The Day of Thunder

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I'm sorry if this is a hard question to answer, given all you've been through but, do you know what she said to them when she was in control?" Satsuki asked carefully, keeping in mind that being possessed wasn't exactly a thrilling experience. As she knew herself! (stupid grandpa)

[Wu Dai Lu]

She nodded. "Yes. A lot of good-sounding stuff about "creating a new world" where they could live happily and other vague stuff. Combined with completely mundane manipulation tactics. She wanted her sacrifices to be willing, pure, and largely ignorant."

"There was a song played during the feast on the first night, it basically laid out the idea she was going for with them."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I see..." and she imagined that these messages probably painted the samurai of the Empire in an unfriendly light. "I don't think I remember hearing this song, but there was a lot of things going on then."

[Wu Dai Lu]

She tilted head head. "It had a lot of lines like, 'want to forget, just let me live inside a dreamland, I know we can create a new world.' It's a good baseline for what they've heard. It's an appealing line to people who don't feel like they have a place in the world. All they knew was that there is something called the Dream, and that they could use their will with it to create a place for themselves where they could live peacefully."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki nodded, thoughtful and quiet for a moment. Another sip of the mint-tea was had, slow and deliberate.

"I won't keep you too long, you probably have enough to do. Before I go though, is there anything you wish to say, have made known, or know yourself?" If today was a ritual of confessions, would anyone be there to listen to Chouri's confession?

[Wu Dai Lu]

She considered what to say before finally starting to speak. "... I recognize that the better thing to have done is to accept my death when I was a child. At the same time... regret is a sin, and I don't regret making the decision I did now that we're at the end," she said. "She would have gone for someone else if not for me. Someone who might not have come to care for their people, or have been able to make those scrolls. I wouldn't have met all of you if I hadn't been here. If no one had been in a position like this, a lot of the villagers here would be dead or nightmare monsters."

"For the negative consequences of my actions, and there are many, my conscience weighs on me, and I will accept the fate that awaits me recognizing that it's the fate my actions have earned. I don't regret that it is my burden to carry, though. Destiny has many strange and tangled strings."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki listened and nodded. For a rare moment, she decided not to voice her contrarian opinions, because at this point there was no need.

"Destiny is a strange thing indeed, that it brought you the people you were fighting against up until recently, who managed to work together to make the scrolls you dreamed of," she remarked with a nod. "If you don't mind, I will write down your words. I have a feeling they might be needed for the future when this battle is over. Others might need to know these words as well."

[Wu Dai Lu]

"If you would like, you can write them down." She nodded. "I am glad that no one else has to do it. I know it's a distant wish, but at the end of all this, I hope everyone can go home."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"We all hope that," she agreed. "Hopefully, we'll have managed to turn the tide enough in our favor for what comes."

"I can't make any guarantees as to what people will think of this, after it's all over, but at least they can make up their own minds on what to believe when hearing the motivations and thoughts you've given me. I appreciate that." With that, Satsuki bowed her head. That would be all.

"Thank you for this meeting and the tea."

[Wu Dai Lu]

"People will always think what they wish. It doesn't change what needs to be done," she said with a shrug.

Chouri rose and bowed. "Of course, Togashi-sama. It was my pleasure."

"Ah, one last thing. It's a favor, so... do with it as you will, I suppose. If it's possible, though, could one of your people help Yoshie and Daisuke get up to your mountains, to the Saru? I know that they would like to see their son again."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki tilted her head to the side as she considered it. Not because she wanted to deny a dying woman one last request, far from it, but more that she didn't know the future of the villagers - if there would be a way out of it for them afterward.

"If there is no order from the Emperor to prevent me from doing so, I will see it done," she replied honestly. "It's the least I can do for family that wants to be reunited."

[Wu Dai Lu]

She bowed deeply. "Thank you, Togashi-sama. I will pray for his mercy, then."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki bowed her head in return. "In return, I will pray that your efforts tomorrow will reflect kindly on your soul in the great wheel." Even if there was no shrine to pray at, she'd pray for Chouri's soul in the kharmic wheel, and for her to do the right thing.

/scene?

[Canary]

/scene