Um… my story- part one- the third kingdom- chapter 11- The Dark Forest

Yes. Totally BSed. I'm actually kind of proud of it though. So what exactly does "BS" mean? For me, it's just that I typed this directly with out writing it down first. That means, it probably hasn't been proofread for content. I always pay attention to grammar and usually spellcheck as I go, so mechanically, it should be correct. Commas may be off, but they always are, and no one's complained.

The title is corny. It's s'posed to be. Every one has a chapter entitled "the dark forest" or "the mysterious person" or "surprises" or "a/an new/old friend/enemy" or something stupid like that that totally gives away the plot-twist/surprise/suspense. There is no way the title of this chapter can mean anything (most of mine do), so I just put something there. So, this is my stupid title piece.

Yeah, it's kind of creepy, kind of dark, kind of confusing, and kind of stupid. That's just the way it is. You see, TOAFAQ and I were just sitting around thinking of all the stupid and rather cliché things that could happen in a dark and creepy forest/space-ship. "Why space-ship?" You ask. If you read TOAFAQ's stuff, you'll figure it out (or even look at her genre. "the once and future" queen is in my list of favorite authors. hee-hee. Shameless plug). Anyway, we came up with this shit and, since I was bored and desperately need something of the sort, I wrote this. So sit back, relax, and laugh your head off (I don't care if it's at what I wrote or the fact that it's just so stupid).

Disclaimer: if: you are reading this
and: you don't know that i don'tYu Yu Hakusho
then: you are an idiot

sorry. no quote. i found a really awesome one for an earlier chap, but i have another place for it now.

Now, without further ado:

11. The Dark Forest

Lowell stood at the beginning of a path that led into a dense forest. She'd followed the two all the way to Japan. Why Japan? There were closer portals. Whatever. She'd find out soon enough.

/Did they really come through here. This place just feels dangerous. It's surging with power, and it's dark, and thick, and stuffy… it's just screaming stay out. Whatever. Not like it's stopped me before./ She stepped onto the path (there was a definite beginning, which was exceptionally creepy). A shiver went up her spine. Every one of her instinct told her to turn back. She was fighting it so strongly it almost hurt. Beating down all of them, she slowly took another step. She felt a wrench at her stomach. Something did not want her to be here. It very well could have been herself that protested it, but according to someone this was not the place to be right now. Pulling forth more determination, she took another step. Her body began to ache with protest, like when she was badly injured and any movement would most likely result in her eventual death. /Is that stupid Fox really worth this/ The longer she stood there, the more her body hurt. It almost felt like real pain. She mulled the thought over. Maybe he wasn't. She shook her head. /Yes. After what they did to me, I have to do this. It's not like I've got anything better to be doing anyway. This'll be good for me./ -If I survive it.- a part of her wanted to say.

Straitening up, she took a few more steps. She'd fought her instincts before, but never like this. Every step was more painful and more difficult as if she were walking into a giant rubber band. Something not only forbbid her to come here, it was pulling her back. /They can't have come this way. Not only would their instincts not let them, but this is just too difficult. What would they go through it for/ She sniffed the air. Their scent was still their; no mistake. She took another step.

Everything snapped: the rubber band, the tension in the air, the force telling her to back off. It was almost audible. The pain left with the foreboding feeling. The air thinned and the forest seemed much lighter.

"'The hell!" she voiced to no-one. Then she realized what had happened. She looked up into the trees behind her: wards. /Shit./ How had she not noticed that? She must be out of their range now. Either that or she'd broken them. /They're probably for demons./ she concluded/Humans don't listen to their instincts that well… that's if they even manage to feel their instincts. I wonder who would put up wards like that for a forest./

The only logical explanation was that who ever it was, was at the other end of this trail. She pressed.

After a while, she saw signs on the trees ahead. As she got closer to the first one, she saw it was written in Japanese +duh, she's in Japan: "Beware, dangerous forest."

"No kidding." she said to someone who wasn't there. Compared to the initial feeling (induced by the wards), one would think that this place was no more intimidating than a duckling, but there was still a fair amount of danger in a forest that you couldn't see more than a few meters in any direction. She was sure it was getting darker; probably a combination of the position of the sun and going deeper into the forest.

What really unnerved her was the fact that it was getting darker. No wind rustled in the tops of the trees. No birds chirped. Nothing moved. There were no tell tale energy signatures to indicate even the smallest of animals. Only the calm, old, slow but steady power that crept through the ancient trees. Even her footsteps were muffled through skill, the bare forest floor, and the stifling silence of the rest of the wood.

/More wards/ She checked the trees: nothing. She came across another sign: "Danger. Turn back." –No way.- she found herself subconsciously telling the sign off.

Another sign: "Beyond here there be monsters." She rolled her eyes. What forest didn't have some sort of monsters?

/Haven't I seen that somewhere/

"Does anyone know you're here?" /I hope not./ she answered the next sign, feeling that she'd seen it somewhere too.

"You're still here?" /What the…/

"Your loss." /Oooookay/

"Alright, you're not going back are you?" /No, I'm not./

"I might as well tell you…"

"Oh, now I've got your attention." /Maybe./ she turned and looked behind her to make sure the last sign was still there. It was.

"OK, here it is…" /Someone's got way too much time on their hands./

"…There is no spoon." /WHAT/ She knew she'd seen that before. Creepy. /Is this more of their 'defenses?' It's creative I'll give them that. Psychological tactics. First they play with your instincts, then they freak you into going back if you manage to get through. Efficient and effective. Nice./ She pressed on, no longer bothered by the signs. Actually she found some of them rather amusing.

"Sign, sign, every where a sign."

"does this spot look familiar? You have passed it…" a small patch of wood fell off the sign as she passed, "…4… times." /convenient./ she thought/It's probably rigged to confuse people. I know I haven't been here and there's a path, for heaven's sake."

The next sign wasn't nearly as amusing. "Do you know this person?" Pinned to the tree with arrows and other objects of impalement, was a barely recognizable but definite body. Worn and mutilated not only from attack but from exposure, there was no telling how long it had been there. She was sure it had been a long time and was glad. She would have hated to be there when it was fresh (for a very long list of reasons). The next sign responded to what was sure to be anyone's answer: "Pity. Neither do I."

Lowell internally shuddered. She'd seen worse and it certainly was a practical warning, even if it was a bluff, but it was still pretty sick. She was becoming less impressed. /What's wrong with this place/

"Beware the quiet one." /Huh/ That sounded vaguely familiar. Then, somewhere ahead, she heard a humming sort of sound. /What the…/ she crept forward cautiously. The path ran next to a clearing. Gathered in it, were what looked like a group of Buddhist-type monks. The humming took on the more definite sound of a chant: "Ai ai-ai ai-ai-ai ai-vi vi vi-ai vi-ai-ai vi-ai-ai-ai ai-ai-ex ai-ex ex ex-ai ex-ai-ai ex-ai-ai-ai ex-ai-vi ex-vi ex-vi-ai ex-vi-ai-ai ex-vi-ai-ai-ai…" /ooooookaaaay./ "wheels on a big rig and they're rollin' rollin' rollin'" Suddenly a 18-wheeler formed itself out of thin air and sat inside the circle of "monks." They didn't seem to notice. They continued to chant. "Ai'm nat tha wun hu's so far awei…" There was a single young man in the circle who stood in the exact same stance as the rest but was entirely silent; his lips didn't even move. His blank stare shifted and focused on her. She shuffled along nervously, hoping her presence went unnoticed by the rest.

"That was creepy." She breathed a sigh of relief as she got out of range of the strange chanting ("…wen ai fil tha sneik bait ent'r mai brein…"). Just then, there was another sign: "I know. Wasn't it?"

"What?" she voiced to what she thought was no-one.

"I said: 'I know. Wasn't it?'" The sign had rearranged itself.

"You've got to be kidding."

"Hey, you said it, not me."

"Are you conversing with me?"

"Why yes, I am."

She quickly passed the sign and went on her way. It was enchanted and a freaking waste of time.

"Was it something I said?" the next sign was scribbling on itself as she approached it.

"Why are you conversing with me?"

"What else am I supposed to do? I just hang here."

"Have you been messing with me the whole way?"

"the whole way?"

"the other signs."

"No. my domain is from the monks on."

"Were those other signs like you."

"As far as I know, I'm the only one like this."

"You know? You're sentient?" She walked on, knowing she'd come to another time. Might be nice to have some company.

"Yes! I'm talking to you aren't I?"

"Sorry," she was apologizing to a sign! "I thought that you were just enchanted."

"Apology accepted. Not many people come this way. I should be glad for any company at all."

"It's obvious that you can hear me. Can you see me too?" How much did this sign know?

"No, but I can sense when people come near any of my extensions."

This was definitely more than just a sign. "Do you report to anyone?"

"If they ask."

"How far do your extensions go?"

"Just throughout this forest."

"Who put you here?"

"I don't really know."

She stopped at a particularly small sign, about 8cm x 15cm (3in x 5.5in), and began to pry it carefully from the tree.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"If something is watching me, I have to know what it is and how it works. Security." She answered, finishing the job and continuing on her way.

"I could have told you that."

"Please do." /Geez. What kind of idiot reveals their secrets like this./

"I'm a spirit-class being." Spirit-class; that was when the being that only existed as a consciousness and had no body of it's own to speak of. They had to possess things/people to reveal themselves on this plane. Not quite parasite, but often close enough. "I possessed a series of signs and have been here ever since."

"Can't you just possess something else?"

"No. I don't like possessing people, it's too difficult, and not many objects are primed for possession."

Primed: charmed/enchanted so as to be available for possession. Most objects did not have a consciousness because they weren't capable of supporting one. If it was primed, it could support a consciousness.

"Aren't you a little suspicious? I mean, who goes around priming a bunch of signs for possession?"

"I take what I can get. I can leave if I want to but I can't survive for very long without a host."

"I see. So all of these signs are primed and you can shift between them."

"Yes."

"Can you claim more extensions?"

"Yes."

"How would you like to come with me?"

"Could be interesting."

"How many languages do you know?"

"Quite a few."

"German?"

"Yes."

"Awesome."

Up ahead, she could see the end of the forest. /Finally./ "Hey, mind if I put you away for a bit. Neither of us know what's out there and I might need both hands."

"Fine."

She tucked the sign carefully into her bag and continued as if nothing had changed from when she'd entered the forest. She found herself at the base of about a million or so steps. we all know that's an exaggeration right+

She sighed and began to climb. At the top was an old, Japanese temple. She sensed a large amount of energy in this place, but it was all from the earth; no strong youkai. There was a small flare of human energy behind her. She turned quickly to face (as well as she could being 6' 3") a dark-haired, Japanese man in traditional dress. He was relatively strong for a human, but nothing compared to her. He'd approached her, not attacked. No threat.

"You the master of this temple?"

"Of sorts. Master Kuwabara Kane."

"I see." What did he want?

"They left."

"Huh?"

"The only reason a strange demon would come here with no intent to attack is that they're looking for someone. I don't think you're looking for me. The others left."

"You're hiding a koorime here."

"You said it, not me."

"And if I had intended to attack her?"

"I would have to stop you. But you're not here for that, are you?"

"Luck you."

"I know."

"So they're gone?"

"Yes."

"Spoon-it."

She turned and began to descend the stairs.

"There is no spoon." Master Kane chuckled at her.

Lowell sighed. "Chop-stick."

border+

yeah, Joseph is over. It's all so bitter-sweet. I am now an inducted thespian. I'm happy. My friend Alex (also a thespian) asked me the next day "So, how's it feel?"

I, only walking into the building and having no idea what he was talking about, said "How's what feel?"

He replied whit and oh so cynical "Not having a soul, of coarse."

Of coarse, we all joke about having signed our soul to "Mama T," our director and overall head and god of everything, or to Thespis (I thought it was the god of theatre and the performing arts, but apparently it's just some important Greek theatre geek), so it's funny that way. Perhaps those in band (or dance maybe?) or something like that can relate. Yeah. I guess my theatre and band directors are going to have to duke it out for the possession of my soul. Honestlt 'till now, the've been on a time-share program, so there might not be blood shed over this. It's seems to work for alex, but then again, he's not a techie. We'll see. Both seasons are over now, so all I can do is wait.

Purplehairedwonder: I hate you! I have to fight to get to sit in on German one at some university. Stupid school used to have German and Japanese as well as Spanish and French, but they suck. Did you write "I love your faces. They are very fun to read."? I think you mean 'Geschichte.' (don't think I'm smart. I love dictionaries.) It does seem very similar to 'Gesichte.' (not that I know more than you (stupid school), I just looked up 'story' b/c it made more sense). Anyway, i'm not the jealous type. Well, I am jealous, but I don't really hate you. I was half kidding when I asked if anything was wrong. Yes, the quirks are fun. But when you think about it, 300 years, 400 years, 1,000 years: after a wile it really doesn't make a difference. Sub to dub quirks are better. Or worse, when you think about it. I've seen entire subplots and character developing points sickeningly distorted and even left out. That's why I'm a subbie and a manga freak (but the manga thing has more to do with the fact that I get like no good channels, much less time to watch them). I didn't see the Hiei ep.s. only the OVAs I've been able to get my hands on (three to be exact) and the movie (one of them anyway). I mostly read the manga and fanfiction. Right, I'm windy. Leaving.

p.s. I hate my foreign language dept. they say I have to go to the dept. head to get a recommendation, and I've only seen her twice. How is she supposed to write me a recommendation! But, ahh, the quest continues.

Pan Jaganshi: Cookies have yeast in them? I didn't know that. Anyway, as I had Kuro say: "no, I don't have anything better to do." If I did have anything better to do, you wouldn't have a story. Now that Joseph is over, I don't have a life. I also tend to get off track. Note the A/Ns. But this is my hobby. It's quite fun, but my parents (and some of my friends) think I'm insane for it. Rant as much as you want. And you should have fun with music. Sorry to disappoint, but I will only update every two weeks until Idee stops being a bitch. I am, however interested to see more of your story. And I'm sorry that your computer is being stupid.

Oklina: I hat those too. And… lets just say ditto to the whole thing. I burst out laughing too. I can't believe I did that! Oh, well. What did you think of the head games? I've done better jobs of confusing the hell out of people, but this was s'posed to be kind of a dark humor, so it's a little heavy but a little light. I have to make up my mind. Right. And I'll keep writing.

Question to all: who actually cares about Lowell? I really like here as a chara, but I don't know if she belongs here. It almost seemed to me that I couldn't do this story w/ out her but I'm not sure anymore. I actually have her in later but I don't know what to do with her. I got some comments on the poor quality of the second chapter (Lowell's Bread). Is that the chapter b/c of all the explaining and intros, or is it the chara? Please, I need to know.

Yeah, I'm done now. Bye everyone, and I'll try to get this story going. It storms around my brain, but it's dead on the writing end. It's like the opposite of brain dead. I've got so many other stories coming to me though. It sucks, b/c I really like this one. Oh, well. I'll get it. I always tend to make things come together.

Bye.

Liebe sie von Doomschneider.

05-05-05