Down the rabbit hole [Open]

[Sagasu Yume]

It had been a couple of weeks since the Cabal occupation had begun. The average person lived in chronic fear of leaving their house and even most shinobi only ventured out with purpose. The streets had been claimed by the vagrants and the insane, well most of them. There was one mentally deficient individual who had taken to hiding, surrounding herself with everything that was common place and ‘safe’ in order to keep her psyche from caving in further and succumbing to the destructive force that came with having nothing to lose. Yume busied herself with experiments, tests, and reports. It had been a long time since she was able to conduct proper research without interruption and she certainly wasn’t about to miss this opportunity. In the back of her mind she contemplated how her next meeting with Sousuke would go, however the point that he was locked outside due to the Occupation was never taken into account. No. In Yume’s mind there was no trouble outside the doors of Keystone. Sousuke was away on business, Shinji was using this time to train with Ika and become better companions, Shuu was settling into the hospital and brining order to the long abandoned roll of Med-Chief. There was no other purpose for her outside of the facility and if something came up then certainly someone would come to fetch her.

Underneath one of the tables, curled up on the lower shelf, was CuRua as he kept a wary eye on his deranged counterpart. There was nothing he could do to pull her from her delusion that wouldn’t throw her into a fit. It had happened once before when he ventured to encourage her to leave Keystone and assist with the wreckage and chaos that was being caused by the unsavory members of Sunnan society. She had responded by grabbing the nearest tray of samples she was working on and throwing it against the wall as she screamed and knocked over her examination bench. It wasn’t until he became human and let her beat futilely against his chest that she calmed down enough to collapse into a mess of tears and eventually fall asleep. When she awoke, she was back in the farce and he dared not to try again.

A pleasant tune bubbled out from between her rosy lips whilst she dropped different solutions into petridishes and examined other results under a microscope, each time recording what she saw. A stack of three notebooks sat off to one side and she was quickly filling up a fourth with sketches and theories. Settling down on a stool with a sigh and a smile, she leans down and beckons for her fox to join her. Stepping out from his hiding place, he leaps to her lap and rubs his face against her stomach in a show of affection while she pet down his head and over his back, occasionally stopping to scratch at the base of his ears.

I’m starting to think that it is impossible to achieve a blend of two bloodlines. It will be either one or the other. I have tried to blend the Uchiha samples with my own and every time they either annihilate each other resulting in a null or one remains triumphant. It’s unique though, that in the event of one surfacing as dominant that the secondary doesn’t go away completely. I suppose the next step would be to try and control the dominant strain and see if the secondary would flourish. What do you think?

His orange eyes glance up to meet her emerald pools with a silent forlorn gaze. It was evidence of her deterioration that she didn’t communicate with him via their minds and chose to speak aloud instead. He couldn’t even hear her thoughts unless she was asleep, then he could hear her mind screaming to surface once more. He could hear her sanity crying for her proposed mate and to be freed of her chains of delirium. With a giggle, Yume leans down and kisses his nose, scooping him up in her arms as she stood and began to use one hand to put things away for the day. The air was once more filled with idle chatter, expounding on her results and not really talking to anyone though he listened all the same. When her workstation was clear and sanitized, they walked down the hall to a room that had been salvaged as a living quarter. Place him on the couch that had become their bed, she changes into a lab frock to sleep in and curls up under a blanket with him held close to her chest. The attire was nearly too long for her but the scent of the owner lingered on the fabric and provided comfort. For any who didn't have the olfactory expertise of an Inuzuka, the clan insignia of a hexagon surrounding a horse's head would convey the same sentiment.

I know you want to go home CuRua, and I promise it will be soon. I need to finish this research. I need to find out how bloodlines work and how they can be controlled. I need to become human… I’m not a beast… I’m not…

…well. Make it stop, CuRua… I miss you. I miss training with you. I miss healing the people. I miss my brother. We should be helping the village and finding a way to get Sousuke back. Please CooRoo… I’m still here. Please… I miss you most of all.

The cries had begun as soon as her cognition faded to black and the fennec snuggled closer. It was his duty as a companion to care for his clansmate but it was his love for Yume that made him stay when there was no end in sight. He wouldn’t leave her as long as he still heard those cries; Once they stopped, she would never come back.

[MFT; WC: 985]


((OOC: Any are welcome to join. I only ask that you enter topic on the next day. The poor girl needs her sleep ^__~))

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Find Yume. That was what she was told to do by her gracious pious son-in-law. My knowledge of medicine isn't the best he says. Puppets can only go so far he said. Don't scare her. Don't shout at her. Don't frighten her. Don't go causing a rift between her and your grandson. Yes. Yes. Mako had a shopping list of things to do. Her very own daughter made it quite clear in minimalistic terms to not screw this up. This girl truly meant something to her grandson. The girl's brother was a pig at best. She was not pulling her weight. Mother Suna knows she's some sort of opportunist. Mako stalked about in the shadows. She wasn't at her home. She wasn't somewhere in the hospital that Judori couldn't think of.

Her search brought her to Keystone Prime. Mako very much regretted not destroying this place first. The facility was very much worn down and destroyed. No automatic greeting from the building, no assertion of presence. Mako herself had toyed with the core consciousness of Keystone in the Battlecraft design. Used the building and unleashed some minor horrors against the building's own will. The veteran watched some minor theives breaking in. Make away with some material? No. No. No. The veteran would intervene mainly because when and if her grandson returned he needed to hit the ground running here. He needed to create something vicious, something akin to that black armour he had. She had seen the footage of his battle with Kravick. It always amused Mako that despite the lack of emotion her grandson had due to his lack of soul, he was always capable of something darker in design. Something terrifying. Surely this had to be something he inherited from her. Terror was always a strong force, and the Cabal showed it well enough.

The Masashi dealt with this interloper quickly enough. The sight of a flaming skeleton screaming and proclaiming death unto you was usually enough to get the job done. Although a genjutsu, it was potent enough to drive back the thief. Moments later the lot of them returned, and Mako was gladly enough to deal with them properly. Next stop the psych ward for them.

With the diversion done with Mako made her way through the ruined halls of Keystone. She stalked about, her footsteps careful not to alert anyone of her presence. If Sousuke saw this place, his heart would probably break. She heard rumors of him crying twice in his life. Musta been awkward and really sappy. She made her way down the labs. Six, Three, Nine were empty. The Veteran shook her head. What a waste of time--

"I need to finish this research. I need to find out how bloodlines work and how they can be controlled. I need to become human… I’m not a beast… I’m not…"<i></i>

Well. It sounded like her. Was it her? The Veteran chewed her lip. She heard that the girl was an Inuzuka. Primus's sword, the girl was delusional. The last time she checked, which was at Sousuke's birthday she was quite human. Mako would conjure a fireball. She was the interloper here. Best to be prepared. The Veteran would enter the room but making her entrance very apparent. She ceased being light on her feet. Her combat books making a cloud clack. "Something you're not telling my grandson? Care to elaborate considering what I saw at his birthday party back a few months ago?"<i></i> Mako held the fireball up to reveal herself. "You seem pretty human to me little girl. You don't have horns underneath that headband do you?"<i></i>

 

[Sagasu Yume]

The noise of thumping boots woke the irrational woman with a start. Her heart pounded in time with each step as the animalistic fight-or-flight hormones flooded her brain. She had to leave before the predator reached her but there was only one way out and that way was blocked by its advance. Maybe she could hide… make herself small and the beastie would go away. At the last second she throws herself over the back of the couch only to land unceremoniously with a thud and a whimper. Bouncing over after her, CuRua sniffs over his companion, searching for any hint of injury. A flicker of light danced over the walls as an unfamiliar voice spoke. It was the scent that wafted in with the stranger that provided clarity. Memories of lights and eggnog and mistletoe filled her mind, threatening to lead her down a rabbit hole to the memory of her first kiss in the Steward’s office but she stopped her reminiscence short. She couldn’t think of her love at a time like this… she could be in danger. Peeking up over the edge of the couch with the corner of her blanket draped over her head, she looked almost child-like; no where near the near twenty year-old that she was.

Doesn’t need to be told. The beast will go away. I’ll make her go away. I want to be a lady for Takahashi-sama. She’s obscene and inappropriate and violent and disgusting… she’s uncouth like Shinji and we were raised to be better than that. I’m better than that. Wolves hide in sheep’s clothing all the time.

Her green eyes narrowed as she sized up the rather butch looking granny. She remember her from the Christmas party but only in passing. Her scent reminded her of Sousuke in loose correlation; they must have spent a lot of time together or at least in the same house. She had called him her grandson... Crawling over the back of the couch on all fours, she descends to the floor on the other side and crawls forward in a slow zigzagging pattern, sizing up the intruder. She wasn’t sure about the intentions of this woman however the fireball that was being held aloft told her that she was ready for a fight… or maybe just had bad eyesight. As far as the Inuzuka’s vision was concerned there was plenty of light to see by. Getting within three feet of the veteran’s boots, she plops down and crosses her legs, keeping her gaze lowered so that she wouldn’t appear confrontational and to shield it from the burning orb. Bending in half, she leans over to press her forehead to the dirty floor and spread her arms out, palms down, in submission to the alpha female.

Sitting to one side of the sofa, CuRua pokes his nose out and watches the interaction between Yume and the matriarch of the Masashi clan. So far she was handling it well. She wasn’t the same as she used to be but she wasn’t raving. If he had to compare her to a concept, he would say that she was a tribeswoman; Savage in comparison to the civilized world but conducting her self in a manner that was civilized in its own right.

What brings me the honour of a visit from Obaasan?

In her deteriorated state there was one thing that resonated within her: the order of the pack.


[MFT; WC: 572]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Famous words, but no one never quite realizes how often a sheep or wolf masquerades as the other."<i></i> Mako snorted. She watched pitifully as Yume emerged from the scene like a lost child. "Being a lady is overrated you know? ... I'm not a lady, my daughter isn't a lady, Okibi isn't a lady."<i></i> She rolled her eyes. She watched as Yume came before her and made a gesture that wasn't exactly lost on her, but she didn't like it. "Please don't do that shit. You don't need to do that for me of all people. I'm a solider. I like my drink. I like my gambling. I don't like my daughter. I don't mind my grandson. I especially don't mind my grandson when he gives me pointers for playing cards. He figured out probability and all that stuff. Wins me free drinks, and other stuff too."<i></i> This girl looked like she needed someone to chat with. Mako wasn't the person to do this with, and she full well knew this. For a moment she did something very much like her grandson. Her gaze would shift skyward at the moment in the exact same fashion Sousuke would only to glare at some unseen force.

Yume then asked the question, why was she here. Mako would lessen the intensity of the burning orb. "Need to get you out of retirement. It doesn't suit you. Judori is at the hospital doing what he can with his puppets, but he ... ... he needs help. Can't find that Foreigner with the well endowed goods... and my adopted grand-niece ... is useless as tits on a bull."<i></i> Mako paused for a moment. "Listen kid. I'm probably the worst one to have been sent here. My daughter probably would have done better, but she's working on something else. I guess I'm here because I was assessable. Judori maybe thought I would be patient, maybe he's trying to get me to be patient in my old age, who bloody well knows."<i></i> Mako didn't want to drag the girl away from this, and certainly not in this condition.

"This isn't going to go well... Can't say I'm not trying here."<i></i> She mumbled to herself. She kicked back and sat on the sofa. The orb vanished and Mako removed her eye patch revealing an emptiness where her eye should have been. "You're an Inuzuka yeah? You ... ... scared of that ... she-wolf thing you become? With the full fur and nails and teeth?"<i></i> She inquired. "You're afraid your were-self is going to ... what like savage Sousuke? Girl. He lives with Okibi... who... broke his arm and went feral on him before. I don't think it can be that worse can it? I've got my own ... beast ... thing going. Not so much an animal though... it's ... it ain't nice, but it gets the job done. This beast thing it isn't that bad you know? Sure being a lady gets you attention, but ladies aren't practical. Ever hear of the story how my fool of a daughter married Judori?"<i></i>

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Yes Ma’am. Your grandson is wonderfully smart. I’m inclined to disagree with you. Being a lady or gentleman is what separates us from the beasts that we were. You say your daughter is a fool for marrying Judori? He seems rather kind and patient to me though my interactions with him have been brief and rather formal. Tell me her story and let me decide if you consider me the same sort of fool as your daughter or your grandson a fool for his interest in me.

Sitting up at the command of the older woman, she pivots on her rear to keep her focus on Mako as she takes a seat on the couch. The sight of the familiar scowl towards the ceiling gave the Inuzuka a chance to smile as she discovered that it was a trait from his mother’s side. Discomfort would soon set in as she would speak of removing Yume from Keystone to make her useful in the village. This was not acceptable. She was needed here. She had things to keep in order for Sousuke’s return. She had her own research to take care of and there were multiple pages in her book still left untouched.

She doesn’t flinch as the eye patch is lifted, instead raising her finger and twitching the end in little circles, indicating her desire to poke and prod at the old wound. Her curiosity certainly hadn’t been damaged. Wrapping it with her other hand to keep the awkward craving in check, she tilts her head to one side at the claim that most women had a beast within and that Sousuke’s interactions with Okibi made him no stranger to this. She wanted Sousuke to have a kind lover and she was terrified that he would scorn her for being less than superior.

You… you have a savage-heart too, Obasan? Could you teach me… train me how to cope with her? Your grandson deserves… a gentle hand to come home to after being surrounded by the grievances of the village.

Her cheeks flushed and she looked down at her crossed legs very intently. It was the old Yume back for a moment; consumed by her affections for the Steward and her desire to be better than she was before. She did her best to block the memory of his bar from the village but her grasp on reality was tentative and she remembered why she was staying in Keystone. Her head swung from side to side in an emphatic negative response to an unasked question, fists balled and arms wrapped tight to her sides as if the slightest moment of relaxation would cause her to physically fall to pieces.

No… Nope. No. I cannot leave. There is much to do here. Too much to do. I have to catalogue his notes and make sure that everything is still here. There were reckless vagrants that came in and burned everything, destroying what they didn’t understand. I have tests to do and samples only last for so long. I have theory to prac…

She stopped, still as stone and elevated her gaze to look at the veteran through dishevelled bangs. There was one test she couldn’t do without a willing participant and she was certain that Mako was strong enough that no serious harm would come to the woman. Her lips curved up as she straightened her posture to sit a her full height, the metaphorical mask of a porcelain doll affixed to Yume’s features as if her mental deficiencies had been cured. The hold was tentative at best but it was more than she had before.

Obasan… would you be willing to assist me in some tests? Al Haqqish gave me a tome of magicka which included some use of blood. I have adapted them to a theory of using chakra through non-elemental and water techniques as blood is mostly water. If you do, I promise I will come help as long as it will be assisting the purpose of finding a way to bring Sousuke back to us.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Ever realize or have that feeling that when dealing with Sousuke, you're ... not dealing with a full deck of cards? Something feels missing you know?"<i></i> Mako would inquire. She knew of Sousuke's state of ... exsistence if one could call it that. Granted part of that relied on one's belief sets. Yume made a gestures referring to her missing eye. "Yeah yeah. You can poke around. Just don't hit any nerves or anything. Sousuke offered to make me an eye, and an arm, but I've no need of that nonsense."<i></i> Yume indiciated her interested in hearing the story of how her daughter married Judori. Mako stretched out a bit. "So. Judori being ... the workaholic he is presented to a court of bachelorette ladies to ... basically try and settle down and have out the rest of their lives right? Now most women don't like short men ... so there are some slim pickings. Not as many ladies as you'd think there'd be. A few, but most ladies don't want to have an older man for a husband. So. One by one they second guess themselves and back off. Now, picture this as the little dolly ladies all back up, my daughter stands there in full assassin gear. Tough worn red boiled leathers. Daggers, knives, in plain view. People getting all nervous and all, because you know people think that we're gonna have a killing happen yeah?"<i></i> A grin forms upon Mako's face. "My daughter, marches forward and unsheathes her daggers yeah? People getting real scared now. Not Judori. He's sitting there with a raised eyebrow. My daughter kneels before him and places all her knives out and says to him 'I am Chiyoko of the House Masashi. Hunter of Demons. What I offer your milord is my blades and the ability to protect you.' So. Everyone begins to chill out. People begin all walking out. Judori still sits there as my daughter is merely staring at the floor now, awaiting to be accepted or denied. Judori now gets up from his chair, he turns to Sunahoshi Hiro who too is sitting on his Diamond Throne, he says to the Kazekage 'Lord Hiro, I think this is the proper match for me. What more can I ask of a woman? If I were to marry her, may I have your permission?' Hiro now, he gives Judori this look, this real surprised look, but the Kazekage? He just simply nods."<i></i> Mako lets out a laugh, "You know. It was quite the overkill she had going for. You know ... most girls try to wear dresses. Not my Chiyoko though, she goes in to present herself completely different from the rest of the crowd. This leads me to the question of ... how you met Sousuke? Something unconventional yeah?"<i></i>

Mako listened as Yume came to grips with her own 'beast'. "I'm not a good teacher, I'm a solider kid. I've led men and women to their death. I've led men and women into blood baths. War is hell, and the beast I've got is that of a killer. Some folks love their killing. Some of them think killing is the sweetest thing. I'm not gone quite that far. I can turn it off. Some people can't. Some can. I'm fortunate. I don't think you're the killer type though."<i></i> Mako sighed, and shook her head. "I'll try and help out though... though we're different creatures, you and I. Still though, can't leave you buried in the mud."<i></i> When it came to leaving the place, it seemed that Yume wasn't going to budge. Mako made an annoyed expression on her face. "Figured you'd say that. Yeah. I heard this place was raided. I'm really regretting not destroying this place myself. Sousuke might be mad at me, but better to have him give me the silent treatment for a week than have his tools used by these jackasses." Yume hesitated, she paused maybe ... maybe having her come along wouldn't be that hard. "Yeah okay cupcake. I'll give you a --- wait you ... shit. Bring him back to us? You have a confirmation of his status? I've got some ideas, but nothing was confirmed for certain."<i></i>

 

[Sagasu Yume]

The delirious youth bit her lip and looked from side to side at the assessment of Sousuke. She understood that others might see him that way but she refused to see people as broken after how her clan treated Shinji. If the Stewards eccentricities were part of who he was then it wasn’t her place to say it was a problem. The bite turned to a fanged grin at the mention of having no use for prosthesis.

Oh sure, he could make you fancy attachments but can he grow you one? Make it good as new? I don’t deride his use of metal; in fact I find it fascinating especially since I’m unable to achieve half of his creations. Though there is something to be said about flesh and bone. He has mentioned his family’s opposition to puppets, however, and I hesitate to make it public knowledge that creatures can be grown in jars.

She listened intently as the tale of the unexpected couple was spun. She leaned forward almost tipping over her knees and face planting to the floor. She could only imagine Judori’s demeanour with the peculiar woman and it took a little effort to picture Lady Chiyoko this way. She played the scene over and over in her head until the parts began to change and soon she was picturing herself before the steward, her face painted with streaks of red clay while the pelt of her family patriarch that Urufu wore was draped over her head and shoulders. She imagined the Steward taking note of her bestial appearance with a critical eye as he made mental notes before eventually reaching out and pulling her toward him. She could only hope that he would be so accepting of her.

Oh… um… us? Well you could call it unconventional. We met formally at the Winter festival though we didn’t get to speak much. I had imbibed a little and wasn’t quite myself. It wasn’t until a few weeks later that he lured CuRua away to observe and take notes that we had the opportunity to speak more. He showed me his suits and explained them to me. I get the feeling that most people don’t really want to know what he does. I didn’t understand most of it but I was more than happy to learn what ever he had the patience to teach me. We tried to make soup once too. It didn’t go as planned but it was enjoyable.

She didn’t need to inform Mako of their most recent encounter at the Winter festival as she was certain the veteran was there to see it. Further to that point, she deemed it best to keep their first true kiss a secret as she wasn’t certain if there were protocol that a Steward must follow when dealing with a lady of lesser standing. While Mako wasn’t the type to stand on ceremony it was still a matter of principal to Yume.

The description of how Mako could turn it off and on at will was exactly the type of training Yume needed. Per haps she wasn’t the killing type but she felt it in her core that her more primal side would see blood shed as a necessary evil rather than an abhorrent atrocity. Her hopes to learn control of inner beast rose and then were replaced by dread the instant that Mako honed in on her slip of information.

Shit. Shitshitshit. No. Forget I said that. I said nothing. I know nothing. I can do my tests alone if needed. Judori is going to kill me. Please forget that I mentioned it. It will hurt the village and the Cabal will blow everything up and innocent people will die. Shit.

It wasn’t like Yume to use such foul language even while she was out of her mind. The gravity and possible danger that would come from breaking her promise to Judori seemed a special circumstance and was accompanied by erratic arm motions as she tried to bat the situation out of the air. Tears brimmed over and flowed down her cheeks as she called enough to set her gaze upon Mako. Her lip trembled as she stared with wide eyes filled with wild fear. This certainly wasn’t the beast but she was resembling a caged animal.

[MFT; WC: 720]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Mako rested her hand on Yume's shoulder. "Listen. I had figured something out on my end. Don't worry about it. I knew Sousuke was tracking something, the only concern is if he's stuck out there ... his lungs might be full of sand again. It's not good for him, but like you said he's smart. He'll have figured out ... something."</B><i></i> Mako assured the girl. "Anyways ... I think I misheard you. Might have to .... might have to look into getting a hearing aid."<i></i> Mako next had to backtrack her conversation with Yume. "Eh. Puppetry is fine with the House Takahashi crowd, just not the human variety. Age old taboo with them. I tease Judori about it from time to time, he gives me a stern look, and reminds me of his heritage and what the stand for, the blah blah blah as I call it."<i></i> Mako was mentally having one of those chats occur, and was doing her best to tune it off. It was at this point like a broken record. "Speaking of things in jars ... I sort of unleashed a Djinn spawn on Okibi and Tama once. Had to see what those kids were made of. My ... great ... great granddaughter isn't fond of me. Eh. She and her boy-toy need to cool their jets. I'd have like to see Sousuke get married so that Okibi will have some ... female authority to comply with aside from Chiyoko. ... Don't say that to anyone, especially Chiyoko. She'll taunt me with it... or think I'm trying to ruin things."<i></i>

Mako's eye shifted to the side and then over to Yume when she spoke of the first winter festival. "Mmm... yeah. Secretly those things are the better moments for his ... social development we shall say ... I'm surprised Okibi made it a secret birthday party for him. I'm equally surprised that ... " Mako's eye narrowed. <B>"Well he kissed you, and you kissed him... that was a while ago. Imma bet a few yen notes you've moved along from kissing all conservative like yeah? If you haven't ... well, it'll come and if you have ... then job well done. I do mean that ... honestly."<i></i> Mako said trying to get Yume feeling slightly better. This really wasn't Mako's thing, but she had to start sometime in life. "...Wait. You taught him to make that tasteless soup? Geeze. Well that's good. At least the damn house or the office doesn't smell like burnt stuff anymore. Mother Suna bless him for making the mechanical ... dog thing he made. That had Chiyoko mad at him for months, go over it though... because she had to deal with Number Seven when he was all... demonic possessed lookin like. Not that he was, he was just ... you know the stuff of nightmares for her."<i></i> She paused for the moment. "What kind of experiments were you wanting to run."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

"Her experiments can wait, I think."

At the sound of his voice the shadows deepened and what light there was in the room struggled against being smothered entirely as his words seemed to reverberate through the darkness as though they were standing in a deep cavern. No other sound had betrayed the coming of the ANBU Sennin and now that he was here his presence was altogether threatening on the most primal level. Like coming face to face with a hungry tiger, the last thing that any human being wanted to do in the dark of a ruined and abandoned part of a building was come face to face with the likes of Mikaboshi. He stepped forward out of the room's threshold with one of the metal masks of Sousuke's various discarded and now destroyed armors clutched in his right hand dangling unceremoniously at his side. His face was hidden as it ever was behind a veil of bubbling shadows that slithered like a den of serpents and his form moved with the practiced grace of an experienced killer.

"I am so much more interested in her theory regarding the Kazekage. That is a much more interesting line of discussion."

Mikaboshi recognized Mako but had no fear of her despite their... less than pleasant relationship. Like most of the Masashi, Mako was a hunter of demons and all things that went bump in the night and Mikaboshi certainly qualified. In some circles in fact he was known as the thing that went bump in the night. So it stood to reason that she did not approve of Sousuke's unusual pact with the Lord of Shadows. After all, he was a being that had built a reputation for himself atop a mountain of human skulls. Who knew how many men and women the vicious claws of Mikaboshi had claimed over the years? Hundreds, easily. Thousands? Possibly. Even he would have long since lost count if he'd ever bothered to start counting in the first place.

"I would advise that you do not withhold information from me. It would be..." Mikaboshi stopped for a moment, paused in thought as he slowly selected a particular word for leverage in this situation "Unwise."

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Words did not accompany the blush that stained her cheeks at the question of more happening between her and the Steward; in her mind it was best to leave it as speculation rather than confirm anything. As she had found during her discussions with Shuu, what she considered naughty was to most very tame. She hoped that would change with education and an understanding of her primal side but that was a subject she did not feel like discussing with Mako. The veteran certainly did not have the sisterly timbre of the violet-haired sage.

The tests aren’t too invasive. I have a book of magicka that I had adapted to jutsu and wish to see how well it works in a fight. Dead bodies just don’t give the same reaction as a live opponent and you are certainly capable to hold your own. I’m partial to the element of water and what is mostly water? The human body! Specifically…

The mednin was interrupted by a voice that made her blood freeze in its channels. The lights pulsed before steadying at many watts lower than normal. It was odd what could bring a person back from the edge. To most the ANBU Sennin would be a force that would send them toppling over the edge but Yume’s rational mind caught a finger hold on a sliver of logic that all of her brain could agree on: He was her superior and the alpha in the room. Chakra exuded from his shadowy form and left no room for argument. She had made his acquaintance once before during their fight with Magnetica but was never formally introduced. At the time she was thankful that he was on their side. Leaping to her feet she stood at attention with shoulders squared and stiff as a board. Her voice was timid as she spoke but left an impression of reverence rather than terror. He was supposedly friend with Sousuke and was one to protect the village. He wouldn’t hurt her. She had to believe that.

…blood. Sennin-sama. I didn’t…

Of course you didn’t hear him, you idiot. He isn’t one to be heard.

Sir. It’s not a theory. It is a confirmed fact that Takahashi-sama was planning to be outside of the village at the time of the attack. He, Okibi, and Tama had an errand to run above ground… though I wasn’t aware of it until after the fact. I’m sorry I’m telling him, Obasan, and that I refused to tell you. He… he outranks me. As a shinobi of the village it is my responsibility to respond to my superiors.

Her stomach knotted and weighted down her heart. She tried not to wonder why Sousuke hadn’t told her that he was leaving on such a dangerous endeavour as tracking down murderers but it tugged at the back of her mind. They had been together in his office at Kingshelm and all he said on the matter was that he was busy on Monday. They had planned a date for Tuesday but Tuesday never came they way they expected… What day was it now? How long had she been preoccupied? She cast a glance down to her fox. Oh her dear CuRua. He had been so patient with her this past month.

Are you well, CooRoo? I haven’t been myself. I… I kept you away. I was afraid of a lot of things… of you getting to close to my mind that it would hurt you, of entertaining the possibility that Sousuke would never come back, of being alone. It’s no way for a kunoichi to act. I know I’m never alone with you… I just meant…

Neesan, you don’t need to explain. You let me stay with you physically and you spoke to me when you dreamed. I knew you would come back. The companionship… the way you feel when you’re with the Steward, I get it. Our relationship is literally two halves, like twins. He’s the first non-family type to appreciate you unique behaviour.<i></i>

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Mako didn't flinch or budge when the shadow sennin presented himself. The veteran's eye narrowed as she gazed at the entity, in particular the sword fragment protruding from his chest. "Ran into an exorcist did you? I'm guessing he really did a number on you."<i></i> She stated. Mikaboshi wasn't a demon, but he was something that was just as dangerous. Luckily though he had a boss, being her grandson, who at the same time was her boss. She turned to Yume as she spoke of how he both outranked them. "It's fine. He outranks me too. He has his uses, as do you, as do I in the theatre of war."<i></i>

Mako looked to the broken helmet in the fiend's hand. She gritted her teeth. Yes. One of Sousuke's many broken armours. "I'd like to throttle the person who blew this place up. I really would because if I destroyed it first, then we wouldn't have issues of Sousuke's weapons being out there."<i></i> Mako's eye shifted to Yume next. "If he's trapped on the surface he'll likely be suffering with diamond sand in his lungs. Hopefully he's taken residence or he's recuperating somewhere safe. If he went to Deadline where the Kirishii dwell he may have ran into a problem there considering his tech fails. Hopefully though he's experiencing the hospitality of the Kirishii. They healed him once, hopefully they'll do it again. "<i></i> Mako had survival skills, she lived through war. Hopefully Sousuke could endure the elements. " Since we're exchanging knowledge, I ran into the Cabal leader Kaito a few days ago. He's a veteran like myself, but he's far more lucky than I've been. He's not an idiot, he's been around since the plague war. He mentioned it in a way I didn't like, truthfully I'm concerned that these bombs could in fact be plague bombs."<i></i> She shook her head. She hadn't spoken to this of anyone. "I can't confirm it, I can't confirm it but when I was in disguise he mentioned to me the Plague War. I don't talk about that openly for the simple fact, being that particular war was ... beyond hell. Guy like his booze and his cigarettes, so he'll probably hanging out in some bar strutting his stuff."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

Mikaboshi growled threateningly at Mako as she referenced the sealing blade jutting from his chest. He had not yet taken the time to remove the sword if only because it was time that he did not have to spend. Every moment that he spent in search of Sousuke was another moment in which his master might die and the Black Blade could be claimed by another. Sousuke was human but for the most part he allowed Mikaboshi his autonomy. He asked little save for advice of the spiritual nature from time to time and required nothing from the ancient spirit. In contrast to that, another master might wield Mikaboshi like a sword against his foes and the last thing he was interested in doing was yielding to the power of a foolish warlord with big dreams. He had time for short detours from his goal but the removal of the sealing blade could take hours. Easily, even. Like a barbed harpoon, the sealing blade was partially entrenched into his spiritual being and having it removed would not only hurt a great deal but put him in a similar situation which he found himself after his last run-in with the former ANBU Sennin Hotaru and her flame belching Silence of Voices. The sword could be removed safely but that could wait until later for the time being.

Yume explained that she had it confirmed that he would have been outside of the village at the time of the attack. Mikaboshi still did not have a proper grasp on how much time had passed since the beginning of the attack to the present time due to having no way to know how far in advance they'd sealed him away but they seemed relatively entrenched. Enough to have dealt several crippling blows to the village. Sousuke would not be pleased to discover that his lab had been destroyed in Keystone Prime but that functionally worked to Mikaboshi's advantage. Sousuke was a savant when it came to chakra-based technologies and there had been several pieces which the sennin had put his eye on for possible applications in his own less savory research in the depths of the Obsidian Palace. He knew that the Steward would not approve of such twisted experiments, especially being performed on live human beings even if they were criminals so he'd kept them a secret. Requesting the gadgets from Keystone Prime might have... alerted the Steward to what Mikaboshi might want with them. But with most of the research and tech destroyed in the accident... who could say what went where? The helmet in his possession was one such trinket. Still, all of that was for later when this Cabal nonsense was put to rest.

"At last a human with the sense to respect those above their station." Observed Mikaboshi in relation to Yume's deference to him, offering her a slight head motion in recognition. It was perhaps one of the most kind gestures Mikaboshi had ever made towards a human being in his tenure as ANBU Sennin. He would have normally been inclined to dismiss Yume as another worthless human whelp but her wisdom in addressing Mikaboshi with respect had ingratiated her with him somewhat. As much as one could be, anyway.

Mako went on to describe the leader of the Cabal as she'd interpreted him. Apparently she'd met the man and survived the encounter to tell about it. Sloppy, thought the vicious Mikaboshi. In situations like these, giving away free information was akin to stabbing yourself in the back. All he had to go on was a few details and a name but... still. It was more than he'd had an hour ago. Plague bombs? Plague War? Meaningless words to the ancient. No plague engineered by man would be a threat to his physiology and he had not dedicated much of his study to that of human history. He found himself fascinated by their medical and scientific journals but history? Why would he be interested in the petty squabbles of pink monkeys over land? The pertinent information retrieved from Yume, Mikaboshi allowed his mind to drift to more... personal pursuits of curiosity. Just as he'd come upon them, the sennin had heard her speak on a book of magic she possessed.

"I will be on my way to retrieve the Steward from the surface shortly..." He announced as he drifted closely to Yume, the deathly chill of his presence intensifying as he drew near. "But first why don't you tell me about this book of magic you have? Such things are of great fascination to me."

If there was one vice that Mikaboshi suffered from that he would be willing to admit to, it was his ravenous curiosity. At his age, things which could capture his interest for even a moment became objects of utter fascination for varying lengths of time. Sometimes a curio would only hold his attention for a moment before he moved on, other times he had spent weeks discerning the nature of something which had enraptured his mind. The gristly tests and experiments housed in his lab hidden in the Obsidian Palace could have been a testament to the lengths he might go to if he ever deigned to allow a living soul to enter without dark designs for their future.

[Urf. The segue is a bit wooden but it is what it is.]

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Mako’s word raised alarms in Yume’s head that she tried desperately to ignore. She had wanted to blow this place up and destroy all his work? Sousuke could be hurt? She had to believe that these ‘Kirishii’ that she spoke of were taking care of the Steward and showing him basic hospitality. Her admission of her own secrets burned in the Inuzuka’s ears. Plague wars? That was before her time but she had been told that it was part of the reason the Sunnans descended below the arid dunes. Others say it was due to the storms becoming an inhospitable environment. It was difficult to keep her tentative grasp on reality but she had to. The selfish torment she had put CuRua through was unforgivable on its own, but the presence of the ANBU sennin had sparked hope in her despite the terror her instincts told her she should be experiencing. If anyone could bring Sousuke back, it was him. He had the coldness required to commit acts that would be for ultimate salvation; the ability to sacrifice the few for the safety of the many… or sacrifice the many for the chosen.

They had never formally interacted but her requests for volunteers from the Obsidian Palace to aide in her research had been granted. She wondered briefly if her name was worthy of his memory but dismissed the notion of asking; this was not the time. His acknowledgement of her respect was enough to bring a tiny blush to her cheeks and cause her eyes to drift to her toes, reminding her painfully that she was barefoot. Certainly not a reaction he would be used to but the magnitude of the gesture wasn’t lost on the mednin. A chill gripped her bones, making it almost painful to breathe but she forced her sight to lift and come as close to looking into the shadows of Mikaboshi’s hood as she could manage. Doing her best not to stutter, her voice is quick and weak as she replies, attempting to keep the excitement from her tone; She could understand why the Steward was so fond of the Sennin.

I received it from Al'Haquish in trade for knowledge of how elemental affinities interact with medical application. It contains some rather arcane and perhaps taboo subjects though I have learned from a senior of my clan that there is a tome by the name of Sanban that contains more knowledge. He wouldn’t let me keep it so I have been studying the red book to see if I could come to the same conclusions found in Sanban. If they have been discovered once the surely they could be discovered again. There are chapters dedicated to blood magic. I believe that I could covert the principals to be used with Ninjutsu as it isn’t much different than the method used when summoning a contracted familiar. I would go as far to say that one could summon an opponent’s blood through their skin to create clones while leaving enough to keep their heart pumping to observe their demise.

Her jaw slammed shut when she realized that her excitement had leaked out and had caused her to spout off on a tangent. Sweeping her bangs to one side, she tucks them behind her ear as she cleared her throat. Eyes cast to the floor again, she ventures to speak again; this time keeping to formalities.

The subjects supplied to me from the Obsidian Palace prior to the coup by the Cabal have been critical to my work. There aren’t many who do not approve of such methods but theory only takes science so far. There comes a point when application is necessary. I requested that they be volunteers. I do not wish to know the truth if they were or not though they were willing in their participation. I cannot adequately express my gratitude, sir.

Bending from the waist, she bowed low so that her nose almost touched her knees, exposing her neck and back to the Sennin completely. She had her own curiosities she wanted to satisfy; primarily the question of how he would get the Steward back but there was a part of her that was afraid that if she knew that it would be her responsibility if something terrible happened. There was a certain deniability that came with ignorance.

[MFT; WC: 735]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Mako rolled her eyes as Mikaboshi made the remark about Yume being a human with respect. It didn't seem like the shadow sennin was appreciative of what she had to tell him. It was a botched operation, but still she had something to show for it. These Cabal were tight lipped about themselves. Well their inner webs and workings. "Good luck with trying to get access to the surface. The lift is broken if you didn't know, and secondly the place is probably rigged to blow the moment you reach a certain height. I don't know if you know another way out." Mako warned. Mikaboshi might be a very powerful being, but he had limits.

It seemed though that the Sennin wanted to learn a little bit about the book Yume had. She watched the interaction between the two. It was very similar to what she had done before Mako moments ago. The veteran turned to the side and had a look about. There had to be something here to salvage in order to savage the criminals out there. The eye of the veteran traced about the ruins surrounding her. "How badly damaged is sector six? The armoury was completely destroyed, but I noticed that there were armour scraps. I bet you put your hands on what you could." Mako inquired e as she continued to survey the area. "Still though ... there is something else to be had here."

Mako left the two for a moment and summoned a fireball once more to light the way. Her sharinghan activated in her eye as she looked about to dispel any genjutsu traps that may have been left about. Something did catch her eye being a large sealed vault. The veteran pressed hard against it. Having one arm wasn't going to help her out here. Mako returned. "I think I found something untouched by the hooligans... if anyone is interested. Might be something good in there."

 

[Mikaboshi]

Mikaboshi's laughter was hollow and almost mocking in it's nature. An elder of the Inuzuka Clan held Sanban? Fascinating that he should cross paths with that book another time. In another age, he had known the person which had written the tome. No... written was the wrong word for it. Sanban was not a book in even the most unconventional of senses. It took the form of a book and for all intents and purposes might appear that way to the uninitiated but there was intelligence which breathed within it's leather-bound cover. Perhaps not true sentience in the way that some artifacts lived but Sanban was self-aware enough to viciously guard the secrets that were penned within it. Many of it's darkest secrets were absorbed into the essence of the artifact itself making the only way to recover such potent information troublesome for those unwilling to navigate the twisting labyrinth of the artifact's cryptic personality.

"I am surprised to hear that Sanban is in Sunagakure. Your elder must trust you a great deal to share it's presence with you. There are many in the city who would go to great and sinister lengths to possess it." Naturally, he declined to clarify that he was the first, foremost and almost certainly the most dangerous person on that list of personas willing to perform dire deeds to take into their possession such a potent artifact. Originally he had planned to confiscate Yume's book if it was of enough interest to him but his interest in her lesser tome was forgotten almost in it's entirely at the mention of Sanban. "You have paid me a service with your information, so I offer you this in return. Do not be held back by what your colleagues deem inappropriate or taboo. Such words exist only to be used by the weak to hold back the strong and prevent them from pursuing great works. If you have the ambition to seize greater power, do not allow those who are beneath you to weigh you down."

Mikaboshi said nothing to one way confirm or deny that he had personally approved the prisoner transfers. He was in the presence of Mako and if she breathed a word of what he might be up to in the Obsidian Palace, Sousuke might catch wind of it and order him to shut down the butchery that the Palace had become under his supervision. The prisoners he'd approved for transfer had been part of the special reconditioning unit which he'd commissioned to test the limits of human resistance to a number of complicated medical and psychological treatments. They'd "volunteered" as much as anyone with their free will forcibly stripped from their mind could do so. Yume then bowed extremely low-- and it almost cost her her life.

Like a sand shark who would chase fleeing prey because it was simply in their nature to do so, Mikaboshi's predatory instincts urged him to strike Yume down as she went through her gesture. A show of submissiveness as that triggered every part of his mind which still viewed humanity as food and it was everything his rational mind could do to reign in that desire. Leaning backwards from her and drifting from where she stood, Mikaboshi looked over his shoulder at Mako and despite the fact his face was totally hidden by the gloom of his hood the tone of voice with which he spoke evoked the image of a derisive scowl.

"The lift being broken is of no consequence to me. I have walked the dark ways of the underground since your kind still fumbled with sticks to make fire." Her implication that he would have difficulty with the lack of the lift was insulting to him. Why would a being such as he require a device constructed by humans to navigate the tunnels of his domain? The notion was laughable. She did however say that she might have found something of interest belonging to Sousuke which had not been destroyed. Such work could potentially have been of great value to him. "Make quickly to show us what you've found."

 

[Sagasu Yume]

The words felt like ice as they wrapped around her heart and gave her some comfort. It was difficult not to correct her previous error of calling Urufu a clan elder; to her he was part of her clan even if the Inuzuka would never recognize him as such. She knew the draw of Sanban and knew that any who came in contact with the tome would have the eternal hunger to know its secrets. It was all she could do to keep from calling ‘dibs’ though she doubted that such a childish game would hold any weight in the matter. Why was she so determined to get a hold of it? The contents disturbed her but it was its repulsive nature that drew her in all the same. Balance between light and dark, human and beast, consumed her every moment.

There are always at least two sided to every paradigm and the difference between the Sennin and Yume offered a near perfect example of this. While he was a lone predator, she functioned under pack rule. The very concept of one who was of authority to strike down one of lesser standing was dishonourable and inconceivable; a flaw that nearly proved fatal. Belief in humanity blinded her to the fact that Mikaboshi was not exactly human but that belief as a whole was what kept her optimistic. Even the member of the Cabal who had visited her in Keystone had proven to have a semblance of humanity. Rising up, she gave the Sennin a childlike smile that could thaw the heart of the most sinister tyrant. The possibility of the Stewards return had done much to raise her spirits.

Sector six was ransacked but most of them didn’t know what they were looking for. Stole items that looked valuable and torched what papers were left out. It looks like they tried to destroy some of his armour but you and I both know how resilient his work can be… there are parts missing though I don’t know enough about his designs to tell you which.

Taking a few steps towards the door, she began to follow the veteran, stopping just shy of the threshold before turning back to the Spectre. Yes, she wanted to trust him but she knew her own draw towards things she didn’t know. It was the reason she was in such a rush to follow Mako and the reason she couldn’t leave him with her work. Maybe he had no use of such discoveries in bloodlines and their genetic workings but it made her uneasy to leave anyone unsupervised with her research. Holding her hands out, she would indicate that she would like the Sennin to go out first, inclining her head in a show of respect but keeping her eyes open to look at his… well… where his feet should be. He knew she wouldn’t, couldn’t, hurt him but she hoped he wouldn’t take it as a disrespect that she would follow behind him. Regardless of order, they would leave together.

If it’s untouched it means that they couldn’t figure out what it was or couldn’t destroy it.

Yume took her time to pick through the debris as she made her way toward Mako. Most of the dangerous items had been cleared out of the way but that still left the potential for shards of metal and glass to find its way into her soft arches.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Mako stared at the locked vault, she ignored Mikaboshi's scowl. "Usually these things have a trick to them. Judori can pick locks, but even this would be a challenge. Like Yume said they probably left this along considering they couldn't get access to it easily." She turned to Mikaboshi her single eye looking at him in a rather fae manner. A smile curled about her lips as it was not an order to him. She was beneath him in terms of rank, but this was a challenge. To Mikaboshi it would be child's play, but she would have something to gain from this. No. Not her. Him rather. Sousuke's tools were understood by a select few. "Do some heavy lifting for a girl? I'm a bit young for you, but I'm certain I could ... help you out in avoiding further seals from ... religious zealots trying to cleanse the world."Mikaboshi was a being which her clan would abhor. Mako thought was an outsider to her clan. Her daughter would never have dealings with Mikaboshi, let alone speak to him. There were devils you could trust. Some devils you could sleep with even. Others were ... outside of the realm of trust.

Should Mikaboshi decide to remove the vault door. The grouping would find the inner works of Sousuke's lab. A single set of armour stood at the middle of the room. It was pitch black. It seemed in many ways an imitation of Mikaboshi. "They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Mako would observe. "I suppose you could say Sousuke looks up to you. I know he ... ... cares for you, not as a pet but as a teacher would as a student. I wish I could say the same for me." She suspected Mikaboshi already knew this. Mako's eye narrowed. She turned to Yume. "What men and women become to defend their homeland can be monstrous at times, but it not for us to question." She would break off her gaze to shift back to the armour. Assorted weapons were about the room. Various glaives and spears. "Lot of nice stuff here. Not that it'll greatly turn the tide of war, but certainly we can win some battles. Maybe kill the S.O.B that wrecked this place for starters."

 

[Mikaboshi]

Blowing a sigh of frustration at Mako's uselessness, Mikaboshi raised his hand and the shadows sprang to life around them slithering like serpents as they moved along the ground and squeezed in around the edges of the vault door. With his senses in the darkness, Mikaboshi could feel the resistance of Sousuke's wardings which pushed back against his intrusion but Sousuke was not half the sorcerer that Mikaboshi was. Where Sousuke's mind understood the rational sciences of the world, he always had trouble comprehending and keeping straight the rules of the supernatural. The two realms were not unlike in many ways but since the world that Mikaboshi belonged to violated so many of the things that Sousuke had come to know as hard fact in his world the Steward struggled to come to full understanding of them. So it was that as Mikaboshi's will entered the vault door, he pushed aside what little of Sousuke's spellwork there was with relatively small effort and rent aside the physical restrictions keeping the vault door in place. With a twist of his outstretched hand like he'd simply turned the valve on a pipe, Mikaboshi pulled backwards and the vault door came crashing down. Stepping forward, his robed form turned to ethereal shades and melted around the physical mass of the falling door with little regard to how Mako or Yume evaded the event-- if they could not carry themselves so far as to not be injured by a simple falling object then they were not worth his time in the first place.

The hidden sanctum held little fruits for the dark sennin as he stepped through the threshold, though he made a specific point to examine the set of armor at the center of the room. Hooded and dark, it held an uncanny resemblance to the hooded form that he wore currently. Grunting in response to Sousuke's sentimentality, Mikaboshi dismissed the suit for now. He could not so obviously take the entire piece with Mako standing right there but he would almost certainly return later to examine it further. Just what was Sousuke working on with it? What did he hope to gain by imitating his Hand? Queries about the nature of the project swirled beneath the unknowable expression of Mikaboshi given the mask of darkness that lay upon it.

"Even though deception is in my nature, I am a creature of rules and order." Growled the sennin as he turned to take his leave. "Like the wolf, I am honest in that if I am hungry I will eat you and if I am not I will ignore you unless given reason not to. In that, a beast like me has more honor and pride than the aggregate of your entire species. That is why Sousuke admires me and not you. He sees your kind for the entropic creatures that you are."

With his interest in the armory satisfied and his piece spoken on why Sousuke was enamored with the ideals of Mikaboshi, the ANBU sennin turned briskly around and began to take his leave of the group with no further comment.

[Leaving topic unless stopped]

 

[Sagasu Yume]

With a quick step back, Yume was able to avoid the door as it crashed to the ground. She was glad that she made a point of letting the adults do the talking. Her interest in the whole matter was how it could assist in returning the Steward to them, or evacuating the village. She wasn’t entirely certain how much the village had changed or what had taken place in her absence. She really had been useless in her delusion. Certainly her notes and studies had taught her some things about genetics but the cause of her exile was entirely selfish… just like Urufu’s. To the mednin, he should have rose up and claimed leadership; it was his right after all. However she was certain that his reasons were his own. Each person walked their own path.

The analogy of the Sennin being compared to a wolf caught Yume’s attention and for a moment she tried to reach out to him. She wanted to know more of this man that Sousuke so revered. His disdain for humanity made her mouth shut and she simply watched him fade into the blackness. It would be best not to press her luck; the time would come when they would vie for the same tome of knowledge and it would be better for her to be on semi-decent standing than be viewed with contempt. Once left alone with Mako, Yume took the time to look around at what had been stored. She stepped forward and ran her fingers down the sleek lines of the armour.

We are all beasts inside. Perhaps that’s why Sousuke finds me so interesting… Inuzuka are more beast than most. I confess that it’s what initially caught my attention about him. He seemed to have no demons. Yet the more I learn about him in his absence it would seem that he had more than most.

Her hand fell to her side as her gaze shifted to the floor. She had no experience in the sensual side of being a mate but more than that she had no clue when it came to the emotional side either. She didn’t know how to support the Steward, to give him respite from the things that troubled his mind. She was a selfish child for all intents and purposes; too wrapped up with her own issues to have noticed if he needed her. Balling her fists she looks at Mako, squaring her shoulders as she turns to the matron.

My friend Uri told me that coming into this cavern was the worst thing to have happened to Suna. I wouldn’t know; I was born here. There is one thing I agree with him on: I do NOT want my children growing up in a starless cavern. Stars brought my father here and stars will bring us to where we must go next. Sunans have destroyed gods, we can defeat men. It's in our blood.

Not to be rude, but has anyone attempted diplomacy? There are many veterans in the village who have a habit of using force rather than negotiation. What would your grandson have done if he were here?

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Avoiding the door was easy for Mako. What wasn't easy was listening to Mikaboshi and his speech of sorts. For an entity that lived in the shadows, his pride was exceptional. She merely hoped that her grandson didn't acquire that part of him. "Men." Mako would say as Mikaboshi left. "Even if they're not human men, they're still men."<i></i> It seemed that the shadow sennin didn't want to partake in an offer that could potentially save his sanctimonious long life at all. She didn't want to admit it, but he was partially right about some things. It was true that Sousuke did probably see most people as entropic creatures. Even a few good people probably didn't change her grandson's view. He was aware of the greed of lords. He was aware of their murderous intentions.

She searched her person and found a flask. She took said flask out and popped off the top, which lucky for her was attached to a string. She took a swig of the probable alcoholic contents and then offered it to Yume. "If Sousuke was only interested in you because you're Inuzuka he would have been school sweet-hearts with that brute Shizune. Girl beat him and broke his legs when he was growing up. One time her dog took a bite out of leg. Had to deal with that myself because his parents weren't around for political reasons. I said let the best child win, my grandson failed. Shizune's dad who was loyal to Judori was okay with his brute daughter being disciplined."Mako snorted. "So. There you have it. My grandson the bullied troubled child. Doesn't quite sit well in your mouth does it? Considering he's come so far..."<i></i> The last part came out in a somewhat choked manner. Mako cleared her throat. Sentiment was not to be had now.

Yume next spoke about Uri's opinion. "It's real easy for people to say that. Yeah. That's fine. Go ahead."<i></i> She seemed to grow bitter and resentful. "Uri can say that all he likes, but does he understand the damage of the storms above? I've seen Sousuke deploy men to fix up our outposts above. Repairs happen far too quickly. Even Takahashi fire-forged steel has its weakness to diamond sands. I've seen Sousuke return from a trek out in the desert, and his armour is damaged pretty badly. Hell even you know the ramifications and the danger of diamond sands. Controlling it isn't easy, and even then that's for the Sunahoshi to do. Unfortunately that bastard Daisuke never returned which is why we're in this bloody mess as Hiro's corpse was getting cold." Mako was known for being venomous, and her words could probably melt metal if truly tested. "Diplomacy doesn't work when you deal with people who want to burn the world simply because. Sousuke knows that. If people give him their demands, he may work with it, cut a compromise but not with people or things who just see us as maggots or just toys meant to be broken. Honestly. I think Sousuke would disarm them first, and then think of a way to belittle them. That didn't work with Magentica. I told him to push that bitch back as far as Soon's. He didn't listen and he got hurt pretty badly. I told him kill the bitch, nope. Now she's out somewhere. "<i></i>

Mako would take the flask back from Yume and take another long drink from it. "So. You sound like you don't want to date, marry, shack up, whatever you kids do these days with Sousuke because he's got some demons. He's unable to stop the diamond sands above... and he's fragile."<i></i> She raised an eyebrow. "Don't like damaged goods? That's fine... but do cut things off immediately when you can."<i></i> Mako motioned her missing arm. "Had this sucker cut clean off once I knew keeping it was going to be a liability."<i></i>