“Highly doubtful for several reasons. One of those is that I don’t have any–”
Wait, how was it she knew his name? Furthermore, how was it possible for anyone to have a lot in common with him? There was so much to ask, yet it all came from one simple comment. A friend of his said they had something in common. As brown hues would finally glance up, he saw the reason. He didn’t have to question it at all. They were small, but he recognized such creations. They were far from his style of puppets, but he could believe they were made in the same manner. With how they were dressed up, he quickly assumed that they were dolls rather than puppets. Something for decoration or collecting. Maybe in her case, they were just for comfort. Hard to tell with how little he knew.
“…. Alright, fair enough. Not everyday I run into someone that has a bit of a hobby as mine. Etou Ageha, right? I have no idea who it was that decided to send you my way, but you ought to hit them over the head with something. Even if we share a common interest, I am not the type you need to hang around with. A hand pressed against the scroll on his desk as the Third Kazekage that was on it would be surrounded by a smoke emitting from the object, eventually sealing it into the item. If he had two more left, he may as well finish his work with a set.
“Still … Rather impressed to see such interesting works. With how well-designed they are, one could mistaken those as one of my pieces. Whoever is the artist behind those two pieces you carry is quite talented.” Coming from someone as himself, he believed that one would consider this as the highest compliment anyone could get from him. Lifting up a hand, strings would emit from his fingertips in order to attach to his mother and father puppets. Bringing them over, he would begin to work on the mother, focusing his attention on his work for now.
He started rebutting her, until he caught sight of Leo and Yuki. Ageha smiled in relief and nodded as he confirmed her name.
“I don’t see why I shouldn’t hang around with you. You seem like a nice enough person,” she said with a friendly smile.
She started as smoke encircled the large puppet, and watched with wide open eyes as the puppet disappeared, leaving a scoll in its wake. What just had happened? “Wow that’s amazing! ...Whatever that was.”
When he brought up Leo and Yuki, Ageha beamed, relaxing a little. “They’re named Leo and Yuki. My ancestor made them, to protect himself and all the other Dollmakers who came after him. Leo and Yuki are more than just my protectors, though. They’re...like my best friends.” She smiled wistfully down at the pair in her arms. How she wished she could hear their voices again...
She drug herself from that trail of thought, and continued, “Sometimes they take their role as protectors a little too seriously, though. And they get jealous easily...” she laughed nervously.
“I don’t trust this guy.” Leo said to Yuki, as they watched the exchange from the vantage point of their mistress’s arms. “He seems shifty. And Ageha is trusting him so easily! What on Earth is she thinking?!”
“I can’t say I disagree with you, in that the man seems dangerous,” Yuki replied, “But he is not threatening Ageha-dono at present. And if our dear Dollmaker does get into trouble, she has us. The sun is going down as we speak. She will be able to turn us into our human forms, if the need arises.
“Now,” Yuki continued, “I believe it is rather rude of us to be chattering amongst ourselves while there is company present that can actually hear us. How do you do?” Yuki raised his voice with the last sentence, calling out to the remaining puppets.
