Dridder's Web HQ Throne Room

(From Here)

Kurenai would find herself materializing inside an ornate, expansive dining hall with drapes adorning the walls with the colors of the Dridder's Web, Yakuza...

A table, set with fine food and drink sat low to the floor in front of her, and beyond that, sitting on a gilded throne... sat a man with piercing eyes.



"My... you decided to come here after all," the man says with a smile, adjusting the small rounded glasses clipped to his nose. The ninja Kurenai had followed here was no longer in sight, having seemingly never existed. "Kurenai the Crimson Ninja..." He says, pulling up his famous sword from the side of his gilded chair:

"...take a seat, wench!" a slimy hand pushed against Kurenai's shoulder from behind, pushing her towards the lain out cushion that had been prepared for her arrival. The creature was nearly double her height, a youkai toad warrior who had irritant black eyes and hot air bellowing from his flared nostrils. Beads rattled around his massive neck, and he stood there, looming over her with his warty orange arms folded. "Heh... 'ninja', why don't you tell it how it is, Boss? She's just some meaty street tramp who kills for a livin', she ain't got no clan to swear to, she's just a juicy little cricket who hops from one client to the next, and from the smell of her, that's sometimes literally! Heh heh... what are you doing?! Show some respect to the Boss, got it?!" He croaked, pushing her head down!

The blond man sighed, palming his face with his free hand. "Mushi, stop man handling our guest before I allow her to remove your legs so that you will not be able to hop-hop anywhere." He says with annoyance, shaking his head side to side. "Forgive him, the idiot is all muscle, and no brain. I should have put him on a leash before your arrival, a mistake on my part..." he says with a frown, glancing up at her and waved his hand. "Feel free to eat and drink, you are my guest not my prisoner Lady Kurenai." He says generously enough, and took a glass of foreign Feniran red from the table for his own.

Kurenai leveled her gaze upon the man, and as the henchfrog pushed her to knees, it was her calm professional nature that kept her from lashing out at them all. She stared up at the man, her ebony gaze leveled upon his seemingly crimson eyes for a while, before she looked left and right, no sign of the shinobi who brought her there... "Not your prisoner? Odd, given the title of the Righteous Jailer of Dridder's Web... I've heard the rumor's that they were supposed to be a demon... low and behold, he's the younger brat of the Kibara family... Yasuyuki Kibara." She says with lidded, judgmental eyes.

Mushi groaned, and when the woman spoke up he ribbited with anger! "Hold thine tongue whore!" He raised his arm to back hand her!

Yasu snapped his fingers and silky strands of webbing caught Mushi's wrist, and then pulled him upwards, towards the ceiling where he wiggled and writhed, before the ceiling closed shut and left only the two of them in the room. "I said, that was enough, Mushi." Yasuyuki Kibara shook his head side to side. "Honestly, its hard to get dependable muscle these days... they have to be strong to do the duties you want carried out, and yet have to be not too intelligent or they'll think they'll be able to overcome your superiority... ahh..." he groaned, looking back to the pretty assassin with a smile. "...so, you have done your homework well. I wouldn't have revealed my identity otherwise if I wished not to speak in total confidence with you, Ms. Kurenai... but curious, how someone like you were to so easily spot me out?" He mused.

Yasuyuki Kibara wrote:Yasu snapped his fingers and silky strands of webbing caught Mushi's wrist, and then pulled him upwards, towards the ceiling where he wiggled and writhed, before the ceiling closed shut and left only the two of them in the room. "I said, that was enough, Mushi." Yasuyuki Kibara shook his head side to side. "Honestly, its hard to get dependable muscle these days... they have to be strong to do the duties you want carried out, and yet have to be not too intelligent or they'll think they'll be able to overcome your superiority... ahh..." he groaned, looking back to the pretty assassin with a smile. "...so, you have done your homework well. I wouldn't have revealed my identity otherwise if I wished not to speak in total confidence with you, Ms. Kurenai... but curious, how someone like you were to so easily spot me out?" He mused.

Kurenai did not flinch, even as the warty toad was yanked up by an unseen presence and pulled out of sight by shrouded hands. She kept her eyes on Kibara. "I suppose you think I'm stupid as well, milord? As you sent one of your rank to poach me from the street and of a job I was about to collect on... even killed the man who I was to collect payment from. You're not giving me much choice in the matter, whatever you are wishing to hire me for, deliberately showing yourself to me so that I will not leave this clandestine location without my life shall I decline your request, whatever that may be." She says, ignoring his question, going straight to the point. "Further more, I assume you will cut me down should I perform whatever duty you have planned for me... yet, you remove the only physical threat to me in this room to try and wager with me, so you are expecting me to agree to your task in one way or another..." She explained. "...and its just Kurenai."

Kurenai wrote:

Yasuyuki Kibara wrote:Yasu snapped his fingers and silky strands of webbing caught Mushi's wrist, and then pulled him upwards, towards the ceiling where he wiggled and writhed, before the ceiling closed shut and left only the two of them in the room. "I said, that was enough, Mushi." Yasuyuki Kibara shook his head side to side. "Honestly, its hard to get dependable muscle these days... they have to be strong to do the duties you want carried out, and yet have to be not too intelligent or they'll think they'll be able to overcome your superiority... ahh..." he groaned, looking back to the pretty assassin with a smile. "...so, you have done your homework well. I wouldn't have revealed my identity otherwise if I wished not to speak in total confidence with you, Ms. Kurenai... but curious, how someone like you were to so easily spot me out?" He mused.

Kurenai did not flinch, even as the warty toad was yanked up by an unseen presence and pulled out of sight by shrouded hands. She kept her eyes on Kibara. "I suppose you think I'm stupid as well, milord? As you sent one of your rank to poach me from the street and of a job I was about to collect on... even killed the man who I was to collect payment from. You're not giving me much choice in the matter, whatever you are wishing to hire me for, deliberately showing yourself to me so that I will not leave this clandestine location without my life shall I decline your request, whatever that may be." She says, ignoring his question, going straight to the point. "Further more, I assume you will cut me down should I perform whatever duty you have planned for me... yet, you remove the only physical threat to me in this room to try and wager with me, so you are expecting me to agree to your task in one way or another..." She explained. "...and its just Kurenai."

The man smirked upon listening to her, sipping his wine as she continued to detail her theory to him. Once she was finished, he glanced down at the wine remaining in his glass, swirling it nonchalantly. "Is that what you think, Kurenai?" He glanced up to her. "I only dispose of things that are useless to me, your presence here is because I want someone like you working a couple jobs for me. If you were not desirable, I wouldn't have gone through the trouble to seek you out. In fact, your anonymity, lack of loyalty for a specific clan, your reasonable wages, and considerable beauty is why I have called upon your particular services my dear. I have willingly exposed myself to you, not to keep you roped into my scheme nor to force you into my fold, I did so to show that I bring you no harm and that I have complete confidence in your abilities. I didn't put a bag over your head nor did I abduct you; nor did I try to act cliche and hide behind a curtain or put a front man to act upon my behalf, because such tactics do not apply to individuals of your caliber. No, Kurenai, I want to be as up front with you as you have been with to me...but I'm still curious to know how you know it was me, given my reclusive nature~" He smiled, raising his glass to her and then tipped it back.

She kept an even glare upon his face. "...as you say. I cannot believe all the words you say are in fact true, milord, as I doubt that you would allow me to walk out of this hideaway with my knowledge of your identity as the head of Dridder's Web, nor do I think you would so carelessly believe I won't just report you should I get the chance, let alone kill you for insulting me... but I tire of this game of cat and mouse." She ignored his request yet again, before cocking her head slightly to the right. "You have brought me here for more than this game of back and forth, I suggest you get to the point then, shall I begin carving my way out of this overly posh ruse..."

Kurenai wrote:She kept an even glare upon his face. "...as you say. I cannot believe all the words you say are in fact true, milord, as I doubt that you would allow me to walk out of this hideaway with my knowledge of your identity as the head of Dridder's Web, nor do I think you would so carelessly believe I won't just report you should I get the chance, let alone kill you for insulting me... but I tire of this game of cat and mouse." She ignored his request yet again, before cocking her head slightly to the right. "You have brought me here for more than this game of back and forth, I suggest you get to the point then, shall I begin carving my way out of this overly posh ruse..."

He shrugged. "Go ahead, like there is anyone in this city who is worth selling me out to my dear. All it takes is a couple tugs of the web, and things get wrapped up and carried away. If you wish to leave, I shall spit you back out where we found you, and we can go on our separate paths, never to hear or see of one another again." Yasu sighed. "But... you'll never be able to work in this city again should you do so. Clients will not want to hire a repulsive rat who sells out their employers, no? You may not be affiliated with any of the clans, but people do not want to work with someone who sells out their employers so readily..." he explained. "Theoretically of course, I don't think you would do such a thing, professional woman you are. I feel no anxiety what so ever about you walking out my door, right this instant." he says with a smirk. "...this is your chance to leave. If you are, however, interested in what I request of you, then remain where you are seated."

Kurenai took a moment to observe him, remaining in her seated, kneeling position. "...go on." She implored.

Kurenai wrote:Kurenai took a moment to observe him, remaining in her seated, kneeling position. "...go on." She implored.

He smiled, lowering his empty glass upon the arm rest of his throne, using his other arm to prop up his elbow. "Very good. My instincts were on point with you..." he chuckled to himself, amused that she stayed. "Very well, you have chosen a path with a golden opportunity... you see, I have had trouble keeping the Busujima Clan's dogs, their pitiful excuse of a yakuza group from muscling in on my territory of late. I had to hire a muscle head fool from Galideno to sort things out, but... he, his lumbering oaf and his dragon bulimia inducing partner have messed things up, and now the 'Thunder Beast' is on their tail; and not only that but I hear even the T.I.R.S. and the Senior Partners of the Bliss are seeking out the remaining fools still alive." He sighed. "Not only that, they stole the shipment of goods I had them procure in the first place and their whereabouts are unknown. Soon, the Kibara Clan will be likely implicated as one of my little doves have told me that they are already looking into us due to my idiot brother..." He groaned. "Its all so, tedious..." He sighed, sounding anguished and tired... then he smirked, looking to her. "So, that's where you come in. I want you to cause a deeper rift between the Kibara Clan and the rest of Beijio." He explains, rather shockingly.

Kurenai raised a brow at this. "...odd request. Why would you want to sabotage your own Clan, milord?" She asked, somewhat puzzled by the order. "And better yet, how do I go about this in a way that is favorable to you?"

He chuckled, knowing this conversation was to happen. "It is not your duty to know why, but I shall explain what I can. Simply put, we need allies, the Kibara clan. The other clans are bickering about foreign affairs, the half blood Garamonde family who have ties with Scardia since the days of Scar'd, of Abdel and his legions facing off against the Galideno Militaristic Concordate. Some of the Clans don't want war with Abdel, others, like the Beijiosaki and the Garamonde, do. They want to uphold their honor to the Scardian's should they be attacked given their proximity to Domescadia... and the one, good thing my brother has done so far is express his interest to be heard. Granted, hes loudly barking at the moon at this point, but he had the right heart." He chuckled. "I need you to simply sew the seeds of hate for my clan, to make those in power oppress us... other P.R. I have set up will take over, and thus the Kibara Clan will be seen as an example to other clans what happens when oppressors push us too far. Once that is done, I'll need you to eliminate those who try to speak out in our aid, and make it look like the current power is silencing dissidents. Gossip will travel far, and other Clans will feel the crushing weight of the current government pushing down on them. After that, your job is complete, and should you complete it favorably, you will have more than just money flowing in your pockets, my dear..."

The woman in red leveled her gaze. "Seems kinda convoluted, why not just hire me to kill the Imperial family and Shogun?" She asked, curiously.

He chuckled. "You're smarter than that, don't play coy with me Kurenai. Not only would targeting them directly be the worst idea possible, like along the likes of my potato of a brother's ideas, it would accomplish nothing. Their deaths would complicate affairs, people would not rally to the aid of the oppressed clans but weep for the deaths; not to mention there would be chaos. The other clans would turn against one another like rabid mongrels, and would devour any of the smaller clans it could then there be a different boat load of issues to be had. A civil conflict is unavoidable, but I'd rather keep the chaos to a minimum and in my clan's favor, if you catch my drift?" He smiled. "See what I mean, by you leaving and exposing me? It would mean nothing. People would think its crazy, those who would believe it would get paranoid and investigate and find nothing... so its a win-win for me either way. Someone's credibility would fall to the likes of a mad man, barging into the homes of peaceful citizens without warrant on the grounds of treason without proof of it. Sure, the Guard can smash through my Clan's decrepit manor and seize me and my brother, hang us or force us to spill our entrails before the great statue of Frey'd, but... we'd be martyrs of a bigger cause. Not that I plan to go down without a fight, should such things occur. There's a point to where you've beaten the dog to death...and observers will be too angry to not step in." He explained.

Yasuyuki Kibara wrote:He chuckled. "You're smarter than that, don't play coy with me Kurenai. Not only would targeting them directly be the worst idea possible, like along the likes of my potato of a brother's ideas, it would accomplish nothing. Their deaths would complicate affairs, people would not rally to the aid of the oppressed clans but weep for the deaths; not to mention there would be chaos. The other clans would turn against one another like rabid mongrels, and would devour any of the smaller clans it could then there be a different boat load of issues to be had. A civil conflict is unavoidable, but I'd rather keep the chaos to a minimum and in my clan's favor, if you catch my drift?" He smiled. "See what I mean, by you leaving and exposing me? It would mean nothing. People would think its crazy, those who would believe it would get paranoid and investigate and find nothing... so its a win-win for me either way. Someone's credibility would fall to the likes of a mad man, barging into the homes of peaceful citizens without warrant on the grounds of treason without proof of it. Sure, the Guard can smash through my Clan's decrepit manor and seize me and my brother, hang us or force us to spill our entrails before the great statue of Frey'd, but... we'd be martyrs of a bigger cause. Not that I plan to go down without a fight, should such things occur. There's a point to where you've beaten the dog to death...and observers will be too angry to not step in." He explained.

She felt a chill run up her spine at how devoted he was to this cause of his. Still... there was a lucrative element to be had concerning the Dridder's Web... one she could use to her fullest. "I want to speak of my upfront payment." She explains. "I assume a syndicate like Dridder's Web records its more nefarious deeds of assassination to serve as ammunition for those who may not be willing to bend to your will, as well as to keep record of payments, deaths, alliances and enemies. Information you can use to blackmail those who've hired you, am I correct?" She sternly asked.

Now it was Yasu's turn to look confused. "...I am inclined to answer 'no' for official reasons, but... for the price of curiosity, why would such records interest you over traditional avarice, Kurenai?" He asked, clasping his fingers together. "Especially since you do not wish to be absorbed into my fold... such information is more dangerous than you shouting my true identity to the Imperial Streets after all..." He implores.

Yasuyuki Kibara wrote:Now it was Yasu's turn to look confused. "...I am inclined to answer 'no' for official reasons, but... for the price of curiosity, why would such records interest you over traditional avarice, Kurenai?" He asked, clasping his fingers together. "Especially since you do not wish to be absorbed into my fold... such information is more dangerous than you shouting my true identity to the Imperial Streets after all..." He implores.

"It is not your duty to know why, but I shall explain what I can." she remarked, mimicking him in return. "Given what you said about your own plans, once you've completed them I'm sure Dridder's Web would be less a forethought on your mind. Such information would be useless if you get what you want. I'm not asking for them to keep, but to peruse. Call it a personal journey, call it general curiosity. Given my anonymity, my lack of loyalty to any specific clan, my reasonable wages and... my sensuous body, I'm sure you could enlighten this mere woman, and humor her curious mind, no?" She asked, with a seductive yet also smug smile.

Kurenai wrote:

Yasuyuki Kibara wrote:Now it was Yasu's turn to look confused. "...I am inclined to answer 'no' for official reasons, but... for the price of curiosity, why would such records interest you over traditional avarice, Kurenai?" He asked, clasping his fingers together. "Especially since you do not wish to be absorbed into my fold... such information is more dangerous than you shouting my true identity to the Imperial Streets after all..." He implores.

"It is not your duty to know why, but I shall explain what I can." she remarked, mimicking him in return. "Given what you said about your own plans, once you've completed them I'm sure Dridder's Web would be less a forethought on your mind. Such information would be useless if you get what you want. I'm not asking for them to keep, but to peruse. Call it a personal journey, call it general curiosity. Given my anonymity, my lack of loyalty to any specific clan, my reasonable wages and... my sensuous body, I'm sure you could enlighten this mere woman, and humor her curious mind, no?" She asked, with a seductive yet also smug smile.

He smiled. "Yes... my instincts were on the mark with you, indeed. A fierce assassin cloaked in red, a flower one worries to pluck from her natural garden." He chuckled, shaking his head side to side. "Very well... I have in my possession, five such volumes you are allowed to withdraw and peruse." he explained, snapping his finger and from the ceiling dropped a bound book which he caught effortlessly. "This is volume one, you may take it with you as your starting payment." He says before running a hand across it, its pages glowing red with webbing. "Its charmed so that no one can see, hear, copy or read its pages. Each volume is safeguarded like this, and usually only accessible to a select few in my fold. However, I can give you access to scan their pages with your eyes. I'd try not to speak the words however... a nasty curse will seal your voice away should you try to read along. Copying is worse, modern tech will reveal nothing, magic is repelled, and hand copies are very... well, like the curse of your voice, I'd not recommend it." He smiled. "I'm very careful, with these things Kurenai. I'm doing this out of the kindness of my heart..." He stood up and walked over to her, kneeling before her and provided her the volume along with a knife. "A sacrifice of blood to master of these pages, so they who show their penance may receive the knowledge concealed within these bindings. I, Yasuyuki Kibara, deem this woman worthy of your contents." He chanted, before looking into her eyes. "Provide the tome a taste of your blood, and it will reveal its contents unto you." He explained.

Kurenai raised a brow at the level of security the tome had, but given the circumstances it also made sense. Kibara had the wealth and means to get such safeguards. "...what about the other four volumes?" She pressed.

Kurenai wrote:Kurenai raised a brow at the level of security the tome had, but given the circumstances it also made sense. Kibara had the wealth and means to get such safeguards. "...what about the other four volumes?" She pressed.

He pushed the knife towards her again, the grip in her direction. "One for each head I ask for, and before the last execution. Now make your penance." Yasuyuki ordered.

Kurenai glanced back to the knife, then to Kibara. She then grabbed the blade, and cut across her palm, diagonally from between her thumb and index finger across, wincing as she dug a trench just deep enough to draw blood. "...Very well." She says, squeezing her clenched fist, the blood dripping onto the surface of the binding. She then glanced up. "Upon completing your tasks, I wish that you provide me a place in your court... should you be successful that is." She remarked.

Kurenai wrote:Kurenai glanced back to the knife, then to Kibara. She then grabbed the blade, and cut across her palm, diagonally from between her thumb and index finger across, wincing as she dug a trench just deep enough to draw blood. "...Very well." She says, squeezing her clenched fist, the blood dripping onto the surface of the binding. She then glanced up. "Upon completing your tasks, I wish that you provide me a place in your court... should you be successful that is." She remarked.

Blood splashed on the binding's cover, the blood branching off like roots of a tree... or the winding paths of a web before being absorbed. The pages, previously blank, written in crimson energy only she and those blessed by the volume were allowed to see. Each of the volumes were made from a relic so old it predated the primordial or so the legends say. In the early days of the Benzi, the Zipagnu nation, there were four Shoguns who were granted gifts of wonder. Three of them asked for relatively practical objects- the Cyans who asked for a 'sword of heaven', whose object got absorbed into the Garamonde Clan once Scar'd sailed to Benzi, a powerful bow of sealing that now resides on one of the smaller Beijio-Scardia Islands, and a katana that could slice through to the underworld, and pull the user's enemies into the void itself. The fourth Shogun, however, asked for something relatively mundane. Parchment. Parchment and binding, that only he may utilize and read, and could only be read by those who swear fealty to him, by providing their blood to the parchment. The others laughed at this Shogun's seemingly 'wasted opportunity', not realizing the potential of how much deadlier a sealed book with no means to be read could be than any mere weapon of power. They were the Kibara family's treasure, and it had served them well till it fell into the hands of a fool... it took years, but Yasuyuki was the first in his bloodline in centuries to reconnect with the lost treasure once he assumed control of the Dridder's Web.

Yasu smiled. "Of course. Enjoy the first volume, if you find reading such boring information enjoyable."

Kurenai bandaged her hand, and would heal it later with her chi... grabbing the large book and assessing its weight. "It seems then we have a deal. What is my first task, milord?" She asked, hugging the book to her bobbing chest while she waited patiently for her first order.