Squad Yashinoka And The Homunculus Blood

Episode 9: "One In The Same"

Sterk and Nina were both walking along the river now. The trees of the forest still surrounded them and the giant tree that was the headquarters was not too far behind them.

Howling winds pushed the rain diagonally, propelling them at piercing speeds.

-"This rain feels like bullets against my skin!" Said Nina as her voice had been battling the loud sound of rain

-"What do bullets feel like?" Asked Sterk.

-"Well, I haven't felt them personally, but they hurt pretty badly." Explained Nina.

-"Hurt? I have not experienced that, but I know you do not like it. Do you wish for me to protect you from the rain?" Sterk put his arm around Nina for protection.

-"No... that's fine. I can take this, thank you though." Nina gently removed his arm.

Sterk didn't reply back, instead, he looked forward and continued walking. This allowed for an awkward silence... well, for Nina it was awkward at least.

-"I should keep quiet anyway... maintaining a conversation can obstruct my hearing, leading to my demise." Nina thought.

Sterk  did not share the same urgency as Nina so he sparked a conversation: "This weather currently makes it hard for me to charge my ability."

-"You've charged it quite enough, have you forgotten all the days and nights you've spent outside in the sun and under the moon?" Nina replied.

-"There's no such thing as enough because you never know who you might come across." Said Sterk.

-"If you say so... anyway, we should stop talking so much. It could mean life or death if we impair our hearing too much." Explained Nina.

-"Death? What is death Nina?"

Nina rolled her eyes in frustration because he disregarded her warning to satisfy his curiosity.

-"It's when you stop living- ...not like you'd understand what living is either. It's basically when you stop functioning completely and cannot experience existence on this plane anymore. You're telling me you haven't experienced the death of a loved one before?"

-"I have no recollection of this thing you call 'love' Nina... But I believe I experienced something similar to death myself, before. It was just nothingness, I was in a void of blackness, unable to move or properly think of anything, then all I know is that I was here... I don't remember anything before then though. In fact, I didn't even have a name, you gave me my name..." Explained Sterk.

Nina couldn't bring herself to come up with a proper response, instead, she could only think, "Who are you?... and why do you accompany me if you only are intrigued by the strong?"

Sterk then looked at her with a blank expression and said: "Luckily you won't have to experience that, right?"

-"er-ummmm, right..." Nina uttered.

She then thought to herself, "He truly is strange..." 

(Meanwhile)

Tommi and Heaven (The Tiger) were darting through the rain. Every once in a while, Tommi would touch a tree to link a portal just in case of emergencies.

As they were running through the trees, Heaven's ears perked up. Instead of opening his mouth to speak, Heavens thought had reached Tommi's mind.

-"There are 5 people watching us, they are all enemies." Said Heaven Telepathically.

-"I know that... I can sense all of their bloodlusts from here. I'm not sure of their locations, but they are nearby." Tommi replied.

-"What do you propose we do then?" Heaven asked her.