Starring:
Date: November 5, 2016
Summary:
Goh and Mushi set up their first shop, where the pickler reveals a possible lead to follow up on.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"The Twelve Hunt - Part 1c: Setting up market. The Uzumaki Connection."
Unknown location
"STEP RIGHT UP STEP RIGHT UP," Goh hollers at the top of his lungs, pacing back and forth along the front of the newest merchant stall that has been erected in the marketplace. "Get in line for the very best in VITALITY!" He thrusts a finger up into the air with that last word, highlighting it in particular. "In ESSENCE!" The thrusted finger points in a different direction. "In SUSTENANCE! In PEACE OF MIND!" His voice booms, well practiced vocal chords tensing and giving his tone enough strength to carry over the crowd and chatter. Already a few heads are turning. "Goh and Mushi's AMAZING, SUPERIOR, and just plain linked AWESOME pickled vegetables and drinks! Think the pickled veggies are too salty? Wash them down with some of the BEST, SWEETEST drink you'll ever have! Enough to quench your thirst for HOURS at a time. Guaranteed! So act fast and get in line NOW, for this revolutionary new product. Only sold RIGHT HERE!" He claims, raising both fingers to the sky. "RIGHT NOW!" He follows that up with, pointing to the ground. "…at the best merchant stand in the WOORRLLDDDD!"
Goh is breathing heavily by the end of his ensemble, turning to head back behind the stand with Mushi. Fortunately, it looks like his little routine did the job. A few people are starting to line up, curious if nothing else. "How much of this booze did you say you made again, hun?" He queries over to Mushi, collecting some of the 'combo' packages and placing them on the display table. They consist of two ceramic bottles. One with pickled veggies, and another of sweet, sharp alcohol. Bound by some blue ribbon, all neat and tidy.
Some people are gathering. Others are fleeing. If nothing else, Goh can be pretty loud. Mushi stands to the side with the look of a person trying very hard not to stick her fingers in her ears. She hadn't joined, either with words or flamboyant gestures. Though by the end she's smirking a little. "You fool," she says, when she notes that he's only holding two of the jars she's made. She takes out a scroll and unwraps it. In a blast of steam there's an entire keg! Two kegs actually with cups to be filled up. And she turns to the crowd, offering one free cup with every two combos ordered. And so on. She doesn't shout very loudly, but you don't need to shout when there's cheap booze to be had. People come flocking.
After a few minutes she says to Goh, "So tell me. Have you spoken with Itami-san?"
"She's a hard woman to get a hold of." Goh replies, waving some of the smoke about from the summoning technique that Mushi just performed. "And you mean, loveable fool, right?" The man beams that goofy grin. "Or … foolishly loveable? Foolishly awesome?" Helping to hand out the goods in transaction for some coin, the pickler seems almost frazzled by the sheer numbers in which they're receiving. Mushi's introduction, and her alcohol in particular, had brought an entire new clientele.
"I'm thinking maybe I'll just burst in through the Kazekage office window when she's in there, working on documents. Circumvent all of her security and detail, know?" Yes. What could possibly go wrong?
"I tell you who I /did/ manage to get in contact with, though." He offers, wiping some sand our of his face. "One of the leaders of the Uzumaki clan. He's agreed to meet with us next week and hear us out. He said he may even have a sealing technique that could be just what we're looking for."
Mushi stares at Goh as if she can't quite believe what he said. Bust into the Kazekage's office, literally? She sighs. And then she laughs. "You crazy fool," she says with a warm smile. Someone who has already bought up some of their merchandise, mutters 'get a room you two.' People seem quite happy to part with their money as long as they're getting free booze. And unique to the usual locale. However, good drinking needs good food and the pickled vegetables take quite well, too.
After they've gotten business flowing, Mushi moves over to Goh and laces her fingers in between his. "We'll talk to him then," she says. "But we need to be careful. The ease with which they found us makes me nervous. We have to assume anyone we…" She takes a deep breath. "I'm overthinking this." She grabs a cup of her own and takes a few gulps. "Mm. So what is this technique about?"
Goh narrows eyes on the person who tells them to get a room, mentally taking a note. His attention is drawn to Mushi though, looking down at her when her fingers slide between his own. "I know what you mean. You're not over thinking it. It's smart to take other people into consideration." He affirms, giving her hand a squeeze. He may act the fool on the surface, but it's just surface level. He knows how the world works and such. "And he knows the risks. They have been outlined very clearly to him."
With a hand still gripping Mushi's, he uses his spare to process transactions. "Well," Goh begins, pausing. Maybe wondering how to best explain. "Senjutsu is wild. Natural chakra is just hard to temper. Hard to control. The problem with absorbing it from The Twelve is not so much absorbing it, but what to /do/ with it once we get it out. It could just destroy scrolls. Then when it's back in the open, they will just re-absorb it and get their strength back." Rubbing his nose with his spare hand, and then giving off another combo package, he exhales slowly. "The Uzumaki clan might have an artifact that can store natural energy. Senjutsu."
Mushi looks relieved when Goh reassures her. Of course anyone helping them needs to be warned of what they may be getting into. She smiles. "Yes, of course," she says. Though she's gripping his hand so hard to the point of pain. As if letting go is unthinkable. Thankfully she leaves one of his hands free to do transactions. She listens carefully to what he has to say about senjutsu. And she's about to reply until she notices some people are starting to just drink without paying. "No self serving!" she says, and goes over to serve them from the tap. It's an outdoor bar, with cool drinks and salty veggies.
When she comes back she says, "I know what it's like to deal with chakra not made for human bodies. The kind that can destroy frail shinobi chakra like paper in a fire. Things never go according to plan, no matter what measures you try to take. Still, an artifact like that is our best lead. But I want to know. What price do they want us to pay, to use it?"
"You're right. Things never go according to the letter. But… anything that can tip the balance more in our favour? I like that." Goh smiles. "That's what we're going to talk about." His smile slides into a sly one, watching as Mushi comes back after controlling some of the crowd. "I've only heard about this thing. I didn't even know it was real, but this guy… I've known him for a while. He's a good customer, actually. Likes his pickled broccoli." Snickering, the pickler slides an arm around Mushi's waist, holding her close again once she gets back. Giving her another squeeze, he lets her go and busies himself to prep more of the pickled pots.
"I got into contact with him, he confirmed it was true. I'm not on good enough terms to just 'borrow' it though. And he's in no position to just let someone take it. Maybe we can appeal to their sensibilities and that this is potentially a world wide threat. Or that if successful, this can put their clan back on the map. Or they get first dibs on what is inside the dungeons and castle that the Twelve live in."
Goh shrugs. "I doubt they would be after money though. What do you think we could offer the Uzumaki clan?"
Mushi rubs her chin while they brainstorm on how to defeat twelve giant senjutsu chakra monsters. The reality of it is enough to make her flinch. What the heck are they planning? She stares at Goh, as if seeing him for the first time. Here they are selling booze and veggies, rather than running at breakneck speed to find this weapon. They could return at any moment. She staggers off a step and clutches at the keg, taking a few breaths. Eventually she calms down. "I'm sorry," she mumbles. "I don't do so well…knowing people I love are in danger." She takes a deep breath and returns to Goh's side. She smiles. "I'll tell you what. We couldn't possibly allow them to have the remnants of these beasts. Nor do I want them to spread what you've undergone. What I'll give them is my sealing techniques. I'll teach it to them. I have…" She ticks it off on her fingers. "Well, at least thirty. Top notch, lots of them too."
Goh's jaw loosens at that, his mouth falling open in surprise. "W…what?" He asks, clarifying such a thing. "You mean the techniques that /you/ developed? Mushi, I can't… I can't ask you to do that. Some of those are your legacy. You can't just give them away for some pot that may not even work." The pickler frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. They were in a pickle.
Get it?
"I'm sure we can think of something else." Said as he offers more of the goods, getting the yen in return and putting it in a little chest where they have kept their profits. "Maybe I can give them a lifetime of pickled carrot? Mm… No. That probably won't do it. I don't even have that much carrot to give."
Mushi listens to Goh with an expression of concern. When he refuses to allow her to give up her legacy, she gives a small sigh of regret. Then she draws back her fist and slugs him so hard he'd go flying. With all her strength behind it. "Goh you idiot!" she says, stomping towards him angrily. "If I say I'll give them away then I will! And let me tell you. That 'pot that may not even work' is well worth all of them times a hundred. If I thought there was even a tiny chance I'd do it a hundred times over and so would you!" She'd catch up to him and start shaking him back and forth. "We're going to do it, and you're going to help me sell it. Just like you did with these pickled vegetables. Got it!?"
"Huh?"
You can imagine how much Goh's face sort of /warps/ around the hardened knuckles of Mushi. At full strength she's lucky to not take his head off! Instead though, his entire body LAUNCHES away from the marketplace like a rocket, his body twisting through the air. He skims across the ground for a good fifty meters, before bouncing once. Then, like a rock skimmed across the lake, he sails another good thirty meters. This process continues until he begins to bounce more often, eventually crashing into a wooden food cart.
All that can be seen from the wreckage are his limbs, twitching from the brutal encounter. When Mush grabs him from the wreckage, food from the cart covering his bruised body, he is much like a rag doll. "…uh-huh." He sort of squeaks in reply, a small trickle of blood coming out of his lip. "Sounds like a plan." He squeaks again.
@_@
When Goh accedes to her request, Mushi smiles and nods. Now she's holding him tenderly rather than with homicidal intent. "Thank you Goh-kun," she says, as people flee in terror. "I knew you'd see it my way." The owner of the food cart isn't complaining. In fact, he's been struck into terror and now cowers away from the heavily wounded Goh and crazed medic. Fortunately she is a medic. And so after a time regardless of the broken bones, bruises, or abrasions, she has him all restored and in good health. "I'm sorry, I can sometimes get agitated when it comes to these types of things. I shouldn't have lost my temper." Quite a few walls, stalls, and terrified bystanders can attest to that. But for some reason after that, their merchandise is even more popular than before.
