The Day of Thunder

[Shiba Kumori]

"That's as may be, but it doesn't change that you're not a kid anymore."

He fixed her with a sidelong grin.

"We get out of this, your folk are gonna be livid, you know."

“That I’m used to…” She replied.

“I’m sure they’ll be busy until then…”

Ayako stepped aside after beheading the effigy she had been assigned.

“You know, I think I do feel a bit better after all that,” Ayako remarked cheerfully. "This village ritual really works."

Hearing the voice nearby she nodded at the woman.

“It is nice to smash things once and a while, huh?”

[Ryoshun Yukara]

Having dropped every roll except for the one he should have failed, Norikage found a place to sit down and relax. The afternoon was when he needed to hit his second wind, to have some semblance of feeling alive after not having slept.

It hadn't come during his quiet moment, and that bothered him. A great deal bothered him. He stared dully at the ground for a bit, trying to rally himself and think a little.

"You look as though the world has chewed on you, and then spat you out half-dead."

Yukara had approached, soft steps hidden by the chatter of other voices.

She did not sound judgmental in the slightest - actually it almost sounded as though she were worried.

"I presume you did not sleep well, Norikage-san."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

Hearing the voice nearby she nodded at the woman.

“It is nice to smash things once and a while, huh?”

"Yes!" the Crab woman enthused. "It really gets the blood pumping. Especially when you've given the thing all your problems to deal with."

"I'm called Yoshitsune Ayako," she added.

[Bayushi Norikage]

"You look as though the world has chewed on you, and then spat you out half-dead."

Yukara had approached, soft steps hidden by the chatter of other voices.

She did not sound judgmental in the slightest - actually it almost sounded as though she were worried.

"I presume you did not sleep well, Norikage-san."

"Excellent deduction, Yukara-san", the Scorpion nodded to her in greeting. "The night defeated me, true. Spent the whole time feeling like I was falling through the world, almost threw up when I thought a drink would settle me down."

He chuckled at that.

"You look well, glad to see it."

[Shiba Kumori]

Hearing the voice nearby she nodded at the woman.

“It is nice to smash things once and a while, huh?”

"Yes!" the Crab woman enthused. "It really gets the blood pumping. Especially when you've given the thing all your problems to deal with."

"I'm called Yoshitsune Ayako," she added.

Han-Hei smiled in return, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Yoshitsune-san. Have you met Jiyo Sora?” She asked pointing a thumb over to him at her side.

[Nanzi Ai]

Akutou nods.

"Seems folks're comin' 'round this afternoon, too," he observes.

"More people are coming?" she asked.

[Ryoshun Yukara]

She smiled, taking a seat next to him.

"I think my nightmares took pity on me last night - I had a dream that was strange, rather than miserable, and that was great mercy."

Resting her bisento on her shoulder, she settled her hands in her lap, gazing at the milling crowd.

"If it helps, I have tea and sake, if either would help you rest."

[Otomo Akutou]

"More people are coming?" she asked.

Akutou gestures around, although he does not point at anyone. "Th' market seems full o' people who've done their bit. Just a glance around suggests many feel better f'r doin' it. Like I said, might could be a useful thing t' take home, this ritual."

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

Han-Hei smiled in return, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Yoshitsune-san. Have you met Jiyo Sora?” She asked pointing a thumb over to him at her side.

"Yes, we talked briefly yesterday, right?" Ayako bowed respectfully to the older man. "What did you think of this purification ritual, Jiyo-sama?"

[Jiyo Sora]

"Yes, we talked briefly yesterday, right?" Ayako bowed respectfully to the older man. "What did you think of this purification ritual, Jiyo-sama?"

"Well. In a time when peoples' embodied fears are causing so much trouble, getting to whack one seems... cathartic."

He frowned.

"Just hope I hit mine hard enough."

[Nanzi Ai]

Akutou gestures around, although he does not point at anyone. "Th' market seems full o' people who've done their bit. Just a glance around suggests many feel better f'r doin' it. Like I said, might could be a useful thing t' take home, this ritual."

“Oh you meant… never mind. Yes it does seem to have brought people to face themselves, a good task for anyone to do. Knowing ourselves, and not jut in self hatred, but also self-love,” she responded.

[Yoshitsune Ayako]

"Just hope I hit mine hard enough."

"It looked like you hit it pretty hard," Ayako said. "I'm sure any evil spirits around are quaking in their boots. If ghosts can have boots, anyway."

[Otomo Akutou]

“Oh you meant… never mind. Yes it does seem to have brought people to face themselves, a good task for anyone to do. Knowing ourselves, and not jut in self hatred, but also self-love,” she responded.

Akutou lifts an eyebrow at Ai.

Then he glances at some of the other performances going on.

"Not sure all o' that bespeaks lovin' one's self," he says. "I mean, I weren't 'xactly sayin' 'Self, I love you' when I put m' arrow through th' effigy, there.

"There's a whole lotta difference 'tween lovin' what's good an' hatin' what's bad. Prob'ly oughta focus more'n th' former than I do, I admit. Know I ain't th' only one, though."

He shrugs.

"Not sure that's a comfort."

[Jiyo Sora]

"It looked like you hit it pretty hard," Ayako said. "I'm sure any evil spirits around are quaking in their boots. If ghosts can have boots, anyway."

"Hopefully. If that didn't work, there's always my face..."

[Shiba Kumori]

"Hopefully. If that didn't work, there's always my face..."

“It is a pretty smashable face.” She replied with a smirk.

"It looked like you hit it pretty hard," Ayako said. "I'm sure any evil spirits around are quaking in their boots. If ghosts can have boots, anyway."

“What did you write on your slip? If you don’t mind me askin’…” She asked the Crab.

[Nanzi Ai]

Akutou lifts an eyebrow at Ai.

Then he glances at some of the other performances going on.

"Not sure all o' that bespeaks lovin' one's self," he says. "I mean, I weren't 'xactly sayin' 'Self, I love you' when I put m' arrow through th' effigy, there.

"There's a whole lotta difference 'tween lovin' what's good an' hatin' what's bad. Prob'ly oughta focus more'n th' former than I do, I admit. Know I ain't th' only one, though."

He shrugs.

"Not sure that's a comfort."

“Love can be hard, tough even, and that is when you have to apply the most love when things are difficult. I think we can forget that about ourselves, maybe it’s just me but I see all of my flaws or the ones I wish to see clearly and rarely look at the good. Even when others see that good, I dismiss it,” she responded.

“In this coming battle, we have to see that good in ourselves and the bad, because the enemy will see it and use it to twist us.”

[Otomo Akutou]

“Love can be hard, tough even, and that is when you have to apply the most love when things are difficult. I think we can forget that about ourselves, maybe it’s just me but I see all of my flaws or the ones I wish to see clearly and rarely look at the good. Even when others see that good, I dismiss it,” she responded.

“In this coming battle, we have to see that good in ourselves and the bad, because the enemy will see it and use it to twist us.”

"I don't think you're wrong," Akutou replies. "An' I've got a fair handle on what I do well. C'n always improve, o' course."

He shrugs.

"You're more'n a fair hand wi' a sword, I've seen. Tea's good, too. Makes a body wonder what else y' c'n do right."

[Bayushi Norikage]

She smiled, taking a seat next to him.

"I think my nightmares took pity on me last night - I had a dream that was strange, rather than miserable, and that was great mercy."

Resting her bisento on her shoulder, she settled her hands in her lap, gazing at the milling crowd.

"If it helps, I have tea and sake, if either would help you rest."

"I tried both last night", he admitted, hanging his head slightly. Then he let out a breath and sat up straight. "Tonight though, I will conquer sleep. Worrying about me will only stress you and I couldn't be forgiven for making you gray haired before your time."

[Nanzi Ai]

"I don't think you're wrong," Akutou replies. "An' I've got a fair handle on what I do well. C'n always improve, o' course."

He shrugs.

"You're more'n a fair hand wi' a sword, I've seen. Tea's good, too. Makes a body wonder what else y' c'n do right."

"You are most kind, Otomo-san, I have a few talents though my focus has always been the sacred blade," she offered.

"But I have a fair hand at the shamisen as well."

[Otomo Akutou]

"You are most kind, Otomo-san, I have a few talents though my focus has always been the sacred blade," she offered.

"But I have a fair hand at the shamisen as well."

"Was that you playin' last night?" Akutou asks. "I got carried away doin' other things, so I didn't see, but what I heard sounded good."