Shikisha's Favorite Spot {Closed to all but Mizuki}

Shikisha sat, his back against the only tree, on a lonely hill. Sitting right by the lake, the hill was grassy, had a nice breeze, and was the home to a massive Sakura tree. He nicknamed the tree Mimiru. Therefore naming the spot, Mimiru's Island. Taking out a cigarette, he gazed at the sunset as he lit it, wondering what was beyond his limits.

Mizuki walked up beside him, dressed in a fine silk kimono since she had just been too see her people, she had needed to look her best. reassurance that their leader was in conrtrol "you were right, this IS a nice place..."

"And what a lovely sight you are this evening." He replied, patting the ground beside him. Looking up into her eyes he began telling her of how he had found the place his first time being there, and named it Mimiru after his first love. Mimiru had ended up becoming an assassin sent to kill him, and he ended her life. Which gave the spot a sickly-sweet presence in his life. None-the-less, he came every evening he visited the Leaf and thought the night away.

she sighed as she sat down beside him "tragic...." shakes her head "first loves are always difficult to deal with as a ninja...but i fear yours was worse than most..." looks at him sympathectically

"Ha. Well, it happens. Soon I just became...numb. One I got over her I began feeling again, not the smartest idea for a kage, but it seems the best one now." He said, taking a drag from a cigarette he blew out a smoke figure that was in the shape of Nii, or two.

nods "my emotions have always slowed me down as the hokage so you're not alone," she looked up at the sky, recalling fond memories "on my first day as the hokage i remember being so nervous....hell, i still am!" laughs

Shikisha chuckled a bit, blowing out a smoke-figure shaped like a one-tailed raccoon dog. Sighing, he gazed down at the, almost gone, sun. "Sake?" He offered, producing a bottle from his jacket and two cups.

"yes, thank you," she smiled and took one of the cups from him, impressed by what he could do with the smoke. She smiled at him, looking properly at ease for the first time in months

Gazing at her, he smiled. "Well, I have shown off enough. What talents lay in wait beneath that, beautifully shy, exterior?"

she blushed "talents? Well....oh, i have something.." stands up and activates her kekkei genkai. She takes out an old wooden flute and started to play a very old, haunting melody. Multiple silver orbs, spirits, started to pulse and move around her, creating an aura of souls around her.

Shikisha gazed up at her. He marveled at her gloomy, melodic dance of the dead. Following each spirit with his eyes, he eventually traced back to her and her wooden flute. Gazing at her in the silver light, he took in her beauty and ignored the fact that his sunset had passed without any notice from him at all.

the song ended on a long, beautifully drawn out note. She put the flute away again and bid farewell to the spirits, who circled her once more before ascending to the heavens. She sat down next to him again "Was that a good enough 'talent'?" smiles

"Way better than making smoke-demons." Shikisha commented, pouring the sake into her cup, and taking a drink from a flask he had produced from his sleeve. Making an odd face, like he had taken a swig of lemon juice, he replaced the bottle. Returning his smile, he replaced the cigarette into his mouth and gazed up at the stars."You make a wonderful Hokage, you know that?"

she sipped her sake and blushed "i never thought so..."

"Well, the leaf is prosperous, has survived through many wars, and is probably the largest village of the five at the moment. To me, that proves your worth as a Kage." He said, creating the Gobi out of smoke. It's four tails extended to their fullest length, going in different directions and puffed out. It took a stance that looked as if it were about to attack, its jaw shut and it's body low to the ground.

she looked at the smoke in wonder. Her eyes sparkled as she sipped her sake again and watched the smoke Gobi

"So, how is life as the magnificent Mizuki?" He wondered aloud, puffing out a Niibi that seemed to pounce at Gobi, and go right over it's head.

she chuckled "not perfect. I was the weakes out of the 3 of our gennin squad and my grades at the academy were average. It was when i hit chuunin i knuckled down. I excelled at solo missions, i still do...i guess i care too much about other people,"

"Ah. The famous downfall. However, in moderation.... Caring is alright I suppose." He said, tracing a constellation with his eyes. As he finished each constellation he would mouth their names, and send a silent prayer to the heavens, each prayer small and different.

nods "yeah..." looks up at the starts also, leaning back on her arms

"Well then." Shikisha said, standing up and stretching. "We have the entire night to ourselves for the first time in a while. How would you like to kill such time?" Shikisha asked, squatting down to her eye-level.

"the choice is yours, i'm just glad to get away from my desk," smiles

"Well, I don't know of anything to do in the leaf. I'm not the resident leader of this village you know. Besides, all I do for fun is rumble and smoke." He said, shrugging.

she laughed "i see...well...perhaps you'd like to sample some of konoha's best cooking?"

"hm..." Shikisha hummed as he thought about it. Coming to a conclusion, he smiled and held a hand out to help her up. "That would be fantastic. I haven't eaten anything besides Onigiri in a week or so."