Jian and Yoshihiro - Paths of Past

[16:45] <Earthflame> Jian sits down, breathing heavily as he dips a cloth in a bucket of water and presses it to his forehead. His muscled and scarred body is stained with sweat, and he gives it a wipe down as he leans back, looking at the sky as evening phases to night. He had been preparing all his life... But before the enormity of what faced them, he wondered if it was even close to enough.
[16:49] <Yoshihiro> The swordsman can hear a clattering coming from the exit of the smithy, made by none other than Yoshihiro as he knocked some things over by accident stumbling out of the building. By the look if him, Jian could tell that he was drunk, drunker than usual. "Oh, heeeey..." Yoshi offers a slight wave, his face a bit red. "Didn't expect anyone else to be out here...needed some fresh *hic* air..."
[16:52] <Earthflame> Jian wrinkles his nose. "Undoubtably." He stretches a bit... And then flicks the sodden rag at Yoshi. "Tomorrow's task is important. We will need clear heads... Or at least a good nights sleep."
[16:55] <Yoshihiro> Yoshi manages to avoid the soaked cloth, but in doing so falls over onto his side. At least the ground was nice and cool. "Heh, yeah, definitely..." Jian could probably tell by his tone that something was up. Usually the drunkard was always the merry sort, but that last statement seemed off somehow.
[16:56] <Earthflame> ...This makes Jian frown. "...Finally drink enough to upset something, Yoshi?"
[17:00] <Yoshihiro> "Nah, it's not the wine..." Yoshi replies, turning to lie flat on his back, gazing up at the stars.
[17:01] <Earthflame> Jian is quiet for a moment, closing his eyes...Reaching out with his senses, seeking to gauge Yoshi's usually unfailingly merry Chi.
[17:04] <Yoshihiro> There was a lot of confliction in him, that much was for certain, a mixture of fear, sadness, and anger all wrestling with the usual happy nature brought on by his drink. "Ever feel like something has come back to haunt you?" he asks suddenly, sitting upright.
[17:07] <Earthflame> "No." Jian replies after a thoughtful pause, but he continues a moment later. "It's almost the opposite for me. I feel like I'm returning to places I've never been, hearing stories of a family I never knew... I talked to Shiina more, and I'm sure now. Before my mother came to the village, she was of the Dancing Sword Clan... But what of you, Yoshi?"
[17:10] <Yoshihiro> Yoshi takes a moment to pull up the gourd at his side, staring at it thoughtfully. "It's a long story..." he says, recalling everything Shiina had told him as well. "Lets just say this isn't the first time I've been to the Jinlong..."
[17:12] <Earthflame> This revelation seems to give Jian pause for thought. He lets the silence and the night time air settle a moment before he speaks softly. "...After discovering how dark this world has become, I feel almost glad that I was not alive when my family fled from it... I wish destiny had been as kind to you."
[17:16] <Yoshihiro> "It wasn't that bad for me..." Yoshi admits. "To be honest, I had it easy compared to most, I left because it wasn't a life I wanted to live. Part of me is glad that I did, it's not like I regret coming to the village or anything, but after hearing what Shiina had to say I have to wonder if it was the best decision..."
[17:18] <Earthflame> ...Jian pauses again. Less thoughtful, more awkward. He wasn't really used to this. "...Uh. What happened?"
[17:23] <Yoshihiro> Yoshi lets out a long sigh, looks like it was finally time to come clean. "Before I came to Mt. Baoban I was part of a noble family." he explains outright. "Matsumoto isn't my real surname."
[17:25] <Earthflame> "...The noble families who fuel and support the corrupt government and the Black Lotus?" ...Jian's tone is cool and co posed.
[17:32] <Yoshihiro> Yshihiro shrugs his shoulders. "Don't know, haven't seen or heard from them in about five years." he confesses."Daizen is my real surname, Matsumoto is the name of my uncle. From what Shiina tells me he is also the leader of the White Peony."
[17:36] <Earthflame> "...The one who was captured?! That gives us even more reason to find a way to rescue him, and the other captives... Shiina said many of his family were captured..."
[17:43] <Yoshihiro> Yoshihiro nods in agreement. "That's not all, it turns out one of my childhood friends is also a member of the White Peony, we're going to meet Haru at the Red Phoenix."
[17:44] <Earthflame> "Well, at least that's good... Isn't it?"
[17:46] <Yoshihiro> "It is, but I think his sister Mizuki is one of the other people who were captured, Shiina didn't say." Yoshi looks down at the ground. "I can't help thinking that I should have been here for them, everyone..."
[17:47] <Earthflame> There's an odd noise, some sort of muted impact... And then the bucket of water lands on Yoshi's head, soaking him and giving him a shock of cold. Jian speaks as the bucket rolls away, walking forwards. "Stand up, Yoshi."
[17:49] <Yoshihiro> "Gah!" Yoshi jumps in utter shock as he is doused in cold water, arms instinctively hugging his torso for warmth."What was that for?!" he insisted, shivering in the cool night air as he wobbles to his feet.
[17:52] <Earthflame> "I've gotten used to you being irrating. But I've never seen you be pathetic before." Jian steps closer, eyes cold and hard as they fix on Yoshi's. "The Elements guide us for a reason. We are here, now, because it is the time for us to be. Save your moping and grumbling for the morning after. If you have friends and family in danger, then the only thing we can do is to do Everything we can
[17:52] <Earthflame> to save them."
[18:18] <Yoshihiro> "So that's why you poured water on me?" Yoshi wonders, looking all the more miserable. "I know what I have to do, we're gonna save them, of course!" he insisted.
0[18:20] <Earthflame> Jian smiles awkwardly. "...I'd always heard cold water was a good solution to uncooperative drunks."
[18:23] <Yoshihiro> "Well it's not!" Yoshi insisted. "Now I'm cold...and not happy..."
[18:24] <Earthflame> ...Jian smirks. "But you're not being pathetic. Just annoying. I've gotten accustomed to that."
[18:26] <Yoshihiro> "Well that's not very nice." Yoshi points out, then looks a bit thoughtful. "So...what are we going to do?"
[18:27] <Earthflame> "Tomorrow, we're wrecking a storehouse. Tonight... It might help if you blew off some steam?"
[18:35] <Yoshihiro> "I'll have plenty of steam to blow off when we're wrecking that storehouse." Yoshi assures him. "Right now I need to get dry before I catch a cold..." he shudders. "I think it's good that I got all that off my chest, though, thanks..."
[18:37] <Earthflame> Jian reaches forward, gripping Yoshi's shoulder."Both our bloodlines have led us to this city, Yoshi... We can work together, to help make it all right."
[18:39] <Yoshihiro> "Well, we sure have our work cut out for us." Yoshi pipes up. "Lets hope Haru has a good plan in mind."
[18:39] <Earthflame> He nods. "I'll see you inside, then."
[18:44] <Yoshihiro> "Yeah..." Yoshihiro conforms, rubbing his arms while following the swordsman back inside.