One Who Danced With Stars

This night was not unlike the many others, peaceful and quiet with a blanket of stars overhead to greet those beneath that turned their gazes upward. The only thing stolen from the sky on this night was the moon, as it was in it's darkest phase, hiding itself from the heavens. It was a shame, at least Morgan thought it was, she always valued the moon like it was a close friend, that shimmering pearl watching her from up above. Still, it didn't stop her from having fun, she was free to do as she pleased after-all. Still, with friends so lacking these days, it did get lonely whenever the moon wasn't around to watch her and too long would it be before the sun could return.

The young-looking girl hummed to herself, considering what it was that she wished to do for the evening. Her mind was snatched away from it's train of thought when the girl spotted a beautiful deer. Grazing at this time of night? While it wasn't unheard of, it was the first Morgan had ever been out this late to catch the rare sight. She stepped backwards, attempting to leave the creature be when there was an audible 'snap'. A tree branch had been crushed beneath her foot and gave away her position to both the creature and anyone else within the forest that'd been around.

Quickly, her body stiffened and her crimson eyes went to glance at the doe, which to her surprise hadn't run away from her. In fact, the animal didn't seem afraid of Morgan at all, going as far as to begin approaching her. Morgan didn't dare move from her place, too startled by the fact it was closing in that she was hoping not to ruin this moment between her and the creature. As it finally reached her, the doe lifted it's head out and began to sniff at the girl's clothing. Taking the opportunity, Morgan rose her right hand and began to pet the doe on it's head.

"Aaaah, so soooft~." She said in a soft whisper, a moment of weakness that slipped from the girl's lips. The doe perked it's head up when it thought it'd heard another sound that caught it's interest. Just as quick as the moment had come, it passed and the deer turned tail, jumping off further into the wilderness leaving a saddened Morgan in it's wake. What had caused it to run away so frantically like that? 

When the girl turned about, her crimson gaze settled on the darkened frame of another person, though it appeared they were on their way to approaching the grassy opening amongst the trees that Morgan found herself within. It was at this moment that her memories clicked back inside her mind, the blood that'd soaked her hands mere days ago, cleansed by the river nearby but still stained her with sin. She was a Missing-Nin now, wanted by Kumogakure for the death of another... even if it was on accident.

Fearing the worst, that this individual was attempting to come after her, the young girl began to form the handsign for Tiger and mold her chakra. She practiced this technique a few times already but it was time to start putting it into proper practice on the field. With a whisper and raise of her right hand, the dew-drops on the grass began to give rise to a thick fog. The haze started in the clearing Morgan was in, before spreading out into the surrounding environment, enveloping whoever it was that'd come to investigate the area.

Morgan moved as quickly as she could over to one side of the mist and took free a kunai. It was mainly to defend herself and she hoped the other would just get lost in the mist, as to completely avoid meeting Morgan. She didn't want to go back to Kumogakure and face what she'd done, she was afraid.... she was scared.

Jutsu Used:

Kamiko would find herself enveloped by a thick mist, being unable to see through to the other side of the clearing she had intended to cross on what had originally been a simple nightly walk for the Priestess in order to get away from the noise and violence of the Marketplace and the other Missing Ninja that inhabited it. Such a sudden and thick fog was most certainly unusual and she believed that it could possibly be the result of some sort of Technique she was unaware of -- yet she could not say for certain and would instead attempt to cross through the mist that tangled around her and felt as if it were gripping the Priestess in her entirety. The entirety of it reminded her of Zyarae and such was not something that the young woman found herself appreciating all that much.

Just as she was thinking of Zyarae, she felt their ethereal hands wrapping around the young woman's mind as they spoke up with what she could only describe a tone of voice that suggested an inferiority of the young woman: "You are not intending to let something such as this stop you, are you?" Zyarae asked internally, to which Kamiko would reply also within her mind. "I was merely enjoying my own thoughts for a moment, Goddess, I've no intention of stopping." She would rebuke with a shake of her head to clear the image of Zyarae from her mind before then beginning to make her way through the mist at a slow and controlled pace.

"Is there anyone out there?" She called into the mist in her most convincing innocent tone; a slight quiver in her voice being an addition which served as a way to make her sound fearful of whatever may be waiting for her -- if there was indeed anything in the first place. "I am but a passing Holy Woman, I mean no harm..." She would say further as she continued to pass through the mist; doing her best not to lose her sense of direction but undoubtedly getting turned around at least a few times as she made her way through the thick fog.

"If there is anyone out there who could assist me, I would be more than grateful..." She would add after a short pause, one of her hands moving slowly withdraw a kunai of her own from a weapon pouch on her hip before then hiding it within her sleeves as she interlocked her hands together to conceal them within the long sleeves of her holy vestments. She needed only wait now and see if this was indeed an act of nature or if there was someone behind this; and further, if there were someone behind it, if they would show themselves to the Priestess willingly in the first place.

It was a waiting game now, and Kamiko was more than well versed in waiting.


[488 WC]

The comfort of this technique was that the user could manipulate the density of the mist by adjusting the amount of chakra kneaded into it. It was a good technique for ambushing or assassinating others with... however Morgan found herself wanting to do neither action to the woman whom was putting up the guise of innocence. Morgan didn't believe the woman's words at heart, she wasn't the type anymore to take people at their word, not easily anyway.

Thus she waited a few moments longer before the veil of mist would begin to lower in it's thickness until the woman and Morgan's shadow could both be made out between one another whilst concealing their identities. "You say you're a wandering priest but I find myself doubting this. Are you aligned with a village? If so, which. Be mindful of what you say next - I can't guarantee if you answer incorrectly that I'll be as... nice as I'm being right now. I don't wish to confront you but, I'll do what I must."

Of course, all that Kamiko had to say was that she was from any village apart from Kumogakure or that she was no longer a part of any village. Then again, that'd mark her as a missing ninja, wouldn't it? The same worry could be inside of Kamiko's mind at this point, they had no idea whom one another were, they could've been after each other for all they knew. Bounty hunters, Anbu, you name it... the possibilities were vast and dire but that was the complications that being Missing-Nin dealt them both.

Morgan kept the kunai held tight at her side, not giving away the fact she was armed just yet due to the mist's cover, but she wouldn't know that Kamiko was too. "I'll give you to the count of three, I don't wish to give you any time for some cover-up." Imposing a time limit? Why wouldn't she, people were more likely to fumble with lies when pressured than they were the truth. 

To tell the truth, or to lie? That was Kamiko's decision to make. There was the third, attacking Morgan and fourth, fleeing. Neither were guarantees though, so would she risk it? Morgan felt a bead of sweat rolling down the corner of her forehead from the tension of it all. She hadn't been in danger to this sense in a while, it was almost overwhelming.

Jutsu Used:

"Now, there is no need for such hostility." Kamiko would say with a slight smile on her lips, moving toward the stranger's silhouette as she formed the Tiger hand-seal which prepared her chakra for what was to come next. "I think that I should be the one asking questions to the one who so rudely accosted me..." She would continue to speak as her chakra would suddenly emerge and move into the direction of the girl, binding her into what would feel like thick ropes as the Priestess gave a warm smile in her direction:

"But I suppose I should be so kind at least as to introduce myself, I am known as Kamiko, or Kami-Sama if you would prefer." She would say, allowing her hand to fall to her side now that it had completed the hand-seal while her other hand emerged from her sleeve with the kunai held tightly In hand. "I would appreciate if you showed me the proper respect deserving of a Holy Woman and that you stopped this little act of yours before I am forced to act upon your previous threat." Her smile faded into a neutral expression as she spoke, her eyes stern and her tone matching this in intensity. She was not one to harm others without reason, of course, but among Missing Ninja: A challenge was a challenge, and she could not afford to look weak to the spirit which used the Priestess as a vessel.

"Though if you must know ... I am not in any way associated with one of the standing Villages, however, I do wonder about you." Kamiko would say with a tilt of her head, placing a finger to her own chin in a thoughtful manner. "Who are you, I wonder? And how have you managed to summon forth that mist if that indeed was your doing?" She would contemplate these questions aloud while moving forward into the mist so that the two could finally meet face to face.

If she were capable of doing so, Morgan would find herself gazing upon a young woman in her mid twenties who stood just below six feet tall and who had clashing golden blonde hair and red eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness. She was clad in her typical religious vestments and her hands remained almost constantly hidden out of habit in her sleeves except when performing actions that required them. Perhaps the most striking thing about the woman, however, would be the faintly glowing length of golden rope worn around her neck and tied into a figure-eight pattern. It seemed to have some sort of signature to it, yet it would be unclear as to what or even how such an item had it.

As she waited for Morgan to respond, Kamiko would keep a concealed kunai ready beneath her sleeves again in the event that the girl attacked her; one could never be too sure, after-all, and she was not about to let her plans be ruined by someone so brash as this who was anxious enough to attack the Priestess simply for being in the same area. Whoever this stranger was, they were clearly hiding something and furthermore likely being hunted -- yet this did not mean that Kamiko would not attempt to get her desired answers out of them before ending this little ordeal permanently.

Jutsu Used:

[1,045 Total WC]

Almost as quickly as this confrontation started, it would soon just come to an end. Morgan felt her body freezing up as the woman got closer and at first she figured it was her nerves but she literally couldn't move! Holding the kunai at her side, the mist would begin to fade away from the area until the two of them could probably make one another out. Where there was a beautiful long-haired woman with gold locks and crimson eyes, there was a smaller girl with violet hair and matching ruby eyes that were now welling up with tears out of sheer fear and frustration at being unable to move. 

Why wouldn't her body listen to her? Was this woman's presence just that strong?! Either way, try as she may to move she couldn't and Morgan just started wriggling a little here and there, speaking through her teary face. "N-no fair! Why can't I moooove!? Hnnnn..." Try as she may, it was useless, she wanted to just kick about and scream now, but she just spoke towards the woman quickly in efforts to try and end any confrontation before it could turn into full-blown hostility.

"I'm sorry, r-really! I thought you were someone from Kumogakure coming to take me away and I got scared. I'm not super strong or anything, and it was a mistake what happened, honest." Morgan didn't seem to be lying in the slightest, with how she was almost hiccuping in her crying, it seemed more like the girl was distressed and half scared out of her wits. Just how long had she been running for now? The nerves must've been destroying the poor girl on the inside, the stress being new to her.

"Y-you asked who I was, sorry... I'm Morgan Le Fay but they called me 'Bloody Mary'. I promise I won't do anything, could you please release me? I won't run away either." As a sign of good faith, she tried as much as she could to try and move her hand's fingers just enough to let the kunai she was holding fall to the ground. "I was just scared... I thought you were going to hurt me or kidnap me for whatever stupid reward they might've had for me."

The young girl was a mere 5'4" looking pretty much like a young child and had the personality similar to one, despite her age. She wore a long white dress and a matching cap, both with red lacing and ribbons to match her eyes. Her teeth had a slight bit of length to the canines of them, giving her a sort of inhuman look with nails that reached a few inches out, colored crimson. While she didn't have wings like some might peg vampires as having, she certainly looked the part for someone called 'Bloody Mary'. Her crime was up in the air for anyone to guess. Though whatever it was, to put a bounty out on a child? It had to be something of worth.

Jutsu Used:

Kamiko's stern expression would quickly fade upon taking in the sight of the apparently young girl and her teary-eyed face. This was clearly no one who was about to pose any sort of threat to Kamiko herself -- despite the fact that she seemed to have blood staining the patterns of her dress as if she had attempted to clean it herself but failed in doing so due to the difficult of removing blood from cloth:

"I've no intention to hurt a child." Kamiko would say with a small shake of her head, allowing the Temporary Paralysis Technique to fade away so that the girl could once again move freely. "Here I thought that I had finally encountered Bounty Hunters..." She would add with a small sigh, before then moving forward and taking a look at the teary-eyed girl for a moment and then reaching out to wrap her arms around her, pulling the girl close against her own frame as she spoke to her in what was now a much more calm and soft tone of voice than she had been using; almost motherly in how it sounded.

"Calm yourself, now, you are not in danger..." She would say while using a hand to gently run along the back of the girl's head, attempting to calm her down with the soothing gesture. "I apologize for earlier, being among these people for so long has admittedly given me a less than gentle method of dealing with threats." She added quietly, gently pressing the girl's head to her own shoulder if allowed. "You have your reasons for your behavior, I am sure -- Please, allow me to make it up to you for scaring you such as I did." Kamiko finished in the same soft voice, allowing a moment of silence to fill the air before speaking again.

"If you would like, I can offer a safe place to spend the night and a warm meal if you are hungry..." Kamiko then offered, giving a faint smile as she did so. "Not that I would expect you to trust someone such as myself -- though, I am at least a better alternative than most of those who live in these lands." As she spoke, Kamiko would internally argue with the spirit of Zyarae who was less than pleased by the softness that Kamiko was showing toward the girl.

"Do you intend to always lay down your arms against those younger than you, hm?" Zyarae asked rhetorically within Kamiko's mind. "You cannot spare each and every child you see -- You must eventually--" Zyarae would continue, only to be cut off by Kamiko's internal response. "I will never harm those who are guilty of no crime, and I will never harm those who cannot defend themselves -- Even if it is for our new world." Zyarae scoffed in response to the notion, however, they then faded away from Kamiko's mind in a show that they had either no rebuttal for the woman's statement or simply did not wish to argue.

No matter what Zyarae felt, Kamiko knew that she would not allow herself to ever stray from her own convictions; even if it meant suffering the wrath of Zyarae in doing so. She was a Priestess and a Mother, and she would never allow that to be changed.

[1,601 Total WC]

Stained cheeks like stained dress, the tears wouldn't stop, rivers of clear rivulets running rampant down the skin of the young girl's face. Droplets touch the ground and Morgan just clutches at the older woman's back with her fingers, tightening ever slightly in the grasp as she just let it all out. How could she not? When you run for your life, when you fear being killed, of every day being your last? You stress and stress until you can't stress anymore and you just want to break. Close to that breakdown, she was overwhelmed by Kamiko's kindness and the warmth that Morgan felt by just being held like this. It reminded her of her mother, of being held and rubbed on the head whenever she cried like this. She missed her friends, missed her home, missed the happy times but it all felt so distant now. She couldn't return back to her village or the clan that she'd abandoned, she was left on her own with just Kamiko to offer her such kind words and the accepting touch. 

Had anyone been this close to her before? That didn't show her some kind of fear or hesitation in touching her from the way she looked? She couldn't recall anyone breaking down the physical barrier she'd kept with others this fast. Kamiko... truly she was a saint, to care about a little girl that was prepared to do her harm and give her this level of forgiveness. Morgan felt guilty, mind running that she didn't deserve to be treated this way. Not when she had killed her own best friend in cold blood, she couldn't even remember doing it, only blacking out and waking up with blood staining her mouth, hands and clothes. The scent of the blood, god it was sickening to Morgan that it smelled so good. Why was she this way?! Why did she have to be born a Monster?!

Morgan was a maelstrom of emotion, disastrous and haphazardly freeing from her as she cried aloud, sobbing into the older woman, afraid her frail mentality may just shatter and leave her crushed. Yet, she was feeling better, the more that she cried, the more that she just held this woman and let it all loose, she felt like she was finally getting the closure that she needed. For not having time to mourn, to yell in rage at herself or cry out of fear for being hunted. She was finally letting all that piled on her shoulders ease free and fall to the ground, with only the blissful wake of peace resting in her heart afterwards. 

A sniffle or two had Morgan leaning back and rubbing at her eyes with her hands. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to cry all on you..." Yes she did, she needed it, needed a shoulder to finally cry on and to not feel like she was alone anymore. She just wanted to apologize for the burden, that's all it was. "I... don't really have anywhere to go, or anyone to stay with. If it's not too much of a burden to you, could I come with you? I can carry your things or brush your hair, whatever it'd take as long as you will let me stay with you. You're the first person to not-- ... to not just want to hurt me or give me up. I've been burned before by people pretending to offer kindness, but you really just seem to genuine and I want to put my trust in you."

The young girl was hopeful, she hadn't had a night's respite in so long, being able to sleep without worry of being assaulted would be such a relief. "A meal would be nice too but... speaking of which, my body is very weak right now and I don't want to scare you but I need something.. peculiar to sustain me." There was an awkward shuffle the girl made, red-cheeked in embarrassment over the truth behind her long canines and sharp claws. Playing into the true nature of her clan, it felt so odd to her since the very sin she had carried was due to this same craving. She hadn't even drunk from any animals in the time she'd been gone from the village, several days without blood? It was weakening, she could hardly handle it right now.

"Y-you see, I um... I come from a clan that needs blood to keep themselves well... active. Otherwise I'll fall into a coma and won't be able to awaken until I get blood. While it doesn't happen often and animal blood has been what I've done for the longest time with my clan so we wouldn't have to hurt anyone, due to everything that's happened to me I've starved myself. I was going to drink a little bit from the doe that I was petting earlier but you kind of scared it. N-not that I fault you! It was an accident and I knew that."

Morgan ran her hand on the back of her neck, feeling like this was just the worst topic in the world to try and brooch with anyone. Asking to drink their blood? With how... close and intimate the act really felt, it was like asking someone for a k..kiss. Gosh her cheeks just darken to a dark shade of red thinking about it! Why does her clan have to have such a stupid need like this?! Sure she can control blood but having to drink it to avoid going comatose? It was such a heavy weight to carry! Ah if she could sucker-punch the ancestors of her clan, by god she would.

Kamiko was surprisingly composed in regards to her reaction to the girl's admittance of her Clan and of her need for blood to sate a hunger that sounded as if it would utterly debilitate her if left unchecked. She was not calm because she was aware of this need, nor had she even expected it, yet she had come to accept along with her service to Zyarae that if a spirit of a supposed deity could inhabit her mind and influence her actions -- anything else was rather mundane by her own opinion.

With a smile, she would nod in response to the girl's words, speaking up in a more natural speaking voice yet retaining a certain level of maternal gentleness to it that she employed to keep Morgan's fears and worries in check if only somewhat:

"I do not see why not," Kamiko would begin, going so far as to present her neck to Morgan by lowering the part of her holy vestments that covered it. "I trust you to not take more than you need, Morgan." She would say with a small nod, closing her eyes as she seemed to be preparing herself for the moment internally. "Afterwards, I will take you home so that you may get a good night's rest -- I am confident in saying that I believe you may have not had a proper one in some time." She would add quietly, before then falling silent externally as she let out a soft breath in anticipation.

If the girl would indeed drink Kamiko's blood, she would be treated briefly to something that she was most assuredly not expecting as a result. For what would only be a few brief moments, their connection in blood would allow for Morgan to hear the voice that Kamiko always heard within her own mind -- Unbeknownst to her, it was the voice of Zyarae, the self-proclaimed deity and spirit that resided both within Kamiko's amulet and her mind.

"Can she be trusted?" The Voice would say, followed by a ghostly sounding variant of Kamiko's own as if the young woman were speaking from a great distance away. "She is far too young for such concerns, Goddess..." Kamiko replied, to which the other voice seemed to take with a hint of distrust in their tone. "Can she be converted, then?" Asked the voice, to which Kamiko would again reply in the same far-away voice. "In due time, Goddess..."

At that, the brief connection would end and the additional voice could not be heard, Kamiko would then open her eyes and wait for Morgan to regain her senses after feeding before speaking in the same gentle, warm voice as before:

"Are you ready to come to my home, Morgan?" She asked softly, before then adding. "If you feel unwell still, I am fairly confident in my ability to carry you there." She added this offer with a somewhat more widened smile as if she seemed to enjoy the idea of carrying the girl -- though she did not verbalize this aloud. Whatever the girl's response, she would either carry her or lead her to the Church, through the twisting alleys and hidden paths of the Marketplace until they eventually came upon the building that served as Kamiko's home and place of Sermons that she often delivered.

The Church itself was rather plain, yet it had an air of love and care to it as if the Priestess had put a great deal of time into maintaining the building even among the various other destroyed or half-destroyed ones that littered the Marketplace. The white walls were recently painted and the wood had even been repaired where it had begun to come apart; perhaps most importantly, the beautiful stained glass windows of the Church remained and gave it all an air of reverence and sanctuary among such a violet and chaotic place as this.

She would then either lead or carry the girl inside, taking her to one of the pews and either sitting with her or sitting her down upon it as she spoke up in a cheerful tone that seemed to be quite proud of her little home:

"What do you think?"


[2,303 total wc]

A momentary pause, being shown that neck, the vulnerability that it offered. There was a spike in the girl's racing heartbeat to the point she felt more rabbit than human with how quickly it was moving. However she knew that it wouldn't be safe for her to bite the woman's neck and trust herself not to drain too much of the liquid. Thus Morgan compromised by grabbing hold of one of Kamiko's wrists and dragging across from left to right, one of her sharp claws. It sliced into the skin like it was but mere paper but the cut was shallow enough that it would bleed but not be a danger towards blood-loss. Since it was left to right and not vertical, it would cause minimal vein damage as well, making it very easy to heal. 

She was being considerate and taking only as much as she needed but she began to overstep that just a little, cutting herself off before she could pose a danger to the woman. It was smart of her to go for the wrist and not for the neck, she wasn't ready yet for that kind of responsibility with how much of a fledgling she was when it came to human blood consumption. It was like getting hooked on sweets when you've never had them before, unable to hold yourself back from bingeing on them.

The voice that Morgan could here bothered her, the way that at first it questioned whether or not she could be trusted followed by if she could be converted. She knew two things from that alone, Kamiko did indeed trust her given her response but that Morgan wouldn't allowed herself to be fully 'converted'. She didn't like the idea of being trapped by someone else's ideology, at least not until she knew more about it and only if she agreed with it. To her that felt more fair, more reasonable than being just a sheep that went along with whatever someone told her to do or say.

Snapping back into reality, she realized the woman was talking to her again and asking if she were ready to go to Kamiko's home. It was a nice thought, being able to finally have a home again and take a nice proper bath instead of using the rivers which were far too cold for her liking. "A-ah, yes, I'm sorry. I got kind of caught up in my thoughts." Her cheeks went red when she was offered to be carried like some kind of princess-- only because she may not have been feeling very strong. It was true that even though she had partook in the other girl's blood, it wouldn't immediately revitalize her, only stave off the worse of the effects until it finally settled in.

A soft nod had the purple locks of Morgan's hair shifting and she climbed into Kamiko's arms. The scent of the woman, the way that she smiled and the warmth of her body. Truly a matron if ever there had been another. The walk wasn't too long, but it did take some time, going through unfamiliar twists and turns that Morgan hadn't ever seen before. This Marketplace was brand new to the girl and acted as a sort of safe-haven for those wishing to stay hidden... well, as hidden as one could reasonably among thieves and peddlers.

The sight of a Church welcomed the girl, instinctively she didn't quite like it - it wasn't due to any stereotypical reason befitting legends of blood-drinkers being against divine buildings. It was merely that she had never been one about faith, she stopped believing in faith a long time ago so the idea of a God watching over her seemed more of a cynical joke than a possibility. Still, she rose no complaints as to not offend her new friend and guardian. It was Kamiko's home after-all.

It was plain, down-to-earth with a touch of treasured warmth to it. It wasn't overbear or suffocating with religious idols or symbols but more home-like. To Morgan it was pleasant on the eyes and when asked what she thought about it, the girl just smiled. "I think it suits a woman such as yourself. The way you carry yourself is quite welcoming and understanding, just as this place appears to me. It's delightful in it's own small ways, I can tell you put a lot of effort into it's making."

Raising herself up, the girl began to stand on top of one of the pew's backs and balanced herself easily. Her eyes narrowed and the glowing crimson hues of the girl's eyes would almost shimmer beneath the subtle rays peering through the stained windows. The girl jumped from pew to pew, being quite mindful of her weight and positioning to not fall or cause damage and with how she twisted and turned in the middle of her moment, it was as if the girl were levitating off the ground, dancing in the air. 

It wasn't until she'd gotten to one of the more clear windows and danced in it's sill that the girl's youthful grace was put upon display, the streaks of purple across the sky resonated with the color of her hair and the sway of her body. Her shoes were kicked off and bare feet turned, lifted and moved around. She was similar to traveling performers and acrobats, having practiced more refined movements during her play times with the other kids of her old town. 

Morgan's lips would purse slightly and the sound of humming began to fill the air, she'd started up a song that would ease across the Church and to Kamiko's ears. It was subtle and had a slow tune to it, a melody that took it's time and made her dancing more something to be watched and enjoyed than felt rushed or energetic. Morgan couldn't even count the number of times she'd done this beneath moonlight or in the river near her clan's town. All the other kids would watch her dancing, sometimes making fun of her and other times enraptured by the way she moved about with such agility.

Once she'd stopped, her bright eyes glanced at Kamiko from next to the window, taking a seat next to it while crossing her legs. "I guess it's my turn now to ask, what'd you think?"

Ever the encouraging Mother-Figure, Kamiko would go through great strides to appear as entertained as believably possible; it was not that she had not truly been entertained by the display, but Kamiko knew that children often liked to see a bigger reaction than the simple 'Good Job!' that most parents gave:

"Absolutely beautiful, Morgan." Kamiko would say while giving an enthusiastic clapping of her hands and a wide proud smile toward the girl that all seemed to be working in tandem to show that she had enjoyed the performance she had been shown. "I've not seen such beautiful dancing since, ah..." She laughed to herself before continuing, giving a small shake of her head to show that she believed the memory was a bit silly although was still willing to share it. "Well, I had a rather memorable one years ago before I came here -- It was the most splendid festival..." Kamiko would place a hand to her chin, seeming to be deep in thought for a moment before continuing with her story. "I believe it was a Lunar festival, that is what it was." She would say, giving a small nod to herself as if confirming the memory. "I had just turned sixteen if I recall correctly and all the other children my age were already choosing partners for the upcoming dance and I decided--" She would pause for a moment, again smiling and giving a little laugh at the memory. "I decided that I would ask the woman twice my age that operated the Ramen Shop because she had no one to dance with and seemed so alone..." Kamiko continued with her story, gazing up to the ceiling in remembrance of the festival in question. "It turned out that she was the most graceful dancer that I had ever met -- and she seemed so happy to have someone to dance with, even if it was a silly young girl like myself." She would then fall silent for a few moments, becoming lost in the recollection of one of the few truly happy and peaceful events in her life before eventually returning to reality with another brief shake of her head.

"Ah, sorry about that, I got carried away in my little story -- I believe the point of it all is this: Never judge a flower that has not had the chance to bloom yet." She would conclude her little lesson with a warm smile toward Morgan, before then moving toward the back room of the Church. "Enough of my ramblings, however, I will go and fetch you something warm to eat and cold to drink -- I know that you feed on blood, but it never hurts to be safe, hm?" She would say, disappearing off into the back of the church for a few moments until she eventually returned with a plate of food and a glass of crystal clear water both of which she would then hand off to the girl upon her return.

The food itself was simple bread and cooked potatoes along with some rice flavored with sugar to give it more of a taste than plain rice. It was not a banquet, certainly, but it was warm and better than eating nothing. The water itself was also unremarkable but it was fresh and promised refreshing hydration for the young girl.

Kamiko would allow the girl some time in silence to eat unless, of course, she was spoken to first in which case she would prepare to respond in kind; though she would otherwise seat herself near the girl and simply wait while gazing out of one of the stained glass windows with a slight smile on her lips. She had always enjoyed the opportunity to care for others, especially the young and those unable to care for themselves properly, and in Morgan, she found another opportunity to bring a child under her wing and perhaps someday induct into her Following. At the very least, she intended to bring Morgan along with her and the rest of her Following to help Amaterasu in rebuilding the village she had promised them as a Home; this girl was now her responsibility after-all, and she was not about to neglect that responsibility for any reason.

As she waited, Kamiko internally wondered about that woman she met all those years ago at the festival. What would she think of what Kamiko had become? What would she say if they were to ever meet again? Would she even remember? All of these questions were pointless, she assured herself, for the past was meant to stay in the past as a pleasant memory -- not brought to the present as a distraction. Especially when she knew deep down the answer to all of those questions: Kamiko was no longer the bright-eyed young girl she had been at sixteen, she was a leader of Missing Ninja and ruthless at times in her tactics, there was no changing that. She would never be welcomed by someone like that again, She would only be greeted with terror and contempt.

She supposed that perhaps it was about time to begin embracing that aspect of herself and to begin becoming something that was truly meant to be feared.

[3,174 Total WC]