Aftermath II (Youka)

Akihana rose early, earlier than dawn though the blonde wished she could say that honestly. In all honesty, she hadn't slept. The night before had been a blur of exhaustive contemplation with periods of unconsciousness that couldn't possibly be restful enough to be classified as sleep. in the end, the kunoichi had just given up, activating the small orb she kept with her on all times to slip into the protective folds of Sanctuary. The apartment she had been given was... lavish, it was even starting to become comfortable as Akuoy realized day by day what Akihana's definition of comfort was. After that fateful dinner three days ago, an entire wardrobe had made an appearance in the previously empty cupboards, groceries now lined the shelves and pantry, other household objects were stocked and ready for use. It was as though her life was being rearranged in a way that would make her view the proposition in a better light.

Unfortunately for them, Akihana had never been impressed by things.  

"Hi," the blonde greeted him softly as he entered the doorway to her old apartment. Leaving new Kumogakure only to find herself in the old one, the irony of the situation was not lost on the medic. Of course Den had been watching, he always did. Never one for small talk, the young doctor and the false queen took a seat, going over the events of the last three days. Statically, this s the best they could do. Logically, it would be unthinkable to refuse and strategically this was the best plan. But that wasn't why Akihana wanted to consult with Den. She could come to those conclusions on her own. She needed the Hogokage to answer a far more important question.

"Den... Am i doing the right thing?" she asked. the hesitance clear in her dull golden eyes. She doubted they would ever shine again but that was a price she had already agreed to pay a long time ago in exchange for the freedom of her village. The raven haired doctor made no immediate reply, only considering her question.

Perhaps Den knew that despite all they had talked over and what made sense, she would turn on her decision in an instant if he said no, if he thought she was making a mistake and if he was personally against it. Den always knew despite never being told. When all was said and Den, Den and the boys were the only real family she had in the world and what he thought mattered more to her than she could rightly express.

"I think you should do what you think is right, because in my experience, there's very little "right" in such situations."

The blonde nodded and they continued to speak for a little while longer. Sanctuary afforded them time, time to talk of random, mundane things and pretend thy weren't discussing the end of the world as they knew it. After what seemed like hours yet was no longer than an instant, Akihana returned to her bedroom, walking over to fold and make her bedding neat before she dressed for the day.

A quick shower and change of clothes later found her in the kitchen, reaching for perhaps the one thing that made her feel more at home than all the comforts the Raikage had provided, her picnic basket. Working quickly to mix the batter and then fry the pancakes, the kunoichi packed a complete breakfast for her host. Regardless of what happened today, manners were manners and it was rude to show up empty handed. Adding bottles of fresh juice and a thermos of steaming coffee to the basket, Akihana fetched her white cloak from its stand before opening the door to find Akuoy ready to lead her back to the Raikage building.

"Good morning," she greeted, trying her best to smile but not quite making it all the way. Her eyes wouldn't comply, neither would her heart. The clone remained silent as always and the walk ahead was brisk, her two Queensguard following at a close but invisible pace. She wondered if they missed home as much as she did.

Upon reaching the Raikage building, they were ushered up by someone who she couldn't place the position of, but instead of complying, Akihana stood her ground. "Actually, if you could, please inform the Raikage that I'd like to walk with him if possible. If he's too busy, I understand, I can return later." The aide walked off with a confused expression on his face to convey her request.

A few awkward moments of silence passed before the blonde spoke up. "Do you think he'll come, Akuoy?"

The clone remained silent, as always.

For most of the time after the dinner he had shared with the female known as Akihana the plague prince spent his time brooding in the confines of the kage building. Everything needed to go according to his plans for the bigger picture to be developed and nurtured. With Mortarion being away from the eyes of the common people it gave the image that the woman had truly come to change the village for the better and had done what no one else could do which was tame the destruction that was their leader. Of course while he sat he still took hold of the happenings of the village and set to task to ensure rules that Akihana hadn't removed were still being followed.

Day in and day out less and less villagers were being punished for things deemed trivial to them and instead of being sent to the fields they were given second chances. While small to the eyes of most it was a most welcome change to the village of Kumogakure that was ruled with an iron fist. Sifting through papers Mortarion read reports on the villagers even intermingling once more albeit slightly. For just a moment his rage bubbled to the surface causing him to almost assemble a small task force to snuff out the ones breaking the sector guidelines. With a slight exhale and sliding back into his chair he let the problem slip from his mind into the nether.

"Marriage...what am I doing, this is a fools errand. I should just kill her and go back to what has worked so long. If she were to suffer an accident inside the village in front of others I could step back out from the shadows and rally the people to me based on her loss as long as I promise a modicum of what she offered."

He spoke out loud to no one in particular as the room was empty save fro his frail body once more outside the armor it had grown accustomed to. After his words finished Epidemius for once took the opposite side of the coin by playing devils advocate, pushing Mortarion closer to the woman instead of further away.

"She is exactly what you, what we need right now. The doors that a relationship like this will open and if we can prevent any hostilities untill we are ready for them by showing a more diplomatic front then it's something you should consider. What's more is that you should think of her as Maku's last memento to you if he truly is gone. Would you realy kill the last person that he called a friend before passing."

Closing his eyes the Raikage knew in his heart that what the beast spoke was true. He was also very annoyed at the fact that when the beast was no longer occupying it's time by poisoning his body he was still against him by choosing the womans path of leadership. Just as he was about to send a retort there was a slight knock on the door and a voice could be heard speaking through it that he was being summoned outside by Akihana. Who was she, and what did she think she would gain by attempting to summon the most powerful ninja in the village as if he were a mere genin to do her bidding. His hand pressed downwards on the desk casing it to creek and bow just slightly before he noticed what he was doing and stopped.

"I'll be on my way shortly."

Is what he said, what he wanted to say however was "kill her now" but it stayed held back. As he maneuvered from his room to the hallways and eventually down the steps to the outside and the daylight that followed he mumbled under his breath just slightly but enough to be audible to Akihana that he was not pleased with being told to come out. He was not one for social gatherings or anything like that and so as he took in the womans visage and the basket that accompanied it.

"What do you want?"

He spoke it plainly and more so with childish agitation that he was being beckoned but all the same it still came out.

As the Godiame Raikage descended the stairs, Akihana could immediately tell she hadn't found him in the best of moods. Whether this was because she had disturbed important work or simply because he wasn't a morning person, the blonde couldn't really say. She did however know how to deal with a grumpy boy refusing to go out early in the morning. Even the tone with which Youka spoke reminded the Kunoichi too much of her seven year old. For a brief moment, her golden gaze misted over, thinking to her boys, praying for their safety. Arashi would be giving his Jounin exam and she hoped he knew she had all the faith in the world in his ability to win.

"Good morning," she greeted cheerily, bringing herelf forcibly back to the here and now. Grumpiness was never battled by more grumpiness. "I thought we could perhaps tak a walk together if you have some time?" she asked, one golden eyebrow lifted politely at the inquiry. She wasn't here to insist on the walk, merely to suggest it as courteously as she could. "I'm afraid I don't have the resources to arrange a dinner as lavish as yours was, but I did make breakfast," she added, motioning to the picnic basket in her hands. "If you like, maybe we could walk a way up to the mountains and have a morning picnic there? I usually find the fresh air helps to clear the mind. "

Having finished, she would wait for the man's response. Should he agree, she would quietly fall into step beside him, her snow white cloak a deep contrast with the dreary surroundings, her golden eyes the only bright light on this grey morning. But Akihana had faith the sun would come out, eventually. Already hints of life, of real life, were peking out from all over ghe village. People could be found curously looking out windows, for once their eyes unaraid at hat they might see,women were stopping to talk in themarkets rather than mutedly ging about their business and if she closed ehr eyes, Akihana fancied she even heard the lone giggle of a child soemwhere.

All signs that this was the right path to take.

"Do you picnic often?" the medic asked, making polite conversation as they traveled, surveying the village he now owned, a village that looked the same as before she had arrived, but only at first glance. "It used to be quite the popular activity before. I think I ate more meals outside underneath eh stars than i did at home."

Her attempts to make their time together more bearable by adding in niceties to their conversation and smiling wasn't lost on him. He knew how hard it was for her to actually be able to produce such emotions when he had more so given her no other option than his own. well there were other options he had simply made her see the futility in them if what her goal was still the same. Now here she stood attempting to be genuine and he was trampling all over it. Letting out a sigh before speaking he finally calmed back down.

"Morning."

He spoke while his right hand scratched at his ragged hair, his sunken eyes glaring at her for moments. What made this more awkward was that she wanted to spend time with him doing nothing but walking around the village. He didn't see the power this would hold till the bijuu within started urging him to do it to show the villagers that he was reforming.

"Very well, A walk it is then. Don't mention the dinner, I apologize if it made you feel uncomfortable due to it's nature."

As they strolled beside each other he noted the varying nods and pointed fingers from some of the villagers in the third district and even from the other districts due to the mingling of castes now. Some still looked skeptical waiting for him to strike them down while others smiled or payed them no mind at all. The feeling was interesting to say the least. As she spoke he listened of course and also wondered if his Anbu had started to task yet.

"Wherever you would like to do this is fine with me. It's not often by the way, I don't picnic at all I don't see the purpose of making food to be hauled somewhere else to eat. This endeavor is lost on me."

As she spoke about her past he could only picture Kumo being weak and this was why it was so easy for the takeover to succeed. They had been too busy picnicking to even practice.

"Why do you wish to eat with me again, the last time I could see was almost unbearable for you. Yet you openly accept to do it again? This also makes no sense to me."

As willing as she was to commit to the decision she had made, Akihana was surprised to hear his apology at the dinner. Of course it had been uncomfortable, among a host of other feelings. But to hear an actual apology for it just proved to the blonde what she'd always thought. If he truly meant it, then it was the best thing he could do in that moment, and if he didn't, she could still pretend he had. Part of her resolve meant believing, in her plans, in her people, in herself and most of all, in the man who now walked beside her.

As they walked, more people looked up a them, some even smiling. While the Raikage himself stood tall and unapproachable to the masses, Akihana took the time to smile back, even waving at some of the villagers who were too afraid to wave at the pair strolling along. Some faces she knew through her own exploration and what information Hikashi had brought her, others she was sure she would get to know soon enough. As Youka complained about the concept of picnics in general, the blonde tried hard not to let forth a smile.

"Well, let's try another approach then. What's your favorite place in the entire village? We can eat there and even if you absolutely can't stand the food or the idea of a picnic, the journey wouldn't have been for naught?" she suggested politely as they made their way towards the mountains. It was still relatively cold, the sun having yet to make a proper appearance but it was getting there. Should he suggest place, the kunoichi would fall into step beside him. Should he instead insist on her choosing the location, Akihana would continue down the path leading a little bit outside the village, towards the mountain path that led to the shrine in which they'd first met.

"Why do you wish to eat with me again, the last time I could see was almost unbearable for you. Yet you openly accept to do it again? This also makes no sense to me."

"Well, I could say the same about you," she replied, more courteous than amused as she stopped near a small outcropping of rocks, still a good way away from the shrine. Today was not the day to discuss faith, today was the day to prove she had enough of it. "You don't particularly like spending time with me either and yet you agreed to have breakfast with me. So does that answer your query?"

Waiting for a reply, the young woman set down her basket before a thought struck her. "Oh no, I forgot to bring a picnic cloth." Again

While making their way from the villages protective walls and entering the mountains he couldn't help but still wonder if she was just biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to assassinate him. Honestly for the most part he actually hoped that was the case, it would be a welcome change and be what he was used to rather than this unfamiliar territory he was in now. The Kage was happy to be away from the glaring eyes of the civilians, the constant attention was not wanted.

She asked what his favorite place was in the village, he didn't need to think on it. There was no place that he deemed likable.

"This entire village is just a means to an ends, I don't find any place here to be my favorite. It all simply exists just as I do to serve a purpose. Once that purpose has been served it will all go back to dust, just as I."

He spoke calmly but with a tone of finality that he seemed to always have in his voice no matter what the situation.

"Your mountain breakfast will be appropriate."

As they made their final steps toward the location they would be eating she answered his question with one of her own. It was warranted and as he thought about it it made more and more sense as to what she was and how she operated. Still he was one for direct answers and she had moved around it elegantly.

"I do what I must no matter if I like it or not, what I feel or want holds no bearing on what is needed no matter if I'm here or not. Our time together is mandatory and as time goes on I do see myself understanding you more. So I am appreciate our time together now as it is as all of this will be needed in the long term."

Taking a moment to lean against a tree as the woman set the basket down he wondered what the appropriate action was to initiate this breakfast. So more so he waited to follow her actions.

Far from finding his matter of fact comment about the village simply being a means to an end, Akihana thought it was rather promising. He didn't have a favorite place in the village he had so painstakingly overtaken. As with most village leaders, he was too busy ruling to see what he was presiding over. "Then I suppose we have our very first task," she noted appreciatively as they made their way to their destination. "We'll have to find you a favorite spot. I foresee lots of picnics in the future as exploring is the best way to figure out what you like."

His reply to her own question surprised the blonde as she hand't expected an answer at all. Whether he was implying that spending time with her was a burden he had to bear or actually admitting that her company was interesting was anyone's guess at that point. But of all the problems they had, communication was not one. At least he was speaking, and Akihana always listened when someone talked.

Choosing not to remark on her lack of foresight, the red headed kage simply stood by as the blonde removed her snow white cape, using it to somewhat cushion the harsh edges on the mountainous path. Her bright red sweater stood out against the droll scenery which her standard blue jeans fit in perfectly. Once the makeshift picnic blanket was set, the kunoichi took a seat, pulling the wicker basket towards her.

"I hope you enjoy pancakes," she said as cheerily as she could, inviting him to take a seat on the cloak too. "I'm afraid I don't know any dietary restrictions you might have but I used all organic ingredients and didn't add anything unnecessary." The meal in fact, was very much reflective of the kunoichi's personality, warm and put together with sincere effort but not ostentatious, spiced with exotic flavors or dressed up to catch the eye. In a word, it was the kind of breakfast she would have made at home.

And if she went through with her plan, this might have to be home for a while. Pulling out the bottle of juice, she placed it beside the thermos of coffee, having packed both beverages as she was uncertain of her host's tastes. Once all the food, crockery, cutlery and beverages were laid out, the blonde motioned to the food. "Please feel free to start. We have a lot to discuss and there's no reason it can't be done... pleasantly." Withdrawing her gaze from him for the first time that morning, she added. "At least for the sake of my sanity."

Word after word that uttered from her mouth flowed through his ears and settled in his mind before punching him in one of the multiple hearts he carried. Listening to her sometimes made him remember the loss if it was true of Maku one if not the only one that deemed him worthy of being a partner. It caused a slight smile to appear on his face that usually wouldn't have been visible due to the apparatus covering his face. However he snuffed the expression out just as it had formed in order to keep up appearances. He retorted to her comment on more picnic's in kind.

" Very well, if it must be done then I will do it. Is this your favorite area?"

The key to any good conversation was to always add something else to it even if you didn't have interest. While he didn't find their time completely wasteful he still didn't have much thought towards her as anything else but a bargaining chip. As the spread of food and drink was put out to be eaten the Kage sat as he was told and looked upon the meal with slight hesitance before speaking up.

"Food is food not matter what, it all becomes one at the end. I thank you for the time and effort you put into making this however."

He didn't know if he was being grateful enough or if she was taking his words as insults so he teetered between praise and condemnation fairly well to ensure he stood neutral in the end. Beginning to pick and eat various parts of the food put forth he was taken by how something so simplistic still made itself taste good yet light on the stomach. He made quick work of it before moving on to two more. He hadn't the slightest notion of even checking the items for poison or toxins. From what he had known and learned about her she wouldn't attempt something underhanded even if it was her only way.

"What is it that we must speak about, has someone wronged you? Do you seek death on anyone or a group of people? Speak on it and it shall be done."

"Is this your favorite area?"

"Not yet," the blonde replied absently as set out the food on the white cloak she had just shed. Absently but honestly. if there was one thing Akihana could always be faulted for, it was her honesty and that hadn't changed with coming to Kumo. Her answer wasn't meant in disrespect, merely a statement that this place had potential, depending on how things turned out. "But hope springs eternal."

The blonde used the quote because she didn't know what else to say. How could she explain that this was no longer her home? That in the time she'd been gone, the village had suffered so many changes that Akihana had no idea where her favorite places were, what her favorite monuments were and even who she was. Her identity had been so deeply carved by her village that losing Kumo had meant losing a part of herself, the part she liked best on most days. Now along with the tarnished village, she had to try and find the young woman who once lived there, who was once so happy there.

"You're welcome," she replied graciously as the young Kage thanked her for the food. At least he was eating instead of questioning if she'd poisoned the content. Though he would be well within his rights. But it seemed either poison was of little threat to him or he trusted her in at least that much. Akihana preferred to think it was the latter.

The blonde had reached for a cup of coffee poured carefully from the thermos, to hold and warm her hands more than to actually drink the steaming liquid, when Youka asked if she had been wronged and if she required retribution in blood. A look of surprise flashed through her golden orbs and she flinched slightly at the idea. He could talk about killing as casually as someone else would about the weather. Swiftly shaking her head so that her golden hair swung from side to side in the gentle breeze, she brought the coffee cup closer, needing the warmth more now that her cloak was unavailable.

"No no, nothing quite like that," Akihana assured him before he started on a murderous rampage she knew he was very capable of. She had to work hard to ere the images of him as she had first witnessed it, the sacking of Kumo, the man flooding the streets with blood, the person everyone claimed was a monster.

"Today marks my fourth day in Kumogaure. You gave me three days to decide a fate and I have spent those three days in prayer, contemplation and counsel. It would be rude of me to not adhere to the time you set but it would be worse to be dishonest with you," she spoke, trying not to tremble as the words left her. She hadn't practiced, hadn't really thought of what she would say. That would have felt like falsifying something, and she could never do that.

"I expect you knew I would agree to your terms, worded as they were. And you were right, I accept. But I would also remind you that it was you who said we were equals so before anything else can be done, I have a number of... expectations I would like to put forth."

While his betrothed spoke the kage found himself rubbing his left hand slightly against the dying grass underneath him. There were very rare times that he was outside of his armor due to the always growing threat of an attack on his life. Due to the nature of the bijuu stored inside him, it causes Mortarion to leak a slight amount of it's chakra into the outside world which always aged everything he directly touched if exposed to long.

The texture of the grass somehow felt natural to him although it was a feeling foreign to him from such a long time of not noting the smaller things. The more he pondered upon this the easier it was to also feel the air entering his lungs, filling them slowly. Still not something he liked for the most part and preferred his filtration unit much more. A small frown appeared on his face as she stated it was not that she needed someone killed. Which meant the task would be something he more than likely didn't wish to speak on or had no real knowledge on it to convey her what she wanted.

Taking a mans life always would come easy to a murderer and it was something that came very easy to him. Diplomacy was not his forte and he left most of those problems to the stand in kage to ensure he never said something that would bring Kumogakure to the forefront of attention. He did however assume that it would always be that way once word got out about how drastic the changes were and just how much the people had either suffered or subjugated themselves to the new reign.

Once Akihana spoke once more on the subject he knew exactly what would come next as he had structured it to only end in one way. Any other answer from her would have made her to be a liar in her own eyes and shown him just how small her resolve actually was. Being able to demean someone by using their own logic against them was always something he enjoyed, however being able to twist a scenario into only his way being the way out was much more entertaining. She had agreed to the marriage and for just a moment he let a grin that held many more devious plans slide over his face before returning to a structured frame looking into her eyes for any attempts of turning this against him. Clapping his hands together in a matter of fact, finality type of way he would speak.

"Yes, as you know this was structured to where your only answer could be a yes. Though you knew that from the beginning, giving you three days was not for an answer but for you to accept this fate as the only one you had when you arrived. These were chains and bonds you put on yourself for being so endearing I merely locked them in place."

Allowing his sharingan to spin out and his normal redish tint pupils to be seen he'd listen more to her now speak on their previous agreement of being equals. It was something that needn't be said as he was a man of his word and he already now had what he wanted. With Kumo taking a wife and the village turning for the better, it's standing in the world would only flourish and draw more people to the village. Having a new figurehead would also give him the much needed time to venture forth to a village that he was promised a view of.

"I'm a man of my word, you are my equal. There is nothing that I will know that you will not. Put forth your expectations and thoughts and we will come to some form of agreement that benefits not only us but the village as a whole."