Where you are (exit)

“What the deuce?” Sephora said to Talon. “Really? You're just going to throw me under the carriage? Is it just me or did YOU follow me? So aren't you just as guilty as me?” Sephora hissed at Talon! She rolled her eyes at him. She knew he cared about her and was trying to be there for her despite how irritating this situation was! She sighed as she waved them away. “Fine! very well, I got myself into this situation…I get it.” She said looking down then up at Amikiri as he spoke. The minute he deactivated his Byakugan she did hers as well with a quick flick and hand sign. 
“Yes sir?” She asked as she stood close to him waiting on him to speak. Amikiri didn't seem upset with her, which was good! Now in the past she would have normally blown off any of her can members but, Sephora turned over a new leaf, therefore she treats them with respect. “I'm sorry for this whole fiasco, thanks for being understanding.” Sephora said before he spoke to her, she felt the apology was needed. This is a step in the right direction at least, even if she isn't in trouble.

WC:202

As Amikiri looked out into the distance, he could hear this group of friends resolving their issues, and then he heard Talon and Tori make their way off, presumably to get some rest and get out of this cold rain. Sephora then apologized to the dark haired Hyuuga and he give a simple nod of acceptance in response.

Amikiri waited for a few more seconds before he would ask her, “I have a quick question for you and when you answer it, you may go. I know this sounds like a strange question, but I want to know why? I often find myself wondering the same question. As I look out onto the world from behind these gates, I wonder why. I promise I won’t get too sentimental, but I feel this is necessary to explain for my question to make sense.”

“For almost my entire life, I grew up on my family’s farm and we did well for ourselves. I lived in the countryside of Haven Country. The rolling hills, dense forests, and flat plains where you could see for miles made up my entire childhood and adolescence. The neighbor’s fields were not separated by a fence, but simply a mutual understanding. It was a simple time, yet one of great happiness.”

“It was about a year and a half ago that I moved into Hoshigakure proper. The city was different from everything I had grown up with. There were endless opportunities to grow and prosper, but I soon came to realize I also felt trapped.”

“It’s almost every day now that I look out past these gates and wonder why I’m still here. I don’t mean that I want to flee Hoshigakure, retire, or even defect. It’s simply a question of why my work is limited to Hoshigakure and its immediate surrounding area.”

“Before I exited my guard shack, I heard a bit of chitter chatter outside and now I can guess that it was you, likely feeling conflicted. And before I say my question, I want to make myself clear. When I say leave, I don’t mean permanently, just to leave Hoshigakure.”

“What drove you to want to leave the city and go to the borders? But more importantly, what drove you to stay?”

WC: 377
TWC: 1229

AP:

[Granting permission for Sephora to enter Hoshigakure/exit topic if she answers Amikiri's question]

Sephora thought for a minute. This was a loaded question and one she thought about often considering she spent a good chunk of her life as a missing ninja after having done some of the stuff she had done in the past. Her entire demeanor and expression softened as she looked up at Amikiri. In a way she understood how he felt, but she also knew Hoshigakure was her home because of…family! Ayato, Toneri, Dante, Talon and Tori were all here. This was home! And as.the old saying goes, home is where the heart is. When she reached out to touch the gates…her heart stopped her. She had a feeling that said, “don't do this, even if it's a small trip, and you're returning, don't do this…stay.” Love, heart, soul and family stopped her! Feelings she never had before she came to Hoshi!
She reached out and he gently put her hand on Amikiri s as she looked into his eyes so she could explain in the most heartfelt way possible, “Love stopped me. All my years as a missing non and the few I spent joining different villages and building a village at one point, I have never felt the feelings of being cared about, or loved like I feel here! The world is an amazing place, I'm not going to deny that, I have had so many adventures, good and bad and faced death a few times, but when I came to Hoshi everything for me changed! Sometimes, it takes finding the right people to help you know where you're meant to be.” she held onto his hand as she began to walk past him. She stopped for a second as she stood by him facing the opposite way. “If you ever need a friend, just want to hang out or train or anything, you know where to find me.” She leaned her head on his shoulder for a brief second as if to show affection towards someone she would count as a new found friend, and fellow clan member. She gently let go of his hand and left the area to head home. 


Exit

WC: 1274
+12 stats

Vigor+3
Chakra+3
Strength+3
Speed+3

As Sephora explained her reasoning, Amikiri felt a similar reasoning and feeling within himself. While not the same, his family kept him here. He knew he would never betray Hoshigakure because his family was in Haven Country, and he would never leave them or want harm to fall upon them because of him. Sephora made a brief gesture of holding Amikiri’s hand and resting her head on his shoulder, which he appreciated. Though, as he would later look back on this moment in retrospect, was almost amusing, as his hand and shoulder were still clad in his cold and wet steel armor. As Sephora left, Amikiri would make a simple comment of, “Thank you very much for the help Sephora. Hopefully we can meet again some day.” The dark haired Hyuuga continued looking out over the beauty of Haven Country, with the clouds parting and the rising sun granting him a beautiful sight of his home.

WC: 156
TWC: 1385

AP:

[exit]

Claims:
1385 WC to Dust Breathing (1500/1500) (past progress here)