Those who embrace their existence and devote their souls to their well-being and the well-being of others are often praised by their community, not only striving to support their own efforts but the efforts of others that surround them.
November 1908 - Opposites.
They both enjoyed the sights of the wilds, nature beyond it’s beauty, glowing scenery and a docile and tranquil feeling always with them; Despite their aligned admiration for the joys of life, a coin always has two sides. The brother, Hwan, was mischievous and sly in nature, the world was his oyster and his hands were his key to the gates of experience; Hwan’s misbehaviour set him apart from most of the town’s people, often referring to him as a demon advocate, his actions hasty and swiftly judged.
The sister, Mi-cha, was loving and kind, their efforts focused perhaps more on the community and others around them than on herself, inspired by the great stories and tales of the Kodama, she sought to be seen in the same light within her community, but her extremes to serve the community came at the detriment of her own well-being, often overlooking the dangers of certain tasks.
The two siblings despite their differences loved each other very much, not just for their Jaibatsume name.
November 1908 - Falling.
The two children found a calling to service, apples within the mountains where the trees grew tall and sturdy, legend spoke that these
trees bloomed seemingly golden apples, these fruits rumoured with the properties to heal not only sickness but the hearts of those who consumed it’s flesh, to the sister, she sought to bring these apples back to her people and introduce it’s wondrous abilities to the town, healing it’s ill and soothing those who were experiencing deep pain through loss, mourning or suffering; The brother had other plans, his intentions to profit from these goods and ensure his family’s financial stability. Though Hwan’s intentions towards his family were sound, his methods and ethically were not.
The two set off on the trails up the mountains, expecting the journey to be short and convivial, but the treacherous pathway they would face along the way would have been anything that the siblings expected. The weather grew dim and gloomy and rain set it’s course throughout the mountains and town below, the siblings continued their ascent towards their goal with reluctance and distress, their bamboo ponchos and Kimono clothing barely keeping them warm or shielded from the elements, step by step they edge closer to their destination but unbeknownst to them, their demise.
The two set off on the trails up the mountains, expecting the journey to be short and convivial, but the treacherous pathway they would face along the way would have been anything that the siblings expected. The weather grew dim and gloomy and rain set it’s course throughout the mountains and town below, the siblings continued their ascent towards their goal with reluctance and distress, their bamboo ponchos and Kimono clothing barely keeping them warm or shielded from the elements, step by step they edge closer to their destination but unbeknownst to them, their demise.
The girl could only wonder if she had done something wrong in her final moments to fall in such favour of luck and before she could second-think her doubtful thoughts, she felt herself hit something; It was cold, suddenly warm, what she had hit enveloped her body and wrapped around her, leaving her to sink slowly, as if experiencing her fall again, but slower, time crawling.
The two siblings had come swiftly to their fates and it was now time for the Kami to pass their final judgement on the two souls and decide how they would continue in the afterlife.
November 1908 - Rejection.
Mi-cha awoke in front of her brother, she felt light, out of her head, unable to speak, but see; she looked around and experienced
nothing but the absence of anything, unable to gather her thoughts properly, she looked straying over at her brother, hunched over and rocking, his demeanour seemed different, crazed, unhinged, this was not her brother, at least not in the right state of mind as she grew up with; Hwan let out soft weeps and sobs, seemingly unaware of his sister's presence, Mi-cha weakly reached out to her distressed brother, but found herself unable to approach, But, in that moment of realization, she knew the Kami had rejected him, leaving him a fraction of what he once was.
She began to feel the weight of her body lifted, rising, suddenly the absence of anything turned into the cold envelopment of water, slowly rising to the surface, she’d lay for a while, unable to comprehend her experiences, scarred and terrified, yet, dull and sedate; Days passed as she laid still in the waters, before the people of her town, found her cold body aside the lake; feebly standing to her feet, unused to the thought of herself being able to stand on the water as if a solid floor, she watched her lifeless body, carried away, out of the forest, beyond her bounds.
Mi-cha sat by a tree near the lake she had found herself in, unable to conceive her disturbance.
She began to feel the weight of her body lifted, rising, suddenly the absence of anything turned into the cold envelopment of water, slowly rising to the surface, she’d lay for a while, unable to comprehend her experiences, scarred and terrified, yet, dull and sedate; Days passed as she laid still in the waters, before the people of her town, found her cold body aside the lake; feebly standing to her feet, unused to the thought of herself being able to stand on the water as if a solid floor, she watched her lifeless body, carried away, out of the forest, beyond her bounds.
Mi-cha sat by a tree near the lake she had found herself in, unable to conceive her disturbance.
Weakness is often a crutch used as an excuse to stand by and do little.
November 1919 - Alone?
Coursing, soothing streams of water ran across the surfaces of the lone lake; Skylight shone through the leaves and branches of the tree that kneeled over the waters, shielding it as its guardian.
"Do you often tend to these rivers, little miss?" A presence, a nudging, a voice spoke out calmly.
Mi-Cha sat up in place within the waters she lay in, startled and desperately looking about for he who spoke; Perched on the tree which loomed over her, a fox? a figure? both, it would seem.
"What satisfaction might the answer to your query bring you; I am lost, nothing more, and I needn't be so," Mi-cha responded, rather harshly, her childish tone piercing the atmosphere between the two.
"I seek not satisfaction from a tale, perhaps, merely out of curiosity, I ask myself why you have spent the last decade motionless in these springs." The spirit sat on the branch he was stood upon.
Mi-cha looked over her surroundings, a void feeling fell over her, recounting the years she had taken, thinking, reminiscing, conceiving, wondering; Perhaps it could have been time well spent, however, there seemed to have been no positive trade out for her wasted years within the lake's gentle hold.
"I have not a reason to lie here but the lack of reason to leave this place; I am no longer, my time is no longer." Mi-cha looked down to the waters between her legs, her voice sombre.
"Why?" The figure abruptly replied, tilting its head at the girl.
"Why!" Mi-cha turned, irritated. "I am without a body, a soul- left to roam a realm once my home... Unable to partake!" her head fell back down to the river's waters. "I am nothing."
"Perhaps, The issue lies within your mentality, not your physicality," the figure was now standing by the side of the lake.
Mi-cha looked at the figure, unsure of what it was, having seen it move without a trace, She quickly stood up, her legs feeble, scarcely managing. "Who," She took a moment to adjust her balance and wording, "What are you? How is it you see me?"
The figure adjusted the small mask on its head before it spoke "Masako; We are similar, though what I am isn't what is important at this moment in time." Masako took a step forward toward the lake and the little girl, "Lingering here will not help you find yourself any more than you have these past few years; These forests are diminutive, but even the smallest lessons can have a tremendous influence," Masako grew fainter and fainter in sight as they spoke, "Perhaps, Its time for your lesson"
Mi-cha watched Masako fade, and upon the relief of his presence, she felt his words resonate with her, taking her first steps to solid land.
November 1919 - Alone...
Seconds crossed days, days crossed millennia, the stars churned slowly with trails of agony, oozing into every
So much time led to him finding secrets, planning schemes, and hailing weaponry from his bloodline, a spiritual vessel he could wield which would aid his ventures before him, and his bloodlust; With no one to stop him, he stepped forward into the forests to take from others what he considered was taken unrightfully from him, mortality; Hwan was alone.
November 1939 - Different.
Commotion across the forests, spirit wilds scattering and the forest set into unrest caught the attention of Mi-cha; She felt uneasy, darkness was awry and she was headed straight towards it, soon discovering the source of such turmoil.
"Kin," Mi-cha spoke with conflict enveloping her, an emptiness consumed her chest as she looked over her brother. What was once her brother?
The two turned to each other lost for words, two different feelings surrounding them both; Hwan felt unbelievable joy to have seen her sister in front of her as he remembered, a chance at peace and redemption for both of them and a new goal. Mi-cha, filled with horror at the scene unfolding in front of her, what was once human life, relieved by force and left on the floor by her brother's hand with seemingly little to no remorse.
"Sister!" Hwan cried out to Mi-cha, filled with joy, a devoid crazed look in his eyes. "I thought I had lost you!"
"What is this..." Mi-cha looked horrified over the shell of what was once her sibling, pale and darkened, corrupted and lost. She had seen a change in her brother, but not for the better.
"This-" Hwan took a moment to gather his words "The kami left me to suffer. They took our mortality, this is a LESSON to-"
"No." Mi-cha cut Hwan off. "This is not revenge, this is delusion, madness. In turn for another's actions you have taken precious life, INNOCENT life." Mi-cha turned away "What have you become..."
"The Kami created us for a purpose and they DEPRIVED US OF IT, I am merely showing them our worth of BETTER TREATME-"
"NO." Mi-cha stopped Hwan from speaking any further. "You... are no martyr more than a mistake given the will to roam, but not the cause." Mi-cha turned away in contempt of her brother's actions.
Hwan's pride and relief turned to bitter emptiness and offence, his blade rising to the motion of his hand's grip. "I did this for US. I rejected the kami for US."
Mi-cha's sight fell unto the body beside her brother, shaken and unnerved by the scene and her brother's acts. "I can not assist you."
Hwan's arm tensed and his movement was deadly and precise.
The blade swung past Mi-cha's head, hairs from her scalp being cut by the spiritual vessel; She had never been harmed before until now, and the feeling of seeing her own body palpable by this force terrified her for the first time in a decade and she had kicked into a fight or flight response; Hwan's blade swung back around towards Mi-cha's neck and in a moment of terror, her hands extended outwards in fear, taking in what she believed would be her last moments on
Yet, It wasn't.
Hwan struggled in place, pulling and dragging at the blade, yet it did not budge. a steady long wooden staff sat still in Mi-cha's grip, the blade locked into the wood of the handle; Mi-cha took in the item she held, observing it in astonishment, unsure of what had just unfolded; One thing was clear and sure to her instincts: Fight.
Mi-cha swiftly pulled the staff backwards from Hwan's blade, stumbling backwards, her balance only saved by the end of the staff diving into the dirt below them. In one quick motion Mi-cha dived forwards, staff in hand, aimed towards Hwan and Throttled him by the neck, backwards into the dirt behind him.
"Leave; Do not return," Mi-cha spoke with conviction, her words prying at Hwan's soul and motives. Without a further response, Hwan fled; Mi-cha left, fallen from the experience but with a vessel of her own to wield.
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