A curious shop of captivating curio cabinets. [ Open ]

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In the middle of nowhere resides a mysterious shop. This place is a mystical place where a man may purchase a finely crafted cabinet to house their curios. Ran by Juubei, this place doesn't sell any curios, just the cabinets to store them in. Although it's not a crowded market, Juubei does have a hard time making ends meet.

As you walk in through the large double doors, you would find a well lit interior that smells of rich mahogany and many leather bound books. The floor is hardwood and all along the unpainted walls are cabinets of all shapes and sizes. At the very back of the room is a counter where a silver-haired man sits behind and waits patiently for people to by his handcrafted cabinets. Underneath this counter, hidden from view, are a pair of matchlock pistols.

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Several days had transpired and still nothing had happened. He'd received no customers and he was beginning to think that perhaps opening this shop had been a bad idea. Juubei could be seen sitting behind the counter in the back of the shop, absently daydreaming about various whimsical things. If only dreams could pay off his debts. If nothing happened soon, Juubei feared he might land himself in a spot of trouble.

[Ichimura Ryunosuke]

A man entered the curio cabinet shop, and by the looks of him, one would think that he was just a young boy. Though Ryunosuke did not like being called as that, as he looked at his appearance on the reflection of his weapons, he would just sigh, thinking that those who said as such were true. As he could not change his appearance, he could only stick to it until he gets older.

He looked at the curio cabinets, apparently searching for something. But, as he looked for the cabinet that he would buy, he scratched the back of his head. Apparently he did not know which cabinet was suitable for displaying weapons. His pocket was already bulging with money with which to establish a permanent weapons shop at the front of his smithy, and he needed to display his wares as captivating as possible. Not that he distrusted in his ability to make his crafts as ornate as the cabinets here, but the cabinets might serve as an additional eye-catcher.

He then moved towards the owner of the shop, and asked, "Do you have any cabinets here that could house a display of weapons?"

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Juubei was falling asleep by the time someone came into the shop and when the door closed, it startled him awake. Juubei lifted his head from his hands and saw a young man browsing his selection of fine curio cabinets and he felt alive for the first time since opening the place. As the stranger approached the counter he got ready to deliver his sales pitch, but that's when the mysterious person spoke and his heart sunk. That sadness shifted to anger a moment later and Juubei puffed out his chest and bellowed at the young man.

"What does the sign outside say? I'm quite certain it doesn't state this place as being a Wondrous World of Weapon Cases. This is a shop of curio cabinets, for curios. Useless trinkets and baubles, not weapons."

Juubei turned up his nose at the young man and looked down at him with disgust as if he were a leper or something.

[Ichimura Ryunosuke]

"I knew that of course," Ryunosuke was somewhat irritated at the response of the man before him. Maybe he did not consider weapons as works of art? But he remained calm, thinking that he just misunderstood what he said.

"Probably you do not know much about some forms of art, and what more could be considered as curios, and so I will explain," he started. He was disgusted at the shopkeeper implying that weapons could not be considered works of art, but he would try to deliver this point with words rather than violence. "As far as I know, a curio is something strange and interesting that would make a man's head turn toward it with curiosity. It's not limited to something small, and it's also not limited to something which doesn't harm anyone. But the meaning could be applied to each and every work of art that should be eye-catching. Although I make all sorts of weapons, my mind is not always limited to function, but also in its looks." He then moved towards a cabinet, and he was somewhat pleased with the design. The cabinet in question had a large gap in between the shelves, and it was also good to look at. This should fit in his shop, and could display his masterworks. He then said, "I was about to buy this baby here, and another cabinet to display my smaller metal crafts, but it seems you don't have an interest in my form of art, and so I'll leave." He then turned his back, revealing the intricate details on the tips of the scabbard of the sword that was sheathed on his hip. The black wooden scabbard was intricately decorated with figures of dragons etched in gold. He then slowly walked away from the shop.

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It went against everything he believed in, but money was money.

"Sir, sir. Perhaps I was a bit hasty."

He pulled the young man back towards the cabinet he'd been examining and proceeded to lay the bullshit on nice and thick.

"You have a good eye, my friend. This here is the finest cabinet we have. The wood has been imported from all over the world, the glass taken from deserts in lands that no civilized man has tread before, and the whole thing has been blessed by priests to give the owner good luck and fortune for as long as they live. It's a fine choice sir, and very modestly priced I might add."

[Ichimura Ryunosuke]

Ryunosuke was surprised as he was dragged across the shop back to the cabinet that he was examining. While the man was explaining about the origins of the cabinet, including its materials, he examined the cabinet itself, checking if the man said was true. He then touched the cabinet, and placed a little pressure on his fingers as he slid it across the cabinet. He then examined its glasses, and then the whole cabinet itself. As the man finished speaking, he was thinking about the merits of the cabinet and its aesthetic feel, and then, as he was finished thinking, he said, "Though I could not confirm if what you have said is true, I could see that the characteristics of the wood and glass fitted what you have said. The wood was a good hardwood, and the glass seemed to withstand a large blow before cracking. I also give that every cabinet here was blessed by priests before they entered this shop. So, as I calculate, mon is not a good price unit for this one." He then took a coin pouch from the inner folds of his kimono, and checked its amount. "How about I give you 25 ryo for this cabinet here?"