Tests and Results

Kozai noticed the sudden loss of interest. Ah, so did Youka perhaps lack one of these elements? Hmm.... that was interesting. Well, he would be sure to find something that did benefit him... gaining Youka's trust would provide Kozai with access to resources, connections, and such that he never could get to under Near. 

"Hmmm... If I remember correctly, hadn't you already achieved that? Or were those entities I fought back then remotely controlled? If so, by what method?"

"They were remotely controlled, something I have to continuously provide chakra to so that they stay active. How you ask....I wonder"

Youka was going to erase his memories anyway so why not let him help with any ideas he had. Youka puled back the lab coat showing his bare chest riddled with stitching markers and lines. The threads that were playing the rolls of stitches began to unravel till his skin folded away. Showing his insides to Kozai, he would see a mess of black threads contorting and ever moving on the inside. He would also see three hearts beating wrapped with threads that seemed to be feeding the hearts.

"This is how, the more I have, the more I can make and control."

Kozai raised his eyebrows, then, as he saw the hearts, the corners of his mouth turned slightly upward. Ah, so it was through the hearts. He didn't want to intrude too much... but this was a start. 

"Interesting... have you tried using bodies instead of creating them out of sheer thread mass? I find actual tissue to be more fun to use... and perhaps more practical in your case?"

The hearts, however.... had he been born with them, or did he use these threads to acquire them? Either way, there was something much more dark behind this ability than he could see at first sight.

[You'd better not erase my memory <_< it's not like it happened already... oh wait... ]

"I honestly despise working with flesh and organs and the like. I know how, but as you can tell, I lack the need for most of them. My idea was to transfer these hearts into actual bodies after I've gutted them of the things I don't need. I would be giving my heart a new home, it's just the control aspect, I would still need to exert chakra to keep them up at all times."

Youka allowed his body to close back up and sew itself shut before he closed the lab coat over himself once more.

At this Kozai would blink and nod. This developing idea would probably be used more for practical things rather than purely theoretical research. Now, he himself had something he could ask for assistance with...

"I too, have a problem... for a while now, there seems to have been an incongrouous gap in my memories... almost as if someone had tampered with them... might you have any insight into this? Whoever did this also modified a minor part of my behavior as well."

Youka's eyes glimmered at the prospect of going into Kozai's mind without having to forcefully subdue him first. It would allow him to do what he needed to do under the guise of helping Kozai out with what he was talking about.

"I've actually been doing tests on memories, i might be able to pull everything to the front so you can see everything that's been taken from you. Unless the memories have been completely erased, if that's the case there is no getting them back i'm afraid. What are you experiencing?"

To be perfectly honest, Kozai distrusted Youka a little more after what had just occurred.  By the look on the man's face now, Kozai knew what the man wanted. But... why gain forced access to Kozai's memories when Youka could have just asked? Was it because Kozai might lie? No, in such an academic environment,  lies were conducive to neither side. There was a good chance, Kozai concluded, that Youka planned to implant and modify his memories to suit his own purposes, or perhaps implant some kind of alternative behavior sequence. 
Kozai would let none of the cynicism show. Rather, he would appear thoughtful and concentrated, musing over Youka's question. 
"I seem to be missing a small part of my early activity as a ninja... I was sparring with the old village leader, Near, and we injured each other. I seem to be missing memories of how I was healed, as immediately afterwards,  my body was in prime shape. In addition, I gained an irrational fear of Sunagakure around that time as well."

Maku wandered into the room around this time.  He had been just hanging out until now, waiting to make an entrance.  He knew Youka had work to do with this individual, so he would let him lay the ground work before he actually made an appearance.  He knew he had his own job to do, and as long as everything went perfectly, this was gonna be a good day.  Pushing the med bay door open, Maku made his way to his favorite rolling chair and had a seat.  Spinning and rolling around the room, he made his way to sit next to Kozai, though the man was most likely standing.  "So whatcha guys talkin bouts?"  He said in his off handed casual voice.

If there was any tension in the room at all, Maku had a way to ignore it completely and go on living the way he saw fit.  If there was one thing that set Maku apart from many ninja it was just his presence.  He had the ability to be deadly serious, and then in the next moment goofing off.  Even in the presence of those much more powerful than himself, he maintained cool and assure of himself.  When it came right down to it, Maku trusted in himself, and was incredibly self assured, and it showed.  It wasn't the cocky display of others, but instead it was in the utter relaxed state he lived his life in.  


He would listen to them, and then turn to Kozai and ask the man a question.  "Tell me Kozai, what is it you want in this world?  What makes your blood run fast, what makes you want to go on living?"  Maku would let this sink in, and then wait for a response.

"Ah Maku, thanks for coming, we were just talking about memories and thinking of ways to bring them back, he has a few things he would like to know. I was telling him that I have been working on something that might be able to help him in that faucet."

Youka steadied himself while leaning on the table to his left side as he watched Maku do his normal roll around on the chair he had claimed as his own. If Maku was here that meant it was reaching time for them to start their plan so they could begin quickly.

Hmm, so now there were two of them. Maku's question seemed out of place, as if it were part of an interview for.... something? Kozai was unsure, but didn't show it in any way. He considered this question for about 2 seconds, then spoke. "If there's anything that has ever really made me... excited, it's knowledge, knowledge that I can use for my own means. Data that I can apply, invest, and keep to myself, if need be. In fact, that's my personal motive for working with Echo... his wild behavior can get me what I need."
This was the honest truth, and Kozai knew it. Now, there was something else to consider. "After we're finished here, what say you two to heading out to Taki? I'm sure Maku's subordinates are becoming... impatient." Of course, Kozai wanted to meet these ninja for a different reason, but he didn't say anything of the sort.