The Day of Thunder

Kumori’s lips tightened and squirmed slightly as he finished speaking.

Her eyes went to the floor as she tightened a gulp in her throat…

And then a quick nod… as a tear escaped the corner of her eye and ran down her face.

Kumori stood on the elevated porch of the home of their guests leaning on the railing and looking out into the dark streets of the village. Her visage shined in the encircling darkness… Her grandmother’s favor still clinging to her as the night descended. This was the last night… The Dawn was to bri...

She smiled at Ai’s response, “I’m glad.” Becoming our mothers, huh… She then looked out the window towards the village. “There is someone I am interested in as well… But I feel much like you do. Tomorrow is a big day… it’ll change all the days after it one way or another.” She smiled softly. “But I ...

She nodded somewhat timidly. She had to be strong around everyone else… but with Sora she could open herself up… “I don’t like this part…” She said softly. “I’ve always said… ‘No promises… Let’s keep it simple…’ But freedom only helps you say goodbye.” She swallowed once. “I don’t want to say goodby...

She nodded, “I get that it’s not for me specifically… But I am one of ‘us’. That’s always been the case… fancy name… or shininess… or not.”

She paused.

“I’ve accepted that its not my fate… that I have other things to do… But just barely.”

She offered a smirk.

She smiled and shook her head, “And I won’t press you. It makes me happy to think that there might be someone special for you.”

She looked over at her cousin, “If we’re going off merit… you deserve everything good this life has to offer Ai.”

“Quite the swift deflection cousin!” She said with a smile.

“And yeah… Sora’s a tough old man. Uses that old Hikaru training and some of what my mom taught him… He’s a good legend… And a better man.”

She nodded solemnly at the last of his remarks. “It hasn’t been easy thus far and it is sure to be worse tomorrow… You’ve done better than anyone could expect. We’ll be unified… even if they all resisted it kicking and screaming the whole way there.” She paused and let out a long breath. “It’s been ...

“You’d be covered from head to toe if everyone held your harsh words against you.” She said with a smile.

“So… they’ve been picked…” She said to draw out the old man’s thought.

“New family?” She asked.

“Like ‘theoretical one day’ new family? Or something more immediate?”

“I haven’t thought on it too much… but my thoughts have been directed home for the past few days.” She said intently. “I’ve had time to think here… The dreams make you do it and whatnot… And I’ve probably been away from home too much.” She replied honestly. “And seeing as the best chance of me getti...

“Don’t be too ready… I seem to remember someone talking me down from my own ‘readiness’ when I first got here.” She leaned back in the warm water. “Me? Probably like always… The people. Their faces. Their auras. Their struggles. I don’t have the best memory, but I remember those things everywhere I ...

“There are plenty of futures still out there Ai. We’re half-way into the world of dreams as it is… You can afford to dream for a moment.”

She replied warmly.

“I spoke with the beings the Nezumi revere as their gods yesterday… They said a lot… but they didn’t say everyone dies no matter what.”

“It looks like my grandmother did.” She said with a soft smile.

“Can I come in?”

“I thank you for your guidance ‘Grandmother.’ We are pleased to have Chuchu with us. We will protect her as we would any of our own.”

She looked over to her aunt in the distance.

“Thank you for looking after my family as well.”

“What memories will you take home from the whirlwind?” She asked.

Even as the sun went down in the evening… a light grew brighter from under the door.

There was a gentle knocking…

And a shining princess waiting on the other side of the door.

Doooooooom!

It will not be our doom but theirs!

Kumori stepped forward after the names were announced and blessings bestowed. “The Thunders have been selected…” She looked at each of them in turn… Spending a precious moment looking at each of the champions. “As the representative of the Emperor Shiba… the conduit of our people to the Heavens. I o...

“You were helpful in getting the mask off. And helping me come into my own place here…” She smiled.

“It’s been quite the whirlwind so far, neh?”