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[ Ice Water Tavern][/center:55d0znef]
[center:55d0znef]
[ Ice Water Tavern][/center:55d0znef]
[right:2cur379e][/right:2cur379e]
[right:2cur379e]—burdened wings would continue to flap, unaware.[/right:2cur379e]
A deep sigh would nearly send a single choko from the balance act upon two digits, seesawing as a gaze merely peered into the depths of milky brew, a second sigh before the drink was swallowed in a single effort and the ceramic severing glass. The man’s head bowed lightly, a female adorned in a simple kimono would smile, refilling the glass before returning to her stilled seat alongside the table.
The Mizu-koori Izakaya was otherwise lively, patrons from all over Renovatio had gathered to enjoy the establishment, yet, in the corner tucked behind a single hanging cloth, the man sat presently alone as he awaited the arrival of his company. The early bird drank alone.
A shrug, his gaze twisting to the female, as he lifted heavenward the choko, “I don’t recall your face, are you new here?” Immediately her cheeks became flushed, the reddened hue of embarrassment as she did not seem accustomed to being spoken to, or at least, spoken to in a timbre that did not demand the removal of clothing.
“Yes, sir.” Her head bowed swiftly.
“Enjoying it so far?” Smalltalk that was otherwise unbecoming.
“Yes, sir.”
And with that, their conversation grew stagnant, apparently only versed enough to answer in a similar manner each time, a well-trained server would not take up the time of the patrons, and with that the man would nod. “Soon as you are done here tonight, you will look for me, my coins are heavy and I wish to carry them no more.” Just like that, her cheeks returned to normal, as she nodded gradually.
Another easy swallow, the sake vanished to only be refilled, the gaze of Ojin once more zoning out.
[justify:36fgopwq]The night life was eternal, unlike the hours which governed the forever changing canvas that hung high over Oo'xora. Sensual twilight kisses lathered in amber-plum lip gloss blessed the Sly Fox's flesh. Intimate breezes tickled and caressed, compelling the vagrant to fit his rags so that he was snug, or something close to such.
The moment Tenju passed through the threshold, bitches were turning tricks, dues were being collected, and Renovatian Orient cuisines were seared and served on pearl white china.
Through the tight paths provided by the kitchen occupied by several chefs, Tenju slipped and weaved. The door connecting to a hallway that led to the main atrium was further up and to the left. Even more traffic awaited Tenju's presence, and it would bestow itself to him within the form of three scallywags, blitzing as soon as he hit the corner, in semblance to formula one cars hugging pin striped curbs and curves.
"Heyyyyy, daddy!"
"Daddy!"
"Its about time you came, daddy!"
Candle lit vigils sparked to life prior to the distribution of dirty lookovers, lust-filled glances, GQ winks and smiles. "You all are sssssooooo bad." He stressed the topic with a smile and hints of sarcasm. "How much money do you, bitches make a minute?"
Riddled with curiosity, the girls fell into thought in perfect harmony, thinking and calculating. Doing the math for real, but one or two of them was always on point when it came to their business.
"35 a minute!"
"....depends on how slow it is, its pretty busy tonight, so like.... 40 a minute."
"20 a minute."
Tenju looked at the one who only made 20 a minute. She sure was a beaut; if you looked at her real fast, her face resembled a bunch of baby spiders having a meeting on their mother's backside. Or maybe that was just how Tenju saw it? His eyebrows furrowed and his stomach turned before inching by the Bust Down Clique.
"You bitches sure aint makin' much talkin' to me, right?" Tenju quickly then breezed by the team of three just as they realized he was spitting pure facts. The timing was flawless and a cliche wrapped up in a nice thick egg roll.
Another door used by employees only was breached. Tenju was like a shadow how he clung to the walls and slipped into rooms through the narrowest cracks. Two rights and a left had been taken right after that, leading Tenju to an area only vip members had access too.
Soundlessness best described Tenju, aside from the fact that an overwhelming sour diesel fragrance continuously spilled off the tailored fabrics whenever stirred up enough commotion to cause the slightest breeze to carry his scent to an arbitrary location.
He'd probably be smelled before he knew he was noticed, but the vagrant really didn't care or have much to say. Tenju would just find comfort amongst a comrade, fix himself a drink, and relax henceforth.[/justify:36fgopwq]
[right:31o316s7]
[right:31o316s7]—a burden remained, slowing the flap of atlas wings.[/right:31o316s7]
It was before the visage of Tenju pierced the threshold of the Mizu-koori Izakaya, would Ojin be alerted of his presence, a flux in spiritual pressure would create a minor rift in the atmosphere, and with that, the lips of his comrade would cut into a grin. Another choko full of sake would be emptied into the depths of the Kagirinai, while his eyes once more became fixated on the server.
“Prepare another, choko, please; we will be having company shortly.”
Perplexed, as she neither felt nor saw another, she would nonetheless fill a second cup.
With a smile, he would await his refill, his eyelids quelling sight, as he would merely sit, a disciplined blade to the arm of the Akumabito, a vagrant demon who found himself well seated in the oriental heart of Renovatio. An unrecorded amount of time would pass between the flirtatious walk of Tenju and the swallows of sake that otherwise occupied Ojin’s time, before the single cloth was pushed to the side the façade of Tenju reopened the gaze of his brethren.
Standing from the cushion that sat in place of a chair, the Kagirinai would bow his head with an eager tongue to welcome his comrade. “Ah, Tenju, welcome, I trust that your trip went without interference?” Suddenly however, the warmth faded from his face and timbre as he was hit with the realization that the female absentmindedly did not pay respects, in a swift motion Ojin’s fingers found themselves wrapped about the locks of her hair, and his hand slammed forward.
With a loud crash, the sound of the female’s forehead along the edge of the table would become clear, her blood dripping to her lap forever staining the white kimono, before the hand released and his attention was once more paid to Tenju. “Please sit, I have prepared the finest sake for your return.” Waving a hand slowly towards the choko, he would take his up upon his hand.
Left to her sobs and pain, the wounded girl would work on keeping her composure and stopping the blood flow from her face, all the while continually focused on her duties— and those tasks issued by Ojin for after hours.
[justify:2g4gn5s3]Normality needed continuity to exist; consistency is key. Spontaneity guest starred as: the anomaly; constantly fucking shit up basically was the gist of it. Tenju was an anomaly...
Ojin always showcased utmost decorum whenever Tenju was on deck. His loyalty was adamant, and his presence alone— Tenju thought —was boundless. He was one of the few who bathed in the light as a star himself. Sharing the etehereal planes and the skies that engulfed Oo'xora with cotton white clouds and sensual winds.
In concurrence to Ojin bowing, Tenju had been already falling to a randomly selected cushion. He didn't have to fix himself a drink after all, but a burden just as heavy still weighed down on his shoulders.
"Ssssstaining the furnitue an shit." Shocked and appalled with a smidge of sarcasm and a pinch ofasshole tendencies, Tenju continued on, "This can't be sanitary... I don't feel like a very important person right now.... Then again, maybe I just need a drink... Join me, brother?"
Tenju's left knee targeted the heavens just beyond the ceiling. His left appendage sat atop of said knee a few inches before the elbow, awaiting a cup filled to the rim with troubles and a lost and found box of regrets. The Fox Demon's right arm supported his weight in the rear and his legs jerked some as they sprawled out finding comfort wherever it lingered.[/justify:2g4gn5s3]
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[right:1f6sfqen]?and with a mighty flap, a burden was lifted.[/right:1f6sfqen]
“Yes, of course Tenju.” Once more he would take seat atop his knees, choko handled in a similar fashion as before, while his gaze shortly detoured from the Akumabito head to peer to the girl, who between servings swiftly worked to remove the blood from the table, the sleeve of her kimono now tainted. “Oh, but of course you are important, we should be lucky that we have retained such a low profile, Tenju.”
A hard swallow, as he directed the girl to refill his glass, “Surely our pull here has not been leaked enough where those sitting tables away are aware of us, or rather, namely you. I have not felt anything amiss since being here, which doesn’t necessarily mean we are safe, but it seems likely.”
A moment of silence, choko after choko were placed into the depths of his stomach, each refilled by the female who had managed to not only stop her bleeding but also to clean up the blood from the table. Her youth would be her redeeming feature, unaware fully of what was said, as her sixteenth year of life had kept her innocent yet, for now.
The Kagirinai would shuffle some, his head bowing before his tongue parted lips to carry dialect in a whispered manner. “Ideally we should be looking to expand our membership; surely there are able hands in these lands that are willing to provide an aid.”
Feeling as if he had stolen the conversation away, he would still, allowing ample time for his brethren to react.
[justify:ziwc58kh]"Your words are like water, Ojin." Tenju took a quick swig of the sake which filled his innards with warmth and tranquility; boosting the euphoria thought lost when the young woman almost bled to death just before them. "I'm not sure if you're trying to hydrate my long lost superiority, or erode it." He tongue knew nothing of restraints, Tenju was a victim of outspoken-ness.
All and all, Tenju was flattered by his brothers words and gave a few seconds of time to think on how he too felt about recruiting. "Recruitsssssss." The topic seemed dead to him, "I've given up on searching for traveling swords. Everyone I seem to find are either battle incompetent or disloyal... or both." He paused some, reflecting on his words just incase he had to correct himself. The cons of being outspoken-- sometimes you say/said things you don't really mean; Tenju meant this.
Tenju sucked his teeth "Recruits...." He tossed back a few more wouldbe shots? giving time for a great amount of silence to manifest. "Hhhhmmnnnnnn... I guess you're right now that I think about it..." The right corner of Tenju's mouth tugged on his lips at an awkward angle, allowing him to showcase how he felt about the topic despite how he actually felt about it. "Anyone in mind?" He was weak for his family-- they deserved all of what the world had to offer, but Tenju gave them/him hell a majority of the time. Especially his right hand man.
Tenju resituated himself, shifting his weight from one arm to the other yet remaining in the same position as the last, somewhat. Warm fluids catered to his induced state of euphoria with an iron fist. Pounding whatever reality existed that lingered before his eyes, distoring space, objects, and colors. Tenju was to the meat or in other words: buzzed.[/justify:ziwc58kh]
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A low hum, the sake had shifted itself into the depths of his visage, warming and as the liquid had a moment to settle it soon made light of his limbs. With a sway of his head, a click of his teeth, once more Ojin’s voice claimed the air. “I have not heard of an arm capable of carrying the burden of Akumabito, we will keep our eyes open however, I am sure there is a few heads we could add to the ranks.” A pause, Tenju was correct, it was harder and harder to find those with a loyal bone ‘pon their visage.
It was for a brief moment did the female depart from the company, only to return with another bottle of sake, they had already been through a few in their time. Before now, another server delivered them, yet, as the place emptied, they would find their only company in the words of brethren.
“For now though, we seem to be well enough off to take care of our own needs, our swords brandished less and less it seems; ideal with the shortened demons.” By now the swaying of his head had introduced his chin to his chest more than once, while his gaze continually drifted back and forth from the table, to Tenju and then to the server.
“Perhaps we just need time, perhaps in the end those who are the most worthy will seek us out, and not leave us to march.” A gaze parted from the server to land upon brethren, a soft nod from the Kagirinai as he once more awaited the words of Tenju.
[justify:3q7b8fvc]Lost in the sauce and yet still mentally stable, Tenju began to nod to each and every word Ojin spoke. As his brother continued on, his nods would become more stiff as truth clarified the air. Tenju smiled some and threw back another shot using just his forefinger and thumb to grasp the cup that rushed to his lips.
"You're absolutely right." Tenju's eyes started to rope-a-dope as the room started to tilt like pinball machines. Kyuubi's eyes were blood shot, and his countenance was draped with depression as the drunken state looked to triumph over the little sobriety he was holding onto. "I am fortunate enough to still have you here with me, brother." Tenju's eyelids felt like they were strapped to fifty pound weights, thus, compelling an open palm to come cater to his face.
"Do you think we'll get any visits tonight?"[/justify:3q7b8fvc]
[right:dkkd3379]
[right:dkkd3379]—burdened by the sun, wings begin to melt.[/right:dkkd3379]
A grace defined presently by the sake, the very drink that seemed to flow without end from choko to mouth, as the words of Tenju and his kin, Ojin, were shared before the innocence to their side. Yet for as warm as the sake made his cheeks, he would only nod and smile once more to Tenju, his words tongue remained in his control.
“Recently, while traveling to the west, I did encounter a man of whom I felt would be perfect for our little group, however; I wasn’t quite able to get a decent analysis of him, so his skillfulness isn’t quire determined.” Emptying another choko, he would continue. “I told him where he could meet with us, should he wish to pursue, so there is a good chance we may eventually run into him.”
With the final syllable, he would roll his head backwards, allowing the backside to rest upon the wall behind him, in tranquility he would sit now, basking in the exchange between Tenju and himself, it had been awhile since the demons had a chance to merely relax.
Taverns; the hovels of whores, criminals and businessmen alike. One would not presume to encounter the three in the same establishment simultaneously; and yet, here you have them. The 'business' that brought Takeshi here was at the behest of a man he had met not too long gone. It was only in passing, briefly at that and yet the unfettered killing intent that rest upon that man was enticing to say the least. If he was interested in nothing more than insight on it, he would accept the most unconventional of invitations.
He padded in through the entrance of the tavern to look around at this and that. The takegasa upon his head cast a shadow of the amber eyes that perused the room. They fell upon Ojin and Tenju reclining and sipping at sake. As he cut through the shallow sea of people that fluttered here and there, a woman carry a sake jar brushed against his shoulder. The contact ruffled his haori, exposing the hilt of the daisho set at his hip. A man of above average height, the woman paused to apologize and caught sight of the dimly illuminated irises in the shade of the man's headdress.
"S-sumimasen...". She regained her footing slowly and staggered off in a near trance after the exchange of glances. With a rotating of his arm, his haori was situated once more and the blades again, hidden. He moved to where Tenju and Ojin sat and dipped his head slightly.
Watashi wa, Ichiro desu. I believe we spoke in passing a fortnight ago. Yoroshiku.
[center:3nimwq1h][box:3nimwq1h]- t r u t h -[/box:3nimwq1h][/center:3nimwq1h]
[justify:3p2jzzr1]Basking in the thick of shadows manifesting in the poorly lit gloom of vip, drifting off into thoughts and railed back into reality whenever Ojin's voice demanded his attention. Tenju was laying on his back now and his hands lay folded atop fabric and abdomen, rising and falling in a serene yet arbitrary sequence, indicating he was still very much alive and functioning.
The ambiance of vagrant demons changed like the seasons as would fashion. Nothing was ever set in stone; thus rendering said individuals forever free of reality clutches, but, unfortunately, still slaves to its symptoms. Mortality. Disease. Bad business. A kit-n-kaboodle of bullshit that tainted the very air the newly arriving company now inhaled into his lungs. Ruining him forevermore.Is that so? ... Interesting.
Tenju's eyelids rose like blinds in the morning to peer through blurred windows at a figured foreign to his excellent memory. This must have been the person Ojin was talking about, what a coincidence that would be huh?
[/justify:3p2jzzr1]Speakin' of the devil, eh?
[right:1l12w5th]
Movements outside their secluded area would still pull upon his senses, the very ones that alerted him to the arrival of Tenju, a mere flux on the atmosphere would once more provide the tell. A smile adorned his façade as he twisted a gaze slowly towards the bamboo hat, before extending an arm to the end of the table, a cushion seated between both Ojin and Tenju. “Ah yes, welcome, this is Tenju; the man I told you about before.” Spoke as his arm drifted from Takeshi towards Tenju, before dipping back and eventually resting atop his lap.
It was the female that worked swiftly, her hands already holding forward for the new man a choko filled with sake should he want it, if not, it would be placed back on the table and severed later on. It was his task that was now complete, bringing the man with him to the Mizu-koori Izakaya, Tenju surely would have many questions to ask the man and likewise the man would very likely offer his own inquest for Tenju.
For a moment the Kagirinai would devote his attention to the female, a vagrant demon quelled by the sake, now looked to the girl as a mere man with carnal pleasures. It was a simple look that caused her cheeks to sink and her heart to recall the words muttered before. Smirking still, he would glance back to the Akumabito and the hopeful before them.
Between the two of the Akumabito, he couldn't sense which has the more weighty killing intent. The air was rife with it's haze, not to mention the vapor from elevated body tempurature; sake was a formidable substance no matter WHO you were. As he stepped carefully to the cushion to which he was directed, Takeshi took note of the sudden shift in the demeanor of the woman that accompanied Ojin. It was of no consequence to him; he was no saint.
As fate would have it, the young girl that had shouldered him only moments before appeared at his side as he lowered himself to a seated position. She poured him a choko, bowing her head as an apology of sorts, he presumed. The daisho set at his hip was removed, the soft sound of gloss sliding against silken cloth standing out against the ambient noises surrounding them. He placed them at his side; a measure of goodwill and respect. You do not talk business armed; at least not business you intend to honor.
"Yes, I recall...Ojin, was it not? Yes."
He removed the takegasa from his head to reveal his face. He bowed his head before Ojin and Tenju before taking a sip of the rice wine. The liquid burned ever softly in his throat; he now understood the lax poise of the two before him. It would not be long before his own inhibitions were laid bare. This was exceptional sake.
"I am eager to learn of why you called me here. It is not often that I am stopped on a whim and even less frequent when I answer a random calling."
[center:3nimwq1h][box:3nimwq1h]- t r u t h -[/box:3nimwq1h][/center:3nimwq1h]
[justify:3tyqua1n]
- From where he parleyed, Tenju's lackadaisical leer would wash over the would-be kisei just as he took a seat. Slowly, the Oyabun readjusted his current sitting plan, finding new comfort as he lifted himself from the floor, thus, bestowing what little decorum he had left to share whenever business was the topic.
My brother has an excellent eye for talent.
- Another choko struggled helplessly for freedom in Tenju's insecure grasp. Thoughts of what to say to the stranger came and left like the winter winds that ravished Mizu-koori's exterior. The choko began to slip, hurrying the vagrant to finish off what little sake that remained.
It is not often we open our arms to embrace strangers... treason is about as common as kirabiyaka running these streets. But yeah... my family is currently filling positions. The jobs that are available are leaning towards being seasonal; a form of security should business be in slow motion.
- Tenju slammed the choko base atop of the table his legs pressed against.
[/justify:3tyqua1n]Our applications are to the point. Our expectations reside above the clouds. If you're good with those tools you carry, and don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, you got yourself a job... whatever your name is?
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