The Day of Thunder

[Tyrus]

Her claws indeed pierce the woman again, biting deeply into that corrupted flesh the monster screams in pain and reels back but she has precious little time to confirm whether the monster was killed or not as she exits the house She sees the barely there outline shimmer and fade to nothing. Just an empty patch of dirt between two homes, but did she glimpse a patch of human toned flesh as she made her hasty exit? Or was it just her hopeful imagination?

The family outside was coming to the young daughter had begun crying and a shout of "Aoyama!" Was heard as Yamagato lunged for the disappearing house passing harmlessly through the building as it disappeared and landing in a heap in the dirt. He looks up and around and scrambles to his son "Oh Shoji." He says and scoops the boy into a hug before pulling him to the crying child who he picks up and consoles gently.

The villagers let out worried murmurs but begin to disperse as whatever odd happening seems to be over.

------------------------
Combat over! Thread open for rp

Players all recieve .5 glory and gain a rank of Lore: Spirit Realms if they do not already have one.

[Otomo Akutou]

Akutou secures his weapons on his person again and then doffs his hat, bowing slightly in respect to the grief and loss.

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

The family outside was coming to the young daughter had begun crying and a shout of "Aoyama!" Was heard as Yamagato lunged for the disappearing house passing harmlessly through the building as it disappeared and landing in a heap in the dirt. He looks up and around and scrambles to his son "Oh Shoji." He says and scoops the boy into a hug before pulling him to the crying child who he picks up and consoles gently.

Lowering her weapon, Ayako approached the mourning family.

"We tried, but.... Aoyama didn't make it," the young Crab said, sounding sorrowful. "I'm so sorry."

[Akodo Kenji]

If Kenji didn't think anything was off about this village, this would of certainly convinced him there was. Watching the villagers walk away as if nothing happened after all this commotion was surreal to say the least. He glanced at Ayako as she showed concern for the survivors, and voiced his own concern though.

"What about you Yoshitsune-san? Are your wounds okay?"

[Tyrus]

Not everyone had left and the guard began to disperse the remaining on lookers and create space for the family and samurai.

[Yamagato]

The man looked up a few tears on his cheeks the young girl had quieted but was sniffling in his arms he looked to Ayako and shook his head "She....she wasn't herself the past few days. I, I thought it was stress or just worry but....oh I should have known something was more wrong."

[Otomo Akutou]

Akutou resumes his hat.

He then approaches Shoji, taking a knee.

"Hey, son," he says. "I know it's hard, but I need to ask you about some things, okay?"

[Tyrus]

Akutou resumes his hat.

He then approaches Shoji, taking a knee.

"Hey, son," he says. "I know it's hard, but I need to ask you about some things, okay?"

The young man shakes his head a bit seemingly still getting his grasp on things "Huh, Uh what's up?"

[Otomo Akutou]

The young man shakes his head a bit seemingly still getting his grasp on things "Huh, Uh what's up?"

"S' first, I need you t' tell me what all happened t'night," Akutou says. "I ain't gonna be mad 'r nothin', I promise. But we need t' know, in case somethin' else bad starts up; mebbe we c'n get it stopped."

~~~~~
Investigation 22, https://sakkaku.org/r/12409
Why? Because I'm questioning the boy, is why.

[Ryoshun Yukara]

Yukara punched the dirt, swearing again under her breath. "Damnit. Again! Again I cannot save them!"

Taking a steadying breath, she rose, body shaking with exertion - a strange ache passing through her, as if in her soul, rather than her body. Flicking blood from her claws, she began to lick them clean, absent-mindedly, still grumbling to herself. "They had best be right about this being the finale... I grow weary of this dreary tale.

(Taint Check for Idiot Cat -- Spirit power drawback: Base Instincts (loses .6 glory or gains .6 infamy at GM discretion))

After a moment, she seemed to realize what she was doing, and spat on the earth, embarrassed by the lapse. She appeared to have more fully stabilized into an abhuman form - her fingers now firmly tipped in jade talons, and two black tails poking from the gap of her tunic and trousers, while her head boasted the ghostly image of two catlike ears - not quite substantial - almost as if a spiritual appendage, rather than a physical one.

Lowering her weapon, Ayako approached the mourning family.

"We tried, but.... Aoyama didn't make it," the young Crab said, sounding sorrowful. "I'm so sorry."

Approaching, she likely seemed something of a monster herself, but her focus was upon Ayako. "Ayako-san, are you all right? The three of you worked wonders in saving them - I wish I had been so capable... you should not take any blame for that failure. It is mine. I was not strong enough to dispel that darkness."

[Tyrus]

The young man shakes his head a bit seemingly still getting his grasp on things "Huh, Uh what's up?"

"S' first, I need you t' tell me what all happened t'night," Akutou says. "I ain't gonna be mad 'r nothin', I promise. But we need t' know, in case somethin' else bad starts up; mebbe we c'n get it stopped."

~~~~~
Investigation 22, https://sakkaku.org/r/12409
Why? Because I'm questioning the boy, is why.

Shoji looked a bit lost for a moment "I-I don't know really. Mom came home and was acting all weird but kept saying everything was ok, she was like calmer than usual, or I guess calmer than she has been."

He ran a hand through his longish hair "I went into my room and then....it was weird I was somewhere else, like I don't remember how I got there but we were having a family dinner and....I felt happy? It was weird but we were all there and smiling and it's so weird to think about now I never got along with my family like that...." He was speaking slowly as if he was trying to piece things together as he was speaking.

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"What about you Yoshitsune-san? Are your wounds okay?"

"Well, they're not too bad," Ayako replied, rubbing her split lip. "But I should probably get someone to take a look at them."

[Ayako is at 41 wounds (Grazed)]

The man looked up a few tears on his cheeks the young girl had quieted but was sniffling in his arms he looked to Ayako and shook his head "She....she wasn't herself the past few days. I, I thought it was stress or just worry but....oh I should have known something was more wrong."

"Don't blame yourself, there's been a lot of strange things happening lately," Ayako said, trying to reassure him. "Was she having bad dreams? I think that was one of the symptoms."

"Ayako-san, are you all right? The three of you worked wonders in saving them - I wish I had been so capable... you should not take any blame for that failure. It is mine. I was not strong enough to dispel that darkness."

"It's not your fault, Yukara-san. We did everything we could," Ayako said firmly. "And we saved the whole rest of the family. It's... it's what she wanted."

[Ryoshun Yukara]

"It's not your fault, Yukara-san. We did everything we could," Ayako said firmly. "And we saved the whole rest of the family. It's... it's what she wanted."

"It is difficult to feel blameless when my strength gave out first in that battle of wills."

She took a slow breath, rubbing at her neck. "At least... at least there is a chance she was free at the end. That was all I could do."

Looking to the family, she smiled, somewhat frighteningly, given her fangs, cat eyes, and ghostly ears, "At least this time, the family is alive. The three of you will need to be strong... for your sake, and for her. You have life - do not waste it."

Glancing back to Ayako, she added, "You may not feel too hurt, but you still look rather battered. I will walk with you to the healer, once you are ready."

[Akodo Kenji]

"I know enough to bandage some wounds if nessacary." Kenji offered. "Though an actual healer back at our camp would likely be better."

He decided better of saying that the woman that may or may not have died was likely doomed to eternity in Jigoku. It likely wouldn't go over well.

[Otomo Akutou]

Shoji looked a bit lost for a moment "I-I don't know really. Mom came home and was acting all weird but kept saying everything was ok, she was like calmer than usual, or I guess calmer than she has been."

He ran a hand through his longish hair "I went into my room and then....it was weird I was somewhere else, like I don't remember how I got there but we were having a family dinner and....I felt happy? It was weird but we were all there and smiling and it's so weird to think about now I never got along with my family like that...." He was speaking slowly as if he was trying to piece things together as he was speaking.

"There's a small blade in your room when I found you, son," Akutou says. "Looked like you was lookin' at it. How'd you come by it, if'n I c'n ask?"

Still kneeling, he glances about, taking in the rest of the scene.

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

Glancing back to Ayako, she added, "You may not feel too hurt, but you still look rather battered. I will walk with you to the healer, once you are ready."

"I know enough to bandage some wounds if nessacary." Kenji offered. "Though an actual healer back at our camp would likely be better."

"Thank you both," Ayako said, with a small bow. "Some bandaging and a visit with the healer would be nice. Though, we may want to get a shugenja or other expert to look over Yamagato and his family - that strange paralysis they were under did not seem natural. I hope it is not some power that the enemy will unleash on us in the days to come."

[Ryoshun Yukara]

Yukara mulled that over, ghostly ears twitching, and then muttered, "My best guess is that it may be a side effect of the realm they were locked in - captives of that woman's dream - forever happy... forever safe."

Glancing at Ayako, she added, "Is that not what she said - in her madness, before she was woken?"

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

Glancing at Ayako, she added, "Is that not what she said - in her madness, before she was woken?"

"I think you're right, I did hear her say something like that," Ayako said, shivering a little at the thought. "A chilling fate. I'm glad we were able to save them."

[Akodo Kenji]

"Thank you both," Ayako said, with a small bow. "Some bandaging and a visit with the healer would be nice. Though, we may want to get a shugenja or other expert to look over Yamagato and his family - that strange paralysis they were under did not seem natural. I hope it is not some power that the enemy will unleash on us in the days to come."

Kenji nodded, and when Ayako allowed began to work. Though he was obviously no expert in these things, he'd apparently bandaged enough wounds in his time to do a passable job of things.

medicine on Ayako day 6 | 4k3 ⇒ 20 (TN: 15)
wounds healed | 1k1 ⇒ 9

[Tyrus]

"There's a small blade in your room when I found you, son," Akutou says. "Looked like you was lookin' at it. How'd you come by it, if'n I c'n ask?"

Still kneeling, he glances about, taking in the rest of the scene.

"Oh I uh," He seemed hesitant but he sighed "I lifted it off someone a few days back." He murmured.

The scene was slowly returning to what passed for normal here as the guard managed to disperse the remaining stragglers and now only one or two stayed to watch over the scene.