⚡ || Shuten Forest & Shuten Bridge

[NecroPlant]

This expansive forest of bamboo is an oddity in the land of Lightning. Because like the bridge it houses it seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and in the span of only a day according to witnesses. However, since that day it has been settled here for three years. Many tell their children and travelers 'stick to the bridge' as those who enter the bamboo forest are never seen again. Cutting down the Bamboo seems fruitless as the bamboo withers and dies immediately in an unnatural manner then springs back to life again in seconds. The bridge starts at the entrance of the forest and extends to the end of the forest. The oddest thing is not once has a traveler ever reported approaching the forest and the bridge not being there in sight. It was eventually ruled that seeing as the area does no harm so long as one keeps to the bridge the oddity has been left to be quite the scenic visiting location.

•Benefits:
?

Dangers:
• Leaving the bridge and entering the forest or following the waterway into the deeper depths of the forest will cause a person to lose their sense of direction as if they were in a drunken stupor. It also induces drunken behaviors. Promiscuity, aggression, confusion. Very rarely does one ever find their way back before dying of starvation, although the river has prolonged deaths from dehydration in the past.
• It is only a rumor but it is believed by locals to the area that gave the bridge its name that the forest is inhabited by a Shuten-dōji a type of Oni that many of the Oni-clans wish not to recognize. Another rumor is that those who leave this forest while few and far and in-between come out claiming they're cursed. Cursed with what? It's hard to say. But they all have a particular mark on their person.

•Wonders:
Shuten Bridge: Shuten Bridge is a long expanding wooden-bridge painted red. The mysteriousness of Shuten bridge is it was made...and that's it. Nobody knows who made it, and seemed to have been made in a single day. Shuten Bridge spans 5-miles in length from start to finish and is a pathway through a rather dense bamboo forest. It goes over a scenic river which many claim walking over they start to feel dizzy as if having just had too much to drink before the feeling fades.  

[Sleepy Senpai]

Ichengo Angelus

Whatever this feeling was, it definitely wasn't anger or grief. Those emotions were all too familiar to Masanori, the former being the most frequent out of any other. Had he been angry, he certainly would have punched the teacher attempting to console him. Or lend a hand. Or whatever they were trying to do. It was stupid. Masanori didn't care for any of that mushy nonsense. None of it would bring his sister back. Grief would have made him withdraw from everyone - more so than he already does as of late. He felt neither, yet he did feel something. Consumed in his own hurricane of inner dialogue, he feet carried him aimlessly to a bridge, the sound his soles making contact with the wood beneath him bringing him back into the realm of reality. Upon realization of where he was, he stopped. Standing motionless and alone on a crimson bridge surrounded by bamboo that reached above what his vision would allow in the semi-foggy atmosphere.

The rumors of this mysterious bridge were known by most of the civilians in Kumoito. Various tales of people disappearing and the dangers that lurk beyond the bridge. This was the very bridge where he found his sister's scarf, and up until that time, he knew nothing of this place. The feeling which brought him here at this very moment, was determination. Determination to find his sister. She can't be gone... Disappointment stirred within him. At the local police force for giving up on the search. Giving up on Noriko. They presumed her dead after one month of searching; two of their own lost in the aftermath. How could they just give up like that? Even after he insisted on helping them look, they refused almost immediately. They didn't want to risk putting him in danger... Then, that frustration turned back on himself like it has always done for the past several months. Because deep down, he knew it was his fault. I should have been there. Been here, for her... Masanori felt like he was doing the right thing, opting out of going to school right away to help keep a roof over his mother and sister's head. A choice that his no good father wouldn't have made in order to support and provide his family over selfish ambitions. A choice that, in the end, completely shattered a family that was already broken, and further confused a boy that was already lost.

His feet started to carry him once more, nearly half a mile across the bridge until he stood in the exact location where he found his sister's scarf. The frustration had long subsided with each steady step; all he could do was sigh. Looking off one side of the bridge, he could see nothing but tall bamboo stalks covered in a light fog for miles. The same - strangely, almost a mirrored image - when he looked in the opposite direction. Internally he was denying the thoroughness of the police force's search. Noriko was here somewhere. She had to be. He hoped. Masanori carefully removed the scarf from around his neck, gazing into it. Instantly, memories of his sister and the moments they shared together as children came rushing back to him. They had always been inseparable, like most twins are. Yet, the last memory to play was the most painful of all, when their paths diverged. She enrolled into the academy alone. He left her alone.

And now, she was gone.

 

[Ichengo Angelus]

Maiana Chiru
[S+ Rank][Kumoito][Bloodline][Taijutsu]
[Civilian][Vigilante][Escort][Exotic Dancer]
[Strength: ?][Speed: ?][Agility: ?][Endurance: ?]
[Chakra: 2315/2315][Stamina: 2490/2490]

A typical stroll for Maiana, walking along through the forest. Across the bridge as always, she knew the stories and in fact the group she had worked with had lost many to those stories. People that didn't believe in the stories and tried to prove everyone wrong. Of course never seen again, and nothing could be done about it except mourn them. Maiana was sad when it had first happened however she eventually grew to realize what was going on. Her train of thought was lost as her sight suddenly focused on a figure who was also standing on the bridge. A young...boy it seemed? If you were to ask Maiana he looked a bit too pretty to be a boy. Of course he still looked like a boy regardless..a sad...well maybe sad wasn't the right word. However whatever emotion one could say that his expression looked like it was surely not one that was good. Perhaps just giving the boy someone to talk to would be nice for now? She was in no rush to be anywhere right this moment. Any of her clients could wait and if they had an issue with that they would just no longer be her clients. Maiana would approach the young looking boy with a warm smile. Leaning against the side of the bridge and speak. "Hello, you look distraught I suppose. Would you like someone to talk to?" Her warm smile accompanied by an even warmer voice.

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Sleepy Senpai

 

[Sleepy Senpai]

Ichengo Angelus

No. He had to will such thoughts away. Admitting that she was gone made it appear like he was giving up. Just like the police force. She was out there, somewhere. If they wanted to give up the search, so be it. Masanori was determined to search for his sister until she was back home, safe. Back together with her brother who'd never fail her like that again. Damn this bridge; damn this forest, he'll fight whatever stood in his path. Be they human or-

A voice called out. Masanori didn't respond right away initially, in fact, for a brief moment he wasn't even sure if he had actually heard the voice at all. His gaze was settled on the bridge that travelled deeper into the forest. How long had he been lost in thought to be unaware of anyone else approaching? Masanori looked around, catching a woman leaning against the side of the bridge. Her style of fashion was certainly something like he had never seen before, and more revealing than what he was used to seeing. A trailing glance from the top of her hairdo to the bottom of her feet was made. That glance slowed at specific areas given her distracting style of dress. He was a male, after all. However the somber look on his face was unchanging throughout, even though most boys Masanori's age would have reacted differently.

He did not answer the woman's question, nor reply with a greeting in kind. Instead, returning her question with another question: "...Have you seen this girl?" He pulled a picture from his pocket, revealing a photo of a girl who held a striking resemblance to him, albeit with much longer hair and softer facial features that were only slightly more feminine than Masanori's. He felt it only made sense to ask, without thinking much of any formal greeting, as she was wandering the bridge for some reason - he assumed.

 

[Ichengo Angelus]

Maiana Chiru
[S+ Rank][Kumoito][Bloodline][Taijutsu]
[Civilian][Vigilante][Escort][Exotic Dancer]
[Strength: ?][Speed: ?][Agility: ?][Endurance: ?]
[Chakra: 2315/2315][Stamina: 2490/2490]

Huh, the kid was pretty rude. To not answer a question asked of you. Maiana's smile turned into a bit of a frown instead. She had been raised a certain way and followed that quite well. She also expected it mostly from others too. Of course she also was well away of how different everyone could be. Regardless of all this...she would heed his words. Looking at the picture he pulled from his pocket to see....a picture of himself? So he was a she? No it was different, the picture's features were softer and more feminine than his, which made the boy only look like more of a boy next to the picture. Maiana's mind putting two and two together and realizing he had a twin. Identical too, which also explained a bit of why he looked rather feminine...well in a way it did at least. However it was a bit unsettling, he had asked if she had seen that girl. Did that mean she was missing somehow? Was it about this forest? The forest that everyone just gets lost in and never returns from. It made sense right? He was here asking people that might frequent the bridge? Maiana needed to know more, a bit of a sad look on her face as she thought about it.

"No, I haven't Hon. Sorry." She said to him, looking at him instead of the photo now and then out into the forest for a moment. The boy was rude, but part of her didn't want to believe that his sister went off and got lost within the forest. She didn't want to believe that such a young life could have been tossed away and into nature or whatever supernatural happenings went on in the forest. She turned back to the boy, her look of sadness turning into a more neutral look as she spoke this time. "Would you tell me, what happened?" She asked him. Hoping to not hear the story she was expecting to hear.

show spoilerhide spoiler

Sleepy Senpai

 

[Sleepy Senpai]

Ichengo Angelus

He patiently waited for the woman's answer. As patiently as he could, anyways. The entire time the woman was inspecting the photo, his gaze bore into her relentlessly. Masanori was hoping, praying, that she would have something. Anything down to the tiniest clue that he could use to be just a half step closer to finding Noriko. Her introduction alone gave off a particular vibe that she was comfortable with this area, despite the rumors. Or perhaps she was just as fearless as he.

Or stupid.

When she finally did speak, the words made his heart sink. His lips pursed in frustration, his gaze turning from her and down the path of the bridge. Masanori hadn't noticed he was clutching the photo tightly now, the corner starting to crinkle from the strength behind it. Quickly he stuffed it back into his pocket, remaining turned away from the woman. She inquired about the incident, wanting to know more; the young Hatake replied with a deep exhale. "I..." He started, pausing. He couldn't help but blame himself for the entire thing, but that wasn't what she asked about. "Noriko. That's her name." Removing the scarf from his neck, he held it out for her to see, "She graduated a few months ago. I... didn't..." He choked on his own frustration. No. She didn't ask about how Masanori failed her. Masanori inhaled deeply, "Right here, where I'm standing... Is where I found her scarf. She's been missing for months."

His head lowered, still turned away. For a moment he was silent, struggling internally with his own disappointment in himself. The police tried to search for her, but they gave up. Presumed her dead..." Masanori placed the scarf back around his neck carefully, his posture straightening as he looked toward over the side of the bridge. "Noriko's not dead. I have to find her." He finally turned to the woman, his eyes filled with determination.

 

[Ichengo Angelus]

Maiana Chiru
[S+ Rank][Kumoito][Bloodline][Taijutsu]
[Civilian][Vigilante][Escort][Exotic Dancer]
[Strength: ?][Speed: ?][Agility: ?][Endurance: ?]
[Chakra: 2315/2315][Stamina: 2490/2490]

As the young boy explained the situation to her despite what seemed like a bit of reluctance a sullen look grew upon her face even more so than it had before. Listening to the explanation rather intently though she thought about it while he spoke. Looking into the determined eyes of the young boy, he was so confident that his sister wasn't dead. The confidence he exuded gave her hope that she wasn't dead as well. The look on her face shifted once again, this time she was focused. She turned around still leaning on the side of the bridge and looking off into the forest. Her elbows atop the rail, hands both at the bottom of her jaw as she pondered the situation on her own. Maybe she could find out something about the boy's sister. Her head didn't move but her eyes sort of shifted to look in the boy's direction for a moment. "I don't think she's dead either." She said to him, sighing as her eyes went back to looking out into the forest that no one's ever come back from.

"Well, kid. It's best to let you know now. If she isn't she could be worse than dead." Maiana explained to the boy, choosing to not sugar coat her words or give some kind of untruths to the boy. It was the rather sad reality of the situation. Maiana wasn't sure if she was right about anything but it just didn't make much sense when she thought about it. "At least, I don't think she went into the forest. You said you found her scarf here but if she wandered off she wouldn't really have a reason to take off her scarf right?" Maiana explained to the boy, thinking more about it with a look on her face that looked almost like disgust. "If you wanna find her, you oughta look for her yourself. Don't rely on the police, military, not even the shinobi." She would finally stand up straight, stretching her arms forwards before returning to a more relaxed state. "I'd say, even ninja don't truly know the shadows like some others do." She looked at him, there was no smile but instead a serious and telling face. The expression worn by those knowledgeable and hardened. Which could be offsetting due to looking like a rather young woman.

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Sleepy Senpai

 

[Sleepy Senpai]

Ichengo Angelus

The young Hatake's eyebrow furrowed at the woman's response. Worse than dead? What does that mean...? Masanori was curious about what she might know of this place, which could potentially go a long way in helping him find Noriko. He could only shrug as she inquired about the possibilities of going into the forest. Her guess was just as good as his own. If she didn't go into the forest, then she'd be somewhere in the city, and after months of searching around, its likely he would have found her by now. Or, she would have returned home.

At the end of the day, he did agree with the woman. If he wanted to find her, he'd have to try harder. Still, this woman spoke with more wisdom than her appearance let on. "What do you know about this forest?" Masanori took his place beside the woman against the edge of the bridge, hopping up on the wooden railing and crouching. He peered out into the mysterious bamboo forest, "What out there... could possibly be worse than death?" There was a tightness in his chest that started to develop just thinking about the possibilities. He feared for her safety more than anything now.

 

[Ichengo Angelus]

Maiana Chiru
[S+ Rank][Kumoito][Bloodline][Taijutsu]
[Civilian][Vigilante][Escort][Exotic Dancer]
[Strength: ?][Speed: ?][Agility: ?][Endurance: ?]
[Chakra: 2315/2315][Stamina: 2490/2490]

"The forest? I know that I've seen my friends wander into the forest never coming back. Then more of my friends going to look for them only for them to also never come back. They could be dead, they could be wandering in there forever. Who knows really." She explained to the boy as he walked over and would perch himself upon the rail of the bridge and look out into the bamboo forest. Then he asked her what could possibly worse than death. Maiana looked to him sighing once more. "Many different people walk along this bridge. From the average person just looking to go through the forest. To the scumbags looking to snatch an unsuspecting and alone young girl and sell her off to the highest bidder." She explained, not mincing words or beating around the bush about the possible situation at hand involving his sister. Maiana looked up towards the sky as a large frown grew on her face. The displeasure of even having to say that to a young boy about his sister made her rather sick in a way. "Neither of us know what happened of course. I can only speak from experience. Things I know and have seen happen. Assume what happened and hope that it's not the worst possible outcome."

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Sleepy Senpai

 

[Sleepy Senpai]

Ichengo Angelus

I'm trying to get something set up with Bun for a personal arc or two, Maiana is welcome to join if she'd like. Your last post gave me an idea!

There was something very strange about this forest. Something that was causing anyone who entered it to become lost. It was unfortunate that the woman had so many friends taken from her by this place. As much as he wanted to leap off of the bridge and look for Noriko, what good would it do if he lost his way? Masanori's hands ran up his face into his hair in frustration, only to pause midway and shoot the woman a fierce gaze. It wasn't directly at her, but rather her comment on the 'scumbags'. He hadn't thought about the possibility of Noriko being snatched up, even though she was very good about coming straight home from school everyday.

There was so much that the boy didn't know. "Sell her? What...?" Masanori felt himself growing more frustrated and confused, only now becoming aware of just how tightly he was clenching his jaws. The women mentioned speaking from experience, "Were you snatched away, or something?" It probably wasn't the greatest question to ask, but if it gave him more insight on the types of people that were willing to stoop so low as to snatch defenseless children, then he wanted to know.

 

[Ichengo Angelus]

Maiana Chiru
[S+ Rank][Kumoito][Bloodline][Taijutsu]
[Civilian][Vigilante][Escort][Exotic Dancer]
[Strength: ?][Speed: ?][Agility: ?][Endurance: ?]
[Chakra: 2315/2315][Stamina: 2490/2490]

Maiana looked at the boy who's gaze practically burned holes through her. She could tell that he didn't like the words she spoke, but unfortunately they were just as possible as her wandering off into the forest. Then he rather quickly and without hesitation asked if she had been snatched away or something. Maiana couldn't help but giggle a bit. The situation itself wasn't funny by any means. "I'm sorry for laughing, it's just a bit funny how you can ask someone such a personal question without hesitation." She quickly explained to him in hopes he wouldn't be insulted by her bit of laughter. Of course her serious expression would grow on her face once more, as she prepared herself to explain to the young boy a bit about the situation she had been in, and things she had seen happen.

"Not really no, but my story isn't much better than being snatched up and sold off. I was sort of left on the street as a baby. A woman found me and raised me, but she apparently had a debt to pay off and was on the run. When they caught her, she didn't hesitate to offer me as compensation to the one she owed the debt to in order to save herself. I was only five when that happened." She explained to the boy, a rather sullen expression grown across her face as she spoke of her history as a young young child. "The man I was sold to, and his family. I won't get much into it. It wasn't necessarily horrible there I was lucky honestly." She said, speaking as if being sold to someone was a better option than other options...which itself said quite a bit. "An old friend of mine, she was much less fortunate. Sold to gang in the slums for drugs, and the gang just took advantage of her and would rent her out to men for money, drugs, and more. And the thre- two of us, seen the aftermath of much worse than that." Maiana's expression became much more angry as she spoke of her old friend's history to the boy. Knowing it would give him insight into the kinds of people he could be possibly looking for. Exhaling a long sigh, she would begin to speak once more. Explaining a bit more about what she meant involving something she had spoken of a little bit earlier. "The Imperial Capital has it's military. The villages have their Shinobi. There police everywhere I'm sure. But in the face of the much larger threats happening around the world the smaller ones are sometimes overlooked." Maiana looked down at the wood of the bridge as she continued speaking. Beginning to move along once more, feeling her time here was done as she spoke. "Sometimes, when the light can't be there to push away the shadows the shadows have to push away the shadows." She stopped for a moment after she said that. Turning slightly, tilting her head just enough so she could look in the direction of the young boy. "My name is Maiana. What is yours?" She asked the boy with a smile.

Sleepy Senpai

I'm glad my post gave you idea for a personal arc for Masanori. I'd love to have Maiana join it, however preferably after you and Bun have started it, so it's like a part ways and meet up again at some point sort of thing.

 

[Sleepy Senpai]

Ichengo Angelus

Of course!

He didn't expect her response to such a question starting with laughter, it actually confused him quite a bit until the woman cleared things up. Masanori possessed very little to none in the way of sociability or understanding boundaries, and could be about as blunt a hammer in most cases. Should they ever spend more time together in the future, perhaps she'd become used to this. However, most people tend to turn away from him - if he hasn't pushed them away - eventually, so he wasn't counting on that.

Masanori listened to the woman's story, not exactly knowing what he was getting himself into when he asked the question to begin with. The entire time she spoke, his face remained unchanging, though at certain parts of the story, he couldn't help but frown. From birth she had gone through some sort of struggle; the events following were only worse from there, yet Masanori was somewhat shocked that the woman could still be so humble about her situation. It only made sense in comparison to the situation some of her friends found themselves in. The only way he could relate is through the loss of someone he cared about, and even then, the types of cruel people she was aware of, Masanori was only beginning to understand. Why they existed in the first place, he didn't know, but he wanted them gone. "Sorry." The young Hatake didn't regret asking the question, he just didn't know what to say. He wasn't exactly a very social person, and this was the first individual in a while that he'd have more than just a few words with.

Sometimes, when the light can't be there to push away the shadows, the shadows have to push away the shadows... Masanori found himself repeating the woman's words, as if trying to ingrain them into his memory. He didn't like the idea of his missing sister being considered a 'smaller threat or emergency', but the fact of the matter was that those establishments were created to manage the larger problems. Therefore, he could only truly rely on himself if he wanted to see his sister home and safe, like the woman had already told him before. Did that make him a 'shadow'? He couldn't quite wrap his head around what that saying of hers meant yet, but for some strange reason, it resonated with him. He had always considered Noriko to be his 'light'. There had been nothing but darkness since she had gone missing, and now there was a potential that she herself was being endangered by it, along with the woman's lost friends, and many others left in the background in favor of 'larger threats'. The military he intended on enlisting in had no intentions on helping him, so his only decision was to take whatever shadow lied ahead, face-to-face.

The woman introduced herself as Maiana, a rather unique name befitting of the woman's unique fashion. It was nice seeing her smile again, after the torrent of emotions she had gone through telling her story. "Masanori." He stated simply, being a boy of little words. He turned to the forest once again, speaking now with a sense of resolution, "If the military won't help me, then I'll use them to help myself. To save Noriko; to find your friends." A new addition to his 'To-Do' list. Maiana's story had enlightened him to so much, including the path he has decided to take, and he felt it was the only way he could repay her. While he had a tendency to be rude, the young Hatake was an oathkeeper; a man of his words. Masanori needed to prepare himself to push away the shadows.

 

[Ichengo Angelus]

Maiana Chiru
[S+ Rank][Kumoito][Bloodline][Taijutsu]
[Civilian][Vigilante][Escort][Exotic Dancer]
[Strength: ?][Speed: ?][Agility: ?][Endurance: ?]
[Chakra: 2315/2315][Stamina: 2490/2490]

Masanori, huh? She liked that name a bit. The girl nodded to his words. "If that's the path you're going to take. I have no doubt we will meet once more." She said to the boy, indicating that at the very least they were not running down parallel roads. One day they would meet again, she knew that to be true at the least. She could tell from the determination of the young boy that he would find his sister. No matter the cost, and perhaps even some of her friends she'd lost in the process. "It was a pleasure meeting you. I'm glad I could help you steel your resolve." She said as she walked along the road and soon out of vision of the boy.

Sleepy Senpai

smile

 

[Sleepy Senpai]

His gaze remained on the forest as Maiana continued speaking, curiosity drawn to whatever could lie beyond the bamboo stalks and the fog. She hinted that this meeting would not be their last, and while he was sure that she was referring to the day that he managed to rescue her lost friends, Masanori did feel deep down that they'd be meeting much sooner than that. She had imprinted this... shadow path upon him that he has now devoted himself to walking down. Whether it would lead him to his sister, only time would tell. The boy nodded, a quick glance being shot her way before Maiana left him to stand alone at the bridge.

He clutched his sister's scarf that was wrapped around his neck, feeling a little less lost than he had before meeting Maiana. Some time passed before eventually Masanori himself would leave the bridge.

tab ▰ Revelation Narrative - "Fighting Shadows with Shadows": Completed