Trying to Relax

Things were horrible at home. Neither Dad nor Uncle had time for Michiko. Dad was of course off at work for the ANBU, and Uncle had to go to a meeting. That had left Michiko home alone bored, with nothing to do. She didn't feel like reading or cleaning the house. She was asked to clean her room, but she didn't care. She used her closet for target practice anyway.

With a big sigh, and not feeling particularly interested in training either, having a rather large headache....she was starting to think of what could be soothing rather than causing herself more stress by being frustrated. What came to mind first was a hot cup of matcha tea. She loved when Uncle made that. She could make it too, but it just wasn't as good as Uncle's tea. Huffing, she decided to get dressed. Nothing too much. She just put on some shorts (because shorts are always comfy!), and a loose fitting robe style shirt, along with some sandals. She didn't bother putting on her usual socks that she wore whenever training or traveling. Why? Well, she gathered a towel as well and a bathing suit, and packed her favorite soap and a brush that looked like it went through hell and back. Just in case though....she tied on a belt and brought her tanto with her and snuck some kunai up her sleeves, typing them to her arms with easy to pull away sports tape.

"Here we go....ok....hot springs here I come!", Michiko said, and she left the house. She wasn't supposed to do that either, but to be honest, she could care less about the rules right now. She was going to be a woman soon, and she needed to find her own path in life, not be tied to stupid constraints. How was she going to become a great kunoichi by doing everything her Father ordered her to do? Sure she'd be...umm...obedient. Err..the word was actually loyal? Meh. Who cared anyways. She had a headache, and going out was better than slamming her head into the wall.

At the hot springs, the young Genin changed into her bathing attire behind some rocks, and would enter the steaming water, leaving her bundle of equipment nearby in case she should need to get it. She placed it behind some large rocks in the corner of the room she was in, staying somewhat close to it, as she sighed and allowed herself to relax, at least bodily. Mentally....that was another task. Her Father's piercing gaze wouldn't leave her head. She hated feeling like this. Huffing, she closed her eyes and she sank into the water. Feeling warm and comforted by the waters around her, she began to let go of her fears and worries, and thought of drifting on the wind. That part was easy at least, because the water made her feel rather weightless.

"If only I was a bird....maybe I'd fly away."

(20 exp)

Kagura had come to the hot springs a short while ago because she was unbelievably sore. While her body had long since stopped developing to be stronger or faster, she still felt the need to train every day she could, stay active, stay vigilant, and stay strong. And as per usual, that meant taking training and amping it up to the point where most people would wonder if there was much in the way of sanity in the brown-haired woman. It was one thing to train by yourself, but entirely another to use Mass Shadow Clone to create hundreds of copies of yourself for a massive battle royale. She had taken up the entirety of the training floor she had reserved for nearly four hours to complete the training, and afterward, she was littered with sweat, grime, and dirt. There was nothing quite like the hot springs to help ease those sore muscles, so visiting the onsen on the way home was mandatory.

So she had, having brought along her trusty swimsuit as she always did since it didn't take up much room, and slipping into a room that was completely and utterly unoccupied. Since she lived in the Uchiha compound but was not an Uchiha, she had gotten a bit of a reputation lately, and it was only compounded by the fact that she had done so much during the war. The title 'The Calvary' was not something that she had asked for, but instead, it was given to her for the countless times she waded into the battlefield and turned the tide, and the coined phrase 'Calling in the Calvalry' had simply stuck to her. Avoiding the popularity that it brought was something that Kagura tended to try to do; she didn't do anything for fame. It was simply what needed to be done, but the stoic attitude only made her more popular.

So when she heard someone approaching, she slowly and silently ducked into the water, completely submerging and hiding for now. If it was someone she needed to worry about, she would simply hold her breath until there was a chance to use the Substitution Technique to leave without being noticed. But seeing the young Michiko Uchiha walk in and start enjoying the bath, Kagura couldn't help but feel calmer. The young girl was someone that the brunette had seen but never spoken to, as she lived in the same Clan District, but being someone who didn't have the Sharingan, that made it a bit awkward sometimes to interact with the other members outside Akari. This was a good chance to get to know the young woman, and once she was fully relaxed, Kagura silently emerged from the depth of the hot springs, silent as death itself, hoping to get a fun reaction.

"Hello." It was calm, casual, but considering that the young woman probably had thought she was alone, it was likely to startle the young girl, despite the wide, warm smile on Kagura's face.

[1]

Trying to relax and actually relaxing were two very different things. Michiko hadn't even noticed anyone else coming into the pool, as she was fully immersed in the warm liquid, her eyes closed. She actually began to feel really nice and calm, as she enjoyed the bath, until....

"Hello."

Michiko was instantly pulled away from her somewhat meditative state into one of panic. She instinctively activated her Sharingan in response to the greeting that she perceived as a threat, as silly as that seems (she got spooked), but being as it she was submerged under water when she was caught off guard, the little girl swallowed some water and she began choking. She surfaced and faced the older girl with the honey colored hair, coughing and gasping, her Sharingan taking in everything as a hue of red, as she stared at the other angrily.

"OH MY GOD! Why did you do that?!", Michiko yelled after avoiding dying by drowning in the hot spring. Then she added, still clearly angry she'd been bothered, "I was just trying to actually relax for once!"

The young girl would then flop herself back into the water, floating on the surface in her black one-pieced bathing suit and she stared at the sky, and let out a huge sigh. She had been so tired, not getting enough sleep, worried about her Daddy and her Uncle, and having nightmares. Still, being here in the hot springs was a lot more comfortable than being at home. She could always just go and train, likely by herself, or with Mr. Wood Boy.....but sometimes in cases like this, she preferred to be alone. Only, that alone time was interrupted by this new person, and well....

"I'm sorry I yelled. I was just enjoying it here. My name is Uchiha Michiko. What's your name?", she asked. She blinked slowly, her Sharingan having reverted to her eyes' normal dark grey color when she reopened them. Birds flew by under the sun like the ones you can paint with a few strokes of a brush. Once more, she thought about how she really just wanted to get away from her family. Maybe for a long time. Maybe forever. Was this wrong? Yes. However, she actually loved her family very much. She was just so frustrated with what was going on with them. Maybe this other girl's company would be nice? If not, she could always leave the hot spring, but for now, she had no reason to leave. She wanted to enjoy it. The warmth was so comforting.

_______________

Stamina: 49.8/50 CP

To say that she was surprised that the young girl freaked out was not true. Kagura had probably scared the poor girl half to death, but it was the comment about ‘trying to relax for once’ that truly caught her attention. If the brunette were to guess, like most Uchiha, there were high expectations that she was trying to fill. Still the earnest reaction earned her a giggle, and she leaned back, lazing in the water to where it was just below her chest, unintentionally showing off herself with her two-piece swimsuit, and drifting back to the wall, relaxing.

“My apologies. When you came in, I thought you might be someone I wanted to avoid so I hid. I know a little of you, Michiko-san. I’ve seen you in the Uchiha compound. I am Kagura Ezume, and I stay with Akari Uchiha.” That would probably be enough information; she had made herself quite well known during the war, and that had been on purpose. She didn’t care about the fame from the friendlies, but the enemies of Konoha knew of her well, the title ‘The Calvary’ not being for show. She had turned the tide of many battles with her specialty of getting onto the battlefield and then swarming the enemies with Mass Shadow Clones. There weren’t many who could defend against her, for she was Legion.

“That aside, come sit here for a moment. I know of something that may help ease your tension.” She smiled warmly, patting the spot next to her. Assuming that she complied and moved closer, Kagura would use expert skill to find a few key pressure points that with the right application of strength, relieving tension before continuing on to work her magic fingers across the young girl’s back, where most tensions tried to take root. If she didn’t come closer, Kagura would also not take that personally; not everyone was able to accept help so easily, after all.

“The pressure that your clan, as a whole, tends to put on their children does not seem healthy. I may live there, but I am no Uchiha, so I can’t say much that would affect change. But if you want to get anything off your chests, I will always have an open ear.” If the young girl had allowed her to massage her muscles to release the tension, now was the time where she would let her go so she could relax. “Truth is, I came here for the same reason; a little relaxation and to get clean. Just finished training.” She rotated her neck around a couple of times, and a sound pop could be heard, and she relaxed further, slipping deeper into the water so it covered all but her nose up.

[2]

Michiko continued to float on the water, until the older girl started talking to her, and Michiko righted herself, submerged in the water up to her shoulders, and looking at the woman, giving her full attention. The little Uchiha smiled a bit, listening to the other girl. She thought she was someone she might need to hide from? Michiko giggled. The other girl also mentioned that she had seen Michiko before in the Uchiha Compound, and she stated her name as Kagura Ezume and that she lived with Akari Uchiha. Michiko found that very interesting.  She knew not many non-Uchiha were allowed in the Clan District,  much less live there. That at least, meant perhaps she could be trusted. Akari was well known, and very powerful. If Michiko remembered right, Akari had been the Hokage once.

Kagura went on to sit at the edge of the hot pool, and she patted the place beside her, staring for Michiko to come join her, and that she knew a way to ease her tension. Michiko was surprised by this offer, but her face showed genuine curiosity,  and she felt comfortable here around her. Therefore,  Michiko decided it'd be ok, and she swam over to the edge of the pool where Kagura was and climbed out to sit beside her.

The lady then gently began to massage Michi's exposed back (it was one of those opened backed one-piece bathing suits). The small girl flinched slightly at the women's initial touch (a sign that perhaps she was being abused at home), but soon Michiko sighed in delight, enjoying the other's touch on the spots where tension liked to collect itself.

"Ahhhh.", Michiko sighed, curling into Kagura's touch appreciatively. She continued to listen to the other as she explained that she knew of the hardships the Uchiha Clan went through, to a degree anyway. She then offered that Michiko could vent to her if she'd like, and Michi was quiet for a moment more, before she replied, a sadness in her voice, but also relaxation,

"You're very nice. Thank you, Kagura-San. Are you good friends with Akari-Dono? You must be accepted into our clan, so I'll trust you, okay? Just don't tell my Dad or my Uncle I left the house today. I mean...they'll probablyfind out anyway. I get in trouble a lot,  but I don't care.", Michiko began. Kagura may have more questions for her, but Michiko would answer them if it came. She would just close her eyes and lean into Kagura for now. Was this what it would have been like if Mom was still around? Michiko never even got to know her Mother.

_________________

442 WC

Kagura smiled warmly as the young Uchiha indulged her and allowed her to work her magic on the woman's physical tension. She was too young to have so much stress and worry, but what could Kagura do about it? That was a thought that rolled around in her mind a little bit. She knew all too well what she could do about it... she could provide the young girl an open ear that wouldn't judge her and sound advice to guide her. That was about all she could do without directly meddling into affairs that would start a bit of an uproar, and she wasn't about to try to make waves at the moment. She had finally become relatively accepted by the Uchiha, her commendations during the war speaking for themselves. The flinch at her touch made her eyes narrow, but she would ask Akari to look into it more. She held sway in these kinds of situations.

Then she spoke, and Kagura smiled. "I try my best to be kind to those who deserve it. Akari-Sama was my Sensei when I was but a Genin, and don't worry, it'll be our little secret. I had a rebellious streak in me too when I was your age. My parents are prior Shinobi too, even if they are retired now." She didn't dive into details; that rabbit hole was deep, dark, and full of bad memories. She didn't get too emotional from them anymore, having seen the terrors of war that her father had warned her about, but it didn't make them suck any less. She continued the massage, working over different areas as she went, and trying to ensure she hunted down and worked out every knot she could.

"Still, your bloodline is amazing. I know firsthand. The majority of the first part of my working with Akari-Sama was getting the absolute snot beaten out of me and getting back up and keep fighting. Could never manage to win even once! You have a lot of potential, so don't let anyone get you down and just keep fighting. Willpower is the ultimate tool any human being has." And it was the truth too; anyone in the world who really made a difference was set apart because they had the willpower to see it through.

[3]

The waters of the hot spring were soothing, and Kagura's expert massage therapy added to a serene sense of calm and a release of the young girl's physical tension. Michiko remained still and quiet as she listened to the wise adult. Maybe it was stupid, just trusting someone you just met. It could get you killed or maimed, that's what she'd learned. Perhaps Michiko was willing to take too many chances. However, was that wrong? If you wanted to really progress in life and become an amazing person like a clan or village leader, you had to be willing to take risks and follow your own heart, right? That's what Michiko believed. She understood Kagura. It seemed Kagura had family problems too, and since Michiko didn't want to dwell on those things right now, she wouldn't ask the older lady. Instead, she just enjoyed this moment of zen she so desperately needed.

Then, the little girl would reply to Kagura, "My Uncle says kindness is a virtue. I try to be kind too, but sometimes I feel like some people don't deserve it. There's a lot of wrong people out there. That's why we have to have ninja. I want to be a ninja so I can bring peace and order to the wrongness of the world. I hate to see others treated badly. I mean....", she trailed off. She was going to say she too was treated badly, but she couldn't talk about that. Was she wrong? Father was harsh, and he seemed really cruel sometimes, but he also said that he loved her and he wanted her to grow strong. She had to be tough to be a real ninja.

Michiko sighed deeply, and allowed her head to relax against the woman's chest, and she was comforted by a pillowy fluffiness. It made Michiko blush though when she realized it could be rude though she hadn't meant it to be so, so she sat up straight again, and she would come out of her deep relaxation and turn herself towards kagura, looking up at her with her dark silvery hued eyes, and continued,

"Willpower....my bloodline.....heh. I lose a lot too! You're right though. Always gotta power forward. It's the only way.", Michi giggled, and then she asked Kagura, "So, what sort of Kunoichi are you? What's your speciality?", and with that, Michiko decided she wanted to wash her hair. She went to the edge of the pool and climbed out for a second, bringing her bag over that contained her bathing things, and also her tanto, and she took out her shampoo. It was softening shampoo with the scent of lavender. Soothing, though her hair for some reason was really resistant against becoming easy to manage. Climbing back down into the water, she opened the bottle and began washing her long hair, while watching Kagura and waiting for her reply.

[4]

Kagura nodded behind her in agreement. “Sounds like your Uncle is pretty wise, but you aren’t wrong either. Some people are undeserving of the kindness you try to give them. It is a precarious balance. We all have things that we fight for, and you must surround yourself with those who deserve your kindness or you will lose yourself. Not all fights are on the battlefield.” It was a subtle nudge, but one that wouldn’t be mistaken. She could tell the young girl was still a little on edge, wanting to relax but unable to let her guard down completely. She would have to see how she might be able to help her that way and possibly discover what it is that got her to that extent in the first place. Even her suddenly jerking away once she started to truly physically relax was an indicator that something had made her unable to completely be at ease with anyone.

She smiled again as the woman accepted her advice and then asked her about her specialty. She truly must have been young and inexperienced if she hadn’t heard of the brunette at all, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. To have your reputation precede you meant that they had already formed their own beliefs on the matter and had an idea of how they felt about you and what you had done. A fresh slate was refreshing. But before she started, she watched for a moment as the young woman grabbed her Shampoo and prepared to work on her hair, and decided that maybe she could help her just a little bit more as well. Kagura leaned forward, reaching over and wrapping her finger around the young woman’s waist, and carefully and gently lifted her up and set her slowly onto her own lap, her thicker thighs providing a nice seat for the girl. Once she was in place, she grabbed the shampoo bottle out of the young woman’s hand and then applied a generous amount into her palm, and then slowly pressed it into the woman’s hair.

Years of taking care of her own hair and Akari’s, plus her expert massage skills, made this an easy experience for Kagura, but if the fellow Uchiha’s reactions when she did it to Akari were to be judged, it was a deeply pleasant experience. Within moments, the entire mass of Michiko’s hair was in her hands, fingers digging through and massaging her scalp while building a thick lather with the shampoo. “I am most known for showing up and overwhelming the enemy with a few hundred shadow clones. That’s why they call me ‘The Calvary’ I guess. And when everyone else is tired I just keep going. How about you? What’s your specialty?” A little bit of girl talk wouldn’t hurt. Her fingers continued their skilled work through the woman’s hair and scalp, hoping to help her relax further with the pleasure her skill could bring.

[4]

Michiko was working on her hair with her shampoo, not expecting the woman to reach for the bottle and work on her hair for her. She froze for a second and just blinked and stared forward for a moment, before telling Kagura,

"Thank you.", and she would relax again, finding Kagura's finger nails gently working on her scalp very soothing. It was a whole lot better than her doing it herself. Then she had the weird thought, that maybe she'd never known how to actually wash her hair properly. Maybe that was the case though? She grew up in a house with two grown men who knew nothing about female hygiene, and she taught herself. There was one new aspect of it that was a complete and total nightmare for her and everyone else in the house who had to deal with her, but that was best not talked about. She didn't want to think about such things anyways, so she listened to Kagura. The older woman explained to her what she was known for on the battlefield. The small Uchiha decided that that was really cool. As for her question, the girl would reply,

"Well ummm....I'm good with kunai I guess, and I like my tanto. My Father is a swordsman, and I like his form, so he got me a sword too. I don't have a real preference though. I'm still testing the waters.", came her reply. It was very honest. She was still very new at being a Genin, and though she had skills in Ninjutsu, and with weaponry, she didn't particularly favor anything, nor did she have any sort of reputation. Perhaps one day she would.

[5]