The Day of Thunder

[Shiba Kumori]

“Why?” She asked with a surprised look… as if that definitely wasn’t the name she would have guessed.

[Nanzi Ai]

"Honestly it just popped into my head, who were you thinking of?" She asked.

[Shiba Kumori]

“I have no idea. It’s your damn tea party.” She replied.

“If I was organizing it… it wouldn’t be tea. And it wouldn’t have ol’ little teacher. Don’t think he’d make it very far into the night.”

[Nanzi Ai]

“I have no idea. It’s your damn tea party.” She replied.

“If I was organizing it… it wouldn’t be tea. And it wouldn’t have ol’ little teacher. Don’t think he’d make it very far into the night.”

"Even better, ever wonder if you could drink Shinsei under the table," she responded.

[Shiba Kumori]

“Now? Me. No contest.” She replied.

“He doesn’t look to be doing well…”

[Nanzi Ai]

"He's a mystical monk, his appearance could be deceiving, he may appear frail but still be quite fit," she said. "Or he could be dying."

[Shiba Kumori]

“I hope the mystical power lasts another week or two…” She replied.

[Nanzi Ai]

“I hope the mystical power lasts another week or two…” She replied.

“The Little Teacher will probably out live us all,” she responded. She frowned at the dark turn of the topic, perhaps that was the way of things in this place.

“Why only a week or two?” she asked.

[Shiba Kumori]

“There’s something unusual about this festival… I spoke with the village head woman this morning. The festival goes for about a week… And something feels very off about it.” She replied.

[Nanzi Ai]

"Okay, do tell," she asked focused on the weirdness.

[Shiba Kumori]

“Apparently… None of the people here have been here more than like three or four years. The headwoman said that she discovered this place and found and empty village… but in the village was some sort of collection of notes on how to perform rituals to ‘make things better’ regarding Yume-Jigoku.” She replied in a hushed tone so as not to have her voice spread.

“She claims that these rituals… work. And the people here support those claims. Fewer nightmares, less madness, no monsters… But when we asked to see the shrine, however, we were rebuffed… As well as when we suggested that perhaps Shinsei could help in the ritual practices…” She looked to the left and right slowly as they continued their march.

“They are hiding something… I don’t know what… But it is not a safe place we find ourselves in. And they want us to participate in whatever rituals and parties they have prepared.”

[Nanzi Ai]

“Mysterious village with notes that just happen to keep the very problem at bay wracking the realm? Highly suspicious indeed. I would very much like to see these notes for myself. There has to be a cost somewhere,” she replied.

“I already knew this place was unsafe but this gives me… some concern, yet we must not act so out of place as to alert them to our suspicions. Heavens know what other things they hide behind their closed doors.”

[Shiba Kumori]

She nodded, “Unfortunately… Sometimes the best thing to do when a trap is laid… is to spring the trap.”

[Nanzi Ai]

She nodded, “Unfortunately… Sometimes the best thing to do when a trap is laid… is to spring the trap.”

“I agree with you there,” she responded.

“Of course we could be falling prey to the mania that Yume-Jigoku spreads, seeing enemies where there are potential allies. We cannot know that the whoever put those notes there did not foresee our coming and knew that an oasis of sanity in the darkness would be needed for Ningen-do’s final stand in this cycle?” she responded.

[Shiba Kumori]

“You are right… It could be something fortuitous. It doesn’t do our spirits any good to hold prejudices closer to our hearts than courage. But there is enough evidence to be wary… Particularly when things are intended to have people put their guards down.” She nodded.

[Nanzi Ai]

"So we just don't let our guard down," she responded. "Play along, but stay alert and gather as much information as we can."

"Then we apply violence to the real threats, just like old times."

[Shiba Kumori]

“Back to where we started.” She said with a chuckle and a grin.

[Nanzi Ai]

"The cycle is relentless," she said with a smile.

[Shiba Kumori]

“Probably some esoteric wisdom in there or something… Not that I’m bright enough to catch it.” She said with a chuckle.

[Nanzi Ai]

"I am not trying to be obtuse, that's monk nonsense, just agreeing with you," she replied with a smile.