Open Stewards of the Sands: Shadows and Alliances

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin let out a slow sigh. It had been a few days since the attack on the surface, and the village was finally beginning to settle. He had come to realize just how much had changed since Suna had resubmerged into the sandy depths. It was only a matter of time before another threat arose, but this time, he was determined to ensure the village was prepared on all fronts.

The great shinobi clans of Sunagakure had rarely met formally. Since assuming leadership of the Chikamatsu Clan all those years ago, he had never been called to a council of the village's leaders, leaving him with the uneasy sense that each clan was left to fend for itself. Now, with the merchant class removed from power thanks to Lord Michino, a void had begun to form in the village’s balance, and tension simmered among comrades.

Sitting at his desk, the Angel of Sunagakure summoned several scrolls of parchment with chakra and began to weave messages in chakra-infused ink, carefully crafting each note:

Spoiler: Letter of Summons

Summons of the 12th Kazekage​

To the Esteemed Clan Head,

By the authority of the 12th Kazekage, Chikamatsu Shin, you are called to assemble at the Primus Tower.

The unity of Sunagakure rests upon the wisdom, experience, and guidance of its clans. As the guardians of your people and stewards of our shared legacy, your counsel is indispensable. This gathering shall serve to deliberate upon matters that bear upon the security, governance, and prosperity of our village, and to consider the evolving responsibilities of our clans in the age before us.

The bonds between our clans form the pillars of Sunagakure. It is through your insight, foresight, and the strength of your lineages that we endure, even in the most trying of times. As such, this council is convened not in command, but in mutual respect, recognizing that the decisions we reach together shape the path of all who dwell in our sands.

Your presence at this council is expected. Together, we shall deliberate with the clarity and gravity befitting the entrusted stewards of Sunagakure.

– Chikamatsu Shin, 12th Kazekage of Sunagakure

A soft smile curved his lips. He was no longer merely the Overseer, and in truth, the Chikamatsu Clan currently lacked a singular leader. Yet as Kazekage, he could not represent the needs of his people alone—but he knew who could.

With a snap of his fingers, nine ANBU appeared in an instant.

"Deliver these letters to their respective Clan Heads. I am calling all of the Noble Clans and the Lesser Clans to a council today. Ensure that each receives this notice. Summon the Sunaku, Toraono, Takahashi, Chikamatsu, Tsuchigumo, Hokkyoku, Renmei, Yamashiro, and Kyouketsu clans."

He paused, considering the smaller, unofficial families—the Miroku and the Uzumoreru—whose presence had yet to be formally recognized. Until they chose to step into the light, he hesitated to call them officially.

Snapping his fingers again, he sent the ANBU on their way. Then, forming a series of hand seals, he summoned a handful of small birds. They would seek out the leaders of the unofficial clans, inviting them to the tower to join the council. The birds chirped in acknowledgement before streaming out the windows, wings catching the artificial sunlight.

Rising, he adjusted the folds of his robes, the weight of the Kazekage mantle settling across his shoulders like a second skin.

The corridors of Primus Tower stretched before him, high arched ceilings echoing with the faint whispers of chakra that lingered in the stone walls. Carmot fueled lanterns suspended from wrought iron chains cast pools of golden light, illuminating murals that chronicled the village’s history: the rise of the clans, the great shinobi battles, the fall of the Ancients, the ebb and flow of sand and blood. Each step he took resonated against the polished floors, a steady rhythm that marked the passing of time and the imminence of the council.

The clans… each a pillar of the village. Their heads will come, carrying the weight of generations on their shoulders. I must ensure that this space reflects the gravity of what we are about to do.

At the end of the hall, double doors of dark wood inlaid with bronze and gold awaited him. He pressed a palm against the carved sigil of the Kazekage. The doors parted silently, revealing the conference room beyond.

The chamber was vast, its vaulted ceilings arched like the wings of a sand eagle in flight. Tall windows lined the walls, letting in the warm, shifting light of the late afternoon's synthetic sun, which danced across the polished stone floor. Around a long, rectangular table, chairs of carved oak and reinforced steel waited, each place marked with the emblem of a clan. At the head of the table for Shin to mediate the conversation was a raised dais framed with golden sandstone which provided a clear vantage point over the entire room.

Shin stepped fully into the room, letting his eyes sweep over the space. Servants had arranged the table with care, and guards stood along the periphery, their presence unobtrusive yet unyielding. He allowed himself a slow breath, feeling the room’s quiet authority settle into him.

"Let's ensure there are various teas, drinks, and snacks on the table as the Clans arrive please. I want to ensure that everyone feels welcome. There should be no bias between the Noble Houses and the Lesser Houses either, if a representative feels as such then we have failed our job as host."

As Shin finished speaking the servants of the tower all nodded and agreed with a single, crisp affirmation.

Lord 12th would move to the dais and take his seat, waiting for their arrivals.

 

[Sand Event]

The ANBU moved like shadows through Sunagakure's depths, delivering the Kazekage's summons with practiced efficiency. Within hours, the clan heads began their journeys toward Primus Tower—some with eager anticipation, others with wary calculation.

The pale woman materialized from the shadows near the tower entrance as if she had always been there, her purple robes barely disturbing the air. Tsuchigumo Amaya moved with the eerie silence of her clan's namesake, silver-gray hair pulled back in its customary tight bun. Deep-set eyes swept the conference room, cataloging every detail—exits, guard positions, sight lines—before she took her seat at the table marked with her clan's spider sigil.

She offered a respectful bow toward the Kazekage on his dais before settling into her chair. Her fingers traced the edge of her teacup with deliberate slowness. "Lord Kazekage," she whispered, yet her voice carried with unnerving clarity. "You honor us by summoning all nine clans to a single table. How... unprecedented."

The Windmarked arrived with considerably less subtlety. Sand still clung to Hokkyoku Kaze's weathered traveling clothes as he strode through the doors, wind-pattern tattoos visible on his bronzed arms. His clouded eye swept the room with the same efficiency as his good one, and he let out a short, barking laugh when he saw both the Kazekage waiting and Amaya already seated.

"Lord Shin," he said with a respectful nod, though his informality remained evident as he dropped into his chair without ceremony and immediately reached for the tea service. "I'll admit, I'm curious. When was the last time the Noble Houses sat in council with us Lesser Clans? Can't say I remember one."

He took a long drink, sun-bleached hair falling forward as he leaned back in his chair with casual disregard for the formal setting, though his eyes remained sharp and assessing.

The next arrival brought a stark contrast to Kaze's rough edges. Renmei Mizuki entered with the fluid grace of water itself, her flowing blue and white robes rippling as she moved. The Waterbearer's dark skin seemed to glow softly in the carmot lamplight, and her calm brown eyes took in the scene with measured assessment. The small vial of spring water around her neck caught the light as she offered a deep, respectful bow to the Kazekage before acknowledging the others present.

"Lord Kazekage, thank you for this summons," she said with genuine warmth before taking her seat. Her gaze swept to Kaze with gentle reproach. "Perhaps we should await Lord Shin's words before drawing conclusions, Windmarked. He has proven himself different from his predecessors. This summons may signal genuine change."

Kaze snorted but had the grace to look slightly abashed under the Kazekage's watchful presence. "Fair enough, Mizuki-san. I'll reserve my judgment... for now."

Before the moment could settle, the doors opened again with dramatic flair. Yamashiro Takeru entered like a living flame, his wild red hair seeming to defy gravity itself. The Flamebearer's amber eyes burned with intensity as he swept into the room, crimson robes billowing behind him. Small wisps of actual flame danced along his fingertips—whether from jutsu or pure emotion was unclear.

He dropped to one knee before the dais in a theatrical bow. "Lord Kazekage! Finally—a leader who recognizes that the old hierarchies must burn away!" His voice filled the chamber with natural amplification. "This is exactly what I've been preaching—renewal, reformation, the breaking of chains that have bound us for too long!"

Amaya's pale eyes fixed on him with the intensity of a spider studying a particularly energetic fly. "You speak of breaking chains, Flamebearer, yet here we sit in the Tower of Primus, surrounded by the very symbols of the old order. Perhaps temper your enthusiasm until we hear what Lord Shin has planned."

Takeru rose and threw himself into his chair with careless energy, his grin undaunted. "Skepticism from you, Amaya-san? I'm shocked." He turned his gaze back to the Kazekage with barely contained excitement. "But she's right—we're eager to hear your vision, Lord Shin."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as the final Lesser Clan head arrived. Kyouketsu Shigure moved with the measured grace of a funeral procession, his gaunt frame draped in dark robes reinforced with bone plates. The bone-white tattoos marking his bald skull caught the light as he surveyed the gathering with colorless gray eyes.

He offered a slow, precise bow to the Kazekage before taking his seat with mechanical precision. After a long, uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke. "Lord Kazekage," his voice was dry as ancient parchment, "an interesting assembly. Five Lesser Clans, summoned alongside the Noble Houses. One must wonder—are we here as equals, or as witnesses?"

"That question seems premature, Ossuary Warden," Mizuki said diplomatically, though her eyes remained on the Kazekage. "Lord Shin will clarify our purpose here."

Shigure's lips curved into something that might have been a smile on a less skeletal face. "Indeed. Though I note the Toraono, Takahashi, Sunaku, and our host's own Chikamatsu representatives have yet to arrive." He folded his hands on the table. "We Lesser Clans maintain critical infrastructure—water, defenses, spiritual guidance, the care of the dead—yet our voices have rarely reached the Noble Houses' ears. If you truly wish to change this, Lord Kazekage..."

He let the statement hang in the air, his colorless eyes fixed on Shin with unsettling intensity.

The five Lesser Clan heads sat together, an unconscious unity forming among them even as they awaited the Kazekage's response. They were guardians of the shadows, the deserts, the water, the flame, and the bones—essential to Sunagakure's survival, yet always secondary to the great Noble Houses.

Now they waited, wondering if this council would finally give them a voice... or simply remind them of their place.

 

[Chikamatsu Kohana]

The ANBU appeared without warning, which was their whole thing, really, but it still made my hand fly to Caliburnus's pommel on instinct.

I'd been in the training grounds, working through Byakko styled sword forms that didn't quite feel right in this synthetic body. Everything was slightly off—the weight distribution, the reach, the way my muscles responded to commands that used to flow through shared consciousness. Now I had to think about each movement individually, and it was fucking exhausting.

The masked operative knelt with mechanical precision, holding out a scroll marked with the Kazekage's seal.

"Chikamatsu Kohana. You are summoned to Primus Tower to represent your clan at a council of the Noble and Lesser Houses. Lord Twelfth requests your presence immediately."

I stared at the scroll like it might bite me.

"You're joking."

The ANBU's mask revealed nothing. "Lord Kazekage does not joke about clan councils."

"No, I mean—" I snatched the scroll and broke the seal, scanning the elegant chakra-infused script. My name was right there, clear as day. Not Maho. Not Seikatsu. Not even Seishinko with her spirit-touched wisdom. Me.

"He wants me to represent the Chikamatsu?"

"Those are your orders."

My jaw clenched. This had to be some kind of mistake. I was Shin's wrath, his sword, his fury made manifest. The one he called when diplomacy failed and someone needed to be eliminated quietly. I wasn't a representative. I wasn't someone you sat at a table with nobles and expected civilized conversation from.

"Tell him—" I stopped myself. What was I going to say? That I couldn't do it? That he'd made a mistake choosing me? That I was too angry, too raw, too newly severed from his mind to sit in a room full of clan heads and pretend I knew what the hell I was doing?

The ANBU waited with infinite patience.

I looked down at myself... training clothes stained with sweat and sand, my blonde hair falling out of its bun in messy strands. I looked like I'd been fighting, which I had been. Just against myself instead of an actual opponent.

"Fine. Give me twenty minutes."

The ANBU vanished without another word, leaving me alone with the scroll and the sudden, overwhelming realization that Shin had chosen me for something other than violence.

That shouldn't have felt as significant as it did.

---

Twenty minutes later, I stood outside the conference room doors wearing my replica Byakko armor, our sensei's armor, the silver plates catching the carmot lamplight in the corridor. If Shin was in his armor I knew we would be wearing identical forms of protection, but I assumed since he was calling a meeting as the Kazekage he would be dressed as such. I'd pulled my hair back into its proper bun, tied with the blue ribbon that matched the tabard flowing over my white dress. The armor felt heavier than usual, or maybe that was just the weight of what I was about to do.

Represent the clan. Sit at a table with the other houses. Speak with authority I wasn't sure I possessed.

The voices inside were already audible, multiple clan heads, their tones ranging from cautious to excited to outright skeptical. I caught fragments of conversation through the heavy doors. Something about the Lesser Clans finally being heard. Something about unprecedented change.

My hand found Caliburnus's pommel, that familiar anchor when everything else felt like it was spinning out of control.

He chose me, I thought again, and the confusion of it made my chest tight. Not Maho with her tactical brilliance. Not Seikatsu with his priestly authority. Not Seishinko with her connection to the spirits. Me.

The woman who'd spent the last week screaming at him about being discarded. The fury he'd supposedly thrown away. The shadow who didn't know how to exist without him in my head.

And yet here I was, summoned to his side. Not to fight. Not to kill. To speak for our clan.

I took a breath, feeling the seals on my synthetic skin pulse with agitation that mirrored my own uncertainty. Then I pushed the doors open.

The conference room was exactly as imposing as I'd expected—vaulted ceilings, tall windows letting in synthetic sunlight, a massive table surrounded by chairs marked with clan emblems. Five heads were already seated, representing the Lesser Clans. Their conversations died as I entered, all eyes turning toward me.

And there, on the raised dais at the head of the table, sat Shin. The Kazekage. My twin brother who I'd shared a mind with for thirty-one years and now couldn't read at all.

His blue eyes met my crimson ones, and for just a moment, I saw something flicker in his expression. Surprise? Relief? Hope?

I couldn't tell. That was the worst part, I couldn't fucking tell anymore.

I moved toward the table with deliberate steps, my armor making soft sounds against the polished floor. The Chikamatsu seat waited, marked with our clan's sigil of the Yurei Orchid. I should say something. Acknowledge the Kazekage formally. Show respect in front of the other houses.

Instead, I stood beside the chair and looked directly at Shin, my voice coming out sharper than I intended.

"You called for a Chikamatsu representative."

A pause, and then I added with barely concealed confusion:

"Why me?"

The question hung in the air, raw and honest in a way that probably wasn't appropriate for formal clan councils. But I needed to hear him say it. Needed to understand why the man who'd severed our bond and thrown me into this body would choose me—me, his fury, his sword—to sit at a table of diplomacy.

The Lesser Clan heads watched with varying degrees of interest. The pale woman with silver-gray hair—Tsuchigumo, if I remembered correctly—studied me with the intensity of a spider examining prey. The windmarked man looked openly curious. The woman in blue and white robes offered what might have been an encouraging smile.

But I only had eyes for Shin, waiting for an answer I wasn't sure I'd understand even if he gave it.

 

[Kyuji]

It had been an eternity since I had been attacked in the Red Light District by assailants and hospitalized within my own clan's portion of the Toraono Clan estate. I had not seen the outside world in so long and these walls and ceilings every day were starting to make me lose my sanity along with the presence of a shadowy figure out of the corner of my eyes everywhere that I went. Everyone within our home said that I was seeing things and that it was due to my body and mind recovering from the injuries and trauma that I sustained eons ago, but it didn't feel like something common from my knowledge in the medical field. A hallucination possibly, but reoccurring daily seemed illogical. Maybe, I was tired.
It wouldn't matter as my attention would snap to a note left on my desk from Lady Yanshi informing me that a meeting between all the clan leaders was being issued by the Kazekage and she designated me as the representative of the Byakko Clan. This made sense as I was the image of the Byakko Clan in the public's eyes for my heroics cleaning the Red Light District of all its scum back in the day to beating the legendary sandworm known as Barynx to winning the World Martial Arts Tournament in Tea Country for our country; the head of the clan was technically Lady Yanshi officially, but Lord Toraono Kuro allowed us to run our part of the clan as we saw fit. I would sit down and read the note thoroughly of the details notating that Lord Sousuke was not sending this message out but a Chikamatsu Shin. Surely, this was not the same Chikamatsu Shin whom I trained and had under me in the medical branch before as he was wet behind the ears when I last saw him many moons ago. A possibility, but I was skeptical.

Regardless, I would begin my trot to the Primus Tower where I believe I met Sousuke before which did not take me long to arrive to. I would present the letter as evidence to the guards as I entered and they would point me in the general direction of the room, but I asked them to allow me to walk by myself as I needed this time to gather my thoughts for this meeting. It had been a long time since I had left the Byakko Clan estate and the world around me looked vastly different than it did the last time that I was out in the world. A lot seemed to have changed and I was going to need to be brought up to speed on a lot of things when this meeting was over by my clan and friends.

As I arrived to the room, I noticed the emblem showing the Byakko symbol on it and took my seat in the room. It appeared that the lesser clans had arrived already and were dressed formally for the occasion; I was not formally dressed at all as I never was one for that style of clothing. There was also a blonde woman who looked very similar to my illegimate daughter, Rin, but surely that was just a coincidence. However, the armor that she wore that was similar to my own caught me off guard. I would look at the man sitting on the dais at the front of the room with my green vixen eyes piercing into his soul (or trying to) and simply say: "Byakko Kyuji representing the Byakko Clan for Lady Yanshi."

---

• MFT: 583 Words
• I am back!

 

[Toraono Kuro]

Toraono Kuro sat in an ancient chamber looking at family murals that had aged gracefully, and through his consistent chakra infusions, he had made sure these ancient stories were as eternal as his bloodline. It seemed odd that he had placed himself in seclusion to seal his abilities away from the rest of the world. His dark energies had become too potent, and without distinct control, just being in Kuro’s presence was once all that was necessary for anyone nearby to be influenced by demonic energies, and then need either a seal or bloodline training to withstand it. Kuro had placed himself under a deep meditative hypnosis and recentered, then reconstructed his own body towards a bestial yet humanoid perfection. His cycle of breathing had slowed to where many believed he was simply a statue if they dared wander the lower levels of the Toraono Dojo. Remnant chakra from terrible battles would forever linger within these hallowed halls and walls. Every now and then Kuro would emerge to run a food stall in the Sunan street markets to feel the sun on his body and keep an eye on Sunagakure.

Today was a good day as he released the seal on his chamber and slowly emerged from his seclusion to find out about a clan meeting being called by the current Kazekage. Kuro had not seen a summons letter in quite some time… in fact the last time he received one it had been from Takahashi Sousuke.

Memories returned in a wistful surge to a body that was now far removed from anything truly human. Were the times so different now? Noting the Byakko family had dispatched a representative Kuro chose to follow them and ensure that he kept himself aware of the current situation within Sunagakure. Muscles forged into runic threads of immortal physical presence flexed to remind Kuro that he still existed.

WC: 314 (More to come as the RP continues)

 

[Toraono Ryota]

Work. Never. Ended. With. That. Man. He left his noodles at the table as he was summoned to work. "Ysuh.." He simply said as an acknowledgment as he left with the other ANBU to scatter the letters as the noodle murderer requested. From behind his mask, he looked rather bored, not that other people could ever find that out. As quick as he came, as quick he was gone too. He was one of the first to return after delivering.

He glared at the man as he took his spot in the corner of the room again. "Did the job... Noodle monster..." That man already knew who he was anyway, so he did little to hide his annoyance with this man. How to conceal himself later by the use of chakra. Active Camo [M] His clothing slowly blended with the background, and every noise he made was muffled and even drawn out. Now he could perhaps take a nap if it ever got too boring.

[topic entered, Anbu operative mode]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

The reunion with his family has been…a bit chaotic. More so from the extended part, his cousins and other members of the clan. Some he had not seen for many years…some he as seen for the first time, families forming with children, some just about to start at the academy, some gracing our world in this time of crisis. It was a lively moment as he returned… the whole incident at the top side and the rumors spawned from it didn’t help.

Still, the meeting with his parents was a lot more…subdued… much more so compared to when they reunited after the Cabal incident… of course, eh knew they had to be worried, but they also knew how the life of a Shinobi was. They knew they couldn’t stop him trying to do what was right, even far away from home…but they were glad to see him alive. His parents were at good health, though their age was starting to show more and more… especially when compared to himself. He did look more weary and aged, but whatever mix of sand magic and blood ran through his veins made him at least appear more youthful.

They did have a brief chat about how things went as he was gone, though they were interrupted with the summons from Shin. The Kazekage truly was not wasting any time. And as they read the letter and his mother and father looked at him, he couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. The topic that came back like a boomerang…tho at this point, he felt ready to catch it.

Same time would have passed and the Sunaku clan delegation would also arrive. As per usual, the head of the clan and his wife, Shigeo and Kohana, attended together. The hair on his head and face was ashen but still very much full, his form a bit touched by time but still sturdy as any fighter. Her, with long hair adored with various ornaments representing flowers and various animals of the desert, and For the first time in a long time, their son Harupia was attending with them. He had enough time to clean up and heal a bit after his meeting with shin, now back to his clean shaven short hair, wearing fresh robes complimenting his parents.

Whenever he attended any functions with his parents in the past, people were often commenting how he looked like his mother. Elegant, witty, flowing from one conversation to another like a true gentleman, but more so interested in catching up with other people than in discussing village matters. Yet right now, he seemed to be taking much closer to his father. His face still smiling with a determined resolve to it. His posture was straight and forward, but not in a forced way. For once, it seemed like he was fully intent on being here.

They would enter not long after Kuro, the familiar sight of the giant tiger man providing a bit of familiar comfort. Once inside, he did let his father speak for now, the man’s gruff tone announcing “Shigeo Sunaku, head of the Sunaku Clan, joined by my bride and better Half, Kohana, and heir to the title Harupia” with all 3 of them bowing to Shin. Harupia would add, “Glad to see you recovered Shin-san. Not wasting any time, are you?”

 

[Sand Event]

“You ready, Dad?” a sweet voice called out. It was met with a kind, but neutral,
“Yes, just a moment more. Your leg and arm fine?”
“Of course! Work like a dream - but that’s to be expected.”

A simple giggle. Takahashi Sousuke looked into the mirror before him. Streaks of white had grown deeply into his dark blue beard. Wrinkles of his age finally showed creasing around his eyes though the pupils within were sharp as ever. Hair swept back, he had grown it out now to fall just slightly past his shoulders. Okibi enjoyed the look and kept hiding the scissors, so he just kept to it. A kindness rested in his features, despite the hawkish gaze, and they reflected back towards his daughter waiting behind him. Hair a light color of pink and cut into something short, the Wildchild was clothed in a proper business suit, insisting she wear something important for such a momentous event. In light of everything that had happened, it would seem proper for them both to don clothing equating to the importance; and as usual the pink-eyed girl deviated from the norm. Even in her own age, showing far harder than it did in Sousuke, she retained a sense of playfulness; with the attention of a curious wolf.

Sousuke stood up from his small vanity within his room. He was dressed in Takahashi formal attire, which meant a tunic bearing the colors of his house. His arms reached out and raised over his head the famous breastplate of the Takahashi house; indestructible and the first use of their clan’s sake metal used in Suna’s foundations. Okibi was already at his side to help buckle the belts in, and assure a good fit despite his small protests.

Ever since her daughter had been moved to Konohagakure, and Tama seemingly vanished, her mood slowly lifted. From the depths of depression, Okibi climbed out and found purpose again in life by taking care of Sousuke; and in doing so, was quickly becoming the heir to his house. There were few people he could hand over the massive title that continued to rest on his shoulders, but Okibi and her son were two of them. Otami, potentially as well, if she ever decided to return home completely. Their bond over the last year within the tunnels had strengthened, and the two were rarely seen apart from each other. Which, worked out, as the previous Steward was not a young man anymore and some of Suna had become dangerous in the recent years.

Satisified with their clothing choices, and finally fully dressed, the pair exited the Takahashi residence and slowly made their way through Sunagakure, feeling the soft rumble beneath their feet as the train also moved along the tunnels. Normally it would have stopped by now to unload wastes and restock on certain supplies they could not find beneath the dunes; but the attack had left them shell-shocked. Proud as he was of his steel and the engineering feat that was their home, Sousuke knew they couldn’t push the engine for much longer. This meeting of every clan was a testament of how serious things had become with the Twins.

And to think, he figured they would have burned out after the coup.

Sousuke and Okibi made it to the tower and found themselves looking around the table at everyone that had seated themselves. Two powerful and old members of the Toraono had already beaten them there. Along with all of the Lesser Clans. Sousuke nodded to each one separately, acknowledging them now as he ever had - with dignity. The Takahashi were always of innovation and creation, and well knew the importance played by these so called “lesser” clans. Without them, he would not have been able to provide the service for the village in the way they stayed moving now. Moving to take a seat next to Kuro, Sousuke first stopped to give a deep bow to Harupia,
“Thank you, for your tireless efforts above. We have been able to do much because of your efforts.”

Okibi pulled the chair out for her father, and Sousuke hesitated only slightly knowing she was more likely to cause a scene if he asked her to stop. He was old, but didn’t need everyone to know how, old; an assortment of facts his daughter was more than happy to remind him of. She stood behind Sousuke, the metal of her left hand’s prophetic shining gently in the light. They both waited now for the news the 12th had prepared for them, and the reason for drawing all of the clans together for the first time in ages.