|Okami| Demons |Reserved RP|

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Cedar inhaled sharply. Her lungs burned, pain erupting in her. The smell of damp earth was heavy. Her head throbbed but she forced her eyes open regardless. Daylight met her, forcing her to blink. The sunlight was far too harsh.

She lifted her hand, shielding the light from her eyes. Until her eyes adjusted, she left it hang in the air. She pushed herself up, blinking her eyes. She glanced around the area.

Her hand fell back into her lap. Fields stretched all around her. She noticed the occasional tree but other than that, hills stretched far beyond where she sat. Her gaze shifted behind her, finding a sea that stertched far and wide.

"What...?" She murmured.

She didn't live anywhere near the ocean. Hills, yes but those were covered with trees. Here, there was nearly none. What happened?

Cedar scrambled to her feet. She swayed, trying to catch herself. She placed a hand on her forehead, screwing her eyes shut. The dizziness wavered, regaining her balance.

She stood a little dumbfounded. What should she do? Even more so, where should she go? She didn't know this area. She'd never seen it.

Instead, she let her hand fall back to her side. She paused, trying to recall what had happened. She was with her friend. They were on a walk through the park. Then what? Something strange. They'd found something.

An old parchment. That's what it was! Something written in a foreign language. It was something Asian though, neither she nor her friend could identify it. After that, she'd passed out and then woken up here.

Alarm shot through her. She glanced around frantically. Where was her friend? Dread filled her heart, settled heavily on her shoulders. Without any answers and alone in some place she'd never seen before, she felt panic welling up in her.

"Oh God, where did she go? Is she alright?" She muttered to herself.

Cedar wasn't sure what to do. She began to pace. It was the only thing she could think of. It wasn't like she knew in which direction she should head. It didn't look like there were any cities or homes for miles, from what she could see.

"Just what happened?" She murmured frantically. "Where am I?"

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Wed Oct 09, 2013 3:34 pm

Sei'an City, it was a place that was always bustling. It was a given, all things considering. Sometimes the busy bodies just drove him up a wall, however, and Waka would find it in him to stroll on out to the coast. Today was one such day.

The smell of the ocean was always a relief in one way or another. At least, so long as none of those monsters came dabbling around. He supposed he'd have to pick up a little bell eventually, one that could ward them off. Still, Pillowtalk might get dull then.

The breeze toyed with his clothes and his headdress, tugging at them every so often. It didn't bother Waka in the slightest, even as his sandals sunk into the sand bit by bit. Adopting a quick pace or moving to more solid ground solved that problem anyways.

Eventually a sound reached his ears. It wasn't one he expected to hear. It wasn't the ocean's waves or the sound of an oni or two. No, it was another person though obviously distressed.

Waka stood for a moment, listening to the sound with his head cocked to one side. He couldn't deny that his curiosity was peaked now. As such he started off at a quick pace towards the source of the voice. It didn't take long, only a few short minutes really, until he found the girl.

For awhile he merely kept his distance and watched. The girl, snowy-haired and with familiar red markings he could spy from here, was darting here and there frantically. A thoughtful frown twisted Waka's mouth at that, the end of his flute coming to tap at his chin. 'Divine markings? Has something happened to the gods...?'

Shaking his head he finally dew closer with one long leap. With the ease of many years of practice he landed easily, just out of her reach and balancing on his sandals.

"Bonjour, little snowy-haired friend," he called out. "What might be the problem?"

The way she swirled around and looked utterly baffled was telling. She wasn't even aware of her surroundings, was she? Truth be told Waka would ordinarily have just moved on but now that he'd caught sight of those markings... Something was amiss. Waka had to find out what.

----|x|----

Where was she? It was too cold, too snowy and it left her disoriented. Every which way she looked there was more and more white and gray. How Mari hadn't frozen to death before she could wake up was beyond her. How had she even gotten into this shit hole anyways?

Hugging herself tighter, hands tucked in between her sides and arms Mari pushed on. She had to find somewhere warm. Then, at least, she could find out what had happened to Cedar and to herself.

Swallowing she bit back another pitiable sound. The cold was taking its toll on her, leaving her movements sluggish and her fingers and toes ached with it. Had they turned black? Mari was afraid to find out. All the while her heart hammered loudly in her ears, as if keeping track of what little time she had left out in this snowy weather...

Mari wasn't sure how long it was, perhaps only seconds, before she hunkered down on herself. Curled up in a ball amid all the snow she glanced around helplessly. Even the wind tore at her clothes and hair, whipping them this way and that.

"Shit, shit, shit!" she cursed under her breath. "What'd that fuckin' scroll do?!"

She had a feeling the question would remain unanswered. Who was out here to hear her anyways? Sure, she'd run from some strange creature but no one intelligent would be out and about here! They'd be insane to wander around in the snowstorm. Even any animals that might live here had seemed to bunker down for the time being.

For a long moment she remained where she was, head ducked against the wind and snow. Shivers wracked her skinny frame, protected only by a jacket, shirt and jeans. Mari wouldn't last long here...

With a strained sound she pushed herself back up on her feet, starting off at a jog. It was the quickest she could manage, kicking up the snow as she went.

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Cedar wasn't receiving answers, even as she wracked her brain. She went over it again in her head. Nothing new arose. That scroll had something to do with this but what? What had it done?

She pressed her fingertips to her forehead, trying to calm her throbbing head. Her distress didn't help, nothing seemed to calm. She didn't notice the figure approaching her. Not until he'd spoken up.

Her heart leapt into her throat. Cedar back peddled a little, unsure of what to make of the man. His words confused her. Not so much the French as it was simply his statement.

"Snowy...haired...?" She echoed.

Last she'd checked, her hair was a dusty brown. It had darkened through the years. What was he going on about it being white? That wasn't even common much less possible in her.

She wasn't sure if she should answer him. His appearance was different - too different. She recognized the clothing, that being of Asian decent. She was no where near Asia, at least the last she'd checked.

Now still again, she was aware of the slight tremble that wracked her frame. Well that was great. If this went on, she'd have real problems with her anxiety.

"I..." She started before swallowing hard. Her throat burned in response. "Where...where is this?"

It was a start in the very least. Her thoughts were scrambled, the most of them being on the scroll and where Mari was. Cedar hoped she was safe, wherever she ended up. She could barely make heads or tales of her own situation, after all.

----[|X|]----

Oki had spent most of the day patrolling about the area. Lately, more demons had been showing themselves near the village. Too closely for comfort. The villagers had been alarmed by it and for good reason.

He'd taken it upon himself to keep the people safe. The chief would have rather them hide in their homes. What would that do? It would only result in the Oina Tribe being wiped out. Oki wouldn't let that happen.

A storm rages though it hadn't been too much of a bother. Living here all his life, the chill and wind rarely too it's toll. Oki pressed on without trouble. If he had to rely on his wolf form, he would.

His eyebrows furrowed. Behind his mask, an expression of confusion over took his features. The wind howled but he could have sworn he heard a voice carrying with it.

He paused, listening to the sound. Hand on the hilt of his sword, he waited. He heard only the wind for quite some time. Minutes passed before he caught the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow.

Oki hummed slightly, lifting his head. So there was something out here? But what? Another demon or something else? The answer came not long after.

He blinked, catching sight of the girl. She didn't seem aware that he was there - not at the moment. He took the moment to study her. Her clothing was strange, nothing like he'd every seen before. White hair trailed behind her back. What he'd caught instantly after was those red markings.

Divine Markings? What's happened now?

Oki didn't receive an answer. Then again, he didn't expect on either. Instead, he started forward. It was easy to catch up to her. He reached out and snagged her arm, halting her in her tracks. She was a skinny thing and already looked half frozen.

"You're going to freeze to death, going that way." He murmured. He nodded in the other direction. "Come. I've some questions for you."

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Wed Oct 09, 2013 11:04 pm

Waka waited patiently, tapping his flute along his shoulder as he did so. The girl was backing away from him and he'd allow her to put the distance there. It wasn't like he was going to try anything when he had no idea why the god was here in the first place. Had something happened he hadn't been aware of?

"Hmm?" His head tipped to one side, flute halting in its tap-tap-tapping. "Why yes, snowy-haired. Is there a reason for this behavior, little snowy-haired friend?"

He shifted his weight from foot to foot, studying her further. The clothes were so strange, so... simple. They were not at all flattering on a god. The shocking white hair and the divine markings gave her away on their own but the clothes only made her stand out further. Which god was she? It wasn't as if Waka had been prepared for one to appear in human form!

The girl was looking around, confusion very much apparent on her face. Eventually she'd taken to studying him and so Waka waited. The flute took to tapping his shoulder again, a spark of impatience budding in him.

"Ryoshima Coast, of course," he answered, gesturing around them with the instrument in his hand. "What has happened to leave the snowy-haired friend so addle-brained, hmm?"

He stepped closer then, experimentally. His shoes didn't make any sort of sound on the soft grass. The girl watched him, perhaps warily. Waka wondered if he really looked that intimidating.

To say there was a lot on his mind would be an understatement. For the moment Waka tried to keep it simple, to not overwhelm the situation. The god seemed confused and wary was it was, for once he would actively try not to instigate things and make them worse. In this way he could sate his own curiosity if he did.

----[x]----

Mari couldn't rely on her sense of time, not out in this storm. Because the cold sapped her warmth and strength from her it only made things confusing. She couldn't even spot a sun in the sky!

Her shivering was only getting worse out here and she hadn't even found any sort of shelter. What was she going to do? The thought left her heart hammering in her throat, fear for her life flooding through her.

Mari jumped, a hand around her arm halting her steps. Any shout she might have had was firmly lodged in her throat as she blinked up at the much taller guy who'd shown up next to her. 'How-!?' The thought remained unvoiced despite the fact that he was dressed in such deep and rich colors that she should have seen him coming in all the white around them.

His voice was rather deep, muffled by the animal-shaped mask. What animal was it supposed to be? A dog? A bat? The importance of it was low and thus was a fleeting a thought before he'd already started tugging her in the opposite direction.

"Wh-Who the h-h-hell are you?" she managed through chattering teeth. Even with her question she numbly stumbled after him, though it wasn't as if she had much choice anyways with his hand over her arm.

Mari only hoped that the guy didn't have any sort of worrying intentions. She wasn't one to be able to overpower anyone, especially of his size. Cold as she was she'd only be able to do so much if he did... Still, wandering around in the cold wasn't doing her any favors either.

The whole situation weighed heavily on Mari. She was lost, in a strange place that she was ill-fitted to to survive and without her friend. Whatever had happened to Cedar was a mystery to Mari and it left her even more ill-tempered than she ordinarily would have been in this situation.

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Cedar shifted her weight, unsure of what to make of it all. Her mind was working too fast to keep up. She tugged at a few strands of her hair when he did confirm that it was white. Part of her wished it was longer now. She would have been able to investigate herself.

"But...my hair's brown..." She muttered the reply.

She was truly baffled now. Just what in the world had happened? She couldn't find an answer. The weight just seemed to grow, her stomach twisting in knots.

What was more, she didn't know the area he spoke of. That wasn't anywhere she'd heard of in her country. No, the name was clearly Asian. It would take her time to realize what country she was in.

Her fingertips found her forehead again, trying to sort her thoughts. She wanted to pace again but resisted the urge to. She didn't even notice him step forward. Eventually, her hand fell back to her side.

"I...My friend and I found some scroll." She finally managed to explain. "The next thing I know, I've woken up here. Th-this isn't my home."

It was difficult to explain. What was she supposed to say? That she was from a place possibly across the sea and that they'd been 'magically' teleported here? That sounded insane. Or at least, in her head it did.

He was studying her again, looking deep and thought. Cedar wasn't sure what to make of it. She felt sick, that was the most she focused on now.

----[|X|]----

Oki stared at the girl. Her voice was raised and the language she used expressed her confusion and frustration. Why would a god seem so confused was beyond him. He narrowed his eyes slightly though said nothing of it.

Which one is she? He wondered.

He couldn't tell. Itegami would have most likely been male. Instead, a female god had arrived here. Oki wasn't sure what to think of it. What was more, what would the others believe or think? He hoped this was not an ill omen.

Oki shook his head then. She was clearly freezing but seemed to dismiss it in favor of finding out who he was. If that was what it took to get her moving. She really didn't have the time.

"Oki," He introduced simply. "Now, if we could get a move on. It seems you do not have time to spare."

If anything, he was honest. She didn't look built for this weather. Not only that, her clothing wasn't going to retain much heat. They were so simple, something he wasn't sure how to feel about. Most gods would have something more flattering.

He put the thought in the back of his mind. It wasn't important. What was now was getting her into the village and some place warm.

Oki tugged her in the correct direction. She was heading too far away from the village. If anything, he'd expected some gratitude toward potentially saving her life. Instead, he was met with a foul mood.

"What is your name?" He asked instead.

Perhaps that would ease her or perhaps it would cause her to be on edge. If she was a god, those divine marks so defined, she'd know which one she was.

At least, he assumed as such.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:15 am

Waka raised an eyebrow, watching as the girl-god took to tugging at her short hair. Despite the fact that many women had their hair long the short look suited her. He shook his head at her mutterings.

"But ma chérie, you have quite shocking white hair!"

He waited again then, shifting from foot to foot. It was hard to sit still. In a way he wanted to set them off back towards Sei-an City. Perhaps there could be some answers produced there. The queen might even know something of this...

A hum escaped him as the girl-god spoke again. His head tipped to one side, the wings on his headdress swaying with the movement behind him. It was a strange tale but Waka had heard and witnessed stranger in his many years.

He took another step toward her, gesturing to her with his flute. "Quite a story you tell," he noted, "You and this friend of yours where would you call 'home'?"

How did she not know who she was? Any god should be self-aware of even that status. Was it possible that something was effecting her memory? A thoughtful frown twisted Waka's lips at that.

"Perhaps my snowy-haired friend might prefer the sights of the city rather than this monster-infested coast, hmm?" Waka offered, holding out his hand.

He still wasn't sure what to make of those strange clothes of hers. What kind of a god dressed like that and which one was she? Waka hadn't exactly asked for a name and in human form it could be impossible to tell unless she said or she used her power...

----[x]----

The guy who had a grip on her seemed to take a moment to study her. What had him so interested in her? With that blue mask on it was impossible for Mari to make out what expression might be there. That alone was cause to make her scowl.

How could she tell what he was up to without any facial expressions? She'd have to pay extra careful attention to his body language. But it was so hard as cold as she was! It was all Mari could do to stop her teeth from chattering.

Eventually he gave his name, after a long moment had passed. What he said next only drove the cold further into her, the chill settling into her bones. Warily Mari started walking, the guy--Oki, keeping a firm grip on her arm.

Her eyes strayed back to his face, or rather his mask, as he asked her name. Mari really did hate how it obscured his face. Who was he really and where had she ended up? Whatever she and Cedar had found it hadn't been anything normal...

"Mari," she finally said after a long moment.

Whatever might have crossed his face was a mystery to her though Oki had glanced back at her. Her brow furrowed at that. Was there something she should know about, other than the obvious?

"W-What?" Mari snapped. Wherever he was leading her seemed to still be far off and the storm around them didn't seem to be waning in the meantime. "If you've got s-somethin' to s-s-say fuckin' say it!"

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Cedar bit her lip. To his eyes, her hair was white. Until she could see it herself, she could only take his word for it. She wasn't even sure she could trust this man. Given the situation, he was the only one willing to seemingly help.

She swallowed hard, her throat burning. She wasn't sure how to explain any of this and he was pushing for another answer. How was she supposed to explain this one?

"Across the sea," she finally answered, half gesturing. "Far to the west...more than half way across the world."

It sounded odd but it was honest. Whatever he made of it was up to him. Why he took such interest was beyond her comprehension. What was the point anyways?

She lifted her head a little when he'd spoken. She didn't like the sound of a city, never been fond of them. Cedar was fully aware that she knew nothing about the area anyways.

The mention of monsters left her confused. She sparred a glance around again. What was he talking about now? The idea left her nervous however. Taking chances with little knowledge of this place didn't seem like a good move.

"I...suppose." She answered.

It was a simple task to take his offered hand, however hesitant it was. What more could she do? It wasn't as if she was getting answers standing about.

----[|X|]----

Oki couldn't be sure of what was on her mind. She was obviously distressed and that distress turned into anger. She hadn't lashed out again at him. Still, he assumed it could happen at any moment. It was a tad strange, honestly. Women weren't normally this opinionated much less with the status of a god on top of it all.

Question after question rolled through his mind. Occasionally, he caught her studying him. Maybe it was his mask. She seemed put off, unable to read him.

That seemed for the best. At least, for the moment. No need to let her know what was on his mind. It was dire, after all. Alarming her anymore might cause a problem.

Eventually, her name came up. Confusion marred his features. He glanced down at her. The act seemed to annoy her and she'd lashed out again.

"'Mari' seems a simple name for a god." He answered, a shake of his head following after.

His gaze fell forward again. Despite the idle conversation, if he could call it that, he still listened. With the demons acting up more often now, an ambush wasn't something he wanted to deal with. Whatever expression overtook her features, he didn't take notice.

"Calm down," He said, glancing toward her. "I am trying to help you, believe it or not."

Oki wasn't one to go out of his way. He kept that much to himself however.

It wouldn't be long before they arrived at the village now. Just beyond the frozen lake and up a slope. He wondered partly if she'd even make it that far. She hadn't stopped chattering since they'd started forward.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Thu Oct 10, 2013 1:20 am

It took some time for the girl-god to answer him. It almost seemed to be that she was debating it entirely. Perhaps she would lie or wave away his questions. It wouldn't do either of them good if she did, however.

Finally she answered, looking hesitant even as she did so. Waka's eyebrow rose ever higher, perhaps disappearing up behind his bangs now. Across the sea? Why would one of the brush gods reside that far away from Nippon?

"I see," he murmured. "Quite a trip!"

The girl-god's confusion only seemed to grow at the mention of the monsters residing in Nippon. How could she not know about them? The gods had come to fight off whatever evil was still here, hadn't they? Waka's curiosity only grew, wondering what might be happening.

Truthfully, something didn't feel right. No god would act like this, surely. More and more questions were beginning to pile up. Perhaps the Sei'an City ruler might be able to get to the bottom of it if he could not.

Waka smiled a little, holding out his hand for the girl-god. If nothing else she might warm up a bit and share her secrets. Perhaps time might even be of the essence though there was no way of knowing for sure.

"Do not fret, little snowy-haired god," he teased, "the prophet Waka will be able to help you through the city!"

Even as he said it Waka had to question his abilities. Why had he not foreseen anything of this nature? Something large like this would not have slipped his mind, he was sure of it. In fact, if Waka had foreseen any of this he would have taken to strolling around Ryoshima coast more often in the past few weeks.

When the girl-god was ready to head off he would start them down the right path. He and Pillowtalk would slay anything that might impede their progress.

----[x]----

In the silences there was only the blustering wind to listen to. It whipped her hair around behind her, tugging violently at her clothes. How had she managed this long in this weather? It couldn't have been this bad earlier...

Occasionally Mari was sure she heard voices far off. They were strange and distorted and, if she thought about it, a little malicious sounding. They caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end if she strained her ears to catch them.

Eventually Oki spoke up, his voice drawing her attention back to him. In a way she was a little grateful for it. Those voices in the distance were chilling to listen to.

Now, however, only confusion flooded through her, dulled by the cold. Mari could only struggle to find words to his answer. A god? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Before she could even find the words he'd already looked away, back ahead of them.

Oki pushed on, keeping their path set. Around them the snow just seemed to keep piling up. How long was this storm gonna last? Even moving wasn't enough to keep Mari warm and the situation was only getting more and more distressing.

Mari seemed to stop as those malicious voices reached her ears again. The wind had died down, if only briefly enough to do hear it. Mari swallowed, reaching out with her free hand to clutch at Oki's jacket. Her pace picked up as much as she could handle, her muscles stiff.

"I'm n-not this god of y-yours," she said, a note of finality to it. Even keeping closer to him, if only out of paranoia of what might be out there, Mari couldn't feel any body heat from him. Whatever she might have used to keep going was pushed away by the wind before it could be of any use to her. "Put i-i-it out of your head!"

The topic was worrying in itself. Was this guy insane? Mari didn't have anyone else to rely on though. If he left her out here then she would, without a doubt, die of exposure. Wary as she was Mari had to put some amount of trust in him...

"H-how f-far...?" Her grip on his jacket tightened, perhaps half-afraid he'd move too quickly for her. Would she even be able to keep up with him if it was much farther?

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Cedar shifted her weight. His reaction was a little more then surprised. Whatever was on his mind, she could only assume. His reaction didn't help matters, only making her a little more nervous. What was all of this about?

She couldn't say she wasn't anxious. If he'd go about explaining, it might help. At the moment, that didn't seem to be the case. He seemed to take the time, trying to get to the bottom of the issue as well.

Now that he'd mentioned these 'monsters', she couldn't help but feel on edge. She could have swore she heard voice, sounds of malicious intent. She swallowed hard, working passed the lump in her throat.

Her gaze drifted back to him. He'd extended his hand, speaking. His words alarmed her. Heart pounding against her chest, she was at a loss as to what to say.

"G-god?" She stammered. "No. No, no. I'm not a god..."

That was an insane thing to say. What did he think was going on here? She wasn't a god. No, that was impossible. Her head was spinning now, a little worse then before.

She rubbed her arm, trying to ignore the trembles that still wracked her body. They weren't violent but they were noticeable to her. Eventually, she took his offered hand and allowed him to lead their way. All the while, her head still spun with questions.

----[|X|]----

Oki glanced around the area. Far off, there were voices. She'd taken notice to them. It didn't surprise him. No doubt she would be sensitive to these things as well. The disturbing thing was that she didn't seem to be aware of what she was much less who.

He glanced down at her. She tugged at his jacket, moving closer to him. She was most likely seeking warmth. The alternative was that she was afraid.

Why would she be? She was a god, meant to fight the evil that ran amok here. She shouldn't have been afraid of anything.

The answer he received might have changed his thought. A hard frown lined his lips. Now she was denying that she was a god? Was she even aware how important her role was?

Oki was disturbed himself. Surely Kemu and Samickle would want to know of this. What would they think? No doubt as confused as he was.

"Whether you believe it or not," He started. "You do have those divine markings and white hair. What am I suppose to think? Do you truly not know yourself?"

Oki slowed his pace, her grip tightening and loosening. A sigh left him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tugging her a little closer. She didn't seem to be getting any warmer as it was. He tried not to let it bother him.

"Not far now," He answered. He nodded toward the slope. "Just up this slope now."

It wouldn't take them long, even at their slowed pace. The slope was snow covered and wasn't slick. Still, he had to wonder if she could handle that much with how stiff she was now. He started up, occasionally glancing at her.

"You really do not understand anything that is going on?" He inquired quietly.

He wasn't sure how to feel about that. They now had a mystery on their hands, no answers seeming to make any sense of it. Oki hoped for once the others would be able to aid in this problem.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:35 pm

The girl-god had taken to eyeing every bit of their surroundings now that he'd said the word 'monsters'. Waka wasn't sure how to feel about that. She looked unnerved and panicky now. What for? As a god she'd have plenty of power to fight the lesser creatures here, if nothing else.

Eventually she'd looked back his way, eyes widening. They were a lovely color though Waka kept that thought to himself. It wasn't much of an appropriate topic at the moment anyways.

"Why the denial, little snowy-haired god?" he wondered. "Surely your divine markings say it all!"

The more time that passed, however little it was in hindsight, only seemed to distress the girl-god further. Waka had to wonder what was wrong. Had the gods lost their power? That seemed like a silly notion though why would the girl-god be so fearful?

Waka spared a glance around. Off in the distance he could spy a chimera hissing and spitting at something or other. His gaze drifted back to the girl-god noting the way she shook and shifted in place. Eventually she took his hand, however, and with that he started them off towards the city.

"I do not believe I've got my little snow-haired god's name," he prodded, glancing back to her. She seemed to be having trouble keeping up with his pace, even with the sandals he had on. Waka didn't slow his pace.

----[x]----

Keeping as firm a grip as she could manage on Oki's jacket Mari continued to glance around. The voices were far off but were there any that were silent and closer? The idea left her tense.

Whatever Oki thought of this mess wasn't of much importance at the moment. The voices that promised all manner of things, the sound drifting on the wind, only made things worse. Had Cedar run into any of those things out there? Or was she even in the area?

Her thoughts were broken as Oki spoke yet again. Almost reluctantly Mari dragged her gaze from all the white around them to instead study him further. It didn't do her much good as it was though. That mask hid a lot, after all.

'Markings...? White hair?' Mari bristled at the question. Of course she knew who she was! She wasn't an idiot! Even still she pushed back the idea of actually catching up some of her hair and inspecting it now. She could do that later when she was out of the snow, if only to prove him wrong.

"Think whatever you w-want I'm n-not a fuckin' god!" she persisted.

Mari blinked then, her agitation simmering under the surface still, as Oki slipped an arm around her, pulling her into his side. Tense, she otherwise did not pull away. From here she could at least feel his body heat, a welcome warmth compared to the snowstorm. Mari kept a hand twisted into his jacket, attempting to warm her free hand by breathing warm air on it. It had little effect though it was better than nothing when they ached as they did.

She grunted in answer, eyes flickering to the snowy slope. She hoped there weren't any hidden patches of ice on it. If she slipped and fell Mari wasn't sure if she had it in her to get back up on her feet.

For a moment Mari didn't answer Oki's next question. Instead she attempted to pick up her pace, her legs complaining. She swallowed, hoping no permanent damage had been done with how long she'd been out in the cold.

"How c-can I?" she finally snapped. "Stupid, sh-shitty scroll! Who the h-h-hell leaves m-magical bullshit just l-lying around?"

The last part was directed more to herself than to Oki, grumbling under her breath as she was. Even then the words were muffled by her hand and the wind. If Oki heard it or not wasn't of much importance to Mari.

Her gaze instead flickered upward. What kind of place could she expect? Considering the nature of Oki's clothes she wasn't sure if anything would even be familiar to her.

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Cedar gnawed at her lip, still uncertain of everything that was happening. It wasn't as if she was gaining answers and with what he'd said, she wasn't sure how to argue. He claimed she was a god. Cedar knew she wasn't. Things like that, they didn't exist to people anymore.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She muttered.

Indeed, it was a mystery to her. These 'divine markings' he spoke of meant nothing to her. She hadn't seen anything like that. Cedar had no tattoo's and even if they did, they wouldn't have been visible.

So what was he talking about? It was just another question that piled up in her head.

He kept a steady pace despite her own struggle to actually move. So nervous and shaky, she had been rooted to the spot for a while. Now she just felt stiff he lead on.

She toyed with the idea of giving her name. Eventually she shrugged. It wasn't anything extrodinary. Not like the 'god' he claimed her to be. Certainly less fitting.

"Cedar." She introduced simply.

Cedar wasn't sure if she liked this adamancy about calling her a 'god'. She wasn't. The sooner that was nipped in the bud, the better.

----[|X|]----

Oki hummed slightly. Things weren't getting any clearer for either of them. As time went on, she grew more frustrated. She was denying what she was. Oki had to wonder if it was possibly that she wasn't truly aware of who she was.

He put it in the back of his mind. Any ounce of fleeting information might help later on. The others might know more of this then he would.

What disturbed him most was the lack of warning, however. Ordinarily, someone would have foreseen this coming. No one had spoken of it to him, if anyone had been aware of this happening.

"If that is what you wish to believe." He answered.

Until she could witness it herself, it seemed she wouldn't be changing her mind about this. Oki wouldn't argue any further. Doing so would only cause her to lash out more. He didn't care to be on the receiving end of it already.

They started up the slope. His footing was fine but her pace was still slow in stiff. He took solace that she'd at least not fallen.

Her next words left a frown on his lips. Aside from the language she used, there was a hint of something new in them. Something that might have been important.

"And what was in this scroll you found?" He inquired.

She seemed a tad surprised at his words. Perhaps she didn't expect him to hear her. He didn't mention his heightened senses. Even at a whisper or muffled by her hand, he could still make out the words, clear as a bell.

He nodded toward the entrance that was coming closer. "Up ahead." He said. "Not much further after that."

With that said, he did try to pick up their pace a bit. The village wasn't far. Getting her out of the cold was one thing. Gaining answers to the questions that still lingered was the next. Oki only hoped they could scratch the surface of these strange happenings.

He caught the scent of smoke easily on the wind. It wasn't long until homes within the village appeared. He took the path straight up to Samickle's. It was best to get this dealt with immediately.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Thu Oct 10, 2013 3:14 pm

Waka spared the briefest of glances back at the girl-god, catching the way she bit at her lip. The distress was written clearly on her face. Waka politely said nothing of it, for now. Instead he turned back and continued to lead the way.

"Perhaps the Queen can help make heads or tails for the little snowy-haired god," Waka trilled.

To be honest Waka was quite confused himself. He didn't quite like being caught off guard, not after the Ark, but at least it seemed like it might not result as bloody as that had. Waka could only hope, at least. He would keep an ear and eye out for any hints of such things, however.

It wouldn't be a long route to the city. Honestly, he hadn't traveled out far and it was a surprise no one else had run into the girl-god. His thoughts were broken as she spoke up again.

Eyebrow raised he looked at her over his shoulder. "Cedar?" he echoed. "Not quite a name befitting a snowy-haired god!"

It certainly didn't help give him a clear image of which one this was. That alone could be dangerous. Some of the brush gods had dangerous powers and who could say she wasn't a moody one to boot? Waka shook his head.

Just up ahead he caught sight of the staircase that lead up to the path to Sei'an. At least nothing had leaped out at them. He'd rather not have to deal with that now when his curiosity was so peaked.

----[x]----

Mari huffed. He didn't seem intent on changing his mind either. But a god? No one in their right mind just went up and told people things like that! She shook her head but otherwise said nothing on the matter.

On the slope Mari did her best to both step carefully and quickly. Any longer out in the snow and she wasn't sure she'd recover from it. She'd rather not risk it any longer. If it wasn't for Oki she'd probably have fallen awhile ago...

She blinked, glancing up at Oki when he talked again. He'd heard her grumbling? How? It took a moment for her to answer, her thoughts taking a few seconds to catch up. How she was even going to explain it was beyond her as it was.

"F-fuck if I k-know!"

She was aware she was cussing excessively but she couldn't stop. She was frustrated and, as much as she hated to admit it, scared. It left Mari's nerves frazzled in the long run. So long as she acted as she was she might be able to pull through with her pride in tact.

At least... she hoped so. The more that happened the more upset she was getting...

Mari nodded, trying to pick out whatever town or the like Oki was leading her to in the snow. She could make out looming shapes but they weren't anything akin to buildings. The wind was beginning to die down a little though. Something was here, buffering it.

She attempted to keep up with the pace Oki set. Mari did so without complaint, even though she struggled to do so. 'Just a little bit longer,' she kept telling herself.

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Cedar didn't take notice of him so much. What was his name? Waka or something like that? She wasn't so much bothered to recall. Names never stuck well anyways, often leaving her feeling rather bad for forgetting.

It was a fleeting thought as she glanced toward the ocean. Ordinarily, a chance to be beside it much less see it would have been a top priority. Now, it was something that was simply there. Until she sorted this all out, she held doubts that she would really appreciate it.

The troubling question was why did she feel so drawn to it? Sure, she liked to swim on occasion but in the ocean felt like a big risk. That, and there had always been a deep fear of drowning. This pull almost seemed unnatural.

She tried to put it out of her head, instead turning her attention on Waka when he spoke.

"Queen?" She echoed.

No queens in her time - not unless she counted that of England and that wasn't even her own country. So where was she now and what was more, what era? From all she could see, it seemed like far older times.

She didn't care for constantly being called a 'god'. A nagging feeling left her aware that he might still call her a 'god' regardless of what she said. Cedar didn't understand it. It left her feeling rather uncomfortable however.

"My mother wasn't so creative with names." Came her simple answer.

Who named their kid after a tree anyways?

She glanced back toward him. Was that a strange thing to say? Given the expression, as quickly as he tried to mask it, it seemed that way. Cedar couldn't make heads or tails of it, much less him.

----[|X|]----

Oki didn't pay her pouting much mind. She didn't believe it but didn't seem to have much intent to argue it either. Maybe she knew he'd just shut her down again if she did.

Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was clearly a god. It was that or someone went out of their way to pull a not so clever prank. Oki couldn't see it as being that option however. The way things were lining up, all signs spoke true of what she was.

He didn't mention it again. At least not now. There would be enough to discuss when he presented her to Kemu and Samickle.

Oki shook his head briefly when she replied. This was becoming more and more of a confusion. He resisted a heavy sigh. Whatever was in that scroll would remain a mystery it seemed.

"Shame," he noted. "If you had it, we might gain more answers."

Regardless, it was a passing thought now. They couldn't do anything about it. Oki instead focused on getting her to the others. Up another slope and higher yet they went. If she hesitated, she didn't quite show it. Oki kept her at a steady pace.

Eventually, he halted at a larger home. Knocking twice, he pushed his way in when given the okay.

"Well, if it isn't Oki." Old Kemu stated. He paused at the sight of the god-girl, silence seemingly overtaking any other statement that might be made.

"I found her wandering in Kamui." He explained. "She...appears to be a god though, denies it. I'm afraid I've little way to explain her appearance here."

He left it at that for both Kemu and Samickle to mull over. Whatever Mari thought, she hadn't expressed it yet. He held out hope she'd keep a damper on the language she used earlier. Something told him that wouldn't be the case, however.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Thu Oct 10, 2013 11:16 pm

Waka kept his pace quick, if only because of his curiosity. It was burning, picking at him and making question after question drift through his head. The sooner he had answers the better. He didn't like to be so caught off guard like this, after all.

If the girl-god had any sort of attention focused around them or on him Waka did not notice it. He kept a firm grip on her hand, if only to make sure she did not get lost once they were in Sei'an City. It could be a dizzying situation to deal with sometimes, after all.

His sandals clacked on the stone before they were yet again muffled by dirt and grass. Just up ahead he could spy the wooden fence and gate, beyond that they would be able to see the city.

"Why yes, my little snowy-haired god," Waka answered. "The queen of the capital will wish to see you for herself."

Waka spared a glance back at Cedar. The markings stood out vibrantly, red on her skin and on the white tresses that framed her face. He shook his head before turning back and heading down the hillside towards the city. It would only be a few minutes before they were in the city proper.

"Not quite the name I had expected, ma chérie," he admitted. Waka shook his head then. "Do try to avoid getting distracted in the city."

It was a fair warning. Her white hair alone would attract attention for someone so young-looking. Anyone with enough faith in the gods would be able to see the markings and know her for what she was. Waka could only hope that no one would stop them until he reached the palace.

"Many might wish to speak with you," he warned further, "I'd rather we not get distracted, ma chérie!"

----[x]----

It had drawn quiet after Oki spoke. A shake of his head had followed his words though nothing further ensued. Instead he continued to lead the way up that slope. Mari did little to further any conversation. What was there to add anyways?

Instead she focused on pushing ahead and keeping pace with the man. It was difficult, even with much of the wind buffered. Mari could spare little attention to the area around them as they made it through the little village and up yet more sloping ground.

Even with the wind buffered as it was it cut through her like a knife through butter. Shivers continued to wrack her frame and if it bothered the guy at all he hadn't said much. Eventually, though, he stopped them before a little hut covered in snow and looking as if it would be buried under the whiteness at any moment. Here he knocked twice and pushed their way in after a voice called out.

Two men were inside, both masked as Oki was. Mari spared little attention to either, noting only that one dressed in earthly colors and the other in lavender. Instead she tried to stop from shivering, relinquishing Oki's jacket from her grip.

Mari found it difficult to meet their gazes, or at least where the eye holes of their masks would be at. The silence that followed said enough. Instead she'd brought her hands to her mouth, breathing warm air on them and attempting to thaw out.

Whatever Oki said was lost on her as she caught sight of something white trailing over her shoulder. It wasn't snow, though that was falling off of her in clumps, too. No, the texture wasn't right. Frozen in shock for a moment it took a long moment before she took the hair in hand and actually inspected it.

'White...?' Giving an experimental tug proved it to be her own hair, her heart beginning to hammer noticeably in her chest.

"Why would a god be dressed in such clothing?" sniffed one of the strangers, drawing Mari's attention away from the change in her hair. "For that matter why hadn't we received any sort of a warning of this?"

Mari wasn't sure how she'd describe how she felt. It felt... heavy. There was a heaviness looming in on her chest, weighing her down. She swallowed, attempting to remain resolute even despite all the insanity already. Her chattering teeth did little to help her mood, however.

"I'm n-no-not some goddamn g-god of yours!" she argued. "I d-don't ev-ven know w-what the fuck you're t-t-talking about!"

The one in purple sniffed, the one who had spoken before. If Mari had to say he looked as if he wasn't impressed. Rather he seemed downright agitated with her already. If it wasn't for the way he stood and gestured Mari wouldn't have been able to know this, however. That damn mask hid his face away from her entirely.

Mari attempted to not be effected by this. Ordinarily she wouldn't have been except for annoyance on her part and maybe a bit of her temper. But now, distressed as she already was it only caused tears to prick at her eyes.

Upset and frustrated, she attempted to hold them back. She'd look like a silly little girl if she burst into tears now, she was sure of it. Mari had never liked the thought of people seeing her cry as it was. Only naturally she was the type to burst into angry tears if driven past that point, however.

"And such vulgar language! Perhaps you've been fooled by a foreigner, Oki," retaliated the purple-dressed man, his attention shifting from her to Oki.

Mari wasn't sure what it was. She'd always detested being ignored like this, as if she wasn't even there. Now it only made her feel lower than dirt, as if she wasn't even much of a person. It was a silly notion, all things considering, but Mari couldn't help but to feel it.

She bowed her head, swiping at her eyes and hiding behind her hair. It did little good though. From the firelight nearby she could see the silver strands, blurred by the tears, and it only brought it home even further. Mari liked to think that the shaking was only because of the cold, even if it was noticeably warmer inside. She hardly paid any sort of attention to the strange stirring she felt in her chest and head during.

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Cedar found herself increasingly nervous as he spoke. One moment, it was seeing this queen, the next it was dealing with people. She didn't feel comfortable with either of those, especially people taking interest in her. She'd always been a bit of a shut in, after all and preferred the company of books than the conversation of others.

It was overwhelming. More problems on top of so many others. She felt dizzy from it all. Her stomach so twisted in knots, she wondered how she wasn't sick.

"Yea well...suppose the only distraction I'll have to worry over is getting sick."

It was a wonder she hadn't tossed the contents of her stomach from nervousness alone. She knew one thing. She wasn't going to gain any sleep in the night. With everything that was happening now and what he spoke of, her nerves would remain shot for a long while.

She swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat again. She didn't want to cry, not until she was alone in the very least. She hated crying in front of people. It just made her feel worse.

Cedar wasn't sure what to do now. He kept a firm grip on her hand so it wasn't as if she could pull away. Stopping just seemed far out of the question. Whatever intent he had, it seemed to be gaining answers. Cedar didn't know the area either, so that option was out.

Every way she saw it, she was stuck. Now that the city was coming into view easier, her stomach twisted all over again.

----[|X|]----

Oki grumbled under his breath. Of course Samickle would tear into this first. He was the critical one. And now Mari had gone silent, furthering any doubts that would be there. He shook his head, sparring a glance toward the young woman.

"Come now, Samickle." Kemu intervened. "Surely you sense something from this one. I believe I do."

At least the old man seemed to have an amount of sense. Samickle still didn't seem convinced by either of them. Oki shook his head in return.

Stepping closer to Mari, he lifted her head a little. He ran a thumb, if a little forcefully, over the divine markings. They did not smudge from her face.

"It is not paint." He explained. "And someone so young does not have white hair." His hand fell back to his side after. "True enough, she is strange. But I believe there is something different in her."

Despite his newfound respect for Samickle, he wished the man would use his head at times. He jumped far to easily to conclusions and doubts. Mari was clearly someone of importance. It was simply identifying what god she was.

"She doesn't seem to be aware of who she is." He continued. "Thus, it has been hard to identify what god is in our presence."

Kemu hummed in response. He seemed to be in deeper thought though, on what he could only assume. At least the older man seemed to believe Oki at this point.

"Do you have any idea of how you came to be here?" He inquired.

Oki wished he could get to the bottom of that himself. The curiosity burned with him more so than annoyance.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:41 am

Waka blinked, glancing briefly over his shoulder at her again. The city was growing closer with each step. The sloping path was a quick thing to cover ground over. In no time at all the buildings were already reaching high over his head and off in the distance Waka could spy the Tao Warrior headquarters floating in the sky.

"A god growing ill?" he echoed. "It seems there is a lot to be learned from you, ma chérie!"

He spared the briefest of smiles before he turned forward again. The city gate was just ahead with a pair of guards on watch. They'd moved from the wooden fence up the hill to here, it would seem. Until the city needed to be sealed off they would most likely remain here.

Already he could spy their curious looks and one looked downright shocked. Waka merely gave a wave and a brilliant smile as they passed by. "No need for any passing words, we must be on our way!"

Without waiting for anything in return he'd already strolled on past with Cedar in tow. Inside the city's walls there was already quite a few out and about, strolling Sei'an's streets. The commoner's quarters were always busy, though. Many needed to make ends meet as it was.

Here or there a few stopped and gawped at Cedar. Waka could only assume that these were the ones that could see the divine markings. A few words reached his ears though Waka paid little attention to them. None stopped them as it was.

"Perhaps my little snowy-haired god is growing anxious in the crowds already," he prodded when he shot another glance at Cedar. She certainly looked unnerved. "No need to worry! I have quite a bit of sway around here if I say so myself, ma chérie."

It was the most reassurance he could give at the moment. He wasn't even sure what the queen might decide upon. Heck, Cedar could very well decide for herself though she acted nothing like a god at all. Still, there was that power she was exuding... Waka could feel it. It seemed like Cedar wasn't even trying to hide it.

Was she aware of it? The question was there and gone the next. It seemed like it though maybe that was a ruse in itself. Waka certainly hoped he was not being tricked.

----[x]----

Tears still pricked at her eyes, despite how she tried to keep herself calm. It didn't help with two pairs of eyes on her, studying her. Mari was still freezing and aching and upset. She was no more aware of the situation than any of them and yet they expected answers?

She found it hard to raise her head, to meet any of their gazes, even as the older one spoke up. His voice held no accusation or frustration as this Samickle's did though it didn't help the situation either.

Samickle harrumphed, or at least it sounded like he did. He otherwise seemed to have nothing to say just yet even as Oki moved closer to her. Without lifting her head, Mari glanced his way jumping as he reached out to lift it for her. Her heart hammered briefly in her chest and she flinched when he rubbed at something on her cheek a little harder than was necessary.

"S-stop that!" she demanded, swatting at his hand. It only let her numb hands aching further for several moments after. Oki didn't seem to respond to it anyways. The lack of a response left her heart sinking further and her mood souring all the more.

"So there might be something going on here," Samickle relented. "That does not explain how there has been little warning!"

For the moment that wasn't addressed, instead the older man had asked a new question. Frustration swirled all the more in Mari's chest and she could feel the tears pricking at her eyes again. Was it just her or was it getting darker? Whatever light filtered in through the covered up windows and door seemed to grow dimmer as the seconds passed.

"I a-already f-fucking told him! N-no!" she she forced out. Mari hiccuped then her eyes watering further. "I f-f-found a s-stupid, shitty scroll and now I d-don't know where Cedar is and y-you're all b-b-batshit ins-sane!"

Sobs broke up her words though Mari tried hard to keep herself from doing so. Already she was attempting to wipe away the tears though they were only replaced by more. Eventually she settled for pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, her head bowed and focusing on her breathing. At least now she couldn't see the now white hair that cascaded over her shoulders to hide her face and she could try to ignore the too-simple looking hut.

Mari could hear shifting and eventually what sounded like an aggravated sigh escaped the one named Samickle. "If she is a god then we've certainly been landed with a moody one..."

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Cedar couldn't make heads or tails of it. Still considered a god despite her arguments against it. Her stomach felt as if it could heave at any moment but that seemed brushed off as well. He seemed completely confident that there was nothing seriously wrong.

In a way, that left her more distraught. If her words and worries were falling on deaf ears, what was the point? Why bother trying?

Even before entering the city, she was getting looks. One outright gawked at her. It made her nervous. Waka in the very least took the incentive to pass by quickly.

The city itself was harder. There were more who stopped, stared, whispered. She hated it. Being paranoid as it was, the stares left her feeling more then exposed.

"That's an understatement..." She muttered in return.

Her heart was pounding loudly against her chest. Her free hand gripped the hem of her shirt hard. Her hands shook, that was certainly noticeable. Why these people gawked at her, she couldn't begin to explain.

She wasn't sure how much trust she could put in him much less his reassurance. It didn't seem much in and of itself though, she wasn't sure how much leeway he had in the city itself. In fact, she didn't know anything about this place much less him.

Whatever he thought was a mystery. Cedar didn't know if she wanted to know at this point. With all of the 'god' nonsense he was so adamant about, she was already tired of it. How much more did he, much less anyone else, expect?

That thought left more dread on her shoulders.

----[|X|]----

Oki felt his annoyance rise up again. He shook his head, stepping back. At least the man was willing to admit something was amiss here. He couldn't explain why they hadn't been warned of this however.

"I do not see visions." He answered. "I can not explain that to you."

For the brief moment, Mari seemed dismissed. Unwilling to speak up, Oki took the incentive to argue his point. A great part of him was sure this girl was a god even if she denied it herself. How else could they explain it.

The argument didn't get much further when she answered Kemu's question. A fit of emotions escaped afterward. Oki glanced at the girl, a hard frown tugging at his lips. He cleared his throat awkwardly, unsure of how to deal with this. Kemu seemed to have a better handle on the situation.

"There's another than?" He inquired. "Perhaps we should send out a search?"

Notably, he avoided upsetting Mari further. The scroll could be discussed at a later time, it seemed. Oki snorted at Samickle's words.

"I don't believe that is helping..." He muttered.

What were they supposed to do? For a god, she was incredibly sensitive and what was more, confused. Had something happened to her memory? He couldn't begin to figure the situation out.

"Perhaps we should worry over this until she's calmed? Send someone out to scout the area, see if this other person she speaks of is out there."

Oki didn't hold out too much hope on that matter. She'd been alone then and with the blizzard, it wasn't exactly easy to catch sight of someone else. If they had a scent to go on, maybe someone could be tracked down.

He pushed the thoughts aside, reaching out and clasping his hand over her shoulder. A brief squeeze followed before his hand fell back to his side. He wasn't sure if it helped, wasn't really sure what to do. It wasn't as if he was prepared for this god business much less a distraught one.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:15 pm

It was easy to slip past people. Waka, though he was Captain of the Tao Warriors could be quite a nuisance to people if he felt like it. If only because he was there many did not attempt to approach though they looked on as they walked.

He hummed lightly as they stepped past the commoner's quarters and to the bridge that would take them to the aristocratic area of living. The bridge was long but more or less empty of other people. Perhaps Cedar might feel a bit better here.

His wooden sandals clunked along the bridge filling the brief silence. Waka had barely paid her mumbled words any mind a moment ago. Now, however, he glanced at her yet again.

"No need to be so tense, little snowy-haired god," he said, "As a little god you have quite a bit of say, don't you know?"

Turning back, Waka caught a glimpse of the sky. Blinking he slowed his pace until they merely stood. His head cocked to one side, observing the pinks and purples that adorned the sky. It had been bright blue just a moment ago with the sun shining high in the sky.

"It was just early afternoon a moment ago," he mumbled to himself. "Is Yumigami up to something...?"

He shook his head, glancing discreetly back at Cedar. She didn't seem to be the one doing that. There was no way she was Yumigami. He couldn't see the shoulder markings, however... Perhaps if he saw more than just the facial divine markings he might have a better idea...

"Not getting tired on me now are you?" he teased suddenly. She looked like she would rather be sitting, even with no one around to stare. Waka shook his head. "Maybe my little snowy-haired god needs a piggy-back ride!"

----[x]----

The things they were talking about made little sense to Mari. With everything else going on it only worked to weigh even heavier on her. She didn't understand and the frustration and distress she already felt only spilled over.

The fact that no one seemed to be actively helping only made things worse and so when the same question was asked again it only caused Mari to burst into tears. Hiding her face away she wasn't sure how the three reacted and to be honest she didn't give a damn. Instead she focused on trying to calm down again, though it was difficult. Each time she had a handle on it another sob would escape her and she'd have to start all over again.

Mutely she nodded. How could she begin to explain what Cedar might look like? If Mari's hair had changed to white then what about Cedar? Had her appearance changed too or had she even shown up in this snowy hellhole?

She could hear Samickle harrumph again to something Oki had said. The crackling of the fire and the wind outside the hut were the only sound for a moment as she fought to calm her breathing. It did little to help just yet.

"I'll go sniff around before it gets too late then," Samickle said. Mari could hear footsteps then the sound of the door opening. The howling wind was louder for a moment and she could feel the cold breeze, it sent a cold chill down her spine. "Dark all ready...?"

Mari spared no attention to Samickle's mumbling. For the moment she'd finally gotten her breathing calmed though her hands were still pressed over her eyes, her head ducked and hidden behind her curtain of hair. There was that strange pull, though, calling her to look up at the sky or something...

Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, Oki, maybe...? For a moment Mari didn't react, merely sucked in a breath and released it. Though she didn't say anything about it she was a little thankful for the gesture. By the time she peeked up through her hair at everyone. What was with the tension she could feel now...?

"W-What...?" she sniffed hesitantly.

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Cedar felt a small amount of relief when they slipped passed most of the people in the city. Dread still filled her with what they might expect out of her. If they believed her to be a god, she'd be in a position she might not care for.

The bridge was long and mostly empty. For that much, she was glad about. He'd spoken again, if only briefly. She had say? Cedar didn't know what to make of it.

She blinked, her gaze drawing to the sky. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight. What was a bright blue had faded to pinks and purples. Late afternoon had quickly changed to early evening.

"Yumi...gami?" She echoed.

What did that mean? She'd only known some brief Japanese and couldn't recall what the name meant. It had been a long while since she'd actually studied it much less cared to look.

She blinked, her attention turning on him when she spoke to her directly. Did she look so tired. No doubt, stressed and stress took it's tole on the body, that much was true.

Cedar shifted her weight slightly. "Maybe..." She muttered in reply.

Really, she was more worried then anything else. With Mari missing, she had no idea what might have happened to her. Was she having the same problems if she was here at all? Cedar was a little afraid to find out. She just prayed she was safe.

----[|X|]----

Oki heaved a sigh. The conversation didn't seem to be helping Mari in any form. He felt a little bad about it. What more could they do though? They had to get to the bottom of the problem.

Perhaps she felt neglected or ignored with this problem. He couldn't begin to say. It wasn't as if any of them had been prepared with this. Though, he had to admit it seemed she hadn't expected this either.

Samickle in the very least was going to search for that friend of hers. That was, if the girl called 'Cedar' was even here. She didn't explain much further then that. Oki assumed that that other girl might be in the same situation.

He started toward the door. Oki blinked when it was opened. "Night?" He muttered.

Kemu shambled closer to the door, peering outside himself. It only seemed to take a few moments for him to put two and two together. If any pressure was felt by Mari, she didn't catch onto it right away.

"You are Yumigami? God of the moon?"

Oki's gaze fell back onto Mari. Confusion marred her features. At least, what he could make out of them. Still, it didn't make sense. Anyone would have expected Itegami to show up here.

"Mari," He started. "You've...caused night to fall..."

It might have been the outburst, how upset she was. Did she even know how to control the powers she had? Glancing at the other pair, they seemed skeptical of it. If she was truly a god, she knew nothing or herself much less the powers she held.

Oki frowned at that, unsure of what to do or say to calm her down.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Fri Oct 11, 2013 1:49 pm

Waka hummed, studying Cedar when she'd spoken. She didn't know who Yumigami was? A thoughtful frown lined his lips. As a god she should have known who Yumigami was.

"Yes, Yumigami," he reiterated. "God of the moon."

There was a lull in conversation then. Waka was mulling over what he might need to say next. Something must have happened for this girl-god to have no memory of any of these things. That alone was a worrying thought.

"Something must have happened for Yumigami to be making it night where she might be."

There was a pause again. He broke it by speaking up again, prodding her a little. Waka was a little disappointed in the lack of a good response but at least she did answer. Cedar could very well have ignored him entirely.

Without warning he knelt in front of her, waiting. Perhaps he was a little impatient now. The queen would no doubt want to know how long it took them to get here. Waka would most likely embellish just a little. There was no need to go on about how they'd been a little slower than they should have to get to the palace.

"Then come, little snowy-haired god," he said, "We don't have all day now!"

At least now they knew it was not Yumigami that was in their midst. If it had been Cedar using her power as she'd grown upset then it would have been night already and not just evening. 'Twelve to guess through now,' Waka mulled.

Once Cedar was on his back he straightened, taking a moment to regain his balance on his sandals. Cedar's grip was tight around him, perhaps not at all feeling safe with the height. Waka didn't let it bother him, instead he started off at a slower pace then before. His steps clunked softly against the wood mingling with the sound of the river below.

----[x]----

Mari sniffed, attempting to regain some form of composure to save a little face. Already she was embarrassed, her face tear-stained as it was. She had to have looked ridiculous. At least... she figured she did.

They'd all drifted to the open door, peering out at the darkness. She could make out swirls of snow from here and the cold was invading the little hut. Mari's brow furrowed and a scowl lined her lips. 'What's the big deal?'

Without being able to see their faces it was hard to tell what they might be thinking. Still, they were obviously putting a lot of stock into this everyday change. The way they were all gathered at the door told Mari enough.

"N-no, I'm fucking not!" she argued yet again, tears pricking at her eyes again. "I'm just Mari!"

She sniffled again, swiping at her eyes and releasing a shuddery breath after. She wasn't some stupid god, didn't they get that? Mari couldn't begin to understand why her hair had changed or what markings they kept talking about but that didn't mean she was this god of theirs! She grumbled another curse under her breath, fighting to keep calm.

She said nothing to Oki. What good was it going to do now? They seemed to have it in their head that she was this god or something. No matter what she said they weren't gonna listen.

"We're wasting time here," Samickle huffed. "I need to be off if that friend of hers is even around here."

Mari raised her head in time to see Samickle start off but not before something strange happened. She wasn't sure how to explain it. One minute there was a man in purple standing in the doorway and the next he'd all but morphed into a purple-colored wolf before darting off into the snow. She was pretty sure she'd jumped, mouth opening and closing for something to say but what?

'I'm dreaming... right...?' It was the only thing she could think of but that wasn't right either. Her hands and feet and legs were still numb from the cold outside, deterring that theory.

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Cedar shuffled a little. The way he spoke, it seemed that this 'god' business might have been true. The question was why her and what did that scroll do? Cedar couldn't begin to understand. His own lack of information didn't seem to help.

"I see..." She responded.

She couldn't make heads or tails of it. The evening had come so fast, it was a shock. Her mind was whirling, unable to keep up with it. How was she supposed to respond to a world and events that she couldn't foresee as real.

With the lack of conversation, or rather her inability to find anything to say, he'd quickly knelt down, urging her to get onto his back. She hesitated, clearing her throat slightly. What was the right thing to do?

Eventually, she simply relented and settled herself onto his back. When he stood, her grip tightened a little. The height was a little higher than she was comfortable. How he stood much less walked in those odd sandals was beyond her.

Instead of focusing on that, she tried to calm herself down. Her heart still pounded against her chest. She laid her head on his shoulder, instead closing her eyes. She would have rather had a long moment to herself. For the moment, this would have to do.

----[|X|]----

Oki couldn't do or say much to convince the girl. Whatever they claimed was quickly denied. She didn't know her true self though, why this happened, he could only assume. The worries shifted to finding the other girl, if she was even out there in the first place.

"I suppose we'll take to the time to settle in." Oki replied. "Try to make sense of all of this."

He glanced back toward Mari. She was wide eyed to the transformation Samickle had taken. An eyebrow rose. She was a god. How could she not be aware of the people under her.

He didn't bring it up. Like before, it might just be denied.

"Our people are half beast." He explained to the girl. "Each one of us, though we wear a different mask, can transform into wolves."

Perhaps it would ease the shock a little. She was so surprised, if it had been any other time he would have taken amusement out of it. He wouldn't laugh now, not with her distraught as she was already. It didn't seem fair.

"Well..." Kemu started, moving away from the door. With it closed now, it could warm up inside again. "Let us worry about the rest later. I'll speak with Lika later. Perhaps she had some vision of these happenings. For the moment, sit, relax. You are alright here."

Oki motioned for her to take the invitation. He would seat himself on the floor afterward. A chance to relax, allow her to think everything over without too much pressure would be a good thing. At least, he hoped that would be the case.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Fri Oct 11, 2013 2:58 pm

Waka made sure to cross the bridge in good time. With Yumigami acting out somewhere in the distance there was less time to dawdle with that day. He'd rather have everything all sorted out before it got too late. No doubt the residents of Sei'an were growing concerned at the sudden loss of several hours in their day.

Eventually Cedar laid her head on his shoulder. Waka said nothing about it, however. In a way there wasn't anything to say.

It was a little difficult to push the door open and make his way through the priestess' building. There was a short line of people there, all staring confused up at the sky or at them as they passed. The new priestess must have been busy as she was nowhere to be seen as Waka passed through.

The aristocrat's quarters was less crowded. Waka could only assume that many had retreated indoors at the sudden evening that had fallen on them. No one wished to question the gods if they acted in the world of mortals. Waka wasn't sure just how faithful many of these aristocrats were, however.

He shook his head, nodding up ahead. There was the path that lead to the palace, two guards keeping man out. Waka would not be stopped, given who he was. Perhaps a question or two about Cedar might ensue but Waka would just wave them away.

"Just up a head now, little snowy-haired god," he said simply.

----[x]----

Oki had spoken again a little after Samickle had taken off. The words made little sense to Mari, baffled as she was by Samickle's transformation. How was that even possible?! What was she supposed to make of any of this? Gods and men transforming into animals, it was the work of fiction!

Only when Oki spoke again did she drag her gaze away from the door to him. The explanation didn't help to ease her nerves much. If anything it only left her more on edge. In a place of fantasy and gods what could she expect?

"I," she started, a pause ensuing. Her voice sounded quiet and a little raspy. Mari cleared her throat before she spoke again. "I see..."

Mari's attention drifted from Oki to the old man now, though she didn't know his name. He seemed to be some sort of a leader, if her being brought to him was any indication. Mari didn't ask, though. There was already a lot crowding up her thoughts.

Awkwardly she stood, despite the invitation to rest. It wasn't until Oki had sat as well did she shuffle from foot to foot. A moment after she finally sunk to the ground, carefully, as if she was afraid she'd set something off if she moved any quicker.

It didn't help that she felt so out of place. Hair the color of the snow outside and these odd markings they kept going on about... It was clear these people put importance in these things. Besides, her clothes were far too modern and western to fit in with the things they wore. Mari shuffled self-consciously at the thought.

"Where is... here?" she finally asked, attempting to ignore the fact that her hair was white. As long as it was, her bangs falling in her face and glinting in the firelight, it was a difficult thing to achieve.

Mari glanced between the old man and Oki, waiting for an answer. As she did so she tugged her thin jacket close around herself. It didn't do much good against the cold, in fact it was just something for athletes who took to running out in the chilly mornings.

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Cedar kept her eyes closed most of the walk, instead focusing on the sounds around them. There was the sound of water again. Why did that make her feel so comforted, drawn to it? She couldn't begin to explain that much.

Her head stopped throbbing though, a heaviness still weighed on her. It wasn't something she could just push off, despite her attempts. Whatever was on Waka's mind as well was a mystery.

There were few people around and she was happy about it. She had an anxiety toward too many, preferred lesser crowds and quiet places.

Eventually, as the time slowly passed, he spoke again. She opened her eyes, lifting her head again. There was a pair nearby but other then that, no one else seemed to be outside. She took solace in it.

"Cedar." She corrected. "Just...call me Cedar, please."

She still didn't believe herself to be this god he spoke of. What was more, whatever name it was, she didn't want it. She was just Cedar, always had been. She didn't want to give up her name or who she was.

----[|X|]----

Oki glanced at her. She took her time in actually sitting. She suddenly looked self conscious. Perhaps it was her attire as it was. The clothing was strange and she was dressed down for a god. Oki didn't bring it up. Perhaps he could ask one of the women to take care of her later, when the sun rose again.

He thought about that for a moment. As distressed as she was, if she didn't calm, would the sun even rise again? They'd freeze if that happened.

A hard frown lined his lips. He was glad the mask obstructed the view. No point in causing a confrontation. He was beginning to understand why Kemu had decided to avoid this subject any further. Mari needed to be calm.

Eventually she sat and spoke. Kemu took the incentive to explain where she was.

"You are in Wep'keer." He answered. "It is home to our tribe, the Oina Tribe. I am Kemu. I was the chief of Wep'keer but that responsibility has moved to Samickle now."

Oki glanced at her features. They were twisted in confusion again, as if she didn't recognize these names. As foreign as she looked, he wasn't surprised.

"Where do you call home, Mari?" Oki inquired instead.

If it wasn't with that of the other gods, where did she call home? She was foreign, if only in her attire. He couldn't deny being curious of at least that much.

Subject: Re: |Okami| Demons |Reserved RP| Sat Oct 12, 2013 12:20 am

As he was wont to do Waka strolled on past the guards with barely a word spared. One tried to call out after him, demanding to know about Cedar. Waka had spared him a brief wave before he'd gripped Cedar's thigh again to make sure she didn't fall.

His shoes clacked and clunked on each step as he lead them up. The beautiful red painted wood was dulled by the darkening skies. Cedar didn't seem to be paying any attention to the surroundings anyways though. In fact, she seemed to have gotten completely quiet on him.

Waka hummed, tipping his head up in thought. Just Cedar? But that sounded like such a boring name. He'd have to come up with something else. He'd think on it but for now-

He heaved a sigh, shaking his head. "If you wish to be dull about it all!"

It was a simple matter once he reached the top of the steps to head off to the throne room. No longer did Queen Himiko rule. No, the new queen was still wet behind the ears as it was. Waka surely hoped that it wouldn't be too much trouble dealing with all of this now.

----[x]----

The masks did little to help Mari's mood. She'd never had to rely so much on just body language without facial expressions to help. Even in the warmth small shivers wracked her frame and that helped to distract her. She all but hunkered in on herself to keep warmth to herself. If she had it her way she'd have sidled closer to the fire...

Her gaze drifted back to the old man as he spoke in place of Oki. Finally she had a name to place to his... mask. Oki, Kemu and Samickle... If all three of them were this convinced (barring Samickle's attitude before he'd gone off on the search) what about the others of their tribe? Mari's brow furrowed at that.

Mari's eyes had dropped then, falling to her lap. When Oki did speak she jumped, studying him for a moment before she mulled over an answer. How was she supposed to answer that...?

"Somewhere west," she murmured, looking as if she were hiding behind her hair again, peering at the two from behind it. "Over the sea..."

Feeling their eyes on her she tugged her jacket closer. At least the black color helped to retain the heat from the fire. She was still fighting off that chill though, the one that had settled deep into her bones. Her fingers and toes still ached as it was.

As if to make up for a lack of further explanation Mari brought her hands to her mouth again, attempting to warm them up faster. It helped a little though not nearly as much she would have liked. She still felt that heaviness on her chest though Mari attempted to ignore it.

Was Cedar okay? That only weighed even more heavily on her. If she was even in the same situation or not, it wasn't something that Mari knew for sure. Samickle could be out running for hours in a snowstorm for someone who wasn't even here...

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Cedar felt a little rattled when the guard demanded to know who she was. Whether he was simply trying to make a scene or was really concerned, Cedar didn't know. Waka was easily about to wave them off however.

She felt her cheeks warm a little when he placed his hand back into place. She told herself that it was merely to keep her from falling. She'd never gotten this close to another man however.

It was a thought she quickly shoved aside, focused on something else. It was getting darker now, harder to see anything around. Cedar wondered what these buildings looked like. If anything, it was a distraction from her other thoughts.

She blinked, turning her attention back to him. A small pout formed on her lips.

"It's not dull," She protested. "It's my name and I like it."

As uncreative as it was, she rather be called that than a 'god'. Still, perhaps he was trying to get some reaction out of her. Cedar fully admitted that she wasn't exactly in the best mood. Her patience was paper thin now and she was distressed.

She'd like to use that much as an excuse. Instead, she simply kept it to herself. It seemed they were getting closer their destination was it was. Mind as well not make a scene.

----[|X|]----

Oki waited patiently. It wasn't as if they do could much more. Until they got to the bottom of all of this, they could do very little. Now, with night already on them, any progress that could have been made was halted.

He wondered if Samickle had found anyone out there yet. It would take time in this snow storm. Perhaps he would come up empty handed. If that was the case, where was her friend now?

He lifted his head when she finally spoke. Oki hummed in response. How far west? The sea was vast. What was more, why was a god that far out?

"Odd," Kemu commented. "But I suppose the entire situation is."

There was enough truth in that statement. It wasn't commented on however. Oki's gaze lingered on Mari for a brief moment. She was still trying to warm up despite being close to the fire now.

He pushed himself up, moving away from the group. Samickle had to have something of use laying about his books. It took a few minutes before he tugged a blanket free. He walked back, handing it off to her.

"You're a bit scrawny." He commented. "We'll have to find more suitable clothes later."

Despite being a god she was, she still seemed rather effected by the cold. What was to say nothing else would effect her as well? He shook the thought away. No need to go worrying himself any further.

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