Troubling Thoughts [Private- Masao]

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

The sunlight drifted lazily through the sliding back door of the kitchen. One of the servants came in and pushed it aside to allow the stifling air to circulate, much to Haruka’s dismay. The day brought a blessing of warmth and an ironically cloudless day for the most part. It was disgusting and hardly conducive for Haruka’s fragile, pale skin. She decided to play it safe and hide from the sun today. The woman spent a miserable existence sulking around in the kitchen because of the silence. It was unthinkable for one of the great ladies of the Shima clan to spend their time in the kitchen when it was better spent on perfecting one of their many “useful skills” or partaking in heated political discussions (that often boiled down to the woman complaining about their inattentive husbands). That’s exactly why it was the perfect spot for Haruka. The kitchen was a place for the maids or no one at all when a meal wasn’t being prepared. She laid under the low and extravagantly made kotatsu, mindlessly plucking strings of ill-fitting notes on a shamisen. Her hair fanned out underneath her, an engulfing swarm of black.

A rarity of a day off had occurred to her, after much complaint of being exhausted from traveling. She hadn’t expected the weather to be so mediocre though. She wanted to take a stroll in the chill mountain air, but the sun had other plans. Forced inside for the day, Haruka hadn’t done much to fix her hair or dress. In fact, she hid from her mother knowing that the woman would pester her until she was chased away to wear something much more tradition and extravagant than the standard uniform (how was THAT for standard dress code for the main branch?). Several books were messily laid on the table. Haruka found herself lately in the reading mood for subjects of war and strict principles that warriors of the past often lived by. Somewhere along the way of reading, the Crow had dugged out her shamisen to practice.

Finally a chilly breeze drifted into the room. Haruka set the instrument aside and flipped onto her stomach. Propping her elbows up, she rested her chin on the palms of her hand to watch the trees outside sway with the wind. Burning leaves of the maples outside drifted inwards and landed on the floor. Her mind dully drifted into lonely thoughts that she had tried fighting off all day. The edges of her mind were stained with images of the strange band of exiled Kirigakurians that had swept in from the mountain pass. Natsu and Masao had both seemed so on guard. She hoped for their sake that Hoshikata and his clan were here for peace. The Kaguya was distracted during their meeting, and why not? Natsu was faced with new arising problems as he tried to grasp the reins as the soon to be Sennin. Had she hoped for a better reunion? Maybe…But, that was hard for her to admit. She had to accept the fact that he wouldn’t have time for her anymore. They were different branches, different ranks, and maybe not as close as she had imagined.

The woman sunk lower to the floor. What’s wrong with you, Shima? You’re acting like a school girl. Why does he even matter that much to you? Natsu’s nothing more than a comrade. It was hard trying to talk herself out of the disappointment she felt. Even if they were friends now, the distance would soon cut that bond away. She’d be alone again with no one who understood. No one who knew how important and infuriating perfection was to her. Or witnessed the fiery spirit that slept under the icy coldness of her visage. Again, everyone would know the name Shima Haruka, but never understand the riddle behind it. She needed a distraction or someone to seek advice about this from.

She crawled out from the kotatsu with a groan and hurried down the hall, being inspired by a sudden idea. She peered into the empty office that belonged to her father. Quickly stealing a pen and paper, the woman retreated back to the kitchen to write a small letter. Summoning a courier of the house, Haruka sent the boy off towards the Torre to find the companion she sought.

Spoiler

Dearest Takaki-Sama,

I do hope to catch you at a time of convenience. It seems I’ve run into the luck of having a day to myself. I know that there are most likely some very pressing matters at hand with the arrival of Hoshikata and his clan, but if you have the time to spare I’d like to invite you over to my estate. If my servants can catch you in time, perhaps we can share a late lunch together.

Regards,
Shima Haruka

 

[Takaki Saeko]

"Thank you," said Masao to the scrappy boy who had presented the letter to him. Much to Nyaruko's dismay, he had caught the courier at a lucky moment while returning to the office from a miscellaneous errand, and so was able to prevent his self-appointed imouto from gleefully reading the lightly jasmine-scented correspondence that had been so obviously sent on behalf of a young woman from the wealthier side of town. Unfolding the letter, his golden-ringed eyes flicked back and forth as they took in the delicate and yet forceful handwriting that was as enjoyable a summons as any Lobster Dinner of Hayata Shin's. He owed Haruka a visit, it seemed.

"Tell your mistress I will be on my way within the hour. Have your friends in the kitchens prep suitable materials for dough." He pressed a silver coin into the boy's hand and was rewarded by an expression of unbridled awe, not to mention almost embarrassing obsequiousness as the youth practically scraped the floor with the force of his bows before bolting back in the direction of Haruka's abode. As he reached over to pull on his overcoat, he paused as if to consider something. "Nyaruko. Tell the Spymaster I will be at the Shima Estate. That is all."

Later​

He approached the outer gates of the sprawling compound with a bottle of junmai-daiginjo sake cradled in the crook of one arm and a bouquet of thirteen yellow late-spring roses in the other hand. The color and number were deliberate, of course. The footman at the gates was one of Do Natsu's, of course. Half of the town was in the Spymaster's employ, although very few of them knew so. Wonderful. He has access to the entirety of this family's secrets and yet he cannot figure out his own affection for her, thought the Sennin sardonically.

"Good day, you know who I am. Tell my otouto he has my regards, and tell your mistress I've arrived. Have someone take this sake from me - I'll keep the roses, though. Are the ovens preheating?"

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

Her smile lit up like the high sun when the little servant boy came back with a hasty and favorable reply from the Sennin. She ruffled his chocolate pile of locks affectionately. Kneeling down to be on his level, she spoke sofly, “thank you, Jirou-chan. Why don’t you finish up the last of your duties for the day and go play? I heard the other children over the high wall playing ball.” He merely smiled and bounded off down the halls to tell the cooks to prepare for Masao’s arrival.

As the man promised, he arrived within the hour and with gifts too. The gatekeeper bowed stiffly to Masao as he approached. “Yes, my lord. The kitchen is prepared for your arrival. The attendants ahead will take the bottle off of your hands.” He was a rather tall and imposing man, one that kept the family estate safe from any wandering civilians. The Shima adored their privacy far more than an average clan, as could be seen by the high wall that surrounded the grounds. It was an imposing structure indeed. Little did they know that they hired this particular spy and several others into their staff. Not that they would inflict any harm on the family and maybe the Shima had Haruka to thank for that. The footman opened the gates, allowing Masao to pass through the front garden and towards the estates main structure.

Greeted at the door by an elderly woman, she carefully took the sake from the gentleman. Disappearing down the dark hallway, another younger girl emerged. She bowed low. “May I take your coat, my lord?” If he accepted, she would gently tuck it away in the front closet. However, if he brushed her aside, she would proceed as taught. Gesturing with a slight nod of her head, the woman led the Sennin down the corridor. They would walk by several closed off rooms hidden by shoji screens. She took a turn, guiding the man along the walk way the wrapped around the housing structures. The young woman halted before an opened door and bowed once more. “Lady Shima is just ahead, sir.”

Her back faced away from the door. The dark, thick strands of ebony hair cascaded down her back, eclipsing all other view of her pale countenance. She heard his foots step sweep softly through the frame of the door. Elegantly, she rose from the table. Her smile blossomed as her dusty eyes met his. “Good afternoon, Takaki-Sama. I was so pleased to hear such an expedient reply from a man in your position.” A formal bowed was graced upon the man. Haruka waved away the two cooking maids, leaving them alone together.

“I see you weren’t merely jesting when you requested to do some of the cooking. You do have many talents that seem strange for a serious shinobi of Kumogakure. I’d never expect such gentlemanly pursuits from a warrior of your caliber. It is very refreshing.” Her graceful steps brought her into friendly range of the man. The Crow was drawn to the bright display of flowers in his grasp. “What’s this?” She asked curiously, eyeing the bouquet of golden roses.

[Permission Granted to Do Natsu for use of the Shima's household servants and entrance into the topic.]

 

[Hameru Ren]

"Hold it." Natsu commanded, as the overjoyed youth rushed around the corner. "You'll knock someone over if you're running around that carelessly. I don't like jumbled up reports." The boy who had come to an abrupt stop looked at the Spymaster with dismay. It was true he owed the man his job and stable income. However, the Jonin wasn't as impressive or remarkable as the Sennin he had just delivered a message to. Not quite as generous either. "Spill it. What did the letter say? And don't bother trying to convince me you don't know. I'll feed you to the Imouto-Chan if you do." Natsu growled, clearly not in the best of moods.

The bad mood was largely to blame to the terrible report handling which had occurred during his trip abroad. The reports of the three ill-struck Villages were beyond horrendous and the Intelligence Service had seen several demotions in response to it. Furthermore, there was the case of the suspicious TITAN corporation gnawing at his mind. Natsu had slipped in several agents but the corporation was a cautious one. It'd take more time to get to the roots of their goals. Of course, the news Natsu just received helped his mood improve by zero. Dismissing the boy to the estate, the Jonin went to the bathroom, ensuring he'd be avoiding his Sennin while he tried figuring out what to do with the news.

Finally slumping down on his chair and nibbling at one of the donuts, Natsu was dismayed by the fact that not even the piece of pastry seemed to lift his spirits. Sighing, he decided to process some more of the paperwork, when all of a sudden the door slammed open and the Eldritch Horror entered. "Ah, Nyaruko-Chan, the dre-.." Natsu tried to say, before he was swiftly silenced by the bundle of energy warning him of the Sennin heading to the Shima estate, what his lonely future would look like if he'd not act quickly, what kind of a pervert Masao-Nii-Chan secretly was. Also a confusingly high amount of mentions of Sukejuro's name. Thinking for a moment, Natsu came up with a devious little plan. His smile creeped out even the Imouto-chan sufficiently to silence her.

"Don't worry Nyaruko-Chan. It's not for the reasons you think Masao-Chan went to the estate. We've been working on a secret project y'know!" The girl/demon/thing's eyes quickly widened in excitement at the word secret. "Yes! And it looks like the time is finally here to tell you: it's your very first audition to become an idol! We've pulled some strings and there'll be a talent scout from AKB0048 at the Shima Estate today! It’ll be a wonderful chance for you to give your best performance ever! The Main Branch is counting on you! Then again, how could you possibly fail with an outfit that cute and such a wonderful attitude?" Natsu told her with a wink, as he scribbled down some notes.

Handing over the parchment to Nyaruko, he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Of course, only the important people know so far! But don't worry, you'll be famous in no time! And they've told us you can even still combine your work here with the idol work if you really want! But you'll have to be there in about an hour! So go make yourself look as cute as possible and give them the best possible audition ever! Just give this to the footman at the Gates. He'll know what to do." The Spymaster confided, pointing at the note. As the Imouto-chan bounded away with excitement, the Jonin simply returned to work, whistling a tune decidedly more cheery than he'd like felt earlier. Your move, Aniki.

[OoC: Hope I didn't go to far anywhere. Let me know if I did and I'll adjust!]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

"Of course," said Masao to the younger serving girl, shedding his greatcoat and handing it to her. It was mildly amusing to play the game of "who smells of donuts?" with the staff. The younger girl was probably a fresh hire right out of her apprenticeship and hadn't been approached yet. The elderly woman, however, was most assuredly one of the Spymaster's, and probably knew it and enjoyed it as well. The Shimas were doing well, as they had been for many, many years. It was the power of a large old family that could afford to both pay the Raikage's blood tithe every generation AND send children without chakra potential to high places in the households of royalty as well as the guildhalls of the powerful merchant consortiums. They reaped the benefits of the shinobi as well as the mundane world in twain, unlike the great clans who cast their non-gifted children aside.

As Masao and the serving girl strode down the passageways of the elegant mansion to meet with the mistress of the house, he could not help but be reminded that the Takaki Estate had dwindled dramatically after Rin's passing. Really, the only inhabitants of the house these days were Masao and his children, none of whom were married or with families of their own, and the only full-time help staffing the place was none other than, well, Nyaruko. Come to think of it, Masao had no idea how the creature actually supported herself, since he could not recall actually paying her...

"AKB0048?! The idol group that comes to you?! They're really visiting Haruka-nee-san's estate?! And scouting for new trainees?!" gushed Nyaruko with unbridled anticipation back at the Legation. "But Masao-nii-chan didn't mention any of that, Donut-chi! I...I have to practice more! I only know the words to Aitakatta and Heavy Rotation! I just started on Beginner and and and..."

"...But you'll have to be there in about an hour! So go make yourself look as cute as possible and give them the best possible audition ever! Just give this to the footman at the Gates. He'll know what to do," said Natsu, pressing a sealed letter into her hand. Nyaruko was sweating bullets by this point, and unconsciously began to bite her nails on the other hand before realizing what she was doing and letting out a rather moe sound best transliterated as: "...bloo bloo abloo!"

"Wait... No! I can't be nervous about this! That's not how Acchan or Takamina would do it! They'd go into an audition with Micsabers Blazing!!!" she declared suddenly, standing straighter now and thrusting an imaginary plasma-based phase-cutting sound amplification multitool in the air. "I'm going to change and go there at once! Donuts-aniki, arigatou gozaimasuuuuu!" she said, bowing to him and disappearing in a flash of R'lyeh-dust.

Meanwhile, Masao allowed himself to smile genuinely at the sight of Shima Haruka, wearing the standard uniform of the Main Branch to its fullest potential. The only thing Fujinami and I ever agreed on was that a beautiful woman should never be afraid to show the shape of her legs on duty, he thought, appreciatively. It was therefore a mystery to him why she would name herself "The Crow," however, when she looked like anything but a carrion-eater. Perhaps he would find out as he spent more time with her.

"Shima-sensei, how could I not reply to such a worthy invitation with the courtesy it deserves?" he chuckled. "Particularly when you do me the service of wearing my Branch's uniform so elegantly."

“I see you weren’t merely jesting when you requested to do some of the cooking. You do have many talents that seem strange for a serious shinobi of Kumogakure. I’d never expect such gentlemanly pursuits from a warrior of your caliber. It is very refreshing," she remarked, seeming genuinely surprised.

"I genuinely pity the shinobi who devotes all of his or her time to the sole pursuit of martial prowess," replied Masao. "All shinobi are warriors, yes, but that does not mean we are aescetics without the capacity to enjoy all facets of human existence. He who loses sight of that fact loses sight of his humanity, in the end. Also, for a number of years, my wife and I managed a small restaurant in the little town of Inaba. We specialized in whatever Rin felt like cooking at the time, and I picked up a fair amount of knowledge helping her in the kitchen. It was a truly pleasant time... Ah yes, before I forget. Roses, for you. Although honestly they appear rather dull now in your esteemed company compared to when it was simply myself and the florist back at the shop," he said, handing the bouquet to her. "Now, shall we see the kitchen? I did not have time to bring my own knives, sadly."

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

“Oh, this? I haven’t worn it in forever.” Her hand swept down the length of her body, drawing attention to her chest and hips. “It’s pretty comfortable.” The woman confessed. Masao didn’t seem to be a man tempted so easily by lust and pretty little things such as Haruka. So, she didn’t worry about coming off as a flirt. However, if a certain blonde haired shinobi saw her behave such a way, he’d probably get flustered and jealous at the same time and send a deranged imouto-chan after them to disturb what little peace the woman had.

The man’s words rang true with the Shima clan’s major beliefs. Refinement in the arts, lessons of sociality, and enjoyment in delicate activities (such as cooking). Those three pillars made up the length of her upbringing in the estate. Her almond eyes seemed to smile softly at the man as she listened to his tale of a former life. Rin. Now she finally had a name to the woman so lucky to have Masao as a husband.

“Nonsense.” She strictly replied, reaching out to take the flowers. The sweet scent drifted through the air. “You know, often in old times the yellow rose symbolized jealousy. It wasn’t until recently that they began to represent friendship and joy. I am a bit rusty on my flower language, but I believe that each number of roses in a bouquet signifies a different meaning. Thirteen…” The woman entered into thought. “Hmm, I can’t quite remember.” Suddenly she laughed, turning her eyes upward at the Sennin again. “That is to say…If you meant something by it, which is highly unlikely. Still, these are beautiful. Let’s see if I can find a vase.”

While searching through the cabinets, she continued. “We have all the tools you so desire to cook with here, Takaki-Sama. Really, you are doing the kitchen a favor. It hardly gets its uses unless a guest visits.” She looked under the counter and found an ordinary jar that once held jam. Setting down the roses gently, she began to fill up the jar with water. “The pantry over here has lots of food supplies. I’m not sure what you are in the mood for making. There are pots, pans, and knives all over. I couldn’t tell you exactly where since I can’t recall the last time I cooked.” The kunoichi stuck her tongue out admitting her fault.

Her spirit was becoming brighter and brighter as they carried on their conversation. The glow of her smile and brightness in her eyes were unmistakable. The roses fit perfectly in the jar as she placed them on the window sill above the sink. “So, Takaki-Sama,” the girl turned back towards him, “if you don’t mind my intrusion…Why did you come back to all of this? All this chaos and danger. Was that little restaurant not enough for you? Your wife, Rin, does she still run it?” Genuine curiosity afflicted the woman, but it was Pandora’s Box of questions. She hadn’t realized how tender a spot Rin was for Masao.

 

[Takaki Saeko]

Thirteen roses means that you have a secret admirer, although not necessarily the person who gave you the roses, thought Masao as he smiled back at her. “Ah, perhaps I conflated roses with donuts and asked for a baker’s dozen, so to speak,” he replied (mysteriously) instead. “After all, I am in the mood for culinary affairs,” he chuckled as they entered the actual kitchen.

As expected of the Shima estate, the kitchen was quite well appointed, with modern electrical equipment for refrigeration and lighting, and stoves and burners fueled by natural gas as opposed to the charcoal that most of the rest of the country used. As a space it was pleasantly airy (most kitchens in the country were surprisingly dank and dark, which only helped the spread of rats) and boasted a large central island in the middle, topped with hardwood. The best find, of course, was the relatively new invention that was taking the capital by storm – the “Food Processor.” At its heart, it was simply a shallow, lidded container containing a rotating blade driven by a motor, but the key was that it could work on solid and semisolid foods without requiring the presence of liquid like a traditional blender would. Thus, it made repetitive, time-consuming, and often risky tasks like mincing and kneading, easy and safe instead. One could make mushroom duxelles in a matter of minutes rather than hours, for example.

“Ah, I know what I want to make. And this doesn’t require much in terms of cooking experience,” he said, conspiratorially as he opened the pantry door, walked in, and emerged with a sack of flour, a small container of dry yeast, and some oil. “It’s pizza time! If you’ll measure me out three cups of flour, I’ll start activating the yeast…” Carefully, he measured out two and a quarter teaspoons of the dry yeast into a measuring cup containing a cup and a half of warmed, but not boiling water. He took Haruka’s flour and placed it in the food processor bowl, added in two tablespoons of olive oil, two teaspoons of salt, and a teaspoon of sugar, and set the blade in action. As the flour whirred furiously around, he started to slowly add the yeasty water, watching as the mixture in the processor quickly became a solid, gooey mass that gave easily under touch but did not stick overly to the hands. He emptied the contents onto a nearby kneading stone and gathered up the dough into a ball.

“Go ahead and wipe a thin coat of olive oil on the inside of a bowl, if you would,” he said as he gave the doughy ball a few quick folds and presses. He placed the dough into the bowl and covered it with plastic wrap. “We’ll set this aside for now in a warm oven – it needs about forty five minutes to an hour to roughly double in size. Now, if you wanted truly thin crust, you would set this aside in the fridge for 24 to 72 hours. That lets the yeast form the same complex flavors but without the carbon dioxide formation of a same-day rise,” he said, clearly enjoying the underlying science of pizza-craft.

“For the sauce, we’ll use the food processor again. It’s a can of whole peeled tomatoes, a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of red wine vinegar, two garlic cloves, a teaspoon of salt, a shake or two of black pepper, and some dried oregano. Pulse that together, and we’ll just heat it up in the oven later,” he said. Masao wiped his hands clean with a nearby towel as he surveyed the floury mess the two of them had made on the island counter.

“So, Takaki-Sama,” said Haruka, “if you don’t mind my intrusion…Why did you come back to all of this? All this chaos and danger. Was that little restaurant not enough for you? Your wife, Rin, does she still run it?”

He smiled distantly in response, keeping his gaze on the rising dough.

“Rin and I never intended to come back, actually. We were ordered to by Hayata Shin, after retiring sixteen years prior. I couldn’t believe it myself – neither of us had swung a sword in over a decade and they were asking us to lead the ANBU. Times were truly desperate back then – the Sileo officer corps had deserted or died, the Main Branch was led by a nonfunctional alcoholic, and the country was in a state of civil war. The first year we came back was when Hayata Makoro bombed Tenouza. Utter chaos, but we stabilized things – we did our jobs, and did them well. But make no mistake, those sixteen years running a little restaurant in Inaba were the best years of our lives. We raised our children in peace and enjoyed gardening and cooking together every day.

“Shin did his job when he brought us back – the Raikage’s duty is to safeguard the village at all costs, after all. But perhaps if he had not we could still be living in peace,” he said, somewhat darkly. “Perhaps Rin would still be… Ah, I’m sorry, I’m rambling about irrelevant things,” he said, suddenly resuming his earlier, cheerful demeanor. “So…while we wait for the dough to rise, let me ask you in turn – have you gotten a chance to see Spymaster Do since your arrival? And how is my son Enjeru doing? I believe he was on your team recently.”

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

The man’s mind worked quickly to decide just what he wanted to cook up for the two. Every direction he babbled out was stated to a specific measurement. The young woman watched in childish wonder as he went to work right away to measure out ingredients. After a few seconds of observing the man, she snapped back to it and began to measure out the flour cautiously. She felt like a little girl, tailing her father around the kitchen and begging to help in some way. He seemed so knowledgeable with cooking, while she barely knew how to boil water.

Plucking a bowl from the top cupboard and getting olive oil in hand, she sat those down and looked through the utensil’s drawer until she found a brush. Lucky her, she guessed right and grabbed the olive oil brush. Hoping up onto the counter, she began to paint a coat around the inside of the green bowl while Masao folded the dough. She held it out to him afterwards and sat on her perch watching the man put the dough away. She traced her name in the flour and made little flowers in it. “Takaki-Sama sure knows a lot about pizza.” Teased the woman as a lilting giggle bubbled from her lips.

The sadness creeping into Masao’s voice wasn’t missed by the woman. Rin, his wife, must have been just as strong as him. She lead the ANBU corps. with Masao. The Raikage had come to them in a most dire time, because he knew they were the strongest to help. Haruka didn’t deny that. Masao was strong in a way a man ought to be strong, but he held a gentle strength too. He was kind, but decisive and fierce to protect his village. She saw firsthand at the gates how serious the man could be. Something had happened to Rin, she wasn’t oblivious to that. However, the kunoichi wasn’t sure to push pass the limits of what she was allowed to discuss. He seemed eager to talk about something else anyways.

Haruka laughed at the mere thought of that grumpy cat son of his. “As sour as ever. Enjeru certainly doesn’t have the charm you do. He’s a very good shinobi though. He was a big help to our team. I enjoyed my turn at teasing him, but he was quite miffed about it. That attitude doesn’t come from you. Is Rin like that?” As soon as she let the former ANBU sennin’s name pass through her lips, Haruka regretted it. There was no point in bringing up subjects that could hurt Masao. “Oh, forgive me…I didn’t answer your other question.”

Now the Shima daughter looked down at the writing in the flour with a far off gaze. “I haven’t seen him. Just at the gates. The meeting wasn’t how I expected it to be…” Loneliness edged her voice with sorrow. “He was distracted though. So, it’s alright.” Her head bobbed up, staring squarely at Masao with a masked smile. “He’s going to be Sennin soon, and well, he doesn’t have time for those kind of things. Me and him are from two different paths in the shinobi life.” She was quiet for a bit, thinking of how she wanted it to be. “He said he had something he wanted to talk to me about, but he hasn’t come by. I expect I’ll see less of him more and more.” Callously, Haruka tried to play off her indifference. Deep inside her, a feeling kept nagging and chewing on her thoughts. It kicked and screamed. She didn’t want to discuss how she felt, nor did she want to face it. Confusion unsettled her mind.

“You know, being on that mission was tough and I didn’t enjoy it, but I did enjoy him. Don’t get me wrong, I hated him when we first left the village. But, after I got to see what Do-San was really made of…” The dark haired medic wasn’t quite sure she wanted to say what was on her mind, but if any of it were to come out it’d only be to Masao. She was beginning to look up to the man. In a way, he reminded Haruka of her father. Her mind would never be at peace if she didn’t discuss what thoughts were troubling her. “I wish I could help him. He doesn’t need protection, but I want to protect him. Natsu is destined for greatness. Senninship is in his near future, but I know one day he’ll be Raikage too. And, I want to help him in anyway. I just don’t know how to, Masao-“ She halted her tongue. “Takaki-Sama.” Quickly she corrected herself.

“I’m afraid he doesn’t want my help. Natsu doesn’t enjoy my company very much, you see, because he actually sees me. He knows I’m arrogant, brash, and…quite stupid when it comes to everything that doesn’t involve a hospital. I don’t know how to convince Natsu to let me help him. Anytime I try to socialize with him, it comes out all wrong.” Her cheeks began to sting with rose red color. “Ugh, I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I’m not normally like this, worrying over such a stupid thing.” The writings in the flour were erased out by Haruka’s agitated hand.

[MFT. 885]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

He could not help but chuckle at the mention of his son’s grumpy, feline characteristics. Enjeru had always been a dour boy, filled to the brim with equal parts ennui and ressentiment. In actuality, such a combination was a real pain in the nether regions to deal with, but for the grace of the fact that in this world annoying character traits turned out to be rather moe.

“Enjeru is my son, that is certain, but at the same time he is more my wife’s child than mine. Rin became Grand Commander of the ANBU not because she charmed her compatriots, but because she was willing to drop toilets on them from above. Ironically, that made her more loved than I ever was, but I gladly conceded that victory to her. Sometimes I do worry, however. While my daughter is a social butterfly who can get along with nearly anyone, my son is almost eighteen and has never been in a real relationship, as far as I know of,” he shrugged. If he had been fazed by Haruka’s mention of Rin, he did not show it.

He listened to her talk about Do Natsu now, unconsciously glad to not reminisce more about his late wife. Shipping was so much more enjoyable than regret, after all. Her troubles were unique to her situation, but at the same time followed common themes known to all working shinobi, especially those with ambition and the limited resources of youth.

“Ah, I do believe the dough has been given ample time to rise,” he remarked, smirking inside at her attempt to seem indifferent to the fact that she was going to be separated from the man she clearly showed an interest in. The brief shadow of confusion and turmoil that passed across her face said it all. Masao opened the door to the slightly warm oven, letting the blast of carbon dioxide and trace molecules of alcohol hit his senses. It was the smell of yeast at work - the ancient chemical reaction that had turned indigestible hardtack into fluffy bread for thousands of years of human history and the basis of life itself for almost every culture in the world.

He took the bowl of dough out and overturned its contents onto the island before turning the oven to 230C. Sighting a pair of nearby pizza stones, he also placed those in the rapidly-heating oven. “While this preheats, we’ll do the fun part, which is shaping the dough,” he said, deftly dividing it in two and handing one piece to Haruka. “Don’t forget to flour up your hands and shaping surface, or it’ll stick too much… Now, if you have a rolling pin, you can use that to roll it out to about a quarter to half inch thick, but if you don’t have one, you can just manually press it out, starting from the center. Don’t try to whirl it in the air unless you’re a trained professional,” he laughed.

As they kneaded and beat their balls of dough into rough, circular shapes resembling pizza crusts, Haruka began to let loose with her true worries, now that her hands were occupied and she could no longer hide behind them.

“You can call me Masao, if I can call you Haruka. Just perhaps not in front of unruly genin. I had enough trouble when one of them called the Chancellor of Lightning a ‘stuck-up bitch’ to her face,” he replied to her, shaking his head at the memory. “In any case, though, there are always obstacles to overcome when wanting to connect with another person, and most of the time those tend to be related to distance. Distance takes many forms, not simply kilometers of land separating you physically, but also in terms of time and commitment. Rin and I were both ANBU back in the day, but we rarely saw each other at first. That only got worse later on, too…

“But if I can make an observation, I would say that having this distance between you and Do-san bothers you very much. And I think it bothers you because you possess affection for him that’s something more than friendship. That much is obvious to me, anyway,” he said, fixing his somewhat unsettling Ricky-Oh Sennin gaze on her.

“Ah, time for the sauce,” he said, breaking off subject. “The great thing about pizza is that you can make it anything you wish. I like slicing a ball of mozzarella and laying the pieces on top of the sauce, along with a topping of basil leaf, salt, pepper, and a light drizzle of olive oil afterwards,” he said, reaching for a cheese ball and starting to divide it. “When you’re all done preparing your pizza, just slide it onto a pizza stone and then close the oven door. It usually takes no more than ten minutes to cook, in any case.”

As they waited for their creations to cook, he turned his attention to her again.

“I can’t speak for my Spymaster when it comes to matters of the heart. I wish I could, but there are secrets he keeps even from me,” he said. “However, I will say that were I in his position, I would most certainly desire your help and your continued company. And not simply because you are a capable shinobi, but because you are a lovely young woman who can breathe life into even a withered old bastard such as myself. The real Shima Haruka is certainly not arrogant or brash or stupid. Those are convenient lies we tell ourselves when we fear surrendering our own desires,” he said, gently wiping away a fleck of dried dough stuck to her cheek. “Do-san has a great future ahead of him, but I don’t think he wishes to be like Hayata Shin, who for all the love he inspires will probably always sleep alone. Perhaps the reason he is so awkward around you and vice versa is precisely because of the things you wish you could say to each other but for various reasons will not. Perhaps he also has his own doubts and fears as well.

“Ah, pizza’s done. Tell me what you think.”

Ah, fuck you Donuts for making this lovely girl cry, he thought.

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

The more he spoke of Rin, Haruka grew a fond admiration for the mysterious woman. A Grand Commander of the Anbu, that title was for the strong and one with a steady hand at leading a band of Kumogakure’s strongest. She was unlike Rin, or so Haruka thought. The Shima woman only had her charm to go on. Rin was fierce it seemed. A mold of a different kind of woman. The kind that Shima woman weren’t often raised as. But, she had to have some girlish charm to win the heart of Masao.

It was becoming less odd to picture Masao as a family man, now that she had listened to his tales. He had a younger daughter too, one more like himself. Haruka smiled smally as he mentioned that Enjeru hadn’t ever glanced at a relationship with a woman. So he was lying? Maybe so. It made his frazzled attempt to push his teammates away from such a subject seem that much more funny.

When it was time, Masao placed a portion of the dough in her hands. She did her best to follow the more experienced man’s instructions. The flour on her hands made her skin look even more ghostly than she already was. She knew there was a rolling pin somewhere in the kitchen, but she found it more entertaining to squash the dough out with her hands. Hearing his laugh as he joked about throwing the crust up into the air made Haruka smiled again once more, despite feeling so pained.

“You can call me Masao, if I can call you Haruka.”

She only briefly glanced up from the dough and nodded. They seemed to agree upon sharing such personal names out of the eyes of the public for the most part. With this new sense of friendship, the Sennin drudged forward with his advice on the matter at hand. He seemed to have once shared the same feelings with her. They no doubt had much distance between them, both very busy with their careers as shinobi of Cloud. It wasn’t any wonder why he had loved his quiet moments with Rin and their restaurant.

What had said struck her. Before, Haruka would have indignantly refuted the point brought up. She was fond of Natsu. She wasn’t offended, which the notion would have made her before, but she stood their contemplating. Her petal pink lips partially opened as if she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t form in her head. She was confused with her own thoughts now that Masao had flat out told her how she felt. He wasn’t wrong, but she didn’t quite grasp that yet. It was a new feeling for her after all.

Fortunately for her, Masao alerted her to the sauce making. He was so good at that, dodging conversations and easing the painfully embarrassing ones. She snapped to it and began working on her pizza. She went for a light amount of sauce and followed his lead on the mozzarella. She excused herself to the storage bin to grab some mushrooms and black olives. She sliced a decent amount and spread them over the crust. Satisfied with her product, she placed the creation carefully into the oven.

As they waited, he began the topic again with ease. She was cleaning up the counter to preoccupy her hands while he spoke. Her icy hands, the hands of her Haku mother, froze at the compliment. She breathed life into something that was dying. Her one true hope as a Shima, but more so as a doctor was to accomplish such a feat. To spiritually do so, so to speak, was a compliment Haruka would carry with her for as long as she lived. She turned towards him to bow modestly, but as Haruka faced Masao, his hand gently brushed her skin to remove a particle of the dough. She could only smile up at him with the warmest smile to ever grace her lips. “Thank you, Masao-San.”

What else he said had left a bigger impression on her. There were those in life who taught others how to love, but did not know how to love themselves. Hayata Shin was truly a warm soul, but he was so busy taking care of his own that he never had the chance to find that certain kind of love. Perhaps it was because he was too busy with helping others. Haruka knew how that felt. She made a silent, selfish vow to help herself once and a while. What Masao said gave her some hope. Natsu was always clumsy with his feelings, but if she tried to show him what her heart said, then maybe his could find its own voice too.

The pizza had finished with amazing timing. She carefully transferred a piece of her pizza to a plate and sat it on the isle. “I am willing to admit, I certainly never wanted such a burdensome relationship with a man. I always thought it would get in the way of my career, but now the more I reflect on how I feel about Natsu…The more I realize that doing nothing but work is lonely and a bit sad.” She sighed, dramatically placing her forehead against the counter. “Ugghhh, what should I do, Masao? Natsu is a bit of an idiot. How am I to open his heart up to mine? A couple weeks ago, I literally had a blade to his throat and threatened to beat his head in senseless with a book. He’s going to think I’m bipolar or something!” She sat back up and took a bite out of the pizza.

“Wow! This actually really good. Bravo, Masao.”
[MFT.952]

 

[Hameru Ren]

- Click Click -

The sound rang through the office, sounding awfully loud in Natsu's ears. Yet it barely registered in the Spymaster's mind as he played with the ballpoint pen. A bomb could've detonated in the nearby building and Natsu wouldn't have noticed. Okay, maybe that was an overstatement. But the fact remained that his current thoughts occupied most all of his concentration. Normally the Spymaster still would be able to function relatively well when he was focusing on a certain matter. But then again, this matter had a known history of messing up his capabilities of even the most basic tasks.

- Click Click -

What is Aniki doing at Haruka's house? Why is he at her house anyway? Would he go there often since she returned? - Why do you care? - Why wouldn't I care? - Do you care? - Of course I care! - About what do you care? - Lots of things! Kumogakure, the Main Branch, donuts, detailed mission reports,.. - Silence fool! Do you care about Masao? Do you care about Haruka? Do you care about their relationship? - I.. Yes! - Great answer. No wonder you made it to Spymaster. - Stop sounding so sarcastic. - Stop sounding so pathetic! Get off your ass and show Masuka what you're made of! - Masuka?! What, are you shipping them now? Aren't you supposed to be on my side? - Do you even know what side that would be exactly?

- Click Click -

Slamming his hand on the desk, inadvertently smashing the pen without even noticing, Natsu stood upright. "Yes! And I'll go show 'em! I'll walk straight in there and say everything that's on my mind! Donut shall be victorious!" The Jonin near-shouted, startling the secretary who just walked by so much she dropped her folders. Noticing this Natsu blushed furiously, quickly sinking back into the chair to hide himself from sight. Seeing the secretary however, brought a frightening realization to mind. Imouto-Chan.. I totally lied to her. She'll never forgive me! What do I doooooooo!? The Spymaster panicked.

"Arrange for our Master of Couriers to intercept Nyaruko. Rank A importance, she is to return to the office until I can explain everything to her." Natsu urgently told the very same secretary he'd scared not even two minutes ago. The Spymaster very much dreaded the explanation but simply letting the girl walk into the building and realizing it had been a set-up would only cause a major heartbreak. No, Natsu needed to prevent that and the only one capable of intercepting the Eldritch Horror by now would the legendary Master of Couriers. In the meanwhile, he would go set things right at the Shima Manor and then go beg for Nyaruko's forgiveness. Or atleast hope she wouldn't bite his head off.

And so, Natsu rushed out into the streets, hopping on the nearest bike he could find and sprinted off. After all, that was how every hero in an Anime dramatically made it just in time to tell the girl of his life how he felt. Truthfully, the Shinobi had barely any experience with the vehicle and likely would make much better time on foot but that logical thinking was being obstructed by his jumbled thoughts concerning his Aniki and Haruka. With a loud screech, he came to a sliding halt in front of the manor, dropping the bike and rushing straight to the door. The guards were too astounded to even bother stopping him, most recognizing their secondary employer anyway. Banging heavily on the door, Natsu shouted. "Haruka! I need to tell you something! Haruka! Harukaaaaaaaaa!"

[Word Count: 600]
[Marked for Training]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

He needed to look away from the pure bliss of Haruka’s smile, for it reminded him of the rare occasions when Rin had graced him with an unclouded look of joy. Their marriage had not been “normal” by any standard set by fiction or idealism. The days had not been filled with loving pleasantries and cuddling and rose-colored remembrances. Rather, the majority of their time together had been a mess of low-intensity bickering, vented frustrations regarding work, accidentally stepping on cats, and wrestling for control of the game console controller. But the rare moments of unguarded intimacy were made priceless by those very stretches of daily grind. Fortunately, he could control and repress the blush that threatened to paint his cheeks.

“Ugghhh, what should I do, Masao? Natsu is a bit of an idiot. How am I to open his heart up to mine? A couple weeks ago, I literally had a blade to his throat and threatened to beat his head in senseless with a book. He’s going to think I’m bipolar or something!” whined the Crow.

He had to laugh at that.

“When Rin wanted me to make a decision about commitment, she dropped a toilet on my head - from at least a story above. I still bear the dent on my skull from that. So a book is child’s play by comparison. I’ll tell you a secret, since you’re young – well-adjusted men like a woman who puts them in their place occasionally. I won’t get into why, but just accept it as an interesting fact,” he said, taking a bite from his own piazza, still piping hot off the oven. The mozzarella had melted perfectly, melding with the basil and olive oil to make a gooey, delicious mess. “Mmm, homemade pizza is the best, I agree,” he remarked.

Meanwhile​

Tensai Gaburieru, Master of Couriers, and second only to the Hand of the Sennin in the murky hierarchy of the Merces Letifer, nodded to Natsu’s secretary as he set down the delicate, Westron-style porcelain cup of genmai-cha held delicately by its handle with his index finger and thumb.

“So, Donuts-chan sent Masao’s moe abomination to Lady Shima’s house under the impression that she was going to audition for AKB0048?” he chuckled, rolling his eyes slightly. “My hunky, cream-filled Spymaster, whatever shall I do with you?”

Gaburieru shrugged and rose, adjusting his impeccably-matched tie and straightening out his flawless, pinstriped suit jacket. He turned to the two women who had sat on either side of him and gave a twinkly smile.

‘I do apologize, Yuuko-chan, Mariko-sama, but I need to prevent the fabric of space and time from being rent asunder by an upset Nyarlothepian.”

“Gabu-kun, is she really some kind of horrific alien? I really want to see her!” said the younger woman, flashing a fanged smile.

“Tensai-san, I’m not Shinoda Mariko anymore, you know,” sighed the older woman, a blonde with a bobbed haircut. “But when it comes to false auditions, I need to get involved. I don't care if Donuts-san is your boss or not, he's going to get a whipping if he keeps at this."

“Very well, ladies, try to keep up!” he said, walking out the door.

Back at the Shima Manor​

“Anyway,” said Masao to Haruka, “I wouldn’t worry too much about Do-san’s feelings. These sorts of issues have a way of resolving themselves…”

"Haruka! I need to tell you something! Haruka! Harukaaaaaaaaa!" suddenly rang out from the front. It was a familiar voice, known to both. Masao fixed a certain look at Haruka. “I believe we have company. Perhaps we should greet him at the door?”

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

“A toilet? No way.” Haruka leaned on her hand, shooting Masao an incredulous glance that quickly turned into a muffled gaze of admiration. “Well, your wife certainly gives me a new standard to uphold.” She shared in the festivity of enjoying her own pizza as well. The imagery certainly made her smile. To think that such a respectable man as Masao was bested by a toilet. Natsu should consider himself lucky. Perhaps she babied the Spymaster too much. As the mischievous thoughts went creeping across her head, the Shima woman listened to more of his advice.

The nature of a man was almost as elusive as a woman’s. Relationships were very complicated. If it wasn’t for Haruka’s stubborn nature, she’d have given up by now. On the contrary though, it was not Haruka’s stubbornness that gave her the tenacity to try and reach out for Natsu. It was the man himself. She had found home in another human being, and she wasn’t going to let that go.

“These sorts of issues have a way of resolving themselves…” As if on cue to Masao’s heartfelt encouragement, they both began to hear an incessant pounding on the door followed by the whining voice of a man she felt so fondly for. Haruka’s nearly let the piece of pizza fall from her mouth as she froze with fear and a bit of embarrassment.

“What is that idiot doing?” She sharply whispered. Haruka wanted to hide, but Masao then spoke. “Perhaps we should greet him at the door?” The Shima daughter rose up with a sudden shove of her chair. Grace and force bled in her steps. Her back straight and head high as she walked alongside Masao to the door. Her servants gave the woman a regretful look. “Forgive us, Lady Haruka. He just rushed past the gates-“ Haruka held up her hand to silence them. Quickly, she waved them away. Taking a deep breath, the dark haired noble composed herself.

The door was flung aside then with an impatient annoyance. Her cold, dead Haku stare glared out at Natsu. “Spymaster, what is the meaning of this nonsense? Do you realize this is a crucial time of day for people of high standing? We have several meetings of business ongoing over lunch here at the estate. Our business partners will surely think us incompetent if we can’t keep fools like you outside the gate and not pounding on our doorstep.” Haruka couldn’t help herself, despite having just fretted over her cold nature to Natsu. She just wanted him to conduct himself in a respectable manner than anyone could admire. Not to mention she was drowning in embarrassment at the mere sound of her name being wailed out by some strange man.

“What do you want, Natsu?” She spat out the question, not really thinking about her mannerisms for once. To even address him in such a way was unthinkable for the young woman. She let her closeness to him slip. The woman cleared her throat. “If you hadn’t notice, Do-San, I have a guest.”

MFT. 511

 

[Hameru Ren]

Finally his banging on the door elicited a response. The doors flung open inwards, nearly toppling Natsu over who was mid-swing. Looking up, seemingly surprised at the disappearance of the door, the cold stare of Haruka bored into the Jonin's eyes. A mix of raw emotions washed over him. Love, anger, adoration, confusion swirled about him, threatening to drag him under. And just as Natsu thought he had found footing, some ground to keep his balance, her voice send him under once more. It wasn't until he spotted Masao, standing just behind Haruka that the Spymaster regained his composure and cold logic. Straightening his back, the blond faced the Crow's wrath head on.

"Lady Shima. Always wonderful to see you." He said, his smile strangely both forced and genuine. "The reconstruction of the sun roof was scheduled for today. I have seen the team of Genin off this morning myself. All meetings have thus been rescheduled. Save for your meeting with my An-.. Sennin, it seems. I hope the reparation crew hasn't been too loud?" His voice was strained with effort not to crack under emotions. "As to what I want.." Natsu started, before pausing mid-sentence. His mouth still agape, the poor Spymaster seemed genuinely confused. What was it that he wanted? Had he not just spend two posts and more than a month thinking about the answer to that very question?

"I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream!" Natsu blurted out, before quickly realizing his mistake. "No! That's not what I want! Unless you'd wa.. I mean, no!" The Jonin coughed, clearing his throat. Not yet anyway. Sometimes.. No, make that often." The Spymaster stumbled, sighing. "It sometimes feels like you don't even know what you want until you find out you can't have it, right? Well, what if someone found out that someone else couldn't have someone and he'd want that someone to want that someone but at the same time the someone might not really want the other someone and.."

Natsu groaned. This was not going as he had imagined back in the Torre. "Shima Haruka, what, nay, who I want is you." There! That sounds a lot more like it.. Maybe a bit too much.. "Erm, I mean. That is, I was looking for someone to become my.. Assistant! No! Yes! Secretary! I mean.. Yes, that sounds more agreeable.. Right? Ah, but, erm.." Shaking his head, Natsu felt utterly foolish. Such a failure in front of both Haruka AND his Aniki. Only one way out remained.. Going down to his knee and taking the beauty's hand, the Spymaster looked up. "Will you go to dinner with me, Haruka?"

[OoC: Non-School related writing.. Feels odd. I did bad. But at least I finally did it.. Right?]
[Word Count: 440]
[Marked for Training]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

"It sometimes feels like you don't even know what you want until you find out you can't have it, right? Well, what if someone found out that someone else couldn't have someone and he'd want that someone to want that someone but at the same time the someone might not really want the other someone and.."

God dang it, Natsu... Masao facepalmed internally. Breath was the fuel of existence. For every word spoken, sigh uttered, or curse screamed to the heavens, a portion of one's life was expended in exchange for the privilege of bringing sound - and thus, meaning - to a silent world. Or so that was what the Daoists beleived, anyway. Donuts had wasted much breath to say little, and with every second, Haruka was growing less and less impressed. Masao was tempted to intercede, but stopped himself before he too could sacrifice breath. This was Donuts's battle.

"Shima Haruka, what, nay, who I want is you."

That's more like it! thought Masao, allowing a smile to crack his solmen features...

"Erm, I mean. That is, I was looking for someone to become my.. Assistant! No! Yes! Secretary! I mean.. Yes, that sounds more agreeable.. Right? Ah, but, erm.."

Jesus Himura Saito! Masao wondered briefly if he should simply commit seppuku in front of the two in order to distract Haruka from Natsu's epic fail. Fortunately, before he could make the first cut, the errant Spymaster went down on bent knee and grasped Haruka's hand.

"Will you go to dinner with me, Haruka?"

"Finally..." Masao uttered under his breath. The wrist-blade retracted back into his sleeve with a satisfying *snick* and he prepared for Haruka's response. At this point, a firm "NO" from her would probably have been entirely justified. However, her response wasn't the point - it was that Donuts had finally overcome the final hurdle to being a man. And what makes a man a king, asked Nara Ryuujin to me once? Punching suckers in the mouth and telling chicks straight-up that you like them.

And all of a sudden...​

"MASAO-NII-CHAN!!!!" screeched a sudden, familiar voice in the periphery of his senses. He turned his head to face the source of the sudden interruption, only to be suddenly glomped by none other than his secretary (and pet abomination) Nyaruko-chan! "Masao-nii-chan! I got in! I got in!!!" she gushed happily, hugging him with rib-crushing force as she bowled him over.

"What...what did you get into, damned fiend?!" he growled, trying to wrest her off.

"I got into Zero-Zero! Er, AKB0048!!! I'm going to be a trainee!!!" she squealed happily.

"Nyaruko, what the hell are you talking about? AKB requires you to send in a demo tape and fill out an application, none of which you've done, and..." began Masao.

"It's actually quite true, Sennin Takaki," said Tensai Gaburieru, who sauntered up with his trademark air of smug self-satisfaction and looking fabulous as always. "You see, Zero-Zero's manager, Mariko-sama, just happened to be in town along with Yuuko - you know who Yuuko is, right? And they just had to check out the famous 'Demon-Imouto-chan of Kumogakure'. When they asked her to show them a few moves and sing a bit, they were impressed enough to offer her a shot at joining the 78th successor class."

"Tensai-san is right about everything except for my name. I haven't been Shinoda Mariko in years," interjected a blonde woman with a bob-cut. "And Nyaruko-chan, as part of being a prospective idol, you know you cannot have any physical contact with men except for a handshake or a high-five. So that means no glomping your boss."

"H-hai!" said Nyaruko, blushing and standing at attention. "But Horigome-san and I... That means we can't..." A look of sadness washed over her face briefly.

"That's the price of being an idol, imouto-chan," said a younger woman with a prominent fang, as she ruffled Nyaruko's hair. "But hey, if he's true to you, he'll wait."

"Gaburieru..." began Masao, dusting himself off, "I assume there's a good explanation behind this?"

"Of course. Shall we proceed to the Torre Celeste?" asked the Master of Couriers.

Masao bowed to Haruka.

"It was truly a pleasure joining you for lunch today. I apologize, but I must leave to attend to some sudden matters that have come up. And as an aside, consider joining the Main. You look smashing in our uniform," he said, winking to her. "Do-san," he said, nodding to Natsu as one man might to another, before turning to leave with Tensai, the idols, and his now-former secretary.

[Topic Left. It was fun!]

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

Haruka’s back stiffened with astute annoyance. Well played, Spymaster. His parading of power clearly had no end and she stifled back a sneer. She hated that he had so much pull. His hand was everywhere, giving her no room for reign. “I wasn’t made aware of such renovations. They must have been quiet as mice.” The dark haired noble grinded a smile on her lips. Quieter than your clumsy ass falling through my roof! Her cold Haku eyes stared into poor Natsu as he struggled with his words. He seemed at a loss for thought. She understood there was a wall between them that halted the man from blurting out his true intentions.

So he just decided to make a fool of himself instead. Again. “You want to what?” He seemed just confused as the woman. What was more pitiful? To be such a hopeless idiot, or to be in love with one? His recovery was no less better than the start. Confusion filled her face as she looked back at Masao for aid to understand. But it seemed that even he could not understand his pupil.

"Shima Haruka, what, nay, who I want is you.”

The Shima’s heart beat for one fleeting second with hope as butterflies fluttered about her stomach. Alas, she was too quick to place her trust in Natsu’s words, as it seemed this wasn’t a confession of love. Her cheeks grew a bit rosy as the heat of her face rose with anger and embarrassment. “Secretary…” She growled under her breath. Her fist curled up ready to strike the someday Sennin. He saved himself this time though. “You owe me a lobster dinner anyway.” She forcefully pulled her hand away. “Don’t be late or make up any excuses to stand me up. And don’t be weird like you always are! If you can manage that then I guess I can agree.”

Suddenly the Eldritch Horror herself came barreling in at Masao. How the bloody fuck do all these people keep getting pass the gate guards? They are so fucking fired… Good help is so hard to find these days. Especially a handful of ninja that weren’t paid by the Spymaster. Absent mindedly Haruka bowed to Masao as he did so to her. So, Nyaruko was going to become an idol? Haruka smiled at the fantastic and slightly unrealistic possibility of being a star.

“Always leaving me for business, Masao-San.” She teased the man. “It seems a position for secretary may be opening. So, who knows? If Do-San meant what he said, then I’d gladly accept the offer. I think it may be time for me to move on from medical duties. Until then, my friend.” She bowed once more to the Sennin. Once he was gone, she quickly turned to Natsu. “You’ve ruined my lunch and its getting late. You might as well take me out now. We can talk more about this job offer.”

MFT. 490

 

[Hameru Ren]

"..I guess I can agree." He had succeeded! Raiden be praised and Baby Jesus Saito's toes be kissed! Of course, there had been hurdles along the way. A much more charming aniki to contend with, potentially upsetting the balance of the world by angering Imouto-Chan, the constant fear of impotence every man would be faced with sooner or later and let's not forget the excellent book-pelting skills Haruka herself possessed. The only remaining obstacle for the Spymaster would be to dissuade Nyaruko from going on a rampage soul and entertaining Haruka to the best dinner she'd ever had. Failing either would result in his complete and utter destruction.

"MASAO-NII-CHAN!!!!" Natsu stiffened, his revelry from earlier replaced by utter horror. Gaburieru had not managed to convince the cute little Demon to return to the Torre. She had used some sort of hellish Demon Gate to chase Natsu down and devour him. But before that she'd first rat him out to Masao and make his Aniki lose all faith in him an-.. "I got into Zero-Zero! Er, AKB0048!!! I'm going to be a trainee!!!" WHAT!? Natsu though confusedly, his reaction much the same as Masao. And then they appeared. Mariko, regardless of her claims, and Yuuko. Just how generous would Raiden be this day? Sending his angels in human form to stop the demon from devouring him and Haruka accepting his offer to a dinner. The latter being a matter much more pressing and possibly still lethal.

As Masao, Nyaruko, Gaburieru and the AKB idols left them, Natsu replying with a curt nod of his own, he focused his attention on the raven-haired beauty in front of him. "Right now? Very well, I'll see what I can arrange in terms of restaurant reservations. Would you allow me moment to get changed then, however? While Masao spoke nothing but the truth complimenting you in this outfit, I'm afraid these clothes of mine will not do. I shall return to pick you up straight after?" The Spymaster requested surprisingly smooth and already thinking of what to wear and where to eat.



"After you, milady." Natsu offered, holding open the door. It seemed Raiden's favor had not quite left him yet, the blond managing to stay collected so far without klutzing it up. As they entered the restaurant, Natsu looked around for a moment before spotting the maître d’hôtel. Explaining the situation shortly, the lack of reservation but the assurance he'd get compensated well, the man seemed to hesitate for a moment before swiftly resuming his duties for the pair. "Very well, sir and madam. Please, follow me."

Accepting the menu from Ryu Takeshi, as the maître had introduced himself, Natsu looked it through. The dishes had several exotic sounding names and none which could reassure the Spymaster they weren't poisonous. The hamburger was amazingly tempting to order, but the Jonin refrained from doing so. He'd have to impress Haruka after all. "See anything you like?" Natsu asked, offering Haruka a smile. The Jonin was starting to get nervous again. Not only the closeness to the Crow but also the unfamiliarity with the fancy restaurant were rather intimidating. "I'm thinking the Salmon would be a nice starter.." Had to make conversation somehow, no?

[Word Count: 535]
[Marked for Training]

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

"Alright, but hurry back." The woman advised, already turn back towards the house to change too. She glared at the few house servants that had gathered around the hall to investigate the disturbance brought on by Natsu. They dispersed back to their post as quickly as possible. Haruka leaned on her door with a sigh as it settled shut with a moaning creak. She wasn't sure what this dinner meant, but there was some progress between the Kaguya and Haku. She got dressed in a hurry and waited outside the gates nervously. As she saw his blonde hair peeking over the crowd of people walking in the exceptional sunshine, Haruka gulped down her nerves. She peeked out from the shade of her hat and smiled politely. "You better not take me to some run down pub in these clothes, Spymaster." She grimaced at her own words. Would it kill you to be nice? You are just going to push him away.

"Oh, thank you." She muttered, gracefully strolling through the doorway. Haruka was impressed that Natsu had managed to walk on two legs, breathe, and speak all without sounding or looking like a complete idiot during the duration of their whole stroll to the restaurant. He had also done well with picking a restaurant with high reviews. Her father and the other figureheads of the Shima clan often took their clients and potential business partners here to begin their nights of entertainment. "I think I will have the same to start." She answered from behind the menu. Natsu was clearly coming to the end of his slick streak. She'd have to help him along with conversation.

Promptly she set her meun down. Her dark eyes pierced his hopeful stare. "It seems Nyaruko-San will be busy with her idol training, so a secretarial position will be opening up at the Torre. If you meant what you said, I'd like to seize the opportunity." Her gaze wandered towards other tables. "I believe its time for me to move on from the hospital. I'm not accomplishing what I had hoped. My hands don't feel right with saving lives in such a way. That might be my Haku line within me." Looking back to him, Haruka let an audible sigh escape her lips. She was taking a leap with her next words. "Besides, it is as I told Masao...I wanted to be closer to you. You're going to be Sennin very soon and I want to help you in any way I can." Her cheeks warmed. Her body wanted to reject what she had said, but this was what she wanted. She had to stop running away from everyone.

MFT. 446

 

[Hameru Ren]

Nodding at Haruka’s agreement about the salmon, Natsu was about to call over Takeshi when the Crow abruptly set her menu down. Looking up from his own, the blond looked at the woman across of him. Green eyes looked into dark brown ones, trying to read what lay behind them. Something he’d rarely ever done with Haruka, the Spymaster realized. At the negotiation table it was an almost mandatory step to try and analyze your opponent. Yet either his confused feelings or her beauty had always caused him to drown in those eyes. This time he stayed oddly calm, though learned little. She had clearly become apt at hiding her inner thoughts.

“.. That might be my Haku line within me.”<i></i> The woman suggested, Natsu contemplating it for a moment. He thought it unlikely. After all, he was not a warmongering barbarian aching to die on the battlefield. Quite the opposite, in fact. Regardless, he would not press the matter on this. The Jonin was simply relieved she had accepted his offer, which indeed had been the real deal. Especially since Nyaruko had received such an extraordinary offer, as the Crow finely pointed out. Before the Spymasted could assure the Shima woman he’d be glad to have her on board, she took him by surprise with her next words.

“I.. Yes.”<i></i> Natsu said, the astonishment still clear in his voice. He coughed, hoping to get it out of there. “I would gladly welcome your help. Thank you. I’ll make certain the Medical Sennin will be informed, Jonin Shima Haruka.”<i></i> The Spymaster spoke. It felt lackluster though. The Crow had just taken off her mask, revealed some of her tightly guarded feelings. Surely he could do better than simply brush it off like that? Gripping the napkin next to his hand, as if it would somehow provide him any support, he opened his mouth before being interrupted by Takeshi. “Have you decided on your starters, Madame? Monsieur?”<i></i>

Cursing the man internally, Natsu forced a smile onto his face. “Yes, I’ll have the salmon to start with please.”<i></i> He paused for a moment, allowing Haruka to state her own order, in case she had changed her mind. “Very well. Would you like me to fetch you the wine card, sir?”<i></i> Takeshi inquired. “No.. Not yet. Later.”<i></i> Natsu responded. The maître apparently got the hint, departing with a bow. “I apologize if you would’ve liked some wine. I simply wanted to say something undisturbed of my own, if you would permit me?”<i></i> If she did, Natsu would take a deep breath before starting.

“My words from earlier.. At the manor. I did not mean to offer you the job. That is not to say I withdraw the offer, certainly not. I.. Raiden be cursed. When I said I wanted you, I mean it just like that.”<i></i> Natsu confessed, a red color creeping up to his cheeks and ears. “I have thought long about this, Haruka. Yet try as I might, I simply cannot get you from my mind. You may have pieced it together from my clumsy attempts, but I like you. A lot.”<i></i>

Taking a small pause, Natsu’s eyes were fixed sternly onto the table. The last thing the Shima should see now was his blush. “However, you also confuse me. I often do not know whether you like me in return or utterly hate me. Nor do I know if, should it be the latter, I could ever truly make you happy. It is clear I am a bumbling fool whenever I’m around you and do not doubt I’ll misunderstand you much more often in times to come. And with my line of work, yours now too, I do not even know how often I’ll be able to see you.”

“Even as my secretary, deep cover operations are still a possibility and if I indeed would succeed Masao-Sama I am certain I will have a very tightly packed schedule. There is of course the possibility of death. As Sennin more than ever.”<i></i> The blonde finally looked up, the blush still present though expression much more concentrated. “If you would love me, I’m afraid I’ll end up hurting you more often than I could ever hope to prevent. I am not certain if I dare force that on you.”<i></i>

[OoC: Transfer to Main Branch approved, at Jonin Rank. Request your new banner >here<!]

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

Haruka felt her creeping disappointment crawl upon her face. Natsu's cold acceptance of her help left even the Haku child shivering. This was a rejection of her feelings, so she thought in that moment trying to not let a frown show. The Shima felt her hope slipping in silent resignation. Fortunately, the waiter had appeared to distract her for just a little longer. “I will have the same to start, thank you.” The Spymaster refuted the chance to start on wine for some peculiar reason. She raised an eyebrow. Holding her breath, Haruka was almost scared to let him go on. She feared so greatly to be rejected and hurt by him. It was such a strange feeling. “Of course.” The dark haired woman muttered.

His eloquence had come to an end once again. He tripped over the words on his tongue desperately. He was nothing of the man she always dreamt she would have affections for. Natsu was laughable in moments, a stuttering fool, and was nowhere near the elevation of birth Haruka was. He was everything her family disapproved of. In fact, it wasn't her place to fall in love. The Shima tradition dictated that offspring were given arranged marriages. Being a daughter, Haruka would one day marry a nobleman or perhaps a grand merchant. Haruka hadn't even considered what horrible monster she tempted with her disobedience. She had never planned this though. The young woman honestly had believed her life would follow a straight path. Then one day, a strange man crashed through fragile glass...It was in that moment that her fragile world shattered too. She had been so alone before and never knew. He created a craving in Haruka. The crave for a companion and to no longer be the dormant daughter who played by all the rules.

"When I said I wanted you, I mean it just like that.”

Her thoughts became an unfathomable storm of thoughts and emotions in an instant. She so horribly had become vulnerable, but for once in her life she enjoyed it. Her stomach filled with a tingling joy as her body warmed with a strange sense of love she had never known. He so shyly looked away while her eyes remained firmly fixed on his face. She absorbed every trace on that face, studying every movement carefully. He grew red, abashed by his confession. Clearly he had concerns she had never given thought to, but more importantly Haruka had remained too guarded. The Spymaster was left confused to her own intentions towards him. Haruka feared such an uncertain future, but felt herself gravitate towards it with full acceptance of the consequences. This was her life to live. No one else would take it from her. No more of the meek mouse lady with a polite smile. This was the real her from now on.

Her hand reached for his own gently. “You may hurt me, but I will hurt you too. This is inevitable. You are the only one who sees me. Who makes me smile. I will not let that go. I won't let anyone take that away from me, not even you. I won't let you run.” The determination burned in her dark eyes. She pulled his hand towards her softly and brushed her lips against his knuckles. “Do Natsu, I too like you. A lot.” Her playful side peeked out as she smirked mischievously. As if on purpose, the waiter came back with their appetizers. She promptly let go of his hand, but laid her's down on the table near his.