The Day of Thunder

[Ryoshun Yukara]

Yukara covered her nose with her sleeve, scowling at the revelry.

Someone should be sober.

Just in case.

That was what she told herself, at any rate. Not that she couldn't dance, didn't know how to even begin to take part in such an event.

It was definitely concern for the people around her. That was the reason.

[Jiyo Sora]

"What in the absolute fuck is this boar shit?" Was not what one expected from the Makime daimyo, but there it was.

"Something in the fireworks."

Sora tapped the side of his nose as he surveyed their surroundings. His toe was starting to tap.

"Lady Makime. Under the circumstances, I have a request to make- Please stay close, you do an excellent job of bringing me down, and whatever was in that thing, it has affected me."

[Kai]

Kai noted something but why can't he pinpoint the what. The music so nice and upbeat made him lose his focus.

[Otaku]

snip

...or rather, his nose.

Akutou interrupts play to ask "Any o' y'all smell that? Like turned dirt an' cut grass or somesuch?"

"No." Kenji replies after taking a moment to test the air. Of course, he had been more than a little distracted by the fireworks as well as Ohta's attempt at the Daruma game. They the music hit and the lion started bobbing along to the beat, he wasn't dancing but it was obvious he was having a good time.

"Who's next?"

"No, nothing usual like that. Just smells like a festival to me. I like it."

Ohta smiled widely. Which... was actually very unusual for her.

"But yeah, come on come on! One of you two lovely Kirin ladies give it a try. I bet you'll do better than me, neh?"

"Only sulfur. The fireworks?" Otaku responds to Akutou's query with a shake of her head. No one else seems very alarmed or out of sorts--if anything, just overly enthusiastic about the party--so alarm seems out of place.

She scoops up the toy mallet and twirls it, laughing inwardly at herself. Little Shiko would love this game... but no, it's as well Shiko is far away from here. So that's a sobering thought.

She shrugs, flips the mallet one last time, and bops all the wooden rings away with a series of surgical strikes. That felt pretty good, actually. Perhaps it was an auspicious sign?

"There. Who's next?" Her lips quirk as she offers the mallet to the next taker.

D1 ME Festival--fluff Games/Agi copying Ohta's improvised rules: 5 gets 1 layer knocked out, 10 gets 2 layers, 15 gets 3 layers, 20 gets 4 blocks out, 25+ gets all 6 blocks knocked out and Daruma on the table! | 4k4 ⇒ 25

[Otaku Xiaochen]

Reiko-san thinks I'm lovely! Thats a nice thing to say!

Xiaochen looked about at what she thought was a normal rate. Of course, her head was moving at about half its usual speed. Then she caught sight of her hand and found herself giggling.

"I say, have any of you ever noticed how strange hands are?" A second giggle. "Funny looking."

[Makime]

Snip

"For fucks sake man," Makime turned to look Sora in the eye, "You are trusted guardian of the Emperor, Sora. A legendary fucking hero, did your soul simply form missing it's wits or have they just eroded over time."

Either she was taking his request very seriously or was really, really agitated.

"Fucking useless." She took a few breaths and calmed.

Snip

"Goju-san." Yes she remembered his name. No that wasn't a good thing. "Please tell me you have your wits about you."

[Jiyo Sora]

"For fucks sake man," Makime turned to look Sora in the eye, "You are trusted guardian of the Emperor, Sora. A legendary fucking hero, did your soul simply form missing it's wits or have they just eroded over time."

"That's the spirit, Lady Makime."

He was clenching his teeth, and his toe had stopped tapping.

"I knew this place couldn't be trusted. Damn it. Fucking drugs in explosives..."

[Reiko Ohta]

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"Seems Otomo-san has gone off to dance, but there are three of us left to offer you congratulations, Kirin-sama!"

Ohta hands her leftover prize from the archery to Otaku, a small wooden netsuke decorated with a flower that the little boys hadn't wanted. As she pulled her thin hands back, she looked at them curiously.

"...you might be right, Otaku-san. Perhaps that is why I failed where your clanmate succeeded; My odd hands..."

She wiggled her fingers experimentally.

[Hisomu Tadaka]

"Goju-san." Yes she remembered his name. No that wasn't a good thing. "Please tell me you have your wits about you."

"Aye." Goju nods happy she remembered his name. "What do wish of me?"

"I knew this place couldn't be trusted. Damn it. Fucking drugs in explosives..."

Ah that was it. Thankfully his life debauchery in his youth had given him a tolerance. It really was training after all.

[Akodo Kenji]

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"Well struck Otaku-sama!" The lion exclaimed as the woman knocked down all the pins. It was pretty impressive.

They don't look exceptionally weird to me." Kenji mused looking at first the Unicorns hands then the Spiders. "But I've always liked hands." He said with a smile.

Turning away from the trio he took up the hammer himself. Sadly though he wasn't nearly as successful as the Kirin.

Day 1 ME: games/ agility TN 25 to knock them all down. | 4k4 ⇒ 17 (TN: 25)

[Sugri]

Though he couldn't place the exact scent on the air the results, and thus the intent, seemed apparent.

Thankfully he had trained to avoid such distractions and illusions of the earthly world.

Sugri did not particularly raise his guard, however, being unaware that mass consumption of intoxicants was not the norm for such festivities.

(Pass Earth, Fail the ID check)

[Wu Zhe]

"Oh my... I'll have to hold you to that," she teases with a gentle smile.

The dragon mirrored the expression has the dance continued

''I hope you do''

[Otomo Akutou]

An idea strikes Akutou, something recalled from his youth, back when he would run along alleys and do small tricks for tossed coppers.

Akutou makes a show of pushing his sleeves up, rolling them back so his wrists are bare. "Hey, kid, lemme see that," he says, reaching out his hand to a nearby child. The child, perhaps recalling the archer from a little while ago, agrees and puts the little figurine--a sewn, stuffed bird, looks like--into Akutou's hand.

With a deft flourish from the Stag, the bird disappears.

"Eh?"

The child claps initially, then begins to miss the toy, face scrunching up and tears beginning to well.

"Oh, no, little par'ner, we can't have that!" Akutou exclaims. "Asides, your bird's right here!"

Another flourish, this one bringing his hat off of his head and turning it over, reveals the bird nested within.

"See; birdie jus' took a little trip."

The child takes the toy and laughs while running off to play.

Wonder what else I c'n still do, Akutou thinks, and a grin spreads across his face as he re-seats his hat.

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"Maybe... I try not to pry too much. It makes him even grumpier," she sighs. "I think it must."

"Ah well, let's forget about grumpiness for now," Ayako suggested, a little daringly. Her previous concerns forgotten, the Crab flung herself into dancing with Shizuku, moving to the music with even greater exuberance.

[Otaku]

[/quote]

Reiko-san thinks I'm lovely! Thats a nice thing to say!

Xiaochen looked about at what she thought was a normal rate. Of course, her head was moving at about half its usual speed. Then she caught sight of her hand and found herself giggling.

"I say, have any of you ever noticed how strange hands are?" A second giggle. "Funny looking."

"Seems Otomo-san has gone off to dance, but there are three of us left to offer you congratulations, Kirin-sama!"

Ohta hands her leftover prize from the archery to Otaku, a small wooden netsuke decorated with a flower that the little boys hadn't wanted. As she pulled her thin hands back, she looked at them curiously.

"...you might be right, Otaku-san. Perhaps that is why I failed where your clanmate succeeded; My odd hands..."

She wiggled her fingers experimentally.

"Well struck Otaku-sama!" The lion exclaimed as the woman knocked down all the pins. It was pretty impressive.

They don't look exceptionally weird to me." Kenji mused looking at first the Unicorns hands then the Spiders. "But I've always liked hands." He said with a smile.

Turning away from the trio he took up the hammer himself. Sadly though he wasn't nearly as successful as the Kirin.

Day 1 ME: games/ agility TN 25 to knock them all down. | 4k4 ⇒ 17 (TN: 25)

"Mm," Otaku nods approvingly, with a glint of humor in her willow-leaf-shaped eyes. "Promising technique."

But... "Are you all right, Xiaochen-san? Reiko-san?" Otaku doesn't know Ohta well enough to guess her usual style, but she's never really known Xiaochen as a giggler. "Your hands are all fine."

She glances at the flowery little netsuke in her own hand and looks a little nonplussed; what is she meant to do with this?

[Canary]

"Ah well, let's forget about grumpiness for now," Ayako suggested, a little daringly. Her previous concerns forgotten, the Crab flung herself into dancing with Shizuku, moving to the music with even greater exuberance.

Shizuku practically squeals in delight as she's suddenly swept up into the enthusiastic dance with Ayako, holding onto her and laughing as she followed along.

[Makime]

Snip

"Good man, dependable." Makime shifted looking around, "I have no idea what is happening...or more specifically why it is happening. Keep your eyes open for someone or something trying to take advantage of the situation. I would also advise you look for your kin nearby."

Her own eyes now sought the closest Lion, trying to gage their state of mind.

Snip

"We can't be sure of that yet...but I have a few questions that need answering tomorrow. You always had a talent for looking big, dumb, and imposing...I might have need of that."

[Jiyo Sora]

"We can't be sure of that yet...but I have a few questions that need answering tomorrow. You always had a talent for looking big, dumb, and imposing...I might have need of that."

"What do you mean looking dumb, Makime-sama? I was under the impression I was dumb..."

He shook his head, as if trying to clear it.

"But regardless, you can count on me in that respect. Might put on some old Hikaru warpaint, really go for the blood-mad killer look..."

[Hisomu Tadaka]

Snip

"Good man, dependable." Makime shifted looking around, "I have no idea what is happening...or more specifically why it is happening. Keep your eyes open for someone or something trying to take advantage of the situation. I would also advise you look for your kin nearby."

Her own eyes now sought the closest Lion, trying to gage their state of mind.

Snip

"We can't be sure of that yet...but I have a few questions that need answering tomorrow. You always had a talent for looking big, dumb, and imposing...I might have need of that."

"Well, the way people are acting, I suspect Jiyo-sama is correct. The question is this a normal part of the festival or not?"

[Makime]

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Makime snorted at that, "You have a low cunning like a feral cat. At least you no longer stink like one."

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"I know there are diverse practice amongst the tribes but if these people have been drugging themselves...little wonder they keep the madness at bay. They are already mad."