[ The Royal Palace, Konohagakure | Empire of Akino ]
[ Kensuke Nimatsu | Scholae ]
[ Kiyomi Homura | Empress of Akino, Kensuke’s favorite person ]
Why didn’t he move just that
little bit ahead of the walls? Now he feared that if something went wrong, and he looked at about the right time, he’d see the water move. Dangit. He’d been waiting here for almost an hour now, and he was supposed to leave tomorrow morning. That’d be a night without much sleep then, he feared. But in the end, despite his current position, it’d be worth it. Ah! Finally! He moved closer to a torch that was going out.
Despite that he was invisible, he knew that there were units tasked specifically to uncover him while doing that. Especially when doing this, he reckoned. His chakra nature was in no way concealed, and that was something he couldn’t really fix when visiting the empress late in the evening. So, he had done his best to slip in at the exact moment that the servants of the palace were being replaced, and for some reason he had also hidden his killing intent. Not that that helped much, but you never knew!
Sadly, his ‘operation’ was delayed by half an hour, and he would be on the later end of the evening. That also meant that he would be late for the night’s people shift. Oh well, nothing he could change about that now, he supposed. He manoeuvred himself very lightly and very stealthily across the roofs, and was about to settle down and move into his role as a ‘slightly too late servant’ when he was accosted. Well then. Fortunately he didn’t bring any of his equipment tonight, as he knew that’d be trouble, and raised his hands.
"You caught me. I surrender?" Kensuke said. The assistants of the sensor were of course very surprised. ‘Oh,
another individual that seemingly broke the rules’, they had thought. Upon discovering that there was noone at all the first thing they’d thought was that this was another false alarm, but Kensuke’s voice seemed to hint that this was something in between.
"Hmmm." She said, folding through her notes until she found what she was looking for.
"Is Nimatsu Kensuke your name?"
"Does this also mean that I don’t get to pass?" He tried, earning him a dejected look. She sighed.
"What are you doing here, what’s going on, and what were you originally trying to achieve?" She said, as if moving down a list she had said a thousand times.
"Well, good for Kiyomi that her guards aren’t being lousy. No." He turned visible, scratching his neck, turning the conversation more pleasant for whoever looked this way. He tried saying this
"I was trying to have a secret conversation with Kiyomi before anyone found out. Especially Zakito. I intently told him that I wasn’t going to tell Kiyomi that I was changing missions."
She sighed, again. She also noticed that he wasn’t carrying any real threats with him. He’d even left his katana bundle at home.
"Follow me." She said exasperated.
---
As they passed the guarded hallway and were allowed to enter, the Sworn Sword disguised as a servant, led Kensuke into a spacious room. One which easily could hold much more than a single person could ever need or want.
The room was dimly lighted as a few candles burned silently, being the only sources of light this late. Before anything could be said, the door closed as Kensuke was left in the room. From the dark to his left, an audible scoff could be heard. A jolt of lightning crackled, illuminating a most displeased expression from Kiyomi as she sat on a fine piece of furniture. Dressed in what seemed to be a hastily attire, the young monarch gestured to a nearby chair as she spoke up.
"You are an ass.” The tone giving away her irritation that her night’s rest had been disturbed,
"Why didn’t you like, I don’t know,” her eyes rolling as she spoke further,
"try to meet me in a much better fashion? I have clandestine meetings that were way more favourable than in the middle of the night. In fact,” frowning, Kiyomi continued as her glare became more intense,
"I should have you be hang upside down and then flogged by a bunch of servants. With wet towels. Some humiliation might actually do your thick head some good.”
A deep sigh escaped, as most of the frustration seemed to be thrown out.
"Now, why did you decide to piss me off?”
He’d smiled all the way through. Ah, how he loved seeing her in a hissy fit like this! It brought him back to old times. Like when she had kicked him in the balls for being a loudmouth. Him! A loudmouth. Glorious. As if that’d happen with anyone else! He was literally the most silent person around.
"Hi!" He said, when she finally was done talking.
"That’s an impressive speech there. I like it. I like it a lot!" he joked.
But, as he knew, there was a lot more pressure onto those little shoulders now. An entire empire even. An empire without an heir. Every moment he stole from her right now was a moment Kiyomi would have to stay awake tomorrow. That tempered his good mood somewhat.
"No." He began, revealing the reason why he was here.
"I’m changing missions, and," he air quoted,
"I’m not supposed to tell you of this, or something, according to Zakito. Ah, shit, I said his name."
A jolt of lightning appeared once more as Kiyomi’s expression stayed sour. The bright force of lethal energy almost jumping over to the coffee table in between the two when Kensuke began to joke. However, Kiyomi stayed silent as she listened to what Kensuke had to tell her or what was seemingly so important that he had to come in the middle of the night.
Frowning when he brought up Zakito, she crossed her arms out in front of her chest.
"So? Why then not, you know, be better at hiding and meeting up with me. Without causing me to think how I should have you severely punished for this transgression, which,” she raised her right hand’s index finger, as if she had to gesture him to silence and not try to argue back,
"it is! Next time, I will disturb your night’s sleep. Let us then see if you can be so damn jovial.”
Her tone would become more serious as she spoke further.
"So, you are here not wanting Zakito to know? Why? Are you still sure that he doesn’t have the best intentions with you or some whack shit? Or is it that you want to surprise him with his birthday? Cause I swear, I will strangle you right here and now if this isn’t serious enough.”
He raised his hands as the message got across. He’d feared as much. They hadn’t spoken in quite a while, and it was showing. Clearly Kensuke and Kiyomi had learned a different reaction under stress. Or rather,
had been learned.
"Fine, I’m sorry. I just didn’t want anyone else to know that we have had this conversation. But since I already got caught," he moved his head to the servant who’d brought him in,
"That’s almost impossible to hide any longer." He looked at her with a certain sorrowfulness. A time had passed between them, and they had not realised that time had passed. Or rather, he had not realised.
Kiyomi was ready to further lay her fury and frustration out on Kensuke, until he genuinely seemed regretful. Becoming quiet, she heard him further out - not that she would admit that she was curious why he had decided to try to sneak in what was likely the most secure place in all of Konohagakure. Perhaps Akino? Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she laid her focus on Kensuke.
"It is alright, I suppose. Just try to not disturb me in the middle of the night. As for hiding,” she shrugged lightly as if it was that easy to forgive such a heavy transgression that could see another individual being executed on the spot for attempting the same,
"the Sworn Swords only answer to me. I suppose that is the benefit of meddling with them. You should have returned to Konohagakure a few months earlier. Then I could have shown you my bruises. Those jerks don’t kid around.” She said, in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the mood and make it clear she wasn’t going to threaten him anymore.
"I’m kind of busy with something that occured when this was still the Fire Union." He threw a look at the servants surrounding them, but they were alone. He had a sneaking suspicion in his mind that they were only hiding, but he quickly banished that thought.
"I told him I was going to the East in order to instruct people and fight some shapeshifters there, but the actual reason is something different." He lost control over his hands while he was saying this.
"I’m going to visit someone I know from quite a while ago." He threw one more look around, before silently saying,
"I’m looking for Ryo Katsu."
When Kensuke brought up the Fire Union, Kiyomi once more found herself confused. Then he dropped a name that Kiyomi hadn’t heard in a while. A name that on its own wasn’t special, there were probably thousands of Ryo’s running around. But the connection from Ryo Katsu to something else was what chilled Kiyomi’s blood.
"And then? Forgive me if I am a bit slow due to being woken up in all of a sudden,” she began,
"but why not share this with Zakito? He can probably discover where this Ryo Katsu is?”
"Because he is one of the people that might have to do with it." He simply said.
"As much as I want to trust him, I can’t. I need information first. Hence, talking to Ryo. At least, if he’s still alive. Really, the fact that I’m letting you know was already a serious enough matter. And please," He said almost begging,
"Don’t tell anyone of this. Or perhaps the people you trust one-hundred-percent."
Placing her feet on the ground, Kiyomi leaned forward as she folded her hands together. Her eyes locked on Kensuke.
"You want to go behind the back of some powerful people. Ken, I love you as a brother I never had. I mean it. But you are asking me to withhold information from my second-in-command.” Realizing something, Kiyomi released a heavy sigh as she lowered her head. Her hands briefly ran through her hair as she seemed to consider something.
"That’s fine. I’m only warning you, it’s the absolute top I’m worried about. You don’t get to choose who is in the Ghost ANBU teams if you’re not." He said dispiritedly.
Raising her gaze to meet Kensuke’s, Kiyomi remained silent for a few seconds.
"I won’t tell anyone.” She said, though her voice soft, holding a certain firmness.
"So, what now? Want me to see what I can discover about a Ryo Katsu? I will need more information than just a name.”
Of course she needed to know more. That was the danger. If he told her, he would have to give up details, even details he was worried about or details that might hurt him. He seemed quite tense when he softly spoke:
"Ryo was my squadmate in Team 4. I thought he had died, but recently I met another Ghost ANBU. Tsubasa Kokoro, also part of that same team, who said he was still alive." He breathed heavily. It scared him even to say this much to a person who knew him all this time.
"I can do some digging,” Kiyomi said, unsure how much her words were of comfort to Kensuke. She hesitated for a second but then flashed a disarming smile at him.
"Besides, you and I? We have been in worse shit. I just need to figure out how to relay the information over. You,” slightly frowning as she realised he hadn’t told her where he would be going,
"said about swapping missions. I could perhaps arrange for you to go to Keishi. Still in reach and without anybody of the court to imagine you digging into something.”
Kensuke was already shaking no before he said it.
"That won’t go I’m afraid. Zakito has already sent me East towards the war efforts. Thereby, I know that Ryo is in that region last I heard." He sighed.
"I don’t know where exactly, but I’m sure I’ll be able to move around as needed."
The smile of before rapidly vanished. Her eyes briefly widened as she then rose up with the authority and dignity one would expect from an angry but young monarch.
"No.” The word escaped Kiyomi’s lips with a trembling voice.
"No, you won’t go east. You won’t.” She repeated, as if she had to convince them both that she didn’t like the sound of it.
"We can easily send someone else. I got more than enough Sworn Swords. They are easily as competent as you, if not more. I can send a few and we can work this out without endangering yourself on some crazy unknown voyage.”
All Kensuke could do with this display of power was seeing the scared little girl hiding behind those words.
"I agreed to it to accomplish my mission. My one true mission." He said resigned.
"I’m afraid the matter’s taken out of our hands. Zakito said something of that I’d be a target as well, considering my involvement with you. And you don’t exactly have another legion of guards to spare anymore, now do you?"
Her gaze turned furious as Kensuke spoke further.
"Damn the Lord Commander’s balls,” Kiyomi uttered, the phrase followed by more phrases likely unfit for someone of Kiyomi’s stature.
"I will fight you.” She suddenly said, as if by some sudden influx, she had gained the resolve to fight him.
"Stand up. I will beat you right here and now. Stand up, Kensuke.”
"Without my blades? I think you’d win, although I can achieve quite a lot with a smashed coffee table." He said as he was standing up.
"But really. I like you a lot. Really, I do. That’s something coming out of my mouth, isn’t it? But this is something I have to figure out for myself first, others later."
As he stood, she seemed ready to come at him. Her lips trembled as if she had to fight back something else. The moment that her lips actually parted, a heavy sigh escaped as her expressions shifted.
"Please,” the word came out as a soft sound, trembling and betraying her fear.
"Don’t go, please.” Though fighting against the burning sensation, a few tears escaped her eyes, flowing defiantly against her desires over her skin.
What a weird sensation. It’s as if he was staring at himself. A more expressive version of himself for sure, for he wouldn’t have even uttered those words.
Don’t go. The words echoed inside his head. It was not to be. The choice, if there had been any from the start, had been violently ripped away from them. Actually, eversince Tsubasa told him about Ryo being alive, he
had to go see him. There were no buts in this story. So instead, he took her into his arms, and hugged her.
She wanted to deck him in the face. Make it clear why going was bad. Who she had already lost and who she might be still losing if this conflict would drag on further. Yet, all that escaped her were tears and sniffles. Eventually, she buried her face against him, her arms wrapping as much as they could around him. Managing to calm down, she moved her face so that she could speak with being understood.
"You must come back,” she said, her hands clutching the fabric of his clothing tighter.
"Promise.”
For a moment, they hugged with all their might. He could hear her crying. There there, he thought, not even realizing that it was him crying too.
"I will." Kensuke said, hoping that he wasn’t deceiving her with a lie.
"I will." He said again, but he didn’t know whether that was to her or to him.
Keeping on to him, she remained quiet. There was more to say but it didn’t leave her lips. Releasing him slowly, she took a few steps away. With an odd calmness, she fixed her shirt before nodding slowly.
"Good.” she said. Unsure what more should be said and done, she didn’t avert her gaze away.
"I suppose, at least, now I will have nobody to disturb in the middle of the night.”
Kensuke laughed, despite it all.
"That’s true. Lo and behold, the empress can continue her beauty sleep." He said while he wiped the tears from his eyes. He didn’t know what to say either. They shared a moment of that, until Kensuke grinned.
"Urgh. Look at me though. I have to go the entire way back, and then find my home in Konoha. Wanna bet it’s defaced again?"
Scoffing, Kiyomi planted her fists against her hips.
"That is because you probably are too lazy to clean your crap.” She replied, opting to humour him back as it was clear that neither of them wanted to continue the previous topic. However, a question was too hard for Kiyomi to avoid.
"So, when are you going to leave?”
She hit the nail right on it’s head.
"Tomorrow morning." He Sighed.
"And it’s early too. Can’t get any worse than that, right?" He tried, but it was a failing joke, even to him.
"No. The less time I spend here, the better. Zakito made sure that I wouldn’t spend any time here." He spoke gloomy.
"I’m sorry."
Letting her hands and arms hang, Kiyomi had a wry smile on her lips.
"I forgive you, if you keep your promise. Besides, I suppose it is poetic justice,” she replied,
"I also went to fight some danger, alone. You didn’t stop me. As … well, shit, one of the only ones.” Raising a hand, she scratched her nose bridge for a moment.
"You should then get some sleep. Don’t forget to write. Okay?”
Kensuke truly smiled for the first time in quite a while. A smile that reached his heart. She was almost the only one who did not die. He couldn’t die either then, if he was to keep her in check. It was a strange way of sharing love, but it definitely was one.
"I will."