29 - Autumn Leaves

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Uncover the remaining secrets of the mysterious forest.
When: Nov 29 - 30
Where: Chichibu National Park & the Central District
Summary: A heavily forested wilderness area in Chichibu National Park is attracting dangerous numbers of ayakashi, and Heaven's forces suspect that this might be the mortal forest that was connected to the Heavens in order to kidnap gods and shinki a few weeks ago.






Walk in the Woods

On the morning of the 29th, Heaven's messenger doves drop off small folded cards at the doors of every temple. The cards read,


We believe that we have identified the location on the Near Shore where the human accomplices were working. As it is a large area, we offer you this information, in case you are able to assist us in searching for clues to the identity of the culprit. Please investigate with caution: there are reports of ayakashi in the area.


Attached is a map to a large national park in the Kanto region, with a section of the park cross-hatched in red pen. Anyone who goes to investigate the marked area will discover that it is heavily forested and contains about a mountain and a half; the ground is steep, muddy with autumn rain, and slick with dead leaves, though some red and orange colors are still grimly clinging to the branches overhead. Watch your step! The supernatural menace seems to have faded, but the purely natural hazards can do almost as much damage.

Heaven's forces, wearing white short jackets with gold chrysanthemum emblems over much more sensible jeans and hiking boots, can be seen here and there throughout the forest, searching for clues themselves. If somebody gets in a real jam, they might be willing to lend a hand.

Mysterious Trees

Towards the center of the cross-hatched area, investigators may begin to see some familiar signs. Are those bits of torn-down spell papers still fluttering from nails driven into the trees? Vines and tree branches cut and broken by the hostage rescuers breaking through? Footprints, torn bits of black hooded cloaks... there are clues aplenty here.

There's something else, too: a mysterious presence still seems to haunt the forest. The trees might not move when anyone's watching, but it seems like they're in slightly different positions every time you look away and back. And what was that flicker of movement in the underbrush? Is there still someone here?!

Comment on the NPC REQUEST/CLUE SEARCH thread below to request specific details, or to go hunting for that mysterious presence.

Ayakashi Attacks

There's more than one mysterious presence in these trees... and some of them are definitely not friendly. The forest's aura is unsettling and creepy enough to partially mask their approach, but ayakashi of all types and sizes seem to have been drawn here. Some wind along tree branches or soar through the air on fleshy, wide-spread wings. Others crawl or even burrow in the ground.

And all of them are excited at the possibility of a divine meal. Look out!

Autumn Leaf Viewing

An area of the Central District planted with maple along a stone-walled canal has been decorated with hanging lanterns, comfortable spread mats and cushions, and an abundance of delicious food and drink on the afternoon of the 30th. Everyone is invited: new gods and old, those who helped investigate the Near Shore forest and those who didn't. For those who did investigate, though, one or two of the white-robed shinki who are helping with the party preparations and enjoying the food and drink themselves will take the opportunity to pull them aside and ask about their findings.

The party includes games as well as food and drink. Kites, poetry games, tag, hide-and-seek, card games and dice games are going on all over. There's even some determined board game and mahjong players who have brought their favorite game to the outdoor venue and are setting up on mats with immense care.

At one edge of the landscaped area where the party is being held, the ground slopes up, and is planted with a riot of bright gold, white and rust-red chrysanthemums. Like the ones that bloomed everywhere a few months ago, these flowers exude a sense of peace, confidence and security to anyone nearby, and especially those who pick the blooms to wear in their hair or their buttonhole.

In Summary:

• Investigate a wild forest
• Watch out for nasty trees
• Exorcise an ayakashi infestation
• Enjoy some hard-earned relaxation
• Have fun~

Comments

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Right, then! [Nia spins her hand around in a circle, irritation making her gestures short and snappy.] The ones in charge. You know, I was irritated enough about this whole mess before, but even the gods don't get treated much better, huh? Same sort of drudge-work assignment without a scrap of thanks from the people too good to come down and get their own hands dirty.

[That doesn't make her feel better, precisely, but she at least resents the gods a little less. That's something, right?]

[unlucky7]

I think it comes with us new gods and shinki being that; new. We're the aberrations.

[They may be accepted among the eight million gods, but they're practically babies with not even a year of history. No surprise they're the grunts, though the opposing side is at least they're allowed to help with than left in the dark.]

Though I won't discount there are likely other problems going on other gods are busy dealing. Whole big world out there. And some of the old gods aren't bad. Ebisu and his shinki were a big help during the blighted city a month ago.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

And how many others are there? [Nia waves a curled hand in front of her as she often does, the faintly catlike gesture just a little bit alien-looking. Not the kind of thing a normal person does.] However you look at it, they've given us the grunt work. Just like you said.

['Aberration' is a word that hits deep at her core.]

[Literally.]

[unlucky7]

According to the number given at the meeting? Eight million.

[Steep on that number for a bit. Ginia didn't believe it, but after seeing so many gods there, she can believe it. There are all sorts of gods for all sorts of things, problems near and wide. Yes, this is the messy work, but it also hit them directly so Ginia doesn't mind.

More information for herself anyway.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

You see, eight million of them and they can't -- eight million!? [Nia practically trips over her own feet, scrambling in front of Ginia with an anger that seems to go everywhere.] You're pulling my leg!

[No, she doesn't believe Ginia's overtly deceiving or joking with her, she's well past the point of thinking anything is impossible. But if that doesn't grind in how stupid this is!]

This would take five seconds if a fraction of them helped out!

[unlucky7]

No, it wouldn't. Eight million suddenly descending on the same place? Any clues would be lost immediately underfoot. Also not every god or shinki is cut out to investigate. No doubt we're going to lose clues because of careless people.

[That's also assuming some of the gods aren't working with the cult in some day. There were plenty of soulless shinki fighting, but only new gods and shinki were being drained of energy. It's as she said before; they're aberrations. Ginia doesn't doubt someone might be trying to take them out.]

I don't mind the work. I knew people taken by the cult into the forest, so this is a bit of payback. I'm already invested in things.

[Ginia cocks her head at Nia, regarding her seriously.]

What are you doing here? You came after the fact so you don't have a direct stake in things.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Ugh, does everyone around here have to mince words? The sentiment was perfectly obvious even if she used a bit of hyperbole. The point stands!]

[Nia folds her arms, turning to scowl off into the forest.] That's a load of bull. People got kidnapped, right? Shinki from the new gods? If we're still out here investigating, that means there's still danger. To me.

[And she isn't so cold-hearted she'd just leave everybody else hanging. She's just not really out to admit that, even to a woman who'd seen her pummeling an ayakashi with a waste bin to keep it from going off to harm anyone else.]

[unlucky7]

Shinki and gods. The soulless ones had to fight, everyone else was being drained of their energy. [A gentle correction, but an important one. Gods too are not invincible. She thinks about Shun, barely able to stand on his feet and immediately passing out after they destroyed the sigils. Of Caster, sleeping soundly for another week after the fact, so drained of energy, dead if his circumstances were different.

But no, Nia isn't cold-hearted, that much is true. Ginia raises her camera and takes a few pictures, stopping when she feels something or someone watching.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

So there you go. Whether I hide or shirk or come out here, trouble's coming for me, right? I'd rather fight my own --

[Nia feels it at the same time, the way she snaps her jaw shut and tenses. One hand drops reflexively to her hip, pure unconscious behavior, but there's nothing there for her to grab. Grr.]

-- my own battles, without weapons. You're all friendly with your god, right?

[Just in case.]

[fleetforestsprite]

[Watching? No, no one's watching at all! Don't mind the quiet rustle from the trees above. It's definitely the wind, and not the preteen girl easing back along a big horizontal branch so that she can hide a little better in the foliage.]

[unlucky7]

[There's a sheathed machete at Ginia's side and a knife hidden under her jacket at her back. Ginia doesn't reach for either as she hears something rustling above. Slowly lowering her camera to her side and angling it upward as she types a message on her phone, Ginia lightly tilts her head upward as she pretends to roll her shoulders and head.]

Yes, I'm friendly with him. All it'll take is a call to have him popping in to check on us.

[As her message plays, she takes a rapid series of pictures.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[She doesn't even know what she's reaching for. Her twin rings and the Blade that provides them are forgotten in death. She's not sure she knows how to fight... except with one weapon that she won't be drawing for sure.]

Don't know whether that's nice or disturbing, to be honest. [Nia slowly sidles her way towards the tree trunk, making it look like she's checking for signs or sigils or whatnot. Keep it casual...] Can't say I'd mind a rescue if things got heavy, but I hate needing a rescue because we can't handle it if things get heavy.

Not saying you're useless, of course, just that there's only so much we can do.

[fleetforestsprite]

[The girl doesn't seem to notice their attention; she's staying where she is, half-hidden in the foliage. Ginia's photos will reveal a child who looks maybe twelve or thirteen, with long, tangled dark hair and mud smears on her hands and the unseasonable sundress she's wearing. She's barefoot.]

[unlucky7]

[There hasn't been much luck taking a picture of whatever has been stalking her around. Ginia doesn't expect much this time either, so when she pulls up her camera to check the screen, she stops as she sees pictures of a child. Keeping her movements slow and visible, Ginia raises her camera to show Nia the pictures, tilting her head toward the tree.

The hand holding her phone types up a message, holding it out for Nia to see instead of playing it.]

I'm afraid she'll run if I turn. Can you try talking to her?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

You want me to --

[And then Nia's face screws up like she'd just been slapped, because oh, right. In this case the abrasive, ill-tempered, foul-mouthed one is indeed the better choice of the two of them to talk to the girl.]

[Feeling incredibly stupid, Nia drags a hand down her face like she can pull the hot embarrassment out of it by force. Okay, Nia. Calm thoughts. Gentle words, right?]

Hey -- hey, kid. We know you're up there and we don't mean you any harm. It's okay.

[fleetforestsprite]

[The girl holds very, very still for several seconds. She doesn't even sound like she's breathing.

After about fifteen seconds, and moving exquisitely slowly, she leans out over the edge of the branch, eyes wide.]

[unlucky7]

[There's no rustling, no fleeing. Ginia slowly looks over her shoulder, raises her hands so they're visible as she slowly turns around and looks up.

It really is just a girl sitting in a tree. But given everything that's happened in this forest, it's probably not just a normal child.

Ginia keeps her movements controlled and visible as she types up a message and dials up the audio on her phone so the child can hear.]

What's your name?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Well, would you look at that.

[Nia lifts a hand slowly, fingers spread wide, then waves a little as she looks up into the branches at the girl. Both to greet her, and to show that she isn't holding a weapon or anything dangerous. All that bitter and wary air has vanished; Nia doesn't even think of the kid as a threat.]

[Might be the sort of thing that'd get her in trouble someday.]

[fleetforestsprite]

[Very cautiously, the girl raises one hand in return... and waves back.

She looks from side to side, checking to see if anyone else is watching her, and leaps down from the branch. It's easily a twenty-foot drop, but she lands lightly, confidently, and straightens up to her full not-very-tall height.]

Votelli. Who're you?

[unlucky7]

[Votelli. It's a pretty name. Though still wary of the surprise child - any child this stealthy and deep in the woods is no simple child - Ginia finds a genuine smile creeping on her face. She bows her head.]

I'm Ginia. It's nice to meet you, Votelli.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia takes a step back, because how else do you respond from someone just plummeting out of a tree and not splatting? Sure, she's not surprised that the kid can do it, but still, you don't just expect that.]

Uh, hey, Votelli. Name's Nia.

[fleetforestsprite]

Hi.

[She looks uncertainly from one to the other, and crosses her arms, hugging them close to her body. The dress she's wearing is thin and sleeveless, unsuited to the November chill.]

Um, I'm not supposed to talk to anybody, but you won't tell, right?

[unlucky7]

We won't tell anyone else in the forest.

[of course, that means once they're all out of the forest, Ginia is going to tell the rest of her temple about Votelli. However, she also trusts they aren't going to hunt down whatever or whoever she ends up being.]

Do you live in this forest?

[Ginia looks at the girl's thin dress, turning options around in her mind before shedding her backpack and removing her jacket, offering it to the girl. Her bare arms prickle in the cold air, but after hiking most of the day, it feels nice too.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Ugh, Ginia, that was so transparent. You should've just lied. Like Nia may or may not be about to.]

I won't tell a soul. Somebody looking after you, then?

[She doesn't have a thing to contribute to the girl's comfort. None of her clothing comes separate, after all. But since Ginia's got this, Nia worries more about whether or not she's hurt. Or hungry.]

[fleetforestsprite]

[That was transparent, especially compared to the more expansive promise Nia made right afterwards. The girl frowns at Ginia.]

You can't tell anybody. At all.

Sensei comes here when there's something I have to do. Otherwise it's just me living here.