(1406)(AFD) Jonokuchi and Striker

[Jonokuchi]

Placing down his empty bowl, eagerly finishing his portion of his Aunt's stew, the sumo took a step aside to give others a chance to get to the food table, and a way to continue his founding conversation with Striker. Taking a gulp of his beer, he thought about the activities presented before grunting.

"Everything with the exception of archery and the blade," he stated, wondering if they had any boxing gloves big enough for his size. Not that it mattered, really. He wasn't a puncher in any case but seeing as it was the only form of unarmed combat being offered today, Jonokuchi had no other opportunities to test his skills against his peers.

"Its a shame there is no wrestling," he commented openly, gulping down another mouthful of beer.

[Teeramus]

Having stuffed his face enough, Striker followed Jonokuchi from the table after grabbing another beer. "Oh yeah. I won't be doing' the archery either. Heh." Striker chuckled and shrugged what was left of his left shoulder in explanation. "Wrestling ay? You must be a sumo or something then? I've haven't been much into wrestling, 'specially since losing the arm," he nodded his head towards his left shoulder "bit harder to grab someone with just the one." He stopped talking to throw back some of his second beer.

[Jonokuchi]

Jonokuchi looked down at Striker but only simply by way of his stature. Even in these few minutes of speaking to the man, he was gaining a little more respect for him, especially the way he mentioned his disability, something that was not going to hold him back.

A nod. "I was. Not anymore," the Warlock said. "How did you lose your arm?" he asked quite bluntly but showing interest.

[Teeramus]

Striker grimaced as the memory of his loss swept over him. Then his expression normalized again as he addressed the ex-sumo's question.
"I was workin' traffic control resurfacing a road one night back in Rocky. There was bugger all for me to do 'cause there were no cars on the road, but it's decent pay to just stand there holdin' a sign. I went to check out the bitumen crawler, the one with all the flamethrowers underneath it that evaporates the water out of the liquid bitumen to help it set. Anyway, I tripped and hit me head. Apparently when I fell, the arm went under the flames and got roasted good." Striker paused to gauge the other man's reaction before continuing with the gory part of the story. "The hot bitumen was stuck to the muscle and skin an' whatnot so once they got me to hospital they decided they couldn't save it and to cut the whole thing off. When I came to I'd also woken up to the Lie and the doctor who saved me was an Arrow mage. He showed me the ropes. So I lost me arm, but got magic. Which is a pretty good trade."

He downed a few mouthfuls of beer intrested to know what the wrestler thought of his explanation.

[Jonokuchi]

Listening to Striker's tale, Jonokuchi hid his shock at the incident with his usual veneer of aloofness. He didn't move as he heard how the Shaman lost his arm and his subsequent Awakening but he had to give the man credit for making good of a terrible situation.

Jonokuchi may not trust very quickly but he could certainly give respect.

When Striker finished, the large Warlock held out his bottle and tapped it against his fellow Arrow's bottle before nodding respectfully. A gesture of admiration. He then finished off the bottle.

Sometimes silence was golden.

[Teeramus]

Striker chinked glass on glass and finished his bottle with the massive man, a little surprised that he had no comment on his story. Most people at least gave a satisfying 'Gross!' when he mentioned the stuck to the flesh bit.

"I guess there aren't many sumo's to compete against here in the U.S." Striker commented off hand "must make it hard to keep in... keep up the practice." He was about to stay 'Keep in shape', but didn't think it quite applied to Jonokuchi.

"So what brought you over to the states ay?" he asked inquisitively. Striker had no problem dominating a conversation but he wanted to know more about this giant wrestler who sumoed no more.

[Jonokuchi]

His eyes dart to the floor when Striker mentions his art and he gives a simple nod of agreement. "Yes, very hard. I practice what I can. Stretches, power exercises, slaps and pushes against static objects." A long, deep sigh. "But, yes. Very hard to practice without opponent. A sumo is only as good as his competition."

Which was a fact. Unlike other martial arts, once a sumo reaches his top grade, he must keep winning otherwise it is taken away. This, in Jonokuchi's mind, was the spirit of real martial arts. One could never rest on their reputation.

As Striker asked about his moving to the country, the Warlock locked eyes with the Shaman, perhaps weighing up his options. "I have been forced from my homeland by the enemies of the Pentacle. They took away my honour and my reputation. I came here as a way to regain was has been stolen from me."

Jonokuchi took another beer. He wasn't going to mention his Aunt. He needed to keep her safe.

[Teeramus]

Striker nodded at the mention of the exercises. Make sense what he's saying. I guess there's more to sumos than just getting fat and trying to shove each other out of a ring. I wonder if I can learn any techniques from him. I'll have to ask him if he wants to do some training together later.

Then Jonokuchi mentioned the reason for his move and Striker frowned. "Enemies of the Pentacle. That sounds serious. What Seers or Banishers? And how'd they take you're honor and rep? I mean I don't think about honor and that much, but your rep is earned by what you do. What'd they spread lies about you or something?"

[Jonokuchi]

"The Seers," Jonokuchi spat, his usually stony visage cracking with hate. "The Yakuza in my homeland tried to bribe me. I refused and was targeted. After Awakening, the Seers had pulled their strings with the gangs and the leaders of the sumo association." A pause as the memory was as clear in his mind now as it was when his world came crashing down. "I was investigated and found guilty of corruption in the sumo world, and forced into retirement. Before any further damage fell from myself to my family, I left."

[Teeramus]

Striker hadn't had a lot to do with Seers but had heard about their schemes, so to meet someone who had their life turned upside because of them directly, he could understand Jonokuchi's vehemence towards them.

While the one arm mage didn't understand the details of how the sumo could have been found guilty if he was innocent, he got the gist of it and took the large man at his word.

"So they... What? Influenced the hearin's an' evidence an' stuff?" Striker asked brows furrowed with indignation before he shook his head in disbelief. "It pisses me off when people do stuff like that. Bloody hell, the world's got enough problems without people making up new ones like this an' screwin' other people over."

Striker paused and looked down for a second considering then looked the man in the eyes and continued, "Look I don't know much at this sorta stuff, but if you ever want help sortin' this mess out I'll do want I can." His expression, like his offer, was genuine.