The Fog [Private | Pm]

[✗Gohma✗]

The Fog

[Enter]

Gohma sat staring into the abyss. Total nothingness. The fog covering every nook and cranny, as if it were a robe worn by a religious monk. He rubbed his knees as he sat upon a teal, mossy rock. One leg crossed over the other. His chin, resting upon a closed fist. Gohma thought. Silenced. Nothing but the repetitive crow from a raven sounded from above him. A large oak stood erect, towering sixty feet aloft. At the top, lies the croaking bird. Annoying to say the least, but as time sluggishly progresses, it becomes a rhythmic tone. A song, chirped in one sharp tone. Gohma's hair drooped off to his right temple, caressing the gills, lined perpendicular to each other, below his eyes.

Gohma took in a large heap of oxygen, and grazed his obscure eyes across the rippling lake. Watching the small insects glide across the top, and ultimately rip each other's guts out. Twas the complexities of insect life, the insanity they dwell in. Compared to humanoid figures, this kind of life seems barbaric. Gohma's mind was set upon this for a long moment before he drifted off into daydream. A thought that groaned in pulsation within his brain cries 'loneliness is raping your aspiration'. Gohma yearned for someone to interact with. Someone to fight, compete, and talk to. Gohma looked to the stars and guessed the time, for the moon was blocked by the leaves of the oak.

[Aedemi]

.

mood : am i...lost?

So I was walking around this one road, and I kept going because I saw this pretty little bird flying away. Don't go away, I said. Well, not really. But I followed it anyways, and everything got foggy all of a sudden. And now...I uhh, think I'm kinda lost.

[enter]

Aedemi found herself near a lake, completely enshrouded in fog. She panicked, and in her panic, she ran around in circles and managed to get herself more lost. She could no longer see a path that could possibly take her back wherever she came from. 

She had never felt so lost. There was always someone there by her side to attend to her every wish, but there was none of that now. She was on her own now; she had to prove to stupid Raylia and her practically nonexistent dad that she was ready to take on the challenges of the world. But, perhaps that was too big of a leap for her, running away on a whim. She was too naive. She could not comprehend why she had been sheltered so well in her earlier years. This is why.

"Hello?! Anyone out there?"

There could be thieves, murderers, and psychos out there and she would probably fall into their trap. Or, maybe it would be the other way around, for some people did not know Aedemi for what she truly was. She appeared stupid, yes, but that could very well be a mask -- a mask that she uses to lure the unsuspecting to trust the seemingly harmless little girl. But it is also true that she has not much experience to be capable of much damage. Still, she is a manipulator, and manipulators are not to be trusted.

She kept walking around, heading nowhere really, until she was finally by the edge of the lake. She decided to keep walking along the edge, hoping to find a way home. She did not expect to see a figure in her field of vision. She stopped, curiosity suddenly overcoming her. She couldn't see the person clearly. Friend, or foe? she wondered.

[✗Gohma✗]

A Disturbance

A sound within the fog jolted Gohma's spine, for within this time of night, visitors to the lake were rare. Gohma spent most of his time here, thinking mainly, undisturbed. The whole reason to come to the lake in the dead of night was to get rid of the loud voices and distractions, but here he is listening to a young shreak of uncertainty. Gohma stood up, glaring in the general direction of the voice. Waiting. There it was. Twas dark and blurred in this moment of time, but there it stood. Short. Gohma didn't know what it was, but it seemed to be a small child, boy or girl? Gohma hadn't the slightest clue. At this moment, he knew he couldn't be too careful.

Crickets sound in the background, masking the fear Gohma held within him, to display a more sinister appearance. He stood, with his robe falling to his ankles, watching for any sort of aggressive movement. Though there was none as of yet. He wasn't the kind of person to be starting trouble, so the hopefully he was in luck. The grassy conduit that lies between Gohma and his new guest was a good fifteen meters, set with a short stream of water in the middle. Cross-able only by a rickety wooden bridge. He stood with his arms crossed, finally thinking of something to say.

Who are you?~

He managed to croak as he stood his ground. Though he was sure to rest his hand on the hilt of his katana, waiting for any kind of attack. This was necessary of course. Through the hardest moments of his life, he's been mugged, and beaten. He was in no way going to let that happen to him by someone of the likes of this. Listening, and watching, he scanned his surroundings for any other kind of attack. Maybe the shadow standing before him was a distraction and nothing more.

[Aedemi]

mood : nervous

Ah! He's getting closer. He's not going to kill me, is he?

"Oi, mister. I uhh, come in peace!" She lifted her hands up as her wariness of strangers suddenly returned, belatedly. "Please don't kill me! I am unarmed!" she begged. It was a pathetic display. Surely, she was harmless. 

Aedemi did not see much of the stranger's features from this distance, as the only source of light was the moon, and the fog did not help much in this aspect. This made it all the more frightful for the young Genin, who was cowering behind the bridge. She was a child, helpless, and as much as she refused to be labeled so, she was undoubtedly unprepared for the life she aspired to obtain. This exact moment was the proof for that. She needed work -- a lot of it. Her childish expression said it all. 

It took her a while, but she recovered some courage to get closer to this person. Her hands still up, a frown upon her face, she took a few steps on the bridge, slowly. Maybe it was something in her past, the way she was brought up, that attracted her to older people. She was too trusting of them. They were, after all, a constant source of comfort and safety, no matter how much she loved to rebel. It was a foolish belief that she had, one that could possibly land her in the worst of situations if she wasn't careful. She was, of course, prepared to strike if it was necessary, but she preferred to stand her ground and attack only if prompted to.

[✗Gohma✗]

Oh, A Lost Kid

A slight breeze sent a tingle down Gohma's spine as he stood thinking about this intricate situation. Only the sound of footsteps on the bridge altered his thinking. At that moment in time, Gohma began getting restless. There must be an ambush. He squinted his eyes, glaring in his 'guest's' position and barked.

Who are you?!~

Repeating himself wasn't his favorite thing to do. His hood fell to his shoulders, revealing a shadowed face. Nothing to be seen until he began walking forward, aware of his surroundings. Exiting the shade of oak, he strode towards what he believes to be a small girl. The light sound of her voice gave it away, but this could be because of age. He hoped he wasn't wrong.

What are you doing here?~

He asked. Not as if he wanted to get rid of her, but because he wanted to know of her intentions. With her arms raised, it proved to him she was no threat, but that wasn't what he was afraid of. He's been fooled before. It's only a learning process to trust no one. Gohma gripped the hilt of his sword, if this girl made no attempt in telling him who she was, he was going to have to take action. Not killing her of course, but to get to the bottom of things, you have to use force. He hoped it wouldn't get that far.

[Aedemi]

  
  

mood : nervous

I better not get this mister angry. I must tell him the truth!

In her nervousness, she had forgotten to answer the stranger's question the first time around. When he barked it the second time, Aedemi was quick to respond. 

"M-My name is Aedemi. Aedemi Ki -- I mean, Kokirue!" 

She looked at the stranger as he began to approach her. She thought she could see his face, but she wasn't too sure. She could not draw out the details yet. But she could see, however, his arm move. Her frightened mind filled in the details with her active imagination. She was thinking of what he could possibly be doing, probably taking out a weapon or something. Crazy ideas multiplied in her mind. She tried to convince herself that it was only paranoia when he barked out a second question. 

Suddenly aware of how stupid her reason for getting into this mess would sound to this person, who was obviously suspicious of the girl, she blushed a little. How embarrassing. He would most likely think she takes him for a fool. She hesitated, but continued anyway: "I uhh...got lost," she said, her head looking down in shame. She grew self-conscious now as she suddenly realized her stupid mistakes and the horrible way she handled her problems.

[✗Gohma✗]

You Have To Be Kidding

Gohma had no intention of falling for this girls little trap, whatever it may be. He wasn't going to hurt her, this was clear to him, but he had to make sure that there was no one else standing idle. Watching. Gohma scoped the area, the trees, the water, everything. His eyes, specially made for seeking movement, showed nothing. Absolutely nothing was around, only birds, which alarmed him every time they sounded. This girl may as well be telling the truth, but then... Where does that put Gohma? He doesn't know how to talk to her. He let out a soft sigh, thinking violence isn't going to solve anything here. Glad though.

My name is Gohma Hoshigaki~

He growled. Dropping his hands from his hilt, he showed he was no longer aggressive. He watched as an obscure cloud drifted above his tree. Coasting along the intricacies of space.

Not a lot of people go around getting lost here. It's odd that someone, even at your age, is stumbling around in the dark~

He meant no disrespect. Unsure of their age, he made a pretty self reliant guess that they were pretty young. He yearned to close the distance between the two, and actually understand the reason why they're lost, but what would they think of him. A shark out of water, quite literally. His rough skinned body, was nothing compared to the grey tinge of his body. Both the gills on his cheeks and the structure of his head, he found hideous. Self esteem held it's own against Gohma, but he knew being a ninja was nothing about appearance.

[Aedemi]

Aedemi relaxed a little when she saw the stranger's figure put his hands down. She had to squint to see, but she heard the person's name loud and clear. Gohma Hoshigaki.

mood : hey!

Hey! What are you? My mom?! I walk out whenever I feel like it. So what I wandered a little bit and then got lost...so what, Mister Gohma?

She stood there with her chin up in defiance after muttering some more words. The slightest mention of her difference in age was enough to set her off. But she made her exclamation on pure impulse, never putting the feelings of others first, and she realized the mom part was a bit unnecessary. He's right...you can't yell at him for saying something any other person would say.

She blushed again, the stupidity of her immature behavior sinking in. Everybody had told her she was like an open book; anyone could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her expressive face. And she exploded for no good reason too. She acknowledged this. She had to try to make a change here.

Looking up in the direction of the voice, she smiled apologetically. The moon shone upon her face now. 

mood : whoops...

Hehe...um sorry. I didn't mean that. I get like that sometimes.

(awkward silence)

Anyways, people like to get out every once in a while, don't they? I mean, why are you out here?

[✗Gohma✗]

Whoa...

Gohma stood with the wind blowing for a short moment, waiting in the silent awkwardness. Then, bursting in an arrogant tone, the girl spoke. She demanded to know why Gohma had been out so late as well.

I uh... I come out here when it's dark. It's quiet. It's away. It's like home~

Gohma did hope people stayed with him once in a while, but didn't hold his breath on it. This girl had a pleasant aura, one Gohma enjoyed being apart of. He stepped out from underneath the tree. Shedding the moon's light upon his face, shading his cheekbones. He looked sincere, and most of all, Sharky. If this girl had any prior knowledge of Hoshigaki, then she wouldn't be surprised. If he didn't however, she might find it a little uncomfortable to be speaking to a seventeen year old walking shark. Nevertheless, Gohma closed his eyes, waiting for her response.

I love it here, because I feel free~

[Aedemi]

Aedemi, pleased with the response, smiled. That was precisely the same reason she left her apartment -- to explore here and enjoy the openness of the outdoors. Sure, one could probably achieve the same effects -- darkness, silence, etc. -- locked up in a room, but the outdoors did not make you feel like you were trapped. As Gohma said, it made you feel free. She liked his way of thinking. 

So when Gohma stepped out of the shadows, his blue-gray skin shining in the moonlight, she was more curious than afraid. She had never seen a Hoshigaki before -- never heard of them in her life -- but that only made her more curious. Of course, this prompted a barrage of questions to run through her head, many of which would have probably offended him, but she didn't mean anything wrong with that. An innocent and ignorant child would have definitely done the same.

But her first response was a gasp. An ambiguous gasp that could have probably signaled alarm or just plain amazement. Of course, it was the latter, her next expression being that of fascination and delight. Her hands would swoop down to her knees, her upper body leaning forward in a dramatic way of articulating her curiosity, and she began to speak with a grin:

mood :  whoa

Oi, Mister Gohma, you look different. Are you a shark? I've never seen a shark before, only in books! Waa, that's so cool! Oh, if only my brother were here...!

She judged him to be a friendly so she saw nothing wrong with learning more about him. In fact, she placed too much trust upon a stranger she had only just met. But his manners seemed calm, his words sincere. Nothing that screamed evil or killer, so she walked closer. She hated to speak from a distance.

[✗Gohma✗]

Interesting

Gohma's chest collapsed, the feeling of this little girl judging him because of his skin was just another needle piercing his cold fishy heart. Her gasp was the dagger, shoved deep into his pulsating organ. But only then was she able to redeem herself with curiosity, instead of disgust and hatred. She was as intrigued with him, as he was with her. She continued to follow the conduit, closing the distance between the two. Of course, distant talking was awkward, but Gohma was a stranger to her. She was a stranger to him. Why did she need to talk to him in the first place... Other than questions of course. Great. Gohma's mind raced through these questions, and thoughts to find that he may have an uncomfortable problem.

Gohma squinted his eyes, and watched her as she closed the distance: fifteen, ten, five meters. Gohma was getting uncomfortable now. Not only was he self conscious about how his scaly body, and his flat face looked, but he didn't know of her intentions. He shifted from foot to foot, and placed his hand to the back of his cranium, only to choke out a response.

Your curiosity will get you killed kid~

Still unsure about the situation, he finally gave it a few moments before finally resting his shoulders. What could this poor kid do to him if he let his guard down? Hopefully not much at least. Gohma's robe began flapping at his knees as the wind began picking up. The cold tingled and hugged his face for dear life. He spoke up to be heard over the wind.

But I'm not going to kill you, this shark doesn't eat people~

He frowned and looked at the ripples of the lake. His sanctuary. Of course he loves to eat fish, and being able to breath under water just gives him incentive to swim to the bottom of the lake. It's nothing but exhilarating to see large underwater rocks, and fossils.

[Aedemi]

She kept walking forward even as Gohma became fidgety. She didn't think much of his nervous reaction to her walk towards the stranger -- she just didn't get it. Clueless, she was. Stupid too, like a fly hopelessly attracted to a lightbulb. Still, she kept walking forward, casually, not thinking about danger. In fact, when Gohma choked out a word of warning, she did not understand what he was trying to imply. Instead, she stopped in her tracks, looking up with a puzzled face. Wha--? Who's going to kill me?

She looked around as if to search for imminent danger, but winced a little when she finally connected the dots. She looked at him, puzzled, unable to understand why he would make such a statement. Why would her attempt at getting to know him be a cause for violence? She meant no harm, and she assumed neither did he. The wind blew strongly now and Gohma spoke louder. He wasn't going to eat her. Eat me? Why would he --

mood :  pfft...

Well good. I wasn't planning on getting eaten. Hmph!

She spoke this with a tinge of arrogance. Never had it occurred in her mind that Gohma was feeling so uncomfortable, but yet she was quick to react to his last statement as a sort of challenge, as if he were implying that she was scared of sharks. Yes, this girl was indeed very ignorant of others' feelings.

It was enough to make people cringe.

Luckily for Gohma, Aedemi had a fairly short attention span, and, upon seeing his headband, exclaimed:

mood : hey!

Oi, Mister Gohma! You're a mist nin like me! Here...this is my headband. I probably should be wearing it, but it makes my head itchy. See? A mist ninja! That's what I am! Isn't that cool?

An emotional rollercoaster. Pity for the one that dealt with such an unpredictable girl.

[✗Gohma✗]

Maybe this kid is different...

It's almost as if this kid is just trying to get on his good side at this point. Like she's just trying to sucker him into saying something stupid or let his guard down. Still there was some tension between the two, for Gohma still could trust no one. Still he knew he must respond anyway. But what to say? Already he's had doubts about his social skills. Not very good, since he doesn't get much practice. Only amongst his clan-mates.

I suppose it's good to see a friendly ninja. It seems lately there hasn't been an abundance~

He spoke, thinking about how mist ninja aren't found often. Most of the time, they're out on missions or doing things out of country. Gohma doesn't get the chance to talk to them, not that he gets the chance in the first place. Speaking with people just isn't his strong-suit.

[Aedemi]

Aedemi had this stupid smile the entire time. She was eagerly waiting for his reply, for she hadn't talked to many people since she moved to Kirigakure, but his abrupt response disappointed her a little; she loved to talk, to chat and know more about people, but she sensed that she was going to have to work more if she wanted to have a decent conversation. 

Of course, mere conversation was a waste of time. Unnecessary chatter was not something that should occupy a ninja's mind. But Aedemi did not get it. A kunoichi was to be very focused in her training and growing ability just as much as her male counterpart, something she hadn't grasped. Or maybe she did. Maybe there is some ulterior motive that controls her every behavior, as stupid as it may seem. Master manipulators, after all, do a great job in feigning appearances. 

Whatever it was, it seemed as though it was her turn to say something.

She looked down, smiling ashamedly, staring at her feet as she thought of what to say next. Gohma's statement had indirectly reminded her about the past year, how she didn't talk much to any one of her classmates, how she lacked friends, how she was very close to not becoming a ninja. She didn't have what it takes -- that thought plagued her days at the academy. Perhaps something inside her must have known the shame she brought upon herself for acting like a child, especially as she carried the title of kunoichi of the mist. Surely, she must have known. This behavior...was it punishment -- or a way to escape responsibility and expectations? She looked up, a grin on her face, its adult-like features -- mature, strong, mindful -- lasting only very briefly. There was something in her that hinted a kind of maturity that is rare, or at least the promise of it.

Her hand extended to the back of her head on nervous impulse as she began:

mood :  normal, a hint of embarrassed

"Hmm...I haven't seen many mist ninja around either. Well, I actually barely graduated from the academy, so it's not like I would know so, yeah...

I don't know many people. It's hard to believe, isn't it? A talkative girl like me with not many friends. Well, people think I'm obnoxious, so I can't blame them."

Not that I care, really.

"I guess it has to do with the fact that not even I consider myself a ninja..."

Her voice had trailed off at the end. Her face took on an eerie expression, or rather a lack of it, unusual for this girl's usually cheerful disposition. After giving her next words some thought, her voice took on a happier tone, as if to defy her previous mood.

mood :  matter-of-factly

"My father and a lady that should never be named had both told me I wasn't ninja material. They said there was no way I could fend for myself and be strong enough to do as a ninja does. But...I made it this far, so I don't care. Some people have told me all I need is more experience and, if I continue to grow at this rate, I will someday become a fine shinobi."

She giggled a little bit at that last part. It could be either from her lack of belief in herself, or from joy at knowing others believe in her. Either way, it seemed as though she was back to her energetic and cocky self.

mood :  taunting

"But are you going to make me talk the whole time? What about you? Tell me something about yourself. What? Are you shy?"

[✗Gohma✗]

Me? Nahhhhh...

Gohma sat listening to the girl and her story, it meant something to him to hear someone like her sharing her feelings. Almost like she didn't care about his blue pigmented skin. Like she didn't even recognize that he was a man-eating monster. Asking about his kind of life was almost like a slap to the face. Is she just ignoring the fact that he's different than everyone else? Or is she just... dare he think this... stupid? A sigh came sneaking out of his throat again as he placed his fingers against the side of his temple. Still looking into the lake and fishing out the depths of his life before he answered. He cleared his throat, and began.

Am I shy? No, of course not. I talk, bark, and whisper. I have no problem with speaking with people. It's people who have a problem speaking with me. Of course you've noticed the 'coolness' of being a shark so far. But kid, you have much to learn if you think it's a walk in the park. You're beaten, made fun of, ignored, for being different. I don't expect a child like yourself to relate, especially because... you're not a shark~

Certain moments his voice cracked, while in the midst of his little speech. But he fought that annoyance back and recaptured the essence he originally wished for.

[Aedemi]

She probably should not have been surprised at his answer. I did make perfect sense, after all. But something inside Aedemi told her that Gohma's appearance did not matter really all from the start, which is why she acted out of curiosity. She did have an uncle whose face had been disfigured and whose body was covered in scars from battle. She heard the last bit from her gossiping servants, but she had met him a couple of times, and boy was he a sight. But, she had never judged him. She never knew him from before he acquired his disfigurement, but indeed she accepted him for being the good man that would come visit every now and then and teach her brother "ninja stuff." As such, she felt a little hurt but she didn't want Gohma to notice, so she took on a defiant pose, a pose that indicated arrogance. This was the way she protected herself. 

But she reasoned that it was true she did not know how it felt to be different, at least not to the degree Gohma felt. Sure, she was nice, delicate, and fresh meat and did not know much about the ninja culture when she first entered the ninja academy, but even so, she was pretty and cute so not many people would treat her too badly. As much as she didn't want to admit it and succumb to the shred of maturity that dwelled within her, Gohma's speech did strike a chord. She hated that, and she hated to apologize, but felt she owed him one.

She loosened her pose, arrogance gone. Her facial features expressed weakness and humbleness:

mood : ...

"I'm...very sorry. I didn't think about it that way. You're completely right. I was sheltered my whole life. I never had any fears. I was protected, safe, never harmed. I had always been surrounded by people..." 

They didn't love me, though. A stupid little brat like me...ha.

"I had almost everything I've ever wanted..."

Except one thing.

"I went to school, met a few people that treated me nicely..."

And met many more that gave me dirty looks.

"And I'm a lot more fortunate. I should be very grateful."

But I'm not! I'm just...angry.

"I am lucky."

She was speaking softly towards the end. Her temper was boiling slowly; it was a quiet anger. Some of it was directed at her so-called family, sans brother, and some of it was directed at Gohma. It would have been easier if she just told him the truth, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She just couldn't. She hung on to these private thoughts, refusing to bring them out in the open. She should feel sorry, she should be taking responsibility, but she refused. It's not my fault.

The fact her genuine curiosity was interpreted to mean something so cold and nonchalant saddened her, yet it also brought upon a surge of quiet anger from being offended. She hated the people that treated her the same way, so she vowed never to make someone else feel the way she did. The people that looked at her like a thing -- a pretty doll, never to be taken seriously -- rather than a living, breathing person...she despised them.

And so, she was at a loss for words. But her face said it all.

...an open book...

[✗Gohma✗]

An Apology?

The wind blew suddenly, scooping the bottom of Gohma's robe from the ground. It fluttered in the air for a few moments, showing the bottoms of his ankles until silently, hugging the soil once again. In his head, came the thoughts that actually saddened him. Why did he feel that this little girl wasn't like the rest of the kids at the academy. Living it up and hanging out. Taking missions together as soon as they graduated. Why did she strike him as being different from the rest. Her arrogance shows everything. Even the apology was out of the blue.

I didn't ask for you to say sorry. They never did.

Gohma let out a large heap of air. He didn't know about how he felt anymore. Sad? Angry? It was kind of raw emotion.

[✗Gohma✗]

Awkward

Suddenly it got really cold, and silent between the two ninja. Gohma took a swift step backwards still facing the innocent girl. He did a quick one-eighty degree turn and jumped into the lake. He knew where he was going, home. But the kind of surprise the girl might take in was sort of comical.

[exit]

[Aedemi]

Aedemi was speechless. When she saw Gohma turn quickly and dive into the water, she was surprised. Her hands covered her mouth as she saw him swim away. Well, what did she expect? He was a shark; naturally he would be able to do so quite easily. Maybe it was the swiftness of it. Whatever it was, she now found herself alone and lost again. She turned around, back across the bridge she came from, and made an effort to find her home before morning.

[Exit]