Open Pull Me Out of this Mud

[Akamine Sota]

Tar blends with blood. Dirties it; settles like paint upon paint. Thickens it, yes — weighs it down. But what's a heavy substance when hidden beneath the surface of skin? Coursing through veins that have felt it more often than not: the weight of coal. Sota is its vessel. Smells it when eyes poke holes in his back. Feels it when numbers of them begin to close in on one of him. Tastes it when their words ooze out into the air. For all his life, he's known it — this viscous black liquid eating at his skin. But it isn't 'til now that he finally knows how to deal with it.

"Well?" Sota blinks and what decorates an average coffee shop pours back into view. A few seated customers. The smell of earth and leaves. One of the ugliest and most familiar smirks plastered across an old friend. Behind him, the equally familiar number of two.

"Take it easy on me. Skin still hurts," Sota echoes back, and he thinks he should don a grin of his own. For an old friend. "I'd show you why, but..." old friends were just that: not anymore.

"Yeah, whatever." And the smirk opposite of him widens with a scoff.

Sota's own smile falls. Another face flashes before him, and his foot jerks first. One step forward, and —


black. A long, long silence.


Then, it shortens. Is shortened — by sound. At first, something small creeps forward. A soft ringing. Tinnitus. Then, it grows. Grows, and grows. Louder — overtaking, swallowing the peace of before, and —

Sota blinks again. A different scene takes place. In his lungs, he washes down needles. Heavily, like every breath is a struggle with air. Before him is a canvas of gore. Limbs torn, skin shredded. No customers are in sight, but he hears them scream somewhere behind him. Smoke and acrid sulfur; ashes and viscera replace the gentle smell from before. Under him lay the number of three. The bodies of them. Dead. Or unconscious. He did what he came here to do. So he retraces his step from an hour ago. How'd the place end up in flames, anyway? "Fuck," is a hiss. And just when he decides to turn on a heel, possibly make a fucking run for it, a wooden pillar gives up in the ceiling and folds in on itself. His eyes shoot up, then to his left — to a woman crying from behind a line of fire — then back up to the quickly decaying piece of wood. "Fuck," he stresses.

Decides to thrust himself in her direction, hands slapping together a set of gestures. Then, just before they can both be crushed by the collateral of a fire he'd caused, a wall of blood encapsulates the two of them —

CRASH!!!



—
wc 465
[tldr; a coffee shop is up in flames + 3 unconscious bodies of teenage boys lay inside]

 

[Toshi]

A stroll to the gates of the Leaf Village. The boy sighed, he'd probably pull an all nighter. Spending time defending the gates gave him ideas on where to go with his shinobi life.

The smell of smoke caught his attention. It was a gentle whiff, but he shrugged it off. 'One of those restaurants are really getting the job done. Either that or they burnt some food.' It didn't seem that big of a deal to the boy. But as he continued on and the smell became stronger, he began to notice what was going on. 'That definitely isn't normal, I smell a fire.' With that, he took off, looking to find the source of the smell.

It's when he stumbled upon a scene. "The coffee shop?" Arriving, he noticed the scene had already been evacuated. He figured most people saw the fire and departed. He moved a hand forward, "Fear isn't what moves this market, let your grace shine forth, that this place is forgiven of the troubles that its seen." After his words, heavy clouds began to form in the sky. It took only a matter of seconds before a slight drizzle began to come down on the shop. A second later, a heavy downpour had emerged from the sky, taking the most of the fire.

The boy moved, knowing that there could be others trapped within the shop. He wondered if anyone else would notice the sudden change in weather? Maybe back up would arrive and solve this situation.

Inside, he moved to different rooms. There were a few bodies inside that he picked up, he moved and took hem to safety. He placed them outside the shop, saying another great quote from a book that he was reading. A barrier formed around the three bodies. The boy ran back inside to continue to look for bodies and Extinguish the remaining fire. He didn't expect to stumble upon such a scene, but he knew how to bring the situation down to a calming level.

[ Topic Entered ]
[ MFT | +300 ]

 

[Akamine Sota]

They stay like that, cooped up in what someone on the outside would mistake for a sphere. Red, painted macabre. Sota's face is twisted, glaring at the air where he can picture the mistake that led up to this. To his side is an equally dirty look, aimed at him, of course, 'cause — who else? He catches it, and they stay like that for an awkward period of time. Glaring at each other.

Then, lo and behold. Putrid smoke settles into something acrid and only a little unpleasant. Fire's extinguished, and Sota decides he won't thank anyone for it. Should probably make a run for it before he, too, is put out. The women, however — "HEEEELLLPPPP!" — has a different idea. "Shut the fuck up!"

"HELP, HERE!!!!!!"

"Oh my god — "

"I'M STUCK RIGHT HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And so he quickly unveils the blood barrier, freeing them, and letting their eyes take in the new scene. A smoky smell still resides in the air but, running his gaze over the shop, they find no more flames. So; the woman wastes no time. She leaps over the broken ceiling joist & rushes towards what looks to be a destroyed exit. Sota, on the other hand, backs up. Further into the café — (surely all the staff must've left by now?) — and searches in the back for an alternate escape. Whatever offers the least risk of bumping into unwanted parties. On his way, his attention zips to the center of the building, and when he fails to find the bodies he'd laid to the ground, his expression scrunches into itself and his pace quickens.



—
wc 270

 

[Toshi]

Fire gone, smoke leaving the building. It was a job for the Konoha Police, he'd hand it to them when everything was sorted out. Maybe they were already on there way? Toshi looked the building over once more, making sure he didn't leave anyone behind. It'd be a terrible thing for someone to be stuck somewhere and he overlooked them. 'Everything seems ok. I guess I'll go report it and be on my way.' The boy began for the entrance of the shop, now tattered a burnt, but he caught sound of a muffled cry for help. He turned around, just outside of the Coffee Shop's entrance. Looking to the bodies in the barrier that he left outside, they seemed to be unconscious still. 'Did I just hear that?' He asked himself. Something was definitely tugging at him, but he didn't know exactly what it was. He doubled back, this time kind of wandering around. Once again he heard the muffled cry, someone was definitely still in the building. The fact that he overlooked someone tugged at his insides a bit, but the feeling died down. The last shriek for help gave him general direction. He began to run towards the shout. A woman running caught his attention. It seemed she would find the exit herself. He began after her, at least until he noticed a guy making his way out as well.

"Hey! You two!" The guy continued to run while the woman seemed to make her way out as well. They probably were frightened, but he wanted their opinions on the matter. Figuring he could only catch one of them, as they both made their own way out, Toshi decided to follow the guy. "Hey! I'm a good guy. I just need a moment of your time!" He moved after the dude, now trying not to scare him away. Hopefully this wouldn't turn into a chase scene... or would it?

 

[Akamine Sota]

A third's cry for attention. Specifically; his. Or, well. Sota and the woman's both, but — nothing is what the boy gets in return. Sota's out from the back, staggering out into the semi-walled up back alley of the café. Old wood serves as fence. Easily smashed through, easily destroyed.

It would, in fact, begin as a chase. With the redhead not sparing this good guy a glance, not over his shoulder, not when he breaks off into the corner leading to the main road outside, and especially not when he thinks he can still smell the residue of his actions. Into the big street is an ever-growing crowd of bodies. Konoha was big in that it housed too many people for Sota to commit any meaningful crimes. Not that he wanted to, of course.

"Fuck!" he hurls when he slams into a larger, heavier form for a man.

"Watch it, punk," spits the apron-clad (fisher?)man.

That's the end of their exchange for, as soon as Sota regains his balance — mainly by spinning on a heel, awkwardly dancing around the guy, then throwing himself back on two planted feet — he breaks off again.



—
wc 191

 

[Toshi]

Following the guy out of the back of the Cafe, the boy almost knew that this guy was afraid and hurt. Why else would one run away from help? The AiT continued to follow after the run away, stopping for a moment and pausing when noticing the broken fence in the back of the shop. 'Did he really just run through this fence? It could have been like this.' The boy thought if he should continue to chase after the guy, or stay with the victims that survived the fire. Before continuing on, the boy pulled out his headset, calling for back up and giving a general location.

He put the headset away, now turning the corner and noticing the main road. 'Aw man, this guy could have gone anywhere. God, show me a sign.' The boy sat down, thinking of how he wanted to help the guy. He meditated on the scene of the fire and the guy's troubles. A few minutes passed before he was given direction. He would follow the smell of the residue on the guy. It was something he wished he picked up on sooner, that dude could be long gone by now.

Using his nose, he searched for a whiff of the smoke. He began through a crowd, noticing many people crowding the streets. A surprised shout caught Toshi's attention, a crowd of people caught by whatever happened up ahead. The boy moved towards the surprised crowd, picking up a whiff of the Cafe. It was when he saw the boy in a vision. His spiritual abilities began to kick i, he had a general image of the guy, and knew that he ran into some big guy. He caught up to the big guy, asking him in what direction the scared guy went. After being pointed in a general direction, the boy thanked the big guy, telling him Not to take it so hard.

He would continue to give chase, trying to pick up on the kid through his spiritual powers.

[ MFT | WC: +300 ]

 

[Akamine Sota]

Here's where everything slows to a halt: at the big (but not particularly unclimbable) walls signalling the end of Sota's path. He throws a look over his shoulder, doesn't catch sign of his pursuer, and rules it safe. Safe to stop. Safe to breathe. So he does; with a sharp huff that almost sounds like a scoff, drops to the ground and rests his back against stone walls. And he realizes, then, how cold the air sits at his lungs. Stinging and prickling, reminding him how thankless he is for adrenaline. Really does you wonders when you're least aware of it.

Another "fuck," is due. The side-effect of a good adrenaline rush is when it weans off. The high slows down, and everything else pumps back up. Pain, mainly. Exhaustion — just how long has he been running for? No, it's not just the running. The fight at the café. Draining. Anger makes you see red, or whatever. Sota doesn't even think he needed to do —

"fuck," he hisses again, shuffling back onto two feet. "You're still on my ass?" spits, eying down the dark-haired boy at the end of the alley. Of course the guy catches up. Why wouldn't he.

Shoulders roll back, his chin lowers calculatingly. Eyes glare, and — in them, you might catch one of two hints: one, that he's about to sling his arm, and two —

a glint in the sun; metal shuriken whirling Toshi's way. And


. . . . . . no, wait. They curve entirely wrong, they go sideways, they — ??? — jab! at the wall to Toshi's left, instead. All three of them.

Sota goes quiet. Eyes slide down his arm, and his mouth runs dry. Sees: blood. It pads his knuckles which, by the way, are trembling. And if he weren't straining his muscles so stubbornly, his entire wrist would be shaking. Just as slowly, his attention returns forward. "So, you... wanted to talk, yeah?"



—
wc 322
[sry for the late reply!]

 

[Toshi]

His running came to a stop. He began a slow walk, keeping his mind at ease. He'd be thinking about this all too hard. Maybe he'd just let the guy get away. After chasing for so long, and not coming up with anything, maybe it was best to just quit. His walk continued only a little further as he gave thought to turn around. 'I hope that guy isn't too hard on himself. Being trapped in a burning building must have been way too much for this dude. It's best to just let go and let him take care of such a tragedy himself.' Toshi shrugged, it didn't sound like the best answer, but when he didn't have any clues as to follow, it was time to turn around. Just as the boy was about to give up the chase, he looked to the dead end wall near the end of an alley. He saw a figure near the back of the alley.

He moved in, catching whiff of the burning smell once more. "Uhh..." He was just as surprised as the guy was. He stumbled upon the guy he was chasing at the end of an alley, not what he expected, but things could have gone a different way. As he looked the fire survivor in the eyes, he knew something was about to happen. Toshi raised his arms in front of his torso, his palms giving the halt signal. "Hey, don't be too rash about anything, I just wanted to-" As the guy threw the shuriken at Toshi the boy covered his body, his arms acting as a shield. He did not see this coming. He opened his eyes, not feeling any pain. He figured his body was too numb to feel anything, but instead, this guy missed entirely. The shuriken were lodged in a wall now.

Looking at the dude, he didn't notice the blood at his knuckles yet. But he did notice the frantic look, maybe this guy needed a lay down? "Uh... yeah." He didn't plan on attacking the guy, or being attacked, but he kept his composure. He coughed into a closed fist, now looking to the guy. "I know that you were afraid because of the fire, and you took to running. But I just want to know what happened back there? And if anyone was hurt. Also, are you feeling ok yourself?" The boy knew to stay on his toes. This guy could break loose again at any second, and he didn't want to risk anything.

[ MFT | WC: +400 ]
(( All is well, take your time. I'm in no rush. ))

 

[Akamine Sota]

The boy coughs. (Way to make it more awkward.) But aside from the sound echoing against the wall, over an ugly wave of silence, Sota's expression twists to one other. To the words that roll out of his mouth next. The idea; the implication that... Sota was just afraid. Doesn't sit well with him at first, but then — pride be damned — realization blinks alive in citrine eyes.

And a smile cracks through. Curves the corners of Sota's lips. "Wha... that's why you came after me?"

Oh, yeah, no, of course. Sota's totally a victim. "Man," he doesn't hold back a scoff. A half-laugh, and a "you really fuckin' scared me, y'know." And he leaves it at that. 'Cause next — "yeahhh...." his smile drops, his muscles unspool. Time for a show: "I'm not really sure, y'know?" His arms fold. He makes sure to pause, to breathe out — draws it out, like he's exhaling the last of the adrenaline. "Never seen a fire so big before," Sota adds wistfully.

Then, he shifts his weight and dares a step in the other's direction. "Didn't catch you inside though. How'd you get there so fast?"

What he really means to ask is:

"You military?"



—
wc 200

 

[Toshi]

The boy nodded, looking to Sota after he asked was that the sleuths only reason. Watching him let out a laugh, the boy let out a deep breath. It seemed the runner had cooled down a bit. As the guy began stretching, the AiT gave him a curious look. "I was just wandering to the village gates, no biggie. As I was passing through, I started smelling smoke. I investigated the scene, and found a fire going. Who knew?" It was something the boy didn't expect at all, but to catch what was going on was a great doing on the boy's part. He'd never answered an emergency situation before, so it was a great way to understand how to help others in their time of need.

He decided not to answer the "you're military" question, and continued on. "I suggest checking out the medical ward, and make sure everything is alright. I can report the fire myself. If that's everything you want to share, I can keep you anonymous." He didn't know how the higher ups would react to the coffee shop burning down. Toshi could only give them what information that he had, and he didn't want to pressure the kid.

It looked as though this guy would be able to handle himself in the end. "If that's everything, you are dismissed, unless you had a few questions for me." He doubted the guy wanted to ask anything, as he was probably was just looking forward to go home. Toshi himself would head back to the shop, asking the ones that were still around further questioning. Maybe he could get a few more answers out of them later.

[ WC: +250 | MFT ]

 

[Akamine Sota]

"What a hero," Sota quips a little too quickly. A clipped, half-laugh follows, and he jerks his shoulders up in a shrug. "Sure. Matter of fact? Forget you ever saw me."

The attempt of a smile is anything but true. Lines carve meekly, drawing a curve at each corner, but they fail to reach his eyes. There's a tinge — a sharp pang at the words that roll out of the other's mouth towards the very end. A hit to his pride — (dismissed? He'll show you who's dismissed) — but Sota holds his ground, a slight twitch at his lips serving as the only hint towards the growing turmoil within. "Yes. Got none. Thank you, though. For checking on me," he bites on every word.

But he puts 1 and 1 together. Decides: heading to the gates? Reporting about a fire? Dismissing him? Ding, ding, ding. That's military, alright! "Have a good day, Sir."

Question left: is Sota fucked or what?



—
wc 159
[topic exit]