The Day of Thunder

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki goes to sleep...

[Togashi Satsuki]

She finds herself on top of a mountain topped by plot of grass and flowers, and a beautiful peach tree with ripe fruit weight the branches down a little with their juices. The sky is a stunning blue above, just blue enough to give it character. Her clothing caught a playful breeze that lifted her gauzey fabric of her shawl up and around her, as though she were a fairy from Tengoku.

She hears her mother's voice from the High House of Light, not far away from her. She found herself rising, and leaping from her perch, feet lightly touching the tippy-top of the trees to push herself to the next one effortlessly until she touched down on the railing around the deck, light as a feather. "Your father wants to see you," her mother said with a smile before kissing her on the forehead.

Heading down the hall to his meditation chamber, she found her father in dragon form curled up, resting on his forearms. Even as low as he was, his head nearly touched the ceiling.

"Satsuki... our time will be brief. I can only speak with you for a short while where you are. It's only because your mind is strong enough that we can speak at all." He said, closing his eyes. The voice of this form booms and echoes. "The Harbinger is merely taking another tac, and fooling those who trust this change of heart. She has managed to use Yume-do to conceal her own and her people's Corruption."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Wait... didn't that sound odd. "What do you mean? I'm standing right in front of you?" Not that she doubted the strength of her mind, but he made it sound like she was far away.

"Or... this is a dream?" With that, she looked around herself. Was it really her parents? Was this truly home?

[Togashi Satsuki]

He nodded. "It is. There are few ways to reach you beyond this right now." The reality hit her then, of Blue Lotus. Of when and where her body was.

[Togashi Satsuki]

But if it was a dream, Satsuki realised, the possibility was that this wasn't real either. That it wasn't her father. Or her mother.

If Nao ran into the Harbinger when walking into Yume-do, then what if it was someone else...

"How can I know this isn't a trick from the Harbinger then?" she retorted, as always full of fire and willing to question the world around her. Be it dreaming or awake.

[Togashi Satsuki]

His tone is even. Could she detect a touch of approval? Togashi supported her questioning nature. "The Harbinger is arrogant. She cannot conceal her true nature for long without arousing suspicion. You and Makime of the Lion have seen this."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki crossed her arms... something still didn't feel right. Maybe she had just grown wary of dreams considering the close influence of that realm in the village.

"True, the Harbinger is arrogant, but not dumb. It wants us to kill the villagers, it's why they drugged us - to do the dirty work for them." She shook her head. "A turned over leaf or not for Chouri, she will face justice and accountability for what she has done. As will those who helped her. But that is putting the cart before the horse; the Harbinger, Jigoku's Champion, and the Day of Thunder will be dealt with first."

She sighed. "After that, then there can be justice."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Who suggested such, that the Harbinger wanted you to kill the villagers?" He asked, leaving the question hanging. "All things are connected. What ties that which is coming from that which has been until now?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

She didn't answer the first question.

"We're all tied to the great Wheel, the great Cycle. And Jigoku's Champion and its Harbinger will be defeated like in the past." Satsuki frowned a little. "I'm wary, but not paranoid. I'm trusting, but not gullible. I decide for myself what I believe is right."

"And what is right is to keep the greatest weapon we have against Jigoku; all that lives in Ningen-do."

[Togashi Satsuki]

He nods, seeming satisfied with her answer. "What of the first question?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki shrugged. "Chouri told Lady Makime. I trust Makime's words, and I trust Chouri's interest in self-preservation and the preservation of her people."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"The Harbinger has no true interest in self-preservation. Makime is sharp, but it is an excellent liar that she has been unable to see through in the past," he noted.

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki was quiet as she thought. Then lifted her chin slightly. "As I said, I make my own choices and make up my own mind."

She turned around and began to walk away, turning to look over her shoulder for a moment. "If you wanted me to think this was my dad, you should have done a better job... whoever you truly are." And with that she fully turned away, ready to go out and keep to her own insights.

Maybe she would be letting her parents down in the future, but she would have walked her own path with her own choices.

[Togashi Satsuki]

As she walks, the dream changes. The wood rots and develops holes. The whole building lists on its mountaintop perch. When she emerges, she sees no one, and the landscape around her has become cold and desolate.

The future that has been promised, it seems to suggest.

The dream ends.