A Hundred Masks to Behold
– Akatsuki watches the many faces of her Lord.
Ninjas were patient creatures.
That, Akatsuki had learned well. So, as one of those patient creatures, the Assassin resolved to unravel the mystery that was her Lord Shiroe, no matter how long that might take. She did so by observing him, analyzing his every move.
She watched him in the morning, when he was still groggy and almost always sleep-deprived. But never did he sleep-in (unless someone threatened to knock him out and then stood guard outside his door to do just that, if necessary). Never did he run from his responsibility as leader.
Over time though, Akatsuki's opinion changed.
She watched him spend hours in his office and thought him devoted to his cause and his job. She didn't realize until much later that the reason he cooped himself up in the workroom is because practically everyone else avoids it.
Akatsuki had even caught glimpses of him while he was asleep in there, strewn across unfinished reports, papers and documents on his tabletop.
She watched him in battle as well – for more reasons than one – both when he was at his offensive and defensive. He seemed confidant and focused, so unlike his usual easy and withdrawn demeanor.
She watched him race to help his young charges half way across Yamato, even if he only knew two of them personally.
She watched, unbeknownst to him, as he preformed sacred, almost forbidden magic to save a boy who he'd never met before. Had he felt indebted to him for saving the others, or was it something else? What was the reason behind all of this? What had Shiroe been thinking?
Akatsuki had watched as he plotted and planned and pushed others before him to take the credit and glory when the Round Table Alliance of Akihabara had been established, like they were some sort of shield – like he'd rather be a nobody than live up to his achievements.
And even though she had watched him so attentively, she hadn't even noticed his weakness until Minori had pointed it out. She hadn't ever realized he was so wary of the people around him. Scared, almost.
Perhaps she hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. Perhaps she didn't want it to be as it were.
Some lousy protector was she, when she couldn't even protect her own Lord from himself!
She had watch him run away from the people around him – people who were supposed to be his friends, not his enemies! – without her realizing (or perhaps acknowledging, maybe she'd known all along and simply hadn't wanted to admit it to herself). She hadn't done anything about it.
She'd failed him.
She'd betrayed him.
She'd let Shiroe continue to hurt himself even further without doing a single thing about it.
Useless.
Yes, ninjas were very patient creatures, but if Akatsuki lived to a hundred (or if they remained in this virtual reality for so long), she doubted she'd be able to comprehend all the faces of her Lord.
She was going to try her damn hardest either way.
AN: Oh my-! THIS THING FINALLY GOT A REVIEW! I'm over the moon now, you guys! Thank you so much! Yay! *dances around her room heppily* I hoped you liked this as well! Was it any good? What do you think? Tell me, please!