Even while unconscious the feeling of care and safety within Ra's arms reached her drowning mind throughout the torment that ensued from feeling the pain of the One-Tailed Jinchuuriki. Just as the pair reached the infirmary Namine was conscious enough to thank Ra in a drowsy tone. The medics guided her over to a cot where she sat and formed a hand seal, channeling positive energy and stabilizing her chakra. Slowly folding her legs she closed her eyes gently, her presence radiating discipline and balance. She remained stoic for a long moment.

The arrival of Nikuya was a shock to the other medics in the infirmary. If it were not from the strength of Matatabi's presence inside of the young girl, Namine would not have been shaken a feather by the commotion in her state of mind. She gracefully glided off the bed across the room, the other medic-nin allowing her to view the Jinchuuriki of the Two-Tails. There was no indication that the severity of the girls wounds were of any immediate concern to Namine. She rolled up her right sleeve and placed her hand on Nikuya's seal. For a brief moment she felt connected to the Two-Tails, feeling its entrapment within the girl.

After just feeling the suffering from Shukaku entering Ryuza, Namine saw Nikuya's physical wounds as trivial compared to the physical and mental agony that was included with being a Jinchuuriki. The seals on her right hand that extended up her wrist and forearm glew brightly with a white light as the burns, cuts and bruises that littered Nikuya's body returned to their natural healed form in a matter of moments. Namine's dual Yin-Yang chakra reconstructed her wounds together and regenerated the tissue from her bones within a few short moments, leaving only minor scars that would undoubtably heal soon seeing as she was a Jinchuuriki.

After the process was done Namine detached herself from the situation before the girl woke up. After experiencing Shukaku's sealing and encountering Matatabi, it triggered a thought in Namine's mind, trailing off into the suffering she had just absorbed. She wanted to speak with the Two-Tails, but she awoke shortly after Namine had done her work and sprang off toward the conference room. Regardless of what she perceived, there would be slim to no soreness in her body after Namine's treatment. Her remarkable healing potential was something very rare that few grasped.

Namine was quite curious as to what had transpired during her unconscious period. She had numerous questions including why the Two-Tails had returned from Konoha so injured. Her speculation led her to believe that the mass unrest she felt before from Konoha and Kiri had been a revolt from the Rebel thorn in Shoko's side. She had missed the end of the battle, her conclusion being the mercenaries were wiped clean. From what she could see the infirmary was lively with survivors who would certainly be converted to soldiers for the Empire. The Empress certainly knew of the fate of Konoha at the very least due to Nikuya's arrival. So she devised to speak with Shoko herself on the matter.

Quietly making her way through the castle, Namine darted in and our of the many passageways and corridors of the castle, taking the shortest route to Shoko's private quarters. However she did not enter, a strange feeling overcame her as she raised her hand to knock at the door. She felt.. nothing? she could not sense the chakra of the Empress or anyone in the room for that matter. All that Namine could perceive was raw emotion. Her hand raised to knock, she hesitated as a strange feeling settled within her. A magnificent, refined innocence was glowing like a small dwarf star of pure light from within the confines of Shoko's quarters. A strong bond of intimacy gently caressed the atmosphere before a spiral of anxiety and a fear of the unknown closed the situation.

Namine was very confused, she was processing the emotional scenario she had just encountered without any vital facts on what had actually transpired. All she had were emotions. And suddenly the Empress's presence was upon her again, and so Namine quickly tapped on Shoko's door to signify her presence. She put the thought behind her as she prepared to greet her leader.

Break, Maim, Smash, Kill. Natsumi's mind was continuously assaulted by notions of violence and unrestrained carnage, she knew the Nine-tails inside of her was effecting her, but she did nothing to stop it. She needed the fox right now, otherwise she would be unable to fight. She let out a tired breath from her mouth, steam pouring out like a tea kettle past boiling point. The flames around her body were becoming hotter by the moment, as they mixed with the volatile chakra from Kurama she lost control over them. Her hair flared upwards in concert with the flames, the tips burning like the wick of a candle. She needed to finish this before she ended up as nothing more than a pile of ashes.

Focusing her eyes, she saw Kenta in the distance, he was trying to escape. She charged after him once more, as she did, she felt as if something important had slipped her mind, for now she ignored it. Something was in the way of her target, glancing at it for a split second she saw that it was Kaede. That was odd to her, as a medic she should be behind the main lines, what had she missed? Kenta looked ready to strike once more at Kaede, she couldn't let that happen. Leaping into the air, Natsumi used her flames to propel herself downwards. She needed to find a way to deal damage to Kenta, her last attack had been dodged too easily, a way to prevent an escape was necessary. Her jutsu needed more power, it was that simple. Right before she landed in front of Kenta the flames on her body and the Fox's chakra converged in her arms. Straining every muscle in her arms and hands she gripped her fans and slammed them down on the ground. Her wind and fire chakra mixed to create a deadly combination, the air pressure caved in around the point of impact, causing a vacuum effect for a second. After that second, the entire space in front of her erupted into a tsunami of fire. The ground became a killing floor, grass burning and the dirt turning black, the air was a sea of heat and red, a veritable space of death where nothing in front of her would be spared.

The flames soon vanished, and Natsumi fell to her knees, exhausted, the physical traits of the Nine-tails went away, as did it's chakra and her Righteous Immolation. Her Sharingan deactivated, and she looked down at her arms which were hanging limply by her sides like the arms of a puppet, they were burned horribly, so badly she couldn't even feel any pain. She looked back at Kaede with watery eyes, remembering what it was that had slipped her mind. She was trying to avoid killing Kenta.

"Kaede..." She wasn't sure if she should beg for forgiveness for her reckless behavior, or for her to heal her arms before she lost them.

~~~

As she walked back into her room, Shoko heard a light knock from the exiting door, opening it, she saw that her visitor was Namine. "Feeling better, Namine?" Shoko asked, stepping out of her room and closing the door behind her. "Walk with me." She said, tapping Namine on the shoulder and walking forward. "I am sure you are curious as to what has happened, though I am positive you already have an idea. You must have felt the conflict within Konoha, there was a revolt staged by the rebels, and unfortunately, they will no doubt be successful." Reaching into her large sleeves, Shoko pulled out a copy of the peace treaty and handed it to her. "I need to enact this treaty as soon as possible, and secure the remaining villages. With their loyalty the rest of the rebels should be forced to give up on their endeavors... I cannot let this fail now, not when I am so... close." The Empress's voice trailed off as she passed by the conference room. To say that it looked as if a twister had blown through would be a disservice to tornadoes. She walked into the entrance, making sure everyone inside had her attention.

"We are leaving soon, so prepare and come down to the main gate."

An act of desperation and hopelessness, Natsumi’s attack was defended against by Kenta, risking his life to protect the men he had just knocked out. Whatever had spurred Natsumi to act this way, even in the midst of a life-risking deadlock between his hands and her flames, his pain from prolonged exposure didn’t equal his disappointment in her. Had he not cared for his comrades they would likely be incinerated by now due to the Uchiha’s reckless new power. Badly burned but thankfully projecting enough strength with his excess chakra, Kenta Akimichi had successfully defended himself. His arms hung limp at his sides, in spite of his massive strength it didn’t give him invulnerability to a powerful jutsu, one he had no wish to escape. Dropping to his knees the battle had appeared over, but before anyone could say anything Kaede had rushed to Kenta’s side and did her best to hide her disappointment and fear from Natsumi.

‘That wasn’t Natsumi’ she thought to herself, hurriedly applying her seal to Kenta’s chest and accessing his vital organs and chakra system both. Establishing a link, her chakra had sunk deep into his body and had begun to hurriedly eliminate the poison that coursed through his veins.

“You’re one of us …whether they see it or not!” Kaede muttered to Kenta, who was in awe at Kaede’s kindness in spite of everything. Truly the Akimichi could not hide his dedication to the Hidden Leaf, whether he was on the opposite side of their beliefs or not. Because Natsumi was conscious and clearly burned her arms so thoroughly that feeling the pain was unlikely at what she had endured, Kenta was in a much more dire position. The poison came first, the charred flesh that was his hands would come soon enough. No more could be said at this point, for the Commander of the Rebel forces, Takeo Watanabe, was joined by the Hokage and coincidentally his son-in-law Kenji Uchiha. The two gave glances to both Kenta and Natsumi, the latter with a great deal much more concern, while the former with disappointment and regret. They didn’t stop Kaede from healing Kenta, and the Akimichi who had joined in this attack had joined beside Kenta. The ‘traitor’ was bewildered at his clan joining beside him, but they were quick to mention that they’d take care of Kenta if they received permission. It appeared they shared Kaede’s strong opinion of him, rubbing off on the comrades she had in the vicinity. Based on the response everyone else shared, only Natsumi and herself seemed to care at all about Kenta’s well-being. Thankfully his clan was willing to work with him, no longer giving a cold shoulder or wishing his death.

Kenta Akimichi still loved each and every one of them all this time, and it had shown; he had not killed a single shinobi loyal to the leaf, the only crime tied to him was leaving it when it needed him.

“Watch the arms, sweetheart.” Kenji spoke aloud, keeping his dark eyes on the Akimichi that hovered closely to Kenta. Chizuma, wife of Kenji and only daughter of Takeo, had leaped into action and glomped her daughter in a comical fashion, but was careful of the arms all the same. This did well to ease some of the tension, as all those were keeping eye contact on himself. The battle was over, they had won, and there was a lot of dead to see and injured to tend to. While attention was maintained, Kenji nodded to Takeo, who had spoken aloud once more in regards to the peace treaty the Empress had crafted. Although Kenta’s case was on deaf ears, his effort to ensure that putting this war to a true end and coming to terms with the enemy as Konoha knew them had succeeded. They could see it on the faces of many; war brought a lot of pain, and although many wished vengeance, many also wished to make the statement clear for the Empress.

Konoha would not bow to her will.

“Kaede, is Natsumi …?” Kenji asked

“Her arms have taken a lot of damage, but I can heal them …I …just need time right now.” Kaede mumbled. To the untrained eye Kaede would seem perfectly still, but to Kenji himself he saw that she was quivering every few moments. Bearing witness to a side of Natsumi she had never seen and having been so close to losing someone she cared about because of it was a considerable shock. As a jounin Kaede had kept her composure in front of others so as to not bring concern, and as a friend she wouldn’t want Natsumi to know she was so frightened of what she had seen. There was no eye contact to even himself for this reason.

“Thank you. As for everyone else!” Kenji spoke louder now, so others might hear him much more clearly. The Hyuga had made an approach to meet with Kaede after her close call with danger, and didn’t appear too fond of Dren’s lackluster effort in the battle itself. “We’ve won today, but tomorrow is another day. I don’t agree with the Empire’s solution, but if it’s the will of my village then I’ll comply. Do we want these terms!?”

A roar of disapproval erupted from all around him; it appeared that though they were all exhausted, they still had the energy to spit at the Empress’ idea of a peace treaty. Deep down Kenji was thankful that they saw things as he did. The support of his comrade’s aside, Kenji didn’t want this to be a long term war; he’d need to figure out a solution that benefit everyone.

~-~

For the next two hours the Leaf had done a thorough cleanup, even the enemies they had slain to free themselves from their grasp. There was bitterness among them, but they had treated the bodies of the Imperials with some amount of respect. The kill rate within their own ranks was very minimal, but as Takeo looked at the still faces of those who had fallen he had noticed one of them he had met earlier today; Matsuka. Silently the Commander had paid his respects; although she had not handled herself as well as he’d have expected from a Jounin of Konoha, she died seeing that they were freed. For that, Takeo could not help but offer a silent word of thanks to not only her, but others who had fallen this day. In quiet contemplation the Commander had followed several units of medical personnel to take the bodies of their fallen, and were now heading back into Konoha after a very upsetting process.

“Hm?” Takeo looked to the village gates where a young man, a familiar one at that, stood waiting. He recognized him as the boy within Ichiraku earlier, who had given him quite the opinion. Allowing the medical personnel to continue on their way, Takeo had stopped and let his left arm rest idly along his blade’s sheath. He didn’t appear winded and hadn’t appeared to have taken much part in the battle itself, leaving him wondering if he really just stood here the entire time. There wasn’t very much for Takeo himself to say on anything regarding him, but should he have something to say then now was the time. “You took what I told you seriously if this is what you've done all this time. What’s it going to be, kid?”

Natsumi was still at home and he had some questions for her, as he was certain her father did as well, but the both of them had business to attend to. Allowing Chizuma to escort her home and tend to her until Kaede, Kenji and himself arrived left the pair of them busy. Should Ryozan wish to get into a verbal battle of some kind, he’d find that it would fall on deaf ears. However, if it turned out that it was the exact opposite, and that there was a decision to be made, he would listen with open ears.

Hyakune su Jikankizami, Ra

"Perhaps tonight I will speak of my sister, Kagami. I'm sure it is a story that you have been longing to hear, sweet thing." Ra replied, allowing the musical timbre of happiness to ring out with her voice as her lips curved upwards into a smile. After a brief second of holding the look, she turned to the devout worshipper of chaos before her and let out another laugh - but the musical timbre was gone, replaced with a malevolent resonance that was sure to mean one of many things for Izari - none of which could be called 'good' or 'pleasant'. Her stance did not change, nor did the air of authority that she emanated, but the mood shifted almost imperceptibly in the room - but Izari did not seem the type to notice such things with any frequency.

"Your god does not exist, sweet thing... And you know the Empress' rules on the imposition of one's religious beliefs on another, do you not? I recommend that you hold your tongue before she has Yakoul rip it out through your teeth... Or worse, has me remove all memory of your false idol from your empty little head." Came the reply, the tone similar to her more musical, happy side but echoing with the smug tones of authority that she was all too happy to abuse in the correct times and places. Whether or not Izari fully understood the depth of the threat was largely irrelevant, for Shoko would punish him gravely enough when Ra reported back the activities of the evening. It was not her place to carry out punishments in the Empress' name unless it was deemed necessary - perhaps Ra's lack of desire to impose upon Shoko's will (and subsequent lack of doing so) were among the factors that had earned her the esteem that she'd accrued. Advice was only a single service that she offered to Shoko - her network of spies stretched far across the lands also, and in times of need she had acted as a confidante. While most would be hesitant to place their trust in a woman like Ra, for charm did not earn trust, Shoko had a way of knowing about a person - and it was clear that her vision was one that the self-proclaimed Genjutsu Mistress avidly shared.

"I must return to Shoko, sweet Remi - she has requested my presence by her side for the trip to Sunagakure. When we arrive, I will tell you of Kagami and give you another book to read. Perhaps you would like to read the Jikankizami's treatise on the applications of shortening the length of telomeres for the purposes of genetic modification and reduced senescence? I know that the genetic aspect of the breeding process has always struck your fancy?" she added, turning away from both her and Izari as she begun walking towards the door - slowly enough for Remi to reply, but quickly enough that Izari would have to take action quickly if he wished to say or do anything else before she left.

Windspeaker Touho

The Windspeaker had taken it upon herself to guard the civilians of the village while the majoity of the fighting had occurred - carrying them to safety on the winds and repelling the Imperial forces as were necessary in order to ensure that every soul who needed to be protected from the battle and any collateral damage that might have occurred as a result got to the designated position. She had guarded them throughout the course of the battle, helping to keep their spirits high while their village was liberated. In truth, the fate of Konohagakure was hardly her first priority - it was, of course, fantastic that the village had been freed form the shackles that sought to oppress it, but it was the defeat of the Empire that had truly made Touho's heart sing with joy. Every loss they suffered was a death that she would mourn, but it was a step closer to a better world - and those deaths would be a small price to pay for what the Empire's defeat meant to her.

After the battle had finished, she did not bother to join in the festivities that were surely going to take place. Despite the victory they'd achieved, the death of even a single person was a tragedy that she would mourn in her own time - each life extinguished was a spark of the divine returned to the heavens, and each spark that returned to the heavens made the world a dimmer place to live in. Windspeaker Touho was placed in an awkard position when it came to war - she was willing (and capable at doing so) to fight for what she believed was right, but each death - regardless of which side of the battle it occurred on - was not something to be taken lightly. It was not something that one could simply forget about, or sweep under the rug. It was tragic, and too few people saw death with a fascination or glee. It was not an attitude that Touho hoped to promote to anybody.

Rather than walk to her destination, the Windspeaker lifted herself off of the ground with a surprising grace for so melancholic a figure and soared off towards the newly rebuilt house of her friends Suishou and Shadan. The pair were a remarkable couple who shared her passion for the cause, but loathing of the methods needed to reach it. Shadan in particular did not enjoy death unlike many of the combatants of the Rebellion, and for this reason the pair got along quite well. That was not to say that she did not get along well with Suishou, however - the two shared a maternal instinct that few could understand.

It did not take long for the priestess to arrive at the domicile of her friends and touch down lightly at the entrance to their home, gingerly knocking at the door. She knew that the house had only been rebuilt very recently and she wanted to avoid knocking too loudly for the fear that she might knock the door over, as ridiculous a notion as that was.

The storm of battle came to a end, but Ryozan's heart still stirred. He was not very elegant with words, but he had plenty of time to think of what he was going to say. Even if Takeo welcomed him back with open arms, it would be a long time before he stopped feeling pangs of shame, but if he could at least get Takeo to understand his sincerity, then perhaps it would dull its blade. And then, despite all the time that had passed, Ryozan wished for just a few more moments as the Jounin Commander approached. These next few moments would likely determine the course of the rest of his life.

As soon as Takeo came up to him, Ryozan bowed deeply, keeping his head down as he spoke. "Takeo-san, I was wrong." That was the easy part. But a simple admission of fault would not warrant all the time Takeo had given him to think, especially when his error ran so deep. "I was wrong when I aided the Imperials, but I was also wrong before that. My true fault was the moment that I learned when the rebels existed and chose not to join, and indeed I was naive in thinking that neutrality was akin to not making a choice. One of the first things that we are taught is the importance of teamwork. I allowed myself to be so caught up in abstract philosophy about what was best for my team, that I nearly forgot the simple fact that, first and foremost, I must be a part of that team.

"I will never make that mistake again, and I have already eliminated the possibility of me making any other choice. The Imperial scroll that I carried is no longer with me; it is soaking in the blood of the man that gave it to me." Ryozan was generally very good at separating his emotions from his duties as a ninja, but now there was a slight, barely even noticeable, quaver in his voice. "Takeo-san, I strayed from the correct path, I will not deny that fact any more, but I am back now if you will have me. Please accept my apology and please accept my service." He remained bowing even after he finished speaking, unable to look Takeo in the eyes until his shameful burden was at least partially lifted.

"What a find! Thank you, thank you!" the girl's eyes went comically wide in happiness. "That could mean that if 8I can apply such methods to hornets and other such insects, I may find a way to keep the cells from replicating while suspending them not unlike theoretical cryostasis. The cells will live and are active, but won't grow old, won't deteriorate and wont die! Of course, other studies I've read also cite an increased chance of fatal diseases since these cells technically can't adapt to fight off foreign bodies. Yes...a challenge with amazing ramifications. Thank you, Lady Ra!" she bows as her mind begins to run a mile a minute.

"And I would be honored to listen about your sister. I do love your stories." she repeats in obvious excitement. It was only with Ra, and to a certain extent Shoko, that Remi was really emotional with. She was much more comfortable in Ra's presence than probably anyone else in the Empire or even the World. "The feat may very well be impossible in the human body, so much genetic diversity. But invertebrates will be a good start. Maybe even bacteria for a fundamental run. I think I still have that sample of that disease from Suna. Guard Captain Hirozuna keeps asking for it though. I don't know what he wants with it, but until I can make am active culture fro. It, it is my only sample." she frowns, unknowingly revealing a possible assassination attempt since the disease she was studying was very fatal.

Izari didn't seem fazed in the slightest and he smirked at her, did she think she could scare him? His clan were beyond fear and intimidation, and he wasn't about to back down from someone who subdued others opinions, it would only lead to her doom. When she talked said that Ragulhu didn't exist his smile widened even more at her foolishness, people like her deserve to die as painfully as possible for their folly and idiocy he thought manically. He chuckled when she mentioned stripping him of his memories, unless she was an Uchiha her genjutsu would have no effect on him thanks to his Elder Seal. He simply continued smiling at her and hoped that it got on her nerves to know that there was someone who didn't give a damn about her petty threats. When Ra started walking away, the Ragulhi burst into hysterical laughter that was incredibly loud and could be heard from very far away.

"Did she just say that father doesn't exist?!" Ozo laughed.

"Man I knew you mortals were not very bright but I had no idea you were that dumb!" one named Inoro shouted while clutched at his sides.

"Maybe she was dropped on her head as a baby? That might be the reason for her brainlessness!" another by the name of Uro laughed. They all would have continued to laugh at Ra if Izari had not firmly got their attention.

"Silence!" he commanded them and they slowly went into silence.

"She is my superior and should be treated with respect no matter how mistaken she is. Now since you four have caused enough noise I am sending you back to your home" Izari said calmly and with a simple hand sign the Ragulhi vanished into a puff of smoke.

Before they did vanish Uro asked his brothers, "Just in the savage chaos could someone that stupid be Izari's superior? These humans are strange creatures are they not?"

Izari didn't hear a reply since they vanished before any of them could, and he gave a sigh, trust the Ragulhi to say nasty things to try and piss off enemies.

Minor surprise had come as a result of Ryozan’s bow; respecting your superiors was proper etiquette but there wasn’t much need for him to hang his head low and do such a thing for him. He might’ve told him that ahead of time, but it seemed rude to interrupt him. The boy had admitted he was at fault for how he had handled things thus far, seeking Takeo’s own forgiveness as it was Takeo himself that denied him the right to represent his own home until a time like this had come. Shifting weight between his left and right foot, discomfort from how he was being addressed was starting to become visible. All this bowing and kneeling seemed akin to the respect one showed to a much more important figure like a daimyo, a lord, or even a Kage. Through his years of dedicated service Takeo had more than earned this level of respect amongst peers and the generation Ryozan had grown in, but there was just no pleasure in the gesture.

A much more shocking reveal came in the form of making certain his position in this conflict was no longer in question. Eliminating the man who offered him the scroll was an aggressive way to go about it, desperate men often did things unlike them. To go from protecting the lives of people you didn’t know to taking away the life of someone you didn’t understand was drastic, but war had left many men and women unable to shift guilt. You took arms for a cause, you were therefore able to endure the hardship that came with it. In the case of Takeo, his service will come to an end soon enough, but Ryozan had his entire life ahead of him and the hardship he felt now would only grow in time. Now came the question of accepting Ryozan so willingly, or denying him a right he was practically begging for at this point.

“Well, if you want to get back into my good graces then you can start by lifting your head up. Making people bow their heads to me isn’t really my style, all I asked from you was to decide where you stood.” As a Jounin Commander he exercised his right to strip Ryozan of his rank, and the cause for doing so was not unjust. None of that meant that he had some sort of power trip, it would be preferred if Ryozan walked away from him without ever believing such a thing. Approaching the young man casually, Takeo pat Ryozan on his right shoulder and nodded his head towards the village before proceeding to walk. The night was still fairly young and the village was bustling with life, those establishments that specialized in selling good drink and pleasurable company looked to be getting some quality customers. Things were much different than they were a few hours ago, with the best part of it being no armored men roaming the streets. Because of Kenji’s strategy he had spared the village from sustaining any long term damage, which meant that nothing had changed other than who watched over this village. “I didn’t hate you for feeling how you did. There would be a time where you would need to make a choice, to stand by the village …or stand aside from it. Keeping you out of that battle was to prevent confusion that might’ve gotten you or others harmed. All that being said, you didn’t need to kill that man to express your decision, but you’ve made it regardless and that’s what I asked of you.” The tone was easygoing, much like it was just a few hours ago. Takeo was a leader and of course he held strong qualities that might intimidate some, but to those who knew him he was a man who could separate business and pleasure. The business of disciplining Ryozan for an evening was already done, and the pleasure of reinstating his status was now. As he walked the streets and took in the atmosphere of a hard-earned victory, the Jounin Commander looked to Ryozan directly.

“Ryozan Tanzo, I revoke my earlier punishment and you are now allowed to represent the Hidden Leaf’s interests once again …as a Chuunin.” Takeo smirked at this. It was likely some part of Ryozan might’ve felt cheated from his demotion, but he hoped that the major part of him was thankful for the opportunity to serve with pride. Besides, the opportunity to earn Jounin once again was possible just as long as he worked hard at it. “Don’t fret about me …at the end of the day I only want what’s best for everyone, even if I may come across as scary sometimes. I don’t hold a grudge against you, you’ve done what I asked you to do and I’m looking forward to seeing you excel, as I do all of your generation.”

With this matter settled, there were just a couple matters more to see to before he could settle down for the night and get some rest. Although celebration was not prohibited, alcohol consumption by shinobi were to be heavily monitored in case the worst would come. Then there was the matter of Natsumi, and worst of all the Hyuga Clan’s displeasure with Kaede’s handling which Kenji informed him he would handle personally. His granddaughter had caused a stir he hadn’t seen since the Nine-Tailed Fox was sealed within her, and from what both he and her father had managed to witness it was threatening to bring fear once again. Luckily only some of her fellows would have seen it, but word might travel as well. It was a lot to think about, and all he wanted to do was sit down with his family and have a celebratory drink. War was certainly work.

“Where are your friends anyway? You should be out celebrating with them.”

Takeo was guiding them to the Uchiha compound, obviously to meet with his family. Ryozan’s answer may just prompt an invitation to spend some time with them, which was of course if he didn’t have a family of his own to return to.

-

The poison had been fought, and the severe burns across his forearms and dangerously close to his face were taken care of. The armor was scorched and thankfully didn’t fuse with his body itself. Burning hot metal attached to one’s skin was not pleasurable in the least. It was here in the Akimichi compound that Kaede bore witness to the large gathering, no pun intended, of Akimichi surrounding Kenta. The Hokage’s pardon until further notice due to the Akimichi’s own request had prompted a beautiful reunion; Kenta had always been a respected member of the community, and it had clearly broken the hearts of many to have had to call him an enemy. There were tears down his face, exposing how much he suffered the scorn and hatred of the people he loved, and was so thankful that it could be broken for at least a short time. The Hokage, as fierce as his reputation, knew mercy.

Offering a quiet announcement that she’d be leaving, Kaede hadn’t gone without several large hugs, even one from Kenta himself that almost had her choked up. Thankfully she didn’t lose her composure, and had even managed to leave the compound with a small basket of bite-sized chocolate goods. Stepping out into the open streets she had taken to the Uchiha compound, aware that tending to Natsumi’s arms was now her next priority. After having the chance to calm down now, she could hopefully face Natsumi.

The real one this time.

When Ryozan finished speaking, he was unsure what to expect from Takeo. He did as he was told, raising his head so as not to offend the commander, but his face still bore a grim expression. It wasn't until he felt Takeo's gentle pat on the shoulder and they began walking back into the village that he began to feel a bit more at ease. And frankly, Ryozan was surprised at how lenient Takeo was being with him. No grudges, no resentment, and no further shame. It was as if Takeo had wanted to forgive him from the beginning, which he never would have guessed from his harsh words from before. The commander just wanted to make sure that Ryozan was on his side, and it all made perfect sense. Then came the verdict: he was once again a leaf ninja, albeit a Chuunin, but all things considered, Ryozan didn't mind. He was certain that the hardships ahead would give him ample opportunities for promotion, and honestly after he had been through today, a single demotion was a sort of relief, especially considering how he had only been a Jounin for a short period of time. No, he did not begrudge the demotion at all, and a small grin managed to pierce through Ryozan's stoic expression. "Thank you," was all that he could think to say.

Then, as they approached the Uchiha compound, came Takeo's next big question, which seemed to carry more weight for the young ninja than the commander had expected. His house was currently empty; his mother was KIA while he was still an academy student, and his father was simply a merchant, away on a business endeavor at the moment. He didn't have any intention of joining the general celebrations that were going on in the streets, not because he wasn't happy for their victory, but because explaining to his comrades why he was standing at the village gates while they were out risking their lives would be an awkward conversation to say the least. He did, of course, have close friendships with the squad members he had been assigned upon graduating the academy, but the past six months had changed things. One had decided to join the Empire, while the other died fighting against it. This all amounted to a simple response. "Nobody in particular is expecting me at the moment," he said, his grin being replaced with his usual stoic expression.

Natsumi awoke to find herself in a white room. White walls, white curtains, the dressing of the bed she laid in were even white. Everything was sterile, fitting considering this was a patient recovery room. Her body felt heavy, likely the side effects of the anesthetic she had been given. She tried to lean up, ignoring the nausea in her head. Her eyes felt blurred, she lifted an arm to rub her temples, but stopped. Her arms were wrapped in gauze, and completely numb. Her face tensed, as she recalled just why she was in this condition.

"Easy there." A feminine voice said. A tan hand pressed against her chest, prompting her to lay back down. Natsumi shifted her head to see her cousin Makoto sitting beside her. Makoto was half Uchiha, and half Hyuga, however, she did not posses either of the clan's signature Kekkei Genkai. "I don't want you freaking out again, try to calm down." She said, her voice typical of her pragmatic persona.

"Alright..." Natsumi said. Her voice was more tired than she thought it would be. The two of them were silent for a minute, every second more uncomfortable than the last, until Makoto spoke up.

"So, how did it feel? The demon fox's chakra, that is." She asked. Natsumi's body recoiled, shuddering at the very mention of Kurama. She pulled her sheets over her and rolled away from Makoto. "That bad huh? We should talk about this, the elders will no doubt be put back into power, and we both know they aren't very fond of the notion of you losing control."

"I know... I'm sorry." Natsumi said. She heard her cousin get up, and the bed sunk in slightly as she sat down next to her. Strong hands forced her to roll onto her back, Makoto was nearly on top of her, but she couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Stop apologizing already, you made a mistake, that's all. Kenta choose to join the enemy, so do not regret that you choose to fight him."

"But... I almost killed him, even though he's a friend, and I let myself be drawn in by Kurama's chakra, War is... Scary, I don't know if I can keep fighting. This was nothing compared to what the coming battles will be like. So many people will be killed, I'll have to kill so many people."

"War has always been a dreadful thing, but we must fight because it is our duty. We live and die in the name of the Leaf, this is our home after all." Makoto laid down beside Natsumi, closing her eyes. "You've always been like this. You are one of the most talented people I know, but you act as if being a ninja is something to be ashamed of. We don't fight to destroy peace, but to try and create a world in which it can even exist. You need to acknowledge this, alright?" Makoto said.

"Fighting to create peace, that sounds just like what she told me..." Makoto's eyes opened, and she looked her cousin in the eyes.

"Who?" She asked.

"The Empress..." Makoto stood up off of the bed, and let out a derisive chuckle.

"I guess we have something in common, eh?" She said.

The door to the room opened, and Natusmi's mother, Chizuma walked in, holding a cup of tea. "I knew you'd be awake by now, here, chubby cheeks, have some tea." Makoto snickered at the nickname, while her cousin's face flushed red. She reached out an arm to grab the tea, but the shaking in her hand convinced her holding anything so precarious was a bad idea. Chizuma must have anticipated this, because she pulled out a bundle of straws. "Bendy, or swirly?"

~~~

Shoko was outside of the castle walls and rolling along a road in The Land of Rivers. The clatter of horseshoes filled the air as four horses pulled a large stagecoach. The vehicle was not designed to be very extravagant, bearing a khaki color scheme and no unneeded engravings. A male personal assistant to Shoko handled the horses, as she and the rest of those she told to accompany her sat inside. They were traveling at an accelerated pace, and at the rate they were going they would arrive in Suna in half a day. Along the way, Shoko instructed them of their duties. They were her personal escort for a mission of diplomacy, as such they were to conduct themselves peacefully. There would be no fighting, no threats. Once they arrived, everyone but Ra and Yakoul would be permitted to walk about the village if they so pleased. Ra and Yakoul would stay by her side for the duration of her stay.

---

The stagecoach stopped by the entrance to Suna. A tall, thin man greeted Shoko, he was in charge of the village for the time being, though he needed her approval before he did anything drastic. Heading into the village, Shoko entered an eerie street. not a soul was walking about, however, countless people were watching her from the windows of their homes. She made her way to a local hotel, giving the manager a shock, seeing the Empress herself walk into his business. She paid for a room for herself, Ra, and Yakoul. The others were told they could stay in the same hotel if they wished, however the next day they would need too gather for the coming event.

Sunagakure

It was now a long way from home, with the carriage transporting many officials of the Empire getting farther and farther from the previous base of operations. The giant set of walls was becoming smaller and smaller as the moving contraption kept its course with Yakoul sitting legs crossed on the hood of the vehicle, acting as a form of guard dog if things were to get fishy. Though if one were to say guard duty, it would be nap time for Yakoul. The cat monster had waited thirty minutes before falling asleep on the roof of the moving mass, the large amount of alcohol is had swallowed beforehand didn't make things simple either.

Many hours later, as Suna was of viewing reach and the vehicle was in the middle of the desert, the hung over Yakoul had woken up, releasing a powerful yawn before sitting up in order to once again keep a clear view on the surroundings. It would mostly check if anything out of the norm would be happening in the village hidden in the cat litter. Swaying its tail from left to right, Yakoul seemed well rested by completely out of it with its hair going all over the place and its eyes displaying a deep case of leftover excess alcohol. As the carriage stopped before the village, Yakoul hopped off the roof of the piece of wood and landed on the Empress' right, arms behind its back as protocol demanded (its own protocol), and attempted to follow Shoko in a straight line. It was a difficult challenge.

Arriving at the hotel room the empress had reserved with the money she could get for free anyway, Yakoul quickly jumped on the largest bed around and claimed it as its own, especially the covers. Once they were at the room, it considered the empress safe from harm, and even if there were doubts the creature had sniffed out the entire floor before any doors were even opened. There wasn't anything significant, though its current state could leave it with inaccurate analysis results, but that was highly unlikely.

"Calling this bed, Ra! It's mine and the covers are... Like a fort! You'll never get me~"

Shouted the creature in glee while it hid itself in the covers. Acting as if it were a cat, it felt at ease when hidden from sight and heat was just something it coveted around the clock. Its tail would be sticking out of the end of the bed, giving away its "hiding spot", but as long as it felt comfortable, it did not matter. Had had completely usurped its thoughts on going to invaded villages and simply slaughtering those who appeared weird to it.

Hyakune su Jikankizami, Ra

The trip to Sunagakure had been largely uneventful, with the only sound permeating the carriage being the wheels dragging along the ground and the horses that pulled it reverberating throughout the carriage. Empress Shoko had been lost in thought for the majority of the trip - and Ra had placed herself in a trance-like genjutsu to quicken the passage of time. If Shoko required her attention, she would simply interrupt - such was the Empress' right.

The trip did, however, go smoothly onwards without any such incidents. While Ra kept herself in her meditative trance, she had arranged for the book that she had chosen for Remi to be delivered to its recipient, along with a note attached to the cover - "The Jikankizami applied the concept to humans. Can you?". It would certainly be a challenge, but it was enough to keep Remi busy for a long while, as well as develop her growing understanding of the deep sciences. Given the potential for error that Remi was prone to have with those that she did not understand and vice versa, it seemed to be an appropriate tactic to prevent her from engaging in any malarky or shenanigans while the official business within Sunagakure was conducted. Relations with the villages, given the news from Konohagakure, were more important than ever before. Kirigakure's spies had reported a growing discontent before messages were relayed with increasing scarcity - but all was not lost yet.

The Empire's arrival in Sunagakure was, surprisingly, met with a pleasant reception. Either the news of the Rebellion's victory in Konohagakure had not reached them yet, or they were beginning to be more loyal to the Empire that provided tangible benefits than the idealistic crusaders that comprised the rebellion. Either way, the warmer reception was a pleasant change. As Shoko and Ra both exited the carriage, Ra followed behind the Empress, before she waved two figures over from a nearby building.

"If you will excuse me, your Grace, there are some preparations I must make before I join you in the hotel." Ra offered, before bowing and turning away. Her conversation with the two figures was brief, but she fully intended to have her network of informants at her beck and call for the duration of their time in the Village Hidden in the Sand. Anything that could be done to ensure that the villages fell in line would be necessary in the coming days. After the conversation ended, the two figures returned to the shadows from whence they came, and Ra returned to Shoko's side, nodding to show that her task had been completed.

As the trio entered the hotel and Yakoul claimed its own bed - as the creature was wont to do - Ra sat on the remaining bed, and turned towards the Empress.

"Do you have a plan of action, your Grace? The villages will not be easy to sway, and they have proved to dislike the idea of a peace treaty. Their idealism seems to be infectious - but I believe it can be nipped in the bud. Kirigakure must be brought back into the fold, and Sunagakure must adopt to our ideals fully. It is a shame that this conversation even needs to happen - but apparently, there are those who cannot see the crusade for glory that masquerades itself as the Rebellion for what it is." The veiled woman opined, carefully regarding the cat creature in her periphery.

"Oh - Yakoul - I do have a little task for you later, if it strikes your capricious fancy?" She added, almost as an afterthought, before returning her full attention to Shoko.

No one to expect his return, Takeo could figure out several possibilities based on that response but wouldn’t want to dwell on it too much. Having lost his wife much too soon he had known what it was like to not have anyone waiting for you to return home, and the feeling wasn’t as enjoyable as the average teenager might have expected. For the sake of his granddaughter he intended for Natsumi to never have to experience that level of loneliness, and so he warned Kenji to never die on her, or he’d kill him in the next world too. There was no intention of delving deeply into Ryozan’s personal situation, only to make him a small offer so he wouldn’t feel left out tonight.

“Well, you can spend some time with my granddaughter and make a friend. No one should really be alone tonight, no matter the spirit they’re in.” The offer was without notice to Kenji or Chizuma, the latter was the more welcoming of the two. Natsumi’s spirits seemed low, but perhaps if she were to talk to people her age she could try to forget what had happened and instead focus on the positivity around her. Tonight was special, and he didn’t want her spending it alone and upset regardless of her situation.

“Takeo!” A cheery voice just behind the pair called out, and upon turning around both would find Kaede Hyuga hustling up behind them with treats in hand.

“Kaede! I figured you were with Natsumi by now.”

“Well, I’m on my way now …the Akimichi Clan wouldn’t let me go without taking something to go. They were convinced I wasn’t eating enough.”

“I see.” Takeo glanced to Ryozan. “I’ll make this short: Mind taking him back with you? Chizuma will understand, I just don’t know if Kenji will, but he’s got no one to spend some time with. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to …be yourself?”

Kaede nodded her head. Although unfamiliar with this new boy, she was not beyond making new friends, especially if they didn’t have any to be with. The timing could have been better, but she could multitask when it came to healing severe wounds and trying to make conversation. Coming beside the two, she would have introduced herself had Takeo not already given her name, but hadn’t given her this boy’s name. She would neglect to point this out, because although introductions were a crucial part in getting to know one another she was already pressed to assist Natusmi, who she had left alone far longer than intended. “Of course.”

“Is Kenji still with your family?” Kaede had nodded, leading Takeo to grimace for a moment. Kaede wouldn’t take offense, as she too understood what it could be like when the Hyuga had felt crossed. “I’ll go take care of him and make sure he doesn’t cause an incident. Hokage or not he’s always had a temper. You two be well.” Bidding farewell for now, Takeo proceeded in the opposite direction he led Ryozan prior, prompting Kaede to join beside him and proceed to the compound in a small jog.

“We can talk shortly, there’s someone I need to see.” She wasn’t moving fast, but fast enough to have Ryozan pressed to keep up. Within a thirty second period of jogging, Kaede would hustle up to a specific building within the Uchiha Clan’s compound that was used to hold those who’s care the clan wished to oversee personally. It was rarely necessary to use but they took care of it even so. With a rapid knock on the door, the one who had come was none other than…

“Chizuma!” Kaede noted. Natsumi’s mother was anything but ordinary as a woman, and didn’t appear too distraught about the situation in the previous battle, which meant she was either incredibly good at masking her feelings or had gotten it all out. Ryozan was difficult to introduce, but if he was with her then maybe she wouldn’t refuse to let him in with her. If Takeo wanted to have him along, then Kaede saw little reason not to allow it. “I’ve come for Natsumi, is she still in?”

Remi received the book with a small squeal of excitement while the caravan marched along. Killak had been walking beside her, the two were deep in a talk about the comet that was due to pass by again.

Killak noted his companion's excitement then read the note on it. If he knew Remi, she'd devote any time off to this latest project. She'd have the time since he saw to it that her active studies and experiments would be incubating, resting, or suspended. The savant, as smart as she was, needed to be kept busy; she was happiest when she was. The two continued to talk, even after his jinchuuriki sister laid on his back to read.

The girl was enraptured in the book and finished her preliminary read through before they made it to Suna. She honestly disliked the wind country, there was just too much sand that she could NOT play with. Nonetheless, she received her orders and immediately went to check into the same hotel as her Empress. She bought the room closest to the only entrance to the floor. After she settled in, she left again to go buy local supplies she'd need to start her latest study. She'd read in one of her scrolls that a good way to foster good relations abroad was to stimulate local economies. So...shopping trip it was...ugh.

Ryozan's spirits seemed to be lifted a bit, albeit subtly, by Takeo's offer. "Yes, it would be an honor to meet your family, so long as I wouldn't be imposing," he said, glad for the invitation, but at the same time not wanting to seem too pitiable. It was true that circumstances had left him alone at the moment, but his circle of friends was never terribly large to begin with. He could work with others well enough, but he was the type who simply liked to keep a few close friends, while leaving plenty of time for himself. But after all he had been through lately, he would certainly welcome some good-natured company. After all, being a bit solitary didn't make him completely anti-social.

That was when a girl with the distinctive eyes of the Hyuga clan approached them. Kaede was her name, but he didn't have much time to learn anything else, or even to introduce himself, since she seemed to be in a rush. And the way Takeo passed him off to her like a baton was awkward to say the least, but from what he could tell the girl seemed nice enough. At the very least she didn't seem to be annoyed by his presence, which was a good start. He followed Kaede as she proceeded into the compound, keeping his questions to himself until such a time as introductions seemed to be in order. It wasn't long, though, before they came up to a building and were greeted by Chizuma.

Seeing as Kaede hadn't even heard his name yet, Ryozan supposed it was up to him to introduce himself. "Good evening," he began in a polite tone. "My name is Ryozan Tanzo. Takeo-san invited me to spend the night with his granddaughter..." As soon as those last words left his mouth, he realized that they sounded much worse than they had in his head. Not wanting to make a lecherous first impression he tried to recover. "Ah, well, since I have nobody to be with tonight he thought it would be good for me to meet her." Did that sound any better? He wasn't sure, but the sudden heat he felt on his face told him that he was blushing, the realization of which made him blush even more. Perhaps Kaede would be able to salvage things...

"I do not take a step before seeing where my foot will land, Ra. I have a plan." Shoko responded to her adviser. Her worries were sound, the rebels had considerable influence, and with the Hokage now backing them they were not a force she could ignore. Regardless, she was not concerned, if a few setbacks was all it took to ruin her empire, then she would have failed long ago. "Suna is nearly on our side as we speak. The citizens have taken notice of the changes since I took control. Before, Sunagakure was faced with an economic catastrophe, due to my guidance, that is no longer an issue. Also, during the war between Iwagakure and Takigakure, Iwa was threatening to annex Suna, just as Taki had plans to forcible invade The Land of Fire. War is easy to wage, but those people had no tact. They may call me as cruel as they wish, but waging war in populated areas is unacceptable..." Shoko tapped her nails on the desk in front of her, unknowingly digging up chips of wood. "No one else needs to perish, I will convince this village to side with me, and then move on to Iwa to do the same." He fingers stopped renovating the desk, and she turned to Ra. "Gather as many people as you can so I may address them... Use your spies to help spread the news, if need be."

~~~

As soon as Chizuma's eyes targeted Kaede, she had wrapped her arms around her to give her a hug bears would find tight. "Kaede, it's great to see you! Natsumi's in the back, she may not seem excited to see you, but she's a little down right now. Cheer her up, eh?" Natsumi's mother patted Kaede on the back, directing her towards her daughter's room. Makoto had just left, saying she had some kinks to work out of a new technique, so she was alone right now. A boy had followed in behind Kaede, He introduced himself, and fumbling over his words, he left a fairly shaky first impression. Chizuma's smile turned sinister, and her eyes narrowed like the gates of hell closing. "Oh, nice to meet you, Pervzan. Natsumi isn't quite ready to show herself to strangers yet, it's a girl thing, ya know? Kaede should have her ready to come out soon. In the meantime, why don't you tell me about yourself, eh Pervzan?"

Natsumi's eyes lit up as she saw Kaede enter the medical bay. She held back a smile, feeling it would be rude to assume she could present herself in such a positive manner. She had nearly killed a friend right in front of her, the entire time acting like a rabid beast. Kaede was a forgiving person, one of the most kind she knew, but she still doubted that she could be forgiven so easily. "H-hi..." She whispered, her eyes avoiding Kaede's like a rabbit fleeing a snake. "You're... here to heal my arms, right? You umm... don't have to just because of my father. I don't deserve it..."

Ryozan had done well in introducing himself, because she had no idea how to do it; “This is a strange boy Mr. Watanabe asked me to bring along.” didn’t sound so appealing no matter how you placed it. Glad to know his name, Kaede was ushered in by Chizuma, informing her that Natsumi was ready and waiting for her. It had then become clear that Ryozan’s suggestive implication for his invitation had brought out the protectiveness of Natsumi’s mother, who didn’t seem willing to let him stay alone with two girls, one being her own child. Offering an apologetic smile to him and hoping that Chizuma would go easy, the Hyuga would step further and further away to make a silent entry into the medical bay of the Uchiha Clan. Celebrations were in order despite the casualties, but here Natsumi was looking down and avoiding her in a fashion similar to how Kaede had avoided her earlier. It went without saying that they had to clear the air before things could become normal once again.

In the middle of her self-pity, Kaede had come to her quietly and without hesitation brought her arms around Natsumi. Firmly securing her in a warm embrace and careful to avoid her scarred arms, covered though they may be, Kaede brought her left cheek against Natsumi’s and rocked in a motherly fashion.

“Whether your father asked me to or not I would still have come …because you need me, don’t you?” she mumbled, pulling back and smiling at her best friend. It might have come as some sort of shock to her, but Kaede was truly happy to be here, even letting the baked goods she kept in hand settle on Natsumi’s lap for this hug. It would go against any responsible parent’s wishes for sugary treats to be consumed before an appropriate dinner, but the only responsible parent wasn’t here right now. No offense to Chizuma, of course. The lime-green haired wife of the Hokage had always been the more lenient of the two, and since they were children would often help sneak sweets when Kenji or Takeo didn’t happen to be looking. 'What they don’t know won’t hurt them.'She’d say in a hushed tone.

Moving her hands down to the bandaged arms of Natsumi, Kaede had begun to let the strong flow of chakra circulating throughout her body constantly sink through the bandages and tend to the scarred and dead tissue within and around her arms. Kaede believed things would be okay between them, but Natsumi was owed an explanation that she was happy to offer.

“I avoided looking at you earlier because I didn’t want you to feel worse about what had gone on. Besides, that wasn’t really you at the time …you wouldn’t have tried to hurt him like that. As long as I didn’t break, you wouldn’t have felt so much worse than you might already.” Hopefully it made sense. Leaving Natsumi idle like this for so long wasn’t her intention, but she underestimated the hospitality and good spirits of the Akimichi time and time again. As her energies seeped through the skin and flowed among the tender bones, nerves were being nursed and the renewal of life was being attempted through otherwise deadened arms. Even with her accelerated healing skills she would need to be careful, the damage wasn’t like anything she had ever seen before. Activating her Byakugan and looking closely, her examination bore fruit in the form of chakra traces throughout her body. Some of the chakra was obviously Natsumi herself, but other parts, mostly her arms, showed more of what she might consider ‘taint’ in her natural chakra pool.

“So that was the Kyuubi’s power. It's dangerous.”

Ryozan cringed once he heard the new nickname he had already earned himself, but did not bother to protest; dwelling on that name would only increase its likelihood of becoming permanent. Besides, he could see the cynicism behind her eyes. Chizuma was looking for any opportunity to strike... verbally of course. His best course of action would be to simply continue the conversation. Although he wasn't good at making small talk, he was sure that discussing his personal interests would lead them well away from the topic of lechery. Still, he was unsure how to simply tell her "about himself," but he would have to give it a try. "Well, I like to spend most of my time practicing my ninjutsu and swordsmanship," he began, once again finding a formal and polite tone, "though I also spend a fair amount of time reading as well. As for my hobbies, I have learned a bit of Shogi," though by a bit he meant that he was easily one of the top five players in the village, "and I will not turn down a game of Mahjong." So far so good. It didn't seem like any of those admittedly boring phrases could be misconstrued or turned against him, but now what? Surely there was more to small talk than just making lists of hobbies...

Then a thought came to him. Chizuma appeared to be about the same age, or at least of the same generation, as his mother would have been. "Perhaps you knew my mother," Ryozan suggested. Talking about the deceased was often uncomfortable for people, but it had happened long enough ago that he was able to converse about it now, albeit in a somber tone. "Her maiden name was Kasumi Takashi. I do not believe that clan name is around any longer, but I did inherit her kekkei genkai." It was a shot in the dark at best, but it didn't seem terribly unlikely that two kunoichi of the same generation may have known one another. Besides, as things were, this was his best chance of getting rid of the "weird stranger" stigma that he had been branded with. Well, maybe not the "weird" part, but at least the "stranger" part.

A hug from Kaede was always welcome to Natsumi. The girl had a comforting aura that managed to ease her every time she wrapped her arms around her. "Must be black magic." Their cousin Makoto had claimed, feeling the wondrous effects of a Kaede brand hug.

"I know... I do need you." Natsumi said. She knew Kaede would have come regardless of what her father had told her, she was just that type of person. Her hands too weak to return the embrace, she let the weight of her body see that the affection was mutual. Pushing her friends away would do no good, Makoto wouldn't let her apologize, Kaede insisted on healing her, no self pity was going to be allowed. She watched in silence as she began to heal her arms. The flesh stirred as it was repaired, a surreal feeling akin to swarming microbes piecing together her skin like a macabre puzzle. The numbness slowly left her, replaced by a slight stinging as her nerves healed. Natsumi cringed, grinding her teeth. Having focused on the pain, she just then articulated what Kaede had said while treating her. "That's what I've always heard, that Kurama's chakra is dangerous, but I didn't listen did I? I can't shake all of the blame for what I'd done on Kurama however, it was my choice to let his chakra pervade mine, and all the while i was perfectly aware of what I was doing. A drunk can't blame their actions on sake after all." Natsumi let out a sigh, lifting her arms she wiggled her fingers, Thanks to Kaede's treatment they would be fulled healed within a day.

"I'll have to thank you and Makoto for the intervention, eh?" She said, feeling it was alright to let herself smile now.

---

As Ryozan was speaking, Chizuma had pulled out a small notebook, and had begun scribbling into it. "...Likes... Reading..." She murmured. "Basic ninja hobbies, three out of 5 stars." She was taking notes on Ryozan, just like she took notes on any boys near her daughter. She wouldn't say she's overprotective, but that was her own opinion, albeit weighed against pretty much everyone else. Chizuma's eye's looked from the notebook upon hearing mention of Ryozan's mother. "I had heard of her, and seen her a few times, but I can't say I knew her personally." She said. She wasn't fond of talks of the dead, such a topic was like digging into old scars. "The life of a ninja can be hard, huh? This world in general is a pretty tough place to live in..." She stopped her musings when footsteps were heard from behind her. "Oh, finished already, Kaede?"

"You know how good she is mom." Natsumi answered, stepping out of the patient room. She still had the bandages around her arms, but had put on a red kimono, she hated the medical bay's drab wardrobe. She noticed Ryozan and her eyes widened for a moment. "Oh, I didn't know I had another visitor. I am Natsumi Uchiha, it's nice to meet you." She said, bowing her head.

"Only three stars." Chizuma mumbled.

"M-mother please."

It wasn’t an intervention viewed as necessary to the healer, but it did prove that for all of Natsumi’s happiness she too could be brought down by cruelty that she generated in such a twisted form. The state of her arms brought pain to Kaede, but the pain of failing to make certain she didn’t restore her arms entirely would have hurt much, much more. With all energy placed into this single task, the crisp arms of the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki would be restored, all traces of the Kyuubi being vaporized as the energy still rested dormant throughout her wounds. They’d remain bandaged for now, but the feeling would be coming back to her friend in a reasonable amount of time. With her mind at ease and Natsumi appearing to be in much better spirits, Kaede hugged her once more before they would return to the main area, where it appeared Chizuma had been good company for Ryozan.

At least …she hoped so.

With Natsumi offering a kind greeting and Chizuma muttering something likely to be related to Ryozan’s eligibility as a son-in-law (she knows her well), that left Kaede with the task of bringing Ryozan much more into the ‘fold’. It didn’t seem like Takeo’s intentions were to put him in an uncomfortable situation, but the fact of the matter was that he wouldn’t have known anyone here very well, and leaving him to the interrogation of Chizuma wasn’t exactly the most ideal welcome imaginable. Natsumi didn’t appear to mind his presence, so that would mean he could become better acquainted with them. The injuries taken care of, Chizuma had hurried everyone out of the medical bay and had made certain they would all get a taste of a nice barbecued meal she had been preparing. Her spirits never seemed to dull, but that only made the Leaf Village a brighter place. Having gone inside, it left the girls and Ryozan outside together in the meantime.

Taking a seat on the porch, Kaede took a good long look at Ryozan. He appeared like any other shinobi, but appeared very reserved for his age. There didn’t appear to be much of a thrill when it came to being with him, but he also didn’t seem like a very bad person to spend time with. Having spent so long with people during treatments, Kaede had a decent grasp of people who had troubles, and she was going to wager that something might have been on Ryozan’s mind.

“I apologize about before, but I’ve kept Natsumi waiting long enough and just wanted to get her here. I don’t think I saw you during tonight’s battle, were you in hiding?” Kaede could understand not wanting to battle and wouldn’t call Ryozan a coward if he chose not to get involved, but the unfortunate reality was that the window to do that had grown very small. She couldn’t judge him, yet it wouldn’t stop others.

-

The Hyuga were a proud clan, full of strength and not to be taken lightly no matter the situation. Unfortunately, so was the Hokage himself, but it was out of respect for the role that Kenji had done the mature thing and allowed them to speak on their disappointment with …enthusiasm. Kaede was sent away so she might not bear witness or try to defend those who ‘abandoned her’ as her father detailed it, while her mother had remained quiet and mouthed an apology to him from afar. He acknowledged it, allowing this rant to continue. Though not all of it could be put on him, words of disappointment went out to one of the Branch’s own, a man by the name of ‘Dren’ who had been assigned to Kaede specifically. Although they had given a good share of disappointing words about him, it was ultimately Kenji himself who they were questioning. Silence fell upon the meeting room; surrounded by most of the Main Families members, Kenji wasn’t intimidated, merely apologetic.

“I apologize once again for allowing Kaede to be in any risk, and for my daughter’s outburst. I couldn’t have foreseen that, she’s normally been calm and cheerful …what you saw or might have heard about was a side of her I’ve never seen, and as her father I hope you can forgive me for allowing the pride of the Hyuga Clan to be in danger.” Kenji’s words were not empty, and though the fury of the Main Family was still there his charisma when it came to diffusing an intense situation was causing them to relax slightly. Before much more could be said between the two parties, a member of ANBU had stepped inside.

“Hokage, sir, we’ve got news.”

“This can’t wait?”

“It concerns the Hidden Mist. It appears the attack was a success—“

“Of course it did. Again, this couldn’t have waited?” Kenji was a little on edge, obviously so were the Hyuga. You didn’t interrupt a meeting between clan’s like this so carelessly.

“Well, it’s …concerning the Mizukage. Apparently a man by the name of Sangetsu Hozuki intends to take the mantle, and requests a meeting.”

Kenji narrowed his eyes dangerously and glanced towards Kaede’s father and mother, who were also meeting this new information with some questionable glances. The Mizukage was not only a close friend, but from what he last heard the Land of Water wasn’t exactly in a rush to find a new one. He knew Sangetsu by reputation, and didn’t like what he knew about him.

“Do you mind?”

With both shaking their heads, Kenji would step outside with the ANBU leading, only to find Takeo himself standing alongside a few Hunter-nin. A group of three were huddled closely, and who appeared to be the messenger obviously appeared very much alone beside Takeo himself.

“Full report. Now.”