Crosshair (PNK, Mizuki)

Beep.

Beep.

Beeeeep...

Awareness filtered in and out slowly. Her chakra reached out as subtly as she could, taking in the unfamiliar signatures which buzzed behind closed walls to dart to and fro like ants. The expensive equipment was entirely unfamiliar, though the scent of antiseptic and sharp tang of subtle toxins was. Yes, she was indeed in the hospital of Sunagakure no Sato. The question was why. She minutely shifted her wrists and legs- she was unbound, save for a pinch in her arm. An IV?

Amaterasu opened her eyes, flinching in disgust at her atrophied body. Something had happened. And whatever it was, it put her out of commission for several weeks at the least. She didn't want to think about what the maximum alternative was. There were numerous possibilities- training accident (she scoffed), genjutsu gone wrong... She distinctly recalled, however, a shattering blow to her left temple, right above her scar. This was no accident.

Her brows turned downwards minutely. There was no reason for her to be targeted. She was relatively unknown to bounty hunters, and only people in Sunagakure knew her well enough to recognize her as the apprentice of Kenshin.

Was she targeted because of him?

Was he the original goal?

She frowned. She needed more information, but if the attacker was still out there... She didn't know if they were working alone. Her fingers twisted into a familiar hand seal, and a shadow clone puffed into existence at her side. Wordlessly, they exchanged places on the bed, and she slid the IV into the clone's arm with what might've been professional aptitude had she not been shaking from head to toe. She scowled. She bolstered her body with a touch of medical chakra- nothing too intense, just a watered down mystical palm. She couldn't fight at this stage, but she just needed to be able to maneuver around without attracting too much attention.

Another few seals, and her transformation had taken effect, replacing her much scrawnier (but admittedly taller) body with that of an otherwise unremarkable woman. Brown hair, brown eyes, tanned skin, and an age that could've been anywhere from eighteen to twenty.

After confirming that there was nobody on the other side of the door with a brief chakra scan, she stepped through. Plastering a fake smile onto her face, she approached the receptionist downstairs, looking every bit the nurse she knew she could play the part of. "Pardon me, ma'am," Amaterasu began. Her voice was hoarse, though she hoped she could describe it as a natural husky tone. "Can I have the present date? I've been working a lot of night shifts, and..." the lady undoubtedly did not recognize her. But she wouldn't really have a reason to refuse her request, did she? After she provided it, her eyes narrowed minutely. Months, not weeks.

She thanked the woman and left the hospital. She needed one or two people to confide in, who she could trust. She had no idea where Kenshin was at the moment, but her senses narrowed in on a somewhat familiar figure a lot closer than the Kage Tower.

Still in her transformation, she disguised her stumble and made her way over.

[WC: 535]
[Total WC: 535]

Mizuki sat cross legged under one of the trees that now resided in the oasis that Kenshin had spawned around the Kage Tower, she was on the edge that was closest to the direction of the hospital. The sun was just past midday and was beginning to curve down to the horizon, though her back was turned to it the sun rays still filtered through her hair and onto the pages of her black book she was reviewing in her lap. The light breeze made the strands of her long black hair blow out, as if attempting to follow the breeze on its path- she had begin wearing her hair in a particular fashion now; half of it drawn back and secured with a kunai while her bangs framed her features with perfect symmetry. The pages were pressed firmly in her fingertips so as not to allow any flitting as she read silently - “Guren Chinoiske, Blood Jutsu user, origin Kumo. Characteristics: Taller than her, Fit but not stocky build, obvious facial scarring~why? , Well groomed, and unintentionally intense gaze - actually very polite; possibly overcompensating for his outer appearance. Insecurity or accommodation? Modest attire further drawing attention from himself. Quick to catch on though and can shift his demeanor to match the temperature of the conversation - slower than me but he isn’t thrown by my shifts like some. Threat level: 6 ~ best to keep in good relations until ‘LS’ sorted out - best to have a real connection to build true loyalty for future. Coercion level: 7 . Potential: High - will keep close.”, her eyes stared down at the pages, her own script staring back at her as if willing the pages to bring her anything new - today they remained as unhelpful as before. 


Rolling her shoulders back, she turned the pages some 20 pages back to turn upon the first page she wrote upon her arrival into the village of Sunagakure: “Amaterasu - Gate Guard. Cautious and yet inviting of challenge, Lover of flames~ facial scarring- tragic backstory or intentional catalyst. Young, not naive but definitely craving something from older individuals she might have lacked in her development. Has a workable personality if shown the proper respect for her role and leave her age out of it. Knowledgeable and observant of events~ great memory~ does not focus on interpersonal interaction- noted. Threat-”, her thoughts were sharply cut off as the sensation of a familiar chakra breached the edge of her sensory ability - her back straightened and turned in the direction of the chakra, every muscles poised for action as the chakra she was sensing came into clear focus.

Amat… a thrill of excitement and hope rushed through her while her hand instinctively snapped the book closed and slid it instantly in the pocket inside her top as the figure approached. 


WC 465

The familiar figure drew closer, each step she took forward sharpening her view. It was around then that the weight of her atrophy began to settle in- her breath rattled in her chest with every inch she progressed. Her brows furrowed, left eye flickering disconcertingly red for a few seconds before she relaxed. The transformation melted off of her skin inelegantly, showing for all the world (or perhaps Mizuki, but wasn't that the same thing-) to see the wretched figure before them. Her height had shot up an extra inch or two, putting her barely above five feet, but that was the only net positive. The Meijin's form, further emphasized by the thin hospital pants and top, was senbon thin. Each bone and vein shone clearly throughout the skin, her naturally tannish tone now a sickly pale. Her eyes sunk deep into her skull, flitting about and twitching incessantly with each moment she stayed awake. Her hair had lost its thickness and grown down to her mid back, each strand courser than the next.

A shaky inhale. The scars were an angry brand upon her skin still, and her newfound complexion only emphasized them. They had, notably, lost a bit of their irritation as her body grew used to their presence. "Is this a bad time?" she found herself blurting out cheekily, not quite having the emotional energy to draw her usual impish expression to her face. Should Mizuki allow the contact, she would collapse into her side, putting all of her eighty seven pounds of weight directly onto her frame. Not that she'd admit it, of course. It was naught more than... A strategic break. Yes.

The young woman would remain in a daze for a few minutes, gathering her breath as she hung onto every word the woman would- or wouldn't- say. The once relaxing heat had become much more mild thanks to whatever weird dome hung over the village, but in turn it was nearly stifling. "I don't know who did this," she muttered after a moment. She was certain she saw them, but it was as if the memories were repressed to a dark part of her subconscious. A huff passed her lips. "If... Security was heightened, after..." a pause as she gathered her thoughts. They were molasses through her fingers. "They might still be in the village." She would remain silent after that, doing nothing but listening to the sounds of the world around them. "If they learn that I'm alive, and in this state..." there was a chance they'd try again. She was a witness, whether she remembered or no, and she carried valuable information. If it leaked, the would be assassin was a dead man walking- no matter how far away they could get from Sunagakure in that time frame.

The implication that it would be best to keep information of her survival was rather obvious. She knew that Kenshin would have to be informed sooner or later, but... Her brows furrowed in frustration.

A small part was worried he'd be disappointed.

[WC: 509]
[Total WC: 1,044]

Mizu had been to visit Amat in the hospital several times since her placement in those walls, she had watched as he deteriorated in her bed while the subtle changes of puberty and time played its role regardless. The thin malnourished body of Amat hobbled closer to her, yellow tinged skin reflecting with a sickly sheen of sweat as she collapsed at her side. She wasn’t very heavy to begin with but now it felt even less so… to much so - her eyebrows would wrinkle in concern, not minding the comment at all. Her eyes were raking over her form looking for any obvious sign of injury or explanation as to why she was released out of the-


The look of worry snapped into one of indignation, her voice took on an older stern sister quality as she began to chastise her, “No one released you did they Amat? How you even made it all the way from the hospital to here is beyond me and definitely beyond your bodies capabilities right now.”, she would scoff as she ran through the hospital staff schedule and made a mental note to fire anyone stupid enough to not notice she had escaped, disguise or otherwise. Finally her shoulders would relax back as she drew the hair back from the girls’ face, allowing the sun to warm her skin and hopefully bring some color to it when she began to mumble in an exhausted panic.

“We don’t have any leads Amat… Kenshin and I looked but every lead we had turned up dry and while you were injured we were keeping you alive. Why would you run like that? What was your plan if you hadn’t found me in time? Did you even think to ask anyone for information at all…”, she bit her lip at another thought, Amat was far luckier to have run into her and not Kenshin, he would be furious at her lack of forethought or obvious reasoning. Sighing to herself she closed her eyes for a moment to collect her temper and readdress the problem - “It’s simple, first we need to get you to a point of actual consciousness and at least a base level of health before we proceed after anything… maybe work on getting into your memory to see what you remember. You just… you have to be in better health. We have to keep it under wraps for the time being though, rest here for a bit and then we will go to my home.” She still lived the furthest away from people in the village, she had requested her neighborhood be left empty. Some might think Mizuki to hate people so much to desire isolation when in reality… she woke multiple times a night at the sound of her own screaming.

WC 467
TWC 932