Forest of Secrets (CoQ)

So the Peach DOES Have a Taste and Preferences

"Dude, if you want something, just ask. Don't be a wimp. A closed mouth doesn't get fed." -Akira Eliza.

The Dwarfs have intellectual abilities and the power to create just about anything that is deemed "exceptional.". They can stand the harsh elements of the continents.

Noroi

The list of errands I had on the list was, to put it lightly, annoying. Technically, I didn't need to go to the thrift shop, but it would be nice to have something on me. My handgun was out of bullets and I needed to buy more. To roughly explain, nobody could have an understanding on what lay beyond the cities that we inhabit. think of it as a world carved out of forest and water. There are holes within the forest that people live, but beyond that, it's hard to know what's out there. Only travelers go out there, or stray towns that somehow manage to prosper with taking in the currency that they use by the crops they sell, if they're any good. The only ones who stray off the thin paths that connect the towns are travelers, are species that thirst for adventure and to get stronger. Human urban legends trouble us outside of where its safe and undefined monsters lurk about with no scientists brave enough to go outside their too-cramped lab. Those few that are willing to explore have helped us result in where we are now. But most out there still remains a mystery. We approached the shady-looking building. I came here once to check it out. The owner of the store works at the front desk. From what I've learned about him, he's sent a lot of people off, people who didn't come back. And he strangely likes music from the human age about two centuries ago. Not just any music, either. He only likes heavy metal. He'll listen to music of any age, though. He specifically likes a band called "Winter's Warmth." I've never seen what they look like, but the lead vocalist's voice is straight music in it's self. Everyone knows of Winter's Warmth. They've been infamous for the past decade since the lead vocalist went missing. Everyone still listens to them. I heard as a child his parents doted on him for his voice. But as soon as he got his vocals crushed, he could hardly even speak, and his own parents practically threw him away. I never learned what happened to him exactly, though I've tried my hardest to know why. I opened the door and let the dryad in first, then followed after him. Speak of the devil, "Winter's Warmth." was playing. This song was called "It Goes On." It was one of my favorites for a while. But who is he? What is his name? He wore a mask, or so I heard. A white fox mask with darts on it. This song in particular is one of their biggest hits to this day.Alone and cursed, of course it hurt

But I managed to bare through the pain

Your thawed heart denied, I know you cried

But now I'm here to keep you sane

(It goes on and on and on, it goes on and on and on)

You hold me so close, then you push me down low,

don't worry, I'm here to stay...

As I listened with utter bliss on my face, horror only engraved on the dryads. I snapped out of it and took a good look at him. I no longer felt pieced together, I felt distorted and didn't know how to make him happy again.

"Hey, Kozaku, can you change the band?" I called out to the store owner. Hes an old fart, but believe me, the dwarf knows how to find good quality stuff and buy it cheap. I bought the handgun from him. You could drop a piano on it and it wont break. He smiled and called out, "sure!". "Lift Me Up." by Five Finger Death Punch started playing. There we go, that should do it. I took a good look around, a comfy and familiar-like feeling seeping in my body. Arrow heads, peacock feathers, and butterfly knives. The thing that made a thrift shop so special is that it holds things that fit all categories of interesting. I searched around for the right bullets for my handgun and browsed through the other weapons. All I really needed was a knife and a handgun, one for long term and one for short term attacks. I snatched a box of darts out of consideration for the dryad, despite him being a jerk to me up until we were done with that bath. Apparently, he had a thing for darts. Seemed easy enough to deal with, as long as I didn't catch one between my ass. I looked at the potion aisle. There was a whole boring list of stuff and what it was used for, but the only thing that I found interesting was the Phoenix tears. They're rare and they heal you. Something told me to take Will-O'-the-Wisp, a jar filled with a formless light that never dies out as long as you keep shaking it. It's also rare, but I definitely have the money. I also took the Indus worm skin, which puts you to sleep. I swiped the bottles and went up to the front desk. Before I could purchase the stuff, I caught the dryad eyeing something. I went up to him to see what it is. It was a dart holder. It would go perfectly with the box of darts that I was getting him. I yoinked it from his eyes and tossed it to Kozaku, who rung it up. He jumped in surprise and watched, mouth open, as Kozaku put it in a bag. I grinned cheekily as his startled gaze turned to me. Surprise! I turned to the door and was about to walk out when Kozaku quickly called out to me.

"Wait! Take this." He handed me a map of the Kamaharia forest. The heart of the forest wasn't included, of course. It's a place that can't be found except by those who know where it is.

"Seriously? You know I won't need this. This is all boring stuff. Give this to a customer who will pay a pretty Yari for it." Kozaku stubbornly shook his head.

"Just read it. As boring as it might be, just skim through it and keep it. You might need the information. You don't know what's out there now days."

"Oh, what ever, old man."

"Do you want your tax rate to rise?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Just scram."

"Got it."

"Now go give those suckers what for. Yes, I said what for. I'm old. Get over it. And take this while you're at it. Just crush it if you're ever in a sticky situation. Leave the center alone until you're done. Then crush that too. I'll reply if it's dire." He passed me a Wind shell.

"Come on, you old fart, I can't take this. It's crazy expensive."

"Take it!" He shoved it in my hand and closed my fingers around it. I sighed in defeat. Never argue with an old man. You'll never win. We soon walked out, and Winter's Warmth started playing again, making the dryad's eyes go wide with panic. To soothe his mood, I tossed him his darts and dart holder. His eyes had stars in them as he eagerly attached them to his pants. Darts equipped. His smile quickly died out as Winters Warmth continued to play. I half ignored this and boredly skimmed through the list of potions and what they are used for.

Banshees Scream-Wards off Typhoons

Griffins Mane-Sprinkle this on you and someone. You can read their thoughts and project thoughts to them

Kelpie Saliva-Kills Hydras

Dullahan Smoke-Puts you to sleep (use wisely!)

Phoenix Tears-Heals wounds (rare item! use sparingly!)

Rooster Feather-Heals from Basilisk breath

Namuzu Whiskers- Wards off Leviathan

Angel Feather-Wards off Hell hounds

Ophiotaurus Horn-Grind this up and throw this at Sphinx. She'll get out of there in a heartbeat. Wards them off.

Will-o'-the-wisp-Shake the jar and the wisp becomes brighter, used for light. Never fades or wears out.

Werewolf Saliva-Stops dryad's leaves from bleeding out. Works on all dryads. Mucosal contact heals dryad sickness, more efficiently than crushed Dodo Beak paste.

Dodo Beak Paste-Fights back fevers and destroys dryad leaves if applied directly.

dryad Saliva- helps all vegetation grow at an abnormal rapid speed

Like any of that made a damn ounce of sense. I fisted the paper into a ball and shoved it in my pocket. I realized that I had yet to read the map, so I begrudgingly uncrumpled the paper and was going to read it when I bumped into someone.

"Wha..." The guy I bumped into stumbled a bit, before whipping towards me, his face contorted with anger.

"And just who the hell do you think you are?" He squawked. His face got close to mine. I boredly stared back at him.

"You pickin' a fight with me or somethin'?" Spit splattered across my face, which I found to be really irking. It made me want to backhand him. But this isn't what we're here for. "Lets go." I called behind me, then felt the dryad scamper after me.

"And where do you think you're going?" The man growled. I felt a skin cracking sting as he punched me in the cheek. At first, I thought I was the one who screamed. Then I realized that he had a dart in the middle of his hand. The needle poked through on the other side, revealing that it was sharp enough to cut through an inch of flesh seamlessly. Another dart landed in his nose, causing it to bleed profusely and the man to scream. The dryad was the cause of this, of course. Two more darts were in between his fingers.

"You're crazy, man!" The guy barked and scrambled off. The dryad waited for me to get up.

"Thanks man, I owe ya one." He never even said or did anything to let me know that he heard me, he just picked up his darts and continued to walk by my side.