The Day of Thunder

She had seen her at the ritual. Briefly from across the way. And easily transported back to the conversation only a few days ago. The discussion on beauty, and just what the subjects of the Empire could accomplish, and what they will do that can't even be imagined.

She had asked then if she could speak with her again. Given what all was occurring, and could still occur, Matsu didn't want to let the end of the world get in the way of that.

She had hurried back to her tent to get her Flute. Shang had noted it in their first conversation. She wasn't just a leader of armies, or a warrior.

A Samurai is also supposed to be an artist. Her Kanji was terrible, her skill with prose was abysmal. But she had one talent.

The Amazon wandered the camp, using the very force that compels her to stand against evil to find her way to where the Saru made camp. The flickering of campfires dimly lighting the campsites, it was more difficult than anticipated.

Finally, she was there. Gently knocking? on the tent flap.

"Shang-san? Are you home?" She spoke up, though inwardly cursing at how foolish she sounded.

After the gathering at the headwoman's house, Shang likely thought that was enough socializing tonight for her. All of the pervasive mistrust, secrecy, and strange rituals were perhaps enough of a sign for her to distance herself from the locals for the rest of the day. That said, she still snagged some food and refreshments on her way out. Their food was still better than the rations at the camp.

"Mm?" There was a bit of a murmured confusion on the other side when she heard the scratch or patting of the tent material. She pulled the material open to see Matsu at the entrance. At least, the first half of her before she looked upwards. "Oh! Matsu-sama! This is most unexpected! Well, expected but still a surprise nevertheless."

Her face turned serious for a moment as she narrowed her eyes. "...We're not in danger right now, are we?"

"Oh, no, no danger." Matsu shook her head. For this call, she had let her hair down, the dark strands framing her face swaying as she did so. "Just the other day, I asked if we could speak again, and then I saw you tonight at the ritual..." She trailed off slightly, before taking a deep breath.

"What I mean to say is, hello. I was thinking of you, and was hoping to catch you to see you again." Her words were pointed with confidence. "I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time?"

"Oh! Whew!" Shang said with an exaggerated breath of relief before chuckling. "Forgive me, I suppose it would have been more obvious if there was actually a cause for alarm. Not that you're not obvious, Matsu-sama. -dono? Matsu-dono. This personal tent-to-tent alert would have been well appreciated by you either way. But I digress, yes! We did have a good chat the other time and I'm glad to see you again. I don't think Chouri-san would have appreciated us talking over the mystique of her gathering. The questionable mythism would have overshadowed it anyway."

Shang crawled out of her tent so that she could stand upright. Despite doing this, she was still short compared to Matsu. "Not at all! I was just about to turn in for the evening, debating whether or not I should actually sleep. Truly, difficult questions of the universe that I'm sure the whole camp is pondering on at the moment. Did you want to chat out here or step inside my tent? I warn you, the space is a little humble in there."

"Just Matsu is fine," she looked down to Shang's features, the flickering of firepots casting shadows on the pair. "She offered a smile, fingers fumbling with the shakuhachi in her grip. "I don't mind humble things, Shang-san. If you're inviting me in, I mean. Unless you'd prefer to stay out here. Whatever is most comfortable for you!" The words seemed to run out of Matsu's mouth quickly, even as she steeled herself.

"We were talking about art, and things that were pretty, and I know I had my Flute then, but..." She swallowed her words, taking a deep breath, "... I'm not that great at it, but I did want to play for you."

"So, Matsu, then..." Shang would say the name with a small smile on her lips and a glint in her eyes. She was briefly bemused by the other's demeanour, considering that Matsu was more intimidating between them and a daimyo of her own Family. However, there was enough pervasive unease around the visitors and the village that she supposed there could have been a few reasons for her stumbling on her words. The complicated relationship with sleep too wasn't very helpful either.

She nodded in acceptance at the offer as she tucked back the smile, not wanting to appear like she was finding amusement at the way Matsu presented herself. "Oh, yes! I do recall that we started our conversation about your flute and how you could potentially lead the troops with your lyrical notes, it was a very amusing thought! You were never in any obligation to gift me with a performance, of course. I am already grateful that you would seek me out already with your great presence, Matsu," she said with her smile returning, nevertheless.

"In that case...perhaps here is better for the accusing, rather than being muffled in a tent. I'm sure there will be no complaints! Oh, uhm, wait a moment..." she said before ducking into her tent for a moment and appearing back once more with a cup of sake in her hands. "Just a little something I might have taken from the headwoman's house during all that healing business. I'm sure they won't mind, they have bigger fry to fish. I know I would be a terrible hostess if I didn't offer some refreshments. Some sake might hit the spot. Would you like some?"

"I would love sharing a cup with you. A drink, sake, I mean." That smile Shang had was enchanting, and it almost made the large Spider forget herself. Nodding in agreement, she had to grin at the mischievous nature of pilfering some sake from the headswoman's house.

Her hands clasped about the flute, holding it before her form. "And no, you're right. It isn't an obligation to play for you. It's more that... my hand writing isn't very good. I can't paint or draw. Others can create really pretty things for people they care about, or for the sake of art. What little talent I do have in this..." She lifted the instrument slightly, "... it's all I've got for gifting, and showing respect for pretty people... pretty things and for other people to enjoy!" The final sentence stammered, but matched with a grin.

Shang couldn't help but chuckle at the talk about the sake cup. "That's good to hear because in this case, it's probably all I have at the moment. So, you'll be literally sharing this cup right now with me, to be clear. I wasn't so bold to take a whole sake bottle, just what I could fit in this cup. I hope you don't mind but given that we're a tent settlement and some ways away from our homes, we're going make do with what we have here. Here, you can have the first sip, if you want," she said presenting the cup toward her.

"Oh, is it a gift now?" Shang slowly nodded with raised brows on the matter, letting that slowly sink in for her. "I suppose I was using gift liberally earlier, my apologies for sounding so fanciful earlier, but I didn't exactly expect this as a gift. I mean, if that's the case, then you have nothing to be nervous about. Especially, when it comes to art, it's all about the expression of your soul and intent on the matter. Perfection is not something that is needed here, if it's even obtainable at all, I'm already pleased enough that you consider me worthy of this gift. I'm sure, it'll be splendid! Please."

Matsu relaxed her grip on the flute, holding it in her left hand, as the right reached for the cup. Inadvertently, fingertips graced Shang's fingers as she gently took the offered cup. She didn't take it completely from the other woman, before enjoying a small sip, while looking at the Saru woman in the eyes.

It was the smallest of sips, but needed for the courage to play before her. Slowly, she let go of the cup still in Shang's hand, and took a step back.

Bringing the flute up to her lips, while still watching Shang, Matsu began to play.

ME5 - Courage - A Song for Shang (Agility 3, Perform: Flute 1, 1 Called Raise for Effort, TN20) | 4k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 20)

"Oh, uhm..." Shang blinked when Matsu reached for her hand, not expecting that she wouldn't take the cup from her hand. Of course, she thankfully didn't let her cup go as she could feel that Matsu didn't take it completely in her grip (and avoiding the trauma of spilt sake!). She found herself preemptively reaching up so that Matsu could take a sip, even if it might not be necessary but Matsu was easily the tallest person she encountered here. When she pulled away, she smiled faintly. "That's one way to share a cup..."

When Matsu began to play, she held the cup close to her and went quiet, listening to her attentively. Shang turned thoughtful even after she finished playing her piece.

"You sell yourself short, that was well done, I thought!" She smiled at Matsu, giving a bow of appreciation.

She blushed at the bow and especially Shang's smile. She bowed her head in thanks. Matsu had tried to put forth a worthy performance for the Dragon artist, and was grateful She hadn't soured any notes.

"Thank you for saying so. It was an old song. My pa used to play that song when I was a little girl. An old Noriaki song. They're long gone now, but it was always so pretty." She looked back to Shang, tilting her head and offering a small smile.

"I'd like to have song like that continue into the future, when people think of things or people that warm their hearts."

Shang moved to a spot by her tents where a mat had been laid out. With the rain a day ago, she didn't quite trust the ground to sit when there were patches of mud everywhere. She sat down carefully and offered Matsu a spot beside her. Better to talk sitting than standing on ceremony.

"It is a very pretty song and I suspect that you've done justice to it, it seems it would be difficult to imagine you forgetting something so cherished from your past," she said before taking a small sip from her cup, offering Matsu a small smile. "Art is indeed best when it comes from a good place, I'm sure the Empire could most certainly use more endearing moments right now. It would be interesting to know the words to them if you remember them. Actually! It would be interesting to hear more of the Noriaki, as I'm not too familiar with them."

"Pa never told me the words. He always played it on this flute." She shook her head while speaking, moving to join Shang on the mat. The flute was laid across her lap, as she looked to the Saru, watching and listening.

"They're all gone now. Pa was the last of them. Which is probably for the best. They were raiders and bandits and thieves. Before I was born, Pa told me they were stopped by the Kami aiding the Seppun on their hill. The tribes broken and scattered." She recollected, pondering on the details she could remember.

"When I was really young, I can remember people looking weird at him, or being afraid, because of how the tribe acted. Might makes right, you know?" Matsu shrugged, pursing her lips.

"Hantei-no-Kami, his wife was one of them, too. Pa and her had some ups and downs. She and I settled all those five years ago. But we settled it in the old ways. I'd have preferred the new style of one cut duels, but maybe we paid Honor to the complicated history there." She giggled softly, finding joy in sharing the story with Shang.

With the cup carefully in her hand, she rested her chin in her other hand as she contemplated on this. "Perhaps they used to have words and were long forgotten into the ages with a tune only remaining. That might not be the case as not all songs need words to convey their meaning, of course. It's just amusing to think to wonder if they derived from perhaps a story or lesson that was made into a lyrical song. Those tend to be easier to remember then instruments came after."

She took a sip of her cup and chuckled. "Sorry, I can sometimes conjure some things in my head about the old ways, while knowing little of them. But I do find them fascinating, how people were back and what we might have lost along the way. My parents were eager to discard them once the Kami ruled the land, wanting a better future but there must be still fine things we might be forgetting, right? That's something I kind of wanted to capture and there in my travels. And of course, find inspiration to create something new. While I'm sure raiding and foraging are better left in the past, the culture and spirit must have been more than that, as you've shown me now," Shang cast a small smile at her.

"What happened in this duel? Or how was this resolved with this person?" She asked with raised brows.

"From what Pa told me, they were a hearty people, on whom Bishamon smiled. Not all bad. They can't be, when he was a prime example, and he held up the barrier with his health to allow Lord Hantei and the others to rescue Lord Hisomu, with only his faith in the Kami, Bishamon, and the mission to sustain him." Matsu regarded the way Shang relaxed while listening, the way she apologized for talking about how she can imagine things.

It made her smile in turn.

The question about the duel, "I let my anger get the better of me, to agree to her terms for satisfaction. Hantei Kinsen, she apparently had made an oath that she would destroy all that remained of the Noriaki, and with my father being the Last of them, up until he passed last year, she took offense that it meant her oath wasn't fulfilled. I took offense that she threatened to try and kill my Pa." She paused, looking out for a moment.

"I demanded satisfaction using the method of Iaijutsu, as demonstrated by her son Kenji and..." When she spoke the next name, she had to fight the disgust boiling in her throat from the Family, "... Doji Hikaru. She refused, and eventually it was settled to a fistfight, to the first strike. She was faster..." Matsu started giggling, "... it sounds so stupid saying it out loud that it was settled with a slap!"

There was some amusement that lit up in Shang's eyes at the mention of Bishamon. Not that it needed to be said but it seemed rather obvious that Matsu (and likely her lineage) was blessed with this trait. "If you were all bad, you likely wouldn't be where you were, Matsu. Most certainly! In many ways, I imagine you lead by his example."

"Oh, so you were defeated..." She looked a bit unsure as she giggled, wondering if she too should find good humour in that without unintentionally offending her. Shang did offer a small smile. "Perhaps it was the heat of the moment or some sort of alternate form. I cannot say I know much of what the Stag or your former kinswoman intend. However, if it was a duel and you list, how was the matter settled without the Hantei wanting to honour her bloodthirsty intent? And would she not be considered a traitor? Mind you, I suppose of the ways of old."

"She ended up realizing the truth. My father had been weakened by sustaining that barrier. Time would see the end through, and let him live his life. With him, no one bore the mark of the tribe anymore. And since he has passed..." She grew pensive, sadness in her eyes at the thought of his loss again, "... the old world has truly died. He often told me he had no place in this New World. He wanted to make sure it was ready for those who came after."

The smile returned, softened, "... So in a way, the constant passing of days fulfilled her oath. And so she saw it through, and that's all there is. In the holdings at home, we did add a small altar to the Shrine of Bishamon. A Fur hat, and a bronze club. The final resting place of Yamadono. One of Lord Hisomu's first followers."

Shang placed a hand on Matsu's forearm when she spoke of her father's passing, nodding solemnly on the matter. "I never had the honour of meeting your father but I can sense that he is a great man, especially one who rose above his tribe to ensure a better future for you and others. These are indeed great signs of a hero, ever selfless and protective. It's good that reason ended up prevailing so that he could respectfully live out the remainder of his years. I'm not so sure if that world has truly died though, especially through you. Like many old customs and tales of the previous generation, they're woven into the new ways, often subtly. It's hard to think that they'll be completely lost, maybe in time, but the spirit will prevail somewhere. At least, I would hope so! I doubt he is actually gone."

The touch on her forearm sent electricity through Matsu's entire body. Her cheeks flushed as she looked to Shang's eyes. Courage brought forth, she bit her lower lip, considering.

"Shang... I didn't come here just to play for you. I..." She paused again, "... I was curious. Do... you have a husband... or wife... at home?"

When Matsu's eyes met her own, Shang's hand slid off her forearm preemptively out of concern she might have overstepped her bounds with the reassuring gesture. The silence made things a touch awkward when she looked at the other woman with an uncertain look in her eyes as she was put in a bit of suspense on the matter.

"Oh, no?" She said with a bit of concern rising out of her. So were they in danger? Oh, no, of course not. "...No, I can't say I do, actually. If I had a partner, I doubt I could travel so liberally without a certain return date. Why do you ask?"