The Day of Thunder

Hisomu Reo wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:36 pm

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

"Good bunch all around, though, eh?" Sora grinned.

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:38 pm

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.

And the grin widened.

"You're one to talk, rock squirrel, you're almost as old as I am! Besides. You've seen my kids- they're ready now, I just keep shuffling around 'cause I never learned any peaceful hobbies!"

A tall woman donning a fox mask quietly slipped into the gathering and looked over the faces of those gathering.

She knew some… she knew of some… and she knew not many.

She let out a long and quiet breath through her nose and set her sight on Shinsei.

Well… here’s your hero squad…

Matsu wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:37 pm

"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."

The young woman reflexively rolled her shoulders to loosen them up, as if obeying a jiujitsu instructor, before realizing the person addressing her appeared to be Very Important.

"Oh~~! I beg your pardon, great lady," the Crab woman said, bowing respectfully. "I am called Yoshitsune Ayako. And, uh, isn't that why we are here? Something bad is happening, right?"

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:56 pm

A tall woman donning a fox mask quietly slipped into the gathering and looked over the faces of those gathering.

She knew some… she knew of some… and she knew not many.

She let out a long and quiet breath through her nose and set her sight on Shinsei.

Well… here’s your hero squad…

Slight eyebrow raise at the tall woman, but seeing the mask betrayed nothing else... but her thoughts warred between anger and joy for [redacted] reasons.

Kaijarisuigyo wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 11:14 am

snip

"I've been called many things, but I think being compared to a coyote is a first," he shrugged. "The Scorpion and the Spider certainly claim knowledge in those fields, but they are not alone. A Crab also has pincers and a hard armour like a Scorpion and many legs like the Spider. Perhaps I am a different type of Crab?"

"But I did not catch your name," he asked. This person was weird and experience had taught Naraku to keep a close tab of such individuals. "I am Naraku of the Hiruma."

Yoshitsune Ayako wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:58 pm

The young woman reflexively rolled her shoulders to loosen them up, as if obeying a jiujitsu instructor, before realizing the person addressing her appeared to be Very Important.

"Oh~~! I beg your pardon, great lady," the Crab woman said, bowing respectfully. "I am called Yoshitsune Ayako. And, uh, isn't that why we are here? Something bad is happening, right?"

"Exactly. Which is why you need to relax. You won't be able to react in time, or act in general, if you're so tense. Breath slowly, and deeply. The time to be the most calm and relaxed is right when bad things are going to happen, Ayako." The smile didn't disappear, turning more fully to face the Crab.

"I am Matsu. It's nice to speak with you," she kept her voice low, and relaxed. There was a hint of enjoyment in her eyes.

"Don't be so formal, either. We're all on the front here."

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:38 pm

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.

She caught sight of Auntie Nozomi's nod, and smiled wider, waving at her with her fingers. A hint of the precocious child that she knew on the walk to hell showing through the intimidating demeanor of the Amazon.

Makime arrived.

Her attention fell only briefly on Shinsei. It was the rest of the attendees that more caught her interest. She would give her fellow Daimyo a nod of acknowledgement. Makime's lips pressed flat at the sight of Jiyo Sora, trouble always seems to come in doubles.

Finally she turns her attention to the little teacher. The Lioness crossed her arms and waited.

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:45 pm

"Good bunch all around, though, eh?" Sora grinned.

"If the Hisomu learned one thing, it's that if you offer the broken, the forgotten and the strange a home, so long as you say "fuck Jigoku" you get a lot of Jigoku fuckers." Reo pauses. "That came out wrong. It sounds like something Matsu would say about the Crane. Not incorrectly mind you."

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:38 pm

.

"Phi!" Reo lapses into her old name out of habit. "I was just talking about my obsolescence! I have a few in mind, which would let me run back out and investigate weird stuff like this more. Maybe have a few more adventures before I shuffle off."

Reo pauses. "Susu mentioned you met with him a bit. Thanks. He's a good kid, if a little...thanks."

He'd seen the gathering the day before, wondered if all of them had been sent here, or nudged here, in a similar way as what brought him and Ha-yeong to this village. The tall with the Crab lady the day before certainly suggested that was the case, with letters about this place apparently sent far and wide.

Then this morning, as he went out looking for a different source of water than the river, he saw even more people going towards the gathering, and decided to go take a look. He told Ha-yeong he might be a while, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem, he thought.

As he walked into the camp, he sees just how many different people are there, with different mons and styles. Probably from all over the Empire... and a man curiously similar to the monk who had talked to them a few months back sitting on a rock.

Keeping to one side, trying to not attract too much attention -probably not easy given how different his garments were - he crossed his arms, leaned on a tree, and waited.

(OOC: Please PM or quote if approaching! I'm awful with large threads)

Matsu wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:06 pm

"I am Matsu. It's nice to speak with you," she kept her voice low, and relaxed. There was a hint of enjoyment in her eyes.

Matsu, while she had never met the woman, she was made well aware of her by Dojihime and then the stories coming from the Spider that visited the clan. Ai had been away on her duties and her own training… but of course the potential Thunder was here…

And she was huge.

Dojihime had said she was a big bitch, but this exceeded her expectations. Still a samurai acts with Courtesy and Compassion; but she would be foolish if she did not take note of this beast of a woman. But for now she returned her focus to her honored auntie.

Makime wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:07 pm

Makime arrived.

Her attention fell only briefly on Shinsei. It was the rest of the attendees that more caught her interest. She would give her fellow Daimyo a nod of acknowledgement. Makime's lips pressed flat at the sight of Jiyo Sora, trouble always seems to come in doubles.

Finally she turns her attention to the little teacher. The Lioness crossed her arms and waited.

Ai was pleased to see another ally of the Crane, and made a mental note to cross Makime's path in the near future.

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:45 pm

snip

She gave him a knowing grin and winked at both he and Reo. "I'll have you know my joints aren't creaking or popping quite yet." There might have been the slightest of fibs in that statement. "But I think everyone here's bound to have a few dangerous hobbies. We don't end up waiting on a man who sits on the same rock all the time without that." There was a hint of familiar affection there, as there always was when she spoke of Shinsei, especially where he might hear. If it nettled even slightly or made him smile, it took his mind off of ... whatever it was on these days.

Matsu wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:06 pm

snip

She gave the warrior a grin and a not so subtle wink. Someone was entitled to keep a bit of that childhood back in with her. They had far too much adult things to deal with of late. She'd catch her sometime soon to get her ass beaten in a sparring match, so they could catch up.

Hisomu Reo wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:10 pm

snip

She laughed softly. "I think you have me mistaken for this one's daughter, though I'll take the compliment." She gave Reo a wink as well. Years ago, she might have winced. But in the end, a name was just a word. She didn't really care if she was called one or another. There were few enough who remembered 'Phi' before she'd walked into the wastelands and another woman had walked out. "But you'd better have at least one more adventure in you. It seems we all might need to be at the ready just one more time, and I seem to recall you were pretty damned good with a bow."

Xiaochen arrived, looked over the group, and took an involuntary step back toward her tent as she tasted the tensions in the air.

It was an interesting group of hard cases. She looked from one famous face to another, then came to a decision. Shaking away the cobwebs in her mind, she maneuvered through the crowd to stand just before and to the right of Shinsei. That's where the information would be coming from, so that's where she needed to be.

Akodo Moshi makes her way to the meeting as well.

Makime wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:07 pm

Makime's lips pressed flat at the sight of Jiyo Sora, trouble always seems to come in doubles.

Sora... grinned.

Good to see you too.

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:15 pm

"But you'd better have at least one more adventure in you. It seems we all might need to be at the ready just one more time, and I seem to recall you were pretty damned good with a bow."

"And he's one of the brainier sorts from back when, to boot... which is good, we'll need someone with a sharp mind to keep up with these youngsters, and it damn sure won't be me!"

Han-Hei wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 12:56 pm

A tall woman donning a fox mask quietly slipped into the gathering and looked over the faces of those gathering.

If Sora's grin flickered slightly, he did his level best to hide it.

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:15 pm

She gave him a knowing grin and winked at both he and Reo. "I'll have you know my joints aren't creaking or popping quite yet." There might have been the slightest of fibs in that statement. "But I think everyone here's bound to have a few dangerous hobbies. We don't end up waiting on a man who sits on the same rock all the time without that." There was a hint of familiar affection there, as there always was when she spoke of Shinsei, especially where he might hear. If it nettled even slightly or made him smile, it took his mind off of ... whatever it was on these days.


She laughed softly. "I think you have me mistaken for this one's daughter, though I'll take the compliment." She gave Reo a wink as well. Years ago, she might have winced. But in the end, a name was just a word. She didn't really care if she was called one or another. There were few enough who remembered 'Phi' before she'd walked into the wastelands and another woman had walked out. "But you'd better have at least one more adventure in you. It seems we all might need to be at the ready just one more time, and I seem to recall you were pretty damned good with a bow."

"It's funny that you say that. I've kept at a few dangerous hobbies, and "one last adventure" has been a thought I've been mulling on all winter." Reo's fingers tighten on his walking stick.

"I didn't exactly make using a bow part of Seeker training, but I've certainly kept at it. One of my students who came here, Ohta, she's picked it up as well." Reo scans the crowd but doesn't see her yet, and drops his voice. "She's one of the ones I would consider to take over some duties. Her and Makime. I hoped Susu would marry one of them and settle sucession, but the kid is besotted with another."

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:23 pm

"And he's one of the brainier sorts from back when, to boot... which is good, we'll need someone with a sharp mind to keep up with these youngsters, and it damn sure won't be me!"

"Now that is one thing I'll take credit for. Rank and Glory?" Reo brushes a hand. "I'll stay a librarian thank you very much. But I won't pass up funding, and when a Kami says "research anything you think is Jigoku adjacent" The man pauses. "It's been a busy five years."

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:23 pm

snip

Hisomu Reo wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:29 pm

snip

She snorted and then chuckled. "When people let fool notions like romance and love get into their head, they'll get themselves up to all sorts of craziness. They'll find a path soon enough, don't worry. Most folks do eventually." She didn't even bother to give Sora the warning look. Oh she knew all about fool brain-dead things people did because of their emotions. Sometimes, you couldn't drag the worldly out of a monk.

Her arms folded and she considered a moment. "I've got a feeling this little adventure might just need a sterner will and mind than it does a steady hand, but we'll see..." She had a very strong feeling, considering the madness plaguing the empire of late, but she didn't know for sure. "Only the teacher knows what he knows." It was a not so subtle hint that someone was keeping his own council again, which always made her nervous.

Hisomu Reo wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:29 pm

snip

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:41 pm

"Only the teacher knows what he knows."

"In other words, business as usual..."

Shang meandered out onto the field and let out a big yawn but perhaps stopped midway when she saw a crowd of people before her. Well! She wasn't expecting a sudden audience before her this morning! It would have been nice if there was some forewarning before something like that was sprung on her. Were memos a thing around here? She supposed not everyone could spare parchment so easily but word of mouth was a thing. It was a bit curious why they would turn their back to her.

No, wait, the audience wasn't exactly for her. Well, she supposed it was a bit of wishful thinking on her part but also a relief, considering she didn't exactly have material prepared. Nevertheless, she decided that she would join them so that she could get some perspective on the day. It would be rather awkward if she went about her day and didn't hear about that thing that happened. She drew her fan and did her best to integrate herself in, which meant weaving herself in to get a better standing spot. Heavens, she wasn't going to be watching the event by looking at someone's back. Who thought it was a good idea to have the tallest people in the front anyway? Heavens! The show could use a little more organization around here!

Not far behind Doji Hikaru followed Satsuki. The winter cloak concealed most of her form, apart from the bottoms of her skirts that showed the Ayakashi-styled weave and embroidery. On her back was her bow and quiver, and she looked ready for just about anything as she looked around at those gathered.

So many familiar faces... she though, drifting a bit on her own to get a good look, until she saw something familiar-yet-unfamiliar.

Saru Shang wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:52 pm

She drew her fan and did her best to integrate herself in, which mean weaving herself in to get a better standing spot. Heavens, she wasn't going to be watching the event by looking at someone's back. Who thought it was a good idea to have the tallest people in the front anyway? Heavens! The show could use a little more organization around here!

"Ah, good morning. I hope I'm not blocking your view?" the tall girl inquired with a friendly smile.

Nozomi wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:41 pm

-snip-

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 23, 2023 1:44 pm

Snip

"It's good to see that some things don't change." Reo leans back on his stick, rocking slightly to keep the blood flowing. "I never completely understood Shinsei's choices on people, but they always seemed to work out."

He pauses for a moment. "He was right about Old Man Yama. And Matsu turned out...well, she's certainly the most honorable of the Spider. And the last I would want to face in a fight."