The feeling of someone nearby drew the goddess's attention immediately. Curiosity reined more than caution. After all, she was in her world, in the height of her power in the doldrums of summer? Clearly not this new mortal. Still, best not to frighten him more than necessary. Slipping quietly his way, she listened to his call.

Unfamiliar accent. Gaijin. Probably caught up by the evil here, certainly not tied to it. That much was clear, no youkai would work with a foreigner.

There was only one course of action a being of any worth could take, and that was to try and help extricate him from this unharmed.

"Yes! Are you injured? Do you need assistance?"

Planet? Not what she expected to hear, but alright.

"Earth. You're on Earth. Were you expecting to be elsewhere?"

Saori, sensing his confusion based on nothing but his facial expressions stepped out of her hiding spot, coming more fully into view. And to a man from the Republic, she couldn't be dressed more strangely. A long, reddish-gold hakama who's simplicity was offset by the elaborate kimono top of the same gold hue, the war color of ancient Shikoku. At her waist were two ornate sword hilts, one shorter by a large margin, and across her back was slung an oddly curved bow and quiver. An obvious warrior, despite her delicate looks.

"Spaceport? I'm afraid there's nothing of the sort here, sir. I...do not think I even know what a spaceport is."

"Noshima Island," she replies, looking from him to the skeletons. There were no emanations of evil coming off him, no lingering sense of taint, nothing. Just...mortal.

"It isn't safe here. This forest is haunted, and growing worse by the day. Please, come with me. We can make it back to the village before nightfall."

Open honesty and quiet surety are apparent in her voice, she means no harm and only wants to help. A stranger, obviously addled by some sort of blow to the head, deserves her help.

"I'm afraid not," she answers with a shake of her head.

She starts off towards the village, going slowly in case he was more hurt than he appeared. Nightfall was closing in though, the shadows growing long in the twilight. The bones cast an eerie shadow along the ground, odd misshapen lumps of blackness all but burned into the earth. The trees creak and groan as they walk, but not a leaf rustles, nor a branch snaps under their feet.

Saori, unable to stand the dreadful, oppressive silence speaks, though her tone is low. Disturbing this could bring unnecessary trouble down on them.

"What should I call you? I am Saori."

"Atton Rand." She nods, accepting the name. Foreigners had such strange names.

It's not far to the village at least, though it's equally less comforting. Old, rusted huts of corrugated tin line the outer ring, covered in rotting fish-nets and broken tools. A thin rime of salt covers anything not covered down, a gift from the sea that leaves quite a sheen to everything in the gathering twilight. There are no lights in any windows save one, a large building in the center of town. A cabin really, though it appears to be some sort of bed and breakfast. At least, that's what the sign says.

"Inside, quickly" Saori murmurs as she picks up her pace. "I've made this building safe from the corruption."

Yuuna's approach drew a faint smile from the goddess, who stepped a bit to one side so her friend could join her. She hadn't really wanted to bring her, always wanting to spare her the sight of death and decay, but when she'd insisted there was little Saori could do. Warnings of danger wouldn't work, begging her to stay and be safe would only be met with louder protests, and an order to remain behind would've been disobeyed without a thought. If joined, she protectively wrapped an arm around Yuuna's waist, glaring at the island as if it might dare try and take her away.

"I don't feel any of the other Myojin, no. It could be spirits, or Youkai. Maybe a death-kami gone mad. But until we can get there, I won't be sure."

As soon as she said that, the boat began to slow for it's final approach, ready to let the two women disembark. The captain's furtive glances were enough to tell Saori that he wanted to be rid of them and heading far away from Noshima. It had a reputation even in this day and age, after all. A fishing village with the highest suicide rate on Shikoku, but with rich shoals of a strange, dark fish it still had settlers.

"Dearest, please be careful. Don't stray too far from my side, not here."

Saori steps off the boat, arm linked with her lover's in a protective manner. She promised herself that she wouldn't let anything happen to her, though she knew the woman well enough that asking Yuuna to return to the mainland would be met with fiery resistance. And honestly, having the woman there was motivation enough for her to be careful in her own right to avoid placing undue strain on Yuuna. That, and she had the heart of a tiger when she needed it.

The docks were deserted, several boats covered in rust and oil stains just listing aimlessly in the early afternoon sun. Rotten fishing nets hung from the rigging of several, and a thick fog covered much of the island. The sun felt dimmer to the goddesses eyes too, that cloying fog blotting much of it out.

"I...do not know how far, dearest. But this place certainly feels...wrong, does it not? I think the problem may be rooted deeper in the island than the village, but that does not mean we shouldn't investigate there first. Information, and a map of the island would be best."

Slowly she started off down the dock towards town, her Hello Kitty shirt and skirt swishing as she walked. Hardly an imposing figure, Saori thought it best to keep her divine nature under wraps with her weapons carefully tucked away in the enchanted fabric.

"We mustn't split up. I do not want to lose sight of you here. If something happened, I would not know what to do."

Saori steps quickly, not letting go of Yuuna's arm, up the dirt path towards the little fishing village. Behind them the boat speeds away, the captain clearly anxious. An ominous omen, that. Testily, she sniffs the air, but she already knew Yuuna was right.

"It does. That...sickly sweet smell, it's almost overpowering the salt spray. It's like something is rotting, but there's still life here."

The road led them through an arbor arch, withered, gnarled trees lining it. The branches scraped along each other in the sea-breeze, giving the impression of knives being sharpened. Though it was summer, few had leaves, and many were plainly dying. No birds sang, and there was a fetid stillness in the humid air. The goddesses eyes watched everywhere at once, and even her calm exterior seemed to crack somewhat, unlinking arms with Yuuna only to slide one around her waist.

"I truly do not like the feel of this island. It is tainted, no matter what Uncle says. You can feel it too, can't you?"

Feeling the tension in her partner, Saori gave her a reassuring squeeze and a gentle kiss on the cheek. They'd face whatever it was together, and that was that. There was no evil that would drive them apart. And Yuuna needed to know that.

That question, though. That chilled her to the bone. Could he be stirring? Was it possible?

"I did not. I was in America. But I think it unlikely," Saori gave a little shrug. She wasn't confident that it wasn't possible, but saying the words? Giving voice to the idea? No, that would be a sure way to make it true. She didn't like telling even a half-truth, not to Yuuna, but worrying her like that? Quickly, she adds "It's probably just some ghosts."

But she's not so sure about that.

Saori smiles, grateful that Yuuna's taking it all so lightly. That easygoing, gentle demeanor was such a huge part of why the goddess had been so taken with woman, though the optimism and ability to say just the right thing were a close second. And it gave her an idea. If the island could be cleansed...

A thought for later, when the problems were solved.

A train of thought that dies as the little town comes into view. Corrugated metal buildings complete with tin roofs, ramshackle old houses with rotting boards, frayed fishing nets, and a distinctive lack of decoration mark it as poor, but that's not what grabs her attention. It's the lack of sound and the thick mist that rings the entire settlement. Nothing. Not so much as a bird twittering, the hum of electric lights, or even water running.

Saori strides straight into the village, looking around and reaching out with her senses. Empty! Completely empty! But the Inugami had reported people just yesterday morning...which meant that something was off. Terribly off. And then it hits her. A wave of noxious fumes, a sucking quagmire of foul air wafting from the forest. Something...just filthy.

"Yuuna. We need to get inside. Now!"

She points towards a building labeled Nojima Island Bed And Breakfast a few paces away and hurries towards it!

Grateful that Yuuna had just done as commanded, Saori whirls on the door and begins to flash her fingers in warding signs. North, South, East, West, she snaps her fingers in the motions of a spell, chanting quietly and nearly unintelligibly. Ma, Fa, Sa, Wa, Rin, Po, Ko, Myo and finally points upwards and snaps her fingers, activating the ward. Just in time to feel something thump against the doorframe with bone-jarring force.

Breathing a heavy sigh, the goddess sinks down onto the stairs, running a hand through her hair.

"That. Was close." She takes a moment to collect herself before going on. "That stink in the air, did you feel it? That's what took the people here. Spirits, probably twisted by the taint here."

Oh Earth and Stars, that could have been bad. Very, very bad.