The Shade (private)

Takahashi Aki · Dec 14, 2014

The Steward arrived at Deadlines in a very damaged state. Luck would have it that Ken was able to get him to his destination before he passed out. The Steward had led out as many people he could. They made their way into Deadlines. Prime Diamund quickly took Sousuke into the depths of Deadline. The great Earthen thanked mother Suna that he was only unconscious and not reeling from exposure. Still though it was very dangerous. "Come Judori-son into the depths I will take you."

***

Sousuke was laid out on a slab. Mako had left Suna and at her side was Shade. The great specter was recounting to her what had occurred. The veteran was smoking a cigarette. She was accessing the situation. She didn't like it. Sousuke's soul being broken up into fragments was not assuring. It was a worst case scenario. This was the one secret of the village keep under wraps. Judori didn't believe it. He believed his son had a disability. Perhaps the disability was true, but it was certainly the one reason why Sousuke didn't express emotions. "Yume knows?"

Shade would nod his head. Yes. "Sousuke referred to her as his mate. I think you understand the ramifications." Mako gave Shade a hard stare. She wasn't daft. She fully knew what the ramifications were. "There are things she needs to understand." Mako nodded her head. Yes. That was a fair statement to make. The specter folded his arms. This was a difficult position. He had collected the fragments of Sousuke. Yet something was strange. Not all the fragments seemed to be ... proper. A mystery even unto Shade.

"So. What are we looking at? Multiple wounds. Fragmented soul. Damaged armour." Mako's eyes narrowed. This was going to be a problematic fix. She didn't want to immiately involve Yume given the fate of her relative who by Shade's account was amongst the enemy. "Get Yume. She is here right?"

Sagasu Yume · Dec 15, 2014

The journey had taken a toll on the lot of them. Shinji and Ika had caught up eventually but there was no sight of the others she had protested over. Olgav was probably with another pod of villagers but the lack of Uri or Shuu was mildly distressing. She hadn’t known either of them for very long but they both had played an integral part to her coming out of her shell. The journey was no more than a few hours but battle against the elements made it seem longer. Occasionally Yume would engage in a wordless argument with Sousuke, begging him to take the rebreather but terrified to open her mouth to the diamond sands. Everyone had bandanas around their faces but it did little to protect their lungs. After a little time, he had succumb to the storm and lost consciousness. Tearing the contraption from her face she put it on him, using his non-response to loophole needing his permission. He hadn’t flat out told her not to help him so the line of acting against her patients wishes was blurred. Once it was in place, she dropped to all fours and took on her companion form; if there was one thing that would survive the desert it would be a desert fox.

Their arrival at Deadlines was expected as a strange creature greeted them with kindness before sweeping Sousuke away. It was difficult to keep her mouth shut after just recently having been reunited with him but she didn’t want to offend their hosts. Keeping out of the way, she followed them down into the depths as far as they would let her and curled up at the nearest point to him with CuRua on her lap.

Are you going to be okay, Neesan?

Yeah… Everything is going to be okay eventually. There is no where to go but up when you live in a cavern. This is our time to ascend, it would seem. Mother Suna will protect us. She protected the village ancestors and I know she brought my father through the storms to meet mother. She brought Sousuke back to me and now we’re safe, for a little while.

And Ojisan?

I haven’t told Shinji yet. I don’t know how he’ll take it but I doubt it will be well. He idolized him growing up, being an exile himself, but I think finding out that he was part of the Cabal might change that. We should never meet our heroes, CooRoo.

Are we going to sit here until he comes out?

No. I just needed a moment to rest and to know that Sousuke would be okay. There are many to care for and I’ve been shirking my responsibilities for too long.

Her eyes closed and her head rested against the wall as a small smile graced her lips. She was beginning to feel like herself again; optimistic and delighting in the adventure that building a new home would bring. She had been born in the darkness but reveled in the opportunity to emerge from the black and dance in the sunlight. When the benefits and detriments were weighed out, everything had come out fine in the end. Certainly there were casualties and it hurt her heart that she couldn’t save them, but her family had made it out in more-or-less one piece, she had been reunited with her mate, and her brother had raided Keystone and her bedroom, grabbing her books and research papers. She was certain that he had other things he could have grabbed but he knew how important her documents were to her and wanted to see her smile. Along with the tomes, he managed to get the few family photos they had and a bag of food.

Heaving a sigh, Yume pushed up to her feet and stretched. Scratching between CuRua’s ears, she hums a cheerful tune as she ascends the stairs to the surface where she would be needed to treat villagers for exposure. That was where Shade would find her, startling one woman whom Yume had to convince that he wasn’t Shinigami coming for her soul. Stripping off the gloves and her mask, she peels her head band off and lets the breeze ruffle her hair as she follows him to Mako. This conversation was sure to be one she did not want to have but she hoped it would go better than the one that occurred when she was half out of her mind.

[MFT; WC:759]

Takahashi Aki · Dec 16, 2014

Mako gave Yume a hard stare."Hey kiddo." She greeted her. Your uncle is a scumbag who needs to be buried alive and needs to be deprived of oxygen. She didn't say it. She thought it. Saying it would perhaps not be for the best. I would very much like to see your uncle have his lungs infected with diamond lungs. See how he likes it. I bet he'd love it. Mako took a puff from her cigarette. "I hope you're not a mind reader. If you are I hope you have the decency to let me have my own opinions. I knew a half demonic nin in the day. He used to read my thoughts. He always had this grin on his face. I socked him and now he's missing his two front teeth." She gestured towards Sousuke who laid there on the slab. "He's not dead. He's just unconscious. He's been suffering for some time. His armour can't be removed if he's not awake. No idea how the stuff works." She shook her head, and turned to Shade. The black specter nodded his head. It was time to have a chat. Mako took a seat on a stump, and motioned Yume to have a seat too. Mako promptly put out her cigarette.

"She needs to understand." Shade began. "Not that a major difference can be made even with an education. Unlike Okibi or Tama who are used to because ... of their relationship to him. Perhaps to her it won't even matter." The gloomy specter inclined his head. Yes. Those closest to Sousuke didn't see his problems. Only those who he met with initially, or have come to know him

Mako opened her flask and downed the contents. "I get it." She shook her head giving Sousuke's unconscious body a look. "Shade told you Sousuke's soul is broken. What if... I were to tell you ... that's he's been like that since before he was born properly?" Sousuke couldn't hear them talk. He was out of it entirely. "He's always had a problem of expressing emotions, of relating to some people, of other things. He's like that because significant chunks of a human soul is missing. Torn from him when he was in the womb." He gave the veteran a hard look. His eyes glowing red beneath the darkness of his hood. "I don't care. Even if I'm putting it bluntly." Mako turned her gaze over to Yume. "When I asked you if you ever felt like you were dealing with a deck of cards, but a few cards short in relation to Sousuke, you didn't quite catch my meaning. To be honest though I was trying to gauge you." Mako snorted. Yume didn't get it at that time, but certainly she was going to get it now.

"The question would have been probably better for your brother to answer. I know my grandson and him have ... ... not a stressed relationship. I wouldn't call them friends, enemies, or even that annoying pop term frenemies." Mako's expression soured. "He's alive yeah?"

Sagasu Yume · Dec 16, 2014

The stare that greeted her was as cold as midnight. Crossing her arms in an attempt to keep her feelings away from the scorn, she pursed her lips into a thin line and returned the near-neutral expression. She was exhausted after the turmoil of the day and didn’t have the energy to play nice. There would be disagreements in the future but burying ones head in the sand sometimes was a better solution; they could ignore their differences for now.

I was raised by my mother, ma’am. I know when an older woman is disappointed in me. That doesn’t take a mind-reader.

Her expression softened as she looked over at Sousuke. She wanted to lie down beside him, give him a kiss, and hold him until he woke up, but she did none of those things. Drawing near to him, she brushes her fingertips over his metallic cheek and allows her armor to come down for a second as tears pool in her eyes. She wished that she had been stronger for him, that she had stood strong and fought to get him back, maybe then he wouldn’t be so badly injured. Clearing her throat, she blinks the tears away and lifts her chin, donning the facade once more and turning back to Mako. There was no point in dwelling on the past. All they had now was the future and they would move forward together.

Taking the seat that had been offered, she listens without interrupting. There were stories of those who ventured into the world and came back changed, but those were grown men not children. It was surreal to think about a soul being shattered or never fully intact. She tried to assess it in a way that made sense. She had spent time in the pre-natal and neo-natal areas of the hospital and cared for mothers who carried disfigured births and the children that came as a result; those were physical deformations. Through her studies she had found that while chakra was intangible, it was part of who a person was. It was only logical that a soul could be measured in a similar light. Her eyes were hollow and her shoulders slumped as she heard Mako say it again. The tears threatened her vision and she turned her gaze away from the Matron. Her words were soft as she replied.

I might have misunderstood but that doesn’t mean I care any less. He took an interest in me in all of my… individuality. He might not have a soul but he made me feel cared for. It’s selfish of me, really selfish… but I want to return the favor. He knows he’s strange, even if he doesn’t know why, and I find his strangeness… beautiful. But creatures that are unchanged are often beautiful. It isn’t until the go through a metamorphosis that they become truly breath-taking.

Her voice trailed off as Mako inquired as to the whereabouts of her brother. The assessment of their relationship tickled her lips with a smile as she sniffled a little. At her ankle, CuRua nuzzled her leg to provide comfort for his companion.

Ah, yes… they’re relationship is what one might call non-existent. They are acquainted and have exchanged pleasantries but haven’t had a heart-to-heart, so to speak. Yes, my brother made it out alive. He helped co-ordinate some of the evacuation. He and Miago have been busy getting the survivors set up in camps. I don’t quite understand their relationship. One moment they curse death to each other and the next they are allied. I think they call it sexual tension. Why are you curious?

Takahashi Aki · Dec 18, 2014

Mako's attitude seemed to lighten up. "Well. You can't pick your partner, and you can't pick your family. Your relative is kind of a jerk? He's a jerk who doesn't seem to realize what kind of jam we're in... and him telling you to run out into the desert without any protection?" Mako shook her head. That was the mildest and probably the best way to put it. Mako surveyed Sousuke's body. "He's been through a few metamorphosis lately. He's larger than he used to be." Sousuke's armour was slighter larger than usual. "You've met Prime Diamund. She's a healer of sorts. Shade's told me she removed diamond sands from Sousuke's lungs twice now, and she's crystalized him. She calls me Venom in these parts, Mainly because... Kirishii refer to people using their parents name. I didn't know my parents, so they made an exception out of me. I think they see my hatred of things as a poison."

Sousuke has changed. Emotions to him are becoming slightly more natural. Shade remarked upon the transformation. Perhaps it wasn't a transformation, and more of an evolution. The evolution of Sousuke's state of existence. Shade merely traded glances between Mako and Yume. The Shade held his clawed hand up and seemed to be grasping at something with care. As it came into view it was a silver pearl. Sousuke's soul shattered and fragmented further when he wielded Skull Splitter. There were several things occurring in the battle. The emotional, mental, and physical elements were far too much for him. Sousuke can usual block out some of those elements, but ... Skull Splitter at the time had deemed him unworthy. That weapon is ... vicious, but it is far more honourable than I expected it to be. I will commune with it further, but it is still in the dojo. I have collected his soul fragments and tried to repair it the best I could. It is not the same though. Kuro has brought out more of the Toraono influence in Sousuke. I do not know how much he will change again. Toraono influence is ... complicated considering the long history of that clan and its marriages. Shade would bring the pearl down and allow it to merely re-enter the host. Now we wait.

Yume then inquired about Shinji. "Well. I was interested in hearing how best he described my grandson. Given his changes, I'd be inclined to think that Shinji may be thinking that Sousuke isn't Sousuke, or merely is up with him. People changing rapidly ... usually doesn't go well. I fully intend to keep my family's secrets to the grave." Yume then mentioned Miago. Mako snorted. "I owe her a swat to the back of the head for possibly calling me a bitch." As she finished, Sousuke seemed to stir slight. "Hey. Sleeping beauty is waking up."

Sousuke would sit up from the slab. His lenses glowed green as he sat up suddenly. He seemed to go into a shock of sorts. His surroundings had changed, and so did the company around him. He looked at his sides, and then he intensely stared forward, but at what exactly? It was seemingly nothing.

Sagasu Yume · Dec 29, 2014

Yume took the jib towards her uncle in stride, biting her tongue to keep from defending him; now was not the time to pursue that course. It had been news to her to learn that he had helped lead the Cabal into Suna and was part of her village's destruction but his caring manner toward her in Keystone Prime had reduced the potential for her to hate him. Instead she wished for his acceptance of a new life. As the spoke, he would be in chains and kept wherever Prime Diamund's people held prisoners... if they even had jails here. Her silence persisted as Shade explained how emotions were becoming natural. She wanted to be confused by the statement but she understood what he meant. She tried not to notice but her interactions with her mate had been rather conservative and very formal. The notion of emotions being troublesome hadn't occurred to her and she had assumed that he was simply raised in a very conservative manner. The physical manifestation of a soul piqued her curiosity and for a moment she stared at Sousuke, waiting to see if the reaction would be immediate as his bandaged soul melted into his body, her attention being pulled away as Mako spoke.

Ah, hmmm. I don’t think they really interacted much on the journey over. Sousuke passed out rather quickly in the diamond sands as he refused to take his rebreather back. Shinji has always seen him as a little odd. I’m not certain how much they knew each other from the academy but Shinji described him as an adult in a child’s body, a bit of a freak in his opinion. Makes me wonder what he thinks of me… It will be interesting to see how they interact when Sou-kun recovers.

Pay no mind to Miago but feel free to put her in her place. The term was meant to be slightly endearing. I’ve been told that it’s slang. It took me awhile to get used to it but I supposed I can take it a little more literally and not be offended. The benefit of having canine affinity is that I can accurately be described as a bitch without insult. She enjoys the double entendre of it.

She was off of her seat in a moment and by the Steward’s side, placing her hand on his leg and putting one to his cheek. She tried to line up her face with his line of vision while keeping in mind that any sudden movements by him would be amplified and could cause immense damage to her form. He gaze seemed to stare through her but she conducted her basic response tests anyway. Fumbling with his mask, she would look for the mechanism that released the face plate. Snapping her fingers to either side of his ears and using her finger as a track, she watches for any kind of response and receives none. Coupled with his continuous screaming, his attention was clearly else where. Looking to Shade with a mite of impatience, she arcs one eyebrow.

What is he doing? What is causing this?

Takahashi Aki · Dec 29, 2014

Yume had asked the most natural of questions. Screaming. Why was Sousuke screaming. What is being done is unprecedented. At least not in your recorded history. Perhaps in some place there were records. Maybe an oral history, or a drawn one. The screaming would die down. "One could think of this as being born. Or rather coming into existence proper, as a painful experience. If I were to place another soul in a completely different body, this would be much worse. I suspect Sousuke is trying to adjust to the Toraono influences manifesting." Shade was silent for a moment. It would seem that perhaps what he said was somewhat true. Toraono aspects would be readily appearing in Sousuke. Shade would hope that their desire to fight strong foes would not manifest, and he even further hoped that a series of feline attributes would fail to manifest.

Yume would in time find the mechanism to cause the face plate to fold back. A series of clicks would be heard as the face plate began to rescind. To Yume's shock, she would see Sousuke's eyes having changed slightly. Where his eyes were usually black, with one iris gold, and the other silver, she would see that his sclera had turned white. His mouth hanged lose as he then began to follow her movements. It was several minutes late though. It was a delayed response. It was problematic that the response came this late. He was breathing slowly and heavily. He turned to Yume and did something very unexpected. He reached out with both arms and hugged her. Tightly. Mako's eye widened in surprise, she dropped her flask that she was drinking from. Shade's eyes turned crimson. "Yume." He would say first and foremost. He would release her from this embrace and kiss her on her forehead. "I'm sorry. I am."

Mako picked up her flask. "Sousuke. Where's Okibi and Tama? Shade wouldn't be straight with me. Where is the girl, and her boyfriend?" Mako's gaze shifted at Shade. Something happened. The spirit wasn't being straight with her. Something went down. Okibi had a son. Apparently.

Woman. Do not speak of this topic. Shade spoke harshly. His form grew bladed and intimidating. It seemed as if Mako had touched a sore spot. The specter knew what happened. It was something that would do not do well for Sousuke to recount in his state

As Shade suspected, Sousuke was not ready to recount the incident. His shoulders slumped as he seemed to be defeated. He was perhaps reeling at defeat he suffered at the Cabal. At the same time one could argue there was some minor victory there. Sousuke gritted his teeth. The emotions that Shade warned of earlier seemed to be manifesting readily. This time though Sousuke seemed to be very tired and very weary. He muttered something that was not easily heard. Mako ignored what Shade had said and pressed the subject. Again she asked him what happened. This time tears formed in Sousuke's eyes as he answered. "She left. She and Tama left. She... ... left Aki too. She said ..." Again he said something but the words were inaudible. Clearly it was too painful to be said again. Mako raised an eyebrow. This was something unexpected. "She did not want to be part of my family any more, there were too many expectations put upon us. She didn't want any of it. She wanted to let it all go. I had to reclaim Sungakure by myself. I told her we had to save everyone, and she wanted none of it. She did not want to be responsible for their lives. She did not wish to be part of a line of caretakers who were slaves and never thanked. She -- --" Again inaudible words.

Mako let out a sigh. Shade still stared at her what could be understood as a hateful glance. "Her own son. She left him too ... said she shouldn't be responsible for him because of where and how he came to be." Mako shook her said. She told Sousuke to stop, but the tears did not stop coming down. "What good is a Steward who cannot protect his people, his family, or even his mate? Perhaps I should have let Urufuu and Kaito fulfill their mission. My terminal failure would have solved a lot more problems and ... everyone would be able to move on."

Mako's gaze turned destructive. Urufuu was down here somewhere most likely. Her gaze shifted to Yume. It was true. Kaito and his ilk were tasked with the assassination of the Steward, and the destruction of Sungakure. "Don't say that. Very few could command a giant armoured beetle and the exodus operation you put together. I mean yeah people are dicks, but hey you're the bigger man. You didn't kill Urufuu or that Snake woman after they both got smoked. An honourable enemy is the best enemy. At the very least you didn't become criminally insane and offed him." Mako looked to Yume to try and give her grandson a moral pickmeup. She was always terrible at those. "Urufuu is in your debt. I'm sure he'll honour that much. Sure he might not like the fact you're dating his niece, but eh ... in-laws, they're a pain in the ass right?"

Sagasu Yume · Jan 7, 2015

She did her best to act as if nothing was different as the change in eye colour was easy enough to ignore, but his earnest embrace left her confused. Afraid to lose the moment, she wraps her arms around his and holds him gently, one hand cradling his neck tenderly. Pulling back enough to gaze at him, she offers a relieved smile and strokes his cheek softly.

Sorry for what, my love? You're here with me. That's what matters.

Her inquiry would probably be drowned out by Mako's demands so the mednin settled for listening to anything the Steward would have to say. Her back stiffened as Shade bristled with hostility. If this topic would put undue strain on him she wanted to stop it before it continued much further but she wasn't fast enough. His answer was forced from his lips as if they had been dragged over glass shards in his throat. Ragged and shakey, he lamented Okibi and Tama's departure, blaming himself. Pulling his head to her bosom, she rests her chin above his head.

Sou-tan, do not fret. I did her physical when she returned from her ordeal. She should have spent more time resting and healing her mind. Physical wounds heal faster than emotional ones.

He words stung her heart as she spoke them. It was hypocritical and she would be wise to take the same advice after her own trial of abandonment but pushed the guilt from her mind.She would conquer that when her mate was well. He continued in agony, lamenting how he had failed the village and she drew a deep breath. He was beginning to show signs of shock and if he didn't snap out of it on his own, he risked his body shutting down to preserve itself... Which was an odd way to look at it as shock often resulted in death. Filling his field of vision, she cupped his face in her hands and spoke in the practiced voice of a physician; gentle and soothing to the senses but commanding to ones consciousness.

Sousuke. It is imperative that you listen to me. You are in danger of total system shut down. Calm yourself or I will be forced to take invasive measures.

To some she might seem condescending but if the Steward was going to speak all too logically, then speaking in the same tone was her best bet to reach his faculties and have him comply. A part of her wanted to coddle him but she knew that it wouldn't really do any good. Mako's assessment was accurate and the Mednin offered a nod of agreement to confirm her words. All things considered, the Steward had come out on top and would be better for it. She couldn't speak of her uncle but inside she was glad that she had desired that his life be spared. He could see his dreams of an honourable clan come to fruition. Placing her forehead to his, Yume drops her voice and speaks gently to her mate.

If Okibi will not have her son, we will care for him together. You've already raised one wild child, how hard could a second be?

Taking his hand in hers as best she could, she allowed her fingers to entwine with his, assuring him that they would face what ever the future held side by side.

Takahashi Aki · Jan 10, 2015

Sousuke took a moment to regain himself. He needed to calm out, or as Yume said he would go unconscious. It would indeed be quite a problem if he had another shut down. Deep breaths. Slow breaths. His mind was racing still. He turned slightly to focus on Yume and her voice. The Steward seemed to gain some colour back. "Emotional injuries take some time to heal. I do not think Okibi ever fully recovered from the ones she had from her kidnapping." The Steward shook his head. There were three of them. Three of them were very much dead. Kyouzou was shattered. A mirror is what he was. Never original, and even in his end he was trying to replicate himself as the Steward. If those foes were not cunning enough then there was the Cabal. "The ones who killed Number Seven. Even his cruel creator. They were found. They were dealt with to an extent. Complete terminal failure, or so my mind tells me." He recounted slowly. "Okibi's son... he is different. He was experimented on. His speech patterns highly regularly. Her refers to Okibi as his mine. He refers to me as Grampa, but for the most part he communicates in canine, childish cries, and whines. It is deplorable the condition he was in when he was located, but in the time he's been with me, I have cared for him. He is a toddler, or so it would seem. Perhaps ... two years old or a month older." Sousuke swallowed hard. "He requires attention. He requires ... affection, love, and education. It is a child's early stage in life that will determine what kind of person they grow up to be. You and I were ... fortunate, he not so much." Sousuke explained. "He seems to enjoy the name Aki."

Mako seemed surprised by this news. Why Okibi left though seemed strange. She left her own son with her ward. Parenthood wasn't for everyone. Mako herself knew this as she left her own daughter in the care of House Toraono. Chiyoko in mannerisms was lady-like but she grew up with Lady Azame who would eventually become the Mother of Kuro. "You've been through alot kiddo, and so has your lady friend here." Mako decided to keep mum about having to get Yume out of keystone when the explosions went off. "Seems you had double time of grief and hardship." The Veteran drank from her flask.

"I am happy that the two of you are safe." Sousuke would smile. It was a small smile. Surprisingly it did not seem like his face was going to crack like that of a porcelain doll. The expression seemed naturally. Again Sousuke hugged Yume. Mako raised an eyebrow at this. "I'm sorry that it took so long for me to return. I'm certain I worried you... and I'm sorry I missed our date." He spoke referring to Yume. Mako snorted and remarked about being chopped liver. A child's cry could be heard in the distance. The sounds of running came as the child that was spoken of came running towards his grand ward. The child was being chased after by a Kirishii who stopped his chase seeing as how the child ran to Sousuke. Various small cries came from the child. Most of them some very basic form of canine. The child quickly latched onto the Steward's free arm. Surprisingly the child had pink eyes. His hair was curly and a light brown. The Steward placed his hand on the boy's head. The child welcomed the show of affection. He turned his head quickly to face Yume.

"Mine." He declared slightly defensively referring to Sousuke. This was his 'mine'. Following that came several puppy like cries from the child questioning who she was.

"He knows some minor words or numbers." He shook his head. "This is the part where I fall short. I can gather the emotion he's generating, which most times is confusion, happiness or mild frustration." While this conversation was being had, Mako had dropped her flask and stared with a deadpanned expression. This was going to be weird. A barking child? Really?

Sagasu Yume · Jan 10, 2015

As the Steward brought himself under control, Yume kept an eye out for visible signs and got them within a reasonable time. His irises would contract and colour would return to his features. She listened to him recount small details of the experience, enough to tell the story. CuRua and Yume exchanged a couple of glances but kept their thoughts quiet as it would have been rude to hold a secondary conversation. They had met the ‘new’ Seven at one point and weren’t really sure how such a thing was possible however both then and now were not the times to get distracted by that detail.

Sou-tan, you don’t have to apologize. Something came up, as they say. We’ll reschedule when the dust clears. His improved mood and the show of emotions were putting Yume in a playful mood, causing her to cast a glance over her shoulder to Mako with a grin. Do you feel left out, Mako-sama? Would you like to join us on our date? By the tone of her voice it was clear she was making a joke though it had been discussed that they wanted to have a family dinner, so the invitation wasn’t wholly in jest.

As if on cue, a feral boy-child was chased into the room in a lighthearted game though it would seem that he was not interested in playing. His eyes matched his mother and by the small acts of affection, it would appear that Sousuke was falling into the roll of Ward, or even father, naturally. Taking a seat at the end of the bed, she allows them to have space in hopes that the boy – that Aki – wouldn’t feel threatened. The moment she settled, CuRua took up station on her lap as she idly scratched between his ears. There was really only one way to approach this, and there were few who would be able to.

Hello, young one. I am Yume. I’m from a family known as the Inuzuka. We speak the feral language your mother spoke. This is CooRoo, my friend and companion. He is like Seven. Your alpha, Sousuke, is a good man. He is my mate like Tama was to Okibi, your mother. In a way, that means that he is also ‘mine’ but I will not take him from you. You will not be abandoned.

He’s lovely, Sou-tan. He has his mother’s eyes.

Maybe it was all too serious of a conversation to have with a child but the pups in her clan growing up were spoken to as adults. It was the only way she knew. Reaching out, she moves to brush some of the curls away from his face. His reaction would tell her more about his emotional state and how well adjusted he is to other people.

((OOC: The italics are spoken in Canine. Unitalicized words are spoke in Basic.))

Takahashi Aki · Jan 11, 2015

At the offer of coming with on the 'date', Mako paused for a moment. She looked at Yume, then at Sousuke, then back to Yume. "Only if you know an older man my age, and likes to drink." She responded. She doubted if Yume could find such a person, and thus led to Mako from comfortably ... avoiding this awkwardness. Both Sousuke and his grandmother would look and listen with interest as she spoke with Aki.

The small boy blinked several times. There were alot of big words used there. He looked to Sousuke who merely said nothing. The small child knew who she was talking about. He didn't understand the context. What he did understand thought was that this Yume lady called Sousuke her mine too. Defensively Aki tightened his grip on Sousuke. "Nyeah." He declared. In feral the boy tried to repeat some of the words Yume had said. He yipped out the word alpha a few times which came out as 'alpa'. Then it came the more difficult word abandon which came out as bandawon. What did these words mean? Why were they so hard to say? When Yume reached out to touch him, he froze. Danger? The child became still. His eyes looked up ever so slightly to Sousuke who nodded his head. Assuring him that this person wouldn't hurt him. In time Aki seemed to settle in as he was growing used to Yume. "Gampa." He pointed at Sousuke. "Ome." He declared as he pointed at Yume. The child still held tightly to Sousuke as he got up slightly He with great hesitancy, like Sousuke once had, reached out and patted Yume on the head. "Ome." He declared again. He then pointed at Curua. "Coooo." He paused. "Roo." He finished. Yume was someone not angry. Calm like Sousuke. Both were good things to be. "Nyeah."

"Like his mother he seems to mimic things to learn. Granted ... he leaves letters out." The child would turn back to Sousuke. He let out a yip of sorts. He seemed to be growing comfortable with Yume. The child would let go of Sousuke for a moment. His gaze would shift over to the fox, upon realizing that Curua was a breathing a living entitiy, the child quickly grabbed hold of Sousuke's arm once more. Yume seemed trustworthy. Sousuke was always trustworthy. Curua? Not sure yet. "It's okay Aki. Curua is a very ... nice fox." He chose his words carefully. The Steward had to use simplistic words with his great-ward. Until he learned them of course.

(WC: 428)

Sagasu Yume · Jan 11, 2015

Sometimes it was best not to engage Mako beyond a few comments. Yume certainly did know of a man, well male at least, who was roughly her age but didn’t show his years the same way. The Inuzuka exile known as Urufu was older than he looked as he had come against the leader of the Inuzuka clan well before Yume's life time. She couldn’t speak to his enjoyment for liquor though. He never smelt of alcohol but even the Steward was known for ‘letting loose’ every now and then.

Her plan seemed to have failed slightly. While she could speak in canine, she hadn’t accounted for the fact that he had been raised out of a clan and probably hadn’t been afforded much in the way of an education. His reaction to her outstretched hand confirmed that he wasn’t even experienced with social interaction or touch. Softly, she let the back of her fingers brush his locks away with care. His attempts to mimic her words brought a smile of encouragement to her face. Lowering her head so he could pat her, she giggles a little, allowing the curiosity of the child to heal her soul. Her attention shifted to Sousuke as he explained the similarities between the child and Okibi.

He’s still young. Even his canine is spotty but that will come in time. Being bilingual is something he’ll need if a companion finds him, or even if one will find him. I was never sure about Okibi’s connection with Seven, whether it was bloodline or environmental.

She would inch as close to the pair as she could without distressing Aki and starts to hum a song that her mother used to calm her, while rubbing his back gently and whispering calm assurances to him. Certain that his Basic wasn’t very good, she didn’t worry about him understanding more than their tone.

So now what? We’re here until we’re patched up and then? Pieces of the village remain but perhaps there was wisdom in the Cabal’s message. While terribly executed, it is true that Suna will eventually need to surface again. Katsuo… is he… who they say he is? Could the storms be held at bay?

Takahashi Aki · Jan 11, 2015

Sousuke fell silent for a moment as Yume brought up the concept of a companion for Aki. "Okibi had acquired some additional companions, who I named Griefer and Lady ... who Okibi named Zen and Peaches." Their fates were an unknown. "There is Kitchy too ... but how does it work exactly?" He questioned. Inuzuka familiars were roughly the same age as the individual. Seven though was an exception. He was much, much older than Okibi, and even then he was a few years older than Sousuke. "I think Seven and Okibi found each other through the environment. He found her when she was young. I ... never thought about her proper parentage. What one becomes is based on their surroundings, or their parentage. I always thought Okibi was the latter than the former. I am not sure if I ever influenced her." His head drooped. She was out there with Tama.

Yume interacted more with Aki. The child tried to mimic her song. He looked to Sousuke to join in, who did so for a few moments. The child let out a bright and cheerful laugh as the three of them were working together in unison for a time. Aki would shoot Mako a quick glance. She had the same colour of hair Sousuke had. Mako bit her lip. She was never good with toddler. With her free hand she waved at the child. Again Aki broke out in laughter, which felt musical. "Grampa. Ooome. Cooroooo." He pointed to Mako. He turned his gaze to Sousuke, and Yume. "Da?" He asked. He let out a yip which asked who was this lady? Sousuke shook his head.

"No Da." Sousuke was stumped for a moment. How best to describe his grandmother? "Gagama." He said. Aki blinked characteristically like Sousuke would. He repeated the word with some difficulty. After three attempts he got it. Yume would then speak of the Cabal. Sousuke's mood seemed to sober. "It isn't wisdom. The Cabal are short sighted. They may be right, but they're ignorant of our environment. I would very much like to know how they survive with diamond sands filling their lungs, and ravaging their bodies. We had two stations above surface, but their maintenance is costly and difficult. Maintenance had to occur every three weeks, and in the case of a hyper-storm then it would be a week and a half." Sousuke shook his head. The Cabal were terrorists. "Shade had once advised me that I may need to have each and every one of them killed. The old law declared blood for blood. My ancestor Shiro had to abide by that rule when he was ordered to put a proper end to the Sunahoshi civil war for the throne."

You cannot allow people of such a threat level to survive. Magentica should have been executed long ago. The specter would advise once again. When a man or woman strikes a family dead, the receiving party, no matter how pious they are cannot remove the thoughts of revenge from their mind. Humans are the cruelest animals. Humans have failed to unify for hundreds of years. You claw and scrape at each other. Primus for a single moment had unity, and then he died. The great specter did not care for the fact that Urufuu was amongst the Cabal. That man was exiled for a reason. It would have been best if he remained in exile.

"I will defeat them on my own terms Shade. Death is not always an answer." Sousuke answered. He sighed. "It is possible that they were acting on behalf of someone else. Whether or not that is true is an unknown. We have had some ill moments in our history, but we are not aggressors. For the past thirty years we have been in a place of lesser power, so we have tried to turn our position into something defensive, and to flourish in our state. Father tried consistently to locate a Sunahoshi or to have the Sunaku help him in calming the storm." Yume would then inquire about Katuso. Katuso was in a difficult position. "Katuso is more Masashi than Sunahoshi. At least that was what it seemed at the time. When I met him three months ago, he was more of a martial fighter. As trained to, I would relinquish my title to him ... and he would not take it. He considered himself a hothead, and not capable of ruling. He asked me to keep his secret, and so I did." Something happened though during the Cabal invasion. Perhaps Katuso had become more Sunahoshi than Masashi. "People change and evolve over time. My power set changed while I was on the surface. I drew the shadows to myself... and learned to shadow-weave. Katuso did show a control of storms during his battle with Katio. He must have gained something during his time here ... to be honest though I simply do not know if he can keep the storms at bay." Again Sousuke seemed defeated. "We rebuild. Maybe make the old outposts larger, maybe rebuild the underground. Transition. We can't just blindly build in the storm. It's possible that another Cabal force could strike at us while we rebuild on the surface and destroy us entirely. I'm not being paranoid. I'm thinking of all the options."

"Katuso might not be here forever. He was above on the surface and travelling about, not in the storms mind you." Mako warned. Katuso was from her house. Her relationship to him would remain an unknown. "Elders have their own rules, and have certain people swear vows of silence on certain matters." The veteran wouldn't real it but she was one of the few who knew. Even with her bad history and the caravans, she was still considered a Masashi elder. Chiyoko was the Masashi representative, but she wasn't an elder. The problem too with her daughter was that she was married to the former Steward. It was thought to keep this knowledge mum considering Judori would have sought out Katuso to put a crown on his head.

Sagasu Yume · Jan 19, 2015

It was unusual to Yume, who had grown up with the traditions of the Inuzuka in her home, to hear of someone choosing their own companions or even naming them. She had named CuRua but he was just a kit. He received his name just as her parents had named her. Perhaps her two new companions were the same way.

We sort of choose each other. It’s not like choosing a pet and it’s not them selecting us. Each scenario is different but within the clan there is a ceremony where the pups and the youngones are brought together, generally born around the same time. Shinji and Ika are unique because it was thought that Shinji would never have a companion. She found him. Because I was born away from the clan, I met CuRua when I was a toddler and we sort of just bonded.

It was a terrifying thought to Yume that with the right words and a gentle push that she could have assisted the Cabal in taking over Sunagakure. She had been delirious and slightly hopeless at the thought of Sousuke not returning that she had delved into studies that tampered with the use of ones life-blood. Such arts had a tendency for turning ones mind to a darker path. The few vagrants who had stumbled upon her never stumbled their way back out, instead ‘volunteering’ their bodies for the sake of science. She wondered how her mate would have taken her in that state. Would he have put her down? Disowned her? Maybe. Maybe not. She had seen Sousuke utterly soul-less in a manner of speaking and it hadn’t changed her feelings.

In her own selfish way, Yume agreed with Shade. She had wanted to eviscerate Magnetica after their first encounter, before the Cabal occupation, but had been stopped by the ANBU Sennin. After meeting him in a less formal setting, she was certain that Magnetica had received a certain level of attention that death would have deprived her of. What sort of animal was she, that it didn’t upset her to know that a person, enemy or not, had been tortured in their village? Ever the pragmatist, Sousuke’s words seemed to restore her humanity.

Everyone has been forced to adapt these last few weeks. You and I will have to spend sometime getting re-acquainted.

She was interested in getting Sousuke’s take of her new abilities and wondered if it were possible to practice it without becoming inherently evil. Her fingers would brush over his hair a little, while she looked at him affectionately. His analytical mind was part of what she loved about him. To reassure her mate, she leans over and places a kiss on his cheek, if Aki would let her. She wasn’t completely certain how overprotective the child was with his ‘Mine’.

I suppose I’ve missed an important detail. How are you feeling, my love? Physically. I’m unfamiliar with their way of healing. Mako-sama tells me that you’ve been healed by them before. Maybe they could teach me a thing or two. I would be a terrible mate if I didn’t know how to take care of you.

Takahashi Aki · Jan 20, 2015

Sousuke wondered about the age thing. "Well... it is worth a try. We will see what happens." A grim thought had entered Sousuke's mind. Perhaps Aki had bonded with... no. No. He couldn't have. Those were fiends. It was a disturbing thought. "If it doesn't work out ... we can try seeing if he'll bond with other pups." With Yume being the only resident, it would take the steward's power of observation, and her own to figure out what a proper match was. The Steward would ruffle Aki's hair. It would all come together. Shinji had to wait a long time to acquire his familiar. "I suspect that ... the bond comes easily, that is isn't a pained thing of experience."

Yume spoke of them getting re-acquainted. Sousuke laughed at the concept. It wasn't a sharp hah, or one of ill mannered. It just seemed to actually amuse him. "We still have a date to be had. This time I fully intend to deliver." He paused for a moment. "Uh... ... Shinji is allowed to come too, considering ... he was there when I went to your place, and he is permitted to bring a friend." His expression seemed to grow uncomfortable. "Should I invite Shinji even? We don't have to. I don't want to seem rude to him, or anything of the sort."

"If Shinji is bringing a girl, I veto if it's that one who called Yume or myself a bitch. I don't care if the word is applicable or not." Mako spoke up. "You may want to ... invite Shinji the next time if you two are getting as Yume put it ... reacquainted." Mako was back to her drinking. "I'm going to go see if Tommy survived this mess. Hopefully he brought with him some good drink. Later kids." With that Mako made her departure.

Yume next inquired about the healing methods of the Kirishii. "The Kirishii nourish themselves through an emerald stone flower referred to as the Emeraldeon. Usually one breaks it up and applies it to injuries like a salve, in the case of my overexposure ... I inhaled it ... which is something of a first for humans that is." Prime Diamund seemed to have kept a sharp eye on Sousuke for the first several days after the treatment. "I'm certain Prime Diamund wouldn't mind teaching you their technique. It is shaman-like ... and please don't mmm... don't refer to her as a..." The Steward learned forward and whispered the word in Yume's ear. Okibi almost had said the word once, but Seven stopped her. The honoured Matriach was a valuable ally, and no matter the cost should she be insulted. Sousuke leaned forward. His injuries were healing up, but his armour was still damaged heavily. Several clicks and shifts could be heard as the plates retracted and presumably shifted into his skin. With a little effort he was able to get up. He took Yume by her hand, and with the other he lifted up Aki. "You know. I need to learn how to look after you too, you know. Let's introduce you to Prime Diamund. She's the one who named Aki, or had a hand in it."

[Topic concluded]

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