The Living, the Dead, and the Inanimate - [Open]

[awaκe.]

. . .

Pattering heard outside the window, the clouded sun only shown some light through the curtains as Yumi opened them, but enough to wake Anju. With a warm smile on her face that should have been radiant enough to eliminate the darkness of her nightmares and the unwelcoming weather outside the four walls she chose to hide in, Yumi greeted Anju with a tray holding a breakfast that looked appetizing. She was reluctant, but could see Yumi's concern in her eyes, and sat up in her bed. Yumi lifted the tray and walked it to Anju's bedside, setting it on her lap. Anju pulled Freya out from under the covers, sitting her beside her as if she were a person. Yumi stopped and glanced over at the stuffed rabbit, her smile slowly disappearing as she observed the tattered toy that Anju seemed to love so much, but as she looked back at Anju, her smile returned as if it had never left her face in the first place.

“Good morning Anju. I know you have been feeling ill lately, but you really should eat.” she said as she situated the tray so that Anju could eat with ease, “I am not sure what you can stomach right now, but I figured toast with peanut butter and jam wouldn't hurt. I poured you a glass of milk as well, just in case you got thirsty.” Her eyes were squinted from her pleasant expression as she spoke, but Anju just stared at her. After a few moments of awkward silence, Yumi rose from her bedside. “Right then. I will leave you to enjoy your meal, I hope you like it, and please do get well soon.” As she stood, she turned and walked toward the doorway. Before she could exit, Anju struggled to find the words to speak up to her, at least show her gratitude. “Y-Yumi-sama...” she muttered, bringing loving woman to a halt, “...Thank you.” Her expression was still blank and emotionless, but Yumi knew she meant it. The smile on her face grew as she responded to the young child's words. “You are very welcome.” With that said, she left the room, leaving Anju to her meal.

As soon as she was sure Yumi had returned to her housework, Anju grasped the toast, nibbling the ends and taking a few sips of milk after each successful bite. After finishing half, she turned to her stuffed bunny with the remaining piece, offering the food to the inanimate object. “You sure you don't want any?” she said in a whispering voice. Freya just sat there, motionless as always. “Fine, more for me.” She finished her toast first, and then helped it down with the last bit of milk. Anju set the tray on the end table, sure to bring an even wider smile to Yumi's face when she found it completely empty later. She wiped the moist crumbs from her mouth with her sleeve, looking to Freya, then the droplets of water on her window. At first, she just gazed off in thought as she watched each raindrop race down the surface of the glass, entranced by the soothing sound as each drop met the surface of the roof. It nearly lulled her back to sleep, but the sudden thump of Freya hitting the floor woke her from her dreaming. She stared at the light tan stuffed toy as it lay on the still floor, staring back at her with its beady eyes.

Anju shook her head, and then brought her feet to the floor, kneeling down to retrieve her treasured childish item. She sat back down on the bed a moment as she held the memory filled play thing, reliving the life before Tozen had found her on the streets of Kirigakure no Sato. Despite the fact that she didn't remember her mother or father much, only the memories she'd rather forget, she missed them. She may not have known them, but she wish she had. Not a single tear fell from the innocent child's porcelain face, but her eyes said it all. Her eyes were not just deep blue, but filled with sorrow and emptiness. She was as dead as her parents, as lifeless as her doll. Anju pulled Freya close in her tiny arms, holding her to her chest. “Someday I will be whole again, Freya. You'll see...you'll see...” her voice trembled as her broken heart ached, bringing an overwhelming pain to her body. She cringed, but stood, stumbling for the window. After a few moments staring at the blurred world beyond the glass, her hands pressed into the pane for support, she unlatched the inside lock and opened it. The misty air cooled her face, refreshing her youth. With Freya in hand, she climbed out the one story window.

In her sleeping gown and bare feet, she walked aimless through the rain. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by headstones, and an aura of death and despair. She took a deep breath of the heavy air, glancing around the graveyard. No matter how creepy this place seemed to most other children, or how many dead bodies lay to rest under her very feet, she found this place most peaceful. Maybe it was because no one she knew was buried below her, or the fact that no one really cared to visit these grounds due to the depressing atmosphere, or that everything was so silent and so clear, that even the most cluttered of people could organize their thoughts. Honestly, she didn't really know. What she did know was whatever had drawn her here, wasn't by mistake...

. . .

[Hayato Uchiha]

Hayato was wandering around Konoha, his morning consisted of any other, he ate, bathe, brushed his teeth, and left. Hayato did this routine everyday, it was a simple, yet enjoyable routine. Hayato woke up early this morning, he didn't know why, he was just early. Hayato was thinking about training, but he figured he had been training a lot lately. Hayato was wandering this peaceful village while it was raining. He wasn't worried about getting sick, he rarely got sick, he was in peak physical shape. Hayato was hopping around buildings, on the top of them, looking at the beautiful wet scene. The rain was dancing and bouncing off of everything, his skin, the buildings, the ground, and even his hair. It was truly a relaxing scene.

Hayato was about to go to another part of the village until he saw a little girl, not even thirteen yet sneaking out of a window. Hayato wasn't going to confront the girl just yet, she had blonde hair and blue eyes, she was only wearing a sleeping gown, but the most distinctive thing about her, was she was carrying a toy bunny. Hayato thought it was weird but didn't think anything out of it. Hayato followed the girl in the shadows, he was concerned about her well-being, but wanted to see where she was going first. Hayato followed her and noticed that the girl was just dreamingly wondering around. That is until she wandered into the graveyard.

Hayato finally decided to confront the girl, Hayato walked behind her in the graveyard, so many dead people. Hayato then said "You know, it isn't safe for a girl your age to be out here in the rain all alone." Hayato crossed his arms together, the girl was tiny, and short. Hayato never seen her before in this village. "What is your name young one?" Hayato said to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl. Hayato didn't want to disrespect the dead, so he wasn't going to lean on a gravestone to seem "cool". Besides, Hayato knew a lot of these people here. Hayato just looked at the girl, waiting for a response.

[Soul Grime]

A hidden village...could it be considered home? Was it not secretly a destructive, hateful place that casted out anyone who was not the same as those who lived inside, draped in symbols and colorful buildings that made it appear friendly and welcoming? It was huge, there was no doubt about that...but was it safe? Were there not tendencies within its gigantic gates that were unseen by those outside, yet evil nonetheless? Could she walk into its walls and reveal her heritage without instantly being shot down and tossed into a graveyard to rot with her 'minions'? Was it worth it to try and find out? All these questions and more zoomed through her mind as she stood on a tree branch, looking at a place called Konohagakure from a great distance, bitting her lower lip in indecision as she tried to figure out whether or not she should dare set foot beyond its gates. She didnt have a doubt that she would be able to get through the guards at the gate, she looked like a harmless teenager who was wandering around. She wasnt known by anyone, so she wouldnt be taken as a hostile threat, but instead a random bystander wishing to make her way into the village. But that wasnt the issue. The issue was whether or not she would be able to stay once she made it inside. She had heard things about a...leader of the hidden village, someone she would have to consult if she wanted to make a citizenship there. But that was just it. Could she live inside without living in fear? Without keeping secrets from everyone? Overtime, her necromantic tendancies were starting to leak into her regular personality, causing her to sometimes desire to enter the form and cause some chaos. So another question was...did she even want to be caged up in an enviornment where she would not be allowed to express herself. She couldnt answer this right away, but somehow she got the feelign that the answer was no. She shook her head, then held it between her two fists, aggrivated by her indecision. She threw her head up with a single "Gah!" as she just snapped. She had made up her mind, and decided that she would make up her mind later. For now...she would take a look around that village, see what it was like inside...maybe meet some people before she ultimately decided whether or not it was all worth it. Little did she know that something entirely different would happen.

She got down from her tree, and got on the road that led up to the gates, and the guards who were there waiting. She made her way slowly, trying to look as indifferent as possible, which really wasnt all that hard. She was, of course, held up by the guards who asked her name and what she was doing there. She told them her name, and that she was a relative visiting someone within the village, her grandpa. After a few more questions, she was through the gate and walking around. She took a deep breath as she tried to take in all the sites, and she was basically overwhelmed. It was very early, and was starting to rain, so she got under cover in an allyway where the houses overhead had roofs that stuck out to block the rain. She had to think. This place was huge and crazy, and she could easily get lost. What would be a good place to start, where there were likely no buildings around, and probably no people, where she could start out her personal tour. It took her awhile, but she eventually smiled at the irony of her idea. Of course, the graveyard. It was so perfect, especially for her. Maybe the atmosphere would help her calm down, because something about graveyards made her feel at home, as weird as that sounded. She looked up at the rain from her spot between the buildings. It was still very early, so the light of the area was basically a kind of gray. She hesitated when thinking about how wet she would get by just simply trying to find the graveyard, nevermind getting there. She took a deep breath, and calmed down. For some reason she was practically feeling like a criminal right now within the village, like she wasnt supposed to be there. In all honesty, if this feeling kept persisting, then it alone should be enough to convince her to stay away. She just told herself that it was perfectly fine that she was there in that moment, as she had gotten past the gate guards after all.

She finally stopped procrastinating and went out from under the alleys, walking fast but not quite running. There wasnt anyone else in the streets at the moment, and she couldnt tell if that was usual or unusual, as she hadnt been in a hidden village before. Though if she had to take a guess, she would say that the rain was probably keeping the early birds inside, or at least most of them. As she walked, she looked around at the scenery...and again she was impressed and amazed. She had never seen buildings so tall. It distracted her from the constant feeling of getting wetter and wetter, and almost caused her to go off course. While she did realize she wasnt paying attention to where she was going, she also realized that she indeed lost. She couldnt find her way back to the gates from here, nevermind the graveyard. She sighed and hung her head, letting the rain pelt on top of her. Maybe this was a bad idea. She was now cold, wet, alone, and lost. Maybe she really was just plain helpless. As she sighed, she started to feel some depression wash over her at her own thoughts, but she was able to take that depression and turn it into a kind of emotionlessness. She just continued to walk, feeling now more like a ghost than a person. Sooner or later, she was finally able to stumble across the graveyard, and a surge of success jolted through her, making her feel better, enough to make a very small grin slip onto her face. She had made it! But wait, maybe this wasnt the graveyard. Yes she saw headstones in the distance, but she also saw people. Two of them. One was a small girl, appearing to be just over ten years old...and the other a man even older than herself. By the way the man stood, it almost looked like he was giving her a lecture for being out in the rain, in a sleeping gown no less. He couldnt tell for sure though, as she simply couldnt hear from her current location.

Yet for some reason she couldnt help but feel a sort of...admiration towards the little girl, some kind of connection. She smiled, almost with pride, in the simple fact she was in a graveyard to begin with. Such an eerie place, she almost looked as at home as she felt in that moment. Yes, she was beginning to like this girl already. She walked a little closer, and heard the man speak, and listened to his words. She couldnt tell whether or not he planned on giving her a hard time or what, but she wasnt going to give him the chance. She ran up, speaking in a loudish tone as she went. "Ah! There you are! Thanks so much, sir." she said as she was behind him, running past him to stand next to the girl, turning to face the man with a smile. "I'm sorry, this is my sister. We planned on coming out here this morning to visit the grave of our mother, but when it started raining, I told her we should wait. Apparently she didnt want to wait and snuck out without me. Again, thanks so much for finding her!" She was obviously lying, but she knew that the man would never be able to tell. She looked down at the girl beside her and gave her a wink, asking her to play along. She hadnt acted out like this in a long time, but a combination of the girl, and the graveyard itself, inspired her to act what was now a little out of the ordinary.

[awaκe.]

. . .

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feet, tramping in the now wet ground. It was only natural she pick up on such little noise, when she was previously accustomed to the silence. She automatically turned around, in hopes to find the cause. In all honesty, she had been hoping it was a small animal or something, although she could tell the footsteps were heavy, likely of man. And just as she caught glimpse of the figure, her thoughts were proven correct, and hopes tosses aside. It was indeed a man, but a young man. He looked like a teenager, but oddly serious. His body was slender, but muscular for his age. And his most bold physical trait was his snowy, white hair, and piercing eyes. Just the sight of him brought chills up her spine, as she clenched Freya tightly. To say the least, she was intimidated to have come across someone in a place she had originally thought not to meet anyone.

As he approached her, she took a step back, staring at him attentively. Then he stopped, and spoke. He seemed to be asking her a question, or maybe he was just lecturing her. Either way, she wouldn’t respond. Soon after making his first statement, he crossed his arms, eyeing her. He obviously didn’t recognize her, and she worried how he might react if he realized she wasn’t from around here. When he asked her name, she squeezed Freya more, pulling the stuffed bunny closer and tighter to her abdomen. She then took yet another step back, unsure of what to do next. In all honesty, Anju wanted to run. Her heart was racing, and all she could think of was escaping. She felt herself backing up a little more by the second, but she was mostly immobilized by fear. This man was a stranger, and she couldn’t trust him. That was one of the many things she had learned over her years of self-training, and only by making horrible mistakes. Trust no one. She kept repeating these words in her head.

And just as she was about to conjure up all her courage and take off in the other direction, she heard another’s footsteps, causing her own to come to an immediate halt. Paranoia kicked in as she began to suspect that it was a friend of this stranger she had just met, and she really wanted to run now. It was then that she heard another voice, a female voice. Her voice wasn’t shrill, but it was audible, and seemingly cheery. And then she found herself standing beside yet another stranger, a young woman who claimed to be her sister. For a moment, it made her wonder if she actually had a sister. Of the past she could remember, she didn’t recall ever having a sibling. Regardless, the distracting thought seemed to calm her down, and ease the anxiety of the atmosphere.

The young woman continued to say that they were going out to visit their mother’s grave, but her ‘little sister’ had snuck out. Now, she knew she was lying. Although she wasn't entirely sure of where she was, she knew that she wasn’t in Kirigakure no Sato, where her real mother’s grave was settled. The strange girl winked at her, which only seemed to bother her more. But she didn’t budge, she just stood there. It wasn’t like she could run now, and this conversation that she didn’t particularly care to take part in was beginning to get interesting. Well, interesting enough to keep her mind from wandering to more depressing matters, due to their current location...

. . .

[Hayato Uchiha]

Hayato saw that the girl looked scared of him, so Hayato uncrossed his arms, he didn't meant to be so crass with her, he was just worried of her well-being. He didn't want such a young innocent looking girl to look hurt. Hayato knew she wasn't from this village, he would have noticed her, especially because of the bunny she was carrying around. She looked very attached to it, she probably carried it around everywhere she went. Hayato would have known... Hayato bent down to be at her level then said "I know you aren't from here, but I was just worried about you. I'm a Jounin from Konoha, so you shouldn't be scared of me." Hayato had his signature cheery smile, he didn't want her to be scared of him, as he was a nice guy.

Hayato then heard footsteps, someone was listening to them. Then the footsteps became louder and in a rapid succession. Hayato looked behind him to see a teenager, Hayato stood up straight. The older girl stood next to the younger girl, she was about Hayato's height, slim yet built, black clothing, and she had dark brown hair. Hayato could tell the hair was brown because it looked black but had a slight tint of brown, which let him know it was most likely dark brown hair. Hayato had his hands by his side, then the older girl started to speak, she was saying something of they were sisters ,they came here to look at their mother's grave, and thanking him for finding her. But then she bent down and winked at the girl.

Hayato didn't know if the girl knew that Hayato saw the wink but he did indeed see it. Hayato knew that this girl wasn't from the village, as he never saw her neither or did he know anyone that knew her. Also, the Hokage would have notified the Jounin and Chuunin of the of visitors. Hayato knew that she was lying. The girl next to her looked surprised to see her, as if she didn't know who she was. Hayato looked at the ground and chuckled while shaking his head. Hayato then looked back up at them, "You guys aren't from here, I know that. The Hokage would have notified me of your visit." Hayato said with a smile.

"I think you guys should leave the village. I will give you forty-eight hours to leave, I could put you both in an orphanage, but I won't. I could also kill you, but I won't. If I see you in the village after forty-eight hours, I'm sorry, but I would have to take drastic measures." Hayato said with a calm face and voice. Hayato then gave a slight bow and said "Carry on." Hayato turned around and made a great leap out of the graveyard. He then proceeded to walk around the to other side of the village, he trusted that the girls would leave in the next forty-eight hours. Hayato didn't want anything to happen to them, plus he had more important stuff to do.

[Exit]

[Soul Grime]

As she looked away from the girl after having winked at her, she sighed through her nose. She didnt regret what she had done here, stepping between these two, but she did think she probably could have done it differently, or at least tried to have lied a little better. She was already starting to feel somewhat silly, but she knew it was too late to turn back now, so she would just have to go along with it. The girl didnt move, but she could tell she was uncomfortable, another failure. Her intention was to have made her relax, but that obviously didnt happen. If she didnt have to keep acting right now by holding a smile, her disappointment in herself, reflected with a bit of sadness, would be apparent. She really didnt feel too confident in herself anymore, but she had to keep her face on, at least until the man went away, if he even did.

The man began to talk, and when he did, she rolled her eyes mentally. Figures he'd find her out, she hadnt really even tried...or rather, didnt really think it out. The best lies werent usually formulated in a split second. But what he said next did annoy her to a degree. Who did this guy think he was to give them "fourty-eight hours to leave"? Put them in an orphanage or, dont make her laugh, kill them? If she wasnt so agitated she would have laughed at his cockiness. Maybe the thing she loved the most about her clan was that, normally, she looked helpless, when she obviously wasnt. She clenched her fist as the man turned his back to them and ran away, feeling like staying right at that spot for the next two days and showing him some "drastic measures" when he came back. But no, with a sigh she unclenched her fist and let the tension release from her body. She wasnt good at holding onto anger, at least not like this.

She looked to the girl beside her, the one who she had "rushed to rescue" or whatever, and just gave her a gentle pat on the arm while looking down at her, her eyes already changing from anger to a bit of sadness. She didnt say anything to her, because she figured she probably didnt even want to talk, and just slowly made her way over to a headstone, and sat down in front of it, leaning back on it and resting her head so she looked up at the sky, her eyes closed. This was just great. She came here looking for a home, a place to stay, somewhere where maybe she could...belong...and some jerkface came and told her that if she didnt LEAVE, she'd probably be put in jail or something. And she couldnt fight back if he did, not if she wanted to remain ananymous and not some criminal known for killing some people in Konoha.

But, well, that was that she supposed. Did she really expect any different? Maybe. Maybe she thought that the great and wonderful Konohagakure no Sato would be a welcoming place, where she would at least be treated kindly. But nope, all she got was some hostility wearing the mask of a smile. She might have cried some if she didnt know that the girl was still there, so instead just sighed out through her nose, again, letting her feelings wash over her while she just sat by the headstone, taking them like a solid wall. When she felt better, she'd probably just get up and leave, another dark chapter to add to her story of loneliness.

[awaκe.]

. . .

The man saw right through the strange young woman, and her attempt to deceive him. He acted quite calmly, but he was obviously overconfident in himself. How he could tell that she herself wasn’t from the village in which they currently stood was unknown to her, but the fact that he threatened not only the other stranger, but herself as well rather angered her. Anju gritted her teeth hard, as he finished his threat, and walked off like he was the only authority. His threat wasn’t even sensible to her, considering neither of them was causing any harm. In fact, they were visiting the lonely corpses of forgotten souls. And as far as she could see, no one else seemed to visit often. This place was desolate, unturned. And it didn’t look as if anyone had been recently buried within the area the stood. However, the rain would wash away any evidence of that. Regardless of what one man thought, she wasn’t budging from where she stood, for as long as she wanted.

So she closed her eyes, letting the drops of rain trickle down her face, cooling her off just a little. And after finally loosening her jaw from her previous actions, she let out a small sigh. “Coward...” Her tiny voice was crisp, clear, although only a whisper. It was only rarely that she spoke, and when she did, it was usually to herself, or her stuffed bunny friend. Therefore, it wasn’t exactly meant to be audible, unless someone really cared to listen. Regardless, if she spoke for any other reason, she didn’t often speak to anyone in a direct manner. Anju didn’t even care to consider that he might have heard her, he was already gone, and she never meant to encounter him anyways. The girl however, was particularly interesting. All this time she was thinking to herself, she nearly missed the stranger patting her lightly on the arm. Then, she walked away, seemingly leaving as well.

The tiny, frail girl was soon proved to have thought wrong. The young woman sat down, resting against a headstone. It didn’t seem to bother her anymore than it bothered Anju that only corpses rested below their very feet. This fact made her feel a little more comfortable around this woman, for whatever reason. So she couldn’t help but stare at her, sitting so casually in a graveyard, thinking to herself. It’s the same thing Anju had come to do, except she didn’t normally sit, but often stood, still as a statue. But nonetheless, no one usually bothered her, as she seemed to be indifferent in a crowd of blurred faces. It was here that she looked like a doll, pale skin and all. But that was who she really was, and that’s why she enjoyed standing out of the crowd. And just looking at this woman, as pale as herself, she didn’t find her presence rather disturbing at all, but in fact peaceful.

Anju was never good with conversation, or projecting her emotions through facial expressions for that matter, her face always seemed unchanged. But she wanted to show this woman that she was interested in her, or more so, that she hadn’t been completely ignoring her. So she pulled her muddy feet from the softened earth below, and slowly walked over to the stranger, holding tightly to Freya. The stuffed bunny had always been like a safety blanket to her, something that brought her comfort, and gave her the slightest bit of courage. When she got close enough, and thought she might have gotten the woman’s attention, she stopped dead in her tracks. She just stared once more, but this time she tilted her head – a gesture of obvious question, confusion, or otherwise interest. Now, she waited...

. . .

[Soul Grime]

In all seriousness, what was she lingering for? Little did she realize it, but this attempted visit to Konoha was like a final act of desperation. Her last option, the only thing left to try before she was finally convinced she was hopeless. It was Konoha after all! The best village in the world, right? Apparently not, as she now knew. Cast aside as basically a nuisance, she was forsaken because she did not already belong, not because she was deadly. How sad. So the question is asked again, what was she lingering for now? It was starting to look like she would always be alone. She found little joy or entertainment in things, why did she bother staying in a world that provided no comforts for her? To be honest, this was not the first time such suicidal thoughts plauged her mind, but the session seemed stronger this time, for obvious reasons. If she ever had a reason to continue living, it seemed to her like it had just disappeared, leaving her with nothing.

However she still appeared calm to the world around her, maybe even peaceful. She was good at hiding these feelings for whatever reason, and simpyl sighed again, though this time from her mouth, as the thoughts and feelings bombarded her. She hardly had room to think about what she would do next, instead so focused on putting herself down even more. She didnt even hear the little girl make her way over to her, as she was so overwhelmed. Her hand was on the ground, and underneath she could practically feel the dead bodies under her. They were her only family it seemed, and maybe it was best that way. She thought about, instead of just killing herself, going out taking down as many as she could before she herself was destroyed. But nah, that wasnt necessary. Not yet anyway...she'd probably just ditch the village like she was told before she made any real decisions.

She finally let herself relax, her thoughts coming to a rest. She might have appeared to untense, but if she did she didnt notice. Unfortunantely, it wasnt long until she started getting a feeling like someone was looking at her, so she opened her eyes and bent her neck to look in front, seeing the girl standing not to far. She blinked once, and stared back at her tilted head. She almost felt like she was being observed, as though she was an animal, but the feeling was cast aside. She really didnt know what to do or say in response to her staring. Normally, if someone had come up to her, she would do the same thing the girl was doing, tilted her head. She wasnt one to use words often, so instead relied on body language. But she couldnt do that here, so spoke up. "Can...I help you?" she asked quietly. She really didnt know what to say, or what the girl wanted from her...so she decided to start some kind of conversation.

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