Open The Dead of Night but it Shines so Bright

[Nakamura Kana]

Unable to find rest Kana travels to the place she finds most peaceful. Tucked away within the Undersea was a beach with the most magnificent view. Bioluminescent algae and fungus grew on the crystalline roof in this particular area giving one the sense of staring off into a universe of a billion stars. It was as if you had front row seats looking out at the stars unfold before your very eyes. The sand here was coarse so most did not travel down this far if they were looking for a place to fish or enjoy the water, but you could clear out the rough debris from the soft sands in small patches with a bit of effort. The water was near motionless here and you could easily view the multicolored bioluminescent fish swim by in the never ending cycle of life that was the ocean. There was a very tranquil almost unnatural presence in this portion of the Undersea. One could hear the distant waves softly crashing but noticed no movement in the water. More present is the dripping sounds of fresh water from above and on the walls falling into the recess of water below. There was also a sense of quiet and stillness here that is difficult to shake.
It is here that Kana would clear some of the debris and nestle herself against a rock formation overlooking the water below. Despair is what she felt this night and a sense of terror she could not shake. She felt oddly in tune with this place. It was as if the very walls wept as she did. In an effort to maintain the silence Kana would never sob audibly and instead simply allowed the tears to stream down her cheeks. It felt more now than ever before that her frustration is useless. She had so many dreams to aspire to, and had nowhere to start. This place so far underground buried is how she felt. It was a perfect distance from the world above where her fears would manifest again once she left. Though for now she felt safe. Safe to cry, safe to lash out, and safe to try new things. This was also the place that Kana would often find herself training as the cooler atmosphere allowed her to push herself for longer and minimize the risk of sun stroke.
For now though, Kana would simply be lost in her thoughts and staring out at the beauty that was before her.

[Marked for Training]

 

[Teke]

Juri was no stranger to the undersea, the beautiful, natural architecture of the cavern, the gentle bioluminescent glow of the flora growing above and below the shoreline left you with a sense of calm, letting the worries of the day just melt away. It wasn't too often that she would come down here, save for those moments when the stress is just getting a little too much and she needs to unwind. Today was one of those days, work had slowly been drying up and she was finding it harder and harder to just survive, with no income she'd have to resort to actual criminal acts in order to just live... not that she hadn't been doing that kind of stuff already but her moral compass was just about busted and in her mind she'd done nothing wrong until this point. So, at this point, she had descended into the undercity and beyond but not before being harassed by some of the scum that dwelled within, wasn't her fault they picked a fight they had no chance of winning and she now had bloodied up fists as she entered the glowing caverns.

She walked through the coarse sands slowly, taking in the quietness with her reddened fists still balled up as the frustration of everything was just tilting on the edge of her mind. She walked for about an hour, but it wasn't enough to sate her and she decided it was time to move toward the shore, perhaps the ocean itself could rest her nerves for a while. She moved now toward the water, though off in the distance she spotted a small lump in the terrain. She would have passed it off as a rock or something but it seemed to be moving? Barely but there was enough that led her to believe that who or whatever it was, was alive. She slowly made her way over, not being too quiet as to sneak up but also not trying to spook it and as she came close enough she started to recognize the little she could see. Though it wouldn't be obvious to most Juri could tell there was something up, the feeling of a large weight pressed against the youngsters back that she recognized all too well and so without a word she would come up alongside the girl and sit herself down on the floor next to her and just stare off into the distance, giving the girl the chance to either open up or tell her to go away though she had a feeling it wouldn't go like that.

The gentle sounds of the waves crashing in some unknown place were nice, the silence between the two didn't even feel awkward, not to Juri at the very least who found a little peace of mind in the fact that she wasn't alone in wallowing in their own misery.

 

[Nakamura Kana]

A figure glimpsed in the distance would immediately intrigue Kana and alert her to how vulnerable she felt at just this very moment. Enough light was caste that she could see who it was and that allowed her to settle the guard she was ready place forth. Shuffling of rocks and gravel could be heard. Not much would escape the view of the young Uchiha and she would immediately notice Juri's injuries. Although prevalent they seemed not to bother her and so Kana would not speak a word to them. The evening was colder down here and the warmth of another body being close by could be felt immediately. This caused her to fall into that moment of silence and peace described. The soft sounds of her clothes rustling could be heard as the young girl shifted her weight and began to rest on the side of the older woman.
The two looked out in the distance for an amount of time that felt like an eternity. Kana could bare it no longer and the streaming tears turned into a gentle sob. Pushing herself further into Juri she would settle with her head on the girls lap and curled up on the sand below. The feeling the girls arm over her was an escape to that pain that she was feeling. It wouldn't take long now for the tears to dry but the silence would continue. Eventually she would shift and take Juri's hand within both of her own inspecting it. The blood had dried by now and scabs beginning to form. Sitting upright she would look at the older Kunoichi.
"I'd hate to see the other guy."
Kana would attempt to smile and laugh. Now that she was looking at you at such a close distance it was hard not to stare at the glowing black and red kaleidoscope that seemed to shift patterns endlessly. The light given off by the cavern made her look even more ominous. Though perhaps all you would see is the broken child before you struggling to make light of all the negativity she's faced. It felt really nice to have someone there who understood she didn't want to talk about it or rehash the same things. That she just wanted someone to be there, and help her move forward. A single question had been rolling around her mind this whole time. So she would wipe away what was left of her tears and sniff a bit into the sleeve of her tunic and ask,
"How did you find me? Seems really strange to see you here."

 

[Teke]

Juri continued to look out into the distance, letting the child react how she pleased to get herself comfortable. Honestly, it was a pleasant feeling to feel the touch of someone else without it being a punch or a kick for once, she didn't like to drop that barrier at all but she was just a kid so it felt okay. She put an arm over the girl, a half attempt at a hug, though given the awkward angle she just ended up resting it on her, though she seemed to appreciate it. She would barely look back at the girl though, sensing what she needed and wanted to do via sound and feeling, her emerald eyes just fixated on the calm waters, flicking back and two as little ripples pierced the surface, fish gobbling something from unfortunate enough to land on the surface. Nature just had this way of soothing the woman's heart, animals especially and she had thought about pets before, though given her current living arrangments, or rather, her lack of ability to not like in squalor she doubted any kind of pet would appreciate it. Kana was the one to finally break the silence, she would finally look down at the young girl who was inspecting her still dirty hands, she'd forgotten all about it until then.

"I doubt it'll be an open casket funeral, so you're safe." She quipped back.

Finally looking at the girl she would realize this was the first time that she'd looked at the girl's eyes. She paid enough attention to see the red and black before, knowing roughly what an Uchiha was and the fact they had special red eyes but seeing them move like they were was kind of trippy, she thought for a moment she was hallucinating. Whether fortunately or unfortunately, however, there was no illusion and the girl's eyes were indeed in perpetual motion, leading Juri to believe that the girl probably got picked on because of it though clearly having no idea to what extent. Kana would then pose another question, which amused Juri for some reason, it was very within her skill set to track and find people so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility but there was no way this child would or should know that given that they were still very much strangers.

"Coincidence. I come down here at least once a week, it's peaceful to walk around and lets me vent my frustrations without hurting someone." She then looked at her still bloody hands.

"Well, most of the time." She chuckled.

"Oftentimes though I just walk into the water and watch the fish, they don't get enough recognition for how graceful and beautiful they are to watch. Especially down here." She added.

It would also help to wash off the blood but that didn't happen too often, usually, she didn't need to worry about having to slice a guy into several pieces on the way here, she just took a bad shortcut and they picked the wrong girl to try and harass. She would go to lengths not to directly ask the girl what was up, perhaps she should have but it felt off, she could feel the weight of the girl's problems and they seemed like something far too heavy for the here and now, though it did provoke this feeling within her that she should take care of this girl, even if she couldn't even help herself.

"If you ever need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen, I'll... do what I can, yeah?" A tad awkward but, a start.

 

[Nakamura Kana]

Kana was settled in. Finding a place of comfort within Juri's lap previously. It was now replaced with a sense of uncertainty. Thoughts filled and raced through her mind as the woman stared at her eyes for a moment too long. All the teasing, all the pain and struggle was brought to the forefront. Though what she was waiting for never came. There was no mock or jest in her voice. Only the same concern she silently wished the woman would show. The young Uchiha would hang on every word the woman spoke as if waiting for the illusion to be shattered, and her to crumble once again. The moment never came.
"Coincidence? Hmm... I guess we're more alike than we knew."
Thinking on how the woman said she would simply walk in the water, Kana would stand.
"Well, there's no walking in here. But... there are other options."
A smile, and a bit of a laugh as the woman offered to be a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to listen to her issues. She had many of them, and she wasn't sure if talking would make it any better. So for now, she would decide against it. The moment the two were now sharing should be something memorable, at least she wanted it to be that way. Standing up and shaking off her tunic and leggings she would kick some of the gravel at Juri.
"No open casket huh? I wonder what would happen if the people picking the fights were on par with you. Would it be such a clean endeavor to rid them of this world?"
She spoke of death as if it was a necessity. After all, her perceptions in this topic were very skewed. Losing your mother at birth would do that.

Kana knew the woman was also a Genin and figured she would be about on par with the others in her old classes who she used to beat with ease. Though she was very cautious, knowing never to underestimate a potential opponent. However, Juri, she had a feeling would not be in her best shape. Still smelling of booze from probably the past week of drinking and a sluggishness that suggested it was beginning to affect her. The next thing she spoke with a child-like attitude that she was hard pressed to normally find.
"I bet I could kick your butt. When you're all drunk n silly it makes it a lot easier too. I can only imagine the type of fighter you could be."
She would speak encouragingly, but also down to Juri in a sense. In truth, she hoped not to offend the one person she may be able to consider a friend.

[WC:454, MFT]

 

[Teke]

Juri let out a sigh as the girl stood up, her bodies slow degradation catching up with her for just a moment before catching herself and hiding it away where it belonged. As the younger girl got up she would pose an interesting question which she would actually have trouble answering at first. Her only response at first was to take the gravel that had been kicked at her and fall backward dramatically just to lay herself down and look up at the ceiling of the cavern, all the green and blue hues clung to the stalactites just hovering above her head if they fell now would she even have the energy to dodge it? Would she want to try even if she could?

"Sad truth, kid. That piece of crap was on my level... or rather I am on his. I lost all that I was and all that's left is a husk, wondering when things will eventually catch up with her."

She had been built to be something unfathomable, at least that was what they'd told her and she'd no reason to doubt them given everything they told her about the operations seemed to be true. Immortality or at least a life span so long people would believe it. Maybe she'd been naive rushing into something like that so young but she wanted nothing but to be the best of the best, restore honor to her parents, and rekindle the heart of their clan, and yet here she lay, on a gravel beach stinking of blood and alcohol. She sat back up and looked at Kana, her emerald eyes piercing through the girl as best they could for relatively normal eyes given what Kana herself possessed.

"I've no doubt you could, I'm a nobody at this point, I beat up trash because that's all I am good for. Barely scraping enough money together to keep a roof over my head, food in my belly and hoping that one day I'll drink enough to actually forget... for just one fucking measly second... forget..."

She sighed out loudly again and shook her head at the girl's final comment, even she had trouble seeing it from here. Perhaps not on the level of Kana but she was damn good at what she did, impressing in the academy and would have easily walked her way through the ranks but all her motivation upped and left, abandoning her and through a combination of anger, frustration at her parents, but still loving them deep down she just couldn't process her situation and come to terms with it and so her confidence plummeted and quickly it was turning into a deep depression.

"What I could have been, kid... There's no motivation anymore. No one cared before so why would they now? I'm just a broken, failed experiment with nothing left to offer."

She reached out with her arm, keeping her fist clenched, despite saying all of this, beliving all these words, why did she keep working so hard? Looking at the muscles on her arms, not earned without pushing her body every day before submitting to wallow in her own misery, a little bit of hope perhaps or a habit of a time she was struggling to forget.

[WC - 543]

 

[Nakamura Kana]

Kana could feel the remorse as if it was a tangible thing coming off Juri. The way she spoke, the young Uchiha could heavily relate. The burdens of the world that come down on us, often times things just didn't seem very fair. In fact, she knew it all too well. It's one of the biggest struggles she had to overcome and face everyday. Though Juri was the first person to ever pay her any mind. The first person to care, listen, and offer a place to lie her head, even if it was only for a bit. The way the woman spoke it was as if she knew her own potential and wanted to ignore it. Wanted to push away the pain. Kana saw herself in this woman and it began to frighten the child. Is this what she would become if she didn't begin to fight to make things better? Would she begin to fall down the same hole, squandering her gifts and becoming no better than a thug on the street?
" I think you could be on a far higher level Juri-san. In fact, I think you know you can too."
The woman would sigh still sitting on the gravel and clenching it within her fists. She could tell the pain would be present though it was as if it didn't even phase the older Kunoichi. She could sense the utter desperation within and wanted to help. But how?
"A failed experiment? You're a person. A kunoichi. Potentially a valuable asset moving forward. You say no-one cares. Well you're dead wrong."
Kana would seemingly pout but also stomp her foot. It seemed you got her a bit upset by saying that no-one cared. In fact, she cared more about Juri than anyone in this village, save her own parents. The one person who has actually even tried to understand the young girls pain. She saw the woman falling into a deeper depression before her very eyes. It was so frustrating, mostly because of how much of herself she saw in Juri. Kicking some gravel off the edge of the rocks and into the water she would watch as the fish scattered then scurried back as if it were food. The cycle of life. The strong and the weak. Kill or be killed. It was the Shinobi way. It was as if Kana was struck with an idea, perhaps it was pain of the situation overflowing within her. Though pain quickly became rage.
"You offered to be a shoulder for me... right? Well, I'm gonna offer to be some motivation for you."
In that very moment the swirls in Kana's eyes intensified. Her own fist would clench and while standing over Juri she would lean down and swing with all her might. A simple but powerful jab straight between the older woman's eyes. Would she move? Would she even try? Was she even fast enough anymore? The likely outcome would be a sickening crack as bone would collide with bone. Kana would dash backward.
"Come on. You sliced up some punk for far less. I know you have it in you to fight. To fight, to live, to learn, to cry, and die when our time comes."

[MFT WC:537]

 

[Teke]

Of course, she was a person, that wasn't up for debate, she was however just an experiment, failed or not, in her own mind and it played on her heavily. Truly though no one had shown any signs of caring since she got back to reality, just people taking pity on her, looking and talking down to her like she was just some poor, unfortunate girl who was in way over her head. All she ever needed was someone to tell it to her straight and give her just an ounce of reality, give her a reason to fight on instead of wallowing in what she felt were her own failures. No one ever told her she had to be strong, fight, move forward, and just stick a middle finger up at all those people treating her like some child, and now this girl, a few years her junior was just spilling it all out and she was almost dumbfounded.

"I... don't know, I've never been afraid of anything in my life.. but something has always just..."

She was having trouble even finding the words to explain as the logic her brain had built up over these years was starting to show cracks as she slowly processed the words of encouragement. It wasn't enough after so much time spent alone just wallowing in her own misery, the walls of flawed logic and lies she'd built would take time to strip down but this was the beginning of possible recovery before the worst should happen. The words from Kana just seemed to mean more, maybe because she'd realized long ago that they were quite similar in a lot of ways despite having very different lives, and even the points they now found themselves at differed but it wasn't as much as she'd have believed. It was sweet of her to offer a shoulder and though she didn't say it she appreciated it and would take her up on it once her head settled a little with all this new information floating about.

Of course, Kana wasn't about to let that happen, her own frustration in just how pathetic Juri was acting and the things she was saying perhaps hitting a little to close to home just sent her over the edge and Juri saw it coming but her body either couldn't or wouldn't react, just remaining perfectly still as the small fist cracked her right between the eyes. Juris eyes just locked onto the girl as she backed away, she stared silently as the sting from the strike quickly faded away and she sighed, pushing herself up to her feet to stand at her intimidating six foot four, patting the dust off of her backside quickly.

"I appreciate the help and I know it's frustrating, believe me, I know what a fucking piece of shit I am... but at least you cared enough to try... so thanks."

She would take some steps toward the girl and look down at the water.

"They all left, my parents just took all my money and ran whilst I was locked away in a lab, voluntarily I admit but, even they left before they were done with me... woke up in a tank of liquid and had to break my way out and all I had was a short message that didn't explain shit... I don't even know what my body can do anymore and anyone who might have the answers just vanished into thin air."

She shook her head and held out both arms in front of her, pointing away and in a flash, her metal claws were exposed in front of Kana for the first time.

"I was in the shower the first time these popped out, washing my abdomen one second, then BAM! Straight through my stomach and kidneys... and I just watched in shock as it just... closed up like it never happened... I don't know what I am anymore and I don't want to hurt people because I lose control of something I didn't know I could do, right?"

She tried her best to explain some of her problems to the girl, she knew full well there was nothing Kana could do to help, not physically anyway but this was a chance to vent and she was going to use it to the best of her ability right now.

[WC - 729]

 

[Nakamura Kana]

Kana slid her feet back into the gravel marking her territory and began planning her next moves. Muscles strained and ready to pounce. She may be small, but she could pack a lot of force within her tiny frame. The punch had landed home and when Juri rose she expected the woman to attack her. Though the assault never came. A heavy sigh and Kana could feel the very life force that Juri was giving off right now. When the girl took a punch to the face and then stood to brush herself off she knew that it had done... something. Relaxing now, she would go back to maintaining a more normal posture for there was no fight to come. A few of her tiny footsteps echoed across the empty caverns as she neared Juri's form. The woman was so much larger than Kana and when she moved to offer a touch her arms could only manage a hug around the girls thighs. She would take time and simply listen to what the woman had to say.

The woman spoke of her parents, of her past and how she felt hopeless. It was a feeling Kana could relate to on the deepest levels. Especially the parts about being unsure of how to control her own powers or to cause harm to others. In fact, it caused the young Uchiha to begin crying silently again. Small orbs of salt and water would begin to stream down her cheeks. The frustration that the older woman spoke touched Kana on the deepest of levels. Perhaps hearing it from someone else's perspective allowed her to see a bit more into her own pain. To understand it. Flashbacks of only a year ago floated to her mind, where she attempted to rid herself of this world. Inhaling deeply her right hand would raise to wipe away the tears. Sniffling a bit she would speak softly as she did not want her voice to crack.

"I know. I know exactly how you feel. I also had no idea how to control my abilities. The one person who could have taught me... I murdered when I came into this world. I've never had parents to teach me. No guiding hand to show me the secrets or to watch out for certain pitfalls. I've been making mistakes for a while. If I had to guess I'm going to keep making more."

Small hands would reach out and grab for Juri's. Touching, the older kunoichi would be able to feel Kana trembling. There was more to stay but she had to stop herself, even for just a moment to recompose. It seemed as if her breathing stiffened and became shorter for a few moments. Tiny fingers latching into the older girls hand as she continued to speak.

"I, had something similar happen when I found out. Only I was trying to pierce a Kunai through my wrists. A powerful chakra came out of me, and it stopped me. I found out who I really was that day. My fate has destined me for greater things, and I don't have a choice but to try to make the best of... all of this."

With that her hand would tighten again and she would give Juri a glimpse of some of her power. One moment, the hand was tightly gripped, and the next it's as if it wasn't there to begin with. She would look up at you then down at her hand which was now flickering in and out of this world into what was called The Hollow, or the other world. Then, she would disperse the jutsu and look back up toward the older woman.

"What has happened to both of us is terrible. Despite my desires I'm being forced to move forward. Will you do the same with me? Keep me company, and we can make mistakes together."

Kana looked up at Juri and there was a certain pout to the young girls face that was never there before. It was as if she was pleading for a friend. Someone who understood her pain and faced similar tribulations. Extending her hands once more she would place them on the claws that had broken the skin and began to softly rub at the top of her hand as if she could coax them to go back inside. She couldn't so she would settle with placing her hand inside the larger one and squeezing tight.

 

[Teke]

Juri hadn't expected all of this emotional outburst when she'd decided to come to and visit the underground sea today. She had planned on being alone with her toxic thoughts for a few hours, perhaps a dip in the ocean, and then dragging herself back to the hovel she gets away with calling a home. Opening up about her own problems was not something she planned on doing in any circumstance but something about this place made her feel more vulnerable and let her just get out some of the things frustrating her, which she was starting to comprehend was a good thing. The young girl would go onto explain her own traumas and Juri listened to them closely, making sure not to miss a thing as the girl had so kindly done for her. Listening to the girl's tale of mistakes and attempted self-harm really struck a chord with Juri though, it made her really angry deep inside, not at the girl of course but that she was allowed to reach that place whilst still being a child and no one around her stopped her from falling so deep? For herself she understood in a twisted way why no one cared, she was an adult and perhaps that was a messed up way for her to think but it just made sense in her mind.

"I'm glad you were able to stop yourself. Even if by accident... or we'd never have met, right?"

She said, turning to look down at the small body clinging to her own and offered a smile through the pain that was bringing up all these terrible memories. Kana would also offer a glimpse at the powers she spoke of saving her and they were quite odd, certainly, for Juri who had specialized in Taijutsu so fervently, it was special in her eyes but perhaps not as impressive as it truly should be given the circumstances and age of the girl. The thing about all of her words that stood out though were the fact that she saw this as a sign to move forward, press on, and be the best she can be, and though Juri had a similar experience she saw it as nothing but a hindrance, a punishment for being who she was, was she wrong all this time?

"You... perhaps I was too hard on myself or because of the shock of everything all at once but, I think you did the right thing. I feel like a fool for missing it amongst my pain..."

She fell silent once again and watched as the girl reached out for the two metallic claws protruding from between her knuckles and almost pawed at them, seemingly wanting them to go away and Juri would oblige by slowly retracting them back into her forearm... because where else would they even go? The small one would then take hold of Juri's hand and squeezed it tightly, tears still in her eyes, and Juri began to wonder if she even could cry, she couldn't remember the last time she did and came up with blanks, a concerning thought to dwell on later.

"I can't promise I won't drag you down, or be a pain in the ass but. I'm willing to give it a go... moving forward, toward the goal I used to dream of but this time I'll do it for me, I'll do it to spite them and their greed."

[WC - 575]

 

[Nakamura Kana]

Kana could feel the sudden shift and change within Juri's mentality and mindset. If nothing else this pleased the young girl. She was a bit overjoyed though and clung a bit harder squeezing the girl with all her might. Looking up to the older kunoichi with a smile, and knowing that somehow it was going to be alright. That they had some sort of greater destiny than to just wallow in the pain and misery of their lives past.

"Drag me, I'll be right there to keep pushing with you."

It seemed the time would pass by as the two had given each other a certain sense of strength and ability to look at things within a new light. Even if it was mostly talking out her fears and tribulations, today would stick with Kana for a long time to come. It was beginning to get late. Very late in fact as she could see the light breaking through the rocks in the distance meaning that morning was here.

"I need to get back, but don't be a stranger. We need to stick together, okay?"

Kana would then part ways with the older woman, needing to return home before her parents would wake and wonder where she had gone. Tonight was productive though, to say the least.

[Leaving Topic]

 

[Teke]

Juri wouldn't say a thing, she was rather enjoying the physical contact from another person without it leading to or being started with violence. It had been so long without it that she'd forgotten how comforting and calming it could be to just feel. This journey to the depths of her homeland had proved to be something she could not have expected, having come here a dozen times before and simply used the time to wallow in self-pity and enjoy the view for just a moment. Today wouldn't be a day the woman would soon forget, not only for the company of the small girl and being able to talk just a little about her feelings but because this might just be the first of many steps to getting her life back on tracks and she might even dare to dream once again but that was a thought for a later time.

"Of course, you got me into this mess so now you need to take responsibility."

She responded to the girl's farewell, cracking a smile as she did so. It was so refreshing to not feel so down and out, all because of one young girl who may or may not be right about a lot of things. Juri wouldn't leave straight away, letting the girl vanished from her sights before making a move but she had no intention of going home just yet. There was a lot of things weighing on her mind after opening up so much and a little more time was needed to process it, home was too much of a mess to get any thinking done so here would be the place. She made her way around the cavern and eventually to the sandy section leading into the water, she would remove her boots and place them on the shore and start to enter the water, finding a spot to sit amongst the rocks and fish and submerging herself to her neck and just thinking, watching and letting the stress swim away with a smile on her face for the first time in a long while.

[Topic Left]