The Day of Thunder

[Nozomi]

Nozomi had been looking around for several people. there were people she couldn't find under the circumstances. There were others she'd managed to track down. The chaos in the aftermath had made it difficult, especially since it wasn't being freely notified to everyone quite as much as she'd expected. But now, finally, she'd come back to the Teacher's tent. She reflected that maybe things would have been different if they'd been honest all these years, if she'd shared his tent in town, instead of sneaking in once in a while when they needed time together. It was a game with Rokugan they'd played for a long time. She couldn't second guess it right now.

Right now, she had to hope Ukyou was in. "Ukyou? Are you here?" she called out, not quite sure if she felt up to entering his tent.

...

She was also still seriously tempted to grab that old rock and brain someone with it.

[Ukyou]

Ukyou appears, looking much worse for wear. His robes are torn and dirty and the bruise around his neck, itself deformed inward , are nearly black. Despite that, he smiles wanly and waves at Nozomi.

[Nozomi]

She marched up towards Ukyou with a fierce look in her eyes, looking at the harm that had been done there. "I should have been there. I should have, but ... we kept doing this insane hiding in separate tents." She would have died. She knew it. She still felt it. "How badly injured are you still?" At the very least, she could offer her own healing.

[Ukyou]

He smiled a little and shook his head. He pointed to Nozomi, then himself, then made a gesture like escorting someone somewhere. Then he shook his head and made a stabbing motion.

He pointed to his throat and made a cancelling gesture.

[Nozomi]

She glared at the old bird for a moment and nodded. "I know that. He nearly did it to you, so don't think I don't know that's how it would have ended. I'd have hesitated to raise my tonfa, and he'd have cut me down, if he didn't do it in my sleep. But let me say this, ok?" She couldn't help how she felt. Walking up to him, she looked it over and frowned at him, eyes narrowing.

"You realize that I can improve the flow of healing. I may not be as good as a shugenja, but I can heal it. Is there a reason you don't want me to do this?" she said, eyebrow raised.

[Ukyou]

He bows and makes a requesting gesture. Yes, please.

[Nozomi]

She breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, stepping up close to inspect his body. It took a moment with the kind of extensive damage he'd experienced, but her atemi strikes came smoothly enough a moment later, the refreshing flow of chi starting to reach his neck, slowly.

"Don't speak much until you're sure you can," she said in a tone that was almost motherly, which was ironic considering their respective relationships and the fact that he'd watched out for her much more than vice versa.

(1 VP spent, Chi Protection: 3 Wounds healed/round for 3 rounds, 9 wounds total healed.)

[Ukyou]

He put his hand up to his chin and moved it forward. Thanks. He lets out a huff through his nose, apparently also amused at the irony of her tone.

[Nozomi]

She sagged as she could see him beginning to ease, some of the pain fading. Her head hung and she rested one hand on a tent pole, trying to control her reactions. She would want to meditate when this was over. "I... I don't want to fight him. I'm ready. I know what has to be done if he falls, but I ..." She could admit this to him, to Sora. "Damnit, my daughter was right about me."

[Ukyou]

Ukyou smiled with sympathy, pointing to himself, then his head. I know. They were family. He felt much the same way, and she likely knew it. He tilted his head a little and opened his arms, an offer.

[Nozomi]

Ukyou smiled with sympathy, pointing to himself, then his head. I know. They were family. He felt much the same way, and she likely knew it. He tilted his head a little and opened his arms, an offer.

She took the offer and started to relax a little. "I won't let him have her, not if he's fallen. You know that? Do you think that's why she left?" she murmured softly. It wasn't like Ukyou didn't know. "Kami, but the fact that she exists might still be so important down the road if this happens. I hate the thought of what is on her shoulders."

Admittedly what was on her shoulders was just to survive, and Mayumi knew that. That might have been exactly why she wasn't here.

[Ukyou]

Ukyou hugged her gently, whispering in her ear with no hint of a voice. "She is ready, and going where she is needed," he said. Then he pulled back slightly to really look Nozomi in the eyes. "Nozomi. I need to ask something of you that will be extremely difficult."

[Nozomi]

Ukyou hugged her gently, whispering in her ear with no hint of a voice. "She is ready, and going where she is needed," he said. Then he pulled back slightly to really look Nozomi in the eyes. "Nozomi. I need to ask something of you that will be extremely difficult."

"..." The relief in her eyes when he said the first was apparent. It was massive, and it took away from her the fear that she might be lost to her too, that she might be lost to everyone. As the request was spoken, she breathed and nodded.

"Of course. I'm ready for it to be difficult at this point, more than ever before." That at least was obvious.

(OOC: Making a record-keeping roll for void recovery at the end of the thread. I'll include it when we wrap, but wanted this on record first.)

[Ukyou]

"..." The relief in her eyes when he said the first was apparent. It was massive, and it took away from her the fear that she might be lost to her too, that she might be lost to everyone. As the request was spoken, she breathed and nodded.

"Of course. I'm ready for it to be difficult at this point, more than ever before." That at least was obvious.

(OOC: Making a record-keeping roll for void recovery at the end of the thread. I'll include it when we wrap, but wanted this on record first.)

He smiled gently at the relief in her eyes, then turned serious once more. "Now, when the veil between Ningen-do and Yume-do is so thin, is when our thoughts become much more important. So please believe in him, despite everything."

[Nozomi]

He smiled gently at the relief in her eyes, then turned serious once more. "Now, when the veil between Ningen-do and Yume-do is so thin, is when our thoughts become much more important. So please believe in him, despite everything."

"... I do. Because I believe in him, I'm ready to do what has to be done, if it has to be done. But ... he's still fighting." She shook her head. "He would have finished you or Matsu off, if he were not still fighting. I know that for certain. We both do." She was a thunder. Stopping her in her tracks would force this to fall to Reo or another, and she didn't know if Reo could handle it. Not this kind of fight. He was a lot of things, but they needed someone who would stand at the front, roar and bolster everyone and ... there wasn't anyone but her for that. Killing her would have been a blow to everyone.

"I believe in him, but this is hard for me. What do you think I need to do?"

[Ukyou]

He sighed, signing in the new Rokugani sign language. I don't know. He seemed to figure something out just before he woke up, though. Something about purity, honor, and mercy.

[Nozomi]

He sighed, signing in the new Rokugani sign language. I don't know. He seemed to figure something out just before he woke up, though. Something about purity, honor, and mercy.

She frowned visibly and her eyes drew together in a knit, worried expression before she sighed. "If you have any idea where he might have put it, in case something liek this happened or he died, we can start there. Maybe his tent?"

[Ukyou]

She frowned visibly and her eyes drew together in a knit, worried expression before she sighed. "If you have any idea where he might have put it, in case something liek this happened or he died, we can start there. Maybe his tent?"

He nodded and headed over to the tent. Without Shinsei staying in it, it looked positively desolate. The old Crow sighed and opened the flap, inviting her with a gesture to go first.

[Nozomi]

-snip-

When the flap closed, she narrowed her eyes and grunted as if to herself. "Ironically, I haven't even succumbed to temptation and been here since we came to this town. I almost regret that." Admittedly, this was no time for regrets, however many she might have had under the circumstances. Starting to look around, she scanned the room for what was going to stand out.

[Ukyou]

[[Perception/Investigation (Notice) TN 20]]

Ukyou began looking around, as well. He was familiar with Shinsei's things.