Chapter 129: Back at Mount Hane
Like always, I followed my routine on the weekdays as best I could.
Wake up, make breakfast, send of Anko and Cameia, walk with Kurenai, and go to the Academy.
After the Academy was over, I would go around town with Kurenai, shopping for whatever it was we needed, be it groceries, tools, materials, seeds, pills, some toys, clothes...
We bought whatever caught our fancy, and we were taking more trips towards the Nara Clan's section as we began to look for cribs and medicines for our pregnancies.
Many of the Nara women fawned over us, giving us advice and deals due to our obviously pregnant bellies, and cheering us on for having such a proactive lover.
This was usually followed, or preceded by, the Nara women berating their own male lovers, who were lazing around as usual.
Though, I did notice that the few Nara women couples tended to be just as equally heated, with the presumably futa lover being just as lazy as their male counterparts.
Each venture into their territory was always a good time, and we came away with a good amount of wisdom and stories for our time.
When we returned home, I helped Makoto make our dinner, the Uzumaki woman and I chatting as we cooked, before Karin would inevitably barge in and tell me about her day, or ask about mine.
Whilst I waited for two of my wives to return home, if they were meant to that night, I went into the small zen garden in the center of our home and meditated, either clearing my mind and taking this moment to comfortably clear my mind of all good and bad, or send myself to Mount Hane, where I would enjoy some time with the Hawks.
Today was one such day, and I sat on the mountaintop with Meigetsu, the large Hawk resting beside me as we stared over the beautiful summoning world.
"-better then not caring at all, is it not? Don't those thoughts of yours prove that you care? That you wish to be better?"
Turning to stare at the young Hawk, I frowned as I contemplated her words, before nodding.
"I... I guess it does... It just... I hate that feeling; that sinking, heavy feeling when I wonder about whether or not I'll be able to raise a child. This is vastly different than anything else in my life. There are responsibilities here that I've never had to worry about before."
Nodding, Meigetsu glanced at me, her deep blue eyes and dark feathers shining in the remaining light of dusk.
"You have been given orders to kill before, orders to infiltrate and sabotage lives, but rarely have you been told to preserve or protect lives. Mother says that it's vastly easier to take a life then it is to continue a life, and she tells me often that the difference between the two is vaster then the heavens above us..."
Chuckling, I glanced at the sky, where stars had begun to poke through the deep violet expanse.
"That is true. I can kill and maim so easily... up close and personal, from afar, or via traps and rigged equipment... but the idea of raising a child scares me. It's... odd, but..."
Sighing, I leaned back and stared up at the stars, taking in the cosmos above the Summoning World and smiling gently.
"I guess... I guess I'm ready. I'm only getting older, and the longer I wait, the harder this'll get. Chakra and this nature energy stuff can prolong my bodies prime state, but it won't last forever... I don't have an unlimited vitality available to me, nor do I believe myself all powerful to overcome all the problems in the world."
Meigetsu nodded again, her black feathers blending into the rising shadows around us as she said "Well, from what Mother said, nature energy should give a human like yourself a large bump in your vitality, even with just a drop or two. As for you, that injury you took a few months back was actually a blessing in disguise.
You are more sensitive to nature energy now, and your able to absorb and refine nature energy to a small degree... maybe you'll be able to eventually combine it with your own chakra as well..."
A wry smile appeared on my face at that, and I shrugged as I said "I dunno Mei-Mei. I might pursue it, I might not. After all, now that I'll be having a kid, I don't know when I'll be back in the field again. I don't think my focus or drive will be the same after giving birth..."
Taking a step forwards, the Hawk lowered her head to meet my gaze, her melodic voice steady as she said "Weren't you the one to tell me that the outside world was uglier then you could ever imagine? Why would you let a chance to secure a safer future pass you by with not a single effort to grab onto it?"
Chuckling, I nodded as her words washed over me, and I met her sapphire gaze before we both turned to look over the sprawling woods of the Summoning World, now bathed in darkness.
"You're... You're right, Mei-Mei. I will keep striving forwards, I guess. At the very least, it's just one more skill I could pass on down to my children in the future. At best, I can protect them from more and more, keeping them safe for as long as they remain with me..."
Getting up, I brushed off my pants as I grinned down at the Hawk, and I reached forwards and ruffled her feathers, making the Hawk coo slightly as she leaned into my palm.
"Well, see you soon. Gotta make sure dinners good to go and all... See you, Mei-Mei..."
Lifting her large wing, Meigetsu watched as I returned to my home, and I stared up at the rising moon for a moment, our conversation still lingering.
For a few minutes I stood there, staring at the gleaming white moon, my eyes glued to the beautiful sphere as it slowly climbed upwards, and I chuckled.
I still had a long ways to go yet, but I was determined to see everything through.
To the end.