Kaguya's Journey Home

[Crow]

Month 0, Night 0, Full Moon

The big, bright full moon reflected its rays upon the very fields of the tranquil, peaceful bamboo forest. The sounds were limited to cricket chirps and drops of water on the fresh, clean lakes. That was sole evidence of pure peace. Lit by nothing but moonlight, the lush bamboo still retained its hues.

From the skies, a tiny bamboo pipe flew down at constant speeds, defying the very concepts of physics as it gradually slowed down and began to float on the fresh, shallow side of the lake. The pipe expanded, before it broke into pieces, unleashing a bare, bunny-eared slender maiden from it. As her bare body rises and looks at the surroundings, she gazes upon this scenery.

There was a full moon. She was surrounded by plants. Her feet were dipped in the shallow water.

What will she do next?

~~~

A mysterious Ronin walks through the very bamboo forests, the only things following him were cricket chirps which were all over the place. He stops by a lake, and hides behind a bamboo bush, since the sounds from the water implied that there was something moving in the water, a beast maybe? As a peep was taken to confirm things, a bare, young maiden was seen, with her figure illuminated only by the full moon.

Whatever will his next course of action be?​

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Dark, it was all very dark. She couldn't see anything, and then, a blinding light consumed her vision. Blinking rapidly, Kaguya pressed her ears against her head, looking around. She was standing in a pool of water. She could see out over the small land of water, the bright full moon. The sky was dark, stars dotting the smooth dark surface. She could feel her ears hanging off her head as she looked around. For now, she seemed to be alone, and so she took the opportunity to walk deeper into the water.

Wading out, Kaguya wobbled on her feet, looking around. She was nervous, like really nervous. Where was she? What planet was she on? All she knew is that the water seemed to be soothing to her nerves. Sighing, Kaguya walked until she found a small little rock, sitting on it so that she was waist deep in water. She stayed there for a few moments, before dunking her head under the water. Opening her bright eyes, she looked around underwater for a few moments before resurfacing. Combing back her white hair, she sighed and sat back down on her rock, wringing out some of her hair, and trying to think of where she was.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

For unmeasured time, he wanders through the bamboo forest aimlessly. The cacophony of crickets are his only company as he goes. The adrenaline of battle had heightened his senses to a fine razor point so now every sound he heard was heavy. The crunch of soil and foliage, as well as the light clinks of his armor as he moves, only adds to his vigilance. He fears someone (who would do him harm) might hear him as clearly as he hears himself. At least the forest was dark, despite the full moon overhead. It almost seemed like this forest preferred itself that way. As he thinks on that, he stumbles upon a lake in the forest. He stops to look it over. His muscles burned with fatigue, and his breath was still heavy from battle. He smelled heavily of blood. His blood, and the blood of other men. It was only now that he realized just how tired he really was and how refreshed he would feel drinking from the lake, and washing away the grime and blood. The cool looking waters of the lake over took his thoughts, and he momentarily lets his guard down as he fantasizes.

It would only be for a moment.

He snaps to attention, and takes concealment behind a bush. A sound: sloshing water. Something was in the lake. Perhaps someone. As quiet as possible, he raises his head above the bush to take a peek at whatever was the source of the sound...

A woman?

He lowers his head again out of embarrassment. What was she doing out in this remote place? Was she lost like he was? he thinks to himself. Perhaps he should look again to determine the answer...

She was beautiful. Her eyes conveyed kindness and charm. Her white hair draped against her glistening pale skin. She had an otherworldly quality, and to him, it seemed that the light of the moon was natural to her, almost as if a part of her essence. Embarrassed as he was gazing at unclothed woman, he could help but gaze. She looked as lost as he was, in this forest.

It was only then that he realized he was standing up in plain view.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya was somewhat getting used to seeing her home from such a long distance away. It looked so pale and fragile in the sky, as if it was hanging by a thread. The people of this planet where so oblivious to what lived on their pale planet in the sky. Up there, a war was raging on, and that was the whole reason she had to come here. Fragile, lost, and afraid, she had been sent to this world to be kept safe, but she couldn't have felt less safe in her life. The winds ruffled at her ears, which where hanging lower and close to her head and she looked around the edges of the lake. She was alone, or so she thought, and she was keen to stay that way.

As she was in the middle of washing her long silky ears, a rustling sound snapped her attention, causing her to turn around, and come face to face with a man. He was dressed traditionally, he smelled strongly of blood, and he seemed to be staring at her. She blinked, bewildered for a few seconds as she looked at the man. His cheeks where flushed, and he seemed unmoving from where he was. After a few seconds of awkward eye contact, her blood instinct kicked in and she let out a blood curling scream, slamming her hands down on the surface of the water. The water responded to her call, and seeing as it was a full moon, it wasn't anything small. A large wave of water went racing towards the shore as the hare sunk down into what remained of the water, hiding the rest of her body from view as the wave crashed over the shore.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

With warrior instinct, he rushes off to the side, quickly ending the movement with an evasive roll in the hope of avoiding the torrent of water heading in his direction. He is mostly successful in the effort, but still manages to be carried away by the wave, and crashes rather hard into a collection of bamboo shoots. He yelps, as the pain from earlier wounds is re-ignited.

"She must be a Yokai, to possess power like that." he says to himself. "she has rightfully expressed her wrath upon me." he adds knowing that he was wrong for staring and her and for looking upon her immodest state. For all his training in etiquette, he was still a man.

He stands up, and walks towards the lake again. This time, he takes the position of prostration, pressing his forehead to the ground.

"Your Ladyship..." he stops briefly from the pain "Please accept this one's humble apologies for his rude behavior. " he says with a sincere tone that sounds like he is addressing someone of higher status.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya was absolutely furious, and frightened by the man. He was a strange creature, that had long silky hair much like hers, yet it seemed smooth like a sheet of silk, unlike her wavy white locks. She narrowed her eyes at the creature, keeping her arms firmly grasped over her chest as she stared at the man, who seemed to have taken a submissive position. The only thing she cared about is that he spoke some form of language she understood. Smiling a bit, she swam a bit closer to the shore, still hiding her body under the water.

"It's quite alright. I suppose you don't know what I am doing here." She spoke softly, her voice floating like silk on the soft wind. "But do you happen to have any sort of cloth I could use. You see, I am lost and well, I don't have anything to wear. And seeing as I am indecent at the moment, it would be nice to find something to wear." She said softly, trying to appear as friendly as possible. No matter how much she wanted to chastise him for staring at the body of royalty, here she was nothing more than a lost girl siting in the woods. She could not just snap her fingers and have guards come to her aid, nor could she wear the worlds finest silks whenever she whished. She had to deal with what she was given, and if this was all she had, then she better take it.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

Kaito remains in his prostration, not wanting to further shame himself.

"Your ladyship, I possess only the clothing I currently wear. I gladly offer you my yoroi hitatare, however, it is stained with sweat blood. I just have survived a great battle, and am the last of my clan. I apologize that this is the best I can do." he says, genuinely regretful that he is unable to offer something better. His voice is smooth and orotund, and goes well with the handsome features of his face.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya groaned to herself, her heart sinking. "You do not have to bow any longer, for here I am no one of importance to your race." she said softly, swimming towards a rock and half sheltering behind it. "You shouldn't give up your own clothing though, you are defiantly wounded. I must find some way to cover myself." She mumbled, looking around. There was virtually nothing for her to clothe herself in, and the air was getting kind of awkward around the two of them. Sure, he was cute and all, but Kaguya felt very exposed the way she was. Her body was supposed to be a temple, and now her privacy had been rudely invaded by a man. "By all means, wash the blood from your clothing, as soon as I find something to cover myself." She said, not wanting to make the warrior give up his clothing. A long and hard battle he must have fought, but she was nothing more than a greedy little rabbit, who now had to find a way to cover herself, or stay hidden. Maybe a bush would suffice for the moment.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

He sits up on his knees and shifts his legs so that he was facing away, in order give the maiden a semblance of privacy. He tries hard to think of a solution for her situation. Normally, he would have insisted upon surrendering his hitatare. However, he got the notion that that would have upset her further. He remembers that there was a village not far from the bamboo forest, though, he was unsure what direction it lay. He supposes that he could find it, he could get clothes from the villages for her. Still, even with her ability to call up tsunamis, he didn't seem all too comfortable with the idea of leaving her alone. After all, it is said that malicious and malevolent yokai inhabit this bamboo forest.

She was definitely not human, but she also didn't seem to one of the yokai, either.

"Your ladyship, if I may, how did you come to be lost in this forest?" he asks.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya hurriedly looked around, trying to find the biggest bush to hide her stark white naked body behind so that she could at the least be somewhat decent. He seemed to have risen from his bowing form, but none the less faced away from her, which put her at ease. She shook her head, letting her white hair tumble back behind her head and stay out of her way as she quickly got up and darted for the nearest bush, which was somewhat thick with leaves, and hid behind it.

Wringing out her ears, Kaguya let out a sigh of relief, looking at the man. "Well, I came here from the moon no less." Kaguya said, closing her eyes for a few seconds before opening them back up again. "Unfortunately, when my capsule opened, I was left with nothing but my powers."
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

From the moon? like in the old tale about the Fox, the Monkey and the Rabbit? He thinks to himself. Does she really hail from Tsukuyomi's domain, and if so, why come here? All the Shinto tales of the moon, tell it as a wondrous place. Surely, why would such people want to leave the heavens for earth?

He chuckles. "Yes. I had a first hand demonstration of that power." He held no ill will towards her for it. It was his fault, anyway.

"Forgive my asking, Your ladyship, but why did you leave the moon?"

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya sighed, hiding behind the bushes the best she could, which involved her sitting on a small cold stone behind it, and letting her long ears peek above the bush. "Well, I had to leave the moon because war broke out. As princess if I was caught and killed, it would have meant a death to the peace of my lands." she said softly, folding her hands into her lap as she waited for the warrior to do something. "I am decent." She said softly, keeping herself hidden behind the bush.

This was the most awkward she had ever been, an in front of such a man no less. She couldn't help but look around the bush and steal a few glances at the man before he turned around, just letting herself enjoy the view for a few seconds.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

"It seems that war has made us both orphans." he says, the tone falling flat as he recalls the heat and the death of the battle that happened only moments ago.

He removes the his swords from his belt, placing them upon the ground with gentle hands. After, he goes about the task of removing his armor, making sure to place the pieces on the ground in an orderly fashion. It had performed it's function well, and thwarted many of the blows he suffered, but there was still some that got through. This became apparent after he had removed his hitatare. There were a few lacerations across his body that intersected with bruises and old scars. However, it was the broken arrow still lodged in his shoulder that proved to be most painful. Grabbing the arrowhead that protruded from his back, he removes it with one swift motion, causing him to grunt in pain. The ronin then rips off one the sleeves from his hitatare, and uses it bandage his wound. He then does his best to clean the blood from the rest of his hitatare, before laying it to dry on his armor. It'll never be the same, but at least it wouldn't be gross.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya could hear the man behind her mumble something, and she peeked around the bush again, only to see the man removing his armor. Flustered, the hare quickly hid behind the bush again folding her hands in her lap. "I guess so." She mumbled bitterly to herself, her ears twitching as she sat there. It was awkward knowing someone on the other side of a plant was indecent, and it freaked her out just a little bit. A human male was nothing that she had ever seen before, and she had to say that for a first, he didn't look all that bad. Still, she kept herself covered while the traditional man that kept calling her ladyship cleaned his wounds and armor from his battle.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

"There is a village that is near here, and once my clothing is suitably dry, I shall seek it out. I should be able to trade with the peasants to obtain clothing for you to wear." he announces, returning his daisho swords to his belt as he stands up. He chose to not clean his Hakama to further spare the maiden his rudeness. Besides, he still needed to be vigilant and ready to fight, lest he, and the maiden, fall victim to whatever threats lurk out there.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya pulled her knees up and pressed them to her chest as the warrior spoke, and she peeked her head over the top of the bush. She immediately scorned herself, for the man was probably uncomfortable with her laying eyes on him. She was a girl after all, even with the ears and the supernatural powers. She hoped she wasn't imposing on him by being there, and while she sat there absorbed in her thoughts, a shadow lurked around the corner, seemingly watching the two of them from a distance.
@Project-2501

 

[Crow]

All of a sudden, a sheet of pure darkness flies over the night sky, filtering the stars from the night sky, and weakening the very moonlight.

Now, who could've done that? Anyways...

Another similiar sheet flew over, enhancing the capabilities of the previous one. This process repeated itself, and as time passed by the seconds, the moon's light was blocked out, and the forest was only illuminated by fireflies and the water reflecting the light from these little fireflies.

The darkness, the manner it was casted, its scale, it could have only been magic. But, what kind of magic? Who was behind it?

Our newly-formed duo was now in the middle of this advanced darkness.

 

[Project-2501]

Kaito immediately takes a defensive stance, using his thumb to push against the tsuba of his katana, breaking the seal of the scabbard. He was prepared to execute a battojutsu strike against whatever threat has come. He could not rely upon his eyes, so instead he focused on his hearing, and his nose. He was bred and trained for war and to kill.

Then he remembered that he was not the only one here. He had to protect her as well.

"Your ladyship, are you well?" he asked distinctly, and without breaking concentration.

 

[IceQueen]

~Kaguya~​

Kaguya was completely unprepared for the situation. Squeaking upon the darkness that fell over the area, Kaguya stood up from where she was, her snow white ears perked in alertness. "Mister? Mister!" She called out a few times, kind of embarrassed that she had to call him such an informal name. She didn't know his name after all, and him hers. She should have properly introduced herself by now, but now was not the time to think of that.

Hearing the warrior call out to her, Kaguya moved towards his voice, her feet stepping carefully over the ground. "I am fine, but where are you?" She asked, her feet feeling around cautiously as she tried to move without slipping. However, being careful in the dark didn't always work. She took one wrong step, and it sent her strait into the dirt, causing her to squeal and fall on her rear, in the pitch black of night.
@Project-2501

 

[Project-2501]

"My lady! Are you alright, are you injured?" he asks rapid fire upon hearing her fall and squeal. "Please, keep talking, I will come to you. I do not like this magical darkness, and I would be more able to protect you from whatever comes if you were near." he says, slowly making his way to direction he heard her fall, making sure to keep his ears open to any strange sounds from possible enemies.