Foreign Interest [Max, Open, nk]

Excitement plucked at the young man's attention as he stood outside the Hoshigakure hospital, hands folded in front of himself as he waited. A Hoshi headband sitting around his neck like a symbol of pride. Thankfully, the people of the area had come to know him as he had taken more than a couple morning classes, becoming familiar with hospital staff and even assisting quite a few of them when his learning allowed him to do so. As a side product of this, however, it meant he was greeted many time as he stood outside the doorway. A friendly smile or a wave or a "good morning!" shouted to him from down the way. This place was beginning to feel a lot more like home. Then again, it helped that he had been so forward with his assistance to the city. Every mission he took was taken with learning more about the city and its people, and now it seemed that there were others who had been willing to remember him. He offered those who greeted him a polite smile and a nod of the head, or a mumbled "good morning" back to those who passed close enough to be within mumble range. Ever was he the polite once for early morning conversation, always willing to listen to what others might have to celebrate of gripe about without offering much interference besides active listening. As Yuuma gazed around the entrance way to the Hospital, he would catch sight of clouds in the distance, lazily working their way across the sky in the shape of swans entwined in a dance. Whimsical. "Good morning, Yuuma." A sweet voice crossed his path, pulling his attention back to the ground. Feng Yu had appeared, coming to stand next to him with a smile on her face. "I see you are lost in the clouds again." She smiled, looking upwards to the taller man with deep brown eyes. "Did you come to work today, or have you just gotten so desperate to see me that you are about to make up some kind of excuse as to why you are totally, suspiciously standing there?" She asked with heaps of confidence tossed onto a plate as she pushed her lips out into an accusatory manner.

Feng Yu was always one to brighten Yuuma's day. He knows she liked to pick on him because he couldn't pick out sarcasm very well, but her smile was always genuine; it was the smile in her eyes that made it genuine. "Good morning, Feng Yu," Yuuma replied formally with a bow of the head. Yuuma wasn't sure why, but he always got the feeling his formality annoyed her, even if she never said anything. "It is a pleasure to see you, you are-"

"-Beautiful as always?" She finished, a finger lifting up to prod him gently in the nose. "You need to come up with some new lines, Mister. Those ones are getting kind of stale, don't you think?" She asked, holding a perplexed face until Yuuma finally nodded. "I thought so too." She said, lifting a hand to straighten his headband, then his clothes as she took in a breath and sighed it out quickly, shaping up the few grooming errors he had made before folding her hands in front of her. "So? What are you up to?" She asked, looking up at him thoughtfully, now genuinely curious as to what he had been doing. She must have known he hadn't told anyone he would be volunteering today or he'd already been inside.

Yuuma saw little point in deceiving her, though what he did know was very little. "I was asked by Master Valen to accompany a shinobi from out of town as he conducts business. I'm told not to expect anything dramatic but Master Valen does want things handled smoothly." He nodded, looking back down to her. She was so pretty. So clean. Picture perfect nurse. And he could think of no way to show her the kind of things he felt, so his fingers reached out, gripping lightly into the skin on her hand before pulling away gently from the caress. A caress that was followed by a laugh as Feng Yu pushed her head back to laugh up into the sky.

"Oh my god, Yuuma, you are so weird. Let me know how it goes, huh? Good luck out there." She said, patting his shoulder once or twice before turning to leave back into the Hospital. She always knew how to speak with him. Some might have called it obnoxious, but he appreciated her honesty. She spoke to him with the thoughts on her mind. Something no one else did. Yuuma watched her depart, a slew of thoughts in his mind as he raced to come up with some sort of farewell. Something that was honest, but said everything he wanted to say. Something that would let her know she was on his mind through the day, and that just that momentary visit was enough to top off the already bright day. 

"See ya' later." He ended up with. Totally nailed it. 

Truthfully, his mind was a tad pre-occupied. He didn't know much about this out of town shinobi, and the small village farm boy in him struggled with mumbled words of xenophobia, but the same part squabbled with itself on showing a guest hospitality after such a long journey. That father and mother voices of the brain, working between empathy and logic. But in the middle existed curiosity. Where had this shinobi come from? Was it really very far away? What was the shinobi like there? Did half the people in their own village hate them too, or is that only a Hoshi custom. Either way, Yuuma would do his best to organize his thoughts. Valen vaguely eluded to the shinobi possibly not being much for conversation, so if Yuuma did manage to get in any questions about the outside, they would have to be short and orderly. But not overwhelming. Interested, but not smothering. The typically quiet young man fidgeted in place, packed with so much wonder that he was going to have to work to keep his mouth shut while this person did their business. Something told Yuuma that this person wouldn't care for a baby sitter, but hopefully, in the spirit of a nice conversation, they would at least have a warm connection between them while the stranger was in town. "Only a few questions. Five at the most. No, that's too many. Can we make it three? What if we had one question? Would we use it as a wish? but you can't ask a question for more questions..." The thoughtful inner musing of Yuuma would continue until his appointment arrived outside the hospital.

WC - 1,133

It would be a few hours since Max had entered this village, and just shy of that number for when he heard the terrible news. It still weighed heavily on his heart, as whenever he envisioned Akihana’s loving face it was immediately replaced with dark thoughts about the cause of her death. While his face didn’t show it, his insides burned in a seething rage. He wanted nothing more than to tear Mortarion limb from limb, but the man no longer draws breath. He was already gone from this world, and while the tumor was removed the cancer was not completely gone. No… not yet…
 
Max would make his way out of the Hospital, his belongings all stored in his minor dimensional space. Napa was awfully quiet, but rightfully so. He knew that he no longer needed to try and taint the mind of young Max, as the boy no longer needed that shove into the abyss. Max no longer fought against anything the clone said, as the clone seemed to have a unique point of view on this disgusting world and Max was rapidly realizing the truths that he had spoken.
 
The nurse that released him said something about an escort that would be helping him around the village. Considering the minimal amount of people that knew of him being here, it was likely the Hogokage assigned one of his own to keep an eye on the boy. It made sense, considering that Max’s story still needed to be confirmed by Kyson. Max would step out into the natural light of the day, the sun beaming down with a fierceness that currently felt only matched by that of Wind Country. Max would find a man standing outside, a Hoshi headband swinging gently around his neck. Max was wearing his typical outfit of baggy, black pants and a loose, white shirt. Any onlooker would see that he only had a single arm, and the arm he did have seemed rather… sickly.
 
“I take it you are my escort?” Max would ask, his words cold and emotionless. It was clear that he was displeased with something, though whether or not that information was known by this man was unclear. His disposition had little to do with this man or anybody in Hoshigakure. His issue was with the rot that was allowed to plague the land and take away those he cares about.
 
Max would glance down at his own headband around his neck, the symbol of Kumogakure brightly shining in the sun. He would tuck it down, hiding it under his shirt. It wasn’t that he had anything to hide here, but he wasn’t particularly pleased with his homeland at the moment. He felt no love for the village that took everything away from him. His visitors pass granted by Valen was clearly present, in case anyone thought it a good idea to question him being in the village.
 
“Before we go on, do you know where the ‘public’ area of the palace gardens are? I need to visit someone there.” Max would ask, a hint of sorrow present in the voice of the young boy.

Intentions hardly mattered when it came to reflex. Some times, people might scare their friends or family in good fun, and wind up being inadvertently struck by their own kin. An event that otherwise might not happen. Such things were often quickly forgiven and a laugh had about it. But the instinct of the young man Yuuma ran just as deep as this proverbial strike, his blue eyes glazing over the features of Max when he first entered sight, spotting first the headband as the one-armed boy left the village. Max's features were sucked in through the optic lens of Yuuma's brain, broken down, categorized, and stored away like some meticulous librarian who everyone thinks needs a break but they insist they are fine anyway. The downtrodden expression was expected; people usually do not visit the hospital when everything is amazing. The lack of one of his arms was certainly an interesting feature, though it's twin looking less than healthy perhaps didn't do the missing brother any favors. Plainclothes, bandage wraps as needed, no weapons to speak of. Only a headband that was neatly folded once Max had closed the distance, speaking a question to him being the escort that would be assigned to the foreign shinobi. Blue, bright eyes bore into the other shinobi with a restrained excitement that did well to not surface. "Certainly." Yuuma would eventually respond. His mannerisms were polite and his words were short as he turned to begin working his way through the village, inviting the blonde haired man to walk beside him. Yuuma got the feeling that this guy wasn't going to be much trouble, but becoming complacent in that thought was the sort of thing that leads to disaster. "My name is Yuuma." Still, what harm could it be to share a name?

Yuuma was not inclined to force conversation if it was not welcome, nor pry for the man's name if he didn't offer it willingly. As they walked, the city would surround them with the sights and sounds of a flourishing people. Citizens walked the streets freely, laughing, working, or playing. Despite the somewhat arid climate of the country of Heaven, the oasis that flourished allowed there to be greenery around the city. Vines of walls hung from buildings that sprout buds, ready to grow leaves in the early spring. Business doors were open, allowing the smells of various labors to waft into the street, offering the pair of them smells of woodworking, tanning, and food as the two of them passed through the mid parts of town. Every so often, the pair of them would be greeted by a shinobi, and a few citizens even raised a hand in silent greeting from a distance to Yuuma, who would smile back warmly and raise a hand to return the greeting as he continued to walk. A gaggle of children running past, one of them shouting a greeting to Yuuma, who chuckled and turned to wave them off as they ran past. As he turned back forward, he would catch a glimpse of the somber Shinobi, clearing his throat and straightening his appearance back to business. "You know." Yuuma would offer eventually in the silence. "This might not be something I should be admitted, but I didn't actually know there was ninja outside this village? Well like, I knew there had to be somewhere, but I had never seen a ninja from another village in our lands. I was taught to treat shinobi outside our village as an enemy, but.." Yuuma said, letting the thought fall off into nothingness. "Surely there can't only be enemies beyond my walls." He said, turning an observant eye to Max than in an attempt to gauge reaction from the things he said. "If I thought that others wanted to kill me just because of where I live, it would be a fearful life." Yuuma reasoned out loud.

In front of the two of them, the palace would appear over the tops of buildings. Or at least the gate to such. The gate remained open to the public, allowing entry to the part of the gardens that flourished year rounds thanks to the care of the palace tenders, as well as some shinobi jutsu- or at least Yuuma speculated. Such jutsu would have been life-changing on the farm.  As the two of them neared the gates, Yuuma would nod to the guards, who would nod in return, having been familiar with Yuuma and his typical duties by this point. "Forgive me if this is perhaps a bit too forward." Yuuma would say as they continued through the gates towards the gardens. "What is your home like? The land of clouds. I hear it storms there often." Truthfully, Yuuma wanted to ask about the rumors of Kumogakure; the city heard to have used undead as their guards and citizens. Such a thing seemed barbaric, but asking could possibly be offensive. If Yuuma had learned anything, it was that hate spawned from the unknown is often misplaced. Or so he believed. "I know it is improper to ask about your home directly but, truthfully, I haven't gotten to see many lands, and I have a great curiosity for the world beyond." Yuuma finished, turning to look at Max to see if anything had gotten through, or if the thunder from the stormcloud that hung over the blonde's head was just too loud for the conversation.

WC - 907
TWC - 2,040

So his escort went by Yuuma it would seem. He had no reason to believe this was a false identity, and he didn’t see what harm sharing his own name would be. “My name is Max,” the boy would say with hollow words. He didn’t wish to come off as rude or disrespectful, but he couldn’t muster much at the moment. It took everything in him to hold back his fury, and he didn’t want his mother’s homeland to feel his rage.
 
It would seem as though everything was wondrous here in Hoshi. Children danced along in the streets, not a care in the world. The people here might not have fully trusted the shinobi, but they didn’t live in fear of being crucified by a tyrant. They wouldn’t have to worry about being experimented on mercilessly, or forced to endure life while everyone around them that they loved perished. One thing would be clear though, at least from what he could tell. This Yuuma fellow seemed to be well known in the village and people looked at him with a kind warmth, a warmth that Max would likely never feel again. There was nearly a spark of jealousy, his heart yearning for his mother though he would never feel her warm embrace again.
 
It was Yuuma’s words that broke Max’s thoughts, his mother momentarily slipping from his mind. It made a good deal of sense, as most ninja didn’t interact much with those from outside of their home village. This wasn’t the first time that a Kumo shinobi was here in Hoshi, but that now seemed a lifetime ago. Max didn’t really get a huge chance to interact with many of the Hoshi ninja during his last stay, and he didn’t imagine the others doing so much either. There was something of bitter feelings due to turning down the offer of alliance.
 
“As you can see, we indeed exist. And I assure you that while it is safest to consider every foreigner that hails from beyond your walls as an enemy, the worst enemies are the ones right in front of you, hiding among those you trust. Or worse, those in power could decide you are no longer of value and send you to your death.” His words would drop with a weight that could almost be felt with a *thud* to the chest, his heart still heavy with his brothers loss. “That is a truly scary life.” He would gaze upon his escort, seeing how he would react to hearing such truths of the world around him.
 
The palace would soon come into view, its beauty now unmatched in the world now that its most beautiful flower was gone. It would seem as though Yuuma was curious, hoping to learn about distant lands that he couldn’t see in person. “The land itself is beautiful in most places, though the closer you get to Kumogakure the worse it gets. The land itself begins to rot and die, the smell of decay and death overtaking you as you get closer to the legacy left by the Rot Lord, Raikage Mortarion.” He wouldn’t say anything more unless the inquisitive boy asked him about anything else.
 
Max would look over to a beautiful monument sitting in the gardens, one that looked to be in honor of Akihana. He would begin to head in that direction, almost as if pulled by an outside force. “Mother…” he would let out quietly.

Patiently listening to his responses to his question, his features would betray his internal reaction: shock. A horrible image conjured in his mind of a rotting and wilted land, the image superimposing itself over Yuuma's vision as they walked, the ground beneath them giving way to pale grey and dark dead earth, mud squishing beneath their boots from the recent acidic rains that stained the sides of buildings and made plants wither into burnt, fragile shells of a former life. The smell of rot filled his nose as he looked to the people of the village, gazes downcast and defeated. A beaten people who do what they were told, and accepted what they were given, no matter the needs of the people. Because in this place that a boy, Max, described, there was no peace for the body or soul. Not even in eternal slumber. Shaking the image from his head as they entered the garden, Yuuma gained a renewed appreciation for the lush vegetation that lined the palace garden. Yuuma had come here many times, people watching, or just to enjoy the serenity offered by the quiet plazas that dot the garden grounds, offering reprieve in the form of shade and a bench to sit on. But these features did not carry the attention of Yuuma, his gaze instead turning back to the back of Max's head as the young lad surveyed the gardens in search of something. Deep down, Yuuma felt a pang of pain for the boy. He couldn't imagine living in such conditions. Serving such a lord. So how did this guy do it? His thoughts derailed as Max uttered a small but important word, allowing Yuuma's gaze to follow the intended destination of the cloud ninja. Silently, Yuuma fell into step behind him, joining him in his approach to the statue. Recognizing the statue as someone named Akihana, Yuuma had become aware of her during his mission to man the palace gates for traffic, when he had familiarized himself with the garden, and had come across the statue, even going as far as to read the plaque dedicated to the woman, and catch more details through shorthand guards answers.

Plentiful time was allotted to the blonde as he inspected the statue, though, after several long minutes of quiet, Yuuma would speak. "She was beautiful." He would say. "I was told she made things beautiful too." he finished. "I never got a chance to meet her, your mother, but the people of this city speak of her with love in their voice." He said, folding his hands in front of him as he stood behind Max, gazing up at the face of Akihana. "I heard she had a bakery." He continued. "She would give out samples to those who asked. Truly an example of something beautiful in a soul. Where ever she rests now, I am certain she rests peacefully." Though the words sounded flowery, they were words he had considered before, and words that hung heavy in the air as the soft footfalls of Yuuma sounded beside him. Even if Max didn't look, Yuuma's voice would tell him that the black haired teen was still looking to the statue. "I can't imagine what you must feel. I never knew my mother." Yuuma shared, hoping to offer some emotional padding to the distraught boy who stood before the resemblance of his kin. "But I am sorry, all the same. I'm certain that if she was in m' life, it would 'ave been difficult to lose 'er." He said, clearing his throat to avoid the wavering he felt, rubbing his eyes to prevent their misting. His accent sliding only just backward into the countryside of him near the end.

"Pardon my boldness," Yuuma said, clearing his throat once more before turning to Max solidly. "I don't presume to know you very well, but you have incredible strength. You serve a lord whose name you speak as though it is nightshade," he observed. "You have a loyalty to land that stands so directly opposed to what your mother seemed to stand for. I do not pretend I can understand the depths of the loyalty you must have, but it is truly an impressive feat. One I am not sure I could do if I was in your place." Yuuma said solidly, " but..." Uncertainty crept into his voice for a moment as he examined the blonde haired man. "As far as I'm concerned it is not the people we serve who define us." A thumb stuck to Yuuma's chest stiffly. "What matters is the actions you choose to take. Those are the things that define you. So it doesn't matter who you might serve." If Max had given Yuuma his attention, the black-headed man would flick his head toward the statue. "I heard great things about this person the statue was made after you called mother. And while a statue doesn't make a good replacement, it can serve as a reminder. A reminder that we can do better if we just help each other a little." He said, sniffing in a breath as he balled fists and placed them at his hips, looking back to the statue. "At least, that's what the statue makes me feel." He added on, allowing himself to fade into the thought as he gazed into the bronzed visage of Akihana. This last part was added almost like an invitation to the other lad if he felt so inclined to share his thoughts as well.

WC - 920
TWC - 2,960

Yuuma was certain to see his duty through to the end, keeping some warm company to the downtrodden youth until his business was concluded within the city, seeing him off with a wave and a smile.

[Exit, no claims.]

Max would fall to his knees, his eyes beginning to mist. This was now the closest he would ever get to being in his mother’s presence again. Yuuma would speak, kind words hanging in the air as the boy recalls all of the wonderful things that made Akihana a truly kind soul. She was willing to give everyone a chance to be the best person they can be, even if they were barely a person in the first place.
 
“While I may be strong, it was she who lent me that strength. She wished to see the best in people, regardless of the consequences.” The young shinobi would shake his head, “But look where that lead. She no longer walks among the living, brought to her grave by a plague likely contracted by the Rot Lord himself.” The tears he was trying to hold back began to roll down his cheeks, drops puddling on the plaque that honored the Kunoichi. “I no longer see a reason to try to bear the burden she had placed on me. I was coming here to speak with her on the matter…” His voice would grow quiet, his breathing heavy.
 
He would place his hand on the headband worn like a necklace. “Mother, I am sorry. I am not as great as you were. I cannot see the good residing in the hearts of everyone, and so I will take action. The man that took you from me will be forgotten by this world… Even if it takes my last breath to do so.”
 
The boy would place his Kumo headband on the ground, resting it above the intricately engraved name of Akihana. The Flower of Kumo was no more… And with her loss the boy known as Max would find himself removed from this world as well. No longer was he a shinobi of Kumo, faithfully serving a lord that he despised. No, now he would return a conquerer, aiming to bring his homeland to its knees so that he could remove the taint of Mortarion from this world.

---Exit---

WC: 346
TWC: 1448

724 WC for Max, 724 WC for Napa

Items used:
Xmas 2017 Gift Box (worth up to 5000 wc)
Xmas 2017 25% training coupon (see here to see my page where I claimed it. It is around the middle. Went through my claim logs and have yet to use either of these items.)

Max's Claims: 
4000/4000 WC for Wraith Puppet (Using xmas coupon, max stat discount, and gift box to complete)
724 WC towards Mind's Eye of the Kagura -> (1616/4000)
6 AP


Napa's Claims:
3 Stats
724 wc towards Chakra Scalpel -> (3179/4000) (dunno if the coupon extends to Napa or not. Don't mind either way)

Approved