I realized for the first time today that I haven't been posting much at all. Apologies, I have no excuse other than pure laziness. Anyway, I wrote this up today during my study hall. As always, be sure to review and let me know what you think as well as what I can do you all for the support so far.
Zed's belongings spilled out of his bag and sprawled across the wooden floor. He clenched his fist, before diverting his attention away from his new found roommate. The boy inched his way to the bed opposite of Shen's; his legs ached and became heavier with each step. Zed collapsed onto the welcoming softness that was his bed; he turned on his side and stared at the wall facing him. Though he was making no visual contact with Shen, Zed could feel the luminescent irises burning their gaze into his back. A feeling of anxiety nearly overtook him in that moment, yet Zed kept his composure; he was determined to stay intact around Shen. Showing weakness against the person that proved to be his greatest rival would be unacceptable. Though Zed lacked the experience and strength that Shen held, the young ninja was set on besting his counterpart on day; though not sure when, Zed would one day stand above Shen on day, just as Shen towered over his worn out body so many times before. A sly smirk formed on Zed's face, with his resolve seared into his mind, the Kinkou slept easily on that day.
Zed was awoken by a ruckus in his vicinity. His long, black hair concealed the purple bags that lay under his tired eyes. Zed yawned before turning to see Shen covered by nothing more than a towel; as if having to endure training with Shen wasn't enough, now he also had to see him half-naked every morning. Zed let out an annoyed sigh and stared downwards at the floor. A silence filled the air as neither boy exchanged words. Eventually, it was Shen that broke the silence.
"Will you be training this morning?" Shen asked.
"It's my rest day." Zed replied quietly. Shen only grunted in response to this, while making his way out of the room. Zed inhaled deeply as soon as he was certain Shen was unable to hear him. The boy fell back onto his bed, letting a mess of black hair sprawl across the surface. Though he was able to keep his composure in Shen's presence, Zed's exhaustion overtook him after his peer had left. Every muscle in his body ached more than the previous day; it appeared as though sleeping had done nothing to remedy the pain he was in. Zed tried forcing his eyes shut, but the soreness would not allow him any more rest. In an attempt to loosen his body up, Zed decided on walking around the compound for a while. Zed stripped his night clothes off and dressed himself in a simple robe before making his way out of the room.
The boy roamed the many halls of his new home. There was no real décor to be noted, as most of the walls were void of anything. Eventually, Zed found himself in front of two sliding doors; he could see the sun shining through their slim form. The young ninja slid the doors open and was greeted with an unmatched sight. It was a simple courtyard, yet its beauty was somehow unmatched by any sight Zed had ever laid his eyes on. There were small streams that lead into a pond; groups of coy could be seen traversing the water. Foliage sprouted from the soil giving the area a feeling of wilderness; but by far the most beautiful sight that caught Zed's eye was a young girl gazing into the morning sky. She had long, black hair similar to Zed's; her skin was darker than his however. The girl had soft features, yet it still appeared that she could hold her own. Her overall presence left Zed with conflicted feelings. Her beauty caused feelings of anxiety to elevate within him; just being in her general vicinity sent a shiver down his spine, yet at the same time, Zed loathed these feelings that distracted him so very much from his ultimate goal. Before the boy had time to process all of his thoughts, he realized that the recipient of his drawn out stare was now looking back at him. Zed became almost petrified as the female approached him. Thoughts assaulted his mind at a breakneck pace, never having been in a situation like this, Zed was unsure of what to say or do once he was confronted. In mere moments, his red eyes met a light green shade. Greeted by a warm smile, Zed could only respond awkwardly with a blank expression.
"Hello." The girl said. Her voice was soft and sweet, just as Zed had imagined it to be.
"Hi…" Zed responded quietly before shooting a look at the ground. The young girl giggled at the very apparent shyness that Zed was exhibiting.
"My name is Akali, may I ask yours?" The girl questioned.
"I'm Zed…" The boy responded.
"Oh, so you're the new recruit then? I've heard a lot about you." Akali said. Zed began to wonder what exactly she had heard about him. To his knowledge, he hadn't made much of an impact since arriving at the compound; this meant that she had probably heard about the rather peculiar way Zed came to be Kinkou. Nevertheless, Akali seemed cheerful regardless of whatever it was that she knew about him. The two ninjas exchanged words for a while longer, with Akali doing the majority of the talking. Even though his words were few, Zed had already befriended two of his fellow clansmen at this point. As the early morning fog faded from the grounds, Zed and Akali continued to enjoy each other's company into the early afternoon; yet all good things came to an end and to Zed, the end came in the form of one person.
"Just a few days ago I was-"Akali cut herself off, something catching her eye. The young girl stood up from her seated position and began waving.
"Hey, Shen come over here!" She called out. Zed's eyes narrowed as his heart sank. The black-haired boy watched as his recent acquaintance ran over to his most hated acquaintance and embraced him, her arms wrapped around his firm torso. Zed studied Shen's reaction, the result being exactly what he had expected. A cold stare into the distance, even someone like Zed could see that Akali clearly had feelings for Shen; while they may not have been entirely romantic, she still obviously considered Shen to be a good friend. At that moment it became clear to Zed what exactly it was that he disliked most about Shen, his inability to show any emotion at all. Every time it was the same outcome, regardless of whatever situation Shen was thrown into, he remained neutral throughout the duration. Nary an emotion was present, even when Akali hugged him so tightly. It made Zed clench his fist in anger and annoyance.
"I see you have met our latest member." Shen said, acknowledging Zed's presence in the courtyard.
"Oh, yeah we were just talking about stuff." Akali responded, finally releasing her hold on Shen's waistline. Shen barely acknowledged this remark, simply giving a slight nod. The three Kinkou continued to sit in a small group which mostly consisted of a stare down between Shen and Zed whilst Akali talked in the background. Time flew as an exchange of looks raged on. Before Zed knew it, the sun was setting on the compound. Akali yawned and stood up to stretch.
"I'm going to go eat dinner before it's too late." The girl declared. Shen and Zed stood up as well, preparing to take their leave. Akali whispered something to Shen before hurrying indoors. Shen sighed, and glanced back to Zed.
"I will be taking my leave as well." Shen stated as he turned to walk through the sliding doors. Before long, Zed was left standing alone in the middle of the courtyard. Sounds of flowing water and multitudes of bugs chirping filled the area around him, yet Zed was deaf to them all; crimson eyes gazed at the ever darkening sky, unsure if his new found relationships were merely a façade.