A Shadow's Return to Darkness [Open; Reiko/Ray]

[Uri]

[col]Even though he had survived the wilds of Fire Country and gradually made his way back to the country of wind, there was surreal feeling to it all. For so long he sat in the darkness of his prison cell, knowing only three ways and an unmoving steel door. No matter how much his state degraded, he held onto his hope, the dreams of one day returning to his home land and reporting back as victorious in his efforts. The first human contact he had in nearly a decade had been with someone aiming to kill him, and Kurisu had slogged through blood-soaked hallways, weak and atrophied. There was no rescue party, no friendly faces until he had cleared the burning green foliage of the country in turmoil.

His mind, a weapon unused for so many years, had not dulled, and he moved his way across the continent, gathering resources, networking where he could, and soon Wind Country was upon him. While he listened to the buzz on the streets of the merchant's town, he grew concerned for his village. Soon he had acquired transportation to Sunagakure through a regular transport that was heading to the Toraono Dojo, a place that had stood fast through the ages. The driver had confirmed some suspicions, in that they hadn't been able to perform scheduled deliveries due to some trouble at the ninja haven. After all of his time remaining still in his cell, he had decided to wait on one of the wagons until they departed, in lieu of exploring more. So close to home, he didn't wish to venture too far. Sunagakure needed him as much as he needed Sunagakure.

Fingers danced over the dirt-stained curves of rigged white mask, the sole symbol that he had even belonged to Sand. Before his attempt on the government spy, he had buried his belongings elsewhere, in case he had escaped and needed to come back for them. This secured him passage into the village and a meeting with whoever was in charge. To be alive was a gift that he had appreciated every day and knew that one day, sooner or later, he would see day light again. Faith in Mother Suna had held him together and given him the strength to fight his way back to where he rested now. It would carry him the rest of the way and straight into the village.

They were underway before long and he closed his eyes to embrace the darkness one last time. Kurisu was a survivor and a soldier. Sunagakure would know him as Mother Suna had all of those years and they would soon see that his efforts had maintained their security.

Time flew by, Kurisu clutching at the plain curved blade he had secured for himself as he slept, and soon he heard the talk of guards and merchants. Eyelids giving way to rays of light and wavering flags, he crawls from the back of the cart and moves past the duo speaking about the delivery, straight up to the first official that was on post.

I need to speak with the Kazakage, the Steward, or ANBU Sennin immediately." Kurisu would extend forth his old mask, turning it over to reveal the Sunagakure symbol etched into it.

He didn't presume to know any of those in power anymore. He had been gone for more than twenty years and he had left during a time of war. Many hands could have changed since then and lines of power could have been redrawn. While he held onto hope that the Sunahoshi were fine and his old boss, the hardass that she was, also survived, there was a cold feeling resting in his core that told him many new faces and introductions were on the way.

---

We are twice armed if we fight with faith|

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[Mikaboshi]

[col]Kurisu was absolutely right even if he wasn't aware of it. Things had changed drastically in Sand since he was incarcerated in Fire Country. Not the least of which had been the death of the rightful Kazekage and the disappearance of his heir for nearly twenty years. He might have known that Hiro had been sick... but the hole that his death had left in the hierarchy of Sunagakure had festered into a great sucking wound that eventually threatened to consume the village as a whole -- culminating in the attack upon their people by the Cabal. A siege which they still had yet to truly find the masterminds behind.

The man that Kurisu approached wasn't "on post" necessarily even though he could commonly be found at the surface looking after the various needs of those that chosen to stay on the surface as well as stand watch over them. Dressed in a grey coat fit for desert wear with the almost absurd-looking red and white helmet that he wore during missions and his long yellow scarf flapping in the mellow breeze of the desert, Katsuo turned his visored face towards Kurisu while the man advanced and made his demand while showing off the symbol of his mask.

Katsuo wasn't by any means a Sand shinobi of tenure. Strictly speaking, he wasn't a Sand shinobi at all. The circumstances of his birth saw fit that he had a place upon the Sunagakurians beyond a shadow of reproach -- as well as by technicality made him their leader, even -- but ultimately he'd taken no formal vow of loyalty to them. Right now they were simply a people in need and to that Katsuo had pledged his service to at an extremely early age. There was no excuse to look past the needs of people who could not protect themselves and as it stood Sand had a large population of people who for all intents and purposes were now refugees thanks to the Cabal's siege. Looking over the mask, Katsuo recognized Sunagakure's mark and accepted that at face value. He didn't know Kurisu by any means but at this point Sand could use all the help it could get and even if the stranger turned out to be some bizarro assassin looking to take on Sousuke he would find himself quickly outnumbered between the "Kazekage" and the Steward-Kazekage together.

"Don't take this the wrong way stranger but --"

In between sentences, Katsuo reached up and placed his palm on the center of his face-mask causing the mask's mouth guard to split and hide itself with each half of the guard being drawn into the mask. With a shimmer of chakra, Katsuo's mask disengaged itself and within a few moments the mask was free to be removed which Katsuo did just that with both hands and a brisk tug. Kurisu might be surprised to see who it was lurking behind the red helmet owing to the heavy resemblance he bore to his father. The gold and black mitsudomoe of his Masashi heritage were certainly out of place in the eyes of Sunahoshi Hiro but the similarities between them would be striking for anyone who had met the late Kazekage before.

"But you're awfully brave to walk up to a man in the middle of the desert with a "take me to your leader" demand.' He grinned openly at Kurisu as he held his helmet under his left arm, shifting his shoulder back a bit to ensure that the long katana named Tatsumasa strapped to his back did not slip off unexpectedly, and thrust his right hand out forward. "Name's Katsuo."|[legend="[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]"]

[/legend][/col]

 

[Uri]

[col]In most situations, a more subtle approach would have made sense, but currently, where this ANBU had no ties and didn't need appear suspicious, being brazen about his intentions went a long way. Being plain and sincere displayed honesty, at least that's what his old commander used to tell him. A quality of a man's words imbued to such an extent that they seemed infallible and he was unable to lie. Kurisu might have been a murderer, assassin, decimator of organizations, but at his core he was genuine and he knew that would shine through.

But all concern for his own desire to be taken seriously had flown off with the sandy gusts of wind as the helmet came loose around his acquaintance's head, revealing him. There was something to be said about a man's recall, especially after having not seen any of his friends, family, or charges for so long, but an ANBU never forgot the face of the man who he had sworn his life to, or even the similarities bore from another. While it would be rash to assert this man was offspring to the late Kazekage Hiro, it would be something to put a pin in.

Unfaltering, like the day he had left, like the final day he had slain his target and surrendered himself, he took Katsuo's hand with a firm grasp.

"Not brave, just..." He took a moment to think of the word he wanted; still getting used to his own voice in the same stretch, "Eager." Like a socialite at a ball, he held his worn mask up in front of his face for effect. "Ametsuchi Kurisu, and it is a pleasure, Katsuo-san, but I must press the urgency of my request." Letting the mask fall once again, he would show a smile, his dark brown eyes would staying locked with Katuso's unique ones, "I return from a mission that has taken me from Sunagakure since the Plague Wars."

That would hopefully be enough to push the matter along, since saying more would be revealing information to someone who he didn't know, despite inklings pulling at the back of his head. Instinct led a shinobi a long way, as did having faith, but now was too tenuous a time to leap on either. To be careful would be better, especially since he didn't know how Sunagakure fared, who was in charge, or if they had even survived the war he had left them with. Since he wasn't attacked upon the showing of his mask, he was safe for the time being.

---

We are twice armed if we fight with faith|

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[Mikaboshi]

[col]"Well met then Ametsuchi Kurisu." Replied Katsuo as he released Kurisu's grip and brought his helmet back between both of his hands. With an audible pop and a wiff of smoke, the helmet disappeared and in Katsuo's hand was a small sealing scroll which he quickly stowed within his coat. "Welcome home -- such as it is."

Katsuo had no idea where Sousuke was currently but it wouldn't be terribly hard to find him. It was highly likely that he would be within the Medical Facility tinkering with what remained of his technological toys following the destruction of Keystone Prime or within the ruins of the Kazekage Tower trying to somehow recover something from the tragedy. They'd lost so much information and knowledge in the destruction of the Cabal siege and the archives within the academy only went so far. Technically speaking Kurisu had already lucked his way into finding the "legitimate" Kazekage but Katsuo still did not wish to view himself that way. He'd temporarily taken the title to entice Kaito of the Cabal to meet with him face to face and then for a short while after to bring an end to the hostilities between the Cabal and the Sand-nin but now in the aftermath he still was unsure about where he stood in relation to the village. The question was ever present in the back of his mind: "How could he lead these people who knew nothing of him and likewise for him of them?" Could he really expect them to simply fall in line before him because of who his father was? Such reasoning seemed... wrong in the most clear of terms to Katsuo. It wasn't that he didn't believe in the idea of government or organizing behind a leader but the very concept that someone could come to power not on the virtue in their heart but the relevance of their birth twisted his stomach in dark ways.

"Walk with me and tell me your tale, Kurisu. Finding the Steward should not be real hard." Katsuo said with a gesture of his head before putting his hands into his pockets and turning to head back into the Dojo and towards the temporary entrance into the village.|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5t0AVHDxPg]SCENE BGM[/url]]"]

"But you're awfully brave to walk up to a man in the middle of the desert with a "take me to your leader" demand." He grinned openly at Kurisu as he held his helmet under his left arm, shifting his shoulder back a bit to ensure that the long katana named Tatsumasa strapped to his back did not slip off unexpectedly, and thrust his right hand out forward. "Name's Katsuo."

"Not brave, just..." He took a moment to think of the word he wanted; still getting used to his own voice in the same stretch, "Eager." Like a socialite at a ball, he held his worn mask up in front of his face for effect. "Ametsuchi Kurisu, and it is a pleasure, Katsuo-san, but I must press the urgency of my request." Letting the mask fall once again, he would show a smile, his dark brown eyes would staying locked with Katuso's unique ones, "I return from a mission that has taken me from Sunagakure since the Plague Wars."

We can either walk and chat for a bit or we can head right to the next thread -- it's up to you. I've actually got the next thread in mind already, if you like.[/legend][/col]

 

[Uri]

[col]Home was a matter of perspective. Kurisu had known that the landscape of his village would have dramatically changed since his leaving. Word had been sent around to all the major branches that the village would descend beneath the sands. While the shadow operative had not been a witness to it, he knew that it would follow through. Arrival at the Dojo had been a surprise to him. Even if the Dojo had withstood the abuse of diamond sands and wicked winds, it was not Sunagakure; there should have been another place to go. Rumors were hard to confirm, and they were only words of strangers in a town obsessed with greed. How trustworthy could they be?

A gentle jostle of his head set those thoughts aside and he followed stride behind his companion. One event he often thought about was what he would say when he finally got home, how he would explain to them exactly what it had been he did for all those years.

"I am an ANBU--Was an ANBU." He corrected himself. Time corroded many things, along with his status within the village. Many probably had assumed his death and stricken him from active rosters. "The village had come under attack from an unknown party that sought to release a sickness upon the village. Under order from Kazekage Hiro, we were sent out to discover the identity of said aggressors." Slowly, deliberately, he let his hand rest on the hilt to the katana at his waist. The blade was broken, only a quarter of its original length and as dull as scripture readings. Harmless in a real fight, but it brought him comfort. "I tracked my target and in short order unveiled him, but I discovered he was working for a larger organization, seeking to destabilize numerous governments, not just ours. Two years later, and I had annihilated the body before striking at the head. They had been a cell to a much larger group, but they didn't break protocol after I started chipping away their numbers, so I never discovered their leader."

Purposefully, he remained vague, withholding explicit details of his mission from someone who he knew nothing about. A striking resemblance to his former charge or not didn't excuse a break in doctrine.

The Toraono Dojo was as impressive as ever, modern architecture and polished stone made the house of warriors appear regal. Sunagakure always appeared grand, even though they were usually humble in their ways. As such was the way of men who fought for freedom against their oppressive masters. It was in their blood, all of their blood. Even those not born of Wind Country had the genetic need to walk the wide open world without burden of servitude or threats of death, to be one's own person. That was what Kurisu continued to hope for Sand in making his choices, in surrendering himself to remove a larger threat.

"In my final attack, against the man who I had tracked originally, I was captured by another nation's shinobi after slaying him. I was imprisoned for twenty years, four weeks, and eighteen days." He laughed; a soft, somber sigh almost. "Counting gave me some form of order, it helped keep me sane after sitting in the blackness of a cell for so long. " They continued to move at a pace that was just a step above a walk, quick, but not rushing. Satisfying for the homesick ninja, but slow enough for him to be able to gather his resolve for the dive below the surface, back into the darkness again. Before it had been just a novel idea, but now it was almost a terrifying prospect to face. One day he would overcome it. Mother Suna would give him the strength to, as she always had. "Well, after they had given up on torturing information out of me in the earlier years of my captivity." It was added on and spoken so casually, like someone commenting on the weather.

"I must apologize for my story not being the brightest of ones."

Although he relived every waking moment of the past years as he spoke, his visage didn't show any pain. Acceptance had been hard fought for, a sacrifice he had made for the better of his village so that others may live happily. Onto that, Mother Suna had seen it just to release him and bring him back to the dry air that he had so relished.

"Katsuo-san, what of Sunagakure, how does she fare?"

A wall dropped before the remaining thousands of questions he wanted to ask, preventing their passage into word form. Specifics were for later, when he just wanted to hear that another plague hadn't swept over it and killed its people.

---

We are twice armed if we fight with faith|

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[Mikaboshi]

[col]Katsuo listened quietly but intently as Kurisu told his story. He knew of the organization which had plotted to attack Sand through viral means. They had a name in this age: the Plague Preservers and they were Katsuo's sworn enemy for it had been they that not only had brought ruin down upon Sunagakure in the end but also had been the group responsible for his father's assassination and the subsequent isolation of his mother from what had become her home. "His people" had suffered massively at the hands of that organization but they had never been pursued or brought to justice. Katsuo had always wondered why but had made a vow to strike that fact into fiction when the village was situated well enough. The Plague Preservers would answer for their crimes some day even if it killed him to make happen.

From the sound of Kurisu's tale, some branch of the Preservers had taken root within the government of Fire Country but as soon as Katsuo made a mental note to investigate that his new acquaintance went on to describe how he'd dismantled that branch of their organization and destroyed it's power within Fire Country and at that Katsuo smiled. Death was never something that the wanderer celebrated or enjoyed but it was certainly a cause for celebration that such a force of true evil had been defeated. That death had to be a part of that defeat was unfortunate but the hard fact was that some men could not or would not see reason. He'd managed to convince some of the Cabal members to join Sand and put their efforts towards ensuring a positive future for Wind Country but he had not been so fortunate with all of them.

'Nonsense my friend, your story ends well enough doesn't it? You've returned to us with the news that an old foe of Sunagakure has been dealt a great blow and you are alive. Such things are to be celebrated!" Katsuo remarked in response to Kurisu's apology. Unlike others in the shinobi world, there was no double-side to his words. No veiled sarcasm or mockery of the tribulation that Kurisu had gone through. Only genuine optimism towards the ANBU's return.

Then as Kurisu asked of Sunagakure, Katsuo's expression faded to one of relative somberness. There could be no elation with the words that he had to say or the story that he had to tell. Sand's legacy in the last few decades had been one of suffering, sickness and misfortune.

"I won't lie to you Kurisu, we've had hard years. That organization you said you tracked to Fire Country -- you probably know by now that they call themselves Plague Preservers -- well they hit Sand hard in the following years. Cost a lot of lives including most of the royal family and the Kazekage at the time." Katsuo hadn't been in Sand for any of those events but the history was hard to forget once learned. "In the absence of a ruling Kazekage the desert rose against us and drove Sand underground and it's just been one battle after the next since then."

Katsuo gave Kurisu a moment to soak in the words that he was saying before anything else. He didn't know this man but he understood that it might be hard to discover that despite the sacrifice he'd made, Sand had suffered anyway. He hadn't failed per say as his mission had been completed but in the end the efforts of the Plague Preservers had prevailed to an extent. They hadn't destroyed Sunagakure but it would be accurate enough to say that they had mortally wounded it even if they had failed to actually make the kill. Finally after a pause, Katsuo rested his hand upon Kurisu's shoulder and his smile returned once more.

"But we're still here and now we're a man stronger. Things are looking up already.' He nodded to himself as if agreeing with his own words before jerking his head to the side in a gesture for Kurisu to follow him through the large cavern which they had come across finally. This was the "secret" tunnel through the Toraono Dojo which was being used as the make-shift gates since the Maw of Barnyx had been destroyed.|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [SCENE BGM (NOTHING)]"][/legend]

NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

IGNORE ME.[/col]

 

[Uri]

[col]To steel himself was all he could do upon hearing Katsuo's first statement. Like a sailor might secure themselves to the mast in a treacherous storm, he readied himself for what might be the worst. The Toraono were still alive, thriving, so it was not the new of a village's demise, but he knew there would be death. Lots of it. He swallowed hard hearing of the news of the Kazekage and the royal family. Kazekage Hiro had not been in premiere health, but to have his life ended in such a manner is a travesty. The whole family too. These were people his duty demand he safeguard from harm's way and those who sought to bring agony upon them.

"Yes, renovations had begun prior to my departure. It seems the Maelstrom is just as troublesome these days."

Silence followed for a long moment after. Twenty years was a long time to be spent in nearly perfect silence. A gaping void of blackness the only thing to see upon waking each day. Thousands--No, millions of outcomes and consequences had played out in his head. This had threatened to break him far sooner than any of the interrogation methods employed against him. Being so young, he had been unable to look far enough into the future to realize what his actions could have wrought upon the village. The Preservers had still done their damage, and he had only really helped Fire Country, leaving his own home to languish under the sands.

There was more bad news to endure, specifics of events he would insist on learning for himself.

And despite it all he only saw towards the future.

He could have died: He didn't.

The village could have been obliterated: They weren't.

There was a larger plan at work.

Katsuo only pushed that feeling further along with his encouragement. If he was Sunahoshi Hiro's son, he shared that same reassuring quality his old Kage carried with him even when things looked most grim.

"As Mother Suna has done for us before, we will bring this village to life and battle back whatever darkness may come." They passed through a portal, descending into darkness finally. Not even this black maw could shrink his spirit now. "You are right, I am back now, and I have twenty years to make up for." Amped up for whatever may come, he saw this as a chance to use this mental high to ask a painful question, "If the Kazekage and royal family perished, was the Diamond Throne filled by a Takahashi? What of Judori-sama?"

The mere thought of their deaths caused an ache so deep he knew that it would be many more years before it ever subsided. Mortality was a cruel and unusual beast. Those who deserved to live often perished and those who taunted the reaper were often ignored. Kurisu was such an example, having survived Red Death as a child. Could someone else's life be saved in his life that could have done more? Another philosophical battle he had faced before in his solitary confinement. This was why he was so determined to carry out the living will of Mother Suna, to deliver her children to paradise and to set an example for future generations to do the same. This life he was granted would not be wasted, not after being given a third chance.

---

We are twice armed if we fight with faith|

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[Mikaboshi]

[col]Katsuo visibly winced a small bit at Kurisu's question about the royal family having perished entirely. He had long since come to terms with his father's death but being here in Sunagakure was a constant reminder of who this society expected him to be in relation to his father. By all accounts, Sunahoshi Hiro had been the ideal Kazekage. Powerful, courageous, wise, kind. In many ways the way Hiro had been had become short-hand for the legend of the true Kazekage in general. He'd taken up Tatsumasa and chosen to undergo the first trial of the king during the occupation of Sunagakure by the Cabal in order to bring a dawn to the night that the outsiders had cast upon the city but finally that time was largely at an end. Still the question of his worthiness plagued him. Sousuke looked up to Katsuo in the same way that his own younger kin did even though they'd only been friends for less than a year and to be sure Katsuo was not ignorant of the unpopularity of his decision to spare certain members of the Cabal.

Still, if Sunagakure were to be redeemed and Wind Country set right once more it he had to believe in the path that he walked. There was nothing more than that.

"I s'pose you could say that the Diamond Throne is more or less full at the moment." Katsuo explained nebulously, "The current Steward-Kazekage is Takahashi Sousuke though I guess by tradition I should be taking the title of Kazekage from him in the coming days. There hasn't really been a good time to discuss that sort of thing, recently."

More like he was actively putting it off. Katsuo was reluctant to officially be recognized as the man that everyone looked to for leadership. He was willing to take charge in a situation which demanded it as he had done following the final battle with the Cabal when he'd negotiated Kaito's surrender and subsequent defection to the Sunagakurian... or rather his cause. He was certain that if Kaito were standing next to him the former leader of the Cabal would have appreciated the distinction between them even if Katsuo himself did not agree. To someone who didn't know Katsuo it might seem strange that he was discussing such a matter with someone so openly but that was the type of man that he was. To him, Kurisu had already been accepted as a brother in arms and that made him family to the would-be Kazekage. Until Kurisu gave him a reason to mistrust him or feel that he might bring misfortune down upon the city there was a level of implicit trust for the returned ANBU that many would likely have described as "unwise" for a member of the shinobi world but Katsuo had never been and did not consider himself a "shinobi". He was just a man trying to make the world a better place.

"We've had a lot bigger problems on our plate than who is sitting on the throne." At least that was plenty true. There were too many families without homes attempting to stay within the Toraono Dojo. It was massive building to be sure and there were not nearly as many survivors of the occupation as Katsuo would have liked but still the overcrowding was becoming an issue. Many had returned to their burnt out and dilapidated homes and businesses within the city but that couldn't last. Katsuo was willing to allow that small bit of comfort for the time being but they would need to move soon and find a more permanent settlement on the surface and away from the tomb that the Sunagakurian cavern had become.|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [SCENE BGM (NOTHING)]"][/legend]

NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

IGNORE ME.[/col]

 

[Uri]

[col]A Takahashi had taken the throne, which meant at least a lapse in rightful succession. However, Kurisu's instincts had been right upon first meeting Katsuo; he was Kazekage Hiro's son. The striking resemblance was far to uncanny to just be coincidence. In passing thought, he realized he was probably a small handful of people who had worked directly with the former Kazekage and knew just how exactly the contours of his face matched his son's. While it would have been a reasonable assumption to call Kurisu obsessed, he refused to be put up by an imposter who couldn't nail the visage of his Kage perfectly. Short of being a better shinobi than he, he wouldn't allow such things to stand. Every potential threat to Sunagakure he had learned, the names of active clans, those with ties to outside the village, and those not of Wind Country descent. Being so engrossed in his work, having the mental capacity and sharp memory is what made him so good at his job, so good at picking out little details others missed, and exploiting those minor discoveries.

It was all well and good to wave the banner and shout about the first men, about glory and death and honor, but it did not do anyone a favor if those responsible for the welfare of the village died in a poorly thought out plan. That's all he could assume happened. They had missed the little caveats and it cascaded into a series of terrible events leading to trouble they were in now.

A soft nod of his head and a subdued smile, "Yes, I had assumed as much. The resemblance to Hiro-sama was obvious once your helmet was removed."

Still thinking about all the loss he would have to face pained him, but he was staring at the future. A new village, a new Kage, and a new chance at life.

"Yes, that is likely true, but it must always be known that someone sits there; even if in essence. A leader needs to be recognized so that the villagers can see a pillar in which to place their faith." There was something to be said for appearances and loud, boisterous efforts to better their situations. The hustle and bustle of ninja actively moving about brought more comfort than just those that hid in the shadows. As one who had done that for years, he had learned from his observations the importance of that lesson. "Primus had done it for his people when they faced the Ancients, and we gained our freedom. If large steps must be taken, they must be able to place their trust in their leaders. If this attack happened under their watch, then they will look to the one who helped liberate them once more."

While completely ignorant to Katsuo's role in the entire ordeal, a part of him knew that the Masashi had stepped in and shoved back during these most recent times.

Glancing sideways, making eye contact, "Am I wrong, Katsuo-san? Did you not help the village when it called out?"

If the bloodline had ended, but this young man stood before him, then he had returned to face his heritage, and it was obvious that standing idly by while good souls suffered was not in his blood. Kurisu knew as much, having seen the same qualities in his father. This time, Kurisu turned the gesture around on the Masashi and grasped his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze and smiling, "No matter these complications before us, we will overcome them. Kazekage Hiro placed his confidence in me once before. I now ask that you do the same, so that you may stand not by yourself, but with faithful at your side."

The blind openness Katsuo had displayed was indeed foolish in many channels of the ninjaing world, but to a person whose life was based around prayer to an entity that existed only in fairy tales, faith meant everything. Taking the leap and pushing through the initial panic often yielded great results. This time Kurisu would overwatch the weak and safeguard his charges. Never again will he be in such a position that Sunagakure will come under threat, not as long as his heart still beat and Mother Suna watched him.

---

We are twice armed if we fight with faith|

[/col]

 

[Mikaboshi]

Refugees bustled around them in a makeshift collection of shanties and blanket-covered alcoves. It was clear from even a cursory examination that people here were trying to survive no matter what -- clinging to life despite the bad hand that had been dealt them. Every so often someone would happen by who would greet Katsuo and he them -- he was a common sight in these parts. Unlike those that had returned to the village to reclaim what little they could, Katsuo had focused his efforts on the surface portion of the villagers which had been totally displaced. His skills were primarily related to battle and the slaying of creatures and men of evil weal but even in times such as these there were always odd jobs that could use a strong arm and a sturdy back. Kurisu explained the need for someone to be sitting upon the Diamond Throne from his perspective and Katsuo gave him a weak smile the same way that he always did Sousuke whenever his cousin went on about why he should take the throne. The difference between them is Sousuke's lectures invariably came down to tradition and what was "necessary". He wanted Katsuo to take the throne because that was how things were. A Sunahoshi ruled because they were born to do so. Kurisu's point made much more sense to the pragmatic Katsuo. The people needed a leader -- now more than ever. Still though, that did not necessarily mean that said leader needed to be him. Only that they needed one and that was something that at least Katsuo could agree with.

"Agreed.' Katsuo echoed Kurisu's optimism towards the future as the ANBU placed his hand upon Katsuo's shoulder. King or no, he had every intention of following through with his desire to bring order back to the Wind Country that so sorely lacked it. Bandits roamed freely and monsters of all description haunted the night without opposition. It was time that was put to a stop or at least taken to task. Even if he failed, he could die knowing that he fought the good fight.

For normal folks, walking long distances could take great amounts of time. It was by no means a long trip from the gap in the cavernous walls to the heart of Sunagakure but for folks who lacked in supernatural agility it might take them hours to get from one place to another in the sprawling underground metropolis of Sunagakure. Fortunately Katsuo and Kurisu were not normal folks by any description and as such their trip was of a shorter nature. They traversed crowds easily and with practiced comfort and encountered no trouble on their way. There still existed an element of danger in Sand from the still remaining escaped convicts and various other desert and cavern threats which had come out of the stonework to prey upon Sand in it's currently weakened position but it seemed at least on this day those threats thought better of challenging the two men on their way to see the Steward-Kazekage...

[Getting on with it to this thread]

 

[Uri]

[OOC: Followed; Topic Left]