My Immortal (Maku/NK)

They had cut their conversation short after Tori revealed a dark secret from their past! What HAD happened? Does it count as kidnapped if you go willingly? She was a kid after all! But yet he had been to! Now they were two... Adults! Young Adults...
What happens now? Tori wondered as she stepped out of her wet clothes and into a warm shower. She washed her long thick red hair as she continued Wondering what was happening with Maku. Tori had been through so much herself and she couldn't put her finger in it but there was something about Maku.
She stepped out and put a robe on after she dried herself off. She began brushing her long wet hair. So many questions...

The world was a weird place, and the fact so many shadows of the past had popped up made even less sense.  He supposed it could have been coincidence, but it just didn’t seem likely.  He’d ushered her away to the only inn in the town and paid off the owner to have the room left empty on the ledger, but to make sure no one came up either.  

He’d left her to let her settle in, her demeanor didn’t seem to show she was an imposter, of an assassin.....but it was possible she could have been working for someone......but was that plausible as well?  So many questions, not enough answers, and that’s what the mission was now.  Find out exactly what to do with the girl, and what her intentions where.  

Coming back and sitting on the couch in the room while the water was still running he thought about all these possibilities.  Mostly, what was he going to do with her now.  He could wipe her memory, he could send her to a far away place, he could do a great many things, but for the time being it was best to just wait and find out what there was to find.  Looking up he’d watch her leave the bathroom robe on and still brushing her hair.  “Enjoy yourself?”  He’d ask, his eyes watching her movements still trying to pry secrets from what could potentially be nothing.  “How’d you get here Tori?”

TWC - 224

She was not even looking his direction so she honestly had no idea Maku was even back. She looked up at In the mirror and saw Maku on the couch after he said something. Most people would probably want to go out clothes on, but she kept in kind shebonce lived with this guy so a robe was fine. He probably even knew what was underneath! To be honest she couldn't remember what had gone in That relationship. So much had happened since then! She smiled as she walked towards him, "It wws quite nice, and this is such a quaint quiet place. " Ahe finished as she sat down beside him. How's she get there? Did he really ask her such a question? She sighed as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'll answer your question Maku but then I have one for you! I was wondering around looking for a few people who just up and vanished. My friends Primrose Uchiha and  Sephora Kaguya-Hyuuga are missing and being the sweet person Incan be, I was looking for them when I ended up in this village. Ok if your not the Kage here, your someone of importance or trying to keep a low profile, so who or what are you? And why didn't you come for me or send for me when you said you would?" She looked up at him, if he had indeed let her lean her head on his shoulder, but the last sentence had her cutting her blue eyes at him! You could say she was still a little upset that he had just left her.

He would stand abruptly as she attempted to put her head against him. Still leery just Incase this was all an elaborate trap. Pacing away he would turn back, leaning against the wall to look at her. His eyes gazing into her own. Looking for friends, perhaps it was a reasonable story. Perhaps not. He’d only known her for a short time, and in that time he’d not only abandoned her, but if he recalled had stolen her Konoha headband as well.

“Where do you think they are?” He’d ask still looking at the Uzumaki. He’d let her answer should she attempt to before speaking again. “I don’t hold any position here. Just trying to make my way in the world.” He would brush off her question. Days of being a leader, a kage, even as simple as a Shinobi where well past him at this point. If he deemed to take up such titles again it would be a cold day in hell to be sure.

“Do you have any idea what all transpired after I left? I was a little busy.” He would say still looking at her. It was hard to know if she had truly not kept up with the times that took place after his departure. He’d went from meeting her to Yukigakuri, and with Youka’s assistance taken the place over expanding Iwagakure’s empire. From there so many more things had happened, the conquest, the reverse conquest, culminating in that final battle that he had never truly recovered from.

“What are you hoping to gain here Tori?” He would finish simply. It had been a long time, from such a short time. Time was funny though, as even as it grew longer, the times of one past still found away to block their future.

TWC - 523

(LOL I said I was going to do it...wait for it...)

As he explained his story a fury grew inside her! A feeling of abandonment! All this stuff happened, but he had forgotten her, she had become part of something and then basically tossed aside like a piece of garbage! She jumped up off the couch "I didn't come looking for you, no, I can looking for my friends but it seems fate lead nw right where I needed to be!" After that last work she drew her hand back and slapped him right across the face!
"I was a person, just like you, and you abandoned me! How am I supposed to feel about that?" Suddenly tears fell from her eyes and ran down her cheeks! She turned away from him with her back facing him. Two huge Ninja no-no's, never turn your back on anyone and never show emotions!

(Boom! Did it!)
(Of course per to rules, slap only goes through if Maku allows it.)

His eyes where just about to swirl to red when it occurred. Perhaps his instincts where off, or perhaps he was just truly surprised by it. Whatever the case was, her hand found the side of his face. The resulting clap sound rang through the room, leaving it in silence save her own stifling of tears.

So taken aback he wasn’t sure how to respond. A cold indifference had grown in his heart to the situation, but with that slap he was brought to a different place. Instead he saw a boy doing terrible things. Making the world nothing but a play thing. Toy soldiers on a carpet made to Shinobi on a battle field. A Shinobi’s business was war, but it should never be a plaything.

He had come to terms with much of what he had done. Her had reasons? And even though the reasons had left him, he had remained. Trying now to find new reasons to continue. Yet all the same, he knew one thing for certain. No matter what she’d gone through she’d been better off there than where he had gone. “You are a person, and had I called for you I guarantee you’d have lost that, wether your life from your person, or your person to a monster.” His voice was cold, at odds with the burning of his cheek.

“You should have forgotten me back then, and you shouldn’t let me bother you now.” He’d watch the back of her head, eyes running over the still damp red hair. He wondered if her reaction was normal, was that what a normal person felt? Where these normal problems, and if he continued with his life here, would they one day make more sense? It was hard to say, but there was still a little more that needed done with Tori Uzumaki. “What can I do to help you Tori, I at least owe you that?” Perhaps helping one person he’d wronged in those days would make a difference, or maybe the scale was already to tipped......it was hard to say, it was even more hard to know if it mattered, even still it’s what people did.

TWC - 886

Those words sounded so ghostly, so haunted coming out of his mouth. That little boy she had known basically called himself a monster. Now, Tori isn't a psychic, but the pain in his words was very apparent. A monster doesn't regret any pain he's caused, a monster doesn't offer help. A past is just that, a past. A learning experience. Suddenly every ounce of Anger, fury and hurt she felt vanished. She turned to face him, and smiled at him. 
"Maku, if you were truly a monster you wouldn't show remorse or feeling. I can tell by your words, you aren't a monster. Your past is just that, the past. It's just I cared so much about you. And seeing you now... " She said as she reached up to touch his face. "I'm sorry." She added as she kissed his cheek that she slapped unless prevented. 
"A monster wouldn't offer to help someone." She added as she attempted to hug him. Maybe that's what he needed.

Brushing off her attempts to console him, he’d remain firm. He has not said those things in an attempt for pity, but rather as facts. He had seen a great many things in his short life, and even more in his journeys through the dimension of discord. He’d even seen a vision of his own death, and what would come after. A bar, a cellar, and the final goodbyes of an old rival/mentor/friend. He felt that nothing he did between now and then would change that outcome. He didn’t do what he did for a different outcome, he did so because it was what he wanted to do. Something he’s always done.....for better or worse.

Side stepping her hug, he’d cross his arms. She’s not answered his questions. “I can send you a great many places in an instant Tori, but I don’t think this is the place for you. You should find your friends, and leave me in your memories.” His voice was much the same. He recounted the places he’d been and rumors he’d heard, yet being outside of the Shinobi game he had no valuable information that could help her track down friends of the past.

They’d spent enough time now, he doubted she was her maliciously. Instead he thought her intentions genuine and their meeting accidental. It didn’t do much to calm his nerves, but it answered enough questions. Perhaps he had died a long time ago, and he was now being visited by all past things. No that was to easy, life often threw things at you without reason.

“I won’t say I’m sorry that I never sent for you. It was the right call wether it makes you feel better or not. So in the absence of calling for you, where would you like me to send you?” He would turn and give her a first real smile. His hands would come together and form handseals until a Golden bubble erupted around them. A transportation technique he’d picked up from another ghost, an elegant technique. The gold would encompass them both giving their skin a soft golden glow. “Well?” He’d ask

TWC - 1243

Tori was over sensitive in some cases and right now her emotions were high maybe it was because of abandonment, or regret or who knows what else. She had to get her head on straight. She was glad to have seen him again. Maybe him not sending for her was the right call! Had she not been a missing nin she wouldn't have learned half the stuff she had learned. 
"Very well Maku, but I want to be able to come back and visit you again! I'd like to go to the Funkagakure remains to search for my friends please." She said as she took his hands.

“Of course, I should be in the Rock country by the time you make it back. Look me up there......I’m going by Taki Maki now, Maku is dead......remember that.” He’d give her a warm smile, and in an instant the gold bubble would collapse. Ripping them both through space, they’d reappear on the Kumogakure docks. He didn’t have the ability to take them all the way to Funkagakure, but he had seen a map before. His powers only allowed him to travel where he had been after all.

If Tori looked around she’d see signs and Tim’s for the various boats that took off from the dock. It was just a skip and a ride to get to the volcano island. If she looked at Maku he’d still be smiling, but only for a moment. If she started talking to him he would not move at all, and then just as she was probably about to slap him again, he seemed to vanish as if he’d never been there. The double use of transfer through world of emptiness, and then trail of trickster allowed him to make a quick double teleportation leaving behind that fake Maku that tori would see.

Perhaps that had not been the most kind move, but maybe she was used to it by now. Not ready to confront to much form the old days, Maku felt that he had done the only thing he could possibly do. She could travel where she wanted, and he did hope she found her friends. Perhaps they would stir up their own kind of trouble, and when he figured out his place in the world, perhaps he would send for her after all........perhaps.

A second thought occurred to him during that time he transported back. A thought that he had not had in a very long time. Focusing, he sought out those he had met before. How many more ghosts. In his minds eye he could feel them, a mark seal in Hoshi, a person in konoha......he looked at them from his senses unsure of who they were exactly, but Tori wasn’t the only remnant still around from the past. The question became, should he leave them be, or pursue them before they pursued him.

(Exit, Maku still in Fang, Tori transported to Kumo boarders)

TWC - 1618
1.5k words towards Foo Dog to finish
8 stat points to Stam