Event CLOSED: Kyōsaku House: Left Path - Second Floor "Meeting Room"

[Sand Council]

Location Description: This area would have a single visible room, marked "Meeting Room", and a door in the middle of the hallway just past it as if someone had intentionally cut down the length of the hallway by walling it off and putting a door up. This door would be locked with a sign posted "Not Yet".

OOC: After entering through the Dinner Party thread, please feel free to post here at your leisure until we reach our "midnight" deadline... but why would you be here, no meetings have been called yet... ya silly goose!

 

[Raizo]

Within the Meeting room sat Raizo and Itsuki, the director of the Kazekage Tower and its operations. Tapping his fingers on the conference table, there was clearly something bothering him as he would let out a loud sigh.

Where the heck is Yukina... she said she had several things to take care of today and that she would be running late, but I still expected her to be... her normal Yu self and make it here before even me.

His eyes would glance upward, first at Itsuki and then at the door. Still, nothing new, and nothing changed. He could hear from a communication device the arrival announcement of the different guests but there was still no word on Yukina.

What could she possibly be doing that would have her miss this... it better be the most damn important thing ever because I need Yu! This dinner-people-formality stuff is a drag and she excels so much at it. HURRY THE HELL UP YU!!!!!

"Hey, Itsuke, have you happened to hear from Yukina at all?"

The nervous tapping would continue. His eyes would continue to dart back and forth in a certain pattern; the clock, the comms device, Itsuke, and lastly the door to the room. Each time he would cylce through this patter, each time nothing would change... except the time. The time would be the one thing that did not care about the missing Yukina or the stress of the Kazekage. The time would just continue to tick down.

Damn, I'm gonna need to go down there here soon and start this shindig...

MFT - 256

 

[Sand Council]

"Itsuke, this is Yukina. I am going radio silent. If you do not hear from me within an hour send an escort to the Red Lights District. I am attempting a little cleanup."

These would be the words that came over his headset. Gently he would press the comms device while glancing over at the Kazekage, who seemed to be looking rather distracted anyways.

"Understood."

And with that, he would change the channel upon his comms device.

"Attention, please begin to serve our guests. Please encourage the different judges present to start their own processes. The Kazekage..."

He would look at the moody man once more.

"...will be there momentarily" he would say with a smile as he would flip the channels on his device once more.

"Make sure perimeter watches are beginning now. Make sure one person with the use of the Snapshot technique is present at all times. Report back into this channel within any issues."

Once more he would flip through the channels while maintaining his watch on the Kazekage.

"You have an uninvited guest."

More flipping.

"Please make sure the ventilation in the cigar room is working properly, if not please ensure guests go outside."

Flipping.

"They are watching. Will probably move."

Twisting and turning as the channels would flip.

"The appetizers and drinks need time to breathe on the floor, please hold before starting entree prep work. The Kazekage is coming shortly."

Flip. flip. flip.

"Please begin passing out the wrist devices that Lord Satoshi made. If the guests question it, please tell them to the best of your ability and let them know the Kazekage will explain more."

Finally, he would set his comms device on a scanning feature, one that would allow him to be pinged by any else who was on one of his marked channels. His attention would turn to the Kazekage as he would ask about Yukina.

"I have not heard a word from Yukina, Kazekage-sama. With that, however, I believe Ms. Yukina would be rather angry, at both of us, if you were late to this event. So please gather yourself up and let's get this night officially started."

He would motion for Raizo to follow him as his face would remain as serious as ever.

 

[Raizo]

Letting out a sigh he would begrudgingly agree to what Itsuke was saying, "You haven't known her for as long as I have--but it seems you've picked up on her personality pretty quickly."

He would smirk as he would attempt to shift his attitude to focus on the events for tonight.

"Okay, Itsuke, tell me who all we have on hand for the preliminary work."

Yukina will be here, she is a big girl, and I am a big guy... so I need to just keep moving forward. I am being demeaning to her by getting this worked up by her running late. I am the leader of the village, my vision can't be narrowed to just one specific person, and tonight is about increasing the strength of the village. Yu will get here when she gets here and I can chastize her at my leisure at that time... I mean it's not often, if ever, that I get a chance to hold something over her head.

"Additionally, before we head out there, do you think you could get a drink brought to me, Itsuke?"

Pausing for a moment, he would give the Kazekage Tower Director an addendum to his request.

"Actually, could you make sure it is a stiff first round for me?"

Tonight had a chance to be a long one.

 

[Sand Council]

Upon the request of an attendance list, Itsuke would approach a board affixed to the wall and begin to write down a series of names. Itsuke was meticulous, it was a personality trait that allowed him to excel at operating a massive office building such as the Kazekage's tower. What aided him was that his mind not only more easily stored information but the amount of information it could store and recall, it seemed otherworldly. In reality, this was merely Itsuke utilizing a technique that only he could. He was born into this shinobi village and had the ability to mold chakra, but his body was far too frail to be much of a soldier. Instead, his chakra seemed more attuned to more abstract purposes. After some time of practice, he discovered that by using his chakra he could enhance his brain in a similar manner that regular shinobi use it to reinforce their bodies for offense or defense. Unlike regular shinobi, he could devote 100 percent of his chakra to his brain, giving him a list of useful skills that exceeded what one would consider normal in the form of memorization. Because he was classified as a non-combatant rather earlier in his career, the extend of his ability has never been recorded. He also excelled in genjutsu because of his focus on empowering his own mind, but that was limited data from his time in the academy and serving as Genin before ultimately transitioning to a different line of work within the village.

"The following is the list of individuals present for tonight." he would say standing to the side of the board so Raizo could read.

PRESENT
Dai (Commerce)
Hekima (Commerce)
Katsumi (Rangers)
Oiwa (Oracles)
Benzaiten (Oracles)
Hotei (Oracles)
Fukurokuju (Oracles)
Satoshi (Journeymen)
Kaori (Medical Branch)
Tomoe (Main Branch)
Itsuke (Kage's Office)
Raizo (Kazekage)

"Those currently absent, with no prior communications."

ABSENT
Gou (Commerce)
Jurojin (Oracles)
Bishamonten (Oracles)
Daikokuten (Oracles)
Yukina (Kage's Office)


"And lastly, those absent with a previous reasoning for why."

ABSENT WITH CLARIFICATION
Akihiko (Commerce) - Announced in advance he would be fashionably late
Souta (Main Branch - SPF) - Absent out of protest but with SPF unit present at house
Hinoko (Rangers ) - Illness
Kaeru (Journeymen) - Did not wish to spend after-hours with Satoshi or doing work in general
Hansuke (Commerce) - Anniversary with wife
Ebisu (Oracles) - Stated "don't worry about it" in his official response with a strange character drawn; uncertain about drawing
Tenken (ANBU) - Watching from shadows

"As you can see, the reasoning provided in advance by those who knew they would be absent range from acceptable to completely unacceptable. In fact, I believe a couple should be punished--sorry, that was a tangent and not what you were asking for."

Itsuke would then walk over to small cabinet located within the room, pulling out a bottle of some of the finest whiskey found within Wind Country and a glass. He would begin to pour, and upon the addendum from his Kage he would return and pour a bit more before walking the glass to Raizo.

"Once you finish your drink, I would encourage you to hit the main floors and start mingling with your guests so we can transition the night rather quickly from there. Additionally, I will tell our invited attendees to go ahead and start their processes."

With that, he would click over to a channel on his comm device and announce, "Tell them they can hit the floor and begin their formal inquiries."

 

[Raizo]

Clearing off his drink quickly, he would stand up, with a much more determined look.

"Itsuke, I will be making my way to the Ballroom!"

There was passion, he was ready, it was time! He would begin to exit the room before stopping.

"Please tell the staff to keep feeding me drinks when they see me empty-handed!"

And with that, the confident(?), Kazekage would enter the fray!

[Topic Left}

 

[Sand Council]

Itsuke would bow to the departing Kage as he would once more return to flicking and turning the switches at his disposal.

"The Kazekage is on the move."

More flicks, more switches.

"Attention the Kazekage will be making his way to the ballroom, please ensure he maintains a steady drink and receives a wrist item."

Flicks, switches.

"Updates on guests?"

Flicks.

"Please be prepared to make your way to appropriate positions, I will be making the general announcement shortly."

Switches.

"I am going radio silent. Take care."

Finally, he would let out a sigh, compose himself, and make his way over to the chair at the head of the meeting table. Taking a seat, he would close his eyes and sit in silence for a moment. Then, after being given a chance to be in that position of tranquility, he would once more flick a switch as static would cut throughout the House.

"Attention, Kazekage Ryuzaki Raizo is making his way to the grand ballroom to give the opening remarks and explain the festivities for tonight. All non-participants, and non-judges, are encouraged to make their way to the ballroom at this time. All participants and judges are free to remain in their respective locations and listen to the opening remarks over the PA system. Opening remarks will begin in the next 10 minutes."

And with that he would flick off the switch, setting it to a random channel searching. He would then spin his chair around, taking hold of a remote that was on the table, and press a button. The large wooden wall behind him, which he would now be facing, would slowly begin to slide down revealing a wall of monitors, CCTV recordings of various parts of the House and the grounds around it.

"I wonder how things will end tonight."

 

[Sand Council]

From the PA System, would come the following announcement:

"Thank you all for gathering here this evening. I know there is a lot of intrigue in not only this event and our competitors but also in general. Why do things in such a non-traditional way? I think concerns about upholding and respecting traditions is one that should be valued, but I also believe that change can also illicit growth. Evolution. We are standing at the precipice of a unique time for Sunagakure no Sato, a time in which the village can either adapt and evolve or stay complacent. Complacency is often given as a pejorative, that it is bad. It isn't, at least in context. This village has finally entered into a level where complacency is probably welcomed. Where consistency is finally consistent. After decades caught in a maelstrom, attacks from insurgents, attacks from twisted creatures from the wild expanse, and constant fear of a faction seeking to destroy you... Suna has finally reached a point where the day-to-day is mundane. A day that you live on the surface, that you thrive but not at the forced hand of survival, and one in which you can enjoy just the simplicity of existing without being on edge for the next danger."

Pause.

"And while we have reached the place of peace, is it where we should remain? Or is there a benefit to challenging ourselves, not merely waiting for challenges to come, to grow and change? We've already received one message from one of the other Great Nations challenging our previously held traditions, and we're already aware of the dangers still lingering in the Desert Expanse, but shouldn't we already be moving forward regardless of these external events and not simply because of them? Isn't it time to be proactive and stop merely being reactive? These Sennin Games will not only mark a new Sennin to join the upper ranks of our military but also mark a new chapter for our village. One where we look at our traditions and current concepts and make a decision on what truly is best for the progress of our village, what truly is sustainable."

Another pause

"So then, what about tonight? Why are we here? Why are some of us wearing these odd metallic wrist devices" he would say raising his own arm to show that he too was wearing the device, "Before we get to that, let me take a moment to mention that we will be doing something different within the Sennin Games. Like I said in my original announcement, this was to be a spectacle and showcase for not only our shinobi and our village but for all of Wind Country. In keeping with that promise, one of the Merchant Lords of Soon's Haven has graced us with an amazing opportunity; tonight, and all other facets of the game, will be recorded on film, and then Merchant Lord Guchi Sheena and her amazing team will take the film and release it for home consumption. So while it won't be real-time, each stage of the event will be witnessed by all those within our country, either in their home or at various gatherings planned around the country. Ultimately, the goal is for the final stages of the event to be filmed in real-time, witnessed in live broadcast form, but there are still several hurdles to climb before reaching that point, as Lord Sheena and her team are painfully aware of... so I say all that to say this; smile, because you are already on camera!"

A longer pause. He would continue.

"Now I am sure some of you have already processed what this means, but some of you might still be in the dark on this; for those of you participating, you are on full display. This is a spotlight and magnitude that many of you were maybe not expecting nor that some of you want, while others of you may revel at the ability to be put on such a stage. The reality for this decision was simple for two reasons; 1) The easiest reason; if you are selected to be a Sennin, you are standing in this very spotlight already, we are giving you a chance to grow accustomed to those lights instead of starting out blinded. 2) As I mentioned originally, these games aren't just a simple test--you are now going to be viewed, judged, and scrutinized not only by myself, those assisting with the games, but also your peers, village members, and country mates. Being able to handle that pressure is no small feat, folding to that pressure is no grand failure; you are being tested."

"Now on to the focus of this evening. As already mentioned, you all are wearing these wrist devices, which were made by the head of our Journeyman Order, Takahashi Satoshi, of the renowned Takahashi Clan who has served this village and country proudly. This device will be used throughout the games for various purposes, to keep track of your progress. To activate,"

There would be a pause with the sound of shuffling picked up on the microphone, "you must press this button and then emit a small amount of chakra. The runic work of Satoshi will then kick in on that small amount of energy and the device will start up."



"Satoshi has stated that this device all works fundamentally the same but because it is powered by your chakra, or your spiritual essence, it is not an exact science like modern [of the NC world] technology. Instead, each of yours might act a little differently based on your own personality, but I have been assured that all of them will have the same fundamental character and starting prompt; a little creature named C.U.R.O. or "kur-oh" and you should all receive a welcome message introducing you to the device."

Spoiler: The CURO and Welcome Screen

Lowering his own device he would continue.

"You will notice that you all have a score, and that score is starting at 50 out of 100. For tonight's game, the rules are fairly simple. It's a battle royal..."

There would be an amount of tension in his pause.

"...of appeal. That's right, you will be assessed by our judges, non-participants within the house, based on your conversations, actions, and behaviors tonight. Favorable conversation? Gain points. Pick your nose? Lose points, depending on who sees you. The rationale for this is simple enough, if not mundane for those of you itching to do more punching; I need Sennin that are not just pillars of strength. I need Sennin that are pillars of our village. Can you relate? Can you speak in a way that promotes yourself on our causes? While this may not seem like an exciting assessment, I want to caution you on believing this to be an easy one; are you truly someone who this village can believe in? If so, show it."


"Your score at the end of this round tonight will be used for rankings in the next round. The score caps at 100 but as a reminder, you can also lose points just as quickly as you gain them. Should you wish to question any transactions, you will have to talk to me. I have access to all participant's points and overall score sheets. If my ruling goes in your favor, you will be returned the points taken or given to you, and if my ruling goes against your favor, you will be penalized 20 points."

He would pause again.

"You, as a participant, are able to give your points to fellow participants but are not able to take them away from others. Any points you give will be subtracted from your total."

"You are welcome to hide away from judges, but every hour you go without receiving feedback on interacting with another person wearing one of these devices will result in a loss of 5 points."

"Last bit on the rules; since this competition will have us staying up through the night, you are welcome to retire to your room and head for bed. If that is what you wish to do, remove the device and the 5-point penalty will be deducted based on the time remaining. And lastly, we will have a group meeting, for those who wish to attend, in 3 and 6 hours, in the meeting room on the second floor. Those who attend will receive 10 points automatically and those who do not, will not be punished. We have roughly 8 hours of competition tonight, so best of luck. Coffee, along with any and all beverages and food, are available to judges and participants at your request. I shall stick around the ballroom for a moment and then will wander around the premises for the remainder of the game."

There would be a sound of crumpling of papers.

"Oh, just noticed I received clarification from Satoshi about what C.U.R.O. stands for... and he says it stands for Shove It Up---okay, never mind. Good luck participants, I hope you all put your best foot forward!"

The communication would end.
OOC: Please check out this post

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Stepping into the Meeting Room Shin would adjust the vest he was wearing with a smile on his face. He wasn't expecting quite the formal arrangement for the Sennin Games, but he was absolutely living for it. As he entered the room it would appear that he was present before the Raikage was but that was to be understandable. Lord Raizo was busy attending to other parts of the competition.

Shin's eyes would wander across the room until landing on Itsuke. Shin would bow his head to the man sitting at the head of the table here within the meeting room. "My name is Chikamatsu Shin, as I am sure you are aware as I am competing in these games. It is a pleasure to meet you." His eyes would once again dance across the screen. "Technology sure is marvelous isn't it? I am amazed all the time at how quickly we are advancing here in our little corner of the world. Am I correct in believing that you are one of the orchestrators of these games? If so I must say beautifully executed! I can sense the amount of work all of this must have taken you and your team. I am honored to be competing."

Shin would make his way further into the room before taking a seat at the table. "I believe the Raikage will be joining us soon, no?" The Overseer would wait until the Kazekage's arrival, upon which he would stand until Raizo was seated as a sign of respect.

[Topic Entered from here]
72/100 82/100
Edited after the last update which would be applied before this post

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna walked into the Meeting room, looking around to only really see two people, one that she has only seen briefly, and another whom she has never met before. The one she has seen briefly, she only knows as another competitor, was already talking with another man, one whom seems to have his hand in the making of the Sennin Games. She would catch the name of the other competitor as he introduced himself. Chikamatsu Shin. She would remember that name. But for now, she would turn her attention to what was being discussed. So it seems that Wind Country is also making good strides in technology too huh?

She would approach the two, all the while looking for any chakra disturbances in the environment around them and bow, first to the one that Shin was talking to, and then to Shin. Her right hand would open up and natural energies along with water vapors in the air would mix together to make words for the two to read.

Spoiler: watery words

Hello, my name is Silent, of Kumogakure. A pleasure to meet you both. Though I do not know much of either of you. I would like to firstly thank you for this opportunity of me seeing the people of Suna represent their Village so proudly. And for you, Shin was it? I would like to say good luck in the Games. We may both be competitors in this, but to make a Village great it involves many people and not just one.

Was this an attempt at trying to make an alliance with another competitor? Yuna knows for certain that the slight talk of sharing points between two participants could help, but who knows if Shin had already made an alliance with someone else. And if Yuna were to stay in this competition to keep an eye on Akkuma, she will definitely need to step up her game and look for potential allies, though her own goals are vastly different from the other competitors. While everyone here is trying to become the Sennin for Sand, she herself is here to make sure that Akkuma doesn't, along with keep a close eye on him and other people to see if they are working with him.

(Topic entered from here)
(60/100)

 

[Tsurara Moriko]

Someday, Moriko was going to invent a jutsu that gave her a sense of direction. This was of course right after curing every disease and single-handedly restoring Water Country, as it seemed equally likely. The silly thing on her wrist was not helping either. Why didn't it have a map?

Well, probably because most people didn't fail so abysmally at directions. It was one flaw Moriko had never managed to correct in herself, despite attempts. Tsukiya was similarly powerless to help her as he too managed to get lost in familiar areas. It was fortunate that the Tsurara compound was so open or else she might get lost in her own home, which would just be embarrassing.

Fortunately she was able, after a moment of internal flailing, to get directions from a servant whom she had remembered the name of, politely as she could manage while she was sure the thing on her wrist was silently snickering at her.

At which point she found out she had to head upstairs, and only upstairs from where she had been. Which was just. Well.

But she had made it, and externally did not look as frazzled as she felt. Though she might require something with caffeine as the night wore on. Coffee. With a lot of sugar, maybe, to help the taste and also give burst energy.

There were a few people there already, so Moriko selected a seat neither conspicuously near or far from anyone else. She still didn't know exactly what the meeting would be regarding, but it was better to be there than not.

Were they just to discuss progress? Or was this just an excuse to see if everyone was paying attention? If you didn't show up, you didn't care, or something like that?

There was in fact another woman there--but she wasn't a Sand native, clearly, so it was understandable if she didn't count to the eyes of some.

And Tomoe's warning that some people might be there for other reasons echoed in her ears. Was this foreigner one of said people? It might be something harmless, or harmless to her at least, certainly.

She was just going to wait for the moment, but...everyone was talking over there...

And Moriko was not a wallflower, certainly.

So instead of sitting down, she made her way over to the grouping, which seemed to contain an official and a couple of competitors, if she could judge it. Which meant that she was early, and she still was able to compensate for her sense of direction by leaving even earlier.

"Good evening," she said, knowing she was easily the youngest there, and that she might look a touch out of place--but then, she was also armed to the teeth, so it would be hard to mistake her as anything but a competitor. "I take it everyone else also wanted to be early, just in case? Tsurara Moriko."

[Topic Entered]

[Current Points According to CURO: 75; Status: Curious/Attentive]

 

[Uziuke]

Entering the room her noticed a few were already gathered in the room. 'Looks like Akkuma is going to sit this meeting out.' He thought to himself. He gave a slight wave at those that were already in the room, now looking to the Curo that he almost forgot was on his arm. His status read "okay" as he entered the meeting room. It was interesting to see where this point game would lead. He didn't count anyone out, as the event seemed it would last for a while. Thinking of the village and its progression stayed on Uziuke's mind.

The other participants seemed to be happy, despite this being a competition. It was great to be on good terms with others during the event, some he still did not know. He remained standing as he awaited the start of the meeting. He stayed near the stance of the room, knowing that upon exit everyone should have to pass him by. Maybe he'd take notice of someone and conversation would lead elsewhere when the meeting was over. Reguardless, he couldn't await to see where this meeting was taking the group. His thoughts would remain on the village as he looked forward to what would be said.

[ Topic Entered ]
[ 52 / 100 | Mood: Cool and Caring ]

 

[Sand Council]

Itsuke would still be seated at the head of the table, and upon Shin entering, he would turn around in his chair and press a series of buttons causing the monitors to change from displaying the live feed to merely showing the symbol of Sunagakure no Sato.

"Technology, like most magic, can be a blessing and a curse."

Itsuke would stand up and bow to Shin, "Chikamatsu Shin -- yes, I am aware of your participation, albeit how late we received it... but I've been told that clerical error was not your fault, as the Kazekage has accepted the guilt for it."

Before Itsuke could answer further, more guests had started to arrive. As each one entered, he would bow to them as well. Upon checking his clock, it would seem that this would be the extent of the group that would be present for this first meeting.

"Competitor Silent, Tsurara Moriko, and Uchiha Uziuke," even though Uziuke did not offer his name, "Welcome to the Meeting Room. I am the Director of the Kazekage Tower, Itsuke. It is a rather grandstanding title, but the reality is that I merely keep the building standing and the logistics behind the scenes running."

He would then motion to the table and the seats.

"Please feel free to take a seat, and as promised for being present you will all receive your 10 points. The Kazekage will be here shortly to begin. Before he gets here, there is something I have been instructed to make all competitors who attended this meeting aware of; the scores."

Pressing some buttons, several of the screens would begin to display competitor names and their current points.

@Chikamatsu Shin 92/100
@Tsurara Moriko 90/100
@Chigokai Yuna (Name shows as Silent) 80/100
@Shingetsu Sora 67/100
@Uziuke 62/100
@Sunaku Harupia 55/100
@Okami Roku 47/100
@Miroku Akkuma 40/100
@Kaen 40/100
@Kanmuri 40/100
@Mikaboshi (name would show as Sunahoshi Suzaku) 40/100

"Participants, Ryuzaki Raizo, the 11th Kazekage, is here."

 

[Raizo]

Entering the room, there would be a big smile slapped upon his face. For as much as he had been stressing about his missing attendant, it would seem that everything was going more or less smoothly. Maybe it was the booze in his system, but he was feeling really good about everything and now he got to have a little bit more fun with the games.

"Let's see, we got Shin, I hope the transition with the Arboretum has gone smoothly!"

"Oh my... Moriko? Moriko, right? I feel like the last time I saw you we were out messing around in the desert. You used a long-range weapon, very interested to see how much you've improved since then!"

"Silent, life of the party no doubt..." he would say with a chuckle to himself before making his way over to Uziuke.

Smiling, he would put his right hand on the left shoulder of the unmasked ANBU Captain, "Uzi, buddy, I hope you've been well. Since last time you and I were passing notes, I've had more communication fun with the outside world" he would resume chuckling as he would now pat the shoulder he once held of Uziuke before departing.

Heading to the front of the room, he would bow to Itsuke before turning around to the gathered group.

"Well, not everyone, but not a bad-sized group. Before we get to the primary purpose of this group meeting, I am curious to know how the evening has gone so far and to address any questions you might have. I know there has been some secrecy and some omitted facts and information, but this is an opportunity to potentially clear up what can be cleared up!"

Sitting down, grinning, he would eagerly await any questions the group had for him.

MFT-291 words​

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin would grin as he saw the Kazekage of Sunagakure no Sato enter the room. It was because of this man that his Clan was thriving as well as it was today. Though to him the transition of the Arboretum may seem trivial, but to Shin it meant the world.

"It has adapted quickly, and with the use of the skilled youngsters we have running around the Arboretum now you would swear it has been located there for years. While we may not be as famous as the Senju, our proclivity to the natural world is truly thriving in the new construction. As the Overseer of the Clan, I must give you my thanks for everything you have done for us."

He would continue to smile, though he could feel his sister's tension rest in his shoulders as she was far more competitive than he and they were surrounded by the competition.

Awaiting to speak until the Kazekage finished, Shin would cross his legs and twist a finger above the table before him to conjure a small wine flute. He raised it up slightly before speaking with a soft smile. "It has been an amazing night filled with splendid conversation and joyous interactions amongst the various participants. And as 'Silent' and Sora made it evident early, it seems the idea of companionship and political alliances have already been on the forefront of people's minds. Afterall, it takes more than one peson to make a village great, doesn't it Silent?" Shin's voice would become doubled as Kohana spoke with him. His eyes would swirl from blue to red and back to blue as Her physical form would once again manifest itself stepping out of Shin.

Kohana would walk over to one of the attending Toraono servants. "Shin could use something with starch, perhaps a sweet roll, I think he may be enjoying himself a little too much tonight." She would look back at Shin with that stern older sibling stare as if to say "if you keep this up you're going to regret it". Shin of course would laugh at the seriousness of his sister, this was a party and there was no need for the tension she was bringing to the meeting room.

Shin had an advantage that the others didn't. He wasn't competing alone, he had plenty of support and alliances formed already thanks to his position of Overseer. Six souls would dwell within his physical body, and each of them had ideas and input of their own. "All-in-all, this has been a wonderful party, kudos to the planners. I may have to higher them some time for my daughters' birthday parties."

[C.U.R.O. Score 92/100]

 

[Raizo]

"That's great" he would respond to Shin, "I don't have the knowledge or understanding of plant life myself, so a part of me was worried such a move might be more disastrous than helpful. I assume your clan probably had a lot to say in making the transplanting successful!"

He didn't know much of some of the clans in the village, it really was on the lower end of his quick learning curve. While some might have gone out of their way to understand and know the customs and traditions of the bigger families, his approach was concerned more with understanding the village, its military, and the general population. It might not have been the best course of action, and it might have cost him some points with traditionalists, but in his mind, it was the quickest way to get acclimated to the village.

"Yukina-" he would hesitate for a moment, his smirk disappearing, before course correcting and returning, "-we will need to stop by and see the Arboretum in full splendor here soon."

His brief hesitation was on the name and thought of the person, Yukina. His attendant still wasn't at the party, which was rather out of character, at least in his mind, of her.

"Ok, glad that it seems like everything has been going rather smoothly. So here is the additional piece of the game available for those of you in the contest" he would say as he would motion for Itsuke.

If everything went according to plan, the Tower Director would produce some envelopes with the names of the competitors present.

"Inside these envelopes, you will be given a 'target' and a list of objectives to complete. If you complete these objectives with your target you will receive 25 points, on top of anything else you might have earned. If you fail to complete all the objectives you will lose 10 points. There will not be partial credit, so incomplete work will result in -10 points. Before you see who your target is and what your objectives are, you will need to make a choice now: do you wish to play this side game or will you decline? Declining will not come with a penalty, so the risk and reward are entirely up to how gamey you are feeling."

At this point, some had a wealth of points and could forgo such a challenge. Others, however, could use the challenge to make up a large chunk of ground, if successful. Since there was no guarantee of success, it would come down to those present in the room on whether or not they believed such a quest was worth it.

MFT - 438​

 

[Chigokai Yuna]

Yuna would in fact live up to her alias here in Sand as Silent as she would listen to the talks between Shin and Raizo. Not until she herself was addressed by an anomaly. That anomaly in question actually came from Shin as a woman would seemingly come into existence. No... That wasn't the right word. It's as if she was part of Shin who just now decided to show herself. Well it surely seems that Sand's shinobi are full of surprises, not like she has some up her own sleeve, but that's only if she actually needs to fight. So for now, she'll keep her powers under lock until the need arises. She made watery words to show to Kohana.

Spoiler: watery words

From my brief talk with Dai, your village's Director of trade, it seems like even the ones with no chakra play a vital part in the Village. Something that my own Village could learn from Sand. Visiting this country has been a shock to me with not just cultural, but also politics. I would never had known that so many people would be involved.

Turning back to Raizo, he would speak about Yukina before switching gears in a sense. This perked Yuna's ears up. Now this... is something... From her understanding, Yukina is Raizo's supervisor. Yuna has not seen her at all throughout the night. Along with that how he seemed to act. That and... Maybe she is just trying to grasp at nothing, but her ANBU sense is tingling. Or rather gut. Dai himself had said that his brother is late. It was obvious that Dai was worried sick about his brother. Maybe she'll bring it up after the meeting. Which reminds her... Raizo wanted to tell her something. She'll have to figure out that part later as Raizo explained another part of the Sennin Games. Basically, a side mission that would involve them to complete a certain objective with a certain specific target. Doing so will reward them with 25 points. Failure to do so will take away the points that they had just earned by attending the meeting. Looking at her Curo, she now had 80 points. She could just decide to not participate in these extracurricular activities, but...

But... She could be given insight on the whole matter. The Oracles Benzaiten and Fukurokuju ran across her mind, of how their interaction went when Yuna wanted the name of the person holding records of Akkuma. Dai's brother being late. The absence of Yukina... Could this all be a coincidence? Unlikely, but still possible. But on the other side of things... As an ANBU agent, she can't think of anything as a coincidence. Participating in this little game within a game could shed the light on the whole situation.

She would be the first to speak up, or rather, write up, letting Raizo know that she is interested in joining in on doing these little objectives. Water would rise from her cup of water as it turned into words.

Spoiler: watery words

Consider me in

[edit; forgot to put my points at the end of the post]
(80/100)

 

[Uziuke]

'Itsuke' To know that the tower had a guardian behind it was comforting. He'd always keep his own eyes on the entrance of the village himself. Upgrading the ANBU HQ was also on his list of tasks. As for now, he'd listen to what was being said in the meeting.

Announcing Raizo's entrance, he watched as others were being greeted. Uzi gave the Kage a nod as he was approached. The words to Uzi were brief, this time the boy nodded, smiling knowing that Raizo could use the fresh air. Outside communication is what kept him sane during the times where he didn't know he'd lay his head next.

Shin summoned a flute. It was his first time seeing such a technique, and this would erupt into a conversation with the Kage. It looked as though the one with the cup of water gave the summoned female an exchange of words, but it'd only caught his attention for a few seconds.

Afterward, the Kage spoke again. He notified the group of a way to earn some eventful points. "I'll take the invitation." Uzi would say without hesitation while stepping forward. "Such a task should be taken on by the brave." The woman with the cup of water seemed to be in as well. He wondered who else would take the invite. Judging from the points that were displayed, everyone probably wouldn't. 'I wonder what we would be put up to?' Maybe the jobs would be simple, but he didn't place his worries on the competition. His mind was on the truths he could uncover during the competition.

CURO [ 62 | 100 ]
MFT ; +250

 

[Tsurara Moriko]

Moriko was a little surprised at the number of people there. That was, how few there were compared to how many were in the running. Weren't they aware this was free points?

Of course, then one of Tomoe's warnings came to her--not everyone is here for the same reason. Some of them have ulterior motives. So perhaps not everyone actually wanted to win the whole thing. And perhaps others were gambling they'd get more not attending.

A bit foolish in her opinion; they had time between and around the meetings to interact with everyone in the house.

And the scoreboard...

She was in second place, currently. That was...that was something. Provided she cme out of this well, Moriko was definitely going to thank Tomoe again.

And when the Kazekage entered...

The last time Moriko had seen the man up close, he had been unconscious and being treated for the unknown strange creature's last attack, which had contained some kind of poison or draining effect. The medical ninja had swarmed them the second they got back in. She'd seen him on his feet at a distance a few times since but like this, yes, it was easy to see he had in fact completely recovered and wasn't just pretending.

She wondered if they'd worked out what that was. Much less the distant flurry she'd been tracking and unable to identify.

As she didn't have any questions, everything so far seeming fairly straightforward to her, she simply dipped her head respectfully and demurred politely; nothing needed.

There was something odd going on with Shin--the only person in the room ahead of her on points--but this was Sand, and no one was alarmed, so it probably wasn't anything concerning. The percentage of 'oddball ninja' was very high. It was practically a redundant phrase, even. Some were just showier than the rest was all.

There was, however, also a glimmer of some kind of...something. Concern? Confusion? She couldn't tell...on the Kazekage. (Tsukiya would've been able to read it; she lacked his skills there.)

An additional game...yes, she had been expecting this. Why else have a meeting during what was otherwise a fairly straightforward task? For most people, at least. It was...well.

It was fairly straightforward of itself. The terms were vague, but, she reasoned, the 'target' was unlikely to be one of the other competitors but rather someone else involved in the organization. Tracking the right person down might even be part of it. And it would also give her something to do, as she was otherwise at loose ends with socializing. Tracking down and doing something (conversation? Favour?) with someone was easier to work with.

It was a gamble, yes, but: what was the actual gamble? Moriko was not concerned about the ability to make up ten points so much. Considering as the second meeting existed...yeah. That was basically free. Costless. The real question was: since just about everyone would take this, could she afford to not? Even if she was, in fact, much closer to the cap than twenty-five points off.

It might have been safer not to, for her (and Shin for that matter). In fact, if both of them drew neutral over the next few hours, the next meeting would cap them. The others needed to do this; she didn't, really. Unless you could go past the cap or hold it in reserve, twenty-five points was just a buffer.

But again, it was free. And it was something to do. And Moriko despised boredom. Especially with the night winding on, she'd need something to keep her focused.

I really don't need to. What's better, for me...?

"This might seem like an odd gamble," everyone could see the scores after all, "as, technically I don't have twenty-five points to the cap...but my curiousity would never forgive me if I didn't make the attempt, and I am willing to risk the ten points." that I will make up anyway with simply attending the next meeting she didn't add. Narrowly. "I accept the invitation as well."

A glance down at the little catlike creature on her right wrist and yes, that was definitely a mischievous grin that was very familiar.

Kind of...kind of cute, actually.

[Current Points According to CURO: 90; Status: Intrigued/Excited]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin would raise a brow at the prospect of a game within the game. He was curious how this could all turn out. He would sit there as the other competitors were all claiming to join the game as well.

Shin would quietly thank the attendant who brought a small snack to him to help make the alcohol go down easier as he had been enjoying himself rather well tonight.

"Shin will only accept this trivial addendum on a singe condition." Kohana would speak for Shin. "Kohana, I-"

"The target must also be a contestant in the Sennin Games." She would cut her brother off. A slightly shocked look would take to Shin's face as his sister raised the point of who may be their target.

"Kohana, no need to be so competitive, unless you have forgotten, I believe we are in the lead."

"That may be true, but if these other contestants believe they have a slight chance of becoming Sennin over you, we will prove them wrong." Her look stayed stern as her gaze never waived from Raizo's eyes.

Shin would turn around and smile at the group with a shrug and a chuckle. "There we have it, my more competitive half wants to play, and since she's been so kind to let us enjoy the casual beginning it would only be fair for me to accept the invitation on her terms."

Kohana would step up beside Shin and place her hand on his shoulder. "If the targets are not competing for the role of Sennin, then focusing on our time on them would be worth less than the eight points we could achieve. We would rather be making connections with the district heads and order heads to create a workable network for when we claim the role of Sennin." Her confidence was unwavering.