Night Rain

Night #8

Amaya's night coloured eyes widened considerably. Did she hear right? She pinched herself hard and winced at the pain, frowning. She wasn't dreaming.

"It's true. There's no doubt about it." Her superior had relayed information to her regarding her friend, Kisame. It wasn't good news.

"Why are you telling me this?" Amaya tried to keep herself from overreacting. This was big news to her! She couldn't believe that her blue friend hadn't told her any of this. She didn't even know he was part of it!

"You're his friend, aren't you?" The superior's voice held a hint of disbelief, wondering why Amaya didn't think of the most obvious reason.

Friend...Amaya thought, he's my friend but...

"Yes, he's my friend." She responded quickly.

"I thought you'd like to know what he's been doing, that's all." The superior turned to the side and gave her a small wave, indicating that he would be going off, "Be seeing you."

"Bye!" Amaya spoke as cheerfully as possible, waving a few times before her arm dropped to her side.

...never once has he said that we were friends.

"I take it you've heard?" Amaya's father walked into the living room to their home after returning. He saw her lying flat on the ground, staring at the roof with a concentrated expression. When she didn't answer, he probed for a response, "Amaya? Are you alright?" He went to the kitchen and fixed himself a drink when his daughter didn't respond, before setting down onto the dining table and relaxing his body.

"...the Mist...they've said that Kisame has become a missing-nin." Amaya spoke softly.

"A missing-nin?!" Sho exclaimed. He realised his outburst and calmed down, exhaling. His voice volume was lower, as if telling her something secretive, "This must be why we haven't seen Kisame lately."

"Dad...it's not that we haven't seen him, but rather that we've only seen him once or twice a month." Amaya replied, rolling onto her stomach. She leaned on her hands, supporting her head.

After Kisame's entrance into the 7 Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, the time he spent with the Mizushima's or at his own house was less. Amaya missed having her friend around and when she asked him what he's been doing the whole time, he'd respond with, "I was on a mission."

"But why's he a missing-nin?" Sho racked his thoughts.

"They said the Land of Water wanted him...because he was plotting to overthrow the government, and he went on a lot of assassination missions...and that included assassinating another country's daimyo." Amaya pressed her hand to her forehead. The coolness calmed her.

It almost felt like a dream. But it was real. She knew it was real. Was this the bad feeling she had back then, when she saw Kisame coming home covered in blood?

Sho's brows furrowed. So that was why. That was why Kisame became a missing-nin. He sighed through his nose and pressed his lips into a thin line.

Even assassinating another country's daimyo...Kisame, what awoke inside of you?

"Because he's a missing-nin, they said that we'd have to kill him or capture him upon sight." Amaya frowned slightly.

In all honesty, she didn't want to do that. She didn't want to capture him or kill him. If she captured him, he'd most likely be tortured and that would not be a pleasant sight for anybody. If she killed him, she would have lost a part of her world.

Either way...it's going to hurt.

"What are you thinking, Amaya?" Sho enquired. He had a hunch she was going to do something that would bend the rules. After watching her grow up and knowing how she thinks, he would deduce as much.

"Dad, I'm going out to clear my head. I'll be back soon." Amaya jumped up and dusted herself off, adjusting her clothing.

Sho raised a brow, seeing the clock reading midnight. He heard the sudden pouring of rain outside. His brows raised, before knitting together. "Amaya, it's raining outside. And it's 12."

"I'll be fine. I'm a ninja, remember?" Amaya gave him a smile. "I'll be back soon, okay?" With that, she headed off.

The image of her smile lingered in his mind. It was an empty smile, void of any emotion at all. He could see the distress in her demeanour and eyes.

He glanced out the window and saw her walking at a slow pace, drenching herself in the rain. There was a crescent moon that night, illuminating her silhouette and lengthening her shadow.

"It's raining..."

"I wonder what time it is." Amaya spoke under her breath. She was drenched from head to toe, water dripping everything she wore. She muttered, "Should've gotten the umbrella."

The Jonin stared up at the night sky, squinting to see the moon. It was so bright, illuminating the area around her.

She stood on the outskirts of the village, near a large boulder she often sat on when she was young. She frequently came here with Kisame, as well. It was their favourite spot.

"...actually, maybe mine, not really his. He didn't exactly have an opinion. I just forced him to come with me." Amaya laughed to herself, pressing her hand onto the rock. She stared at the water droplets sliding off her skin, intrigued by the quick movement.

"How long are you going to stare at your hand?"

Amaya jumped from her spot, letting out a yelp. The voice had surprised her. She recovered her breath and turned to the side where she heard the voice, instantly recognising it. She relaxed her shoulders and sent a small smile his way, before it widened.

"Hey. Long-time no see, huh?" She grinned.

"What are you doing out here?" Kisame raised a brow. He had a hood and cloak on, shielding himself from the rain. "You're drenched."

"Well...I was actually going for a midnight stroll. I kind of forgot my umbrella." Amaya shrugged and dropped her hand. "What about you?"

"...I just came back to get something." Kisame spoke slowly.

"Is that so...?" Amaya nodded her head slowly. She stared at Kisame's form, she could still see Samehada on his back. "How are you, anyway? I barely see you around these days."

"I told you I went on missions." Kisame replied.

"I know you did." Amaya nodded in agreement. Kisame then raised a brow. "But today...no, yesterday, the order was given to kill you or capture you on sight, since you became a missing-nin." Amaya's eyes stared into Kisame's.

Kisame's brows rose in a moment of surprise. He wasn't shocked at all with her words or the information that she relayed, but rather her unchanging eyes. He took a moment to stare into them.

"So apparently, on these missions, you've done numerous assassinations...and even tried to kill a daimyo. Plotting to overthrow the government...so that's what you've been up to." Amaya's voice had an edge to it. She was downright annoyed that Kisame didn't tell her anything.

She exhaled deeply and calmed her thoughts, rubbing her temples.

"Even if I did tell you, what would be the point?" Kisame questioned. "You won't be able to stop me."

"...it's not about whether or not I'm going to stop you. But why you didn't tell me that you were doing these dangerous missions." Amaya's hands clenched into fists. "You could have died, Kisame."

"...but I'm alive, aren't I?" He stared at her expression as it gaped in shock, before she stared at the ground.

"But now you're a missing-nin!"

"Yeah, and so what? Should you even be talking to a missing-nin like this? What happened to the orders to capture or kill?" Kisame criticized.

Her knuckles turned white when she clenched them harder. "I'm not talking to a missing-nin right now. I'm talking to a friend." She met his gaze.

"Still on that, aren't you?" Kisame chuckled. "If they found out you were meeting with a rogue you'd be imprisoned, tortured or even killed. You ready to take that risk?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Ha, thought so—" Kisame stopped abruptly, completely astounded by that answer that she had really given him. "What?!" He didn't think she'd risk it all. He knew she had a connection to the village as a loyal shinobi.

"Why?" His brows had knitted together in blatant confusion.

"Idiot. I've said this a hundred times and you haven't retained a word of what I've said." Amaya sighed and shook her head gently. "But I'll say it again."

Her hand came out in front of her, a fist formed. Kisame stared at it in question.

"I'll always be here if you need someone to talk to. I'll always listen. Even if you're a missing-nin, even if you've abandoned the village...we'll always be friends." Amaya paused, before adding, "Even if you don't think of me as a friend."

Kisame's dark eyes widened with shock. He closed his eyes and a chuckle reverberated through his body.

Amaya raised her eyebrows. She didn't say anything. She wanted to hear his answer.

"You're a persistent one." Kisame chuckles and lifts his arm up, forming a fist with his hand. He knocks it against Amaya's, leaving it there. He smirked. "I'll remember your offer."

He let his arm go back into its cloak sleeve and he turned around, lifting the other arm up. The side of his face could be seen, the smirk still present. The gleam of his sharp teeth could be seen. "I'll see you...friend."

Amaya's eyes widened as she saw Kisame walk a few more metres, before disappearing completely. She felt her lips curl into a big grin and she smiled up at the moon, laughing. Tears came down her cheeks from the happiness she felt when he had finally recognised her as a friend, but no one would ever know she had shed them as the night rain washed them away.