Tuujaimaa

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

"I am pleased to hear it, Lady Ayameko." came the reply, almost as if it were a practiced dance between the two. They were only as good as the facades they maintained, after all, and even the slightest mistake could have ramifications in the future far beyond the scope of the mistake. It was almost terrifying to think of the razor-fine edge upon which the hidden village's politics so neatly rested upon, but it was very clear that each player in the great game was of considerable skill - Takumi, Ayameko and Touzoku included. Each had a role to play, and each played it perfectly.

With the offer of wheat, Takumi picked his book up and begun to flick through its pages with practiced precision, before stopping over some precursory notes on the likelihood of what Ayameko would offer in trade. He'd been right about the product, but his math of quantities had been very slightly off - perhaps the harvest was better than expected, or perhaps Ayameko wanted the iron quite badly. It seemed from her previous statement that the former was true, so with an imperceptible smirk he continued to rifle through the pages, briefly mumbling words that sounded like calculations under his breath as he worked out the value that he could squeeze out of Ayameko's offer. It was fair, but Yamagakure was in no need of wheat, and a quick glance at his notes on the situations of the other villages indicated that they were not particularly wanting of wheat either. It was a fairly staple crop.

"I'm afraid, Lady Ayameko, that wheat is not currently something that we are able to trade for - it is something we too have grown a plentiful amount of this harvest. I would be able to accept the equivalent value of the wheat in oats, or perhaps there is something else you wish to trade? I could also switch the shipments of iron and we could reduce the amount of oats accordingly, if you would find that more acceptable?" He spoke, peering up from the book at the last few words. His left hand idly reached across to the quill on his section of the table, dipped it into the pot of ink nearby, and began to make calculations outside on the paper. They were largely meaningless, but he had long known of Touzoku's impressive abilities - he could not hide anything that he was writing down from her. Still, he was only writing down the possible projected profits - they were reasonably high, as perhaps was expected of the Treasurer.

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

"It took the Champion to stymie the spread of the plague... And even I almost failed. Nobody could have been prepared for that plague." Akaritori replied as her flesh returned to her, and the eight wings blossomed forth from her back, almost as if signalling a rebirth, or some other momentous occasion befitting the catharsis that had just spread throughout the room. Akaritori cracked her neck briefly before sheathing Masayoshi, and returning to her desk to continue peering at the book that she had been reading as Allia had entered.

"I'm glad you got the closure you wanted. It is nice to know that there was at least one who survived everything." she replied to Allia, before setting herself back in the exact same posture that she'd been in all day, prior to the little outburst that had just happened - oddly enough, she didn't even seem remotely fazed by the fact there was a gaping hole in her wall. She thought to herself about the rage that had gripped Zilant, and wondered if she had been forced to hold her rage back for as long as he had if anything would have survived her wrath. The thought was terrifying, to say the least. Now, she had the Windspeaker to help with her latent rage, and that was something that she was eternally thankful for. It was still a little difficult to think back to the destruction of Exae, to think of the darkness that had possessed her so easily, but it was necessary. It reminded her of what she was, and how she got to where she was.

"Don't even bother attempting to make appointments when you need to see me. My receptionist is about as useful as the criminals we lock away in the Citadel Tower." she added, the words sounding like a joke but the tone not changing at all - it was a relatively jarring experience to listen to Akaritori make humourous remarks. It was a talent that she had never been particularly good at. She turned again to the whole in the wall, and she remembered that Takumi was on the Isle of Chuusei negotioating a trade with Kyokujitsu. She'd have to call upon Isao to come fix her wall. The mere thought of it made her furrow her brow before she resumed looking at the book, flicking the page casually.

Akaritori was, if nothing else, dedicated to her work.

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

Akaritori had no words for Allia - despite everything, she had not been driven to fury like she had in the past, and Zilant was now. It was impressive, in its own little way, that a small part of Naya lived on. The thought brought a happy smile to the Yamakage's face, despite the fury of Zilant being directed at her in its entirety. Akaritori had weathered far worse than a dragon's fire in her time - especially from a dragon like Zilant, that was comparatively a whelp - and that same resolute hardness was still etched deep into her very being, preventing her from saying anything back to the young woman.

She mustered up the will to speak, to say something - to tell her that no, she wasn't a child after surviving everything that she had survived, that she could be anrgy if she so chose, that... She didn't even know any more. The one regret in Akaritori's life that she had never been able to let go of had followed her even to Yamagakure, but in some ways she had expected it to happen. She had thought of it every night for five years after she burned the continent to the ground.

Still - she was Yamakage, the Judge-Magister of Yamagakure, and her claims of power had been tested. It was something that she had to respond to. If she didn't, her titles and powers were meaningless. If she could be challenged, openly, with impunity, her reign meant nothing. That was something that she could not let happen, and even though she was gripped deeply by regret, she was a soldier. She had duties to attend to, even when honour was difficult, and she would attend to them.

"You doubt me." came the words, in a decidedly darker tone, as Akaritori stood up from her desk and unsheathed Masayoshi. She turned to face the dragon, in all of his fury, and let the breath wash over her. It was nothing that she could not take. It was nothing that she could not bear. Still, the appropriate response was not to take his rage - as much as she wanted to let him loose his rage upon her, she was a Kage - she had responsibilities, claims to defend, and people to care for.

"Shikōsai!"

The burst of light was intense enough to temporarily blind even Akaritori (if she hadn't been wearing her goggles) as the wings of light that sprouted from her back suddenly vanished and her form was replaced by pure light - something only the Champion of Exae could do - and her elemental form was bathed in dragonfire to no avail. Zilant could not even burn Akaritori's mortal body, never mind her ascended form.

With a stern gaze, and an outstretched left hand, she pointed at Zilant and made a motion downwards with her hand, speaking as she did so: "Gijin no Shisen."

The Gaze of the Righteous, perhaps the least powerful of her ascended form's techniques, was one of the flashiest and most effective in situations where permanent harm was not desired or required. Zilant, in the space of less than a second, would be cowed - brought to the ground by some almighty force that squeezed at his body, forcing him into as close to a kneeling position that a dragon could be in. There would be some pain, but it would hardly be enough to penetrate the sheer hot-blooded rage of the dragon.

"I was a champion, once, Zilant. I had greater powers than I do now... I could tap into the very heart of the Lightforge, the very font of the Judge-Magisters' power! I carry with me a mere trace of that power now, of the forge that gave birth to Exae, and it is more than enough to lay you low before the power of Justice! I understand your rage, more than anybody, but I cannot let you contest my power freely. I am everything that I have claimed to be, and you will accept that. Do you understand?"

The celestial form of the Kage then turned to Allia:

"I would never kill him for succumbing to the same rage I did... And you are no child, to have survived everything that you have. Naya would be proud of you."

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

"The... Citadel?" Akaritori spoke, as soon as Allia was blown into her desk, losing herself briefly in the memory of the room in which she'd been coronated, so many years ago. She remembered every detail - the procession, the decorations, being given Masayoshi... And the oath. The oath brought her into deeper memories, darker memories, of the war that she'd won only to destroy her beloved Exae herself. But it hadn't been her beloved Exae for a very long time - since she was coronated. They'd let her down. The Judges, the Magisters, the Judge-Magisters... Everyone - her brothers and sisters in law, her so-called family had let her believe her family alive for two years before... They had forged letters back, told her sweet nothings to ensure that she kept focused on saving their worthless hides. They were just as corrupt as the plague that should have taken them. They had deserved to burn.

But this girl? If she was from Exae, if she had suffered because... If she had survived the war... It was a horrible thought. Then, it had been a horrible act, and Akaritori knew the act exactly for what it was when she performed it. She had thought them all evil, those who survived, but this little whelp of a girl? She was glad that she hadn't burned with the rest of them. It was a horrible way to die, even for the scum that the council of Exae had turned out to be.

"... I happened to Exae. After... After I won them the war, they told me that my family had died. They'd impersonated them for two years without telling me to make sure I saved their worthless hides, and in my grief I destroyed everything... I suppose that includes your family, and your dragon's family too..." She started, beginning to sound a little mournful - sad - guilty, even.

"I was the Pride of Exae... I was the Champion that held back the war... And I broke my oath because they broke theirs. I... I'm sorry, for what happened to your family. And to your dragon's. If there's anything you'd ask of me, anything you want me to do in penance... Please, let me know. If it is in my power, I will grant it to you - that I swear."

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

It was fitting that the Sankage, the most powerful person in one of the most powerful nations, had chosen to represent her village personally in the trade. What was not fitting, however, was her assumptions about Takumi. She had fallen exactly into the attitude that he had hoped to inspire in those he could conceivably consider his rivals. Her ignorance of his ignorance was, in its own little way, ironic and laughable, but Takumi did not laugh. It would have been unwise to underestimate the Sankage, her daughter, or her assistant. None of them would dare attack on the Isle of Chūsei - the peace treaty that had been signed had clear ramifications for any that would dare break the truce - but there were other ways to be underhanded. Other ways to wage the war that gripped every society that had ever existed - the war of information. No society was without its secrets, and those secrets were the treasure of every other society. Those who did not participate in the game were its unwitting pawns, and those who did wagered a risky reward. Life and death hung in the balance, even in the neutral isle - but whose lives was less clear than in an open war. That was what the most intellectual players of the game enjoyed.

"Shodai Sankage Hyakuyondaime Hokage Yotogodaime Tanikage Shichishodai Shikata Ayameko," Takumi began, returning the gesture and bowing, "Lady Touzoku," he repeated the gesture, "and Lady Yoriko." and again he gestured. The tone was a little obsequious, but sounded thoroughly sincere - and it was. Formality and good business ethic despite one's personal opinions were the most stable bricks with which to lay a healthy foundation, and there was no structure ever built that could survive for any meaningful length of time without a stable foundation. Whether or not each party returned the gesture was meaningless, but he doubted that they would abstain. Every action and non-action alike were considered by those on formal meetings with emissaries of other countries, regardless of their status within that country - and Takumi knew that Touzoku and Ayameko both knew that. He assumed Kei did as well, given that she was travelling with the Sankage.

"I trust your trip to the Isle was comfortable?" he asked, simply because it was expected despite its banal nature, and did not wait long for a response. If there was a response, it would likely be only a few words. He would reciprocate if asked the question in return, but it was not too likely that that would happen - still, it was his job to be prepared for everything.

"I trust you are still interested in the shipment of chakra-forged iron I have? Ten tonnes, though another five are being produced to be sold shortly thereafter." Takumi began, flicking through an ominously large book in front of him as he did so.

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

Yamakage's Office

"Exae?" came the dry reply from the receptionist, who was still not amused at the entire situation.

"I suppose you had better go on through, then."

---

Akaritori's office was reminiscent of the Grand Citadel of Exae, the seat of the Judge-Magisters, and of the home of Justice in Exae that was - anybody who had ever been to Exae before would remember it vividly. The tower was forged of light given form, and shaped into an immense sword that pierced the very heavens above. The tower was so large that even from any point in Exae, the tip could not be seen, and it was the subject of many of the country's idioms and turns of phrases. The office could have been considered extravagant by another country's standards, but Yamagakure did not want for gold and other riches due to its vast mountain ranges, so extravagance was not an issue.

The walls were coated with a thin layer of solid, lustrous gold, and liquid light spilled forth from fonts in the walls, leading down a long corridor to Akaritori's desk, forged from the ancient Exaean technique used to give light a solid form - the only known example in the world that was left. The room had a certain ambience that felt almost like being watched from all sides, and immediately upon entry the stern gaze of the Yamakage, behind her goggles, bored into your skull. It was harrowing enough to humble even the most proud of men, and some did not even make it halfway down the corridor before turning around and fleeing. An audience with Akaritori was easy to get, but she had no patience for those that could not reach her desk before crumbling under the weight of the pressure. It seemed doubtful that Allia would make it without some outside help - but stranger things had happened in that office.

Akaritori herself was reading over the latest missive from Takumi, projecting greater profits due to a beneficial trade of the iron that they had most recently mined. Her body language suggested a relaxed, confident, but still wary - obviously she was a veteran of war - demeanour. It projected a sense of constant vigilance, but one that was so ingrained into her system that she no longer needed effort to remain vigilant, a trait worthy of the Kage title. She would keep watch of Allia if she chose to walk through the doors, but she would not speak. Not until she reached the desk.

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

Isle of Chūsei

The air was fairly brisk on the Isle of Chūsei - as it usually was - but this did not seem to bother Susumu, Takumi and his entourage. Over the years that the Isle of Chūsei have existed, many of its inhabitants had chosen not to leave due to the central location of the isle and the intermingling of three distinct cultures that, despite all odds, seemed to have ended quite well. The isle was peaceful enough, but colder than any of the mainlands - still, Takumi had been to the isle often enough. He'd even built a small Susumu clan compound there, extravagant amidst the ascetics' temples, so he could live in at least a little bit of luxury. The Susumu clan had always had a taste for riches, but Takumi was the worst offender by far in recent years - his motives were commonly listed as gold, gold, and more gold. That couldn't be further from the truth, but it didn't hurt to let the hearsay cloud his intentions. Anybody who looked hard enough would find what they were looking for.

Takumi had been to the centre of the isle on business more times than he could count - Akaritori and Windspeaker Touho had given him exclusive domain over the economy of Yamagakure a long time ago, and under his watchful eye it has prospered beyond all of the other nations'. Takumi had the knack of knowing what to buy, what to sell, and most importantly, when to buy or sell them. He treated money like it was a grand game, one that he had mastered a long time ago, and it was almost as if he was playing against children. Now, he had business there again, waiting for Lady Ayameko's emissary to arrive so they could discuss a large shipment of steel that Yamagakure was selling off.

The seats were, as was custom, carved out of solid gold for Takumi to sit on - and his entourage would sit on stone chairs behind him, observing his techniques that they might learn to become half the man he was. He smirked a little. They would never become anything nearly as great as he was. Takumi sat patiently, as he always did, waiting for his partner in business to arrive. He had chosen to be ten minutes early, knowing that an emissary of Kyokujitsugakure would also be early - it was his job to know the habits of those he worked with. It is difficult to play an instrument one does not know - and the same can be said for people in the world of finance. Knowledge and Money were power, and Takumi was a master of both.

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

I'm so done with the manga. It's too OP for my tastes - and that is saying something. I love being overpowered.

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

If you had made the writing sufficiently detailed, nobody would have to ask silly questions. :D

That said, the only people who will be asking questions about your bio are Innue, Taylor and myself - and we're all literarily skilled. It just seems silly and wasteful to make an unnecessary post saying "inb4" - which implies that people won't understand and will ask - when common sense should tell you that we will understand what the word hiatus means (Even if we didn't, we could just google it).

Shūkyō Kaikaku (Naruto AU)

About 20 years ago.

~

If you're still on Skype, Gecko, you have us all added on your old account. If you need to make a new one, PM me and I'll get you everyone's account info. It'll be easier to talk about stuff through an IM platform.

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@Masaki: I'd like you to take a brief look at everyone here's biographies that have been submitted so far. Do you think there is a single person here who doesn't know what a hiatus is?

Hint: There isn't. :D