open Cultures Unite (1x1 with GeneralDirection)

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

However, the serenity is broken when he hears something. In a random corner of the establishment, some kids seem to be rough housing. "Come on! Stop it!" One of the kids says. "Make me, wimp! You'll never be a samurai this way." The lead bully says, about to do more, until an angry Ryugane interferes. "That's enough! Life is all ready hard enough here. What do you think fighting is going to prove?" Ryugane asks them. "But that's how you became a samurai, isn't it? You were raised on the streets and got super tough, and then you became a samurai!" The bully says. "Not because I wanted to. I grew up on the streets because I had no choice. No one should have to live that way, and I'm trying to make sure none of you have to either. Right now, the only one closest to being a samurai, is this one right here." Ryugane pets the head of the little colt they were picking on. The little one looks up at Ryugane with surprise and hope in his eyes.

This takes the steam out of the fighting. "Samurai are not just fighters. We live with honor. If you want to be one some day, you should do the same. Look out for your comrades instead of knock them down. Do that, and you might be a better samurai than me some day." Ryugane explains to them. The little bullies nod and stop being mean. When they start making amends with the colt they were picking on, Ryugane walks away from them, satisfied.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Firefighter Equine

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Suddenly, a small fight breaks out between a few of the colts at the shelter. Silver turns his attention to the action, and it seems that a few have begun to pick on one of the others. Ryugane decides to intervene, explaining that picking on others who appear weaker is not how you become a samurai. He pats the head of little one they had been bullying and apologize for their behaviour. Ryugane walks away from the gathering, satisfied with the affect he had on the young colts. Silver learned a bit more about Ryugane in that moment, and developed a newfound respect for him. To come from nothing and then make something of yourself, and becoming a samurai nonetheless, had no doubt been a difficult struggle.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Denki noticed too. He just smiles and nods. However, he notices something about Silver. He walks up closer to him. "Are you okay, Silver-san? You haven't spoken in a while." Denki asks.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Silver looks over to Denki. “Yep, I’m ok. Just taking everything in, that’s all. Back where I’m from, we don’t have facilities like this. Everypony helps each other out if they’re in need, whether it’s shelter, food, or whatever it may be. Kirin villages are also rather small, so it’s a lot harder for ponies to get forgotten about.” He explains.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Ryugane motions them closer so they can leave together. When they are out of the building, Ryugane comments. "It's a little different in this part of Japone. There is a stronger divide between the rich and the poor classes here. There is almost no middle class. Remember the ruins you saw when you first came here? When part of the region loses a town or city because of storms, battle, or any reason at all, the rich can just move to a new spot and act like that part of Japone doesn't exist. The poor are the ones having to make due with scraps." Ryugane explains.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Silver follows Ryugane and Denki out of the building and stands outside beside them. “I see. Where I’m from, we don’t really have a concept of rich or poor. We have no use for bits. Anything we need, we make ourselves. Trading with the outside world isn’t exactly a viable option for us considering how remote our land is. All this has certainly been eye-opening, to say the least.”  

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

"Well, my region is... Wait, they just move and shrug off the struggling parts of this region? Why don't they invest in saving it?" Denki says. "They only do that when it suits them. Otherwise, they don't care." Ryugane says. "But the empress and the Shogun has sent plenty of financial aid to your region, correct? Where does that go?" Denki asks. "Basically, to the rich. They have their hooves in all the government bureaucracy here. They influence where that financial aid goes. I do my best to appeal to them, but the rich don't have to answer to the samurai class. Unless the empress orders some major changes herself, then nothing will change here." Ryugane explains.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Silver listens to the two converse silently before speaking up. “I can understand that, I suppose. Sounds rather corrupted. It’s amazing what happens to society when you remove money from the equation… and it’s very unfortunate to hear how things are around here.” Silver remarks solemnly.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Denki huffs. "Well that's just not right~! If it were me, I--" Ryugane stops him from finishing that thought. "Forget it. Change will come to all. Karma has a way of advancing to everypony." Ryugane says. He begins to walk off, but something catches Silver's attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he'll spot a flock of white birds. Seagulls, really. The same kind that blinded him before he arrived here! ...But they look kind odd. They are pure white, and kind of flat and angular. They don't seem entirely real.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Silver gives Denki a sympathetic look. “It’s always hard to see injustice go on, but like Ryugane said, things always have their way of working out in the end. They’ll get what they have coming to them.”

The group heads out, and as they walk along, Silver notices some birds out of the corner of his eye, much like the ones that had surrounded him earlier. It occurred to him that he hadn’t stopped to consider how their behaviour was rather unusual for being seagulls. Now that he thinks about it, these ones also seemed to be strange looking, now that he has the chance to view them from a distance.

“Hey Ryugane, is it normal for seagulls from around here to swarm you? Because that’s what happened before you found me earlier. I also noticed they’re looking a bit weird… like… flatter. You know what I’m saying?” He asks.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

"Hmm?" Ryugane asks before looking in the same direction as Silver. He looks at the birds and notices something instantly. "...Those aren't birds. Those are Paper!" Ryugane says. "The origami shinobi!" Denki and Ryugane say in unison, realizing they are thinking the same thing, before they both run off to follow where this flock of seagulls is headed.

The chase leads them zigging and zagging through random streets and alleys, which are all right super tight. Gotta be careful of sharp turns, trash bins, random citizens, or anything that might pop up and get in your way! Thankfully, Denki and Ryugane are pretty sharp about this. Eventually, the chase leads to a much bigger alley way. However, Ryugange and Denki stop when they see what's waiting for them in this alley. Based on their tough-looking appearance and the way they are dressed, it's clear. This is a street gang. "Well, well... Look who walked onto our turf again. Karma works in the worst ways, don't it?" The biggest one in the group says before he begins walking up to Ryugane in a menacing way. Ryugane sterns himself. He wants to keep following the birds, but it doesn't look like this gang will just let them leave.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Seems that Silver’s suspicions were correct, and the birds were indeed the origami shinobi they were after. Silver runs along after them, doing his best to keep up but ultimately not quite as fast as the other two samurai. He caught up with them though, once they had been stopped by some… old friends. It didn’t take long for Silver to figure out that these ponies meant trouble. Silver kept calm and watched his friends to see what they would do, ready to follow in whatever they chose to do next.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Denki doesn't like the look of this. "Behind me, Silver-san." Denki gets in front of Silver, ready to protect him.

Ryugane steels himself without moving an inch. His resolve as unmoving as the look in his eyes.

However, the local gang is interrupted when the flock of paper birds comes down. Their screeches manage to scare the street gang, forcing them to run from this area. The paper birds collect in one spot, then merge together, forming a life-size paper pony. He is wearing a paper mask over his face, and ninja-clothing equally made from paper. As he looks at the group, he makes a strange sound. It sounds like a million, disjointed whispers. But one word comes through loud and clear. "Confirm."

Edited November 28, 2022 by Firefighter Equine

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

Silver nods and takes a few steps back, while Ryugane stares down his opponent. But they wouldn’t have to worry about the street gang for long, as the flock of birds comes back. They collect on one spot and slowly start to transform into a paper pony that is roughly the same size as they are. He makes a weird noise that Silver is unable to understand, and the kirin looks to his friends.

“You understand any of that?” He asks. “Because I sure didn’t. All I heard was ‘confirm’.”

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

"...Confirm what?" Ryugane asks. The origami shinobi points at Silver. "Confirm. You are the kirin. The first one to visit Japone. Is this correct? Confirm it." He says, still in that creepy haunting voice. "He doesn't have to prove anything to you." Ryugane draws his sword and stands ready. "Now get out of my town, or I'll force you out."

What will Silver do?

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Firefighter Equine

“I cannot hide who I am. If it is me you seek, then yes, you’ve found what you’re looking for.” Silver states plainly as he walks up beside the samurai. “Now, Ryugane is correct. Whatever you are, you are not wanted here. It’s time for you to go now.”

Silver knew that talking to the origami shinobi was not going to change much, but he would not hide from the face of danger. Whatever happened next, they would face it together.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Using his magic, Ryugane begins to summon large amounts of metal and metal scraps to surround him and his body, becoming an even more intimidating suit of armor than the one his all ready wearing.

Denki uses his magic to turn into two bolts of lightning. The first one makes him disappear, and the other helps him perform a descending strike on the shinobi as fast as possible! But it doesn't slay the paper creature, it just causes him to burst apart into billions of paper cranes. Ryugane has used his magic to also make a cannon of some type. It begins to rapidly fire sharp pieces of metal debris, creating lots of hot sparks. He aims the cannon in many directions, but it is hard to hit so many small targets. Denki swings his sword and leaps about, summoning electricity and lightning as his mane frizzles up like the worst case of static electricity, but his at least some his attacks are actually landing.

And beside Silver, a portion of these paper cranes reform into a wolf. It's still the same shinobi, just shorter than before. "...You are not my enemy. My master is interested in you. He'd like you to join us... This world can be cruel. With your help, my master can make a paradise for the outcasts of this world..." The shinobi says, revealing his true intentions here; temptation.

Edited December 1, 2022 by Toshigami Equine

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Toshigami Equine

As his samurai friends battle it out against the shinobi, a portion of it transforms into a wolf and approaches Silver. He readies himself to attack but is surprised when it starts speaking to him. The shinobi… wants him to join forces? This was definitely not expected. Silver thinks for a moment before replying.

“Your master, he’s interested in me, you say? How so? What about my friends here? They also seek to help the less fortunate and make the world a better place. Couldn’t we all work together here towards a common goal?” He asks curiously.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

"No! The samurai offer false hope. They must be purged. With your power, and with Snow Leopard's dark magic, this world..." The origami shinobi, who seems quite upset at what Silver suggested, is cut off when a rather aquatic sound can be heard.

Denki and Ryugane's various attacks are interrupted when they see a huge tidal wave of water approaching from above. "BRACE YOURSELVES!" Ryugane says and uses his magic to firmly plant himself while Denki disappears via lightning strike. The shinobi folds into a big hawk and tries to avoid the water, but the wave was carrying two more warriors. Mizuko is swimming through the wave, and Samurai Equine is windsurfing on top of the wave, his sail adorned with his cutie mark. Samurai has sharp eyes. As he surfs in close, he spots the well-hidden magic symbol on the shinobi. "Flaming PUNCH!!!" Surfing in close, Samurai leaps and spins into a magical fire punch and makes perfect contact!

The shinobi burns. up. The rest of his body, his little clones, also burn to ash as well. When the wave hits, it gets everything in the area wet, but does not destroy or ruin anything. Samurai is able to land safely on the ground; as does Mizuko who just swims out the wave. "We got here as soon as possible." Mizuko says.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Toshigami Equine

Silver was about to counter the shinobi’s argument, when he noticed that he seemed very upset by his mentioning of the samurai. There clearly was a lot more going on here than he realized, but he wouldn’t be able to ponder this for much longer, for a gigantic tidal wave came rushing towards them. Atop it stood his friend Samurai, along with Mizoku. Samurai is able to land a critical blow on the shinobi with his fire magic, turning him and his clones into ash. The wave does no harm to Silver or any of the surrounding buildings, revealing that the wave had been created using magic.

“Thank you.” Silver responded after the water had subsided. “Samurai! It’s good to see you back! Ryugane explained what happened earlier.” Silver smiled.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

"Silver-san!" Samurai happily runs up to him. "Are you okay? The shinobi didn't hurt you, did he?" Samurai asks.

With the water washed away, Ryugane is able to free himself, though he is all wet now. He looks annoyed. "You always did have a habit of making terrible entrances." Ryugane says. "We got rid of the origami shinobi, didn't we? You're welcome." Mizuko says, rather smugly. Denki returns via lightning bolt, though shocks himself a little because the ground is still wet.

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Toshigami Equine

“Yes, I’m ok, my friend. Everything is fine now, and he didn’t hurt me. Ryugane and Denki met up and showed me around a bit before we encountered the shinobi. Then you and Mizoku showed up and put him in his place.” Silver explains, stifling a laugh at Denki’s ‘grand re-entrance’.

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Samurai smiles, relieved that Silver is fine. Ryugane wipes the water off himself. "So was that it, then? All this fuss over one shinobi?" Mizuko asks. "You know how things go, Mizuko-chan. Where there's one, there might be more. We need to go on patrol and make sure there are no others out there." Denki says. "As for why they showed up..." Ryugane starts, then looks at Silver. "You want to tell them, or should I?"

[GeneralDirection 1,050]

@Toshigami Equine

“And I am more than willing to assist whoever would like my help looking for these monsters.” Silver offers, before looking to Ryugane. “You can tell them. I am still new to all this so I’m sure you can explain things way better than I can.”

[Samurai Equine 51,341]

@GeneralDirection

Ryugane rolls his eyes a little. "The origami shinobi had its eyes set on Silver. They tried to get him to join forces with Snow Leopard." Ryugane explains. "Tsk. Of course he would..." Mizuko says, looking rather angered. "That's not good... If Snow Leopard is that interested in you, he won't stop until the two of you have met face-to-face. That could put you and many others at risk." Samurai says.