The Day of Thunder

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora's dreams had sometimes been pleasant, but tonight...

Tonight I was even able to offer Lady Doji a bit of a respite.

He'd stopped trying to control it so actively- he'd set the stage and populated it, and, having comprehensively seen off any nightmares, was simply... enjoying.

The family- all seven of them, Sora, Kinyoubi, Shirayuki, Phi, Soryu, Reiko, and Kozan- were sitting by a riverside. It was a perfect spring day, and the trees still had their flowers. His eldest twins and their dogs (Squirtling and Crumbsnatcher) were looking after the youngest as they played by the riverbank, while Soryu and Chomper were engaged in a bit of light wrestling under one of the trees.

And Kinyoubi? His saintly, lovely wife?

She was taking a nap on the blanket beside him while he sat up and watched- not for danger, there was none here, but just watching his children, and reflecting that of all the things he'd seen, they really were the most miraculous.

[Chuchu]

Sora's dreams had sometimes been pleasant, but tonight...

Shining dark eyes peek at the group from behind a tree. Chuchu couldn't help but be drawn to this dream; of all the human dreams she's come across so far, this one is the strongest, the most self-assured -- the most comforting. It's nice. The sound of children playing reminds her of home.

Pain knots itself in her heart. She wonders how her mother is doing, or her father, or her sisters' fathers, all the people who helped raise her and love her. It hurts to be so far from home even if she's the one who chose to leave...

[Jiyo Sora]

Pain knots itself in her heart. She wonders how her mother is doing, or her father, or her sisters' fathers, all the people who helped raise her and love her. It hurts to be so far from home even if she's the one who chose to leave...

Sora perked up. He didn't need to turn and look, but...

"I didn't make you. But you don't feel like the nightmares. For one thing, you got in."

Around him, his family continued to have their Day.

"Are you the Nezumi Chuchu?"

[Chuchu]

"Are you the Nezumi Chuchu?"

Her ears lower slowly before she ducks behind the tree. She probably shouldn't be here; it's too intimate a dream. "Yes!" Chuchu squeaks out shyly. "I am Great Number, Nameseeker of the People. I didn't mean to disturb you!"

[Jiyo Sora]

Her ears lower slowly before she ducks behind the tree. She probably shouldn't be here; it's too intimate a dream. "Yes!" Chuchu squeaks out shyly. "I am Great Number, Nameseeker of the People. I didn't mean to disturb you!"

Sora cocked his head to the side.

"Why so nervous, Great Number?"

A pause. She was young...

"I mean, my son Soryu..." He pointed to the boy romping with his dog. "... he's visiting the Nezumi right now, so...I think I can reciprocate the hospitality a bit."

[Chuchu]

"I mean, my son Soryu..." He pointed to the boy romping with his dog. "... he's visiting the Nezumi right now, so...I think I can reciprocate the hospitality a bit."

"This is a special dream," She answers very softly -- as if she's been chided for breaking some rule. But again her dark eyes and dark face peek back from behind the tree. "Your son is among the People?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"This is a special dream," She answers very softly -- as if she's been chided for breaking some rule. But again her dark eyes and dark face peek back from behind the tree. "Your son is among the People?"

"Yep. White Moonrise and I go back a bit, and since he's what the Isawa call an Ishiken, he can sort-of read Memory sticks with a bit of help. So he's officially there to transcribe some for our own libraries."

He paused.

"Are you all right?"

[Chuchu]

"Are you all right?"

Her whole body perks up as she recognizes the boy. "You mean Tiny Nose?" Chuchu begins to creep forward, and then all at once bounds over to join Sora, eyes wide. "You're Tiny Nose's father! Everyone talks about Tiny Nose!" She starts to look between all the children, trying to guess which one is Soryu. Her tail curls around herself. "I saw the Rot," She finally answers. "It was scary. But it means I'm getting close."

[Jiyo Sora]

Her whole body perks up as she recognizes the boy. "You mean Tiny Nose?" Chuchu begins to creep forward, and then all at once bounds over to join Sora, eyes wide. "You're Tiny Nose's father! Everyone talks about Tiny Nose!" She starts to look between all the children, trying to guess which one is Soryu. Her tail curls around herself. "I saw the Rot," She finally answers. "It was scary. But it means I'm getting close."

"Tiny Nose, huh?" He chuckled. "My own nickname for him is Otter Stone- you kinda had to be there. And the Rot tried to intrude here tonight."

He paused.

"I refused."

His dream-children, much like the genuine article, were regarding the little Nezumi with curiosity, and Kinyoubi was waking up.

[Chuchu]

"I refused."

"Mmhmm," She nods. "This place is safe... it's pure and untouched, more than the other dreams in this place." She looks at the other children, considering which would be most likely to play with her. "Can I stay here awhile?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"Mmhmm," She nods. "This place is safe... it's pure and untouched, more than the other dreams in this place." She looks at the other children, considering which would be most likely to play with her. "Can I stay here awhile?"

"Don't see why not. Honestly, wish I could bring more people here, since it seems like good drams are hard to come by these days."

Reiko and Kozan- being five- were mesmerized by the big talking rat. Shirayuki and Phi, seventeen, were starting to make... tea to share. And Soryu- and all three dogs- were approaching with cautious interest.

"Can I get you anything? I seem to be able to exercise a fair bit of control these days..."

[Chuchu]

"Can I get you anything? I seem to be able to exercise a fair bit of control these days..."

"Mmhmm! It would be nice to meet more humans!" She moves to half-hide behind Sora at the sight of the dogs, child-nervous about them. Reiko and Kozan -- and Soryu, though he looks a little too old to want to play with her -- are appraised positively, and she teases the younger twins with her tail, wagging it near them to see how they might react. She wiggles her big ears and whiskers too. Humans are so funny, and of course they're interested in such things, lacking them themselves!

"Could I have a kitten?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"Mmhmm! It would be nice to meet more humans!" She moves to half-hide behind Sora at the sight of the dogs, child-nervous about them. Reiko and Kozan -- and Soryu, though he looks a little too old to want to play with her -- are appraised positively, and she teases the younger twins with her tail, wagging it near them to see how they might react. She wiggles her big ears and whiskers too. Humans are so funny, and of course they're interested in such things, lacking them themselves!

"Could I have a kitten?"

Reiko and Kozan giggled and while Kozan started following the tail slowly, step by step, Reiko was more captivated by the ears.

Sora thought about it.

"What color of fur? Does it matter?"

[Chuchu]

"What color of fur? Does it matter?"

"Could I have a little black kitten?" She asks hopefully.

[Jiyo Sora]

"Could I have a little black kitten?" She asks hopefully.

There was a weight on top of her head, and a little mewing.

Reiko pointed and giggled, while Soryu cocked his head to the side.


Phi was shooing Kozan away from pouncing on the Nezumi's tail.

[Chuchu]

There was a weight on top of her head, and a little mewing.

That gets a happy squeaking as Chuchu leans her head forward to gently pick up the kitten! She holds it up high above her head, looking at it with delight. The nezumi purrs, eyes boggling in her skull as she leans the kitten down to kiss on the nose.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

The kitten is soon cradled in her arms and shown off to Reiko proudly like a mother showing off a baby. Yes, she's a nezumi, all right -- their love of children knows no bounds. "His name is Sooty," Chuchu shares proudly.

[Jiyo Sora]

That gets a happy squeaking as Chuchu leans her head forward to gently pick up the kitten! She holds it up high above her head, looking at it with delight. The nezumi purrs, eyes boggling in her skull as she leans the kitten down to kiss on the nose.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

The kitten is soon cradled in her arms and shown off to Reiko proudly like a mother showing off a baby. Yes, she's a nezumi, all right -- their love of children knows no bounds. "His name is Sooty," Chuchu shares proudly.

Kinyoubi spoke then. "Be gentle with Sooty, Reiko, he's very little."

The little girl nodded and reached out to pet the tiny animal.

Soryu got the dogs more or less corralled- by the expedient of running off in a different direction with all three canines in pursuit.

Sora chuckled.

"Boy's a shugenja, but he runs like a damn mountain goat. I blame Shirayuki."

"Dad!"

"See, she chased her Dragon prince-"

"He stole my hair ribbon!"

"- right into the arms of the Dragon clan. Tsk."

[Chuchu]

"See, she chased her Dragon prince-"

"He stole my hair ribbon!"

"- right into the arms of the Dragon clan. Tsk."

Chuchu caaaarefully leans so Reiko and her can both pet Sooty. Her eyes grow wide as she listens.

"Are you going to have a baby?" She asks Shirayuki point blank. Kids...

[Jiyo Sora]

Chuchu caaaarefully leans so Reiko and her can both pet Sooty. Her eyes grow wide as she listens.

"Are you going to have a baby?" She asks Shirayuki point blank. Kids...

"What?! No! I mean... not yet, it's..."

Sora regarded the first of his children to leave home with amusement.

"'Yuki here is a lot more... proper than I would have been at her age..." Kinyoubi gave him a poke in the ribs. "Hey!"

"Sora. When you have to carry a child to term, the risks are a bit more evident."

"I know, I know, but-"

Shirayuki was brilliant crimson, covering her face with her hands. "I hate you so much Dad."

"Love you too, kiddo."

[Chuchu]

"Love you too, kiddo."

Aww. There's a LITTLE disappointment from the ratling -- but not too much. She just thought Shirayuki was older! "You can hold Sooty if you want," She offers the teenager as if it's some consolation.

Soon Chuchu's settled with Sora and Kinyoubi, her tail curled around herself for comfort. "You really know the Chief-of-Chiefs?" She finally asks in hope of a story.