[Graded] Making New Friends

[Sia]

So it was that Hisayo and Kayoko found themselves in Steam Country of all places. Scurrying around their quarters for the time, the two of them gathered themselves together and went about their morning routines. Freshened up and ready to hit the streets, they set out for the festivities in great fashion. Hisayo and Kayoko wore matching outfits of all black. Shorts, boots, jacket. Black on black on black. They were there for a week and were to have fun, it was an order. Kayoko had attempted to argue her way out of it, but Maido wouldn't have it.

Fun? Hisayo's idea of fun wasn't always the same as others. She knew their were other things she could do to pass the time. Certainly, their had to be many different foods and fun shows to witness while she was here. The Heiji Day festival had drawn a massive crowd. People from all over the planet had come to Steam Country this week for this event. Even in the early morning, the town rustled with life. In the early morning dew, many were just beginning to set up their stalls for the day and though it was rowdy, it was not yet a festival.

It would be though, soon enough. Hisayo located a tea shop a bit ways down but also a building dispute nearby. An angry merchant, yelling at a thief. She paid it no further mind, it wasn't her problem today. Hisayo and Kayoko began to walk towards the tea shop and made their way inside, finding it filled with inhabitants from all walks of life. Immediately, Hisayo noted the various shinobi headbands around the room from each of the villages. Seems this would be a good place for tea then. Making their way towards the counter, Hisayo looked around for a place that they could maybe sit and enjoy their tea. Most of the tables were already occupied however, but not fall. Here and there sat the lone customer by themself, though some tables were sat aplenty.

---

Taking their Tea, Hisayo began to sip hers slowly but Kayoko immediately turned around and bumped into another soul, spilling her tea all over herself and cursing in exclamation. Hisayo didn't manage to stifle her laugh but gazed upon the being Kayoko had stumbled into. Not bad on the eyes, she thought to herself. Giggling, she stepped forwards and introduced herself, as "Muramasa, Hisayo" with a polite, firm hand shake. She made eye contact, then puckered her lips duckishly for just a moment, sending a kissy face at the newcomer before turning her attention to the now very angry Kayoko.

"Hey watch where you're going you jerk!" Said Hisayo to Kayoko, scolding her for spilling her tea and being so haphazard. "You disgrace us," Hisayo added before she then turned her attention back to the other. "That's Kayoko, my dearest apologies Miss..." She made eye contact again, wrought with a wicked smile.

[Willoria]

Kazue had been hesitant to come to the festival at all. Her obligations to the family she had sworn herself to during the war came first above all, but it was the children who had finally convinced her. Though the adults had told her time and again it was past time for her to take a few days to herself and relax, the children had begged her to go since they couldn't. After all, they wanted souvenirs and toys. If they couldn't go, they wanted something from the event. Eventually she had given in, after all it was hard to say no when she had so many big eyes staring up at her and begging.

Her first day she found herself in a nice tea shop. She was hoping to just relax for a bit before she started looking at the various shops for things the children might like. Though the crowd had definitely surprised her. She hadn't expected quite so many people. Somehow the amount of shinobi headbands unnerved her, and she wasn't entirely sure why. She told herself it was because of the war, but something else nagged at her, something from the past she had forgotten. While waiting on her order she wasn't entirely shocked when someone in the crowd bumped into her though the exclamations surprised her. A bemused smirk on her face she turned to see who it was. The two before her looked like twins, the one suddenly taking her hand in hers with a shake and a giggle. Kazue's smirk turned into a bit of a grin at that. "Kazue." she replied, introducing herself as well.

She looked between the two, something about the bickering between the two making her feel nostalgic, though for what she wasn't sure. Again, something she couldn't remember, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Her order was called and Kazue picked up her own tea, a lovely chai she was looking forward to. "You two always argue like this?" she asked, chuckling to herself.

[Sia]

Hisayo bowed her head in apology. Eventually, a disgruntled Kayoko did as well. With looks of shame, they faced Kazue's feet. "Forgive me, I am so sorry." Kayoko said. Kayoko the blade did a quick series of hand seals and flourished a smidgeon of katon chakra, coating her body in it immediately, and evaporating the tea. Her clothes now dried, she pat down Hisayo and Kazue, careful not to set either of the two cuties on fire as she dried her mistakes. "There, good as new." She said finally and brought her thumbs together to put out her flames. "Let me get you some tea then! What do you like?" Kayoko ordered up a replacement for herself, something boozie for Hisayo, and something spicy for Maido later. She also coughed up some Ryo for Kazue's order as well and would not take no for an answer.

"I suppose it depends, sometimes we do argue quite a bit I'm afraid." Spoke Hisayo poisedly. She examined Kazue more closely now and took in her finer features. Rather nice on the eyes actually, she thought to herself. As they awaited their orders, she noted some of the other figures in the room, most of which had long stopped paying attention to the commotion. "Where are you from then, Miss Kazue?" After a moment she added, "We are of the mist." As the words came out, she thought it sounded odd, but it was too late to take it back.

[Willoria]

Kazue just awkwardly chuckled as she was given some kind of a patdown to dry her off, shaking her head as she looked between the two. "Uh, just another chai is fine." she eventually relented, surprised at the actions of both of them. She felt strange, being in this crowd and even spending time around the two strangers. Though she felt like her discomfort was explained as Hisayo mentioned being from Mist, Kazue stiffening for a moment. "Water Country, what used to be Tea Country." she replied, frowning slightly as she waited for the tea.

She suddenly wasn't sure how she felt spending time around these two. They were from a country that had taken over her home, or rather the home of the family she owed a life debt to. It wasn't much of a distinction to make to her, ever since the family had taken her in that place had been her home too, she had fought along side them during the war and saved their lives more than once. For a moment she was even tempted to ask the pair before her if they had fought in the war, in tea, but that thought was quickly buried. 'This could be awkward enough without thinking about that. The point of this event is peace, I certainly wouldn't be feeling peaceful if they fought in the area.'

"I think fighting is just the natural state of siblings." she said suddenly, referring back to her comments about the two fighting. "I help with a pair of siblings sometimes, one of them is barely above being an infant and they still manage to fight."

[Sia]

"A chai it is!" And so it was! Kayoko quietly and sheepishly paid for the tea, then became even more embarrassed of herself quite immediately upon Kazue speaking. Her village had likely taken over this girls home. The thought immediately died, and Kayoko's face became somewhat duller. Not quite sheepish any more, but not upset or concerned, she merely took a sip of her own tea before smiling and said. "Master Maido forbid me from participating in the war."

Kayoko pulled out a seat and gestured for Kazue to join them as Hisayo sat herself as well. Silent for a moment as Kayoko took the reigns, Hisayo adjusted her hair and listened. Kayoko tapped her knuckles somewhere near her left breast, and a ringing sound could be heard somewhat clearly, as though she had struck metal. It began to glow, a white-hot yellow fire that burned in her chest like a living breathing heart of fire. "Something about not being human anymore." She added. "Human wars should be fought by humans."

The core in Kayoko's chest hummed and purred, sending out a rhythmic pulse of fire along her shirt. She inhaled, then instead spewed one into the bottom of her mug, shooting a cross glance in the direction of the staff. "Admittedly too I am quite hotheaded anyway so it may not be great for me."

[Willoria]

When Kazue's new order arrived the woman picked it up and turned to join the other two when she was invited. She sat down with the two in spite of the initial awkwardness. She was surprised when Kayako mentioned being forbidden from participating and gave her a surprised look. Her surprise only increased as Kayako demonstrated why. "I've never seen anything like that." she admitted, blushing slightly. "At least I don't think I have." she added, shrugging before taking a sip of her own tea. She loved the feel of the spices dancing along her tongue and even the slight burn in her throat from it. She was hesitant to admit that the woman could only remember a few recent years, and all of them during the war. She had no memory of her time prior.

She couldn't help staring at the core in Kayako's chest as it made a strange sound, the odd beauty of it. "Huh." She really didn't have much in the way of words about it. "You're certainly unique." she admitted. "I only fought to protect home and family, otherwise I stayed out of things as best as I could. But war is what it is, it's hard to completely stay out of it when it comes." She leaned back in the chair to try and relax, frowning as she felt her hair catch in the chair. She turned her head slightly to wave her loose hair out so it wouldn't catch as bad, making clear her hair was more like a thick mane, a trait inherited from the father she couldn't remember.

[Sia]

For a moment, Hisayo's mind wandered entirely elsewhere. She thought of a recent scrimmage she'd had while helping out in owl country. She shuddered, remembering the foul taste of corruption in her soul. Even acid was a blessing to the nostrils at that point, she remembered. She remained silent, allowing Kayoko to lead the conversation on for now. She opened her senses, and her leg twitched occasionally. She crossed her legs then though, concealing her state a bit as she sat at the table. Taking another sip, she enjoyed the use of milk, though hadn't realized it was included in the order. What a nice little accident.

Kayoko looked at Kazue's hair, thick and long. She gazed at her body and measured her up for a fighter of sorts for sure. She squinted for a moment over her tea, then raised the question finally. "So, do you intend to become a shinobi then?" Hisayo shot Kayoko a look and kicked her lightly under the table. Kayoko brushed her off sipped her tea again, merely making small talk. "I bet we could find some work together." She added finally. To that, Hisayo's mood changed a bit. So perhaps Kayoko wasn't being careless with her words.

No, her intentions were for report. A new ally. A teammate. A confidant. Another wolf for the pack. "We travel outside of Water Country quite often with the assistance of our master. Surely we can help you recover one way or another." Kayoko's demeanor softened and she made eye contact with Kazue now. "If you could have anything in the world, what would you want? Would you have to take it? Or is it something less tangible?"

At this, Hisayo shot Kayoko a most quizzical of looks. Kayoko was usually not so deeply spoken. It was a nice change of pace.

[Willoria]

When Kayoko suddenly asked if Kazue intended to become a shinobi, Kazue choked on her tea for a moment. It was a sudden question that immediately felt offensive, but as Kayako added her other comment she realized it wasn't so much offensive as simply something she hadn't thought about. "I hadn't considered it, as far as I know, the only thing I know is the way of the sword, is Iaido. I've never considered anything else... although..." Her words trailed off into her teacup as she took another sip in thought. She listened as Kayako went on, and the woman's questions suddenly hit on something very serious for Kazue.

Kazue suddenly went quiet and looked down at the table as she set her teacup down and sighed. "Right now... if I could have anything... it'd be something less tangible." She looked between the pair in front of her a moment as she wondered if it was something she should even be talking about, but was this even a thing that actually required trust?

'No, its just embarrassing to admit at this point.'

"I have no memory before a few years ago, during the war." she finally admitted. She reached behind her to her lower back and drew the khyber knife she kept on her person and set it on the table in front of her. "This is all I had on me when I was found half to dead by a family in what used to be tea country. They brought me back to health but my memories never returned. I have no idea who I was before that. Kazue is actually a name they chose for me even."

[Sia]

To the note of Iaido, Hisayo and Kayoko gave each other a glance. "So you know your way around a sword then?" Kayoko purred. Hisayo wondered if perhaps KAzue might make a good training partner after all. She would have to see the skills for herself some time. "Hisayo isn't too shabby with a sword herself, though her style is a bit more Brazen and less methodic than Iaido." Spoke Kayoko, whom then finished her tea. She examined the Khyber knife as Kazue put it down upon the table and inspected it closely.

She began to channel chakra and her right hand began to change shape and shift, her fingers melting together and then falling off onto the table. The mass of what was now very apparently stone and not human flesh began to take shape and formed into a stone copy of the khyber knife. IKayoko held it and compared it to the one on the table, then flipped it around in her fingers for a moment before absorbing it back into her body, reshaping her hand. "I quite like the weight." She said with a chuckle. "Though usually, I'm not much for wielding a blade myself. I usually umm...turn into one instead." She admitted with a giggle.

Hisayo rolled her eyes.

[Willoria]

Kazue couldn't help a chuckle as Kayoko seemed suddenly interested in her as a swordsman. She tapped the sword attached to her hip still and nodded. "Apparently I took to Iaido like a natural, the only other clue I have to anything. I probably knew something of it before I lost my memory." she replied, watching as Kayako looked over the Khyber knife. It was interesting watching the woman shift and change shape of her hand. She raised an eyebrow as she watched, intrigued by both what she was seeing and hearing.

But Kazue turned her eyes to Hisayo as she lrolled her eyes. "You don't really talk much, do you?" she asked. She reached out and took her Khyber knife back, sheathing it at her lower back again. "You haven't said much since I sat down.

[Sia]

Finally, Hisayo snapped out of her daze. She had been so lost in thought of her little participation in the events directly after the war, she had gone somewhere else entirely. She sat down her tea and smiled at Kazue gently, though her eyes portrayed a definitive and unmistakable emotion; she appeared to be quite sad. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer than what little she had spoken before. "I did not participate in the war either, though I may as well have given some of the things I helped with immediately afterwards. It certainly felt like war anyway." Her mind wandered to Owl Country and the horrible jutsu she had seen Maido use there.

"My master says humans are a disease on the planet and that she's tired of their foolish wars." Hisayo added. To this, Kayoko nodded in agreement. It was a powerful sentiment. Maido didn't put her foot down often, but she had been adamant in her decision, and so Kayoko had obeyed. Stay out and away, the message had been clear. Still, this was what she had been born into. This was the life she had trained for. Her skills had been suited elsewhere though, and they had plenty of work to do regardless. Hisayo continued, "I wonder if Maido might be able to help you with your memory. She is a particularly skilled healer." She said after a moment of thought. She turned to Kayoko for a moment. "After all, she's like three hundred something right? And her memory is pretty good. She must use some sort of jutsu to keep her brain in check huh?" She speculated out. Kayoko shrugged. "I think she's just a bit nuts to be perfectly honest with you. I'm half convinced she just makes shit up and hopes for the best. Didn't it kinda seem that way last time?"

Hisayo giggled and got distracted momentarily when she saw someone cute at another table. She smiled at the and gave a polite wave before her eyes locked with Kayoko and she looked down, embarrassed. "Yeah...I've um...had a lot on my mind these days sorry. I have been trying to distract myself but I haven't had much luck I'm afraid." She continued, "What about you? What makes you tick? What do you plan to do while you're here in Steam Country? Got anything fun planned?"

[Willoria]

She didn't disagree with the idea of being 'tired of foolish wars', but the words 'humans are a disease on the planet' made the woman inwardly cringe. 'What kind of person is this Maido?' she thought to herself, sipping her tea carefully to try and hide the body language that went with her thoughts on the issue. The pair in front of her went on to talk about this woman, even mentioning that she might be able to help Kazue. But something in the name alone made Kazue's skin crawl. She wasn't sure what, but she just felt unsettled thinking about this 'Maido', and she didn't even know her. Did she?

She looked up as Hisayo turned to ask her more questions and Kazue just chuckled. "I'm afraid I'm pretty simple." she admitted. "I wasn't going to come here at all, but the family I've been sworn to since they saved my life told me to. They insisted I needed a break... even then, I only agreed with the kids demanded souvenirs and toys from out here. Honestly don't have much in the way of plans, some sight-seeing and some shopping I guess." she said, shrugging almost sheepishly.

[Sia]

The Muramasa cousins listened to Kazue a and finished their tea at about the same time as luck would have it. Hisayo uncrossed and then recrossed her legs then the other way. Kayoko yawned and stretched, covering her mouth until the yawn was over. "Forgive me, it's been a long week I am afraid." She said when she was done. Her body began to melt, yes, melt. It melted and reshaped itself together then into a sludge puddle of stone and flames. Into a sword, Kayoko transformed then and fell against Hisayo's hand as she began to rise from her seat. "There is nothing wrong with liking the more simple things in life, I assure you." Hisayo spoke, her eyes softened and her smile dreamy.

"Sometimes...I think we could all use a little break." Hisayo said then, and wiped her eyes, turning away. Her mind raced for some reason then, yet her tears were not meant for show. She would hide them and abide them and make right by them. She could lie then in the tides then and survive them in the dry den. Maido walked into the tea shop then and saw Hisayo and Kayoko but said nothing, for Hisayo appeared to be standing to leave anyway. "It was certainly nice to meet you, Kazue. I do hope we get to see you again," said Hisayo most politely, then gave a nod and went back to the streets.

Maido took her tea and turned, giving a polite wave to Kazue from afar before taking a single step and disappearing immediately into nowhere. There was no noise. There was no smoke. There was no blur of movement, no dispersal of dust. She was merely gone.