The Day of Thunder

[Matsu]

"I always think it's the drinkers than what's being drunk that makes the drink enjoyable." The tall woman shrugged, slowly releasing Satsuki from the embrace, looking to the others. Her smile was subtle, regarding the two she didn't recognize, though she appreciated the plainness with which the Imperial spoke. It was refreshing.

The other man was regarded for a longer moment, not quite sure what to make of him.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Yeah, we were just going to sit down for some tea and snack. You're welcome to join us of course!" At the moment, Satsuki was too excited to see an old friend to think about possible clashes of the titans looming on the horizon.

"This is Yuzuru Hoto-Hori, and Saru Ranmaru." Having introduced the guys, she introduced her friend, "and this is Lady Matsu of the Spider."

Gesturing for people to sit, it seemed the princess mostly travelled light, apart from the guqin. She began to rummage through her backpack for what she'd need for tea and snacks. "Did everyone have a safe travel here?"

[Saru Ranmaru]

Ranmaru, being the nosy man he was, peeked over to see what frivoloties Satsuki would have brought. There didn't seem to be a vast array of useless things, though, so he leaned back and regarded the other two once more. "My journey was peaceful enough. The Crab encountered one of those monsters." His brow furrowed. "Could they be attracted to bigger crowds?"

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

"A run in with a stupid fucking bush aside, easy run."

There were a few faint scratches on his face, possibly plant related.

[Matsu]

"Mine was calm..." she mused, before bowing to the ones that Satsuki introduced, making a point to match the faces to the names.

Hearing about Crab encountering a monster piqued her interest. Leaning closer to Ranmaru, eyebrows raised high, "What kind of monster, did they give any details? Strength? Size? How did they fight it?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I guess you haven't been outside of the Imperial capital if a bush gave you trouble," Satsuki teased the Yuzuru with good humor as she poured water from a wooden container into a pot, followed by dried leaves and herbs from a small box.

She had missed her mother's blend when visiting for the wedding, so before she had left home again, Satsuki had made sure to take it with her. Hoto-Hori and Ranmaru being the ones more accustomed to Ayakashi traditions could recognise the blend; chrysanthemum, jasmine, wolfberries, and honeysuckle.

Attention was directed more to Matsu and Ranmaru as there was talk of monsters, but her hands didn't stop moving as they retrieved another wooden box from her satchel.

[Saru Ranmaru]

"Nasty creature, based on what they said. Split in half, one part died and the other ran away. Was nigh impervious to everything supposedly. Arrows, swords, even a boulder." Ranmaru shrugged. "I would like to chalk it up to hysterics but they all collaborated the story."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"The Crab are rarely hysterical in my experience." Not that she dismissed the story, but more that she questioned Ranmaru's line of thinking.

While the tea was warming up over the small fire, Satsuki opened the box to reveal a couple of small cakes with what seemed to be thick and tender pastry enveloping some sort of filling.

[Matsu]

Her lips pursed into a hard line, listening to the second hand description. Given what was witnessed at the event five years ago, and the monsters she saw on the march to hell as a child...

"Demons...." she was tempted to make a comment about keeping Crane away lest they find themselves another new bedfellow, but she didn't need to stir that pot at all times. "Given this fog, I'd say that's more than plausible, as well." She stole a glance to Satsuki, seconding the woman's comments, trying not to let herself look too long. Then looking back to Ranmaru.

"Things like that need something more brutal, applied repeatedly and with extreme prejudice."

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

He had suddenly become much more serious and focused than before.

"A creature you say? How far away? Any discernible portal mentioned? Did they try any blessings of the kami?"

[Saru Ranmaru]

Ranmaru shrugged. "I'm pretty sure they tried everything anyone could. Never mentioned any portals though, just that it ran off. Took some lives too."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Sounds pretty bad," she grimaced a bit.

One of the cakes was divided in four, revealing a paste-like filling and the yellow orb of an egg-yolk in the center. "Tea is almost ready though, so here's some cake to go with it."



(I'm fine with fading to tea and mooncake if you guys are )

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

"Fuck. Probably had a portal away out of sight or just climbed through the poor sod's fucking dreams and grabbed them."

Any further serious discussion was curtailed by Satsuki cutting the cake.

" . . . egg . . . cake . . . . "


/happy to fade now, just needed response to egg in!