The Day of Thunder

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki wasn't going to argue about not being able to approach the shrine today, but came with a different plan.

Where she had stopped the previous day, she stopped once again, and began piling up little rocks in a sort of makeshift shrine. It took a bit of time and effort, but once it was done she placed a small wedge of a cake. It was some of the last of the cake she had brought along on her travel from the Crane-lands; a chewy pastry with filling of lotus seed paste and salted yolk from a duck's egg.

"I guess this will have to do..." a cut was applied to her thumb, and the drop of blood was dabbed on the top of the cake-slice.

"Awaken my friends of earth, to accept my offering and answer my questions." The kami did not answer, and after waiting for a while to make time for very sluggish earth kami (who were already slow), she tried again.

"Kami of the Earth, this one asks humbly for your attention. Please accept these offerings, so I may speak with you."


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D2 MM. Commune/Earth. 1 raise for Clarity. +1k0 from Dutiful Disciple | 4k2 ⇒ 12 (TN: 15) (2 Wounds)
D2 MM. Commune/Earth. +1k0 from Dutiful Disciple | 4k2 ⇒ 25 (TN: 10) - SUCCESS (1 Wound)
Satsuki may ask 2 questions of the Earth kami, but no raises for Clarity.

[Canary]

It takes a while again, but just as she's ready to give up, there's a low rumble, as if something very, very old, slow, and tired waking up. She feels their answer under her more than hears it.

Blood... of the Dragon... Child... of... Kami...

[Togashi Satsuki]

Blood... of the Dragon... Child... of... Kami...

Oh thank the Heavens and divine grandmother. She had almost thought they had fallen asleep completely.

"Forgive me for rousing you from your slumber, friends of Earth, I have called you in search of answers. Can you tell me which God is enshrined here?"

[Canary]

A grinding vibration uttered, ... Many... None...

[Togashi Satsuki]

A grinding vibration uttered, ... Many... None...

That answer concerned her a little. Perhaps it wasn't dedicated to any one spirit or Fortune in particular, but to the kami of the land in general... it would be difficult to ask for clarification on that in particular though, and she thought for a few seconds. If these earth kami were like other ones she had spoken with, they were more sensitive to imbalances and impurities.

"Thank you. Before you go, can you tell me if you have noticed corruption of this sacred place?"

[Canary]

It... waits... outside... hungry...

[Togashi Satsuki]

She felt her heart skip a beat, and not in a good way. Outside... so it was not the shrine.

Outside the fog?

"Thank you, brothers and sisters. You may go back to rest." Satsuki said before the connection to the kami was ended, and she quickly rose to look around her.

Was the fog protecting them, somehow? She remained in the spot for a few moments, pondering what she had learned so far.

[Kaijarisuigyo]

A figure that had not totally not been spying what was happening all along came out from the bushes:

"So what's that new spirit magic? Would have expected it to be more showy. Though better not showy and do something than showy and do nothing. Lots of shamans of old fan of the later."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Eh?" Satsuki turned to look at the newcomer, and quickly bowed her head in greeting. "I suppose it can be showy, depending on what you need it for. When I'm just talking with them, it doesn't need to be showy... I guess? Most people don't do backflips while talking, right?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"Depends on the audience. Some deities are into pretty acrobatic ritual dances, a few backflips to entertain the spirits wouldn't be that surprising. But I guess these ones are not as demanding. At least on that front."

[Togashi Satsuki]

She looked down at the ground where she had made the little makeshift altar out of stones and pebbles, then back to the strange person. "I think they just woke up too, so probably not in the mood for it," she remarked with some humor.

"I'm Satsuki of the Dragon. Are you a shaman of sorts too?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"I am Kai."

She showed the exposed back of her neck to demonstrate trust.

"More like someone who had to deal with way too many shamans. Some great people. Some not much. People are people before they are shamans, for best and worst. There is always some degree of mutual incomprehension between them and the spirits, the same way the bird and the fish can never truly understand one another."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"It's nice to meet you, Kai."

"That much is true," she agreed. "Even if we can talk to the spirits, and do many things with their aid, there is a lot we don't understand about them, or vice-versa. Same with the greater spirits that live in the different realms and take on different shapes."

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"Not subtle a hint. But not subtle I myself am.

I indeed used to be called The White Tiger of the West of the Four Auspicious Beasts. Or just Tiger. Both names have power, but different power.

I'm not sure I still fully qualify as a spirit nowadays however. To flee the realm of dreams, I had to sacrifice everything you would called divine. My strong legs that could send me to the other side of the realm in a single bound. My soft pads that made me as silent as calm water. My golden eyes that could see the whole land from one sliver of light. And of course my fangs and claws that require no description only fearful respect.

What reached your realm is a frail mortal shell. More mortal than some actually."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Aha, so this had been the strange spirit Sora mentioned.

"I didn't know I was in the presence of such a legend, Great White Tiger," she made sure to bow once more this time. "I grew up hearing stories of you and the other three of the Guardians from my mom."

"It's... a shame, that you came here in such a lessened state. It only shows that there is more at stake, than just the realm of mortals. If you came from the Realm of Dreams, maybe you know how Jigoku first managed to infiltrate it?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"The Dragon needs not to bow to the Tiger. Tiger, Tortoise, Dragon, Phoenix, were always equal as the Four Guardians and I have now been humbled enough to be the equal of any other mortal.

Sadly, even at the mightiest of their power, Tiger just wasn't the smartest. Most tales of Tiger are about how Spider or Monkey easily tricked them, and they were likewise taken by surprise by the darkness' arrival.

I think my many flaws were however why I had some success in escaping. The darkness must have thought I would fight the hopeless fight till the end, for Tiger's pride was infinite. Instead, it was the same pride that had them sacrifice all rather than become a puppet of the darkness. Better be mortal me than not me."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I can't say I'm the true dragon like the one from the stories. My dad, perhaps. My mom has some of monkey's blessing in her lineage as well..." It was sad if this really was a once legendary guardian spirit that had to flee their realm to get away from the corruption of Yume-do.

"I think you did the right thing, escaping, and becoming a lesser you. If Jigoku is driven out of Yume-do, maybe it's possible for you to return - to both home and what you truly are?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"No. If you break something, and then you fix it, it might fulfill the same purpose again, but it's not the same thing. Its nature has changed in many ways from the breaking and repairing. Me, the realm of dreams, same thing. They might return to the same role, but what they went through will have changed them. Not necessarily better or worst, but different.

Tiger might ascend again. But none as the same Tiger. A story that undoes itself, where things end as they started, has no strength. Future me needs to be both a child of old me and current me if they are to be more than a shadow."

A pause as, for once, Kai felt uncomfortable.

"Uh. If you are of Monkey family... They were always very clever, and very proud of how clever they were. But this time, they went to trick a foe trickier than themselves. If we are to meet them in the world of dreams, it won't be at friend or even at frenemy this time."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Mm, you're right that those still in Dream-realm might not be what they used to be anymore..." she agreed sadly. There were many stories of dream-creatures, and it was sad to think that they might be gone or corrupted now.

"I understand what you mean, that you can't be the same again. Do you... do you think it's possible for the realm of dreams to heal after this? If the corruption is defeated, would the dreams of living beings help to regrow and restore?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

"Imagining new ways for things to be doomed whatever actions you may take is very human thinking. There's something in there..."

She tapped on her head:

"... that's obsessed with always inventing the next twist for surprise failure.

I don't remember the world of dreams ever being wounded before, so I don't know if it can heal. Likely less? Dreams are strong, and seeds for new dreams are aplenty as you suggested.

But is this really important now? When a cat is pursued by a horde of rabid dogs, and the only way they might escape is by jumping across a chasm, they don't stop to wonder about the chances the forest on the other side might be on fire. If victory against the darkness is not enough to restore balance, we'll work on it when we'll be there.

For now, let's focus on the urgency of kicking it away."