In The Key of Blue [Private]

[Comatose]

It had, since my last encounter with the young would-be Kage, been several days. A demand of mine, in return for letting her live, was for her to continually feed me what I wanted. Whilst other wily individuals craved power, money, and attention, I only wanted but one commodity; knowledge. While things like money and power came and went, knowledge was infinite and everlasting. The knowledge of a simple secret could keep even the most powerful and rich at bay, and under one's control. This said, I had sent word, through secret channels (see how that works?) for the kage to come back to the place we had met to give me an update on the status of the village. I had heard of a battle that had just ended there, what had happened?

So, I returned back to very place we had met, just north of the rock she had introduced herself ever so naively. I didn't hide or do anything to veil my identity. Though infamous, my visage had barely ever been described, and in that regard, I was invisible.

"Tick, tock."

[addy-hime ♥]

Fwoosh~!

The sound of wind breaking in the path of a projectile would be the only warning Asato had that the girl he was waiting for had arrived. The kunai had a faint mint-green aura, which grew larger and left a trail as it sailed through the sky, faster than a normal knife could have been physically thrown. It seemed as if the wind itself was helping it on its course, making it spin dangerously as it soared for its target--the space of sand right at the nuke-nin's feet.

"Tick, tock, Shujin-sama. Don't worry ... I'm not going to run out of time."

No doubt he would have turned toward the offending voice even before it called out to him, assuming the position of his would-be opponent from experience and pure skill. Youka realized there was a chance he would take the threat seriously and retaliate, but then he would lose his grasp on Sunagakure no Sato as sure as she would be dead. Around the pink-headed girl's shoulders slid a silky cloth, one that blended in so well with the environment it was almost hard to tell her apart from the mono-colored rock and sand. Combined with the right jutsu she would have been impossible to spot; it was safe to assume she had been utilizing a rather basic technique, Kakuremino no Jutsu, in an attempt to sneak up on him. He might have still known she was there. He might have been humoring her. That was no reason not to have a little fun, though.

"Hello Asato." Regardless of how he responded to the greeting, the Kazekage would flash a meek smile as she closed the distance between them. It was only ten meters at best, but the walk was excruciating in this heat. Living in Sunagakure might afford some resistance to the climate, but no one could handle it indefinitely. She had just finished traversing the desert in the height of the day; needless to say, she seemed a bit ruffled, even exhausted. One hand released its grip on the camouflaged cloth, letting it fall more hap-hazardously around her body in favor of wiping away a bit of sweat at her brow. "You called me?"

Kaiten Shuriken
Rank: D (1; 10m / 5 projectiles )
Type: Supplementary / Fuuton Ninjutsu
Range: 10+ meters
Special: Wind boost travels up to 10 meters and can control up to 5 projectiles at a time; when relearned, the wind gains 10 extra meters of travel and 5 more projectiles to control.
Description: One of the simplest Fuuton techniques, this supplementary technique allows the user to take any secondary/projectile weaponry they have on them and coat them in Fuuton chakra. This allows the user to shoot them at high speeds under the wind manipulation, adding rotation and tumbling power to increase the speed of normal weapon attacks, as well as its deadliness.
Domain: Fuuton.

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[Comatose]

My spidey senses had tingled before the kunai had gotten anywhere near me. The unique sound that kunai made as it traveled through the air was only accentuated by it's activity with fuuton-based chakra. Instinctively, a single sheet of paper was placed in the path of the secondary weapon, effectively blocking it before it landed at my feet. I was almost confused by the situation, but realized that it had been the playful gesture of the very girl I had invited here.

Seeing Youka was a surprise, one only added to by the fact she was alone. I had half-expected her to appear here with backup of some kind. Maybe she'd tell one of her ninja of the situation, and have them escort her, something like that. She really was naive. I wasn't the only thing that went bump in the night, there were other foes about, like the Oyabun of Mist — now that was an interesting character.

I nevertheless greeted her as I would any other individual, with one unenthusiastic wave. Never showing much clear discernible emotional attachment or feeling in either my mannerisms or voice. Detached, I allowed myself to think I was above such things. It was the only way to get through being so clinically insane and emotionally vampyric.

"I did call. It's about that time, Youka. Information, I need it. Specifically concerning what just happened. My sources inform me there was quite the huge battle in Suna, mirrored across all villages, what was that?"

I didn't beat around the bush.

[addy-hime ♥]

It was a lucky thing, then, that Youka was not looking for any sort of emotional sustentation from him. She was perfectly happy with Soratsu and Kaiiro being at her side; no one else mattered enough to warrant a bat of the eyelash much less a second thought. As handsome as she considered her puppeteer, it was no more than lust at best, a feeling she was not acquainted with and would not reconcile or act on.

Head tilted owlishly at the mention of a huge battle in her desert home. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but the fact that it was 'mirrored across all villages' was news to her. So! Apparently being around him was beneficial as well--had he not let this information slip, Sunagakure no Sato might have been out of that particular loop. "Your sources are correct. The Ichibi no Shukaku appeared in Kaze no Kuni during your absence, dangerously close and out of control. Shinobi were dispatched to take care of it, myself included, but ... we didn't get a chance to do very much damage."

Blue eyes shifted away from him, focusing their attention on the cloudless sky. Thinking back to that interesting event always excited her, despite the confusion it had spawned. "The Kyuubi no Youko appeared in the sky and attacked it, and a group of Samurai temporarily sealed the bijuu. The Fifth Commander of the Coalition Samurai forces came to my group of shinobi then and explained that they were sent there to 'help stop the war.' He acknowledged my leadership as Kazekage and said that they would be sealing the bijuu in a child as close to my bloodline as possible."

That said, the girl let out a long breath and looked back to him, attempting to gauge his reaction to the news. It was a lot to take in at once, and she was sure he would have some idea of how to use it. That was unfortunate, truly ... if the baby was of the Etsuko clan, then she would not want the child to fall into his hands by any means. Nor any others, for that matter. "That is all." Was it? Not entirely. She refrained from explaining to him another present that the Samurai bestowed upon the village, but he had not asked that, had he? He simply wanted to know of the battle. Now he did.

The camouflage cloth was allowed to drop completely to the sand, now that she was standing immediately in front of him; there could not have been more than a foot between them. She busied herself with taking off the heavy cloak that protected her from the sunlight, suddenly unable to stand the heat. It would be dangerous for her skin, but the dress she wore beneath would be much cooler in the long run. Before letting the cloak join the other item she detached a canteen from it, opened it, and took a long sip of water.

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[Comatose]

The information was. . more than I had initially hoped for, to say the least. The last I had heard of a bijuu was just in legend, despite the evidence they existed. The closest thing anyone had seen to a bijuu thus far was the dragon who had nearly slayed me, a bijuu level beast who terrorized the tundra of the village of snow. Could it really be that these beasts had attacked the villages? She had no reason to lie, and every reason to tell the truth, so it must have been just that. I didn't say anything for a few seconds, processing the information.

"This is. . amazing. Bijuu in this day and age?"

I thought about it more, before my mind rolled over one of her sentences. They would be 'sealing the bijuu' into someone as close to her bloodline as possible. Sealing the bijuu away? A jinchuuruki? I processed the information some more before replying again.

"A jinchuuruki under your care? But in a child? Waste."

I spat, but before thinking of my position relative to this whole development. I was in a position to control the actions of this very jinchuuruki indirectly, at least until it was grown up enough to act on it's own. The state of the villages was not one of anything powerful. They probably wanted to protect these children with all their might. However, if all villages had one, it was the likely catalyst for something like another war.

"This development is earth shattering. You realize the ramifications? Not only does this tip the scales for all villages, but it paints a bullseye on them. Soon the stronger ones will go after the weaker ones, to try to control their Jinchuruuki and relative bijuu."

[addy-hime ♥]

Her tongue flickered out to catch a stray drop of water on her bottom lip, unwilling to waste even the smallest amount in this arid environment. Sunagakure no Sato had long ago utilized means to collect and keep life-sustaining water, but out here it would be impossible to refill a canteen. Ocean water would hardly satiate a dry throat; she had once read somewhere that it could even drive you insane if you consumed to much. Hah, funny thought.

"I realize all of that. The bijuu are powerful creatures even sealed away inside of a human vessel, and those that possess them will want to use them for war. The Samurai said they needed our nations to coexist peacefully and thrive, but I personally doubt their intentions," she said, pausing long enough to screw the cap back on the container. Well, half way, actually. She glanced to it and then back to Asato, and without much thought held it out to him, silently offering a drink if he needed it. Her face was blank, refusing to show any emotion; it was unclear if she felt anything at all at this point.

Regardless of whether he took it or not, she would continue on with her assessment. Important points needed to be made here, and an intelligent discussion with him made their odd relationship more tolerable. "You said all villages were going through similar battles? The Samurai made it very clear they would be visiting the others as well, but I didn't think it would be simultaneously ... I think it is safe to assume that the rules would not change from place to place. They were adamant about using a baby. For now at least, everyone will be equal. When the jinchuruuki are grown, that is when the trouble will start."

A thoughtful expression flickered across her face, but she stifled it away from him. Will I hold the title of Kage long enough for this to be a concern for me? I suppose that doesn't matter ... the child will be related to me; I cannot wait idly by when it comes to it. Damnit. "It would not be difficult to harness control of the bijuu by controlling the child. Given the right training, they will be a force to be reckoned with despite the Ichibi being the weakest of the bijuu. Even still, this means war. It will be a cold war for years, but eventually there will be more bloodshed."

The Samurai promised that when she returned to the village she would notice a change--that it was slowly starting to be rebuilt. Sunagakure was in shambles, but most of the main buildings had been repaired well enough to function. Are they just building us up to knock us down again ... ? Her free hand shot up, restlessly running fingers through those bright bangs.

"What are you going to do?"

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[Comatose]

The bijuu and their jinchuuruki counterparts were always the lynchpins in major conflicts in the ninja world. They were beasts of untold power, and even if their were stronger bijuu amongst their group, a single bijuu was enough to destroy a whole village. The possessed more power and chakra than even the most skilled shinobi, the most one could ever do to them was contain their power for extended periods of time, and even that was risky in itself.

"There is an advantage to being in possession of the Ichibi, it may be the weakest numerically, but because of that, it's vessel generally has an easier time controlling it. Meaning, it will be easier for you -- us."

I realized that she did not have the experience to deal with this situation. Despite her emotionless tone and expression, she likely felt for her village and the happenstance. It was not easy to govern a village, and it took a certain level of knowledge, consideration, and confidence. Luckily, she had caught a break, the business based bone we shared was of great interest, ad I had to protect my assets.

"You must capitalize on the situation. As soon as you figure out which child possesses the beast, you must train him, and make sure he is well taken care of. You see, the seals of these beasts are fickle, and prone to breaking at a moments notice. The seals and the jinchuuruki are most vulnerable at this stage. The Samurai handed you a ticking time bomb. Even in the greatest outlook, of the longest period of time, it's likely the bijuu will be released."

The fact that the bijuu had gotten free was proof of this. No jinchuuruki sides the legendary first shinobi, had managed to seal off the Bijuu forever. They always won the battle of might. Even if the jinchuuruki managed to harness their power, it ended up being that power that consumed them and allowed the bijuu free. The samurai had taken this in oversight, or at least it seemed so, if that was their true intention. I didn't think it was.

I took the canteen she offered me, and sipped from it before handing it back, licking my lips after I did so. There was a sweet taste upon them from the indirect contact with her own lips. I savored it a second, before waiting for her reply.

[addy-hime ♥]

There was a part of her that was surprised he gave the canteen back--a little movie reel in her mind whispered to her that he could easily dump it out into the sand. Lips parted into a small o as she removed it from his possession, looking down at the item as she carefully screwed the top back on for the second time. She went slow doing this, though. The constant movement of her wrist helped clear her mind and sort out a few issues, whether it be her debt to Asato or the bijuu in question. Finally, she undid the tie that kept the canteen's strap short and slung it over her shoulder, freeing up her hands completely.

"Just because the Samurai did not specifically give us a way to control the seal--much less tell us which child they sealed it in--doesn't necessarily mean they overlooked the concept of escape. I'm ... very wary of their intentions, to be honest. It would be one thing for them to provide Sunagakure with a bijuu, but every nation? They seem far more intelligent than that, and I can't help but dwell over what they could be planning. It would be very easy for them to cause a war between bijuu, a power struggle, and then swoop in to capitalize and take over," she murmured. It might have been a paranoid thought, but a Kage had to look at events from all sides, just in case. She was starting to learn that as the days went by: it wasn't just about sitting in a chair or hiring pretty girls to handle the missions her shinobi went on.

Youka gave a small start, chin tipping as her gaze snapped back up to him rather abruptly. Wait. Did he say 'us?' Hands clasped behind her back and she angled away from him, enough to open a path to pace a few feet back and forth. It was more an exaggerated stroll, sandaled feet kicking up the rock particles in a childish manner, although it wasn't enough to cause a cloud of dust. She was trying to keep her thoughts off the nuke-nin and on the very dangerous situation at hand. But ... what did he mean by 'us'? Is he going to help-- No! Stop. Okay. I got this. She shook her head and came to a dead stop, somehow closer to Asato now than when she started out.

"The best course of action right now is simply to find the child. Normally I would say there aren't many Etsuko babies being born, but that is only considering the main line. Females have taken their husbands' surname and have had families themselves. It will be a baby in Sunagakure no Sato and that is simply the only lead we have." She paused, turning to face him, her visage lighting up with a smile. An idea? "However, I am a sensor, and our village has an abundance besides myself. Do you think a baby with a bijuu contained within itself would have an excess of chakra, even at that age? If so, I could easy find it. It would not be hard at all."

As she waited for his reply she continued to stare up at him, hands now clasped at her front and almost an admiring gleam to her eye. For the moment--just the moment!--she seemed to have forgotten that he was an enemy. If one didn't know better, they might assume him to be a sensei or other important figure by looking in on this little scene.

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[Comatose]

"I'm afraid you're probably correct. I'm assuming the samurai most likely did do this to start another war, and then establish greater dominance by striking during or after it. Even at this stage of the game, Shinobi are great threat to them. They can't cage us anymore."

I watched as she almost pensively walked about in her childish way. I would have described it to be cute, if I wasn't somewhat suppressing such emotional response. Rather, I found it a bit awkward considering our actual relationship. I didn't quite understand what made her feel so at ease with me; a wanted criminal, having such power over her, and being able to kill her with a flick of the wrist — she was much too at ease. But, there was little more I could do, she already understood the power I had over her and not only agreed to my terms but actually shared delicate information. I didn't want to push too hard yet.

"If that's the case, there is one of three outcomes I foresee. The samurai win, we destroy ourselves with their 'help'. A single village triumphs, and takes out both sides. Or some outside force capitalizes on the entire situation."

I wasn't naive enough to accept the possibility that there was the fleeting chance that the villages would finally get along. It had been generations and several wars, and there was no calm coming after the storm. It would only get worse with this new development.

"And, since you were so kind as to give me the information without trouble. I'll let you in on privileged information. There are other forces, bigger in terms of trouble than I or the samurai."

I knew, because I was a 'part' of the force in question.

[addy-hime ♥]

At ease was not the correct term to use. Asato scared her more than any person--or bijuu--ever had, mostly because he could directly decide whether or not she took even one more breath. One step out of line was all it took for that very fragile thing to be destroyed, but at this point in time she realized her usefulness to him. She knew he would not kill her immediately, because he needed access to the child that he could not otherwise get. He needed her. Freedom comes in very small doses, but Youka had learned how to enjoy what little she could get.

"You being able to foresee three outcomes doesn't really help, though. Perhaps if you could tell me which one it would be instead of speculating we could use that." Lips twitched into a cat-like smile, almost daring him to get angry and retaliate. She was going to continue by saying that she did not know of any outside forces strong enough to capitalize on the situation, but just as she drew in a breath to articulate this he was answering her question. The Kazekage blinked, twice, before shuffling a step back from him. "Bigger trouble than you? That's hard to imagine ... I suppose you won't be giving me any more details besides that?"

She glanced down at the ground, seeking the hard object that had nudged her foot during her scramble to get away from him. It was the kunai she threw earlier! She was rather happy to see it, because it meant less ryo out of pocket spent to replace her tools. Bending down, she hooked a finger in it and twirled it around the slender digit quite skillfully, as if she did this all the time. Which she did. Meetings got boring--it was a good way to pass the time! Especially when you had to worry about the kunai slipping off and impaling the person next to you ...

"I guess it doesn't matter. No matter what way you look at it, most of the hidden villages will be screwed. The only thing that can be done now to prepare for the inevitable is raise defenses, prepare the jinchuuruki, and perhaps make an alliance or two. I will have to plan out a sufficient response so I can raise my concerns to my shinobi. If anything, we will be prepared." Her face set into a stoic expression again, as if by saying this she set in stone the course of events. Asato probably did not care much about Sunagakure no Sato, aside from potentially losing his assets, but it was nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of. He could deal with it; he knew the drill much better than she.

Youka stopped the kunai's rotation, breaking her stare on it and replacing it, dazed, back on the Nuke-nin. If only I could stab him here, now, and get it over with ... Murderous intent. It was probably obvious to a murderer.

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[Comatose]

"I couldn't give you more information if I wanted to. I simply don't know enough."

It was a true statement, to a degree. I had accepted blindly the invitation to join the organization, and myself only knew little about it. However, from the Oyabun, the atmosphere, and the people he was associated with, I knew the situation involving him taking over was the more likely of the three. I wouldn't admit this to her, of course not, I didn't want to crush her spirit more than it already might have been.

Her murderous intent at the tail end of the latter part of the conversation didn't go unnoticed. As she looked to her kunai and then back to me my brow rose. She surely was a feisty and bold one in terms of actions. Perhaps that was what had made me not kill her instantly those few days ago. She was at least, even for all her naivety, 'interesting'.

My hand extended before I produced a paper kunai of my own and pressed it's tip against hers, watching the paper construction almost 'melt' from the small bit of force placed upon it.

"You see why that won't work. My clothes are made of this material you see. It responds instintually, like if connected to me. It will defend me."

I changed the subject again.

"I agree with you though. All you can do now is prepare for the worst. The most important thing is to secure that bijuu's jinchuururiki immediately, and protect it. You might even want to strike first at one of the weaker villages. For the sake of my assets, perhaps I could even provide some tactical data. I've been to every single village, you see."

I almost felt bias.

[addy-hime ♥]

She noticed his brow perk, but it wasn't enough reason to be on guard. In fact, the Kazekage felt quite calm as he withdrew a kunai of his own and extended his hand out to her. If he wanted to kill her, it would have been a much faster movement; as such, she was able to follow the weapon as it punctured her own. Needless to say she was surprised, and no doubt he would be equally surprised by her reaction. The kunai was dropped back into the sand and her hand snapped out, catching him by the wrist as he spoke about the 'substance' in question. She stepped closer, careful not to let the kunai touch her, but lifting his arm so she could study it curiously.

"Don't you think that's a little unfair, Shujin-sama?" Hax, to be precise. "At least you have a means of defense--" She said this as if it mattered to her, his well-being, that is. Youka seemed to realize this too late, nose scrunching as she released his hand, trying to pretend that his touch disgusted her. It wasn't hard to fake, considering that was what she thought of most other people, even her family. It was one thing to tease him by using a word that could mean husband and an entirely different ballgame all together to feel attracted to him. What was this, Stockholm Syndrome? It is not acceptable to fall for someone who would enjoy killing you! she reprimanded herself.

Thankfully, he changed the subject fairly well ... not that she was listening to a word he said. Something about agreeing with her. It was toward the end of that little speech that she tuned back in, some of the color returning to her face. "Been to every village?" she repeated slowly, as if the words were hard to comprehend. They were! Not only did this mean he knew their locations, but he could give her very valuable information that could very well save many lives, shinobi and civilian alike. "I don't play fair games when it comes to war. What will you tell me? I want to know as much as possible, you see ... I cannot afford to lose more lives than is absolutely necessary. I will not stand for it."

Youka was fully prepared to sacrifice more of her freedom for this information, but she was smart enough not to put herself on the table so quickly again. It was a bit odd that she felt this way--never before did she have any drive to protect other people, unless one counted her siblings. Even then, it was an iffy relationship at best. Both hands curled into small balls at her sides and she straightened up, trying to appear taller and more ... serious? "Please tell me what you can."

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[Comatose]

I ignored her proddings using that word again. I knew of the dual meaning of her ploy to try to get some sort of reaction out of me by using it, but choose not to respond. It was more of me not knowing exactly how to respond than not wanting to however, If I could have come up with a good rebuttal comment or word to use to incite something in her I would have. I just wasn't that crafty with words on he spot, at least not in normal social situations. When I was in my manic stage, however, things were different.

"I couldn't tell you more than you already know, besides the individual locations assuming they haven't changed somehow. I'm not exactly willing to give that information to you until I'm sure you can handle it, and dealing the first blow. Not yet."

Though I had faith in her coming to age in her job of Kage, I knew it was a long road for her. She had the right attitude, but just wasn't ready for war and the greater responsibility of it just yet. It was best to simply prepare for everything and let her learn during the process.

"But you know, the trade of information isn't free. And, you're already in my debt. How do you intend to even further pay your Shujin-sama?"

I made a play as if I was intending for something sexual, to get back at her for using the word so many times. I said I wasn't crafty, but that didn't mean I didn't have my moments.

[addy-hime ♥]

"Hmph ... Fine," she pouted, obviously upset that he would not provide her with the information she required. It could not be helped, unfortunately, so she reconciled with the idea that he would eventually give her something she could use. This conversation in itself had been valuable; it would probably have been greedy to demand more of him. That being said, she fully realized that he would twist every piece of data out of her if he needed to, assuming their situations were reversed.

Sadly, he just had to go and drop the bomb. "I--!" the girl squeaked, pale cheeks flushing a very noticeable color of red. When you spent most of your teenage years trying to push people away, you certainly did not become very experienced with sexual subjects. Sure, she had desires, but that didn't mean she was knowledgeable in any way. Swallowing hard, her hands shot up to cross protectively beneath her bust, as if her own touch could provide her with strength against his rebuttal. It was hard to tell, but she thought he might be trying to fluster her.

"I could give you anything you want," she started, trailing off--he might even start to believe she was about to agree to something scandalous! "Anything you want except for my body. That is not part of our deal, as far as I recall. You want information, I'll give you information. Ryo? Sure. Needless to say, by the time you think I'm willing to handle what you can tell me I'll have something more important that you need to know."

The Kazekage was fidgeting, shifting her meager weight between each foot every few seconds. There was an air about her that said she wanted to run away from him, which was partial truth. If he wasn't so informative she probably would not even have come, perhaps told her brothers about the peril. Together, the Etsuko clan could probably take him down, but ... not without casualties. That was the part that worried her. Of course, now she was also worried about him trying to get some sort of favor out of her now that he knew she was so against it. Paper clothing or not, I'll kill him if he tries anything! she reassured herself, narrowing her eyes up at him.

"You don't deserve me. I'm not like you."

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[Comatose]

"Actually, the deal was that you give me whatever I wished. I just reserved to you that my main concern was information, that didn't meant it was my only concern, or that I wouldn't demand more. I actually told you, that my demands could be outrageous."

I flashed a peculiar smile. I didn't really want any sexual favors, if I did, I would have pursued the conversation differently, and tried to put forth some effort for her to fall for me in a different way. She was just too fun to mess with. My attention to detail allowed me to see her squirm and shift, to try to hide her insecurity, naivety, and childishness. It was cute, for lack of a better word, her reactions were something to be cherished.

"Consider yourself lucky I don't actually want anything like that. I was just exemplifying the fact that my information was a trade commodity. I expect something worthwhile to trade when the time comes."

I smirked now, speaking as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Besides, if I had wanted anything like that I'd have pursued you directly. Perhaps wined and dined you, serenaded you, been accommodating. Attempting to kill you doesn't seem like a good air about which a loving relationship would brew, hm?"

Not to say I didn't find her interesting enough for something like that to grow. It was just impossible given the situation. Wasn't it?