Chereads / Rising Shogun / Chapter 2 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2

The sun is bright and birds chirp as leaves fall from the trees

The camp is active with many samurai walking around the camp 

Shozen sits in the tent continuing to pack a bag of his necessities 

Shun sits next to him discussing the mission 

Shun: This is gonna be big for us! We can prove ourselves to be samurai!

Shozen: Yeah- but let's not forget why we're going on this mission- those people need us… 

Shun: Yeah- and we're gonna stop at nothing to protect them

Shozen finishes packing as he gets up

Shozen stomach growls in hunger as he stands up

Shozen: I'm kinda getting hungry- you wanna get something to eat?

Shun: TRUE SAMURAI DON'T EAT IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE! 

Shozen: We're not even on the mission yet- we're still preparing…

Shun's stomach also growls but louder than Shozen

Shun: Yeah- let's get something to eat…

They exit the tent and the scene shifts to Izo who sits in his tent and he's meditating 

His eyes were closed as he was seated on his knees and a faint turquoise aura emitted around him

Mikana enters his tent and it throws his meditation off

Izo: You don't just walk in unannounced…

He says with his eyes closed losing focus

Mikana: Officer Ishimoto is calling us to the mission briefing and we have to meet him in his tent

Mikana: You need to get up-

Izo: I will be there- now can you leave me be…

Mikana's face frowns up as she storms out of his tent

Izo begins to focus again

There is a bigger white tent near the inner walls of the village as two separate lines of samurai and people were standing outside of it 

On the inside the tent there were tables with foil pans of different foods in them

Shozen and Shun stepped into the line either with the other samurai waiting to get their food

Shozen: It Smells SO Good In Here!

Shun: I know right! I can't wait to see everything they've got!

Shozen: I bet they have the best Ramen ever!

As they excitedly wait in line for the food as Mikana enter the tent approaching them in her armor 

Her armor is was made out of the typical material brown leather but was plated with rose gold and had platinum outlines on her shoulder plates and had her clans symbol engraved on the plates 

Mikana: You two..

She says crossing her arm with a stale look on her face 

Shozen: Yes-

Mikana: Officer Ishimoto has called us in for a mission briefing and he wants you to report to him now…

Shun: WHAT?! WE JUST GOT HERE! 

Shozen: YEAH I AIN'T LEAVING UNTIL I GET SOME FOOD!

Mikana: IF YOU DON'T LEAVE OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW I WILL DRAG YOU BOTH OUT OF HERE!

She says becoming angry

Shozen: Fine… but if I'm grumpy all day it's your fault- don't blame me

Mikana: I wouldn't care if you were depressed- you're samurai and we have work to do

They all walk to the entrance of Ishimoto tent

Mikana steps forward entering it and the tent is full of shelves with scrolls and there's a big wooden oval shaped table with a map on it in the middle

Ishimoto sits at his table looking over the training schedule for the week

Mikana: Ishimoto-sama

She says bowing her head

Mikana: I have gathered them and were ready for mission briefing

Ishimoto: Good- bring everyone and let's begin

The others enter the tent bowing before the Samurai Officer

Ishimoto: Good to have you all here on this lovely day-

They stand tall ready for orders

Ishimoto: You four were chosen to handle an urgent mission at hand 

Ishimoto: You all will leave at sunset so you will be able to get there by sunrise

Shozen: We don't get any transportation?

Ishimoto's face tenses up

Shozen: NEVERMIND!- 

Ishimoto: There's been rogue samurai causing a disturbance in a nearby village

Ishimoto: Your job is to figure out whose leading them and kill them before it get out of hand

Shun: Hasn't it already gotten out of hand? 

Ishimoto face becomes serious

Ishimoto: No- only a few died and that's just the way the world works- out of hand is more people hearing about this and thinking this is ok…

Shozen gains a worried look on his face

Ishimoto: Get into Cinder Village and get out- your priority is to take out the criminals and their leader

Ishimoto: The villagers of Cinder Village are none of our concern…

Shozen's brows furrow as he thinks to himself

Shozen(Mind): What are the true intentions of the Samurai council…? They want us to only to eliminate the threats but not save the people? This doesn't sit right with me..

Ishimoto: Are we clear?

They all nod in agreement understanding the task at hand

Ishimoto: You all are dismissed-

Ishimoto: Get some rest because you're gonna need it…

They bow their heads and exit the tent

Shozen: That was intense!

Shun: Yeah… that was seriously something back there

They walk back towards the camp

Mikana: Just follow my lead and we will clear the mission quickly 

Izo: I don't take orders from my comrades…

Shozen: Agreed with him- You don't even have the most mastery of your Zeal-

Narrator: Zeal… a concept energy that is held within one's body and consists of one's mind willpower and focus..

Narrator: Zeal is the root to one's use of ability and holds a variety of power within different factions and clans

Narrator: It is mainly used through one's fighting capabilities and is consumed when used with stances or any element of the sort

Narrator: Zeal plays a significant part in a warriors life and through mastery comes greater power 

Narrator: Zeal can branch off into multiple forms of combat medical and enhance one's physical or visual prowess

Narrator: But that is only the beginning…

Mikana: OH YEAH- YOU WANNA TEST ME

She says stepping up to Shozen and getting in his face

Shozen: I'm sorry- im sorry

He says rubbing his head with a smile

Shun: Besides from my knowledge he has the most control of his Zeal 

He says looking at Izo

Shun: But he's not much of a talker

Izo stand with a stale and clueless face

Mikana: Don't waste my time- If you're just a samurai to boast about your strength then you can do that elsewhere…

Shozen stops and everyone looks at him

His face becomes a serious as possible

Shozen: That's not why I'm here… I don't care about power or rank…

He clenches his fist

Shozen: I'm here to live up to my fathers name and withhold a promise I made to him… I'm gonna become The Shogun and end this war- once and for all…

Mikana also gains a angry look to her face

Mikana: Is that some sort of insult you're making to my father?

Shozen: N- No- that's not what I meant-

Mikana: Are you saying that he's not doing a good enough job?

She becomes face to face with Shozen

Shozen: No… I believe he's doing the best he can… 

Shun steps between the two as Izo just stand there looking dull watching the two

Shun: That's enough from you both-

Mikana storms off in anger as Shozen becomes sympathetic 

Shozen: I didn't mean it like that…

Shun: She'll come around… she just need time

Time passes as Shozen grabs his bag and heads out the tent to meet with the others

They arrive at the exit of the camp and he sees everyone in there armor

Izo is wearing his black samurai shoulder plates and his leg armor and has a black cloak with a hood on his head

Meanwhile Shun is wearing his heavy armor set

It is made of brown coated bamboo with a darker helmet with small metal spikes on it

His shoulder plates are bigger than average which have 3 spikes on each side

His chest and shoulder plates have his clans symbol engraved in them

Shozen is wearing his scarlet red samurai armor and they stand together as the sun begins to set

Shozen: Hey guys!

He says waving at them

Shozen: Im sorry I'm late I was getting my belonging

He says showing his bag

Mikana and Shozen looks at each other still with heavy tension between the two

Shun: You guys should really sort this out…

Mikana turns the other cheek and Shozen stands hold in his bag looking off

Shozen then knocks Shun upside his head and laughs 

Shun: OWWW-

Shozen: There is nothing wrong?

Shozen: Right Mikana-

Mikana stands with a straight face

Mikana: Right…

Shun: IT'S TIME TO HEAD OUT ON OUR FIRST MISSION!

Shozen becomes serious

Shozen: Alright guys- time to show the world what we're capable of…

They start to begin to walk while looking off in the distance 

To be continued….