During the past few days that had passed, the Wonder 8 and Sango's father's team had gone to exterminate Youkai that had mutated well beyond their normal size and all accounts if details were drawn accurately by their little observer, Shippo.
He returned to me directly and showed me how he had drawn each of the Youkai he had witnessed with his crayons and narrated me every single drawings and description.
There was one silkworm that treat the mulberry plants like as if it was twigs or branches and it was about ten times the normal size. Although it was not life-threatening, he said he used foxfire to contain it and burnt the yoki down and it reduces to be a tiny silkworm that was the size of his tiny palm.
Mulberry leaves were the main source of food for the silkworms and these leaves that looked like hibiscus leaves, could be mixed with a batter and deep-fried like tempura. The reddish and reddish black hairy tiny fruits could be eaten as it is and taste rather sourish sweet.
Shippo brought back several stalks and said it can be planted directly into the ground and I chose to plant it right underneath the red sign that indicated the house number. I placed it 45 degrees into the ground and spaced it 2 steps apart. I then watered the soil around it and hope that it would live and sprout into mulberry plants soon after.
Shippo then showed me another drawing of a black raven with 3 eyes instead of two and as big as a warehouse. Its droppings from the sky were however devastating when dropped on people or houses.
Even though it was soft, it made a splatter once it hits the ground, that may destruct houses and flatten people becoming like meat paste. It's difficult to distinguish between meat paste and bird shit since it nearly looked the same. Only by reports of missing husbands and other members of the family indicates that they had become one with the bird shit.
Shippo informed that the raven manages to dodge the hiraikotsu but was finally hit with a sacred arrow fired by Kikyo right into the chest of the bird. Luckily the bird fell on the cliffside with no inhabitants it else it would normally be able to take out half a settlement after it kamikazed from the sky.
Looking at it I remembered something and I muttered 'Shikon no Tama' and Shippo looked at me in surprise since he had not heard me mentioned about it for some time. I told him he could summon Sango, Kikyo and Inuyasha to come and meet me as I need to show them something.
He nodded and continued with his narration.
The next one he drew was not a Youkai but a spirit of the forest. It was called a Kodama and with its funny humanoid faces with no arms and legs. These spirits were seen by him and they were abundance near old trees that had a shimenawa tied around it.
Shippo related to how the weird sounds they make when they turned their head aside and clicked back into position, making a sound like a series of clickings. He said it looked cute and he was surrounded by them when he drew them in the sketchpad.
So far, he said they hadn't met with any Youkai in a human form like him and Inuyasha but heard of stories on Inuyasha's elder brother, who was a full-fledged Youkai roaming the grounds of the earth. He wondered if Inuyasha's brother would join the Wonder 8 team but Inuyasha butted in when the mention of his elder brother was heard.
Shippo said the two might never get along, especially around humans and Inuyasha. Even though he said blood is thicker than water, there is no significant relationship or interaction between Inuyasha and his elder brother since the matter was not brought up, even to Kikyo.
I knew a bit of Inuyasha's brother though and knew they never get along since they both were going after their father's swords that were forged using the latter's fangs. Since the matter was never brought up its best I kept quiet about it.
Shippo had a few more drawings that were said to be part of what Sango's father had told him and he finds the picture he drew to be funny. There was one yokai that was a furry creature and was made of stirrups of a mount ridden by Yamata no Orochi. It was more of a man-made object, tsukumogami that takes sentiment form. It was called Abumi-guchi.
Next, Shippo showed a red coloured wooden cow from the collection of his toys in the bag. He said this was called an Akabeko, a red cow that used to build the Enzo-Ji temple of Yanaizu in the ninth century. People claimed this toy could ward off smallpox.
Shippo showed a drawing of a chicken that was as tall as trees and it looked somewhat between a cross of a turkey. This was called Basan and they had encountered it near China Prefecture. It breathes ghost fire much like foxfire and is cold and does not burn at all.
The Youkai Taijiya managed to subdue the beast and after Hoshi-sama placed several talismans on it, it turned into a normal-sized rooster. It was one of the mutated beast found.
Shippo showed another drawing of a turtle or tortoise entwined with a snake. He said this is not a Youkai but a legendary demon that represents a guardian spirit that protected Kyoto. It was called a Genbu and nothing much had been discovered. It is said to be part of folklore and not a Youkai and was meant to be part of a mystical creature.
"Himura, so what do you think of the drawings and descriptions I had made? Am I a good observer or what?"
"They're very good Shippo. They're very realistic and also in a very good detailed form. All the information needed is in there. Who taught you how to draw?"
"Actually I learnt it myself when I wanted to express what's in my mind and my heart. Even though I had just gotten this crayons and this sketchpad, I felt that my life is empty. You know what I mean?"
"You had Inuyasha whom you regarded as your own brother... And the rest of the Wonder 8 could be your brothers and sisters too. By the way, how come both you and Inuyasha seems to be bickering all the time?"
"I don't know, Himura. Maybe because he was the youngest and the most spoilt child or maybe he is looking for someone small he could bully. He doesn't bully Hachi at all and both were not communicating in another way at all, which I find it weird. But with me, ever since the first time he saw me, he poked me with a stick, remember? "
"Yeah, I remember that par when both you and Hachi were trapped inside the protective barrier. Haissshhh... Time really flies, doesn't it? Could you do me a favour? Could you draw your father from your memories?"
"I could... Draw them a little. Hmm, would you want me to draw it in his original form and also his Youkai form?" he asked inquiring the sudden interest on his father.
"You could draw both, using the whole piece of paper each. I'm going to make a surprise for you." I said casually to him. He doesn't know what my intentions are but sure when he heard that I'm making a surprise for him, he gladly smiles with twinkles in his eyes.
"Sure, Himura...!! I will make the most beautiful picture of my father... And if he sees me through the heavens, I am sure that he would be most proud of me. *sob* I missed you, father... I will make the most handsome picture of you...!" Shippo said while he clutched his fist to his sides and walked with the sketchpad under his arms as he excused himself.
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I looked at him walked away and I knew how it felt of losing the only person that he had loved and being cared for at a very young age. I don't have any idea on how he would be able to get stronger, but as an observer, he needs to get close to the hostile Youkai I get a good picture etched in his memories so he could draw them out afterwards.
"Shippo! Wait..." I called out to him and walked over and asked him for a favour. "Could you do me another favour as well?" I asked and Shippo nodded his head. "Could you draw and colour all the Wonder 8 members in the sketchpad as well?"
"Sure... It is going to be a group picture right? I will pass you the pictures once they are ready." Shippo replied and I gave him sever silver coins and asked him to buy the largest sketchpad available and get Kohaku to carry for him.
"If you need more coins, just ask from me okay? I want you to become the greatest artist and observer here in Kitakata and take your time to draw them."
"Alright, Himura... I go and get Kohaku and we will go to the trading district and look at the stationery shop there. I saw a sketchpad as big as Kohaku height and I think he could carry it back for me. Thanks for the coins, Himura...!"
"Don't forget about Sango, Kikyo and Inuyasha later, okay?"
I waved and reminded him and went back to the garden. Later Izumi, Riko, Fei and Hanna came up to me and asked me if really that Fasuto Japan would be expanding and the expansion would result in them having extra manpower to help them. I answered as a matter of fact to them and since the increase of manpower, they would be monitoring the supervisors and assistants.
"Senpai, so we would have more time on our hands right?"
Riko asked me and I replied, "Each warehouse or lines would be arranged in this way." I picked the pebbles and arranged in a 4x4 formation. And in each formation, I place 3 pebbles as an example as I placed them aside.
"This is the plot of land that was going to be entitled to Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha. Each pebble represents a plot of land and a plot of land would have 3 warehouses, a meal place, 4 outhouses as well as an outdoor cooking area that would be manned by 6 cooks."
"So these 8 new areas here would have 3 warehouses and altogether we would have 24 warehouses right? And the cooks, we would be adding another 48 of them. Each shift would have 1,200 employees working at the same time meaning in the future we would have 36 warehouses and 1,800 employees per shift, 50 employees per the warehouse."
Everyone was furiously writing in their sketchpads and looked up after they had done writing in them.
"Each plot of land would be running the same production lines within the 3 warehouses. And in those future 36 warehouses, we need 36 supervisors and 36 assistants per shift. You may choose who you think could be promoted to these two positions."
"So a total number of 216 employees would be promoted in this way. These promoted employees would be making sure of their attendance, supplies as well as the proper handing and taking over for each shift "
"Senpai, so these newly promoted ones would still be the employees on the ground right? There no need to look for additional manpower for each line and remains at 50 per shift, right?".. Hanna asked as she took down the figures needed for the promotion.
"That's right Hanna. They are still the working employees on site. Not like the rest of you. When they reported the matters to you, note them down and act accordingly. You need not attend it to me. You may need to list out the attendance worksheet as well as their pay from the fresh month onwards."
"Oh...means we would be in charge of their general attendance and salary as well?" Fei asked, worrying about handling the finance on her own.
"Yes, we need to compile it by 3 days before the end of the month and all 6 of you would be assisting us in handing out their salaries. Another thing is that when the start of the new month when the 36 warehouses are in operational, the working shift would be changed."
They noted down everything that needs to be recorded and looked up when they were done.
"Once there's the start of a new month, everybody would work for 3 shifts then 1 day off and repeats once more. So in short, there would be a total plant shutdown every 3 days of work. The salary remains unchanged."
"Waaahhhh.....!!! Finally, we can stretch our legs a bit. Hehehe. It is nice to have an off day once in a while...! At least we could do some sightseeing together, organise picnics, go to the streams and catch fish and do some wildlife hunting too...!!! Waaahhhh....!! I could even go out with Kohaku... Hehehe."
Riko clapped her hands in ecstasy and everyone missed having such fun together after been working continuously for nearly 4 months. Even if there is no need to do wildlife hunting, but being able to catch some Prey and cook in the open entices them.
"See this 4 empty plot of lands? Sensei wishes to open a dojo for martial arts like armed or unarmed combat. We would also be building a large conference building where the travellers and merchants can come and view our products since most of the cosmetics shops from the 11 Prefecture had not been notified yet. The second floor would be their dwelling place as and split into male and female dorms."
"Ah...we can see your directions where your thinking, Senpai. So a dojo would be here, and a conference building would be here too. Then we have these 2 empty lots, what are you going to do about it?"
"OK, I need you to compile for us games or activities you could think of. We would be erecting a 3 storey community building where the uppermost one would be a cafe area, the first and second floor would be gaming rooms where employees after work can unwind and relax. Play games something like that."
"As for this empty plot of land, I would just leave it as it is first. Most probably I would use it as a plot of land with places where little Kaede would be able to plant the herbs, roots and plants for the process of the medicinal pills she is going to produce for free to all residents of Kitakata."
"That's a good idea, Senpai. The community building would be best if you could build a small pond and some shaded furniture for them to relax. Since the building would be in front of the residential district, it would be easily recognised as a landmark for Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha."
"That's true, Hanna... It is going to be a landmark for everyone to see. It's going to be a simple three-storey building with multiple game rooms inside it and a cafe where they could buy their own food and drinks there."
"So instead of having sellers on yatai, we could invite the sellers to come and set up their stalls here in the 3rd floor of the community building."
"Senpai, I'm proud of you and I can see how far you had dreamed for this corporation... LONG LIVE FASUTO JAPAN!!"
Izumi cheered and everyone followed through. After they had done cheering xi looked at the notes they had taken down and made sure what they had written are correct and I handed the sketchpad back to them.
They thanked us for helping the residents here in the outermost District to be sufficiently able to sustain their daily needs through the employment program that we first had introduced to society.