New shrine, who be this? [closed]

[gman]

The forest was always quiet this time of night. No woodland creatures to be heard rustling around. Just the sound of the wind pushing and pulling the branches. 
Eiji would need to walk back to town tomorrow. That chain smoking session burned him down to one last cigarette. Kicking a rock along with him while he walked he wondered how granny was fairing in the big city. Time to let her hair down would do her some good. She didn't say where she was going either. Not like he would visit her, he had to wait here after all. Maybe something to add to the list of things to do when Dad came back. He was torn from his little bubble of thought when he felt something. Nasty taste in the air. Sudden cold chill, Yokai were near. Under that mask of bandages a small smile formed. A little bit of entertainment had wandered into his neck of the woods, and after a mostly un eventful day he was more than eager to swing that blade of his around. 


A Deep breath, had to calm himself down a bit. Could just be something small skittering about. His walk turned into a brisk one. Could be just one or two fighting over some scraps. Could be one Gaki just jumping around being a menace. He began to jog. Could be any number of animal yokai, snake, deer, cat. Or it could be a friend of that oni he scrapped with weeks ago trudging about looking for a fight. 
He couldn't remember when he started running, But here he was. Stepping over branches and pushing himself off of trees as they came at him in the darkness. He could feel they where near, and like a Olympian runner hearing a starter pistol he was bolting towards the finish line. His sword was in his hand and his heart began to pump faster and faster.  He had their scent on his nose, and like a bloodhound he was inbound like a bat out of hell. Even in the darkness he knew these woods well. Where the roots where, large rocks, low branches. He pushed through all of these obstacles. The entertainment was out there walking around, he just needed to get to them before they got away. 

[Ram]

Scrambling to secure a better position, Mika had to wonder just how were there so many at all. It was dead quiet earlier that one would think the shrine had to be long forgotten or someone. Only that weird creep with the bandages lurking around as a ghost to the place. So how then? How can a swam simply show up in the night? She saw something slither at the forefront of her flashlight that she turned and reached for a branch to pull herself to go around this next obstacle but a sickle like limb cut both her sleeve and the branch sending her falling to the roots. The girl hastily threw a talisman at her feet to clear a landing spot and changed her course along the mountain side. These creatures weren’t making it easy to get back to the shrine.

No time given to hide out somewhere. These monsters had lived for years out here to know. Mika fanned out her talismans to devise some way to push them back but that giant snake was among their numbers somewhere lacking a fang. She took one of the strips and applied it to the flashlight, enhancing the light beam to sweep away the smaller goblins and parasites with blades for limbs and scorpion like tails. Her eyes constantly searching for a new path as the demons flowed around her like water. That one snake in particular worrying her the most as she could hear taunting hisses among the cavalcade of shrieks. Of the small fry around from tsutsugamushi to weasles, she could sense the presence of the larger ones smartly staying out of her light and circling around as the smaller ones guided the stray miko favorably in their direction. In one direction she could sense one such demon coming this way rapidly. That same fast frog creature again? Arming herself for the worst of the bunch, the light shone upon that ratty jacket as Orochi’s figure bolted past her in a rushing gust of wind. A few of the demons smartly withdrew but the immediate ones around Mika, it was far too late for them to flee at this range.

[gman]

That foul scent got even thicker as he found what he was hunting. A light shining at him. Unnecessary details. He passed by the light with blistering speed, Holding his sword out in front of him he could hear hissing. That damn snake wasn't gonna slither away this time. Its head was up Neck was an easy target. With the force of his body behind him he jumped into the snake. His blade penetrating all the way through. Pushing him and the snake into a tree. The snake let out a evil hiss as Eiji let go of his blade. His feet now firmly on the ground from that tackle he strained his arms as he reached up and grabbed the snake's lower jaw. It was flailing wildly as it realized it had been pinned to the tree. Eiji Twisted and pulled on its lower jaw until a stomach churning tear was achieved. Like peeling a wrapper off a candy bar he tore its lower jaw completely off. As he was doing this a small gaki ran up onto him. Sinking its teeth deep into his side. Eiji wasn't done with the snake however. From the lower jaw in his hands he focused his grip and tore its one fang from the detached jaw, then proceeded to shunt it into the snake's head. 

Then the was the matter of the little ankle biter with a mouth full of blood. Boy Eiji hoped this little guy savored the taste, He grabbed it by the head and gripped it with one hand as hard as he could. Its poor little skull turned into putty under his grip. Tearing his head from his body after the fact Eiji tossed aside its lifeless corpse before retrieving his sword from the tree. His next target was a larger gaki. He wasted no time rushing up to it and planting his blade hilt deep into its fat little belly. It cried out in pain and responded with its own flurry of wild claw swipes, one of which would catch Eiji right in the kisser. A flurry of torn bandages filled the air as his face lost an eye and some of its skin. Eiji raised the big bastard above his head before slamming him back down into the earth. Big guy didn't even have the chance to catch its breath as a boot came down onto his head, splattering it across the forest floor. The small fries got the messages as they all started to split up in different directions. Even the small parasitic ones, who by their appearance looked thoughtless fled into the night. It was true of Animals and yokai alike. When the big guys fall its time to high tail it. Frustrated his fun was coming to an end Eiji bent down and tore the leg off of the bigger gaki before throwing it at the smaller yokai fleeing. "ILL GET YOU ALL NEXT TIME" He snarled into the night. He was getting ready to give chase to one but that shining light was still there, Quickly striding his way towards it as the high from combat was still flush in his brain he was met with a person. Not any person but that little Miko. 
A switch flipped in his head, time to cool down. "Oh Miko. that you? Or another yokai playing a prank?" Eiji asked as he looked her up and down. The glimmer of her magic was still in the air. Had to be her. "I thought you would be in bed by now." He asked her with a neutral tone. From her point of view he was a walking corpse. His bandages on his stomach had now turned red and were bleeding into the jacket. His face now visible now the bandages were gone, or rather to say what was left of his face. Blood ran down his eye socket, his teeth on the right side were visible as the skin that was covering it was gone. 
"You really should get back. No one is at the shrine right now. Oh." it came to him almost as a second thought. "Youre not hurt are you?" 

[Ram]

Her flashlight turned and followed the gush of wind. A trail of burnt flash in her light smoking and fleeing of the smaller ones moving away. She looked around in the dark in search of that homeless ghoul about. She could hear somewhere in the thick of it till a tail slammed the ground by her. The writhing of that giant snake from before. Her light followed across its scales to the body of it where she now caught sight of that guy. He successfully pinned it to a tree and took of the remaining fang even! It was shocking and in awe to see that kind of raw capabilities. Leave that was one problem down. Her sense caught wind of another looming in. Her light framing out the larger gaki. His slower stature just now arriving to where they were. The girl backed up and felt for tree bark to keep steady that for a moment she forgot about the smaller mites till one bit her shin. She winced and quickly surrounded herself in a box to burn him off unlike that monster over there who wrestled his off. “Damn little buggers…” Leaving it to be barrier to at least purify the wound, she’ll have to bandage it later as the earth shuddered once more as the gaki fell.

Her flashlight made another sweep of the area. Blood and bodies laid limply of the smaller termite brats with the snake and larger gaki laying throughly defeated. Nothing else remained till her light shined on the man with a missing eye and a bloodied appearance. Mika recognized him by his jacket alone but kept her charms ready as he was still someone to be cautious about to set up another cage around him to be on the safe side. Rather than the behavior of yelling at the yokai he started acting like they weren’t standing with carcasses nearby. “Don’t you ‘miko’ me! How’d you get out of that box?” Mika demanded. He should have stayed there a bit longer but given the stake of the bodies and himself, she should have reinforced it better. Still he insisted on speaking so casually that it was disarmingly strange from the talking corpse in front of her. “And just how are you still talking like that? Look at yourself!” He didn’t look right at all and should topple over, have his spirit sink to the earth or something to that effect! Not that Mika would realize there were more cuts and scrapes on herself than a leg bite from her frantic mountain marathon. “Do you need a final rites?”

As if it were that easy to pass him on to the next life. The miko sighed and fanned herself with the charm papers to cool off. It was then she realized she dropped the paper lantern somewhere in the forest. No doubt trampled beyond repair. An acceptable loss but with him being so weirdly normal to talk to, she began to feel a bit awkward around the talking corpse. “I do mean it if I have to suddenly bury you.” She heaved her shoulders in a sigh and moved the light away to shine around them for a path back. The walls around Orochi evaporating. “The shrine is somewhere that way right? Let’s patch up and cleanse ourselves before an infection starts.”

[gman]

If his face wasn't sliced to ribbons he would be wearing a confused look on his face. "The box broke. So i was headed to bed." He said as he was on his way to lead her back to the shrine before a thought entered his head. He turned back around to face her. "What do you mean out of the box? Were you going to leave me in there? What kind of Miko are you?" Getting into fights on her first day here, and locking him up in a box. He was starting to think maybe the training protocols changed somewhere between granny and her. After being told to look at himself he put a hand up to his face. Now that she mentioned it he couldn't see anything off of his left side. And his face was wet with blood. The stinging hurt, but you get used to that after a while. "Im fine. Might need to take a dip in the lake, but no i will not need any rites." Reaching into his pocket he threw his last cigarette into his mouth. Walking her back would require he calm down a bit. Smoke was leaking out of the side of his face. "Well lets be on our way. Maybe we will run into some more on the way if we are lucky. 


The night was at its apex as the pair arrived at the shrine. "Back again. Looks like no one was here while you were gone. Guess thats a silver lining." Turning around to face her he stashed his burned out cigarette into his pocket. The blood on his face had dried. Though the wounds remained. "Well was that all for tonight?" He asked. "Do you require any more assistance today or are you gonna go to bed?" 

[Ram]

“A legitimate miko trained by the priests of Ise that’s what kind of miko I am.” Mika shook her flashlight ar him. “Of course not! I have honest intention to remove that after I did my task.” The huffed in offense she’s leave him there. Not on purpose this time. When he finally did check his face to note how half of his vision was absent did the girl balkat his demeanor. Deadpan to his resilience to live or lack of concern. “ How are you like this?” The among of disbelief of his walking, talking corpse. Maybe he was one the whole time! Mika wondered how she failed to recognize this as he nonchalantly lit another smoke. The fact he had smoke even pouring out of the sides of his mouth was morbid to look at. She skeptically turned her head slightly during their walk. The man lost an eye and he’s ok with that?! Mika could feel her energy drain with each step back to somewhat familiar ground as they walked somewhat side by side so her flashlight could assist lighting the way without tripping over anything new. She could feel her feel a bit foggy but figured she could walk it off.He probably would have liked a few more critters to pop up. If any did, she wondered if they’d be busy eating the remains of the three left on the mountainside to bother them.

They arrived at the shrine as well as their appearances would display. Her eyes immediately adverted from that gross face of his. Now he looked worse with that straight jacket of chains around him. Her eyes must be playing tricks on her cause she didn’t remember a chain wiggling from the empty socket. Mika could feel herself getting sick to keep seeing him like this. She’d have to drug herself to sleep at this rate. “I’ve laid out enough to erect a crude perimeter of the grounds if that’s what your question entails. Since you’re open to comply now, where do you keep those bandages?” She pointed at the frayed bits of fabric. “You’re just asking for bugs to infect you for walking around that way.”

[gman]

"Nah itll be fine. Usually is anyway Born like this i guess to answer your question.  Good to hear you were gonna come back, was staring to think you were some kind of psycho miko, maybe in a witch of some sort." Eiji said with a small forced laugh. She was back at the shrine, the gods in their heavens and all was right with the world. "Oh you were laying down charms. Could have just waited for tomorrow for that. Pushing to do it tonight and wandering out alone isnt a very intelligent move. Entertaining though, so ill give you that. As for the bandages..." Eiji rebutted her question by pointing the direction they just came from. "Out there. I have a little camp site i keep all my stuff at. Why? Did you not pack any when you came out here? Pretty short sighted of you." She looked pale and getting paler. Oh. Yeah. Eiji could recall a few times his father got like this as well. Some people have weak stomachs when it comes to blood and stuff. Granny wouldn't approve of this lack of manners. Just because she isnt around means that he shouldn't mind his manners at Her Shrine. "Oh give me one moment." Eiji turned away from the girl. He could fix himself. It was like flexing your arm to show off your bicep, cept the muscle felt like it was in the pit of his stomach. He focused on the pins and needle pain on his side and face and flexed what he called his medicine gland. His face stitched itself back into place, fresh meat replacing his cheek skin leaving it looking rosy and new.  The bite wound also filled in with new flesh, and in his empty socket a new eye was formed.  He turned back around to face her, all his wounds miraculously healed. "There, I believe now i should be more palatable to talk to now. You gonna fix your ankle? Nasty bites like that can bleed quite a bit if left unattended."

[Ram]

“There can’t be any explanation to say you were born this way,” she responded in denial to the talking zombie creature while avoiding to answer for her irresponsibilities as being assigned to move first thing earlier today. Not many demons she’s ever heard of that could recover from loss such as this either. There was word that they would steal parts from other creatures to substitute as they naturally come together and form a miasmic embodiment of foul natures of the world. There’s no way she could see herself sleeping. Maybe she can wear herself a bit more doing something mundane like fixing her sleeve. Her flashlight followed where his hand pointed back where the monsters laid. Her head cocked to the side when recalling the events of chasing that pest which turned out to be a hideous old man trickster that needed a lesson. “There was a tent out there after all? Would that not have been destroyed by those yokai?” She asked with a side eye. A mess of things happened there. If there was a tent out there, it was a well hidden one. That would mean he’d be lacking some kind of support. “I guess there is the porch awning…” she muttered as a consolation to when the man interjected.

“Give me one moment,” he said and turned again abruptly.

“What?” The abrupt turn away blind sided her on what he was doing. Her brow raising on what sort of moment he needed to be doing with his back to her. The light shining on his back catching his muscle spasms while her ears picking up sounds of wet flesh tearing and pulling. The color faded away as she covered her mouth and turned away to hold back the urge to heave. She tried to block out the noise as well but the images were already sketching into her mind of what could be happening. When he turned back around the girl was heaving a bit of air to keep steady when seeing him in the light again. Dried blood and fresh skin…somehow. “How..? No. I don’t need to learn this now. Just… um…. good. You are in good..health. I think.” The words piecing against scraps of rationality as she turned and took slow steps back to the shrine. “I’ll fix it later,” she sighed with having enough of today. Probably find an spare tabi sock to wrap the bite wound and a stray towel in the little house.

[gman]

Well she was looking alot worse for wear now. Sometimes you just cant win with people, not that he could blame her. "Im always in good health. Though you really should get your foot cleaned now not later. One shouldn't slack when it comes to their health. Or so im told." Eiji said as he turned away from her. "Well ill see you around." Eiji waived to her and began to walk away towards the wilds. A part of him really, really wanted those yokai to still be out there waiting for him. A little more entertainment for the night would be nice to end the night. Into the night he disappeared leaving the Miko to her own devices. Well she did handle herself alright before he popped up out of nowhere, and the area was still secure. If she was to be believed anyway, which he didn't have any reason to not think that, but you never really know with other people. 
A hike and a half later he arrived at his small camp site. A small campfire was nestled near a tree, with his sleeping arrangements were hanging in a tree. Reaching into the tree, and his rucksack was still inside the tree. Always helpful to know no one had stolen his shit. He did not have time to start up a fire, so instead he climbed up into his hanging tent. Taking his sword off of his belt he laid next to him and zipped the hanging tent closed. He would need to buy some stuff tomorrow. Some more bandages, more cigarettes. Some bleach. More chores tomorrow. 
He wondered if dad would be back tomorrow. 

[Ram]

She waves him off in a similar fashion to how he’d done it earlier. Resigned to the little house for the night for the first evening spent. She went to the small kitchen to try filling some water to wash the would and dab it with a towel of dried blood to cut down some infection. She doesn’t need him to suddenly lecture her on her own health. Cheaply healing the way he did back there. Mika grumbled how other priests would heal themselves and brag about their miracle as she tried the towel as tight as possible for a bandage. It’ll no doubt be sore in the morning but everything else felt just the same. She spent awhile cleaning the teeth marks and tried to wrap it with a clean towel for bed.

In terms of sleeping, Mika felt lazy to roll out the layers of the futon and crawl under it. Tired, hungry, hurt, and mentally drained; all the ingredients for sleep were there but her eyes kept open while lying there. Listening to the wind breeze by the trees yet no animal calls of the night. Not even bugs chirping in the grass. The miko looked around the dark home and curled up quietly hugging her knees. Too quiet. Too still. Thoughts of earlier and that bloodied face of his and missing eye with python chain links wrapped around him. The image wouldn’t go away as she hit her head to make it fade out by brute force. It’s unnatural! Something has to be wrong about that guy! That… whatever sort of demon he actually is! Mika couldn’t figure out the meaning of the chains either and the way they moved. She wondered if contacting Ise could shed some light but even they could only speculate on the things Mika can see. Unable to meet with sleep, the girl sat up and turned the flashlight on again and hand it shine against a wall as a mock nightlight till morning came to continue these mysteries. If there’s no chance of sleep then no way is she going to lay in complete darkness. 

-end-