Special fan for a special lady

[Reiko]

What a strange place for a woman to shop for a womans needs.

Doji had gone to one of her favorite places to shop, a sword smithy and blade polisher. No she wasn't getting a sword repaired or forged but instead she wanted a fan, not just any lady's fan made with silk and wood but a fan made out of pure metal, a fan that would look good and be functional in combat.

"Hello, I have a really special request for a weapon. I want a fan forged of strong metal, it needs to be able to fold up but just with metal plates instead of the silk in between." She cut out the small talk and kept it to business, maybe the shop keeper would want to talk and it would be welcome but Ki was a simple woman for the most part and tried to keep life simple as she could.

[Moonlit Raven]

At the chime of the door's bell I closed the book I was reading. Another customer for a weapon. I thought happily. The sound of the familiar voice snapped my attention up to the woman standing on the other side of the counter. For a moment I found myself voiceless.

"Good day.' I greeted once I found my voice. I decided that a neutral approach would be better. I didn't know if the woman would remember me. 'Did you have a idea in mind of what metals you wish to use for the fan?"

[Reiko]

Ki took a second look at the woman that greeted her. She was no mere merchant girl but the woman that Doji had fought in the citadel a little while ago. "Oh, hey. Sorry about that. Been kinda absent minded at times. It's good to see you again. I didn't know you were a merchant. Are you the smithy too?" Ki asked as she swished her tails and hoped that the woman held no ill will to the nine tailed fox.

"Yeah, almost forgot. I was thinking a pretty and strong material like Mithril or Prevaldia if I can afford them." The vixen smiled and blushed realizing she was probably being confusing.

[Moonlit Raven]

I smiled, pleased that the woman did indeed remember me.

"I'm not the blacksmith, I leave that up to Haldis. I'd probably ruin the blade if I tried to help forge it. As for being the shop keeper, well, that's a new development." I trailed off for a moment, memories I didn't want to think about pressed forward. Pushing them aside and fixing a pleasant smile on my face I return to the topic at hand.

"Kale!' I called, from the back room a young boy came running. Crumbs dusted his blue shirt. Grinning slightly I brushed them off his shirt and pushed him forward slightly, presenting him to Doji. 'This ravenous black hole is my helper, Kale. He decided to stay when I offered him a job. A much better job than working for Raelyse, right Kale?" I rumpled Kale's hair and chuckled at his indignant squeak. I pushed him back towards the back room with the order to finish his lunch.

"Are you aware of the individual properties of the metals you are looking at? A fan made of Prevalida will cost 2550 gold pieces, while the mythril will cost 900."

[Reiko]

Ki thought for a moment as she realized that she had too many swords and the fan would be another weapon. "I think I'll take the Prevalida fan. Well I'll trade in this tanto and Wakizashi, both Titanium, if their worth enough. They don't really go with my katana." Ki gently placed the blades on the counter and smiled. "They should be worth a bit to a swordsman looking for well crafted blades."

[Moonlit Raven]

I lightly touched the weapons Doji placed on the counter with a little awe. I never thought anyone would sell such expensive weapons. Pulling out a scrap of paper and giving the weapons a quick inspection I jotted down the specifics of the two weapons.

"I'll be right back." I said before I hurried towards the back room and on to the where Haldis worked. I returned to the front counter a few minutes later, smiling apologetically at Doji.

"Sorry about that, I needed to inform Haldis about the weapons you are selling. Okay, down to business. I can offer you 900 for the tanto and 3000 for the wakizashi." Inwardly I hoped I wouldn't anger the woman I knew in passing. I hoped she would understand that the bazaar, like my business, sold high and bought low. My own shop was not excluded from that practice. Barter a little with me Doji I silently urged the cute woman.

[Reiko]

Bartering was the truth in every store, Ki didn't wish to do it she would probably lose an arm and a leg with a tail thrown in. "I won't talk down the price of the fan, I'm sure you work with exceptional craftsman. But I won't dishonor the man who made this Daisho with such a cheap price. The blades aren't mass produced like most Corone weapons are and have an excelent workmanship. I'm sure you can make a tidy profit at 1350 for the tanto and 4500 for the wakizashi." Ki smiled widely as she swished her tails.

[Moonlit Raven]

I smiled at the counter offer. Let the bartering begin. In the back of my head I could hear an odd little fan-faire of music play for a moment.

“I’ll give 1200 for the tanto and 3500 for the wakizashi.” I fidgeted slightly where I was standing. Below the counter and out of sight my hands picked at the symbols sewn into the red silk of the dress I wore.

[Reiko]

Ki giggled as she smiled at the girl. "That's a bit better, how about 1300 and 4000?" The kitsune perked her ears as a an idea popped into her head. The vixen adjusted her kimono and hoped that Elena would see her tails dance their magical patterns and fall under the charm magic. "Oh how much would it be to add a wakizashi to go with the fan. It'd be really cute to have a sky blue sword and a sky blue fan, maybe with dragons patterns etched into each." The ronin made a foxy smile. Maybe she could work a kiss into the mix to sweeten the deal.

[Moonlit Raven]

Grinning I wracked my brain on how to not cheat this potential friend too badly yet make both her and Haldis happy. After a moment an idea came to mind.

"I can offer both the fan and the wakizashi made how you want them and give you 1000 gold."

[Reiko]

Doji thought for a moment as she ran the numbers through her head. it seemed like a fair trade. Ki hadn't really used the swords much and figured they would be better in someone else's hands. Also she'd come back with a heavier coinpurse than before.

"Sounds like a good deal to me. So when will the weapons be ready?" Ki asked with a happy flick of her tails and smile before gently placing her old swords on the counter.

[Moonlit Raven]

Pleased, I smiled at the acceptance of the offer. I pulled out a sheet of paper and quickly jotted down the specifics of the fan and wakizashi for Haldis. Pulling out two different sheets I filled out the transaction on them and turned both to Doji.

"I'll need you to sign both papers. One is your copy and one is mine." While I waited for Doji to sign the papers with the charcoal pencil I left I hurried off to deposit the titanium blades and retrieve Doji's gold.

"Here you go.' I handed Doji two bags containing five hundred gold each. 'If you could give Haldis three days. He'll have the weapons ready for you."




Make use of liquid time and split your post. No need to actually wait three days.

[Reiko]

Doji looked at the notes with smile and to make sure there wasn't any silly trickery such as saying "I hereby give my body and soul to you." Once she was sure it was just a writ of purchase and promise of the blade and fan to be made; Ki was happy. "thank you. I'll see you in three days." The vixen said as she strode out the door and back to her den to see her kits again.

***

Three days later:

Doji had come back to town feeling a bit tired. Chiyo and Ryo were rather playful and it took her awhile to get them to bathe. They should have been easier to bathe at this age but Ki knew that they often were still playful and wanted to make sport about the chore.

The kit had followed Ki to see the new weapons that she requested made and also to see Elena again. Doji felt the woman to be safe and it would be nice for the kits to meet her under normal terms of society and not the citadel.

The three came into the store and Ki shifted her tails and tried to make her posture a little more comfortable.

"hello." The nine tailed Vixen said and Chiyo and Ryo parroted with an eagerness to see what there mother was getting.

[Moonlit Raven]

Elena looked up at the greeting, her hand tightened on Gorv's collar as he tried to make good on his escape while she was distracted. Elena pulled on the cloth warningly, just enough to keep the boy in place.

"Good morning Doji. Children, it's good to see you again. I'll be with you in just a moment." Elena pulled Gorv with her into the back room.

"Now, you will get the fan and sword you took from Haldis' shop. They belong to the lady out there.' Elena ducked her head as she knelt to look at Gorv directly in the eyes. 'Gorv you can't hide things like this. This is a shop, not a place of play. Ask Illaniel or Serraphiel to play with you. Well, ask Illaniel to play, okay?" Elena smiled at the nod and ruffled his hair.

"Elena I found them. Gorv had them hidden on top of one of the stacks. Gods only know how he got them up there." Kale held out the fan and wakizashi. Elena smiled and took the weapons. Quickly, she checked them over for any damage. Elena hurried back to the front counter.

"Sorry about that. Gorv is one of the children I have taken in. He's often mischievous."

[Reiko]

Ki laughed a little at the comment. "No harm done, If Gorv's even capable of damaging the weapons then I'd want my money back. Prevalida weapons made by a skilled hand are much tougher than that." Her tails swished like a happy puppy as she tucked her new weapons in her obi and then drew the sword and fan before posing in front of her kits. "how do I look." She had the blade above her head and held the fan out to block attacks.

"Wow they're pretty." Chiyo said with a smile.

"Are they really weapons, they're blue?" Ryo Asked.

"The best." Ki giggled and put the blades away and bowed to Elena. "Thank you for your help. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

[Moonlit Raven]

"You never know what a boy can do. I'm constantly surprised what the boys get themselves into." I grinned at Ki's posing for her children.

"Same here, Doji. Some time we'll have to have a nice talk over lunch and tea or something like that. You take care of yourself and your children." I returned the bow politely.



Transaction complete. Reiko gains 100 EXP for good IC interactions, 1000 gold for the sale of her titanium tanto and wakizashi.