Child of Light and the All Seeing Eye [M]

Zoe had travelled to the Heavenly Emporium on a whim. As she did most things since she’d arrived on earth. The small floating city was bustling with activity when she arrived, and she marvelled at the excitement she could feel in the air. She had checked in at the gate and carried with her only a small notebook and a pen, as long as she had so many humans gathered in one place she thought she might take the opportunity to interview some of them. And while her memory was excellent she had been taught efficiency while on Hala, and if you didn’t need to commit something to memory, then it was more efficient not to.

Zoe was still trying to figure out what the fashion trends were on this little planet, and so she wore a little bit of everything. She had cute black leather boots that came up to her knees with gold stitching on them that matched the gold on her intricate shirt that flowed as she walked and revealed her midsection as she moved. A short black skirt hugged her hips and was decorated with a belt that had shiny bits of metal attached to it. Her long blonde hair fell down her back to her knees and at only four foot nine painted an interesting picture from behind. She looked much like a fashion forward cosplay of a queen bee, if that bee was suddenly struck by the notion that it was time to grace a catwalk with her presence. The only real ‘pop’ of colour was her elegantly shaped fingernails that appeared to be painted in the same vibrant blue shade as her eyes. Her nails weren’t painted though, and a close observer would notice that the nails themselves grew in the same shade as her irises.

She was enjoying herself immensely just being part of the things she used to be relegated to observing remotely. Somehow they felt more exciting, and were obviously more tangible so she spent a good deal of time lightly tracing her fingers across the various surfaces to experience them fully. Cool metal paired with shining glass gave her an impression of her home, though in a more quaint and rudimentary fashion. It was beautiful to be sure and she took notes of everything that she saw, her handwriting flowing delicately across the pages of her notebook. So far everyone she had seen was in relatively good spirits, which was a good sign as she had heard that there was a war going on, and she had been saddened about what that might do to people’s moods. While she knew that it was unreasonable to expect people to be happy all the time, she had decided on this planet because, compared with many other places she had seen, the people here were happy most of the time. Relatively speaking of course.

"What a marvelous place.."

The comment was quiet and for him, was a rather high compliment. Madrigal moved through the streets of the heavenly emporium, admiring the architecture of the buildings and the marvel that was a true floating city. He was dressed in a black suit that was perfectly fit and was immaculate in appearance. His long red scarf hung down, framing his chest and his glasses, an eccentric adornment, not a true requirement, settled upon his nose 'just so'. His long black hair was almost as straight as a razor, some of it settling in front of his shoulders but the rest falling freely to his lower back. In his mouth sat a lit cigarette, the smoke trailing behind him as he walked with a confident and sure stride. In his hands was a notepad and pen, and he was taking notes of the interesting architecture of the Heavenly Emporium as he moved, his eyes everywhere. The place was riddled with shops and restaurants from various nations, people trying to make a living in the floating city that was labeled as the only true neutral zone in a world that had gone to war.

The act of doing so calmed his mind, and allowed him to think much more sharply. He had stopped here on his way to Kirigakure, as the Emporium had been flying over the ocean itself, moving between the nations at a slow pace. It had naturally drawn his curiosity. The note from the Hokage, giving him expressed permissions to seek transfer into the shinobi forces of Kirigakure was in his suit pocket. He would get there soon enough, right now he wanted to take the time to explore this city and it's nooks and crannies, and side streets. The various vista's one could see from atop the buildings was breath taking to behold at any time of day and Madrigal always made time in his day to visit one before going for dinner and then back to his hotel room. Tonight he intended nothing different except tomorrow when he awoke he would go see about getting a mission. He might be denied, as the missions from the neutral zone might very well require higher level shinobi, and with village identification, to do them. However it was worth a try and would allow him to get some live practice of his newfound skills.

He had discovered as his boat had floated toward it's destination, before seeing the city and deciding to take a look at that, that his eyes that had started out as gray, had continued to lighten. Not only that, but his irises and pupils had completely disappeared, giving them a completely uniform pale white appearance. Hell many people thought him blind despite the fact that his vision was perfectly fine. Better than fine actually, as when he experimented with the newfound development he discovered he could in fact channel chakra into those eyes and when he did his entire world changed.

At first, getting used to the legendary Byakugan had been quite a chore and had taken a fair amount of the black haired shinobi's time and effort when he first arrived at the Emporium. However he slowly got used to the sheer volume of information available to him and he began to practice with taijutsu techniques he'd only studied in passing when he had been 'Azalea' as a minor curiosity. He'd mastered a few of them and decided it was time to put them into practice into live combat before presenting himself to Kirigakure to try to get permission to join their forces. Hence, his intent to try to obtain a mission the next day. His musings of his newfound capabilities however came to an abrupt halt as he came around a corner at his street and, provided nothing stopped this next few moments, would bodily run into someone.

Zoe was enchanted with everything around her and she smiled every time she felt a new texture or temperature under her delicate fingertips. Every so often she would catch someone staring as she ran her hand over a piece of metal or a leaf and she would just smile at them as she recorded the sensation in her notebook. It was this exact thing that led to an interesting happenstance. While wandering and writing about the way an ebony wrought gate felt beneath her palm she was definitely not watching where she was going. And without watching where she was going she was incapable of avoiding walking straight into someone.

With a gasp and a quick “Oh!” her forward movement would stop suddenly and she would fall onto her rear, notebook and pen still held firmly in her hands. She sat there for a moment trying to figure out what exactly had just happened, her legs splayed to the sides as her long blonde hair fanned out around her. She would slowly raise her eyes up from the nice shoes and along the excellently tailored pants to a beautifully fitted suit jacket and red scarf. The man before her was tall enough that it would have been believable that she needed a short rest before continuing moving her gaze upwards. She didn’t though, and she would eventually settle her gaze on the man’s face, smiling in spite of her current predicament as she decided that of all the things she could have bumped into, his handsomeness was very high on the list of things she was happy to have bumped into. With a cheerful smile on her face she would apologize to him with a tone that suggested she was not the least bit sorry. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there. Head in the clouds or some such thing.”

Madrigal of course, being six foot five, and weighing in at much heavier than Zoe, wouldn't have moved really from the impact. His eyes however would dart down to see whom he had careened into and he'd wince visibly as he saw he had run into someone's child. Now he would have some angry parent chewing him out or something for awhile. That was just what he-wait. Looking closely he could see faint, and very fine smile and frown lines upon her features. Signs of aging that didn't occur until one was in their twenties. That meant this girl, no, this woman, was at least as old as he was. Of course then his eyes would wander down a little farther and notice how her legs were splayed out to the sides and just what was being revealed. Namely, her lacy black panties. At soon as he realized what he was seeing his eyes would dart up and close, a light blush on his features. His heart started hammering in his chest and he fought to control his bodies natural reaction. For most this might not be difficult but Madrigal had only been an actual MALE for a few days. The body change potion he had created and taken as Azalea had changed him into a random form.

That form of course was now Madrigal himself, and it changed his very gender, down to the molecular level. He was as much a man as any other as far as science was concerned. What he wasn't, was used to the hormones that included or in controlling the males bodies natural reactions to erotic stimuli. He managed to control himself, barely, and he was quickly offering her a hand bending to ensure she could reach of course. "No, no, it's my fault. I too wasn't watching where I was going and I came around the corner without being sure. I'm so very sorry." He would say a polite and apologetic smile on his features. Provided she took his hand he would pull her up and give her a polite bow to emphasize the apology. Now that she was standing he could see her much better now and he could see why everyone was staring, beyond just the impact. This woman was stunning, and she was dressed in a provocative enough way to cause men to want to watch and wives to want to forgive them for doing so. Extending his hand again, this time in greeting he would meet her azure blue eyes with his of palest white. "Madrigal, at your service, Miss?" He would ask, his eyebrow rising politely.

Whoever had come up with the phrase ‘tall glass of water’ had clearly never actually been that thirsty, and had also never bumped headlong into one. Which was a ridiculous analogy but Zoe was too busy drinking in the perfection that was the human in front of her to give her inner monologue much attention. She saw him glance down at her with his pale and pupil-less eyes and then close them and blush cutely. She was aware of why he might be blushing as she realized that she was wearing some rather enticing panties that day and she hadn’t bothered to move from the position she’d been in when she first fell onto the ground. Not that the new understanding did anything to motivate her to suddenly stand or any nonsense like that. She had forgotten how shy humans were about their bodies, yet another thing she found both mystifying and endearing about them.

Placing her pen in her other hand she would take his offered hand and allow him to help her up, her eyes getting a glint of excitement in them as she felt his skin against hers. Of all the things she had touched at the Heavenly Emporium that day, she had yet to touch a human and it was a delightful experience. He didn’t feel much different than her, except he was different, since he was a different person altogether. And that was worth noting since it made the experience so. . . well, different. Once she was standing she was able to take in just how tall he actually was, everyone looked tall from the ground, but once you stood in front of them it was another matter entirely. She had to crane her neck to look up at him and so she would bend down for a moment and tuck her notebook and pen into the top of her boot so she could place her hands on her hips. Somehow the position made it easier to balance while looking so high up. She found his need to apologize amusing, she wasn’t hurt, and she wasn’t sorry at all. But if he was, well who was she to deny him? “You’re forgiven.” She said with a cheeky grin, happily accepting his hand in greeting. “Zoe.” She let the name sit for a moment in her mouth before continuing, it was the first time she had introduced herself to a human using the name and after a second she decided that she’d chosen right, since it tasted right in her mouth. “Pleased to meet you Madrigal. That’s such a beautiful name, unusual too. What’s the story there?” She would keep her hand in his as long as he let her, waiting expectantly for the story behind his name.

Madrigal would note the excitement in her eyes as they made contact with each other. Her hand was warm and soft and when she was standing she bent down to set her notepad and pen into her boot. Then she proceeded to place her hands on her hips and look up at him. She had to crane her neck for her to meet his eyes. She forgave him easily and he smiled at her in return. Her name, 'Zoe' was quite short and sweet. Her appearance alone made her memorable. So he doubted he would ever forget her. However when she asked about his name he would blink in mild surprise. Apparently his chosen name was beautiful? Well he supposed he was glad he had chosen well. Still though he wasn't sure he wanted to go into detail about the story behind his name. Neither of them would break the hand shake and Madrigal would decide to take it a step further to buy some time. So in addition to the hand shake he would bend over her hand and give it a kiss upon the back.

As he did that he would consider what he was going to do about the question regarding his name. He could tell her the truth but that was certainly risky. Not to mention he wouldn't be able to do so here regardless. As there were too many people around. At the end of the thought process he decided that buying more time and potentially coming up with a lie wouldn't hurt. Either way they would need to be in private before he could tell her anything one way or the other so he would need to convince her to spend some time with him. "Now why would I answer that question for nothing in return?" He would ask with a small smile. "How about, you join me in my wanderings around the city. Which considering your notepad you were doing as well. Then let me treat you to dinner. Afterwards we can go somewhere private and talk and I'll answer any questions you have." He would suggest his polite smile flashing at her as he made the invitation. It seemed like the best of all worlds to him. But she would obviously be the judge of that.

Zoe was tickled by the show of manners as the very tall and handsome man kissed the back of her hand. His lips felt soft against her skin and she would make a happy noise as she smiled wider. She rather liked being this close to him, and she would take a small unconscious step closer to him. His question brought a wry smile to her already smiling face as she remembered the concept of ‘currency’. In this particular case she didn’t think he was asking for ‘money’, but rather a quid pro quo. It only made her more curious about the origin of the man’s name, if it was that valuable to him then the story behind it must be really good. In a ‘definitely going to be immortalized in literature’ type of way.

She listened to his suggestion before replying, still with her hand wrapped in his as she was unwilling to let go just yet. She rather liked the idea of a companion on her adventure throughout the Heavenly Emporium. While she had been thoroughly enjoying herself alone, part of her expedition had been to experience the culture, and people were certainly a large part of culture. And food. And she wasn’t sure when she’d last eaten. And of course now that she thought of it, her stomach cramped slightly with the discomfort of being empty. “That sounds wonderful Madrigal. I am hungry and I don’t recall when the last time I ate something was. I wonder what kind of interesting food they have here?” She would begin to walk off in a random direction she’d yet to be, still holding his hand. “As for the privacy, that sounds like something I could get behind.” She would turn and give him a knowing wink, and it probably would have been something akin to ‘suggestive’ or ‘sexy’ had her abysmally poor coordination not decided to betray her. With another “Oh!” she would stumble and pitch awkwardly towards the ground.

The pleased noise she made when he kissed the back of her hand would send an odd feeling through him and when he came back up he would find her a step closer to him. Her scent filled his senses and he smelled the sweet scent of flowers, lilies in particular and he unconsciously closed his eyes to enjoy the her scent and tried his best to commit it to memory. It was a scent he didn't feel like he'd want to forget. As she listened to his suggestion her hand would remain in his the entire time and the prolonged contact sent his heart fluttering. What was this feeling? He'd never felt it before as Azalea and he was beginning go grow mildly confused. He felt an attraction to her. But why was that? Did the potion change his preferences too? Or had she liked women as Azalea too and just never stopped to give it enough thought? An interesting question, but not important now.

At her agreement to his plan he would nod with another small smile. He would begin to move with her as she walked away, letting her pull him along and when she turned and winked at him at his suggestion of privacy and agreed with the suggestion and her implications he felt himself begin to blush. It was at that moment though that she tripped and began to fall. As he was holding her hand though he simply gave her a mild tug. Being so much taller and weighing so much more than her a minor tug was all he really needed and if something absolutely catastrophic didn't happen she should theoretically end up held against his chest. "Sorry, I didn't want you to fall. Do you need me to carry you madame?" He would ask in jest. It was a joke although he probably could easily carry her and not notice either. Still he didn't expect her to say yes. Although he did take a moment to inhale sharply, her scent closer to him now than it had been earlier

Zoe didn’t know to be embarrassed, she was aware of the concept of shame, but she didn’t feel it herself. What she did feel was surprise as she felt herself fall and then a thrill as she felt Madrigal pull her towards him so that she was against his chest. She would make another happy noise as she looked up at the dark haired man, her body still pressed against his as she enjoyed his warmth. His eyes were so curious with their solid white irises it made it difficult for her to tell exactly where he was looking, but she was fairly certain that he was looking at her and her blue eyes would meet his as he asked if she needed him to carry her.

“Yes, please.” She said simply with a cheerful tone. Her feet were not cooperating with her and she was very much enjoying imagining being picked up by Madrigal. She had enjoyed her hand in his and was now enjoying being pressed up against him, so the chance of him holding her even closer was something she didn’t want to turn down. She would stand there looking up at him expectantly, waiting for him to pick her up in his arms.

Solid white would meet azure blue as she looked up at him. The happy noise she made sent another patter of odd sensations through his emotions and he acutely felt the press of her body against his. He took a deep breath, a calming breath, barely keeping in control of himself to prevent an awkward bodily reaction. When she answered his joke seriously however he would blink once or twice in mild surprise before chuckling softly and nodding. He had indeed offered even if it had been a joke. However his offer had been accepted and now he would need to own up to that. However he would hesitate in doing so. It wasn't that he didn't want to pick her up. It was that he didn't want to let go of her from the position they were in. Although he figured if he did pick her up that would put her even closer to him. Her expectant eyes upon his, his hand upon her lower back, her soft, warm skin under his he would take in a deep breath. He loved the scent of flowers, even when he was Azalea. After all he had been named after one. So to have this woman who smelled of them, smelled of lilies, was quite nice for him.

"I would love to carry you, do you have a preferred way? I can carry you bridal style in my arms, or I can probably pick you up and place you on my shoulders. Given the height disparity." He would say, offering the choice to her. Regardless of what she chose, he would proceed to nod politely before lifting her up. If he picked her up bridal style he would obviously pick her up from under the knees and shoulders. This would put her head not far from his and allow her to place her arms around his neck for a hand hold. If he lifted her onto his shoulder than he would take one more long look into her eyes before gently moving to turn her around and then place his hands upon her hips from behind. "When you get up to my head level spread your legs and then I can set you down on my shoulders." Then he would proceed to try to lift her up, he was of only average strength. But average strength was more than strong enough when the individual you were picking up was so small, and light. Once she was settled on his shoulders he would place his hands on her thighs to support her so she wouldn't fall. "Take a moment to get comfortable and then tell me when I can go. Would you like your pad and pen back?" He would ask politely, looking up toward her as he did.

If she did he would take them from her boot and pass them up, and if she didn't he would simply continue on at a steady pace, carrying her easily. "Where shall we go first? You were traveling in this direction. Or do you want to skip the journey and simply go straight for food?" He would ask curiously. He didn't mind either way and it would entirely depend on how quickly she wanted to get that story out of him. Or the answers to any other questions she might have for him as well. He did say he would answer any questions she might have for him after all and a word once given wasn't broken. That was the way he preferred to do things. The Emporium had multiple options of food available as people from all over came to the place for safety. As such many different kinds of cuisine graced the location and it was just a matter of picking a place that looked, and smelled, great.

Zoe would beam up at Madrigal as he said he would love to carry her. Once he started giving her options she would scrunch her face up slightly as she considered what she would prefer. She wasn’t too sure, since she’d never had anyone carry her before, at least not that she remembered. When she was first created it was possible that someone had carried her, but even then it was less likely. Hala was all about efficiency and they had perfected the creation of the Children of Light such that coddling them was hardly necessary. When he mentioned ‘height’ though her eyes would light up and she would nod emphatically at his second option. “On your shoulders please. I’m sure you know, but you’re very tall and I’m well. . . I’m not. So! In the interest of getting to experience being tall I would like to be on your shoulders.” She didn’t feel badly about her height, she rather liked it since it was hers. But she was interested in trying out his, for a time at least.

He lifted her easily after she spoke and she thought that perhaps she might like flying as well seeing as being held several feet above the ground was enjoyable. At least being held by Madrigal. She followed his directions and placed one leg on either of his shoulders, being kind enough to sweep his hair out from underneath her so it didn’t pull as she settled into her new seat. “Ooh, your hair is soft!” she would exclaim as she ran her fingers through the silky black locks, she had only ever felt her own hair and she marvelled at the sensation for a few moments before realizing he had asked her a question about her notebook. “Yes please Madrigal. I write down everything I experience, you just never know when it’ll be important! And your hair is certainly an experience.” She would smile down at his upside down face, leaning onto his head to make the exchange possible, and holding out her leg that currently held the notebook and pen so he could reach them easily. As if he wouldn’t have been able to do so without her assistance, since he definitely didn’t have his hands in the range of her legs.

She would squirm a bit as she found a comfortable position, eventually resting her forearms and chest onto Madrigal’s head so that she could write without worrying about dropping her pad and pen. The first thing she had to write was his hair.

‘Madrigal’s hair; sleek and thick giving the feeling of health and resilience.’

As her cursive writing crossed the page she suddenly realized she had missed a sense and gathered up a strand, brought it towards her nose and inhaled.

‘Smells of peppermint. Which incidentally does not smell of pepper at all. Must consider correcting that word to be more accurate.’  

She rather liked the smell and after recording her notes would tuck her pen and paper into her shirt so that she could free up her hands to continue playing with Madrigal’s hair. In answer to his question, though she was slightly distracted by having his hair in her hands, she would shrug noncommittally. “We can keep going that way. I am very hungry, but I’m also very curious. There’s still so much of the city to see. I’m going to braid your hair by the way. I think it will take to braiding very well.” Unless he stopped her she would begin plaiting his long black hair, making intricate geometrical designs along the sides of his head as they walked.

At her comment about their difference in height Madrigal would chuckle as he nodded. He would pick her up as previously stated in the previous post and hold her carefully, hands resting on her thighs to ensure she could not fall off from his shoulders. The ending result didn't look too much different from an older brother, or even a parent giving their female family member a ride on their shoulders. Of course the fact that was wearing a fucking miniskirt didn't go unnoticed to Madrigal and he had to fight to suppress certain feelings as he felt the fabric of her lacy underwear against the back of his neck. She was kind enough to keep his hair out from under her so that it didn't pull painfully and at her comment about his dark locks he would laugh lightly. "Well thank you, I try to take care of it." He said simply, before he passed her her notepad and pen again so that she could do her writing. He felt flattered that she wanted to write about his fair of all things given that it was just hair. Although he always did go to great lengths to take care of it in his past life. Working around hot forges, steam, and other such environments wasn't good for ones hair so he had had to go to great lengths to ensure it was properly taken care of.

As she got comfortable he would blink in surprise as her comfortable position involved setting her chest upon his head. Some men around him, and a few women too actually, looked at them curiously, some with jealousy. Once she was comfortable he would begin to move off in that direction, both to get to them moving again and to get away from the stares. He felt her grab a piece of his hair and inhale, the feeling quite obvious given he could feel the rise and fall of her chest upon his cranium. Oh this was not going to be easy for him to deal with at all. Of course this day had to become odd, and in the oddest ways too. However he would simply move through it. Besides, there was no reason something good couldn't happen. All in all the experience with Zoe had been pleasant. She had been unfailingly kind and in a cute way was extremely curious about everything.

It was like she was a child that had just had her eyes opened and she was trying to experience everything at once, frantically reaching for new and interesting things. They didn't even have to particularly interesting to everyone else. They were simply interesting to her because they were [i]new[/]. He found he rather liked her and certainly wouldn't mind getting to know her better over their meal, or even their question and answer session later. Although he had only agreed to answer questions she asked. She had never made the same agreement. He wondered if she would answer them anyway, well, they could find out later. At her answer to his question he would consider her words, merely giving her a shrug at her statement of braiding his hair. He didn't mind, it would just add to the cutesy sibling image. Or perhaps a short and flowery girlfriend? It didn't matter either way. "By all means, feel free, style it as you want. I just ask that you don't damage it." He would say simply, giving her free reign to do as she wished with his hair from her position.

The question of what to do next though was nagging at the tall Hyuga and he considered the options carefully. "Well, the city isn't going anywhere...Actually I suppose it is, but the individual buildings and such will be here after we eat. We might as well satiate our hunger first and then enjoy the scenery and indulge in our curiosities afterwards. Or we could save that for later and eat then go to the question and answers thing. It doesn't matter to me, anyway, do you have any preference on where we go to eat?" He would ask curiously as he considered what to go eat. He wasn't worried about funds, he had stockpiled a considerable fortune during his business enterprises as Azalea. He could and would gladly pay for their meal. He'd already bought a hotel room for himself and had intended to stay for a couple of days before making the last of the journey to Kirigakure. Actually the more he considered it the more he realized that Zoe didn't even have an outfit on her that suited the ability to conceal a pouch for money. He couldn't even see a fuinjutsu on her, had she simply appeared here or something? More questions for later. Anyway, he foresaw himself paying their dinner and probably paying for her to have a hotel room as well before it was all said and done. Which he wouldn't mind doing. Even here in the Emporium where violence was illegal and rigidly enforced it wasn't safe, or polite for a young woman, especially one as innocent looking and attractive as Zoe, to be out alone at night.

Zoe had a strand of Madrigal’s hair still between her fingers and was very slowly inching it towards her mouth. It smelled of peppermint, but she wanted to know if it tasted of peppermint as well. Not that she would know exactly, she’d never tasted peppermint before so she was going to be at a loss regardless. She had just placed the strand of shiny black hair into her mouth as Madrigal asked her not to damage it. Two things happened at that moment. First she decided that if his hair did taste of peppermint that she really didn’t like the flavour. Second she realised that chewing on his hair may actually count as ‘damaging’ it. Opening her mouth she would let the strand fall from her lips and took a few seconds to make a face and a note.

‘Madrigal’s hair does not taste of peppermint. And if it does, the flavour ‘peppermint’ is terrible and potentially more misleading than just its name.’

Leaning over to look at his face again she would grin and apologize. “Sorry about that. I was just too curious. But don’t worry, I definitely won’t do it again.” Assuming he didn’t have any further reservations she would return to styling his beautiful long hair. She knew how to style her own hair, but someone else's was a whole new joy.

She rather enjoyed listening to the man talk, he had a deep and rich voice and she found the way he spoke to be fascinating. He was polite and seemed to be more concerned with what she wanted to do, which was an adorable trait. The only problem was that she didn’t know what she wanted to do. How could she? She couldn’t exactly say ‘everything’. Well she could, but it would probably be met with at least a raised eyebrow. She wasn’t exactly hiding that she wasn’t from Earth, but she supposed it probably wasn’t the best thing to run around advertising. Humans were naturally suspicious and xenophobic, and well she was technically an alien. At least to them. To her they were the strange ones, but that matter of perspective would be neither here nor there if they got any strange ideas that she might be dangerous. Summoning up as much diplomacy as she could recall from her time as a Record Keeper she would answer his question as carefully as she could. “I suppose you’re right, the city isn’t exactly going anywhere, metaphorically speaking anyway. Let’s eat then, I’m starving. As for preferences, I have none. Oh, except I would very much like to try tea.”

Madrigal would blink as he felt the slight tug against his hair and raise an eyebrow. It had been a small, and mildly sharp sensation. Almost as if someone had put his hair into their mouth. Just as he was about to look up to ask what in the world she was doing up there she would lean over, his lips would end up mere milimeter's from hers. His lips would almost taste hers as she spoke, apologizing for the act of tasting his hair of all things and informing him that she wouldn't do so again. Her breath smelled like nectar from a flower, a fitting match to her flowery scent in general. He knew his would probably smell of citrus if anything, from the toothpaste he preferred. Hers however didn't have the same shallowness his would have. His was more of a 'freshener' upon his breath, going over the normal scent an individual had. Hers smelled as if it was naturally scented like the sweetest part of a flower. His breath would catch, his eyes would momentarily widen at the sudden closeness and inexplicably he felt his grip on thighs tighten just a little, not enough to hurt, but certainly enough to notice. He felt a strong desire to close that distance, to see if she tasted as sweet as she smelled.

He would fight that urge, although he would stop walking, as he wasn't looking where he was going. Not many were around anymore and most of those who were ignored them as a young couple out on a date or something else inane like that. Madrigals entire perspective however was on the blonde haired woman riding on his shoulders. Unconsciously he licked his lips and fought down the desire to close that distance, to test the waters and taste the unknown. He had just met this girl for god's sake. Why would he think it was appropriate to do such a thing? 'Why did she think it was appropriate to taste my hair?' He thought curiously wondering about that. Everyone knew hair was hair, that you shampoo'd and conditioned it to look and smell nice but it would never taste good. So why did she seem to think it worth testing? It was another question for later. For now though they had more important things to do. With reluctance, and a deep breath, he would finally get over his desire to kiss the woman using him as a pony and look back forward. "O-Oh, no problem.." He would say, accepting her apology and stuttering for what was probably the first time in his fucking life. 'What the hell is going on with me?' He thought in mild alarm.

Her statements about having no preferences but wanting to try tea got him thinking about where to go before he paused again thinking. 'Who in the world hasn't tried tea? It's the staple drink of pretty much everyone..' He thought before dismissing it, that was too broad a statement. Many people didn't like tea and preferred water or something else he was sure. But he did find it weird that a woman her age wouldn't have tried it before. He thought back to his careful examination of her. She WAS his age or older, she had to be. Those age signs didn't appear in the teens, so he was confident there. 'Sheltered childhood?' He thought to himself before dismissing it entirely for the moment and considering where to eat. "We're over the ocean, so fish is probably going to be fresh. Let's go get some sushi, you can get tea in just about any restaurant in the world so I doubt you'll have difficulty getting to try it." He would say, moving forward toward a sushi place he'd heard about from his hotel concierge. It had a great reputation and it seemed as good a place as any.

Once arriving, Madrigal would move his hands up to Zoe's waist. "Time to come down I'm afraid, the ride can continue after if you want." He would say before picking her up and over his head and setting her down gently in front of him. After making sure no one would have the opportunity to look up her skirt. Which was more difficult than it seemed. Once she was safely on the ground he would lead her into the sushi restaurant before holding up two fingers toward a man in a uniform who nodded and led them deeper into the restaurant. He would lead them to a table and Madrigal would move over to a chair and pull it out for Zoe. His manners as always impeccable. That tended to stretch when he was under any kind of undue stress, but he was still polite even in those situations. Just short and clipped, and a bit cold at times. Still the kind of tension he felt around the blonde woman didn't seem to be the kind of stress that made him get that way, so he wasn't worried about his manners faltering. Once she was seated he would push her chair in before sitting down himself and picking up one of two menu's set before them. "Ever had sushi before?" He would ask with polite curiosity, his white eyes glancing up from the menu to meet her azure ones should she look up from hers to answer.

Zoe was thoroughly enjoying the flustered looks and blushes that she seemed to be evoking in Madrigal. If she wasn’t mistaken, and she was fairly certain that was impossible, Madrigal seemed to be just a bit attracted to her. Which she found exciting and also reciprocated. When she leaned over his head to apologize for putting his hair in her mouth he had just leaned his head back to look at her. The result being that they were now close enough that she could smell the citrus on his breath, and of course in true Zoe fashion she was intrigued. He had stopped walking, which was probably wise seeing as he was no longer looking where he was going and was just staring up at her, his eyes widened slightly. With a grin she would lower her lips to his and was delighted that unlike his hair he actually tasted of citrus. She would leave her lips pressed against his for a moment before pulling back slightly and licking her lips.

“You taste good, really good. I like it. I hope that’s okay.” She was still smiling as she spoke, as if she ever stopped. But she would watch closely for any sign that what she had done wasn’t okay, she didn’t want to make the man uncomfortable. Assuming she didn’t receive any indication that she had crossed a line, she would keep her face close to his and speak quietly. “So eating then?” She wasn’t terribly invested in going to eat now, she would much rather stay right where she was, but she did want to give him the choice.

Her grin as his eyes widened told him of her upcoming actions and before he realized it she had closed the distance between their lips and kissed him. It was gentle as kisses went, but his mind went completely blank as he instinctively returned the kiss, pressing his back against hers. She tasted sweet, like nectar and he found himself wanting more but from his angle he couldn't press the kiss deeper. She would end it after a few moments and as she did his half lidded eyes would meet her azure blue orbs. At her words of his taste he would give her a small smile before speaking, his words barely audible. "You do too..and I want it more.." he would tell her honestly before she spoke again. Her voice was almost as quiet as his when she spoke, reminding him of their intent to procure food. Something in him repelled at the idea and he spoke, his voice a bit more audible. "Fuck the food, let's go find that 'privacy' I mentioned earlier and we can do that more, and I can answer any questions you may have for me." He would say, his heart pounding as his blood rushed.

Assuming she said yes, he would actually turn around and then look down ahead of them again and begin the trek toward his hotel. It would take a few minutes of continuous walking to reach the tall building and once there he would reach up and take her off his shoulders. Doing so would involve him making sure no one could see up her skirt as he did so and that was certainly an interesting task. Once she was successfully off his shoulders he would lead her inside and up the stairs and down a hall to a locked door numbered '287'. Inserting his key he would open the door to a well furnished, tastefully so, hotel room with a queen sized bed. He would allow his companion inside before shutting the door behind him and locking it. "So you tell me.." he would start off by saying as he turned toward her and beginning to walk toward a chair on the side and sitting upon it. "Questions and stories, or actions first?" He would ask, showing enough self control to keep from kissing her immediately, to his great surprise. His lips felt the phantom taste of hers and he fought down the desire to taste them once more. Her answer would decide what would occur next and he would keep his polite regard on her the entire time, his pale, pupilless eyes never leaving her wherever she went within the room.

She had been concerned that she had gone a step too far when kissing him, but her concerns quickly evaporated as she heard his words. She would smile happily and rest her arms on his forehead with a contented sigh. She giggled as he answered her question, she found the word ‘fuck’ to be quite amusing, she thought she knew what he meant by it but more importantly she was excited to try the word out for herself. “Fuck yes.” She would reply brightly to his suggestion of privacy. “That sounds like much more fun, and I did have questions for you, although unless you can answer with your mouth occupied those might have to come later.” She wasn’t sure why humans insisted on kissing in ‘private’, but as long as it continued she didn’t much care where it was happening.

She had definitely noticed the grip of his hands on her thighs and as they approached a tall building and he took her off his shoulders, she noticed equally the absence of them. She was loath to be on the ground again as she had grown quite comfortable in her perch on Madrigal’s shoulders, she would pout in jest as he set her down. “Well this isn’t quite as lovely, I had rather liked riding you.” It was only intended half as innuendo. She had sincerely enjoyed being so tall since she never had been before. Though if things went well she was pretty sure that he’d let her ride him again.

She followed along quietly humming as they made their way to a room, and once she was inside she would take her notepad and pen out of her shirt and place them on a nearby table. She watched Madrigal as he closed and locked the door and fought the urge to giggle at his version of ‘privacy’. She thought it was unnecessary but then again she also came from a world where doors were considered unnecessary on most buildings. So what did she know. She would walk slowly towards Madrigal had sat down, holding her hands together behind her back and looking at him mischievously again. She didn’t answer him until she was just about touching his knees with her thighs at which point she would place her hands on his legs and begin to climb up onto his lap. “Why not both?” Unless he asked her to stop or physically removed her she would get comfortable as she straddled him lap, leaning her hands on the arms of the chair and smiling sweetly up at him.

Her giggle and use of his own word would cause a chuckle to resonate through his chest as he moved through the Emporium upon his shoulders. Once he set her down her words would cause him to pause a moment before continuing on. The innuendo wasn't lost upon him and he fought for control of his body's reaction to the thoughts the word had sent through his mind. As she followed him through the hotel to his room she would hum quietly to herself and when he got them behind closed doors and himself into a chair she would look toward him mischievously. His heart would start to race all of a sudden as she slowly stepped closer. She took one step at a time and measured them carefully. As she reached his legs she would place two hands upon them and speak.

His mind was effectively mush that moment and he carefully recreated what she said as she climbed into his lap and straddled him, her hands on the arms of the chair. Madrigal inhaled her scent again deeply before wrapping his arms around her bare midriff. Her skin felt hot to the touch and he brought his lips close to hers again, his own words quiet as he spoke them. He felt himself lose what control he had, felt his member swell against his dress pants and he inhaled sharply as the mild, but unexpected pain from the constriction caused discomfort. The sharp inhalation would bring the scent of flowers once more and he could almost taste the nectar her lips seemed to be made of.

A low growl would escape his lips before he stopped himself with an effort of will. "Ask something then..or it'll take a while to get your answers.." he would say his voice sounding surprising husky. He'd never heard it like that before but it didn't matter. At that moment all he wanted to do was kiss her and explore what came next but he had also promised to answer all of her questions. Which he would do. It was difficult though. The warmth of her skin, the scent of her, the taste of her lips, it all almost enough to drive a normal man crazy. Gently, He'd run his hands up her bare back until he reached the edge of her top and then he move them back down, relishing the feel of her under his hands.

Madrigal was very receptive to her advances, and this only made Zoe smile wider. She had observed this scene played out by thousands of different people in thousands of different ways. She knew where this could go, and she was excited at the prospect. Watching the adventurous moments of various peoples was entirely different than what she was feeling at this moment. Of all the things she had experienced so far that day, this was her favourite. She would shiver as she felt his clothed arms wrap around her waist, not moving her face away from his as he moved his lips closer to hers once more. She laughed nervously as she heard a low growl escape Madrigal’s lips. It was thrilling and filled her with adrenaline and as he asked his question she was surprised at the change of tone.

“Where did your name come from?” She would ask quietly as she leaned in closer and pressed her lips against his. She realized that she might not get an answer right away by doing things in this order, but after a few seconds and with considerable strength of will she would pull away from the white eyed man. Looking intently into his eyes she would wait expectantly for an answer while trying her best to simultaneously both enjoying and also trying not to be distracted by the feeling of his hands against her skin.

Madrigal would feel her shiver as his hands found their way to her back and her nervous laugh as he growled sent a shiver up his. Her question was expected, but the kiss right after asking was not. He leaned into the kiss, tasting the nectar of her lips and smelling the flowers that seemed to make up her entire being. His hands pulled her against him and he lightly felt his nails, well kept of course, scratch against her skin. He didn't know what he was doing, he moved in pure instinct and the intellectual knowledge he did off on the subject. He'd never even done anything like this as Azalea, nor had it done to her. This was entirely new territory for him and he was reveling in it. After a few seconds she would break the kiss and he would fight with every fiber of his being to keep from pressing it, pulling her tighter against him and continuing it. He won that mental clash of wills within himself as his pale white eyes met her azure ones, a hunger for more in them as he took a deep, slow breath to steady himself. "My name, Madrigal, was not given to me by my parents as one would usually expect of an individually. I gave it to myself." He would begin, taking a hand off of her back and reaching into his pants pocket. He would pull out a small vial of liquid.

"This potion changes one's appearance. It's effects are random, but it will change the imbibers DNA on a fundamental level. Before I took the potion, I was a moderately successful blacksmith, alchemist, architect, and tinkerer. My name then was Azalea, and I was a woman. I decided that I wanted to start a new chapter in my life, and that a new chapter was due a new appearance. So my last act when I was brilliant, was to create this potion. I took it, and went to sleep. I went from a blue/white haired girl with pink eyes, ghostly pale skin, and about as tall as you. To what you see now. My intelligence diminished as a result, but my physical capabilities increased across the board. Since the name 'Azalea' wouldn't do well for this body, I changed my name to 'Madrigal'." He would say, he had never intended to tell anyone that but he couldn't resist doing so. His pale eyes bore deep into his blue ones before he spoke. "I would appreciate that staying between us..I would rather not be remembered as the builder of the Grand Training Facility in Konoha, but as Madrigal, the shinobi." He would finish, setting the vial down on a side table next to the chair before moving his hand back to it's original position beside it's twin.

Zoe listened to Madrigal answer her question, giving the man her rapt attention. This was why she had come to Earth, why she had decided to give up everything that Hala had to offer. She wanted to know the people here and hear their stories. She only took her eyes off of him long enough to look at the small vial he pulled from his pocket, marvelling at the perfect simplicity of the chemical compound. It was a brilliant feat and she wanted to ask more about the potion itself but decided that she had matters that were more pressing. Namely the increased pressure she felt beneath her as she sat on Madrigal’s lap. The pleasing sensation was fortunately enough to keep her from grabbing the vial and drinking it in an impulsive act of discovery and experience.  

The thing that Zoe had latched on to the most about Madrigal’s story was that he had named himself. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and as soon as he was finished talking she would lean in and kiss him again quickly, her lips pressing hard against his in her sudden elation. “That’s a wonderful story Madrigal!” She had been loving the feel of his hands and nails against her skin and wanted to allow him more room to explore as she continued talking, so she would lean back and pull her shirt over her head and toss it to the ground. “I named myself too! I wasn’t sure if anyone really did that here, but I’m so happy to learn it’s not that strange. Since you’ve done it I mean.” She had been worried that it would seem odd to people that she had given herself the name Zoe upon her arrival. But if Madrigal had done it, then there was no harm in sharing it with him was there? “And don’t worry, I won’t write that down. You will be known canonically as ‘Madrigal, the shinobi’, I promise.”

Her attention was completely fixated on him as he spoke about his name, and his past. Her eyes would only turn from him when he pulled the vial of the potion from his pocket and her eyes would sparkle with excitement as soon as was finished. Immediately she would kiss him again, hard, and he would return the kiss. The experience would be over too soon for his taste however before she broke it. However it was to give him more access to her as she leaned back and slipped her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. How she got the damn thing on and off so easily with so much hair was beyond him but that didn't matter. Her half naked form was before him now and his hands would find purchase upon her back as he leaned down and kissed her breasts. He marveled at the taste of nectar here too, even her skin tasted of the sweet stuff and his breathing would increase as he felt his sense of desire for the woman move up another notch.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he would register he words, her promise that she wouldn't write down his story, that she would keep his secret. Her claim that she too had given herself her name would make him mildly curious as to what it could be but that was a question for later. Right now he wanted more of her and nothing else mattered. However he knew he had given her his word to answer whatever her asked. So with another effort of willpower he would retreat from kissing the bare skin of her breasts and running his hands down her naked back. He words would came out laced with desire that he'd never experience before. This little game had started by her asking a question and removing and article of clothing when he answered. If that was the rules of the game then he would go through them one by one. Besides, she might even like taking off clothing from herself, and him piece by piece while he kissed her in between questions. "Next question?" He would ask, barely keeping himself in check for the moment as he fought the desire to lift her up from his lap and deposit her onto the nearby bed. His pale eyes would show a deep hunger for her and he wanted this new experience badly, more so than he had ever wanted anything before.

Without any shame or shyness Zoe had simply removed her shirt. And she was not disappointed as almost immediately Madrigal would lean in and begin kissing her breasts. His lips against the sensitive skin there sent another shiver through her and elicited a soft moan from her own lips. Her hands would come up to the back of his head as he kissed her, lacing into his silky hair and gently holding him there until he began to pull back to ask for her next question. Releasing her hold on his hair she would shift on his lap again as she observed him and thought of a new question. The movement summoning a quiet gasp from her as she felt a jolt of pleasure between her legs. “O-oh. That feels very good. Another question. Alright.”

She was having difficulty thinking as she struggled to come up with something she wanted to know other than every place he could touch her. Looking into his eyes a light would suddenly go on in her head and she would ask her second question, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke. “Your eyes, they’re uh, they have no pupils. This is more difficult than I anticipated, doing both. Your eyes are white, why is that?” She had discovered that moving her hips ever so slightly she could feel his hardness against her and it brought her the most delicious feelings when she did it. So as she spoke and then waited for his reply she kept making her small movements and staring into his eyes, her pale face turning pink as her excitement grew to new heights.

Her soft moan would send a ripple of emotions through him as he tasted of the soft flesh of her breasts, kissing them again and again. Her hands held him there, lacing into his hair and sending a wild sense of desire through him that almost broke him down. However he still managed to pull back to request her next question but when she shifted on his lap and a soft gasp from her lips as his still trapped member brushed against her opening, still blocked by her own few articles of clothing. She would manage to get herself under control, although not without a comment of how good that had felt and he grinned softly at her. He was enjoying this too and when she finally asked her question, her voice shaking slightly as she asked, he wouldn't even pause to think. As she asked her question, spoke of the knowledge she desired now she would begin making small movements with her hips as she sat upon him. Her face slowly turned pink at the sensations she was feeling and mentally he had a fun little thought.

"My eyes are special, with them I can see everything within a twenty kilometer radius and see through buildings and other such things too. Specifically, I can see the very energy that courses through people's bodies. It's called 'Byakugan' and the pale white eyes are simply the appearance the eyes take. I do not know why they appear that way. When I'm using the powers of it the veins around my eyes bulge and become visible through the skin." He would say, his voice soft with an undertone of desire in it. As she made her small movements upon him he helped her with his hands, controlling her movements by holding onto her hips and he would speak again before she had a chance to. "If it's so difficult to do both, then lets do one now and the other after, tell me. Which would you rather do now?" He would ask before leaning down and kissing the soft flesh of one breast again and slowly moving his way up to her collar bone to drive in the metaphorical nail.

Zoe was only half listening to Madrigal’s answer about his eyes. It was interesting and her main takeaway was that his eyes, the Byakugan, held some sort of special power. She would need to remember to write that down later. For now though she committed it to memory as best she could while Madrigal grasped her hips and aided her as she moved on top of his lap. She was trying to think of another question, since that is what she was supposed to be doing, but just as she went to open her mouth Madrigal would ask her a question. Well first it was a statement and then a question, but the semantics were of little concern at that exact moment.

“Oh, well.” She started speaking and then stopped as a small moan escaped her lips in response to his kissing. “That seems. . . right, okay. By Hala, you are making this an easy decision Madrigal.” All thoughts of a proper question and answer session were gone from her mind as he kissed up to her collarbone. “Actions. Right now, I’d rather do actions. We can talk later.” She would lean forward and place her hands in his hair again, attempting to pull his face towards hers and moving to press her lips against his once more.