Stag and Wolf: Palace in the Clouds

Okane's penthouse suite was probably met with countless letters about the myriad demands his business had placed upon him. One among these was from his newest employee regarding the particular commission that he'd tasked the boy with upon hiring him. Like its writer, the message was short, polite, and straightforward.

Letter to Okane wrote:Sir,

I will be starting the process of creating your palace this morning. If you wish to employ your sealing techniques so that the structures will stand in my absence, please meet me down at the designated area.

-Ashitaka

On the face of it, creating a palace was a truly major undertaking, even with the ability to create buildings more or less instantly. Deep down inside, however, creating a palace was a massive undertaking that was going to require all that Ashitaka had in terms of ability regarding the creation of buildings. He steadied his breath as he walked to the corner of the empty lot furthest into the island and focused on the image of how he wanted the place to look from the outside. First, he would start with the outermost wall, which would serve as the first line of defense against potential attackers. It would also look pretty nice once he was done with it. He had drawn a massive septagram over the empty lot that would provide a general guideline for the arrangement of said wall.

Gathering Doton chakra into his hand, he placed his palms against the earth and spawned a series of walls that traced the outside of the septagram in a pair of layers a meter thick, 30 high, 50 long, and 5 apart. Each corner was rounded and grown into a tower. Then he switched to Mokuton and formed the necessary hand seals to create a series of support beams, stairs, decks, and other various structures designed to facilitate the mobility and advantageous positioning of a potential defending army. This was also the point of the particular shape of these walls, as it provided archers the maximum potential range and overlapping fields of fire with no blind spots. Back to Doton, he cordoned off the areas which were not intended for travel with smaller walls that seamlessly connected the two layers and filled the gaps with mud, forming hand seals as proved necessary.

By this point though, he is already beginning to tire, having burned a ton of chakra in the creation of the perimeter wall alone. So he forms a last few hand seals and generates a wall of trees that leads out from the side of the gate at which the deer statue had been planted, on top of the main wall. The trees resemble the ones in his garden, yet look more intimidating than inviting, perhaps due to their sheer height off the ground. Their branches occupy most of the space which their trunks do not, making effective arrow slits with what little space is provided. With much greater effort, he moves to the other side of the gate and duplicates the effect. These walls only manage to cover and fill two sections of the greater walls below them, but Ashitaka intends to fix that as soon as he gets his energy back.

It didn't look especially artistic at the moment, but in his mind defensive structures were intended to serve pragmatic purposes. The art would be saved for the inside, when he had more luxury to toy around with his creative process. He looked around for Okane and wondered what the man thought of what he'd made so far. The walls looked pretty good to him, and practically speaking, would be able to withstand all but the most unspeakably powerful attacks




_________________________


Techniques used:

Multiple Earth-Style Walls -20CP
Serial Pillar Houses Technique -10 CP (Affinity)
Earth-Style Wall x 10 -100CP
Sticky Earth Drop x 7 -70 CP
World of Trees Wall -10 CP (Affinity)

CP remaining: 15/235 (Exhausted)

Okane had of course received the memo but had not immediately acted upon it. After all he was a busy man and for the time being had picked up a new hobby. He was experimenting with puppetry and the combinations of all his skills put together. If he was to create the ultimate weapon he would of course need to pour his heart and soul into it. The designs were truly a frightening thing of the new age but for now he wasn't sure how to power it all. Puppetry would take him so far and his dragoon batteries would likely handle the rest...however testing it would take some work. Not to mention if it moved and hit at high speeds he would need dampeners to protect himself inside. The electrical systems would need insulation from electrical attacks as well to prevent damage to anything being powered with electricity and more importantly himself. It would have high capabilities at both long and close range but he would be cautious for the time being about sharing the plans with anyone. With a few marks on the blue print here and there where he thought he could add improvements Okane would roll the plans up and place them in a locked part of his desk. Not the most secure but still it was something. He would turn the lock and pocket the key before getting ready to head out.

For today Okane had slipped into a rather nice three piece suit. Each piece of it fitted perfectly to him and hand tailored. Dark black with a bit of a sheen to it. The tie was a power red but the rest of it was pitch black with silver buttons. Even his shoes were polished. His pocket square was folded in a triangle and made of purple silk and a silver pocket watch hung in his right vest pocket. His hair was tied back in a pony tail with a silver band with jade jewels braided into his bangs. Hanging around his face like a picture frame. His jade green eyes seemed to glow a moment but for now he would collect his Silver cane with a golden Stag head for the top and exit his office. There was some troubling news he had heard recently but for now it was in a distant country. He would prepare himself diligently for the worst case of course. For now he had a day to enjoy with the only employee he could interact with regularly. The others having faded from the emporium over time or busy building their own kingdoms. It was a little Lonely but that was what Ashitaka was for.

It would take him a bit of time to cross the distance between his pent house at the tower and the garden as Okane was not a fast man. However in due time he would make it through both gates. Golden flower petals seeming to fall from his person as he almost glided along instead of walking down the path to the wall that Ashitaka had already created. He would smile as his glowing green eyes took in the craftsmanship. Not a detail missed by those green eyes that somehow seemed to see all. He would step in front of the walls next to Ashitaka as he looked it over. His feet shoulder width apart and his cane placed perfectly in the middle in front of him with both hands resting on top of one another between the horns on the head of the cane. Even standing still he appeared regal and powerful. When he spoke it was like a melody. Almost like a lullaby that mesmerized.

"This is quality work my boy. I am impressed. Would it be terrible of me to test it?"

By the time Okane showed up, Ashitaka was barely holding on. The work putting up the castle walls was exhausting, but he wanted Okane to know what his loyalty meant. And especially after the incident that made the news yesterday, how seriously he was taking the protection he was providing per his end of their contract. However, there was a bit of a problem with his current approach that manifested in the time it took his employer to arrive.

"The seals. Please... I don't have the chakra to keep holding these up like this." He replied, lacking the energy to manage any witty replies. He was already on the verge of passing out as it was. If he didn't release the jutsu soon, he might die. Already the trees were shedding leaves and petals. The mud was drying. Wooden structures were starting to warp. The great stone walls were cracking. Ashitaka couldn't even stand. If he passed out now, all of what he'd just made would crumble around him, Okane, and those idle civilians who had stopped by to watch. Not that they'd be hurt, really. Everything would just disintegrate before or on impact. But it would be abundantly clear that he'd overreached his abilities and that would be a terrible embarrassment. Not to mention his needing to start over again when he recovered.

He could no longer offer nor wait for a response, instead closing his eyes and focusing all of his will on holding the massive structure in place. It encompassed nearly a tenth of the entire working area provided by the flying island. The way the wall was designed, even if an attack punched through the stone, the mud would absorb the energy and the roots would hold everything in place, the weight of the trees pushing down to close the hole. Additionally, there was an entire other layer of stone to get through. It was in essence, about as perfect as one could expect a wall to be. But as it was, it was also costing him all of his energy to almost hold it together. He needed Okane to start deploying seals immediately, but had no real way to convey the urgency beyond the sounds of straining from the construct itself and his own paling skin.

Okane would smile as the boy struggled to hold his jutsu together. He would pat him on the shoulder before stepping forward. Honestly he should have waited until a sealer was present but Okane wouldn't scold him. He had accomplished an impressive feat of power and even holding it together for as long as he did would be more than many was capable of. Still Okane would step forward as he would shed his coat and let it fall the the ground behind him. Unbuttoning his shirt with a flash of his hands moving down his torso. Almost like he cut it but each button was undone without damaging the fabric. His shirt and vest would fall as well as finally his fair, pale skin would be laid bare. Only then did his hands flash together faster than anyone but Ashitaka watching could dream of following. It was rapidly apparent that Okane was far more than a simple crafter. He had not only built an empire but the speed of his hand signs was incredible. Dragon -> Tiger -> Rat -> Dog and then snake. As he finished from his back like emerging from liquid twenty thirty meter long steel tentacles would burst forth almost violently. Okane would smile as he glanced back to Ashitaka and spoke with a warm smile.

"Hold on just a moment longer. I won't let your efforts go to waste."

With that to everyone else Okane would seem to fade from sight in a blur. For Ashitaka it was clear that two tentacles had grabbed a pair of tree's and yanked Okane away. He was moving around via the tentacles at A rank speed as he formed another set of hand seals. Monkey>Horse>Rat. As he did he held the seal and powered it. His tentacles whipping out as he went to touch the walls on the inside and the trees at the roots as he flew by. Chakra ink pouring out of each touch to form on the surface of each construct and glowing green a moment before the glow faded. All the constructs were touched in under a minute and when it was done Okane would land via the tentacles absorbing the impact of it and lowering him to the ground near Ashitaka. A nearby servant stepped forward with a warm towel as Okane smiled and used it to dab some sweat off his face from exerting over a hundred chakra at once. Truthfully he hadn't ever spent that much chakra in his life. Still his green eyes more then glowed now. They were practically shining green as he finished his task. The tentacles fading back into his back before the servant brought him his shirt. He would wave off the vest and coat for now as instead he would just put his shirt on and leave it open. If nothing else Okane looked truly attractive with a thin but well built body with fair skin. He would smile as he whispered something to the servant. The man would depart and he would turn his attention back to Ashitaka.

"Feeling better?"

150/150 focused amplification steel trained (C rank)
150/150  Impervious Tendrils trained (C rank)
300/300 Sosaku no Fuuinjutsu ('Sealing Technique of Creation') (A rank custom trained)

Well that's new... Ashitaka thought dimly as he watched Okane sprout nearly a couple dozen metallic tentacles and use them to crawl around the walls. As the seals were applied, he felt like one of several untenable burdens was lifted from his shoulders. The Wall, taking new life from the Iron Prince's chakra, seemed to get its act together and straighten up in time to be given permanence by the binding jutsu. The relief was only partial, however, leaving just enough room for the other problems weighing on his mind to take reign.

He didn't have the personality that took any form of pleasure in fighting strong enemies. His life was one of constant fear; and that was before he learned that he had a bloodline that people were willing, eager even, to separate from him. The few points of warmth from the people around him were either brutally snuffed out like Ari; doomed to suffer the same fate like Yui; or terribly suspicious. Nyg-sensei had accused him of paranoia, but it was this same man's incaution that had led to the unjust invasion of the Earth Country and the embarrassing failure that turned out to be. He had sought out Okane because there was an air of protection around those who created from those who sought only to destroy. But the recent incident with the headquarters and CEO of Darhk Industries had shattered that feeling. Hence his creation of The Wall. Ashitaka had wanted to build the palace to be a place of wonder and beauty, but reality offered none of the opportunities that his new employer had. He curled up against the wall he made, folding his arms across his knees.

"There are no more dreams. Only nightmares and plans." he said bitterly as he raised his piercing gaze to meet the man's. "There are no innocents. Only the unprepared."

He shifted his gaze to the crowd which had gathered to observe the wonder which the two Princes were building together, and most of them wilted away from it. He remembered reading about the massacre of such people at the hands of the raiders, and wondered if there was any way to save them. Or, for that matter, if there was any point in even trying. The Burned Man had also killed dozens of civilians when he attacked the evacuation that Ashitaka had gone to help with. Protecting them felt like trying to catch a cloud with one's bare hands, except it also hurt. This floating world of fantasy was a beautiful lie made real, but an empty promise nonetheless. He returned the focus of his attention to his employer.

"I promised to protect you and I will try. But please understand that I am not likely to do well. I hope your more powerful guards and servants are ready to heed your call at a moment's notice. Because if I'm all that stands between you and an attack like what happened to Mr. Darhk, then the best I can hope for is to stall them with the amusement that people like them seem to take in tormenting me once they discover my nature."

Okane would admire the structure until the sound of melancholy rose from his compatriot. He would glance over to him and see the stress building there. Okane would listen in silence a moment before smiling and moving to sit with the boy. Leaning against the new wall and sliding down it to sit with his knee's up and his hands resting on his knees via his wrists. Hanging there limp as the boy expressed concerns about his capabilities in actually being able to defend Okane from what happened to Mr. Darhk. Or what would happen to him once his nature was revealed. Okane supposed he could understand that. There was a long history of people with special bloodlines being kidnapped and dissected. It was a terrifying feeling that Okane could share if he let himself. Instead he would glance to the crowd who were dispersing now that the show was over. So entertained by a moment of creation and so quickly losing interest once it was gone. The masses entertained by immediate pleasure but not interested in staying around long. His glowing green eyes would look them over before he would glance to Ashitaka after a moment of silence. Finally speaking in return.

"I see you're point. Strong forces are at work here and if a man so similar to myself was easily assassinated we clearly aren't as safe as we once thought. Troubling, truly. To be honest with you the moment I learned of this I too was filled with a sense of despair. What can man do in the face of gods? However there are so many stories from so many cultures of men who stood despite the odds. The greeks, the chinese, the japanese. All of them have these stories. Although these men aren't considered simply myths. The word they used is Legends. Inspirations to those around them. So having read these stories I was faced with a choice. Much like you are now. Will I fall to my fear and hide from what may come? Or will I prepare for it. Will I be a mere man or will I stand up and become a legend? Even now I have designs in the making for a new level of weaponry and have studied the ways of ninjutsu, Seals, Puppetry and Genjutsu and Taijutsu as well. Because if the do come for me, I won't be caught incapable. I will show them what legends are made of. I will tear down my fears with my own hands despite not being a combatant in nature. I guess the only question is...will you?"

He would smile and reach out to ruffle Ashitaka's hair lightly before pressing his hands to the wall and pushing himself up. Offering a hand down to Ashitaka as the light caught him from behind. Encasing him in a glow like an angel smiling down to the boy. Speaking softly to him. "Come now, no more fretting over the possible future. Lets go to the garden for lunch." If Ashitaka took Okane's hand he would be hoisted up to his feet easily and the two would slowly as for their exhaustion move to the gate to the garden where a hefty meal of meatloaf and loaded potatoes were already being plated up for them with a nice, smooth light ale so fresh and chilled that it had droplets running down the side of the glasses and foam at the top. Okane would smile and take his seat before glancing over to Ashitaka. Speaking once more as the smell of the food was intoxicating. "Tell me my boy...what is your favored weapon? I am preparing myself of course but it couldn't hurt us to equip you as well."

"I think you're missing my point, Okane-sensei," Ashitaka began dimly as he accepted his employer's hand up, nearly pulling him down in the process. Even in his weakened state, the boy was incredibly strong. It was only by virtue of his cooperative intentions that the man's face wasn't made fast friends with The Wall. "Despite my appearances, I am a Wilderness Child. Civilization to me is a precious mask I wear to contain the deepest truths of my being. The bandits that attacked your peer, as with those individuals who've attacked me and those I tried to protect, have done nothing but demonstrate vividly to me that I should not be wearing it."

As he followed along behind the Iron Prince in the nearest approximation of trudging his natural grace would allow, he considered the merchant's question.

"I don't have a favorite. In my understanding, it is generally unwise to prefer one type of weapon over all others. Weapons are tools, and each has an appropriate time, place, and purpose of use. That's why I made a point of becoming adept at every different kind there is, and even the use of things not meant to be weapons in the first place." he replied after silently mulling over his response long enough that they'd arrived at Okane's garden by the time he spoke. "That said, I do have a tendency to prefer those that are effective both in melee and at range."

As he made his latter statement, he reached his left hand into the right inner-breast pocket of his kunai-laden vest. From it, he drew what was arguably his most important notebook: the record of Weapons Forged and Met. He opened it, flipping to the pages illustrating the various stages of his Leviathan Axe and folded it over so that it would stay on page as he offered it to his employer.

"Unfortunately, an axe can only be thrown once, if it does its job. I suppose a hammer might better fill a similar role."

If Okane didn't take the notebook from his hand, he'd set it on the table and give a brief word of thanks before eating. Normally, his unique power precluded the need to eat at all, but he was so depleted of chakra at the moment that even that had taken a break. Consequently he was also forgoing the common courtesy of waiting for his master to start eating before he did, since the last thing he'd had to eat was the free ramen the Uchiha he'd gone on a mission with had given him a ticket for.

"By the way..." he began as he paused halfway through demolishing the offered food and wiping his face in an effort to regain a semblance of decorum before speaking. "I have received a commission for one of my weapons. It seems that one of the Uchiha was smart enough to put her eyes to use as an archer. Now there is only the matter of training her body to suit the demands of the bow. It's barely within the limits of my own abilities."

Okane would listen as the boy spoke while they went to sit for lunch. Of course he felt more exhaustion than he had in some time. Back when he would spend so many hours upon days improving his craft until he finally reached the apex of crafters. Of course he had to sweat and bleed to get there but he had managed to grow his company by his own hands. Of course there had been investors here and there but all in all he had never doubted he could reach this point. He was very different from his young protege. He saw a future where as he doubted the young Ashitaka did. When the notebook was set down on the table he would smile and idly reach for it before flipping through some pages. Sketches with descriptions written under them were scanned quickly by those green eyes. Those eyes which seemed to see all. Even when he glanced to Ashitaka who was eating for once ravenously those eyes seemed to see through him. Through any secrets and doubts. Perhaps it was more than a man that looked to the young prince....a prince in his own right of course. Yet he didn't seem to fear the world as Ashitaka did.

Okane would set the notebook back down between them after looking it over quietly. Unlike Ashitaka though he monitored himself. Keeping to grace and poise even as his stomach fought him. He would properly eat the steak first in bite sized pieces quietly. Chewing each piece with his mouth closed slowly before swallowing. No sense of urgency in his movements. He would take several bites this way in silence as he listened to the description of his preferred weapon types. Along with the limitations put on them by the typical view of such items. Hammers and axes. How interesting. He would finish his bite before taking his folded napkin and dabbing at his lips. His hunger wasn't raging anymore after just a few bites. He was still hungry of course but it wasn't an ache in his stomach anymore. Once that was done he would take a sip of the ice water with mint leaves in it. Poured while they ate by the serving staff. It was refreshing to say the least. Only once that was finished would Okane set his tall glass down and clear his throat. Smiling as he spoke.

"Really my boy you mustn't be so melancholy. I won't deny the state of the world is bothersome. Terrifying even. However the more I let it sway me the less I will sleep and the more I will stress. I can not help anyone if I am exhausted both mentally and physically. We are only truly defeated when our hearts have given up. And mine has not yet reached its limits. When standing among sheep I would rather be a lion. It is a common phrase in my world growing up. I knew I would never be like the normal masses. However I avoided it at first. Wanting to fit in and be normal. Partying away my talents when I was your age. Of course my history was more of a sheltered one in less troubled times. Yet for your troubles you have grown beyond anything I ever was at your age. You must see what you have accomplished before you decide you are ready to give in. As for your order I am pleased to hear someone has placed an order with you. It's good for business of course. Now as for the hammer or axe as a one time throwing weapon...well I will remind you that making the impossible possible is what I do. I believe I could create something for that. Perhaps a hammer one one side and an axe on the other for versatility with a returning function? I could even electrify it."

Ashitaka hated to admit it, but he envied his employer. Not for his material possessions, since those things were only temporary novelties for him that he'd get bored of after a few weeks. What he really wanted that the man had was his supreme confidence in not just himself but also in the world. From the boy's perspective, the latter seemed to get bigger every day, and with each new expanse came new horrors that he'd not previously ever imagined. And not just from others. He felt himself growing and changing as well. He was becoming more aggressive, and less forgiving of the shortcomings of people around him. Life was a war against the world that every person had to fight, and he was losing in spite of his abilities. Wanting to know where the man got this strength, he would listen intently to the man's words.

"Well, thanks. I guess..." he would reply in almost bashful confusion. Not because it was the first time he'd ever received a compliment in regards to his abilities, not by a long shot. But because by his own personal standards, what other people would praise him over would barely be considered 'acceptable', so he often couldn't help wondering what they were looking at, or if they were even sincere. In response to Okane's question, he said: "One of my older models works something like that. If you'd flip to the page detailing my Wing Hammer, you'd see it. Although, that's a great-hammer and not really intended for throwing. I suppose if we gave it a shorter haft and maybe made the head out of a denser material, it would better serve that purpose. I'm not fond of the idea of electrifying it, though. Most of the more powerful enemies I've encountered all have Lightning-based chakra, so it might not even hurt them. Maybe a Wind enchantment would be better."

Ashitaka was visibly feeling better, both with having something to eat and the ability to talk about something he had a knack for. His energy was coming back, and he felt like he had something to look forward to. He wasn't sure how his employer could contain himself around such delicious food (he got apple juice instead of ale), but he guessed it was due to having the opportunity to eat it whenever he wanted. It probably wasn't all that special to him. In its own way, he felt that that was kind of sad, and he wondered if Okane could enjoy anything at all after having so much of everything.

"You built this empire with your own hands..." he said slowly as he cleaned his plate and finished his glass. "That, more than anything else, is why I want to learn from you. I want to be a maker of things, not just another destroyer. Even the Burned Man who killed dozens of civilians during the War saw the value in my ability to do that, and tried to claim it for his own." He looked directly into Okane's eyes as he concluded. "I never want to end up like him. He was so pathetic and jealous that he hurt people, including me, just to give himself an illusion of power. That's why I'll never accept any power not granted by my own will."

Okane would look to the design that the young man directed him to as he looked it over. It was an interesting design that allowed for a slight change in direction once released from the hands. Not nearly to the level he could accomplish with puppetry but it certainly improved it's chances of hitting the first time if someone didn't know it's capabilities. With such a weapon one only had to land one hit anyway. It was an impressive feat of engineering all the same but Okane's idea was more electromagnetic in nature. He already had the battery for it designed. Still he would examine it and appreciate the design. The mention of not wanting something electric because of the amount of raiton specialists out there made Okane smile. He would wait until the mention of wind enchantments before he would gently close the book and scoot it back to the boy. Taking another bite of his steak. Swallowing it after chewing before speaking.

"Well for wind we would need to find someone with the element to enchant it unless you already have it. As for your concern about someone having elements I have two points on that. First, there are perhaps an equal amount of katon specialists and wind falters quickly in front of fire. Granted you have suiton as part of your clans nature I'm sure. However replicating electricity or fire is a fairly simple task. No enchantments needed. Nor does having a proclivity for it negate it effecting you. Katon specialist can be burned, raiton specialists can be shocked. I assure you having an element does not deny it effecting you as it does others."

Okane would listen as he sipped his own drink quietly. He was giving Ashitaka his full attention without breaking eye contact. Those glowing green eyes never seemed to break from Ashitaka except the occasional blink. He would set his glass down quietly as he felt a connection to this boy. Another crafter to speak with was a nice moment of relaxation. Still he would frown quietly as he felt he was being put on a high expectation. Not that it wasn't warranted. However he would sit back in his chair and speak once more. His voice soft as he didn't wish for Ashitaka to feel scolded.

"While you are correct that I am one who builds, do not ignore that this was all funded by weapons of war. I provide a service that is needed for a world constantly on the brink of violence. Some would consider me a merchant of death. However it is what I do with what I gain that defines me. I have been helping build a village torn apart in the past by war. I have been able to do so because the same people who would tear it down need weapons to gain more. However what I build will be a safe haven for those it belongs to. I will put my life on the line to ensure the land of Iron is safe from ninja. The samurai are an honorable people and I will see them restored in glory. As for not wishing to end up as the burned man that is good. However the more you cling to fear and hate the closer you allow yourself to become to such a person. If you put a frog in a pot of cold water and slowly bring it to boil the frog will die before ever noticing it's becoming to hot to handle. Much like the frog you must remain vigilante of your own soul to remain free of darkness. Now, have you had enough? I hear they prepared apple pie for us fresh this morning."

Ashitaka listened carefully to everything Okane had to say before responding. He wasn't taking notes at this point, however, because he was focusing his attention on the new weapon's design. Still, there was important information in what his employer told him that he would definitely have to make note of later. His various elemental Releases did actually protect him from the worse consequences of being subsumed within those elements. It was nigh impossible for him to drown or take significant damage from falling to or being trapped under the earth as long as he was conscious and had a bit of chakra to spare. Apparently, these benefits did not also apply to the users of Katon and Raiton. That curious fact was definitely worth remembering.

"It doesn't matter to me what you create, only that you create. So many others can only take what people like us make and destroy each other and their surroundings with them. That is their own fault. And if we did not make weapons for them, they would still kill each other with their chakra and lacking that, whatever rocks and sticks they could find or even their bare hands if it came down to it. We shouldn't feel guilty for other people being what they are. Now, if you'll hand me back my notebook, please, I feel an idea forming." he said, not clarifying whether he was able to tap into Wind Release because in all honesty he never tried and he'd feel like an absolute fool for not even looking into the one element that could defend him against his primary antagonists.

He ate the offered apple pie quickly and wiped his hands on the moist towel provided before turning his notebook to an empty page and setting to work. He sketched out a diagram of an implement with a straight haft with sides that were somewhat narrower in one direction than another, sloping like a dull blade. Braided over this haft like so many of his prior weapons would be a metallic reinforcement. Parallel to these narrowed sides, the head would be aligned. On one side would be a bearded axe, carefully sloped so as to avoid interfering with the weapon's aerodynamics. The other side flowed out into a broad, round hammer face. Dimensions were drawn for each appropriate measure:

Materials Used: Haft- Senju Wood, Head + Bracing- Ebony
Total Length: 50 cm
Blade Length/Width: 10 cm/8 cm
Beard Length: 5 cm
Edge Angle: 40 degrees
Blade Taper: 20 degrees
Head Length/Width: 10 cm/8 cm

He flipped to a new page. This one featured cutaway views of the two sides of the heads, revealing them to be hollow shells with walls a half-centimeter thick. The axe would have a thin, flat battery on one side while the hammer would contain a small motor and a steel rod surrounded by a series of braided copper coils. At four points perpendicular to one another within the head, these wires would be bonded to the metal comprising the outer shell and lead back to the battery. He handed his notebook back to Okane to show the man his proposed design.

"The problem with generating so much electricity mechanically is that I don't know how the user would protect himself from the shock unless there was some way to remotely trigger the mechanism. Unfortunately, I am nowhere near capable of knowing how to manage remote control of objects to such a fine degree. I do have a friend who is proficient in Puppetry and Engineering though that we might be able to get help from, if he still considers me a friend."

Okane would watch the young man wolf down his pie and smile as he sat back and sipped at a white wine for his own treat. He watched the young man scribbling away in his notebook at a new design. He was glad to see the boy pulled out of his depression and back into something that interested him. It was sweet really. Still as he wrote Okane nodded to a servant before he was brought a cigarette on the end of a long purple pipe. Of course this only appeared as a cigarette but really to those with a sense of smell it was in fact professionally rolled to look as such. A joint of marijuana for a good guilty pleasure. Okane would let the servant light the end before taking a long drag from it and humming in satisfaction before blowing out a smoke ring to the side. He watched the scribbling hand and followed the drawing to read what was being wrote. With his mind it was like he was watching it being drawn before him. Designs and measurements. How wondrous a talent. Truly most crafters had a set mold to work with but to actually design your own down to the measurements was a sweet treat.

Still when the boy spoke up again Okane would flick the joint ashing a good section of it onto a tea plate before taking a good long drag. He would turn to lounge across his chair and stare up to the roof of the gazebo as he spoke up. Commenting on the boys concerns and insight into the project. "My dear boy its simple. We put handles on swords and knives so that the wielder doesn't cut themselves. Break away for a moment from the mystical land of chakra and think scientifically. We merely create the grip out of a material that safeguards the user. A rubber grip with a switch to activate and deactivate it should protect the wielder and make it simple to use. Of course the weapon can still be turned on them but any weapon could. I would remind you I am skilled both as an engineer and a puppeteer myself though. However if you wish to bring another engineer in on the project I wouldn't mind meeting them. Another viewpoint is usually more productive than not wouldn't you say?" He was becoming increasingly comfortable in front of Ashitaka.

For Okane fear was not something he was interested in letting rule his final days. He had seen it twist men into ugly things. He would be prepared for a fight if he had to but for now living life to it's fullest was all that mattered. The purpose of a palace made out of senju wood wasn't really for it's durability although it was considerably strong. It was so he could flaunt it. An entire palace made from the worlds strongest wood. Senju wood of all things. Unlike the young man who feared the attention he would glow in it. He wouldn't reveal ashitaka without his permission of course but his wealth and power would be shown all the more. Drawing attention from both allies and clients and thus growing his money and influence. He would take another drag and cough slightly before flicking the ashes onto a tea plate again.

"I was under the impression that a sufficient charge to hurt our more powerful foes was not the kind you could protect against with normal insulation. You would need a special material for serving that express purpose. And good insulators tend to not be very friendly towards aerodynamics." he looked down at his design and imagined it being a complete hammer with motors on both sides providing an infinitely recursive loop of power-cycling. The only problem is that without the storage capacity offered by the battery, it would require a significant boost to initiate the process. Also the motors would probably overheat and melt the entire weapon, which was already a considerable problem with only one of them. And he didn't know what material could possibly be used as a battery to store the intended electrical charge without exploding.

"The more I think about this, the more I realize that this is a realm of craftsmanship that's out of my depth. Chakra is terribly powerful stuff to be trying to imitate through manufacture alone." rather than being upset by this epiphane, Ashitaka was excited. This wasn't the same as finding out that his enemies were staggeringly more powerful than he was. In the field of crafting, such discoveries shed light on entire new vistas to explore and build into. He was of the sort that was vastly more interested in the art than the trade. The boy could spend a million ryo on a single weapon with no intent or means of profit and hardly bat an eye so long as there was no other reasonable means of acquiring the tools and materials.

Perhaps that's why he struggled so fiercely to see from the perspective that led his mentor to a life of such grandeur. The fact of the matter is that barring his growing need for human interaction and passion for the civilized arts, he could just walk away from it all and go back to living on the land. In fact, it'd be even easier now that eating was a matter of social activity and convenience rather than necessity. The smoke from Okane's cigarette didn't smell like normal cigar smoke and it was making him feel light-headed and a little dizzy. Sure, they were in an open environment, but as it happened due to his upbringing and the fact that in spite of all his training he was still a child, Ashitaka was extremely sensitive. Not to mention the fact that the Senju were strongly inclined to being what for some was irritatingly laid-back in general, especially those that fully unlocked the powers of their bloodline. Probably due to the fact that barring extreme circumstances, they were nigh immortal. Not that Ashi knew that on a conscious level.

"You know... by any measurable metric, I much prefer my service to you than to Nyg-sensei. But my loyalty would be meaningless if it only reached as far as was convenient for me. And I owe Konohagakure my humanity."

Okane would listen as he finished his joint. He was feeling good now. Lighter on his muscles and even his breathing felt more mellow. His worries drained away as he relaxed visibly. He listened to the concept issue as he nodded slowly. It was true that in order to generate the kind of power needed he would need a powerful energy source and with enough power electricity could burn through most insulation in a short matter of time. It wouldn't do to only be able to use his weapons for a moment. So they would need to craft a new super material to deal with the effects of electricity and absorb it. Electricity was surely a difficult thing to control if one didn't understand how voltage worked and how it traveled. Normally non conductive material such as wood would create a solution but he understood Senju wood was not under the same circumstances. He had studied the material when researching crafts of course. Still it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility. Still he would speak in return to the mention that duplicating chakra was a difficult thing to do with a bit of amusement to his voice.

"I suppose some aspects of jutsu could never be replicated. However there are ways with science that can get us surprisingly close. While I can't entirely cancel out the threat of it affecting the user I could create a material that reduced the voltage so that it wouldn't burn through common polymer on the hand grips of the hilt. Or put a layer of polymer and the material between the weapon head and the shaft of any given weapon. Preventing the shock from reaching the user entirely so long as they don't touch the head of the weapon. As for a large enough energy source I have already created a self recharging long lasting high voltage battery well beyond the limits of every day batteries. It is called a dragoon battery. Not very bulky in nature and used with a combination of jade and a bit of science. Consider the jade a focusing crystal which stores energy that replicates itself over time. I could probably fit one inside the head of virtually any weapon. Running a wire to a switch on the hilt to activate and deactivate it. Perhaps even useful for super heating the weapon. Essentially creating a replication of katon and raiton at extreme levels."

Okane would take a drink once more before handing the burnt out joint and stem back to a servant. Lightly taking a piece of bacon from the loaded potato and popping it in his mouth. Savoring the savory flavor and soft crunch of the meat which settled his need for something to chew on for the time being. He would still listen as Ashitaka spoke and smiled softly. He would speak again as he looked directly to Ashitaka. His meaning had to be conveyed with purpose. At least for the moment.

"While remaining connected to your homeland is honorable, each man reaches a point where they need to decide their own futures. Will you remain loyal to a country that you don't agree with their policies because you owe it to them? How far along the road will you draw the line? These are things I can not tell you as in order to move forward, truly move forward, you must reflect and decide for yourself. However you decide though you will have my support. Did you know that I was born in the land of wind? At the coast to the south my father owns an import export business. I left it behind and started on my own. Becoming royalty in another nation in the process. I rose above my station with my own hands. However our situations are different. Suna held no official sway over me and thus couldn't dictate my life. Konoha I imagine clings much harder to what is theirs. I imagine there would be repercussions for leaving."

Ashitaka was starting to feel less clear-headed by the second. He tried to take deeper breaths to stabilize himself, but that only resulted in his inhaling more of the ambient smoke and that really didn't help. Then he was suddenly much more clear-headed and his face felt kind of numb, which was something of an alarming sensation. That led to some confusion when looking at his employer who was deliberately inhaling the bizarre smoke and consequently getting much more of an effect out of it (at least he though, since the concept of second-hand smoke wasn't one he was familiar with) and Okane looked incredibly relaxed. He forced himself to focus and center, not being especially keen on the feeling of his soul deciding to vacate his body and go on an adventure without him.

"I don't believe the self-charging aspect will be necessary with the motor in the other half of the head, which let's be real will be much more powerful in generation of amperage than any battery. But its high-capacity absolutely will, and the way you've described it does suggest that it'll be able to handle the constant fluctuation of power that would be involved. Which is ideal, because the only thing a wielder needs less than having their own weapon shock them a bit is having it explode in their hand."

He didn't know what to do with having two conversations at once. Talking shop was one thing, but getting into the moral values of his loyalty was something he really didn't want to think about, especially in his present state. Okane was an independent and self-made man, but he was also a man, and for all his brilliance and power, Ashitaka was painfully aware of the fact that he was still a child. More than that, his employer's homeland apparently didn't concern itself much with the man's departure, but as they illustrated with Iwagakure, Konoha clearly didn't feel the same way about letting anyone go. He would have just as much luck openly challenging the entire Uchiha Clan directly as trying to extricate the much smaller and weaker Senju one to safety from their madness in peace. The mantle of Head of the world's oldest clan had fallen upon his shoulders at its lowest point, where it was essentially a force of hostage soldiers for one whom it had previously helped throw off the yoke of its Hyuga oppressors and managed to successfully manipulate for centuries afterward. And more pitiably, the most effective thing he believed he could do for them was to help them make the jump from conscripts to refugees.

In comparison to that, the effort he was putting into this weapon that might never see a second of use in combat was almost laughable. But as Nyg-sensei and Okane-sensei both taught by demonstration, pretty words did not defeat the enemies of ideals, even in peaceful settings. As the former had shown, no amount of conviction in the rightness of your actions and the latent superiority of your Clan could stand in the face of a foe with at least equal conviction in their own rightness and a greater amount of power. And as the latter had taken pains to make clear, the battlefield of negotiation did not preclude the use of weapons, it only changed the nature of the ones being wielded. The palace his employer wanted... no, the entire island was his display of power, and he wanted Ashitaka to be a part of that.

As a craftsman, he could imagine no greater honor. Even a direct commission from the Hokage to construct a building for Konoha would pale in comparison, because the sight of it would be limited to only its residents. But the Heavenly Emporium existed for the benefit of the whole world, and as its centerpiece, the Palace would present its grandeur to all who visited, even if they were only able to see what portion of it was not obscured by the Wall that had been built to protect it. It was a testament to the might of the hands of creators and the imaginative minds and willful hearts that moved them. Okane-sensei was right. Ashitaka was wrong to fear the pain and death promised by his lifestyle, because the things he made promised to outlive him, and their concepts and images would last much longer still. Nyg-sensei's flaw in pursuing the legacy of his better was not in the desire to do so, only the means. History was built by creation, not destruction.

Ashitaka had, at long last, discovered the means by which he was uniquely empowered to help make his superiors' dreams come true. And more importantly, his own.

Okane would smile as his eyes lit up. He felt challenged by the concept that something could do more output energy wise than his battery. He was amused as the young man had never seen a dragoon battery at work yet a good distance beneath them they were being used to keep the entire island afloat. Their power output had increased his legacy a dozen fold. No one in the world not avoiding the outside world itself was unaware of the technological marvel that roamed the land. Beyond that he did truly hope his palace would be the talk of many in the future. Still the idea that a weapon could be overcharged and explode made him nod. The smoke was gone but the effects were lingering. He was having trouble thinking of the word he needed for a moment. He knew it started with R.....man he liked the light headed sensation but it was making it hard to think. He would quietly tap his temple a few times to gather his thoughts before he seemed to come to a conclusion or remembered the word either way. He would smile lightly at the memory before he spoke in return. Happiness in his voice.

"Beyond the capabilities of my battery there is also the option to put in power regulators. A commonly used system to control the voltage in almost any household appliance. Blenders, T.V., even the lights in a household. All these things are regulated because raw voltage is a dangerous thing. Which reminds me....I wish to take a nap soon. I intend to do so here in the garden under the shade of the trees. My security will watch over us if you wish to sleep and regain some chakra as well. If you don't mind though I wish to make an improvement to the next set we put our combined minds to. You see my steel release can modify earth based minerals into steel. While I can only make up to the equivalent of A grade equipment with it, the material grade is S. If I put meshed Tetsudashi steel netting in your constructs I can make both permanent and increase their durability. Or at least that is my theory. I will however leave some gaps here and there so no one person can simply zap the entirety of the structures. "

He would smile at that before slowly rising from his seat. He seemed far less graceful for a moment before he practically glided over to the nearest tree. Settling himself there with his arms behind his head. He looked at peace there. A nice breeze blowing through under a cherry tree that seemed to be in permanent bloom. Perhaps it was because of the herbs he had partook in but he felt it was important to relax now and then. He wondered if the child soldier could do the same or if he would refuse to nap despite his exhaustion. Okane had pushed the poor boy today with his tardiness. But a good nap and a meal would help with that. He would lay there and let out a content sigh. It all simply felt wonderful. The stress of work melting away in moments as he seemed ready to sleep relatively quickly. Short of Ashitaka doing something to stop him Okane would soon be sleeping like a teenager under a tree without a care in the world.

"I... um... I wasn't aware of such things." he said, staring down at the table bashfully. Of course, with a man as brilliant and experienced with the art of the craft as Okane, it was not only inevitable but appropriate that Ashi have found himself out of his depth. That didn't mean it wasn't still embarrassing.

He pondered Okane's certainty regarding his "dragoon batteries". While it was true that there was no shortage of people who held great confidence without anything to substantiate it, the mellow certainty with which his employer made his assertion led Ashitaka to believe that the man had evidence to back his claims. But the very notion was absurd, even in light of all he had seen in his few short years of life. The nature of batteries was defined by the fact that they generated electrical charges through chemical processes, which in turn meant that their lifespans tended to be short unless their amperage was vastly outweighed by their voltage. The only things that he could think of that generated power chemically and still had long durations were living beings. And of those, the only ones that generated enough more than necessary to keep themselves alive on a regular enough basis to be useful were those infused with chakra.

However, it was probably unwise to question the engineering capabilities of a man with his own flying island. One which, he couldn't help but notice, didn't have the same overwhelming chakra cores involved in the very-nearly-doomed Karifornia Island. The boy was more than smart enough to but two and two together and draw the conclusion that these "dragoon batteries" were likely powering the mechanisms by which this flight was achieved. But that in turn only raised the question of what exactly those mechanisms were, since he was pretty sure that he didn't feel the powerful blast of faux wind that would accompany rotary- and turbine-style lift generators on his way up here.

He nodded idly to the man's suggestion to combine their powers, but that was a matter that was so simple as to almost go without saying. The wisdom of blending wood and steel was basically the hallmark of human civilization. Building the palace of the two would make it nigh indestructible unless someone were to attack it with a powerful Raiton jutsu. Although, given that this island was apparently held up by electricity, such a surge would doom everyone on it at the time by bringing the entire deal to the ground. He would question whether or not anyone was mad enough to attempt such a horrible thing even at their own grave risk were it not for his having had to rescue people from the threat of it happening to the other flying island everyone knew about. It was best not to underestimate the human potential for sheer insanity or stupidity since neither seemed to have any trouble keeping up with that for creativity and intelligence. And worse, those who had the power and proclivity to destroy far outnumbered the creators.

At Okane's announcement of a decision to nap and offer to Ashitaka to do the same, he quietly declined. While he was experiencing intense spiritual exhaustion at the moment, his mind was far too active and being awake and thinking about mechanics meant focusing on the future. And focusing on the future was a buffer from letting his mind drift to the past, which was honestly an awful place to be. So he sat and he thought, sometimes with his eyes closed, as he tried to picture (and certainly not for the first time) by what means the Heavenly Emporium sailed through the skies. Sure, it would probably have been much easier to simply ask his boss exactly what he did to make it happen, but even at the peak of honesty that wouldn't have gotten him a satisfactory answer. Facts and figures, also known as data, were not the sort of information to which the human brain was suited. While it could memorize and even process them well enough, the coldness of their nature distanced the organ from fully understanding what they meant.

To achieve the true knowledge of the epic mystery of this mall's flight, he would have to reach it by his own means. The problem was that batteries were not mechanical and safe, well-made ones were also self-contained and would have no potential way to view their contents, especially if they were a closely guarded secret like a powerful patent. The same applied to many electrical mechanisms, which at best only lit up or did not to indicate whether they were receiving power, or not. However, neither of those things prevented him from using his imagination, or drawing pictures. Which is exactly what he did. Ashitaka decided it was important to keep in mind that since they were batteries, the power sources for the island's flight system would be using direct current electricity rather than the alternating variety.

The forces that he'd seen which were potentially capable of generating enough lift without being visible to most people could be narrowed down to gravity, electromagnetism, and of all things... time. He didn't want to think too much about that last one because it made his head hurt like that of a normal kid trying to understand basic algebra. That left gravity and electromagnetism, and the only way to test the former was to drop something off the side of the island and see which direction it fell in. But the latter would require a lot of electricity and even if it worked, would make everyone who got near it nauseous as it disrupted and forcibly realigned their bioelectromagnetic fields, potentially even sticking them to its surface given the power involved. Not that a sufficient source of gravitic force to levitate an object of this island's mass wouldn't also stick people to the surface. He put down his pen and closed his eyes, rubbing them with the heels of his palms. It seemed that he was going to end up giving in to the suggestion to take a nap after all, right here on the table amid his writings like a lazy student.

Okane would stir to wakefulness hours later as he blinked to clear his gaze. He would take a deep breath and stretch out before looking at the sky. It was dark now...had he slept away the entire afternoon? How wonderful. He needed some time to get some shut eye as he had been so very tired up until that point. So much work to be done and so little time. He found himself only sleeping for a couple hours at a time on average. So a good six hours felt like heaven to him. Thanks to the specially designed soft grass he wasn't sore at all either. Still he sat up and quickly a servant brought him a small jug of chilled water. He would smile and thank them before taking a long drink. After they would bring him a large bowl with steam rising off the perfumed water. He would rise to his feet and use it to wash his hands and face before he was handed a towel to dry with. As he finished however he would notice Ashitaka asleep at the table and tilt his head. Tossing the towel back to the staff before walking over to him quietly.

Okane was a very quiet man when he wished to be. His A rank coordination allowing him to move without a single sound. His staff would remain on standby as Okane would move to stand next to the sleeping Ashitaka. Idly his hand reaching out to collect the book with the drawings in it. What a vivid imagination the young man had. He would move over to the other chair and settle in. The dishes from before had been long since cleared but quickly a servant prepared some coffee. Pressing the beans with steaming hot water with a small pump to create the freshest coffee that would be made readily available in this country. The sweet yet bitter scent of the coffee filling the air as Okane would idly flip through the pages and look from drawings to blueprints to writings. Some of it idle and some of it highly viable. He could tell this young man was a good hire since his mind was incredibly intuitive. He couldn't say he was unsatisfied in any way. Other than perhaps the poor kids view on the world. He would flip another page as fresh creamer was brought in and even taste tested for poisons.

He had hopes the scent of coffee would rouse the young man as lights began to light up the garden. Artificially bred fireflies created a bio-luminescent glow around the garden as night fell. It was a soft light but still bright enough to read without straining his eyes. The fireflies were bred for longer lives and to survive in colder climates with ease. They mostly lived off of weeds and any insects that were attracted to the trees like caterpillars or bees. His coffee would be mixed as a half and half before being stirred with a stick made of sugar that broke down in the liquid quickly. If Ashitaka would wake up Okane would be sipping his coffee with a light glow around them from hundreds of fireflies buzzing around. The garden was beautiful in the day but at night under the star lit sky it was something else entirely. Still Okane would sip his coffee and swallow the steaming hot liquid before setting the cup down on a little plate provided as he flipped another page of the book.

"Did you get enough rest my boy? If you like I can have something other than coffee brought. There is also water and perfumed water to wash your hands and face if you wish. Not as effective as a bath but, well its good for while we are out in the field yes?"

As it happened, Ashitaka did completely fail to notice Okane's approach and acquisition of his notebook from under his face. It turns out that depleting one's chakra to the point where it threatened to be fatal was utterly exhausting. His head thumped against the table hard enough to have rattled and displaced the dishes had the servants not been so efficient at clearing them out, but he did not wake up. He didn't even stir or show any other general signs of life as he slept. Which was actually a great sign because it meant that he wasn't dreaming, a good thing because a kid with his past was infinitely more likely to have nightmares than any other kind of dreams, as he'd complained to his employer and mentor just that morning.

Still, "showing no signs of life" wasn't the same as "dead", which he demonstrated the moment the seal was broken on the container for the coffee beans. He snapped awake as though smelling salts had been passed in front of his face, his face whipping around wildly until he centered on the source of the scent as lucidity crept in. Coffee...? He took a moment to observe his surroundings as he tried to massage the numbness out of the side of his face he'd slept on. His mind worked to piece together the relevance of his immediate environment, how he'd gotten to be there, why he'd been asleep, and why he was awake at night. He looked at Okane and for several seconds, failed to recognize him. And then he didn't.

"Oh, hell! I'm sorry for passing out like that, Boss." he burst out, the very picture of childhood chagrin. In an uncharacteristic display of gracelessness, he fumbled to extricate himself from the seating around the table and fell. "I'm okay!"

True to his word, he got up off his face and brushed the dirt out of his palms with a little help from his chakra and let the scrapes close once he was sure there wasn't anything trapped in them. Like Okane, he was offered a bowl of steaming water. With a bow and a smile, he accepted it, manipulating the water out of its source to race over his body and remove all of the salt and oils from it. At the same time, the dust from his body and clothes pooled into his right hand as the water and traces of blood gathered in his left. Bringing his hands together, he merged the two elemental spheres into one and in a puff of smoke, made a bouquet of the plum-cherry blossom flowers he'd seen in the trees with climbing ivy for stems and placed it in the bowl. With another bow, he thanked the floored servant for his work and rushed over to Okane. Contrary to the adult, he was only as quiet as was natural for a person wearing moccasins moving through soft grass.

"I have this problem of not properly conserving my chakra." he admitted abashedly. Although that was an understatement of a gross degree. He didn't even pace himself as reservedly as any average shinobi. His chakra pool was easily six times as big as it was a year ago, and he burned through it at least twice as quickly. If he'd burned himself out in a fight like he did with this construction project, he would have died. Or worse. Putting that thought out of his mind, he focused on remembering the conversation that they were having prior to the surprise nap. "Anyway, I think we should get that Palace up and running. All other things being equal, the more things any invading force has to take down, the longer it'll take them and the more tired they'll be when they're done. Also I plan to make it the best thing I've ever made, but I already do that with everything. You had the right idea with combining our powers, and I'm honestly surprised this hasn't already become a habit for our Clans. We should probably do something about that at some point."

He was curious about the coffee, but refrained from asking for some. His mom often said that there was no idea quite as stupid as giving a child coffee, although he didn't know why. After a moment, he noticed that Okane was going through one of his notebooks. Notably, it was the one containing his record of weapon designs. The general warmth in his disposition died, and the man found himself facing the Ashitaka that people he didn't trust were met with.

"With respect, Sir... I'd like you to return that to me." he requested with a tone on the border of being commanding. Then he remembered the magic word. "Immediately."

He would watch the impressive display of elemental control. Most people stumbled about their chakra. Learning only to control their element within the confines of known jutsu. A few here and there experimented and created more but most simply had one or two signature moves. Only the elite in his experience had designed their own series of self taught or created jutsu. Brilliant minds. However he had rarely seen control on such a level. To wash himself and his outfit with ease and even turn it into something else. Okane would watch quietly but the rest of the staff was in awe. The one with a bowl now filled with a plant found themselves staring at it in shock. It made sense that people from outside of Konoha had never seen a Senju at work before. Not to mention the head of the clan. It was fitting in every aspect but his age it seemed. Too young for such a burden but likely he had heard it from the beginning. Adults never respected children because they had yet to mature. There were some aspects of Ashitaka that still reflected his age. For one was his quickness to anger. Which he displayed rather quickly with some restraint.

Okane would look into the boys eyes with a studios gaze a moment calmly. He wasn't a fan of the tone but it was the boys property. It would be immature of him on his own part to withhold it out of spite. So with a crisp snap he would close the notebook with one hand and hold it out for Ashitaka to collect. The reaction seemed odd since the day before Ashitaka had freely been showing him the same notebook. A certainly odd switch in attitude over intellectual property. However Okane would chalk it up to him being tired. He would remain quiet for a moment more before taking a steadying breath. Reaction emotionally would do nothing for him at that moment. He needed to remove himself from the image and look at it from an outside perspective. Don't let it get personal. Once he was finished reminding himself of a practiced method for holding onto his patience he would pick up his cup of coffee and hold it up as if indicating the servant nearby,

"We will start shortly I assure you. As for our clans not working together in the past.... I will remind you each is attached to a different nation that have been constantly at odds with each other. It makes sense the two clans who can construct would act more as rivals than allies. For now why not wake up with some fresh coffee? They will prepare it however you like. It may ease the morning irritation."

He would say the last part as if dismissing the tone earlier to mere drowsiness. He would lift his coffee to his lips and enjoy the warm burning liquid. A heat traveling down his throat to his stomach. His pinky outstretched as he watched Ashitaka. His free hand settling in his lap as he looked to the boy a moment longer and then to the tall walls beyond the garden. He would frown as if in thought before almost silently huffing like a sigh. Speaking once more.

"We will need to take this a little slower than earlier though. The Senju are known for their impressive chakra reserves where as I am not. I have to both apply the steel mesh and seal it to make it permanent. Two jobs to your one with less chakra to use. So do pace yourself with me please."

Ashitaka didn't register the shock on the faces of the adults around him. After the stresses of the war's earlier stages in which he'd participated, anyone who wasn't powerful whether friend or foe simply faded into background noise for him. He was steadily overcoming his fear of disappearing as he grew in power and came to realize just how difficult it was to injure him with any lasting physical effect. Instead, as he had found himself staring down at the ruined bodies of his teammates as they failed to escape the agony that could only briefly grip him, that fear was replaced with the loneliness presented by the threat of immortality. That didn't mean that he was willing to emotionally detach himself from other people, though. On the contrary, now he clung to every bond of trust he could acquire with a desperation that bordered dangerously on insanity.

"Thank you, Sir." he replied with a polite bow as he accepted the notebook and briefly hugged it against his chest before slipping it into a hidden inner breast pocket. "I'm sorry for being rude, but giving something and having it taken from me are two very different things. And of all the weapons I have created since I took up the smith's hammer, the one which this notebook is a tiny piece of is probably the most dangerous one ever. Luckily, it's going to take me so long to forge it, people might even be tired of the mass stupidity that is war by the time it's finished. If not, well... oh well."

He accepted the offered coffee without a hint of the mistrust he'd shown earlier, making it clear that to lose his faith was something that required more than a single small mistake. In the world dominated by shinobi, it was beyond naive to have this level of trust in people; but in his mind, without it he'd have nothing to fight for. Trust and faith were the only real currency people dealt in, and everything material was nothing more than a bribe in effort to garner those things. He listened to his mentor speak as he choked down the coffee, scalding hot and nearly as black as pitch. Ashitaka had failed to notice Okane prepping his own beverage to be more palatable and simply assumed that it was meant to be suffered through like a medication. Grimacing as he finished it, he closed his mouth to hide the fact that he was using his Suiton release to fill it with pure water and wash out the horrible, horrible flavor. He swallowed and spoke again.

"I feel weird..." he said dully as he lost control of his Sensory powers, and they activated on their own. He got a good look at everyone present and confirmed his suspicion that short of Okane, they were all nearly invisible. His Subharmonic Field filled a wide area with a faint vibration that was only audible to ears on par with those of dogs. He looked down at the seated man, unaware of the dilation of his pupils erasing most of the brown from his irii and leaving only the green which was a recent addition. "False modesty and excuses do not become you, Okane-sensei. Your chakra reserves are only marginally less than mine. Although you're definitely right that... that..."

He felt like he was floating. Looking at his hands, he noticed that he could see the ridges in his fingertips with mildly alarming clarity. He'd had a similar experience just a few hours ago with the man's bizarre smoke, but a lot of traits of his condition were the complete opposite of then. For one thing, he could feel his heart beating, and could not count its pulses because they were going so absurdly rapidly. He noticed he was hyperventilating and forced himself to take slower, shuddering breaths as he fought for control over his own body. Ashitaka had a distinct impression of the sharpness of his own teeth coupled with a powerful desire to rip something apart with them. He didn't like this set of feelings at all. His fingers curled and uncurled in odd fractions of a fist as blood surged through his muscles, causing tension in them that he instinctively forced back out with his desire to maintain self-control. If someone could see his chakra by any means, they'd probably wish they couldn't.

"What's... happening... to... me? WhydoIfeellikerippingsomebodyinhalf?"

Okane would watch as the notebook was returned to its hidden place and sit back. Folding his hands in his lap with a little bit more patience as the tone changed. The kid just didn't like things taken from him so much as when they had been offered. He supposed he could be seen as taking advantage of a moment of weakness. Still he had no intention of creating anything directly from that notebook. If asked he would help but he wasn't one for stealing others ideas. He had enough of his own. Still one eyebrow would raise as the young man took the offered coffee and for whatever reason he downed the entire cup without sugar or flavoring. Not a drop of cream. A frown crossing Okane's lips as he found the very idea as disgusting as the boys face suggested it was. That had to have burned and tasted almost foul. Still the kid would mention feeling weird after only a couple of moments. Okane would sigh if he wasn't inwardly aware of the consequences of giving a child caffeine. Their conversations had been more on the mature side so he had let that detail slip from the front of his mind. However it seemed Ashitaka had some child like qualities still.

As the young man began to panic and let the caffeine he had just chugged super speed his senses and heartbeat Okane would quietly rise from his seat. Moving over to Ashitaka he would reach out and lightly take his thumb. Putting pressure to the pressure point on the inside of the elbow. It would be mildly uncomfortable but it was intentional. A slight amount of pressure and slowing down the blood flow were ways to distract from the caffeine rush. Okane would speak calmly and his eyes would watch the young man. "Coffee contains caffeine and is meant to be sipped. Not chugged straight. I assure you with cream and sugar its considerable more tasteful. Now focus. Deep breaths in through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Repeat it over and over until you feel you have control." Okane was establishing a pattern of breathing to follow and deep breaths combined with the pressure point. If the directions were followed in the order in which he had said the rush would likely subside to the simple feeling of his skin vibrating a little. An odd sensation but not one that couldn't be worked through.

If the kids breathing and speech slowed Okane would release him and step forward. Stretching both his hands over his head holding his left wrist with his right hand. Stretching until he felt his back pop. Once that was done he would glance back to Ashitaka. A smile on his face. "Lets direct that energy elsewhere. Over the wall to the palace yeah? Did you create a door by chance? It would be horribly inconvenient to have to clear a wall to go home every time wouldn't you say?" With that Okane would chuckle and wait for Ashitaka to catch up before walking side by side. Already there were those gathered in tents outside the wall. Wishing to see the two of them at work further. It was entertainment to most of them though Okane was sure some of the major nations held spies among them. Which was fine with him. Let the major nations see his power and influence. Let them grow to understand the level he played on and let them wonder if they could still keep up with him on a business level. Even some Kage didn't have anything as grand as a palace.

I have only the deepest and most immense regrets... Ashitaka thought as the third rinse failed to put much of a dent in the vile taste in his mouth. The water and his regenerative abilities were at least healing his... entire upper digestive tract, really. However, that was not actually a pleasant experience either. It meant that the scalding from his initial downing of the damned drink actually hurt even more and for longer than usual, because his nerve endings and clusters were among the things that rather than dying as was typical of normal people, slowly reinvigorated themselves. Consequently, he got to enjoy the truly unique sensation of being "un-burned" -that is, the feeling of losing a burn in a perfect reversal of gaining one, only it took longer. At least the coffee didn't burn as deeply as the Raiton jutsu that had hit him out in the war did.

The decidedly-not-faint feeling of an imminent heart attack subsided slightly when Okane jabbed his pressure point, but he was still shivering in spite of the ambient temperature. He slowed down even more as he followed the man's instructions on calming himself. It worked like basic meditation, but only for his body. His mind was still all over the place, and he struggled to process, let alone follow his employer's orders and suggestions.

"I'm sorry, Sir... I must be hearing you incorrectly." he said as he tried to trail the merchant until he noticed that Okane was intentionally matching his pace. "I thought I heard you ask if I remembered to put a door in the wall."

Looking up at the three-story tall torii and the proud stag statue at one of its legs, Ashitaka supposed Okane meant to ask if he thought to include a means of actually closing the gate so as to inconvenience any would-be intruders and was just being coy about it. Truth be told, he hadn't put much thought into it. The torii had a lot of empty space in its structure, and that was going to have to be occupied by something before they could find a middle ground between use and serviceability for any kind of defense mechanism. A portcullis at that scale would fall like a guillotine blade and punch right through the island. But a swing gate would take guards with titanic strength to actually open and close it.

"I guess... we could go with a drawbridge? I mean, I could go the full mile and set up a moat around it too, but I think that most ninja would have the ability to just walk over it." He was still shaking, and he was pretty sure that the next time he smelled coffee, he would just retch.

Okane would smile and chuckle as the young man would seem confused at his question. His eyes would look to the statue and the Tori gate as he paused where they stood. His hand reaching out to stroke under the jawline of the statue idly for a moment. Such beauty was astounding but he liked to stretch for greater than amazing. He liked striving to accomplish the impossible. So it was natural that he would want more than an open gate. Still he would walk up to it and rest his hand against it. Still amazed by how solid all of it was for a job done so quickly. He would speak in reply to Ashitaka with an amused tone.

"My dear boy if a shinobi wished to clear these walls I am sure they could. While its defensible most of it doesn't matter when facing someone so mobile and versatile. The purpose of all of this is to leave an impression. The first thing one would see when entering my home would be these doors. While the gate is truly an amazing thing envision this if you would. A pully system with a pair of great and ornately carved doors to heavy to move without the gears. Imposing over those who would enter. If I am to negotiate it benefits me if those opposing me feel small before even meeting me."

He would turn to glance at Ashitaka and use his hand to idly knock on the Tori gate. A small wink to Ashitaka before stepping forward through the gate into the open area. He hadn't really taken the time to appreciate the size of it all before but now he stood there understanding just how much time they would need to spend on it all. It was massive. A part of him doubted he would be able to do this all in one go. Nor did he wish to attempt it and fail or worse damage himself. There were those observing now here for a show. If he showed having limits and passed out it wouldn't do his image any good. Any progress would impress these people. For now he would simply sigh and brush some long hair out of his face.

"For now we can forget about it though. I will have to build the pully system for the doors so no need to craft them just yet. We should focus on the palace itself for now. At least the bare bones. I can worry about having furniture and painted windows shipped in and installed after. I look forward to seeing what you have in mind of course. Remember Ashitaka I am only here as support. I will make your work more durable and permanent but the design is yours. You are the artist and this is your canvas. I look forward to seeing what you will do. Do not fear what I will think, what they will think....what anyone will think. True art comes from your soul, not who you wish to impress."

"Okane-sensei... if just seeing this wall and gate with the palace towering over them isn't enough to make someone feel small, nothing we put inside it could do the job better. Hell, it makes me feel small and I made it."

Ashitaka walked past his employer and into the courtyard, turning to wait for him while he stopped to touch the statue. He pulled a brochure for the Emporium that had a map of it and used it to orient himself within the massive stone barrier he'd put up. He wanted the Palace to be centered in a region of the Wall that was further away from the island's edge than the rest. As he did so, he listened to the man's complaints about the ninja's apparent abilities.

"With all due respect, Sir, give us some credit. I am a shinobi too, and so are you. Our power means nothing if it can't at least threaten the capabilities of our opponents." he said, wondering when the two of them switched positions as the depressive and the comforter. He found a position he liked and planted his feet, raising his hands before him to form the Snake hand seal that would start his portion of the jutsu. "If you would please sync the flow of your chakra with mine."

Ashitaka activated his Subharmonic Field so he could read the man and imitate the flow of his chakra using Wood Release instead of Steel. This should, ideally, allow them to perform a perfect joint maneuver and combine their abilities into a whole greater than the sum of is parts.

We are Creation...

Rat.

We are Civilization...

Ox.

We are Mankind...

Snake.

We are Here!

The words came to him almost unbidden, the call of a force that was at once primal and very modern.

"Mokuton-Koton Team Release: World of Pure Imagination!"

To say the Palace was magnificent was to make a terrible understatement. It was gargantuan. It occupied a square 200m to a side within the heptagramic Wall, and rose to a height of roughly 82m in a pyramidal fashion, meeting the standards of the Silver Ratio much admired within Kishin culture. It dwarfed the 50m-high Wall ostensibly present for its defense with such ease that to think it could be summoned by a single jutsu, even a team effort by two powerful Clans, was likely staggering. Both of its conjurers would be gently lifted from the ground by the rising architecture in spite of the remarkable speed of its manifestation.

It was also beautiful. Ashitaka took advantage of the nearly-unlimited power of a jutsu restricted only by his imagination to literally illustrate exactly what that entailed. The result looked less like a real palace and more like the idea of a Palace one might find in an artist's rendering on the cover of some high-fantasy novel. Just as with the flying island upon which it was built, the structure was grandeur incarnate. Its very presence seemed to ask the same imposing question of anyone who so much looked upon it:

Who dares?:

The younger of the two creators was pretty confident that looking upon the thing would have the desired effect, seeing as how looking down from it made everyone on the ground look like ants. But that was just the outside of the building, where much more effort went into function than form. The inside had a more or less even distribution of rice paper walls and provisional space for more modern climate control systems. The former of the two were all richly adorned with bright and magnificent images that told Ashitaka's life story as he remembered it save that he was portrayed as a wolf pup and all of his acquaintances were creatures that were varying degrees of fantastical in nature, and other adjustments were made as necessary to keep all relevant events within that theme. Opposite this illustrated story within a given hallway would be -if he so chose- one for Okane with him portrayed as a stag, and the times where the two of them met and diverged coincided with intersections within the Palace. Of course, neither life story was over, so there was a lot of blank space following the creation of the building on the second floor, but "updates" could be made at any time they proved necessary.

The place was also fully furnished, with Ashitaka's creation chakra guiding Okane's wherever it was inclined to go so they might pool into a given section of tatami mat floor and simply grow whatever objects would be appropriate for the room. As with the main building itself, the furniture was crafted of wood and reinforced with steel for the maximum combination of comfort, aesthetic, and durability. Granted, relocating any of them would be a titanic effort since the average chair weighed around 50kg, but Ashi didn't see that as being his problem. Looking down at his newest creation, the boy was immensely proud of the shared work, and also not sure how he was going to safely get down. In order to help prevent intrusion and weather damage, the roof had been shingled with very slick stonework that would brook no trespassing. He would have to wait for his employer to seal the Palace into permanence so he could focus his chakra on getting down from it alive.




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WC 975
Technique Trained:
Mokuton-Koton Team Jutsu: World of Pure Imagination -15 CP