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

[priforprince]

Can you tell us what you know?

[ Hibiki is this close to disassociating to the Palps. "Lost all will to live" is the only way she ends up in anything resembling a manageable state.

Lucky you, Suzaku! ]

[fleetforestsprite]

Maybe I could. Why should I, though?

[She maintains her pout for a few more seconds before it sags into a more defensive hunch, and she mutters:]

I didn't know anybody would get hurt.

[swordofzero]

[He stands patiently, glancing at Hibiki again to check she is alright. She sounds... calmer than usual which might be a bad sign. He doesn't know her well enough to tell.]

Sometimes that happens, we do things and we don't know the consequences until afterwards. But people did get hurt.

If you feel bad that they did, then helping those who are trying to fix things would be a way to make up for that hurt, accidental or not.

[It's a bit of a risk, she's a child and she's not human. He has no idea if she feels guilt or not. But it's worth a try.]

[priforprince]

Much obliged, mademoiselle.

[ And Hibiki begins sliding off the side of the horse.

Look what you've done. ]

[fleetforestsprite]

I just did what I was supposed to. None of them were supposed to come here, so it's not my fault.

[She's gone defensive again, huddling back against the tree trunk.]

Sensei just told me not to let anybody get in the way....

[swordofzero]

[Hibiki? Hibiki are you okay? Suzaku looks at her with concern before his attention returns to the forest child.]

Who wasn't meant to come here? Some people had no choice about being in the forest.

[He steps closer to her, though he keeps his movements slow and non threatening, crouching a little so he doesn't tower above her.] Is sensei the person who made all of the spells here or was that you?

[priforprince]

[ Don't mind her, she's facedown in leaves.

Briefly. Maxie stirs, aware there is a problem, and Hibiki lifts her head and torso. She has a leaf stuck right in the middle of her forehead. But the shock of the landing jolted her awake. ]

Your sensei seems to have had plans of his own.

[fleetforestsprite]

I can't make any spells.

[She's leaning away from Suzaku as he approaches, nervousness visible on her face.]

It's the ones who came in from outside and set those fires who weren't supposed to be here.

[swordofzero]

[Hibiki? Suzaku keeps half his attention on the girl, he doesn't want her running off again but he does go to Hibiki's side, had she fainted? He speaks quietly to her, one eye still on the girl.] Miss Shikyoin, are you alright?

[Ah the rescuers.] Their friends were missing, so of course they went in to find them. Why was nobody meant to be there?

[priforprince]

...I'm all right.

[ Standing, now. Patting herself off with a handkerchief.

And then returning to the conversation like she'd never left it. ]

The people you sought to expel. Were they in cloaks?

[ Let's just get this straight. Are you anti-cultist, anti-rescuer, or anti-everybody? ]

[fleetforestsprite]

Not the ones in cloaks. Sensei told me I had to let them in, but nobody else.

[swordofzero]

[So anti-rescuer. Suzaku nodded at Hibiki, she seemed alright. Perhaps she had just slipped, it is pretty muddy.]

Do you know why you were allowed to let the ones in cloaks in?

[priforprince]

A supernatural conspiracy.

[ Hibiki is already writing this script in her head. She sees how it all must have gone down! Assuming everyone who participated understands genre.

And she smirks. Yes, now they're on turf she understands (and all the literal turf is off her face). When it comes to people tricking each other - that is the stage upon which the ultimate actor excels! ]

I'd love to discuss it with your sensei.

[fleetforestsprite]

You can't talk to him! He can't know I talked to anybody!

[Her voice is spiraling up into obvious panic, and she looks back and forth, ready to run again.]

[swordofzero]

We won't. It's alright, we won't get you into trouble. [It's becoming quickly apparant that this child is not really their enemy. She is working for them but she seems afraid.] Do you live with him here in the forest?

[priforprince]

....Tch.

[ She's going to have to track down sensei on her own time, then. Very well. Hibiki pulls out her phone and checks to see if any remaining spygoats are in range.

....why is the only feed she's picking up upside-down? How does that even.... ]

[fleetforestsprite]

[The reassurance seems to settle the girl down, and she nods.]

I live here, but he doesn't. He visits sometimes.

[swordofzero]

You live here all alone?

[She's so young... though he's aware she might be older than she seems. It still feels wrong.]

[priforprince]

What are you, exactly?

[ Beyond "forest fairy". Because Hibiki's judgment is never wrong about such things.

She slips the phone back into a pocket, but she'll remember sensei. Oh yes she will. ]

[fleetforestsprite]

Of course I do. I'm a god.

[She blinks at Suzaku, and then, craning her neck a little, past him at Hibiki.]

[swordofzero]

A god? [He glanced at Hibiki and then back at the girl. A god who did not live in the heavens? Was her sensei a god as well? He has a lot of questions but he's wary of scaring her now that they had finally calmed her enough to talk.]

What should we call you? [He smiled politely, but hopefully reassuringly.] My name's Kururugi Suzaku.

[priforprince]

Apollo. Shikyoin Hibiki.

[ What a quandary it is, to be known by so many names of such repute. One must list all of them for full effect. ]

If you're a god, you've no business heeding anyone's dictates but your own.

[ This is what she thinks is helpful advice. ]

[fleetforestsprite]

Votelli.

But I'm not an important god.

[She gives Hibiki a confused glance. Does that mean the scary person on the horse isn't going to threaten her anymore?]

[swordofzero]

Every god is important to those that follow them. [He figures so anyways. To someone in need the god who answered there prayer was very important.

He smiles at her again.] It's nice to meet you Miss Votelli.

[priforprince]

So this forest is your domain.

[ And it must be...special, somehow. For the kidnappings to have occurred as they did...

Ugh. If she asks more about Sensei, the not-fairy will spook again, won't she. How irritating. ]