The Day of Thunder

[Hiruma Naraku]

Naraku felt like he was on pins and needles as he nervously looked at the entrance of the garden. He fidgeted with the hem of his overcoat and drummed his fingers on the bench. He was nervous and he couldn't do anything about it

He gazed at the lake in front of him, a sense of relaxation washing over him as he remember the first time he really met her and how well he had felt after he had talked with her. He had even found himself thinking about her daily, and about seeing her again and about just talking with her.

He smiled, happy, before his nerves returned. He was so unfamiliar to doing this.

[Nanzi Ai]

This was later than was usual for Ai but the night had been an eventful one and the letter had piqued her interest. She arrived still wearing warrior’s kit but she had a chance to ocean and refresh herself.

She set her pack down gently and said, “Naraku-san, it is good to see you this night.”

Ai looked as much as she ever did, perhaps a bit more mature and filled out in some places.

[Hiruma Naraku]

His heart skipped a beat when he saw her. Was she always this beautiful? Could she look anymore beautiful? A rush of thoughts stampeded through his mind as he admired the young Crane princess's beauty.

"Ai-san, I enjoyed your music earlier. It was quite a good piece," he managed to say in a low hushed tone. "You look like a warrior princess of old."

He fidgeted a bit, trying to see how could he best approach the letter. He took a deep breath remembering her words from yesterday.

"I didn't want to have regrets," he admitted, steeling his resolve and holding onto the words she told him yesterday. He holds his gaze to hers. "I mean every word I wrote in my letter."

[Nanzi Ai]

"Time is short, dear Naraku-san, and nothing lasts forever," she said calmly and then refocused on the Hiruma heir and said, "It was a lovely letter."

"The words more so, I did not know you felt so."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"Perhaps. But those words are what I fell," Naraku answered resolute. He held his gaze to hers. "You've inspired me Ai, you've made me be better and I do not want to have regrets. Even if the unlikely happens. Even if we lose. I will know that I told you how I felt."

"I..." he lowers his head "I don't expect the feelings to be reciprocal. If I am honest, I've never felt affection for one that had not been in my family so this is certainly... a new experience but," he raises his eyes to meet hers and smiles "I will always hold you close to my heart."

[Nanzi Ai]

She starts setting up for a tea ceremony and said, "You are overly kind, but... I appreciate it. Will you join me for tea and then a song?"

"I have need of warm companionship this night."

[Hiruma Naraku]

He nods at her request. "Nothing would make me happier Ai."

His cheeks are tinted red with her next comment, a sheepish nod being his only response

[Nanzi Ai]

He nods at her request. "Nothing would make me happier Ai."

His cheeks are tinted red with her next comment, a sheepish nod being his only response

She goes through the steps meticulously until the tea is prepared and fully steeped. She offered the first cup to Naraku as was Crane tradition, holding the cup delicately with both hands respectfully.

OOC: EN Tea Ceremony Day 5 | 4k3 ⇒ 42 (TN: 15) recover void.

[Hiruma Naraku]

She goes through the steps meticulously until the tea is prepared and fully steeped. She offered the first cup to Naraku as was Crane tradition, holding the cup delicately with both hands respectfully.

He takes the cup as respectfully and cups it on his hands as he waits for her to prepare hers. He admires her under the starlight.

[Nanzi Ai]

Ai smiled once they were finished and then put away what was not needed from the tea set. She then tuned her shamisen and began a song for the two of them under the moonlight, satisfied with the tuning she began to sing but her mind was still shaken from the encounter with Kujo… the prior night and then his violent ending.

She focused her eyes on Naraku but her mind drifted to the pain that Kujo suffered and tears formed slowly as her singing faltered but she seemed determined to continue the song despite the pain, “When the truth is found to be lies, And all the joy within you dies… Don't you want somebody to love, Don't you need somebody to love.. Wouldn't you love somebody to love, You better find somebody to love… Love, love.”

The tears came flowing as she sang but her she never wavered, “When the garden flowers, baby are dead, yes and Your mind, your mind is so full of red… Don't you want somebody to love, Don't you need somebody to love… Wouldn't you love somebody to love; You better find somebody to love!”

“Tears are running down… They're all running down your breast, And your friends, baby, They treat you like a guest, Don't you want somebody to love… Don't you need somebody to love... Wouldn't you love somebody to love, You better find somebody to love…” she finally sang out.

It was cathartic and she said softly, “I am sorry for this… this is unseemly.”

OOC: Singing Day 5 | 4k3 ⇒ 4 and Shamisen Day 5 | 5k3 ⇒ 18

[Hiruma Naraku]

Naraku was enthralled by her music and by the strength of the emotion she puts into the song. He did not care that perhaps he song was off tempo, what he cared was about the emotion that was behind every single word she sung.

He waited till she finished, deeply moved by her display, and merely shook his head. He leaned forward, reticent at first before reaching his hand and wiping one of the tears that ran down her cheek. "Nothing you can do is unseemly," his voice a low mumble, barely carried by the breeze in the garden.

He gazed at her, his eyes on hers, in silence.

The night was beautiful.

[Nanzi Ai]

She took a long moment to collect herself before gently reaching for his hand and said, “You are, to me, a good man, Naraku-san. I am pleased to have met you now, here in this dark place.”

[Hiruma Naraku]

"A good man", the words surged through his mind. Had he ever expected to be called those words?

"Thanks to you," he whispered, wrapping her hand with his other hand. "You have been a light in this place Ai-san. You... made me question a lot but I am glad I have found you..."

"I..." his voice trembles. "Want to spend more time with you. All the time. After."

[Nanzi Ai]

She smiled and squeezed his hand and said, "Oh? That is quite the commitment, Naraku-san."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"No regrets," he laughed and gazed towards the stars before lowering his eyes back to meet hers. "I do not know what the future holds for us. I don't know if I will even survive to see that future. But if I do..."

"I want to be with you," he blushed. "I don't want to hold regrets in my heart."

[Nanzi Ai]

She was a Crane and she was her mother’s daughter and immediately her mind went to the politics at root… politically it would be advantageous to be closely tied to Crab through the Hiruma but she also knew her father would prefer having prospects coming into the Clan and the oath of the Nanzi was that their blades never be raised against Doji… still.

She tapped her lips lightly in thought and said, “A samurai’s word is their bond, and you have spoken and I shall Honor it as such. If we survive this intact then we can speak with our respective Lords to see if such a match would be to their liking.”

“And if so, then Nanzi Ai, your dearest friend will be Hiruma Ai, your dearest wife. But it must be a Spring wedding hosted in the Crane lands... ah but we put the cart before the horse,” she said warmly.

“Do you have a fan?” she asked.

[Hiruma Naraku]

Time seemed to slow down to an halt as Ai pronounced her words. At first there was a feeling of being unworthy, but it was fleeting; Naraku now believed he could be happy, that there was a light at the end of his path, and that light was a beautiful Crane Samurai called Nanzi Ai.

He reached for her hand and squeezed "Hiruma Ai," he took his time saying the word. He squeezed her hand with affection and nodded at her request. "Could it be next to the ocean? I... I really wish to see the ocean for the first time."

"I have no doubt that we will survive Ai. We will win. I see that clearly now," he looked up to the sky before turning back to her. He reached into his pack and retrieved what could pass for a fan. It was an utilitarian fan lacking finery in any manner, decoration being completely absent. He had never felt self conscious about it but he did blush seeing how basic his fan was. The only distinctive mark was a small snake carved crudely in its hilt.

He offered the fan to Ai. "This is my fan"

[Nanzi Ai]

“Beautiful,” she said looking at his fan.

She produced her own, well used but ornate in design several cranes in flight, the wood was well carved but free of ornamentation. She said, “I know of several places by the sea that would be perfect for a venue that can easily be arranged.”

She offered her fan, “Naraku-san, I offer this to you in exchange for yours and in so doing I shall trust you to keep it whole for as long as you are able and I will do the same. I… believe in you and I too shall not have regrets.”

“My great affection builds moment to moment, but it is tempered by the reality of the task ahead of us. The sacrifices that may have to be made. Destiny is not always kind to our wants, or needs. But your words and devotion will buoy me in the darkest moments.”

[Hiruma Naraku]

He reached for her fan, holding it tightly one it was in his hand. Everything felt like a dream. He looked at her and nodded sheepishly as she thought about the venues. "Whichever is the chosen I am sure it shall be beautiful."

"I shall treasure this fan with my life Ai," he smiled at her, voicing his own promise to the Nanzi. "I shall make sure that our fans represent our bond and promise, the absence of our regrets and the depths of our commitment for eachother," he pressed her fan against his chest. "I will always be there for you Nanzi Ai."

He looked towards the stars, a soft smile adorning his face "Soon this shall be all over Ai, and we shall have banished Jigoku. Then, the rest of our lives can start."

[Nanzi Ai]

"Our lives are starting now," she corrected warmly. "Tomorrow is just more chances to be together and enjoy the time we have."

"But now can we sit together and watch the sky, and just be?"