The Day of Thunder

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji sat on a small log he'd pulled over to serve as a seat for his cookfire as he used to a stick to poke through the coals to find some still smoldering so he could coax the fire back to life. It was quick work and soon enough he was feeding a growing fire as he prepared the odds and ends for his breakfast.

It wouldn't be anything difficult, just a simple porridge flavored with dried berries, but after the rough night of sleep he had it would at the very least get him going, and the bit of sweetness from the berries would help him face the day.

[Anjing]

Kenji sat on a small log he'd pulled over to serve as a seat for his cookfire as he used to a stick to poke through the coals to find some still smoldering so he could coax the fire back to life. It was quick work and soon enough he was feeding a growing fire as he prepared the odds and ends for his breakfast.

It wouldn't be anything difficult, just a simple porridge flavored with dried berries, but after the rough night of sleep he had it would at the very least get him going, and the bit of sweetness from the berries would help him face the day.

There's the sound of heavy footsteps as someone walks past and then stops.

"Trade you some tea that will put hair on your chest for some of that porridge."
The speaker seems to be an older woman with a bettered pack slung over one shoulder and a tetsubo over the other.

"Only if you have enough to share."
She regards the rest of the camp with distant interest.

[Akodo Kenji]

"I'm not sure I want to live my life as some sort of fuzzy bush, but you have a deal." Kenji offered in Reply. The Crab he had met yesterday had been nice enough after all, and it didn't hurt to make more friends.

Taking a moment to add some more ingredients to his pot he stirred it to better mix the old with the new. "But I should warn you I'm not the greatest cook in the Empire."

[Anjing]

"I'm not sure I want to live my life as some sort of fuzzy bush, but you have a deal." Kenji offered in Reply. The Crab he had met yesterday had been nice enough after all, and it didn't hurt to make more friends.

Taking a moment to add some more ingredients to his pot he stirred it to better mix the old with the new. "But I should warn you I'm not the greatest cook in the Empire."

"It'll keep you warm at least. Now that we need it with this wretched weather."
She sits down opposite with a small battered pot that she starts filling with water and the ingredients for a rather potent tea.

"I'm not expecting the greatest feast I've ever had. They tend to be too long and too slow anyway."
She nods at the other warrior. "I'm Anjing, of the Crab. You must be one of Makime's?"

[Akodo Kenji]

"I'm starting to wonder if this village has any sort of weather aside from wretched." Kenji replied with a shake of his head. Sure, some of it could just be this time of year, but all the fog was still damn weird.

"And they're usually accompanied by a lot of liquor, and it's still a bit early for me to start drinking." Though he had known more than one person who couldn't start the day without a drink. "But a pleasure to meet you. I'm Akodo Kenji."

[Anjing]

Snip

She nods at him as her pot nears boiling, beginning to release a strong odor of tea leaves.
"I'm told the fog is a symptom of corruption, make of that good news what you will."

She stifles a yawn, stirring the tea gently as it steams.

"How is Akodo anyway? From the way Makime talks the stick up his ass has a stick up his ass. He mellowed out yet?"

[Akodo Kenji]

"Well, the fog is corrupted, the forest is haunted and I'm willing to bet the garden is plagued by spirits of some kind." Kenji replied with a snort of amusement. "Seems like we are in the best place in the Empire to fight evil!" He said with feigned excitement."

The talk of Lord Akodo caused him to raise an eyebrow, but he shrugged and answered anyways. "I can't say I know well enough to say one way or another. But from wat I know of Lady Makime she has never been one to lie or mince her words."

[Anjing]

Snip

"...Yes, the garden is plagued by spirits."
Anjing looks particularly annoyed at the notion as she takes two battered earth ware jugs out of her pack and carefully fills them with scalding warm tea, offering one to Kenji.

"Whole village is eery. Makes me a little unsure of the locals, but you can't go bashing peoples' heads in just because you're unsure. Could be they've just been on their own too long."
Sitting back with her own mug.
"Makime didn't get to where she is by softening her blows. People listen to her because she makes them. And she hates to have anything from the greatest catastrophe to strike the land to the seating arrangements at dinner beyond her control. If there was some way she could plot logistics and defeat the enemy with a well executed campaign she'd be the champion of the realm five times over."

Raising an eyebrow.
"What about yourself? Some sort of commander? Or a warrior?"

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji accepted the tea with a nod of thanks, setting it to the side for the moment as he started ladling porridge into a pair of bowls, he picked out of his camping supplies. Handing the first filled to Anjing before filling his own. "Probably doesn't help matters that from I heard the people here now aren't the original inhabitants of this village. From what I heard the came across it one day abandoned."

Picking up his cup of tea he blew on it a couple of times before taking a sip. "A warrior, not sure I'm really the commander type either. But then we can't really tell what the future might hold for us." He smirked. "I'll be just fine as long as I don't end up some type of monk."

[Anjing]

Kenji accepted the tea with a nod of thanks, setting it to the side for the moment as he started ladling porridge into a pair of bowls, he picked out of his camping supplies. Handing the first filled to Anjing before filling his own. "Probably doesn't help matters that from I heard the people here now aren't the original inhabitants of this village. From what I heard the came across it one day abandoned."

Picking up his cup of tea he blew on it a couple of times before taking a sip. "A warrior, not sure I'm really the commander type either. But then we can't really tell what the future might hold for us." He smirked. "I'll be just fine as long as I don't end up some type of monk."

Anjing nods at the Lion's good manners as she accepts the porridge and starts eating slowly, taking her time.
"Not bad."
It was probably high praise from her.

"They just found it abandoned? And they decided to live here? Some people have so little sense the fortunes must spend all day just keeping them alive and it leaves precious little for the rest of us. You don't just find a village abandoned for no reason. Simply another dark omen to add to the growing tally."
Spoon another serving.

"Every warrior ends up dead, retired or a commander. Make sure you work out which of those three it's going to be ahead of time. Otherwise it can come as a bit of a shock."
She has a quiet smirk of her own at the mention of monks.

"You're much too well mannered to be a typical follower of Shinsei. Although to my great disappointment I did meet one who was somewhat upstanding. Did you follow Lady Makime here or were you 'drawn by destiny'? as the small teacher would say."

[Akodo Kenji]

"Yeah, I'd be wary of staying the night in such a place not to mention living there." He agreed, before taking a bite of his own porridge. "But they decided to live here, for some reason." He shook his head. "Of course that might just be there story. Could be they came upon the village slaughtered the peaceful inhabitants and buried them out in those woods. Course that's just speculation."

"I think I'm hoping for a Sensei or something." He said with a smirk as they changed topic. "Though I'd take commander over the other listed."

"Would be easier to just be able to dislike them all?" Kenji asked as she mentioned her opinion of Shinsei's followers, shaking his head a moment later. "Nah, if I had some odd feeling about needing to be someplace i would of just stayed put. I had my orders. Was to meet Lady Makime here and assist how I could. In case this place held more dangers then anticipated."

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

Not far away, at the 'will it fall down or won't it?' tent there was a rather sudden and very loud exclamation.

"WHAT THE FUCK???????"

The tent shook, yet amazingly still remained standing as an irate Imperial stomped out of it.

"I AM GOING TO ROAST THAT THIEVING LITTLE BASTARD!!!!!"

[Anjing]

Snip

"Sensei's not too bad so long as you can tolerate answering stupid questions for the rest of your life."
It sounds like she has some experience.
"Hmmm, you certainly sound like a capable warrior. Did the right thing coming here and you wouldn't have been sent if they didn't think you could help.

Not far away, at the 'will it fall down or won't it?' tent there was a rather sudden and very loud exclamation.

"WHAT THE FUCK???????"

The tent shook, yet amazingly still remained standing as an irate Imperial stomped out of it.

"I AM GOING TO ROAST THAT THIEVING LITTLE BASTARD!!!!!"

Anjing feels a roaring mix of emotions as a series of extremely negative stereotypes are all reinforced at the exact same time.

"Missing something?" She calls out with only a faint trace of humour.

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

He span to where the voice had come from.

"Yes! One of my silver fucking earrings is gone. Just one. Little fucker left the other one right there. Taunting me!!!!"

the last was almost shouted in to the fog.

[Akodo Kenji]

"There is a thief in the camp?" Kenji asked, concern in his tone. If someone was stealing that needed to be stomped out and soon.

He didn't move for the moment though, instead glancing at Anjing and seeing how she responded.

[Anjing]

Anjing looked more than a little amused by it all.

"To take one of your earrings...truly, the evils of this place know no end."
She idly looks around.

"It doesn't seem to be in the immediate area. Did you spy this thief? This foe who has wronged you so?"

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

"No. But I have a bloody good idea who. I am going to catch that little fucker in the act and he will get what's coming for him."

He had the dramatic pose all right . . . the dialogue could use some work.

[Anjing]

"No. But I have a bloody good idea who. I am going to catch that little fucker in the act and he will get what's coming for him."

He had the dramatic pose all right . . . the dialogue could use some work.

Anjing clicks her tongue.
"Language."

With significant grandmother energy.
"You look like you need some tea while you ponder your next moves."

[Akodo Kenji]

"It's good tea." Kenji offered helpfully as it seemed the Daimyo wasn't too concerned with the matter.

"I can throw on some more porridge too if you like." He added a moment later.

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

The dramatic moment had passed and as the thief hadn't miraculously appeared and confessed to their crimes he was easily distracted by offers of food.

"Oh don't mind if I do!"

Somewhat belatedly.

"Oh, I'm Hoto-Hori, one of Yuzuru Boss Man's portal hunters."