[IC] The Jade Stream

[PKMNB0Y]

"Ugh... You know, this is really just not my day..."

For the longest time, here he had been, hidden in the underbrush of the forest near his home. It was a clear day, with only a few clouds to pass over the otherwise shining blue sky. That meant, of course, that it had been the perfect time to go out looking for some wild game. But it seemed that today, the goddess of luck scorned him. The last four hours he had spent here had given him no sign on anything. Nothing in the area moved, save for he himself and whatever the wind decided to sway every so often. He had tried to move around, in hopes that he might be able to find something somewhere else. Four hours, and nothing to show; no sign of any wildlife anywhere.

"...Nevertheless, I shall not give up. I shall catch something today, or my name isn't Liu Fengxian!" the boy hissed, rising out from his position and dusting off the varied leaves and debris that had gathered itself on his clothes. He had decided to borrow a bow from one of the townspeople today, promising to let him have first pick on whatever he wanted, but... Well, it wouldn't matter if he didn't catch anything, right?

But, fruitless as it seemed, Liu was not deterred. Was there anything that he could use as bait today...?
...
Not in particular, it seemed. Usually, if the hunt was going well that day, he'd use the animals he had caught as bait to catch larger beasts, but... Well, the results spoke for themselves. He seldom brought anything more than a weapon or two into the woods, anyhow; it was difficult enough carrying something like a deer back home, and having the extra weight would only burden him needlessly.

"But honestly now, this place is usually home to at least a boar or two. What could possibly...?" he trailed off, wondering to himself as he carefully walked off in hopes of finding... Well, any recent sign of life.

With the noon sun shining brightly upon the forest, the mixture of light and dark made the forest seem a lot more surreal than it usually was. The sound of birds singing gave Liu a moment's reprieve from the stress of the possibility of failure. Taking a moment to pause his hunt, the young man took refuge from the sun under a large katsura tree. Calmly seated with his back leaning upon the trunk thereof, Liu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It would do him no good to fret right now; animals always seemed to be able to sense tension in the air.

A few minutes had passed since then, and Liu, reinvigorated from the brief moment of respite, took to his feet again. The sound of rustling leaves nearby, though, immediately caught his attention. Taking out the bow on his back, he moved cautiously, treading carefully over the leaves beneath his feet. The sounds grew louder, little by little, as he edged closer and closer to it's source. Taking an arrow in hand, Liu drew the bow back and aimed, trying to take note of the sound's source and its direction.

"...There."

Liu let the arrow fly, and the dull 'thunk' it let out was followed by a loud wail, one that he had come to know quite well. Success!

Taking the opportunity, Liu began to move, throwing his previous caution to the wind as he dashed in the direction of his arrow. What he had hit was surely a deer, given the noise that had resounded from the area moments ago, and the uneven sound of leaves being crushed underfoot meant that he had successfully hit it, at the very least.

The chase had taken only a few minutes, but the creature seemed to have given up by the time Liu had reached it. The trail of blood that was left behind it meant that it was almost certainly close to death. If only he had hit the head, then maybe it wouldn't have had to suffer so.

But this was nature, and luxuries like a quick death were seldom common in a world like this.

Switching from his bow to his sword, Liu stood silently above the deer, its life ebbing away slowly as it lay prone on its side. With a quick slash of his blade, he quickly cut through the animal's throat before moving to retrieve his arrow. It had lodged itself in the deer's abdomen, which would explain it's rapid loss of life... Sheer luck, if anything. Had it hit a leg, the chase might have devolved into the creature's last stand... Which would have made a mess of the meat, and that would do him no good.

Flicking the blood off of his jian before sheathing it and putting the arrow back into its quiver to be cleaned later, Liu took a deep breath and, with both arms, lifted the now-deceased deer off the forest's ground and hoisted it over his shoulder. It was times like these that he really appreciated the teachings of his master; dragging this thing back to town would take at least an hour otherwise.

That was enough for today; he had no reason to try and be greedy, for that would only end with waste. With that in mind, the young man walked back to town to sell the meat of the animal he had just killed.

[Zeroth]

The Mingdu training hall cut a proud and prominent figure, and any who stood at the bottom of the long stretch of stairs leading up to the temple would feel the looming, almost intimidating presence, the weight of a long history, ready to burst forth from those heavy wooden doors. Outside the grounds, it seemed to radiate a reverent aura of silence, though no doubt those training within would be making plenty of noise as they crashed fist against stone or let loose powerful shouts of battle. But outside, there was silence...until the soft tap of a footstep upon the stone. Tap...tap...tap, a slow, peaceful rhythm as a single man strode up the pathway. Red like fire was his robe, and so too his hair, but he gave off little warmth. Hands folded into his sleeves, he cast an eye as clear and calm as the sea towards the great gates.

Founded by one who had once stood guard over the Emperor himself, and who had offered wise counsel, the school of Mingdu was known far and wide across the Three Kingdoms. Only a few from among thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, would be chosen to receive instruction from those who had inherited the founder's art. And among those chosen, fewer still would attain the ranks of masters, grandmasters...legends. Mingdu was such a quiet, tranquil place, yet perhaps within it there slept dangerous beasts? This man aimed to find out.

He stood before the mighty temple of Mingdu, and raised one hand to one of the two large, decorated rings of steel held in the mouths of lions. He let the knocker drop once, twice, thrice. Then, once more folding his hands into his sleeves, he waited as still as a statue. A gentle breeze toyed with the tails of his robe, and the tail of his hair. He waited, as no answer came for several minutes. Perhaps those within the temple were too busy training to hear the knock? He raised his hand from the sleeve a second time, and contemplated the lion's steel ring...then returned the hand from whence it came.

He took in a deep, slow breath.

Then a voice like thunder rang out over the temple grounds.

"Dai Xin, sole disciple of Grandmaster Wu Ji of the Fist of the Sky, requests entrance to the school of Mingdu! This one seeks the right to challenge!"

Startled birds made a mad dash for the heavens from the rooftops of the temple. As the last echoes of his explosive voice died away, the man once again waited in silence before the gates.

[VitaVitaAR]

"And then he said that he didn't have any," the silvery-haired girl said, "And I was kind of shocked. I mean, if you're advertising selling that kind of food, you should-oh, this is really good by the way-you should try and keep them in stock, right?"

She smiled widely, and took another sip. Ah, it was the best soup she'd had in a long time! Such a flavorful broth, such delicious pork that almost melted in her mouth... aaah, she'd been starving too. This was... what, her fourth bowl of it? She just couldn't stop! Much of the restaurant's patrons were staring in mute awe at the amount of food that the young woman had managed to polish off so quickly. One this was certain in their minds though.

After such friendly blabbering and rapid consumption of soup, there was no way that the girl could be the Tiger Lily of Rikoku. Sure, she fit the bill for the appearance, that strangely silvery-yellow hair, that ornate kimono, a katana at her side... but the blade had to be for show. No-one could ever act that way and be such a fabled swordswoman, a manslayer who never the less slew only those who threatened her or bystanders first. Not this silly, energetic young woman who had somehow eaten several large bowls of soup in a far shorter time then most people had finished one.

Ushijima Torako flashed her fellow patrons a wide grin, before digging into the remains of the pork at the bottom of her bowl. Ahhh, Mingdu was everything people said it was, wasn't it? Such pretty scenery, and the mixture of people lead to some pretty fantastic cuisine! This soup was awesome! It was deliciousness she had been craving, she hadn't had eaten anything too great for... jeez, how long had it been? Torako couldn't remember, really. But regardless, here and now, she was eating something truly delicious. There were so many people to get to know around here, too!

Soon enough, the last of the pork had vanished. "Hehe, wow, I feel great! ... I think I'm gonna have another bowl, Ruo-dono!"

The woman in her late twenties, pretty, with short black hair, did not care that Torako had stumbled on pronouncing her surname. The younger woman was friendly and had bought four bowls of soup and still wanted more. Taking the empty bowl, she nodded and swiftly left to get more.

"Haaah, this is great," commented Torako, mostly to herself, "I can't wait to try out more food here! I heard there's some pretty amazing local sake, too..."

She was going to enjoy herself. She was sure.

[Muttonhawk]

"Mingdu, after all this time..." Her glaive over one shouder and her helmet under her other arm, Kyang took in a deep breath of the fresh, summer air from underneath the town gate. This place looked less like a city than she thought it would; relatively quiet, surrounded by ponderous grey mountains, dryer than up north, sparse. In a word, peaceful.

Townsfolk wandered in and out around her, but unlike most isolated settlements she had stopped at, they gave her and her Daeyang-Gug style guard uniform no heed. However small this place was, it was a crossroads for all kinds of people. With all the fame that flows through the place, it would be perfect to blend in and hide away from her family.

The next phase in Kyang's plan was in action as she began walking forward, spying the various signs down the main street. She had no idea where the prefect or the mayor or whoever the head person in the town would be, but she surmised that would be the person to talk to about a desk job. Instead of finding anything resembling a governmental building, she spotted - or rather smelled - something that gave her an idea. Two ideas, in fact. It was a restaurant, the perfect place to ask the locals for information and to fill her road-weary stomach. The excuse to ask for directions was the perfect reassurance that she wasn't purely getting sidetracked by her hunger.

There were two major features of the restaurant that caught Kyang's attention immediately as she walked inside. The first was how hushed and whispered everyone's voices were. There had to be some reason, but Kyang couldn't quite put her finger on it. The second was the brightly dressed, pink-haired young woman sitting alone, save for next to a sword made in Rikoku, at least as the shape suggested. Well, everything about her screamed Rikoku, except for the way she was slurping down soup at an inhuman rate.

Kyang stepped up to the woman without a hint of recognition, despite the fact that everyone else in the place was clued in. "Hey there. This seat taken?" Kyang didn't wait for an answer before she leaned her weapon against the table and sat herself down, "You seem to be the only one doing any talking in this place. How's the soup here?" Realising herself, Kyang straightened up and extended a hand, "Oh, my name's Kyang. I'm new in town. What's your name?"

A sideways glance at the onlookers connected the dots in Kyang's mind. This woman they had been steering clear of this entire time was probably the reason they were being so quiet. In fact, this woman had a worded description that seemed familiar. It was strange, Kyang would normally be able to recognise such things in dangerous situations.

[VitaVitaAR]

Torako blinked when she heard a voice beside her. She placed her bowl down and swiftly turned to face the one who had approached her, a cheerful grin plastered on her fact as she did. After all, it was always an absolute delight to meet new people, wasn't it? And this girl looked quite interesting, she even had a rather fine-looking weapon! Ah, but that was a weird thing to comment on first, wasn't it? Leaning back, her grin managing to grow wider, Torako happily greeted the newcomer.

"Hi, hi!" she said, cheerfully, "The soup is great! Ahh, the pork melts in your mouth, and the broth is so savory and delicious!"

Investigation would reveal that she had only stopped eating because she had completely finished the bowl of soup. Torako was rather pleased that she'd had five. Maybe a sixth wouldn't be amiss, really... she still felt a bit hungry.

"It's nice to meet you, Kyang-dono!" she added, "Well, it's always nice to meet new people. Haaah, travelling is wonderful! You know, I've met so many people I never would have otherwise... but my heart's always in Rikoku!"

She paused for a moment, and realized that she had yet to introduce herself.

"Ohh, right," said Torako, rubbing the back of her head and letting out a small laugh, "My name's Ushijima Torako! I'm pretty glad you came to talk to me, everyone's pretty skittish in here except the girl who's serving me, and she's pretty busy, so it's not like I'm gonna bother her too much, right?"

She flashed another grin.

"After all, that'd be really rude!"

[Zeroth]

The doors slowly creaked open, a teenager in the garb of a low-ranked student appearing from behind them. He was angry, though upon seeing Dai Xin he wavered. The man in red took no notice, and clasped his right fist with his left palm before bowing.

"Good afternoon. I am--"

"We heard you the first time!" the youth said. "Do you have any idea how rude it is, to stand at someone's door and bark like a dog?!"

"My apologies." Dai Xin kept his head bowed, a sign the impertinent young man took as weakness. "I knocked, but when no one answered I became impatient. Is the headmaster in?"

"He won't see you!" the student snapped. "You're a fool to challenge us--the Five Wheel Striking Style of Mingdu is famous across the world! The master has no time for such foolishness! Go away and let us train in peace!" Withdrawing, the young man began to close the door...but found he could not budge it. He pushed harder, with both hands. When the door didn't move he looked up at the hinges with a raised eyebrow, but nothing was there that might cause it to stick. He set his shoulder against it and pushed with his whole body. It still didn't move. Then the student looked down--and saw just the toe-edge of Dai Xin's foot set against the corner.

"You--!" he began, but the sound died with a choke. Through the edge of the door, staring right at him through an opening only a few inches wide, Dai Xin's face pressed tight against the other side. In the shadow of the doorway only one eye could be seen, but it burned with an intense and barely subdued rage. The man's mouth was set in a line as grim as death.

"Please open this door, that I may speak with your master." he said in monotone. "If you do not, I shall knock on it once more. My fist is very hard, and this door is very old. I would not want to damage such a sacred place of training."

The young man stepped back from the door, and took off running further into the temple. The doors swung open hard enough to bang against the walls on either side, and Dai Xin stood with hands outstretched. He took a deep breath, folded his hands into his sleeves, and walked through the gates.

On the street below the steps to the training hall, a few passerby had just seen a man--whom some had heard screaming in a voice like a lunatic--apparently force his way into the Mingdu Temple. Some shrugged and went about their business, but others--especially those who were young and enthusiastic about such things--began running and spreading word.

"Someone has challenged the Five Wheels Temple!" they would shout to friends and onlookers. "He said his name was Dai Xin, the one who is rumored to travel Yunshou and take over other schools! There's going to be a fight!" And so the rumors went, spreading quickly, especially in the shops and stalls where there were many ears to hear...

[PKMNB0Y]

The journey back to town went as well as Liu had expected; no predators, no bandits, and, best of all, no annoying insects trying to get at the game. Coming through the back entrance of Mingdu, Liu's first course of action was to head over to the man that had lent him the bow and arrows in the first place; an old guard, one who had long since been relieved of the burden to protect and had instead passed it on to the next generation. On occasion, he would come by the school and watch the youths train; Liu assumed that it had something to do with nostalgia. Luckily, the man's house was quite close to the outskirts of the town, which meant he could get a place to skin this thing faster.

"Excuse me? Mr. Xu?" Liu asked, knocking on the door with his free hand. It took a few moments, but the soft sound of footsteps and the slow creak of the door followed by the old man revealing himself with a smile was reassuring. Good, he hadn't kicked the bucket yet.

"Ah! Little Fengxian! Come in, come in! My wife's currently out at the market, but I know she'd love some meat! I know I certainly would!"

The somewhat hearty laugh that followed only seemed to exemplify that, even if he was aging and his hair was turning grey, old Mr. Xu still had that fire burning inside of him. In a way, he was like a grandfather to Liu; his own, sadly enough, had passed away before he was born. As to why, well... Even his parents weren't quite sure.

"Pardon for the intrusion." Liu said, bowing to the old soldier as he carefully made his way into his home. "Do you mind if I skin and divide the deer right now? It's starting to..."

"No problem, no problem! You do this all the time, so there's really no reason to ask!"

"Thank you."

With that small bit of banter out of the way, Liu moved to the kitchen and, after carefully clearing the table in the center of any dishes or the like, went to work. Taking a knife hanging from one of the racks, Liu meticulously and rapidly began to dissect the deer. The head came first, then the stomach, and so on and so forth; he had done this countless times, and in about twenty minutes, his job had been completed. The skin was put to the side, carefully folded to deliver to the tanner later. Bu the meat, though...

"Just leave a leg here and I'll be fine!" the old soldier stated, standing from the side as Liu silently removed one of the legs and placed it to the side for him. "I really can't thank you enough, helping my wife and I with this. Really, I can't!"

"Well, your bow's certainly made my job easier, and most of the other bows are owned as heirlooms..."

"That doesn't mean mine isn't! You see, when I was younger-"

Before the old man could go off on one of his stories about his youth, Liu swiftly placed the bow back on the wall where it was displayed before moving to clean the blood off of the arrow he had shot to kill.

"...And then! When the flags of the enemy started waving in the wind-"

"Thanks, Mr. Xu, but I have to deliver this before it starts to get stale and begins to rot. Sorry!"

And with that, Liu took the remaining meat and skin left the house.

"Okay, let's see here... I would sell it on the marketplace, but in this sun it'll go bad too quickly there... The 'Blue Dragon', perhaps?"

The town's biggest restaurant had always been a reliable place to sell off whatever his haul was for the day, so it was only logical for him to check there first. With that in mind, Liu quickly walked off to the center of the town, where the restaurant was firmly situated for all to see and visit. The rumors of a challenger back at his old school interested him, but first... Money.

The restaurant was a lot quieter than it usually was, which piqued his interest. Everyone seemed to be focus on a pair of young women chatting casually in the center. But why them, though? Usually, such a sight was fairly common...

"Oh! Liu, you're here! What a miracle!" one of the waitresses exclaimed, running over to the young man as he entered the restaurant. "Our regular hunter couldn't obtain the deer that we ne-"

The waitress' gaze turned down towards the mostly-intact deer meat at his side before turning back to him.

"Well, guess I came at a good time, huh? Missing a leg, though, but..."

"It's fine, it's fine!" the girl returned, shaking her head. "One deer is good enough, especially with how big that one is. With that, we can-"

"You can make the house special, right? Don't you only sell, like, thirty dishes of that a week?"

"Yes, exactly! I was saying that our regular hunter got hurt on the job, and couldn't bring any in. Can we buy that off of you right now?"

"Name your price."

"One gold piece and twenty sil-"

"One gold and a serving. Just tell me where to bring it."

Quickly hurrying Liu to the kitchen in the back, the head chef had Liu bring the meat to a hook hanging from the ceiling. Taking the opportunity to wash his hands, Liu took the money and slipped it into his pocket before starting to head back out to the main dining area. Before he could make it out the exit, though, the waitress from earlier grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back.

"Why are you so relaxed? The famous Tiger Lily is out there right now!" she whispered, the panic clear in her voice.

"The... What now?" Liu asked, looking between the waitress and the table before shaking his head. "Well, whatever; it's the only table left with an open seat, anyhow."

Breaking the girl's grasp on his clothes, Liu walked over to the table at the center of everyone's attention and, to the shock of everyone (as if the first girl to do so wasn't enough), casually took a seat and smiled.

"Sorry for the intrusion; nowhere else to sit. You two liking the place so far? From what I know, you two aren't from here, and it doesn't look like anyone's giving you the usual courtesy... Which sucks, to be honest."

[Muttonhawk]

"I suppose so," Kyang said, a little less brash about her approach. That name was even more familiar. Who was this woman? "Waitress?" Kyang clicked her fingers in the air, "A bowl of what she's had, please!"

"So, Torako...dono?" Kyang began, not certain if she should be using that Rikoku honorific, "You're a traveller as well, huh? I was intending to stay here and look for a job. I can read and write in just about all the alphabets, you wouldn't happen to know anyone...?" Kyang trailed off, but before an answer could be provided, a boy sat down across from them both. He looked closer to Kyang's age than Torako's.

"Oh, no problem," Kyang responded, feeling a little chirpier. A local guy was much more likely to know where to go than a tourist. "Do the people around here not see many strangers? I've not felt this watched since the last time I was examined in a tea ceremony." Kyang finally put her helmet on the table and leaned on her elbows. "You a celebrity or something, Torako? Er, dono?" Hopefully this would provide the missing piece in Kyang's mind.

It was then that Kyang heard some excited shouting outside. She twisted to the door to listen. Something about a challenge against the school. Even Kyang knew enough about Mingdu to know what that meant. "Someone's asking for a hiding," she commented.

[VitaVitaAR]

"Ahh, I dunno, people have been pretty friendly!" replied Torako to the newcomer, giving him a cheerful grin too. "... Well, except right now I guess. The waitress keeps giving me this amazing soup though, so I'm pretty sure they're just shy or something!"

It's not like there was a reason to out herself as the Tiger Lily, now, was there? It didn't really matter, it wasn't any big deal. Besides, most of the people didn't seem sure if she really was or not. That was fine with Torako. "Anyway, it's fine, I like meeting new people! That's a big part of travelling, you know!"

As Kyang ordered a bowl of soup, Torako eagerly ordered another as well. That made six. Soon she'd have another meal of delicious, delicious soup... Ahh, it made her heart beat faster, the excitement of such wonderful and fantastic soup once again being brought to her, so she could indulge in its magnificent flavors! When the other girl referred to her, though...

For a moment, Torako's entire vocabulary seemed to change. Anyone familar with Rikokuan beyond the basic conversational language would recognize her speech had suddenly become extremely polite and formal.

"Please do not be misguided," she began, "This one is not suitable to be referred to as such, Kyang-dono."

It was good to get that out of the way in a direct and serious manner. The moment the words left the girl's lips, however, her usual demeanor swiftly returned. "Aaaanyway, I guess some people might recognize me, you know? I don't think I'm that great, but some people around here might know me or something?"

Torako gave a shrug. "I don't know if you'd call me a celebrity or anything. Maybe they like my clothes?"

As if to demonstrate, Torako flapped her arms lightly, the ornate designs on her sleeves fully displayed. The sheathed katana, too, was quite visible, resting at her side.

[PKMNB0Y]

"Not see many strangers? This place is in the center of the continent; how could the people here not be used to it?" Liu responded to the girl with a headband, letting out a quick laugh before the realization dawned on him.
"Oh. Now that you mention it, everyone was in a fuss about you. At least, I think it was you." he started, turning towards Torako. "Something about... A tiger lily? I understand absolutely nothing in regard to that, but that might just be me not spending much time listening in on gossip."

The hushed whispers coming from the crowd around the three, though, began to become a tad annoying. Though he couldn't quite make out what they were saying, the fact that they refused to be open about their conversations just felt... Off. Maybe she really was something unnatural?
...
From the looks of the bowls stacked on the table, at least, that seemed to be true.

"...Wow. You... You certainly do like the food here, don't you? I can barely finish three, much less however many you've managed to complete..."

This girl- Torako?- certainly seemed to defy most common logic, though; walking around with that kind of garment, coupled with that weapon and a seemingly insatiable appetite... Most bandits wouldn't hesitate to try to capture her for ransom, but she... Made it here. With nary a scratch on her, to boot... And it didn't seem like she was traveling with anyone else, either. What was she, exactly?

Actually, didn't the other girl have a weapon equally as ornate? Was she a companion? No, that one's manner of speech was more hesitant, as if they had just met or something. That wouldn't have been the case otherwise.
The heck was he getting himself wrapped up in?

"Well, it's good for business, at the very least. Though I'm seriously hoping you have the cash to pay for this... Actually, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Liu's words trailed off as a waitress brought the three their food; the girls, their soup, and him, a platter of lightly seared venison with a special herbal blend on top with a bowl of rice on the side. This was what the place was famous for, and by the gods it was worth the price. The gamey aroma wafted around the three, lingering about as Liu savored the smell alone for the moment.

"...Man, it's been a while."

Laughing, Liu took a pair of chopsticks and began to eat. Only here could they obtain those few herbs that made the dish... Well, "pop," so to speak; these mountains were truly nature's blessing.
Not to mention, they were also pretty damn good at warding off illnesses. A win-win, for sure.

"So... Anyways... I've yet to ask; for what reason have you two come here? I've yet to see a wanderer or a merchant that could garner as much attention as you have here, today."

[Muttonhawk]

Kyang knotted her brow up at Torako's change of tone and her head went back a bit. She raised a hand slightly. "Alright, alright, no need to get too lady-like. Not with me, Torako-dono."

At that point, Kyang wouldn't have minded if the topic wasn't pursued. Even she could see the subtext in Torako's reaction. This guy across from them, however, added one last detail. Two little words. Upon hearing those two little words, a click sounded in Kyang's thoughts that heralded her tensing up and entering a complete, wide-eyed paralysis. A wanted poster flashed across her mind's eye, depicting a sketched portrait, a sword, and a very dangerous list of deeds. Kyang turned her head slowly so that it was at the minimum angle to spy Torako's face and sword without angling her head down. Oh...

Everything else flew by Kyang's active consciousness without note; the boy's presumptuous comment about Torako's monetary situation, the arrival of her meal, the smell of the venison across the table. What snapped her out of it was a question directed at both herself and...well it was the Tiger Lily now.

Kyang's head jerked suddenly to address the boy. Remembering herself, she grinned widely. "Who, me? I'm just looking for work, I'm good with writing and language. Er, actually..." Kyang leaned her head forward, "Would you know where to find the headman, or the abbot, or the mayor, or someone who might have work in that area? Oh, and I'm Kyang, by the way. I didn't catch your name?"

Kyang tried not to glance at Torako or show any sign of suspicion. If she could get the information she needed, she could leave with no provocation, as quickly as she could. She probably would not see Torako ever again. It would be a shame to leave this soup behind, though. It smelled delicious and it had that little stringy fungus that Kyang liked.

Still, there was some clarity in Kyang's mind that questioned whether this well dressed, slightly ditzy human sink hole was who she said she was. She didn't look like a cold-blooded killer or a master swordswoman. She just seemed too friendly. If anything, the one everyone was shouting about - challenging the temple's masters - fit that bill much better.

[VitaVitaAR]

"Ohh... I guess some people call me a tiger lily!"

Torako hadn't missed a beat in her response. It was true, but who would believe her? It wasn't like she actively tried to convince people she wasn't, even if she didn't think she was worthy of all the attention. It's just that people tended not to believe her when she said who she was. She gave a cheerful shrug.

"The food here is great! I didn't have too much good stuff to eat on my way here, so this soup is the first good food I've had in a while and it's so good!" Torako paused for a moment, all smiles as the thought of the impending deliciousness filled her mind entirely. Each bowl was like some kind of miracle. "... As far as money goes, I always find some way to get by!"

Yeah, she always did find some way to get by as far as money went. There were plenty of ways to get money as a traveler, really!

It was about then that the wonderful soup arrived, as well as some sort of venison dish that Torako hadn't seen before. It both looked and smelled delicious, and Torako decided she might have some next time. But today was a day for pork soup, she had cravings and this was handily satisfying them! As soon as it was placed down, she began to rapidly devour the soup, drinking down the broth, savoring the exceptional pork... Ahh, every bite was like her first time!

"Haaah, so good..." Torako commented, taking a break from devouring her soup when it was, once again, nearly gone already. "... Oh? I'm here 'cause I wanna see this place, that's all! It's got that school, and it's got so many different kinds of people! So I had to see it, didn't I?"

She frowned slightly when Kyang continued to refer to her with '-dono'. She really wasn't deserving of that kind of respect. But... oh, she'd push the point after she finished off the amazing soup.

Once more, Torako was absorbed in devouring it.

[Zeroth]

The Mingdu temple had an orderly structure, its walls forming a rectangle around the grounds and merging into the main buildings. After walking through the gate, Dai Xin found himself in a small courtyard. On either side of a cobble stone path were zen rock gardens, and a few well-kept trees. It was a short journey to the main building, a structure of white washed stone with a bright red roof. The porch and the floors were made of the same polished wood, and Dai Xin stepped inside through the still-open framed-paper door. The student who had opened the gate had not bothered to close any other doors in his haste.

The main building's entrance hall was a straight corridor that turned corners at both ends, no doubt continuing to other parts of the complex. However, directly in front of Dai Xin was another door directly across the hall, which lead to the inner grounds. This part of the temple, hidden by the walls and surrounded by the buildings, could be considered the true "courtyard," and was the place where the students were currently training. From the color and style of their robes, compared to the more senior-looking man who stood at the head of the group, Dai Xin guessed that these were the lower-ranked students.

"You are the one who claims the right of challenge?" called the senior. He was a tall man, broad of shoulder, powerfully built, with a shaved head and narrow eyes. "I am called Zhang Li, and I am one of the instructors here. May I ask your name?"

Dai Xin again clasped his hands together and bowed.

"I am Dai Xin, sole disciple of Grandmaster Wu Ji of the Fist of the Sky. Forgive my impudence, but I seek the headmaster of the Five Wheel Striking School."

"Hmph! If you recognize your arrogance, then do not ask us to forgive it." the man said. "The master gives instruction to the higher ranking students in the furthest rear courtyard. But you will not be permitted entry. Leave now, before we have you thrown out. If you seek glory, find it elsewhere; our school is dedicated to forging the harmony of mind, body, and spirit."

"I share that dedication." Dai Xin said, standing straight again. "And I did not come here for glory. I came here to test myself. If you wish to throw me out...that shall be a fine test as well."

One of the students, a muscular young man with sharp eyes, stepped out from the class.

"Teacher Zhang, I'll fight him! Those stories about him are nothing more than hear-say, and I have confidence in my skills! Please, allow me to beat him and send him running like the dog he is!"

The instructor looked between the two, obviously in thought. After a moment, he looked to Dai Xin.

"If you lose a fair match, will you leave peaceably?"

"I will." Dai Xin bowed again.

"Very well. Xun, prepare yourself."

The young man was already walking in a wide circle around Dai Xin, until he stood several feet across from him, where the whole class would be able to witness their match. They stared at each other for a moment, then with a shout, Xun took his stance--a basic horse stance, though angled so that his body was sidelong to Dai Xin and his right knee, the one closest to his opponent, was turned slightly inward to protect the groin.

Dai Xin raised one foot and brought it stomping down, the sound resonating through the courtyard. His own stance was a back-leg position, his right leg bent with his body weight centered on it, and his left leg--the one closer to Xun--slightly straighter. His rear fist was held near his navel, and his left was extended towards his opponent.

Zhang raised one hand, then brought it down as if severing an invisible ribbon in the air between the two.

"Begin!"

[PKMNB0Y]

"Liu. And... Er... Work? Like... Clerical work?" Liu asked, eyes flicking between Kyang's weapon and her appearance fitting that of a traveler more than an aide. "...You sure about that? All this way for a dingy old job in some musty old building? I mean, from what I know, we've got enough capable personnel working the city, so if you really are looking for a job in that field you'll probably have a better time elsewhere."

Shrugging, Liu brought another piece of venison to his mouth before Torako's (incredibly) noisy slurping caused him to pause for a moment. These two were really breaking all expectations he'd have of them otherwise, wouldn't they? It was interesting, for sure, but... It still threw him off pretty hard. These two were eccentric to their logical extreme, Torako moreso than Kyang. There was no reason to pry into their lives, honestly, but there was nothing stopping him from doing so anyhow.

"Well, I don't know if you two are appreciating all of this extra attention, but I certainly don't." he stated, glancing at the crowd that continued to gossip around them before turning back to his half-finished meal. "So... I don't know about you two, but I think I'm going to check out that ruckus at the school. Half curious as to what they're planning to do with that challenger. If you're wanting to check the place out anyhow, then there's no reason not to follow. It's pretty famous, after all."

With that, Liu continued to calmly eat his food, forcing himself to tune out all the people buzzing like flies. Really, now... Didn't they have anything better to do? Like... Eating, maybe?

"Ah, but honestly, though... If he's gotten himself a challenge, then there's bound to be a spectacle. Making them cede on a challenge is huge. And if he wins..."

[Muttonhawk]

Kyang wasn't discouraged too much by Liu's comments, though she did take note of where his eyes wandered. It probably should have occurred to Kyang to look the part if she was going for a job. "Nah, I'll work something out. I've a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to details."

Despite wanting to press Liu for more details on Mingdu's administration, the moment she took to slurp at some chunks of her meal allowed him to change the subject. "Mm," Kyang prevented herself from speaking through her mouthful just in time - she was eating rather fast. She brought one sleeve to her mouth and raised a finger while she swallowed painfully. "Ah! Wow, you were right about this soup," Kyang commented quickly before looking back up and returning to the topic at hand, "Sounds like a good show. It might be the only time I get to see the inside of the school anyway."

Not only that, but Kyang entertained the possibility that Torako might stay behind to continue eating, well out of sword reach. Kyang could escape and continue talking to her new contact in Liu. However, she would have to confirm that first. Kyang turned her head to Torako, "You aren't going to give up this soup, though, aren't you Torako-...you know, why are we calling each other 'dono' anyway? Wouldn't 'san' work just fine? That's how Rikoku honorifics work, correct?"

[VitaVitaAR]

There. Another bowl finished. Ahh, even more would be nice, but... oh? Her new acquaintances were thinking about leaving and watching all the commotion or whatever? Torako had to confess that she hadn't been paying attention to what was going on so much. The soup was too good. And she could get even more... but... oh, no-one else in the restaurant was talking to her! She wanted people to talk to. Getting to know new people was so nice, after all...

"I'll come too!" she declared, cheerfully, after everyone else was done speaking, "As much as I do like this soup, you're the first people who talked to me in this place and I wanna get to know you better!"

That wasn't all there was to say, though. Kyang was questioning her speaking habits, and so, well... Torako wished to explain. To set things in the right direction and ensure that the other girl fully understood.

"This one refers to you in such a manner as you and many others are deserving of this one's respect," she explained, her voice once again level and calm, "This one is not deserving of such respect, and as such Kyang-dono may refer to this one in any way you choose."

For a few moments, Torako's sudden calm, placid demeanor lingered, before she swiftly reverted to her usual energetic and intensely friendly attitude.

"So let's pay and get going!"

[Zeroth]

The younger man, Xun, gave a loud shout and pushed off the ground hard with his rear foot, his forward foot barely lifting up. The low stance gave the lunge the appearance of simply sliding across the ground, as if he stood on ice. His right fist shot out at mid-height, a powerful punch that used the momentum of his leap.

Dai Xin drew himself up until he was standing straight, heels together. There was only a slight shift in the position of his body, but the added distance left Xun's extended fist hanging harmlessly in the air. Dai Xin slapped it aside with the palm of his left hand, just as his left knee came up to his chest as if he were stepping on a high ladder.

With a grunt he turned his hips away from Xun and kicked backwards. The motion was similar to a basic side kick, but Dai Xin's leg twisted as it drove into the boy's gut, using his heel instead of the edge of his foot like a back kick. The turning of his body gave it more penetrating power and made the extension of the leg a more natural movement.

Xun was bent double over the red-haired man's leg, pupils shrinking in wide white eyes, and coughed up spit as the air was forcibly driven from his body. He hovered off the ground for half a moment, before crashing down on his rear and sliding backwards until he sat, slumped, legs and arms spread limply in front of him.

"Twisting Spear Kick." Dai Xin announced, before relaxing his stance and folding his hands behind his back. "Your attack was strong, but pointless. Five Wheel Striking Style is known as the ultimate in defense, is it not? Why did you attack first?"

Zhang Li rushed to see to the fallen student, who was still coughing violently as he struggled to get his air back. After placing a hand on the boy's gut, he breathed a sigh of relief--the attack had not been bone-to-bone, so nothing had been broken, and the soft organs hadn't been ruptured. He looked at Dai Xin with his narrow eyes, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

"Have you no shame, to attack a child in such a way!?" he demanded, helping the still sputtering student to his feet. "You're a grown man! You could have killed him!"

"Then why did you send him to fight?" Dai Xin raised an eyebrow. Zhang Li stepped forward, brow furrowed in anger and mouth twisting at the corners. But he remained calm, even as a slight charge, almost like static electricity, could be felt in the air around him.

"Yes...I am sorry, Xun. I should not have risked my student for this." He took a horse stance as well, but where Xun's hands had been near his hips, ready to lunge out and strike, the instructor's were held up and ready, both arms slightly extended and loose, palms facing outward. "Come! Zhang Li, empty-hand teacher of Five Wheel Striking Style, will be your opponent!"

"Thank you. Please teach me." Dai Xin bowed again, before returning to his own stance. His own eyes narrowed, and the air around him seemed to grow heavier.

"This time, I will strike first."

[PKMNB0Y]

Liu looked back and forth between the two women and nodded his head before glancing over at the (now seemingly-relieved) staff and personnel handling the place. Were these two really disrupting business that much just by being here? That wouldn't do if they wanted to make money; no, not in the least.

With that matter settled, though, Liu finished up the remainder of his meal and beckoned one of the waitresses over, having confirmed that everyone present was ready to pay. Liu, of course, had no need to do so, but the other two...

"Well, that's fine by me. I'll head on ahead; just catch up after you've paid." he said unceremoniously, casually getting up from his seat and walking out the door. As he did so, though, he could hear the rumors about him already starting to float up.

"...People will be people, I guess." he sighed, casually making his way to the school near the base of the mountainside. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to backtrack and find those two before they caused any more of a commotion...

[Muttonhawk]

A shudder went up Kyang's shoulders as Torako insisted that she join them to watch the fight. It didn't sound like she was the type to be convinced to stay behind. Hopefully, continuing inquiry with Liu would not risk any bloodshed with Torako, though at this point Kyang was wondering whether she was overreacting.

As for the clarification in honorifics, Kyang just sighed and gave up. "I'll just call you Torako, okay? No more fuss," Kyang dictated with a sweep of her hand.

Kyang made quick work of the rest of her soup, but even then she felt as though she was holding everyone up. Paying for the meal was a little daunting as now Kyang had only a pittance remaining to her name. If she didn't find work today, she would have to find a place on the street to sleep. Hopefully vagrancy wasn't illegal in Mingdu.

"Liu! Wait up!" Kyang called out once the transaction was done. She snatched her glaive from up against the table and walked quickly to catch up. It was easy enough to find the school, it was something of a focal point, but Kyang didn't want to lose her contact. On the same note, she made sure to check that Torako was nearby.

Just to make sure she knew where Torako was, Kyang struck up a conversation on the way. "So, you look pretty well-off with those clothes. What exactly do you do, Torako?"

[VitaVitaAR]

Torako cheerfully followed the others out, seemingly oblivious to all the whispering and hushed tones surrounding her. The truth was she was sad about it, she just wanted to talk to people. But it quickly left her mind. After all, she got to chat with two interesting people and watch a fight or something! And all that awesome soup... six whole bowls. She might come back for more later, too... It was just that good. Cheerful and seemingly utterly ignorant of all around her, the silvery-yellow-haired girl followed along.

Kyang finally decided to start up conversation with her. Calling her Torako was kind of familiar, but the girl didn't mind at all. It was fine, it wasn't as if she deserved that much respect or anything, right?

"I had this kimono before I started travelling," Torako responded with a smile, "I make some money, but I don't get to buy stuff like this a lot."

She flapped her sleeves again, to show off the ornate patterning once more. Torako really was fond of it.

"Isn't it nice?"