"Kujaku" •RWBY•

四

"Then we just wait 25-30 minutes and stir now and then until it gets smooth and creamy-- Nora quit eating the pork!" A twelve-year-old Suzume lightly scolds her companion following it up with a small tap to Nora's hand. The ginger stuffs the rest of the shredded pork she grabbed, into her mouth then promptly backs away. Suzume sighs, shaking her head before going back to cooking the porridge.

"Idiot..." Michael mutters making the bluenette glare forward. 

"Don't call her that, Michael," She chides, stepping back from the stove. Nora perks up from her seat at the dining table. She shoots back into the kitchen, stopping in front of Suzume who jumps at the sudden movement.

"What'd he say!?" she exclaims before raising her fists and punching the air, "Does he wanna fight? I just got my semblance too, I can take him!" Nora hops on either foot, hitting a blank area, imagining the man is standing before her. 

Suzume purses her lips, "No, he doesn't want to, and I don't want to either," she responds then walks to the opposite counter where a porcelain, medium-sized teacup sits on the same type of plate. Next to the cup is a brown paper bag which she grabs along with a tea ball. She opens the bag and uses a spoon to scoop echinacea leaves into the tea ball. Shutting it tight, Suzume puts the ball into the cup, setting the plate aside after. Going back to the stove, the bluenette stirs the porridge once more.

Nora curiously wanders the kitchen, following behind Suzume as she works about. They've been together for nearly six years but it's always fascinating to watch the green-eyed girl cook. She's silent, always concentrating on the necessary task yet speaking to give instructions when Ren or Nora wants to help. The ginger frowns at the thought of their third companion.

Nora shuffles to the opposite side of the counter. She has to stand on her tiptoes to cross her arms on the table and rest her chin down, "Will Ren be alright?" she questions with a small jut of her bottom lip.

Suzume pauses, turning away from the pot to stare at the other's aqua irises, "He will. It's spring, colds are common," she gently replies with a small smile. Nora returns it, her frown upturning to give off her usually cheerful aura. Suzume puts her hands on her hips and turns back to the stove.

Michael is silent in his host's mind, only deciding to speak when Nora isn't paying attention, "It's because of stress after what happened two weeks ago," he notes. Suzume barely flinches, the memory of how Nora obtained her semblance still fresh in her young mind.

Once spring rolled around, there were always storms. It never got so bad that the village flooded, but this year, something changed. The third day of spring brought a terrible barrage of thunder. It was sudden, so when the three children were still out playing in the oval clearing, they had to hurry back as soon as the first wave of rain hit. Suzume was out of the forest first, followed by Ren and then Nora. The log placed across the stream was swept away, so they had to find a more shallow area.

The storm got worse as they ran along the bank, and that's when the first strike of lightning hit. It crashed against the waves of the stream, sending water towards the children. Suzume slipped on a loose rock, sending her into the flowing river. She spluttered about, trying to gain balance and exit the oncoming ripples.

They heard a boom in the sky, indicating another strike of lightning was headed their way. Ren cried out, and Suzume whimpered, desperately trying to escape the heavy flow of water. Nora had jumped into action a second later, physically throwing Suzume onto the other side of the river, and instead, falling in herself. The strike came down in a flash, the electric buzz connecting with the stream and traveling towards Nora. It traversed up the ginger's leg, encompassing her body with waves of lightning. Nora screamed in agony as fractal patterns of a lighting strike permanently embedded themselves into her skin.