The Day of Thunder

[Nozomi]

Nozomi wasn't exactly avoiding this conversation, but she was emotionally exhausted and physically drained. However, there was an unavoidable reality that, with the Imperial Legions here and Shiba himself here, explanations would need to be given. Others would be at the Emperor's ear. She had to do this, and so she did.

She left word shortly after waking that she was available if the Emperor would wish her summoned to give an account. Once that was in the hands of the servants of the Emperor, she settled down onto a rock, waiting for as long as it would take. One did not barge in on the Emperor. She was just a monk. Like any other. Yes, she'd led them to him and seen it all play out, but she was just a monk. You did not assume. You made it clear that you were ready to be summoned to his presence.

[Canary]

Shiba soon appeared, with a slight smile. "May I join you?"

[Nozomi]

-snip-

She knelt low to him and murmured softly. "Of course." Even as much as she knew that Shiba was a decent soul, she was always nervous around the company of the kami. They were far beyond her imaginings. "Thank you for taking the time. I... wish the news I brought were more positive, but there is light in the darkness."

[Canary]

She knelt low to him and murmured softly. "Of course." Even as much as she knew that Shiba was a decent soul, she was always nervous around the company of the kami. They were far beyond her imaginings. "Thank you for taking the time. I... wish the news I brought were more positive, but there is light in the darkness."

He sat down next to her. "Of course. Please, take your time."

[Nozomi]

He sat down next to her. "Of course. Please, take your time."

Rising slowly, she settled herself into as comfortable a position as she could, her lips set in a frown. "I... do not know if you were made aware already, but the Day of Thunder is now come and gone. The Champion Jigoku sent against us has been vanquished, but with its passing it still stole something from all of us." She glanced down and sighed. "The teacher shouldered so many burdens. I think that Jigoku put its eye upon him when your brother was rescued. If mortals could do this, what of the one of their number that so many idolized and followed?"

"He... was taken by the darkness and the shell of his body was used to its purpose. But he was not the Teacher anymore when Wu Zhe struck the final blow of mercy. I believe his soul is at peace now."

[Canary]

Rising slowly, she settled herself into as comfortable a position as she could, her lips set in a frown. "I... do not know if you were made aware already, but the Day of Thunder is now come and gone. The Champion Jigoku sent against us has been vanquished, but with its passing it still stole something from all of us." She glanced down and sighed. "The teacher shouldered so many burdens. I think that Jigoku put its eye upon him when your brother was rescued. If mortals could do this, what of the one of their number that so many idolized and followed?"

"He... was taken by the darkness and the shell of his body was used to its purpose. But he was not the Teacher anymore when Wu Zhe struck the final blow of mercy. I believe his soul is at peace now."

Shiba closed his eyes and nodded. "I see... His loss is a deep one."

[Nozomi]

Shiba closed his eyes and nodded. "I see... His loss is a deep one."

"Jigoku knew how to harm us. It tried to take one of your siblings, and it chose instead to claim something else precious to us. It is its way. His loss is a tragedy." She sighed and shrunk in a little. "I... learned one of his lessons when I began to follow his path. The way he had known who needed to be the ones to enter the depths of Jigoku to rescue your brother. I am not as good as he is at it, not by a mile. But... we had no choice. I stood in his place. I searched for the pieces of Thunder, and I led they and the headwoman of the village to the place where the champion was claiming him."

"He fought to the last moment, and then they did as destiny decreed. The Nezumi wielded magic of their people to bless them for the fight and each of them served with brilliance. The Champion will not hold this land, and you will be free to rule it, to guide it the way that Shinsei would have wanted."

[Canary]

"Jigoku knew how to harm us. It tried to take one of your siblings, and it chose instead to claim something else precious to us. It is its way. His loss is a tragedy." She sighed and shrunk in a little. "I... learned one of his lessons when I began to follow his path. The way he had known who needed to be the ones to enter the depths of Jigoku to rescue your brother. I am not as good as he is at it, not by a mile. But... we had no choice. I stood in his place. I searched for the pieces of Thunder, and I led they and the headwoman of the village to the place where the champion was claiming him."

"He fought to the last moment, and then they did as destiny decreed. The Nezumi wielded magic of their people to bless them for the fight and each of them served with brilliance. The Champion will not hold this land, and you will be free to rule it, to guide it the way that Shinsei would have wanted."

"What we did here was good. The strength that you showed was monumental, Nozomi-san," he said gently. His large hand touched her back with a gentleness it didn't seem capable of. "The world lost much, though. Shinsei. Wu Zhe. Akodo Kenji. Even, for whatever else she did, Wu Dai Lu. The Empire is safe, but it should not forget the cost. Your grief is unique, but you don't shoulder it alone, if it's any help."

[Nozomi]

"What we did here was good. The strength that you showed was monumental, Nozomi-san," he said gently. His large hand touched her back with a gentleness it didn't seem capable of. "The world lost much, though. Shinsei. Wu Zhe. Akodo Kenji. Even, for whatever else she did, Wu Dai Lu. The Empire is safe, but it should not forget the cost. Your grief is unique, but you don't shoulder it alone, if it's any help."

She sagged into the hand and took solace in the knowledge. "He was your friend as well, Emperor. I hope that you are not alone in this same grief," she said, holding back the knowledge of just why she was personally hurt by the loss. It was unique, but even Shiba could not know. A secret she would carry to her grave along with so very few others. Hopefully never recorded. "Wu Zhe, Wu Dai Lu, Akodo Kenji, they served loyalty, honor and dedication. Ai was ready to die for the sake of the empire, though by the miracle granted was given a chance to fight on for the future."

"I... people have begun calling me Little Teacher. It feels... I am not him. I will never be him." She struggled a little. "I was just a simple girl with blood on her hands that he gave hope to. I've never been a very good monk."

[Canary]

She sagged into the hand and took solace in the knowledge. "He was your friend as well, Emperor. I hope that you are not alone in this same grief," she said, holding back the knowledge of just why she was personally hurt by the loss. It was unique, but even Shiba could not know. A secret she would carry to her grave along with so very few others. Hopefully never recorded. "Wu Zhe, Wu Dai Lu, Akodo Kenji, they served loyalty, honor and dedication. Ai was ready to die for the sake of the empire, though by the miracle granted was given a chance to fight on for the future."

"I... people have begun calling me Little Teacher. It feels... I am not him. I will never be him." She struggled a little. "I was just a simple girl with blood on her hands that he gave hope to. I've never been a very good monk."

He supports her more firmly, the hand solid and grounding. "That is true. You will never be him. But those blood-soaked hands hold their own knowledge that is unique to you, Nozomi-san. There are things only you can teach. You don't have to be him. You have to be you."

"Perhaps it is not so much that you are not a very good monk, as you cannot be the kind of monk he could. I am sure there are those out there like you, who need help finding a path they can follow."

[Nozomi]

He supports her more firmly, the hand solid and grounding. "That is true. You will never be him. But those blood-soaked hands hold their own knowledge that is unique to you, Nozomi-san. There are things only you can teach. You don't have to be him. You have to be you."

"Perhaps it is not so much that you are not a very good monk, as you cannot be the kind of monk he could. I am sure there are those out there like you, who need help finding a path they can follow."

She nodded softly, looking down at her hands as he offered her support. "And with him gone, they will need someone. I might be him, but it wouldn't be right if someone didn't pick up and continue the work. Even if it is in their own, imperfect way. Thank you, Shiba." There was a sigh and she looked up towards him.

"I... want the empire to remember the man he was."

[Canary]

She nodded softly, looking down at her hands as he offered her support. "And with him gone, they will need someone. I might be him, but it wouldn't be right if someone didn't pick up and continue the work. Even if it is in their own, imperfect way. Thank you, Shiba." There was a sigh and she looked up towards him.

"I... want the empire to remember the man he was."

"I agree. What you two have started is a good thing - we need someone to continue it," he agreed, then bowed his head. "I also wish that. As you said... he was indeed my friend."