Raining cats and dogs

[Uka]

[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVKEM4K8J8A ]

The sound of the water flowing down the path and the rain drops hitting the ground were completely overpowered by the thunder somewhere in the distance. The occasional strong flash would be enough to blind anyone for a brief moment before quickly being followed by the deafening cracking sound as the colossal electric behemoths arched across the sky. Wind was playing with the leaves of the nearby trees, further adding to the melody of the thunderstorm and the fresh air it brought. It was a relaxing moment and a beautiful one at that.

In the middle of nowhere, near the path, stood a wooden roof with four supporting pillars. Within it was a wooden table with a few wooden chairs around it as well as what appeared to be the remains of a fireplace that had once likely been used as a barbecue based on the remaining charcoal and bones. A small figure, clad in a rather oversized grey coat which was covered in holes, sat in one of the chairs, her hands crossed on the table with her head resting atop them as she stared up into the sky. There wasn't any sign of food around her, so it was unlikely and also there was the fact that water was dripping off her in absolute droves, arguably even more than it was raining outside the little shelter. The figure didn't really show any signs of shivering or anything of the like that one appearing to be as drenched as she was, heck the only show that she was even alive was the gentle rise and fall of her back as she breathed.

A sudden deafening thunder hit a nearby tree setting it ablaze as what could be described as half the branches fell to the ground. The girl would look away from the sky and over within a few moments, her reactions seemingly slow as the flames reflected in her rather large, fairly blank eyes. As soon as it had happened everything returned to normal again, the rain slowly but surely starting to put the fire out, even if it was resisting rather heavily until finally, just as it had appeared out of nowhere, it was gone. She would look away from it and once more look back up to the sky as the arcs continued forming across the vast landscape of clouds....

 

[Senju Shizuka]

When the first drops hit the top of her head Shizuka regretted having left her hooded jacket at home this early morning. Having known from the start that she would be back home today, the girl had decided that extra clothing would only bother her during the mission. Well, that was a mistake, she bitterly thought when the raining intensified. Quickly the sky turned a gloomy purple with lightning tearing it up in huge chunks while thunder rumbled across the area. Starting to get soaked she rushed across the path ahead, just to notice a bright flash not too far on her right. The path would split, if she remembered it correctly. The flash.. she briefly stopped. Whether it’s been lighting or chakra was hard to tell from where she was standing and while neither was her business considering a fire would surely be put out by the heavy rain, she still decided to check it out. Mostly because it was on her way. She took the turn leading up to the ‘fire’, but by the she arrived nothing aside from some smoking pieces of wood was left. Even that vanished before her eyes, drowned by the water that came down from the heavens in buckets.

A quick leap led her to the hide-out of sorts. She used a moment out of the rain to squeeze the water from her sleeve but soon gave up. Though it was fairly dark the silhouette of someone sitting on the other side was visible. For a moment she hesitated, wondering if she should just go home, but the figure was small enough to be a child and Shizuka felt an odd sorts of worry coming to the surface.

“Hey,” she young Senju spoke, eyes narrowing a little to get a better vision on the one she was approaching. “Are you alright?”

Her hair, jet black because of the dye she used to hide the oddly white stripes that’s been coming through for a while now, looked a little bit like icicles. Water was dripping from the sharp points. Most of it clung to her skull. She tried to brush through it with her left hand, hoping to give it some volume.

Stormy gray eyes studied the young woman two steps away. She didn’t wear the uniform of a shinobi. In fact, the clothes she had suggested she was having a troubled time. And while Shizuka kept the thought of this being some sort of trap close to home in the back of her mind, she reached out to the stranger.

“Do you need help with anything?”

Are you lost?

* * *​

MFT 436

 

[Uka]

Whether it was due to the sound of the rain or the fact that she wasn't really paying attention to anything at all the girl didn't actually notice that somebody was coming up to her at all. She would be completely glued to the clouds above and completely oblivious to anything that was happening to her. That it until she heard a voice. She would slowly raise her head from her hands, her chin having become a pinkish red from having remained in that position for far too long. 'All right?' The girl through, slightly tilting her head to the left as she wondered until the light bulb within her mind flared up. She remembered that word.

"I think.. I don't know... I think so?"<i></i> The small-framed girl would respond, her voice oddly calm and relaxed for someone that appeared to be drenched, showing no signs that she was feeling cold at all due to the lack of any form of involuntary noises that one would expect.

Shizuka would have a good chance to examine her. The girl in front of her appeared to be in her mid to late teens, or maybe her early twenties. It was rather difficult to tell honestly. She had raven-black hair in a bob cut with rather large hazel-reddish eyes. Her entire frame was on the smaller side, but that was really difficult to tell with the rather comically oversized trench coat that she was wearing. It, alongside her visible clothing, namely the pair of black gloves she was wearing, was rather tattered and torn in multiple locations. Nothing much could be seen through most gaps, suggesting she was wearing dark or black clothing underneath or her skin was rather dark, which would be weird considering her face had a rather fair complexion. The interesting bit would be what could be seen through the tears on her left glove - her hand appeared to be made of metal and from what could be seen it was very intricate.

"I don't think so. "<i></i> The girl would respond, looking away from Shizuka for a few moments as another lightning bolt forked in the sky above them with a thundering roar. Did she need help? She didn't know. Nothing came to mind. She had just been walking around and following her instincts, staying away from what felt like dangerous situations. "I don't know."<i></i> The girl would look back to Shizuka, focusing her eyes on her.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Something about the young woman was off, Shizuka decided with her eyes still on her. There was no shaking, no fear or shivers, nothing that spoke about being lost or afraid, or even cold. It was odd because the soaken kunoichi was already starting to feel the bite of cold water as the wind tore at her clothes. She should have been prepared for this type of weather but hadn’t been, and cursed herself for that now. With a shrug to get rid of the upcoming shivers, she gently hummed when the stranger replied. The answer reminded Shizuka of shock.

It was the only thing that made any sense in Shizuka’s mind, really. To be so seemingly calm and confused at the same time, because confusion was the only thing Shizuka thought to hear in those responds, could only be explained by a traumatic event of sorts. Perhaps this one had been attacked by someone? Fled the assaulter but the shock could still be lingering..?

The younger girl shook her head. Drops of water flew around her. She felt like a dog that’s been taking a swim in the pool. They couldn’t stay here. Both would be undercooled soon enough should they sit in the wind while not having a single patch of dry clothing on them.

Carefully crouching next to the woman Shizuka thought to notice something odd. There, beneath the sleeve, something looked like metal. It had her freeze for a brief moment. Her mind went to weapons, but then realized that it could be armor or something else entirely. Like a bracelet. Or a chain.

“What’s your name?”

They kept their gazes on each other. The look in those large hazel-like eyes was intelligent. Sharp, even. However, the words spoken were distant. Altogether it gave Shizuka something to worry about.

“We should go somewhere warm and dry off a bit, the cold will get us ill.” Waiting for a moment, she reached out with the palm of her hand open to be taken. “Let’s go?”

* * *​

 

[Uka]

She would pull back slightly as the new arrival decided it appropriate to send water flying everywhere. Wait why did she back off? she honestly didn't know. It was instinct once more, though this time it felt slightly different than the previous time it had happened. Like it came from a different place altogether. It was interesting, but not the primary concern she had right now... what's a concern? The girl would end up quickly shaking her head side to side as if to physically dismiss the thought. She would then follow Shizuka with her eyes as she crouched down, not moving her body to react at all.

"Name? The woman with the pointy stick asked as well."<i></i> The girl would state in a rather matter of fact done, as if she hadn't just dropped something interesting, simultaneously raising her left hand and turning it palm up. She would then look over to the rather large tear on the bottom, which was oddly evenly sliced, as if in a single motion. The metallic hand was even more visible underneath, allowing Shizuka to get an even better look. "I don't know."<i></i> She would finally add, looking back over to the other girl, her face rather expressionless.

"Somewhere warm?"<i></i> The girl would add, looking over at the outstretched hand and pondered for a moment. She didn't have the same feeling as last time, but she still wasn't too sure about following somebody just like that.

Her left hand would slowly raise from the table and extend towards the other girls', very slowly. After a few long moments it would finally rest upon Shizuka's and she would be able to confirm it was indeed not skin but rather something different. It was smooth and obviously metallic, but it wasn't quite the feeling she would expect, somehow it felt... soft for a lack of a better word. It was also heavier than she had expected, obviously the stranger in front of her didn't realise this as she made no effort to hold her own hand up, but rather fully rested it.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Pointy stick? Surely the light confusion could be seen on the girl’s face if one took the time to examine it. Perhaps with the night crawling up on them and the clouds forming a thick blanket above the expression would remain hidden. By the time the woman offered her hand in return with her palm up as well, Shizuka didn’t really care for the confused look she had that was pretty obvious by now. “Ehm..” she mumbled when the heavy hand was placed in her palm.

Extraordinary material covered it. Or was it made from something akin to steel? Oddly enough it wasn’t the usual lethal cold she felt touch her skin. It lacked the usual hardness metal provided, yet didn’t yield beneath her grip. The very surface confused her long enough to realize how vulnerable she had become in her thoughts. Luckily, the stranger didn’t appear to be a threat.

“A name is..” she wasn’t sure how to explain nor if this was something she should be actually doing. Regardless of her sanity, she tried. “a word - sounds - one responds to. It’s specific. You identify with it, not that others can’t have the same name.. Hmm..” Explaining it was harder than she had thought. Perhaps that’s why she was looking at the girl, wondering if this was some sort of joke or the trauma this person had suffered had been enough to wipe their memory clean of even such basic terms.

“If you need my attention, you say Shizuka, alright?” her fingers lightly tightened around the hand she held. “Allow me to call you Amaya, for now.” Night rain, she liked it, besides it seemed like it fit the here and now.

“Yes, there should be a hide-out further down the path, but it might take some time to get there. If you’re up for it, we should go.” Grinning teasingly, she added. “I’m not going to carry you, though.”

The light tug at Amaya’s arm was meant to get her moving. There was no violence behind the act and soon enough she let the hand go. Obviously she didn’t mean to hold hands the entire time, the gesture had been one of potential friendship, but it appeared that Amaya found it hard to understand.

* * *​

Feel free to lead, btw ^_^

 

[Uka]

"Shizuka."<i></i> She would repeat with a light nod, committing it to memory. The second her hand touched Shizuka's she didn't feel anything. Not a single thing. She didn't know why she thought she should have, it was just one of those feelings, but there was absolutely nothing at all. Even the light tug didn't really register. She could see the motion, but until the motion forced her torso to move there was nothing at all. Was this normal? Did her gut feeling tell her the right or wrong thing? She just didn't know.

The girl would slowly stand up to her full 5', trench coat just barely not dragging on the ground and completely covering her from top to bottom. She would allow herself to be lead towards the destination the other girl had in mind, not really putting up any resistance whatsoever.

As the two stepped out from the small shelter they would find themselves under the full brunt of the rain that was frankly pouring down at this point. Lightning continued to ark above them, though none got as close as that first original bolt, even if the sound could rather easily be classed as completely deafening at times. The trench coat-clad girl didn't really seem to mind the rain very much, almost not reacting to it at all as the two continued forwards.

It would be a good half an hour or so until they finally reached their destination, well the destination of them had in mind - a hut left for field agents in the area. It was barely a two-room shack, comprised of a toilet and a main room. Within the main room there was a fireplace with a large stack of firewood next to it, a couch that could become a double bed, a table and chairs as well as a very small kitchen. All in all it was more than enough for what someone in Shizuka's occupation would need if they needed a bit of a break. As soon as the two entered the girl would stop at the entrance, water running down her to the point of it appearing like she was still underneath a shower, as she studied the abode. The door slammed behind her due to the wind, so at least it wasn't like rain was going to continue coming in, though it was still rather chilly inside....

 

[Senju Shizuka]

From the looks of it Amaya enjoyed the rain way more than she did. Where the younger girl reluctantly stepped back into the water pouring from above and was only driven by the idea of a warm place to sleep at, the smaller female accompanying her didn’t appear to care very much when the hundreds of droplets splashed against her face. Surely the shock of whatever had happened to her would have been washed away by now? How bad had things been for her to appear so numb in the face of the ongoing storm?

Shizuka buried the questions for now. They had to make it through the bad weather to a safe-haven of sorts before she could try to unravel the mystery Amaya presented. The walk was long and cold. At the end of it the young Senju had wondered if using some sort of jutsu to protect themselves from the heavy rainfall would have been a good idea. By then, however, it was already too late. They were nearing the hut, a welcomed sight if you asked Shizuka whose stormy eyes were set on getting them there as fast as was possible without actually running.

The door fell into place with a reassuring dull sound. It left them in silence for a moment. And darkness too. Inside was worse than out there in the open where lightning had lit their way now and then.

Moving across the room with squishy sounds coming from her shoes, she figured that a little fire would help them out. To start with, she thought to see the outlines of a fireplace. Next to it her hands soon enough for the wood necessary to feed the future fire. Carefully piling up some of them, she inhaled deeply before making the necessary seals for the fire to flow from her lips when she exhaled.

Greedily the flames licked at the wood. As she added more chakra the fire got brighter. Soon enough shadows were dancing across the walls while Shizuka got back onto her feet.

“Time to get dry and rest a little, hmm I’ll take a look around to see if there are any blankets or anything..” she offered, half talking to herself while dropping her heavy sweater onto the hook next to the fire. Already a little pool of water was forming right beneath the garment. It reflected the flames and would probably evaporate as time passed.

Giving Amaya a soft smile, she hoped to help her relax a little. “Don’t worry, we should be good here.” Dropping her shoes next to the fireplace she moved around the room to see whether there was something in there that could help them out.

* * *​

 

[Uka]

Her eyes quickly got used to the dark as she just stood at the door, unsure of what to really do in this situation. The feeling wasn't new and frankly it was becoming quite familiar at this point. It was strange to realise that, but there honestly wasn't much she could do. There were so many things she couldn't remember at all and even more that felt that she should.

The sudden appearance of the fire made her jump back and hit the door behind herself with a rather loud thud that echoed throughout the small room. She would focus her gaze on the now rather welcoming-looking fire pit before slowly making her way over. "Did you start it?"<i></i> The girl would ask with a look of pure curiosity as she finally reached next to where Shizuka stood, her gaze focused on the dancing flames. She would finally look away as the other girl spoke up, deciding to follow what she had done and remove her own upper layer of clothing.

The rather wet and heavy would finally come off to reveal the strange girl's figure, which as as small as it had appeared, even a bit smaller, though that was likely the last thing that would draw attention to her. Underneath she was wearing a pair of rather form-fitting black trousers with a pair of knee-high brown combat boots, equipped with a metal knee protector. Her belt could also be called rather heavy-duty, adorning a few heavy leather pouches and what appeared to be a leather weapon holster. From there she was wearing what could be described as a form-fitting tank with a rather high neck, covering most of it, and with completely bare shoulders.

Spoiler

​

That however still wasn't the interesting part. Every single bit of exposed skin outside her head, and what was visible of her neck, was what appeared to be intricately-detailed metal. It was a rather breathtaking sight when one first saw this true marvel of puppetry and ingenuity. Anyone who knew the art would realise that being able to move such a body as the girl had appeared to would be quite the effort and showed skill. Something which she herself didn't know or realise.

The girl would move closer to the fire, slowly taking off her almost completely destroyed gloves, revealing a pair of metal hands as she slowly extended them towards the fire, much closer than a normal person could without burning themselves. She would then promptly sit down with a surprisingly heavy thud, crossing her legs underneath herself as she did so. "This is nice. Come sit."<i></i> The girl would smile, glancing back towards Shizuka as she motioned for her to come and sit down next to her with a wave and a tap on the wooden floorboards, a motion she did without even realising it or the meaning behind it.


[MFT]

 

[Senju Shizuka]

“Yeah, sorry if it caught you off guard.” the fresh chuunin let Amaya know from the other side of the room. So far her search for blankets of any sort had not been very fruitful. If at some point there had been any, people who’ve been in the hut before had probably taken them. It left Shizuka with a shrug and no other option but to simply join Amaya sitting next to the fire and hope that she would dry soon enough. Her back was somewhat cold and it’s then that she remembered a fire jutsu they had been shown back at the Academy. Heating up with the use of chakra, something she had learned way later, after her little trip to the mountain forest with the group. The cold brought back the memory but as the chakra did its work Shizuka relaxed a little and made herself comfortable sitting in front of the fireplace.

“Yeah, it’s good to have a fire when..” Gradually her voice went silent until the words stopped flowing form her lips.

Unlike the girl next to her, Shizuka didn’t find the fire all that interesting. The figure revealed from the soaked rags Amaya had been wearing, however, immediately got all of Shizuka’s attention. An odd type of metal made up the woman’s body. As far as she could tell Amaya might be covered with the unfamiliar element entirely. Unsure if the layer was thin or actually was the one and only body this one had, she realized that she’s been staring.

Hesitant about asking about the ‘suit’ as she now labeled it, Shizuka figured that starting out carefully might be the best course of action. “Don’t you feel hot?” A vague gesture was thrown toward Amaya’s hands been rather close to the dancing flames. With some of the snapping violently while devouring the wood Shizuka preferred to keep a bit more distance between her clothes and the sparks. Even if both her shirt and pants were still wet.

“Or cold, because you didn’t seem to be bothered much by the rain.”

Tilting her head to the side she waited for some sort of answer. Hopefully her questions hadn’t been offensive. Perhaps this was a special suit keeping her safe.. though, then her body must be even smaller than it already was. A curious thing, but not one she felt comfortable asking about already. At least not directly.

“What type of. ..trade are you in?”

Surely the metallic suit with its fine details and odd texture were proof of Amaya being different from most. Shizuka wanted to know just how different she was exactly.

* * *​

MFT

 

[Uka]

The girl would look away and stare at Shizuka with a look of pure confusion. Hot? The word didn't mean much.. at first at least. It was a sensation. The one she felt on her face now, but why didn't she feel the same thing anywhere else? It was strange. It felt... off. Again. "Not really."<i></i> She would state, being completely ignorant that she was being stared at. It just wasn't something that registered on her radar at this point at all.

The girl would slowly withdraw her hand from the fire with a hint of regret as she rested it on her lap and looked away from Shizuka and back towards the fire. After a good solid couple of minutes worth of a pause she would finally respond. "I don't know. I can't remember things I feel I should know and I don't know anything other than waking up on a beach a few days ago."<i></i> She would explain in a completely matter of fact voice, as if this was an absolutely normal thing and it happened all the time. In fact it was likely funny at that point... at least it seemed that way to her in some regards, though she didn't really feel like laughing was a good idea at this point.

"Is there something wrong with me?"<i></i> The girl would ask, turning to face Shizuka head on and looking her in the eyes, no hint of hesitation within either the motion or her voice. The other people she had met had also reacted rather strangely, or at least she felt they had, but she didn't know really. Every moment was like a new experience right now and that was starting to become a bit.... annoying? Yes that was the word she was looking for... at least if it had the meaning that she thought it did. "The woman with the pointy stick aimed it at me and I remember grabbing it and pulling it away from myself without realising it. She was... rude? And damaged my glove."<i></i> She would note, looking over to where her gloves were placed next to the trench coat. "The pink-haired woman did say something about a shinobi before that, but I don't know what that is."<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Where normally Shizuka would have been convinced that a good medical could solve the problem, with Amaya she had her doubts. The mind was an incredibly complex thing and taking the memory loss lightly would have been a mistake, Shizuka had thought from the start that something really heavy must have happened to Amaya for her to be this confused. Now that she’s seen what’s been hidden beneath the wet rags at first, well, she had no idea where they would go from here on. Because while she’s seen some extraordinary people and ninjutsu before, this was still new. The thought of this being someone’s puppet frightened her. It left a chilly trace as it went, but she tried not to show it. Her eyes had briefly turned to the fire when the question posed forced her to look back at the stranger.

“I.. I’m not sure.”

Woah, she felt a little bad about being so direct with her answer. The problem was that she wasn’t sure if there was anything wrong. So lost in the moment she hadn’t thought about lying. The words had simply come out and now she hoped that Amaya wouldn’t grow sad or angry.

“You’re different from most, that doesn’t automatically means that there’s something wrong with you.. there’s always something wrong with every one of us.” If that made it any better.

“Many people fear what they don’t know. I think the woman with the pointy stick might have been somewhat afraid of you.” Nodding, Shizuka was glad when shinobi were mentioned. Now she could confidently head back to her own territory and ignore the fact that the person next to her either had lost the majority of her body or wasn’t a person at all.

She smiled lightly and hoped that it helped Amaya to relax. If the woman even did such things - considering she wasn’t quite bothered by either cold or warmth. Then again, those were physical things. Emotions were not.

What about thoughts-

The Senju had to shake off the many thoughts flooding her mind. For now she had to focus if she wanted to explain who shinobi were. Later she could contemplate on what someone who hadn’t been truly alive or had lost such a huge part of self could possibly be feeling and thinking.

“Ugh.. about the shinobi,” Pinpointing the important thing she nodded - this time confidently. “They’re basically people with a large amount of chakra and the talent to mold it. By doing so they can apply it to various arts. Like the creation of fire, for example.”

Showing Amaya a broad smile, she figured that by now the woman would have added one and one. “Yes, I’m one of them.”

* * *​

 

[Uka]

That was an interesting answer. Or was it? She didn't know and it was rather obvious based on her confused expression. It was clear that the other girl had started acting...differently since she had taken her trench coat off. Maybe something really wasn't alright with her, but what. It was true that she herself felt something was off really, though what that was she really didn't know at all. The further explanation really didn't help at all, but she knew the meaning behind those words. Pity. A word she remembered the meaning of and felt it would work perfectly here.

"I see."<i></i> The girl would state in that same matter of fact voice, as if nothing at all had happened. She would look away from Shizuka for a few moments, focusing her gaze on the fire, as if lost in thought, though it was far from the truth. Her mind was completely blank at this moment. "She and the sky-coloured boy said to go to Kumogakure if I need help."<i></i> Amaya would nod briefly, trying to figure out what the words meant. Those descriptions about shinobi completely flew over her head as she plain didn't understand half the words that were being used, but didn't really want to bring them up right now. 'Chakra, mold.' She would add to her mental list, which was rather streadily growing bigger and bigger as time went on.

"What is a kumogakure?"<i></i> The girl would finally speak up following what would have been a good five or so minute of a pause, staring at the flames, after Shizuka had finished her explanation. "The boy did mention some village, but is that just a name for it?"<i></i> She would add almost instantly as she thought out aloud, bringing her knees up to her chest as she wrapped her hands around them, the joints turning at an interesting angle, showing that it was rather unlikely that she was wearing a metallic suit.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

The lack of reaction gave Shizuka the idea that Amaya didn’t really understand what she meant by her explanation on the matter of shinobi. Surely her face would have given away something had she recognized even a little of the explanation. Most people’s eyes gave it away by the tiny shine appearing in their pupils that represented the fire of recognition. Here, the eyes remained as neutral and empty as they had been before. The look in itself was slightly unsettling. Even to the kunoichi.

“Well.. I’m not sure how that conversation went. I mean, from what you’re telling me she had tried to strike you with the ‘pointy stick’?” Unsure, perhaps even a bit skeptical, she turned her head a little to the side to study Amaya a bit more. “But she might have been right.” Only one question here begged her attention now.

“Do you need help?”

Of course, when judged by the looks of it, she did. On the other side, if she didn’t suffer from cold or heat, perhaps she wasn’t hungry either? No need for clothes.. food.. did she need human contact? Anything at all?

Was she human?

The questions cascaded and almost slipped from her lips. She managed to stay quiet, though. Concentrating on what the village was and how she could explain some of it. A secret well kept yet spread across the lands wherever it was necessary. Hidden in plain sight, one could say. For them it was hidden in the clouds.

“Yeah, it’s the name of our village. The shinobi call it their home, I guess. In fact, I’m heading there now, home. If you wish, you could come with me.”

Letting that sink in, she eagerly waited for an answer.

* * *​

 

[Uka]

"Strike? ...Attack,yes, attack."<i></i> She would nod a few times after she managed to translate the word successfully for a change. That was the word she had been looking for. The girl would look away from the fire and back over to Shizuka studying her for a moment. She recognised the expression, but it was a bit... difficult to put into words. What was the word she was looking for. Uneasy? Yes that was it. She already knew something was wrong with her and this confirmed it now. The feeling that something was missing was always there and now it had gotten much, much worse than it had been before.

The girl would look away from Shizuka, bringing her knees even closer to her body, to the point that would have been painful for a normal human, as she wrapped her arms around them tighter. Silence took hold quickly for what seemed like forever after the other girl's question. "I don't know. I get urges? Feelings more like. As if something is meant to be there, but it isn't. Knowing that I should understand somethings, but there being nothing there."<i></i> The whole thing would rush out before she could stop it. She hadn't meant to unload like that, but it just... went and so did that single tear running down the her right cheek. A single warm drop of water that went completely unnoticed by it's originator. A simple yet powerful gesture... if it was taken as genuine.

"Village."<i></i> She would repeat in a muffled tone as her face was now resting on her knees, facing forwards towards the fire. "My gut is telling me that it is dangerous."<i></i> The girl would speak out honestly. It was the one thing that had kept her going so far other than the kindness of strangers and she wasn't going to stop following that instinct now. "I don't know."<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Words could probably not describe the way Amaya felt. If one would ask Shizuka about her own feelings it would be hard enough to find a way to translate them into something another human being would comprehend. The easiest was comparing. When you could give an example, have the other one imagine a certain type of situation and link other occasions to that, it could form a chain of events and fitting feelings until there was a connection between the two describing these things. Of course it would depend on how much the other person is alike. One was proud, the other one sweet, some were protective or indifferent. Either way, when looking long enough for a way to connect it should be possible to share one’s feelings.

Sitting there, half soaked, with the fire cracking and its heat caressing her face, Shizuka wondered how much she and Amaya were alike.

Obviously there was a rift between the two, and it wasn’t only physical. Where Shizuka’s knees could not bend the way Amaya’s did, her mind knew things Amaya found odd or foreign. Whether this was a memory loss or something entirely different was yet to be figured out. However, the more they spoke, the more Shizuka started to believe this was something else but a common battle trauma. There was a certain way to how Amaya phrased things. Her use of words was careful, almost shaky. It left the young Senju wondering if her companion lacked the connotations that came natural to everyone starting a certain age.

At least her instinct was correct.

“I won’t lie, the village can be a dangerous place, but only if you have the intent to hurt its people or tell on the ways of the village to enemy forces. Ehm.. it’s complicated.” she admitted, unsure how much she should tell. Aside from her own hesitation when it come down to sharing potentially sensitive information on the place she technically considered her home, there was the question how much of what she was saying Amaya actually understood.

“Basically,” she stopped, thinking. Where she had wanted to say that no harm would come to her if she intended no harm to the inhabitants, the way she was had Shizuka wondering about the way any higher-ups might react. “if you’re careful and mean no harm, the village shouldn’t be a threat to you either.”

They might be curious.
They might be suspicious.
Surely they wouldn’t hurt her, right?

Unless Amaya would turn out to be a Trojan horse taking her inside Cloud’s walls should not bring any trouble.

“My house is kind of empty nowadays, you could crash there.”

* * *​

MFT

 

[Uka]

Silence ensued, being interrupted only by the cracking of the logs in the fireplace as the flames danced, slowly consuming them until nothing more than ash remained. The gentle wind that managed to make it's way through the small gaps within the wall brought with it a rather enjoyable and relaxing calm, varying the temperature just enough for it to be rather comfortable... if you could feel it. The girl couldn't feel anything below her neck. Absolutely nothing at all. No that wasn't quite right. She could feel something, but it was difficult to explain. It was more knowing something was there than actually sensing it, though there were some strange sensations she was slowly but surely coming to grips with. In a way it was as if she could feel things move on the ground around her. It was weird.

The girl would finally relax a little, allowing her knees to move away from her chest slightly as she left her hands drop down by her sides in what was a rather awkward-looking position. Likely not the most comfortable one for sure. "I don't really know. Why would I want to hurt people? It's that rude?"<i></i> She would look away from the fire and over to Shizuka, confusion rather clearly plastered all over her face. The word appeared appropriate based on how it had been described to her.

"How would I know how careful I need to be?"<i></i> The girl would ask almost instantly, turning her head slightly to the side questioningly, a light spark finally appearing within her rather empty eyes, the one thing that Shizuka had found missing appeared if only for a moment before it was replaced by the same emptiness once more. "I would like to see, but why would you want someone to collide with your house?"<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

“Eh..” was the sound that came from Shizuka and it was the only one she could make. Amaya was posing a very good question, but the fact that people hurt each other all the time made it sound so unreal. She was genuine about it, as far as Shizuka could tell. That didn’t make it any less odd. Though, by now the Senju knew to expect everything aside from ordinary things from the mysterious female sitting next to her.

As the last bits of fire died out she thought to see a curious glimmer in those big eyes.

A spark of sorts.

Unfortunately it wasn’t there long enough for Shizuka to grasp. It left her stupefied and forced her to wonder where the ‘rest’ of that true person was. Because the bit of intrigued life Amaya had shown her seemed proof for her being more than the awkwardly angled metal that met the eye.

“Yeah.. well.. people do strange things. Either out of love, believe or duty.. lots of people get hurt. I guess, what I meant is, if you don’t mean any ill toward the inhabitants of the village, and be careful not to cross the wrong people, things should be fine.” Nodding, she knew it to be a very naive picture of the reality forming the Cloud. One could never be certain whether they were in the way or side-tracking - the lives of shinobi were unpredictable. People got pulled along. Collateral damage and all that.

In this case it was her body that would raise questions. Her odd speech. Her awkward memories or the lack of them. Oh, the inability to feel and perhaps even connect. Shizuka wasn’t far enough into Amaya as a mind to understand the last bits. Perhaps that was for the better.

“Honestly, it’s something you’ll have to figure out yourself. Like.. follow your instincts.”

Sitting there in whatever glow remained of the fire, it was now Shizuka’s turn to sound confused. “Collide?” She even tilted her head for a tiny bit. “I would prefer you not to break the walls and such..” A little grin was forming on the girl’s lips when she caught up. “With crashing I meant staying at - you can spend some time there while you explore. Half of the time it’s empty anyway.”

Carefully leaning back a little she poked her pants. They were still wet, but not as soaked as before. The fabric would take a while to dry. It’s why she threw a couple more logs onto the ashes, and carefully set them on fire. Now it was time to dry her back a bit, so she turned, facing Amaya from the other side now.

“You don’t have to come, if it’s making you uncomfortable. I’m just making a suggestion.”

* * *​

MFT °465

 

[Uka]

The mental note continued to grow with things she didn't quite comprehend by the minute. It was... weird. No matter. It would clear up eventually. At least that was what she hoped would happen, even if it was a bit unlikely in her case. The second she managed to grasp one thing fifty more came out.

"Cross the wrong people? Do you mean walk in front of someone and cause them to stop so you can pass?"<i></i> The girl would genuinely ask, trying to match what she thought with the possible context. For all she knew it was completely and utterly wrong, but it was an attempt at least! Horrible one, but a try nevertheless.

"Oh. Why is it empty?""<i></i> She would ask just before she was stupefied by Shizuka throwing more firewood into the fireplace. The fireball was something she hadn't seen before... at least she thought she hadn't, but it was difficult to really tell at this point.

The storm outside appeared to still be raging on as thunder interrupted the silence once again, blocking the sound of the rain hammering onto the wooden roof. It seemed like as if the wrath of Thor had been brought upon the realm as hundreds of litres of water continued pouring down, bringing life onto the area. "I don't know. I have no idea where to go, so I would just go where my legs take me. I think."<i></i>

 

[Senju Shizuka]

“No, I don’t.” The tilting of her head to the side was an obvious sign of confusion on Shizuka’s part. It took her a second to recover. From now on she would try to say things the way they were. That would be easier for their communication - she hoped. This one, however, she would still have to explain.

“Argue with people who might hurt you, I guess. I would say don’t get into fights and try avoiding anyone drunk.” While it could work out, it could also turn into something complicated and entirely unnecessary for Shizuka. Briefly the girl wondered if she needed this, but realized that she was too intrigued by Amaya to simply walk out of this hut alone.

“The house? Because my parents died and I’m not always staying there. It doesn’t feel right at times to be there on my own.”

From time to time Siu had stayed, then she had practically moved out. In-between the missions she crashed at others’ places whenever she didn’t make it home. Mostly because she didn’t truly wanted to be there. There had been a thought to sell the place, but she couldn’t let go of it either. The whole matter was complex and something she didn’t want to discuss right now. So, she waved it away.

“That’s an option, but I’m not sure if it’s a great one. I mean.. wandering around aimlessly might turn out to be an adventure but it also seems like a bit of a waste of time. Perhaps you should plan a journey you would want to make. Figure out the places you would like to see. In Cloud you could take a look at the maps and gather some of the things that may come in handy during a travel.”

Sure, she didn’t appear to have any cold, but still. A blanket, a weapon. Perhaps a book and a map. Surely there were things she could need should she choose to roam around Lightning or go beyond its borders.

“I suggest we go to the village in the morning. If you don’t like it there, you could always leave.” At least that’s what Shizuka hoped. Getting in was hard when you had no business there, but getting out might be tricky as well should you know too much or become interesting to the wrong people.

Turning to the fire again, she hoped to hide the bit of worry crossing her face. She felt surprised to feel such an emotion toward someone - or perhaps even something - she had just met. Maybe it was the innocence and confusion that was so appealing here. Or she was being tricked. That thought was something to keep in mind.

Was she planning to lead an enemy inside?
Would they let her in at all?

More questions were floating in her mind. She would have to be patient and see for herself. Worry and stress wouldn’t solve anything here. They never did.

* * *​

OOC: I suggest we wrap this up, I'll have the gate one start in the "morning"