The Day of Thunder

[Nanzi Ai]

Scene Theme

This was serious business time, Ai waited with her shamisen for Kichi and others to arrive and discuss the world of dreams and lucid dreaming... whatever that was.

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru would be there, of course. He even brought along his tea set.

[Kichi]

the monk was there, as requested. He's keeping himself busy writing something on parchment with charcoal.

[Chuchu]

A very tiny nezumi peeks into the gardens.

At barely over three feet tall and still carrying soft rolls of baby fat the shaman is... still very clearly a child. But somehow she's found her way here, far, far from home, with no adult caretaker leading her about; she seems to be doing fine on her own, looking clean and well with shiny golden bangles and sparkling crystal beads and flawless silk robes. Scampering in at all fours, she soon finds a flowerbed to nest in, and now there's a little ratling peering out at the others with big black eyes.

[Ryoshun Nao]

Nao arrived, greeting everyone with a smile.

[Nanzi Ai]

Ai maintained a stoic mask as she looked at the assembled scholars and rats... or correction rat. She greeted in kind even the small thing and then said, "Thank you for coming, we have reason to believe that there may be a way to aid Lady Doji, my Honored Mother through something called lucid dreaming? Or having the ability to control our dreams? Anyone familiar with this?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki, much to her chagrin, was the last one to arrive.

"Hello," she bowed quickly to all, sparing a smile to Hikaru, and... blinked a bit at the nezumi. She had heard people talk of one coming to help, but she hadn't expected to see a ratling so far north.

And this one was far cuter than most she had seen in the south.

"I'm not sure about how to control dreams, but... if it's something we can do to help Doji, it sounds worth looking into."

[Chuchu]

As Nanzi begins to speak the ratling's ears lower. Her face starts to squint, and her eyes shut. With a little grumble she raises her tiny hands to cup against her mouth and starts... whispering in them.

Her hands glow. Gently she rests them on her heart before looking up at the speaker and raising her hand.

"Could you please repeat that? I am very-very sorry!"

---

Name Magic: Name Talent (Rokugani Language rank 4) for 4 hours cast successfully, 6/8 slots left

[Nanzi Ai]

She said slowly and deliberately to the ratling, "Hello do you know anything about lucid dreaming or controlling dreams?"

[Chuchu]

She said slowly and deliberately to the ratling, "Hello do you know anything about lucid dreaming or controlling dreams?"

"Mmhmm!" She sits up on her haunches to nod, looking very excited now. Grandmother was right! She could be helpful here! "I can bring others into dreams, too! Two!" Chuchu holds up two tiny fingers for emphasis.

[Doji Hikaru]

After flashing Satsuki a quick smile, Hikaru bowed to the Nezumi. "You must be the one we have heard of, Chuchu-san?" He said. "My name is Doji Hikaru. This is Nanzi Ai-sama." It was his duty, he felt, to introduce her.

"We are honored to meet you." He concluded.

She said slowly and deliberately to the ratling, "Hello do you know anything about lucid dreaming or controlling dreams?"

"Mmhmm!" She sits up on her haunches to nod, looking very excited now. Grandmother was right! She could be helpful here! "I can bring others into dreams, too! Two!" Chuchu holds up two tiny fingers for emphasis.

Hikaru blinked, looking around. "You can?" He asked. "Can the dreamers control the dreams?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

Oh my kaaaamiiii she is adorable...!!

"I'm Satsuki. I think that means something like... ah... soft-moon*? In your language, that is." She hadn't exactly learned Nezumi speak when traveling that far south, but learning how to say her name was something she had tried to pick up.

Seeing as Hikaru was asking the questions, Satsuki decided not to bombard the little ratling with too many questions.


---

* = Satsuki is gossamer and moon.

[Nanzi Ai]

Meanwhile she said to Kichi, "The floor is open Kichi-san, if you have anything to add it would be welcome."

[Chuchu]

There's more enthusiastic nodding as she chirps with excitement. Her words whistle as she talks a little too fast for her mouth to keep up with. "Yes, yes! I am Chuchu! Friend of Humans! Hello-hello!"

"Can the dreamers control the dreams?"

"Of course I can bring back others!" Chuchu answers, as if it's obvious. She does takes a moment to consider the real question -- that one's more tricky.

[Kichi]

"The real trick when you're sleeping is coming to awareness without waking," he commented. "The real trick while physically in Yume-do would presumably be convincing yourself that you can change things, since that is not true in Ningen-do."

[Ryoshun Nao]

"I have a similar agility." Nao spoke up. "Perhaps, with your help, I can learn to use it better."

[Nanzi Ai]

"The real trick when you're sleeping is coming to awareness without waking," he commented. "The real trick while physically in Yume-do would presumably be convincing yourself that you can change things, since that is not true in Ningen-do."

"I see, so we have to realize while we are dreaming that we are dreaming? I barely remember most dreams... let alone have the mind to think I am dreaming," she said honestly.

"But if it can help then I will master it as best as I am able. How do you recognize that you are dreaming, Kichi-san?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

She tilted her head slightly to the side in thought. "It sounds a bit like a sort of special meditation technique... would that be somewhat accurate, honored Kichi?"

[Kichi]

"I imagine that's one way to get there - mental discipline," he said with a nod. "I'd be lying if I said I knew how to do it. It's mostly something I brought up because of the Day of Thunder bearing down on us."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki nodded slowly, clearly thinking it over. "If we can help Doji... I think it's worth to give it a shot. We've come this far to help her," she noted with a nod to Hikaru, "and we won't stop now."