Building Relations [Masahiro/Open]

[Amakusa Takehiro]

[OoC: Masahiro first. If anyone wants to join after, go right ahead.]

A conglomerate of villages have sprung up in the countryside between Owari and Mikawa. Because of the Oda-Tokugawa alliance, these villages got a lot of business and saw many travelers, which allowed them to grow and prosper economically, eventually forming a single, larger town. It became a hive for mercenaries, and many people looking for work would find their fortunes beginning here.

So, it was where Takehiro found himself.

The mercenary roamed the town, observing the passersby, and searching for a tavern, as per the usual. He would happen upon one of many in the town, bursting with ronin, each looking to make a name for themselves. Some looked experienced, others seemed as though they were just beginning. Takehiro was one of the few who seemed to have an air of experience about himself, and this seemed to attract the newer mercenaries' attention.

Spear resting on his shoulders, the mercenary would look for a board listing odd jobs, if there were any. He didn't like being without work for long.

[Yuy Masahiro™]

I hate people. I hate villages like this. And more than all I hate ronin. Mercenaries were a rowdy bunch, and most of them were unsophisticated. For me... a member of the Yuy Family to be lowered to the same standing as them... I felt pathetic. Ah but there was one thing that made me feel better when I was feeling down like this.

I sat at the counter of a tavern. Had I the money, I would have got my own booth, but with the quickly dwindling amount of funds that I had it was a shock that I had enough for a place to spend the night. I needed a job... but I had no drive. Heh... I felt pathetic. So I sat there continued to drink my sake, my katana fixed onto my back.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

A small contract was torn from the wall and folded, placed in a pocket on the inside of Takehiro's kimono. Satisfied, he turned to the bar, filling a large container with Sake, trading a bit of coin. From there, he simply searched for a table with open seats, and found one with little trouble. This table happened to be the same one the Yuy man was seated at.

Placing his spear against the table, Takehiro would sit across from Masahiro. He took a large drink from his container of Sake, grunting with satisfaction.

"Apparently this place is where mercs come to become somebody," the man began with a chuckle. "But so many of the people here don't look like they can hold a sword."

[Yuy Masahiro™]

Oh great. One of these oafs decided he was worthy to sit at my table. At least he had the decency to bring his own alcohol. I poured another drink into my cup as he spoke. His words wrung true. Most of these idiots thought themselves powerful because they carried a sword, yet never had fought in a single battle. I wondered if they even knew how to use them.

"They think it simple. Cut down the enemy and make coin. I've run into far too many of these naive fools as of late."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro cocked a brow at the boy. He, himself, looked just as inexperienced as more than half the people in the room, and yet he spoke as though he had seen years of battle in his lifetime. This made the mercenary let out another chuckle, which he drowned in more Sake.

"Well, I must be honest - with the only real swordsmen of late being found in factions under credible daimyos, the work of the mercenary has been reduced to such - cut down the enemy and make coin. It's been my procedure for a good few months, and the takes have not been poor, friend."

[Yuy Masahiro™]

"Those daimyo are a farce. Nothing but merchants of war for their own agenda."

I held much contempt as I said the word daimyo, for in all likelihood it was their fault that my family was murdered. Bringing the cup to my lips, I would drink the sake from it. Taking a moment to realize... I did not completely hate conversing with this man. It was hard for me to find someone that I didn't dislike.

"Still, it is good to hear that there are some average men prospering from this. That all of the riches in the land aren't landing in the hands of the corrupt daimyo."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

"And what would you call the mercenary who serves the daimyo?"

The mercenary laughed a little. The daimyo were war-mongering, of course, and their profit came totally from battle. Though, what was different of the mercenary, set aside the fact they held no allegiance? They had less to lose - their reputations were not on the line at ever possible moment. Their names were not known, no, but they were not likely to be targeted. And yet, they still profited from battle.

"I must say, they may be as you say, but in this case, we would be no different."

"We" was implicative of the mercenaries as a whole, inclusive of this man only if he felt he should be.

[Yuy Masahiro™]

"A mercenary who serves a daimyo is nothing more than a lap dog."

I poured out another cup for myself as I contemplated the man's question. What are we mercenaries that feed off of the war created by the daimyo. Well... that would put us beneath the daimyo then wouldn't it? I hated thinking of that, but as I was now, I was little more than insect that could be crushed any second under the daimyo's foot.

"As we stand now... we are nothing but the urchin that feed at the bottom of the ocean. Taking whatever comes our way and clinging to our pride like mad men."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

The man seemed to have an excessively pessimistic view on life. It was like he'd lost everything worth living for, the way he talked. He was almost like Kamaitachi, just, not as angry. Well, maybe they were the same in that aspect.

"If you just take what comes your way, sure, I can agree." Takehiro shrugged, taking a sip of his sake. "That's why you gotta make them want you. Suddenly, you've got options, and you can pick and choose. There would be no "clinging" to your pride, then. At that point, I'd say you've adopted a fairly good standing for yourself, and any pride you have, you've earned."

Takehiro's done his fair share of getting by on scraps, but recently he was getting to some good jobs. Personal assassination missions from the Hojo weren't easy to come by.

[Yuy Masahiro™]

The man spoke truth. He held valid points and had I been any other man I would have aspired to his words. But alas I am a Yuy, and I have my own agenda. Casting away my pride was out of the question at this point. I took a long sip of my sake before speaking again. I put the cup down and couldn't help but allow a smirk to appear to my lips.

"I aspire for larger things than to serve for some cowardly daimyo that sends hired hands to do his dirty work."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Just like everyone else, it seemed. "I want the good life, mama, but I don't wanna work for it." That's what Takehiro heard, and it peeved him a little bit. It didn't matter what this kid wanted, if he wasn't going to fight for it, he was going to be moping in a corner in some crowded bar for the rest of his life.

"Then you need to work for larger things. If you want to make your own stand, then you need to make your name known, and you can't do that if you don't take any work. It's that simple."

[Yuy Masahiro™]

"You misunderstand. I know to gain the power I seek, I must take advantage of this corrupt system that the daimyo have laid into fruition."

My eyes filled with resolve as I laid down the sake cup. It had been true since I returned to the homeland, I had been almost complacent. I suppose I was treating this more as a vacation being back home. But no more. This stranger was right.

"And once I have the power I seek, I shall put an end to this accursed era."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro grinned. Maybe there was a decent character about this man. He was ambitious, that was certain. Though, the mercenary knew not if the man could back up his words. For all Takehiro knew, he could be talking tough, but got beat by his little sister every time he went home. You just couldn't be too sure with things like this.

"And you're sure you'll be capable of either? I wonder how many have uttered those very same words."

It wasn't uncommon to hear, in these times. Sure, war was profitable, but what could the common rabble gain from it? Nothing but sorrow. They had everything to lose, for battles that just weren't their's. While this talk showed character, it was also what bred the monsters who took their anger out on the poor, and those who could not fight back.

[Yuy Masahiro™]

"I'm sure many a score of men have spoken those words many a time."

I pulled a coin purse from the inside of my kimono. Opening it, I laid down the proper amount of money for the sake and a decent tip for the waitress. Once that was done, I put the coin purse back into my kimono and stood up.

"But I am a man with nothing. There is no possible place for me to go but up, and I will not stop till I have climbed the final rung on the ladder."

I picked up my katana and attached the saya strap onto my belt. It was about time I got off my ass and found some work. But first, I needed a crew. I turned back to the man before leaving.

"My name is Yuy Masahiro. And the Gods willing, you shall be hearing more of it."

[Amakusa Takehiro]

Takehiro smirked at the man's confidence. He seemed brave, ambitious, but his mouth did a lot of the work for him. There was still no telling what he was capable of, and until Takehiro saw that, the mercenary had no faith in the man.

"Leave your fate not to the gods, friend, for they can be cruel." A chuckle passed his lips. "Maybe you shall be successful, and you will have people hiring me to give you a dirt nap."

[Yuy Masahiro™]

"Faith in arms then warrior. I look forward to the day you are contracted to take my life."

If I gained that much infamy, I will have surely gained the power to accomplish what I needed to do. With that I turned away. Holding my head high, I started to walk out of the bar. As I passed by it, I would pull one of the jobs off of a board of listings.

[Amakusa Takehiro]

"You shouldn't, 'cuz it'll be the last day of your life, kid."

He'd let the guy go. He seemed to be pretty confident in himself. Who knows, maybe he could raise his own banner and get people to follow him? Even if he could, though, if it meant he'd have Takehiro hunting him down, it was probably something he shouldn't aspire to. It would end him.