The Day of Thunder

[Reiko Ohta]

"Honestly? She told me little; She always told me that her life before the Tournament was in the past and not important. I would pry for things sometimes and she would occasionally let something slip; My grandfather being killed during a raid, my grandmother taking her out picking herbs, how she used to collect shiny rocks from streams and rivers... but it was all specific things. Events, people, memories. Not life, not how things were, not how her day to day was. Like I said, she told me that was the past and things were better now."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Sounds like she remembers pretty well. We moved around in different bands, just trying to get enough to survive. Part of our towering tribal ego was that so few people could live where we did. We felt stronger than anyone. Now, whether we actually were or not is another question, but it's part of why we had such difficulty... adjusting. Why my old friend Koyama had to defeat Chosaku to get the ones who joined the Ki-Rin to go along..."

[Reiko Ohta]

"You think the ego was wrong to have then? There is something noble about pride in some cases, about making due where others can not. Or perhaps it is those very things that makes my mother not want to talk about those times..."

Ohta trails off thoughtfully, chin in one of her hands.

[Jiyo Sora]

"I think most ego is sorely misplaced. Pride has its role to play, but we weren't as tough as we thought we were. Kinda like the Noriaki in that respect... life was hard, and if you saw thirty winters you were considered a seasoned elder."

[Reiko Ohta]

A slow nod, "Well... there are certainly problems pride and toughness can't overcome. Then again, there's also problems togetherness and knowledge can't overcome. I wonder how much of each the problems the Teacher talked about will need in order to be overcome."

That got Ohta looking up again, first at Sora then slightly to his side at the graveyard he'd largely managed to keep her out of, "I do trust him to lead us to doing what we need to, but that doesn't mean I'm comfortable being in both the literal and figurative dark, as it were."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Did Shinsei look comfortable? I'd say some disquiet is only natural. We have a lot riding on this, and in the end it all comes down to nine people."

He shook his head.

"Nine symbolic people. This is about dreams, after all. It might be the nine people here who most embody what their Clan's Kami brought to the Empire, it could be the most skilled samurai present from each Clan, hell, it could be the nine who handle some nightmare about showing up to an important event naked the best for all we know."

He shrugged.

"All I know is that for whatever reason, only the Clans have Thunders. No monks, no Imperials, no unsworn blades. Which does have me wondering at what my role here is to be, Shinsei's reply to that question aside."

[Reiko Ohta]

"Well... if it has to do with that, perhaps it's something symbolic with the Kami? That would tie things to a war between the Realms, and explain the symbolism. And the fact it's happened before, as he mentioned."

That got a frown, and the slightest of fidgets from the short woman, "Though that only emphasizes the point of wondering why we're here. If it's just for some eternal game for our fate, are we just here as pawns? Faceless collections of traits and skills for the Heavens to admire and use like a child picks out a particularly round and heavy marble for their game? Even though samurai always act on behalf of something greater, at least that's usually something more concrete and substantial, not something with so many unanswerable questions and mysteries..."

Ohta slowly trailed off, thoughtfully gazing to the side of Sora at nothing in particular.

[Jiyo Sora]

"If we couldn't steer the outcome, we wouldn't be here. Believe that, if nothing else. And while samurai will be picked, you don't need to think of it as a samurai. It was bushido that got Hisomu out of Jigoku, it was love. And five people reaching beyond what they normally would have thought possible. So who knows, maybe this is about stretching ourselves to be greater."

[Reiko Ohta]

That seemed to snap Ohta out of her reverie, and she looked up at Sora and gave a nod, "You are right, of course. And I would like to think of this as an opportunity to grow certainly. I guess I was just thinking this isn't the time to think of that sort of thing. What, with so much on the line."

She gave a shiver, rubbing one of her arms through her sleeve with her other hand, "...maybe you are right and this place is just affecting my head, even if I can't hear the voices you were talking about. And I was so optimistic and energetic during the festival... it feels almost like I'm coming back down after having too much sugary treats or something."

[Jiyo Sora]

He snorted.

"That's just the drugs wearing off. Someone dosed the festival crowd. You'll be fine."

[Reiko Ohta]

That got a BIG frown, Ohta momentarily looking like a blobfish.

"You're telling me I was drugged."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Everyone at the festival was exposed. Some seemed better able to resist than others. I kept control by standing next to a woman who can be counted on to sour any good mood."

[Reiko Ohta]

Ohta stayed frozen a moment before nodding slowly, "I... see. Well, as spooky as you are, I trust you there. No offense I hope. I just..."

She shook her head, "Do they know who did it?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"We don't yet."

He smiled grimly.

"But whoever it is made a big mistake, because anything that gets Lady Makime and myself to agree on anything is going to be dealt with. Promptly."

[Reiko Ohta]

"I see."

Ohta thought about offering to help, but even a quick thought made her realize she already had enough on her plate, as it were. And if she hadn't noticed anything earlier, this was likely over her head.

"I will entrust my 'revenge' to you then, Jiyo-sama."

She glanced past him once more.

"Did you find everything you came here for? You seemed eager to leave earlier."

[Jiyo Sora]

"I found that our enemy takes this gathering seriously. Which, just as when three skinthieves were trying to get close to Lady Reiko twenty years back, indicates that we're a threat. So in that sense... I have found out a great deal."

He sighed.

"That doesn't mean it wasn't a painful experience, and I don't recommend it, but... as with much pain, it was at least educational."

[Reiko Ohta]

"All the more reason to trust this to someone who has been through much. And learned much in the process. Hopefully I come out through this with many lessons but little pain."

Ohta inclined her head before looking back over her shoulder, "Anyways, it's dark, and I have nothing else here. Perhaps I should get back to the camp and see about getting ready for a night's rest. I've no idea what tomorrow will bring, after all..."

[Jiyo Sora]

"Let's just hope no more entertaining fumes waft our way..."

He nodded and made to follow her.

[Canary]

As they leave the untraceable sound of a child crying echoes softly through the fog...