Xi Feng - Slow Morning

[13:29] <Xi_Feng> Xi stirs but soon wishes she hadn't, from the morning greeting of last night's wine. The large bed is warm, however, and so she tarries for a time, waiting till the pounding becomes the occasional tap.  From there, she flushes her system with a kindly placed pitcher of water, wondering what had happened to her companion. And what to do.
[13:34] <~Deedles> She's left undisturbed to rest and deal with her headache for as long as she likes. The room was quiet, though she could hear some faint chattering from downstairs.
[13:39] <Xi_Feng> A better part of an hour passes as Xi makes herself presentable to the outside world, performing morning rituals perfected during her time before she'd joined this wide-ranging quest. Cursing as her hair-brush finds a stubborn knot, she wonders how her old friends are doing at Zhuyun.  Looking down at the still water bowl, she's using as a mirror, she sighs.
[13:40] <Xi_Feng> "How did I manage to get into this?" A few minutes more, and a check on the stitching of her wound, she steps out of her room and downstairs, hoping for a mid-morning lunch.
[13:41] <~Deedles> As she went onto the ground level of the Inn she found the innkeeper sat behind the bar as he had been the night before, in the middle of sipping at some tea while reading a thin newspaper.
[13:47] <Xi_Feng> She looks about for one to take to read herself.  Keeping up with the latest current events could be to later advantage after all.
[13:48] <~Deedles> She could see a small stack of them on a table by the door to the Inn.
[13:49] <Xi_Feng> She takes one and places it on nearby table before stepping up to the bar. "Do you do lunch at this inn?"
[13:52] <~Deedles> "Indeed we do, little missy." The innkeeper told her with a slight smile. "Just head over to the kitchen over there and speak to my missus." he told her, lifting a hand to point to a door across the room.
[13:54] <Xi_Feng> "My thanks," she gifts him a smile and moves to and through the kitchen door.
[13:57] <~Deedles> As she did she would be greeted by the sight of a plump, elderly, woman in the middle of mixing something in a large wooden bowl. She looked up as she heard the door open, smiling warmly at Xi. "Good morning, dear. Can I help you?"
[13:59] <Xi_Feng> "Just something to light to eat, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."
[14:02] <~Deedles> "Would prawn dumplings be alright?" The woman asked as she put the bowl to the side.
[14:06] <Xi_Feng> "That would be perfect, thank you." Xi glances about the kitchen. "Where do you get your prawns from so far in-land?"
[14:10] <~Deedles> "Shipments from Haizhou." The woman answered as she got a plate, and then took the lid off another bowl, getting some dumplings onto the plate.
[14:12] <Xi_Feng> "Much like Zhuyun then," Xi smiles at the reminder.
[14:15] <~Deedles> "Yes." The elderly woman smiled as she handed Xi Feng the plate "Would you like some tea with that?" she wondered
[14:16] <Xi_Feng> "Please. How long have you and your husband run this inn?" Xi asks as she waits.
[14:22] <~Deedles> "Over 20 years now." She replied as her smile turned mild
[14:25] <Xi_Feng> "Ever since you got married?" Xi wonders.
[14:29] <~Deedles> "Oh no, we were married long before then." the woman moved away as she got the kettle off the stove and began pouring water into a teapot. "It was when he lost part of his leg."
[14:32] <Xi_Feng> "Part of his leg?" Xi looks back at the door to the rest of the inn. "I couldn't tell.  It must not weigh heavily on him."
[14:34] <~Deedles> "It did at first, but he's learnt to live with it." The woman said, getting a cup from one of the cupboards.
[14:36] <Xi_Feng> "How did it happen?"
[14:37] <~Deedles> The woman glanced at her, smiling slightly "Ah, you must be new here." she concluded "It happened the same way as most injuries in this town, those nightly attacks."
[14:40] <Xi_Feng> "I had heard about them.  If they've been going on for so long...I'm surprised this town isn't deserted, in all honesty.  All of you must love this town a lot to stay with that threat hanging over your heads."
[14:42] <~Deedles> "Well, we think it's the same source, the attacks only began becoming frequent 10 years ago, but even now they don't happen all of the time." The woman told her
[14:45] <Xi_Feng> "And when they do, the guards protect you? I've only seen nearly so many outside the Imperial palace!"
[14:56] <~Deedles> "Yeah, the guards do a good job, and they're good men, but I try not to dwell too much on it myself." The woman confessed, pouring some tea into the cup.
[14:58] <Xi_Feng> "I can understand that.  Ah, that smells nice." Xi comments as the smell of the tea wafts over.
[15:04] <~Deedles> "I'm glad you think so, dear." She smiled as Xi as she carefully handed her the cup.
[15:06] <Xi_Feng> Xi takes it with her free hand. "Thank you for your hospitality."
[15:18] <~Deedles> "You're very welcome. I hope it tastes well." The woman said as her smile grew warmer.
[15:38] <Xi_Feng> Xi gives a final smile and nods to the innkeeper and steps back through to her table.  A first sip of her tea and satisfied sigh and she opens up the newspaper to have a look.
[15:45] <~Deedles> A few minutes passed of her enjoying her early lunch in peace when the door to the Inn opened, a guard entering the building and moving up to the bar. "Morning Bao." The guard said while having a seat, his back turned to the rest of the room, and thus Xi. "Morning Kazu." the innkeeper greeted him with a faint grin. "What can I get you?" the guard lifted off his helmet-revealing his short, brown, hair-and placed it on the bar top.
[15:45] <~Deedles> placed it on the bar top. "A small glass of sake, please." he said.
[15:48] <Xi_Feng> "Drinking on the job?" Xi asks from behind her newspaper.
[15:50] <~Deedles> The guard glanced back at Xi, his green eyes flicking up and down as he studied her for a moment, before smiling. "Nah, I just finished my night shift." he answered
[15:54] <Xi_Feng> "I hope it was uneventful?" Xi lowers the newspaper down enough that the guard can see a quirked eyebrow and her eyes.
[15:56] <~Deedles> He nodded, meeting her gaze briefly, before he turned back towards the bar as the innkeeper placed his sake in front of him. "Apart from one troublemaker trying to enter the village it was calm."
[15:57] <Xi_Feng> "Troublemaker?"
[15:58] <~Deedles> "Some guy tried to get some of the guards to take him to our Captain, claiming to be working for the Emperor or some bull like that." The guard said with a shrug "When they refused he apparently used some weird power to knock back one of the guards."
[16:00] <Xi_Feng> Xi lowers the newspaper further, wearing a frown. "What did he look like?"
[16:02] <~Deedles> "Black hair in a braid, and wearing a ragged, silvery-grey, robe." The guard told her, glancing back at her again. "We got him to leave, but he said he'd be back, so give us a shout if you see him around."
[16:04] <Xi_Feng> "I definitely will if I see him.  I suppose my husband and I must have been lucky..."
[16:05] <~Deedles> The guard looked at her again with a raised brow, before he sipped at his drink "Certainly a lucky man." he chuckled
[16:07] <Xi_Feng> "It doesn't make too much sake to make you bold, does it?" Xi replies with a sly smile. "I do thank you for the flattery, however."
[16:09] <~Deedles> "A man who relies on drink to be bold is not a man at all." The guard said, spinning around on the stool so he's facing Xi.
[16:13] <Xi_Feng> "Says the man holding sake in his hand to the woman he's trying to impress." Xi folds up her newspaper, a smile evident on her face.
[16:15] <~Deedles> "For me to wish to impress you you would actually need to be available, and married women aren't my type." He replied with a slight grin
[16:18] <Xi_Feng> Xi laughs and picks up her tea cup. "So, what is your type?" She takes a sip.
[16:25] <~Deedles> He shrugged "The type where something won't back to bite me. Uncomplicated." he replied "Doesn't hurt if she's smart, but sweet, either."
[16:27] <Xi_Feng> "Shame, I know a girl like that but she's practically married too." Xi chuckles, cupping her face with her own hand.
[16:32] <~Deedles> "Oho?" He leaned back against the bar, sipping at his drink as he peered across at Xi "Too bad, but as the say, the good ones are always taken." he chuckled
[16:36] <Xi_Feng> "As they say, though I'm sure there must be someone out there for a dashing man in uniform like yourself." Xi's hand slips round her face to form a lightly-clasped fist under her chin. "Uncomplicated...sweet but smart, hmmm.  Perhaps I do know another girl."
[16:42] <~Deedles> "Ohh?" He leaned forward now, a faint look of interest in his eyes.
[16:45] <Xi_Feng> "I saw a girl on the way into this village who seemed your type.  Meifen, I believe her name was?"
[16:46] <~Deedles> He tilted his head to the side "Meifen..." he looked thoughtful and nodded "Yeah, I know her. She's a nice girl." he agreed
[16:48] <Xi_Feng> "I'm quite good at reading people and she seems to meet your type." Xi smiles. "You should try courting her."
[16:49] <~Deedles> He chuckled a bit "Possible, but I think her big brother would maul me when he next comes back from Zhuyun."
[16:51] <Xi_Feng> "It sounds as if you could deal with some training then."
[16:52] <~Deedles> He shook his head "I think you missunderstand me." he said, chuckling again.
[16:57] <Xi_Feng> Xi sighs and leans back in her chair. "A protective older brother is enough to make it complicated for you?"
[17:02] <~Deedles> He pondered on that "Not really, but he was also once a fellow guard."
[17:04] <Xi_Feng> "And he made all of you promise not to court his sister?"
[17:07] <~Deedles> "It's more like an implied thing." He shrugged "The thought hadn't really crossed my mind, I haven't spoke to her much, despite her being cute."
[17:12] <Xi_Feng> Xi picks up her cup again, twisting it idly. "Give it a try. Besides, her brother might prefer a fellow guard to someone else. And you'd get to prove you're bold without a drink."
[17:13] <~Deedles> "I guess..." he leaned back a bit, looking down at his empty glass, before putting it to the side.
[17:17] <Xi_Feng> Xi takes a sip of her own drink. "And if you do feel like you need some training, I'm in town for a few days."
[17:19] <~Deedles> "What kind of training we talking here?" he wondered as he studied her for a moment
[17:24] <Xi_Feng> "Nothing untoward," Xi laughs. "I am a married woman after all but my husband didn't marry me just for my looks. I'm more than a fair hand in a fight as well, with words, weapons, or chi."
[17:25] <~Deedles> "Chi...?" his eyes widened in surprise at that
[17:28] <Xi_Feng> "Oh, that interests you?"
[17:28] <~Deedles> "More... surprised." he confessed
[17:32] <Xi_Feng> "You'd be quite surprised if you visited Zhuyun then." Xi tips down the last of her tea.
[17:35] <~Deedles> "Hmm, maybe I will some day. According to Ichiro it's a very nice town." The guard mused
[17:37] <Xi_Feng> "It is. I lived there myself not too long ago."
[17:47] <Xi_Feng> Xi frowns. "Ichiro...there was a guard at the Red Phoenix hold by that name."
[17:48] <~Deedles> "That would be -the- Ichiro." the guard smiled "He moved onto bigger and better things than a town guard."
[17:55] <Xi_Feng> "He was doing well the last time I saw him. He was always very helpful and yet would always turn a blind eye to the mischief of the Phoenix girls." Xi smiles at the memories.
[17:57] <~Deedles> He laughed "That sounds like him." he agreed, turning around for a moment to get his glass refilled, before getting off the stool to move over to Xi's table. "Good to know that he's fine."
[18:02] <Xi_Feng> "I'm glad I could put any worries at ease for you."
[18:03] <~Deedles> "Wasn't exactly worried, the man can look after himself, but knowing is better than not knowing." He answered with a faint smile. "So, that how you were trained then? Red Phoenix Society?" he asked, sipping at his drink.
[18:05] <Xi_Feng> "Yes, I left to get married."
[18:06] <~Deedles> "Aw, a romantic escape?" He grinned
[18:12] <Xi_Feng> Xi grins back. "Something like that though nothing ever goes exactly to plan, does it? Still, I'm happy enough with my decision."
[18:13] <~Deedles> "That's all that matters in the end. As long as we're happy with our choices we can just hope they're the right ones." The guard nodded, leaning back in his seat.
[18:18] <Xi_Feng> "Exactly. Now, I," Xi gestures at the dumplings before her, "am going to start eating. If you wish to talk to me between my mouthfuls you can, I'm just telling you because I am now exceptionally hungry."
[18:21] <~Deedles> "Hah, sure, everyone needs to eat, after all." He chuckled
[18:26] <Xi_Feng> "Thank you." Xi begins to eat. "So, are you interested in training?"
[18:27] <~Deedles> He looked thoughtful and then shrugged "Doesn't hurt to train."
[18:28] <Xi_Feng> "Perhaps this afternoon then. After you've got some rest."
[18:29] <~Deedles> "Alright. Meet you back here?" he asked
[18:31] <Xi_Feng> "I'll be here.  If anyone else you know wishes to train, I'll be more than happy to help them too."
[18:32] <~Deedles> "I'll have an ask around." The guard smiled, downing his sake, before he slowly began to stand. "I'll see you later then, enjoy your food."
[18:34] <Xi_Feng> "Thank you. I hope you have a good rest."
[18:36] <~Deedles> "Thanks." He raised his hand in a casual wave, moving over to the bar to get his helmet, before moving for the door and leaving the Inn.
[18:38] <Xi_Feng> Xi turns back to her meal.  Some time later, and after finishing the newspaper, Xi stands and moves to leave the inn to find the others.
[19:06] <Xi_Feng> Xi heads towards the square, wondering what the others had thought to do that morning.
[19:09] <~Deedles> She would find it bustling with life, various stands dotted around the area, most for food, though there were a couple for clothes and gear. People, old and young, were moving around the square, but she couldn't spot any of her friends there, she does, on the other hand, spot the doctor from the evening before, over by a food stand, currently inspecting an onion.
[19:13] <Xi_Feng> Xi moves up to him.  After all, only the Doctor would be likely to recognize Yoshi, if he'd seen him today. "What's the diagnosis?" Xi asks as she steps to his side, grinning at the onion.
[19:17] <~Deedles> "Too ripe." Mamoru replied as he glanced at Xi "How's the wound?" he asked her, glancing down at her leg as he put the onion back.
[19:22] <Xi_Feng> "Still stitched up. No complaints so far from me.  Worth every piece of silver." Xi smiles.
[19:25] <~Deedles> "Good." he nodded with a faint smile, picking up another onion that he studied for a moment, before handing the shopkeep the money for it, slipping the purchase into a bag.
[19:34] <Xi_Feng> "Have you happened to see Yoshi today?"
[19:37] <~Deedles> "Yeah, he and your priest friend came by." The doctor answered as he slowly moved away from the stand "The priest stayed at my clinic while Yoshi went to look for another friend of yours, I believe."
[19:41] <Xi_Feng> "Ah, that's everyone then"
[19:45] <~Deedles> Mamoru glanced at her "Good." he said simply
[19:47] <Xi_Feng> "Does Yoshi know that Jian is staying in your clinic?" Xi asks as she tags along as he walks the square.
[19:48] <~Deedles> "Yeah, they arrived together." The doctor told her while they walked
[19:52] <Xi_Feng> "How is Jian?"
[19:53] <~Deedles> "He is fine, his wound has been stitched." Mamoru answered as he glanced at her.
[19:54] <~Deedles> "He did cause a ruckus last night though. He would do good to lay low."
[19:55] <Xi_Feng> Xi sighs, rubbing her neck. "Yes, I heard about it from a guard this morning. I can only imagine he was suffering from madness brought on by blood loss."
[19:56] <~Deedles> Mamoru shrugged "I won't presume to know why he did what he did."
[19:58] <Xi_Feng> "I'll ask him myself soon enough. What a mess."
[20:00] <~Deedles> "It does seem rather complicated."  The doctor agreed, looking at the buildings around them as they passed them by.
[20:02] <Xi_Feng> "Hopefully, when all of us get together again, we can figure out our next step."
[20:07] <Xi_Feng> "Sorry for the inconvenience."
[20:08] <~Deedles> "No inconvenience." Mamoru said as he waved a hand dismissively "But it does sound like you are a group on a mission." he commented
[20:09] <Xi_Feng> Xi looks at him quizzically. "What travelling group wouldn't have a mission?"
[20:12] <~Deedles> "Most travelling groups are just that; travellers." he looked at her with a faint smile
[20:16] <Xi_Feng> "Surely most of them are bandits, or performers. Or looking for a place to settle. I doubt many people are simply 'travellers.'"
[20:19] <~Deedles> "Aye, but they don't seem to be quite on the same kind of 'mission' as you." He chuckled
[20:20] <Xi_Feng> "I doubt anyone has ever been on even close to the same mission as we are."
[20:22] <~Deedles> The doctor shrugged again "I don't really know what your mission is."
[20:23] <Xi_Feng> "Saving Mei Lifa mostly." Xi says with a grin.
[20:25] <~Deedles> "That's quite ambitious." Mamoru said with a thoughtful look "Though I can't say it isn't needed."
[20:28] <Xi_Feng> "We're doing what we can. Unfortunately we've hit a giant tiger spirt-shaped snag at the moment.  Well...two."
[20:30] <~Deedles> "That does sound like a problem." The doctor glanced at her
[20:32] <Xi_Feng> "It was quite painful," Xi agrees.
[20:33] <~Deedles> "From your injuries it seems like it."
[20:35] <Xi_Feng> "Jian suffered the worst, as you probably saw. So, we're trying to find a different solution to the problems facing this town.  That don't end with us eaten by spirit tigers...." Xi frowns.
[20:35] <Xi_Feng> "If you got eaten by a spirit....what happens to the body.  Do spirits even poop?"
[20:37] <~Deedles> Mamoru looked blank at that "I have no idea..." he confessed "And from what your friend said he was stirring things up to try to find corrupt guards, not certain why though."
[20:40] <Xi_Feng> "We think someone in the village is controlling, or at least fuelling, one of the tigers."
[20:52] <~Deedles> "Oh?" The doctor looked at her curiously
[20:56] <Xi_Feng> Xi shrugs. "It's not really my area of expertise. Jian knows a lot more about spirits than I do."
[21:00] <~Deedles> Mamoru nodded slowly
[21:00] <~Deedles> "Well, not sure if I could do much to help."
[21:03] <Xi_Feng> "That's fine. It helps me to say what I'm trying to do out loud.  It gets me thinking." Xi crosses her arms and looks up into the late-morning sky.
[21:04] <~Deedles> "That's true, always good to give your thoughts air." The doctor agreed, looking up ahead as they approached his house.
[21:05] <Xi_Feng> "...I might have to use some of those techniques if we're unable to find anything soon..." Xi grimaces.
[21:09] <~Deedles> "Techniques?" He inquired, his gaze shifting back to her.
[21:16] <Xi_Feng> "I have ways of making people talk and tell me their secrets." Xi shifts her gaze from sky to him, but not meeting his eyes. "I prefer not to use them."
[21:21] <~Deedles> Mamoru stopped as they reached his home "Then lets hope you don't." he said, before opening the door for them.