-Jin and Tonic [FINISHED]

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

[This takes place after "Meditation."]

Rajah entered the tavern alone. From what he could see, no one was inside the immediate area. This made Rajah smile a bit; after exercising his magics with Zeshin, he needed a bit of quiet. One of the drawbacks of using the earth in battle was that if used hastily and not necessarily thought out, headaches would definitely occur rather rapidly. He had to practice in the element more in order for his tolerance level to reach the stamina level he wanted.

He made great progress with Zeshin earlier today, but had yet to reach it. The pain was rather irritating, and the usual way he would deal with it would be to rest his eyes in a dim lit area that had little to no noise in the immediate area.

Rajah sat down in a chair, careful not to make the chair screech in the process. He exhaled deeply before using his arms as a pillow as he rested his head on his forearms as he rested them on a nearby table. After a few seconds, he closed his eyes. Once they were closed, he started to drift away in sleep; his immediate purring becoming proof of his slumber. As he slept, his thumb became rather fond of his maw, as the slumbering Tora-jin started to suckle it like a cub. This had to have been the most comforting sleep Rajah had ever had in a long time...

[Issac Verro]

Issac walked back into Karrasi with a bounce in his step. His weapon repaired, the Inu-Jin more than pleased to have his sword in top condition, as well as being in an environment that was a little warmer, the snow from his journey having long since melted on his robes on his journey back. His arrival was somewhat late, and the bar had long since closed, it silence telling him that the woman of the house, Nani, and his fiery pupil had long since gone to bed. As the doors closed behind him, Issac could see a slumbering Rajah in the distance, his adorned training garb lightly scorched, telling the Inu-Jin had had been training with Zeshin.

Issac walked over to his corner and place his sword near his chair, proceeding to walk behind the bar and grabbing a bottle of dark brown colored spirits. Taking his time to chose a glass of his liking, he grabbed the small shot glass with a chip missing, smiling to himself as he walked back to the table. He was preparing to sit down a when he heard suckling sounds coming form the other side of the room, turning to see Rajah nursing his thumb.

"I'll tell Zeshin about that one later..." Issac said to himself as he walked over and sat himself next to where the Tora-jin sat. Seating himself quietly, Issac poured himself some of the savory and sweet smelling liquid, his sipping removing all contents of the glass, swishing the alcohol to savor the taste before finishing it. "Long day?" Issac asked in sarcastic manner to the sleeping Rajah, not knowing if he could hear him or not.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

The process of sleep helped Rajah a great deal. His headache retreated from his nerves and any damage that been situated on the Tora-jin on this adventure of a day. He could feel his spirit magic start to settle and soothe his own at the same time.

And the most important of all, he dreamed.

He dreamed he met a beautiful black haired woman with golden eyes. He was drawn to her like a moth to the flame and her only reaction to his attraction was a smile as sweet as honeydew. But like all creatures in the midst of a dream, sooner or later they all had to wake up. And in Rajah's case, it was unfortunately sooner than later.

"Long day?"

The two-worded sentence immediately broke Rajah out of his sleep. He rose his head to see the Inu-jin Issac sitting next to him.

"Issac!" Rajah said with a muffled voice. Rajah instantly frowned in confusion, trying to figure out what was wrong with his voice. Unfortunately, that was when he realized his thumb was still in his mouth.

Rajah quickly retreated his thumb from his mouth, blushing in embarrassment that he was caught in such a childish situation. He looked away out of reflex as his ears folded back to his head. He took the hand the thumb he suckled was attached to and scratched the back of his neck.

"Umm...," Rajah started to say. "Yes. Yes, you could say that. Zeshin and I went to train in the mountains today. He's a rather strong one, Zeshin is." He chuckled as he rested his arms on the table. Rajah then stared at the Inu-jin rather curiously.

"I haven't seen you around in a while," he said before he smiled warmly. "Where have you been?"

[Issac Verro]

"Attending to things, traveling and did a little shopping more or less..." Issac said, downing another sip of the strong alcohol, inhaling and exhaling in a satisfied manner. Slouching in his chair, Issac took the time to relax, setting the small glass on the table. "It looks you have had quite a time there with Zeshin, did he finally get you too." Issac said, tilting back in his chair slightly, folding his hands over his stomach as he looked to the ceiling and counting the spinning fan blades.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

The Tora-jin chuckled at Issac's question. If what he meant by "finally getting him" meant nearly plummeting off the side of a mountain cliff stories above a mild-tempered river, only to end up ironically having to save both of their lives in the process, then he could only guess the answer would be a definitive "yes."

Then again, Rajah wasn't the type of being to gloat about anything that happened to him, whether it be positive or negative. So he just smiled and nodded, subconsciously agreeing to the Inu-jin's comment.

"He's quite strong for a human," he stated. "Especially for a child. His aura is... unlike any human's I have been able to read, that's for certain. If I wasn't so sure, I'd almost say that he wasn't human at all."

Rajah chuckled a bit out loud as he rubbed his paws against his cheeks, trying to wake himself up from his cat-nap from earlier.

"But that's silly; of course he's human. I can't imagine anything else he could be," he said in a joking manner. "But he is definitely a treasure; his mother must be aware how blessed she is to have a son like him."

Rajah's face immediately went from happiness to sadness, accidentally depressing himself bringing up the topic of family; something that the poor Tora-jin grew up without his entire life. He had no mother to love him, no father to guide him; until he reached the country of India, he was utterly alone.

With his head lowered toward the table and his ears flattened in sadness to go along with his facial expression, Rajah glanced his eyes at his -jin companion. "Issac?" he started quietly. "What was your family like?"

[Issac Verro]

"Yeah... human...I'd like to say I share your opinion Stripes..." Issac said before sitting back upright. Issac knew that Zeshin was the very opposite of human, despite his young form a creature powerful enough to raze a nation lie within the boy, something that anyone could see if they looked into his eyes as they glowed during the heights of his anger. Taking the bottle, Issac poured himself another glassful of liquor as he heard Rajah pose him the question of his family.

"My family was nice, when they were alive..." Issac said, before downing the whole glass in one sip, placing it on the table. Issac was silent for several seconds,, but he did not wan to give Rajah the impression the he was offended, or had overstepped his bounds in anyway, he had just asked an innocent question, and Issac was wise enough to see that people only inquire about things that interest them.

"I had a mom and pop back when I was a pup, and those were some good times. My pop was the leader of our village, and I was his heir, except for one problem, I was unable to project my magic, something I needed to perform a rite of passage ceremony when I came of age. That was so long ago..." Issac said, thinking back on the better moments of his childhood, in light of Rajah's questioning. "What about you, how does a tiger end up as docile as a kitten?" Issac said with a chuckle, his fan at the small expense of Rajah good natured personality.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

Rajah's mood became somewhat regretful when he heard Issac's answer to his question, stating that they had died. He didn't mean to stir up such a bad memory, and how the Tora-jin felt instantly showed on his face. During the somewhat awkward pause between the two -jin, Rajah was preparing to apologize if he brought up any bad memories until Issac continued with his answer, seemingly not allowing the moment to stop him from completely answering it to begin with.

Rajah smiled as he heard Issac's shortened tales about his past and his childhood, secretly wishing he was also blessed with the privilege of family. Even a community of his own kind would have been nice in the development of his character -- which probably would not have altered his current one as much. Still, the thought of having someone to genuinely love you as a child was only a dream for Rajah; a dream he wished could come true oh so many times past...

Speaking of personalities, the Inu-jin sitting next to him decided to make a joke about his over-eager and friendly personality. Rajah immediately knew that what was said was out of fun and had no harm in it; he was who he was, after all. But to continue with the glee of the moment the Tora-jin found in this situation, Rajah decided to play along.

"One could only guess how," he answered Issac with a chuckle as he sat back in his chair. "It amazes even myself sometimes."

Rajah looked at the bottle and the empty glass on the table, immediately wondering to himself how one could digest such beverages such as alcohol. No matter how hard he tried to make sense of the concept, he just couldn't get it.

[Issac Verro]

"Yeah...too much cream and nip my scholarly friend. I wish I could have stayed a monk sometimes, at least my hygiene would be better, this life of leisure turns you into a slob." Issac said to Rajah's comments about guessing as to how Rajah had acquired his very genial personality. He then noticed Rajah starring at his drink inquisitively, turning in minor repulsion. Issac chuckled at the gesture and poured himself some more, filling the container halfway. "You free to some if you wish, it helps dull the senses, and heightens other to a degree." Issac said, as if talking in the third person as well as to the Tora-jin. Issac stretched his limbs as he yawned, his long legs far extended from his seat as he sat back upright. "Going to the kitchen to fix a snack, you care for anything while I'm up?" Issac asked, standing to his feet as he placed his hands on his lower back.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

Rajah rested his head on the table once again, using his arms as a cushion after dwelling on the thought of digesting alcohol for too long. And when he heard Issac continue to joke about his personality, along with his own, he smiled and closed his eyes, resembling that of a content kitten being loved upon by its master.

His eyes immediately opened when Issac offered him some of the beverage, in which in response he chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"Oh, no thank you," he denied politely. "I don't think I can stomach the taste of such beverage." He closed his eyes, only to open one of them in response to Issac standing up and asking him if he wanted anything from the kitchen. He smirked at him, thinking of a friendly comeback for his jokes from earlier and taking the question seriously at the same time.

"A bit of cream would be wonderful, thank you," he said.

[Issac Verro]

"Heh, I'll get you a White Russian, hold the alcohol..." Issac chuckled, standing from his seat, patting Rajah on the back as he walked past the table into the kitchen. Eye the various liquors on the wall, Issac walked into the kitchen and nearly tripped over Zeshin's leg, the boy asleep in front of the stove, sitting with his legs extended, slumped over in front of lit stove. His breathing controlling the flame, a push and pull effect visible from the inhaling and exhaling of his pupil. Issac motion to turn the stove off, and noticed that it was not on, Zeshin training again in the confides of the kitchen late night, after his taxing session with Rajah. "This kid is something else...." Issac said, leaving him be to prepare himself a sandwich, reaching into the cupboard to retrieve a glass to pour Issac some cream, as per his request.

Returning to his seat, Issac brought back a large sandwich, sliced in two, a bottle of wine, and a glass of cream for Rajah, placing the sandwich halves between them. "Here's you cream, and some sandwich, it's ham, turkey, and bacon, light mayo." Issac said pouring himself opening the bottle of wine. "You know he was training in the kitchen again, he usually goes there and uses the stove like no one knows.... at least... he keeps the knives sharp like I told him to..." Issac said, taking a bite of his half of the sandwich, speaking in between chews.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

Rajah didn't bother trying to close his eyes again, but continued to rest his head on his arms. He would have never thought that Issac was once a monk, seeing the way he carried himself. But it was the simple things that made Rajah anxious with curiosity.

The Tora-jin eyed Issac as he made his way back to the table with a plate with two sandwich halves, a glass of cream and what looked like a bottle of wine. Somewhat confused, he looked at the bottle of alcohol on the table to find that it had yet to be finished. Rajah rose an eyebrow, trying to figure out what the point of bringing another bottle of alcohol out if the first one had yet to be finished. But he shrugged it off as Issac came to the table, giving him his cream and offering him a half of the sandwich.

"Your hospitality is greatly appreciated, Issac," he thanked him sincerely. When he sat up to grab the sandwich slice, Issac pointed the sleeping Zeshin in the kitchen out to Rajah, stating that he was training his magic even after their off the wall adventure earlier that day. When he saw him asleep, Rajah could only smile at the awkward piece the boy was in. That alone helped rid his headache.

"Such an extraordinary boy," Rajah said softly. Chuckling to himself, he took a bite of his sandwich, followed by a small sip of cream, holding the glass with two paws. Exhaling in the bask of the refreshment, Rajah playfully licked the cream from around his mouth before staring at Issac sitting next to him.

"I didn't know you were a monk, Issac," he said in a watered down sense of astonishment. "Where were you located?"

[Issac Verro]

"I guess monk is stretching it bit, but that's the closest thing I could compare what we were to. I came from a Tribe of Jin that functioned as traveling priests and protectors, learned in the ways of martial arts, both armed and unarmed. Above all we stressed non violence, but our order understood that when dealing with people, such ideas aren't always safe. But even in the most difficult of, 'aggressive negotiations' we placed life above all else, and if drastic measures were to be taken, we made sure that those who sought to do harm to others willfully were permanently stopped, in the way of removing limbs, barbaric yes, but much more humane than death." Issac said, finishing his sandwich, after which he made short work of the remainder of alcohol left in the bottle on the table, his eyes now on the bottle of wine he'd brought.

"Discipline, honor, and mercy were tenants that we followed as an order, as well as the idea of leading a simple life from excess, something I seem to not be a paragon of as of late..." Issac chuckled at himself and his current lot in life, looking over at Rajah. "How did the life of a monk fare for you Rajah coming to age?" Issac asked in a quiet tone.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

The Tora-jin listened to Issac's story attentively. Hearing anything about Issac's past was stimulating to Rajah, especially since they finally shared something in common other than the fact that they were -jin. And even if Issac's clan wasn't necessarily a monk clan; it was definitely close enough for Rajah to assure a common bond between them.

Listening to how Issac's -jin tribe behaved, he appreciated their views of non-violence; a view the Tora-jin definitely took to heart unless absolutely necessary or for sheer sport. And Rajah had to admit; hearing about the physical dismemberment of certain limbs did make the tiger a little squeamish. As a matter of fact, he was trying to figure out how the Inu-jin was still able to finish his part of the sandwich after telling a tale like that.

But he shrugged it off when Issac became curious as to his upbringing with monks. Smiling, he took another two-pawed sip of his cream, licking off the access around his mouth.

"Life in Tibet was interesting for me to say the least, given the fact that all I ever had in my life was human interaction," Rajah said in reference to the Tibetian monks he spent his cub years with. "The first thing I remember about my life was a few of them picking me up and taking me to their monastery.

"I learned a lot from the monks up there, including ways of settling things without the use of violence; I didn't learn any form of fighting skill until I arrived to India, you see. And even though the monks exiled me because I was a tiger cub that could stand upright and speak a human language, I still take their teachings to heart. Call me crazy if you want; I learned the hard way that to hold a grudge is to carry dead weight.

"I learned my Tai Chi methods from them. That's actually how I discovered I had powers over spirit magic. During my travels after my exile, I would practice it unaware that I had such a power inside me or that I was subconsciously strengthening it in the process. All in all, I am thankful to have been brought up by them. I would not be the person I am now if I were looked over that day they found me."

Then Rajah sighed in sadness. His ears flattened against his head as a small yet noticeable pout came about.

"Still," he said. "It would have been nice to have gotten a chance to know my parents. If for anything, then to know if they decided to abandon me or if they simply lost me. That's why I'm exploring the world for myself now; to learn where I came from, and if I'm ready to accept whatever my past has to offer me."

Rajah sniffed, unaware that his eyes were starting to water from the thought about his family that was possibly still out there. He looked at Issac and wiped his eyes once he started to feel the tears fall on the fur on his face.

"I have a small confession to make, Issac," he stated in a somewhat tear-jerked face. He cleared his throat and held his glass of cream in his left paw. "When we first met, I kind of over-reacted when I first saw you. I'm saying this because you are not the first -jin I saw during my travels."

[Issac Verro]

"Sheesh, don't make me blush, you mean to tel me the first of your kind you ever came into contact with was me? Me, a lazy good for nothing mangy lecherous drunk... well... I guess it could have been worse." Issac said, finishing his sandwich, expressing his mild astonishment at Rajah's story. He was more interesting than he let on, but Issac more than anyone could understand why he wouldn't have easily verbally expressed these facts, the solitary life of a warrior does not often prepared one for casual conversation. Looking at Rajah, Issac stretched his limbs, the sandwich filling the void aquired from his journey back.

"Well, anyways, I hope you weren't too hard on the kid, he's got a date with me. I'll teach him more of the finer points of swordsmanship, he's training for something big, but he won't say, so I think I'll help him without mentioning it, now that the damage he did to my blade has been repaired. If I would trained anything before, he would have snapped it in half, it hasn't been repaired before then for quite some time." Issac said, placing his hand on his chin, thinking about what difficulties he was planning to put Zeshin through. "The night's turning into the day, and you look like you could use some rest, so I'll see you later..." Issac said, standing to his feet, grabbing the bottle of wine and placing it back on a rack in near the kitchen, grabbing his sword and placing it out of sight as he lay in his corner cot, resting his eyes in preparation for the days to come.

[Nagoyaka Rajah]

Rajah found Issac's comment funny. A slight chuckle escaped his maw as Issac made his sarcastic flattery known. He finished his glass of cream as the Inu-jin told him about his own plans with Zeshin later as far as training was concerned. Licking his lips of the beverage for the last time, he smiled.

"Believe me, Issac," he said to him. "If anything, the boy taught me something today." With that said, he saw Issac stand once again, only to say goodnight and head to bed. Rajah said his goodnights, stood up himself and headed to the kitchen with his empty glass of cream. Rinsing it out and placing it in a drying rack, he was able to see Zeshin out the corner of his eye; still sleeping in the chair next to the stove.

Rajah couldn't help but to smile at the sight. And after such an adventure the two came from, he just couldn't bare to leave him there. With a swoop of his paws, Rajah carried Zeshin in his arms being as careful as he possibly could not to interrupt his sleeping. When he made it inside his room, he pulled back the sheets on his bed to lay him down, making sure he was on the mattress.

The Tora-jin laid the sheets over the sleeping Zeshin and made sure his head rested on his pillow. Once again smiling warmly at Zeshin's slumber, his paw found its way to the top of his head; his thumb gently stroking his bane and forehead.

"You have taught me a great deal indeed, young one," Rajah whispered before letting go of the boy. He walked toward the door, only to rest his paw on the door frame and stare back at the boy with sincere eyes and a warm smile.

"Pleasant dreams," he said quietly. Then he closed the door, leaving the boy to dream of pleasant things as he himself did the same.