Lying Low (Open, NK)

How long had it been since he had been forced to flee Amegakure, or what was left of it? He had lost count of the days. He always stayed near the black market's current area, not wanting to draw attention. Though with Amegakure utterly gone it wasn't like he had a bounty or anything. All the more reason not to get one.

He had hardly even socialized since then. Just trained on his own to try and get stronger. Today, though, he decided he'd change that. He wasn't sure where to start, but somehow, he would make some possible allies here. Of course, he didn't really feel like going out of his way either. So, among the trees near the black market, he wandered a little, making sure to stay alert for other people. He missed the smell of rain, but not enough to risk going too far from this place. It was reasonably safe here as long as you didn't have a bounty on you and lead someone right to you. Or take up a challenge from some mercenary on a hill. He had stayed well clear of that one.

At least the forests were temperate, and usually somewhat cool, even during the summer. There was certainly plenty of shade around. Another reason he had to keep alert. Some of these people were pretty dangerous, after all.

WC: 228

Kamiko had decided, after giving one of her now nearly constant sermons within the Church, to visit the small forest adjacent to the Marketplace in order to give herself a much needed respite from the hustle and bustle of such a place as there -- a place which was filled to the brim with Missing Ninja of all types, many of which did not seem to take too kindly to her ideals and her promises of religion setting them free of the shackles they were currently being held back by; nor did they seem to believe her when she said that a very real Goddess wanted their love and adoration as well as that this same Goddess would give them a Home and a Meaning that they could have never achieved otherwise. It would seem that her recruitment had been going rather roughly, all things concerned, especially when one considered the fact she was almost a non-ninja at her current level of ability: She could hardly muster the concentration required to mold a piece of origami from her Paper Release, much less anything of consequence as she had originally planned; she hoped, however, that a short stint away from the main Marketplace would be just what the Priestess needed.

It would not be long after she had arrived and begun to practice in channeling her Chakra through the sheets of paper which covered her body, that she would be interrupted by the sound of crunching leaves which caused Kamiko to both open her eyes and raise into a standing position while taking a glance around the area for the source of the sound. She would find the source after not too much searching, as despite the fact that the young man appeared to be searching around for anyone concealing themselves in the trees he had not thought to conceal himself or at least not all that well.

Placing the familiar guise of a welcoming smile upon her lips, Kamiko approached with her arms held up slightly in front of herself in such a posture that was meant to signify that the young woman had no weapons hidden within her sleeves and furthermore that she meant no ill intent. At the same time, she would speak up to the man with a gentle and maternal tone that would attempt to disarm him of any apprehension he may have felt or, at the very least, only go further into aiding her non-threatening persona:

"My, What brings you all the way out here, Young Man?" She would ask with that same slight smile on her lips as she continued to cautiously approach in a manner that one may do so when attempting to enter the space of a hostile animal or some crazed individual -- however this seemed to be more so to avoid startling the young man than it was an indictment of his actual attitude seeing as the two had not conversed yet. "Shall we introduce ourselves...?" She would ask, a short pause following her words as her eyes briefly gave the man a once-over before she spoke further. "My name is Kamiko, I am a Priestess of this land and mean you no harm of course -- May I ask for your name?" She then posed the question to the young man, waiting for his reply with a measure of anxiety as could feel the presence of Zyarae growing in her mind.

What happened next to both her and the boy would depend entirely upon how he reacted and answered her questions, if he had even stayed long enough to do so in the first place.

[603 WC]

He heard the sound of leaves crunching under his steps, but he wasn't too worried about concealing himself at the moment. He paused his movement as he saw someone else approaching, observing her posture and general body language to get a good idea of her intentions. It seemed she wasn't hostile, at least, so he could afford to be somewhat relaxed. 

His own stance stayed neutral, feet side by side and his hands at his sides. His face, too, seemed to only display calm at the moment. He didn't retreat or approach further, though, allowing her to come closer. Eventually, he moved one arm to cross his chest and the other to rest against his chin, one elbow on top of the other. A nice stance for when one wanted to be somewhat guarded without being obvious about it. Even though this woman seemed nice, and her words had a tone that reminded him of better times, he couldn't relax completely. Not yet.

The boy was hardly old enough to be called a man, though young man fit somewhat. "My name is Kiwoharu." He said in response, then smiled slightly. Conversation was what he had been hoping for, after all. "It is nice to meet you." May as well be polite, too. He wasn't about to reveal his clan, though. Even though his hadn't yet awoken, others might come after the eyes of his clan.

WC: 235
TWC: 463

Kamiko stopped her approach of the boy once she was within about one and a half arms lengths from being able to reach him, her smile growing slightly as the boy had introduced himself properly which would then elicit an offering of her hand toward the boy in a manner that seemed to be asking to shake his hand, though she would not be bothered if he declined and would simply return her hand to her side along with the other as she began to converse with him in the same gentle tone as before; not wanting to worry him or otherwise cause him to believe anything other than the purest of intentions.

"Kiwoharu..." Kamiko repeated the name quietly, her red eyes looking to those of the boy as she continued to speak. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well." She would add in a formal manner, going so far as to add a small bow toward the boy alongside her greeting. "I suppose that you have not come out here seeking one of my Sermons -- Are you here to free yourself of that dreadfully violent place for a few moments as well?" She would then ask, taking a seat beneath one of the shaded trees and motioning for Kiwoharu to join her if he felt so inclined, however, respecting his decision if he would decline the offer. "I am afraid that I am woefully underequipped to survive too long on my own in such a place," She would begin to admit, opening herself up to the boy as the smile faded into a more neutral expression. "I am but a Priestess, you see, and I've not yet mastered enough of even my clan's Arts to stand a chance against some of those who prowl those streets -- Do you understand the feeling, Kiwoharu?" She would then ask, giving a slight raise of her brow as she looked into the eyes of the boy, searching for any sign of recognition or reaction to the words she had just said.

As she awaited a response, Kamiko thankfully did not feel the usual presence of Zyarae gripping her mind and essence in search of whatever the spirit desired to know or see at that moment; it would seem that the Spirit was either resting, or paying no mind to the current conversation enough to desire intensive knowledge of it. Whichever the case may have been, Kamiko was grateful that, for once, she was able to have an ordinary conversation with another person if for only a brief period of time.

After the boy would either respond or decline to respond, Kamiko would speak once more while her gaze turned to the leaves above them that shaded the area, doing so in a manner as if she were in deep thought. "I try to help those like myself, Kiwoharu, I give them strength with my sermons and protection in numbers within my Following -- Most importantly, Kiwoharu, I intend to give them a true Home of their own very soon..." She said this with a smile slowly curling along her lips, hinting at the fact she had more to possibly say on the matter and was hoping that the young boy would be enticed by the suggestion, though if he were not, she had other ideas in mind as to how she could win this boy over to her side.

[1,170 Total WC]

He glanced down at her offered hand, pausing briefly before taking it and gently shaking it before returning his hand to where it was. His grip was firm, but not too firm. He knew how to present himself properly. It seemed like this woman was safe enough.

His grey eyes watched hers for a bit as she spoke. He nodded slightly at her question. "Yeah." Then, after considering it for a little bit, he approached the same tree and sat down near her. Those words of hers resonated with him a little. He, too, felt under equipped to survive here. And as for arts, he felt lacking there, too. He had been here for a year now and he hadn't really taken the time to improve in that way. "Indeed, I understand that feeling too. I have to get stronger..." If he had been stronger, maybe his parents wouldn't have had to cover his escape...

The slightest hint of that memory's sadness showed on his face briefly, but then he pushed it down further inside himself. He couldn't cry here. Or show too much weakness. Even someone who seemed nice could take advantage of such a thing.

A safe place, huh. That sounded interesting. A new home. He wasn't so sure about this whole religion thing, but still... the idea was enticing. "Is that so? I have been seeking a new home after mine was destroyed on a red moon..." He wasn't about to say which village or the actual name of the organization that destroyed it, but some vague words here and there weren't bad. "It'd be easier to grow stronger if I had somewhere that was definitely safe. Or at least safer."


WC: 284
TWC: 747

"I can offer you that safety, Kiwoharu." Kamiko would say with a turn of her head toward the boy, a smile that seemed somewhat anxious toward the boys answer coming over her lips as she would continue to speak to him. "If you choose to be by my side, I can promise you that I will take care of you as if you were my own and in return -- All I ask is that you help in assisting my leader and myself in rebuilding a village in the name of all of us who have lost their homes to war and careless destruction such as you, as well as all those who have been cast aside and made to believe that no place in this world will accept them; That is my dream, Kiwoharu, to give all of those Outcasts and Followers of mine a Home." She would explain her intentions with tears forming in the corner of her eyes, real tears that showed at least Kamiko believed her own ideas fully and furthermore seemed to have some sort of noble intent behind them.

She internally knew that she was being genuine and believed with all of her heart that, at the end of all this, creating a home for those such as herself and even Kiwoharu was her ultimate goal -- she only needed time, and the assistance of those brave enough to volunteer in order to bolster the numbers backing her and her Benefactor who had only a short time ago vowed to give her and her Followers a home; so long as they helped create it.

At this moment, she had no care for the ulterior motives that her Benefactor may have had, nor did she seem to care about the whims of the spirit Zyarae who lived within her Amulet and her Mind in equal measure. All that mattered, for the time being, was hopefully being able to help this boy find a new home in Kamiko and her Following; he only needed to be convinced of her intention and of the importance in joining her quest.


"It is a lonely world out here, Kiwoharu," Kamiko would begin speaking again, her gaze once more focusing upon Kiwoharu as she spoke with a soft tone that suggested the sharing of a quiet truth between the two. "If you remain out here alone, there is no telling if you shall be able to survive until the winter -- Or even tomorrow," She continued, her eyes narrowing somewhat in an intense stare that seemed to be attempting to signify the seriousness of her words. "These people, most of them only care to fill their wallets and to wet their blades with the blood of the innocent and the misunderstood -- They are monsters among us, Kiwoharu, and even if you were to kill one; two would take their place." Her voice would then pick up in speaking what was to come next as if attempting to give the boy a hopeful solution to the terrible world that she had been proposing up until that point. "However, I seek to give those like us a safe haven from such monsters until one day we are able to rid the world of them once and for all and make it a better place -- For everyone." She concluded her speech by placing a gentle hand on Kiwoharu's shoulder, if allowed, in a reassuring gesture that attempted to further solidify her words.


"Would you like to join me, Kiwoharu, to help make the world that we all truly deserve?"

[1,763 total WC]

He glanced at her as she spoke again, managing a slight smile in return to her smile. He could tell that she really felt those ideals, somehow. And certainly he wanted such a place to exist. "A place like that... Somewhere outside of heaven." He wanted to call it 'Outer Heaven' for some strange reason, but well, he wasn't going to be in charge of such decisions. She had a noble intent, at least, so he was certainly being convinced. 

A home for all those from villages that had been destroyed, and those that simply felt they had no place in the world that would accept them. Perhaps less missing-nin and more mercenaries, but organized rather than solo. That was something he could strive for. He had heard that his wasn't the only one to be destroyed, after all. And that even now, villages were fighting each other again. The world was dangerous... even if he wanted to join with one of the bigger villages, he couldn't risk them deciding that he was a threat. That was why he had felt his only place was here.

It was indeed a lonely world. He had survived for a year, sure, but there was no guarantee that his luck would last much longer. Kiwoharu wondered how she knew just what to say, but at the same time, it was working. He didn't even move away from her hand, allowing it instead. Kamiko felt... motherly. It was a feeling he had missed. Ever since that day... he hadn't seen it himself, but he knew from the destruction that his mother was gone. His father, too. Both of them were dead, and likely didn't even get a proper burial. One of the reasons he felt he needed to get stronger was so that he could feel safe in returning to the ruins to find them, and give them a final resting place.

And even here, there were monsters around every corner. He had stayed beneath notice so far, not even worth getting one's blade out to randomly kill. That couldn't stay the same forever. As he got stronger, he would surely attract notice... but if he could be part of a group, he would seem less of an easy target. And training with others was much easier than doing so by one's self. So he smiled slightly as he spoke, "That's something I seek, too. So yeah, I'll join you. It'll be a lot easier to survive in a group, and with a greater purpose."

WC: 421
TWC: 1168

Kamiko beamed at the boy, her entire expression along with her demeanor lightening into such a joyful state that so very few had gotten to see from the young woman. She would bring herself to her feet, reaching out in an attempt to embrace the boy into a brief hug before letting him go if he had allowed himself to be hugged in the first place and speaking to him with a newfound cheerfulness in her tone that surprised even Kamiko as she heard it aloud:

"You will not regret this, Kiwoharu; Together, we can save this world!" She exclaimed, the tears still welled in the corners of her eyes from earlier as she spoke, causing them to shake and fall down her cheeks out of joy as she continued to speak. "It fills my heart and soul with such joy that I have found another that shares my ideals -- Most others do not understand the hardships that we have faced, Kiwoharu, and fewer still wish to do something to right the wrongs that have been done to them by this world." She would continue speaking, letting out a deep sigh of content as she forced herself to settle down somewhat before continuing on. "In return for what you have done for me, if there is anything I can do for you; You need only ask of me and I shall see to it that it is done." She would say a more serious tone, promising the young boy practically anything that he could ask for within reason and internally vowing to ensure that this boy had his wish fulfilled no matter what it took to do so.

It was an uplifting experience to finally come across someone so receptive to her convictions and to her proposal of fellowship. Far too often did those who she spoke with seem to have either ulterior motives of their own or were incapable of understanding the grandiose nature of the task that they were aiming to accomplish; very few seemed to feel the way Kiwoharu did and that made her devotion to the boy all the more solidified than it had been already. She would treat him as her own, so long as he remained true to his convictions and treated her with the same respect she would give him in return; from this moment on, she considered Kiwoharu her own child in a figurative sense.

For once, Kamiko felt a sense of calm and joy that she had not felt in what seemed like eons; what with the constant nightmares delivered onto her by Zyarae or the stress brought about by the mission given to her by both the spirit and her Benefactor in regards to gathering those worthy and capable enough with which to create their new home -- The Priestess had a lot of things on her mind, and none of them thankfully mattered at this moment. She was free to allow herself to breathe and give herself a moment of respite, despite everything.

[2,266 Total WC]

Such genuine happiness... He hadn't seen it in a long time. He allowed the hug, feeling another sensation that he had missed. Tears were in the corners of his eyes as well, but he didn't let any flow. A mix of happiness and its opposite, sadness, fought inside him. One was from the present, the other was because of the past.

Save this world, hm... such a goal would take years. But the ten year old had plenty of years left to go. "I feel happy, too... though at the same time, I keep remembering things from before..." He admitted, managing to settle down a little. Maybe it would help at some point if he talked it out, allowed those emotions to really go through him... it felt like those feelings were somehow awakening something. He couldn't tell what it was, but even if it wasn't really there, the less he was burdened by such things later, the better. He hadn't really allowed himself the time to feel such things since that time.

For now, he managed to stay on the happier side, having found someone who would help protect him, and one day, help him start something greater. Perhaps it was easier to find someone so receptive among children. After all, they haven't yet had all their ideals taken away by the harsh world. He hadn't let the destruction of his village affect him so deeply as to lose sight of that. And having a mother figure again... it was a good bonus. "Right now... I only need to grow stronger, and make more friends. Particularly anyone you already know and trust... those would be good people to train with."

For once, he felt at ease. It was something he hadn't really felt in a long time. Always being watchful, always alert, even making sure to sleep in different places and only for short stretches of time rather than all at once... such a way of living wasn't exactly good for someone his age. Perhaps now he wouldn't have to be like that anymore, even as he grew as a ninja.

WC: 352
TWC: 1520

With a nod, Kamiko would take in the boys request and respond to it with a gentle tone as she simultaneously began to lead him away from the Forests and back toward the Marketplace, beckoning for him to follow her lead:

"I will introduce you to the rest of the flock in due time, Kiwoharu; First I must take you to my Church and get you a proper meal and acquainted with the building itself before the others arrive back from their own affairs." She would say with a small nod, assuring herself of the course of action. "Soon, though, we will begin the process of becoming stronger together -- All in due time, as I said." She would reaffirm her promise to train him when the time was proper before then continuing to make her way toward the Church nestled between several small alleyways in the depths of the Marketplace: A sanctuary among the chaos and violence that they were constantly bombarded by within these lands.

Kamiko may very well trust Kiwoharu and even regard him as her own child, but that came with a certain degree of desire to protect him; something that included protection from some of the more unstable members of her Following until the time was right and the boy was able to defend himself properly against those who may wish to do him harm simply because of his inexperience and the possibility that he had not the same amount of loyalty that they did. Kamiko was well aware that those types of individuals existed, even among her Following in the past, yet this time around she was going to be certain to ensure they were dealt with swiftly to ensure none got the idea that such individuals were right. Her Following was a Family above all else and even a Family needed to have strict discipline administered from time to time.

If Kiwoharu had indeed tagged along with the Priestess, he would find himself being led to the secluded Church and then inside of it to reveal a plain white interior with old stained glass windows that reflected dim rays of sunlight through them to create a colorful atmosphere within the building despite its age. Kamiko seemed rather proud of the place, as it was well maintained and the Priestess herself gave a wide smile whenever she looked around at the sights of the place even now; as if it were new each and every time that she looked upon it.

"Excuse me for a moment, Kiwoharu, I will fetch the meal that I promised -- Feel free to seat yourself at the pews." Kamiko would announce, moving into the back of the Church for a brief few moments until returning with two small plates of simple yet edible looking food: What appeared to be servings of bread rolls and rice alongside some beef and pork on the side to serve as an entree; though if the boy requested, Kamiko would be more than willing to give him a non-meat offering of baked potatoes if he so desired.

"Would you like anything else?" She would ask after offering Kiwoharu the meal, her expression suggesting that she was eager to please the boy that she already had begun to regard as a child and was willing to go out of her way to do so. "After you finish your meal, I could see about possibly taking you to go meet with one of the others if you felt ready to do so -- Otherwise, we could always stay here for a while longer and enjoy the company of one another." 

While waiting for the boy's response, Kamiko would finally feel the familiar pain and chills associated with the spirit of Zyarae entering her mind and observing the world through the eyes of the Priestess. Perhaps the spirit had finally caught on to what was going on and sensed a new follower in the making -- or perhaps they simply had decided to check on the status of its Host; either way, Kamiko knew that they would be troublesome to contend with.

"I see you have found a new interest, Kamiko -- How very interesting..." Zyarae's voice echoed throughout her mind as Kamiko felt her head pound in response to the intrusion from the Spirit whose hands she could feel gripping at her very essence, as they typically did, while the spirit looked through the eyes of the Priestess and chuckled in the woman's mind at what they saw. "So you have a child of your own now, is that it?" Zyarae prodded as Kamiko desperately fought internally to avoid making any response to the words of the spirit in her mind. "Let us hope they prove to be useful to our cause, shall we?" the spirit would say, beginning to fade away into the recesses of Kamiko's mind. 

Internally, Kamiko felt herself seething as she responded sharply to the spirit in her own mind: "We will not harm the boy, or I will eliminate myself and your plans in the process." She would say, causing even Zyarae to be taken aback for a few long moments before responding in a tone that held a bit of shock. "Very well, if you wish to be so adamant about the matter -- But such tactics will not work forever; be aware of that." Zyarae warned before then fading away from Kamiko's mind, leaving her once again alone with her thoughts.

She was certain now, that she would protect this boy to the best of her ability: No matter what.

[3,192 Total WC]