Calm Down Grumpy

[Diatenshi]

Captain Ryōshi, the feared pirate captain of the Owashi, found himself in an unusual situation. Rarely was it the giant found himself far from the sea, and yet he'd decided to make this trip to visit an old friend. He'd heard rumors along the ports that Shio, a fellow missing ninja had done pretty well for himself during the great war, becoming the leader of a nation that stood strong and independent of the five major shinobi villages. A number of years had passed since they last saw each other and he decided to pay his old friend a visit.

Thus the salty seadog found himself at a quaint litte tavern deep within the lands of Iron Country. The tavern, nestled amidst rolling hills and surrounded by verdant forests, exuded an air of rustic charm. Its wooden structure, adorned with faded antiques, served as a beacon for wanderers and travelers seeking respite from their journeys. Kaisui, with his unmistakable pirate attire and immense presence, attracted curious glances from the patrons. Stepping through the tavern's creaking doors with a swaying gait, Kaisui's keen eye surveyed the room. The atmosphere was lively, with laughter and animated conversations resonating throughout. Farmers, merchants, and townsfolk mingled with roguish figures, sharing tales and raising their mugs in cheer.

The pirate captain found an empty seat at the bar, his tricorn hat resting beside him. He saw the warning scrawled on a board behind the bar: Come in peace or leave in pieces. It elicicted a small chuckle from the giant's scruffy maw. "I don't suppose you have any rum do ya? he asked the bartender who appeared to be a calm young man taking his first steps into adulthood.

[PopeOfPuns]

“Wish I could come home just once without him being in jail.... At this rate I'll never finish my service... least i get to visit granny & ma” Sanctuary, to most a place of relaxation & entertainment, was in fact a headache for young Shindo. He smiled as he served patrons their drinks laughing at their jokes, listening to their boasts, all the while keeping a weather eye for trouble makers. Sanctuary had 3 simple rules, with harsh penalties for those foolish enough to break them The first and foremost of which is clawed onto a sign above the bar "Come in Peace, or Leave in Pieces", the second being "hands off the staff", the third being "No Weapons". These rules were supposed to be enforced by shindo's father Kowareta, But more often than not Shindo found himself manning the bar, and keeping order. Kowa had always been angry & violent, only loosely kept in check by Suikazura, Shindo's mother. He doesn't know how, but she tamed his father enough that he at least tries to keep it in until some poor idiot tries to sneak a weapon in or worse yet, breaks rule 2. Well, two weeks ago someone did in fact break rule 2, the outcome of which was 4 people in the hospital, and Kowa cooling off in the village jail.

“sigh..... 3 more days...”. The hours passed by without any hassle, the usual patrons enjoying their conversations, drinks, and shogi. It felt like the bar went cold, and shindo felt his hair standing on end. His instincts screamed danger, as a most unusual sight crossed the threshold. A giant man, in dark clothes and a tricorn hat, a pirate. As he walked closer settling at the bar, Shindo forced himself to relax. While the man was certainly imposing, he seemed amiable enough, even chuckling at the rules. “Apologies sir, we unfortunately don't carry rum. If you're looking for a spirit of similar texture we have something of a local specialty I'd be happy for you to sample”. Taking into account the giant's size, he opted to offer him an entire bottle. “This is our made in house Mīdo, i hope you find it to your liking.” He gives the man a warm smile, diverting his attention somewhat to his mother and granny. The two were taking turns in the kitchen and delivering food to patrons as needed, and for the moment all seemed well enough. “If you don't mind my asking sir, I'm curious what brings you so far inland as to find sanctuary? It's not often we see men of the sea around here”

[Diatenshi]

The pirate let out a depressed sigh letting his head hang low. It'd been well over a month since he'd had a sip of his favorite spirit. Nothing quite compared to a salty swill of Kraken's Ink. However, Kaisui wasn't about to be disrespectful when handed a bottle with a homemade label. He gave it an appraising eye but couldn't tell too much from the bottle itself. He cracked it open with a solid twist and yank, breaking the wax seal on the bottle and pulling the cork out. He raised the bottle to his lips and took a long draw of it. The first thing he noticed about the drink was an overwhelming sweetness similar to rum even.

Taking another look at the bottle he'd nod appreciatively whilst slapping a fair number of ryo on the bar. "S'not bad, not bad at all. And yet... yo ho ho and a bottle o Mīdo don't quite flow the same." He'd take another sip of the Mīdo his eyes following the young mans to what he assumed was his family. The young lad bore such a striking resemblance to his old lady that'd hed probably do well working in theater.

"Sanctuary is that the name of this place?" He'd answer with a rhetoric question whilst looking around. The name fit with the rules at least. Certainly was the most mild name he'd heard of for a bar. Granted the atmosphere suited it. It was peaceful and calm here. The vibe of the room actually reminded Kaisui of the old man who's name he'd taken up. With a heavy sigh he'd give a nod and take another sip.

"Certainly does suit the place. As for why I'm here? Simply on my way to visit an old friend. Heard he started a village somewhere round here bout 2 years or so ago. Figured I'd check in yeah? So what's good on the menu lad? Kaisui's eye was once more captured by the old lady bringing out another tray of food. He was genuinely looking forward to a hot meal he didn't have to cook himself. And the smell coming out of the kitchen was making his mouth water.

[PopeOfPuns]

He nods and smiles appreciatively at his praise for the drink.“I'm glad you enjoy the brew, that particular batch was my own recipe! All the meals here are delicious, though my personal favorite is the honeyed salmon complemented with jasmine tea”. His speech trails off as he realizes, his smile cracks“You know the Taishou? Maybe you can ask him to give me more time off.... if only. my Apologies sir but I must ask for any weapons you might have” He eyes the cutlass before continuing, “It doesn't guarantee that rule one will be upheld, but it does reduce the likelihood of fatal encounters.” His eyes look past the giant a moment as 3 more patrons enter. “Greetings! welcome to sanctuary” Appraising them, it seems they've already done some drinking beforehand, and each has scars as if from a wild beast. They barely acknowledge Shindo's greeting, electing to sit at an unoccupied table.

[Diatenshi]

Kaisui would pause wondering what was going on in the young man's life that his thoughts would be so scattered jumping all around like a fish on the deck of a ship. Without a word, simply a grunt and a nod, he'd take his cutlass and pass it to the boy. He had no real need for the weapon if he intended to cause harm and if it would put others at ease he had no qualms about giving up his blade. He watched curious to see if the extra weight of the blade would shock him or not. After all, the blade wasn't made for someone of Kaisui's size, rather it was a two handed sword that he wielded with one due to his strength and size.

"Hmmm fish is a favorite. You'd think I'd be sick of it spending most of my time at sea. And yet being so far from home, the honeyed salmon sounds perfect though I'll pass on the tea. Never had much taste for leaf water."

Kaisui would chuckle softly before sipping the mīdo straight from the bottle. He was getting food, he had drink; the only thing that could've made it better would be a bonnie lass in his arms. Unfortunately, he was more than positive that the company he craved would not be available to him here. As the group of three walked in Kaisui taking note of their less than amiable attitudes. For shame. Even pirates had better manners it would seem. Granted it was none of his business, he'd probably help keep the peace. He had a favorable impression of the young barkeep at the least.

"The Taisho? Is that what 'e calls himself these days? Interesting. And you. Wanting time off ye said? Part of Iron's military force? Wouldn't have guessed that. I rather like rule number one up there. Even a man such as myself a sinner of the seas may find Sanctuary here."

Kaisui spoke loudly in case the trio had malicious intent, his words perhaps acting as a deterrent. For all he knew it was quite possible they were bounty hunters there for him. Trying to collect the bounty on his head, keeping their heads down to catch him unawares. As charismatic as he was there was no shortage of fools trying to cut him down to make a quick fortune.