The Day of Thunder

Nozomi was standing on the bridge, looking around the quaint little garden with a quiet look on her face. Her countenance was cool, distant and there was a rumbling that came with one of her grunts while she looked on. She had the look of an old, quiet thunderhead in the distance, smoldering gaze at odds with all that was around her. Where there was peace, she was disquiet and irritation. Still, she kept it held back, behind a face of flint while she held one pebble in her hand, considering skipping it across the water and choosing not to.

Breathing in once, she stilled her features and some of the glower faded. She still looked upset, but at least she was able to remember that she needed to be calm, to still her mind. Centering her thoughts, she let them extend outwards from her and, feeling for if she was truly alone.

(8 Direction Awareness active.)

There's a jingling of brass rings above her head.

Her head turned in the direction of the ringing sound, eyebrow raising. That could have been an exorcist's staff couldn't it? Well, it could have been a lot of things. Letting herself release a little bit of a cough and clearing of her throat, she made the sound to get their attention, rather than speaking up quiet yet. They'd reveal themselves... or not, soon enough.

There was a rattling of leaves from the tree behind her and another jingle. "It's been a little while, Nozomi," said a voice, mischief in its voice. It was incredibly familiar, but not like someone with that voice had exactly said "hello" to her before.

"Mmmm?" she rumbled out curiously, starting to walk towards the tree where the rustling of leaves could be seen. "Maybe it has been. Time starts to blend together after a while." The voice was ... tickling her mind, which always made the surly part of her want to come out. Old memories could be good or very very bad. Still, she didn't feel threatened, so there was that. "Any particular reason we're up in one of the trees right now? The view can't be that good." Yep, snark worked. She'd settle for snark.

He shrugged and grinned. "I just flew over in excitement when I heard you would be here. Seems natural to land in a tree, don't you think?"

"..."

She snorted out a laugh and turned to lean against the tree, sighing a little. "Well, yes. I think if you were to land on my shoulder, we might just have ourselves a little accident. So a tree branch certainly seems like a sensible choice." Her demeanor started to relax visibly and she looked like she had sagged very slightly against the old wood while looking up. "So, old friend, what are YOU up to right now? I imagine you can already guess what I'm up to." Not getting told the plan and fuming about it. That's what she was up to, which meant it was a normal day in Rokugan.

"It's not an accident if you make the accident happen, dear," he replied primly before relaxing into a smile. "I'm here on request. And training a student. He's taking to it well, but he's still a cheeky little bastard for a man on a leash."

"I can guess, but I'd love to hear it in your own words."

She chuckled a little bit. "Oh, that one. I think I saw him while we traveled north," she admitted. "Give him time. Humility is the hardest lesson of all to learn." At least it was for some. But, it could be the most enjoyable to watch as someone experienced it, as long as you weren't the one who had to actually make it a teachable moment.

"My own words, eh?" Hmmm. Oh, two could play this game of words. "Someone I know is putting something far too heavy on the stand again, and risking breaking the stand. So, if you were to ask me? I am just frustrated at the carpenter's faith in his wood holding up on its own, regardless of what gets heaped on it. They always wait until it's almost too late to spread the weight around. Don't they?"

"He has motivation," he said with a chuckle.

He gave a long sigh. "He really does. I wish I could say I knew exactly what he intends. We parted ways three years ago."

"You know that if he's keeping it from both of us? It's almost certainly bad." The last time that he'd been keeping this many secrets, they had gone to hell. Actually, this was worse than then. "I would probably do something incredibly foolish if I knew what he intended. Part of me wants to do something incredibly foolish, so perhaps he is trying to save me from myself." She didn't sound pleased by this, but she was coping. Deep down, she suspected that he was right.

"Do you think his ears are burning right now?" She raised an eyebrow and looked up again. "What have you found, on your own?"

"Yup. He said I needed to be here as a 'failsafe', which might be the least comforting word in Rokugani," he huffed.

He leaned back, expressing turning to a frown. "I've heard rumors that he looks weaker and tired recently. His directions to go make contact with different potential Thunders haven't exactly been the most direct route. And he called so many people up... I don't think he knows who they'll be yet. Which is a little concerning."

She considered that for a moment. Matsu was probably here, which gave her both a momentary thought of pride and pleasure at seeing an old friend. It also came with a quake, knowing the risk. But it also brought another thought to her mind. "The last time a person who could be the thunder was known, you remember what happened." She felt her lips thin. "I could see him meeting even with those who could never be the thunder, just to be a little deception. Nothing against a little riddle and ruse in the Tao, after all."

"But the idea he is getting failsafes ready is ... well, not surprising. I know there's a few in place already, after all." That was not why Mayumi had left. She knew better. But it felt better to say that.

"He always did have a back up plan for his back up plans.Even back when we first met and I thought he was just a skinny hobo," he said, amused. Looking toward the village, he added, "Yeah... Excellent point. Makes them distribute the effort wider. Though he's definitely done that after a little reconnaissance. The Imperials obviously can't unless there's a surprise wedding. The shapeshifting spirits can't. The monks can't. And yet, here we are."

"What? When did he stop being a skinny hobo?" She laughed a little, sighing as she did. She could never say something like that with almost anyone else. She might not even risk it with Sora around. But right here and now? No, she knew he'd understand. Her gaze turned in the same direction. "You're right though. Always plans in plans. For a man as wise as he is, maybe it says something that he's always as cunning as he is. Says you don't have to put that aside if you follow the way."

She grunted and nodded. "Here we are. And his gaze has always been better than mine. I never mastered that gift. So... it's time. The world's gone mad, and it's time. Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we hadn't done what we did? If Hantei and Shinjo hadn't risked their neck for their brother?"

Ukyou burst out laughing, the sound similar to a crow's caw. "Fair point. Though he was less skinny for a while when it was the three of you moving around. Laughed more, too. It was nice to see."

"Yeah. He's a sneaky little shit who doesn't know how to look after himself properly." It was said affectionately. "Yeah... it's time. It's time because the world's gone mad. As for that... it's hard for me to dwell on things too much, but... I don't know. We'd be dealing with a God corrupted by hell. I don't know if that's better or worse than what we're dealing with now."

"I miss his laughs." She sounded a little sad, the edges of the emotion there. It was almost present. "Bah. My daughter once said my attachments would be the end of me. With any luck, he'll be laughing again one day. After this is over. I don't know if there's such a thing as better or worse. Either way? It's hell. You can't make that into something good." Her lips thinned again into a line, eyes narrowed as she gazed through the fog.

"Part of me wishes I could join them. The rest of me remembers. I know. This isn't my task. Just to make sure they're ready."

"Yeah. Hard to convince people of that when they see the timing and are convinced that the Kami are the cause of the problem, rather than arriving shortly before because this won't work without the strength of honor," he mused. Then he nods. "You need to guide them. I need to guide my student so he can guide others one day."

"I do wonder how he'll end up. What's an oni without Taint?"

"Everyone's got a place." She didn't have to like it, but that was her place. Mentor and teacher to the heir and the thunders. She was accepting of it, but she hated feeling useless in the face of the coming darkness. But that line? Well that made her snort again, made her wonder. Was he being circumspect or whimsical again? "Who can say? It's like asking what a Lion is without its mane. It's not really the same thing, and has to find a new path for itself, doesn't it?"

"Everyone's got a place, and every place is important. There's a lot of potential fail points, for all we go on about destiny."

"Female lions don't have manes," he noted.