The Day of Thunder

[Shiba Kumori]

"Yes ma'am", he said and took a bite of hers.

“Not gonna go knock up some local girl hopped up on festival… fervor?” She asked Norikage while continuing to take in the confusing scene.

“Looks like they are just out there for the pickin’.”

[Makime]

Snip

Makime shot Sora a truly venomous look after the mother comment.

Her attention went back to Ai briefly, "I am thinking of how her parents must feel. A Crane behaving this way? Chills must be running down their spine back in the Crane lands."

The Lioness crossed her arms again, "Our deaths I fear less then the Empire's. Ayano, for all her remaining faults, has my complete trust. The family will prosper under her in ways it never could under me. But only if she has that chance. And not just her, there are many in the Makime that I look upon with pride. She will have good people ready to advise her, as did I."

"...Akodo's glory, maybe this stuff is affecting me. I'm getting sentimental."

[Nanzi Ai]

It was time to chill things out, let people ride the mellow dulcet tones of the night. Feel the vibe. She was just sitting and vibing as she shamisen did the talking for her.

[Jiyo Sora]

The Lioness crossed her arms again, "Our deaths I fear less then the Empire's. Ayano, for all her remaining faults, has my complete trust. The family will prosper under her in ways it never could under me. But only if she has that chance. And not just her, there are many in the Makime that I look upon with pride. She will have good people ready to advise her, as did I."

"...Akodo's glory, maybe this stuff is affecting me. I'm getting sentimental."

"And you raised a daughter you can afford to be proud of. It's okay, I won't tell anyone you care. Besides."

He gestured to their surroundings.

"My kids are why I'm here. Want 'em to have a world worth living in if I can do anything about it."

[Matsu]

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.

When the Nanzi approached her, Matsu couldn't hide the contempt from her face. A step back was taken, as she watched the girl... vibe... as she called it.

"I will not." She was curt, still looking to the girl with narrowed eyes. Of course, whatever was taking hold of the festival would grab a hold of a Crane.

The demonfuckery must make it easy to be so controlled. Does there truly need to be a Crane champion? Her thoughts clouded her mind, the Amazon seeing red at the sight. She steadied her hand, moving towards Makime and Jiyo, her head on a swivel, as it were.

"Any ideas what is happening, honored ones?" She looked to the both of them, her countenance still perturbed.

[Nanzi Ai]

When the Nanzi approached her, Matsu couldn't hide the contempt from her face. A step back was taken, as she watched the girl... vibe... as she called it.

"I will not." She was curt, still looking to the girl with narrowed eyes. Of course, whatever was taking hold of the festival would grab a hold of a Crane.

The demonfuckery must make it easy to be so controlled. Does there truly need to be a Crane champion? Her thoughts clouded her mind, the Amazon seeing red at the sight. She steadied her hand, moving towards Makime and Jiyo, her head on a swivel, as it were.

"Any ideas what is happening, honored ones?" She looked to the both of them, her countenance still perturbed.

"Well enjoy yourself all the same," she said kindly.

[Otomo Akutou]

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.

Hearing himself addressed, Akutou stops for a moment.

"Wha'?" he says, clearly confused, his earlier train of thought disrupted entirely.

Then he sees Matsu standing to her full and singularly imposing posture.

"Wow," he says, and he pushes his hat back slightly, since, like most, he's got to look up to her in a literal sense.

[Ryoshun Yukara]

Yukara followed all this with her eyes, like a cat watching birds through a window.

Very still, but full of nervous energy.

[Ryoshun Nao]

Yukara followed all this with her eyes, like a cat watching birds through a window.

Very still, but full of nervous energy.

"Yukara-san! Come dance!" Nao smiled wide.

[Bayushi Norikage]

“Not gonna go knock up some local girl hopped up on festival… fervor?” She asked Norikage while continuing to take in the confusing scene.

“Looks like they are just out there for the pickin’.”

He swallows the morsel he'd been chewing on. "I see, trying to get rid of me already." He stared at the scene as well. "But if I stand up, I'll probably get dragged into that and...no thanks."

[Ryoshun Yukara]

Yukara twitched in surprise, but furrowed her brow.

"I do not... know dancing, Nao-hime." She stepped off the porch. "I do not quite feel this excitement, but I am happy to observe your joy."

[Nanzi Ai]

Yukara twitched in surprise, but furrowed her brow.

"I do not... know dancing, Nao-hime." She stepped off the porch. "I do not quite feel this excitement, but I am happy to observe your joy."

“It’s easy Ryoshun-san, just move the hips, and then one foot after another. One foot after the other, relax a little, you are among friends,” she said warmly as she played.

[Shiba Kumori]

He swallows the morsel he'd been chewing on. "I see, trying to get rid of me already." He stared at the scene as well. "But if I stand up, I'll probably get dragged into that and...no thanks."

“I wouldn’t dare get rid of you. You might just be one of The Nine… All you clan-types are too important now.” She said with her normal tone of sarcasm.

“At least saving your butt on the road will have had a purpose if you end up saving the world.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

“I wouldn’t dare get rid of you. You might just be one of The Nine… All you clan-types are too important now.” She said with her normal tone of sarcasm.

“At least saving your butt on the road will have had a purpose if you end up saving the world.”

He sighed and leaned back, palms resting behind him on the bench. "Sometimes the only thing I think i'm saving is room for desert."

[Shiba Kumori]

He sighed and leaned back, palms resting behind him on the bench. "Sometimes the only thing I think i'm saving is room for desert."

“Yeah… well…” She looked around the gathering with a serious gaze.

“Might not be a bad time to look a bit beyond the dango… I think you’re gonna need ‘space’ for other things in the week ahead.”

She turned to look at him, “And if you left anything in reserve by the end… I’m not sure when you’ll ever need it after.”

[Bayushi Norikage]

She turned to look at him, “And if you left anything in reserve by the end… I’m not sure when you’ll ever need it after.”

"Well listen to you", he chuckled. "Getting serious on me for once, and in the middle of a party like this." He gestured around. "Despite this being nice to watch, and being a little more in tune with the beat than I've ever been in my life, you don't need to worry."

He looked back at her, brazenly meeting her eyes. "You don't have to prepare me for whatever's ahead, I'm ready if you are."

[Shiba Kumori]

"Well listen to you", he chuckled. "Getting serious on me for once, and in the middle of a party like this." He gestured around. "Despite this being nice to watch, and being a little more in tune with the beat than I've ever been in my life, you don't need to worry."

He looked back at her, brazenly meeting her eyes. "You don't have to prepare me for whatever's ahead, I'm ready if you are."

She met his gaze back, “Are you?”

Her eyes held a shimmering directness through the eyeholes of her mask, “You ready to care? To be serious… Not glum serious… Intent serious… Caring serious.”

[Makime]

Snip

"Mark the day Sora, I agree with you on something." Makime remarked dryly.

Snip

She stared at the approaching Spider, before recognition sit in. "Lady Matsu. It's good to see the Spider can keep their wits about them." She nods toward Goju.

She raise a hand to point at Sora, "Which is more than can be said for this hero of the Empire, trusted with the protection of the Emperor's own children, wall pisser here."

[Wu Dai Lu]

The dragon mirrored the expression has the dance continued

''I hope you do''

She leaned closer and murmured. "And what would you do if I told you I might want something of your responsibility, hmm?"

[Wu Zhe]

She leaned closer and murmured. "And what would you do if I told you I might want something of your responsibility, hmm?"

The man blushed red, lost his step and was almost down on his arse if not for a last minute save

''I...um...I will...umm fulfill as duty demands...''