The Day of Thunder

The dream freezes and a tall woman with green burning lava walks through the dream girl as if the whole scene is made of smoke, dissipating. "My my my... Nao-chan, I didn't expect you to be back. And a daughter of Shiba! A rare treat indeed."

"Is she one of your blossoms?" Nao asked, looking to the girl. "What did you offer her?"

"Quite a beautiful flower, I think anyone would say. It's rather fitting that all three of you are here - three children no one needed, and yet exist anyway, trying to find their purpose."

"Why don't you two guess what I offered her?" She responded playfully.

"Fear."

Kumori narrowed her eyes.

“From what we saw? A life…”

She held her intense gaze.

“And now we’re here to take back the one you stole from her.”

"Very good, Kumori-chan!" She said, giving a little clap. "You got it in one. Though you got that wrong - I didn't steal her life."

She sat on the dream bed and pet the frozen Chouri's head. "This poor thing's fate was to die of the lung disease she was born with after spending her life as a thief and beggar. Another corpse floating down the river from the capital because no one would have cared enough for burn or bury her. Far beneath the notice of such luminaries as yourselves. I gave her her life."

"Does she still want it?" Nao asked. "Given the choice, would she continue this life under your power? Or, would she prefer freedom and peace?"

“You gave her a life… One subject to you and your cruel fascinations with her…” She replied.

“One twisted and cruel life… in exchange for countless lives she could have and destinies free from your corruption.”

"I think most people want to live, if their choice is that or an ignoble death," she said, looking at her nails.

Then she looked toward them. "You realize you are proposing taking everything these villagers have away from them by fighting us, right? They have an idyllic life here. You could, too, you know. Where you would never be overlooked. Where you would be free to pursue the life you want instead of someone else's expectations. Where Chouri could live happily ever after looking after the people here and being with her lover."

“Yeah… in desperation people may take a bad deal… You’re right.” She replied.

“And you predatory nature of who you target proves just how empty those promises are.” She shook her head.

“We don’t need your help… We don’t need your ‘dream life’… You are a predator. You don’t care about them…”

"You're suggesting a dream that lasts forever?" She laughed. "What about the bigger dreams you said they'd want? What about ascending to greater things?"

"Nothing you offer is real, other than the fear. But, even that's based on a lie." She looked at Chouri again. "Will you let her choose?"

The Harbinger sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "Humans. Honestly. Do you think Yume-do is just a land of illusion and falsehood? It's so much more than that. It contains access to many places that are as real as where we are now. Which does make one wonder what the true difference between reality and a dream is."

She waves the thought off. "But we're not here to argue ontology. Sadly, I know dear Chouri's choice. Which is truly a pity - she's a genius with regard to dream magic. But she hasn't quite run the course of her usefulness to me."

“She’s not a thing to be used…” Kumori replied with firmness.

"I'd like to hear her choice."

Harbinger sighed. "Fine." She looked at the young girl, releasing her from her stasis. She stared at all of them as she caught her breath and then back at the Harbinger, who lifts her chin. "Tell me, Chouri. What do you want?"

The girl pressed her lips together. "... I want to live-"

The Harbinger gestured expansively, but Chouri continued.

"But I want to protect my people more."

Nao grabbed Kumori's hand and reached out to Chouri.

"Then take my hand."

The Harbinger steps between them, creating a wall of fire with a gesture. "Oh no no. Heartwarming little drama you have playing out, but like I said, my purpose for this one isn't finished." She smiled. "And there's really nothing you can do to stop me."

“You underestimate us.” Kumori said as she stared through the fire at their quarry.

"She made her choice Harbinger. And, you've shown the truth behind the power you offer." Nao gritted her teeth. "We will defeat you and we will save them."

Kumori turned briefly to her cousin and gave a single look that seemed to say...

I'm going.

Without further notice Kumori rushed forward with her hand on her sword and dove through the inferno towards the resting form of Chouri.

The flames burned with intense ferocity... hungrily thirsting after her flesh...

She landed on the other side... Smoldering and worse for wear, but only a short distance away from Chouri and the Harbinger.


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D4 LM, Athletics/Agility, Daredevil, VP | 8k4 ⇒ 25 (TN: 30)