The Day of Thunder

The villager homes stretched over before Han-Hai and Norikage. It was quite busy, with many people running around carrying supplies for the upcoming festival.

Han-Hei looks over to the Scorpion.

“You’re the one with the good eyes. What’d ya think?”

"Someone carrying too much on their own", he advised. Looking around, he found one such. Though he wished it was a woman, aside his companion, girls tend to observe owing someone rather acutely. He walked toward the villager who seemed to be struggling with their load. He made certain to keep the stack of supplies they were carrying between them as he approached, so when he spoke, his status wouldn't be immediately apparent.

"Oi, but early to be spending your arms, eh?" he asked. "Let me give you a hand."

Han-Hei hung around ready to make herself useful if need be.

Behind the house they're in front of, Han-Hei can hear the sound of someone struggling to chop wood.

The old man Norikage comes up to squints at him. "Well, all right... Careful there, though, son. Got some dishes for the feast in a few days, so it's heavy."

Han-Hei circles around the closest hut looking for the source of the wood chopping.

"No worries, grandad, you take it easy and show me where you want it all", he said and took the dishes.

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 3:53 am

Han-Hei circles around the closest hut looking for the source of the wood chopping.

Behind the hut, she finds an old woman with her sleeves tied back, leaning on an ax already partly buried in some wood and panting a little. when she notices Han-Hei, she turns and bows as much as she can. "Oh my... A young lady samurai. Don't see too many in these parts. I'm sorry I'm not much for lookin' at at the moment, dear."

Bayushi Norikage wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:00 am

"No worries, grandad, you take it easy and show me where you want it all", he said and took the dishes.

"You've got my thanks, young man... Just over here by these other boxes. A wagon'll be by to pick them up soon." He sits down on the front deck of the house, taking a clearly needed breather. "You're a real lifesaver. My sight isn't so good anymore, but I don't recognize your voice. You new around here?"

“Not at all honorable grandmother.” She shook her head and continued to approach.

“Need any help? Doesn’t look like easy work. I’m not much to look at either but choppin’ wood I got some skills at.”

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:04 am

“Not at all honorable grandmother.” She shook her head and continued to approach.

“Need any help? Doesn’t look like easy work. I’m not much to look at either but choppin’ wood I got some skills at.”

"Well, if you're offering, it'd be rude to refuse the kind gesture," she said, stepping back from the woodchopping site. "How about I go get you somethin' to drink while you're working, and then we can share a drink and you can tell me what brings you to our little village. Oh, where are my manners? You get used to knowin' everyone and you totally forget 'em. I'm Yoshie, dear."

“A beautiful name. Mine is Han-Hei… I should’ve had sense to take a better name like Yoshie.” She said with a smile.

“I’ll get started. No rush on the refreshments. It looks like you’ve been at it a while. Take a minute if you need to.”

She picked up the hatchet and started up the work.

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:11 am

“A beautiful name. Mine is Han-Hei… I should’ve had sense to take a better name like Yoshie.” She said with a smile.

“I’ll get started. No rush on the refreshments. It looks like you’ve been at it a while. Take a minute if you need to.”

She picked up the hatchet and started up the work.

She chuckled, the sound warm and good natured. "Well, it's never too late! Han-Hei is a very cute name, though, it doesn't quite fit you, I think. You're a kind girl... That's good. Sometimes we get so busy trying to be strong that we forget to be kind."

"I've been blessed with people around me tellin' me the same my whole life."

She smiled, "There's lots of different types of strength out there. Kindness makes 'em all taste much sweeter."

She plunged the hatchet deep into the top of the cut and sliced it down the middle with a solid smash after.

Canary wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:02 am

"You've got my thanks, young man... Just over here by these other boxes. A wagon'll be by to pick them up soon." He sits down on the front deck of the house, taking a clearly needed breather. "You're a real lifesaver. My sight isn't so good anymore, but I don't recognize your voice. You new around here?"

"Just arrived this morning", he answered and set everything down near the rest. "Nice foggy morning we're having, thought I'd freeze on the way up here, but I heard there was a party so seems like it's worth the trip, eh?"

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:37 am

"I've been blessed with people around me tellin' me the same my whole life."

She smiled, "There's lots of different types of strength out there. Kindness makes 'em all taste much sweeter."

She plunged the hatchet deep into the top of the cut and sliced it down the middle with a solid smash after.

"Wise, kind, and polite," she said with a smile. "Quite a thing to be at your age. Hmm... You would have made a good Honoka. An elegant name for someone who shines with warmth."

She chuckles and gets up. "Well, listen to me ramble. Let me get those drinks, dear." With that, she heads inside the humble house.

Bayushi Norikage wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 4:50 am

"Just arrived this morning", he answered and set everything down near the rest. "Nice foggy morning we're having, thought I'd freeze on the way up here, but I heard there was a party so seems like it's worth the trip, eh?"

"Pretty common here, I'm afraid, young man. You get used to it, though. A cheery hearth helps." He said with a smile. "Oh yeah. The festival is going to be quite a thing. Chouri-sama - the village headwoman - said it might be the grandest one we've had. She an Enrou-san have apparently set up some kind of light display for tomorrow night."

Canary wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 5:10 am

"Pretty common here, I'm afraid, young man. You get used to it, though. A cheery hearth helps." He said with a smile. "Oh yeah. The festival is going to be quite a thing. Chouri-sama - the village headwoman - said it might be the grandest one we've had. She an Enrou-san have apparently set up some kind of light display for tomorrow night."

"Light display, huh?" he dusted his hands off, walking over to the old man now. "Interested to see it." He gave a small bow. "Bayushi Norikage's the name, appreciate the welcome, ojisan." He slid his sword from his obi and sat down next to the old man.

Honoka... Hilarious. Fire name for the chick that burns easy.

She smiled to herself and continued on chopping wood for the old woman.

Bayushi Norikage wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 17, 2023 5:13 am

"Light display, huh?" he dusted his hands off, walking over to the old man now. "Interested to see it." He gave a small bow. "Bayushi Norikage's the name, appreciate the welcome, ojisan." He slid his sword from his obi and sat down next to the old man.

"Oh, Bayushi-sama, is it? Joined those Kami, then. My son did, too. Went up north into the mountains and called Saru Horitaka nowadays," he said, nodding. "Damn good sculptor just like his old man. It's really somethin' else that people can just... do art under these Kami. Imagine that."