Evening Wonderland [Private]

[Akechi]

”Or something like that… I get a bit too passionate sometimes…” It wasn’t just that either. The nostalgia seemed to be getting the better of him as he answered the woman’s question of what he’d put in his room. His mind seemed to wander back through the vein of time, forcing him to see images of a life that he chose to bury along with his old self. While the girl seemed to simply survive for the sake of survival, Akechi survived and would continue to survive until he finally avenged the name of his family. It was the primary difference between the two outcasts as they stood in this vacant room. However, though Ashuri may have been a bit older than Akechi, her life could still be shaped into something decidedly more positive. Primal instincts were all that the girl was taught but Akechi aimed to teach her more, and allow her to decide what to do with her knowledge on her own. He could only hope that she would reach the conclusion that he had.

The world was filled with conflicting beliefs, passions, and goals. During a conflict, there was simply winners or losers, which could only be decided with wars and battles fought by those that found themselves at the bottom of the food chain. It was the very fabric of this world as it was now. One that could only be changed by forceful intervention. It was ironic. Fixing a violent world through more violence, but it was the only conclusion that Akechi had come to. The world had to be destroyed so that he could build it anew…

”Hahaha. I don’t think using me as a wall decoration would be very fun for me,” he laughed, a bit uncomfortably as the little lady pressed him against the wall. She was a bit literal in her meanings, but perhaps it was just a joke. Or something innocent… hopefully. ”Exactly! Pocky and Shiro are a great start!” He commented with a pet on the head. Both were outstanding choices, and anything was better than the “Akechi” accessory for the wall. Not just that but it also meant that she was content with not being dependent on a doll to convey her feelings. It was symbolic of a childhood ending… a symbol of a girl that wanted to shed her innocence and truly mature into a fully-fledged adult. That was the problem with shinobi these days. They tended to become shinobi before they had even completed their maturation into adults. The result was a bunch of overaggressive, mindless warriors with supernatural powers being told to “point and shoot.” In a way, it kept them dumb and easy to manipulate…

”Great. We’ll get started once I get some supplies then. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever build a home here but then again… maybe I’ll build a home for us everywhere we go.” He smiled, nodding his head in her direction, casually matching her smile with one that rivaled her as far as sincerity. Though her eyes remained somewhat expressionless, he knew that she meant her words, and the emotions that came with them. Honestly, if someone told him that he’d meet a young girl that felt disenfranchised from the world and seemingly lost within her own mind, and that he’d be the one to give her strength, he simply would’ve laughed his ass off. Akechi never imagined himself the person. But maybe this was what the world needed. Perhaps the power to understand one another was all that was needed to resolve most disputes, establish mutually beneficial relationships, and build a special type of camaraderie with another person. The mere concept of understanding someone was all that was needed to build a much better, gentler world for the future. It was an interesting concept, one that would undoubtedly shape the young man’s path as he moved forward.

”So there were trials? And you survived? You really are strong to have survived such a tragedy… I’m sorry you went through that.” He solemnly commented, finding fault with the world that she had been born into. Just what type of people would do that to children? How thirsty for power or science did a person have to be in order to delve so deep into such dark practices? Despite the all of the benefits being able to control such a power would offer, who would believe that it was worth the lives of innocent children? Monsters. The monsters that inhabited this world. ”No. It wasn’t fair.” He grew more and more angry as the girl went along with her story, even to the point where the awkwardness of her sniffing him seemed to be pushed to the back of mind. These people shouldn’t have been allowed to live after such transgressions. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair.

”Because what I did was small and selfish.” Killing those men gave him the satisfaction that he needed to cope with the loss of his clan. However, that feeling of ecstasy and jubilation was fleeting; passing almost as quickly as it came. It wasn’t enough. Revenge would never be enough. ”If it can’t, then is it wrong for me to dream of a world where we could understand what is fair to each other? Is it wrong for me to want to--” Ok. Something of importance was to be said here but Ashuri had started to lick him…

The first didn’t bother him but the third and fourth…

”Hey Ashuri-chan… Why are you licking me? Is something the matter? Maybe… hungry?” Akechi didn’t want to come out and say it, but he was worried that she had thoughts on taking bits of his flesh. Honestly, he didn’t want to be on her menu and if she was hungry then it would be time to get her some nourishment.

[OOC: Sorry that took so long. I’ve had a really stressful week but I’m working on getting more active. I should be steady now.]

 

[Akechi]

[Inactivity Leave - I know life is crazy for ya right now. Just let me know when you wanna start up again!!!]

 

[Muramasa Maya]

Ah yes...the thought of building a home with Akechi sounded enjoyable, and with him and the warmth he offered so close to her, For that brief moment, she truly felt like the happiest girl with everything she wanted. She didn't think that the world Akechi wanted was possible, and if it was, that it wouldn't be a world she could live in. On the otherhand, she wanted to believe Akechi was right; or rather, didn't want Akechi to be saddened by being wrong. "...Ugh..." Her voice hesitated; her mind wavering between wanting and not wanting to speak her mind. Nevertheless, her face revealed signs of doubt that dwelled in her mind...and the enjoyment.

She felt butterflies floating in her belly as her sharp teeth gently grazed the skin, steadily finding a good spot due to some carnivorous instinct within her, anticipation building as her mouth closed to strengthen the pressure...Until focus and clarity returned to her spacey, dull eyes, stopping her teeth just before they would break skin. And her reaction?

"I didn't lick you."...She said, telling an outright lie even as she pulled herself away from him and straitened herself u. She was silent for a few moments before deciding that well...that wouldn't really cut it. Best to save face. "...On purpose..." She added. She only meant to follow that warm scent of his that was alluring to her, although likely would have gone further in the heat of the moment had she not been interrupted. It was nearly hypnotic, actually.

Guilt built up inside her. Akechi was her friend, and off-limits. "...I think its time for...umm...dinner. I don't want to wait until I look uglier like a zombie..." She spoke. Her body was already at the point where it stopped healing larger wounds, such as beneath her scarf on her neck...pretty soon, her body would use itself for its nutrients.

"...Akechi...I'd like it if...you would keep me company? I don't want to be alone when I...hunt. At least the first time. After that, I won't be...nervous." She fidgeted in place, eying over Akechi and assessing his condition. He had strained himself after already helping her today; asking anymore out of him gave her a sense of guilt, and yet...his presence helped ease her tension. In actuality, she could probably manage to eat someone without much trouble if she closed her eyes and imagined otherwise. Especially if it tasted as good as her memories recalled. It was the process of actually going out to, well, find someone that really intimidated her. She couldn't say she actually ever hunted a person down before...So knowing Akechi was with her would bring her a sense of comfort.

"If not...I can go alone...and you can sleep to recover...You can sleep here..." She continued. Her expression during her request was unfittingly shy, almost the equivalent to a little kid wanting to play with her crush. "...Or at least let me know if there is anyone you don't like around here? I don't know who I should...use. There isn't anyone that I'd want to hurt..." She gazed out the empty sqaure in the wall that was meant to eventually become a window, unable to bring herself to face Akechi while requesting him.

"...By the way...I want you to be right. I want Akechi to see his world one day that you think is fair." Was she trying to win him over? Maybe; she had always been a crafty one. But nevertheless, even if the timing was suspect, it really was a sincere truth that she hoped for, even if she doubted herself capable of ever being "fair".

[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

”Maybe I’ve said too much. After all, I’ve seen what the inside of her mind is like. Talking about my dreams will only confuse her now,” Akechi said to himself, his reddened eyes looking weakly looking over toward the small girl that latched herself on his arm. It wasn’t that he doubted the girl’s potential for compassion, but the fact that she hadn’t experienced the outside world in so long meant that she didn’t know what that meant. She had never personally experienced compassion before now. Ashuri wouldn’t have been able to properly understand the concept of selfless compassion. It was understandable. It was only natural. Only through progression could she learn such a selfless trait, and even then she had to accept that trait into her being. It would be a choice that she’d have to make at that time, and it would be a choice that only she would be able to make.

”You damn near bit my arm off.” He mumbled, awkwardly grinning as the girl’s sharp teeth loosened grip on the man’s arm. This wasn’t going to be easy. The girl’s body yearned for nourishment, to the point where instinct had begun to take over. Thankfully, Ashuri was able to stave off this insatiable appetite for flesh momentarily, but Akechi knew that she would only be able to do so temporarily. Eventually, her instinct would take over, and all control that the girl exhibited would disappear. ”A zombie?” The image of Ashuri walking around as a flesh eating zombie was a bit too vivid an imagination. He could see it in her eyes. He saw it in her dreams. This was one of those times where a “joke” embodied much of the truth. Terrifying to think about… ”I wouldn’t want you to denigrate into that. So it sounds like we need to find you some suitable nourishment.”

He felt weird saying that, especially because he knew what she meant by “keeping her company.” Akechi would have to watch over the girl while she hunted someone down and devoured them. However, he would be irresponsible not to realize that this was now his reality as much as it was hers. He took her under his wing and made the girl his responsibility, so he was responsible for the girl’s well-being. ”I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Akechi responded, smiling as he walked over behind the Ashuri and patted her on the top of her head. This wasn’t a situation that Ashuri should’ve had to go through alone and from now on she wouldn’t have to. Reaching into his pocket and removing a small box from it, Akechi shoved a single stick of pocky into his mouth as he looked over toward the window that she had smashed out of when they first met. ”My only rule is to avoid mothers and children. Anyone else is fair game,” he responded, surprising himself with a response that condemned pretty much all others outside of those parameters. ”Is there a specific type that you desire more than the other?” Again, the Uchiha felt weird asking but it was information he should know. It allowed him a bit of insight into how she “hunted.”

”Thank you.” Akechi said simply, not knowing if the girl was sincere in her response or not, but appreciative of her sentiment all the same.

 

[Muramasa Maya]

"Zombies aren't pretty wives..." She spoke with a dull, spacey smile. Her expressions were distant, as if she were only somewhat present in reality...but nevertheless, she was happy, even if her expressions were weak. He didn't seem angry at her biting him, either...although she didn't really want to test it, fearing the consequences. That being said, it was almost like seeing a fire alarm that shouldn't be touched...he was tempting.

"Hhmm-mmm." Left Right Left Right. She shook her dark hair covered head; Ashuri had never been a picky eater before, and didn't particularly have any preference at this point, other that having Akechi's reassuring presence near her as she settled into her newly awakened lifestyle. "....I don't really care who it is..."

"...Hmm...But kids are smaller and aren't too big...Its bad to waste food..." The stitched together girl wondered; even if she felt like she could eat an elephant, she had no clue as to how much she really needed. Back when she was little, she recalled questioning her mother why people eat animals, and being told of the difference between killing them for food and killing them for no reason; so she'd prefer if there was as little...leftovers....as possible. (Or I can sew someone back together...I think I can do it if they hold still...) In which case, she only needed alittle here and there...

Eitherway, after a few moments, she nodded her head slowly, accepting Akechi's rules. "...Okay. I won't go after mothers or children." Mothers...it'd be too sad if someone was separated from their mother. (...I never told mama goodbye...) The thought made Ashuri feel...empty. If she had known she would have one day ended up like this, then she wished she never cared in the first place. "...I think if you can't keep something you love, it'd be better not to love them at all...It feels bad to not have someone you love. I don't like missing someone..."...Love just made her feel anguish at a later point.

She shook her head and moved to the window, not wanting to stand and dwell on distant memories. It was funny; she had no memories until just recently, but now ironically wanted to avoid some of them. Climbing out of the window, she turned to divert her own memories with her companions; "...Do you miss your mother or father, Akechi?..." She questioned, picking up a piece of debris that littered the alleyway of the abandoned building and hurling over the rooftops in some random direction of her choosing. "...We'll look around wherever it landed....Or do you think its better to look for someone farther away? It'll be hard to carry someone home...or maybe I should stay were they are..." She questioned, slowly walking towards the exit of the alley and the start of the evening nightlife, tightly gripping her, no, —Sawako's— favorite pair of scissors in her small hand.

[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

”Not at all.” He laughed, turning toward the girl after lifting himself off of the wall. It was ironic that he would laugh about such a morbid situation though. After all, he was about to go against his own nature because of a promise that he had just made to the girl. Akechi didn’t see himself as a murderer, and now he would probably become just that to protect the girl’s secret. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make it ‘easy’ for them to move around under the radar. The ruse of being relatively innocuous would be impossible to keep up while the body count rose due to Ashuri’s questionable diet and insatiable appetite. Things may not have been the same after this moment.

His Sharingan eyes glanced down at her as she spoke, listening to her worrisome words as she explained her preference of the humans she called ’food.’ It surprised him to hear it though it really shouldn’t have, especially after the world he saw through her perspective. Ashuri devoured human flesh as a means of survival rather than taste. She was indiscriminate when it came to a preference as well. It scared him to know that she was just as likely to take down a criminal that had raped and killed, just as much as she would pick an infant from the stroller of an unsuspecting mother. Though she claimed to desire it, Ashuri’s eyes were devoid of the same passion and compassion that Akechi’s eyes held. Emotion powered the Uchiha, and it seemed that Ashuri’s abilities were powered by a lack of that emotion. Perhaps, she could learn to have true, genuine emotions one day. Not that she didn’t already but Akechi wondered how much of the emotions truly remained below the surface.

”It’s better to love and have lost than it is to never love at all.” Akechi commented, softly landing behind the girl after making another leap outside of her bedroom window. Ashuri wouldn’t kill defy his rules while she was around him, but Akechi wondered just how serious she’d adhere to such rules when he was gone. ”That pain is necessary in life, Ashuri. That pain is what binds us together, and helps us understand one another. It’s why I told you avoid mothers or children, if possible. Do you want to be responsible for needlessly taking away what someone loved the most? ” He simply wanted to encourage to think a bit differently, and find a way to live outside of just pure instinct.

”Everyday.” Akechi responded resentfully, decidedly short in his response. After all, life as he knew it changed on that day where they died. ”Sure. Let’s look where it landed.” Random. Too random. Perhaps this wasn’t the best idea. Too late now though…

”Remember the rules, Ashuri-san.”

 

[Muramasa Maya]

”It’s better to love and have lost than it is to never love at all”, he said. And Ashuri's head tilted; a small quirk of hers that she did when she was puzzled. To her, she understood that Akechi's strength seemed to come from embracing pain and triumphing over it; he claimed it was key to the world he desired. Embracing it was good and brought people together, but causing it was bad; it was a concept that was difficult for her to understand, but something she truly was curious about. Perhaps her ideal "run away and avoid it" when it came to facing whatever "pain" it may have been was her own weakness or cowardice...But Ashuri did not want to be either of those.

...Not that it made comprehending something that seemed "pointless" to her easier to understand. "....."

What was simple to understand though, were the clear rules he had given her; "No children. No mothers. I won't pick either of them..." She repeated Akechi's rules aloud. Two rules, which should be easy enough for her to follow. If it meant Akechi's support, then it was a simple enough tradeoff for the girl...But that did mean she would be left with people most likely bigger than her, which did play against her insecurity of others.

Ashuri's stepped throughout the end of the alley, gazing along the streets in search of where the telltale stone had fallen. After a brief scan, she realized it must have gone abit further, across the street; it was quite the throw considering how skinny and fragile her arms had appeared. But then again, she was built out of...sturdier stuff than normal people. Crossing the street, the dark haired girl suddenly halted in place; her eyes keening in like a hawks to her prize. "...I found it..." She spoke, pointing her finger to the second story of a building, with a relatively new-looking shattered window. "...I think I threw the rock in the window...But there's people on the street...I don't really like it when other people could watch me...Going through the back of the house will be better..."

Thus, she made her way to the path along the side of the house, peeking through the dark windows as she passed by them. There were no lights to be seen from the outside despite the dusk, but yet the sneaking genin didn't show any signs of giving up in search of a more "promising" location; she took soft steps to enter the backyard; a small patio with a fence around it for privacy. There was no one around, so Ashuri turned her attention to an open window on the second floor; a hop or two and dextrous chakra-enhanced climbing allowed her to scale into the window easily with her small figure.

...And though she entered quickly, even excitedly, she halted once her eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the room. "...!!..." Facing the direction of the open window was a long-haired figure, sitting upright in a bed, as if having just woken up. Soft features, a gentle face with a concerned look that focused, but did not see, in the direction of the window. And as if she were still asleep, her eyes remained shut to the world around her.

"Nee-sama? I thought you said you would be coming home late tonight. It is not like you to play a prank on me." She spoke, in a voice almost as quiet as Ashuri's herself, but much more...gentle. Soft. Serene. Or, as Ashuri comprehended it; weak. But even so, Ashuri's tense body did not loosen; her grip on her scissors were tight, and she slowly turned to look behind her, hoping that Akechi was nearby. As if awaiting his support...But then took a step forwards. Slowly. To get a better view of this girl in bed. Before Ashuri spoke, the girl again continued; her ears focusing on the soft, quite tap of Ashuri's steps.

"I heard something break just now. I was worried nee-sama may have gotten hurt, but....you aren't her, are you? Your steps are light, as if you were being cautious." She commented, "observing" without seeing. A feat that seemed to perplex the small intruder; "...How come you don't turn on the lights...so you can see better?" Ashuri asked, genuinely perplexed as to way this girl would not simply open her eyes and look in her room. "I am afraid no amount of light will help me see better. When we were young, my sister and I were training...she lost control of a lightning technique, and I was hit in the face. It was the last light my eyes ever saw."

"...So you're not a child anymore?" The girl spoke. The bedridden maiden shook her head with a fragile smile "*Giggle* Oh no...Nee-sama has grown to become a strong lady that I am proud of. And myself...I can only hope to be someone who can support her in any way I can."

Predictably, her question was followed by another; "...Are you a mother?" Ashuri asked, her voice steadily gaining confidence; or perhaps that was just the side effect of her breathing gradually accelerating. "I am not. I am unable to care for myself, let alone be a mother...And I fear that nee-sama may be too caring for me, even if it means she sacrifices some of her own happiness. But being able to call myself the aunt of nee-sama's children one day would fill me happiness comparable to any other."

Seemingly at ease now, Ashuri slowly sar at the edge of the blind girl's bed....watching her. Her eyes never left the blind girl as she moved. Gauging her reaction. "....My friend has really pretty eyes. They're special....You probably don't think thats fair, do you?" Ashuri said...And yet, the sickly brunette smiled. ""Fairness" is a funny thing...While I'm sure there are many more fortunate than I, I also know that I am blessed to be have a sister such as nee-san. And I am sure that you're friend has beautiful eyes. Tell me...Is your friend here? Are you here, friend-who-has-pretty-eyes? What are you, and this girl who I'm sure is cute, doing visiting here tonight? If it is something valuable, I am afraid nee-sama and I cannot offer much." The young woman asked out into the room, wary of the intruders despite her kind words and patience.

Ashuri watched her for a few moments....before turning to face Akechi and tilting her head. "...Is she it? She's not a child. Or a mother." Her dull grey eyes locked towards her companion, awaiting his judgement after finding someone who met his criteria.

[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

”Good. I’m glad,” Akechi responded as the girl as they pressed forward, stalking the rock that the small girl had tossed as if it were the actual victim. Honestly, he had a bad feeling about the rules that he had made. He wanted her to act with some form of compassion, but he didn’t want to give her a rulebook on what she should and shouldn’t hunt. That would’ve been a bit too complicated. However, as it stood now, he may have oversimplified things quite a bit. As Ashuri repeated his terms, the Uchiha felt a strong tinge of pain in his gut. She would follow his rules to the letter, taking everything that he said at face value rather than the message that he intended to portray. ”There, huh?” He commented dispassionately, staring up into the window of someone who was to become a victim of a gluttonous flesh eating girl. Could he truly stomach such an event?

Moving quietly through the night, Akechi followed Ashuri through a nearby alley, watching as she jumped into a window that led toward the bedroom where the victim was resting. Ashuri showed no hesitation as she invaded someone’s home with intent on killing them to satisfy her hunger. Akechi, on the other hand, hesitated quite a bit. He had never killed a person under these circumstances, and the involuntary nervous fidgets harkened back toward his very first kill as a shinobi. Was this truly something that he desired? Was there anything that he could do if he decided not to allow this to happen? He stood in silence as he heard the faint sounds of the two girls’ talking to one another. ”I have to. I have to see it through.” Leaping into the window and landing softly within the girl’s home, Akechi continued to listen to the girls as they spoke briefly to one another.

Though he had only entered for a few moments, Akechi could tell that they were stalking a blind woman. The dimly lit room, the face of an innocent woman with closed eyes, and also the heightened senses that had evolved to cope with her loss of sight. He remained silent, even as the girl cautiously asked what reason they had for their intrusion. She was right to be skeptical of them. After all, they had just broken into her home. However, it wasn’t for the reason that she described…

It was for something far more precious… probably what was most precious of all…

”She is neither. So I guess you wouldn’t be breaking the rules.” She wouldn’t be breaking his rules, after all. This unnamed, unsuspecting girl was no mother or child, but she was a sister… someone did love her very much. ”But. Should you? Should someone’s life end when they have done nothing wrong? When given the choice, which you have, shouldn’t you target someone who is guilty of something terrible rather than someone who is not?”

Which would she choose though?

”But she doesn’t break the rules so the choice IS yours.”

 

[Muramasa Maya]

"...Hmm. If I had a choice...I would want to choose someone who is guilty. But..." She paused, looking nearly as confused as the blind girl. "..."
*Looked to the left*....*Looked to the right*...*Looked at Akechi*...
"...There's no one else here..." She confirmed the situation. She didn't think Akechi was bad, and didn't really feel motivated to attempt to eat herself. As far as she knew, that left the girl as the only option; leaving in search of others when someone she had already considered someone "hers" never even came to her demented mind.

"...You're complicated...But okay. She doesn't have to die. I won't kill her." She agreed, not really understanding him but instead agreeing for the sake of agreeing. However; the compromise that occurred to her was likely quite abit different than the lesson Akechi may have tried to teach her. Ashuri made no moves of backing off from the girl.

...Though She wasn't exactly sure how to go about it if someone was alive; it wasn't like opening a box of pocky or something. Her first thoughts would have been to kill the girl, and stop her from moving or struggling; that would have helped Ashuri calm herself. But...she felt that doing so would have disappointed Akechi, who had told her that "Life was precious", but also wanted her to live and be strong. She didn't want to kill the girl...if only so that she wouldn't "disappoint" Akechi. She wasn't sure what he wanted...He was really complicated and hard for her to understand (Although, she herself was perhaps just "too simple")

Not being sure what Akechi wanted, it lead to her own inner confusion as to what she wanted. She knew she was hungry...So, she found herself thinking; what would Kuroyuki, that dark vixen within her, have done? She was strong, and sure of herself...Someone Ashuri admired. "...Kuroyuki does, what Kuroyuki wants." She muttered. Although she was curious and tried to find sense in everything, perhaps it was best to just...do rather than think.

And do she did. "...This might hurt alittle bit. So...I'm sorry..." She spoke, crawling across the bed to lean over the blind girl, grasping at her frail shoulder with one hand, and covering her mouth with another...leaning forwards to smell the girl. "....I'm sorry, I don't underst-mmmph! Ummph!" Ashuri believed that if she could get in touch with the same feeling that she felt with Akechi, then it would be much simpler to go about, well, eating her. Of course, the blind girl, as gentle and serene as she was, tried her best not to remain quiet; "Mmmmph, Aaarmph...Ohnaah-shannn!...". Alas, her resistance only served to increase Ashuri's newly-awakened predatory instinct; her usual empty look turned into a genuine smile of excitement, visible for only a brief moment before her head fell upon the girl's upper arm like the striking of a snake. *Nom*

"....Uggh!...Why...I'm sorry.....Mphh...Nee-sama..." For awhile, the girl struggled and tried to yell, even managing a few painful shouts, and it was difficult for Ashuri to multitask between restraining her and actually eating. Even if she was stronger than someone her size should be, she was still small, and holding someone back while preoccupied was...unwieldy. "...Please...stop...moving!" The dark haired girl eventually growled, clumsily attempting to choke the blind girl without actually strangling her; and Ashuri realized; She didn't remember how to incapacitate someone without killing them. So she struggled, was messy, and clumsy. "....Mmmph..." She mumbled. She wanted to turn around and ask Akechi for help...but she also wanted to do this herself. His presence was enough.

At somepoint in the longer-than-it-had-to-be struggle, Ashuri banged the girl's head against the wall, until she was out cold with a broken nose...but nevertheless alive, and unmoving, so that Ashuri could do what she needed to do, limitting herself to only the girl's arm. Just one arm.
Crimson liquid ran down the her pale skin during her macabre meal; she had started slow, unsure of herself, but eventually gained confidence. And with every bite, she could feel it, the girl's life in her hands. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump "...Ahh...I can...*nom*...hear..*lick*..her heart...*chew*..." Ashuri spoke as she ate. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. It sounded so close, yet so far...the girl felt the desire to reach out, wanted to touch upon the girl's heart. To caress it, to feel the warmth of its rapid beating, to calm it, to ease it...And most of all..."I...I want to eat a heart...I bet its squishy and soft...no bones..." The thought suddenly came into existence in her mind; it made her feel dizzy, actually; even hungrier! Imagining it made a shiver crawl down her small, stitched-together back...It made her not care about killing the girl, not care if her sister arrived before she had finished, not care about...well, anything.

"...*Chew* Ahh...Akechi...can I share...with you? Its...better than it seems...", she spoke while both blushing and peeling out a piece of the forearm; thankfully she brought them, because her scissors helped separate pieces that were too tough for her teeth. Alas, now her "good" dress was covered in bits of flesh and crimson...it was a messy meal...

 

[Akechi]

“But.”

Nothing good ever comes from a statement that reaffirms a belief of another and followed by that one magic work. “But.” It foreshadowed the beginning of something terrible. Akechi could feel it in his bones as the girl spoke, an ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach as she looked around. “There’s no one else here,” the girl spoke slowly as if she were giving herself the confirmation that she needed to move forward with her plan. Honestly, this was what Akechi wanted her to do. Make decisions for herself, and learn to live for herself. However, this was not what he had intended. An innocent, blind girl that was unable to protect herself and fight back in the face of danger. Ashuri was every bit as demented as Kuroyuki was, but in a completely different way. Just what did he get himself into?

”…” The words simply didn’t come to him as Ashuri agreed that she wouldn’t kill the innocent girl. He could tell from the tone of her voice and the change into her predator persona that she still desired the girl’s flesh for dinner. Words couldn’t describe the horror that he felt as he noticed the change in the girl. It was the moment that her dull, lifeless eyes suddenly became full of life and youthful exuberance. Though she often smiled as Akechi spoke, he could tell that there was a lack of emotion behind those smiles. Now, she looked truly excited at the mere thought of devouring this innocent girl. She was salivating over her meal as she suddenly jumped on the bed and covered the girl’s mouth.

”…!” He could hear every muffled scream as she clung on to her life, every snap of her bones as Ashuri separated them from one another and started to “eat,” and the loud thump as her head bounced off of the wall. It was terrible but he couldn’t stop watching. No… more like he forced himself to watch what he had caused. It was because he allowed Ashuri the individual freedom to choose how she fed allowed this event to unfold. He gave her the freedom to choose, and this was what Ashuri did with that freedom. It sickened him to his stomach and he hated himself for it, but this was the burden that he chose to shoulder. It was a task that he didn’t take lightly.

One hand raised to the top of his head as he continued to force himself to witness this atrocity. Ashuri even began to speak as she ate. Why, O why did she have to speak? It really was grotesque. Worse than that even. Blood gushed from the wounds as Ashuri continued, still with no compassion or anything aside from joy and excitement in her eyes…

”No.” He said simply, his body slowly moving toward the girl and her “meal.” The talk of her heart still beating made it clear what he had to do. ”No more pain or suffering. Go to a better place.” The man murmured, removing a small blade from one of his pockets and slitting the girl’s throat, at least relieving the girl of any pain that she felt. ”You shouldn’t leave her alive if you are going to do this to her. Her suffering is unbearable to me.” His voice and facial expression matched a look Ashuri’s face normally took to. He was expressionless, his eyes devoid of real emotion…

”We should go soon. Her sister shouldn’t…”

 

[Muramasa Maya]

It really did feel good; the nourishment of this blind girl's blood, her body, flowing through Ashuri's starved body. Even despite the fact that her first meal had been on a frail, blind girl who's skinny arm didn't offer much meat, it had still been nourishing. That being said...if she had been able to predict Akechi's next actions, she wouldn't have ever taken the trouble to limit herself to a single arm in the first place.

*Head tilted to the side* ".....*chew*...." She was silent-ish. Staring. Watching.
Always watching.
Her eyes cast their gaze upon Akechi as the small knife he produced danced across the soft, tender flesh of the girl's neck, spewing forth the same dark liquid that she had been smeared across Ashuri's face (like a child who had been energetically eating melted chocolate). In her dull, faded view of the world, Ashuri discovered that crimson hue of blood was the strongest and most vivid color.

Her eyes gazed up to Akechi's, seeing what she could only understand as "not praise". Ashuri felt empowered; proud of herself even, but did not see the same reaction reflected in Akechi's eyes. Incomprehensible. Akechi himself had said this girl was not guilty, yet then he himself decided to end this girl's "suffering". Did that mean that suffering triumphed over life? That it was powerful enough to be worth ending over it? That is what Ashuri was understanding from Akechi's action.

"...I suffered...You suffered...We both suffered and lived. I didn't kill her. She was going to live, too." Stare. "I knocked her out...I don't think she would feel anything while she was out." She unsympathetically continued. Then again, it had been awhile since Ashuri had slept; she could only barely recall what it had been like in the first place. Perhaps the girl did feel pain, but...it was meaningless to dwell on it now, so she she turned her attention elsewhere.

Or rather, back to her; she lain the girl on her bed, and began a sequence of pulling and tucking to wrap the still-warm body of the girl admits her own sheets and blankets. Like a cocoon. Or a snack wrap. While she worked on her project, she spoke to the the likely pale man in the room with her; "....Are you upset with me?" She questioned, not wanting to face him. She wasn't sure what to feel; she had wanted to be complimented by Akechi, and had wanted him to share her first meal so she could have something in common with him. And yet, even though both hadn't occurred, she still didn't regret her choice; it had felt good to her, to the point where she was halftempted to pull open the sheets to continue where she had left off.
How could something like that have been wrong? It was too keep herself strong, to live for herself. Surely, the girl would have plucked someones eyes if it gave her the ability to see, wouldn't she?

Perhaps...Akechi was wrong to look as he did. It could still be a good choice, even without his approval.

"....I want to take her with me...since she's not needed here anymore. I don't think I'll have to eat again for awhile." She spoke, tying a knot in the sheets and hoisting her off the bed with some (alot) of difficulty. Fortunately, her blanket had been a dark color, preventing them from being as brightly stained as the white sheets..."....We can go home now. I'm glad you came with me..." She spoke. Although, perhaps it'd be best if she worked alone next time. Akechi's look....troubled her. Perhaps she only felt guilt through him.

[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

Akechi looked down at the girl covered in the sanguine liquid of a blind girl, straddling her victim as she bit into her arm. The man’s body seemed stiffer than usual, his expressions more stoic and void of life than what the girl was probably used to. He wasn’t upset at the girl, but he was rather disappointed in her decision making. However, this event had made it painfully clear how different they truly were. Even her words about their suffering demonstrated just how different their view of the world was… how different they took the injustices committed against them and how they reacted to it. ”We did. But we aren’t her. And we aren’t barbarians,” Akechi spoke, his voice a bit more serious than it normally was. It was a life lesson for the girl, something that she would eventually grow from. What she would grow into was entirely up to her though. ”But what about her life after she had awakened. Blind, maimed by a random stranger that snapped her arm to pieces just so she could eat it. Could you imagine the horror that she would face when she awoke? What about the nightmares that she would experience when she tried to sleep again? The pain of using another piece of her senses… and the sister that would have to become even stronger for the both of them.” Her life would’ve changed for the worst, and she may not have ever recovered from such an event. Mentally, physically and emotionally, the frail girl’s life would’ve been destroyed and that wasn’t something that Akechi would wish upon anyone. ”It would’ve been torture, Ashuri-san. A torture that you would only wish upon your worst enemies. Sometimes death is a gift… a solace from the torture. You just have to decide when.”

And then she asked was he upset. A complicated question. ”Upset? No. Disappointed in your decision. But not upset. I couldn’t be. I asked you to think for yourself and you did.” He was upset though. Not so much at Ashuri but at himself for not guiding her toward someone worthy of the hunt. He looked toward the window as she began to “wrap up her meal,” as if the dead girl was some sort of fast food takeout. She was attempting to take leftovers, a dead corpse as a meal for later just in case. Kind of disgusting actually, but this was a necessity. This was how she would get stronger. However… ”No. Leave her here. Taking her body could lead back to us. It’s an unnecessary risk.” It was the truth and her dead body would begin to smell over time. In other words, he was killing two birds with one stone.

”We should probably burn down the house as well. Just as a precaution.” It wasn’t something that he wanted to do but it had become a necessity… something that he had to do…

 

[Muramasa Maya]

Torturous. Thats what the blind girl's life would have been. Akechi was right; if living meant suffering trough such a fate, death truly was the merciful route for this girl. Ashuri knew this, she had firsthand experience in just how merciful the emptiness of death seemed in such situations. Situations in which she herself prayed for the escape from her monstrous, undying body. "That...would be bad. I don't want it to happen to me..." The brief reflection did help her feel....not exactly empathy, but....pity.

This was Ashuri's first victim, as well as first disappointment. If it were up to her, she truely would have liked to run a streak of approvals rather than disappointments, but...It was difficult for the broken workings of the girl's mind to run on the same wavelength as Akechi, despite her desires to understand him. Perhaps, the biggest question she faced was; (...I know it was bad to choose this girl. But...why did it feel good for me, Akechi?) She questioned herself mentally.

As for the girl....Ashuri was quiet, listening to Akechi's words before thinking over them. And she hesitated, her hands not letting go of the sheets and the prize contained within. "..." But...this was something she could understand; taking around a body would be troublesome, if only because it would difficult for her to carry one around and she had no way of doing it inconspicuously. So, reluctantly, she did comply and set the bundle of sheets containing her remains back atop the bed.

*Nod* "...I know a Fire Jutsu." She spoke, recalling some of her early training as a student. Although the techniques she knew were promising and rather advanced for a student, the rapid development of her chakra since that point meant that she would need to learn newer, stronger techniques to make better use of her own potential. Nevertheless; her pale fingers formed the standard seal for Fire techniques, "...Fire Style...", before igniting into a flame that she directed at the girl's bed against the wall; igniting it as if it were a funeral pyre.

She removed the dirty, red scarf from her neck, tossing it into the growing flames. No longer hidden from view, the deep wound in the side of Ashuri's neck was visible again...but was already noticably smaller and less "Fatal-looking" than it had appeared earlier. "...I covered my neck because it looked ugly and my body was too hungry to heal itself...But I won't be weak anymore, so I don't need it, either." She explained. As Sawako, she was lost and didn't have a clue who or what she was. But Ashuri was aware of her circumstances, albeit, had a grim set of ideals. Or rather, the lack of them.

At this point, the bed would have been aflame, engulfing the bundle of sheets that contained the poor blind girl, and spreading to the adjacent wall. Unless interfered with, it would continue to spread within the house until nothing remained. The sickly white-skinned girl moved to exit the window they had entered from, leaving the room while requesting an incentive from her companion; "...If I choose the right person that doesn't disappoint you, can I share with you?...I want to eat together sometime..." She asked the Uchiha in her eerily innocent tone, like a kid asking for a reward on a good school grade. Once answered, she would continue into the dark alleyway they arrived from, returning to the half-complete structure she called home...

[MFT]

[Topic Left with Akechi?]

 

[Akechi]

”…” The man didn’t speak as the girl reflected upon the words that he spoke as they stood in the middle of such a gruesome scene. He didn’t mean to lecture or even to berate, but he felt like he had the responsibility to teach. Akechi’s body had stiffened as he looked at the dead girl’s dire circumstances, and the error in judgment that he made to cause this. He’d have to be a bit more proactive in guiding the girl, realizing that her train of thought and hers aren’t as close as he originally believed. That was only natural though. They were two different people, after all. His Sharingan had allowed him to become one with her for a short while though, and that short while caused the man to trust her decision making much more than he initially would have. In certain situations, she was perfect to handle it on her own. In others, especially those situations that required empathy and human rationalization, Akechi would have to be a bit more forceful…

At least until she learned…

”There you go. Good decision,” Akechi commented, his reddened eyes watching over her as she placed the body wrapped in sheets on top of the bed. Carrying that body would be troubling, especially because of led back to them in any number of ways. The same could be said for Ashuri’s eating habits, and how they were clearly displayed all over the walls. She didn’t seem to have any manners when it came to food digestion, but who did when it came to cannibalism. It wasn’t something that they taught in the Academy.

Akechi slowly walked over toward the bed as his crimson covered friend set the place on fire. It had to be done. They needed to cover up evidence, and they also needed to alleviate some of the pain that the sister would feel. She had to know that it wasn’t her fault. Just some freak accident. Those were the thoughts that ran through his head as he unwrapped the girl, positioning the girl on the bed as if she were just sleeping. ”It’s a damn shame… But I won’t forget. I promise you that. I’ll make sure that something like this doesn’t happen to a person like you again… not ever.” After all, the world he sought to create wouldn’t involve something as sadistic as this. Girls wouldn’t be torn apart and recreated into some type of weaponized cannibal. She wouldn’t have to eat blind girls for nourishment, and the world would be a safer place.

”You are getting stronger, Ashuri-chan. I can feel it.” Akechi spoke, walking toward her as they stood amongst the flames. Patting her on the head, he followed her outside of the apartment building as they continued back home. ”It’s ok. You are getting smarter. It’s all a part of learning how to be human.” After all, no one thought to teach her what it meant to be human. That was up to Akechi.

”I wouldn’t be able to eat that. My body is constructed the way yours is.” Not that he’d want to eat humans anyways…

[Topic left with Kuroyuki]