The Day of Thunder

[Nanzi Ai]

"Companions," he says with a small smile, his eyes gazing all of the assembled, lingered on Ai, before setting on Satsuki. "What a day"

"Greetings Hiruma-sama, I will be honored to stand at your side... and yes it has been quite the day, let us pray the night is not equally eventful," she said turning her gaze to the others.

[Otomo Akutou]

Akutou continues to observe, and a thought occurs to him.

This'd be a great time f'r th' enemy to attack.

He begins to look around more intently.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Companions," he says with a small smile, his eyes gazing all of the assembled, lingered on Ai, before setting on Satsuki. "What a day"

Naraku was also given a full bow. "You seem to shoulder a heavy duty with a smile, Naraku. It's good to see you have hope."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"You don't need to bow Satsuki-san," Naraku gestured, his cheeks showing his embarrassment. "After all, our role is moot without the scrolls you are crafting. I might have translated a part but I am under no delusion that it was mostly accomplished by yourself. Your efforts are the ones giving us a fighting chance."

He smiles at her mention of hope, giving Ai a passing glance." Hope, " he shook his head." Certainty Satsuki-san. Certainty that we are going to win. How could we not? You will see, in two days we will all drink a glass for the end of this nightmare."

[Ryoshun Nao]

"Ryoshun-san. They will need your guidance, as the only shugenja among them. I would offer you my own guidance, but it's nothing you haven't heard before. The enemy lies. But you were chosen, and we all see the why of it. You may doubt your ability to serve as Knowledge. Just remember that once, a barely-literate semi-barbarian was tasked with aiding in the the rescue of a Kami. You're more than enough."

She dipped had dipped her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Jiyo-sama. I will watch over them. Please, watch over the rest."

[Jiyo Sora]

She dipped had dipped her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Jiyo-sama. I will watch over them. Please, watch over the rest."

"Giving me the hard part, huh? Kids these days!"

[Nanzi Ai]

Ai nodded at his optimism but gave no voice to her own internal thoughts. It was a complicated situation enough as it is. But she hoped for success, believed in success, but also knew that belief alone does not win a war or even a battle. She would be fighting for everyone… which seemed so abstract but putting faces to those masses helped… Hajime, Satuski, Hikaru… her Father and Sisters… even those that had fallen away like Kujo shared space in her thoughts.

"Giving me the hard part, huh? Kids these days!"

"The Hard Part is your specialty, Jiyo-sama," she added kindly.

[Bayushi Norikage]

He was visibly struggling with his amusement as he spoke to the Scorpion.

"With your permission, I guess I'll be watching her back for a bit. You... try not to fuck this up, all right?"

"You're probably better at it", Norikage admitted. Well, less distracted by here rear end, anyway. He bowed. "I'll leave it to you., but...is your friend alright?" He said, asking after the Nezumi.

[Jiyo Sora]

"You're probably better at it", Norikage admitted. Well, less distracted by here rear end, anyway. He bowed. "I'll leave it to you., but...is your friend alright?" He said, asking after the Nezumi.

"She's tired. I think she dug deep for those blessings..."

[Canary]

He glanced back to his...brother. A warm smile spread across his face. "Brother..." he was heavy with a mix of emotions, but he focused on the positive ones. "I am sure my children are looking forward to meeting their uncle."

Chuchu pauses, looking between the two as their eyes meet. Her tail goes straight up when she hears the word brother and all at once she cheeps and runs to embrace Genji. Oh! Oh, he has to live, for Goju! The pain he must have felt wells up in her heart and overflows in a few shed tears as she quietly hugs Genji's leg.

"Return to him," She sniffles out before wiping the tears from her fur. The little nezumi steps back to look up at this stranger who's not a stranger at all.

"You have been given the greatest burden of our times, but you do not bare it alone." Chuchu smiles -- or what counts for a mousey sort of smile, anyway. "You fight not just for others, but with others. Never forget that. As unbowed as the mountain against the winds, bare them forward as they bare you. Never falter from the path and your Name shall echo across eternity."

Goju's, too.

[Genji gains Chuchu's blessing: While in Yume-do as a Simple Action, a number of times per day equal to your Water+Void Rings, you may look at one dream object or entity and determine it's highest and lowest ring and current Wound Penalties.]

[Canary]

Chuchu toddles her way on over to Kenji and shyly holds out her hands for him to take. She knows this one -- has helped him once already. Maybe she can help him again.

"I do not understand honor," The nezumi child starts her blessing honestly; the strange human word tastes funny in her mouth. "But I think it's like Name, isn't it? It's who you are. Who you are is needed in this very moment, Lion's Claw. Be sharp as your namesake and cut only that which is corrupted, and your Name shall echo across eternity."

She then looks to the next Thunder of the coming storm.

[Akodo Kenji gains Chuchu's Blessing: While in Yume-do you may add your Honor Rank in damage to your attacks.]

[Canary]

She simply bowed her head.

Chuchu goes to Nao, gazing up at the girl who's so like her and so unlike her. She offers her handpaws to the Bat.

"To simply know something is not enough. One must also have wisdom to use that which they have learned in the service of others." Her tail wags a little as she thinks of Nao selflessly gathering things for a stranger simply because it might help. "The smartest thing any of us can do is take care of each other. I believe in you! Take what you have learned over your lifetime into this battle, and your Name shall echo across eternity."

[Ryoshun Nao gains Chuchu's Blessing: While in Yume-do, you gain an automatic Free Raise on all spells cast with no extra blood expenditure. In addition, navigation of Yume-do using Medium is now much easier, requiring no check to go to a specific dream.]

[Canary]

The shaman now walks to Otaku. The Ki-Rin gets a tiny hug on the leg as Chuchu whispers out the blessing.

"I do not know your Name, but I bless it. May your Name be as incorruptible one of the People's Names." Her forehead rests against Otaku. "It is in your people's nature to Dream, but they cannot Dream safely without you. Draw within your heart the Rot that plagues the Dreaming -- by your holy dreams pull apart that which is true and that which is corrupted -- and return that which belongs to the void to the void. Purify the Dreaming and your Name shall echo across eternity."

There's one more... another stranger. Chuchu looks to the Scorpion, who she's seen only in passing.

[Otaku gains Chuchu's Blessing: You are immune to all forms of spiritual corruption, including Shadowlands Taint, the Corruption of Yume-do, and the influence of the Lying Darkness.]

[Shiba Kumori]

The nezumi begins to glow. Her little body becomes untethered from the grasp of reality, rising into the air as pieces of her Name break apart into little golden stars that float across the gathered to find each respective Thunder. Each is limned in the flickery light of pure Dreaming as they become one of her Ten Thousand Dreams. It's a connection to eternity itself, for so long as something in the world dreams, their Name will not die.

And then it's over. Chuchu drops to the ground with a heavy thud, and she cheeps, unsteady on her feet. Once she's certain she won't fall she makes her way to Sora, who she asks for uppies with widespread arms.

Kumori found her way to where Chuchu was and looked deep into the Nezumi’s eyes.

“Fair S'si'chuchu-per'i'per'i'thich...” She tried hard to not butcher the name.

“… I thank you for your part in this battle and the blessings you bestow to our people. You have fulfilled the promise your Chief-of-Chiefs extended to my father to help us fight this evil… And I name you a friend of humans for now and always.”

Still shining with the light of her grandmother… Kumori bowed her head in respect of the Nezumi shaman.

[Canary]

He bowed. "I accept this path, and I'm honored by the company fate has granted me."

This isn't because you're special, it's because this has to get done. Don't get a big head.

With purpose, the Daughter of Ten Thousand Dreams walks to meet the last of the Thunders. She stops before the Scorpion. Dark eyes shine as she takes a moment to appraise him. His is the hardest -- not for her, but for Norikage.

"I have spoken of wisdom," She murmurs. "The wisdom of caring for others. How we only survive by taking care of each other. Your duty may seem counter to such words -- but only if you do not realize the truth beyond it. It is not enough to be against something. You must be for something. Sometimes the right choice is to destroy that which could destroy the world you wish to leave your children, and their children, and their children's children."

Chuchu rests her hands over her heart. "Fight for Tomorrow. Do not give in to the alluring promises of destruction for destruction's sake -- fight for this world that has loved you and you have loved -- and your Name shall echo across eternity."

The nezumi begins to glow. Her little body becomes untethered from the grasp of reality, rising into the air as pieces of her Name break apart into little golden stars that float across the gathered to find each respective Thunder. Each is limned in the flickery light of pure Dreaming as they become one of her Ten Thousand Dreams. It's a connection to eternity itself, for so long as something in the world dreams, their Name will not die.

And then it's over. Chuchu drops to the ground with a heavy thud, and she cheeps, unsteady on her feet. Once she's certain she won't fall she makes her way to Sora, who she asks for uppies with widespread arms.

-1 permanent Name to Bless the Thunders.

[Bayushi Norikage gains Chuchu's Blessing: Your Lucid Dreaming Advantage now allows you to raise or lower Traits of dream objects by two instead of one. This may be applied to other people in Yume-do. Using Lucid Dreaming during battle is a Complex Action.]

[Togashi Satsuki]

"You don't need to bow Satsuki-san," Naraku gestured, his cheeks showing his embarrassment. "After all, our role is moot without the scrolls you are crafting. I might have translated a part but I am under no delusion that it was mostly accomplished by yourself. Your efforts are the ones giving us a fighting chance."

He smiles at her mention of hope, giving Ai a passing glance." Hope, " he shook his head." Certainty Satsuki-san. Certainty that we are going to win. How could we not? You will see, in two days we will all drink a glass for the end of this nightmare."

Satsuki's eyes followed Naraku's glance, and she only smiled. "Oh, there better be some great celebration at the end of this. Hikaru and I have a lot to celebrate now too, and a celebration only feels right when this is all over."

[Haka Tae-soo]

The siblings watched the whole thing in silence. The did nod as each name was announced - Tae-soo more energically at some they had shared more time with. Otaku. Naraku. Nao. Norikage got a deep nod of encouragement as well - he was a Scorpion, after all.

The title related to destruction made him wonder. Was that what they were like? That he had never felt. Maybe it was more Norikage and less the Scorpion?

Hard to tell.

When all was said and done, he nodded to Ha-yeong, speaking very softly. "Hubae. We should go." The young one looked back at the thunders, whispered a short 'but...'. But they soon nodded as well and off they went.

Tae-soo had done what he could. Maybe he - or they - had a role to play here, after all. Hearing the River's plight, working with others to call the Guardian of the Deep to complete the ritual.

Maybe it was a role someone had to play and it was just happenstance that it was him there instead of someone else. It was hard to know how much was fate, how much just hope and desperation. Did the monk know he would become what he had after bringing so many here?

One way or another, they'd done what they could. He'd placed Ha-yeong at risk too much already. Now all that was left to do was wait and hope so they could leave and find what was left of life for them.

The village rebuilt just the same, as he'd dreamed. It was too good to be true. He felt that now, deep down.

But when - or if - they left this place, they'd look for a future. Not the same... that was just a pipe dream. But something. Wherever that was.

(/Exit)

[Hiruma Naraku]

"You don't need to bow Satsuki-san," Naraku gestured, his cheeks showing his embarrassment. "After all, our role is moot without the scrolls you are crafting. I might have translated a part but I am under no delusion that it was mostly accomplished by yourself. Your efforts are the ones giving us a fighting chance."

He smiles at her mention of hope, giving Ai a passing glance." Hope, " he shook his head." Certainty Satsuki-san. Certainty that we are going to win. How could we not? You will see, in two days we will all drink a glass for the end of this nightmare."

Satsuki's eyes followed Naraku's glance, and she only smiled. "Oh, there better be some great celebration at the end of this. Hikaru and I have a lot to celebrate now too, and a celebration only feels right when this is all over."

He nodded at her words. "Why wouldn't there be? Ningen-Do will have a thousand years of peace and Jigoku would have been defeated once more. We can take a day to celebrate before we go to the task of making sure our descendants do not forget what happened here."

[Bayushi Norikage]

Kumori found her way to where Chuchu was and looked deep into the Nezumi’s eyes.

“Fair S'si'chuchu-per'i'per'i'thich...” She tried hard to not butcher the name.

“… I thank you for your part in this battle and the blessings you bestow to our people. You have fulfilled the promise your Chief-of-Chiefs extended to my father to help us fight this evil… And I name you a friend of humans for now and always.”

Still shining with the light of her grandmother… Kumori bowed her head in respect of the Nezumi shaman.

"She's tired. I think she dug deep for those blessings..."

There, standing next to Kumori and Sora while the old man held the Nezumi, he was honestly struck by the gravity of things. This event was like what the heroes who rescued Hisomu went through. Much was on the line, and he didn't feel worthy of talking big, that was for certain.

Though he had to admit, he wanted to, but was terrified to as well.

Fortunately, you know well that no one wants to hear it anyway.

He stepped back from them to keep a little distance with a bow.

[Chuchu]

“… I thank you for your part in this battle and the blessings you bestow to our people. You have fulfilled the promise your Chief-of-Chiefs extended to my father to help us fight this evil… And I name you a friend of humans for now and always."

Chu starts from her sleep in Sora's arms to look at Kumori through half-lidded eyes. "Name... changed..." She yawns. "S'si'chu-per...i...per...i..." And her head starts to droop forward. "Thich." It's hard keeping her eyes open, but she's trying, for the favored pup of the chief-of-chiefs. It's important. "Thank you..." A tiny purring starts in her throat as she smiles at Kumori. "Please... let's all be friend friends... please?"