Oiwa would enter a room stationed upon the second floor of the library, away from the books open to those who wish to learn. This room was designed for talking, talking away from ears of those who should not hear them. She would stop and look over the seven masked figures sitting in various positions before her. The door would close and her mouth would open.
"Ebisu, Jurojin, Hotei, Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Daikokuten, and Fukurokuju, the Lucky Seven of the Oracles, thank you for being present today."
The seven would all nod but would remain silent.
"Our order has recently received a mission from the Kazekage; we are to observe and report any and everything on the following individuals. You are to maintain distance, merely watch, and should you get noticed you are to leave. Should you be confronted with aggression or find yourself in a worsening situation, you are to admit the following; "I have been given orders from the Kazekage to observe and record your actions". This is not a combat mission, as we are not a combat Order. I have chosen you because you as a group have been exemplified for your skills and contribution to this Order and our great library. If there is nothing else, please take your assigned list and disperse. Within this room I will place a box for you to drop you notes, you are to rest minimally, and return to the mission as soon as you can."
"Lady Oiwa, you say this is a non-combat mission but you never said we are forbidden from using combat, correct?"
"Again, you should not engage in combat, Bishamonten."
"I should not... still feels like you aren't saying I can't."
"Bishamonten is ornery as always, sorry Lady Oiwa."
"Do not seek penance for others, Brother Ebisu."
"Of course, Brother Jurojin."
"Lady Oiwa, why is the Kazekage tasking us with this mission, is this not an ANBU-type request?"
"You are not wrong in that belief, but I don't believe the Kazekage is wishing to cast a more criminal filter on this mission. I don't believe his request is to find deviance or malice."
"But you aren't sure, right?"
"Sister Benzaiten, why worry? What will be will be, you can trust ole Brother Hotei on that!"
"Young Lady Oiwa, would it not also be in line to assume the Kazekage doesn't trust the ANBU? Maybe we are being asked to find those who wish to harm the village under the guise of something more playful?"
"I cannot dismiss such an assumption but would caution all from relying on assumption as truth. Merely carry out the mission."
"The Kazekage is an outsider, maybe he is starting to grow distrustful of those in the village?"
There would be some whispered grumbling amongst the group at the mention of this.
"Many assumed that would have happened sooner, maybe something has caused him to unravel?"
"Turmoil in the lands outside of Wind Country, you can trust ole Brother Hotei of that!"
"Either way, we carry out the mission. Fun-loving and kind or paranoid and mad... it does not matter, our role in history doesn't change. We observe and document, for better or worse is not our concern; it's for posterity."
As this last voice chimed in, that of Daikokuten, the rest would grow quiet. It wouldn't be often that Daikokuten would speak, so it always was met with a level of being caught in awe.
"Agreed, Daikokuten. Now all of you, disperse and complete the mission."
The door would open and they would all disperse, except for Ebisu and Oiwa.
"Be careful, Lady Oiwa, there seems to be something, call it intuition, brewing. While the Kazekage has our eyes turned elsewhere, it seems like other eyes are turning to him."
"Could you provide further elaboration?"
"I cannot."
And with that, Ebisu would also leave. Oiwa, after a moment of standing in silence, would also take her leave. The Oracles would begin their mission but one could not help but feel as if a strange wind was starting to blow into the village.
"Ebisu, Jurojin, Hotei, Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Daikokuten, and Fukurokuju, the Lucky Seven of the Oracles, thank you for being present today."
The seven would all nod but would remain silent.
"Our order has recently received a mission from the Kazekage; we are to observe and report any and everything on the following individuals. You are to maintain distance, merely watch, and should you get noticed you are to leave. Should you be confronted with aggression or find yourself in a worsening situation, you are to admit the following; "I have been given orders from the Kazekage to observe and record your actions". This is not a combat mission, as we are not a combat Order. I have chosen you because you as a group have been exemplified for your skills and contribution to this Order and our great library. If there is nothing else, please take your assigned list and disperse. Within this room I will place a box for you to drop you notes, you are to rest minimally, and return to the mission as soon as you can."
"Lady Oiwa, you say this is a non-combat mission but you never said we are forbidden from using combat, correct?"
"Again, you should not engage in combat, Bishamonten."
"I should not... still feels like you aren't saying I can't."
"Bishamonten is ornery as always, sorry Lady Oiwa."
"Do not seek penance for others, Brother Ebisu."
"Of course, Brother Jurojin."
"Lady Oiwa, why is the Kazekage tasking us with this mission, is this not an ANBU-type request?"
"You are not wrong in that belief, but I don't believe the Kazekage is wishing to cast a more criminal filter on this mission. I don't believe his request is to find deviance or malice."
"But you aren't sure, right?"
"Sister Benzaiten, why worry? What will be will be, you can trust ole Brother Hotei on that!"
"Young Lady Oiwa, would it not also be in line to assume the Kazekage doesn't trust the ANBU? Maybe we are being asked to find those who wish to harm the village under the guise of something more playful?"
"I cannot dismiss such an assumption but would caution all from relying on assumption as truth. Merely carry out the mission."
"The Kazekage is an outsider, maybe he is starting to grow distrustful of those in the village?"
There would be some whispered grumbling amongst the group at the mention of this.
"Many assumed that would have happened sooner, maybe something has caused him to unravel?"
"Turmoil in the lands outside of Wind Country, you can trust ole Brother Hotei of that!"
"Either way, we carry out the mission. Fun-loving and kind or paranoid and mad... it does not matter, our role in history doesn't change. We observe and document, for better or worse is not our concern; it's for posterity."
As this last voice chimed in, that of Daikokuten, the rest would grow quiet. It wouldn't be often that Daikokuten would speak, so it always was met with a level of being caught in awe.
"Agreed, Daikokuten. Now all of you, disperse and complete the mission."
The door would open and they would all disperse, except for Ebisu and Oiwa.
"Be careful, Lady Oiwa, there seems to be something, call it intuition, brewing. While the Kazekage has our eyes turned elsewhere, it seems like other eyes are turning to him."
"Could you provide further elaboration?"
"I cannot."
And with that, Ebisu would also leave. Oiwa, after a moment of standing in silence, would also take her leave. The Oracles would begin their mission but one could not help but feel as if a strange wind was starting to blow into the village.