Private Calling all ANBU

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna would stand in a very deep part of Sileo Tempestas, and here, she had called a number of the ANBU to which they will learn the news. She would tap her headset, tuning into the ANBU specific channel that only people of her branch have access to.

"Hello Everyone. This is Nereid. I require you all here at Sileo Tempestas with haste." Her hand would go back down. There would be no way for anyone to know much about Miro. And certainly not that Yuna is now the new Sennin. She had previously looked over some of the reports that she was able to uncover. Tsukinowa Shinjo. Someone that seemed effected by her predecessors actions. Nevertheless... reading the bingo book information about him, he is an enemy of Cloud for killing a citizen and leaving Cloud.

She would let out a sigh. What else did Kogami Miro had hiding in her closet that needs to be found out? Shaking her head, Yuna focused on the present for right now.

 

[Orochi Sakura]

A summons to the Sileo pierced the air, disrupting the tranquil ambiance of my chamber. My eyes, accustomed to the dimness, blinked slowly as the message resonated through the secure frequency. The voice that reached my ears was unfamiliar, yet the urgency it conveyed demanded my attention. Despite the intrusion, I remained reclined, my gaze fixed upon the intricate web of knives suspended above me.

Seventy-two blades, each gleaming with a sinister allure, hung delicately by a thread above the velvety darkness of my sanctuary. The room itself was a manifestation of my peculiar tastes; a traditional coffin crafted from black lacquered wood, adorned with plush bedding in hues of deep burgundy and dark purple. It was a haven where I found solace.

As I contemplated the summons, a subtle sigh escaped my lips, betraying a hint of annoyance at the interruption of my solitude. Reluctantly, I stirred from my reclined position, the velvet yielding beneath my languid movements. With measured steps, I made my way towards a treasure trove of garments befitting my somber aesthetic.

Each piece within my wardrobe invoked a sense of mystique that resonated with my very being. I perused the array of attire. A collection of black dresses, skirts, and blouses adorned with lace and other gothic embellishments, accessories catching my discerning eye, chokers encircling delicate necks, silver jewelry adorned with dark stones, and an assortment of morbid trinkets that spoke to my fascination with the macabre.

Selecting a classic black dress, I dressed with a sense of purpose, each movement deliberate as I adorned myself with the accoutrements of my identity. The transformation was subtle yet profound. Clad in my customary attire, I cast a final glance at the chamber that had been my sanctuary, the knives above me casting elongated shadows would fall as I stepped out into the corridor. The rhythmic descent of knives drowned the echos of my footsteps in a shower fall as I made my way towards the Sileo.

Arriving at my destination, I was met with solitude, the emptiness of the chamber was a stark contrast to the urgency of the message that had summoned me. With my arms folded across my chest, I surveyed the room with a gaze as sharp as the blades that once hung over me. "Orochi Sakura... present," I declared, my voice a whisper that carried the weight of shadows.

[mft]

 

[Honnou]

He was about to rebuke her for not using her ANBU alias, but Orochi Sakura was still in training. She’d probably get a slithery title befitting of her name… nay, that’d be too obvious…

Wow. His name exposed his clan’s most obvious character trait – the color white. He had no excuse.

Anyway, Hon did hurry on his way towards the Sileo – one of the first things Nereid did upon return was to summon them all, so it had to be something serious to be shared with the ANBU black ops. Truth be told, he liked Yuna’s development, as subtle as it’d been in his absent eyes – while Hon had spent more time leaking into the Main Branch type of duty to live up to his promise to Aoi, Yuna had shown exemplary work as an ANBU black ops member… he even speculated that she was outshining him now. But knowing what he knew of her, she probably wasn’t a competitive person.

But he answered her call and sort of ‘popped’ into existence within the location deep within the Sileo. Armored by the branch’s uniform, and his blank beast-eared mask (difficult to tell if it was a fox or a cat), he often came off as indiscernible, a mere other ANBU operative. All the better in his eyes.

… But something did bother him lately. The Sennin’s absence – Mirō’s absence. He didn’t know any details, since the Sennin was really reserved in nature, but maybe Nereid had answers to his bubbling questions.

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

She would wait as the people came in. There weren't much people to note about except for Orochi Sakura and Hyuuga Honnou. She has read the reports on both operatives and they both have performed exemplary.

But first, she will need to inform them. "Hello, so you all may be wondering why I have called you to this meeting rather than the Sennin. Well the news is that Kagami Mirō has resigned from her Sennin-ship and I have been appointed the next Sennin." Yuna paused before going on, "Now under my supervision, there are going to be some changes to the branch. First of all, we will now have sub branches to have specific jobs that each operative will take part in. Assassins, diplomats, and Intel. Anbu in training will learn all three of these to see which one serves them best. Anbu and higher will choose. However, there are two of you that I want to recognize. First off, anbu captain Hyuuga Honnou. You have been anbu captain for a while, but I think as of right now you will need to have the work cut out for you as an actual anbu captain. For you, I will give you the choice of being the leader of either the assassin or the Intel sub branch."

Yuna would pause before continuing on, "Orochi Sakura. I am promoting you to Anbu captain. For you, however, I am giving you the chance to lead the diplomatics sub branch. I have read your reports of stopping a fellow cloud ninja from going missing, and instead of killing them, you made them open their eyes and look forward to a new future. Sometimes the best decision is through talks of peace rather than turning blades to one another." The sage would take a deep breath before continuing on, "I trust you both will work diligently in your new positions. If you have any questions, feel free to ask away before I go into the next bit of information."

(Orochi Sakura is promoted to Anbu captain)

 

[Orochi Sakura]

Ah, so it unfolds, the retirement of the illustrious golden mask. Not a surprise to me, for I sensed the stirrings of change when she ventured to moon country. You see, I had tracked her with the snapshot and chakra sensing jutsu, and while she evaded me, none can truly evade my grasp unless I allow it. My little jaunt beyond the village gates went unnoticed, it seems. Yet, my reward was swift. A promotion to Anbu Captain of diplomatic affairs, of all things. It appears my knack for swaying the hearts of the village's youth played a pivotal role. Fear, it seems, holds more sway than steel in matters of diplomacy. A mischievous smirk danced upon my lips as I welcomed this shift in responsibility, a role befitting my talents.

I produced from my person the plain white mask bestowed upon Anbu trainees, the identity thrust upon me upon initiation. With a decisive clench of my hand, I shattered the mask, symbolizing the shedding of my former self. It was time to fashion a new mask from its fragments. "Full-fledged Anbu are granted a code name, are they not? Call me... Wednesday." With the pieces of the pale mask in hand, I focused my chakra, maintaining unbroken eye contact as I molded the fragments to form a new visage. Donning the mask, I pressed on, "As Anbu Captain of diplomatic affairs, I assume you already have an assignment for me? Rumor has it that your visit to Wind country was quite eventful. I look forward to reading the report." A subtle reminder that I keep tabs on all within our organization. It's a stalker's hobby, after all.

[Anbu Captain Accepted]

 

[Honnou]

Hon… remembered Aoi’s words. No, not just hers – Ziren’s words. Some things, he just couldn’t do on his own… and being an assassin had led him down such a path to begin with. To kill all by himself felt liberating at first, but at the same time, it made him distant. But he wanted to change that – to make others wary of the burden taking a life bore. That it meant more than just following orders.

“I choose the Intel sub branch, Sennin,” he replied quickly and precisely. He’d made his choice – if you think about it, back at the train hijack where he confronted one of the Revolutionist vanguards, he was able to gather a lot of intel from flying files flickering in the strong winds entering from the broken window, all in real time while combating the man who sliced his right eye. Intel gathering, otherwise, felt like a branch requiring skills in Genjutsu… but Hon could do this. Do something that didn’t just require him to be out there killing his enemies and questioning himself all the time – with enough intel, he wouldn’t ever have to question anything again.

“I, too, am intrigued about your journey, Sennin. Otherwise, I have no further questions.”

[OOC: Chose the Intel Sub Branch]

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna would nod. It seems both Sakura and Hon will do fine in their new positions. The mission in Sand. "The mission in Sand Village. It was originally made to break alliance with Sand upon interrogation with a Myakashi Kiko who had claimed that she was ordered by the Ancients of Sand. Upon entering Wind Country, both me and Miro were approached by a certain individual. His name is Mirokou Akkuma. He has had a rocky relationship with at least Cloud in the past, formerly lived here, at a time. But outside of that, he is someone to be wary of."

She would pause before going on, "After our brief encounter with him, we made our way into Sand, where the Eleventh Kazekage, Lord Raizo, had talked with us. And it was through him that we had learned much of Sands history along with who he thinks was the person really behind the attack on Cloud. Mirokou Akkuma. Miro had left Sand to inform the Raikage whilst I stayed behind to learn more about Akkuma and await orders. Finally orders came through. First orders were to rebuild the alliance between the two nations. The second one, kill Akkuma. During the second meeting with Raizo, we learned, or rather rediscovered some connections on the Bingo Book. Along with Myakashi Kiko, the names Myakashi Migoya and Myakashi Yong are in the Bingo Book as well. People who had committed treason against Leaf some many years ago."

The Sennin would open up her Bingo Book. "With that being said, it is to be expected that any who are part of the Myakashi Clan are going to be enemies of Cloud, as we do not know if these three are separate from the clan, or the clan follows them through fire and blood. At best, they should be highly discriminated and turned away, at worst, executed. I recommend you all update your Bingo Books to be on the lookout for ANYONE that is part of the Myakashi Clan. Along with that, inform anyone else from the other branches about them to update their Bingo Books as well. Don't worry, I will also let the other Sennin know as well."

Her eyes would blink. A snapshot would play out for the whole ANBU Branch. "Now for those of you who think that Akkuma was wrongly accused, he had even said it himself that he had ordered Kiko to attack not just Cloud, but Leaf also to see just how stable the Alliances between the Villages were and if either Village would still ally with themselves with Sand, not knowing Sand was framed." Pausing to take a breathe, she would continue on, "Later, though, during my investigation, the Eleventh kazekage had disappeared, leaving the Village in a state of weakness and emergency. Shortly after, Chikamatsu Shin was made the twelfth Kazekage. And more disturbingly, Akkuma was made one of the Sennin of Sand."

Yuna would wait and let that information sink in before continuing on, "I had given the Twelfth Kazekage the same information I have given you all about this and he had talked about looking into the matter personally. However, with that said. he had talked about Akkuma visiting Cloud soon to talk about diplomatic matters."

She would look at her newly appointed ANBU Captain, "Wednesday. Your first job as leader of the diplomatic team is to meet Akkuma at the Cloud Gates. Now, there are prerequisites for this. Do not let him in unless he has two jounin rank sand ninja with him. Me and Lord Shin had come to an agreement of Akkuma is only allowed to be let in by Cloud if he is escorted by two Sand jounin who are aware of the situation and can make the decision if he decides to go rogue to aid us in killing him. Along with that any mention of me, Nereid, in his or Sand ninja's presence will rather be referred to as Silent rather than Nereid. And as Silent, when you do mention me, simply say that I am just another anbu that is mute that controls water." Which more or less what people had probably thought of her while in her stay in Sand.

"This is to keep my identity well hidden. Now Wednesday, when Akkuma has fulfilled the prerequisites of having two Sand Jounin accompany him, I will need you to accompany them to the Raikage and stand by for her orders. Now while he has had a part in killing some Cloud shinobi, we must also think about the alliance. An unprovoked attack on him will break the alliance between Cloud and Sand and could start a war. Something I'm sure none of us want to be a part of."

Taking a deep breathe, Yuna would go on, "One final thing. Aside from the elimination of the Myakashi Clan and the Akkuma diplomacy. If anyone finds Kagami Miro, they are to bring her to me alive. While she was your Sennin, she has made an illegal operation and a blemish on the Anbu Branch name. From my understanding, a slave labor operation that I will personally take down. So if there is any information on this slave labor or on Miro, let me know immediately." Her face would soften, trying to not be some crazed tyrannical ruler that she partly saw in Miro back in Sand, "I may be new to this position, and it sure seems that I am asking a lot out of you all. But if you ever need to talk on a personal level, my door is always open." Her thoughts went back to the Shinjo file and the relationship between him and Miro. It was, best way to describe, inhumane. "With that said, do not take this as weakness in order to get one up on me. I will not tolerate anyone that brings harm to this branch or this Village.

 

[Orochi Sakura]

"Alliance?" I pondered, my voice cutting through the silence like a chill wind in a graveyard, a rare departure from my usual demeanor. The sheer audacity of it all stirred something deep within me. Our nation's unyielding fear of conflict had led us to sacrifice our own people, deeming them expendable in the name of maintaining a fragile partnership. Was it truly for peace? Doubtful. These excuses were feeble, as transparent as ghosts in a graveyard.

Kumogakure, once mighty, had crumbled from within due to the weakness of its leaders. And now, they expected me to welcome a man who openly admitted to atrocities against our own, all because our leaders feared the prospect of war.

The truth was crystal clear: the alliance was a facade. Sunagakure's leaders must have known of Akkuma’s dark deeds. His infamous reputation extended far beyond mere rumor. And then, there was the suspicious rise to power in Sunagakure. The 11th Kazakage vanishes, and suddenly the 12th Kazakage appoints Akkuma, a notorious villain, as Sennin. Only fools believed in such convenient coincidences. The 12th Kazakage's ties to him were undeniable, hinting at collusion or worse. They flaunted him before us, daring us to act. It was a dare of war that my village was too timid to accept. We appeared weak because we were weak. His presence in our village would signal our enemies that we were ripe for exploitation. All because we feared the specter of war, cloaked in the guise of virtue to maintain a false peace. If Sunagakure truly valued our alliance, they would have chosen a different Sennin instead of parading our enemy before us.

The war had already begun with Akkuma's ascent to power in the Sand Village. And now, Golden Mask Miro had been replaced by a Sennin ill-equipped for the task, or perhaps lacking the will to act decisively.

In response, I chose to withhold information regarding Miro's whereabouts. Her betrayal would not be met with the same weakness that plagued Kumogakure. While she posed no immediate threat, she would face justice in due time. The stain on the Anbu Corps and Kumogakure was a testament to the failures of our leaders.

True justice, unmarred by fear, resided within me. And so, I nodded to the new Sennin, acknowledging their request with a solemn vow: "I understand. I will represent the organization with integrity and, above all, act in the village's best interests… as I always have. Now, is there any other information that we should be made aware of? Has any of these events affected our standing with the Hidden Leaf? If I am to act as head of diplomatic affairs, I need to know all of the players and important pieces on the board."

[mft]

 

[Honnou]

Yeah, Hon would do well to remember all of this. ’Cause accordingly, she learned a lot in Suna… but a name struck out to him. Akkuma… he’d heard that name plenty before. But something poked at his gut about it, something special.

A mission to break an alliance became one to restore it, now that an assumably common enemy was found in this Akkuma guy and a couple more connections to Myakashi Kiko – Yong and Migoya, both from the same clan. To antagonize an entire clan was treading on thin ice, but it was the most cautious step to take. As long as he kept away from them, he wouldn’t have to get all of Myakashi on his throat like he did with the Tenouzans… hopefully, he could avoid that. Nodding silently, he made a mental note to inform his now sub-branch to update their Bingo Books accordingly.

… A twist occurred with the disappearance of the 11th Kazekage. Along with a new successor to the shadow cast by winds, Akkuma was made one of the Sennin of Sand. Shit… that’s almost blatantly disrespectful, Hon couldn’t help but express to himself. This left a bad feeling in his chest, for now a known opposition was going to have a visit here? Hon wanted to know more about the new Kazekage and his connections to Akkuma, and… hmh, he should probably see Akkuma face to face, too. His gut feeling was beckoning him to.

Now, to arguably the most shocking news – Mirō’s defection. Involved in a slave labor operation? What the hell? Hon’s thoughts skewered, genuinely taken aback as he didn’t expect any of this – and he’d been working under her for years now. This was… what the fuck? He knew that the previous Sennin had some unorthodox tendencies, but this wasn’t a dedication to the branch. This was something she’d kill other members for…

So... with all of this information, Hon’s distrust towards Akkuma was shared with many others present. However, while Wednesday was intent to learn more about the alliance with the Hidden Leaf, Hon wondered about his previous Sennin. He wanted to find her... but matters at home mattered more. Akkuma could not be taken lightly. He’d remain quiet, wanting to learn more about their alliance too.

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna expected nothing less from her ANBU's reactions. The information that she had given them was a lot, and for it to end with Akkuma's rise to Senninhood in the Sand's ranks was downright asking for some type of reaction from Cloud. Though that happened before she had told the Kazekage, the twelfth one. She wondered if Shin had taken what she had said to heart, or if he threw it to the wind. It is expected that Akkuma will show up in the coming days and no doubt, he'll try and weasel his way into making Cloud throw the first punch just to run back to Sand for protection.

It was an absolute slap in the face to her of the Demon's continued existence. But she thought of the betterment of the two nations as a whole and knew that if she was successful in killing Akkuma, it would only bring war onto Cloud's doorstep, something that would cause many deaths. The topic went onto how Cloud stands with Leaf. She would nod. "Upon my brief visitation there with my predecessor to break treaty, we had met two individuals that stood out to us. Hokage Takeshi and Sennin Sazuki Nao. They were rude to two people. Now one can say that they were merely being safe and cautious when dealing with foreign anbu, but when we were greeted by the Eleventh Kazekage, Raizo, we had a different welcoming, one that wasn't built on mistrust, but rather more trusting than he should have been. Our Raikage herself went to talk with Leaf Officials while I was still in Sand. It seems, with her, they fixed their attitude and even signed a new treaty for an alliance with Cloud. This new treaty will see to forming new bonds between Leaf and Cloud. I suggest that strengthening this bond between both Villages will be good. Though do remember that us being ANBU, they may treat us differently, something that will need to be remedied at once if it does tend to be more than just the upper hierarchy of Leaf. As to what had caused the break in alliance to begin with, it was when Leaf was attacked and didn't warn of a potential threat coming to Cloud. That has been since talked about with our Raikage and their Hokage. The Myakashi clan, along with the names of Migoya, Kiko, and Yong, have been sent from me personally to Leaf as a way to let Leaf know of how this clan's presence is bothersome. Migoya and Yong are previous bingo book entrants that Leaf had warned us about long ago. Kiko is a new one that we have told them specifically about."

She would stop talking and then look at Hon. "All ANBU. You are dismissed to go forth and do your duties. Wednesday. Remember what I said about Akkuma. I don't like it, but we cannot afford a war with Sand. He will also most likely try and pry some information from you so be as vague as possible for your answers. Along with that, make sure the two people that accompany him know of his situation in case he gets any ideas to start something with Cloud. Otherwise you are free to go. Byakko. I want to talk to you some more."

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Just as people were leaving she had a call come in on her personal headset. And while most of the ANBU were here, she had a few out and about to make sure that peace was being kept around the Village and to let her know immediately of anything coming to change. Hm... So word on the vine is that...

She walked up to Wednesday and then shook her head. "My apologies for this but it seems I have to personally look over this Akkuma business when he arrives. However, while you're here. I do have another order that comes to mind. I have to talk to the Raikage about the business with my predecessor once I'm done cleaning up her mess. I would like you to go to Leaf as a diplomat, wear the mask or not is up to you, but once you're there it can only be one or the other. It might prove useful to show an attempt to keep peace between the two Villages through trades and such. Whilst I cannot give the go ahead for imports and exports, which is why I'm going to talk with the Raikage, I would like you to talk with the upper chain of Leaf and give them more information on Myakashi Kiko. For now, they only know a name, the name that goes with the Myakashi clan. And since you are there, see if you can get any more information regarding to Myakashi Migoya and Yong. I will give you a file the next time we meet."

She would look over at Hon. "As for you. Along with keeping an eye out for if you see Miro, I'll need you to tell me immediately. As for the Akkuma business. If he is let past the gates, I'd like you to keep your distance but a close eye on him in case he tries anything."

Yuna would let out a sigh, "As for me. I have my hands full. A certain Main Branch Sennin is choosing to be part of the problem and add more to my already overflowing plate." And with that, she would take her leave.

(topic left)
(sorry for the double post guys)