The Nomad who lives metal

Using the scenery as a guide, Gordeau's foreign presence made its way through the Bastion. The Land of Iron wasn't exactly a place that Gordeau would consider homely neither was it place he would have any ties to. Tyranny was a word that came to thought often. Strict rules, authority on how to feel, how to act, and all kinds of nonsense that made Gordeau have to keep repeating in his head again and again, "This place doesn't suit me at all". Safety is a perk, but not when it costs you the chaotic experience of life. The thrill of consequence. The abstract relation between chaos and order is often filled with dynamic encounters. Predictability is great for things that often require continuity, but continuity can be studied.

The Bastion was renowned for its ban of civilian weapons. Made Gordeau feel uneasy in a way, His body was in a way sort of a weapon. Though the possible profits that could be had far outweighed his secrets. Not like anyone knew him here and he liked it that way, getting close to people is a one way ticket to loss. Gordeau liked the idea of course, but he'd never admit that or anything for that matter.

Making his odd choice of path to the Palace, Gordeau could at least admire its grandeur. It was missing something though. More metal. Taking steps upwards Gordeau would be met with a lavish gate, guards stationed out the front.

Hands in his pockets and with an arrogant stride he would approach the guards. Though it wouldn't be long before he would be stopped in his tracks. Gordeau's attire was sophisticated although his body language said otherwise.

"Now listen creatures", Gordeau would say with a blank face.

"I'm simply seeking to do business. I'm a... metal craftsmen from abroad"

Gordeau's stature was rather tall and muscular. It'd be hard to admit he's not a little imposing. His respect however was dreadfully lacking. A creeping grin just on the brink of forming would be caught on the side of his face. Nothing but toy soldiers is all he could think to himself.

Zato would wander up towards the man known as Gordeau, he was a known weapons-dealer and a man that Zato had particular interest in becoming acquainted with. He'd heard about their wares, and he'd ehard that they were currently trying to strike a deal with the empire which.. candidly, Zato wasn't going to allow to happen if he had any shot at preventing it.

The gates were more lightly guarded in the area Gordeau had entered from, and one shot from Zato's blade was enough to steal the life away from the two guards in an instant as he sheathed his blades and descended from the nearby rooftop, brushing off his clothes as he lazily began to waltz into the mans view. "You must be the metal craftsman I keep hearing about, Gordeau is it?"

Zato would extend his hands, they were marred with callouses from years of handling blades but were otherwise unremarkable. "It's a pleasure to meet you, though I do think a change of venue may suit us best.. You mind?"

Zato turned, eyeing a nearby bar as his body language shifted. Whether the man agreed or not, this was hardly an area to linger in.

Watching the guards drop like flies around him, Gordeau would turn to a stranger behind him as they brushed off their clothes. The lazy nature of the boys waltz catching his eye. "You must be the metal craftsman I keep hearing about, Gordeau is it?", the boy would say extending his callous ridden hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you, though I do think a change of venue may suit us best.. You mind?", shifting his body language in a way that pointed towards a nearby bar off in the distance.

"Ha, didn't know I was famous."

Shifting himself to direct his body towards the boy, Gordeau's hands remained in is coat pockets. a light wind shifting under the tapper end of his coat. Gordeau would look down at the boys hands then shift back to his face.

"Trust me runt the pleasures all yours."

Watching the boy eye off a bar, Gordeau would shrug his shoulders.

"Sure, why not. Time is my own or whatever they say."

Zato would frown at the brutes lack of manners, it seemed as though the second best bladesmith in the land had a much higher opinion of himself than what was warranted but alas, Zato wasn't here to piss in his porridge. "Famous, infamous, vaguely noteworthy, I suppose it's a matter of perspective and interpretation right? Yeah we'll.. run with famous for now."

Zato continued to take inventory of his current situation. Even as the winds blew he knew his time here would be limited, if he was seen by the guards at any point it could be.. catastrophic. For someone, whom he admittedly wasn't quite sure.

The runt comment definitely ticked him off a little, and Zato felt his fingers slowly dancing across the hilt of his blade as he pondered if this was going to be worth the struggle. "I don't know if I'd call it a pleasure yet, but I'll take your word for it."

The man agreed that they could head for the bar and so Zato would oblige, waltzing in while doing his best to keep a low-profile, he would place some coin on the table and retrieve two glasses of whiskey from the bartender. "Here's yours.. so, tell me about your wares and expertise Mr... Gordeau."

Zato's answer to Gordeau's first response, left him with a face of confusion and disgust while simultaneously his mouth was agape. He wasn't sure whether the boy was being sarcastic or was genuinely just a dumb ass. Perhaps Gordeau was loosing his ability to state lies that remain lies. Regardless he ignored the situation as it passed rather quickly.

Zato fetched two glasses of whiskey from the bar and presented one to Gordeau. "Here's yours.. so, tell me about your wares and expertise Mr... Gordeau."

Gordeau raised the glass in thanks, but simply placed it down.

"I can't really say I have an expertise. I excel in area's of mass production and science. I have an intricate understanding of many Metals and Minerals, including slow to fast firing explosive compounds. I mostly explore the line of weapons that would seem impossible or to some fantasy. Do I get any closer? Sometimes. Am I often annoyed by kids and their adult ideas? honestly this'd be the first. What do you really want? People don't often call me by name and have knowledge of who I am, so tell me what you want or leave me be."

This Gordeau was a charmer no doubt, he had the wit of a lobotomized squirrel and the attitude of a cunty ex wife. Zato threw back his drink, knowing full-well he'd need it before he opted to start talking more directly. "I'm from the Storm Village, your origins are suspect and the Arashikage finds it strange that a man with your expertise is currently in line to work with the emperor. I'm sure this might surprise you, but powerful people tend to take a real notice of other powerful people when they start to flaunt new toys in peoples faces."

Zato swirled his drink around, throwing back what was left of it before asking for a refill. "You've got a bingo book profile like most people with unique specialties. I'd be awfully surprised to hear that's a surprise to you. Consider this a simple.. information gathering trip. We have a chat, I decide if you need to be recruited, left alone, or killed. Seem fair enough?"

"You're right I shouldn't be surprised. I've been here around the region all of but what? Barely hitting over two weeks and I'm already being catalogued, I hate the fucking rats who draw the attention of my work to higher ups."

Gordeau was hesitant to drink, simply because he both wasn't an alcoholic and just didn't drink in general. However better judgement soon got the best of him as he swigged the whole glass. Wouldn't be too long before he softened up some what.

"So your entire trip here is to either recruit me, kill me or leave me be? Honestly runt, I've got no intention of being initiated into some village cult. I've just been doing this for money, not that I honestly need it." Whether by the effects of alcohol or just being stupid, Gordeau would that last part slip. Probably the former.

"This place is pretty dogshit anyway, I mean what, barely able to hold stability of the public opinion and simply denying craftsmen creative freedom of certain things." Saying this aloud was probably a bad thing, although thankfully the volume of surroundings kept things inaudible for anyone but Gordeau and Zato.

Gordeau would flick his empty glass to the middle of the table, gliding perfectly as it reached the centre.

This man was, to put it lightly, a blabber mouth and a liability at best. Simply put he was no fit for a village structure, and it seemed like even he recognized that. This man was a merchant out of necessity, and little else. There were no aspirations behind his eyes, no mantra or ideology he followed beyond coin and himself. This was, simply put, not the type of person Zato could ever see himself working with, and yet he still felt it would be unnecessary to kill him. He ran his mouth too much, and Zato was positive that this would get him in trouble well before he could create any meaningful problems for the Storm.

"Well let's face it.. everyone is being catalogued in this world. So many merchants for information, so many people who want us capable few dead for our contributions.. I'd be surprised if you hadn't grown to expect this by now honestly Gordeau, it's the nature of the business, if that's what you'd prefer to call it."

Zato would lift his hand, waving forward another round of drinks before continuing.

"The nature of my trip isn't just to deal with you, but I figured that I may as well do so while I'm here. I'll be candid, you don't seem like much of a fit for any village and I'm not particularly inclined to kill you. You hardly seem like someone who could effectively harbor secrets that would be a threat to the world at large, and I'm not interested in bloodshed for the sake of it. As for your opinion on this location I.. have to admit, I agree. I think this place is a bit of a hole myself. A disappointment overall."

Staring empty eyed at Zato, Gordeau barely caught anything but the details of Zato's words. Although Gordeau had finally gained some useful information to his ears, not important but useful. He grinned to himself amusingly, wondering if the kid would finally piss off, having taken his charade. The sooner the better is all Gordeau could think to himself. Surely playing the cocky scatter brained idiot would convince Zato that he was of no interest to him or his cause.

"Well then Runt, What's your verdict overall? Fill more drinks, talk about the weather, or maybe we can just go our separate ways. I've got more important things to do than despise your all but pleasant company."

Bringing his hand up in front of himself, Gordeau would form a cube of steel and begin to mold it around his hand playfully. While doing so he would stare at the boy.

Zato frowned, having come to the conclusion that this conversation was all but over at this particular juncture. "My verdict is my time would be better spent on the sane, as opposed to the inane ramblings of an imbecile. The tab is covered, I do hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."

With that, Zato would would stand up to walk out before brushing shoulders with something of a.. wild-eyed individual to say the least. He looked like someone Zato had seen in the bingo book before, someone who would've almost certainly been a long way from home. Was it him?.. Could it..?

No, no it couldn't be. And even if it was, Zato needed to leave.

-thread exit-

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"Room for one more? Seems I'm not the only person here interested in you.. Gordeau."

Ika took a seat, taking a cup of whisky from the server with a gleam of contempt in his eyes. "You know if I had your reputation, I don't know that I'd be caught frolicking around villages with the disarray that this one currently finds itself in. The rubble of an empire is.. interesting to be sure, but your skills are hardly going to be put to use for long in these lands I'm afraid. I mean.. let's face it. In better times for this particular establishment and country, we'd both be strewn across the cement outside."

Ika fiddled with his glass momentarily, letting his words register before finally opting to speak. "So what is.. the nature of this visit?"