Idiosyncrasies (Yaju)

"Mommy, look at me, I'm a ninja too!" Arata called out, running on his still chubby legs just a few feet ahead of her, leaving her to lug the picnic basket along a few paces behind. Truth be told, the basket wasn't that heavy but Akihana refused to spend any chakra making tit lighter. Not when she still wasn't completely used to channeling it full time. The genin knew she would have to get used to it sooner or later but for now, she was happy to spend time with her son, her ninja training forgotten for the moment.

"Sweetie, there's a branch in front," Or at least spend time with her son. Her bloodline limit was turning out to be harder to shut off these days, forcing the blonde to overlap normal vision with her passive, light detecting kind. In a way she supposed it was good, her getting used to the Golden Eye in a way she hadn't been since she was a teenager. It was a simpler time then, instructions to follow, missions to mess up, disgrace herself with a boy who's real name she didn't even know, realize that she never meant anything to him.

Get chased out of the only home she ever knew.

"Mommy, you're not listening!"

"You want ramen for dinner, and you think you saw Raikage-sama today but it couldn't have been him because he is way too busy to hang around the academy," Akihana repeated her son almost word to word, making the little boy pout. Dual vision might have been a benefit of her bloodline limit but dual auditory senses had nothing to do with that and everything to do with being a mother.

"You cheated, you were only pretending not to listen."

"Did I do a good job," the young woman asked seriously, stopping misstep to consider the child in front of her. Placing her basket on the ground, the kunoichi bent down to her son's height, looking into his thoughtful face.

"Of pretending? Yeah," the boy replied with a nod of his ink dark hair, his light blue eyes raised in confusion.

"Then let it be a lesson to you," Akihana smiled, reaching out a hand to grasp his shoulder. "I'm always listening to you, sweetheart, whether you realize it or not," moving forwards, Akihana placed a soft kiss on the child's forehead before getting up again. Arata looked confused for a moment and then, taking it as one of the many oddities that accompanied his mother, started walking beside her.

"I did see the Raikage though, he's cool," the boy continued after a few minutes of silence.

"Almost as cool as you," the medic nin grinned back, remembering her own encounter so many months ago with the leader of Cloud. She had never gone to see him with Arata, neither had she filed the papers he had so graciously given her regarding Arata's parentage.

But she hadn't forgotten about the dark haired teen either, the Kumo headband currently cinching her slender waist and tightening the otherwise quite unremarkable pink blouse would never let her forget who had given it to her.

"Alright kids we'll conclude the lesson with this," he began to write something on the board before sitting the chalk down and smiling," Not everyone can become a great ninja...but everyone can become something greater if they keep their mind on it, with that the class is concluded," after which he would have been bombarded by the many questions and comments from the small kids in the academy. Yaju had no idea why he decided to start teaching in the academy to spend some of his extra time, but he remembered it had something to do with wanting to shape the future of the young kids of the village, while also trying to help out besides his normal Kage duties.

Leaving out he could see many of the children's parents thanking him for taking some of his busy time to teach and educate their children on becoming proper and unique ninja in which he could only respond with," Just giving them a taste of the real world while also giving them hope...its what we all need isn't it," with a smile he would walk past them and continue on his way to check on the village itself. Somehow he always found himself wearing the same thing when coming out into the village, but today he would have on his Haori simply enjoying the time that the villagers had given him.

Of course that went as far as saying that he was becoming more civil the more he stayed in power which was...an odd but fortunate scene for him. Shaking his head he would make a hard right before continuing on his path. As fortune would have it, he would have caught the sight of Akihana although from his angle he was still hidden. It wasn't that long ago that he had met up with the woman who simply wanted a new start with her son, but since then he hadn't really seen her. Shrugging he would follow them in silence for a bit, sticking to the shadows of the trees until a time in which he wanted to show himself.

After listening in on their conversation he would smile and walk out of the tree foilage and chuckle," Almost as cool as him? Well , well looks like i have some competition amongst the village," the red eyes of the young Kage would look down to the boy and wave," Yo, you must know who i am right," looking up to Aki he would simply smile and nod to her. It seemed she really did care about the boy and it was evident from the way she talked to him," So whatever happened to you bringing our young shinobi here to the office to meet me? I'd think the boy...Arata was it? Would jump out of his skin and bug you constantly about it," chuckling he would walk closer to the boy and ruffle his hair a bit.

" Almost as cool as him? Well , well looks like i have some competition amongst the village,"

The words made Akihana jump, her already activated Golden Eye searching for the danger that had managed to sneak up on her and Arata undetected. One hand moved automatically to push the boy behind her as she half dropped into a fighting stance she had been practicing with Fenn, only for relief to flood through her body when it was the Raikage himself that strolled into view, cool as a cucumber.

"Raikage-sama," Arata squealed besid her, straggling to push away her protective hand as she straightened herself to her full height once more, her gold tinted chocolate eyes still scanning the area in case there was danger. "See mommy, I told you i saw him."

"Now sweetie, how do we greet our superiors" Akihana warned, a sheepish note in her own voice as she tried to keep from looking embarrassed.

"Oh, sumimasen, Raikage-sama," the child replied hurriedly and bowed towards the dark haired teen, straightening up almost immediately with a wide grin on his face. "I told mommy I saw you by the academy but she didn't believe me. Or at least, I think she didn't, she likes to pretend she can't hear sometimes," the child babbled in excitement, making Akihana avert her gaze from the teen's.

" So whatever happened to you bringing our young shinobi here to the office to meet me? I'd think the boy...Arata was it? Would jump out of his skin and bug you constantly about it,"

"I thought you might be too busy," the blonde replied even as the boy beside her went red with excitement at the fact the the leader of the village knew him by name.

"No way, you asked to see me? Really Raikage-sama? Can I tell my friends?" Arata's happiness was evident as he puffed out his chest, standing as tall as his five year old frame would let him for the Raikage's inspection. "Mommy, can he play with us too, please, please? Mommy and I were going to play hide and seek and we have a picnic. We have lots of food, my mommy makes really good food," Arata continued, pushing on like a rogue train and leaving Akihana both impressed and a little horrified at her son's enthusiasm.

"Uh, of course," the genin managed. "We would be honored if you joined us."

A brief chuckle would escape his lips as he watched Arata, Akihana's son, act in his presence which he honestly enjoyed. It was only recently when children would run up to him and speak to him, back in his younger teenage days people would keep their kids away from him in fear that he would do something which...wasn't completely off basis. Holding his hand up he would shake his head," To be honest all of the pleasantries are for the office and official meetings, out here amongst the village i want to be like you all, treated the same and talked to the same. After all it wasn't too long ago i was just a regular ninja of the village, so it makes me feel less....nervous about things if it stayed that way," that and the fact that he didn't really like the title of "Lord" all that much...it made things quite weird.

So the boy was actually in one of his classes,"So what did you think of the classes today Arata? Anything that you would like to learn tomorrow?," although he would look up to Akihana and chuckle laugh briefly," So you aren't listening to him, well it would seem that he can already see the small things," he was simply teasing Aki and didn't mean any harm in his words which was shown in how he spoke.

Waving his hand he would look towards the village," I finished all of that paperwork months ago and only the occasional things need my attention, which is why i've been out more than i usually do," his eyes however went to the boy as he nodded," Sure i wanted to meet the boy that would one day become a ninja of this village, your mom think very highly of you by the way. And sure if you'd like you can tell them," although when the boy wanted him to come and play with them, he chuckled for a moment.

The small moment reminded him of his own boy," Sure Ko...I mean yeah i'd like that, besides it would be the first time in a while since i had the opportunity to do something like this," the whole situation bringing flashbacks of his past which weren't too bad. So for now he would walk up to the two and nod," Alright which one of you are counting first," chuckling he would crack his knuckles and look amongst the area.

" To be honest all of the pleasantries are for the office and official meetings, out here amongst the village i want to be like you all."

Akihana took in the words as they were meant, her son still far too energized to take anything seriously. Arata's light blue eyes, so different from her own, looked like they might drop out any second with the amount of back and forth they were doing, taking in the teen and then taking him in again to make sure he was really there. Akihana could almost hear the story he'd be teeling anyone who happened to speak to him over the next few weeks.

,"So what did you think of the classes today Arata? Anything that you would like to learn tomorrow?,"

"I wasn't in the class, Sir," the boy replied, every iota screaming with hyperactivity. "I was walking by the academy with Kimi nay-san when I saw you. I don't go the academy yet, mommy won't let me."

"Arata-kun," the blonde cationed, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I'm only five," the little boy added, completely unaware of the awkwardness he was creating. Part of her wanted to sweep the child up and hug him for being so unphased by everything while another part desperately hoped the Raikage wouldn't get the wrong idea. She had still been rather undecided on the paperwork which had been her main reason for not admitting him to the academy yet. Well, that and the money...

But she was working on it. A few more missions and she would have enough saved up to get everything she needed to send Arata to the academy. In the meantime he was training at home with Fenn and she was more than grateful for the boy's help.

" Sure i wanted to meet the boy that would one day become a ninja of this village, your mom think very highly of you by the way. And sure if you'd like you can tell them,"

"Mommy's weird," Arata concluded with a big smile as if he had just paid her a compliment and Akihana couldn't help but smile back. She supposed if her five year old thought her weird, she must be doing something right.

"I don't want to be a ninja of the village only," Arata continued, bouncing on the balls of his feet, the front of his running shoes crinkling up as he tried to make himself taller. "I wanna be like you when I grow up, I want to protect everyone in the village." The declaration was made with pride. "And I also want cool eyes like yours, how did you get those?"

"Arata, its rude to ask personal questions," the medic nin warned, this time her tone accompanied by another dusting of pink on her face. He was going to get her in so much trouble one day.

"And that's another thing I don't get," the boy continued. "Why can't we ask a person a personal question? Aren't proposal question for persons?" The boy raised an inquisitive eyebrow at both her and the Raikage as if this was one of the biggest mysteries of the world. Luckily, the dark haired youth that was the cause of Arata's excitement steered the topic into smoother waters by agreeing to join them in the game of hide and seek.

"Alright which one of you are counting first,"

"Not me!" Arata squealed and bounded off, yelling "And no cheating with your eyes mommy" in his wake. Soon, only a little dust cloud be seen where her son had formally been.

"My apologies, he is obviously far too excited to se eyou," Akihana intoned, glad that she hadn't brought him into the office now. It would have likely made even more paperwork for the new kage. "I usually bring him along to train. It's a game to him but I take the time to train my eyes or reflexes. Since I don't always get time to train on my own," she explained.

Looking over to Akihana he would tilt his head for a bit before nodding," I see...your mom told me you weren't yet in the academy, kinda slipped but there's always next year maybe? If you'd like some outside lessons however, your mother could set you up for them, since i teach there i also do small trainings and lessons for those not in the academy yet, but wanting to get a head start from the others," of coruse these lessons were always free seeing as he wouldn't openly nor secretly charge people for lessons...didn't make sense to him.

If there was a word for how Yaju felt at this moment it certainly wasn't there as he turned from the boy red in the face and laughed for a moment," Well...your son is definitely something Akihana...let me tell you something though Arata," leaning down to him he would hold out his hand and nod," Strive to be better than me, if not that then even greater than what i am now," at the question of his eyes however he would blink think about it for a moment. Waving it off as simple curiousity he would answer the question," it's fine...its not really a personal question as most of my life is known by many in the village. My eyes change colors as i age, at first they were silver when i was about your age, after my teenage years they became Yellow and now, after i turned nineteen they became red," holding up one of his fingers he would smile," It has something to do with me being raised by wolves," grinning he would flash his teeth and smile.

It was something when a child could raise such a high curiousity in the Kage's mind, but no doubt in time this boy would be something great. As the boy ran off he would smile and shake his head," Barrel of energy isn't he? Wouldn't be surprised if he could go all day," hearing that she uses this time to train he would nod, well then if that's the case let's have some fun with this," with that he would walk off a bit before jumping into a bunch of bushes and transforming himself into a wolf, albiet a smaller version of its true form.

At the mention of private lessons, Akihana thought her son might explode, unable to contain his excitement at the idea of being privately tutored by the Raikage. The blonde knew with certainty that this was all Arata would be talking about for the rest of the month at the very least. The barmaid wasn't sure what had brought on such favorable behavior towards her son but she was sure glad of it. Though Akihana hadn't requested a responsible male figure in her son's life, she was glad nonetheless at what looked like shaping up to be one. Arata deserved the best and one of the things he deserved was a father figure, someone whom he could look up to.

" Barrel of energy isn't he? Wouldn't be surprised if he could go all day,"

"he does go at it all day, every single day," Akihana confirmed with a chuckle, pulling her blonde locks into a ponytail as her son disappeared from view. A small shoe polish stain decorated the shoulder of her blouse, a result of cleaning Arata's shoes after he'd played in the mud all evening a few weeks ago. Embarrassed, the kunoichi let her hair slip down again, covering the stain. The Raikage didn't need to know all her clothes were similarly marked, a result of trying to raise a kid and being human at the same time.

"I think the last time I had an undisturbed eight hours of sleep was before he was born," she added with another laugh. It wasn't a complain, merely fact. And she wouldn't trade it for the world.

When the teen suggested they have fun with the game, Akihana didn't have time to inquire what he meant as he walked off and then disappeared from view. "I guess I'm it then," the genin muttered, activating her Golden Eye. "Ready or not, here I come," she called out for the benefit of her son hiding a little ways down the path.

Maybe Yaju could do with a young son to have around him, but as tempting as the thought was he didn't quite think having one in his profession or rather active duty to be something he should do," Ahh so we have a little thunderbolt inside of our village, hope he uses it for something good less his mother won't get as much sleep," of course he had figured that the young boy tired out eventually....if he didn't now that would be something weird.

As he moevd away and transformed, he would have his now transformed figure peek out of the bushes a bit, the slitted red eyes watching Akihana slowly," I've been wondering how her bloodline worked, but if she can use it like this...well this game might be more than enough fun for me," thinking to himself he would continue to move in silence through the bushes, his eyes keeping a firm lookout for the occasion that she looked at him. Luckily his chakra would look like that of an animal until he had of course done something to make it spike, but for this occasion he would assure himself that he would be perfectly fine.

Games of hide and seek were normal with Akihana and Arata, mostly because it helped train her eyes while keeping her son occupied. When sussed for time as she often was, multitasking was the only way to go and somehow, the blonde genin had learned to work around her son, sometimes throwing in ninja training while doing chores at home or playing with Arata. It wasn't unusual for the kunoichi to be staring intently at her laundry only to try and detect invisible specks of dirt that had previously stained her and her son's clothing. The bloodline limit was also unbelievably handy when Arata was trying to sneak candy into bed.

Her son called it "cheating" when she used her vision for hide and seek though, Akihana preferred to think of it as keeping her son safe. Of course he could go hide wherever he wanted as long as she knew he was safe. There might come a day when she could no longer protect him but if Akihana had anything to say about it, that day wouldn't come for a long, long time.

Flicking her eyes across the mountainous terrain, she spotted her son's form almost right away, hiding about twenty feet south and crouched behind an outcrop of rock formation that looked like a rough fist with uneven knuckles. Arata was safe for the moment, there was no need to ruin the game by locating him first.

So the medic nin focused her sight on her other prey, the Raikage who had vanished not a minute ago.

Reaching beyond her normal sight, her topaz tinted pupils sought out the light trail he had left. People could make themselves bigger, smaller, even disappear but they were still people, they were made up of solid mass and when they changed that structure, they left behind or increased empty space which raw patterns of light rushed to fill.

It was the light that she was after.

Unable to sense any unusual spikes in chakra levels, the barmaid relied solely on her eyes, heading towards the thicket of bushes her vision was pointing towards, the trail of light settling and getting smaller and smaller around a form telling its own story. The Raikage hadn't disappeared but... somehow gotten smaller.

Now she just had to find him.

A small smile appeared on his face as he continued to follow and watch Akihana, it was interesting to see how she went about things with her bloodline although the only thing he could tell was that it had something to do with her eyes. Of course from that perspective alone it was only right to assume maybe a doujutsu but the rest would have to wait until later.

Moving from his spot he would move through the bushes from Akihana and instead move closer towards where her son was, although this might not have been the best idea in this form but in his train of thought it seemed like something that was fine. Moving from rock to rock he would continue to traverse the area until he stood behind the boy on all fours, a mid sized black wolf with red eyes stood behind the boy.

Unknown to him that the boy could very well scream or yell in sight of an unnatural black wolf, but hopefully the boy would not cause it...he hoped. Walking closer behind the boy he would stand there and look at him, a small tilt of his head followed by a small move to his left where he would...simply stand there.