Starring:
Date: October 17, 2012
Summary:
The summon plot continues as the group ventures discovers more truths behind these odd events.
"Kitsune Crisis Part 3"
Modest Village on the edge of the Land of Water
Yukihana nuzzles against Sakuryu's hand a little more before stretching out and sitting up, her overly large tail swishing behind her small form. "I'll lead you on the shortest path." She hops off Saku's head and starts off down onto the ground, as she starts to walk the path seems to open up out of the tightly covered forest floor. "Try to keep up." She says as she starts darting off prompting the ninja to follow her. The path winds and twists seeming to go in circles, over and under branches, and through a thicket of overgrown weeds. "We're here…." she says with a twitch of her ears, standing before them all in a small clearing.
There was nothing special about the clearing really just weeds, boulders covered in moss, cracked and rotted wood. Saku had a little trouble keeping up being physically weak, though she kept in site and was happy to take a rest when they came to the clearing just looking things over slowly with an inquisitive "hmmm"
Fuuta would've taken point but he wanted to make sure Sakuryu could make the venture when he saw the fox begin to dart. He remained a head of her but also kept an eye on her. Fuuta grins looking back at her a few times. "Hey stop admiring the scenery and get a move on." he shakes his head. "I swear you become so easily fascinated." he winks. When Yukihana announces that they've arrived Fuuta peers around the landscape. He folds his arms. "Huh…ok. Nice clearing." he remark scratching his cheek.
Soren on the other hand, is hanging back a bit. He could easily dart ahead in this scenario, but he's holding back, making sure that Sakuryu is keeping up. That, and he's still incredibly exhausted himself. That little fox drained a lot of stamina from him, and he was having trouble recovering from it. Friggin Genjutsu… Regardless, he still had plenty to go, he just had to be careful, and smart about exerting himself right now. But as they arrived, he looked around. "Interesting… shouldn't there be a shrine, or a gate or something…?" he asks shrugging a bit.
Yuzuna blinks her pale eyes at the fox as she hops off of Sakuryu and very casually tells them to follow. Evidently knowing the way through a dimension people have never been to, or so as people have said. This is proving to be one strange mission. The group of shinobi follow the tiny fox as the path winds further into the forest, in some indistinctive pattern. It felt like a good time before they finally come to a clearly, just a small clearing that otherwise anyone could have missed. Standing at the very edge, Yuzuna frowns softly to herself in thought. Maybe there was a way to get through like Soren had thought.
Yukihana hops on top of one of the larger rocks. "We have shrines built by humans but those are mainly for decoration where the humans can give what they care to offer, if they were the true gates when the humans decided to destroy or defile it the gate would close." She nods a little bit "So we hide the gates where no one would think to look, there are a few nearby but this is what we will use….. Unfortunately as I said this way will not be a physical transcendence for you…. The Myobu have lost too much power and even this, a shrine once strong enough to bring a ten tailed elder through can barely allow me through… Open your minds and I will allow you to see the gate." She says as she seems to settle down, allowing her chakra to flow out and peel back the layers of illusion.
Saku gasped a little, she expected things were an illusion or at least hidden but this… The clearing seemed to open up, the boulders revealing themselves as intricate though faded statues, the prickles and nettles becoming overgrown flower bushes, the boulder Yuki was sitting on becoming a small alter, a number of squares below it were set evenly apart. "So this is where you come through…" she almost whispers, moving to gently touch a decrepit fountain gently.
Fuuta nods understanding Yukihana's explanation. He sighs as she tells them of the power the Myobu have lost in this crisis. "That much power? They're in more danger than I thought." he comments under his breath. At Yukihana's command Fuuta prepares himself for what she is about to unveil to them. Even with what's going on with Kitsune the ability Yukihana demonstrated was far beyond what a normal person or shinobi even could accomplish. Kitsune are grandeurs of illusion but even so Fuuta couldn't help but be a little astonished.
"Well that is impressive." Fuuta looks to the alter the fox sits upon. "Simply a spectacle. I mean I know we're about to probably embark the most bizarre and dangerous mission of our lives but still…" he chuckles softly. He glances to Soren "Oh forgot to ask. How's your head?" Fuuta taps his own forehead as he speaks to Soren. The genjutsu he was under must've been quite potent. He noticed Soren's breathing was still irregularly.
Soren blinked, simply awestruck as the illusions unfolded and unwound in front of him. "Beautiful… so… is every entrance like this?" he asks with a grin, taking a few steps forward, and taking in the magnificent sight. He glanced over at Fuuta, and nods. "I'm a tough cookie. I'll survive." he says, before glancing back towards Yukihana. "If… you can barely get through… how can we hope to make it?" he asks, honestly a bit confused by the conundrum. He slowly makes his way forward, towards the altar, but still stopping a bit away.
Listening to the tiny fox, Yuzuna pauses for a moment before lifting her pale eyes to the clearing as layers of illusions pull away from the surface. She stares at it a few moments longer as the others begin to talk, though Soren did have a good point. It wasn't as if they had an abundance of chakra, and the spirit could barely get through. Hm.
Yukihana smiles a little bit, her tails swishing behind her slowly "Hmmm well I said your physical substance cannot pass through the gate….I will pull your spirits through with me instead." She gives a little grin. "I'm sure you've heard of kitsune stealing souls? This will work in a similar fashion, I will take your spirits and pass through the gate, when I am on the other side I will release you." With a slow flicker of her tail she looks to them all "Someone will need to stay behind to watch your bodies…if they are not here when you return you could become a forever spirit and never find your way home." The light girlish voice of the fox became somewhat ominous as she spoke, as if to let the weight of the situation bear down on them.
Sakuryu just marvels for a moment before blinking and looking back at them all "Huh… take our spirits?" She asks with a little gulp, balling up her fist a little as she thinks over the situation. "My body is weak…but I highly believe my mind and spirit are strong….I want to go." She says as she steps forward, presenting herself with a step towards the altar.
Yuki nods a little bit "Very well, who else will volunteer?" Her eyes cast over each of them as if to assess their worth.
Fuuta thought about the spirit stealing portion of Yukihana's explanation. "Huh sounds legit. I trust you." he says bowing slightly to the kitsune. He steps forward. "As a Yoko Clan member I have to take responsibility for what has occurred to the Myobu. Also…I gotta keep an eye on Raindrop so no way I'm staying behind." Fuuta states. "I'm also curious, immeasurably curious about the Kitsune's realm." he smirks standing next to Sakuryu. Fuuta looks back to Soren and Yuzuna. "So which one of you will it be? Mr. Tough Cookie? Or the Lady with the Bewitching Eyes?" looks between them and considers who he'd feel more comfortable leaving his body with. At this point he was just glad Sakuryu volunteered.
Soren took a deep breath. "Give me a moment." He turned back towards Yuzuna, looking at her. He wanted to ask her to stay behind, to watch over them while they were in the ethereal. But he couldn't bring himself to mouth the words. "Yuzuna… I've gotta help them. In any way I can. But… it sounds like… until we come back, we'll be… dead..?" he says, not sure how to word it, and obviously hurting for it. "I'm about to ask you to do something, and I really hope you can forgive me for it. Can you stay behind… can you make sure that our bodies will be here when we return?" he asks.
Yuzuna subtly frowns with quiet uncertainty as she pulls her gaze away from the tiny fox to the others. Both Fuuta and Sakuryu agreeing to go, it leaves either herself or Soren to stay behind. And as Soren turns to her she lifts her gaze, pausing as she listens. His request… it must have been hard for him to ask of her, knowing that she would have been left behind. Her passive features soften gently for a quiet moment, "I rather it be me to keep watch, at least then I would have the peace of mind that you are safe." She smiles, briefly before lowering her chin with a solid nod.
Yukihana nods a little bit a little flicker comes across her as she hears them confirm. "I am sorry that one must stay behind, but the fewer the better, and while we are in the other world others may tread here and if your bodies are disturbed…" She trails off again before nodding to them. "Okay you three, sit on one of these stones each, I will then ask that you clear your mind and try to relax your bodies, it is much easier to do these things when both people consent…” She says with a little twitch of her tail. "When you are all seated we will begin."
With a nod Saku bows to Yuki, a slow breath leaving her as she looks between them "Sorry for taking a spot, I am not much of a physical defender though…” She says with a little blush, a little lowering of her head as she moves over to a square, settling down in a cross-legged stance, wriggling around to get comfortable.
"Alright alright come on. Geez now we gotta make sure he makes it back otherwise she's going to be in tears." he teases Yuzuna and Soren. Fuuta sighs and cracks his neck once and takes a deep breath. Fuuta moves to take a seat hoping upon the stone and sliding into a meditative seating position. He shifts a few times then groans. "Ok all set." he shrugs once "This is gonna be quite the experience." there was a grin on his face. "I gotta think up an appropriate introduction when I arrive." he strokes his chin. "Oh right. Focusing." he shuts his eyes and starts to empty his mind.
Soren takes another moment, and nods in thanks to Yuzuna. "Thank you Yuzuna." he says, smiling wide. He takes the moment, and leans forward, kissing her cheek quickly. "Be back as soon as I can." he says with a smile, before turning back around, and walking over. He took a seat on the stone and started clearing his mind, just like his meditation routines. He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, letting his mind empty.
They make it sound like they're taking a walk in the park, rather than crossing into a spiritual dimension. While the other take a seat on the stones, Yuzuna lowers herself silently to seat on the soft ground, legs tucked beneath her as she sits perfectly straight and poised.
The fox lets her tail flare, her energy flowing out slowly "I've got a good bit built up from all of the people I overtook, it should be enough to pull you through. Do not fret fair lady, they will return or you will have my pelt…” She says in an effort to help Yuzuna out.
As she focuses the air around them seems to flex and curl, her energy focusing into the altar, flowing down into the stone as a their bodies seem to get devoured in blue ghostly flame, the more focused the faster the flame takes their body. As they get settled in a small shimmering hole seems to appear, energy crackling as it opens behind the tiny fox. "Almost there…” she says with a low whisper, though her voice seems to resonate the very air around them.
Sakuryu feels her mind clearing, the world seeming to quiet before the world began to fade, a slow tingle flowing over her as the flame overtakes her body, Saku's spirit fades fast, the entirety of the flame overtaking her and pulling a glowing blue orb from her chest, pulling it to the small ones form, Yuki seeming to absorb it slowly as she focuses.
The flame was an odd sensation sending waves of tingeing surges throughout the body. Fuuta became less aware of the world around and felt as though he was falling or drifting in to something void of substance. His mind complete empty and clear. The senses begin to meld and nothing became distinguishable yet a sense of sensitivity was present. He remains calm and trusting of Yukihana. Gradually his spirit would separate from his body. It was a new and thoroughly unnerving experience. Nevertheless the slightest rise in tension could lead to a horrible situation where everything goes awry.
The flame was very odd… so long as they didn't resist it, it was painless… or so it seemed. Soren's reluctance held for but a moment… before his decision to trust Yukihana wholly. After that brief moment of wavering, his spirit emerged from his chest, an orb of pure white flowing outward towards Yukihana. Small, and glowing softly, it didn't seem to compare to the other two in size.
Yukihana absorbs the three before nodding to Yuzuna, stepping through the small gate, the portal only holding a moment before closing, the three Shinobi seeming to just be in a state of deep concentration and meditation.
On the other side of things as they are absorbed into Yuki they would have the feeling of being nothing, a strange sense with no senses, just an utter being of unreality. As Yukihana arrives on the other side she settles, releasing the three, "Concentrate on your forms and you can regain a shape here.. Quick now, we must hurry." She says with a quick snap of her tail.
Saku feels the strangeness of un-being and tries to understand it before the short amount of time fades and she gets released. Being a spirit felt quite strange, no true form, no real feeling…." Saku thinks a moment before her orb glows, her spirit a snowy blue as she feels a body form from the spirit, her perfect chakra ability helping once she figures out that her spirit was basically Chakra in its truest form. Saku soon has her entire body formed, nothing really seeming out of the ordinary with only a bit of effort wasted in trying to pull herself together.
Once they arrive in the other realm Fuuta was eager to showcase his new introduction. As his spirit began to meld Fuuta's voice echoed. "And just like that this world is a little brighter now that I, Yoko Fuutama, have arrived." His spirit begins to take shape. "From this world to the next none can contest my greatness. Stars envy the radiance I give off. I flare when I speak. I'm surprised you carried a spirit as big and bright as mine here." Fuuta's laugh can be heard as his astral from is finished manifesting. "ORE SANJOU, Kitsune realm." Fuuta gives a thumbs up along with a toothy grin. "Oh man. You might want to remember that one. Yoko Fuutama has gone trans-dimensional, watch out." He blinks as Yukihana urges them to hurry. "Oh yeah. No time to waste. Raindrop, Tough Cookie let's get a move on."
The sensation of nothingness. Soren could fall into that sensation for an eternity. It felt… like complete oblivion, and yet it felt like it held so much meaning. But as the feeling faded, as he was ejected from Yukihana, he quickly started manifesting his form, the soft glowing orb expanding, and shaping itself into Soren's shape. But there's something else… something… wrong. He looked over to his right arm, and sighed… at the lack of appendage once more. That's right… he hasn't had one for nearly a year now. Not a biological one atleast. He shook his head, and stepped forward. "THen let's get going."
The world around them was strange, it seemed as if it was crafted of the perfect elements of nature, yet the influence of the Nogitsune was even evident here, the lands twisted and the branches of trees gnarled and contorted. The world would no doubt be beautiful in its true form.
Yuki looked to them a moment. "We're going to the hideout, be quick and silent we will need to get this over with as soon as possible…” She murmurs as she walks along going slow enough so they could keep up, moving as a spirit was a little hard after all.
Saku sighs and adjusts herself. "Things are so….surreal.." She says with a low breath, her eyes scanning the world around them with a grimace of disgust and a look of wonder mixed in one, "Things look….strange here…" She sighs a little bit before Yukihana reminds them to move faster. "Oh yeah Um…let's go." She says as she hurries up to follow. It was indeed harder to move as a spirit, your body didn’t feel like your body and you had to think over every step.
The concept of the physical and the material was completely lost here in this realm. Fuuta could feel something about his state of being here. It was strange almost as though he was slowly fading back into that state of nothingness from earlier. After a few attempts he managed to get the hang of movement while following Yukihana. "No resistance. It's almost as if there or no forces here preserving equilibrium like back in our world." he mentions. He hears Saku's comment and sighs "Yeah. The Nogitsune's influence has indeed spread. The trees the land they're….suffering."
"Yukihana-san I've been meaning to ask you about this strange feeling. My body or…whatever I call this form. It feels like…I dunno like I'm become less solid…if that makes sense." Fuuta rubs his head "That feeling of nothingness or absence I can still feel it partially I think." he states. "Is that normal? Sound normal? I mean as far as normal goes in this realm…"
Soren's breath came slowly, not that he needed to breath really, but he still found it oddly calming, quickly getting the hang of movement. "I noticed it too… but… I just figured it was part of no longer having a physical body. There's no mass, no physical anything here, and while our spirits interacting with our surroundings give us some sensation, it's not going to be the same."
Yukihana nods over her shoulder as she moves along soon coming upon a small cave nestled into a crumbling rock face. With a little flicker of power the cave shimmered "I had to open the seal for us to pass through, quickly now inside." She yips hurrying into the cave to reseal it. Once they were inside they were greeted by a menagerie of different Kitsunes, large, small, long, short, some with more than one tail, some with different colors. All of them would gather and look around inquisitively. "What have you brought Yukihana?" A large kitsune asks as she steps forward, looking the group over slowly. Yuki bows a little in greeting "I have found humans who volunteer their strength to help, One of a Snow tribe, One of the Fox Keepers, and One of….I am not sure of his dependence but he is strong in will …they all do, they have strength we can draw upon and finally take back a few of the orbs the Nogitsune took from us…
As Saku was lead into the cave she kept in step, looking around at the menagerie with a slow gasp, looking over every form and shape before bowing when she was introduced. "Shirayuki Sakuryu, Nice to meet you."
After Yukihana introduced them Fuuta would bow at the waist and introduce himself. "Yoko Fuutama of the Nogi Tribe. It's an honor and I'd like to apologize." He looks to the larger fox. "My Clan played a hand in this and you and your kind suffer for it." Fuuta returns to an upright position. "I'll help out in any way I can. Yoko Fuutama is at your disposal." Fuuta looks around at the number of kitsune that sit before them. He was standing before a great legend and it was almost enough to overwhelm him. This was the highest honor to his clan. Fuuta rests a hand on his hip now as he waits for someone to speak and shed some light on what he and the others would be doing to assist.
Soren nodded, and bowed when it came to be his turn. "Asano Soren. I am of no distinct clan heritage, but… I would like to help in any way I can." he says, bowing towards the larger fox. "If there's anything we can do to help, we're all willing to aid you in any way we can." he says with a smile.
The larger Kitsune nods. "Very well…. We have located some of the orbs the Nogitsune have taken from us. While usually the elder kitsune would easily retrieve these they are busy battling the nogitsune and trying to keep nature in check…..We have three that are accessible to us at this moment, a good find since there are three of you….I just hope your skill can match the trap laden halls to them….
