Meanwhile, deep in the Witchwood...

[Evanescently Magnificent]

The stage is set! The night, moist with apprehension. It is deep in the Witchwood where we meet our young heroine, Ishiba Ochita, and her lost trek through the ghostly lands of a world thrown outside of time itself. A failed attempt on her life by one of the numerous hag's who call this place home has left the poor academy student traveling through this evil wood all alone! Or at least so she thinks...

Ishiba Satomi

Just need an intro post! C:

 

[Ishiba Satomi]

Ishiba Ochita
"The Hopeful Healer"


When Ishiba awoke, she wasn't anywhere near where everyone else had been. Her surroundings were dark, dreary, and damp. Looking around, it appeared she was in some kind of swamp or marsh. While she wasn't certain how it is that she ended up here, she had a feeling this place was horribly unfriendly. The air itself seemed to reek with blood, and it sent shivers down the poor girl's spine.

Getting up, Ishiba took a bit of a better look around; truly uncertain of where she was. It looked nothing like any of the lands even surrounding the village, and it didn't seem to appear like any of the other lands she'd read about or heard about from her mother. Kroud and Mariko were nowhere to be seen, and Ishiba had a feeling that even Lahlil wouldn't be able to find her here.

For a moment, Ishiba thought to simply wait whatever test this was out. However, after a few minutes of quiet gurgling from the water nearby: She decided that this probably wasn't a test, and if it was that she should really start trying to complete it. Tentatively, she started to walk towards the water. When she came up to it's edge, she found that it wasn't super gunky or disgusting as she thought it would be. It still looked like it was full of leaves and twigs, but it didn't have any nasty flim across the top of it.

While most people would have thought nothing much of this, Ishiba found it comforting. If there is, relatively speaking, clean water: Then there is something of relative purity nearby. Whether or not that thing would be friendly, is of a different matter. Ishiba moved from the water's edge, and followed the slow stream to wherever it was going.

Eventually, she found herself in a much more open bit that seemed to lead out into a floodplain. However, while it wasn't raining at the moment, the plain was covered in several inches of water. Thankfully enough, the aura of the area didn't seem too dangerous; but this was only a slight comfort. As Ishiba stepped into the water to start moving across the floodplain, she heard something behind her. It sounded relatively large, possibly around the size of a human; though it may have been bigger.

Turning around, all she saw was the rustling of the thick undergrowth. Thinking to herself that an extra pair of eyes would be useful, she focused her chakra as she envisioned her mother. She was going to make a clone of her mother for two reasons. One: It'd be more comforting than a clone of herself. And two: She was horrible at making clones of herself.

Releasing the chakra, a small cloud poofs into existence as a tall dark-haired woman that pretty much just looks like Ishiba but in her thirties appears. The clone looked down at Ishiba, and smiled broadly. "Hello dear. And where... might this be?" The clone of her mother said, looking around. "I... don't know. But I'm certain there is something else here, and I don't think it's friendly." Ishiba replied without her usual stuttering, she was looking at her mother after all. "Ah... Well, I'll keep a lookout." The clone said, her smile flattening somewhat.

With this, Ishiba began to move forward again; slowly wading through the water. She wasn't sure where she was going, but hanging around in the swamp parts probably isn't the greatest of idea. Plus, out in the open like this she's much harder to sneak up on.


Appearance: Ishiba is a young girl with long and straight raven black hair and bright green eyes. She wears a small ornate butterfly clip in her hair, and a simple black dress. She wears straw sandals with ankle-high socks.

Quotes:

Evanescently Magnificent

I only took absolutely forever to make this. XD

 

[Evanescently Magnificent]

From the tree line where Ishiba had previously came from there came a wicked chittering, like the teeth of a hundred thousand dead men all rattling at once. No faces or creatures could be seen emerging from the dark woods and yet there could be no mistaking it, there was something there calling out for Ishiba. A murderous desire to do nothing but grasp it's claws into the poor girl.

At least right up until she stuck her foot into he murk waters. All noise stooped in the area at once. There was no trace of even the ambient animal squeals that was one came to expect in a such an area. Nothing but the cold slawshing of water. It was doubtful that the young girl understood the significance of what had just occurred, after all it wasn't expected that a child would have the knowledge of an otherworldly 'gang turf war'.

Though now she was about to come face to face with it.

At first proceeding at normal through the murk, Ishiba's foot would get caught in the water. the liquid seeming to constrict it'self around the leg in it's stubborn refusal to release it. Off a few feet from the struggling girl there could be seen a pair of eyes in the water. Human as far as could be told, although the unnaturally predatory glow about them suggested anything but. At the same time bubbles swam their way to the surface with the creature now tossing it's hidden advantage in favor of confronting it's trapped quarry. "Well well well... what dooo we have here. It's been a long time since someone ventured out this deep." Her full height now rising visible above the water's surface, Ishiba would now be ale to make out the figure of a towering nine foot tall fish woman. Her body a slick and dark navy blue. "So, how long are you going to keep me waiting sweetheart? Don't you know it's impolite not to introduce yourself to a stranger?"

Ishiba Satomi

 

[Ishiba Satomi]

Ishiba Ochita
"The Innocent"


Ishiba was certainly caught off-guard by the sudden movement of the water, and ever moreso by the woman who then came up out of it. "O-o-oh... I-I-I'm Ishiba..." Ishiba said, her usual stuttering returning in full force. However, as probably most unexpected, Ishiba didn't react with fear of any sort. While she certainly had ample reason to be scared, and potentially even to fear the woman now standing infront of her, she still didn't. Why, is the hard question to answer. Ishiba didn't even know why she didn't feel scared. Maybe it was the water? Maybe she simply felt an overwhelmingly familiar prescence.

Now that she thought about it, that seemed to be the case. Something felt... familiar, about this place. Though Ishiba wasn't too sure what, it felt like a memory nagging at the back of her mind; but that it was just a step too far, so she couldn't remember it. Like an apple that was just out of reach, it felt tantalizingly close; but still out of reach. Ishiba turned her head slightly to look at the clone of her mother, and wondered if her mother might've known something; but the clone didn't have her mother's memories, so it'd be of no help in that regard. Slowly, Ishiba turned her head so that she was looking at the fish woman again. She didn't know what she was expecting, but she was certainly expecting something.

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Appearance: Ishiba is a young girl with long and straight raven black hair, emerald green eyes, and a simple black dress with some personal sewing around the cuffs where the words "Hope" and "Life" are constantly repeated.
(Learned smile
Quotes:

Evanescently Magnificent

Quote:

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[Evanescently Magnificent]

Placing her hand on her chest in a sort of mockingly taken aback manner. "Now that is a proper civil greeting, even all the way out here in the deadmarsh. You may call me Isla. Nooow." With a flick of the tongue the murk woman was on Ishiba, her hands testing the personal space between them. the sound of a deep inhale could be coming from directly behind Ishiba now while Isla seemed to search for any purchase by which she may incite fear into the young girl. "Mmm you smell brave for being out here all alone. You must not know what this place is, do you~" Snaking back around to so that she could meet eye level to eye level Isla's mouth curled upwards in a fanged smile. "Or how special you are hmmm. Well now I think I have just the perfect little surprise for you. Why don't you follow me down here to my home, I hope you don't mind all the water down here." It was only for a moment, but if Ishiba was quick to notice she would see the predatory hunger flash in her gaze once again, as her facade failed her. Although to be fair her swampy appearance already did little to lower the defenses.

Ishiba Satomi

 

[Ishiba Satomi]

Ishiba Ochita
"The Innocent"


During Isla's entire set of movements and comments, the only thing she could think of was a bully she had to put up with when she six. Isla seemed comically evil to Ishiba, though she didn't deny that the woman was probably quite capable in combat. However, Ishiba was already waist deep in the water: So it's not like she could outpace Isla in an attempt to get out of the water. Plus, running isn't something she really ever did; and she saw no reason to start now. Fear is the mind killer, after all.

Ishiba followed the woman down under the water, surprised by the sudden and incredible defense. While she immediately thought this may have been Genjutsu, that didn''t seem to be the case. Ishiba was also surprised by the fact that she could breathe just fine underwater, but this whole place seemed to be made of impossibilities.

show spoilerhide spoiler

Appearance: Ishiba is a young girl with long and straight raven black hair, emerald green eyes, and a simple black dress with some personal sewing around the cuffs where the characters for "Hope" and "Life" are constantly repeated.
(Learned smile
Quotes:

Evanescently Magnificent

Quote:

Quote:

 

[Evanescently Magnificent]

Ducking under the water with the fish woman, Ishiba would see nothing but darkness clouding her vision. More and more the water appeared to have strange properties, first being that any creature fully submerged within it could breathe perfectly fine. The second, was it's murky black bottom. Staring directly at it, the whole event just screamed that the pair was going to hit the floor of an at one most, one-foot pool. But this didn't stop the fish woman at all. No, instead she leaped headlong into its confines, one hand placed firmly on Ishiba's back made sure that she did the same. Bursting through a pile of sickly old kelp revealed a flat abyss of water so deep that there was no end in sight for either direction.

Like the butterflies that fluttered in your gut when overlooking a massive drop, so to was the feeling emanating from the ocean. A pair of hungry black jaws ready to devour all lost souls in its confines. Isla however, was undaunted by its prospects. Most likely due to her familiarity with the area. Grabbing Ishiba by the collar, Isla pulled her down into the deepest reaches of the darkness until at last a light stood alone in the shadows. Its glow was small, being emanated by nothing but moss, but most importantly it was there at all. After closing the distance enough to only be a dozen or so away, the structure revealed itself to be much larger than any could hope to imagine, large dips assumed to be trenches and their cliff faces were actually the broken skeleton of a massive warship.

It's flag had long since become tattered beyond recognition, but its sheer size labeled it has must of belonging to at least a superpower level country. "Welcome to my home~ The Dreadnought. It's a very creative name I know. since you came here on our turf it means you gotta see the boss and ask for forgiveness. Dontcha worry your pretty little head though! He's really forgiving." Despite her remark the underwater snickering that followed left it to be wondered, just who was this 'boss' and what type of man was he?

Regardless, concerns would need to be put aside for the more pressing 'physical danger' that Ishiba found herself flirting with. Swiming up to inspect the newcomers, were hundreds of a variety of creatures, most of which taking of the traits of humanoid fish creatures but there were a few nightmare amalgams as well. Such as a pufferfish with many octopus-like limbs tat carried human hands on each of them. It was like a variable melting pot of every body part imaginable. Each of them leering in their own way at Ishiba, clearly wanting to get their hands on her. and yet none dared cross that threshold due to the enormous weight that this boss's word carried with it.

Swiming through the broken open bunker doors was where the real magic came into light. the confines were nothing at all like notions that the outside likely inspired. Instead, they were brilliantly scrubbed clean of any moss, or kelp, and was instead decorated with all kinds of glorious treasure in mountainous piles along the wooden floors. Gold, gems, and beautifully engraved weapons lay strew about, their heroic tales put to rest and forgotten to time.

Noticeably, after the pair traveled through the doors into the oval room that was the captain's quarters, there was not single other soul in the room. The 'crew' as it were were all kept from entering and the door slammed shut with a shocking vibration echoing through the water that indicated it would have made a much louder sound were it not damped by all the water. A few feet in front of Ishiba, was an enormous humanoid Orca. Despite being surrounded by numerous wealth, his own appearance was entirely... lacking. With a pair of brown shaggy pants being the only clothing on his body, the rest of his form was barren save for countless scars that marred his muscles. "Isla. You know I don't enjoy company while I'm resting. What is the meaning of this?" From the shadowy corner, his voice boomed, every bit a stark contrast to Ishiba captor. It carried with it a power the seemed to shake the entire ship from just a few short words. "O-oh. Sorry boss! It's just that... you wanted me to let you know when a new blood came... onto... our...?" For the first time in Ishiba's presence, Isla was not at all the predator she made herself out to be. Her wavering voice fell into silence before the true monster before her. Taking his time in reply, every word he chose was deliberate and purposefully meant to ignore the irritant before him "Tell me your name child."

Ishiba Satomi