Event Commencing the 1st General Assembly... [Event Prologue - Join to Participate]

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

A Few Minutes Earlier...

"Okay lemme just... lemme just get this right. I'm not allowed in." Repeated Suzaku, color rising to his face as he scowled deeply. "And that's 'cause..."

"Because Lord Oga said you aren't. It's really that simple, kid."

Suzaku stared dumbfounded at the head of the security detail that had confronted him in the lobby of the Kazekage Tower upon entering. They'd been arguing for several minutes now about what his business at the Kazekage Tower was that day and after several minutes of hard-headed refusal to leave, the shift-lead for the security detail on staff for that day had been called in to make clear to Suzaku that he was not allowed on the grounds of the Kazekage Tower during the same hours that the meeting that Lord Raizo had called and that had gone over about as well as a gas explosion.
Suzaku wasn't on great terms with the Ryuzaki family but he couldn't believe that the Kazekage would have given them explicit instructions to keep him specifically from attending the meeting but when it became apparent that Suzaku had no intention of leaving until he had an explanation from Raizo, the security detail's shift lead admitted that it had not, infact, been the Kazekage that had given the order.

It had been the Konungr of the Ryuzaki Clan, Ryuzaki Oga.

"That one-eyed bastard..." Suzaku swore under his breath in awe at the Konungr's unrelenting pettiness as he shifted his weight to look past the security-detail that stood in front of him.

For their part, the group of Tower-sec didn't miss the body language that Suzaku was silently weighing the pros and cons of rushing them and tensed for action as Suzaku returned his attention back to them and smirked before taking a deep breath and shouting at the top of his lungs:

"OGA! SAVE ME A SEAT BECAUSE I'M COMIN' UP, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Suzaku's words, reinforced with an exhaling force that was impossible for a young man, echoed off of the walls and set each of the tower-sec shinobi standing in front of him back on their heels as any and all surrounding work in the lobby of the Kazekage Tower ground to an immediate halt in the wake of Suzaku's bold proclaimation. In the space of that one moment of hesitation of on the part of the tower-sec shinobi, Suzaku inhaled once more causing a ripple of spiritual power as energy crackled down Suzaku's shoulders and his hips into the extremities of his limbs and Suzaku exploded into a zig-zag motion around the crescent of men and women that had formed around him causing the small crowd of security agents to fall over themselves attempting to catch the emerald blur of motion that Suzaku had become.

Sorry guys, you're gonna be too slow for this game of tag. Thought Suzaku as he blew past a few of the tower staff attempting to recapture a sense of what they had been doing before they'd been so rudely interrupted by the young Sunahoshi's explosive temper and his loud proclamation

Now...

The doors to the meeting room didn't even have time to be closed as Lord Raizo, the Eleventh Kazekage, tried to yield the floor to Miroku Riyota, the newly returned Ranger-General of Sunagakure. The large ornate doors began to swing shut when they were once more blown open, this time with a crackle of green chakra as the impetuous Sunahoshi Heir arrived at the threshold of the room. Shoulders heaving with exertion and his eyes bright with chakra, Suzaku had led the tower-sec guards on a short but merry chase around the stairways of the Kazekage Tower before arriving at the War Room with a reasonable lead in his favor which gave him only maybe twenty seconds or so to set eyes on Oga and give him a piece of his mind before he got himself buried under an avalanche of very aggravated lower-ranked shinobi on security detail. It didn't take long for Suzaku's chakra-enhanced vision to lock on to Oga and in that moment, there was only the one-eyed bastard and him.

"Suna's breath, One-Eye!" He growled at the Konungr of the Ryuzaki Clan, a little gust of viridian flame wisping around his lips as he rasped in anger. "If you thought you could keep me outta here by just tellin' the tower-sec guys to keep me out, you got another thing comin' you wrinkled up old shit."

Advancing into the room with his eyes locked on Oga the entire time, Suzaku's attention shifted briefly to Riyota only momentarily as he shifted around him with intention to make his way over to where Oga's place of seating against the wall. He'd long since shed the suit coat of the otherwise very respectable black suit that Sousuke had pressured him into wearing and by now was rolling up the sleeves of the dress shirt underneath in preparation to throw down with Oga-- or at least throw punches at him.

"Sorry if I'm interruptin', I just got a bone to pick with that crusty worm-sack of a clan leader over there and then I'll be outta your beard." He muttered to Riyota as he passed the Ranger-General without taking his eyes off of Oga. Though it was apparent that he'd been talking to Riyota with the way he tilted his head to the older shinobi, his body language as he leaned forward into a stalking advance towards where Oga was sitting made it clear that his next words were for the Konungr. "I got probably about fifteen seconds before those tower-sec guys catch up with me but I figure that's just about enough time for me to get one good punch in."

 

[Miroku Riyota]

When Riyota heard the woman's voice threatening his death behind him he seemed to finally slip out of his theatrical stupor. "Ah, I'm so sorry. I didn't realise anyone was standing there..." He apologised, attempting to help her to her feet if she allowed him. The genuine regret he felt for the surprise and injury he might have caused seemed to betray the very harsh exterior he had shown off prior.

Once that situation was dealt with he returned to standing at his full height. He waited a few moments for everyone to be silent before he cleared his throat. "Th-" His sentence would be dead on arrival as the doors which had been moments away from closing would be flung open once again, a young upstart racing in apparently to declare war on the imposing fellow cyclops.

Riyota gave a look to the boy and then to the man he had declared his opponent, before his gaze settled on the Kazekage, almost as if silently asking if he was supposed to be intervening in some way.

If no indication came Riyota would get his portion of the meeting out of the way quickly so that the pair could have their epic confrontation. "The Unbent are growing more intelligent, they are unifying, strategizing, and forming ranks." He announced loudly as the challenger kept making his way forward. "And something bigger is on its way, no confirmed sightings, but whispers of a name..." He stopped there, looking to the Kazekage for permission to say more before he took a seat, allowing the young Sunahoshi to have his moment.

The Ranger-General ran a hand through his hair and sighed. The dunestrider pelt on his shoulder shifting slightly with the movement of his muscular arm. He had forgotten that the chaos of the desert was only ever matched by the Chaos of Suna itself.

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

It was as if the Fates were truly throwing everything they could at the Half-Demon. Testing his resolve to his newfound path. Raizo & Uziuke appeared to be the only individuals attempting to keep the meeting on track. Everyone else seemed enthralled by the drama that had unfolded before them all. That was when the Fates truly decided to force his hand. For who should enter but his would be usurper of a son. It was clear that Riyota had grown in their time apart. His son had prosthetics, perhaps it was his pride stopping him from utilizing the clans methods for remedying such flaws. Yukina the Kazekage's attendant had been floored upon Riyota's entrance & her eyes burned with a desire to rectify what she had just suffered. He could feel the satisfaction oozing from Oga. Even Uzi & Raizo momentarily got caught up in the events with Riyota's arrival. "The Prodigal Son returns...I see you've got my penchant for timing." he would say with a devilish grin upon his face. It seemed his son at least had his gift for surviving & making an entrance.

Raizo once more took the reigns of the conversation trying to salvage some semblance of civility from the meeting. It was at this moment Sunahoshi Suzaku burst in through the same doors Riyota had entered through. Unsure of whether or not Yukina had evaded the door this time in the chaos as an audible chuckle began to grow from within the Sage with each step the youth took towards his target, Lord Oga. Riyota was not willing to let this development deter him from giving his debrief, such unruliness was not foreign to their house. The information about the Unbent was troubling indeed, but this bigger threat interested the Sage greatly. He hoped the deals he had brokered in Fire Country paid off. For he suspected it would be much needed aided in the coming storm of whatever this new threat was. Chaotic energies were abundant in the room only being fueled by the events that were unfolding around them.

The Sages hands clenched into Fists turning the knuckles white as he tried his best to maintain his composure. He could feel it the chaos calling to him, this was essentially gas filled room. A single spark would be enough to set it all off. Those emerald eyes of his scanned the room before he closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath in an attempt to tame the darkness within himself. The part of him that urge him to deal with his foes here & now. It was an instinctual desire for the chaos of confrontation. Corrupted chakra began swirling around the Sage as his eyes remained close. Unaware of the corrupted chakra that began to crackle around his own form. A deep devilish chuckle began to come from the Sage, building into a menacing laugh as Suzaku further insulted Oga. Akkuma opened his eyes, shifting his gaze to the Clan Leader.

Tilting his head as he wondered how the Lord would deal with such insolence. It was in that moment he realized that once again he had fallen into the trap of his past self. With a sigh he composed himself & his hands were no longer clenched. If it all ended here he would be okay, if things escalated he had little doubt he'd end up getting himself into trouble. There was great conflict within the Demon. Part of him wished to further fuel the drama, erect a blockade & allow the youth his chance at the arrogant Lord. While he got reacquinted with his son, though the rest of him wished to lash out with his shadows binding those who would further tempt him into the fray. Either way there was too much risk of him straying from the path he wished to follow now. Remaining where he was he would sigh & open his eyes. A calmness in that emerald gaze as he once more caged the beast that was his instincts. What a test this was proving to be.

MFT

 

[Takahashi Aki]

He was late. This was going to be embarrassing. This was going to be very embarrassing. Luckily there was a ruckus going on and thus this was an advantage. Aki was able to slip in quietly enough. The young man of both violet and black hair looked very annoyed. His eye shifted about the room as he was taking gauge of this situation. Suzaku made a scene which was to be expected. His father spoke to him kindly enough and told him to keep an eye on Suzaku. It was hard to do, and it made Aki wonder how his father was in fact the Steward to Katuso. Aki remembered the tales of all the trouble his father and Suzuaku’s got into. When both a Takahashi and a Sunahoshi were involved, something mythic probably died, or some world breaking issue was dealt with. It made Aki wonder if walking into a blender might in fact be easier and maybe less painful? Probably not. Was loss of limb going to happen? Hopefully not.

Takahashi Akisame, the first of his name, son of Takahashi Sousuke and Sagsu Yume, sat quietly as he opened up his bag to take out a writing utensil and several pieces of parchment. He placed them on his mini desk. He was speed writing the events, which for the most part had been chaotic. Aki’s eyes narrowed as his eyes shifted back and forth between speakers taking in all the data. Much like his father, Aki was a keen observer. For fleeting moments as time passed there seemed to be minor angry flashes in his eyes, but it seemed that it was more so his resting state. He had the lower part of his face bandaged. Aki was wearing robes, but underneath he wore boiled leathers with some Takahashi Fire Forged Steel plates. Aki was briefed on the guest list, and it made him slightly concerned. There were a lot of egos in the room. What happened when these egos clashed? It made Aki wince to even think about it. Hopefully the tower his father made would not turn into a crater... and if it did, then it did.

Aki would give Suzaku a quick annoyed look. He made a gesture to ‘cool it’ but it was more than likely Suzaku was not going to catch the gesture. Aki did not consider himself to be as reserved as his father, but he was not an impassioned or loud individual. If Suzaku was hurled out of the room, then Aki would have to excuse himself from the meeting to make sure that Suzaku didn’t do anything excessive. Aki wasn’t given the same problem Suzaku faced upon entry. Yes he got a few weird looks mainly because of how much he looked like a younger version of his father. “Please don’t get thrown out, please don’t start a literal fist fight.” Aki uttered under his breath as he watched the events unfold. Oh. There was that dude named Akkuma present too. What was it his father called him? An infectious grinning demon-man who surrounded himself with even more grinning secret agent people? Dental insurance must have been making a boat load off of Akkuma and his agents, that or they just visited the dentist monthly? Teeth like those came at a cost.

 

[Raizo]

He could not help but be blown away by the sheer manliness being exhibited from the returning Riyota. Pelts, a dangerous story of the desert, a muscular forged by the harshness of survival, an ominous message that was interrupted by a young man wishing to hit is dad...

...wait...

"SUZAKU!" the female would yell in what would sound like a mixture of annoyance, shock, and desperation. "Is this the right time for you..." she would say in a strained tone as she would motion to the gathered collection of village figures, not just from the shinobi ranks but from the greater community as well. She hoped he would understand the even further implied importance of how this would all look after the fact for him, and what he meant. And ultimately, how his actions reflected. This wasn't a scolding. This was a plea.

Meanwhile, the dark-haired young man sitting next to the Konungr would glance up at Suzaku as ice began to creep from where he was sitting and start to branch its way across the ground towards the green-haired boy, stopping just before getting to his feet. "You are interrupting a meeting for something less than the importance of the meeting itself... please refrain from wasting time in such a way." And with that, Koori's eyes would lower once more.

"I'll be damned, he doesn't talk that politely for me" the Kazekage would say as he was now suddenly standing next to Suzaku, leaning inward to talk in a more hushed tone. "He does, however, have a point. Riyota, the man forged by the deserts themselves, barged in and it seems his information is rather pertinent. Now, I'm not going to saying fighting my dad isn't worth it--I am just going to say that doing it right now, right here... probably isn't the right moment, ya know?"

With that, he would smirk and nod to Suzaku as he would turn around to the audience once more, not before noticing a mortified look on Yukina.

She has been super weird... is it because of this guy?

"Please, Riyota, continue."

Before, during, and after the whole numerous bouts of family drama, whispers and murmurs would be heard while Riyota spoke. "The Unbent haved died down in their attacks, surely this was them dying out?" "Could they be evolving?" "They can talk?" "I've heard folktales of talking members of the swarm... but surely that is just a myth... those savages are wild animals..."

Suffice to say, many were eagerly hanging on to the words of the Ranger General.

 

[Sand Council]

Event NPC - Ryuzaki Oga
The young man from earlier would come barging in and yelling, Oga would not be able to help it as a slight smirk would appear on his face for even a split second. Quickly it would disappear as his eye would only take a small moment to look at the charging youth.

"Read the room, boy."

And that would be the end of it as his one exposed eye would close and he would resign himself to wait for the one known as Riyota to continue. It would seem this returning figure of the village had been spending time out in the desert studying the creatures that had been given the collective name of "The Swarm". He had also heard the rumors of there being versions that could talk, even hearing that the night the village of Suna had been stormed that one such creature had appeared. Yet, he was not able to substantiate it. So now, it would seem he was in luck. The information was going to make its way to him before the need to try and pry it out from behind the walls of Suna.

He could also feel a cold sensation brush along the side of him, "Koori, this is not the time nor the setting to be baring your fangs. Your words were good but you acted before such words... do better."

And with that, as far as he was concerned, the situation was over. It was back to Riyota and his news of something more to the mystery of the Unbent plague.

 

[Miroku Riyota]

He looked to the Kazekage and nodded, presuming the young boy would at least wait until he was finished to start his brawl. The Ranger-General stood up again, softly cracking his neck to work out some of the aching that had been setting in. "Right, where was I?" He paused for a few moments, trying to remember his place. "Right, the Hordes that speak are no myth, I've seen and heard them with my own eyes...well...eye. Whether this is an example of rapid evolution or perhaps the manipulations of a greater mind at work? I don't know." He gave that a few moments to sink in, his bright blue eye scanning the crowd to see if there was any sort of reaction or disbelief.

"Furthermore I believe there is a greater threat on the horizon. I have nothing but a name, but it was a name spoken in fear and given in hushed whispers..." He let that settle for a moment, the air growing tense with anticipation. "Dominus" His gaze focused once more on the young Kazekage, lingering for a few moments before he continued. "Unfortunately I don't know much more than that. Whether Dominus is a person, a place or a weapon...perhaps all three, is still a mystery to me, but it is worth keeping an ear out on any future missions." He explained.

"I'm sorry I don't have more for all of you, the Masterminds behind the Unbent are eager to keep everything hidden. I had to burrow deep for every scrap of information and at the smallest sign of anything being compromised they would scuttle entire operations." He gestured down to a few burn scars on his chest and lower torso. "Often I would still be present during those events." He joked gently, giving a bit of levity to his slightly worrying news.

"If time permits you Lord Kazekage, I would like to have a word after this meeting, in regards to the role of myself and my Rangers going forwards." He requested, taking his seat again.

 

[Uziuke]

As Uzi saw the doors burst open once more and a blur scuttle in, the boy shrugged. "They are going to have to replace those doors soon." The boy wondered to himself as the next guest entered the room. This one a bit more eager than the rest to start some knuckle busting. "He has a problem with the Kage's dad. This guy really has some guts. Interrupting quite an important meeting to kick up some dust. The analysis Uziuke gave while observing the feud didn't last long, as Riyota said something that would keep the boy's attention. 'What's out there? Ranger-General?'

The words seemed to catch the ears of the Kage as well. He addressed the new comer of the meeting and the dispute with his father, but Riyota's words continued to linger. As the Ranger-General continued on Uzi could feel a fire within him begin to burn.

"Then let's go out there and take whatever it is down before it becomes a major threat to the village." The boy managed to keep his voice down, and gave a rather calm tone when speaking. But on the inside, that fire was still burning. Losing Kiri to the catastrophy was something that he couldn't stop, but if he could aid in any way with his new start in this new village, he certainly would. If it meant he could part take in defending, and possibly stop another village from being destroyed, he would readily lay his life on the line. The shinobi nations gave the boy something to live for, and he wouldn't let it be thrown away while he sat by and did nothing.

"That guy seems like he can fight." Uzi nodded to the guy that started with the Kage's dad. "Me, him, Ms. Pink hair, lovely lady by the way, and a few others could avenge the Ranger-General and Suna. I'm sure we could take Dominion, or whatever his name was. His minion hordes have no chance." With a "Hmph." Uzi quieted down. The hmph, was probably to calm himself down, but it worked to no avail. The news was enough to rile the boy up.

---

MFT | WC: +350

 

[Mikaboshi]

PC: Sunahoshi Suzaku

"Read the room, boy."

"You... smug piece of..." Suzaku took a step forward towards Oga, his eyes glowing with chakra that instinctively rushed there as adrenaline pumped through his veins and his shoulders heaving with short, angry breaths.

"SUZAKU!"

Like a sharp slap to the back of his head, Yukina's shout snapped Suzaku back into the moment as his attention was torn from Oga and towards where she was now getting to her feet and motioning to the gathering of elder shinobi and village officials that sat around the place where Suzaku was presently making a spectacle of himself.

"Yukina?" He breathed, his surprised and confused tone contrasting bizarrely with the bright glow of his empowered eyes.

"Is this the right time for you..."

Suzaku's next words came out in a jumble as he tried to to explain that he'd been down in the lobby and the tower security staff had stopped him and told him that Oga had ordered them to keep him out of the tower. What ended up coming out of his mouth however was far from the rational explanation that he'd wanted to give for his behavior and came out more like "Uh" and "Well, you see" and "what happened was" before suddenly Suzaku realized that there was someone standing directly adjacent to him. For his part, Suzaku had been too focused on Yukina to realize that Koori had been addressing and even preparing to restrain him but it was impossible to ignore Raizo as the 11th Kazekage set his hand on Suzaku's shoulder and leaned in to speak to him.

"I'll be damned, he doesn't talk that politely for me. He does, however, have a point. Riyota, the man forged by the deserts themselves, barged in and it seems his information is rather pertinent. Now, I'm not going to saying fighting my dad isn't worth it--I am just going to say that doing it right now, right here... probably isn't the right moment, ya know?"

Turning his head to look at the Kazekage, Suzaku realized for the first moment that he hadn't simply barged into the room and interrupted one person who might have been speaking-- he'd interrupted the whole meeting because of course they'd already started. How long had he been delayed in the lobby and how much time had he spent giving the tower security the run-around? It only made sense that the meeting had already started and now here he was putting the whole thing on hold for his grudge. The chakra-glow faded out of his eyes as Suzaku took a deep breath and got a leash on his anger-- at least for the moment.

"Sorry for interruptin', Lord Eleventh." Said Suzaku, doing his best to remember the way that Sousuke had told him that he should address the Kazekage-- especially in the presence of others. He said nothing else as Raizo steered him from the floor though he spared a moment to glare daggers at Oga before breaking from the Kazekage to take a seat and listen to the report given by the Ranger-General that he'd inadvertantly interrupted.

Riyota's report spoke of intelligent unbent that could form complex thoughts and even speak, a sort of command structure creature but Suzaku had a hard time believing it. Before coming to Sunagakure, Suzaku had gone on hunts with his master and Zangetsu to hunt unbent creatures and check raiding parties of the Swarm which wandered too closely to Shadow's Heart but they'd never encountered any that had enough intelligence to speak. They had a kind of intelligence that led them to fight together with complex tactics and teamwork but never had one of the monsters ever uttered so much as a syllable of a threat or command or demand. Hisses and shrieks and roars, sure. But never words. Then came the name.

Dominus.

Curling his fingers against the fabric of the pants he was wearing, Suzaku found himself unconsciously fighting a surge of emotion at the name.
Fear, apprehension, doubt. It was all of those things. There were lots of stories about what had happened to the Kazekage but Suzaku knew enough from what Mikaboshi had told the rest of the Deep Court. The 10th Kazekage had gotten word of the daimyo and an entourage making their way through the desert and gone on a mission with a handful of trusted allies to take advantage of the moment of vulnerability that Ishii Shiro had seemingly presented. What followed was history. The 10th Kazekage and those that went with him on the mission didn't come back. Ishii Shiro was gone, along with the majority of his own high-ranking officers, and with their mutual disappearances the Swarm seemingly appeared out of no-where to capitalize on the chaos that ensued.

It was easy to put two and two together that somehow the coming of the Swarm had spelled doom for both the forces of Sunagakure and the daimyo but the details were impossible to even guess at. Did this Dominus have something to do with why his dad never came back from that mission? His heart said yes but in the back of his mind mind Suzaku could practically hear Mikaboshi's scathing judgement while scolding him for jumping to conclusions based on his emotions. There was a piece of Suzaku that hoped Riyota would keep going and say that he'd picked up something in regards to the 10th Kazekage's whereabouts or well-being but quickly enough he came to the end of his report, leaving Suzaku disappointed in that regard. He stayed uncharacteristically quiet throughout and following Riyota's somber news, thoughts of Oga buried under the weight of a number of complex feelings roused by Riyota's information.

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

A sigh of relief would escape the Sages form as what had been an escalating disaster, simmered down into a minor disturbance. There was little of note when it came to the reactions of those present. It was Riyota's report that seemed to be the priority. He didn't doubt the report given by his son, if anyone knew the conviction Riyota possessed it was Akkuma. With all parties settling down it was obvious everyone knew how severe this news was. A tone of fearful disbelief was carried on hushed whispers by some of those present. For now he would remain quiet, closing his eyes in order to remain focused & to more effectively make mental notes of the discussions. Uzi could be trusted with asking the necessary questions.

The tension in the air was enough to make the task of keeping himself in check more difficult. Although if this was the news he was willing to share publicly from his report, one could only wonder what the sensitive details of the debriefing that would be privately discussed with Raizo. Some words of discipline were uttered to subordinates but all in all peace was maintained. Raizo's commentary about his son was almost enough to make him chuckle. It was good to see his kin had found their place within Sunagakure after all these years. Their integration had not been the smoothest of operations but had achieved the necessary results.

How quickly the atmosphere had changed, as if for a brief moment everyone had realized the greater threat at hand. Though he doubted that the news would give them stability for long. Opening his eyes he would shift his gaze to Raizo awaiting the Kazekage's answers to the many questions being thrown upon him. What would be his reaction to the news? Such a threat surely eclipsed that of the Merchant's Guild. Yet they could surely be seen as beneficial associates against such a foe. Infrastructure of that nature was a prime target especially with the new information at hand. It seemed that there would be much that needed to be done. The half-demon waited eagerly for the plan that would be implemented to begin dealing with the matters at hand.

 

[Miroku Riyota]

Riyota's single eye turned slowly to look at the child who clearly had a fire in their belly that they wished to sate in battle. A small smile crept to his lips. "I can appreciate your spirit." He would say to Uziuke. "We're gonna need enthusiasm like yours in the months to come, but wait on me to figure out what it even is we're trying to beat up. Then I promise I'll give you first kick." He chuckled, even as it began to dawn on him that he was no longer one of Suna's youths, those days were a long time past. He only wished he'd had half the fighting spirit of whoever this kid was.

He tried to get comfortable in his seat, waiting for either an announcement from the Kage himself or for any questions that might be shot his way. Though he couldn't help but sneak a single glance at Akkuma, sitting elsewhere in the assembly hall. Riyota had always held his suspicions that Kanmuri had not truly delivered a finishing blow that day, and the Demon's presence here only confirmed that theory.

That was a new issue to worry about. It was clear he no longer held leadership of Clan Miroku, any that might have been loyal to him had surely been dealt with, so now the desert wanderer was effectively homeless.

 

[Raizo]

Whether it was good or bad, whether it was fruitful or fruitless, whether it was about punching his father or not punching him, it seemed that the emotion was beginning to converge back in on itself and lead all parties back to the central task at hand... even if the task at hand had seemingly multiplied. But before he himself got back into the full swing of things, he would turn and look at Suzaku.

"Lord... Eleventh..."

"You sound like Sousuke.... no offense Aki--" he would say briefly waving at the armored-up figure, "I appreciate the formality but it feels weird to lose your name and become a number, right?" It was a question, but not really one he seemingly needed an answer for, it might not be fair to even call it rhetorical because he genuinely did feel interested in knowing the response the guy had--just didn't wait around for it regardless!

"Uzi, you are killing this meeting, my good man!" He would say giving an air high-five to the white-haired member of the Miroku clan. "And of course, Riyota... I feel like that meeting will eventually lead to getting to a point of crossing the bridge that young Uziuke is wanting to go for, but for the time being here is my official decision on The Swarm, or the Unbent, and this Dominus..."

He would pause for a moment.

That name... why does it sound so familiar...

"We shall be, for the time being, tabling that situation to Miroku Riyota and the Ranger Order of Suna... in which case, we will be needing to sort out the Ranger Order of Suna." He both presented a solution and a new problem built into the solution. This was the leader of the village.

"Now, since the room has shown to be rather combustible in terms of parties present, let's get to the meat and potatoes of the matter. First, we are going to investigate the Golden Sanctuary AND on the same hand we are going to work with the Golden Sanctuary." He assumed many had forgotten that this was even something brought up before the parade of interruptions. "To do this, we are going to split into units with different tasks, you will carry out your task, and then you will report back to me."

There was intentionality in this approach, but he did not feel the need to mention that, nor could he mention it at this time.

"Once I have ceded the floor, Yukina will be calling up individuals that will serve as units to chat with me at the head of the room. There I will let you know your specific task. Simple, right? Right!"

He would then turn to Miroku Akkuma. "It seems that we will need to cross this bridge sooner rather than later, Miroku Akkuma."

--------------------NPC Yukina----------------------

While this was all unfolding, leading up to Raizo's comment towards Akkuma, Yukina, who had momentarily found herself consumed by insanity, had shaken herself free and back to her wits. Grabbing the arm of Suzaku, not to pull but to lead him along with her, she would bring him away from Raizo so the Kage could continue his words.

"Suzaku." There seemed to be some tension in her voice, but it would not last. "Listen, I am sorry if that came off awkward in there, but please understand that I am in a very... difficult... position when it comes to you and your grudge with Lord Oga. That man trained me and molded me into the person I am today, it doesn't negate that you should feel the way you feel about it... but if you can't think of me, at least think of Raizo. He is an idiot, but a kind-hearted one, one that doesn't seem to share an ounce of the things you hate about Oga... yet, Oga will use that, use you, to get to him."

She would pause realizing that she was still holding his arm before releasing it and coughing a bit as her eyes ducked away to look at anything else but the green-haired person in front of her. "I still don't know what angle he is looking for, but I do know that once he is fully aware of who you are... he will use it to his advantage. I get we are outsiders, the Ryuzaki, but Raizo, I, have really started to take to this place and its weird walls."

It would be at that time she would hear Raizo mention the name Akkuma. "Ah... shit... come on..." She would say as she hurried back into the assembly hall to hear what was about to happen.

---

__OOC: Sorry for the delay, using a phone and have injured one hand. I will be adding some color to my text throughout the day, but wanted to get this out since you all have waited so long. I am dropping something silly next post and then from there we will move ahead with event assignments!

 

[Jintou]

If you ever thought to compare yourself— yes, meager little you— to the beings in the aptly titled war room that day, a fair comparison would be a pebble to a mountain. Now, by all means, I’m sure you’d make one impressive rock: flat and smooth around the edges, perfect for several skips on a calm lake’s surface. But, you’re still just a rock. Jintou was there, of course, trying his hardest to emulate a rock as he knelt amongst the masses of the lesser ninja. You see, they were like the trees that lined the foothills: tall and thick, proud servants of their village who’d devote themselves to the cause by being cut down someday. It was only by happenstance the boy wound up out of place amongst this congregation. Attempting to blend in and commit to the mistake, he hoped to go unnoticed out of some essential fear, no... survival instinct. After all, little boys with throwing knives had no seat at the table amongst Sunagakure’s elite.

Indeed, it was through that morass of the tree-like rabble that Jintou had his first view of the peak of that mountain, and he found himself in awe of the absolute power and majesty this figure held. The Kazekage had summoned his forces en masse; kinsmen and allies alike, in an effort to discuss matters vital to Sunagakure and the surrounding nation in which it lay. Apparently, there were many opinions on the matter as several people made obtuse, obstructive, or entirely combative statements toward the Kazekage, each other, or the matters at stake. Only recently beginning to fathom the potential destruction ninja were capable of, Jintou felt a drop of anxious sweat crease his brow in a racing streak towards his eye. He winced from the salty sting and began wiping fervently as thoughts of what might happen if any of these ninjas resorted to action over words in this instant. The Kazekage wouldn’t have to lift a finger— no, there were a dozen ninja within arm’s reach of anyone bold enough to speak out of turn. Jintou felt a tickle in his nose and fretted what might happen if he sneezed. There was dust itching the canals leading to his brain… he needed relief but what ado about being turned into a bloody grease spot for his insolence?

“Ha-chee!”

A small, weirdly effeminate sneeze echoed in the chamber during a very brief pause amongst the arguments and rolling debacles. Jintou prayed he went unnoticed and ducked low amongst the faceless ninja of the room, even pressing a hand over his pale blond coils. The intention was to keep any of the ninja from spotting him and acquiring a hunger to feed off of his rising fear. It was there where he stayed, all until matters reached the mention of a real threat even he might understand. Dominus? As he understood the situation, there were still terrors unmeasured by the ninja of Sunagakure and they were gaining might by the day. A mere student the likes of Jintou wouldn’t be of much help in an effort to kill any sort of threat, but he still had a stake in that fight. Out there, far beyond the protections of the Bulwarks of Suna was the nomadic tribe of Oba, Jintou’s family: and he would have to warn them that danger was on the horizon.

-- Hi, I'm Jintou Oba and it's my honor to join this thread!

 

[Miroku Akkuma]

A chuckle would escape the Sages lips when he pondered how Riyota would react to the knowledge that Uziuke was his uncle. Meanwhile Raizo had maintained the composure of the room, much to the surprise of Akkuma. The gathering had already almost lost its way. Those emerald eyes slid to his sons form once more when the Kazekage mentioned him. He was glad his son had been able to find his place among these people. Many of his kin had in fact found themselves quite at home among the Sunans. However finishing statement from the Kazekage that caused his gaze to move towards the man. His unnatural aura permeated the hall attempting to engulf all in its corrupting presence. An almost tangible tension could be felt emanating from Miroku attendants behind their Lord.

Akkuma however would seem unbothered by the statement. He'd had little doubt that the situation would need to be handled officially. Although he did wonder how the Kazekage intended to do such a thing. "Which situation would that be Lord Raizo? If you mean the one regarding my sons I believe no intervention to be necessary." as he spoke his gaze would move once more to his son. "After all it was just some minor patricide...given the serious nature of what we now face I'm sure Riyota has much more important things to focus his efforts on. Isn't that right son?" he would speak in a business-like manner about the act. The event would perhaps be news for some but others had heard at least whispers of what had happened. There had been little doubt that he had perished in the incident.

Evidently he had not & with some careful tending to his clan from the shadows he had dealt with the most crucial weak links. Meanwhile the shadow branch of the clan had functioned as per normal fully well knowing their Lords capabilities. What did Raizo wish to address & how did he intend to do settle the matter? Akkuma found himself wondering just what would happen. Would his son acknowledge that leadership was Akkuma's or would Riyota attempt to retain leadership in the hopes of keeping his people safe from his father? Maybe the Kazekage intended to deal with the matter of the Sage having no one to hold him accountable for his deeds. From the discussion they'd had it seem to be something that had eaten at the young leader, to some degree. There were many possibilities & the lack of knowledge about the new leader of this village made it difficult for him to anticipate the individuals responses to situations.

Frustrating as it was for the Sage it at least made for interesting encounters with the individual. Although it also made it difficult to foresee what contingencies he needed to have in place. One of his greatest safety nets was the public influence he had & the Anbu-like compartmentalization of his Clan. His projects & indeed much of his work would remain hidden. There was always the possibility of a crack forming in the foundations he'd designed. Revered as he was by his people even before his return from the void of death he was comfortable in his ability to maintain some control should he need it. Given how little he had to go on in regards to predicting what came next & what those present knew of him. It would no doubt be unsettling to see him so calm & even confident in the face of such unknowns. Cutting through the tension came an effeminate sneeze from the crowd of faceless shinobi.

MFT
Edited to add the tension piercing sneeze. =P

 

[Kiko]

Since late childhood, Yong had been taught to be a shinobi, trained to analyze his surroundings and assess all possible threats, obstacles, and escape routes. As the shinobi of Suna began to converse, argue, and derail the proceedings Yong stayed quiet, focused on assessing those present and their threat and/or asset potential. The first of the bright souls in the room that commanded his attention was obviously the Kazekage himself, Ryuzaki Raizo.

‘Ryuzaki Raizo, Kazekage of Suna; Subject appears to be in his early twenties, 183-186cm tall, red hair and green eyes. Displays lack of control over subordinates. Threat assessment - low.’

As Raizo and the other shinobi continued to talk Yong would use the eyes of his hijacked shinobi to scan the other bright souls in the room, each labeled with a given name as it was learned.

‘Unknown Female; Subject appears in her twenties or early thirties, approx 175cm allowing shoe estimate, red hair and green eyes. Self-declared fiance of Miroku Riyota. Obvious wealth display. Threat assessment - low.

Uchiha Uziuke; Subject appears late twenties, approx 167cm, distinct white hair and red Sharingan present. Threat assessment - low.

Miroku Akkuma; Subject appears mid-forties, approx 187cm, green eyes with deformed pupils, long gray hair. Chakra signature strongest in the room, though the subject seems emotionally unstable and in direct conflict with other shinobi of Suna. Threat assessment - medium.

Miroku Riyota; Subject appears mid-twenties, approx 188cm, distinct odd green and blue eye, possible blindness, brown hair. Claimed son of Miroku Akkuma and potential head of Clan Miroku. Threat assessment - low.

Unknown Male; Subject appears mid-twenties, approx 176cm, green eyes, a common trait among Sunan shinobi it would appear, light brown hair. Threat assessment - low.

Suzaku; Subject appears young, early to mid-teens in appearance, approx 150cm, green eyes, green hair. High potential. Threat assessment - low.

Unknown Male; Subject appears young, mid-teen in appearance, approx 168cm, red eyes, black hair. Strange facial markings. High potential. Threat assessment - low.

Unknown Male; Subject obscured to me. Age undetermined, eye color undetermined, hair black and purple. The subject remains obscured with a hard aura to read. Threat assessment - undetermined.

Unknown Male; Youngest bright soul present, pre-teen in appearance, approx 143cm tall with dark brown eyes and light brown hair. Young for a shinobi, probably an academy student. Threat assessment - low.’

Yong could feel the pressure of the Sunan shinobi pushing him out of his mind finally, he would have to be quick.

“Look after me Komrad, My mind will be discombobulated for a few days...”

The words slurred out of the Sunan Shinobi hoast’s throat as his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he began to slump forward into the arms of his companion. Yong’s incorporeal form flickered for a split second before darting away from his former hoast’s semi-conscious body. He would not be surprised if I’m that moment he had been noticed by more than one shinobi in the room. The Uchiha clan had bred like rabbits set free on a carrot farm during this rare time of peace. Perhaps they needed a culling, to reduce the risk of incest that was sure to crop up... a thought for the future maybe? It would make no difference if he was observed though, by Uchiha or otherwise when he wanted to leave this place, none here could stop him.

He would guard this realm from outside influence, let the gods see Suna put to the test, pitted against a young new species of apparently fiercely sentient life...
He would also not let any Sunan leave before their test was complete, they would prove themselves or they would perish.

Spoiler: ooc

630 words.
Snapshot used on topic.
Topic left with Houdini Card.
Bold = Talk
Italics = Thought

Sorry it took me so long to post, like so many others currently, life has been more than hectic. Thanks for having me Suna, turn on your kill switches to increase your threat assessments. I will be at the gates

.

 

[Uziuke]

Uziuke would quiet down while listening to Riyota. 'Seems like it's going to take a while to eliminate this threat.' Thoughts of going out and facing Dominus alone surfaced to mind. As he knew nothing of this threat at the moment, he'd put the distracting thoughts to the side.

As the Kage explained the process they would go about to confront the threat, Uzi gave his words all ears. 'With everyone handling their assignments, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we cut off the snake's head. "No questions here." He would simply wait until his unit was called forth. The Golden Sanctuary place sounded like it had nothing to hide, but one wouldn't know what a place was truly like until they explored it themselves.

'The Golden Sanctuary. Working with them doesn't sound so bad.' The black swirls within the boy's red pupils began to spin as he let his chakra flow throughout his body. He became a bit more relaxed, 'Quietly investigating their Sanctuary shouldn't be much of a problem.'

Uziuke looked around the room, wondering what units would be compromised of those present. As he looked he noticed a kid that was about to sneeze. 'Suna has kids that would stand up for the cause. Amazing.' He was surprised that there were even younger ones present. Those that were still green in the way of the shinobi. No doubt they were here observing what was going on. It was great to see younger shinobi with such heart.

The sneeze probably caught the attention of a few in the room. But at that exact moment, Uzi noticed someone in the room faint. His eyes never lied to him before, so when he saw another's appearance flicker for a split moment he noticed something. It was an ANBU mask, it was of a certain style, something that he noticed before. 'That looked like the guy Akkuma and I saw while at the gates of this village a while back.' Uzi looked to the Kage, wondering if he had seen it as well. He would keep quiet about what he'd seen. He'd bring it up later if need be.

---

MFT: WC:+300

 

[Mienai]

What was likely a matter of a few minutes, quickly started to feel like hours to Kasen. Not much could shake the cool-headed doctor to her core, but she had been worn down and exhausted by the loneliness and fear for her loved ones that had set in. A fire sparked in her eyes as she had risen, but before more could proceed, Riyota, the man in question, had stepped into the room like something out of a conveniently timed protagonist narrative. Kasen's eyes had grown wide, her breath catching in her throat. The blue haired woman's brain seemed to short circuit as she fell to her knees, her mine running a mile a minute. He's alive. Tears started to stream down her face as she cried quietly, the noise of the room quieting to a dull, distant buzz. All she could feel was the overwhelming waves of relief and confusion. She couldn't think, or speak, or event properly react, the only true feeling left in her was shock.

Meanwhile, Medusa had finished her martini, having moved onto another one. The conversation had riled up and then seemed to simmer down. At least it seemed to be moving in some kind of direction now. From what she had gathered, things were all going to come to a head in the Golden Sanctuary. Medusa quietly hummed to herself as her eyes slid over once more to Akkuma. She gave him a subtle acknowledgement with her head and a brief raise of two fingers. Nothing significant to anyone not paying attention, perhaps not even anything significant to the man in question, but she had a feeling he and she should converse. She had heard of some of his dealings here and there from whispers on the street, but their paths hadn't crossed. There was likely some kind of deal to be made there. However, for now, Medusa had to consider some of her more significant contacts within the Merchant's Guild. As she often did business there of the seedier variety, it would be in her best interest to see what both sides were playing.

She had decided that for now, she had enough intel to go off of. If she needed more later, there were people she knew she could get in contact with. With a snap of her fingers, she signaled for Hades to trail behind her. "This has been very informative, but I'm afraid I have other business to attend to. If you need someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty, you know where to find me, Lord Kazekage." Medusa kicked herself off of the wall she was leaning against and strutted out the door, not glancing behind her as she left.

As Medusa left, Kasen's head snapped up, looking at the woman that had shoved her onto the floor when they first arrived. She was leaving? Somewhere in her mind, Kasen heard Same grumble with irritation. The megalodon didn't like her vessel being disrespected like that, but she knew Kasen wasn't likely to start significant drama, having sworn an oath to do more healing than violence. Getting to her feet, Kasen quietly walked over to Riyota and took his hand in hers, needing to confirm that he was alright. She didn't care if she was going to be judged or not, she just needed something to ground her. She still wasn't in a position to speak yet, and would likely just continue to listen for the moment.

[Leaving the topic with Medusa unless stopped, however Kasen is still staying.]
[I got a little bit behind with everything, sorry if this seems a little all over the place, hoping to get back on track.]

 

[Miroku Riyota]

A lot was happening very quickly, a lot of different voices and clashing personalities. Riyota was too tired to deal with the politics of this place. He had only wished to come in and say his piece so that he could go find a place to sleep in and become comatose for about a week.

The Kazekage made a good point however, what state was the Ranger order in? A lot of key members appeared to be missing from this meeting, and given that it had been a long while since he checked in it wouldn't surprise him if the mantle had been passed to someone else. However from Raizo's tone it seemed as if the village head was similarly clueless about the situation. "Well then I am presuming my title has not been passed on. If so then I will resume duties after I take a small break. I think I've worked up some sick leave." He joked. His tone was calm and quiet. His voice was not strained or raised, yet it still carried across the chamber with little effort.

He winced gently as Akkuma began to speak. Riyota had wondered how long the demon could stand not being the center of attention. Riyota's eye focused on the white haired gentleman across the room. "I am unsurprised to find the afterlife didn't want you. As far as I'm concerned I settled the matter when you died. I have no wish or ability to rule the Miroku now, and I am no longer your son." He remarked in a flat tone. "Try not to step out of line though Akkuma. I'm becoming bitter in my old age."

With that settled he briefly glanced over to Kasen, as a different, unfamiliar woman departed. With just his expression he tried to communicate that he was sorry he couldn't talk to her right now. He could only hope she got the message as his gaze returned to Raizo. "If I may be so blunt Raizo." Riyota began, seemingly forgetting his place for a moment by forgoing the honourifics. "Do you have a task you would like me to complete, or would you like me to speak further on what I have found?"

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The mood of the room changed quickly. While Suzaku made a scene, Aki couldn’t help but almost make a motion to defend the youth from one of the Ryuzaki clan members who decided to push the envelope further. Aki absent mindedly found himself is reaching into his chest pocket to remove a knife to hurl it across the room at the individual almost making a move. Aki was glaring across the room at Koori, like a wolf on the defensive. Thankfully things quieted down. Aki leaned back into the chair and did not take any further action. Instead of a knife being drawn, Aki instead removed another pen from his inner chest pocket. Yes Raizo was the Kazekage, but his family certainly seemed to know how to make a rather ... frustrating scene. Aki watched curiously as Koori was being spoken down to by Oga. This room was full of hot heads, and then you had the reactionary people such as Aki.



The room was certainly hard to keep up with. The former Ranger General had returned only adding to the room. It was never going to be a dull moment as Akkuma and him had history. Most importantly they had gained a name for the leader of their enemy, ‘Dominius’ Aki wrote. There were some in the room who downplayed the threat of Dominius. Aki frowned at the notion of this. Taking the enemy lightly would lead to a devastating defeat. Sungakure was on the ropes given the battle at the wall. They won but there had been a cost. Several people were missing, and like Riyota they were slowly returning. Things were transitioning in Wind Country, for both good and bad.



Raizo took control of the room, which was indeed for the best. He admitted that the room was going to continue to be combustible due to those present. He was not wrong if the rumors were to be true given the number of ‘questionable’ individuals in the room. Aki would wait to be called and he would see where he was assigned. The tension of the room broken with a sneeze – Aki would shift his gaze over for a moment, before returning to his notes. He continued to document what was going on. Some people left the room, others remained. Aki noted it all as he continued to speed write what was going on. Aki twitched for a moment as he overheard Riyota refer to him directly with no title. Aki might not have been as much as a stickler for the rules as his father. “Lord Raizo.” He spoke up. If Riyota were to look over he would see almost a clone of Sousuke correcting him. There were minor differences such as the younger appearance, the violet and black hair, and the lower part of his face being bandaged. “The position has not been filled since your appointment, and now ever evident return.” Aki spoke detailing the situation to the returning Ranger General.

 

[Raizo]

"Ok, see ya around, Pretty Lady."

It would be a matter of fact as he waved to the exiting Medusa. He really needed a better method of keeping track of names. Without missing a beat or pausing, he would turn around immediately at the sound of the sneeze.

"One-moment Akkuma... what is your name? I don't think I have had a chance to meet you!" he would glance over at Yukina who was still having a hard time processing what was happening with her and the green-haired boy, or maybe it was something else. Either way, he would smile at Jintou. He would then snap back to Riyota.

"Stick around..." he would pause as Aki would speak up. He was still trying to figure out that one, he was similar but different from Sousuke, it was a fun little mystery for him. "...for a bit and you and I can chat about something."

Finally, he would snap back around to Akkuma.

"No it isn't about that... well maybe it is about that, hmmm that is interesting because I guess they are related--"

"Lord Raizo!"

"Oh yea, anyways, you came to me recently about letting me know that you wished to offer your services to this village. I didn't have an answer for you at that time, and I wasn't super thrilled with how you had marketed yourself and your services and how it would all relate to Suna. You want to find a home for your family but you kept talking about being some shadow mercenary for the village. You may think you are fine with that role, you may have chosen to believe that is the best fit for you and yours, but you also explained that your family is a collection of people taken in after being discarded or outcasted... so you sell yourself as a monster but take on a noble thing; but then with the man of the desert, Riyota, here... it seems like maybe you are more evil than charitable, then you talk about how power is obtained through killing you within your family... it was all very frustrating and confusing."

The thought was still jumbled up in his head, but he needed to piece it all together like this for him to find the clarity he was searching for. He had thought long and hard about the offer from Akkuma, and now he had been presented with an audience of his kin and those who despised him, while also finding a member of his family, or now ex-member, who despised him as well. So was Akkuma a father figure looking to do right by his family or was he just simply a demon with a collection?

"So I have made a decision; from today onward the Miroku Clan is an officially recognized clan of Sunagakure no Sato. All members who wish, and aren't already serving (he would wink and point a finger gun at Uziuke), as an official member of the shinobi force of this village will now report to the Toraono Dojo to be assessed and assigned. Those who wish to just remain as clansmen in the village, that works as well. Akkuma, you have a choice to make; you can either immediately accept this and be made a Jounin of this village or you can decline, in which case you will be asked to leave this village. If your aim was to always find a place for you and your family to be accepted, well here it is. It also seems you and the Toraono also already had some arrangement that would have made this official years ago, so I guess I am just rubberstamping it all."

He imagined this would cause a bit of an uproar, but he would ignore it. This next bit was solely for Akkuma, and whoever else cared to listen since this was a big group meeting. While Raizo might have seen that there was some underlying good to the demon, or at least wanted to believe as such, he was also aware it would just take more than this to validate his actions in making Akkuma as Suna shinobi.

"That said, if you accept, Akkuma, you will now beholden to a cause that is higher than your selfish desires. Every criminal thing you do or maintain from this point onward will not only be judged against you, but will be judged against m---"

Before he could finish, an outburst would occur.