For a more immersive listening experience, feel free to pop on the songs "In The Deep Woods" and "Fall (Raven's Descent)" from Stardew Valley.

The great outside she'd dreamed of exploring for years had proven to, indeed, be great.

The thick foliage, undisturbed by humans, was fascinating to someone like Asuka, who had never seen what nature could become when left to its own devices. The trees were taller than she could ever hope to measure, the air was dense with the perfume of unknown plants and fresh soil, and the ambience of bird calls and insect chirps was almost symphonic. It was so much more beautiful and stimulating than she ever thought it could be.

Her imagination turned out to be a poor starting point for comparison, for not only did the real thing surpass it immensely, all of the drawbacks had never crossed her mind. The thick canopies made sunlight scarce through the day (and moonlight non-existent at night), the untamed wilderness and uneven ground often had her tripping onto the dirt during her treks, and the environmental noise had her second guessing every little snap or swish that sounded too close for comfort.

Her first night, she hadn't paid much attention to individual sounds and fell asleep under a seemingly ordinary tree. She would learn a few minutes later that the buzzing she didn't think much of was coming from a nest of giant hornets directly above her. They proved to be a territorial bunch, and had her running through the forest floor, stumbling in the dark, to save her skin. The swarm only abandoned the chase when Asuka blasted at them with her Light, prompting them to fly back to their hive. Though not without leaving her more exhausted than before she'd decided to settle for the night.

Her second night, there was no hive of vicious insects around. Instead, she awoke during the night to a guttural growl belonging to a black bear. Not even taking any chances this time, she scared it off by standing tall and swinging her naginata in its direction. The bear would run away, but she found it impossible to sleep afterwards all the same.

The great outside was running her ragged and it had only been a few days. But she'd be damned if she let this hold her back. She prided herself on being a fast learner, and she was ready to brute force any adaptation required if it came down to it.

On day five, after hours of trekking through the forest, Asuka discovered a small patch of empty space to rest for the day. She had to stop herself from immediately flopping onto the flat, soft grass, despite how much her tired limbs wished to. Instead, she took the necessary steps to check the area for any sort of unwelcome presence.

"All good," she remarked aloud once she was done. She got to work sorting through her supplies. "Okay… now to start a fire..."

It was something she had been attempting every night, and she hadn't succeeded even once. She'd put up with the cold fine enough till now (since she wasn't able to sleep much anyway) but she knew it was something she had to get down. Preferably sooner than later.

And so, she got a bunch of sticks and dry leaves to gather into a pile, and acquired a makeshift flint. However, whatever sparks she'd managed to create often blinked out of existence. She kept trying regardless, scraping the rocks against each other with more force every time. Darkness began to seep into the forest, no doubt due to the sun setting, and there was still no fire made. Asuka's frustration was reaching a tipping point.

"Come on!" she cried out, throwing the flint on the ground in a moment of petty ire. She stared at her hands, filthy and raw from her multiple attempts at starting a fire, and groaned.

There has to be a better way…

An idea popped into her mind, and she brought her hands together before closing her eyes. Hoping nothing would try to jump her as she attempted this, she searched within herself for the Sacred Light and tried to channel it into her hands. It was a basic exercise, something that she'd practiced multiple times, but never for what she was going to attempt now.

When she opened her eyes, the fingertips of her right hand were shining brightly. After failing at a rudimentary survival skill, the fact that at least her powers were still working like she remembered made her smile in relief.

"Alright, maybe we can make some heat this way."

She touched the sticks with her shining fingertips, hoping for some sort of spark or fire, but all it did was better illuminate the sad pile of forgotten mulch. "Okay, not great…" She shook her head. "Maybe it needs a little more juice…"

Closing her eyes, she tried to draw on the Light and focus even more of it into her fingertips, keeping her breathing steady throughout. The Light became brighter and brighter, shining through her closed eyelids.

Just a bit more-

Suddenly, an owl let out a deep hoot, startling Asuka. Her focus was broken and Light erupted from her hand, creating a shockwave that sent Asuka tumbling backwards. Her back hit a large tree root and pain shot down her spine.

"Owwwww…" she whined, instinctively curling into herself. Safe to say, that had never happened before.

When the pain subsided, she got back to her feet. She looked around in the dark to find the owl, but saw nothing in the trees. The Light and loud noise must have scared it off…

"Damn it," she swore. It was just a bird, why had she let it ruin her focus?

Her thoughts were interrupted by her nose picking up the smell of something burning. Hope began to bloom in her mind, and she rushed over to the stick pile to see if it was unfounded. The leaves had begun to smoke and sizzle, the smoke trail wafting from them unmistakeable, and she had to stop herself from jumping in elation. She instead rushed to her bag to procure a fan and sat down beside the tinder, flapping away to encourage the embers to grow.

Soon enough, the embers turned into a modest fire, and Asuka finally allowed herself to celebrate.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, pumping both fists in the air. It hadn't been the most graceful start to her night, but a win was a win. She settled next to the campfire with some nuts and her waterskin, feeling at ease for the first time since she left the Estate. She hoped that sleep would come easier tonight.

Sleep, however, proved to be difficult to pursue still. Her fire struggled to stay alive as the temperature continued to drop through the night. Asuka curled into a ball under her blanket in a last-ditch effort to preserve warmth.

It didn't help that every little sound from her surroundings had her on high alert for potential threats. In the darkness, it was hard to tell what was harmless background noise and what was a sign that something dangerous was close. Sure, she had her naginata within arm's reach, but that wouldn't be much help if someone, or something, got the drop on her first.

As shivers wracked her body, intrusive thoughts plagued her mind. She found herself missing her bed, and by extension her home. Her parents crossed her mind next, and she wondered if they were getting any sleep either since their daughter was banished.

Did Auntie Jun have to go through all this too? Did she also suffer through the elements, and struggle with the basics of survival? Or was she better prepared for this than Asuka?

Did she miss her family and friends? Did she regret leaving?

Her mind was stepping into dangerous territory, no doubt from being tired and on edge, and Asuka practiced breathing rhythmically to calm herself down. She felt her heartbeat begin to slow, felt the tension in her muscles begin to dissipate, and tuned out all else to focus on her breath.

Go to sleep, she thought. Go to sleep. When you wake, you move.

If Auntie Jun could handle this, then so could she.

Go to sleep. When you wake, you move.

An owl hooted nearby, and Asuka didn't flinch this time.

Go to sleep…

"…and train daily, children. The more you practice your abilities and develop discipline, the sooner you will achieve mastery," Priest Juon droned on, his arms behind his back as he walked between the Kazama children. It was another day of practicing basic forms in the dōjō, an activity that Asuka didn't particularly enjoy. Though she shifted between the different poses with a fluidity that was expected of her, she could not hold back her boredom at all.

And it certainly didn't help that Priest Juon's voice was dull enough to put rabid dogs to sleep.

"And once you achieve mastery, that brings with it a new possibility. A new frontier to explore."

"What possibility, Priest Juon-sama?" asked Junsa, who was practicing her forms right behind Asuka. Her voice conveyed a genuine interest and curiosity in the subject, which surprised Asuka. How could anyone stay awake through these lectures, let alone enjoy them?

Priest Juon puffed his shoulders up a little as he looked over Asuka to answer Junsa. "Kazama kannushi and miko, those who are adept at wielding the Sacred Light, have been documented to manifest additional abilities. These abilities are often completely separate from those that can be learned through tutelage, and can take on wondrous forms. We refer to them as 'talents'."

A few sounds of amazement drifted through the air at this news. Other questions soon followed.

"Are you saying that we could have even more powers?!"

"It is a possibility. Not every Kazama child has been able to manifest a talent, much like how you all have different capacities."

"What determines whether we have a talent or not?"

"As a clan, we are still unsure of the specifics, but it is a dominant theory that they present themselves more in those who have mastered all aspects of the Sacred Light. So, it is relatively safe to assume that those of you who work to achieve mastery are more likely to have a talent manifest itself."

"What sort of abilities are they?!"

"Well, that depends on you," Priest Juon said. Akio, who was on Asuka's left, let out a confused "Huh?"

"It is still a topic of much discussion and study, but talents are often unique and unpredictable," Priest Juon elaborated as he stopped in place before all the children, who still resumed with their basic forms. "As of now, we have witnessed no pattern. However, it is theorised that the properties of a talent are influenced by the Kazama themself."

The children continued to look at Priest Juon with confusion, and he relaxed his shoulders. "Perhaps a demonstration is in order."

Everyone stopped what they were doing, their attention rapt on the old priest, Asuka included. She'd always been into demonstrations more than theory.

Surprisingly, he didn't seem offended that the children stopped their exercises. He looked over Asuka again and called out "Hikaru-kun, could you whisper something to Junpei-kun? Whatever you wish, so long as you are quiet."

Asuka turned around, realising that the boys he was talking to were at the very back. Hikaru did as he was told, holding up a hand between his mouth and Junpei's ear as he whispered something inaudible. Asuka didn't even have time to wonder what the point of this was before Priest Juon said "You just said 'I hope my breath does not smell bad'."

Hikaru's eyes went wide at Priest Juon's words, and he immediately pulled the hem of his kosode over his mouth in embarrassment. Junpei looked from Hikaru to the old priest, amazed. "How did you know?!"

"That is my talent, Junpei-kun," the priest said nonchalantly, like he was describing the weather and not a fantastic ability. "I can hear things many cannot."

The children let out sounds of awe and surprise. Perhaps sensing more questions were about to follow that, Priest Juon said "I was not always like this. When I was your age, my hearing was quite average. It was only after I had learned all there was to learn, and mastered all I could, did I realise that I could hear sounds from great distances."

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back ever so slightly. "If I were to look back throughout my life, however, I would confess that I have always loved listening. The songs of the birds in the morning, the crackling of the fireplace in my home, the patter of rain showering across the Estate, and so much more. And when I told this to the Elders, they declared this my 'dominium', the aspect of me from which my talent sprouted."

Some of the children nodded along, while others continued to stare at the priest, perplexed. Asuka, meanwhile, made a mental note to be careful of when she made fun of the old priest. And when she thought about it further, maybe him hearing all her jokes and remarks at his expense was the reason he held little love for her.

He opened his eyes and shook his head, before looking at his students again. "Another lesson, this is. One that will be better understood with time. All these words, all these concepts, shall become second nature soon enough. Now, resume with your forms!"

They did as they were told, and Asuka felt boredom wash over her again. Before she knew it, the day was over and she was meeting Akemi at their daily rendezvous point; a large stone bridge connecting the shrine to the residential area.

"So you guys get even more cool stuff?" Akemi exclaimed, her eyes wide throughout her friend's explanations. Asuka nodded with a smile, and Akemi let out a disappointed sigh. "I wish I had cool powers too."

"Hey, you can do lots of cool things I can't! Like your drawin's!" Asuka said, shaking Akemi's shoulder. The blacksmith's daughter laughed in response and shoved her friend away. "Stop that! And that's not as cool as… as whatever your talent would be!"

The two girls leaned over the railing to look into the stream that ran through the Estate, the water gently rushing along under the bridge.

"I wonder what your talent will be," Akemi mused. Asuka shivered as a gust of wind blew through the area.

"I hope it's somethin' cool," Asuka said, looking up at the sky. "My Dad told me once that Auntie Jun could talk to animals. That must have been her talent, I think."

"Talking about that vile woman again?"

Asuka and Akemi both looked up from the stream to the source of the voice. Asuka already felt a frown forming at the sight of her. "Don't talk about Auntie Jun that way!"

Junsa rolled her eyes before walking onto the stone bridge. "How many times do our elders have to tell you, that talking about her-" Junsa's nose crinkled. "-is forbidden, before you listen?"

"I'll talk about whatever I wanna talk about!" Asuka declared, folding her arms and squaring her shoulders. Akemi also added from behind her "And, besides, no one invited you to our conversation, Junsa."

"No one invited you to the Estate, Sawatari-san," Junsa fired back, making Akemi flinch. "You should be thanking the Kami-sama every day that you and your mundane family are allowed to stay here."

Offended, Asuka pulled her fist back, fully intending to hit Junsa in her condescending face. Akemi was quicker, surprisingly, and grabbed Asuka's wrist as she fervently whispered "Stop" into her friend's ear. Asuka huffed in displeasure, but she acquiesced to Akemi's plea and lowered her arm. Though not without retorting "Akemi deserves to be here just as much as us."

Junsa seemed unconvinced, walking closer to them as a tight smile appeared on her face. "Ah, of course you would think that, disgraceful Kazama. Just like how you think you will get a talent, when you cannot even master basic forms. You heard Priest Juon-sama. Only those who put in the work get their talent."

"She'll be fine, Junsa," Akemi said before Asuka could get a word in, mirroring Junsa's smile. "Asuka is not the one constantly watching others instead of focusing on herself."

Junsa's face turned red, equal parts indignant and mortified. The sight made Asuka burst into laughter, which only infuriated Junsa further.

"I AM focusing on myself!" Junsa rebutted, struggling to keep her volume at a polite level. She pointed at the laughing Asuka and smirking Akemi. "Just you watch! I will surpass ALL of you!"

She shoved past Asuka and Akemi, stomping away with her head held high. Once Asuka's laughter subsided, she noticed Akemi's smile had faltered. Concerned, she asked "What's wrong?"

Akemi met her friend's gaze for a moment before looking away. She went back to staring at the stream from over the railing. Asuka stood beside her and watched the water with her in silence.

"She is right…" Akemi eventually said in a small voice, crossing her arms on the stone and resting her chin on them. "…about me. I am so mundane compared to her. And especially compared to you."

Asuka shook her head before nudging Akemi with her shoulder. "Hell no, you ain't. Doesn't matter if you have Light powers or not. You're a harder worker than most of us, and way more likeable than Junsa the prune. And, besides, I like you for who you are."

A small smile played on Akemi's lips. A memory that would be lost to time.

"I like you too. I am glad I knew you too."

Asuka's eyebrows furrowed from confusion. "Knew?"

In the blink of an eye, a different Akemi appeared before her. She was much older, her long hair was unbound and hung lifeless and limp, and her red eyes were shedding giant tears onto her pitch-black kimono.

An outfit, Asuka remembered, she had only ever worn to funerals.

"I knew Kazama Asuka, and it hurts me so much," her friend wailed, facing the stream as her tears kept falling. Asuka followed her gaze, only to let out a horrified gasp. The previously clear stream now carried black particles along the current. Ashes, she realised.

Asuka stepped away from the railing, her heart pounding in her chest as dread welled up within her. Akemi turned to face her, now cradling an urn in her arms.

"I loved her, and she left us…" Akemi said, her voice frail and despondent. "And now… all that is left of her is THIS!"

She threw the contents of the urn into Asuka's face. She screamed as black, acrid ashes burned her eyes. In her panic, she fell back and tumbled over the stone railing. Plummeting, her screams were only silenced when the black water swallowed her up and flooded her lungs.

Asuka's eyes snapped open, her heart pumping at unmeasurable speeds.

A nightmare, her mind told her as she slowly adjusted to the waking world. Just a nightmare.

She tried to breathe deep and slow, urging her body to physically calm down, all while her mind continued to reassure her that it was just a fantasy, that it was not real.

It worked eventually. Soon enough, she was calm again. She lay back down under her blanket, continuing to breath at a steady pace, and tried to break down what happened in her dream. A difficult task, as the details were already slipping through her mind's grasp into oblivion. The only things that she could recall were Akemi, dressed for a funeral, and ashes. A lot of ashes.

And she felt scared. Scared… and devastated.

Shivers overcame her body. Her campfire had died, confirmed by a quick look. The dark wilderness felt intimidating in the wake of her nightmare, and she dug her face into her arms in an attempt to distract herself.

Go to sleep. When you wake, you move.

She was fine.

Got to sleep. When you wake, you move.

Everything will be fine.

When Asuka woke up again, it wasn't to gentle sunlight falling on her face, but to the twittering of birds.

Instead of owls, it was crows that disturbed her now. She covered her ears with her arms, in the hopes of drowning them out and getting back to sleep, but said arms screamed in agony from the action. A couple more movements revealed that her back was sore as well. Perhaps it was too much to hope that sleeping in the wilderness would ever be comfortable.

Reluctantly, she rose from her makeshift bed and tried to stretch the soreness away. The crows started screeching, and from considerably closer this time. Annoyed, she opened her eyes and turned her head in the direction of the noise, ready to shout at the birds and send them flying. Only, it was not a murder of crows in the trees.

It was a flock of tengu, surrounding her snuffed campfire.

"AH!" she yelled in surprise, frantically shuffling away from the yōkai. They were so much bigger in the flesh, compared to the illustrations in the texts she read. They seemed a metre and a half tall, despite their hunched postures. They resembled giant birds, complete with feathers, wings, talons and beaks, yet their faces had more of a human shape. They all wore a ragged yukata, though some of them had adorned themselves with metal objects tied together with twine.

When she yelled, they all looked in her direction with their bulging eyes… except for one that was, instead, thoroughly engrossed in digging through her backpack. The sight made Asuka's shock disappear, replaced instead with a possessive rage. She picked up her naginata as she got to her feet, shouting "Hey! That's mine!"

The tengu began to caw at each other, the sound shrill and unpleasant, and the one with its face in her bag finally looked up. Her kamon was held in its beak, and Asuka saw red. She ran towards them, ready to fight, but they were much quicker. They took flight before Asuka could swing her weapon, a clumsy movement that had dirty feathers flying everywhere, and she had to shield her face for a brief moment.

"Get back here!" she shouted, running after them without another moment's hesitation. They flew through the forest with haste, weaving between the trees and flora with ease. Asuka tried her best to catch up, bounding over roots and plants so she wouldn't be left behind. The tengu eventually flew over a huge bush that she couldn't avoid, so she braced herself, ready to crash through the leaves.

However, she didn't anticipate that there was a small cliff on the other side of it and her momentum sent her flying over the edge. "WOAH-"

She fell into a rushing river, almost immediately beginning to sink like a stone. Before the river could carry her away, she broke through to the surface and wedged her naginata into the soil beside the river. A flimsy anchor against the raging currents, but it was enough. Coughing, she tried to pull herself to shore despite the pain in her throat and chest. But then she heard a cacophony of bird-like laughter above her, and she looked up.

The tengu from before were pointing at her from their perches in the trees, laughing it up at her expense. Her kamon was nowhere in sight, and her anger was reaching a breaking point.

"Just you wait 'til I get my hands on you monsters!" she yelled, glaring daggers at them. The tengu continued to laugh, shaking the branches they sat on and raining leaves and twigs onto Asuka. It only prompted her to yell some more. "I'll tear your beaks off, you pieces of sh-AHHHH!"

One tengu swooped down on her and cawed loudly in her face. In her alarm, Asuka's grip on her naginata faltered and the river swept her away. The laughter of the tengu followed her until the tides swallowed her. She was thrown around by the currents like a ragdoll, her body spinning around in the water. Steeling herself, she pushed back and swam to the surface, her head breaking through just as her lungs had begun to burn.

"HELP!" she shrieked in desperation, before another wave of water hit her in the face and pushed her back down. Her attempts to struggle only drained her energy, and the relentless current kept pushing her to places unknown. She was running out of air again, and panic began to flood her mind. She tried her best to swim up again, hands pushing and cutting through the water until one of them broke through the rough surface.

It was then that she heard a voice, muffled and distorted by the rushing water surrounding her. A figment from her slowly fading mind?

But then, a dark shadow appeared over the water's surface, directly above her. In her desperation, and the hopes that this was her salvation, she pushed against the river even harder than before with her feet, boosting herself so she'd be able to resurface and breathe. She could only manage one gulp of air before another wave crashed into her.

This time, it was clear as day when she heard a voice shout "Grab my hand!"

She couldn't see anything with the water in her eyes, but she threw both hands blindly into the air and hoped for the best. And when unfamiliar hands held onto hers and began to pull her to the side, all she could think was "Thanks be to Kami-sama".

The strength of her saviour, combined with her using the last of her energy to propel herself in the same direction with her legs, managed to overcome the merciless river. Soon enough, she was dragged chest first onto the damp riverbed. The minute her legs slipped out of the water, her saviour let go of her hands.

She propped herself on her hands and knees, coughing up the river water that had wormed its way into her lungs. During this process, she heard the rustling of leaves and the breaking of branches, but Asuka was too focused on expelling everything from her airways to pay special attention to that.

Eventually she could breathe normally and she allowed herself to fall onto the wet soil when her arms could no longer hold her up.

She was alive. She didn't drown...

"Thanks be..." she whispered deliriously. "Thanks be..."

With the last of her panic dissipating, she slowly sat upright. "Whoever you are," she said aloud, wiping her eyes with the soaked sleeves of her kosode. "I owe you a great debt. You saved my life."

When her vision cleared, she turned around, hoping to get a look at whoever had saved her, and was instead met with a ruined bush. Confused, she called out "Hello?"

No one replied, and Asuka began to wonder if they had run away after pulling her out. Why would they, though? It was not like she was some dangerous beast. Had she imagined it?

But then the bush began to rustle and shake again, and a man emerged from the mass of leaves. He looked young (he couldn't be much older than her) and wore a black kimono and hakama under a white happi. There were twigs and leaves stuck in his dark hair, flat at the front yet spiked at the back. He met Asuka's gaze briefly, and she noticed his eyes were a vibrant brown that resembled the bark of young pine trees. But soon enough, he looked away, patting all the foliage out of his hair.

Okay, perhaps he was a strange man, but at least it wasn't a yōkai. And, strange or not, she couldn't disrespect someone who she owed a life debt to.

Asuka bowed deeply, her long, wet hair hanging limply around her face. "I thank you for saving my life, mister."

"It is... quite alright..." said the man when she stood straight again. His voice was deep and clear, yet there was an underlying nervousness to it. He refused to meet her eyes this time, and Asuka wondered why. Did she look unsightly?

You're soaking wet and covered in mud, of course you're unsightly.

She frowned. This never would have happened if it weren't for those tengu-

Realisation hit her like a flash of lightning, and she shrieked in frustration, making the strange man jump away from her.

"Those tengu are to blame!" she yelled, shaking her fist in the air. "Ohhhhh, when I get my hands on 'em-!"

She huffed irritably, slicking her damp hair back and wringing out her sleeves. "They've disappeared now... But I've GOT to find 'em!"

She turned to the man again and was surprised to see he was staring at her in disbelief. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Is something the matter?"

His shoulders jerked momentarily, as if she had startled him by asking that. But why would he be startled by her?

"Most humans I know would wish to run away from yōkai…" he said. His tone was uncertain and hesitant, like he was double and triple guessing his words. "And you wish to run towards them?"

Asuka placed her hands on her hips, proudly announcing "I'm not like most humans, I'm-"

"-any human who will discover your true nature will stop at nothing to have that power for themselves!"

The memory intercepted her words, and she stopped talking. The elders may have just been fearmongering, trying to scare her into abandoning her desires, but what if there was an inkling of truth to their warnings? She figured tengu to be stupid and insignificant, yet a group of them got the drop on her and made her look foolish. Who knew what other preconceived notions of the world she had would be proven false?

Yes, the man saved her life, but that didn't mean she was free to reveal all her secrets to him. He was still a stranger. She needn't trust him with any more sensitive information. She shook her head, choosing instead to say "I can't afford to be scared of yōkai."

Her chest heaved as she sighed and she turned away to look at the river. Her eyes travelled up the path the water had forced her down.

"I have to track those tengu down," she declared, her voice firm and her tone resolute.

"I must advise against it," the man said. When Asuka looked at him, he bristled. He was so strange. Were all people outside of the Estate like this?

"While I appreciate you helping me, those monsters need their feathers plucked." She took a step to start walking away, but the man called out from behind her "W-wait, please!"

He raised his hand, as if to touch her, but he shrunk back when she looked at him again. This was getting annoying.

"Kotengu are dangerous," he elaborated, lowering his hand. "They are capable of doing terrible things, especially to women."

Asuka let out a frustrated groan before she whirled at him.

"I can handle a bunch of filthy birds!" she snapped. "You don't know anythin' about me! And why do you care what I do anyway?!"

The man shrunk back and averted his eyes altogether. Asuka's anger melted away at the sight, replaced instead with a wave of shame.

What had become of her? Were her circumstances so bad that she would yell at the man who saved her life? And that too only because he was showing concern?

She stepped away from him and bowed deeply.

"I apologise," she said, decidedly calmer than before. "I shouldn't speak that way to you. I've just… had a difficult go of things, lately."

She stood up and looked his way. He was still further from her than before, but his attention was on her. She brought her hands together, a gesture of repentance. "I understand it might sound stupid, but those tengu stole something of value from me, and I refuse to let it go. Thank you for your help, and I wish you well."

Without waiting for him to respond, she turned around and began her hike back up the river. The man didn't stop her this time, so the only sounds following her were the rustling of leaves and the rushing rapids.

A breeze blew at her, through her damp clothes, and she shuddered violently. She had to return to her campfire soon if she didn't want to get sick.

She broke into a light jog, her eyes scanning the ground and the foliage for any indication of her starting point. After a few minutes of this, she found a mutilated bush sitting above a small incline. The tracks in the ground stood out from the undisturbed soil surrounding it, another confirmation that this was where she fell. But there was no sight of her naginata. Panicking, she began to search the area frantically, hoping to catch a tell-tale glimmer of the blade, or see the end of the pole sticking out from a bush. She spread plants apart, craned her neck to look in the canopies above her, and even kicked through the mud, but to no avail.

Exhaustion of the body was catching up to her, and exhaustion of the mind hit her like a wave. Her knees hit the ground again and her hands soon followed them. Her head hung low as she stared at her hands, caked in dirt, mud and stray leaves. How useless they were…

How useless she was.

Not even a week had passed since was exiled, and she had been humiliated by some lowly yōkai and lost two of the gifts bequeathed to her by her loved ones. She thought she was going to take the world by storm, return to the Estate a hero and an adventurer. Yet here she was, defeated in the mud.

The despair was overwhelming, burning her eyes so much she was forced to shut them.

"Do you take it as a leisurely stroll in the gentle wilderness?! It is a dangerous world outside of these walls, child!

An unwelcome, vivid memory, springing forth to attack her after her mental walls had fallen.

"And yet you kept pushing to leave, all the same. What am I to think of that? Are we not enough for you?"

Her heart lurched in her chest.

"That you wish to leave behind your family and legacy, yes…"

Failure after failure had chipped away at her bravado, and now her doubts and fears spilled forth.

"We have not heard from your Auntie in years! Years, Asuka! Only the Kami-sama know if she is well, if she is even alive!"

"-but most of all… I am disappointed."

"You make disappointing people a daily spectacle."

"-for us to never be able to see you again, that is what we wanted to avoid!"

"That is all that awaits you outside of these walls, and yet you still wish to risk your life?!"

Her fingers dug into the earth. Her head began to sink.

This was a mistake-

"Miss?"

Her downward spiral was interrupted, surprise distracting her from anguish. She opened her eyes and was met with a pair of feet clad in straw sandals under a black hakama, the hem of which had a vibrant flame design. She looked up, meeting the eyes of the man who had saved her before. He held her naginata in his hands, and offered it to her before she could form another thought. She didn't speak, nor did she move. Her emotions had left her staggered, and so all she could do was stare.

"I found it in the river," he said, both his stance and his voice more self-assured this time around. When she still didn't stir, he asked her "Is something wrong?"

He sounded genuinely concerned, and it inexplicably, finally, triggered a response from her. She released a shaky breath and pushed herself off the ground and onto her feet. He flinched when she rose, but otherwise stood firm, even when she looked into his eyes.

When she grabbed onto the pole of the naginata, he immediately let go of it and took a few steps back. She looked her weapon over and twirled it through the air a few times for good measure. It seemed fine still, aside from being caked in mud.

"I thank you… again," Asuka said, having found her voice again. "You've helped me a lot today, but I'm still not sure why…"

He looked at the ground and shuffled in place. If she wasn't so destabilised, she would have sighed in exasperation. But then, he looked at her and said in a steady voice "I wish to help you against the kotengu."

Asuka blinked in surprise. When he didn't elaborate further, she asked him "Are you serious?"

The man nodded. Asuka shook her head in disbelief.

"Why would you want to help me?" she asked him, unable to keep her suspicion out of her tone. The man was a stranger, and had already done more than she could expect one to do. And yet, he was offering help against what he admitted to be dangerous yōkai?

"It would be against my code of honour to ignore a woman in distress…" he paused, looking nervous again as he struggled with his words. "…My mother, she raised me to help those in need. Besides, I have dealt with kotengu myself in the past."

He bowed respectfully and, without rising, said to her "Whatever your reason for pursuing them, I am sure I can be useful in some way."

She stabbed her naginata into the ground, looking him over as she contemplated his offer. He didn't move.

"Hard to trust someone I only just met," she pointed out, folding her arms. "I don't even know your name."

The man stood upright, the look in his eyes distant like he was lost in thought. Asuka wondered briefly how anyone could have a normal conversation with a man who had to think so much before speaking. She kept the thought to herself though.

Eventually, he met her gaze definitively and said "My name is Jin… just Jin. You may refuse my offer. I will not insist on it if it troubles you."

She was torn. Her mind kept arguing against trusting a man she'd only just met. The Elders' harsh words about the people outside of the Estate reverberated unpleasantly in her head. But then, a gust of wind blew through the area from behind her, strong enough that it could have pushed her forward. Remarkably, this one was warm and she felt her body practically thawing in it. The man's hair rustled in the wind, parting in a way that his eyes were clearly visible.

She couldn't see a trace of deception in them.

"The world is vast and scary, but there is kindness in it too..."

Her mother's last words to her before she left, and the warm draft that preceded it, helped her come to a decision.

"Okay…" she finally uttered. When she realised how hesitant she sounded, she nodded firmly and added "I accept your help."

Her heart wanted to believe this man…wanted to believe Jin was just a kind person that wished to help.

Regardless, she did make a mental note to blast him into the mountains if he acted funny.

He nodded at her words and brought his hands together, his palm curving over his fist. "I will not betray your trust."

We'll see about that, said the cynical voice in her head. A shiver ran down her spine, and she longed for warmth.

"Let's talk further at my camp," Asuka said, pulling her naginata out of the damp soil. "You can tell me all you know about the tengu."

"Of course."

She climbed the small incline in a few steps, then realised she'd forgotten to do something. She turned around to offer her hand to Jin, who seemed taken aback by the gesture. Perplexed eyes flitted from her outstretched palm to her face.

"My name is Asuka," she said in introduction, smiling as she added "Just Asuka."

Jin took her hand in his and she pulled him up. Face to face, he nodded and replied "An honour."

Here you are with chapter 3. Jin and Asuka met much sooner in this one! And unlike RWO, they work together much sooner. Surely nothing will complicate this arrangement.

I'm sure some of you might notice that the Jin of Gaiden is quite different from the Jin of canon, or the Jin I usually write in my fics. Believe me, I'm aware. I just ask that you entertain this interpretation, since I don't want to spoil future plot points. All I can say is that, yes, he is different, but there are valid reasons for it. Canon Jin will show himself again, don't fret.

Thank you everyone who's been keeping up with the story thus far. I can only hope I continue to hold your interest.

Friendly reminder as well that I have a Twitter account, OrangeStrands, where I often share snippets of future fics, thoughts about Tekken and memes. It's my main method of communication outside of author's notes, so feel free to follow!

Anyway, here are some of the Japanese terms I used explained, though it is very simplified. If you wish to learn more, I'd recommend researching it as well ^_^

Terms used:

Naginata: A polearm with a curved, single-edged blade. Primarily associated with female warriors but was originally a weapon used by men too.

Kannushi: A male Shinto priest.

Miko: The word for shrine maidens, priestesses who had many tasks unique to them, usually cleansing rituals.

Kosode: A type of short-sleeved traditional Japanese garment, typically having a wider body, a longer collar and narrower sleeves than the kimono.

Kimono: A general term for traditional Japanese clothing, though it now specifically refers to wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body.

Yukata: A casual, unisex version of the kimono, traditionally made of cotton and worn without undergarments.

Kamon: A crest, usually one that indicates which family/clan you belong to. Can be used in many ways as a decoration.

Hakama: Traditional Japanese trousers that are tied at the waist and fall approximately to the ankles. They are usually worn over a kimono.

Happi: A traditional, casual short coat. Usually worn by common people.

Kotengu: "Lesser" tengu, also known as karasutengu ("crow" tengu). They are yōkai that take the form of human/bird hybrids, typically birds of prey or crows.

Until next time everyone!

May Peace Be Upon You.