Dichotomy (Maku)

The Kunoichi raised a blonde eyebrow in surprise as he questioned reality. The literal part of her wanted to argue, even if only in her head. Real was tangible, what was there. And yet as a genjutsu user, she knew that the senses could be fooled with absurd ease should someone try. Did believing in something make it real? Did faith have that power? Akihana had always felt that believing the best in people eventuality made them believe in the best in themselves, and it had worked so far. Though the young woman would never be conceited enough to think that something similar had happened here due to her own doing, the medic still wondered... Reality was negotiable, he was right in a sense, not that she would agree. It was best to remain quite and observe.

She knew what as happening even as her golden gaze lifted to the ring, a mere point of focus, it mattered little. Had he wanted to trap her in a genjutsu, he would have done it even before she saw him. No, it wasn't particularly of note that he was a Genjutsu user like her, what was of note was that he was... trying to do something nice for her. The thought sat uncomfortably in her mind for a few seconds, the weakly held jutsu still allowing her access to all her faculties should she wish. And yet the more the vision around them solidified, the more Akihana felt her mind drifting, her eyes lighting up in excitement and a small smile starting on her lips until it had blossomed into a full, beatific one as she watched Konoha all around her.

It had been seven years since the kunoichi had seen so much green, and she hadn't realized how much she's missed it until her eyes took in the pilling leaves and plants, the thick canopy overheard, the laughter of children as they ran around trees that seem to sprout everywhere in Konohagakure. It was all she could do to not get up and run and play with them, freed from the now and back to the child she had once been, running along the streets, her shoes ungracefully slapping the hard ground as she made her way to the gates to check if her grandfather was back from his latest mission...

The soft peal of laughter that bubbled up inside her, only to escape to escape through her lips surprised even herself. But few things in the world were as amusing as watching an annoyed woodchuck attack a pile of logs and it felt good to laugh. A week ago, she had been sure she would never laugh again and here she was, trying and failing to retrain the soft peals of laughter. As a little girl approached and handed her a flower, Akihana patted the child's head, almost able to feel the texture of the girl's hair. Had the jutsu been cast with more intent, she would have felt it, as it was, the reality of this was just enough.

Sometimes things were just real enough to believe in, even if not entirely true.

The bison around them faded eventually, melting into the sunlight and taking Akihana's laughter with it. Signs of it lingered though, and even if her smile was no longer as bright, it still retained a fond, subdued quality as it decorated her otherwise plain face. The kunoichi listened as her companion played the harmonica, both glad that it had formed at least partly functionally and in awe at his skill with the instrument. He really did love music if he could play like that.

When he finally placed the mouth organ down and looked at her once more, the medic found herself averting her eyes, for once glad of the loose tendrils of gold framing her face and providing a tiny barrier in her favor. He had asked a question that seemed... Language was complicated, but some words were simple enough.

"I never hated you," she spoke softly, addressing the neatly folded hands in her lap instead of meeting his gaze. Even as she said the words, she could feel the guilt beginning to seep through her being. "Not even then," she added honestly. in her defense though, she had tired. She had worked hard to try and hate this man, reliving the horrible things he had done over and over again but in the end, her very nature hadn't allowed her to. Because to hate him would mean to become like everyone else. It would mean to give way to hatred. And that was not something Akihana could ever live with.

"But i have yet to forgive you," she added, raising her eyes slightly to his face. "And I don't know if I'll ever be able to."

Listening to the blonde, he considered all her words.  Not hating him, but not forgiving that was fair.  More fair than a lie would have been.  Emotions where not black and white, life was not black and white....not really.  As much as he had tried to extinguish that part of himself to steal himself to victory it became obvious he would never be able to.  Even if he had, what victory would he really have gained, only to suffer defeat.  

"Akihanna.....I think we are done.  I appreciate your time, and your efforts."  With that the bijuu behind Maku faded from existence...never having been real in the first place.  As the vapor dispersed it was like reliving that defeat all over again.  It wasn't that he had lost, but the way he had lost.  Left to quiver like a new born babe in the woods.  He didn't know if he could forgive himself, or really where to go from here.  Far from stir his passions to train, it made him think that his own path was the wrong one.

A path he had been set upon for so long, he continued to travel it out of habit instead of conviction.  A man without conviction however, was no man at all.......but was Maku a man, or simply a boy doing his best to play at it.  All these things crossed his mind, and without meaning to or any thought, his face began to fall.  Standing he collected all of his things, sans the blanket which he had promised to Akihana.  As he made it to his feet, his body flashed gold three times, quickly activating and deactivating the susano'o armor, the agreed upon signal from his brother.  Should she look into his eyes they would be the dark crimson streaked with black that she had first seen.

"Akihanna, the world is a large place.  So large it is easy to forget your place in it if we have such a thing.  If you only do the things you have known, you will only receive what you have gotten.  I hope some of what we have talked about will stick with you.  However, if you wish to talk any more.....well my brother would probably not mind you coming and seeing a miracle here and there..."


Turning from her, he looked at the space behind him.  As if he thought something would appear there.

“Who’s the chick again?” Toma, a creation of Den’s that looked to be in his early teens, asked as he walked alongside Den. He kept his un-bandaged eye looking off to the right at the mirror next to them, made of water that reflected the image of a place worlds away.

Around them grass, trees, and flowers, even animals seemed to come in existence form nowhere, Den projecting his power of creation around himself as he and Toma walked. The air was filled with the scents of nature, the animals all ran around, the trees swayed in the light breeze.

Den ignored Toma’s use of the word chick, instead turning his own blue eyes to look upon the golden light that encompassed Maku for a moment, before flickering on and off a few times. It was an interesting ability, one that the Gobi believed was like Susanoo, if it wasn’t in fact that actual technique but in smaller form. Maku seemed to possess many interesting abilities, somehow he had managed to possess sharingan that were far more powerful than Den’s own, even more powerful than the Mangekyou he had.

Maku and the world around him froze as Den slowed down time, due to Sanctuary’s being disconnected from the real world he could make the delay on his teleportation take its full time in Sanctuary, but seem like no time at all in the real world.

“So are you going to do anything cool?” Toma asked as he realized Den was about to travel back to the world where he was from, the one Maku was in.

Den smirked, turning his gaze towards Toma, “Doubtful. I’ll be back in a few.” The time within the realm they stood in re-synced with the real world and Den disappeared, reappearing behind Maku.

His form was not quite as fierce as the one Maku had created the illusion of before, a young man standing at 6 feet tall, black haired and possessing bright blue eyes. He was dressed similar to that of a Jounin, save his vest was dark brown and the rest black. He had no weapons on his save the ones in the kunai holster, and the weapons in the pouch on his belt.

Den’s blue eyes would look at Akihana first, bowing courteously before speaking, “It’s nice to meet you ma’am.”

After speaking Den would walk forward to stand beside his brother, nodding to him as he did so and asking, “So I take it you’re done here then?”

As the blond male thanked her for her time,. Akihana's golden eyes widened in surprise as Kurama faded completely from the background, understanding dawning only two seconds after the kyuubi's chakra had completely disappeared from the world around them. There had never been a bijuu... at least not out here. Days later, maybe weeks even, the Kunoichi would find it in herself to reason out that of course he had put her under a genjutsu this whole time, even if to a minimal degree. He had as much reason to trust her from the start as she had to trust him. The blonde would spend hours contemplating why it had bothered her in the first place, a well thought out, strategic move that would be expected of any skilled ninja, that such a move didn't warrant the slight stab of betrayal she had felt in the moment the kyuubi vanished. But that was how feelings worked, often without cause or logic and even as she withdrew her gaze from where the beast ha once appeared to be, the Kunoichi remained puzzled.

Puzzled and perhaps even slightly hurt, though why she could never begin to explain. The confusion of why he had chosen to let the illusion go now though dominated Akihana's emotional forefront. Was it a sign? Was he saying he trusted her enough now to know? Figuring it out however didn't seem nearly as important in the next instant as she raised her eyes to his face once more, only in time to see it fall in a look of pure dejectedness that made everything else take a back seat in that moment. The medic knew that look, she knew it all too well.

The young woman had to remind herself that this was a relative stranger, and that her hugs would not be as appreciated as they usually were around Kumo under such circumstances. Still, watching someone who had suffered a great loss pulled at her heart strings, making it even harder to believe what she had seen a week ago and associate it with the young man in front of her as she watched him quietly gather his things, ready to leave.

"You know, our place in the world is only with the people we care most about," she managed, not quite meeting his crimson gaze as he sent out a signal of sorts. Upon his invitation to join him and his brother, the ANBU Operative contemplated the offer of a miracle. Akihana had always believed in them as a child and as an adult, she really needed to see one to learn to believe again. A small one had happened earleir, she had found herself laughing when a day ago, it seemed like she would never laugh again. Perhaps witnessing another would make her see the good she so desperately sought in humanity. Mankind couldn't redeem itself if it was never given a chance and if a chance was all someone asked for, then Akihana was obligated to give it to them.

In the end, her reasons didn't matter as she stood up, picking the red and black blanket and folding it neatly before placing it on top of her picnic basket. There were still a few sandwiches left and a good half of the plum cake. But leftover food was the farthest thing from her mind as she watched another young man arrive at the seen. Brother, Maku had called him and yet the raven haired male looked nothing like her picnic companion. Still, she knew better than to trust in looks.

"Hello," she greeted back politely, years of formal conditioning growing up making the young woman lower her gaze politely before raising it once more to meet his light blue one. "I'm Akihana, its nice to meet you." And then out of habit "Would you like some food, we have a bit leftover."

At her words and prior to his signal a simple whisper was let out.  So quite, it could have easly been missed if but by the slightest lapse of attention.  "Then what....if we care for no one, is there no place for me."  The rest of his actions went through of course and he watched his brother greet the female.

"This is Denkitiki."  He said giving the introduction on his brothers behalf.  "They were decent I must say.." He added at her word of food.  Walking over to stand beside his brother he would watch Akihanna.  The difference in their physical appearance was easy to see.  The height, hair, all of it was diffrent.  However, just as it had been in shima it was the signature of their chakra that set showed the similarity.  While distinguishable, they undoubtedly were similar.  It was somethkng Maku had sensed back then and continued to feel now.  

"This one is Akihanna has she has said.  Part of Kumogakure.  I'm not really sure about much beyond her medic background, which maybe you will find intresting.  Though, perhaps she knows something involving kumo, if your still intrested in such things."  His eyes returned to their normal state, the sharingan fading as quickly as it had been activated.  His tone was a bit more flat, more matter of fact than it had been a moment before.  It was clear that their meeting was over, and a new social confrontation had begun.

"Not sure what you would like to do."  While there was no malice or even a hint of threat or violence it was probably still clear what was meant.  "I'd like to go back sooner rather than later though.  This place," gesturing around him, "I can honestly say I no longer care for it to much"

With that he would wait.  Leaving the ball in Den's court as it were.  If Akihana looked worried, or made any movements that signaled some form of distress, he would add simply "No need for violence any more though.  This ground has had enough violence, even for me.....I find the game a little less fun."

Tired was the best way to describe his actions, movements and even the tone. Where before he had so much life, it seemed drained now. It had all started at the end of the song, it had been beautiful and had caused his mind to wander through a great many topics, while this was nothing new...the fact that they were important topics left him drained. His normal off the wall thinking briefly interrupted by feelings of conviction and purpose, it was a great deal to wrestle with.

The offer of food was kind, but Den had what perhaps could be viewed as an overly suspicious nature, but considering the events in his life Den thought it was perfectly reasonable to not trust strangers, or their gifts, on principle. While the odds that the woman had poisoned the food somehow were low, as Maku seemed find as far as Den could tell, he had also thought that the odds of a thankful beggar robbing him were low and that happened. Den had really bad luck, and he didn’t want to press it. There was only one way to avoid the situation.

“No thank you, I just ate.” His tone remained polite, while he was distrustful of strangers he also didn’t want to give them any reason to dislike him.

After he declined the offer Maku explained that Akihana perhaps had interesting knowledge, implying she was perhaps a skilled medical ninja, and that she may also have knowledge of Kumo. Seeing as the message Minorin had wrote before her death had implied Kumogakure’s involvement this was of course very interesting to Denkiteki, however he doubted the woman would just allow him to access her village’s secrets after just meeting, so when he spoke he expressed no interest in the village.

Maku said he was ready to leave, but Den decided he had a few questions for the woman himself. He answered his brother after Maku expressed his boredom with the mountains they were in, “I’ll take us back in a moment.” Den hoped the answer would be sufficient, if Maku made the comment about no violence, Den would add, “Don’t worry, I just have a few questions.”

“So you’re a medical ninja?” Den’s blue eyes would return to Akihana once more, his curiosity evident, “I was trained to use medical ninjutsu as well, do you specialize in anything?”

Den was curious as to what field of medical ninjutsu the woman specialized in, was she a field medic, a scientist, a taijutsu user that used medical chakra to harm their enemy’s body and enhance their own? There were so many ways to utilize medical ninjutsu, Den hoped that perhaps he could learn something from Akihana while also trying to gleam information about Kumo from her, of course he had another plan that would allow him to get all of the information he would need, but he wasn’t sure if it would work.

Usually, Akihana would have smiled, no matter how minimally, at being introduced to someone but at that moment, the kunoichi simply couldn't summon the minuscule amount of strength it would take to curve her lips upwards in a small gesture of politeness. The small moment of relief she had experienced earlier was all gone now as Maku returned to his formal tone, almost as if... as if the meeting hadn't really happened. Akihana found herself wondering whether there was some truth in Maku questioning reality earlier, it certainly appeared so. But now was not the time to be thrown by philosophical questions. Even as the introductions were made, the medic recalled he book she had studied when she was first reinstated as a medical ninja over a year ago. DNA and Bloodlines, and though she had scarcely glanced at the teenage looking author, the name was unique enough to be memorable.

"Denkiteki Hayato?' she asked curiously, keeping her tone polite despite the uneasy feeling that ha begun to creep over her, alerting her to a sense of danger that she couldn't explain. "I read your works on kekkei genkai and their relations to DNA," she added for further clarification. He appeared to have come in peace, the young woman tried to resewn with herself as she watched the blond male make his way to the raven haired one. Watching them stand side by side, one could only tell they were brothers by sensing their chakra, and Denkiteki was making no efforts to hide his.

Perhaps she was just being paranoid?

Just as she was about to admonish herself internally for being overly suspicious, Maku spoke once again about leaving, but his offer of an invitation earlier was now posed at the other man, and it didn't sound as much an offer now as it did a strongly worded suggestion, one that would be in her best interest to follow through on. Golden eyes flicking quickly to both men before roving towards he winding mountain path that had led her here, Akihana considered making a run for it for the briefest moment before discarding the notion. She had seen what Maku was capable of, his brother - it was safe to assume - would be just as talented.

The distress on her face must have shown because the next moment, her companion was adding that there would be no need for violence, leaving "if she complies" unsaid and while it was unsaid, was the part she heard the loudest ringing in her ears as the newcomer moved forwards to try and steer the conversation into more polite waters.

"Uh... medical g-genjutsu," the blonde replied, before clearing her throat slightly, her golden eyes once again searching for an escape that didn't seem to be coming. "I mean, I deal with trauma patients mostly. Working to dull pain and senses during intense injury or surgery." The blonde bit her lip slightly, her fear and apprehension giving it away. Now she would appear even more of a novice than ever before, a Genjutsu user who had been taken in so easily with a vision of the kyuubi. The idea of befriending the kyuubi now seemed embarrassing enough to never meet Maku's gaze ever again.

"How about you?" she asked cautiously, making conversation more than anything else. Because at the end of it, all three of them knew what was going to happen. And there was nothing she could do about it except prolong the inevitable. "Do you specialize in anything particular?"

Watching the two interact, Maku's face had become bored with the situation. This was now a conversation between these two. No longer did he exactly have a lot to say on the matter. Medical mumbo jumbo was something he didn't really understand, or really care about. All he knew was Youka was clearly a failure at it, since he still wasn't able to use the Uzumaki blood line he had been promised. Even after multiple times learning about it, studying it, and overall trying to use it in some way.......well he still couldn't do it. Basically it was a big bummer.

Trying to look mildly interested after realizing how rude it was to be bored.....well he could barely make it happen. Sighing, he walked away, and found a decent sized rock. Sitting down, he put his hands behind his head, and waited. They would be leaving soon, that was what mattered. However they seemed to be going the long way down a short road. Nonetheless he would wait fro them to have their conversation.

The woman recognized him from his work, it was actually one of the first times that had happened to Den. It of course made sense that a medical ninja had a copy, as quite a few had purchased the book, Den just didn't spend much time with other medical ninjas, preferring to work on his own for the most part. He smiled as she finished explaining she had read the book, though he wasn't entirely sure how to respond, so he just said, "I hope you enjoyed it."

After that the conversation continued, an Akihana answered Den's question by explaining that she used a mix of genjutsu and medical jutsu, and that she worked with trauma patients as well as those who bad extremely painful injuries or had to undergo surgery. Den had hoped that perhaps she would be interested in genetics, but he had been unlucky it seemed. He had hoped that he could entice a fellow scientist with knowledge of human biology, but he would have to resort to some other tactic it would seem.

Maku would walk off as Akihana asked Den about what he specialized in, and Den wondered if taking the diplomat approach was perhaps not the best course of action, as there was in fact no need and it seemed to just be making Maku bored. That coupled with Den not really having any idea on how to convince the woman to come with them willingly made him realize he didn’t really have any choice.

Den would glance at Maku as he walked away before sighing himself, looking back at Akihana. He ignored the question, the whole conversation now seeming pointless as he was abandoning the approach so soon. He wasn’t normally rude enough to do that, but instead fof responding to the question he said, "I'm terribly sorry, I don't like to be this blunt usually but it seems my brother has grown very bored. Your village stands accused of being associated in the murder of a close friend of mine, and I'm going to need you to come with me so I can ask you a few questions about the incident." Den appeared genuinely sorry as he spoke, as he honestly didn't think the woman was involved in any way. But she knew the people in the village, who was in power, what they were capable of, information that hopefully could help him find out who within Kumo could be involved.

"I'd prefer if this didn't have to get messy, I don't mean you any harm." Unless she was in fact involved, but Den felt that it wouldn't be wise to mention that. Instead he would extend his hand outward, his own eyes flickering in color as he activated his own sharingan. The red bled into the young sages blue eyes, his eyes appearing purple a mere moment before the red became dominant, and 3 tomoe appeared around his pupil as he continued to watch the woman. This would be the nearest thing to a threat he would do, but in all honestly it was for his own safety that he had activated it, in case the woman did approach him and decided to try and catch him off guard with a sudden attack.

At Denkiteki's expressed hope of her enjoying the book, the blonde merely shook her head, a noncommittal answer as any. She appreciated his attempts at small talk, it was something she herself could often fill awkward silences with. But life had been too silent lately, and the notes of a harmonica that had seemed like they would steer it towards normality again were long faded. In a way, Akihana knew what was coming, and yet she couldn't simply concede. Too much of her life, the blonde had conceded to things she hadn't believed in and now that it was time to to give in to something she had offered in the first place, a cold look entered her golden eyes.

"Every shinobi village stands accused of someone's murder," she stated flatly, her words directed more towards Maku than his brother though she remained facing the young doctor. "The real question is if it justifies hurting the people who's greatest sin is to simply dwell in that village." Her tone was no longer hesitant but as firm as she could make it, her very stance exuding how tense she felt. So much for being told she had a choice, the blonde thought even as contingency plans ran through the back of her mind, searching for a way out, a way in, a way around. All ideas seem to come to a stop at the same conclusion though, two against one.

"I will com with you, I offered the same to your brother last week in exchange for not harming anyone else in my village and I'd like you to meet the same conditions, if not, I can harm myself a lot faster than either of you can harm me." The words were soft but true. Being a medical ninja meant one learned to neutralize themselves first before they learned to do the same on anyone else. "And I wouldn't be very helpful that way to anyone. So I'd like your word that regardless of what you find, you will not harm any innocent people... with this sole exception of course." The final words were definitely directed at Maku, her head titling slightly to the side to indicate him. Perhaps the betrayals she felt had no basis but it existed for some reason nonetheless and this was the closest she could get to expressing it.

Arata, mommy's going to be out a little later than expected, the kunoichi murmured silently in her own head, quietly praying that no matter what fate awaited her, her son would be well taken care of. She had promised him she's be back and now, for the first time since she had set foot on the mountains, Akihana wasn't entirely sure if she would be able to keep that promise.