The Day of Thunder

"Never said they couldn't. But it still helps to know what you're dealing with."

He grinned wolfishly.

"Of course, the best thing about preconceived notions is stomping on 'em. Any of 'em surprise me, it's in a good way."

“Set your expectations low enough and you’ll never be disappointed.” She replied with a chuckle.

Off in the woods there was a strange . . . . brightening of the fog for the briefest of moments. As if someone had just opened the door to a brightly lit room and slammed it shut immediately.

The sudden subtle flash caught Han-Hei’s attention in her peripheral vision and caused her to turn and look towards it.

Sora likewise glanced over, and...

Wait.

There was silence.

.

.

.

And then there was the absolute lack of silence as a bedraggled Imperial, laden down with a pack far too large for himself staggered into view, through several bushes.

"FUCKS SAKE!! WHO PUTS THESE AT EYE LEVEL?!??!?!?! OW OW OW."

Han-Hei blinked once or twice at the Yuzuru who she did not recognize.

She then glanced over at Sora as if silently asking if he knew who this was.

The eyebrow over Sora's oracular eye.... twitched.

Fuck has no sake here.

"It helps to lead with your arms, Yuzuru-san. Might I be of some assistance?"

Hoto-hori's eyes whipped around to stare at whoever had spoken, but he was still suffering from being stabbed in the face by plants. Backstabbing, traitorous plants at that.

"Really? Wish I'd known that . . like five fucking minutes ago! Damn this smarts."

He rubbed at his face . . . remarkably like how an animal would with paws.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no no DAMMIT.

"I don't believe we've met, Yuzuru-san. Are you newly recruited to the Imperial Families? I am Jiyo Sora, and this masked bushi is Han-Hei."

Han-Hei looked at the man with a moment of confusion. She remembered that Yuzuru had come from the Ayakashi and many of them were a bit more animal-like in their mannerisms.

Was this person a relative of the Consort?

She pulled out a cloth and dumped a bit of water on to it. She extended it out to him.

It was the voices combined that finally clued him in.

"What the fuck . . . . owwwwwwww. That better not have been poison ivy!"

Belatedly he realised a question had been asked.

"Oh no, I've been in a while now. Just busy surveying realm portals and dealing with all the weird shit going on."

He blinked blearily at them, trying to clear his vision.

"Interesting. You talk more like me than most of Yuzuru-sama's associates."

Hint. Hint.

"Strange, then, that we've never met before, Yuzuru-san. And your name might be?"

"Oh right, yeah. Introductions, boss man said they might be a thing. Hoto-hori. Pleased to meet you"

He pressed his right hand to his face.

"Why does this hurt so fucking much? Stupid fucking plants."

Han-Hei extended out the wet cloth again.

“Looks like you scratched your face pretty good. Might want to gently wash it out.”

He squinted at the offered cloth and somewhat miraculously managed to take it at the first attempt and then after a moment's hesitation put it to use, managing to successfully remove the plant matter he'd dragged with him through the bushes.

"Should have lower fucking bushes. That one might have put my eye out!"

"Oh yes. Nature was much at fault when she provided bushes of that height."

Sora's tone was as dry as the Burning Sands.

Han-Hei just nodded at the peculiar man’s comment.

“I’m sorry… Maybe I’m just ignorant but… What exactly is a realm portal?”

"Gateways to the other realms. Chikushudo, Sakkaku, Meido and the like. Some pretty fucking dangerous ones into Yume-do these days. Boss man wants them all mapped and taken care of . . . but don't you know that already?"

The last was said after he finally got a proper look at the masked fox and the old 'Librarian'.

"Well. I certainly do, but a simple wanderer like Han-Hei here might not..."