Soft orange eyes looked over the small note for the fifth time that morning. Being very good with directions, this was first. Someone had given her road names instead of landmarks. How was she supposed to know the freakin’ road names? She knew where everything was by what it was near, and now she hated to admit that she was lost. Sanshiko huffed and stopped in the middle of the road. She crossed her arms and sneered down at the ground. This was getting frustrating. She stuffed the directions away in the long sleeves of her Lotus robe and rubbed her face them. She had to admit, though, she was a bit nervous. She was traveling to meet her partner, though she only knew that she was the hold of the Nibi. Everything had to be kept so secretive, but did they really have to send her off with indecent directions and no names? Crossing her arms across her chest once more, she started to walk slowly along the dirt road that was supposed to lead her near her destination point. “Bakana…” She muttered under her breath and looked up at the sky, her black hair falling back out of her face.

Strange enough, there seemed to be no one on this road today. Perhaps it was the colder weather? But in actuality it wasn’t that cold, it felt really nice outside on this day. And as she looked at the changing colors of the leaves in the trees above her as she passed them, she smiled and closed her eyes as the wind blew in a mild gust of air. Sanshiko’s eyes were her favorite part about her appearance. In anyone else’s eyes, the leaves would have made a beautiful reflection, but in hers they could not be seen. The oranges and yellows seemed to get swallowed up in the orbs. The thought of this only made her smile more vibrant. The boy’s back in Amegakure probably would have fallen all over for her if she weren’t a Jinchurriki. With all of those memories flooding back into her mind, she right hand rubbed her neck where the light blue ribbon covered. Underneath was the proof the bijuu inside her; gills. Though they didn’t really work the way a real fish’s would. She could breath both on land and in water, like an amphibian.

She wondered how the other Jinchurriki would look. She never actually saw another one in person before, only heard of them or heard from them, like the note she received to meet this other member of the Demon’s Lotus. Speaking of, she looked to her left and saw the one landmark she was waiting to find. It was a large rock that had the kanji for sky* painted on its surface. She pulled the directions out once more and looked them over, nodding in approval that this was indeed the place she was to meet her partner in crime. “I can’t wait!” she exclaimed and walked over to sit a top of the rock. For giggles, she moved her koi mask from it’s crooked position on the right side of her head to cover her face. Wearing it made her feel important, like she wasn’t already. To add to her excitement, she placed her hand above her eyes in a searching position and looking up and down the road.

Why were they being put into teams anyway? What could they possibly be going up against that was strong enough for them to be put into groups of two? Whatever, she knew never to question the reasons for what people did and how they did it. She just wished no one would ever question her. She realized that she did odd things, but did it really stand out so much that people had to ask her if she had mental problems? No, she didn’t. She was just…complicated. That was it. She was just a very complicated girl. Of course, her actions weren’t the only things being questioned about her. The ribbon around her neck, for example, was one of the prime targets for everyone’s eyes. As far as she can remember, she’d never taken it off. Only she knew what was below the light blue fabric. She intended to keep it that way. What was it anyone else’s business what she hid from society?

From years of having beady eyes stare at her, her sense kicked in and she could feel someone near her. But, this was kind of different from a normal human. Her eyebrows lifted in excitement, that must be my partner! She removed the koi mask and looked eagerly up and down the street, hoping to find this person. But, I don’t see anyone. She then heard a small shuffle in the trees behind her, but before she could turn around to see what it was, a girl appeared in front of her face and piped ‘hello’. Sanshiko closed her eyes and screamed and almost fell off of the rock. She covered her mouth quickly and slowly opened her eyes to see that the person was now on the ground. She was wearing the same kind of robe like Sanshiko was, so maybe this was her partner. Then, orange orbs found the feline ears on the girl’s head. It had to be! The Nibi was a two-tailed cat, right?

Jumping down from the rock, Sanshiko did a small curtsy and smiled, “Mizu, Sanshiko!” she said and sort of saluted her. She then stuck her tongue out and laughed. “So, if you know that I’m the Sanbi, that means that you must be the Nibi!” She figured she had to be right, how else would this girl have known that she was a Jinchurriki if she’d just met her. Well, she didn’t even meet her yet, did she? It must have been the robe that she was wearing. The three koi and the kanji for san on her back must have given it away. She looked down and put a finger up to her mouth, “I guess I was kinda late then, huh?”

Oh thank goodness! She thought as Kujikeru told her that it was her who was early. Sanshiko hated being late, it was kinda one of those OCD things that she did. Always on time, but never really early. By this point in her life, she honestly had no idea how she did it. She couldn’t recall anyone in her family that did that, it was only her. Likewise, she shrugged it off and took notice that Kujikeru had taken to her sketchbook and started to draw. It was peculiar to her, but she knew that other people were weird in their own ways. She smiled as her assumption of the other girl being the Nibi was true but then looked intently at the drawing she had done in just the few seconds of standing on the dirt path. It was quite amazing. “Wow, Keru-chan, you’re really good.” Sanshiko told her as she still stared at the sketch of herself. There wasn’t any little detail left out, and in such quick timing! Sanshiko could never draw like that. The best she could do were plants and everything. Her people kinda looked like misshapen balloon animals.

“Where did you learn to draw like that?” She asked and poked the picture, wondering if it was really paper and not a mirror. Behind it she could see other drawings that she had done. Her attention was torn away as Kujikeru put the book down and then started to go through hand signs. When her summon appeared, Sanshiko’s eyes went wide and her mouth opened. There stood a cat, and it was…talking?! Sanshiko had a dragon summon that could talk, but that was because it was a mystical creature. But this was a real cat. She came over to smell her and then stated something about her smelling like that fish she had for lunch until Kujikeru stopped her. She wasn’t worried, as she knew she was way to big for the cat to eat. “It’s okay!” but then she smelled her arm, wondering how she smelled like a fish.

She looked back to the girl and her summon and smiled, “I have one as well.” She said and looked around, making sure there was enough room. Though, Riyuu was about the size of a large horse. Sanshiko then flipped through hand seals and bit her thumb to allow for a bit of the red liquid to come out. Slamming her hand on the ground, a cloud of smoke billowed around her. When it cleared, and standing halfway behind her, a dark blue dragon could be seen. His golden eyes looked at Kujikeru and then at her summon. His long whisker like feelers swayed though there was no wind. “Keru-chan, this is Riyuu.” Sanshiko said with a smile, then looked over to the dragon. “Riyuu-sama, this is the girl I told you I would be partners with in the Demon’s Lotus.” The dragon let out a low hum and closed his eyes. He nodded to Kujikeru. “Eh, he doesn’t talk much…”