The Day of Thunder

"You assume that staying there would be worse, and that there were only two choices." Soju shrugs, dropping the matter. "But, I do not want to argue about how a grown man should or should not have done things. You do not seem like the sort of person who changes his mind very often."

"That part, at least, I agree with." A look of annoyance crosses her face. "Bur there is always a choice. Saying otherwise is just making excuses."

"You should have stayed with your daughters" Soju replies, her tone flat. "Instead you go wandering off as an old man, seeking destiny and adventure? I would expect that from a young one with nothing to lose like Ai, but you are old enough to know better. Do you not think your daughters would rather...

"Yes? You have found yourself surrounded by great misfortune on other occasions? In addition to our current great misfortunes, which now also surround you Perhaps? Perhaps my people were right, then."

Her tone was more disappointed than sad, in the way that only a parent could be.

"There are not many places that are worse. If there are..." Her voice trails off and she makes a 'just give up' gesture. "For one thing," she picks up, "our tribe killed anyone with mismatched eyes at birth, because it was believed that they brought misfortune wherever they went." And here you are, ...

Suko holds up a chastising finger. "Ah, it is a secret! We can tell you, but only once you've joined the Scorpion." She feigned thinking of something. "Well, I suppose you could try to watch as one of those busty Scorpion girls undresses, so as to discover their secret, but that might send the wrong...

"I shall try to investigate further, as should we all. You can handle getting a team together for whatever needs to be done." She motions to his sword. "I would rather have people ready to go and not need them than the reverse."

Sujo shakes her head. "No, further north than that. I believe the Kirin have started calling it the Forest of Dreamers, but it is much worse than the name makes it sound."

"I am... very untrusting of backwater religious rituals," she explained, her voice hardening. "Doubly so when we know this Shinsei person showed up ranting about doom and gloom." She allowed herself to sigh. "My inclination is to believe it is something bad. The easiest way to disrupt things might b...

Soju nods as he talks but her gaze never leaves his eye. "My people lived in the forest that is now in the south part of Kirin lands. There were many hungry ghosts. I am told that we were conquered once, long before I was born, but our would-be masters were devoured by the forest within a week. I do...

"I do not know anything about the Hikaru," she replied, still staring at his eye. "Where were their lands?"

She gestured to her dress. "The bones keep evil spirits at bay. Keeps them distracted. Something more people should be doing in dark times."

"I did dance... but I have to admit, it felt like I was..." She searches for the right words. "...sweet up in something, I suppose." Soju shifts the lantern to her other hand, and with it, the light shifts to illuminate the side if her face that was missing an eye. "Given what you learned about the ...

Something about the fireworks and music and general atmosphere of the festival takes hold of Soju, and she begins to sway and dance as an impromptu song rises to her lips. "She says, she's no good With words but I'm worse Barely stuttered out a joke Of a romantic stuck to my tongue Weighed down with...

"You get a portion of the rice raised by each village that you convince to join," Sujo says, grinning. "I am certain you can see the benefits of joining early. You won't get a better deal from the Crab or Stag Clans. Plus, we are much better dressers." She glances down at her bone-ladden dress. "Not...

"Did you notice something unusual at the festival? I was busy performing."

She mirrors the raised eyebrow with her good eye. "Why would you ask me if I would do something that I just did in front of you? It is fine if you are ugly, I was just curious." "But yes, something is off about this place. I spoke with the headmistress of the village earlier this morning. She presen...

"Give it some thought. I'm sure I could make a little Scorpion flag you could hang from your house, if you want to join up." Her tone implied she was mostly teasing. "Plus, if you mention my name when you sign up, I get a cute little trinket to hang from my sword. There's a new design every month."

"Haka Soju," she replies. "Are you actually ugly? Because then the mask would be a good idea. Maybe that's why it's becoming popular?"

"You should declare you allegiance to some distant Clan that's nowhere near here," she suggests with an amused tone. "Really make the mapmakers back at the capital struggle to figure that one out."