Day 1, EM: Speed and endurance

[Moto Shiwahime]

It was raining like a fucking bawjaws tube but that only added a little spice to her run. When you run, speed was one thing but in her work you often needed to maintain it for a long while. It's like her boss had said: human's advantage on the hunt was not claws, fangs or even wit...its was endurance. A deer can run faster but it can't run for long so you needed to keep running at it like the cold certainty of death.

T'was grim but devotion to the death gods did that, she supposed

So, with a military grade raincoat for her torso over her normal track suit and waterproofed socks, she ran. She'd been at it since the crack ass of dawn and now had reached the neighboring village.

''Neat'' she said to herself, pausing for some water

[Otomo Koroshi]

It was raining like a fucking bawjaws tube but that only added a little spice to her run. When you run, speed was one thing but in her work you often needed to maintain it for a long while. It's like her boss had said: human's advantage on the hunt was not claws, fangs or even wit...its was endurance. A deer can run faster but it can't run for long so you needed to keep running at it like the cold certainty of death.

T'was grim but devotion to the death gods did that, she supposed

So, with a military grade raincoat for her torso over her normal track suit and waterproofed socks, she ran. She'd been at it since the crack ass of dawn and now had reached the neighboring village.

''Neat'' she said to herself, pausing for some water

A clanking monstrosity of brass and florescent orange stripes would make its speedy way in the direction of the Moto. Koroshi was in what could only be called a five alarm fire of athletic wear. Instead of dark colors with reflective stripes the Otomo had gone for reflective everything with small bells sewn into stripes along his arms and legs. They made noise with every powerful strike of his pink and orange shoes on the ground as he pounded noisily in the rain. One could not miss him even if they poked their eyes out and cut their ears off.

[Moto Shiwahime]

Shiwahime stood transfixed as the...thing...approached. She was not sure what it was or how she should react.

Was that thing event human?

It could be the manifestation of a spirit? The spirit of road kill? No...traffic safety? Maybe someone built a shrine to an orange cone and it ascended to become a minor kami?

Wait...why was it coming this way? Was it after her? Was it hunting her to command the Moto to stop speeding and respect speed limits or traffic laws?

"Fuck no!"

Was she supposed to fight? Exorcise it?

She gulped down some water and began running again

The Orange Cone Kami couldn't tell her to slow down if it couldn't catch her!

[Otomo Koroshi]

Shiwahime stood transfixed as the...thing...approached.

From behind she would hear a great shout like "Aha!" before the jingle-jangle of the bells increased in tempo.

With unnatural swiftness a wet haired man in painful orange pursued the Moto sounding like a bag of coins in a washing machine. If he managed to get close enough to be heard over the bells, the Moto would be able hear prayers to Ebisu inbetween panting breaths.

[Moto Shiwahime]

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

It was getting closer!

She gritted her teeth, clenched her glutes and put her practiced leg muscles into effect with powerful strides.

[Otomo Koroshi]

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

It was getting closer!

She gritted her teeth, clenched her glutes and put her practiced leg muscles into effect with powerful strides.

The orange blur kept pace for a short period, the bells ringing with even greater fervor but slowly it lost ground against the much larger Moto.

More heavy breathing in great huffs, in time with the even heavier strides as he speeds up and is no longer able to pray between breaths.

[Moto Shiwahime]

Ha! She was winning! She won't get caught by the orange spirit! It was even out of breath!

Wait...why would a spirit be out of breath?

She slowed down and looked back

Wait...

"ARE YOU A SPIRIT OR JUST A DUDE?" She yelled back towards the other presence on the road

[Otomo Koroshi]

Ha! She was winning! She won't get caught by the orange spirit! It was even out of breath!

Wait...why would a spirit be out of breath?

She slowed down and looked back

Wait...

"ARE YOU A SPIRIT OR JUST A DUDE?" She yelled back towards the other presence on the road

He kept some distance from the Moto, and yelled at the top of his lungs in reply, "THIS HUMBLE *COUGH* SERVANT IS THE GREAT *COUGH* OTOMO KOROSHI!"

At this he would stop and get into a T-pose with arms out at his shoulders parallel to the ground and one leg lifted like in Flying Crane Stance. The pose was directly lifted from the most recent Sentai anime.

[Moto Shiwahime]

Oh...it's just an Otomo... She blinked ....fuck, he's an Otomo...and he was doing some galoot pose now.

She wasn't sure what was more dangerous: a rogue spirit or a member of the Otomo family.

Still she felt like a dick having ran away from him in the heavy rain so she jogged back towards him

''Need some water Otomo-sama? she asked, now seemingly towering over him ''You seem to need to cool down the engines, so to speak''

[Otomo Koroshi]

Oh...it's just an Otomo... She blinked ....fuck, he's an Otomo...and he was doing some galoot pose now.

She wasn't sure what was more dangerous: a rogue spirit or a member of the Otomo family.

Still she felt like a dick having ran away from him in the heavy rain so she jogged back towards him

''Need some water Otomo-sama? she asked, now seemingly towering over him ''You seem to need to cool down the engines, so to speak''

The Otomo dropped the pose and then flopped to the road at her feet. He looked up at her with an extremely pink face, though any sweat he might have had was covered up by rain. His legs and arms spread out as his chest rose and fell with wheezing breaths. The bells made muted noises against the concrete, being sandwiched between him and the road.

"You have all the superior qualities of an umbrella, samurai-sama. This one must thank you for your service to his workout this morning and for obliging me by blocking some of the rain." Koroshi said from the ground, smiling like a loon up at her. "Water, from a container? Or the sky?"

[Moto Shiwahime]

She quirked an eyebrow at the scene

"Hum thanks...not the worst thing I've been called" she reached to her pack and got her water bottle out.

"From a bottle" she precised, extending it towards him.

"Kudos on going training in this rain though. Takes an iron will to do that. I'm Moto Shiwahime."

[Otomo Koroshi]

"Otomo Koroshi!" He accepted the water and took his time leaning into an upright position to drink.

"I cannot put off my workout after so many days in space. There is something quite draining about using the void, or indeed about sitting in a ship while someone else navigates the void. One needs to pump it up!" He physically pumped his arm at this with the hand not holding the water bottle.

"I wish to return the compliment to Moto-san however! You have the strength of an ox, and the speed of the cheetah!"

[Moto Shiwahime]

''Ha! Thanks. It's like you said: training can't wait, we need to pump it up!'' She repeated his pumping motion but with both arms

''Will you be able to stand up? There is a village nearby, I can carry you there if you've pulled something''

[Otomo Koroshi]

''Ha! Thanks. It's like you said: training can't wait, we need to pump it up!'' She repeated his pumping motion but with both arms

''Will you be able to stand up? There is a village nearby, I can carry you there if you've pulled something''

"I can make it, on my hands and knees if necessary!" The Otomo pushed himself up, still panting and pink in the rain.

"Your water." He held out the bottle before futility wiping water from his hair with a jangle.

"If it is not too rude to mention, I noticed your engineered arm. Is there a good story behind that?"

[Moto Shiwahime]

She gave a small applause for his spirit. That guy certainly did not seem like a quitter.

''An unyielding soul! I like that!'' she laughed as she took back her bottle ''Yes, there is a story behind it. Maybe I'll tell you when we reach the village if it can motivate your engine to roar for the last stretch of the road''

By now she had forgotten about his strange appearance and clapped her hands again in encouragement

''Come on man, stand up! You can do it!''

[Otomo Koroshi]

"We will run like the wind!" The orange discoball cried pointing a finger to the sky.

"Onward, Moto-san! TO GLORY!" It was unfortunate but he had not entirely caught his breath and so could not hold out the shout for the requisite five minutes he felt the moment called for. But he did begin running immediately afterward, even though he had as much idea of which direction was which as a fish would on land.

[Moto Shiwahime]

The Otomo might not have been able to shout for five minutes but the Moto was glad to pick up the yell for however long she could.

"TO GLORY! LET'S CONQUER THE STORM! FUCK YEAAAAH!"

Shiwahime followed suit, keeping an eye on Koroshi in case his legs gave out...otherwise she was vibin'

[Otomo Koroshi]

The Otomo began grunting out a marching song about how getting shot hurt less than being left by a lover.

It helped keep his mind from his legs, but he wasn't in such bad shape as to fall over unintentionally. Also he knew a lot of songs.

[Moto Shiwahime]

Shiwahime tried to to join in the singing. She did not know these songs but she tried to sing some parts of the chorus when or if she got the hang of it. She was not a great performer but she she was an energetic one at least.

''To your left!'' she said, pointing the exit to the village ''Almost there''

[Otomo Koroshi]

"To...the...LEFT!" The Otomo said putting both arms forward like he was flying that way as he ran through the rain down toward the village.

Once the pair were near enough that the vegetation gave way to more urban colors Koroshi would slow down looking at the Moto.

"Are we...running...back?" He asked between panting.