Squalor and Succor [Sousuke]

[Kazumi]

It was a barren and quiet afternoon in the poorer district of the surface village. The kage had not likely intended the village to somehow organize itself into richer and poorer sections, but it seemed that this was the natural way of things. The streets were packed with two or three times as many sweaty bodies than the more affluent neighborhoods. The shops were less glamorous, and the decorations that had been spread equally throughout the city were becoming scarcer as plants died and maintenance began to falter. It shouldn't have been a surprise to any who was familiar with politics. The affluent made sure that they, their friends and benefactors homes and neighborhoods were well taken care of, and resources were limited. For a man to stand taller than the others, there must be a back for each foot to step upon.

This discrepancy did not only affect the citizenry, but also the shinobi of the villagers as well, however they were much less likely to live their lives in squalor. Risking one's life on a near daily basis certainly did pay more than a simple carpenter, but there were shinobi who had debts, or were simply not successful enough to warrant suitable living conditions, even if they were lucky enough to survive as far as they had. It was for these sort of shinobi that the workshop existed. Weapons required sharpening and reforging, puppets required upkeep and even simple tools needed fixing for even the poorest of shinobi. The few that used this workshop were grateful for it, as it provided basic supplies that they could not afford themselves, albeit in limited quantities and of poor quality. The workshop sat on the edge of one of the busy intersections, its opening only ten paces wide, thirty deep and five tall, yet housed room for at least a dozen workbenches and just as many shinobi to ply their trade.

As busy as the streets were outside, there was scant a soul in the building now. Empty, ave for one who was working near the back. The sounds of metal grinding against a sharpening stone echoed through the cluttered interior, drowning out the bustle from outdoors. Pieces of one of the puppets were scattered across the various workbenches and tables, the sole occupant making ample use of all their available space. He pressed the rough edge of a long blade against the wheel, pressing hard against the pedal that spun the grinding wheel in place. The weapon had no handle, just a long rod that fit into some section of one of the many pieces that were scattered around. Ren lifted the weapon off from the wheel, examined the edge for a moment before he pressed the edge to the grindstone once more and the echoing grinding sound sped up to full intensity within seconds.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke's vision for the Suna Residences was to offer something better to people than the Grand Palasis. It was a worthwhile project, but still those of the Diamond District remained in their holes. Sousuke was seen rarely there as the Kazekage bounced back between the more at risk places of the village. Today he was in Suna Residences, tomorrow it was Grand Palasis to negotiate more businesses of the more morally sane to move locations.

He arrived five minutes early outside the workshop to find Ren at work. He found the 'boy' at work and decided not to bother him yet, but to get out the resources he had brought him. The Kazekage was feeling ... well it didn't really matter how he felt. Today was about empowering others as it usually was. He would begin to place out the bars of Takahashi Fire-Forged Steel, his family's most well known resource. Some might argue Takahashi Fire-Forged Steel was in the top five or top ten strongest substances in Wind Country. While not completely unbreakable it survived what most things could not. Sousuke once unpacked would go back to Ren who seemed to be finishing up his craft. "Naoki is coming over soon. We'll be going over what we had encountered at Inferno more in depth. I also took the liberty of bringing in some materials to upgrade your tech. Provided we're still in agreement you're not mixing this with any of that demon blood you collected."<i></i> The Kazekage would turn to the forge and turn it on. He needed it at the higher heat rates in order to begin working and melting the bars he had brought.

"How are you operating? Nominal, exceptional, or terrible?"<i></i> He would inquire of the human puppet. Sousuke's mind was still adjusting to dealing with the one taboo his clan never partook of which was to create human puppets. He would throw a bar of Fire-Forged Steel at Ren. He expected him to catch it but face some difficulty doing so. There was weight to it. That weight was used to an advantage which really came to reveal itself when Sousuke was doing battle in the much larger suits of armour. "Take a guess."<i></i> He spoke referring to the bar. He would give Ren quite a bit of time to figure out what exactly he was dealing with and more importantly the concept that this was like Winterfest having come early and Father Winter had come bearing gifts for good behaviour.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke's vision for the Suna Residences was to offer something better to people than the Grand Palasis. It was a worthwhile project, but still those of the Diamond District remained in their holes. Sousuke was seen rarely there as the Kazekage bounced back between the more at risk places of the village. Today he was in Suna Residences, tomorrow it was Grand Palasis to negotiate more businesses of the more morally sane to move locations.

He arrived five minutes early outside the workshop to find Ren at work. He found the 'boy' at work and decided not to bother him yet, but to get out the resources he had brought him. The Kazekage was feeling ... well it didn't really matter how he felt. Today was about empowering others as it usually was. He would begin to place out the bars of Takahashi Fire-Forged Steel, his family's most well known resource. Some might argue Takahashi Fire-Forged Steel was in the top five or top ten strongest substances in Wind Country. While not completely unbreakable it survived what most things could not. Sousuke once unpacked would go back to Ren who seemed to be finishing up his craft. "Naoki is coming over soon. We'll be going over what we had encountered at Inferno more in depth. I also took the liberty of bringing in some materials to upgrade your tech. Provided we're still in agreement you're not mixing this with any of that demon blood you collected."<i></i> The Kazekage would turn to the forge and turn it on. He needed it at the higher heat rates in order to begin working and melting the bars he had brought.

"How are you operating? Nominal, exceptional, or terrible?"<i></i> He would inquire of the human puppet. Sousuke's mind was still adjusting to dealing with the one taboo his clan never partook of which was to create human puppets. He would throw a bar of Fire-Forged Steel at Ren. He expected him to catch it but face some difficulty doing so. There was weight to it. That weight was used to an advantage which really came to reveal itself when Sousuke was doing battle in the much larger suits of armour. "Take a guess."<i></i> He spoke referring to the bar. He would give Ren quite a bit of time to figure out what exactly he was dealing with and more importantly the concept that this was like Winterfest having come early and Father Winter had come bearing gifts for good behavior.

 

[Kazumi]

Ren continued to work at sharpening the edge of the long blade as a figure walked into the shop, hefting a number of metal ingots in his arms. Ren didn't immediately register whom it was, but as the man moved out of the bright light of the outdoors and into the depths of the workshop, Ren quickly ascertained his identity. Was he to meet the Kage today? Ren could not recall. He was still having difficulties thinking clearly after his return from the mission, and the encounter with the demon and its mistress. He paused, to clear the air of the sound of grinding metal as Sousuke began to speak. "That will not be an issue. I was only able to retrieve two vials of the substance. One of the vials appeared to have shattered in its pouch, possibly during the encounter. I am doubtful as to what beneficial properties it wll have, much less its applications." Ren remained silent on his confusion as to the Kage's presence.

The forge, if one could call it that, while suitable for the task of heating metal, was far from efficient or large. The sealing was imperfect and required nearly constant stream of air pumped in though gallows at its base in order to keep the temperatures at an acceptable level. Pushing it to the levels required for the specially made allow would require a good deal of effort and speed from the man, if he was to stoke the flames hot enough. "Acceptable," he lied, although it would be impossible to tell from the cues provided. Besides, own internal issues should be of no concern to any other person, outside of himself. He was certain that it must have simply been some lingering mental instability after the encounter, nothing that he could not remedy on his own.

In his distraction of taking a mental inventory of his facilities, he nearly failed to notice the metal bar darting through the air towards him. He reached a hand up from the blade to catch it, and the action nearly sent him off balance from the precarious footing he had while working the grinder. Thankfully, he managed to catch the toss without causing harm or incident. "Guess as to what this is? That would be very difficult to do without analysis and tests." Excuses and justifications aside, he weighed the metal in his hand, hefting it up a few inches before letting it drop a few more. "I do not know the name, but the density is greater than steel. I would presume an alloy. Given the resources of the one providing the material, I would guess of a high quality as well. Is this perhaps a similar alloy that you use for your armor plates?"

Ren had been intrigued by Sousuke's armor when he had first seen it, and seeing it in full action had only increased his curiosity. Creating such a thing for this frame would be possible, but doing so would not be as beneficial as creating a full suit without the need for a human interior. He likely never would have the resources or knowledge to construct such a thing, but that did not keep his wandering mind from hypothesizing the means of how such might be constructed or used. "I would recommend reconsidering providing these. A lower grade metal would suffice. Augmenting brittle wood and inferior components with this would only accentuate their weaknesses. If something were to befall any construction using materials of this quality, there would scarcely be enough supplies to replace them."

He was used to working with toss away tools from the academy. The designs were so old that even Sousuke might remember seeing them from his own childhood days there. There was something to be said about a shinobi using such inferior tools, though if that was about his skill or his judgement, it was a matter of opinion. It was a rare mission that one or two of his puppets did not break during any encounter of note, but the fact that he had yet to have a failed mission tarnish his, albeit short, record was noteworthy.

 

[Samejima]

Upon having returned from her jaunt outside of the village, Naoki had been welcomed home with a tight hug and a slap on the wrist for being reckless, followed by a long night's reminiscence and some arrangements to travel to her parents' home. They had long grown suspicious and it took a lot of convincing from her aunt to keep them from coming to the village proper to check on their little girl, but the two agreed that it would be best if they hadn't been told of Naoki's years-long absence. After blacking out on her bed for the first time in a long, long time, Naoki awoke to find a summons from the Kazekage himself. Kazekage... Wasn't he still the Steward when I... got lost? I wonder what happened. I never really understood the situation with the last one though, maybe I can get some clarity on that too whenever I get there.

The site of Project Rebirth had been but a sprout of a newly established set of residences when she'd left, nothing like what it currently looked like. She took in the hustle and bustle with awe, turning her head this way and that to better pick up the sounds coming from every direction. She didn't take much note of the differences in affluence in each neighborhood, not really paying attention to such details. Instead she tried to memorize the locations of each new food stall and toy shop, waving a hello to any shopkeepers she thought made eye contact with her to begin ingratiating herself to them. Never too late to make friends! Ahhhh, it's good to be home! She stretched at the thought, at the wide open skies and the noise of the village. She had missed all this so very much, and would settle in quite easily in the coming months, she thought.

She had offered to help those outside where she was to meet the Kazekage, but each seemed far too busy--or too cautious--to pay her any heed so she headed straight in. Come to think of it, a good number of the people steered clear of her when she walked down the streets... Could she have changed that much in there? She noted that her resting expression was a scowl; nothing too intense, but it was just what one wore in order to keep others from bothering them. She pulled her face into what she thought was a more neutral expression as she walked in and greeted the two, resulting in a mix between an awkward grin and a withheld grimace. Naoki sighed and returned her face to its natural resting expression. That did not feel right. "Good to see you're both doing okay. Good morning!" she chirped, sounding off with her slightly deeper octave. Ahh whatever! I'll figure out how to normal later. "Did you need me for something, Sousuke-sama?"

 

[Takahashi Aki]

While Sousuke was not the most emotionally apt person. When Rensuke didn't answer him right away, Sousuke had a feeling something was not quite right. Usually Ren had some cutting remark or something of the sort to fire at him. He didn't though. That was ... different, and slightly concerning. As mechanical-like Sousuke was, Ren on the other hand was exactly of that nature. "Acceptable, but not outstanding? Curious. Curious indeed. Did you want to talk about it?"<i></i> He inquired. Sousuke could not push the topic further than that. That was up to the human puppet to decide, and in that Sousuke would have to let him develop his emotions accordingly. Sousuke raised an eyebrow as the boy analyzed what he had brought him. Usually Ren was quicker than that. "Takahashi fire-forged steel."<i></i> He answered him. He was part way there. "Half points. That is in fact what I do use for my armour."<i></i> He next listened to how Ren did not wish to take advantage of what was being provided to him. Sousuke's expression seemingly soured? A slight momentary frown of sorts. "It's bad manners to refuse a Lord's offer."<i></i> He stated. Few times did he in fact invoke his title or abilities as a lord. This was one of them. "Today is the day you cease using inferior tools and resources. Puppetry is a dying talent. As you know I lack the abilities to wield chakra strings properly. From now on you come to me for replacements and resources. If it is in my power and within reason I will outfit you."<i></i> He insisted. He spoke firmly and gave a particular tone of sorts. The tone seemed to suggest that he not be crossed on this matter and to go with it. "We live in a world of evolving enemies. It is time you too evolve and become superior."<i></i> There would be nothing more spoken on the matter and it was intended to be so.

Shortly after Naoki would join them both. For an odd moment, Sousuke was out of sorts. Naoki was now equal to him in height. It was ... well ... difficult to adjust to. It wasn't that long ago he was helping her escape the Cabal attack when he was going to carry her on his back. She was a child back then, but here she was ... clearly beyond that. The Kazekage looked down to himself. Yes. Naoki had matured. Gotten older, and yet here he was the same purple haired, dark eyed man from before. Time was a curious thing. It seemed to pass for others, but not as quickly for the Kazekage. There had to be a reason for it, but not today. "Yes. I wanted to go over our encounter of what happened in Inferno, but more importantly I would like to ... begin a debriefing of sorts."<i></i> The Kazekage felt he could trust these two. Naoki and Rensuke were under his protectorate. They had the right to know what was coming. "We in Sungakure have always lived in a world that has mysticism in it. A deplorable and annoying topic. We have to come to terms that we're dealing with more than humans out there. Humans. Ancients. Demons. What can you tell me about them?"<i></i>

 

[Kazumi]

Just as Ren finished literally attempted to talk his way out of actually getting supplies, a figure walked her way into the dimly lit interior. Ren glanced over towards the door, immediately recognizing the missing-nin, or likely ex-missing. Given that she was not in prison and had not been executed, the most likely outcome was that she had been readmitted into the shinobi ranks. When Ren had turned in his mission report, he had opted to neglect any mention of the girl's ties to the illegal ring that they had destroyed. Moral questions aside, the commission was not important to the details of his mission, and he presumed such would have endangered her potential for readmission. Not that such would have likely mattered, given her apparently close relationship with the Kage himself.

Turning his attention back to Sousuke, he replied, "acceptable, yes. There are no current circumstances that would indicate otherwise. I did not take you for one who is keen on involving himself in such discussions; even so, there is no situation to discuss, that I am aware of." He tested the weight of the metal in his hands once more, trying to estimate its density and other qualities without the aid of tests or tools. His gaze did not return to the lord until the man invoked his his title to the boy. As he listened, his expression remained rigid and stoic. Even as he was suddenly granted the vast resources of an entire village, he did not blink or drop his jaw. He did remain silent, however, without a response, comment or quip on the matter. As difficult as it was for his emotions to be read, it was quite plain that he was dumbstruck by the benevolent offer. Even as the topic shifted, he remained, nearly completely motionless, save for subtle adjustments of his head to keep track of Sousuke's movements throughout the shop.

While he remained stationary, his mind raced with possibilities, repercussions, plots, responsibilities and every scenario that could have caused the proclamation of their kage and their eventual results. Was this a test of Ren's capabilities to conduct his craft with more advanced materials? A test to see if Ren would take advantage or exploit the situation? If it is, would it be that he should extract every ounce of good will he can, or should he not take advantage of this good will? What would be capable with materials of this quality? Could he requisition a secluded location for him to test and practice the work? Did the Kage expect something in return? Did he wish to be tutored on how to form and wield strings? The questions raced on, and while he listened and heard Sousuke's question to them both, he simply didn't have the brain power to do aught but look at him with a blank stare.

 

[Samejima]

Despite not being able to see through them, Naoki's eyes glanced over at Ren as she awaited his response to being rebuffed about his rebuffing of the resources. Sure it's expensive, but he doesn't seem like the type to say no to being able to work with expensive things. "All for research!" or something like that right? I always thought the smart ones were all like that. When Ren replied with his silence, her eyes returned to their original position. Huh. I guess he's at least somewhat decent. She couldn't tell from his expression that he was dumbstruck in any way, but silence usually speaks volumes; this was one of those times. She then smiled somewhat wryly at the Kage's unchanged generosity. "Haha, I see you haven't changed a bit in how nicely you treat your students, Sousuke-sama. Ah, is it Lord Sousuke now?" she quipped jokingly, a big grin on her face.

Then it returned to a somewhat serious expression whenever she hears his question about demons. "Demons? Not much, just that Kuro-dono is half one... What about 'em?" The word "demon" was what was applied to the most invincible of the fighters, but she doubted any of them were truly demonic. They fought well--she wouldn't envy being in the ring with any of them--but they were never unbeatable in her opinion, and she could never really forget being in the Sennin's presence with his imposing figure even when the situation was rather laid-back. Her mind idly went to thinking about who would win in a fight between Sennin Kuro and the Kazekage, but she supposed it was a moot point given their natures... Wait what were they talking about?

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke would look at Ren for some time, there was no sign of thanks. there was no real evident surprise present. There. Was. No. Thing. He shifted a bit and exchanged a look with Naoki. "So. This is what that awkward silence feels like. Awkward indeed. Note to self attempt to have far less awkward silences in the future. It will be for everyone's betterment."<i></i> Sousuke would pull a chair out and have a seat. He would motion, no, he would call for Naoki to have a seat too. "Let's have a seat. All of us, and by I mean Naoki and myself."<i></i> He would indeed have his seal and he would begin to summon paperwork. Oddly enough there were notes in braille which he shifted over to Naoki. "You can read Braille ... right?"<i></i> he would inquire. Shiori couldn't read Braille... that was disappointing and it was something Sousuke had been trying to get her to do before she became ... what she became.

"I've enclosed a small detailed report of what I encountered prior to meeting up with you two in Inferno. I then produced a small report of what we encountered again, and the demoness we encountered. I'm classifying her as an arch-demon for the time. She showcased a far higher intellect, like Kuro but ... without having to be a half breed. She could be a half breed but from what I could tell her features did not suggest that she was half at all."<i></i> He would give them both time to go over the report. Sousuke wrote a rather detailed report on how the level of intellect was on a sharp incline and the latter of the two enemies showcased a knowledge of how to get at people be it emotionally or physically by threatening the destruction of their devices.

"There was a second thing I was going to bring up. Naoki you remembered when the Cabal attacked? Did you ever ... inform yourself as to what their situation truly was, or who they were working for?"<i></i> These two topics were monumental. He would await Naoki's response, but equally important he was awaiting to see if Rensuke was going to snap out of whatever it was that had caused him to go silent.

 

[Kazumi]

Given that he didn't breathe or move, Ren looked more akin to a statue than a person for a good thirty seconds. having come to a number of conclusions, with the rest of the questions still buzzing in the background, Ren was finally able to move once more. He did not speak, however, as Sousuke and Naoki sat to review over nearly completely blank pages that he gave to Naoki. Given that he had head Sousuke that 'all' had meant only himself and Naoki, Ren took it to mean that he had been dismissed from the discussion. In hindsight, it made sense. He had offended the Kage with his lack of gratitude and appreciation. He found it difficult to accept that the kage offered to provide these resources to him just so that he could receive a measure of gratitude, however. Time and time again, Ren was reminded of how difficult it was to interact with people.

It was, perhaps, too late to simply offer a word of gratitude; he felt he knew at least that much about customs. Perhaps after he and Naoki were finished, he could offer them in private under the pretense of not wishing to express such in front of the kunoichi? That would have to suffice. This man may be Kage, but he was still a man and therefore had feelings and emotions that required placating, and earning the ire of a benefactor due to some small perceived slight would be the most egregious of miscalculations he had made in a while. Accepting that he had been now excluded from the kage's attention, he turned his own towards the ingot. He placed the bar atop a workbench and made his way over to the forge, whose flame was dying down due to lack of attention. He reached out and brushed a finger onto the billows, attaching a visible thread of chakra to it. It was almost as plain as day, needing to be thick enough to press down the bellow with enough force to keep the air flowing.

The bellows raised and lowered as the string, having wrapped itself around an anchor at its base, began to pump the bellows with long strong pumps. The effect was to make it appear as if they were working on their own, aside from the faint line of chakra that gave away the illusion. Ren picked up a crucible small enough to fit into the furnace and carried it over to the bench. he set two of the ingots inside of it and began preparing it to be put into the heat. Still, he said no words to either of them as he began to work on melting down the ingots for some sort of use he had not yet planned.

 

[Samejima]

Naoki's expression shifted to one of confusion. Why would Ren not have been invited to sit down, especially after having been working for some time and given resources and such? Maybe he's not going on whatever this mission is? He does seem really busy, I guess they need him more here than out there, risking life and limb. She nodded to herself and sat down, replying, "Ahh, I haven't had to use braille in a while, since I can get my eyesight back for a short time if I concentrate and there's no immediate threat around. That kinda stuff just riles me up too much to focus on the sight thing... I can try though, uhh..." Leaving her eyes open, she ran her fingers over the raised dots slowly, pausing a couple times while she listened to the Kazekage. "Demoness..." Naoki repeated, processing exactly what they might be dealing with. Eh. I doubt I've got much else to lose, and I'm sure he wouldn't send me in there alone anyway right? We'll probably be fine.

"All I remember is that they were terrorizing Suna... I didn't really care why they did what they did. I mean, if they were hurting the people of Suna, they need to go right?" She shrugged. Thus was the life of a run-of-the-mill genin after all, just do whatever you can and make sure you know who to turn it in to later, no questions asked. "Why? Were they working for her or something? She did kinda seem to hate humans in general."

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Somewhere in the matter of a few seconds Ren had gotten up from the grinding wheel and was walking about. He then seated himself over by the forge. Naoki's expression was full of confusion. "Ren is still part of this. He was seated at the time, and then he ... moved? Sure. Sure. I only mentioned the two of us because we were still standing at the time and he was sitting. Given Ren's ... uh characteristics he was very much like me when I was a small boy. He can detail the information and work with the ingots. All the same ... I should do the literal thing and make him aware that he is welcome to participate in all of this."<i></i> He turned his head over to Ren, "You're welcome to come over to the table of course, if you're truly feeling left out in all of this."<i></i> He offered to the small mechanical boy. It was probably going to be weird, but it's a thing he would have to deal with.

Naoki explained how she didn't really continue with her education of Braille. Sousuke understood the mechanics of it. Certain dots in certain positions meant different letters. Could he read Braille? Indeed he could. It took him a moment or two to shift between written word and Braille, because ... that was merely the nature of the beast. All the same Sousuke gave Naoki a rather serious and stern look, "You should have an active education in both, in the event you cannot call upon your eye sight to assist you in the way you need it to. I've learned it just in case."<i></i> Sousuke still had many things to learn. While he might be the Kazekage and a 'genius' as some would come to say it, there was still quite a bit of room to learn. Sousuke was still trying to become a superior version of himself, a person quest that would only end upon his death.

"Sometimes figuring out why a person did something has its use. Sungakure a considerable power in Wind Country several years ago. The Sunahoshi, until recently were all but gone, and they maintained the Diamond Maelstrom. As there was one not present the storm, or so we thought, grew out of control. It is what forced us underground and some people out there are rather upset with us for my father's decision to protect his people instead of everyone else. Some of the Cabal were members of those people who were angered by our isolationist state."<i></i> He explained. It was a long story but one worth her knowing. "Some of them were spared, and because of that we were given the knowledge of what was needed to reclaim the surface. The source of the problem was a Sunahoshi who was ... not of their own will. That individual was slain, but we have come to learn that it was the Daimyo of Wind who ... had a Sunahoshi slain and reanimated to create the storm."<i></i> Sousuke's expression grew hardened, and there was the slightest semblance of anger. "The Cabal was a test to see what we would make of them. The Daimyo is now pushing forward again with his own personal troops who are ... his attempt at shinobi. Aside from the terrors in Inferno, we have this to contend with as well. We are living in very dangerous times. That is why we need to be ready for what is to come, we must become truly superior than to what we are now."<i></i>

 

[Kazumi]

Ren continued to work, overhearing the two talk about both him and the current state of affairs. From what he ascertained, he had, once again, made incorrect presumptions about the intentions of others. If he is to be of any use in his current roles, he knew he would have to somehow bridge the gap in his current understanding of how people worked. For now, however, he had to attempt to put out the small fire before it grew any. "There is no need, moving or sitting is nearly the same for me." It was not entirely true, but for the situation at hand, such details were insignificant. "I simply was... eager to test out the capabilities of this material." That too was not entirely true, but it would be better than them presuming he harbored any ill will or resentment towards them for the miscommunication.

Ren continued to heat the forge, moving back and forth across the workshop as he brought over the ingots and a few other tools. The bellow continued to rise and fall like clockwork as the strings manipulated the handle with ease. Finally, with the crucible in its place in the furnace, he turned his full attention towards the pair as the continued to speak. He stood motionless until Sousuke concluded his explanation on the dangers and current state of the village. "Sousuke is correct. Understanding the motivating factors behind another's decision is critical in any preparations towards counteracting their strategy. As long as one does not allow one's self to become lost in the opposition's line of thinking, of course." That was not meant for himself or Sousuke, but rather towards the ex-deserter. He did not know her well, but she struck him as the sort who might allow themselves to become influences by the plights of others, even to the detriment to herself.

"I am not intimately familiar with the events you have described, Sousuke. However, I have read over a small number of files that contained the barest of information on that topic. Do you believe this to be related in some way with the woman in the desert, or is this an entirely unrelated manner?" His head turned from them and over towards the forge as he stepped closer to examine the progress of the crucible. Even with the extreme heat, it appeared as if the ingot was only starting to deform. Iron would have deteriorated into a puddle of molten go by now, and this material was still holding a vague semblance of its shape? That would mean it would be both incredibly difficult to work correctly, and simultaneously would be a very durable material, once it had finally been cast. Interesting...

 

[Samejima]

Naoki shrugged at the thought of continuing to study Braille. "Well sure... I mean, I guess I could try and study it some more, I just haven't really had the time, what with the uh... gladiatin'." She winced. She had tried to keep the thought of her being some grisly kind of entertainer out of her head. She had fought with the idea of using her abilities for entertainment of all things, especially since she still owed the Toraono clan so much for starting up her education at such a prodigious rate.

Implications tended to get lost when they were directed at the now-twenty genin. She just never really cared very much to look into things beyond what use they were to her. However, Ren's intentions were still somewhat carried out as she nodded to herself, considering that statement. Gotta be careful, I am pretty easily manipulated... I remember that one time with the weird shopkeep who somehow made me do all her work despite my having to get back to the ring... Got in a bit of trouble with-- Her expression darkened, thinking of her former bosslady. She clicked her tongue and rubbed the back of her head aggressively, as if trying to get a thought out of her head.

"Thanks for the history lesson Sousuke-sama," she chuckled somewhat dryly, but considered the facts she'd been presented with carefully. While she pondered, Ren asked the question that Naoki had asked in the first place, but in a more concise manner--were the Cabal related to the lady in the desert, who was most likely the main point of the conversation? She leaned against the table, looking to the Kazekage for an answer.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Good."<i></i> Sousuke spoke as Rensuke told him that he was working on figuring out the capabilities of Takahashi Fire Forged Steel. It was a family secret that a riddle very few knew what was going on. The technique was Takahashian in nature but there were blades and armour carried by a notable few. Given the situation it would be that secrets would have to be common knowledge, but it had to be common knowledge for trusted individuals. Suffice to say, Sousuke had taken a liking to Rensuke and thought it would be best to give him some room to see if he was truly trustworthy. This was an exercise in it, should Ren go the wrong way with this knowledge? Well, Sousuke was capable of making hard decisions and doing what needed to be done. He looked over to Ren who seemed to be having a bit of a hard time with melting it down. "Plasma, or a high ended fire jutsu. Lightning works too, but it's far too random to focus."<i></i> Sousuke would give the young one a tip or a trick to help him out.

Sousuke would raise an eyebrow when Naoki said the word 'gladiatin'. He thought about it for a moment. "Slang."<i></i> He stated more for himself than anyone else. "Well, no more of that now. Fighting for sport is ... not something, well let's say that some people do not retire from it in one piece."<i></i> He thought about it more so, and reflected upon his own profession. To be honest neither of them truly were jobs that one retires from. His father retired from being the Steward, but his father did not really enjoy retirement as he was still active until his supposed passing. A mystery that still afflicted Sousuke. He snapped back as Rensuke brought up a topic. Sousuke quietly produced a ring. It was of purest silver. He held it with his index finger and his thumb. This ring had a different shape than it originally had. "The Cabal corrupted a number of summoning contracts and are using them as a source of power. The Daimyo of Wind as I mentioned has his own personal troops. They are using the essence of Ancients. As in the original slave masters in Wind Country. Ancients are still out there but few in number and hiding. The curious thing is that we have a major power jump between corrupted summoning contracts and Ancients. Think of comparing a child to adult in terms of power and potential."<i></i> He hesitated for this was only theory, "Demons I consider to be a middling force but clearly they were skipped. Perhaps ... perhaps the Daimyo did not think them powerful enough. Either way what lurks in Inferno cannot be ignored. Should that land expand, the surrounding areas will become at risk."<i></i>