Precipice of Fading

[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=882927] Sumiyaka, Shuji ------ His breath curled in his chest, slithering like a snake against the delicate inner lining of his throat; hitching softly with each long exhale. It choked him on the deep inhale; tasting of something he could not name. Like almonds, and bitter tea. His muscles ached, and it wasn't just a physical burn brought on by the long hours. He'd always hated sparring with his team as they'd gotten stronger; they could all out fight him now. A grim smile curled the man's lips around the bandage he gripped in his teeth, pulling it taught to stretch over the angry red gash curling the length of his arm, from wrist to elbow. Damn him, He thought, almost affectionately. He couldn't even really remember where that scratch had come from, but going by the inflamed look of the skin around it he'd say one of the bastard's creepy little plants and gotten hold of him. The muscles under his right eye ticked slightly, a hiss leaving his clenched teeth as the bandaged tightened forcing the balm he'd applied to the cut in deeper. Cutting the bandage he taped it into place, blinking slowly through the sensation. Spitting out the bit of bandage he still had in his mouth he ran his tongue along his teeth as though to clear away the sensation of the gauze. Slowly Shuji lowered his bound arm to rest on his knee, his shoulders hunching forward slightly. As his head tilted the large golden hoop earrings he adorned touched lightly against his jaw. The muscles tensed, and he let out a slow sigh. It had certainly been rough lately. He'd spent several hours in the Kazekage's office speaking to the man, and damned if Gaara wasn't still terrifying after all these years! He'd told him what he could: He'd been in his apartment within Suna rather than at the compound, getting some rest. When he was at the compound he was always needed for something. As Leiko's former sensei he was seen as the one of the two who should take over with the girl missing. Mayako had told him to head out, and take a break. He'd always kept a place in Suna, because Shuji took his duty as a shinobi rather seriously. Well, that and he liked to steer clear of Sei, Leiko's father. Reaching with one hand he went to run it over his face only to stop mid motion, wincing at the feeling of something digging into the muscle of his arm. Extending his arm, his features twisted into a grimace at the sight of an inch and a half long thorn pressing through his flesh. Reaching over with the other hand he gripped the end of it, and jerked it out. Blood welled out of the puncture just as it had the many others lining his hide. Dropping the thorn it made a soft clatter against others of it's kind, and small metal surgical style pan he'd been depositing them in. Grabbing the bit of gauzy bandage he'd previously dropped he pressed it over the puncture, holding it down. After he'd left the Kazekage's presence he'd immediately taken off for the Dunes to speak with Hiiro and let him know their position. He hated this, being torn between his duty as a shinobi, and his duty to his family. He didn't want to betray either. However, he well knew that without Leiko he'd probably end up on the outs with the Clan eventually. Possibly on the outs with Suna as well. He knew the Kazekage realized he was holding back, but he'd let him go. He had an inkling that the man would be keeping an eye on him, but wasn't going to do anything yet. Maybe just get him out of Suna for awhile. He wouldn't be surprised, really. Damn it, Leiko, where are you? He knew she was hurting, knew that she'd left for a reason. But, what reason? They'd always been close. He'd been one of her tutor's since she could walk, as he'd always been a bright star among the clan. One of it's best. His muscles cramped with tiredness, and it wasn't all physical. The area behind his eyes throbbed dully, and the sun streamed laconically through his windows. The cool of the night had already long faded from the thick stone leaving a heady warmth to start building. He ignored it, unconcerned for the moment. His cloths were scattered around him haphazardly, he'd thrown them off as soon as he got home and set about treating the wounds his former student had inflicted upon him. It was an old routine, plucking thorns from his abused body and applying the balm that would sooth the acid of this creepy little plants. He even had a stockpile of burn cream, band aids, and antiserum. A small smile curved Shuji's lips, those had been the good days... Days when his team was still intact, and their biggest worry was how bad Leiko would clobber Haru the next day. Sure, they'd been making plans... but, they'd never expected this. Not in a million years had they been prepared for their world to shatter. That was something that happened somewhere else. Like Konoha, he thought bitterly. Sure, the life of a shinobi was rough; they dealt with death and hardships day in and day out, but this... Sighing he dragged himself from his thoughts, smoothing a line of the floral smelling clear balm across a jagged tear on his calf before swiftly bandaging it. Rolling his shoulders he basked in the feeling of the hot arid air in the room across his skin. He wore just a pair of loose shorts, and a whole lot of bandages at the moment. Kicking aside his discarded usual wear he gathered up his medical items, wandering stiffly into the connected kitchen, dropping them on the counter that separated the small room from the living room. Sighing once more he braced his hands on the counter top, head dangling forward. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!" It seemed the only appropriate thing to say, really. ------ The Serene Shinobi

[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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Yaki opened her eyes and let them dart around her room. Everywhere there was fluff and tattered pieces of cloth. They used to be stuffed animals. Not anymore. She sat up and let her weight fall onto her right arm. She winced and let out a tiny whimper as she did so. The many cuts deep into her arm couldn’t' handle the stress and the thin scab that covered the largest of them cracked allowing blood to seep out and run down her arm to pool just under her palm. She had forgotten about them. Using her other arm, she pushed herself to stand and surveyed the room again. Every stuffed animal was torn, shredded, cut and otherwise dismembered and de-cottoned. The only one that was still in a condition to be saved was her favorite bunny and even it was gutted of its once softy insides.

It didn't matter. They meant nothing anymore.

The pain in her arm made her nearly curse. She hadn't thought about the pain afterwards when she'd done what she did a few hours ago. Snorting at the weakness she stomped off to the bathroom; left arm clutching the bleeding right. It was while she was searching for the bandages when all of the events leading up to now came back.

|-|A few hours ago...|-|

Yaki's eyes opened and she sat up. Sand was plastered to the side of her face and as she sat up, it fell into her eyes. She let out a soft hiss, hands quickly grabbing and rubbing her eyes trying to relieve them of the stinging sensation. It burned like hell. But it still didn't sting as bad as the pain in her chest. She stopped rubbing and looked down. There in the sand, nearly buried now where she had lain on it was Hiiro's Hitai-ate. He was really gone. She felt tears well up in her eyes; relief from the sand but not from the heartache.
Was it really her fault?

She'd sat there for a long time, just staring at the wet sand, the plant bits, and the groups of shinobi wondering about looking for "rouges" that stayed behind. She knew they were talking about the little plants. She had thought they were cute. She stood, dug Hiiro's hitai-ate from the sand; stuffing it inside her chest bandages and went to walk away when she saw a shinboi pick one of them up. Its tiny vines whipping and its mouth gaping open in an attempt to bite the man. It was helpless, it seemed. One of it "mouth" petals was badly torn, and its stalk area seemed to be nearly snapped in half. A horrified gasp escaped from Yaki as she watched the man terrorize the thing. He cut off each part, bit by bit until there was no movement left. She felt like she was watching a part of Hiiro die. She felt sick; plumes of poisonous smoke was still hanging around. She doubted that’s what was causing it.

It took awhile for her to get back to her home. She was dragging her feet and looking out for a sign, any sign, that this was all a dream. One never came. As she tossed herself onto her floor pallet she began to sob loudly. She was pathetic, worthless, nothing. She'd always relied on everyone else because of her lack of power. Lack of function now. Feeling a last bit of hope within her, she sat up and removed a kunai from her pouch; letting Hiiro's headband fall to the floor beside her.. Removing her arm cover, she nicked

herself a little; a tiny bead of blood forming. Before it had time to reall leave her body she performed a seal and slammed it into the ground it seemed. A rabbit hopped up and did what seemed like a dance in front of her.

"Kiki-chans! I never-ever thought you would-would call me again-again!"

Yaki's face looked a bit disapointed, but she didn't say anything, just a tiny nod answered the little rabbit. Haya's face lessened into one of a pout, as she crossed her arms over her chest. She let out a little growl and began to tap one of her giant feet impatiently. It was then that Yaki broke down, telling Haya everything that had happened. the bunny hopped forward and rsted a caring paw on Yaki's leg.

"Hihi-kun didn't mean bad-bad by you-you. He just felt like he was losing-losing too-too![/b]

The little bunny nodded, sure that what she said was true. Yaki, however, shook her head and let her emotions get the better of her.

"IF THAT WERE THJE CASE HE'D NOT OF LEFT! Did he not loose me more...by simply walking away? Its because I'm weak. Because I'm a troublesome nuscence that they're all gone! THEY LEFT WITHOUT ME BECAUSE I'M USELESS!"

She threw the kunai, feeling a sort of pleasure as it embedded into the wal, causing it to crack some ways up. It wouldn't have been long before it fell down anyways, why not help it? She looked over at Haya, who once again had her arms crossed over her chest and was tapping her foot; only this time her expression was one of a mother scoldign a child. Ity didn't work, but it did give Yaki an idea.

"if I can summon more...bigger...meaner..."

Haya opened her mouth to protest. but it was too late. Yaki ripped another kunai from her pouch and slid it across her arm; once again making a summon seal. it didn't work. Over and over again she tried, each time the anger from it not working causing her to cut deeper, faster, harder. it hurt, but she couldnt' stop, it had to work.

"Kiki-chans! You will hurt-hurt yourself! Stop it now-now!"[/b]

Yaki curled into herself, trying one last time to call them. Nothing else came. She was loosing it. As she laid there, her arm pooling blood beneath it, she screamed out to them.

"WAS IT NOT ENOUGH! IS IT NOT ENOUGH?! YOU BLOOD THIRSTY BASTARDS!"

Haya let her brows fold together as she slowly came closer to Yaki. The little bunni sniffed at the blood then softly licked Yaki's wounds. It wasn't really a rabbit thing to do, but she wasn't sure what else TO do. Yaki's dismissive wave of her hand pained Haya, and with one little whisper of a sigh, she was sent back to where she had come from.She didn't know when it had happened, but she had fallen asleep.

|-|Back to now...|-|

Now she was in the bathroom looking to tend to the wounds she'd inflicted last night. Finding a small roll of bandages she pulled them from the drawer and quickly, sloppily wrapped her bleeding arm. If it seemed to get worse later she'd find something else to put on it, she supposed anyways. Now feeling adequate enough she stopped out of the house, not bothering to try and cover the bulky bandage with her arm wrap. It wouldn't have fit anyways. Parts of her clothing still have bits of blood stains on them, but she wasn't concerned with that now.

She was on a mission.

"Over here! Look! Look there is one over here!"

Yaki's head snapped up and before she actually made the thought her feet were rushing to the sound of the voices. She had hoped it wasn't what she thought it was.

But it was.

Two young children were leaning over what looked like a dead kira-kusaki member. Yaki frowned as one of the boys went to poke it with a metal rod of some sort. it was then, though, that she felt herself let out a squeal of glee. The little plant snapped up and bit into the pole, its vines wrapping around it tightly. It was weak, but it was desperately trying to climb the rod to get at the person on the other end. The boys freaked, and ran to "tell daddy". Yaki wasn't sure who that was, but she knew the weak plant couldn't hide in time to be safe. Slowly she walked up to it, her fingers being careful to pick it up just behind its head. The plant squirmed and tried to bite her, nearly missing her. She knew what it felt like to get bit, and she was in no hurry to repeat the process.

"STOP IT RIGHT NOW! You behave or I'll leave you here for them to torture, you don't want that, do you?"

She turned it so that its head area was facing her. It petal opened a few more times, not as rapidly as before, then slowly it calmed down and fell nearly limp in her hands. She smiled and held it to her chest."Where do I take it for it to be safe? How do i help it?" she knew she couldn't stay where she was, so hiding its vines and body behind her arm she set off. She racked her brain, knowing every second was a sedcond stolen from this poor things life. It was weak, and dying. She refused to let it die. She couldn't.

"Shuji-sama...Shuji-sama might still be around!"

Feeling a quiver of excitement, she raced to Shuji's Suna home. If she had any luck left at all he'd still be here. Her heart raced as his home came into view. Without knocking or stopping to actually take a breathe she flung open his door and raced inside.

"Shuji if you're here i need your help! I found a plant and its weak and...AHH! PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!"

She felt a hot blush spread across her cheeks as she nearly dropped the little plant. Turning her back to him she awaited his answer.



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[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=882927] Sumiyaka, Shuji ------ The Sumiyaka jerked upright as his door slammed open, head turning in surprise as the girl tumbled over the threshold babbling about a hurt plant, and needing his help before shrieking. Now, to be honest he didn't know why he was surprised; well he was. He hadn't had this happen to him in a few months now. It'd happened before, of course. He'd trained Leiko and Haru, hadn't he? While Hiiro had the decency to knock, Leiko didn't feel the need... and Haru was just a pain in the ass. He tilted his head down, smiling a brittle smile. Her back was turned, so she'd never see it. Instead he gave a low laugh, his fingers idly tugging at a lock of his dark chocolate hair, "Yes, all right. Give me a moment." He told her, prowling off into the depths of his apartment with nary a sound. He returned a moment later in a pair of loose sand colored pants, and a white haori style top. He paused to grab the maroon sash from the pile of his gear, tying it tightly around his waist before moving toward the kunoichi, "Now what's this about a pla--... Ah, I see." His lips curled into a warm smile as he caught sight of the writing little creature in the girl's grip. His startlingly pale eyes flashing in concern as he noticed her badly wrapped arm, but he didn't say anything... yet. Reaching out he plucked the drone from her grasp with an expert hand, the vine like body bunched in between, and around his fingers, the head wavering drunkenly. As he strode passed her again toward the kitchen he gestured with his empty hand, "Sit down, Yaki-san, and take that mess off you're arm. I'll have a look at that as soon as I finish with this little one." His voice had taken on that no nonsense tone of the jounin he was. His 'sensei' voice as Leiko and Haru had often referred to it. It was a tone of voice that brooked no argument. As he moved passed the counter he grabbed the metal tray that he'd put the thorns he'd plucked from his flesh upon, and lifted it in his free hand. Shuji emptied the bloody thorns into the trash can as he walked past, his pace quick and business like. Placing the metal tray down, he whirled around and moved toward a corner grabbing what looked like a small terracotta flower pot from the corner. Moving back to the counter along side the basin of the sink he dumped the contents of the pot onto the tray: A liberal amount of dark soil. Working one handed he moved the dirt beneath the faucet, turned the water on for a second, then back off before mixing the dirt around until it was a damp, almost muddy mixture. Plucking the tray back up he moved over to the separating counter, and set it down before carefully shifting the small plant from his hand into the soil. Immediately the little thing unfurled roots, and dug them into the moist soil. One corner of Shuji's lips curled up and he gave the drone a slightly smiling, "Do you know if she had any cuts, or tears?" He asked gently. "If not all we can do his hope she recuperates from the nutrients in the soil, and water. Usually when they're weak they seek out the Queen to regain chakra, or their Brother. We just have to hope she has the will to live." Curling his forefinger under the bulb like head he tilted it up so that it was 'looking' at him, "You're a survivor, aren't you little one?" He murmured, lips widening in a bigger smile as the plant slowly flared it's petals open then closed. Turning his gaze back to the kunochi, he stepped to the pile of medical things he'd left on the counter top beginning to sort through them for things he'd need to treat her arm. He frowned slightly at that thought. He'd been rushed off from the scene almost as soon as things had ended, but had he known she was there he'd have seen if she was all right. He hadn't learned she was there until later when the other man, a visiting cloud-nin had mentioned her. Nimble fingers grabbed a bottle of disinfectant, some swabs, and a fresh roll of bandages before he moved back over to her setting them down. Shuji held his hand out toward her waiting to be presented with the afflicted limb, "Let me have a look at that arm now. If that plant was slashed open anywhere, or if it's, or another like it, has bitten you I need to know. Those things are extremely deadly. Poison in their veins, and acid in their mouths. I've got the the treatment for both, though." ------ The Serene Shinobi

[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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Yaki felt her lip quiver a little as he took the green creature from her. She had actually tried to hand onto it as he pulled it from her. She knew it had to be saved, but she supposed she secretly wanted it to be able to live off her body clutching to it alone. Maybe. She just didn't want to let another part of Hiiro out of her grasp. She watched him walk off, and slowly followed him.

Her nose crinkled when he mentioned her arm. She sat, as he had instructed, but didn't remove the bandages. She didn't want to have to explain to Shuji what she'd been up to.

"Shuji-sama! Don't worry about me, okay?"

Her words seemed to be lost, as she watched him toss something away. She could have sworn it looked like thorns, but she wasn't going to ask. She was sure she wouldn't want to know. Still, she turned her head to the side, watching him. She was glad now, that he had taken the plant. She would have killed it.

"I...I'm not sure. I didn't see anything wrong with this one..."

She looked down, feeling the tears well up in her eyes again. How many more of them had been pulled apart by bitter people? How many of their silent screams were there? She didn't know if the thought was something she could even handle right now.

"Does it know? Does it know who we are Shuji-sama?"

She'd never thought about if they knew or not. She'd assumed Hiiro spoke to them and told them but not once since she'd seen them did she think if they actually knew. She felt a little silly, and a lot guilty. It was as if she assumed the plants were stupid without Hiiro.

She withdrew her arm at first, as he came at her with the medical supplies. She was going to reject treatment, but after second thoughts, she placed her arm back on the table, slowly unwinding the bandage from around her arm. Where the cut was trying to heal over the bandage stuck, and she whimpered as she pried it from the wound. She quickly looked at her finger and back at him.

"One bit me last night. I didn't know it was on my leg and it bit me after Hiiro saw me..."

She swallowed hard. This was all her fault. She shouldn't have kept her meeting with that man so secretive. She shouldn't have let him kiss her. She shouldn't have been so stupid.

"He was...so angry at me. This is all my fault. Even after I caused it all, I couldn't help anyone, on any side..I just laid there. I....I hurt him...didn't I? I hurt him so bad..that...and...and I didn't even say I was sorry!"

She knew she had hurt him. She'd catch him lying to her if he did. She looked down at her finger again. She deserved it. AS far as she was concerned...she deserved Okaasan to bit her head off. She began to cry again, but kept her sobs quiet. She never thought she'd have been the cause of so many lives. Even if they were "plants" she still felt as if she had seeped something of its life. Not to mention the shinboi Okaasan had torn. Her brown eyes stayed trained on her finger. Yeah. She had deserved that.


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[Leiko-hime]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=882927] Sumiyaka, Shuji ------ Turning away for a moment after seeing the state her arm was in Shuji retrieved a soft cloth rag, wetting it with warm water before moving back over. One hand curled to grip the side of her arm that wasn't sliced open gently. With the other he began to cleanse the wound of dry blood, and debris. Never once did it cross his mind to question the injury. If she'd felt the need to tell him, she would have. As a shinobi he'd seen more blood and wounds than he could remember. Instead he just sighed quietly and concentrated on cleaning it thoroughly, knowing it'd hurt. The sight of fresh blood welling to the surface an encouraging one. Contemplating the girl's question in silence as he wiped up the blood before it could dribble onto his counter top he answered quietly, "The Kira-kusaki are sentient after a manner. Each one has a small amount of their own sentience, but in the end each of them; they're called drones, are controlled by the main plant: The Queen." Laying the damp bloodied cloth over her torn flesh he reached out and grabbed her other hand guiding it to press down on the cloth. Standing he made his way back into the living room, looking for the balm he'd left behind. He had a tendency to carry the stuff in his weapons pouch. Grabbing it off the ground he walked back over to her, taking hold of the bitten hand to examine her finger, "See here?" He indicated. The flesh an angry infected red, blistering slightly around the punctures. "The sweet smelling ooze in their mouths is an acid for decaying food." He told her, smirking slightly. Opening the balm he dipped a finger into the floral scented clear goop, and carefully spread it over her afflicted finger. Releasing her hand he absent whipped the excess off on his pants leg before grabbing the roll of bandages, and binding her finger. "I'll give you some of that balm later, before you leave. If I don't remind me." Stepping moving back to her sliced arm he peeled the cloth off, dropping it to the side absently using a bit of bandage to pat the area dry before reaching for the swabs and disinfectant. He listened to her words as he dabbed the liquid along the length of the wound, "I remember a time," He said quietly. "When Leiko came to me, upset, because she'd made Seiichi cry." He knew they hadn't realized the extent of his relationship with Leiko, but the truth was he'd spent a great deal of his life as her closest confidant. She had trusted him like no other for the longest time. "She was very angry at the time, as this was early on, shortly after Sei announced Seiichi as the heir. She'd told him to go away, that she didn't want to be bothered by a whiny little brat like him. I asked her why she'd said that, and she told me that she had been training, and she'd nearly hit the boy. Seiichi, of course, didn't realize what was going on. That Leiko was merely worried for his safety, and wanted him to get out of the training yards." He quickly began wrapping the bandages around her arm, just tight enough but not so much as to hurt her circulation. Looking the sobbing girl straight in the eyes he continued, "The point is, Yaki, that sometimes we hurt those we care about the most because we worry for them. We do stupid things, not realizing that our actions may be hurting them... Or even realizing that they are but are so wrapped up in our own pain, and fear, and guilt that we don't think enough." Tapping down the binding securely he gave her a warm smile. "You may have hurt Hiiro, but you're hurting as well. That, if nothing else, shows that you are sorry for whatever it is that happened. Some things, are just beyond our control." His eyes slid over to the plant for a moment which had been watching intently, and he wondered if Hiiro would know of this. "I'm sure Hiiro just wants for you to be safe, and happy, Yaki." ------ The Serene Shinobi

[º•.Ki-Chan.•º]

[atrb=border,0,true][cs=7][bg=cee1de] Little Bunni Usa

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She tried not to whimper out as he tended to her arm. She failed miserably, but still it was better then if she'd just let everything all out. It hurt really bad, and she hoped she hadn't really messed herself up by doing it now. The fingers of her other hand curled into the table making soft scratching noises. She'd been really stupid.

"So, the drones are like…an extension of Okaasan?"

She cocked her head to the side. It didn't seem like such a weird thing. But now there was something bothering her, and she let her curious eyes that gazed at the plant ask before she had a chance to, though he wasn't paying attention. So she looked back at him, and with a quirked lips asked.

"But she's not here. What will happen to him..err...her...the..the drone? Will it still be okay without her?"

She cringed a little when she said "it". She somehow felt like she was being rude towards the plant. She assumed it had a sex, maybe it didn't. Maybe it didn't matter? She was only confusing herself more. Her attention snapped back to her finger as Shuji pulled her other hand to hold down a cloth. He walked off for a moment, only to return with what looked to her to be a sticky balm. He lifted her finger and pointed out that it was blistered and infected due to decaying food. And he smiled. He knew how she was.

"Thats disgusting. Thanks for sharing. Meanie head Shuji-sama! I didn't need to know all that!"

But she did. She had been curious, after all. That what she got for asking about the bulb. He spread some of the balm onto her finger, and despite what it looked like; it wasn't very sticky at all. It smelled really good, to boot. She watched him with little interest as he wrapped her finger to keep the balm on, she supposed. She listened to his words though, as she stared blankly at nothing in particular. She felt this black void in her stomach open up. It was like she was being eaten from the inside. She hadn't even realized he was done with her arm. She felt selfish. She hadn't thought about anyone else either.

"But he will never know. He won't know I'm sorry, and even if I do hurt, he can't see it. It...it isn't just Hiiro either. I feel as if I failed everyone, you know?"

She inhaled and held her tears back. She just felt as if she had been so wrapped up in herself and what she needed, expected of her friends, that now she felt abandoned. The real fact of the hurt was that she knew she couldn't follow. She'd die alone if she left. Without them, she didn’t' feel like a whole person. She wasn't a whole person.

"I always knew that I was the weakest one. I always felt like I got in the way, but I still forced myself on them. I wanted to feel like I was something more. I wanted to help. I should have listened, when they told me I wasn't ninja material."

She smiled, it was forced, but it was a smile. Her eyes looked over at her arm, and she slowly flexed her fingers. The muscle in her leg twitched a little and she stood to stretch it out. Her eyes looked at the muscles twitching, nearly ready to cramp. It had to be the stress, or maybe it was just because. Feeling it stop and the pain go away, she sat back down again, placing both hands in her lap. she looked over at the plant, and it gave her a slight chill as it seemed to be looking right at them. Without her eyes leaving it, she looked back at Shuji.

"Is it...alright if I stayed with the drone for awhile? I just want to be close to it, I guess."

She felt an honest smile slip on her lips now as she stood again and wondered over by it. She placed her cheek on the cold surface of the countertop, her sore arm stretched up and over the top of her head. Her other arm hung limply at her side. A tiny giggle came from her as the stalk seemed to curl into an "s" shape so the bulb could look at her. The petals barely opened before closing again, but somehow it reminded Yaki of a butterfly resting.


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