Interesting Times - Chapter 1: The Host

A Little north of the Kaiu Kabe, the Great Wall of the Crab Clan, stood a state that once belonged to a merchant named Yasuki Toketsu. Kyuden Toketsu became the home of many people following the death of the merchant some 400 years ago, but now it was a home to a very dangerous person that has made too many enemies for his short life.
Bayushi Bijomaru, a member of the Scorpion clan and Topaz Champion on the year 1167, was sent there as a sort of punishment but also for protection. A lot of people sought retribution and he was not always clever enough to fool everyone; he was just a young scorpion, but avarice had led him to seek greater things with risks he was not prepared to take.

That morning he went to tend to his personal garden. No one was allowed to even speak of that place in Kyuden Kotetsu, only he could take care of his precious plants that were grown for "medicinal" purposes; and as he walked he saw a piece of paper laying in the wooden floor of the outdoor halls he walked to get to that place of secrecy. He picked up the piece of paper smiling under the veil he was wearing. Upon entering his private garden he opened the paper and it was blank, then he took a petal from a strange looking flower and rubbed it against the paper and, slowly, the message was revealed. In a writing style that he and very few others could understood were written very good news for him.

Asako Shiori, a Shugenja of the Phoenix Clan, was coming to Kyuden Toketsu to conduct an investigation regarding Maho-Tsukai. He was not to be informed; however, the Scorpion Clan has it's ways. His guest would arrive Kyden Toketsu tomorrow, so he thought to himself -I've been stuck here far too long, time for me to break free of this place-. He smiled to himself, rose to his feet and went to his room; about and hour later he came back out, still smiling and leaving piece of blank paper on the table of his writing kit.

The next morning he sat to drink tea, waiting. Around noon on of his servants came in the room
- Bayushi-sama there is a Lady of the Phoenix Clan's Asako family by the name Shiori that is requesting an audience with you.
- Interesting... - The sarcasm was unbelievable - ... is she alone?.
- No, she has come with his Yojimbo and a handmaid. Apparently her Yojimbo is wounded.
- I will go to them now.
He stood up, changed his veil for a wooden menpo and went to his audience room to meet with these "unexpected" visitors. He opened the screen paper door and let everyone in the room see him enter, unusual for a Scorpion. He looked at his guest. the Lady Asako was young and beautiful, and so was her handmaid; flawless, he thought, but then he saw her Yojimbo and he was sweating profusely. Finally he spoke
- The Kami ARE wise after all. I thought my stay here was for nothing, but they have given me the change to aid the needy. My name is Bayushi Bijomaru, at your service - and he bowed to his guest
The Lady Asako answered after bowing lower - Thank you for receiving me, Bayushi-san, I am honored - Yes she was honored, but she was also disgusted - My name is Asako Shiori; these people are my Yojimbo, Shiba Tenkai and my handmaid Asako Yuriko.
- I am honored to meet you. Would you like some tea, Asako-san?.
- No, thank you, there are more urgent matters.
- Perhaps your companions would like some...?.
- No thanks, and forgive my rudeness, but there really are more urgent matters to discus.
Taking a seat Bijomaru answered - I am all ears.
- This morning on our way here we were attacked by some bandits. Tenkai-san protected us, but he has suffered wounds that are beyond my powers to restore
Bijoumaru looked at Tenkai for a moment and said - It is most likely that he has been poisoned, many of the bandits in the area like to use such tactics on their victims, it is easier to fight an ill opponent.
- The growth and use of poison is illegal, do you haven any idea where they might be getting it? - said the Yojimbo
- I am afraid not - replayed his host, smiling under his menpo.
The lady Asako said to her Yojimbo - We will deal with that later Tenkai-san, now we must make haste for Kyden Hida so they can treat you.
- Asako-san, if I may - said Bijomaru - Kyuden Hida is far from here, Tenkai-san might not have that long, and I just happen to have experience dealing with such poison; perhaps you'd like to rest here in Kyden Toketsu for today while we treat Shiba-san's condition.
The Lady Asako stood quiet, thinking for a while about what she should do. The people of the Scorpion Clan had a notorious reputation of being manipulative snakes that twisted things so they could get away with their plans. Maybe Bijomaru was planing something, but the Lady had no choice, if Tenkai was indeed poisoned then he would need treatment quickly... so she said the most logical thing to say - I would be honored to be your guest for today.
Bijomaru, smiling again, replied while bowing - Then I will order the servants to prepare your rooms immediately.

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Author's Note:
For all those who aren't familiar with the setting:
- A Yojimbo is a warrior assigned to protect someone that has not practiced the way of the sword, such as Shugenjas and Courtiers
- A menpo is a mask. Usually it only covers the lower portion of the face, from the nose down, but some times a full face menpo is used.

Interesting Times - Prologue

Asako Shiori opened her eyes and found herself in a place she has never seen before. The walls were made of stone, there were no sliding paper screen but wooden doors, and in front of her stood a young lady no older than 20 winters. The girl had her knees tied together and a knife in her hands; it was obvious that she was about to commit jigai, a form of suicide often committed by the females of the samurai caste in which they cut the jugular vein to archive a certain and fast death. The knees were tied together to ensure that she would be found in a dignified pose.
Shiori could not recognize the girl, but from her clothing she knew that she belonged to the Isawa Family of the Phoenix Clan. The girl lifted the knife and placed it against her neck, and when she made the cut Shiori's eyes widened to see the blood that came out, for it was black as night. This could only mean one thing, the girl carried The Taint of The Shadowlands within her. The reason of her suicide was clear to Asako Shiori, who closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, Shiori was meditating in her house; she was a Shugenja. In Rokugan, those belonging to the Samurai caste went to dojos to be rained in different things; those trained in the art of courtship and diplomacy became Courtiers, those trained in the art of war and the way of the sword became Bushi, and those trained in the art of the kami and magic became Shugenja. They are the priest and scribes of the samurai caste; they can also cast powerful spells by offering prayers to the kami. The word "kami" have 2 meanings. If capitalized, the Kami are the sons and daughters of The Sun and The Moon: Akodo: Founder of the Lion Clan, Bayushi: Founder of the Scorpion Clan, Doji: Founder of the Crane Clan, Fu Leng: Master of the Shadowlands, Hantei: The first Emperor of Rokugan, Hida: Founder of the Crab Clan, Ryoshun: Protector of the Spirit Realms, Shiba: Founder of the Phoenix Clan, Shinjo: Founder of the Unicorn Clan and Togashi: Founder of the Dragon Clan.
If not capitalized, the kami are the spirits of the elements present in every thing on the land.
From the smallest pebble to the biggest mountain, from the tiniest creek to the great sea, every sword, every plant, within everything that is made of at least one element resides a kami; and they sometimes interact with people, more frequently with those willing to listen, like the Shugenja.

Following the steps of her honorable father, Shiori became part of an order dedicated to the hunt of Maho-Tsukai, workers of tainted black magic which draws power, not from the kami, but from the blood of living beings. Because of that she travels a lot and she is rarely home, so she tried to enjoy herself as much as she could, but this time it would not be so, for in her meditation she had a terrible vision of a tainted member of her Clan commit Jigai. She was convinced that it meant something, so she made arrangements to leave town and go to Kyuden Isawa, the capitol of the Phoenix Clan lands. There, she would find answers, or so she believed.
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PD: For more information about Rokugan go here

That Pisses Me Off - Part XII

I am not a Christian guy... I once was, really, but somewhere along the road, I grew up and realized it was not for me. Why you ask?... I'll tell you why
*Cheap Talk show music playing*
Hello and welcome to a new Edition of "That Pisses Me Off"; I'm your host, guAji, and after a long absence I AM BACK!

As I said before, I am not Christian, and here's why.
1.- Today's been a year since my great grandmother's death, and my family set up a service in her name and shit, so I went to pay my respect to her. Now, for the 3rd time today, I'm not Christian, and I was the better behaved person in the building! Everyone was joking around, paying more attention to their phones that to the service and I even saw a guy sleeping... what the fuck kind of behavior is that? The worst part is that God is so merciful that he'd forgive that kind of behavior ... Wake up stupid! That's not a merciful God, that's a stupid one! everyone goes around committing sin after sin after sin, then you can repent at the moment of death and you'll get a free ticket to heaven? It's disrespectful and no one does anything about it; so 1st reason: The Christians are little shits

2.- Today, at church also, I had to listen to the priest rant on about how homosexuality is against God and shit, that homosexual relationships are not allowed in the Kingdom of Heaven and stuff because God said so. Wake up you over educated alleged virgin old fart, times change! You can't be that close minded; or do you plan another inquisition and witch hunts and stuff? You guys burned people because they were suspected of witchcraft, and that was because IT WAS AGAINST GOD and God said so.... So committing murder is Ok? Isn't one of the 10 commandments Thou shall not kill? Shit, it weren't for open minded people you'd still be burning "witches". So, reason number 2: Close mindedness and hypocrisy

3.-I really can't be a part of a religion that tells me I'm useless, or that I have no power whatsoever over my life and I must leave it in the hands of God! In Christianity you always get phrases like "God, I'm not worthy...", "forgive me God, I'm only human" and so on and so forth, and the proof of that is this prayer:
Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins As we forgive those Who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, And the glory are yours Now and forever. Amen.
Lets take a closer look, shall we?
Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as in Heaven. -I'm not quite comfortable with HIS will being done just because, but I can live with that -Give us today our daily bread. - Why? can't you work for your own? - Forgive us our sins As we forgive those Who sin against us. - Why should he forgive you? Just because? Wouldn't it better NOT TO SIN? - Lead us not into temptation - Grow up! Walk away yourself - But deliver us from evil. - I've told you already, walk away from there and DO NOT SIN, weakling! - For the kingdom, the power, And the glory are yours Now and forever. - So everything is his? Nothing I do is worth shit because it not his work? -Amen.
So reason number 3: That religion underestimates people so that they turn blindly to the Church for guidance.... I wont be a sheep. I'm sorry.


Now lets be clear, I have nothing against God, or his son or whatever; in fact I think that a guy'd send his own son to die for such stupid would be followers really cares about shit you know? Although sending your own fucking son is kind of harsh... But the point is: It's not God, I just dislike Christianity, that's all.

G.I. Joe - The Rise of the Cobra

I went to see this movie yesterday
When I found out that they were making a G.I. Joe movie I thought "It's gonna be a baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad movie"... Why? Easy:
1.- The director is the same guy from The Mummy and those are bad
2.- The cast was questionable at best
3.- It's an American movie about a team of kick ass soldiers.... I figured it'll be patriotism all over

So after watching the movie I have to admit that I was wrong.
Don't misunderstand me, it's not a good movie; but it's definitively NOT bad, you just need to understand what kind of movie you're about to see. It's not a movie abour stunning performances by the actors, nor it's about a killer plot; it's an action movie about an 80's cartoon! Now, taking that into consideration, lets take a look at the good and bad things about the movie:
Cool things:
- Nice special effects
- Nice fight choreography (as well as shooting sequences)
- It's not overloaded with explosions or other rather cheap waste of special effects
- Decent, although not deep, plot

Bad things:
- The actors don't give their best performances
- You kind of see the ending coming
- Some of the special effect seem exaggerated/fake (the chick driving the bike)
- The Cobra Commander was a Darth Vader wannabe
- Heavy Duty actually said "Yo, Joe!"
I watched this and I enjoyed it from the beginning until the end; I know I said it was not a good movie, but it's fun and entertaining. I might be missing some stuff here, but to be honest that's pretty much what I've got to say about the movie.

I'm out!

Jesus Fucking Christ...

... I've lost my jar of pink paint!
I know I didn't like it that much, it wasn't red after all, but it was my jar of paint god dammit!!
I don't know if someone stole it, or I if lost it or if it simply just walked away but bottom line is: I have no jar and I have no paint whatsoever; not red, nor white nor pink, ANYTHING!

It was my jar of paint! Mine! And no others!! Fuck!
What the fuck am I supposed to do now? I can't just walk around with no paint, what kind of stupid walk would that be?