Anima Forest

[Yokai Manekineko]

A deathly pale hand reached out with precise care and plucked a yellow, luminescent sprig of flowers from the gnarled roots on an ancient tree. Twisting the tiny bunch between her fingers, Byakuren cooly observed the minor shade variance between each blossom, and their nasturtium appearance. After a few moments of quiet observation, her single hand came to her cloaked side and slipped into a ragged leather shoulder bag there. With a few soft tucks, the little bundle of flowers were safely stowed. As much as Byakuren knew about people, the utter mysteries of the universe, she always enjoyed discovering the little things of the world her divination abilities usually failed to acknowledge.

For once, her youthful face didn't hold a sardonic smirk, instead it was a soft upturning of her lips into a genuine smile. Nature was a wonderful balm on the depression she usually wallowed in, and as she left the cropping of softly glowing flowers, she pulled the dark gray cloak hood back over the crown of her head and extended her hand forward. At the center of her up turned palm, blue light began to gather in a twisting ball that cast her path forward in the same flickering dance as the candles within her cavern home.  

[Awesome Sensei]

"Milady... you should not be out in the sun. It is harmful to your beautiful skin." Teran echoed through the darkness of the soothing cold air in the forest. The large trunks of the trees seemed to stretch for miles. With awe, Teran ran his right arm up and down the side of an ancient oak, the rough bark scratching his palm. The pitch black hair of Teran was shining nicely in the dark forest, for he was free of the darkness at the moment, it had receipted back to Teran's body, where it belonged. Holy slayer was held on a leather strap, which was slung over his large shoulders. Walking next to Byakuren, Teran wrapped his dark green cloak around her, smiling as he turned and placed his left hand over her lips, his right hand leaving the tree. As he moved his hand off of her lips, he smiled, the strong smell of mint was pleasant. The sounds of animals in the forest was also idyllic and enjoyable.

Looking down at the ground, the speckled light from where the sun could break through the massive amount of leaves reduced the amount of light, yet it still held its stature. The ground was covered in the compost of the fallen leaves, and had moss growing on it. The soft ground seemed perfectly fine to sit on, as a patch of grass grew in the shaded area, yet stretched across the light, giving it room to grow. "If you have time to talk we can sit on the grass." Teran smiled, his soft voice traveling across the forest, birds flying off of the trees, even though he sounded almost at a whisper.  

[Yokai Manekineko]

Teran's presence hadn't gone unnoticed by Byakuren as she'd enjoyed her romp through nature, but it wasn't until he draped his heave cloak over her that she took the time to look in his direction. Little had changed in his looks, but she could feel the freedom from the all consuming darkness that coursed through him, and she felt deflated that it wasn't there. When he placed his hand over her mouth, she felt the urge to bite him, but suppressed it and stood in silence, her magenta eyes tracking him as he moved away. "You could have spoken with me if you hadn't suddenly left during the pilgrimage to my home." Giving him the slightest of looks, Byakuren's wrinkled brow showed how she'd disliked that fact. Though, with slow and sure movements, she proceeded to the patch of grass nearby and without grace, plopped down on her bottom.  

[Awesome Sensei]

Sitting next to Byakuren, Teran was messing with a piece of grass, delicately plucked off of the ground. As she fell onto the grass, he heard a loud thump, although she did not seem to care, or feel any sort of pain from the matter. "I wouldn't have left if so many people wouldn't have came. Anyway, what brings you so far from your cave?" Teran asked, laughing a bit at the question. "I never thought that an oracle would leave there location, although I think it is good, staying in that musky cave must be horrible for the skin..." Teran paused, slapping his head with his free hand. she is albino stupid... Teran sighed and continued. "I was worried about you... with so many people. did you survive okay? Or are you dead and just a spirit, your really white and pale... are you sick?" Teran smacked himself again. albino... With a sigh he stopped talking, messing with the piece of grass held limply in one hand. The emerald strand held delicately, a small spark of fire traveling up it as Teran messed with it.  

[kjaslkdjiehdfba]

In the forest of anima, there was a quiet humming that traveled in the gloomy forest. A creature of small proportions and but with big attitude lingered about. Fate was his fatherly given name and he then floated and as he did squeezed green gas. The gas loafed and followed fate in a small trail of green smoke. Fate flew, letting the wind blow furiously in his bald head. His beady eyes got attracted to a acorn hanging for dear life on a little twig. He flew over to it and brought it down to the ground. Ne was among the company of two others. Teran and his secret lover.

Fate brought his robust manhood down to the acorn and shot a bolt of lightning at it. Eyes suddenly grew out from nothing and bit puffy red lips puckered and Fate smiled. The acorn was breathless and then fate shouted. "I am Fate. Your savior." She smiled and rushed over to him then he continued. "Get me a sandwich. You worthless wretch."  

[Yokai Manekineko]

"Is it that difficult to remember my albinism?" Byakuren chided lightly, settling back against the nearest tree while observing Teran slapping himself in the head. In a strange way she found the physical reprimand to be cute, and chuckled lightly. "So many questions, your caring nature provides that you would, but to me its as though you find me far more intriguing then others. Its not such an uncommon occurrence, but you seem on the cusp of infatuation." Shrugging, she tugged the Teran's forest green cloak further over her brow. "Though I must say I was fine once you left, many came and many went and as always chaos ensued. All in all, nothing out of the ordinary."

After a moment of staring at Teran's eyes, she scooted closer, leaning her right shoulder into him and reaching out to capture his hand. "Did you still wish to discuss the darkness with me? Your in a time of waning, where you are unaffected by its constant presence." Stretching her fingers out, she brushed the smoldering bit of grass held loosely in Teran's grip and the burnt greenery froze, shattering at the sudden change in temperatures.  

[Awesome Sensei]

A rush of warmth came over him, while Byakuren had a cold body, her touch was very soothing to him. her laugh was a symphony that struck the hearts of the forest. Her laughter quit as she spoke, and a jolt of darkness shot through him. He felt it starting to tug at him with her words. At first he was happy to hear her speak, but then she mentioned the darkness, Teran only sighed in sad understanding, but then turned to her, smiling with his bright crimson eyes shining as he looked into her eyes, the pink the only color he saw. With her against his shoulder, and her hand with his, Teran was a little nervous, thus causing a small fluctuation of darkness. breathing deeply, Teran spoke. "Well...I guess that is good that nothing out of the ordinary happened to you, but the darkness, no I don't really believe there is much to know. I do have something I wish to ask of you."

Teran paused for a moment, clenching his hand into hers, the eyes that stared at him were so innocent. They had a glow to them that disappointed Teran. Someone so special should not have the burden that Byakuren had. Sighing once more, he let the words slip through his mouth. "What is this darkness?"  

[Doctor Corn]

Alex laughed quietly to himself as he watched the ever curious walnut make an acorn his b***h. Turning away, he noticed two people sitting very close together in the forest. One was a semi-familiar face, as it was Byakuren the oracle. The other man was somehow familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Kozuchi Ozuchi gave a visible shiver of excitement when a somehow dark and light aura was given off by the man. Why do I sense pure light and pure darkness writhing within him Alex thought as he studied the face of the somehow familiar man. Kozuchi Ozuchi wiggled, then began to grow before Alex realized and returned it to it's normal form. It appeared that the potent mixture of light and dark provoked a somehow concious prescence in Kozuchi Ozuchi. This had never happened before, and Alex decided to wait a few yards away to try and figure out why the man was provoking these reactions in him and his weapon.  

[Yokai Manekineko]

"The darkness," lifting their now conjoined hands, Byakuren set Teran's knuckles near her lips and looked downwards in contemplation. "The darkness is one of two essential pieces needed to create a soul. Once, light and darkness were a joined element, one with no name but for the purpose of this conversation we can call it Existence." Her voice was small as her lips whispered against his skin. She hated when this question was asked, there were simply things that you had to feel about darkness, things that couldn't be explained in words. "To make things short, Existence was split into it's two parts, and like Chaos and Order both light and darkness are needed to keep the universe as we know it in balance. As such, each soul consists of a certain level of either element, but in some like yourself, one tries to take over and leaves only a pinprick of the other behind. In truth, light and dark are both elements and entities. They have their own agendas, a mind of their own."

Leaning further into Teran, Byakuren's head drooped to the side to rest gently against his shoulder. Next she relaxed her grip on his hand and let both of their arms to fall back down. That was when she actually took to time to see the tiny fate incarnate and an animated acorn near her feet. Disengaging her hand from Teran's she leaned forward and unceremoniously flicked the animated acorn across the clearing. "Fate, I don't see why your here." She intoned dryly to the minuscule man. "Along with that, I don't see why you consider yourself someone who can actually control fate. I see no evidence of it, you simply manipulate portions of reality, not the lines that are drawn between existences. Nor do you control the path of the lives of humans or any other creature. Please leave." Dismissing the walnut, she returned to leaning comfortably against Teran.  

[Awesome Sensei]

Staring in awe, her words sounded true. As he watched her speak, the beauty that scribed from her mouth was astounding, and breathing heavily, he closed his eyes, feeling both of the elements tugging at him. Scratching at his insides, he felt them trying to come up, perhaps he would be able to learn what to do with both of them, perhaps harmony could come from there chaos. Teran felt something at his chest. While Byakuren had him in her only arm, he felt strange. "Will you help me through this?" He asked, kissing her gently on the lips. He smiled, and placed his hand back over hers, her head falling over his shoulder, he smiled. A burst of darkness passed over his body, falling out of him, and yet, it was retreating back, with the light surging back and forth. Teran scooted her against him, and hugged against her, wrapping his free arm around her, placed over where her left arm would be, and then held on her waist.

"The walnut..." Teran sighed, now realizing he would not have a chance to speak with her.  

[Doctor Corn]

Awwww. So sweet thought Alex almost sarcastically. They were obviously very comfortable in eachother's presence, despite the freezing aura given off by her and his seemingly contradictory light and dark aura. Shaking his head, he was about to leave when he noticed Byakuren verbally insult the strange Wlanut of Fate. "Fate, don't do anything rash" He said, finally making himself known.  

[kjaslkdjiehdfba]

Fate's head turned completely around, looking at the wretched woman named Byakuren. His mouth was completely ajar. His black knotted point teeth had been finally revealed. A dark speck of hatred, spiraled out and weaved itself into a blob of cloudy mass. It hung tightly around fate. Who was now enveloped by a sensation he had buried deep inside him for so long. The inner creature that was him started to claw its way out. The innocent and happy form of the walnut turned black and old with madness. A pearly white horn grew out the dome of his head. His eyes red, the fire burned infinitely. The green spark of thunder bolted out at Byakuren. Fate propelled himself in the air and was eye to eye with Byakuren. "You!!! You talk about dark and light, balances and how they are the threads that hold this universe together. You have no idea what you are talking about. You have no idea what you are dealing with. I am actually the creator of this world and every thing in it. You don't this but you were created by walnuts..." A dour, ominous accordion began to play out. The haunting tunes of the instrument filled the quiet air of the afternoon.

Fate now twitching silently, the dark wood of from the ground began to tear itself out. A damp twisted claw made from wood reached out and formed a small chair for fate. Arms suddenly sprouted out from the sides of Fate. Feet and legs grew from the bottom of his shell. "I am your god. This world is not that old, did not take long for every thing to be made by me and the other worlds." A crown of horns was formed on the dome of his shell. His bitter and evil teeth glowed as he gave a smile at the two. "See...I created this world out of the darkness of every thing. Light and dark is a false concept, solely made to give hope to man and have them cling on to some thing. Make them happy in life. There is no light, on darkness. Light if there was such a thing-" Fate puffed out black clouds of death. "Would have to be spawned from darkness, and Byakuren. Fate suits me, I know and created every thing. I know what will happen. I cause to become. I am God!!!"

[Ok, just go along with this idea, it does not make fate strong or any thing it just popped in my head as a big shocker.]  

[Yokai Manekineko]

Stunned, Byakuren held herself ridged as Teran's lips left hers. She had always been deprived of touch, always sought it out but this was the first time that someone had shown her immediate affection. In fact it scared her, and moments after his arm secured her to his side she jolted up as her muscles unclenched and dashed a few feet away. With her back turned from Teran, she slide the hood of the evergreen cloak off and shook her white tresses out in a nervous movement. For Byakuren to appear so weak, it was bordering on unbelievable. Huddling in the cloak, her slim hand bunching the two sides together at the junction of her collar bone, she turned her head slowly as she set her gaze back on Teran.

Fortunately, the wood sprite of the nut variety decided to accost her and it instantly sent Byakuren from flighty teenager to angered Oracle. Batting aside the tiny green spark he sent her way, she stood in fractured silence as he transformed from nut to dark imp and monologued until her ears were ringing. Lies and more lies, that's all it was. Blinking heavily, she opened her eyes once more and focused her ancient midnight gaze on Fate, allowing the full brunt of what she was echo out of her. Byakuren couldn't be considered remotely human by a long shot, she lived in the visage of one and was bound by human emotions but there was a feral being loosely held with that husk. "God," she began, her voice soft but filled with the concussion of distant thunder, "You, little wood imp, are so far from a God it makes me shudder to even think you'd utter such a lie."

"You may call yourself by the label of 'Fate' but just as I've said before, you manipulate reality and nothing more. Begrudgingly, I admit you had some influence on the formation of this world and some of its plant life, but as for other life forms and the elements, you had no part in them." A crooked smirk ghosted across Byakuren's face as she paced round him, stopping just behind him after her second circuit. "You, little sprite, are made from the same elements as myself, humans, animals, plants, the world and every thing within this universe. Light is not a comfort for humanity, it is essential for existence as it is one part of a whole, if it did not exist neither would darkness and we would be nothing!" Barking out her words, a shadow slid behind her ancient eyes, the Oracles most basic of components licked at her psyche, trying to find a way to crawl out of her skin. "You may be a form of omnipotence in this world, but you are no God."

As her universal alignment dug in, and the Oracle growled out of its fifteen year old shelter, the air around Byakuren had drastically dropped in temperature. Frost seeped from where her bare feet touched the ground and stretched for a meter radius from her and the cloak Teran had anointed her with when they'd encountered one another crackled stiffly as she turned away from the walnut. She could never stand Fate for long, and she still oozed the truest form of herself as she stalked back to Teran, only briefly glancing at Alex to acknowledge his presence. "Teran Ferox, come." So far gone, Byakuren could only command even as she consiously tried to force out a request. She needed time to wind down, and a walk through the nearly endless forest would do nicely. Starting away from the men, the air still froze around her and her every step was marked by a rim of hoar frost as ice continued to drip off of her.

[Sorry Walnut, you know why I didn't go completely along with you.]  

[kjaslkdjiehdfba]

The distorted figure that was Fate, sat patiently in his throne, little black wooden chair. His gaze drifted back and forth at Byakuren and Teran. She spoke words, all he understood, he let them sink deep in his little little brain, but that little brain was more powerful than a humans. He out stretched his hand, finger pointing at Byakuren. He then clenched it and as he did, several little woodland creatures combusted into green flames than settle in puff of foul smelling smoke. "Byakuren, I don't need this s**t." With this said he fell off in the ground and sunk deep in the air and was gone.  

[Doctor Corn]

Shocked completely at what was happening, Alex felt slight wonder as the very air dropped by several degrees and the grass became so frozen that the lightest breeze cracked and destroyed the fragile leaves. Somehow, this woman had seemed to frighten even Fate. "So, even the unfearing Fate seems to want out of her menacing prescence." muttered Alex to himself as Fate suddenly left. Kozuchi Ozuchi gave yet another shiver of excitement as it recognized the power that this woman posessed. "Well, I should go now too. It seems that you are pissed and you would probably accidentally freeze me if I stay too long. Besides, water users give me the creeps." Said Alex to Byakuren as he began to walk away. "Oh. when you calm down, try to find me. My weapon is reacting strangely to you and that man. To tell the truth, i'm kinda interested in finding out why." He said as he dissapeared.