One Who Danced With Stars

Rather than giving the same old responses that everyone else did, Kamiko too a step above the others to really engage with Morgan and give her a proper response to her dancing. It made it feel all the more worth it in her mind, to be able to put a smile on this woman's face that gave her a new home to reside in. Sure she missed her old one but Morgan was a girl that often preferred to live in the present... preferred being the key word as sometimes one can't outrun their past no matter how much they try.

Now it was story time for Morgan, being told about that her beautiful dancing reminded the woman of a previous memory? Years in the past she'd participated in a Lunar Festival and asked a woman twice her age, that being much younger than now, to dance with her. Being so pleasantly surprised and captured by the wondrous grace the woman performed with, to think that Morgan could inspire such a remembrance inside of Kamiko's mind, she felt positively honored. Morgan began to recall all of the times she'd seen her mother dancing, how those with age and experience moved in ways the younger could only dream of, it made her envious years ago but now, looking back on it - it probably just made Morgan try that much harder to live up to the reputation of her mother's dancing skills. Dancing wasn't the career path though that she was undertaking, she dreamed of becoming Raikage one day, not the world's most renown dancer - but maybe that could be a good fallback option~.

"Ah no, you weren't rambling, I enjoyed the fact you would share such an intimate memory from your past with me. I consider myself honored. That saying is also a really nice one. I've always loved flowers, so putting them together to symbolize others makes it all the more great." After, she watched the woman stand up and begin heading to the back of the Church, those ruby eyes of hers couldn't help but follow the movements of the woman's body. She'd blush, never audibly admitting the fact that despite their gap in age, she found Kamiko very attractive. It was a crush really, nothing else. "You needn't worry, even if I've been satiated somewhat by blood, it doesn't really convert it into filling my stomach's natural hunger for food. Anything you make would be pleasant to enjoy, I'm sure."

What welcomed Morgan was not a banquet but it was certainly delicious when she tried it. The bread was warm, likely heated ever so slightly to give it a subtle toasted texture. The fluffy wheat-made food also had a nice melting effect on her tongue, soaking itself in the moisture of her tongue. With both the bread and the potatoes she found herself wishing she had butter and salt but beggars were not choosers so she made do. The rice being treated more like a dessert than part of the main dish because of the sugar that was added to it. It all quite filling, the water being a good palette cleanser after all was said and done. 

"It was delicious, thank you very much, Miss Kamiko." The young girl sat beside the older woman and began to deliberate on all of the information she'd been given about Kamiko. That strange voice and the tale of the older ramen shop lady she'd danced with as a kid and how happy it'd made her. Without even really thinking much about the consequences of her actions, Morgan began to speak towards Kamiko, swinging her legs back and forth all the while.

"I think, deep down inside, we're both in the same boat. We've been left behind in one way or another, having to escape for different reasons and ending up where we are now. Yet, I don't think I regret it entirely, it'd be a lie if I said that I wasn't happy right now, having someone as nice as you Kamiko to watch over me and make me feel so safe. I want to believe that my family is out there right now, just thinking in hopes that I'm safe even if I'm wanted by Kumogakure for doing something... terrible. And that lady that you knew before? That you danced with? I'm sure deep down, she must be thinking similarly. I want to believe that the night you shared with her was as dear to her heart as it seems to be for you and that she's out there right now, just wanting you to be safe and happy, wherever you are. I don't think those closest to us really condemn us for our actions, in the end I think they just want us to be safe, so that the ones they care about so greatly aren't lost to them forever. I dunno, maybe it's just the silly thoughts of a little girl like me but that's what I really hope is the truth."

Kamiko would smile in response to Morgan's words; the girl definitely was mature beyond her years and seemed to have a grasp on things that rivaled Kamiko's own -- even so, she could not help but feel that her view was a little naive or perhaps a bit more optimistic than the Priestess herself was willing to believe. After all, if such things were true, this world would be a much safer place than the one she currently resided in where one had to always their own back or risk taking a knife between their ribs. It was a cruel world that they lived in, it was not a forgiving one, especially toward those who were closest to them -- those who were closest always seemed to suffer the worst in the end; such was one of the things that Kamiko was attempting to change with Amaterasu's help after all.

Turning her attention away from the window and back fully onto Morgan, she would give the girl a small nod as she spoke with a soft smile on her lips. Though her eyes seemed to betray a saddened look to them as she spoke, averting her gaze occasionally off to the side as she did so:

"Perhaps it is the truth, Morgan." She would say simply, pausing for a moment before then adding. "And for our sake, I pray that you will prove my thoughts wrong on the matter -- but I often find myself thinking that if such things were true, this place that we reside in now could not exist." She would say with a small shake of her head, glancing back toward the window. "Missing Ninja: It sounds like such a harmless phrase as if we were truly just Missing and needed to be Found... Yet in this world, being titled such a thing means certain death, There is oft' very little chance for redemption or for repentance for one's crimes be they real or imagined." A soft sigh would escape Kamiko's lips as she continued to speak, her tone suggesting she had long ago resigned her self to this philosophy and that it would take proof otherwise for her to begin to change if at all. "If you are Missing in this world, you never wish to be found." She would conclude quietly, placing a hand gently against the stained glass window that she was sitting beside while gazing out at the empty streets beyond.

She fell silent for a full minute after speaking, unless she would be spoken to during this time in which case she would respond albeit with a quiet tone and somewhat less bright demeanor than before. It would only be after a minute of silence that she would finally regain her composure again enough to put on a smile and turn her attention back to Morgan:

"I -- I apologize, I get so dreadfully lost in myself at times and with so much going on in my life as of late it is hard to find time to process these feelings properly. I should not be attempting to dissuade your positivity, nor should I be so stuck in my own ways in the first place... It is just that the Goddess demands a lot of me and offers little in the form of support to that effect for the time being." She would apologize with a slight bow of her head, her expression seeming to be genuine in her apology as she then brought herself into a standing position before Morgan.

"Shall we call it a night soon? You may share my bed if you so like, it is large enough that I need not the entirety of it." She would offer with a gentle smile, her eyes seeming to finally soften back to their more natural and kind state. "Of course, if you require anything else before we rest for the night, you need only ask." She would add after a short pause, tilting her head slightly to the side as she awaited the girl's response.

If she were being honest with herself, Kamiko was feeling internally torn at the time being between the girl's words and the philosophy that Zyarae had long since instilled within her mind. To Zyarae, all that mattered was them and their growing conquest of Humans and their Souls; Obedience and Deference were key, all else was simply a Human distraction and in the end would be proven to be fruitless. Love only led to pain, Kindness only led to betrayal, and above all - following any word but their own was heresy. 

Such was the reason that accepting Amaterasu's offer what felt like eons ago despite it only be a few days was such a liberating feeling within the heart of the Priestess. She had defied Zyarae and forced them to accept that, as their vessel, they held just as much say in the matters of what they could and could not do as Zyarae herself until the latter eventually received a physical form of their own; which could take days, or years, it was unknown. Zyarae, in response, had begun to relent if only somewhat on such matters and had even come to accept Amaterasu as a sort of 'Prophet' that could reasonably be followed so long as they never turned against Zyarae -- which should be fairly easy to avoid, seeing as the former did not even know of the latter's existence. In the end, however, Kamiko knew that she could not defy Zyarae's requests often due to the spirit's hold over her mind and the intensity of the pain she felt whenever she denied their requests... yet she had done so, and she had lived, perhaps there was some hope of her retaining herself unlike the other girl she had heard Zyarae speak of -- one who had been controlled by their sister spirit, Aufero.

Time would only tell, she supposed, whether or not the Priestess ended up like the girl before her or if perhaps she could avoid the same fate if she took each step with caution and avoided falling into the dangerous trap that power often provided; the ever-increasing lust for more and more until one's power consumed them in the end, changing that person into an unrecognizable wraith of destruction that only sought to increase their own abilities above all else. She would not let herself fall into that darkness, she promised herself, she could not.

Forcing all of these thoughts to the back of her mind, Kamiko then turned her attention back onto Morgan and found herself gazing to the girl with a thoughtful gaze as she continued to await her response. This girl was perhaps one of the few things she had anchoring her to this world, so long as she and the others remained by her side -- Kamiko was certain that she would never allow herself to fall to the Darkness.

[4,324 Total WC]

Weariness had indeed begun to sink itself into the young girl's body, yet she found herself staying awake only to listen more to the other woman's words. Such a sadness they carried, a natural desire for the world to work just as Morgan had described but knowing differently. That just raised the question in Morgan's mind of why? Why couldn't the world work just like that, it wasn't as though it were some impossible pipe dream. They were Missing-Nin, this must is true and there are plenty that wish to stake claim to their lives for riches or glory but they were still human on the inside. Was it in human nature to simply surrender when the odds became stacked against you?

Dwelling within the girl's mind was a vision, banding herself together with Kamiko to start a push towards something grand. Perhaps it could become a safe-haven for Missing-Nin like themselves, a place where their crimes can be forgiven or allowed a second chance at life. She knew not all were worth second chances, there were many who could kill without a second thought, that would lie and cheat their way to their goals. She thought many though, with Kamiko's help they could sift through those that would come seeking solace and allow sanctity to those whom deserved it, to the few they could call their allies, friends even.

"It's really bothersome, I want this world to change for the better. Circumstance be damned, not all Missing-Nin are equal to their crime, even my own was by pure accident. I want... no, I'm tired of just saying that I want something to change, I will change it." Morgan rose from her seat and crossed her arms over her chest, coming to rest beside Kamiko once more. "If I can make the world one where you and I can smile again with our loved ones, then that is all that I could dream of. A place where we've carved out our own peace with our own two hands. I'll dirty them for this dream if need be."

It was a steadfast resolve, the girl's eyes were ablaze in their crimson hue, filled to the brim with determination for a path she sought to make for the both of them. "Still, it is quite late, perhaps you are right in that we should retire. I'm not exactly the best at dealing with the daylight, it makes me feel a bit weak, but I do love the feel of the sunlight on my skin. Maybe, if you're willing, you and I could go and sunbathe together, I know a lovely spot where the animals frequent. I could introduce you to some of the wildlife." Her lips curved into a pleased smile, thinking it'd be nice for them to have some more quality time together. This was the first in a while that she felt she had someone she could genuinely just talk to, let herself relax and share her mind without fear of recourse.

Her eyes shifted off to the side and her cheeks reddened though at the mention of sleeping together in the same bed. "A-as long as no one else finds out. I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation as a Holy Woman with some thinking you've done salacious acts with another girl in your bed." Salacious acts? Well the girl's mind certainly seemed to wander to the extremes! Still, Morgan turned away from Kamiko and began to dance across the pews towards the back area of the Church, stopping mid-way in her balance act, she really had a knack for keeping her balance, lots of practice helped with that.

"Oh, while I agree that this world may not be as idealistic as I myself like to envision, that doesn't mean we should look to it with pessimism." Morgan's eyes narrowed and a sincere smile spread along her lips. "After all, if what happened to us never occurred, perhaps we'd never have met as we have now. I'd feel that a real shame, given that I deeply respect you Kamiko. You're someone in a sense, I look up to. I hope to be as beautiful and wise as you some day. Plus you're prettier when you smile."

Morgan almost found herself blushing when she realized she had complimented the woman in a way that may have seemed like flirting, hopefully it was just seen as kind words than anything romantic. Giggling like the youth at heart that she was, Morgan danced her way off into the back of the Church, searching about for Kamiko's room. Unless spoken to again over such matters, Morgan would retire with the woman to her chambers and seek a pleasant night's slumber-- something she was without for the past few days on the run. Here she felt secure and protected... it was, Home.

Kamiko could not help but smile again at Morgan's words. The young girl certainly had a spirit about her that not even the gloominess that Kamiko found herself emitting seemed to disrupt, Morgan remained by her ideals and would not be dissuaded from them even when confronted by such grim realities as the ones that Kamiko presented; it was admirable, certainly, to have such strongly held convictions and refuse to falter from them.

At the suggestion of sunbathing and being introduced to the local wildlife, Kamiko would give Morgan a warm smile and a small nod as she responded to her offer in a gentle tone of voice:

"I would love that, Morgan." She would say, giving a brief bow of her head in respect and admittedly a bit out of habit. "Perhaps I could teach you a few hymns in return." Kamiko then offered, beginning to walk along with Morgan toward the back of the church where her quarters were. It was at this point that the girl then spoke up additionally about not wanting anyone to find out about the two sharing a bed as Morgan believed that others would think Kamiko was performing less than respectable acts with the girl -- the suddenness of which caused Kamiko to blush as she responded with a surprised tone. "A-Ah, I am certain no one would think such things; In the eyes of others, I would hope that we appear as Mother and Daughter." She would say with a small shake of her head as if dismissing the idea that there would be anything sinful between them.

She would fall silent for just a moment until Morgan had further expressed gratitude at the two having met and the acts which had brought them together. Kamiko had to admit, it was an amazing set of circumstances that she herself had simply attributed to divine providence, yet in this world, nothing was for certain she supposed:

"I feel blessed to have met you as well, Morgan..." She then felt her cheeks redden somewhat again at the girl's comment about her being prettier when she smiled. "I will do my best to smile more, for your sake, then." She would say softly, before then leading the girl to her personal quarters where she would then prepare the simple bed which she had essentially called her own personal sanctuary. She would do her best to prepare it for the two of them to sleep together peacefully before taking off the headpiece she wore along with the long sleeved robes that served as her Holy Vestments, however, there was a modest set of clothing beneath that served as enough to ensure that the woman was properly covered and was not threatening to reveal anything less than appropriate.

Laying down in the bed, Kamiko would wait for Morgan to do the same before bringing up the blanket and letting out a little yawn while beginning to quickly drift off to sleep, gently placing her arms over the form of Morgan in a protective manner as they slept. It had been a long day, after all, and Kamiko was more than ready to let the night pass by so that the morning may once again shine its saving light into her soul.

Today had certainly served as a catalyst for many changes in Kamiko's mindset, yet most importantly perhaps it had delivered onto her a blessing in the form of another child she could call her own; one that she could protect and cherish and one that may one day be able to travel alongside her in the name of Zyarae in service to creating the new world that she had promised and had been promised by Amaterasu. That day was dawning closer now, and Kamiko could feel it grow closer with each and every passing moment. Soon, the world would finally have to listen. Soon, the world would finally be forced to change through the power of their Following -- It was the dawn of a New World and all that they needed was to bide their time until the sun rose.

[5,008 Total WC]
[Claiming:
25 Stats
Soul Expulsion (C Rank) 2000 WC
[url=http://naruto-role-play-rpg.forumotion.com/t27837-mist-servant-technique-canon]Mist Servant Technique[/url] (D Rank) 1000 WC
Paper Shuriken (C Rank) 2000 WC]

Good read, approved.