Kovacs would get off the bus and dust off what seems like a brand new set of loose fitting jeans and a nice long sleeve t-shirt, a new looking backpack on his back. Looking around and taking his surroundings in.

He would begin wondering the area looking for a place out of the way he could sneak a few tokes

2009-02-07 14:56:37 Kovacs Kurosagi rolls 7 dice to per+streetwise 2,6,3,5,1, 10,2,3 (1 success)

Sliding between a couple of dumpsters he would crouch being careful not to dirty his new clothes and would suck down a couple of hits from his box letting the smoke flow into him and help him to expand his understanding and perception of the energies of the world around him.

2009-02-07 15:06:10 Kovacs Kurosagi rolls 2 dice to Arete prime 1 1,8 (failure)

2009-02-07 14:55:33 Kovacs Kurosagi rolls 10 dice to Stealth at kungfu 8,2,9,10,8, 4,6,4,9,6, 8 (8 successes)

After his smoke he would slip back out of the alley and move up to the road to the address written on the card he was given and ring the bell. Not knowing what some kind of kung fu master will want with him but letting the course of events Niko had sent him on guide him where they may. He was full and clean and had new clothes that fit, this path had already led him to a better life. Why hesitate now.

 There is a shock at your fingertips when you press the buzzer, as you look down and find the wiring frayed and quite old. The place looks abandoned and the sign is only a simple kangi painted on the window, now covered with dust and looking very old.

After a minute of waiting the door opens to a Japanese man of middle age, though its a bit hard to tell. He is wearing what appears to be a pair of coveralls with the name John Nguyen stenciled on one side and the other says MolBel Laboratories Inc. He looks at you smiling, "Yes, can I help you?"  

He hesitates for a moment taking in the look of the man.

" Ummmm I was sent here by Gand. From the White rabbit. I am not sure what he expects from this but Here I am. My name is Kovacs Kurosagi."

He would extend his hand 15 or 16 at best his body seems fairly health if for a bit of malnutrition his muscle structure is that  of a runner or a climber.

 Looking at the boy he is confused initially by his statement, but Gand certainly had a reason to send him over.

"Come in," as he crosses the threshold looking a bit confused on why he had been sent to this man. He directs him into the main living room. The bamboo sparring mat that is the center looks to have seen little use. The walls are mostly bare, minus an old portrait of an older man with Japanese scrïpt underneath. The room smells of cherry blossoms and is quite tranquil. In one of the corners is a small shrine that is very traditional, though you are unsure about its religious significance. One wall is covered with a variety of weapons, some you may recognize while others are certainly unknown. There is a small kitchen off to the left and it seems to continue onward, though you can't see where it leads.

The man follows you in,"Please sit, would you care for some tea? Perhaps some dinner? Then we shall speak of what has lead you to me and how I can assist you afterwords, I am Nakazawi Toshi, Shidoshi of this dojo." continuing onward toward the kitchen. You hear the slight whistle of the teapot as he walks toward the kitchen.

"both would be good its been a while since I had a home cooked meal."

He would stare around the room and you are given the impression that he is sucking it all in storing it for later as he puzzles out the details and continues to ponder the reason he was sent to this man...if its just his ethnic background that seems a bit shallow of Gand.

 He nods with a smile as he pours the boiling water into the teapot, allowing the leaves to steep. He begins removing some things from the small refrigerator and preparing a few things,"So, tell me about yourself, How do you know Gand the Great?"

You can hear some chopping and something boiling, numerous appetizing smells coming from the small kitchen.

Kovacs would continue to take in the room around him wondering the area and inspecting everything like there may be some kind of test on this later.

" I met Gand last Night I was going to spray paint his club and leavea  message when he found me. He has offered to give me a job and I am to return tonight. He seemed to think I was in need of a mentor or whatever and I guess thought of you." He would shrug as if such things are unimportant. " So he gave me your address and sent me here. So here I am."  

--Last edited by Kovacs on 2009-02-14 13:04:08 --

 "It is said that when the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends. Gand is a good friend and although I am an instructor of sorts what you do is your choice, not anyone else's. I am certain that it will be revealed when we speak after dinner. You can think more clearly and understand more with a full stomach. Sometimes it distracts us from the call of the Kami, they are here but often they are quiet. You must be at peace before you can begin to hear what they are saying," as he carries in a tray upon which rests a bowl of steaming Udon and a small plate of delicately sliced sashimi.

The Udon hsa a variety of differing seafood in it as well as some daikon, fresh onions and ginger. The sashimi plate is accompanied by some delicate soy sauce, a bit of wasabi pressed into a leaf, and some pickled ginger wrapped into a flower.

"Enough for now, sit and eat. We can then determine why you are here..." as he himself sits upon the mat. He waits until Kovacs is seated before starting to eat, his movements deliberate and precise.

Kovacs would slide to a sitting position on the mat and begin eating the offered food. There is an feeling of savoring and attention to the meal as he begins eating the offered food. He would not rush taking each bit as a blessing he would eat a very healthy portion of the food but never stuffs his mouth or seems in a hurry. More that he is relishing the experience. He is quiet the whole time more focused on the food than the man eating with him.  When he is finished he would let out a contented sigh and sit back form the table.

Upon finishing the meal he would get into his backpack and pull out his dug out. He would make his movements slow and deliberate a question and an offer all in one as he seeks to calm his mind further so that he can open himself up to not only the mystic world but to this man as well and see why his path has lead him here.  

 He spots the motion and the offered intoxicants. He can occasionally drink, but politely shakes his head in response. He generally only drinks when he is with Gand and that is even a rarity.

"You may, I have invited you into my home and wish you to be comfortable, but I am at peace here and that will only cloud my mind to what the Kami are saying..." as he gathers the plates and bowls, taking them into the kitchen before returning with a wooden tray, complete with tea and cups.

He slowly and religiously pours the tea into the cups, the amber liquid steaming as it touches the white bone china. He offers a cup to the younger man and begins to sip upon his own after it is given.

"This is the tea of my homeland, grown upon the steppes of the mountainside, where only the strong may live and prosper. I assume you have never seen your people's land. Nippon is a beautiful and magical place, I miss it on such occasions. I still follow the old ways, the ways of my family. They are rare in this land and I have been gone for many years. It is hard for me to return, it is something I will never return to. I keep alive the spirit of that place for it brings me peace and harmony. What place do you come from and what kami have brought you to me?" knowing that they certainly had to have guided this lost soul to another that might be able to help him.

He would take the offered tea and settle back on the floor loading the bat with the pungent green weed he would inhale deeply and once again try to realign his view to the other level of this world.

2009-02-08 23:31:45 Kovacs Kurosagi rolls 2 dice to Arete prime sight (Diff 4) {foci but retry after earlier fail} 10,2 (1 success)

"I once got to visit a large portion of Japan when I was younger. I remember being comforted by the sense of honor and spirituality that exists there, but that was many years ago and many experiences.I am not sure what I saw then was what truly is happening under the surface of that country. I have come because Niko has told me that I have to form roots and partnerships, friend and support in this world if I am going to survive. When I was 14 and a half we were living in some of those middle class apartments and I woke up one night to strange noises in the living room...."

He would smoke more of the weed as he tells this story his voice full of emotion and sounding perhaps on the edge of cracking. Yet there is control there. A hard edge that he has been forced to grow and nurture in himself to survive on the streets this long.

" When I looked out of my door there were monsters in my house. Vampires. They were killing my family, my mother was pregnant and about to give birth and I saw them ripping my sister from her belly and gorge themselves on its blood and the begin doing the same to the rest of my family. That was when I first saw Niko. She told me it was time to go and that I had to run....I  have been running ever since. Living on the streets like so much trash and striving to survive from day to day. Niko has been trying to convince me to make roots for a while now.... This brought me to Gand's ummm club and from him to you... via a hotel new cloths and a hot shower."

He would suck in one more hit from his box and slip it back into his bag and then wait and see where his path has taken him.  

--Last edited by Kovacs on 2009-02-08 23:41:43 --

(His aura looks as if it were painted with whites and greens, idyllic with long finely crafted skill, like the Kangi upon his walls. You can certainly see the aura of one that is awoken in it, but it is very different then any others you have seen, unique)

He sits and listens to the story intent upon the young mans emotion and state. He can hear the scene vividly described, much like his lover's death so many years ago. He heard the word vampire, but he can be forgiven. Should he have been trained he would have immediately recognized a Yomi for its true form, perhaps the movies have influenced him too greatly.

"I am sorry to hear of your past woes, they are very painful and with such a young mind can become a stain should you allow them to afflict your present self. I too have have my share and some were certainly self inflicted. I have been trained in the arts from a young age, being sent to our Shidoshi at the age of seven. I studied under him for many years and was called upon to perform a great duty to my people. My target knew not what happened and he bears me no ill will, he was so infused with the worm ridden lands beneath that it was a release to have his demonic soul back in its own kingdom. After that I could no longer stay. I have traveled this land and taught those that choose to seek me out and learn," as he sips his tea calmly.

"Your ancestor spirits, the Kami, guide you. They watch out for you, revealing the true and righteous path that leads to enlightenment should you choose to listen. They are all around you, you are the fruit of many generations and they have not forgotten you. You can speak with them when you are calm and open yourself to them. I am never alone."

"I have heard you say that you have come here because of Gand, but you could easily have ignored him. You choose your own destiny and it has taken you here. You have heard of my tales. You have seen my house and heard what I have said. Close your eyes and reach out. Why have you come here and what do you seek? Only when we say something aloud do we realize it to ourselves. Only then are we more then our limits and we have become free..."

He sits back in a lotus position with his eyes shut drawing upon the Kami, taking in their advice, mouthing his prayer to his ancestors.

2009-02-09 00:31:33 Nakazawi Toshi rolls 3 dice to Prime Sight (Diff 5) 4,3,2 (failure)

(At that moment Toshi's colors flare to life, visions of elderly paintings from Japan, ethereal and light encircle the man)

The Kami are there, but he can not perceive their calls, perhaps they know something they do not wish to share or something that he must learn on his own. He understands their lessons well, they have always guided him, always watched him closely. They have chosen this man to come here, they will reveal what must be when they are ready and not a moment before. Again he mouths a prayer thanking them for their guidance before he opens his eyes awaiting the young man's answer...  

--Last edited by Nakazawi Toshi on 2009-02-09 00:36:52 --

" It is true I could have just ignored him and waited till our meeting tonight. Yet Niko has told me I need roots not a root. I have lived so long alone and now there is a part of me reaching out for community. How could I start walking this path and then stop when it begins to bear fruit. So here I am ready to see what this path has in store for me. I am here because I can not stand alone against the darkness that infects this world and because I was not destined to die street scum. It is time for me to grow up and stop playing at life."

He looks around himself intently again once again the habits of the last two years spilling out of him. This teen while he looks under fed and rugged has an air of someone who is changing the new cloths and scrubbed skin reflect this as much as light in his eyes when he talks about this new life.  

--Last edited by Kovacs on 2009-02-09 16:35:24 --

 He listens to the younger man with interest, he himself had always had discipline. It was ingrained at an early age indeed, the Shidoshi were demanding instructors and required the utmost and then more. He felt something for this young man and hoped that indeed he did want change, it would certainly be an uphill battle.

"It is said that beginning is easy; continuing, hard. I am certain that your struggles will only lead to further hardships, but they also lead to greater understanding. Everyone can only run from their destiny for so long. It sounds as if your intent is to change your place and role in your own future, for that I commend you. Some time ago Gand asked a favor of me, to house an enemy that I did not trust. She revealed herself eventually as a servant of the Yomi as I had expected, but I grew from that experience. I have an empty room on the third floor, it is dirty and many things are in need of repair. It is small, but has its own entrance. Should you truly wish to travel this road you may stay there if you wish. I only ask that you repair the room and cover your small expenses. I will warn you that there is certainly a bad energy that I do not believe has been excised from the room, but I can assist you in that endeavor. I have chosen this area for a reason also, this is a very rough neighborhood and you will be challenged constantly. You must always keep up your guard and pay attention to your surroundings, but these are lessons that you shall need and will develop for your future."

He sips the tea, watching him clearly, his eyes upon his face. "I can only offer you what I can, you must help yourself and steer your own vessel. I can only help you if that is what you wish. I only ask that under my roof that you respect my home and do not do anything that might bring disgrace and dishonor to myself or my ancestors by my gift to you..."

He sits with a blank stare at the young man, he knows what a hard road he will have and the offer is certainly not the easiest of roads, but it will better him along his path.  

Kovacs would sit and ponder all that he has been told then slowly respond.

" I will most certainly appreciate the use of the room and am more then willing to help repair it and such. I do not know what "trailing" you offer but I know that I was brought to this point for a reason. I intend to work for Gand as well probably as a messenger or something. If this," he gestures to the small cloud of smoke " doesn't bother you then I do not think we will have any problems. I am eager to learn these things which everyone thinks I should know and am no stranger to the hard streets as they have been mine home for years now."

 "Your attitude and demeanor suggest that you will indeed be welcome into my home. I can certainly understand from a philosophically tantric perspective that experience is necessary for enlightenment, but must cuation that excess can lead to ruin. That is my advice on the subject of your own temple, but realize that your deeds are watched by those whom have passed. How have you used the gifts they so graciously bestowed upon you? Those are questions only you can answer. I only ask that you avoid any legal issues that might arise from your habit as well as limiting your choice when in my home. I understand that you enjoy it, but avoid drawing attention upon this place. I have worked hard to achieve it," as he rises and heads toward the counter retrieving a set of keys.

He tosses them to young Kovacs, "Here are the keys, the doorway is in the rear. They also unlock my motorcycle so please be careful with them. I wish you luck and should you wish to talk my door is always open."

Kovacs would remove the motorcycle key from the ring and hand it back bow to this gracious man and move outside and around the back of the building. There he would make his way to the door, unlock it, and enter into what may be his first real home in 2 years. The experience is new and exciting as well as scary. He lets his widened perceptions reach out to the rooms around him to feel for the energy the man spoke of.

2009-02-09 17:57:08 Kovacs Kurosagi rolls 8 dice to per+awareness 8,6,3,8,7, 3,9,9 (6 successes)

 You walk up the small darkened stairwell, The dojo lies on the first floor and is accessible from the front street. The second floor holds one door and you would assume it was Nakazawi's. The third floor banister and railing is a bit damaged. It seems to be held in place with duct tape and should likely be fixed or it might eventually injure someone. The door itself is tattered at best, the door appears to be held together with some plywood that has been screwed in randomly. It would appear that Toshi is certainly no carpenter.

Opening the door, the room is dark. With a flick of the switch the room comes into view. The room is small perhaps 30 by 40 with a small kitchenette in one corner. There is one bedroom in the rear that is small with no closet to speak of. There is some piecemeal furniture that appears to have been acquired at the salvation army  or at some second hand store. There is a bed, but no sheets or blanket, a couch that is passable, and a chair that is wobbly. The refrigerator is nearly empty and the cupboards only have whatever was left by the last tenant. The wooden floors look dirty, other then the area in the living room and extends toward the door as if something occurred here.

(Feeling the area will reveal a very strong connection to something that can be described as unrequited love and loss. As to anything being stronger then something else nothing is readily apparent.)

You now have a home, but it will certainly take some work and care to get it to a point that it might be comfortable. It does seem to have a very old feel to the place and with some care and attention it might end up being a great place. As to the energy Toshi had mentioned you are unable to pinpoint exactly what he was speaking about.

Kovacs would walk over to the bed and throw down his backpack. He would need to get a lot of stuff to fix this place up. Hopefully Gand will have some work for him or Toshi will be willing to throw down on repairs. The feeling of the place does seem odd but not exactly evil or anything. Hopefully during the repairs and furnishing of this place he can purify the place. Going through his bag he would remove the very few unneeded things like his tooth brush and things of that nature. Keeping his drugs and maps of the city as well his spray can. Finishing this he will throw his bag over his shoulders and make his way back out side slipping between buildings trying  to remain unseen.

2009-02-09 19:05:59 Kovacs Kurosagi rolls 10 dice to Stealth 3,10,1,1,7, 5,7,1,5,2, 9 (1 success)

Gand told him to come by tonight. better to be early then late in his mind Kovacs sets off for the White rabbit again. This new life may not be so bad.