The Day of Thunder

"My apologies," she said with a smile. "Hard habit to break."

"And yes, she did visit a few hours past."

Chouri opened the door and breathed a soft sigh of relief. "Jiyo-sama, please, come in."

"It sits along the hill north of here and faces south," she said. "Why?"

"Zhe," she echoed, and then leaned forward, kissing him softly. She leaned back and smiled. "Whatever happens... Whether I get to live one more day or sixty more years... I'm going to be happy, because I met you."

"Because the Harbinger has spent five years perfecting them as sacrifices and this village as an altar," she responded bluntly. "Why do you think she was so keen on making sure you distrust them? If she wasn't able to perform the sacrifice, she would set you up to do it for her."

"W-Wu-sama..." She said, eyes wide and a little red, like she was ready to cry again.

She tilted her head, looking at him curiously. "Oh?"

"The Harbinger will certainly have defenses ready. The veil between Ningen-do and Yume-do will be incredibly thin on that day no matter what," she explained. "That is where she's planning to bring the Champion fully to Ningen-do, so she will pull out all the stops." She paused, then added, "I would ...

Chouri let out a long breath and smiled. "I agree, then."

"The latter, until the last day of the festival, where it opens up for us to head up," she said. "That'll be your shot if you want to get up there."

"So you still need to build a case," she responded dryly, then sighed. "It is not a shrine to Inari. Of the many gods enshrined there through many different groups living here, I'm not even sure if Inari was ever one of them. As far as how to access it... Be the Harbinger or her 'beloved'. Or be pos...

"I know the depth of my crimes," she replied simply, expression still. "But I would like to hear your perception of exactly what they are."

"Perhaps you need it, healer." Yukara looked concerned. "If I had the talent, I would offer, but I do not." With a slow sigh, she composed herself, "I do not require the hand, for I acknowledge I am more than my blade. Having that said, for me to see the opportunity to protect the innocent, to have...

She nodded. "I already agreed to turn myself in to Imperial justice once we can leave."

She nods quietly. "And if some people wish to go elsewhere?"

Yukara listened, and then inquired, "Can this ritual... go wrong?" An interesting question, and one which betrayed some internal questioning, perhaps, of what was happening. She took a deep breath through her nose, coughed and hacked for a few moments, into a cloth, then shook her head to clear it....

Yukara let out a slow breath, and took a seat across from Chouri, stating simply, "Is there reason I should fear? Am I wrong to wish the strength to contest the monsters which take so many lives? Such as those who burnt down those homes, not even a week hence?" She did not sound angry, or even part...

Chouri opens the door and bows deeply. "Makime-sama. Please, come in." Her expression is serious, if not somewhat resigned. She coughs a little on the way up the step into the hearth room proper.

She nodded a little. "Would you be willing to defend them, even if it might cause political trouble?"

As none had warned her against it, and indeed she was ignorant of much of what had transpired, she had no reason to say no, save her own lingering doubts. So she approached. "I do not claim to understand this, Chouri-san, but if it can restore my claws, I will take part. I wish the strength to defe...