Shiori's Tower

[Poro The Cat]

Shiroi's Tower
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Tucked away in the heart of the Sacred Forest of Korin is the tower who once held the hermit cat that the forest was named after, now renamed for its current immortal cat.

With a tower standing approximately 25,000 feet tall with a dome-esque building upon the top of it, the construct is the only place known to collect the healing Senzu beans, but also a respite for the weary traveler by flight, or the brave warrior willing to climb the center pole.​

 

[Poro The Cat]

𝑺oft humming filled the tower, the sound easy and carefree like the life that lived there. A small cat, just shy of the height of the last hermit cat to live there, easily went to work tending to the bean garden she grew with great care, always awaiting the next fighter to climb up her tower to greet her. New people were always her favorite, even if they were so few and far in between. She didn't mind, only knew that she would see new people again in the future.

Moving along the line of planters filled with bean plants, a small watering can tipped forward, emptying more of the clear liquid onto the fertilized soil. The plants, much like the cat who was currently tending to them, basked in the glow of the sun that filtered in through the openings on the side of the cylindrical structure. Like most domestic cats, this one had not a single care in the world.

Morning turned to midday, Shiori could feel the life of the world and the Ki of humans and creatures alike bustling about, mostly connected in one place. A tournament of some kind, she realized. Those living below always seemed to enjoy leaving their homes, finding enjoyment in being surrounded by others. Not her. Never her.

She preferred the safety of her tower.

And soon, the reality of her decision to stay within that safety suddenly became clearer.

Something shifted in the congested Ki. It began disappearing in droves, life being snuffed out like candles being hit by a strong wind.

One location. Two, then four, then seven.

Shiori moved towards the railing, the watering can lowering down to her side. She couldn't help but draw her brows tighter together, her nose and whiskers twitching like she could scent or feel what was going on in the world below. Soon, the sound of explosions managed to reach her, coming from some far off location that she couldn't quite see. Then, plumes of smoke rose up beyond the curve of the Earth in places, she realized, were probably major cities. It became very transparent to her in that moment.

Something was seriously, very wrong.

The snowshoe turned on her toes, the watering can dropping from her paws, and quickly began packing up mature beans into small canvas bags.

 

[King]

The wind rushed past Kaizen as he flew over the Sacred Forest, his eyes fixed on the massive tower rising from it's center. Even from a distance, it looked crazy, it just kept going! up through the clouds. He shook his head.

"Seriously, who looked at this and thought: "Yeah let's build a house up there."?"

Normally he'd have gotten a laugh out of himself. Today just wasn't normal. His gaze drifted toward the horizon for a moment. Even from here he could still see traces of smoke in the distance. He could still feel lives disappearing from the planet. Every now and then another energy signature would fade away, and every time it happened that uncomfortable feeling in his chest returned. But, he pushed himself a little faster. The sooner he got there, the sooner he could help somebody.

As the tower grew closer, the world below grew smaller to fall away. The noise of civilization disappeared. Just the sound of rushing wind and the endless stretch of forest beneath him. By the time he reached the top, Kaizen slowed himself and drifted onto the platform. His feet touched down lightly against the stone as his eyes immediately swept across the area. He noticed a small cat moving around with canvas bags. For a second, he just blinked. The contrast between what was happening down below and what he was looking at up here was almost comical. Then he noticed the bag.

"Please tell me those are Senzu Beans."

The words left his mouth before he could stop himself. He took a few steps forward before rubbing the back of his shiny head.

"Sorry that was probably weird."

His gaze shifted briefly toward the distant horizon before returning to Shiori.

"Things are getting really bad down there. People are hurt. A lot of people."

For the first time since arriving, the usual joking edge in his voice faded.

"I remembered this place and figured it was worth a shot."

He said with a nervous smile, waiting for her response.

​

 

[Poro The Cat]

𝓓eft paws worked quickly, moving beans into the small bags. She made sure of her limit, four a bag, always. She not only refused to add more for the safety of those who search for her, but she still needed to make sure she had a supply for herself. That's how it always worked.

Her eyes moved out over the veranda, staring at the smoke pylons that raised higher into the sky. The sight refocused her, so she kept moving, working to package each bean properly. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I-Is this going to b-be enough." Her stuttering started up, and she started taking deep breaths.

That is, until she felt a power level climbing up the tower rapidly.

Her fur bristled and she turned to face towards the balcony just in time to see a human land softly on the tile floor. Her paw clutched the bag tightly, keeping a protective grip that she knew that she herself wouldn't be able to actually do much. "S-Sensu beans?! I-I do-on't kn-now wh-a-at you m-mean!" Now the stuttering got worse, a response to her heightened fear and paranoia.

But...

Something about this human...

He seemed good.

So, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. After a moment, she steeled her expression and quickly nodded to the human standing in her home. "No... No, you can help me." She grabbed up many of the smaller bags of beans then yanked over a messenger bag clearly too big for her tiny body. "You can leave the tower and take these to those who need it!" Soft paws moved across the floor quickly; but it was more than likely only a few normal strides to the human before her.

"I don't usually send this many with someone, but you seem to know what they do." She raised the bag up, holding it towards the man. "There are ten bags in here, four beans per bag. Please... Please make sure these go where they need to go. I like when people come up and visit me. I don't want the world to be filled with less people."