Completed We'll Negotiate, Under This Moonlit Horizon

[Noaru]

Fall 40, 513 A.V.

Noaru levitates above the Silkwater Lake, inches away from the cold depths below. While here, he observes the still water’s surface as ripples caused by the wind, travel pass and underneath him. This night was calm; it hadn't been so in months. Noaru couldn't remember a night, during this day and age, as calm and quiet as this one. In his absence of thought, he lingers quietly above the surface of the lake, as the moons reflection casts a strange glow onto the lake and his invisible form.

Noaru could not see his reflection, nor did he expect to.
The unseen did not cast a reflection. However, a shadow foreshadows the unseen’s presence. Noaru’s shadow was on the lake; barely noticeable and always present, it resembled a water-painting being distorted in the rain: a shadow fluctuating in the water, it stubbornly tries to maintain its being in the rippling water—a fleeting existence. Noaru was satisfied with his surroundings, everything was quiet and no abnormalities were found, or present. Noaru ascends into the air and flies towards the shore.

Once at the shore, Noaru traverses over the moist soil and towards a large clearing near the lake. The day was gone and darkness reigned over the night. This was his hour when his abilities were at their strongest. Noaru found solace in the night—when the sun was obscured. The spirit was now in the clearing, where he silently observes a world where only he seemingly existed. Noaru, from his perspective, felt like he could see the entire world around him yet the entire world was oblivious to him.

“….”

….

[Shiyami]

Shiyami sighed, as Kimi stopped to look around once again. His adopted aught ear had apparently wandered off while he took a quick nap of two chimes, and was woken up as Kimi shook him, exclaiming about something new that she has never seen before, before utterly dragging him against his will towards Siltwater Lake. However, their traverse speed was lower then what Kimi would have preferred, as she kept running a distance off, before running back to him, before repeating this cycle continuously. As if I could pick up my weapons easily..., he muttered, glancing to hi side, where his box filled with his blades was being dragged beside him, letting off a crunching sound every time it moved, snapping twigs consistently.

After a lengthy period of unchecked time, Kimi stopped, and seemed to be staring at something intently. "Hm...?", Shiyami's curiosity was piqued, as he continued in his slow pace, with the sounds of something heavy being forcefully moved on the uneven earth accompanying him. "Kimi...? What did you find?", he asked, eliciting a hand gesture of one waving their hands towards them. Obviously Kimi was planning on showing him, instead of explaining the entire situation. Finally stopping by the smaller ghost's side, he shifted his blue eye towards what appears to be a clearing. And what he saw there, was something foggy. An ethereal?, Shiyami thought suspiciously, becoming more cautious as he detected the soul mist from the ghost, like an aura almost. He was also certain the ghost in the clearing has already noticed himself and Kimi nearby.

Shiyami quickly pulled Kimi closer, holding her close with his right, as his left arm was held in front of him, almost similar to an unarmed defensive position. Last ghost he met, had played tricks, and fought against him -Wait, it was less of a fight, and more of a one sided massacre...-, before doing whatever they felt like to Kimi. He would prepare for the worst, and not bother hoping for the best.

Shiyami

[Noaru]

Noaru could feel the presences of ghosts nearby. However, Noaru could not distinguish the exact number of ghosts that were present. The distance was to far, he could hardly tell if these presences he felt were actually ghosts. The spirit, by what he felt, could tell that the two presences were in the tree line. Noaru turns around and faces the tree line with the moon light shining down onto his back.

Noaru focuses on his incorporeal form and his soulmist like the shadowy attachments that they were, extends outwards and sways in odd directions. A flame is what Noaru’s robe could be related to, it was so life-like, carrying all the likeness of a fire—except for its heat. Noaru’s soulmist forms neatly around him, as he stands in the clearing—donned in black. The spirit patiently awaits for the arrival of his guests , he made sure to appear as non-aggressive as possible.

Noaru found it rare for souls to wander up here into the mountains. This was the heart of the wilds—where livings creatures and even the environment was unforgiving to those unsynchronized with nature. A soul had to be careful out here, as creatures are always on the prowl…seeking weak prey. The gentle late night breeze blows in the clearing; wind rushes pass Noaru and lifts tiny blades of grass and tree leafs into the air. These small pieces of beautiful green swirled around the spirit as his cloak follows the direction of the wind.

“….”

[Shiyami]

In the presence of a fellow ethereal, Shiyami felt only wariness. The he has only met one other ethereal -her sister not included- on two occasions. And on both occasions, he was torn asunder. Kimi flew towards the stranger with the equivalent of five human steps, before the words "Halt.", was voiced. Kimi stopped that instant, mid-frozen in her 'steps'. The reason being was the tone used to stop her. It wasn't Shiyami that would tell her to stop causing trouble, but the mercenaric side of him. He didn't just tell her to stop. It was more of an order.

Shiyami moved forward, dragging his box with him, before pulling Kimi closer to himself, as he continued to observe the other ethereal from a distance. Seemingly non-hostile and non-aggressive. Wide open field. All twenty daggers accounted for. Possible danger of lose: Low to moderate., he thought, processing through a strategy as quickly as possible. Although it seems he might have an advantage, if the ethereal proved hostile, but remembering his last fight -One-sided massacre-, ghosts have no need for physical weapons if they are powerful enough.

"What are you doing out here at such a time...?", he called out, without a hint of any thoughts or emotions in his words. He didn't know much about this ethereal, so he might as well start asking questions, and perhaps learn a thing or two about it. More importantly, learn if he is dangerous or not.

Shiyami

[Noaru]

“ I live here, up in the mountains.”

Noaru would have asked the same question, if Shiyami hadn’t asked him first. Noaru could at least tell that the ghosts were cautious about him, meaning.

That they probably did not intend to fight or harm him—friendly ghosts on a moonlit night? The spirit lowered his shoulders and became less tense, he was sure that they were more cautious of him, than he was of them. Noaru extends a tendril of soulmist towards the ground and picks a white flower amongst the multicolored flowers below him. He raises the flower in front of him while he extends an open hand to display a gesture of non-hostility.

Noaru didn’t believe that a flower, this symbol of kindness and peace would enable the two ghosts to trust him. However, considering his quality of being completely anonymous to most, he was prone to be distrusted. The spirit was contemplating on whether to reveal a more tranquil appearance or retain his current one. Noaru didn’t want to reveal too much, if he showed a soul all his appearances, or forms as one would call it, he would have to abide by his rule and that person would become his host.

What felt like hours of contemplating and silence was in reality: a few minutes. Noaru looks upwards towards the sky, he watched the condition of the sky—dawn was some many hours away. He had nothing to worry about.There was enough time. Noaru lowered the flower, it was at chest height now and he was looking forward towards the tree line, waiting to see what his two guests looked like.

The spirit was certain that the first ghost that spoke had the voice of a young-man. Noaru couldn’t identity this ghosts age by voice alone, he would need to see him and the other silent figure.

“….”

[Shiyami]

His words and tone makes him sound old.... Shiyami remained silent, as the other ethereal seemed to have not made any motion nor intentions to attack, only answering his question, that this was the ethereal's territory, or home. It could have been possibly a ploy, for him to lower his guard. However much he wanted to fly to a place safer for Kimi, he couldn't. At least, not when the person in question kept tugging on his sleeve non-stop. Shifting his gaze down, he have a questioning look towards his adopte daughter, who continued to tug at his sleeve, while pointing at the ethereal waiting in the middle of the field. He was about to shake his head, before he noticed the unknown ghost pick up a flower, and extend it, similar to a peaceful greeting. 

"...". Shiyami didn't speak, choosing only to sigh in resignation, before taking his hand off her shoulder. Kimi gave her thanks in the form of a quick smile, before turning her attention towards the ghost in the field. She 'ran' out from the veil of the tree line, making her appearance known to the new ghost, stopping to wave Shiyami closer, before turning back, and stopping right in front of the ghost. She clasped her hands behind her back, and started examining the darkly cloaked figure.

Shiyami slowly walked out, dragging his large box behind him. His single opened eye carefully observed the other ghost, a fellow ghost, also clad in a black cloak. His movements act as if it was normal thing to do, to stroll out towards a stranger with a moving box, but if one takes a closer look, one could see hints of wariness within his eye. He stopped walking at least three meters away from the ethereal.

Shiyami

[Noaru]

“Welcome to the lake of still waters and the mountains that encompasses it.”

Noaru was surprised to see two young ghosts appear from the tree line. He was pleased with just this, as he was secretly hoping that the two were not spiritists. The youngest of the ghosts, Kimi; approached him with great inquisitiveness which causes the ethereal to grin. Noaru extends the length of his soulmist tendril and hands the flower to Kimi. Noaru looks up to Shiyami, who was obviously wary of both his appearance and presence. Noaru had no ulterior motives in mind, tonight was a good night and it would remain as so.

Noaru raised a hand and gestures Shiyami to come over. Noaru could sense the young ghosts natural distrust towards him. The spirit meant no harm but no matter what he did, he could get the reluctant soul to come over, as his younger friend did.

“ This is a quiet place. There are no foes here. ”

[Shiyami]

"Still waters?", Kimi asked, her child-like voice and mindset breaking the cautious observations that Shiyami was making. "I believe he refers to the lake nearby.", he answers in a quiet tone. From what he could tell, this ghost seemed far older then the average lifespans he was used to dealing with, due to his older style of speech patterns. Either that, or the ethereal died recently as a philosopher. Or, perhaps it was a bit of both.

Seeing the ghost hand the flower to Kimi, who accepted it gratuitously, Shiyami lower his guard, ever so little. Upon hearing the ghost speak, and seemingly gives a supposedly rather assuring comment, about having no foes in the area, he gave a half smile, before answering, "No visible foes that may be, but what about a wolf, bidding it's time within the shadows?", in a rather philosophical term. 

Shiyami

[Noaru]

“A wolf? A common beast is not a threat to the ethereal kind. There are worst things, inhuman sorts that exist even today. ”

Noaru recalls the most recent monster, dwelling within a house he was suppose to investigate. The entity was able to drain him of his soulmist and directly affect his powers. This force showed its memories to him, tragic memories of death and struggle. Noaru sensed a similarity between the entity and himself—kindred souls lost within a strange time. The entity was much young than he was and probably human in origin: an event of sorts occurred, it had to, for the entity to lose its ability to verbally speak and materialize into a pseudo-solid form.

The mansion itself seemed too had replaced the entities essence: even its presence, which consumed the whole interior of the building, was changed beyond reckoning; vastly exceeding what the memories revealed to him. Noaru could only imagine the kind of force that could strip a human of their essence of origin—their humanity. The very thought of being stripped of his powers, and spiritual essence then forced to have an immortal living body, disturbed Noaru greatly.

He emerged from his thoughts; slightly distracted by the fact that he could not discover the mystery behind the entity’s twisted form and suffering. There were three chimes of silence that passed before Noaru spoke again. The spirit turns his attention to the lake and the abandoned campsite which acts as his temporary abode.

“There is a place where one can rest. This clearing, would not be the ideal place to remain for long.”

Noaru was always watchful of spiritists and other potential threats that had the ability to harm ghosts. He knew that an existence such as his wasn’t going to be excluded from spiritual intrusion or endangerment anytime soon. Noaru knew he just needed to endure and survive for a lot longer before he could engage in soulmist-bound combat.

[Shiyami]

Shiyami gave a small smile, as the ethereal responded about the topic of wolves, and explaining that there are greater dangers to the already dead. "Greater dangers. I would say one of the more dangerous creatures, are wolves. The wolves out there-", here he gestured around him, referring to the world. "-are not as disturbing, as the ones within the mind.", here Shiyami moved his hand to point at his head.

"Even the greatest can be reformed into a bumbling idiot of a waste of space, through so insanity, no?", he finally asked, questioning the strange ethereal upon a philosophical point. He was still attempting to deduce the ethereal's age, via ever increasing Philosophical teachings and experiences.

Hearing that the group should move, just in case, Shiyami utterly agreed, as he did not like this clearing. It was far too open, to open for a fortress to defend. "Lead the way.", he said, while bowing. When the ethereal started to move, Shiyami would follow behind, who in turn, was followed by Kimi.

Shiyami