The Day of Thunder

[Hisomu Reo]

-Snip-

*Thump. Shoop. Thump. Shoop. Thump. Shoop*

It would be almost a time capsule from twenty years ago. His gait remained unchanged, even if his face no longer bore the signs of gauntness from too many lean months. Hisomu Reo, once known as Kakita no Reo, ambles into the gathering. His eyes flit about the room and at the faces inside.

They're all so new they practically squeak.

His gaze finally lands on a familiar face and he ambles over.

"Sora-san. Looks like they brought out the heavy hitters."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Sora-san. Looks like they brought out the heavy hitters."

Sora grinned at the Spider.

"You know how it is, Reo-san. I can't seem to get a minute of my own these days. How's the family?"

[Kaijarisuigyo]

snip

"All animals use ingenuity to compensate for physical limitations. But only humans have taken that concept that far. Though coyotes and spiders come close.

Wait, you're a Crab people right? Shouldn't the poison be the domain of the Scorpion or the Spider? This story feels like it has the potential to be warped easily."

[Hantei Genji]

Genji joined in as soon as he heard the thump. "Shinsei-san...it's been a while." He glanced at the man. "Haven't seen you well..since you invited me here." He glanced around at the others, nodding and bowing along, but not approaching anyone.

[Nanzi Ai]

"Ai, you look well." The older woman inclines her head in greeting. "You seem to have only grown taller since we last met." As tall as her father it looked like.

There's a slight shake when it comes to the travels. "We met some ill fortune on the journey, a corrupted creature warped in body and mind. It was driven off but not destroyed. I trust your own travels were smoother?" Anjing points at Shinsei. "I'm hoping he and his stone have some answers about the corruption since I don't want to be walking back come evening."

She turns away from the monk and gives Ai her full attention. "How fare your parents? It's been some time since I saw your father, and your mother - I understand her own battle continues." The daimyo looks pensive. "Perhaps if the sickness in the empire could be driven off...but I'm no wise woman."

“I am honored you think so, auntie,” she said warmly.

At the mention of troubles and corruption she responded, “I hope all came through without injury, physical or otherwise. I was blessed, I had no encounter on the road, but the past years have not been without encounters from the Corrupted of Yume-Jigoku.”

“I had an encounter with monks though that gave me pause, I sense given their disposition that we may come away from here with more questions than answers but we shall see,” she said optimistically.

When she turned it to her family she said calmly, “Father is keeping our lands safe leading the Yumenosenshi and the Raven Guard agents to root out any agents of Corruption while mother is sequestered in prayer and spiritual combat with the enemy. This consumes much of her focus so your dearest niece Dojihime sees to the day to day Duties of running the clan.”

[Otomo Akutou]

Genji joined in as soon as he heard the thump. "Shinsei-san...it's been a while." He glanced at the man. "Haven't seen you well..since you invited me here." He glanced around at the others, nodding and bowing along, but not approaching anyone.

Didn't know he's here, Akutou thinks. An' I s'pose that explains who the guy on th' rock is, too.

Why'd the O-Iemoto skip out on this?

He does not move, however, and says nothing.

[Hisomu Reo]

Sora grinned at the Spider.

"You know how it is, Reo-san. I can't seem to get a minute of my own these days. How's the family?"

"Ponderous" In spite of his usual demeanor, Reo can't help but grin back at the thought of the kids. "My eldest married. Her husband is out here with us. Susumu is off talking at problems. He'd be married but he's pining after one of Ryoshun's. The triplets have finished their gempuku. Ninube is talking about mayyyyybe one more so the nest isn't empty after the next two find their place. But I have students that keep me busy, a few who I already know are going to best both Ninube and myself. Speaking of which...Phi handled her first dissection like a professional. There's been a big call for that these days."

The Spider had fully embraced the Imperial Library movement that Jiyo Sora had begun. They just...had done it in a unique way.

[Anjing]

Snip

"Hmmmph, that certainly does sound like monks." Shinsei is shot a disapproving look.

"Heavy burdens for both your parents then. It seems as the years pass our burdens never grow lighter." Anjing clicks her tongue. "But I am sure your sister has taken to leading, Dojihime was always the type for it. The new generation stepping forward."

Raising an eyebrow. "And you are here yourself in the center of...whatever this is. Your family has always stayed busy. Doubtless things will get worse before they get better. I trust you have kept your blade sharp? You walk like a warrior now. Many of those gathered here can fight, and many can not. The time may come when one half must protect the other."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Ninube is talking about mayyyyybe one more so the nest isn't empty after the next two find their place. But I have students that keep me busy, a few who I already know are going to best both Ninube and myself. Speaking of which...Phi handled her first dissection like a professional. There's been a big call for that these days."

Sora chuckled. "With twelve years separating our eldest from our youngest, Kinyoubi and I are finding that the nest has never gotten to feel truly empty. Which... takes some of the sting out of some of the departures. I'm glad to hear Phi's doing well- she's trying to make sure the Loremasters keep sight of the Lore in the name, after all. Thanks for looking after her..."

[Nanzi Ai]

-snip-

“My elder sisters have done well, given everything they endured at that Winter Court with the demon that consumed my uncle and then the Harbinger… they are strong, like our honored father and mother; like our dear Anjing-obasan,” she said warmly.

“It is good to see so many of the family here,” she said scanning the crowd before returning to Anjing, “I am ready to defend any who cannot defend themselves, that is my Duty as a samurai. To keep my training and my blade, keen and sharp. When the time comes I will be at your side, dearest Auntie; to defend those that cannot defend themselves.”

[Hisomu Reo]

Reo waves a hand dismissively. "Of course, I am more than happy to make sure that the next generation learns what we can offer. Hisomu isn't going to complain that we have one more person with eyes out for something hinky. Alls I'll ask is that you remember that the next time one of mine is found in the Imperial Archives."

Reo looks over at the group. "I know we're both pretty darn well preserved, but do they just keep looking...young?"

[Jiyo Sora]

Reo looks over at the group. "I know we're both pretty darn well preserved, but do they just keep looking...young?"

"Phi and Shirayuki are 17. These days, everyone looks young to me except my fellow relics..."

[Hisomu Reo]

"Phi and Shirayuki are 17. These days, everyone looks young to me except my fellow relics..."

"Do I count? I'd be honored if I do." Reo leans back on his walking stick, resting his chin on the tip. "I know that I wasn't there at the very beginning but..."

He looks around the room. "Within a generation from now, when people say "the Kakita" it's going to be that Bat family, not a tribe. I'm happy that we aren't starving and scraping, but it's just..." Reo pauses, looking for the words. "I'm becoming obsolete. I'm not done yet, and it's a joy to see my kids and the kids I taught surpass me but..."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Do I count? I'd be honored if I do." Reo leans back on his walking stick, resting his chin on the tip. "I know that I wasn't there at the very beginning but..."

He looks around the room. "Within a generation from now, when people say "the Kakita" it's going to be that Bat family, not a tribe. I'm happy that we aren't starving and scraping, but it's just..." Reo pauses, looking for the words. "I'm becoming obsolete. I'm not done yet, and it's a joy to see my kids and the kids I taught surpass me but..."

"Of course you count, you went South with us, after all! Far as becoming obsolete goes, I doubt that any of your students would agree with you on that. Everything they know is built on what you taught 'em."

[Doji Hikaru]

As prompt as Hikaru was to arrive, he was hardly the first. It was almost surprising to see so many there, and yet... no so surprising. As it was both surprising and not surprising to see so many familiar faces.

A serious expression on his face, Hikaru swept the crowd with his gaze, pale eyes widening once or twice as he spotted someone he knew. And Shinsei himself. His mind flashed over all the tales he'd heard recently.

His mind overburdened by the twin weights of familiarity and history, Hikaru stood there, waiting.

(PM!)

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

A young Crab woman lingered at the edge of the periphery of the gathering. She was short and stocky, in full armor save for her helmet, which was held under one arm, and she looked ill-at-ease at the crowd that had gathered.

Everyone knows everyone else already, Ayako realized as she heard them chatter. Am I supposed to ... talk to people?

She looked at whomever was next to her and ventured an, "Um, good morning."

[Hisomu Reo]

"Of course you count, you went South with us, after all! Far as becoming obsolete goes, I doubt that any of your students would agree with you on that. Everything they know is built on what you taught 'em."

Reo looks pleased to be included, and fails to hide it. "You're right, I doubt they would. I have Ohta calling me "sama" of all things and I can't get her to shake it. It is a failing of my teachings to have them look at me so uncritically."

"I'm not saying that I'm washed out but I'm not going to deny that my own education was what a half illiterate hermit could show me, and then sticking my nose into stupidly dangerous situations and writing down what I found. Then experimenting with what I found, making new predictions, and writing it down." Reo shrugs. "I was good with herbs and bodies. At this point, they are surpassing me in a dozen fields I didn't know existed, rather than considering teaching. When I go...there will be students who know more than me and who aren't limited by this" Reo motions to his leg "or this" He points to his tongue.

"It helps that we get almost all the Reiko who didn't win the prize of speaking to spirits."

[Matsu]

A young Crab woman lingered at the edge of the periphery of the gathering. She was short and stocky, in full armor save for her helmet, which was held under one arm, and she looked ill-at-ease at the crowd that had gathered.

Everyone knows everyone else already, Ayako realized as she heard them chatter. Am I supposed to ... talk to people?

She looked at whomever was next to her and ventured an, "Um, good morning."

"Good morning," the Amazon stood, arms crossed over her chest, tilting her head to look down at the fully armored woman, an eyebrow raised. The Matsu offered a small smile, before regarding the Monk and his rock again. "Relax the shoulders. You look like you're waiting for something bad to happen. And if it does, you're going to be exhausted before getting a chancd to stab it."

[Nozomi]

snip

"Of course you count, you went South with us, after all! Far as becoming obsolete goes, I doubt that any of your students would agree with you on that. Everything they know is built on what you taught 'em."

Another monk padded her way into the assemblage of her betters, her eyes locking with Shinsei for a short moment. So, the rock was in place. Well, at least there was that. She was afraid one day that he'd leave that behind, because that point they'd really be in trouble. Well, that was her guess anyway. She gave a bow to those present, saying nothing at first and scanning for familiar faces, right about the moment that two old men started talking about relics.

Smirking, she made her way over and gave another bow before fixing her gaze towards Shinsei and rumbling out. "At some point, the relics are going to have to hand this off to the next generation." There was something decidedly dry in her tone as she spoke.

She caught sight of Matsu out of the corner of her eye and gave her a nod from a distance, not wanting to interrupt but glad to see her well.

[Ukyou]

The soft jingling of an exorcist staff sounds nearby as two monks appear, one small with pale hair and odd eyes, the other the very definition of the phrase "tall, dark, and handsome." The taller one follows slightly behind the smaller, clearly an acolyte or student of some kind.