Orochi

**Date Started:** Febuary 20th, 2022
 **Date Completed**: TBA
**Previous Role-Play** N/A
**Next Role-Play:** TBA
**Users Involved:** User:Blackdagger01 & User:HoloArc
**Setting:** Hino
**Characters Involved:** Akeem Baqir, Mastraza Raikou.

## The Company of a Friend

The moon shone down through the branches of the surrouding trees like rays of sunshine keeping the dark at bay in several spots though far from enough to keep it from advancing. That was the job of the many fires that had been lit, around each could be seen people of all shapes and sizes though it was clear that they did not inner mix, the samurai set with the samurai, merchants with merchants, and so on. Akeem sat quietly around his own small fire, the flickering glow illuminating a small radius around him and casting long shadows that reached out into the darkness. He was alone but by choice, not having much in common with the older and more experienced merchants of the convoy, and those who'd come to Hino with the same goal as he wanted little to do with him. No point in getting friendly with the competition he assumed. All the same, he took in a deep breath, smelling the sweet aroma of the tea brewing in his pot and the meat buns steaming right beside them. Letting out a quiet sigh he leaned back on the stump he sat on looking up toward the night sky and making note of the stars that could be seen between the branches. Though Hino was known as the Sun's first kissed, the night was pretty too.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, his heart jumping in his chest as he remembered earlier in the day when they'd been assualted by beasts of the forest, no doubt drawn to the wares of the merchants and the supplies they carried. Nearly jumping up his eyes focused on what he'd seen, quickly discovering it not the be some beast about to set upon them but a woman who looked almost familiar to him. His eyes widening slightly as he came to the realization of why it was she'd seemed so familiar. It was her early in the day that had stepped in to fight off the beast alongside the Samurai. Though she stood out among, seeming not even to be a part of their group she'd felled nearly twice as many beasts than those who fought at her side. Remembering that fact a question hung over his head now as he watched woman leaned against the tree staring up at the same night sky as he had been only moments ago: Why was she all alone.

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud hiss of his tea pot as the steam escaped the spout like a whistle unto the night, a whistle he quickly silenced as he pulle it from above the fire. Looking back toward the woman she still sat there as if unphased by the world around her. Looking around at his own camp, small and lonely, untended to by any but himself he looked back at the woman for a moment before a small, gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Ma'am," He spoke in warning of his presence, not wanting to startle the woman more for his own sake than hers in actuality though it benefitted him either way. "You're the woman from earlier, right? The one who protected us from those things in the forest?" He asked, holding in his hands two cups and a few of his meatbuns wrapped in cloth.

The tall and muscular woman sat in meditation. A technique she had discovered greatly helped to soothe her nerves after a scuffle. She had sadly been through an argument with one of the samurai earlier, them trying to make light of her and her skills. She knew better than to assault them out of petty rage, but damn if it wasn't hard. She found her meditation interrupted at the sound of a young man's voice. Who was the foolish man to approach her in the midst of her relaxation. She didn't make a fuss about it as she looked to the man. Almost more a boy than a man in actuality. "I would find it hard to mistake me." She said rather casually. She closed her eyes and returned to meditation. When she didn't hear him leave, she placed her hands on her knees and looked at him. Even sitting, she was quite the figure to behold. "Anything on your mind, lad?"

He chuckled a bit at her comment, "Indeed, I just wanted to make sure." He responded before kneeling down and placing the tea and the cloth containing the buns onto the ground beside her. "I wanted to thank you for that, protecting us that is. I know the others helped but in the end it seemed to be you who drove them away. I don't know if we'd have managed without casualties without you." He spoke in a sincere tone, giving her a slight bow as a sign of thanks and respect. "You were quite scary." He added with a slight chuckle, raising his head again. "I'll leave if you'd like, I only wanted to show my gratitude. But if that's the case may I ask you a question first?"

Mastraza felt a bit suspicious about this gesture given. She had been with them for a time now, but hadn't really received any kind of kindness despite her work. This man's sudden approach seemed almost off. But she decided to keep it at face value and accept his gesture. She took the tea, her legs still in meditation position and took up one of the buns, the treat seeming smaller than they really were in her hand. "Gratitude. Well, to answer a question is the least I can do after this little treat. So what is the question?" She asked with a bite into the bun, her tail slamming the ground in approval of the taste, giving a slight tremor to the foundation.

"What're you doing out here all alone?" Came the question, one which Mastraza gave him quite the look for. Not hostile or angry, but just rather confused. What does he care about that. Even more, why is the answer not glaring him in the face. She shrugged off her robe to make easier access to everything without it dipping into the tea or food. Her frame was muscular in a way that could make an Oni blush and her tanned skin glistened like polished marble. A result of her extremely thin layer of scale on top of her ordinary skin. It helped to offer a certain sheen. She looked back at her tail and then back at him. "I am an Orochi Yokai. Does that suffice as an answer?" She asked as she almost swept the whole tea cup in one mighty sip. She restrained herself when she realized just how hot the liquid was. Coughing a bit, she then continued: "I am here alone because they would not have me nearby even if I so saved their lives. I have a particular history with some influential people on these islands." She took another bite of the pastry and put a hand to her cheek and closed her eyes, just relishing the taste. She caught herself doing that and immediately took on a sterner look. "Any questions?" she asked, looking right forward and not at the boy.

Not being told to leave and the invitation for more questions made him think that at the very least she would tolerate his presence a bit more. In complete honesty, her answer managed not to answer anything to the man. "I'm afraid I'll have to beg your forgiveness, Ma'am. You see, I'm a foreigner not from this land. I know little of the culture or what significance what sort of Yokai you are matters. I was only warned not to be woo'd by the Kitsune, aside from that I'm in the dark." He spoke, his tone and the language he used was surely a clear sign he'd learned Hinoan from reading and not from speaking with a native. "Either way, my mother always taught me to be grateful to those who help you on your path no matter how big or small their role might have been. So even if speaking with you now is some sort of ill omen I still wish to be thankful to you. I might not be here right now were you not here so if nothing else I can say I'm glad that's not the case."

'Am I really gonna have to pull a history lesson?' Mastraza thought to herself with a bit of frustration. "Very well... I am a yokai of the Yamata no Orochi clan. We are... Feisty to say the least. We are not keen on being submissive to anyone. Not even amongst our own kin. Even when we want kids we generally just mate and then make our separate ways. We have also had a history of raiding and pillaging for the resources we want. Kagutsuchi, our goddess, put a stop to my own little scavenging ways. For those reasons and more do the samurai and merchants over there hold me in low esteem." She said with a nod in their direction. "We all have our own cultures and functions, us yokai. Orochi are loners and powerful like no other clan, but hell if we don't replenish our numbers fast enough. When you only really meet up once and then head off, the chance of 'bearing fruit' isn't a guarantee." She said quite casually, sipping down more and taking a bite from another bun. "I am held in check. So unless you are just afraid of buff women, I wouldn't worry if I were you. You are my charge to get to the capitol safely. And that is what I will do... So in short: I am a snake lady, I am hated for that because of snake-folk things, and we are more or less loners by nature. Speaking of it, I am a bit of a freak of nature by those accounts. Anything else?" She asked yet again. SHe was speaking very matter of factly and it almost made it seem like she was trying to hasten up the conversation.

Her talk of mating and running off brought a small blush to the innocent man's cheeks, not really sure how to take everything in so quickly he began to think he had gotten the gist of it. "I see, I guess it's hard for people to escape their past anywhere in the world, huh?" He asked the rethorical question, scratching the back of his head and wanting to punch himself to stop the red tint on his cheeks from making him look like a loser. "A-anyway, I think I get what you're saying. You're a loner and you wanna keep it that way. I guess that also means that I'm bothering you, I apologize for that. I just wanted to thank you for what you did earlier, please enjoy the tea and food. I won't bother you again." He said with a bow to her as he'd done earlier before turning back toward his own camp, his eyes falling on the lone fire as it flickered and burned in the small pit, comparing it to the others surrounded by people. "If you want more or just get cold, my fire is open to you. The offer is the least I can do but I'll understand if you choose not to, believe it or not I'm alone by choice too." He said without looking back at the woman, letting silence hang in the air for a moment before he continued back to his camp.

Mastraza gave him a look as he walked back to his own encampment, looking down to the pastries and the cup, continuing to eat her half-eaten bun. She looked to the ground for but a moment as she whispered: "Not quite what I meant." She sighed. And with that, she ate up what she had been offered and returned to her meditation.

## Yamata no Orochi

Mastraza walked at the fore of the caravan, keeping a lookout for any problematic elements. Earlier she had even been required to remove a whole tree from their path as the roof of the carriages would have crashed against it. It wasn't much of an issue, but it was an annoyance. She just wanted to go home. Keeping a steady pace that the horses wouldn't outrun her but also not slow enough to make them sluggish. The horses had already been a bit skittish over some things by this time. For the moment it didn't seem to be that big a matter. Just had to make sure nothing was lurking in the woods. If she transformed she would have been able to smell any presence, but doing so would only freak out the travelers. "Keep up the pace, folks!" SHe called out when she noticed the wanderers falling behind. One of the samurai called out to her, shouting a slur she didn't quite care for, but proceeded all the same.

Akeem looked to the path ahead of them as he sat atop his cart, his eyes struggled to remain open as he'd found himself tossing and turning in the night and unable to sleep. His thoughts going back to the Yokai woman whose name he hadn't even gotten something he felt immensely stupid and rude for. It's no wonder she didn't take his offer, not when he'd failed to even introduce himself. His head swayed a bit, quickly sobering up as he noticed the skittishness of the horses and looking toward the forest around them in response. Rubbing his sleepy eyes he'd made note of what the Samurai had yelled, a word unknown to him, nothing he'd read for certain. Though it only made sense for there to be slang and other aspects of the language he would only learn by interacting with the people of Hino. Though by the look the Yokai woman gave whatever it meant hadn't been good. Some signal perhaps, were they in some monster's territory? Perhaps bandits attacked her frequently? His stomach felt as though it was turning, only hoping they could rely on their guard to protect them.

A whistle, not like a bird nor like his tea pot, no, a whistle he'd never heard before wizz passed his ear. He felt it, wind pressure along his face, sending his hair flying up from it. Then came a gurgled sound of pain, like the last cry of an animal before it passed, his head snapping to the side to watch as one of the Samurai that had been walking alongside his cart fell to the ground with an arrow sticking out straight from his neck, a far from instant death but one no one could be saved from. A look of horror flashed before his eyes before the sound was heard again, no, not once or twice but like a roaring whistle there had to be twenty to thirty. Akeem threw himself from the cart, hitting the ground as the arrows began to rain down hitting man and horse alike without discrimination causing some of the horses to frenzy, throwing off riders, crashing carts. The relative peace only moments ago was lost to chaos like still waters being stirred by a rock thrown into the depths.

"That was a warning! Any survivors who submit willingly will live any who resist will die. Those are our terms." A voice from the forest called out as archers appeared along both sides of the road with arrows hitched and bows drawn. "What say you?"

Mastraza didn't even move to avoid the arrows when they came hailing down from the sky. With a shock of lighning did she wave off a good couple of arrows which landed in a shattered pile arouond her. With the samurai on high alert, she guaged their situation and knew one thing perfectly well: They were outnumbered and they were put in an unfavorable situation. "Everyone, into the carts. Now!" She shouted as the merchants and wanderers headed into the carriages, seeking cover.

"An interesting proposition. One I'd be more keen on listening to if I was more aware of who I am speaking to." Mastraza said as she began to 'feel' around the area. She could sense a multitude of men and women nearby. Just not close enough. She needed to do something about that. "Bring your most trusted man forward. I'd also like to see the other men you have with you. Do this for me and we shall parley. Fail to do so, and we will fight to the death to keep this cargo safe." She called out. One samurai that stood nearby cried out at her: "Are you mad? We have our orders! You would forsake your duty?" he shouted at her like a crazed zealot.

"I am keeping us safe and alive. If that bothers you, I'll gladly direct them to shooting you next." Mastraza hissed without even looking at the man. "What say you? You need not even appear. I just want to see your man and how many men and women have arrows trained on us. A sight to assure us that you are not trying to keep anything hidden from us as we take our leave. Keep the arrows nocked and drawn as well for all I care. If you do not meet me on this, we will fight for it, and that will cost you men. That you shold certainly know. Better to walk away with everyone alive and cargo taken than just some men and cargo taken home, wouldn't you say?"

Her offer was met with a hardy laugh, long and drawn out echoing amongst the trees. "You're not exactly in a position to be negotiating, Mastraza." The voice answered back, getting closer with each word until a man stepped out from the trees with an amused look on his face. He was tall and muscular, built like a wagon, bald head and bushy mustache on his face. A long black tail trailed behind his back, slithering with each step he took. "I've heard stories but to think I'd come face to face with the race traitor myself. What could you possibly be doing this far from the castle? Who is licking the Shogun's feet in your absence? I doubt they remain unattended." He hissed, spitting on the ground at the mere thought of bowing to the Shogun. "I'll not have my name tainted by your tongue, traitor, call me Mamba. I want to know where you think you have anything to bargin with here? We could have simply continued to fire volley after volley if we wanted. We made our demands you think you have something better to offer?"

"Well, I'd wager that I can, even in this predicament, kill about... ten or thirteen of your men before we all succumb? So tell me, Lord Mamba, I ask again: What would you prefer? You said that you will leave us at peace if we surrender. I am ready to do that, if I but get to see the number of men you have with you. And I would dare to wager that keeping men alive as opposed to letting some die for this bounty would be sufficient to call a 'better deal'. Because make no mistake, men of yours will die if you press us. The samurai may be a non-threat, but me? I can do a whole lot if I really want to. You know that I was named the apocalypse for a reason." SHe said with a cheeky grin. "Just cooperate and show some good faith in this bargain. Let me know that we aren't just gonna get jumped on the moment we leave our carts. And if the lives of your own men being spared is not bargain enough... Well, let's just say that standards were higher before, lord Mamba. Now! Here is the deal I am offering: You reveal your men, I reveal mine, and they get to walk away from here safely. I will stay with you so both of us can ensure there is not tomfoolery. Once they are at a good distance, your men get to search the caravan for all the goodies they can find. Once we are both satsified, we part from this arrangement as content yokai." She offered with a hand extended towards him. "You can put on some gloves if I really do disgust you. But do we have a deal?"

The Orochi seemed to consider the offer but there was a catch, there had to be. What did they really gain by letting what amounted to hostages leave? If she meant good on her threat then showing 'good faith' would only leave them without any bargaining chips. "I see your offer, Traitor. It's a tempting one to be sure, one where we all go free and we get the goods? It's almost too good to be true. You know what they say about deals like that, right? So here's my counter offer. I let the rest of them go ahead like you said but I keep one or two of them as hostages here until we've searched the carts. I won't lose all my chips in good faith, not if your word about taking out as many as you say you can holds true. Perhaps you should have saved the bragging for another time. What do you say? I'll even let you choose the hostages, from the merchants of course."

"It's a deal." She replied simply with a nod of the head. Turning around to the samurai next to her she didn't even begin to play nice. What she had to say was nothing short of an order, and one that should be followed, lest she throw him in as part of the deal to be butchered. Vehemently, the samurai proceeded to return to the caravan and inform every single one of the members to walk away to a safer area and maintain a good distance. That is, all except two. One was a little girl who belonged to a mother who was forced to be separated from her. The second was the tea-boy from last night. Both of them seemed rather feeble and still well off, which would be the driving point for the deal to fall through. When all was put in order and the samurai and people were called off, she turned back to Mamba. "I have kept up my end of the bargain. Now you are free to seek through the carriages. Can I trust that you won't assualt us now?" She asked as the two hostages slowly approached the two Yokai.

The other Orochi let out a sigh, almost as though he were disappointed in this turn of events. "Fine, fine. A deal is a deal even between snakes." He responded, motioning for his fellow patriots to begin raiding through the carts. Not a word exchanged between them as the order was followed through though the Orochi made no move himself. Watching over the hostages instead and more than that, keeping an eye on Mastraza lest she try something stupid and dangerous. After all, if she could betray her entire race then what would a little girl and a boy hardly a man be compared to that?"

Akeem hated to admit it but his hands were shaking so much he didn't think he could have held onto something even if his life depended on it. The situation was worse than yesterday's, beasts were one thing to handle, bandits were another entirely. Worseover still, he'd been stuck as one of the people left behind as hostages. His eyes fell on the Orochi woman from the night before as though merely looking to her would answer as to why he'd been chosen. Was it trust? Bad luck? Was he simply one of the most expendable. As their eyes met for a moment his own looked away, as though he feared what he might see if their eyes met right now. What expression would she hold? Pity? Apathy? he didn't have it in him to find out.

He wondered if she had some sort of plan, what would it be? Would she really just let them do whatever? If she did would they really let everyone go? It all sounded like a big gamble no matter which side you were on.

"So, what was it?" The bandit leader asked, "What could the Shogun have possibly offered you to get you to turn your back on your brothers and sisters? Gold? Glory? Food? Drink? Men? Maybe even women? There's a morbid curiosity in me that has to know what sort of offer could turn a snake into a rat."

She shrugged. "What can I say? She turned a massive force against me and began to starve me. I was isolated, as we so often tend to be. I had the choice to die or aid her. Dying is noble and all for the cause, but if I am dead, I don't have the opportunity to view and savor the results of the revolution. Surely that is something you should be able to relate to? The want to survive? Live to see another day in hopes of what might be?" She spoke as she felt the men approach the caravans. They were within range now, and she had already sneaked into them. It was rather easy really. She was a being of great power, and none of them were really catalyzers or chi wielders. Everything was set in motion now. She sneaked a thought into Akeem's mind. Her static school allowed her to send messages to othe people by manipulating how their brains send information. She said, in his own 'voice': 'When they drop; run'.

"Rat? Hm, should have stuck to traitor... You know, I don't think I am too keen on this bargain anymore after such a remark." She said as with a motion of the finger, she cut off the brain's conduction to the raider's body functions, causing them all to collapse to the ground as their bodies ceased to work the way they should. Some would faint as soon as their unprotected heads met against wood or dirt. Taking the opportunity of surprise and shock, she would deliver a palm strike to the Orochi's solar plexus, knocking the air out of his lungs, opening a window where Akeem and the girl could escape. Mamba was a chi wielder, so he was not quite so easy to affect. Not able at all on such short notice. "One on one now. As any proud Orochi would have it." She taunted as the two hostages ran away.

"We'd all be better off if you'd just died." Mamba spoke through his clenched teeth, the air from his lungs had completely escaped causing his ears to pop but even so he held his ground. Unlike those who would fall and gasp for air he remained calm and sought to catch his breath without being left defenseless. Pulling in air through his lips with a noise that sounded a hiss he raised his arms quickly bringing them to either side of Mastraza's head in an attempt to knock her out or kill her entirely with this single attack now that fighting was the only option left on the table.

Mastraza couldn't do much to stop the two blows. Not at the same time when she had just dedicated one hand to knocking him down a peg. So with that done, she did the only thing she could do: She tanked it. Or at the very least, partially. The other hand rose up to block one of the blow, while letting the other one inflict its damage, hitting right against her temple. Getting knocked to the side, she outright flipped, knocked off her feet. But she would not let that be it. She applied force to her feet to allow her to deliver a mighty tail whack against his chest, hoping to knock him away as she landed in the dirt and swiftly rolled around and got back to her feet. her stance was steady and strong, but her vision was discombobulated after that impact.

Being pushed back by the blow the male Orochi struggled now more than ever to catch his breath as he'd taken another strike to the chest. Coughing he steadied himself again, taking in deep breathes to the best of his ability as he pulled a long curved sword from his back. "You're nimble for someone of your size, I'll give you that. It won't be enough to get out of this though, looks like I'll get to bring back the Shogun's goods and the head of a traitor back to the Mistress. Two birds with one stone." He chuckled before he lunged toward Mastraza with a powerful horizontal slash as though he really was going for her neck to take off her head. "One less lacky for the Shogun!"

She raised an arm and amplified it with lightning magic and chi to harden and protect it. Raising her arm to grab the blade, she caught it in her hands, and while it helped to keep her protected, the blade made some cuts into her palms, almost cutting into the sinew. With her tail she slammed into his writsts, hoping that she would be able to apply enough strength to make him let go of the weapon, leaving them in a fisticuff fight. In such an endeavour, it was clear that she would be the victor. "If you back away now, you might just buy yourself another day for you and your men!"

Seeing her tail coming his way he let go of the blade knowing he didn't have the time to pull it away lest his wrists be crushed by the blow and render them and the sword unuseable anyhow. Jumping back he hissed at her, his black forked tongue flicking out from his mouth in anger and frustration. "Don't forget that you're the one who turned this into a fight. Once I've killed you I'll see to it that none of those you tried to protect live to see tomorrow. I'll devour them myself if need be, you should know well enough that we're capable of that." He responded to her threat with one of his own, getting into a fighting position, refusing to be the one to strike first this time around. "All that pride and you waste it on protecting the same humans that would piss on your grave even if you died fighting for their lives here and now. You and yours will get what's coming to you all soon enough and all those who betrayed the Yokai by bowing to the Shogun will meet that same fate once the new Fire God is crowned."

"Come then, worm. Show to me that you and yours have what it takes. To do what I never could!" She shouted at him, as if trying to encourage the man to fight better and harder. Running in, she crouched low, minimizing the space she occupied in case he had some kind of trick. When she was close enough, she jumped into the air, and with a burst of electricity did she hurtle herself down towards him, spinning in a ball which extended the tail to deliver a mighty smack to his shoulder. Indeed, for while he was a danger and had pissed her off, she had no real intention to kill him as a first resort. If she could make him leave, she would. There are too few of her kin, after all. If her tail made impact, she would try to use her catalyst to excude a static shock that would hopefully help her neutralize him as a threat. If she missed, she would go for a quick retreat to find a new opening.

Her jump was unexpected and had she delivered her blow in that process he would likely have been taken by surprise but as she gained air and came down at him the Male Orochi jumped to the side, her tail slamming into the ground and throwing up dirt and debris from its weight crashing down. She would get no moment of rest however, Mamba advancing forward with another horizontal hammer fist in her direction. It was never meant to hit her though, she was just out a reach of his arms as she'd retreated. No, using the momentum of the purposely missed attack he swung his whole body around to use his tail like a club to attack her legs.

The world was still spinning to her as she backed off. Balance was no issue, keeping track of everything happening was another matter. As such, his punch did indeed seem like a legitimate threat to her, unable to perceive it as the feint it was. Raising her arms to endure the strike, it was confusing when it never came, only for the tail to come and swipe her off her feet. She crashed down to the ground, gasping for air for a hot second. She did not have time to be suffering now though. She needed to keep him away. Spinning on to her hands and feet, she dashed low and forward with the aid of her lightning and intended to make a powerful strike to his stomach.

He started to notice the pattern now, her strikes aimmed toward center mass. It made sense, it was the easiest target, but it also meant that attempting to strike there repeatedly would make one predictable. Her speed was the only wall he needed to get over, bringing in both his hands he grabbed hold of her forearm as she struck him, lessening the blow just a little as he grit his teeth in pain for just a moment as he reered his head back and swung it forward looking to headbutt her with everything he had. "Standing at the Shogun's side has made you weak!"

She grit her teeth as her attack failed to deliver the way it ought to have. When he reared his head backward, she could see the shift in his stance, looking up to see him do just that, she answered by putting one foot forward to give her a bit of leverage. As his head came swooping down, she answered in kind and met him with a headbutt halfway. In the end she proved the stronger of the two of them as he got knocked a bit back in the confrontation. As it did, she raised her other fist and attempted to strike him in the shoulder as he reeled, hoping to render his arm inert for the remainder of this battle.

Blood ran down his forehead and into his left eye, dizziness and nausea struck him from their impact and he was unsure of just how affected she had been by the clash. Feeling a painful crack in his shoulder near his collarbone he realized he'd been attacked. She'd been able to recover before him and strike again, the pain ran up his arm and reverberated through his entire body before his arm seemed to become numb all together. He knew it had become useless, a useless appendage that would do him no good. "Looks like it's time to rip off the mask..." He spoke outloud to himself as his skin began to peel from his body to reveal the snake beneath as he started to give way to his true form. "I'll swallow you and then the others whole. Your deaths will only fuel me and our cause." He spoke in a voice deeper and louder than what the human throat could produce.

Mastraza understood the severity of the situation. When he was fully manifest, it would take everything to not succumb to him and have him claim the cargo. In fact, he may even kill several of his own in the endeavour. She had to stop this, and quick. She grabbed hold of his quickly expanding frame and applied all her strength and chi to hurl him away from the caravan and the people. She ran after him as he fell, but as he landed, he was already manifested as his true form. The great Yamata was a terrifying sight to behold, even for other Orochi's. It was part of the reason Orochi's tend to not want to stay close to eachother for long. At the risk of pissing them off and having them transform.

She braced herself before him, pumping her body with lightning magic and Chi in preparation of the fight that had just greatly escalated. "Come then, you bastard! Show me that you are in the right!" She shouted at the colossal serpent. She was scared. Frankly, she was not ashamed to admit that. She could not afford to become a Yamata herself, which meant that she had to fight him as she was. This was gonne be rough, if it was even possible. Fighting a substantially weaker man was one thing. Fighting a towering serpent with such immense strength was a whole other story.

Trees were felled and pushed aside as what once at least resembled a man grew in size into the large eight headed serpant the Orochi were known to be. Massive it's heads reached far above the trees of the forest, his black scales shimmering in the light of the sun. A beast all feared and loathed, a beast that once took a God himself to fell even with the Orochi in a drunken state, one of the largest of all the Yokai. The samurai and merchants who had found themselves far up the road fell to dispear at the sight of the monster where their wares had once stood, it's massive frame casting shadows as it blocked out the sun.

The massive beast turned its heads downward toward the object of their anger, "Mastraza! You know how this ends unless you show yourself as well. Show your men what you really are, what they have to look forward to when we come to devour them all. So few these days have seen it, the might of the Orochi!" He said as all eight heads struck toward her the way a snake would lunge at a rat.

Mastraza had to be on her toes at every moment now. A single misstep could mean her demise. One singlurar error could cause the destruction of the caravan behind her and the people who sought shelter. When the heads came crashing down on her, she manifested seven thundering lightning limbs that met the Orochi's heads head on. The impact of them nullified the conflict, but that still left the eighth head. That one she amplified a single punch that met its snout, knocking it back, but causing severe ache in her arm. Even with all her power, it was a struggle to face a Yamata no Orochi head on. Save for one, there was really no other option. She looked to her fist, noticing dirtied scratches there. Worries for later.

More blows came, and with each, she earned a new injury. Whether small or large, it was still damage. And ultimately, despite her best efforts, he was still causing her more damage than she was to him. This was a losing battle without a doubt. It could be made close, but she could not harvest a victory from this... Not under these circumstances. Muttering a pardon, she lunged forward when a new strike came. Dodging just below its chin, positioned between its mighty body and its heads, she began her own transformation. Her body swelled, her muscles snapping and reforming as she grew. Within short did she stand tall and mighty, much like him. She did not like this. But she had no other choice. Her orders were to protect the Caravan, and this was the only way. Her forelegs dug into the ground, keeping her firm as she would keep Mamba away. Now at her greatest size, she almost reached the first of the carriages, risking its destruction. And even now, she loomed above the other Orochi. "Then witness me, Mamba! Witness true power!" She shouted as she lunged forward for her attacks. But even as she delivered damage, she would even now sustain some. A result of her existing injuries since prior, perhaps?

A mass of twisting limbs and striking mouths as the Orochi dueled it out like titans battling one another and even with their differently colored scales telling what head belonged to who was near impossible to those watching and perhaps just as much so to the combatants themselves. Biting, twisting, trying their best to throw one another their fight took them deeper into the forest, trees snapping like twigs beneath their massive bodies. Mastraza was indeed strong, though she was still injured, not to say her opponent was much better off but those injuries did help to even the playing field if only a bit. Feeling himself lifted from the ground and thrown his body smashed through trees and rocks that scratched and scralped at his scaled body like small knives across skin. "I won't give up, Mastraza, you know what you'll have to do to end this and how it will end if you hesitate. If you don't stain yourself with my blood then you'll die here... unless you give up those you're trying to protect. There are so few of us and so many of them after all, what is ten or even on hundred humans to that? Why do they deserve your protection?"

"I don't even know if they do. But I have my duty, and I will live up to that!" She shouted as she lunged at him. Taking a few more bites and hits, she found an opportunity. With one claw did she grab onto the head and slam it against the ground and pinned him there. With her seven heads did she bite onto or entangle with the snake's throats, intending to choke him. She bit down hard, and with her one free head, she shouted to him in a deep, rumbling voice: "Give up! Our people do not need death, it needs thriving life. Yield now and walk away." She shouted at him as her heads squeezed tightly around his throats. She wanted him down to the ground soon. "Yield, man!"

He felt her wrapped around his many throats, her teeth biting down into his flesh, and the air slowly leaving him as darkness began to settle in. "Y-you're right, Mastraza... Our people, the Yokai... they... they deserve to thrive. But not like this..." He trailed off, his voice growing fainter and weaker as she strangled the life from him. "What sort of living is a life under the shogun's boot? The humans... they'll always hate you, me, us..." The pressure on his necks began to become too much, feeling the crushing muscles on his spine. "...Like always." He finished before his eyes glossed over and he became limp in her grip.

When she felt him go limp in her grip. After a few moments longer, she finally let go of him. She could still sense the heartbeat and the ragged breathing when she let go of him. He would be out cold for a good while. There was of course the risk of him dying for a multitude of reasons. Maybe he would get executed when he returned for failing the mission. Maybe he would succumb to stray renegades. But she could not concern herself with that. All she could do was ensure that he did not die by her hand and that he had a chance at life. "You fought well... Did our clan proud. Maybe you are right, kin-brother. But that is not for me to decide." She whispered to the unconscious Orochi. "What is for me to decide is that you can fight another day and prove me wrong." She hissed at him before starting to shuffle him to the side, removing a select amount of trees to allow him a resting spot away from their path. Once he was properly settle there, she cauterized his wounds with her lightning and began to move back to the rest of the company, starting to revert to her humanoid self.

She was bloodied, cut, thrashed and had an arm in a sordid state. But she was standing, and she motioned for the men and women to return. The first thing to happen was the Samurai's attempt to cut down the still decked out raiders, something which Mastraza stopped. They were outright furious with that. One brave warrior even marched up to her and began to reprimand her for her benevolence. She raised her good hand and pushed him back just enough to give her some distance. "I was charged to lead the military organisation around this caravan. My word goes above yours. Question me again and I'll leave you here with them." She hissed, but whether it was from frustration or that her wounds were aching was not certain. "Get a move on." She commanded. Hesitantly, they proceeded to move. And as she walked, her injuries ached, and her wounds still bled, even if it was slowing down. And as they trecked foward, she was slowly falling behind in the paces. Something which, yet again, the people didn't seem to mind even in the slightest.

Akeem's eyes stared up at the giant body of the monster multi-headed serpant as they passed by, unsure of where the other had gone or what it's appearance had meant. Though all that really mattered in the end is that they were saved, his eyes scanned the caravan looking for the woman he'd spoken to the night before. He hoped she'd still lived, he owed her all the more now than even before. Though, she'd technically placed him in that situation to begin with. His head snapped to the side of his cart as he noticed a flash of her dark purple hair, seeing her now walking past him headed toward the front of the convoy. Frankly, she looked like shit but he wouldn't say that to a lady, certainly not one capable of crushing him with ease perhaps even in her current state.

"Miss! Ma'am!" He called out to her, pushing his horses to go just a bit faster as not to lose her nor ram into the cart in front of him. "I know it isn't much but I've got a first aid kit in back? If you want to sit inside while you patch yourself up I don't mind. Least I can do really, probably fought hard before that other snake appeared. Don't worry about keeping a look out or nothing either, I'll let you know if something comes up." He offered her, seeing the blood on her arms and face, able to tell at a glance this one wasn't as simple as scaring away some beasts. Doubted she could make the couple days walk they still had left without at least a patch up.

"I'd say I won't take no for an answer but I don't think I could do much if you did. So spare a guy his pride and just let me help?"

Mastraza wanted to refuse him. She wanted to tell him off for suggesting that she slack off. She could not afford it. Such weakness would be noticed by the samurai and made to make her look bad... Even so, she realized full well that the pouring of blood and open gashes could and would mean she would turn sluggish and weak eventually either which way. She sighed. She wanted to desperately to refuse him. But she couldn't. She also felt a bit of pity for the man as he had been the one she had put in such immediate danger.

She quietly fell behind, walking at a slower pace. Before long would Akeem feel how someone large jumped up to his cart, rummaging through the goods to find the first aid kit. She was so tired and exhausted she forgot to do the most basic and essential of warnings: Don't look. She had begun to undress her upper body, sitting revealed as she proceeded to patch herself up. She had suffered many injuries, all of which she deemed necesary. Had she not suffered them, she might have gone feral on the caravan. Across her chest. Along her arms, her back and even her tail had suffered some battering. She tied it all together to the best of her ability, having a lot of trouble with the one which would cover her chest and stop the bleeding. She rarely scarred, but even when she did, she could 'shed' and be rid of such impurities. It was still obnoxious to go through. With bandages wrapped around her forearms and thighs, she turned to Akeem and called to him: "Lad, mind coming over quick and tie this for me?" She asked, bandages hanging in loosely in her hands.

Hearing her call to him he tied the reigns to the cart, trusting the horse to follow the cart in front of them without much worry. With an arrow wound in its hip it wasn't as though it could go running off somewhere even if it wanted to. Moving down into the cart he saw the partially bandaged woman, the wounds being worse than he'd initially thought, so much so that her being half naked didn't so much as register into his mind as he helped her tie up the bandages. Tying them tightly to stop the bleeding he didn't slack off, knowing that even with his full effort nothing he could manage would likely hurt the large, muscular woman. "That should do well to stop the bleeding so long as nothing vital was hit. I'm glad you're okay... I'd considered coming back after you had us run off but I knew that'd be stupid of me, I'd have just gotten in the way. I'd never realized it before I got to Hino, just how frustrating it can be to know you can't do anything..." He spoke in a somber tone, a bit guilty to have been relying on her and the other's protection all this time.

"I know the wounds will heal in time but how're you feeling beyond that? I've got plenty of food and drink if you need to get your energy back up." He continued, his tone becoming more chipper as though he hadn't sounded sad only moments ago. Reaching over he pulled the lid from a small basket to reveal a handful of the meat buns he'd made the night before. "They're leftovers so I'm afraid they aren't warm but they're yours if you'd like them, water is in those jugs over there." He pointed to the three large ceramic jugs plugged up with a cork on the top of each.

Mastraza quietly picked up a bun and took a bite. "Gratitude..." She muttered. "You will drive yourself crazy if you go about thinking about what you could or should have done and what you are not able to do. Everyone is good on their field. You might not be a warrior, but that doesn't make you less valuable. I'm certain you have skills and talents I can't begin to match up to. If I were to start judging myself based on not being able to do what you can, I would go mad." She grunted, taking another bite. "As for what I feel? I..." She trailed off, stretching a bit as she ate up the last of the bun before reaching for another. "I'm fine. I am just aching a bit from the beating. Yamata no Orochi's are formidable foes on an average day. This one actively wanted me dead, so it is a bit worse." She replied, grabbing a jug and chugging down some water to wash down the semi-dry buns. "For a foreigner, you are quite amiable. Or maybe you are just after something? Wanting a favor from Kagutsuchi perhaps?" She said with a tense grin, as if the simple act was painful.

"I see, so that person was similar to you... meaning that the other snake was most likely..." He said, putting the pieces together and realizing that the other giant eight headed snake that had appeared hadn't simply disappeared, she'd transformed back into a humanoid appearance. "And no, not a favor from your God, I don't want anything from her. Quite the opposite actually, I'm hoping she'll want something from me." Akeem spoke, realizing quickly he'd need to explain what he'd meant by that.

Clearing his throat he explained, "You see, I've spent a lot of my life in training and only recently now have I become a tea master. I came to Hino because the Shogun's current tea master is growing old and is soon to retire, not long ago he annouced he would take on an apprentice that would take his place. He's going to be holding trials in just a few months from now. I'm hoping that I'll be that lucky student and eventually, the Shogun's tea master. I can't think of any higher honor in my trade than that..." He trailed off, realizing how stupid this must all sound to her. "I'm sorry, all that probably sounds foolish to you. Most of the people in Hino see honor in becoming a warrior, in serving as a sword to the Shogun and a shield to Hino's people. Compared to that my goals aren't that grand and in the end it's sort of selfish, I just want to prove to myself that I can do it." He scratched behind his ear nervously, unsure of what she might have to say to all of that. "I-I don't really know what you're thinking but... Last night, the tea I made... how was it?"

Mastraza gave him a bit of a confused look when he first said that he hoped she would want something from him. She was about to ask about that before he rambled up his follow-up explanation. She smirked faintly until he finished. "No shame in that. If all we had were warriors, the Shogun would have gotten bored ages ago and done something to stir things up. If you get the job, you'll be serving a grander purpose in those regards." She spoke, taking a big bite from a bun, starting to feel the ache set in. She could tell this was no ordinary cramps though. Not that she was about to whine about it. "And if you are to do this, then don't think about proving something to yourself. Prove it to everyone else. You will be fighting an uphill battle trying to take that spot... And the tea was fine." She said with another sip of water. "Pretty good actually. But I've been spoiled with what the master serves in the palace. Unfortunately yours doesn't compare."

She stretched her arms and felt the cramps and aches set deeper in and it was a hellish experience, but she made no note of it. If she was getting down with lockjaw, this was gonna get real bad and really soon. "Don't let that discourage you, however. Opposition gives challenge. Challenge inspires action. Action is the start of greatness. Don't let anything anyone says discourage you. Let that only be a motivator. Besides, that is what the training is for, isn't it?"

He nodded his head in affirmation of her words. He knew in his heart she was right though even so he still felt twinges of self doubt deep inside of him, something he would need to work on if he hoped to reach his fullest potential. Looking back to her he noticed the small emotions on her face, the little twitches of pain that she showed that seemed to hint at something more than just a few scratches and aches bothering her. "Miss, are you sure you're alright? If something is bothering you I can try to help? I'm no doctor by any means but I come from a family of herbalists so I know a thing or two." He asked with a look of concern on his face, of course wanting to help her as he didn't want anyone to suffer if he could help it but he also knew something happening to her might mean they don't get so lucky if something comes up while she's sick.

Mastraza handwaved away his concerns. "I am no 'Miss', kid. I am Mastraza Raikou. You may call me either." She curtly said. Realizing that he would likely want a longer answer to his questions than that, she looked to him again to say; "I will be fine. Once we reach the capitol in two more days, I will be more than restored... I'll be fine until then..." She muttered, wanting to be left to her own devices in this matter. Even as a 'turned' yokai, she still felt a certain shame in accepting help from humans. "I appreciate your offered help, and you are cute for wanting to give it. But a little bit of lockjaw isn't gonna be the end of me." She scoffed playfully. Seeing his determined look, she groaned silently. "Nightfall... I'll allow you to help at Nightfall. Until then, just focus or talk about something else."

His face softened, knowing that despite his concerns he had to play by her rules. Even if he thought it might help he couldn't both physically and morally, make her take any medicine. Relenting to her words he nodded to their agreement before scratching behind his ear with a quiet sigh, "Alright then, nightfall it is." He said before pushing himself up from the floor of the cart to sit on a wooden crate. Looking up toward the small exit at the front of the cart he could see the horse keeping pace with the cart in front of it, there didn't seem to be anything of note going on outside to worry about. "I'm Akeem Baqir, I apologize for not introducing myself earlier or even last night. I'd blame it on having other things on my mind but that doesn't really change how rude it was. It's nice to meet you, Mastraza. Maybe you can help me get a better grasp of how things work around here?"

## By the Fire

By the time the sun had set they'd found their way from the forest and entered a wide expanse of hilly plains he'd learned from Mastraza were the Inari plains where most of the island's farming was done. Indeed, silhouetted by the setting in the distance he could see what looked to be barns, animals, and houses as well as rice ponds. With the sun burning out and giving way to night they set up their camps the darkness of the night being staved off by the fires of their camps and in the distance something else seemed bright and hard to miss. A pinkish purple light that seemed just behind the horizon, he couldn't wait to see what it was tomorrow. In the mean time, he prepared dinner, setting his pot over the fire and a separate one for tea.

He'd waited until Mastraza was done with her patrol to insure that no one or thing was wandering too close to camp, not wanting to eat alone or leave her to do the same. Seeing her arrive, no doubt to keep up her end of the deal they'd made. "I made vegetable soup if you want some?" He asked as he poured her a cup of tea, a ginger tea for any muscle aches or inflammation mixed with ground up anti-botic moss to help with anything that might come from her dirtied wounds. He hoped the sweet and spicy taste of the tea would be enough to cover up the bitter taste of the medicine inside. "This should help at least until you can see a real doctor though if it isn't too serious it might cure whatever ails you." He explained as he offered the tea to her, "Oh, and be careful. It's still hot." He said in rememberence of how she'd tried to down it the night before.

Mastraza accepted the tea and took a few sips of it. Light sips as to not scorch her entire throat in the attempt. She could taste the unique bitter taste of the medicine amongst everything else, but she was no babe who cried at the sampling of medication. It was still good all in all. Expertly crafted. She didn't say any of that though as it might hurt him to realize that she had felt the taste despite his best efforts. "It's good. Really good." She said before taking another sip. She looked to one of the carriages beside them and nodded towards it. "In the rear. A box with blue metal trimming. I've saved those for a special moment... Doesn't get more special than this with this trip I'd say." She suggested. When Akeem went to fetch the box, he would inside find some specially cured pastries. "A friend of mine made those so I could enjoy his cooking on the road. Fruit dumplings. Just have them on a pan for a few minutes and they should be ready." She groaned as the inflamatory illness was setting in. "Each is supposed to be a different fruit. Let's see if he keep surpassing himself." She joked.

Retrieving them as she'd asked he replaced the kettle with a pan, hanging it over the flame and placing a cover over it before shoveling a bit of hot coals atop it so that the pastries would bake evenly. With that baking he poured himself and her bowls of the soup, thick with potatoes, onions, carrots, a few other veggies and tomato juice. "I know it isn't all that great, I'd have made roast but I don't have any way to keep meat fresh so all I have is some salted jerky. Still, you're welcome to that if you can't get your fill on this or your pastries alone." Handing her the bowl before sitting down on a small stump where a tree had obvious been felled some time in the past.

"So, a friend, huh?" He spoke up again with a half chuckle to his words. "With that story you gave me the night before I kinda admit I didn't think you had friends. Ones that make baked goods for you nonetheless? I'm glad to hear it." He spoke in a playful manner, not meaning any offense in his words, merely jesting with the woman. "They'll pair well with the tea that's for certain. Sweets pair well with bitter and tangy teas. Sweeter teas pair well with meals, hearty ones at that. Green teas go well with lighter meals and pair well with things like fish..." He began to ramble just a bit, trailing off before stopping himself. "Sorry, I think all my studying has me a bit stir crazy in the head. It's all stuff I need to know but there's no need to fill your head with all of that." He apologized with a half smile as the smell of the pastries began to flow on the breeze.

"You will need more than food trivia if you are gonna become Tea Master. A lot of things that I doubt your foreign teachers have taught." She teased in return. Just like him, she meant no ill will, but she felt that he deserved some retaliation for telling her that her having friends was a surprise. Looking over some of her wounds, she could smell the reek of the sanitizing reagents that has been used to keep her wounds clean and purified. Turning her head away from it, she looked at the pan of dumplings, seeing them fry while sipping down the medicine. She groaned every once in a while as she moved. She sipped down more of her drink, disliking the nature of it. She felt weak being taken care of like this by a human being. Something was almost just... wrong with it.

"There's always more to learn, I just learned that rather recently believe it or not." He gave a half-hearted chuckle at her teasing, listening to her groans and hopping the medicine would ease her pain sooner rather than later. Even if it was just until she could see a more qualified person to handle her wounds, he didn't want her to suffer the entire time until then. "It should kick in soon, the tea and the medicine inside of it. If nothing else you should be able to get a good night's sleep without the aches and I'll give you some more in the morning since we won't have time to stop if they come back while we're traveling." He explained, stating it all more as fact of what would happen than asking to help her anymore. It wasn't courage that made him say these things but rather an absentminded sense of duty and desire to pay a debt he felt he owed to the woman that saved his life more than once on this trip.

Akeem removed the pastries from the fire before he looked up to Mastraza with a curious look on his face. "Earlier you asked if I was being nice because I wanted something from the Shogun. I don't imagine the Shogun is your friend who made these is she?" He asked, finding the way she'd said it earlier curious, as though she were close enough to the Shogun to have gotten him a favor were that indeed his intend.

Mastraza wanted to laugh but had to keep it back. Even so, she left out one hearty 'hah!' "I am not sure the Shogun has any friends. She has a lot of respect and reverence, but friendship? I think that is a bit beyond what she is in possession of." She answered, taking another sip. "She has her ways with people and what she wants out of them, but friendship takes a bit of give and take. She is not very good at the giving. No, these comes from a human. A motivational speaker of a kind. He has been inofficially in charge of the cooking for the Shogun as of late. At least when it comes to her desserts and sweets. He is really good at his craft, just like his speeches."

"I see..." He started as he thought about the sort of person the Shogun might be though he caught himself before he drifted off and spoke up, "Someone good with words and sweets then? Certainly good skills to have, a way into both mind and heart. Still, to go from motivational speaker to unofficial confectioner? Sounds like there's a story there for another time." He continued with a bit of a chuckle at it all.

Akeem sipped on his soup, letting out a quiet sigh before blowing on it just a little bit. "Do you think she's lonely? The Shogun that is? If what you're saying is right then I'm sure she is. If Gods are truly capable of those sorts of feelings that is." He asked, an odd question to be sure. He'd heard many a thing about the Shogun. Her temper and her cruelty among other mixed opinions of the Goddess but never before had he been told the woman lacked in anything until now. Maybe it is true what they say then: It's lonely at the top.

"They were just human once upon a time, weren't they? Unless godhood rewrites everything about you, I don't think there is a case of them being unable to. It is just hard to make friends when you are so far above someone. People are afraid to claim friendship or try it, and sometimes a big shot can have a bit of an ego or superiority complex." She told her own little thesis. "And lonely? I am not sure I understand the prospect you talk about. She is always attended to, she is surrounded at all times by her retainers and is ensured entertainment constantly. She is never alone lest she demand to be."

She quieted down when a few Samurai walked past them, heading for the carts a bit away. She could tell without even looking at them that they gave them both either looks of confusion or disdain. She didn't care, but hopefully this man didn't take note. Their regards of her didn't matter to her. But the lad didn't deserve to be ousted because of association. She hoped that wouldn't be the case.

"Sure, maybe she's never alone but I don't think you really have to be alone to be lonely..." He responded, too deep in thought to notice the samurai passing by, feeling able to let his guard down with Mastraza less than a stone's throw away at the moment he worried not for beasts or the monsters of the night. "You say people aren't kind to you and I've noticed you don't get along well with the samurai. Yet even though you're surrounded by them, don't you ever feel lonely? Not because you're alone physically but more... emotionally? I think that's the right phrasing? I know I feel that way sometimes, especially as I've been traveling. I don't know anyone and I'm new to Hino's culture, I'm a stranger in a strange land for lack of a better term."

Mastraza now had a better idea of what he was speaking of. What he was trying to get across. "Well, under such light..." She could relate to that feeling. The ostracization of it all. To be pushed out of society for various reasons. Even among the retainers was she viewed in a less than possitive angle. And the feeling it brought about... "Well, no use in dwelling on such thoughts. Especially about the Shogun. Best not aggitate her with assumptions about her mood. Trust me on that one."

Mastraza kept on drinking her soup, getting a whole lot down at a faster pace than Akeem was. She could have sympathy for a man who was so inexperienced as him. She felt a bit of an obligation because of that. A strange feeling to have. A mighty Orochi limiting herself to taking care of humans that would rather see her skinned and made shoes of rather than be socialized with. Had she really come so low? "Can't have you attempting to become a teamaster replacement, much less stand before the Shogun without knowing your due etiquette. You might have learned some, but to enter the palace, even as a student, is a whole 'nother practice. I'll help you get in order for that." She said, not so much an offer as a statement. Talking about it as a fact. Like 'This is not a suggestion. It is gonna happen'.

Akeem raised his head, surprised by the offer. Or rather, command? Statement? Something of the sort. "Oh? Really? That'd definitely be a great help, you'll really help me with that?" He asked, unconciously raising his brow as though skeptical about the offer. "I'd appreciate it to be sure... does this come with any sort of stipulation to be met? I can't say that I have much to offer but what I do have I don't mind sharing. You know what they say, right? When all you've got is nothing there's plenty to go around." He chuckled at his own joke, feeling the warmth of the fire against his face, keeping away the chill breeze that swept over the land. Even if she were indeed different that most others he felt happy to at least be getting to know somewhere here.

"I am not sure about the metaphor you draw, but regardless, there are no stipulation. You spared me a lot of ache, and I can't let that be repayed with nothing. And a single lesson won't suffice either. There is no change to happen with so little. And much like this," She said gesturing to her tended wounds and injuries. "It takes more than just one bandaid to fix one big split. So, that's how it will be. And I am glad you agreed. Would be a shame to have to break down your door to make it happen." She said casually with another sip.

Unable to tell if she were joking or not he let out another laugh though more awkward this time, letting it subside as he looked at the bandages across her body. "I, uh, I think I understand what you're getting at. At least as far as your metaphor goes, I hope it won't be too much trouble all the same. It's true, I tended to your wounds but I didn't do so expecting anything in return." He stated, though, plenty might consider the eye full he'd gotten earlier to be plenty payment enough factoring in the guard duty to top it off. "People should help each other and besides that, mission or not you protected us from a lot of danger on this journey. It was really the least I could do." He continued, taking hold of the pastries with folded paper napkins and passing one off to her.

"You're a lot nicer than you let on at first... I'm glad. I was starting to worry I was being a bother more than being helpful but talking to you has been fun." He spoke warmly, holding out his pastry to her as though it were a drink intended for cheers. "It's too early to say friends but acquaintances couldn't hurt, right?"

Mastraza 'clincked' her pastry to his and took a bite. She was not one to show too much of her personal self on a mission, especially not when surrounded by unofficial enemies, but she allowed herself to softly smirk at his words. "I suppose it couldn't. But don't think that either monicer would keep me from going all out on keeping you prepared for the Shogun. Insulting her or the time she invests in letting you learn is the last thing you want to do." She said, relishing the taste of the pastry, a hand to her cheek, unaware herself of the cuter gesture. She rarely got the chance to allow herself to feast on such goods, not wanting to seem like a glutton or to ruin her figure by letting go of her training ethics. "Ah! This is the kind of cooking that could garner him almost any woman. They are really good. Feel free to have more, but don't encourage me to share in them. I'm not used to things like this, and I'd rather continue having it that way. Too many sweets and I might not be able to hold off on them." She said to the man with a bit of a joking tone, though mixed with some seriousness.

Akeem stared at her with a warm smile to his face made all the brighter by the light of the fire that reflected in his eyes. He found her gesture with her hand on her cheek as well as her worry about not having the self control to not eat too many sweets cute and it felt like an entirely different side to the woman than he'd previously seem thus far. Biting into the warm pastry he enjoyed its taste, and based on the woman's words he was beginning to understand that saying about the path to a man's heart was through his stomach was equally true for women.

"You seem like such a disciplined woman but don't worry, I won't try to trick you into eating more." He spoke in a playful tone, happy that he could find such feelings of levity despite the stresses that awaited him once they reached the capital. "Your friend is indeed quite good at his craft. You said almost any woman, I don't suppose that you fall into that category as well? N-not to pry or anything of the like. Just curious is all..." He realized he might have been asking a bit too much about her personal life with that question.

She looked at him with a bit of curiosity. "Peculiar thing to be curious about... There was once a time where I might have gone for him. Charmer and inspiring man that he is. But he aims to leave sooner or later to continue spreading his words. 'The world needs such a message', he often says. So while I might have found myself intrigued once upon a time, I can't leave my homeland for him. So, I've moved on from such thoughts. He is still a very good friend, cook and sparring partner. I'll just keep enjoying his work until such a time where I can't anymore." She said somewhat casually, unaware of the slightly dreamt tone she took at the end. "My turn then. How about you? Did you manage to swoon anyone back home with your skills?"

He listened to her words, how she'd claimed to move on from any feelings in that regard but something in her voice seemed to hint at some remaining feelings all the same. "Me? No, nothing of the sort that I can think of but you know what they say about men and being dense when it comes to those sorts of things. Besides, I spend far too much time in my work for any woman to find appealing, not a lot of time for them or other relationships. I've been working really hard to make it to this point where I could come to Hino with confidence in my abilities. Once my goal is achieved, maybe I'll be lucky enough to find a nice Hinoan woman to settle down with. If the Shogun doesn't work me to death first that is." He let out a small chuckle, it was indeed awkward to talk about his love life or rather lack there of with another woman. Frankly, as passionate as he was about his goals he knew how pathetic it could all sound, especially when compared to people like whoever her friend was who was not only a master of his own craft but had even managed to catch the eye of a woman like herself at some point.

"A-all the same, I don't regret it or anything. Sure, I may have missed out on the wonders of teenage romance but its like they say, you give up a few things chasing a dream..." He kept on despite wishing he'd just shut up as he only made himself sound worse in his eyes.

"That you do." She said casually as she sipped down more of her soup. Once it was empty she took another bite of the pastry, having finished her bowl by now. "Besides, I'm sure there are plenty of women in Hino who wouldn't mind courting the teamaster." She teased a bit. Letting out a noise somewhere between a giggle and a hissing chuckle, she contiued: "Might have been a good idea to try and indulge in those teenage romances. I hear experience in the matter helps you see who is legitimate and faithful, and those who are not. There will be plenty of women in Hino who would gladly sell their soul and dignity to enter the court. So spending some nights with a cute teamaster wouldn't be the worst thing they could think to do to get there."

He nodded his head, confirming that he understood what she was getting at, a warning to be careful. "My family is not bad off, but we're far from what one might call nobility back home and I spent the majority of my teen years in Tian, where the people there don't have such massive differences in power between the people are rare and almost nonexistent. The idea of the position of Tea master being a political one never crossed my mind until I began traveling to Hino. I guess I should have seen that coming, but I was so focused on the craft I never thought of just what the position itself meant." He let out a quiet sigh, feeling a bit disheartened by the whole ordeal, no longer even worried about the awkwardness of it all but more on just how underprepared he was for the cutthroat world that he'd thrown himself into.

"I don't want that sorta power going to my head either... political power is different from real power. It's just a sword dangling over your head that could fall at any moment. You're strong because you trained to be, the Shogun is strong because she's a God, politicians and nobles are strong because people do what they say. But they convince themselves that power is more than that. I just wanna make tea and for people to acknowledge that I'm good at it."

"A tea shop of renown could have served the same purpose." Mastraza said simply with a jovial tone. "Don't say that she is so strong because of godhood alone. She too had to take that spot from the previous one. I am not sure what sort of power you might achieve as a teamaster, but the sheer fact that you are allowed inside the court is apealing enough to many." She explained, laying out the facts as she knew them. "Might be a better idea to try and go for a court lady in that case. Find someone on at least a somewhat similar playingfield..." She trailed off before she caught herself about their topic at hand. "I can't even remember the last time I spoke about romance and partnerships with... anyone. Did Hotoke sneak alcohol into those things?" She thought out loud regarding the buns. confused as to why she is offering him advice in such manners.

Akeem sniffed at the pastry before shaking his head, "No. Even in cases where the alcohol is burned out of a food when used as an ingredient the smell would still linger..." He responded, looking to her with a warm smile. "Maybe it's easier since we don't know each other too well? To talk about things we wouldn't talk about to our friends?" He hypothisized before he finished off his pastry and washed it down with a bit of tea.

"Maybe." She replied, not sure what to make of it. "But we are bound to learn more of each other going forward when I begin my lectures. So that complicates the matter a bit... Oh well." She shrugged it off, deciding against trying to overthink the matter. It was said and done and there would be no going back on that. She took a deep chug of her still hot tea, washing down her meal in full. "Thank you for the tea and food. And the... attention." She said with a bit of hesitation in regards to her treated injuries. She was feeling a lot better, and heavens be good, she wouldn't have any stiffness or sickness in the wake of it, unlike if she had continued on without treatment. Smirking a bit so her fang could be seen, she looked back to Akeem. "I feel inclined to ask, all things considered: Have you looked into a lodging during your stay? I don't know the details to the matters, but I will admit to being surprised if the Shogun would let a bunch of student newcomers remain in the palace until someone has been picked." she teased.

"You're welcome, any time... Like I said, it's the least I could do." He responded to her, though he hadn't do it expecting something in return her gratitude was nice and it made him feel warm inside. At her question of housing he nodded his head, "I've made arrangements to purchase a townhouse in the upperclass district of the market, I've heard its nice there but I've only ever seen a few photos and the floor plans so all the same I've tempered my expectations." He responded, reaching into his pocket to pull out a pencil and a notepad before scribbling something down and tearing off the paper. Reading it over one more time he offered the paper to her. "The address, once I've settled in perhaps you'd like to visit? I'll make a nice host." He spoke with an innocent charm, clearly wanting to keep the woman as a friend after her duties were done and even though they'd made an agreement to help one another there was a difference between a transaction and a genuine offer of companionship.

She let out a single 'heh' before looking back up at him again. "Upperclass, huh? Go hard or go home, I suppose." She chuckled. "I look forward to see how you handle guests. Accomodations and greetings will be important. There is a saying that the first seven seconds are important when making impressions. With the nobility I'd rather say four. They are hard to impress and harder to maintain their favor. I have connections in the court that might be willing to lend a hand in teaching you the deeper aspects of the court as well. For all my insight, I don't understand people well enough."

He nodded to her, "I appreciate all your help, I'm sure there are far more important things you could promise your time for so I'll make sure not to waste a moment of what you give to me." He spoke with sincere gratitude toward the woman, the one who just the other day had seemed so distant and cold that hearing the small laugh escape her lips seemed almost impossible to imagine was real. "If I might be so bold as to ask you, Mastraza, what was your first impression of me when we first met?" He asked, thinking back to what she'd said about only having seven seconds to make your first impressions upon someone he couldn't help but be curious.

"That you were meek and unable to read the room. Both of which were traits any other Orochi or nobility would either judge harshly or capitalize on." She said bluntly. "Mayhaps that is part of the reason why I gave you my offer. You were kind later and spared me some great discomfort and aches, so I felt that the best way to repay the favor was to reshape that meek boy. I won't lie to you, if you would step into the trials of the court as you were, you might well have been tossed out among the first of the trainee's to get practical experience." She explained, harsh, but seeing that coddling him in these endeavors would do him no good. "You may yet surprise perhaps, but that was my assessment. And no, I won't apologize if you took offense to my words."

Indeed, he was hurt by her words and though he often wore his heart on his sleeve he did his best to keep up a brave face in front of the Orochi woman lest he only prove her right by showing himself to be no different than she had described. So, with a half-baked smile he responded to her with a simple "Thanks." He said, the way he'd said was so odd considering what he'd said that were he not still hurt by her words he might very well have burst out laughing. However, the night was growing late and darker still with the distant glow over the hills shining brighter than the miriad of stars on the sky he began to clean up the mess from their dinner. "A lot of the others are starting to head to bed, I should follow suit. We still have half a day's travels tomorrow before we reach the Capital. Thanks for your company, Mastraza. You can be cold and harash at times, but I like that you're honest... most of the time anyway. You have a goodnight." He gave her his fairwell as he continued cleaning things up and readying himself to put out the fire.

Before she was out of earshot he called back to her, "And thank you again for the pastries! Give my compliments to your friend when you get the chance!" He requested of her before some of the others shouted at him to be quiet.