The Day of Thunder

[Doji Hikaru]

The ceremony had been... unsettling. It was a darkly frowning Hikaru that returned to his tent, his hands clenched at his side.

Why had that upset him so much?

Hikaru settled himself the way that Crane did best. With tea. And with art. Before long, he was sipping from his cup as he studied a blank canvas, frowning at it. Nothing seemed to be coming to mind to paint...

D2EE, Tea Ceremony | 5k4 ⇒ 22 (TN: 15)

[Kichi]

One of the monks, who had been meditating in camp, opened his eyes and looked to him. He bowed deeply, even in a sitting position. "You seem troubled, Doji-sama, if you will forgive my rudeness in saying so. I am Kichi, student of Ukyou. Is there anything I may do to help?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru's expression quickly snapped back to neutral, but after a moment, he gave the monk a polite nod. "It is an honor to formally meet you, Kichi-san. I believe I saw you yesterday morning, when Wisdom Shinsei made his announcement.

His lips parted, then pressed together, then relaxed. "Would you care for some tea?" He asked suddenly, gesturing with open palm to his pot. "It is freshly steeped."

[Kichi]

A faint smile appears as he bows in apology. "It is the fate of monks to stick our noses where they don't belong," he observed before approaching and seating himself. "I will accept the tea, though. It's been too long."

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru's eyebrows went up; it wasn't a smile, but it had the effect of brightening his features somewhat. "Do monks not often drink tea, then? In Crane lands... well, perhaps it is different where you are from."

He offered the monk a cup, holding it carefully in the fingertips of both hands. "I recently came from the festival. It was a strange experience." Hikaru admitted. "I thought to paint, but..." He gestured towards his blank canvas. "Nothing came to mind."

[Kichi]

"We are often traveling and subsist on what people are willing to offer us," he replied. "It has been years since I was in Crane lands to enjoy the tea there."

He accepts the cup, taking a careful sip. "Ahh... delicious. The Crane truly know tea the best." He lowered the cup. "Strange? How so?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru's eyebrows went up again. "You've traveled through Crane lands?" He frowned. "Or... you are from them? I apologize if that is private." Hikaru inclined his head. "I have not had the honor of meeting many monks."

He inclined his head again in thanks, only to frown at the question. "It is difficult to explain." Hikaru said, frowning. "We were to write what we most fear on a piece of paper, and then place it within a... construct, shaped like a person, of wood. Then we were to strike the construct, destroying it." Hikaru shook his head. "I am not familiar with the tradition. I found something about it unsettling. I am not entirely sure why." His forehead remained creased as she looked at the monk, uncertain why he did so; surely he did not have the answer.

[Kichi]

"I am not from there, buy I lived there for many years," he said. "Like many people in the early days traveled far from their homelands to follow their Kami before the Clans began absorbing those nearby."

Kichi nodded, taking another sip from his tea. "I have seen the occasional group that used effigies in their traditions in my travels. They often served as vessels for negative emotions or sins of the group, and were often immolated to get rid of those. This might be derived from that sort of tradition." He paused, then added. "Facing the worst parts of oneself is disturbing. Facing them in a place like this, more so."

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru listened, his pale eyes intent. Finally, he sighed, nodding. "Yes, there is something strange about this place. Something uncanny." He looked around, out into the fog.

Shaking his head, he looked back to the monk. "And yes. I did find it unsettling." Hikaru's lips pressed firmly together, and he gripped his teacup more tightly in his hands.

"I understand many people wrote failure. I understand this fear, but I do not share it." Hikaru said. He took a breath. "My fear is that I am too late. For any number of things." He grimaced, shaking his head. "I worry that I do not make sense."

[Kichi]

"You make sense," he said, taking a sip. "It is a fear I also understand better than failure. A failure you can potentially recover from. Those who are too late lose much that can never be recovered. One cannot turn back time."

[Doji Hikaru]

Slowly, Hikaru nodded. "Yes. Moments lost do not come again. I wonder how much I'm too late for..." He closed his eyes. Could Lady Doji still be saved? He didn't know. He had to try.

Taking a deep breath, Hikaru opened his eyes again. "In the Crane, we sometimes try to create art to recall a moment. Perhaps that is why I have studied painting so much. Do you study any arts as a monk?" Hikaru frowned. "Or... what do you do, as a monk?" It was a question he'd never really had answered to his satisfaction.

[Kichi]

He smiled a little. "I practice painting and poetry. It's good for expressing oneself truly within the bounds of propriety."

"As monks, we travel, study, help people who might need it and search for the lessons that exist in all aspects of the world."

[Doji Hikaru]

"Painting and poetry. Truly?" A ghost of a smile touched Hikaru's lips. "In another life, you might have done well in the Crane."

Hikaru took a sip of his tea, and refreshed his guest's. "That sounds worthwhile." Hikaru nodded. "Seeking out people in need... when I travelled, there were often those who needed help. I did my best to give it to them when I was able, but I had my primary duty. I still do." Hikaru sighed. "Well. I am not sure if there is help for my circumstances. As you say, time cannot be turned back."

[Kichi]

"In another life, I may have. That life is long gone, now, though," he said. Then he smiled softly. "'I am simply Kichi.'"

"Even if the desired result cannot be accomplished, the pursuit of duty in service to another is worthwhile. What are your circumstances, if I may ask, Doji-sama?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru studied Kichi for a few moments, his eyes strange. Then, he gave a tiny shake of his head. His hair settled, except for his white lock, which continued to drift for several seconds before tumbling down over one shoulder.

Hikaru paused, considering. "I serve Lady Doji." He said, his tone careful. "She works to hold back the corruption. She..." Hikaru grit his teeth. "I wish I could help her more. I've slain agents of the corruption, but I fear that does little to ease her burden."

[Kichi]

He nodded. "Ah yes. I have heard of her heroic efforts holding back the tide of darkness," He said. "It can be easy to simply be grateful without considering the toll such a feat must take. Some may not even realize how terrible things would be without her. Our experiences these five years are a mere trickle compared to what we would have otherwise experienced."

"But yes... Unfortunately, removing a cup of water does little to stop the flood. Not that it is nothing - the person who would have drowned inhaling that cup is saved, and to save one person is to save a world."

"I would think that if she is holding back the tide, then to ease that, one would have to build a dam. Putting another person there would only be to substitute one's suffering for another's. Though I assume you have thought of that, and the problem is more how to go about such a thing."

[Doji Hikaru]

"Yes." Hikaru agreed, his voice tight. In fact, he did not forget. It had been very much on his mind, especially as he better knew Lady Doji's true condition.

As Kichi went on, Hikaru nodded. "Exactly. I would build a dam if I knew how..." He also didn't know how to make a real dam, much less a figurative one. He spread his hands. "I dare to hope that this is what brings us here; that Shinsei has brought us here for that task." He sighed. "I hope."

[Kichi]

He shook his head. "We may uncover a way in the process, but that is not the primary task of those gathered here."

"Actually... Hmm." Kichi tapped his lips. "Hmm hmm hmm."

[Doji Hikaru]

"Oh." Hikaru said. He swallowed, feeling numb.

Then, as Kichi hesitated, Hikaru looked at him. He did not press. Instead, he poured his tea, and continued to watch, waiting expectantly.

[Kichi]

"The Champion of Jigoku is coming. This will be the Day of Thunder - the day, once every thousand years, give or take a few, where Jigoku and Ningen-do clash," he said, expression intensely thoughtful. The word that immediately jumped into Hikaru's mind, for some reason, was plotting. "But to clash, one has to be where the other is, ne?"