The Day of Thunder

[Canary]

Honoka... Hilarious. Fire name for the chick that burns easy.

She smiled to herself and continued on chopping wood for the old woman.

Eventually she comes back out with a pot and two cups of tea. "Come take a break, dear, that's plenty of wood for now. Thank you so much again."

[Shiba Kumori]

Han-Hei put down the hatchet and came over near the old woman.

"It's really no problem Yoshie-sama. Nice to work some muscles other than the legs for once. Been walkin' a long time in the cold."

[Canary]

Han-Hei put down the hatchet and came over near the old woman.

"It's really no problem Yoshie-sama. Nice to work some muscles other than the legs for once. Been walkin' a long time in the cold."

"Oh, goodness gracious. Come inside, then! We got the hearth goin'. Take off your shoes before you step on the tatami, though, if you would dear." The woman got up with the cups and kettle and made a gesture to follow her.

Inside, the house is small but not cramped. Cozy would be the word. The fire is going in the hearth as promised, with slightly threadbare cushions set around it. A station that seems to be for a sculptor who works with clay is set up off to the side, and a simple kitchen arrangement is over in the entry. The old woman settles down and pours tea for each of them.

"So what on earth brings you on such a long walk?"

[Shiba Kumori]

"I never ended up joining one of them clans... So I bounce around a bit. My friend and I heard about this town up here... Apparently a bunch of people gathering for a festival or something." She replied.

"Came along to see what all the hub-ub was about... See if there was work to be done for someone like me."

[Canary]

"I never ended up joining one of them clans... So I bounce around a bit. My friend and I heard about this town up here... Apparently a bunch of people gathering for a festival or something." She replied.

"Came along to see what all the hub-ub was about... See if there was work to be done for someone like me."

"Well, I'm afraid we don't have any work that'd pay too much ourselves," she said apologetically. "Don't mind offerin' room and board if you're willing to help around the house, though. My Daisuke's been feelin' the empty nest since Horitaka up and joined them Dragons up north. Good for him, though."

[Shiba Kumori]

"That's mighty kind of you Yoshie-sama. I'd hate to impose on you... despite how lovely that sounds. I'm afraid my friend is a bit of a boor at times... I doubt he'd be a decent temporary son for your husband. You wouldn't want his dumb ideas rubbin' off."

She sat down near the tea, "I hear kids leavin' home can be kinda rough. Or the best thing that happened to a parent... Depends on the kid, eh?" She gave a smile before she sipped her tea.

"Mmmm, warms the bones." She said with a content look on her features.

"You and your husband didn't want to join your son up in those Dragon mountains?"

[Canary]

"Oh no... We're too set in our ways, and those cold peaks aren't kind on these old bones," she said with a shake of her head. "It depends. It can be nice, but you miss 'em somethin' terrible, too. Maybe you'll find that out someday yourself, missy." The last was said in a teasing tone.

She took a sip of her tea, as well. "It sure does at that. Hope you don't mind herbal. Not much in the way of tea leaves around here."

"Far as your friend goes, if he's a boor, he might get along with Daisuke." She cackled. "Anyway, it's not an imposition at all. You both do some work around here, you'll be earnin' your keep just fine."

[Shiba Kumori]

"I don't mind at all.. You're more than kind to open your home to two random strangers. It's pretty scary out there right now... I promise we'll help out."

She bowed in appreciation.

"As for kiddos... I don't know about that. We'll see if I make it another winter or not first. Besides... not everybody is good mother material." She smiled and took another sip from her cup.

"I think my own mom would get way too much joy seeing me suffer trying to raise a kid like me."

[Canary]

"It's true, not everyone is," she agreed. "But you're kind. You don't treat other people like they're below your or they don't know nothin'. You put in the work where it's needed. A lot worse people have become parents."

She waved it off. "I was just teasing about that, anyway. You'll make the decision that's right for you. Sounds like you got some family troubles, though."

[Bayushi Norikage]

"I was told life is very different now", Norikage said. "That before a man could live in the mountains and do whatever he liked, could live peacefully or wildly, hunt game...or hunt riches from others." He smirked. "Now those types serve a master, it's better for the world around us, but I've heard enough complaining from old men about their days like it was so much better."

Though, I suppose our dreams weren't influenced by Jigoku back then...

[Shiba Kumori]

"It's true, not everyone is," she agreed. "But you're kind. You don't treat other people like they're below your or they don't know nothin'. You put in the work where it's needed. A lot worse people have become parents."

She waved it off. "I was just teasing about that, anyway. You'll make the decision that's right for you. Sounds like you got some family troubles, though."

“Everybody’s got a family. Everybody’s got troubles. Those two things are sure to mix at least some of the time.” She replied with a smile.

“But I got nothin’ to complain about. Plenty of folks got it a lot worse.”

She took another sip of the tea, “You always been in this village then?”

[Canary]

"I was told life is very different now", Norikage said. "That before a man could live in the mountains and do whatever he liked, could live peacefully or wildly, hunt game...or hunt riches from others." He smirked. "Now those types serve a master, it's better for the world around us, but I've heard enough complaining from old men about their days like it was so much better."

Though, I suppose our dreams weren't influenced by Jigoku back then...

"Pah! Well, thirty years is a good bit. People forget how a lean season would certainly mean a few tribe members died every year. A bad winter or a disease could take out a whole tribe. An earthquake, or a tsunami over on the coast? Multiple," he grumped as he took out a pipe from his sleeve and started working on lighting it. "Not enough extra for a festival like this most years."

[Canary]

“Everybody’s got a family. Everybody’s got troubles. Those two things are sure to mix at least some of the time.” She replied with a smile.

“But I got nothin’ to complain about. Plenty of folks got it a lot worse.”

She took another sip of the tea, “You always been in this village then?”

"Just 'cause other people've got problems don't make yours less important, kiddo," she chided gently. "Comparing is just a trick to get you to keep quiet when there's problems that shouldn't be kept quiet about. O' course, maybe it's that I'm old and people expect me to complain."

She shook her head. "Came here three years ago. Started gettin' nightmares somethin' terrible. I'm 83 this year, y'know. Started feelin' that mortality comin' to call. We came here, and it's gotten a lot better."

[Shiba Kumori]

“We’d all be so lucky to have a life as long and full as yours.” She said with a warm smile.

“So, you don’t get the dreams here?”

[Canary]

“We’d all be so lucky to have a life as long and full as yours.” She said with a warm smile.

“So, you don’t get the dreams here?”

The old woman smiled at that. "I'm mighty grateful I got on this long. But yes, no more nightmares. It's been a real relief, let me tell you."

[Shiba Kumori]

“Everybody here?” She asked with surprise.

[Bayushi Norikage]

"Pah! Well, thirty years is a good bit. People forget how a lean season would certainly mean a few tribe members died every year. A bad winter or a disease could take out a whole tribe. An earthquake, or a tsunami over on the coast? Multiple," he grumped as he took out a pipe from his sleeve and started working on lighting it. "Not enough extra for a festival like this most years."

"Suppose not, what are we celebrating, anyway?"

[Canary]

“Everybody here?” She asked with surprise.

She shook her head. "Not everyone. A few people still struggle with them. Poor Chouri-chan's been doing her best to work with them with whatever they're going through, but even she can only do so much."

[Canary]

"Suppose not, what are we celebrating, anyway?"

"End of winter, sort of a purification thing as we get ready for the next year," he said. "Starting off on a new foot, you know?"

[Shiba Kumori]

She shook her head. "Not everyone. A few people still struggle with them. Poor Chouri-chan's been doing her best to work with them with whatever they're going through, but even she can only do so much."

“Only a few people? That’s amazing.” She replied.

“I’ve been around the past year or so… I don’t know of any place like that anymore.”

She finished the cup of tea and asked, “Who is this Chouri-san?”