Chapter 1: Awakenings

[Edward]

"Thank you, Shuichi-san.  If you will excuse me then."  Miroku goes back to Hachi and the cart.

[Merc]

Miroku finds an uncomfortable looking horse 'guarding' the cart while the village girls work nearby. Hachi must be wondering when he can transform into himself again, and looks hopeful when he spots the monk.

[Edward]

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Hachi," Miroku says quietly, so that no one else can hear.  This doesn't mean his eyes aren't on the village girls, enjoying the view, though his thoughts drift more to hot springs than village fields.  

Miroku quietly continues.  "There's some sort of powerful priest dressed in babboon robes about in these lands, so a yokai might find life rather dangerous.  Fortunately, it's quite safe to be a horse."

OOC: Is the well visible from where he and Hachi are?

[Merc]

The horse snorts in understanding and stamps its hooves on the ground, as if demanding when they'll be leaving so he can go back to being himself.

The two of you are by the eastern end of the village, so the well is not particularly visible at the moment, various huts keeping it out of sight.

[Edward]

If Misha is visible, Miroku will call out and ask for directions to the well.  Otherwise, he will attempt to find it himself, which shouldn't be too hard.

[Merc]

Hearing a call from the monk, Misha soon comes skipping back towards his side. Given the request to the well, she leads Miroku towards the well, dragging him once again by the cuff of his robes.

[Edward]

Miroku smiles goodnaturedly.  "As enthusiastic as ever, Misha-chan.  Thank you."

Once they get there, Miroku says.  "Normally, I would drive off a local yokai in return for food, but Shuichi-san say there have been no yokai about recently.  Fortunately, I have been given a rather mixed bunch of things by various wellwishers and I was hoping I could trade them to the village people for food or some money."

Miroku will start to draw water from the well.  "Are you thirsty, Misha-chan?  That certainly looks like hard work you were doing."

"By the way, this is my horse, Hachi, he's very clever."  Miroku will make sure there's some water for Hachi, too.

[Merc]

"Ooooh, he's a very pretty horse," Misha says. She merely shakes her head at the offer for water, and watches the monk pull up a bucket of pristine clear water.

[Edward]

"Pretty?  Yes, I suppose he is."  Miroku chuckles.

Miroku takes a drink, then fills any water container he has.

OOC: Is there a water trough for horses nearby.

"You might want to look through the things in the cart and see if there's anything you'd like, Misha-chan."

Miroku looks around, hoping to find and out of the way place he can tether his 'horse', so Hachi can relax in his normal form for a bit.

[Merc]

ooc: no

ic:

"Oooh, can I?" Misha asks as she moves away from the pretty horse and heads towards the cart to hunt for anything of interest.

There doesn't seem to be a stable if that's what the monk is looking for, about the only way to keep a horse from running is probably tying it by a tree. Not much chance for Hachi to transform like that.

[Edward]

"Yes, you can look," Miroku replies.  "Just be careful, Misha-chan."

He'll hold up the bucket so Hachi can drink if he wants to.

OOC: Are there enough trees that Miroku could hide Hachi in them so that he's out of siight?  Or somewhere else out of sight that Miroku can 'tether" his 'horse'?

[Merc]

Hachi seems to look at the bucket slightly disdainfully, but being thirsty enough quells those mutinous thoughts. He soon lowers his head and starts drinking water.

As Miroku looks around, there's a group of trees a little off in the distance from the village. Not particularly far, but might be just a bit suspicious. Still, a little suspicion might be okay considering how long Hachi has had to remain transformed. And Misha would probably buy any excuse you gave her.

[Edward]

"Misha-chan. if you could watch the cart for a moment."  Miroku leads Hachi to the clump of trees and pretends to tether him out of sight.  "I think it's safe for you to transform now."

[Merc]

"Okay!" Misha chirps cheerily as Miroku leads away the transformed tanuki. Once hidden out of sight, and given the go ahead, Hachi poofs out of his horse form.

"Aaaah, that feels good!" the tanuki exclaims as he stretches, letting the leaf on his head flutter off. He seems extremely pleased to be back to his old handsome self.

[Edward]

"I'm sorry I you had to stay a horse so long, Hachi," Miroku replies.  "I'd best go back and see if I can barter for more food.  Keep your eyes open. we wouldn't want anyone else to discover you."

Miroku goes back to the cart.  "Well, Misha-chan, have you found anything interesting?'