~Kii~
Kii mentally flinched when the bag of cookies were offered his way.
The last time Kii had lunch over Ryou's parents house...Well, lets just say his stomach was so upset that it was still complaining about the horrific things that it was forced to digest. Kii knew better than to take any hospitality in the form of food from any Hozuki. Kii was sure toxic chemicals were safer.
"No way! That's a death trap!" Kii outright said to Ryou, which wasn't unusual. Kii was always pretty forward when it came to food and Ryou. Kii had learned his lesson and he wasn't going to politely spare any feelings in expressing his unease. He'd have to be half starved to death just to consider eating something that came out of Ryou's house even if it were packaged!
"Anyway," Kii would say, taking a half step away from that bag of weapons Ryou was confusing for edible treats, and cleared his throat, "I was just speaking out loud. I don't think we will be lucky enough to be able to exploit some Chuunin Exams-" Kii explained to Ryou, but then Shira came along and she had quite the documents. Kii looked them over, analyzing them carefully. Surely, Konoha-ninja wouldn't be easily doped, but they likely didn't treat every pedestrian that entered their village as threats. Though, most certainly, even with the clever passports and supporting documentation, Shira was still going to be an obvious beacon that she wasn't normal. Anyone with a Sharingan or a Byakugan would be able to tell her apart from a normal human.
Just having papers wouldn't work.
"I don't think we should be residents," Kii started, considering what Shira just blurted out about clothes. Cut and sew. That brought a number of ideas to Kii, "What if we offered ourselves as workers? Kids travelling to the Leaf village in search of work to support our families. We could claim to know how to do some ninjutsu. As long as we don't show we have any formal training, like handseals and stuff, we could probably play off being contractors," Kii would state, looking over the residency document that Shira brought them.
"I think we'd be better off not trying to play completely innocent. We should even brag to the ninja guards about our skills. If we act like we aren't hiding anything, then anything they find on us won't seem as suspicious," Kii would explain, his eyes still on the transcript that Shira gave him, "I may know someone that could help us too. Taiho. He was a kid at the orphanage about 5 years ago. He went to work in Konoha for this big carpentry business. If we adjust these transcripts to match that, and Taiho could offer us an alibi, then we could slide in as special workers searching for work. I'm pretty sure I could get a message to him before we reach there. The sisters keep in contact with most of the kids long after they leave the orphanage. That could be our way in. If we know someone on the inside that could verify a lot of this information it won't be under as much scrutiny when we enter the village, or attempt too. I really think too, with the Leaf village under the alert that it is, just pretending to be normal, average, inconspicuous kids will actually get us into more trouble. We should market our abilities, so long as we don't come off as too remarkable, to get in."
They would be carpenters. They'd most likely be worked like dogs by Taiho's boss, should he manage to get them low paying wage jobs, but they'd have a way in.
"I think we should go with this. It's the most reasonable. Just showing up with some papers isn't enough. Ninja aren't going to fall for something that straight-forward."
~Saiyaka~
Saiyaka listened to her young, spry inexperienced student with focused eyes. She was an exceptional listener, especially in a situation like this where her student was calling upon her for aid. That was what she was here for. However, she felt that there was no modest way to answer the question. Saiyaka twirled a strand of her hair, leaned with most of her weight on her right leg, and rested her right hand on her hip.
"My opinion as a your teacher is that this is too advanced for you. You are too young, too inexperienced, and you don't have the tactical training in order to be a useful spy. You don't know the first thing about espoinage having come straight from the academy and this requires some of the highest level of skill. You are sneaking into the Leaf village. ANBU will watch you every moment of the day. This mission is most certainly going to lead to you being hurt, mentally or physically, in some way. I honestly contemplated tearing the Ichibi from you and putting it in myself, just to assure the sucess of this mission. Don't worry, I only considered it for a split second," She said, offering a wink and a smile. She slipped her hands behind her back, leaning forward a moment before looking towards the hall. She sighed, a short and soft sigh, as she stood straight up again, having stretched her back some.
"My opinion as a ninja is that this is beneficial. Why waste skilled resources of expert ninja when weaker novices could be spent. Worse case is you all get captured, release your Bijuu, and deal devastating, irrevocable damage to Konoha and we, the more skilled ninja, swoop in and finish the task of executing Konoha's little rebellion. This is an incredible chance to acquire information on the Leaf. As a ninja, I know the Leaf village won't outright kill children. They value lives a little more than the other villages and they have their pride as the Land of Fire. You could get a little further than a grown, talented ninja. Especially since many of you don't have names or titles in which you could be recognized. You are all also easier to slip in and easier to get out of the village, under most circumstances, and can get information out of adults easier as adults are more inclined to trust children they do not know than they would adults they do not know. You are very potent tools, when manipulated correctly." She would say, leaning against the closest wall. She moved a hand to her chin, thinking about what she'd just said a moment, realizing that it was cold and careless, however that was how she felt as a ninja truly. Where she an authority in this matter she'd do the same. Waste the lives of the inexperienced, weak children than anymore skilled, powerful ninja.
However, she didn't entirely like this situation anymore than the children involved.
"As a woman," She'd say, standing up and walking up to Daisuke, "I don't like it. There is something Konoha sees and despises about the Republic. I don't know what it is, but it is not something to be underestimated. As a woman, I know better than to ever trust the words of a man as the wholehearted, honest, faithful truth. People lie, cheat, and they steal. They will make themselves seem the hero and the enemy the villain simply because that is a convenience to them. As a woman, I know that there is no true villain or hero in any story. There are too many shades of gray and sides to a story. I don't trust the Republic. I only trust myself. I know, no matter what, that I what I will do to ensure my goals, but I don't know the hearts of others. I can't entrust my life to the Republic when I cannot understand it's motives or see its true colors. You shouldn't either, Daisuke," She would say, stopping only a foot away from Daisuke.
For a moment, Saiyaka's expression would soften and, for a moment, she would offer a truly genuine smile, [i]"But, in the end, this is your decision to make. You are an independent. You are not a tool of the Republic, but a ninja of Sunagakure. If you do not wish to go through this then I will support that. However, I feel you and I both know the truth. You need to go through this. Whether you live or die, this is a opportunity that you won't receive again. The experience and lessons you will learn through such an incredible mission will shape you, make you stronger, and give you things that even I couldn't impart to you. This will be good for you. It only can be something to teach and fortify you. I only ask one thing of you, Daisuke," She'd say, then, slowly and with her eyes closed, she'd kiss Daisuke right on his forehead.
She'd take a step back after a moment, opening her eyes, "Do not die." She would finish, offering an acknowledge nod before turning to take her leave, "Oh! And head back to the village and take your teammates. Make sure they know that I have ordered that they follow whatever decision you decide. I will kill them if they try to flee~" Sweetly, without any consideration for the newcomer, she'd take her leave from there. After a few steps she'd just disappear as she ran, quickly, and faded into the distance.
