Satoshi bows slightly belatedly after seeing Kichiro do it snapped his attention back to courtesy.
"Hmm? Oh, I guess we don't really have much else to do, and an early start tomorrow wouldn't hurt."
Once back in their room Kichiro turns to Satoshi.
"Do you think we should tell her? Not the whole thing, but part of it," he whispers intensely. "Maybe say we ran across something in the forest and I haven't been feeling right after? I mean, she might be able to help us... or she might decide I'm a danger to everyone."
Satoshi scratches his head.
"I... think that's up to you. What, and how much. You could just say that you're under a curse. It's accurate, and would put us on the right track curative-wise. No need to specify what kind of curse if you don't want to. But a priestess may be our best shot for getting on track to cure it."
Kichiro lets out a long, slow breath. "Maybe you're right. Say we were exploring around and something happened and now I don't feel right, maybe? It's true enough. I suppose we can go to her shrine in the morning."
Satoshi nodded.
"We're going to have to talk to someone sometime. Here we at least have someone who seems well-disposed towards us, hopefully enough to not pry too much. Tomorrow should work fine for it; I can take the extra time this evening to brew a potion for tomorrow... really need to think of a good name for that formula..."
"Right. Well... in the morning, then? To bed for now?"
Assuming Satoshi has nothing more to add, Kichiro heads to bed. He lays on his side, burying his nose as much as possible in the bedding to try to block out the smells of edi... people nearby.
The night passes uneventfully.
Kichiro also manages to get some sleep, as the smell of people lessen as the night gets later and later. It does not entirely disappear, but for a brief time, he is able to push it away and further to the back of his mind. It is that which wakes him up again in the morning. The incongruent smell of people and cooked food.
He could detect the faint hint of metal and fire and herbs that was whatever Satoshi concocted to try to help him, so that horrible-tasting draught should be ready soon.
For Satoshi, the practice of preparing the formula was part brewing, and part tinkering. Some of the local ingredients had been identified, and he had a sense of what quantities to include the others, but the significance was something that he had not fully grasped yet. There in his room, it was practically all that he could smell was the preparation of the formula.
He could see the sky begin to brighten through the open window, he could hear more sounds of people moving about, and the smell of breakfast being prepared. Another day has come, and with it another set of possibilities.
Kichiro grimmaces as the brief reprieve from the Hunger ends. "I think I'll need a big breakfast this morning," he comments to his brother as he arises and gets ready for the day. "After that... let's go see Chieko."
Satoshi nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Better than not having a plan. Oh, and here."
He finished the formula, and handed Satoshi the flask. "...I don't think asking about improvements for this concoction would be a good idea yet, though. I'd... have to explain exactly what it was for, after all."
Kichiro takes the flask and quaffs it as quickly as possible, both to avoid the taste as much as he can and because he needs to quiet the Hunger. After a moment it takes effect, and he sighs a bit as he hands back the now-empty flask.
He nods agreement to his brother's statement but doesn't speak any words about it. "Okay, breakfast time I think. Let's head down."
"Right.
Satoshi spent a minute or two packing up his alchemy and tinkering supplies, cramming them into their storage boxes with impressive efficiency, before hefting his pack onto his back.
"Got everything? We probably won't be back for a while at least."
Kichiro hefts his pack and nods. "With luck we'll be staying somewhere else tonight."
He leads the way downstairs and inquires about breakfast. An extra-large helping of breakfast.
A little past sunrise was the time that the two of you had gotten used to getting up. Chores at the teahouse started early, and from there it was helping out where it was needed. Those hours are difficult to stray from— at least for now, but that means that the two of you are one of the first ones downstairs.
There is a bit of serenity, seeing the common room this early in the morning. The tables are clear and orderly, and while there is a dim glow from the intermittently lit lamps, the growing light of the rising sun seemed more significant. Many of the surfaces are oiled and polished to where they almost shine. One of the servers is going about, setting the tables while the sounds and smells of food being prepared can be heard coming from the back.
It is still relatively quiet, and Tiyun is sitting at a table near the back, with what looks like breakfast for the morning staff in the process of being set out. A couple of dishes are set, what looks to probably be grilled meat of the same type that the two of you had the night before, some prepared vegetables and baked roots. He does not look to have slept all that well, and while he rises to greet the two of you, there is still some fatigue on his face. The smell is still that of the fading chill from the outside air vying with the fresher smells of food from the kitchen and the well-worn wood of the common room with the smell of the grasslands under all of that.
Waving you over, he indicates an adjacent table for you, and conveys that the two of you are to be served breakfast with little more than a look and a few gestures to the server.
"Good morning young masters. Was your night restful?"
Kichiro grins just a bit at the reversal of circumstances, thinking of how many mornings it had been he and Satoshi getting an early breakfast before greeting the patrons. The memory was almost enough to help him forget for a moment how part of him wanted to murder these people and eat their livers.
Almost.
"Yes, very," he replies aloud. "Apologies for arising early. It's only been a few days since we were doing just this at our parents' teahouse." He nods at the spread set out for the staff. "It's a bit strange to be the ones getting served, in some ways."
There was a smile of understanding across his face as he nodded, but also a knowing look in his eyes.
"I felt the same when I traveled to visit family. Wherever we stopped, it always felt like I should have been the one working." Chuckling a little, a hint of nostalgia crossed his expression. "Perhaps I had been working too long, and needed the break."
Any other conversation that would have been had was stalled as the food started to arrive, and he moved out of the way for the server that began setting dishes out. Small skewers of grilled meat, plain with a little salt and pepper, a bowl of light soup, and some steamed field grains to start.
"Please enjoy, and if you have time later, I would ask your assistance."
With that, he headed back to the breakfast set out, leaving the both of you to eat.
Kichiro wants to ask what assistance Tiyun meant, but as the food came out he focuses on it instead. He tries blocking out the other Hunger by paying attention to the smells and flavors of the food as he begins to eat, just barely keeping himself to a polite speed of consumption as he again works to at least confuse it.
He gives Satoshi a glance between bites and shrugs his shoulders slightly, inviting discussion of the host's words while he ate.
Satoshi also ate, though not as much or as fast.
"Hmm, interesting. I wonder what he wants assistance with. Not sure if I have much opinion on that until the details are known... but it does feel a bit different to be on this side of the counter. Though, I already did a little work this morning, so I don't feel restless about that at least. Not sure what I'd do if I couldn't tinker and brew in my spare time."
Kichiro shrugs slightly at Satoshi's musings on what Tiyun wanted. In between bites he teases, "You'd go crazier, Satoshi."
His good humor quickly fades, however, as he finishes his meal. He crams his belly until it's uncomfortably full, hoping that the combination of that discomfort and Satoshi's potion would last him until they got out of the village.
He glances over to where Tiyun was. "Ready to go find out?"
In the time that you two eat breakfast— and Kichiro stuffs himself to where he was starting to draw attention at the number of dishes that had accumulated– a few more of the earlier rising individuals had come down and were just starting breakfast. Of the few that came down, two have the look of merchants, and one seems to act like someone from a minor house of some sort.
The level of chatter picks up and things look to be winding up to what is "normal", and no odd looks are given as the day brightens.
Satoshi nodded, stacking his used dishes neatly.
"Probably would. Be trying to cross-breed owls and bears in no time."
He stood up, and glanced at Kichiro to make sure he was, indeed, finished.
"No time like the present, right?"
Kichiro nods, stands, and walks over to where Tiyun now is.
"We have time now. What is it you wanted to talk with us about?"
The table had since been cleared where Tiyun sat, and he had moved to the seat where the two of you had seen him when you arrived the night before.
As you ask the question, his demeanor changes a bit, and he looks around the common room briefly before gesturing you to sit. He lets out a sigh before he speaks, but he never really stops giving part of his attention to the common room. "Now... You might think me foolish, but I wish to ask your help with one of the guests."
Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he glanced around the common room again. "I think they're a dragon."
Kichiro is taken aback by this. It... wasn't exactly the sort of request he'd been anticpating.
"Ummm... I'd heard in stories that they could take human form, but... what would we be able to do about it?" Kichiro asks, confused.
Satoshi's face scrunched briefly, gears turning in his head.
"I... think he might be saying that perhaps others who are... not exactly as they appear, might be able to get closer and ask this potential dragon what they're doing here. Something like that?"
There was an emphatic nod and the stem of Tiyun's pipe was pointed at Satoshi, definitely impressed at the quick comprehension. There was a spark of admiration in his expression in passing, before his nervousness at the topic returned. "Just so, young Mori. Exactly 'something like that'."
There was a slight pause as something was considered before he continued. "Coin, goods, or services would be your reward." The quantity of such would probably not be a lavish sum by any means, but given the nature of this establishment and its place in the town... It could be expected to qualify as "sufficient".
While breakfast was still continuing, there were some that had finished and seemed to be discussing business, or some that had gotten up and left, but there were still a few more that were enjoying the morning. The mourners— what few were this early in the season– were able to be recognized by their garb, simple and pious, and the ritualized way they went about their day.
_____________________________
Kichiro glances at Satoshi for a bit, then back. "We can't promise anything, but we can try," he says to Tiyun. "Who's this person you're wondering about? What did they do to draw your attention?"
Tiyun looked away as he recalled the details.
"Their name is Kangsho-Se. He showed up a week ago and rented a room for half of the month." The expression on his face was somewhat incredulous as it appeared that someone renting a room for that span of time was almost unheard of. "That's a long time even for merchants, but they said nothing of any cargo that they might be carrying at all. Their clothes were not that of someone coming to pay their respects, and of a different style than we usually see around here. Furthermore, there was something... off about him."
At the look he no doubt received from the both of you saying that, he grimaces and spreads his hands. I don't know how to explain it, but something about him felt odd."
Satoshi scratched his chin.
"Well, that *is* kind of suspicious... Not really sure how to go about actually approaching him. We don't really have a reason beyond curiosity. Well, the talking thing has never really been my strong point..."
Kichiro sighs. "Yes, that's my job. Well, does he usually come down for breakfast? I'm sure I can find a reason to chat."
Satoshi gave Kichiro a sheepish look.
"S-Sorry for always pushing this kind of stuff onto you. I know it's rough for you. I just tend to freeze up when I try..."
Kichiro waves a hand dismissively. "I've got to be better at something."
There was a moment of a smile on Tiyun's face on hearing the two of you, and he shook his head. "I don't see him enough for me to say yes for certain. He seems to keep odd hours. I have maybe seen him in the morning twice, and in the common room once in the evening."
He does proceed to give you a description of a man, the clothes that seem to be out of fashion by a few years— the jacket and pants combination he described was of better quality than most here, a neatly groomed long black mustache and goatee, along with a simple walking cane of dark wood. The most notable part, he tells you, are his eyes. When he saw them, they were the color of copper, or gold.
Kichiro glances at his brother again. Unusual eyes? That did tend to be a difficult part to disguise.
"Well... that will make it more difficult to bump into him. Given he's not down now... We have a couple things to do in town. If we're lucky, maybe we can go take care of one of them, then come back and catch him?"
Satoshi nodded. Gold or copper eyes? That did suggest at least some kind of nonhuman... well, he'd heard that metallic colored dragons were usually friendly, so it might be a good sign, but it was too early to call for sure.
"That would be an efficient use of time. It does sound like finding him may be partly a matter of luck."
Tiyun shrugged, but bobbled his head in an appreciative gesture. "If I am fortunate, nothing will come of his stay here, and these concerns of mine will be nothing more than that."
As you have remained in the common room, the early risers have eaten and left, the time now what would be considered properly morning, with a few more people drifting in from the town. Guards that look like they pulled the night shift are coming in to eat, greeting Tiyun with a nod and going over to the same table that you had seen guards sitting at the night before. One or two more drift in, and the smell of food has not stopped coming from the kitchen yet.
Kichiro looks over the common room briefly, to make certain no one matching the description Tiyun gave was in it.
Assuming he doesn't notice anything, he then turns to Satoshi. "Well, let's be about our business for a bit, then return."
Unfortunately, no one fitting the description seems to be present in the common room.
As you take your leave, with a promise to at least look into this individual for Tiyun, you step outside of the doors of the Candleight's Warmth and into the direct light of the morning in Miumi. The grass itself is kept back to the edges of town, but it is immediately evident that they town itself was laid out with care. The placement of the buildings, at least around the central area where a pool of water stands around a tree. The tree itself seems well cared for, a low wall about knee-high keeping the water itself from spilling out. How it is maintained is not immediately apparent.
The sounds of activity are picking up, and you can kear the methodic sound of brush over stone, the sound of doors being opened a faint murmur of conversation from here and there. You do not hear the sound of the blacksmith hammering on the anvil yet, but there is a touch of the acrid smell of the ash in the air when the wind shifts.
Judging by the signs that you can see, there are a couple of goods stores, though one would look to carry more of the things needed by mourners, while the other is less specialized. What seems to be a bulletin board for the town is up, though instead of postings, there are wooden placards with names. The shrine is immediately evident by the style and color of the building, its red and gold color standing almost serenely amidst the increasing sounds and distractions of the rousing town.
Satoshi took in the well-laid-out town. "Some people did good work building this place. Which is a little bit odd, most towns grow up more haphazardly. I wonder if there's a story behind that... Er, anyway, getting supplies first and then visiting the shrine? Or would it be easier to pick up the heavy stuff last so we don't have to carry it as much?"
Kichiro thinks for a moment. "Pick up supplies, drop them off at our room to give us an excuse to take another look for this Kangsho-Se, then to the shrine?" he suggests.
It definitely wasn't to put off going to the shrine. Definitely not. Purely for giving them more opportunities to see this strange character.
Satoshi gave Kichiro a slight bit of a sideways look. He knew full well this was procrastinating... but it wasn't a big issue right now.
"That should be fine. We'll probably want to get about as much as we can comfortably carry long-distance. It never hurts to be extra prepared."
"Right, so... plenty of food and water, maybe some torches... anything else?"
Acquiring basic supplies was not difficult. One of the other supply stores (indicated by food in front of a pack for its sign) went by the name of "Great Haul". Its proprietor was in the process of organizing a couple of shelves when the two of you arrived, but you could already see that this had a good amount of the supplies that you were looking for. The smells in here were primarily that of the dusty, yet sharp smell of dried herbs, and under that the smell of the wood polish used rather regularly on the parts of the shelves that were not covered by a cloth and had their goods resting on them.
"Oh! Good morning! Welcome to the Great Haul! How can I be of service?"
"Good morning, sir. We're resupplying for our journey ahead. We're mostly looking for foods that travel well, but also for a few other things." Kichiro is fairly certain Satoshi has a few other needs--his brother is always needing things for his alchemy, for one thing.
"Er.. Yes, we'll also be wanting a few kinds of dried herb, and probably a new waterskin or two."
Satoshi started browsing around, seeing what was available. He could at least stock up on the common stuff, but would probably still need to harvest the less common ingredients himself.
"Travel food, some herbs—" he indicates the other side of the store, where the wall has some tied and dried bundles hanging along almost its length. You do notice the raised windows opposite that wall, but the sun was not high enough to draw attention to it yet. At present, the angle was allowing a indirect light in, enough so that some cleverly placed mirrors allowed them to not have any lanterns lit.
"–two waterskins? I have all of that." You are sure he was assessing the two of you when you were not looking, but any decent shopkeep would be doing so. "How far are you travelling, if I may be so rude as to ask?"
You are pretty sure you can smell some living plants as well, though they do not seem to be in evidence in the shop. What is in evidence are woven bags of plains grasses, several items made from hide and leather, as well as bone, and wooden items are in abundance. There are a few metal items, but only for the items that absolutely need to be durable.
"As far as we feel like," Kichiro says with a bit of a grin. "...and maybe as far as we can afford. This is more of a trip for enjoyment than business."
That was... only sort-of a lie, right?
"I imagine that's not as common a reason as others, here?"
Satoshi looked up from browsing the wares, considering what he needed and what he could do without. "...Yeah, we don't really know what our destination is yet, so we'll just have to travel until we find it."
THe shopkeep had been in motion, stepping behind the counter to acquire the things you had requested, so his stopping to give you two closer scrutiny was noticeable. For someone in their middle age, his expression was somewhat unreadable, the few wrinkles around his eyes and mouth accented by a small beard. You can see his mouth move, perhaps thoughtfully.
Whatever he gathered from his examination of you, he gave a grunt before resuming his motion. "Well, if you're on a spiritual journey, this is a good place. Can't recommend going too far into the Forest, though. A lot in there isn't for us mortals."
There were six wrapped packages on the counter, and he moved further down to acquire the waterskins. "If its art, reaching Hwanggot would be enlightening. Politics could see you in Kasai, but if you're to be borne on the winds of your travel, simply heading South is just as good as any specific direction."
A brief chuckle came with a shrug, something whimsical found in the idea of travelling as you are pulled.
"If you do venture into the forest, and are capable of navigating the wilds, I do have a request that I am willing to offer coin in trade."
Kichiro hesitates a moment. "We've... been to the Forest before," he says carefully, "Though we hadn't been planning on heading that direction. You could tell us what your request is, though. We may end up going that way sooner or later."
"Ah, well", he deferred, "I am always running out of Adrugane, Sour Leaves, and Thorn Buds."
His gesutre towards the wall showed several dried bundles that Kichiro can recognize as the aforementioned herbs, one being a wide leafed plant whose stems were useless but the leaves themselves could be used as an ingredient in a large number of applications regarding healing. The other was used as seasoning, the bitter taste when green almost becoming something similar to a pepper when dried and carefully treated. Thorn Buds were the most literal named, as the plant that those grew on grew buds before they expanded and hardened into nasty thorned pods that broke off when it was time to seed, the thorns catching, and as it dried, the seeds matured, scattering when the pod broke open.
"Anyone that can help me keep enough stock to not run out will always be well-paid for their efforts by me."
Two of the waterskins had been procured and set by the (now eight) small wrapped travel balls.
As Satoshi perused the stock, there were a surprising amount of plants— dried, ground, and otherwise; some miscellaneous powders and ground ores, and even a few chips of different wood in sample sizes that he may have more of in the back, most likely. Those were the notable things amongst the standard travel supplies and more mourning-related items.