(( xD oic, well if you ever find the need to restart this RP, I'll join in again. ))

As he followed Celeste, who had surprisingly decided to take charge of the trip and lead him, Hui decided to appear calm and reserved when he met up with the Godess and any other travelers that she had shipped to the forest center. However, the other people there were just too...ridiculous. How on earth did a horse get here? he thought with amazement. There must be some wide path hidden here that he had never found before. Surprising. Patting his pockets, Hui reached inside and pulled out what appeared to be a paper ball. It was really just a makeshift fire cracker that he had created, only this one had a more startling and satisfying 'bang!' when it explode. It would be fun to throw the cracker at the horse's flank but it's owner might not take to kindly to it. Satisfying his need by tossing it at a gutsy tanuki who had peered out of it's hole, Hui ran up to the other humans with a friendly wave. He would reserve his judgement on anyone for later. This was a very interesting gathering here..

(( I'm terribly sorry I haven't been posting. I shall come up with one in school tomorrow, and post it up when I arrive home. I hope this is alright. ))

Ava sighed as she left her small house and locked it behind her, heading out to complete her shift at the local bar. Her dream the previous night had been so strange. A beautiful woman had come to her and told her that she needed to go to the Forbidden Forest of all places! She rolled her eyes as she recalled the dream. The woman had also told her that some friends would be waiting, and that she would be given more instructions once she went to the middle of the forest. Ava shook her head and shook the recoclection of the dream away. S had her small leather satchel hanging by her shoulder, and ran a hand through her snow-white hair as she walked through the bustling desert town. She turned down another street, and then another. She was getting rather irritated with the crowds, and so she decided to take a normally deserted short-cut through an allyway on the side of the town nearest to the Forbidden Forest. It wasn't deserted this day. A small gang of young men were hanging out in the ally, smoking and chatting. As soon as she entered the ally, they shut up and just stared at her. A couple of them even smirked.

Ava mustered up her courage and proceeded through the ally, not looking at the men, pretending that they weren't even there. But they were there, and two of them suddenly got up and stood in front of her, blocking her path. She stopped and looked up at them in confusion. "Um, excuse me. I'm going to be late for work." She said, noting that the other boys got up and gathered behind her, trapping her. One of the guys in front of her grinned. "Sorry, girly, but I think you're gonna be a little bit later." He said. Suddenly, he grabbed her shoulder and shoved her against the wall. She cried out in pain, and her eyes widened in horror as the guys gathered around her.

Thinking quickly, Ava saw an opening and kneed the guy who had her pinned right in the crotch, causing him to double over in pain, and his buddies to freeze in shock at what she had just done. While they were distracted, she pushed through them and just ran in the only direction she could - straight to the Forbidden Forest. Then she heard something behind her that almost made her heart stop. "GET HER!!!" She ran like she'd never ran before. All that went through her mind was to get into the forest and run as far as she could. They'd never follow her inside of the forest. "HELP ME!" She screamed as she ran, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes. She heard them gaining on her.

Suddenly, she was at the edge of the forest, and she didn't even hesitate. She just kept running. She heard them follow her for a little ways, but they backed off rather quickly. Ava wasn't taking any chances, though. She kept running and running until she couldn't run anymore. She collapsed on her behind at the foot of a tree, gasping for breath. "Help!" She called weakly between gasps, wondering if anyone or anything would even hear her.

Ava gasped and nearly screamed when some random guy came up to her and suddenly hugged her. She struggled for a moment, but then heard him assure her that she was ok. She looked up at him, and he seemed genuinly worried about her - a stranger. It was... well... strange. He was wearing a very odd style of clothing, but Ava barely gave it all a second look. She had been constantly teased about her white hair and pale skin, so she knew how it felt, and would never judge anyone by there appearance alone. Besides, he seemed very kind, and looked like he just wanted to help her. When he pulled away from her, she looked over her shoulder a bit nervously and nodded.

"Yeah... I guess they stopped following me a while back..." She looked back at the stranger and forced a small smile. "Um, thank you for your concern. I'm alright." Her shoulder was sore, and there was probably a lovely bruise that was forming on the back of it from when she was shoved against the wall, but Ava was far too stubborn to admit that she was in any kind of pain. Then she suddenly remembered her manors.

"Oh! My name is Ava, by the way." She then frowned, curious as to why the stranger was in the forest in the first place. "Um, I hope you don't mind my asking, but why exactly are you here in the forest? Do you live here or something?" She asked, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side in interest.

Ava's eyes widened when Crim said that a beautiful woman had told him to come here. She couldn't help but recall her dream, where there was a beautiful woman telling her the same thing. Telling her that she would find friends there, waiting. She let Crim take her along to the center of the forest, staying silent as she inwardly debated with herself about the dream as Crim chattered on about people and their different clothing. There were even more people when they came to the light-filled center. She blinked in confusion and against the sudden light.

"Um... Yeah... I guess a woman told me to come here... But it was just a dream! Although, the dream seems to have been rather accurate..." She muttered the last part, looking around at everyone. She sighed, running her hand through her bright white hair in disbelief. The light shining on her made her hair seem even brighter, almost as if it were glowing.

Nobu flew on ahead as they made it closer to the center. Nana's heart was speeding even more so with excitement. As they entered she saw another horse, as well as the other hawk, she had seen early, she assumed the girl with them was their owner. "Steady, girl." The horse slowed and Miwa made a graceful leap off, then took hold of the reins. Nobu circled around and landed on to Miwa's back. Nana smiled. "I knew I could count on you to lead us here safely." There were other people quickly gathering, but as to be expected she made no effort to talk to any of them. All these people look so... different.

-----------------------------------------

Raphael turned as he heard more people coming into the center. He let his hand drop from the sword, seeing that there was really no threat in this crowd. He did however notice a girl eyeing him and did no more than wave at her. "I sure hope this lady gets here soon," he muttered.

[Sorry I'm short on ideas. ]