The Day of Thunder

[Wu Zhe]

The interaction between the Lion daimyo and the Little Teacher could'nt help but draw his attention and made him roll his eyes

[Shinsei]

Makime had calmed since her outburst. "I don't tell my people pretty lies and false platitudes to soothe the pain of reality. No matter the chance of victory."

"And I trust them to fight their hardest even if it was futile. Better to die in defiance of fate and standing then live cowering on your knees."

She takes another breath. "I'll do what I must to ensure we win here, little man. Destiny or not. But you better choose your heroes well."

"If things go ill, you will be dealing with a world where thoughts are reality, Makime-sama. It may be worthwhile to consider the ramifications of that idea," he said with a shrug. He settled down back on the rock and closed his eyes, returning to meditation.

[Kaijarisuigyo]

He laughs at their words. "Me neither, I've always enjoying trailblazing my own path. I guess in that sense we are similar. Yet..." he smiled at her with some degree of warmth. "I really enjoy talking with you."

"Talking good. Humans are social animals. Stronger if they talk together."

[Ryoshun Yukara]

At some point Yukara had seemingly awkwardly vanished backward into the bushes.

/exit.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I find myself doubting that history itself doesn't find itself excused from at least a little embellishment when it's passed from word of mouth. Told by one person to another, the exciting parts are exaggerated. Then again, I'm told that the erected libraries are supposed to standardize history for all of the Empire? But you are right when it comes to art, to experience and feel it is going to be wholly different than merely hearing about it."

She took a moment to look at the others around them. There was a lot of obvious excitement as people also talked about being potential Champions and other strategizing practical plans to ensure success. "It does but the burden might only be heavy on your shoulders if you stop to consider it than trudging forward. If it is truly destiny then I'm sure it will either come to be on its own and make itself seem natural, much like whatever forces brought us all here. There's no avoiding it and probably no need to think twice. Well, at least until the hardships make themselves obvious and take front and centre."

"Mm," Satsuki nodded in thought in response to Shang's words. "There is wisdom in what you say, Shang. I suppose the days ahead are more to find out who these Thunders are, and for everyone to prepare for what is to come - no matter what it is."

At least that much she had determination in her words for. "No point in standing around when there is work to be done then, yeah?" she said as she dusted off her clothes lightly, as if she'd been standing around too long gathering dust.

[Saru Shang]

"Mm," Satsuki nodded in thought in response to Shang's words. "There is wisdom in what you say, Shang. I suppose the days ahead are more to find out who these Thunders are, and for everyone to prepare for what is to come - no matter what it is."

At least that much she had determination in her words for. "No point in standing around when there is work to be done then, yeah?" she said as she dusted off her clothes lightly, as if she'd been standing around too long gathering dust.

Shang gave a few nods at that as she looked at Shinsei and those talking to him. At the moment, she had no questions and no intention of speaking to the great monk. There were enough mysteries around the town to busy herself with and she should get to thinking about her art project! "I'm sure we'll have more than a few days to stew on this in the meantime. However, it was good to chat with you, Satsuki! I'm going to get looking for breakfast around here. I hope the rest of your day remains pleasant, dreadful news aside."

She dipped down in a bow to excuse herself and went off toward the town proper.

/exit

[Makime]

Makime shook her head at the monks final remarks. She gave a nod to monk and the Imperial and made her

/Exit

[Nozomi]

"If Jigoku has made the realm of dreams its staging ground, it might not be the worst to prepare that as a front." Reo pauses. "I have had some thoughts about how"

"Good for you to have those thoughts, but as you and I both know be careful about voicing them. Just in case. Even in such a public place like this, the very trees have ears." She meant that the shadows had ears, but she wasn't about to SAY that openly. Never draw its attention. She watched as several departed and Makime started to calm down, sighing somewhat and shaking her head.

"I feel like saying that is calling water wet, however."

[Hiruma Naraku]

Snip

Naraku once again looked at Kai with a raised eyebrow "I have to say Kai. You have a most peculiar way of speaking"

"But then again, I enjoyed talking with you. And that doesn't happen too often. I guess that weirdness is something that I needed"

[Otaku]

"Hmm... True," he said, even though he appreciated size in itself. However, he was more about performance above all else. Some men of shorter stature were magnificent too.

At first, it was actually that Ranmaru thought that these women were mislead on the basis of destiny and that nothing but feminine foolery had led them here. But when he did consider that destiny itself might have brought them there, it took a bit for him to discover the next part of it: fate could take these lost women and lead them to believe the truth instead! The truth being, of course, that women are soft and should not do things like fighting.

Sometimes, it really was a wonder how far he could stretch his logic.

It also would have been satisfying to say something snarky to her about her question. However, he simply said, "I have no idea who those people are."

Perking up at hearing his name, Ukyou (speaking of short men), leaned over and waved. "I'm Ukyou! For anyone wondering." He pointed to Nozomi, over near Sora and some of the others. "That's Nozomi."

Well, that answered one question. Otaku observes these two lieutenants of Shinsei, one of whom immediately gets busy bickering with a young Imperial samurai and the other of whom might best be described as lurking with one of the Spider contingent. Shinjo hadn't mentioned either of them.

She glances at Ranmaru and raises an eyebrow, curious what the young warrior is making of all this.

[Ryoshun Huan]

He paused again to gather his thoughts. "Mmm... Ryoshun-san, if one were to sleep in a graveyard, what sort of dreams do you suppose they would have?"

"The dreams I've had when sleeping near graveyards were usually not any worse when sleeping elsewhere, but maybe they would be here. Is that something that someone should be trying in order to learn about our enemy? Would we want to keep a watch over someone doing so?" He asks the little teacher.

[Saru Ranmaru]

Well, that answered one question. Otaku observes these two lieutenants of Shinsei, one of whom immediately gets busy bickering with a young Imperial samurai and the other of whom might best be described as lurking with one of the Spider contingent. Shinjo hadn't mentioned either of them.

She glances at Ranmaru and raises an eyebrow, curious what the young warrior is making of all this.

As for Ranmaru, he didn't think much on it. There was a tendency for him to forget what a woman said so... He definitely had assumed she mentioned them by name.

And since Otaku said nothing else, he simply stood there beside her.

[Kaijarisuigyo]

snip

"Words hard. Words are hard? You people have all these silly rules about how to string them right, and you say of people that don't do that they speak wrong. But then sometimes people also break these rules, and you call that poetry, and it's good? And also, what's right and wrong changes from one village to the next?

I spoke the words that need to be spoken. Some people don't because they fear of messing up and say the wrong things, but that's dumb. If people speak long enough, they will eventually understand each other, even if they misunderstood at first. If they don't speak at all, no understanding at all."

[Hiruma Naraku]

snip

"Do not worry, I am not a child of the Stag or Crane. You need to remember one thing Kai, the tribes have mostly been integrated into the empire and the once different tribes are slowly but surely being included into the fold of the various clans.

Some might be keen to forget what came after and surely many don't even remember them or knew them. I know I did not know them as I was born 10 years after the Kami arrived. Yet for me there is honesty in this way of speaking. Perhaps its due to my trade. You'd be surprised how poisonous some of the prettiest flowers are."

[Kaijarisuigyo]

snip

"That's because humans see color weird, and thus confuse for prettiness the bright colors flowers use to tell they are very much poisonous. But that's a talk we already had today. And repetition is sign we have come at the end of the lesson, and must now think on our own about what has been said before the next one."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Shang gave a few nods at that as she looked at Shinsei and those talking to him. At the moment, she had no questions and no intention of speaking to the great monk. There were enough mysteries around the town to busy herself with and she should get to thinking about her art project! "I'm sure we'll have more than a few days to stew on this in the meantime. However, it was good to chat with you, Satsuki! I'm going to get looking for breakfast around here. I hope the rest of your day remains pleasant, dreadful news aside."

She dipped down in a bow to excuse herself and went off toward the town proper.

/exit

"It was good to chat with you too, Shang. My tent is over there, so feel free to come by if you need help with anything!" She pointed in the direction of a somewhat spartan tent with a small fireplace outside it. "Have a nice day!"

Before leaving herself, Satsuki glanced around at the other people present to get a feel of what they thought about Shinsei's news.

/fading out to observation and leaving. Satsuki out

[Hiruma Naraku]

snip

"You are absolutely right Kai. I will see you around," he smiled. "Let us end today's talk least we enter in a buckle of repetition."

He looked at Shinsei and then at Kai, nodding at her, before making his exit.

He still needed to retrieve a few key ingredients for his potions.

/exit

[Shinsei]

"The dreams I've had when sleeping near graveyards were usually not any worse when sleeping elsewhere, but maybe they would be here. Is that something that someone should be trying in order to learn about our enemy? Would we want to keep a watch over someone doing so?" He asks the little teacher.

He opened his eyes and looked up toward him. "If someone wants to try they can - more information will arm us. However, it would likely be a good idea to keep watch."

[Haka Tae-soo]

The trouble could have been missed but Zhe was used to deal with proud and independant minded folks. He wondered if it be impolite to ask for a moment but waved the thought away. It might be taken as annoying but not asking would be a lack of care.

''Something troubling you, Haka-san?''

"Ah..."

The whole situation at hand was troubling itself, of course. But finding an actual answer doesn't seem that straightforward.

"It's... nothing, I guess."

He looks towards the river again, then attempts a half smile at the Dragon, with limited success. "Wu Che-nim must have known what Shinsei had in mind then, ne? I suppose that's the best way to be prepared for... this"

[Ryoshun Huan]

"The dreams I've had when sleeping near graveyards were usually not any worse when sleeping elsewhere, but maybe they would be here. Is that something that someone should be trying in order to learn about our enemy? Would we want to keep a watch over someone doing so?" He asks the little teacher.

He opened his eyes and looked up toward him. "If someone wants to try they can - more information will arm us. However, it would likely be a good idea to keep watch."

"If there is any that would keep watch, I would do so to see what I can learn of our enemy's capabilities," Huan says, with something between both resignation and willingness. Which... who would want to be the test subject for seeing what kind of stuff evil monsters can do to your dreams.