Reborn in the Mist [Naruto SI]

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    • "Thank you, Raiga." I said as I unfurled a mission report over Reina's on my desk.

    With Reina and Kisame shepherding the Kaguya to Kiri, the ANBU Commander responsibilities fell to the Captain of her choice. I'd glazed through her progress report on convincing the Kaguya remnants that I was offering them the only way out of their predicament. She expressed they were stubborn, actually, unruly was the word she used.

    Still, Kisame present with a Shark Sword seemed to cower even the most foolish of the Kaguya men that were left behind, that and the realization that the best of their kind had been decimated.

    Kisame also gave a report. I didn't ask him to and it's quite unusual to give your own report separate from the mission leader. His report contained a list of names, ages and a short description as well as an assigned threat level.

    I hadn't thought to ask for any of that from Reina but I'm grateful Kisame took the initiative to do so, even if it's a bit odd he's sending parallel reports.

    The report Raiga handed to me now was different though and not even directly from him. It was from Mei and her partner, Daiki. I'd sent them to Amegakure and almost forgot in the heat of all the politicking and massacring I'd been up to in the past week.

    Before that I was anxiously looking forward to what my agents had to say about Amegakure, after all, it would let me know exactly what has happened within the Akatsuki and what was yet to happen.

    I scanned through it, there were only three short-hand sentences and the first spoke decisively— 'No Hanzo, two unknown figures in charge, Angel and presumably a god.'

    I gulped. That was all I needed to know really, Hanzo was dead and Nagato has occupied the Rain for himself. Still, I kept reading as Mei had more to say in the second sentence— 'Hanzo loyalists remain, all labelled terrorists and executed ASAP, majority in hiding.'

    At this I briefly considered reaching out to these loyalists but I threw the thought away, as painful as it is, the truth is Amegakure was better off under Nagato, if he were less crazy and didn't seek to seal tailed beasts that would be great. He'd be a sensible world leader to approach.

    Besides, interfering like that would only subject us to more of his ire. Sure, Kirigakure wasn't one of the Hidden Villages that used Amegakure as a battleground but we were one of the five and that alone condemned us.

    I bit my lip as I read the last line— 'S-rank barrier technique, the rain is a tool, Sundays always, random sometimes.'

    It took me a moment to comprehend what she meant by that. She didn't have a lot of space to work with writing these reports so I couldn't ask for more details without offering a way to accommodate them. But after a third read I understood what she meant as Jason reminded me as well.

    The rain itself is the villages protection. A slight disturbance and that's the end, Nagato would find out and not hesitate to kill Mei and her partner.

    The thought sent a shiver through me, I understood I was taking a risk by sending Mei into Amegakure and I did so anyway because I believed she wouldn't die purely because it wasn't her time to. Perhaps her partner would suffer but she shouldn't…right?

    I shook my head as Yagura gave the sensible thought that everything became different from the moment I took his place and that people aren't protected from death because I didn't believe they would die. I should be more careful.

    Should I ask them to withdraw? It's been almost a month since I gave the mission order and now I'm getting the first report. I already knew who was in charge but…

    Chewing my lip, I lost myself in thought of what to do about the situation. Nagato wouldn't respond kindly to infiltrators and I didn't want to lose a shinobi as valuable as Mei, she represented much of the potential Kirigakure had and that couldn't disappear.

    I doubted there was anything to gain from keeping her in Amegakure since I already got what I wanted in this first report. It would make sense to continue the mission if Nagato was someone you could tail and monitor but the fact that after nearly one month living as civilian and she only knew decisively about Konan's existence meant there was no point in hiding any longer.

    I looked up from the report and remembered Raiga still stood at attention in front of my desk. My gaze found him and a plan began to brew in my mind one that might be a bit dicey considering.

    But I have to make a move. Given that news of Konoha's near destruction hasn't reached me from my liaisons there, I bet Obito was still preparing to mount his attack. And if he hasn't yet…

    "Raiga."

    "Sir!" He was stiff as a board behind that mask of his. He wore strict Kiri ANBU attire and the same wavy mask many of my protectors donned.

    "How would you like to visit Amegakure?"

    "Sir?"

    I set the report down, sighed and crossed my fingers as I gave this idea of mine a final thought, "I need someone to broach the leaders of Amegakure on my behalf. Do you think you're up for it? You would have back up from Mei and Daiki but you shouldn't rely on it, they have their own mission."

    He shifted his mask to the side, revealing an unsure look that had me narrowing my eyes at him. He met my gaze and said, "Sir, I don't believe I'd be useful on such a mission unless…" he caught my raised eyebrow and spat it out, "Unless you want these leaders assassinated."

    I scoffed, the chuckled, then cackled madly at the thought of Raiga trying to assassinate Nagato as I sat back and shook my head, "No, I suppose you wouldn't be the best choice for what I have in mind. Good work though, I didn't expect you to be so honest about your limitations."

    He shrugged. Raiga had never been one to share many words with me, less so after the succession trial. I nodded gratefully, asked him to forward any more reports from Mei and dismissed him so I could return to my thoughts.

    Raiga was right in a way, I couldn't just assign the first person I saw, no, I had to think carefully about who I would do best on a mission of peace to Amegakure.

    Nagato maybe far gone but the Angel, Konan is not. "Hmm, perhaps this is an undertaking for Yagura Karatachi himself."
    Rain rain, go away, let me post chapters again~

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    • A Promise, Not a Threat
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    • I'd made my decision to visit Amegakure myself. Of course, I'd be accompanied by a strong force of shinobi and I'd have Mei and Daiki working on the inside. But like many of my plans this was but a far off intent, I wasn't so arrogant to think I could take on the Six Paths of Pein as I am.

    Jason wasn't all comfortable with the idea but at the same time gave faith to it. It was certainly dangerous to approach but given how the Akatsuki operated— capturing Tailed Beast chronologically— it meant I'd be safe from capture until the One-Tailed and Two-Tailed beasts were taken first.

    But that was no excuse to relax, especially if I wanted to get the edge up on Obito. I wasn't sure how long until he attacked Konoha but I had Kiri shinobi there and could simply ask them for information. Either way, I felt it wouldn't be until my sixth month as Mizukage, then I could start poke-nosing into Konoha's business.

    For now, I needed to sort out mine and Kiri's. In preparation to meet with hopefully Konan and not Pein, I needed to ensure Isobu was on my side and that I cashed in on Uncle's inauguration gift. And even before all that I had to ensure everything with the Kaguya was settled so with Lord Funato guiding me, I headed out to inspect the Mizukage's Estate.

    I gave very little consideration to Uncle's last option— warring throughout the Land of Water— because this was easy, less time consuming and it spared lives. Kiri was just coming out of a war, I wasn't keen on throwing it back into the fires so soon. I'd barely gotten used to being Mizukage to begin with.

    I glanced back at my assistant, Junichi Hoshigaki, who I often forgot existed. The young man was taller than I as most were but the way he slouched, his dart-eyed ways and his ever present short notebook and pencil cast him in a lower light than his rank as Chuunin, and station as my assistant, would've.

    He caught my gaze and fidgeted, straightening his back and putting on a stern face for passer-by's who couldn't keep their eyes away. I tried not to be too disappointed, I didn't have a proper assistant until him and random Chuunin would man the desks outside my office as well as inform me of visitors or Jounin looking to put in mission requests.

    It was inefficient and most times I wasn't in the mood to humour any additional requests or visits, a fact that many of the temporary assistants failed to understand. Junichi though, he understood that when I said something I meant it and I appreciated that at least.

    He'll get better, unlike some people…

    Lord Funato has been nothing but a sour puss. I realize that he wasn't simply against hosting the Kaguya in his clan compound, he was against hosting them in Kiri entirely. It made sense now why only Uncle gave me valuable advice on what to do about the situation and even then, I had to ask.

    His presence beside me scared away many of my usual fans, shinobi and civilian alike. I wasn't fool to the fact that of all the clans in Kiri, his held the most power as the First Mizukage was born of their clan. Such a reputation goes a long, long way.

    At the moment, he was escorting me to a property that his ancestor built, likely with the Funato clan in mind as well. And to see it given to Kekkei Genkai wielding barrel scum, it must pain him so.

    Unfortunately, I felt no sympathy in his plights, the Mizukage's Estate was rightfully mine and had I known I could utilize it to my wish as I do now, I'd have done so without bothering to ask for his help. It angered Yagura that he used my ignorance of the fact to his own ends but I let that anger disperse with each step towards to property.

    The Estate occupied a large piece of land east of the Central District. Botanical gardens of vibrant colours adorned its perimeters, while elegant stone pathways guided visitors through the lush greenery. Towering trees whispered ancient tales as gentle breezes carried their secrets through the air.

    The people here were sparse and many stopped to greet Lord Funato first before turning to bow to me. Greeting him first was a non-issue for Jason, he was older, the clan head to many of them and by the reaction of garden's proprietor I bet he was its source of funds as well.

    But for Yagura it was a clear sign that my authority as Mizukage wasn't being respected enough. I chalked it up to my short reign and set it out of mind. The surroundings were beautiful and well taken care of, preserved actually, as the scenery felt like something from an aged past even to Yagura.

    We walked into the property proper and though I'd caught a glimpse through the trees and over the fence, the magnificent mansion sitting at the heart of the Estate was a breath taking sight to witness.

    Its grand façade was a testament to the Funato clan's influence within Kiri, especially given the fact that the entire place was empty, devoid of life save the guards at the gates and the caretakers.

    I shook my head as we strolled past swats of lush grasses, a pond and crossed a little bridge that drew over a fast flowing stream. The mansion itself bore Kirigakure's symbol upon its face, large and screaming in the same manner as the Mizukage Tower.

    Lord Funato struck his cane as we sighted the doors leading in and he spoke for the first time since I told him our destination, "Here it is, your Estate."

    There wasn't any emotion in his voice but I could tell he wasn't terribly pleased with what was happening. He took a breath and clacked further in, he was silent but I knew he had words for me so I turned to Junichi who has been marvelling and gasping.

    "Stay out here for a bit will you and make notes for the best places to put training grounds and-"

    "And homes? I've got it sir!" He said, alert and eager to work.

    I hummed and let him be to follow after Lord Funato. He pushed open the doors with his cane, the mansion was well taken care of but still quite dusty. He didn't seem bothered and continued to walk on in silence.

    I observed as much as my eyes could cover, it was beautiful, like most of the property and already had furniture wrapped over to fend the dust. Parts of it were made of wood and other rooms were of concrete, I wasn't sure how that was managed but I appreciated the extra protection the building brought.

    Lord Funato walked through halls, stared at excessively large alcoves and pondered beside a dried up fountain. I fell at his side and wondered if he'd speak or if he waited for me to.

    In the end, I broke the silence, "I know what you're thinking." His silence was an open invitation for me to continue, "You're worried, worried sick that I'm bringing in the enemy to camp at our backyard. You're thinking I'm too soft, too young to make the hard call…but I already have."

    At this he raised his head ever so slightly.

    "Kirigakure is going to change, Lord Funato and we're going to change it together. I-"

    "I am thinking…of my family, my clan and its legacy. What we have contributed to this village is…well, you know. You are the next, you are the present. I stare at all of this…old and decrepit standings that have gone without use and I see myself in them.

    "You say Kiri will change, that we will do it together, but Yagura-kun, you're already doing it on your own. Perhaps, my days of leading the clan should have come to an end long since, perhaps it is time now to let go and allow the ancient and forgotten to have a true use. For I cannot help you, Yagura-kun."

    I wasn't expecting that but… "And why not? I believe you can, in fact, it's why I asked you to bring me here. Who else will see this place transformed but you?"

    A lie. I brought him here to shove it in his face…just a bit.

    He shifted and pressed a sharp gaze on me, "Transformation is for those that are willing. I will ask one thing of you, as Mizukage."

    "Anything."

    He shuffled closer, "Before you bring in your change, make those responsible for the threats against my granddaughter and my great-grand child answer for their crimes. I have not forgotten and until I am certain those responsible are seized…I will have no rest and neither will you."
    Wowwowwow. WOW. Lots of discussion on that last chapter, live for it. Though...am I cliche or is everyone just smarter?
    Time for some bad news :(

    The combination of inconsistent power and upload speed is kicking my butt. Dragging my feet and that's not fresh. I might have to give up this posting schedule next month, wish me luck tho.
     
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    • Criminal Investigations
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    • I'd begun to feel the pressure of the Mizukage's mantle more than ever. Lord Funato's blatant threat couldn't be ignored and yet I couldn't be indignant about it either. He was right to be furious with me, Lady Megumi too but I didn't know if she shared the same fierceness as Lord Funato. Given it's her direct lineage that was threatened, it was safe to assume she did.

    I'd all but dismissed the investigations into the Third Mizukage's death, there was nothing to be found anywhere and even as I knew the culprit I hadn't the slightest clue where to start searching for evidence. However, the same couldn't be said for the death threats levied against the Hozuki and the Sandaime's family.

    There were two pieces of evidence to work from— the kunai and the inactive paperbomb, both were carriers of the threats and were seized by ANBU for intensive investigations. Under Owl mask and Lord Funato's directives many of these investigations were centred around the low caste that has long suffered under the heel of the great clan families.

    I couldn't blame them for starting there, the low caste would have the most motive to send such vile threats but that didn't mean any of the imprisoned or murdered small folk were directly complicit in the crime. Which is why I pardoned many of them as one of my first acts as Mizukage, a move that didn't quite sit well with Owl mask, Funato or Hozuki.

    I demanded solid, uncompromising evidence before making any arrests for that specific crime, an assignment the ANBU has had to push to the backseat after the first and second Kaguya attacks. And with Owl's absence, Raiga has been rather slow on picking up the slack.

    But at last, they got something that could stick, a solid lead and with Lord Funato's promise ringing in the back of my head, I had to follow up personally. I knew what kind of trouble he could bring, especially if he drew Lady Megumi and the Hozuki into his…protest.

    And so, Raiga led the way to the Intel and Comm's Division HQ where fifteen men and women were detained as suspects. The I&C HQ was a clean and proper building with several office spaces and cordoned off rooms like the one I stood in. Only personnel of certain rank within the division itself could be present but as I am Mizukage, all doors open to me.

    There was a general chamber where many of the suspects were detained in cells while I&C special personnel carried out interrogations. The interrogation room itself was split in two by a double-sided window that let me observe without being observed myself.

    Within, a man sat on a rather uncomfortable metal chair, there was a similarly ugly looking table where pictures of proofs were laid out before him as the I&C specialist interrogated him. Raiga prepared me a copy of the same photos and I looked through it while the specialist barked and accused the sweat sodden man of treason, terrorism and all other sorts of criminal acts.

    It was an intimidation tactic, heating up the room, awful chair and a barking dog of an interrogator. The man himself was a simple weapons smith from the Central District and up until now had been a well trusted source of weaponry for the shinobi population.

    The photos were of the kunai and paperbomb that carried the death threats. There was another set of photos, those that stood as proofs that the man was involved in some capacity as they compared his crafted kunai with the one that carried the threat.

    Like many craftsmen, the weapons smith ingrained a signature in his works and it was that same signature that was found on the death threatening kunai. Still, there were over a thousand shinobi running around in Kirigakure, anyone of them could have been patron to the man's workshop and carried out the scare tactics on their own.

    Not to mention the timing. I&C were hoping the culprit purchased the weapon at least a month prior to carrying out the attack, it'd be easy to narrow his customer base that way but that's still asking a lot.

    Raiga shifted as I passed the photos back to him and stepped closer to the window, I tapped it and the specialist paused his intimidations to step out. He was a tall, slender man with a firm build that telegraphed his lifestyle as a shinobi even though he wore plain clothes. He had sloppy brown hair and a brow of sweat from the artificially increased heat in the room, but nothing like his subject was.

    He bowed deeply and stood at attention, waiting for my word but I simply continued to stare at the unfortunate man sitting in there. Something in my gut told me he was innocent. He flipped through the photos, shaking his head in disbelief and wiping his face of sweat that threatened to dehydrate him.

    "What can you tell me about the subject?"

    The specialist nodded, "Sir, he is Kosuke, a clanless retired shinobi. He opened a workshop in the Caste District during the reign of Lord Second and was one of the few weapons smith at the time to receive discounts for iron even though the war was at its height, he is extremely skilled at his craft and that value was recognized as Lord Third administration sponsored the opening of his current workshop at the Central District."

    "What rank?"

    "Sir?"

    "You said he was retired from the force; what rank did he stop at?" I said without turning away from Kosuke as he fidgeted with his wobbly chair before abandoning it entirely to pace the breadth of the room.

    "Genin, sir."

    I hummed at that, "Any idea what made him retire?"

    "He has a prosthetic leg, sir, lost in battle."

    I noted that and sure enough, his gait was uneven and rigid on one side. Finally, I turned away and met the specialist, "What do you think you'll find here?"

    "Sir?"

    I frown and he gulped, I explained nonetheless, "What are you hoping to get from interrogating him? A list of his accomplices? Are you certain he's responsible? I understand he crafted the blade but if he's as valuable a smith as you say, even my own weapons pouch must have a kunai or two from his workshop. Anyone could have thrown that kunai."

    The specialist nodded, "Yes sir, we realize that as well, that's why at the moment we're looking into his customers during the period the threat was issued. There are quite a few, including clans buying wholesale but we believe the perpetrators were clanless shinobi upset with the reign of Lord Third."

    He didn't have to say why they suspected clanless shinobi, everyone present was keenly aware of the era of the Bloody Mist the Sandaime began to usher in after Gengetsu Hozuki's death. I still couldn't tell if that was the doing of Madara or the Sandaime.

    But it didn't matter, there was a lot of animosity brewing between clans and clanless shinobi, there's a general breath of hope for eased tensions as my reign begins but if I start prosecuting people based on clan affiliations…

    My face twisted, I regarded the man with concern and demanded, "Name and rank."

    Terror flashed in his eyes and for a second they skirt their sockets as he wonders where he's failed. He gulped and tried to look straighter than ever but there was no flaw, "Chuunin Takeda Karatachi."

    My frown deepened, "Karatachi…Detail every patron, I don't see any reason to exclude clan purchases, do you?"

    His breath hitched and he shook his head fervently, "Forgive me, Yondaime-sama, I will correct that oversight immediately."

    I nodded, "Do so."

    Kosuke fought back tears in the interrogation room— he knew the implications of such accusation, had I been the Third or had the Council ruled in interim as they did during the succession month, he would be dead already. And for a crime like this, his sentence could have extended to his family.

    "Now tell me, Chuunin Takeda, you've rounded up fourteen prominent Fuinjutsu users. How will you discern who it came from?"

    Chuunin Takeda was so confident, his earlier terror of me cracked into a smirk, "I was thinking of something else actually…"
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    • An Odd Team
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    • Genma chewed so hard his senbon bent between his teeth. It wasn't the first time he's forced the straight metal weapon to bend like so and he was certain if troublesome situations like this kept creeping up in his life, it wouldn't be the last.

    He hefted the gift wrapped package, pulling the weight with him as they walked as carefully as they could through an all obscuring mist. This was the last place he wanted to be but duty called and he answered.

    How could he, no, how could anyone say no to the Fourth Hokage? The hero of the war, venerated saviour of the Hidden Leaf? Genma couldn't, it was especially hard to refuse or even think of refusing given the man had begun teaching he and a select two his legendary jutsu.

    The very same that won the war. Genma had little expectations for what he'd be able to accomplish upon learning it, if he did anyway. Lord Fourth had already warned that the jutsu was extremely difficult to pull off and the reason he was teaching a trio rather than passing on to an apprentice or student, was because of their role as the Hokage's guardsmen.

    Another relatively new position fashioned on the Fourth's whims but one he was a part of, one his records would reflect. He could all but smell his Jounin promotion if this mission goes well but Genma couldn't shake the feeling of unease as they continued to creep through a craggy valley swollen with mist.

    A crow fluttered onto Aoba's waiting forearm, the creature twisted its head as it chirped and Aoba stared intently at it through those shadow gutted, red framed sunglasses of his. He fed the bird and released the summoning as he turned to the rest of the team.

    "We're getting close," He said, reporting directly to the mysterious man set in charge of their entire mission. "There are clumps of shinobi nearby and there's something like a base or station coming up on our right soon. Nothing about gates or a village though."

    Genma didn't have a problem working with anyone and Aoba was no exception to that, but he did wish the Lord Fourth had at least assigned Raido or perhaps even Iwashi. More than anything though, Genma wished their assigned team lead was a man he was more familiar with rather than a nobody that seemingly comes highly recommended.

    Genma's been an active shinobi and participant in the last war, he was a veteran eagerly awaiting a promotion to Jounin in these tumultuous times of peace, much like many of his rank and generation. But for all that battlefield experience he's never once glimpsed or even heard of the man named Kinoto.

    Their team leader had moderate spiky black hair and had stunningly dark eyes that held more mystery than Genma wished to notice. He was tall and could have been a year or five older than Genma himself, his muscular stature spoke to a fully developed and grown body rather than his own which was phasing out the final trials of puberty.

    He had a tanto strapped to his back and two well stocked weapon pouches hung from his flak jacket.

    "We'll be meeting those shinobi soon, I'm sure they've taken note of your crow summon already. Let's keep moving but remember, be cautious, be ready." Kinoto said.

    ""Sir."" Aoba and Genma chorused, they shared a tense look but in the oppressive atmosphere neither of them wanted to talk.

    As comforting as some words would be right about now, there wasn't much left to say. Genma had worked with Aoba on some missions before and they'd even met on the battlefield, both fighting against Konoha's enemies. Beyond that the journey from the Land of Fire to the Land of Water was a long one that took three days on foot and nearly two weeks on the sea due to complications.

    In that time Aoba and Genma kept each other company as their team lead, Kinoto, didn't seem to understand the concept of team rapport at all. In fact, Genma would go as far as to say he looked down on it.

    Kinoto may smile every now and then but there was no emotion behind those eyes, no truth to his imitation, not even a sliver. The man gave him as much chills as the implications of coming to the Land of Water did.

    The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist battling to life and death against Might Duy would never leave his memory as moments before that it was his life on the line and he was most certainly going to die.

    Genma hoped whoever was coming to greet them— if there would be a greeting and not a battle— wasn't any part of the Seven Swordsmen. He did the math in his head when Lord Fourth told them their mission and he already knew that in all likelihood he wouldn't get to cross paths with any survivors of the fearsome Might Duy because Kirigakure wouldn't send such high valued shinobi to escort them unless it was to their death.

    No, he'd have a greater chance running into them within the village. At the thought, Genma wondered what Kirigakure was like? What kind of place was their enemy's home?

    He shook his head, spat out the bent senbon and replaced it with another. He thanked Might Guy's father for being there that day and more than anything, he thanked his lucky stars that Might Guy was on his team to begin with. Now he just hoped his lucky streak wouldn't turn sour now.

    They'd walked quite some ways into the valley and as Genma begun to feel pressure from the presence of shinobi, the mist began to clear. Not completely but enough that he wasn't concerned about losing a teammate to it.

    A figure approached from the depths ahead, pushing the mist aside as they raised their hands and waved a red scroll tied with what looks like the Mizukage's seal. Kinoto and Aoba relaxed seeing the man but Genma's muscles remained taut even as Kinoto returned the gesture and waved a blue scroll with the Hokage's seal on it.

    Their team met the man and he greeted them. Kinoto was quick to introduce them all, "This is Aoba Yamashiro, that's Genma Shiranui and I am Kinoto, the leader of this delegation. The Fourth Hokage has sent us in peace and with gifts."

    Receiving his cue, Genma stepped up and prepared to hand the gift wrapped box to the man that'd introduced himself as Ganryu but he halted the approach and said, "That will have to wait. It'll pass some inspection when we get to the village before we hand it back to you and let it you present it to Mizukage-sama yourselves. Now, if you'll follow me, unless you have another way through this mist, I'll be your guide. Welcome to Kirigakure."

    Genma snorted and chewed harder on his senbon, grateful to have a guide out of the mist and relieved the worst case scenario is not to be. Now just to avoid any Legendary Swordsman…easy enough.
    Thanks for all the support guys, the discussion, I wish I could get into it but alas. Still, it's a pancake Saturday with my niece and nephew thanks to honoured patrons ^-^ Hope you enjoyed the chapter!
     
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    • A Drowned Past of Hatred
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    • Jason never liked to think about it but among the many atrocities committed by my village, by Kirigakure, the annihilation of the Uzumaki was the most horrendous and beneficial.

    The 'Drowning of the Whirlpool' was one of the Third Mizukage's greatest accomplishments. The long lived clan of shinobi exceptionally skilled at [Fuuinjutsu] threatened Kirigakure and the Land of Water with their presence but more importantly, with their alliance to Konoha.

    Yagura himself wasn't much more than a waddling child when the Second Shinobi war was at its height, but he'd been a studious child and quickly learned the praises of the Third Mizukage, a man he held some fraction of admiration for.

    It would seem that the tactic of sealing a Tailed Beast into an enemy shinobi and having them return to their village with it had at least one success story and that was Uzushiogakure.

    Lord Third had his practice run with the Six-Tailed Beast, Saiken, sealing it in an unfortunate Uzumaki and unleashing it on the village hidden in the Whirlpools, having it break down the gates, wards and all defences. Before any Uzumaki could seal the beast, Kirigakure forces were already bearing down on the island with the Third Mizukage leading the charge.

    The following destruction, chaos and collapse of the Land of Whirlpools meant most of the valuable Uzumaki techniques and a significant portion of their wealth was lost, accidentally destroyed by Kiri or by the defiant Uzumaki clan facing their doom.

    Still, there was more than enough left over that Lord Third could found an entire school of [Fuuinjutsu] with Harusame at its head, not to mention the hordes of stolen wealth. In fact, there were still some riches, scrolls and records of ancient jutsu trapped in the ruins, I often think about searching there but there's a time for everything.

    Lord Third's school of [Fuuinjutsu] meant just about every new Fuuin-nin born after the Drowning of the Whirlpool was a student of Harusame's, including Eiko surprisingly but I supposed that demon mask he wears constantly should have given it away.

    Chuunin Takeda came up with a brilliant and yet simple idea to fish out who was responsible for the paperbomb with this knowledge. And so I found myself sitting with Harusame and Raiga all while Eiko oversaw a quick and impromptu examination for all the Fuuin-nin that were summoned to the Intel and Comm's Division HQ.

    Chuunin Takeda's idea was to remove any threat of torture or interrogation and simply ask the many students and graduates which one of their peers made the paper bomb. Harusame himself had been brought it to determine whose work it could be and from his words we narrowed down to three suspects, of which the most interesting belonged to the Yuki clan.

    I held her file in hand and flipped through it, "Genin Hisako Yuki…huh." Harusame shifted uncomfortably, he was the one to pick them out but his class would corroborate the chosen once Eiko is done with the examination.

    "Yes…she and her friends have very similar brush strokes, often making the very same mistakes as they copy off one another. They are good students nonetheless, Mizukage-sama." Harusame said.

    He's worn a deep frown since he was summoned and I couldn't blame him, to learn that his own students were suspect of such crimes wouldn't reflect well on him. I didn't bother assuring him of his own innocence and blamelessness, no, I was focussed on the theory of mine that'd been born on a whim and yet, was looking to prove true every second that passed.

    When Chuunin Takeda almost left out clans from the kunai investigation, something deep within Jason's memories spurned against the many proofs of Yagura's, not to mention the reality he was living with the Funato clan head breathing down his neck.

    Jason recalled then that not every clan within the village got along with each other and that went beyond just the Caste District and low caste clans. It went all the way to the top of the caste system and now it was staring him right in the face.

    Despite being a part of the highest caste, the Yuki were still feared Kekkei Genkai users amongst the Land of Water and to an extent, Kirigakure itself. They weren't as prestigious as any of their peers in the top caste, they weren't as wealthy or even as many either.

    As their clan head had confessed when I spoke to him, they were in need of new blood and part of Hidaki Yuki's plan was to have the newly crowned Mizukage offer that lifeblood, a plan that has failed woefully like many others.

    Still, that doesn't give the Yuki clan any motive to target the Hozuki, there had to be something deeper, something that had been underway long before I came into the picture.

    If I were all of Yagura…would I remember? Refusing to accept Yagura completely locked me out of many valuable memories, muscle memory and trained habits were all attached to the body I was inhabiting but the mind was different. Secrets of the mind would be stranger to me unless I actively channelled Yagura and the more I do, the more I felt Jason churn and meld into his personality.

    Too much and I might not even recognize myself. Would I even retain my memories of the future? I didn't have the answers but my gut was telling me I was on the right track.

    It would take more than a misguided Genin to implicate the entirety of the Yuki clan in this mess and so, alongside the Fuuin-nin examinations the sales records from the weapons smith would be part of the deciding factor.

    Even then, if the clan is complicit as I fear they could simply shrug off the accusations, levying their might as a major clan in control of important sectors to Kiri. I needed to be absolutely sure, I needed to nip this in the bud before it got out of control.

    "Raiga, I want to speak to whoever this exam says is responsible…I have a bad feeling."

    "Sir."

    I picked up another of Harusame's suspects and began to flip through it when the door swung open. Ao stood in ANBU fit and masked. He reached my side and whispered into my ear. My eyes widened in surprise and no small measure of relief at his words, I tossed the file back on the table and stood.

    "Handle things here Raiga, Harusame." Harusame stood and bowed as I left with Ao and the shadow of my numerous ANBU guards.

    I was beginning to lose hope when I hadn't heard back from Konoha but it seems they're returning the favour with a delegation of their own. Still, a heads up through the Kiri shinobi I have in their village would have been the nice and proper thing.

    Nonetheless, I was nervous, eager and optimistic about what this visit meant for Kirigakure and for the shinobi world.
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  • Threadmarks
    • Turntables
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    • I ran my hand across the book's binds and traced my fingers along the only words on the plain brown hardcover— 'The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi'. I couldn't help the wide smile as I compared it to its counterpart, 'Icha Icha Paradise' which had a bright orange colour as well as a passable illustration of a man running after a woman.

    I felt a pang of sympathy resonate from Jason as I pieced the history behind the pornographic books creation. It seems that no matter the world, porn would sell better than a passionate story of courage and defiance in the face of overwhelming odds— at least, that's what Jason believed the Gutsy Shinobi to be about.

    Nevertheless, I'd get to find out first-hand the story Jiraiya the Gallant had to tell in his youth. I raised my smile to those present in the room— Uncle, Lord Funato and Lady Megumi had all assembled to receive the Konoha shinobi before I even stepped into the Tower.

    I shared their eagerness but they still had to wait for me to actually send someone out there with my stamp and seal before they had a chance to meet the three Konoha shinobi that came bearing gifts from the Fourth Hokage.

    It was fortunate that Uncle made good on his promise to help spruce the office up. At last, I have more than one couch, a large fluffy carpet simulating tumultuous ocean waves decorated the floor. I had two shelves of scrolls on each side of the room and a stool for my aides/clones to sit at and look through documents.

    The centre table in the middle of my new couches was a rectangle of glistened glass. A small candle chandelier hung over it, perfuming the air with sweet lavender incense.

    Secret safety mechanisms littered among the improved decorations but that was for me alone to know. And I knew that thanks to Harusame's sealing technique, the floor beneath the feet of the Konoha delegates would trigger a binding at my command.

    Of the three, Jason only recognized one; Aoba, and even then I knew little about his abilities, rank or age or even notable achievements if any. All Jason knew is that he wielded crows and looked like one.

    Their team lead especially didn't raise any vibe of familiarity, Jason was stumped or had simply forgotten if such a character ever existed. He was stern faced even when the environment was generally pleasant and welcoming. He sat across me and bore holes into my person like he was studying me, even the few words I've spoken, his eyes followed my lips as if memorizing it all.

    He creeped me out and I thought that wouldn't be possible anymore. I set aside the lovely books, smiling brightly so none of the Konoha hate each of my councillors harbour simmered out to the surface as I fished into the gift box for the second set.

    The second gift came in a lavish custom made box of its own, it had a luxurious blue colour and Kirigakure's symbol etched into the fine velvet. Within I found a tobacco set and its centrepiece pipe, a finely crafted smoking instrument carved from polished, heat-resistant ironwood. It was engraved at the bottom with the typical Land of Fire imagery, or perhaps it would be the Will of Fire.

    Next was the tobacco pouch, it didn't look very special but it was the same blue as the box and had Kiri's symbol on it as well. The ornate fabric was already full of the finest tobacco. Beside it were a tamper and a scraper for maintenance purposes, they too were crafted with their longevity and utility in mind.

    Finally, when I'd picked up everything I found that the previous items laid within a collapsible decorative stand. I grinned and set it up, placing the pipe to sit elegantly. The stand itself was a miniature of the Hokage Monument and the pipe could be manipulated to let the Third Hokage have a puff or two. It was brilliant and I loved it.

    This is a very good start.

    "Hahah! This must be from your Third Hokage." I said, breaking what was becoming an uncomfortable silence as my councillors just watched the Konoha delegates, "A brilliant gift from a brilliant man, I like this."

    Kinoto, the delegate head and the man I'd be dealing with most often smiled a crooked smile, "Indeed. It is a gift for a brilliant man as yourself, Mizukage-sama."

    Flattery..alright. At this point in my reign I was getting used to being brown-nosed but it caught me off guard because I didn't expect it from a foreign shinobi, even those sent on peace-forging missions.

    Kinoto leaned forward and gestured to the unwrapped gift bag, "There is one more gift for you, Mizukage-sama, one from Lady Uzumaki herself."

    I felt my councillors tense at the mention of the Uzumaki but my smile remained, I was in too good a mood to let the past ruin it, even though it was a gruesome past.

    The last gift came in a sealing scroll, not surprising an Uzumaki would seal her gift rather than package it. I unravelled it and was about to activate the seal when I paused and looked up at Kinoto, "Do you have any idea what's in here? I don't want it to be pounds of water or…"

    The other Konoha shinobi looked slightly offended at the accusation but Kinoto's crooked smile remained as he waved my concerns, "No, no such thing, we are threading a dangerous…I mean…delicate relations."

    I knew there's little chance that Kushina would try something funny with her husband's name on the bill. Still, Yagura was keenly cautious, even if I'm quite disarmed at the thought of a gift from her.

    Chakra pulsed through the unfurled scroll and three big bags of seeds, a lunchbox of fruit and a note appeared in a puff of rapidly absorbed smoke. My councillors were curious as I picked and began reading the note.

    'The willingness to forgive is not forgiveness. Enjoy the fruits, they're good for youthful warriors, y'know?'
    ​

    I…that wasn't what I was expecting either. The message was clear though, it would be a long road to forgiveness and cooperation but just the fact that Konoha came to the table is a start, of course, the real test begins with this delegation…

    "Junichi!" I summoned the young man from outside my office, he snapped into the office and gave a bow at the assembled Councillors and the delegates submitting himself to my side. "Send the seeds to the Estate contractor, I want a garden."

    Junichi would usually be at my side but he was a Chuunin and not of my clan and I didn't know what would come of this meeting, so he was stationed right outside the door as an extra guard. Information security was very important and as much as I tolerated the Hoshigaki, I could tell they'd twist anything to their advantage, just like any other clan.

    He gathered the bags and heaved them out with him. I smiled at Kinoto as Junichi shut the door behind him, "Thank you for the gifts, I am happy to receive them. I hope your Hokage will pardon my liaisons for coming empty handed…it was an impromptu situation."

    Kinoto shook his head, "Of course, we understand more than you know…" a knowing smile creeped onto his face and I shivered in wonder. That was it, there was something else going on here…they must know about the Amegakure team.

    I expected them to but now that it's in my face I wonder what our following discussions will lead to. So far, first impressions are wonderful so perhaps any misunderstandings can be smoothed over tea.

    Lord Funato's cane struck the silence away, he hummed and set a single eye on Kinoto, "Now, before you take rest, tell us how our operatives are, we didn't learn of your arrival until now."

    Kinoto glanced at his teammates, he nodded and they stood to leave. Lady Megumi wanted to protest but Uncle shook his head at her. Once Aoba and the other one were behind the doors, Kinoto sat up straight and locked his gaze on me.

    "Actually, let's talk about Amegakure instead."
    Much like Jagura here I too went on an aimless walk(It was accidental). I'm not happy with my release rate as is and I want to get back to twice daily without costing my patrons or myself. In the end there's little I can do about it but hope I return to speedy posting, as such, I'll be going on a week long break like I did earlier this month but like, next month. First week of next month basically.

    I wanna build a backlog for my backlog so I can satisfy my patrons as well as keep honest when 4chap days arrive; I miss them so much. During that week period my bmac might, and I mean might receive a price increase. Currently I'm offering about 14-16chaps in advance but I wanna up that to a round 20chaps(with an uncertain amount of chapters ahead for myself).

    If I succeed the $3 tier will level up to $5. I thought about creating another tier for those who want that many chaps at $5 but I seriously can't manage daily life along with posting ish, plus, I don't need to. Apparently current patrons won't be afflicted by the increased tier price so anyone paying $3 rn will continue to do so even after the change. That said, I might not change anything about it at all, no need to fix what isn't broken ay? We'll see tho. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to have a regular 2chap day sometime soon, wish Jagura and I luck ^-^
     
  • Threadmarks
    • A Strong Will
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    • Danzo understood the power of darkness, the security it granted once you embraced it however, nothing was more powerful than the Will of the Hokage, the Will of Fire.

    And yet, it wasn't often that the best action was to follow the will of the Hokage. A shameful thought, truly, as the Hokage is meant to be the personification of the Will of Fire, the truth and strength of Konoha's shinobi.

    But perhaps that's because the person chosen to be Hokage all this time was the wrong one. That the true Will of Fire had skipped an entire generation thanks to the Second Hokage's battle fatigued decision. Thanks to that, the Third Great Shinobi war took off; the others could smell weakness bleed into Konoha's heart and like vultures they swarmed.

    Had the Will of Fire been true, such audacity would have never occurred. Hiruzen's fortitude waned. Whether it was when his son was born or when the Slug girl's nephew die, Danzo wasn't sure but it had waned.

    Fortunately, the Will of Fire persists and now there's a chance at prosperity, freedom, peace. It's true Danzo was impartial to Orochimaru when it came to choosing the Fourth Hokage, but that was merely the confidence of a satisfied customer and his own assuredness that Orochimaru would bend to his will.

    He didn't even have to puppet the child; his own fascinations and curiosities aligned with Danzo's pursuits, but until they can bring every naysayer to those sensibilities— especially Hiruzen— they would act as Danzo's securities against him.

    Of course, now that he's gone and become a Rogue-nin, those ambitions are no more than the lingering scent of tobacco in the air. "Yes, they ought to have arrived by now." Hiruzen said, his lips twisted in a grumpy sneer only Danzo could see.

    Serves him right for not paying close attention to the obvious, the young Hokage doesn't enjoy the strong stenches of smoke and has only been polite out of respect for Hiruzen's place as his predecessor.

    However, that doesn't mean anything in the face of active power like the Fourth Hokage wields. Danzo understood better than most that a child learning to wield power mustn't be micromanaged or made to feel inferior even with their power. Instead they should wield it independently, stretch its limits and discover what transformations it can enforce.

    And when such a power is the might of all of Konoha, it is simply insulting that Hiruzen continues that foul habit in his presence. And that's why Danzo called him out on it

    He masterfully suppressed a smirk at Hiruzen's reaction, the two ancient shinobi knew what games were played even if it wasn't immediately obvious to the young Hokage.

    "I'm sure Kinoto will be well accepted." Danzo said, his cane set between his legs as he and his old friend paid what sliver of wisdom the young Hokage would accept.

    And oh has he been accepting. Danzo was pleasantly surprised at the young Hokage, originally, he'd relegated the naïve influences over him— Jiraiya and Hiruzen— to be too strong for Danzo's better sense to prevail. He'd all but decided to remain in the dark, in the root and continue with his service to Konoha but this Kirigakure incident has brought a blessed opportunity not even Danzo could have machinated.

    When his operatives reported their presence in Konoha and their active attempts seeking evidence of Konoha's hand in their Sandaime's death, Danzo had shrugged away the report like any other. But then another came not long after, reporting that the team had split up, left Konoha and disappeared along the border with Amegakure.

    Now that was the firestarter.

    Minato Namikaze tossed the letters from his hands and crossed them over his desk with a heavy sigh, "I am more concerned about how they'll receive the message he carries…we've already lit the match but I can't help feeling…"

    Danzo spoke before the young Hokage could voice any doubts that would give Hiruzen leverage, "If I may, as I said in our previous meeting, first impressions matter and Kirigakure is…the Bloody Mist is a shinobi army that only understands strength. Shattering any guise of subterfuge or intelligence manoeuvring at the start of this relationship will set the standard that such tactics will not work nor will they be accepted."

    Hiruzen was quick to fill the air with his weakness, "That doesn't excuse the fact that we've tampered with their communications, stopped them from reaching home. If anything happens to those young shinobi now…"

    "Kinoto will handle it." Danzo said with confidence, he had personally trained that one, he wouldn't fail such a protected and obvious assignment. "Besides, we've already released their letters, they will make it to Kirigakure after Kinoto has delivered our message. There is little to fear, whatever schemes they're plotting in Amegakure will come to light. They cannot afford war."

    "Neither can we." Hiruzen said sharply, his fingers twitched for his pipe— this meeting wasn't going the way he thought— and Danzo continued to suppress a smile.

    The meeting wasn't going the way Danzo thought either. Namikaze's willingness to heed his warnings was a pleasant change to Hiruzen's stubbornness. He'd fully expected to be rebuffed, his intel taken for granted or left to handle things via unofficial channels at his discretion. Instead, he got a man to lead a team of wet behind the ears Chuunin, the young Hokage's personal favourites.

    "We signed a treaty, there won't be any wars...I hope." Namikaze said grimly, his eyes darted around with every fleeting thought. "What about their new Mizukage, Yondaime as I am. His willingness to accept my attempts shows promise, yes?"

    Here neither Danzo nor Hiruzen said a word, they shared a look upon realizing this themselves and shifted in their seats. Minato nodded, "Right, there isn't more to know than we already do. Repulse-nin, high tier A-rank…S-rank if he's the Blood Mist's chosen Kage. A thirst for blood and a willingness to take it. Master of Water Release and now master of Kirigakure, its army and all its tailed beasts."

    His tone was especially sour at the mention of the tailed beasts, Danzo knew the reason well, how could he not. He cleared his throat and nodded, "Yes, all true. With luck we will find out what happened to the Three-Tails, if it has a new Jinchuriki or if it has yet to reform. Until then, Hokage-sama, there is no reason not to be optimistic."

    He felt Hiruzen stare incredulously at him, optimism, especially that regarding the dealings of other Great Villages was not something Danzo often shared. He let his lip twitch, "Yes, truly, you are to be commended and should there be need to retaliate well…Kirigakure will be the one at fault to all upon the world stage. But I doubt it will come to that, our message is strong, fierce…the truth of Konoha's intolerance to vicious schemes, there is also the fact that Amegakure will not abide by any great village's will, they're too stubborn."

    Namikaze looked relieved but that didn't last long as he said, "And yet, you've said none of our operatives have returned from probing missions in the past year. Amegakure holds a grudge against Konoha, Kumo and Iwa more than it does Suna or Kiri…what if.."

    "Danzo is right, Minato-kun. I know this would be your first long term relations with another of the five but do not let doubt or fear consume you. There is hope, you have given it after all." Hiruzen said and threw a suspicious look at Danzo.

    Danzo bit his cheek to keep from bursting with a grin, those words would fall on deaf ears, he could see it. The young Hokage was the terror of both Kumo and Iwa but Kirigakure had hurt him in the same place Hiruzen failed to shield during the Second Great war.

    Precious, precious students. I could never.
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  • Threadmarks
    • Diplomatic Cheek
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    • Lord Funato was fuming. His grip on his cane nearly broke it to pieces, splinters flung about the room as he barely restrained himself from doing just that. I knew he wouldn't, Lady Megumi had kept herself in check albeit with a frown so deep it hurt to look and Uncle simply levelled a glare at the Konoha delegate, or better yet, agent.

    He did well to weather the swirl of killing intent leaking from all three of my advisors but no matter what training he's undergone; he couldn't stop his body from reacting on its own. A damp trail of sweat dripped down the side of his head as he measured a smile at me, the reason none of my advisors had taken his head off entirely.

    I leaned forward, took a breath and let out a low, sardonic chuckle. "I expected Konoha would learn about Amegakure but I didn't think they'd be so hostile. What is the point of threatening our operatives? Have they done anything to harm Konoha? Why deprive them of their village?"

    I wasn't putting any pressure on Kinoto with my words, in fact, as unamused as I am to learn about Konoha stealing our communications, I made sure to wear my most diplomatic smile.

    This is a test of sorts.

    Kinoto shifted in his seat and swallowed, "Ah, yes well, I assure you all communications will be restored in a few days. We simply couldn't allow Kirigakure to prepare for this meeting, as we could not prepare for your agents using our security to leak into Amegakure with god knows what. The Hokage wishes our relations to be transparent from now on, that is why I have simply stated our priority intentions for coming here."

    I leaned back into the very comfortable single seater Uncle bought for my office, rested my arms and narrowed a glare at Kinoto, "Transparent…then, I should let you know that there's a chance you and your team won't leave Kirigakure alive. How do you feel about that?"

    His body shivered as a sliver of Yagura's fury grazed him and yet his face remained unnervingly plastered with that crooked smile. "That is a risk I have already been briefed on. If you wish to escalate hostilities…Konoha is more than ready."

    Lord Funato's cane cracked once more.

    I nodded and pointed at his legs, "That is good, because if I do not hear from my people within the week I will use Samehada to saw off one leg at a time. And each time I'll throw you in the water, see how well you swim with a bleeding stump. Konoha had better be ready, because they'll cross those waters and I sure hope they know what your legs look like because it will be all the only thing they have a chance of finding."

    He gulped, nodded but didn't say anything under the pressure of my gaze. I lightened up and clapped, "Very well then, promises have been made and I intend to see them kept! You wish to talk about Amegakure so let us talk, what does the Hokage want to know?"

    Here Lord Funato glanced at me, his vice-grip on his cane lessened. As infuriated with Konoha as he is he still wants to know the root of my thoughts behind Amegakure.

    Uncle leaned forward and cleared his throat, I nodded, giving him unspoken permission to speak as none had spoken since the meeting first began, "Ah, before we get into that, we should preface by letting you know that Kirigakure is not obligated by any treaty or alliance or even trade to share information with Konoha, these are just the beginnings of a new relationship and already we are disappointed."

    Kinoto shrugged, finally sitting easy, "Konoha was disappointed as well, to learn that Kiri was moving behind its back into Amegakure."

    Lady Megumi snorted, "Behind Konoha's back? We have agreed to nothing, we merely paid your tree-trapped village a visit and all of a sudden you think you have some kind of right over us or our actions? Don't be silly now."

    Kinoto pursed his lips, unsure of what else to say and so I raised my hand, "Just make sure you understand this fact, Kinoto, what we discuss now is not because you or Konoha has forced us to but merely because I want better for our two nations. This is a courtesy, not an interrogation."

    I couldn't tell what he thought about that as he merely extended that creepy smile of his and nodded, "Very well, may we begin?" I nodded and he sat up straight as he recited the questions Konoha no doubt fed him to ask, "What is the concern with Amegakure? You must understand our history with them and so…"

    I breathed in and felt Lord Funato's one-eyed gaze on me, "Amegakure or rather, Hanzo the Salamander is a curious subject for me, I wish to speak with him."

    Kinoto's breath hitched, "About what?"

    "That is none of Konoha's concern, unfortunately, but I can assure you that whatever comes of it will not harm Konoha." He didn't look satisfied but of course, how would he with such a vague answer. "Any other questions?"

    "…Why did you accept Hokage-sama's offer?"

    Yagura chuckled gleefully, "Ho? I thought that's what he wanted? Did he not want Kiri to accept his offer? Did he not want to build bridges? Tell me now and I'll go right ahead and chop one of your legs off."

    Kinoto was unfazed though he shook, "That is not an answer, Mizukage-sama."

    "Well, well, I accepted because I knew it was half-hearted. I wanted to know if your Hokage would keep his word or backtrack out of hate. I am not my predecessor after all as your Yondaime is not his. I dream of peace, you see but I know how naïve that will sound in this world of ours, hence, I was glad to receive the Hokage's offer to connect. I hope Konoha won't force me to spit in his hand."

    Kinoto still didn't look satisfied, but he nodded anyway and wore that wide smile of his, "Very well, you will not be disappointed. You will hear from your agents soon. Now, are there any questions for me?"

    I nodded, "I'd like to reciprocate the wonderful gifts your delegation brought, it was indecent of me to send my people empty-handed. So tell me about Minato Namikaze, what kind of a man is he?"
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  • Threadmarks
    • I kinda understood that the Leaf diplo team would have been out by the time Rain got news that they lost contact with Mei's team. This is so much more hilarious.

    Tim_Saian said:
    Lady Megumi snorted, "Behind Konoha's back? We have agreed to nothing, we merely paid your tree-trapped village a visit and all of a sudden you think you have some kind of right over us or our actions? Don't be silly now."
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    This bit here speaks to me, like I felt a bit of catharsis reading it. Sometimes characters or even real people ask about things as though they have a right to know something (or have a say in something), when they really don't.

    Probably the most hilarious bit with the demand for transparency is that the precedent the sabotage sets. If Yagura was a more petty man (like me) he could put out an order ruin any of Leaf's infiltration or clandestine missions Rain happens upon in the name of transparency instead of asking Leaf lol.
    Less unhinged, Leaf will get some requests for transparency now that they're demanding it. I'm not too sure what Rain can ask about with Yagura's foreknowledge, but there has to be something.

    If he's feeling gutsy he could ask about things he has no right in knowing and claim the third Mizukage knew? Or straight up go "I have my ways" without an explanation? Real gutsy.
     
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    • Kisame could hear her teeth grind as they looked on their flock from between branches. He kept his thoughts to himself unless he was asked for them, despite the disparity in prestige and right between them, Reina was the one charged to lead the mission and her word would be law.

    His sword purred beside him, there was blood in the air and it wonder just like Kisame why they weren't partaking, it was the cleanest solution after all, at least in his opinion.

    The flock of Kaguya beneath them numbered over a hundred and all of them were averse to their forced migration, but their opinions mattered less; they had no say in the matter. Inspiring obedience in a hundred civilians, Kekkei Genkai or not, was a simple feat for a trained shinobi.

    More than half were the growing youths, the fat useless ones or the malnourished remnants of what the Kaguya clan condemned as the spawn of devil sinners. The latter were less prevalent in their numbers but they were a noteworthy subset according to Reina, enough to document in a census.

    Kisame didn't care for any of them and felt Reina was right in her opinion to exterminate them, as many other shinobi in the village thought was wise. However, the Mizukage had other plans and thus they obeyed.

    Of course, that didn't mean they couldn't make their jobs a little easier, Kisame was extremely pleased to feed the few naysaying elders to Samehada, a scene he'd always watched Fuguki direct and now had the pleasure of doing so himself. Junko-sama, Mizukage-sama, thank you for the opportunity.

    The strain of that burden begins to show in the thick marshlands where blood soaked the dirt and river. Reina leaped out onto another branch, a water clone took her place as she yelled commands at the clutch of devil spawn she placed at the head of the flock to lead the way.

    It turned out the foolish Kaguya feared their own kind almost as much as they'd begun to fear Kisame and Reina, perhaps even more. Those malnourished sticks of children, young boys and girls beaten, chained, caged and burnt beyond recognition of their parents who are surely dead or part of the lynch mob inciting the abuse.

    Reina understood more than Kisame what it felt like, she was a Kekkei Genkai wielder herself and the both of them understood what it was perceived like. That's why those feeble, broken children with a hate and despair in their swollen purple eyes were the best herdsmen for their clansmen.

    Of course, the old village head was upset to see them free and at the reigns and so Samehada ate him too.

    "Halt! Not another step!" Kisame heard his own water clone barking orders at the rear and soon the entire migrant party of over a hundred civilians and two high A-rank shinobi came to a stop.

    Reina landed with a thud next to him, not bothering to hide the weight of her footfalls any longer she gritted her teeth before she let out a heavy breath, "Kisame, we're going to need another path through." She said looking onward with tired, steely eyes.

    Besides complaining about the mission parameters Reina has only been upset over the size of their mission party. Two A-rank—arguably S-rank with the way the Samehada makes him feel— are certainly more than equipped to handle almost any mission, including this one. However, a squad of Chuunin or even two squads of Genin would have been greatly appreciated.

    There were over a hundred foolish Kaguya in the migrating group, the Mizukage's orders were to deliver them to Kirigakure but with just the two of them and a whole lot of the Daimyo's war spilling into territories and islands, it's difficult to safely complete the mission.

    With over a hundred useless civilians to protect out in the open, the logistics did call for a new route, especially with platoons of the Daimyo's enemies stationed in the village ahead of them, the very one that would have been their source of refuge, shelter and food for at least a night.

    To Kisame, there was a better solution than searching for a new route that could just as easily be compromised by anyone of the blundering fools they're herding. On any other day, any other mission he would shut his mouth and follow the mission lead's orders, his thoughts were not asked for, she simply pointed out the obvious.

    But Samehada's purring gurgled his own bloodlust, it helped that even if he weren't hungry for a battle to test the weapon it would still make sense to offer this solution and so he did, "Why don't we just kill them all?"

    Reina seemed to have seen this coming, she sighed and shook her head, "We don't know what they're capable of, if they're fighting the Daimyo then there's a good chance they're a Kekkei Genkai clan and even if they aren't, we don't know how many or how skilled they are. It's only us two, we can't leave these people without a watch to go fight.

    "Besides, Kirigakure is officially not involved in this war, Mizukage-sama has not pledged his support for it either so taking any action could start some political jargon back home, means more trouble for us."

    Kisame clicked his tongue and heaved Samehada onto his shoulder, "What if they spot us? What if we're forced into a battle?"

    Reina set a steady gaze on him, "Kisame…don't go orchestrating your own version of things, I have enough problems as is."

    He grinned, he had thought of that but even with Samehada, the ANBU Commander was not someone he should underestimate. By all right she should have been among those summoned for the Succession Royale, as good as Raiga is, she's simply better.

    "No such thing, Reina-san, I'll be good as long as they are."

    She nodded and rose to her feet. She bit her thumb for blood and weaved through hand-signs in a flash, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Denka, be my eyes."

    Reina gestured at the village and the Class-D summoned Owl rotated it's head behind before it said, "Of course, mistress Reina." Denka flew away to scout the area; its wings were soundless as it soared right above the flock of Kaguya without any knowing it's there.

    Reina sat back and pulled out some stationary equipment, she sighed and said, "On the off chance they do notice us and the chance that there's more armies to meet on our way, better let Mizukage-sama know in advance that there will be trouble."

    At this Kisame grinned, it meant if the Daimyo's enemies saw fit to add Kirigakure to those they've offended, he wouldn't need to hold back one bit.
    Thanks so much for all the support guys. This month I want to give super thanks to my patrons; noxodrac, Berik, Asura, Hunter-nin#1, wombato, Revan, Hunter-nin#2, Ashkar and the most recent and generous SergeantJoe!
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  • Threadmarks
    • J.I.M.S said:
    I kinda understood that the Leaf diplo team would have been out by the time Rain got news that they lost contact with Mei's team. This is so much more hilarious.
    If he's feeling gutsy he could ask about things he has no right in knowing and claim the third Mizukage knew? Or straight up go "I have my ways" without an explanation? Real gutsy.
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    A commenter here! Hello! So glad to have you reading! Can't comment on anything specific but Jagura's gonna be throwing weight:lol2:
     
    What's funny is that konoha jumping the gun this way here kinda weakened their position in peace negotiations with kiri and kiri can literally use the amegakure incident to demand big gestures of good faith since konoha damaged it's own credibility when it comes to how sincere they are about peace.
     
    Great Fear
  • Threadmarks
    • I scarcely managed to restrain my annoyance from turning to rage as Junichi walked in and served Lord Funato a tray of tea and a pungent fisherman soup. I let him feel my glare but Lady Megumi quickly placed an order a refill and some snacks like my office was some restaurant.

    Lord Funato slurped up parts of a sea creature coated in sauce and coughed before smacking his lips, "Good good, this will soothe my throat of all infections." He thumped his chest and let out another whooping cough Lady Megumi reclined away from, clutching her cup of tea and eying the old man with suspicion.

    He laughed a hearty laugh only good food could be responsible for, but his voice was cracked as he spoke, "Don't mind me, current events have stressed me into illness but after this soup…yes."

    I smiled politely but it never reached my eyes, "I'm praying for your wellness, Lord Funato."

    He snorted and tore the dead-eyed fish head soaking in his bowl with his spoon, "I am not long for this world, save your prayers for the Kirigakure, it will need it now that we have Konoha shinobi lounging amongst us."

    I held back a sigh. Ever since I had the old clan head show me the Mizukage Estate, ever since he promised to make me suffer he's been a lot less subtle with his opinions. And the opinions he has of my decisions are rarely positive, in fact, I don't think I've had a single good moment with the man since I became Mizukage.

    Worse still, ever since Uncle gave my office a makeover it's suddenly become very comfortable for longer visits from the nagging old man. He's already been here for hours, hacking and whooping coughs into my airspace before I suggested he go home and rest. Instead he summoned Junichi and asked for that repugnant soup.

    Lady Megumi only arrived a few moments ago, I didn't know what for but if I had to guess I'd say it's the same reason Lord Funato was befouling me with his presence. Konoha.

    "They are harmless amongst us, there's nothing they can do that I won't know about." ANBU were assigned around the clock to watch the quarters given to them, it was within the Mizukage Tower as well, right alongside my office and my current living space. There wasn't a more secure and isolated place for the Konoha delegates to be.

    Lady Megumi raised a pleased smile, "Your confidence is admirable, Mizukage-sama, however, it will be wise not to let our guard down around them. They do not have the same blessed heart as you."

    I raised a brow at that. It sounded an awful lot like flattery and butt kissing— she wanted something. She hadn't said why she'd visited and it seemed she didn't care as much about the Konoha delegates as Lord Funato did or was it simply overshadowed by something else?

    "That is a fair critic for most shinobi, Lady Megumi. I'm glad to have your company." My smile behind the stack of papers gave her permission to shuffle in her seat but before she has a chance to speak her piece and knock comes on the door. "Come in."

    Raiga didn't need to announce himself beyond the doors for me to know it was him, his chakra signature was etched in my brain ever since we battled. And now he's my loyal ANBU Commander, temporarily anyway.

    He strode in and gave curt bows to the two elders before kneeling, "Sir, it's arrived." He retrieved a bound scroll from his side and presented it.

    "What is this?" Lord Funato demanded in an instant and attempted to snatch it out of his hands only to find resistance. "What are you…Yagura, tell him to-"

    "Bring it here please." I said, cutting Lord Funato before he managed to vex me more. Lady Megumi heaved an exasperated sigh and shook her head at her fellow as Raiga ignored the old man to deposit the scroll in my hands.

    Unfurled, I find it's a sealing scroll. I looked up at Raiga who gave no indication of it being a danger, such things wouldn't make it as far as himself talk less of the Mizukage.

    A sliver of chakra is all it took for a set of tied letters to appear in a poof of rapidly dissipating smoke. I opened the first of many letters and smiled, "Ahh, Lord Funato, Lady Megumi, you'll be happy to know that Konoha has kept its word. These are the missing letters."

    Harrumphed, Lord Funato coughed and sat back in Uncle's very wise choice for a couch, "They should never have seized it in the first place."

    I rolled my eyes at him, knowing that with the amount of surveillance pressed against the Konoha delegates it wouldn't be long before Raiga was presenting me with the option to intercept their letters as well. Though, from what I hear they've only sent confirmation reports about their arrival and residence in Kiri. Nothing that besmirches the truth and nothing too truthful either.

    "What do they say?" Lady Megumi wondered.

    I skimmed through them easily as they weren't thickly worded. It was much the same reports before we stopped getting them— simple things they noticed about the village, speculations and updates on their search for any involvement in the Sandaime's death which was always a shamefully written dead end.

    My eyes widened at the last letter though, it was the most useful piece of knowledge they'd reported in a while. "Much of the same things but according to this, the Snake Sannin has abandoned Konoha to become a rogue-nin."

    Lord Funato's head whipped at me, eyes wide as I've ever seen them. Lady Megumi was speechless but her eyes skirted about their sockets as she thought miles per minute. I handed the letters over to Raiga and he placed them on the centre table with Lord Funato's disgusting soup.

    They ignored all the others and skipped to the last before Lady Megumi mused aloud, "What could have forced the man to betray his village? Last I heard he was a shoe-in for Yondaime Hokage."

    "And now that Yellow Flash is Hokage, perhaps that is the reason?" Lord Funato stroked his beard in thought before fixing a look at me. "We should update our bingo book, Mizukage-sama."

    "Of course, but to what?" My fingers drummed against the desk, I couldn't predict what Lord Funato would say but I had a feeling I wouldn't like it.

    "To capture him alive. If he defects to Kirigakure then-"

    "Then Konoha and Kiri's friendly relationship will be no more, Funato-dono. I will not sabotage myself in such away." He frowned and made to say something but his whooping cough finally did something good for once. "Raiga, update the bingo books, dead or alive but under no circumstances is he to be engaged by Hunter-nin…waste of shinobi."

    Orochimaru would kill anyone stupid enough to come after him, that was Jason's gut instinct and this time I was going with it. However, Yagura had some alterations to my orders that could make sense, "Wait…if there is a sighting of the Snake Sannin, leave him a message. Kirigakure will offer refuge, with conditions."

    Both elders looked at me curiously but I merely smiled. Jason didn't believe Orochimaru would bother with another hidden village but on the off chance that he does, Yagura will have some use of the S-rank shinobi yet.

    "There's one more thing, sir." Raiga said in a low voice, a sign he needed to speak freely about sensitive matters.

    I glanced at the elders, happy to chase them away now that I had a good excuse. "Lord Funato, Lady Megumi, if you don't mind now…I'll take this report in private."

    Lord Funato looked offended as always and Lady Megumi was simply disappointed, whatever she'd come to kiss ass about would have to wait. Together they left with a silent bow and shut the door behind them, I wish Funato had taken the remnants of his putrid soup with him.

    "Speak, Raiga."

    Behind the red swirled ANBU mask Raiga announced, "The proofs are ready, Genin Hisako Yuki is implicated in the crime, the Yuki clan seems to have supported her actions."

    Great, it's just as I feared then. The Yuki clan was behind the death threats.
    Jagura returns! Hehehe. Thanks for sticking around guys. Also, I got some advice from a fellow author about posting schedule and I've decided to try their way; After this week ends I'll be posting 5-6 chapters every Friday, the idea is that it'll give ya'll a chance to binge content at once and give me time and space to write said content without burning out almost immediately. I hope this method works.


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  • Threadmarks
    • I do hope Jason eventually masters his abilities and that of the tailed beast in him. Its...annoying just how stacked the bloodlines and geniuses are in favor of Konoha tbh.
     
    always_confused said:
    I do hope Jason eventually masters his abilities and that of the tailed beast in him. Its...annoying just how stacked the bloodlines and geniuses are in favor of Konoha tbh.
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    Very true and Kiri is like the exact opposite with all the hate towards bloodline users in the land of water. He'll have to do more than grow stronger himself. Thanks for reading! I'm super glad to have you ^-^
     
    Trust Me
  • Threadmarks
    • "Who knows about this?"

    Raiga stiffened and answered, "Fang Squad, Chuunin Takeda Karatachi, perhaps Kosuke the weapons smith and now you, Mizukage-sama."

    My fingers drummed atop my desk as I leaned into my swivel chair in thought. When I first began to suspect the Yuki clan I didn't know what to do about them, Lord Funato and Lady Megumi learning about this would surely bring everything to a boil. They'd force my hand to their own skewed will of justice and with the kind of proof that's been unearth…any sort of compromise I think of would surely be shut down.

    And if I stubbornly used my powers as Mizukage to protect the Yuki clan in the face of all this…I can kiss goodbye to any chance of having a smooth reign. Lord Funato would ensure he and his clan are a thorn in my side for as long as he breathes and perhaps even after.

    I briefly entertained the thought of marrying Rina just so Lady Megumi would be forced to side with me in all things but it still wasn't worth it, it didn't feel worth it. I'd rather not indebt myself to the Hozuki clan just pit heads against the Funato who arguably has more influence than them. This was a mess.

    "Why do you think the Yuki sponsored this? Why take a petty, useless shot at the biggest family in all of Kirigakure?"

    Raiga was silent for a moment but he shifted his weight and said, "We've yet to interrogated or detained Hisako Yuki but if I had to guess, I would say they did it because it was petty and hateful. Relations with the Yuki clan among the five clans have been strained since they joined Kirigakure.

    "They've declined in size as well and have very little in the way of prestigious members, save Reina Yuki and the clan head himself, very few are exceptional shinobi or capable of wielding their Kekkei Genkai. They are weak and they've been bullied for it under the reign of Sandaime-sama who was publicly a friend to Funato and Hozuki."

    I looked up at my ANBU Commander and smiled, "That was well thought out and entirely plausible. It would explain why they stopped as well, after the Kaguya attack it would have been very unwise to continue with petty provocations when they could be pinned for orchestrating the attack…wait…could they have? Orchestrated the attack?"

    Raiga was masked but his body language told me he was as startled as I at the implication of that thought. "That…I do not know I'm afraid. We'll have to begin interrogation to get anything conclusive beyond the proofs of their threats."

    "Bring her to me then." I ordered immediately and he made to leave as I added, "And Raiga, make sure no one else finds out, do you understand?"

    "Sir!" I gave a satisfied nod and he vanished.

    I was left with my thoughts and many of them were anxious and borderline fearful. In truth, I didn't understand the consequences of such a plot being revealed but I knew it couldn't be anything good. Especially since this was born out of hatred, a long existing hatred that my sentiments towards Kekkei Genkai wielders would not quench so easily.

    A part of Jason expected this, his knowledge told me that like the Kaguya, the Yuki were not destined to be a prevalent clan. This may well be what brought their downfall. Interrogating the Yuki girl at the centre of all this will bring me some clarity on how fucked their situation truly is.

    I needed to give Lord Funato a scapegoat to appease his inflamed ego and keep the peace. Doing so will be easier if this turns out to be something I can brush off as a child's poor choice of games, even if that child was actually over eighteen and an experienced Genin with a Kekkei Genkai from a clan that's barely tolerated among the big five.

    If it turns out to be something else, something larger than even my office as Mizukage…well, Yagura's whispers are unusually silent.

    Raiga didn't leave me for long and soon there was a knock at the door. I gave permission and Raiga walked in with the Genin I'd read so much about in the past day. She was as short as I but was sensually feminine in her features; perky rose lips, a cute jawline with pinchable cheeks and a curved figure accentuated by the shorts and crop top she wore over her bandaged torso.

    "Mizukage-sama." Shoulder length onyx hair fell by her temples as she bowed and I could tell she was skittish to be in my presence by the way her eyes darted around the room and at Raiga beside her. She didn't seem surprised to be summoned at all, just nervous.

    I beckoned her to come closer, away from the distance set by my new furniture before I asked, "Who are you?"

    Confused but sensible enough not to question my question she introduced herself, "Genin Hisako Yuki reporting, sir."

    I nodded, she still couldn't look at me straight even as she answered, though she was doing her best to, "Why are you here?"

    "You summoned me, sir?"

    "Why?"

    Her lips pursed together and she gazed past me to the village beyond my windows. I wondered what was going through her mind as her eyes glazed over with a wistful light before turning steely.

    "You already know, sir…"

    "I am your Mizukage, I know many things but what do you know, Hisako Yuki? Tell me now, why are you here?"

    She sniffed and a smile poked at the corner of her lip, "The entire class took an exam suddenly but the weird part was the venue, I thought it didn't mean anything but…I was wrong. I'm here because of…because I threatened the Hozuki clan."

    I leaned forward, "The Sandaime's family to be precise. Do you understand what this means? Did you understand before becoming involved?"

    She hesitated, eyes darting everywhere to escape my gaze. She stood stiff as a statue and cheeked the insides of her cheek as her thoughts scrambled in her head. All that came to a halt as she breathed in, straightened her posture and met my eyes with a defiant and ready gaze, "I did."

    I let her words sink in as I held her stare, she's clearly resolved to stand by whatever motive birthed the entire incident but that didn't mean she would be unflinching.

    Without looking away Yagura materialized a water clone behind her, she sensed the presence far too late and its hand grasped her the back of her throat like a mutinous dog, squeezing hard as it buckled the back of her knees so she fell to one as she choked.

    Raiga stood unmoved, watching in silence as my clone kept her head straight, she couldn't look away from me now, there was no escape no refuge. I took a deep breath and my clone's grip strengthened as I spoke, "Since you are ready to die, what will be your last words, Hisako?"

    At this point she couldn't cough much less utter last words but I demanded them anyway, "Speak up! You asked for this, you did this so you must have prepared then! Tell me now what I should tell Yuki-dono your last words were."

    Just as her eyes began to roll back my clone eased its grip and she could breathe again, taking greedy gasps of precious air as she hacked and drooled all over my floor.

    "I…I am not sorry, Mizukage-sama, I am not…sorry."

    This fucking…

    "They deserved it, for what they've done, for abandoning us, for prosecuting us behind closed doors, for isolating us! We are not…sorry."

    Incensed, Yagura stood and glared, "And who is we?"

    Her head fell but I glimpsed the smirk she tried to hide, "We…will survive, Mizukage-sama, with or without your help."

    "So that's how it is then, the entire Yuki clan are traitors…" She flinched at those words and I knew not all the clan was aware of whatever this was, perhaps not even the clan head or her response would be of continued defiance, "I will exterminate any threat to Kirigakure, Hisako but I like to be precise…surgical if you will. Tell me who your friends are and perhaps your family will live."

    My clone yanked her head up and there, in the soul behind her eyes, was terror. I smiled charitably and nodded, "Go ahead, you can trust me."
    See you next tomorrow!
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  • Threadmarks
    • Aimless Walk
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    • Hisako Yuki didn't trust me. Which was the worse decision she could make in her position. Yagura never had a delicate touch with matter like these and yet my stomach still squirmed at the sounds she made during Eiko's sample session.

    The reason it was a sample was because I thought Hisako, a Genin, wouldn't be so stubborn as to resist a taste of Eiko's enhanced interrogation techniques. I thought she wouldn't be capable of it but I was wrong, she gritted through the Genjutsu stimulated agony, her body shaking like a fish out of water all while Eiko poked and stabbed her nails with a needle.

    Even after that she still refused and as much as I hate to admit it, each refusal got me more frightened and on edge. And so Yagura decided to break her. There would be consequences; even with my gag order whoever was behind this would find out Hisako's been discovered and even if they didn't, the Yuki would come looking for one of their own.

    I wasn't sure which outcome I should be warier of, dealing with the impact of manhandling one of their own or the unknown reaction of whoever Hisako was taking her orders from.

    Sick of hearing her scream, I gave Eiko permission to up the ante and began to walk back to the Tower. I felt I could trust Eiko enough to bring him on this, he was the kind of man that was loyal to his work, loved it as much as his own life. If there was a leak, it wouldn't be from him.

    I stepped out of Intel and Comm's oppressive aura and breathed in the village wide mist congested air. The Mist was my most versatile tool in defending the village as Mizukage but it was also a tool of governance— I could make it rain with a single order.

    It would freshen the air throughout the village and give the squads of shinobi responsible for enhancing the Land of Water's natural fog a chance at reprieve. There were other advantages to releasing the mist temporarily but at the moment the greatest temptation was to see the sun without it's veil of fog and cloud.

    Another advantage was…I could order the squad of shinobi that have had decades of predecessors to learn and attune the Mist Village rite of passage justu to the point that it's possible to drain moisture from the air rather than fill it with it.

    This meant I could dry out specific sections of the village and prevent an enemy from utilizing our own defences against us. I could dry out the particularly dangerous Kekkei Genkai wielders capable of turning air moisture to ice.

    There was no need for such a measure yet but having it reassured me. The Yuki clan were loyal to Kirigakure, perhaps not the Mizukage but Kirigakure was where their home lie, they wouldn't jeopardize it, their clan head wouldn't risk their future like that.

    Right?

    I acknowledged the multitudes halting their lives to greet me with curt nods and friendly waves but nothing more. I took in their faces, their hands and the shape of their homes built around and along naturally inclined hills and earthy growths.

    As this was the Central District I had little doubt that these folk had no concern about Kekkei Genkai fiends, even the Yuki. I recognized the street path I strolled down from one of my maps and I knew that across it, to the west was where the Yuki and their compound sat. Their island within and island was surrounded yet isolated by the Funato and Hozuki who own most of the Central District.

    I observed the faces of my people again, many didn't recognize me immediately and some didn't recognize me at all. I wasn't wearing my regalia and so I couldn't blame them, it went both ways after all, I couldn't tell who was from whom. Unless they were Hoshigaki and had shark like teeth, Jason couldn't differentiate the civilian clansmen of Hozuki, Funato or even Karatachi, much less the rare Yuki.

    I haven't even been to their compound. I hummed at the thought as my feet guided me down the final corner to the Mizukage Tower. Each time I walked my way here— a coping mechanism I was using more and more— the intricacy of the Tower amazed me just as its beauty did.

    Spending time with Harusame has attuned my eyes to recognize sealing marks, both leftovers and permanent fixtures lingering all around the Tower's body. For the life of me I couldn't say what everyone of the seals I noticed did but I could guess.

    At a glance I could pick out a dozen stabilizers that did what their name implied. It wasn't often earthquakes struck the Land of Water, but when they did the worst of them created new islands. Having stabilizers on a building as important as the Tower ensured I wouldn't be drifting away on my own. They were high tier seals and albeit faded their protections extended to several other structures in a radius.

    I breathed a sigh and strutted in through the main doors. Yagura was actively screaming within me as I looked upon the finished and polished statue of myself…himself. It was barely accurate; out of some respect they made me as tall as the other Mizukage but at least they didn't broaden my body past what was true.

    The statue presented Yagura with the iconic Hooked Bo-staff and poncho but it wore the regalia each of the Mizukage before did; a simple, ironed cloak that fell to the statues sandaled feet.

    The mission desk Chuunin shared looks with each other, both were attending to Jounin teams but were curious if I needed anything. I didn't and kept staring up at myself.

    The walk had distracted me a bit but I wanted it to give me a solution to my problem. What should I do about the Yuki? Who could I even tell? As much as I valued Uncle's opinions, he wasn't too unlike Lord Funato, he had a traditional way of doing things and he wasn't afraid to disappoint me if his way didn't align with mine.

    I took in a breath and began walking towards the stairs, resigned to wait for Eiko to break Hisako, gruesome as such implications were. But then a soft hand snatched mine from behind and pulled.

    Turned around I met a wide smile and determined gaze in Rina, "Yagura-sama!"

    A single crutch aided her upright stance and her injured leg was bandaged underneath her short shorts. I nodded at her, "Rina, how are you now?"

    "I'm ready, Yagura-senpai!"

    Senpai…righttt.

    My head dropped and I searched for what excuse to give her so she'd leave me to my anxious thoughts.

    "Are you headed to your office? I thought I'd take you up on your offer at the hospital, training time." She smiled, she seemed more confident than ever for some reason.

    "Uh, you're on crutches are you sur-"

    "Ninjutsu. These won't hinder my training. So, what do you say? Let me impress you."
    In an effort to fix my laptops keyboard I've put up an opportunity for content based on your imagination, this way you can directly contribute content to the library, well, I think I explain better on the site so check it out if you're interested in having your ideas written in my writing style.

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  • Threadmarks
    • First Session
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    • I've been to the Hozuki compound a number of times before and after becoming Mizukage, each time for a different purpose. I let my mind shut off and my feet follow Rina at her limped pace until the route we took began to look new and extra watery.

    She'd guided me into the Hozuki's private training grounds or rather, waters, as the entirety of the location was a mass of water sprinkled with long thin trees or oddly placed mounds of rock and sand.

    My first thought was that it'd be a bit hard for Rina to navigate but it's quickly dashed away when I unconsciously walk on the water, I realize she picked this training location because of its abundance of water. She was intent on getting me to help with her Ninjutsu and like most Kiri shinobi, her chakra affinity was best aligned with water.

    In that case the training grounds oddly placed trees, boulders and mounds of sand would make for good target practice. I walked over to a mound of sand and sat crossed legged on it; I'd taken a walk from Intel and Comm's and then Rina brought me to the clan compounds from the Tower, my legs weren't exhausted but I'd much rather put my feet up.

    It was then I noticed her staring at me, she has abandoned her crutch and stood gingerly on the water surface, waiting for me to impart some Kage-level knowledge judging by that eager gaze.

    I hadn't thought about much else but politics and what I'd have for dinner on our way here, it also didn't help that she didn't say a thing either. So now I suddenly have to train this Chuunin in Ninjustu and I hadn't even given myself a minute to prepare.

    What can I teach her? What should I teach her? There was a lot of knowledge locked behind Yagura's spectre, knowledge I wasn't completely privy to myself unless I channelled enough of his personality to reach it. What I did have up my sleeve was little more than residuals from times I'd channelled Yagura enough that I could mimic his behaviour and relationship with chakra and his body in general.

    A lot of that ended up being high level jutsu or jutsu applications. Like Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet or the versatile Water Release: Water Prison I've almost mastered. There were the Wind Release techniques and Yagura's Hiden but none of that fell under the scope of Rina's abilities…I think.

    I blinked, cleared my throat and addressed her before she could grow impatient, "Rina, we've only had a couple of spars but not enough all-out sessions including Ninjutsu. What kind of Ninjutsu are you proficient with that I haven't seen? What do you want to improve? What do you need help with?"

    She hobbled side to side, trying not to limp as her eyes took the skies as she gave the query thought. The waters bobbed and a wind blew at me through strands of her faded violet hair. She had a fine scent that I held onto, trying to savour and place before it was lost in the breeze. I couldn't place it but I liked it.

    "I want to become a master. I want to master Water Release, enough to make a new jutsu on my own or a lake…" She said at last, a couple steps closer than before but she didn't seem as determined in that declaration as any of the others she's made.

    "Mastery…mastery of any skill will be demanding and it will take more than you belief it will, are you sure?" Yagura had to ask, it was important to acknowledge one's limits, not everyone was a prodigy and not everyone was destined a long life. "I won't be able to train you each session, this will be your journey, you understand, yes?"

    She frowned a bit and I felt that was from feeling insulted rather than anything else, still, she nodded earnestly and said, "I know it won't be easy but I've faced ordeals before now and I will face more. Being stronger in a way I know how will only help me tackle my future…enemies."

    Ahh, that. "Very well then, but you should dash out all comparison to your father or myself. People are different. You are different." She seemed to accept this much at least and so I stretched out my calves before hopping to my feet, "Alright, what's your toughest jutsu right now?

    "Water Clone." She said without the slightest hesitation, her brows furrowed as she described, "Sometimes it works, sometimes the clone explodes in my face. Sometimes it works but then the clone explodes after like three steps. I got it to cast Hidden in the Mist once, but it was dumb and used the water it was composed of to do that."

    Yagura laughed out loud and hard. I could barely contain myself as the sound of his— my— laugh caught me off guard. Rina blushed and groaned after some time of my loud mockery.

    "What's so funny?" the voice I heard could pass as Rina's…in the far future perhaps. I flicked my tears away and turned to face the bright smile on Lady Megumi as she observed Rina and I.

    "Lady Megumi, what are you…" It was then I noticed the small child trailing after her skirt. He was the same each time I saw him, shorter than me but far more stoic. "Mangetsu-kun, it's been a moment."

    He quickly took to his knee as I addressed him, "Mizukage-sama, pardon our interruption."

    "Yes, do." Lady Megumi said with a smirk as her gaze flitted between Rina and I. I didn't like the gears of thought turning behind those aged eyes. "Mangetsu-kun and I heard Rina was training over here and I thought…why, he's a brand new Chunnin who could get some use out of shadowing an experienced one like Rina-chan."

    Rina hobbled a bit before bowing to her Clan Matriarch, "Megumi-sama, Mangetsu would be welcome to train with me."

    Lady Megumi threw her gaze on me and hummed, "And you train with Lord Fourth, what an honour…I wonder, would it extend to the newest Hozuki prodigy? Mangetsu is a genius, learning directly from his Kage would ensure a strong Kiri shinobi is born."

    My lips parted to speak but Yagura clamped them shut as an idea crossed our mind. I gave my dear councillor a terse smile and said, "Perhaps, I will permit he join for a single session and then…how about some tea?"

    Lady Megumi's smile grew and her shrewd gaze narrowed in understanding, "Tea would be wonderful."
    See you next tomorrow!

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  • Threadmarks
    • Wise Investment
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    • I sloppily deflected a dozen [Water Shuriken] and leaped away to avoid Rina surging out under the water. She's learned to keep the pressure in our previous spars and so she darted forward, zigzagging with her body kept low.

    Chakra spiked behind me and I sucked my teeth. Without bothering to look back or let Rina engage, I cut the flow of chakra to my feet and sank into the lake. Rina, hot on my heels, ran over my submerged head, scarcely dodging Mangetsu's second flurry of [Water Shuriken] and utterly failing to prevent me from snatching her ankles.

    I pulled her underwater but immediately had to suppress the reflex to seal her in a [Water Prison]— as per the conditions of this training session I wasn't allowed Ninjutsu. Instead I buried my foot in her gut, the blow expelled air from her lungs and forced her to the bottom.

    With Rina conveniently out of the way Mangetsu's chakra swirled through the waters around me. I kicked to the surface but a maelstrom had been hastily formed and was whipping me in and out the water. I caught a glimpse of the child prodigy; he stood atop a mound of sand, panting with his fingers pressed into a handsign and his brows knitted in concentration.

    I took a breath and let my body relax, Mangetsu's jutsu threw me about but the longer I swirled in them the more I understood. Genius or not the young shinobi was still a child and could only manage so much chakra. He's as stubborn as Lady Megumi cheering him on the side-lines and has given his all in each spar session we've had, but this is the third yet today, he's teetering on chakra exhaustion if he pushes any further.

    Like I thought, the swirl petered out enough that I could slap a chakra augmented palm against the turbulent water surface and flip out of it. I whipped my kunai at Mangetsu before I even landed but he didn't even flinch as it sliced past his cheek— a second later he fell to his knees and his jutsu ended.

    "Water Release: Water Whip."

    I felt the techniques five whips latch onto me from the water before I heard Rina's satisfied whisper. Four surged from different points of the lake to entangle my limbs and Rina held the one snaking around my neck. Like Mangetsu she was liberal with her chakra usage, though this much aggressiveness is new for her— she's usually a subtle fighter, making use of Hidden in the Mist and Silent Killing even though that rarely gets her any leverage.

    Yagura knew her chakra waste was product of the little competition brewing between her and Mangetsu, or rather, her and Lady Megumi. I've trained enough times with Rina to know Lady Megumi is top of the list of people she wants to prove wrong.

    If I were just myself this would be a good time to concede and congratulate Rina on putting a stop to a Kage-level shinobi. But Yagura isn't a master of Water Release for nothing, without even channelling him, the innate knowledge of her jutsu's weakness was apparent to me.

    As she tensed her grip and tugged on my head, I sent chakra flowing over my skin. Momentarily placing a sheet of chakra between her whips and my skin the same way I would with water-walking or wall-walking. The result is space to twist and flail with all of Yagura's surprising strength, my sudden movements tangle the whips against themselves and I wrapped myself into the whip Rina's personally holding.

    Her grip loosened for a moment as she hurriedly revaluates, but it's too late; I've cocooned myself in her whips and with a stronger expulsion of chakra, I'm granted enough space to once again sink under water. I snatched her foot again but this time she's feisty, kicking and thrashing but locking her limbs underwater is just as easy as it is on land.

    After a moment we bop out of the water together with her folded and restrained against me, "I guess we're done here." I said, slowly loosening my grip. She groaned and sighed all together as she nodded. I smiled and let her sit up on the water on her own, "Both of you need to be more chakra conscious, maybe you would have gotten me if you had a bit more chakra to cast your jutsu at full strength."

    Rina scoffed, her head hung to the side as she wrung water out her hair, "That was full strength, Yagura-senpai is just too strong." She pouted.

    "Mizukage-sama is going easy on us too." Mangetsu said, as always his stoic eyes held a glint of awe when set upon me but this time his voice held a sliver of hurt as he clenched a fistful of sand. "I'll grow up soon, I'll have enough chakra for a serious spar someday."

    "Of course," I winked at him, "Speaking of someday, Megumi-dono, how about that tea now!" I yelled out so she'd hear me from the middle of the lake. She waved a fist that turned into a thumbs up after a second and I nodded. "Alright then, go get some snacks you guys, you've got to be as hungry as I am after all that."

    I started walking off before either could summon a response, it was late noon, almost evening and I wouldn't be sharing a table with them. Lady Megumi had a proposal for me, one likely involving Mangetsu and perhaps Rina as well.

    This might be the opportunity I've been looking for, whatever it is she wanted I was prepared to give in exchange for her clans support on the upcoming Yuki matter. I couldn't hide Hisako's crimes or the evidence alluding to some deeper movement within the clan forever, sooner or later Lord Funato would discover it or perhaps even Uncle or it might be someone relatively insignificant who can't stop themselves from yapping.

    Either way, there was yet another storm brewing and I needed to recruit of buy allies. I raised a hand-sign and pulsed my clothes and hair dry with Wind Release as I made my approach. She sat within a gazebo and the table was already set with some snacks and tea from earlier when our spars begun.

    She gestured at the quiet, docile servant standing in the corner and they quickly shuffled away with the teapot, earning a confused look from me, "Too good for tea?"

    "Not enough sencha." She chuckled and winked.

    I took the lounge couch opposite her and shook my head, "That's never going away is it?"

    Her eyes narrowed with glee, "It's a good match, who could forget it? Who would want to?"

    Here I inhaled and sat up, "I've given the marriage proposal all the thought I need and have, Megumi-dono, I'm simply not ready for it and I'm not interested either."

    She doesn't hide her disappointment, "I expected as much since you took your sweet time, my granddaughter's not good enough to marry but training her is fine yes?"

    I chose my words carefully, "Only when I care to."

    The servant returned and carefully filled my cup with a strong sencha brew, I took a sip and weathered Lady Megumi's furrowed brows and pursed lip. Then she smiled, "Take Mangetsu under your wing, along with Rina or not but take him, let him learn from you, Yagura, it's not uncommon for the Mizukage to become sensei as well."

    I continued to sip my tea, it was nice but unlike the rumours it wasn't my favourite beverage, "Why?"

    My deadpan didn't rattle her resolve, she leaned in, "Mangetsu is a genius, a prodigy of the shinobi arts and even the Hozuki's Hiden. Mould the potential into proof and he will be an invaluable asset to you, he's only a child now, his mind is pliable, eager to learn and follow and he's already well taken with you. I am offering you the Hozuki's future strongest, if my own granddaughter isn't worth a bond then surely this?"

    Silence stewed for a moment as I drained my cup and set it down, she didn't look bothered or fazed that I'd just gulped down a near piping hot cup of tea, only interested in the thoughts behind my skull.

    "And what's in it for you? What do you get out of giving me…the future of Hozuki as you claim? Mind you, he's only a boy, this talent could last perhaps ten more years or even shorter."

    She smirked, eyes twinkling, "Isn't it obvious? I get a potential Kage-candidate."
    Only one chappie today guys. We binge on Friday.
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  • Threadmarks
    • Mizukage's Headache
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    • "Me-mercy, please lord, shinobi-dono, plea-No, please! Please!" The man begged for his life like he'd never taken a blade and cut down another man like an animal.

    Kisame massaged the man's skull with greater intensity, he felt a part of his temple crack under his thumb and his tired smile grew. The man felt the change in his skull as well and his mutters for mercy began to mix with prayers to outer gods.

    Samehada thrashed against the mud slick ground, an arm stuck out its serrated jaws as it gnawed and grinded the whimpering man's comrade. Kisame let out a half-hearted chuckle and continued to massage the man's head— there wasn't much left to do but wait now.

    The mud field that served as their battlegrounds was soaked with almost as much blood as it was water from rain and jutsu. It amazed Kisame at times just how much blood a human body carried, it was enough to fill buckets and that was only from the average sized person.

    Samehada gave one final crunch and gulped its meal entirely, with that Kisame got moving, dragging his pet beggar along by the skull even as he scrambled to put his feet under and ahead of him. The mud field was littered with beggars just like the one he had, their hearts busted, legs skewered and heads chopped off all by the same substance.

    Ice.

    The harsh fact that every scummy human, beggar or lord, was full of blood and thus full of water made Kisame's partner the very thing the Daimyo's plethora of enemies feared and loathed the most.

    He approached the edge of a jutsu made landslide where the blood from Reina's many victims pooled together and fell after she and the crusade of Ronin and mercenaries still breathing. Careful not to slip down, Kisame watched the agile kunoichi wield a frosted blade against six well-bodied men.

    He should help, he could help but at the moment Kisame wanted nothing more than to watch her wield that ice.

    Reina was dirtied, filth pasted against her uncovered skin and mud stuck to her feet and legs. Her opponents weren't much better, in fact, they were worse. One had only one arm to clutch his weapon, another had two arms but could use neither due to the frostbite eating him and the others were bled and frozen in minor areas.

    They kept on their feet as they danced warily around Reina, a respectful distance between them but one that would be covered in a single, murderous bound should the opportunity presented itself.

    Reina shifted her stance, set her frosting blade straight ahead ignoring the three men creeping on her sides in favour of the other three sluggishly closing in. From his vantage point even Kisame's pet beggar would be able to tell that they'll box her in if she lets them close in any further.

    However, this was a kunoichi of the Hidden Mist, a high A-rank easily creeping in on that S-rank status. The ronin never stood a chance.

    She swung her blade in a straight line ahead of her and the three at her front scrambled pathetically for a defence, one even lost his footing and face planted. And yet Reina's swing was merely a feint, she lunged at the single ronin at her right and her blade pierced through his unprepared torso.

    He stifled his scream through gritted teeth and managed to lock her frosted blade for all but a second before his tolerance broke, "Arrhh!" He fell to his knees clutching his frozen side and Reina yanked the blade out in time to parry a flailing kunai strike from a mercenary.

    She danced with him before catching a glimpse of a potential partner behind him, then she twirled, flinging patches of mud from her body to distract as she slammed a palm against the wet ground.

    The terrain underneath both their feet froze, sealing them in place for Reina to blitz through, lopping off their heads before they could even comprehend their demise. Three more remained.

    Kisame looked and laughed; two had taken off running already, "Should I?"

    Reina she sprinted at the one fear stricken mercenary standing and impaled his knees with kunai. Keeping the momentum, Reina seized water from the atmosphere to form four seven inch senbon between her fingers. A flick of wrist had them buried in the necks of the fleeing ronin.

    She stood straight for a moment before looking around her handiwork, only one man remained somewhat alive. His knees were useless now and her blade had already frozen one of his arms. He'd gone unconscious from the agony of his injuries and lay at her feet.

    Kisame watched her consider what to do with the man while massaging dents into his pet's skull. The answer was obvious but she still seemed to consider the alternative for longer than he expected, eventually though, her blade pierced the unconscious mercenary's skull.

    Reina leaped up the landslide, the scowl that owned her face grew as she noticed Kisame's pet. He stopped massaging the man's skull and his body fell forward, sliding down the mud slope to lie among his peers. "Sorry, idle hands." Kisame grinned.

    "Get his head and let's go, I want that ship."

    "Aye." Kisame leaped after his pet.

    As it turned out, moving an entire village across islands, even islands under Kirigakure jurisdiction, was a tall order. The Daimyo wasn't respected in the Land of Water, not just by his rivals but by the common folk who suffered and were disillusioned by the war. Whatever the case, the lack of respect extended onto Kirigakure.

    A ship was required, a large one. There weren't many places to get that or even multiple ships at once, even if you had the word of the Mizukage or Daimyo that payment is assured, it didn't mean squat— not to the civilian shipbuilders, not to the sailors who've been sunk, boarded and pirated, not even to the pirates who've been taken a fool by their own ambitions of lordship in the Daimyo's civil wars.

    What was left were the local lords that reigned over city and villages along coastlines and marshes. But they too had problems; they were at war and Kirigakure wasn't a part of that war…officially.

    A problem for the Mizukage huh. Kisame recalled Reina's words after they accepted the Lord Yakubi's mission to decimate the army camping in his territory. Bring the leader's head and they'll have their ship, a simple task complicated by the fact no Kiri shinobi has been given order to participate in the Daimyo's infighting.

    But Kisame understood, the mission came first and their mission was to shepherd that annoying flock of old and young. Reina was ANBU as well and if Kisame's learned anything from his time with her, it's that she can't fail the Mizukage another time.

    And so as Samehada separated the pet's head from his shoulder, Kisame knew whatever fallout came from helping the Lord Yakubi would be as Reina said, a problem for the Mizukage.
    Hiya!
     
  • Threadmarks
    • The Courage Clan
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    • Hisako sat near nude, with only a bandage wrapped around her bosom and an oversized brown boxer that couldn't be hers. Her wrists were bound to the metal chair's legs and water droplets pelted the centre of her hung head.

    Eiko stepped out and the door to Hisako shut behind him. He bowed, "Mizukage-sama."

    "Any luck?" I tilted my hat to have a better look at the demon masked man. I purposely waited two days before paying a visit; enough time for a misguided Genin to break right?

    "She was stubborn but still just a child, the pressure of your personal involvement broke her before I truly had a chance." Eiko chucked a bit before getting serious again, "She's confessed she had help from someone high rank in her clan, a woman as well. We figure this would be her clan mentor, Shizu Yuki, and the person who purchased bulk products from Kosuke."

    I nodded, "Does that rule out Hidaki Yuki involvement in this?"

    "From my end, yes, the clan head and his passivity seems to be a touchy subject for them."

    "Them?"

    "Ah, there are others like Hisako and Shizu within the clan, I suspect they have objectives that don't align with Hidaki-dono's vision. They're calling themselves the Yūki clan."

    I was about to ask the difference when Yagura made the funny connection, "The courageous clan, different from those of snow huh." I shook my head and regarded Eiko, "Did she give away their numbers at least?"

    "She isn't aware of that much, I'll need to interrogate Shizu, her mentor for that kind of information." He said.

    I groaned, "Who is this Shizu anyway? Jounin?"

    "Chuunin sir, however she's been considered for promotion in the past."

    That means I can't have her vanish for two days like Hisako. As a Chuunin two days may not be enough to break her and if she's indoctrinated Hisako to this point there's a good chance there's someone above her as well, someone who is feeding them this idea of a Yūki Clan.

    If it's not Hidaki then… I sighed, "Good work, Eiko. There is much left to uncover but I think Hisako has had enough of you. Move her somewhere…cleaner and keep sharp, her mentor might be sitting in front of you next."

    Even with the mask Yagura could hear Eiko's excitement, "I am ever ready to serve."

    I left the man to his work and as I walked the dark, menacing corridor I called out to my shadow, "Ao…what do you make of all this?"

    Ao's presence slinks into the corridor, his footsteps echoing once and then no more as he materializes from wherever it is he keeps himself while protecting me. He shifted his mask to the side so I may look upon his face as we conversed.

    "It is trouble…chaos." Ao stated matter-of-factly. "It is upsetting to learn that such is going on within the village, within one of our prestigious clans. I don't know what their intentions have been but I am grateful Yagura-sama caught this before it could get swept away. These new Yūki need to be reined in before they can cause irreparable damage."

    I absorbed his words for a full moment before I asked, "And what of their justifications? Hisako spoke of them to me, Funato and Hozuki, no, not just them, the entirety of Kirigakure pushing them to a slow and gradual extinction."

    Before he could reply I added, "I have looked at Sandaime-sama's mission assignments, more than a few high risk missions were assigned to Yuki clan shinobi and very little have been completed. I marked them all as MIA, so don't tell me there isn't some truth to Hisako's claims."

    Here Ao hesitates, I looked up and found his jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. He felt my gaze and sighed, "I can…I can think of any number of arguments for each sides actions. Sandaime-sama did his best for Kirigakure and you're here to continue on his work, the work of the Mizukage, I cannot question his reasoning for assigning missions any more than I can question yours.

    "Hisako may be correct and perhaps on closer look it becomes obvious the animosity our prestigious clans have for one another but…what can be done to stop what has been in action long before our time? If the Yuki or Yūki dare to threaten others blatantly then they are no longer victims but vicious perpetrators. I may be clanless but I want to believe there is another way to make peace than war."

    I gave a short hum, "Wisely put, Ao, there must be another way to make peace."

    I didn't share the same thoughts as he on the matter, it was obvious he felt the Yuki were the ones in the wrong because there was only proof of what wrong they had done and not how they've been wronged— that part was lost in history, to the past where it's forgotten with the old and swept away by the new.

    But as he said, there must be another way and right now the best way I can think of it the honest, straightforward way. There's been enough beating about the bush on this matter, I wanted the secrets unearthed and the truth told.

    I breathed in and said, "Let's go find out if Hidaki and Shizu think the same."

    Jason was prepared to be reasonable, compromising even. Yagura was ready to be merciless.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Fate and Punishment
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    • The Yuki clan compound sat westward of the Central District. It was an island of its own, glittered with spectacle of ice statues, a partly frozen body of water and an inch or three of snow in particular corners.

    Being an island amidst a city navigating to and from it required a canoe or a basic understanding of water walking even though some of the water you'd canoe through is frozen. The Yuki were innovative enough though and the practical, appropriate thing to do was manoeuvre via their special canoes.

    In truth I doubted there was anything special about them save the reinforced hull and heavy top that broke through slabs of ice to sail the waters beneath. The experience was comforting though. The canoe was tented and private. It was cold but not too cold and the ice seemed to grow on its own, creating and entrapping the livestock that dared to remain even as our canoe broke them free.

    In my first month in Kirigakure, before I became Mizukage, I'd spied several boatmen sailing through the icy crags with passengers that couldn't be anything but lovers under the soft orange glaze of the lanterns the boatmen affixed at the end of the canoe.

    That night I felt envy and loss, as did Yagura. He sported one memory of sailing the frozen waters in a time before his potential was ever learned. The memory was a treasured one because I didn't look away from the clutch of lovers enjoying their date and Yagura and my collective envy grew when the boatmen set their passengers to enjoy the snow and attempt dancing on ice.

    Now he felt nothing or rather I felt nothing from him, no input, no thought, no glimpse of the past. Nothing save the tension carried in the air from Uncle's presence.

    It wasn't so much his presence as it was the meaning behind it. He wasn't here as the Yagura's Uncle, he was here as the Mizukage's advisor, a member of the small council and a representative of Kirigakure's central host of power.

    He sat beside me with just as tense a posture as I felt— he wouldn't let his thoughts or emotions play out on his face but Yagura knew his Uncle well. I thought about saying something, but there wasn't much left to say that I haven't already.

    Like Ao who sat by the boatman he knew all the details of the Yuki clan and the Yūki clan growing within them. He didn't give me any advice on what to do or not this time, he simply accepted when I asked him to accompany me to pay Hidaki Yuki a surprise visit. I took that as approval of my actions.

    Well, he couldn't not, I'd taken every precaution including this pretence of a boat ride. In truth, the Yuki clan was already surrounded on every corner by my ANBU forces, both Hidaki and the parasitic Yūki clan feasting on him would have their eyes glued to the Mizukage, his bodyguard and advisor approaching the clan compound via their boatmen.

    They'd have some sliver of time to prepare but not anymore that I have with my ANBU. Each squad has orders to identify and tail any Yuki clan member leaving the compound after I've arrived— just in case they truly belong to Yūki and they've stashed the horde of weapons they ordered from Kosuke somewhere aside from the compound itself.

    They were also on the lookout for Shizu Yuki, Hisako's mentor or should I say handler? The true extent of their organization isn't known but today's meeting should clear it all up and end it all.

    "We're here." Uncle said with a terse breath as he stood shakily in the canoe.

    I waited for the boatman to sail into port before standing and crossing onto the boardwalk which was surprisingly dry given the environment. A couple yards away I caught a glimpse of Hidaki and two men making their way through the main gates and into the large snow landscape that Uncle and I wad through.

    We met halfway and Hidaki and the two men bowed with smiles that failed to mirror their clan head's wide grin, "Mizukage-sama, what an unexpected pleasure! Welcome to our humble abode, welcome to the Yuki clan!"

    His eyes darted up to Uncle who had merely stared through each of the Yuki clan members without a drop of his usual enthusiasm leaking out and his mirthful grin faltered.

    "Thank you, it's good to be here at last, I can't recall the last time I visited." I said, offering his cheer a polite smile as my eyes moved onto the young men behind him. One was the spitting image of Hidaki and a scar slicing down the side of his lip.

    The other didn't share any of the same features but stood taller than both clan head and who I assumed was his son. The man noticed me staring and gulped.

    Hidaki smiled and smacked their backs proudly, "Ahh, this is my son, Okumura and his best friend, Kishi and one of our greatest treasures! It's fortunate they're both around to meet you, Mizukage-sama."

    My smile grew but didn't reach my eyes, "I see, I will remember their names but today I've come to meet you, come, there is much we must discuss."

    He and his son shared a look and though brief, Yagura picked out the flash of concern Hidaki buried away as I started walking past. The gates swung open and revealed the clan compound within.

    The long road only had snow on the sides or lined around ponds. Uncle's hum broke the silence that'd begun to grow as we passed by a scanty playground. The lot for it was sizeable and well fitted with swings, monkey bars, a tap and table of balloon, even a sitting area that headed a small kiosk where parents gathered their children with a lure of sweets.

    Jason didn't miss the look in their eyes, the attempted whisperings and hushed fears stifled by respect— obligatory respect. Whether because I am a Jinchuriki or the because they know their sins as part of the Yūki clan, these people were terrified of my presence here.

    They clutched their children close, vacated the roads, shuttered their windows and bolted their doors. Jason stomached the fear and I tried not to let it disturb me. Fear begets fear.

    It was a short walk to Hidaki's home but under the intense, fevered vibes of the Yuki clan members it felt like I'd been walking longer than we sailed. I wondered how Uncle or Ao felt but both hid their expressions behind masks of indifference and seriousness.

    The doors slid open and shut as we walked it, there was a table with a coal furnace centre and a blanket to tuck our legs under but that wasn't the mood of this particular meeting and Hidaki could tell. Instead he led us into another room with a three seater couch, fireplace and wooden dinner chairs around a table with a single lit candle.

    With the door shut behind him Hidaki nervously examined the room and us with a smile that faltered each passing second of silence. He broke the stewing tension with a forced cackle, "Ahahah, I'm outnumbered here, feels like I should have at least one person on my side."

    He'd done the right thing asking his eager son and prodigy to wait outside but there should be someone at his side. I pulled a wooden chair out and sat perpendicular to the fireplace, letting its heat bring life to my hands as I breathed out a sigh and rested my hat on the dinner table.

    "You're right, Hidaki, there should be someone at your side. Ask your son to summon Chuunin Shizu Yuki, this meeting concerns her more than you."

    Recognition flashed across his face at the name, he hesitated, questions filled his tongue but he didn't voice one, "Okumura!" the boy spilled into the room at attention, eager to serve his part. "Find Shizu, bring her here please."

    The boy didn't even blink as he zipped back out to carry the order. I nodded gratefully at Hidaki and he fixed me with a narrowed look of suspicion, "Mizukage-sama…I was hoping this would be about what we discussed in the hospital but…what is this about?"

    His eyes darted over to Uncle who pulled a chair out for himself and sat at the dinner table, watching Hidaki take up the space on the three seater, "This is about your clan, Hidaki and what Kirigakure must do about it."

    Hidaki's eyes flared with anger he hesitated to conceal behind another pleasant smile, "Whatever offence Shizu has wroth the Karatachi I'm sure we can come to an understanding."

    "An understanding is exactly the outcome I'm hoping for, Yuki-dono, believe it or not, I am keen to see you unscathed." I said and he made to question but shut up as I kept speaking, "The Karatachi clan are not the ones offended though, at least, not that we know of yet. That's why we need Shizu here, to find out just how much we're accounting for."

    Riddled with anxiety Hidaki discards his pleasant façade and demanded, "What is this? What has she done to warrant this menace? What excuse will the council use to press my neck now?" There was a growl in his voice as his fists clenched white.

    Ao silently placed a kunai and paperbomb on the small table in front of Hidaki. Confusion wracked his features but when he examined the paperbomb his eyes widened in horror.

    Uncle knocked on wood to grab his attention as he shook his head, "Hidaki, we've known each other for decades. Listen to me now as you have in the past, do not fight us. Shizu, Hisako and others within your clan are working against Kirigakure. They will be punished."

    "They did not do this. My…Shizu is…Hisako doesn't even-"

    "Hisako was used by Shizu to fashion and deliver the threats on behalf of an organization within your clan calling themselves…the Yūki." Again, recognition flashed in his eyes and Yagura knew, "You already know about them, don't you? Ha, silly me, I thought you a fool but I see you're just stubborn. You realize this Yūki clan of yours could have had something to do with the Kaguya attacks, with how they found Kirigakure? Do you realize the-"

    "Yes! I do…I understand them better than you would, Mizukage." Not a shred of respect on the title. He sunk into the couch and his eyes glazed towards to the ceiling, "But you…you..what would you know about…of our suffering!? You're ignorant! I disagree with them, what they want to do but they're right! I can't blame them for seeking reparations for all this watery hellscape has taken from us!"

    A frown marred my face as I watched him scream nonsense at the ceiling, "There is no justification I will accept, Hidaki. If you or any other want change then you work with me, I am your Mizukage, you are my subject. However much I sympathise with the Yuki clan's plight scarred history I will not deny justice be done for the crimes we've uncovered. Terrorism on this scale will never be ignored, if it happened to your family, I would do the same as I do now."

    Hidaki dropped his gaze on me, seethed anger boiled behind his eyes as he grinded his teeth, "And what justice will you bring, Mizukage?"

    I said nothing and glanced at Uncle who announced, "The council has decided to be lenient thanks to Mizukage-sama personal involvement in the investigation of this crime. The charges against the Yūki clan are terrorism, conspiracy to commit infanticide, conspiracy to commit genocide against a fellow vassal clan and the charge that is still being debated…the murder of the Third Mizukage."

    The colour had drained from Hidaki's face as Uncle Aoto continued to list charges, his lower lip trembled and the anger he had was washed away in the face of the accusations against members of his already dying clan.

    "If you cooperate with us and expose those assigning themselves to this Yūki rebellion, only Shizu will have to die and Hisako will be taken by the Funato clan as a gilded prisoner. She will be cared for."
     
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    • Under Pressure
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    • Shizu Yūki was shaped like a house wife. I immediately wondered if she had a family, a husband and child. I'd read her file but at the time I was moving quick and examining only information I could use to ensure Hidaki understood how damning this all was.

    She likely did, even if there was more kunoichi that nurturing mother in those glares. She made no attempt to disguise her contempt for me as she bowed and mumbled out a greeting.

    Uncle was just as uncouth however, "I see you already know why you're here, good. Let's not waste any time then, here." Uncle stood, his impressive stature had him towering over Shizu, both their glares thickened the already strangled tension in the room.

    Shizu wisely didn't dare stand her ground, she faltered a step back and Uncle let up as he handed her the list. With it in her hand Shizu let up her unflinching glare to glimpse at Hidaki on the couch. The clan head looked away, breathing deeply.

    Her jaw clenched and she read the list, eyes darting back and forth, narrowed in suspicion as her lip curls into a sneer, "No, I am the one responsible, I sent the threats and I prepared to do more but it was all me. You will not drag innocents into this."

    Uncle Aoto snorted and fell back to his seat, shaking his head at her in disdain, "What did you think would happen? Eh? Innocents, tah!"

    "No! They've done nothing! A threat that harmed no one doesn't require…Hidaki! Yūki has not moved without you, we can do nothing without your support! This was me, I…I hate it, I hate them and I want-"

    "Not another step." Ao gripped Shizu's shoulder, he came as himself so she came faced with an activated Byakugan and the katana halfway out its sheath.

    She gulped and spared the space between us. I turned from the fireplace, the source of wood crackling escapism to look Shizu in the eye. She was of Kirigakure, of the Yuki, a mother and a mentor. An idealist protesting prejudices laid on her and her loved.

    I wish I could spare you.

    "Chuunin Shizu Yūki, you are ordered to detail all your comrades on that list, Hidaki has provided us with a preliminary but I know he isn't part of your group, he doesn't know them all."

    She shuddered, her knees trembled and her voice cracked, "Mizukage-sama, I alone…I.." the words die in her throat as Yagura stood, hands grasped behind his back. He took a step towards Shizu and tears flashed in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as the intense killing intent smothered her.

    Shizu blinked and knelt before Yagura could take another step, "We…I..they don't deserve death, I do."

    "That is correct."

    Her defeated head rose, spilling tears as she looked up at me, "What will happen to them, to Hisako-chan?"

    I exhaled and approached her, "Hisako will be the Funato clan's problem child to raise, I will ensure she's treated right. As for your compatriots, the council has yet to decide but cooperation is the only thing I ask of them, of you now." I rested a hand on her trembling shoulder and gave her a firm squeeze, "You and I are in agreement now, Shizu, no one else has to die. Only you."

    "Only me." She whimpered, unfurling the half crumpled list.

    "Yes." Uncle handed me a pen I handed to her.

    "What of my family…my boys, they-"

    "Are they part of the Yūki?"

    She swallowed her words, pressing the pen's lead to write a name before looking up at me again, this time she looked pleading, "Mizukage-sama…I…don't.." She seemed to give up on communicating with me as she hastily crawled past my feet and prostrated at Hidaki, "Hidaki-sama! Please, I am stripped of my children now, please protect them. Don't let Kirigakure send them after their mother, keep the clan safe, please. Let me be the last! Let me be the last!"

    It wasn't long before Shizu was sobbing and snivelling, drawing even Hidaki's turned gaze to her. Uncle hissed, I couldn't understand how or why Shizu disgusted him so much beyond her grave mistake, I knew he had no grudges against the Yuki either and he didn't know Shizu personally either.

    Hidaki gave into the lull of her wails and knelt by her, embracing her to soothe the broken heart. He caught my gaze and nodded, "Please, Mizukage-sama, give us time, she will need to say goodbye."

    Uncle and I shared a look, Aoto immediately shook his head but I shut my eyes and exhaled, "Fill that list and I'll permit an hour after which Ao will personally escort her to...Eiko."

    Hidaki's defeated sigh let's Shizu know there's no escaping that list. He forces it into her hands, whispering something under her whimpers and embracing her once more. It's only then she starts writing.

    As I watched the Shizu sign the names of her compatriots over to the very system they thought to fight against, I thought to the ANBU squads hovering over every cranny of the Yuki compound, monitoring every in and out, watching for an attack that had never come and would never.

    Shizu, Hisako, the Yūki clan, they were all right about Kiri. They were right to fear and decry it as their doom because it was or at least, it would have been. Uncle's disgust at Shizu likely comes from his own concerns of civil conflict, as a clan head himself seeing such disorganization, the threat their splintered values posed to the whole, well it was the same feeling I felt thinking about Lord Funato and his stubborn ways.

    But even then, even though Yagura, Uncle Aoto and just about everyone else who isn't affected and couldn't care any less can't sympathize with the Yuki's struggle to survive as a so-called top clan, I could. I had to.

    There was no point making a promise to Shizu to protect her clan and there was no point telling Hidaki I was routing for their survival either, I was supposed to, it was my solemn duty. And beyond that, they were far too vital to Kirigakure for me to see wane into obscurity or become traitors to the village.

    "Uncle, let's go, Hidaki has things handled here." The man gave me a grateful nod. I glanced at Ao who already knew his duties and Uncle rose to my side, he fixed me with a stare Yagura knew wondered what was going through my mind.

    When we were out of Hidaki's house Uncle spoke his mind, "They won't be happy you moved without them, they'll ask for those names, want them all dead if not the entirety of Yuki."

    "Lady Megumi wouldn't go that far," I said as Raiga landed beside me and collected the complete list. "And even if she would, she and I have an understanding now."

    I caught Uncle's frown break into a smirk for a moment before concern took over, "Already digging out your dead end, good, hope the price was worth it. Lord Funato will see through it easily, he'll know she's been bought and he's alone."

    "All the better then. I've done as he demanded of me, the perpetrator is known and will be punished. I am even letting him keep Hisako under his roof, this is more than enough. The Yuki will not be bothered any more than this."

    Uncle halted, "And if I&C finds out they had something to do with the Kaguya or Lord Third?"

    "The Yūki did not kill Lord Third."

    "But did they let the Kaguya in?"

    That, I wasn't sure of, "There's no proof and until there is, it doesn't matter. The Kaguya situation is fixed."

    Uncle shook his head and caught up to me, "Is it really? They're entangled with the Daimyo's lords now just trying to get back."

    I shrugged, "The Daimyo's war is…it's something we were bound to get drawn into, one way or another. Besides, the Lord of Water is fighting the very same people I am, Bloodline killers."

    Uncle sighed, "Perhaps, but he has other enemies, rivals who are warring not for the Bloodline users, but for their political machinations. Reina's mission, the aid from Yakubi, it's grounds for them to pull Kirigakure into-"

    "Enough…Uncle, I am tired and the day is still ahead of us. Let the council assemble and let me…let me think."
     
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    • The Yuki Dilemma
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    • "Hisako Yuki will live, Lord Funato." I said.

    His cane struck but thanks to my carpeted floors my ears weren't punished, "She perpetrated the act! She sent the threats! She should be-"

    "Funato-dono!" Lady Megumi sighed and shook her head, "Hisako is a victim of manipulation, as many of the Yuki are. Any one of those kids could have been lured into the act, Hisako deserves leniency, a mere Genin doesn't understand the-"

    "Kids? A mere Genin? What are we talking about here truly?!" The old man's usually shut eyes were wide open and strained with veiny fury as he looked at us incredulously. He snatched a file from a pile and waved it in our faces, "Here! Right there it says Hisako is over seventeen years, she is no child. If she is then shall I think the same of you, Mizukage-sama?"

    I groaned, "Enough, Funato, if anyone it is you who is behaving like a child. It's been decided, Hisako will live amongst your clansmen. If you're averse to that as well let me know now that you cannot hold back your bloodlust for a simple, harmless Genin."

    He growled, eyes darted at his fellow councillors who did nothing to show support. Lady Megumi nodded at him, willing him to accept the fate that's been written for him. Uncle Aoto looked bored but I could tell he was merely waiting for the more pressing topics to come up, still, he offered Lord Funato no support.

    The old man sat back with a harrumphed, his cane suffering in his grip. I nodded and began again, "Now that that's sorted, let's move on to the rest of our newly acquired suspects." Lord Funato scoffed and I felt the need to be specific, "Suspects because I&C hasn't gotten through interrogating them all, the charges we've laid will not hold long as I am certain Hidaki will be gathering support to demand their freedom, if we do not find anything conclusively tying the Yūki to Sandaime's death or the Kaguya attacks then we will have no choice but to set them free."

    It was one thing to execute Shizu Yūki who was mastermind of the death threats but imprisoning all the affiliated Yūki without proof of crimes is something else. I could afford to do it for a few weeks but likely no more, in that time either their innocence or guilt needs to be proven beyond a doubt.

    Uncle shifted in his seat, "Whether they had something to do with either doesn't matter as much as what we know they did." My lips parted to contest but Uncle gestured to let him speak, "Shizu Yūki was a good catch but executing her will make her a martyr for the very lively anti-Kiri movement within the Yuki and if we're not being obtuse…other clans, specifically the low caste."

    Lord Funato, Lady Megumi and I simultaneously inhaled at that. We shared a collectively disturbed look before Lord Funato's angry voice broke the thoughtful silence, "This is exactly why that Hisako girl and her mentor should die together."

    "Do you not understand what a martyr is?" I asked, baffled that he'd double down and bring the topic back to that.

    "More than you know, Yondaime, their deaths should be made public. An execution on Bar Beach for everyone daring to even think of mutiny to their clan or to Kirigakure to witness." He struck his cane, this time it sounded as he stubbornly shifted the edge of the rug over, "It will send a strong message to everyone that your reign is not the one to be challenged, it is not the one for rebellion and wishful freedoms."

    Had this been my first month here I wouldn't believe the words coming out of Lord Funato's mouth. But even though I've gotten used to the man's daring to some extent this was a new level of unhinged he was revealing.

    "A public execution of Shizu alone would be…it will serve to dissuade sympathizers, especially once her crime is revealed." Uncle Aoto said, scratching his chin in thought.

    His semi-approval surprised me even more but much like Lord Funato, I'd begun to understand that my Uncle was always going to be a shinobi of Kirigakure first, especially now that I am Mizukage— the clan and Kiri are nearly one and the same with me in power.

    Lady Megumi laughed a hearty laugh, "That is a practical plan, yes, but it will not be enough. From Yagura-sama's own reports I don't believe the Yūki will disappear or even reduce in size from one public execution. We don't have anything on the suspected Yūki either, their time in our cells will only incentivise them to rebel, only at a later time when our eyes are turned away."

    "Then the entire clan will be monitored." Lord Funato declared.

    She shook her head, "A waste of resources and these are Bloodline wielding shinobi, surveillance will not be easy to hide, an infiltration of their forces would be near impossible unless Reina Yuki herself assents, but we all know she loves her clan more than Kiri."

    Uncle nodded grimly, "What do you suggest?"

    She leaned forward, her eyes found mine and held them, "I understand Mizukage-sama wishes for amicable relations with the Yuki, but the opportunity for that…well, it's all but tarnished now. You can attempt but it's my believe that nothing short of expulsion will cow their hearts."

    "Expulsion? You mean…"

    "Yes, the Daimyo's war against Bloodline killers, among others…" her lips suppressed a smile as she said, "I may be biased in saying this but the threat Bloodline users represents will never cease and thus there will always be those ready to exterminate them to the last." Her eyes glanced at Lord Funato so fast I nearly missed it.

    The Daimyo's war was another topic waiting to be addressed but it seemed I might find solution to each within this meeting. I sat back and studied Lady Megumi, "You're saying I should threaten the Yuki with expulsion from the village, the entire clan? Ha, you truly are biased."

    She shrugged but didn't deny it, "I hear Reina Yuki has entangled our name in the war already, Lord Yakubi was it? Our stance is to accept Bloodline users, of course, the current Daimyo demands so, but that doesn't dictate which Bloodline users we accept or for how long or even how we…apply them. Besides, we couldn't possibly be condemned for it, Mizukage-sama is bringing in the Kaguya clan, isn't he?"

    Her choice of wording is very…deliberate. Yagura was picking up on an answer the old Lady was trying to communicate without spelling it out. I glanced at Uncle who was staring at me, he blinked but nodded, supporting the surface idea— I don't know if he's caught onto what Lady Megumi was dropping though. Lord Funato stared straight ahead, I think the only thing on his mind now was how he'd get to murder Hisako legally.

    Finally, I said, "I will meditate on this matter. Let's move on to the Daimyo's war and this Lord Yakubi, what should I know?"
    Yayy! First binge done! Next might have less chapters depending on how well I write this following week but hurray! Hope you enjoyed the binge as much as I did, I'll see you next week friday!

    If you wish to support myself and the library, as well as read ahead click here
     
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