TROUBLE [twd]

michonne's apprentice

Making it to the gates, the two women with bags were stopped by Martinez.

"Where you heading off to?" he asks.

"I don't live here," Sakiko shrugs, jerking at the lock on the gate.

"Hey now, hold on," a new voice eases.

Sakiko pauses to look back at the man that has Michonne tensing.

"It's going to be dark again soon and curfew is coming. It's best y'all stay the night," Governor says with a soft smile.

"One night was enough for me," Sakiko looks him up and down.

"You said we were allowed to leave whenever we wanted," Michonne recalls, "So, we're leaving."

"That's entirely true-"

"Then, why are there always excuses with you? There's always a reason as to why we can't go. Why I can't go," Michonne glares.

"If you want to leave, then leave. No one is forcing you to stay," Governor shakes his head.

Sakiko takes that as a cue to shove the lock open. Before she could open the door, Governor has to remind her-

"Merle and Nanami won't be too keen with you going. Have you even told them 'goodbye'?"

He knows he hit a nerve in both women when they seem to freeze up.

Sakiko thinks back to how Nanami grabbed her wrist, raised his voice, and the glass breaking she heard once she was out of the room. The smell of smoke on his breath. The tired look in his eyes.

Just how much Nanami had grown to look like their father.

"He made his choice," Sakiko responds, "I'm the one that belongs outside."

The Governor didn't understand her reference to life before. Sakiko and Daryl were the ones to wait outside. Nanami and Merle seemed to decide their own fates.

With that, Sakiko pulls the gate open and storms outside.

Michonne is quick to follow.

--

Laying in the middle of the mess he'd created, Nanami stares at that goddamn ceiling fan again.

It feels like nothing's changed. Yet, everything has.

In just a short amount of time, every single thing he's ever thought has changed.

Nanami had changed.

At the thought, he laughs pitifully at himself and takes a drag of his cigarette.

--

"You don't have to follow me," Sakiko informs.

"Not following you," Michonne denies, "We're just heading in the same direction."

Stopping in the middle of the road, Sakiko turns to look at the woman behind her.

"Yeah? Then, how about you walk ahead?" she asks, motioning forward with her arm.

Michonne shifts her weight to her other leg, "I'm good."

"Because you're following me."

"Because I don't know if you won't stab me in my back."

Sakiko scoffs, "I have a destination in mind. I have a place I have to go. I'm not wondering around like.. like a creep geek."

"Creep.. geek.." Michonne repeats, her head bobbing with each word.

Sakiko takes a few steps forward, meeting face to face with Michonne.