There was a shift in the air as of late. Kumo was the place to be and the winter had come with a great deal of energy. How he had managed to reach this point he wasn't sure but he knew which side he belonged on. However there was unforeseen circumstances he hadn't expected that he should have. A few members of the Aoi bara had emerged into the village for the event about to transpire. Laying low was tossed out the window when world war was on the table. He could understand that at least. However they had the possibility of bumping against each other with different beliefs. He needed to organize this as best he could on short notice. So he had sent out carrier blue jays with a blue glass petal tied to a note around their talons. Sending them with chakra reinforced designated individual targets. Gin, the half weapon half woman powerhouse, Mitsuo the sword saint and ex lover of his younger and now deceased brother, And Tsuneo, the mad Uzumaki that was ever more difficult to control. All three were powerful individuals and so he would gather them. Confident he was the most powerful of the lot. Still he would let out a breath and await them patiently. Ready to lay his cards on the table.

He stood there with his silver eyes looking over the village from the top of the tower. It was aptly named, Tower of heaven, it was as if he could reach out and touch the skies or scorn the earth with a wave of his hand. His penthouse in Kirigakure hadn't been nearly this high up. He wondered idly how this tower was meant to fair in a village known for its storms. or what its end purpose was supposed to be. A hotel? A headquarters? It was hard to imagine this as someones person residence. He stood on the top floor looking out a window that seemed to keep the cold breeze off of himself. He was standing in a simple suit, grey pants and suit coat with a white under shirt and brown dress shoes. No tie and the top two buttons undone. He looked like a comfortable business man without any sign he was a shinobi. No weapons visible and no headband. However in his right breast pocket was a small half mask..a wolf mask that represented the Aoi Bara he had created. In his right hand was a lit cigar with others like it in his other breast pocket. He would lift it and puff on it while he waited. Unsure of what was to come but confident he could handle it. Even if his face was different they would know him for who he was. The letter read as follows.

"Dear (Insert name here)


"

528

Dear Mitsuo,

It has been too long since the last we met. I remember when the spring came and the roses bloomed. We both prefered the blue roses, the representation of immortality. If you wish it, meet with me where man meets heaven above the storm. I look forward to seeing you at sunset.

Mr. Kajiya

The trademark half smile of the Sword Saint of Konoha stretched itself across his face once again as he read the letter over and over again, his fingers clutching the note tightly in his fist. His suspicions had been confirmed, Tsuyo Hyuga was still alive. He had been hoping to run into him, and had thought that he had sensed his chakra again when he was on his way into the village with the Mizukage, but he had no way to be sure of that. It had been over three years since he had seen Tsuyo, the brother of his deceased former lover Kimaru, and he had hoped with all of his heart that he had managed to survive the witch hunt that had plagued their organization and led to his leaving the lands all together. He chuckled softly as he thought of the meeting with his former leader, moving to where he could see the man standing. His weapons were on him as always, though he didn't assume there would be any reason to draw them, the chain whip Penance wrapped around his upper torso, The Sword of the Immortal Blaze on his back, Justice and Retribution at either of his hips and the Cheetah's Fang sheathed at his right calf. He was a walking arsenal, and he assumed that was part of what Akira wanted him for originally.

His black clothes made him difficult to see in the dark, his regular modified ANBU mask tucked away in his bag and the wolf mask of the Aoi Bara close at hand oh his belt, obstructed by the dark cloak that he was wearing as well. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, walking up beside the man who, though he looked different, Mitsuo knew without any shadow of a doubt that he was Tsuyo Hyuga. He took a long drag on the cigarette, taking the smoke into his lungs and holding it there before expelling it through his nose, smiling once more as he stood beside Tsuyo Hyuga once more after so long. "It's been a long time old friend." He looked over and noticed that Tsuyo looked much better than he had the last time Mitsuo had seen him, that time having been when he had killed Ukiyo Senju and Tsuyo had unfortunately been pulled into his blade's attack, having one of his arms and legs severed as well as his eyes destroyed. He noticed that he had both limbs back and, though he couldn't see the man's eyes, he assumed that he had another pair of those again. He was curious if they were the Byakugan of his clan or not, but he decided it would be best not to bring up that part of their past.

"Is it just us? Or is anyone else coming?"

(534)

OOC: Gin loves me even though she's mean sometimes. She is very sorry.

Dear Shinobu,

It has been too long since the last we met. I remember when the spring came and the roses bloomed. We both prefered the blue roses, the representation of immortality. If you wish it, meet with me where man meets heaven above the storm. I look forward to seeing you at sunset.

Mr. Kajiya.

It seemed that the past was coming back to her in a very short window of time. She hadn't heard that name - Shinobu - in quite some time. Recently an old student had called her by that old pseudonym. Moreover, she had met the Sword Saint in Kumogakure. Now, she received a letter from her old... employer. She had never really believed in fate, but she had to admit that this was too much of a coincidence. Life could be that way, however. Its twists and turns were almost impossible to predict. In her case, the day she was named Kazekage, she would have never guessed that she would end up where she was now. Back then, her way of looking at the world was far more black and white. She didn't understand quite how nuanced everything could be and how difficult it often was to make a choice. Good and evil, in their traditional sense, were never as clear cut as most people seemed to think that they were.

It was what brought her to the Tower of Heaven. The last time she was here, she had run into her dear nephew, Sero. She looked up at the building, reaching into the sky. It was a perfect symbol of what the greed man was capable of. It had no real reason to exist other than to prove that it could. She shook her head. The quickest way to get to the top floor was likely to run over the side of the tower. Focusing chakra on the soles of her feet, she did just that, letting them collide with the metal beams and half-mounted windows of the structure. Once she reached the top floor, she slid one of the windows open and crouched on the pane with a wide and wicked smile on her face. Her initial instinct had been to break the window open, but decided against it. This was supposed to be a secret meeting, she assumed, and leaving behind blatant evidence wasn't the best of ideas.

Coincidentally, she entered the room just as Mitsuo asked if anyone else was joining. "Yo," she greeted the two men with a mock salute. "Hiroshi-tan, Kajiya-kun," she said, purposely using Mitsuo's alias. Upon closer inspection she noticed the new appearance of her former boss - who was also the former Tsuchikage. She burst out into laughter, still minding her balance so as to not fall out the window and make a fool out of herself. Maybe it was best to just jump onto the group. She mentally nodded to herself. As her laughter died down, she hopped onto the floor, landing gracefully and without so much a a sound.

"And to think I let you anywhere near me for surgery," Gin said, shaking her head, referring to the time that Akira had transplanted an eye socket into her skull. This is why she hated medics in general. You could never trust who or what they were. Akira was probably an exception, however. "I always did want to fight you," she mused out loud. "Maybe I could now that you've shown your true colors. Or is there another layer under this one?" she asked, half suspecting that there was.

Cracking his fingers by just tensing them up. A sense of rage mixed with happiness bolted within him. A message from the one and only, Kajiya. The man that accepted Tsuneo, the man Tsuneo swore loyalty to, and the man that changed Tsuneo heart from a carnivore that desired the world’s demise. Tsuneo was surrounded by Nuke-nin  dodging them effectively while reading the letter.  There were two possibilities to this message. The first was it was a bait, and whoever attempted to bait him with someone very dear to him…. Tsuneo might kill himself to follow them to hell and kill them a thousand times more after tearing their body apart into a bludgeoned bloody mess. However, the handwriting, it was identical to his big brother. However, if this message was indeed from the one and only Kajiya. Then the world might not be as horrible as thought. It would certainly bring hope to Tsuneo’s heart, and it for sure would make Tsuneo happy as he admired Kajiya.
 
Tsuneo walked away from his location as he left the corpses of three criminals behind him. The young man continued walking not giving a damn, and for once being the killer of a thousand of those criminals did not bother him. It seemed as if that message lifted away the weight of murder. Lifted away the blood Tsuneo bathed in. The sealing master’s chakra had become ever so calm. Happiness and rage conflicted within the boy. Even when he saw Kajiya, he wouldn’t hold back against him. Despite how happy he was, he would still give his older brother an earful. Tsuneo thought his brother was dead. He remained enraged for quite a while.
 

The man named the centipede dressed up in his usual outfit jet-black outfit. Excited, the young boy dressed up nicely and rushed as sunset came. Tsuneo read the letter once again checking if there are any signs of it being a fake.





Dear Izanami,
It has been too long since the last we met. I remember when the spring came and the roses bloomed. We both preferred the blue roses, the representation of immortality. If you wish it, meet with me where man meets heaven above the storm. I look forward to seeing you at sunset.



Mr. Kajiya.
It was him, it must be. No one knew of Tsuneo’s very first alias except a few people that knew him as Izanami, and even then it was before he was tortured before his nails turn black, his eye turn black and red, or his hair turns white. The young man placed his hand over his stomach as he remembered the seal he had placed there. The seal contained one thing, a gift from the man himself. Kajiya. The gift was a petal of the Aoi Bara’s rose.  A blue glimmering petal that he cherished. Tsuneo had been fighting and killing for a long time. The blood on his hands might as well be an ocean of blood he’s despairingly drowning in. Tsuneo would one day become a monster clear of sanity or thought. However, it was those people that he met over the years that stayed strengthened him. Kajiya’s kind words, Shinoubu’s push, Mitsuo’s encouragement. Oh Mitsuo, it was only recently that they met and spoke truly. The both had a heartfelt exchange recently, and it was a master and a kindred soul that he found in Mitsuo. The man had suffered greatly and lost many. As the two held the life on another on the edge of a blade. Their emotions were exposed. Tsuneo found a broken man walking through a sandstorm of strife and death , cloaked with an iron will, hooded with determination. Shinoubu and Tsuneo were different yet the same. The daring attitude, and the burning eyes they shared spoke tales of endured hardships. He never knew much about his first master and while he wishes they were closer, sometimes, it seemed as if words were not necessary. He felt as if his first master would simply pat him on his back and push him encouragingly and understandingly if he ever gave up. Later however, she would beat him up for thinking of giving up. Her words remained with him. Her words were what gave him the courage to escape his torturer’s hell. However, still, ever since that torture occurred a monstrosity within Tsuneo remained, surfacing and taking control over Tsuneo granting him a killing intent and a fierce unstoppable rage and madness. While normally, Tsuneo was a calm soft-spoken young man.
 

Kajiya was one influencing person to Tsuneo. Tsuneo’s first purpose was to annihilate the world. He didn’t care for innocent lives after Konohagakure abandoned him.  After his two friends died for him, despair set in.  He saw the world as a corrupt filthy dump. However, he was taught by Kajiya, he was taught the importance of life, and despite him only killing murderers. Tsuneo would remember the eyes  of all of those he killed. The reason was simple; if not for Kajiya, Tsuneo would have been one of them, and those murderers were once normal people. Tsuneo still believes the world is wrong, filthy, and absurd, but he believes those in it can be saved. If murder can save anyone then it might not be so bad. Murder never will be just, but if it meant saving the few victims with no hope, murder was fine. At least, to Tsuneo it was. Not many will share his ideals, nor will he be thanked or deemed a hero.
 

“It is the path you must tread Izanagi. I am.. Sorry… I could never save you…. However, time is nearing. Before I am gone…. I will make you the strongest. It is my gift to you. You’ve changed me, and as I grant you the final essence of my soul I will fade. You will carry on my will….”
 

Tsuneo’s eyes widened as he looked around. He gulped wondering. What was that voice? To whom it belonged? And what do these words mean? Tsuneo cleared his head as he began imagining things from how happy he was to knowing his big brother, or the man he referred to as big brother returned. Tsuneo smiled and walked towards the destination. He entered the room transferred as a Centipede as he crawled entered the room sneaking in as His master spoke. However, as she ended her sentence Tsuneo spoke; “Sensei, You’ve always been hot-headed…. ” His voice came surrounding the room as he poofed back into his normal appearance “Nice to meet you again.” Soft spoken and a calm tone headed with a faint smile towards Mitsuo. He then turned to the man Akira, the supposed Tsuchikage. He spoke to him saying “I am happy to see you alive and well, I am happy to see everyone alive and well. However, I believe explanations are in order. There are many things I need to ask… One of which why deceive your family? I nearly tore Kirigakure’s and Kumogakure’s wilderness inside out searching for a clue about you…. News of your death were…” Tsuneo stopped talking as he looked down clenching his fist with tired eyes. Speaking with a sincere very low voice “Thank goodness you’re okay.”
 


Tsuneo lifted his shirt as five symbols appeared on his fingers of his free hand. He placed his fingertips on five circles around a complex, hand drawn, hand forged seal. As the sealing symbols twisted, converging, and forming a black hole, Tsuneo pulled out a blue petal given to him by Kajiya. Tsuneo let down his shirt as he held it in front of Kajiya. “Your will…. I cherished.” Surely news of Tsuneo, or rather, the centipede reached him. A lurking shinobi that kills killers. No murderer escapes the centipedes grasp. Needless to say, the scares of when he was tortured and his white hair were exposed to reveal what happened to him during the time he disappeared. Tsuneo was upset with him. He had disappeared and worried Tsuneo sick. Tsuneo made sure he would get his answers from him this time.

Akira would blow out some smoke from his nostrils as he waited. His eyes shifting to the side as Mitsuo was the first to arrive. He smiled a little at that as he returned to looking out the window and allowed the well armed man to stand right next to him. He was well aware of the fact that had Mitsuo wanted to, in this tight space he could rend anyone apart. He wondered if his own hand was faster to this day with no real urge to test that. Sword users were never a fun thing to test his fist against. Still he would listen to the comment of old friends and shift his weight onto the leg further away from Mitsuo subconsciously. After all for a long time they had each blamed each other for the death of his own younger brother. Tsuyo for not being capable of being there to stop it and Mitsuo for just not being capable enough at the time. It was likely what had urged him into the strong embodiment he was now. He could feel a little bit of heat from standing this close with his affinity to chakra. That katon chakra within the man was just as dangerous as ever. His arm and leg even felt itchy so close to him. His eyes pained just a little causing him to blink.

Before he could answer the question of if others were expected a shadow loomed over the nearby window. His eye brow rose but he could guess who that might be. Someone known for making an entrance and being fairly blunt. Gin was a special case that had been a kage before this had all started. Perhaps the strongest of the group in the beginning. He wouldn't doubt her abilities now. Still he would just quietly puff on his cigar as he watched her almost fall out of the window she opened. Laughing too hard from seeing his appearance. He would sigh irritably and shake his head before letting her speak her piece. Even as she did speak about wishing to combat him and wondering about layers his eyes shifted to a tiny skittering noise. A large centipede had made its way into the room. He could sense the blood soaked chakra from where he was and found the attempt to sneak into a room full of people as dangerous as the ones present to be futile and ill thought out. If they hadn't noticed him and he poofed into life right next to them the top floor of the tower of heaven was likely to get blown away in a brilliant level of destruction by any of the 3 and the meeting would be long over.

Tsuneo would speak from his current form about Gin being hot headed and Akira refrained from speaking about pots and kettles. Instead he would turn and lean against the wall next to the window. Hiding himself from anyone that might be able to see that high up or prying eyes in the skies. For the moment he would simply listen as Tsuneo spoke. Demanding explanations. An eye brow would raise at just how forward that was. Still as chakra activated from Tsuneo he watched how the others would react while simply taking another puff off his cigar and blowing out a smoke ring. His free hand remaining idle in his pocket as if he was worried about nothing at all. As if this was just another business meeting. Though his eye shifted to Gin as he wondered about how much loyalty she had to the Kage of the village they were in...or how much influence. Still Tsuneo pulled out the flower petal as if to show some token of affection and Akira would only sigh. Speaking while facing all three as he finished.

"None of us owe explanations to anyone else. We worked together because it suited us. No one was in charge beyond finding assignments. We collaborated as needed for the betterment of this land. However we were framed in this very village for something horrific and it was time to fade away. Being as I knew of it and who had done it I needed to fade away from not only Kumo but that man as well. However Iwa still needed my help and I found the best way to do it was by running the country. I have been the Tsuchikage for some time now. Only recently retiring after it was fixed. Izanami, I kept my tabs on you and your actions have been as brash as always. I warned you to keep a lid on that. I will ask once more to please try and find yourself. Be a good person. Hiroshi, I have missed you as well. You have been gone for some time and I had lost track of you until Kiri. You seem well but still in pain. I hope you can recover fully one day. Shinobu, You have been entrenching yourself within Kumo next to the Raikage. I wonder...will you stand next to him and give up your loyalty to Kiri? I do not seek to combat you as you do me. But that might not be an option as I have chosen to stand with Kiri in this matter. Before you try and take me on though...there is more to discuss."

1429

Mitsuo's question was quickly answered by the two people who would enter directly after he had spoken. The first one was an unmistakable presence, the woman whom he had come into contact with for the first time recently, and whos presence he knew he had felt a few times before hand, even as early as his days as a genin in the village hidden in the sands. He listened to her brash entrance, nodding to her with a simple "Hello," as a greeting. He chuckled as she questioned Tsuyo's medical prowess, somewhat curious as to what the surgery was that she was referring to but also not necessarily wanting to know. He had gone through some pretty unfortunate surgeries in his life, like when he had nearly lost his sight to a kunai but Strafe had given it back to him, and even implanted the Stunning Eye that he, to this day, had never felt the need to use. He was grateful for that, but still thought of Synn Karisuma quite often whenever he felt phantom pains where the kunai had once struck him.

The second to enter took the form of a large centipede, and Mitsuo could hear him enter the room before he had revealed himself, his senses not sharp enough to be fooled by such a facade, knowing the form of the man whom he had humiliated with the blade. He hadn't heard back from him yet about his proposal of further training with the blade, but he expected that he would in time. As the boy spoke quietly to him he smirked and nodded to him as well, not overly surprised that he was at this meeting too, before listening to his words. He had demanded an explanation from Tsuyo, something that Mitsuo was curious to hear what he had to say, but that was also unwarranted. Mitsuo knew why they had to go into hiding, that action having destroyed his life as well for the past three years, and was still giving him issues. He listened to Tsuyo speak, confirming what Mitsuo assumed the answer would be. He had taken position as the kage in Iwa, which Mitsuo found interesting, but he wasn't overly surprised. He had assumed that should things go south and Kazu was outed as having ties to their organization, Tsuyo would take the mantle of Tsuchikage to try to set things straight in the village.

He called out Tsuneo on being brash and told Mitsuo that he had lost track of him until recently, which made sense as Mitsuo had been gone for a long time. To Shinobi he mentioned that he didn't know where she stood in the war effort, which was interesting as she was a Kiri nin and Mitsuo had assumed she would stand beside them. "I am sorry for my absence, like you I went into hiding, though for me I left the lands of the shinobi all together, leaving my love and my daughter behind to think that I was dead. I only returned to Kiri recently, but I have been trying to find you again. I do not believe that our work is over, as you know, we have unfinished business to attend to." He directly addressed Tsuyo as he said this, speaking about the man in Konoha who had made both of their lives a living hell. "I am glad you are okay, and understand your reasons for going underground, even applauding you in your effort. I was nearly made the Hokage until the allegations against us were brought to light." He looked to the other two once again. "There is a lot of strength in this room, it feels good to be with my family again." He somewhat matched the gesture of Tsuneo, but instead of pulling out a rose he pulled out the wolf mask and held it in his hand. His loyalty had never wavered, and he was prepared to take up the mask and cloak again if it was the plan.

(1210)

Gin's attention turned to the newcomer and presumably the last person that they were expecting. She was unsurprised by his form. She could see past it and recognize him regardless of it. Her lips twisted into a grin, one that mixed mischief and affection to form a rather odd expression that had become somewhat characteristic of Gin. "You know what they say, brat, old habits die hard," she pointed out when he mentioned her stubborn nature. At Tsuyo's words, however, her disposition slowly changed.

"I think I've made it clear that I want no part in this conflict," Gin stated, her eyes narrowing slightly at the man in question. She didn't appreciate his accusations - the fact that he had alluded to what Gin was doing as a betrayal to Ayakashi. It was the farthest thing from her mind, really. She was eternally loyal to Ayakashi, one of her oldest friends. At the same time, she couldn't deny that her feelings for Sanosuke were just as significant. She turned to look at hte former Tsuchikage, fixing her eyes on him. Her expression was serious, though far from tense or provoking. She merely wanted to clarify where she stood and why. If she ever did fight her former employer, she didn't want it to be because of something petty. She wanted a brawl - one where they could both display the enormity of their strength, where she saw what Tsuyo could truly do when challenged.

"Unlike most people, I fight for the fun of it. It's a straightforward reason as you can get. Doing it for politics or ideology is hypocrisy, though I see the need for it every once in a while. In this case, the opposing sides are both people that are dear to me. I refuse to make a choice between them. Both of them know as much," Gin explained and mimicked Akira at this point, lighting a cigarette of her own and pressing it to her lips. She let the smoke flow freely from her lips, forming loose clouds that drifted to the farther ends of the room, mixing with Akira's own. "I would much rather they come out alive after this, but I am fully prepared for the worst case scenario. I understand how this world works as much as you do. Death is a consequence of war - one that we've all faced in one way or another. I'm prepared to face loss again and I refuse to hold either side accountable for doing what they think is right. My opinion in this doesn't matter," she said.

There was a hint of bitterness at the end of her words. She had long ago come to the conclusion that it would be easiest to intervene in the conflict, try to stop both Kiri and Kumo from going at each other, even if it cost her her life. She also realized that doing so would do little more than aggravate the conflict. Any action that she took had the potential to escalate the conflict. She shook her head as if that would get rid of this line of thinking. She listened to Mitsuo explain what he had done over these past few years. She knew some of it from before, when they had met several days ago in the streets of Kumogakure. Akira had done the same, telling about his rise to the position of Kage and his recent retirement. She supposed she might as well tell them what she had been up to as well, though she suspected that the former head of the Aoi Bara knew at least some of the details. He was a resourceful man, after all. "I've been mostly staying in Kiri. I adopted a new brat. The rest of my kids are still being held hostage in Sunagakure. I've been here in Kumo for several months, initially for the Chuunin Exams. Now, I'm under some sort of house arrest, supposedly," the fact that she was standing there with them spoke volumes of how little she respected her informal sentence.

"But I doubt you called us here just to catch up. Planning something?" Gin asked, taking another drag from her cigarette and flicking the ashes out of the window so that they were swept away by the nightly breeze.

Rejection? Kajiya spoke, aloof to Tsuneo's feelings. Frustrated with his reply he took back the petal and placed in the seal. Tsuneo listened to his words as they seemed completely different to his first words. Tsuneo did not join the Aoi Bara for backup or for a big plan. No, he joined so that somewhere in this world he had a family, a place that he belonged to. Angered by his reply Tsuneo's expression reverted to that of a cold one.

Hostility,

Hehehe, he rejected your feelings, look at Mitsuo.... Mitsuo explained his position....He is sincere, and that Kajiya he just manipulates you he used your sincere feelings ....Hahaha. You show too much of your heart you, pathetic weakling.  Mitsuo thinks of you dearly, but to the man before you, Kajiya, you're a pawn. All three of you are.


As Gin spoke he noticed that she had children missing? Even more, the Raikage was someone dear to her. Tsuneo had learned much more than she would normally show, and he was happy to know that. Kajiya spoke they have nothing to explain, and yet Mitsuo and gin explained their part. Tsuneo's centipede began rising, surfacing a he felt rejection by Kajiya. In a cold cruel tone as Gin was done talking. Tsuneo smiled at Mitsuo as he reffered to them as family. However, he looked at Tsuyo and chuckled before he spoke. "Kajiya. Let me correct one thing, I couldn't give a fuck less about this world. I was born to curse and despise all within. I joined the Aoi Bara for it seemed to be a home. A family. I don't think it suited me when I was caught by the remnants of the bell and tortured for thirty-two days." Pause, he then continued as he cracked his index finger "Then again... I don't assume it suited my captors when they were shreded alive. My  'brash' actions won't stop. While you were hiding I've been tearing murderers, rapists, nuke-nin, and criminal organisation limb from limb." Tsuneo paused as he hid behind his mask. "I agree with what Shinobu said. I doubt you called us for a 'heartwarming' reunion. What do you need?" Tsuneo then continued, "Sanosuke is a comrade, and Ayakashi is dear to me as well. I will intervene and stop any conflict. I won't let a comrade and someone dear to me kill each other. If you needed to hear my position in this whole mess."

Akira would sit back and listen to their words with his silver eyes watching them. All the gold faded away after the activation of the S rank Byakugan. It wasn't something a simple tattoo inked in could resist. Not to mention how much it had hurt. Even the blue eye he had gained from Ayakashi had somehow adjusted in color. His eyes both looked like the Byakugan now but only one was. It suited him and his need for secrecy anyway. Still Mitsuo was the first to explain he had left the lands entirely for a time. Once again believed to be dead. That would explain why his entire spy network hadn't a clue where such a prominent man had gone. It wasn't unusual though to hitch a ride on a merchant ship. He wondered just how far he had gone though. Passed the blood country? Probably as they were still shinobi. he didn't have eyes and ears in such a place though. It was violent and an only the strong survive type place. Enemies with the world that even Kiri kept eyes on. Still his eyes would shift away at the mention of unfinished business. He could feel his temper rising and would need to calm down. There was a man he needed to kill yet...and that was coming. Still pulling out the wolf mask was a nice touch that he hadn't forgotten them. He still wished it would be put away though.

However his attention shifted to Gin as she spoke. It wasn't hostile towards anyone of course. She was just irritated at the whole scenario and thus her tone reflected it. Still he would ignore it and simply listen to the words. She wasn't intending to actually take anyone's side. She would sit on the side lines and hope she didn't lose anyone. He could understand that somewhat. She had been placed in an extremely difficult situation. Still it seemed so unlike her. Always itching for a fight and ready to protect her loved ones to the death. He figured though she had been Kage for more than just her power. One had to have some semblance of common sense to run a country. He knew that first hand. Her personal life explanation was added onto the end of it and he figured he understood a little of where both of them had been and why. Mitsuo and Gin had taken fairly different approaches to the Aoi Bara being compromised. Mitsuo had hidden in the furthest corners of the world and bided his time while Gin had simply walked right under their noses and snuggled up to the biggest guy hunting them. The fact that she was on house arrest meant Sanosuke was only partially a fool. Nothing could prevent Gin from leaving somewhere she didn't want to be.

However he felt a shift in chakra and turned his head raising an eye brow at the youngest amongst them. Tsuneo the wild card. An emotional boy he had hoped to control and teach to control himself. He had warned him repeatedly to reign in his madness. Drawing attention to himself in a negative light always brought investigation. A positive light was fine because people never wanted to question their heroes. However as Tsuneo began to speak Akira would frown and his chakra would vanish as a tone was taken that was highly irritating. His own time away had been worse than theirs but he had given him a safe opportunity. That he was captured and tortured without rescue while they were on the run was no fault of anyone's in the room. He couldn't have expected them to magically know he was in trouble. The fact that Tsuneo thought he would stop the whole mess himself was not funny though. He would of preferred Gins approach over that. Still he would narrow his own eyes and move off the wall. The cigar in his hand bursting into a cloud of tobacco and embers floating to the ground. His feet carried him across the room at a close pace as he moved so he was face to face with Tsuneo. His eyes ever piercing looking to make eye contact and if they did those silver eyes that saw all would stare into his soul. It would be like a towering figure shadowing the entire room and sheer power making the windows shake. He was irritated and his quite voice was daring Tsuneo to talk back to him like that again.

"Watch your tone little one. If I hadn't cared for you, where would you be? We took you in after Konoha labeled you for death. We gave you a place to grow. I myself gave you a new face and a new identity in Iwa. All I asked of you were loyalty and to keep your madness in control. Do not dare to take a tone with one of the few who ever cared to save you. Even being a risk I chose to keep you around as part of this family. Made you the youngest brother. So many of us are dead and gone and you want to spit out this kind of hate? Check yourself. Now if we are done with this show of defiance or rebellion or whatever this is, I have three important matters I wanted to discuss with all of you. "

2341

Well, one of them was still loyal. It was impossible to know what Shinobu's position was as she seemed to sit on the fence and Mitsuo was never sure if she was going to accept whatever it was that Tsuyo had planned for them or if she would simply walk away. She had to think of her children and was stuck in Kumo under house arrest, which made Mitsuo assume that she was also being watched. It did explain why she chose to take different forms, however. Tsuneo, however, seemed to be firmly against Tsuyo in general. Mitsuo's smile turned into a frown and his fingers would brush over the hilts of his twin blades, Justice and Retribution, almost as though it was a simple reflex. He didn't like the tone that Tsuneo was using, and while his loyalty first was to Strafe and Kaia, it was to Tsuyo second. If he had to step in to intervene and strike down one of the others in the room, he would absolutely do so in order to protect his boss. As his fingers has moved to the familiar positions on his swords, the mask had quickly been tucked back into his coat, Mitsuo's entire demeanor shifting as he tensed up and prepared for what potentially could come.

Before he had a chance to draw, however, Tsuyo made his way across the room and got into Tsuneo's face. Mitsuo would not draw his weapon with his friend so close to the threat, as he had done that once before and it had, at the time, cost Tsuyo greatly. It was funny how it was always Mitsuo's former friends who ended up being a threat to one of the three people in this world that he had the closest ties too. The only reason that Ukiyo Senju was dead, which was an unfortunate situation in itself, was because she had decided to attack Tsuyo. Mitsuo was forced into action and the psychopathic Senju stood no chance against his precision and his rage. He wasn't sure if Tsuneo would attack, but he had already ended the life of one friend in order to protect Tsuyo, their work together and their history being simply too important to ignore, he wouldn't hesitate to do so again. After spitting venomous words at Tsuyo, Tsuneo got cold venom right back. It was interesting to see how Akira handled Tsuneo as opposed to how Mitsuo had done it, Mitsuo's rage being one of fire where Tsuyo's was more one of ice. He could feel the impressive chakra of Tsuyo once more, Mitsuo's being one of few people whom he had ever encountered that seemed to have more powerful chakra than the leader of the Aoi Bara.

As the conflict neared its conclusion, Mitsuo's grip would not relax, he realized that he would have to play mediator at the point of a sword for this meeting apparently, which was truly unfortunate as he had been looking forward to this reunion. He had assumed that it would be a little bit more friendly than it had turned out so far, but his skills with the blade were the reason he had been taken into the organization and he was willing to put them to use again if he had too. Tsuyo reminded Tsuneo that because of the fact that he had cared for him Tsuneo was still alive and able to move freely due to his new identity, something that intrigued Mitsuo. He knew Tsuyo was a good medic, but it never ceased to impress him. When Tsuyo finished speaking Mitsuo briefly addressed Tsuneo.

"I will warn you of one thing. My temper is far different than his, I am a fire that burns hot, and I have proven in the past that I will strike down a friend turned enemy with no hesitation. There is no way that the eyes and ears of Kumogakure no Sato are not watching or listening to every part of the village, and if one of our members is on house arrest it is fair to assume that she particularly could be being watched. Your outbursts are a danger to all of us, and I would suggest you stop them before the cleansing flames of hell claim another target." His voice never wavered, but he did not raise it as he had last time they had met, simply speaking calmly but making it perfectly clear that he meant every word that he had said. He turned to Tsuyo and nodded to him. "Don't keep us in the dark, Kajiya, what do you want from us?"

(1993)

Gin looked to the side and pursed her lips. "What a waste of a perfectly good cigarette," Gin quietly lamented when Tsuyo destroyed his own and turned it into a pile of ashes. She shook her head to herself, inhaling the smoke from her cigarette and letting it drift slowly out of her lungs. The slight burn was pleasant, even though it left her throat somewhat dry. For a moment, she wondered if Tsuyo had brought some sort of alcohol with him. He knew of Gin's habits, so if he needed something from her, the idea wasn't far-fetched. She wouldn't ask him, however. She would wait for him to bring it up, if it was a card that he was waiting to play.

The mood in the room, however, turned to tension as Tsuyo spoke. After Tsuneo's words, it had already been on the verge of doing so. With what Tsuyo was saying, however, it was cemented. It now felt as if this gathering could quickly become a battle if they weren't careful. As much as Gin would appreciate a good fight, she didn't quite feel the need to draw attention to the village's ANBU. Speaking of which, Mitsuo had pointed out that the Black Ops group was probably already on their trail, thanks in part to her. She would address that in a bit. First thing was first - he needed to get Tsuneo to calm down.

Gin placed a hand on Tsuneo's shoulder, smiling at him kindly. From what she had gathered so far, there were two ways of reigning in the young boy when he was on the verge of going out of control. The first was aggression. If yelled at with words of common sense, he had a tendency to back down. The second was affection. If he was shown that he was cared for and valued, he would usually listen to whatever they had to say. She wrapped an arm loosely around his shoulder. "C'mon, c'mon, no need to get tense here," she said lightly. "No one's an enemy here, ne, Mitsu-tan?" She said, narrowing her eyes. Despite her cheery expression, her eyes spoke of a promise of violence and death should he approach the boy the wrong way. "That's not what family does, after all," she pointed out, eyes closing slightly and her head tilting to the side. Her grip on Tsuneo was strong, but reassuring. It was meant to hold him back in case he tried to do anything.

"And that's Shinobu-sensei to you, brat," she said jokingly, poking his forehead playfully. Hopefully, her words would dissolve the newly formed tension. If it didn't, she was more than ready for this to evolve into a fight. If it did, she had no intention of killing any of the people there. That being said, she wouldn't let Tsuneo die either. She was well aware of the boy's shortcomings. He was impulsive and brash, to the point where secrecy was by no means a priority of his. For that reason, he posed a danger to the other three shinobi of the Aoi Bara. Nevertheless, she had faith in his self-control and her ability to reign him in when he was losing it. Call her soft, but when it came to broken children, she always had the urge to protect them.

"By the way, I take precautions when I sneak out. Do you really think I'm stupid enough to just waltz out of there and carve my way through the guards every time I need a drink?" She asked. Realizing her words, she shook her head. "Never mind, don't answer that," she sighed, running a hand through her hair and taking another drag from her cigarette.

It was funny, as Tsuyo approached him with his magnificent chakra, the boy still did not waver. It was an immense chakra, but its amount was not what was interesting. What was interesting is the nature of that chakra. Tsuneo, as he was looked at right in the eyes, looked back into Tsuyo's not wavering for a second, however, not speaking a word. He did not want to disturb his brother, however, he was angry for getting worried over nothing. The Aoi Bara was his one and only family. He already lost one family, with the blood on his hands, the torture he received, and the monster lurking within, if anything happened to the people in this room. Going out of control would mean nothing, because it was when Tsuneo loses another loved one, that he will end up destroying as much of the world as he could before dying.

As Tsuyo returned, Mitsuo spoke; he warned Tsuneo and threatened to kill him should the situation require. Tsuneo was disturbed and bothered, as he now felt as if he turned everyone against him. Trash talk was a nice game to him, but now he would shut up and look to the side, until his sensei would shock him. She was on his side. She understood what made him tick, understood how he felt, and what he wanted. The young boy was talking about how hot-headed his teacher was, but he was following every footstep behind her, even in personality. He did expect his sensei to go easy on him, but lecture him as well. But no. She indeed did understood the emotional boy's feelings. Fear. There are no longer many things Tsuneo would get emotional about, it was only this family that he had left that could draw out emotion out of him.

She placed a hand on Tsuneo's shoulder and as he prepared himself for another death threat, however, a gentle yet strong grip and a kind smile had bewildered Tsuneo as he looked at her with wondering sad eyes. Breaking the ice, she stated there was no need to get tense. With her arm around Tsuneo, Tsuneo blushed happily, but his slight blush was out of happiness not some kind of romantic affection. He held back a smile turning it into a slight smile, as she spoke to Mitsuo. She stated no one is an enemy here. She was by his side it made Tsuneo happy, immensely happy. She was by his side he never thought someone would stand by him in this all. He couldn't force it away. A smile covered his face as hopeless eyes as he turned to face gin with her arm around him "Thank you Shinobu-sensei" with a smile and hopeless eyes revealed as his mask was removed.

He was for sure glad he met the woman he'd call his teacher, and it was an honor. To have someone that would think of him first is what he longed for. His loyalty remains the strongest to Shinobu. Her eyes, her eyes were gentle, yet were fierce, as if assuming death awaited those who defy her words. Tsuneo was intimidated slightly, as more than anyone, he witnessed her power firsthand. He knew what she sported years ago was a mere fraction of her power. He wouldn't go against his sensei, not with the kindness she had shown, nor with the power she held. Tsuneo, however, was happy and would argue no one any further. The centipede withdrew, and as it did he spoke "I'm sorry." Directed to everyone including his sensei as he didn't want to tense the situation up for her.

"And that's Shinobu-sensei to you, brat," His sensei spoke as she poked his forehead and all Tsuneo could do was a smile, and hold back a chickle as she easily broke the ice and dissolved Tsuneo's hostility. He replied "Yes Shinobu-sensei"

He had no further wish to cause hostility, and the second persona within him had faded away with Shinobu's affection. Mind cleared, Tsuneo had remained there his chakra calm and withdrawing from its hostile nature. As he realized his mistakes and cleared his position, his tone a much clearer and friendly tone, but still the calm tone of his "I've been taking out criminals under the alias of the Centipede. It's what they call me I guess. I've never taken off the mask during my hunts. As Yosuke, I wear blue-eye lenses and change my appearance. The Centipede is known only to criminals all of which that I murdered. Anyone that knows of the Centipede is dead. So there will be no trouble headed to any of your ways." He cleared his position as he had learned from his mistakes he no longer acted rashly, and it was for the sake of a family, The Aoi Bara.

Tsuyo would look into the eyes of the young man as he didn't look away. Searching within for some semblance of hope for the young mans mind. He wasn't one to assume things would go his way but he was highly perceptive and trusted his instincts. Still he would search a little longer than normal until Mitsuo spoke up. Speaking after him of having to cut down friends without hesitation. His eyes flicking to the side but not turning his head at the memory. Ukiyo had been his friend. Perhaps that hesitation was there still... If it was Tsuyo would need to not fall so easily for a trap again. Instead his eyes shifted to Gin as she moved over and placed a hand on Tsuneo. He watched her cautiously as she was being unusually opposed to violence. Perhaps she had a need to refrain as of late. He had never marked her for maturity but out of all the people in the room she was the one to break the tension. He trusted little and not often but he doubted Gin would cross them or turn them in. She was entirely based on family as a number one priority. So long as they were family and acted like it, They had nothing to fear from her. Nothing more than a spar anyway.

For now he let his own chakra subside. Hopefully before it could be considered a beacon to anyone leagues below them. However he highly doubted it. He had chosen this location because of how high up it was. Well out of range of anyone with sensory not inside the building itself. Still he would step back and listen as Tsuneo apologized and smile himself. Listening to the report of what Tsuneo had been up to. Carving his way through all the bad people he could find and leaving no survivors. A good ploy to follow with a code name and disguise. However there was a flaw he wondered if the young man had come across yet. One he had to move passed himself. Innocent witnesses. If his whole hidden identity rested on no survivors...if he was to move freely...would he cut down a mother and child that had born witness to his actions? Had he already? Tsuyo was always fully disguised on those missions and could sense where innocent bystanders were...he only hoped Tsuneo could say the same. Or that he would rather be outed than kill the innocent. For now he would step away from the two and place a hand on Mitsuo's shoulder with his warm chakra sending comforting warmth all over the mans body. Speaking loudly enough to be heard.

"I feel we let our pride wander sometimes my friend. There is no need to cut anyone down here. Our youngest brother is just maturing is all. I thank you for your support though. Please...relax. As soon as I check the perimeter I will answer as to why I brought you here."

With that he smiled and moved passed him before taking a breath. With that he let it out as his left eye would slowly gain exposed veins and pulse. His right eye remaining normal. However around him as his Byakugan activated a strange green aura would move around him like flames. Flickering around him like a bon fire but causing no heat to radiate. He had achieved the height of the Hyuga. A chakra mode only obtained by those who had mastered the Byakugan. With that activated his eye pulsed a little more as he sensed out a good two-hundred meters in every direction. Sensing no one around them he would turn and let them see the one active byakugan before letting it and the green chakra around him fade. Letting out another breath before speaking with a smile.

"We are alone up here. Even if Gin were not careful enough in her escape from supervision she either lost them at some point or they are keeping their distance. Fret not Mitsuo. As for you two, Gin and Tsuneo. I am glad you are doing well. Yet as Mitsuo and both of you inquired earlier, I do indeed have a purpose for summoning you. I have finished with my repairs to the economy and power of Iwagakure. For the moment I will be assisting Ayakashi in the defeat of Sanosuke but I do not intend for either of them to die. Sanosuke will simply be banished from holding any office again unless he refuses to accept his loss. Holding unrelated individuals hostage was a poor choice as a Kage. It is only through my influence with Ayakashi that I will be able to steer this in a way where no one dies. After that though is the real purpose. The second of three things we should discuss. I am indeed made of many layers Gin. I am revealing myself to the world by my true name. Tsuyo Hyuga."

3175

It seemed to Mitsuo like he had said something that had bothered the former Kazekage a little bit, her last comment about how he must think she's an idiot who doesn't cover her tracks and murders people in the streets was something that made him chuckle. Were he being honest he had imagined her doing such a thing in the past once or twice, the thought often bringing him a good chuckle. He even chuckled as she said it, addressing her briefly. "Yeah that's always what I assumed you did. I've pictured it happening several times and it's actually quite a comforting thought." He then looked towards Tsuneo, who was making himself look a little pathetic in Mitsuo's eyes. Tsuyo and Gin were both currently fighting his battles, and that wasn't what Mitsuo had thought of him originally at all. He didn't plan on fighting, and didn't necessarily want to start anything with the young Uzumaki, but at the same time he thought his cowardice was something that he couldn't let slide by unnoted. "Tch, how could I have believed that such a coward could be my disciple. You are hiding behind these two instead of fighting your own battles, I expected better from you...You have disappointed me."

After he spoke his words, Tsuyo told him there was no need to cut anyone down, his grip having already eased up. He always somehow had a way of making people, or at least Mitsuo, calm down and it was something that he appreciated. His hands left the hilt of his sword, and while he didn't want to fight anyway, he would no longer seem to be threatening him. He smirked slightly, "I wasn't going to actually kill anyone...unless I had too." He flashed a look of murderous intent towards Gin and Tsuneo, showing that if he had to he would have in a second. He was not an individual to be trifled with, and he wasn't personally afraid of anyone at any time. He was someone with a bit of a death wish to be perfectly honest, looking for someone who could finally defeat him as he had never been defeated in a fight in his entire shinobi career.

"I apologize, old friend. I will try to keep my temper under control, though a raging flame is hard to put out." He listened to Tsuyo's words after, hearing that he didn't want Sanosuke to die, which was something that he found to be unfortunate. He personally had fought beside Sanosuke when he was a jounin and remembered him dropping a mast on the Hokage at the time in the battle when they were attempting to kill the Seven Bells general Mizuru. Mitsuo had almost killed the man for the attempted murder of the Hokage, and now here he was as the Raikage. He was a danger to all of those around him and Mitsuo didn't think he deserved to be left alive after his crimes, but he wouldn't stand against Tsuyo. He held his tongue as Tsuyo revealed his plan with him, and also that his identity was Tsuyo Hyuga, having known this since he had first met him. As Mitsuo and Kimaru, Tsuyo's brother, had dated until Kimaru's death, Mitsuo had spent time with Tsuyo during his childhood, and he had instantly recognized him when he had joined the Aoi Bara. He was curious to know what the third thing was, however.

2586

Gin nodded at Tsuneo's explanation. He had taken precautions, though there may have been some flaws within his plan. Regardless, she was sure Tsuyo could track down whatever loose ends there were and take care of them. It might take some time and resources, but it would be a necessary investment. She let go of the boy's shoulder, once again poking his forehead, this time with her index and middle finger. It was an old gesture, dating from hundreds of years ago. Gin forgot where she had seen it or heard about it. Maybe it had been her mother or brother growing up. All she knew was that it was meant as a show of affection to someone younger - like a student or a younger sibling. She did't miss the way that Mitsuo looked at the two of them, as if he could easily take them on if he needed to. His clipping words to the younger boy only made his attitude more evident. The way he looked at her with murderous intent bothered her, though not in the way that he had intended.

Nevertheless, she now turned to look at their leader once again as he calmed Mitsuo down significantly, to the point where the man apologized. "Who's the coward now, lap dog?" Gin would look at Mitsuo, her eyes narrowing and a smirk spreading on her features. It was a challenge if there ever was any. She wasn't intimidated, nor was she scared of the prospect of fighting the man. In fact, she wanted to. She had always thought the so-called Sword Saint would be a worthy opponent, one that could use weapons at the same level of skill that she could. He was renowned for his abilities, had almost single-handedly defeated Senju Ukiyo and had been the one to deal the finishing blow on Uchiha Hao. The thought of fighting him got Gin's blood boiling with excitement. Maybe if she provoked him enough, she could get what he wanted.

Tsuyo double-checked the perimeter just in case in the meantime. Gin was confident, however, that she hadn't been followed. In any case, she did understand the precaution. She would have done the same if she had the sensory abilities to do so. Gin noticed, though, that only one of his eyes functioned as a Byakugan. The way his chakra moved was enthralling, much like the flames that it mimicked. The color added a sense of majesty that matched the man's character quite accurately. Gin let out a whistle, mildly impressed. She now leaned against the wall next to the window and rested her right cheek in the palm of her hand. The former Kazekage waited to see what it was the the man wanted to announce.

When he did, Gin raised an eyebrow. "Tsuyo Hyuga, huh?" Gin repeated. "Never heard that name before. Explains the eye, though," Gin said, taking a step forward so that she was standing closer to Tsuyo. She closely examined him, looking at both his eyes. She smiled wickedly. "Makes me wonder how you lost it. You looked a little tense around Mitsuo. He got anything to do with it?" She asked. Part of her was kind of hoping to strike a nerve just for the hell of it. It was her mischievous side, one that was entertained when others were uncomfortable. Usually, that was her idea of a joke, even if she was the only one that found it funny.

Gin gave the young man a poke on his forehead that made him smile faintly, she was indeed kind to him. She showed him affection and knew indeed how to calm him down. Tsuneo remains an emotional rollercoaster controlled by nothing. Yet, still, few knew how to dissipate the raging hatred within.
 
As for Tsuyo he accepted Tsuneo’s apology and Tsuneo was glad that Tsuyo did forgive him or at least he seemed to have. He also seemed to be happy knowing that they are well Tsuneo smiled back and nodded earlier. However, now he looked at Gin giving her that look of a banter or teasing as if speaking to her”I know you name now haha.” But didn’t speak a word instead he gave her a look coupled with a cheeky smile. However, he also found out his brother’s name, Tsuyo. He explained his plans all of which Tsuneo had no qualms with. In the end his brother was still that amazingly powerful yet peaceful man. Tsuyo was of great power and influence. Tsuneo doubted any need to worry about the man. He could easily destroy those who come after his head.
 
Tsuneo had fought many battles, and yet despite his experience. He could never forget a single victim. He would remember each and every single person he killed. Not a single one of them was innocent, but was innocent, but when a person drowns in so much blood they lose sight of themselves. Tsuneo swore an oath to stand at the top before losing his mind and becoming a senseless monster. However, despite his hatred to murder, it was a necessity. Fighting itself he loved and enjoyed. Murder, however, was a different case.
 
Mitsuo had delivered some harsh words, but Tsuneo took them into consideration. His madness has been put out by both Tsuyo and Shinobu. Tsuneo spoke in reply to Mitsuo with firm determination. “Touché Mitsuo. However, the fact that I am a coward is something old.” He faced everyone “The fact that I kill those criminals instead of simply defeating them is because I fear the innocent would be harmed later by them. I wanted to be that hope for the weak. The light amidst Tragedy. My weakness and cowardice stopped me. I will be disappearing for three years. At least to me it will be three years, and to you all it will be three days. Long story short, a seal leading to another dimension in which time flow differs.” He cracked his middle finger with his thumb before he continued “I do not wish for Shinobu-Sensei or big brother Tsuyo to fight, nor anyone in this family. I acted stupidly because I was angry. Should something happen to any of you, no that’s not it, I won’t let any harm come to you all. Through this seal, I will gain new strength, and I won’t allow anything to happen to any of you. I am perfectly aware that each and every one here is considered a legend in terms of strength.” He spoke with fire in his eyes, the flaming will of a Konohagakure shinobi “I plan to surpass all of you, this wrong rotten world, I will fix it. The bruises you’ve given to me are just another push on the back Mitsuo. I will show you that I was worthy of holding your swords. I plan to honor your words that day. I will not argue further for one reason. Tsuyo is alive, you are, and so is Shinobu sensei.” Tsuneo paused before speaking once more as he faced Mitsuo head on looking him straight in the eyes “If Gin sensei order to me to stay down I will, so is true if it’s an order from you, or big brother Tsuyo. Need it or not, once I am done, once I can stand on the same ground as all of you. I will end your suffering, each and every one of you. Strange words coming from a brat you might think. Tsuyo promised to let me join if I became stronger and more tame. I returned to him stronger than he expected. I’ll fade for just three more days. I won’t let anyone suffer I refuse to let anyone suffer. I will never let ANYONE harm my family. I stepped down because I overstepped my boundaries speaking to the man that gave me a life like that, how disgusting. I am saddened you feel I am unworthy of being your disciple. However, I consider you family…. I know of your pain, and I plan to destroy whatever attempts to hurt any of you. However, I won’t lie or hide the fact. If anything happens to any of you, going out of control is nothing. That is why, I plan to show you Mitsuo that I was worthy of holding your blade. Ayakashi is a tough fighter, can’t believe I made it out alive, yet still, I know our spar was nothing. A coward I may be for committing the act of murder…. The eyes of those I kill haunt me. However,” Tsuneo would speak as his chakra would flow immense and spreading of a determination lying within. “I. Will. End. All. Suffering.” He stood as he face Mitsuo extending his hand for a handshake “The reason I can hunger for power is that. That defeat lingers within me Mitsuo, the bittersweet taste of that defeat is still in my mouth and I could see your blade defeating me over and over. I look forward to our next fight.”
 
 "Who's the coward now, lap dog?"
Shinobu stood up for him once again, however, this time the tension was increasing. Mitsuo was also someone special to Tsuneo, both of them were from Konohagakure. Both were thrown away from Konohagakure after being used. Both lost much, and both lurked in the shadows for the longest time. Tsuneo wasn’t completely oblivious, he knew how much she loved battle, and sense her raging desire. More than any sexual, motherly, affectionate, or human desire, Gin lusted for battle. One could say she was born for the rush she gets from a brutal battle in which her opponent is strong. Mitsuo was no weakling, but neither was gin. Tsuneo remained silent and awaited his brother to speak as the whole situation was getting bad.
 
Yet, she provoked them furthermore. Mitsuo had somewhat of a short fuse. As gin provoked them tauntingly. Gin mentioned something Mitsuo had done to Tsuyo. The she-devil was provoking him on purpose. She wanted a fight, and when it came to battle, Gin will always get what she wants. Tsuneo awaited his big brother’s reaction to it, but was worried about what might ensue between the two. Tsuneo’s words were serious, he will not harm come to them. Tsuneo prepared his swallowing seal and his chakra chains prepared to intercept if anything were to occur. He would never mind a friendly fight, however, if they mean to kill each other. He would do his utmost best to stop them. The Mother of Blades versus the Sword Saint.  This would definitely cause destruction. Tsuneo prepared his seal anyway just in case to seal any chakra that may leak out or attack that may cause destruction to towns.

Tsuyo would allow his aura to fade as he determined they were indeed alone. He doubted there was any sensory nearby greater than his own. Even with these beacons of chakra up in the sky no one was close enough to sense it. Still he would try not to drag this out too long. Tempers were flaring and a great deal of venom was being spat back and forth. The word coward being one he wouldn't use to describe anyone within the room. His eye brow would rise as Mitsuo said it first as would his other eye brow when Gin said it back. He valued loyalty and obedience but each of them were their own person. Even as Gin studied him to see what she could learn she once again proved how perceptive she was with making note of some history between Mitsuo and himself. He could feel the tension in the room building with each word and glance spoken or otherwise. How irksome. He would frown and fold his hands in front of him. His voice seemed quiet and yet the amount of command within it was something not to be questioned. A single word would ring out to the whole room. One word that demanded it be followed without question. A dominating aura that had little to do with chakra but the reason he was their leader.

"Enough."

It wasn't angry. It was just a simple statement and yet the room would suddenly seem far more still than it had been a second ago. As if being so close to Tsuyo and disobeying such a simple command was almost dangerous. Or was it? There was no threat there. No condescending tone. A simple word and yet somehow it commanded attention. His eyes would meet Gin from whom he expected the most resistance and he would not turn or blink. His silver eyes looking into hers without anger or fear. Simply seeing all she was inside and out and not even close to flinching. His attention would turn to the immediate two concerns before him as he would speak calmly but in a tone that seemed almost cool to the air itself. As if he expected to be followed and could not see any other result.

"We are a family and it has been a long time since I have seen any of you. There will be no fighting here before me. Mitsuo, your pride as the sword saint is noted here but I do expect an apology to Tsuneo. He is young but he understands his need to grow. No man would endure what he has and be considered a coward. If I put my faith in him I expect you to as well. If you wish him to grow into something you can be proud of you must be that directing force. Gin, Mitsuo and I have a great deal of history but as you were not there in the moment I don't expect you to question either his loyalty or what happened between us. Of all among us you should understand family bonds and why they must not be shattered the most. As wild as you are I know a heart of gold resides within you. Broken as it may be do try and restrain your urge to fight. You two may always conduct a friendly spar later when its less dangerous."

With that said he would pass between Mitsuo and Gin without seeming to put up any sort of guard and yet both experienced fighters would see no openings on him. He was a master of all martial arts and even walking calmly with his hands folded before him they would be able to tell no simple attack would work. An attempt at such would be met with equal force in an instant. Something about Tsuyo radiated a commanding presence that demanded no one disobey. As hard as that would be for Gin to follow he did not mind her irritation. Instead he would move to Tsuneo and reach out to place a hand on his shoulder. His eyes looking into those of the young mans passed his white hair. His touch like the warmth of a summer sun on ones skin. A gentle breeze and a warmth that defied winter. One could be lulled to sleep under such a touch and yet he would smile as he held the young mans shoulder.

"Tsuneo what you are wishing to embark upon, know that no thing so powerful comes without cost. You will be alone within your own mind likely for three years. That kind of loneliness can build on a man and drive him mad. I know you are fragile already. On the brink and doing your best to control it. However if you hold on, if you resist that madness and grow you will surpass many legends when you rise out of it. Hold on to who you are and do not forget your family will await you. However there is more to discuss before you utilize this ability if you have a few more moments."

4031

Mitsuo was calm, he was doing fine. Tsuyo had done whatever it was that he always did to him, which Mitsuo certainly didn't mind as he was in a high stress situation and he was someone who felt the need to protect those close to him. He had been talked down, or that's the expression anyway. He had no intention of allowing his anger to take hold of him, but there were certain things he simply couldn't deal with. Perhaps the word coward was a little strong, and Mitsuo knew that had he said it to a swordsman it would have inevitably let to an altercation, but Tsuneo wasn't a swordsman, and Mitsuo knew that. He assumed that it would pass by, but of course that was not to be the case...not at all. Mitsuo had been called a coward in the past, and he deserved it. He may not have ever backed down from or lost a fight, but he had left his life and his world behind and ran in order to preserve himself instead of facing his demons. That wasn't a word that would bring him past the boiling point, but there were other ways to truly push Mitsuo's buttons.

Lap dog...lap dog...LAP DOG? Mitsuo hated the term, he hated being compared to a lowly creature and he absolutely despised the condescending tone at with it was said. His anger boiled over, which when it happened to Mitsuo it was something that manifested itself in a literal way. The heat radiating off of his body would become unbearable. It would be like standing outside on a day that is way too hot, the smoldering flames of his temper completely overtaking him. He could picture running across the room, grabbing Gin by the waist and tackling her out of the window to the ground below so that he could beat the ever loving shit out of her so that she would regret every single second of that quip. His hand was instantly back to his blade and he didn't even realize it but he was drawing the sword before he heard Tsuyo Hyuga's voice exclaim;

ENOUGH

It didn't sound angry, but it was extremely loud and the word seemed to bury itself into him. Mitsuo's teeth were clenched and he had an imprint of the hilt of his weapon burried into his hand now, but he couldn't help but to listen to the man. He respected him, and he would allow him to speak his piece about being family and restraint, asking him to apologize to Tsuneo. He thought he already had, but apparently was incorrect, which irked him even more. He had nothing personal against Tsuneo, having seen something in him if he had offered to teach him the ways of the blade, but he was simply frustrated with the heat of the entire situation. He looked Tsuyo in the eye and considered activating the Stunning Eye dojutsu, something that he had only done once in his entire career. Only two people knew that he had it, as everyone else who had known was now dead, burnt to a crisp by his cleansing flame. It wouldn't take much to push the chakra into his eye and activate it, the eye flashing cyan as it took its effect on Tsuyo. He would be completely unable to move after being hit by the effect, but Mitsuo knew that wouldn't be the greatest idea, as all it would serve to do was piss him off. He respected Tsuyo more than that.

"Very vell Tsuyo," His words were hot and pointed, venom clearly littering every single word and the rage in his body unable to subside due to words and auras. This was something different. "I apologize for calling you a coward, Tsuneo. You probably didn't deserve that. But you will not stop this Tsuyo, you said it yourself, my pride as the Sword Saint is my everything. I will not allow this slight against me to go unpunished. If you don't want to see your family fight, I would suggest not following us out of here when this is finished, because I am going to beat a former Kazekage to a pulp for calling me a lapdog. I am the Sword Saint of Konoha, and I have earned my title by bathing in the blood of my enemies. I am not a coward, and I certainly am no lapdog. I respect my friends, and in order to make them happier I will back down." He turned to face Gin, burning a hole through her with his eyes as he met her gaze, making sure that she could feel it. "We will settle this after, and you will lay at my feet defeated by this so called cowardly 'lapdog.'"

He allowed Tsuyo to walk past him unopposed, though again it wasn't the easiest thing to do. The heat coming off of him would fade slightly after he had said his piece, and he listened to Tsuneo speak of how he would be disappearing on some kind of mental journey in order to become stronger, which Mitsuo assumed would mean he would be coming to train with him again. He didn't mind this, and as he heard Tsuyo answer him about it, his words reassuring to Tsuneo. Mitsuo stayed silent still, again not wishing to say something he would regret. He respected Tsuneo's decision, and he was sure that he knew Mitsuo would be here for him. Even if Mitsuo's words were harsh, he always had good intentions. He would protect his brothers from Konoha, and Tsuneo was no exception to this.

"Tsuyo, the suspense is killing me. I have been feeling the need to prepare for the war that is upcoming. Ayakashi wants me to play a roll and I need to make sure that I am prepared for it. It has been three years since I have been able to properly train, and I must not miss out on my opportunity. I must be ready to strike down the traitor Sanosuke, as he tried to kill my friend and former Hokage, Mitsuhide." He knew that his words would potentially have repercussions, as he knew Gin liked Sanosuke and Tsuyo didn't seem to want to kill him. "I do not mean to rush you, but I need to train. What is it that you want to tell us?"

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For a moment, Gin's expression softened. Her attention turned from Mitsuo to Tsuneo, although she could sense the anger rolling off of the older man in waves. She could practically smell it on him. The promise of a battle to come made it difficult for her to focus her attention solely on Tsuneo's words. Kind as they were, urging them all to maintain their camaraderie, Gin couldn't do as the boy requested. Mitsuo had gone out of his way to belittle Tsuneo's will and determination, only to back down at Tsuyo's request like a loyal pup. It was hypocritical, really. Moreover, it was a perfect excuse to challenge someone who had long been on her list of people she wanted to fight.

Gin did feel the need to acknowledge Tsuneo's words. "Training for three years on your own... I'm sure you'll manage great things," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And the three of us will be here when you get back," she said, as reassuringly as she could. She meant her words. The former Kazekage had no intention of killing Mitsuo or permanently harming him in any way. She supposed this was a way to blow off steam while simultaneously proving a point - mainly, that Mitsuo had no right to look down on others and act so high and mighty when he was under someone else's control. At this point, she would speak her biting words to him, a smirk crawling onto her features.

Her words had gotten the reaction she wanted almost instantly. She could feel the anger radiating from Mitsuo, manifesting as raw heat. His chakra intensified. Whether it was at will - an intimidation tactic of sorts - or a subconscious reaction to his emotions, she didn't know. Either seemed plausible. In any case, her reaction was likely the opposite of what he wanted to get from her. If she had the ability to see chakra in its raw form, she would be able to watch as his energy rose in the shape of a wild flame that slowly took the appearance of a dragon. Now, however, she was only able to feel its effects rather than see them. Nevertheless, it was enough.

"Calm down there big boy. You're just gonna end up making me take my clothes off," she said offhandedly, fanning herself lazily with her hand. The smirk on her face was ever present. She could barely contain her excitement. She was sure that Tsuyo would be able to see the light tremble in her body and the surging adrenaline coursing through her veins. He knew how easily she could begin a fight, how she lived for that thrill. He also knew that Mitsuo would never take an insult to his pride. That was likely why he decided to intervene and postpone their fight, even if just by a little time.

"I never questioned his loyalty. He seems loyal enough," she gestured towards Mitsuo while purposely not looking at him. Speaking as if he weren't there or as if he were incapable of understanding only pushed her point further. She did, however, turn to look at him when he claimed that he could beat her, an amused look on her face. "You can sure as hell try, Bitch Boy." She punctuated the last two words harshly. "Woof, woof." If that didn't making try to attack her right then and there, nothing would. Gin braced herself just in case. It was unlikely that he would do anything, though. Orders were orders.

"And we are family. And what's a family without a little dispute among siblings every once in a while?" She asked, turning her attention to Tsuyo once again. Her childhood had been rife with sibling rivalry. Her and her older brother had always been competitive. In her own family, years later, Chie and Reiko had always bickered and fought - Misao and Shinji less so. Still, she knew that fighting every once in a while didn't deteriorate bonds. If anything, it had the potential to make them stronger. There was a lot people could learn from each other through confrontation and tests of skill.

"As for my heart of gold," she repeated the words with a slight hint of venom, as if she didn't quite believe them to be true. "I would rather keep it hidden behind my thick veil of sarcasm and wit," she added. "But I'll behave for now. Wouldn't want our dear leader getting angry, now, would we?" Gin took another drag from her cigarette. A few more and it would be entirely consumed. Such a shame. Hopefully, if would last until Tsuyo told them the reason for this little gathering, besides revealing his real name.

Put a tiger and dragon in the same room and this is what you get. Tsuneo witnessed the smash-talk from both sides. However, Gin held back nothing. He disliked the hostility in their words. He stood next Tsuyo as he prepared his Chakra chains at the highest rank possible. He would let his Humongous Uzumaki chakra wash over the area as his chains were ready to intercept both of them at a speed of forty-five meters a second. Should things grow grim he would shut down their movements and Chakra. The heat oozing off of Mitsuo was another sign for him to prepare his Swallowing seal prepared to devour any Jutsu he would throw out and so was true for Gin. He would devour Any Jutsu to be released and chain them both down if he had to. He stood near Tsuyo awaiting his orders. He hoped they would not misunderstand. He meant both no ill will both were very dear to him. While she wasn’t his mother, Gin was a motherly figure to him. Mitsuo is a comrade and a person who suffered and crawled in the shadows as Tsuneo did, a brother. He would protect both even at the cost of his life. It was true, he would die for the both of them, and he wouldn’t care as long as he preserved their lives.
 
Tsuneo will NOT lose another loved one. To him these three people in this room were all people he would die for, and he would regret nothing; absolutely nothing.
 
 
Before standing to Tsuyo~
 
 
He thanked them all for respecting his wishes and encouraging him, and stopped Mitsuo from completing his apology “Oi, Mitsuo, you three are my highly esteemed masters. Coward is just a word if it did anything it only made me want to prove myself more. You need not apologize Mitsuo. If we’re being honest. The wounds you inflicted along with that defeat are harsher and just as motivating.” His quiet soft spoken tone speaking nothing but honest words.
 
Present~
 

The heat was not going down, nor the feisty attitude both had towards one another. Tsuneo scratched the back of his head as he awaited orders. They will definitely fight and he prayed neither will be hurt.

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TOTAL WORDCOUNT: 4372

(Sorry for the short post. I have another project coming and wanted things to just get the thread going. Sorry for the lateness!)

Tsuyo would sigh and move his hand to the bridge of his nose as the infighting was progressing a little fast. Mitsuo and Tsuneo were by all appearances willing to drop it but of course that left one issue. Gin. She was born a troublemaker from what he could sort out about her. Life was nothing without bar fights, sex and treasure is what he would say about her if someone asked. Still she was raising the tension and he was not eager to put up with it. His silver gaze shifted to Mitsuo who seemed to be on the verge of bursting into flames while she taunted him. The floor around him was slowly turning black and smoldering as the finish was being wiped out under his feet. He would need to stop this before Mitsuo no longer cared to heed his wishes over Gins taunts. His attention was drawn to Tsuneo next to him though as he felt an odd sensation. A portion of the chakra pressure in the room seemed to be pulling into a void. As if the young man was preparing something that would eliminate chakra itself from the area. If that happened it would become an all out brawl and attention would approach them. With a sigh he stepped the two meters between himself and Gin and in a flash his hand reached up and flicked her in the ear like a child being punished lightly by a parent. However he knew that Gin was one of the strongest individuals in the world so he didn't bother holding back on the flick. To her it would be a normal interaction but the impact of it would send out a small shock wave that would rattle the nearby windows with a loud crack like thunder growling in the distance. With that done he lowered his hand and stood facing her.

"Learn to behave during these meetings Gin. I have to much to discuss for you to see how many buttons you can push before someone destroys this whole tower. That said I suggest being kind to Mitsuo. He will play a key part in whats to come. If you can handle that I have a nice bottle of Dalmore 64 Trinitas for you later."

He smiled before stepping passed her to a more cleared out space further away from the windows. Quietly he would reach into his inner coat pocket before pulling out a small scroll. With it in hand he held it up to his lips before breathing onto it. The seal on it coming undone as the small slip of paper came unraveled before he tossed it onto the floor in front of him. As soon as it finished unraveling it poured out a thin white smoke which would quickly clear to reveal an old stone table. Carved with flowers and high backed chairs all with a blue crystal rose embedded in the top. To anyone who had ever stepped foot within the top floor of the mansion in Iwa they would see this round table as a memory. However sitting in front of each of the four seats was a Lavender folder. Tsuyo would move to one of the seats with a cane leaning on it with a wolves head. His cane of the older days. It appeared as if he had the whole rooms contents not attached to anything sealed within the scroll. Still he would take his seat and speak once more. His fingers playing across the wolves head on his cane as he crossed his left ankle over his right knee.

"Have a seat, all of you. (Pause to allow time for seating) Now then, before you are folders detailing our own histories within our own villages. My network took well over a year to gather this information but at last we have it. For so long we defended others but now, it is our turn. Mitsuo and myself will be heading to Konoha to handle our own mastermind of our fates as well as Tsuneo's. We will be attempting to clear our names. If that isn't possible we will settle for dealing justice for the man responsible for all our fates. Obviously Tsuneo and Gin can not move within Konoha for now due to.....a history of activity there. After which we will do as I once promised for you Gin, I will take Mitsuo and Tsuneo with me to Suna, we will wipe out the counsel members responsible for holding your children hostage and bring them back to you. Our faces aren't well known there aside from a favor Mitsuo did for them once that will get us in the door. In short, the time has come for us to help ourselves. Any objections?"

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She was truly insufferable. Mitsuo could think of many ways he wanted to kill her, and almost all of them were slowly and painfully. He was trying his hardest to be cordial, but it was very difficult when there was someone in the room who was specifically trying her hardest to push his buttons. His knuckles were completely white from the grip on the hilt of his blade. His teeth were clenched in a way that he was somewhat afraid that if he kept them like this for much longer, they would break. He needed to calm down, his temper needed to subside and he needed to be able to think straight again. He hadn't envisioned the amount of ways that he would murder one person who was technically his ally since...well ever to his knowledge. He was so ready to spear her through that window that he almost overrode his common sense with that, knowing that the two of them would fall from a ridiculously high height and would likely die upon impact of hitting the ground. The Sword Saint was smarter than that, however, and he would, with much pain and hesitation, release his grip on the hilt of his sword.

He decided that the best way to deal with her was to simply ignore her, and so when she took more digs at him, such as "Bitch Boy" or "woof woof" he elected to simply not hear it, trying to allow cooler heads prevail. He had no interest in starting a fight in this room and potentially destroying everything that the four of them had worked to create. As a seat was offered, he would pull his Sword of the Immortal Blaze off of his back, the weapon being uncomfortable to sit with, and place it on the table, the heat radiating off of the blade causing a scorch mark but nothing more serious. He took a second to simply breath, calming himself and pulling another cigarette from his pack to place to his lips. This time it was much more needed than the last, as he hadn't been as stressed out before. Tsuyo would continue to speak after they had all sat down, and he would begin to speak about why he had brought them here. When he spoke of Mitsuo and himself going to Konoha, a smile crept across his face. Finally, a chance to get back at the man who had destroyed his entire life. He had been seeking out information on the man who had brought his life crumbling down, and he had managed to close in on an association, one which he had been personally having people look into. Tsuyo also discussed helping with Tsuneo's own past, Mitsuo curious to know what that could be.

The third part was them moving to Sunagakure, something which made Mitsuo scowl slightly. He had hated Suna since the first time he had set foot in that village, something about the sand driving him crazy. He couldn't stand the fact that it managed to get into everything and make absolutely everything uncomfortable, and then the fact that while he had to deal with that he also had to deal with the smoldering heat was something that drove him crazy. He tried not to show his disdain too much, knowing that he wouldn't be the person most angry about this news. Gin wanted her children back, which was something that Mitsuo had known for a long time, but she also would certainly want to be there while they went to retrieve them. He rubbed his temples, the headache from earlier finally disappearing somewhat, before taking another drag of his cigarette and exhaling through his nose.

"While we may not get along, I believe that Gin should have the chance to get back at her own demons. I will gladly help, though I can't promise the sand in Suna will be quite so prominent upon me leaving there, but I think it unfair that she should not have a hand in the rescue of her children, and a piece of the revenge that has eluded her for so long. Think, Tsuyo, of how I would feel if I didn't get to be there to destroy the people who had taken your brother from me...I wouldn't be able to live with myself. She needs her chance to get her closure, and I don't think it is fair to leave her behind." He knew that Tsuyo's reasoning was good, but he also knew how he would feel being in her situation, and while they might not have gotten along, he could not allow her to have to go through life without the satisfaction of her revenge.

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Scolded like a child. Gin bit back the urge to stick her tongue out at Tsuyo and wound up pouting instead. Her head tingled where he had flicked her. He must have put a lot of strength behind it. Her expression turned into a curious smile. Gin's interest was peaked when Tsuyo mentioned his offer. A whole bottle of fine whiskey? Worth over 150000 ryo? She would gladly take it. If anyone tried to steal any from her, she would have their head. "Ah!" She sighed happily. "You've always known the way to my heart," she said to Tsuyo, winking. She had always enjoyed making other people uncomfortable, and while she doubted that this would earn her anything more than Tsuyo rolling his eyes, it was worth a shot. She chuckled to herself.

Gin whistled, impressed at the display of fancy furniture. She remembered the seats from her days in the Aoi Bara several years prior. She wondered if Tsuyo had saved them for sentimentality's sake or something else. She sat on the chair, crossing her legs and slumping lazily. She leaned forward to look at the file. She was curious as to how much information Tsuyo had managed to gather on her. She flipped the first couple of pages, her eyes rapidly scanning over the words written on them.

There was a file on her mother - a comprehensive one. Her father was still listed as a mystery. There were not surprises there. The next were several profiles on her children. It even went as far as to go into detail about Shinji's illness and Chie's odd sense of reality. She skipped over the files on Jurou, Sake and Trilby. She didn't need to be reminded of any of them. It was amusing to her, that the Hyuuga had gone to such lengths, though. After the information on the people close to her came her own extensive file. It listed her personality and character traits. Some were listed as problematic, with potential for violence and chaos. She chuckled at that. Whoever had compiled this wasn't wrong. Her childhood with the merchant caravan, her time as Kazekage, her strained relationship with the council, how she was ousted from power, her years wandering - it was all there. Gin smirked, only half paying attention to what Tsuyo was saying.

However, as he progressed, Gin stopped what she was doing entirely. Her teeth clenched tightly. Her fist nearly trembled. Her expression darkened. "I've got your objection right fucking here," she shot at him. Gin rose violently, her chair falling back with a loud clatter. The anger emanating from her was palpable. She had to hold herself back from lunging at Tsuyo. "Don't fuck with me," she growled. Her voice was cold, determined. "Do you honestly think I'd just sit back and let you deal with my problems? Rescue my children?" She asked. Her voice was rising, the anger becoming more evident. She struck the table with her fist, leaving a large and dented crack. Had she used her full strength, she would have likely shattered the entire thing. "I asked for your help, I didn't ask you to fix this for me. This is my fight and you have no right to leave me out of it!" Once again, her fist crashed into the table, this time, breaking through and leaving a sizable hole. "When it comes to this, I lead, you follow or so help me god, I'm doing this on my own," she punctuated her words harshly.

To her surprise, Mitsuo spoke on her behalf. For a brief moment, her eyes widened in surprised. He... agreed with her? That was definitely unexpected, considering his usually uptight attitude and how he seemed to kiss the ground Tsuyo stepped on. There was also the fact that she had just provoked him to the point where here nearly tackled her out the window, but that was secondary. She was grateful, still. "I think we get along just fine," She said with a smirk. It was her way of saying thank you without actually saying the words.

It all unfolded before him and it almost made him smile again but he held it in. The quite boy simply stood there and watched his family quarrel and make up. A gentle feeling ran over Tsuneo wanted to protect these people. He would do so efficiently. Tsuneo would hear the offer of a known expensive bottle of booze and would easily lose all interest in battle and all hostility. Watching Tsuyo calm her ever so easily was almost too funny to watch, and indeed it was quite scary how he could get to each and every one one of their hearts. Tsuneo simply smiled and was pleased with the bond their family held. A lot was revealed here. Tsuneo would make sure to seal these memories. Tsuneo would protect them with his very life. The power that awaited him. Tsuneo would fight those that dare bring harm to his family and bring them down. None would escape the clutches of the Purgatory Dragon King.

Tsuneo simply cared deeply for those individuals. The person to try and harm anyone of them would die a painful slow death, and even then, they had better start praying it would only be one of those, not both, or worse. Tsuneo had lost many. He would lose no more. Death would only come in the centipede's rage. The power he'd obtain in the void of the other world would enable him to fulfill his potential. Tsuneo would not stop until he held the power to subdue all. It was the only method he could keep the ones he loves safe. 

Tsuneo stepped back as if seeing their faces for the last time or as if seeing them for the first time. Where he was headed. There was no coming back. Tsuneo would dive into the abyss. Tsuneo would gain tremendous power, he would make sure to leave his purpose untouched, however, his memory in its entirety will be forever gone. Tsuneo would never tell them this. They cared for him and he was just happy with that.


"Correct, Gin-sensei deserves her own vengeance. I will assist you Gin Sensei. After I return I.... Please don't open this until I return." He handed the paper to Gin as he entrusted her with his last request. Tsuneo handed her a paper within the paper was written: "Protect the weak, protect the in need, and protect these people: Tsuyo Hyuga, Mitsuo Sarutobi, and Gin-Sensei." No one would know the content of this letter until he comes back. Tsuneo began preparing the seal as he smiled a faint smile at the three. The smile of a departing man, it bid them farewell in the saddest ways possible. Tsuneo, nevertheless, still was preparing the dimension. As soon as this meeting he would end. Tsuneo's chakra create a small purple keyhole in the air as a key velvet in color fell tot he grasp of his hands. Tsuneo waited for the rest to respond or to speak. He would sacrifice his memory and obtain immense true power.

Tsuyo would sit in his chair as his silver eyes gazed at the room before him. He was aware of the dangers of gathering with so few escape options but he was comfortable where he was. Even if the Raikage himself came for them he had no doubt they could handle it. The Aoi Bara was nothing to be trifled with lightly. Still their issues so far didn't appear to stem from the outside. Each of them brought their own version of power to the table. Honor and might all in one. His gaze would shift to Mitsuo first. Sword saint and a walking firestorm with skills regarding the blade few had in this world. The two of them had history in a way though rarely actually together. A mutual love for someone lost held power though. Connection through loss was still a connection. His eyes shifted to Tsuneo then. A young man forced to face the harshest side of the world. He competed with his own mind as much as any enemy could harm him and yet here he stood smiling. A seal master with out a doubt to that claim. He was the youngest of them and had the most room to progress but he had survived to this point of his own will. Lastly he would take in Gin. She had been a Kage when he was still just wandering lost as a special jounin and missing nin. She was strong but her lax nature seemed to almost cap her in a way. Easily distracted as she may be though her might was never to be tested. He knew she was as strong as any of them at the table. Perhaps stronger.

So it was that he simply frowned and remained quiet as she shot out of her chair and took a deep breath as she damaged his precious table. Counting to ten as he reminded himself it was he that had offended. This allowed her and Mitsuo to interact and prevented a screaming match to ensue. It was good that they had common ground now. Less fighting between the two of them. Still he would take a moment of looking into her eyes from his seat without much expression. Not many would stare at an enraged Gin and not flinch. However he was not concerned for his health. He would listen to Mitsuo's advice before he would nod and rise. Moving from his seat to calmly cross the table. His hand gently reaching out to cup Gins as he would attempt to bring it up to his lips and brush a kiss across her knuckles before sitting down on the desk in front of her. Taking a great risk being within arms reach of her as he spoke. He was prepared should she lash out but even so he would release her hand and settle his right hand in his lap. His left would shift and puppet strings would emerge to move her chair back in place and set it next to her. His voice like silk on the ears as he spoke. A warm smile on his features. Careful not to get between her and Tsuneo giving her a letter.

"Of course, how rude of me. I was thinking tactically instead of with the heart. Please forgive me my slight. Each of you are an equal part to this organization as I am so my words are of course not final. With that said Gin, We must take the time to plan this carefully. Charging in could bring harm to someone precious to you and I will not allow that to happen. You will lead but please, allow us to advise and take us seriously. I made a promise to you in that garden, deep in Iwa. I will help you retrieve what is rightfully yours. You simply have to let me."

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