CH. 36 - The Forest Lives!

Saika/Phoenix "THEY ACTUALLY LEFT US!!"

They scream in fear with tears running down their faces. Cole seethes in anger.

Cole "This is not how they were supposed to run this mission!"

Dante "And in a haunted forest no less… Oh man, this is crazy!"

He shouts while rubbing his head rapidly. Yoko bursts out laughing.

Yoko "Ha ha ha! Now this is exciting!"

Moshiro grits her teeth before hitting them on the head.

Moshiro "Shut up! This isn't a laughing matter!"

Their head slamming into the ground. Killian simply rubs his chin as he watches where the teachers left moments ago.

Killian "I want to move like that. Think it's some technique I could learn?"

Tadashi "It's called Caito. A step pattern to minimize effort in movement. Rudimentary, you'll get the hang of it."

Alston "I've been trying for years, still can't quite get it."

They both look at her surprised that she's been trying so long. Moshiro in frustration looks over to see Wolf with her arms behind her head leaning against a tree. She huffs before walking towards her.

Moshiro "And you just don't care at all, huh?"

Wolf "Not really."

Moshiro "We're stranded out here in the middle of a dangerous forest, our friends are freaking out and you just don't care."

She scolds. Wolf looks up at her before sighing and standing up straight.

Wolf "We're not stranded. Eventually the teachers will come back and everything will continue as planned. Besides, this forest isn't all that. With all of us together, it'll be a breeze, not to mention, I didn't actually fail my mission. I alone could probably handle this."

She says confidently as Moshiro gets infuriated by her words but before she can lash back, the tree Wolf was leaning against suddenly begins to move through the ground. Everyone instantly focuses on the moving tree as it rushes through the group causing Dante and Cole to have to jump out of the way. 

Dante "Woah! Trees are not supposed to move like that!"

Phoenix "Look out!"

She shouts as another tree begins shooting across the ground. The ground rumbles as all around them the trees and bushes begin to move and spin until they're left in a circular clearing created by the forest.

Voice "You shouldn't have come here."

A feminine voice rings out through the forest with an echo.

Alston "What the Hell?.."

Tadashi "That must be the ghost."

Voice "You academy students are all the same. You come here and destroy my home trying to force me to sleep. I won't let that happen, not anymore."

Then, on one side of the circle, strange plants sprout out of the ground and grow larger than any of the students.

Cole "Those are Glintroses!"

He says with a look of concern.

Yoko "Don't worry guys, I got this."

They say while stepping up to the plants and cracking their knuckles.

Yoko "One blast of my fire breath and this forest is as good as gone."

Tadashi "Yoko, get back!"

He shouts as fire and smoke begins to pour out of Yoko's mouth but in an instant, one of the roses extends and latches onto their tummy. Yoko looks down at it and giggles a little.

Yoko "H-hey that tickles!"

Cole "Yoko!"

They all get concerned looks and rush to Yoko but instantly, the rose starts to suck the Soul Fuel out of them causing them to droop in fatigue. After only a moment, Tadashi forms his sword and slashes the rose off as Yoko stumbles back and falls to their knees.

Phoenix "Yoko! Are you okay??"

Yoko smiles at her weakly.

Yoko "Y-yeah! That didn't even hurt!"

Cole "Of course not. It wasn't trying to hurt you, only suck away your Soul Fuel."

Alston with a crude blood blade and Tadashi with his sword swiftly dispatch the flowers. 

Moshiro "Can you stand?"

Yoko "Of course I can, I'm a dragon! No puny plant can take me down! Just watch, I'll blast those dumb idiot flowers into the next century!"

They growl while forming fire and smoke in their mouth again. They inhale sharply with tremendous intensity only for a little puff of smoke to jump from their mouth. 

Everyone "Eh?"

Yoko "Ah heh… I guess I'm all out…"

Yoko begins to fall backwards before Moshiro catches them.

Moshiro "You idiot."

Yoko "am not… okaya maybe I yam…"

They mumble, woozy from the soul drain. 

Killian "Okay, we'll have to think of another way out. Moshiro, keep tabs on your partner, make sure they're safe. The rest of us need to stick together, tightly. If this forest really is alive, we cannot risk getting separated."

He orders but Wolf steps up with a disagreeing look.

Wolf "No, what we need to do is find the ghost. If we take care of her then we cure the forest and can simply walk out."

Killian "And what makes you think you can find her let alone defeat her? We could spend hours searching and find nothing or find the ghost and lose."

Wolf "I'll have no problem with the ghost and with Alston's Spirit Perception we'd have no problem with finding it."

Killian looks at Alston who shrugs.

Alston "Could be worth a shot."

Killian looks back at Wolf with a frustrated look.

Killian "You're risking lives with that plan. Mine is much safer for everyone. A reminder that Nobody didn't mention your name when saying who didn't need the powder."

Wolf "I don't need that stuff, I got my power."

She says while igniting the black mist around her hands. Killian rolls his eyes at her defense.

Killian "We shouldn't be splitting up."

Wolf "Then listen to me."

They say intensely but quietly. 

Phoenix "Okay, okay, listen. Wolf, we don't really have enough information about the forest to traverse it safely. We don't know how people died or went missing, any of those things could happen to us."

Wolf "So you're not coming with me?"

Phoenix "I didn't say that, I just want you to be certain. Are you really that confident you can handle this?"

Wolf "I am. You should be too, this mission isn't really for us."

The others get frustrated at Wolf's constant reminder of their failure. Phoenix notices and smiles softly and awkwardly.

Phoenix "I'm sure there's something for all of us to learn here."

Killian sighs before speaking up.

Killian "Fine, we'll split into two groups. One will focus on escape and rescue while the others try to maintain focus of the forest. Perhaps if that party makes enough noise, the others will have the chance for escape. Does that work for everybody?"

He says while specifically looking at Wolf who nods.

Tadashi "Guess so."

Saika "Not that we have much choice…"

He says, scared of his surroundings.

Saika "I call the escape side! The sooner we get out of here the better.."

Alston "I'll be with Wolf, her plan literally needs me."

Dante "I'll back up Killian in case anything happens."

Tadashi "If it's a plan of attack, I'm sure my blade will be useful, Wolf."

Moshiro "I guess Yoko and I will go with Killian. With Yoko like this, a lot of good they'll be in combat."

Yoko "yippie.."

Phoenix "I guess that leaves Cole and I to join Wolf."

She says with a smile at Cole who rolls his eyes.

Cole "I believe her attitude to be childish but whatever."

He says while stepping towards their team.

Killian "Alright, now that's all settled. Let's go."

He says when suddenly vines come shooting out from the forest and grab onto Yoko.

Yoko "o look at this, they're hugging me."

The team's eyes widen when Yoko is yanked away into the dark of the forest.

Yoko "Weeeee!..."

Everyone "Yoko!"

Wolf smirks with a strained look, concerned for her friend.

Wolf "Well, looks like you guys should get going."

She turns and runs in the opposite direction.

Wolf "The faster we get that ghost, the faster we get them back!"

Phoenix "Good luck, stay safe all!"

Alston "Catch you on the flip."

They say while rushing after Wolf. Killian immediately turns and runs after Yoko.

Killian "Come on! We've got a friend to rescue."

Saika "Yeah!"

They shout as they rush off. Through the forest, Killian and his crew rush after the voice of Yoko. 

Killian "Yoko! Where are you?!"

He shouts as Yoko responds.

Yoko "Guys, I'm flying!.. I've never done this before!.."

They shout a distance away as Moshiro sweats.

Moshiro "So annoying.."

Dante "At least they're not freaking out."

Yoko giggles as the vines whip through the trees just under the canopy as they look forward. 

Yoko "This isn't so bad.."

As they say that, they get hit in the face by a branch then another and another causing them to come to. They shake their head and realize the situation they're in.

Yoko "Ow! Hey! Let me go dumb trees!"

They grab the vines and pull hard to tear them before drooping and sticking their tongue out.

Yoko "Bleh… Still too weak…"

Saika "Don't worry Yoko! I'm coming!"

He jumps up and transforms into his hybrid form and latches onto a tree with his claws. He darts through the branches and leaves swiftly as nimble as any cat would be. He quickly catches up to Yoko and jumps on them, wrapping his legs around their waist.

Saika "Hi."

Yoko "Yo."

He then uses his claws and cuts the vines causing them both to fall through the air at the fast speed they were being pulled at. They hit the floor and tumble through the brush with a grunt before eventually coming to a stop just before a sharp hill drops.

Yoko "owowow that wasn't a great landing.."

Saika "Not a fan of pain either I see.."

Yoko "Not a bit."

They both smile at each other before looking to their side and noticing the steep hill.

Saika "That doesn't look like fun."

The others quickly catch up to them.

Killian "You guys okay?"

Yoko "As good as something that's pretty good."

They say with a thumbs up. Moshiro sighs in relief subtly as Dante laughs.

Dante "You guys really gotta be more careful, a place like this could really be-"

As he talks, Moshiro notices a large log hurtling their way directly for Dante. She quickly shoves him out of the way before getting struck by it herself. Dante falls onto Killian as they watch Moshiro go flying.

Yoko "M-Moshi!"

She falls through the air and down the steep hill. She crashes through thin trees and branches as she tumbles over, eventually orienting herself upright, still sliding down the hill. She grits her teeth for a moment before noticing something above her. She looks up and through the bright moonlight coming through the canopy, she notices something dashing through the air across the thick branches following her path down, something big. She stares with wide eyes as the large creature holds something in its hand and launches it at her. She freaks out as a log comes hurtling at her and stabs right into the ground next to her. She flinches to the side, narrowly avoiding it before looking up and seeing another. She then rolls to avoid another and another and another before one is thrown directly in her path causing her to smash through it with a grunt in pain. She tumbles over before sliding to her feet on a stone slab, her back right before the edge of a deep ravine.

Moshiro "A cavern? Really?"

She says, looking over her shoulder with a frustrated look. She looks up and dives over, dodging a log shooting past her. Her eyes widen when the large creature slams down before her and swings his fist at her. She dodges to the side a few times, narrowly avoiding the large fist of the creature that is attacking so swiftly despite its size. As she jumps to the side, it then swings around a large log it has under its other arm and smashes it against her back sending her flying into a tree that she slams into back first, upside down. She grunts in pain as she tries to lift herself up.

Moshiro "So this… is the power of 3rd Tier Vanguard?.."

She says as it stands above her, staring down at her.