Inchoate (Maku)

The blonde grinned brightly at how obviously pleased he was with the results. As he spun around, taking in the entirely of the room, she was sure the children would aprpeceate it even mroe than he did. Perhaps that was why he had such a connection with Arata? Maybe he'd always had a fondness for the little ones and Akihana had simply never known? It was odd really how little she knew about him despite spending so much time with him. He always seemed to challenge the norm and made their meetings about her instead of him. It was a feeling the kunoichi was still getting used to.

As he slipped the ring ion her finger out of nowhere, the medic paused, only momentarily though, realizing that this was just another of his jokes. Being with Maku was an adventure, his mood changes, his shift from serious to bizarre to serious again was not only hard to keep track of but sometimes even difficult to recognize. When she had first met him, she was sure she'd never be able to but with time, it seemed she had learned that skill too. Well, time and company. So returning the joke, she simply held up the ring in front of her, admiring the tiny gem set into it.

"Pretty, and very kind of you to offer, but I don't do relationships halfway," she replied with a smile of amusement dancing on her lips. "How about instead of your wife until midnight, I be your friend for the rest of forever? Does that sound like something you can live with?" She'd pose the question only half rhetorically, giving him an out if he so wished. Whatever his response, Akihana would listen patiently.

When he sank into the only chair in the room, Akihana was left to upturn an empty bucket and make that as her seat while he spoke, once again turning the spin of this meeting, asking her what she hoped to accomplish in Haven. Truth be told she'd been pondering the same thing for a while now but to be asked was different. Maku's questioned always bothered her to a certain extent, he had an uncanny way of making her talk abotu things she wouldn't usually talk about. Still the question was out and if nothing else, she owed him an answer.

"I don't know," she answered his second question as it was easier than the first. "Ideally I'd like to bring him here but at the moment, its not safe and... not mine. I'm afraid I'm not very good at explaining things but..." the blonde trailed off, trying to arrange the information in erh head so that it made sense when she said it out loud. "I'd like Arata to be safe of course, but I'd also like him to be free to grow up as he wants to. And I don't know if I can do that here seeing as even I'm not free to do as I please. I'm afraid watching his mother constantly at the beck and call of someone would... not be good for him." Akihana lapsed into silence, the dilemma written clear across ehr face for a moment.

"The palace and the queen value me for my medical knowledge, for the fact that I can afford to make the queen my priority. I don't know how anyone would feel once they find out I've only had this one priority all my life."

Having said that, the kunoichi shook her head, the strand of hair she'd tucked behind an ear earlier falling back back and trailing down her face. "But there's no need to decide right now, i suppose," she added, a small note of hope entering her voice. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there and all that."

With her own serious confessions fro the day out of the way, it seemed now it was Maku's turn. She watched him speak of his life as a book, a story that had outlived its ending, and the thought made her feel as though she'd lost something profound. She could never pretend to understand the way he thought, that much they'd both agreed on even at their first meeting. They looked at life differently, his outlook was one she could compare to a firecracker: bright, loud, spontaneous, with a penchant of fizzling out after a short time. Hers was more more like stars, not always as bright or visible but a constant, faraway and dull at times but with an almost infinite lifespan.

"I don't think life is a book," she finally stated quietly once he was finished, her hands automatically reaching out for his. It was an unconscious gesture, one she would have bestowed on anyone had she felt they needed it and despite all his confidence and joviality, he seemed to be in need of a comforting touch. "I think it's written in chapters. Some are exciting, some are less so. But everything that happens is part of the book." The blond didn't know if her words were helping, all she did know was that she had to try.

"Life is a one time thing, there are no sequels. Some people amass as many chapters as possible, others don't even get past the prologue. But at the end of the day, it's not made of up the action scenes, it's made up of the mundane pauses in between, the space between the silences, if you will."

And just like that, the moment was over, his good spirits once again seeping through the room as he accentuated his return to gleeful by dropping out the window, leaving a horrified expression on her face as he crashed into some merchant cart full of silk. Looking at the spectacle down below, the kunoichi tried to hide her smile, not wanting to encourage such reckless behavior.

"I'll be down in a minute," she called out, leaning back into the room and away from the window. The house was mostly done. A quick sweep revealed that Maku had taken care of the other rooms and that Cupcake hadn't managed to upturn any buckets of paint. Giving the place a one last look, she exited through the front door, the puppy at her heels.

"Where to next?' she asked, her own good spirits back in place as she raised her hand to shade her golden eyes from the rising sun, the rays bouncing off the small gem glinting on her ring finger.

"Sorry, I don't negotiate with blondes." He would say at her remake. "Besides I never plan anything for the next day, you can waste so much time planning instead of doing. So I'm afraid my terms are nonnegotiable. Your welcome to file with the proper authorities if you like though." He would say with a serious, stereotypical lawyer, face.

"I think your wrong." He would say with a smile regarding her response to his ideology. "That's ok though, perspective right?" He would add with a throwback to one of their first encounters. Then he would fall from the window.

Down below he would wait while the silk vendor vented vicariously on the idea of the villain that destroyed his cart. Getting up Maku would walk over and tap the man on the shoulder. "Listen friend, these silks they are immaterial." He would say waving his hand. "Now bye bye." He would add with a wink. Before he had taken 6 steps to meet Akihana a man had emerged from the shadows and the merchant left. His pocket jingling slightly, and the cart being wheeled away by the figure from the shadows.

"Well let's see on more place, then we can call it a day. I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going now." He would say as they would go through a labyrinth of alleys and "shortcuts". After about 30 to 40 minutes Maku would stop and say. "Damn never mind I have no clue where we are." Laughing at this lapse of judgment he would duck into a nearby food stall and have a seat. Not turning to see if Akihana had followed, he simply assumed she would.

If she did he would simply ask a question. "I've heard of a big shindig coming to town soon. I'm not sure what it's for, but it sounds like a tournament of sorts? Do you know anything more about it?"

Him admitting that he didn't negotiate with blondes made Akihana giggle. "Well then I suppose you'll just have to accept my terms like a gentleman without any negotiation," she added, not bothering to point out the fallacy of his argument, an equally if not more prominently golden head that dominated his otherwise short frame. As they left the building, getting lost in the labyrinthine alley and back streets that supposedly led to their next destination, Akihana didn't berate him on not knowing where they were going, nor did she insist that they stop and ask for directions. The sun had fully risen now, bathing the world in it's warm glow and for once, it didn't matter where they were going, just that they were moving forwards.

Until he ducked into a food stall and they weren't, catching the medic off guard as she continued a few paces without really looking until she realized he wasn't by her side. Turning around, she followed him into the small place, noting that despite their wanderings, they must still be in an area sufficiently well off for people to be selling food in a city where the masses went hungry. Akihana clearly needed to get to know this city better, but the pace was alright. After all, no place or person revealed themselves to another in a few days. And getting to know Hoshi was just as much an adventure as living in it, maybe even more so.

Out of habit, the blonde unconsciously pulled down her hood upon entering and took a seat opposite Maku. Before she could speak however, she could feel the few eyes they duo had drawn including the quiet gasps of breathe. It only took a moment for her to realize her mistake, but it was too late to put up her hood once again so she sat quietly as food and beverages appeared on their small table before she had a chance to order anything. She thought she heard the dreaded words whispered again but she was getting used to it, and she had no one but herself to blame really.

When thier servers had left, Maku asked a question and the medic latched on to it gratefully, anything to deter her from the embarrassment of being recognized and given free food.

"The Queen's Joust," she supplied, reaching for an earthy mug of hot tea, holding it in her hands for warmth before taking a sip. "I told you about it remember? It's an annual thing where people joust in her grace's honor. You mentioned wanting to put on a bit of a show for it?" Akihana was still half determined to get the monarch out of her palace for the event but a lot would depend on how the Queen was feeling at the time.

"It's in just over two weeks. People are going to be coming in from all over the country to witness it. There used to be prizes and rewards for the best jousters and archers and whatnot but since the last few years, it's been more as a mark of respect because everyone knows the palace's resources have been greatly depleted. If I heard correctly, the last year's winners actually got a post as palace gate guards."

"Well I don't think you ever told me about it, but I suppose we can disagree to agree." Maku would say taking a sip of some kind of beverage before, child like, letting it go back into the cup with a disgusted look on his face. His gaze would be daggers at the cup, it's substance offending him. He would quickly order the waiter back over and have the slight on his personal honor righted.

"I would like to do something spectacular. Denkitiki and me I think, an exhibition perhaps. I would ever so like an opportunity to.....ummm let loose just a little. I'm getting a little cooped up Ya know?" He would add. Just as a bottle was set in front of him. The vapors intoxicated his senses, and he took a long draft. "Truth be told I'm not totally sure what my brother can do, I mean I know he's tough, he's related to me." He would say with a smile and wink, as though obviously anyone that shared his blood would be impressive. "I've even been workin on a new....well a new trick I suppose you could say." Taking another drink he would let his head fall back.

Gazing around the now upside down restaurant he would continue talking. "It should be fun anyway. I'm hoping it will accomplish a couple things." He would leave that at that however. Unless questioned further on it. A silence would creep Ito the conversation unless Akihana filled it. Maku thinking on the upcoming tourney. Still 2 weeks away, what a drag. The only bright side would be the entirety of the city underground would be his by then. It had all been a little to easy if truth was told. Conquering ants wasn't a lot of fun, it was like killing pancakes. Sure if you did enough you'd get fat on the spoils, but it just didn't leave you satisfied like a more harty meal.

"I think I should like to meet this queen. Perhaps after the tourney. That should be fun." He would add out of no where. In truth he'd already seen the withered old bat. He hadn't been impressed then and wasn't about to be with her in the light. In truth, he didn't see the need for a queen, or a king. Absolute power wasn't something anyone should have. One always ran better with the breath of the man behind you. Even when he had led Yuki it had only bee with Echo as leader behind him. How could one hope to do a good job without accountability.

In a free spirit like Maku it might be odd to think that he thought this way, yet it was just another part of his logic. To be honest he wasn't looking for anyone to agree with him, as it was his logic. He could logic with it as he pleased. Back to the queen though, she would probably have to go. No doubt someone that frail and used to power would use it wrong given time. It was why he had these eyes. Taken probably used better than what the original owner could have anyone, and certainly better than what Kiranomo would have done with them.

"You know, I think tw last building will be done before we get there. I forgot I hired some contractors to finish it for me." He would add with a smile, as if such a lapse in judgment was simply a funny situation. "What do you think would happen if there was no queen?" He would say with a wicked grin and a twinkle in his eyes. It was a hard face to judge, between playful and serious. He didn't bother keeping his voice low with such treason. No doubt some would gasp or even rifle. Some may even get angry, and a few would make no movement at all. The ones who already had pledged there was no queen. These were the ones who knew who the real master in the city was, and it wasn't some old lady in a dusty palace. He may call he dark his home, the sewers a place of business, but he had already been better to them in a few days than they'd gotten in years. The death of all monarchy's bein when a common man no longer sees them as on high, especially when the rest of the commoners have already decided he isn't common after all.

Akihana could have quoted their previous conversation regarding the Joust had she wanted to, but why bother. If Maku didn't remember it then perhaps it simply hadn't been memorable enough. The kunoichi had always lived on the assumption that people remembered important things and despite all the time she'd spent with the young man opposite her, she couldn't come close to guessing what was important to him. So she merely shook her head and listen to his plan of a spectacle yet again, raising a golden eyebrow in disapproval as he spat out his drunk, probably the lack of alcohol offending his taste buds. For a moment, she considered making him drink something decent but shook off the thought once again. Far from him being able to produce whatever she took away from within his suit again and again, it came back to the matter of what was important.

And some things just weren't.

"I've seen some of his abilities," Akihana admitted truthfully. Her entrance into Sanctuary had been marked by the great Dragons vs Toads scenario and Den had managed to hold up his own much better than she had. It didn't surprise her that Den was capable of such acts seeing as he had created Sanctuary, but Akihana appreciated his prowess in the medical field a lot more. "I haven't seen much of his offensive ability but he is a highly accomplished medic. He..." The blonde paused, not wanting to admit that it was only his constant healing that had kept her alive though her bijuu sealing. The secret she still hugged close to her chest was not one she could give up that easily, not least because it put her in danger. Telling people about tailed beasts put said people in danger. And though Maku didn't remember her worries when she'd asked if there would be danger, she did, and that was all that mattered. "We compared notes," she finished feebly, knowing that it wouldn't sound anywhere near as what had actually happened but realizing there was nothing she could do about it at that point.

The blonde let out a soft peal of laughter at his insistence that Den was powerful by virtue of being related to him. She let him fall silent however before she picked up on that line of thought again. "Your parents are very powerful people too," she began cautiously, looking down into her own mug of tea but not doing anything to bring the warm liquid to her lips. "I've only met your father in passing and he absolute resonates this aura that I can't explain, but your mother, we've had tea a few times." It was difficult to convey how Mrs. Hayato had been exactly simply because the shinobi world had no word that conveyed the power of a worried mother accurately. Akihana herself hadn't been aware of this problem until she herself had been forced into motherhood and had to come to the conclusion that no words in any languages would ever do the emotion justice.

"She is a very strong woman, she lived her life with two shinobi who were always a cause of worry to her and she still found the strength to love them with all her heart. And what's more admirable, is that she will find the strength to love a third just as much." Looking up from her drink, Akihana chanced a glance at Maku in case there had been a reaction on his part before continuing. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, I'm well aware I have no influence over you whatsoever... but coming from someone who hasn't seen her own family in years, I think you'd really like it if you gave yours a chance to get to know you."

Picking up the mug once more, the medic drank deeply, averting her gaze from Maku to afford him some privacy with his own thoughts and a response should he choose to make one. When he mentioned wanting to meet Her Grace, Akihana immediately brightened up, glad that he was finally taking an interest in the going ons at the palace.

"Oh I'm sure she'd love to see you, she's quite taken with blond hair, she'll probably want you to sit with her for hours telling her stories." After the tourney would be a great time too, she reasoned. The monarch might be tired out from the event but nothing like a great spectacle and powerful ninja jousting in her honor to make her feel great. Perhaps this would be the nudge Her Grace needed to start her down the road of recovery?

His next question threw her off more than a little, so much so that the kunoichi didn't even mind that they didn't have another building to go to and that Maku had forgotten he had hired people to take care of it. Instead, the blonde actually thought about a reply. What would happen if there was no Queen in the City Blessed by the Stars. "I think the ciry would lsoe soemthing of itself without ehr," she finally said, her tone contemplative. Her Grace has sat Akihana down and talked of symbols and hope, but it was only now as she considered the question from anoher party that the naswers made sense.

"The Queen does not hold supreme power in the current system, nor does she have enough of an army to enforce her rule all across Haven. Aside from living in an ancestral palace and wearing silks and jewels... she does very little. But the people of this city believe in her, not necessarily that she will make things better but that she is there for them. Flawed in her own way but still theirs. And I'm starting to see how in times of strife, its the hope that keeps people alive more than food and water. If the Queen were gone... well, I'd be very unhappy that hope was taken away from so many people." It was the reason she herself was instructed to dress the way she did, act the way she was told to act, to keep up the facade of a present Queen and Leader until an ample replacement could be found. Akihana played the part to keep the monarch happy, knowing that it was a temporary thing.

What do you think would happen if there was no queen?" Akihana returned his own question to him, interested to know his own thoughts on the matter and to possibly discern the reason behind why he had asked the question in the first place.

Her response about his parents had come after he had already laid his head back. His companion was out of view, and his face turned just a little sour. As she began to say she had met his father, he would kick up hitting the table. Not enough to cause a spill, not even enough to shift the silver ware. Just enough to be startling and halt the flow of her words. "Thank you, but no thank you. They are Denkitki's parents. Not mine." His voice wasn't angry or to his best attempt even rude. It was just spoken with a finality.

His parents, he knew they lived. He even for the most part had come to completely understand the details of how and why he had found himself in this current situation. It wasn't their fault really, he wasn't so childish, to put that on them. Besides would he really want things different? If things had been different where would he be at in life? He certainly wouldn't be on this path. He probably wouldn't have met Youka and made his only real friend. Though maybe a different path would have led to more friends, but still. Given the option what would he choose? It was a mystery even to himself.

It wasn't that he didn't plan on meeting them, he figured he would eventually. Though, he didn't want someone telling him to. Denkitiki had been understanding about the entire situation, and hadn't pressured him at all. Instead leaving it to his brother to figure out. In fact now that he thought on it, Maku didn't even know which of them where the elder. It just hadn't come up. No doubt Den already knew of course. What do you say to two people who supposedly love you, but haven't seen you for nearly your entire life.

What more, what was he to say? His past wasn't something any but the most peculiar parents would find impressive. What's more he wasn't looking for affirmation it what he had done, or was he just being childish. It all seemed like such a hassle at times he found himself wishing his parents really had been the bastards that tried to kill him. At least then there would be a finality, instead of these loose strings. He hated loose strings.

He decided that today was not the day to have it out. "I think nothing would happen." He would say to her reverse question. "I think there would be a period of strife then everyone would get over it. I think the value of these "objects of hope" are for the most part meaningless." He would say taking a drink "time heals all wounds. The people would find something else to glom over, then that'd be that, the queen would be nothing but a wrinkles page in a book, and a skeleton in the ground."

His refusal to admit that they were his parents too took Akihana aback for a bit. For a moment, she wondered what those nice people could have done to deserve such prickliness from him but knew it wasn't really her place to ask. She could only hope that he would come around soon enough. The gentle yet strong woman Akihana had had the pleasure of meeting certainly deserved both her sons by her side.

His curt dismissal also set the blonde on edge, imagining her own son refusing to acknowledge her one day in the distant future and she knew that she would rather die a thousand deaths than live to see that happen. Though the way in which she had left things with Arata before Haven... Akihana tried to suppress that line of thinking. She had to believe Arashi would bring his brother around. All children rebelled, some at six, others at... how old was Maku anyway?

Instead of focussing one rh own troubles, she listened to Maku proclaim that nothing would change if the Queen was gone, only to go abck and admit people would be sad. Akihana wasn't sure if they were having a philosophical conversation about the powers of symbol at this point or if he was simply stating an opinion, it wasn't always easy to tell the difference with him. It was however easy enough to say what she did next.

"Well I think otherwise. I think there will be a difference and people will latch on to something different to believe in because that's what people do," she concluded softly, her golden eyes on Maku. "If there was no longer this Queen, there'd be another, like the one from Bird Country. And just because a symbol is replaceable doesn't mean it isn't important. Her Grace did all she could in her capacity as ruler. It wasn't perfect but she did what she could, as I'm sure her cousin will in future. And if you start out with good intentions, then even if things don't go your way, it's not because you didn't try."

As they sat, the morning around them had truly come alive. Several more vendors had opened up shop, women passed by with baskets on their arms on their way to fresh markets and children ran about the street that had been deserted until half an hour ago. It was the first time Akihana had witnessed the city coming alive in the morning and she liked what she saw.

Hoshi might have been down for a while but it definitely wasn't out for the count. The realization gave her hope for the city.

Cupcake, unaware fo the serious nature of the discussion going on, simply trotted to the front of the stall, looking adorable and begging for scraps from people around it, with marginal success too, Akihana noted, a soft smile on her lips.

"Well I guess we can disagree to agree."  He would say lightheartedly at her proclamation of philosophy.  Honestly it always confused him why so many people got upset of differing opinions.  He couldn't think of anything that meant less.  Her opinion didn't change his, it didn't effect his life, and vice versa.  People needed to learn to grow up and see what was and what wasn't important.  Alas that wasn't the way of the world really.

Snapping his head back up he would take his drink only to let his head fall back again.  Drinking long and deep he would replace the empty bottle on the table.  "Well I think our time is up my dear."  He would say standing.  His body would begin to flow ever so softly, a rose gold as his chakra reached outward from his body to the dimension he had crafted from Denkitki's.  Discord would be pulled and brought to heel to appear in the corporeal world.  

"I have enjoyed our morning together, but I think I'd like to prepare for this contest.  After all..."  He would pause flipping the hair out of his eyes, and giving her a wink.  Just as a large swinging door would replace the one that had blocked off the kitchen.  The stain glass sill reflecting the road vs dragon conflict.  "I can't disaapoint all the girls, or as I call them soon to be fans."  He would chuckle slightly at his own wit, before taking on a serious and over exaggerated sad face.

"Don't be jealous though my love.  You will always be my first wife.  That is a bond we can cherish in the dark of night and the cold of winter."  He would cover the hand with the ring he had given her with his own left hand if she let him of course.  As quickly as he made a sad face he would laugh and skip to the door before turning.  Falling backwards he would give her a last wink and wave mid fall before his body hit the door.  The door would fall with him as if it was fabric and as they should have hit the ground he would merely vanish.

Only to have the chef come through the real door as if nothing had happened.  Placing the desert for two on the table a large check would also be visible.  Maybe, or maybe not he had intentionally left this for her, no doubt she wouldn't mind.

(Exit)

Once again, her companions turned around expression puzzled the kunoichi. Still Maku did many things backwards, and like all other things, she let it go, until he rose to grasp her hand.

"Really, just the girls?" the blonde asked with a wink of her own. "I'd say the boys might find you equally beguiling." With a laugh the kunoichi watched him disappear through the doorway of discord, whether intending to fall or tripping over his own feet she couldn't say. But it was only after her companion had left that the real dilemma of this venture faced her  - in the form of two plates of dessert.

What do you say Makona-chan? the medic asked, for teh first time giving the entity inside her a name. Perhaps she couldn't share her secret with the world and perhaps the thing had meant her harm initially. But it was a part of her now and it deserved respect. As usual, there was no answer, there never was except in moments when she felt the most unsure of herself. Akihana took this as good of an omen as any.

"What about you Cupcake? Want to help mommy finish all this cake?" The puppy lay on it's back in reply, all four paws in the air in a clear gesture of "no thanks, I'm full." Once the little stray too had abandoned her cause, the kunoichi set on the herculean task of finishing both plates of dessert. For whether a ninja or civilian, man or woman, adult or child, it was unconscionable to leave behind dessert.

It took a good forty minutes to carve her way through both plates but finally it was done, leaving Akihana more full than she had been in ages. The blonde tried to pay for the food only to be bowed respectfully out, the owner refusing to take money from the Promised Princess.

It didn't however keep Akihana from leaving a rather large tip behind, enough to cover everything she and Maku ahd eaten and then some.

[Exit Akihana]

TWC - 6067

Claiming 4K for third V2 Tail
Claiming 2067 towards fourth V2 Tail
Claiming 7 AP
Claiming 3000 Ryo as mission reward + 10 stats converted to 1000 Ryo = 4000 Ryo

Approved of Appropriate Rewards