[The Next Day 7:45 AM]
Gray eyes slowly fluttered open as lungs expanded, drawing in its first morning breath. Amara sat up almost immediately, cringing and crying out in pain, falling back against the soft mattress. She whimpered, grumbling a string of curses. Her eyes went wide looking around the room. And panic flooded her mind. She didn't recognize it as the forest she was treading through.
"Sou ka." she whispered, pulling the sheets to her chest. She stumbled out of bed, collapsing immediately onto the floor. She shrieked. What's wrong with my legs?! She wondered looking at them as they lie dead against the floor. She crawled along the floor, pulling her numb body toward the thick wooden door. The door flew open leaving Kaplan to gaze at a pair of feet adorned in red shoes. Her eyes trailed up along the body and rested along a hard face that stared down on her. She gasped. He kneeled near her and she jerked away in horror.
"Gomen nasai" he said, acknowledging that he'd scared her. "Boku wa...Kazama Jin."
She remained silent, glaring beneath her bangs. Wha-? My hair? what happened to my...ponytail? Her hand grasped her hair, and she gazed in shock at the unbound lot. She returned her glare on the man who towered over her. Japanese, she noted, listening to his thick accent. Hm. He kneeled down and wrapped his hands around her waist gently picking her up. Surprised, she squirmed in his grasp, kicking and pounding her fists against him wildly.
"Yamete! Put me down! Yamete, Kazama-san!" He sat her upon the bed and stepped back, seeing that she too spoke Japanese. She pulled the sheets to her chest and whimpered while he crossed his arms.
"And your name?" He paused, seeing the hurt in her eyes. "I will not hurt you." He didn't have the wings as he had the night before. The markings along his body were gone and the red in his eyes had faded. If she had seen him last night, she wouldn't be there now. She'd be somewhere else, running for dear life, or at least crawling for it. She turned away from his stare, biting her lower lip. She knew she shouldn't allow any information about her to be released but she owed him her life. She glanced around the room before returning her gaze to him.
"Am-...Kaplan." She breathed. He raised a brow, tilting his head. His eyes went over her.
"Kaplan? That's not a Japanese name."
"I'm aware." She glanced around the room. "Where am I?"
"My dojo."
"What happened to my legs? I-I can't walk." she asked looking to the restraint against her leg. They had guazed and set it firmly, concealing the fractured bone from view. She winced when she tried to move it.
"We fixed it for you. You won't be able to move for quite some time." At his words, she sighed and fell back onto the bed, covering her eyes with her gloved hands. He watched.
"Where did you come from?" He asked.
She removed a hand and peeked at him, arching the other hand against her forehead. she groaned.
"...I-I ran away from.... my clan. But not to dishonor it."
"A clan? You...are a Shinobi?"
She nodded.
"What clan?"
"Natsuo."
"Hm. Mugen-Tenshin & She Quan, ne?" He mused. He uncrossed his arms and stepped back a bit toward the door. "A woman was looking for you."
"Everyone's looking for me..." she muttered sighing heavily. She strained to sit up, cringing as she went. Jin pressed a hand against her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Are you alright?"
Kaplan nodded, shyly looking away. "…Just fine."
He nodded then straightened, looking down on her. He turned his back on her and took a few steps out of the room.
"My mother will bring you some nourishments. Please, do not offend her."
"Your mother? Why would I--" she found her words trailing off as he disappeared out of her doorway. she blinked raising a hand to her head.
Shortly after a woman clad in a white summer dress entered with a tray. It was a beautiful woman who looked drowned in youth but drenched in age to the mid 30s. She wore a white ban in her hair and matching white sandles on her feet. She warmly smiled at the Kunoichi who stared at her as she entered.
"Konnichi wa." she said. "Watashi wa namae, Kazama Jun"
"Ah." acknowledged Kaplan. "Jin's okaasan."
"That's right." Jun moved over to the nightstand beside the bed and rested the tray onto it. she then brushed her hands against her garment as she turned to the young woman. Kaplan lowered her eyes. The uncanny resemblance between the woman and her son was extraordinary. She could see where Jin received his kind features within his hard face. Jun smiled and kneeled before the woman.
"What's wrong? Why the sad face?" Kaplan looked up to see the woman's concerned face. She weakly smiled.
"It's nothing. I was only thinking."
"About?"
"...Home."
"Wishing to go back?"
"Hai. But it can never be."
Jun reached a hand to the girl's face brushing away a few strands of hair then frowned. "Why's that?"
"My clan...they're out to... I can never go back."
Jun sighed, reaching for the tray of soup and crackers. She sat it on top of Kaplan's lap and motioned for her to eat. Kaplan looked over the soup and crackers, smelling and feeling the steam and fragrance that emanated from the bowl. She smiled. It's been a long time since she had a good meal, and this would be the first since her departure. Jun nodded with sympathy.
"You're welcome to stay here for as long as you'd like. These are sacred grounds of the Mishima family. Almost no one is welcomed here."
Kaplan looked up with surprise.
"Do you mean that?"
Jun nodded. "Would I lie? You can stay here. I…I'll have to talk to Kazuya and break him into letting you stay." Jun briefly frowned, making a face at the thought. "He's a bit of a spoiler."
"Kazuya?"
"My husband."
Kaplan turned her eyes away as they went wide. She didn't know what to expect with this husband of hers. If he got wind of her being a runaway, he might be the one to turn her in for ransom. She shook her head setting the tray aside and moving to remove the sheets from her legs. Jun gasped.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Leaving. I-I can't stay here!"
"But you have to! You're in no condition to walk!"
"Then I'll crawl." She frowned. She shook her head. "I'm sorry Ms. Kazama, but I have to go."
"You are not leaving here. I won't let you."
"But your husband, he--"
"Won't turn you in." Jun assured her, squeezing her hand. She looked up into the Kunoichi's eyes. "Trust me."
Kaplan fell silent watching the woman who kneeled before her. This woman was kind and gentle and her words were spoken with deep sincerity. Kaplan frowned turning away and Jun looked on.
"He won't. I'll talk to him for you."
"I'd rather have you not mention me and just let me leave." She turned to the woman as she begun to stand. "Please."
Jun shook her head. "I cannot allow you two. You're in no condition to-"
"You told me that already. I'm fully aware. But I cannot stay here."
"You will. I'll send Jin up with your garments and he'll set your bath." Before Kaplan had a chance to protest, the woman disappeared through the doorway. Kaplan sighed, falling back against the pillows. She covered her face with her gloveless hands. She removed them from her eyes and looked at them noticing her arm guards were removed. She groaned.
Fresh linens fell against her face, alerting her. She straightened and the garments dropped into her lap. In the doorway, Jin stood with half his body inside. She tilted her head.
"Your bath is set."
"Thanks, Kazama."
"Please, call me Jin." He smirked. "Now, follow me."
Kaplan sat in position watching him disappear. She blinked staring at the doorway. There was absolutely no way she could follow him with her legs out of commision. She shook her head and he peeked in.
"I was only playing. Here," He grinned stepping into her room. He leaned forward and scooped her up into his arms. She gasped turning her eyes away from him. Inside she shuddered at how strong he was. He led her away from the bed and room and stepped with her towards a large wooden basin located outside in the grounds, outside. Her arms were entwined about his neck. Under her bangs, she watched him. His face, hard and cold, yet his eyes were sincere and playful. It was unfitting for her to find him attractive. As a shinobi she made a promise to herself that if she should find an attractive opponent, she wouldn't persue a relationship in any way, shape, or form. She set her eyes on the large tub surrounded by sheets on a line. Jin set her down on a chair beside it and kneeled down before her. He reached for her leg and she pushed his hands away.
"What're you doing?"
"Removing these."
"Why?" panic flooded her mind and he saw her concern.
"How else will I dress it when you're done with your bath?"
Kaplan winced. She really didn't want him attending to her wounds but figured it was a request from his mother. She nodded.
"I'll do it. And when I'm done here, I'll call you." He blankly stared at her for a moment then nodded, getting up from the ground.
"Fine." He said reaching for a hand bell. He tossed it to her and she caught it. "Ring this when you're finished."
she nodded, and watched as he turned to leave. She reached out and called his name.
"Where will you be? I want to make sure you're not spying on me."
He smirked, turning around. He stepped backwards as he walked. "If I told you, you wouldn't take your bath. Besides, I don't spy. I train. I'll be in the dojo on the east wing."
she nodded. "Okay then."
Once again, he turned to leave and continued in his walk. She watched as he removed his hooded blue jacket and tossed it aside on the steps of the dojo. He reached over to a short table and collected his gloves, slipping them on. Then disappeared into the dojo. She sighed, turning to face the bath behind her. It steamed behind the sheets and she knew this would be the best bath she'd have in a lifetime.