To Be Determined

Jayce heard the bells jingle as the door opened under his push, swinging shut as he walked through. He'd left his flak jacket at home, making the trek to this cafe in nothing more than his long sleeved shirt, so he needn't worry about hanging it up anywhere. Walking towards the counter, he eyed the portly man up and down for a minute, before Jayce caught his eye. A quick greeting, and then right down to business.

What the hell do I order?

Even glancing at the menu posted on the wall behind the man taking his order did nothing for him, as half the ingredients listed under most of the types of ramen were new to him. In order to not look a fool, he quickly gave an order of something that seemed like it would be akin to spicy seafood; could never go wrong with that combination. There were so many types of seafood and they were all so good. Add some spice to them and it was always a medley of flavors that danced on his tongue.

"Take a seat wherever you'd like, it's late enough tonight that we're mostly empty."

He was brought back to the present, murmuring a thank you and walking over to a seat near the view. While seafood had his stomach, currently at least, the sea had his heart. If you asked what about it captured him, he'd never be able to give a proper answer. Whether a babbling brook, a lake, the edge of a river, water had always managed to let him escape from his mind and get lost in the serenity. In the back of mind, he could smell his food being prepared. Physically, he sat in a chair, arm leaning over the side of the railing, mentally, he was far across the blue.

One had to be wary of how the operations of one's home went and as one considered the village hidden under the Moon as their home now, one must ensure it's safety. It would be such that Plague Uzumaki would be on their regular patrol through the village, making sure that things like owner's getting roughed up for protection money or other forms of violence implied or not did not occur in their new hometown as it did in their last. Not that anyone would know where they were from and who they were other than Plague, the person clothed in a heavy black cloak had ensured their identity was a secret for more than one reason. Today, like most days, they wore their beaked over-mask that gave them an avian appearance with it's black beak and shaded glass eyes. Not only did it cover their face, but it muffled and masked their voice of anything other than the emotional tone.

As with most patrols, it was late at night and dusk had thoroughly grasped the village in it's soft embrace, insects chirping in the humid air with a scent of foliage from the huge amount of greenery that surrounded the country the village was nestled in. The ecology of the village delighted the ninja who wore an extreme amount of black for someone living in the jungle, due to it's useful nature for chemical concoctions. Still they had one last stop on their patrol before they could end their day and as such they would swing by the last shop, a ramen one, on their route.

There was one unusual patron, and two regular customers whom the Uzumaki knew where never a problem and thus their attention would envelop the newcomer quickly. The analysis completed that they were not armed to an extreme degree but possibly armed none the less meant that Plague would rest across the table, just a bit away from them was the bar, back near the entrance. With a wave to the order taker who also made the drinks and was milling about on the floor, the ninja would then focus on the mystery man across from where they had sat across from.

"So who are you chum? What brings you to these parts? I've been here over a year and I do not think we have met before?" the tone was polite and warm but Plague felt better with their tanto strapped to their right outside thigh none the less due to their less than stellar upbringing and subsequent suspicious nature. The tanto itself blended in quite well with the thick overcoat thanks to the many belts, buckles, chains and straps that made up the lower half, it's sheath covered in the stuff to blend in perfectly while allowing access if needed.

Jayce was lost in thought, ignoring the movements in his peripheral vision until said movements stopped, and sound came from them. He sighed inwardly, and rotated his body to face the stranger, clasping both hands on the table in front of him while gently leaning back. He was about to open his mouth to speak, but the arrival of a server with his food quickly cut him short. The fragrances coming from the bowl told him he had made the right choice, feeling his sinuses open up with the intensity of whatever spices had come with it.

"I was going to make some off-hand joke, but the entire reason I've traveled here is right in front me!", said in a cheery tone. He was first wary of whoever was sitting in front of him, but food always put him in a jovial mood. He raised a noodle in the air, chewing quietly as he though of his next words.

Mmm, 10/10, much wow.

He glanced up and down his visitor, keeping his expression about their rather odd appearance hidden. He had no place to judge or knock anyone for how they decided to live their life. "Just someone that's willing to travel for wonderful food." The smile was gone, but his tone was warm and welcoming.

Jayce picked up a piece of what he assumed to be crab and held it in the air for a moment, letting the broth drip down so it didn't drip on the table when he put it to his mouth.

"I guess that makes me the lucky one here. I've been here for not even hours and I've already met someone as wonderful as you. But, what brings you over to this table? I doubt it's my mediocre profile against the ocean blue."

He kept his tone gentle and polite as he spoke, hoping the stranger knew he intended no trouble, but he wasn't about to be questioned without holding his own.

Plague would analyse and puzzle over the explination offered up before them on this day about the mystery man's reasoning for coming into the village. Perhaps they were from some minor nation or perhaps this region carried food that another may not, noting what the dish was Plague Uzumaki could guess they might be from the village hidden under the Sun if they had come here for sea food. This theory was becoming more plausible by the second and so Plague could step down from ultra alert to just regular patrol level of alert.

"Well since you were honest with me, it is best that I am honest with you eh? I sat down here today because you are a new face and sometimes, those are not as delightful as my present company has been. In those cases I usually urge them to leave as I don't like my friends dealing with...unsavory individuals. I hope you do not take offense to this precaution of mine" Plague would lean back in their chair a bit and raise their hands under the table, palms facing upward. This action along with the tone showcased that the medical based ninja was extending the introduction to be completely open and show there was no perceived hostility.

While normally it was polite to join another in the act of consumption, due to the layers of masks Plague found it impossible to do in public and thus waved off the waiter who came to ask for their order instead not wanted to expose themselves to the outside world and draw unwanted attention to their new home.

Tonight was a night that had been peaceful so far and it looked like that would continue on that way for the foreseeable future, just the way Plague Uzumaki liked it.

Jayce continued eating as the doctor in front of him spoke, slowly feeling his face start to flush as the heat started getting to him. Sheesh, the people out here really didn't play on their spices, did they? He took a gulp from the glass of water next to him, rather than the broth itself, as the broth was likely filled with said spices.

He left the rest of the broth in the bowl as he finished the rest of the solids, pushing the bowl to the side. While loving the more exotic foods, they did not always love him, and he would rather not have an upset stomach while dealing with such a peculiar character. Undivided attention and all that.

"Oh, none taken at all. Always a good thing to be safe in times such as this." Which was true. As a Shinobi, he had most certainly heard the unsettling rumors of what the world was on the brink of.

He took a moment of silence before finishing the rest of his water, pondering his next move. He gently pushed his seat back, standing, extending a hand to the stranger.

"Perhaps as payment for nearly scaring me witless, you could show me around this fine place? I like to always leave new places with more than memories of food." Jayce's tone was light on the first part, letting the other know that he was gently teasing.

Plague pushed the bread in the basket on the table forward when the man drank water in response to his face turning red, "Here, water will only make the spice linger longer, you need a base as all spice is slightly acidic. This will counter act it, potatoes work as well." Always seizing the opportunity to teach Plague could not help themselves in the slightest, besides it would help the other...ninja, Plague was betting, it would help them not feel the burn of the spices for too long.

The extension of a hand and offer up flustered Plague a little and they hesitated for a second before accepting the offering and giving a slender black gloved, leather hand to Jayce. It was a show of trust that the Uzumaki did not expect to happen so soon if at all during this encounter and this night was completely out of prediction due to it. Normally the medical ninja enjoyed a sense of control over a situation by knowledge of the variables but they had not expected this and were too flustered to quickly think on the fly.

"That...uh, that should, um, if you'd accept that as payment of course" the tone for once would come across as meek and soft while Plague would rise with the offered help and then leave a payment on the table with a tip, as they could easily afford to do so and intentionally showcased that by twisting their wallet to show Jayce it's contents. After doing so they would lead the man out towards the exit of the restaurant while asking, "Well is there a place, uh, you would, a type of place to see?" The tone was still there as they stumbled verbally on the question despite their body moving perfectly fluidly and paced.

Jayce nodded, noticing that the bread did help with the heat as the slice of bread went down. He gave a nod, with thanks. He gave a slight eyebrow again at the flash of wallet, before noticing the payment on the table, giving another nod. He turned around to look at the back of his stool, before turning to face the young? doctor, forgetting and then remembering that he did not have his flak jacket with him right now.

He pushed his stool in, and spoke. "A slender hand, but a firm grip. You're a good person."

Jayce neatly arranged the bowl and utensils along with everything in a way that the server could easily pick up when they came along, waiting for the doctor before he moved to the door, opening it and letting the other go through first.

"Of course. Lead the way, I follow the one of experience in this area." He'd flash a small smile. "But why so flustered?" It was a tone of genuine curiosity, not one intended to be demeaning or belittling. Obviously something he had done had set the other off-kilter. It was not in his nature to have others be uncomfortable due to his own actions.

As the other person complimented their character the person garbed fully in black would respond by offering their name, "Plague, I believe you are a good person as well..." the pause offered at the end was a social way of asking for another person's name and a way that would allow the flow of their conversation to continue normally.

Passing through the door first and looking backward at their companion as they stepped through the archway following them the ninja would listen to what they had to say. "Ah I am not so used to other's doing things like waiting for me to go first through a doorway, or helping me up. Next thing I know, you will uh, be putting your coat in a puddle for me to step over" the last part was offered with a laugh the semi-serious cheerful tones turning into chuckles as the play at being serious about that fell down, nobody would do such a thing for them after all. Still Plague began to wonder about what kind of person the one that they were now spending the night with was deep down, one could always pull off a good first intention while being different at the core without others knowing after all.

Walking in front of the man and going to the left of the building out towards a row of shops that held various things the chemist thought first of an oddity shop that was nearby that they could stop at before getting some mochi, they would require some for after they got home after all. Plague wanted something sweet tonight, but not sickeningly so as to avoid upsetting their stomach in any sort of way, while they could endure great physical pain, the doctor could not suffer nausea well.

"If you want we can visit a neon art shop or we can visit a palm reader, it is up to you. The stop after that I will keep a secret however and I hope you do not mind" the Uzumaki had a lilting tone in their voice and almost began to skip as they anticipated either going into one of the shops nearby with an exotic look, barred Victorian windows and a peaked roof with dark blue tiles with a raven instead of a rooster on the weather vane or they would go past that to a purple canvass covered wagon that housed a local mystic.

"Jayce.", as he walked through the door. No need for a last name currently. Not all were fans of his family, not need to ruin a perfectly good start by risking that.

"You never know! Sadly, it hasn't rained recently nor does it look like it will today, so I guess we'll have to wait for another day to find out."

He walked down past the shops, his intrigue for his new companion replaced by his fascination for the sights he was seeing. There was the usual kiosk type store, selling all various necessities, There an antique shop, some of the wares looking new, but he could spy things that looked older than his grandfather in the back through the windows. A fruit vendor on his other side, selling fruits that he had only seen in specialty shops back home, but sold here like apples. He would most certainly have to come back and explore more one day.

Jayce gave a small pause as he listned to Plague.

"A palm reader, hmm? I've always been a fan of the occult for a while. I don't know why we call it the occult. Meaning supernatural or mystical. What the Shinobi do was considered supernatural many many eons ago, what's so different about this, other than the fact we don't understand it? But palm reader it is!"

He pushed aside the purple canvas once he walked up the few steps to the back, and saw a sight he did not expect to see. A young woman, probably in her mid-twenties with a cheery smile. "How can I help you old souls today?" she said.

Well then.

While some people would have taken paused or even asked about not giving a last name, Plague of all people understood the desire not to share it and chalked it up to something that Jayce in them would have in common. While they did not know exactly why they had hid it, the sins of a family oft overshadowed an individual so there would be no prying from the black cloaked, bird beaked medical ninja towards their new companion on this new matter.

"Ah it might still rain tonight, that's how fickle this biome is after all a jungle is simply a name for a specific type of rain forest after all" Plague responded, their encyclopedic knowledge forcing them to spit this out in response to a simple comment about the weather, one could hardly help their inner nature after all.

"We call it Occult because the word means hidden knowledge, and once you learn it you will know why we call it that. For your sake I hope you remain somewhat ignorant on it, it's usually not worth the delve into in my experience. Rather easy to fall into madness on the quest of knowledge, but visiting a sooth sawyer is hardly a bad thing nor is it dangerous so let us enjoy aside from that knowledge." the mask muffled the chirp but the delighted tones could still be heard from under it as Plague elucidated their newly found audience with information about one of the subjects they enjoyed immensely.

The young woman was startling but not for the reasons that most could see, even those who could see chakra would still miss what the Uzumaki who was so versed in the aether that they picked up on the truly striking thing about the woman. Still it never befit one to react oddly in another's presence, it was a form of hypocrisy after all and Plague loathed actions that stemmed from that concept quite a bit. It would pass then that the masked person would respond to the question quite naturally;

"My new companion would like to see what all the hubbub is about mysticism, it would appear by the shading around here that we have come to the correct place" a small nugget of acknowledgement was placed along with the request which would allow the two of them to know where each stood even if Jayce would just perceive it as a regular interaction.

The woman would continue to stare at Plague for exactly three seconds before turning her attention to Jayce and beckoning him to the table...

Whereas some had a 'resting bitch face', Jayce had a 'resting polite face', one that left his eyes open with a polite smile, usually worn when he had no knowledge or clue of what was going on. He could tell there was more in the air than was told. How else would Plague know this was the correct kind of place, without knowing the difference between the correct and incorrect.

The smile stayed as he sat down, rolling up both his sleeves to his elbows, exposing his tattoos to the air. Something about the fresh air felt cool to his constricted skin. While no expert on these occult matters, even he could feel the air suddenly had a different feeling to it, a power, an energy he couldn't explain or put his finger on; an instinct. He stretched his arms across the table, palms facing up as the young lady put her palms over his, close enough that he could feel her heat but no actually touch him. He looked at her, matching her gaze. He could feel her bend her fingers slightly, as her fingertips just gently brushed the creases in his palm. The polite smile stayed on his face.

"Anything?" He meant to say so in a joking tone, but it came out in nothing but a croaked whisper.

She continued to trace whatever patterns she saw in his hands, still not breaking his gaze.

"Blood...so much bloodshed, betrayal, and pain in the history of those ancient eyes you do not show."

Jayce could feel his eye twitch and feel his lips terse up, refusing to move from her touch; light as feather, it felt like chains. He could feel his back muscle tense as the realization came across. This wasn't the correct kind of mysticism shop, this was a real one. The mystics cheery smile had faded as well, replaced by a sad one.

"So much anger in you, like a tea kettle that was boiling centuries ago, now passed on. " She gave a small pause. "Some of it is even yours, even though it is not yours to own." His polite smile was gone, replacing by a look of solemness. "You will burn and be burned, a mighty king of flowers, reigning over a kingdom that you do not even realize yet exists."

Jayce was in the moment, locked in his head, Plague at his side completely forgotten. He could feel it in his chest, a plethora of chaos mixed with beauty. He attempted to speak, but no sound came out, only the moving of his lips: how?

"Fratricide, Kingkiller, they called him, the first of your family. Your soul is in chaos, bound by chains of duty, torn apart by your desire to be known by your name, not your surname."

He swallowed, feeling like a boulder was going down his throat. He closed his eyes, finally breaking contact with her, pulling his arms back to his side, head bowed. "Thank you," he said. He rubbed his hands together, trying to get rid of that tingly feeling on them, like a layer of skin he just couldn't rip off. He stood from his chair, as did the mystic rising with him. She looked at Plague, giving a slightly happier smile to them than the one she just had. "Take care of this one, cherie."

Jayce turned to Plague, a smile painted across his face, twitching lips and sad eyes, trying not to betray what he felt. "Where to next?"

Inside of a leather bound book that was four inches tall and three wide while two inches thick Plague would take note of the prophecy as they would always do, while a person of science they were also one of the non-charlatan side of the mystical. Well from this they now were painfully aware that the other person was no doubt a ninja, one who could probably wield the element of fire and was of either the Hyuuga or Uchiha clan due to the focus on the eyes though these were all just educated guesses. Still, the chemist was one who oft tried to keep their own guesswork correct and doubted very much it was any other case than this unless the woman was just a fraud dressed up in the pomp and regalia. They could be, but the one cloaked in black highly doubted it.

The effect of the prophecy was quite apparent upon Jayce's face revealing that he believed in it, probably picking up that it was more than some grifter at a fair ground trying to hustle rubes but instead someone who honed a craft that was just as mundane to them as molding chakra was to a ninja or cooking a good meal to a cook. This was after all just another profession that most had the ability but lacked the knowledge for, such seemed to be the way of the world and it was not yet Plague's place to change that fact.

"To answer your question O, ye, mighty King of Flowers, I was thinking we could pick up some mochi actually" the playful tones were apparent as Plague got up and left the wagon with the other person that they had entered with, the night once again shifting to a normal air where the air of mystery and prophecy faded away. Though the doctor had one more thing in mind, "Jayce Hyuuga? Nay, I heard they had milky eyes, Jayce Uchiha...nice to meet you, your secret is safe with me as long as you never betray that trust." This offer of trust would be one not extended by the masked person to many but they figured the person with them tonight deserved that offer.

Across the square and seven o' clock from their current position was a quaint little candy store that would be open for another hour, and it was the Uzumaki's actual secret last stop but one only for themselves. This would be were they would bring the man that had spent the night with them, and had provided them an opportunity to peel past the veil through a prophecy done on another, a rare opportunity indeed.

The casual dismissal of what had just happened might have offended anyone else, but to Jayce, it put him at ease, as if it wasn't that big a deal. The people that had those kinds of reactions were either those that were completely social inept, or had a history of their own; Plague did not strike him as the former. It was...exhilarating. Someone that he could actually speak to.

He gave a sigh, and shoved his hands into his pockets as they walked, his pace slowly down without meaning to, the gait of someone obviously in though of their words.

"Yeah. Uchiha, which should fill in a few gaps of the story over there. Brother at heart, turned brother in blood. My name carries no nobility in it, other than one instilled by fear and brutal respect. Most certainly not a shortcut to make companions."

His words would pause for a few moments, his gait slowing to a full stop, turning to look Plague into (what he assumed to be) their eyes. "I am not my ancestors. I do not plan on becoming them. You have my trust as well." Part of him couldn't decide whether that was to separate himself from the founders, or to reinforce that belief into himself into truth.

They arrived at the store, and Jayce walked up to the counter, greeting the young teenage male there, with what was obviously his family working there behind him. "A few green tea mochi for me, as well as a few of red bean. Also, whatever my friend here would like." He would make no show of flashing his wallet. Whereas he had money to spend, it was his family's. No need to show off something like that.

He would turn to Plague while they waited, sliding his back down the wall to the right of the counter, leaning on his haunches, then looking up at him. "So, what is your story?"

Plague returned the stare through their thick glass lenses that prevented even their eyes from truly being seen but they were staring into Jayce's as they responded sincerely, "Not one single group has members that are all identical, of course your family does not determine whom you truly are. You are the only person that can determine your own destiny Jace, now shake off that ancestral guilt and grab it." The words were delivered with deliberate determination to the detriment of self deprecation, instead giving a sense of hope in oneself and a thrust forward into hope for the future, no longer hobbled by the web strings of the past. The next part was a bit tricky however and Plague would look away while walking towards the shop of sweets while speaking, "I am glad that I have your trust and am shamed I cannot offer you my last name my new companion, I do hope you understand but nobody knows my last name and it should stay that way for the safety of all."

The words were somber as they entered the shop though the mood was still light as they had a wondrous night and were about to get glorious deserts for their gluttonous gastronomical organs.

Like poetry Jayce would flash his wallet to Plague mimicking a motion that made their night morph into more than the mundane mockery of life it may well have been. How fitting it was that this action would be performed then, it delighted Plague on a meta level that they could not quite described as they placed their order for some Strawberry Dafuku and Yatsuhashi for later consumption. They had a sweet tooth truth be told though eating in public was obviously not something they partook in often.

Plague folded their arms behind them as their muffled tones flowed through their mask, "Well as much as I can share is that I am a genin from this village, I came here a bit over a year ago from the wild regions in search of a better life and I found it here. I am a person of science and as such I have studied quite a few things, but I prefer the study of the living world over material and truthfully I do not know much about the ocean. My skills are medical and fuuinjutsu, my chakra seems to prefer those types of abilities and techniques the best, you know my favorite type of mochi now as well as my name and thus the only last thing I can share is that I wear another mask under this one. What can you tell me about yourself?"

Jayce would give a smile, standing up fully to grab the plate offered that was placed on the counter, walked over to a nearby table with a small umbrella through the middle, in case of rain most likely. He placed the plate in the center of the table and took a red bean mochi, looking at it thoughtfully, obviously thinking about something other than the food in front of him.

"Ah, but that's the funny thing about destiny, isn't it? You say grab it, but what if one string is grabbed and it was the other one that was meant to be?"

He took a small bite of his mochi, enjoying the freezing cold that bordered on uncomfortable. "Everyone has their own past, don't bear it as shame that yours is different than mine."

Jayce took another bite of his mochi, leaning back and kicking his feet up to the spare chair that Plague would not be sitting in. Now that was an interesting question, most certainly. Not many ask him about himself, they were happy to simply have him listen to them about themselves.

"Ah, but before I start, just ponder this one question, how many masks do you wear underneath yours that aren't physical?'

He put the rest of the mochi in his mouth, chewing slowly as he picked up another, green tea this time, rolling it between his fingers.

"The same as you, a genin from my respective village. I'm searching for a better life myself, even if it means building it from the ground up. I find that enjoy anything, I do not need to know much about it, I simply need to know that I enjoy it. I know very little of the ocean, just that my heart stills and I can feel my soul deepen when I look at it. My body itself seems to enjoy Katon and Bukijutsu, although more studies need to be had there. "

He took a bite of the mochi he had held for this time, its shape more flat at this point than round. "Although that all seems very surface level. I guess the most profound things I am going to say come in the form of metaphors in a way. I wish to go home, but I do not know where 'home' is. Home in the village was no longer home since my father passed. I feel like...I'm not lost. I am not. I'm simply traveling, wandering, and one day I will find a place I enjoy enough to stay."