The Day of Thunder

[Makime]

Makime stood watching the same fire burn. It had been going since her meeting with her fellow daimyo. It had lasted while she was gone speaking with the village healer. And it had lasted while the impromptu meeting to discuss the state of affairs had gone on.

It was comforting in a way. And she took a moment to reflect on the day so far.

Some from the meeting likely still lingered, in her experience there was always some one wanting to have the concerns addressed privately. Or thought they could curry favor. Heck some times people even just wanted to have a friendly chat. That last category was rare were the Lady of Shiro Makime was concerned.

[Saru Shang]

Shang's relationship with sleep had been a merciful one so far and she might have been pushing that luxury by sleeping in a little. Admittedly, being abroad had allowed her to make her own schedule without having any strict obligations. That said, there were very much real obligations here and someone like Makime was likely aware of all of them. Not Shang, however! That was a problem for future Shang!

She would exit her personal tent with an audible yawn before stretching her arms. It was likely that most people went about their routines by now, so it was a bit of a surprise to see someone so important like the lady Lion still lingering by the campfire. Shang would approach her and present a bow. "Good morning! Uhm...Lion-sama."

[Makime]

The later then. Unexpected.

Makime shifted to regard the newcomer. Not someone she knew at any rate, "Dragon-san."

The Lioness gestures to the fire. An invitation to join her. "Lord Akodo wrote to be up before the dawn. I take it you haven't read *Leadership*." A little bemusement slipped into her voice.

[Saru Shang]

Shang would happily accept the invitation, starting out the morning with some company was a good thing. However, it seemed that Makime's morning started long before she got up. She gave her an abashed smile at the statement. "Ah....I have heard of the great work from Akodo-kami and many have but I regret that the text hasn't quite made its way into circulation in my part of the Empire or to the settlements I've travelled to! Please excuse my ignorance on the matter. I would that's a bit of wisdom that would do a bit of good for everyone here, considering the anticipation of battle and the organizing that comes with it."

She bowed again before introducing herself, "This one is Shang of the Saru."

[Makime]

"Mom, I would not worry about it. You are hardly the only one. Saru-san." Makime rubbed her hands for warmth and regarded the fire. "My daughter recently married a Saru. Even visit the home of your Lady and family."

"The Saru are renowned for their cultivation of the arts. I assume you are trained in other skills however, given your presence here."

[Saru Shang]

"Oh, how about that? That's the second time I've heard of someone's child being married into the Saru. It would almost make it seem like we're popular. Of course, it is an honour to have your lineage be part of our lineage," she said with a deep bow. That said, the family lines were mostly a collection of tribal members and likely didn't have the long prestige of modern Families or Clans but the point still stands on both sides, especially with a daimyo and her first children.

She saw what Makime did by the fire and was reminded of the chilly day, doing the same by her example. "I would never consider myself to be the height of talent in my Family but yes, I am trained in the form of painting and heraldic speaking, both fanciful pursuits of the many that the Saru are capable of. That said, I don't think I was brought here for a specific purpose. I had been wandering the new Empire to find inspiration for my art when I happened upon this gathering. That said, after what the wise Shinsei told us, it seems that we have a purpose, whether it is obvious or not!"

[Makime]

"You have the wrong reading of that situation. My daughter's position as my heir meant she was never going to be married out." Makime responded, "Still your point is taken. Given the way the winds blow in this new Empire, blood ties will likely grow in importance."

"I'm sure the stormcrow would name some vague purpose for why you are here. Assuming he has claimed down from his rock yet." She snorted, "I am not sure what use painting and heraldic speaking will have, but given the strange nature of the village and our present situation, I am not willing to discount it either."

Makime studies the Dragon a moment before asking, "Can you fight Saru-san. If the need arises? Not saying I intend to throw you on the frontlines if lines of any sort even form."

[Saru Shang]

Shang gave a few befuddled blinks and a quick shake of her head. "My apologies, I misheard! Yes, nevertheless, it is a greater honour that a member of my Family and Clan has found their way to your Clan. I doubt we, the Empire collectively, were ever meant to be so insular between each other. What we're doing here is just proof that we can easily work together when the circumstances call for it."

"I haven't spoken to Shinsei himself in the slightest. I won't go so far as to assume that my purpose is as defined as a Thunder but perhaps the idea of destiny has gotten me inspired to the possibility of such a role. A supporting one, of course. It does seem like the talk of the village and the camp from what I've been gathering. It seems more likely more samurai here are eager to rise to the occasion and take matters into their own hands! There is no shortage of heroes here, as you might be aware."

She placed a hand on her chest as she addressed the question about her. "As for me...I am trained in archery, mostly for hunting small game or recreationally. I've been sure to bring my family bow with me on my journey, mostly to defend myself. That said, I've thankfully never seen combat before."

[Makime]

"Then stay close to those that have." Makime replied as she rubbed her hands again, "Combat is a world different from hunting and it effects a lot of people differently. In general it is hard to tell how one will react until they are in the midst of the fighting."

"I prefer to avoid speaking to him if I am able, are ways are very different and his tendency to not speak directly or clearly is most vexing." She reaches down and picks up a small bit of firewood and places it in the fire, "But there are quite a few skilled samurai here from every clan, some summoned by the little teacher, some drawn here, and at least one who saw trouble brewing near her home and wished to see in person."

[Saru Shang]

"I say the fortifications being built up yesterday and I've pitched in on the effort," she chuckled self-deprecatingly, "at least I tried to. The experience at least gave me a good idea of where to stand when the fighting starts rather than flailing my arms about. So you can count me on to be at least not intrusive once the combat starts. That said, I wouldn't mind firing a few arrows, especially if our lives depended on it."

Shang rubbed her hands together as Makime worked on the fire. "I don't wish to speak ill of Shinsei when there's been so much acclaim surrounding him already but I did find myself rather deflated when I saw him in person. He seemed so mundane but then again, all of us born of this realm may seem mundane from the outside. Maybe he's weary from all of his travels and in a way trying to urge us to find our own path forward. His words are only that, we just have to take them and make actions out of them. That could be his plan..."

"Of course, I can't see what we would do differently if Shinsei was in charge instead and was more direct with his words. You don't suppose he'll ask that we find a rock of our own and meditate over it?" She looked curiously at Makime for her input.

[Makime]

"Few people live up to their reputation in my experience." Makime snorted, "But I too was not impressed with Shinsei, never have been. I'll grant he is knowledgeable but far too much of a navel gazer to make use of it for the most part."

"In truth I would be surprised if he asked us to do anything." She rubbed a temple, "I rather wish he would provide more information on what is going on but...we do what we must with what we have."

[Saru Shang]

"Perhaps he's just waiting for that rock of his to conjure up the answer one day. There was a muse someone told me that perhaps the rock may know more than he does. But I get the sense that regardless of what he tells us, the conclusion and what we're doing now might be the same. Maybe we could have steered our efforts more productively than working every muscle because it could be anything at the moment," she shrugged her shoulder at that.

"No doubt the village has at least been cooperative in all of this, hmm? I've noticed that we've made a big mess of the headwoman's home but she was likely okay with all of that?" She tilted her head curiously on the matter.

[Makime]

"Oh he knows quite a bit, of that I am sure," Makime snorted again, "It's getting him to give you an answer that is the hard part. The rock is at least direct in its silence."

"To be honest, I am not particularly impressed with the villagers either. My conversations with the head woman and the medicine man have not left me feeling confident in their forthright natures." She picked up and dropped another small log on the fire. "As for the mess...name me a festival that doesn't leave a mess. It's a time of unwinding for most people, the clean up is the day after."

[Saru Shang]

Shang nodded soundly at the opinions of Shinsei. That would make two Lions who didn't think highly of him. It wasn't enough to be a pervasive opinion but it did set a pattern for her at the very least. "...I take it that you could do without Shinsei's involvement. Or at the very least, wouldn't miss him in the slightest. It doesn't seem many here are singing praises about him and I confess that most of my respect comes from being told to respect him."

She pursed her lip in thought, it wasn't quite conclusive yet but it didn't paint a competent picture...

"Right! I suppose a bit of a mess atop of a mess can't be too bad. I don't think I saw too many of the villages helping with the defences either. Perhaps they more or less just settled back in their role as the audience."

[Makime]

"I would have been more surprised if they had offered aid," Makime chuckled and rubbed her hands, "Most villagers when they see an armed group set up camp nearby just keep their head down and hope the armed camp moves on sooner rather then later. The Emperor's peace is but two to three decades old, many are still adapting to warriors outside their tribe not being hostile."

She watches the fire in silence for a moment, "...I would like him to not be involved, but I know he must be. It is the terrible truth of the world that one must often make do with what one has and not with what one wants. I want someone who can explain to me clearly what is happening and what I can do to stop it, but I must settle for a monk and his riddles."

[Saru Shang]

"Which again, I am surprised that the villages were so open to sharing their hospitality. I know anyone who sees an armed gathering this large would immediately think of raiders or bandits. Apparently, they aren't so common nowadays but something I do hear my parents and those of their age whisper from time to time. I'm sure someone had made our intentions meet so that we wouldn't viewed with fear or hostility. Unless, their hospitality is their sort of passive-aggressive custom to drive us out," she giggled at that thought, although now she wondered if that was the actual case.

She pointed upwards as something dawned on her. "I've been thinking! Considering folklore of yore often chronicles mysterious changes in the weather, old ghosts and whimsical animals to be the messengers of the Fortunes...a monk is a slight upgrade in what we could have been dealing with if this tale or epic under the same sort of fantastical pretense, not saying it does. It couldn't have been worse? I don't know if that's much of a consolation but there is mostly a person involved right? I'm sure you could strongarm the answers out of him but..." She glanced around curiously. "It would make for quite a scene..."