|
Post by The Sidhe on Mar 27, 2013 20:59:01 GMT -5
Hachimantai was a beautiful place. Situated in a more elevated area, the rolling hills and sprawling countryside were occupied by crop fields and old dirt roads that had been traversed for centuries. Tall grass filled the spaces in between fields full of newly planted seeds for spring. Trees in every shade of bright green dotted and clustered themselves all up the mountainside, brilliant in the spring sunlight. It was vast, open, and filled with a whole lot of nothing as far as Kaede was concerned. A bit of forest here, more old paths there, and more wide open space than you could shake a stick at. Man, could she not wait until she was ready to head off to a university and puts the farms and crop fields behind her for good. Kaede hated Hachimantai, and that was putting it lightly. Seated on the end of the bed of her father’s old pickup truck, she idly kicked her feet and stared down at the lighter in her hands. A cigarette hung loosely between her lips, a good bit of ash having formed at the end and threatening to break off and land on the skirt of her school uniform. At least she had an excuse for skipping today. She’d had to twist her grandfather’s arm to get him to let her talk to Shibusen in the first place, let alone get him to drive them all the way up the mountainside to Matsuo. It wasn’t that the roads were bad, oh no. The dirt and rock was solid enough until the rainy season brought a few mudslides, so that wasn’t at all the issue. The abandoned place was bad news, everyone knew that, but it was one of the only places Kaede and her friends could go to smoke where her parents wouldn’t find out and chew them out for it. Unfortunately it was also creepy as all get out. Sighing, she tucked a stray strand of dark hair behind her ear. It had somehow escaped the ponytail she wore but she’d deal with it later. She took the cigarette from her mouth and tapped it once off to the side to get the ash off the end before sticking it right back between her lips. She inhaled air, exhaled smoke. She was only thankful her grandfather really didn’t seem to mind her supposedly bad habit. Glancing up the side of the mountain, the mist hid Matsuo up in the clouds. Narrowing her eyes, she wondered if that thing was still up there. She’d practiced as a shrine maiden for a summer or two, most of the girls around the area had, but she never thought she’d see one of the legends they learned about in the flesh. At first Kaede had though she was dreaming, but unfortunately it was made very readily apparent that hadn’t been the case at all. Shuddering, she tore her eyes away from the cold grey of the clouds and back to the road out before her. She could remember that thing when she had to remember it, to tell the students about it. What she couldn’t help but remember, though, was Akane. She’d been the sweet one of their group. Midori was a snob, Chika was louder than a cat in heat, Hoshiko was the mean one, and Kaede was Kaede. Akane, though, she’d been the good one out of all of them. She was quiet, calm, and never said a harsh word that Kaede had ever heard. She’d been their group’s one saving grace, and then Hoshiko had dared them all to stay the night, threatening to spread rumors about which boys they had crushes on if they didn’t do it. They’d gone in as five and come screaming out as four. Kaede grimaced and gripped the edge of the truck bed so hard her knuckles turned white. She hadn’t even realized Akane was gone until they’d run halfway back home. They hadn’t dared go back, and all were scared to tell their parents. Hoshiko of course wanted them all to keep their mouths shut, but Chika couldn’t keep a secret if you paid her and stapled her mouth shut. They’d all had to go to the police, and then they’d found her. Poor Akane, poor sweet Akane. Kaede sniffed, hunching her shoulders and turning her head once more to glare up the mountainside. She hoped that the students from Shibusen arrive soon. She hoped they made that damned hound pay for killing her friend.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2013 20:50:24 GMT -5
Chiyo had brought a jacket with her, but the day had turned out nicer than she had expected, so it was draped in the crook of her arm as she strolled along the path to where she and Bang would be meeting their contact. It was strange to think that within a few weeks of her arriving in Shibusen, not only had the ex-geisha found a suitable (if not a bit eccentric) weapon and had found out that her first mission would be back in her home country, although it was in Hachimantai, the opposite side of Japan's main island from where Chiyo was from. She hadn't been very far fom Kyoto - she had travelled to Tokyo a few times, but never quite as far as the Iwate prefecture. She could already sense the difference just from the accents they heard at the airport. Happy as she was to be back in her home country, Chiyo had slight reservations. She wondered if Bang would be a reliable partner - not just in battle, but in public. She was very sweet, but Chiyo really didn't know much about her if she thought about it. Soon after they had made the agreement to be partners, they had almost right after signed up for the mission and hopped on an airplane. Chiyo hadn't really had any training using a rocket launcher, so she also had reservations about her being able to be a satisfactory meister. The mission itself fascinated her. An inugumi at a shrine! It was as if the entire thing was pulled straight out of a horror novel. Chiyo couldn't wait. She had always loved the shrines, numerous around Kyoto, and her grandmother had hundreds of stories about monsters and demons from shinto lore as well as urban legends. Chiyo wasn't sure that what had killed the poor girl was actually what the client said it was, but spirit or no something evil was lurking in the mist, and she almost shivered. It was better than a scary movie. So wrapped up was she in her thoughts, she almost missed that they had walked up nearly to the client and the old pickup truck. Sighting the young woman leaning against the truck, Chiyo raised a hand in greeting, although she was sure Bang would alert the client to their presence before she called out, so she'd leave that bit to her. She hoped, crossing her fingers subtly under the weight of her jacket, that she wouldn't have to smooth out anything and that Bang would behave. She wasn't rude, thank goodness, but her appearance and blunt nature tended to surprise people. That is, if the client spoke English. Chiyo hoped hers was good enough to serve as a translator if need be.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2013 11:41:31 GMT -5
Bang was amazed to find that this time when she left for her mission with her new mesiter Chiyo that she didn’t have to sit with the air marshal. It was safe to say that letting a known rocket launcher on an air craft was pretty sketchy to being with but seeing as Bang had flown a few times now the airport knew she was with the school and she wasn’t trouble. Well she wasn’t too much trouble. Lucky for most everyone on the flight Bang had slept the whole way. She had stayed up for a few day and what better time to sleep then on a long ass flight to Japan. When they arrived Bang was far more than happy to get her ass out of that set and get moving however she was uniformed, and by uniformed it mean she wasn’t listening, that they would have to walk a way to get to their contacted. She was fine for a while but soon she began to swing her arm and whine and complain about the walk. ”Chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyo are we there yet? Why do we have to walk our happy asses? Can we like take a cab or something? Do you even have cabs here?”There were many things Bang didn’t know about this country and its culture. She would figure them out on the way and most like scare a few people in the proses but that was just a Bang’s Tuesdays back home. Bang stopped walking as soon as she saw Chiyo stop and wave. What was she waving at? She looked over and saw the truck she didn’t see the other girl yet and looked back to Chiyo. ”Chiyo why are you waving at a truck? DID A TRUCK CALL THE SCHOOL!? CAN THEY DO THAT!?”Bang jumped back a bit and in doing so spotted the other girl. Oh that must have been who Chiyo was waving at and that must be the person they were coming to meet. Not the truck, trucks don’t talk silly Bang Bang. Bang cupped her hands around her mouth now calling out to the other girl. ”Hello! We are the students from Shibusen! We were called about a ghost problem of some shit like that?....Can you even speak English?”Bang looked back at Chiyo now thumbing to the girl by the truck placing her other hand on her hip. ”Did we even bother to find out if she can speak English? I mean it won’t be too much of a problem seeing as you are from here but still I feel like this is something we should have asked beforehand. Oh well! Shit happens.”
|
|
|
Post by The Sidhe on Apr 4, 2013 13:27:29 GMT -5
Someone was approaching. Kaede squinted, tilting her head up to try and get a better look at the two as they grew closer. The one girl could’ve been from around town if she didn’t know any better. She didn’t recognize her face, though, so she assumed she could also just be lost, but the explosion of color traipsing along beside her was what made Kaede think twice. That was definitely not from Hachimantai, that was something Kaede would’ve expected to see on that trip to Harajuku she’d taken with Midori when they were in middle school.
The other one was loud, and from her voice it was most certainly a female. What, was she visual kei or something? She wasn’t ruffly or doll-like enough to classify as a Lolita. Taking the cigarette from her mouth, Kaede hopped down from the truck bed before dropping the so-called cancer stick to the ground and stamping it out. Seeing the quieter of the two waved to her, Kaede nodded to show she’d seen her. Still, the look on her face didn’t exactly read as pleased to see them. These were teenagers around her age, how in the hell were they supposed to fell that…beast? Of course a few of the more superstitious folk were calling it an angry spirit, a god, a manifestation of O-kami herself, but Kaede thought they were all full of shit and had no issue in telling them so before she’d called that special school to help kill the thing, whatever it was.
Placing her hands on her hips, she called out to them,
“Oi! Anata wa shi take Shibusen no gakuseidesu ka?” ((Hey! Are you students from Shibusen?))
There was an accent in there somewhere, a bit of a twang in her voice on the vowels but it was likely that only the Japanese looking of the two would pick up on it. As they got closer yup, Kaede could tell the silent one was definitely Japanese. Good. The other one was very clearly either American or European, although her boisterousness made her think American for sure. Ugh, well wouldn’t this be fun.
Did she speak English, what was that supposed to mean? Did she think she was stupid? Granted not as many were bilingual out in the boonies, Kaede knew that and observed it regularly as the tourists would often not be able to ask the older generations for directions. Her grandparents knew only Japanese, as did her parents. Kaede herself knew Japanese, English, and a bit of Korean which she prided herself on. Scowling a bit now and narrowing her eyes, she mimicked the colorful girl in cupping her hands around her mouth,
“Of course I can speak English! Do I look like some backwoods hillbilly to you?!”
Kaede really looked like she belonged more in Tokyo than out in the countryside. Her school uniform was pristine, but then the fact that she’d picked it up from the dry cleaners early that morning probably helped. Besides, her makeup was flawless, even if she hadn’t bothered with her hair that day. A ponytail was easier than fighting with the curling iron, especially when she had to meet up with these two. She dropped her hands only to wave them over, resisting the urge to stomp her foot against the dust in frustration,
“Hurry up! The more we dawdle the more likely you’ll get lost in the mists before we even get close to Matsuo!”
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2013 13:31:16 GMT -5
Chiyo walked up behind Bang, doing her best not to roll her eyes at Bang's question. "Not truck-" she began, but Bang had already moved on. Thankfully, the contact herself answered the question on English - she was fluent! Chiyo was a little jealous. This girl was already far beyond her in language capabilities. Oh well. At least Japanese was no problem. She put a hand on Bang's shoulder and introduced herself before they got going. She could tell Kaede was ready to go. Chiyo bowed low to the contact, hoping that both she and her weapon would simmer down a little. They both seemed to be slightly impatient. Rushing into things wouldn't solve the problem.
"Hai! Watashi no namae wa Fukui Chiyo. Kanojyo wa Bang Bang desu. Matsudasan desu ka?" ((Yes! My name is Fukui Chiyo. She is Bang Bang. Are you Matsuda-san?))
Chiyo's Kyoto accent shone through when she spoke, just as much as Kaede's. The Kyoto accent was almost a commodity to have if you were a geisha from Gion, and some of the girls who came to Kyoto from other prefectures often had a hard time learning the accent. Chiyo had been born there, and so was born into the accent. Chiyo straightened up, pulling on her jacket. The day seemed slightly colder, although it could have been the proximity to the mists and the mountain.
"Sukoshi dake Eigo ga hanasemasu," she added. ((I can speak English a little.))
She was happy that she wouldn't have to be interpreting the entire time, but Chiyo hoped Bang would be able to understand what she said during a fight. She hoped Kaede would speak mostly in English, for Bang's sake. Chiyo could understand it well enough when it was spoken to her, but speaking it herself was a different matter! But she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.
Patting Bang's arm, Chiyo spoke once more, but in English. "We here to help." With that, she walked over to the truck and made to get in it. Time was of the essence, but Chiyo didn't want them barreling up the mountain. That would only lead to mistakes.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2013 12:54:55 GMT -5
The moment the other girl started to speak Japanese Bang became a little worried. If she didn’t know English Bang would have to rely on Chiyo to do all the translating and good lord that would take up so much time. But all worries left when she heard the other girl speak English as well and couldn’t help but laugh. Back water hillbilly? Really? Bang didn’t even bother to cover her mouth or hid the fact that she thought that was funnier than shit.
”Whoa slow your roll girlie I meant no disrespect. I just wanted to know if your spoke English and see as you do this will make things a lot simpler… Well for me at least.”
Bang knew that her meister wasn’t the best at speaking English but she would help her with that! Bang looked confused for a moment as she felt Chiyo touch her arm. She looked to her and blinked having no idea what she was saying and only picking up their names. By the power of deduction Bang figured that Chiyo was just introducing them to the other girl. Bang then thumbed to Chiyo after she spoke honestly have no idea what was going on anymore.
”Yeah what she said.”
After the contacted made the point that they should get going because they might get lost in the mist Bang suddenly remembered that she was wearing sunglasses. How someone forgets that little fact when it is darker is beyond strange. Bang moved and fallowed her meister to the truck as she pulled her sunglasses up on her head. She reached out and gave Chiyo her hand to help her up onto the back of the thing. She then got on herself looking at the other girl.
”So how’s about you tell us what’s been goin’ on around here? From what I was paying attention too (meaning she wasn’t paying attention at all) you got some kind of, what ghost? Oni? Whatever the hell you call them here don’t matter to me. Point is some info would be nice like maybe what this thing looks like so we know what to hit.”
Tacked, she had none.
|
|
|
Post by The Sidhe on Apr 10, 2013 20:28:01 GMT -5
Ugh, the Japanese one was so proper. Kaede heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to offend the people who were supposed to be helping her, and so she begrudgingly bowed to them both also, though not nearly as low. She would come off a bit casual to Chiyo if not a bit rude, but then Kaede wasn’t exactly in the mood to mind her manners. Placing her hands on her hips once more, Kaede listened to the walking talking rainbow explain herself. What did slow your roll even mean? Was she talking about bread of rolling like you rolled logs or down a hill? Merely raising an eyebrow at her, she turned her attention to the Japanese one, now known as Chiyo, and nodded as she lapsed briefly back into Japanese,
“Un, sore wa watashidesu. Yoroshiku ne.” ((Yup, that’s me. Nice to meet you.))
Bang Bang and Chiyo. Kaede didn’t think she’d ever seen an odder pair of people working together, but then who was she to judge. She recognized Chiyo’s accent, though just barely. It was a little too proper and courteous to be Tokyo, so it had to be Kyoto. Kaede vaguely wondered what the place was like, having never been herself. Hearing her speak English, though, it was clear that Chiyo’s first statement did ring true, her English wasn’t as good as hers but that wouldn’t be an issue. Kaede would be more than willing to repeat something in Japanese for her if she so wished. After all, they’d need to know just what they were doing in order to succeed, if they succeeded. Kaede had her doubts, after all. How they were going to fell that thing had her stumped.
She started to like Bang a bit more once she started talking but still held a vague scowl upon her face. At least she got right to the point. Kaede would indeed tell them about what it was they were set to fight. Letting her hands drop to hand at her sides, she nodded to the pickup truck behind her,
“I’d be happy to, but trust me when I say it’d be better if I filled you two in on the way there. You’ll want to beat the mists as early as possibly or you’ll have a hell of a time finding your way around up there. My grandfather will give us a ride, just hop up in the truck bed and we’ll be on our way.”
With that, Kaede climbed into the truck be herself, crawling rather clumsily near the rearview window before settling down. She would wait for Bang and Chiyo, and once they both were situation, she would pat her hand twice against the top of the actual roof of the vehicle,
“Oi, Oji-chan! Ikou!” ((Hey Grandpa, let’s go!))
The older man said nothing; in fact the only sign that there was anyone driving at all was the engine thrumming to life and then the truck slowly starting down the old dirt road. It wouldn’t take them long to reach the abandoned town of Matuso once they reached the highland roads, but she’d have to lead them on foot after a certain point which would suck. She could of course always send them on their merry way on their own with verbal direction but she’d feel guilty if they got lost up there without ever reaching the place. Still, now on their way Kaede thought it best to pose a question. Sitting cross-legged and smoothing out the skirt of her uniform, she glanced between the two,
“Getting into what this thing is…I don’t suppose either of you have ever heard of an Inugami?”
She spoke softly, almost in a whisper. As she finished her question, Kaede looked up to the mountain side. She could see the mist starting to roll down slowly. That was no good. It would meet them at some point either way, but the faster they moved the better. Regardless, speaking of the beast did send a chill through her. She’d rather let them see for themselves, but it was only fair to let them know what they were up against.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2013 2:36:14 GMT -5
Chiyo tilted her head, clasping her arms around her knees as she sat. "I have," she said in English, a little put out but being polite enough not to show it. Chiyo's family was very traditional, after all, and Inugami were not an unfamiliar term to the geisha. If she hadn't been interested in the folklore of her home country, her grandmother's stories always featured in some of the kami, or gods. For some reason, the fact that Kaede had to ask her - although she was obviously Japanese! - rubbed her slightly the wrong way. That being said, with the company she kept, it wasn't a great stretch to assume she knew very little. Bang wouldn't know much about Japanese folklore - or would she? Chiyo realized she really didn't know that much about her weapon. To save some time, though, maybe it was best for her to speak up.
Speaking still in English for Bang's sake, Chiyo went on. "It is a dog spirit, um, called for killing by person." She scratched the side of her face, wondering if there was anything else she forgot - and could say accurately in English. In the end, she just turned back to the other two girls in the bed of the truck. "I thought they are just stories. Not real." She looked down. "But it kill your friend," she said quietly, murmuring her condolences in Japanese soon after
Chiyo had seen some frightening things, and didn't bat any eyes at the sight of dead bodies or sickening images, but for some reason her stomach was all in knots. Fighting a kishin was making her more nervous than she had expected. The mist made her nervous as well. Her aim would be less accurate once it enveloped them, and no matter how impressive or powerful Bang's weapon form was, if Chiyo couldn't hit anything, it was useless. She pushed thouse thoughts from her mind for the time being. Right now, they had to focus on getting information from the contact.
"Do you know how we stop it?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2013 13:24:01 GMT -5
Bang sat down next to her meister in the truck leaning on the side of it with her arms resting on the back. She looked up to the mountain where the mist was rolling down as she listens to the two other girls. Bang slowly turned her head to look at the both of them.
”Can’t say that I know what in the hell that thing is but in the end it doesn’t matter what is it or what it looks like. We came here to stop it so that no one else will get killed.”
The rainbow just seemed to have a different air about her right now. She wasn’t jumping around the truck bed and or doing anything crazy in the slightest. It wasn’t the time for that right now. Her meister seemed to be unnerved by this thing and not to mention that their contacted has lost a friend to it. In the strangest of was Bang had her game face on right now as she turned back to look up at the mist.
”That mist is going to be our biggest problem Chiyo and I think I might have something to help us find each other if we get lost.”
At that Bang reached into her pocket and pulled out a smaller glow sticks handing them over to Chiyo a smile coming back to her face.
”I never leave home without them. Never know when you are going to need glow sticks but remember we can uses these to find each other, the glow will stick out in the mist, but that also means whatever is out there can also see it. Just need that in mind. I don’t know if you have ever used them before but just crack them and they will start to work.”
Bang also handed the other girl a few glow stick as well as more of a gift than anything else. She wouldn’t be coming with them but hey glow stick where fun as hell! Like bubble wrap.
|
|
|
Post by The Sidhe on Apr 13, 2013 16:31:23 GMT -5
Alright, so at least one of them knew what to expect. Then again Kaede only very vaguely felt reassured in Chiyo knowing the legend of the Inugami. Sure, that was what that monster had taken the form of, but the dark haired girl wondered if they realized just what they were getting into. She nodded in agreement with Chiyo’s description, as that was basically it. How to go about creating and summoning one was a gruesome and cruel process, but Kaede didn’t feel the need to delve into it too much with the student team. Giving them a lesson in Japanese folklore wasn’t what she was there to do and it may only sere to distract them. What she could do was tell them what it looked like and what it was capable of, something she’d been unfortunate enough to see with her own two eyes.
At Chiyo’s muttered condolences, Kaede merely gave a curt nod, lowering her gaze to the truck bed. She knew the girl meant well, but all mentioning Akane’s death did for her was reignite her fury. She’d been helpless, useless, totally unable to aid her friend in any way. Each time she remembered the events of that night it felt as though a hot iron was being twisted around inside of her chest. Kaede closed her eyes, slowed her breathing. Don’t. They’re here to help. She could take out her frustration on a tree with a crowbar later once all was said and done. Still, Bang’s reassurance that they could and would kill the monster was what made her eyes flutter back open. While Kaede had no idea how to stop the creature, she could at least give them some more info as the truck veered a bit, tilting as it turned up the road leading straight towards Matsuo. It wouldn’t be long,
“Sorry, I don’t have a clue how to stop it. I can tell you what it looks like though, and what I saw it do.”
Kaede took a deep breath glancing nervously up at the mountain before turning her attention back to the students,
“This thing is big. Inugami aren’t exactly written as being small, but this one tops any legend I’ve ever heard by a longshot. It’s at least as tall as a two story building and looks like it could probably fit a whale in its mouth. Its fur is snow white, but it had red and black markings along parts of its body. We didn’t even see it coming until we saw the glow. Two eyes brighter than the moon staring right at us.”
Kaede paused, a visible shudder going through her. Those eyes coupled with Akane’s screams had given her nightmares ever since. She doubted they would cease any time soon. Still she continued on in her explanation,
“We all thought we were seeing things at first, you know? We thought it was a combination of the mist and our minds playing tricks on us. Matsuo is creepy even in the best weather on the warmest day; people always get scared going up there, but it sure as hell was real. It charged right at us and we all scattered. Hoshiko, Chika, and Midori all ran and hid behind one of the abandoned sheds. Akane was with me, we ran inside one of the old apartment complexes. It kept after us, stalking around outside and looking in the windows. It knew we were in there. I made a run for it and got out the other side from where we’d come in…I thought Akane was right behind me.”
Her hands closed tightly into fists,
“The next thing I know the other are around me all except for her. Midori’s pulling me by the hand, Chika’s screaming, and Hoshiko’s frozen staring at something behind us. I turned my head just a little and I saw it. It had Akane pinned under one of its paws, they were the size of cars. She didn’t even scream at first, she was too scared. She only started screaming when it growled, right before we all found out just how real those teeth were.”
Kaede was shaking by this point. There were no tears in her eyes, she wouldn’t cry in front of strangers. Besides, Kaede was more enraged at her friend’s death than grief stricken. Akane hadn’t deserved that, not by a long shot. He wouldn’t have had to suffer that kind of terrible death if she’d only checked to make sure that she was following her grabbed her hand. In Kaede’s mind it was all her fault. She only wished there was some better way to atone for it other than to lead two more teenagers into Matsuo.
The rainbow was talking again. Glow sticks? Kaede had never heard of such things before. Willing some of the tension in her body to leave her be, she very slowly relaxed and watched Bang rummage around in her pockets. Listening to her explanation, they did seem like a good idea. The light would be able to pierce through the mist and aid them in not getting lost, but then it would also make them stick out like sore thumbs to the Inugami. Kaede was surprised more than anything to see Bang hand her a few. She wasn’t sure that she realized that she would be leading them right up to the road, but at least she wouldn’t be venturing back in. Kaede took the glow sticks and bowed her head,
“Ariga-er, thank you.”
The truck halted very suddenly, sending Kaede jolting back a bit enough to smack the back of her head against the roof of the passenger compartment. Groaning, she leaned around to look in the driver’s side window,
“Dōshitara ī nodesu ka? Naze anata wa, teishi sa remasu ka?” ((What gives? Why are you stopping?))
Her grandfather shook his head and pointed to the road,
“Kono torakku wa kono kyūna jari no ue sakini susumu ni wa furu sugiru. Anata wa, koko kara toho de sorera o toru hitsuyō ga arudeshou.” ((This truck is too old to go any further up gravel this steep. You'll have to take them up on foot from here.))
Kaede rolled her eyes and let out an aggravated sigh, turning to the students,
“Sorry, but it looks like we’re gonna have to go up on foot from here. The car’s too old to handle it apparently. Don’t worry; we’re not too far from our destination.”
Kaede braced her hands on the side of the back and vaulted over and out of the truck bed. Regarding the glow sticks in her hands, curiosity got the better of her. She cracked it like the girl said and boom, it glowed! Kaede stared for a moment, before smiling softly and starting to walk on knowing the others would follow her. This far up the mountain, the old path was narrower and made of gravel. Trees in every shade of deep green sprouted up from the ground, marking drop offs and the deeper parts of the mountain forest where their trunks disappeared down beyond their line of sight. It was muggy, moisture clinging to the leaves and making them shine. Bamboo lined one side of the path and though the sun tried its best to peer out from behind the grey clouds, the smell of rain clung to the air.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2013 13:08:19 GMT -5
Taking the proffered glowsticks, Chiyo marvelled at how intelligent the plan was. At that moment, she was both impressed and guilty - impressed at her weapon for coming up with such a good idea, and guilty for not thinking her capable enough to do so. Chiyo realized that Bang was much, much smarter than she gave her credit for, and would never make the mistake of underestimating her again. What else did this crazy, colorful girl have up her sleeve? Smiling and nodding her head in thanks, Chiyo stuck the glowsticks in her jacket pocket, pulling her arms through the sleeves. It was starting to get cooler as they traveled up the mountain.
At least they had a better idea of what the inugami looked like. Big, strong, scary. If Chiyo was perfectly honest, it made her blood run a little cold, but the thought of her weapon made her feel more confident. There wasn't much that could stand up to the repeated assault of a rocket launcher, after all.
The location made Chiyo take notice. Would it still be in the apartments? "Where did you first see it?" She asked, but the car jolted, and Kaede and her grandfather had a short dialogue in Japanese. The car isn't going to take us further, Chiyo realized, hopping out of the truck bed before Kaede could translate for Bang. <<We don't mind walking,>> she said. Noticing Kaede crack her glowstick, Chiyo pulled one out and mimicked her, shaking hers and marveling at the bright green glow. Noticing a small hole near the top of the small glowstick, she untied the ribbon on her collar and threaded it through, double-knotting the ends and looping the makeshift necklace around her neck. That way her hands were free. All the better to destroy whatever was up here.
She walked beside Bang, and after a few minutes she touched her arm to get her attention. "Are you ready?" She asked in a quiet voice. They'd soon reach Matsuo, and whatever was lurking in the old, misty city.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2013 15:30:32 GMT -5
It was safe to say that Bang had little to no balance in a moving truck. Even before the truck came to a halt she was wiggling around in it trying to listen to the other girl and not fall out at the same time. All bet where off when the truck suddenly stopped. Bang flew forward and right over the side of the truck getting up very quickly with her hand in the air.
”I’m okay!”
She called out to the other two girls before they would become worried. She dusted herself off as the other two hopped out of the truck and gave a grown at the mention of walking. She would do it but god Bang could be so lazy at times. She did give a little laugh watching the two girls crack the glow sticks and look at them in awe. They were pretty cool but god help you if your broke one. Wait a second that gave Bang another idea! Bang gave a little jump when she felt Chiyo touch her arm only because she wasn’t paying attention.
”DEMON! Oh sorry Chiyo you scared me I zoned out for a second. Yeah I am ready to go and I have another idea!
Bang reached into her pocket and pulled out a glow stick and cracked it the bright pink beginning to show. She held it up and looked at Chiyo.
”Here is a fun fact about glow sticks. If you brake one of these fuckers the stuff inside will still glow even on different surfaces like fur. Even if this thing is hug we are still going to have a hard time seeing it in this mist but the glow sticks and cut through the mist! When we get to the stop I am going to crack all the glow stick I have on me and become a glowing target for this thing. I know it’s dangerous and stupid but bear with me. I can get close to this dog monster thing and break a few of my glow stick on it so you have a bright glowing target to hit. You are just going to have to trust me Chiyo but you will need to hide while I am doing this and when I am done I’ll come find you. It shouldn’t be too hard seeing as you are wearing that glow stick around your neck.”
The idea was a good one but it was very risky as well. Bang would have to get close to this monster on her own with no monster to break the glow stick on it. It was a rick she was willing to take and hey the last kishen egg she ran into she jumped on his back and bit him till he let an innocent woman go so Bang had done something dumb like this before.
|
|
|
Post by The Sidhe on Apr 30, 2013 12:45:53 GMT -5
Kaede kept a rather quick pace but was sure not to leave the two girls behind, pausing every now and again to peer over her shoulder. The more she walked, the more she realized her grandfather had been right in not taking them further. It may not have rained yet, but the moisture in the air was enough to wet the gravel, making it slippery. Kaede didn’t fall but she did slip at least twice, righting herself quickly. She hoped Bang Bang wouldn’t find it too much of a hassle. The rainbow had fallen out of the truck bed after all. As they neared Matsuo, Kaede thought it best to answer Chiyo, “To be honest, I can’t be sure. It uses the mist to cloak itself for certain, and it’s too big to fit inside the buildings even if a few of the walls have broken down and left some gaps. When we first heard it, we weren’t very far in. When the glowing eyes showed up, though, we were near the apartments furthest to the right. There’s an old warehouse over there that’s been open for years, that maybe where it hides when it isn’t hunting.”But that was just conjecture. It made sense, but Kaede couldn’t be sure. As the three girls continued up the path, the gravel laid down in recent years gradually vanished. Dirt still marked the path, bamboo continuing all along one side of the road before stopping abruptly, appearing to suddenly go from healthy stalks to rotting ones. Kaede didn’t look at them. Her eyes were elsewhere. Up ahead was an old sign, rickety and half fallen to the ground after the bolts had rusted and given way on one side. It foretold Matsuo’s close proximity but there was a new addition to the bottom of the post that still stood up straight. Oranges, wreaths of flowers, and small bouquets surrounded a black and white photo that sat propped up with a black funeral ribbon draped over it. Within the frame was Akane, smiling gently out at the world from within the photograph. Kaede paused without really meaning to. She looked the same at ever. Her eyes hadn’t been as dark as in the photo, but that was black and white for you. Out of all of them, it had always surprised Kaede that Akane had been daring enough to cut her hair so short although he bangs were so messy they usually obscured one eye if not both. Seeming to remember her original purpose, Kaede returned her gaze to face forward and kept walking, although if the students listened closely they would hear her curse under her breath. Not even half a mile up the road the incline of the path became less steep, petering out to where it was almost flat. There against the dark green backdrop of trees and bamboo was Matsuo. Kaede reach the beginning of an old concrete path leading in, cracked and worn with age, and came to a stop. It looked so much darker. Perhaps it was only from her perspective, but it truly had to do with the clouds that had rolled in overhead. Grey blocked the blue of the sky and the gold of the sun. Old buildings stood at the most seven stories high, most of them apartment complexes. Water marks ran clearly down the sides, leaving stains all down from rooftop to the gutters below. The grass was overgrown, reaching up to Kaede’s mid-thigh but thankfully the paths were still somehow clear. A few weeds grew through the cracks, but other than that the way was unobstructed. The pale grey mists could be seen from afar, though, slowly making their way towards the abandoned settlement. Most if not all of the windows had been broken long ago, even on the higher floors. Glass still hid in shards within the tall grass near the empty panes. Few of the doors still remained on their hinges, most either hanging at an angle or having broken off completely to lie uselessly upon the ground. The fire escapes appeared from a distance to be safe enough to climb, but Kaede had seen them up close and knew better. They were rusted and rickety as can be and could more than likely snap away from the buildings if any weight was put on upon them. Shadows lurked around every corner, the whole settlement being cloaked in shades of grey. It was no wonder people had thought the place was haunted before. Kaede turned to the two girls, “This is as far as I go. The warehouse is all the way back and to the far right. The shrine all the old folks think this thing came from it in the middle of the settlement. The apartment where Kaede and I hid is nearby. I’ll be back by the sign we passed waiting for you.”The dark haired girl turned on her heel and retreated slowly past them back down the path, hands balled into fists so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She looked at them briefly over her shoulder as she passed them, “Don’t die.”
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 1:39:17 GMT -5
At the sound of Bang exclaiming, Chiyo jumped a little. Demon? Chiyo felt her face slide into some expression halfway between befuddlement and surprise. Was Bang awlways this excitable? She wondered if it was a side effect of being a rocket launcher. In any case, she crossed her hands behind her back military-style as Bang explained her new idea to her. Chiyo's brow furrowed, and her left hand went up to her own glowstick. "I don't know..." she said, hesitant. It was a very risky idea. The geisha didn't like the idea of splitting up, but Bang did have a point. In this mist, a glowing target would be an advantage...
She exhaled though her nose, unhunching her shoulders and gripping her glowstick tightly. "If you are sure...I will trust you. But please be safe," she said, already worried. If Bang was too reckless, it could get them both into a lot of danger. All she could do now was trust that her idea would work. Without another word, she turned to follow Kaede, anxiety gnawing at her stomach.
Was...she afraid? No, this was different. This was like nothing else she'd ever felt. Maybe it was because of the dangerous situation she was in. This was real.
As she walked, Chiyo listened to Kaede's short run-down on the location of the inugami. The old warehouse sounded promising. Chiyo turned to Bang, giving her a look. "The warehouse first?" She asked. [colr=red]"If nothing is there, we go to the apartments or the shrine?"[/color]
Before she heard Bang's answer, though, she noticed Kaede stopping near a memorial. That must be her friend, Chiyo realized, pausing to look even after Kaede had moved on. Kneeling down, Chiyo looked at the picture of the girl - the name on the wreaths she read as Akane - and said a silent prayer in her head, clasping her hands together and squeezing her eyes shut. Please keep us safe, she asked, wondering if Akane's spirit would be watching over them. Straightening up, she hurried after Kaede to the concrete path she had paused at. Kaede said her goodbyes, pointing out the shrine, the warehouse, and the apartment, and then took her leave. Chiyo noticed how tightly her fists were balled. Soon, the mist swallowed her up, and the two Shibusen students were alone.
Chiyo turned to her weapon, giving her a weak smile.
"Ready?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 7, 2013 15:25:24 GMT -5
As they approached the ghost town Bang stooped seeing the picture and the memorial. She was half listening to what it was that Chiyo was saying something about going to the warehouse first? Bang nodded her head silently in agreement with her meister. That did sound like a good idea to check their first and then the apartment. Bang watch as Chiyo approached the picture and gave a silent prayer for the dead girl. Bang’s eyes fell as she looked at the ground now. She may have been raised Jewish but over all she wasn’t very religious but maybe now was a time to start. She walked over to the picture and bent down to get a better look at the girls face in it. She couldn’t have been any older then her and Chiyo. Bang glanced over at the other two girls and turned back to the picture brining her hands together in and closing her fingers around each other.
”Yeetgadal v' yeetkadash sh'mey rabbah B'almah dee v'rah kheer'utey. V' yamleekh malkhutei,b'chahyeykhohn, uv' yohmeykhohn, uv'chahyei d'chohl beyt yisrael, ba'agalah u'veez'man kareev. Amein.
Bang’s Hebrew was a little rusty and she could hear it when she spoke but that’s what happens when you don’t speak a language for a while. She stood back up and turned back to Chiyo fallowing her making no comment about what she had just done. It was a Jewish prayer for the dead that she had not said in a long time but she felt she needed to say it now. Bang watched as the other girl left them calling back for them not to die. She smiled and waved at her calling back.
”We won’t! See you in a while!”
For a situation like this you didn’t to be optimistic or at least that is what Bang thought. She walked over to Chiyo and nodded her head at her question pulling up her glow stick and cracking them so that they were all glowing now.
”Ready as I will ever be. Let’s get going. When we get close to the warehouse I am going to make some noise to draw the kishin out so I can brake these glow stick on it. Let just hope I will be faster than that things mouth.”
She gave a laugh and started to head into the town making her way to where they were told to go. As they walked Bang picked up a piece of metal that was laying on the ground. While she knew her yelling was very loud she didn’t think it would be enough to draw this thing out. She would have to use something else.
|
|