A Dead Man Makes A Visit

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Sage approached the entrance to the Kazekage Tower, his robes billowing in the wind. Long white hair that cascaded past his shoulders danced lazily in the breeze. Opening the door he would step through it's threshold & make his way to the reception. He felt the eyes of security lock onto him as that aura of dread enveloped them with his approach. It was an unfortunate side affect of his current form that he could not contain it. A warm smile would be given to those eyeing him that was a stark contrast to the presence the individual gave off. The woman at reception eyed him cautiously as he approached, her gaze flickering to the security as he came to a stop before her. "I'm here for a meeting with the Kazekage. I'm the Miroku Clans representative for the matter." he waited for her to find the appointment. He'd sent an Agent earlier in the week to arrange the matter. All in an effort to hide the fact he'd returned until he was ready. There had been matters that required his attention before he'd been ready to make his public return.

He'd arrived a little earlier then arranged just on the off chance something had come up. If needed he could always get the Kazekage's attention. But given he had not met this new individual he decided to play it safe & be civil for now. Given the nature of his visit it couldn't hurt either. After a brief moment she would inform him that she'd found it & directed him to wait outside the office. He'd nod in thanks before making his way there. His tall & slender frame would pace in the waiting area as he waited to be invited inside. No doubt the Kazekage would feel the corrupted aura of the Dark Sage as he awaited his allocated meeting. A few others were waiting it seemed as well. They I'd the individual with caution every time he crossed their path with his pacing. He couldn't help but wonder if he should've approached Sousuke first to get a feel of this new Kazekage. Nonetheless it was done & he would walk into these unknown waters.

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

Dressed simply in a pair of green running pants and a slate grey t-shirt, it was clear that Suzaku had already had something of an ordeal for a day as his attire was burnt and torn in various places and missing one shoe entirely. His arms sported a handful of superficial lacerations which had long since stopped bleeding but were still smeared with dark red dried blood and on his right side there was a large gap in his shirt where he had a reasonably sized gash which too had been staunched. He sat with his legs stretched out in a tired manner and his hands resting behind his head with his fingers interlaced and resting against the wall, staring at the ceiling seemingly lost in thought.

His body ached but he'd been given instructions by a superior to report to the Kazekage about the incident he'd been involved in immediately which of course was to say "eventually" because short of the village coming under attack or someone important getting killed nobody ever reported to the Kazekage "immediately".

Then again, Suzaku also wasn't in any particular hurry to report to the Eleventh Kazekage.

He hadn't started the fight-- the other guys had by refusing to walk away. He'd come across a couple of gang bangers out of their element on the surface putting the screws to a guy in a back alley of the Commercial District while he was out grocery shopping for the Takahashi Manor and it wasn't something that Suzaku could have walked away from. He just hadn't expected the bangers to also be packing some heat of their own. Suzaku was powerful by the standards of anyone's age but his experience in real fights was still limited and while Mikaboshi and Zangetsu had put him through significant training he still found himself on the back step facing three fighters who were much more comfortable in a fight than he was even if he had more power than ten of each of them. He couldn't just kill them so it was a tight rope act of putting out enough power to fight them, navigate not getting disemboweled and still beat them.

When all was said and done, a building was set on fire, the road in the surrounding area was trashed and the local merchants were up in arms about a Sand shinobi making such a tremendous mess. Which was stupid in Suzaku's opinion-- the only thing that really mattered is three bad guys got caught and nobody else got hurt but the businessmen with shops and establishments on the street didn't see it that way. They'd have to be closed for days while repairs were made to the surrounding architecture and made sure that they were structurally safe. But who's fault was that, really? It wasn't like Suzaku could just let the guy get mugged or kidnapped. What was he supposed to do, let them do their thing and head home for the day?

Suddenly Suzaku's recounting of his day's events came to a screeching halt as a weird vibe crawled its way over his skin like the feeling of thousands of tiny rodents clawing their way up his arms and legs towards his shoulders. It didn't hurt, not in the way that his cuts and bruises did, but it was a different sort of all together repugnant feeling that washed over him in a sudden wave as Akkuma rounded the corner and entered the waiting room. Lifting his eyes to look at the white-haired man that entered the room, Suzaku's face curled into a snarl of disapproval for a moment before he rested his head back down to try and put the stagnant air of the man's aura out of his mind... until Akkuma refused to take a seat and decided to spend his time pacing back and forth in the center of the waiting room. After a few minutes of dealing with Akkuma's pacing combined with the turbulent ebb and flow of the man's grim presence, Suzaku sighed and lifted his head.

"Hey jerk-ass, you think you could pace around without fillin' up the tower with your rancid chakra for a bit?"

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

"Hey jerk-ass, you think you could pace around without fillin' up the tower with your rancid chakra for a bit?" The words brought his pacing to a halt as his emerald eyes slid to the youth who sat there. So focused had he been on pondering how his first meeting with the Kazekage that he'd paid no attention to the disapproving snarl from the youth. After all the Sage had encountered such reactions his entire life. What made him finally acknowledge the youth was their bluntness & lack of etiquette. Turning to face them he would give the child an assessing look. There had clearly been an incident of some kind from the obvious state of the youth. "Unfortunately that's not a request I can oblige. I'd enlighten you as to why but I don't believe that would make the best impression on the Kazekage...if they are anything like Sousuke or Katsuo. Perhaps when you're older I'll enlighten you to the secrets of shinobi." he would say casually moving to take a seat opposite the youth.

Raising a hand to push the hair from his face he leaned back with a sigh. In the past he would've entertained himself with tormenting the youth in the hopes of forcing the Kazekage's hand. But he had goals that required he constrain what he was. To once more fashion himself into a tool to be wielded by the village once more. It was not a path he'd committed to in decades. Lowering his gaze from the roof to the youth & deciding to formally introduce himself. "My name is Miroku Akkuma...may I ask what happened?" He'd ask deciding to pass the time by sating his curiosity. Perhaps he'd find out why such a disheveled youth, had possessed the gall to speak to him in the manner they had. There had been a time in his life when he would have placed a Curse Seal upon the child just for showing such disrespect.

If the youth properly looked at the Sage they'd notice scars covered his form. After all the Sage had died a few times & none of them had been a pleasant experience to say the least. With the practiced speed only a shinobi of his caliber could have, he formed a series of handseals that resulted in a bright aura of restorative energy enveloping the waiting area. This Pristine Aura would seem to overpower his aura if only for a moment. The restorative barrier would be maintained by the Sage for a moment in an attempt to ease the injuries of the youth. He considered the act a token of apology for the way his presence seemed to be affecting the youth. Not even thinking that he should have informed the youth of the jutsu he was going to use so as not to raise any alarms.

[Pristine Aura Mastered Used & MFT]

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

Suzaku listened to Akkuma's response, ready to give him the sort of flippant response that could only come from the mouth of a grumpy teenager that had recently been in a fight but stopped just short of opening his mouth as Akkuma invoked the name of both his caretaker Sousuke and of his late father. That made him quiet down a bit and the sage took a seat across the waiting room from him Suzaku leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he did. The feeling of Akkuma's sickening chakra wasn't gone or subdued but at least it was still now. Having spent enough time in the suffocating aura of Master's frigid presence, Suzaku wasn't a stranger to being around people who had uncontrollably uncomfortable presences but in this particular moment the feeling of Akkuma's malfeasance swirling around him in combination with the ache of his injuries and the stress of the upcoming scolding he was due in for had made him react in a hostile way that he knew Sousuke would have given him grief for.

"My name is Miroku Akkuma...may I ask what happened?"

Suzaku looked down at his hand as Akkuma asked him what happened. What was he going to tell Lord Raizo, anyway? Would the Ryuzaki Kazekage even believe what he had to say? It wasn't like Suzaku was on particularly good terms with Raizo's family.

"There were some deadbeats hasslin' somebody downtown in the commercial district and I put a stop to it."

That was technically the truth, wasn't it? What was Master always saying...

"Truth and honesty are seldom the same thing"?

Leaning forward for a moment and shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Suzaku seemed to debate with himself briefly before looking up at Akkuma as the healing power of the Pristine Aura washed over him and gave him some much needed relief from the pounding of his bruises and battered limbs.

"You mentioned my da... Katsuo." There was a serious look in Suzaku's eyes, a fire that was reminiscent of his father in a variety of ways from the way that he set his jaw to the way that his eyes sparkled faintly as his chakra unconsciously coursed through them.

"Did you... know him?"

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

Something changed, he wasn't sure which of his actions had caused it. But he could no longer feel the animosity from the youth. When the youth gave a short explanation of what had happened. "There were some deadbeats hasslin' somebody downtown in the commercial district and I put a stop to it." It was clear by his expressions that he thought that was the important part of the events. A small smile formed upon the Sages face. How he so often forgot that to many of the youth the world was black & white, there was no room for greys. It was an innocence that showed ones lack of experience, particularly in their line of work. But those lessons would come in time to the youth no doubt there had been many hard lessons learnt.

The child nearly said something that caused the Sages curiosity to truly come to life. "You mentioned my da... Katsuo." Could it be? Was the child a Sunahoshi? "Did you... know him?" The youth asked if he knew the former Kazekage. A chuckle would escape from the Sage "Unfortunately I only had the pleasure of meeting your father once.." he paused only briefly his gaze holding the youth as he spoke. "..even so he did not fail to make an impression. Of all the Kage I've met in my time none carried themselves with the authority or presence that Lord Katsuo did. If I'm to speak honest he actually detained me." he would say with a warmth to it that would no doubt seem quite contrary to the eventful encounter. Akkuma was nothing if not honest about his past & even his motives. It was a flaw that he prided himself on. "There was a fire in him not unlike the one you possess. I should elaborate...there was a Demon Hunter. No doubt they had their reasons for loathing my kind, but I was not intent on having my life ended by someone who had no right to do so. Naturally I defended myself...our fray drew the attention of the Anbu & your Father." he would say as his gaze moved from the youth searching the hall, listening for any signs of approach. While he returned to the memory of the encounter wondering what further details he should give the youth if any more.

"By all means it's none of my business but should you not be feeling good after stopping those responsible? Is there something I'm missing?" he would inquire further about the event that had brought the young Sunahoshi here. If he had to guess he'd have put money on something had gone wrong. Some kind of collateral damage, doubting it was lost life as the boy didn't seem to weighed by the burden of the encounter. He still sensed the sting of righteousness in the boys words when he'd given his short explanation. No most likely something else. After the Trickster Sage was quite accustomed to such situations.

 

[Raizo]

"Yukina..."

He could feel the cold grip of a strange presence around him as he called out to his attendant. The pinkish-haired female would turn around to him.

"Yes, Raizo?"

"Did you fart?"

A few moments would pass before finally, the sound of a responding voice would pick up over the intercom for the receptionist.

"The Kazekage will be needing a moment, please tell his guest as such and apologize on his behalf" Yukina would say over the device before once more slamming his fist down into the back of the Kazekage's skull. A vein would almost be erupting from his forehead as her brow and expression only seemed to grow worse and worse. "How could you even think to ask me such an idiotic question?"

"You don't feel that weird funk... I know I didn't... I'm sorry to have accused you, Yu..." the Kage would say meekly as his eyes were still attempting to steady his vision after almost certainly suffering a concussion at the hands of the female that was supposed to be helping him.

"Get yourself ready, you have an appointment and you are already making them wait because you are an idiot" the attendant would say sharply as Raizo would nod before placing his head onto his table to help with the spinning.

But seriously, what is the ugly presence...

OOC: Entered with NPC Yukina and PC Raizo

Spoiler: Yukina's appearance

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

"Unfortunately I only had the pleasure of meeting your father once... Even so he did not fail to make an impression. Of all the Kage I've met in my time none carried themselves with the authority or presence that Lord Katsuo did. If I'm to speak honest he actually detained me. There was a fire in him not unlike the one you possess. I should elaborate...there was a Demon Hunter. No doubt they had their reasons for loathing my kind, but I was not intent on having my life ended by someone who had no right to do so. Naturally I defended myself...our fray drew the attention of the Anbu & your Father."

Suzaku had only barely managed to catch himself from calling Katsuo his dad but Akkuma had caught it. It wasn't that he wasn't allowed to talk about his dad with people but that people kept telling him what a bad idea it was to talk about his family. Putting aside entirely the weight that the Sunahoshi legacy held, Katsuo himself had a host of enemies that could prove themselves dangerous to his young son without Katsuo himself in the picture to protect him. But still, Suzaku couldn't put aside the immense pride he felt at being a part of that legacy. It was up to him to honor the memory of his dad and he didn't feel like he was doing that by pretending that he wasn't Katsuo's son.

"By all means it's none of my business but should you not be feeling good after stopping those responsible? Is there something I'm missing?"

Akkuma's follow-up question snapped Suzaku out of thoughts relating to his father and back to reality. Back to the looming conversation with Raizo which did not promise to go particularly well given the amount of property damage that he'd inflicted in the process of giving the three rogue agents a beatdown.

"I... uh. Well, things might have gotten outta hand. A little bit." Admitted Suzaku, sitting back in his chair and rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away from Akkuma for the first time since they started talking. He wasn't very good at hiding anything, really. It was one of the things that Mikaboshi had often harped on him about. Supposedly one of the Deep Court's strengths was in deception but even though his mother was a hybrid and that technically made him a member of the Deep Court, he was still very much one hundred percent human being and even more than that he was absolutely definitely his father's son, complete with a total ineptitude at successfully being deceptive.

"Arright, listen. I'm just not used to having to hold back, yanno?" He said, a strange uncertainty in his voice. "Monsters like demons and unbent? I'm on that. You just gotta hit'em with everythin' you got. But here I feel like I'm livin' in a world made outta cardboard. I always gotta be careful not to break somethin'."

Or hurt somebody. Property damage aside, all three of the guys Suzaku had gone up against weren't going to be out of medical care for a while and it wasn't entirely clear if one of them would make it at all. He hadn't meant to go that hard but Suzaku's fighting style asked of him precise control of his breathing and movements at all times and little slip-ups meant that a punch might be delivered with way more force than originally intended. Those guys were scumbags to be sure and Suzaku didn't mind if they spent some time in the secure wing of the Omni-Prime for a while to think about why they ended up there but he wasn't sure how he felt about sending one of them to the morgue just like that.

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

It seemed to the Sage that the youth before him was on a path all to similar to that of his younger self. "I... uh. Well, things might have gotten outta hand. A little bit." with those words the boys body language changed. Shifting to that of someone who knew they had made a mistake. The Sage would raise an eyebrow, he would voice no words of judgement or further prod the youth at this point. He was wondering just how far the youth had pushed things. "Arright, listen. I'm just not used to having to hold back, yanno?" More explanations & yet Akkuma couldn't help but feel as if he wasn't the only one the boy was trying to justify his actions too. The boys remorse was apparent not for who he'd harmed but that he'd not been able to control himself. "Monsters like demons and unbent? I'm on that. You just gotta hit'em with everythin' you got. But here I feel like I'm livin' in a world made outta cardboard. I always gotta be careful not to break somethin'." Leaning back he gauged the youth before him, a shinobi's life is a hard one to live with. Let alone to persevere with ones humanity intact. With a sigh he spoke "In truth the blame lies not with you...it lays with your betters. The shinobi who came before you, the ones like myself. I suspect I've played a greater part in this issue then I'd care to admit." it was an admission spoken with a somber honesty.

Akkuma knew that his actions had helped the corruption spread throughout the village. He'd helped other players in the depths of Suna's underbelly gain power & brought chaos between its denizens. His abductions of academy teachers no doubt had not helped with staff retention. Even he had only built those he dealt with to face fate altering situations. Rarely did he take the time to teach them the importance of finesse. As a result he was no stranger to collateral damage on a scale that would haunt better men then himself. "For so long now the forces the youth have faced have been otherworldly...our preparation & strategies have mirrored this." he paused for a moment running his fingers through his hair once more. As if the act would wash away the sense of guilt he felt slithering up his own spine. He continued on pushing past the almost alien feeling. "Monsters are easy foes, so much is on the line when we face them we often think not of the cost of the victory but what was saved. This method is not so effective for humanity...so many variables come into play, so many complications. May I ask which of the Shinobi Arts do you favor?" he would finish with a question to the boy. Already wondering what Strategy he might recommend or train the youth in so as to avoid him finding himself in a similar scenario in the future.

The Sage withdrew a wooden pipe from his robe & a small leather pouch from one of his pockets. He loosened the knot holding it shut & packed some of the contents into his utensil. Tightening the knot once more he'd place it within his robe pocket. Igniting the contents with a snap of his fingers, taking a deep inhale of the smoke. He would follow it with a sigh of relief, smoke beginning to swirl around his form. The pungent odor of the mixed herbs enveloped him as he stayed focused. If he did not keep his wits about him it would be easy to fall back into his old habits of pushing the individual before him down a dark road. But he sought to be better then that now. This was his home after all. Maybe his death at the hands of his own sons had cast some doubts upon the ideology he'd lived by. Perhaps it was the corruption he'd seen spread through the village. It could arguably all be a ploy from the Sage a ruse. Although it was not inarguable that his time within the village & around its residents had impacted him. Over the years he had shown a significant attachment to Sunagakure even investing a great deal of his assets into aiding it. Was this merely the culmination of experiences? Only the Sage would know this & only time would tell.

MFT

 

[Raizo]

"Yukina..."


"You couldn't possibly be dead from all that"

"You... you are a demon... sent from hell..."

She would let out a sigh as she looked down at the Kazekage. It seemed that she had hit him either too hard or too much in her rage, but she also understood how durable the man she attended to was. If this was enough to really damage him to the point he was incapacitated, then it would make him nowhere close to deserving of being the next Konungr... let alone the Kazekage.

"You have five minutes to clean yourself up, then we will bring in your next appointment. It is already an embarrassment that you have made them wait for this long..." She would continue looking down at him. Maybe there was truly something wrong with him? There was a weird animal-like attribute to him; Raizo always seemed to have a knack to unconsciously realize or sense things that others missed. Could it be that something was happening within the village?

"...a demon..."

A scowl would appear on his face once more.

No, he is just an idiot...

Soon the time would come that the fateful meeting between Raizo and Akkuma would occur.

OOC: NPC Yukina and PC Raizo

Spoiler: Yukina's appearance

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

Variables and complications were right. His master and his uncle Zangetsu had always taught him that caring about his opponent's life was a waste of time that only held back his true strength but that never proved to be true of his father in Naganisa's stories. She always taught Suzaku that his father fought with a kindness that was uncharacteristic of a man of his strength and that he only took lives when he was confronted with no other option but to do so. To that end, Suzaku had always rejected the idea that he had to utterly crush his opponents with every ounce of his strength. It was perhaps the first of Mikaboshi's teachings that Suzaku had rejected.

"May I ask which of the Shinobi Arts do you favor?"

Suzaku blinked at Akkuma for a moment in silence. Strictly speaking... he didn't really practice any of the "shinobi arts". He commanded martial arts techniques belonging to the school of Tenseiken and knew a little bit of Deep Court magic but shinobi techniques? The only one of his teachers that could have even been considered a shinobi was Zangetsu and his uncle had never identified much with the word. Zangetsu was a ranger first and foremost, not a shinobi.

"I uh. Well, Taijutsu I guess." That was true, more or less. He didn't know any bonified shinobi Taijutsu but he had plenty of close quarters combat moves which could have been the envy of any shinobi Taijutsu practitioner. "I don't really know much about them. I'm a martial artist."

He'd been assigned the role of genin because of his overall lack of experience both in combat and with the society structure of shinobi civilization. He barely understood what his rank meant, truth be told.

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Sage raised an eyebrow in surprise as he received a surprising answer to his question. "That...is surprising to say the least. But explains why you were a victim of collateral damage." he would say calmly in his business-like manner. Akkuma was surprised that the child lacked any other fighting styles, particularly given his heritage. It was an oversight on the villages behalf or whoever his tutor was in the shinobi's opinion. "I would recommend you at least begin expanding your horizons when it comes to your capabilities. The various shinobi arts will allow you more control over the battlefield & your opponents. Otherwise such events as the one that transpired today will only continue to cause inner conflict within you. Something that could grow to be dangerous not just to yourself but the village." he would finish his words before standing & stretched.

His emerald gaze slid to the door to allow the youth to think on his words. Akkuma had spent much time among troubled individuals & he had seen the paths that inner conflict could make one walk. That however was no place for he to intervene. Perhaps down his new path the Sage would be in a position to do so. As things were his interference would only risk further feeding into the boys troubles. Taking his pipe from his mouth Akkuma extinguished it's contents. Walking to a nearby window he tapped the ashen contents into the wind. Placing the utensil back within his robes, before leaning against the nearby wall.

There was much the Sage wanted to say. Training regimes the youth should begin undertaking to expand his skill set. How various Genjutsu or Ninjutsu could be utilized to benefit his combat style. Continuing instead to only remind himself it was not his place. Perhaps he could speak to Sousuke ensure the boy got proper training. At the least a few techniques to contain or minimize the damage he could do. It was an acceptable compromise to himself the Sage thought. Akkuma had undergone many difficult changes in his life but by far the most difficult was the path he currently chose to walk.

 

[Raizo]

The door to the Kazekage's office would open, and the pinkish-haired woman would exit.

"Miroku Akkuma..."

She would pause for a moment as her eyes, in the midst of scanning for the person who was here to see Raizo, came upon someone who wasn't supposed to be there: the Sunahoshi heir. A reddish tint would begin to color in her cheeks as she reflected on the last words she had delivered to the boy at the gates.

"... the Kazekage is ready to see you!" she would say in a rushed manner, still at a loss for how to handle Suzaku at this moment. She knew they would eventually talk at some point, but the moment was still too fresh and too raw for her at this point. Not only that, but there was the actuality of her words, words that may have seemed dramatic at the time but still carried weight: the boy needed to talk to Raizo. This, however, did not seem like the appropriate time.

"Good day, shinobi" she would yell out at Suzaku as she then turned and motioned for the leader of the Miroku to enter the office.

Upon entering, Akkuma may have noticed some minor changes, as this wasn't his first time in this office, but much of it would carry a personality that wasn't necessarily Raizo's, but more Sousuke's vibe. He was still fresh in his service as Kazekage, so making his office match him seemed like one of the lower priorities on the list. Standing behind his desk, Raizo would nod his head to the figure once he entered the office and would greet him with a large smile.

"Miroku Akkuma, welcome! My name is Ryuzaki Raizo, how can I help you today?"

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

Suzaku fought to prevent himself from rolling his eyes at the short lecture that he was getting from Akkuma on expanding his horizons. Everybody always wanted to tell him what was best for him as though they were the sole authority on what he needed to do. He needed more experience, that was certainly true but he was confident enough in his abilities. Still... he supposed it wasn't entirely in itself a terrible idea to learn more about what set him apart from the other shinobi in Sunagakure. Most of them had the benefit of attending the shinobi academy and learning the basics of what it meant to be a shinobi but Suzaku's early training could be described as perhaps anything but typical or basic.

"Miroku Akkuma..."

The young Sunahoshi's eyes were drawn to the doors of the Kazekage's office as the pink-haired Yukina leaned out of the door and proclaimed the name of the sage that Suzaku was unknowingly having a brief conversation with in the lobby of Raizo's office. Yukina's face flushed pink as she noticed Suzaku and likewise Suzaku went stiff as a board, remembering their last encounter where she had given him a verbal lashing the likes of which he had never received before. Mikaboshi's lessons were harsh but they were precise and cold, like a scalpel. The confrontation between Suzaku and Yukina had been one of exploding tempers and clashing egos and in the moment Yukina had given Suzaku some very prudent advice even if he hadn't fully appreciated it at the time given that he'd been so awestruck by the lambasting she'd given him. There was something about her that made his head go blank and that was simultaneously exciting but also terrifying.

"... the Kazekage is ready to see you!"

"Thanks for the talk, uh." Suzaku stopped for a moment, wrenching his eyes away from Yukina and back to Akkuma and realizing that he only knew Akkuma's name because Yukina had just called it into the lobby. "Mr. Miroku. Name's Suzaku, I guess I'll see you around?"

With Akkuma heading into the office to talk to the Kazekage, Suzaku quickly scrambled from his seat and tried to catch Yukina before she followed Akkuma into the office to attend to the meeting.

"Hey... uh.. Yukina. Lissen." He stumbled through his words, awkwardly clearing his throat as he spoke in an effort to push through the tumultuous mess that his thoughts had turned into the moment he'd noticed her leaning out of the office. "I thought about what you said the other day and you were right. I mean. I don't think I was wrong but maybe I guess I went too hard tryin' to prove a point. So, uh... What I'm tryin' to say is... thanks, I guess."

Turning a shade of a red himself, Suzaku verbally tripped and stumbled over his words like a moron as he did his best to try and look at her the way that he knew he should while thanking them for something that they'd done for him but also avoid meeting her gaze out of some kind of instinctual fear that if he looked her directly in the face he would lose any ability to focus on what he was trying to say.

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Sage's emerald gaze would shift to the door as it swung open. He guessed the young woman before him was the new Kazekage's assistant as she told him they were ready to see him. Bowing his head in thanks he would move to enter the room. Pausing before departing to say one last thing to the young Sunahoshi heir. "It was a pleasure to make your acquintance, I have no doubt our paths will cross again Suzaku." with those words he would move past the pink haired individual with a nod of his head in thanks. Stepping through the threshold a few things became apparent. The new Kazekage was wearing attire that he would've associated with a young businessman. It seemed he had yet to give the Office his own area, Akkuma very much got the sense that Sousuke's influence still remained here.

Kazekage Raizo introduced himself & Akkuma bowed as his own name was stated. Standing up straight once more he would speak. "I've come to handle a few matters. Some family affairs that must be set in order. But most importantly I came to introduce myself & give you an assurance of my fealty to Sunagakure & by extension yourself." a statement that would perhaps come as a surprise to the young Kazekage. Withdrawing from his pocket a small gem that had been crafted into a necklace, it pulsated with a low hum of chakra. "Due to who I am & the things I do. My loyalty can be hard to discern, I understand this. Given that I associate with many individuals who conduct unethical business by all standards. Such bonds however have allowed me to maintain foreign allies & business that spans the many Nations." He lifted the gem infused pendant to his torso. A sickening green pulse of chakra would sweep from the Sage. Energy cascading from his form into the gem, part of the Sages very life force had been absorbed into the item. It now emanated a faint reflection of his own chakra signature.

"This gem has the miraculous ability to hold chakra of all natures. Chakra is the energy of all things Lord Raizo, down to the very essence of who we are. You could say part of my soul now resides within this item." Stepping forward he would place the now Cursed item upon the young Lords desk. "Do with it as you will. Know I will be compelled to obey the bearer of the item. I do ask if you are to leave it with the Anbu, that you do so with one you trust completely. My relationship with the shadows in this village has been complex." he couldn't help but smile as he spoke the words, a hint of the devilish delight would be reflected in his eyes. After all he was genuinely trying to change, he couldn't risk the Gem falling into the hands of an Anbu he knew. Especially not one who would use the item to exact their will upon him.

Moving to take a seat the Sages gaze would rest upon Raizo. "I'd like to offer my services & those of my clan. Before I do so I must bring something to light." he would say before leaning back in his chair with a sigh. "There may be some conflict between my kin soon. Our edict decrees that a Leader can only be removed through Death. Appointment is a life time commitment to the clan. My sons decided they wanted to try their hand at Leadership." a chuckle would escape his lips as he remembered the day. There was little doubt in his mind that there would still be whispers of the Event at the Toraono Dojo. "Unfortunately for them they weren't thorough enough when it came to finishing the job." He'd had his heart impaled, been burned & decapitated. Yet here he sat clearly very much alive & so they Sages dilemma would be quite clear.

"I'm taking my Clan back, the children have been allowed to play & our clan has stagnated as a cost. I've got affairs to handle in Konohagakure...but before I do so this situation must at least be brought to your attention." he would calmly state in a business-like manner. But the unnatural aura that permeated from his held an undeniable hunger for bloodlust. Riyota & Kanmuri had made him proud that day. Though in doing so they had only grown to show him they had much to learn. In his absence they had mishandled many of the clans affairs, if not for his subtle interventions many of their connections & power would have been lost. "The matter shouldn't take me too long to handle, although there may be some resistance." he would calmly say. After all despite how much his sons loathed him they were like him in more than one way. There was a suspicion that they had become accustomed to their titles & figured things could get just a little messy.

MFT

[Using Soul Stone Sousuke Crafted for me]

 

[Raizo]

Akkuma would enter, passing Yukina, as her eyes remained looking at the floor. That is until Suzaku acknowledged her. She would look up at the young man as he would say his words, eventually leading him to thank her for the ass-chewing she had given him earlier. Her brain, heart, thoughts, blood... all of it seemed to be out of whack. Was she dying? Wasn't this what she ultimately wanted, the awkward moment to be buried and eventually reconciled? Why was she... someone who was trained by the very man who lead the Ryuzaki and who helped train the future leader of the Ryuzaki... someone known for her tough skin and ferocious impact... why was she... flustered?

"Consider it all good, fellow soldier! May you enjoy your day with the blessings of the... sun..." her voice would start strong, albeit weird, but would fade to a whimper that would match her own inner turmoil by the end. With that, she would bow roughly 20 more times before sliding into Kazekage's office and let out a large sigh.

Raizo would stare at his clearly shaken attendant with a quirked eyebrow, but would shake it off and return to the man... well maybe that wasn't the right word before him. Akkuma would never actually introduce himself and instead would slide into a business pitch, a sales approach. He wouldn't react just yet, he wanted to hear all the figure had to say before he chimed in. Akkuma discussed his ability to do things in the darkness and that he enjoyed it but that he was trustworthy. As a token to reaffirm this paradox, he presented a crystal that held a piece of his soul, or something of that nature. He then mentioned that he needed to take care of some internal matters within his clan, that death was the only means of taking leadership within his clan, and that he also had matters to attend to in Konoha. It was a lot to take in for an introduction, and after letting a moment or so pass following Akkuma's final words, Raizo would finally begin his reaction.

​

"Hello, I am Ryuzaki Raizo, the 11th Kazekage of Sunagakure no Sato..." his words were forced, annoyed, and almost automated as he continued to wrinkle his face at Akkuma.

"Raizo, speak truthfully." Yukina would say as she seemed to regain composure herself.

It would be at that time that Raizo would let out a sigh and grit his teeth.

"You intentionally created a clan where leadership is taken... were leadership has to come at the price of death!?" Of all the things Akkuma had said, this was the first thing he chose to address, something that seemed to sit very uncomfortably at the top of his thoughts. There would be a sigh as his facial expression would relax.

"I don't claim to understand every custom, I do know one thing though--it's hard to call something a family when you intentionally insert murder as a component of it." And to the defense of Akkuma, he never actually referred to his clan as a family. He mentioned sons, but he never truly called them a family. Maybe it was wrong to project such a thing on someone and their clan without fully knowing who they were. That said, regardless, it would never sit well with him. Even the Ryuzaki, who used various opportunities for trial by combat, never encouraged death. Death to a family member was one of the strongest and harshest taboos. Family was important, life was precious... this construct was a mockery of that.

"You also realize it is hard to both say 'trust me' and 'pledge fealty' while also announcing that you must maintain shady dealings and continue operating like you've always done, independently, right? Have the previous leaders accepted such a bizarre and confusing offer?" Suna, even though he had been there for years now, was still full of not only surprises but just generally confusing moments. This village was full of quirky oddities, this Akkuma and his whole thing seemed to just be another piece of that.

"Listen, I want to be honest with you... Sousuke informed me before that I should meet you, what did he say about it, Yu?"

"That Miroku Akkuma was a 'troublemaker in this village' and that "he's allied with the Toraono through marriage" that "he's complicated" that "he's a demon'. Those were the words used by the Steward."

"Ah, so that is what that smell was!" He would stop with his "ah-ha" moment and turn back to Akkuma. "As I said, I want to be honest with you. Your current deal you are offering, or this pact you are wishing to make... it doesn't sit well with me." He would pause for a moment, as his eyes would scan over the figure before him.

"You'd willingly offer up a piece of your soul to a stranger to make a deal... I know the impact should be 'this is how strong my pledge is to be by your side'... but a part of me can't help but feel saddened by the gesture. That whatever you have seen or been a part of all this time has led you to a point where you have to offer a piece of your life to prove your sincerity. That is a truly dark reality to fully take hold of... you are a demon, you seem to essentially run a gang or business under the banner of a clan, you openly state most people judge you harshly because of who and what you are..."

He was genuinely saddened, not at Akkuma, but for Akkuma. No one, no matter their creation, should live such an existence.

"Is this genuinely what makes you happy? This slogging through mud to keep yourself afloat? Surrounding yourself in darkness? Making deals... instead of relationships. Pitting your clan against you to the death? Is this really a reality where you are happy?"

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

"Consider it all good, fellow soldier! May you enjoy your day with the blessings of the... sun..."

Yukina repeatedly bowed and then thankfully retreated into the Kazekage office behind Akkuma, leaving Suzaku alone with his thoughts in the empty lobby. Finally exhaling for what felt like the first time in hours, Suzaku walked slowly over to the line of chairs that were set up in the waiting room and collapsed unceremoniously into one in the center of the line. Bringing his arms up to rest on the tops of the chair and letting his head roll back in a resting position, Suzaku blew a long sigh at his own embarrassment.

"Suna's breath!"

He didn't physically flinch but as he swore aloud there was a piece of him that cringed in preparation to be scolded by Mikaboshi for invoking the name of one of the three Great Lords. It took a moment to remember that Mikaboshi was likely miles upon miles away but as he'd been made to learn over the course of several painful lessons in his youth, one could never be truly sure that Mikaboshi was not within earshot.

"You were right but I wasn't wrong?" He muttered out loud to himself, opening his eyes and staring at the ceiling. "Way to go, dumbass."

There was something about the Kazekage's assistant that made Suzaku's blood run hot in a different way than a fight. Fighting brought with it a clarity of purpose. He understood it in a personal way that he couldn't explain. Mikaboshi described it as a feat of instinct passed down to him from his parents who were both accomplished fighters and powerful souls in their own right but Suzaku didn't know how much he believed any of that. Social matters were entirely different matters for him and that was so much more the case in both of the instances now that he'd come face to face with Yukina.

At least he didn't make her yell at him this time.

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Kazekage listened to what the Sage had to say without interruption & showed no reaction to give away how he felt about the information he was receiving. Raizo began to introduce himself but there was something off about it. His expression showed he took offense to something the Sage had done. In truth he'd thought introductions unnecessary, to the Sage they both at least knew each others name so such things were irrelevant. Better to get down to business or so to speak. It would seem that the Kazekage's attendant had once more gained her composure for she addressed Raizo telling him to truthfully. In that moment he realized just how important this attendant was to the Kazekage. A sigh would escape Raizo as he gritted his teeth his next words made it very clear what had offended him. This told him a great deal about the individual before him.

Raizo calmed himself & continued on clarifying why he did not approve of what Akkuma had said. It was understandable after all much about the Miroku was kept secret to outsiders & even within the clan itself there was stringent compartmentalization structured into how they functioned. This had served to protect not just the clan itself but its individual members. They were capable of operating as they wished outside of the clan & those within were given great leniency to pursue their own personal goals. But for those who chose to live a life for the clan, things were much different. Operating secretly & separately from their kin. For now he would say nothing in defense of the rule, trying to decide how to express the reasoning behind it in a manner that Raizo would understand.

When the Kazekage spoke of how absurd the words the Sage had spoken were he couldn't help but chuckle & run a hand through his hair awkwardly. Revealing the scars running across his features as he did so. "Truthfully? My relationship with this village & the past leaders has been...complex. We've always managed to come to an understanding though. Sometimes deception has been employed by myself in order to maintain assets while appearing to obey the limitations placed upon me. I'm...trying to be better." he would say with a sigh, there was no lying. His relationship with the village had seen its rocky moments, understandably after all he had done some monstrous things. Raizo's next words & the words of his attendant genuinely took him by surprise. Out of all the leaders he had met within this village it was perhaps Sousuke who had gotten to know him the most. Raizo made a comment about a smell & he couldn't help but wonder if the individual had a sensitivity to beings such as himself.

This time an awkward smile would appear on the Sages face as they ran through what the Steward had said. Raizo went on to say that his offer did not sit well with him. But not for the reasons Akkuma had anticipated, a somberness came over the Kazekage & the Half-Demon was kept in silence by the words. There was much he wanted to elaborate on & things he felt needed to be said. Yet he could not bring himself to do so before the Kazekage that was when the questions came. A deep sigh would escape the Sage as he said his next words. "I'll answer you honestly...but first." as he spoke his hands began to perform a series of seals & within seconds a Black Blockade had erected itself around the Kazekage's office. Blocking entrance & exit for those present.

"I suspect we have lived very different lives Lord Raizo. Almost fifty years ago my mother was indoctrinated into a cult & blessed by their 'messiah'. Fortunately the Kirigakurian Anbu managed to dismantle the cult. The ordeal was too much for my Mother & she died. I was left as a ward of the village, naturally they hadn't anticipated on the prejudice I would face. Often I found myself on the streets because it was safer then the places I could call home." he would say shifting on his chair, clearly uncomfortable with talking about this era of his life. Another sigh & he would continue with what he had to say. "I made a living working for local gangsters, despite my lack in training. The natural gifts I'd possessed & features were imposing enough to give me value to them. In turn I used what resources I could to train. I didn't know that one of the Anbu who had participated in the raid against the cult had been keeping watch of me. Taka decided that it was too much of a risk to let me continue on that path. He took me into his home & trained me...raised me as a son." he would pause as he remembered the time he had spent with Taka. The memories were corrupted with sadness & regret. As though he regretted ever coming into the mans life, but the reasoning for that would become apparent soon enough.

"Before long I found myself referred to the Anbu division. It became apparent to everyone I possessed a natural affinity to the darker arts of our world. By the time I was thirteen I was a full fledged Anbu for Kirigakure & had been given clearance by the Mizukage to delve into the darkest of shinobi arts. On my thirteenth birthday my Father decided to pay me a visit. Possessing Taka he proceeded to test me by seeing if I could survive his assault. When I thought I was going to die Taka managed to regain control briefly he...made me do what I had to in order to survive." his voice seemed hollow & for a moment he was thrown back into the depths of those memories. Back to the scared child that had just lost everything, the hurt he'd felt was mirrored in his eyes. That emptiness in the pit of his chest as he said his farewells to Taka & killed the only person to have ever believed in him. "I devoted myself from that point to the task of Mastering all of the arts of our world. Utilizing every means at my disposal I created my own clan. After I defended the first of my kin from those that sought to harm them word spread. I welcomed all into my family & for those willing to sacrifice for us. I offered other incentives, anyone who wanted another chance at life I gave the opportunity. Together we survived the fall of Mist & journeyed to many nations. Welcoming newcomers as we did so & bidding farewell to those that had found their new homes." they had settled into many of the Great Shinobi Nations & taken in kin from those same places. The secrecy & strict doctrines would no doubt be come to seen as a necessary means. If this was true Akkuma's kin had the potential to be dangerous leaks to the Nations they had left behind.

"The Broken, Damned & Unwanted. That's who we are Lord Raizo, we come from all walks of life. Our aim, simply put is to see that the Shinobi way of life endures. We use any means at our disposal & have done much in our short time as a clan. We've discovered & revealed shadow organizations. Provided financial assistance, medical aid & assistance with post calamity projects. These things are possible because of how we operate. We've had numerous dealings with these situations world wide. When Anbu go corrupt who do you think makes the deals keeping them in line? When Missing Nin desire to wreak havoc across the lands, we do what we can to stop them. When foreign powers seek influence within your walls I keep them in check." there was a seriousness in his eyes as the Sage spoke. The conviction of an individual who had seen the fruits of their labor. An undeniable truth that some things were just impossible to do without living as they did. "I don't have the privilege of happiness. I have a duty to fulfill & an obligation to my people. For people like Uzi...so that they can have a chance for a life that I'll never get. One where they can pursue their dreams without the burden of the world around them." much had been divulged in this moment to the Kazekage & no doubt it would be a lot to take in. It would no doubt be all too apparent that Sousuke stating he was complex was an understatement. Akkuma seemed very aware of the cost & sacrifice his life had contained. But it had all been worth it when people like Uziuke were still able to laugh & live care free. It was not to say he had no regrets, there was much the Demon wished had never transpired.

MFT
Black Blockade used to ensure privacy xD

 

[Raizo]

A black structure would be erected to block out any on-listeners and the figure known as Akkuma would do something that Raizo did not think, in the split second he had to think about it, that he would; he would be honest. There was no game, no selling pitch, there was just Akkuma, his history, and his family. There were moments of understanding, how the world Akkuma viewed became warped and how he felt the need to warp it for the benefit of those he supported so they would not have to deal with the same thing. There was a sweetness to it all. Even the stoic Yukina, even if she happened to still be recovering from whatever weirdness had just befallen her, seemed to have a look upon her face and within her eyes that showed a sullen sorrowness.

It would be easy, if you could avoid all the living in darkness, the need for death and deceit, and his family being part of a cult, to forget that this figure was a demon. Lord Raizo, no matter how he comes off, is a gentlehearted person. This sort of story from this kind of being couldn't be what he was expecting. How will he respond to such an emotionally laced, and honest, story...

Clearing his throat, Raizo would simply say, "Don't give me that bullshit."

​

"Raizo--"

"Enough, Yukina." He would say raising his hand. It wasn't often that he showed this side, a side where the power dynamic between the two would manifest. Whether it was his role as Kazekage or as the future Konungr, Yukina always understood that there were times when even the fun-loving Raizo would have to draw a line between their relationship from friendly to professional.

"Akkuma, first, thank you for explaining yourself, your history, and your clan a bit more for me--and I want to backtrack a bit and say my 'bullshit' claim isn't to any of that. No, that is rested solely on this belief you have to dwell in the sewer to make your family succeed or that you have to be some independent island, operating in the shadow of the night to be of any use to myself, this village, or anyone."

A small smirk would appear on Yukina's face. It seemed Raizo was still Raizo.

"It's bullshit your life has led you to this point, to where you sit here right before me and with all honestly essentially say; I have to be a broken monster man so my family doesn't have to be. Bullshit! Do you really want that? I don't want an answer for what you think makes you the most useful to me, I don't want an answer to what you think gives you the most leverage."

He would cross his arms as his face would turn stern. "What is this village, or any village, if not a collection of families and clans? I am not looking for mercenaries or hired guns, and maybe as a leader of the village I should be more receptive to such a proposition... but that's not how I want to do this. I am looking for trust. I am looking for people to sit with me, not sit elsewhere for me, or sit just outside the door from me and whispering in through the window."

Oh... he has gone on too long, I think he might have started to lose himself there at the end -____-

"So, honestly, is this what you want? Do you want to continue to live this way? I understand you have a past, and I understand everyone is beholden to their upbringing, sins, and experiences... but what I am asking you not what you feel resigned to or what you have to do, I am asking you what you want to do. Is this it? Do you really think your only option is to live like this for the sake of your family? Or you truly a demon who enjoys living this conniving lifestyle in the murkiness of grey and use your clan as a scapegoat for why you have 'no choice'? Because to me, this notion of not having the privilege to do this or that is bullshit. Ripe, steaming, fully loaded crap. You either choose to be happy or you choose to give up that happiness, but right now, at this moment, this is entirely your choice. Not some past village, past cult, past family, past life... this is here and now. Do you want to keep living this way?!"

A vein would be exposed along his neck as he gritted his teeth. He didn't want to play games nor did he want to sit and listen to excuses. Again, maybe this was simply a flaw in his in-experience due to his youth or own upbringing, or maybe this was a flaw in Akkuma? Either way, this was not something he was going to shy away from.
------------- Meanwhile, outside of the barrier -----------------

He would pause as he would notice the boy with the green hair, "the office of the Kazekage is right there, correct?" The figure standing before Suzaku would be a dark-haired individual roughly in the same age range as Yukina and Raizo. Perhaps Suzaku would recognize him from the incident at the gate, but since he wasn't the primary focus of the green-haired youth, maybe not? Koori, on the other hand, would not register at this moment that this boy was the one who attempted to tussle with the Konungr. Instead, he would merely point down the hallway behind Suzaku.

"And if it is, is that normal?"

The threshold to the office would be engulfed in a strange dark aura. Koori, however, was not all that too concerned about the safety of Raizo, but he was unaware that Yukina was also in this barrier.

OOC: Entered with NPC Koori.

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

Preoccupied with his frustration at his own sheepishness as he was, Suzaku failed to take notice as a dark mist gushed around the doors leading into the Kazekage's office. He wallowed quietly, his eyes closed gently relieving the moment which served as the focal point for his embarrassment again in his head except for having known exactly to say and how to act instead of metaphorically tripping over himself. It wasn't until Koori entered the lobby, stopping in front of Suzaku to address the young man directly, that Suzaku snapped back into the moment and opened his eyes to follow Koori's point.

"And if it is, is that normal?"

The doors to the Kazekage's office visibly warped within an aura of twisting angry chakra that gushed with the same foul essence that coursed like a river within Akkuma's corrupted aura and even though Suzaku was almost as much a strange to the halls of the Kazekage Tower as Koori, he knew that there was something clearly afoot.

"Nah ... that's new ..." Said Suzaku, hopping up from his sitting position and to his feet before approaching the door cautiously. The aura that dripped from the shadows which curled around the edges of the door turned his stomach to even look at and felt even worse to approach as he hesitantly reached forward and turned the knob on the door, finding only a smooth black surface behind the door where there should have been an office.

His first instinct was to bring his hand up and touch the barrier with his fingers to test its stability. Lightly pushing against it, he found the structure sturdy to the point of absurdity. Not only did it not move as Suzaku lightly shoved against it, the black shell seemed to have no give to it at all and even more than that gave no impression that it even could be moved. Aside from its surprising sturdiness, Suzaku made one other startling discovery about it and that was that the barrier was deathly cold to the touch, almost to the point of excruciating pain even through the gloves that he had on his hands. Pulling his hand back in surprise from the sudden numbness that overtook his hand, Suzaku scowled deeply at the barrier now more determined than before to get through it. (Suzaku: 9 / Akkuma: 19)

Curling his fingers into a fist instinctively, Suzaku was not a person who was prone to looking before he leapt. Despite the fact that Akkuma had been nothing but polite to him, Suzaku had felt something off about the sage from the moment that they'd met and now he'd suspiciously put down this chakra construct in front of the door after being called into a meeting with the Kazekage? That smelled wrong. It felt wrong. And even if it risked making a bad impression on the Kazekage, Suzaku wasn't about to wait around to find out if everything was okay before checking in on things.

But first... there was this barrier.

Bringing up his fist, Suzaku cracked his knuckles into the surface of it with as much of his weight as he could put behind it in that moment which sent a light shudder of force through the hallway and the door frame. For it's part, the barrier crackled and gushed more foul mist but was otherwise untouched by the force of Suzaku's attack. (Suzaku: 5 / Akkuma: 15)

Frustrated at the lack of a dent that he'd managed to put in the surface of the black barrier, Suzaku took a step backwards and then with a light hop drove the bottom of his foot into the barrier. His kick had much more intent behind it than the punch and it was apparent from the way that the floor shook from the force of the hit but once more all that Suzaku was rewarded with for his efforts was a creeping feeling of ice-cold numbness in his foot from contact with the grim construct. (Suzaku: 8 / Akkuma: 8)

"That's... a tough barrier." He breathed, surprised at his inability to even damage the construct. Suzaku was hesitant to engage any of his breathing techniques here in the halls of the Kazekage Tower for fear of damaging the tower itself but it seemed like his physical strength wasn't going to be enough to get him through on its own. Turning back to Koori for a moment, Suzaku jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the barrier which seemed to emit a crackle of chakra in response to the gesture. "You wanna take a crack at it? Dunno what's goin' on in there but that thing makes me sick to look at and I figure nobody who's got good intentions makes somethin' like that before goin' about those intentions."

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

The Kazekage listened to the Sages work & even allowed him to erect his barrier without any sign of concern. Either he was quite certain of the abilities he & his retainer possessed. Or he knew that despite Akkuma's shortcomings he truly harbored no ill will towards him. He would flinch when the Kazekage made his short statement. Even his retainer began to object, but the young leader silenced her objections as he elaborated on what he meant. Demonstrating for first time the authoritative presence Akkuma had come to expect from those in his position. It seemed the Sages words had once more struck a nerve with the Kazekage.

Raizo crossed his arms looking stern as he continued on with his explanation & he suspected the Sage was giving him the answer that he thought he'd want to hear. In truth he was being given unfiltered honesty, something he graced few individuals with. Once more he was asked if this was what he really wanted, before the young leader continued on his path. "Tch..." he bit back the snappish response that would've thrown him into a tyrade. Instead just letting out a deep sigh. He could not argue that the mans aspirations for those in the village were not noble. In fact he admired from if only for the youthful optimism he showed.

Then came from the barrage of questions from Raizo, yet again asking him if this was truly the life he desired. Continuing on about how the demons words were nothing but steaming bullshit. Asking yet again if he wanted to live this way after a slew of anger fueling questions. Chaotic energy crackled around the demonic Sage now. Knuckles white from the force he exerted in an effort to keep himself calm. Every fiber demanded he face the dishonor implied by the questions posed to him. Then it came the tingle up his spine the sign others were attempting to enter the barrier. Running a trembling hand through his hair once more revealing the scars upon his features. "Do those clans & families not sacrifice for the greater good of those they love? For this village? Those scarred by war & afflictions of the mind from the trauma. Medics who live sleepless lives from the countless lives they've been unable to save. The unspoken sacrifices made & carried in silence by those of the Anbu." his voice shook as he spoke his words hurriedly.

Again came another attempt to enter his blockade, this time with more intent. So far he still possessed the control required to maintain the technique. "I pray you never come to carry such burdens, so that you will not know the despair I do." with those words he shook loose the torso half of his robes revealing his scarred torso. Not only had he been impaled, dismembered, beheaded but also burned. "I realized why my Father had me entered into the Anbu...I am a monster." there was a coldness to his words as he spoke lifting his robes back into place. "I could have healed these scars...but they are lesson I hope to never forget. My sons dismembered me, cut my heart from my body, beheaded me...my corpse burnt. Can you imagine how monstrous a Father must be to earn such hate from his sons?" he would let his words sink in so that Raizo understood the gravity of what Akkuma was saying.

Another attempt to enter his blockade this time with vastly more intent. Akkuma would snarl once more as he looked back at the door that was sealed by his barrier. Perhaps making it obvious someone was attempting to enter. He shook his head as he struggled to maintain control of his technique, the Sage would turn his gaze back to Raizo. "My genetics make controlling myself difficult...rationally controlling the urges that come due to this can be difficult. Chaos calls to me. The Forbidden Arts come to me as naturally as breathing does. Suffering & inflicting pain...either fascinates me. It would be a lie to say I didn't enjoy such moments." he would stop his gaze moving between Raizo & Yukina watching their reactions. "I yearn to see the unregulated potential of individuals. Such individuals bring to life a burning curiosity within me. Perhaps worst of all is the hunger for souls...nothing on this earth has yet to satiate my darkest drives in such a way. I'm trying to be better Lord Raizo...but until that day I won't risk inflicting anymore pain on those I care about." he imagined the Kazekage & his retainer had many thoughts going through their minds.

Akkuma would sigh before saying one last thing to the Kazekage. "I can be what your operatives can't. Because I have decades of being a monstrous individual with a willingness to work with any he sees value in behind me. Erasing any doubt about my motives when it comes to dealings with dangerously unethical individuals. Allow me to begin to make amends for my past...let me serve this village." he would finally ask of the Kazekage & for the first time from the half-demon there would be a sign of desperation. The Sage was well aware of what he was & the burdens that came with his existence. Hoping that the Kazekage truly understood him & the motives that drove him. There was undeniably much to be thought about what he had said. Those chaotic energies that had crackled around him all but gone as he stood there before Raizo & Yukina.

MFT
[Ooc; Still can't believe those rolls. xD The RNGods rarely give me that much love haha.]