The Day of Thunder

[Yumi]

Breaking off from her conversation with Aoyama, Yumi was not yet satisfied with what she knew. However, she knew enough that some answers before her were those that could not simply be sought on her own. For this next step she would need another. When you planned to risk your distrust of others against the consequences of supernatural consequences it was best to do so with someone to watch over you.

Yumi was not a woman who had many friends here yet, but of those she was familiar there was one she suspected might be willing to entertain this desire of hers. That is what brought her to find Shang once more. Together, the two set out for the rivers edge. Finding a place that they might secure, set up, and do something so mundane and yet that which held supernatural weight.

Yumi prepared herself first by sitting at the waters edge, calming herself with passive meditation as she knelt.

"May water grant us clarity, and may my Flame blaze true. Should it not, may Earth bolster me against that which would harm and Air guide us toward safety," she intones softly to herself.

Looking over a shoulder, she seeks Shang, "Do you think I am foolish?"

[Saru Shang]

Shang was present, dressed in her rainy day best and that meant being bundled in a good amount of straw to repel the rain. Much of the rain had already seeped into her robes but she already resigned herself to a fate spending a day just soaking up the rain. When she was summoned by Yumi, she didn't know what to expect at first but would soon get a good idea.

As she meditated by the river, she would continuously shake her head in dismay as she hoped that Yumi would reconsider. That said, she knew that she was likely unable to convince her otherwise. The other woman was some outsider, their way was foreign to each other and she had no authority over her. Still, Shang was a tiny bit curious about the river's effects.

"Oh!" She said at first in a bit of exasperation when asked. "Most certainly, yes! You know, I kept on questioning it too but I've heard from many here that it may seem quite likely that there's a bit of truth on this concern. It'll make you forget, at best. I fear the river might even be tainted itself. When I was over at the garden the other day, I think I even saw some patterns in the haze of the water. Even without a shugenja's eye, there's something wrong with that water!"

[Yumi]

Yumi did not insult Shang by letting her words be repelled like water off a straw hat or cloak. However, as she listens Yumi's eyes linger forward toward the river itself. Perhaps she was foolish for this course of action. However, with suspicion lingering in the air and few answers afforded her this was one she could solve for herself for good.

"Thank you, for your concern Shang of the Saru. I do believe you may be correct, and I am to be proven the fool in a moments time. However, there are things that the Flame must burn to fully be satisfied. This I believe is one of those things," she says, and turns to look at Shang. Dipping her head, "Thank you for not forcing me to do this alone."

"Now," she breathes in, and turns toward the water. "Let us see what clarity this brings," she says, and scoots toward the waters edge. Reaching her hands into the flow before her she pulls up her cupped hands and drinks warily, with a mind for the way her body feels.

[Saru Shang]

"The flame burn to be satisfied?" she said with some bemusement at first. "But you're clearly planning to drink the water. So, wouldn't that do more to put out the flame? Or create steam? I'm a bit lost here on your reasoning, I'm afraid..."

Her voice trailed off as Yumi seemed to prepare herself to drink. She withheld a gasp, it would have been hard anyway as she felt her throat go dry just as Yumi drank in the water. There was a part of her that didn't know what to expect. She supposed if they had to start from the beginning of their introductions, they only had a reasonable ground to cover since her arrival yesterday...then again, what would become of her other memories?

"Uhm...Yumi-san?" She would call out to her after a few minutes, which felt like an eternity to her.

[Canary]

snip

It doesn't hit at first, but after a few moment, Yumi begins to feel lightheaded, perhaps a little elevated in mood, as well. Snuggling something warm and soft sounded nice. The colors seemed really vivid in this forest! A painter should come out here. There was a rabbit in that bush 30 feet away and it is very cute. Who was this person Yumi was with? She was also cute. Like the rabbit.

[Also Earth TN 20]

[Yumi]

Yumi holds herself in that suspense after drinking the water, the taste of it was perhaps different but not so that it caused much alarm. Eyes narrowing she looks out into the water. Holding in that look for only a second before looking over toward Shang, a shrug. It was water- but then her head dips as that lightheadedness settled in. Letting the weight of her skull bring her head down with gravity. Catching her own forehead without a moment of hesitation she settles herself. Spare hand raising to offer an indication toward Shang that she was alright.

Worry tipped its toe into the waters that she found herself within but that washes away in the very next moment. An easing of the corners of her mouth allow the faintest of smiles to crawl onto her expression. Nodding slowly she reorients herself to the space surrounding and breaths in deep of the air. Fresh, crisp, she looks all around herself and lets the surroundings soak within her spirit. All that Earth supports, builds, she allows it to settle within her spirit. Finding the rabbit, finding her companion, each tug at the corner of her mouth to raise that smile a touch brighter but she doesn't find the exact words immediately on what she would even want to say.

"My Earth remains steadied," she offers, her tone a little sweeter than usual and lacking it's edge of propriety. "Perhaps the villagers are merely whipped into frenzy by the Air of one another's tall tales?" she suggests, and chuckles a little without provocation.

___

Strength of Water: Earth Roll, Void +1k1 | 4k4 ⇒ 19 (TN: 20)

Not sure if there is anything else I should add to this, but fail by 1!

[Saru Shang]

Shang was quick to step over to Yumi when she saw the start of the signs that she was getting lightheaded. She was at least familiar with such signs that someone was beside themselves, even if she was uncertain of the effects and how she was feeling. Most certainly, some water would help in this situation. Just not the water around here!

"Are you sure? It's only been a moment! I've had my share of drinks that could often whip to the floor when you least expected. You look like you're feeling something, at least. I wouldn't exert yourself so much, just yet," she said in concern and after a quick thought, "actually, maybe you should hand over your weapons to me. You wouldn't want to be stumbling with all that extra weight on you. The ground is rather muddy around here, a very easy place to lose your foot."

[Yumi]

Yumi, almost childishly, rolls her eyes at the suggestion of giving over her weapons. Even going so far as to make a slight noise of disgust. However, "You ask me to give over myself, to take my bow," she shakes her head, "but fine- you may hold them Shang of the Saru. Your Air smells sweet enough."

Leaning forward in her seated position she contorts her body to make it easier to remove her weapons. Pulling free her blades first, and handing them over to Shang. Unstrung though it was, when it came to her bow now Yumi hesitates. Fingers gripping it a little tighter. "You will not mistreat me, promise?" she asks, with every indication her focus is on her bow.

[Canary]

snip

The bow looks wibbly-wobbly rather than an elegant curve now, but that's okay. It's just relaxing in this fantastic breeze.

[Saru Shang]

"Not give yourself exactly," Shang said carefully regarding the situation, "Just to make things easier on yourself. Heavens, I know I can stumble a little when I've had too much to drink sometimes! Also, I'll admit, a bit of safety precaution. You can even have them back once we get back to the village. I'm not so sure if you're in shape to be wandering the wilderness..."

Shang would accept the blades when given to her. If they were covered, she would cradle them in her arms, but otherwise would keep them just slightly out of reach of Yumi. She would blink at the question, wondering why she would even suspect a character such as herself to have other motives. "...I doubt I could mistreat you even if I tried, Yumi-san. Not to worry, you're in good hands."

[Yumi]

"You would be surprised at what one can do, Shang of the Saru," she says, smiling a little on how the sentence made Shang's name sound a touch musical. Holding out her bow with that slight hesitance remaining she holds it steadily. Warily looking from Shang to her bow and then back again. "Careful, it is a precarious thing to hold. Though I suppose this is to be expected of something that is all that I am," she says, and then hands over her bow.

Once freed of that decision she lightens considerably again. Looking up into the trees above, closing her eyes because they deserve a brief respite as well. "Do you think this place will be blessed by your Air someday? Your Air is sure to do this place justice, I think."

[Saru Shang]

"Well, we can be capable of many things," she murmured as she thought about the strange things happening around the village. The strangest was the morning rumour of Shinsei singlehandedly fighting everyone. Now, that was a tall tale if she heard one! "Well, I don't expect you to trust me immediately but I would be grateful if you did, at least."

When the bow was handed over, she was careful as advised. It certainly wasn't a wobbly-wabbly item as Yumi might have been viewing it but Shang did look at it curiously. As a casual archer herself, she was curious about its make and what it said about Yumi or her people. The bow that Shang possessed wasn't exactly new or obviously from the Kami Empire either, so it might be fascinating to find some similarities there.

"...Uhm," she said in consideration as she looked at the same trees that Yumi was looking at. Nope, just old spooky trees below a dreary rainy day. "I would think so. There are enough things that have happened here to spin tales about. I'm still being told and I'm not so sure we're near the climax just yet!"

[Yumi]

"Someone who wished me harm would also be grateful for my trust," she quips. Which was uncharacteristic of her but at such a budding point of a relationship with this stranger how could Shang know that. Shifting her weight a bit she sits a little less properly but quickly finds herself uncomfortable with even that position. Reaching her hands forward she stops just before planting them in the mud like a child to help her stand. Shaking her head at herself, she stands with some effort to maintain her balance while her bones screamed to lay down instead.

All the whole, Shang would certainly have had her time to examine Yumi's bow. It was something personally made, and this one has years worth of repairs made to it. Etchings of prayers to the elements, and that which binds are worked in where they didn't threaten the construction of the bow. It was something that perhaps she should have replaced by now but what Shang could not know is that this bow was once her father's. In just this one item there were stories enough to fill a poem or two of the woman who carried it.

"My part of this tale has only just begun, and it would not serve Air for it to end so abruptly," she says, another light chuckle. Taking a step forward she slips a little on the mud but her foot catches itself in a sturdy spot. Giving Yumi just enough of a jolt to spur out a laugh. "Shang of the Saru," she says with gravity, "did you see that bunny before? It was the most blessed little thing. Truly blessed by all that which is bound together, I am certain!"

[Saru Shang]

"Also a good point there," she said as she did her best to withhold a sigh on that point. However, despite the word trades here, it seemed that Yumi was ultimately cooperative with her idea at least after she managed to procure both her melee and ranged weapons. Shang pursed her lip in thought as she watched Yumi struggle a bit with even sitting, which was further proof that she was either afflicted or drunk with something. A part of her almost suggested that she drink something but this wasn't the place and Shang didn't have a bamboo water container on her.

"...How are you feeling? What do you see?" she would bring up carefully after she stopped studying the bow, carrying everything with a degree of care. It seemed like obvious questions she should have asked earlier, despite much of the evidence played out in front of her. She would move closer to her, in case she needed to snag on something for support. "Careful! I wouldn't try to move so much, at least until things seem calmer..."

"...What bunny?" she said as she snapped her gaze around the clearing around them to see the creature in question. "Hm. Maybe my senses aren't as keen as yours. I would have thought that all of the rain would have chased most of them into hiding. It also doesn't help that we're causing such a commotion here, too!"

[Canary]

"Someone who wished me harm would also be grateful for my trust," she quips. Which was uncharacteristic of her but at such a budding point of a relationship with this stranger how could Shang know that. Shifting her weight a bit she sits a little less properly but quickly finds herself uncomfortable with even that position. Reaching her hands forward she stops just before planting them in the mud like a child to help her stand. Shaking her head at herself, she stands with some effort to maintain her balance while her bones screamed to lay down instead.

All the whole, Shang would certainly have had her time to examine Yumi's bow. It was something personally made, and this one has years worth of repairs made to it. Etchings of prayers to the elements, and that which binds are worked in where they didn't threaten the construction of the bow. It was something that perhaps she should have replaced by now but what Shang could not know is that this bow was once her father's. In just this one item there were stories enough to fill a poem or two of the woman who carried it.

"My part of this tale has only just begun, and it would not serve Air for it to end so abruptly," she says, another light chuckle. Taking a step forward she slips a little on the mud but her foot catches itself in a sturdy spot. Giving Yumi just enough of a jolt to spur out a laugh. "Shang of the Saru," she says with gravity, "did you see that bunny before? It was the most blessed little thing. Truly blessed by all that which is bound together, I am certain!"

Wouldn't it be great if bunnies were as big as Shang of the Saru and you could ride them and feel their fluffy warm fur as you traveled?

[Yumi]

"It was over there-" she points directly to where she saw it last, a wide sweep of her arm. "Before the commotion, after I had drank the water and was sitting," she says, and then looks to a space beside Shang instead of directly at her. A pleasant peace forms into her expression at the thought. "That would be great," she smiles warmly, "if only bunnies were as big as Shang of the Saru. Perhaps there is a chance?"

Yumi focuses back onto Shang for her important question, "Do you think you would have liked to be a bunny, Shang of the Saru? I imagine you would make quite the fluffy one I am certain . Your Air would become you so greatly as a bunny." Realization dawns on her, and her airy demeanor shifts into a more serious one for a fleeting moment.

"Though- since you ask, I am feeling fine. Lying down somewhere comfy would be nice, but I am fine. I do not see anything alarming, but the forest around is beautiful isn't it? The way Earth bolsters it, Water guides it, and Air shapes it. I like it all quite much."

[Saru Shang]

"Bunnies as big as me?! What now?" Shang would say in bewilderment as this sounded less confused and more maddening. She thought it might have been a better precaution to take a step back so that Yumi could take her weapons back without warning. That said, it didn't seem like Yumi was hostile but strangely blissful if anything?

"...I don't know," she said at first, giving her an elongated blink as she tried to process the question. "It might be fun to spend all of your waking days in the forest, jumping around, and feeding on all the plants around you. Only to a point. Then I would also have to fear the wild dogs and cats who might consider me as food. Also, I would be unaware of potential human hunters shooting me with a bow from a long distance. It would be an interesting life but a very difficult one."

"That's good to hear," she sounded relieved but wasn't entirely convinced of that. Her gaze looked to the water for a moment before looking back to Yumi, perhaps a reminder to consider trying it on a later date. Then again, seeing those shapes in the water made her imagine that there were so many strange impurities found. Maybe even corruption. "So long as you're happy and pleased at what you see. I'm not an apothecary but these are good signs. You remember that you're Yumi, right? And to be clear, you're not feeling any strange urges to be reckless or hostile?"

[Yumi]

"I am Yumi, yes. Bow after my father, traveler of the road and keeper of his memory," she says, a smile that fades quickly when her hand reaches to rub a thumb along the dreamstone necklace she wears. Brushing last the new jade one which also dangles from her neck. Sighing with a thought to other days she lets that emotion pass easily. After all, it was hard to linger in negative places when the world around her felt so inviting.

"Nope," she says, childishly. Shaking her head with a dramatic shake. "Only wish that the bunny would have come over here so I might cuddle her. Or perhaps that I might nap underneath the canopy of one of these magnificent trees," she says with a bright smile as she looks to them again. "I had not noticed, truly, how wonderful everything is around here. Water has made much clear, that is certain," she giggles, like there was a punchline in there somewhere.

"Your Flame burning at the idea of being a bunny!" she exclaims suddenly, as if an almost escaped thought. Laughing, small giggles spread throughout her speech, "That is quite the Flame to behold. I cherish the thought of it much. Cute," she says, lingering on the word until she finds herself embarrassed, looking away. Stepping another step or two along the muddy banks of the river. "I would not hunt you if you were a bunny, Shang of the Saru. I promise."

[Saru Shang]

"Oh, that's good," she murmured under her breath when Yumi confirmed her name and identity. One of the properties she recalled of the river was the loss of memories. "You might be in better shape than I initially thought. Hopefully, whatever you're feeling right now, will be temporary. I know that you've had me supervise you but I'm a bit at a loss of what to do if something were to truly happen. I guess I could consult Satsuki on anything else spiritual or medical."

"A bunny as large as me, that's for sure! Although, I don't know how that would go exactly. Bunnies are known for being skittish because of their size and predators that could eat them. Suppose if you met a bunny that was as large as us, do you think it would be hostile?" She said before looking up, allowing some of the rain to drip down on her face. "But I'm very sure that napping here right now isn't too advisable. The trees here could only shelter you from so much rain and if this rain keeps up, we might risk a flood."

She looked skeptical at Yumi. "If I were a bunny, why wouldn't you hunt me? That's a bit hard to believe! I wouldn't take it personally...It's not like I would be able to speak or have this conversation with you. Our relationship would be so different to behind with, would it not?"

[Yumi]

"I suppose," she says, lingering on that thought a moment. Turning abruptly she moves to face Shang but finds herself half a degree off from the slip of the mud. "That is such an interesting thought, Shang of the Saru. I- I have come to appreciate your Flame in so brief a time quite greatly but now I find myself doubling even that! How you weave it with your Air is something else worthy of praise," she says, a half chuckle as she turns back to look out into the water. Strange as it may appear she was certain of one thing. "I do feel fine, this I swear."

"I cannot speak for what it may otherwise have done but-" she raises her hand and waves it around a little. Like she was conducting some unseen thing or waving it through water. "I do not feel wrong, in any way. Perhaps that is what is wrong?" she shrugs.

"Would you risk approaching such a bunny, Shang of the Bunny? One as large as us. Maybe it might be violent or-" she gasps wishfully, "maybe it would be the cuddliest thing."