Crone's Wisdom (Takeo)

The Turning Point, in many ways, was a truly symbolic representation of a unified Hoshi. For whatever ones religious, familial or political allegiances were, they all came together here, at this unimpressive looking four story structure that seemed to be held together by hope more than a sound foundation. Though Akihana had to presume the actual foundation was fortified with Den's wood jutsu seeing as they'd done so to all the rambling old buildings of the city, strengthening those that stood and completely rebuilding those that were beyond repair. The humble inn situated just off the cross roads leading to the town square was the kind of business that always did well regardless of the times - and the secret to its success lay in the simple fact that the old inn keeper never asked too many questions. This trait of his had seen him through some of the economically worse years in the city and it served him well now as Akihana found out a two days after she had met Takeo.

It had taken her two days to realize that their guest was not the kind to write and confirm that he had arrived at the inn safely, that he was doing well or that he needed anything. In fact, the blonde could hardly justify to herself the need to check up on him though at first, she hoped it was because he had initially entered the palace as a threat. But the kunoichi had been nothing if honest all her life and this time was no different. She didn't want to check up on Takeo because she was worried or afraid he would harm someone, she wanted to check up on him to ensure he was alright.

So two days after having met him, the royal medic had set off towards the inn, a basket of food in hand only to find out that yes, a stranger with odd eyes had checked in but had left almost immediately. The inn keeper was hesitant to reveal more and Akihana understood, she had turned to leave when a familiar grunting from the stable doors had caught her attention. A minute later, Pig was bounding out the wooden door and towards her, almost as if he intended to knock her over. Already the animal seemed to have grown, testifying to the fact that it was getting fed well.

"Hi Pig!" the kunoichi had bend down to greet the animal, scratching at it's little ears. Pig grunted derisively which made the golden eyed kunoichi laugh all the more. So Takeo had left but he'd left Pig behind. Which could only mean he was coming back. "Well Pig, how about i come hang out with you for a few hours every couple days, I can bring food," she had offered only to be answered with a snort which Akihana had taken as a yes.

Since then, the kunoichi had visited Pig every few days, bringing scraps and bits from the royal kitchens. Pig seemed to have an appetite that was never satisfied, he ate as much a she or anyone gave him and he didn't appear fussy about what he ate either. The mammal ate both fruit, meats and processed foods with the same amount of enthusiasm. Once she had brought Cupcake along too but the puppy - great coward that he was - had stayed behind Akihana the whole time. Though in Cupcake's defense, Pig had looked at the puppy as though he too was food.

Sometimes during her visits, she talked to Pig, other times, she trained in the lonely stables. Most people left the place alone when they heard there was a royal visitor there and the ones who were more curious were turned away by the inn keeper who valued his business more than he did knowing what was going on. All in all, Akihana and Pig had formed quite the camaraderie, or at least that was what she hoped his series of grunts, snorts and sighs meant. Perhaps he simply tolerated her until his master returned.

It had been two weeks now and once again, the young blonde could be found with Pig, her sitting atop a bale of straw with her knees hugged to her chest while Pig chewed away at an entire roast beef she had brought for him on the ground about five feet away. The Pig was not exactly a clean eater, causing Akihana to gather the dark green hem of her floor length gown around her lest there be bits of roast beef and mashed potatoes on it.

"I don't know," she spoke up as Pig ate. "I always thought... I didn't know what I thought before but I'm certainly thinking it now. What do you think? Is wishing for one single miracle wishing for one miracle too many?"

Waking up in a new place. It was something that was not a foreign event to Takeo. It came with the job of being a wanderer after all. One could hardly be a wanderer if they didn't go anywhere, right? Still, it was sometimes a surreal experience. Especially considering the circumstances of it all. Arriving into a city you had only visited once before was bad enough. Doing it while intoxicated, pretty much a death sentence. Suffice to say, Takeo now found himself in quite an odd place. Said odd place was an alleyway, one of many that littered the city. How had he gotten here? He wasn't quite sure. Leaning back against the alley wall he ran a hand through his hair to get it out of his vision. "I need a haircut." Takeo mumbled to himself, looking about wearily. It was time like this that he wished he actually had somewhere he considered a home. Using the wall as a support Takeo shakily got to his feet. Usually a shower would be the first thing he did in order to wake up. Naturally he did the next best thing. Spotting a barrel at the end of the alleyway he sauntered on over towards it. He had seen them littered around the city, barrels full of water for the horses to drink from when they were resting. Leaning against the barrel, he dunked his head into the cold water for a good few seconds, before bursting out gasping. Naturally, Takeo ignored the strange looks he was given.

In a world full of scoundrels and killers, Takeo had seen the worst of the worst. Hoshigakure stood out as an oddity, the best of the worst. Although, maybe he just had not come across the dark side of this city. After all, Takeo had only met and spoken with about four people since he had come to this place. He blamed that woman, it was obviously all her fault. She had skewed his opinion, swayed it so that it held Hoshi in higher regard than what it actually deserved.

That may have been the case. Or maybe it was just Takeo holding it in higher esteem due to it's uniqueness. Tengakure had had a similar feeling about it. Back before Takeo understood just how bad it could be when it's true colours were shown. He wouldn't be surprised if this place turned out the same way. Maybe this time it would not result in the entire populace being moved and the city being brought to ruin. He hoped that would not happen this time around, because he did enjoy the look of the city. The white-haired young man had decided so after dunking his head in the water. Well, that wasn't entirely true. It had been when he began to make his way towards what he hoped was the centre of Hoshigakure. Now Takeo wasn't the best when it came to directions, which is why he had asked for a map when he had first gotten here. Though the entire point of a map was moot if he had kept the map at the inn. Now that he thought about it he doubted Pig actually needed - or could read for that matter - a map of the area. A menu yes, a map no.

The inn that he was searching for wasn't exactly the grandest of places. Takeo had stayed in worse places though. And as it was the one suggested by Akihana, it was the easiest choice to go with. He assumed it was so that she knew where he was. Standard protocol he supposed, keep an eye on possible threats. That was fine with Takeo, they could literally stand on his shadow and stalk him, he wasn't the type to let others ruin his fun. The Turning Point, the name of the inn had amused Takeo when he first arrived. Perhaps it was a sign that things would change for him, it seemed unlikely however, as soon after he had simply left again. But he was returning, if only so that he could pick up his animal.

It took him some time, if only because people steered clear of him so he could not ask them for directions, but he finally arrived at the inn. One thing he liked about the inn was the owner. The man asked little. He didn't ask about his eyes, or why he had a pet pig when they had first arrived. He had not questioned where he was going or when he would return, or if he would. That's the kind of man Takeo could get along with. And as expected, he didn't question Takeo when he walked in. 'Welcome back.' Was the comment from behind the bar counter. No questions about why his eyes were bloodshot. Or why his clothes were tattered and dirty from days of travel. Not even about why his hair was dripping wet and plastered across his face, which was the only part of him not caked in grime thanks to the water barrel earlier.

Before Takeo made his way to the stables, the inn keeper had the decency to mention how someone had come looking for him some weeks back, and how they had made regular visits since. This all but confirmed his suspicions, but Takeo didn't care in the slightest. Tossing the man a few ryo he grabbed some food and headed out towards the stable. It had been awhile since he had seen Pig, he hoped that the animal wouldn't have forgotten about him. Their meeting had only been brief after all.

Tossing an apple up and down he made his way to the stable entrance. The last time he had been here the stables had been unoccupied. Though this time that didn't seem to be the case. Naturally, Pig was there, munching away at what appeared some sort of cooked meat. Takeo wondered briefly if it was pork, but he doubted their existed anyone in the world who would be that twisted. The stable had seemed to pick up another resident during his absence however. He should have recognised her before he spotted her, but Takeo hadn't exactly been paying much attention. Catching the tail end of what seemed to be a conversation between Akihana and Pig, Takeo entered the building. "Only someone who lacks the strength to do things for themselves wish for miracles." Takeo stated matter of factly as he crossed the room.

Pig briefly turned away from his food, acknowledging that Takeo had returned. He even gave a snort, which Takeo took for 'About time you got back.' Taking a bite from the apple, he tossed it over towards where the rest of his food was. Pig snorted again, which was most likely in thanks, before going back to chowing down. "You got fatter." Takeo commented, though to who he was referring to wasn't entirely clear. "What are you doing here Akihana?" He asked, pretty much collapsing backwards onto a pile of hay in order to relax.

Akihana's blossoming smile at the familiar voice wavered only for a second as the words registered, something about strength making up for miracles. It was an argument she was well acquainted with though Takeo's tone did not indicate an argument about to break out. If anything, the blonde took it as a substitute to a conventional "hello". The kunoichi wondered if this white haired male had ever actually greeted someone in the more conventional sense of the term, the thought far more amusing than it should have been as he flopped down onto the stack of hay opposite. "Good morrow," she greeted the wandered with a cheery smile, fighting the instinct to get up and give him a hug in welcome. She doubted he would appreciate it any more than he would an attack his way. Though chances were, he might welcome an attack more.

It tugged at her heart slightly, the thought that an attack would be more welcome than signs of affection. But she had seen it in growing boys enough. All of Arata's playmates seem to communicate through punches better than terms of endearment. It was a sad state when violence became the security blanket people hid from affection behind. But instead of voicing her thoughts, the young woman simply settled for a radiant smile. "We're both certainly glad to see you back. You look like you had quite the rough journey." Too polite to actually comment on his state, her golden eyes regardless lingered on his sopping wet hair and worn out clothing. She wondered if the visitor would be offended at the offer of fresh clothes.

At his comment of strength, the blonde simply nodded genially. 'Some would say that it requires tremendous strength of character to believe in miracles. After all, it requires a certain amount of courage to admit our life is out of our control, that we are governed by some higher being who has our best interests at heart." The subject was circular true, but it was no the answer that mattered, more what was learned along to the road to finding it. At his throwaway comment about gaining weight, a dark blush crept up Aihana's pale face, making the blonde break eye contact to instead stare at her hands, her loose golden hair falling over a shoulder and covering her reaction. Had she really grown thicker in the two weeks he'd been away? Perhaps it was time to lay off the rich stew served at the royal table. The thought that he might have directed the comment at Pig never crossed her mind seeing as it was Pig's job to grow stronger - something he'd been dedication his existence solely to of late given how diligently he ate everything.

"Well, I came to see Pig obviously," she replied honestly. "It can get pretty lonely here without anyone to really talk to. At first I came to see you but when I found out you were gone and had left Pig behind, well I had to check in on him. I didn't want to take him back to the palace in case someone accidentally put him in the pen with the rest of the animals meant for dinner so coming here seemed a good compromise." In fact, Pig had proven good company over the weeks. He was a good listener, he never judged and when Akihana trained her abysmal taijutsu techs in front of him, his snort was only half laughter, the other half complete disinterest she imagined. In a way, it was nice to speak to someone who wasn't involved with the political or social entanglements of being a Hoshigakure ninja, or even human. "He's a very astute listener."

Once she'd answered, the kunoichi finally looked up at him, the blush slowly disappearing as did her self consciousness. Sweeping her long blonde locks aside, she asked a question of her own, albeit politely. "So, where did you have to go off to in such a hurry. It's not nice to leave Pig all alone like this, though he's fine. Nothing bad happened to him of course."

There it was, that same strange greeting that she had uttered during their first meeting. What did morrow mean anyway? Takeo wasn't quite sure. Regardless he responded by raising his hand and giving a slight wave. As it dropped lazily back to his side, Takeo's gaze moved to the ceiling of the stables. It was a perfectly average wooden ceiling, but there was little else to look at right now. He had witnessed Pig eating before and Takeo was sure if spent more than the minimum time that was considered polite looking at Akihana things would quickly become awkward. Not to say that it wasn't awkward enough already. Still, the idea of breaking through the ceiling had arrived in his mind multiple times already. It would make him able to at least gaze at clouds or stars, depending on the time of day. The only reason it was still intact was that he doubted the inn keeper would be appreciative of this action. He had a high tolerance, but property damage probably crossed the line.

Takeo sneered hearing Akihana's next comment. Whether a result of the usage of 'we' or the comment about his journey. "False pleasantries mean nothing to me. Your politeness is wasted." He said, brushing his damp hair back with his fingers. "It is only natural Pig missed me, he has no friends. The only reason he still lives is because of me." His tone was condescending, though his expression faltered slightly when Pig snorted. A retort perhaps, or a coincidence. Takeo obviously took is for the former, eyes narrowing. "Don't argue back with me Pig. You're an idiot if you take this woman visiting as anything more than a job." This was said sharply under his breath, now Takeo didn't know whether or not Pig could hear him. It didn't matter so long as Akihana didn't. Her knowledge of his knowledge of her motives would provide nothing more than complications. Which would give Takeo a larger headache than what he was currently harbouring from having figured it out in the first place.

His plan of how to deal with this was shattered within moments as he heard a voice. It seemed Akihana was responding to his original comment. Naturally, he disagreed with her response. Takeo did not bother to say that however, knowing that conversations about topics like these could last forever. And considering she had still yet to explain why exactly she was here - even though he already knew - made it so that he wanted to avoid extended debates with her.

Her response to his comment about weight gain proved quite odd. It might have escaped someone who was less observant, but he did notice it. Perhaps she had taken offence. Still, he didn't see why. It was after all Pig's job to grow fatter. If anything it was a compliment to the little champion. Reaching over he patted the top of Pig's head gently as he finished the last of his meal. "You're quite a spectacular creature." He spoke softly, removing his hand after a moment and using it to help him move to a standing position.

It seemed finally Akihana responded to his questioning of why she was here. The explanation made him smile. The smile wasn't due to appreciation for what she did, or even because he felt happy that Pig wasn't alone the entire time. No, it was one of plain amusement. Takeo had to refrain himself from laughing, looking between the two other individuals in the stables. The idea that she was keeping Pig company was hilarious honestly. Still, something about what she said bugged him. Enough for him to bring it up, "Came to see me? Why." Takeo questioned, turning to face her directly. "Our acquaintanceship ended the moment I left the palace and didn't destroy it. You had no reason to seek me out."

Takeo turned away briefly, he felt odd. He assumed it was anger or irritation because of this woman. Yes, that was most likely the case. He couldn't place it exactly, however he threw such notions of figuring out what it was to the side when she questioned where he had gone. "It's none of your business." Takeo snapped, moving through the stables over to the bags he had travelled with. "Still, I might as well humour you." Flipping the bag upside down, he spilled the contents out onto the floor. The items he had bought in the tech shop within Kirigakure landing on the ground in a heap. "I went to Kirigakure, to buy some things. I plan on selling them on to earn some ryo. It'll help deal with Pig's diet." Not bothering to pack the stuff back up, he rummaged for the leftover food he had for his journey. Tossing it over in the direction of Pig, he glanced back to the woman sat on the hay bale.

"I'm going to be staying in Hoshigakure for an extended period of time. Pig isn't strong enough to travel anywhere right now without being a liability. That's why I left him behind." After saying that Takeo felt something hitting his foot. Turning, he glanced over at Pig who had nudged him. A series of snorts and grunts followed, which was likely pig speak for calling Takeo out on his statement. He ignored it naturally, and soon Pig just huffed and went back to eating as he saw no point in trying to speak his case any longer. "Now then, I'll be needing a list of the laws of this city. While the possibility of me breaking them are quite high either way, I'd still like to know when and which ones I break."

A small glimmer of hurt flashed through the kunoichi's soft golden eyes at his accusation of her dispensing fake pleasantries but Akihana did her best not to let it show. After all, she was sure he didn't mean to come across as hurtful. If anything, this just proved her theory on how affection and genuine good will was harder to deal with than pretentiousness and formalities. The blonde didn't know his criteria for judging what was fake and what was real but she apparently fit into the former category. The medic briefly wondered if anyone he knew fit into the latter. She hoped for Takeo's sake there were a good many people who. The idea of living through life imagining every act of kindness as a false facade put forth in exchange for something was crippling at best. Regardless she did not challenge him on his assumption. If he was convinced her politeness was false, then she supposed false politeness was better than true cruelty or indifference. Whatever the case, she let it go for the moment. He'd had a long trip, he probably wouldn't appreciate an exchange of philosophies.

"Well, Pig seems to disagree," she pointed out, trying to restrain a small giggle as the pig objected to being told he had no friends. "In fact, I would say Pig can decide for himself who his friends are, can't you Pig?" She liked to think she heard a snort somewhere in between all the chewing as agreement but it very well could have been her wishful thinking. "I'll have you know Pig is very enlightening company. He listens to all the matters of state and he gave me pointers on my Taijutsu training. He didn't even laugh when I fell down the first few times," she disclosed, then shaking her head lightly, added "Much." her honest nature compelling the blonde to finish the thought truthfully.

If Akihana had to describe the young man who had gotten to his feet once more in a single word, she would choose "restless". Perhaps it came with being a wanderer, perhaps he'd always been like that but his body language today coupled with the revelation from their previous meeting that he got bored easily, Akihana had no other option to decide on that adjective. It wasn't as if the kunoichi herself had never traveled. She had lived in three major shinobi villages out of the five that existed in any point in time. But unlike Takeo, the golden haired woman had always tried to form roots. Deeply centered at heart due to the peace she unflinchingly believed in, Akihana had always attempted to make homes. Takeo appeared to be too cautious to even remain seated in the same position for more than a few minutes, as clearly shown by his lanky frame first moving to Pig than to his bags.

"I came to see you because I was concerned for you of course," she answered offhandedly, as though he should have arrived at the simple conclusion himself. "You were all alone in a new city for he first time. Someone had to make sure you were doing alright. I'd never forgive myself if a guest of the crown's didn't enjoy our city on his first stay." To his retort, the kunoichi looked up at his face blankly, confused for a second as she asked "I apologize... But do I not get a say in how and when our acquaintanceship ends?" He had used the word "our", which implied she held some say in the matter too, though apparently not. "I'm sorry if I've offended you, it wasn't my intention," the kunoichi lowered her gaze once more.

Still quite content to remain seated on her bale of straw, Akihana watched him move to upturn his bags, showing her the souvenirs from his trip anyway after revealing he had returned to Kiri. She young woman didn't understand, if he needed money, he could have always asked her. And if all he needed to support was Pig's diet, hat was no issue at all. But perhaps he was too proud to let someone else feed his pet. It was almost heartwarming to see that Takeo was as sweet to his pig as he was dismissive of most people. Or perhaps it was just her? Maybe she evoked that reaction in people. "Well, if you like, I can always take these off your hands and give you the cash now," she offered, doing anything to help the snowy haired wandered. "It will be better than you having to wander the Black Markets and deal with people who will attempt to negotiate an unfair price. How much money would you like for all of this?" The blonde couldn't exactly see what the wares for sale were but she trusted him in their value. And if he overcharged her, well, she could always console herself with the fact that the money would go to Pig.

At the declaration that he would be staying in Hoshi for the foreseeable future, a bright smile blossomed across her face. His tone may have been offhand and his words clipped but from a man who claimed to bore easily, that was high praise for the City Blessed by the Stars. Her smile also stemmed from the fact that she could now detect a pattern. Pig would soon become the excuse for anything Takeo felt needed justification. It as n endearing thought really.

"Well, our biggest recommended guideline you've already neglected, which is to not look like a shinobi while out and about. It creates a panic as most of our citizens still don't trust shinobi," she explained, drawing her knees closer to herself as sat comfortably, hoping her restful position would invite Takeo to do the same. "You see, before I came here over a year ago, the city was not one with a shinobi force of it's own but it was rich in wealth and resources. I suppose that's why a group of rogue ninja made it their target. For almost a decade they commuted unspeakable acts towards this city and her people and now, even though the rogues are gone... Well, the city isn't ready to trust anyone who displays signs of chakra, not even those dedicated to defending it." Her short tale concluded, the kunioichi would wait for a reply before continuing.

"The rest of our laws are very standard. Don't hurt anyone, don't meddle in anyone's business, respect all faiths as well as the crown family of Hoshigakure, report if you see anything suspicious, the works," she explained, going down the list as though it was her grocery list etched into her memory forever. "Though I wonder, how will you occupy yourself while Pig grows stronger. I hear ennui is a dangerous one to entertain."

Akihana's retort amused Takeo. If only because the tactic of using Pig against him was something he admired. A point to her it seemed. Of course all respect that was gained quickly vanished when she decided it was smart to continue on with her next sentence. Hearing her mention of Pig giving Aki pointers on taijutsu he glanced between the two of them. "Are you daft?" He questioned. Making a sweeping motion with his arm in the direction of Pig, he stared at Akihana as if she was insane. "A pig can't give you pointers in taijutsu. What did he say? Was him snorting twice a sign that your punch was too slow?" The idea seemed ludicrous to Takeo. He dragged his hand down his face, "Legitimately the stupidest thing I've ever heard, congratulations. Just ask one of those shitty guards to help you. Then again I suppose they would be no good, I doubt they could even defeat a common thug from how they looked." Takeo recalled the brief conversation he had with one of the guardsmen, first impressions spoke volumes and it had not been a good one for them. "There's at least one semi-powerful person within this village. I encountered them upon my arrival originally. Train with them." Naturally he glossed over the mention of Pig laughing at her. It was a given, Takeo would have probably laughed as well.

Now Takeo would have likely continued on with the mocking. However mentions of taijutsu training had stirred up some memories. A time which while not all that long ago, seemed like a different era. Before he had usurped Denkiteki in order to claim the title of Fourth Tenkage. It was a fond memory of his, one of few that had come about after becoming a Genin. The time in which he had spent with a retired shinobi. In preparation for the Chuunin Exam, he had become a practitioner of the wind element, something he had not used since the exams itself. It was a brief flashback, though enough to bring a small smile to his face. For a split second he had found himself lost in his own world. A reality check was issued when Akihana decided to draw his attention back to her be speaking again.

The rather blunt reply took Takeo by surprise. She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Makes sense I guess.." And that was the end of that. Takeo had no interest in delving deeper into a matter that was already proving annoying to him. So when she decided to push it further by questioning him he frowned. Was that how it worked? Takeo wasn't quite sure. As far as he was aware the only reason they met is due to him. Thus he had the exclusive rights to end the acquaintanceship at any given moment. Maybe it worked differently in this part of the world? Or perhaps Takeo just lacked knowledge on the basics of socialising with people. The idea seemed legitimate, maybe he would read up on it at some point during his stay. Finally he took note that the woman was apologising for something. Not really caring, he just waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it." That seemed like the right thing to say, maybe.

Upon revealing the items from the bag he was surprised to find Akihana offering to buy them. "Uh..what?" He found himself lost for words, for a brief moment anyway. "Why do you w- actually you know what. I honestly don't care." As if an after thought, he flipped open a case and popped a pill into his mouth. Swallowing it he lazily gathered the things up into the bags. Naturally he separated what was being sold and what he had bought for himself beforehand. "19000 ryo." He called behind him, and tossed the bag full of things so that it landed next to the hay bale. Having only done a quick calculation, he assumed it was accurate. The exchange seemed to begin and end rather quickly if she were to simply hand over the ryo. And he now found himself with information on a black market, which could prove useful at a later date. "Black market sellers can't bargain with me. If they tried to screw me over I would just kill them, it's quite simple really." The young man decided to add this on nonchalantly. After all, he didn't want Akihana to think he was doing this because he didn't want to deal with other people. This was just quicker.

It was at this point Pig seemed to finish eating, brought to Takeo's attention by him suddenly appearing in front of him. Caught of guard, he took a step backwards as Pig made several grunting noises. Takeo ignored it for a moment, before Pig pushed into his shins with his body. "Pig says thanks for the meal." He said looking down at the animal with a sigh. "Go take a nap or something, you're getting in my way." Being a rebellious pig, it didn't listen to him and instead began to trot around the stables. Did pig's trot? Takeo wasn't sure, but it was doing something. It was likely trying to find something else to eat. Pig's mouth was that of a black hole, endless amounts of things would find it's way into it and then disappear without a trace forever.

With that distraction over he turned his attention back to the female sat on the hay bale. She went on to explain how he had already broken one of the 'guidelines'. Takeo blinked and began to look himself over. What did a non-shinobi even look like? He wasn't quite sure, he hadn't paid much attention to normal citizens in quite a long time. Maybe it wasn't his clothes though. Grabbing some of his hair he moved it in front of his gaze for inspection. White wasn't the most natural of colours now that he thought about it. Though quite a number of people in Tengakure had had white or silver hair during it's time. Perhaps that was why he deemed it was normal these days. With that in his mind, he also guessed that his eyes weren't exactly normal either. Takeo was about to question what was wrong with looking like a shinobi. But Akihana beat him to the point, and thus he shut his mouth and began to listen. A history lesson wasn't something he had planned on having today, nonetheless he hopped back to sit on one of the wooden beams that ran across the room. He assumed they were to keep horses in, but as the stables were empty they served no purpose other than something to perch on.

Listening to the story Takeo found himself understanding the feelings of the rogue group more than the city. Perhaps it was just his nature, or that he was a shinobi himself. It sounded like the people of Hoshigakure were even weaker than he originally judged. "A decade and they never even thought of seeking help from the five major villages. How odd." He commented at the end, "Even a minor village's strength would have likely been enough to liberate the city. They have only themselves to blame for this." It may have sounded harsh, even to Takeo it did, but it was true. At least in his opinion it was.

The rest of the laws were pretty basic stuff, all of which Takeo noted for later. It might be fun to try and break a few of them at some point. Finally she ended it by asking him a question about what he was going to do. Takeo gave a half shrug in response. "Nap, eat, explore. Maybe annoy the guards at the palace with some more threats of destruction." He replied with a grin, in an attempt to show the last one was a joke. Even if it wasn't. "Uh, do some training. That's pretty much it really." Takeo paused, before adding one more thing, "Oh and sampling all the beverages this city has."

-5 Strength

Takeo seemed to be very dismissive of Pig's ability to help in battle, something Akihana found odd as she knew many ninja who actually relied on animal aid in offense and defense both. The blonde herself relied on her slugs heavily as support and utility bearing gifts so to see someone disregard his pet the way the white haired male was doing was nothing short of extraordinary to her. Though it did make one thing clear tot he young woman. Takeo had chosen the animal based on instinct alone, no forethought of using the pig as an advantage in a fight. That went a long way towards warming the kunoichi towards this wanderer. In a world of ulterior motives, it was refreshing to know Takeo had simply picked Pig for Pig. Too polite to voice out her surprise whoever, the medic made up her mind - should she spend more time with Pig, she would attempt to teach him a few techniques too. It would be a nice surprise for the young man to see that not only could his pig give pointers, he could also legitimately help. But that was going to remain a secret between her and Pig for now.

Instead she simply shook her head at the suggestion of practicing with either the guards or a strong shinobi. He wasn't wrong about the capability of he guards though Akihana preferred it framed differently. "The guards of the city deserve our respect. They've spent the majority of their lives protecting the people of Hoshi the best they could. They were never given chakra training, if anything, they were taught to fear it. So considering what they're still standing, they're owed a great deal of gratitude from us." The blonde spoke convincingly because she believed in what she said. Now it was up to Takeo to decide if he believed in what she said. Choosing not to comment about the presence of another powerful shinobi, Akihana remained quiet. There was no point troubling him with the news of Hoshi's inner workings, not that he'd be interested beyond a casual - probably sarcastic - retort, but there was no need. Taking his unsure response to the nature of their acquaintanceship being mutual as an agreement, she happily moved on. Takeo was surprisingly easy to talk to despite his rather curious belief system.

"Nineteen thousand... let me see," the kunoichi moved perceptibly for the first time since their meeting, reaching to lift the hem of her dress only quickly enough to extract the scroll strapped to just below her knee, the green fabric back in place in less than the time it took for an eye to blink. Carrying money had never been one of her habits. In Kumo because she had never had much to begin with and in Hoshi because there was never any need to. Polite words and golden hair were their own form of currency in the village hided in the stars but still, the small amount she kept as an emergency fund was safely secured to her leg along with the scrolls containing other various items. Withdrawing a small pouch from the scroll, Akihana counted out notes before replacing the pouch and scroll and getting up to hand the money to Takeo. "I'm afraid I only have twenty thousand, please keep the sum in full, I'm sure the journey itself would have cost you as well." If Takeo would accept the notes, she would move to gather all the wares he'd sold her into her picnic basket where they'd remain safe for the duration of her and Takeo's meeting.

It was at this point that Pig finished his meal and thanked her through the white haired shinobi, making Akihana laugh softly at the exchange between master and pet. "You're very welcome, Pig. I'll bring more next time," she promised to which the animal simply offered a scoffing grunt before meandering off to do what Takeo had interacted him to do - take a nap. The idea was an appealing one until she realized that Pig hadn't followed instructions at all but had simply gone off in search of more food. "I find that singing to someone helps them sleep," she offered helpfully, golden eyes on the pig and bright with amusement at his rebellious nature. "At least that's what i do with my son. Admittedly, it has been less effective of late but a year ago, a few bars of a nursery rhyme would have had him snoring in a few minutes," she explained. "I could teach you a few lines if you like," she added good naturedly.

His unsympathetic view of the plight of her people made the kunoichi flinch again, not for the first time, she found herself confused between who this young ninja was and who she thought he was. "They did try," she answered softly, feeling the need to defend the people that had, over time, become hers. Akihana didn't really belong anywhere. Konoha had been her home but she wasn't wanted there. Kumo had been ehr Sanctuary bu it had been snatched away from her and Hoshi was the city that regarded her as something more than she deserved to be regarded as. However, the young woman never thought she was from nowhere, rather she thought she was a little bit from everywhere and that made everywhere her home and worth defending. "Unfortunately, Shinobi politics are unreliable at best. From my understanding, no one cared about this country to do much about the missing ninja problem. One brave soul did try but she died for her efforts. She was one against a hundred yet she tried. Our young ninja hope to be as brave as she was one day," Akihana finished, recounting only in brief the tale of Minorin Senju - the reason they had first came to Haven a year ago.

His joke about annoying the guards however lifted her somber mood, making the blonde grin slightly. "Don't scare them even more please. I'll have to deal with them later and they will not be a happy bunch,"s eh half joked, half requested. The guards have enough on their plate with the daily running of the city, they couldn't afford to be the means for shinobi amusement too. "Though if you are looking to train, please don't do so outdoors or anywhere people can see you. There are secluded areas within the water gardens set aside for training, or you can come to the palace and utilize our spacious courtyards too. As long as no civilians see you, you should be fine." Only common politeness kept the medic from asking what Takeo wished to train as she knew most shinobi were touchy about revealing anything related to their techniques. There was no harm in offering help though.

"And if you find yourself ever needing a book about a jutsu, our librarian was quite stellar at keeping records. Hoshi has one of the largest libraries in the world and it's useful to both ninja and civilians. Additionally, if you require assistance, you can always find me at the palace and I'd love to help out," she finished with a welcoming smile. "I'm not very good at taijutsu though," she added as a warning anyway. Might as well let him know now then have him find out later and laugh his heart out like Pig had done.

Takeo frowned. "If they cared enough about this city, they would have undergone chakra training regardless." It seemed obvious. At least it did to him. "If someone truly cared about somewhere, they'd go whatever it takes to make sure it remains..well?" He questioned himself on his wording slightly at the end, unsure if he were using the right words to express his opinion. It would likely be lost on the woman anyway. Wasted breath if anything. From her tone, it was obvious that she believed in her own words. The differing beliefs between the two of them likely came from difference experiences in life. Takeo felt some respect for the guards. He saw himself in them, from back when he first became a shinobi of Tengakure. Unlike them though he had done what was necessary for Tengakure's survival. Forcibly taking control of the village. It was something he held no regrets towards, even if it had destroyed his reputation with those closest to him at the time. His actions back then had created two enemies by default. Shinji and Denkiteki. Takeo didn't know where they were now. He knew they were out there somewhere though.

Takeo had become so lost in reflecting on his previous actions he almost missed Akihana's next action. Hearing her say something caused him to snap back to reality. He blinked, and suddenly she was holding a scroll in her hands. Takeo rolled his eyes. Typical that he'd miss something happening. His instincts and senses were becoming dull. Now scrolls could hold a number of things. Usually they contained some sort of nasty weaponry. However, it was an Akihana scroll. Thus it was easy to guess that it probably didn't contain that kind of stuff. His assumption was confirmed a moment later. For the first time Akihana made some sort of movement. She stood and walked over towards Takeo. He accepted the notes she handed to him, not bothering to count them. He trusted that she paid what she claimed, "Thank you." Takeo mumbled. Pocketing the ryo, Takeo felt glad that everything had gone smoothly. "With this I should be able to indulge in Pig's eating habit for at least a day." While it sounded like a joke, the look on his face and his tone made it questionable if he was joking or not. Pig found it funny. Takeo knew because he was sure he heard the animal chuckling to itself from the corner of the room.

That pig would turn out to be more trouble than it was worth. Takeo could already tell. He made a note to go and find a pig farmer to learn more about them at some point. Although, Pig seemed to be different than normal pig's. Takeo had noted it when they first met. Pig seemed to hold some degree of advanced intelligence. Deciding to figure this out at a later date, he turned his attention back to Akihana. She had just finished gathering the items she had bought. Takeo was curious about something. Did she actually know what she had bought? Maybe he should have told her. He thought better of it, if she wanted to know she'd probably pester him about it later.

She seemed to find Pig funny. Or maybe it was his own misfortune at having to deal with a bratty pig that brought her mirth. Takeo did not find this amusing. That was why he did what he did next. Well that and the fact he had the maturity of an eight year old. Moving across the room, he sat himself down on the hay bale which Akihana had used as a seat previously. Taking someone else's seat out of spite. Takeo hadn't done that before. Had he hit an all time low in his life? Probably. But you take whatever victories you can. That was how Takeo worked. Akihana then mentioned something about singing. Imagining himself singing to Pig to try and make him go to sleep, Takeo shook his head. "No." He said flatly. He had other ways to make the pig sleep. Although he was sure Akihana would probably not agree with them.

Then came the touchy subject of the village being taken over. Her defence of the people in this villager confused him. Pathetic. That's all he thought about these people. They didn't seem to try very hard at all. Despite disagreeing entirely with what Akihana was saying, he let her continue with her little speech for some time longer. "One versus one hundred." Takeo mused. "You defend these people too much." He said after some thought. "This city and it's dealings have been unknown to my part of the world for quite sometime. Tengakure received no pleas for aid." Takeo wasn't sure why he was saying this. Perhaps he felt a need to defend his own village posthumously. "I give my word. If I had known about this when I was Kage. The missing-nin would have been eradicated in one day." Takeo stated this matter of factly. He paused for a moment, picking the dirt out from under his nails. "Any of the Tenkages could have dealt with the matter if they knew about it. Though, telling you this won't change anything now I guess." Takeo shrugged slightly and ended his side of the topic there.

The mood turned lighter after that. "I don't know, they might grow bored if I don't keep them on their toes." He commented back at her request. She followed this up by making yet another request. Or maybe she was laying down yet more rules. Takeo sighed, "They'll have to get used to shinobi eventually." It was just the way it would have to be. Sooner or later they'd have to come to accept them. The future didn't look bright for villages without an active shinobi force. Though even ones with one weren't safe.

Takeo perked up slightly at the mention of a library. Reading had been a hobby of his for some time. Until he had become Tenkage, at which point he had no time for reading anything other than paperwork. The thought of a large library brought a smile to his face. Which only widened when Akihana mentioned she sucked at taijutsu. "Taijutsu is for brutes with no actual abilities." He commented dryly. "If they can't get close to you, then all their muscles can't do a thing." It sounded slightly like bragging, but it was actually just Takeo saying that he too wasn't that good at taijutsu so didn't bother with it all that much.

"I suppose I should probably broaden my knowledge on other things though." He eventually said. "I've relied on the same thing for far too long." It was a problem that had plagued him for as long as he could remember. Takeo's insistence on not advancing or learning new things had caused his power to stagnate. Others who continued to train were beginning to surpass him in raw power. Naturally his wits and strategy remained vastly above theirs. So increasing his arsenal would allow him to take the lead once more. "Having to remain inconspicuous will grow annoying quickly though." He said to himself. "Physical training can be done fairly easily. It'll be practising techniques that will be annoying. Though maybe I could practice on a certain animal that keeps trying to eat my equipment." Takeo's eyes had moved over towards Pig, who currently had his snout stuffed inside one of Takeo's bags in search of food.

The kunoichi's golden eyes darted away as Takeo spoke of finding ways to protect something one cared enough about. More than giving away his own feelings over doing whatever it takes to protect, it made a deep sense of shame well up inside the medic. Had she not loved Kumo enough? The question had been weighing heavily on her mind, so much so that she had been considering making a trip there to... to do what? Fight with Youka? The idea was as absurd as... the blonde had no comparison to draw. The diea was absurd period. And yet, Takeo was right in his own way. You learned to grow, change, to do anything to protect those you owed to protect. She had been an ANBU of Kumogakure, she should have been there when it fell, even if it meant falling alongside with it. Was that why she defended the Hoshi guards as much as she did, because she too saw herself in them? But Akihana wasn't like them. They were still standing, unsure, awkward, unappreciated but still there, staidness firm for what they believed in.

Akihana was here talking to a man about a pig.

You're very welcome," she answered as she accepted the money without counting, displaying either a remarkable amount of trust or a remarkable lack of care. It was difficult to tell with this man, and Akihana usually had a pretty decent read on people. Whatever the cause he pocketed the money, grumbling fondly about sustaining Pig's eating habits. "If you ever find yourself not wanting to spend all your Ryo on Pig," she offered politely. "You can always bring him to the palace. We always have plenty of food lying around and I've just gotten a recipe for a cake I'd like both you and Pig to try." It was an open invitation, as in he was free to take or leave it. But Akihana worried if left to his own devices, Takeo's sole nutritional supplement would be alcohol and that was not a balanced diet.

With the invitation extended and her new purchases safely scrolled away, the blonde turned to sit back down, only to notice the white haired wanderer had somehow moved quickly to take her seat. This caused the young woman to let out a slight giggle, the act far too reminiscent of a child than a grown man. "If you wanted to sit there, you could have just asked me to stand up. That bale of straw is particularly warm and cozy, it gets very good sunlight," she noted, the amusement dancing in her eyes as she moved to occupy the beam he had been perched on until now. Tit for tat she supposed, well that and there was no other place to sit on the ground, not after Pig had had his dinner there. Love the animal as much as she did even Akihana had to admit he was not a clean eater.

As he admitted never having hear of the call for help, Akihana simply nodded. She hadn't been there, she couldn't vouch a hundred percent for who the administration back then had approached for aid. regardless the blonde was touched by the sentiment that he would have helped had he known. He or any of the tengkage. He had mentioned the moon land a few times now, enough times for Akihana to understand the place meant more to him than he would normally like it known. She also remembered him saying he had destroyed it but perhaps that was a joke? Takeo was hard to read that way.

"It's not too late," she tried, debating with herself for a few minutes before continuing, leaving either the young wanderer to fill the silence or wait for her to elaborate. There was no point hiding the weakness of heir current military force from him. He probably already knew given how much he jested about the guards anyway. Their forces had taken a further hit with the unfortunate death of Kozai Yuki leaving Akihana and Den in the same conundrum they'd been facing since they established Hoshigakure as a ninja village. "I suspect you know the state of our military, our people are not self sufficient yet though I know one day they will be. the problems we face however are not far off. Rogues from the shadow lands attack in the dead of night, refugees are pouring in from all of the west and our ninja..." Are kids, she didn't add because she didn't want that to be overruled as an excuse. Shinobi life called for shortened childhoods but that was not something Akihana could condone right now.

"I would be very grateful, as would our Queen and the whole city, if we could count on your shinobi services for the duration of your stay here. It's by no means a binding contract and most likely we will not be facing anything our forces couldn't handle.. but in case there is, would you be willing to lend a hand?" The request was not an easy one to make, all the more so because he could refuse it right now and absolve himself of all responsibility. But what had made Akihana ask was her own nature, her stubborn instance to see the best in everyone and to know that, if treated right, people returned the favor in kind.

As they moved on to the topic of the library and Takeo broadening his knowledge, the kunoichi dared a small smile, one that turned into a grown a the motion of him possibly experimenting on Pig during his training. "No!" the blonde voiced out flatly, no explanation, no apologies, simply a flat refusal, perhaps her first in her entire life. Odd how Akihana had gone nearly twenty four years without telling someone an outright no but now she'd crossed that threshold too. "And if you do, you'll be breaking the law because I will make it a point ti include in our laws that no harm is to come to Pig."

Instead of agreeing to her great defense in his behalf, a loud snorting snore met Akihana's ears. Far from aiding her in protecting him, the Pig had actually gone to sleep, missing her entire performance, and without a song too. Oh well, she'd find another way to teach Takeo those lullabies.

Having pocketed the ryo from the transaction Takeo felt satisfied. He assumed that knowing he was no funded, from her pocket no less, would ease the woman's mind somewhat. But why did he care exactly? Takeo told himself it was because it would likely be a hassle having her check up on him or Pig multiple times. Seemed like sound reasoning. However, he doubted that would be enough to stop her from continuing in these visits. The brief time he had known Akihana had been enough. She was open and easy to read. This allowed him to learn her nature quite quickly, and she didn't seem like the type to just give someone some ryo and be done with them. No, she would probably continue to try and help.

And Takeo was proven right no less then two seconds later. It was almost like he had read the script already. Still, he was taken aback by the offer. Was there any reason to deny it? Takeo didn't like feeling indebted to others. Akihana had already made him food once before. Now the elderly(ish) female was trying to help him out more? This could not stand. As he opened his mouth to reply, he caught sight of Pig out of the corner of his eye. It would make things a lot easier. With a sigh he gave a slight nod and mumbled a reluctant reply, "Thank you, we'll come over sometime." Takeo felt slightly embarrassed yet he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because Akihana made him feel like a kid. It could also be due to being brought out of his comfort zone. It had been quite awhile since he had met someone who seemed to be a genuinely nice human being. It made him feel awkward.

Even her reaction to him stealing her seat was a kind one. Takeo debated on replying to it by sticking his tongue out at her. But that would be childish. So he stuck his middle finger up when she had turned to walk over towards the beam. Takeo was very mature. The hay bale proved to be fairly comfy. Far more than the beam had been for him anyway. Takeo let his body relax. Letting his upper body fall backwards he laid himself out on the hay bale. And there we would remain until he had heard her speak yet again. He lifted his head, looking over towards her quizzically. Silence followed. While curious about what Akihana meant, Takeo didn't care enough to press her. His head dropped back down to rest on the hay. Another minute would pass by before the silence was broken. Takeo was not the one to break it obviously, Akihana having started to speak again.

Hearing her mention about the military Takeo gathered this would be somewhat serious. He made a decision right there. Deciding to take this seriously he swung himself back into a sitting position. Peering over towards Akihana he rested his chin in his hands. Akihana explained the situation. Takeo listened. Mention of rogues from the 'shadow land' piqued his interest. Likely shinobi, or possessing enough numbers for the current forces to be unable to deal with. Akihana mentioned other shinobi. It seemed to Takeo like the forces here were all newbie members then. Not surprising all things considered. Natives of the city who had the potential most likely. He wagered the number of shinobi stronger than the average Jounin could be counted on one hand. Takeo's mind began to race. Multiple plans on what he could gain from this. A takeover of the city would be easy. Though it served no purpose, so it was thrown aside. Dealing with these shadow lands might prove fun.

Silence entered the room again, the unwanted guest who kept returning. Takeo paused all plan making for now. His gaze shifted from his shoes, he wasn't sure when he had started looking at them. He realised that Akihana had asked for his aid. Takeo took a minute. It wasn't to think about it, he had already made up his mind. But it was to make it seem like he was. After a moment Takeo flashed a smile. "Sure. It might help ease my boredom." While it was likely he could go and destroy the inhabitants of the shadow lands on his own. It would end it all rather too quickly. In his mind it would be best to let it drag out. His mind being kept active and busy was for the best.

Although, Takeo knew enough about the place already. If Akihana was willing to seek his aid then they must have been severally lacking. It wasn't that surprising. Akihana seemed to be the leader of the shinobi forces. And while she did possess some manner of power she didn't seem to be the best person to be leading shinobi. That was his opinion anyway. If a Kage was too kind, then they wouldn't be effective. Akihana seemed too forgiving of others. It was likely the reason that these attacks continued to happen. Takeo wasn't sure about the refugee problem, he would likely have to travel out west to find the exact reason.

His joke about practising on Pig was met with a blunt rejection. Takeo's face went blank. He blinked a few times, having not expected such a reaction from the kind old lady. "It..was just a joke." Takeo said after a moment. Not being entirely sure if she had taken him seriously or not he was perplexed. Then came her claim of making a law that no harm will come to Pig. This amused him, enough to make Takeo relax again. He glanced towards Pig, noticing that he had fallen asleep at some point. Whether due to him telling him to or not was yet to be seen. Takeo took it as he did listen, a minor victory was achieved in his mind as a result. When it came to dealing with difficult creatures, either animal or human, it was these victories that felt satisfying.

Deciding to go back to the more important topic he began to speak again. "How many shinobi are present in Hoshigakure?" Takeo started off with a simple question. Having knowledge on the guards already, he deemed them insignificant to know more about. They would play their part as the face of the village military. It was better this way. He did however have one piece of information he needed to know regarding them. "Who's the strongest member of the Queensguard?" Takeo wasn't sure what he'd do with the knowledge. Maybe challenge the guy to a fight if he was bored. Or maybe he would use it actually do some good. Unlikely, but still plausible.