The climb (missions, me and Saria)

Mission Name: The climb
Mission Rank: amatuer
Location: The lost woods
Description: Well Tom, you've killed some people and in a few short days will be sent to prison. This takes place ten years in the past where you meet a certain forest sage while trying to absolve yourself of sin by climbing a tree and eating a fruit.
Requirements: Eat the fruit and have your sins forgiven in the eyes of the gods.
Player Count: 2
Reward: 100k rupees, 75xp
Word Count: 1200, 200 each post.
Mission Boss: N/A

Tom stepped infront of the tree, his gauntlets were on his belt.

He had taken some of his vacation days to come here, he felt so guilty that he was physically ill. He had murdered eight people for the king of questionable guilt. He had been suffering from night sweats, dizzy spells, nausea, and vomiting. He had to clear his head, the walk through the forest had been a nice one. It cleared his mind, for with his blessing he felt right at home. He was dressed in the clothing of a passent he did not want to wear anything that made him look like he was doing work for the king.

He slipped on his guantlets, fastening them nice and tight. These were his hands before he we to prison, he had fair skin, dark brown hair, and was wearing a green and brown dress. He had a high income job, so he looked like money. Not like a prince, but certainly like a young merchant. He was very handsome, and had groomed himself very well. Personal hygiene was very important.

He got a run up on the tree, hit his top sprinting speed, jumped, ran up the wall a very impressive ten feet before he leapt up again and drove his steel claws into the bark of the tree. For a moment it looked like he had a solid perchase, but then the blades slipped and he began to slide down still clutching to the tree. He went down about six feet this way before he really lost his grip and fell right down on his belly. He looked up at the tallest tree in the forest. He ha to get that fruit. He stood back up and treid to work out how to climb it.

"What do you think Saria? I'm trying and trying, but I can't get a good read on what exactly this guy is doing..." a green fairy whispered in the trees above watching the man alongside her Kokiri Child.

A girl dressed entirely in green, like most Kokiri, though her matching hair also helped set her apart from any other. As was standard for them, she wore a green tunic, though she preferred to also wear a sweater beneath. Her hair was done by a band, the sides of which swept beneath her ears.

Her legs dangled as she watched the man attempting to climb the tree, trying to peg his aura. "I'm unsure Gate...I'm not getting good readings from his spirit...And yet...I also feel true regret...I'm going to speak with him." she whispered back.

The fairy gave a sigh before warning her "Just be careful...If I lose you...I'll never forgive you!" Saria ignored that as she cupped her mouth in her hands calling down to the man "What are you trying to do, Mr.? You're pretty far out here! Not many come out this way!" she made her presence known, though she didn't descend.

As soon as Thomas heard the voice he crouch down and readied his claws. His eyes scanned the tree's and surrounding land for hostiles. But then he noticed the nonthreatening nature of the voice. He stood back up, his heart about ready to beat out of his chest. Ever since the very first job every shadow around the corner brought fear into his heart that someone was going to make him pay. It was even more scary because he knew deep in his heart he deserved it. He stood normally, but he was still ready to fight if someone came out of the bushed swinging.

He looked around. "I'm here for a special reason." He looked up at the tree, he had the voice of anyone you would meet. Not that of a hardened prisoner that it would eventually develop into. Even though he had committed the crime the last pure part of his soul sought to repent. He tried climbing the tree again, this time going at a much slower pace and keeping an eye on his back, he reached out for a low hanging branch but without two hands to hold him onto the main part of the tree he fell down again, this time landing on his feet. He was getting upset.

She tensed slightly as the man readied himself for combat, eying all about...Though he didn't seem to notice her. However, once his demeanor shifted upon realizing she wasn't going to attack, she managed to relax again.

She recognized the attitude of the man all too well...He was a man who was used to battle...Used to the possibility of being attacked at any moment...The man actually sort of reminded her of an old friend in that regard. And she knew how much that had affected him...He had still been her friend...But he was certainly not the same person he had been before leaving the forest.

As he tried again, clearly agitated, she spoke again. "A special reason? Forgive me sir...But it seems you are only trying to climb a tree...What sort of special reason would bring you all the way into these woods only to climb a tree?" she asked genuinely curious. She still didn't show herself...She still didn't fully trust him. But she had to admit the man was becoming quite the enigma. Of course she had left out this was actually one of the tallest trees in the woods...If not THE tallest...Why would he be attempting that? She needed to know...To judge how trustworthy he was.

"Well I'm on the vacation and I like it here for one."

He turned around and pointed all the way to the top of the tree. "They say at the top of this tree there grows a plant that can only survive at high elevations. It is extinct and highly sought after, because it is said that if you make the journey to get to this fruit then you are forgiven for all of your sins. A lot of monks and priests look for this fruit. The legend behind it is that one day a single fruit slipped from the gardens of one of the goddesses in the heavens. And that it was so bitter that if you finished the entire thing you would be forgiven of all wrong doing, or blessed. Like a catch and release fisherman giving the fish a worm because they just stabbed them in the mouth. So who are you? What sort of special reasons do you have for being out here? I wasn't aware there was a village around her somewhere...." The voice seemed friendly enough, but it could just as likely be an inquisitive bandit as it could be a succubus. He did not ask in a mean way at all, after all. The girl did not deserve to have any vulgar words sent her way. He just wondered what she was doing out here.

This man was proving to be quite the enigma. "Vacation? Well then I must admit that's a bit curious..." she stated, her curiosity growing. "These Woods are said to be cursed after all. One who becomes lost may never find their way out...I can't imagine that would be something very relaxing."

She then thought of what his words meant as he went into further detail of his reasons. She looked to the tree he was attempting to climb. It was true that there was a fruit at the top of this tree...An awful tasting one as he had said...But she'd never heard anything of it being able to forgive sin...And she knew all of the strange things to exist in these Woods...Hyilians...They would make stories of anything and add their own twist to it...But...He didn't need to hear that...He must have been quite desperate.

"It is true there is a fruit of that description at the top...But I am unsure you'll find what you're looking for." she stated carefully before giving a small laugh as he asked about her. "Me? Oh no, sir. There are no villages around these parts...Not of the Hyilian sort that is...I suppose you could say I'm a watcher of these woods. A surveyor of any visitors we may receive if you will." she stated a bit cryptically.

Well the girl saying that certainly did not alleviate any of Toms worry. He had a pretty good idea where the voice was coming from. But he was not able spot the kokiri in the trees. He turned back to this tree and jumped in it. Using his claws he began to climb it like a cat. This attempt was a much more stable one compared to the other two. He made it fifteen meters up with great effort.

He swung over to a much thicker branch and sat himself down on it. He would be around the same level as th girl now he bet. He asked her somthing, knowing he would need all the help he cold get. "Well, even if I don't find what I am looking for I believe there is still somthing to gain by reaching the top. Would you care to help me? If I fall from a height much ferther than this I'll break my neck and end up feeding the roots. After all, if you could get all the way to the top of those tree's when it takes me three attempts just to get this high then surly I have much to learn from somone like you. My name is Thomas Barric. Could I see you?"

She hesitated for a moment as she watched the man finally succeed in getting partway up the tree...He was a determined one. She had just all but said this fruit would not help him...And yet he still wished to for the sake of earning the forgiveness of the goddesses even if it was all just a silly story.

She had to admit one thing, she admired his unyielding determination. "Very well, Mr. Barric...I shall aid you in getting your fruit...But you must leave afterwards. As I have said...These woods are not safe."

And with that, she emerged from the leaves of one of the tree's branches, near enough Thomas for him to see her...But a good amount of distance remained between them. Her clothes and hair had helped mask her presence in the branch, everything else obscured well enough for him to have not seen her. She looked to him with a smile...An unsure smile...But a smile nonetheless. "My name is Saria...A resident of this forest's Kokiri." she introduced herself with a bow.

"Before we begin, I must ask how experienced in jumping and climbing are you? This is not exactly an easy one after all. It may be a bit of a challenge...For anyone."

"It is nice to meet you Saria. I'll leave once I am done here you have my word. I mostly just have experience climbing tree's much smaller than this in the patch of woods next to my family's farm. So not a lot like what I'll need to get to the top here. But, I have trained myself in the ways of my own martial art and I can run very high up the walls. Once I get high enough I believe I can just run up the side of the tree stopping branch to branch until I hit the top..... I've never met a Kokiri before. Haven't heard about them hardly at all either. But a guardian of the forest can only have the purest of intentions, so I welcome your decision to help me." His tree branch felt study enough, but he was not even a fifth of the way up the tree. To get all the way to the top without equipment would take superb technique, stamina, courage, and intelligence. He cracked his knuckles on his unique weapons, Saria was close enough to see that the claws were made to mimic the ones of a snow leopard. If she had never seen one or seen a drawing then she would have no idea what they were based off of. These would be a great ally to him as he climbed, he made sure they were strapped on tightly.

She continued to study him as he spoke of his climbing experiences, intentions, and the fact that he was actually unaware of the Kokiri. Strange....Wandering the Woods without knowledge of the Forest Children...But then...She couldn't be too surprised though. They had remained hidden away from the rest of the world for so long, it was no mystery that they were no longer even just a bedtime story for children.

Looking to the claws the man wore, she recognized them as those similar to those of a cat...Evidently they would help him in gripping on the tree.

"I see...Well we are a bit reclusive to these Woods." she said with a smile before then continuing "Well those past experiences should at least come to use in getting up here...I'm sure you already know that what you mainly need is a good grip, and good balance. Knowing how to use your weight is key." she said as she grabbed the tree's bark herself before shifting herself up, her legs laying flat against the trunk of it, beginning to scramble her way up to the next branch, climbing up, using her feet for balancing up as her hands got her higher up.

"You see?" she asked looking down to him on the branch above.

Thomas nodded and looked up to see the entire length of the tree he had left to climb.

He rolled his sleeves back and spat into his hands before rubbing them together. He scrambled to get up to a higher branch, using the technique that he had seen her use. He truly had a gift of mastering techniques quickly. After a few more practice branches he was climbing up like he had lived in the forests like her his entire life. "I'll call down once I reach the top!"

On all fours he pounced up to the next branch and sunk his claws firmly into the wood. He pulled himself up like the pull ups he did as a boy literally thousands of times. Then he pounced up the next one. He rapidly ascended the tree, he had the strength and desire of his youth and he scrambled up the bard directly whenever a branch was unavailable. He disappeared up the tree that went far above the tree line.

For a few moments there was silence, no knowing if he had made it up there or what he saw. But only slightly over a minute later he came stumbling down the branches. Practically falling at many points but always saving himself with a quick grab before he reached a branch directly on Saria's level.

"T-Theres nothing! Theres nothing UP THERE GODS DAMN IT!" His voice sounded different, more like the hardened man he was in the present. While his grip on the branch was like the iron death grip he would surly have for the many people who told him of the fruit. The branch almost seemed to break underneath his sheer fury. He went falling down hitting every single branch as he went down before he hit the level with no branches. His scream quieted itself once he hit a free fall and all the way up there if she was listening very closely would just be able to hear the thud of him hitting the ground.

If she were to go down and check him she would find a very hurt man lying in a heap on the ground. Heavily bruised, he had a new look in his eyes. Filled with rage but also sadness and self loathing. It would stay in them for years to come.

She watched as he continued to climb up, not following him. There was no point in her doing so...She had to give him credit, however. He really did learn quickly. He was certainly agile...Like a cat.

As he reached the top, she closed her eyes at the ensuing silence...before jumping slightly as Thomas came crashing down to her level.

She reached to help him as he screamed his rage at the truth of the matter...Before his branch broke at the sheer grip he had on it. She immediately jumped down to follow him, looking to the crumpled heap of a man. "Hold still..." she whispered as she held her hand out, as green energy began to flow around it...Taking the form of a flower bud in the palm of her hand.

The bud's energies began to flow over the man, easing the pain a bit and completely healing his more minor wounds, them sealing up instantly. "I tried to warn you...There are many mysteries and legends of these Woods...Some of which simply aren't true..." she looked to down to him with a sympathetic smile. "I don't know what you did to seek out such a myth...But what I will say...I don't believe seeking the forgiveness of the Goddesses is something you can simply obtain...Forgiveness is something you must earn from others...And to give yourself."

Thomas sat up once he was healed. He felt like he could actually cry but like many men he suppressed this feeling greatly.

He looked bitter, the kind of bitter that stayed with someone for years to come. "Thanks for helping me. But I don't think that what I have done can ever be forgiven, let alone in the eyes of those I have hurt." He stood up an tried to take a step but his leg was the only thing that her magic could not heal entirely. He limped and almost fell right over on the ground but caught himself with great balance. He picked up a big walking stick from the ground and used it to right himself. "I've had a long and... rather disappointing day. I'm going to go home before it gets dark out. Have a good time watching the forests. I hope I'll see you again."

And with that he would walk away, and later cry like men did. In his guilt away from anyone who could see him. He would never be forgiven for what he had done. In a few short days the people would be calling for the kings head for assassinating those eight people and he would be taken to Grey Rock prison. The worst place on earth. For ten years without seeing the sunlight again.

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