[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Suzuki Taru Ōorigami Asahi

The hours of twilight set over the world, Taru and Asahi would not be alone. Neither would be allowed to leave Kirigakure no Sato without some kind of supervision and after a discussion they were left to the charge of an old short man. He moved at an even pace, for some it might have been considered too slow, but they would not be allowed to move much faster than him. They were too lead, however, wherever it was they were going.

Legend had it that their goal lived in one of the most dangerous forests in all of the land, a forest that the locals warned about frequently for any who dared venture near it. But it was not as if two shinobi - perhaps three? - would be barred from entering it, but very few left it unchanged and unscathed.

Physically, mentally, emotionally... The two curious ones would find that the forest offered much wisdom as well as danger.

Now, they stood upon the precipice of the forest with their old man guardian. His hands were clasped behind his back as he stared into the weaving darkness of the forest. There was only one lined out path, though they could take the path never taken - no path at all.

"Are you two sure about this?" The man grumbled grouchily it seemed a foolish endeavor, but perhaps something could be garnered from it.

OWL

[Suzuki Taru]

The legend of the kitsune was one she had heard quite a few times growing up. Out of all the stories of the woods, it wasn't the one that compelled her the most, but it was one her mind ventured to time and time again. The kitsune was one of the less dangerous creatures that lived in Kuro Matsubayashi, though perhaps the true danger to it was trying to find it at all. Traveling the woods was a risky thing, as Taru should well know.

Maybe it wasn't surprising that, despite all of this, Taru and Asahi were interested in venturing into the woods, seeking out this mythic fox. Asahi came from a similar place in his homeland and this was Taru's own home village. If any were equipped to travel these frightful old paths, it was these two. Unfortunately for the man that had been dragged along with them, he was stuck on the adventure as well! Maybe he would come away with some grand knowledge that would make him appreciate it.

"Very sure," Taru said, giving a little twirl as she turned to face the man, smile ever bright, though her eyes looked a touch more serious today. The three of them had a goal in mind and she was committed to getting it done. The last time she'd traveled with Asahi, she had failed to protect him. She wanted this time to be different.

"The woods here aren't as scary as people always say they are. Just stick close together, don't follow any strange lights, and always keep moving."

With that all said, she would begin to lead the way into the woods, glancing back at her company.

[Ōorigami Asahi]

I AM A QUIVERING THING LOOKING UP AT A DARK AND CLOUDY SKY

I AM FREE. I AM CHAINED. I AM A DOCTOR. I AM A CHILD.

A kitsune of legend was what Asahi found himself in search of, and he stood at the entrance of the woods that the creature called home, twilight painting the sky. Not only that, but these were the woods that Taru had told him briefly about when they first met. When he was still a shinobi from Konohagakure. And like the chuunin exam round they had both participated in, they found themselves about to head out into the unknown again. Asahi stood at the entrance to Kuro Matsubayashi, green tank top and drawstring shorts on, backpack on his back, and with a smile of excitement he couldn't contain.

Although this place would be different, his time spent in Kawa came to his mind. Again, this was different, but it drew him in a similar way. A smile stayed on his face, but behind his eyes was a seriousness as well. He too, knew that these woods would be a place that demanded respect, just like the wetlands of Hi No Kuni. Taru had warned him as much, and even standing at its edge, he could feel it. "Yes, very," Asahi added to Taru's words. He didn't twirl, but the two seemed to share a similar energy, at least for now.

Asahi nodded again as Taru gave her final warning and watched her take lead with no complaints from him. He moved to let the elderly man stick between them and took the rear himself, unless the man naturally took the rear, and they made their first steps into the legendary woods. He had been looking forward to all this. Seeing Taru again, visiting these woods, and the pursuit of the kitsune since the moment his ears heard of it. Would he still want all three of those by the end of this excursion?...

	oOC/NOTES	--- words
	Tag: Suzuki Taru , Kaguya Toru

pyxis ★

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Suzuki Taru Ōorigami Asahi

It was up to the two genin to lead the way, the old man was only a precaution. He was not here to lead them along, it was their journey to make. So they would have to make it. So when Taru twirled and announced that she was ready and simply stated what it was that was required to navigate this forest safely the old man did not look too convinced. If it were that easy, many would not have gone mad in these forests. Though by the way Taru was acting, perhaps she had already lost her mind a long time ago.

Indeed, the old man would wave Asahi ahead and took up the rear quite grumpily as before, wandering along. Twilight helped the woods not be so dark, it was a golden hour but what light managed to filter in, did not filter through every aspect of the woods, even stranger were the spots of darkness in the woods where darkness ought not to be.

As they ventured down the path, they would notice this strange of pattern of dark spots in the twilight and as the sun continued to set, movement would become apparent in the woods. A hooting in the distance, the ominous carking of crows. Then, the snap of a twig far ahead of them, off the path they had taken.

OWL

[Suzuki Taru]

Taru had only been deep in these woods once before. It had been so discouraged in her youth - the people of her village spoke all the time about the possible dangers of the woods and the death that laid within. Most all of them would never venture inside it in their entire lives. Some had lived next to it into their fifties and never so much as stepped a foot inside! Maybe it was for the better. Taru knew well enough that travelers sometimes came and never made it home. This much was widely known. The stories around places don't exist for no reason.

Still, even as the woods grew darker and become more odious, it felt familiar, almost homey. The strange dark spots that showed between the trees, in places they shouldn't be, weren't quite familiar to her, but still felt right. Surely it was the spirits of the forest lingering closely, watching them. It was just important to keep an eye out, to observe where one of those spirit spots might accidentally conceal the silhouette of a stalking animal.

As the light grew lower, Taru moved in a more careful way. Slightly hunched, with her muscles coiled to spring, like a jaguar. When a twig snapped, she paused for a second, then motioned at the duo behind her with a wave of her hand - a silent follow me.

Stepping off the path, Taru moved towards the sound.

[Ōorigami Asahi]

I AM A QUIVERING THING LOOKING UP AT A DARK AND CLOUDY SKY

I AM FREE. I AM CHAINED. I AM A DOCTOR. I AM A CHILD.

Although Asahi had grown up in the wetlands of Kawa, this was not that, and that was apparent to the boy, the more they ventured in. The wrestle between fear of the unknown and excitement about their trek continued within him. Twilight came, and he noticed the dark spots where they shouldn't be, but said nothing.

Taru didn't seem too concerned about them, as she continued their march. So Asahi noted it and avoided looking into any of the dark sports for too long. That minor anomoly added to the foreign feeling he felt in this place. Kawa had provided some experience in dealing with mysterious nature, but already, this threatened to be more than that. He could feel it.

Darkness fell on them and he watched Taru march change more to a prowl. Asahi tried to copy her movements, but that too was foreign to him. She moved like an animal almost, and it looked like it came so naturally. The sounds of the woods unfolded, hooting and cawing as the creatures of the night made themselves known. The snap of a twig froze Asahi, even making him hold his breath...

Taru seemed unphased, as after a pause she motioned the group to follow. Asahi looked back at the old man and nodded in agreement, trying to hide the fear that he had just gotten over. Asahi turned and drew a kunai from his pouch as they advanced off the path towards the sound. It probably was some small game or something...

	oOC/NOTES	--- words
	Tag: Suzuki Taru , Kaguya Toru

pyxis ★

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Ōorigami Asahi Suzuki Taru

Like a blanket beneath the stars, except the stars were entirely invisible. The tangle of woods overhead was so thick and noxious that it was impossible to see anything. Even the moon now barely lit their path. They would have to rely on what senses they had, the noise of the forest as it stirred with sounds of life. Though none of it was particularly friendly, unless, perhaps you were Taru who found the sensations homey and familiar.

The old man nodded, and followed along. He did not crouch, but nor did he stir the woods around him. As if he too were a ghost, a part of this ecosystem confined within the trees and bramble. Not even his breath could be heard behind Asahi as they moved towards the snap of the twig.

In time, they would find it. A branch from one of the trees overhead had fallen though it was not snapped in half just at the base, perhaps something had landed on it and broken it by accident? The old man folded his arms, rustling the fabric of his top briefly, the only noise that permeated the area.

But, then something happened, unlike before the distance started to light up with gold. Magical, terrifying, like spirits lighting the way. But it was random and seemed to turn off as quickly as it turned on, tiny specks of light none bigger than the stars in the currently invisible sky.

OWL

[Suzuki Taru]

Taru knelt to inspect the branch, the forest quiet in the unquiet way forests were. There was a stillness, only the sound of her and Asahi's breath and the soft ruffle of the older man's robes as she examined it. It had fallen from above, so something had tried to put too much weight upon it. If something had landed atop it from out of a tree, that meant it could be on ground level with them. Not too concerning if it was a small animal, but a small animal probably wouldn't have broken the branch like this in the first place.

While she was still trying to stir together a narrative in her head, a dance of lights appeared, a brief flicker of beautiful gold.

"Onibi," was the first thing she said, in a low, cautious whisper, looking around. Spirits of the dead which could light the way at times. They were what was dangerous out here. If a traveler followed the light of an onibi, it could be a resentful spirit leading them to the place they'd died, fooling the traveler into dying in the same way. Dozens of spirit lights could gather in a place like this, a never-ending pattern. But-

"No, onibi are usually blue," she informed Asahi, like he might know what to do with that information. "And they're not so random as that, they usually linger. That was- that was kitsunebi. Fox fire."

She knew she told them not to follow the lights, but this was a lead. Fox fire wasn't as dangerous as regular onibi. It wasn't malicious, it was playful. Or at least... trickstery, if not incomprehensible. Sometimes fox fire could lead to good places, safe havens, but it could also just lead to a bad path that got you lost. It didn't kill you, most importantly.

"Walk towards the lights, but don't look at them directly," she told her traveling companions, starting to walk that way. "Look between the lights. The kitsune should be hiding there."

[Ōorigami Asahi]

I AM A QUIVERING THING LOOKING UP AT A DARK AND CLOUDY SKY

I AM FREE. I AM CHAINED. I AM A DOCTOR. I AM A CHILD.

As they inspected the fallen branch, an unusual silence joined them and the darkness. Something about all of this didn't feel right. He almost looked up to where the branch had fallen from until his attention was caught by something that prevented that. Asahi's eyes widened as the old man rustled as he moved. Just as he was about to turn to look to the man, another thing stopped him from doing that too. Golden lights appeared ahead of them. Tiny golden lights, that seemed to be...lighting the way?

They carried a feeling of mystery that sent a chill down Asahi's spine, but also felt...warm? Welcoming? No. It was hard to put a word on it, but they felt like they were calling him to follow. Taru called them, Onibi. "Onibi?" Asahi echoed her, but wasn't familiar with that word.

Then, her warning came across his mind. Don't follow any strange lights. However, she clarified that these wern't Onibi, whatever that was, but it was something called fox fire. And although, Asahi didn't know what that meant either, he could use context and Taru's tone to discern that these wern't the strange lights she warned about.

Because of this, Asahi found himself looking directly at the lights ahead as they lit up and disappeared...until Taru added not to do that. Then they continued their walk. Asahi did as she said, avoiding looking directly at the lights and instead, trying to look between them.

Asahi's walk turned to a hunch of sorts, and back as he tried to get closer to the assumed level of the kitsune, return to the higher standing vantage point, and repeat. ~We should have brought it a snack or something.~ Asahi noted in his head, not daring to make a sound out loud.

	oOC/NOTES	--- words
	Tag: Suzuki Taru , Kaguya Toru

pyxis ★

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Ōorigami Asahi Suzuki Taru

The two walked ahead, with no resolution on the branch or how it had fallen. The lights were followed, for good or for bad, neither of them looked at the lights though as they seemed to flicker to life and disappear just as quickly. Perhaps there were a much simpler explanation for them, but neither of the two genin looked at them long enough to determine what they truly were. They kept following what Taru presumed to be fox fire, but as they went further into the forest a silence grew...

Something as if the two of them were in fact isolated from the rest of the world. Two of them. Not three.

This feeling of isolation was oppressive and intense and the further they moved into the forest the more it became apparent. Perhaps this was the way that many had started to lose their minds amidst these strange tangled woods?

Soon, if they kept following the lights they would come upon a small clearing and it would be here that the oppression was strongest and the feeling of isolation as if their party of three had disbanded would be most apparent. The lights would turn off here, not a single golden light to see not even ones flickering in the distance.

Walking forward would be dangerous now, there was no visibility it was like standing in a pot of ink. Not a sound. Pure silence.

Would they drown in it or attempt to find a way to light their surroundings?

OWL

[Suzuki Taru]

As the two stepped into the clearing, Taru paused in the inky night, taking a moment to feel the air, to feel her breathing. Slow and steady. It was dark and cold, almost like a heavy blanket of water over the duo. Duo... Taru turned to look over her shoulder. It was incredibly, incredibly hard to see in the swell of blackness, but even with vague dark silhouettes over an even darker background, she found it impossible not to note the absence of their guide.

"We've been separated," Taru whispered urgently to Asahi. Somewhat blindly, she felt for Asahi's arm, trying to get a hand on him so the two definitely wouldn't get forced apart. They really needed to stay together now - being driven apart was the best way to become irreparably lost. Taru knew she could make it out here, even if she didn't exactly remember how, but it would still not do for the three of them to go missing for a month.

Once she had a hold of her traveling companion, she would step close to him and peer around once more. She took a step back, staring directly forward.

"We need to try to find him before he gets really lost," she informed Asahi. "I wouldn't usually recommend being loud in the woods, but we should talk." It would give their guide a chance to hear the duo and come to them.

[Ōorigami Asahi]

I AM A QUIVERING THING LOOKING UP AT A DARK AND CLOUDY SKY

I AM FREE. I AM CHAINED. I AM A DOCTOR. I AM A CHILD.

They found themselves led by the lights to a clearing, and once they were led there, he got his last glimpse at Taru before the darkness engulfed them. To Asahi, It was darker than dark. It was pitch black, no light even from the assumed sky overhead. He hadn't noticed before Taru had pointed it out and he felt her grab him by the arm. "Separated?" Asahi whispered his question, partly in confusion and partly to send his voice out to Taru to help locate him in the blackness. He felt her get closer to him before giving them their next course of action.

The old man they had come with had gotten separated from them. Asahi didn't want to admit it at first, but Taru was right. If they exited the woods without the old man, questions would arise from his disappearance. He was able to agree to that pretty easily, but the talking thing, he wasn't so sure about...But after a moment, and with confidence in Taru, he conceded to that too. Without sight, sound would be one of the few things they had at their disposal to reunite their party.

"You're right. I could have sworn he was right behind me...and I didn't hear anything..." Asahi admitted, trying to figure out how they could have gotten separated. He didn't admit it out loud, but he knew that he had gotten pretty caught up in the lights that had gotten them here. Where were those lights now?

"I could make us a torch too, if you think that would be safe- or well, as safe as a possible solution could be...and uh, do you remember the old man's name?" Asahi asked. He was about to call out for the old man but, throughout all the introduction and discussion before the entered, if it was given, Asahi forgot it.

	oOC/NOTES	--- words
	Tag: Suzuki Taru , Kaguya Toru

pyxis ★

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Suzuki Taru Ōorigami Asahi

It was hard to tell what was going on, their escort was gone and now Taru was suggesting to start talking to make noise. Mostly just talking a little louder. But it seemed that on the threshold of this clearing they had come upon, and them talking as it were, was already enough to attract something from within. It was perhaps, necessary now more than ever to have their escort to be around. But alas, he was not and they would be faced with dread instead of the legendary fox that they were after.

A soft vibrating bellow sounded through the forest, breaking the horrible suffocating silence of the clearing they had come upon. It was hard to tell where it was coming from because it was in fact like a blanket. But once it came the forest seemed to quiet even more. Not even a breeze stirred the branches. Something terrifying had lured them in, and it stood as a shadow at a distance, hard to make out what it was exactly, but the shape suggested something inhuman.

There was no clear cut path in what to do next, the duo was alone and in front of an unknown creature that started to move towards them slowly, slightly crouched, leaves and branches cracking beneath its unnaturally long limbs.

SPOILER: Click to show

OWL

[Suzuki Taru]

Asahi asked if she recalled the name of their escort, but she didn't. Rudely, she hadn't asked at the time of their meeting. That was something she regretted slightly. Those little social things were ones she forgot often, and now it was coming back to bite the two of them. There was no way for her to call out in the forest to find the man, and now the duo was in danger. Some creature came from the forest, making a terrifying, low sound. The kind that thrummed through the body, as much a feeling as a noise.

Taru moved to make sure she was between Asahi and the strange creature cloaked in shadow. She knew how to deal with animals better, she assumed, and didn't want him in the direct line of harm if she could help it. She patted his shoulder a bit frantically to urge him a few steps back, hissing out a whisper,

"Make a torch. Fire. Something." Most animals hated fire and wouldn't mess with it if they could avoid it. A burn was a nasty thing, hard to heal from in the wilderness, and easily infected.

While Asahi worked on that, Taru squared up, raising her shoulders, trying to make herself look as big as possible. Most forest hunters wanted their prey scared, wanted them to run. Nipping at heels or leaping from behind was much easier than facing them head-on, so Taru would remain a steady statue. She drew a kunai and took her own step forward, a staccato one, like an elk or other herd animal would to demonstrate it wasn't afraid.

"I'm not food. We're equals here," she informed the beast.

[Ōorigami Asahi]

I AM A QUIVERING THING LOOKING UP AT A DARK AND CLOUDY SKY

I AM FREE. I AM CHAINED. I AM A DOCTOR. I AM A CHILD.

The silence of the clearing, was broken by a low sound that Asahi felt in his chest. Asahi's eyes darted around the darkness trying to locate the source of the sound, when he saw it. He swallowed hard as fear crept down his spine. With plenty of questions rushing his brain, he couldn't get any words out. A pat on the shoulder from Toru freed him from the choking fear, along with her directions. She stepped in front of him, blocking his vision from the...thing he had seen for a moment, crouching and moving toward them.

If it was an animal, it was no animal he was familiar with. And with it's abnormally long limbs, and structure, something told the boy that it wasn't human. After Taru moved in front of him, he wasted no more time. He dropped the bag on his back and pulled a kunai out of the pouch on his right hip. But upon doing so, realized that in the clearing, he didn't have much to set on fire. Did he have time to run to a tree? In his mind, no, he didn't.

So instead, his body exploded into action. His two ki arms erupted from the seals on his back to give him two extra arms to execute the impromptu plan with more speed. Withe four arms all working together Asahi took off his tank top and cut it in half with a kunai. After doing so, he wrapped one of the halves of the fabric around the kunai. Then he drew a second to cut some wire string from the spool in his bag.

He used a piece of wire to wrap and try and hold the fabric in place. Finally, with another piece of wire he attempted to set fire to the kunai turned potential torch with an idea had used multiple times in situations like this. He used the, Lightning Release: Discharge technique, sending raiton energy through the wire to try and set fire to the fabric.

If that proved successful, he would turn around with the torch held out in his right hand, and ki arms still out. If not,...

SPOILER: Click to show

ITEMS USED
Kunai x2

JUTSU USED


NAME: Ikutete no Ikō [Influence of Many Arms]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu | Hijutsu
ELEMENT: Raiton
DESCRIPTION:
Basically the name given to the control of these arms using Raiton chakra, this is the most basic technique the clan use, emitting their nerve signals from their head to the arms to control them as if they were their own limbs.

NAME: Raiton: Hōden suru [Lightning Release: Discharge]
RANK: D
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low | Continuous low drain for extended use
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Raiton
HANDSEALS: 1, one-handed elemental seal, Lightning Release
DESCRIPTION:
Raiton energy is sent through an object held in direct contact by the user. Raiton energy excites the atoms that make up the object to the point were it visibly emanates electricity. The raiton cloak in turn uses the same energy to discharge multiple currents of electricity in pulse-like intervals. This leads the object to let out extremely painful currents of electricity for up to a foot away from point of contact; while causing moderate electrical burns at the point of contact.

APPLICABLE SA'S

Incarnation of Many Hands (Ōorigami Clan Hijutsu)
The rigorous training from his mother who tattooed the seal on his back, gave him enough experience for the extra arms this Hijutsu brings to feel natural at this point. Only able to make two, he uses them to hold extra weapons, and assist in other ways inside battle, medical training, and in everyday life. However, he still has much further to go, with more arms to come in the future and more ways to get quicker, stronger and better at utilizing them.

Enhanced Chakra Control
Genetics and an inclination towards medical ninjutsu has led him to hone his chakra control to make up for his average sized chakra pool. He could be classified as an adept at best, but still has better chakra control than his peers who have focused on other things. He knows how to find the equilibrium between unneeded chakra and energy, and just enough for jutsu, but is still working to lengthen this efficiency and endurance in the field.

	oOC/NOTES	--- words
	Tag: Suzuki Taru , Kaguya Toru

pyxis ★