Show me the way

IV: Innocence

The moment Shizuka extended his trembling hand, he felt something akin to dread. Would the girl accept a hand so dirtied by blood? After spilling so much blood over his short lifespan he felt like he could never get his hands clean. No matter how he scrubbed and washed, he only saw the red haze of blood covering his hands. Now he held out that disgusting hand out to a girl, innocent and maybe even naive, and expected her to just take it. The smile that graced her face at his offering was almost too much to bare and when her soft and small fingers touched the palm of his hand before they closed around it, he felt a shiver run through him. She steadied his hand almost enough to stop the tremble, though it must feel strange to the girl to hold on to something that unsteady.

After a moment of wandering thoughts, Shizuka pulled himself out of his daze. With a few blinks he tore his eyes of the girl and set out towards the dango shop once again.

Now that the first awkwardness between them was gone, the girl was talking easily, despite not gaining an answer or even an acknowlegdement to her words. Shizuka took in everything the girl said, noticed many similarities to his own childhood and took note of the differences, but for now his past urged him to distance himself from the girl.

"Hitori, by the way." The girl broke Shizuka from his musings and he stopped, looking back at her. She grinned for getting a reaction. "My name, it's Hitori." Shizuka nodded, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Unfair, but there was no further answer. No way he could, but he wanted to. Another way to be trapped in his own body, his own mind, without a sound.

Hitori seemed to study him for a while. "You can't talk, can you?" She asked, sadness in her voice. "I'm sorry." Shizuka shrugged, trying to convey the message that she didn't need to be, it was his own problem. It was a punishment for his deeds and he'd bare it accordingly. The true intent of his answer became nothing more then a sad smile and a gentle squeeze of his hand.

They walked on in silence. Reluctance found its way into the girl's steps as they gravitated closer to the one she wronged. Before they rounded the last corned, Shizuka halted, turning to Hitori. 'Why?' He mouthed. All he received was a confused look. With a sigh he took out the wakizashi. 'Why take this?' His second attemp donned understanding before sorrow struck her face. "I need it." Little more then a whisper, but clearly heard by Shizuka. There was so much meaning behind the words and the look in her eyes. Was she at an age to be more then a target for shunning? He hoped to Kami there had been no abuse to trigger her need to wield a weapon, but he nodded nontheless. He understood. Did he himself not wield a fake smile and loud personality to fight his demons? It could have been equally easy to resort to violence, much like Gaara had done.

They rounded the corner, finding everything as Shikuza had left it up to his abandoned dango. The blacksmith stood, impacient with his arms crossed, glaring as soon as Hitori came into view. Shizuka stepped up, letting Hitori step in front of him. Immediately, she bowed her head in an apology, emphesizing her movement by words. "I'm sorry!" It was sincere, and Shizuka was satisfied with it. Her good heart had shone bright and true. Over her bend back, he held up the wakizashi, meaning for the issue to be done with.

The blacksmith took the wakizashi by the hilt and patronized the girl with the same hate filled eyes as he always had to endure. He looked away, the memories coming too close.

Too late he noticed the blacksmith's movement. The man had taken the wakizashi by the hilt and struck the girl clean across the face with it. She yelped, falling to the ground and landing roughly. The world seemed to become quiet as even passers by stopped and gazed at the assault, only silent sobs broke the sudden silence. The blacksmith's movements didn't slow as he lifted the wakezashi to strike down at Hitori once again. As he brought his hand down, Shizuka took a protective stance over Hitori, catching his wrist and twisting it. He twisted it until a snap resounded and the wakizashi was dropped. With easy he caught the weapon and kicked the blacksmith in his obese soft belly, making his stagger back until he hit a wall. It might have been too forceful, but anger made it difficult to reign in his true strength.

Shizuka didn't spare a glance at the man, already focussing back on Hitori. He kneeled down, uncaring about the dirt of the streets and helped Hitori sit up. Gently his fingers caresses the side of her face, probing it lightly with chakra to see the true damage. With his other hand, he wiped away the silent tears. He winced when he found her cheek bone fractured and her jaw bruised. Shizuka poured in more chakra, intensifying the green glow and forcing the injuries to mend by giving it the energy it needed to do so. Beyond mending, he poured in a little red chakra in order to leave not even a bruise on her skin behind. The tears stopped, replaced by awe. Her green eyes spoke of trust and dug into his eyes, finding his very core.

The moment lasted until it was interupted by angry yells from the people that had been watching. Shizuka was not part of this village, and taking a stand against one of them for another that was shunned, they did not take kindly to it. The message was clear, both of them were no longer welcome. Shizuka sighed and rose to his feet, his not very impressive hight still managing to get most to back up. Once again he held out his hand to Hitori, who grabbed it without hesitation. He guided her to the dango shop, dropping the amount of money he still owed them before leaning down and scooping Hitori in his arms. With one last murderous look that made the onlookers stumble back, both of them disappeared from sight.

Not too far away, Shizuka placed Hitori back on her feet in a clearing in the forest. He sat down in front of her to once again check her face, but all the traces of injuries were gone. He sighed with relief, letting his head hang. He was ashamed, ashamed of letting the man hurt Hitori, just because he was once again too weak to protect someone. The failures of his past made him unable to look at Hitori, but after knowing his healing had at least taken the edge off, he felt relieved.

"Uhm..." Hitori sounded unsure and stepped back. A thought crossed Shizuka's mind. Had he displayed horrors for them all by his lash out? Had he shown his true nature, the one of a killer, and was she now as afraid as many before her? Shinigami, Shizukana Shi, demon, monster fox, killer... He was not meant to be close to someone, not even for mere moments. All he brought was hell to those close, even if he wanted to do right by them. He held his breath and closed his eyes. She would run, leave him, even if they had common ground, it would never be enough to close the gap. She would show fear, how could she not? She stood before a monster in every sense of the word. 'Gomen'nasai.' He mouthed, but no sound was heard.

"Arigato." For a moment there was silence, before Shizuka dared a glance up. She stood before him in a bow, the step back was only meant to gain the distance needed to do so. He was flabbergasted and did not understand. With forrowed brow he lifted a trembling hand and raised her head. Once their eyes met again, her face broke into a true smile. "Since you can't tell me your name, I'll call you Tenshi, my guardian angel." The contradiction threw him off. His own mind was hardwired to go against the words so truly spoken. "But... what do I do now? I can't go back anymore, can I?" She didn't sound sad, just unsure, afraid he might leave her. Shizuka took out a scroll and wrote in a steady hand 'Come with me?' Hitori stared at the paper a little longer then it should have been nessesary, clearly troubled to read, but still able to. "Okay, yeah. Where will we go, though, what will we do?"

'Train, travel, earn money and move on.' It always amazed him how steady his hand was when writing, or drawing seals, when they never stilled otherwise. "Train? As in, Shinobi training? Me?" The wonder and anticipation brought a small smile to Shizuka's face and he nodded, holding up the wakizashi for her. A first gift in a new friendship, a new bond. She accepted with brightly burning eyes, before she giggle. Shizuka cocked his head, silently asking what was so funny. "Tenshi-senpai."

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