The Day of Thunder

[Jiyo Sora]

He had returned with the army. Which, since he hadn't left with it, was a bit of an adjustment.

Sora strode through the corridors of the Imperial Palace, directly for the rooms set aside for his family, barely seeming capable of taking in his surroundings. His armor was being cared for, his weapons apart from his daisho stowed, and he actually wore an entirely new kimono that had been waiting for him when he got back.

As he drew closer, he stopped, hearing Reiko and Kozan's laughter, and Kinyoubi's voice. All audible but unintelligible from the distance he was standing at.

Sora closed his eyes and shook, tears running down his cheeks. It felt like a lifetime since he'd taken his leave, and now that he was back, it just...

He wiped his face, walked up, and scratched at the sliding door.

"Who is it?"

Kinyoubi's voice. Calm, steady, warm, just like always.

"Momma, d'you think it's Daddy?!"

Kozan. Little Kozan. His voice, all that energy, just...

"I hope so, wanna show him my writing!"

Reiko. Reiko, who the Realm of Nightmares had tried to tell him was dead or dying, with her rather shrill voice- she'd never be much of a singer, so of course she sang all the time.

He'd dreamed of them, and Soryu, Shirayuki, and Phi. Almost every night. But now...

His own voice broke a little as he answered. "Afraid it's just some mangy stray."

The door practically flew open as his two youngest children tackled him about his knees, while his wife joined the assault, going high.

Jiyo Sora had come home.