"So we will be fighting for sure, then? Regardless of the times there is always war, eh... I want to get stronger, so I'm in. However just getting strong once won't cut it," he said, patting his blade, "to cut down the enemy we need to know how to continue getting stronger. What made you capable of fighting the yokai?"
"Information. Knowledge is power, and not many are capable of wielding such information responsibly. Because it's not often that someone with souls like yours comes along, you know. Souls brimming with a positive quality. Most that I see are either dull and grey, or pitch black with negativity." Chiharu shrugged. "This may be rather difficult for you to understand, since you two are from another time, but the thing is, Yokai are formed from the same natural energy that are present in physical phenomenon. This makes them rather difficult to hurt with physical weapons, as such...The method of harming them...I will show it to you two after lunch. As well as any other visitors that might show up after lunch." @michael.kx5 @BB_Tensei @FuRen @Naraku time to collab~
"Shit." I say as I wake up. "I don't know where I am." Looking around a bit, I seem to be located in some kind of ornate building. Perhaps a castle? Either way, judging by the lack of chains on me I definitely wasn't kidnapped. I got up from the ground and picked up the two things lying next to me. They were a sword, one that looked like a really cheap katana, and a letter. "Well, before checking the letter, let's see if I.... Wait, I can't remember anything?! Whoever sent me here has a lot explaining to do when I see them again! Haa, okay. First thing's first, I need a name for now. ...Aaaaaaand I can't remember what a good name is either. Let's just settle with Nanashi for now. It works...right?" Not like it matters. Having a whole new world to explore is much more interesting than whatever memories I might have had. I still want them back, though. Anyway, let's read the letter now. Hopefully I didn't forget how.... Fuck. Well this day is going swimmingly. At least I didn't forget how to speak! At least not yet...hopefully this doesn't get worse. For now let's go and find someone to read the letter for me! Putting my sword on my back, I head out of the castle. After all, if I stayed I'd probably die due to being an intruder. --- Arriving outside of the castle, there's a grand city sprawling in front of me. Trees are nowhere to be found, only large wooden structures where people live, work, or...I don't want to think about the third category right now. Looking around, I spy my first target: a blacksmith. With any luck he'll be able to improve my sword as we talk. Walking up to him, I start talking. "Excuse me, sir, would you be able to read this letter for me?"
The Yatogami Shrine - Shamusho Coming out from the upstairs, Himura looked around and saw a temizuya, he wondered whether to wash his hands and mouth or not, he shook his head, he didn't plan to present himself to a god or anything, so he will avoid this as for now, not until he met the caretakers of this shrine. He continued and looked at the decoratives lanters a few second before keeping on walking, then, he noticed two buildings, the first one was Kagura-den but it seemed to be lifeless there, so he didn't go there, the other seemed to be the personal quarters of the priestesses, the Shamusho is it ? He wasn't sure about this, but approached the entrance. Coughing a few times, clearing his throat, smiling widely, he began to talk. "Excuse me, is there someone here ?"
"Ahahaha, of course, boy! Just don't come over any further lest it be burnt by the fire!" As the smith said that, he put away his tongs and hammer before standing up to greet me. "Me name's Shinji. What's yours, boy?" Smiling at the blacksmith who held his hand out, I shook it while saying, "My name's Nanashi. A pleasure to meet you, sir Shinji." His hand had a firm grip to it, probably due to all of the times he's swung his hammer. "Aye, nice to meet ya as well, Nanashi. And just call me Shinji! There doesn't need to be any formalities between us. Anyway, Nanashi, ye said ya wanted me to read that letter for ya?" He said while looking at the letter in my hand. "Yes. I just woke up not too long ago, and I found this letter near me." With any luck, it'll help me find out more about who I am and why I'm here. "Give it here, then. I'll take a look." As he said that I handed him the letter as I waited for him to tell me its contents. Not too long after, he looked up at me with a curious look. "This is a mighty strange letter indeed. All it says is that the sender wants to meet up with ye and talk about something called Sekigahara. Unfortunately there's no sender name or address." After he says that he looks at me again, this time with a wide smile. "Did ye perhaps get yerself a lover but she ran away from ya?" He said with a hinting tone. "No. Or at least, I don't think so? I don't exactly remember much. Anyway, thank you, Shinji! Do you perhaps any idea who the sender could have been even though there's no name?" I said, hoping to steer the topic away from me.
"Can't say I do. Ah, but I did hear talk about someone leaving letters like that lying around, so if you talk to someone else they might know who it's yer after." Shinjo said. "Ah, thanks for the help! By the way, would you be able to strengthen my sword for me?" I said as I took out my katana. "It's not in the best of shape right now and I feel like I'll need it soon." Looking at the sword for a bit, Shinjo motions for me to hand it to him. Once I do, he examines it more. "Boy, all I can say is that no matter what I try to do with this it'll break with a few swings of my hammer. I don't have anyway to help ya. I do have some swords for sale though if ya have the money." "Ah, no, it's fine. I don't really have any money at all right now. Thanks anyway! Hopefully we can meet again, Shinjo!" I said as I walk off to find my next vic- er, target. "Aye! May fate bring us together again!" Said the smith as I walked off. Turning a corner nearby, I saw a general store with a woman as a clerk there. Walking up to her, I once again began my proposition. "Excuse me, miss, do you by any chance happen to know who might have sent this letter? They didn't leave their name or address on it." I said as I held out the letter once more.
Yatogami Shrine Backyard --- Chiharu "Now that we have finished lunch, I shall begin explaining the weapons that are very effective against Yokai. To be exact, I believe they are called Divine Words by other people." Chiharu was chewing some honeyed dates as she talked. "The truth is, while many of the words are truly divine in origin, there are also many lesser words that don't originate from the divine. Such words have equal power as Divine Words, but unlike the no-cost activation of Divine Words, these demand a hefty price. They also can't be chained together like Divine Words can, so they are somewhat inferior. Still, Divine Words are difficult to obtain, so these do as substitutes." Kaori had been asked to do something, and sure enough, she raised a massive tree in the centre of the backyard. "First, I shall show you a Divine Word. Kuki." The branches of the tree shook slightly, and the leaves rustled. That was about it. "And then, there are the chains of Divine Words, each word in succession amplifying the effects of the previous one. Look closely now...Kuki, Kaze, Arashi!" Conclusion: The tree was uprooted. "Now, are there any questions?"
Naraku stared in suprise at the uprooted tree and then remembered. "Wait, I remember the giant youkai in Sekigahara was also using a similar three word chain to cause destruction. "Black lightning formation" it was if I remember correctly. Right?" He turned to the others to confirm.
"Oh, so I am not the only one. I was wondering since I didn't see anyone." Said Himura before continuing to talk with a slight smile. "May you excuse me then." He bowed, removed his sandals and came inside. A smile appeared on his face as he put his hand on his chest. "Pleased to meet you, I am named Himura."
"Ah, sorry sir, but I don't. Maybe a guard would be able to tell you?" Says the clerk. Heeding her advice, I go up to the nearest guard and ask them. "Excuse me sir, do you know of anyone who might have sent this letter? They seem to have left similar ones with other people. However they never leave any name or address." I said to the guard.
Turning to look at the newcomer, I noticed that he seemed familiar. Digging through my memories, I realized that he is the same person as the one I passed through in the battlefield. It took me a few moments to realize that I have been staring at him for too long and to break my gaze away. Though, it seems that his name is Himura, I should bear that in mind.
Yatogami Shrine Backyard "Now, I will demonstrate what a non-Divine Word looks like. In fact, I believe one of you here already knows a word like that. Hotaru, if you'll please." Hotaru nodded, then mumbled a single word softly. 妖 (Yokai) Noticeable blood marks begun tracing across her skin, forming a pattern of what closely resembled flower petals. Her single tail extended, and another one grew out as well. The crimson red lines begun glowing, softly, but menacingly. Her irises lost much of the human softness, and appeared visibly more feral. "This would be a good example. Monstrous power in exchange for wearing down a person's humanity."
"Oh ?" Himura exclaimed in surprise. It was someone familiar, to be exact, one of the first person he saw when coming to this world, at Sekigahara. 'That is... Interesting.' He remembered the lightning fell on her when he was running away, from that... Thing, that yokai whose size was terribly unreal. Hopefully, she seems to be mostly unscathed. With a smile, he nodded to her as a greeting. Then he turned his eye toward... ...Hotaru, is it ? Surprise was shown on Himura's face, he broke out into a wide smile, the eyebrows risen. And then, he stared at Hotaru with a curious gaze. A tail grew out of her, from nothing because of that non-divine word ? And the cost of this one is the person's humanity ? Then that is quite a weak cost. Who is really human nowadays ? Nevertheless, there is probably more to that. He took one step toward Hotaru and rubbed his chin. Mm, she already had a tail to begin with, so is the second tail different from the first one ? Since one is naturally there while the other is provoked one of those 'words'. "Mm... That's curious. Is your first tail different from the second one ? How does those lines feel, like does it feel like a liquid, a tattoo, a mole, a scar or others ? Are your emotions different from before using the word ?" He had others questions but for now he will satisfy himself with only asking these ones.
"That's not a good idea, you know. A Kitsune One-Tail forcibly becoming a Two-Tail with the help of a word will not have it easy. Hotaru, please cancel the transformation." Nothing happened. "Hotaru? You need to stop." "...Stop? Having all this power feels great, little shrine maiden. You expect me to give it up?" The grin on her face was a very feral one. Nevertheless, Chiharu didn't back down either. "Yes. Stop, or I'll have to seal you forcibly. Don't make me have to try." A few more seconds, nothing, and the kitsune promptly buckled and fainted, her appearance returning to normal, while the red-robed girl at her side caught her. "Well, that's another side effect. Intense strain and immediate exhaustion once the effective duration ends."