The Day of Thunder

[Jiyo Sora]

There was nothing obviously wrong at the beginning of Ranmaru's dream, at least for an ordinary person. Indeed an ordinary person might have been entranced by the woman who meandered through her vibrant garden. The flowers had grown in well under her delicate care but none could compare to her beauty. Perhaps not even Doji herself could compare to her.

"Why have you summoned me here?" Ranmaru asked, hands already gripping his swords.

The gardener looked back at him, her smile one that could shatter most men's hearts. It faded away once she saw the blades. But like any proper lady, her poise did not shatter at the sign of a threat. "There is no need for that. All of your questions will be answered in due time."

Ranmaru's patience had run out long ago. He strode forward and seized her neck. To his surprise, she did not lash out to claw his eyes out. Instead, her dainty neck felt like it might crack from the slightest of pressure. He pulled away, unable to look her in the eye as he sputtered out, "I'm sorry." Seiyūdō, at its core, was not about harming women. He wanted to protect them, protect men too, protect humanity as a whole.

"Still you reject my help." Her eyes watered, although he could intuit that it was not due to her bruised neck. "Remain strong. This will all be over soon." She started fading way, becoming solid for one last remark. "I meant it will resolve soon, not that you'll die." Then she turned into dust and blew away in the wind. Was still super foreboding though.

Not as grim as the garden wilting away around him. Ranmaru gritted his teeth, certain that his burly hands would not be able to tend to them at all. By the end of the night, all that was left were pitiful husks, him most of all.

Far more pathos than I would have expected from the character on Day 0.

[Togashi Satsuki]

Subject: Unpleasant Truths (D5 EM Open)

Makime remained with her back to them, "My fealty is to Lord Akodo and through him the Emperor. I do not owe any to the Imperial Babysitter and his ward, daughter of the Emperor or not. My authority here is from consensus of my fellow daimyo. As for the information. I was in the process of compiling it when Nao burst in with word of the Chouri's true nature. I had suspected she was complicit in some manner of treachery but to be so directly tied to the enemy. At which point it largely is moot. The only further I believe I can add is that the shugenja present are pouring over the ritual to fully understand it. And the existence of a corrupted jade mine that seems to be the source of the rivers unnatural power."

Another bit of firewood, "The traitor is a rotten tree and from a rotten tree only rancid fruit. Anything she says is suspect. And I care very little for the opinions of these fools who listened to her sickeningly sweet lies, including the one currently bedding her."

"But we are left having to postpone justice for the sake of saving the realm." She crossed her arms. "But it is merely postponed."

In Lady Makime we trust. *salutes*

[Jiyo Sora]

In Lady Makime we trust. *salutes*

KBYRT

[Otaku]

In Lady Makime we trust. *salutes*

KBYRT

can we keep the chitchat in the OOC thread we have for that purpose, and keep MM for MM?

[Togashi Satsuki]

LMAO

[Saru Ranmaru]

Subject: [D5LA] Three Tasks (CLOSED)

As they kissed, Hikaru released her left hand, but only to slide his arm around her waist. Almost as if he could read her mind, he pulled her closer, pressing her form against his. One kiss became two, then three, as Hikaru found himself unable to break away, wanting to savor this moment as long as he could.

Finally, reluctantly, he pulled back a bare inch, just enough to speak, his breath still mingling with hers. "Then we shall be wed. My love." Hikaru whispered hotly, unable to keep from brushing his lips against hers again. "You have only to name the time and place, and it will happen."

There are words he'll never say. Not to me.... Not to me...

But in all seriousness, aww.

[Togashi Satsuki]

https://dayofthunder.fallenash.com/view ... 717#p15717




Some high-grade heresy happening here.

[Togashi Satsuki]

So love can bloom, even on a battlefield...

[Kaiu Tai]

Really like the Tranmute for ink idea, Nao.

"I think that may be the case." she nodded.

Nao had been working on something since she first arrived. She had brought over 4 buckets. One filled with water. One with dirt. One was empty. And, as they were speaking, she lit a fire in the last.

The kindling used burned quickly. She waited a to let much of it burn to ash and float away. She cut herself then, and offered her blood to the flame, asking it to take a new form. It refused and she quickly added more fuel so she could try again. Sated by the second offering, the fire acquiesced. It grew dark and became substantial, taking a liquid form. The bucket now held dark red ink that seemed to glow like embers.

She repeated the ritual with the water next. It accepted her request readily. It wasn't a significant change and water adapted quickly. It became a rich indigo ink that continually rippled with black swirls.

Earth transformed into a steel grey ink with white crystalline flecks,

And, air condensed into a deep green ink, lace with a myrthful blue.

[Jiyo Sora]

At first, all she finds is a poem.

Do not mourn for me
I will be in the sunlight
Watching our treasure

She notices, though, there's a little ink bleed through from the back. On the other side of the paper is a note:

Find the best of me in them. It must be you now.

NO PRESSURE!

[Nozomi]

No pressure at all, old man.

Also, I'm very proud of a question Nozomi just asked. Hahahaha. Maybe this will be visible later?

[Nozomi]

Normally, I hate doing a memorable moment on my own quotes, but....

"Since when do any of us ever have much time?" she growled with a shrug. "You'll have to forgive me, but as dangerous as you no doubt are and as much danger as I might be in right now? It dawns on me." Her gaze locked with the Harbinger.

"Why would you be trying to convince me to take an offer if you were confident that your master would finish his task in two day's time? Are you afraid that it will fail, as it did a thousand years ago, and a thousand years before that? Do your kind know fear?"

Sometimes, Nozomi says the quiet part out loud. Like "Are you afraid we'll win?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

Matsu saw much of her life laid out before her.

She saw herself at the center of the Day of Thunder, taking down the Champion of Jigoku with her true weapons - her ferocity and her irreproachable sense of honor. She felt the strength of the earth that she knew was her father watching over her as she achieved victory at the cost of grievous injuries. No victory was easily won, as the fearsome scars that soon became known across the Empire would attest.

She saw herself leading the armies of the Spider, seeking out and destroying large scale corruption wherever it showed its face, serving as the core of purity within the Spider. Eventually finding love in her second in command, whose loyalty and honor were equal to her own. They loved and protected one another with the same ferocity as they fought, and the heir of her family would one day be his daughter, Matsu Kiriko. Each of their best aspects - Matsu's ferocity and purity and his organizational skills and focus, combined with both of their senses of honor - made themselves clear in her, and it was with absolute confidence that Matsu eventually handed the family to her.

Matsu, meanwhile, continued building her legend as the fiercest opponent of corruption and greatest samurai in the Empire until the day she died honorably on the battlefield. She passes from her injuries in her love's arms, completing a life exactly where she wanted to be, and knowing that the future of her family was exactly what she hoped for.

It felt real. It felt like the future.

And, Matsu being Matsu, there was no room for doubt, no crack for Yume-Jigoku to slip into - she already had all the tools she needed.

The dream ends.

Matsu was born badass, and will always be badass!

[Canary]

Naraku's eyes widened as the woman stopped in front of him. He stumbled to find any words, merely managing to produce a simple nod.

"I don't know what to say. It is an honor"

"Go, Naraku!" Ayako cheered, pumping her fist as Hiruma Naraku's name was called. "You'll be the BEST thunder!!"

The young Crab felt self-conscious for a moment as she realized the other clans were not cheering for their champions. Was ... was she making a scene?

Ahh, screw it, she decided at last. "Gooooo Naraku!!" she shouted again.

I love this, this is so cute and supportive. Go Ayako!

[Ryoshun Yukara]

As the negative thoughts spread through her, the light of the sun briefly touched her, and she felt the warmth of a small hand in hers. She briefly hears a girl's voice.

Grandma, if that happens, will you help me, too?

Perhaps it wasn't the future to be a Thunder, but she did have a beautiful future ahead of her. It wasn't something that could happen if she was dead. Her time to shine would take time, but it would come, along with a family that loved her and one another.

"And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch's (Yukara) small heart grew three sizes that day. And then – the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch (Yukara) found the strength of ten Grinches (Yukara), plus two!"

[Hiruma Naraku]

As she was passed over, for a brief moment Yukara felt a pang of frustration, of rage. The dark voices which followed bubbled up, hissing in their envy, their poison.

She gazed at her freshly returned hand, and could only ponder that being removed and returned had not washed it clean - she was still guilty. Still unworthy.

It threatened to choke her, the realization that she had only been deluding herself into thinking she had a place here - that she had some part to play in among the people... the beautiful people who stood astride the world. Knowing she had been an amusement. A distraction. A toy. Destruction? Destruction!? They wanted to speak of destruction... many of them had never seen it, never known it as she had. Had not wrought it to home after home while weeping at its horror...

The voice hissed its poison.

Yukara finally let go a long breath, not even aware she had been holding it, and eased the strength of her grip.

So what?

Her destiny was not to do this thing. She was not to be a hero, loved by history, to be adored. Had that ever stopped her before? What needed doing would not change - until her work was done, there was no time for these petty thoughts.

The voices desperately rose in intensity, arguing about how she was betrayed, about how she deserved better, how this monk had no more right to decide her fate than any other. And Yukara shut them out, one by one, until her mind was still once more, quiet.

There were things that could be helped, and things that could not. Just because her life was not one of import, did not mean she would give satisfaction to her enemy in this late hour. She knew what those voices belonged to.

Striding to Nao, she rested that hand on the young woman's shoulder, offering a small blessing of her own, "You will not simply tell the tales of others, Nao-sama. You will be at the heart of this tale - and tell it first hand."

She smiled, adding, "Though I am not worthy to join you in this task, what I can do, I will do. You need only ask."

Then she removed herself from the way of events, letting the items of remaining importance play out.

This right here was simply chef's kiss.

[Ryoshun Yukara]

It's in a terrible hand and somehow, somehow actually reads as if it's in the accent he speaks, but Akutou's message gets to the people.

Y'all,

This here hullaballoo represents a great turnin' point in th' hist'ry not only o' Blue Lotus Village, but o' th worl'. Hell's takin' over th' world o' dreams, an' if'n it wins, we're all gonna be in a heap o' trouble--an' it'll be that way f'r a thousan' years. I dunno 'bout y'all, but I don't wanna screw over th' next thousan' years o' folks; they ain't done nothin' t' deserve it yet, e'en if I've got a whuppin' comin' or if any o' y'all do.

It'd prob'ly screw up th' pickles, too, an' don't nobody want that.

S' what I'm tryin' t' say is, we c'ld really use y'all's help. This here's gonna be a battle in th' mind an' th' heart as much as it is wi' th' fist an' th' sword. Mebbe more so. Y'all got heart, an' I'm glad t' fight f'r you. Ain't y'all gonna help fight f'r me, too?

This message seems perfectly clear to me.

[Togashi Satsuki]

Dear Chouri and the People of Blue Lotus Village

I just wanted to pass on the below message to you all before all hell breaks loose tomorrow.
Chouri, I appreciate you reading this aloud to those who cannot read themselves, I hope you get my voice right.

If a single one of you inbred, poisonous, traitorous, ungrateful bastards takes a step towards the enemy, thinks of joining the enemy or looks at the enemy for too long, I am coming for you. Maybe you think you can sacrifice your soul to darkness and that will protect you?

It won't. I will find you, my descendants will find you, and after we are done you will beg for the demons. Whatever tortures you imagine you have experienced will be a playful tickle compared to what will happen to you if you side with darkness. Whatever resentment you bear towards your fellow man will be returned a thousand fold. My Chroniclers will have to spend years inventing new words just to describe what will happen to his misbegotten village.

This is the apocalypse. Your little barn raisings, your little poisoned meals, your little boos boos that someone was mean to the demon possessed sorcerer who going to sacrifice you all. They don't matter. What matters is whether the thunders save your miserable lives tomorrow. So think long and think hard about where you stand. Because if you're against us, you won't be standing for long.

P.S, I have drawn a helpful diagram below to illustrate to the particularly stupid villagers what tomorrow will look like if they step out of line.

((5 points))

O. M. G.

Anjing is my favorite auntie now.

[Hiruma Naraku]

Makime stared at the messenger. "They want me to what?"

"A letter Lady Makime, both her majesty, Jiyo-sama, the liaison, and Chouri have all requested you write something to help ease the fears of..."

Her eye twitched, "Did they now? Very. Well." She opened up her writing equipment and began:

TO: The inhabitants of the insignificant, until recently, village of Blue Lotus

I believe over our shared time we have begun to truly understand one another. And in that understanding has grown the tree of hatred and it's many, many fruits of despise.

I despise you because you are a town of feckless, cowardly, incompetent, insincere, capricious, stupid, unthinking, duplicitous, fools who immediately fell in with the first traitorous temptress to speak a few honeyed words and her drug addled huckster of a minion.

You of course despise me because on a fundamental, emotional level you understand I am completely correct in my estimation of your inner selves and that makes you upset.

Unfortunately fate has played us both most cruelly and now we find ourselves in need of each other. There are nine people, any one of whom is worth ten thousand of you worthless idiots, who are going to face the very champion of Jigoku itself. Their success in part relies on your completing the ritual. As it, likely, requires you to only do the same brainless activity you did last year, this should be a simple task worthy of your limited means.

Failure dooms us all to a thousand years under the cruel yoke of Jigoku. That thought should horrify you, if not because of your lack of self-preservation instinct, then at least for the future of your children. If, however, that is insufficient then allow to elaborate further. If you fail the nine Thunders because of your cowardice, for I am merciful and willing to look over your ineptitude, then I will retrieve my army. An army which lies just south of here across the river. I will fight my way back through Jigoku's minions. And I will erase your town from existence. I will burn every building to the ground, I will pull up every foundation stone, I will till the earth until no sign you ever existed is left. I will wipe you from the minds of men in your totality.

Have a pleasant day.
(Chop of Makime)

The courier was pale as he finished reading. "L..Lady Makime are you sure?"

Makime leaned back and tapped her chin, "You have a point let me see it."

To the bottom she added:

Addendum: If we win I expect you will desire to celebrate and/or mourn. This is natural and perfectly ok, indeed given the circumstances I would even say you earned it. So good job you. I, however, am still not eating your shitty food.

Makime smiled and handed it back, "Now it's perfect."

-----------
Raw INT for Lore: Spirit Realms. TN 20. VP spent for 1k1+4 | 4k4+4 ⇒ 34 (TN: 20) Passed 1 point

Sincerity/AWA. 3 Called Raises. VP spent for 1k1+4 | 5k3+4 ⇒ 26 (TN: 35) Failed

Etiquette/AWA. 3 Called Raises. VP spent for 1k1+4 | 6k3+4 ⇒ 34 (TN: 35) Failed, so close

1 point

I love this. Don't agree with it IC. Still love it.

[Jiyo Sora]

Satsuki gathered her kinsmen Ranmaru and Shang to bless them with the best of luck in this task. It was for the benefit of Doji after all! So that meant the newest member of the Dragon, Hikaru, also got to benefit from the blessings of the kami to do his very best. They had promised eachother to save Lady Doji together, and so they would!


She wasn't sure how well the villagers could read, and if words would be lost on them, so Satsuki decided to do some illustrations.



Humor was always a good icebreaker, she figured, and portrayed Jigoku as a pathetic loser, contrasted by the clans of the Empire as a super-guy of sorts. Her mother might've been proud of the effort she put in, and probably some Saru would've found it hilarious. Maybe.

This event might be kicking our butts, but it's at least producing some solid gold.

Also, GO DRAGON DIPLOMACY