NationStates Jolt Archive

For many people, it was simply too odd for them to accept. The idea of a modern samurai, of all things, just seemed preposterous. Any sword-wielding maniac would certainly be cut down by the first pistol, submachine gun or assault rifle they came across. Right? Thus, there was no way a modern samurai could possibly exist.

Sakura's group disagreed. They had attempted, over the years, to try to change people's opinions. The group had changed the concept of a samurai to account for changes in technology, adding in a pair of pistols to the swords traditionally handed out and using bullet-resistant vests instead of the traditional armor. They also dressed differently, often prefering black leather over more traditional clothing, and typically rode motorcycles instead of horses. And some of their tactics...

Sakura herself blinked and stretched, then sighed. Today was the start of a new day, and it would be a day that she would use well. She smiled as she looked over her collection of weapons, before moving to get dressed. The crisp chill of the morning air, signifying the fall that was slowly moving towards what would probably be a very frigid winter, and soon she would be forced to turn the heat on to avoid freezing to death.

As Sakura emerged from the building, now wearing the black leather that usually adorned her when going for a ride around the city, she blinked away the blinding light of the still-rising sun. For the most part, the city looked like any one you would find anywhere in the world, with its skyscrapers and other such buildings dominating most of the space. Yet, there were still traditional signs, such as the buildings that sported signs in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Some of the architecture also showed signs of the Asian roots, usually in decorations added to them. It was not usual to find what would normally be a bland modern building decorated with figures from Chinese or Japanese mythology. Some European as well, though much of that had been watered down over the years.

The people themselves were just as mixed. The mixture of heritages produced some interesting facial features, all the while clothing styles tended to be a mixture of traditional and modern, with modern being favored for walking around in the city itself. The common tongue spoken on the streets tended to be a mixture of the three languages of the nation, with each one having specific uses that varied depending on the speaker. Mixing in with them were a number of foreigners, who could easily move into the nation due to the lax laws on border crossing. In particular, the nation's government was unsure how to deal with the issue of travel when it had a lax policy for its own people.

It was not long before Sakura arrived at what looked, on the outside, to be an empty warehouse, possibly not used for years. She waited until no one was around before opening the door, moving her bike inside and closing it quickly. The inside was traditional Japanese, designed specifically to be a dojo for practice of various weapons and as a central command for her group of samurai. It did not surprise her to see Rose there, as the woman was always trying to perfect combining a katana and a pistol for fighting.

"Rose, any news?" Sakura asked.

"Not much. Heard some gaijin are looking to cause trouble. Wanna check it out?" Rose asked.

"Nah. Send Daisy and Dandelion. The two could use the field experience," Sakura said. "So, since we're alone..."

tag for later post

OOC: forgive me for not posting under the correct Username : The Black Agents, I cant get it to log on for some reason

IC:

" Are you sure the reports of active Samari are correct Agent 79, I am very skeptical of this re-emergance after some many years..." spoke Agent 60 as he walked along a side street within the nation of Forensatha. He had never been to the area of was very much lost... though he would never let his partner know.

" The reports are confirmed by the Grandmaster himself. And I know you wont dare doubt his word... would you?" said agent 79 sarcasticly back at him...

Agent 60 got a small smirk over his face as he knew what 79 was getting at...

" Thats a low blow 79... and you know it." said 60 before witnessing a yound rider enter an abandoned warehouse...

" &9 movment at section 7-Quadrent 9. young person... not identifable by gender.... Begin perimeter Survalliance." Orered 60 as he started walking back to his hotel....

Tein’shen O~Kan’e (http://www.atddm.com/tenshen.jpg), strolled along the sidewalk languidly.. Her meandering was, to all outward appearances utterly nonchalant, but that was her intent. She had been too well trained, from just past infancy, to be utterly, ruthlessly observant. Survival had hinged on noticing all about one – quickly and thoroughly, to the point of past habit, past even the instinct of one hunted, into the essence of ones bones and being. But then again many such skills and traits had been equally grounded into her. But this was a vacation, offered by her superiors, and thus she had not only the privilege of relaxation, but orders to that effect. The Societe d' Orchidee required it’s members to be above and beyond, and that required frequent vacations.

And so she enjoyed the fragile warmth of the early morning sunshine as it began to dispel the crisp chill the night had left behind. The city was pleasant and, in this section at least, was well kept and interesting. A park across the way caught her eyes and she turned at the corner to cross the street, interested in strolling amid the autumnally hued foliage. Her ladies Kamishimo (http://www.atddm.com/kazz.jpg) outfit suited the day - the hakima in a dark grey, the kimono a rich pumpkin hued silk. Her kataginyu, not as broad ‘winged ‘ as one tailored for a man, was done in an crisp, iridescent silvery grey noille that shimmered, even in the wan sunshine. And hid the Walther PPK under her right shoulder completely. The cross chest strap of the Lou Alessi Bodyguard shoulder holster was hidden by the cross over of the kimono and the Walther in .32 was thoroughly suited for small hands and was very concealable.

Her long, straight hair was pulled back with a wide viridian sash into a loose tail that fell nearly to her knees so it would in no way hinder her should she need to draw the katana and wakizashi that rode comfortably in the modified obi at her waist. Dark tabi and sandals along with other small accouterments completed her appearance The white face that made her artic blue eyes stand out was required of her – only her clients saw her bare face – and gave her it’s own sort of freedom.

Once across the street and well into the small park she paused to watch a morning breeze play with a handful of colorful leaves, dancing them about merrily.

And Forensatha with it's interesting combination of cultures was a perfect place for a Tanaaran on vacation to visit. There was a great deal of similarity between the nations.

"I tell you, there's a group of people watching us right now. Probably planning to attack the base or something," Tulip said.

Daisy sighed, lifting the teacup up and taking a careful sip. This was not the first time Tulip had said something like this. Most of the group tolerated the woman's paranoia simply because she was the one with the most expertise at setting up security systems. That was the only reason why Daisy and Dandelion, both of whom had the displeasure of having lunch with Tulip, did not tell her to quiet down about her suspicions. Besides, it would draw even obvious attention, even though the patrons around them were busy studiously ignoring the three.

The three had, due to the requirements of the tea shop they were at, chosen to wear kimonos. Not the full traditional garb, as the shoes of many patrons tended to reveal, but traditional enough. Daisy chose a pink silk outfit, which was decorated with a number of hand-sewn golden dragons, intended to match perfectly with the rare blond hair the woman had, and an obi that was covered in a mixture of Japanese and Chinese symbols, with the plain white nagajuban underneath. Tulip's cotton kimono and obi both were patterned to match, with a wild assortment of colors and shapes that left one unable to tell exactly what effect the designer had intended, made even more odd by the pink nagajuban underneath. Dandelion had chosen a deep blue outfit, a blend of materials that Daisy had not seen before, with a matching obi and a yellow nagabujan.

The one thing that surprised the three the most was the presence of weapons. Quite a number of people had shown up to the shop in hakamas, and Daisy had counted at least twelve katanas among the customers, not to mention several cases of nunchuks and other weapons. She was also pretty sure, by how one pair moved, that they had pistols in the middle of their backs. And the police didn't bother people about the weapons as long as they looked ceremonial or were hidden, due in part to shops like this. The other reason the police tended not to bother people is it was less paperwork for them if a citizen dealt with an outsider causing trouble instead of them, though most police would never admit that.

Daisy frowned as she felt a buzzing in her purse, knowing what it meant. She had hoped to keep the device hidden and not spoil the illusion of this place. But, no matter what, the modern world had to interject its ugly self even here. It did not surprise her when, upon discrete removal of it from her purse and keeping it hidden out of respect for the other customers, she discovered that there was work to do.

"Tulip, please excuse us. Dandelion and I have to deal with some people who are making trouble. We need to educate them in the ways of the nation they have come to. It is a pity that we must be rude and leave like this, and for that you have my apologies and my promise that we will make it up to you. But, for now, we must go," Daisy said.

Tulip smiled, saying, "No worries. It is a pleasure to dine with you of a morning. Bring honor to the Empire."

Dandelion stood, bowing at the exact same time as Daisy did, and the two began to slip out. They both bowed to the waitstaff near the door, each one discretely slipping the staff the payment for their portion of the meal, plus a little extra for the disturbance. As was customary, the staff merely smiled and bowed back, saying nothing and letting the two pass. This pattern had been repeated many times before by the trio.

Once outside, Dandelion turned towards Daisy and said, "Gaijin causing trouble again? That's the third group this week."

Daisy smiled at his comment, saying, "The price of opening ourselves up to the world. Now, let's stop and get changed. I like this garment far too much to risk it getting dirty and we didn't bring our weapons this time."

The Warehouse

The spar had continued for some time. Though Sakura and Rose normally forbade their group from using real blades in spars, they tended to spar with bare blades when no one was around. The same danger that led to them forbidding it was also why they used the blades, as that danger carried with it a certain thrill. And these two were far from amatures with the blades, each one knowing fully well the other has complete control over their weapon. That and neither one would hurt the other.

Rose had to admit, though, that the spar wasn't without pain. They never struck each other with the blades, considering it a show of true expertise that they could get very close without doing any damage, but they were free to use the practice guns on each other. And while both were armored to prevent injury, the paintballs still hurt quite a bit when they hit. And Sakura had to admit that Rose's skill in combining bullet and blade had far surpassed what the woman was expecting. In time, it may even become part of the training.

The spar came to an abrupt stop as the building's warning lights began to flash. They both cursed silently and quickly rushed to the monitor station, up on the second floor. The lights themselves were triggered to go off without sirens only in cases where it was proximity sensors going off, and several times had successfully caught burglars or other people trying to break into the building. They also tended to go off if someone lingered near the building too long.

"You see anything?" Rose asked, looking over half the monitors.

"Just a gaijin who looks lost. Probably a cat again. I've told Tulip repeatedly to work on the sensitivity of those sensors," Sakura said, turning away. "Shall we continue?"

Outside the building, a cat sniffed curiously at the door before turning and meandering away, still hunting mice in the area before returning home. It ignored the man standing out there; after all, he wasn't a mouse and certainly wasn't interesting. Neither the cat nor those inside were aware of the fact the building was now watched.

Near the small park

Sunflower was enjoying his day, out for a stroll and mostly enjoying his day. It was not often that he got a chance to enjoy the city's setup, even as far away from base as it tended to take him. Even less often that he got a chance to walk in a park. Still, he made a mental note to try to relax.

Sunflower had chosen, for his day, clothing that normally would be considered normal, in that he was wearing a black shirt over black jeans. A leather jacket dealt with the chill, while managing to conceal the USP pistol currently holstered in the center of his lower back. At his hip was a sheathed katana, with the other sword left at home to prevent people from looking too closely. He knew he looked, in part, like a character out of an anime movie... which was how he preferred it, since most people tended to not pay that much attention to the sword, thinking it to be a fake.

Sunflower had another for choosing this park: The local patrol had gotten in a new kid. The kid tended to harass everyone about weaponry, despite the long-standing policies related to armed civilians. In time he'd calm down, but right now Sunflower was in no mood to deal with him. Luckily, the kid was kept out of the parks and certain other areas, making it easy to ignore his existence for the most part.

It was then that he spotted her. The white painted face, along with the full kamishimo, drew his eyes. He wasn't sure if she could see him, or would pay attention to him, yet he could not help but see her. There was something about the woman... he couldn't figure it out. Still, it was rude to stare, so he turned his eyes back to what he was doing, continuing to stroll slowly through the place.

Of course she was completely aware of the others presence - though to one who was not Tanaaran, much less a fully trained member of the Societe there was no 'of course' about it - However Tein was both. The man in the black leather and jeans was noticed - he was within action range but it would have been terribly impolite to stare. She caught his eyes for a brief moment and nodded politely, acknowledging his presence. Once that courtesy was done she merely kept a minimal track of him with her peripheral vision and sidereal consciousness as she lingered to admire a bed of massed chrysanthemums in hues of deepest purple, gold and bronze. Their colors stood them out in the sea of dark greens that made up the foliage. Gently she bent gracefully from the knees to dip down and see if they had as strong a scent as the ones back in Tanaara did. She was pleased to discover that they did and a slow smile spread over her face.

Then she moved over to the tiny park’s sole bench and sat to let the strengthening sunshine warm her. She handled her blades with the ease of long habit. As a fully sworn Tanaaran Citizen she was required to own a weapon of her choice and as a daughter of House O~Kan’e, she, rather naturally, gravitated to blades. Specifically the heirloom pair passed down to a Daughter of the House – slightly shorter and lighter but made with as much quality as those of legend and kept with utmost care. House O~Kan’e was of almost pure Nipponese heritage and members tended to be short of stature– most of her clan stood less than six foot tall, the average height for Tanaarans – but never were any less in Honor and skill. House O~Kan’e had a long and proud history of service to Tanaara. And it’s current ‘Youngest Daughter’ was carrying on that tradition admirably.

She let the slowly growing warmth fill her, easing her ka and soothing her senses but never distracting her from her surroundings.

OOC: I apologize for the delay. My attempts to post this kept timing out.

IC:

Sunflower turned towards the flowers himself. He actually had no idea what kind they were... he only liked this area because of the peace. Her nod had been noticed, which told him she was aware of him, and returned. It was enough for him that she was no danger nor member of the police. Still, he could not shake his curiousity about the woman, since so much of her just seemed... He couldn't tell exactly what.

Finally, he turned to move towards the bench... only to find it already occupied. Smiling to himself, he moved quietly over, though he did not for a second think that she was unaware of his presense. She might not be, but he had the scar on his shoulder from Rose that proved assuming someone wasn't aware of you was too dangerous. It was when he was nearer, but still well out of arm's reach, that he purposefully betrayed his approach.

"Excuse me, madam. May I sit beside you? It is a lovely park and yet, so lacking in seating," Sunflower said.

(Ooh could I play as the main villain?)

Arbitrator Inspector Ayaka Eri adjusted the brim of his hat as he walked down the path within the local park. It was quite a nice day, a perfect day for a stroll. Or something darker...

The Arbitrators, or known to Angenterians as "The Bronzes" for color of their vehicles, was both the public and secret police force of the Holy Imperium of Angenteria, and enforced the Emperor's Law to the letter. Also part of their duties was to gather information about organizations that could present themselves as a possible threat to the Holy Imperium and it's people, so they could be tracked and eliminated. He smiled to himself, as he clutched a hot dog he purchased from a local food vendor down the street. He was selected for this job because of his Japanese ancestry, perfect for the job he was being assigned to do.

Recently, reports of a revival of an old tradition were coming back to Arbitrator Headquarters, an old tradition, known as the Samurai. The samurai, the old warriors of Japan, had decided to make a comeback, but with a modern twist. Surely, they had evolved beyond the padded armor and katana swords of the 16th century?

And that was Ayaka's assignment. He had been delegated to go the country of their origin, Forensatha, and determine whether or not these people were a genuine revival of the noble warrior class, or was just some gang using an old name to get easy fame and fortune.

But for now, it was time for lunch. Spotting an empty park bench, he decided to have a seat while he enjoyed his food. As he sat, he took in his immediate surroundings. Directly across from him, a man was asking a woman if he could sit next to her on a bench. Why not just use this bench, he had no idea, but perhaps he liked her, or something. That wasn't his problem. He adjusted his brown overcoat, and removed his hat, revealing his dark hair.

Tein had thought her bench had been the only one in the pocket park, but as the man in the black leather jacket asked if he could share her bench she realised that there was indeed a second one...and that it was in the process of being occupied by one who disturbed her inner peacefullness...If she had been a feline her ears would have been flat back at the sight of the man with a hot dog in his hand...

"Excuse me, madam. May I sit beside you? It is a lovely park and yet, so lacking in seating,"

She examined her impression of him carefully, made suspicious by the arrival of one who send uneasy tingles down her spine. But the thorough, if quick, double check, soothed her slightly. No, he did not seem at all intertwined with the other stranger. And he wore his blade well, without improper arrogance or ego. That was pleasing.

So slowly she nodded, meeting his eyes with her own. "Please, there is certainly room enough for two. And though the park is small its wa is very soothing is it not?" Her voice was lilting, it's disctinctive Tanaaran accent making her well cultivated voice most melodious.

Sunflower took a seat, carefully, as she spoke, replying with, "Yes, it is. Whenever my spirit is troubled or needs to think over something, I come here. The balance of elements here proves quite nice for chasing away what may plague you."

Even though Sunflower wasn't looking at the man across from them, he was still observing. The man had a brown overcoat and had, brown hair, and Asian features. The man was also obviously not Forensathan. He was obviously of Japanese ancestry, which made him more able to blend in, but had certain lack of refinement in how he moved that typically marked those native to the nation. To Sunflower, the man would have stood out less if he were an obvious foreigner, but most locals would not pay as much attention.

The other thing that bothered Sunflower was how the man could actually have chosen to conceal some very interesting weapons within that trenchcoat. It wasn't any personal opposition to weaponry that made him worry; after all, he was obviously armed, and it's not exactly easy to hide a katana when wearing what he was. What worried him was the man's intentions, as not everyone who had a weapon necessarily had it just for personal protection or the occasional bit of helping the police out. But, he would puzzle over the man later.

"The elders say that these lands have a variety of spirits within them, each one guarding a piece of the nation from hostilities. Each spirit, if invoked right and treated with respect, gives a blessing to those who invoke them. And if properly balanced, the spirits work together to create a harmony that helps refresh the spirit and bring peace to the mind. I do not know the truth of these tales, but this place almost seems proof of them," Sunflower said to the woman.

Ayaka bit into his hot dog, letting the juice from the meat run through his mouth. These things, everything considered, were pretty bad for his health, but it's not like he had one every day. A little bit of anything was never bad for you. Except bullets. Or toxins. Both of which he was unfortunate enough to learn from experience.

The pair across from him had taken seats on the bench, and had began to converse with each other. The man, which he noticed was wearing many layers of black, had began to discuss with the woman about the local folklore of the nation. He opened his ears up, listening intently to their conversation, but making sure it wasn't so obvious, continuing to eat at his hot dog. He took note of the sword the guy was carrying. He noted the craftsmanship that was taken into the hilt, and the woodworking that went into making the sheath. He supposed most people wouldn't go that far, and deduce it as a fake. But perhaps that's what he wanted. He looked far too old to be an anime nerd.

The woman, which he also noted, wore a sword of similar style openly, and wore her traditional Japanese garb with something that can resemble pride. All in all, they seemed a little too odd to just be "normal people." He deduced he would watch them more closely.

After all, was the katana not the traditional samurai weapon...?

The Fanrai Mafia was the boss in their own eyes. They controled everything crime related in Fanrai. They were expanding to new countrys. Any competition or threat was destroyed imediatly. They saw the modern samuri as a threat. Henry Wilson was hired to take them out. He thought whoever these guys were , they were crazy.

I do not know the truth of these tales, but this place almost seems proof of them,"

Tein nodded as he spoke "There are many such places in my home nation. The touch of the Divine seems to be the most pronounced where nature is left the least troubled. Technology can be a dense veil to look through but not an impossible one." She settled her blades just a touch more as she turned to get a full face on view of the one she shared the bench with - that left the one across from them to her peripheral vision vision- the best vision for watching threats...

"But please, forgive my rudness. I am Tein'shen O~Kan'e from Tanaara" She made a half bow while she made a light, nearly soundless clap of hands, then offered her right hand for a wristclasp.

Daisy and Dandelion both were busy, at the moment. Unfortunately for them, the gaijin they were sent after was a runner. He was currently racing through the back allies of the poorer parts of town, taking turns at foot speeds that had almost sent Daisy skidding multiple times as she tried just to keep up. Dandelion had split off from the two, taking an alternate route to try to cut the kid off.

The person they were chasing was Emigio Martinis, who was an immigrant from North America. They weren't sure which nation, but they were sure that he had been trying to peddle cocaine. Street rumors were that the House of Rats planned a surprise for the unfortunate tourist, probably in the form of four walls of muscle and a lot of baseball bats. That House wasn't above using anything they could to secure their position, and just about everyone knew their position included everything illegal that happened within the Empire.

Unfortunately for the kid, just as he was about to make a break for the street he found his run abruptly ended. Mostly because Dandelion, who was tired of running, had swung the sheath of his sword into Emigio's stomach just as the kid was starting to pass his hiding spot. Then, while the kid was busy wheezing on the ground, Daisy took the time to lean up against the side of a building, panting from how tired she was from the chase.

"Shit, kid, how are we supposed to protect you if you don't stick around?" Dandelion asked.

"I wouldn't call that protection," Daisy teased.

"I'm protecting him from you shooting him in the knee," came the reply.

"Oh, come on! I only did that once! And that guy had a broadsword! The crazy bastard," Daisy protested.

"Pro... tect?" Emigio asked.

"Yeah. The House of Rats doesn't appreciate competition. They want to use your teeth for a necklace right now," Dandelion answered. "Now, let's get going. You can die from pain later."

"Someone's coming," Daisy whispered.

The Park

Sunflower made sure to keep the man across from them in his vision. He was unsure of what the man might do, all the while trying to make it look like all of his attention was on the woman. He could at least say that not all of the local scenery had been spoiled.

He smiled wide at what she said about the divine, then grinning as she introduced herself, returning her bow before taking the wristclap. "And I am called Sunflower. I once had a different name, but it was since given up for something a little less provocative."

His grin faded into a smile as he thought of something, saying. "I have heard an interesting tale about luck and this park. Would you like to hear it?"

OOC: Bump, to prevent it from falling too far back.

"And I am called Sunflower. I once had a different name, but it was since given up for something a little less provocative."

"You allowed your 'self' to be changed because others could not discipline themselves?" That caught Tein off guard, and no little shocked. She shook her head, falling silent for a moment s she tried to injest the injustice.

Then, after an apparently uninterested glance in the direction of the man on the bench across from them - but it was certainly not as uninterested as it appeared ...

I have heard an interesting tale about luck and this park. Would you like to hear it?"

She turned her thoughts to the diversion Sunflower offered. "Yes, that sound most intriguing, I'd love to hear it." She politely settled her attention of him, listening carefully to the story he told. Not only was she naturally a good listener, but she had been extensively trained.

He was known simply as 'Agent-5', he rather liked the nickname as it implied coolness and spying and all that. Still his job was not too dally on awesome spy names but to deliver the product to his superiors.

Agent-5 was a Forensathan, in blood at least, who had been recruited by the Red Tide Mafia operation that was moving into the country. The suitcase he was carrying contained what the RTM called 'dirt' on various local officials in this particular city. Agent-5's job was simple: get the suitcase too the pick-up point.

The pick-up point was a bench in the park, so...

'Damn!' Agent-5 thought, as he rounded the pathwa corner to the park and saw the bench fully occupied. A boy and a girl... Agent-5 did a double-take, the girl, she was not from around here. Ah, nevermind, it was impolite to stare.

The alternate pick-up point would be... there! The bench across from them. Wait? Was that man from around here? Ah well, it did not matter.

Walking casually up to the man (Agent-5, of course, did not know that he was Angentarian), he smiled politely and said, "Excuse me... may I have this seat?"

"Excuse me... may I have this seat?"

Ayaka looked up towards the man, smiling. The person who was asking looked Forensathan enough. Probably just a local wanting a seat. Well, he didn't want to draw attention to himself, and thought he could use the company. He picked up his hat off the bench, and placed it firmly atop his head, pulling the brim down.

"Please, be my guest."

Although, there was something strange about this one. Like, he had a purpose. Whatever it was, it probably had nothing to do with him.

With that, he turned his attention back to the two at the bench. The man had introduced himself as "Sunflower." Hmm. Not a name one might find off the street. Likewise, the woman had introduced herself as "Tein'shen O~Kan'e" from country called Tanaara. That wasn't as surprising. Her accent, while strangely alluring, was obviously not Forensethian. A foreigner and a man with a strange name together? His interest was piqued.

OOC: Trying this post again. It didn't go through last time.

IC:

"You allowed your 'self' to be changed because others could not discipline themselves?"

"It is a requirement of something else I am doing," Sunflower said, seeking to soothe her shock. "It is to humble oneself. By giving up everything except your own skills, you are forced to earn any honor you get. It is not an easy path, to give up oneself like that. But, it assures that any honor I get are because of the training I have and that any failures are due only to myself."

"Yes, that sound most intriguing, I'd love to hear it."

"I apologize for the summarized style of this. The original is very long, and I do not have it memorized," Sunflower began. "A long time ago, this place was just a village. Humble people lived there, working the land by day and praying to the spirits for guidance and protection by night. Then one day the nobility came to the town, having done some research. They needed a place established for people to live, to prosper, and to eventually grow into a sizeable community. At first, the spirits were angered; such a plan would push them out of their land and cut them off from their power. But, the spirits were willing to compromise: The city would come, but the spirits must have their own places in it, with the nobles using the oldest one to pay tribute to them. This part is the oldest, the place where nobles come every year to honor the spirits of this land."

Sunflower then grinned, saying, "And, whether they believe it or not, they still do it every year."

Then, he nodded to the Forensathan sitting down beside the foreigner on the bench, saying, "It is good to see so many enjoying the park."

"Honor must always be earned by each individual - if it is simply 'given', or 'expected' as some sort of 'inherent right', then it is not honor and worth nothing." Tein replied to Sunflowers comment. "Among Tanaaran's names, and family have great importance...but each culture is different."

She set her feelings aside, and listened intently to his story.

"And, whether they believe it or not, they still do it every year."

Tein nodded, pleased by his tale, and waht it said about the people of Forensatha. "I think the procession and celebration must be very grand then. It is good for the worthy ones to remember and honor the bargain. In Tanaara we have many places where such as Kami, Tengu, Tanuki, and Yōsei are known to dwell. They were there before we came and it would be inhospitable to even think to drive them away."

She boldly looked over at the pair sitting across from Sunflower and herself, now that she had a open reason to do so. She studied them intently for a moment, taking in every aspect of the men that she could see, memorising their appearances and manerisms easily.

"Yes it is good to see the fine day being welcomed, and and this serene place being visited. I don't mean to be overly forward, but could you suggest to me any local attractions that I should not miss? Guide books try to be complete, but I've always found that they do manage to miss some the best places to visit. Places the locals know of, but outsiders manage to miss, unless they are very lucky."

She hoped he would, she found his company enjoyable, and it'd be nice to get to know him better. Tein very much would like to get to know more about his earlier coments about his training and such. She had the very strong suspicion that it was very similar to her own.

OOC note: Giving time for others to post before posting myself. That's the reason behind the delay.

Ayaka couldn't help but take interest at the mention of honor. Honor was, of course, the center of the Samurai tradition, forming around their code of Bushido. But he couldn't let them know that. He turned his head to the man next to him.

"Quite a day today, is it not?"

The Park

The Agent gave a simple thank you to the man sitting on the bench he had asked about and sat down. Leaning the suitcase against his side of the bench, he put his head back and closed his eyes to rest a bit.

Then the man next to him spoke. Opening his eyes, the Agent turned too the man next to him. Listening to the (rather rhetorical) question, the Agent took a moment to glance into the sky, as if he had not really noted the weather.

"Yes..." He said absent-mindedly, "It is..."

Two story building at the edge of the park...

Nesov Nesovich Kelarvov growled in his throat as he stared at the two benches across from each other through his binoculars. In his mind, he was churning over and over again the same thought:

'Why don't you people damn leave!' Kept running through his mind. The shades were drawn and he was watching the two benches through a crack between them. The room itself was a rental, to be used only for the purpose of observing the Agent leave the 'dirt' at the drop-off.

Except there was another damn person there and he was not moving!

Lifting the binoculars too his eyes again, Kelarvov began to mutter under his breath as he watched.

Sunflower nodded to Tein, saying, "Our culture is similar... but, family can also bear the shame of one individual. It's unfortunate."

He smiled wide at her mention of spirits, but said nothing as she turned to study the other two. He would not interrupt her study of them, instead choosing to let it happen as normal and let her decide when she's done. He merely nodded to the reply of the newcomer before hearing Tein's question.

"You are far from being too forward," Sunflower said. "There's a place nearby that is very nice and out of the way. It is a combination rice and tea shop and specializes in more traditional edibles. It's not on any tourist attractions because the owners tend to prefer their customers be people who obey Forensathan values. But, the owners would not object to someone who so obviously fits in."

Sunflower stood, bowed to Tein, and offered his hand. "May I lead you to it? We may continue to talk there, if you wish. The building is one of our oldest buildings, so I am afraid the place does not have electricity, air conditioning, or even modern plumbing."

He didn't say the other reasons he chose that place: It's popular with locals and people tended to stick closer to the old ways there. Plus, one can find out more information about the goings on there, since people inside tended to trust each other more. And he knew the owners would take one look at Tein and let her enter.

OOC: Just bumping this up a bit.

"May I lead you to it? We may continue to talk there, if you wish. The building is one of our oldest buildings, so I am afraid the place does not have electricity, air conditioning, or even modern plumbing."

Tein's dimples could be clearly seen through her whiteface as she took his hand and with graceful delicacy allowed him to help her stand - though she put on a polite token of weight on him.

“This day is so comfortable, air conditioning would spoil it, and lack of electricity or plumbing does not negate the usability, or comfort, of a building. I would love to visit it with you.”

“And thank you for saying that I would fit in. I am sure now that I will find it a very comfortable place to spend time.” She looked up at him, her eyes alight with anticipation.

Sunflower merely grinned wide in response to her comments, accepting her hand. The walk would take them just out of the park, following along a paved road. Soon he would take a turn, the road quickly switching from asphalt to cobblestones, with the paving done by hand many years ago. Several people passed them, yet gave the pair nothing more than a glance before continuing along their way.

The building in question turned out to be mostly unmarked, with only a pair of crossed katanas crossing above The front of the building was unremarkable bamboo in construction, with old glass windows that had Chinese dragons painted on. The front room appeared to be a simple counter, with a few statues for sale and an old man behind the counter. Sunflower just nodded to the man as they passed, headed through a door behind the counter and down a set of stairs.

"And this is the place," Sunflower said.

The room itself was different. Wood, with wooden tables, and the walls were covered with hangings that depicted various scenes from Japanese and Chinese mythology. The serving staff was all traditionall dressed, while many customers sat around and talked, the customers themselves wearing a variety of styles. And, for the most part, they were all Forensathan.

OOC: Bringing this back up.

Ayaka smiled to himself as the pair rose to leave the park, walking down the street. They were so alike...

He had to see where they were going.

He waited a short moment, finishing his hot dog, and wiping his face with a napkin. When they were far away enough to not notice him, he stood up. Passing the man next to him, he gave him a simple goodbye.

"Nice meeting you..."

Depositing his garbage in a nearby can, he followed the two down the street. Eventually, the two had seemed to have entered a building. Strangely enough, said building only was marked only by the crossed katana blades. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to blend in there, as it was probably off-limits for the likes of Ayaka, and decided to play the waiting game. He would wait for them to leave.

OOC: Just waiting on posts.

Tein had certainly bee aware that they had been followed, but she said nothing, their follower was making an effort not to be noticed, and she would give him the benefit of the doubt.

And this is the place,"

Tein followed Sunflower down the stairs, pleased with the room she found herself in. She knew that the current patrons and staff would be giving her a cautious and polite once over. She bowed slightly, in her homeland it was traditional in such surroundings, then looked at Sunflower her artic blue eyes sparkling. "I can see why the honored owners and patrons would not wish to be in the guide books. Some places are better left for the comfort of the knowledgeable."