The coming of the Black Storm (Open)

At a bar in the city of Edo the sounds of men sipping Sake and telling tales could be heard through the pounding rain form otuside in the dark night. The bartender knew most of his patorns and was expecting to bring in a good profit this evening. As he started to serve another round of drinks however the doors to the bar where opened and in walked Hattori Ishiagwa. He was dressed in his usual black gi and white hakama with his black katana and his black kodachi clipped at his side. His shoulder length black hair was drenched in rain water and he scratched at the eye patch on his left eye. He walked calmly and slowly up to the bar and looekd at the bartender as he spoke to him slowly and emotionlessly. "Some sake if you please?" he aske das he pulled out some coins and set them on the counter. The bart tender shrugged and pulle dout a bottle of sake and a cupo. He counted the coins while Hattori poured himself a drink and sipped the sake slowly.

No wonder humans don't like rain... Midori thought to himself, sneezing. He wasn't wearing a jacket in the cold. pounding rain and was completely soaked. In his Kitsune form he would probably have been fine. But he wasn't in Kitsune form, and wasn't fine. He didn't shiver, because he was beyond cold. He was numb in his hands and feet. He saw an inviting building where there was laughter, talking, and telling stories. He decided to go inside, seeking shelter from the rain. Most everyone stared at him for at least a few seconds as he walked in, completely soaked. It looked as if he jumped into the ocean and swam to shore only a few seconds ago.

He left a trail of water as he walked in and sat down in a chair at the nearest empty table. The bartender started at him for several moments before walking over and asking what he wanted to drink. "Grape juice." Midori answered. The bartender gave him a good hard stare again before turning around and going to get his drink. A drunk man at the table next to him was giggling uncontrollably. The bartender brought back his drink and Midori paid the man for the drink. Midori took a little sip and put it down, looking out the window at the pouring rain.

The rain fell down the sides of my hat as I walked into the bar, few men were in this place already, some menacing, some calm and lively. I simply closed my eyes and breathed in, calming myself, keeping my mind to my self as I walked toward the bartender and sat down next to a man with long silver hair.
"I would like a cup of half grape, half apple juice please." I said in a calm manor, the bartender looked puzzled about the choice but went to get it himself. I felt my eyes wonder to the man next to me as he drank from the smell of it Sake. He had a certain un-calming aura about him which was...eerie.

After a moment the man came back and put the multi color drink in front of me.
"Thank you sir" I mumbled as I picked the cup up and took a small sip from it. Sweet and bitter... delicious.

Hattori looked at the various people that came in. For some reason he was senseing something strange from the man who wa ssipping sake and wearing the rice hat. However his attention was diverted when he heard a group of men talking about something that peeked his interest.

"So I heard that this guy Hattori Ishigawa was the top tasjio and bodyguard to a Lord in Kyoto" one said.

"A tashio huh? He must have been pretty strong" one said.

"Not just that but I heard he earned the name the Black Storm in a battle when he slew 18 men on his own" the previous man had said.

Hattori snorted causing the men to look at him. He smirked at the men and said, "It was 23 enemies that he cut down to earn his nickname, not 18." Hattori poured himself another drink and said, "I heard he had previously left his Lord."

By that time there was a small puddle on the floor underneath where Midori was sitting. He hadn't even touched his juice, instead stared at it. He sat, shivering, and uncomfortably looking at the two that had taken seats nearby him. He sniffed, feeling as if he was catching a cold. He Looked down at the puddle at his feet and wondered what he was doing there in the bar. He would be better off in the forest in Kitsune form, beneath the shelter of a tree, instead of with a bunch of sweaty men in a bar. Midori quietly sneezed again, which caused even more water to drip from his hair onto the table. He didn't feel thirsty, especally for something cold. He'd rather be in a spa, or be sitting by a nice, warm fire. He just kept thinking to himself, Warm...warm...fire...warm...steam...hot tea...warm... He tried to keep his thoughts off of the cold water that covered him and tried to think of things that were warm.

In the middle of his thoughts, Midori was interrupted by a loud boom of thunder. He jumped, hitting his knee on the table and spilling his drink over. He stared down at the puddle, shivering. The bartender looked at him strangely and one of the girls that worked there came up to clean up the mess up. The mess was cleaned in a few seconds and Midori then asked, "Can I get some hot tea?" She nodded and went back to get his request. His hand emerged from his pocket, holding a few coins. He realized that he was almost broke then. I do not think I could buy a room at an Inn or the tavern... Midori thought to himself. The girl brought him his tea and he stared at the steam coming off of it.

I sighed as I looked over at a shivering man getting some tea, I felt pity for him. I could see he had few if not any money left on him. I stood from my seat and took off my outer and inner robe and walked to the man. "Here" I said softly as I placed them on his shoulders. "It should keep you somewhat warm" I also took a pile of coins from my pocked and put it into his hand. "This can last you through a night or two" I smiled at him and returned to my seat and sipped my juice.

"This man bothers me.....I can't place it but there is something strong about his spirit" Hattori thoguht as he looked at the man. Hattori howeevr sighed and looked a little solomn for a moment before anwsering the unusal travler. "Hattori Ishigawa huh? Loved for his heroic battles and victories won on the fields of war. Villianized as a ronin for abandining his lord and master. His definitions are numerous and wide. Though I suppose if anything I can call him a tragic victim who is trapped in his own past" he said as he sipped his sake slowly and carefulyl groipepd the handle of his black katana.