The Day of Thunder

[Nanzi Ai]

The Crane samurai had a task, to find anyone that knew Kujo or maybe his family and give them… well she was not sure what to give them. But she felt like she owed it to the lost soul to try… anything. It may have been fruitless, but a samurai had a duty to those of lower stations.

So she searched the streets looking for anyone that knew the man or his family.

[Saru Shang]

Shang was spotted meandering the streets of the village with some papers in hand. Initially, she wanted to take a look at the villager's progress in rebuilding their homes but she found herself distracted again by her thoughts internal and the future. She gave a few shakes of her head as she thought to herself before walking down her path until she happened upon Ai.

"Oh, Nanzi-sama," she said before giving her a quick bow. "Out on patrol this morning?"

[Nanzi Ai]

“Good morning, Saru-san, yes and no, I am looking for those that knew Kujo the lost soul we had to put to rest in the graveyard last night. I was hoping to bring them comfort or just help them if able,” she said to the woman.

“What of yourself?”

[Saru Shang]

"Yes..." she said as she glanced off to the side in thought. "I might have heard something to that effect about what happened in the graveyard but I thought it was something that was tall talk in the village. After the healing ceremony, which was already quite a tall feat itself, to hear of unlikely horrors emerging from the grave seems to have taken us on another ride through the fantastical to make us question reality once again."

She shook her head and bowed. "Thank you for your service and I'm sure they are also thankful for your consideration thereafter. I'm sure it might seem all too easy to merely walk away from a tragedy and forget about it. Not you, however!"

"What of myself? Now that is a good question," she said as she shuffled through her blank papers before stowing them in her robes in a hasty manner and brushing back some loose strands of hair from her forehead. "I suppose I'm trying to find some perspective to my day. Imagine waking up to all this obscuring haze after coming out of an obscuring haze itself. But I suppose that's on part for the course, so many things around here demand to be written and it's to be expected that reality would present itself as a blank canvas before us!"

[Nanzi Ai]

“Yes… I suppose it is a blank canvas,” she agreed.

“And I appreciate the kind words, but I did no more than what Duty demanded of me. I am just thankful we could limit the corruption to just the graveyard. I am curious what this blank canvas of reality inspires in you, Saru-san?”

[Saru Shang]

Shang crossed her arms with a pensive frown. "That's a good question and I've been dwelling on that since the morning. I would wish to fill this blank canvas, if it were up to me but it's not. I wish had something more to go about it, I mean something where I can contribute myself, even as a perspective. There's no doubt going to be a lot happening or will happen, as foretold by prophecy. It's not quite enough to have represented. No, I would be very redundant here! I think what I hope to seek is my interpretation. I admit, that might be hard to conjure when I haven't seen it yet. Then again, we've already seen many things already here, haven't we?"

[Nanzi Ai]

"I am sure your fervent mind will conjure something Saru-san," she said in response. "What is your medium of choice, by the by?"

[Saru Shang]

"Thank you, Nanzi-sama, for the vote of confidence. I would hope so, as I'm currently finding myself in a state of being and not being. A blank, if you will. However, it does feel that this is just at the tip of my tongue, yes! I can feel the thoughts wanting to make themselves. At least, in regards to the dream I might have had," she said with a shake of her head.

"As for my medium of choice, I work with charcoal, paint, and words. Well, for different means and different subjects. You could call me a painter and a storyteller, in a way."

[Nanzi Ai]

"Portraits of those that have come here would be a worthy if ambitious series," she said. "Or maybe the villagers?"

[Saru Shang]

Shang placed a hand on the part of her robes where she stowed her papers away in thought and nodded. "There's an idea I had from the start, to be honest, but I found myself a bit falling behind on trying to determine who were the Thunder Champions among us! Or rather, a piece where it would capture the collaborative spirit of the camp. That said, it seems that we've managed to make advancements here and there, albeit separately. Did I set my sights too high? Perhaps..."

[Nanzi Ai]

"Ambition can be the enemy of industry," she mused. "But our time here is not yet done, if you are still seeking inspiration."

[Saru Shang]

"Maybe my brief talk with one of your Clan colleagues had me wanting to reach for some sort of perfection," she smirked momentarily before shaking her head. "No, that's not it. That's me wanting to make something worthy, I suppose. It's not quite over but it does feel rather close to it. We still haven't gotten an idea of the day itself. This haze, this blankness of the fog we see around us makes it seem like the quiet before the storm. I could still philosophize a bit but we don't have long. At least, I don't. They might not be artisans themselves but the Thunders will no doubt paint their stroke in destiny."

[Nanzi Ai]

"Well you certainly have given this a great deal of thought... no one can doubt your acumen in this area, Saru-san," she replied.

[Saru Shang]

"Thank you, Nanzi-sama. While I don't see myself as becoming a Thunder champion in the slightest, I suppose will eventually find myself in my own personal moment when the time comes. However, I don't mean to bore you with the fine details of my work or work to be. I'm sure I'm just one of many visitors who have concerns here and at home. You needn't share with me but I assume that your time here has been rather interesting, to say the least."

[Tyrus]

The Crane samurai had a task, to find anyone that knew Kujo or maybe his family and give them… well she was not sure what to give them. But she felt like she owed it to the lost soul to try… anything. It may have been fruitless, but a samurai had a duty to those of lower stations.

So she searched the streets looking for anyone that knew the man or his family.

Questioning other villagers she would be directed to an unassuming home in the village. It looked much like any of the other homes, not much of note. But she was told that Kujo's daughter, Akari lived there.

[Nanzi Ai]

"Thank you, Nanzi-sama. While I don't see myself as becoming a Thunder champion in the slightest, I suppose will eventually find myself in my own personal moment when the time comes. However, I don't mean to bore you with the fine details of my work or work to be. I'm sure I'm just one of many visitors who have concerns here and at home. You needn't share with me but I assume that your time here has been rather interesting, to say the least."

"Feel free to ask me anything, Saru-san if it can aid your work," she responded.

Questioning other villagers she would be directed to an unassuming home in the village. It looked much like any of the other homes, not much of note. But she was told that Kujo's daughter, Akari lived there.

Ai made her way to the house and politely announced herself, hoping someone was home.

[Tyrus]

A young woman answered the door, likely around Ai's age, well Ai's age when she arrived. She looked to her with a somewhat surprised expression.

"Oh uh hello Crane-sama, is there anything I can do for you?" She asked giving a low bow and having a nervous energy of one who is not prepared for the situation.

[Saru Shang]

"Of course! Mm, question..." she murmured before she mulled over a few things in her head. "But for now, if it's not too much, may I follow along with your errand? It seems there is more to this tale and I would be interested in watching you follow up on your kindness."

[Nanzi Ai]

"Of course! Mm, question..." she murmured before she mulled over a few things in her head. "But for now, if it's not too much, may I follow along with your errand? It seems there is more to this tale and I would be interested in watching you follow up on your kindness."

She nodded in agreement, it would be good to have company.

A young woman answered the door, likely around Ai's age, well Ai's age when she arrived. She looked to her with a somewhat surprised expression.

"Oh uh hello Crane-sama, is there anything I can do for you?" She asked giving a low bow and having a nervous energy of one who is not prepared for the situation.

"Good morning, are you the daughter of Kujo-san, Akari? I am Nanzi Ai," she responded.

[Tyrus]

A slight expression of sadness washes over her "Oh, yes. Nanzi-sama and excuse my rudeness but hello to you as well Dragon-sama."

"I heard about what happened in the graveyard and the monster he had become. I am sorry he attacked you."