Velvet Black

When you grow up in a town like mine you quickly learn that everyone is unreasonably superstitious. People won't go out after dark on certain nights, if a Harvest moon rises at a certain time people wouldn't dare go to the temple, and if an old woman that lives in the forest crossed your path with a message, heed her word. That is, if you believe. Most often it was better to take precautions. Not that I'd know.
Supposedly she was old as the forest itself, had hair so long that even when it was tied up it dragged the ground, and hands that looked more like a corpses's than a human's. People said that she only came out at night and forraged at dusk for food. Those who had seen her were most often never seen or heard from again. People claimed that her "victims" were destraught for a few days, sick as dogs the next, and then blissfully accepting of their fate during the final days before they disappeared. She'd only taken eleven victims in all her life, but those who were still alive could tell the tale as if it were a day old.
Again, I wouldn't know because I don't wander in places like the forest. More than old folk tales come out of those thick woods and I wasn't going to be the sorry sucker to find out what.
What I was good at was cleaning my grandmother's shrine, napping, and hiding. My brother, Nagi, studies... how shall I say... the devotion of never getting laid. Monkhood. My grandmother's proud. Says he's making something of himself. All I see is a guy who hates his little brother enough to shove him off without another word. I don't mind, I like being left alone. You know, if alone truly meant being by one's self.
Besides all the business with my brother, my grandmother, and slacking... honestly, there wasn't much more to it. You know, since summer break.
If there's nothing I love more it's the fact that no one ever goes near the forest and that its ancient camphors and towering oaks bring a mysterious air to even the brightest places. The hag, as the locals call her, is nowhere to be found during the day so I spend most of my waking hours awaiting sunrise and despising sunset.
To get to the forest you had to take one train, two buses, and a two mile bike route. I usually kick off the doorstep at about four in the morning and arrive just when the sun is crawling over the hills. By then the fresh layer of chilling dew sparkles in the morning light. Small animals are scrambling out into the dawn, birds are chittering all about the air, and it's more welcoming than any home I'd ever entered.
Moshi, the cat I'm constantly tailed by, rides in the front basket of my bike. His round body bounces like a bread bun as I soar over the sandy beach, jump rocky drops, and curve around trees. The only thing that upsets him, really, is when crows start eating his share of lunch. This usually gives him some well needed practice in his hunting skills. If it's not a sandwich, Moshi makes sure that it's fresh bird.
Grandma has gotten used to me leaving all forms of contact behind, but Nagi still scolds me. "What if you get hurt? What if someone grabs you?" He'd nag(Haha, Nagi... nag... hehe...) constantly about the lack of safety on the island that the forest sits. It's really more of an incredibly wide peninsula, but I could care less.
However, there is one thing I care very much about.
It's Sago.
Back when I first started coming to the forest when I was just in grade school something very strange was happening to the earth. My first encounter with the towering trees and mysterious rocky clearings was when I got lost trying to find Grandma's shrine. Nagi had started learning with her from a young age and so it was my job to make sure I got home safely. To ensure that we used the buddy system.
My buddy, a complete idiot and a bully, was Todokawa Rumi. She was taller than most for her age, had a hard face, and lanky limbs. Yet, in a way, it made her cute. She could open her eyes wide and look innocently up at people who were taller than her and their hearts would melt. Rumi grew up pretty, I give her that, but she never hopped off the bitch-wagon.
One day, when we were walking home together under her pink umbrella, she decided to comment on everything.
"Why are you so messy? Doesn't your mom clean you? Why don't you have a bento? Is your mom sick? Who's Nagi? Where's your mom? What happened with the shrine? I heard it got robbed. Did it get robbed? Man, that sucks. You're pretty poor, aren't you? That sucks, too. Say, why do you have those eyes. You look weird. Why are they two different colors? Are you defective? I heard defective people have deformities. Are those eyes deformities?" She went on and on without one breath in between. I thought I'd die.
Just when I was about fed up with her and her constant interrogationing, I piqued her interest.
"Let's play a game," I grunted as we got off the train two stops too late. She'd been talking so much that she hadn't noticed. Even so, she was unphased.
"What kind of game?"
"One about courage," I pointed towards the distance where the largest camphor on the whole island towered above the rest of the thick groves and forest patches. Rumi went white.
"But that's the Hag's forest! She'll eat you!" She seemed flustered as I walked through the station and onto the street.
"She hunts at night. Nothing to fear. That is," I turned back. "If you're not a baby."
Rumi's face went from its normal tan color to a bright red. If there wasn't anything she hated more, it was being called a baby. She folded her arms, stood her ground in a wide stance, and scoffed.
"Me? A BABY?!" Now she was snarling. "What are you waiting for? Come on!" She was storming off towards the forest. "Well?!"
Hook.
Line.
And sinker.

After an hour or so of walking we were at the forest's edge. I couldn't tell what time it was because of all the rain, so there was no telling of the hag was really out or not. Rumi looked frozen as she stared into the silent forest. Her arms gripped her elbows tightly as we stood on the banking beach. Icy waves licked our heels as we idled before the dark place.
"Well? Go... go on," she pushed me forward.
"I thought you weren't a baby?" I smirked as I climbed up the sandy to the muddy earthy above. My hands sank deep into their watery surface before I got a good grip on something hard. I think it was a root because it felt like it was pulling me up to the bank above like a tight gripped hand.
Back on the shore Rumi was watching the surroundings in all directions, constantly turning and shivering. I could tell she regretted her challenge, but even more so, I knew her pride would not let her take it back.
"Come on," I leaned down with my arm outstretched. Hesitating at first, she grabbed my hand tightly. Her palms were hot and sweaty as she gripped me tightly. I stared into her watery eyes as she looked up at me. She swallowed hard, blinking a few times to keep the rain from her eyes.
"W-what are you waiting for? Pull me up!" She stammered as her hair whipped around in the wind.
"Sure," I muttered as I pulled with all my weight. Staggering to her feet Rumi stood tall above me yet again. Even so, she seemed to have lost some of that electric arogance she usual carried. Her shoulders were shaking as we walked into the forest. I lead her along as rain pattered on the leaves overhead. Rumi kept her eyes to the sky as if something awful would swoop down and carry her off. I, however, looked ahead with a fiery heart. I'd always wanted to come to this island, but thought it better to come in numbers. With the rumors, even a child would get a bit scared.
"Is it getting dark?" Rumi gasped as she noticed a certian dimness enclosing around her.
"Maybe," I said breathlessly as a moth overhead grabbed my attention. Its silvery wings flittered about the air with a certain nostalgia. Rumi, however, paid no mind to anything beautiful in a place she considered a decimated hell.
"What if it gets dark? Will anyone know we're here?" She tugged on my sleeve nervously.
"Probably not."
"How will they find out?"
"Rumi, I don't know!"
"Why are you being so snappy?" Her face went pink as I came to a rocky train.
We both froze as we saw that each rock had been placed like a guide into the forest. In between and along those mossy stones were the most fascinating bioflourescent mushrooms and fungi. Each was like a little glowing light to keep you safe and give hope. I smiled a bit as Rumi squeaked with fear.
"Are they poisonous?!"
"Why don't you eat one and find out," I muttered as I stood back up and carefully walked down the path.
"That's rude!"
"You're rude!" I snapped back as the earth beneath me gave way. I gasped as I hit the wet earth with a sloppy thud. "Ouch..."
"Serves you righ--!!" She began, but she too slid in the mud.
"HA!" I laughed. She sat up and her hair was dripping with mud and mossy. As I keeled over, my face red with laughter, Rumi started to cry. Somehow she didn't think it very funny that karma had found her too.
"I'm going home!" She sobbed as she ran back towards the light casting a ghostly glow across the leaf-caked forest floor.
Watching her scamper away made me realize how dangerous the forest really was. Suddenly I was aware that it was past dusk and that the entire forest was growing increasingly intimidating. My heart began to race as I stood up on the blue-lit path thanks to the fungi. I quickly decided not to venture too far off the trail and followed the little fae-lights deeper into the clearing.
When I came to the end of their helpful guide it was so dark that I had to squint to see most things. Swooping sounds startled me from overhead, rustling noises made me dash deeper into the woodland thicket, and I quickly became lost. I ran in circles as I staggered away from the sounds. It started to be a regretful thought that I didn't run after Rumi and away from this place.
Just when I thought I'd die of fright a crashing wave of wind washed over me and carried off any hope of survival that I had. My lungs clenched as I felt the cold run through my veins, my insides shivering. Seeing that I couldn't tell what was back and front, I wandered.
I was convinced of my downfall just when another line of mushrooms appeared. My heart lifted as I stuck closely to their warm glow. However, the joy wouldn't last for long.
A loud rustling sound made every hair on my body stand up on end. My heart tightened as the noise seemed to near me and then zip by like a small animal beneath the leaves. When I thought it had gone I heard at least three more sweep by on the path. I let out a small gasp when I saw little globs of silvery jelly roll past my ankles and down the trail.
For a while I was frozen there with shock as I watched several more handfuls of the stuff just zip by without a second thought. Are they mice? I'd thought at the time as I followed them.
I made sure to step asside for them as groups and lines sped past. Some even toddled like old men with sticks and leaves sticking out from their bodies. I laughed softly as I hurried down the path. Up ahead I could see a light illuminating the dreary path. I remember running as fast as I could after the silvery globs, my lungs burning with excitement as I came to a craigy cliff.
To my shock they were throwing themselves off of the edge and down to a shallow clearing where the source of the light sat. Rather, slumped. My eyes widened as I saw what was emitting the pale blue light. At first I was sure that I was hallucinating, dreaming even! Unfortunately I was not.
Instead of the rumored hag I'd heard so much about it, a man sprawled out on the damp, mossy earth floor. I leaned down to the rock and peered over the edge to get a closer look. Though he was glowing in the most mysterious light, he looked weak. Dark circles were beneath his closed eyes, his hands were bruised, and his chest bore a deep gash. There the slivery balls hopped into the wound and disappeared. My first thought was, WHAT?! Then, I am sooooo dead...
I could hear him grunting as the little silvery orbs became one with his body, the wound closing around itself. The last bits of silvery plopped into his skin and the wound healed. My mouth must have been gaping because I got a fly in my mouth. I spat miserably as I kept my eyes on this man.
After a moment of breathing he sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"God," he grumbled, the light fading slowly. "Man, that hurt."
I could imagine seeing the depth of that cut.
"Mmngh!" He stretched out as he got to his feet. If he was intimidating when he was a glowing god-like man, he was even more so with his staggering height. My lips pursed tightly as I began to quickly scuttle back towards the darkness. "Mm?"
He'd heard me. Thanks twig that had snapped loudly beneath my feet. THANKS. "Hey, kid, it's dangerous out here!" He called out, but I had already started to bound towards... maybe the exit? "Kid, I said... hey, wait!"
I didn't look back, I only ran. My feet hurt after tripping over a few rocks and face planting into the ground. I think my knees scrapped, but I didn't check. Escape. That's the objective. Escape.
My eyes were blurred with tears as the wind burned my eyes. I rubbed them fitfully as I tried to run which proved to be pointless. I stopped a moment to clear my eyes, but in that second I was lifted from the ground. For the first time in my life since infancy I screamed at the top of my lungs. It was distinctly awful because I'm sure the man holding me cringed in shock.
"Whoa, there," he shook the ringing from his ears as I kicked and swatted as much as I could.
"Le-lemme go!" I screamed, grabbing his hand and swinging my body back and forth. It was like he had the grip of a machine. No matter what I did I couldn't pry his hand off the back of my collar. "Please, I don't wanna be food! I'll never tell! I didn't see anything! Please, let me GO!" I sobbed miserably as I looked up at him.
Even though one would expect him to have a dark and impending aura, the man seemed rather lax and confused. He looked like any boy from my neighborhood going to high school... you know, except a bright blue light encasing his body when hurt, his unusual clothing, and they weren't so tall either.
The man wore a long black cloak, a silver and blue scarf with what looked like little stars in the dark. Besides that he was dressed casually. His feet were bare and dirty, but his appearance was clean and well kept. If he wasn't dangling me by the scruff, I wouldn't have been so terrified.
He turned me in his hand, staring at my frightened face as I hid in my cupped hands. I was visibly shaking as he set me down on the soft forest floor. I jolted with surprise as he knelt down and began brushing me off.
"How do you kids get so dirty?" He snickered a bit as he pulled a few leaves from my hair. "Was it a dare?"
"Yeah," I muttered sheepishly. I remembered how Rumi bolted at top speed away from me. Did she tell anyone where I was? Would she ever tell what we'd done?
Knowing her, probably not.
"The hag make the deal sweeter?" He smiled as he took a seat before me. Even so, we were still eye level. How is someone so unbelievably tall?
My tear streaked face nodded as he only sighed and watched my dirty face.
"Aren't you afraid of the hag?" I asked softly as if she'd drop from the trees without a second's warning.
With a blank face he stared at me for a moment before exploding in cackling laughter. He fell back against the ground, his eyes watering, as he heaved air in and out trying to catch his breath. I stood over him worried that he might hurt himself. "I'm serious!"
"Pff," he wiped his eyes. "Kid, the hag isn't a hag... she's a watcher," he sputtered as he clutched his stomach to ease the pain. Clearly used to my confused gaze, he ellaborated. "Watchers protect the land. Guardians avenge wrong doings to the land. Seeker find new land to protect. And Souls sweep peace and harmony over the soils. Unfortunately there is only a Watcher here now. The Guardian was killed, the Soul died, and the Seeker assimilated with the commons. That's you guys," he patted my head.
"Er... that's fiction."
"What? What sort of imagination do you have with a mind like that?" He scoffed as I started picking the little blue mushrooms and holding them up for light. He didn't seem to mind that I held them close and watched the blue dewy syrup of the plants pool in my hands.
"They tell us not to think that far... stay in line, be good," I muttered in the darkness as he looked at me with a disappointed gaze.
"What about your mom? Your dad? Someone had to give you a sense of adventure to come here."
"My mom and dad died... people say it was a fire, but I don't think so," I shook my head and sat down with the fungi still lighting the space in my hands.
"Why not?"
The air chilled us and gave new light to the man's crestfallen face. Though, I was too absorbed in my own devices.
"Well... the place they died at was a small mountain shrine. Yet, it was raining that day. I went to the shrine to pay respects to the angry spirits, but the shrine was so tiny that you couldn't possibly get inside. It's the size of a TV! Nothing that small could have killed them. Plus, they were going to the store... how'd their bodies get on a mountain?" I bit my lip as I felt tears burning in my eyes. "Nothing makes sense, but people just tell me I'm scared. I'm distressed."
There was a long silence between us as I held back the tears and breathed deeply to avoid choking them out. He reached out and tousled my hair softly. I jumped at the sensation as he patted my shoulder, too.
"That's weird, I admit it," he nodded, sweeping a mess of his black hair from his face. "But truth comes with time."
"I'm barely seven, what time do I got?" I frowned as I put the mushrooms back on the ground. Miraculously they replanted themselves and grew a few inches taller as their spidery roots dug deep into the earth.
"Enough," the young man smiled. "Enough for something good to happen. Who knows, maybe you'll come back here. Maybe we'll meet again like all good things... hey, maybe... maybe when it's time I can show you something you'll never believe," he grinned just inches from my face. I felt a chill run down my spine as he said so.
Raising one long finger with a lit glowing at the end, he touched my forehead and said, "Dominici."
The last thing I remembered was the world turning blacker than night, being carried with the sensation that I was flying, and waking up in my bed with my brother leaning over with with the most horrified look I'd ever seen. His face was sweating and his eyes were wide and searching as he shook my gently to make sure I'd come to. Just whent he'd affirmed it, I was squeezed tightly in his arms.
"Don't ever scare us like that again," he whimpered in my chest as I felt the air squeeze out of me.
"Wo-won't... make a habit of it..."

And so began my daily trips and excursions to the forests I'd named Dominici after the one word I'd heard from, now convinced, a Guardian.
To this day I search for him in the woods hoping to come across a trace of him or the Watcher. Even now I'm sitting high in the woven branches of a large camphor with my eyes to the forest floor, waiting. My hands are readied with ears atuned to the forest pulse.
I will find him... I need to know that truth... my Dominici.