Oriental Adventures, Rokugan

Mirumoto Rhyodotsu, or Rhyo as he liked to be called, let himself relax, the sake warming him both body and mind, easing him into a comforting peace, the girls surrounding him and his companion Kuroma, constantly giggling and whispering among themselves. While most of the girls flocked around Kuroma due to him being an actual Samurai and one of high birth at that, due to him traveling with such an important person, a few girls actually showed him interest, if only because they figured they had a better chance with him.

The restaurant was lit by sunlight entering through the open windows and doorway, silently inviting passer-bys to come in and spend some time forgetting their troubles. Rhyo hadn't had many days like this back with his school, spending more time meditating, philosophizing and honing their combative skills. While all those were important, so was kicking it back and letting go of all your worries and cares.

Sipping the sake, he made small talk with the girls around him, causing them to giggle more upon hearing his riddle speak, finding it odd but cute on such a man as himself. Turning to Kuroma, he tapped him on the shoulder, holding out his now empty cup and waving it, saying, "If a man can still think while drinking, then he still has his worries," a grin plastered onto his face, enjoying the relative peace he was immersed in.
 
Bei smiled kindly at Ryoko. "I not been in city before. Exciting." He nods. "I from monastery up in mountains, in land of people who call selves 'dragons'. I used to watch the dragons fight there, and learn. I fight master of dragons many times - I want to take what master of dragons has. Master of dragons always win, I always flee. Then, master of dragons catch me. Offer to teach me. I learn much from master of dragons. Remember him fondly." The fox smiled, red tail swishing slightly. "You Unicorn. You make much walk. I like Unicorn... Moto Unicorn, from your mon."

Bei turns to face the other samurai, offering a slight bow, a tip of his head. "Honorable samurai, I would be happy to have more company. The hospitality you show is very very very kind." He repeats 'very' a few times for effect, nodding. "I thank you for the hospitality you show the both of us." He states, innocent-seeming enough, but the tone of it sounded like he implied something else.

On the road ahead, at the feet of a great, old willow... a woman fell, shaded by the willow's weeping branches - no other but those on the road had seen her fall. Being the quickest on his feet out of the three newfound companions, the red-furred fox man ran over to the seemingly-human unconscious female. After checking for a pulse, the worried male puts a hand on her shoulder, attempting to comfortingly shake her awake. If that did not work, he would slowly become more forceful in his push - kneeling on the balls of his feet, crouching in what would be an uncomfortable position for a non-monk.


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The beautiful young lady that Kuroma had stated his lewd line to wasted no time in putting a red hand-mark on his face, calling him a pig - and then panicking at seeing his samurai status, turning into a bow and excusing herself.

 
The large, black cat slipped through the rusting gate, into the graveyard beyond. The feline skipped carefully through the foggy yard, as if afraid to disturb the slumber of the long-dead peasants buried there, until it vanished into a hut on the other side of the yard. Inside, the hut was dark, but the light pouring in from the bare doorway and the derelict building's single window prevented it from collapsing completely into shadow. From the floor, the cat leapt onto a table and dropped a single gold coin from its mouth into an untidy pile of identical coins. It jumped down from the table, and suddenly, after a brief flash of light, the cat was gone. In it's place, stood a man, sporting a mangy half-beard and ill-fitting clothes. The man looked proudly at the pile of gold collected before him. There had to be 100 pieces here, give or take, and it had taken him no small amount of time to collect so many. He looked around the hut. Various trinkets adorned the walls of the structure, barely visible in the poor lighting. He had stolen this, all of this, from various people around the city of Renga Murai over the years. He was quite sneaky and clever, wasn't he? He certainly believed so. And now, he felt he deserved a treat. Slowly, carefully, he pushed some of the gold into a small leather pouch. He could use a bath, he imagined, and a shave. Perhaps he should find some clothes that fit him better, while he was at it. The man smiled as he walked proudly out of the old hut, through the foggy yard, and back through the rusty gate, towards Renga Murai.

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He wasn't too far from the city when he saw them. There was a few people gathering on the road ahead of him, by a large willow tree...
 
Ryoko was silent and watched the monk run to the willow tree. She followed him, curious as to what he might have found. Maybe all this bright sunlight was affecting her vision. She stopped just behind and studied the girl. She looked like she'd seen better days and she could only guess what someone like her was doing so far out from the city.
 
“Lighten up.....” Kiyoshi said unable to believe his ears. But Ryoko was already gone. He hurried after then as they reached the fallen woman and knelt next to her, he had decided that ignoring the unicorn was best for now and “Oh..” he saw her white hair and took his had back... then searched her briskly for weapons, pulling her dagger and laying it on the ground out of her reach before he checked her breathing rolling her onto her back.

Koyoshi's care has swift and rough.. basic battlefield checks only, once he had found out she was still breathing he pulled one of her eyes open and waved his hand, first blocking the light.. then unblocking. He breathed a deep breath and knelt, he had done all he knew to do..
 
The scared sound that came out of her throat sounded like a cat being strangled almost. She was awake! …perhaps not the best thing for her to be, she was extremely delirious. Back in one of the times where she was being forced, all the emotion rose up from where it had been kept suppressed.

“Ahhhh, please stop….don’t.” Tae sobbed and crawled backwards in the dirt, trying to get away from the non-existent threat, blind to those around her still. She was crying for the first time in years, the dirt running with the tears that fell down her pale skin. She never cried, not since the time she’d been beaten for it as a child. Tears were useless she had been told. The beating had been hid with a excuse of illness for her absence.
 
Bei hops forward a bit, still in his crouching position, balanced on his toes. "She not seem feel so well." He mangles his intended statement, looking over at Kiyoshi, then Ryoko... he looks back, hopping after her and touching the tip of his finger to her nose. It always calmed him when people did that do him, though he had no idea what effect it would have on her. "Calm. Much peace here."

His head tilts slightly to one side, reaching forward in an attempt to wipe her tears away, slightly confused - he had not seen the emotion of 'fear' before, nor had he felt it in his life. He was able to feel 'fear', but never had the chance or excuse to - and was honestly confused at her emotional state. "What wrong?"
 
As she moved Kiyoshi backed off but moved to follow her holding her arm so she couldn't back away any further then gripped her other shoulder bringing his face on front of hers. “Focus!” he shoutec, not knowing what else he could say to get her to see what was in front of her. “Hear me.. “ he turned his head “Bie... do you have any water?”
 
The light brush of finger tips brought her back to reality, the urge to scream or reach for her dagger were suppressed. The trembling, however, wasn’t. She didn’t know any of the faces that she quickly let her eyes jump about and land on. This was good. The fact that she was soon hollered at wasn’t, she snapped her eyes to stare coolly into the eyes of the one who was gripping her. In a way the bark to focus helped her to sink into the pattern of cold suppression that she had adopted as a child. It was odd…the harsh grasp at her shoulder compared to the confused yet light touch to wipe away tears were so clashing in nature, she didn‘t know what to do. It was a toss, she knew she had to remain undiscovered. That was all that mattered. Tae composed herself, straightening her spine, tilting her head to look at the arm grasping her as she did.

“If you would release me, it would be most appreciated.” Her voice shook slightly, a hint of loathing seeping into her words at the end. Hopefully the loathing would be mistook for something else. Her dagger was absent and she could feel it, she felt naked in a way. A child without her security blanket, not wanting any of her other toys.
How would she fool them…how would she keep from being discovered for what she was. Paranoia was creeping. She looked down, staring at the ground, the mention of water had had made her throat tighten. “Water?” Her voice was soft as she slumped back down with the exhaustion she felt.
 
Bei takes his soft-furred hand away from her in respect to her wishes, catching the contemptuous tone of loathing in her voice. He didn't quite understand it... loathing, that is. He had never 'heard' hate before. Felt it once or twice, but never 'heard' it. "What wrong?" He asked again, voice still heavily altered by his long muzzle.

He shakes his head to Kiyoshi. "No have water. Sake." He reaches into his pack, pulling out the small white bottle labeled 'Rice Wine'. He gets an embarrassed look. "Not have need for water, like human. Have fondness for the sake, though. Take little sips, still okay..." He let out a laugh that matched his feelings of embarrassment...

When she slumped back down, his ears rose in alarm. "Seven Kami!" He recoils back after the surprised curse, "Smell lot like blood..."
 
Kiyoshi let her go.... a slightly irritated look on his face but he said nothing. A sideways look at the monk and he studied the dagger in his hands turning it over in his hands before slipping it away deciding to keep it at least until he had more information on the woman. He stood leaving her in the monk's care temporally and walked over to the unicorn. He forced himself to look into the warrior's face and spoke slowly and with a level voice.... “I must humbly apologize... I acted on emotion and showed discourtesy... he bowed quickly and turned back to the girl on the ground.
 
“Blood?” Tae looks about herself, paranoid that some were still on her. She had scrubbed and scrubbed till her skin had been red and raw. Trying to erase the memory of it all. The man, the treatment, the pain. She knew what he smelled. Her emotions rose and broke the cold mask for a split second, it was checked of course. The only evidence given was the trembling of her lips as she spoke. “I-I was mistreated, he used…” It was more than she could she could take, she stood shakily and tried to walk away from the group.

Two steps. That was all she had in her before she fell to her knees. Tae stayed upright for a time, just kneeling. “I believe I don’t feel so well, forgive me.” She collapsed once again, her fever growing apparent as she trembled in the dirt. The darkness took her and she welcomed it almost.
 
Kiyoshi reached her before the hit the ground, he rolled her onto her back and felt her forehead. “Shes burning up.” he said softly he pulled out some of his own water and looked around for something to use as a cloth but not seeing any pored the water strait onto her face. “We need to get her to the city... there should be someone there who can... unless.. we need to know where she was hurt and clean out the wound.....” he looked at the other two... for a moment all barriers falling, there was just the need to help..
 
Ryoko crossed her arms, seething. Of all the tricks to pull ... of all the things to do ... He intimidates her?! She clenched her teeth, ready to shed blood in ways no woman should ever consider. He'd struck her pride. She'd expected something like this from a bandit or someone who didn't know better but ... a samurai?!

"Then let this be a lesson to you, Lord Lion. NEVER try to intimidate me again."

Ryoko bowed stiffly to Bei and the woman on the ground. "Safe journey to you all."


Then, she was marching away, wanting to put as much distance between her and the Lion as fast as possible. The nerve. Was it *her* fault he was mixed up with some stupid letter, couldn't take a joke, didn't know how to handle people?! Well, forget him and forget trying to travel with people in the first place! She'd just continue on her own. This wouldn't have any bearing in her ultimate goal to become the greatest Utaku of all time.

Ryoko growled--and struck a tree with her fist as she passed it.
 
SMACK! Where the young lady's hand had connected there remained a red handprint. With a sigh, Kuroma turns to his companion Ryo. "That seems to happen to me all too often. My father would be disappointed. After all, he got married after asking only one woman once. Oh well, maybe I just haven't found the right one yet." Kuroma says, pouring his comrade another glass of sake. Taking a swig of sake himself, he continues on to say, "Well, at least we have our sake to take the sting of rejection...", tenderly touching his cheek, wincing slightly as he does so, "Both it's emotional and physical wounds."
 
Rhyo laughed as his companion's advances were rejected, a red handmark of rejection on his face. His cup refilled, he took a sip, a good buzz running through his body from the sake. "Indeed sake is the liquid that forgets problems and drowns sorrow" Rhyo said, the girls chuckling at his unfamiliar way of speaking. Finishing his cup, he stood up, the alcohol having no effect on his balance, having not drunk enough to impair his mind or body.

Turning to Kuroma, he gestured to the door, indicating his desire to leave the restaurant, having no more reason to be staying further, not in the mood to be soaked in the warm embrace of the sake. "I do believe the journey calls to us, shall we follow the attractive call of fate?"
 
Finishing off the last of the sake himself, Kuroma stood up, no wavering or wobbling at all. "Attractive or no, the call of fate is not one that can be ignored. Best to heed it's call and go peacefully down it's path than try and run from it, only to have it bear down on you like a hungry tiger." The Crane samurai said in a sing-song voice as he headed for the door. Having paid already, lady at the door thanked the men as they left through the cloth doors.
 
"Honorable Samurai! No time to be -" Was all he could get out before Ryoko began to march off... the fox man's ears flattened against his head. "...Seven Kami!" He curses again, before looking to Kiyoshi, standing at his full height. "Honorable Samurai, I regret to do so, but I must ask you favor - you know Lion land, take help to her, or her to help." He points to the wounded female.

"I will go with Honorable Unicorn Samurai, try smooth over." He gives Kiyoshi a deep bow, "Meet again in future. Good travels." He turns on his heel, padding forward on bare feet to catch up to Ryoko.

Stopping before he gets too close, he keeps his distance for a while, letting her think for a while, before walking slowly forward. "Honorable Samurai Moto Ryoko," he begins... then stops, thinks about it, and catches up to her so she could see his smile - it was a smile with the lips, he had learned long ago that showing teeth made humans nervous. His eyes softened, and he slowly states, "...You say land is dangerous alone. Would like... company?" He looks nervous, shuffling a bit. "...Not used talk to people." He thinks up a believable bluff, thinking he'd need it. "Oh! Errr... maybe Fox be in trouble if not with you. Fox bad luck, so Bei bad luck. If Bei go with samurai... errm... maybe people feel better about Fox presence?" His ears drooped slightly, unsure whether she'd buy his lie about wanting to go with her.
 
Kiyoshi stood watching Ryoko walk away. He feltheavy and his shoulders slumped as he exhaled a heavy breath at his apology being refused. A renewed sense of shame washed over him and he simply bowed at Bei as he left. To went over to the figure on the ground and felt her forehead, then sliding his arms underneath her he stood and walked back towards the city. He didn't expect to turn around so quickly,
 
"Of all the dirty ... Stupid ... Thick headed ... And they call the Unicorn barbarians!" Ryoko was growling. Well, she was a barbarian but they made it sound so dirty when they used it. "They" being anyone who wasn't a Unicorn.

As she marched off, she couldn't help but think about the samurai's apology. He had meant it. She felt he had. But he shouldn't have tried to intimidate her like that! It would serve him right if he tripped over a rock or wandered around Rokugan til the end of time!

Ryoko slowed down a bit when Bei arrived and then thought his words over. "You ... Thank you," she finally said. She could not tell if he meant it or not but he meant no harm and she enjoyed having him. "I am ... sorry. I thought the Lion could take a joke or two."