2020.03.29: A New Adventure Part 1

A New Adventure Part 1
A dark night, and what the hell is that?
IC Date	March 29, 2020
IC Time	Evening
Players	Kurumi Li Bong Natsumi Misty Hisato Ying Yue Jin Asuka
Location	The Realm Of Qi Lung!

   This cavernous subterranean space is old. Older than the warehouse above. More akin to a natural cave than a man made tunnel, it's then perhaps not that unusual that there's an aura of primordial power here. The temperature of this room drops several degrees from the one above, leaving the space perpetually cool and slightly damp. The Yin energies in here - cold, dark, overpowering - they run /strong/. Like a heavy pall draped over a tomb, the Yin touches /everything/ inside the space.
   In the center of the cavern? A circular pool, about ten feet in diameter, filled with a still and placid black liquid. The pool betrays no clues as to its depth.
   The space is sparsely furnished - A small altar. A pair of cots with pillows and blankets. A large wooden steamer trunk. A stainless steel medical table. And off to the side, a table and two benches carved of the same stone that makes up this cavern.

   ****WALL RATING: 4****

   The light of the Deadlands reveals that the whole space is entirely and thoroughly suffused with roiling Yin energies. Black blood of the earth bubbles up with the chaotic energies of the primordial Ebon Dragon Egg. No Ancestor Spirits dwell here, despite the obvious attraction that such a space might hold. One is inevitably likely left to wonder ... why?

Jin is sitting on her bunk bed, the one with the hello kitty sheet set. A book is open on her lap and she reads quietly while munching on tea cakes.

Ying Yue arrives at the appointed time, and the few that are used to her presence, are also used to her dropping everything of hers that will remain here, on to the floor in the corner, piled nicely. She pates a small patch from her backpack and applies it to her arm, hoping that will help a little more with the transition.

Danny is over meditating by the pool of inky yin, in his ceremonial maoshan vestments - violet mask and robe. At the sound of footfalls, he turns towards the steps that connect this holy place to the middle kingdom above. He can't help himself, a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. People are coming together to help! "LAO!" he thunders. "We have company. They're invited." Then he looks to Jin, "Ready the knife."

The stumbling pratfall of Li Bong is the announcement of his arrival. It's that damned root again that tripped him up yesterday. A grunt, as the Chinese man recovers, then straightens as much as ever - still slightly stooped, with one eye far more squinty. He's carrying a worn old cotton bag over one shoulder, and a bamboo stick that he does -not- use for balance, but probably should.

"Good evening, Master Dragon." He gives a deep, though wobbly, bow, to show his respect.

Jin gets off showing the new wet-suit she has gotten from one of the surf shops, no more wet and naked for her. She makes sure she has the white lotus staff and her water proof bag of monk garments tied to herself before picking up the knife. "When you are ready Danny."

The trio of Kitsune come walking down after a bit Hisato, and Natsumi being led by Misty as they make their way down into the cavernous space. Hisato is looking around some as they step in, "Interesting." He looks back over at Natsumi, "Are we as prepared as we can be?"

Ying Yue gives a little twitch and shiver after applying the patch, then the naked, yet unworried young Chinese woman moves over to join the others, knowing that as soon as they get to the other side, her clothing wouldn't matter anyhow.

At the maoshan calling out for "LAO"? Reality in the cavern distorts and shimmers, as an onrush of yin chi parts the Wall. Two baleful red eyes, glowing dimly in the dark can be made out. Followed by fangs and claws of white jade. But the rest of this entity? Is like trying to make our a shadow in a dark room. Hazy and indistinct, the shape is dragon-like. "Guests," rumbles out a low sepulchral voice. "Invited guests. Welcome." Then the shadowy indistinct haze manifests more fully, revealing one of the last Great Dragons of the Middle Kingdom. ENTER MR. LAO - also known as the Black Tortoise of the North!

Mr. Lao, the Black Tortoise of the North, is an oriental dragon! Serpentine in nature, it looks to measure roughly 18 feet from snout to tail. Oily black scales, a maw of pale jade fangs, eyes of red fire, and claws of pale jade on its fore and hind legs are some of the more salient features.

Aptly shocked and awed, Li Bong's eyes go wide and he drops to one knee. The Yin energies and the presence of Black Tortoise are... more than he expected. He shows as much respect as he can by his feeble mortal presence.

Jin mouth's the word show off to the dragon and seems a little amused. No doubt if alone he would be suffering under the nickname she has affectionately bestowed on the creature.

Misty would have informed Hisato and Natsumi who arrive with her on the need for sensible travel/hiking clothes in a dry bag, and a wet-suit, as well as anything else the two might want to bring, and she offers a soft voice to the two, "That there is Danny Dragon, he's the one I work for. I'll try to introduce you two more properly later."

Natsumi's gaze skims the area, taking in the other folks and making a quick appraisal. "I suppose. What are we supposed to be prepared for?" She drops her hand to the katana belted at her waist and double checks her various paraphernalia. She stops short, seeing the dragon, and grips Hisato's elbow, giving it a squeeze.

Danny looks to Lao, and smiles. "Hold down the fort, Lao. Keep the black fires burning for us until we return." Apparently, the dragon would NOT be joining them on this go-round.

Lao snorts, then rumbles out low and deep. "You and your peace-keeping missions. Go and fulfill your duties, little maoshan. And I, I will fulfill mine." And with that? The dragon looks back over all assembled, committing their faces to memory, should he need to recall them from their journey if they get separated and lost in the Outlands. And then he fades out from view like so much hazy smoke!

Danny lets out a slow breath that he didn't realize he had been holding when Lao agrees, and vanishes from view. Great Dragons could be finicky bastards - defending you one minute, threatening to devour you the next. But Danny had fed Lao a few unworthy souls earlier, so all. was. GOOD! "Everyone come close, and join hands."

Li Bong has a bamboo stick and a canvas bag. That's about it. As the dragon fades, he'll slowly come to his feet and look around. He has no idea how the others can be so brave, but... he's here for Chinatown! He will nod and sling his bag and stick over his back, offering his hands.

A simple small bow comes from Ying Yue to the bigger black dragon before her vanishes in a puff of smoke, respectful of one of her bigger cousins. She then moves to grip the hands of two others, doesn't matter which, so that the chain of people can proceed.

Jin takes a hand with her free one and stands there watching Danny as she thumbs the blade in her other. The woman does not blink, does not seem to breath she simply waits to do her part and when the time comes she plunges the blade into Danny with unnerving familiarity.

Misty leans in to speak quietly to Natsumi, "If things get dangerous come to me, I'll enchant your blade to slay our foes." She says, watching the whole exchange curiously before approaching as Danny calls them forth.

Hisato comes forward and offers a bit of a bow as he steps forward and then grasps Natsumi's hand with his, "I'm not sure. Misty just said wet-suit, dry bag and all that." Stepping forward as Danny calls everybody close and to join hands one of his already taken as he looks around.

Danny looks to Jin, then to everyone else, making sure that everyone is linked, holdings someone else's hand in the chain. The maoshan gives Jin a nod and takes her free hand, the gives her a nod, signaling what is to come. AND BOY, DOES IT COME! She plunges a ceremonial knife into his heart, spilling the maoshan's heartsblood! The blood that spills out is a DARK crimson, almost BLACK, not like regular blood at all. Fitting for Chinatown's immortal Master of Yin. And then, with a peaceful smile upon his lips? The maoshan tumbles into the pool of inky yin infused waters, pulling Jin behind him, as she pulls someone behind her, and so on and so forth, until everyone in the party tumbles into the placid bottomless depths of the yin pool!

The sounds of a yawn followed by gum chewing noises and a popping bubble announce Kurumi's arrival as the young oni makes her way into the room carrying a long cloth wrapped object laying easily against her shoulders. Several things about Kurumi make her stand out a bit, the first is aside from being seemingly completely irreverent she is about six and a half feet tall, the second a predatory sense, maybe it's the way she moves, the glint in her eyes, there is little doubt this is a predator in human skin. Finally she seems to radiate an intangible aura of Desire and Lust that tugs at the edges of the senses. "Hello!" she waves to Danny and gives him a toothy grin. She doesn't seem to have bothered with a wet-suit or any of that.

Natsumi nods to Misty in acknowledgement, letting herself be tugged along by Hisato and offers a formal bow. Thankfully she had a wetsuit from a photo shoot, but the boots, that was a different story. She made Hisato and Misty detour to a store before coming, now sporting a pair of brand new hiking boots. She murmurs softly to Hisato. "I thought you said this was a meeting..." She holds her other hand out to Misty.

Li Bong'es eyes widen again, then as he's pulled into the pool, he sucks in the deepest breath he can manage... even though it really wont matter. POOF.

   THIS! THIS IS CHINESE BLACK MAGIC! THE BLACKEST SORT! The inky pool of ... whatever ... was no mere cave pool. When infused with the blood of the maoshan and his magics? It was a portal! Tonight? It was a portal to the yomi wan. In the pitch black waters, there is no up. There is no down. There is no light. Just eternity, sprawling before everyone as they slide through the Wall, and then the Wall Beyond the Wall. So long as they hold hands, they will all emerge in the same place ... eventually.

Riding thru the darkness, Li Bong's stomach makes a noise. Wrenches at his insides. But, he struggles though it. "The Thousand Hells!" He curses in Mandarin. And then again, in Cantonese, just because."

Natsumi holds on for dear life, closing her eyes and focusing inward as she tries to keep it all together, silently cursing Hisato in every tongue she knows.

Hisato comes through the portal after the trip his hand gripping Natsumi's and whomever ends up on the other hand as he blinks coming out the other end of the portal at the end and barely keeps the vomit in once able to he clutches his belly, "That was... Rough. I don't suppose there's another way of traveling here?"

Danny breaches the waters first, pulling up Jin, and she pulls up someone, and so on and so one. They're in some sort of river. A small sampan boat is nearby.

Li Bong is wet. Nobody warned him about a wet-suit... so his layers of frumpy clothes cling to him and soak him down. With the canvas bag and bamboo pole over his shoulder, he'll kind of flop over to the boat. "What is this liquid?!?!" he asks nobody, as he spits some out, probably not really wanting an answer.

Jin rings out her hair then moves away to peel off the wet-suit when she gets to the boat. Ever stylish she pulls on a monks set of robes far to large for her until of course the small woman's form changes and she sits hunched on the roof of the boat. Covered from red scaled foot to the top of her head swaddled in the hood its hard to get a good look at the woman. Those who try are greeted by a barbed tail in their general direction.

The maoshan looks to Hisato, "A yang master might bring you through ... " A pause as he treads river water. "Fire." FIRE? I suppose that would be either MORE or LESS pleasant of a journey?

Danny swims to the small, flat boat, pulling himself over and onto the vessel.

   SCENESET: THE REALM OF QI LUNG!

   The newly established realm of Qi Lung is a land of steam, smoke, mist, fog – high grasses and low mangroves, like the Dead Marshes or Beowulf’s fen country. This is a realm that largely maps to a subtropical land in a monsoon belt. This means it has two seasons: rainy and warm (20s °Centigrade) and sticky and hot (upper 30s °Centigrade). The sticky-hot season is only dry by comparison to the rainy season - flash floods are still common even in the driest of months. Monsoon rains during the rainy season count as storm conditions!
   The sundering of Qi Lung away from the yomi realm of Sajavedra after some of us rid the realm of an artifact that was poisoning the land has tied the normal winds and rains up like knotted snakes. Cataclysmic monsoons can pour over the mountains (instead of rushing up from the sea), followed by baking drought for three days, followed by glowing purple hail. Rinse and repeat.

Kurumi breaches the waters now looking like a wet t-shirt contest participant for her lack of wet-suit but it doesn't seem to other her overly. She pulls herself up on to the boat before hauling the long cloth wrapped bundle up after her. "Ugh, I swallowed my gum, that is definitely the least fun part of coming here." The cloth bundle is then unwrapped and the cloth tucked away, revealing a spiked steel almost as tall as she is, easily over five feet in length. "So what are we crushing this time?"

Misty looks a little green around the gills as she emerges, though recovers quick enough, blinking out a little, "Boy... that was something..." She murmurs a little as she glances around, turning to look to check on both Natsumi and Hisako in turn.

Ying Yue doesn't swim towards the boat, but rather dives under for a few moments, shifting, and moments later, far enough away from the boat than nobody gets sprayed, the dragon emerges, jumping from the water to the air, and taking flight. Massive feathered wings adorn the beautiful dragon as she moves over to hover in the air above the boat.

Danny looks to Kurumi and smiles at the always interesting oni. "No one, hopefully. We're here to open up a diplomatic channel with the monks, and see about helping keep the land sovereign from the rest of the yama kings that are looking at this place like a free lunch after we broke it free from the last yomi protectorate by detonating The Cylinder." He then looks around and helps everyone else clamber aboard the boat so they can try and dry off.

A handful of people on a leaky boat are gonna save the world? Yes. Yes. They. Are. SONYA BLADE, EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

Natsumi groans as she catches her breath and look around for her companions - the ones she knows. Taking more than a few minutes to orient, she heads for the boat, pulling herself up and into it - helping Hisato if he needs a hand, then leaning against him.

Li Bong lays in the bottom of the boat, like a wet, sad, disheveled rat. But he's not a rat. He's just a guy. His eyes follow the flying dragon, the dragon with the red tail in the cape, the foxy folks, and then... Danny. "Would anybody like an orange?" He asks, feebling digging one from his bag from the puddle.

Hisato looks over at Danny and shakes his head, "Not sure that would have been any better. Good to know." He's getting up onto the boat with Natsumi and Misty before he starts looking around now and hmmms... "This is going to be exciting."

Danny smiles at LB and nods, reaching out for the fruit. "Sure." But he doesn't eat it. No, he winds up, and then tosses it out onto the river. Wait for it - WAIT FOR IT - when the orange hits the swampy river water, or is on the verge of doing so? A GIANT CROCODILE LEAPS UP OUT OF THE WATER AND SNATCHES IT OUT OF THE AIR IN A CHOMP! BEFORE DISAPPEARING BELOW THE WATERS AGAIN.

   (And by GIANT, we mean easily 30 feet long from snout to tail)

Natsumi shakes her head to the offer of an orange. "Don't think my stomach could take it right now, but thanks." She takes slow, deep breaths, trying to keep the contents of her stomach in place. "Sorry if I don't get excited just yet." She groans, shooting Hisato a quick glare, then goes back to concentrating on not vomiting.

Li Bong's eyes widen even wider (if that was possible) as he sees the croc. A curse in Cantonese whispers from his lips.

Kurumi makes a pouty face at Danny at the declaration of no crushing, "That doesn't sound very fun.. wow what was that? I want one!" her attention is instantly captured by the gigantic crocodile creature leaping out of the water.

Misty settles into the boat with the others, blinking out as the giant croc leaps, "Wow..." She murmurs, "That's something you don't see every day." She glances to Nat and Sato again before looking to Danny, "Are we done with the wet-suits or should we keep them on a bit longer?"

The Avatar chirps in the strange voice it now possesses, "Danny is never fun, no crushing, no cutting, no eating the uber driver."

Danny looks to Misty and the others. "The wet-suits can go. We'll make landfall soon. Rule #1 here? Expect the unexpected. Rule #2? Things are rarely what they seem. When we freed this place from malign magic, it changed. Some for the better, some for the worse. And it was a shithole before. But the rules here NOW aren't what we knew them to be BEFORE, not exactly." Danny motions for everyone to gather close for a quick briefing.

Li Bong will sit up in the boat, looking back over the rim to the water, and then move over to listen.

Hisato shakes his head at the offer of an orange his color still a bit green around the gills... Then there's the orange thrown and the giant croc and he blinks, "Holy crap that's a big lizard." Then he looks over at Natsumi and the glare and he shrugs, "So it was a bit more than a meeting? Sorry." He's looking back over at Danny and listens for a bit and nods as he listens for the briefing.

Natsumi continues to lean against Hisato, at least until her stomach settles. The croc makes her jump a bit, but she turns her attention to Danny and the briefing.

If there is room for the rather large feathered dragon to land, she will do so, coiling herself a bit while folding the wings back. Even if she's a little bit away, she would heighten her senses, also a good thing for being able to react in this place.

Danny welcomes Ying Yue's arrival on the boat. In Lao's absence? It was always good to have a dragon along! (Ying Yue is in her dragon form, people should LOOK)

Danny looks to everyone, but especially those who have history with this strange place - Jin. Kurumi. Ying Yue. They all helped free this place from two yama kings before.

"In the wake of the Great Sundering, the keepers of the stupas, monks once sworn to peace and meditation, have chosen older sorceries to try and maintain some semblance of order, delving deeper into the magics of the lotus cult spread by spores from the /previous/ world. The magic of the lotus cults comes from the most ancient ways, from before the bodhisattvas and devas taught men to tame the world. The Lotus, which some say fell to the yomi wan before the first plants of the middle kingdom were made from chaos, and others say was planted by the ministry of dreams so that the world would never be closed to them. The Monks of the Lotus are holding down the structural integrity of the newly independent Qi Lung Valley, using high level geomantic sorceries."

"All Monks of the Lotus wear robes colored like lotus petals, a rich saffron-gold. They shave their heads and carry only staves and begging bowls. The lotus monks have deep golden eyes, the signature of membership in the cult, derived from exposure to and ingesting the essence of the lotus, which augments their already considerable abilities."

Danny pauses, to make everyone is following along so far. "I say all this, because this is where our journey will begin - the great monastery of Mandul Xiem." He raises an arm, and points a finger, indicating something up ahead that comes into view around a bend in the lazy river.

   BEHOLD! MANDUL XIEM!

Misty will start peeling herself out of her wet-suit with that said, unabashed by a little nudity, and soon she'll be squirming into a pair of black yoga paints, a sports bra and a loose baby blue sleeveless top as well as a pair of functional sneakers, and about her waist she'll strap a belt with a small ritual blade sheathed on it.

Li Bong nods. As if he got all that. Or is just being polite. He occasionally glances at all the naked people, but really, he's trying to focus on Mandul Xiem. Clearly, this is a first time experience for him. All of it.

Hisato was in a wet-suit as well that he peels out of before he cracks open his dry bag grabbing jeans, hiking boots and a t-shirt that he pulls on. Then out of the dry bag is a sling bag that he slings over his shoulder. And then he closes his eyes for a bit takes a breath and then opens his eyes, "Any who get injured that aren't able to heal themselves come see me. I'm not much of a fighter but I'm good at healing."

Avatar of Sun Wukong hops down and takes a place beside Danny as his ever faithful body guard. The long white lotus staff begins to glow with a faint reddish hue as she waits on him.

The Feathered Dragon is coiled in a way that her tail is sticking up in front of her and she is able to use it as a chin rest while she listens. Not much talking from her currently.

Natsumi climbs out to the shore, taking a few extra minutes to peel the wet-suit off... equally immodest about her nudity as she gathers a change of clothing from her bag, having taken cues from Misty in her packing. She juggles her weaponry.. katana, bow, shuriken and wakizashi, re-situating them.

Li Bong is just wet. He doesn't change. Didn't bring a change. His canvas back is now stretching to capacity, showing oranges bulging out. He wraps it's looped handles around the bamboo pole, leaning it over his shoulder like a hobo stick.

   MANDUL XIEM!

   The 440-structure stupa (shrine) and wat (temple) complex at Mandul Xiem covers several square miles of canals, intricate statuary, towers, Aeolian wind-flutes, bell chapels, lotus gardens, and reflecting pools, all centered on one eight-lobed stupa, gilded to look like a great golden lotus flower. Alone in all of the Valley, it shimmers perfectly, untouched by the recent events of the war between yama kings and the sorcerous bombardment from the Great Sundering. The sprawling complex look like it could easily hold nearly 300 monks.
    Each dome of a stupa (rounded, pointed, spiral, smooth) holds a relic of some mighty cleric or monk, a true saint whose miraculous ways once harnessed the energies of the land and bound them into a harmonious pattern. The nearby wats, or monasteries, house monks dedicated to meditation, and to defending the devout pilgrims of the land from the depredations of Outlanders!
    The river will lead the boat towards the edge of the monastery complex, diverting into a canal, and eventually coming to a stop as the canal ends a ways from the actual complex. HERE? Folks can disembark from the boat and onto dry land. In the distance? Bells from the main tower can be heard sounding, signaling that they have been ... spotted???

Li Bong will wait in the boat, offering his hand to help any of the ladies who may want his aid. Hell, he'll offer to help Hisato too, because he is a gentleman.

"Should we expect a warm response from these monks, or a frosty one?" Misty asks curiously as she follows the group, looking at the scene before them, and the ringing of the bells, "And are there any social quirks we should know about? Things to do, not to do?"

Danny waits until everyone has left the boat before he does so. At Misty's inquiry, he looks to her. "Ying Yue saved the life of their master - Master Prem. It was he who sent word to Chinatown, informing me of the current situation. So - we are expected. I hope we are welcome as well."

Li Bong asks, "Will they have wine?"

"I'll show 'em a warm response, if they don't" says Asuka as she grins lopsidedly, showing the slightest bit of fang from her naturally sharpish canines "That building looks like it would burn REAL nice... though it would be waste of good loot." She doesn't accept Li Bong's help, instead simply making a short leap from the boat onto the shore and pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. She's certainly gotten acclimated a bit better to all of this kind of thing since her training journey, though her proclivities haven't much changed. One might wonder if it was the sort of training journey involving lots of small things, preferably the kind that fit in her pockets.

Hisato doesn't need the help... He hopes as he hops out of the boat and onto the shore looking around a bit as he starts to follow the others towards the monastery, "Hope it's warm. And not too warm."

"I probably would not take anything from them. You do not know how it will react with your human constitution." The feathered dragon says in an almost ethereal voice, waiting until everyone else is off the boat before moving off herself. No need to fly just yet.

Nobody needed help, but Li Bong still offered. When he's the last to disembark, he steps over the side. Catching his foot. Stumbling forward. Face first - splash. And the oranges spill out and roll away. 3 or 4 of them loose now, in the underworld.

Lying on his side, Li Bong asks again, "So no wine?"

Natsumi accepts the help with a quiet thank you, smoothing her hands over her pants, and once again checking her weapons, muttering to herself. "One.. two.. three.."

Danny looks to Li Bing, "They'll have lotus wine, but. Best not to drink."

Kurumi sidles over to Li Bong when he asks about wine, "You like drinking?" she asks as she looms over him invading his personal space perhaps a bit too close for comfort. Reaching down she takes a traditional looking wine gourd that was hanging from her belt and uncorks it. Then she takes a drink and drinks and drinks and drinks, the liquid just keeps going down and one might even suspect she is going to empty the container before she finally stops, yet the sound of liquid within makes it seem like it's still full. She grins down at Li Bong again.

Thankfully the nausea has passed, giving Natsumi the opportunity to look up and notice the storm clouds. She gives Hisato a nudge, pointing up. "That doesn't look promising." She glances over at Misty, the only other person she at least semi knows here. "You notice that?"

Li Bong grins to Kurumi. "You are truly blessed, Miss."

"Storm brewing," says Asuka as she looks up and out over the horizon, "Hmm. The clouds are moving pretty fast. Worst comes to worst, I might be able to dissipate it for a moment... but my biggest fire is only about the size of a building maybe, and not reliable. We're better off not getting caught in it." She scratches her cheek, "Not to mention, it would be like sending up the biggest ass signal flare ever if I used it to cloud bust."

Amusement creeps across Kurumi's features when she is told that she is blessed, she then holds out the wine gourd towards Li Bong to see if he would like a drink. Meanwhile Kurumi's eyes are distracted as they trail after Asuka who she may have legitimately forgotten was here, creatures of easily distracted whims that she is.

Li Bong blinks over to Asuka. "Oh, if it's only as large as a building, then best not waste the chi, no?" His voice is amused, but sarcastic. He holds the wine gourd from Kurumi, but doesn't drink yet.

The feathered dragon coils herself a little and spreads those massive wings. "Could be trouble." She says before launching herself in the air, doing what she tends to usually do, put herself between the others and possible danger. Misty's metaphorical ears perk up as attention is called to the storm, and her eyes narrow even further as she watches it for a few long moments, "It's not a storm." she says, "It's moving fast though, and right towards us. Beware."

Danny gives Ying Yue a nod, then calls for the others to gather close. "Fall in, best to hang together until we figure out if its a bad bit of weather, or a bad bit of ... something worse." Then he leads the group forward towards the monastery complex. Jin will get /a look/. And then a nod.

At the foreboding warning from Misty, Natsumi's hand goes to the hilt of her katana, her gaze now fixing on those 'storm clouds'. She moves closer toward Danny, motioning for Hisato to get behind her.

Danny looks to Kurumi, "Do you mind watching our backs. After Ying Yue, you probably have the best vantage point." And then he grows quiet and watchful as the group moves forward.

Hisato falls in with the others looking at the storm clouds as they're heading towards them glancing over at the other nine tails and sighing a bit as that Simpsons meme goes through his head, 'I'm in daaanger'

Li Bong has managed to pick up 2 of the lost oranges, tucking each one into a pocket of his loose pants. His bag tore and is lost. Now, he's still got the bamboo pole like a hobo stick over one arm, and if possible... still cradling the wine gourd from Kurumi.

"Someone's a wise-ass," says Asuka to Bong as she smirks. "Don't worry, if I self-immolate trying to bust it up, I'll be sure to do it standing beside you to share the pain," she continues, "Mr. I bless someone who can make me into toe jam because it's Tuesday." As they move forwards she pulls her grappling hook and rope from her backpack, hanging it on her waist before also withdrawing her tire iron.

The wind begins to kick up as the party presses forward, almost as if its trying to prevent them from advancing!

The dark "clouds" continue their approach, and Ying Yue's feathered dragon form disappears among all the black and grey! ... But some of the "Clouds" pulls away from that cluster and continues their approach towards the group!

While Asuka is talking to Bong, Kurumi will slink up behind as subtlety as something that is entirely not subtle at all. "Mmm yes it is very wise." she says as she grabs Asuka's ass before leaning down to rest her chin on the shorter woman's shoulder and looking to Bong, "Are you going to drink some or what?" Danny's words do eventually reach her and she lets out a sigh like a teenager being asked to do chores, "Fiiiine."

If her arms would reach, the feathered dragon would be pinching the bridge of her nose in a very human manner. Instead, she gets ready to try and taunt the flock in to chasing her instead of going after the group.

Li Bong asks, 'Are those... birds?" He squints, then from the folds of his baggy clothes come a pair of round-rimmed glasses. Such a cliche. He slips them on as he squints even more.

"AWK! Kurumi you BITCH!" squeals Asuka, full on bringing her crow bar around to strike the other woman... though it's no where close. Still, she didn't pull any punches. That is why the poor die roll will be blamed on Kurumi as she misses being quite as observant as before. "Oi... are those animals up there? In this weather? Christ onna crutch tripping over Buddha in traffic, I'll never get used to this place... "

Natsumi blinks, squinting at the clouds, letting out a soft curse in Japanese. "I swear, I need my eyes checked." She lifts a hand, her non-sword hand, to rub her eyes.

Oh, this is a storm alright. Some of the storm of birds busies themselves with Ying Yue, swarming around he dragon! The rest of the cloud-flock, they welcome the group to the land - with a hail of feathers? Dark feathers. That look like if they're made of razor sharp black steel?! A veritable hailstorm of them are discharged straight for the group.

   WHAT. DO. YOU. DO?!

With his sunglasses on, Li Bong's eyes roll back in his head as he plumbs the memory of a thousand monks... -borrowing- their training as he Dreams of their skills. Once that happens his bamboo pole is used to parry and block the attacking birds.

Avatar of Sun Wukong shields the sorcerer though likely he does not need it.

Kurumi barely seems to notice the crowbar as it bounces off of her and instead points at the birds since Danny did ask her to watch their backs after all even if it's far too late, "Look birds." The giant spiked metal club that is her kanabo comes off of her shoulder. "I wonder what they taste like, maybe they'll be good with alcohol if Asuka grills them!" she seems mildly excited by this idea and equally excited by the prospect of a fight in any event as she grins up at the incoming birds and gets ready to start swinging.

As the onslaught of feathers comes in like so much avian Kurumi swings her massive spiked steel club before her with masterful skill. The weapon manages to intercept the brunt of the attacks ending up covered in a black ichorous goop. Some of it manages to get on her clothes as well which quickly brushes away with exaggerated motions from her other hand, "Eww gross gross, get it off. I take it back, these are probably not delicious!"

Danny looks up as Kurumi is the first to deal with the oncoming threat. THIS is why he asked her to "watch the groups backs". She was quick on the draw, despite her size. His unnatural silver eyes go to the others, especially the new faces. A slight frown, and then he channels his yin chi, lifting an arm and placing his hand, palm outwards towards the next volley of "feathers".

And then? They'll slow. Where once the volley was barreling towards the group? The cloud of feathers is now slowly, very very very slowly, drifting towards the group.

Li Bong turns out to not just be a bumbling drunken fool. With his bamboo pole in hand, he bravely stands up to the swarm, reading to protect these people... even though not a single one of them really needs his help. It's instinct. And maybe the contents of the wine gourd.

The Feathered dragon pulls a rather adept maneuver and with a show of dexterity, almost switches head to tail in a matter of seconds, and is braving the swarm, lashing out with tooth and claw to wreck havoc in the flock. She might not be a warrior by blood, but she has the heart of a protector, and has always been one to take injuries herself to prevent others from harm.

Avatar of Sun Wukong lifts a clawed hand and motions to the winds. Quickly a 30 mile an hour wind swirls off the KJ's hand into the storm and the flock to help drive them back.

"Tch," is all that Asuka manages as she takes a pose that looks like Krav Maga mated with T'ai Chi and produced a Matrix sequel. Her weight is distributed seventy percent to her back, thirty to her front with her knees bent slightly and her feet at ninety degree angle to each other in the form of an 'L'. "Why am I always your cook anyway, HAUH, you big ass bitch?!" she snarls to Kurumi, the picture of Akashic calm and serenity. She GLARES at the slow-falling feathers and suddenly the air sizzles, rippling waves of heat appearing as a bonfire-size blaze flares into existence across a large swath of them.

Danny had slowed the feather missiles. Asuka burns many of the slow-mo feather-missiles into so much smoke! And now Jin, the Avatar of Sun WuKong, drives the flock of dark shangyang back so that they won't get a chance to fire off another volley of feather-missiles!

Natsumi looks for cover, preparing to dodge... but the volley is slowed. It just gives her more time to slide her bow from over her shoulder and nock an arrow. Dropping to a knee, she prepares to aim and fire.

Li Bong looks over his shoulder, one eyebrow arched, at the archer. In Cantonese he says something that translates to like, "Bingo!"

Kurumi looks over at Asuka after she has finished getting the ichor splotches off of her shirt, "Because you're so good at making fire." she says as if this should be completely obvious, like duh. "This boat doesn't exactly have a stove or a fryer." she sticks out her tongue and then reaches down to where her sake gourd should be before recalling that Li Bong still has it.

Not anticipating the barrage being slowed, and not really interested in being impaled by the horde of feathers, Misty is darting quickly for some semblance of cover, or at least to avoid the anticipated volley that was incoming.

Hisato blinks as he looks over at the birds flying towards them... And then he tries to jump out of the way of those wicked looking birds hopefully able to escape the brunt of that brutal damage. But not really that hopeful.

At this point? Between the fireball conjuring Asuka, and the stormwind conjuring Jin? Most of the incoming feather-missiles and the birds that fired them have been dealt with. There are still a few errant feather-missiles on a lazy approach towards the group, but they're moving slow enough to easily dodge. Kurumi, as the tip of the party's spear was the first to make contact with the feather-missiles and has a sample of their ju-ju on her kanabo! Ying Yue bravely took the fight to the flock, but now that they've suffered some defeat at her fang and claw, the birds remaining around her scatter and turn tail to fly away.

Suddenly? There will be a blinding flash of golden light. When people's vision adjusts from the golden flash?

ENTER MASTER PREM OF THE GOLDEN LOTUS CULT. "Welcome, old friends." He looks to the new faces, "And new ones too. Please. Follow me to the temple. We have much to talk about."

Li Bong looks around, now with the other eyebrow switching places to arch. "I am, as they say, too old for this shit." He mutters in English. But, once they are 'safe', he lowers his bamboo pole to be like a walking stick again. In his pockets, two oranges remain!

Master Prem looks to Li Bong. "Are those ... oranges?"

"They were." Says the drunken monk. "If they have not been... flavored by the Yin forces... they should still be delicious." From his pocket, he rolls one out, offering it to the Master, upon which he bows to one knee.

The blinding light has Natsumi turning her head and covering her eyes with her arm. As it clears, she gradually lifts her head, blinking and looking for the enemy. Not seeing them, she rises to her feet, slinging her bow across her back and immediately looks for Hisato and Misty.

Master Prem gives Li Bong a smile. "We haven't had any oranges here since our land broke from Sajavedra. Thank you," he says as he takes the offered fruit, peeling and eating as he escorts the group to the monastery. "Come along, we only have a little time before the dark shangyang return. Or worse."

The feathered dragon returns to the ground, her normally white coloring marred by red patches. You don't fly in to a flock of razor feathers without getting hit. "Was anyone injured?" The ethereal voice asks.

Spying the magnificent dragon as she returns, Prem's eyes go wide. "Ying Yue! You came back! Wait until you see the sculpture in the center of the monastery by the reflecting pool!"

Misty steps out again and makes her way over to Natsumi, "That was really good shooting." she says with a quick smile at the other fox woman, bowing her head slightly. "Exciting, this trip, and we've only just gotten here, huh."

"Mmph," intones Asuka, still blinking away tears from the golden light making her eyes water. "The grand Poobah puts in his appearance at last. Hooray we were found worthy, or some shit." She then yawns, flattening her palm against her lips for a moment. "Naw, don't think so Ying Yue," continues Asuka as she turns to Kurumi "Though I think she got literally tarred and feathered."

Avatar of Sun Wukong keeps pace with Danny like she is the man's shadow.

Hisato climbs to his feet... And dusts himself off he wasn't just rolling on the ground no sir... Then he looks over to make sure Natsumi and Misty are okay, "So that's... Different. Nobody was hurt it sounds like which means less work for me."

Hisato walks over to the dragon and offers a bow, "It looks like you've been injured would you mind if I treated your wounds with the Mother's Touch?" If the dragon consents he'll lay his hands on the injured area pouring in the healing touch to treat the injuries.

Seemingly oblivious to the fact anyone might want to study the gross ichor now coating her kanabo, Kurumi has walks over to the side of the boat and started trying to shake it off into the water and get the metal something resembling clean again. Though she does give Master Prem a wink when he appears but otherwise seems occupied with making the gross black goo disappear.

Li Bong looks at the wine gourd, then back at Kuruki and her black blood, then back at the wine gourd. He sniffs at it.

"Oi! Kurumi, stop right there bitch... let me see your Kanebo before you wash that shit off." She pulls a small flask from her backpack and walks over to Kurumi "I want to see if it has any properties that ain't normal. Though my Alchemy is still pretty fucking basic... "