Fangs of Iron

Over the years of travelling about, there was one place Seiryu had always wanted to travel to, yet had not for one reason or another. Currently, somehow, Seiryu found himself at the Heavenly Emporium. Instead of browsing the streets and varying districts to see what was offered here compared to the minor lands that he had travelled thus far, Seiryu found himself approaching a familiar-looking scene –  a scene that reminded him of countless times he approached a building that served under the same concept.  A bar. This was where Seiryu found himself, standing outside the entrance to a bar, the name remaining unknown as he only saw the words ‘Beer, sake, drinks!’ posted on the outside of the building and that was enough to convince him to halt his progress of touring the Heavenly Emporium. For a man of twenty-seven years, Seiryi preferred to drink than look around a city; how that coloured him, he did not care. Looking around the city could wait for a later time, right now he just wanted some alcohol.

Pushing the door open and entering the building, the heat of the room was an instant blast to him. Did no one open the windows? Regardless, Seiryu stepped past the threshold to enter the bar and was immediately greeted by a female voice to his left. “Hello! Welcome to…” Immediately Seiryu ignored the voice, knowing it would be the usual spiel about how they could help him, thus he already an answer on his tongue before the woman could finish her sentence.

“I’d prefer a seat at the bar if you don’t mind.” Seiryu interrupted, his voice carrying over the woman who was speaking. It was probably, definitely, rude of him to do such a thing, but he was saving them both the effort and time it would take to get through that short conversation.

“Right this way.”

The irritation was present, Seiryu could tell that much. An apology likely would not help the woman’s mood, so he kept it to himself. Seiryu would follow the woman whose job it was now to lead him to the bar; which he could see from the entrance. The mundane effort and work that was part of this female’s job description was something SEiryu did not wish on anyone; there were far more interesting things one could be doing. Once seated at the bar, Seiryu would wait for the bartender to turn his attention over to him; it took longer than he liked due to the bartender engaging in a conversation with other patrons.

As of late the Shogun of the Land of Iron had found he had a tendency to meet interesting people while he was traversing the streets of the Heavenly Emporium, those whom he would never normally be able to interact with without travelling for a long time to get to them. He was dressed in a simple set of robes, his katana peace tied at his hip and his prized bow back home, much to his chagrin. He didn’t like feeling so naked, but there was truly no reason to carry a bow here, and therefor he would allow himself to part with it for the day. The robes were embroidered with the symbols of both Tetsumura and of his office, and it was likely that even those who didn’t know his face would recognize the symbols. He would sense the Ki of those in the vicinity, finding a handful of interesting people but none enough to pull him in.

Kensai would notice that he was wandering towards the place that he tended to frequent most often, that being anywhere he could consume copious amounts of alcohol. Fortunately there was a fairly nice “bar” that was without name that had a tendency to over serve people, and that suited the haunted man just fine. He wasn’t an alcoholic, but he certainly did enjoy the drink, and often took his chances to partake. He could also feel the most interesting source of Ki that he he had had thusfar encountered in this place, a seemingly powerful individual who was perhaps a cut below him judging by the feeling of his Ki. He couldn’t sense an elemental affinity which he thought was interesting, as the majority of the shinobi he had encountered in the past had had one, and even he him self was attuned to futon, but that only made the source more interesting.

The Iron Shogun walked into the show, the hostess bowing her head as he bowed to her. “My dear, a pleasure to see you as always. I’ll seat myself.” This wouldn’t come as a surprise to the hostess, as Kensai didn’t like anyone to dote on him and he was simply going to make his way to the bar anyway. He would take a seat beside the source of the Ki, a man who seemed to be close to his age by appearance, and interestingly enough looked more like himself than the majority of the shinobi he had encountered. He was more intrigued by this man by the second. “Barkeep! A lagavulin for me, and whatever my friend here is drinking.” Though he was dealing with other patrons, the voice of the shogun caught the man’s attention.

“Right away Lord Shogun.” The barkeep would mention, looking at the back as Kensai turned towards the man sitting beside him.

“They get busy here because it’s the only bar that doesn’t kick people out for drinking too much. They’re good people, for the most part, and the alcohol...is alcohol, which is my favourite kind.” The Barkeep would come with Kensai’s drink, looking towards the other man expectantly for his drink order.

The waiting had Seiryu’s right-hand fingers lightly tap on the wooden surface before him, while his left elbow rested on the table and his hand propping up his chin. One look at the man would clearly indicate one who was fine with waiting but really did not want to. Seiryu himself would consider himself a patient man in most areas of life, but there were few things that tested his patience. In this very particular instance, it happened to be waiting for an alcoholic beverage to be placed before him. There seemed to be a commotion happening near the entrance; essentially a minute or two Seiryu himself had entered this bar; name still unknown. His right hand momentarily paused the random tune it played upon the table to fix the sleeve of his kimono and then went back to the idle drumming. The commotion – whatever caused the bar to settle into silence for a moment – resumed once more. The knowledge that the commotion came from a new patron entering the establishment, Seiryu did not bother turning his attention to see who it was; it likely did not matter to him unless they would take a seat next to him, and in that case, he wouldn’t need to look over his shoulder.

And it just so happened to be that the individual themself who had just entered took a seat to Seiryu’s left. No rogue eyes wandered at this moment, though it was evident that the new patron was a male by the sound of his voice echoing. The response from the barkeep had Seiryu raise a brow and lethargically shift his attention to his left. There was only one person in this world, that he knew of, that went by the title of Shogun; the Shogun of the Land of Iron. Seiryu, however, couldn’t really recall the name of the Shogun, but supposed he’d recall it sooner or later, thus did not give it a second thought.

Seiryu’s ears picked up the words emitted from the Shogun. While it was nice to know the establishment didn’t kick people out for drinking too much, Seiryu wasn’t too bothered by that tidbit in places that did. Well… he did get kicked out a few times, but there was always an alternative he eventually found. “Well, alcohol is certainly alcohol. It all goes down and comes out the same eventually.” He said, as the barkeep would approach with the Shogun’s drink and look expectantly towards Seiryu himself.

Turning his attention towards the barkeep for a moment to place his order of drink, “Whatever nama biiru you have available.” Seiryu waved off, having no real preference; it would all result in the same conclusion. “Let’s go with your favourite.” Seiryu would indicate to the barkeep. He knew his alcohol, but today was just one of those days where reaching a decision eluded him, so he chose the next best option – getting someone else to decide for him. After having his choice of drink placed, his attention would turn back to the man next to him. “I presume you’re a regular here? Personally, I haven’t been to the Heavenly Emporium before today… and well… what better way to get acquainted with it than a drink or two.” The ‘drink or two’ certainly wouldn’t end there, as Seiryu was confident that it would be several before he would even consider leaving the place.

Kensai would look into his glass, the amber liquid filled a bit more than usual, the barkeep clearly having remembered his preference last time. The smokey smell of the drink filled his nose and a soft smile crossed his face as he allowed the aroma to enhance the first sip he was going to take. When he took the liqiud into his mouth he would let it sit under his tongue for a few seconds before swallowing, inhaling and exhaling deeply through his nose before taking a deep inhale through his mouth, an explosion of the peety flavour overwhelming his palate. If asked, he would likely describe this drink as ‘The taste of a bog fire, but in the best way possible’. It was an entrancing taste, and one that he had truly come to appreciate. As he drank the other man made his order and spoke, Kensai shaking his head at the words.

“I’m not a regular, no. I’ve been to the Heavenly Emporium a few times and this is where I generally like to stop...but I am also Kensai Tanahashi, Shogun of the Land of Iron, and that tends to have a bit of an impact on people like this. They remember their famous guests and will do their best to treat us well in order to have us say good things to people in the hopes that it drums up more business for them in the future.” He would take another drink, nodding to the barkeep as his glass was quickly drained who would bring him a large glass of amber ale. With the two men being served, Kensai would look towards the man to his left. “You know who I am, but I’m at a loss. You have a strong Ki, and that’s what drew me to you...but it’s not like that of the shinobi I have encountered in the past. You’re different, and I’m interested in how...I’m sorry if that seems odd, but I figured I’d be forward with you.”

The noise level in the room was adequate and Kensai would speak just loud enough that only the man beside him was able to hear him. It was amazing how easily a couple of trained individuals could have a secret conversation in a crowded room. Kensai could speak barely above a whisper and he expected that the man would be able to hear him, and he could easily do the same.

Seiryu’s ears would listen to what the Shogun of the Land of Iron was saying, yet his eyes would alter between the white-haired individual, the barkeep and the other patrons he could see without having to turn his head. It was mainly due to boredom and not due to wanting to avoid eye contact with the renowned Shogun. He supposed, he would relate more to the person seated with him than one of the kages of the major shinobi nations, but that was a moot point currently, for only one person was seated with him. Registering the name of the Shogun as Kensai Tanahashi, which sounded familiar enough, he would nod in unrelatable understanding to his status having an influence on his treatment by businesses.

With the drink before him, Seiryu would cradle the large glass between both his hands, not taking a drink yet as the Shogun continued speaking. As Kensai finished speaking, Seiryu would just let out a quiet sigh before lifting the tankard to his lips and enjoying the smooth taste of the nama biiru. He could acknowledge that he was more acquainted with conversing in loud rooms and still being able to converse better than most, but being a shinobi was one thing he certainly didn’t classify himself as being anywhere near.

“Well, I can say for certain I’m not a shinobi. I'd probably a terrible one if I was.” Seiryu would casually answer, choosing to take another sip of his beer.“And I certainly know what you are and your name, but not who you are. Like… what's your favourite colour? How many tree stumps can you carry at once? That kind of thing.” Regardless of the man’s status of being Shogun, Seiryu was bluntly honest with him. A title and name meant little to him. “As for me… well, I’m a child of a farmer from the Land of Fangs. Much more recently, a traveller of the world. Seiryu Imada.” His introduction was not formal at all, something that was likely what this man was used to from all sorts of individuals who met him. To Seiryu, it didn’t matter. He wasn’t devoted to a country that would need to deal with political matters, he was just a man on the road… currently in a bar. He would use a casual tone, not above the noise level of the crowd, but it was certainly drowned out by the surrounding noises.

Kensai would snort through his drink at the man’s response. The not a shinobi thing was interesting to him, but the odd kind of personal questions were what got him. He’d stop himself and swallow before allowing himself to chuckle. “Well if you must know, my favourite colour is red and while I haven’t tested it recently, I am strong enough to kill a person with a single punch, or launch someone hard enough to leave an impression in a wall, or rock, or whatever they hit.. I can fire an arrow two kilometres with perfect accuracy. That’s not who I am though.” The man would briefly summarize his backstory and Kensai would nod as he introduced himself. “A pleasure to meet you Seriyu.” He would take a large drink from his iron mug, the barkeep knowing his issues with glass, and sighed softly.

“So a traveller of the world, eh? Sounds like a nice way to spend your time. I love visiting new places and meeting new people. It’s how I spent most of my youth, though mostly in the desert which isn’t the most exciting place...unless you like sand I suppose!” He would chuckle again. Nobody liked sand, it was coarse and it got everywhere, but Kensai was hilarious and he knew it. Not everyone got his particular brand of humour, and he knew that as well, but it was okay. “Not being a shinobi makes you even more interesting. With a Ki as strong as yours you would be very strong. Were you to train in the blade, you’d make a very good Samurai. Learning to channel your Ki through your blade and the powerful style of Iaido in order to dispatch your enemies, if there were any. We hold no allegiance to any shinobi nation. We are sworn to constant neutrality, and will only get involved in shinobi affairs if the entire world is at stake.”

He noticed that the man didn’t seem to talk that much compared to him, and that was alright. Kensai knew that he could talk quite a bit about his passions, like the Samurai and archery. He was feeling this man out now, as it seemed he could potentially be a powerful ally and the Shogun could always use more of those. It was also difficult to find someone who wasn’t a shinobi with that much latent power...he wanted to see if he could help put that power to good in the world.

“I believe you avoided the question regarding the tree stumps, but I suppose I can forget about it. Just remind me not to get punched tonight if you would be so kind.” Seiryu jokingly commented on the skipped question, but it was not an important inquiry. It was simply a question relating to a very odd conversation he had with a peculiar individual. In regards to the punching comment Seiryu made, well he wasn’t too concerned by it; he doubt it would occur in a fine establishment such as this one where they could drink to their hearts’ content. As Kensai would indicate it was ‘a pleasure to meet him’ Seiryu would simply nod in return and take a hearty sip of the concoction in the glass he held. “A pleasure in return Kensai.” The man was a Shogun, but Seiryu forwent formalities with him. They were two men drinking in a bar, one of the last places that formality was truly required. Besides, the man likely dealt with it on a daily basis.

“I don’t have much else to do, so travelling is what I end up doing. Usually, I go where my feet take me. And, I suppose, in your opinion, I have been most fortunate enough that my feet haven’t made me wander anywhere close to a desert.” Seiryu added in, noting the comment the man had made on sand itself. Seiryu would let out a light laugh, shaking his head slightly, before lifting the tankard once more and letting the beer flow down to him even more. “Well, you could say I’m interesting, though I find there’s nothing truly interesting about me.” He would scrunch up his nose slightly, remember the slight irregularity he had with his chakra… ki… whatever people referred to it as. He still did not fully understand it, but it was something he learned to control – mostly – that it didn’t make an appearance often at all. Had this been just after his wife’s death, then it would surely appear frequently, but five years had passed by since then. “I could be strong…” He muttered before resuming at his previous volume, “Though I don’t really have a need for that. I mean, sure it’d be helpful to help out people in need as I go about my journey, but that hasn’t been a problem yet. A sword seems right if I had to pick a weapon.” He wasn’t too well versed in weapons, being raised on a farm, though he knew enough that the types of swords varied significantly.

“Besides, there would be less time for me to travel if I was committed to training. And I have no enemies that I know of… though perhaps maybe that one farmer who wanted me to get off his property. That was a good nap.” Realizing he was getting slightly off track, he would clear his throat once before resuming, “I have heard of the Land of Iron numerous times in my journey, and I certainly prefer its alignment than that of the shinobi. Far too many politics and needless battles for nothing.” Seiryu said as he would then go to finish off his first glass, placing it well before him and raising a hand and nodding to the barkeep to indicate he wished for another drink.

“Life is good if you have no enemies...treasure it.” Kensai would nod and smile as another drink finished up, the barkeep bringing another round. He didn’t have any specific enemies, but at the same time he knew that the entire shinobi world was a potential enemy that he would have to worry about in order to keep his people free and safe. It took nothing for two shinobi to walk into the Land of Iron in the past and burn it to the ground, and Kensai would never allow anything like to happen again. “And you can train anywhere. I travelled the world...or the desert...for a decade, and never once stopped training. I came out of it a far stronger man, and even though it led to my discovery that the expansion of the villages had caused the Shinobi to kill my family, it started my journey to being the person I am now.”

Kensai would force a laugh for a second before shaking his head and pulling an ashtray closer to himself. He pulled out a cigarette and sighed, putting it to his lips and lighting it before inhaling deeply, allowing it to make his head swim. He didn’t like to think of what had happened to his family, but he was a little bit looser than usual with his guards and filters and had said something he likely hadn’t meant too. The cigarette allowed him to bring himself back down to earth as a wave of sadness threatened to overtake the man, but he would fight through and take another drink.

“I don’t want to sound preachy or anything, and I don’t want to push the Samurai lifestyle on anyone. You would still be able to travel the would, come and go as you please. The world would recognize you as one of us, but the Iron Samurai are well received in these lands. We have a good reputation and are proud of it. I would gladly accept you into our ranks. You seem like a good person, and a good fit.” There was a chance that he had allowed the...four? Drinks go to his head a little bit too quickly, but while he nursed what he was pretty sure was number five it didn’t matter.

Kensai’s first response had been the most notable and the one he could relate to the most; as someone virtually unknown to the world, sans the Iron Shogun, the enemies Seiryu had made over a lifetime were completely nonexistent. It was not to say he was a saint, for he clearly was not, but rather that his lack of reputation and allegiances had kept him without any enemies. Seiryu would continue on his drink and wave for another one to be sent for him. A third drink was simply not enough; five years of constantly drinking had built up a tolerance that made getting drunk just slightly more difficult compared to his life beforehand. The mention of being able to train anywhere was an obvious notion that Seiryu could agree with, however it simply was not something… he did. At least currently. The need to get stronger, to fend for oneself, was not something Seiryu was overly concerned by; his life thus far had led to there being no need for such a thing to happen. Being a simple no one, just living day to day on the road with few belongings, had made it so he never had to be concerned about the likes of bandits and such. The few he had come across, he had been able to handle single-handedly.  Kensai’s tale of shinobi killing his parents, he could sympathize with. The world of Shinobi was foreign to him, but most of it always seemed to involve needless battles.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” Seiryu would say, even if the words were likely unneeded for an event that passed ages ago. Yet, some wounds always felt fresh; that Seiryu could empathize with. His wife’s passing was five years ago, yet some days it felt as recent as five days, perhaps even five hours. “Loss is something we all face. For some, it makes them stronger… and for others… well… they get stuck in limbo.” Those words were how Seiryu usually felt; going about his days with no purpose. Sure he tried to enjoy them to the fullest, but it still remained that he knew that each day would be much like the other; a day that passed by. Regardless of that outlook in life, he still lived his days enjoyably and with few cares in the world. No one really needed him; his family was fine without him.

After listening to Kensai go on about… really it was a proposition… joining him, Seiryu would take his drink and take a large swig. Perhaps he was far too sober… or the notion seemed far too ridiculous. Was the Iron Shogun asking him to join Tetsumura? Regardless, Seiryu would continue on with his drink, while waving for another one. His drinking lacked the thinking he thought he would do about the offer. Once his glass was empty, it would join the others on the countertop with Seiryu turning a curious eye to the Shogun. “I have a few questions before I even respond… Do I have to call you Kensai-sama’ or ‘lord Shogun’?” Seiryu would scrunch his nose at the notion. Regardless of being a leader of a village, that seemed… like far too much for Seiryu. It wasn’t a make or break notion, but it would give him a better understanding of the man seated with him. “What if I simply agree, but never appear in the village?” Seiryu didn’t know which was more likely, attaching the honorifics to the shogun’s name or going to the village itself; though it would likely be the latter option if he were honest. “It would bring me back closer to home…” The words came out softer yet with something more attached to them. He had not visited his wife’s resting place since he had left home all those years ago. Perhaps… he could visit if he decided to join Kensai, but that remained to be seen.

[Claiming Exp up until this post]

Seiryu would let his fingers drum on the table before him, switching his glance between the Shogun and his drink. Ultimately, his eyes landed on the glass that had been placed before him. He would pick up the cup, spin it with his fingertip before drinking it all in one go. The conversation, it seemed, had completely died off for whatever reason. Regardless, Seiryu had the distraction that was alcohol that would take his mind off anything and everything. Whether the wanderer would find himself in the Land of Iron was something he was unsure about. There was no way he could call any place home. Not after everything that happened. Perhaps his destiny was simply not to have one. To constantly be roaming these lands until his demise was finally met. That was something he could live with, he supposed.

Perhaps a return trip to the Land of Fangs would one day be in order. It would be quite the journey, but it certainly was not a trip Seiryu had in mind for the near future. Perhaps he’d make the journey further east, past the Land of Water to lands he had never ventured to before. He could simply disappear there and live out his days in solitude. Solitude, was something, he doubted he would ever find. Not with the existence of shinobi that could track him based of chakra alone.

“While it was nice meeting you… I think I should take my leave. Maybe we’ll meet again, maybe we won’t.” His words toward the Shogun were short, and Seiryu would take some ryo out of his coin bag and leave them on the table before him. The black-haired wandered would get out of his seat and make his way to leave the building.

[exit thread]