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Their eyes met for a brief moment before she seemed to be swept from the room in a violent gale of wind, and as she did her body dropped to the ground, eyes wide open and her lungs struggling to take weak gasps of air. Within the genjutsu Kira was terrified. No. Terrified, while it was the strongest word she could think of didn't come close to the paralizing feeling of being whipped through the tornado like windstorm of her mind. It was a genjutsu, and though she had yet to actually see this one she couldn't believe that she had allowed herself to get caught in it. This was the second instance where she had stupidly allowed the situation to happen, and she should have known better. In her mind she screamed as best she could with the rapid pulse of air seeming to take the wind strait out of her lungs, and wept for the realization that the one person she had trusted would do this to her.

In the end the anger dissipated, and Maku knew he never could have truly killed Kira.  What reason did he have, and he felt embarrassed at his loss of control.  A boy, he still was it appeared.  Resheathing his sword, he knelt down besides Kira, and placed his hands on her face.  He entered his own mind into the genjutsu that had her locked away, his most powerful weapon. 

Inside, he caused the hurricane like winds to stop, and Kira to land on both legs in front of him.  This was his world, he was a god inside of it.  Capable of great things, and yet capable of nothing.  "This is how you made me feel Kira.  Powerless, swept away in the winds of destiny.  I have never been made to feel that way, in my entire life I have always felt like I had control of my fate until that one brief moment.  Our lives are so fragile, and I want so much.  I am a man who wants everything, and yet I can afford nothing.  I am not content with this spit of a village.  I want everything, everything I lay my eyes on I want it to be mine.  I am a jealous man, a man filled with envy.  I am full of lust, but not only for women, but for all aspect of life."

He turned as tears rolled down his eyes.  In this world of genjutsu were all the power was his, the gale of wind swept around him, preventing Kira from getting close to him if she sought to comfort him.  "What am I to do when these feelings are what cause me to continue with my life.  I abandoned my own village because of boredom, and the desire to find more for myself.  You hear me, TO FIND MORE FOR MYSELF!"  He emphasized the last word. Emotions that had been boiling inside his mind were all coming to fruition at this moment. He realized who he really was. A sinful little boy, not satisfied with the blessings presented him.

The moment her feet touched down against the ground she fell, her broken body not able to take the weight. The flashbacks resonated through her mind, and in time with it the genjutsu seemed to almost shift. The great whirling winds that kicked up or died down at maku's command were ever present, threatening her life in the event she acted out, but the world they were in seemed to black out only to come back into focus. Unless he changed the genjutsu back the area would be the training grounds outside of the academy of konoha. She crawled backwards, trying desperately to get out of where she was, though it was clear that there was no escaping this place. She could almost see the red eyes as the torture woke up the terrors once more. 

     "Kira....Be still" The voice in her mind was joined by another, and the two finished the statement in unison. She looked up at maku with eyes filled with tears at terror, coming into the monologue a little earlier then the half way point and frozen in place only a short distance away. She felt her lips move, but not at her command. 

     "Maku. Or perhaps I am speaking to Kani. Yes. I'm certain this isn't the man I entrusted these two with. This is not the man that met our sorrows with hope. With a horrific blood curdling scream Selene came into the picture standing tall and defiant beside the girl. Kira stayed still as the words came from her lips in a tone and pitch that was unlike her. 

Selene:

     "Is it her fault Kani? Is it her fault you feel weak? This girl who you taught to be strong...This girl who you raised from a terrified child to a powerful Konoichi, Is it truely because of her you feel so inadequate? You have gone from a humble Missing ninja fighting to survive to the man who oversees a village, part of a powerful team, and you Kani.....Maku.....You have many who look up to you. " The newcomer's voice spoke with purpose and as she spoke kira's lips formed the same words, speaking once more with a tone not her own but of the demon of chance Amber's. Kira watched the scene play out, unsure what would happen next, but knowing it could be a saving grace, or a damnation. She had little doubt with the way these two girls worked it would be the latter. As they finished Kira would speak finally, being allowed to talk as herself this time once Amber said her peace. 

     "Maku.....I looked up to you. I fought to be your equal because you.....I suppose it doesn't matter. " Her eyes dropped to the ground. "You were so kind. So much.....You were exactly what I needed. I will never allow you to fall the way youka did. Every shinobi I teach I teach with intense battle, but a kind heart. I got that....From you.."

Another presence entered besides Maku at this point.  The fox demon, the jester, trickster, whatever his name was, it was the mental construct that Maku had taken upon himself to help Youka overcome his own mind.  It had been a daring and selfless thing to do, but he had done it for his friend.  Selene's words fell on mostly deaf ears.  Her words didn't matter and didn't even touch the point.  Of course it wasn't Kira's fault, it never or would never be.  However the power that coursed through her blood, the power of her KKG were something that Maku coveted.  As these thoughts ran through his mind, the jester spoke.

"Such a boring game, with boring puppets mister Maku.  Why not finish them off, we could play with the shadows if we stole her powers."  He would whisper in Maku's ears.  The thought was tempting, just like the temptation to take the eyes of Yorice.  Turning, Maku looked upon Selene.  Raising his right hand, he would cause a gust of wind to shatter across her image, and lock her away leaving Kira alone.  How she relied on that entity, it had always bothered Maku slightly.  He would mold the genjutsu to prevent a return appearance of her.  At the same time, the wind would blast the jester demon away, preventing his own commentary on the situation.  It would leave the two of them alone, the tempest howling all around, crushing and destroying the images her mind had created, desolation wide spread.

"I think you use her to hide behind to much, stand up for yourself."  He would say, looking at her on the ground.  "What is it you want Kira, for me to stop what I am.  You said you looked up to me, then look upon my true face and see what it is you looked up to."  He would say, as the wind blew ever harder, destroying everything around him.  Kira had always thought Youka was the most evil in the group.  The one who loved blood and violence, however she had always seen Maku as the kind and gentle one.  However she could never have been more wrong.  Maku was what he had to be.  He fit in to all social circles with his silver tongue, and perfect speech.  A small brat from some piss village, elevated to a leader, Kira had been right in that regard.  However it still wasn't enough.  Only when he had all the power he could gain, and had achieved the glorious death he sought would he truly be satisfied.  His name written across the heavens, remembered for a thousand thousand years, then he would feel fulfilled.  For now however he still had a long way to go.  Everything Maku had told Echo was the truth. He wanted to protect others, and would die for them.  His tone had reflected senserity and truth, and maybe in that moment in the presence of one man he respected above all others for his power, he had shifted in purpose.  However now, alone in his own mind, and with Kira's speech, he returned to his original state of mind.

If it wasn't for her and this speech of hers, he really might have continued down the right path and made himself into a noble and model ninja.  However his own selfishness reveled itself.  The complexity of his emotion always battling each other.  His desires often overcoming the goodness inside his soul.  Yes, he would protect Kira, but only for as long as it suited him.

In the real world, Maku's hands would glow with chakra, as he infused more of his own power into Kira's mind.

-40ap

840ap remaining

She watched as the Hell's angel's body shattered like glass to return to her subconscious. In a moment the tears stopped. Her eyes traced the ground for a moment as she felt her power course through her veins and then she looked up with a gaze filled with almost stifling resolve. 

     "One cannot stop what they are Maku. The question is do you really want to be this. This cold man or this kind soul is yours to choose. We have made our choice before and lived with the consequences. " The voices in her head stopped all together, and she could feel something slipping from her mind. A warm smile filled her mind, though it never showed on her lips or face. The confusion and chaos that had always been in the back of her head, clouding her thoughts and filling her body with an unrelenting terror or sadness melted away finally. The link was complete and Amber was gone. No. That wasn't what this was, she thought to herself. Amber was home. 

     She pushed off of the ground on shaky legs to stand before him finally as a completed entity once more. "Maku. You will probably not believe this, but we were once cold. Heartless. We murdered for the look on our victims faces as they took their last breath and drank deep in terror like a fine wine. It was when we were given sight into the effects of our soul that we realized this was not the life we wished to persue. This body....This mind that you knew was not my true mind. It was the terrified mind of a child seeking my guidance. Together as one we are now whole once more. "

"Such a shame that you should meet me here on this day then." Maku would say walking over to her.  The scene would shift, into  the style of a house, with multiple boxes throughout the room.  Each one with an opened lid.  "I think you would be better off if you lived inside your mind alone for a time.  In time I have no doubt that this will end.  However for now it will do.  Let it be a gift, I am giving you the chance to walk on your own two feet."  He would walk up to her, and place his hands on her head.  His genjutsu winds wrapping her, leaving the scenery untouched, but keeping her from moving.  

"I can't let you remember this, and I also seek to mend relations with you and Youka.  I need you both to elevate me beyond measure.  In time the truth will be revealed, but when it is, I feel like I will long be gone from the need to hide it.  Also, I don't know who this new person is, but I like her more than Selene, much less gloom and doom." He would say winking, his charisma overtaking the brooding he had before.  Taking control of his emotions once more.  He would allow her one more moment to speak, before he would institute what he planned to do. 

In the real world his hands would glow all the more, the chakra a deluge into Kira's mind.

She would look into his eyes without fear, a trait she had failed to do before she was sucked into this strange world via Maku's visual genjutsu. "Welcome home m'lady......I knew you would find the will to stop hiding eventually. " Selene's voice would resonate in her ears and a smile would come to Kira's face. 

    "We are truely Hell's Angel Kiranomo. The combination of the scared girl and the broken woman meant to become one upon existence. It has taken us time.....But finally together we can show our true strength." She dropped her head slowly, closing her eyes. The scene around her was strange but she knew with the power of the scythe of sorrow and the will of it's master finally having become one they would be able to, goddess allowing, handle what came next.

Leaning in, Maku would kiss the top of her head before whispering, "I don't know if I like who I am or not.  But the choice is made, and I will see it bear fruit."  As the last word left his lips, the deluge of chakra from the real Maku took hold and shattered like a pillar of light through the roof to envelop Kira.  Once it did, Selene and the other entity that Maku did not know would be cast out and into one of the boxes, before having the lids slam shut, locking all of Kira's knowledge of them away.  Another light would leave Kira's body and enter another box having the lid close upon it as well.  It was all the bad memories she had of Youka.  She would forget when he had tried to kill her, and all the times he had been overly cruel to her.

Maku took up the full role of archetect as he erected barricades inside of her mind, hiding the fear and any hate she might have of Youka, leaving her only with the good memories of him.  Along with that was any recollection she would have of the interaction she had just shared with Maku in this genjutsu.  Instead, it would seem as though she had simply passed out upon looking up at him when she first entered his office.  Smiling, Maku would release her, and the genjutsu would break.

In the real world, he would lift Kira, and place her on a chair.  "Kira, Kira, are you ok, do you need anything?"  He would say rousing her to be awake.  Memories safely locked away, protecting his secrets.  Along with that, both Selene and the other entity locked in a box unable to communicate with Kira.  Instead for a time she would have to live life as just Kira again.  Maku still thought he did her a favor, if she could be strong alone, she could be stronger when whole.

The face that would greet her upon her awakening would be one of ever most concern and caring.

The world would swirl away for kira as she was slowly brought to as the genjutsu released it's grip from her mind. Her head shifted left to right a fraction of an inch several times before finally her eyelids would flutter open. "M..maku?" Her body felt weak and her head heavy. She could feel her pulse tapping a rapid rhythm against her temple. "Wha...where...What happened."

"You tell me, you were talking normal, then you seemed to slip and fall, hitting your head.  You've been out for a couple minutes now.  However, I don't see a laceration or anything so I think you'll make it."  He would say looking at her head, and talking in a soothing voice.  Once he had mock looked over her, he would sit on his desk. 

"So you were saying your gonna join Iwagakure as a full ninja huh.  Pretty bold step don't you think?  I am sure it will surprise Youka as well."  He would ask.  Thanks to his interactions all the bad things that had happened would be locked away.  It was like he had never been upset with her, had never caused her pain.  He had mentioned Youka as well, to see what she would say.  She should have no memories of him hating her, only of the good times they spent together on missions.  Hopefully he had done a good enough job to make the whole thing seamless.