11-14-2014, 12:02 AM
Turns out training was before the sun was up. Like a good two hours. He hadn't been up that early since he was a young(er) man, training to master the finer arts of the Manji. He was tired and grouchy was an understatement. But that didn't translate at all on his mask. Unless you count the scrolling “zzz” that replaced his eyes. He wasn't sleeping, that would be rude. His mask was just a lot more advanced from the days of his predecessors. It was extremely high tech and was programmed to Yoshimitsu's usual antics.
“Wow...that mask is really crazy...” Oh boy, here comes the team bonding moment. The eyes snapped to a wide eyed expression, his head turning slowly to meet the gaze of the bearded soldier to his left. It made the guy chuckle a bit before snapping to attention as their captain appeared. It was a different man than the one he spoke to yesterday. A large, rotund man who, unsurprisingly, also had a beard. He peered cautiously forward to see the rest of this group. All men of varying ages with beards. He hadn't seen this many neckbeards since he had traveled to America for a mission back in his world.
A metallic clang rang through his head. He looked forward and saw the captain holding his heavy sword, the pommel used to bash Yoshimitsu in the head. He stood up straight, his digitized eyes narrowing to horizontal slits to show his disdain. Yoshimitsu reluctantly saluted the portly suuperior and stood to attention. “If we're all done bein' jackasses!” The captain glared back at Yoshimitsu, “We'll start with the morning routine! New guy gets to do double, bein' that he's a Prime and all.” He snorted and spat something large, green and amorphous at Yoshimitsu's boots. Rude.
His hip vibrated. He could feel the curse awakening. Kill him. Split the pig from groin to gullet. Let his guts fall out in front of his men. Slash any one of them that moves, especially the one that called him crazy.
“Yes, sir.” Yoshimitsu saluted once more and placed his hands behind his back, keeping his access to the katana limited. They all saluted and filed out, the new warrior following behind, hands still behind his back. The curse was displeased at being denied. But right now Yoshimitsu's mind was strong and focused.
“Don't forget,” He called after the departing company, “After the exercise, move out on the subterranean patrols! Maybe our new friend can get us deeper into those caves, bein' that he's a Prime and all.” The fat man laughed deep and hearty as the left for the training grounds.
Yoshimitsu took a few longer strides to the man who laughed at his mask, leaned in and whispered “I dislike that man.” Before he pulled back, his teammate shot back “Nobody does.” They marched on in silence until they reached their destination.
Their routine was so basic it made Yoshimitsu bored. Bored! He ran ten miles to their five and it was hardly a warm up. They sparred three rounds and rotated for another three until each member of the team took a turn, he sparred two on one for six rounds. Then dared them to come at him three at a time. The workouts were pathetic. Two hundred push ups and he couldn't help but polish off a nice even five hundred. As a monk, a warrior and a man who had been training and working on his mind and physique since before he was a teen, five hundred was a drop in the bucket. He kept pace while doing twice the work. It was sad. He felt degraded.
The whole routine took about two and a half hours. The sun was creeping over the mountain behind Minas Tirith when the lead of the company called everyone to fall in. They all lined up, Yoshimitsu keeping his hands behind his back once more. He didn't want an incident on his hands. “For the sake of being on the same page,” Yoshimitsu stepped forward, “What is this subterranean patrol?”
Eyes went downcast. Shoulders slumped. Heads turned.
“A few months now,” Yoshimitsu looked to the bearded (duh) soldier he was quickly becoming buddy cops with, he seemed to be the one strong enough to break their awkward silence. “We've had kidnappings, women, children, even some men. We've found traces of blood and clothes leading to this cave system outside the walls.
“We've been exploring them but we never get far. We hear this chanting and the walls start rumbling. I mean...we'd go in deeper but we don't know what's in there. Could be Primes or something. We just don't have enough man power to take something like that on.” The men all nodded in agreement. “We may not be Omni's favorite playthings, but we still have brothers, sisters, wives...children and we just can't let these...things terrorize our home.”
By the end of the briefing, Yoshimitsu could tell some of these soldiers had lost close ones. Omni was a cruel entity. These people were no different from him, but they couldn't even have the power to fight back against the beings he was bringing into his universe. But they felt everything all the same. That old righteous indignation welled up in his chest. He truly wanted to help these people.
“Mmm...” The thief stroked the chin of his mask, “You get me in that cave and show me where the commotion is coming from and I will personally see to it that no more of your people are kidnapped. You have my word on my honor.” He placed his hands at his hips, resisting the urge to cackle maniacally and dance. Let go of the ego. Follow the Divine Path. Be humble. It had been so long since he needed to remind himself of these things. Thankfully the men all cheered and danced for him, slapping him on the back and grabbing each other's arms and swinging around wildly. They didn't seem like bad people. Of course he never thought they were bad to begin with. Just...beneath him. My, my, how far he had fallen since becoming Yoshimitsu.
“Wow...that mask is really crazy...” Oh boy, here comes the team bonding moment. The eyes snapped to a wide eyed expression, his head turning slowly to meet the gaze of the bearded soldier to his left. It made the guy chuckle a bit before snapping to attention as their captain appeared. It was a different man than the one he spoke to yesterday. A large, rotund man who, unsurprisingly, also had a beard. He peered cautiously forward to see the rest of this group. All men of varying ages with beards. He hadn't seen this many neckbeards since he had traveled to America for a mission back in his world.
A metallic clang rang through his head. He looked forward and saw the captain holding his heavy sword, the pommel used to bash Yoshimitsu in the head. He stood up straight, his digitized eyes narrowing to horizontal slits to show his disdain. Yoshimitsu reluctantly saluted the portly suuperior and stood to attention. “If we're all done bein' jackasses!” The captain glared back at Yoshimitsu, “We'll start with the morning routine! New guy gets to do double, bein' that he's a Prime and all.” He snorted and spat something large, green and amorphous at Yoshimitsu's boots. Rude.
His hip vibrated. He could feel the curse awakening. Kill him. Split the pig from groin to gullet. Let his guts fall out in front of his men. Slash any one of them that moves, especially the one that called him crazy.
“Yes, sir.” Yoshimitsu saluted once more and placed his hands behind his back, keeping his access to the katana limited. They all saluted and filed out, the new warrior following behind, hands still behind his back. The curse was displeased at being denied. But right now Yoshimitsu's mind was strong and focused.
“Don't forget,” He called after the departing company, “After the exercise, move out on the subterranean patrols! Maybe our new friend can get us deeper into those caves, bein' that he's a Prime and all.” The fat man laughed deep and hearty as the left for the training grounds.
Yoshimitsu took a few longer strides to the man who laughed at his mask, leaned in and whispered “I dislike that man.” Before he pulled back, his teammate shot back “Nobody does.” They marched on in silence until they reached their destination.
Their routine was so basic it made Yoshimitsu bored. Bored! He ran ten miles to their five and it was hardly a warm up. They sparred three rounds and rotated for another three until each member of the team took a turn, he sparred two on one for six rounds. Then dared them to come at him three at a time. The workouts were pathetic. Two hundred push ups and he couldn't help but polish off a nice even five hundred. As a monk, a warrior and a man who had been training and working on his mind and physique since before he was a teen, five hundred was a drop in the bucket. He kept pace while doing twice the work. It was sad. He felt degraded.
The whole routine took about two and a half hours. The sun was creeping over the mountain behind Minas Tirith when the lead of the company called everyone to fall in. They all lined up, Yoshimitsu keeping his hands behind his back once more. He didn't want an incident on his hands. “For the sake of being on the same page,” Yoshimitsu stepped forward, “What is this subterranean patrol?”
Eyes went downcast. Shoulders slumped. Heads turned.
“A few months now,” Yoshimitsu looked to the bearded (duh) soldier he was quickly becoming buddy cops with, he seemed to be the one strong enough to break their awkward silence. “We've had kidnappings, women, children, even some men. We've found traces of blood and clothes leading to this cave system outside the walls.
“We've been exploring them but we never get far. We hear this chanting and the walls start rumbling. I mean...we'd go in deeper but we don't know what's in there. Could be Primes or something. We just don't have enough man power to take something like that on.” The men all nodded in agreement. “We may not be Omni's favorite playthings, but we still have brothers, sisters, wives...children and we just can't let these...things terrorize our home.”
By the end of the briefing, Yoshimitsu could tell some of these soldiers had lost close ones. Omni was a cruel entity. These people were no different from him, but they couldn't even have the power to fight back against the beings he was bringing into his universe. But they felt everything all the same. That old righteous indignation welled up in his chest. He truly wanted to help these people.
“Mmm...” The thief stroked the chin of his mask, “You get me in that cave and show me where the commotion is coming from and I will personally see to it that no more of your people are kidnapped. You have my word on my honor.” He placed his hands at his hips, resisting the urge to cackle maniacally and dance. Let go of the ego. Follow the Divine Path. Be humble. It had been so long since he needed to remind himself of these things. Thankfully the men all cheered and danced for him, slapping him on the back and grabbing each other's arms and swinging around wildly. They didn't seem like bad people. Of course he never thought they were bad to begin with. Just...beneath him. My, my, how far he had fallen since becoming Yoshimitsu.