The Day of Thunder

[Shiba Kumori]

She shrugged, “Nothing really concrete… Probably help out around town. There’s supposed to be a feast in the evening…”

She asked back, “You?”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"See a cat about an injured paw, I guess", he answered. "Maybe stop by Enrou's, see if they can just put me to sleep with some apothecary magic."

[Shiba Kumori]

“I’d be careful about that…” She offered, expecting Norikage to already know it unwise to drug one’s self up too much.

“See if you can’t figure out more about those drug fireworks… The more we know the less paranoia people are sure to have about things.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"What about my paranoia?" he asked with a chuckle. "As far as I can tell Chouri has been honest but I don't trust her a bit."

[Shiba Kumori]

“Don’t need to be paranoid to be careful…” She nodded.

“There is certainly something or someone fishy around here… But doubting everyone makes us more and more lonely with every person we write off.”

She gave a little half frown as if thinking.

“Paranoia comes from fear… And I don’t think we need fear these people.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

"Fear?" he thought about it. "I suppose for some...maybe it's simply because I'm so cynical that I don't feel afraid."

[Shiba Kumori]

She shrugged, “Like I said… you don’t have to pull down your pants and let yourself get fucked.”

She paused, “But people get real comfortable with doing all sorts of things if they think someone is their enemy. If you think they’ll kill you, then humans get ready to kill real quick. And I don’t think that these people are an enemy… They are the ones that need to be protected.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

He thought about that. And tried to relate it to his dream. The samurai were all dead, dismembered, disemboweled, strangled to death, crushed...the villagers didn't seem dead, but could have been. It was a strange thing; floating, stillness.

"Maybe...", he muttered. "I'm not saying they're our enemies, and direct conflict would and should press us to protect them, but...something else is going on. We both know that, we just haven't figured it out."

[Shiba Kumori]

She nodded.

“There are other people on it too… We should help them the best we can.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

He stood up, adjusting his sleeping robe. "Much as I dislike other people, they have a different perspective that usually helps, so you're probably right."

A stretch, a yawn. He slapped himself in the face.

"Yeah, that's not helping. Think you can do it?" he smirked.

[Shiba Kumori]

“You want me to smack you?” She asked with a look of playful doubt.

[Bayushi Norikage]

"You have to ask?" he chuckled and picked up his kimono. "Take your chances while you..." he yawned. "While you can."

[Shiba Kumori]

“Recently you’ve become much less smackable.” She replied.

“You might’ve missed your window.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

He smirked as he went behind the screen and changed.

"I can always accommodate if you miss the way I started off."

[Shiba Kumori]

“I mean… I like how it started off. It’s all that ass-hattery in the middle that could have used a smacking or two.” She said with a smirk.

“Perhaps sleep-deprivation was the secret to your successful return to glory.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

He came out from behind the screen dressed properly now, straightening out his kimono. "Well it's good to know that even if I'm not at my best, you'll give me a good slap. Glad to know you care."

And he stepped over to her and gave a proper bow. "And so, ojousama, we have our days worked out. Can I see you tonight?"

[Shiba Kumori]

“If you don’t pass out before then, sure.” She said with a smirk.

[Bayushi Norikage]

"Okay, how about if I'm not back by a certain hour you come find whatever ditch I fell into and drag me back?" he said and nudged her gently as he walked by. "I'll owe you another one."

[Shiba Kumori]

She timed a nudge back in response to his to push him along ahead of her.

“That makes what… A couple dozen?”

She smiled and gave him a nod of affirmation.

“See ya later.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

Ad wit that he went out the door. Today was going to be another long day.