Women of War [P][Apple]

[~Kohana <3]

Kohana had allowed Blanche to take the lead from the hospital room that they were in prior, however once they began to traverse the halls of the hospital and step outside it was a different story. The Hyuuga would hold doors, scoot people aside, and generally treat Blanche as a very welcomed guest. After all, she was the Kusakage. Despite her own status though as another Kage, Kohana felt it necessary to be as hospitable as ever.

Especially since she wanted to try and dig for some information.

"You know," She started as she took the first few steps along the sidewalk, her heels clicking as she did so. "We are a rare breed, you and I. Not many women can become as successful as we have. I have heard a handful of stories regarding your truly amazing talents in the medical field as well as bringing Kusagakure back to its glory."

Perhaps it was a bit too much praise to lavish her with, but it wasn't idle chitter chatter or stretches of truth. It was all history that indeed happened. Just like the rumor that she was the little sister of the Shodaime Tsuchikage---the one who conspired with the Shodaime Mizukage and started the mess that the shinobi world was into today. Something like that could not be as easy as a coincidence. Especially now with Kouketsu's supposed reappearance at the summit.

"What I'm trying to say is, Blanche, is that we should be looking out for each other. After all, it's a rather big world out there. Would be nice to have someone there to hold your earrings if things got rough, hm?" A chuckle would be given as it escaped her parted lips. They stayed parted for the briefest of moments as if she had wanted to continue, add something on to what she had said. However she let it die out for now.

Essentially she offered Konohagakure as an ally to Kusagakure. Though at the moment her village was in shambles, she still ruled one of the five great nations. Her presence and word behind a smaller nation would hold quite the heavy weight if need be...

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As I stepped through the doors, which had been opened so conveniently for me by the Hokage herself, my eyes soon became re-adjusted with the sunlight which poured down on us, blinding my eyes for only a brief moment before allowing me to gaze around me. Having been taken in to the place whilst unconscious, I, of course, hadn't been able to see its surroundings. I'd never paticularily been involved with any previous Hokage - in fact, I had, at one point, managed to trick one Ryuusuke in giving me his world map who had then ended up becoming Hokage shortly thereafter. But.. she, the woman who stood beside me, was someone of whom I hadn't come across in the past. Turning back to look at her as she addressed me, from the things that she began to say, my face then displayed a devious smirk as I took her praise. I couldn't tell exactly if she spoke such things to try and get on my good side or not, but regardless, I still wore the smirk in response as I walked across one of the many pavements on Konohagakure, beginning to formulate a response. Not that I doubted her abilities, but personally, I hadn't heard anything about her, up until the very moment that I hazily opened my eyes and found out that she was the Hokage. Perhaps, when I returned home, some more digging would be in order to find out exactly what the woman before me could do. I could only deduct that, through her praise and her own affinity to the medical arts, that I trumped her own abilities, but - nothing else really came through to me.

With shapely hips shifting from side to side as I walked, mimicking a supermodel more than a village leader, the gargantuan mass of blonde hair which I sported soon seemed to catch the eye of several citizens in the village, my own, now strangely dull blue noticing such actions from the corner of my eye. Of course- if the fact that I was conversing with their Hokage wasn't enough, then surely the metal band around my neck spoke for itself. "There are stories? How interesting." I spoke. Of course, I didn't doubt that people conversed about me - why would they not? But, I placed my own over-infated self esteem down for a moment in order to blend in perhaps a little bit more. The smirk on my face now traded in for perhaps a more suitable grin, I kept walking by the side of the woman, cool blue eyes shifted to the side in order to keep watch of her. "Ah." a short pause, after I listened to her suggestion in regards to the both of us, and perhaps also - our respective villages. Imbuing humor in to her words, unfortunately for her, I still felt.. numb from the pain I'd suffered and the meeting I'd had with Kouketsu, and henceforth I simply responded with a trying smirk. "You propose a connection between our villages, hmm?" I spoke, almost relaying her words back to her, my mind screening the concept. Whilst I wouldn't have liked to deny the thought of allying with Konohagakure, given its state in the shinobi world, I wished to delve deeper in to it rather than simply shake hands on a fleeting thought and face the repercussions later.

"Just why would Konohagakure, as such a notable large village, want to seek alliance with Kusagakure?"

A pause, as I seemed to laugh only momentarily, but even then it was almost unnoticeable.

"You must understand; from my experience, I am the one who usually proposes such ideas."
"..To be approached leads to several questions."

It was understandable. I simply wondered what reasons she had behind her decision to ally both of our villages in a pact. Whilst it would be promising enough to try and produce stability in the world that we lived in, at the same time it led me to wonder exactly why she chose the smallest, perhaps in their eyes, most insignificant village out of them all to partner up with. Was it truly based on the fact that we were both women? I was unsure of what to think in regards to the subject but I wished to delve deeper to find the answers that I so needed. Gazing around at the various bars and shops that could be found, the place, despite being lined with people, something seemed a bit off that I couldn't quite put my finger on. However - disregarding that and placing my attention back on the Hyuuga, I kept walking, the soft fabric of my coat billowing slightly in the wind created from our travel, as did my hair.

What would she reply with?

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[~Kohana <3]

How annoying.

Kohana expected that Blanche would be a little intrigued as to why she of all people, like the Kusakage had said, a leader of one of the big five would ask HER for an alliance. Coming from Blanche's position, the fair skinned, blonde haired maiden would be the one asking for friends and alliances. Perhaps the Hyuuga had gone about this the wrong way. However there really wasn't any way of backing out of it and starting the conversation anew.

"Well, I wasn't there at the Kage Summit to hear what you had to say before it was interrupted, but I can assume that it was something quite glorious. After all it's commendable that you brought a village back from the dead." She would pause, toying with a few split ends as she pondered over a few more things. Ideally she would get the woman to start talking about Kouketsu but they hardly had a bond for something as intimate as that to be revealed as of yet.

Kohana would simply have to come from a different approach. "I don't know if you know much of Konohagakure no Sato's recent history, Blanche, but we've gone through quite a lot since Ryuusuke vanished. Even our previous Hokage, Jiyuu, couldn't handle the situation." Both of them were gone now, both missing and fading into the history books. She had to bite her lip from thinking of how alone she so utterly felt all of a sudden.

"We had a plague wipe out a good chunk of our population. Also, a civil war broke out towards the end of Jiyuu's tenor as Hokage. Thankfully he and I along with a samurai and a few others put an end to that. But the rebuilding process has been...hard. If we form an alliance I believe I can get my village back on her feet as well a offer Kusagakure aide when need be. Besides...other than Iwagakure, Konohagakure is the closest major village."

In all truths, Kohana wasn't sure on Blanche's relationship with Iwagakure. After all her older brother was rumored to be the Shodaime Tsuchikage. But regardless of that matter, she knew for a fact that not much time had passed from the Summit and with the Sanbi appearance riling the shinobi world up there couldn't have been many dealings with alliances or power struggles yet. Now was the perfect time to strike and pull Blanche into her clutches.

Girls have to stick together, don't they Blanche....?

[Apple]

As I walked in the company of the Hokage, I made sure to take in each little detail of what was happening around me. It was, after all, my first experience of walking on Konohagakure soil. Rumor had it that the village was too covered in greenery in a similar manner to Kusagakure, although, with a biased opinion from my affiliation, despite the nature beauty that this place too had, I much preferred my home to any other. There was simply no comparison. As I listened, compliments again pouring from her mouth in regards to my work with the village, I nodded only slightly in acceptance of what she'd said, relishing in the attention that I had been given, but I was sure to keep my wits about me. As she continued, speaking about the village itself, I rose an eyebrow at what she had to say about the reign of the past Hokage and the plague that had apparently reaped the town of its people and surely too, its spirit. It was understandable that such a thing would effect a village greatly, but I had no idea that such things were going on. "Had I known - I'd have offered my abilities to aid your village in its time of need." I spoke. In all honesty; I would have, contrary to belief that others might have about me. But - in the end, my involvement would only be to allow myself more contacts in the world and to boast my own skills, but - I'd be helping a village in need, and that was what counted, right? However, such things were in the past now. Gazing over at the milky-eyed woman, I'd continue. "..I'm assuming that the village has managed to contain and neutralize the threat?" I spoke, a slight.. twitch from my upper right shoulder. As a dedicated medic, over the years I'd gathered somewhat of a penchant for cleanliness. Whilst illnesses were all good; the contagious diseases and ailments were the ones that made my skin crawl. Simply the notion that something could pass from one person to another and create devastating effects was something that even now, I failed to accept. For a moment or so my eyes darted to those around me - if the plague had still been in the village, then surely, people would not be walking about as freely as they seemed to do today. My mind at ease, I'd continue to listen to her speak and watch her mannerisms, from the look of unease that fogged her expression to the soft biting of her lip - I saw it all, and made assumptions based on the clear evidence that I was given. Was she truly enjoying her tenure as Hokage? There seemed to be something off, and that of which, I was sure to pick up on during our meeting. Perhaps, with the amount of problems that village had suffered from, she'd lost some fraction of hope with the loss of her predecessors. I was unsure; but despite my faint connection to Ryuusuke, at this current time, I couldn't exactly say that I had been that close enough to him to care if he'd vanished or not.

Or maybe I did care. I felt so.. placid. But, despite all this I found it somewhat strange that Konohagakure, as a major village, had suffered with problems as great as the ones that she now spoke about. With Kusagakure, our affiliation with the first world war had been the death of us and rebuilding hadn't been an easy task. However; with Konahagakure, it seemed that it had destroyed itself, in a sense, although by no means was plague a fault of their own. "..If I may give you some advice, Lady Hokage;" a pause, as I continued to walk by her side, the sound of both of our heels hitting against the floor. Whilst taller than her, I looked down, over at her for only a moment before beginning to talk once more. "Inspire your people. The village won't get back up on its feet by alliances or your work alone - cooperation is the key to success. Without the support of your villagers, the concept of leadership is worthless." I was in no way trying to lecture her through what I said, and as I spoke, such words were uttered in an elegant, intelligent tone. I was sure that she knew this fundamental basis beforehand but in its importance, I hoped to stress on it. Personally, I believed that cooperation had help my own village during its restoration, and now considered as one of the great nations, it seemed as if it had worked pretty well. Flicking back a long strand of my blonde hair, I continue to walk, each step causing my hips to move from side-to-side so entrancingly. Silence fell again, and I felt to say a few more things, to answer her request.

"I'll consider your offer.
Konohagakure ought to be a complimenting ally."

"But tell me; have you any alliances with other villages?"

I questioned, the same inquisitive look on my face. It wasn't incredibly important, but I simply wondered to get an idea of what kind of neighbors the Leaf was dealing with. Again, pushing the sumptuous amount of blonde hair back, and lowering my arms to cross my chest, I struck an imposing figure with both my height and appearance - and the serious tone which I used whilst talking to her. Even after my dealings with Akira and Kouketsu, I was still the Kusakage, and I took the position seriously. Neither my village nor I were to be undermined, and I made it clear, I simply hoped she understood.

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[/B] Temporary exit. Will re-join upon Kohana's post, since I need to open up some threads].[/ul]

[Yox]

20 experience each. Nice read guys. 8)

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