Judgement

[Apple]

JUDGEMENT

Daylight crept on to the whitewashed walls of the Atrium, and as a new day begun, for the Shodaime Kusakage, Kikkawa, Blanche, it couldn't have come any faster. Where it felt yesterday that she was musing the concept over with the very man of whom the confrence today was about, it would be a lie to say that she was completely looking forwards to spilling the truth about everything to her people. Currently elsewhere in the ajoining room to the balcony that she usually made her speeches from, the villagers involved would recognize it from the few other meetings which she'd called across the time that she'd served as Kusakage; as her post as so to say, wherein she could relay her messages clearly to the public through the use of her own voice. However, as time stood, the familiar balcony lay empty, bar from the ANBU positioned at their respective places near the door that led to it. Despite the importance of the meeting itself, and despite the ANBU (which, were necessary, just in case some villagers chose to react somewhat more uncouthly to the news) it was quite a humbled stage. There were no bright lights, banners or anything to make it a lavish affair. If anything, the only true thing that made the blonde-haired leader stand out was the podium in the shape of the balcony which she was position on, which merely gave her aerial advantage to gaze at the people down below, which, really, was simply commonplace in most political situations or meetings.

And so - with a crowd beginning to amass outside the of the atrium, next to the balcony itself, people sought to get a glimpse of their leader. Having gone slightly off the radar lately in light of recent news where her public appearances were made, rumors had fueled the woman's namestake in the village, although now it seemed as if she was to confront it fully - or that's what people were saying, anyway. The meeting itself was unexpected - or at least, there was no reason reason that people believed that it had been called upon. The only actual news that they had heard as of late was of the Shodaime's condition, and of news from afar in Sunagakure, that it had been attacked by Iwagakure - two allies of grass, which had resulted in quite a tense bout of information, although, both things had been addressed to fully. Just what would the Shodaime declare today?

Slowly..

..From the balcony came the sight of a lush crop of blonde hair, dazzling in the sun that shone down upon not only it, but the entire atrium itself, positioned on a hill that usually managed to suck up most of the sunlight that showed itself through the sparse clouds. And here it came - nearer and nearer until her form was visible on the balcony by all, the soft breeze in the area carrying the golden threads of hair that she boasted, and the lightness of her dress, almost making her look ghostly. With her arms to her side, she waited for people to continue amassing before her, before she'd begin to speak.

As of now, the air was clear and harmonious.
But a single word from her mouth could change it all within moments.

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[Akihiko]

Well spent from his travels, the kagehebi had endured a rigorous outting, not only to explore the world, but to find and secure the whereabouts of each of the major villages. While his travels had ceased, after catching wind of the battle unfolding in Sunagakure, the shinobi made haste to return to his village. He was eager to relay the information that he himself had heard amongst rumors, hoping to confirm it by her own knowledge of the events. From what he'd understood, the attack stemmed from a vengeful Iwagakure, and brimming with bloodthirst, the struck Sunagakure while they were unprepared. Even Mugen had recognized the great walls of sand to be a formidable foe, but to think, that a village such as that of stone had triumphed the mighty nation. Now that thought, was unbearable, and he greived inside for their allies, thinking of close friends likely lost in the fray.

Having visited the great village of sunagakure, only after its downfall, he was able to confirm the mess with his own eyes. But beyond the failures of their current leader, and the fall of the Etsuko family, Sunagakure had seemingly reclaimed its' land. Furthermore, the kagehebi had been allowed the chance to meet his father. A strange a powerful man, well equipped with a vast knowledge of the world's history, and the strategies necessary to dominate it. While their bond wasn't perfect, as a result of his childhood abandonment, and his overall lack of information on Minakami Shu, he was still his flesh and blood. And the shinobi's connections had expanded to encompass his family, also revealing that his real name as Minakami Isao—by definition: merit of the gods. His creation fully marking the endeavors of his father, and the efforts of the esteemed shinobi to conquer the world, connections to the royal family of Iwagakure allowing his offspring the life of a warrior.

But, this warrior had returned now to his home. This was indeed where he belonged, and where his loyalty held true—not necessarily to the Kusakage herself, but the community and village as a whole. These lands, were where the shinobi had been raised, and as such, Kusagakure was always a part of him. Even now, in times of remorse, he remained calm and content. Eyes cast upon the balcony as flowing gold locks marked the entrance of their leader, her stern gaze befalling the entirety of her village. But what was this? It seemed as though her confidence and enthusiasm had waned, and the glint to her eyes spoke of tragedy. Just what did she have to say? It mattered not, the specifics of her speech, for the shinobi could see the emotions to unfold amongst the crowd. So, finding it in his best interest, he made his way to the edge of the crowd, granting that he could capture all in his gaze. Not a soul fell out of sight, and Mugen—no, Isao—felt comfort in his full view of the villagers. Confident in his analysis and calm in his presence, however, should chaos ensue, his body remained loose. And he'd react accordingly if tensions escalated, insuring both the safety of himself and others was a top priority.

^{— ENTER}

[Yahiko]

This wasn't my type of scene.

There were far too many people in too close a proximity. I felt suffocated and small and afraid; afraid of something going wrong. Slow, careful steps carried me through the crowd that was gathering outside of the atrium. I had donned a hooded cloak in an effort to deter any recognition. I wasn't ready to come back to the world just yet.

I stopped as I neared the balcony, surrounded by citizens of Kusagakure on all sides. From beneath the shroud of my hood, I gazed upon them. They were so fragile, so weak. One false move, one tiny window of distraction could draw my attention away from keeping my abilities at bay, and they'd be skewered and dead before they even knew what hit them. They were helpless and completely at the mercy of their beloved shinobi corps should it ever decide to switch from protecting the people to...

"No.." I muttered, stopping my thoughts. A mass of gold blossomed in my upper periphery then, and, gazing up, I watched my cousin approach the balcony. A symphony of noises erupted around me ranging from cheers and clapping to murmurs and shushes. I did neither. Instead my gaze and attention froze entirely on Blanche, who was preparing to address her people. There was something about her, though, and I squinted my lingering gaze. She seemed off, not unlike how she was the day that I retreated to the outlands.

It looked like she'd changed about as much as I had.

[spade]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellspacing,0px,true][atrb=cellpadding,0px,true][style=float: left; width: 250px; font-family: calibri; font-size: 8pt; text-align: justify; padding: 5px; height: 200px; overflow: auto;]"Oh shit, I gotta run!" I was running a bit late, but I knew Blanche would take her time to address this, especially since she had to find a perfect way to explain what she was going to say. I didn't doubt that she wouldn't do a good job, I mean, she had days to prepare for this, and knowing her she would nail it. It would all trickle down to how much this village actually loves and trusts her, I honestly couldn't wait to find out who was going to be against her after they found out the truth. "Excuse me! Let me get through." I said as I slightly pushed people aside as I made my way to the front. I situated myself in front of the crowd just as Blanche appeared, I made sure to stick out and wave optimistically towards her to give her the needed support. At that moment I wondered where Kouketsu might have been, or where he was hiding the entire time, however my mind quickly focused back on the matter at hand. It was true that Blanche was acting differently, and I obviously wasn't the only one to notice this. The glint in her eyes was gone, confidence diminished, she wasn't the true Blanche we all loved. But there was one thing that stood out, the raw power radiating from her very person, even without my eyes you could tell she was ready to burst. Hopefully, as Kouketsu and Blanche both said, that should end soon.

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[style=background-color: #fafbed; padding: 2px]TAG: KUSAGAKURE[/style] [style=margin-top: 5px; background-color: #fafbed; padding: 2px]— WORDS[/style] [style=margin-top: 5px; background-color: #fafbed; padding: 2px]© MOO OF OTE[/style][/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[aramlyis]

[bg=Black] To what dedication lay this congregation of creatures engaged in the act of hullabaloo, as one of the more famous writer of the ages had put it. Still, Aramylis had paraphrased it, which was enough for him to slap 'original' on it's metaphorical posterior, and send it off for reprisal in wherever these statements go published into the wide field of general ignorance. Which was admittedly quite wide. Take this kid for example, camping like someone was chasing him. All that was going to happen when you did this in a crowd was trampalation. Seeing no particular desire for this to happen when people would be speaking about items of relative importance, Aramylis none too lightly shoved one of the people he was standing next to in such a way as that he had to reposition himself and hence deal some rather painful damage to the little peice of animated faecal matter that had -somehow- managed to infiltrate this meeting, and was glancing around as if it actually belonged in the setting. Admittedly, Aramylis was feeling just a bit vindictive today, as his usual routine of hitting on the Weekend Librarian had been callously interrupted by the usual planners of these events. Honestly, he needed to consult these people about taking their invitees timetables into consideration. It was right there, listed and everything. Of course, they might have some words to him about careful spending of time and the usual shizzle, but Aramylis had long learned to ignore, disregarded and turn up the tune of Ode to Joy in his head when people made the talking noises he didn't want to hear. Getting him to fully switch off the music in his brain usually required a select few phrases that interested him.

[Nickito]

ENTER~

Kasumi Sansei, fresh from a good night's sleep and a night of peaceful dreams, approached the area in which the crowd had begun to form. Though she wasn't entirely sure what was going on, or what the context for such an announcement might be, she knew that if Blanche had chosen to address the village in such an official manner, it had to be important. She recognized few people, spotting only her new teammate, Aramilyis, and a man she had met once before named Esei. The rest of the faces that made up the group were foreign and unfamiliar to the Chuunin-hopeful, and put her a bit on edge despite the comforting words that Blanche had offered her during their first meeting. She imagined that things could only get more tense in a situation that had such an air of seriousness.

[Sorry this isn't so great, dead tired.]

[Apple]

SPOILER: Click to show

After this post, you may all post in any order that you wish, as long as you post only once. This is to allow the people who may post faster to get theirs up without having to wait.

Nearing closer to the balcony, I came to view the flood of villagers that lingered upon the ground below, watching as they collected, stood in place and chatted amongst each other. However, the closer I found myself coming in to their gaze, the quieter such conversations became, until bouts of cheering echoed from their mouths instead upon my arrival. It was a gesture that I enjoyed seeing - but I couldn't help but think of the responses that I'd be getting after explaining to them exactly why the meeting had been called together today. Basking in the morning sun, I allowed what little skin I showed (Namely, that of my face, the rest covered by various kinds of garments) to soak up its radiance. Having already taken my share of chakra from Kouketsu merely a few hours ago, it allowed me to now look ahead with clarity at everyone who had joined, each face intricately embedded in my mind. There were a few that I'd managed to pick out as people of whom I'd spoken to or seen in the last few days, but I wasn't here to address them alone - I was here to address everybody. The entire village. Allowing the crowd to slowly fall silent as I gazed over at them, awaiting for a time to begin, such a moment came sooner than I'd expected, and, holding my arms to my sides, I allowed myself the last few moments of freedom that I had, before laying my confession down.

"First and foremost, I apologize about what I am about to say.
As, I suspect that a lot of you may not understand, nor tolerate my words."

Of course - I was hoping that the majority of them would, but I knew that things tended to never work out the way that you wanted them to, not matter the circumstance. But with circumstances so dire and the crowd before me surely jovial, waiting for some kind of good news to pour from my mouth like honey to their ears, they'd be, for the most part, disappointed. I didn't expect any of them to truly be happy for what I was going to declare, but I kept my hope strong despite the odds. Kouketsu was nowhere in sight, but then again, I didn't expect him to show himself. This was something that I, as the leader of the village, was meant to address alone. No matter the topic that I was about to reveal to them. The short pause which had occured was soon cut through with my voice. "I'm sure that the news I delivered to you not so long ago was .. surprising enough, and what I'm about to tell you now is what, I'm sure, a few of you have been wondering." I wasn't just sure, no. I was adamant. I'd heard so many things - I'd been asked by so many people the identity of the child that I carried, but I'd never answered. I hadn't even hinted one bit towards who it was, and despite the fact that I knew a lot of people seemed happy for me, it slowly begun to feel so.. wrong to keep such information from them. But it wasn't just that. If he was to stay in the village alongside myself, then there would be a lot of questions to answer from villagers who'd come to see his form lingering about the place. It was better to approach the topic before it was too late, and out of my honesty, I could only hope that people would appreciate this and believe what I had to say. "For your sake, I reveal this to you. I cannot hide it from you any longer as it is your right to know, given its significance - The father of this child is.." a momentary pause, as I gathered each part of courage within my body to speak the next two words that could possibly change everything in the village for as long as I live. What I said next was breathed out of my lungs, as if pure air. But unlike air, they held so much more weight.

"..Uchiha, Kouketsu."

A brief pause, as I scanned the crowd.

"..We both intend to raise the child here, within Kusagakure, together.
But, I implore you - do not think that I aim to betray you through this decision."


"The village is, and always will be, a priority of mine."


"..And I'm sure you all know that."

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Despite the fact that, to begin with, I'd seemed perhaps.. quieter than usual, as I'd continued, my tone had merely become stronger and more determined - just like the day that I had first addressed my people here on this very balcony all that time ago. Brushing a few stray blonde hairs out of my face, the breeze picking up softly on my elevated position, my hair flew, billowed in the wind, appearing to be a beautiful blonde flame. "He will stay here, with us. But I promise you; he will pose no danger to our home. You may not choose to believe me, but he's a changed man." My tone was firm and confident. I trusted Kouketsu; and if he betrayed this, then I wouldn't tolerate my village being in such danger. Recognizing that my hands had gently floated down to my middle, had had been there for while now, I removed them, repositioning them to fall along my sides again. But to what degree did others trust him? With such a drastic position having been taken during the second shinobi war which had destroyed many, of not all of the shinobi villages, could Kusagakure forgive him for what he had done and accept him in to their community as a new man? Could they accept me for what I was going through, and reach out and understand just what I was trying to say?

"This is all that I have, and will ever ask of you, as my people."

"He and I want nothing more than your empathy."[/b][/color]

I gave a soft, humble bow of my head, before returning my gaze to the crowd.

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[Krethean]

Ujiyasu had been present at the gathering, though there wasn't much to interact with. This was the second time he had been to an assembly brought on by the Kage, the first time being when he was a Genin a mere year ago. It felt like an eternity ago.

Finally, Blanche appeared on the balcony much like last time. Unlike last time though, she did not appear as much of her usual regal and radiant self.

It was then that she spoke... and Ujiyasu's mind went blank.

He had heard of Kouketsu. In truth... who hadn't? He was only the most wanted man in the world. He had been considered the most dangerous threat to any form of peace. And now he's here. As the father of the Kusakage's child.

Ujiyasu's body felt colder by the second, and he was sure the weather wasn't meant to be cold... and he was absolutely certain he didn't accidentally release his chakra. It was purely psychological. He couldn't believe what he heard, and instinctively he wished he didn't hear it. He was hoping that Blanche would just say "Gotcha!" and declare the day some kind of practical joke day.

But she didn't. She continued that the village was her first priority... that Kouketsu was a changed man. That he wouldn't obliterate the village because he grew tired of being with his leader. Or wouldn't just kill everyone anyway just because he could. His power was legendary along with the tales of him. His ranking as the most wanted criminal was something that none could hope to topple... perhaps not in this lifetime.

With everything rushing through his head, Ujiyasu could only get one word out.

"Kou...ketsu?!"

[Nickito]

With Blanche's familiar appearance came a dulling of the edge that plagued Kasumi. The words they had shared during their time in the Unnamed Garden returned to her, and she remembered that Kusa was a safe place and that nothing bad would happen to her there. It was her home, and Blanche had made it clear that she would protect it and everyone else that called it their own. The first words spoken by their Kusakage made her anxious though. What could possibly be said that they wouldn't like? That they wouldn't agree with? Were they going to war with another country or village?

Initially, she spoke of her recently revealed pregnancy. Not of battle or war, but the child that grew inside of her. Kasumi understood that some people didn't exactly like children even though her feelings were the opposite of that, but she couldn't imagine people would be angry about her having a child. Certainly this wasn't going to be a meeting in which she stepped down because of the baby that was yet to be born? Could that be the news that people would not agree with? After all, she was an incredible leader so it made sense that they would be reluctant to let her step down. When she began to speak of the father, of how significant it was, her curiosity peaked. Why would such information be so important to the people of the village?

And then she spoke the name, and everything seemed to grow quiet and slow. "Kouketsu Uchiha...?" Kasumi whispered to herself, the name so familiar and so very prominent. The kunoichi had seen first hand what kinds of things he had done to the world, and her parents had told stories of the things she hadn't seen, and they were all horrible and nearly unimaginable and unbelievable unless one had witnessed them for themselves. The thought that someone like Blanche could be involved with someone like that... It didn't seem plausible at all. It couldn't be something real. Merely forced on her in some horrible manner, through threat or Ninjutsu.

The thought that they would stay in Kusa frightened her. She pictured a life where everyone walked around on egg shells to avoid the wrath of the man who had changed the world through power and fear alone. One toe out of line, one word spoken with the wrong tone, and someone might be killed instantly, so fast that nobody would see the culprit, but everyone would know who. The thought fought its way into Kasumi's mind, though she resisted it so heavily and with such force. 'Does she really think that we'll be safe with him here? She told me that we would always be safe, that she would make sure of that.'

But then she remembered how adamantly Blanche had spoken that time in the garden, how honest and true her words had been. To her young ears, the words Blanche spoke at that moment in time sounded exactly the same as the ones she spoke presently. She had believed her then, and to her own surprise, still did believe her. Kasumi could understand her position better than she ever thought might be possible. Love could do crazy things to people, especially when that love was added onto by a child. She swallowed the knot that had tied itself in her throat, her mouth completely dry and full of a sticky substance. At the same time, she swallowed the information that the Kusakage had just presented to them and processed it. If Blanche had faith that what she said was true, then Kasumi would have faith in Blanche.

[spade]

As she began to speak I looked around, everyone was watching intently, some were excited to hear what she was going to say, while others had a worried look on there face. It's the least you could expect when you call a random meeting admitting you had something urgent to tell them.

Everything was going well, until that man's name was uttered out of her mouth. The cheers stopped, and almost everyone's jaw dropped, if it wasn't for me meeting the man a few days ago, I too would have been in utter disbelief. But—he didn't seem like that bad of a man when I talked to him, he loved Blanche and for some reason, I had a feeling deep down that he wouldn't do anything to risk severing that relationship with her, especially because she's carrying his child.

As she explained the situation, or tried to many people began to boo, throwing out curses, barely letting her even finish talking. But there were also the ones who didn't know how to react, the ones who stood there silently, thinking about the man who destroyed Konoha staying within this village.

"I—" my voice boomed throughout the crowd once she finished speaking, no one else had the guts to say anything so I decided to take this into my own hands. "don't see a problem with this. Do you not trust her? The one person who brought this village from ruins and built it to stand strong with all the other major villages? Now we have one of the strongest ninja staying here, fuck what happened in the past, it's the past! Our goal is to strengthen Kusagakure, and with Kouketsu at our helm this could easily be done."

[Yahiko]

There were no words.

There were no words, not in my wildest dreams could I ever even hope to find the words to describe my disgust and disappointment with Blanche. The slurs and boos that were being sent to Blanche were, I think, well deserved. My own blood was beginning to boil, along with the blood of what I'm sure was the entire population of Kusagakure no Sato.

A voice rang out above the crowd, actually daring to defend Blanche's village-changing decision. I couldn't hold my tongue.

"Do you really think Kouketsu's presence in our village makes us strong?" I asked loud enough for my inquiry to carry across the crowd. "Given his part in the destruction of the world, can you honestly say that you feel safe? Do you think that the other nations are going to marvel at our newly acquired 'strength'? They aren't. They'll fear us... They'll fear that history will repeat itself, only this time it'll be Kusagakure -- OUR Kusagakure -- that becomes the fire that turns the world to ash,"

By now the crowd had given me space, singled me out so that Blanche would have no problem seeing the hooded figure that so openly opposed this whole mess. My voice would fall on the crowd's collective ears as nothing more than a stranger, a citizen of Kusagakure who simply could not stand idly by with the spawn of the devil brewing cozily in our village. To the Kusakage, however, my voice would ring with such sharp familiarity that the full force of my words would undoubtedly strike her nerves.

"And with that, Lady Kusakage, I congratulate you, for your actions have just single-handedly united the Great Shinobi Nations --"

She'd damned us all.

"-- against Kusagakure no Sato."

[Akihiko]

The words that last fled from her lips, were heavy, and suddenly the blond found himself out of breath, and lacking the ability to produce any audible sound. It was as though death itself was clutching his throating, robbing him of life, his being what he called home. Kusagakure, the sweet and nuturing corner of the world where he had been born and raised, and only now had he finally returned to his nest. No sooner than to be taken by the hands of the malicious criminal responsible for thousands of deaths. And while I was unable to speak, I could not however, suppress the rage boiling within.

As a chuunin spoke out, his words plagued with ignorance, the blind faith he submitted to their leader made Isao cringe. However, the sudden revokal of Esei's ignorant claim to loyalty, prompted his own thoughts on the matter. Since he had already made his way to the edge of the area, he stepped up on a nearby concrete slab that ran the length of the area, it provided both seats for the people, and the walls for a plant box. For the moment, is served as a step ladder, which I rose quickly to the top of.

Hands remained concealed in the confines of my coat, digging deep to hide the rage expressed in clenched fists. He cast a sharp gaze upon their supposed empress, the black of his eyes narrowing to a thin slit, even amongst the crowd, he'd stand out. His eyes discernable from the rest that roared and chanted their distaste in her decision, for he remained silent, as if his gaze itself was devouring her whole. As though he were tearing her apart, limb by limb. But finally he spoke, only after Akatome had finished, and his voice cut through the crowds roar with a sharp tongue, "How can you exssspect usss to believe sssuch a ravenousss creature, hell bent on the worldsss dessstruction. We have all ssseen the uncountable number of livesss sssacrificed on hisss whim, if not for a "greater purpose", then to fulfill hisss need for entertainment."

Minikami Isao immediately regret his return to Kusagakure. However, because she was his home, he'd never let it fall into the hands of such a deceitful fox. He intended to stay, but not without stating his opinion first. He felt it was necessary that the people see the ignorance of her actions, and the danger it put all of us in. While Mugen had always looked to her as a wise ruler, he felt disgust with her choice, and suddenly all faith in their leader felt absent. Whether she could regain her villages' trust all depended on her next actions. "Your actionsss have placed usss in great peril, Msss. Kikkawa. A ssstorm is brewing, and I hope that when it comesss, you take full responsibility for what hasss transsspired," he finished, returning to the carnivorous silence of his gaze. His eyes were intent on her actions.

^{— !!}

[Apple]

I was quite fortunate, really, to be able to understand how what I'd done could be perceived as sin by some, and because of that reason, as I stood, silence overcoming the entire crowd, the moment that the first boo sounded, I didn't flinch - I expected it, and I expected to soon thereafter hear such words roaring from the people before me and in to my ears. Instead I merely gazed down, unaffected by the words that they had to say, the things that were being shouted back up. From the large crowd I could make out a recognizable voice resonating through its mass, and turning my eyes towards the figure, I'd soon notice it to be none other than Esei - the same boy that I'd selfishly drawn the life from less than a week ago. Just what reason did he have to stand alongside me after I'd treated him in such a way? Whilst I expected each shinobi to stand by my every word anyhow due to my status in the village, I knew that such a perk would never become obtainable. Perhaps in the past it had; but now - things were different, and mixed opinions were rife in the air, waiting to be released. I appreciated his effort to calm the storm that was brewing mere meters away in the minds of those around him, although - in an effort not to pinpoint people, I merely left him with an understanding gaze as if but only for a moment I sought to lock my eyes with him.

And then came a voice that I truly wished I'd never recognized.

"Do you really think Kouketsu's presence in our village makes us strong?"

It was none other than Akatome, and his voice, despite purposely loud in order to surely reach Esei of whom was on the other side of the crowd to him, stung. Instantly I shot my eyes towards the figure that the voice came from, to see that he was.. cloaked, which was strange for him. He'd always been much more reserved than Ue and I - and slightly more shy, but not to the extent where he'd wear a cloak and a fully-pulled hood in the middle of the day. Something was different, but I couldn't tell exactly what from merely being able to see the shadow of his face and the fabric of the cloak that shrouded him. And he kept talking - saying that my choices would bring death to Kusagakure and that the other villages would seek to eliminate us because of not only I much longer, but our involvement with Kouketsu. Ever since that day, where I'd found his chakra abilities to be removed, he hadn't been the same. He wasn't the same person who I enjoyed playing with as a child; and in this moment, despite the severity of it and the fact that it had little to do with the larger matter at hand, it worried me - he worried me. And I was sure that he knew full well of that. It wasn't the threat that he now seemed to pose that concerned me, no. But whatever change that was happening to him that did. Even now, as he badmouthed not only I, but my family, I could only think of how strange he was acting and how much I wanted him to revert back to his old self.

"And with that, Lady Kusakage, I congratulate you, for your actions have just single-handedly united the Great Shinobi Nations --"

"-- against Kusagakure no Sato."

"Think what you want."

I spoke perhaps all too casually to the figure that I knew all too well.

"..But contrary to what you believe - I aim not to anger our fellow nations in any way from this change. Where I do understand that they will gather opinions of their own - if they choose to strike our village for that reason alone, then I'll take care of it myself." a pause. If the major nations felt it necessary to take the most severe route and try and attack the village from such involvement, then of course, he'd be here to help defend our home. But where it came to using him - using his name to strike fear in to our enemies, I wasn't for that, at all. The world had enough problems. But Akatome - He was still family, of course; I wouldn't spite him for his opinion. But it irritated me. He was the only member of the Kikkawa of whom I had left, and even he had turned against me. "I'd gladly lay my life on the line if it means that this place remains safe. I won't see it that bitter people tear down our home."

"..Bitter people such as yourself."

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I was aware that my own shinobi could become my worst enemies, and in this situation it was no different. But to hear my cousin speak such words merely annoyed me further. I'd stuck by his side and supported him through the years - and this was how he repaid me? In regards to what I'd said; what concerned me most was the state of the village itself. I expected it to happen, but I couldn't afford the place to be split in two, but then again - I had little means to prove to them at the current moment that this news would bring no harm to the place. Perhaps only after discussing the matter with foreign leaders and understanding of their pacifism in regards to the topic would such rebels be quietened. I wasn't sure - but I was prepared to do anything to prove that they were safe. And another voice sounded through - one much more.. raspy. Narrowing my eyes towards its source, I soon found who it had come from - I hadn't met him before, but - I was more than prepared to oppose whatever he had to say. "The storm that you speak of brews from your own hate and mistrust." It was true, after all. The seed of doubt was planted, and people did usually have more power than they originally believed, but that was exactly what I was now addressing. "If you wish be the victims of a self-fulfilling prophecy; then so be it. Just know that I have led you this far from the ruins that the first and second shinobi world war left us as, and I have no intent on destroying the peace that has overcome us since then.." a pause, as my expression became notably darker.

"..And that I have no intent on restoring it if you, the people, destroy it from the inside with your malice."

"It's not foreign villages or Kouketsu that you have to worry about."



"But yourselves."

And I ended on that note, awaiting a response that was bound to arrive from the momentarily hushed crowd below. My speech had been a powerful one, delivered in a confident and strong tone, but at the same time - with so much irritation rife in the air, would it make a difference? The self fulfilling prophecy that they believed in was absolute idiocy, and although I understood why they would be so on edge about the news that was delivered to them, it was no reason for them to instantly claim that the worst would occur; that the village would become cursed with the notion of an innocent child being born. If this was the kind of audience that I would have to lay listener to for the next few years, then I wasn't even too sure if I wanted to raise him here amongst all of the negativity that surrounded his background. But it was my village - Kusagakure was my home, and my people were as much children to me as the one that I currently carried. But they saw not only I, but the father to be monsters of our own doing, and that couldn't be helped. Allowing myself to exhale, I then calmed slightly as I refocused on the crowd before me. Didn't they understand that the last thing I wanted was for my actions to effect them? Didn't they understand that if the village was to get in trouble for .. for this, then I'd be the one to suffer its consequences, not them? I would rather die than allow my people to get hurt - but all of the painstaking work I'd done to instill this .. paradise that the village had become had obviously been forgotten in this heated moment. Shifting my position slightly and allowing my right hand to rest on my hip, I paused, something attracting my attention.

The air seemed - different, now. Heavier, in a way.

Instinctively turning my gaze to the left, as if drawn by some invisible force, I --

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[NARRATOR]

--Was greeted by Kouketsu.

His arrival was a humble one, marked only by the difference in pressure that his lover had managed to notice. Even from looking to her left, Blanche would be unable to see him; he was several handful of steps back, shrouded by the balcony’s lavish and intricate drapes, and the shadows they cast against fragile chasms of light. But, he was only to remain hidden from a breath of a moment; for with prideful, unresistant strides, he took his place at her side.

Unlike Blanche, Kouketsu was not dressed in the silken attire she had often acquired for him. Instead, he was wrapped in the only formal wear that he knew: the blacks and reds of the armor that defined him, both on and off the battlefield. Like the crimson steel slabs strategically placed about his person, his resolve was adamant and unwavering. Blanche had done well to amass her people to this point, but now the duty fell to him to ease them over the lip of the past.

Taking another step forward, breaking his rank with Blanche’s flank, he addressed them. “I will not hide behind Blanche or my child,” he said calmly, though his voice boomed like thunder. “I have done this world a great injustice, and you have every right to fear for your safety – it is no secret that my presence, no matter where it might be, is quite troublesome.”

His expression remained fixed: stoic and unmoving, like a mountain. “But, it will be for naught. I have no desire to bring either you, your family, or friends any strife or inconvenience. Regardless of what you believe, I am no longer the demon you still believe me to be.” A hint of a smirk crossed his face, and casually, he removed a bracer—only to drop it over the balcony, into a clearing between the establishment and the people. “The world is no longer the savage place that I grew up in, and I no longer have the desire for battle.” He punctuated this statement with another drop of armor upon the ground far beneath them.

“My only concern is for the well-being of my family,” he explained while removing the waist guard and discarding it as he had been doing. “And everything that Blanche holds dear to her. This includes each and every single one of you,” he reasoned while removing the hauberk from his chest, the final piece (along with its shoulder pieces), and then tossing it out into the clearing. “We have no desire to use our union as a method of power, or to force the other Great Nations into cowardice. We simply see no reason to hide our love any more than you would the man or woman you have chosen to spend the rest of your life with.”

It was then that Kouketsu’s voice became even more stern, and resolute than it had been. “And as Blanche has said, should they decide to take this as reason to attack. . . then I will become a Conqueror once more – Kusagakure’s Conqueror, and protect you all with everything that I am.” He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink into the ocean of denizens. “Blanche and I, together, will always protect this village.”

“Whether you choose to believe us or not is entirely your decision,” he continued. “I’m not asking for you to trust me, or your forgiveness. I’m asking for you to respect the woman I love and the child that she is carrying in her womb; but even that is entirely at your discretion. I will raise nothing more than words at your disgust, and turn my back to your spite. But know this,” his words trailed off as his gaze intensified. “The moment any of you resort to violence as your method of communication, I will defend my family no differently than you would your own.”

Glancing back at Blanche, Kouketsu sank a hand to her side and cupped her fingers in the center of his palm. Let them think what they will, his expression said to her. I love you, and that is all that matters.

[Nickito]

Words whizzed past Kasumi's head at different speeds and intensities. Those spoken against Blanche and Kouketsu's apparent union moved almost too fast for Kasumi to notice, and those spoken in support seemed to fly with such ease and calmness that Kasumi was able to grasp them for the length of time needed to understand them before letting them float away once more, to whom they were directed. Kasumi herself had yet to speak for she knew not if it was her place, but a tenseness built up in her muscles, in her heart specifically, and she hurt for the one person that not one of the villagers seemed to be mentioning or concerning themselves with -- the baby. She waited as the other villagers spoke their minds, some of their words being perceived as another language by her young ears, some fitting in snugly with her own thoughts. She listened as Blanche spoke and was about ready to step up until he appeared. Though she had never met him, the energy he gave off was unmistakable -- the man was none other than Kouketsu Uchiha.

Her legs locked in place and she nearly fell over from surprise and anxiety, but a nearby wall was the refuge that she needed from looking like a fool. Her hand nestled against it, and soon her arm bent and her entire body rested against its stability. She was almost afraid that if she let go, his thunderous voice might blow her away. His words were adamant, and reminded her of the way Blanche had spoken during their personal encounter. His care rested solely on Blanche, and through that, he cared for what she cared about, namely the village and its inhabitants. Naturally he cared for their child, as it was as much his as it was her's, but no matter what she had seen before in her life, no matter what stories she had been told about the horrors of the Uchiha that left nothing but destruction and malice in his wake, the man that stood before them and addressed them seemed... Different.

Though she wouldn't call someone an idiot if they told her he was a monster who had done terrible things, he also seemed to hold everything he said with the utmost seriousness and, in a way, he seemed to want to prove himself a changed man to the entirety of Kusagakure. Or at least, that was how the kunoichi perceived the speech he gave while dropping each bit of armor he wore to the ground. Though the things he said about what he would do should they be attacked frightened her, and what he said about defending his family against violence frightened her even more, deep down at her core she knew that he wouldn't throw his power around carelessly. Or perhaps, she only hoped that that would be the case. After all, she didn't know anything but the stories told and pictures painted about him.

As his words ceased, she took a moment to breath in the oxygen that surrounded her. The world suddenly seemed much smaller, and the people around her much bigger. Her paranoid mind told her to run and get as far away as she possibly could. To get her parents and bring them away from Kusagakure. Her heart, which was the stronger and the louder of the two, spoke against the notion. What Blanche had said in the garden and had said once again at the current gathering was firmly rooted in her body and mind. Through this, what Kouketsu said also rooted itself within her, and as the roots spread and grew inside her, a sense of serenity overcame her, and her body seemed to respond immediately to the cues given by her brain. She moved away from the wall with ease and her legs carried her forward with grace, eager to find a place where she could address all who had congregated there. Her tongue moistened her lips and her lungs provided the fuel for her speech, and for the first time she spoke.

"It makes me sick that so many of you would turn your backs on her because of something that she has no control over," she said, briefly pausing to find her next words. Though she had never spoken in such a way, let alone publicly, she seemed to know just what she wanted to say when she wanted to say it, and it felt... Right. "Nobody chooses who they fall in love with, and even though we are ninja, I find it hard to believe that any one of us could have forgotten that. Have you all truly become so cold-hearted from the way of the ninja that you could forget what it is to simply be human and to feel?" she yelled out, her voice echoing ever so slightly against the objects that surrounded them. She quieted as she waited for her voice to fade before speaking again, a knot slowly forming in her throat. "This child has nothing to do with the things that either of them have done in the past, it hasn't even been born or had a chance to live yet... And despite that, it sounds as if you have all decided to hate it and them because of one man's past, one man's actions.

"Yes, Kouketsu has done horrible things in the past. We all should know that, most of us have witnessed or experienced grief at his hands, but Blanche has been there for this village through everything and she has restored it from that very destruction. As is the very spirit of Kusa, she persevered and built something from nothing like the plants that grow through the cracks in the pavement, and even though she has done all of that for me and for all of you, you're going to let a matter of the heart that cannot be controlled throw all of that away? You're going to put such pressure on a child that is, by definition, the epitome of innocence, because you're frightened or angry?" Another pause followed, and in that pause she searched for the proper word to describe how it made her feel. There were so many possible words, but only one truly fit.

"That is truly shameful and disgusting. It makes me sick to call myself one of you." Her attention turned away from all of them and onto Blanche, and to an extent, Kouketsu. She walked forward several steps to get a better look at Blanche before speaking to her, a small, gentle smile on her lips. "I will stand by you and your child no matter what happens. Though I wish things could be different and I wish that it could be somebody else, I have faith in you, and through that, in Kouketsu Uchiha. You are my Kusakage, and because of all that you have done for us, for all you have been through with us, I believe in you," she said proudly, turning her head slightly to address the crowd. "That is all that should matter."