Travels of the Silent

[Anju Saravati]

The mountains were majestic this day. They were tall and imposing, the rain making them seem that much bigger. A little jeep stood vigil on an outcropping near the base, the worn vehicle withstanding the weather.

Inside, the Indian techie reclinded in her seat, a thermos of coffee warming her hands as she looked out into the rain. Contrary to popular opinion, Anju was capable and even apprieciated quiet time. It gave her a chance to think about the important things in her life and let go of the inconsiquencial.

Like now. Zero had been missing for weeks and weeks. As his second, Sakura-koi had been working her ass off to keep the small band of rebels together, but the lack of a passionate leader was damning. Saks was brilliant, but she just didn't inspire the hope that the strange little man wearing a mask had.

Anju sighed and took another sip. 'looks like the storm's gonna go on for a while...

[Aoi Akuma]

Padding her way away from the base Aoi stared outward. The rain poured out across the land, and almost like a painting the water seemed to mix the colors around in a swirl of majesticness. Sighing deeply she scanned the area. Peacfulness. Quietness. Just what she needed at the moment. To be away from the business and franticness of the base.

Tilting her head so the rain met her face she sighed happily at the cold feeling that washed over her. Her clothes soaked and her headdress weighing heavily over her head by the pounding of the rain. Aqua colored eyes watched as rain fell closer to her face and then repeatedly hit her.

Blinking her eyes she reluctantly turned her head back in front of her. Spotting the worn jeep she tilted her head very slightly in curiosity. Letting her cloak dust very lightly over the damp ground as she walked over to it. Her boots making the barely audible sound as the rain made the ground slightly muddy. Reaching the jeep she tapped the side of it very softly. Turning her head towards it she smiled very small.

"Hello Anju-san."

[Anju Saravati]

"Hello, Anju-san."

Anju blinked and peered out of the water streaked window. She smiled and reached across the passenger seat, rolling the glass down partway.

"Aoi. Fancy seeing you here." She popped the lock og the door and pushed it open slightly. "In you go, huni." The rain was getting harder and Anju was fond of the eccentric little blunette. No good to let the poor girl stand out in the rain when there was a nice, nifty jeep with a working radiator within sitting distance.

"What brings you out into this beautiful weather?"

[Aoi Akuma]

"Aoi. Fancy seeing you here."

She could distinctly here the sound of the door being unlocked as Anju pushed it open slightly. "In you go, huni." Nodding her head slightly she gripped the door as she pulled it open to get in. Sitting down she was filled instantly with warmness on her skin. Tilting her head slightly she took part of her hair and squezed the water out of it. Not wanting to completely soak the techie's jeep. Finally she pulled her leg in as well as her head and shut the door shut. Breathing in the warm air she leaned farther into her seat.

"What brings you out into this beautiful weather?"

Turning her head over very slightly so she could see the techie she merely shrugged her shoulders. "It's too....crowded in that base at times. Especially these past few weeks," she gave a knowing glance towards her. "That and....," Aoi turned her attention to the rain pouring down outside. "I've always been quite fond of the rain. It's somewhat nostalgic." Aoi breathed in deeply as she watched the storm pick up. "What about you Anju-san?"

[Anju Saravati]

Anju smiled ruefully as Aoi wrung out her hair before getting in. As the girl sat, she slid the coffee thermos into the others hands before sliding the girl's headdress off. The techie pulled a towel out of the backseat and plopped it onto the blunettes head, gently drying it off. She gave the girl a sharp look, 'I am drying your hair. If you have a problem with that than I suggest you look into buying prostetic limbs.'

"It's too....crowded in that base at times. Especially these past few weeks. That and....," Aoi turned her attention to the rain pouring down outside. "I've always been quite fond of the rain. It's somewhat nostalgic." Anju smiled. "What about you Anju-san?"

She shugged. "Can't say I feel the same, that. It's peaceful. It colors the world blue. It makes things shut up. But nostalgia? Not so much." She grinned wide enough to crack something. "All the shitty things that ever happened to me, it was always a gorgeous day out."

[Aoi Akuma]

She felt her headdress get pulled off only to be replaced with by a towel. Now usually she'd never allow that, mostly because she always wore it and rarely let someone see her without it, but the look on Anju's face told her she didn't really have a choice on the matter.

Aoi saw Anju shrug at her question. "Can't say I feel the same, that. It's peaceful. It colors the world blue. It makes things shut up. But nostalgia? Not so much." The quietness was mostly the reason why she liked the rain. Besides the fact that it reminded her of things. Not always happy memories. But memories all the same. Seeing the techie grin made Aoi raise an eyebrow. It almost seemed like her face would crack it was so big.

"All the shitty things that ever happened to me, it was always a gorgeous day out." Ah. That would explain things. Giving a small hmph she turned her attention upwards. The rain did that to her too. Brought back memories, painful memories, but even still for some odd reason she couldn't hate it when it rained. "I suppose so," she muttered "It was different with me," She gave a smile towards Anju "Shitty things happened during any kind of day."

[Anju Saravati]

"I suppose so. It was different with me," Aoi gave a smile. "Shitty things happened during any kind of day." Anju strangled a laugh and rubbed the towel harder, mussing the girl's hair on purpose. The mood was getting depressing and Anju didn't do well when she was depressed. Back when Anjali... well, back then, the techie had cried for days and days, and when she was out of tears, she couldn't get out of bed at all.

"Mmmm. Well, shit happens. It smells, you clean it up, you buy air freshener." She flicked the thermos with a finger. "Drink. So. What do you plan to do, with the whole No Zero thing going on?"

[Aoi Akuma]

Feeling the towel rub just a tad harder Aoi bit back a laugh. Honestly she was being treated like a child. Not that she minded all that much. Though she was positive her hair wouldn't forgive her later tonight she didn't really care. Also her hair luckily fell right over her shoulder. Right over her scars. No need for unnesscary questions as to why she had such a scarred shoulder.

"Mmmm. Well, shit happens. It smells, you clean it up, you buy air freshener." Aoi chuckled slightly. That sounded like something Anju'd say. The techie flicked the thermos that was in Aoi's hands. "Drink. So. What do you plan to do, with the whole No Zero thing going on?"

Taking the container she raised it to her lips and drank. Feeling the liquid sail down her throat she sighed. It's been a while since she's had coffee. Then she turned her attention to the question that was asked. "What I can do," pausing she took another swig of the drink. "Make sure my division doesn't go crazy without their Zero. Considering that's all I really can do." Smirking she leaned backward slightly. "Though that'll probably be difficult all considering. So what are you gonna do Miss Anju?"

[Anju Saravati]

Anju smiled as Aoi cut off a laugh. So she was treating her like a child. Deal. Anju liked children (no, really) and she liked taking care of people who didn't take care of themselves (ie: Sakura).

Aoi sighed, "Make sure my division doesn't go crazy without their Zero. Considering that's all I really can do." Anju nodded, removing the towel to scrutinize the frizzy hair. "Though that'll probably be difficult all considering. So what are you gonna do Miss Anju?"

She shrugged and popped open the glove compartment. There was a brush in there last time she'd looked. "Dunno. I will stay as long as I can, with the team, with Sakura." She found the brush and grabbed a hunk of Aoi's hair, working through the lower ends. "But I'm not one to stay still. If I don't have a goal and a means to that goal, I have to find a new one." She blew out her breath. "Making weaponry that nobody uses, kind of a dead end for a tech."

[Aoi Akuma]

Aoi saw as Anju started looking through the glove box. Watching curiously Aoi took another sip of her coffee.

"Dunno. I will stay as long as I can, with the team, with Sakura." Ah yes Shizuka. Wonder how she's handling this since she's second in comand. Seeing Anju pick the brush up she smiled. So that was what she was looking for. The brush started to comb through the tangles in the lower part of her hair.

"But I'm not one to stay still. If I don't have a goal and a means to that goal, I have to find a new one." Aoi felt the techie blow out slightly. Yes it must be frustrating not having anything to do. "Making weaponry that nobody uses, kind of a dead end for a tech." That was true as well. If there wasn't a reason to make machinery anymore why stick around. Even Aoi sometimes wondered what she would do if they didn't find a new Zero. Aoi blew out from her mouth. Probably go back into the assasination bit. Just find some bad Britannians to have their throats slit for a poor Japanese. Mostly the ones who had been taken advantage of. Yeah she wouldn't mind doing that again. Though it wasn't as high up as the Black Knights were.

"And if you don't have the means for this goal. Where will you go to?" Aoi asked curious of where the techie would go too.

[Anju Saravati]

"And if you don't have the means for this goal. Where will you go to?"

Anju shrugged and worked her way up the girls head. "Well, first things first, I'll have to find a new job, something I like. Preferrrably one that has either nothing to do with Brittania or results in screwing them over." She paused, cocking her head thoughtfully. "I could always go back into the black market business. They were nice there and let me blow up stuff."

She held a long section of neat hair and seperated it into three parts, before braiding it. "Maybe I'll go see my parents for a while."

[Aoi Akuma]

Aoi hummed quietly as the brush made it upwards on her head. She hadn't had her hair combed by anyone besides herself since...... Aoi quickly shook her mind free of those thoughts. No need to bring up the past.

"Well, first things first, I'll have to find a new job, something I like. Preferrrably one that has either nothing to do with Brittania or results in screwing them over." Smirking slightly she nodded smally so it didn't get in the way of the brushing. Anything that resulted in screwing Britannia over Aoi was game for.

"I could always go back into the black market business. They were nice there and let me blow up stuff." She cocked her head thoughtfully. Black Market eh? It's been a while since she had anything to do with the Black Market. If Aoi remembered correctly they usually consisted of friendly enough people. A few people Aoi knew would let the techie blow things up. Quite a few really.

Feeling Anju start to braid her hair she shifted slightly. If she was gonna braid all of her hair then.... Aoi moved over and let part of her cloak shift over her shoulder. There. Now it was covered.

"Maybe I'll go see my parents for a while." Aoi cringed visibly at the word parents. Sighing deeply she closed her eyes. Damn she was starting to remember things. Not a good thing. She often wondered about her co-workers family. If they got to live with them at least into the double digits of their age.

"What are your parents like."

[Anju Saravati]

"What are your parents like?"

Anju finished the braid and started brushing out another section. She didn't miss Aoi moving the cloak to cover her shoulder, but it was none of her business if the girl was shy. She shrugged.

"Typical. My father owns an oil field outside of Mumbai, where I grew up. He's all about family and tradition and the preservation of our culture, but my mom can convince him to do anything. She's a housewife and she loves it. She wanted me to be one too, set me up with my best friend to get me on the path." She grinned, "Broke her heart when she caught me building a car with my brother. But, I'm her baby so she got over it and got dad to send me to school."

Anju started braiding the section. "They don't like me doing what I do, but they love me and they loved 'Jali. So its okay so long as I don't actually kill someone."

[Aoi Akuma]

Feeling Anju move over to brush another section of her hair Aoi sighed. She was right. The techie really did plan on braiding all of her hair. She didn't mind but she wondered how she'd deal with the waves that were sure to happen if she took out the braids.

"Typical. My father owns an oil field outside of Mumbai, where I grew up. He's all about family and tradition and the preservation of our culture, but my mom can convince him to do anything. She's a housewife and she loves it. She wanted me to be one too, set me up with my best friend to get me on the path." Aoi hummed as the techie spoke. Aoi's mom would've gotten along with Anju's mom. A matchmaker is what she was. "Broke her heart when she caught me building a car with my brother. But, I'm her baby so she got over it and got dad to send me to school."

She felt Anju start to braid the section. "They don't like me doing what I do, but they love me and they loved 'Jali. So its okay so long as I don't actually kill someone." She wanted to ask who 'Jali was but bit her tongue. No need to pry into personals. Drinking from the thermos to let the now luke warm coffee run down her throat she paused as she spoke. "Is that why you do what you do? Making weapons but not using them I mean."

[Anju Saravati]

"Is that why you do what you do? Making weapons but not using them, I mean."

Anju grinned and gave the finished braid a light tug. "I wouldn't say I never use them. There was a co-worker of mine who was a prick that got on my bad side. I innocently introduced him to a series of machines that he said looked like auto dump refuse. The machines took offense. He paid me heavy blackmail money to make sure the pictures never got out." She snickered. "I think the paint's washed out by now."

Anju grabbed a new section of hair. "But other then that, yeah, I guess so. I don't do guilt, so I prefer to avoid the accumulation. How 'bout you? What's Mother and Father Akuma like?"