We must stick together [event Private Raikage thread]

[Keiji]

Within this room sits all of the Council. All eleven members sitting at the one end of a massive table in an empty hall, on the walls hangs pictures of each Raikage in ages past, great landscapes that all can be found across the ancient lands that is the Lightning Country everyone in the room held so dear.

While they all rarely gather together this manner due to personal differences work spread out all across the state, the situation was dire, and many had to travel for days. They have all gathered there for one purpose this time to find a new Raikage. Their table was only half full, and they were all looking at each in dreadful silence, awaiting their incoming guests.

These were all the Council, the people that dealt with the daily ongoings of the village and the only time they have any real power in the village over the Shinobi is when the Kage steps down. And the need to choose a new Kage arises, one such time is now. Therefor they have all gathered.

Beforehand they had already sent out a number of invitations. Hopefully the participants were all available and willing to work together.

[lb][/lb] Suigetsu Suiko[lb][/lb] Water and Sewer​	[lb][/lb] Uehashi Yori[lb][/lb] Non-Shinobi Education​	[lb][/lb] Higa Sei[lb][/lb] Market, Supply, and Logistics Director (Trade)​
[lb][/lb] Toyama Miki[lb][/lb] Planning and Zoning Director​	[lb][/lb] Yosenku Mishokuni[lb][/lb] Head of Non-Shinobi Judicial​	[lb][/lb] Suigetsu Suigi[lb][/lb] Fire Department​
[lb][/lb] Momii Shinpei[lb][/lb] Head of Public Broadcasting and Communications​	[lb][/lb] Kyouzou Houjyou[lb][/lb] Head of Mining Operations​	[lb][/lb] Ryuunosuke Kadu[lb][/lb] Agriculture​
[lb][/lb] Tobu "Chuu Chuu" Chokichi[lb][/lb] Public Transportation​	[lb][/lb] Moto Shihi[lb][/lb] Non-Shinobi Police​

[tbody]

<i>​

</i>

[/tbody]

As the people entering the thread, will see all of the above individuals sitting in one end of the table.
And they will see a chair with their names written on it on the opposite side of theirs.
The following names are on the individual chairs: Kobayashi Hiroshi, Yamamoto Musashi, Santaru Ayanasu, Shinrya Kitsune and Okada Kaji.

This is an event thread managed by Council, therefor Battle Mod requests are not allowed.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

It would appear that great minds did indeed think alike, because just like Kitsune had intended to gather the council to discuss the position of Raikage, they too had called in a meeting for that exact purpose. Not being one to shy away from an invitation, Kitsune had made her way to the Torre Celeste. She was wearing a decidedly non-shinobi outfit consisting of a black suit adorned with silver trimming on the bottom jacket corners as well as the sleeves, a black turtleneck shirt, a small pin in the shape of her clan insignia, and lastly a necklace she’d received as a gift from the third Hoshikage who had travelled back home to Star a short while back to handle her abdication from the kage position.

Upon arriving at the tower she was shown to a conference room almost right away with nary a word needing to be said to the receptionist. Apparently, it was a big deal for the full council to be gathered for a meeting. Well well. So they don’t meet up much. Interesting. I’ve only dealt with a few of them, and that was usually one on one… Kitsune thought to herself. Last time she had met one of them had been to arrange a trade route from Sand via her province to Cloud to provide exotic wares to the citizens.

She entered the conference room and did a quick imperceptible scan with her eyes, noting that she was the first and only shinobi in the room. So I’m first. Lovely. she thought as she gave a light bow before sitting down in the chair by her name. ”My thanks for the invitation to this lovely meeting. It’s a bit funny, as I was intending to arrange one myself. Great minds think alike, I’d say.” she said with a smile.

 

[Seijin]

A thousand and one things ran through Musashi's mind when he got the formal letter. One was, who'd ransacked Ayumu's files when he'd departed and the other was, who he'd have to kill before said secrets could go back to being those. Thinking further on it, there hadn't been any notes, just a handshake agreement, and unless somebody was flying around the world listening to conversations, then the secret was as firmly grounded as the fact that he was simply a clan leader from the mountains. The questions though simple, would continue to rattle in his brain until he addressed them, and not wishing to keep the council waiting, he left his office of choice, the gates, and made his way to the conference rooms dressed in full ANBU garb with mask and cloak on.

The all whites were his personal favorite versus the black ops version. Some things were just better when they were bright and well seen. Stopping only to ensure that his children would be picked up from the Academy on time, when he made his way into the room he saw that it was already beginning to fill. Surprisingly but not quite surprisingly, the Scarlet Speedster was in attendance along with some of the other folk that one might have seen around and about the village. No stranger to the limelight, Musashi gave a curt bow before allowing himself to find a seat. Perhaps it was due to the whole gate fiasco, but his seat ended up being rather close to the red head, and that's when Musashi smirked from behind his mask. Sitting down, there still was technically a chair between the two of them, but otherwise unbothered, he pulled out his infamous notepad and sharpie and scribbled a message on it before presenting it to those assembled. ~Thank you for inviting me.~ Hopefully they could get down to the hard facts and hash this entire thing out.

 

[Kobayashi Hiroshi]

Pops were audible to Hiroshi's ears as he outstretched his arms above his head. The stiffness that had existed in his shoulders prior to his morning routine finally had worked themselves out as their usage continued throughout the morning. Sweat glistened on his neck as the beams of sunlight that reached him struck them, despite the slow pace that he used to return to the manor, showing the effort he had placed into the morning routine earlier. As he neared the compound that his home fell within, he could see a chaotic uproar in the distance; the few servants that were afforded to their compound were scrambling around, attempting to create order within the chaos, as others were truly lost - it was an uncommon event in earnest, due to the history and longevity of the majority of the servants that served his line.

"The village council has sent you a summons, sir," one of the servants proclaimed, as they ran toward him upon his arrival. The look that had a mix of laziness and boredom within his eyes wouldn't change, as he looked upon the compound in its full view. There were multitudes of items that could be the reason behind the summons, but the most prevalent reasoning he could imagine was the happenings that were surrounding his family due to the uproar of the majority of the elderly members of his family taking leave of public appearance. To his knowledge, it had yet to come to light of the true nature of their disappearance, but it was only to be a matter of time until people were to become suspicious.

"So be it," he said flatly, before he began heading to his chambers to change into a more fitting outfit for the summons. He returned to the road to head to the center of the town where the council summons indicated. A dark jacket rested on his shoulders, hiding much of his form behind confines of the sleeves, forgoing the appearance of his dominant arm being covered in a glove reaching slightly below his elbow. His coal-colored orbs clearly showed his disinterest for the upcoming meeting he was to attend, wondering what the topic of the outing would be.

Upon arriving at the building, he stared up at the meeting place from the outside. Inside the building before him would begin the process of determining his future; a thought that filled him with a sense of wonder. How much could they know? There were many questions to process within the time that would lapse between entering the building and arriving outside the door where the meeting was to take place; questions that would ultimately remain unanswered. While the previous weeks grated on his mind, he knocked upon the closed door before him with his cloth covered hand reached out to connect to the door, a sound clearly heard before he entered.

"Apologies for being late," he said aloud, as he entered the room. Upon seeing into the room, he found that the council members were not the only ones that had been called. The seating that remained seemed to be in the center at the edge of the table, between the two individuals who had arrived before him - a placement that seemed to coincide with the placement of a name card. With only slight hesitation, Hiroshi took his seat after looking briefly at the two individuals.

"How may I be of assistance?" he finally asked.

[MFT: 577]

 

[Santaru Ayanasu]

The last few weeks had been some of the most entertaining in Ayanasu’s life. The disappearance of the Raikage and other high ranked shinobi had thrown the village into chaos, and watching what remained of Cloud’s leadership struggle to stem the tide had been endlessly amusing. And now the council had called a meeting, and it was obvious what it was about. Roles needed to be filled and the village needed new leadership before it slipped over the edge. And as one of Cloud’s few Jounin, who bore the Santaru name to boot...Well.

He chuckled.

Opportunity beckoned, and he had never lacked for ambition.

So dressed in his usual pristine white uniform, Ayanasu strolled through the halls of the Torre Celeste, making his way to the conference room where the council’s little summit would take place. Soon enough he found the entrance to the first conference room and strode inside. Sharp green eyes swept over the gathered council and the other shinobi, his eyes lingering on the latter before he smirked.

“I’m here as the honored council requested.” Ayanasu drawled and took his seat, settling into it as if he owned it. He had considered toning down his usual mannerisms before he arrived, but what would be the point? His record was well known, as was his attitude. Hiding it would accomplish nothing more than making it obvious he was being duplicitous. Beyond that, when had he ever bowed to the fragile sensibilities of those below him?

Crossing his arms, Ayanasu tilted his head and blonde hair shadowed his gaze as he looked across the table to the council.

“The Santaru clan sends their regards, and wish to make it known that we are always available to serve the village in whatever capacity is required of us in this…” He paused for dramatic effect. “troubled time.”

“The council need only ask.”

 

[Keiji]

They all shifted in their seats and gave slight nods to the people that joined the meeting one by one and directed them to the seats opposite to the council sitting silently, maybe a few grumbles can be heard or a sigh of relief, but you're unsure which is giving what reaction to your presence specifically.

Momii Shinpei
Head of Public Broadcasting and Communications​

"Please, take a seat, your name should be on one of them. And if not, tough luck, you're standing!"
One of the more brash and younger of the group would utter to the new guests in a manner of different ways as they walked in and introduced themselves.

Yosenku Mishokuni
Head of Non-Shinobi Judicial​

"Greetings all of you, and welcome to our meeting of the minds. You were all invited here to find a new Raikage. Either among you, or someone else out there in among the Shinobi out there."

He paused and took a deep breath, and assessed the faces of his fellow councilors all looking at him as seemed to have taken charge of the meeting, even if he might have admitted beforehand it was the last he wanted to do. Yosenku was one of the straight faced and hard shelled personalities of the Council, only surpassed by Moto Shihi in looking serious all of the time, while also having the position for it .

sigh "Each of you are either current or past Jounin of the village. In the case of Shinrya Kitsune here, we wish to provide leniency and respect to her past experiences and positions, therefor allowing her to be a part of this meeting. You may question our judgment as much you like, but you cannot deny her past experiences makes her qualified to be here."

"With that out of the way, each of you are currently in the running for the village's next Kage. However we seem unable to properly establish a vote right out of the gates, as during the reign of our beloved Ayumu, we have been preoccupied or otherwise prevented to stay fully up to date on everything here."

Uehashi Yori
Non-Shinobi Education​

"Which basically means, we need your input, so first and foremost we wish to know, if you have any names, any individual serving above, below or next to you in your branch which you would reckon could be a solid contender for the position of Raikage?
And tell us if you, yourself proclaim you are of heart and mind, sturdy and beloved by the people enough to make or become our Raikage?"

"We have prepared with us a little tool, devised by some one of the Shinobi attached to our offices," As he continued talking, a Cloud ANBU stepped forth from the corner holding a leather pouch in his hands, stepped forth and placed the pouch on part of the meeting table, unwrapped it. And rolled it out where several tubes lay with pieces of paper within them. "Each individual proclaiming themselves a candidate and each named person in this room by either of you four must carry these parchments with you at all times for a week."

"Let me quickly explain what exactly these parchments do, If I may." Uehashi nodded to Momii giving him the opportunity.
"Right, so, each of these scrolls are imprinted with a unique 'surveillance' jutsu attached by some manner to several of my own radio instruments, basically, we're listening in to everything you do. And in some cases we may put a person to also check up on you during specific things. Once this whole thing is done, a new Raikage is found, you are free to burn the scrolls or do whatever with them. But my machinery is mine, it stays with me!" And with a slight hustle in his steps he quickly sat back down and began scribbling notes on a piece of paper.

"The reason we're doing it this way, as have previously been stated, we have been disconnected, and therefor cannot say for sure who are of the right mind and body for this position, and we instead went by rank and found a way to 'test' you and use the results of this test to make our votes and through this find a new Raikage for you honored Shinobi."

"This may seem like an elaborate plan or plot, but please understand where we are coming from, and what we ask of each of you. If you do not feel up for the task, do please take a scroll with you and pass it along to whoever you may name here to us so we can make sure they are treated on equal level as anyone else here.

So. Best of luck to you all, and I look forward to seeing you all when next we convene, where the next Raikage will be named."

Every time a scroll would be picked up, the Shinobi that delivered the leather pouch would be say a number and a letter, and Momii would scribble something down in his notes.

You are free to say your words and depart. Taking a scroll with you or not.
If you take one for yourself you must carry it with you for the duration of AT LEAST 2 Threads and/or Missions. In either combination you wish.
Please note in your opening post that you are carrying it, so as to make sure the content of the thread after your post is to be read through.
(also please link it to me in some way)
The people you name are automatically given a scroll, no need to RP giving to them, just link them to this thread in some way.

Once you have concluded your two threads/missions please wait for others to finish as well, then a new gathering may be held so a new Kage can be proclaimed. The important bit is that these threads must be concluded.
If too much time passes the next meeting may be called and opened for everyone to join.
Best of luck!

P.s. If you have questions for the IC council, feel free to ask here, in a reply and I will try and answer IC as best as possible.

 

[Seijin]

Behind the mask, Musashi momentarily blinked as the council folks began to talk and as he struggled to truly believe what he was hearing, he continued to provide a blank stare from behind the mask, wondering if this was all some sort of elaborate ruse to get a rile out of them. True, one could provide a number of reasons why any of them could be here, and with that thought in mind, Musashi began to wonder why none of the Sennin seemed to be present. Then too, for all the good that one could say about this Shinrya Kitsune, the fact of the matter still stood that the woman was still as known for standing around during the murder of Hayata Shin, and then there was the whole debacle surrounding Ayumu's ill timed "occurrence" and Kitsune's power play that obviously hadn't solidified much. Raising a hand, Musashi began to write with the other hand and finished out the three questions that he had before he circled them and slid them to the side.

~1) Where are the Sennin and why weren't they invited?

2) Hayata Shin and the popular vote.

3) Lady Shinrya aka Sketch McFetch.~

Swallowing before speaking up, Musashi addressed the elephant in the room head on. If the Council was going to be about the rule breaking business then things were going to be what they were going to be. "Normally my Gate Persona is a bit of a mute but I feel that now is as good as ever a time to speak up with my questions." Glancing back at the paper he took a deep breath and began speaking. "With all due respect to the Council, is there a particular reason that none of the Sennin are here? I ask because it seems pretty strange considering that nigh most every other Raikage that I've read about in recent memory was chosen from among the pool of Sennin and with a certainty the last two were. With the Sennin not present it just seems odd to be appointing their new boss without them being present to say anything about it. To which brings me to my second point, Hayata Shin per the records, changed the vote for Raikage to one based around popularity. Will that be the case here as well?" Pausing to allow those in the room to absorb his words, Musashi double tapped his red marker pen on his note pad before scribbling "Six in 6" on it and speaking once more.

"Are we also ignoring the fact that Lady Shinrya also has a pretty sketchy past with at least one former Raikage and is currently wanted by the ANBU for possibly being linked to our current lack of Raikage? That and her rather egregious move of falsely conducting business as if she were the Raikage clearly point to her inability to follow protocol and also show a lack of respect for the office of Raikage, the Sennin, you the Council and generally speaking, the people of Kumogakure as a whole. Once we walk out of this room, I and any other ANBU are obligated by law to arrest her on sight. To not do so would imply that she's receiving favorable rulings and indeed, a possible nod to Raikage due to her supposed royal title of Duchess. To which I'd also like to ask the honorable Council, and this is purely because it's my job to do so, were or are any of you being paid to overlook her past or her current present state as such? And, before you answer, I ask concerning more than the obvious legal tender that we use to buy ramen.

I'm speaking to tax breaks, land grants, seats at events, video game consoles for you children and, or, grand children, anything that even hints at the idea of barter. Isn't that Puck Man all the rage with the young children? Whatever the case, you asked me here because no doubt you've heard of my work, and you know that I'm thorough with the vetting process. Call me hard boiled but any candidate chosen will have be sold to the people of Kumogakure and even if the intricate details of Lady Shinrya's situation isn't public, if there's enough doubt, the people won't ever trust her which means that people will slack off of security detail which means that eventually we could be right back here looking for a new Raikage or we'll find ourselves monitoring an empty kingdom so to speak. So, what say you?" Content with his questions, Musashi leaned back in his chair a bit and waited for the answer that he expected and not necessarily the one that he thought that they all deserved. He didn't expect the Council to discredit Kitsune, nor did he expect Kitsune to just up and recuse herself from the running but if nothing else, Musashi wanted them address things openly and frankly so that they all could go forward a bit more informed. The very fact that Kitsune had been allowed to join this meeting meant that she had a fighting chance to become Raikage which, all things considered, meant that the position was probably in the bag for her anyway and that this was all a formality for the sake of being a formality.

OOC: Asking the Council, ICly, for some more answers before I decide.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune reached out and picked up one of the vials with a scroll, because of course she was going to be in the race. But then, the mute gate guard wrote things, and lastly he actually spoke. If not for the fact that Kitsune had seen more surprising things, she’d look genuinely surprised at that. First, he asked about the Sennin and Kitsune scratched her head ”Other than Kaji-kun, that time at the gates, thanks for that by the way, I haven’t seen either of the other two sennin in quite a while.” she said, leaving the floor open for the council to add to that.

She subsequently listened to Mutey McNotsomuteface ask about the popular vote that Shin had instated as well as breaking into a tirade regarding Kitsune, her actions, and her past. ”While it is true that Hayata-san instated those protocols, they were suspended when Akira Saito took the position of Raikage after taking care of the people directly responsible for the murder. I know one was beheaded. After I delivered first-hand witness testimony regarding the events in the room, thus also paving the way for this esteemed council to take the positions they hold today. As you likely very well know, Saito-san deemed my punishment to be a demotion from Sennin to be what I deserved, probably taking into consideration that I had not long since risen from the literal dead and more death might cause some pretty heavy trauma. I accepted that, and moved on, despite other peoples willingness to keep bringing that up.” she said, in a calm tone, folding her hands on the table in front of her.

”As for the rest of your words, I have no hand in the disappearance of my son-in-law, my daughter, or my grandson. I trust that wherever they went, they’re safe and together, though I do wish they’d left a note of some kind.” she said sighing ”As for my actions in doing paperwork and signing it as Interim Raikage, I figured it’d be better to keep things moving in the village, rather than letting everything grind to a screeching halt. As for your talk about arresting me on sight, wouldn’t that mean your entire branch is full of incompetents? I’d wager the order was put out after the events at the gates, and if that’s the case, there is such a long time where you could’ve picked me up. I’ve been to the hospital, my home, my nightclub, my import business’ offices, the Torre, and practically everywhere in between. Are you honestly saying that the elite force of the ANBU can’t pick up one easy to spot doctor?”

She shook her head and took a semi-deep breath ”And you dare question the validity of my Shogun-given noble title of Duchess? It was given, along with the territory of Tsushima-Liancourt, on the edges of the country, as a reward for saving the Shoguns life on two occasions. Once aboard a hijacked train where he was trapped by the Kingslayers. And then again in the city-state of Tenouza where I sacrificed my life to revitalize a room full of allied shinobi, including my now disappeared son-in-law, Hayata Shin himself, his holiness the Pope of the Church of Tenouza and Takaki Masao. I have been told that it took the Holy Grail of Tenouza, as well as six months to resurrect me. At that point I had been buried and how do you think it feels to wake up in a little black box in a graveyard, hm?”

Despite all these accusations, allegations, Kitsune maintained a calm and (somewhat) respectful tone, almost in line with her standing as Lightning Country nobility. She was a kunoichi first and foremost. She didn’t even entertain the notion that she’d have bribed the council as it was utterly laughable in the first place.

[OOC: Taking the scroll, not leaving just yet due to the discussion with Umashi.]

 

[Seijin]

There were written resume's and verbal ones and as Musashi framed his questions to the council, the ever willing to wear her title on her sleeve, Kitsune, impulsively answered for the council. Turning his face in such a manner as to give the woman the respect of being acknowledged, his mask may have been blank but his face wasn't far from what the mask portrayed in terms of noted emotion. Inhaling and exhaling rather calmly, as Kitsune continued to speak of her exploits, Musashi doodled an owl on his notepad and wrote under it, the letters O, V, and O again. Feeling mostly educated about Kitsune at about this point, there were a number of character flaws that he could pick out about her just by being in the same room as her for longer than her normal sixty-second act. One, she was impatient to a fault. Two, she wasn't in the least bit able to show an ounce of humility. Third of all, she genuinely considered doing typical shinobi things as wildly fantastical and exclusive only to her . . . or so it seemed.

Musashi wasn't sleeping with her so he couldn't pretend to know how she liked her breakfast in the morning but she probably was the domineering type that liked to control the bedroom tempo, not exactly a bad thing, but considering her mouth, it probably wasn't exactly the most pleasurable thing either. Continuing to listen on as she very much attempted to put him into his place, he'd continue to jot down notes about her words, committing them to memory and generally allowing her the proverbial microphone. He and his wife would certainly have a good laugh about all of this over a bottle of wine later. When she finally calmed down, the silence proved to be almost as deafening as he words had been. Had it been appropriate, Musashi would have gave her a standing ovation and requested her autograph . . . strictly for the record of course. If nothing else though, the woman would probably attempt to talk her way out of the very crypt itself. In fact, he'd probably need to ask an expert about that, because if she had that sort of power then it was probably worth exploring. For now, he'd go back to waiting for the council to address his concerns.

~Check to see if Jashin can be bargained with via talk-no-jutsu.~

OOC: Continuing to wait on the Council to address said questions from before.

 

[Kobayashi Hiroshi]

Time ticked away as the last person to enter the room made their appearance. At the end, there remained an empty seat within the room; one dedicated to the standing Sennin of the Ansatsu Butai - Okada Kaji. Hiroshi's eyes would begin to close, as he pictured the scenes that were to come to the future of Kumogakure as the members of the council spoke as to the reason each of the individuals had been summoned. They were the senior most members in the village? In the absence of the Raikage, had the three standing Sennin also disappeared? One of the others had similar questions as he, causing his eyes to open once again as question poured into the room. He looked down at the leather satchel that rested upon the table for the first time. The scrolls held within could likely spark a civil war, if they didn't tread lightly. As his mind raced at the enormity of the situation that he and the others within the room found themselves in, he continued to gaze at the contents, when he couldn't help but notice a hand slipping forward, claiming one of the cylinders from within. His eyes narrowed at the sight.

"Given the circumstances gifted to me by my family name, citing transgressions that happened generations ago," Hiroshi began, breaking his silence after the council had given them the extent of their reasoning behind calling them to the meeting that day. There had already been bickering between Shinrya and the man identified as an Anbu prior to the start of his sentiment. It was true, even if only in his mind, that it would be considered strange for a member of his family to be in attendance to witness the council's stated request firsthand. From the moment of his introduction to Aurora Eruditio thirteen years prior to the present date, each accomplishment that he achieved was smeared by those around him, citing a past that none around him could have experienced themselves. "I question the variability of the sentiment concerning Shinrya's qualifications," he said aloud, finishing his thoughts for the entire room to hear. He continued to look forward toward the council members within the room, his appearance that of a stoic man that had just sat in silence.

"None of my blood have woefully ignored the plight of a sitting Raikage," came his next words, as he coldly addressed the past of prior Sennin, Shinrya Kitsune, as it had been taught to the village children as a matter of history. Hiroshi himself was four years of age when the upheaval occurred; knowing nothing of the world of adults or the traditions of the shinobi, simply learning from the chaos that affected the village for several years afterwards. He remembered the woes of the elders of his clan as they scrambled to avoid said chaos at all costs, so they would not once again be blamed for the transgressions that had been placed in the light. "Least of all, none in my family have been gifted a position of high standing by one of the same conspirators that we observed afterwards, ultimately making us no better than an accomplice to the act," contempt could heard within his voice with no doubt as to its nature; it was a chord that he felt no need to hide in the confines of the conference room they had been invited to, despite it also being against his nature to do so.

"I suppose, when it's all said and done," his arms crossed against his chest, as his eyes filled with malcontent toward those who would be considered his superiors, regardless of their ties to the shinobi world. The coal-colored orbs moved to each of them before he completed his thoughts, ensuring that each were listening to what he had to say. "I question the wisdom of the council," he announced in defiance. "While I do not know of any current situation, as there appears to be a suspicion of," he continued, his head and eyes shifting slightly in the direction of the supposed Anbu that resided in their midst, before returning to his prior positioning to continue. "Her past cannot be abolished. It echoes through our history, in too recent a year to a be ignored, with too many of us experiencing the chaos that erupted from her actions," he proclaimed, touching upon his own experiences.

"If this is what the office would be reduced to, any would be eligible," he said aloud. From the prospective of a child, anyone being allowed to become the Raikage would be feasible. However, the members of the village within the room were not children. There was a course to the events and the wrong step could lead the village to a doom that it had narrowly avoided within Hiroshi's own lifetime. "The position would no longer be the symbol of reverence that began to return to it through the work of Akira Saito, and furthermost through the leadership of Kogami Ayumu," he concluded.

[MFT: 836]

 

[Keiji]

After first hearing Musashi speak, then Kitsune responding, and then Hiroshi adding further to it. The people in the room would be able to see a grim grimace appear on their faces, some look concerned at the others, some others look angrily around, another leans his arm on the table and holding his forehead, like he was having migraines, and another takes off his glasses and massages his nose bridge as if a migraine was invading his mind as well.

As the words kept coming, mumbles turned to grumbles and then nudges and whispering to avoid interrupting the speaker immediately. Clearly there had been some discussions prior to this meeting, and disagreements therein. Not all were in agreement.

Suigetsu Suiko
Water and Sewer​

One of them that had been excessively and specifically nudged, relented and sighed deeply, taking the attention directed towards herself.
The Sennin were invited here first, my good Musashi-san and Hiroshi-san. But their names are not on any of the chairs as they never arrived. You lot are the second and currently only option." A small vein could be seen visibly on her forehead as she finally added; "So no matter how you twist and turn it, we're stuck with each other as is.. We're just as displeased about this fact as you are about it, trust me.." Rather straight forward and perhaps insulting, depends on how one receives it. Point of the matter is that she was correct, and most of the others nodded in agreement, some audibly with a "hmpfh!" sound.

Yosenku Mishokuni
Head of Non-Shinobi Judicial​

The more straight laced and serious-faced gentleman spoke again after a small clearing of his throat. (must be some kind of sickness spreading?)
"And on the matter of Shinrya Kitsune and her presence here, while we entirely understand your concerns, as Mishokuni-san explained, we're at a low count on potential leaders and experienced Shinobi which also has the merit to back it up. Therefor you are all our current best bet."

As he continued he was rubbing his temples in frustration, like a migraine kept creeping up on him every now and then while speaking. "And as unfortunate as that is, Shinrya Kitsune, despite her history of infractions in different departments, while as serious as some are, her history and experience cannot be held against her, and realistically speaking we have to at least give an opportunity for someone with her abilities and prowess in the art of healing and research. These Electronic devices has proven very useful in the daily lives of the non-shinobi that inhabit this community. Given enough resources the potential implementations could help our society greatly."

Moto Shihi
Non-Shinobi Police​

A stone cold glare from Moto Shihi could be felt as it went from First Musashi, "You think we don't know about the controversies surrounding her?" His eyes slowly panned to everyone else in the room, "Our goals are first and foremost to keep this village functioning, even if the costs are great.." Then panning back and ending at Kitsune, staring directly at her eyes, with everything but his lips moving to speak directly at her. "But I won't deny it. I'm in absolute agreement with your fellow Shinobi here, you don't belong here. Your transgressions are much too dire, and much too serious to not ignore.." He paused for a few seconds to let his words rest in the air, then he relented and gave a sigh, placing his elbow on the table, and resting his face on his hand
"But I am in a minority, therefor only my words are what counts for anything, not my vote, which was already settled."

At this point, most of the other councilors shifted their eyes from Shihi to the guests in the room. Then Mishokuni spoke again, taking the attention from the words that was just uttered "As Shihi-san puts it, we've had lengthy discussions before you even entered here, and it took a long time to reach the conclusion that Kitsune-san indeed does belong here at this meeting. We're not a single unit, and we have our disagreements. Our votes prior to this was to indeed involved Kitsune-san, and give a chance to improve from our past." Most of the others nodded silently, and assessed the situation carefully with the Shinobi guests.

 

[Seijin]

"Atlas shrugged . . ."

As he received his answer, from multiple representatives of the Council no less, Musashi would nod with greater understanding of the why. While not agreeing with reasons why, he at least could respect them, for what they were worth. It was a small comfort to know that he wasn't the only one asking the tough questions, from the kid who also was on the Kage voting block to the other young man who was on the council. It made Musashi feel warm inside to know that there was at least some sort of contrary thought other than his own, but that was where the hardest part would come to play. Already having lived through the questions and the stares from those in the know, Musashi knew that when he'd brought his family to their new home that there would always be the thought in the backs of the minds of many of a possible coup.

Whether it was Ayumu himself, or even Kaji, the fact that Musashi had commanded so many across the entirety of the continent wasn't lost on them and usually men in Musashi's opinion didn't just give up power for the sake of giving it up. There was typically a long game, a con in the works. Once a "War Hawk" and forever a "War Dog", even the most loyal of friends could get trigger happy if there was the possibility of seeing their name in the bright and flashing lights. The fancy hat, the illustrious titles, Musashi had had those and in the end, they'd cost him more sleepless nights than they were worth at times. Did he really want to subject his family to such scrutiny again, could they survive it, would they like what they looked like when it was all said and done? No. Some things weren't worth the effort, and while he knew that the Council was honest in that the village did need this, their act of pardon said more than their words.

The greater the effort, the more the pressure would press down on him until it was too much to bear, and he wasn't about to allow himself to be crushed. He'd had his time in the sun, he'd danced the dance of a thousand dances. Why knowingly go up against seemingly insurmountable odds when he didn't have to? No. Like a child throwing a tantrum, a misguided drunk, or a egotistical leader, he refused to knowingly put himself or his family in the line of fire once again, at least in this way. No. They all deserved better but the hand that had been dealt had yet to be played. No. As he nodded at the concluding comments he scribbled one final note in his note pad before staring at it and beginning to pack up his things, flipping the pages closed from all of the various notes that he had taken.

~End of Line~

Moving to stand up, he'd give a respectful bow before assuming a soldier's stance and replying to the Council. By their own account they were disconnected, but equally so, they felt that this was the best way to choose a new Raikage. He'd allow them their dignity with that, and he'd not allow himself to stand in their way from choosing whomever they wanted for the position. "I'd like to thank the honorable Council for inviting me and giving me the ability to help choose the next Raikage in even this small way." Again giving a short bow, he picked up again when he at righted himself. "As much as I appreciate the honor, I will not be putting forth any other name nor will I be providing my own name for consideration to be the next Raikage. Respectfully, I think that this could have been handled a better way considering that, as has been stated, you all are disconnected but I will respect and look forward to your selection." Tightening his mask and his gear about him, Musashi nodded to his fellow participants and moved to exit the room. He'd let them think what they wanted to think. The adios, the adieu, the sayonara, and the khoda hafez given, Musashi would go back to his duty at the gates, back to his thoughts and literally back to his solace in silence.

OOC: Topic left unless stopped. Nothing taken and no name given.

 

[Kobayashi Hiroshi]

As Hiroshi listened to the explanations that trickled out of the mouths of the council members one after another, his thoughts drifted more toward the previous generations that towed his family name through the generations; there were only a few that were afforded the chance of reaching a point past the rank of Genin, with only one aside from himself that was able to achieve the rank of Jounin. From tales from within his family, it had little to do with the skills of those who had attempted to scale the structure of the world he found himself in at that moment, as they had not only invented, but worked to perfect the training regiments that he was forced to endure during his early years. What it ultimately had to deal with was the ancestor who shared much of his namesake. It was clear to him from his inner state, as chakra began to surge through him with an expressed desire to burst out of him in a course of destruction; he was angry. His eyes closed as he began to get the surge under control.

A sigh escaped from his lips as he heard the member of the Anbu force had began to gather his items, expressing his thoughts aloud. Though the sound that escaped from his lips was inaudible, the physical characteristics of what he had done were clear. "If you are already willing to go so far as to look past the transgressions that she has irrefutably committed," he began, his voice not shaking though his mind was still shaken. Hiroshi was forcing himself to speak in a tone that implied a display of respect toward the members of council before him. "Was there a point in holding this meeting?" the question that had been at the forefront of his mind slipped out despite his efforts in containing it. It was too late to continue the faux display. "I believe the council has already made their decision as to who they would like to succeed the Jūdaime," he continued. His typical look of boredom became apparent on his face, though in truth; it was a look of sadness from the events that were about to unfold within the village.

"The most that I will assist the council with, in this endeavor, is taking a scroll with me," he stated, bringing himself slowly to his feet before reaching his hand out to remove a scroll from the satchel that had been placed on the table previously. "This is only in the hopes that the council able to save face in this deception," he claimed, as he grasped the scroll he had just grabbed firmly. It seemed to be identical to the one that Shinrya had taken within moments of the council originally placing it on the table upon their explanation. "For the sake of the future of the village as a whole, you are able claim now that the decision was reached through the observations of more than a single individual," he stated, looking at the council in the eyes; one after another.

"Have a glorious day," he left with in seeming defiance, as he began to make his own exit - the scroll that he believed held no meaning within his tight grasp.

[Topic Left unless Stopped. Scroll taken.]
[MFT: 544]

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

After Kobayashi had left the room, Kitsune sighed ”He’s too young to understand, I guess.” she said, giving a light shrug. ”Lets see him give his life for the Raikage, get resurrected, and then be forced to make the same choice. Is what I’d have liked to say. But I won’t hold his youthful brashness against him.” she continued as she stood up. ”Regardless of peoples own feelings regarding punishment, I already served mine as was decided upon by Akira Saito himself. So! I will bring this scroll with me, and show that I only desire the best for this village, as my efforts so far - I hope - have shown.”

She got up from her chair and gave a light bow towards the council ”Oh, and, before I forget. Toyama-san, I have a proposal to make you, unrelated to all this, you might find interesting. I hope we can schedule a meeting, so I’ll have my assistant contact your office for the details.” she said, smiling. ”I figure with regards to brand new construction, you’re the exact right person to go to.” she added before turning to Momii Shinpei ”An interesting design, Momii-san. We have something kinda similar at the research department. It’s basically a radio with a unique identifier that can contact others of the same kind with their respective identifiers. Feel free to drop by and have a look, if you’d like.”

And with that, Kitsune had said what she wanted to say. She’d show them all just how dedicated to improving the village she was. Even if some of it could be done by virtue of being rich. There was also the alliance she had to save, which, if she could do so even before being official Raikage, would be quite the feather in her cap, so to speak.

[Topic left with the scroll]