Sorry, Kai-chan...(Day 6, Late AM)

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Don't let Captain hear you say that...say instead that they discovered the trouble already stirred up." O-washi shook his head, just a little too widely for a sober man. "Meaning to ask him 'bout it, 'cept I've been too busy talkin' to him 'bout other things."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

"I spoke with one of their Brahmin yesterday," Fuichi began, "the entity is apparently called the Destroyer, and has been tearing souls from their equivalent of the Kharmic Wheel, somehow becoming stronger from them. The big black nasty temple would be hers. Apparently, they have been sending 'pilgrims' to other lands to try to preserve their way of life. She seemed...pretty resigned. I tried to inspire with the story of the Thunders, but, well, I'm no Ikoma."

[Kakita Sugita]

"So there's gaijin demons eating them all? Probably deserved it." Sip.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi turned to regard the Kakita slowly. "I believe strongly that they're only the first. We will be next, Kakita-san. Perhaps you do not understand the theological significance, here, but to be pulled from the Wheel is to be spiritually enslaved, to, effectively, cease to be. I wonder, will we have deserved it by the time the scourge reaches us?"

[Isawa O-Washi]

It was a blessing that O-washi's hands were both full...it meant he had to decide which to empty before he could lean over and clap it over Fuichi's mouth. While it wasn't meant to hurt, it wasn't exactly a deft movement, either, O-washi being somewhat into his cups by now.

"Don't say the name. 'swhat Junpei did." Then he frowned. "Well...'swhat he got the kami to do."

[Kakita Sugita]

Sugita looks at Fuichi incredulously. "They're gaijin demons in some blasphemous 'Wheel'. Why should I care?"

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi took a stagger backwards. "That's not the name. She wouldn't give me that. Probably smart."

He looked at the sake cup. "Oh, damn it. Damn it all." That one was emptied as well.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Sugita looks at Fuichi incredulously. "They're gaijin demons in some blasphemous 'Wheel'. Why should I care?"

"Because if she can do it to their Wheel, odds are she can do it to ours."

[Kakita Sugita]

Blink. That's against pretty much everything Sugita has been taught. But this is a priest, so... Revelations hurt sometimes.

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Dunno if it's enough." O-washi let the other priest go so that he could refill his cup. "Crazy foreign demons, dunno what they can do. Better safe than sorry. Don't want 'nother of our people drawin' it...her?...to cause trouble."

At this talk of removal from the wheel, O-washi's blue eyes widened. "They have a kharmic wheel, too?" Drunk or not, he was still Phoenix...pondering what it would be like to be not only sent to an ill realm for punishment but to be taken entirely from it made him blanch. "Shit...and this thing breaks it?"

He shook his head. "He's right. Gotta worry 'bout it, 'cuase the see's not that big. If'n we got here, they could get home...'n I doubt the damned Sea of Shadows'll do more than make it stronger, if it's like one of our demons."

[Kakita Sugita]

"Or they'll have to fight through our demons. Something good has to come of that."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Knowin' our luck, they'll sit down, have whatever demons drink 'stead of tea, an' then they'll come in together." O-washi grumbled a little, then grinned suddenly. "Though maybe some Hiruma or 'tother'll spot 'em at it and plug the whole ugly lot fulla jadetipped arrows an' then we won't haveta worry about it. 'spcially if we make it home to tell 'em to go lookin'."

That, he felt, called for a toast, filling cups all around.

"To doin' the fuckers in the eye before they know to blink, kampei!"

[Kakita Sugita]

"Kanpai!" Sugita joins in enthusiastically.

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi knocks it back with the rest of them, though he doesn't shout. Vulgar.

[Isawa O-Washi]

Somehow greatly cheered by this act of soldierly drinking, despite the fact nothing had changed, O-washi smiled as he poured out the last of that bottle and started in on uncorking yet another one.

"Someone else's turn..."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi took the opportunity to sit down. The world was a spinny sort of place. Round and round and round.

[Kakita Sugita]

"To Suitengu! For a safe voyage!" Prayers. Drinking. Difference?

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Oooh, good one...Kanpai!!'

O-washi slammed it down, then grinned at Fuichi, sidling closer to the Crane priest and slipping an arm around his shoulder...purely to make sure he wouldn't fall over, of course. "Here...we're on to the Mantis stuff now..." Carefully, he poured into everyone's glass. "Since it's Mantis, we need t0 toast Osano-Wo. To the Thunderer, may he bless our efforts and strike down our enemies! Kanpai!"

[Kakita Sugita]

"Kanpai!" By now, Sugita is red in the cheeks. Best be stopping so he can sober up enough to swim a little over an hour from now.

"I think that is enough toasting for me. I've got a swim date."

[Isawa O-Washi]

"Oh?"

Blue eyes showed eager interest.

"Skinny dippin' sorta date?"