Forest

Want to preface this by saying that this novel is on a whim. I am a man that acts on his whims a lot, it's why I started writing fanfic to begin with. I had a whim for a story and I wrote it, then I had another, and so on and so forth.

The caveat to all that is that I stop some of my stories because the intrigue died for me which is why I've also stopped myself from releasing other stories, if I always followed my whims I would have more than a dozen one-chapter stories on my account. But this story is one I've had in the back of my mind ever since I wrote Wild Card and I need to release it before it burns a hole in my brain.

That said I don't know if I'll keep at it. I might start it and just let it sit until I finish/drop/get tired of one of my other stories before picking this one, or another one, up.

I just wanted to let it be known, so don't be surprised if there are no chapters after this one for a long time. Anyway, enjoy. ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

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In a sprawling forest with a sea of green as far as the eye could see, a tan brown-haired woman was sprawled on the ground while a blue-furred, wolf-headed man stood over her.

"Are you okay?" worriedly asked the wolf-headed man.

"I'm fi- ahh! No, I'm not! I think the b-baby's coming!" she said through clenched teeth as she clawed the ground beneath her, hoping it would somehow relieve the pain from the impending childbirth.

"W-w-what do I do? We have to get you to a doctor!" he said, slightly panicking at the situation at hand.

"No! The nearest one is in the village! They won't help us anyway!" she said.

"We have to try!"

"No! Not after what they've done! I'll have the baby here, it's our only option!" she said as she started to take off her pants, "Help me!"

At her scream, the wolf man helped her take off her pants before he took off his coat and laid it on the ground. Gently picking her up, he set her back down on the coat, which while not anywhere near sterile was much better than the bare ground.

"N-n-now what?"

"I'm going to PUSH!" she yelled while pushing.

"Wait, wait! You're bleeding!" said the wolf man, noticing a not-insignificant amount of blood coming out of her birthing canal, "We have to get you to the hospital! Screw what they think! I'll force them to help!"

"Ch-Chojuro, l-listen to me." she said, her tan skin much paler and her overall demeanor noticeably weaker than before.

"I-I'm not going to m-make it." she said.

"No! No! Don't say that!" he yelled before going to pick her up only to be stopped by her gentle hand being placed on his face.

"Chojuro. It's okay." she said, stroking his face lovingly while gazing into his tear-stricken eyes.

"No, it's not. Please. I need you." he said, voice wavering.

"No, you don't. You're strong. You always have been. It's why I fell in love with you in the first place. So I need you to continue to be strong for our child. They're going to need you. Okay?"

Chojuro could do nothing but slowly nod at his wife's dying wish, even though he truly wanted to ignore all her wishes and rush to her be saved, but he couldn't do it. He had always had a soft spot for her.

"Okay." he said, tears streaming down his face.

"I love you, Chojuro."

"I love you too, Moriko."

"Good. Now hold my hand while I push." she said before Chojuro held her hand.

For the next few minutes, the sounds of a woman screaming and grunting in pain echoed throughout the forest, ending in a few seconds of silence.

Silence broken by the cries of a baby.

Chojuro hugged and comforted his son, who had inherited all of his mother's features, with tears streaming down his face as he looked at his now still wife. His beautiful and caring wife who had accepted him for what he was despite everyone else hating him, and who lay there devoid of life. And yet she died with a smile on her face as if telling him that it would all be okay.

"It's okay, son. I'm here for you. Itsuki Kon, my son." he said, kissing his son on the forehead.

~

In a space filled with nothing but darkness, a boy awoke.

"Ugh, what happened?" said the boy.

"Where am I?" he said as he looked around only to be met with complete and utter darkness.

"Who am I?" he asked, as he delved into his memories only to find memories of stories but nothing about himself.

"You are awake." said an ethereal female voice.

"What was that? Who are you?" asked the boy, as he turned to and from trying to find the voice that spoke.

"Do not worry, child. Everything will be made clear soon." said the voice as a beautiful gentle blue light appeared, scaring away the darkness.

Looking in the direction of the light, the boy laid his eyes upon a sight he would never forget.

An enormous phoenix made entirely out of ice flapped its wings as it landed in front of him, and with it, the phoenix brought a wave of cold that was both biting and inviting.

The Cryophoenix turned its eyes to the boy, allowing him to see eyes full of wisdom.

But more than the beauty of the sight before him, the boy was entranced by the recognition he felt toward the Cryophoenix.

"Anivia." said the boy without meaning to.

"That is correct, child. I am Anivia, The Frostbringer, Winter's Mother, The Cryophoenix." she said as she unfurled her wings and showed the majesty behind her words was not for show.

"B-but you're from a game. At least I think you are. I can't remember." he said, getting flashes of memories as he rubbed his temple.

"That is not of importance right now, child. What does matter is that my siblings and I are now a part of you." she said.

"Part of me? L-like how? What do you mean?"

"By communing with us and strengthening the bonds between us, you will be able to borrow our powers."

"Like a shaman or a druid?"

"Something like that, yes, except you are what is known as a Spirit Walker, one capable of channeling and communing with the Great Spirits. But be warned, child. If you are not strong enough, physically or mentally, we spirits will consume you. Both in body and mind." she said, the feeling of cold intensifying with her words and making the boy shiver.

"Wait, you said your siblings and you. Where are they?"

"You are not strong enough to commune with them at the moment. Their powers are more unruly than mine. Once you are strong enough, you will meet them."

"Okay. How do I get stronger?"

"It's not the time for that yet, child. You are too weak at the moment. Communing with you this early is already dangerous enough. For now, sleep." she said, as the boy fell into a deep sleep with her words.

CLANG BELLOW

CRACK BOOM

BANG SNORT

Three figures as enormous as Anivia appeared with the boy's slumber.

To the sounds of iron being forged and the bellow of a horn appeared a giant humanoid figure with a square-shaped torso and muscular arms with the head of a ram with large horns and a large red beard. His eyes, left arm, and the tips of his horns glowing orange and radiating intense heat.

To the sound of the storm, the cracking of lighting, and the roaring of thunder appeared a giant humanoid ursine figure with a broad chest and muscular arms, his face and body covered in runes and scars that tell the story of a warrior. His eyes and his claws, both on his hand and feet, glowed blue with the intense crackling of a storm.

To the sounds of mountains crumbling and the snorting of an animal appeared a humanoid porcine figure with a stocky build and broad arms, his face and body covered with both the scars of a protector as well as runes. His eyes and tusks glowed a greyish-green with a feeling of rejuvenation.

"You endanger the child by showing yourself this early." said the Ram with a deep, bellowing voice.

"He is weak! We should've taken the chance to take over his body and mind!" said the Bear with a powerful, rumbling voice.

"Quiet down, Bear." said the Boar, with a deep and smooth voice.

"Do not call me Bear, Pig! I am the Volibear!" shouted Volibear, slamming his fists down and summoning a storm.

"Children." said the Ram.

"Enough, Volibear, Ildhaurg, Ornn." said Anivia, temporarily stopping their bickering for it was something she could not do anything about.

"As to why I showed myself, it was to prepare him. Being a Spirit Walker is a dangerous thing. He will be constantly bombarded with the voices of spirits. If he was caught unaware, he would be likely to lose his mind." she explained.

"If he were to lose his mind because of minor spirits, then he is weak and has no chance of channeling our powers." said Ildhaurg, the Boar.

"But if he can't channel our powers, then we have nothing to do but lay in wait for his death." said Ornn, the Ram.

"Orrn is correct. We are a part of him now, and our life is linked to him. If he cannot channel our powers we will be stuck here. At least if he channels our powers we will see the outside world and experience something other than nothing." said Anivia.

"Hmph, the Volibear waits for no one, I take what is mine! If he cannot channel our power, then I'll just take over."

"If he can't channel our power, how do you expect his body of being capable of hosting you, dumb Bear." said Ildhaurg.

"Enough!" said Volibear as he rushed Ildhaurg, starting a fight anew while Ornn and Anivia ignored the two for it was not anything they were unused to.

"He knew your name." said Ornn.

"Indeed. Like us, he is not of this world. But it seems his memory has been compromised. I only hope it was not because of me."

"All we can do now is wait."

"Mm. Wait for the Spirit Walker."

~

In the forest, Chojuro was bent over excavating the ground under him with nothing but his bare hands.

Satisfied with the depth of the hole, he exited the hole before making his way over to his wife's body.

Seeing her beauty untarnished in death, he stroked her hair and kissed her on the forehead before lifting her up. With each step he took to the grave, he remembered all the good times they shared and by the time he arrived at her grave, he was crying once again.

Slowly placing her inside the grave, he gave her one last long look.

"I love you." he whispered before getting up, putting the dirt back, and placing a grave marker made out of wood that read "Moriko Kon."

As if wanting to give him enough time to mourn, Itsuki slept atop a pile of leaves, only rousing awake when picked up by Chojuro.

"Let's go, my son." said Chojuro as he walked deeper into the forest.

~

Waking up, Itsuki felt sluggish. His mind and body felt slow and out of his control.

'Where am I?' he thought as he tried to open his eyes only to be hit with a blinding light, forcing him to shut his eyes.

'Why can't I move?' he thought as he tried to move his arms and legs only for nothing to happen.

"Let's go, my son." he heard a voice say.

'Is someone talking to me?' he thought opening his eyes again only to see a blurry figure of a wolf.

'What the?!' he thought, scared at the unexpected animal in his sight, causing him to let out a cry of fear.

"Shh. It's okay, son. It's all going to be okay." said the wolfman as he comforted Itsuki.

'Why is a wolf talking? And why is he looking at me like that?' thought Itsuki as he tried to move his head around to no avail.

'Am I a baby?' thought Itsuki as he connected all the information he had gathered so far.

"Look. A babe."

"That man's scary."

"Nuts. Need more nuts."

'What is that? What are those voices?' thought Itsuki, hearing faint voices but unable to understand them.

'Getting...sleepy. Think...later.' he thought as all attempted moving and heavy thinking took a toll on his newborn body.

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AN

So his father is Chojuro Kon, the Chimera Quirk user. I don't want to spoil the story I have planned in my mind, so I'll just say he hasn't met Nine yet.

His father's Chimera Quirk plus his Mother's Nature Spirit Quirk, which granted her the ability to speak with Nature Spirits, combined together to create the MC's Spirit Walker Quirk.

He was born with his Quirk manifested but since he can't commune or channel with the spirits yet, he can't use his Quirk per se. At least the most powerful aspect of his quirk which is borrowing the spirit's power.

His memories of his past life will be spotty in the beginning, but as he gets older, his memory will become better.

I'll put his appearance here, but it'll be what he looks like in his 20s more or less. As a child or teen, just age him down with your imagination.

And as stated earlier, this might not have a chapter for a long while. I just wanted to start the story. Apologies in advance.