An Unlikely Call to Arms

Nagatomo Ken Recruitment Thread

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Vitamin
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Vitamin » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:23 am

Ken awoke to a flash of lightning illuminating the tiny window next to him, with the crashing of thunder following it shortly after. It sounded somewhat distant this time, which led him to believe that the storm was finally beginning to pass. He could barely hear the pitter-patter of the rain through the wooden walls which only helped to confirm his suspicion. He sat upwards in his chair, stretching out his arms and bellowing out a long burp. He looked around him, realizing that the world around him was no longer spinning in circles, which could only mean one thing; he was starting to sober up. Refusing to allow such a travesty to happen, he whistled loudly, picking up the empty bottle in front of him and wiggling it in the air to signal the barkeep to bring him another one.

The saloon was just one of many Ken had found himself spending most of his time in the last few days as he wandered the countryside looking for... something. He wasn't quite sure what his goal was anymore. This one was one of the grungier ones he'd been in, which was saying something. He sat in a sticky table in the corner, with a few empty glass pints and an empty bottle scattered in front and around him. All around the bar, there was several patrons who had seemingly also decided to make this their sanctuary for the night, while a few seedy characters still looked wide-awake and up to no good. Ken was surprised at how comfortable he had gotten falling asleep around these people. After all, places like this didn't exactly attract the most noble clientele, and if the wrong person knew who he was and exactly how much trouble he'd managed to stir up in the past week or so, he had no doubt they'd love to drive a knife into his back.

The bartender arrived, placing an unopened bottle of their cheapest whiskey on the table, while holding a shot glass in his hand. He held it in Ken's direction as if asking him if he needed it. Ken shook his head without even looking at the man and grabbed the bottle, opening it and take 3 huge swigs before slamming it back down in the table. The bartender chuckled and walked way, quickly realizing that Ken was in no mood for moderation.

The liquor burned as it made it's way down into his stomach, but it almost immediately helped to numb his pain. Ever since he'd heard the news, the days that followed had been full pain, both physical and emotional. His old master, Keisuke, who Ken had fought with for many years and who gave Ken his blessing to return home, had been murdered. In the following days, Ken went of a very misguided search for justice, drinking himself into a stupor and then picking a fight with just about anyone who even bore any resemblance to a samurai. To say it didn't usually go well for him was something of an understatement, and the shiny blue circle around his left eye, purple ribs and bloody knuckles were all evidence of that.

Ken took another swig of the whiskey, taking solace in the sting he felt in his throat. He peered out the tiny window, losing himself in thought for a a while. He could feel his eyes swelling up with tears again, but none would come out. He seemed surprised that there was no tears trickling down his cheeks this time, as he wasn't even drunk enough this time to numb himself. Maybe he was finally over it. Maybe he just had no more tears left to give.

He snapped back to reality just in time to watch the rain subside entirely, the last few drops splashing softly across the grass outside. Maybe it was a sign, he thought to himself. A sign to what exactly, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't in the mood to look for it. He took another swig of the liquor, placing it down on the table in front of him. He leaned back in his chair and placed his hands over his head. He sighed, closing his eyes in comfort as he could feel himself starting to get his buzz back. He had no idea where the universe wanted to take him, but if it really was trying to speak to him, it would have to try much harder than that.
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Nick » Sun Dec 16, 2018 5:45 pm

Fuhen had received a letter earlier that week. This was a somewhat uncommon occurrence, as while he sometimes received letters from his family, it was few and far between, because he was a hard man to track down in his many travels. He often sent notices with rough timelines to them, and sometimes when he visited large cities they'd have one waiting for him. Today was different. He'd been minding his own business on his travels, out on the road, when a man riding a horse came shooting towards him, seeking him out. He had a letter to deliver, and while Fuhen couldn't read, the messenger seemed to already have instructions to read it aloud to the Frog.

It had been a letter from an old acquaintance, one whom he had met during a job years ago when bounty hunting was his primary focus. The pair had hit it off immediately, and while one would struggle to call them the best of friends, there was certainly a bond of men between them, something that became appropriate between those who fought together. The letter had been, unfortunately, a last will and testament. Apparently, the man, Keisuke, had died, and while the circumstances understandably weren't covered in the letter, the intention was clear.

The Frog had been asked to seek out his apprentice, Ken Nagatomo, and make sure he was properly taken care of, and his training continued. Many men saw their apprentices as what would carry on their dreams almost as much as children. Fuhen didn't like the idea of taking on more stragglers, he'd already gotten an apprentice himself, and he traveled the world over with people from so many walks of life, but could he really turn down a last request like this? And so, with that, he took off to the vague area he'd been instructed.

It wasn't too long of a travel, but he did find where he was supposed to go eventually, and after asking around, and being tossed around from one tavern to the next, and one town to the next, and then tavern after tavern again, he finally pushed open the door to what seemed like a promising option. "Ken! Is there a... what was itNagatomo Ken 'round by 'ere?"
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Vitamin » Mon Dec 17, 2018 7:00 pm

Ken wasn't sure exactly how long he'd been staring at the window, but it was long enough for him to get back in his happy inebriated state. He picked up the bottle in front of him, eyeing what looked to be roughly a shots worth left of alcohol. At the beginning of this venture, one of these bottles was more than enough to last him a night. As the days went on, however, and his tolerance grew, one bottle went from plenty to nothing more than a really strong night cap.

He twisted off the top and tossed it to the ground beside him, preparing to polish off the last bit of that sweet liquid. No sooner did he put the bottle to his lips than did he hear somebody call his name from across the bar. It was a very tall fellow, which was a strange thought for Ken as he was considered one of the bigger guys around these parts. He had long girly hair, and a mushy pale complexion.

Looks like the word is out. I wonder if they sent this guy to kill me, or if he's here to help. Ken pondered quietly to himself. The man looked oh so strange to Ken, but in his current state of mind, it was hard for him to figure out exactly what was so off-putting about him. He thought about what his plan of action would be, and he decided on the only strategy that drunk Ken knew best; direct confrontation, with only mild hostility.

"I guess I'll see what he knows." he whispered to himself, gulping down the last bottle of liquor. With his opposite hand, he reached down under the table, placing it on his club. He left it there for a split second, before brilliantly deciding that this time he wouldn't need his weapon, and let it just brush off of his fingers.

Bottle in hand, he stood up from the table quickly, stumbling to his right a little as he struggled to regain his balance. After a moment or two, he stood up straight, and pointed at the man at the door with the bottom of the bottle. "You look-looking for me-me friend?" he mumbled through a barrage of hiccups. Ken strutted forward in a brash, confrontational sort of way, stopping himself about a foot away from the other man's position. With a scowl on his face and a chip on his shoulder, he looked upwards into the man's eyes.

"Well, you found me. What do ya' wa--what do you want?"
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Nick » Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:29 am

The Frog wasn't sure what to expect. Simply by the tone that locals used to point him in the direction of his target implied that the man was less than pleasant, but Fuhen was nothing if not indebted to the old man who had sent him the letter. When several people in the bar looked up at him at his callout, he wondered briefly what he had really gotten himself into, when after a short pause, a rather large man came stumbling up to him. He sighed. The man was drunk, which in and of itself wasn't a problem, the problem was that it wasn't a celebratory drink, or even a nice quiet sulk, it was clear that this man was an angry drunk, the kind that came forth in the darkest of hours.

"Ken, eh?" The Frog asked, an almost sad look on his face. "Got a message from old man Keisuke." He continued, quirking a brow. Then suddenly, in a blur of motion that would have been impossible for non-samurai at the bar to even comprehend, and likely a struggle for Ken as well, he was behind the man. Given their positioning, they'd never left in front of the door to the place, and Fuhen would fall to his back behind the man, kicking his legs up and out in an attempt to push the man up and out the door, where they could handle their business away from other patrons of the bar. It was dual purpose, adrenaline was often quite sobering, and it saved him from having to pay for any property damage resulting from the mans drunken stupor, hopefully.

Assuming his 'attack' was a success, Fuhen would use his leftover momentum from the kick to carry himself back up to his feet, placing a couple bills on a table to pay for the mans tab with a nod to the bartender, before walking outside after Ken. "He says yer trainin' 'aint done, and that without a kick in the arse yer gonna slack off an' never finish it!"
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Vitamin » Mon Dec 24, 2018 4:48 pm

Ken raised his eyebrows in shock upon hearing his late sensei's name. The sound of his name gave Ken a refreshing moment of clarity, and in an instant he could feel the surge of emotions rushing across his body. Before he could even process his emotions however, the man in front of him had disappeared in a blur. Years of fighting forced him to make a subconscious effort to track the movements, but in his current state, all it did was make him feel nauseous.

"What the-"

As the words left his lips, Ken was launched through the tavern door and out into the world, crashing face first, mouth wide open into the mud, freshly moistened by the passing rain. He pushed himself a few inches off the ground, gagging and spitting out the soil. He wiped the dirt from his eyes and gritted his teeth, the rush of adrenaline fueling his drunken rage. He opened his eyes, only to realize that the world around him was spinning. He tried pushing himself onto his feet, but before he could even drag his feet back under his body to push upwards, he succumbed to the spins. With a loud gag and a groan, he puked into the fresh face print of himself he had left in the mad. He did this two more times, gagging louder with each subsequent heave.

As all of his stomach content left his body, so did his fight. He rose to his knees for a second, wiping the puke off his his lips and flicking it into the ground beside him. He stared down into the mud, as a wave of sobriety crashed over him. He could hear footsteps behind him, and assumed it was the man that had just launched Ken out of the tavern.

"My training ain't none of your business, friend. What... just who the hell are ya? And how the hell do you know my sensei?"
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Nick » Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:06 pm

Fuhen could feel even as his feet connected successfully with the man that there was more to him than the skin deep appearance. There was hardly any give, implying strong muscles, likely stronger than the Frog himself, he realized. "Let it all out, pal, es good for ye." He kept a respectful distance, as it didn't seem the man needed someone to hold his head up for fear of drowning in his own puke. "Iyashii, Fuhen." The samurai proclaimed simply, slowly, letting the man work out the words through his addled brain. It wasn't necessarily that Ken would recognize the name, as even though Fuhen had a degree of fame throughout the minor countries, it was more that he needed the barbaric man to remember each word.

"It's my business cuz o' Old Man Keisuke himself, eh?" He made a gesture akin to horns over his chest, something he'd seen Gendo do a number of times when speaking of the dead or otherwise unholy things, something meant to ward off evil. "Last will and testament, innit? Had instructions t'track me down, and t'have me track you down. I know we've ne'er met afore, but Keisuke saved my life, so even if he's passed, I owe him." The Frog took a deep breath which turned into a sigh, before stepping forward, extending a hand out to the man who had sat on his knees. "Oi'm t'take over yer trainin', ye ken? Err... Ken, ye ken... hehehehe" The man's odd speech patterns led him to realize how nonsensical that must have sounded, and it made him giggle a little.

It didn't take long for the giggle to subside though, and his face seemed to melt into a grave, serious look, as he remembered what exactly he was doing here, and the implications it held. "There's change comin' on the wind, Ken. Listen for it." The Frog paused for a moment, whether it was for dramatic effect, or he was being literal was hard to tell. "Somethin' tried t'end the world every day, and if'n ye don't buck up and put yerself towards somethin' more productive, you'll let it end of yer own accord." As if to key in on his point, lightning flashed behind him dramatically. It made Fuhen want to smile, because similar things happened in his beloved samurai dramas all the time, but he managed to maintain a straight face.

"Sober up, and gird yer loins, elsewise the ghost of Old Man Keisuke will kick both of our asses, and I'll have t'kick yer ass on top of that."
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Vitamin » Fri Jan 04, 2019 12:40 am

With great discomfort, Ken managed to prop himself up on one knee, leaning over his raised leg while still trying to gather his bearings. He had begun to wipe the mud off of his shoulders, when he paused in surprise as the man announced who he was. Iyashii Fuhen he thought to himself. It was a name he'd definitely heard before, though he couldn't quite remember where. He repeated the entirety of the man's name in his head over and over again in an attempt to draw out whatever memories were stored away in his mind, until it finally clicked. He'd heard whispers of him throughout the lands, particularly in the samurai-heavy taverns he'd been frequenting recently. A young samurai, supremely skilled, who'd begun to create quite a stir in the status quo as of late.

Although he could clearly hear every word the man had said to him, it was only at that moment that he really began to listen. Ken rose to his feet, shaking some of the mud off his jacket while he listed to Fuhen talk about his old sensei. Ken wasn't really the skeptical type, but like any seasoned warrior, he was constantly on guard. Even so, he couldn't help but feel in his heart of hearts that the strange man was being nothing but genuine.

""There's change comin' on the wind, Ken. Listen for it."

As Fuhen paused, Ken could feel the goosebumps on his arms. The hairs on his back stood up as he felt a cold breeze rush over his body, followed by a soft whoosh sound. What must've been but a second or two seemed to stretch on just a touch longer, and suddenly Ken realized that he had been here before; not this exact spot, of course, and certainly not with Fuhen, but many, many years ago, with his old sensei. His mind drifted back in time to that moment...

A few small droplets of blood dripped onto the earth, overflow from the tip of Ken's knife. It wasn't his usual weapon of choice, but on this occasion, his iron club just wouldn't do the trick. He pushed the blade deeper and deeper into the flesh, scraping back and forth slowly. He tried his best to be precise and keep his patience, but after having struggled for the last hour, frustration had finally set in. He pushed the blade about one inch further, wincing in pain as he yanked his knife out. A slow stream of blood quickly followed, further staining the ground below him in red.

"Finally got it." he said, forcing his knife into the ground below him, and closing his hand to try and stop the blood that was now dripping from his palm. "Been picking at these goddamn splinters all afternoon it feels like."

"I told you to wear gloves lad. No sense in trying to be tougher than Mother Nature." responded an older, silver-haired man in a raspy voice. Ken forced a smile, turning his attention away from his bloody hand and into the fire that was crackling in front of him. He was usually very good about hiding his emotions, but the man that stood across from him had known him for too long to be fooled by any facade of Ken's. After all, he was like a father figure of sorts to Ken, and in some ways even more than that. He was his closest friend, his brother-in-arms, and of course; his shogun.

"What troubles you, son? Got some splinters in your ass too, ey?" he said, chuckling heartily at his own sense of humor. Ken simply glared at him through the fire; he was clearly not in a joking mood. The silver-haired man continued to laugh for a few more seconds, before finally settling himself down. He grabbed a log by his foot and tossed it into the fire in front of him, sitting in silence for a few seconds. "I know it's hard sometimes, lad. Hard to keep yer' faith. But you just have to keep on moving, keep yer' head up. If it were easy... well, there'd be a lot more of us doing what we do."

Ken's face became even sterner than before. He clenched his fists in frustration and slammed them into his thighs. "Just what the hell do these people want, huh? What more do we have to give them? We show up in their shit villages, rid them of their bandits, thieves, all the wolves killing their livestock, probably even wipe their fucking asses for them too, and for what? To get ran out of their villages like... like we're the assholes? It's bullshit!" Ken gritted his teeth, as a single tear drop rolled down his cheek, his fists shaking in sheer frustration. It wasn't without cause. After all, it seemed as if being shunned by every small village they helped had become the cool thing to do these past few months. Village after village had turned them away, and as they spent more and more time calling the woods home, the more the men who had rallied to join the cause decided it was time for them to return to theirs. There was only a few of them left now, perhaps a dozen scattered throughout the countries, and Ken, and surely his master Keisuke, the silver-haired man who sat across from him, knew that it was just a matter of time before it was just the 2 of them fighting an invisible war.

Both men stared into the fire, saying nothing for a few minutes. The silence did seem to quell Ken's anger for a bit, enough that his master finally decided he'd be ready to listen. "Listen to me lad, and listen good." he said in a very serious tone, a complete turnaround from the way he had spoken but a few minutes earlier."These people that we help... they don't know how to do anything but struggle and fight. It's all they know. It's one generation after the other, each one teaching the next that it's them versus everybody else, and that they need to fight in order to survive. They think that if somebody else if eating, it means they're going hungry. Sure, we show up and fight their fights and win their battles, but then what? They're supposed to live in peace? They can't. They don't know how. They need an enemy to fight. Sometimes, it's other villages or towns, and sometimes, that's us. It's them against everybody else."

Ken scoffed at the man's response. He looked at his master, his eyes welling up in tears. "So it's all pointless then? All the shit we do for the, everything we put ourselves through. They just are the way they are, and nothing can change that?" Keisuke simply shook his head. "Something can change it. Something will. It's just a matter of time." Ken raised an eyebrow inquisitively, the doubt in his mind clearly expressed on his face. Keisuke stood up, turning his attention away from the fire and staring up into the night sky. The fire between them crackled blissfully, fanned by the cool evening winds.

"Change is coming, Ken. I don't know when, and I don't know how, but it is. Maybe it'll be us, maybe it won't be. If it isn't us, then I hope I'm lucky enough to be around to see it, and if I'm not, and my time comes to pass, then I'll die in peace knowing that I played my part." Ken lowered his brow, sighing and shaking his head as if to dismiss his master's statement. "You can't be sure of that."

Keisuke slowly turned his head slowly towards Ken, staring at him with a sense of conviction that few people in the world could ever possess. "I am sure of it. As sure as the wind blows, it's coming." He closed his eyes, looking upwards into the sky and straightening his posture, letting the breeze flow through his hair. "Just listen for it...."


A flash of lightning illuminated the night sky, quickly followed by a tremendous downpour of rain, snapping Ken back into the current reality. He remained still, doing nothing but simply staring at the man across from him, unfazed by the sudden downpour. He wasn't the type to be superstitious, and in truth he wasn't sure whether or not he believed in the afterlife, or in some grand scheme or greater purpose in life. Still, something about this encounter seemed... different. Something beyond serendipity. As if the hands of fate themselves, guided by his older master, were forcing him on the path he was meant to follow.

Still, not the type to be dramatic, all Ken did was shrug and give an exasperated sigh. "I don't really know what the fuck you're on about friend, but you got me. I'm convinced." Ken let loose a loud, bellowing burp, patting his stomach in relief. He looked at his soaked, mud-covered clothes, and proceeded to take his shirt off, tossing it into the ground besides him. "I'll go with you. I think it's pretty clear I don't have any better places to be."

As if on cue, the barkeep from the tavern opened the door, looking out at the 2 men with a very frightened look on his face. In his hands was Ken's iron club, and he simply tossed out as far as he could away from the door of the tavern, quickly returning indoors and slamming the door behind him. It was pretty clear that he wanted no part of a fight between 2 samurai.

Ken started walking towards his club, and if unimpeded, would simply walk past Fuhen and pick up his club, giving it a few gentle taps to shake the mud loose. "Well, this is all I'll really be needing. Lead the way... uh, what did you say your name was again?"
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An Unlikely Call to Arms

Post by Nick » Sat Feb 02, 2019 3:18 pm

Ken took his moment of reprieve, and momentarily the Frog wondered if the mixture of rain and thunder made it too difficult to have a conversation. He realized of course that he was waxing poetic as well, and while it held a strong effect on some, on others it just sounded ridiculous, especially those who weren't used to the same brand of samurai action that Fuhen had grown to love from various plays. He realized that he did this quite often, in the grand scheme of things.

Aya and Kosuke had been brought into his fold via a prophecy, but more than one step along their journey he'd given speeches about the importance of their duty. Ichi was discovered on accident, and came with an important lesson on the value of life, and by extension, the value of death. Gendo and his apprentice Sato had been pulled together as the four winds, converged to deal with dangers too great for any one of them to withstand alone. If there was a lesson to impart onto Ken, Fuhen thought, it would probably be to celebrate your ancestor's lives, rather than mourn their deaths. Unbeknownst to him, it would be a lesson he should make use of all too soon.

Ken had his moment, and began to speak, and the River Country native had no reason to not let him speak his piece, though he quirked a brow all the same. The man was either trying to act tough, or perhaps just as likely, the alcohol was leaving him to act like a fool. He was willing to let that be all the same, Fuhen hadn't done anything to earn the man's respect, and didn't expect it as a result, and it wasn't as though he'd had his fair share of drunken nights. The Frog waved a dismissive hand, letting the large man retrieve his weapon of choice.

"Fuhen. From the land o' Rivers." He turned around to face the man, a smile adorned his face. He didn't know what to expect from Ken, as a man, as a person, or even as a drunk, but the last ace in a lost hand was the kind of unlikely bet that Fuhen liked to take. He stuck his hand out, palm sideways, ready to grasp hands with the man in an official capacity. "Make Keisuke proud, eh? Set a goal and work towards it, somethin' t'keep yer mind in the clouds, better than in a mug, t'be sure."
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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