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 Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 8:56 am
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__________Chapter Zero_____
__________________________ Negotiations
Part One
After the short journey across the waters surrounding the islands that made up the new Kirigakure, I sort of floundered a bit as to where I was supposed to go. After a few minutes, though, I managed to overcome my stubbornness and asked for directions to the Mizukage's office, since clearly it wasn't in the same place as before, what with a tree taking up a quarter mile of where the village used to be. It was actually pretty impressive, once the mist cleared, and I could make out houses and buildings spiraling up the tree, connected to one another by rope bridges and walkways, not unlike many of the buildings in Kumogakure. Of course, it was in the boughs a thousand or so feet above me that the office lay. I groaned at the thought of having to climb the pathway that led there.
And then I discovered they had a pulley system. Counterweights took carts to various places at various heights of the city, like an elevator, and one even led all the way up to the top. Quick access to the Mizukage for anyone in a hurry, I guess. I half envied them for not having to walk up a bloody mountain or its equivalent to get there.
One somewhat nauseating trip later, I was lifted to the top of the tree.
The building itself was located within the branches and foliage, completely hidden to the world outside. The path leading to the round building was lighted enough to illuminate the clearing the office rested in, settled in the crook of two massive branches. Every now and then sunlight peaked through the leaves; probably more sun than the rest of the village. As for the structure itself, in comparison to not only the rest of the village and my office were massive. The place was barely larger than an apartment, fitting maybe fifty people at any one time if they packed in.
Speaking of, inside were several other people, all, I assumed, waiting to speak with the Mizukage. Great. Given demeanor and stance, I guessed none of them to be above genin rank. Then again, there was no real way to judge rank, so I could have been wrong. I skirted around the blonde male I'd come in after as the door holder spoke to him and made my way up to the receptionist. Yuri was evidently gone, and I thought for a fleeting second she might have been a casualty in the village's destruction, but all of the civilians had supposedly been evacuated, from what I understood. Fishing my headband from my pocket, I held it out to the woman with my right hand, exposing the fuuin placed on my wrist so she wouldn't think I was an uninvited guest. "Kaileer Cein'lys, here as an envoy from Kumogakure." I didn't speak loudly, and didn't mention my title, hoping to dodge too much attention.
Once she jotted down my name, I retreated away from the group of genin toward a series of chairs set out before what I assumed was the Mizukage's door. These I avoided and stood against one of the walls instead, shifting my swords out of the way so I could lean back.
I caught movement out of the corner of my eye just before the figure spoke to me. "Those stairs are exhausting, huh?" asked a feminine voice, evidently trying to initiate a conversation with me. I pulled my gaze away from the door and settled it on her fully. Tall, tan skin and brown hair, her eyes stood out the most. Pink iris and blue sclera. Strange. I guessed she was around my age, and definitely attractive. She also wore one of Kiri's headbands. What she wanted with me was beyond me. I watched her absently as she leaned against the wall beside me. "Celis. Is that how you pronounce it? Such a strange name."
I felt a twinge of annoyance at the horrible mispronunciation of my surname. Jaw clenching, my eyes drifted away from her again. I didn't really have the energy to deal with anyone, and needed to save it for negotiations with the Mizukage. I could only imagine we weren't on great terms with the village. Exhaling softly, I decided to humor her. "Cein'lys." I gave her a half-hearted, sideways grin. "It's a western name. And I didn't take the stairs. ******** that." An honest answer, though whether or not she actually gave a s**t about my response, I couldn't tell. I was so used to people only speaking to me when they wanted something that I didn't trust her. Crossing my arms, I rested my head against the wall, eyes closed, trying to make myself look as uninteresting as possible.
However, she persisted. "Now there's something I can agree with," she said, a smile behind her tone. "I hate that Jack chose this place for his office." I forced my eyes back open, the name drawing my attention. Who the hell was Jack? The Mizukage? I'd wondered if Sypher was gone, but this was pretty much a confirmation. I didn't want to believe it. Before I could say anything, though, she gave a sharp sigh, and her tone grew agitated. "But lucky you. You're probably the 'I leap buildings with a single bound' type. Some of us are mere mortals and have to walk." Leaping buildings. Like hell I did. If I was too lazy to climb stairs, why would I expend energy doing something like that? Did she not know about the pulley system? I gave her a confused glance but she continued on without noticing. "Look, if you're going to do that, I'd appreciate you wait for me once you're done with the Mizukage. Being an emissary and all I'm sure you're getting in and out way before me." In, maybe, but definitely not out. How fast did she think negotiations went? Then her tone shifted again, to something more jovial. With all these people it'll probably be a while. If you don't mind the wait, I'd appreciate you escorting a lady to the ground."
Was she flirting with me now? I gave a derisive snort, my attention turned back to the door. "I used an elevator to get here." I wiped a hand over my face, trying to wake myself up a bit. "Sorry, sleep's been hard to come by lately. Besides, the whole 'leaping with a single bound' thing is a waste of energy that proves nothing." Not to mention, depending on how negotiations went with this Jack, I might have to leave pretty quickly, even if I was interested in 'helping her down'.
"Tell me about it, she replied, folding her arms. "Anyway, you got a place to stay, Kaileer Cein'lys of Kumogakure?" The way she asked was so casual I wasn't sure what to make of it. "If not, you could always stay with me, as payment for not helping me down."
Before I could answer, the doors to the office opened, swinging wide without a sound. A clicking sound broke through the general conversation of the room, drawing attention. The man...well, men, who stepped through the door were not what I expected. Given the same appearance between then, it didn't take a genius to guess they were clones. I frequently left one of mine to take care of things in the office while I was dragged around various other parts of the village. The 'man' looked hardly older than a preteen and was nothing but pale skin and bones. Dark hair fell in gold eyes under a top hat, and his clothes reminded me of something you might see a ringmaster or a conductor wearing. Namely the fancy tail coat. He also held a cane firmly in his grasp that didn't seem to do anything in the way of helping him walk and was just for show. I watched quietly as one strode to the receptionist, spoke softly to her, and took the clipboard she'd jotted my name on when I arrived. His gaze immediately turned toward me, and I stood slightly straighter. The clone announced the next two in line and the other by the door made his way toward me. Right, this was where it got serious. "I'm here for business," I said to the girl, and flashed her a humorless smile. "You never know, we could be enemies by the time I leave."
Closer now, I realized he must have stood about a half a foot shorter than me, and he definitely wasn't built for combat. My comparisons were Kinpaku, Sypher, and the very brief meeting with the Hokage while I was at my weakest during the storm. At the same time, it was comforting to know that maybe one of the other Kages was in the same situation as me. I couldn't help wondering if he'd been shoved into the position as well.
Grin fading, I pushed off the wall as the new Mizukage paused a few feet in front of me. He bowed respectfully, something I hadn't quite expected. "Thank you for coming, representative of Kumogakure no Sato. I have wondered when someone from that village would come." When he stood tall again, his eyes meeting mine, I realized he wasn't what he looked to be. His smile made me uncomfortable. It was unwavering and gave nothing away as to what the man was thinking. I couldn't be considered the most intelligent or even the wisest, but I was observant. I had to be. The role I took had to see the fine details in everything, and that was why I didn't miss the shadow the passed behind his eyes. Something in that told me that, yet again, I'd met a Kage that was on a completely different level than I was. That something was hidden behind the smile he gave me.
With it also came the awkwardness of meeting a Kage as a Kage. He'd made no move to shake a hand, so I wasn't entirely sure if he expected me to extend the gesture. I didn't think he was aware, yet, of who I was outside my name and what symbol my headband bore. I returned his grin with a small one of my own, roughly swallowing my negativity for the moment. "Kaileer Cein'lys. You must be Jack?"
Jack nodded before turning toward the door, posture inviting. "I am," he replied, polite and strangely wistful. He gestured for me to follow, turning away and taking with him that haunting look. "If you would be so kind as to accompany me, I can find a much better location for our talk than here."
Throwing a farewell wave over my shoulder to the flirty genin, I followed Jack to the entrance of the building, and then through the doors, back out under the canopy that overhung most of the village. That was fine by me. Far too many people had gathered inside, and although none paid me any mind I couldn't help being overly aware of where I was. This wasn't the same village I'd left months ago, and I'd been given a cold shoulder then. I think that would have been more acceptable. Maybe it was because they were mostly genin, but they were far too comfortable in the presence of a stranger. Then again, the seals might have played a heavy part in that. The safeguard of assuming nothing could touch them within those giant walls could be dangerous.
[100 sentences]
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Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 3:11 pm
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Part Two
Outside, the fog the village was named for settled heavily on the world below. Aside from the sun's glare somewhere in the distance, little penetrated the blanket of white; faint glimmers were the only view I got of the town. To the left of the doors, where the Mizukage led me, someone huddled against the wall. The blonde boy that entered before me. He looked vaguely famil--
The unasked question was answered before I could finish my thought, Jack proclaiming his name as he spoke to the kid. "The time I set aside as elapsed, Minowa," he said, without looking at the boy. Minowa? What the hell? That couldn't be possible. He was, what, half that age when I saw him last? I said nothing--it wasn't like I'd spoken to him when I visited last anyway--but for a dreadful minute, I thought maybe their weird time loop hadn't ever really fixed itself. I left Kirigakure aged about three years older than when I arrived, and that had been disorienting enough. Just what the hell happened there? "My original has requested that one of us inform you that once it has, you may enter his office, as he will wish to speak with you personally. Please, make your way there and do not hesitate to enter." The boy said nothing and Mizukage moved on then as if nothing had happened.
I did my best to hide my shock and hurried after Jack again, though a part of me felt bitter at the realization that this version of the man wasn't the real one. I supposed it didn't really matter, but I still found it somewhat insulting.
He led the way around the structure, the only sounds passing between us the rhythmic tapping of his cane against the wood and the not-so-orderly clicking of the hilts at my side. There lay a single-roomed cabin with steady light flooding from its windows. Now, again, I wasn't the smartest or the wisest, but I was observant, and the little hut definitely hadn't been there before. Besides that, the two smaller stone structures were gone. My jaw clenched instinctively, but I held my tongue. Answers would be given soon enough, I imagined. Or maybe 'hoped' was a better word.
Inside stood a table covered with steaming foods, the scent wafting from it enough to make one's mouth water. Normally, anyway. Gods, Wan would have devoured both the table and everything on it if he could. The image brought with the memory in the boy Hono's home did not come as welcome, and I quickly shoved it aside. All in all, I wasn't really that hungry. Well, I was but I wasn't. Eating was another thing I'd neglected over the past week along with sleep because the stress made me sick to my stomach. Would it be rude not to touch any of it? I grimaced slightly and watched the Mizukage take a seat in a tall backed chair made with fine upholstery. Another of a different shade of green stood underneath a banner with Kumogakure's cloud emblazoned on it. Personally, I thought it was a little extreme, but I supposed it was comforting in a way. It helped my presence feel a little more accepted.
"I can't decide if I prefer the constant mist or the constant storms," I muttered without really thinking about it. Apparently some part of me wanted to lighten the mood, because I said it before I even realized. "At least here I don't have to worry about flinching every time there's a crack of thunder." I stopped myself there, my gaze turning back to Jack. He'd spoken formally, so I had to hope that my habitual congenial speech wouldn't be a problem.
I sat a little heavier than I intended, not thinking until that point that I'd been standing for the last couple of hours at least. With it came the wave of exhaustion I'd been staving off. Damn it. I needed to get the negotiations underway. I didn't have the energy for all the niceties the man was showing me. Jumping into State of Healing would have solved this issue in an instant, but besides the fact that I wasn't sure if it would trigger those alarms mentioned, the States had been out of my grasp since before the attack. Too much bad blood flowed through my veins; my chakra couldn't settle.
Where should I start?
The last time I'd done anything like this wasn't for negotiations; it had been to help out an allied village and do as I was told. But now I was on equal terms with the shinobi that sat across from me. He knew nothing about me and I nothing about him. Sighing lightly, I settled on an answer. "I guess first I should apologize for taking so long to come. You sent your representatives just as one crisis ended, and by the time we had the hands, another began." I left out that we were still recovering. That wasn't information he needed. I gave a sideways glance out one of the windows. "It looks like you've had your own fair share of troubles."
Jack gave me that uncomfortable smile, amusement written on his features, but, again, I couldn't read anything he was thinking. Some childish part of me found pleasure in the fact the Mizukage was amused by my statement. It made the air between us lighter and put us, in my opinion, on more even terms.
After a moment's consideration, he spoke up again, spreading his arms as if to bring to attention everything around us. "Given that what you see before you is simply the newest reiteration of Kirigakure no Sato built over the remains of the former, I suppose you could say that, yes," he explained, just like the sailor on the trip to the island had. His light-hearted tone offset his statement. "The details are long, but it cost us many of our lives. It took us six months to repair our homes and reestablish new defenses, which I see upon your arm means you have already come in contact with it." He gestured toward me, to my right hand that bore the glyph on its wrist, before settling his hands back in his lap. The feats they'd managed in a few short months were phenomenal.
His gaze turned curious. "I suppose I should start by imploring you to feel no restriction here as to your speech and methodology. I choose to speak with an antiquated structure, but I would expect nothing less than your Truth to be present in all you say and do. Being yourself will do far more to bring yourself into my good graces than attempting to please me." I almost laughed at that. I was fairly certain he didn't want me being myself, given my inner self wanted to throw a fit because I was exhausted. As if reading my mind, he added, "Secondly, I can tell you are quite exhausted, and so I offer to postpone this meeting until tomorrow morning if you so wish to allow you time to rest." I shook my head. It was best to just get this over with. Crossing his legs, Jack continued. "Otherwise, I would inquire as to the state of your village. Did it, too, receive a transformation?"
Resting my elbow on the table and my head in my hand, I turned my gaze to the window again, watching the pale light that leaked through the leaves dance on the tree's bark. "There was no physical transformation," I replied softly. "The village itself is nearly unscathed, but... a lot of people died." And I hadn't been able to do anything. I wasn't really sure what brought me to admit it to someone who could become an enemy. Maybe sympathy. But I couldn't meet Jack's gaze, keeping my eyes carefully on the world outside.
After a moment of solemn silence, I took a deep breath and faced the Mizukage again. "Anyway, that's not why we're here. Allow me to formally introduce myself. Kaileer Cein'lys-Hakemoto, current Raikage of Kumogakure, though something tells me you already suspected that." After all, the man had the demeanor of knowing more than he should, and it wasn't exactly a fact to hide with an ally. I hoped, anyway. The feeling that something could go horribly wrong crept up on me again. I flashed a small, halfhearted grin. "I thought it best to come myself since I'm the only one of my shinobi who has recent ties to Kirigakure, having helped out in the events of the time loop about a year ago."
Jack leaned forward, placing his own elbows on the table, folding his hands under his chin, still watching me. And then he slowly nodded, as if making a mental decision. "I heard a bit about your time here from some of the ANBU when I asked about those events. At that time, I myself was out of sorts and away. You have my gratitude for your actions, and, honestly, it is the reason we are talking now. And while I would love to pursue pleasantries with you, I would assume on some level that is not to your liking, style, or ability." Did he find something about the conversation funny? Jacks lips bore a faint trace of a smirk, which was never a good sign. It usually meant one of a few things: that he already knew the answer to something, that he saw this as a game, or that he was hiding something. I didn't like any of those options."So I ask you, politely and honestly, what is it you came here seeking? An alliance, a friendship? When I assumed my position all prior ties were broken, as I will simply not honor an agreement in which I had no say nor desire to engage in. Nor did I ever know the terms of that alliance. So we must start anew, you and I. So speak plainly, for you cannot offend."
[86 sentences]
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Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 4:29 pm
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Part 3
With his words, I realized just how much of a risk I'd taken in visiting. Although he didn't seem the type to wantonly attack people who clearly meant peace, I'd learned a long time ago not to judge a book by its cover, especially given the thing that seemed to lurk just under the surface of this man who looked more like I child than I did. That aside, I couldn't help wondering what happened to make him distrust the previous Mizukage's decisions. It was a similar but reversed role from the one I held, wherein no one seemed to trust Kinpaku's decision in choosing me.
The point still stood that he broke the alliance without announcing it, and that I found more than both annoying and worrisome. Politics of a country rose above just deciding to change your alignment with someone, and as far as I was aware and concerned, that fell into the hands of the daimyo.
It also made me worried what he might ask for in exchange for an alliance. We didn't have a whole lot to offer at the time.
I hadn't honestly thought that deeply into who I'd come to speak with the Mizukage, but that always seemed to be the case for me. Act first, think later. I mainly meant to apologize for not being able to help them in whatever crisis they'd been dealing with when Inka and the Senju were sent to Kumogakure, but that event seemed to have ended well enough. After all, by the sounds of it, they just finished repairs from an event six months before that buried the entire village under a hundred meters of water. "Originally I came simply to apologize, and to offer services in exchange if you needed them, but since it looks like the alliance has come to an end, I suppose reestablishing that is also part of the discussion." Thankfully, despite the situation, it seemed he was still interested in an alliance.
"Apologies are necessary, yes," he replied. "And that it was offered warms my heart in your favor. I would prefer, however, not to continue under false pretenses." For just a moment the Mizukage's eyes looked almost faceted; the way the light reflected off of them changed, as if shining from flat surfaces rather than the rounded orb. I only saw it for a moment before the table of untouched food became transparent and a map sprawled across the floor under us. A set of islands and a landmass to its west. The islands of the Water Country lay in perfect detail--so much as to show the defenses of the village--and I could see for the first time the filled crater where the Kiri I knew once lay, the massive tree we stood atop filling more than a quarter mile with its trunk alone. The equally large wall surrounded the town around two miles from the first buildings. That aside, it wasn't all that big despite being so spread out.
Underneath me, a hazy Lightning Country stretched, the detail there minimal. Fair enough; he had no business having any information on the land. Still... he must have held me in much higher certainty than I held him to present his village to me in such a way. I didn't trust him. He had the look of someone who saw everything as a game. I had a great dislike of Genjutsu, and that the man could use it without a twitch of his fingers was not knowledge that sat well with me. Some insecure--or maybe paranoid--part of me suddenly wondered if his intention was to extract information from me.
My gaze turned back to him as he spoke, the brief glimpse of his strange eyes gone as they returned to normal. "I broke the treaty for simple reasons. The terms, and agreements, were washed beneath the ocean, lost to my attempts to retrieve it from below and the minds of the individuals who had seen it. As such, I do not know the original terms. Besides which, I see Kumogakure as an asset in alliance, and more so yourself." His smirk was replaced with a smile. "I am new to this, as clearly you are. We are mirrors of a sort, and as mirrors we also reveal a bit of ourselves in each other. I can tell you do not think highly of yourself, and are angry with it. Curious, that you look to me as if a superior in some vague, indefinite way." I felt a twinge of anger at that. Not that it wasn't true, but he didn't have to be so presumptuous. "I hope to reassure you that despite the pretense, I believe you are an equal to I, and I see you as such, awarding proper respect for it. And I ask that you continue to speak plainly, for you will only find friendship here, not enmity, no matter what we say to one another."
If his goal was to throw me off balance, he was successful. Although my anger often became an issue, the fact that he saw through my carefully placed disguise raised my guard once more. My hands curled into fists, not in a threatening way but in order to help control my temper. Brow furrowing, I pushed myself to my feet. "Look, I don't want you in my head any more than you want me in yours, nor does Kumogakure intend on merely becoming an 'asset' to you. We're looking to become allies, not servants." Furthering the strength of one's land through alliance was one thing, but I wasn't going to agree to be the Mist's b***h. I'd had enough of being used by shinobi. It started with Kinpaku taking advantage of my willingness to follow orders, giving me simple tasks that she evidently couldn't do herself, and then handing me her title and baling. That was closely followed by Myurai's attempt to control me; just the thought of him made my blood boil. I stripped him of all title and rank as a result. Even the genin tried to bend me to their desires because I was too soft. I'd come to the village to set up an alliance on equal footing, not become a slave.
The look of surprise in Jack's expression once the brief haze of rage cleared told me all that I needed to know. He hadn't intended to attack my pride; I was just overly sensitive. As much as I hated my temper that inconvenienced me at the most unhelpful times, sometimes it actually did aid in getting the ball rolling. Such as in this case.
He groaned and pushed himself to his feet. "I see my words did not come out as expected. I merely wished to convey that I see you as an equal, someone to ally with, not to ensnare in machinations that simply do not exist." Turning away, he retrieved a scroll from the table behind his chair. "You see, Kaileer, while experience I do have in spades, and in understanding the human behavior and action I may have study, in practice of communication I have little. Theories, studies, they do little to prepare one for the 'real world', as it were." So insensitivity was just him being logical. It did nothing to sooth the tide of my own emotions, but at least his words were justified in some weird way. It even brought with it a hint of curiosity into this man's history. As he returned to the table, his expression became a bit more serious than before.
Sighing, I released my grip on the table and stood straight, expelling as much of the negativity as I could in my state of mind. My gaze fell back to the map below us, and I crossed my arms. "Now that you've laid your entire village bare in front me, what is it that you--" I bit off the end of my statement and tried again. "What will make this alliance work?" After all, I'd come to him, which likely meant an uphill climb to meet requirements.
Jack rolled out the vellum, smoothing it out as he did, showing it to be fairly new. It was blank. "I do not ask for subservience, Kaileer. I ask for alliance. I have no requirements, no foundation, merely an opening." Returning to his seat with a smooth grace, he gazed across the table at me with a mix of nerves and solemnity. "We must, for our people, discuss what we each desire. Let me start with what I can supply, and work from there. We lost much land, and as such our major export if seafood, rice, and nautical support. This, I would assume, means nothing to you as you are based in the mountains. What I can offer that perhaps others do not is defense, and an exchange of knowledge. Training for your Genin, Chunin, and Jounin. Defenses that no village has ever seen before, ones similar to what you bear on your arm." My arm? He gestured toward the fuuin on my right wrist again, and I understood. I glanced down at the small symbol. The guard explained an alarm would sound if I attempted to use my chakra, but I was certain their was more to it. There always was.
I frowned slightly in thought. Maybe it came from a lack of faith or trust in other people but I found all of this too good to be true. Why would the leader of another nation be so willing to give away his secrets without ulterior motives? He'd figured me to the point I might as well have told him myself, but the only bits I could fetch from him were that ever-present smile and the unnerving shadow that crawled behind his eyes. The offer of the defenses stood out to me probably above any else. Training wasn't an issue; my shinobi seemed to know plenty well how to fight--following orders was the problem. Caring about anyone other than themselves and their own agendas was the problem. We'd had similar experiences to Kirigakure in that the attacks always came from within the village. With the mark given to me alone, anyone entering could be stopped the instant they tried to start something. My gaze returned to the Mizukage, considering my words carefully. "Since you've recently lost most of your land for resources, our best offer would probably be to provide what you no longer have access to. We recently opened both a mine and quarry in the mountains after an attack uncovered massive amounts of ore. Otherwise, my village seems to focus on Bukijutsu, especially swords, if you're interested in trading training." Pausing briefly, my eyes fell back to the blank scroll, and I shifted my weight. "In general, I think both villages' shinobi could benefit from training with each other."
Another long moment of consideration passed before Jack spoke up again. The entire time, I was aware of him watching me, carefully analyzing what he could from my actions and reactions. The subtle hints the body gave away despite trying to play things nonchalant. "Trade would be welcome, though the terms of such should probably be discussed at greater length, as taxes and costs must always be raised. As for what you offer in training, I myself have some shinobi who have selected the way of the sword. I would find it beneficial to find a means of training them in arts of other lands, as we have few here besides flailing sticks."
Jack used a lot of words to explain something simple, though I wasn't entirely sure he noticed he spoke so much; we were very different people, myself and him. Whereas his words and actions were thought out carefully and tactically, meant to avoid confrontation, as was shown in his slender frame, my words and trust were based on action. I needed to see to believe because words only went so far. I, and most of Kumogakure, preferred to strike first and ask questions later, as it seemed to save the most lives. Except for when the shinobi sat around in, say, cocoons instead of saving citizens. If someone wanted my trust and my respect, they first had to prove themselves worthy of it, and as of yet few had. I only hoped that they would listen to Wan better than they had me.
That nagging insecurity that I'd felt ever since taking the title of Raikage crept to the forefront of my mind, and again I couldn't figure out why I'd been chosen over Wan.
Pushing it away for the moment, my gaze fell back to the mark on my arm while Jack over-explained its capabilities. "The fuuinjutsu you have there is of my own creation. It allows for specific triggers to activate jutsu hidden within it. For the moment, yours does nothing besides sound an alarm, both for your safety and our own. If an incident occurred we would want it dealt with carefully to avoid an international incident." His smile was gone, attention focused instead on listing off, factually, what it was he could do with the glyph. "I asked for any visiting members of another village be given this for the time being, as I was expecting dignitaries. Yet I could set it that specific words and actions could cause those with the mark to be transported over the ocean, or down into the deepest depths. I could have their location broadcast to every member of the village, or unleash jutsu upon them from a great distance. I can even cause it to allow other triggers to activate, such as a room they are not meant to enter to transport a very angry ANBU into the doorway to defend it. The possibilities are limited by creativity, time, and chakra cost. It is the least of my particular defenses."
In other words, it was a fuuinjutsu limited by imagination, and the mind was an endless place. That was all I really needed to know as far as technicalities went. I was a warrior who used cold steel as a primary weapon; although I understood to an extent how Ninjutsu worked and avoided Genjutsu like a plague, the intricacies of each were meaningless to me. I just needed to be told what to do and how to do it, and that was good enough for me.
Nodding slowly, Jack looked back at my face with a quick inhalation. "What I would ask is that in return, we are allies. We come to one another's aid, and we work together for the greater good of the villages. As such, we will forge no alliances unless we both agree to it, or at least make a decision with respect to one another, and will do not harm to one another's lands. If anyone from the others' village attack, or a village is implicated in aggression towards another, due diligence will be used to investigate the claims in order to avoid any full scale aggression." Pausing, he gestured at the table, and in turn at the scroll.
I didn't have any issues with that. It seemed like we had our hands full without worrying about the other villages, save Konoha. After all, the Hokage appeared and then vanished conveniently when we needed his help. After that everything is still a bit hazy. Still, my trust did not come easily because of it. But Kirigakure had been our allies for years. And, again, I'd come to Jack, not the other way around.
After a brief look at the foggy map of the Land of Lightning, my eyes finally returned to Jack. He was dodging answers but it was clear that even after my offers there was still something he wanted. And that feeling was reflected in my own eyes, I was sure. His defenses could stop attacks from within permanently. Kumogakure could become the power it once was again, so long as we had the time to build up to it. A small grin leaked into my expression. "In case you couldn't tell by now, words and politics aren't my strong suits. I fight and I defend. Jack, you thrive off of knowledge; it doesn't take a trained eye to figure that out. So... why don't we take it a step further." If trust was an issue in my eyes, I just had to make sure he didn't have a reason to break it. "Instead of an alliance, why not a partnership. I'm sure it will cause some strife with the other villages." I gestured first to myself and then to him as I continued. "But with our strength and your tactics we could fend off anything they throw at us." My outstretched hand curled into a fist and I let it fall back to my side. I couldn't deny that part of my request was selfish but after losing nearly twenty percent of the population and seeing the hatred that had grown in the eyes of my people, I needed to defend those that remained by any means possible. Besides, trade would help a failing economy on both sides. Unless someone became an aggressor between us, I couldn't imagine the peace between us would end easily.
The more I spoke to the man, the more I understood, to some extent, the way that he thought. Obviously, he did what he thought was best for his village; all of the kage upheld that, ideally. But beyond that, logic drove every decision, regardless if it was right or wrong, or threatening to another way of life. In this case, taking such a drastic leap could lead to strife with the other two villages, but some part of me didn't care. I wanted peace but first I had to stop the attacks that seemed to come one after another. The defense of the people that lived in my lands came first and foremost, and the only reason anyone would have a reason to attack in otherwise peaceful land was if they were looking for power through expansion. UHV aside, we hadn't done anything to instigate retaliation, so if one of the other villages struck, it was for their own greed, not ours.
The proposition of a partnership wasn't without its own internal issues. As far as I was aware, neither village's shinobi knew each other, which could lead to contention. Preferably healthy rivalry, but given the actions the genin after the last few events, I was less than impressed with them and expectations had dropped to the bottom rung of the ladder. That in itself would take some time to fix. Still, training with members from another village could be good for them.
It was a lot to absorb, and a severe shift of plans, but eventually Jack nodded and held out a hand. "I concur. Together, our villages will be strong. My suggestion, then, if perhaps would should start this off with a joint venture. For quite some time I have wondered at returning the Chunin Exams to an international level. Perhaps we may have one, and while our Genin fight for a title you and I discuss what it is we wish to do together. Discuss our strengths, weaknesses, and how to best go about fixing them."
I'd heard about the exams while in the academy, but none had occurred since I received my headband. I'd been kind of lucky in general getting to where I was. I definitely didn't disagree with the idea; the genin of Kumo seemed to have an abundant amount of angst they needed to blow off, so maybe something like an Exam would do them well. "Maybe we could even do something for the chuunin, too. I don't think many of the newer shinobi have really faced against another of equal rank." Taking the offered hand, another half-hearted grin plastered itself to my face. I couldn't help feeling we'd rushed to an agreement when just a moment before I was angry. Naivety stood at its strongest between two kages who had no idea what they were doing, and both of us could only hope we'd made the right choice.
[152 sentences]
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Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:17 pm
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Part Four
Jack shook my hand and then used it as leverage to pull himself to his feet, proving him to be more exhausted than he let on. We'd both gone through traumatic experiences recently, and both felt the weight of our villages and every life with in them on our shoulders. If nothing else, we had that in common. Rest was needed. Sleep, at the very least, for a few hours. However that didn't seem to be Jack's intention quite yet. He led the way out of the room and away from the delicious smells that had been taunting me since I arrived. I hadn't actually eaten any of it, not a single bite, and regretted it instantly. "I have many ideas for such things, and I find it agreeable that it was you, and not I, to come up with the concept in the first place." Each step elicited a groan from the wooden floors as his cane tapped out a smooth rhythm of step. "Let me ask you, then, as one kage to another, a question to help me understand you as a person. What drives you as a shinobi?"
My hunger was quickly forgotten. The Mizukage's question caught me off-guard with the suddenness of it. One moment we discussed a chuunin exam, and the next he was asking me existential questions. What drove me? I honestly wasn't sure there was an answer to that anymore. I knew what originally drove me, but after everything that had happened over the last couple of years...I'd begun to question why I kept doing this to myself. And that doubt continued to cling to my conscience like some sort of parasite.
When I didn't answer, Jack continued in moving forward and speaking. "Most Genin, I find, lust for power, for recognition, to make a name for themselves. In other words, for selfish reasons. Even Chunin find themselves cut from this cloth, with experience only mildly tempering their burning desires." He lead the way around the outside of the small hovel of an office and further out onto the tree's canopy until the building was lost to the foliage behind us. Around us, the songs and warbling of a myriad of bird species rained down. We were in a small ecosystem, tucked away and hidden within the heart of the tree. It brought a sense of peace that I hadn't felt for a long time. Being in that clearing seemed almost like a different world, so far removed from the village a thousand feet below it was like it didn't exist.
I took a moment to let my thoughts and senses wander as Jack spoke once more. "What I find is that the rank of Jounin is where those young children find an inkling of their purpose, their goals, that define them as who and what they are. In retrospect one could say that the lessons and answers come too late, but I find that one can never be too late to learn that lesson." I agreed with him. It seemed like all anyone was interested in anymore was what was on their agendas. Power, fame, and money drove humankind and the fact it leaked into the shinobi forces who were meant to protect people disgusted me.
Jack looked back at me with a smile. "Sometimes people need a push to discover their true selves, that Truth hidden behind a manufactured mask with which to hide oneself from the rest of the world," he mused, the tone of reverence now coupled with genuine curiosity. "So what about you, Kaileer Cein'lys? Who are you behind that mask, and why, of all paths to take, did you choose the one of defending a village of Shinobi?"
I drew my attention back to him. It took a push to discover one's purpose. What about me?
Who was I?
"I don't honestly know." The words were said before I really thought about them, but they were the truth. I'd lost myself at some point, or maybe I never really knew myself. I'd been running ever since I was young, gone to Kumogakure I guess in search of my purpose. Now, sitting in a chair that I wasn't so sure belonged to me, I still felt that I hadn't found what I was meant to do. Given, I was still young, but I just felt lost. "I live to protect the people of my village, but sometimes it just seems so...meaningless, you know?" I curled my hand into a fist and looked down at it. Why was I telling him this? "What's the point of all this fighting when we could easily live in peace? No one is interested in expansion, money, or anything of the like, so why fight?" I scoffed and my eyes turned back to him. "Don't get me wrong, fighting is all I know. I've no talents for anything else, so I don't know where I'd be. But..." Finally my gaze settled back on his, I guess looking for confirmation that he understood what I was saying. I didn't even know if what I'd said made sense.
Jack took a deep breath, sticking his hands into the pockets of his coat. The cane he carried remained where it had been left, standing perfectly balanced. "I know what you mean, Kaileer. I, too, do not understand this world's propensity for violence and misdeeds. Money, land, power, these are but fleeting things in our short lives, temporaries that can come and go with but a single beating of the heart. And yet others are drawn to it, giving such actions meaning that are not inherent, utilizing justifications that the likes of you and I might understand, but never agree with. Such is the world we live in, and such is why I focus everything on bringing peace. It is why I seek peace with the United Hidden Villages, for I understand their actions without agreeing with them. It is why I have accepted so readily a deal with you, for I wish there to be peace and prosperity between our nations. Yet it is more than that."
I couldn't help the bitter smile that touched my lips at the mention of the UHV, but my gaze fell away in hopes of hiding it. He wanted to be friends with them after everything they'd done? At least now I had in mind a sensitive subject that would need to be brought up at some point if this partnership was going to work. I couldn't forgive them for what they'd done, but I also knew we didn't have the strength required to face them. Which made me feel worse about our lack of progress after Sunagakure mopped the floor with them. I hated them with every fiber of my being after the deaths they had caused.
It was hatred like that that caused wars in the first place. Money and land were just face value; they bore no purpose unless one held malice towards the victimized party. In this case, it was the UHV that hated us. The great nations had belittled them, supposedly, and oppressed them. They were fighting back to prove they were as much a threat as we were. And then they received a smack on the back of the hand and were sent home. As far as I could tell, no one had heard from them since. In some ways it was sad, but this was a war that they started, not us.
Jack paused briefly, and I looked back at him. He raised his face toward the sun and spoke again, his voice heavy with what I guessed was sorrow. "There was once a time where all I knew...changed. I...broke. My mind, my soul, bereft of guidance. I was lost. I knew not what I was, who I was, and every action I took made it worse. I knew not if what I did was right, was good, and everything I tried to do to fix it felt like an utter failure.
"It took many days wandering the wastes of the world, searching for something my studies had explained to me." He'd felt in the past what I felt then. Without someone to guide me my life seemed like it had no purpose. It felt like I had always been running and I was tired, to the point I could lay down and never get up. A sense of hollowness, a part of me missing that I couldn't place a finger on.
I watched in silence as the Mizukage turned away from me and his features changed in a surge of chakra. Eyes that opened to reveal their multifaceted glimmer were the start, with a cloak of some sort of silvery, mercurial material forming around his shoulders and sweeping, curved lines forming upon his cheeks and around his eyes. These lines were a pale, bright green, and the shadows under his eyes turning a pale blue similar to the reflection of the sky. Instinctively I tensed, but the man's air remained calm. He didn't intend any harm, and a moment later he explained. "Sage Mode. A connection with the world around me. It brought peace to me, showing me my place in the world, and giving me a connection with everything living in it." He lowered his arms once more. "You see, Kaileer, I specialize in something. My purpose, as it always has been, is to help others find themselves. Their inner Truth, as it were. And if you wish it, perhaps I can give you the tools you need to find yourself. For that is what you lack: you do not know who or what you are, and self doubt plagues you. Please, tell me if I am wrong."
I'd heard some about it, Sage Mode--as a Hakemoto, it was very similar to how our States worked--and the summonings associated I'd seen in action from both Myurai and Jae. The latter brought about unwelcome memories of my brief chance getting to know her before she vanished, and of course Samuru. Jack was offering to teach it to me, and as much as it was something I desired, given my inability to use the States, I doubted it was something I would be able to achieve anytime soon.
His last statement stuck out to me the most. I didn't know who or what I was and doubt was an overwhelming shadow on my conscience. "You're right. And I don't think I ever have known." I sighed and shoved my hands into my pockets. "I'm a member of one of the Hakemoto branches a ways to the west of Kaminari no Kuni. As such, I understand how Sage Mode works, and I don't think that, as I am, it's something I'm capable of right now." He didn't need to know the reasoning--I had enough of a problem feeling weak in comparison to others--, and I couldn't demonstrate how I understood without my States. "So maybe another time, once I've had a chance to sort things out, I'll be able to give it a try."
Extending his hands to his sides, I once again watched in silence as Jack let go of the gathered sage chakra, returning to his 'normal' self. Then he placed a hand on my shoulder. Perhaps out of instinct, I flinched. I hadn't realized how tense I was until then and immediately gave him an apologetic glance. He wasn't doing anything, idiot.
"Perhaps," he replied, "not now, no, but the first steps should be taken. A Sage may teach the Human Path, but it is one of loneliness, self reaching and self reflection being the cornerstones of the practice. No, I believe companionship, support, is what you will need, and for that you would need a pact with one of the Animal Path's guides. It is but a suggestion, but one I offer to take you to at your desire." I didn't doubt that. I wasn't sure if companionship was what I needed, per say, but perhaps it would be appreciated, given the summons actually gave two shits about my existence. Then again, seeing how Jae handled her birds with as fiery of a temper as she'd had, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
The Mizukage took a step back and I found myself instantly more relaxed, though the young man looked away so I think he missed my expression of relief. "There is more I can do for you, if you let me, but I will leave this up to you. As allies, as partners, I will be at your disposal. But I leave what I do up to you, of course." He held out a hand and the cane that had stood on its own until that point dissolved into ash, reforming in the man's hands. He leaned heavily on it. "I brought you here so that none may hear you. Not even my ANBU are allowed here without my written permission. You may talk freely, and I hold no judgment. As such, I must ask what would you prefer we do next?"
"Can you do that with people, too?" I asked. "And what's the range?" If he could, then I didn't have to leave just yet. "If you can, I don't have to leave in such a hurry. I'd like to learn more about the Animal Path. But if not, I have to make a trip to Takumi before I head back to my village..." I trailed off, making the implications of my urgency as clear as possible.
Another one of his genuine smiles split his face, in almost a selfish or prideful way. I took it to mean he could transport me wherever I wanted. A handy ability, and a dangerous one for any with ulterior motives. He had them, but I still couldn't place what exactly they were. Part of it was my paranoia speaking, but my lack of trust, I felt, was duly earned. "The technique could take you to Kumogakure from here, if I so desired. Well, to the outskirts of the village anyway," he offered. "I can also take you to Takumi if that is your desire.
"I do not mince words here, Kaileer, when I say I can help you. But I ask only that you think of yourself in this, not your village." My gaze turned back to him. "If you, yourself, are not right in self no matter what you try your village will suffer. Let yourself heal, even a little, and take the first steps towards that healing before heading home." I thought I'd been plenty selfish with my actions, but maybe he was right; I wouldn't be able to lead if I didn't even have faith in myself. He put a hand to his chin in thought before continuing slowly. "If you wish to leave now, I can send you wherever you wish to go. But I should warn you, my Scattering the Ashes has been known to produce a sort of movement induced illness afterwards, so I would steel yourself before we continue."
I couldn't stop a small part of me from growing a bit annoyed that someone around the same age as me claimed to be wiser and more worldly than I was. I didn't deny the possibility, but I hated that I couldn't be seen in the same light. For a shinobi, let alone a kage, I felt naive in comparison to almost everyone I met. Even Wan had all of this knowledge from his homeland, wherever that was, that put me to shame. There wasn't much that I had I could call my own. I didn't even have a way of comparing my combat ability to anyone. Given, in a hand-to-hand fight I could probably win against the current Mizukage, but he wasn't a fighter. He was a thinker who seemed to focus on genjutsu and fuuinjutsu. One well placed genjutsu and I'd be finished.
"Or," Jack piped in again, interrupting me from my thoughts. "I could give you a test. Something that could help you find your Truth."
My gaze turned back to him, interest piqued. "What do you mean by 'test'?" I asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Essentially, I will link you to my mindscape, within which you will face your Truth, whatever it is you have hidden in your heart. Whatever is stopping you from finding your purpose." If healing was what I needed, then Kumogakure wasn't where I was going to find it. I believed Wan could manage well enough on his own in my absence, so maybe it was best to take Jack up on his offer. "However," he continued. "It is incredibly dangerous. Whatever you face in there could make you lose yourself entirely. Regardless, you would emerge changed." I looked down at my hands briefly, and curled them into fist. He seemed to sense my apprehension, and his tone softened. "I will let you think it over. In the meanwhile, you said you needed to travel to Takumi? I will take you there. It will be disorienting, I assure you, but it will be quick. Keep a hold of me." He paused, holding out a hand. I will not be able to stay long, but I will give you a way to reach me."
The barest of smiles lit my face almost involuntarily. "I will consider it. Thank you, Jack."
[138 sentences]
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