The Day of Thunder

[Matsu]

ME1 - The Festival Begins - Earth Roll TN25 (Earth 3, Void +1k1) | 4k4 ⇒ 28 (TN: 25)

Something set her nose alight, and Matsu began to look around. Something was wrong here. She drew her flute down, setting the instrument into her kimono, and then letting her hand fall to her katana as she watched others beginning to move into dancing. Her eyes darting left and right, and trying to understand just what was going on.

[Jiyo Sora]

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

"Hey now, I bathed on a regular basis even back in the day... pretty damn hard to sneak up on anyone when you reek..."

[Hisomu Tadaka]

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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."

Goju nods. "It wouldn't surprise me too much." And if it is true, Goju regrets not coming before sobering up.

[Kaiu Tai]

Satsuki watched her cousin join the crowd in merriment, and couldn't help but to laugh at it even if she didn't join in herself. Though she felt jittery and restless, like she'd been sitting still for too long, which was strange.

Remaining by Tai, she observes the older woman's analysis of the situation. "Kava? I don't think I've heard of that before... so it's like... a," she found the words a bit hard to come by, as her mind was feeling weirder, "happy drug of sorts? Is it harmful?"

"Anythin's harmful if you get too much of it. Otherwise, used more for those days you didn't sleep enough and needed a bit of energy for the afternoon." She looks around, wondering if they'd tossed it into the fire to have it spread so far across the market. "Festivals don't usually need the extra pep, but maybe things're a bit livelier with that floatin' about."

She pauses, head tilted. "Togashi, eh? Guessin' that's why you look a bit familiar. Saw your folks, though I won't say I knew them, at the tournament." And the name was familiar from tales of the demon court. Mystery solved. There's a nod, satisfied to put that thought to rest. "Means you're one of the young folks as ought to be out there dancin,' neh?"

[Haka Tae-soo]

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The younger one's eyes do linger on the bare-chested man, not for long, but enough for a second look. Tae-soo's linger longer, although the way he shifts from the man to the younger one, then back, suggests he might be equal parts curious and worried.

The man stepping closer is initially received with a step back, but he soon bows to the man. The voice that answers is surprisingly grave for a festival. "I... wish I knew, Hyeongnim. Hopefully we will after... all this.", he gestures vaguely.

The lack of upper garments makes it easier to guess, and looking down at the man's lower body to look for signs proves somewhat awkward, but it seems to help at least some. "Dragon-nim also here for this... Destiny thing?"

(OOC: Assuming this is before effects for the rolls, since I couldn't get around to do those yet... sorry!)

[Otaku Xiaochen]

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?
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"It's all too beautiful, Otaku-ue!" Xiaochen's delight is manifest in her wide-open, glassy, red-rimmed eyes. "The festival is..I am...he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. I'm crying!" She exclaims, laughing.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Anythin's harmful if you get too much of it. Otherwise, used more for those days you didn't sleep enough and needed a bit of energy for the afternoon." She looks around, wondering if they'd tossed it into the fire to have it spread so far across the market. "Festivals don't usually need the extra pep, but maybe things're a bit livelier with that floatin' about."

She pauses, head tilted. "Togashi, eh? Guessin' that's why you look a bit familiar. Saw your folks, though I won't say I knew them, at the tournament." And the name was familiar from tales of the demon court. Mystery solved. There's a nod, satisfied to put that thought to rest. "Means you're one of the young folks as ought to be out there dancin,' neh?"

"I... didn't think that was a normal custom. Here or anywhere, really." Goodness, what sort of parties did people have in the Empire that she didn't know about?!

Mentioning her parents, Satsuki looked with more focus at Tai. "You did? Oh! It's always fun to meet those who knew my parents from back in the day, before my brothers and I were born!" She was feeling the energy surging in her.

"I suppose I am one of the young folks yeah, but... shouldn't we... I don't know, try to stay on our guard?" Dancing did look like a lot of fun though, and she did love to dance. "Didn't someone say something about an attack?"

[Reiko Ohta]

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For her part, Ohta didn't find it so delightful, so she lowered her hands and shrugged, "I'm fine I suppose. Just some thoughts about my training and such. Rather put off such things until I can do something and pay attention to this festival instead. After all, the Teacher did say to meet people, form bonds, drive away doubts and anxieties, no? I suppose it's not too bad that Xiaochen-san is having such fun with it."

Of course, if Ohta were more level headed, she'd probably think the actions went overboard. But this energetic feeling and sweet smell made her more forgiving and in the mood to enjoy the oddness instead.

[Kaiu Tai]

"I... didn't think that was a normal custom. Here or anywhere, really." Goodness, what sort of parties did people have in the Empire that she didn't know about?!

Mentioning her parents, Satsuki looked with more focus at Tai. "You did? Oh! It's always fun to meet those who knew my parents from back in the day, before my brothers and I were born!" She was feeling the energy surging in her.

"I suppose I am one of the young folks yeah, but... shouldn't we... I don't know, try to stay on our guard?" Dancing did look like a lot of fun though, and she did love to dance. "Didn't someone say something about an attack?"

"Not so different from tea that way. But with the nightmares? Lot's of folks findin' they run out of energy before they run out of day, so I imagine it's still in use there, even if most of us walked north." She nods a bit. "Pretty sure all I can say is they looked younger then. All of us did. You've brothers too then? older or younger?"

There's a slow nod. "Shinsei said there'd be a last stand here. I know he said days, but never trust predictions out of nowhere like that." She looks out across the market, letting the feel of the place seep through. "I think we'd catch a sign of something getting this far into the village before it made it here though. We're not all young enough to dance like that. Can keep a wary eye and ear instead."

[Akodo Kenji]

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"It is important to have fun at a festival, and making new friends just makes it better." Kenji added helpfully a warm smile on his lips. His eyes looked around searching for a stall that sold alcohol. "And I'm pretty sure new friendships deserve a drink!"

Maybe a bit of alcohol would help bring Ohta out of her funk. It probably couldn't hurt, right?

[Nanzi Ai]

Ai was jubilant, she continued playing and enjoying the merrymaking. The sticks in the mud would not deter her joy.

[Hiruma Naraku]

Naraku was feeling quite happy and content. The music seemed to sound better and the meat he was eating seemed to be tasting well. It was a strange feeling but not unwelcome.

[Otomo Akutou]

Something glitters in the firelight.

Ain't that purty? Akutou thinks, and he lets the dancing throng carry him that way.

[Makime]

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"I assumed you would reach a point it overpowered your prey's senses." Makime fired back, "I hope you have at least kept your claws sharp. Or has time dulled them?"

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Makime turned back to look at the man, "Is drugging festival goers a common occurrence in your lands? No matter. I assume even if it is there was some level of consent before hand." Her eyes went back to the crowds, "Do either of you see anything that suggests there is more to this? So far I have noticed nothing else."

[Jiyo Sora]

"I assumed you would reach a point it overpowered your prey's senses." Makime fired back, "I hope you have at least kept your claws sharp. Or has time dulled them?"

"Keep pushing me and find out!"

Maybe it was the drugs, but he seemed to be genuinely enjoying the back and forth, if his tone and rather wolfish grin were anything to by.

"Do either of you see anything that suggests there is more to this? So far I have noticed nothing else."

"Welllll. Shinsei did say we were supposed to avoid paranoia, and doping me up without my say-so has me paranoid as hell."

[Nanzi Ai]

Ai was just vibing with the universe, the totality of creation, she was connected to all things and all things were connected to her. She vibed with creation and it flowed into her shamisen, she closed her eyes to feel the vibrations dancing along her spine into her toes and then back up again.

She played as she spoke to the old codgers, “Makime-sama, Jiyo-sama, come now put aside your differences, vibe with us… our lives are far too short to wallow in paranoia! Dance and be merry, enjoy yourselves!”

“Akutou-san dances so well, he practically glides on air!” she called.

“Matsu-sama, surely the Spider with their many legs know some enticing steps and moves, vibe with all creation,” she called enjoying the mood.

[Makime]

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"You aren't the only cat with claws here." Makime glared at him, "Mine are sharp, as sharp as yours. I may excel when I have an army behind me but I have fought in person both before and after Lord Akodo chose me to serve him."

She rubbed her knuckles, "...I would ask when are you not paranoid, isn't that a reason why His Majesty trusted you with the care of his kids?" Her jaw clenches, "But right now...yes it's made me very paranoid as well. Why do this? Are they just trying to will away their nightmares in a stupor or are we about to be jumped? Do you feel anything else? Tiredness?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"You aren't the only cat with claws here."

"Thought I was a dog?"

She rubbed her knuckles, "...I would ask when are you not paranoid, isn't that a reason why His Majesty trusted you with the care of his kids?" Her jaw clenches, "But right now...yes it's made me very paranoid as well. Why do this? Are they just trying to will away their nightmares in a stupor or are we about to be jumped? Do you feel anything else? Tiredness?"

"Nope. Feel energized and... chemically happy. Why do it? Well. If was a sneaky son of a bitch- and I can be sometimes- looking to cause trouble, maybe I'd slip in something basically innocuous into a party that wouldn't upset the festivities, but which would put those who notice it on their guard. Could be the whole festival, could be a sneaky shit causing trouble on their lonesome like we had at Court five years back..."

[Makime]

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"Given the Imperial families obsession with foxes? Both is basically correct. Though that would make you the ugliest and dumbest fox I have ever seen." Makime managed a smile at that, maybe she should engage in verbal sparing more often...seemed good for the soul.

"It could also be some idiot or idiots who thought it would be funny." She added to the possibilities, "A troubling thought if the enemy has already begin to focus its attention here. I would have expected something a bit more violent in that last case, however."

She switched to massaging the knuckles on her other hand, "Could even be the Stormcrow himself, maybe this is some step on an inane path to enlightenment."

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"..." Makime looked at the dancing Crane, she probably should ignore her...and pretend none of this happened. "Children."

[Jiyo Sora]

tag!

"Given the Imperial families obsession with foxes? Both is basically correct. Though that would make you the ugliest and dumbest fox I have ever seen." Makime managed a smile at that, maybe she should engage in verbal sparing more often...seemed good for the soul.

"Spoken like both a hard-nosed bitch and a good mother, Makime-sama."

He smiled back.

"..." Makime looked at the dancing Crane, she probably should ignore her...and pretend none of this happened. "Children."

"Eh, she's a good kid. Besides, we might all be dead inside of a week. Not that that's any different from some other times in our lives..."