~ Chapter Ten ~
Mid-morning, following the festival~
Seated in a secluded booth, at the back of a small but undeniably successful establishment, Madara can feel the headache before it forms.
The comfortable chill of the proprietor's exceedingly uncommon elemental Ice Chakra keeps the place cool, but his conversationalist is a blushing mess. Rasa's "heated" memories of "Ayame", his bride of two and a half weeks.
"When I wanted information, this is NOT what I had in mind." Madara thought with irritation.
"You actually heard her father play. Last I mean. At the festival, it was Isamu's flute that accompanied our Little Sakuya's opening. Her balance too." gushed Rasa.
His puppy-like devotion this Ayame and her father "Isamu" is visible to Madara as the light sheen of sweat dotting Rasa's brow.
"Ah, the part where I noticed she WASN'T deploying any usage of chakra. It makes sense now, she was saving for the finale, how much skill did performing such steps without the aid of chakra require?'
'The mastery over one's body. - And he's still talking about Ayame...'
"I see. Yes, well I'm not familiar with music let alone composition but I suppose the orchestra was impressive.
'Your Ayame is a gifted conductor. If she is anything like her skilled father, I'm sure you'll do well." Said Madara diplomatically.
"She really is," Rasa murmured. Pepping up he said a bit louder. "Though she's more of a composer than a player herself, my Ayame is no slouch."
"Yes, yes, I'm sure that's incredibly... nice for you. Enjoy your marital bliss." His patience wearing thin, Madara's disinterest in the subject is apparent.
"Thank you! You may not believe me, but I've been asking Ayame to marry me every day since I was only six years-"
'Seriously?' Whether his hint was either ignored or not noticed, Madara couldn't say.
Taking a sip of his chilled, slush-like sweet drink, (one of the shop's unique offerings) Madara resigns himself to tuning out his escort's talk of love and joyful bonds.
'I need to find someone else to question. Wait could this be on purpose?'
Observing the tan rambling man more closely, his build is strong but Madara sees no traces of guile.
The formerly stoic, sturdy young man before him now seems no better than a twelve-year-old girl experiencing her first crush.
'No dignity. At least now I see why her brothers don't mind her being alone with him. Izuna save me. I pity the unfortunate soul to get a crush on him brother, Rasa won't even know they exist.'
"Heck Ayame is the WHOLE reason I even picked up the flute in the first-"
"I think that's quite enough Rasa." A woman's voice cuts him off. "Not everyone cares about "the miracle of a first and ONLY love."
We can't all be so fortunate plus, you're practically driving our esteemed guest here to madness. How will that reflect on our abode?"
Looking up to meet his pretty "savior" in the eyes to express gratitude, Madara recognizes her. "Thank you Lady Yuukina."
"Oh don't be so dramatic Yuuki, Sakuya loves hearing about it."
Does she? Or is our dear friend simply too polite-" she's interrupted by Rasa.
"Excuse me, but with all due respect Yuuki, who do you think encouraged me? When I first began learning, it was frustrating."
"Of this was before our lords brought you here so I don't expect you to understand completely."
"Just try to get that it was a dark time for me. I had been cooperating with Shiro and Rei, but it wasn't easy. I wanted to court Ayame and she agreed gifting me a flute.
"I put so many hours into it but nothing was right.
"In my growing haze, I was really starting to fear my hands were only for kunai blades and destruction."
"I... I'm sorry Rasa." The woman "Yuuki apologized softly.
"No, it's my fault for getting overly passionate." Rasa placated.
"But that was when Sakuya pushed me to keep trying." the nostalgia in Rasa's voice provokes Madara's curiosity. 'So there is more?'
"Oh? could you be more specific?"
Nodding his head Rasa shared his memory. "Don't give up on yourself so easily Rasa" she said to me. I think we were at the Yellow Apple Orchard. You know, at Sakuya's Lake."
"Your melody will be born and once you find it, I know the depth will touch Ayame's heart." I'll never be able to thank her enough."
"Okay, I get it. I see why it matters to you." Yuukina said regretfully.
"I shouldn't have been so harsh, but let's be serious here. There's a time and place, and while my shop probably qualifies as "an acceptable place" now certainly isn't time."
With the lunch rush in full swing, Madara makes himself scarce. Taking the offered permission to explore alone, Madara knows exactly where to go next.
"An interesting comradery, but not why I'm here."
"At least it wasn't a complete loss of time. It was most kind of of them to mention the orchard."
"There sure are a lot of those here, but with Rasa's specification, "Sakuya's Lake… Hm."
"It does bear her name perhaps it's only a given that this one is on the special side… I can't wait to see what I uncover."