Duality (DxD) (Part 1)

Ch 29 - Inspiration

Jin had been thinking of what he could do to make money. He couldn't just print it so he had to find a way to earn it to pay the bills he needed to so he could go back home. First he had tried to open up the dojo, he made flyers and went around advertising the dojo, trying to gain some students with him as the teacher. But if people didn't want to be taught by an old man, they sure as hell didn't want to be taught by a 12-year-old child. It wasn't a case of Jin being unskilled, it wasn't a case of him being unable to teach others martial arts. His understanding of martial arts was much higher than any and even on the level of Ban. But for many adults and children older than Jin, it was a matter of pride. Something Jin understood. Then the children younger than him seemed to have no interest in martial arts, and when he mentioned Senjutsu and magical cultural practices, he was laughed at.

But with a dead end of his biggest strength, he tried another angle at making money but something similar. He tried to be a tutor for those younger than him. His academic abilities were of those much higher than his current age so he was confident he could even teach those much older than him. But then again, it was the same problem. No one wanted to hire a 12-year-old child to teach their child. It was a job better left to the adults. Though Aika was enthusiastic about the free teaching she was receiving. Aika wasn't someone Jin would charge.

So yet again Jin had hit another dead end in his quest to make money, yet he hadn't and wouldn't give up. He was determined to go back to the place he called home all too late.

With too of his biggest strengths unable to make money. He tried his other biggest strength. He tried chess. But while there were chess competitions that offered cash prizes in Kuoh. They were far too infrequent to live off. So while Jin couldn't live off the chess competitions he would participate in, he could earn some decent money playing a game he loved. Potentially make a name for himself, or meet an opponent who could actually challenge him. But it wasn't the sustainable option he was looking for.

Jin spent a while trying to figure out what he could do to earn a stable income. Over the week, he spent time doing small jobs for people around Kuoh. He couldn't get a real job at his age so he decided he would try and do many small jobs for more money. But again, despite all the snow shovelling, path salting and grocery shopping he did for other people during the winter, it wasn't a viable method of living even if he was to add that money to the money he would win in chess competitions.

So Jin was left nowhere after a full week of staying at the Kiryuu's house. With only a small bit of money, he made from odd jobs compared to the amount he would need to pay each month. Yet he was left without the knowledge of how to make money at his age. Only able to continue the routine he had made for himself and continue to think of anyway he could make a sustainable living. Entering the house with Aika in coats after playing chess outside in the snow.

As well as a snowball fight he lost on purpose to make Aika happy.

Aika: MUM I'M BACK!

Aika shouted as Jin and her took off their coats. Jins was a black polymer coat hugging to his body yet very puffy despite its flexibility to move. Aikas was in a fluffy and warm brown coat, one she had showed Jin how warm it was by hugging him and rubbing it against him.

Mrs Kiryuu: OK SWEETIE! I'M JUST WORKING!

Mrs Kiryuu shouted from somewhere in the house as Mr Kiryuu was at work. He worked at a construction site so even in such weather, if he could get a job he would take it. But Jin didn't know what Mrs Kiryuu did. She preformed housewife duties, but a lot of the time she was in one room Jin hadn't entered yet. He didn't know what this "work" was.

Jin: What is your mum actually doing? She very often seems to be in that room she just shouted from.

Aika: Oh! Do you want to see?!

Aika said with a wide smile as it she knew exactly what was in that room. Smiling as she was excited to show it off to Jin.

Jin: Why not? {*Sigh* It's not like I have anything better to do now.}

Aika grabbed Jin's hand with a smile as she dragged him through the house. Running through the house and to one room in particular. Opening the wooden door to a busy room full of different things.

The design of the small room was completely different to that of the rest of the house. It was small, no bigger than Jin's room at home. There were multiple monitor setup with animated character drawings on, some looked like they were unfinished drawings and still in their sketching phase. All on an L shaped desk with paper of sketches, pens, pencils and rulers. There were cabinets full of books and shelves with anime figures on. Animated characters with well endowed breasts and some very small girls that looked cute. Then there were grey clay figures and paints. Different types of clay and last but not least, Mrs Kiryuu who span around on her black chair to look at Jin and Aika who was smiling widely.

Mrs Kiryuu: Aika! What have I said about coming in here?!

Aika looked at her mother as she sighed, telling Jin she knew she wasn't supposed to be in there, but liked the room so much she ignored her parents. To Jin it did look like a nice room. Jin wasn't didn't have much of an opinion on anime but he admired to figures it looked like Mrs Kiryuu was making and the art she created.

Aika: That this stuff isn't age-appropriate. But Jin wanted to see!

Mrs Kiryuus looked at Jin who was looking around the room with interest. A childs curiosity. She knew if Jin wanted to see it, there wasn't much she could do with such a strong headed person as she sighed.

Mrs Kiryuu: Jin, this is my... studio. I draw manga and well... not very age appropriate manga. But...

Jin: Why is their clay on your desk?

Jin said walking up to the desks and looking at the figures. Some that had yet to be painted and were left to set, and others that were finished.

Mrs Kiryuu: This? Oh, I make the figures of the characters in my manga so I remember their proportions. It's annoying to keep going back to a previous page and if I decide to make another chapter or a character that looks similar, I can use the figure as a reference. Though it's pretty fun to make these figures.

Jin: You make these?

Jin picked up one of the finished figures. It was a pretty well-endowed blond woman in a bikini. Yet the clothes weren't fabric, it was all painted and carved in extreme detail and painted. There were a few faults with the carving and painting, but it was very well made.

Mrs Kiryuu: Yeah! I wouldn't say they're at the quality needed to sell them as figurines but I just use them as inspiration. What I sell is my art in the form of manga.

Jin: People... buy these and your drawings?

Jin said looking at Mrs Kiryuu, sparks in his mind going off as he looked at the figures, looking at the clay, and paint. Then he noticed a small blade used to carve and cut the clay to shape.

Mrs Kiryuu: Well not my drawings. That's a completely different job of art and commissions. I sell my story which comes in the form of art. But yes, some people like buying figures and even commission people to make personalised figures.

Jin: This... has been very useful. I'll come back soon, goodbye.

Jin turned around and walked off as Mrs Kiryuu watched Aika chase after him. An idea had come to mind, something he needed to research before doing anything else.

Mrs Kiryuu: {What a strange child. However, any child around my little Aika is bound to be as strange or stranger than her.}

Mrs Kiryuu closed the door and sat back on her desk, spinning around as she got back to work.