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MEIJI RP
Topic Started: Dec 23 2013, 11:37 AM (2,722 Views)
Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord


It is October 1st, 1876. The Meiji government has been in power for roughly eight years, and Japan has entered a new age of industrialism and Westernization. Many of the old ways are being done away with; the social class system has been heavily changed, and though there is still a great gap between the ruling class and the people, no more are people bound to the station of their birth. Yet there are those who oppose some of the laws and regulations that came into being as a result of this equality, and the methods by which the government accomplished its goals. Some of the most notable issues concern the famous warrior elite of ancient Japan: the Samurai.

In March of this year, the Haitorei Edict was issued. By this edict, all people save for former lords, military, and law enforcement officials were banned from carrying swords. For the samurai, whose swords were their symbols, their souls, it was only the latest straw piled upon their backs. Five years before, they were forced to cut their top-knots, another symbol of their class, by the Dampatsurei Edict. Three years before, universal military conscription made their services and class obsolete. At the same time, they lost the stipends granted to them by the government in place of the payments they would recieve from their lords. Though the money was replaced with smaller stipends of rice, the samurai had effectively lost their status, their income, and now, in 1876, their swords. This, however, as stated above, was only one of the many issues that divided people in the Meiji Era. And among these many problems, there was one that required special attention...

The Youkai.

Comparable to Western creatures such as demons, spirits, and fairies, the Youkai are legendary beings in Japan. Ever since ancient times, the lore and superstition associated with them has been a part of Japanese life and religion. Local villages make offerings to the shrines of powerful spirits to ensure good harvest, protection from storms and bandits, and other such things. People call for exorcists when family and friends grow sick or act not themselves. Travelers hold charms close, to ensure they will not be accosted.

In the Meiji Era, Japanese culture is undergoing rapid change. Things of the past--much like the samurai--are seen as undesireable, as the government attempts to compete with the Western world. The Youkai are seen as unpleasant reminders of days when the people could not control their own fate, when they lived in fear of malevolence from creatures beyond their ken. And so, much as the government saw to the abolition of the samurai class, they shall also see to the issue of the Youkai.

In early 1876, a secret department of the government was formed: the Kairyoshi. Literally meaning "Hunters of Mystery," it is understood to be an organization for hunting Youkai. Its secrecy is also part of its function--the government wishes to make it so that Youkai are seen as what the modern world sees: only superstition and myth. However, this secrecy does present a problem: they cannot publicly recruit in the same manner as the military. Individuals must be specially chosen from among the ranks of soldiers, government officials, and by searching far and wide for those with the necessary potential.

Our story, then, is one of these individuals--those who have, for one reason or another, come to the Kairyoshi. For today, on the first of the month, they shall begin an untold chapter in history...


Edited by Onime No Ryu, Dec 23 2013, 05:36 PM.
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Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord
The season of falling leaves was just beginning, its coming heralded by cooler breezes and soft blue-lit mornings. One such morning came to the new capital of Tokyo, once called Edo. A young man ran through the streets in the government district, drawing stares from the imperial guards that roamed about. When one called out to the young man, directing angry glares and words towards the sword he wore, the youth handed him a piece of paper. After a moment the guard was satisfied, and sent him on his way. Soon enough the young man came to a stop, leaning for a moment with his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

Akibayashi Hayate stood before a great wooden gate, guarded on either side by statues of the Komainu--a creature somewhat like a mixture between dog and lion. He gulped, and looked down at the letter of recommendation in his hand.

"I, Akibayashi Hayate, have come to enter the ranks of the Kairyoshi!" he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. Then, he threw his head back and roared to the sky.

"I, AKIBAYASHI HAYATE, HAVE COME TO ENTER THE RANKS OF THE KAIRYOSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

He nodded his head and raised a clenched fist, apparently pleased with himself. Stepping forward, he banged on the door three times, then stepped back to wait. He stood stiff as a board, hands by his side, and gulped nervously. He heard footsteps approach, and a voice called out.

"Who goes there? What's all the shouting about?"

Hayate screwed his eyes shut, swallowing his nerves and forcing it all out at once.

"IAkibayashiHayatehavecometoentertheranksof--"

"What? Slow down!"

The young samurai stopped and made a choking sound. Then he took a deep breath.

"I, Akibayashi Hayate..."

He clenched his fists and straightened his back, eyes snapping open with a determined expression.

"Have come to join the ranks of the Kairyoshi!"

"Oh...have you now?" came the curious voice of the gatekeeper. "Well, you'd better come on in then." The great iron hinges began to creak as the gate swung forth. Hayate mentally patted himself on the back, and prepared to present his letter--only then noticing that, in his furor, he had crushed it in his hand. With a stifled yelp, he began struggling to straighten out the sealed recommendation.

"So, you're Akibayashi-san, are you?" The speaker had narrow eyes, but a soft smile that made him look somewhat wry, like a fox. He wore a long white coat over a white uwage jacket, and gray hakama. His hair was curly, a bit of an oddity, but he seemed kind enough. Hayate practically threw himself forward into a deep bow, almost slamming his nose into his own shins.

"That is correct, sir!" His arms shot out, rigid as a corpse's, to present the letter. "Here is my letter of recommendation!"

"Ah...um..." The two stood there for a moment, the silence hanging awkwardly between them. Hayate risked a glance up, to see the man tilt his head and give a slightly embarassed smile. "I'm afraid I cannot take your letter, Akibayashi-san."

"What!? Is there some problem? Am I unsuitable, sir!?" Hayate shot up, reaching out to grasp the man's hand in both of his own. "Please, sir, give me a chance! I promise you that I can--"

"Oh, it's nothing like that." the man said with a chuckle. He nodded downwards. "It's just that, well..."

Hayate looked down at the empty sleeve he was clutching.

"I'm afraid I don't have any arms."

Hayate quickly let go of the man's sleeves, looking at him wide eyed. The young man quickly grew flustered, spluttering apologies.

"Oh, it's no problem. It's hard to tell with the coat--that's kind of the idea." The man gave him another wry smile, and turned back towards the gate. "But, let us step into the courtyard, hm? I'm sure the others will be here soon, and we don't want to crowd the street."

"Yes, sir!" Hayate said, striding through the gates with chest puffed out. But then the man's last words penetrated.

"Wait...others?"
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Atlantis
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Kairyoshi Headquarters
Ashura


It wasn't every day that people approached the gate and asked to join. Ashura spent most of her morning hours sitting in the courtyard garden to enjoy the cool period before the sun takes it's place within the sky. The air was crisp and a breeze was practically non-existent, allowing her to enjoy the scent of nature; one of her favorite things to do to relax.

Like the gatekeeper, she heard the rapping at the door and watched as the doors were opened to reveal a young man, bursting with enthusiasm. He likely hadn't even hit his twenties yet and his demeanor showed Ashura that he likely hadn't really thought all of this through. Regardless, the pale-skinned woman remained seated near a fountain, her legs crossed and her hands resting on her knee as she watched the event unfold.

The young man was eventually allowed inside and was told to wait for the others, this mention being the first Ashura had heard of more entrants. Still, if everyone else to come was as "green" as this boy was, it likely wouldn't be long before they needed another wave. Unfortunately, skilled Youkai exterminators were few and far between and as time passed and one racked up more and more kills, they were likely to be promoted into roles that prevented them from hunting as often as they use to. When one was moved into a higher position, it was up to new entrants to fill the voids and bolster their ranks.
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Fenrir

"Well, he's certainly not lacking in enthusiasm, is he?" Katsuo thought aloud as he watched a newcomer entering through the front gate after a short but loud conversation with the gatekeeper. He didn't recall hearing that the Kairyoshi had been going on a recruitment drive, but in their line of work, it never hurt to have more hands around. The young man looked inexperienced, but as long as he could survive Day 1, he'd likely do alright.

Whistling a soft tune to himself, he walked out into the courtyard, having been standing closer to the inner wall near a door leading inside. It was early yet, and the sun was still climbing higher into the sky. It was a relatively cool morning, and he took a deep breath of the morning air, suddenly feeling nostalgic for the early mornings he used to enjoy in the mountains he had once called home. The air had always been crisp and cool in the higher altitudes.

Returning to reality, he looked around the courtyard. Aside from the newcomer and the gatekeeper, the only other occupant of the courtyard was a woman sitting by the fountain. Glancing over at her, he regarded her for a second. She was beautiful, almost eerily so, wearing quite a unique kimono. He wasn't a longtime member of the Kairyoshi yet, so he didn't believe he had ever met her. He nodded politely towards her in greeting. "Good morning."

Sitting down on a bench in the courtyard, he decided to wait and see what was about to happen. He had heard mention of 'others', and was curious as to what was going on.
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Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord
"Yes. They should be arriving any moment now..." answered the armless man, who looked around the courtyard as he spoke. Hayate followed his gaze, and saw it first settle on a man with white hair, before switching to the gardens and a beautiful, pale woman in a dress that looked like it might be of the Chinese or Korean style.

"Ah. And here we have two more early risers." He nodded to both of them. "Good morning, Katsuo-san. The same to you, Ashura-san."

Hayate took a deep breath and braced himself to bow again.

"Good morning! I am--"

Just then, the sound of many footsteps drifted through the open gate. Hayate turned around, the gatekeeper stepping up next to him, as a number of people entered. They were all dressed in various fashions, and carried a variety of weapons. Just from a quick glance, Hayate saw a pair of nunchaku around the neck of one man--who looked to be his own age--and a polearm of some sort wrapped in cloth carried in the crook of another fellow's arm. The lone woman of the group carried a bow alongside a leather quiver. One man didn't have any weapons at all, but wore a bright red tengu mask, and was dressed as one as well with his hands folded into his sleeves. A monk with a large axe strapped to his back and a gourd of sake in his hand took a long draught. A small figure, almost unnoticeable amongst the others, dressed like a ninja. And finally, a serious looking man who also didn't appear to have any weapons...although one hand had been pulled inside his shirt, and lay hidden among the folds of his robes.

The assorted individuals came to a stop in two lines of four before Hayate and the gatekeeper. With obviously practiced motions, they bowed and spoke as one.

"Good morning, Head General!"

"H-head general?" Hayate slowly turned to the man beside him. A man with no arms. "Then...then you are..."

"Himura Takahiro, Head General of the Kairyoshi." Again, that wry smile. "Sorry, it must have slipped my mind." He looked at the others, his narrow eyes opening somewhat more in a pleasant expression.

"Thank you, and a good morning to you as well, Eight Captains! Let's all do our best again today, eh?"

With that dismissal, the eight people all rose from their bows and headed off in different directions. Himura himself turned back towards the central building, again nodding to the man with white hair and the woman in the gardens.

"Katsuo-san, Ashura-san, I trust you can show our new recruit around the grounds? I have some minor things to see to--bring him to my office after the tour and we'll take care of the paperwork." With that, he headed off, the long sleeves of his coat billowing behind him.

Hayate turned to look at each of the two in turn, before folding himself in half once more.

"It is a pleasure to meet you! My name is Akibayashi Hayate!"

The grounds
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Atlantis
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Kairyoshi Headquarters
Ashura


More people began to pour into the area, but none of them were new. They were people of authority, or others like herself who had been here for quite some time. She was also approached by a man she had seen around the area a few times, but wasn't familiar with his name. He bid her a good morning, which she granted a simple grin in response. Like her, he took a seat nearby to observe those entering.

They were greeted by the head general, the man who'd welcomed the newcomer. It was then that Ashura learned the name of her company: Katsuo. They were greeted with a "good morning" to which she did not reply either, simply averting her gaze instead.

They were instructed to perhaps show the new blood around the area, but Ashura had no intention of doing so. Not only did it simply not require the pair, but she wasn't interested in doing what she'd done several times before. Instead, she rose from her perch and followed the head general out of the area, leaving Katsuo and the newblood alone. She caught up to her superior promptly and closed in to speak.

"General Himura, may I have a word?" she inquired, closing the distance between them. "It has been quite some time since I was sent somewhere... is there perhaps anything in the near future that might require my attention?" the pale woman asked, crossing her arms and making eye contact.
Edited by Atlantis, Dec 24 2013, 08:29 PM.
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Fenrir

The beautiful woman didn't verbally reply to Katsuo's greeting, but did acknowledge it with a fetching grin. He'd take it. Shortly after he sat down, they were both greeted by the Head General of the Kairyoshi, who revealed that the woman's name was Ashura. He glanced at Ashura as her name was revealed, but she had turned away. He started to return the Head General's greeting, but was interrupted by the sounds of an approaching group.

As the Eight Captains filed in, Katsuo stood, but didn't verbally greet any of them. Instead he only stood back and watched as they spoke with the Head General, and then dispersed to go about their daily routines. The Eight Captains were basically the cream of the crop in the Kairyoshi, so they likely had several important tasks to handle.

From there, the Head General turned back to them, and Katsuo stepped to attention as he addressed him along with Ashura. He tasked them with showing the new recruit, Akibayashi Hayate, around the area. He looked back to Ashura as the Head General walked off, and raised an eyebrow as she promptly followed to engage the man in conversation

"Isn't the rule in these situations to yell, 'Not it' or something?" Katsuo said, rubbing the back of his head as he watched her go. Hey. At least it wasn't a bad view.

Turning back to the newcomer, he folded his arms over his chest. "Alright, Kid. Looks like it's you and me." he said with a slight shrug. Looking back at Ashura and the Head General again for a second, he started walking towards the Combat Building. "Keep up, keep up. There might be a pop quiz at the end of this."
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Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord
"Ah, well," Himura said, turning to Ashura, "that's what I'm about to go find out, actually. I have to see to the reports that have come in and decide who gets sent where to do what. If something for you comes up, I'll certainly let you know. Your eagerness is appreciated." With that, he turned and entered the administration building, leaving her to do as she wished, if she had no intention of guiding Hayate.

"Pardon my rudeness, sir!" Hayate said, suddenly straightening up. He'd taken on a rather fierce expression. "But I am not a kid! I am Akibayashi Hayate, son of a proud samurai!" Then he returned to his bow as before. "I will do my best as part of the Kairyoshi!" Straightening up again--how did this kid not get whiplash?--he followed Katsuo at a swift pace.
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Atlantis
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Kairyoshi Headquarters
Ashura


Ashura was assured that they would likely be assigned tasks before long and that the head general was going to his office to find them something. He left her to her own devices without leaving much time to reply.

Watching him go with a blank expression, the Kitsune turned back around to see Katsuo and Hayate hadn't yet left the area. With an annoyed sigh, she returned to the pair. At least meandering about the area with them might provide some entertainment. The young one was practically bursting at the seams with enthusiasm and the other fellow had an interesting air about him; something that Ashura wanted to investigate further.

Approaching the group, she clasped her hands behind her back and pushed her chest outward a bit. "I suppose I may as well accompany you two," she exclaimed with a mischievous grin. "It shall give you both something to look at," she added with a grin before starting out ahead of them both, swinging her hips as she walked off toward the Combat Building before stopping in her tracks, turning around to face them.

"Why not save the best for last?" she questioned, placing an index finger on her bottom lip.

Instead, she started off toward the Information Building; a storage structure for all of the scrolls, files and other such items that helped them to better understand Youkai.
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Fenrir

Katsuo chuckled as the boy gave the Yagi a fierce look at being referred to as a 'Kid' and nodded his head. "Alright, Hayate it is then. You might want to relax a bit though. You're going to burn yourself out before the Tour even gets started." he said, tilting his head as Hayate quickly bowed and shot back up again.

Hearing someone coming up behind them, Katsuo paused in his steps and turned around. Ashura had returned to them, and he couldn't help but notice the provocative way she was standing. He let his eyes linger for only a second though, quickly raising them up to her face as she grinned mischievously at them. "Well, with an offer that fine, how can I refuse?" he replied smoothly as Ashura rejoined them, jokingly, or perhaps not, suggesting they could ogle her if they wished.

She walked ahead of them then, suiting actions to her words as she swayed her hips from side to side. Quite the show indeed. Looking over at Hayate to see how he might be reacting to this, he started to follow, only to stop as Ashura turned around, suggesting they change their destination.

"I suppose that will give our newest member something to look forward to. Lead on, I know I certainly won't have a problem following." he joked as he walked towards the Information Building.

"So, you said you were the son of a Samurai, Hayate? What brings you to the Kairyoshi?" he asked, already having a good idea as to why he may have joined.
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Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord
The woman returned, drawing Hayate's attention for a moment as she approached. She was really very pretty, he thought--just as she thrust her chest out proudly.

Boi-yoing.

Hayate blushed bright red, gulping as he did so.

"I suppose I may as well accompany you two," she exclaimed with a mischievous grin. "It shall give you both something to look at," she added before starting out ahead of them both, swinging her hips as she walked off. Hayate couldn't help but stare, though luckily the sound of the other man's voice broke him out of it.

"Well, with an offer that fine, how can I refuse?" Hayate narrowed his eyes at the man for a moment, but then the woman spoke again. She'd changed her mind, and now they were headed for a different building than the one the man had been about to lead him into. The man said that would give Hayate something to look forward to. Was he referring just to the building, or to the show that the woman was putting on?

"So, you said you were the son of a Samurai, Hayate? What brings you to the Kairyoshi?" the man added. Hayate looked down at the ground for a moment, placing one hand on the pommel of his sword in a gesture of self-reassurance.

"Well...my family...Samurai are no more." he began, haltingly. "The government has...seen fit to..." He couldn't find a word that expressed his true feelings, so he chose the simplest one. "...remove us from our stations." His tone grew somber, and the enthusiasm of before seemed to drain out of him. "Our titles and lands are gone, we have cut our hair, our income is no more...and now, we cannot even wear our swords." The hand resting on his sword moved, gripping the sheath tightly.

"My former lord helped me find new employment. They said that, as members of the Kairyoshi are considered a branch of the armed forces, we are allowed to wear weaponry in public..." He looked down again, his face cast in shadow. "And I will never give up my sword."
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Atlantis
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Kairyoshi Headquarters - Information Stockade
Ashura


Both men followed as she had intended, likely enjoying her exhibition as she marched at a slowed speed. Over her time spent as a human, she had grown increasingly adept at seducing and distracting men. It had gotten to the point where it was almost her natural demeanor at this point. Everything about her spelt sex from the way she wore her hair, to her clothes, to the way she walked; even the tone of her voice sent chills down a man's spine. Ashura enjoyed the power immensely.

Approaching the stockade, the pale woman stopped and gestured toward it like someone might display a prize won on a game show.

"Here is our info stockade..." she began with a wry grin. "I do not personally use it; to me it remains a waste of time. Why bother studying the anatomy, means of combat and behavioral patterns of a Youkai when you can simply eviscerate the beast and move on to the next one?" she questioned, wondering why such a place even existed. "Would you care to venture inside, or would you rather we move along?" Ashura asked, licking her lips and placing a hand on her hip, tilting her stand to the side.
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Fenrir

Katsuo tried to pay attention to Hayate's story, he really did, but it was a little hard to focus with Ashura swaying her hips this way and that as she walked in front of them. She clearly knew what she was doing. He had to admit, it had been some time since he had seen a woman as beautiful as her. She had a presence that was quite hard to ignore.

Still, so as not to be rude, he made an effort to return his focus to Hayate as he spoke. As he had thought, his reasons for joining the Kairyoshi had been about what he'd expected. Ever since the samurai class had been abolished, there wasn't much work to be had for those associated with that station. There were quite a few others in the organization with his exact same story, he was sure. "I see. Well. You won't have to worry about giving up your sword here. In fact, I'm sure you'll find more use for it here than you have in quite some time, Kid." he said with a friendly slap to Hayate's back.

They arrived at the information stockade then, and Ashura gave a very quick run down of what could be found within, while generally dismissing what was inside as useless. "I must say, you do make an interesting case." he said wryly, wondering how Ashura handled herself during a fight. "How many Yokai have you eviscerated, Ashura?"

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to look it over sometime. We lose more greenhorns like you to Yokai because they don't know what they're about in a fight." he said, making his voice ominous near the end to try and put a little fear into Hayate for fun. He actually hardly ever spent any time there himself, but then again, he had much more knowledge of Yokai than most.

Ashura asked Hayate if he would like to go inside, or continue on the tour, and he folded his arms over his chest, waiting to see what the boy would decide to do.
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Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord
Hayate looked up at the building, tilting his head to one side. This entire complex wasn't quite as large or grand as a traditional castle, but he noticed that it was still heavily fortified, and two grand towers rose from the "information stockade." He glanced back over his shoulder. The other building across the way had those towers too. Were they for lookout purposes? They seemed too large for that.

"Yes, I would like to go inside, if that is acceptable." he said. He turned back to his two guides. "I have...never encountered a Youkai before. I believe I will have great need of this place in the future."

The information building had two entrances and two exits, a set of sliding doors near either end of the building on both sides. A wooden walkway extended all the way around the building, with a roofed pathway connecting it to the administration building. Inside, the building was laid out much like a library, shelves and shelves of books and scrolls all laid out in an orderly grid fashion and lining the walls. In the middle of the room was an enclosed sort of office area for the book keepers, with two spiral staircases to either side of it. However, there were heavy ropes draped across the entrance to the stairways--it seemed you had to have special access to go up...or down. The stairs not only went to the upper floor, but descended into darkness as well.

There were other people here besides the book keepers, who wore the robes of servants and clerks and scurried here and there or sat at a desk doing paperwork. Several people who wore armor or were otherwise dressed for travel or battle were looking over books and charts, many of which displayed diagrams of different creatures. These were no doubt other soldiers of the Kairyoshi, of the same rank and file as the three who had just entered.

"Wow..." Hayate breathed as he looked around. He knew how to read and write, but he had never seen so many books in one place. He turned towards Ashura, who had said she never had a use for the place. "To have all this knowledge at your disposal and not need it...you must be very strong, miss!"
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Atlantis
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Kairyoshi Headquarters - Information Stockade
Ashura


While she wasn't personally interested in the building, Hayate most certainly was. He was quick to explain that he wanted to venture inside leaving Ashura and Katsuo to follow suit, albeit slowly. Katsuo told her that she made an interesting case before asking just how many Youkai she had killed.

"I have lost count," she replied with a malevolent grin. "It has become but a sport for me at this point..."

After Hayate was finished exploring the inside, he, like Katsuo, seemingly acknowledged her skill, claiming that since she didn't require the wisdom held within this building, she must be quite strong.

"You could say that, yes," she replied with a pompous laugh.

Moving back outside, Ashura pointed off toward the path that lead to the storage area.

"Storage is in that direction," she explained. "For the most part, you do not need to go there often. The same goes for the Administration Building..." she told him, gesturing to the structure she spoke of: a multi-level castle, for lack of a better word. It was the tallest structure here and one of the most important.

"Finally we have the Barracks, where you shall have a place of your own to rest, or... whatever it is that men your age do," she explained with a wry grin. "Try to be a good chap and keep exploration within there to a minimum."

Once the trio had finished with the area, it was time to head to the Combat Area where you were almost always guaranteed to find people honing their skills, keeping their blades, wits and reflexes keen.

"You look to be the type who might spend a lot of time here," she explained as they approached the gate. "Men are so involved in their practising and their swordsmanship... it is quite cute really," Ashura giggled to herself, crossing her arms as she waited for him to no-doubt rush inside.
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Fenrir

While for some people Ashura's words may have been a pure boast, something told Katsuo that the enigmatic woman's claim rang true. She was no ordinary woman. If he still lived the live of a Yokai, he might have thought twice before trying to go up against her. Might. "A dangerous sport. But that's what makes it exciting, right?" he replied, getting the feeling that he was close to the mark with his guess.

Hayate wished to go inside the Information Building, and the Yagi followed along after the young boy as he and Ashura entered. He was somewhat surprised to hear Hayate acknowledge the importance of this place. Most humans, especially those Hayate's age, didn't deem knowledge of much importance, preferring to charge ahead like a young bull. Maybe he wasn't as green as Katsuo had first thought.

He hung back as Hayate took everything in, leaning against a wall. He seemed blown away by the collection, and stated that if Ashura truly didn't need it, she must be very strong, to which she quickly agreed. "If you're as deadly as you are beautiful, then you must be powerful indeed." he said lightly. A little flirting was always fun, for him at least.

From there they moved on to the other areas of the base, with Ashura skimming over the Storage, Administration, and Barracks, as they were all fairly self-explanatory, and finally arriving in the Combat Area, the most active area in the base. "Yeah, you can always find someone to practice with here. Do you have much experience using that sword of yours, Kid?"

As Ashura joked about men and swords, Katsuo turned his head to look in her direction. "May I ask what you use for a weapon, Ashura? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you don't seem the sword type." he asked curiously.
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Onime No Ryu
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The Overlord
Again Hayate was wowed at the structures laid before him; the combat building was like a series of dojos all merged together, the rooms of different lengths and widths depending on what art was practiced there. The archery range was long and narrow, the hand-to-hand combat room square and centered. In several of the rooms, loud shouts and the clatter of wooden weaponry rang out.

When Katsuo asked of his experience with the blade, Hayate proudly nodded, his hands on his hips and chest thrust out. You could practically see his head swelling.

"I have been practicing ever since I was old enough to hold a sword! Even my father praised my diligence and understanding of technique!" he announced.

As Katsuo turned to Ashura and asked her another question, Hayate continued to look around the dojos, even peeking into some of the rooms. He didn't notice the presence near the ceiling, though someone with sharper senses might...
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Atlantis
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Kairyoshi Headquarters - Combat Area
Ashura


As was predicted, Hayate was significantly more excited and gung-ho here than he had been anywhere else. He boasted of his experience with a sword when Katsuo asked and judging by the look of him, he may have had thirteen or fourteen years with a sword... maybe. It was but a blip within Ashura's lifetime, but for a human, it was a considerable amount of time.

After the men spoke of Hayate's weapon, Katsuo asked Ashura about hers, wondering what she used, making sure to note to her that she didn't seem the type to use a sword.

"You would be correct in that assumption," she replied, placing a hand on her hip as she began seemingly grabbing at nothing. It wasn't until the illusion that kept the weapon hidden dissipated that it came into view of the naked eye. In her grasp was a savage-looking Kusari-gama; a sickle and weight connected by a long chain. Her version of the weapon had many edges flowing along the chain and a barbed weight instead of something less horrifying.

"This is what I use to rend the flesh from adversaries," she explained as she turned to give them a small demonstration.

Lashing out with the weighted end, the chain extended across the room, grabbing hold of a wooden dummy. With a brisk tug, she hauled it back to her, slicing it into two pieces as it came within range using the sickle within her grasp.

"Beautiful and efficient," she exclaimed with a malevolent grin as she looked to the weapon in her hands. "Perhaps if Mr. Hashimoto remains slinking in the shadows above, I might have to demonstrate the use of my weapon again," she spoke sternly, lifting her gaze to look to the shadows above.
Edited by Atlantis, Dec 25 2013, 05:17 PM.
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Onime No Ryu
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Indeed, above the group, a black clad figure hung from the ceiling seemingly unsupported. The soles of his feet lay flat upon the bottom of a rafter, and he "stood" with his arms crossed. The bottom half of his face was covered by a mask that looked like the jaws of a fierce demon, similar to the war masks worn by samurai, while everything above his eyebrows was wrapped in a black scarf. He was looking at Hayate, who still hadn't noticed him for the moment.

"Th-that would be m-most unwise, private Ashura." Though the stutter and his voice--pitched like that of a much younger man, younger even than the new recruit--made it hard to tell if he was actually reprimanding Ashura or had been intimidated by her, his body language made him look rather nonchalant about it all.

Turning, the shinobi flipped down from the ceiling, landing between Katsuo and Ashura. For the first time Hayate saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned, pointing dramatically.

"Ah! That fellow was one of the Eight Captains!" He bowed low, the folds of his shirt snapping with the movement. "I am Akibayashi Hayate, sir!"

"I, I, I'm aware." The ninja gave the boy a sidelong glance. "I am Hashimoto Y-Yuki, under General Matsuoka. I am here to d-deliver an uh, uh, assignment f-f-for you." He turned back to Katsuo and Ashura. "General H-Himura s-says that it will be a good t-t-test for him, and wants you two t-to g-go with him for b-backup." He pulled a slip of paper, folded into an origami frog with the Kanji for "guide" on its head, from the folds of his suit and flicked it into the air, where it wafted down gently for someone to catch. "This sh-sh-shikigami will g-guide you. Simply m-make it hop once outside the gates."

With that, the ninja's image flickered for a moment, and was gone.
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Fenrir

Hayate proudly proclaimed that he had been using a sword for most of his life, which, while only a short amount of time for someone like Katsuo, must have seemed like much more time to the human. He nodded his head in response, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Good. At least we won't have to show you which end you stab someone with." he said with a friendly grin to take the sting out of his sarcastic remark.

Ashura began to reply to his question then, confirming he was correct in assuming she didn't use a sword. She reached down towards her side, and suddenly a vicious looking Kusari-Gama was in her grip. He raised his eyebrow at that, wondering how she'd been hiding such a weapon. Had it been merely sleight of hand?

She demonstrated the use of the weapon on a training dummy, and he nodded approvingly at the results. "Impressive. You're quite skilled. I hope we never become enemies, I would hate to have to try and defend myself from such a deadly weapon." he said appreciatively.

He noticed the shadowy presence roughly around the same time Ashura did, and turned his head to look up into the rafters as the woman revealed the presence of Captain Hasmimoto. He dropped off the ceiling before them, and Katsuo turned around to face him. The man advised Ashura against idle threats, though his body language remained calm, and he went on to explain Hayate had been assigned his first mission, and that Katsuo and Ashura were to accompany him.

Katsuo reached out to grab the slip of paper the Captain tossed out, and by the time he lowered his hands, the man was already gone.

"Well, well. Lucky you. Only five minutes on the job and you've already received your first job. General Himura must be anxious to see what you can do, Kid." Katsuo said with a smirk as he looked over at the young man, before looking at Ashura.

"Hopefully this will be a little more exciting than just playing Tour Guides." he said before starting to head for the front gates.
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