Akaneya had been enjoying the winter day, as much as she could enjoy anything in particular. Although many thoughts flooded her mind, as they always did, she remained as stoic as she ever had been in the face of the crowded streets. Also in usual fashion, she took every precaution to avoid having to come into direct contact with crowds. In fact, she tried to avoid as many people as possible, always taking roundabout ways of travel that, in the proper circumstance, would confuse and disorient any who had been trying to follow her. The ANBU who kept watch might not be so easy to get rid of, but she had become somewhat accustomed to them; certainly, they were no worse than what she'd known for much of her life already anyway.

Wandering eventually into one of the many garden spaces throughout the village, Akaneya stood at the edge an observed the scene. It had been kept green and relatively warm despite the season, and was kept miraculously free of snow like much of the village. Perhaps some jutsu was cast to keep it in such a state, or perhaps its position in the village simply made it ideal, but all the same it was empty of people, empty of ice, and empty of distraction, the perfect environment for Akaneya to make herself empty of mind in her usual meditations. Stepping inside the garden at last, she had a place in mind.

Overlooking the koi pond in a roughly central location, she leaned on the railing of the bridge crossing over and looked into the water. The colorful fish danced about as lively as if it were the warmest spring day. A few types of birds had likewise shown up, some bobbing while others sit near the shore. One might suppose the sanctuary of green that the garden had been would only naturally attract such animals. Watching the water swirl with the movements of both, Akaneya's mind began to clear. It was not a typical meditation, and most certainly not the sort that monks in the temples would teach, but the unusual circumstances of her life simply meant she never did anything quite the way that she was supposed so. So it goes, she cared not - it was effective, that's all that mattered.

In tune with her senses, her vision began to blur as she zoned out. She heard the small splashes and dribbles of the water, and the subtle noises of the birds. She smelled the fresh garden air, the faint scent of flowers in the chilling breeze, and the spices and sauces of the nearby restaurants. Most importantly, though, she felt the presence, the disturbance in the natural atmosphere of sounds and breezes and the flow and vibrations of the air, of the girl sitting nearby, staring at her.

Akaneya could hear the footsteps behind her, even without any sort of particular sensory abilities. She knew that the other sharing the space was now approaching. She took a deep, but soft, breath through her nose - smelling on the gentle winter air the scent of the garden's flowers and the tinge of the little pond before her, before letting out a quiet sigh just before the other began to speak. It introduced herself as Masu, and beckoned that she respond.

Answering in her usual monotone, which in this instance would sound neither disinterested nor disconnected, but perhaps quieter than one might expect, she simply stated: "Akaneya," turning to face her counterpart and straightening her posture in one fluid motion and glancing down at the hand offered, "of the Kotone clan," she finished, placing her hand in Masu's and gripping gently. Her hold was not particularly firm, but was firm enough, and her accompanying shake was likewise not particularly strong, but strong enough. The more energetic Masu might've even felt slightly as if Akaneya's hand had been dragged, rather than properly participating. The girl didn't seem to notice anyway, for she immediately started speaking once more - initially probing, but rapidly shifting the topic of conversation to food.

Opening her mouth to answer what she had assumed was a question, Akaneya quickly found herself grabbed by the wrist and dragged along at a speed rivaled only by the Raikage himself. Letting out an audible noise of discomfort, somewhere between a confused groan and a shaky 'uh' of indecision, rattled by each gallop of her starved companion. As she was faced once more, and a question flew like an arrow straight to her, Akaneya's eyes widened while her pupils narrowed as she questioned what she'd just gotten into and how she'd keep up.

Digging her foot into the ground, and directing the flow of chakra to her soles, she felt a harsh tug as Masu tried to yank her forward based on momentum alone. Holding firm, she took a moment to catch her breath before looking up to the nearest sign. Finding they'd stopped next to a barbecue grill, a sigh escaped her lips as she spoke much louder than before - "How about we just eat here?"

For once, her monotone seemed to be slightly broken - only by what sounded like a hint of exhaustion or relief in her voice, catching her breath and feeling her heart pounding in her chest. While still not emotive, it was at the very least an improvement from the last time they'd spoken just a few moments ago. One might question if such a development was actually positive in nature, all things considered.