Crystallized [ Private ]

[Haruka]

Naturally it wasn't a bad plan. To push her out of the way meant that there would be no direct opposition if the new figure was a weak personality. And because she had not heard much of what the other woman was doing, she had no choice but to believe in such. It drove her absolutely crazy, and the thoughts that crossed her mind was that she needed to make a move and get rid of the problem before it multiplied into something that could no longer be held on to anymore. God, she just couldn't sit here and be dormant. That was not something that she could do anymore. Her home, her country, and her village were crumbling under the shitty rule of the people who had swooped in. . . There needed to be a serious reform, or they would not be able to stand against the forces that would come in and knock them all down. Now, though, all she could do was let out a chilled sigh and she would close her blue eyes. Never before did she believe that she was just one woman, but could she make something happen here? The self doubt was oddly lingering, tickling at the back of her mind and threatening to drive her crazy. "I don't care what I'm blamed for at this point," she would state almost suddenly as she opened her eyes to look at him. "That pales in comparision to the situation that's at hand. Without a doubt, I'm sure that the commonfolk have no idea what's about to be knocking on the country's door here soon. . ." And that was frustrating, but one could not blame the people for being nothing more than sheep. That was the way the world worked. People were kept out in the dark while the higher ups flourished.

Soon, she would push herself up to a stand, her bare feet padding against the floor as she lifted a hand up to her mouth to muse in silence. So, what to do? "I'm sure someone in the know is attempting to work on relations with Kumogakure. We had a tendancy to laugh at the bullshit ideas that were proposed to us. People are absurd, incredibly so." She'd then clear her throat, dropping her arms down at her side as she looked over towards the sink.

"I'm never late," she'd mention, "But what would you propose? I'm not winning any popularity contests, if you haven't noticed. I've got everything and nothing to lose." A gentle laugh would pass her lips. "At least when it comes to that. My personal life. . . I have so much to lose, but people don't need to know that."

 

[Akechi]

Her reasoning and pointed responses were a product of her country turning their backs on her, opting for a more sinister person to replace her. Their fragile system of checks and balances had been turned on its head, a puppet placed within the office of Daimyo that was supposed to check the power of the Tsuchikage. This was the problem with such a system. The fragility of this system is what caused the destruction of the Uchiha, the prejudice that they faced, and the everlasting war of wills that took loved ones away from one another. It was what he wanted to change. It was what he wanted to destroy and replace with something that would benefit everyone. ”And it is the commonfolk that we are supposed to protect. However, this world has and will always adhere to the will of the strong. All it takes is one Endo and the entire world can be tossed into disarray.” It was obvious what he was getting at. Endo wasn’t the problem. No, he had come across plenty of men and women that were just like him. However, Endo held the title of Kage. It was his title that gave him the power and the belief that he had the right to do with his village as he pleased.

There was nothing to stop him…

”On the contrary. According to Endo, your village has ceased communication with Kumogakure.” Akechi responded, tilting forward in his seat as Haruka stood up and moved toward the sink. Finishing off the glass of dark liquor that Haruka had started, Akechi rose from his seat as well, placing his hands over her shoulders as he whispered into her ear. ”Then we won’t lose. We can’t.” He reassured her, allowing his warmth to comfort her during this time of discord.

”I can protect you. I can protect your home against Kumogakure. However, Endo needs to be taken care of. Endo and every member of his kind.” Akechi spoke of a revolution. Endo was only one of the many that would be targeted. The world needed to be unhinged and uninhibited from the tyrannical rule of Kings, Queens, Kages, and Daimyos. For every Haruka, there was a puppet Daimyo, and for every benevolent Kage, there was an Endo. There was no end to it. The cycle had to be stopped, and Akechi and his band of brothers would be the ones to cleanse the cycle…

 

[Haruka]

Ceased contact? Before she knew that she kept a flourishing ( or at least attempted to ) relationship between other countries and villages, but how far could one year reverse the progress? It almost made her shake to think of such things taking place within her absence. Her blue eyes would squeeze shut as she leaned a bit over the sink, holding back the slightly nauseated feeling that threatened to rock her from her foundation. How could this be? Her hands would squeeze at the edges, but she wouldn't put any kind of dentition within the finely crafted area. She knew that her mother would've killed her if she messed with anything like that within the large household. "I can't. . ." She'd whisper, shaking her head from side to side. Her tone spelled out disbelief and she would open her eyes, sinking her teeth into her lower lip. What could she do? How could she possibly remedy this situation? These people, no matter how they turned their back on her, always would be her people. She couldn't have them dying senselessly to a war that was never necessary in the first place. "I just cannot believe all of my hard work was destroyed." Now her tone sounded a bit tired, because she would realize that she would have to build it all back up. It was like a Jenga tower. One wrong move, and the whole thing would collapse. Well, it seemed that Endo had just kicked over the god damn Jenga tower. The disrespect made her feel heated. Akechi could probably feel the rising heat of her flesh, a direct effect of her ability with fire that she had worked on in her absence. As he whispered into her ear, she could feel a trail of goosebumps rising along her flesh, but she would opt in to just ignore it. It was a nice feeling, though.

"I don't lose. Or I never used to lose." Her eyebrows would knit together. Did one actually call her ousting losing? She couldn't see it in a manner like that now that she had the ideas that it was forced upon her running through her mind. She knew her people to be patient, and she knew that her mother was far more than capable of taking up within whatever absence she might have taken. "Akechi. There will not be a war with Kumogakure." She would announce in a voice that belonged to the former Daimyo that ruled without any kind of worry. "There will be no war because I'll be the one to remove the war hungry Tsuchikage from his position." Her hands would slide and fall away from the sink as she let out a small breath, misty now with a strange vapor.

No shaking, no quaking in her stance as she reached up, sliding his hands away from her shoulders. She would turn then to look at the Uchiha, raising her own hands up to cup at his face. "I'm no glass figurine. No carving of ice. I do not bend at the knee for anyone." No, there was no time for that. "My people will take me back, whether they like it or not, I am the best option for them to thrive, to survive, and most of all to keep the flames of war from burning the world alive." Her eyes would harden now, and there was no wavering of her words. This was her promise. This was what she would do. She had been cast aside, but no cast away should've ever sat and moped-- No, to show people her care, she would fight. Fight for her life, her family's life, and their lives as well.

"Do I sound crazy?" She'd laugh, casting her gaze away now. Maybe she did, but she knew she could make a difference. If anyone could make a difference, it was Haruka.

 

[Akechi]

”Heat? I thought that she was only able to produce water and ice. I guess I’ve been underestimating just how skilled she is with the elements,” Akechi said to himself, allowing his hands to rest on heated shoulders that seemed to elevate in temperature as her temper flared. Honestly, he was surprised by the woman’s control over the elements, and also perplexed by her lack of control over her emotions’ effects on her chakra. It must’ve been a side effect of losing the demon that kept such things in check, and also an indicator of the level of strength that she had obtained from conquering it. Though someone died in the process of creating this new ”entity,” it truly was paying dividends in the form of an evolution of her natural abilities. I mean, she had even gained another affinity in the process. Every curse provided some gifts, I guess.

”Well… maybe some of that attitude will rub off on me.” After all, he had been a loser since birth. He had lost his family, he had lost his rank, and he lost one of his dearest friends. The sad thing was that Akechi was bound to lose a few more before everything was all set and done. He just hoped… no, he was determined to make sure that the beautiful blonde was not one of them. He wanted things to work out… no matter what the cost. ”Remove him?” He questioned rhetorically. The Uchiha knew what she had meant but he didn’t think that she’d jump to such a conclusion. Haruka seemed to have quite the vindictive streak; well over what Akechi had given her credit for.

”The only problem is that his replacement could do the same thing… potentially…” It was true wasn’t it, and he didn’t mean his immediate replacement either. A Kage was an imaginary position that separated one man or woman from the rest of the pack. The people that revered him or her as such breathed life into it, and they blindly followed the words of a person that may have embodied deplorable vices. The system was the culprit, not the man that benefitted from such. Haruka’s plan would save the few, Akechi aimed to save the many. ”Burning the world alive, eh?” That was exactly what he planned to do. The least of what he could so was save Haruka’s home…

That was the least he could do…

”You don’t sound crazy. You sound like the daimyo. I’ll support you to the best of my abilities, Haruka-chan. I promise.” Akechi spoke, his promise rather half-hearted as his ideals seemed to conflict with her own. Maybe they didn’t… maybe she could understand…

However… now wasn’t the time…

”Funny… I seem to remember a beautiful blonde who claimed not to give a shit.”

Besides… maybe he was the crazy one.

 

[Haruka]

There'd be a lot of things that a person would not know about another. That was what made the world so complicated. Behind every smile, there'd be a story and behind every frown would be yet another tale that would either be held in, or ripped free from any confinement. "It's easy to say something, but it's harder to act it. You just need to take a moment to disconnect from saying you're going to do something, and simply just do it." Talk was cheap, remember? At least, that was what she had come to find here in recent days. It was mostly all about a person's actions and how they chose to portray themselves. "And yes, rid the nation of him. We don't need trouble makers like that here." Did they not aim to keep the peace when she worked in accordance with these people? It really seemed like everything had gone down the tubes, and it was seriously not something that she liked to think about. The Twenty-third would turn her head off to the side as he mentioned that she did not sound crazy. She could feel a blush culminating underneath of her skin; "I'm not the Daimyo anymore, so clearly that's not what I can sound like." She'd murmur, laughing a bit nervously now. "I sound like an advocate for the people that turned their backs on me." She would turn to look at him now, leaning against the sink as she watched his special eyes, a clear attempt at reading into him if she could.

"I'm a torn, broken woman." She would comment in a quiet tone, one of her eyebrows raising. "Torn between my conflictions for the people I served for so long, suspended in midair watching as the earth turns beneath me." The two truly were fire and ice, and if their ideals conflicted, then that would be interesting enough. After all, no one was perfect and not everyone would force themselves to agree.

"Or you know, maybe I'm just lying to myself and making excuses, but I don't like to believe that. I like to believe that my intentions are pure and what I aim to do is just." Her shoulders would square now with a small shrug. Whatever worked, right? Riiiight.

"Who said there'd be a replacement, anyways?" She'd ask. "If anything, such power should not go to one man or one woman. It just causes power trips and head rushes that cannot be cured--- Or rather, they can be cured, by death itself, but I'm trying not to act like I'm full of doom and gloom here."

 

[Akechi]

“It’s easy to say something, but it’s harder to act it.”

Those words spoke volumes about who she was, and who Akechi was as well. After all, these were the very same words that had been echoed by the Uchiha toward a small, psychotic girl that he attempted to humanize. Talk was cheap and assumptions tended to make asses of those that assumed. Only actions were a clear indicator of a person’s values and of their overall worth. It was a universal rule, one that would be inherited by the new world that Akechi wanted to introduce. It would be a world filled with understanding… filled with peace. That was his overall goal in all this, and he would sacrifice almost anything to reach this objective. ”A troublemaker? That’s an understatement. He’d gladly lead the flames of war right to your very doorstep if it fueled his ego. That’s just the type of person he is.” I mean, this is the man that desired war with Sunagakure just to gauge the strength of his military. It was probably the most ridiculous thing that Akechi had ever heard, and the Uchiha wanted to make sure that wars started at the whims of a single person would be abolished.

All it took was for the unshackling of the human mind…

”I wouldn’t be so sure. With all of this Iwain spirit, I’d figure you were some type of great leader.” Akechi giggled, winking at her upon his latter statement, his eyes meeting Haruka’s as she turned toward him. This woman sure was something. No, she didn’t hold the title of Daimyo but she truly embodied the spirit of a worthy leader. He wasn’t sure if she’d keep the same head on her shoulders if she had obtained such a position, but Akechi believed in her vision enough to attempt to make that happen. After all, someone needed to become the captain of the ship before the ship could truly be righted again.

”They are just. Not only that but your ideals are honorable and selfless. I think you have the right mindset for leading this nation.” She didn’t want the job and she believed that the job shouldn’t have existed, which meant that the blonde was a perfect fit for the job. It was that simple. ”I agree. None of these Kings and Queens should exist. These illusions of nobility are what separates us, divides us, and forces us to hate and kill one another. However, until that changes, someone that acts in favor of her people and not to fuel her own ego is what this country needs.” His eyes remained locked onto Haruka’s beautiful blue hues, judging the woman’s expression as he continued to speak. He was right though, wasn’t he? This was the only way that Iwagakure would survive the calamity that was sure to come their way.

”I believe that you are that person, Haruka-chan. Am I wrong? Or should it be someone like Shadow?” He giggled a bit on that last part, fully intending it to be a joke. After all, a man like Souji was ill equipped for a position such as this. The blind attempting to lead the blind would only lead to complete and utter disaster.

 

[Haruka]

A man's ego was something that could truly be feared. They did not let it get crushed so easily, and they would likely fight off any bruising that would come towards it. Too bad she was a full blooded woman and she had the heels to match just to step down on a person's softest spots to keep them down. Haruka would not stand for any of this bullshit. Whether he was trying to start a war with one nation, two, or a world war, then he would be promptly stopped and she would let everyone from other villages know that they did not need to worry about Inu Endo-- Stone's very own moody teenager. It was a shame that they had put such a person within a position of power, but could she say that she had been any better with Haru ravaging her mind, soul, and body? Yeah, that was always a hypocritical element towards events that could potentially take place here. Her eyebrows would knit together, expressing her thought process now. "It's not spirit, it's more fighting for a safe place for my family and loved ones-- Hell, it may be selfish, but I don't care." She had a son to think about, to fawn over, and to constantly worry about. What would she do if there was war knocking on everyone's doorstep? It'd just be more chaos than what everyone bargained for because she could not promise any sense of control in such a situation. If she had to, she would fight entire nations for what she found to be precious to her if they threatened it. "And if Endo is the one threatening peaceful existance-- Or, well, as peaceful as it gets here... Then I will stop at nothing to ensure that peace will remain." Hell, did she really need to sit here and explain herself? It seemed like she would anyways, but hey, it was never an issue.

"I'm selfish like the next man or woman, but it's for different reasons as you can tell." She didn't know if she wanted to take up the mantle of power again, though. With as easily as she was passed over, it wouldn't make her feel very comfortable. Sure, it would show people that she meant business, but that was not her intention. Then, as Akechi turned the conversation towards Souji, she gave a mildly confused look. Why would he bring her teammate up? It made her want to shake her head. Did he not know the definition of Shadow? Why he was called the Guardian of the Shadows? "You know, Souji is the Guardian of the Shadows--- That means he's been there in the background to serve and protect the leaders of this country along with his family." She'd place her hands on the edge of the sink, lifting herself with ease now to sit there. "I should know, he was on my team. A formidable foe, yes, but don't make jokes like that." A snort now, choked laughter, clearly. One of her legs would outstretch and she would use it to pull him close to where she was sitting now. She had to maintain a constant movement or fidgeting nowadays. It was something to fill up the space between their conversation.

"You may be wrong, though. What if I suddenly developed an ego that needed to be fed and preened? Oh dear, what a tragedy it would be." That was a joke. Ha. "My time of leadership has passed, but I don't think I would mind using my own hands to kill someone who threatens so much." The life of an ANBU. A killer for trade and a living.

 

[Akechi]

”It isn’t selfish. I wouldn’t expect anything less from humans like us. More often than not, we believe ourselves to be fighting for the safety of our families. When that safety is challenged, we tend to dig deep within the darkness of our souls to obtain the power to protect. That’s human nature…” He meant that humans would do detestable things in the defense of family, or those that they had sworn to protect. Maybe that darkness was violence or maybe it was cowardice, but whatever it was it still came from the darkest place in one’s heart. The only difference was that one was an active action, compared to that of a passive one. It was a fact of the fragile lives that they led. Each step that they took could change them from hero to villain and vice versa, with the line between each being as slim as a piece of spaghetti. That was human nature, in this world, in a nutshell.

”Peace.” His voice trailed off as he said that particular word. There was no true peace in this world. It was all fleeting and momentary, each term of peace about as fragile as a human life… sometimes even more fragile. Peace, in this world, was nothing more than a term of forced compliance that robbed the common people of their right to question the validity of the actions of their leaders. After all, people that questioned this status quo were branded as traitors, and those that faithfully followed orders under the guise of promoting peace, were branded as heroes… or among the faithful and loyal. Peace was a term that was flung around by the pharisaical as they promoted rules that limited the freedom of the commoners. That was the definition of this term in this world. Peace was a weapon… a tool…

Peace was meant to be an ideal… an ideal that encompassed understanding and brotherhood, freedom and altruism. That was the world that Akechi sought to promote, the anti-reality to the reality that he was forced to live in. But that was too serious of a topic, right? Let’s switch gears to something light…

Like Souji…

”For a ‘Guardian of Shadows’ everyone seemed to know he was nothing more than Endo’s lackey. The Ryujin sisters were the same. I’ve been under the rule of ‘men just following orders’ for far too long. I’ve grown to hate them.” Perhaps the topic wasn’t a light one at all. He had stumbled into it, but he had let loose another aspect of his hatred. Maybe the stereotype about Uchiha was correct, but for a different reason than the ignorant rationalization that gave life to their prejudice. They hated the world. They wanted to destroy the world…

But maybe that was because the world had changed from when they were the Shepherds of the Lands. Their world had been destroyed and recreated with this one, a fact that has haunted them since the Common Era. Gaia had been destroyed and replaced with whatever this new world was called…

”But I don’t know him and you seem to be fond of him, so I’ll drop it.” Akechi commented, allowing himself to be wrapped by a porcelain leg, and moved closer to Haruka. Peering into her eyes, the Uchiha let out a slight laugh as she joked about egos. ”Then I’d have to put you down… or die because I wasn’t able to.” He laughed again. Obviously he was joking, whether or not it was accepted as such. ”Your hands can be used for destruction or for murder.” He reached toward those hands that he spoke of, gently interlocking their fingers together. ”But can’t they be used for creation too? Something that breathed life into a world that is steeped in death and decay.”

 

[Haruka]

Humans like them. . . But they were not simple humans like everyone would help. They were almost like supernatural beings. Powered and all, they were nothing like the civilians who potentially lived in fear of them. That's what made it so easy for a shinobi to lord over all the rest of the people of the world when they were all meant to be equals. Hell, was the position she held not supposed to be granted to nothing more than a civilian? That was right. It was mainly her mothers hand that pushed her into being more than just a one shot kill, though. And that she was thankful for. "Human nature..." And yet here she was, convinced that she couldn't be considered human with the basis of the demon that remained within her. The two spoke at similar intervals which caused her to look at him quietly. Her eyes would score along his facial features and she would let out a small sigh. There were things that people doubted in, and the two had found what each had doubted in. It was hard. Holding her legs around his waist she would allow her hand to be tangled up in his. Clearing her throat a bit, she didn't like that the conversation seemed to default to Souji. It was hard for her to talk about him. Like, incredibly hard. So why people expected it was beyond her. Hell, even her long time companion demanded to speak of her son's father, but she wouldn't let out a peep. "Talk about the guardians of this village is droll." She would comment, rolling her eyes a bit now with a slight laugh. "I'd rather talk about something I have no idea about than the religious bigots of this village." Sure, some of the culture had been engrained in her, but the religion never managed to touch at her soul. Why? She just couldn't believe in such a thing when shinobi were basically like walking and talking Gods themselves. An opinion, nonetheless, though.

"My hands can be used for practically anything," she'd comment, tilting her head. She'd unravel her hand from his and she would hold out both of her palms between the two. In the right hand, a figurine of ice would form like a small dancer and then she'd bring her left hand closer, another figurine forming there but it was purple in coloration-- Amethyst, a crystal. She'd always found herself fond of such things. It was fun to do, especially for the Arcadian children that scrambled around the sparkling twilight of the underside of the village.

"I may be multi-talented, but that doesn't mean my mind is not one tracked from time to time. Since my disappearance, it's become hard to focus on more than one thing at a time. I mean, I can relearn, but..." She'd shake her head from side to side. "I don't know. Don't listen to me. I'm rambling, I think."

 

[Akechi]

”Yes. Human nature. It is the root of all evil, yet is it is the source of hope and compassion. Isn’t it funny how darkness can twist and corrode almost anything? However, it is light that is able heal all things.” Perhaps he was making sense to the woman or perhaps he did not, but the truth was that he honestly didn’t care. His soliloquy about human nature was intended as more of a thought process than an actual topic of conversation, which meant that it could be quite awkward for the other party. After all, this form of colloquialism wasn’t ordinary to normal, extroverted people like the woman before him. No, this was more of his true nature. This was the nature of a man that sat in thought for hours on end, just to make things a bit more clear in his head. Akechi was not a man of impulse. Not normally anyways. The Uchiha was a strategist… a schemer… a thinker… a revolutionary. Actions, and their potential consequences and results, were always quantified and measured to the best of his abilities before he tended to act.

He caught that subtle roll of her eyes when the name Souji slipped from his lips, accompanied by an almost immediate change in topic. He wasn’t stupid. He knew what that meant. It was almost the same as when she had mentioned “the mysterious Sennin” that had “disappeared” helping her, yet different in the demeanor that she portrayed when asked. She regretted dragging the Sennin down with her, but she seemed to just want to avoid the topic of Souji altogether. It was the second time that her “afternoon soap opera” seemed to unfold, and while it bothered him a bit, Akechi decided to ignore it. After all, bringing it up or pressing her for explanations would only push her away. He was intuitive to know that, and he was respectful enough not to even attempt to try. ”Religious bigots? Your ANBU are centered around that bigotry though, correct? Something about Guardians or something. I once read about it but I don’t remember details.”

Her hands. She unraveled them from his grasp, and began literally creating an Amethyst figurine. It was beautiful and simple. It was also literal, and not quite what he was talking about when he drew the allusion. On the flip side, Haruka could’ve been a hit with all the local kids and what not. What she did was pretty cool? ”Wow. That’s pretty cool.” Akechi giggled, moving his head closer to the figurine, examining it with his reddened eyes as if he hoped to break down every molecule used in its creation. He wasn’t… but it looked like he was. ”That little trick has got to be a hit with the kids. You know, I bet you’ll make a fine mother one day.” Little did he know…

”No. I’m good at this type of thing. Tell me more. Why is it hard for you to focus? Something to do with your power?”

 

[Haruka]

Light was a beautiful thing. One could find light in most things. Perhaps she was far more attracted to the light than the dark. It would make sense, would it not? The darkness obscured all vision and trapped people into a void that they could never imagine. When people were dying, though, they were told not to walk towards the light. A very distinct thing that she could remember being whispered to her as her broken body was healed by her faithful companion, Gai. Though, the light represented everything that was good in this wicked world. Looking at Akechi for a moment, she would take a moment to let out a small breath. When it came to him, it was always like she was holding onto her breath and never wanting to give it up. He was the light to her dark, and that was what she could feel. The warmth to the cold that she so naturally clung to. "The light is indeed something I find myself gravitated towards." She'd mention a bit offhandedly, dropping her gaze now to the small figurines in her hands. She'd place them carefully off to the side without breaking them, letting the two figurines stay in their dance for as long as they would. The ice would not melt and the crystal would not crack under any kind of pressure. Something that she could find herself incredibly proud of. Then, he would begin to speak of the guardians and she would offer a bit of a smile. Misguided fools, that's how she defined them. Sure, she would work with them, but it was mainly because she had to, not because she wanted to hear the yammerings of Teleos or whatever insane stuff that might have been. "Guardians, yeah. I'm hoping to make a push towards just assimilating back into basic ANBU. Though, I do doubt that our control freak Sennin would really like that one." After all, her opinions and ideals made her a threat.

All threats aside though. There was one thing that made Haruka snap to attention quickly, reflecting deep within her eyes for a brief moment at the words he spoke now. A fine mother. It was a hard thing to come to terms with. The fact that she actually was a mother, one who was alone with only Gai to help keep her sane about it. Jeez. Squeezing her eyes shut after a moment, she came to a realization: If she hoped to have anything decent with this man before her, she would have to tell him. A relationship built off of trust meant that no secrets could be held. "I have a singular focus because there was one thing that I chose to focus on." She would open her eyes back up and look at him with a small smile. "There's another reason why I disappeared for so long. And it's not one day I'll make a fine mother, it's what I'm trying and struggling to do now." There, she said it. There was an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she looked down and away from him.

"You, my sister, and the woman who helps me care for him are who knows. I don't want to keep him a secret from you because... It's a lot of the reason why I have a hard time trusting people. And I trust you. I just hope it won't make you push away from me. Because that's what scares me the most." She'd try to clear the unease from her voice, but she couldn't meet his eyes. It was too hard. It made her feel more anxious than anything.

"Some of my decisions have not been the brightest, if you can't tell. I don't want to drive you away, though." Because really? Was he not one of the best things that had happened to and for her?

 

[Akechi]

”And that gravitation toward light is what makes you a good person. It is what will make you the proper leader of this village.” Akechi meant what he said. Though he despised titles, Haruka would be perfect for the position before it wasn’t needed any longer. After all, she wanted to protect her village, and as the Tsuchikage she would have more resources at her disposal than she did now. That would be especially true if she used the “puppet” system that Endo used currently. Having the daimyo fully subservient to the Tsuchikage was extremely convenient. It made avoidance of red tape rather easy, but it also gave the impression of some type of dictatorship. Though she gracefully avoided the topic with beautiful crystal figurines, Akechi knew that she understood the way the “Game of Thrones” worked. After all, that’s all this truly was. It was a game…

Just this game happened to have real lives at stake…

”Well… ask yourself.” The man grinned slightly, his eyes creeping back toward the beautiful blonde as he began to speak of political ambitions again. Well… it really wasn’t his ambition that he spoke of, but more of the revitalization of Haruka’s political ambition. After all, it would be easier for Akechi if she were the “warden” of the village. It wasn’t a matter of convenience either. No, he now wanted to save the village that she lived in as if it were his home. It wasn’t a thought that he had before, and his belief that this particular village needed to be saved was one that surprised him. Suddenly, this world didn’t seem as bleak as it once did…

Hopefully this wouldn’t deter him from what he considered his ultimate goal in this world…

There was a sense of tension in the air as a few moments of silence gave them time with their thoughts. Haruka’s thoughts were a mystery at this point, but Akechi felt himself overloaded with conflicting emotions. The entire world was at stake but here he was worried about a single girl and a single village. He felt selfish and moderately insecure as he stood somewhat emasculated in between the woman’s legs. Make no mistake, he felt quite lucky to have found himself with such amazing company, but he also felt that the woman took his attention off of his goal. Was she a test, sent by fate to test his faith and determination? Or was he just human and these were his first signs of human emotion in quite some time? It bothered him for those few moments of silence, his head eventually snapping toward Haruka as she looked down…

The aftermath of a bomb that she just dropped… out of nowhere.

There was someone else that she cared about. There truly was someone that she loved unconditionally, and while he was male, he was nothing more than a child… her child. ”…” He felt his chest tighten as air seemed to escape from his lungs, the man standing idle with a face filled with surprise and curiosity. There was so much that he wanted to ask her… some important and some not so important. However, he could hear the discomfort in her voice. He could see the anxiety written across her face. This was another moment where he could prove that he supported her above all else. There was a feeling of unease at the pit of his stomach, but he fought through it and reached for the young woman’s face. Gently, he caressed her cheek before moving closer to press lips against hers. It may have been cliché, but he needed to communicate the feelings that were on his mind… through a deep, passionate kiss. Slightly tilting his head back, he whispered to her. ”You can trust me. I’ll always be there for you… and I’ll always be there for him as well. I’ll treat him like a son and protect him like one as well.” Why? For no other reason than it was Haruka’s son.

That was all there was to it…

”You wouldn’t be the person you are today without making those mistakes. I’m thankful that you made each and everyone of them.” An odd thing to say, but it was intended to be sweet. Cut him some slack… he had been around pirates for months. ”Because they are what led you to me.”

 

[Haruka]

The silence between the two was more than deafening almost. Though it was not long, it could feel like ages, really. As she felt his hand take a hold of her facial features, she would give no flinch or anything like that. She didn't have to. She knew he was not going to bring her any kind of harm. However, what happened next was something that the young woman truly did not expect. His lips would meld against her own and she could feel whatever tension there within her body simply just melt away. Her hand would raise up and she would grab a hold of his, holding it tightly as she pressed herself further into the kiss. She could feel it again. A collection of droplets falling free from her blue eyes, but this time it was not from a fear nor any kind of sorrow. This time, it was from an overwhelming feeling of safety and joy. As their lips parted, she would give a bit of a shudder now in her relief. If anything, it felt like the very world had been picked up from her shoulders at this point. His words fueled her joy-filled tears and she brought a hand up in attempts to brush them away, the hand that was not holding onto his own that is. "I-I'm not sad, okay?" She'd speak quietly, laughing a bit at herself. "I'm overwhelmed. You could be mad at me, you could leave, but you're here." She'd shake her head, swallowing back the small lump within her throat. "I've never had someone I could put faith and trust into like you." She had backs turned on her countless time, seen death many times within her life, and most of all, there had been people that had simply just gone ghost on her. A small sobbing sound would pass her lips as the little pebbles of ice dropped down to the counter and the ground.

"I'm a mess." She'd state, shaking her head lightly. Reaching up, she'd brush his hand away from her face and then she would bring up both of her arms, throwing them around his neck in a tight hug. Arms and legs wrapped around him now. ". . . Can I just say one thing?" She'd murmur, attempting to put a stop to those tears as she shook her head. She'd lean in closely to his ear now.

"I love you." An overwhelming feeling that she couldn't invoke herself. This was a person who accepted her-- status or no status, flaws or no flaws, and most of all, even if she had emotional, physical, and spiritual baggage.

 

[Akechi]

Emotion. Was that emotion that streamed down the porcelain cheeks of the beautiful damsel that desired a white knight? Her lips quelled with joy, her face looked flush with joy, and time seemed to stand still as she flashed that gorgeous smile that had entranced him when they first met. It seemed as if love was in full bloom and they were the reason why. Two people that understood one another, coming together under less than perfect conditions, and accepting each other under them without question. In this world, it was considered a sickness, a weakness. It was something to be exploited. However, in the next cycle, Akechi hoped it would be different. He hoped that the search for love was placed above all else, and the creation of family and fostering of friendships were the desires of man in place of bloodlust and vainglory.

Tall orders for one ordinary man to attempt to bring into focus, right? Good. Because Akechi considered himself any thing but ordinary. He’d fail a million times, but he’d succeed at least once… and that success needed to be the largest success known to man. It was the only way anything would change… and change permanently. ”No. I meant what I said when I said that I’d always be here for you.” Akechi would comment, cementing what he said before about being there for her. He wouldn’t allow a difficult situation to impede their relationship, and he would abandon her just because another person had fathered her child. Judging by her words, the man in question was no longer around. Akechi could’ve left or been pushed out as this mystery man had been, but the Uchiha wasn’t that type of person. There was nothing for him to say as she reaffirmed her belief that he was someone that she could place faith in.

She reached around his neck, wrapping her legs around his body as she forced herself off of the sink. ”…” He caught her of course, remaining silent as she asked to requested him to remain silent for another second. The tears of joy still rolled down her cheeks as she leaned in, the next words she uttered spoken in a whisper. “I love you.” Most men would become anxious or suffer a panic attack when those words came out. Something about commitment drove men to do irrational things…

But he wasn’t most men, and he was ready for something more…

”I love you too, Haruka.” He wished that he could say it first but he’d settle for second. The Uchiha pressed his forehead against hers, his lips pressed against hers as he filled silence with tongue. Honestly, he wanted to press farther but this situation was as all situations had been…

Up to Haruka…

 

[Haruka]

What an unpredictable emotion that was felt right here and right now, and a feeling that she had not been familiar with for another person. It made her heart beat a little harder in her chest, and it made her feel a better bit of a lot more warm than what she had been before. The conversation had quelled quite a bit, but that was probably for a better situation here. Her body now tangled around his, she would use her strong legs to hold herself up and close to him. The tears would eventually slow despite the thrush of emotion that she could still feel swelling in her mind, body, and soul. Her forehead was pressed against his as she would watch his face with care, and then she would feel his lips press against hers once more. This time, it seemed there was a little bit more behind this kiss than just an establishment of emotion. That much she felt quite alright with. Without protest, she'd find her own tongue meeting his, tangling and enticing whatever would come further. She had promised herself that she wouldn't let another person capture her interest without due cause, but he had given everything needed, met some kind of unspoken criteria here that would allow herself to let him take whatever he wanted from her. It made her chest ache, or rather the emotion did, the swell being something that she had not experienced for someone who had no relation to her in so long. And in her mind, it was not a foolish thing. It was a beautiful situation. She could share with another and not feel anywhere near ashamed nor fearful that there would be a break for what she had done, who she was, or whatever goals she had in mind for the future. Her eyes might've been closed for the time being, but she was still ever vigilant.

After a few breath stealing moments, she would pull her mouth away from his own, but still remain close to him. "I'm willing to do this dance if you are..." That would be what the woman would murmur to him, but the words were clearly far more charged than just a typical dance. This situation now, though? She'd let it be up to him. Had she not been selfish enough? Ha.

 

[Akechi]

--I Tried to Hold Back This Feeling For So Long--​

Love was an uncontrollable emotion that caused people to do things that they normally wouldn’t have. Perhaps it would cause you to do anything in protection of another, or maybe it would simply allow you to open up while you couldn’t before. Whatever the case, love tended to cause untended consequences for those involved. True love intertwined two people to one another in mind, body, and spirit. Some weren’t lucky enough to even find such unison in marriage; however, Akechi was somehow able to convince Haruka that she had found the impossible within him. Love filled the silence in the room, replacing the anxiety over Haruka’s trust issues with the unmitigated devotion of the two to one another. Nothing else mattered in this moment.

“I’m willing to do this dance if you are…”

Those words seemed to unhinge him, his eyes lowering toward her bosom as he thought about what he wanted for so long. This dance was a long time coming. However, he never wanted to force anything on her. Those words basically gave him the acknowledgement that he needed to devour her whole… so to speak. He pulled away from her as she spoke, glancing toward her closed eyes as she awaited his actions. ”Whatever is left of me, whatever I am, whatever I become. Wholly and truly, I am yours.” After that there was nothing left to say… there was only room for action. The man kissed her the base of her neck, grabbing on to her legs to support her body as she straddled him standing. His lips crept further down toward her bosom, his lips creating a trail of kisses as they moved. Business was about to pick up.

”Screw this.” That’s what he thought as he stood their holding the woman. With so many choices at his disposal, he chose what he thought would be the hottest one. No, not posting her against the wall because that was the dirtiest option. The sink then? Nah… too easy and they were two close to some rather exquisite dishes that could’ve been destroyed in the process. What about the bedroom? Sure, that was the best option but he had no idea where it was…

Then again, there was that table. His heart raced as he continued his short sweet kisses, rushing over toward that table and sweeping everything off of it. He was going to ravish her—in a good way. Days, no weeks of not having what he desired would infuse his action with even more emotion… even more lust. It was sex… no even better. This was love making between two mature adults that knew what they were doing.

And it was time to get started…

From the kitchen table, I bid you goodnight.

[FTB!/Topic is over!]

 

[Haruka]

Connections. . . That was the basis of belief within this little village now, wasn't it? Every word, glance, touch brought about a brand new connection, and whether or not people acted upon those various actions, they still existed. Akechi and Haruka had exacted a moment that meant that their destiny would be intertwined forever. Even then, the young woman wouldn't imagine sharing such a thing with anyone else. After all, he proved himself consistently, did the things that no one else had to. No one needed to go through such trial and tribulation, but yet. . . She made him go through it. At his words, she would let a small smile touch at her lips: "And I the same for you," came her whisper as she felt little shivers and goosebumps touch at her flesh. He had un-melted the Queen of Ice herself, touching down in every aspect that no one else had managed to truly do for her. Hell, she even emanated a warmth that she had not before as he left behind a trail of kisses along her pale flesh. She could feel them move over to the table, not really something that she could've controlled and the sound of whatever remained there on the table clamoring down to the ground. Hell, her mind didn't even register the potential mess that she would have to clean up, nor the fact that there was probably going to be nothing but pieces of this table left when they were through.

Why would she show him anything less than an amazing, passion-filled, and incredibly steamy time? Oh, that's right, she wouldn't dare.

[ Faded ]
[ Topic's Done. ]