Don't Deviate from the Path Before You [Requesting Yuii and Ayumu, and Leaf Refugees]

[Kanagawa Nozomi]

​

Trailing behind her were weary travelers from a far-away land. These three sought refuge from, what she gathered, was a harmful and oppressive regime. The details were still blurry, as that information isn't necessarily her business, but it seemed that way from what she could gather. The snow fell lightly upon the trail of 4, maybe more, through the village. Footprints in the snow told a tale of their journey from the gates to where Nozomi would guide them; their ultimate destination, the Raikage's office. The looks on their faces, haggard and stressed, was a look she could relate to. She hoped that finding a home in the Village Hidden in the Clouds would give them even a small amount of solace.

As the group made their way towards the Raikage's office, children could be seen having a snow-ball fight in the unplowed streets. The buildings were capped in snow with some of the younger shinobi taking their snowball fights onto the rooftops, garnering annoyance and outrage from those they were disturbing. A line of snow-angels could be seen, slowly being covered up by the fresh snow. She took a deep breath out, a plume of vapor displaying her breath, as she turned to look towards the group she was escorting to the office. She had to keep her eyes on them. A voice called out to her, a boy of about 8 years old shouting, "Miss Nozomi! Hi!" she said as a group of the snow-ball fighters stopped and waved to her. "Thanks for the deer! It was yummy! You should come over! The matron made some!" the boy said with a grin; a few of his teeth missing. She waved to them and gave them a little smile. "Maybe tonight. I'm a little busy right now alright? Have fun playing for now," she said as the children waved to Nozomi and told her to 'work hard'.

Those were children from the orphanage she used to live in. Every now and then, she would treat them to something nice from an animal she would hunt. She continued to move through the village until they arrived to the Ninja Academy. There were lights strung up across the trees, weaving in and out of the various tree-houses and wrapping around the trunk like a serpent. There were children playing in the tree-houses, shouting at the top of their lungs; making the shrill noises that children usually make. She continued forward. "You know, the people here love the Raikage. So hearing about the contrast between Kumogakure and where you came from would seem surreal to most people." she said as the group finally approached a massive building made of pure onyx. Any and all light touching it reflecting like the night sky.

She stopped and turned to the refugees. "Welcome to the Torre Celeste; the political-brain of Kumogakure," she said as she felt the cloaked presence of the one that 'dropped in' earlier following them. She turned her eyes to the cloaked figure's location for a brief moment before turning her attention back to the refugees. "We will be approaching the conference room and await his arrival. Please mind your manners around him. As you know, he is a greatly respected man, and any transgressions against him may result in death. If you really are refugees, I suggest listening to what he has to say," she said as the black cat that sat upon her hat jumped off and back into the Bag-of-Holding. Damnit, Sakura!

"Don't worry, if our little shadow here attacks you in an unprovoked manner, I will protect you," she told them, giving them some reassurance of their safety behind these walls. She nodded to the group and turned and entered the building. The receptionist was already informed of their arrival and told Nozomi what office they would be waiting in. With a nod and removing her hat, she shook her head to let her long raven-black hair free. A black cape covered her back as her hair, which was bound underneath the cap, was let free. She continued to lead them up a set of stairs and in front of a big room with a long table; enough seats to hold 20 people with a side, area for overflow. At the table was a chair, more ornate than others, which was obviously the seat for the Raikage, himself.

"Please, have a seat," she said as she removed the parka from her body after resting her large sniper rifle against one of the chairs. Underneath, she wore a red, zip-up turtle neck sweater; sleeveless and with chest armor over one of her breasts. Strapped to her left side was a sword, her right side contained a revolver, and upon her belly was a sheath for two throwing knives. She folded up the parka and placed it into her bag-of-holding along with her hat. A muffled 'meow' could be heard as the cat that she had on her before seemed to be covered by her parka within that strange, infinite space. She remained standing until after the three refugees took a seat.

"You will most-likely encounter the Main Branch Sennin before meeting with the Raikage". She turned her eyes towards Maikeru for a moment with eyes expressing a warning to him. "She is beautiful, but she demands respect. Please speak to her as if she was your own superior; it will make this process less painful," she mentioned, remembering a man with a crude mouth and an intolerable weapon-spirit who just seems to enable him. While she doesn't believe all men were as filthy and single-track-minded as Maru, but she believed MOST men were.

"Now we wait," she said, standing next to the chair she intended to sit at.

[Topic Entered with everyone from: Here]
MFT -- 955 words

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Danii watched in amusement as the kids threw snowballs at each other. She smiled and waved as a one kid called out to their guide to join them. The village felt alive with the children's laughter despite the gloomy storm that the trio passed on their trek up the mountain pass. Between the children and the onyx building the group walked towards, Danii felt an overwhelming urge to explore what wonders this place held. But an important meeting loomed in front of them, so the girl had to remain focused. She passed off her blanket and removed her cloak as they arrived inside the Torre Celeste. She adjusted the purple corset she wore around her waist and out of habit lifted her hand to check the straps of her absent sword harness. Failing to find comfort in the heirloom from her father, she instead made a quick squeeze of the gem that apparently once belonged to her mother. Calmness radiated from the gem into her hand and spread throughout her body. She turned towards Nozomi.

“The people definitely seem happier here. What can you share with us about the Raikage? Too be honest, I don't know much about Kumogakure and the Raikage. I have pretty much lived in Konohagakure for most of my memory. And the stories I had from my grandfather were usually about our home back in the Stone.”

Laying the cloak on the back of a chair, she took her seat to wait as patiently as she could. Bureaucracy was no stranger in the life of this shinobi, but that didn't mean she liked it. She nodded as Nozomi warned them about the Main Branch Sennin.

“Understood. I don't plan to cause any trouble after the hospitality we have received so far. What are their names?”

It didn't take long before the girl began squirming in her seat as they waited for the arrival of the other officials. The break from travel was a nice change of pace, but Danii always struggled with sitting still for too long. She turned to Maikeru and Reicheru as she tried to start of a conversation to pass the time.

“It sure seems like a lovely place, despite the cold. Actually, the snow makes it seem even nicer. Like a winter wonderland, don't you think? They even have treehouses here. I think the boys would have liked that.”

A small chuckle slips out at the last thought. The group probably wouldn't have made it from the gates to the treehouse if Riku had been with them. Hell, Riku probably wouldn't have had both feet through the gates before he saw something distracting enough to pull him from the path Nozomi led them on.

[Topic Entered]

 

[Saitou Rei]

Laughter, nature's medicine. Laughter is thought by some to be contagious, known to be therapeutic on top of just a signal of general happiness or feeling at ease. It was a sound long gone from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, especially from Reicheru's empty home outside of the Oak District. Beyond the climate, geography and architecture, the laughter of children playing in the snow further signaled just how far the three immigrant shinobi had come from the place they once called home. Still, there was so much familiar in all of the foreign. A smile lit Reicheru's cold face as she watched children run along rooftops into treetops, the sight of their treehouses piercing her deeply even as the memories warmed her heart. Then there was the cat who'd made his presence known back at the gate before hiding in Nozomi's bag, his mischievousness screaming of Catsu. Reicheru wondered if those little things would ever stop reminding her of what came before.

When the group approached the ornately decorated doors of the Torre Celeste, complete with a pictorial history of the country they visited, Reicheru couldn't help but feel impressed. Whether it was the contempt with which she viewed the current office of Hokage, or the comparatively humble structure which housed the equivalent office in Leaf, she wasn't sure. As they entered, Reicheru nodded to everything Nozomi said in prepping them for the Raikage's arrival. How different things were here. In Konoha, protocol on getting to Takeshi was quite lax in comparison. 'The people here love the Raikage.' Their guide's words echoed in Reicheru's mind. She let the implications rest in her mind as she herself found rest in a chair Nozomi pointed her to. She followed the older girl's lead and removed the blanket the guard had given her, her traveler's cloak and the winter jacket she'd picked up en route to Cloud. For all the layers you'd think she'd be able to withstand the cold better than she had. That would be her first order of business if all went well at this meeting - training her body to acclimate, and quickly.

"Yes ma'am. And thank you again, Kanagawa-san." In Leaf, Reicheru had felt no hesitation about addressing even the Sennin of the village by first name. Perhaps it was growing up on stories of them and their feats that made the transition easier. Here, in a place where she knew much less about the customs even in spite of her reading, she felt an air of formality would be the safer option for her. Turning to Danii as her cousin started getting that familiar 'itch' to move about, Reicheru smiled as she began coping with it by chatting casually away about what they'd seen. She was a great counter-balance for the seriousness with which she and Maikeru had been approaching things of late. "Yeah, it does seem really great. I'm sure the cold isn't that bad once you get used to it… right?" There was some uncertainty in her tone, but a smile on her face. "And yeah…they would have. Of course, it'd become a competition for whose was the best or biggest or most secret for those boys." Or, something entirely different. Reicheru had always had a hard time pegging exactly what was going through those kids brains when they made the decisions they did. A sigh escaped her lips as she considered the decision they'd made that landed her in this chair, in this village, in this country. They had certainly met their goal of making things interesting.

[Topic Entered]

 

[Maikeru]

For the most part, Konoha wasn't too vastly different from Kumo. The main street from the gate was bustling with commerce as well as regular civilians going about their daily task. The biggest difference Maikeru noticed immediately was the atmosphere that surrounded him from the people the called this village home. There was a levity to it, everyone seemed to be in a good mood, or at least good at hiding their displeasure. In leaf, that no longer existed. With the looming threat of the frost, and the murders happening in the streets, the mood of the village had been in a slow decline. It was refreshing, to say the least.

Children ran around and played as they passed the academy, something Maikeru hadn't seen in a long time, it bringing a small smile to his face as his eyes flicked between the groups of children who threw around the snowballs, having to duck under one that flew astray. There was one group, playing with a ball, that got away from them before bouncing to the feet of the chief med nin. Stepping on it, Maikeru looked to the group, before bending down to pick it up. He pulled down the hood of his cloak, letting his long hair fall to his shoulders. One girl approached him, tentatively, noticing the leaf headband that hung loosely from his neck.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Maikeru said softly, kneeling down to her level to hand the ball over. "I'm hoping we can be family soon, so you have no need to fear us."

The last bit was said loud enough for the groups shadow to hear, it taking every muscle in Maikeru's body not to activate his Sharingan to keep a better eye on the figure. The girl still seemed scared as she took the ball from his hand, but, Maikeru didn't blame her. They were foreign shinobi in a foreign land, he would probably have done the same at her age, especially as a child enrolled at the academy.

It was when he saw the tree house that he really became choked up. Stopping in his tracks, his body turned to face the structure, his jaw clenching as he fought to hold back the tears. He made a mental note to return here, to help the children improve on this tree house as he had planned to with the boys. He was sure he was a lumber warehouse around here on the way through town.

As they made their way through the Torre Celeste, Maikeru made note of every hallway, every window, every door that he could. His mind was already racing with possible escape routes, of possible walls they could blow to buy them some more times. After all, above everything he was a shinobi, this was the sort of thing he had been trained to do his entire life.

As they entered the conference room, Maikeru shed his travelers cloak, and jonin armor, laying them against a wall with Kusanagi. His long sleeved black shirt that was underneath was thin, and offered little protection from the cold, but the heat of the room made anything more uncomfortable. He did raise an eyebrow as he sat down, specifically at the look Nozomi gave him when she mentioned about Yuii.

"Uh, you don't have anything to worry about." He said with a laughing, gesturing to Reicheru. "I'm already with her firstly, and secondly, I'm not like my sensei."

He bit his lower lip, and held up a finger as he said that. He quickly realized that he wasn't in leaf any longer, and there was no way Nozomi would know who the hell he was talking about. Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, he continued.

"Ah, right, we're not in leaf. My sensei is a closeted pervert named Maru, and I learned quickly from him how not to treat a woman. Don't worry, I will give Yuii-sama all the respect she deserves as main branch sennin. It's Reicheru here you need to worry about, she is clearly the degenerate of our group. Dating an Uchiha? Unforgivable."

 

[Kiri]

As stated by the gates, Uri would follow them to the Torre Celeste. He made sure to keep his distance and observe. Any slight motion of provocation or threat would have to be dealt with efficiently, especially when they were now within the heart of the village. And as much as the earlier Kumonin made it sound as if he was the one transgressing here, he would let it slide off. Each has their respective role in the village and he had long been accustomed to how his so happened to be frowned upon by others.

Upon entering the conference room, the Kumonin would give them a clear instruction of decorum, making Uri wonder if she had a little run-in with others far too wild for her taste. Then again, remembering the Main Branch Sennin, he would agree that a clear level of respect is required. Nonetheless, he would stand by the wall next to the door, keeping a good watch over those inside. Should any attempt to the Raikage’s life be made as he entered, he could at least intercept it. Then again, he did raise a brow with the boy’s comment on Maru’s name, a memory about that rogue fighting by the gates sprung into his mind. And the casual mention of the Sennin’s name made Uri sigh. Thankfully he had a mask to all these things. He figured he’d let them take care of anything unnecessary if it did happen.

Fortunately, things weren’t bleak and there was not a drop of ill-intent in the air. But nothing can truly be certain until the very last second. And that’s why the village was how it was. For even if the people were happy and content, they were also vigilant and willing to spring into action at any moment’s notice. But before everyone else, there was their group, who would already be at the heart of the incident in a blink of an eye.

But now he wondered what the Raikage would think of his presence this time. He feared he might cement his position as a the honorary gateman at this point, to which he really wasn’t interested at all. But this would be the … third, or fourth? He shook his head lightly and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and kept his head on the job at the moment.

[Topic Entered. Shadow at the wall]

 

[Kanagawa Nozomi]

"You will just address the Raikage as 'Raikage-sama' unless told otherwise," she said in a firm manner. However, her demeanor quickly changed to a little smile the moment she was asked about the kind of person the Raikage was. '"He donates to the orphanages within the village and ensures the children that live there have a loving and comfortable living space. The children you saw outside are a result of his kindness. He is also a grand judge of character and will be sure to make his decisions based upon your actions and how you treat him. He is a kind man and any disrespect to him will result in dire consequences for you and your lot," she said to warn them about any strange thoughts they might have. Even if they are under her protection, at the moment, she has more reason to protect the Raikage, his life and honor, than to 3 strangers from a strange land. "The Main Branch Sennin is Kagetsu Yuii-sama. You will address her as such."

"The tree-houses? Well, those were created by the children for the children. There aren't many trees here in the village so they take whatever chance they can get. Were tree-houses common in Konoha? I could only imagine so. But if things are as dire as you all say they were, I wouldn't be surprised if they were draping the," she said as she stopped herself. Her imagination could run a little wild at times and her imagination is usually borderline-macabre when it comes to these things. She didn't have a very cherishing childhood, so her cynicism for the world-at-large lead her to think this way. It wasn't something that could be helped.

One of the refugees took a seat before she turned her head to the other female of the group. Nozomi eyeballed her face for a moment as if to examine her. She noticed a slight resemblance between her and the medical sennin. Maybe it was her imagination going wild again. "Yes, it can take a while to get used to the cold. But you'll never actually completely acclimate to it," she said. Her parka, that she usually wore, was extremely thick with layers and layers to keep her warm. While it doesn't cover her rear or really anything below the waist, as long as her core remained warm, that's all that mattered. It was then that the second refugee had a seat.

The third refugee, the male, then mentioned something about Maru when it came to her warning to not hit-on the Main Branch Sennin. The mentioning of Maru and him being 'closeted' was an understatement. He was quite open about his perversion; wearing it proudly like a badge-of-honor of some kind. He pointed out that he was in a relationship with the dark-haired girl and looked to her for a moment before turning to look towards Maikeru. "Then allow me to amend what I said. If you are to be allowed to find sanctuary here, you will treat the Medical Sennin with respect," she said before clearing her throat. She hooked her head towards Reicheru for a moment. "Those two look a lot alike. Please do not confuse the two; especially seeing that you are a medical ninja, it might make things a little awkward," she said in explanation. She ignored the final part about Reicheru being the 'deviant' of the group. Her first impression of Reicheru doesn't seem like that. He took a seat.

Before taking a seat, herself, she turned towards the shadow that had followed them all the way here. Her hair flowed and floated magically through the air like suspended water. "Perhaps you should have a seat, as well, so our visitors won't be on their toes the entire time. We are trying to make them feel welcome. They left an oppressive regime so we shouldn't welcome them, looking like one either," she said to the shadow leaning against the wall. "You can still protect the village from a seat at the table instead of brooding like a creep in the shadows," she commented before whirling around her seat and planting her rear upon the cushions.

 

[Kagetsu Yuii]

"The secret to a perfect Cloud Puff is in the cream," Yuii's voice carried down the echoing conference room halls of the Torre Celeste and through the still open door as she and her tanned follower stepped from the mirror polished elevator that connected to her own part of the tower. "It has to be fresh the same day, and they have to have just had their calf. That's why there are only two weeks of the year when they're worth eating. Once you've had one, everything else is just a disappointment." They had been talking about desserts, or rather, Yuii had been talking while young Suika followed along with real or feigned interest. It was hard to tell with the ones connected to the KSIS division, they all lied so well, but the Sennin enjoyed the distraction. As long as her tongue and mind were occupied by the many sugary delights of the world she could forget her own troubles.

She didn't hurry. Yuii never hurried but kept to a calm, self-assured stride like a stalking cat that could cover fields or halls with no noticeable difference in effort. Today didn't seem particularly worried about reaching the leaf shinobi, they didn't have anywhere else to be after all, but lingered on their conversation, "Of course, if you're going to have those, you need to pair it with apple cider, and that's a whole other affair. Keeping track of which orchards had sublime results, then setting aside a cider jug for half a year is quite a task. I've only managed once before, but this year I got my hands on two. If only I could look forward to spring."

Yuii stepped into the small meeting room a moment later, gliding in so confidently that there was no doubt of whether or not she should be there. And there could be doubt, as the Main Branch Sennin of Kumogakure, aged somewhere in that difficult to pin thirties was dressed in colours that would have been considered garish on anyone but a small child or a clown. Her tightly knitted sweater in a size too large for her small frame was in the most irritatingly bright shade of canary yellow that clashed against with violet floral cuffs and elbow patches which seemed to hold on by a thread. Her navy pants were covered in uneven silver-foiled patches shaped like stars and moons which also seemed ready to tear away at the slightest tug. Even her boots, a practical black that bore a military sturdiness had been decorated with bright blue laces and showed the cuffs of thigh rainbow coloured socks below. It and her hair had the rumpled look of one who had just pulled themselves from bed- not a leader.

She looked them up and down passively, anbu and gunbird included, then pointedly spoke to the girl who ought to be at her shoulder. "Κακή παπάκια. Είναι σχεδόν στην άλλη πλευρά της παιδικής ηλικίας. Στην ηλικία σου." Yuii observed gravely in vulgar kumogakurian, then laughed, "Ας παίξουμε ένα μικρό παιχνίδι."

"Your paperwork, if you please," she asked in a no-nonsense voice that clashed with her appearance and attitude while slumping into a chair. The assumption of its existence was based on the fact that they sat across from one another in the Torre and not in the guard house of the gates. No shinobi worth their rank would let foreigners inside the village without at least the cursory formality of checking for identification. She didn't move to take it herself, assuming it was produced, but would let Suika take care of it. Instead, Yuii fixed each of the three children with another long, calculating stare.

"Thank you for telling me about our little ducklings here. I won't trouble our Raikage with having to handle a group of runaways just yet," she said, first addressing the kunoichi, whose name escaped her, that had escorted the leaf shinobi. Then she eyed the trio. "What route did you take to get here? Half the passes are closed by snow already so we can hope yours isn't impassable yet when we send you all home."

 

[Suika]

“Oooooooh,” hummed aloud an entertained Suika as she attempted to absorb the wealth of valuable knowledge Yuii graciously spewed. “Mmm, interesting. The cream you say?” If anyone observed the girl, she appeared deeply invested into this ‘sweet’ exchange between herself and the Main Branch Sennin. Her eyes shined as she quickly jotted notes on a pad she typically carried when accompanying her superior. Whether she seemed genuine or not, the kunoichi really was interested in everything that her sugar-loving leader shared. Suika and Yuii, strangely enough, possessed many similarities; however, the main passion they had most in common was their obsession with desserts of all sorts. In the rare moments that the two spoke on matters outside of work, the topic of their conversations revolved around the latest pastries they tried or the new dessert shops that opened in their village. Sure, both women were also supernaturally-inclined, had an affinity for the illusory arts, and had enough spunk to make any man in the village fall to their knees… but anything sugar-related was what really mattered.

Prior to their journeyed discussion, the Main Branch Sennin was informed about refugees from Konoha that sought a meeting with the Raikage. Working part time in Cloud’s Diplomacy department, Suika was somewhat familiar with Kumogakure’s treaty with Leaf Village instilled between Ayumu and that one Hokage with a name that stretched for miles, mainly the inter-access of their medical divisions in times of need. Also, Tatsuo was transferred from Konoha to Kumo as the blondie from her Chuunin exam, Minako, was sent to Leaf. All that, plus the recent event of them receiving a new village leader, was all she knew from that shinobi settlement in the Land of Fire. It didn’t come as a shock that warriors from that region traveled across the harsh winters of Lightning Country to seek aid, but Suika was at the least bit curious as to why. Perks of being the Sennin’s apprentice, right?

“Showtime.”

Coolly striding shoulder-side to Yuii whilst a half-step behind as a physical representation of their ranking order and duties, the two entered the small conference room, in which was surprisingly stuffed to the brim with characters of all sorts. Suika’s calm magenta eyes hastedly scanned the room as she identified two Kumogakure shinobi and three ninja from the Hidden Leaves. The refugees appeared around her age, and she instantly sensed they were non-threatening. While that was the probable case, the kunoichi was always prepared to protect her Sennin if the going ever went rough.

From the perceptions of all those in the room, they would see the Chuunin as a bronze-skinned girl in her teens. Her attire was anything but modest; Suika wore a beige top with golden seams with just enough material to cover her small chest and a small bit of her torso. Her toned and tight abdomen was revealed, but at a closer look, it was evident that the kunoichi was athletic from head-to-toe. She fashioned an earth-toned waist cover that hid the small, black shorts she wore underneath (and a collection of weapons she carried). Her Kumogakure headband rested in a tilted position around her waist, but its shine was overshadowed by the assortment of golden bangles she wore around her wrists, ankles, tied around her short, dark hair, and a purple gem-stoned piece that hung fashionably from her neck. Most obvious, the girl wielded a broad, golden hilt sheated sword that she carried effortlessly over her back. While petite in her frame, it was clear that she was a formidable warrior.

The fifteen-year old apprentice grinned at Yuii’s mention in vulgar Ancient Kumogakurian. So that would be her angle, ay? Being the loyal sidekick that she was, Suika did not hesitate to follow the blunt woman’s lead. “Greetings, I’m Suika,” she greeted with a speedy head bow. Upon lifting her head back up, she immediately reached out her hand as to retrieve the needed paperwork that her commander requested. Once acquired, the Chuunin would take her seat at the table besides Yuii and diligently verify what was to be in front of her. If all checked out, she would give her superior the nod of approval she needed to potentially move forward. Well, unless she decided to send the kiddos packing and back home. Although she was tempted, the amused kunoichi withheld grinning and revealing a different type of emotion. She kept herself collected and visibly professional. After all, Suika always did her part.

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Hearing the sounds of a conversation drifting through the door, Danii can't help but listen in on the delicious sounding talks of sweets and ciders. It seemed odd for such a serious conversation to be about the perfect dessert and drink pairing, but that wasn't even the most interesting thing about the speaker as she walked through the door. Her clothes seemed not only outlandish, but impractical. The colors clashed and the shapes seemed childish. The bright colors and foiled stars would catch light and make her stick out like a sore thumb. And the large sweater would catch on everything and, best case, rip and tear. And those socks… well, Danii actually kind of liked the socks. They were cute and looked warm. She made a mental note to get herself a pair.

Despite the woman's appearance, Danii recognized a shift in the atmosphere when she entered. Between the way she led the duo and glanced over the three visitors, it seemed clear that this was the Sennin the group had been waiting on. As she addressed the group and asked for their paperwork, Danii rose from her chair and gave a polite bow accompanied with an introduction of herself.

“Nanjirou Daenerisu. Born in the Earth Country and raised in the Leaf village. You must be Kagetsu Yuii-sama.”

She passes her passport to Suika. This girl seemed to share a good bit of her style with Danii's own. Light, mostly practical, form fitting. Plus the large sword on the girl's back really caught Danii's eye. The sword made her miss the comforting feel of her own weapon hanging off her back, but she knew that it was best to not carry it in the open at a meeting like this. She would love to take a closer look at, but that would have to come later. By her toned, athletic appearance, maybe this girl would enjoy a spar with Danii if the group is allowed to stay. She was also curious about how the girl managed to stay so warm in this village with so little clothing. She would have to ask what her secret was.

Danii returns to her seat after passing off the paperwork. She looks towards Yuii and answers her.

“We travelled from the southern side of the country where we had arrived on a boat by sea. We had to take a few detours on our travels once we arrived at the mountain, but we managed to find a way through it all. To be honest, we may have underestimated how cold it would get on the mountain. It's so different from where we came.”

Danii looked down at the white cloth dress she was wearing and laughed at her own lack of preparation. Looking back up, her face shifts to more somber and serious expression.

“Please, don't send us back. After what happened there, we don't have a home to return too…”

Her eyes pass between her two travelling companions and find their way back to Yuii.

“They can tell the story better than me as they saw it first hand, but I have evidence to back up their claims.”

Danii grows quiet and lets Maikeru or Reicheru share the story about why the left the Leaf and travelled here.

 

[Saitou Rei]

Guards that greeted strangers with warm gifts and a leader who looked after the children of his village - and not just the ones that would make promising shinobi, either, but the abandoned and tragedy-stricken. Children played without worry here; the very air of the village was peaceable and at ease. The stark contrast from what Reicheru knew of shinobi villages was somewhat shocking, but it filled her with new hope and an optimism she had tried to push away during their travels. Hope could be a dangerous thing gone unchecked, and though she had clung to it once, it had been dashed enough times to push the girl toward an outlook of guarded realism. She was reminded of why when the Sennin they were awaiting finally arrived. It wasn't necessarily the foreign tongue that shook her; that was to be expected in a foreign land, though it was a bit disquieting as a first impression - even more so actually than the odd choice of garb the woman wore. No, it was the last words she spoke that hung on the air.

"…when we send you all home."

Her heart began pounding, her palms sweating. 'No. No. No. Please, Kami, no.' The Konoha kunoichi stammered to find words, but nothing came immediately. Reicheru had stood when Yuii and Suika entered the room, and now felt her knees threaten to buckle and give way. Thank God for Danii who quickly interjected in the brief silence, allowing Reicheru the time to get pulled together before making a fool of herself. Her Nanjirou kin's answer and plea gave her the time to realize that her gut reaction of saying, "No, you don't understand" would be perceived as both condescending and disrespectful. It had been some time since she perceived the people in the offices of leadership as deserving of them - she would have to reach back to remember how most people of such stature ought to be spoken to.

Gray eyes met Danii's brown ones before her friend handed the explanation portion over to her and Maikeru. She took a deep, steadying breath. Countless was the number of times she'd told the story at this point, but each retelling still pained her though with time she was able to mask how deeply. "Kagetsu Yuii-sama, my name is Saitou Reicheru. It seems we failed to clearly communicate ourselves and our situation, I'm very sorry." Giving a deep bow, she continued with her face to the ground. "As Daenerisu has said, we are eye witnesses to the troubles plaguing Konohagakure. In my very short time in Kumogakure, I have already seen how children can play and grow without fear in this village. This was once true in Konoha, but no longer. Yet it is not the fear of Shimogakure that plagues us, but the violent tyranny of our own leadership." The words may have seemed bold as she spoke them, but she would not sugar-coat the truth. "The Village Hidden in the Leaves is your ally, and as such you and your Raikage have the right to know it's current state… though I won't do you the disrespect of pretending that we come only as messengers without a somewhat presumptuous request. Please, allow us to state our case."

 

[Maikeru]

Maikeru was confused, very very confused, for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, Nozomi’s severe distrust of him being able to be a normal human being and jumping to the assumption that he would be some sort of degenerate. It left a sour taste in his mouth, and he opened his mouth to say something when it finally clicked in his head.

“Oh my god..” He said aloud, mouth agape in shock. “Maru is in cloud, and you’re a pretty girl with guns like him.. Oh my god you’ve met Maru.”

He slunk deeply into his chair after those words came out of his mouth, slowly starting to realize that perhaps he had already sunk their chances of getting into the village. His mourning period was quickly dispelled as the next source of his confusion entered the room. The woman, who was apparently the Main Branch sennin was.. Well, she was dressed like a clown. He did his best to hide his utter confusion, but he was doing a poor job.

Finally, when she spoke in some foreign language. He assumed it was the language of cloud, similar to how the leaf village had multiple tongues that were specific to them. After she finished speaking, the dread that had been growing in his heart finally reached its limit.

He looked at the facts in front of him as they stood. They were inside of a foreign village, trapped inside an enclosed room with three of their shinobi, presumably Jonin, and their main branch sennin. If the woman was even remotely as strong as Kenshin had been, she could probably take the three leaf shinobi by herself. For the icing on the cake, she was speaking in a foreign language, something that almost never bode well for the others in the room on the outside.


After returning to his sitting position, he handed his papers over to Suika, giving her the best smile he could muster in this situation. He turned his attention to the main branch Sennin, speaking calmly and evenly as he did.

“Of course Kagetsu-sama, if you wish to send us back to the leaf that is completely your prerogative. We found our way here, we can find out way home as well if that is your decision. We would hope that you would at least allow us to stay in the the country until the snow passes if it comes to that, however.”

He paused for a moment, really wishing he had Kusanagi at his hip at this moment, fighting back every urge that coursed through his body to activate his Sharingan. His mind raced back to similar situations in the leaf, and was beginning to doubt the validity of this idea. Maybe all villages really were the same after all..

“But, I also hope you wouldn’t be so quick to turn us away. We may look like children, but, we all have things we could offer to your village. I was a chief medical ninja in the leaf village, as my paperwork will show, and I could be of great use to your hospitals. Reicheru here was the head of the academy, and has a special talent for molding young minds. Danni is an excellent student and swordswoman, I am sure she could find a place here as well.” He gave her a small, sincere smile, trying his best to hide the growing fear inside of him. “I just hope you won’t be so quick to dismiss us.”

 

[Kiri]

Observing the events unfolding before him, Uri could only stay silent. It wasn't his place to interject in their conversation just yet. Of course, when the kumonin suggested he take a seat, he only shook his head in protest. It was kind of her, but he had to abide by his duty's code. Wouldn't it be weird if the Raikage came upon him only to find a potential Raikage Guard sitting so pleasantly on a chair? The Captain would have a long conversation with him about protocol, as if it wasn't drilled enough into his head.

Soon enough he felt the familiar chakra from outside. The Sennin would enter together with someone he hadn't met before but the exchange of words and their proximity told him there was nothing to fear or suspect. As papers were handed out for them to fill, he took this moment to study their features, idiosyncrasies and responses. The sharp suggestion that came from the Sennin's lips was enough to alarm them, one seemingly holding back a good portion of chakra. Uri noticed the spike of energy as well as the troubled heart beats. A fundamental skill important for an ANBU, and seemingly useful for times like this.

He didn't want to sound presumptuous at this occasion but he didn't want to be a simple observer either. Would the three have a different reaction if there were more options to choose from?

"Apologies for the interruption, but I do agree that it shouldn't be so simple for anyone to simply walk through the gates and expect to be accepted. Among those who are innocent, certainly, one with ill intentions would come up and take advantage of the situation. And if you're here as response of a tragic incident from home, willing to expose whatever cruelty there was, that can also be thought of a betraying what was once your home. How can we expect you not to behave the same way for Kumogakure in the future if you're so easy to offer information to a new patron? Sounds more like a fugitive than a refugee, in my opinion. And as you mentioned, there is a treaty between the countries, surely you are not planning to start something to break the ties that bind it. Again, not entirely an act a refugee should make."

Thinking he has overstepped his position, Uri would straighten his stance and face the Sennin's direction in a more courteous way. "Even if you hear their cases, they'll only build upon each other's. Why not give them a chance but through separate opportunities? You'll be able to sift through what is real and what is not. Of course, that is only a suggestion."

 

[Kanagawa Nozomi]

A loud, familiar voice could be heard bellowing from behind the doorway of the conference room. This prompted Nozomi to stand up and turn towards the door. Her eyes darted towards the shadow that followed them and the fact that they didn't listen to the suggestion to have a seat. While it didn't ease her mind that they would stand around, acting like a lamp-post, she knew the reason why the masked figure remained on-guard the entire time. It didn't do well for the visitors nor did it reflect well on the village. Paranoia and distrust to any random-joe walking into the village asking for sanctuary was warranted, but outwardly showing it was another thing. She didn't fully trust the words of these foreigners, thus keeping them close and on a leash. Standing over-watch in a foreboding manner just made the village look like there was some kind of issue. The Raikage would have his guard with him at all times, not as a forward vanguard; that is an abandonment of their post.

She turned her eyes towards the one named Maikeru about the mention of this man named Maru. She only looked him in the eyes for a brief moment. His words proved to be gaps in a filler about the man she helped the other day hunt down an abomination. The compliment didn't faze her in the slightest as compliments on her face or body had nothing to do with her performance as a shinobi. Though, it was a kind gesture that she took a mental-note of.

Her thoughts instantly shifted the moment Yuii walked in with Suika by her side. Instantly, Nozomi lowered herself into a bow at Yuii's entrance for a moment before quickly erecting herself back to a standing position. Her eyes turned towards the others as they bowed AFTER Yuii had spoken. This spoke volumes of the discipline being taught in Konohagakure and how the superiors were expected to be treated; then again, Nozomi had a lot more discipline than your run-of-the-mill shinobi with a meanstreak. The three began to speak their part on Yuii's comment about turning them around. Their story was tragic, indeed, feeling a kinship with their woes. The youngest looking one deferred everything to the other two with the dark-haired female stating extremely vague statements of oppression and violence while the dark-haired male stated that the trio could be a great asset to the village due to their specialties.

It was then that the observant shadow finally had something to say. This caused Nozomi to tilt her head a bit with a scowl scrawling upon her face. Kumogakure, in her eyes, was more than welcome to refugees. Nozomi, herself, was born here, but she was raised as a child-soldier who had killed more people than she would care for. If it wasn't for Kumogakure's generosity, she'd have died alone upon the tops of the mountains; food for the Great Raiden. "That is easy for someone who had known kindness for their entire life to say," she said in as even of a voice as she could. It was then that Uri ended up making their plea to Yuii, causing Nozomi to take a step forward towards Uri, placing a cautious hand upon her hip, resting her palm upon the steel at her hip.

She didn't particularly like the shadow's tone, almost demanding, towards Yuii. The urge to blow his head off grew increasingly as he continued to 'advise' Yuii on what she should do. It wasn't his place to make such petulant comments; especially to a superior shinobi. She turned her head towards Yuii for a moment and gave her a smile before turning to the refugees for a moment and made a hand-gesture, signalling to them to 'keep it calm'. She turned her back to the foreigners once more, eyeballing the shadow for a moment and turned to look towards Yuii to see what she had to say.​

 

[Kagetsu Yuii]

The first to jump was the girl dressed with all the practicality of her assistant. Yuii wondered if her declaration of being of stone descent was a calculated admission. She decided not, as the girl skipped to giving them a quick report of their travels. Yuii didn't expect them to know the name of every pass they had crossed through, but knowing they had come by ship meant there would be a trace of their entrance into Lightning that could both be verified and destroyed should the need arise.

"Ειλικρινής και μεταθέτει στους άλλους." she observed lightly to Suika, "Ρωτήστε για το όνομα του πλοίου."

Second to react was the dark-haired girl who bore a remarkable resemblance to the Raikage's wife. Like a young clone or daughter who favoured her mother. The difference was the look of terror in Reicheru's face as Yuii's threat sunk in. Yuii was convinced the sweet Medical Sennin was fearless even after facing a thousand deaths with her. "Τρέμουν. Τρομοκρατημένοι για να επιστρέψει. Σημάδια που δείχνουν συμπάθεια."

The last was the male who still hadn't shed all the signs of childhood from his features or his manners. He seemed to think the threat of being sent home excused him from offering his name or a bow but that could have been his usual nature. He had the look of one of them after all.

By then the pattern was established and obvious that Yuii was instructing Suika in some way. "Γενναίος, εξάνθημα, αλλά αρκετά ρεαλιστές για να απευθύνω έκκληση με μια προσφορά. Ο αρχηγός τους όσο καλύτερα μπορώ να πω. Προσπάθησε να είσαι λίγο αναστατωμένος τώρα. Όπως λέω τρομερά πράγματα." she said with some finality.

The Sennin opened her mouth then to answer the trio but was cut off by their masked shadow before the first syllable passed her lips. Yuii fixed Uri with a patient, level stare while letting him say his piece from beneath his little protective mask. It probably made him feel better to get it out even if he was just wasting their time. Anbu, she found, had a habit of speaking out of turn more often than they should. Perhaps it was the anonymity of having their identity obscured that made them believe they were safe from being admonished. Why he felt the need to call her out and offer elementary advice in front of foreigners and her own, Yuii would never know. Maybe he actually believed she was that inept?

When Uri was done his speech and the other guard had offered her own insightful quip, Yuii gave a long-suffering sigh. "Oh, stop being so dramatic." she admonished with a statement that seemed to include Uri and Nozomi. "I haven't gagged any of you yet, have I? You'll get to tell your stories to the Kage and we will believe every word if it makes you feel any better. I just don't see what good it will do for you. You've all screwed up pretty badly."

With another dramatic sigh, she first swung one leg over the arm of her chair then pulled and a handful of candy from her pocket to pick at. "So, first you're going to tell me why you thought it was a good idea to come trudging up to Kumogakure to tell the first available person, in plain view of every wall guardian, that you wanted asylum. Is it common practice in Fire Country to start spilling your guts to the first person you meet? I bet you didn't even hide your passage up to lightning country." Even if they had been scared to madness, they three of them should have known better. At least that was how Yuii saw it. They were taking a huge gamble by coming to Cloud already without stacking the odds against themselves. "Worse, you had legal documentation that could have gotten you this far without opening your mouths. Suddenly I'm starting to understand how a bunch of sword-swinging, top-knotted bullies managed to take over the land of fire if this is the level of tact that one can expect from its shinobi. You can see what kind of position that puts us in, can't you Ducklings?"

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Word had made it to Ayumu's office that more refugees from Leaf had shown up at the gates seeking asylum. He hadn't even had time yet to deal with the last one to show up and now three more? What exactly was going on in Konoha? Sitting at his desk in the Torre several floors above, Ayumu received further word through his intercom that the Leaf shinobi had been escorted to a conference room in the tower and that Yuii had already made her way there. He'd need to speak to them eventually and at this point he was eager to get more information. 'Let's see what these ones have to say,' he thought to himself, planting his hands on his desk and pushing himself up to a standing position. He made his way to the elevator outside his office and stepped in, pushing the button to take him down to the floor where the others had already gathered. A short ride later, he had arrived and was briskly walking down the hall to the room where the gathering awaited.

Taking a short breath, he opened the door and stepped inside. He wore a long double breasted coat with red and gold trim, two columns of brass buttons down the front to his waist and dark fur around the collar. Black slacks and boots, and around his waist a belt secured two sheathed katanas to his person. The Cloud-nin inside would know him immediately. The Leaf shinobi might not, but they could easily infer as much based on what they knew and the fact that the Raikage had been called to this meeting. Ayumu wore a neutral expression as he entered, not giving any hints as to what he might think about the present situation.

Upon entering he scanned the room, recognizing a couple of faces and noting a few not so familiar. Yuii was there, of course. Ayumu had heard her lecturing the foreigners on the virtues of subtlety before he'd even entered the room. He agreed, naturally, though he'd probably have put it a bit more nicely. Suika was there as well, one of Yuii's trusted Main Branch shinobi. An ANBU and also another Cloud shinobi whom Ayumu had not yet met. From Ayumu's understanding, it was she who had brought the Konoha shinobi here. Speaking of whom, the three of them were younger than he'd expected. He couldn't help but notice that the dark haired girl bore a striking resemblance to his wife when she was her age. The three of them looked worried. Ayumu could only guess what had been said before he'd come around.

"Now, now, Yuii. You and I both know some exceptional shinobi from Konoha," Ayumu commented, hoping to keep things amicable- mainly so he could get some answers. He wasn't going to mention the fact that her husband was a former shinobi of Konoha, in case that was something she wanted to keep close to the chest for this meeting. He also wasn't going to mention that two former Hokage were currently residing in Cloud. That was something that they wanted to keep on a need-to-know basis. He nodded to the Cloud shinobi in the room in acknowledgement before turning his attention to the Leaf shinobi.

"Before we talk about whether there's anything we can do for them, I want to hear what exactly it is that brings them here. I've heard many troubling things about Konoha recently. What brings you to Kumogakure to seek asylum, precisely?" Ayumu asked, wondering how their answer might relate to the things he had heard from Maru and Hana. It was pretty drastic of them to leave behind their home, come all this way, and plead for sanctuary from another shinobi village. Even if Kumogakure and Konoha currently had a treaty in place, most people from either village had never met a single person from the other. They likely hadn't known what to expect in Cloud, yet they had made the trek anyway. What were they running from?

 

[Suika]

Suika graciously accepted the passports she received from the Leaf shinobi. Flipping through the documents as she sat besides Yuii, it was clear that these were authentic passports granted by the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Shooting a confirming nod toward her superior, the Chuunin decided to hold on to their documents until she received further clearance. What happened after felt like a physical representation of a domino effect, the Main Branch Sennin’s sharp words being the force to knock the first one over. The first girl, introduced as Nanjirou Daenerisu, shared that they arrived to Lightning Country by sea and wished not to be sent back to Fire Country. Following her Sennin’s words in vulgar Ancient Kumogakurian, a focused Suika issued an instant follow-up question to the girl.

“What was the name of the vessel you sailed on, Daenerisu-san?” she asked plainly. Her approach was straightforward, yet a sense of warmth was carried in her voice. This was completely purposeful.

"Second domino."

Following the girl, the other, known as Saitou Reicheru, gave a heart-tugging speech. Suika sensed both fear and anguish in her tone; she either was telling a complete truth, or was some masterful deceiver. The kunoichi’s instinct led her to believe it was the more positive of the two. Yuii recited a few more words, and Suika immediately appeared visibly distraught after them. Her shining, magenta eyes reflected an emotion beyond sympathy for the girl’s story. She shook her head and sighed under her breath.

“Third domino.”

The male of the group was a bit more pragmatic in his approach; this led Suika to believe that he was the leader of their little troupe. He offered their aid and skill in return for the village’s cooperation in providing them a safe haven. If Leaf truly was this tyrannically led place, this was a reasonable offer, no? As Yuii, for the third time, spoke their village’s mother tongue, Suika shook her head as if to disagree with her. Her body language revealed a type of discomfort from what the Sennin shared to her.

“Fourth domino?”

The shadow on the wall, the masked ANBU in the room, spoke out. His words weren’t completely unwarranted, Suika thought, but his feelings to be outspoken about them were. She gave him credit for his boldness, but she instantly dubbed him a fool for stepping out of line as he did. “He doesn’t really know Yuii-sama or the way she operates, which I guess makes sense… but read the room, ANBU.” Although she was eyerolling internally, Suika appeared physically unbothered by the man’s reckless statements as if he didn’t speak them to begin with. The other Kumogakure shinobi, a dark-haired woman who appeared somewhat familiar to her, cracked a bit from his impromptu speech. The Main Branch Sennin was quick to dismiss them.

While Yuii’s follow-up response to the shinobi were a bit harsh, she spoke the reality and described the true sense of their situation. Regardless of their reason for running from their homes, it was definitely risky to assume a guard at a foreign village would offer the sympathy needed to get in. It was foolish, but here they were. Before the kunoichi could formulate further thoughts on this matter, a commanding, yet casual presence entered the room. It was the Raikage, Kogami Ayumu. Suika immediately stood and bowed her head in respect for the leader of her village. Once he settled in and addressed the shinobi in the room, she took her place back at the table and listened silently to his words.

“Prior troubling news from Konoha? Interesting,” she mused as he shared a crucial piece of information in his query. Shifting her eyes toward the Konoha youth, her curiosity grew exponentially. What exactly was happening in the Land of Fire?

 

[Saitou Rei]

Stifling a sigh, Reicheru eyed Maikeru with a look that said, 'We're not there yet.' It wasn't as if this came as a surprise though, as she knew Maikeru had never ever been one to beat around the bush. She thought of the forming of Kashima in Yukio's office; of his forward approach in the dango shop; of his demand for the rank of Chief Medic. It had always worked out well for him in Konoha… but this was a different arena. These Kumonin owed them nothing, and in fact had every right to write them off as responsibility-shirking runaways and send them home. This would have to been handled with care, they would have to communicate clearly why this mattered not only to the Fire Country natives before them but to the whole of the Village Hidden in the Clouds.

They were not off to a good start on that front. The shadow against the wall made that much clear, even if he was reaching in the conclusions he was jumping to. His use of the word 'fugitive' to describe them caused Reicheru's eyes to narrow ever so slightly. They hadn't come to an enemy village with strategically compromising information, this wasn't exactly a betrayal. They'd been granted permission to come here, and as shinobi of a village with whom Kumo had an alliance they were doing their duty to give their ally the information they needed. Or at least, that was one way to look at it. Thankfully Reicheru knew that going off on the man and telling him exactly why he was wrong wouldn't help their situation, and additionally Yuii began speaking before she could anyway.

Reicheru nodded with embarrassment as Yuii pointed out the issues in how they had gone about this, but the thing she didn't understand was why she was making such a big deal of how they hadn't made their passage secret and the 'position' it put Cloud in. The passports were proof enough that they had left with no ill will from their village, it was no secret in Konoha as to why they had left. Cloud had every right to turn them away, but there was no reason for that decision to be influenced by the possible response of Leaf… unless…

Takeshi had accepted Maikeru's deal of two years of service in exchange for a transfer almost instantaneously. It had seemed a bold request and odd for the Hokage to take it so quickly, but Reicheru had never thought more of it. But given what she knew of the man Uchiha Takeshi, giving it more consideration now, she wouldn't be surprised if he had only agreed knowing that Cloud would not take them in. How could the village accept refugees with stories of crimes against humanity, and justify maintaining an alliance with said village? Reicheru had thought that it could be seen by Cloud as an opportunity to help a struggling ally, but she saw now that such a thought process was likely the influence of that nuisance of hope. Had this been his plan all along? One final jab at the youth he seemed to so detest? 'We… might have made a mistake.' The thought gave way to a sick feeling in the Nanjirou's stomach.

Yet the roller coaster of emotion would continue as a new figure entered the room. The response of the Kumonin and the air of authority about him immediately informed Reicheru that this was the Raikage, Lord Ayumu. When he spoke, everything else faded away and the dark haired girl immediately threw herself into a deep bow. She would remain silent until spoken to, and even then when the Raikage addressed them and requested to hear what had landed them here in his office in Kumo, words seemed inadequate. Nevertheless, she straightened herself at full attention to give a response. Swalling hard, she trusted her friends to have her back and fill in any information she might miss.

"Raikage-sama, you have our most sincere gratitude for finding it worth your time to speak with us. My name is Saitou Reicheru, this is Uchiha Maikeru, and this Nanjirou Daenerisu. I will do my best to be concise to respect your time." Reicheru wondered if she ought to start with the general or the specific. She remembered writing reports at the academy both as a student and teacher - start with the thesis, then bring in the facts that support the argument. Drawing in a breath and letting it out slowly again, she began. "The short of it is that Konohagakure has become oppressive and violent toward anyone whose opinions do not align with the Hokage's, who himself has proven time and time again that he does not care for the people he leads. This is most clearly seen, I believe, in the repeated instances of the killings of Leaf Academy Students by Konoha shinobi and even the Hokage himself in recent years."

Point one. "It began in my memory with Uchiha Nitish, a troubled classmate of ours at the academy. It was known that he had a deep personal struggle going on that reflected in his actions, often rebellious and deviant. Various teachers and other shinobi began working with him, and reported seeing a great deal of improvement. In a moment of backsliding, he approached the village gate. I arrived moments after he had been struck down - not arrested, not detained, but slaughtered by the Hokage's own blade down his throat." The gruesome memory had never fully left Reicheru who had still been an academy student herself when she witnessed it. Though it had been incredulous to her personally, she knew that this one example would not be enough to convince given the appearance that Nitish was attempting to nuke. But this alone they had been able to deal with, to work to make sure it didn't happen again… their case did not end here.

Point two. "This would not turn out to be an isolated event. Not long after this, in the middle of this war we are embroiled in with Shimogakure, Lord Fourth took a leave of absence to travel while the enemy was on our doorstep. The frustration of feeling abandoned in our most compromising hour compounded with the sour taste left in our mouths over the harshness of the boy's punishment led the several shinobi to share this information with the village. More than that, they saw fit to challenge the Hokage in a fight broke out at the clan dojo of the Main Branch Sennin. While we don't agree with how they went about it - in fact, Maikeru and I were there and fought to protect our Sennin - I mention it to demonstrate that the faith of many Konohanin in their leadership has been shaken to the point of practically devolving into a civil war. Though there aren't even enough people left in the village for that now due to…"

Point three. "…a congruent incident that spurred a large exodus of our fellow Konoha shinobi and even civilian families from the village. You see, there were three boys younger than us in the Academy who heard the broadcast being shared all over the village, and it resonated with them. They went to replay it over a civilian radio tower they'd been given jurisdiction over as part of their role in evacuating the civilians if Frost were to invade, not fully realizing the implications behind the message nor knowing what was happening in the Ishi clan dojo at that moment. They were caught making this mistake, the tower was destroyed without question, and the boys…" her voice caught in her throat a moment before she cleared it, returning to a sense of professionalism. "…they were killed. They didn't resist, they didn't fight back… without trial, without a hearing, they were killed. For sharing a message to return to the Will of Fire, our founding belief that Konohagakure fights for and protects its own and functions as a family. Branded terrorists and slaughtered for replaying such a message, while the originator of that broadcast received merely a demotion and later an uncontested leave from the village."

Pausing, Reicheru wondered how her words were being received. She had seen it before, where these actions that she found baffling and unapologetically immoral had been justified and excuses made by village leadership. Steeling herself to receive the same reaction from these officials, the refugee made one last attempt to humanize their hot political situation. "As Daenerisu said, we have proof of these claims that she can play for you. While Maikeru and I fought desperately in the dojo, one of the boys - a Yamanaka - mentally linked up to us, and we watched with our own eyes as our friends died at the hands of those they thought were there to protect and guide them. He recorded the whole thing in a snapshot, and Daenerisu has it with her today if you wish to see it." Looking to her friends, she listened as they added anything she might have missed before looking back to the those who held their fate in their hands. "I am truly sorry for the position this puts you in, though I admit I don’t regret coming. Even if you deny us entry here, as an ally you deserve for the good of your own people to know what's transpired."

Her mind began reeling, preparing for the potential follow up questions and readying herself for whatever decision might be made. There was no going back now, words had been spoken that couldn't be taken back. Reicheru's gray eyes focused largely on the Kage before her, though occasionally bounced between the other Kumo shinobi to gauge the room's reaction. Had they in fact made a grave mistake?

 

[Maikeru]

Looking between the four cloud shinobi that now inhabited the room, Maikeru's face grew into a small grimace. He closed his eyes for a second, finding his center, trying again to maintain the air that he wasn't shook to his core, or that anxiety wasn't nibbling at every fiber of his being. When he opened his eyes, he looked to the main branch Sennin, giving her an inquisitive look. He couldn't quite read her, which was strange to the Uchiha boy. He had always been good at that, reading someone's true intentions, but with her it was different. He wasn't sure if it was the conflict between her attire and demeanor, or the fact that she so casually switched tongues, but something about her was hard to read.

He was about to respond in kind to her comments when the group was interrupted by another new face entering the room, and this was one Maikeru could at least vaguely recognize. In the shinobi world, information was king. Above all else, a shinobi operated with good intel where it was available, and bad intel when that was all they could get. The face of the Kage of an allied village was something that even the lowest level of academy student should know, if even vaguely. With his Uchiha kekkei genkei, however, it was a face he recognized. Kogami Ayumu, the Raikage of the Village hidden in the Clouds.

As Reicheru and Danni rose from their seats, so did Maikeru, offering a bow he had forgotten to offer to Yuii. That piece of information occurred to him at that moment, and he clenched his jaw tightly to keep himself from cursing under his breath. How could he have forgotten something so simple and basic? He listened intently as the Raikage, and then Reicheru spoke, hoping to be able to offer some clarification or further explanation to her words. However, as usual, Reicheru was the one among the group who was good at this sort of thing, at diplomacy.

"Reicheru has the right of it, Lord Tenth." He added on, his voice as respectful and even as he could muster given the whirlwind of anxiety and fear swirling around his brain. "Though, I would like to add a small thing, if I may?"

He swallowed hard at the spit that had been gathering at the back of his throat. He had talked to the Hokage as an equal, even debated with him on multiple occasions. Why then, was he so terrified of this man in front of him. He seemed much kinder than Takeshi, and certainly easier to talk to and more approachable. Then what was it? Was it the fact that he had two swords? Was that what Maikeru was missing from his bladework?

"The Hokage is.. an interesting man. When Reicheru and I confronted him about the situation with the three young boys, he simply dismissed us as liars. We offered to allow a Yamanaka search our minds even, to ascertain the truth, and our words fell on deaf ears. He cared not for justice for those boys when he found out it was who murdered them." He paused in his words, trying to find the best way to say what he wanted to. It was tough, given the atmosphere of the room, and how many missteps he had apparently taken thus far. "Instead, those that wrongly murdered children of their own village were promoted to higher status in the leaf. I came here today with both the Hokage's knowledge, and permission. I am not a fugitive as the shadow on the wall would say. The leaf is not looking for me, the leaf knew I was leaving, and gave me her full blessing."

 

[Santaru Kaede]

Danii opened her mouth to respond to the accusations of treason leveled against them, but she stopped when Yuii began speaking. She closed her mouth. As Yuii turned her attention to them and began scolding then for opening their mouths at the gate, Danii's eyes fell to the floor. It seemed like their journey had been for nothing. They had tried to be honest in their intentions and to provide valuable information to a supposed ally, but the kumo-nin seemed to either misunderstand or not care. She didn't lift her eyes until she heard the door open and the Raikage himself entered. While she had never seen him herself, she could tell by the way he carried himself and they way the kumo-nin reacted to his entrance, that he was the one they had been waiting on.

The girl quickly rose from her seat and gave a respectful bow as he addressed them and Rei introduced the trio. Realizing their fate was in the hands of this man, Danii stood stiff as a board until he asked them for their story. Returning to her seat, she sat quietly as Reicheru and Maikeru shared their side of the incident that led to their departure from the Leaf. As she was reminded of the fate of their friends, her eyes fell to the ground and the saved images of Katsu's final moments played through her mind. Throughout the story, Danii kept a grim silence. It seemed best to allow the two with first hand experience of the events to tell the tale. Instead, she carefully examined the faces of the kumo-nin, especially Yuii and the Raikage, as the story was told to them. She finally spoke up once Reicheru and Maikeru

“What she said is correct. While helping to clean the bodies of our friends, I came across a seal containing Katsu's last moments through his eyes. If you would like, I would gladly share it with you. You will see the destruction of the tower and the brutal slaying of the boys, one who was clearly confused and… not quite there completely. You will see that they made no aggressive action before or during the fight… that's not the right word. It was a murder, an execution. No trial, no arrest, no offer of surrender. Now, I don't want to downplay the stupidity of their actions. They did indeed rebroadcast the signal sent out through Leaf, but the destruction of civilian property and the brutal execution without trial of three children was excessive. Especially, considering those actually behind the attack were allowed to leave unhindered after nearly killing a Sennin.”

Danii bit her tongue at the last part. She may have let slip more than she meant to with an obvious bias, but the pain of the loss was still fresh in her. Even after all this time, rewatching the snapshot she carried during their travels and again as Rei told the story kept the wounds fresh and most likely kept her from properly moving on. She composed herself and holds her right hand out on the table. Her left hand moves to the shoulder of her dress and rests on a seal she had covered with the fabric.

“Go ahead and see for yourself.”

She would only share the memory with her companions, the Raikage, or the Sennin unless requested otherwise.

[Snapshot (Mastered) used to share Katsu's snapshot]

 

[Kiri]

He knew he overstepping his rank. He knew that his words would only make those around feel uncomfortable. Yet he also knew he had to make a point, even if it was heartless. And he knew that the Sennin would probably not like it either. Still, he flinched at her words, thanking for the mask to cover his grimace. He eventually retreated back to his corner, slinking to the wall behind him. It wasn't fear, it was more of having to keep in check his own thoughts. He didn't want to suddenly add in any frustrations to the current predicament, nor did he want an unexpected call from the Captain. He sighed inwardly.

The presence of the Raikage soon alerted him to a standstill. The man entered with such a commanding presence that it wasn't so easily misplaced. And yet, there was kindness in his words - benevolent as always. But with such an invitation, Uri knew that three would let down their guard. No sooner would they begin to unfold their tales.

Hearing the events the lead to this point, there were moments when Uri felt bad for them. He somehow felt a strange sympathy for their fate, almost likening his own. But then his heart would steel itself and he gazed at them with more scrutiny than concern. Desperate measures often called for unexpected tactics, and as much as he wanted to believe them, he knew he had to be the one to test their veracity.

But for now, he would keep silent as waited for how the Sennin and the Raikage would react.