Walking briskly through the castle, Shoko made her way back to the ramparts. She had instructed Yakoul and Ryuza to follow her, and await her command. From where she stood, she saw that the tailed beast was being engaged by her soldiers. The beast's arms had been cleaved off, it's lower body had been dragged into the Earth, and a combination of giant roots and tentacles had bound it. Shukaku roared in frustration as it's movements were sealed, the forest trees seemingly quaking in fear. It's mouth opened wide, and between it's sandy maw a red ball of chakra began to form, a bijudama. Such a technique had enough power to turn most of the castle she was standing upon to rubble. Yet Shoko was in no immediate danger, as the beast had aimed the attack downwards, intending to wipe out anyone and anything around it. Before the attack could be used however, Remi and the hornet queen's combined attack hit the beast head on, damaging him and causing the bijudama to erupt in the beast's face. Shukaku's body was a mess of falling sand at this point, yet as a tailed beast it would not die so easily. "Yakoul, stay here, Ryuza, come." The Empress spoke, before leaping from the ramparts. Her distant white form vanished into the trees, as she used the Body Flicker Technique to rapidly move towards the tailed beast. She quickly arrived, with Ryuza close behind her. Dark aura sprouted from Shoko, and formed into a lance that was driven into Shukaku. The lance did not harm the beast in any way, instead the one tails was shocked, it's massive body recoiling. The lance had pierced not it's body, but it's will. The oppressive chakra forced it into submission, turning it docile.

"How?...." Ryuza stood stunned, her wide eyes staring in disbelief. Shoko turned to her.

"You need not worry about that. Tell me Ryuza, what is it you wish to do?" The girl looked up at the Empress with a muddled face, the woman seemed to have a disdain for beating around the bush, as well as reading the mood of a situation.

"I am at your service, Empress." She said, mostly to herself. It had not been even an hour before she was trying to kill Shoko, yet now she felt the need to do whatever she could to serve her. The visions she had been shown were like a great wind blowing away the fog in her mind. The world was better off under the Empire's control, she knew that for certain.

"Very good, because I am going to seal this beast into you now." Shoko said, her hands already performing the handsigns for the sealing jutsu. Ryuza was prepped to voice her shock, but before she could Shoko had already formed the link between her and the tailed beast, and etched an Eight Trigram seal onto her stomach. Shukaku's entire form vanished as it was drawn into Ryuza's seal, causing her to pass out. Shoko caught the girl before she hit the ground, picking her up. She looked to everyone else that was here, everyone that had helped defeat the mercenary army and restrain Shukaku. "I am glad to see none of you were killed horribly, return to the castle, and await further orders."

~~~

"...Of course I get the fucking message." Nikuya let out an annoyed groan. According to the fatass beside her, there should have been a massive army at the front gates of the village, but there wasn't, which clearly meant this was a trap. She had been wary while coming towards the gate, if there was an entire army here she'd expect a bit more commotion in the village. "Alright, so just who are yo-... oh fuck me." She stammered as she saw the clone reveal it's self to be none other than the Hokage, Kenji Uchiha. Nikuya's hair flared upwards, and she prepared to defend herself, but then she felt someone grab her from behind. "What, when?" Her mind put the pieces together just before she was kicked towards the clone, she was never letting anyone she didn't trust lay their filthy hands on her again. Moving her hands, she activated a jutsu right before she was grabbed. The explosion hit her like a ton of bricks, causing her to bounce across the ground and out of the gate. There was a trail of water from where she was blown, and she lay on the ground soaking wet. She had activated a jutsu to soak herself in water, and then wrapped herself in her hair to buffer the explosion as much as she could. Even still, a streak of blood was staining her right arm, another scar to add to the collection. Slowly, not out of pain but disdain for this situation, Nikuya stood to her feet, avoiding eye contact with Kenji. "I've heard Uchiha take their grudges seriously, but I figured you above all that, Kenji." She chuckled to herself. "All right, all right, come and kill me then, just don't expect it to be easy, eh lava eyes?"

~~~

Natsumi's eyes were shut, and her ears focused. While she awaited the signal, she attempted to chill her nerves. She put on a confident face in front of her father and Kaede, but the truth was she was frightened. Not of battle, not of dying, but of having to kill. She had never killed anyone before, not even on any of the missions she had taken part in. She was a ninja, she was meant to be past such feelings, but she had never shaken them from her conscious.

"Pathetic child, groveling over such trite matters." A deep, soul gripping voice echoed in her mind. Natsumi's brow wrinkled.

"Kurama... It isn't such a light matter for me, I'm not a natural born killer like you are." Natsumi said. She was met with a disturbing mocking laugh.

"Not born to kill? Oh how wrong you are. You have the potential to kill, you've always had it, you simply refuse to use it." Kurama's voice faded from Natsumi's mind, leaving her as annoyed with him as she always was when he spoke.

A loud explosion went off, the signal. Natsumi opened her eyes, her Sharingan now active for the first time in six months. Her eyes took in every detail around her, a flock of birds scattered by the commotion flew above, and though they were but dots in the sky she could count each and every one of them, follow the flapping of each of their wings. "Kaede." She spoke, her usual saccharine voice now forcibly focused. "Let's go."

-

Not even a minute later Natsumi came across a squad of five empire ninja. On sight, one of them summoned a barrage of shuriken from a scroll, launching them towards her. Gripping her fans, the projectiles were deflected easily with a flourish, and she sent a blade of wind towards her attacker, catching him in the neck and sending him to the ground bleeding profusely. Her right eye twitched as her attack connected, she had just killed, and it was so easy. Perhaps Kurama was right. She charged forward and leaped above the squad. In the air, her body lit aflame as she used Righteous Immolation. She dive bombed into them, sharp tongues of flame slicing into the remaining men as she swung her fans. Her targets dropped to the ground, their bodies burning away. "This really is too easy... Has it always been this easy?" Natsumi mused, as another group of Empire ninja approached. More moths to the flame.

Ametsuchi, Kyōakuna – Chigetsu Kayō

Every moment that passed was almost agonizing, and yet she remained calm and hidden from sight within Konohagakure's walls, within the room she had been staying in since she'd arrived, something of an honored guest. The alliance between Konoha and her clan, the Ametsuchi, was still readily accepted in the minds of the village leaders. They were valuable allies and if they choose to involve themselves in the affairs of the rebel faction, they would be a considerable boost to their forces. With one hand on her hip and the other on the windowsill of her room, a finger tapping with slight impatience, the Ametsuchi stared out at the setting sun...waiting for the signal. She knew it would come during the beginning of the twilight hours, but she knew not when. It made her tense and excitable, anxious even, at the thought that it could begin at any moment and she could miss it. Hah...unlikely, she thought, a small smile gracing her soft, pleasant lips even as her red eyes gleamed slightly, the touch of silver in them revealing how gifted she was in the skills of her clan.

It was a seldom known trait, seen very rarely in inheritors of the Furihabai Ametsuchi Kekkei tota, a trait that promised incredible possibilities and astounded potential. She was lucky, one might say, to have been born with such a gift, but she --and those who knew her well-- would attest otherwise. She had earned her skill and power, it had not simply come naturally, but instead with many years of practice, and while she did have a natural aptitude for it this did not mean that she had not worked arduously for long, tiring, years to attain what she now held. Now, and somewhat then, she thought it had been worth it and she believed that she'd continue to think as such for many of the years that she lived.

Her eyes focusing as she noticed small flashes of movement in the shadows, she felt her smile return even as she turned from the window and exited her room, which was on the second floor, to walk down the hall and then the stairs. She needed out, it would soon begin, and she had every intention not to miss a moment of it.

Exiting the building, Akuna felt the fire growing in her heart with each passing moment as she casually strolled through the streets, her hands clasped behind her back to emphasize her apparent innocence to any imperials who might be lurking about. After all, while she was certainly a notable guest, not all the imperials knew who she was, or the significance of her presence in the village, in fact it was unlikely that any knew, with the exception of the heads of guard along with the top tier of imperial leadership in the area. In essence, she was safe, appearing to be just an oddly dressed attractive woman taking a casual stroll and during quiet and beautiful sunset. Her eyes wandering upwards to the painted sky and Akuna found herself savoring the smell of fresh air and the display that the sun was making in the last hours of the day, as if she might never get to experience such sights and smells for a long while. Chuckling at the thought, Akuna shook her head, her eyes closing briefly, before opening at the sound of something she surmised must be some ways from the village. "The imperial barracks..." she mused aloud, tilting her head and cocking it to the side so as to hear things better. With the action somewhat fruitless, she took in a deep breath and moulded her chakra gently, using an amount comparable to an E ranked technique to send tiny sound cancelling vibrations in a decently large area around herself. As she did this she finally managed to isolate the sounds she had been trying to listen to, after which point she began to amplify them as they hit her ear, allowing only her to hear them properly.

Movement, the sounds of running footsteps, heavy breathing, and a menagerie of other noises assaulted her eardrums before she lowered the amplification somewhat and listened again. Smiling she began to skip slightly, humming quietly to herself and decreasing the amplitude of the sounds once more...just in case.

A good thing too for not a moment later the sound, and light, of a fairly large explosion made its way to her, nearly deafening her, but still filling her with a certain elation as it did so. "About time too!" She said a bit loudly, catching the attention of an imperial guard who had already begun escorting some civilians. The man's eyes turned to her, a frown furrowing his brow, before recognition hit. "An Ametsuchi?! Akuna's smile could not have been more devious, or her eyes less fiery as the man's reaction stoked the of passion and tense bloodlust within her. "Yup, and a rebel too!" With that she vanished, handseals weaved even as the man drew his blade and weaved seals of his own. He turned, expecting an attack from behind, and rightly so as she appeared there, but not expecting her to block it with what initially seemed her bare hands, using her momentum to push the blade backwards over her shoulder before it blasted behind him, stabbing into the packed dirt of the ground.

The silver glow was in her eyes, and it frightened him, stopping him from reacting as her second hand slammed into his diaphragm, crippling him with pain and forcing him to fall right onto his ass as she stood over him. "Hehe, I bet you wish you hadn't noticed," she said, almost feeling bad for the man as she summoned a kunai to her hand, lifted him off the ground and stabbed it into his ribcage, and then lung. She didn't hesitate a moment, making sure to withdraw and then puncture the other lung as well before slitting his throat and assuring his demise. Let a medical nin try to save him, it'd be fruitless without exceptional skill, which she considered rare among their ilk.

Dropping the man and turning to look towards the barracks, Akuna promptly decided on her plan of attack. A smirk formed on her face as she let one of her legs slide back, her hands touch the ground as she bent the other, before she took in a deep breath, her chakra coursing through her entire body, and pushed off, accelerating from 0 to 80 miles per hour in no more than 3 seconds flat. While other shinobi were certainly fast, Akuna was likely faster, this not even being her top speed if she utilized another of her techniques. This of course would allow her to reach the barracks in a fairly short amount of time, though it was long enough for it, and the village, to erupt into conflict as the two forces clashed blade, fist, and mind alike all to come out alive and on top in the end.

Smiling as she rushed past a man using an iaido technique to split a soldier in twain, she decided to briefly help the shinobi by eliminating the second wave of reinforcements that was likely to come his way before they even got the idea. I mean, it wasn't really much trouble, most of the soldiers were hardly dangerous to her, and it was on the way to the barracks anyways. As such she sprung into action, aiming herself at the wall of a building and sending off vibrations to slow herself down and alter her trajectory so that she would be in a smooth turn as she hit the wall, blasting off of it almost before she even made contact.

The group of 9 guards, a group that was heading in the man's direction, though they didn't know it, would suddenly be intercepted by a flash of movement followed by what would end up being their demise. Her own senses heightened from her use of the Kyōjisei-tai no - Kaminari no keiro(共时性体の - 雷の経路 'Synchronicity of the body – Pathways of Lightning') technique, Akuna curled herself into a ball, flipping slightly and bending her knees as she moved out of that position, so as to slam into the side of a guard's leg, breaking it and pushing off simultaneously only to grab onto another imperial by the arm, her feet skidding back as she channeled vibrations through the man's body, rattling it terribly. The man collapsed as she let him go, standing up as she did so and then rushing for the next individual.

This man was slightly more prepared, but only so much so that he could slash twice with his katana only for her to flip clear over him, and slam her fist into his side in a sideways swipe-like punch before erupting into motion once more. The next man dodged her first assault, but did not expect the vibrational wake she left behind, figuring that her next target might be capable of circumventing her speed by reacting earlier than was normally necessary. As such, the man ended up stunned and disoriented, though he managed to create a stream of water to slow her approach as she came around.

Her mind intensely focused as the ninjutsu approached her, she considered the fact that this shinobi might have the lightning affinity and so projected wind forwards, freeing small amounts of the Konoyo no baishitsu from her body and producing a vibrational field in front of her from it, she parted the water with the material, like a blade through flesh, and then reconstituted the material on her right hand, skidding somewhat, spinning, kicking a kunai from the man's hand and then coming back with a now weaponized hand from below in an upwards slash, tearing his flesh and clothes in twain, forming four bloody rifts in the front of his abdomen. However, as she took care of him the other 6 activated varrying jutsu to counter her. One of them sent a blast of wind towards her, another a fireball to be amplified by said wind, whereas another had fired lightning preemptively when he'd seen her move through the water. The other three were rushing in, one wielding daggers, another a sheathed katana, and the last...his fists.

Ceasing her rushing tactics, Akuna weaved handseals at high speed and activated one of her jutsu even as she released the Konoyo no baishitsu from her body in a black and metallic silver cloud. "Yakeru yōna baishitsu(焼けるような媒質 'Scorching medium')," she stated as the black and silverish metal dust suddenly flared red, much like her eyes, and flashed out and forwards, regathering at high speed to intercept the oncoming attacks. The lightning found itself conducted through the metal particles until eventually it struck the ground uselessly, wherein the rest of the metal formed a massive arcing half dome-like wall to block the wind and the onslaught of fire that followed. In fact, rather then hinder her, the flames instead heated the metal even more before the jutsu finished and the dust retreated to Akuna who had already flashed back into movement, this time with a cloud of searing metal dust surrounding her along with the wake of vibrations that followed behind her.

As such the three melee combatants shied away somewhat, with the exclusion of the dagger wielder who appeared to focus in more, chakra building around her, glowing from the surface of her body. An eyebrow raising, Akuna headed for the taijutsu user, jumping into the air before releasing a blast of sound upwards and behind her. The user executed a spin kick in an attempt to catch her as she came down only to find that Akuna had rolled under the attack, grabbing the man's hip as she came up and throwing him off balance. He toppled over and in moments she had bent his leg past the point of no return and tore his muscles, before slamming her fist into the center of his chest over his heart and sending waves of heat through him.

The dagger user approached from behind, swiping at her once only to find that her blade was blocked, movement for movement, by the searing particles that Akuna controlled, before Akuna herself turned, swiping her hand through the air and speaking, the handseals already prepared, "Genso no seimitsu-ka(元素の精密化 'Refinement of the elements')," she called as a sword formed from the metal dust coalescing into a cohesive form, though a good amount of it remained unrestricted in form. She held the blade in reverse grip even as the dagger user jumped back and then slashed, sending a wave of wind and fire towards her. Smirking the kunoichi rushed right into the strike, coming out unscathed as the rest of the Konoyo no baishitsu covered the majority of her body, protecting her from the heat and absorbing it all at once. The dagger user's eyes widened before Akuna's katana slashed through them before coming backwards in a stabbing motion right through the woman's torso from the side under the arm, to the other side in the same place, impaling both lungs.

At this point there only remained four, and two of them began to flee, leaving their allies for dead whereas the other two stood back-to-back in an attempt to disallow her attacking their blind spots. An intelligent maneuver, she surmised, as she let the blade disperse into dust particles and extricate itself from her victim's body. Standing upright once more and walking calmly, and slowly, towards the two terrified shinobi, Akuna's red eyes caught the gleam of the moon, giving them an even more eerie glow, her face illuminated in the same way. There was a solemn and chilling hum emanating from her body that would send shivers through all who heard it, whether it frightened them or not. She was the Chigetsu Kayō(Bloodmoon song), and few who opposed her would escape the terror of her song and the glare of her fiery passion.

Seijuro Nandate

Well, Seijuro's plan to entice the Sage into a mutually beneficial partnership was successful. He truly had no place in tonight's rebellion but to observe and gather data. He had a few goals to achieve but altogether his strategy was built for long-term success and didn't need to rush things into action all in one night. Heihachi's acquaintanceship was more than enough of a victory for the time being. His information and skills were invaluable to his plans. The Jellyfish Sage was certainly a man that the Empress would fear and one that would be of great use to the snake. And so the chess game began.

"Now." Seijuro responded. "As you obviously know the rebellion is starting at sunset." The snake slithered back up the manhole he entered through and graced the streets of Konoha with his presence, gazing West to see the sun retreating beneath the horizon. He turned north to face the monument of past Hokage. He pulled a mask from beneath his shirt over his nose and mouth before turning to look back once the jellyfish had surfaced as well.

"I need to know all you know about the events unfolding as we speak. I've wasted too much time dilly-dallying with our meeting so give me the jist of the depth of your knowledge. I'll see if I can salvage a plan of action while we still can." Seijuro explained. He began advancing toward the Imperial barracks and motioned for Heihachi to follow. It was obviously the target of the rebellion.

Sangetsu Hozuki

The shark overlooked the village that had been his home for his entire life. Tonight his life would change whether it be for better or for worse. Broken memories drifted in and out of one another in the nostalgic theater of Sano's mind. He stared off toward the sun and watched it sink beneath the horizon. Taking a deep breath in and exhaling slowly he rose from his seat and strapped Samehada to his back. Let's teach these children the meaning of Chigiri no Sato tonight... He thought of his days as a young Shinobi where he was left for dead and won infamy only from his brutal natural talent and sheer skill. None of Kirigakure understood the old ways and their impact on history. Kirigakure could have been a superpower capable of holding the Empire at bay if Kirigakure stayed true to tradition over the years, at least according to the Hozuki. The younger villagers hear stories of Chigiri no Sato but none can truly comprehend the terror the name comes with to those who lived through it. Sano reveres the living relics of the old times such as himself as the only true veterans of the village and only those who remind him of these times earn his respect.

The mist began to fall upon the village as the sun departed for the evening. Standing tall atop the highest building in the village the shark formed a single hand seal. The mist immediately thickened as Sano poured his chakra out across the village in the form of the mist. Bird-Rat-Ox-Monkey-Rat-Snake The sky swelled up and shed its tears upon the village as Sano raised his hands to the world. Sano sensed all the rain touched within his cloud which while not spanning across the entire village was large enough to drift around high above him and mvoe with his movements. He dropped from the building and sprinted down its side to reach the ground in seconds.

Sano closed his eyes and calmly took in all of the village. A deep breath in and out while removing the bandages from Samehada. The blade shook with excitement as it read Sangetsu's intentions. Quickly latching onto its master Samehada fused with Sangetsu, the beast truly became a shark, cracking his spine, neck and fingers as his bloodlust overtook his senses. Within seconds the streets of Kirigakure became littered with shredded bodies. Most had no idea what was coming as the Imperial presences felt around were all slaughtered. With the mist blanketing the entire village all that could be seen was a massive crimson shadow from Sano's cloud which had been bloodied from the reflection of the red moon as it traveled toward the barracks of the Empire's soldiers. By the time the cloud loomed over the building, all remaining Imperial soldiers outside of it would be no more.

As Takeshi and Kotomi exited the barracks they would be directly under the bloody cloud and both ends of the revolt were tied up. The brother and sister's four minutes were ample time for the shark to sweep through the village in his enhanced form and ravage anyone unfortunate enough to affiliate or sympathize with the Empire. The fog outside of the barracks was the thickest in the village so much so that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. When Takeshi removed his mask and looked to the barracks a murderous presence would be felt directly behind him as the shark solidified from water.

"Not bad kid." Sano growled as he grinned menacingly with teeth painted with blood. The same could be said of his face and body which looked as if he had just got done slaughtering a herd of cattle with his bare hands. He hovered over Takeshi dauntingly, almost twice his height and at least three times as much mass as the son of the former Hokage. He placed a giant hand with black nails like daggers on the Yuki's shoulder. "Daddy would've been proud... wouldn't he?" Sano asked.

Hyakune su Jikankizami, Ra

The Empress' visions were like a storm raging through an otherwise peaceful land - promising death, destruction, and oppression. The sights and sounds felt familiar to a woman who had lived out the lives of many others in order to gain their secrets, but the aura of severity that coursed through these visions was something Ra herself had only felt on occasion. The sensations tried to assault her - bombarding her with information that it was assumed she could not begin to understand and process - but for a woman like Ra, the visions were not as dark as they should have been. As they passed over her, and she returned to the confines of reality, her face was unchanged - as were her emotions. She had seen the suffering of her brethren first hand as a child, and those who were weak had died. It brought back memories, not necessarily unpleasant ones, of her childhood struggles - of how she and the others born into her generation had had to live.

To the Hyakune, there was no greater crime than weakness. Their children were expected to steal their own bread to become strong, and the fates that befell the weak and unfortunate were almost horrific - but Ra had always been strong of mind, and she had passed the metaphorical ceremony easily. Her own brothers and sisters had not been so lucky, and she had been trained not to help them. Watching them die had, she supposed, given her a buffer against the recoil of horrifying thoughts and scenes - she had experienced all of her tragedy already, a little more was not going to perturb her. Even as a young child, she had found the suffering unnecessary, but she had also found that she did not care enough to actually help them. Empathy had never been strong in the Hyakune, and she was no exception to that rule.

During her teenage years, Ra had surmised that the world was better off under someone else's control - when left to themselves, humans wrought destruction and chaos upon themselves. They would tear themselves apart for the bread that another had, and wage wars for trivial reasons in order to better their own agenda or find some demented profit amidst the chaos that ensued. It was far better for those destructive urges to be quelled by the soothing control of another. It was the tyranny of thought and free will that brought them to the brink of destruction, that brought them to their hate-filled ways, and it was freedom from that tyranny that could bring them peace. Empress Shoko was one of the few with both the will and power to make that happen, and that had been what had caused Ra to join the Empire in the first place. Another had finally understood the cause of the suffering in the world.

Things were rarely as clear-cut as they seemed, however. There were people who were just, and kind, and proved that they could exist peacefully with their own free will... But those people were far and few between. If they understood the suffering that their brethren caused, the wars that had been started, the families that had been destroyed by the wanton nature of the human condition... They would have joined the movement to strip the unworthy of their basest desires. Surely, knowing what she knew, anyone would come to the same conclusion? Questions that did not have answers. They were for another place, for another time, as the world around her returned to reality and the forms of the people in the room became visible once again.

Shoko, Yakoul and Ryuza left fairly quickly to deal with the Shukaku, and Ra was left again with Namine. It was a familiar situation - but they had been interrupted before, and there was answers to questions that Namine had asked that needed to be said.

"She's right. When left to our own devices, we will allow the less virtuous things to creep into our minds and overtake us. You travelled the world for a time, didn't you? Is there really a spirit of peace and co-operation that binds the masses, that they might take it upon themselves to overthrow the corrupt ones that rule them? In all of my years, I have never seen it. I have seen only the innocent who suffer and can do nothing about it... The Empress has a sense of perspective that we lack - and this lack of perspective casts shadows of doubt upon our resolutions, staining them that they might falter. No matter the sides of this war, is it not the weakest among us who deserve the greatest protection? The Rebels fight for their liberty - for their right to exercise their power upon the world, to make their marks upon history... But they see only the glory of this war. They see liberation from an oppression that would seek to strip them of their glory... They do not see the families that they tear apart. They do not see the children they make orphans, or the elderly that they let starve to death with their needless crusade. I know that you are on the side of those who need the most help, sweet Namine, and there are no questions of where your loyalty lies... But the Empress' methods will be justified by peace. It will be our job to stop the needless suffering where we find it."

~Katsu and Windspeaker~

The sky hung in an almost sullen state, its normally rippling layers of colour faded to dusky greys and murky blues, beset by dark clouds as if the skies themselves were rebelling against the sunshine and the warmth and happiness that accompanied it. Windspeaker Touho visibly sighed as she lay on her back, floating above the tallest building in the village, gazing at the sky above her. The weather was not necessarily unpleasant, but it evoked memories of her early childhood in the Land of Frost, and the gloom that had accompanied those years seemed to flood back to her now, polluting her emotions like the clouds polluted the sky. It was an almost beautiful metaphor.

With practiced precision, she sat up, turning her somber gaze down onto the village to gaze upon what was happening. The people were not discontent, most of the time, and despite the fact that they were under the Empire's oppression it seemed that they - deep down - perhaps enjoyed the sense of purpose and normalcy. She did not blame them for searching for the scraps of happiness that they could find - as a teenager, she had scoffed at the same advice... But the old adages were true, and as one got older it was easier to see the wisdom behind the seemingly false statements that one heard when they were younger. It was Touho's job to spread that wisdom to others, now, but they would likely be as arrogant as she was in her younger years. It was likely the priestess that had taught her was arrogant when she was young too. It was a vicious cycle, but a necessary one, for if wisdom was not hard earned then it would not be worth anything at all.

She chose to break the isolation and sanctity of her brief reverie in the skies, touching down upon the ground with a grace that suggested she performed this type of activity on a regular basis, and surveyed her surroundings from a more true to life perspective. The village was surprisingly barren, seemingly moreso than she had gathered from the skies, and she was lucky to see two people. She'd made out the forms of two Jinchuuriki earlier from her vantage point, and had noted the death of one of the Empire's soldiers with a heavy heart. It would be easy to think that all of one's enemies were evil, but evil was a matter of perspective, and it was perhaps not his choice to serve the empire - perhaps it was a fate forced upon him if he wished to survive, much like what had happened to her people. She did not view the situation with pity, but she would not judge his actions harshly. That was Takeo's job. She admired his passion and tenacity, but he was quick to judge and slow to change. He was not fit to be the leader of people in times of peace, but there was a war brewing on the horizon. His guidance would be welcome in the future, harsh or not.

Turning around, Windspeaker Touho noticed the familiar form of one of the Uchiha in the village - her vantage point in the sky had given her enough time to study most of the ninja in the village intently enough to recognise them from a glance at their form, and Katsu was no exception to this rule. She did not bother to actually initiate a conversation, but she walked in his general direction, and would stop as she got next to him, solemnly gazing on their surroundings. It would be up to him to initiate a conversation if he so chose - in the stifling air of the village, Touho would not have felt comfortable breaking the strange aura by speaking first.

Katsu was walking down the street, looking right and left, observing everyone around him. A smile curled up on the boy's mouth. He locked his crimson eyes on the groups on the street, reading their mouths. There weren't many people on the streets; the few people were either heading home or standing on the side, leaning on the walls and talking.
A grim expression replaced the joyful smile on Katsu's face when he saw a little boy and an old man sitting next to one another. He was looking at them as he walked, almost cut off from the rest of the world.
"Are we going soon, Pa'?" Katsu read.
The man's back was turned so he couldn't make out what he said but it was understandable from the excited expression on the boy's face that he had gotten the answer he wanted. The boy opened his mouth and started speaking when a familiar figure appeared in front of Katsu. The boy flinched and stopped. He immediately remembered the chakra flow.

It was the rebellion's Yodai Touho. She was one of his seniors; one of the strongest ones he knew of, renown among the lower-ranking rebels as a master of taijutsu and ninjutsu, matched by few. He didn't know much about her. He'd heard her being called Windspeaker but could never figure out why. He'd always thought it was because she was a skilled Fūton user but there were many people like that. The moment he recognized her chakra, all he could think of was senior.

"H-Hello, ma'am," he spat out, his body stiffening and straightening up. The sharingan faded and his eyes turned to their original bright blue color.

"Fuujin's blessings, Katsu." She replied with a solemn bow, turning her gaze towards him. While normally it might have been kind, or perhaps stern depending on who she was speaking to, it was simply ashen and solemn on this day - perhaps as a reflection of the grim weather and the nigh-deserted state of the village. She bowed as she spoke, hands clasped together as if to pray, before returning to her rigid upright position.

"Have you noticed the haze hanging over the village? It feels as if even moving is swimming through a swamp, heavy and slow, despite there being nothing to impede us... Or perhaps I am old and worry too much about the future." She added, letting out a small chuckle at the end of her sentence - but it did not sound like her heart was in it. Like the metaphor she'd described, her speech was heavy and slow, almost sullen. It was difficult to speak in a cheerful tone when she simply felt so bleak and hopeless. Perhaps after some rest she would feel better, or perhaps some hot food... Or perhaps she needed to be indoors, surrounded by warm candlelight and hot food. Some time to pray alone, or perhaps meditate. She simply needed something to take her mind off of the bleakness that had gripped the village.

Katsu kept his pose, watching her as she bowed and spoke. He awkwardly mimicked her movements, keeping his eyes on hers. The boy straightened up again, searching his vocabulary for the word fuujin.

After he listened to what she said, what the jōnin had said to him echoed in his head. He shook the thought away and looked up at the woman. He had an innocent smile on his face as he spoke.
"I'm sure everything's alright, ma'am," he said. "It looks like tonight's calm."

"It is the times of the most serene calm that are the most worrying, young one. Still, I am sure that you are correct. There should be little cause to worry." Touho replied, allowing the corners of her mouth to lift up a little into a small smile. The childlike innocence was almost refreshing, in a way. It reminded her of her younger days, before she had begun to doubt and lost her way... Before she had found Fuujin. The Wind God had been kind to her, he had lifted her far above the life that she had been destined to live, and for that there was nothing but eternal gratitude. Hopefully, he would live as blessed a life as she had.

"It does seem like the Wind God sleeps tonight. Perhaps that is something to take comfort in, or perhaps it is something that we should be wary of. Unfortunately, I do not have nearly as many answers as I do questions." She added, giving a slight breathy chuckle again.

"If you are interested, I would be happy to pay for a meal for you. In times like these, a hot meal can be soothing for the soul." the Windspeaker added, pointing to a nearby Ramen shop. She had always been known to give what she had to those less fortunate than herself, and it seemed that Katsu was the recipient of her generosity today.

The boy smiled upon hearing the woman offer him food. He knew that she was known as a kind person and he'd already witnessed more acts like this from her before but it was still rare to hear an offer like this from anyone.

Katsu was about to say that he had already eaten when his stomach rumbled. His face turned red and he laughed lightly.
"I... er..." He remembered that that was the first meal he had had in the last few days since he'd just returned from a mission. "I... I'd like that," he decided. "Though... I don't have any money left. I used everything I had earned from my last mission." He had a shameful and pitiful look on his face as he spoke.

"I would be happy to buy some food for you. Money is of little object to me." Windspeaker Touho replied, before taking a slight step to her right and heading in the direction of Ichikaru Ramen, inviting Katsu to follow her as she did so. She would remain silent for the duration of the walk unless she was spoken to, and as soon as they got to the store and entered in, she sat at a modest table for two before handing a menu to Katsu and offering him the choice of anything that he wanted to eat.

Touho herself ordered a modest dish of noodles and broth with pan-seared chicken as a topping, and paid immediately for the two to eat. She remained as solemn and pensive as she had been before while she waited for the food to arrive, but she would speak back if spoken to. With the Rebellion's planned attack on Konoha in the evening, she had been rather preoccupied thinking about it - what the consequences of it happening and her participation in it were - which innocent people would have to die in order to free themselves from the yoke of the Empire's reign. The thoughts were heavy, and their weight was almost palpable around her.

The boy smiled. "Thank you," he said warmly. He followed her as she walked towards Ichiraku's Ramen. Once she sat down, he mimicked her, sitting across her, his legs crossed. He looked back up to the woman again, waiting for her to give her order.

Katsu mouthed to Ichikaru once she had, "The same." The kind old man smiled and went to prepare their food.
"Um... Miss Touho," he started speaking after a short awkward silence. "I've always wondered... Why are you called Windspeaker?"

"The Windspeakers are the Warrior-Priests of Fuujin, the Wind God. In Shimogakure, I was Kage and Windspeaker both, but now that Shimogakure is under the control of the Empire, I am only Windspeaker." She replied, smiling a little as she did so. She was not one to evangelise, for those who found their way to worship of Fuujin of their own accord made for more devout followers, and she would avoid attempting to sway anyone towards her religion. Still, it pleased her that Katsu was at least curious about her title and its heritage.

"Devotion to Fuujin is... Not for everybody. The path of the Windspeaker is fraught with difficulty and sacrifice... But there are those of us that are willing to give everything for a truly noble cause. Not all people are so kind." She added, her face resuming its sombre look. There was nothing much more to say on the subject of her own accord without it sounding like she was preaching, but she would answer Katsu's questions as appropriate.

Katsu kept his eyes on hers as he listened to her. After having listened to her, he raised his head and looked up, thinking. "Fuujin..." He remembered the technique he'd copied off his old master during a mission. He smiled and looked back at her.

Kotomi Yuki exhaled, her cold breath visible in a large puff of white. She watched it, her eyes glazing over as they realized they couldn't watch the puff forever as it vanished. She had a bad habit of daydreaming, her mind wandered and her thoughts drifted in a pitch black tank of water. If someone asked her what she was thinking about, she'd always give an odd answer like "Everything and nothing." She let out another breath, but this one was warm and did not leave an enchanting puff of white to distract her eyes. It was the fault of her ninjutsu, the remains of which stayed with her for a while. Utilizing her breath she froze anything in her path, before shattering things unsavory. Her mother joked that were it not for her deathly glare, people may refer to her as an ice queen. Kotomi called her mother a pot, and told her not to tell jokes to a kettle.

Kotomi stopped walking, halfway because she had just remembered that she was even walking in the first place without paying attention, and halfway because her brother had also stopped walking. "What is it?" She asked, though at that moment she got her answer. The familiar imposing aura of Sangetsu covered her senses, and the sound of pooling water hit her ears. "Oh, it's you..." She stated, sounding almost disappointed. It wasn't that she hated Sangetsu, but it wasn't exactly exciting to see him either. She walked past the two of them, hearing the shark like man make mention of her father. Why did he have to go and do that? Her feet slowed down, until her pace was only dragging the bottom of her sandals across the ground. She eventually stopped, and let herself lean backwards and sit down. The ground was cold, but she was used to the ground. What she wasn't used to were the tears soaking her face. Her father shouldn't be dead, it was a fact that irritated her to no end. Any other ninja could go ahead and die a noble death, but not her father, not the man she looked up to for so long. From her right pocket, she produced a miniature sculpture. To the untrained eye, it appeared to be torch blown glass, however it was made out of melt resistant ice. The ice was formed into the shape of an animal she adored, the arctic fox. It was a birthday gift from her father, Shinji Yuki. The ice had to be maintained via her Kekkei Genkai every now and then otherwise it'd melt. She figured her father was challenging her, and joked that he'd die before she ever let it melt. What a stupid thing to say.

Her free hand balled up in frustration, and she banged it against the ground. "Eh?" Her anger was replaced with confusing as her fist collided with something not quite as hard as the ground. Turning her head, she saw that it was partial frozen corpse of a man. "Sorry about that..." She said, pocketing the ice fox and getting to her feet. Taking a closer look at the body, she saw that he had the same armband that messengers of the Empire had. He had some bad luck to be caught out between deliveries. Kotomi's head titled as she saw a parcel on him. Taking it, she opened it to find a letter inside. Her eyes scrolled like a typewriter as she read it's contents. "W-what?" Kotomi nearly dropped the paper from her hands, She found it odd that a mere letter was sent by messenger, instead of by carrier bird. This letter was...

"A peace treaty?"

Coming to a slow and unwilling halt, Takeshi heard the disgusting form of Sangetsu Hozuki take form behind him. It may have been the scent of blood and murder so boldly spread across his large form, or the fact that whenever he happened to come around there was a revolting stench like no other, but Takeshi was all too used to his filth when he had come around. His praise meant little to nothing, and it was not a secret that the son of the Fifth Mizukage had despised this relic of a cruel and horrific past that this village was working to remove for the last few decades. The outdated opinions of a man with no purpose other than senseless murder were quite useless, and when a hand was laid on his shoulder Takeshi almost wanted to see it sliced off. People like Sangetsu Hozuki didn’t belong in the world as it was anymore, but if he should do anything decent with his cruelness in his life it would see the Empress and her occupation completely destroyed.

“We’re not friends …don’t lay a hand on me again.” Takeshi warned, shrugging his shoulder and taking another step forward. Why his father allowed that animal to even hold a title he’d never understand. Looking back towards him drenched in blood and without any remorse on his face, Takeshi saw that there was no future for this man any longer. Only by murder could he feel anything, and no matter how much he begged for it the ‘old days’ would never return for him. As much as he hoped the Hidden Mist technique could erase him entirely, it seemed he’d need to count on the Empress to deal with someone like him before this all ended. A humbling was in order, one his father never bothered to give him personally. “I surrendered the command of the rebellion in Kiri and you had taken it, only to casually come here knowing that we wouldn’t fail. Return to them, give them orders necessary to ensure the safety of our village.”

Hating the history of his home, it was understandable that Takeshi have a deep loathing for everything Sangetsu stood for. The blood on his hands was likely larger than the span of this entire village, and he’d never make friends with someone who enjoyed a massacre like this. Returning his gaze elsewhere, Kotomi had been equally unimpressed with Sangetsu’s return and hadn’t bothered to acknowledge him much more. In the end he led the forces here, which meant Takeshi and Kotomi would be little more than consultants. Should Sangetsu ever fail in protecting the Mist and jeopardizing what the 4th and 5th Mizukage stood for, he’d find that this village had grown ill of anything referencing the bloody era of the past, and would lose support he might’ve still had from many of his peers. Kotomi was reading something closely, and by the time he joined at her side again she had blurted out what exactly she had obtained: A peace treaty.

Takeshi’s surprise wasn’t as grand as his sisters; the ‘treaty’ could’ve been a ploy of some kind but other than that possibility she had taken much too long to bring about a ‘treaty’. The Empress’ call for peace was a laugh without being funny. To rob four of five villages of their leaders and slay thousands of people who wanted to live life without her looming over them only to ask for peace knowing that this wasn’t going to be over anytime soon? The Empress restored too much hatred into the world for it to be stamped out with words on a sheet of paper, and had effectively set back all that his father had tried to accomplish until his death. This wouldn’t be settled so easily, not by a long shot.

“Too late.” Takeshi muttered, standing back up from his leaning. “She had her chance a long time ago to stop her madness. There’s too much to answer for …and I’m beyond words.”
-

The battle for Konoha’s individual freedom had raged on with countless men and women fighting for the sake of control over their own destiny. As far as Kaede could see, multiple soldiers of the Empire were getting cut down with minimal effort by the rebellious forces. Her Byakugan had read many actions all at once, but with her seal placed onto many of them she could also feel what they had gone through. A severe burn to the leg of one, narrowly avoiding getting burned to a crisp by fire ninjutsu. A painful pair of kunai striking the arms of another comrade just thirty feet beside her. Her group had been spared combat for the moment, but it wasn’t long until Natsumi had met with her own set of enemies and had broken off to engage them. One by one many had peeled off to engage in their own battles, all that remained of her escort combat wise was Dren of the Hyuga clan and Takeo himself.

Expertly maintaining focus on her surroundings as well as channeling her strength upon the seals placed on her comrades, they would all find immediate relief to the wounds they had sustained, as well as the chakra they had expended. Tissue was being repaired almost as fast as it was torn, burns were being soothed, and for ninjutsu users they would find that their chakra wasn’t wearing thin anytime soon. Being a living, breathing battery to power the forces that backed her rendered Kaede a highly valued target in any battle, but the Hokage had been fully aware of that, as was Takeo. So she was forced to keep hidden for months, all for this moment.

“Kaede, stay close to Natsumi, keep each other safe!” Takeo urged the Angel of the Leaf, having yet to draw his blade.

“Wait, what will you do?” Kaede asked.

“I’m going for the heart of this fight, we’ll meet again shortly!” Takeo had seemed to vanish with how much quickly he picked up speed. Before Kaede could say much more, Konoha’s Red Crosswind had took off ahead into the thickest of the enemy in a reckless charge few could perform.

‘Good Luck.’ Kaede had established a connection with Takeo prior, allowing her to keep track of his current health and position. He was moving farther ahead into the thick of it, but trusted that they’d see each other shortly. Coming to a stop on the strong limb of a free above Natsumi, Kaede looked to Dren Hyuga who was the one remaining to help back her up. Although the others as part of her escort were nearby, he was the only one within close earshot by now. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay. Just help the others!” so long as no one could identify her as the one who fueled a sizable amount of this attack, she shouldn’t be focused nearly as much as she would were they to know. There was a lot of blood and brutality surrounding her, and though she knew things would come to this some time ago she hoped it wouldn’t be dragged out.

Focusing all her efforts on maintaining the link she shared with many of her comrades, Kaede would maintain the fighting strength of her allies. Clasping her hands together, a visible aura of chakra surrounded her, taking an increased effort to numb any pain as minor and moderate wounds would close and cool. The technique that Natsumi herself used was quickly refunded due to the close proximity they shared, and although Kaede didn’t expect her to move so quickly with killing, she was thankful that at least she ended things quickly.

-

“Wh-what the hell’s with this freak!?”

“He’s not human!”

Multiple soldiers who once stood their ground against Yukio were now second-guessing their chances against the rebellion’s offensive. One by one this beast had carved up their comrades and showed no signs of stopping, the blood he had accumulated coating his body. With that level of glee from such a situation, it seemed hopeless to go against such a powerful warrior. Thankfully there were those among the battlefield everywhere who had chosen to remain strong for those younger and much less vulnerable to the realities of conflict. Not all men and women were fearless and this was understandable in the face of people like this, but no matter how dire it looked each and every one of them had a duty. They were entrusted with maintaining watch over the Land of Fire, to maintain the peace, and the rebels now threatened to resume the war that had ceased half a year ago.

“Stand your ground, we’ll keep fighting as long as we have to. The Empress is counting on us!” Spoke a gruff, bearded man who looked well into his early forties. Dressed in light armor but no doubt a leader-type, he stared Yukio into the face knowing that it could mean his death. That menace could carve him up in the blink of an eye, but even so …he wouldn’t cower. He couldn’t.

Earth Release: Earth Flow River!

Performing the Tiger handseal, the ‘leader’ of the branch of soldiers that tried to contain Yukio had performed a jutsu that would appear below him and attempt to throw him off balance, making his reckless charge costly for him. It appeared his efforts had inspired some of the men and women by his side, as they had joined together to help put Yukio down.

Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!
Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!

Utilizing the mud used to push Yukio back regardless of its effectiveness, the head of a dragon had appeared and released fast balls of mud towards him. Combined with the aid of another’s Fire Release technique, the balls of mud were much more deadly with fire surrounding them. Through it all, they’d continue when all appeared lost.

-

Colliding against the ground with a sore jaw, one of the Empress’ soldiers rubbed it, unsatisfied with how things were going with this girl and her shadow clones. He didn’t know anything about a ‘clan’ that was wiped out, but he did know that he’d pay her back for that blow she dealt him. Karela was in his sights, and in spite of how reckless it was he had gotten to his feet and reached into the small pack around his waist, retrieving two sets of kunai. The soldier gripped them tightly and grinned proudly, what he lacked in technique he made up for in guts.

“Hey, BITCH! EAT THIS!” Throwing both kunai towards the general area of Karela and her clones without jeopardizing the allies that were still alive, the kunai would come in contact with the ground below her and explode thanks to the explosive tags he had done his best to conceal until release. If lucky, the damage might've forced some of her clones to disappear. He had no way to tell which one was real, but if he could manage to even destroy one of her clones it improved the chances of his comrades at least a little.

-

Although the forces of the Empire were holding, there was no mistaking that it was only a matter of time until the rebels had decided things. Kenta Akimichi would be a fool to say he didn’t see this coming, and his only mistake was not telling Nikuya of the possibilities sooner. There was once a time where he rebelled against the Empress, but there was a single soul that had convinced him that while her ways were regrettably violent, it was only due to the fact that none had given her means of handling the state of the world in a different fashion. So on that day, the day where the combined might of Kirigakure and Konohagakure went against the Empress, Kenta had defected from the people he once called his allies. His family would know him as a traitor, the decision he made that day still choked him up. He’d have liked to see things differently, at least show his former friends that what the Empress was doing was a result of how the world really was. The Empress’ Hand had shown him a lot of possibilities and even spared his life, something he was eternally grateful for. Clutching a scroll in hand detailing the peace treaty offered, he turned towards the door of the center-most building surrounding the area and departed to join the men fighting and dying to see this world united.

He might perish today, as would all of those who had worked together with him to forge a brighter future for their families and children, but he couldn’t let himself die for nothing. It would have to count …if only they would lend him their ears.

Remi watched the Beast Ball explode in Shukaku's mouth in awe. She knew her mother was strong, but that display of strength, of the Queen's strength...

Then the Empress came from the brush and broke its will so easily. It was amazing.

"Little One, follow the Empress and protect her ideas with your life." Neferti spoke to her in their native tongue. "Freedom through order. You must break a bone to make them stinger. It is like the Hive." she looks at the girl whom looked up at her in confusion. "Listen carefully, ok?" Remi nodded.

"The Hive is at peace because everyone knows their job, and understands that we will fall should those jobs suffer. They cannot change jobs, they are not allowed that freedom. But see, they are allowed to come and go as they please. They are allowed to fill in should another die. And we protect everyone else in the Hive. They answer to me and my whims, and I to the Sage. But I also understand that I have a job too. And that is to make sure everyone is taken care of, fed, and content. If there are internal disputes, I decide whom is right and whom is wrong in a fair hearing." the Queen paused and Remi nodded. She remembered how the Hive worked.

"Your Empress seems to have a similar concept, and I must say that I agree. Your Empress shares similar values. Break the Rebels and the civilians will be controlled. Control them, eliminate their need for ambition and devote their pride towards work. And you will help bring peace through subjugation." Remi rubs the back of her head.

"I don't know if I...can, Mother..."

"You are strong enough. And your conviction to your Empress and her ideas must be as unshakable as they are to mine." Remi opens her mouth to speak when a stray hornet passes by their area.

"A Konaha No Bachi? Mother?"

"Hm...call it to you and take it to your Empress. This is odd and unsettling, these never stray far from Konohagakure." Remi nodded and ran to catch the hornet. She managed to catch it in her hands and flinched a bit at the subsequent series of stings. Her body adapted to the pheromone signals the little insect was releasing to signal for help. Her eyes become like those of an hornet as she calmed it down. She laid the insect on her neck, beneath the loose scarf to protect it on the journey to the Empress. The Queen disappeared after reminding the hornet approved human of her motherly love. Remi replied that she loved her too before she took off to report to the Empress.

Ryozan smirked at the Imperials' first futile attempt to pierce his armor. The fools had decided to attack en mass, which only made things easier. Swords, kunai, and knives all glanced off of his icy armor, and they soon learned that his technique was far stronger than normal ice. One swing of Ryozan's arm resulted in a slit throat, and a kick tore open another soldier's stomach, then while cloaked in his Kekkei Genkai he drew his sword and the blood truly began to flow. Normally, a swordsman would be limited only to attacks that would allow him to maintain a defense, but in this form he was relieved of such limitations. He could fight like a Berserker without worrying about sustaining damage from the ferocious style. His enemies' attacks landed, but they did nothing; his attacks landed as well, and every one of them decorated the air with a crimson streak. If the soldiers wanted a battle of attrition, their probability of winning was zero.

However, Ryozan heard an ominous hiss in the nick of time. Explosive tags... now they were getting the right idea. Unfortunately, they were employing it in such a dimwitted way that neutralizing their plans would be but a simple matter. A few soldiers at used the opening their comrades gave them to stick three explosive tags on Ryozan's armor. A good effort, but irrelevant. "Mō Fubuki no Jutsu!" Ryozan rapidly formed a few seals, and a glacial wind suddenly erupted around him. The frigid temperature extinguished the explosive tags, the wind ripped them from off of his body, and the shards of ice tore them to tatters. Needless to say, the soldiers that had just attempted a close range attack fared only marginally better than the tags. After the winds subsided, a couple dozen corpses littered the ground, and Ryozan stood amidst it all, dripping with the blood of his enemies.

There was one soldier who had survived that attack, however, and Ryozan recognized that face. It was the very man he had rescued not long ago, the same man who gave him the scroll that was still resting in his pocket. The man's eyes were wide with terror; clearly he didn't recognize the shinobi that was slaughtering his men. Why should he? There was no Imperial sympathizer here; all he saw was a blood-soaked frozen blade, Tōketsuha. Perhaps Ryozan could spur his memory in his last hours. He released a small portion of his armor, just enough to let him remove the scroll from his pocket and hold it out before the terrified soldier. That did the trick, now it was all coming back to him. The Imperial immediately began pleading with Ryozan, appealing to both pity and reason, but the time when that would have worked had passed. "I'm ready to submit my decision," Ryozan said as he tossed the scroll into the air. Then, as it fell, he raised his sword and stabbed through the scroll, and directly into the Imperial's chest. The look on the recruiter's face as he died was pitiful.

That matter settled, Ryozan removed his blade from the officer's chest and sheathed it, ready to decimate the next wave of troops he encountered on his forward march.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay. Just help the others!”

Dren shook his head. I"m sorry Lady Kaede, but I won't leave you. I screwed up big time last time when they attacked the village because I wasn't here. I failed my village, my clan and myself. Right now, your life is much more important than mine and by now at least a few of them must have noticed you and may already be on their way. As a member of the Hyuga clan, it's my duty to protect you."

Dren continued monitoring the surrounding area with his Byakugan, making sure that if anyone did approach, he would be able to spot them and warn Lady Kaede in time.

“Hey, BITCH! EAT THIS!”

Karela had just managed to finish off another two solders but she was in a bit of trouble already. A spear had slammed into her right arm a short time earlier, rendering it nearly useless. Her left hand was gripping a handful of Kunai knives. She looked up sharply and one of her three remaining shadow clones jumped up in the air and slammed into the solder who had thrown the kunai at her.

The kunai slammed into the ground and her eyes widened as she saw exploding tags attached to the kunai knives. The exploding tags detonated a moment later in a large explosion that sent her flying through the air.

She landed on the ground in a heap.

She tried to get back to her feet only to see that her legs were blackened and burned by the explosion. Her arms were covered in burns as was a good portion of her face. She looked up at one of the few remaining solders with a hate filled glare. "Go ahead. Kill me. Make the Yatoma clan extinct.

The solders grinned and began surrounding her.

Yuganori, Kinuko

Shafts of pale light crept along the cold floor like a pool of frigid candlelight, illuminating everything in a soft white glow as silent footsteps coursed across it, seemingly unwilling (or perhaps unable) to break the serenity of the moment. Slight gusts of chilly air rushed through the pockets of brief incandescence, accompanied by the dying crunches of fallen leaves, splitting into infinitesimally small fragments before joining the bleak nothingness of the light surrounding them. It was part of the cycle of nature, that that which died might give way to new life, and just as this small act was the completion of a cycle, so were the actions of the one who had ended but a single facet of the cycle of nature.

The tight embrace of the forest and its cyclical nature did not allow the wickedness of mortals to pervade it. More footsteps completed more cycles, each time bringing another cycle closer to its eventual end and rebirth, and before long the previously contained pools of light spilled forth into the open grasses, illuminating the field before the village of Konohagakure in a still, radiant light. For all of the radiance of the light, it too was tainted by the actions of men. The light spilled forth unto what was quickly becoming a raging inferno of a battle, a great beast with a thunderous heartbeat pounding through the ground, each pulse of its fiery blood surging through its veins like the drums of a great hunt, out to kill and maim and turn everything it touched into ashes.

Another cycle, perhaps.

Perhaps not.

There were cycles whose times had come, cycles that needed to be reset to preserve the grand design that the world had taken upon itself to create, but it seemed to the woman standing before the fields of battle that this was one such cycle whose time had come prematurely. To one of a small perspective, the change would have been significant, but not disastrous - it could be reversed, or remedied, or a new cycle could be instated. To one possessed of a greater perspective, it was the opposite - catastrophic. There were greater cycles that demanded an appropriate time to close in order to allow more important things to happen, and for each of its constituent cycles that failed to take their proper course, its proper course was delayed. With enough delays, it could be thrown from balance, and with it the entire balance of the world. There were those, blessed with a great understanding of the world's design, that understood the havoc so much as a single errant word could cause - people who would maintain the balance. Intentions were meaningless before the needs of the grand design, however, and those who sought to work against a cycle could bring it to its natural end, and those who sought to preserve them could break their fragile frames with misguided actions. Kinuko was careful enough to intervene only when necessary, to minimise the risks, but even she could not prevent every errant word that sung through the fabric of the cosmos.

Each victim felled in the battle unfolding before her was another victim of the great beast of war, each life extinguished a cycle ended. Some of those cycles were long since due to end, and some had many years left before it was time, but saddest of all were those which had ended at precisely the correct time. Kinuko saw not sadness in that, but beauty, and in the cycles that should have long since persevered she saw a great sadness, a void in which no truth or beauty could exist. It was her place to intervene, but such things must be performed delicately so as to disturb as few of the natural processes as she could. So, on the outskirts of battle, she waited for the great beast to rear its head and rush towards her, drawing her into the deadly dance of war. It was a dance that she knew well, and it was one that she loathed. After all, those who were following the paths set out before them would die before they had trodden their final steps if their paths crossed with hers.

It was a haunting thought, that balance could only be preserved by breaking the tenets one sought to protect, but the preservation of the grand design took precedence over all things - even the tenets designed to protect it.

Sano maintained his devilish grin as Takeshi brushed him off and continued forward. Reminding the two of their dead father was somewhat of a pastime for the shark. Kotomi's muffled tears as she slowed to a halt sounded like an elegant symphony to the brutal killer. But as the son of the Fifth turned and looked over Sangetsu the shark's bloody grin would turn to a grimace, his eyes intensifying as he knew exactly what Takeshi's look meant. Those cold, condescending eyes. He could see just how different Takeshi was from his father when he cast the shadow of resentment upon Sano.

"Friends... what a pathetic word. I would not even call you my comrade, so don't start giving me orders." Sano made clear what was on the mind of both men. He stood barefoot on the frozen ground which had become damp with blood by the beast's sheer presence. "You watch yourself, Yuki... This isn't your father's village anymore... it's mine." Sangetsu growled. He looked over the brother and sister as they faced away from him. "You and I are no different, Takeshi... your inability to realize that fact will be your downfall.." He stated this with no hatred in his voice. He was simply making an observation knowing full well that Takeshi would refute his claim and call him nothing more than a cold-blooded artifact from a lost time. But to Sano, Takeshi knew nothing of what it meant to survive as a ninja as he did not grow up in Sano's time and he was always under daddy's wing. His view of the Bloody Mist would never be the true reflection of what it was, his image of the meaning of Chigiri no Sato was a product of his surroundings throughout his experiences in life which due to a common social distaste for the Bloody Mist coupled with the fact that his father did not support the regime resulted in the Yuki and the Hozuki never becoming a tandem. Sano recognized this volition very early in their relationship and while he is a brutal man of questionable moral standard, Sano's wits are as sharp as his teeth. Takeshi's ignorance of the Bloody Mist was something Sano accepted as much as ice was cold. It is only natural.

"Peace treaty..." Sangetsu murmured in contempt as he spit on the frozen ground. He remained behind the two, eyeing them up and down. Yin and Yang... that, they are. Like two koi fish swimming in synchronicity.. but even koi fish are but common carp at the end of the day. Samehada crawled out of Sano's body and unfused with its wielder, wrapping its hilt around Sangetsu's arm. He began weighing his options of what to do with his troops. Kirigakure certainly had a lot of covert strength under their belt which Sano was at the helm of. During the Fourth and Fifth Mizukage's reign Sangetsu had nearly given up hope of becoming Mizukage within his lifetime... once the Empire rolled in Sano was given purpose once again. Now he was in position to lead. He was in position to shake the world, and no one would see it coming.

His head swam through thoughts as he rolled his neck to the side, glaring at the backs of Takeshi and Kotomi. A hunter-nin appeared from the mist beside Sangetsu. "Sir, the rebellion was a success. No one affiliated with the Imperials has been left alive within the village's borders as per your orders and we're currently ambushing the Imperial patrols around the village. We expect a ripple effect to follow throughout the entire Land of Water as we get in touch with our other rebel contacts on the surrounding islands. What is your next move, Sangetsu-sama?" The hunter-nin asked. He saluted the shark with respect. Sano had thought over the situation carefully and was poised to take bold action with his success spreading. "Send word to the Hokage of our success... arrange for a meeting in the near future to discuss our situations. And be sure to tell him.. that these words come from the mouth of the Rokudaime Mizukage." Sano stated with pride. With the rebellion successful Sano was going to make a statement to the world and specifically the Empress herself. With Imperial control overthrown and he in control of Kirigakure's rebel forces there was nothing in between he and the title of Mizukage.

"At once, Mizukage-sama!" The hunter-nin disappeared into the mist from whence he came to deliver the message to the rest of the rebellion and directly to Konoha. Sano turned back to the Yuki twins and felt his heartbeat palpitate, almost as if his blood was boiling at the mere sight of them. "OI...!!" Sangetsu roared in a low rumble. His glare intensified, craning his neck to get a clear look at the duo. He had a certain look in his eye... a look that hadn't touched the surface of his eyes until this very moment for several decades. The look in the eye of a predator staring down its prey. "GIVE ME THAT LETTER..." He bellowed his demand with deadly intent. He held out his hand, beckoning for Kotomi to relinquish possession of it.

The idiocy of a being with power and not the intelligence to use it was made much clearer than ever the more Sangetsu had chosen to talk. Takeshi hadn’t bothered to respond to anything he had chosen to retort with, if only to wait for the moment where he made a single mistake. Boldly claiming that Kirigakure was ‘his’ was one, and believing that the death of the Fifth Mizukage meant he was truly dead had almost brought laughter to him if it wasn’t proven just how pathetic he truly was in the end. The Hozuki might’ve functioned better without someone like him having the unfortunate ability to form sentences and breathe no less, but that would be their issue as a clan. The Kaguya suffered for their sins together because they had a madness they could not control together, but the Hozuki had the opportunity to cull the cancer that was going to see their clan meeting the same fate. Yet the ultimate mistake had been uttered; a claim to the village as ‘his’ was one thing, but to claim that he would be the next Mizukage would not only put his already flimsy reputation with the village in critical peril, but would also be able to openly show other villages that Sangetsu threatened to see the reclusive, violent and untrustworthy era of the Bloody Mist return, something no one would want. And should the Water Daimyo discover he intended to do this without following standard procedure…

Takeshi’s hand dove for Kotomi’s mouth knowing her heart may react faster than her mind. Sangetsu threatened to trample over the good that this land has done in the past few decades thanks to the efforts of the Fourth Mizukage, who had been missing for a few years after his father had taken office, and his father the Fifth Mizukage himself. Although his first instinct was to kill the man he had sent off, his mind worked quickly and Takeshi was able to conclude that such action would seal this fool’s fate permanently. How quickly he forgot that it was the Hokage and his father together that had gone against the Empress and threatened to kill her; had reinforcements for herself not arrived, she’d surely have died and this war wouldn’t be ongoing. Shinji Yuki was more than a Mizukage, he was a mediator of many conflicts across other nations and, much like the Fourth had hoped in him as a young man, worked tirelessly to shed Kirigakure of its terrible reputation. He succeeded, this village growing out of its cruel history and becoming a place worthy of respect and admiration. The Fourth and Fifth Mizukage showed the world that with enough positive influence even the cruelest of people and places had the opportunity to change, and Takeshi suspected that the reason his father didn’t kill Sangetsu long ago was because he hoped that there was still a chance for him to become more than a monster.

He was wrong, something the Fifth rarely ever was.

Although the hunter-nin was proceeding to carry out his orders, several more had entered into the vicinity to catch the last critical piece of information Sangetsu had so boldly spat out without thought. Giving Kotomi a hard stare that resembled their fathers when it had come to remaining silent, she might be able to understand that Takeshi was allowing this disgrace of their father to carry on. Releasing her mouth in the hopes that she’d trust him, Takeshi held up a fist that signaled the several surrounding them to contain any and all hostile actions. One, the hunter-nin who was by his side earlier, stepped out and made himself known as the others remained, watching intently.

“Should we pursue them?” The hunter-nin was quick to ask, knowing that the one that had left appeared either loyal to Sangetsu, or foolish enough to believe his words.

“No. In fact …make certain that he gets there safely. I want the rest of the village to hear about this… I want the message to reach our allies in Konoha …I want the Fourth Hokage to know exactly who Sangetsu Hozuki claims to be.” In other words, Takeshi sought to let Sangetsu destroy himself with one last idiotic move. Gift-wrapped and with enough ears to confirm what was said, the hunter-nin that had appeared would vanish to make certain that Sangetsu’s own messenger had passed on the Hozuki’s will throughout the village and departed for Konoha shortly. The six that remained would feel the tension in the area rising, not due to Takeshi’s own words still carrying much weight among the village as his father’s son, but because they didn’t take kindly to Sangetsu’s complete disregard of protocol and ‘claim’ to the role of leader. Through fear he might’ve gained some following within this village, but it was absolute respect and love for the Fifth Mizukage that kept the people loyal to his offspring and his ideals. If Sangetsu had any hope of redemption, he’d keep silent and listen to what was about to be said before it was much too late for him to return.

“Bodies wither and die …but good deeds and wills of strong men and women live on. Konoha’s Will of Fire is proof of this, and although my father’s soul has left his body, he isn’t dead in the hearts and minds of the people he called his comrades, his friends, family. Shinji Yuki still lives to this day in everyone who ever knew him.” Lived on not only by his wife and children, but by numerous shinobi and kunoichi across multiple nations. Even before he was Mizukage he had traveled across the lands and formed many bonds across them, unhappy with a reclusive lifestyle in the home he loved so much. This wasn’t about one’s power, this was about the impression a good man had left on people, and Sangetsu’s rage would ensure his downfall long before an open threat. Whatever loyalty he might’ve gained from his peers threatened to wither and die, leaving the Hozuki clan as a whole in the spotlight. The Fourth and Fifth have never wronged clans as a whole unless the entire clan had chosen to follow the same path, which may have meant Sangetsu earned loyalty legitimately or through power alone. Power didn’t move people, and that was a lesson the Empress had yet to learn. Sangetsu could be the first to understand the position he was in.

“The truth is …I never expected you to betray a man, even a dead man, who had believed you could have been more than the monster the world had seen you as. I wanted you removed from our village years ago, many of his friends and even our clan, yet for some reason he kept you …trusted you to be a better man than you were now.” The earlier remark of ‘Friends’ being a pathetic word to Sangetsu would ultimately prove that he had no one he could call on to put his faith in. The Fifth Mizukage was argued even by the current Hokage to be the strongest between the two, and believed him to have been the best thing to happen to the village. Kirigakure had agreed; in spite of all the disagreements and strong opinions each individual shared, a vast majority would admit that Shinji Yuki was a good man, and the second chance the village needed. No longer would the children they bore be put to slaughter if only to see the ‘strongest’, and strength would no longer decide who had good fortune in the Land of Water. Whether Sangetsu believed it or not, the ‘Bloody Mist’ had little to no chance to return with not one, but two generations of Kirigakure aspiring to peace. Whatever his father saw in this animal he didn’t know, but for the sake of believing in him did he try to give Sangetsu the opportunity to be more than that animal everyone saw him as. Allowing him control of the rebellion forces in the area was a mistake, and would be corrected in due time.

“He gave you the chance no one else would have given, Sangetsu. You’ve failed …you’re an empty man who couldn’t change who he was for the sake of not only his clan, but himself. No friends, only anger …and that’s not what the Mist wants anymore.” Takeshi wouldn’t hold the Hozuki responsible for the actions of Sangetsu unless they openly supported his illegal action taken. The truth of the matter was that although the Fifth had died half a year ago, the village was not yet ready to accept another as Mizukage, and he suspected the world itself wasn’t ready either. Kenji Uchiha would see him killed, or at the very least disavow him and his cause. Takeshi would have hoped that Kenji would kill him personally to see this disgrace wiped from the face of the earth, but the emotion of pity had fell on him the more he thought about this. He pitied Sangetsu and those that believed in his dark desires. Perhaps this was how his father had felt when he chose to spare Sangetsu humiliation and death …perhaps deep down he wanted to believe he saw some good in him, that he’d put the will of his home before his own selfish desires.

Though the shinobi nearby that obviously took to Shinji’s son and daughter over Sangetsu, they relaxed only slightly on their killing intentions but kept their guards up even so knowing Sangetsu’s temperament. Through fear he manipulated the weaker of mind and body, but what Takeshi’s words said had reminded them that the will of the village would not shatter so easily due to the outrageous claims of a man such as this. For that, and Takeshi’s own command, they stayed their blades. Had the message not been clear enough yet, Takeshi would bet that for every single man in the world that might’ve backed Sangetsu, there were at least fifty more who’d back what Shinji Yuki stood for.

The Fifth Mizukage only made enemies of those who were enemies of themselves.

“I’ll give your message time to spread, and I hope civil war doesn’t erupt due to your arrogance …we didn’t need your ego to overwhelm the village’s needs, but now …I’m not sure they need you at all anymore.” And, of course, in spite of all Takeshi had said he had taken the parchment from Kotomi and handed it to Sangetsu without anger or disgust. What he chose to do with the request for peace was up to him, as he may not be able to maintain much ‘authority’ any longer. Out of all things he could’ve challenged, the seat of the Mizukage remained empty for a reason, and there were people within this village that would sooner die than see him take it. Were it any other previous Kage in the world the reaction may not have been as strong, but Kirigakure was more than its Bloody Mist name, it had become of value and respect for more than just murder. They would never want to go back to those cruel times.

“For what it's worth... I hope whatever end you meet is one you’re proud of, Sangetsu. The Hidden Mist won’t follow you to hell …you’ll go on your own.” Allowing him to take it, Takeshi would let this boil in his brain. Of course his immediate action could be to attempt to strike him or Kotomi, but by doing so would ultimately make the Land of Water his enemy, much more the world. It paid to have friends, and Kirigakure had many they weren’t willing to lose. An age of prosperity had taken root, and to have it threatened to be uprooted meant that this was a war between the way the Land of Water and the world preferred, and the rage of a single man. Sangetsu Hozuki was effectively a dead man to this world in terms of respect gathered, luck may see him allowed to live in the Land of Water in isolation, but that was for it to decide.

Patting his sister on the shoulder twice, he nodded towards the village and had allowed her to move first, hoping that she’d hold her tongue and let what he said hang. Threats didn’t work on a man who wanted to be threatening, but perhaps a dose of logic and knowledge to his mind would help him see his error. He hated the man deeply and had hoped he was stupid enough to do this; only now did the young man see that he was much more saddened than thrilled. His father’s hopes, his mercy …a waste.

“Let’s return, everyone. We’ve got work to do.” Takeshi had disappeared, his agility going to be as renowned as his father’s in time with how fast he disappeared from sight. Though the six in the mist had different means of doing things, Takeshi’s words had struck them harder than any blow Sangetsu could perform ever would. Mercy without deserving it, belief in a ruined man to become more, and the will of a father radiating perfectly in his son. The six departed after the Yuki twins and would ensure that the will of the Fifth Mizukage never died in the people they protected, and the people they had loved.

Kirigakure wouldn’t falter.

Feeling Sangetsu's bloodlust was like having a rotten scrag of meat thrown into the porridge you'd spent hours perfecting. Kotomi's mental state shifted, and she could feel the synapses in her brain tightening, focusing on the act of obliterating whatever was pervading her sense of safety. Her eyes, which had been turned down before, glared up at the blood drenched man before her. For a split moment, she visualized killing him, driving her blade into his neck and twisting it to make sure she severed his spine and died as swiftly as possible. Thankfully, her body's instinctual reaction was overtaken by her mind's admittedly slower interference, halting her killing intent. Takeshi placed a hand to her mouth, disallowing her to speak should she will it, though what she was prepared to expel were not words, by a cold wind of entropy. Her eyes shifted to Takeshi, and her eyelids relaxed. She had a disdain for speaking, honestly, she preferred to let her actions speak for her. So she let Takeshi give lectures and speeches, she couldn't be bothered. Before he lowered his hand, he gave her a look much like their father's, it was a look that set her at ease, letting her know that things were under control. Kotomi nodded her head and let him speak.

Sangetsu appeared to believe that he was to become the next Mizukage. Kotomi simply blinked in response to the very idea. She didn't pay very much attention to politics, but even she knew that there was no chance the village as a whole would accept him. That's what a kage was, someone that gained the trust and respect of the people. "Hmm..." Kotomi's eyes wandered as she thought of the word respect. Respect was born not only out of admiration and trust, but fear and power. Sangetsu was certainly strong, but was he strong enough to leash an entire village? Her eyes glanced at him for a moment, and she almost cracked a grin from the very idea that this man could place the village in his grasp. It was a good thing Takeshi was speaking, because he was able to voice what went through her head shortly ago. Kiri had changed over the years, even with her father gone now that fact remained. She didn't need to waste time even pondering what it would be like to fear Sangetsu gaining too much traction. He was a serrated blade without a hilt, the only thing he was good for was killing, he should stick to it. That was the only thing to respect from him, but it was no reason to follow him.

"Hm?" Her pondering was cut off as she realized her brother was preparing to leave, no, he was already leaving. Actually, didn't he pat her on the shoulder and tell her to move? Shaking her head she rushed to catch up to Takeshi, her pace slowed as she reached him. "Takeshi, Sangetsu may become a problem later." She stated. "With us campaigning against the Empire, we don't have the time for any in fighting." She stated, though she wasn't truly worried, instead, her tone implied she was making a statement. "... That letter however, it couldn't have come at a worse time. The Empress is going to make this war far more complicated than I hoped."

Sano locked eyes with Kotomi as her killing intent reached his eyes. It was murderous, that was all that mattered to the shark. While her intent to kill was nothing compared to some he'd come across it was direct and sharp, as was to be expected of the Fifth's daughter. He smirked at her for a moment, knowing her feeling toward the shark were nearly identical to her brother's. He crossed his arms and held his ground as the arrogant son of the Fifth Mizukage spoke. Sangetsu was much too astute to interrupt when the others arrived, those loyal to Takeshi and the Fifth. He did not interrupt the boy when he spoke well of his father, but his long-winded speech about how no one liked him or his ideals was a load of crap. What Takeshi and others saw as a brutish moron others saw a powerful and wise leader who wouldn't be bullied. And where the Fifth failed to protect his village from Imperial claim Sangetsu was able to overthrow oppression and reclaim their independence under his leadership. The villagers wouldn't soon forget who led them to victory.

Enter an entire battalion of Hunter-nin, all closing in on the iced over barracks of the Imperials and crowding beside Sano, none daring to step ahead of him like the six shinboi surrounding Takeshi and Kotomi had. The shinobi under Sangetsu's control knew discipline and loyallty. Where the Yuki saw a monster the shinobi under Sangetsu's command were no stranger to the shark's sense of comradery. He voiced independence and individualism yet acted like his units were schools of sharks. All the dirty work was done and all that was left was the clean up of the streets which slightly resembled the Bloody Mist regime. Several veteran hunters whispered to each other as others glared at Takeshi and his supporters. It seemed a rift brewed within Kirigakure as to who was really calling the shots. "Looks like someone has something to say about your new title..." A familiar face said to Sano from the crowd of hunter-nin and ANBU gathering behind Sano. It was a cousin of his, Mugetsu of the Hozuki clan, who had his arms folded in his sleeves as he eyed Takeshi. The growing split in Kirigakure was evident. Sangetsu was smart enough to see this coming and wasn't in the business of tearing at the sides even more at this point.

He sighed as Takeshi spoke ill of him after under his leadership the forces of Kirigakure were able to reclaim their independence from the ones who took it from his father. The physical and mental rift this caused between the civilian and shinobi alike amounted to an enormous tension between the two sides. "To say I betrayed him Takeshi... how twisted of you. I knew your father better than you did. I remember his entire career as a shinobi from academy student to Mizukage.. Despite what you may think, your father reminded me a lot of my era... He had that same tenacity, that passion which he derived from love... When you see me you think of hatred. You and the others who think of Chigiri no Sato as a stain in Kirigakure's history are the problem. The Bloody Mist provided stout survival instincts and elite shinobi capable of protecting this wonderful village. And it produced shinobi like myself, shinobi with passion for battle and a love of duty and protecting those that are weaker than they. You may see me as a monster but I see myself as the apex predator, the strongest there is. And it is with this strength that I protect our weak. Don't you see this, Takeshi?" Sangetsu questioned the backbone of Takeshi's argument. Many of the villagers who were torn between the two sides were looking to Takeshi to see how he would take this. Sano's comrades reveled in his speech and cheered him on. Most of them were supporting him as he was someone powerful who would support the village. And during a time when uncertainty was commonplace and instability was widespread, a veteran like Sano was what the village needed after oppression was rampant across the village. He knew Takeshi would again refute all that he said but he was used to this. A thick skull would be expected of someone like Takeshi. It was his prejudice that led him to believe the times of Chigiri no Sato were to be hidden, not embraced, and had no value. But truth be told in a world of Shinobi the Bloody Mist was a factory for elite killers with deeply ingrained survival instincts and developed many quick-witted strategists out of necesity. It produced more honed skill and natural talent than any other village in such a short timespan.

"You're the one calling me a monster, Takeshi, not this village... I have changed, you just don't see it. Just because I'm not your father you seem to have this perpetual resentment for me... It is childish, my boy. Please, you and your sister should join me in the Mizukage's office for a talk.. Don't you think that would help.. smooth things out, Takeshi?" Sangetsu stood strong against the murderous intentions of the duo and the six shinobi loyal to them. He seemed unphased by Takeshi's manipulative ploys to portray him in a negative light. Sano was having none of it. A much younger shark would have tossed diplomacy long ago and tore through his little guard of fodder and started an all-out civil war already. But a shark in his fifties is a wise shark now, despite the young man's claim that he has not changed with his age. Sano has most certainly calmed himself over the years especially when talking with his own villagers. He is not the same bloodthirsty killer that was born over half a century ago.

The son of the Fifth Mizukage, though carrying his father's legacy with pride seemed to covet that pride just a little too much. As Takeshi condemned Sangetsu to hell in his farewell, Sano had but one thing left to say in response. The Fifth's son may have hated the shark, but the feeling was certainly not mutual. Sangetsu pitied his ignorance, yet a trait both Takeshi and Sangetsu shared was a lack of compassion. Maybe if they both found a bit of it for each other it would benefit the entire village, as unlikely as that would be. "You know not of who I am, Takeshi Yuki... The Bloody Mist is gone, I have accepted that long ago.. Little did I think my passion would be reignited now, but the time has come for a new wave to crash through Kirigakure! A new era has begun!!" Sano's voice boomed throughout what had now grown to be a small sea of shinobi cheering for their independence and structure being restored. Outcries of joy and victory were spouted throughout the streets. Citizens tentatively came out from hiding in their homes to rejoice with the Shinobi in the streets. Word of Sano's leadership and claim to the throne spread like wildfire. Where the last regime of the Yuki faltered, Sano and the Hozuki regime would not, despite how Takeshi's blind resentment would make it seem.

The Empire's glorious castle walls

The Empress' lack of reply when Yakoul suggested to go out and finish off the giant monstrosity was worrying the cat-like creature that served as bodyguard for the head of the hierarchy. As they walked out in order to witness the sheer immensity of the monster, a drop of sweat flowed down Yakoul's cheek as it could sense Shukaku's gathering of power, it was preparing to form a Bijuudama despite getting hit all around by the high ranked lackeys of the Empire. Shoko had complete control over the next decision to be taken, and Yakoul remained calmly behind her without saying a single word. It had already acted too impulsively a few minutes ago, it did not want to repeat such a mistake again and risk belittling its image toward its master. The Empress ordered Yakoul to stay behind while the rebellious female they had captured would be asked to follow the almighty head of the area.

"R-right m'lady..."

Responded Yakoul, still worried but completely submitted to the ruler's intentions. As both females disappeared using the body flicker technique, Yakoul took the freedom to sit itself on the edge of the castle's wall, legs crossed and hands set on its knees. The monster made itself comfortable while viewing Shoko's quick execution of techniques in order to subdue the tailed beast. From the majestic stabbing to the unholy sealing, Yakoul stared in awe, visualizing how amazing its master truly was and how the creature was grateful to have her as a prominent leader. However after the little action scene, the cat quickly got bored and instead took into account all the delicious dead bodies lying around. But there was a dilemma: The empress ordered her bodyguard to stay put, so only one thing could be done. Oozing out of its shoulder would be a giant mass of brown-like liquid that quickly took the form of a child's body. Upon completing itself in a matter of seconds, it was obvious that Yakoul had split itself into two. Both the original and the fission jutsu clone both appeared to be near the age of twelve years old.The newborn clone jumped down the wall while the progenitor remained in its post, obeying so loyally to it master.

The clone started by looking for basic katana (the type Sasuke had) without any chakra or special abilities on them. Once a few of these were found, it swallowed them all one by one thanks to its generic sealing in its body, allowing it to store random stuff in its body. The Frankenstein creation had not finished its scavenge however as it found a nearly dead young man with his abdomen slightly cut open. The clone glared at him for a second, its child-like cat eyes trying to grasp what kind of decision would be wise. He was alive, so it would be fun to play with him a little more later during the day, but he could also die fairly quickly with a wound. That wasn't too much of a problem because Yakoul liked them better dead anyway, but the satisfaction of desiring its food and sex objects was very powerful. The clone had turned into a sage, having only half its face darkened and its eye turning completely yellow in order to have its mouth enlarged in ridiculous levels so the half-dead man would fit in there, only to be warped in some abandoned shed far, far away in the desert.

While the clone was having itself likely treasure hunt, the original's ears would perk up and twitch a couple of times as it recognized Remi's voice communicating with a hornet. They were speaking a bizarre language, probably the kind hornets use. Yakoul didn't need to understand the conversation to link it to what it started to feel by itself. Yakoul could sense it, using a sixth sense barely understandable by even itself, something was going on in the lands not too far from here. Something big and bloody. The powerful senses of Yakoul were not enough to grasp what was this far, but a war monger such as itself could easily feel such an eerie atmosphere coming from a faraway area. The monster formed a small grin that underlined its curiosity for whatever mysterious things it was feeling. Placing its index finger over its lips and the think cat claw poking its lower lips, it muttered to itself its impatient excitement for what was to occur.

"Oooohhh I just know something spicy's going to happen. Mmmmmhmmmm Someone's going to have a nice dinner~"

Patiently, it waited for the others to come back in the castle and report whatever they may have heard. Yakoul braced itself for stupendous news!

Remi hummed as she continued on her way to the castle. She'd made a little stop to pick up something for a certain psychopathic cat when she smelled that it was near by. It took a few more seconds before she found herself next to Yakoul, both looking over the scorched forest and general destruction Shukaku caused. She dropped the woman next to Yakoul before stepping away to give Yakoul more room. She was still alive, but barely given the amount of hornet stings she suffered.

"A little hornet told me you were stuck here. Hungry and/or aroused?" she asked as she offered the woman. Remi was one of the few that didn't seem to care of Yakoul's habits. The creature made fun of her every now and then, but it was frank in its opinions of people. And she could respect that. She had her own habits and quirks, granted not necrophilia and cannibalism, but she figured that Yakoul had its reasons. Just like she had her reasons to repeatedly stack every book on topography alphabetically that was in the library. Others found that odd, while others messed with her over it before she was an Elite. "I remember that you liked them fresh. Didn't want to damage her too much. It'll take an hour or so to flush the venom on her blood. Until then, well, paralyzed and aware." she remembered that the woman had begged for mercy. Remi was unmoved, but did make a note to ask the Empress if she could have a pet. Her pet hornets didn't need to be cared for, since they resided in the gardens and fed on the insects within. Maybe her Empress would let her have a pretty lady, kinda like this one. Just to feed and play with and dress. Maybe even have her read to the Hornet Mistress. They'd go on walks in the gardens.

Out of her mindscape, she gave a twitch of a smile at her thoughts. "Do you think the Empress will let me keep one of the prisoners if I ask for a pet?" she asked the creature.

Shiro chuckled at Takeo's notion that he wouldn't look them in the eye. He remained silent for the duration of Takeo's idignant speech, quietly studying the mental image and tone of the rebel commander's voice. This was the man in position of leading Konoha's rebellion, second only to the Fourth Hokage? Shiro shook his head at this thought, trailing off as he recalled his reasons for joining the rebellion. The respect he held for Takeo was diminishing by the second as he accosted Ryozan's personal choices as if he was in a rightful position to judge.

As the commander finished his speech and began to walk away Shiro turned to Ryozan and tilted up his rice hat, revealing the X-shaped scar he bore across his eyelids. "If I could look him in the eyes... I would so I may see just how clouded his judgment is. If I could have dulled my sharp hearing I would not have eavesdropped... but this man, his perception of the matter... it is warped." And with that the blind samurai would stand from his seat and allow his left hand to gently rest on the hilt of Tachiwaru Ametsuchi. He walked so that he was directly in line with Takeo in the street and faced his back.

"You act like this young man, by saving a fellow human being, is truly responsible for the actions of those who he saved. He is not, he is responsible for himself and no more. And to protect the integrity of his moral fiber he protected your enemy, commander. Maybe this man truly wants no part in your foolish endeavors. I am here by choice, not for some monetary attachment that Sungakure provides. I have until now supported your cause for my own reasons..." Shiro's words hung in the air for a moment as a gust of wind came from behind him, blowing his kimono forward. "..but your arrogance precedes your words." His methods of intimidation did not fool Shiro, as the samurai could see the man's ego was quite swollen. And while he could bully his own into submission such was not the case with all. Shiro was quite aware that his skill in battle would match his arrogant tone, one could not walk around speaking in such a mighty tone without being able to back it up. Yet Shiro stood facing this man with no fear in his heart, standing on equal ground with Takeo.

He allowed the commander to leave but could still hear his footsteps echo in the distance. Shiro's focus fell back to Ryozan who he heard murmur You're wrong several times before disappearing. The lone samurai decided to follow Takeo's footsteps from a distance for a short time until they led him to the Uchiha compound. By the time Shiro arrived his target was gone. He continued on his path elsewhere until the sound of an explosion nearby caught him off guard. This is it. The blind samurai thought to himself while finding cover next to a building connected to the main road stemming from the central gate. Before he knew it shinobi were pouring into the village toward the Imperial barracks. Shiro stood silently as the two sides fought, his presence was a nonfactor in this battle.

Still on the wall, like a boss

It was quite obvious that Yakoul was downright bored sitting on this wall while the fission clone was gathering some goods here and there. The creature did not leave Remi out of its sight however after hearing its foreign conversation with the hornet. Thus is wasn't too surprised when the autistic woman had used her speed to join Yakoul in its quest to please the empress and her orders. Remi could notice the significant difference of age appearance the cat thing had compared to its usual self, and that feature would be even more underlined with Yakoul's more child like voice rather than its womanly one.

"Why hello slow-in-the-mind Remi, you have a nice slow gift for me?"

Said Yakoul, keeping a very curious look on its face upon checking out the living human girl the autistic soldier had dragged back in for the cat to feast on. Yakoul's eyes were scanning the immobile woman's body before wrapping the farther end of its tail around the woman's neck in order to lift her up over the monster's head. The cat's tail was surprisingly very long and could easily lift a body upwards without having the feet hit the bodyguard's head. The fact that she was alive and well made Yakoul smile even more than before, as now it could hunt down the victim over and over, running after a helpless and recently maimed prey was Yakoul's favorite pass time and general hobby when its opponent was too weak to be of a match. The poor woman was doomed, one of her arms would be inhumanely severed before being released in the forest in order to get hunted down for the mere fun of it.

"Heh? A person as a pet? You really are slooooooowwwwwww in the mind, Slow-in-the-mind Remi. People are just food! Yakoul is a cat, thus a great pet! Silly hornet girl, kukuku!"

Mocked Yakoul, having absolutely no limit to its taunting or no notion of what was acceptable and what wasn't. It could go on and on until one would collapse in anger with such irritable taunts, but Yakoul never went too far with the autistic girl as she always seemed to unfazed about Yakoul and its actions. Truthfully Yakoul found her weird and "kinda dumb", though that would be Yakoul's perspective, as anything that doesn't look normal to it is dumb. Ra is also dumb to Yakoul, with all her tricky sentences, it could not follow anything too annoyingly long and complex! But the sage transformer's attention would be once again taken away by something much more enjoyable. Suddenly Yakoul's pupils were prolapsed to the point of becoming the entire ocular globe. Its senses were pushed to an extreme limit, allowing it to capture even the smallest of sounds from a distance if it focused hard enough on that area. It had focused toward Konohagakure, and its hearing could capture repetitive 'pops' of weak magnitude. They were faraway explosions, a little too many explosions for it to be acceptable. But Yakoul's sense of smell could also capture the small fragments of blood mixed into the mist of Kiri poisoning the air. It would take a powerful flair to capture such a weak level of blood in mist that was dispersed by the winds of the tides. Yakoul recognized however that smell, and knew it came from such a God-forsaken place known as Kiri. It didn't have to be a genius to know, an animal recognizes such dangerous and blood infested places. Such a fetid smell combined with water could only come from there. Though that didn't matter as much, to Yakoul Kiri was always a shit-hole anyway. The explosions however were the most important. It made it grin quite widely.

"Keke, can you feel it too Remi? Tonight's going to be one hell of a party, huh?"

Yakoul had no idea what was going on, but a lot of fighting would be happening, "peacekeeping" as they like to say. Yakoul liked to fight, but not as much as an insane war monger. However killing powerful rebels was always better than sitting around on lame guard duty.

Remi looked at the much younger Yakoul and couldn't help the snicker. "A pet, you are. Mine ? No. No, you'd hate to be owned by anyone not our Empress." she ran a hand through her hair and released the hornet from her scarf. It crawled along her neck to her ear then perched on the tip of her ear.

"I have my hornets in the Gardens. But, I would...want a girl. Like her." she motions to the woman. Her words came out a bit slower, she'd never really had to voice a desire. It was rare when she had one since she was generally easy to please. "Anyway, I think I'll introduce this drone to one of the young queens. Breed a new subset of Konoha no bachi. The size would fit well to create a new breed of Sparrow Hornets here. Perfect weather for them." she spoke quietly and ignored Yakoul's words.

She did give a sidelong glance to the cat creature and hummed, "I smell it. Smoke, blood. The drone flew from his smoked nest. His Queen is dead. Hornets hear more than most would believe...The Rebels have finally made an attack." She didn't seem worried, and instead put her hands in her pockets. "I've called to hornets in Kiri. They are known for their very...poisonous stings. Two hornet stings can kill a healthy man." she sounds a little gleeful. "Another drone. I'll breed him with another queen I think. Maybe with the Queen of the Sand Hornet. Powerful mandibles they have for digging. Can crush rocks twice their size. Hm...yes, my own swarm of hornets...I must asked the Empress if I can have the South Rock Gardens for nests. Maybe the pond nearby too." She says, off on one of her common tangents.