Long Delayed Meeting [Social]

[Akio Naito]

Plotline: [Quite a while ago, Akio was given a card by Kazura, good for a meeting at the Uzaki Enterprise building at a later point. And after much unrelated hardship, he's decided to cash it in.]

The Uzaki Enterprise building was just like the man he’d met at work described it, the tallest building in the entire business district, distinctly a modern palace for someone who had already gone quite far in the world. Just standing outside was mildly unsettling, though was not anything to do with the physical size of the structure. It seemed off because applying science to the spiritual, dissolving mysteries most people weren't even aware of, but just looking at the tower made the sheer scale of that operation clear. But Akio wasn't here tonight to have uncomfortable thoughts about corporate Japan, or just what he was about to get involved in by entering. Tonight was about learning just what kind of tools it took to stay safe out there.

He was wearing his best waistcoat that night, and a tie to go with it, which he straightened as he hesitantly took the first few steps into the building, approached the front desk, and held out the business card Kazura had given to him, a good while ago. "Hello, I was told I could get a meeting with this?" He asked, subtly exhaling as he tried to keep calm. He'd been putting off using that card for quite a while, hadn't he? At first because of the incident outside the range, followed by his own mistake, that night at the park, and then there had been an asura with a rapier a few nights after that... Exactly why he came here, to see what answers this cathedral to science had to offer him.

[Kazura Uzaki]

There was this incessant buzzing in his ear... A mosquito perhaps. As Kazura wandered the jungle he could hear the buzzing repeating and repeating. Then, as he saw and entered a clearing up ahead a gruesome sight awaited him. A woman had been impaled in the center of the ground by a large spear. Written in her blood was Why did you create me, Kazura?" As soon as he saw and comprehended the message, he felt his consciousness snap to attention. He woke up with a gasp and heard that buzzing again... It was his intercom, his secretary trying to reach him. "Mr. Kazura? Someone here to see you. With one of your business cards. You know, the special ones."

The fullbringer rubbed his eyes and tried to comprehend what she had said. He knew that he had given out a few special cards to potential spiritual recruits, but couldn't remember which one was most recent. Or which one had even given it an actual thought. His sleep had been so poor lately, what with all the nightmares. Always messages in blood, never making much sense. He wiped the coffee from his shirt with Soul command and straightened out his wrinkled suit jacket with the same ability. He made his way to the elevator and keyed in his reiatsu signature to be able to ascend from his secret underground lab into the ground floor.

When he emerged, he realized that he hadn't answered his secretary. Oops. She was still buzzing for him. "Mr. Kazura?" She hadn't noticed him yet. "Sorry, Nancy, I'm here. She turned around surprised, but calmed down quickly. "Good, you're here. This gentleman has been very patient with you. You've made him wait for at least ten minutes." Kazura lifted his hands in defeat and apology. "Very sorry, very sorry. Please, come with me to my office. It'll be more private there rather than in this lobby." He was vaguely remembering Akio and his shop of curiosities, but it had been some time since their last and only meeting. His memory only worked so far back, despite his high processing abilities.

"What would you like to discuss?"

[Akio Naito]

”You are forgiven.” Waiting ten minutes hadn't been a problem for Akio, he had kept a particularly long gap in his schedule for whatever was about to happen, and it would take more than standing in a lobby for a bit to drive him away. ”I am sure that you are a very busy man, given the size of this building.” The not-quite quincy hesitantly stepped into the elevator, still not entirely sure that Kazura wasn't some form of strangely benevolent arms dealer. He tried to force that thought down by opening up his spiritual senses, hoping to get a quick reading of how dense the reishi was in this building, in its air, inside of the the walls, the way it flowed. It was better to know now than have to find out later.

”You said you had tools to offer, and also ways to stay safe.” Already uncomfortable in the small elevator, he tried to adjust the long-since blackened bangle caught between his bandaged arm and the sleeve covering it. ”That was what I came here for.” He couldn't remember what the exact words of Kazura's offer had been, the main reason they were so firmly engraved to his memory was mostly being caught between two more major events, and been an offer of a solution to one of the problems he had been facing since just before they'd shown up.

”I suppose the discussion starts with what those tools are?”

[Kazura Uzaki]

When Akio opened his spiritual senses to detect what was going on in the building, he'd actually find the building strangely lacking much of a spiritual presence. Sure, there were blips here and there, especially coming from the man right next to him, but the building itself was very spiritually thin. There wasn't a lot of spiritual defenses, in fact, really weren't any that Akio could sense. Kazura was working on that, slowly, but was working on that. Most of what Akio could sense would be coming from below them, but even still there wasn't a lot to detect.

Kazura's eyes lit up though, as Akio asked for what he had offered in terms of staying safe and tools he could offer. "Oh, we have lots of cool things you can test out, if you'd like. Lemme take you down to some of my testing facilities." Kazura's reiatsu would flare slightly as he used Energy Generate to make a small amount of liquid reiatsu pool on his finger. He pressed into a keypad on the elevator and the machine started to begin descending. Despite having been on the ground floor previously, they moved at least five floors down before the doors opened up again. They opened up to a set of firing ranges and batting cages. A weird thing to have underground, but at least it would be private and not audible from the higher up floors.

Kazura stepped out of the elevator and didn't really wait for Akio. He was still waking up from his less than stellar nap and was super excited to show off what he'd been working on the past few months. "In terms of personal protection, I've nearly perfected a thin but durable mesh that can stop more than just bullets. Less... common attacks might have a hard time getting through some of these prototypes." Kazura was hesitant to talk of spiritual matters despite Akio having worked in that shop of odds and ends that were definitely Spiritual. He needed to test the waters before he launched into descriptions into what kind of spiritual attack and constructs might have trouble with his craft.

[Akio Naito]

Akio stepped out of the elevator, following closely behind Kazura. Instantly more comfortable than he had been on the ride down, as he took in the larger underground space. ”The uncommon is a greater concern to me. I do not expect to defend myself from bullets, more likely I would get stabbed on the current course of things. Or barring that, it would be an animal attack of some kind.” Akio was used to talking around the topic. Hinting at basic principles would always be overlooked, but that was at work, where it was usually considered it rude to go any further in depth unless a customer did so first. Beyond that, he didn't want to linger on the topic of firearms, and preferred to dwell on the bows and blades of gods and the dead, or even the strange forms of the Preta. Anything but guns.

He had been surprised by what he'd sensed from inside the constrictive space of that elevator. Not by the lack of defenses, but by how little there was in total. He had been expecting an operation of such scale to have a denser atmosphere to it, or at least a constant stream flowing either in or out of the premises. Had his expectations been that unrealistic, or were Kazura's tools just different than anything he'd seen before? He told himself it was the former, even if the latter were also a factor. The cages made sense as a sort of testing range for armor or other equipment, at least.

Quickly moving his train of thought back on track, he continued looking around the area seemingly designed for testing things. quietly trying not to seem so far in over his head in this situation, and not doing that well at it. ”And, just how practical is this kind of armor? Would I be able to wear it just in case of an encounter, or would it have to be changed to when needed?” That would have to be a factor as much as being functional, as long as random encounters in the streets made up the majority of threats. Even at the worst, it would be less conspicuous to carry than any of the alternatives.

[Kazura Uzaki]

Kazura nodded to the animal attack comment. Hollows weren't much above animals in form and attitude. As for how practical it was, Kazura moved on past the models that looked like soldier armor and moved on towards what appeared to be a tuxedo complete with a dress shirt and bow tie. "This suit will definitely stop an animal's teeth or a knife. Still working on getting it more stab proof, but it's about as durable as you can imagine a bulletproof vest being, but without the bulk and the stigma of wearing a bulletproof vest. I can design you any kind of clothes that you'd like. T-shirt? Hoodie? Anything like that. I just happen to wear suits mostly so that's what I have on display. What do you think?"

[Akio Naito]

"It seems like it would be the best defensive solution, for my situation." More safety in the day-to-day, without any noticeable change from an outside perspective. "I would prefer something similar to what I have been wearing today." He added, trying to seem more comfortable in the underground lab than he actually was. It was obvious that suits would be the default form of armor, both for Kazura's stated reasons, and the type of people who would be likely customers for a product like that. Logical though it was, it was just a touch too formal for his own casual use. Slacks, dress shirts, a few waistcoats. Akio really didn't have that much diversity in his wardrobe, and his ideals for armored clothing would be to make it fit into that same existing pattern. "And the cost?" That would be the real question of how practical any of this amazing technology was, at least from his own side of this.

[Kazura Uzaki]

Kazura ran the numbers in his head, recalling what he had set the price on this particular suit on in his store. It came to mind pretty quickly, as his store for spiritually inclined customers didn't have a massive inventory. "This one retails for 12,000. A steep cost, I realize, but I'm sure I could work out a better budgeted version. Hmm... I tend to forget that my most impressive items are generally cost prohibitive."

OOC: I've been dumb, forgot that items are class-locked as well as cost Ryo. If you want me to create you a Class 7 soul fiber suit custom for you, I'm more than happy to. Looking through the list of items Kazura already has for sale... There aren't any besides his basic Suit that are class 7 and that one doesn't really blend in well.

[Akio Naito]

Twelve-thousand? Then the prices here were in ryo, not yen. It was still strange to Akio how at times it seemed like the Japanese economy just didn't apply in half of Karakura. That aside, he'd saved up plenty from work, if only barely enough to afford that particular cost. "Expensive, but not out of budget. When the alternative is having no defenses against what's out there in the city." It wasn't like he had any other use for the strange currency of gods and spiritualists, anyway. Not unless he could buy safety in a more literal way than protective items. "We can wait to discuss purchases after you're shown everything you wish to offer." He added nervously, unwilling to be the first to actually say what the threats on the streets outside were.

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC} No pressure to make anything custom, shopping is secondary to social networking in the grand scheme of things. Still a prime opportunity to show off the wonders of Kazura's science to whatever degree you'd like. Also, I think it's a bit too early for armor to make a noticeable difference.

[Kazura Uzaki]

Kazura nodded towards Akio's comment at "what was out there in the city" knowing all too well what dangers were out there. He'd seen Hell run rampant in Karakura, Las Noches attack his tower, and other crazy things in his years of being a Fullbringer. He moved over to one of the firing ranges where a sleek black gauntlet lie on the counter. He had more to show the man, after all. "This is one of my favorites, some of the first tech I invented for protection against some of the greater threats in the city, as you mention. Watch." Placing his hand into the gauntlet, it began to whir as it drew in air into a tank and pressurized it.

Showing off the palm of the hand, where there was a fair sized hole, he then raised it towards one of those firing range targets that looks like a silhouette of a person with the different layers like the cross section of an onion. With a click, there was a blast of air that shot out and struck the target from a good distance a way, blowing a hole in the paper with ease. Kazura then showed off the alternative use for the gauntlet's air supply by holding his arms up in a boxing stance, only to have his arm that was equipped with the gauntlet let out a hiss of air as his hand shot forward at 200 speed. "This is the simplest model. I've got a few others with some other features, but this one is good for demonstrations. Would you like to try it?"

[Akio Naito]

Akio smiled a bit when he saw the gauntlet in action, even as he leaned away during the demonstration. "Very impressive." That much just from air? He considered that he just wasn't seeing whatever the actual projectile was, but even so, that speed was part of the appeal. Besides that, the form was distant enough from mundane weaponry for him, the size seemed concealable enough for casual carry, he could assume it was less dependent on external conditions than the kinds of methods he'd been dabbling in. "Yes, I would like to." He wasn't about to turn down a chance to examine that device closer up, to experience the feel of operating it would only be a bonus to that.

[Kazura Uzaki]

Kazura handed over the Gauntlets MK I with its equipped Air Cannon MK I. He let Akio put it on, set up a new target for him to aim at, and let him try and figure it out. It wasn't a hard device to figure out, but did have some quirks if Akio wasn't used to UE brand spiritual tech. Kazura's technology was able to accept mental commands from its wearers, formed from exploring a mysterious device called a Convert-a-weapon that had been found in a wandering shop that Kazura had never tracked down again. Those little orbs of what appeared to be metal could change their shape on mental command into any weapon that could be imagined and having explored that technology and mastered it Kazura was able to let his own tech accept mental commands to perform their tasks. Once Akio had taken a few moments to feel its weight, get used to aiming it, and try to use it in however method he would try, Kazura would pipe up. "Just aim, imagine firing, and Will it to happen."

Easier said than done, sometimes.

[Akio Naito]

Before even putting it on, he'd started by looking the device over. Not that he could tell much from the exterior, but appraising such things was a habit he'd cultivated for years. After checking the exterior he slipped it on. "Do you make a lefthand variation on these?" He asked as he gave the gauntlet a few experimental finger flexes. More than a bit concerned when he couldn't intuit any sort of trigger or safety device, he continued testing the mobility for nearly a minute. After that, he adjusted his footing, raised the gauntlet, and gazed at the target with calm, half-closed eyes. Then readjusted his posture several times after, clearly not the most comfortable with it.

He nodded when Kazura gave instructions. Even with Kazura's advice, he had a total lack of experience with this kind of technology, and found it hard to visualize firing. What he needed was a clearer image of how firing functioned. Was it supposed to be like a firearms inner workings, more abstract like the spells he'd been learning, or-? He put that train of thought away for the moment, and began to run through the eight steps of traditional archery in his mind. Something he's had years of experience with, more than enough to memorize the motions, and get a very clear image of a projectile. He'd already included the first three into his attempted firing stance, but starting from the footing made it easier for him to visualize the process. He continued the mental steps, visualizing the entire process of drawing and releasing an arrow. If that didn't work, he would try a series of less realistic mental images he'd practiced as part of spell-casting, less defined, more metaphorical. Pouring a small measure of effort into each until something worked, or until Kazura spoke up again.

[Kazura Uzaki]

Kazura nodded at the left handed comment. "I tend to wear one on each hand when I use them, so yes, there's a left handed variation." It wouldn't take long for Akio to successfully work the device. It was designed to respond to willpower, so whatever he needed to visualize to get it to fire would function successfully. The gauntlet would let out a nearly solidified blast of air that would gouge a hole into the target. An archer by nature, Akio's shot was probably even more accurate than Kazura's, despite the latter having created and practiced with the tech.

"Highly impressive. There are a few variations of that model, but they all do pretty much the same thing. At one time I had a version that could channel more... unique attributes of some individuals to pull off some incredible feats, but I haven't diverted much attention to that path in awhile. Now, was there anything in particular you wanted to ask me before we head back up to the lobby?"

[Akio Naito]

Akio was surprised that he actually hit the target with the unfamiliar weapon, but even more so that he triggered the device so early in the process of visualizing. He was used to bows that needed actual physical effort, or the more esoteric methods of directing external reiryoku and reishi, both arts where every shot took more effort than was visible. He carefully removed the device from his arm, and set it down to return his attention to Kazura. Ready to follow after them if they started back towards the elevator. "I have no more questions, at this time."

Correction, I do not have business questions. I do have a more personal one. He took a deep breath, and tried to convince himself what he about to say was a good idea. Do you believe in dragon streams? He knew he shouldn't be the one to bring up a purely spiritual topics, but this might be his only interview. "Or any of the other terms for the concept; ley lines, earthpulse, spirit veins, or reimyaku?" Akio had deliberately placed the term the shinigami used for environmental reiatsu last, because he'd never heard it associated with any other group. Even his way of being blunt had to be indirect.