Holly Jolly Profit [Open]

[Tanuki Rinko]

T'was the day before a western holiday, and a Tanuki was scheming,
To profit off parents and make yen that is gleaming.
So he dressed up in red and took furry form,
Grabbed his ballsack of holding and prepared for the storm.

Out in the snow, he carried said sack,
With his small little daughter close to his back.
They entered the district where products are sold,
They set up shop there, despite the fierce cold.

He laid out merchandise, like food and stuffed toys,
Modeled after tanuki, fit for both girls and boys.
He ordered his daughter to write out a poem,
To craft a small legend to place in a tome.

So the slave daughter did as her father bade,
If she did a good job, perhaps she'd get paid.
But crafting a legend is a difficult chore,
Not to mention most literature is kinda a bore.

Something something rhyming.
Bing bing bong timing.
A sentence that will end in pause,
Mention Dad's stupid name...Tanuki Clause.
​

Tanuki Kechi lowered the paper and gave his daughter an aggravated look. "Rinko...this isn't a legend. You just wrote out all the things we did this morning." The costumed teen fiddled with her glued on ears, avoiding her father's gaze. "What did you expect? The academy doesn't force students to attend the literature classes...so I skipped them." The tanuki rolled up the scroll and gave the young girl a solid smack to the forehead. "Eighty percent of being a merchant is marketing. If you can't weave a delectable story to make people want to buy stuff, then you'll never profit." Rinko shifted her bangs to hide the red mark slowly forming above her brow. "Well why not just use the story from the West that you're basing your clothes and name on?" Kechi clicked his tongue. "Tut tut. That's plagiarism Rinko. We need to change it just enough that if a foreigner shows up and sees what we're doing, we can't get called out on it. Blatant Inspiration 101. Has your grandpa taught you nothing while I've been away on business?" Rinko shook her head. "He's been busy hording stuff. Apparently there are some limited edition chocolate coins being sold in Okaya."

Kechi sighed, but dropped the subject as he looked out at the plaza. "Well, nevermind. I'll just make something up as we go. Just try to remember all the nuggets of lore I dump from my rump." With vigor, the animal man called out to the crowd. "Come one! Come all! Tanuki Clause is here to sell you the perfect presents for loved ones! Toys! Chocolate! Jewelry! You need it? I got it! Sign up for our gift delivery program and Tanuki Clause will make a special appearance to distribute your materialistic love! Stop on by!" Rinko began ringing a bar of bells after her father's pitch to attract more attention. "Now we wait for the orders to pour in."

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Despite the falling snow, a lone cricket huddled next to the Tanuki's stand and chirped loudly. Kechi placed his paws on his temples. "How can this be? Not a single customer in six hours? This...this hasn't happened in...ever!" Rinko rested her cheek against her hand. "Happens to me all the time. I'm actually getting used to it by this point." The man turned to his daughter, a mortified look upon his face. "No...no you couldn't possibly have it. My blood should have kept it at bay." Rinko perked up at her father's rambling. "I couldn't have...what?" Her father waddled closer and placed a paw on Rinko's shoulder. "Your mother...I haven't spoken of her much. That's because she's cursed. I wasn't aware when we first met, but over time I realized she had...Daikoku's Curse." Rinko's body shivered at the name. Kechi continued. "Your mother was cursed to never be capable of handling money. Ever. When she has money in her possession, it seems to magically disappear without a trace. Sometimes she would get an urge to gamble, other times someone would swindle her out of it. One time I watched it simply blow out of her hand. It was...I'll never forget that day." Kechi held a hand over his mouth to hide his trembling jaw. "It wasn't until after we had conceived you that I finally understood the severity of her curse. I left with you as soon as you could survive without her...hoping to save you from her fate." Rinko's brows furrowed as she stared at the Tanuki merchandise. "But I have it. That's why all my money ventures fail. That's why I find holes in my money pouch occasionally. That's why I haven't been able to swindle a single yen from Setsu." With tears in her eyes, the girl met her father's worried gaze. "So...then you'll leave me too? Like you left Mom?" The tanuki man wrapped his stubby arms around Rinko and nuzzled her cheek. "It's okay Rinko. We're not losing money consistently. I believe your curse is weaker than your mother's. While you may never be able to make a single yen, your grandpa and I will support you."

Father and daughter held their embrace for a minute before finally pulling apart. Kechi stroked Rinko's hair. "Well, knowing that now, it is good I took you from your mother. If you two were left alone, you both would have died in the streets I'm sure." Rinko wiped the snot from her nose. "But...is Mom okay?" The tanuki nodded. "Her father runs a large shipping business that makes enough money support her despite her circumstances. We send letters from time to time as well." Kechi turned his back to his daughter, hiding the tears welling up in his eyes. "I loved her...still do. But her curse would destroy our family...our clan even. I can't let that happen." The man clapped his cheeks twice before facing his child. "But enough about that, why don't you call it a day? Now that we know your condition, I'll have to handle business solo." Rinko moved to leave, but paused for a moment. "May I write a letter to Mom too?" Her father nodded. "Yeah...she'd like that." The two exchanged melancholy smiles before parting.

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