The Day of Thunder

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

The conversation from before having gotten away from him a bit, he took the opportunity to wander over and antagonize someone without them being able to do anything about it in a crowd. Wasn't life grand? "Why, I don't believe we've met before, Yuzuru-sama. Surely I would have remembered such a refined member of the Imperial families." He bowed deeply and came up with a grin. The damn crow was always grinning, despite not having teeth most of the time.

"I'm quite sure we've never ever fucking seen one another before now. Absolutely certain."

He began to twirl the smoking pipe, with it's peculiarities, around one hand . . . perhaps to distract himself from the urge to throttle the smart-ass he was talking to.

"Hoto-Hori."

The grinding of teeth was almost audible . . .

[Otaku]

Otaku crouches comfortably on her heels near the front of the growing group, hands wrapped around a steaming mug of hot liquid which she sips occasionally. She seems largely content to listen and observe the hubbub.

Lingering next to a woman so small both amused and worried the mighty Ranmaru. Although his chest was once again bare, she probably could intuit that it wasn't for the purpose of attracting her attention. He too seemed to be willing to watch all the mingling around him.

Just as well; Otaku can appreciate a finely tuned human instrument as much as the next person, but Ranmaru is way too young for her. Among other impediments.

Nursing her herbal drink in both hands, she glances up and to the side and acknowledges his presence with a nod and slight smile, not noticing any unease on his part. Nor would she guess the reason if she did notice, since she doesn't tend to think of herself as small.

[Ukyou]

"I'm quite sure we've never ever fucking seen one another before now. Absolutely certain."

He began to twirl the smoking pipe, with it's peculiarities, around one hand . . . perhaps to distract himself from the urge to throttle the smart-ass he was talking to.

"Hoto-Hori."

The grinding of teeth was almost audible . . .

"Hmm, that must be so. I would definitely remember a face like yours," he replied. "Ukyou, a monk. Truly a pleasure, Hoto-hori-sama." He practically purred it.

[Makime Omoi]

Snip

Omoi looked up and smiled.

"Ah Kai-san, blessed morning to you." He quickly stood and bowed, the little girl following suit. "This is my daughter Chōjo. Chōjo, this is the musician I told you I met yesterday."

"My father says you were serenading the city" The girl said with a diminutive voice as she bowed again.

"You have come to see the prophet speak, out of interest or curiosity?" Omoi asks.

[Saru Ranmaru]

Just as well; Otaku can appreciate a finely tuned human instrument as much as the next person, but Ranmaru is way too young for her. Among other impediments.

Nursing her herbal drink in both hands, she glances up and to the side and acknowledges his presence with a nod and slight smile, not noticing any unease on his part. Nor would she guess the reason if she did notice, since she doesn't tend to think of herself as small.

Out of mild curiosity, Ranmaru leaned over to get a better look at what the drink was. But regardless of the contents, he leaned back and gave her a nod back. He considered not smiling back but, well, his mom wouldn't have approved of being that rude.

Then he went back to wondering why they had all gathered around to... mingle. It seemed that the festival would accomplish that.

[Kai]

Snip

Kai smiled at the girl. "Not really Choojo one... Thy father just heard me playing some notes and I also fulfilled thy request." He looked at Omoi and nodded. "The latter rather curiosity. I wonder some seem annoyed, others seemed wondering."

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

"Hmm, that must be so. I would definitely remember a face like yours," he replied. "Ukyou, a monk. Truly a pleasure, Hoto-hori-sama." He practically purred it.

"I suppose you're here to see what the fucking donkey is up to as well? Or has he dragged you . . . in?"

He growled the words with a silent 'back' in the pause.

[Otomo Akutou]

"Firmer? Mmmm... I think, back home, my pillow is softer, if anything. Full of goose down and cloth scrap with a silk covering."

"Right, but it'll work in tandem with your futon," Akutou replies, "an' travelin' don't usually admit of layin' out th' best futon.

"But, like I says, it works f'r me. Might not work f'r you, but it might be worth a try. From someone who spends a lotta nights sleepin' out away."

[Ukyou]

"I suppose you're here to see what the fucking donkey is up to as well? Or has he dragged you . . . in?"

He growled the words with a silent 'back' in the pause.

He suppresses a snort, but does laugh. "Donkey, hmm? Why donkey?"

"And yes, he's dragged me in. Not that I was ever out to begin with." A sigh.

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

He suppresses a snort, but does laugh. "Donkey, hmm? Why donkey?"

"And yes, he's dragged me in. Not that I was ever out to begin with." A sigh.

"Cos he's a fucking donkey, that's why donkey."

He stared at the monk.

"None of us should be beholden to a fucking donkey."

[Reiko Ohta]

snip

"Is that so? May I ask what you do for a living then, Otomo-san, that keeps you out so much?"

[Otomo Akutou]

snip

"I'm a hunter," Akutou replies. "An' I mostly work out west in Stag lands."

[Makime]

He suppresses a snort, but does laugh. "Donkey, hmm? Why donkey?"

"And yes, he's dragged me in. Not that I was ever out to begin with." A sigh.

"Cos he's a fucking donkey, that's why donkey."

He stared at the monk.

"None of us should be beholden to a fucking donkey."

"I've never heard him called that before." Came a voice slicing into the conversation. Makime gave the two a nod as she deft entered the conversation with all the subtlety of lion's roar.

She managed a smile even, or what technically would be called a smile but there was no mirth, joy, or friendlessness in it. "I do agree with sentiment, of course."

The Lioness studied the two for a moment before adding, "My apologies, I am Makime, servant of Akodo, who is Lord of Lion Clan." She didn't sound particularly apologetic.

[Makime Omoi]

Snip

"I'm sure there are many here who are unsure or skeptical, the past thirty-odd years have seen much upheaval in people's lives and Shinsei brings more of that. It's only natural that some will resist or be defensive, even the Kami are not universal in their opinion of him. You at least have the opportunity to hear him for yourself and decide."

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

snip

"I've never heard him called that before." Came a voice slicing into the conversation. Makime gave the two a nod as she deft entered the conversation with all the subtlety of lion's roar.

She managed a smile even, or what technically would be called a smile but there was no mirth, joy, or friendlessness in it. "I do agree with sentiment, of course."

The Lioness studied the two for a moment before adding, "My apologies, I am Makime, servant of Akodo, who is Lord of Lion Clan." She didn't sound particularly apologetic.

Well the, now they would have to behave. The pipe stopped twirling in his hand and he managed to not growl.

"Hoto-Hori of the Yuzuru."

The thieving corvid could introduce itself.

"Once a donkey, always a fucking donkey."

Apparently he didn't count cursing as not behaving.

[Akodo Kenji]

Lady Makime entering conversation with someone caused Kenji's eyes to shift in that direction. He made no move to join in the conversation though, still content to sit back and observe.

[Reiko Ohta]

snip

"Oh. I didn't realize any Clans still had full time hunters in their samurai ranks. I suppose that makes sense, since it's a fairly specialized skill to go to waste if you're good at it. I know a bit about animals myself and the bow, but I can't say I've ever combined those two aspects of my schooling into shooting at the animals."

She held up a finger to stop any objection, "Not that I mind of course; Fish are caught and animals are hunted and the cycle of life continues on."

[Saru Shang]

Shang gave Satsuki another small smile and dipped slightly in something of a bow/curtsey to show gratefulness for her interest. "Thank you, Togashi-sama. Your enthusiasm is well appreciated by this one. I paint too, of course, but my time on the road hasn't quite afforded me the environment or comfort enough to practice without some sacrifice. Charcoal and parchment do provide an interesting medium, however, especially when we consider that we've been minimalistic up until when the Kami gifted us with so many of these colours. A balance of yin and yang, in a way. I do hope inspiration does show itself here, I've been trying to find it for many months now on the road and it's been already a long journey. It would help if the fog wasn't so eager to hog the foreground or perhaps I should consider them as my subject?"

"Yes," she said as she drummed her fingers on her fan again in thought. "All the more I'm convinced that there is something to be witnessed here. I personally don't like to leave my audience in suspense but I do agree that the abundance in it could be considered an experience in itself. Again, the whole abstract vibe of it all."

Since they were waiting, she supposed she should remember her formalities, even if they were in a setting with standing space. "I'm Shang of the Saru, by the by."

"Satsuki of the Togashi, a pleasure to meet you, Shang-san," Satsuki bobbed her head in greeting, even remembering the honorific this time. "It seems like it would be difficult to ignore the mists here, if you were to capture the moment to canvas... but I suppose it has it's place? There's something very dream-like to it."

There was certainly something to that, she suddenly thought after she uttered those words. This required further investigation later today. "From all I know, rarely does something not happen when Shinsei is involved. From what I hear from people, he tends to make stuff happen wherever he goes, for better or worse, depending on who you ask." Her eyes shifted over to the monk, who was watching everyone gather around in a huge crowd.

Surely something would happen soon, right?

"And you as well, Satsuki-sama," she paused a moment to consider the honorific, something she had to remember her schooling on. It still felt a bit strange to be told that she was one of the first but that also meant she didn't exactly have anyone to compare to or copy their homework. "...-dono, is it? I suppose, that might be presumptuous but also eventual. Let's say -sama is fine with you, your preference is most certainly fine with me, of course."

She fluttered her fan in thought, not that she needed it when it was plenty cool around them at the moment. "I'm not going to deny that the mists here don't have an ominous effect that's to be awed here, a combination of mystery and serenity combined. At the same time, I have to say that such imagery is...a bit expected among the Dragon, don't you agree? At least, among the peers of my generation. No doubt that one foggy scenery isn't the same as another but one of the reasons I've been travelling is to seek out something new, so I could share with others or return home and enrich the experience of others. It feels a bit like a blank canvas at the moment."

Shang sighed softly and shook her head. "Well, that's not quite right. It might be quite the opposite of one. I might feel more at ease knowing what is beyond the fog first and how it complements the scenery."

"Mm, I have heard..." she said with a momentary lift of her brows before she glanced at the monk once more. So, that was Shinsei himself? It was rather ignorant of her to be mistaken for a performance monk. It seemed a bit strange to be before a living legend himself as she assumed that legends were twice as tall as any humans, at least the stories would make them sound. "A storm crow, of sorts."

[Otaku Xiaochen]

Her ears pricking slightly to the steady rhythm of cursing emanating from the rear of the gathering, Xiaochen finds herself considering her own language. Nowhere in her etiquette texts did it suggest free use of cursing was an acceptable form of public discourse, indeed she tried to avoid it so as not to offend these settled types...and yet, here were important people, Imperials no less, bandying about very colorful phraseology like the muck-men what followed the herds gathering fuel.

She found herself momentarily in crisis. Was the Empire all it was cracked up to be? Well, apparently not. On the one hand, this was a disappointment. On the other, what was an apple without a bruise or two? And whose face passed from youth to adulthood without blemish? She'd try to take these things philosophically, if she could.

"Fuck." She tasted the word, just to see if it agreed with her. Serviceable, for sure. Concise, sharp. Yes, it would do in future, but maybe not here and now. Yes, it seemed important, like a knife to be treasured and then brandished when the raider slipped in among the herd. Woe betide the linguistic bandit who came upon the (partially, incrementally) re-educated Otaku Xiaochen at the wrong moment! He'd get an earful, for sure!

She nodded fiercely to herself. Yes, he would be fucked.

[Otaku]

Just as well; Otaku can appreciate a finely tuned human instrument as much as the next person, but Ranmaru is way too young for her. Among other impediments.

Nursing her herbal drink in both hands, she glances up and to the side and acknowledges his presence with a nod and slight smile, not noticing any unease on his part. Nor would she guess the reason if she did notice, since she doesn't tend to think of herself as small.

Out of mild curiosity, Ranmaru leaned over to get a better look at what the drink was. But regardless of the contents, he leaned back and gave her a nod back. He considered not smiling back but, well, his mom wouldn't have approved of being that rude.

Then he went back to wondering why they had all gathered around to... mingle. It seemed that the festival would accomplish that.

A drift of herbal steam rising from the cup gives some clue as to its humble contents. Otaku notices the young man looking and says, quietly, “Ginger.” She makes as if to hand him the cup.

It’s a warming drink, and it’s a cold morning to be out without a shirt, after all.