Seeing Double 3
Icaria sat on her loft and glared openly at the man on the opposite bunk. He openly glared back. He did not know why she was so displeased with his presence but chalked it up to someone invading her space. He was not pleased to be here either. But that did not explain the hostility. Kida sighed from her chair, holding some tea that she had made. Kisame looked at her from his bunk.
"Do you think they will sleep?" Kisame asked. Kida shrugged.
"I hope so. Icaria really needs-" She started.
"I am still here." Icaria said firmly without breaking eyecontact. Kida topped talking about it immediately and Kisame raised an eyebrow. So did itatchi and Icaria's glare hardened. The two sat cross legged and looked like mirror images. Kida sighed and left to climb into her hammoch. Her and Kisame got along ok, they were both mild Icaria and itatchi were stubborn, and silent.
"Goodnight guys." Kida said as she flipped off the light. Kisame settled down and put his hands behind his head. He looked over and saw Icaria's red eyes shinning brightly. The room was quiet for a few minutes before Kida spoke again.
"Ok, that is unsettleing." She said Kisame heard her get up. "Your friend's eyes are creepy." Kisame chuckled.
"Yeah, hers aren't any better." He said as Kida turned on the lights. Both of the red eyed room mates were still as they were before, but this time they both wore smirks. "Ok that's just creepy." Kida said. Icaria moved so fast, it startled the other three in the room. In a fluid motion she slipped off the loft and dropped. She was tall but the loft was still high up. She swiftly and silently went to the door and opened it.
"Where are you going?" Kida asked, starting to get annoyed with the two silent adults.
"Tea." Icaria replied and slipped out of the room. The three sat in silence and Kida sighed. Kisame chuckled.
"Looks like we got stuck with rivals."Kisame chuckled. Kida nodded. "Why do I feel like this is going to be a long night?" Kida shrugged.
"Everyone settling in I guess." She said as she sat in the reading chair again. She and Kisam jumped to their feet when they heard a soft explosion. Kida moved to the door and stepped into the hall. A few minutes later she stepped back in the room and snorted.
"Appaently your bomber touched one of Danyir's smokers and set it off. I guess his chi reacts explosively with her clay." She said. Kisame chuckled.
"What is chi?" Itatchi asked quietly. His voice startled Kida. She smiled at him and rubbed her hair.
"Kinda hard to explain. We can teach you guys that stuff tomorrow. I'm going to go talk to Kazuna, see if I can get a sedative for Icaria. Be right back." She said as she made to leave.
"She stopped breathing." Itatchi said before she could leave. Kida turned and looked at him, worry clear on her face. She sighed. And looked down for a minute.
"Does that mean something?" Asked Kisame. Kida nodded and stepped back in the room, shutting the door.
"She is known as the watcher. She keeps an eye on the border to make sure we are not caught off guard. Her eyes allow her to see things within a certain distance. While she is watching our surroundings, she is also watching what is going on right infront of her and a few feet away and a few rooms over if she wants to. Her senses are also heightened. Her eyes allow her to see, hear, smell everythings. It's a lot for someone's brain to take in. On top of that, before she even got the eyes, she had anxiety. She developed coming mechanisms but the eyes make it worse. She has been having a long week, and is barely getting enough sleep. It's wearing her down." Kida paused.
"Not sleeping is making it harder for her brain to process the information she is receiving." Itachi stated and Kida nodded. "Sometimes, she can get over stimulated and her brain will shut down her body. One time she lost control of her emotions, actions, thoughts. It was terrifying. She usually so calm and collected, ya know?" Kida said with a small smile. Itatchia nd Kisame nodded.
"If she doesn't get enough sleep soon, I'm worried her coping mechanisms won't work. And now the base is filled with more people. I'm worried the change is going to through her off and make it harder for her to get balanced. She was fine until a week ago. We had a long task this past week and her sleep is thrown off." Kida explained.
"What can we do to help?" Kisame asked. He was surprised to care so much, but he also felt it was partially his fault. Their presence was one of the things stressing out this already stressed out woman.
"Do Not let her know that you know. She-she doesn't trust people easily. Having strangers in her room alarms her, so don't take it personally. When people she doesn't know are in her space, the information keeps her brain alert and ready to defend."
"What does it have to do with her breathing?" Itatchi asked.
"When her anxiety gets too high, her heart rate gets thrown off. One of her physical coping mechanisms she does without realizing is holding her breath. Her body tries to get her heart rate and breathing back on track. It happens sometimes so it isn't something to worry about. I just worry about her." Itachi nodded in understanding. "I'm going to go get that sedative. I'll be right back." She left.
"Kinda feel bad about freaking her out." Kisame saidas he stretched out on the bed. Itachi hummed. He could understand that stress. He has never personally dealt with her exact situation, but first learning how to handle the sight the Shaningan gave him was a challenge. He leaned back onto the bed and rolled over to face the wall, hoping to be ina resting position to help not alarm Icaria much more. Kida returned laughing and set the sedative on icaria's loft.
"What's so funny?" Kisame asked.
"Hidan and Hira are passed out. They are so alike its funny. But what I'm laughing at? Ha! You gotta see it tomorrow!" She laughed and sat on her bed after turning on Icaria's lamp. It was very dim. She climbed into bed and settled in.
Icaria made herself some tea and tried to refocus her breathing. Unfortunatly, in her haste, she grabbed caffeinated. It made it worse. Giving up, she went to her room and crept in. Itactchi and kisame were asleep. She looked to kida to find her asleep as well. She silently closed the door and climbed up to her loft. She slipped under her blanket and went to turn off the lamp.
"She paused when she saw the sedative. Icaria frowned and shut off her lamp, rolled over, and ignored the sedative. She was determined to sleep on her own.
It took Icaria three hours to fall asleep.
It was about four thirty in the morning.
People began to wake up around seven.
She did not sleep well.
"I want you off your feet until these fractures heal completely. I want them to fix naturally so they will be stronger. If I just use chi, you are at a risk of fracturing again. You shouldn't be in much pain, just stiff." Kazuna said as she rolled away on her wheeled stool. She went over to her desk and began inspecting the joints of the wooden legs while Saachi struggled to put her pants back on. She hopped off the bed to put her pants back on but Kazuna spun around and scolded her.
"Off your feet!"
"I need to put my pants on." Saachi said firmly.
"Off your feet unless necessary! You have shorts on, you're fine!" Kazuna said gruffly. "Back on the bed." She spun back around to her desk. Saachi rolled her eyes and climbed back up. Her eyes flicked over to the red head standing quietly in the corner with his arms folded, looking at her. She stared back with a blank face.
"Why are you here?" Kazuna asked. Sasori looked at her. Kazuna spun to meet his gaze. "Do you need something?" She asked roughly. Sasori shook his head.
"I came to offer assistance and possible information." He stated. He began to walk towards the desk. "I used to be a living puppet before I came here. Perhaps I can help fix the legs."
"Why help?" Saachi asked accusingly, extremely uncomfortable with this stranger trying to but in and help. Sasori met her cold, harsh gaze.
"I can empathize with the difficulty of transitioning from human to synthetic limbs. I did it willingly. You had no choice. I wish to help make it easier." Sasori stated. That and it would give him something to do until they left. Why not help his fellow puppet master? Saachi glared at him, not trusting a word he said.
"Fine. Come look at these and help me determine if these will be ok for her to use." Kazuna said and stood. Sasori moved and the two looked at the knee joints. It was different from what he usually did. This was more intricate and was pretty impressive. The wires actually mimicked the tendons and ligaments in the knees. There was a mesh knetting that helped keep the knee in place.
"I am unfamiliar with this method. My joints are usually more simple. As long as the wires are in good condition, the knee should be fully functional." Sasori stated.
"They aren't with the stress and rain they began to lock up. I could barely bend them." Saachi stated. "I think they got too taught and stiffened in the rain. I can replace the wires tomorrow." Sasori nodded.
"I'm not convinced the wood is stable enough for you to use. Maybe in every day movement but anything on a new task? No way. Forget fighting in these." Kazuna stated.
"I have been working on designs to strengthen the wood and lessen impact on the wood and joints. I will test them on these legs." Saachi stated. She glanced at Sasori who was still scanning the legs. "He could help see if there is anything to improve." Kazuna nodded.
"Fine. Work on them tomorrow. Maybe it will keep you off your feet for a while." Kazuna grunted and stood. "Now get out. I have to do inventory." She said and retreated to her office in the back of the infirmary. Sasori watched her go. He heard Saachi sliding off the bed and grab her crutches. She hobbled over to the desk. He turned to see her try to gather the prosthetics.
"Leave them. We can get them tomorrow." He stated. She grabbed them anyway.
"If you are staying here, you need to know. Never leave anything of value lying around." She stated. She struggled to keep a good grip on them and the crutches. One leg fell and Sasori caught it before it clattered to the ground. He pulled the other one out of her grasp. She glared at him and he met it with a stare of his own. There was a silent battle and Saachi began walking without a word. Sasori followed.
The two walked in silence for a while. Sasori watched as she struggled up the stairs. He stood behind her, ready to catch her if she lost her footing. The two were going slowly and even though Sasori was an impatient man, he did not mind so much. He had nowhere to be and did not know where he was going. Saachi was a different story. With a grunt of frustration she tossed the crutches to the top of the stairs and walked on her own, using the handrail incase her legs gave out.
"You were supposed to use those." Sasori stated dully. Heknewshe didn't care.
"Don't tell Kazuna and we're fine." Saachi stated simply. She glanced back and saw him looking at her with raised eyebrows. "Just because you are a guest does not mean you are exempt from her wrath." She stated simply and walked up the rest of the stairs. At the top she picked them up and they went on their way. The two walked in silence for a while. Neither spoke much so the silence was not unpleasant. Saachi broke the silence.
"What's your name?" She asked quietly, peering from the corner of her eye at him.
"Sasori." He answered. He did not elaborate. "And yours?" He returned the question.
"Saachi." He nodded in response. "You were a puppet?" She asked and he nodded. "Willingly? Or did you have an accident too?" She asked. Sasori paused briefly. The two stopped and Saachi leaned against the wall. He nodded. Saachi frowned.
"You willingly gave up being human? Give up feeling? Why?" She asked almost accusingly. Sasori almost felt guilty. Being human again made his emotions stronger. He would need to regain control over them.
"To become more efficient." He stated. Saachi looked at him. "I did not feel pain. By becoming a human puppet, I was more indestructible. My emotions lessened and my judgement became less clouded."
"But then what were you fighting for? What kept you going? Feeling things like joy or pleasure can motivate. Pain of loss or even fear can push the human body. It can keep us fighting. We fight to keep people safe. We fight so others can feel freedom. The feeling of dirt between your toes, or the rain on your face. Simple things in life. We fight for them. If we let this world be riddled with war, people would only know pain, loss, despair. Emotion fuels us." Saachi stated quietly and firmly. Sasori took in what she said. These women did not fight as tools, but as humans. This was a strange world, but it made sense in a way. He walked forward and rested a hand on her head briefly and walked away. She glared at him and began to walk as well. The rest of the walk was in silence until the reached the hall where the rooms were.
"You guys are rooming with us. Danyir and your blonde are already in the room." She explained as they reached the floor. She pointed to their door. "That's us." She began to point out where everyone else stayed. Whenthey were a few steps from their door, a large explosion shook the hall. As a reflex, Sasori dropped the limbs and grabbed Saachi, pulling her back against his chest and dropping to a crouch on the floor. A hand covered her head to protect her and he used his body as a shield. The door flew off its hinges and into the hall, sending bits of debris everywhere and a cloud of smoke filled the hall. A door opened somewhere in the hall. Saachi could feel the smoke fly past and the stinging on her cheek told her it was dyed gas. The stinging ceased and she saw the smoke recede. She tapped one of Sasori's arms that was around her to let him to she was ok and to let go. She did and she turned to see him already eyeing the cloud of lavender.
"Saachi, what happened? You ok?" Khal asked as he approached.
"I'm fine. We just got here." Sasori helped her up and moved towards the room. Saachi grabbed his shirt sleeve, stopping him. "Wait for the smoke to clear. They are fine but it dyes anything it touches. She said pointing to her cheek and his hand. He was wearing a long sleeve so most of the dye got on the shirt. Unfortunately, he did get some purple on him. The three turned to the room when there was coughing.
"Danyir." Saachi called to her calmly.
"We're ok, yeah." She called back.
"I'll go get you guys new sheets and blankets." Kahl said and turned to walk away. He bumbed into Kida and explained what happened. She laughed. Saachi sighed and she could hear Sasori exhale in a qiet sigh and the two nodded in agreement. It was a long night.
