Kenji's letter to the Kazekage had been sealed, and one of the guards had retrieved it to send to the Kazekage.

------------------------------------------------
Good morning Kazekage. Your friend from Kumogakure has arrived. I am here with my teammate in arms to show unity. I do apologize for his unorthodox physiology... him being a giant lion and all. I wanted to take some time out to get to know you and your mission for your people. My partner and I, have traveled a long way, and have been without the luxury of elite cuisine for quite some time. We figured it would be a great opportunity to meet at the Dragon's Tongue tomorrow at 2 pm. 

I apologize if this seems too casual, but I would like a relationship before we talk over the eyesores of paper work. Please let me know what you think of this arrangement. I look forward to discussing our ideologies and getting to know the sand village.

Thank you,
Chikara Kenji~
----------------------------------------

It was off to its destination now. Kasfara was salivating at the idea of meeting at the dragon's tongue tomorrow. Kenji could not care less where they met, but he had to appease Kasfara. The last thing anyone wanted was a hungry lion prowling about in foreign territory. 

Maybe bringing this blue beast was a mistake. Kenji thought to himself.

He only gathered the Kazekage's name, Midori... Midori Ningyou. It was a woman's name. For some reason, the image Kenji had of the Kazekage, was an elderly woman who used crocheting needles in battle... He envisioned the Kazekage greeting him with a homemade scarf, with "Welcome to the Land of Sand" embroidered on it. 

That would be nice.


As he daydreamed, a smile surfaced. Kasfara bombarded the dream. "Are you excited about lunch at the Dragon's Tongue too. I know you love spicy food"

"Is that all you can think about, food, sleep, and staying cool? Anyway, stop messing around. You need to get ready for your stylist. She will be here soon. She is going to give you a proper shave, bath, and some traditional Sunagakure garbs."

Kasfara growled, "how many times must I tell you, I am self cleaning."

The lion immediately began to demonstrate. Kenji's eyes promptly steered away from the grotesque sight. Anytime Kenji did not entertain Kasfara's antics, the lion knew he should get more serious. He huffed and puffed his way to his room.

WC: 411

Midori looked over the letter that she had received. It was certainly an interesting topic for sure. She had not expected someone from Kumogakure to arrive so suddenly, let alone for one to be travelling with a lion. The thought of how the guards had been reacting to that made her laugh a bit, the idea of highly trained shinobi seeing a lion in the desert. The letter was of short notice and informality as well that made her ever the more curious about the intentions. The dragon’s tongue, hm? As she finished her read through of the letter, she asked the guard that had delivered the letter to inform her of where the shinobi and the lion were staying, so as to reply with haste. The details quickly being informed, for losing sight of a lion in the desert was pretty hard to do, Midori began to transcribe her reply.

Dear Chikara Kenji,

I am honoured that you would make the journey from Kumogakure to Sunagakure. I hope that your journey was safe and satisfying enough that you felt it was worth it. I can make sure to book a table, and will inform the staff at the Dragon’s Tongue that a lion will be joining us, so as to not cause a panic. I would make a remark about how amusing I can imagine the reactions to that would be, yet I feel that would somewhat belie my position as Kazekage. I look forward to our meeting, and I trust that we will both learn from the experience. In regards to the informality of the meeting, I have to say that it follows the meeting style that I personally prefer. The issue I find with formal meetings is that they never truly allow you to know the individual, just the topic.

I will be seeing you shortly, and I hope you are well,

Ningyou, Midori.

Having sent off the letter, all that was left was preparing. While getting on with paperwork, Midori sent off a shinobi to go book the table at the Dragon’s Tongue, a genin due to the lack of risk with such a task. The report of the reaction was amusing enough for Midori to double the pay. With that arranged, the Kage quickly finished off what paperwork she had yet to do, before allowing herself to rest in her chair at the desk. She was in this office so often that she nearly forgot it wasn’t her house. Thoughts ran through her mind. Was this an official diplomat sent from Kumogakure? If so, that would likely be to rekindle the alliance that the two villages once held. Well, in official terms, it was still held, but it wasn’t like Sunagakure could act upon anything when it was but a lawless state.

The next day.

Clad in her usual beige and casual attire, Midori left her office. Her prosthetic was covered in bandages, and her hair done up neatly in a sickle like ponytail. At her waist on the right side was a satchel containing a kunai, three shuriken, and her money, while on her left were two scrolls, each one containing a puppet. It never hurt to be prepared in these situations, even if this diplomat wasn’t an enemy. After all, with diplomatic relations, there were always the risk of those interrupting. Properly equipped now, Midori made her way to the Dragon’s Tongue, taking her place at the allotted table roughly half an hour early. From what she had heard, the food at the place was amazing, and the curry was some of the spiciest and nicest in the world. She couldn’t really tell, due to a lack of taste, but it at least gave some interesting reactions when she had their spiciest curry without a flinch. The sudden reactions were always worth the extra money.

642

Knock Knock

Kenji sprung up to answer the door. He was hoping it was the stylist to get Kasfara looking proper for the meeting. The now hyper shinobi gave a loud whistle, letting Kasfara know he should be getting ready soon. Rumblings could be heard from the lion's room. As Kasfara gathered himself, Kenji continued on to answer the door. Kenji's smile slowly whittled away. The guard handed him a letter. As Kenji looked down, he remarked "You don't look like a stylist... ohhh, this is from the Kazekage. Even better." With the return of Kenji's smile he peered back up to the doorway to find nothing but a breeze and remnants of sand. Kasfara peeked out of his room. "Don't worry, you will be cleaned up soon, just a little while longer. For now, let us see if your desire to meet at Dragon's Tongue was agreed too."

Kenji opened the sealed letter from the Kazekage precisely, taking great care of it. It was settled then. The two Kumogakure affiliates would have dinner with the ruler of Sunagakure. From the letter, the Kazekage was in favor of developing a more personal relationship first, and then let any diplomatic discussions evolve more organically. A heart of satisfaction was already blooming, even though there was still much more to do in Sunagakure. Undoubtedly, the first step was establishing contact with the kage of the land. 

The next day arrived. Both of the blue haired entities were groomed nicely. Kenji was dressed in more traditional kumogakure wear but with a slight twist due to the drastically different climate. He wore a grey and loose buttoned up shirt and loose fitting shinobi trousers with shinobi sandals. He also tied his kumogakure headband on his forehead. Kenji did not place any of his weapons on his person but he did slide on his gloves of reflection. Kasfara on the other hand, was dressed in full Sunagakure ware, he even had the Sunagakure logo shaved onto both of his sides. The two now made there way to claim their reservation.

On the way, they attracted countless stares. A few due to the presence of a Kumogakure shinobi within the village, but most due to the giant beast trotting alongside Kenji. Kasfara was eating it up. He strutted with his chest out, savoring every moment. Before they arrived, Kenji made sure to tell Kasfara to not to reveal his ability to speak. The sight of him was enough by itself, Kenji feared the greater commotion that might be caused if people witnessed him talk. In short, the lion was ordered not to say anything unless the Kazekage asked him a question directly.

"Just keep a low prof... never mind."

At the entrance, there were a few guards awaiting them. Kasfara squeezed through first. He stood in the doorway a few moments looking around. He was subject to being captivated by new surroundings. At the moment he was in awe. Kenji cleared his throat loudly to break Kasfara's trance and to make room for him to step inside the restaurant too. 

Upon stepping inside the Dragon's Tongue, he was in awe of the decor. He was looking forward to meeting the Kazekage under the roof of such a fine building. His eyes fervently searched for an elderly women knitting. Ultimately, due to his deduction skills he was able to pinpoint the Kazekage. There were very few customers, probably at the order of the Kage. The lady that Kenji spotted had a grand aura to her and he was sure she was the Kazekage without any hesitation. Once they made eye contact, Kenji nodded and made his way toward the table. 

Kasfara sat on his hind parts, and Kenji gave a slight bow. "Lady Midori, Kage of Sunagakure, you have already rattled my expectations of you. I am Kenji of the Chikara. A clan heralded more for diplomacy than combat, despite my efforts to break away from the trend, I am here. To my side is Kasfara. He comes from a race of lions, called the Kasfarians, that come bluer and bigger than him. Thank you for welcoming us."

Kenji would give another slight bow and wait to be offered a seat. While bowing, Kenji caught a glimpse of Kasfara out of the corner of his eye. He was absorbing all the stares. His chest still poked out. Lions were already a prideful species with huge egos, this amount of attention could not be healthy for him. 


WC: 757~1168

Seated for a relatively comfortable while, a glass of water to keep her sated, the Ningyou gazed around the growing and shrinking populace of the Dragon’s Tongue. The lunch rush was beginning to pass now, which Midori was pleased to witness – it allowed for a quieter meeting. Taking a sip of water, every now and again her vision trailed to the entrance of the curry place, checking for signs. Of course, given the sort of company she was preparing for, it was likely that she’d be able to hear him arrive, either through the sudden silence, or the sudden screams – whatever reaction the mass populace would give to a lion walking into a curry shop.

Finally, a man entered the building, a lion at his side. That was the one. Everyone fell quiet at that moment, and setting her water back down on the table, Midori waited for his glance to turn to her. As it did, she simply gestured to the table with a slight wave. With a brief hesitation that she assumed was him trying to figure out who the Kazekage was, he arrived, speaking up with the blue lion at his side. As he spoke and introduced himself, the speculation Midori had made was proven correct, although it was hard to be wrong when he was the only one with a lion, likely within all of the land of wind.

With a smile, Midori gave a slight nod to the chair near him before speaking up as he sat down. “Well, I must say you certainly are proving to be interesting company if nothing else. I cannot say I’ve met a lion before, so, if I say something that offends you, Kasfara, you will have to excuse me. Still, while our clans don’t define us, it is interesting how often it seems to play into who we are. So, now that you’re here, I trust that the village is proving accommodating for you. I must say, you’ve come at an interesting time for certain. I had not yet heard word from your Raikage, or news from your village in general. In fact, I find myself rather curious, is this meeting one of official stature, designated by your Kage? I do not doubt your intentions, so, please don’t misunderstand there, however I have yet to have received any documentation from the Raikage themselves, so I find myself rather curious about… well, about you, Chikara Kenji. I can go and order for us in a moment, and we can have a proper discussion and talk then, however before then, please do tell me about this meeting. I am at a disadvantage, no, for not knowing the extent of the purpose?” she said with a slight grin, keeping her voice soft and approachable as she waited for a response. The table they were sat at was one of oak, with fine carvings of a dragon at the feet, above an ornate red and gold carpet. Carved onto the table was the kanji for the number 13. If one had to guess, it was probably the table number for ordering. Probably.

520 + 642 = 1162

Midori was very soft spoken, and she stayed true to her invitation, in that she was friendly and wanted to provide the opportunity for a personal discourse. Kenji had the same intention. As expected, Midori was curious of the exact details, it was indeed not an official meeting set up by the Raikage. First, Kenji turned to Kasfara and patted him on the back. "Do not worry about him, he has a short attention span, he likely won't remember any offense you speak." Kasfara growled for a brief moment, but quickly gathered himself and smiled aimlessly. 

"I do not misunderstand, all of your questions are quite reasonable. This is not a meeting scheduled and approved by the Raikage. I have personal and political reasons for wanting to see you. I will be brief for now, and can elaborate later. Politically, my Raikage sees me seeking you out, as an interest meeting of sorts. If I report back favorably of my time in Sunagakure, I have reason to believe, that my Raikage herself might, might just want to work with you herself. At the very least, barring you do not attack and seek to hurt Kumogakure, you can always consider me an ally if not all of Kumogakure. Secondly, my personal reason is that I want to learn the puppetry ability at a high level. From history, I know that Sunagakure has always been home to some of the most revered sealing jutsu and puppet jutsu using shinobi. So I would also like your assistance in finding a trainer in the art of puppetry. In return, I am prepared to assist Sunagakure in any way during my time here. No mission is too big or too small for me."

Kenji spoke respectfully, but there was still an air of friendliness. Networking, after all, was something he delved in frequently. The Sannin was fully aware of how unorthodox this was. She was a Kage after all, and was certainly preoccupied with many duties to ensure the welfare of her state. However, he hoped that she could see the benefits of using Kenji as a conduit to open relations with all of Kumogakure. As Midori eluded to earlier, Suna as well as Kumo are in an interesting state, and it could prove beneficial for both villages to work together. Then there was the other concern... as shinobi, there was always the trust issue. Kenji reviewed the Kazekage's attire earlier. It was easy to tell, that she was well abreast on the nuances that could emerge from such endeavors. Trust was difficult to obtain, perhaps impossible in their lifestyle. However, he was hopeful that his willingness to assist all Sunagakure shinobi and help with the most menial to significant tasks and missions would show he was genuinely set on establishing a friendship.

WC: 470~1638

Waiting and listening, it seemed that this was a rather peculiar case of a meeting that Kenji had placed and organised. One for both personal and political gain, unapproved yet also permitted by the Raikage. It sounded like the Raikage was an interesting woman for sure. The idea of scouting out the Kazekage for potential meetings with his own Kage, she could respect that to some degree. The second, and personal gain that he had, however, was perhaps more intriguing to her. Puppetry, eh? A slight smile spread across her lips as an idea of a response formed within her mind. Yet, first she had to address the political aspect of it. “I see. Well, I can assure you Sunagakure has no intentions on declaring war with anyone. Our weapons are sheathed until we need them, and especially to your village. The Cloud and the Sand have been allies for a long time, and I would like to see to it that this relation continues, for the better of both our nations.” She declared with a slow nod.

“As for your personal matter… I think you will find that finding a puppet specialist is not as hard as you might imagine. In fact, I could quite easily arrange a meeting and training session for you immediately after we have eaten and finished our meeting, should you so desire. The basics of puppetry, such as the academy technique, are of course priorities to learn, but also the complexities. The knowledge of embracing the puppetry techniques, and allowing it to flow through you. Things like that, which I’m sure the specialist I have planned for you can go into greater detail about. But, well, even if that was one of your main reasons for meeting… Well, you perhaps shouldn’t have chosen this location, because I’m thinking it’s about time to order.”

With that, and a smug grin, Midori took up a menu and began scanning through it. She already knew what she was going to do, and what she was going to have. As proud as she was of her arm, it was for moments like this that she loved to bandage it up to keep it hidden – it made for a great surprise factor. The moment she could reveal that she was the puppet specialist she had planned would be interesting to say the least. Seeing people’s over-reactions to things she knew were always something that made her giggle. A harmless prank that everyone would think she was dumb for.

After a quick scan, she set the menu back in its place, before speaking up. “I think I’ll be having the Dragon’s Tongue Super Spicy Special. It’s got a little kick to it, since it’s the spiciest thing on the menu. Oh, and if you agree with it, how about as payment for your training, you can be the one to pay for the food today? I’m sure your teacher would be fine with me signing them up after such an agreement. The perks of the job, I suppose.” She declared blankly, keeping the playful smile across her face. Today was looking to be a good day.

526 + 1162 = 1688

In Kenji's eyes, the progress was steady but sure. Indeed, the Kazekage could see the potential in them initiating a rapport with each other. It certainly came as no surprise that finding a puppet master would not be difficult, they were in Sunagakure after all. Kenji's face lit up as he gave a quick glance to Kasfara, "I knew I came to the right place. As for the payment, it is small price for learning the skill of puppetry from a master."

It was now time to order, he  wanted to indulge in some dessert classics. "I would like a order of your spicy scorpion tails, and a glass of camel milk, thank you." Kenji handed the menu over to the waiter. 

Kasfara gave a slight whimper. There was a tremble in the waiter's voice, "Does it... only eat... raw... meat?" Out of reflex, Kasfara lifted his head and looked at the waiter and licked his lips. "Stop that! Only vegetables for you now... he will have a bowl of lettuce and three whole tomatoes." Kasfara's head fell back down. 

As they waited for the arrival of their food, Kenji found him self curious in the journey of becoming a Kage, but feared a question of the woman's lineage would be too personal and unfitting for a first meeting. Instead, he wanted to stay somewhat on topic. "This teacher that you mentioned earlier, when do you think we will meet. I must admit, I am quite anxious to begin. To be honest, I would not be opposed if the teacher showed up right now and gave me a lesson over lunch." Kenji laughed a little to himself, "That would be rude of the teacher though, so far I find Sunagakure to have a very polite culture."

If the teacher and the other citizens of Sunagakure are as kind and as sharp as Midori, he was confident he would enjoy his stay... but he could not stay long. Near the mountains of Kumogakure was a small village that held precious gemstones, ones that could attract those who knew Senjutsu. To him, it was dangerous to leave the village too long without checking in to make sure the location had not drawn in bad company.

First to arrive, was Kasfara's unappetizing vegetables. Three carried one huge bowl of lettuce with three tomatoes inside. They gave the food to Kenji, to give to Kasfara. Kenji sat the bowl in front of Kasfara. The blue lion allowed his paw to weakly move the leaves around with a dejected expression.

Next was Midori's spicy special. It was brought out on a large heat resistant plate. It was surrounded by green red and yellow peppers. They were lush, and gave the plate a bright presentation. Also, the dish was so hot, that the contents in the middle was not visible due to the steam coming off. Kenji squinted, to attempt to get an idea of what was in the mist. Now, Midori's face was even blocked from Kenji, "Midori, have you ordered this before... it seems to be very hot... be careful."


WC: 524~2162

This Kumogakure shinobi was certainly interesting in Midori’s mind, seemingly keen about the puppetry techniques first and foremost. To her, this was a good sign, as the enthusiasm was a required personality trait for the skill. She looked forward to introducing him to the teacher she had planned. Still, he ordered a somewhat spicy, apparently, curry with some milk, and surprisingly ordered a bunch of veg and fruit for the lion, although she did give a slight giggle at the exchange that took place. She almost felt sorry for the staff. At this, she made a mental note to give them all a big tip.

As her lunch partner began to express his enthusiasm, Midori found herself smiling and raising an eyebrow in a bemused expression. “I doubt that they would show up for a lesson over lunch. After all, I have yet to invite them or ask for their aid. Regardless, they are swift to responding when I ask for things, so, I doubt it would be too long after we’ve eaten. Once we have eaten I shall get this individual, and they can begin your lessons. I thank you, however, for complimenting the sand, and I am glad you have found our mannerisms to be enjoyable.” She replied with a nod.

As the large bowl for the lion arrived first, Midori found herself feeling rather jolly. Having a lion as a company member for a restaurant was certainly entertaining, if not simply because of the reactions of those around her. Then came her meal, Midori licking her lips in preparation. As it was placed down, Midori was amused to hear concern from her dining partner. Laughing, the puppet Kage shook off the concern as she picked up her fork, bowing her head to the server who left to grab Kenji’s food. “You don’t need to be concerned, friend Kenji. I’m not exactly a regular, but I can take spicy flavours.” She declared, offering a wide smile. Not that he could see it from the other side of the steam.

As the final meal came, Midori prepared herself to eat. Kenji’s meal wasn’t exactly mild itself, literal scorpion tails curled up in a bowl with a variety of spiced sauces decorating and enriching the flavour. The milk meanwhile, came in a rather fancy glass, as if it were something as luxurious as wine, or champagne. So, with a lack of hesitation that was either blissful unawareness of the spice, or simply a lack of caring about the spice, Midori began eating, taking several mouthfuls, steam practically escaping through her lips and nose from the sheer heat. Yet she kept eating anyways with no problems whatsoever. A few moments passed, before she gave a content sigh, pausing from her food to offer a bit of conversation – it would be rude to ignore the person she was with for the sake of food, especially since she couldn’t actually taste any of it and was just playing it up for her own amusement.

“I hope you’re finding the scorpion tails satisfying enough. The last time I had them they were quite tasty. But, well, delicious food aside, if you do not mind me asking so, how did you and Kasfara meet? A lion is certainly not a common ally, although it is for sure amusing to see the general public’s reaction to such a thing. You do not have to answer. I’m just a curious Kage.” She posed her question with a hint of playfulness, before taking another bite of the curry. No point letting it get cold after all.

598 + 1688 = 2286

Kenji let out at hearty laugh as he watched the steam speak to him from across the table. "It is getting hot in here." Kenji's dish finally arrived, he was certainly pleased with the presentation. He dug in quickly. Midori showed interest in the his thoughts on the scorpion tails and his relationship with Kasfara.

Beads of sweat started to sprint down his face. He quickly took a few gulps of his milk. Kenji cleared his throat. "The food is very spicy... perhaps my tongue has grown weak in the cold climate of my hometown." Kenji grabbed a few napkins and patted his face down. Kasfara began to glance from his bowl of veggies to the scorpion tails repeatedly, hinting to Kenji he wanted to switch. Kenji obliged. Kenji used his spoons to get a nice serving of vegetable onto his plate, and he placed to the scorpion tails in Kasfara's bowl. 

"As for Kasfara and I, the story is quite interesting. As you know, I am a Sanin of Kumogakure, but I am also a sage. A lion sage to be exact. I studied Senjutsu with a special breed of lions that all share a resemblance with Kasfara. It is tradition for any who learn Senjutsu from that area to take on a worthy warrior lion to fight alongside them. No offense to my pal, but he was not the fiercest. However, he is a great friend, and helped me during my training and keeping my time there fun and bearable. I decided having someone I could trust and talk with to be more valuable than physical capabilities." 

Kenji glanced over to Kasfara. The lion was tearing up, he immediately ate the scorpion tails to distract from his moment of emotional vulnerability. He seemed unphased by the spiciness. Kenji raised his eyebrows in shock. "Maybe he is more capable than I give him credit for."

After more light conversation and eating, they had scraped their plates clean. Kenji beckoned the waiter and left a good tip for accommodating a lion.

"Oh Kage Midori, I am filled with gratitude. After such a fine meal, I feel I can do anything. I am looking forward to meeting the Sand's puppetry sensei... it has been a long time since I have called anyone sensei..." Kenji said this as he made hand gestures similar to manipulating chakra strings or playing piano.

WC: 401~ 2563

The reaction Kenji gave to the scorpion tails was something that amused Midori almost as much as the reactions to the lion had. The story that he gave, however, was very interesting. The fact that the man in front of her was none other than a sage certainly brought with it a sense of status. Senjutsu. The ability to harness nature itself as an ally. The fact that his hair was blue, akin to his companion lion, further gave an idea of him being a lion sage now that she thought about it. The fact that he swapped meals with the lion supported his talk about the comradery he felt with the lion, and all in all, she was impressed, nodding along as an affirmative that she was listening silently. Taking in the knowledge.

“Well, I believe everyone has a hidden spark that is hard to notice. I’m sure your friend Kasfara is no different. However he ends up surprising you, I hope it causes an amusing reaction.” She smiled, before rising to her feet as he thanked her for the meal and stated his interest in meeting his sensei. “Yes, I will go pay and tip the staff. Then, we can head outside, and I can get the sensei ready for you. Given that you’re so enthusiastic, it’d be a shame to get you to wait. You’re welcome to wait outside if you wish, or prepare yourself however you want. I will be with you shortly.” She gave a bow in respect, before walking over to the service counter, discussing with the staff there for roughly five minutes, before handing over a fairly large pouch of ryo from her weapons pouch at the side.

Whether he was out there already, or was following her out, Midori stepped outside to reconvene with her dining partner. Glad that the lion had caused some space between the crowds and their little group, the Kage coughed once in an effort to clear her throat, before speaking up, voice no longer soft and gentle, but filled with authority.

“Chikara, Kenji. As the Kazekage, I thank you for the meeting, and as per our arrangement, I will introduce you to the one who shall be training you in the art of puppetry…” at that, she swung her right arm in front of her, using her left to swiftly remove the bandages. As the bandages fell away, slowly fluttering to the sand covered streets, the acacia wood of the puppet prosthetic was revealed, as Midori swung her arm to the side in a clear display of it. “Sannin, Lion Sage. Your title doesn’t matter here. You desire to learn the way of the manipulator, the puppeteer. The way of one who embraces constructs as a part of their life, and who relies upon strings to control their own destiny. I, Midori of the Ningyou, will offer you one chance to change your mind. Otherwise, I will be your sensei. And I will train you as if you were a genin, until you are skilled enough to wield it as naturally as a kunai.”

517 + 2286 = 2803

(Sorry for the delay!)

The fantastic lunch was now over. Kenji and both Kasfara were satisfied. Midori left to pay the tip the restaurant. Midori notified Kenji, that he could wait outside as she prepared the sensei. Kenji face lit up, he rushed to his feet. He gave a bow, "I will wait outside for you." Kenji and Kasfara strutted outside. The sun greeted them, and the sand shifted under their feet. They marveled in the environment, but more so marveled in the fulfillment of the purpose of coming to Sunagakure. It was really happening. He contemplated what the sensei would be like. Kenji kneeled down, so Kasfara could speak secretly to him. Kasfara whispered, "How did I do?" "Good" "I cant keep quiet much longer, Midori is so nice, I want to speak to her. She says I have a hidden spark." Kenji rolled his eyes and stood back up, "Silence your wild heart right now." They continued to wait.

Once Midori appeared, "Thank you again, I hope we did not cause too much commotion." Midori then thanked Kenji for the meeting. He smiled and gave a slight bow. He took a deep breath as she announced the arrival of the sensei...

Kenji Chikara mouth was agape for a moment, and then his expression became stern as his eyes narrowed. I cannot believe it... I am going to be trained by the Kazekage herself...

"It has been a while since I have called anyone sensei... but I am willing. I will not change my mind. I will be honored to learn from the Kazekage."
Midori's arm was a fine piece of work. Her stunning introduction of herself as the sensei started with revealing her wooden prosthetic arm. The bandages fluttered to the sand covered streets. This was going to happen now it seemed. Her entire persona changed. At first, the dinner was like one with any friend. Now he could see her elegance and formidability. Kenji clapped his hands, and gave a bow to his new sensei.

"I am ready. I will take on any task and master this art form. My gratitude will know no bounds." Kenji's head lifted up slowly, "Shall we?"


WC: 363~2926

Listening as Kenji agreed to her terms and still desired to be trained in the art of puppetry, Midori smiled, nodding her head slowly. The bow was an act she found humbling, so, the time to begin the lesson had come. Taking the two scrolls at her side, Midori carefully laid each one out on the ground. Each scroll featured the rather generic seal, and as she stood up, Midori gestured to both of them as she spoke. “First, I’ll show you an example of two puppets. One which is not specialised for combat, but to aid with a variety of non-combat tasks. And another of the classic weapon, able to deliver a swift death upon enemies. When undertaking the task of puppetry, it is important to note that your puppet is an expression of your inner self. If you do not take the task of creating a puppet seriously, and merely follow the code of treating them as if they were any other weapon, you will find yourself most disappointed. So, consider this the first lesson. A view of what puppets can be.”

Having said her piece, Midori leant down, placing a hand on each scroll, before unsealing the two of them. To her left, a humanoid puppet appeared through a poof of smoke. Its left arm was oversized with several scrolls rather obviously stored within, while draped over its chest was a robe that seemed to only cover roughly half of its chest. The face represented that of an old man, the wood carved into a curled beard.

Meanwhile, to the right, was another humanoid puppet. Clad in a Kimono, and standing at the same height, this puppet seemed far more realistic to the shape and figure of a person, wearing clothes and having a ponytail and beard carved out of the wood, fine textures defined ever further by the hardness of the wood. Within its right hand was a katana, joined at the wrist with the hand carved into the handle. The sharpness and shine of the blade was enough that the slightest glint of the sun seemed to reflect. Meanwhile, within the second hand, was a wakizashi, carved and created in exactly the same way as the right arm, the gleam and sharpness seeming to be that of top form. Upon each of the feet at the toes were blades that alone seemed sharp enough to put a dent into skin and armour alike. Aside from its apparent sharpness though, the blades at the feet seemed dull, perhaps due to the comparison between them and the primary weapons.

The puppets out, Midori snapped her hands out, letting loose puppet strings to the backs of the puppets, attaching to the primary joints with a hand for each puppet. Now active with both puppets, she stood there, keeping the puppets stationary yet standing at attention as she spoke. “Now. To lead on to the next step of this lesson, please attack the strings of the puppets.” Her expression was simple, and rather neutral. Let the lesson begin.

509 + 2803 = 3312

Chakra: 260/ 270 (-5 for Generic Sealing Technique, -5 for Puppet Strings Technique)

(Puppets can be found in Locker ("My Thingies" in Sig))

Kenji heeded the words of advice from Midori. As a weapons specialist, Kenji was definitely prone to viewing puppetry as another style of weaponry. However, Midori enlightened him. A puppet was to be a manifestation of a shinobi's inner self. Not just a weapon, but something that had an identity of its own. It would take time for Kenji to digest and implement this philosophy meaningfully. He hoped that when he is ready to construct his own puppet, he can exercise the Kazekage's wisdom.

The Kazegake summoned two humanoid puppets from a pair of scrolls. It was very thematic. Midori pointed out one was more of a support puppet, and the other was meant for more direct combat. Via the appearance, Kenji assumed the puppet with the enlarged arm, which seemed to store other scrolls, was the support puppet. While the other sports a katana and wakizashi, made it appear to be built for direct combat. The combat puppet also had duller blades protruding from its feet.

Finally, the signature jutsu used by puppet masters was activated. He had never seen the jutsu implemented by a master. Kenji himself used the technique in rudimentary fashion a few times. But now, he could witness the full extent of the ability. To tackle the first task, Kenji needed to attack the chakra strings that the Kazekage had manifested. Those were her orders.

"Stand back Kasfara." Kasfara subtly moved out of the way. Kenji took off the glove of reflection on right hand. The gloves had a shimmering quality and were reflective enough to see your own reflection. This was a common conduit for many of Kenji's reflection based Genjutsu. Under the right glove, on Kenji's hand, was a sapphire ring. It began to emit a blue light, before the light focused into a beam, forming into a 3 meter long scythe.

The support puppet's lack of visible weapons most likely meant it had less defensive capabilities than the other puppet. Also, it was likely that the majority of its function would not be visible initially. Therefore, Kenji would attack the utility puppet with the enlarged arm first. Not only because it appeared to have less defensive ability, but Kenji also wanted to get it to reveal any additional functions that it may have. The Sanin held back nothing, as he skated forward at full speed with his scythe in hand.

Once in striking range, Kenji would uncoil a downward swing with the massive scythe. The point of this strike was to keep the puppet grounded. If the puppet attempted any defensive action, Kenji would most likely leap above to attempt to position himself above and slightly behind the puppet to slash at the strings.

If the dual wielding puppet interfered, Kenji had a plan in mind. One that he hoped would impress the puppet master Kazekage.

WC: 479~ 3405


(-5 chakra used to transform the ring into a scythe : 365/370)

Midori cocked an eyebrow at the actions the lion sannin took when she stated her order. The order, in her mind, was simple. A demonstration of the weakness a puppeteer must take into consideration. What she had expected was a simple strike at the strings. Perhaps as what she should have expected, however, the lion began to perform a somewhat fanciful display that held a lot more bravado than she had thought needed for the lesson. A glowing ring, followed swiftly by the appearance of a scythe within his hand. A special weapon of some kind, no doubt. Still, Midori kept still. If he took it too far, she was certain that she could diffuse him with the Ace.

The puppets did not move as he made his strike. Should the strike aim to do permanent damage, Midori had plans to intervene. She would not damage her works for a lesson, at the very least not for a simple lesson. Regardless, she waited until he finished his movements and cut the strings connected to the support puppet. With a tumble, the humanoid puppet collapsed to the ground like a ragdoll. Face first, it was now apparent that the back of the puppets head was a book, and on its back was a carved cup holder. With a swiftness, Midori now moved her remaining puppet to her side. Her flesh hand that was controlling the support puppet gestured to it now as she spoke, words calm and neutral. “While not exactly what I meant, I suppose that’ll suffice. The purpose of that lesson was to show the weakness of puppeteers. That our strings are the usefulness and the weakness of our skill. If in the midst of battle, you find that an enemy attacks your strings, they will break quickly, and at that moment, you will lose the power of your puppet. There are a few ways around this. One, is to create a puppet strings technique of your own, one to work around the weaknesses. Another is to revolve your style of fighting around your strings – allow the strings to become dangerous to your foe, and a part of your movements. Thirdly, you could fight with preservation. Keep your puppets close, and act as if you were a close combat fighter. So long as you don’t get yourself wrapped in your own strings, this works. I wasn’t expecting such an… Intense reaction to my order, so, I’ll preface the rest of the lessons now by saying that, if it is going to be something that requires intense exertion, or perhaps a willingness to fight, I will warn you in advance. I would prefer to not have to repair my puppets without a need to, understood?”

Sighing somewhat, she moved her hand, bringing the puppet in front of her and pointing the sword of the puppet, at the puppet on the ground. “The next exercise will be a simple one. You now have the understanding that the strings are weak. Now, while I have no doubt that you can use them, I wish to see for myself. Let’s start with something simple.” She paused, moving the puppet so that its head was facing the puppet on the ground, mouth opening as a shuriken launched violently from the mouth and into the wood. “Take that shuriken from my support puppet, and attach some strings to it. I won’t ask anything intense at first, simply for you to move it slowly and steadily.”

580 + 3312 = 3892

Chakra: 255/ 290 (-5 to maintain puppet strings)

It was apparent Kenji had over done it this time around. The lesson was clear though, and it was taken to heart. A puppet master's greatest weakness is their strings. As soon as Kenji cut the strings to the support puppet, it collapsed. That was it, without the strings it was useless. More importantly it was very easy to cut through them. Therefore, Midori made sure to teach Kenji the importance of augments one's chakra strings so they can not be easily destroyed. One example she gave was creating puppet string techniques. Perhaps jutsus that created inherently more durable strings my including elements.
The Kazekage continued on to say, if substantial effort was needed for a task, she would be more direct. She also expressed her desire to keep her puppets in great condition. Kenji could not imagine the shame that would befall him if he accidentally damaged one of her puppets. He might have been taken prisoner and forced to pay off the damage. "Thank you Kazekage, your advice is sound. Also, I heard the word 'attack', and from habit I became over zealous." Kenji transformed his scythe back into a ring around his finger and put his glove back on his right hand.

The next lesson was to demonstrate his usage of the puppet string jutsu. Kenji walked over to the support puppet and dislodged a shuriken from it. With his free hand he attached a charka string to it. He let the shuriken dangle from his dactyl in a yoyo fashion. He attached a few more strings and began to vary the lengths of the chakra strings, causing the shuriken to climb in height and fall again close to the sandy ground. "Kazekage, this is all I know how to do." Kenji said in a dejected voice with his eyes barely open from the embarrassment.


WC: 310~3715



chakra: 355/370 (-5 from deactivating scythe transformation and, -5 from activating chakra strings)

Midori listened as the Lion Sage accepted her words, and then proceeded to watch as he utilised the technique. To her, it was a somewhat shameful display. She had seen better use of the technique in genin. Yet, there was always a point at which one had to start. With a minor movement of her puppet prosthetic, the combat puppet whirred to life, walking almost lifelike towards Midori, before standing at her side. She continued the slight movements, and as she did, the puppets limbs began swinging and moving, the blades slicing through the air around and almost touching the Kazekage’s skin, moving with every joint acting as if it were a natural part, fluid in nature despite the rigid sturdiness of the wood.

The little display done, she halted her movements, the puppet stationary at her side once more. “You are approaching this somewhat incorrectly. You are still new to the nature of puppetry, and because of that, you don’t know where to begin. For the start, don’t try to have minute motions. Allow your arms to go wide, allow you defence to fall. Get used to the nature of the strings, and get used to how they feel. The weight, the adjustments, the balance.” As she spoke, her arm moved in wide, arcing motions, the puppet going with, moving with her actions while hovering above the ground, in slow, purposeful motions. “A puppet is an extension of your self, your being. In that regard, try not to think of your strings as any different. In time, you can control the strings with minute precision and control, but for now, allow yourself to be clumsy. Allow yourself to make mistakes, and adjust.”

Moving, she sat down on the collapsed support puppet, keeping the combat puppet on stand by next to her. “Keep practicing with the strings technique until you can move them while keeping the shuriken steady. When you feel that you’ve got it to feel a bit more natural, you’ll know. It’ll be like an epiphany, an extension of yourself. In the meantime, I’m going to read a book.” She declared, opening the pages on the back of the support puppets head and reading through it, various sketches of plants and herbs within.

375 + 3892 = 4267

Chakra: 250/ 270 (-5 to maintain puppet strings)

Kenji watched closely as Midori showcased her skill. Her advice was simple in concept, be clumsy, but much more difficult in practice. Midori took a seat on her support puppet, as she scanned a book. It appeared she was aware that it would take Kenji some time to gain comfort with this technique mostly foreign to him. He had only learned the jutsu to pass the academy exam, since then, it has been sparingly used by him. 

Kenji used both hands to attach chakra strings to the shuriken. He let his arms fly wide like the Kazekage suggested. At first he appeared to be flapping wings. The shuriken wobbled in the air. Kenji frowned at the unstable shuriken. He cleared his throat and began flapping more clumsily, but completely lost control of the shuriken. It was tossed at his own face. His widened and he was able to avoid the spiked metal just barely. A bead of sweat rolled down his face. He used the chakra strings to drag the shuriken back to him. 

Several more minutes elapsed, and Kenji was able to move his arms fluently while only minute movement in the shuriken was noticeable. He grinned as he began to understand the Kazekage's style more and more. Then suddenly, Kenji realized the art more clearly. His fingers began to fidget erratically, causing the shuriken to rotate violently while remaining translationally stationary. Next, Kenji jogged lightly, keeping the shuriken rotating and moving along side. As his confidence rose, he made the shuriken adopt an elliptical orbit around his body. His control wavered slightly, and his left shoulder was clipped by the shuriken. The metal fell silently in the sand. 

Kenji took a deep breath and glanced over at the Kazekage. "If this was a real puppet, I might have lost a limb... what do you think?"

A little while later, Kasfara interrupted with his head slumped in embarrassment. "Kenji, I know you said you not to speak, but we have forgotten a very important matter back in Kumogakure. We should leave immediately. I am terribly sorry."

Kenji's face immediately became somber as he suddenly recalled the matter back home as well. He slowly turned to the Kazekage and bowed. "I am extremely grateful for your instruction. I would like to return again to train some more with you and others, and talk about puppet design."

Shortly after, Kenji and Kasfara returned to their room to gather their things. The duo enjoyed their time in Sunagakure, especially the opportunity to meet with the Midori, the Kazekage. After his affairs back home, he was looking forward to returning to learn more and find comrades in the sand.


WC: 448~4163

Training: Learned Puppetry to D rank (used 1500 words)

Remaining WC: 2663

EXIT THREAD


(THANKS MI MI!)

Midori watched with keen eyes as her temporary student began practicing with the shuriken. His movements were clumsy, and at every instance she could point out a variety of flaws with his actions, taking particular note of the struggle for control. As he began advancing himself, the Kazekage remained quiet, wishing to simply watch. Given the state of his shaky control, she could predict roughly what would happen by advancing too far through training, yet she still said nothing. This was a shinobi, and a sage at that. To scold or mentor him as if he were a mere academy student would be a mockery, and would certainly be against any sense of pride he held. Despite her speech earlier, if he was to learn a lesson, it’d be by himself. She was just going to kick start it.

And as expected, upon him moving it forwards a bit too much, attempting to walk with the semi-stable control he currently held, Midori bore witness to the shuriken control being lost, moving out of his ability to manipulate accurately and slicing across his shoulder. He stated awareness of the failure, however, to which Midori nodded along. “If it was a combat puppet, then perhaps, yes. Try to avoid running before you can walk. In that same notion for the phrase, try to crawl before you walk. Learn the balance of the shuriken, predict how each bit of it will react to each motion you make. Before you walk with it, you need to be able to understand its weight and motions perfectly.”

Time passed, the sun trailing through the sky at its moderate pace as she watched him continue the trivial motions that had become second nature to the Ningyou. Finally, however, it seemed the time to train had reached its end as the lion companion, Kasfara, spoke up, announcing that they had to go, apologising for saying so, but declaring it an emergency. Kenji himself also mimicked this statement afterwards, declaring he would wish to return once it was dealt with.

At this, a smile crossed Midori’s face, taking back her shuriken and reinserting it in its rightful place in the Aces mouth. Voice soft, and no longer with the strict tone of a tutor, she replied in earnest. “I understand, and will welcome you wholly upon your return. I hope whatever it is you must do in Kumogakure goes well, and please, give my regards to the Raikage when you have the time. It has been a pleasure to have your company, and the reactions of the village to seeing a lion made it ever more worth it. May your journey be swift and safe. Fare well.”

Bowing, she turned herself, walking away with the support puppet stored in a scroll at her side, and the combat puppet walking alongside her as if merely another person, all acts natural and as if real, alive. Alas, her fun had ended for today, and as the sun stretched shadows across the desert horizon, Midori returned to her life of paperwork. Sometimes dreams were hard, and boring when achieved. Yet she loved every moment of it, even when it felt like it dragged on.

532 + 4267 = 4799

[EXIT]

Training: