The Day of Thunder

"I was more aware of my dreams and could influence them. But, only to a limited degree." She shrugged. "It may have been different for each of us."

"Ah..." That sounded weird. "Well, that doesn't sound all that bad. Though controlling your dreams does sound a little weird." Alright perhaps more than a little weird. But then this whole place was pretty damn weird.

"Maybe that potion just does something similar then?"

"Honestly, Akodo-san, I don't know." She admitted as she set the potion down. "I'm not the herbalist my sister is. I don't detect anything obviously bad. But, determining the individual ingredients will take time, and may not be possible."

He nodded. "Don't worry too much over it. I've got no intention to drink it, so if you want to try and figure it out feel free. If not." The Lion shrugged. "I'll likely just dispose of it to be on the safe side."

He wouldn't want someone to just come along and drink it after all, especially if it could be dangerous.

"I'll hold on to it then, if you truly don't mind." She picked it up again. "My sister would be interested in it, I'm sure. If you decide you want it back, I'll return it, of course. If anyone else here got one, they may have a better idea of what's in it."

"It's no use to me." Kenji replied with a shrug. "Better something useful come of it than it be poured out lnto the ground."

"And I may try asking the others I saw recieve one. It could be one of them has tried it already as you said."

"How did you come here, Akodo-san?" she asked. "Were you asked to come? Did you follow others? Or, were you simply drawn here?"

"Me?" He shrugged. "Nothing all that special, I was told that Lady Makime was making her way here, and I was report in to aide in her journey."

"She'd left a bit before I managed to arrive. But I managed to catch up and make it here regardless." Though he did think it a bit strange that the Lady had left early. "How about you? Drawn here, or something else?"

"I heard rumors of people coming here, and felt that it was worth looking into." she said. "I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this."

"Yeah," He shook his head. "I've been to a number of villages, and I'd rate this one solidly the worst." Even worse the that one that was basically just a bunch of tanneries and the farmers that helped to support them. He was still surprised he managed to get that stench out of his skin.

"Still, I guess we're here now and will have to make the best of it." The young Lion shook his head. "Which seems to be doing whatever he can to thwart the forces of Yume-Jigoku."

She nodded. "Regardless of why, we're here, it's for the best. It's an unusual and dangerous place, but it's also very important. It's good that we came here, even if we wish we hadn't."

"I suppose It'd be easier to know why it is important." He said with a frown. "Though I don't intend to leave either or spend much time wishing I hadn't come. I'm here now after all, and I'll do what I can."

Though admittedly it would also help if it didn't feel like they had walked into a trap. "Though sometimes I do wonder if there is more I could be doing."

"I think that's what all of us are wondering." she nodded. She looked down at her pig here. "Except for San here. The best we can do is prepare ourselves for anything that may come for us."

"I suppose San is only worried about their next meal." That seemed to be the only thing any pigs he had met seemed to worry about at least. but then he wasn't a farmer. "But yes, I've been trying to prepare as best I can."

"Like spending time fortifying our camp here." He paused. "And I suppose I'll be helping fortify the town too."

"Probably." she sighed. "Things will only get more dangerous before this is over."

"Of that I have no doubt." Though it was difficult to say how exactly.

"Do you think they'll send some type of physical attack soon? Or just continue to play games inside our dreams?"

"I imagine they will still use our dreams to wear us down, but I'm sure we'll fight them in the waking world as well." She watched the rain. "They know where we are after all."

"True." He agreed with a nod. "Honestly with how the bad dreams started as soon as he arrived, it feels a bit like they were waiting of us." Which was not surprising, especially given what happened to Shinsei earlier in the day.

"Not much for that though. We just have to beat them up so we can go home."

"I am fairly certain they were." she nodded. "I'm not well versed in the notion not destiny, but if this is a place and time that we were meant to be here, it is for them as well.

"Which is that's the case it seems like they knew about it long before we did." Kenji replied. "As they have had the time to make quite a few preparations here, or so it would seem." Which meant Shinsei hadn't been able to read things nearly as well as the enemy.