Adventure in the Land of Illusions

Chapter 3

A week has passed since your adventure at the Yokai Mountain. Sekibanki wanted you to settle in for a while before heading out on another journey. However, over the course of that week, you would have a feeling of something watching you. At the moment you were walking in the forest near the human village as Wiggle was along with you. 

"Hey, Wiggle?" You called out as she stopped and looked at you.

"What is it (Y/N)?" She asked.

"Do you ever get the feeling something is watching you at times?" You asked while Wiggle looked confused. "It's just that, I've been here for a week now, but at times I feel as though I'm being observed. I look around, but nothing is ever there."

"Hmm, you might be imagining things." Wiggle said.

"Maybe you're right." You said while thinking about it. "Maybe it could be that person who brought me here in the first place." You thought, before changing the subject. "Anyways,  what's this forest even called?" You asked as you looked around the forest the two of you were walking in. Nothing but bamboo for as far as the eye can see.

"This is the bamboo forest of the lost." Wiggle said with a smile as you nodded while the two of you continued walking. Wiggle hummed a tune as you looked around the dense bamboo forest. 

"So what's out here? Looks like nothing but bamboo in every direction." You asked while looking around for anything that might be interesting 

"Hmm, I don't really know. Nothing but Bamboo for as far as I know." Wiggle said as she tried to think of anything of interest in the forest. 

"Eh? Nothing? That can't be right. I may have been here for a little over a week, but I've learned that there is always something interesting. We just have to find it!" You said as you looked at Wiggle with determination. Wiggle nodded in agreement as the two of you marched through the forest.

"By the way Wiggle, you never told me exactly what kind of yokai you are." You said as the two of you walked. "All you said was insect yokai and nothing else."

"I did?" She asked as you shooked your head. "I'm a firefly yokai." She said as you nodded. The two of you kept walking trying to find something of interest hidden within the bamboo.

However, you failed to noticed Wiggle get distracted by a bug as she left to go look at it. You kept walking until you finally noticed that she wasn't there anymore.  "Wiggle! Where did you go!?" You yelled out while looking around for your green-haired friend. However, she was nowhere in sight. You sighed as you couldn't see past the ever-dense bamboo in front of you. "Great. Now I'm alone."  However, after you said that you felt a glare directed towards you as you looked up to see the hat glaring at you. "Sorry about that hat buddy. Well, no point in standing around, let's get going!" You said as you started walking in a random direction.

After traversing endless amounts of bamboo, you eventually came across a large mansion hidden deep within the forest. Getting closer you could hear the sound of something being pounded. As you came closer to the noise you began to hear voices that were singing.

"The first strike is for Lord Daikoku~ The second strike is for Lord Daikoku~" Finally arriving at the sources of the singing you came across something shocking. Standing in front of you were a bunch of rabbit girls. They were all working together to make mochi as you watched with interest.

"Rabbit girls? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, I mean Momiji was a wolf. How is Momiji anyways? I should go and check on her." You said to yourself as you slowly got closer. Hearing the sound of you stepping on the leaves and other forest things one of the rabbits turned her attention to you.