own."

"I am not certain of the future of Garan no Dou, we just only came out of the dark ages where we haven't yet gotten a branch. Now that we do, perhaps it could be possible and only time will tell, after all not even I can predict the future."

---

"Well that's no good..." Robin was patrolling around the perimeter only to see one of his Master's enemies who has been looking for him for decades. If he gets any closer to the bar then it will be a catastrophe. "Kyrie, we have a small problem, one of our fears has come to play, what do you suggest we do?"

"Just don't bother them, keep a close eye on them."

"I don't know about this, they are dangerously close..." He remarked as the bowman prepares to fire only for Kyrie to stop him. "Let's see what they are here for first, if he's heading for the bar then we'll take action."

Nemuru readied herself to throw the man back. However, Merlin had already taken care of the issue at hand. "Alright, now just a few questions about yourself. Are you attached to a guild in any way, or have you been previously? Are you a member of a team? If so would you share a few brief details of your team for The Informant? Doesn't need to be anything personal." The poison mage hoped she wasn't pressing too much but she needed some questions answered to fill out this month's issue.

"Also," she paused dramatically, "what does Garan no Dou taste like?" Her eyes narrowed at Merlin, "to clarify, what flavor would you associate with the purpose and spirit of your organization?"

This actually surprised him, it was like a little girl was asking him for some candy and the weirdest feeling comes to mind, its almost as if he met her before. "W-well I would like to have my affiliations to some guilds a secret unless you count the Rune Knights as a kind of guild perhaps? As for being in a team, well we only have two members and of course I'd like to keep you in the dark there but do know one thing, I'm in two teams as the people I work with in Garan no Dou count as such."

Mejai was so glad she asked that question.

"Ah yes! Garan no Dou to me is like a canvas, work is quite colorful and the feel of being part or rather leading the agency is just meaningful and gives quite a sense of purpose! Like a guild we answer many requests, like the Rune Knights we investigate mysterious cases and find reason behind them and as an organization we are a network of information, we answer and interact with those of the underworld and extend up even to the surface in the public eye. I do promise you this, you'd never get bored because you find out interesting things everyday. You'll get far and journey what's beyond the boundary, phenomena, discovery... the thrill is intoxicating. There are many possibilities in the world or rather possibilities that are far beyond it that we have yet to discover and acquire, it just makes things interesting."

Mejai had to stop there, he was THIS CLOSE to revealing the existence of Akasha, even by mentioning word about it would already spell his doom.

"Aa-ah I'm sorry but its just simply..." he takes his drink.

"That beautiful."

Her eyes narrowed, "can you at least reveal the feelings your partner invokes? Some insight into your bond?" Something about her expression revealed a deep-seated intensity. These were no tabloid fluff questions. Behind her eyes, something feral loomed, a predator sizing up its prey before it pounced. Her tongue slid slightly across the inside of her lip in concentration as she held the pad before her.

"You say 'the feeling of leading,' do you insist on watching from above? Are your contractors movements watched as one would casually observe the movement of insects?" She hesitated, "there is plenty to discover and of course that can lure many in." Something colored her tone, as though the poison mage was sizing her boss up.

"Well my partner is more or less something like an acquaintance, she could be a bit timid at times and enjoys my company no? Its like having my own grandchild, even thou we aren't related by blood, I'd say our bond is simply like that."He raised his eyebrow on her next question as it sounds quite ominous.

"Oh come now Nemu, that doesn't mean that I'm a complete control freak and all, I only partake in activities I'm interested in like specific activities and special cases. As long as they are doing some work for Garan No Dou, I need not to watch them and if they have the inquiry, I'll provide an answer, if they seek my advice I'll give it."

As Ciran is to me... alright. "I've a partner like that of my own. Our relationship has a different tone to it but I think I can understand." Even though we like our freedom, we still enjoy company. This guy has his heart in the right place.

"Not entirely what I was hoping to hear. I'd prefer you willing to get your hands dirty if the need arise. However, I don't really need to know the inner workings of your company. I and all your other workers are hired help. So long as I'm not treated as a pawn, I'm happy." She breathed a sigh of relief and raised the blue glass. "To your successes..." She downed the rest of her drink, trying not to choke on the poor taste.

"No... to our success, this agency couldn't have been done without everyone's help." Mejai's gave a warm expression but suddenly changed to curiosity. "By the way Nemu, I've been meaning to ask you this but---" Mejai stopped only to glance from the side.

I see.... I still have time... he hasn't found me yet.

"Do you.. cook?" Mejai draw breath before gulping down some wine.

Nemuru choked, spluttering out the last of her drink. "Y-yes, I cook." She blushed, "I guess a trade of information is only fair. I grew up in Hargeon as you know. Yet, what you may not know is I stayed with my mother when she worked in different restaurants. I guess it's where I get my desire for freedom from, watching her turn her back on Lamia Scale. They didn't trust the partner of the 'Wyvern.' So she chose to work in such mundane places and grunt work most mages of her class avoid. Some days, the cooks would let me help. I fell back on those skills once my magic manifested as a way to survive." Her eyes misted a bit as she spoke of her mother, yet a fierce pride dominated her expression.

He not paused and just chuckled, his assumptions of her were right on spot. "I see your mother taught you, well Nemu I guess that's quite a handy skill you inherited, mind letting me sample one of your dishes sometime?" There was one thing that surprised him and not even he knows this kind of information, a partner of the Wyvern? He rather not go deeper into the subject about her mother.

Mejai clasped his hands together and tilted his head, humming and happy to know one of his members is a cook, probably a good one too.

---

"Damn it be a cinch if I shoot him now" The Green bow man takes aim, following one of his master's enemies.

"Robin... remember we can't harm them."

"Even if I shoot the guy right at the.."

"No."

"O-of course, Boss! If that is that you'd like?" Nemuru seemed taken aback by the request. I wonder why he was curious about my cooking ability in the first place. Perhaps that skill will come in handy soon.

She tilted her head in the same direction to look at him, raising an eyebrow. Not seeing anything in his expression, she sighed and looked around.