The Day of Thunder

Sora had gotten his tent set up, had removed his armor, and was sitting in a sort of crouch outside of it, checking his naginata blade for any fresh nicks, chops, or other undue wear and tear.

If the weather bothered him the slightest, he gave no sign- after growing up in the Spine of the World, this was almost balmy, and after the lunch Wu Zhe had provided, he was as content as he was likely to be for the duration of this...

Whatever in Bishamon's balls Shinsei was getting him into this time.

A figure stood not too far away inconspicuously taking in the imperial camp as the people continued to flow in and set up tents.

Han-Hei wondered what type of people would be called here… the gathering storm as it were…

When the old scary eye came out of his tent after prepping, the woman glanced over and saw him.

Of course he’s here… Fuckin’ fuck…

She leaned a bit further around the tree to give her a second to think. She could probably hide for a while if need be… Didn’t have to stay in the imperial camp for a while.

That sounded like a pain… always looking around for the sneaky old bastard. It’d hinder her movements.

Best to rip off the wrappings quick…

She walked up to where Sora was having a seat and examining his weapon.

She gestured to a stump nearby once he looked up at her approach.

“Mind if I take a rest here samurai-san?”

I know that voice.

He looked up.

You have GOT to be fucking kidding me.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, clenched his teeth, and made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a scream of rage being internalized.

"And what the hell are we calling ourselves these days?"

“Stay calm old man…” She said quickly and quietly as she took a seat.

Not that he’s ever really calm.

“Han-Hei is the name.” She replied.

He fixed her with a level stare.

"That was the best you could come up with? It'll only fool people you don't need it to fool, kid. Your parents must be losing their minds with worry right now. "

He let out a ragged breath.

"But whatever. You can be secret number three I'm keeping since I got here. You just wandered up here by yourself? Who do you think you are, me?!"

“No, I’m not you. Cuz I’m not leaving a wife and kids behind who need me.” She replied with the same tone of voice Sora had so often leveled at others just above the volume of a whisper.

“My parents are accustomed to me disappearing for months on end without a word. I’ve trained them well.” She replied trying to sound anything but flippant. She didn’t want attention and Sora flying off the handle was sure to draw it.

“Besides… I’m fine. Had someone watching my back on the way up.” She said.

“And what drove you up here anyway…”

He held out an index finger, and adopted the same tone.

"If you think I'd rather be anywhere in the world than with my family right now, you must've gotten racked in the head on your trip north. But I got the word from the Little Teacher that my attendance at this... shindig would be of some possible service. So even though I have no idea what the hell it is I'm meant to be doing up here, even though Reiko and Kozan are old enough to worry when I leave, even though it means leaving Kinyoubi to deal with their fears and their worries by herself like an absolute bastard, I came, with her blessing. Your parents, on the other hand, worry themselves shitless every time, and do you know how I know? Because they can't hide it from me. So however you think you've trained them, take it from someone who knows, they're not 'accustomed' to a damned thing about it."

He sighed.

"But whatever, you're here now. And this someone who watched your back... they any good?"

"You keep sayin' 'they'... Talkin' in the plural... You say 'he' and maybe I believe you. But 'they'..." She shook her head. "I'm doin' her a favor bein' away."

She looked back towards the village, "He's not bad. A Bayushi I picked up on my way here. Wary little fella... Something fucked him up as a kid. But with all the shit goin' down it's good to have someone who can tell when somethin' ain't right."

She leaned her elbows on her knees and let out a puff of air through her nose.

"I got the same invitation that you did it seems... So we got the same justification for being here. Though I think the plan is bullshit..."

"She loves you. She's just bad at showing it. Always has been."

But he didn't press the point.

"Far as the plan being bullshit, I mean, Shinsei sent me to Jigoku twenty years back, so believe me, I know the feeling. But the five of us did the impossible back then."

He chuckled.

"Of course, without everyone else holding the line it might not have gone so well. It's easy to forget that was part of the plan too. Folks focus on the rescue, forget we woulda been monster-chow without everyone else, plus the Nezumi doing their thing."

He cocked his head to the side.

"Another thing... Glad to hear your pet Scorpion has some uses. Does he know? How'd he fall in with you?"

"It's not just me... That woman gave up on love long long ago..." She replied with a shake of her head.

"I have not told him, no. I walked down to Shinomen in the early winter. Came east into Scorpion lands. I ran into him arguing with some magistrate who didn't want to go and check on some rumors of some people in trouble because they weren't the reputable sort... I tagged along and we helped some people."

She resituated herself on the stump, "I told him there was more knife's work need doin' up in the north. He said he'd come along..."

She paused for a second, "I'm no idiot... I doubt he's followin' me for this good lookin' mask or cuz he likes the shape of my ass. He's a Scorpion and he just happened to be in my path..."

She shrugged, "But I like to think there's some respect there... Don't resent me too much if I'm hopin' it's coming from somewhere other than knowing my name."

She gestured up to the mask, "And that's why I wear this thing for now. Not trying to 'fool' anybody that needs fooling... The name just gets in the way right now. Gets in the way of doin' what's right by these people."

"Yeah, that sounds like Bayushi. Bet he doesn't know, just knows he's supposed to look after you."

He chuckled.

"Far as name's go, mine's proving to be a bit of a burden. They think of the story, not the man. But you know better than that, don't you?"

"Of fucking course I do." She replied.

"I blame your kids to be honest..." She said with a smile.

"Too much damn hero worship in the histories everyone is writing."

She chuckled, "I liked my Sora human. Shady, murderous, illiterate... Stubborn and mistrusting. Looks like you kept the last two of those traits... even as the rest of you got softer."

She looked up into his eyes, "The man's not half bad though. I'd take him over the hero."

"Oh, I'm still pretty shady. Look at the secret I'll be keeping, after all."

He grinned.

"But it's nice to be appreciated. I'd ruffle your hair, but then folks might figure out that there ain't too many people I like enough to do that to 'em."

"Well... I'll just have to work harder at getting you to hate me then. Cuz your acting is shit." She said with a smirk.

"What do you know so far old man? Who's here?"

"Well. There's me. And you. And this Bayushi of yours. Ran into a couple of monks on the way here, along with one'a Nanzi's kids and Wu Zhe. Stands t'reason Shinsei will be here. Wouldn't be surprised if people showed up from all over, but haven't had time to run into most of 'em yet..."

She nodded, "Which one of Nanzi's?"

"Ai. She's grown up a hell of a lot since the last time I saw her, has her mother's knack for polite silence, and at least some measure of her father's ego..."

"Mah... She's a good kid. I spent some time with her a few years ago. She's the right kind of fierce." She said confidently.

"You gotta try and put some of those old grudges to bed old man... That dream-hell place man... It'll take those things and twist you up."

"Oh, I try not to hold a parent's sins against their kids- after all, mine have gotten to avoid the worst of mine so far. But it helps to know who you're dealing with. The Crane like their hero-worship, for example."

"Plenty of reasons to hate all the clans for their imperfections old man. The Crab are perpetually butt-hurt, the Spider fuckin' paranoid, Dragon always moralizing the shit out of everything, Scorpion will do whatever the fuck they think is the best course no matter the consequences, Lion can't think beyond maps and numbers most the time... So on and so on..." She rolled her hand over and over.

"Everybody's got warts. But they also can be bad-asses even with a fat ol' wart on one of those cheeks."