Arrival

A adolescent looking man flies through the air on what seems to be a cloud. But in reality, it is simply O2 and CO2 particles that have been made denser by a Hero's elemental powers. An animal sits on his shoulder; it's a monkey of the Macaque species. As they float down to the ground, the crowd doesn't notice them much, extraordinary arrivals of Heroes happen daily. Looking closer at the man, he wears a thin black gi, black trousers and straw sandals. He has a tanto (short sword) strapped to his back diagonally, hilt above his right shoulder enabling a fast draw if needed; he also has a combat knife strapped onto his upper right thigh. Unknown to everyone, he carries 30 hidden throwing knives on him somewhere in his clothing for he carries no bags.

The Macaque monkey sits on the man's left shoulder and surprisingly wears clothing, even though it's a simple black pair of trousers. The monkey has a combat knife strapped on it's upper right thigh. Although he doesn't have a tanto, he does possess 15 throwing knives hidden in his trousers alone, although he does have a small pouch strapped onto his obi (belt) above his rear end.

The man proceeds to light a cigarette and start to smoke, but before he can put it in his mouth, the monkey snatches it away and pops it in his own. At this some villagers do turn and look with puzzled faces but continue doing their business. The man sighs and lights another and proceeds to put it in his mouth.

"So tell me Sarutobi, after a month of traveling, what do you wish to do?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

At the sound of the monkey speaking, all the Villages turn and look with looks of amazement, even fear. The man and his monkey don't seem to notice and continue their conversation.

"Um, yes I do, what do you want to do?"

"Sigh, you never learn do you? Every time you ask me the same question and every time I give you the same answer, I would very much like to eat something, fish and birds do get boring once in a while you know."

"Would ramen be OK, I'm craving some right now."

"Yes, and maybe some chocolate too."

"Fine whatever.

The man looks through his money pouch hidden in his gi and counts the amount.

"We need a job Sarutobi, we're almost running out. We should find a rogue city quick.

"It would be wise to ask someone who actually knew the way, remember last time and your sense of direction?

"You know what Sarutobi? Shut up."

The pair then walk in search of a ramen place to take a rest and eat.

"Look out!" yells James, and crashes into the two strangers. "Oomph. Sorry, my bad. Hehe." He rubs his head and wildly looks for something in the sky.

"I just don't get it. Where is she?" He keeps searching, looking under baskets and feeling the air. He needed to find her quickly, otherwise he would lose...something.

"Hey watch where you're going mister!"

"Yes it would help a lot if you slowed down a bit. You don't want to go giving people bad impressions do you?"

"Whatever, just watch where you're going. Let's go Sarutobi.

The pair leave but Sarutobi takes a look behind him before continuing.

"What's up Sarutobi?"

"Oh it's nothing, just a weird feeling that's all. Let's keep going."

"Okay! Bye!" James waved to them. He liked meeting new people, and was not at all surprised by the talking monkey. Just then, he saw it: Breeze was flying above the two strangers he just met.

"There you are! Get back here! I'm not losing this time!"

He chased after her, knocking over a couple of merchandise street vendors were selling. A senile old man cried "You kids today and your animals!"

"Sorry, but...I'm not a kid"

"Just as well sonny!!!!"

James kept running, and managed to reach up behind the strangers with Breeze overhead, catching speed.

"I smell something."

"What?"

"BEHIND US!"

They turned around to see the boy they saw earlier and managed to get out of the way just in time.

"ALRIGHT THAT KID'S GETTING ON MY NERVES!

Fuden proceeded to run after the kid as fast as he could but Sarutobi jumped on his back and covered Fuden's eyes forcing him to stop.

"ARG! Get off of me will you? What are you doing?!"

"Calm down, he's just a kid, let's go eat our noodles."

"Alright, but I swear, if he almost runs into us once more, he's dead."

They enter a ramen store and proceed to order and eat their ramen.

The strangers turned, and James jumped up onto a roof and propelled himself onto Breeze and hung onto her.

"Got you!" he said, and Breeze enlarged herself so that James could have a ride. "Now that our fun's over, what do we do?"

Breeze did not answer. Instead, she took him to a restaurant, dropped him off, and flew off towards the direction of the river.

"Ok, see you in half an hour!" He went inside, and ordered some Chicken.

"Ahhh, that's good stuff, haven't eaten something that good since forever! Now for the bad stuff, work. Darn where are we going to find someone who knows the way to Equilibrium? You know, we could simply just find a job here, but I doubt they need our help. Why can't we just sit in the middle of the field and make it rain money?"

"Well maybe if you weren't so lazy and if we hadn't left the monastery, you wouldn't be complaining right now. Gosh, just go job hunting and stop complaining. Look, I'm a monkey, do you see me complaining?"

"Good point. Gosh, it feels so bad to be owned by a talking monkey. So where should we start looking?"

"Hahahaha, ahem* well we could start by asking that man earlier."

"You mean the kid who almost bumped into us? No way."

"You want to get to Equilibrium or not? And we wouldn't have to do this if you just decided to join the Heroes and Slayers at the Castle of Aranov."

"OK, 2 things. 1) The "kid" was a complete retard and almost go us hurt and I'm not groveling at his feet to ask where the city of Equilibrium is. 2) I would rather die then join those stupid weaklings at the Castle of Aranov. All they do is talk about peace but what do they do about the Bloodspike? Nothing. So I'm afraid both your options are not valid."

"Fine, then I'll go ask the man myself. You stay here."

With that, Sarutobi turned around and left to find the man earlier.

"Stupid monkey."

With that the two go along to find the man.

James finished rather quickly. He left the BBQ full and content. It was still early, only 25 minutes had past.

"I'll just walk around for a bit, no problem. But what to do...."

Different images popped up in his mind. His final option was to walk down the market and see what they were selling so he could prepare for tomorrow's meal. Off to the market he went.

"Looks like we found him. And no Sarutobi, I'm not going to ask him, you do it."

"Fine, coward human. Excuse me Mr. my name is Sarutobi, and that beast of a man there is Fuden Masamoto. I come to you to ask where the city of Equilibrium is to be found."

Fuden looks at Sarutobi with menacing eyes with his arms crossed but doesn't speak and awaits the man's answer.

James spins around. "Oh, it's you two. Well, Equilibrium is to the West from here. However, the journey is pretty long. How fast can you travel? It might be wise to stock up on provisions first if your travel speed isn't quick. Then again, I can't judge speed from looks..."

At that moment, a glitter sparkled in the sky, and Breeze gracefully flew down onto James' shoulder. She preened herself, then tucked her head under her wing.

"Don't worry, I've got this."

"Mind if I ask your name kind sir?"

Fuden and Sarutobi lift into the air and await an answer. Fuden seems very impatient hoping to get to Equilibrium fast. Sarutobi however, really wants to know.

James gives a sort-of-surprised look.

"My name is James Cooper. I'm from the city of Virtue. I'm just here for a little break. What are your names?"

James hadn't thought of it, but he kinda wanted to know the monkey's name and the other guy's as well.

"My name is Sarutobi, it means Flying Monkey in Japanese. My partner there is Fuden, Air God. We come from a land east of here, you could say were are foreigners. Fuden is a Sohei which means warrior monk. We moved here because we heard there was a place for Heroes and Slayers like us. Back in the east, we were not accepted. It was nice making your acquaintance Cooper-san, I hope our paths cross again in the future."

"I guess this is a formal meeting, we would bow, but I believe that here you do something called "shaking hands"?

Fuden and Sarutobi hold out their hands towards James.

James smiles. He holds out his hand, and shakes both of them.

"Well, I guess I'll see you? Maybe? Maybe not? We'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

James turns around, and continues his walk in the market, Breeze still sitting on his shoulder.