Dichotomy (Maku)

Normal people, the young woman reflected, lead simpler lives. They could feel anger and hatred and spite. And while she had never envied them before, the blonde found herself entertaining the notion now as she sat quietly beside the male on the most unconventional picnic blanket ever having an equally unconventional conversation. For as much as he insisted that she saw from her own perspective alone, the truth was that she didn't. Not that there was any need to prove anything to him. But it would have helped perhaps - perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, a notion that had been plaguing her for a week now in so many different ways - if she could dislike him instead of appreciating the efforts to which he was going to be... genial, polite, even compromising to a certain degree.

Not that it earned him her forgiveness in any way, the kunoichi doubted that would ever happen. All philosophy aside he had hurt her by killing Echo and she was justified in blaming him for that hurt. And yet... she had even honest with him a week ago too. She would try to forgive him. Because if there was anything meaningful she had learned from this conversation, it was that probably not many people had afforded him that opportunity, leading him to believe he didn't have to seek forgiveness for what he did. If they had, perhaps Echo would still be alive.

Yet another perhaps to store with the many that crowded her mind.

"I've never been to those minor lands," she answered honestly when asked what she knew of them. "The furthest I intended of going was to Amegakure. Their souvenir glass angels are pretty." She left it at that. It was a safe enough thing to divulge. And unlike most shinobi in her profession, she actually meant what she said.

When he revealed a friend of his might be coming as well, concern grew anew on the young woman's face, the brief moments of peace vanishing as the sense of a new threat emerged. "And your friend would make another spectacle like you did?" she asked, her eyes narrow and her tone tense. To avenge a girl, an attack on an entire village. Akihana would never cease to be surprised at how these people justified their actions. But then again, hatred bred more hatred, which was why it was so important that she didn't hate this man.

After the silence, the relative clam that enveloped the two unlikely picnickers, the blonde couldn't say what either had achieved. And yet, as he said her name, one against the emphasis on the last syllable, she wondered if they had reached an understanding of sorts. The thought was gone the moment it blossomed as he sat up, refuting her offer for food. "How about you, Kurama?" she looked up at the bijuu, this time not bothering with hand seals but using her golden orbs alone to create the ball of light she had earlier, levitating it to the fox once she was done. "Want some cake for the road, raiding pantries isn't nice." the last part was directed to the blond of course, and she was sure he would pick up on it.

At his offer of keeping the picnic blanket, Akihana looked at his face after the longest time, only to find he was quite serious despite the note of jocularity in his voice, He actually intended to leave physical evidence with her. "I you like, though I believe this memory is good enough." Her words were not endearing, nor forgiving or understanding in any way, she simply meant what she said. It would be hard to forget this particular meeting.

"I went to Amegakure once, it was a nice visit. Saw some friends, got to stretch my legs...Met a particularly spunky individual. Didn't see any angels though, to bad." I also flattened the place....no need to say that part out loud. It served no real purpose after all, and despite appearances Maku didn't often do things with out at least some reason, even when trivial. All in all Maku was starting to find her to be an odd duck.

So many would loose their cool, she wouldnt be the first if she succumbed, and yet that was not what happened. In the end this was one detail that kept him sitting and talking like not much had really happened. Two peers discussing polar ends of a philisophical numeral line. In another life, in another world perhaps thats exactly what they would have been. Yet, this was this world and if wishes where fishes....well there'd be a lot of fish.

What would Maku had been like if things were diffrent. What if the leader of Takigakure had been around, had given him missions and tasks to hone his talents towards something. What if the two men outside the gates of Konoha had not taken mercy and instead struck him and Youka dead where they stood. What if Echo had never hired them, or after hiring them actually stayed with them to fine tune focus instead of letting ambition run unchecked. What if the people of Yukigakure had made more of an impact. What if Echo hadn't died....so many questions that in the end held no meaning. They no longer mattered, as the only way forward was towards the future.

At his words of a friend, her composure that had been doing so well broke slightly. He didn't fail to notice, it merely brought a smile to his face. "I seriously doubt it. He reminded me of me if truth be told, but in a very diffrent way. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he had come and gone with his information and you were none the wiser." He laughed slightly. The one known as Den had been intresting. His familiar chakra signature, one that seemed like looking in a mirror, Maku had no doubt that that man was capable of a great many things, even if he hadn't seen them yet.

"Don't worry so much, it ages you." This was about as close to a comforting statement as he was capable of. If by comforting statement, you meant borderline rude. Watching as she attempted to make friends with the bijuu behind him, he was unsurprised that the Kyuubi merely ignored her this time. He really was a grumpy gus, but he had been through a lot, and this was still probably far from ideal Maku mused. "Excuse me, raiding pantries isn't a bad thing, its nicer than raiding panties after all. Besides if I want it more I think I deserve to have just a taste. If it makes you feel better though, I won't take the whole cake." He laughed again. No one made Maku laugh as much as Maku did, what could he say, he found his own head a funny place.

"O really?" Despite her lackluster tone, a spark appeared in his eyes. "Good enough to stay with you then? No need for the blanket to remember me? I'll take that has a compliment. Though, its ok you can still keep it. Use it to insulate a roof, or it might make a fine cape for a child." He said with a mischivious grin.

Akihana listened quietly as he spoke of Ame and his visit there, filing the detail away for later. The kunoichi suspected asking further questions on that would yield little knowledge especially given that Ame had suffered an ill fate in the not so distant past. If this man had been involved, she didn't want to know. If he had, then she supposed it didn't really matter. At the mention of his friend's covert operation however, she let out an audible sigh of relief, her slender frame falling back slightly on her knees where she sat. At least there wouldn't be another fight. Kumo had lost enough as it was.

"I am aged," the blonde replied simply to his statement of not worrying. Quite used to being one of the oldest ninja around, Akihana considered it rather a fortunate thing. It was a long held belief in all shinobi villages that the wrinkled ninja were the most dangerous simply because they had lived that long. And though she herself didn't border on anything as intimidating as her grandfather used to be, the kunoichi nonetheless treasured the time that afforded her the kind courtesy of aging, of being there to see her son grow up into a fine young shinobi.

Her pale cheeks heated pink quite unexpectedly as he spoke of stealing from pantries, the reference not going amiss on the blonde and yet eliciting a reaction she could no more control than she could influence the wind that played with the loose strands of her gold spun locks. Her eyes dropped from his once more in embarrassment as he continued on about cake and not eating the whole thing, Akihana using the time to recall her composure from his comment. For a medic, she really couldn't control how melanin flowered underneath her own skin, it would appear. But it was for the same reason she never changed her looks - something ninja with skill in the healing arts were quick to embrace. Changing any aspect of her physical being through modifications or genjutsu felt too much like lying and that had never sat comfortably with the medic.

The kunoichi wasn't surprised he had taken her words as a compliment, she was relieved more than anything for here was the male ego she had been expecting all along. It was good to know that some things in the world did remain constant. Just as well, it wouldn't do to leave this meeting with a positive impression of this man. She may not be able to hate him but that didn't mean she had to like him either. Neutral grounds were a lost cause at this point and though vanity was a fairly small thing to fault him for - small and unfair - it was nonetheless something.

"I have-" the words were automatic, a mention of Arata was usually never far from her lips, the joys of motherhood. If everyone was the protagonist of their lives than that stopped when they had children, their lives henceforth revolving round said children and Akihana was no different. Things to do with her six year old always seemed more important than anything to do with her and most people she met knew that. But this man was not most people, and polite as he was, there was no way she was going to mention her baby to him. Not after seeing what he could do to very capable adults. "I have a roof," she amended by way of acceptance. "Though its probably going to to go our labs first to be analyzed for all kinds of physical evidence." It wasn't a reveal, just standard procedure. He probably knew it to if he had indeed run a village as he claimed he had.

"I don't suppose you'll give me a name." Not a question but a statement, but then, those spoke the loudest sometimes. Akihana had never been a fan of increased voices or forceful words and it became evident in the way she had communicated thus far. "But I don't think it matters really. I don't need one either." Perhaps without that personal detail she would find it easier to dislike him, to justify the irrational feelings that came to her in otherwise thoughtful moments.

"I am glad you have a roof, otherwise you would get wet....and probably a sunburn, and that wouldn't be fun."  He remarked as she mentioned having a roof.  What a wierd thing to say, of course she had a roof, almost everyone had a roof.....honestly why would she tell him she had a roof.

As for her statement on it going to the lab, this was more or less fine.  It wouldn't matter in the end.  "It can go if you please, though I doubt it will give you any real information.  One, I have never worn it, and two.....well I am not sure if anything could be gained.  Not trying to disuade you, let people poke and prod all you want its just I have done a pretty good job of taking care of being found out.  Though, honestly my past and where I started are such a non-factor its laughable that it would come to anything."  His tone matched her own.  Not trying to sound cool, or indiffrent, or even trying to keep her form the course of action she had presented him.

It just really didn't matter.  His time in Taki long covered up, he had destroyed all evidence of his life when he had visited with Echo.  Then he had obliterated the place.  Iwagakure was done the same way when he had visited and wiped it from the globe.  Yukigakure had been leveled and buried at the pleasure of Youka.  Beyond that, he had used the guise of Kani while traveling to Konoha.  What was there to gain with all these secrets though...Would someone knowing his name cause him to loose power?  give them an advantage over him?  He doubted both points very much.

There had been a time when secrets had meant so much to him.  Hiding everything would keep him safe, or give him an advantage.  When in fact they meant next to nothing.  They did him no good, and they would aid his enemies none as well.  Only way this would be reversed is if they knew his complete arsenal of tricks, and he had never been forced to reveal more than one of two at a time.  To a few different blokes who all were so spread out their meeting was astronomically unlikely.  All these thoughts raced through his mind as she said something.

"Sorry what was that?"  He had completely ignored her, and therefore had missed everything she had just said.  His gaze was still easy and relaxed, no shame in it, it had happened and hopefully she would just repeat herself.

Should she repeat herself he would think on the subject once again.  "Well, I guess it won't hurt.  My name is Maku.  A simple name for a simple person really.  Is there anything else you would like to know?  Be warned though, if you ask a question I get one too Akihanna."  He said smiling, as if this was some kind of game.  

He would take a bite of another sandwich and lay back while she considered if she wanted to ask a question or not.  While she did this he continued to chew and watch the over cast day.  The sun was just starting to peek through a break and as such clouds were starting to seperate.  "I always enjoy watching clouds, they are nice.  I think that one is starting to look like a rabbit."  He would say pointing straight up with the hand that still held held half a sandwich."

Behind them both a small snore could be heard.  Beyond belief the bijuu had seemingly gone to sleep.  Maku wasn't that surprised really, it had been awake almost nonstop since he had met it.  Perhaps believing at any moment it would e used, abused, or in some way mistreated.  Even though Maku had been perfectly honest in the fact he had no desire to use it in the way others of the past had.  

If she took time to respond, he would merely start to hum, a song he had once heard in Konoha, he still had no idea on the words.  It had just been a tune some children had been singing as he sit at a fountain waiting for Youka to arrive.  It had been that meeting that had let them know Echo was in Iwagakure, the day they decided to hire themselves out as mercenaries.  That was a long time ago......As the song continued and finally met its end, he wondered when his own might catch up with him.  Like the song, he wondered if it would be remembered and passed on...

To her own surprise, the kunoichi found her lips tugging upwards ever so slightly at the mention of the dire consequences of not having a roof over her head. The action nowhere near matched the usual warm smile she so freely bestowed upon everyone she met but there was no mistaking the motion. It had been a solid week since she'd came this close to a smile and brief and insignificant as the feature was, it was there, had been tangibly there.

It was rendered null a moment later as he spoke of the lack of physical; evidence they would be bale to gather from the shredded robes. Akihana had suspected as much but it would still be procedure.She doubted she would be allowed to keep the garment afterwords, if there was anything left of it. By the time the girls in Evidence had finished applying all their little tricks, the blonde doubted there would be scant more than a few hanging black and red threads to mark the picnic blanket the robe had once been.

He seemed lost in thought for a few moments after, a state which the medic did not want to disturb if only to get a chance to study him better. His suit, bare feet, gold hair and a sandwich held in one hand didn't give off the air of someone particularly dangerous, maybe even a little bored. He had promised he was done with Kumogakure and seeing him like that, the kunoichi found herself inclined to believe him. The belief was not simply a product of her good faith in people, it was also evidence based. He had the Kyuubi, he had his own considerable power and yet he had simply hung around the mountains for a week and not even seemed to mind her showing up late. Perhaps the danger really was averted despite him being too close to the village for her liking.

"I asked if you'd tell me your name," the blonde repeated herself patiently and then fell quiet once more as she listened to his answer. Maku, a relatively normal name but what struck her was that he didn't follow it up with titles or accolades. No mention of being a leader or achieving something big, no adjectives denoting glory or power. Just Maku.

In a way, it reminded her of how she'd introduced herself to him a week ago, As just Akihana.

"You may ask me what you wish?" she stated in response to his tone of getting questions in return. "i will do my best to answer honestly, within reason of course." Though she doubted he would ask her anything pertaining to Kumo's security or contingency measures. Not only should he know she wasn't allowed to speak of such things but she doubted he even thought of her as someone high enough to know the details of the matter. After all, she hadn't revealed that she worked for the Raikage, nor had she divulged that she was part of his ANBU. For the most part, the blonde usually let it be implied that she was no more than a lower level medic. People were always more open and generous with information to those they didn't consider a threat.

"I used to watch clouds when I was a little girl," she added to his admission politely. It seemed a lifetime ago but a young Akihana had indeed enjoyed sitting up on the roof of her home or laying down on the soft grass of the training grounds  to seek out the clouds amidst the dense canopy of leaves overheard. Of course, such smile pastimes were no longer an option with a hyperactive six year old demanding movement and momentum ever minute of every day. It was as he began to hum however that another distant memory stirred. It had been about seven years since Konoha and yet residual memories still floated in now and then, usually very unexpectedly and never for long but they did exist, reminding the kunoichi of who she used to be in that life. Letting the wind carry her own soft voice to the tune, Akihana filled in the words to the simple verse taught to children in Konoha to reinstate the values of bravery and sacrifice for the good of the village.

'Never regret thy fall,
O Icarus of the fearless flight.
For the greatest tragedy of them all,
is never to feel the burning light.'

The voices of her classmates humming or singing in a circle at the academy were as clear to her in that moment as her own was, though the verse was short, and this was not the time to reminisce. "I used to sing that as a little girl too," she added in lieu of an explanation before he could ask how she knew the words.

"Where did you hear that tune?" she asked, a small note of curiosity in her voice. Deciding to take him up on his tit for tat game was not without its risks but neither was this meeting really. And she supposed their conversation must be rather droll if it had put poor Kurama to sleep.

(Note: The verse is not mine, it belongs to the legend that is Sir Oscar Wilde <3 )

Though it appeared she was willing to play the game, she was not willing to divulge everything.  A trained shinobi indeed, though few were as polite it would seem.  How many others would try and take advantage of his current laxadazy attitude.  Yet she sat nearby, as relaxed as she could be, and merely played the game along with him.  It caused him to smile as he hummed, and when she sang the words he remembered the faces of those kids.  As if her words were the missing color to the painting in his mind.  Filling in the gaps that he had lost.  "It was a lovely tune.  And its never to late to watch the clouds you know.  It's healthy, your a medic you should know that."  His meaning was pretty clear, just not using the over cliche line involving roses.  He meant she needs to relax.

"I first heard it in Konoha when I traveled there.  It was a brief trip, I think I was only there a week, maybe even a little less.  Near a large fountain, some kids where singing it.  I was there just to be there, to see a little of the world when I left home."  He thought back again, replaying the memory in his mind now with the words filled in.  It made him slightly happy, he had always loved music.  It had even filtered its way into his combat style.  It was an important part of his life, something he had neglected.  The memory of singing even as they arrived in Iwagakure made him chuckle seemingly for no reason.

As the laughter left his lips he quickly thought of the first question he should ask her.  He thought for a moment of asking where she had heard the lyrics.  It occurred to him though that she might divulge this information without him having to ask, just as a follow up to his own answer.  Sometimes people forgot how much silence could say, and how it was a good way to question someone.

If she didn't he wasn't concerned.  Instead he opted for a simpler question.  "Do you prefer dogs or cats Akihanna?"  It was a random question perhaps, but sometimes you could tell a lot about people from the random and simple, rather than the deep and complex.  Waiting for her to answer he would finish his sandwich and place both hands behind his head.  Totally at his ease.

While she answered or silence waited, Maku continued to hum only now it was a lullaby from Takigakure.  The soft sound in the mountains, the seemingly fragile next to the unmoving mountains had a nice contradiction to it.  It made it all the more fun and enjoyable really.

As his hands were on the back of his head he realized his mask still hung there.  A small thing strapped to be hidden in the back of his hair.  Undoing the it he removed it for the first time in awhile.  The ornate wood carved into a face, the wood that had been burned and scared by his amaterasu on the great tree of Takigakure.  As soon as the mask came off, this would be the first time she could actually sense his chakra signature, as his mask had constantly kept it hidden.

If chakra had a true color, Maku's would be a light rose tinted gold.  It would have a soft song playing in it, and feel.......slightly like a joke.  No, not a joke but a trickster.  It reflected his easy life style.  To him life was truly a game, and because of that his chakra wasn't the dark or demonic of say Youka's when he was housed by the demon within.  If someone focused hard enough, looked deep enough though, they could probably just get the sense of something hidden however.  Or was it merely part of the joke, with only Maku knowing the punch line.

Given his comments about the clouds, it was perhaps inevitable that the kunoichi's topaz gaze would turn upwards to the sky, the large portions of which would still remain overcast and grey. And yet to the sun's credit, it was indeed trying to break free of the veil of greys and blues to shine weakly down on the two picnickers. When had it freed itself, Akihana didn't know, only that though it hadn't made a significant impact on the skies yet, it was trying. The thought was comforting somehow though the young woman, if asked to explain why, couldn't do so even to herself. Though she could not determine any kind of pattern in the clouds above - possibly because she was out of practice and from lack of effort, probably both - it was still a somewhat comforting gesture, looking up at the world above, pretending the forget the one down below even if for a few scant seconds.

When he elaborated upon the tune, having heard it in konoha, she wondered how long it had been. For her it was seven years, did the kids stlll sing like she used to? Akihana had made sure to keep Arata away from her roots including all references to Konoha, at first due to her own precarious position in the village system and later because, well, he had grown up perfectly assimilated to Kumogakure. He would never understand the complexities and norms of a strict clan like the Akari and for the most part, she was perfectly happy with that. The landmarks he mentioned didn't ring any particular bells and she wondered if he was keeping things generic for her benefit. Not that she would blame him as she was doing the same for his.

"All animals are precious," she answered his question, lowering her gaze to the ground once more to see him further relaxed where he lay, his head resting on his hands. The remaining sandwiches lay untouched but the blonde figured she would leave them that way for now. "They deserve our kindness and respect just as much as other humans do. Though sadly they don't get what they deserve." Nor do human beings for that matter but the medic wouldn't mention that. No need to put a damper on what was turning out to be quite the amicable forced, semi hostage, political dialogue. "I like foxes and wolves though," she finally admitted, glancing at the sleeping bijuu as she spoke. The ball of light she had conjured earlier using her eyes alone still hung by Kurama's head. The kyuubi had ignored it for the most part but hopefully it had somehow helped him sleep. After all, a smaller version of this Hikariton technique had acted as Arata's night light when he was a lot younger and far more afraid of the dark.

Since it was the game however, now it was her turn to ask. Searching for a generic question that revealed a lot more than the man's plans didn't prove as hard as she would have thought, but then again, it was always the simple things that told the best stories. "When did you discover your fondness for music?" she asked, reaching to sweep a stray gold strand of her hair behind an ear. The wind had picked up slightly despite the weak sunshine and not only was it disturbing her gold spun locks but starting to make the kunoichi feel cold. Not that any outward signs of this would be displayed save in perhaps the slightest shift in her posture as she held herself a little closer together to combat the almost imaginary change in temperature.

And then something almost impossible happened. As the man moved slightly to unstrap something from his person, it seemed like all the chakra sensory abilities that the ANBU Captain had doubted until now came rushing back, enveloping her in a feeling of warmth and familiarity. It was sheer relief, she supposed, at finally being able to sense the chakra of the man beside her. Ever since their meeting last week, the kunoichi had begun to doubt in her own abilities as a sensory ninja. What was a tracker without their sixth and seventh sense? Not much. The relief that dawned on her now was almost palpable as she felt his chakra signature rushing towards her own sensory abilities, binding, forming, familiarizing in an automatic process that left her somewhat breathless. Her own chakra, somewhat muted and more receptive than most people she knew, remained as it was, a quiet thing in the background just as she had been for most of her life. However this time, a small spark did emerge, one of slight jubilation.

For the first time, the blonde didn't feel like she was going into this situation completely blindsided.

"That looks like an interesting device," she commented lightly, her tone not implying anything more than he would want to hear in it. She said it because it was true, she said it because it was just another thing to talk about.

She said it because he had asked her not to say thank you.

Each word made its way through one ear, to be tumbled and shifted around his brain until a reasonable thought could occur.  "Do you often give vague answers, only to supply an answer that was not originally in the list of applicable choices?"  He would say all of this as he sat bolt up right.  His face dead serious and almost angry.  As if the thought of backing out on their game and not playing to the letter was the greatest sin one could commit.

However, such a face could only be held for a matter of moments until he fell back in the exact same position with a laugh.  "I like it, see I told you Akihanna there is always a choice.  You made a decision, whether you meant to or not, you completely ignored my rules to make it into your own answer.  I commend you."  After he had finished his quick bout of laughter he let out a sigh and waited for her question.  It showed something about people by their answers to obscure questions.  

After all, the main questions, the miss konoha questions....well everyone had built an answer to these.  TO ask someone something they didn't often get asked, to see their mind turn, the wheels spinning in sand..well that was where the fun was to be had.

"Music.....how does one discover a love for music...............I would argue that music finds them."  Taking long pauses between his words it was clear that he took the question serious, as if no matter the game Maku would take it serious from jacks to a battle to the death, it was a game and he liked to win.  "When I was younger, but not much.....well I was essentially worthless in combat.  I mean, I really wasn't very good.  I didn't graduate first, I didn't make any big waves.  What I was good at was singing, and playing.  I once had a harmonica you see, that was given to me by....well I thought he was my dad.  Anyway, I learned to play and then I learned more.  It was the thing that I was good at, that made me special.  I liked that feeling, so I ran with it."

It was true, music had been with him from the beginning.  It even had integrated its way into his fighting style.  Something he rarely found the need to use...though occasionally it did need to be brought out.  If nothing else to keep it from going out of tune like an unplayed instrument.

As his mask came off, out of the corner, or bottom rather of his eye he could see her change slightly.  As if she had finally seen something she had been looking for.  "Are you ok?"  he would ask, only to have her ask about the mask.  Lifting it, he would give it a slight toss that if not caught would land near her vicinity.  "Something I made, from the great tree of Takigakure.  Its a pretty nifty creation if I do say so."

He would once again lay back and let her examine it as much or as little as she desired.  Instead of concerning himself with that his mind began to think on the next question.  It only took a moment, and the perfect question occurred to him.  "If you could go anywhere in the world, see anything just for a moment, what would it be?"  He even sat back up.  He had traveled through many lands, traveling was one of his minor passions.  So to hear where other people would like to go was a reasonable thing to think about.

Waiting he would see what she had to say.  Whether about the mask or the question he had posed. As he waited for her question he seemed to mutter to himself "Wonder what I did with that harmonica........I kind of miss it now."

Despite his clear pretense at anger on her morphing the rules - something Akihana had done only slightly knowingly. Negotiations with a six year old were complex that way for what was a mother supposed to do when her son gave her an option of ice cream or sorbet for dessert on a school night. No amount of guarded diplomacy the blonde had ever done in the line of duty rivaled trying to convince Arata that a cookie would be in his best interest, and then a bath and bedtime - the medic remained calm and for the most part, didn't construe it as such. It was just a question. In her own experience, arguments almost always started thanks to a perceived wrong than an actual one. So if one simply stopped making the assumption that others were doing them wrong, the causes of conflict would become fewer and far in between. Instead, she simply answered. "I do," Watching her words met with a stony silence for about a brief moment before Maku burst out laughing.

Maku, it felt strange to give the man a name, even in her head.

"Well, I've had a little bit of practice," she admitted when he said he commended her on the notion. Despite not wanting to tell him anything about her son, it still felt somewhat wrong to leave him with an impression of being somehow far more capable than she actually was. While most shinobi relied on techniques that displayed their power and prowess, Akihana played the game from the other side, and as honestly as she possibly could.

The kunoichi lapsed into silence once more as he explained how he had started down the path of music. The idea of him being inefficient at battle was one she could have believed had she not seen evidence to the contrary. And yet when he spoke, she understood. That need to feel special, to stand out and be good at something. Akihana used to have it to once upon a time despite her mother and sister insisting that it wasn't her place to be special. All such selfish notions had been discarded with Arata's birth but here was genuinely a little boy who enjoyed doing something that made him feel special. And the blonde could understand that all too well.

"I'm afraid I don't know much about music,"" she admitted softly when he finished speaking. For a moment she entertained the idea of telling him she did dance a little too, or used to a lifetime ago but decided that information was entirely too irrelevant.

When the young man tossed the mask her way, it was only pure reflexes that caught the small item, the rest of her cognitive processes still catching up with the fact that he had actually given it to her. Now that she could feel his chakra emanating in waves from his person, unfolding gently into their surrounding, she had figured out what that item did. And despite his modesty, the blonde knew of the mask's true value. Examining the item with long slender fingers, the young woman looked up at him for permission once before strapping it on to her arm, just beneath the armband. The effect was instantaneous. Her chakra - already as subtle as a quiet child trying even harder to be invisible - vanished completely.

"This is..." for a moment, Akihana couldn't keep the pure wonder from glittering in her golden eyes. Being a sensory ninja, she could appreciate both what went into making such an item and what affect it had. "Very impressive," she finished, lowering her enthusiasm a few octaves in case it came across as rude. Unstrapping the item from her arm, she placed it carefully on the blanket between them, silently inviting him to take it back if he wished and assuring him she wasn't going to do anything to it.

His next question she considered thoughtfully, not simply because she was filtering her answers but because no one had asked her such a question before, not in the longest time. At home, she was mom and any question worth asking was always Arata centric. At work she was the Raikage's secretary and any questions worth answering usually pertained to his schedule. At the hospital, she was a medic and did all the asking, listening and diagnosing. Akihana truly couldn't remember the last time someone had sat down and asked about... just her.

"Konoha," she finally responded after going through a number of answered in her head. She wanted to visit Ame and see the glass angels her mother used to talk about. She had even once wanted to visit Yuki and see all the snow her grandfather had talked about but in the end, it was the village hidden in the leaves she wanted to visit most just to see her grandfather again. "There's someone I'd like to meet there. We lost touch several years ago," she offered in lieu of an explanation.

When it was her turn to ask, the medic was ready with her line of query. "How much wood would a wood chuck, chuck if a wood chuck would chuck wood?" The line was delivered with a straight face not simply for ironic effect, she really wanted to know. Arata had been asking and she had yet to come up with a creative answer to make him stop. Giving him ample time to reply, the blonde lapsed into silence once more, not even speaking up when he mentioned not remembering what happened to his harmonica.

Instead of commenting, Akihana simply focused on a spot on the blanket beside the mask, her eyes acting as the medium for a small light construct forming on the red and black fabric that currently served as their seat. It was by no means perfect, a small rectangle with a completely unprofessional gold finish. But the rows of reed containing chambers on the mouthpiece seemed functional enough to her untrained eye. Of course, how good it actually was would only be known upon the instrument being tested but she had tried.

Making sure that the item wasn't set to cutting or burning, Akihana let the small mouth organ sit on the blanket, glinting dully in the weak sunlight. He had offered her a blanket, it was only polite to return the favor - even if temporarily.

Waving his hand in recognition at her statement towards the mask, he didn't offer anything else about it.  It was simply an item that did its purpose, nothing more nothing less.  While many could call Maku vain, his vanity didn't revolve around tools, and therefore such things didn't need to be acknowledged.  

As for her confession of not knowing much about music...well this didn't surprise him either.  In fact it was rare for him to meet anyone that played anything.  Some seemed to be able to do it for no reason, while most just ignored the skill, so why should she be any different.  It had been with civilians, nobodies that he had practiced song and music.  The bars of Yukigakure, he had went into and played and sang, it was there he had hones some skills.  The battle field provided him the proper theater when he so chose to be conductor, even if rarely.  Once again, he was not to surprised and since it had not been his question he simply allowed her to say her part without much comment.  

The first thing she said to grab his attention was that where she would most like to visit was Konoha.  "Well, I can help with that I think.  Though of course, its just make believe.....though I have always wondered why we should consider that any less real.  Just watch the birdy."  At his final word his right hand shot into the air, the ring catching a bit of sunlight.  Hopefully, it would be only natural for her to look that way at the sudden movement and twinkle of light.  As she did his fingers would snap, and the landscape around them would vanish.

Where there had been mountains now shops stood, their proprietors opening doors and filling the outside stalls with goods.  Citizens walked and talked while children played games.  Behind where Maku lay a fountain let its water trickle and drip.  The wetness could even be felt on their faces.  A perfect match of his last day in Konoha, in the square he had just mentioned.  While it might not be a part she had been to, it was undoubtedly Konoha.

"how is this for ya?"  He said sitting up and smiling.  The ephermal genjutsu he had placed was only loosely held.  There would be brief flickers like a shortage in electricity, to show it could be broken at any time.  It wasn't held with any force at all in fact, and should she try she would find it could easily crumble.  "Maybe not perfect, but hey its the best I can do at the moment."  He would wait and let her look around, and if she did a little girl would approach her, handing her a flower before skipping away.  

He would hold the genjutsu unless she tried to break it, or something occurred to make him think it was for the best.  As for her question he answered immedietly with a visual aid.  A tiny chipmunk would walk out of one of the shops, just as an elderly fat man dropped a load of lumber some 10 feet from where they sat.  

As they watched the woodchuck would chuck wood.  It would chuck some 47 and a half logs before it laid down and fell asleep.  "Well now we know, 47 and a half logs.  That was more wood than I thought a wood chuck could chuck."  He would laugh, his own jokes always lighting up his face.  As it was stated, Maku was a little vain perhaps, but could he help it that he found himself funny?

It was at this time the harmonica would be formed, and he would catch notice.  Reaching down, he lifted the tiny object and gave her a quick look.  A small sigh, a half way grin that almost appeared to have never been there as it vanished that fast.  Lifting the golden peace to his lips, he first gave it a simple test, and found it to be tuned well enough.  What happened next was only natural.  He played a song.....just a simple song really.  Unless interrupted he would play it to its conclusion.  For a matter of nearly 3 minutes he would play, eyes closed and simply focusing on the tiny instrument in his hands.  Soon the song would wind down, and after a brief delay his eyes would open and look upwards at the now incredibly sunny sky.....even if it wasn't real......but really what was.

A silence, giving her any opportunity to do what she pleased, say what she pleased.  After a brief time, he would venture his question.  His voice would be a bit less airy, not as it had been when he pretended to be angry, but still a serious overtone had taken over since the music.  "So AKihanna, last question.  Do you still hate me?  I imagine you had a preconceived notion as to what and who I am.  I doubt very much you want to be here.  So before we conclude, I think it important to know where I stand, at least with one member of the village."  It was simple.  He wanted to know how she felt before she left.  It was sometimes the simple questions that were the hardest to answer however.

He had before the song a multitude of other questions.  What was her favorite color, meal, memory, just a jumble of simple little fun things, but it had been the song that changed that.  Was this moment even real......did it hold weight in the world.  Maku had always believed that any moment was important, because a moment led to another and then another...and without you even having to watch a moment became a life....then it would end.  His own, how long would it be.  How long would her's be...was sitting on a blanket what either of them should be doing as moments moved forward and their lives continued.   "Answer honestly if you don't mind.  After that.......well you are free to do as you want, just like you always have been."  

What was there to do next....His eyes shifted and looked towards where he knew the village to lay.  Not for the first time over the past couple of days, his mind drifted to that final moment.  He wondered, just as he had done earlier after the initial jubilation......did the right person win that fight.  While it wasn't true sadness, it was something else that held his face.  Not regret, not grief.....but the prospect of not knowing where his feet should take him next.