The storm still had not let up, it just kept coming down and down. It was depressing to look at yet you remained fixated on it, watching the water trickle slowly down the window.
"It's just rain."the girl tells you, you turn looking at her she was twirling her kunai on her pointer finger slowly watching it.
You turn back to it."Yes, I know."
"Then if ya know, why do ya keep looking at?"she snaps at you with a smirk.
"I...I've always found it interesting how, the clouds can cry."
"Cry?"she looks at you like you where crazy. Turning to her, smiling.
"Yes, I've always thought it like that."you tell her, she jerks a bit from your smile sighing looking away.
"I swear you smile, way to much."she berates you."You're a shinobi, hard to believe that...and your from Sunagaure...aren't they known for being bloodthristy? You for sure don't match that description at all."
"Oh, no everyone in the village is very nice and kind."you tell her. Holding your hands out to the fire to warm up, then reach for the metal pot that hovered above it containing stew from your host's food. You offered to make something seeing you had become hungry it was the least you could do since she was allowing shelter for Neji and yourself.
Neji wasn't around he went somewhere else to try and get reception on the radio. Leaving you with the girl, who still kept up her hostile guard towards you and defiantly towards Neji.
Stirring the stew, the aroma filled the place the girl couldn't help but look at it. It smelled so good, watching you stir the thick creamy broth. Her salivary glands started to water, her stomach was growling wanting so badly to be feed. She wasn't sure how you managed to make something out of the amount she had, but you did.
Homecooking a treat she hadn't tasted in so long, the warm smell brought memories she wasn't sure if it was fiction or not. But all she knew was that it felt good and safe. Your attention on the stew, noticing the girl who's name she would not give you. Being very secretive about it, which made sense. Smiling to yourself at her child tendencies, she was trying so hard to hide and keep at bay.
Taking out the spoon, waving the steam on purpose. Exciting her more."Well, it's done. Ready to eat?"
Snapping out of it, she crosses her arms tightly looking away."Yeah, sure whatever..."
Getting up from where you sat, finding some cups which would have to do for the stew. Using the spoon you fill up her's first and offer it to her, she didn't take it so you placed it down by her. Filling up another one for yourself and lastly Neji should he ever return. Since there was no forks or spoons the stew would have to be drunk. Blowing it on gently to cool it off.
It would take awhile but at least your hands remained warm. Nothing but the pounding of the rain was what filled the silence between the two the both of you. You kept blowing, it still wasn't ready just yet.
"You're eyes, their very lovely."you complement her.
She looks at you with a furrowed brow."Yeah...and so..."
"You do not like them?"
"I never said that."
"You do not find them lovely?"
"...No...I mean yes...I mean..."
Finally able to drink/eat your food taking a sip. Looking toward the cup next to you."I hope Neji is alright."
"You mean your boyfriend."she snickers.
You look back at her."He is my friend, yes that he is. But if are referring to being considering a significant companion then, that is not correct."
"What is with you and the way you speak? Are you some sort of computer?"
Your eyes slightly widen but relax, seeing she was joking."...How funny."you start to laugh, she just rolls her eyes. Picking up her cup and blows before drinking it. Swirling it around in her cup with a disgusted look to hide her own thrill of finally having something to eat.
"Is your village...always like this?"you take another sip.
"Raining? Yeah, never seems to stop."she casually tells you like it was nothing.
"I do not mean that, I mean is this dreaded?"you ask."It seems heavy and dark, are there many like you?"
"Homeless? Than ya, there is...it's a cutthroat village, every person for themselves."she tells you gulping down her stew. Chewing on the meat and veggies she tasted.
"How sad..."your eyes look at her with sincere pity, which she didn't take kindly to.
"Don't look at me like that!"she growls at you. Getting up and getting some more stew."My life is fine...I like it!" In frustration she grabs hold of the spoon not looking only to have her hand hit the side of the pot, burning her. She screams in pain yanking her hand back, quickly closing her mouth to endure her injury. You get up quickly.
She falls back to the ground holding her hand blowing on it to try and cool off the burning she felt, no doubt blisters where forming."Are you alright."you go over to her, getting down to her level. Holding out your hand to look at it, but she refused to let you look at it."Please, let me see."
She pushes you away."I'm FINE!"she snaps at you, returning back to her pain. Which showed on her face despite her trying to hide it.
You didn't move, waiting for her calm down so you could look at it. But she wasn't going to let you. Her hand tucked under her, you reach for it when Neji comes rushing back in.
"What's going on? What happen?"he looks around ready to strike, calming down once he saw what the fuss was about.
Gently you slowly reach for her, holding your breath your skin softly brushed up against her hand. She flinches growling at you, but you stayed adamant."...Let me see."you tell her in warm whisper.
She was hesitant at first, but her tensed body slowly relaxes holding out her hand towards you. Carefully taking it in your own, she was amazed by how delicate you held it, she watches your hand emit a low gold glow. It was so warm and gentle, her nerves melted away. Watching you concentrate upon her injury, she could feel her pain leave as if it was never there before.
It didn't take you long, just a few seconds satisfied looking to her."How do you feel?"
Clenching her hand open and close."...It's gone..."she was surprised by this. You stand up from your spot smiling at her relived she was fine turning around noticing Neji.
"Neji."you go over to him, picking up his cup of stew holding it out for him."Was there any success? Here it's not much but..."you look to the girl, then back to him."She offered to share her food, eat up."Handing him the cup, which was hesitant to take but does.
"No luck, the storm is blocking the electromagnetic waves so it's impossible to radio the others."he takes a seat down by the fire, you sit next to him."Hard to tell when this storm will let up."He looks down at the food and sets the cup down for now."With all this interference, we won't really know where the others are, and knowing how Guy Sensei is if we don't check in. No doubt he will take this out of proportion and well..."
Figuring out what he meant, there was no doubt in your mind on how Guy Sensei would react. He was a man that cared greatly for his team members."What of your eyes?"
"With the winds like this, best not to try."he tells you."We're no where close to finding that figure. Far away from where Shikamaru said they've been spotted."
"I see..."you begin to fill with regret realizing you where the one who caused this. Sighing heavily, there just had to be some way out for this mess.
Neji picks up the cup drinking it."Don't bother weighing yourself down with feeling guilty. We all make rookie mistakes. What happen, happen. Can't do anything about it now, but figure out way."
"...I know...still."you close your lips looking away.
The girl overhearing everything you and Neji where just talking about. She could see the heavy look on your face allowing the guilt to take over you. She gets read to say something."Might as well, rest up."Neji tells you standing up."I'll take the first watch, and wake you if it clears."with that he walks away, leaving you.
"Well, he's a stiff."The girl jokingly says. Laughing at her humor, looking to you expecting the same, but you weight of failure etched upon your face as you looked into the dancing flames of the fire."..."
Sighing, you get up."I'm just going to..."you didn't finish your sentence and walk off somewhere. Her pale silver eyes watch you feeling sorry, looking at her healed hand. Grumbling to herself, tucking it away telling herself it was none of her business. Watching the fire, her eyes started to slowly drop and sleep took over.
Back in Sunagakure Gaara poured water on the dirt. He planted the seed which he received from you when you returned back from Konohakagure that still had not bloomed yet. Remembering what Kai told him on how to take care of it, and what to do. Looking at the pot of dirt, nothing had grown at all. He didn't know how long it was going to take, a part of him curious on what the flower could be. He pours a bit more water, stopping when he noticed one of the many flowers in his office was starting to wither, placing the water pot down and makes his way over to it. Picking it up, he didn't know why, but he felt uneasy all of sudden.
"May. May, where are you."Neji's voice woke up the sleeping youngster, aggravated by her sudden wake from slumber did not greet the male kindly.
"What the HELL!"she snaps at him."Don't you know it's rude to raise your voice when others are sleeping."she bares her teeth at him.
He pays her no mind at all, and continued his search. Sitting up rubbing her eyes, and temple. Gurgling knowing she wasn't going to get any sort of sleep at all with his constant hollering. But she was to find out why, looking around realizing an extra body was missing."...Hey, we're your girlfriend?"
Neji turns to her."I thought she was still here, with you."he tells her.
She rolls her eyes."Obviously not, otherwise I wouldn't ask." Leaning on her knee, she propped up."So, where is she?"
"I don't know."Neji tells her, clearly starting to get irritated by her."Look, she was here before I left. I came to get her, to tell her the rain was still going. To find she's gone, where did she go?"
She shrugs her shoulders."I don't know, all I know is that she went off after feeling guilty for causing a damp in your little mission."she does quotation marks with her fingers.
"Why did you let her go?"Neji snaps at her.
"Hey, for the record I'm not no one's babysitter."she snaps back in defense."She's your teammate, it's your job to watch her. Not mine, she went that way."she thumbs over her shoulder."There is only one way to through...unless..."realizing something she gets up quickly rushing off. Neji follows her, towards the back. Stopping both of them see, metal pipes moved to the side a small underground exit. The cool rainy air and smell of the moist earth filled the area. Balling up her fist in anger."That little...grrr..."
"Where does this lead to?"Neji demands.
She looks at him, folding her arms refusing to say anything. Having enough of her stubbornness he crawls through the hole. She watches him go telling her self good riddance. Ignoring the pit in her stomach.
Neji reaches outside, the rain was pouring much harder. Being inside compared to outside was much different. No crazy person would be out like this, using his arm to do the best to block out the rain and wind that came down like sharp wet needles. Pinching him just a bit, he opens his mouth screaming for the kounichi, only to have it be blown into the wind.
Great just great this wasn't going to do a single thing. He tries to activate his eyes, but the wind prevented him from doing so. Digging his feet into the muddy ground, pushing or trying to push forward. But Mother Nature pushed right back ten times harder. He barely could keep his grip, still he pushed on. Why did you have to go out? What the heck went through your mind to do such a thing?
Questions he had, but knew that wasn't important. Someone like you in a place like this, there was no doubt you could easily be eaten up alive. Trying hard not to think of the fact returning back to Sunagakure without you, was not an option at all.
Hearing the waves crash harshly against the side, no doubt he was close the coast of the village by the lake. Calling your name mentally, he pushes forward. Only to slip from either the muddy ground, the rain, wind or all three. Picking himself back up, ducking when something blows over him. It was a pipe, narrowly missing it.
Turning back forward, trying to wipe the water from his eyes. He calls for you again mentally, like there was a chance you could hear him. Still he did it, fighting against an furious enemy, the wind. Was proving to be more difficult than he imagined.
Each step was starting to become harder. His body already becoming tired from the amount of power he was exhorting from his body. He didn't know how much he could endure, but understood why that girl told him storms like this, it's best to stay inside.
Taking one more step, not realizing it was fatal one. The wind all of sudden became stronger, pushing him back like a tumble weed. He goes flying, right over the side into the rushing water of the large lake. Falling into the deep depths of the darken body.
Hands reached up to grab something but, there was nothing he could grab. Tucking his arms in, turning himself towards the water to take the impact. The currents of the water where no doubt strong and deadly. He keep his fingers crossed that he would make it. If not, well then...
His life flashing before his eyes, every moment. His heart racing rapidly, when he felt something surround around himself, pulling him up with great and steady ease. Turning he looks to find you hoovering, with your hand out that glowed the same color that outlined him concentrating on bringing him up safely. Astound by this, he wasn't sure if it was jutsu or not. But it was a way to save him, deeply concentration upon preforming this feat. No doubt struggling from the wind, making your ascend of him much more difficult. But you kept it up, despite the strain look upon your face. He looks back seeing the water becoming further away. Keeping your hand stead, and yourself blocking out the winds that rocked you greatly, you form an outline around you to keep you in one place.
Remembering the trainings from Master Splinter, to ease one's breathing during stressful situations. Focus on the line of sight, which at this point was Neji. You could feel him coming up. Neji remained calm, almost there to you. Just a few inches away now centimeters. He gets ready to put his toe on the ground. A well size pipe comes out, of nowhere blown in the wind. Caught in its vicious winds, right towards the two of you. Neji became alarmed, which snapped you out of your concentration, turning around, a moment to late. The pipe slams into you hard, knocking you down below. Having just enough to throw Neji up and out of harms way, before he became the target. Rolling on the muddy ground, stun by what just happen. Picking himself up, the winds slowly return back to normal. Looking over the edge, activating his eyes, realizing he could not sense you with them. Damn it.
Lighting and thunder clash above him, distraught and heretical."...May! MAY!"
Back in Sunagakure Katio, shoots up in a cold sweat. Screaming Kai rushes into his son's room. Seeing the fearful look on his face.
Over at the Kazekage's office, the flower that was withering away, withers more. The arching over on the side of the pot. Gaara's uneasiness was becoming real, looking at the flower his eyes terrified. This omen was not lying. Looking out at the lowering sun, which he did not take as good omen either.
Naruto shoots up, in a cold sweat from what he saw that seem like a dream, his hand out to grab someone, realizing they where not there. Breathing heavily and fast. Inhaling hard and sharp, slowly calming himself down. Running his fingers through his hair, patting his heart slowly."...Weird..."he tells himself, turning looking out the window of his room into the calm night sky.