Tired...she felt very tired. She felt as if her body was underwater, cool and calm but oh so heavy. Very heavy. It was suffocating. She dripped and flew, further and further down the well, the emptiness of the vast ocean engulfed her, swallowing her whole leaving her husky and cold. A light shone in her face, way above her in the clouds, shimmering through the watery surface. She felt life flow back into her, energy slowly trickled into her as if the sun rays seeped into her skin, giving her warmth. But it was a weak light and began to flicker. Storm clouds rolled in, taking the light from her and the ocean turned turbulent. It grew cold and heavy but no longer calm. It was violent and she no longer felt like she was peaceful sinking, sleeping beneath the ocean's surface but crashing between harsh waves, thrashing about. It hurt, all over. She felt like she couldn't breathe. As if the ability to do so slipped away, taken, and stripped from her. Her lungs began to fill themselves with fluids. Her chest burned, like a searing flame. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't. I couldn't. I can't. I can't. I...

The red head sucked in a deep breath as her eyes flew open. Her heartbeat ran a mile a minutes. A nightmare...it was only a nightmare. Slowly she regained the ability to breathe and her body swayed. It's fine. She can breathe. She is breathe. I can breathe, she told herself as she gently touched her sore that was still a bit bruised. Fading bruises marred her skin but they were fading soon enough. She couldn't afford to complain. It's fine. Everything will be fine. It will be all okay once this is all over. All over. All...over..

"Hey!...Hey get out of there!" A man's angry voice called out to her and she snapped her head towards him, brown meeting unnerving pale blue pupiless eyes. Those eyes...they caught him off guard but he soon enough regained his footing. He grabbed her bad arm, the fractured one, and pulled her close, almost off the wagon "Get off already and move on!"

She glared at him and pulled away definitely, trying to get out of his grip and not show the pain she was in. But the sudden tense nature of her jaw gave her away. Still she would try to remain strong "This was not our deal. I paid you to take me all the way to Kumo. This is not Kumo"

The man barked in snide snoobbish laughter and squeezed her arm some more, eliciting a small wince from her "And guess what. It's not enough. I'm behind schedule because of you so you either pay more or get off" He knew she did not have much money. Not from the clothes she was wearing, tattered and worn. They were expensive kind, the kind reserved for nobles but they got torn, had speckles of blood and dirt. She had a ragged knapsack full of the only barest minimal items needed for travel. No doubt she couldn't afford to give him anymore money if she did not want to starve upon her arrival to Kumo. So when she glared at him, he only smirked and used his free hand to pull her chin towards him, almost touching his scraggly bread where his chapped lips were "But..." He purred or attempted to sound husky but horribly failed "There are other forms of compensation..."

It appeared as she froze, resgined to her fate, and was going to let the man do with her what he will. So he slid his hand down her arm to her hip and when to go underneath the fabric of her dress. Before he could reach her private area he felt her shift, no longer tense, and pressed against him making him pitch a tent. He would enjoy her struggling but it was always better with a consenting partner. Feeling himself grow in excitement, he went in to kiss her neck as she rose her leg...And subsequently fell after feeling himself get penetrate. He fell to the ground in shock, seeing his hunting knife deep in abdomen where his kidney was. But before he could fully process his shock, she stepped down on the knife with all her might, making sure it went deeper, eliciting a horrendous scream of terror and pain until he finally passed out from pain after she kept kicking it deeper and deeper into the wound.

When she saw he had passed out from pain she tsked, clicking her tongue and decided to search his pockets, taking anything of value off him before hopping back onto the wagon. Despite being a worthless piece of trash, he did have some nice wares. So she took what she wanted. Originally she planned to just get to Kumo fine and find some work before finding some alleyway to sleep in but now he totally screwed her plans. Still she got some food stuff from this. She found some more money that would last her a month, food that wasn't much, and plenty of linens. Among them she found some clothing. They were much simpler than what she was wearing but they would help her blend in better. Yes, she can make do with this. She went into the driver seat and got the reins, snapping them so the horses moved and left the man in the middle of no where, likely to die.

Hours later and she was in Kumo. She had just finished selling everything she did not want to keep: the horses, most of the linens, majority of the food she could not carry, the wagon and the horses. All for a reasonable price. The money will definitely help her for the next few months if she lived frugally. And that was all she needed. From everything, she kept the money, some food, and clothes that fit her. She was in dire need of them as her dress was on its last stretch. So Mifune went to an bathing house where she cleaned up and changed. She cleaned her wounds and all the blood off her, feeling much more refreshed than before. She wore thick sleeveless white turtle neck and light gray pants with black sneakers. She wanted to buy a coat but thought better of it as it was not horrendously cold yet so she did not need it now. Her ragged knapsack was exchanged for a backpack where she kept her valuables and a map. The very same map held directions for Kumo though it did not have much information but she could make due. As the sun began to set, Mifune went to go look for a certain house, hopping a certain white haired girl still lived there. Once she reached her destination she knocked and hopped that she was home...

Lin...

1171~

It was a good day. Lin had woken up early and tidied up the house, making sure that she had tucked away all of her knickknacks in her drawers. She had invited Satoshi over for some supper, having knocked him around at the training-grounds. She felt a bit bad, but had mended him again. He had landed a few blows as well, and she had trained with him to dodge a bunch of kunai at once. Well, that was the hope. Really it was more of target practice for her with a moving target with her jutsu. She was pretty spent from the day, but the cleaning helped to lift her spirits and her energy levels.

She had a two-bedroom one bathroom apartment, the one bedroom used as a guest room whenever her parents came over to visit and wanted to have breakfast with their daughter. It wasn't a very big village, but still it was nice to have a place for other people to crash once in a while. Lin had done some missions successfully and so was very comfortable now with her ryo. She even had enough to go out to dinner once or twice a month, which for her was splurging more than the two or three drinks that she had every night on weekends. She didn't really count those.

Humming to herself, she tucked the last bit of dirty laundry into the hamper and looked around the apartment. it seemed to be clean enough to have company over. Now, what to do for dinner... She scratched her temple for a bit before shrugging. She had made Lo Mein once before and she liked it, perhaps Satoshi wouldn't mind. If he did, he could always order something. After all, they were on the same level, partners if one could call it that. Teammates was the most accurate representation of their relationship. She and he had been through two missions by this point, and it seemed that they made a pretty good team. He was a close-range fighter, while she was a mid-long range kunoichi that used jutsu as her main weapon. She considered getting some short-range senbon, but she didn't have the ryo for a set yet.

Shrugging, she had chosen to wear a comfortable dress. It looked like a too-long sweater, coming to two centimeters above her kneecaps and she walked around bare-footed. The sweater dress had swirls and curls crocheted into it, and it was a super-comfy thing to wear when bundling up for the night. It was a tan color that just was noticeable enough to make it look like she wasn't nude. She liked that it wasn't completely white because she didn't have to worry about dirt as much. She had gone with the tan because the black always made her feel... dark. She didn't feel super-formal because she didn't see this as anything but two friends getting together to relax after a day's training. It seemed that training was one of the only things that she had done since she met Gin. Well, that and... She blushed thinking of Dameon.

Ah, Dameon. She was super-pleased to have found someone like Dameon that was comfortable around her. She had always gotten looks before due to her scar, but he made her feel comfortable in her own skin. He even had the audacity to call her beautiful. The scoundrel! She giggled, stopping to day-dream about what had happened only a while ago. It was such a nice night. Not at all like this one. It had been raining, she had brought him dinner. Their first meal together... well, alone. Ah... it was... it was perfect.

She could still smell his scent, feel his hands on her, touching her... Shaking her head she got a grip of herself. It wasn't like she needed to be thinking about Dameon when Satoshi came over. After all, it was just "a night to be buddies." She had rented one of the new action movies that had just aired in theaters that she hadn't caught before. Something about a super-ninja that was able to save the world from destruction by himself. A sort of action thriller movie that she hoped that Toshi would like. As with dinner, she knew that he could always run to the movie store if he didn't care for it.

hopping into the kitchen she set the burners on when she heard a knocking at the door. That must be Satoshi now. Might as well let the Wok heat up while she answered the door. After all, cooking wasn't really something that was hard when one was stir-frying vegetables. The only thing that one had to make sure of was not burning them. And even then, you could crisp them a bit without them losing their flavor.

wiggling her toes as she went along in her carpet, she gave the apartment another once-over. The couch was facing the television, the dining-room that abruptly ended as a kitchen was clean. The kitchen looked like she was cooking, but she was, and darnit it didn't have to be immaculate. Her bedroom door was closed, but she had even picked that up, and the spare-bedroom had new sheets. The bathroom had been cleaned earlier on. All of this she mentally checked off before opening the door, "Hi there!"

It wasn't who Lin was expecting, quite the opposite. Same red hair, and that's what threw her off to begin with, but the clothing was wrong, and Satoshi had grown breasts it seemed. Oh. This wasn't Satoshi. This was Mifune. What was Mifune doing here? "Come on in Mifune." She smiled, hoping that she hadn't paused too much in her cadence to suggest that she was less than happy to see Mifune in any way. She was actually quite happy, just really surprised. They had gone their separate ways over a year ago and she didn't know what brought Mifune to her house. Closing the door she motioned to the couch, "I was just making dinner, want some Lo-Mein?" Lin asked, smiling.

WC: 1058

The last few weeks had been rather eventful for Satoshi. He grinned, thinking about how lucky he'd been as he set his white shell headphones over his ears. A hand reach down to one of the pockets of his white slacks, flicking a button concealed within. Steadily music began pouring into his ears. "Alright!" He declared out loud to nobody as he began to sway about his messy bedroom.

His sheets were kicked off the bed, hanging from his window sill even.  Clothes were scattered about with little care. The room was also filled with various jewel cases and vhs tapes here and there. Satoshi looked like the sort of boy who lived in the moment. So much in the moment that he didn't have time to fix whatever he'd messed up a few moments ago. Or perhaps he was just a messy kid.

"Oh yeah!" He sang to noone at all as he reached out to snatch his jacket off a coat rack, perhaps the only thing not messy in the room. Beneath it, on the same hook, hung his headband. His mark of graduation and acknowledgement of his capability as a ninja of the Hidden Cloud. He ran a thumb down it's shiny metal surface fondly. In the time since receiving it he'd made a new friend and met some rather interesting people. The world which seemed so small just kept getting larger and larger... And he was keeping it waiting!

He zipped his jacket up and checked himself in the mirror. His hair was a mess... He ran a hand through it, mussing it up with little discipline until it fell into a state of such distress that it looked like he may have been trying to get it that way. He checked the mirror again, and nodded. "Yeah! Baby!" He pulled a spin as queued by his music, something poppy yet full of soul.

He rushed out the door, passing by a distinguished older woman who grabbed the back of his hood just as he passed the threshhold. His body slinked back at the command of the surprisingly strong matriarch. He looked over his shoulder and grinned before leaning back and planting a kiss on her cheek. "Bye Obachan!" She released him then, having paid the toll, and he hurried out the door then!

Satoshi was many things. Most of them weren't great. He was inattentive. A little messy. Kind of irresponsible. And definitely kind of goofy. But he was -never- late. Punctuality was super important to Toshi. And so he arrived about five minutes before the time they'd set. They'd agreed to have supper and catch a movie. Participate in some activity that didn't involve attempting to perforate or otherwise harm eachother.

As he approached her home there was already someone there at the door. Oh neat! More new friends. He pulled his headphones off his head as he observed the red haired girl about to knock on the door. He approached fearlessly and with little tact. Satoshi had never been afraid of people... Perhaps as he got older he'd grow more jaded and come to acknowledge the threat that strangers posed.

"Hey! Are you here to watch Shin Shinobi: Rebirth of the Sacred Scroll too?" He seemed excited to see her, despite not knowing who she was. Or perhaps he was just looking forward to watching the kung-fu flick that Lin had planned for the night. Watching cheesy kung-fu movies was one of his favorite past times and he'd yet to see this one!

He displayed his interest in the film by performing his best martial arts action hero impression. He assumed an over exaggerated fighting pose and did his best dramatic spinning backfist including a freeze frame, shaking tension, and a long, drown out "oooooooooooooo", much like the dragon himself. He then extended the fingers from that hand, turning the fist into an offer for a handshake.

"I'm Kazuhiko Satoshi! Or just Toshi to my friends. Nice to meet you!"

[WC: 699]

Just as Mifune was about to knock on the door, a voice cried out to her. She whipped her crimson locks towards the source of the voice, her pale blue eyes piercing into his own shining red ones full of life and happiness unlike her cold, lifeless ones. He was a good bit taller than her with what she guessed around five foot six or so on, and was dressed in typical bright snowy white garb that those of kumogakure seemed to favor. His energetic nature and lack of tact caught her off guard and had he not spoken the words he did, she would have thought she had gotten the wrong house. The very thought of it did not settle her nerves but made her more nervous. Still she could not act weak in front of a stranger so when he asked if she were here to view a showing of Shin Shinobi: Rebirth of the Sacred Scroll, she shook her head whilst her pale cheeks were dusted with the lightest rosy hue possible. Typically she would not care or give a semblance of reaction being a very stony person but you could excuse her with the year she had been having. And she had not exactly had time to watch the latest films in such with her undesirable accommodations she had to suffer for the last year.

Her rigid stature matched her unsure nervous smile but when the raven hair boy began showing her his best martial arts action hero impression, she felt all the frosty ice melt away once he did an over exaggerated fighting pose and did a very dramatic almost comedic spinning back fist including a freeze frame, shaking tension, and a long, drown out call, Mifune bite her lip, trembling and smiling the teeniest tiniest smile chuckling. Her injuries hurt a lot through the pain but still the bubbling feeling in her chest told her it was worth it. Her shoulders shook as she tried her best to contain herself before biting her lip and turning away from him to regain her bearing with a cough and fanning her face before she turned back towards him as if she never laughed in the first place. It was not a nervous expression nor a haunty one, simple one that felt tired but a little rejuvenated from the younger ones (or older, Mifune was never good at these things) energetic display.

He held a hand out for her to shake, giving himself away with a name attached,  Kazuhiko Satoshi. Mifune nodded saying it for memory and did not go to shake his head as her dominate one was still reeling in pain from earlier and she did not want to use her weaker one. Whenever you meet someone you should always have a firm grip or else you're disrespecting them and yourself for being week. She pondered whether she should do the same and decided to might as well "Yuno...Yuno, Mifune. And to answer your question, I'm...not here for that..." Mifune figured this was Lin's house or hopped so since the male had not walked right in. "I'm here actually for Lin..." She felt the awkwardness creep back up again.

This place, this person, was not the same as the hell hole she had been in for the past year but at least they were predictable. She knew what they were thinking and what they wanted. With a normal person or as normal as can be, she was not sure how to act or what to say. Honestly she never has. It was always her little sister or Lin who took the initiative in conversations with Mifune only sitting between them adding commentary every once in a while. She is not exactly one for social gatherings. And with a stranger right now, normally she would feel bile in her throat and get nervous at the sudden conformation but she wasn't that girl anymore.

She was not afraid and she would not hide behind others. She would not apologize for her actions or run from her problems. So without responding to him should he ask, Mifune would excuse herself under her breath and knock on the door. It only took a few moments for a familiar face and that was all it took for the feeling of a noose around her neck to form, to constrict around her neck but with a soft shrug and wave as her greeting, she felt so happy to be in Lin's presence once again. But it seemed their meeting was a little awkward as it was obvious she was expecting a guest from the scent of food on her clothes, turning her attention back to Satoshi. Mifune wanted to take Lin and run away with her, far from other people but she did not want to seem weird and off to her old friend so reluctant she grabbed Satoshi's hand with her good one and pulled him in with her. Lin had not noticed his presence until Mifune poked her in the middle of her forehead and turned her head towards Satoshi who no doubt was going to feel a little awkward.

2041~

Lin's cheeks turned an instant crimson as she looked from Mifune to Satoshi. Her embarrassment carried over in an overall blush that covered most of her face, mumbling something under her breath which sounded an awful lot like she was criticizing herself for being so stupid she beamed at Satoshi "Oh, Hi Toshi! I was expecting you, and Mifune showed up and... and are you alright with Lo mein?" She pulled at the edges of her sweater-dress nervously in front of them, suddenly very self conscious. She attempted to take their coats, as it was warm in her apartment.

"We're watching Shin Shinobi: Rebirth of the Sacred Scroll." She stated, "And unwinding with something other than training Mifune. Oh... I guess I should introduce you two, Mifune, this is Satoshi. Satoshi, this is Mifune. Mifune was a friend of mine from a year ago. Her sister and I were very good friends as well. I don't quite remember the details of our splitting up but I resumed life here in Kumo, while she and her sister left for a bit. Oh. And Mifune, Satoshi is part of my team, we've been sparring for the last couple of days and have grown a bit closer. I thought that this would be a good bonding time, but it is also going to be a good time to have you two get to know each other. Is there anything that you don't like in your Lo Mein?" She asked, stepping back over to continue chopping the vegetables that she would stir fry first.

Whipping up the hot oil she made sure that it was hot enough before adding the vegetables in with a hiss, stirring them around. Now it was time for the beef. Using the knife she cut with a surgeon's precision and flicked each individual piece into the wok before stirring once more. Next came the sauce and noodles, which she had picked up from a noodle-maker down the way. All the while she hummed a bit under her breath and watched her company. It was good to have friends at her house.

When the lo mein was done she got out three plates and set the table, putting out three sets of chop-sticks, a set that her mother gave her they were black with white lotus flower designs on them. When they moved towards the table she would put the movie in and sit down, dishing herself and her guests up the dinner she had made.

WC: 1492

"Yuno... Mifune." He tried the name out. There was something oddly pleasant about his voice. Over all the sound effects and overdramatics of his demeanor there was a certain inherent melodic quality to his voice. It wasn't sing-song, persay, but it certainly seemed to be harmonizing with -something-. "Mifune. What a nice name! And what great luck." He then continued in a deep, smokey baritone. "Fate has intervened!" He struck another ridiculous pose! Leaning forward and throwing his arms out like wings. "Your path was not meant to cross and now here you stand!" He stood up right, throwing a fist in the air triumphantly. "Surely! In awe before  the return of the great Bobby Yun as he reprises his role as Zen Chen, the Shin Shinobi!" He then struck a stereotypical ninja pose with his index and ring finger upright in front of his face in an over dramatic and incorrect hand seal.

Just then Lin opened the door, saving Mifune from further movie announcer guy antics. He looked over to Lin, eyes sliding across his upright fingers as they bisected his face. Satoshi extended that same hand, now in a friendly fist to greet Lin. It was promptly grabbed by Mifune before Lin could even see him, and he was drug inside!

His eyes took in Lin's humble domicile and his nostril's absorbed the smell of food. Her home wasn't much different than his it seemed... Decorated differently of course, but it -felt- the same to him. What a comfortable place.

As Lin finally looked to him he brought a hand to the back of his head in a stupid grin. He waved with the other hand. "We met! She's super friendly. Also. Can you believe her luck? She didn't know we were viewing Shin Shinobi tonight!" He punched his own palm as a way to expend some of his excitement. He backed up, out of the kitchen... Kazue had always shooed him out, not unlike the Dango lady; his antics tended to make a mess of things. He considered Lin's question as he took his steps. "As long as there's meat, I'm happy!"

He then waited in the room just beyond the kitchen but within eyesight of Lin. He didn't want to get overly formal with her house, at least not until he was invited to. He obviously didn't spend very much time in the homes of others. "So! Mifune! Tell me about yourself! Where are you from? What do you do? Who's your favorite action star!?" He didn't wait for her to answer any of the questions before continuing, eager to get the next one out. "Tell me something fun about yourself!"

When the table was set, Satoshi took his seat, one side of him facing the TV, the other facing the other two. On the edge of his seat, of course. "Thanks for cooking for us Lin! You're great!"

[WC: 529]

"Lo mein? I do not believe I have had that before. As long as it is not spicy by any means I will be fine. I have always enjoyed your cooking anyway" Mifune emphasized on the spicy part even though she knew Lin would get the message. But with Satoshi's antics she was not sure she could trust him. Well she did not trust him at all but she would have no clue if he was a prankster as well and might sneak into the kitchen to spice the food up. Mifune has a sharp sweet tooth, maybe some savory, but definitly sweets are her thing. And she never enjoyed spicy food as she would have an allergic reaction to them. The smallest amount of spice could and would set her mouth on fire and make it as red as her hair. One time they were babysitting one of Lin's neighbors' children and a brat put a whole bottle of cajun spice in Mifune's soup and she ended up having to go to the emergency room. Ah the very thought of it sent shudders down her spine. Give her the fattest sweetest foods and she can be happy with that. Savory is okay as well as salty but they were not her priority. Bitter was a definite no go but it was not like spicy food that actually has the potential to kill her. But she knew Lin had no intention of harming her, and would not allow her teammate to do so either should he attempt such.

Mifune joined Satoshi in the other room, keeping Lin within the line of sight should anything arise. She did not enjoy being in places with strangers, especially not with the one as loud and energetic as him. It made her uncomfortable and wary, even if she laughed earlier, thus her heart was left to pump faster than it should from the rising anxiety she felt. It did not help matters when Satoshi assaulted her with various inquiries a mile a minute, hardly leaving Mifune any time to answer without feeling rushed. When he did give her a moment to breathe and respond she replied a bit softly. She did not want to be as apathetic and cold as she had become in the last year around Lin. She wanted to show the girl she had changed, become better, and still resembled her old self. That she was not too far gone. That they were not friends. So she responded, not with a smile but not with a glare, trying to calm her beating heart "I am younger than Lin. I have a sibling. I am not affiliated to a village. I can do a lot of things........and I like nature. Is that enough information to satisfy you?"

She did not give him time to give a rebuttal as Lin had finished cooking and served their food. Mifune chose to sit beside Lin and gave a small smile, almost painful one, towards the food. It had been so long since she had a meal with her, in this house, together. It had been so long since she had home made food that was filled with love. It felt so good to be around Lin, to have a semblance of normalcy that she felt herself choke on a sob, crystal eyes turning watery and her breathe shudder before she quickly regain her wits and did her best job at acting she was alright. It was a performance worthy of all the academy awards. She gave her thanks and took a bite, moaning in content and rested her head on Lin's shoulder as her face lit up in happiness. "I miss this"

2663~

"She's lucky indeed!" Lin giggled and motioned for the two to take off their shoes as he came in. She made sure to add more meat to the lo mein and she purposely took out any sort of spice for Mifune. It wasn't hard, with her culinary skills that she had brushed up on since meeting Dameon, to get the dish just right. He had been staying at her house, but was out for the night, and she had wanted guests over and had decided that tonight would be a good night for it. She blushed a bit, bringing some color to her light cheeks as he thanked her for the meal at about the same time that Mifune said that she missed the meals and the company.

It had been a long while since they had seen each other last, and Lin remembered most of Mifune's little quirks, such as her allergy to spices, not just the spicy kind, but sometimes it would extend to things like turmeric, where Lin could not really make out the spice with her own taste buds at all. She smiled and looked around the table. Toshi had worn his white outfit that he usually wore, and it seemed that the headphones were all but attached to his neck when they weren't on his head. It was a good thing to have his energy in the room.

Mifune was covered in what appeared to be bruises from the way that she moved, though Lin didn't want to call attention to it. It was a thing that she didn't enjoy doing when someone was injured and clearly wanted to hide it. Perhaps she could have Mifune stay at her place. If she remembered correctly, Mifune kept opposite hours to Dameon. Nodding she addressed them both, "So what have you both been up to today?" She was trying to create small-talk to break the ice. She knew that Mifune was a bit shy, and Toshi would probably do most of the talking, but it was a good thing for her to at least get to know that Toshi wasn't a threat.

She slurped down a noodle and smiled, it had turned out a savory dish, mainly stir-fried vegetables, meat, and noodles, while letting the noodles swim in the umami of the meat's natural oils, which gave the noodles a more fresh taste than boiling them before stir frying. Or at least she thought so. She opened a bottle of warmed sake and offered a small glass to both of them. She knew that Toshi was underage, but it wasn't like he was going to get drunk, and if he did, she could always escort him home. People were allowed to drink when they were underage here in Kumogakure as long as they didn't drink with the intent to get drunk. Well, that and she trusted that it wouldn't feel very good for a ninja that relied on his auditory system to get drunk.

Sipping the warm sake, she watched the ninja movie from the table for a bit. She was an extremely fast-eater, as she had finished her bowl before anyone else. Lin liked to sit for a while so that she could let her stomach catch up to her mouth. It kept her from overeating and maintained her figure. Or she thought that it did.

WC: 2072

Satoshi watched the TV as Mifune spoke to him. It was a bad habit he had... Not looking at people when they talked. When he was enamored with something he tended to keep his eyes on it... And due to his attention deficiency issue it could at times occur often. This was especially true when it came to television. The other half of that puzzle, that he doubted she'd have any idea about, was that he could feel her presence there. He could pay "attention" to his surrounding world without using his eyes. But television was beyond his scope of extrasensory.

His eyes lit up as the title card stamped itself across the screen. He grinned stupidly in excitement. "Sure!" He seemed to appreciate the rapidness of her response. He reached behind him and grabbed the bowl that Lin placed down in front of him and paused. He slowly turned his body to face the table, his head staying in place as if it was on some sort of pivot. It followed a few moments later, an obvious act of willpower. It would be pretty rude of him to not eat over the table... Especially since Lin went out of the way to cook.

"You don't like spicy things?" He sounded surprised as he referenced something Mifune had said more than a few moments ago, as if it had only just now registered. "Hm... Well that's okay! I'll eat all your spicy stuff for you!" He nodded to her with a comforting smile. The sort of smile that seemed to imply that he really felt like he was offering her a service.

"Itadakimasu!"He started to eat then, pulling noodles, broth, and it's various mix-ins into his mouth without prejudice. He ate quickly, slurping the food down. In some cultures such haste was seen as rude, but where he came from it showed an eagerness and appreciation for the cook. It was a display of passion and affection for the flavor. Also... Time he spent eating was less time he could spend watching one of his favorite films!

He lifted the bowl to his mouth and tilted his head back, drinking the broth down. He then brought his arms forward placing the bowl down not too gently with a soft "clink". Finally, he let out a semi-exhausted sigh and pat his belly before turning to look back at the film. "That was excellent!" He declared in admiration! "Where did you learn to cook Lin?"

He turned his head back over his shoulder to look upon the sake as Lin offered it. "Oh... Uh... No thank you. I'm underage... Besides. I don't think that stuff would agree with me very well." He offered a slightly embarrassed smile and his cheeks reddened. Drinking was seen as a sign of kinship and in some ways masculinity. Satoshi wasn't fond of drink. He got dizzy extremely easily so he did his best to stay away from it. For now he had being underage to lean on but in a few years he'd have to come up with a new excuse.

He looked back to the TV, in a way giving the two older friends a moment of privacy. Then he spoke, including himself once more. "I did lots! I helped Kazue-chan with the laundry! I got a new cassette! I did some new training on my super secret trump card that the Raikage was trying to sneak a look at..." His eyes narrowed somewhat in suspicion. "And I came here!  It's been a super busy day." He nodded twice then, his energy seemed to stay high, even when discussing something as mundane as doing laundry.

"Hey. Mifune. Did you say that you weren't affiliated with any village? What's that mean? Where did you grow up then?" His question was innocent enough and revealed a bit more of his naive nature. Satoshi was a boy whose heart hadn't been hardened by the truths of this world. His blade was unrefined, a sheath of plain dull metal that was as idealistic as it was naive.

[WC| 695]

Mifune blinked a few times, blushing as she realized how she acted in front of Satoshi, turning the previous light dusting into a much rosier hue so she quickly got off Lin and coughed. She attempted to act like she had not laid on Lin and began to continue to eat. However once everyone was in full swing of eating, Satoshi suddenly scarfed down his food making Mifune's pale blue eyes widened in surprise. Her stomach cringed at the display, finding it to be grossly uncomfortable to watch and messy. He finished eating at what had to be a record pace and cluncked the bowl not so gently on the table. Mifune was off put by it all but decided to remain quiet. All the feelings of anxiety began blowing up again and her appetite dwindled to virtually nothing. She was already nervous around Satoshi, a stranger, but his display made her feel odd about eating in front of him since she was not sure how to act. The Lin she remembered would not act in such a matter but times change. Thankfully Lin had offered them some warm sake which helped settle the nerves just the smallest amount. A distant memory of when she, Lin, and her sister got alcohol together for the first time, the strong stuff, after stealing them from Lin's parents, had very embarrassing effects. Especially since Mifune had a low tolerance for it and did some rather embarrassing things that shall not ever be repeated in this lifetime or any other.

Mifune graciously took the warm sake and had a few sips, listening to Satoshi's reactions and decided to indulge him just this once. "When I say I am not affiliated with any village, it means I am a wandering nin. I serve no one and have nothing holding me back. Unlike Lin and yourself, who are duty bound to Kumo and must abide by its laws and codes, I am not. I can go wherever. Do whatever. Be whomever I wish to be. I have always been wandering and I cannot give up that freedom at all." She paused taking a sip of the warm sake before continuing. "You see Satoshi, I grew up in a nomadic tribe comprised of primarily aburame. We travel in and out of the elemental nations living off the land with the land for the land in respects to nature, our mother and savior."

She took this moment to eat more of her food, as she regained bits of her appetite but ended up having a a third of the dish left, not being able to stomach any more. Mifune put her utensils down and turned to Lin. "The food was delightful Lin. Delicious as usual. I have not eaten something so good in a long time" She did not intend for the following words to spill out of her mouth "If only.....she was here to join us" The last few words were spoken in a whisper, hushed and sorrowful.

Satoshi, bless him, had filled the room with such energy joy and life but Mifune could not do the same. She wanted so desperately to be happy, to be carefree but this was all too much for her. Even now in Lin's presence and a stranger, she felt like breaking down. But seeing Lin, seeing her welcome Mifune into her home with no prejudice for their unpleasant parting, acting so kind and loving, the red head felt disgust with herself. She was stuck to the past and could not forget the pain she suffered. She could not forget the deeds she had committed. And for that, she felt she did not have the right to burden Lin with her problems. She had such an easy carefree lifestyle, she dare not ruin with her own issues. They were her issues and her issues alone.

And with Satoshi here, with Lin, inside her home, it showed that she really had no place besides Lin, not anymore at least. They had plans and bonds she did not have anymore. They planned to hang out, watch a movie, and do a little bonding. Mifune was never meant to be here. She was not meant to intrude on them. She meant to just get to Kumo, investigate a few things, find leads and leave. It is just...when she found herself in the sky city, seeing her old hauntings...she was overcome with emotion and found herself trailing to Lin's last known address..

With a heavy heart, Mifune smiled and hugged Lin's side gently, restraining herself from holding onto her snow white for dear life. Her body wanted to tremble, to crumble before her. It was tired and in so much pain. Triple the amount of her wounds which she had been doing a good job of burying. She drank the sake in one full swing, trying to numb her pain and pulled away from the table as she felt she had overstayed her welcome. She bowed her head to Lin "Thank you for having me Lin and for the wonderful meal. I am sorry for intruding on your plans and will go now........thank you.....for everything" Mifune's words were visibly heavy but the alcohol gave her the courage she did not know she had before. Perhaps it was truly time to go. With her head bowed, she got and turned from them, about to head to the door. If she left...it would be many years before they ever met again. If she lived long enough that is because right now, she felt like her heart was shattering.

3607~

Lin retreated from offering Satoshi some of the Sake. It was a white rice wine that was very tasty, or she thought so, and was sweet and tangy to the taste. She gave one of the small cups to Mifune and sipped her own. It was a good dessert, she had made another dessert for the company, but she really wanted to save that for when they were a bit more peckish. It was a good thing having them both here.

She nodded at Mifune's story, knowing what a wandering nin was. She had befriended Mifune and her sister when their parents had come to the village. Mifune's sister had liked Lin and Lin had liked her. Sudden realization struck Lin as she sipped the sake, almost making her choke on the drink. Lin had almost dated Mifune's older sister and that was one of the reasons that she hadn't seen Mifune is such a long time and why they had parted ways. Mifune had grown in that year, and so had Lin, making Lin blush as her eyes moved over Mifune's figure. She had filled out in some places where she hadn't before and Lin's attention was drawn to them as Mifune hugged her side.

"I miss her too..." Lin nodded and something dawned on her. It seemed like Mifune and her sister were all but inseparable and now Mifune was here without her sister. "Where is your sister?" She asked before Mifune got up from the table. Now, Lin was stubborn and didn't want Mifune to go out, especially with the wounds  that she hadn't drawn attention to because of Satoshi. She got up from the table and in a flash was in front of Mifune blocking the doorway, both of her hands out with her fingers splayed. Her face was hidden by her hair and her shoulders trembled. It was hard to tell whether it was from anger or from gentle sobs but when she looked up all doubt was erased.

A look of failure was written on Lin's visage. She had failed her sister, mifune, and she had failed Mifune's sister. She hadn't correctly gauged Mifune's reactions or her feelings since she had gotten to her house. She hadn't asked why she had the wounds that she had, or where she had received them from. She had only been selfishly enjoying the company that Mifune had been providing and had lost Mifune's trust because of it.

"D-d-don't leave." Lin's voice shook with her emotion as did her shoulders. It went from a light and carefree mood to a heavy one in an instant. Lin's self-deprication was clear to see in the weight that she carried on her shoulders. It seemed that her entire body shook from the responsibility she put there. "I should have asked." Lin said, as tears streamed down her face, "I should have asked but I didn't want to hurt you more. Who hurt you?" Her eyes flared with hatred, the tears turned bitter and an aura of red flowed around Lin. It was a trait of the Guanyin clan, a trait that she had yet to unlock, one that was deadly. The chakra was basically a necrotic aura. The aura would create wounds the same way that medical ninjutsu would sew them, by eating away at the very cells that held the person together.

The aura didn't seem to affect Lin, but it did give her a scary quality. The red aura clashed with the white hair and blue eyes of the young kunoichi in a startling way, making her seem even more terrifying. It wasn't anger that was aimed at anyone as of yet, just an explosive emotion. When Mifune told her where she got the wounds, it would be a different story. No one hurt Lin's companions and got away with it. Lin was cool and collective until someone hurt her friends, and then she was hard to control. She had bested her father in one of these episodes. Her mother was the only one able to control her, and only then it was barely. Lin hardly remembered the specific details of these episodes, but usually it involved getting into trouble with the person or the parents of the person involved. She had only had explosions of this magnitude twice. Hearing that Mifune's sister was missing, and keeping Mifune's pain a secret was unforgivable.

Lin was hell-bent on finding and ripping apart the person that dared lay a hand on Mifune. Satoshi would do well to remember this anger, as it would probably serve him in the long run. Anyone that laid a hand on Toshi, Mifune, Dameon, Gin, or her parents would be dead... or wish that they were. Lin had a short fuse, and it helped that she was nice to most people, but when she was on a mission or fighting, her blood lust came out in full. This blood lust was radiating from her, absolutely dripping from every pore. The sweater-dress might as well be a funeral gown for whoever had hurt Mifune.

Lin had a record of flying off the handle, but usually she fueled the anger into fights, or sparring matches, or dancing at the night club. It was actually one of the reasons that she frequented the skybar. But this time, she had no outlet, only the raw gut-clenching hatred that roiled and frothed inside of her head.

"Who did this?" A film covered her eyes as the rage burned hotter, the chakra around her emitting tiny sparks of electricity, burning a hole where her feet were. "I'll kill them, I swear to all the gods of this world that I will kill them." She grit her teeth, baring what she now felt were fangs. Her hands weren't balled into fists but were open in a feral rage. Anyone touching her now would be in for a bit more than some mild pain. She was burning through her chakra at an alarming rate, not really understanding nor caring that she was either. It was the Guanyin's chakra, a chakra she didn't have full control over yet that made this situation that much more painful for her. Her skin started to rub itself raw, and would probably take a considerable amount of time and effort to heal if she didn't stop soon.

Chakra used this post: 40 (Burned)

WC: 3186

He nodded along with Mifune's words. The gesture, one of understanding, wasn't exactly in line with his comprehension. He knew there were Ninja who were not a part of a village. But he thought they were mostly criminals. People who were outcast or who escaped with secrets. She framed it under the guise of freedom. To Satoshi, it seemed... Discordant. She went against the framework of society and it was clear on his face that he didn't really know why. He looked concerned. It was small and brief and only within his eyes... But it was there. It was a spark of compassion, well-meaning as it might have been, of pity perhaps.

The village was important to Toshi. Even if he might not be important to it. In fact he was not a part of a great Kumo clan. It had made him an outcast in his younger years. A stranger. He had been called gaijin. Ignorance had been his weapon of choice, feigned as it may have been. He pretended often to not hear them. Or to not understood what they meant. It was easier than having to stare down the monster that was hatred. In that way, Satoshi too had been discordant. He felt for Mifune, briefly. Because he knew what it was like to not have a place to belong. Not organically. And it was part of what drove him to search the world, albeit under the banner of Kumogakure. Perhaps they were not so different in this.

He had been so lost in thought (it didn't happen often) that he hadn't noticed Mifune's attempt to excise herself from the situation. She had risen and said her goodbyes, though in a tone that was far from cordial. She was crestfallen and her tone dripped of desperation. Her posture carried shame rather than pride and she was attempting to make a fast retreat. Something had delivered her from this place of friends, food, and laughter unto despair. He rose, his right hand perhaps balling, but Lin intercepted her. She was as fast now as she had been in the spar. Quick to bar her friends exit and begin a interrogation.

Further, as Lin wrestled with the current situation in her mind she had begun to develop a cloak of crimson chakra. She was having difficulty controlling her anger. He could feel her body as it tensed up. He watched as the Lin he knew was swallowed by anger. He could see her kindness slide under the depths of her eyes without a struggle, drowning in a sea of malice and uncertainty. Her posture and her tone were indicative of the state of decay her mind was in. Decay from the loving and kind individual whom he had met into something much less... Human. It was almost as if he could feel her murderous intent.

And so... There was only one thing that he could do. Well, one thing that he would do. The same thing he did when met with any and every problem. He put on a big stupid smile then. It didn't quite reach his eyes. Satoshi was an honest boy and as such had trouble lying with them. So even as his mouth was pulled in the telltale gesture of jovial friendship, his eyes had become softer, concerned. Almost sad. He approached the pair and placed a hand on both of their shoulders, ignorant of the (potentially) necrotic effects of Lin's aura. "Besides Mifune! You can't leave before dessert!" He turned his stupid grin to Lin. "There is dessert right?"

[WC| 605]

"I don't know"

"I don't know"

"I DON'T KNOW"

And when Lin was suddenly cloaked in a menacing crimson chakra, the temperature in the room grew along with the pace of their beating hearts. Lin always was easy to get riled up and jump off the wall but never life this. Instead it simply rash angry actions but this aura, the chakra emitting in front of the red haired girl was a huge surprises, one she did not expect. It was a malevolent sort of aura which normally Mifune would be concerned for and would rush to calm her snow white down but all the build up of repressed feeling swere sizzling, boiling in side her, ruining her to which Mifune simply used her good hand to slap Lin across the face, with no regard for how her skin turned yaw and peel from her pale hand. "Do not pull that shit on me Lin. I came here, looking for you, to see you, to ask for help. But all you are doing is living a carefree life without a single worry. Did you even care when my sister went missing? Did you really care about her? Or were you seducing my baby sister for fun?"

"You spout all this fucking bullshit about love and friendship and family but you so easily threw us away, threw me away. I did not choose to leave. I was forced to. Or at least that is what I remember. All I remember was being abandoned, by you and my sister. The only two people I ever gave a damn about!"

"I threw everything! Every! God! Damn! Thing! To make her happy. I was born a freak, I get it. Heck she and I aren't even blood sisters. But I loved her damnit. I loved her like family. I even scouraged up the courage to go back to the tribe after my incident and begged on my hands and knees for their help to get her back into my life. And you know what they did! This!"

"They were enraged the outsider came back and even lost one of their own! They could not care less how much I tried. Even when I screamed for my own mother and father to stop hurting me it just added fuel to the fire"

"No one was on my side........no one. I woke up somewhere half dead in a forest, left to die by the tribe, before I got picked up. Turns out some old man was hunting in the woods and his dog found my trail. Tried to nurse me back to health. I was so out of it. So distraught at the betrayal I-I did not even notice....and then he....he..."

"Do you know what I had to go through to even get here? What I had to do to get money and supplies? I can't even look in a mirror without gagging" Mifune feel to the ground, exhausted from her angry rant and felt her legs give out beneath her. She cover hear eyes as running droplets of salty tear flew down her cheeks. Her eyes were red, puffy and irritated. Her throat clenched around its air passageways and her anguish cries bleed through the air.

4157~

Lin calmed down a bit when Toshi put his hands on her shoulders, it was a bit soothing to have a friend like him around to help even her out. It wasn't every day that someone could look at her this way and still smile at her. She had set off Mifune though, and didn't have time to respond to having dessert.

The aura faded after a couple of seconds. It wasn't fast enough to help Toshi's hands though. Where he had entered the aura of crimson hate that was pouring off of her, lacerations covered his hands. She was concerned now, doubly, for hurting Toshi and for hurting Mifune. She had caused hurt that would last for as long as his hands were untended to to Toshi, but Lin didn't know how to tend to Mifune's wounds. She had hurt Mifune with her words and actions. It was unforgivable. Lin dropped to the floor, her knees buckling, and her legs splaying out to her sides, keeping her knees together they knocked against the hardwood floor with a loud "Clack!"

She would surely have bruises on them tomorrow, looking up at Toshi she gave a weak smile and made the hand-signs for her hovering palm technique, "Come here and let me heal those wounds with my Kihon Kaishu-ho." She beckoned him with teal light coming out of her palms. If he would let her, she would pass the light over the palms and in a couple of seconds the damage would be repaired. "I made us all some chocolate cake." She smiled and pointed to the kitchen, "If you could get that we'll go and sit on the couch and eat some."

She crawled over to where Mifune sat on the floor and cried, placing a hand on her left ear she guided Mifune's head to her chest and made shushing noises, "We'll find him and pay him back ten times for what he's done." If there was anything that Lin hated more than watching someone die it was someone who would do despicable things to small girls like Mifune, "Of course I liked your sister, I... I just thought that... well... I thought that it was wrong of me to stay with her when I developed feelings for you as well." She blushed when she said this, the scene coming back now as clear as day. Mifune had indeed been angry, almost to the point of hating Lin at that time.

"Your mother and father weren't even there for you, but you don't have to worry about that anymore. I'll always be here for you." Lin smiled and pet the small girl's head before sweeping an arm under Mifune and carrying her to the couch. She was going to try to salvage this night yet. She hadn't watched much of the movie, and it was the part of the show where the hero couldn't go on, or thought they couldn't go on. Ironic that it would happen at this exact moment. Lin set Mifune down on a blanket and tried to wrap her up in it.

Looking up she would make sure that Toshi had found his way to the cake and smiled at him, "I swear Mifune, you will always have a place in my home. No matter what. Nobody will come between us. We've got an unbreakable bond." She nodded to Toshi, "Toshi, this is how loyal I am to my friends, no one hurts them without some sort of retribution." Her eyes were hard and as cold as ice. "If you should ever need me then call on me."

Lin felt a bit empowered by the fact that she had said it, but that was quickly swept under by the feeling of guilt. She hadn't been there for Mifune when she needed her the most. Lin had been at home, cozy and comfy for the better part of the past year. It was something that she had to work on. She sighed and placed a hand on Mifune's head, petting it fondly and gently. "If I were there, I would have stood up for you, even if it meant my life." It was complicated. At one time she would have said that Mifune's adopted parents were as close to her as her own parents, so she had a fondness for them, but at the same time she wanted to beat them within an inch of their lives for doing this to Mifune. The red-headed girl was the target of Lin's affection for a while before the big break-up with her and her sister. She hadn't remembered because it was too painful. She had lost two friends that day she thought.

Better to forgive than forget she supposed. At least Mifune was here in her house, and at least she knew that she was welcome to stay. "All of my friends, all of the people who I care about, all the people that I love have a place in my house." She would stroke Mifune's hair and smile at her, placing her hand there for a moment and pointing to the cake, "It's in the cupboard above the... above the stove. There."

jutsu used:

Chakra Remaining: 95

WC: 4116

Satoshi didn't seem to notice the damage that was being done to his hand. At least not at first. Much in the same way that a broken toe doesn't hurt until you notice it. There was a lot of yelling and it caused him to wince far faster than the lacerations that were slowly creeping across his hand.

His attempt to comfort with words and distraction had been met with a battery of screams and aggression. In this moment he couldn't help feeling a bit out of place. He'd only met a short time ago Lin but she had become important to him. She had become a port in the storm. Within that safe harbor he'd grown much stronger, strode closer to his goal of escaping the confines of this claustrophobic village and venturing out into the open world that lie beyond.

He felt the slap coming a mile away. Well... Technically about a foot and a half away. Perhaps he could intercept it. He wanted to. He wanted to shield everyone from pain if he could. Even those who deserved it. There was almost always another way. Pain was the easy road. The cowards path. But he stayed where he was. An intruder in his own skin. His simple, binary mind unable to fully process what was happening between these two girls. Not just now, but then as well... Women were strange.

It wasn't until Lin fell away after the resounding *crack* of the slap that Satoshi recoiled, gripping his hand. The warmth that Lin's strange aura had confused him, much like everything else that was currently going on, into thinking that perhaps it was comfort. Or maybe it was simply wishful thinking, a demand for a return to normalcy, peace, and most importantly levity. But as she slipped away he felt the warmth recede, replaced with the icy chill of the intense pain inflicted by her aura.

He pulled his hand to his chest and gripped it with his other hand as he frowned out a quiet "Itai...". As she reached out to heal his hand he kept it close to him and took a step back. An almost protective gesture. It wasn't that he didn't trust her necessarily... And god did he want things to go back to the goofy fun atmosphere that had filled the air only moments ago... But he was being a bit overwhelmed by stimuli.

He retreated away from the pair in a slow shuffle towards he bathroom. He fetched some bandages and began to wrap his own hand. He'd wrapped his hands for boxing practice many a time, he applied the same diligence this time as well.

By the time he had emerged they had finished their first phase of their dialogue and he'd been instructed to fetch the cake. This of course, he was happy to do. A small smile crossed his face even as his hand throbbed from the recent wounds. It was easy to smile when it's bright outside... The real test was smiling in the rain.

"Oh right! Cake!" His forced jovial nature returned as he hurried into the kitchen to fetch the dessert. He placed it at the center of the table. It's sweet smell permeating the room briefly and blissfully whisking him away from the tumult that it had become. Perhaps when he woke up from his sugar induced daze the storm will have ended... After all, there was always a rainbow following a storm.

[WC| 592]

"I loved you too...I loved you both but it doesn't matter now" For the longest time, Mifune's sister was the only object of her affection. The only thing she cared for. It was all she had in her dismal life. Ever since the child was born, Mifune knew she was special and was always there for her. Lin sometimes joked she was a sis con but it was almost true. Whatever her sister wanted, she would get. Her rationale and morals flew out the window when it came to her. If she wanted something, she could get it. It was only a matter of how long and who had to suffer. Her personality, her mind, her body was all made to emulate her younger sibling's desires. But now...she is gone....perhaps even gone from the world.

When Mifune was settled onto the couch she sighed, tears still streaming down her cheeks and her voice raw from her now sore throat. All the light was gone from her eyes and she never felt more dead reliving the memory of her old family, of the tribe. "I was never a part of that family. I thought I did. Really. Sure most of the tribe did not have hair nor eyes like mine but I thought they were my family, no matter how different we were. I am different, I know. But they did not bother me, in fact they rejoiced when I exiled myself from the clan five years ago. I had to fought hard to sneak my sister away and bring her to the lightning country so she can be happy and free" Her voice cracked as it reminised when she left the tribe. It happened with little fanfare. She packed up her belongings in a few satchels and a horse and took off her tribal paint. She shed herself of her traditional garb and put on clothes of outsiders she bought some moons ago. She even went and took off her beaded necklace and went to the family shrine to burn it along with a few droplets of blood. Then, she went to the gates of their temporary village and announced she was leaving. Only a few guards and a single elder were in attendance. There were no words. Only contempt and she left.

She returned later, at night hidden by the dead moon, to find the tribe going about their business as if nothing happened. Only her family seemed affected. A few closer kin were at the tent, partying away and burned the remnants of Mifune's items she could not bring with her. Her sister was in the midst of it all, saddened by her sister's departure or at least she pretended to be. Her innocence made her unworldly acting skills to be something to fear. She retired in the middle of the party to her room, saddened by her sister's disappearance and their parents reluctantly let her go back to her tent. Mifune met up with her there with a stolen horse and packed belongings and the two sisters fled under the cover of night. Looking back now, was it even the right thing to do."At night, I wonder, perhaps I should have just left the tribe and my sister there. They would not miss me anyway. It would be like burden would have finally been gone"

She hiccuped a few times and crawled onto Lin's lap and hid her teary face in her chest, trying to get their breathing even again"Just please...don't leave me again..."

I don't think I can take it.

4766~

Lin's heart fell when Mifune said "loved" rather than "Love" her. Well, they had parted on a discordant note. She was partially responsible for ruining Mifune's life. She sighed and stroked the redheaded girl's hair. She wanted to make sure that everything was alright with Mifune but she didn't want to let Satoshi feel like he wasn't a part of this party. Perhaps they should watch another movie tonight when they were done. She looked over her shoulder at Toshi and nodded trying to tell him everything was alright.

When Mifune crawled into her lap and lay her head against Lin's breast she laid her own head down on Mifune's head, "Don't worry, I'll always be here. You were never a burden to me. I am so very happy that you came back. Toshi is probably happy too with the new friend coming into Kumogakure." She continued to stroke Mifune's hair. "You're not a burden, I don't think anyone thinks you are. I will be here for you always, and Toshi is a very loyal friend too. You two should get to know each other a bit." She would hug the small girl in her lap. She cared a great deal for Mifune, she even had a crush on her when she had left her and her sister. It was a complicated relationship that she had, especially because she was two years older than the young woman. That didn't matter though, when you loved someone.

Sighing she twirled a strand of mifune's hair, wishing that her hair had some curl to it and nodding, "We will get your sister back, and Toshi can help. I am sure that he would be thrilled to bring justice to the people who took her." She smiled and kissed the top of Mifune's head, letting her rest there as long as she wanted to. She felt her sweater dress getting a bit damp from the tears that Mifune shed, and she hoped that it was helping, her hugs and words. She planned on making the people who kidnapped her sister pay for their transgressions, tenfold.

The kindness was back in Lin's eyes though, she would take care of Mifune first, and get as much information as she could from her before moving on to getting to the bottom of her sister's capture. It wasn't going to do any good if she couldn't ask questions while Mifune was level-headed, and Mifune would have to heal from her wounds anyhow. Toshi would be good to go out at any time, or she thought he would be able to. Lin was a good judge of someone's will and strength. Toshi was a strong individual with a great deal of integrity and a sense of justice that even the guards of Kumogakure would balk at.

WC: 4613

He did his best to stay out of the conversation the two girls were having... Girls didn't seem like quite the right word for them. Lin was a woman grown, especially compared to him. And while Mifune looked his junior, the weight of her tears said otherwise. Regardless of her physical age she had faced far more emotional adversity than Satoshi. There was no contest. He definitely felt like a fish out of water. That being the case, it was time to flip and flop his way back to shore... A fitting metaphor for Satoshi's idea of socializing.

Despite his thoughts he maintained his smile and began to cut the cake. He sliced three hurried pieces. They were not of equal size and the cuts were far from straight. They were rushed and certainly lacked the precision one would expect of what was essentially a trained child soldier. He left his piece on the edge of the table and brought the two plates to Lin and Mifune as their conversation seemed to be deescalating.

"Absolutely! Justice is what I do! If you have a wrong to be righted or a foe to be felled, I'm the guy for the job." He bowed in a mock cordial fashion as he extended the two plates to both of them. He had decided that he would fight this environment the same way he fought everything. Head. On. If there were going to be dark clouds he'd split them open with a bright smile and bad humor. Well, he didn't think it was bad...

"Besides, I'm always eager for a new adventure, especially for a friend. You are my new friend, right Mifune?" He didn't wait for a real answer. Whether or not she considered him a friend didn't play any role in whether or not he had already sorted her into that category in his own mind. "This is the best part of the movie." He gestured to the TV. "After being defeated by the villain and failing his village, Zen has to fight through sorrow and the shame of defeat and return a hero. Where other people wither and give up, Zen Chen gets stronger! His defeats and hardships instill in him only greater resolve... That's the true power he learns from the secret scroll. Heroes aren't judged by their winning streak! But how they fight in their comeback match!" He looked intently at Mifune, something more than admiration for a beloved film hero in his eyes.

"Don't let injustice defeat you! Take heart and show me your best fighting pose! It's time for -your- comeback fight!" He pulled another stupid pose, turning and thrusting her cake at her in a spinning backfist manner. His arm tensed and shook, the utensil rattling against the porcelain of the plate as if it were in a small earthquake. To finish the gesture he let out another slow, simmering Zen Chen (read: Bruce Lee) impersonation. Drawn out "Oooooooooo" and all. He would stay this way, theoretically, until she posed back.

[WC| 518]

"Hehe....You are a strange one Satoshi" No matter how much her heart broke today and her throat felt like it was burning, or how Lin was devastated and turned into a momentary demon, Satoshi remained as innocence and oblivious as ever to the situation. Perhaps it was a good thing, as two girls were crying and yelling already so having another person to care for would create more problems than it would fix and his attitude was definitively helping to lift the heavy atmosphere. Plus they had cake which Mifune gladly took, smiling a bit painfully with tears streaming down her small face and eating the yummiest of yummy cakes in the yummy kingdoms of yummin. As she ate her cake, Satoshi relegated her as a friend to which she smiled and felt her heart ease itself through the pain. Perhaps with time...she could grow more at ease. Setting the now empty plate down onto the table, Mifune smiled at the two."Thank you...both of you. I will find her, no matter what I have to do. I hope for now you can stand by my side Lin...I miss my best friend. And I am glad to have a new companion"

And with those words she feel into a deep slumber because right now, reality was too much for her....

Trained:
SPD E - D3 (1925/1925)
STR E - D (750/750)
REA E - D (750/750)
END E - D (750/750)
PER E - D (750/750)

4990 - 4925 (stats) = 65wc left over

[EXIT]

Lin took the cake and tried a taste. It had turned out well enough, and she enjoyed the chocolate taste. "Thanks Toshi, it is so nice of you to brighten our day. I am sorry that I lost my temper and for all the tears. I didn’t mean to have tonight go as it did, but I am glad that we came to the conclusion that we did. I hope that we can remain friends…" The last part was a bit uncertain. She wanted to make sure that she was still alright in Toshi’s books, but also wanted to assure Mifune that she was going to be on her side.

“I want to be there by your side, no matter what Mifune. We’ll find her, even if it takes my life, we’ll find her.” She hugged the smaller girl and enjoyed it when she fell asleep on her lap. It was strangely nice to have someone in her lap falling asleep. It felt right, like she had someone to protect.

“Toshi, are you alright with me trying to find her sister?” She asked him. Hoping that he was willing to let her go on this quest for Mifune’s older sister. She didn’t even know how dangerous it would be, but she knew that Mifune was like family to her, and she wanted to help her. She hoped that she would be able to find her before something happened to her sister. If she allowed something to happen, she knew that she would be beyond forgiveness from mifune if she allowed her sister to be hurt.

Lin pet Mifune’s red hair and admired her courage even getting to Kumogakure. She had no idea still what she had gone through to get here, but from the general description it wasn’t a cake-walk. She looked over to Toshi and smiled, “Let’s put in another movie and watch it while Mifune rests. She is going to be staying at my place for a while, and we can watch movies as long as we keep it down a bit. I think there is a couple of the older movies in the series made by him in that stack by the television there. They’re not alphabetized or anything.” She apologized, turning red and fidgeting a bit while twirling her fingers in Mifune’s hair.

WC: 5000

|Exit Thread|

Training: Guanyin Medical Reversal Technique: 5000 (this thread)+2047 (This Link)

7047 WC total for Guanyin Medical Reversal Technique

jutsu trained:

Satoshi didn't let the disappointment of Mifune's refusal to participate in his pose off show in his expression. The young girl seemed to be going through a lot. And while Zen Chen might have inspired him, he didn't necessarily do the same for everyone else in the world... Somehow. He relinquished the cake into Mifune's grasp and took a step back as she started to eat it while still crying. Strange... That Satoshi was so energetic and seemingly emotional... But crying made him a bit uncomfortable. Whenever somebody started crying he wanted to do whatever he could to make them stop. It wasn't as selfless as it seemed, unfortunately.

His attention then darted towards Lin. "That's okay. This world is bigger than you or I. There's a lot more out there than just what we're looking to see, right? Sometimes we have to listen to a song we didn't really want to hear. Besides, if you change the station every time something comes on you didn't expect them to play, you'll never get to experience anything new, right?" He gave her a thumbs up and his words seemed genuine enough. It was true, he didn't like all of the sound effects and over-dramatics, and less so since he didn't really have a stake in it. He felt powerless to help. He was devoid of information and a stranger to the situation. He hated the feeling of helplessness but he never backed down from a fight.

"If I stopped being a friend to someone who was in distress, what sort of friend would I be, hm? I'll do whatever I can to help her find her family, you know, if she wants my help." He nodded. "And don't worry about my hand. It'll heal." Though it was starting to ache. He pursed his lips and took a step back.

"Unfortunately I don't think I can stay much longer. Kazue-Obaachan was expecting me home around this time. Besides! I've been working on some neat new jutsu! We've gotta keep getting stronger. After all, we need to become Chuunin so we can get out of this place and see the world! Once we're promoted we should be able to help mifune more, right." He extended a fist for a bump, and once met he would set out. He couldn't stay weak forever. When next they saw each other he would be much stronger with new tricks... Tricks that didn't just involve his unique physiology.

|Exit Thread|
[WC Total| 4073]
[3500 WC used for training Chowa: Kyoshinken [Harmony: Resonating Fist]]
[500 WC used for Blind Sight]