Ringo got up late the day he was to meet the new Raikage.  Only a week had passed since the late Raikage, Reika Misora had passed away.  News of her death had reached his ears.  Another shinobi, a Nukenin, had murdered her in cold blood.  Just another reason for Ringo to hate men.  And now another man was to take the place of the former Lady Raikage.  That man being someone that Ringo would have to meet today.

Looking at the mirror made him unusually angry.  Something about the whole thing really unnerved him.  Before he hadn't needed to talk to anyone for doing missions.  After helping out with the serious gang problem in the village, Ringo thought that he'd be free to help the village further with higher ranked missions.  Instead, when he had tried to take on a B ranked mission, the missions officer revoked his claim to the mission.  Once the missions officer explained to Ringo why it was, Ringo couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at the lack of trust.

Still, he had to go and face the Raikage himself in order to continue taking work for the village.  The process made him feel cheap, like a mercenary.  Ringo did see that the village needed to keep track of all the ronin that entered the village, he'd happily signed the papers to enter the village just as he did back in the Hidden Sand.  Yet instead of that being the sign of trust between the village and himself, it seemed that the Hidden Cloud was still suspicious of him.

Entering the Administration building, Ringo buttoned up his trench coat and sauntered down the hallway, finding the stairway up to the Raikage's office floor.  He was a little late from having not woken up on time, but he decided that was only fair for having to show up in the first place.  Approaching the door, Ringo told the guards standing outside the Raikage's office that he had an appointment and once they confirmed it he was let through.

"I was told to see you, Lord Raikage." Ringo said, disgruntled and looking about the office.  His eyes combing the entire room before finally resting upon the Raikage himself.


Post: 377

Now this was a bed. A kage size bed! It was so large that Sanosuke could guranteed that he could possibly fit him and probably 5 other girls in this bed. Though he probably shouldn't think this way considering he was now the leader of an entire freaking village. And he should probably cut down on his vocabulary as well, not many people would follow someone whom is a loud mouth and ill-tempered. That's what Navi would chatsize him about his roles as kage. Ever since he took office, his partner has turned into his personal assistant as though he was some kind of white collared businessman. And each time she would tell him to be more responsible, Sanosuke would wave her off and go back to sleep. The young Raikage was now living in the living quarters of the Raikage Mansion which was in an estate that was only a few miles away from the general residence area. It was huge. Accoustemed with a cellar for sake and other alcohol, a dojo, a library, a bunker, a garden and even a game room. It only took a few hours for him to move all his things from his apartment to the mansion. By himself it would have probably took him 2 days, but apparently being the Raikage means you have shinobi that will help you with the move in process. Now his stuff were all in order and he was sleeping soundly.

"Sano! Wake up damn it! You have a meeting!"

The screeching, yet famailair voice rung in his ears as he jumped with a start off his bed and tumbled on the ground. His head hit the oak wood floor hard as his leg twitched. His only response were muffled words and a middle finger that was directed at his partner. Sanosuke knew that what Navi did was on purpose and made for just that reaction. He hated loud noises that he wasn't expecting more than anything in the world. So when she did that, Sanosuke leaped a mile. After picking himself up, Sanosuke got himself groomed in the luxurious bathrooms in the estate. Yes this mansion also had a bath house as well as a miniture hot spring. This place literally had everything! After getting himself ready, Sanosuke went over to his closet to put on his usual attire. Once they were on, Sanosuke had just realized that he had to put on the yellow detail traditional robes of the Raikage over his clothing. It took him a while, but he was able to get himself in the robes. Finally the last piece of his clothing was the Raikage hat that had the kanji for lightning on the head of the cap. Smirking to himself in the mirror, Sanosuke walked out of the Raikage estate with Navi at his side. Along with his entourage of ANBU agents that were following him in secret. They've been given orders to follow him, against his wishes by the Chancellors Bo and Co in case of an assassination attempt on his life. They would follow him pretty much everywhere, it was annoying.

After a few hours of walking, Sanosuke got himself situated in his new office. There were already a few items in the office that he put there to make the place a bit more rummy. On the walls were a few pictures. There were some of his friends in Kiri, Konoha and Suna as well. On the ground was a rug that he had gotten from the Tea Country. Sanosuke had retired his hat to the coat stand near his table. Along the sides of his table was a center pond that had a lily pad in the center of it and a statue of a crane in the middle of it. While he got on work with signing the appropriate forms for different trading posts that his shinobi were being deployed on within Kaminari no Kuni. That's when he heard a knock on the door. Raising his head from his papers, Sanosuke looked at the door. "Come in." Sanosuke said as he knew the his visitor would come in to see him. When he came in, Sanosuke noticed that this man was around his size and had long blond hair. This was the ronin that requested a meeting with him. After all this was the new policy that him and the shinobi council agreed to enforce. It was his first order as the Raikage that he introduced.

"Ah you're the ronin that wish to see me. You went by Ringo right? Please have a seat, let's talk for a while. After all you've been doing missions for Kumogakure for so long I just want to thank you is all." Sanosuke said to the man. Signalling for him to sit in the seat across of him, Sanosuke smiled at the man. He needed to make sure that they were friends and that this was a safe place and not some place for him to be interviewed. "Relax, we're just having a little chat is all. Care to have something to drink? I have a bottle of Iwagakure's famous White Peach Sake that is just begging to be opened." Getting the bottle from his fridge that's under his desk, he waved it in front of the shinobi with a little chuckle.

Ringo took a seat across from the Raikage.  He studied the man wearily. Dreadlocks poked out from the cloth drapings of the Raikage's hat, showing that he had tremendously long hair.  It was said that all Raikage were fast, to an absurd extent.  That would have to suffice as enough for Ringo to use in an attempt to like the man.  He wouldn't like the man right away, but he could respect the rank and the legendary speed that came with the title.

Sitting down, he only felt a bit at ease as the Raikage honored him for completing missions within the village.  If this was to be just a chat, Ringo didn't really understand the purpose of it.  He had helped get some jobs done for the village, but he didn't think what he did required such notice from the Raikage.

Then a thought crossed his mind.  His body started to get hot, as if the sunlight coming through the windows had suddenly became more intense.  Did the heist he pulled have a hand in why he was here?  He was sure his tracks were covered.  No one had seen him slip in or out of that mansion.  And the black pearl necklace he stole had already been safely sold.  No, that wasn't the issue at hand.

Ringo kept his focus on what the Raikage had said.  There was no reason to jump to conclusions. He just needed to play things cool for now.  "Thank you for recognizing my work in your village, Lord Raikage.  Though I'd prefer not to drink."

His eyes wandered to the two ANBU shinobi at the back corners of the room, standing behind the Raikage.  He wondered if they were here to grab him or if they were there just to be protection for the Raikage.  There was a lot to wonder about the Raikage and for this meeting to happen.  Still, it would take time before the truth to be revealed.

"So what is it you wanted to chat with me about?" Ringo asked, emphasis on the word 'chat'.  He still felt suspicious about the whole thing.  "I don't want to take up too much of your time.  Though really Ringo didn't want to waste too much of his own time.  It wouldn't be too long before his cursed seal would act up.  The reminder of it made him clench his jaw in frustration that he had yet to gain control of it.  The seal had been the bane of his life.


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Total: 805

Before the man could have even been able to sit down, he was breaking out in such a brief state of cold sweat that Sanosuke swore that he might have actually came down with a bad case of yellow fever. Just his luck. He hadn't even been in office for a month and there could be a possible outbreak that could run rampant on his people. It almost made Sanosuke shake his head at how unfortunate his luck had gotten. When the man that went by the name of Ringo sat down on the chair directly across from Sanosuke's desk, Sanosuke took a slightly interested look at the ronin. There was something off about the man, but he couldn't pick out what. The shinobi had done multiple missions for Kumogakure when they were on short hand of doing missions in the past, but that didn't mean that the Raikage couldn't tell that something was up. He had pursed his slightly when he tried to figure this thing out. Maybe when the ronin had left, Sanosuke might stick some ANBU on him to investigate everything that he had done ever since he was first spotted in his country. Until then, Sanosuke would just have to talk to the man in hopes of figuring out what was his attentions in being in Kumogakure.

When Ringo had turned down his invitation to drink, Sanosuke let out a sigh before materializing a saucer from a cabinet in his desk. "Oh pity. Well I guess that means there's more for me then." Sanosuke said to Ringo. A loud pop came from the bottle as Sanosuke removed the cork from the bottle's head. The saucer clattered on the desk as Sanosuke poured himself one drink in the saucer for him to enjoy. When it was filled up, Sanosuke decided to take a few sips from his drink to try and savor each drink. Sweetness and a hint of ginseng lingered in his mouth as he took in every flavor from the sip. It was just so divine that it took everything in his body to not let out a sigh in public. It would be rather rude for him to do so right when Ringo is in the room. After all Sanosuke was the one to have summoned the ronin. The shinobi was already feeling threatened from the two ANBU members that were at his side. Sanosuke hated how he still needed the protection of bodyguards even though he was a perfectly capable Raikage that could take care of himself, but it did help gauge the reactions out of his visitors. And from how Ringo was acting, the ronin was definitely hiding something.

"Well how about we get to know each other? Nothing wrong with that right. You're a wondering shinobi right, I'm just curious to see where you came from. Before taking the office of Raikage, I spent 5 years of my life doing some traveling myself." Sanosuke informed the ronin while pouring himself yet another saucer of sake. Once it was filled, he brought it close to his mouth and gave the blond shinobi a smirk while raising the saucer to him. "A talk among fellow travelers, I'd rather do that than lose my sanity doing mountains upon mountains of paperwork." With that said, Sanosuke began drinking but this time with his eyes closed to savor the flavor of the sake he was indulging himself in. It was so sweet that it took a lot of will power to not inhale all of it in one swallow.

"I honestly haven't traveled too much.  Before living here I spent a few months in the Hidden Sand.  Other than that, I've lived mainly in the Fire Country before that.  Just living in other towns.  I hope to visit all of the Hidden Villages."  

Ringo continued on about the various little villages and towns he'd visited that were just for civilian life.  Going into detail about some of his wildest adventures.  The more he talked, the more comfortable he became and soon his nerves subsided.  It was as if the more he talked, the less he was in that room.  The ANBU guards seemed to disappear from his focus, as did the sunlight from the windows and then the Raikage as well.  Instead, Ringo found himself in a dark room, where a projector had his life on playback, running each scene of his life reel by reel.

He began to lose himself in his ramblings as he reminisced on the one time he found himself waking up after blacking out in a party near the Fire and Lightning Country borders.  Talking about how he woke up on the wrong side of the border with only his jacket on and a chicken that was linked to his ankle by chain.  The real weird part was that he had woken up in the belfry of some town and this little kid had woken him up by ringing the bells right in his ears.

"It was, by far, the worst hangover I've ever had." he said, laughing now.  "But anyways, I'm not done with my traveling by a long shot.  Still got lots of the world to see."

Ringo almost started to talk about the various places he had wanted to go see next after the Hidden Cloud village, but realized how much time he had already spent rambling about drunken adventures with his old friends back in the Fire Country.  Instead he just cleared his throat, returning his mind from the dark room and the projector to the Raikage's office.  The ANBU body guards becoming all too real to Ringo once more.

"Sorry for rambling on like that, I got carried away in that just a bit," he apologized.  "Where all have you been, if I may ask?"


Post: 382
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He definitely was a wandering shinobi just by hearing him speak about the multiple places that he had traveled to. Someone that wasn't a wandering shinobi couldn't have explained about the multiple stories that came from Ringo's mouth. There were some of the towns that Ringo had told him were some of which that Sanosuke had been to during his 5 years of traveling with Guru Pathik. There was Tanaka City located at the west side of the Hi no Kuni, famous for their bathouses; all the way to Shintoushimi Town that is south of the capital of Tsuchi no Kuni, famous for a seasonal carnival that comes through from time to time. Even though he was the Raikage, Sanosuke missed the feelings of being able to travel where he would please without being restraint to a single village. Sanosuke listened in for the story that Ringo was getting into. His body was less tense than it was when he got himself in the room, that was good. The man was beginning to trust him that no harm will come to him as long as he's with the Raikage. This story that he was telling was very humorous that he was laughing along side of the ronin. Even Navi's chiming laughter echoed in the office of the Raikage.

Ah the fire country, they did make some awesome drinks and the women there are some of the most exotic. Sanosuke had to remember to stop by Konoha sometime for an important meeting with the Hokage, not at all to take advantage of the women that were there. That wouldn't be something a kage should condone. It was his turn to spin his own yarn. "I think I can top that story though." Sanosuke then proceeded in telling Ringo the story of how, 2 years ago in winter, he was almost executed by the Feudal Lord of Mizu no Kuni. The story went off where him and some of the feudal lord's guards were at the bar drinking an insane amount. He had been there working as a performer for the guards by using anything in his arsenal to keep them entertained; storytelling, playing music for them, hell he would even spar with some of them for fun. The guards loved him and took him in as their own. So while they were drinking, they had the idea of sneaking into the Feudal Lord's mansion and using his reserved hot springs while the Lord was away for an important meeting. The plan went off without a hitch and they had a blast.

But the next morning he had awakened in the bed of the Feudal Lord's 18 year old daughter, and the both of them were completely naked. The Feudal Lord came back early to see Sanosuke there and told his guards to capture him and bring his head to the guillotine. Even while his daughter, Ayane, was begging for Sanosuke's life the Feudal Lord was still very much offended. "So I was chased for nearly a month straight by bounty hunters and palace guards before I faked my death." Sanosuke said laughing hard while banging his fist to the table. The alcohol was already making him relax and unwind. Sanosuke poured himself another saucer as he heard even one of his ANBU let out the softest snicker from under his mouth. The Raikage doubted that Ringo heard the snicker because how far he is from him, but Sanosuke definitely did. Taking another swig, Sanosuke wiped a tear from his eye from laughing too hard. "I'm just glad I was using a fake name while working there or else I would still be hunted down. Also my body is completely different from what I looked like before."

Ringo laughed with the Raikage's story.  Hearing him describe the drunken folly of a man in his position brought joy.  He was just starting to enjoy himself.  Maybe he could trust this Raikage.  They both seemed to be common drinkers, at least, in the past.  Both had shared foolish days.  Ringo relaxed in his chair and continued listening to the Raikage's story.

And then everything changed.  The Raikage's story turned sour, though for Sanosuke it only peaked even higher, as the details of the feudal lord of the Water Country's discovery of the Raikage in bed with his daughter.  It was just as he told it, not knowing what happened between the hot springs and bedding the lord's daughter, that disgusted Ringo.  Immediately the soft chuckling ceased and his smile dying to a stiff, straight lip.  Ringo adjusted himself in the chair and tried not to let his expression turn any more sour.  He was still a guest in the Raikage's office and in the Hidden Cloud so Ringo needed to be as polite as possible.

The words, as the Lord Raikage laughed about them now, swung Ringo's mind back to the night in a small Fire Country village.  The stink of the man's breath groped at Ringo's nostrils, the heavy breaths of air pressing upon the back of his neck.  He closed his eyes in an attempt to shut the memory up and pack it away but it only ignited the memory to life.

The chair transformed underneath him, the seat pressing up against Ringo.  With eyes closed, the alleyway was all that he could see.  The dark, dirty ground spattered with blood.  Her blood.  And each grunt, each slap of skin produced more drops of crimson tears.  The shavings of metal returned to the space under Ringo's fingernails where he could feel the cold metal of a dumpster he had once clung to for support.  Pain burst through his body like a large shard of glass ripped through his skin.

Ringo woke from his nightmare as the story was finished, his hands melted into the arm rests of his chair.  He had to forcefully peel them off the chair before standing up before the Raikage. "Excuse me, Lord Raikage," he bowed, desperately trying to keep his cool before such a powerful man.  "But I believe you confused of the man I am.  I cannot sit and listen to you boast about drunken conquests.  Forgive me, Lord Raikage, but I must leave.  I feel coming here has been... illuminating for us both."

And with that, Ringo turned and headed for the door.  His hands clenched in fists as he kept his disgust and fury in check by a thread.  Time ticking away like a timer before his short temper would explode in a rage at the debauchery of the inebriate Raikage.  He hoped he'd never set eyes on the man again, lest he commit some heinous crime against the man and plunge himself into an early demise.


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Total: 1696

As he was telling his humorous story, Sanosuke was laughing at it because to him and any other man would have believed it was quite the story worthy of telling at a bar that would praise him as a hero. At the beginning of his story Ringo seemed to be enjoying it well enough and laughing alongside. But then Sanosuke got to the part of the story where he slept with the water daimyo's daughter. His face turned pale and suddenly was no longer laughing. He was wondering what was going on through his head as he finished his story. Sanosuke didn't want to tip off Ringo that he was trying to unravel the puzzle of the ronin's mind. He had been acting rather strange ever since walking into his office, and now he looked to be in a daze. One way or another the Raikage will figure out exactly why he was acting this way. The screeching sound of fingers gripping on a leather seat could be heard as Ringo squeezed on the armrests of the chair he was sitting in tightly. His knucklebones were turning white from how hard he was gripping it. Sanosuke got up from his seat and laid a hand on the man's shoulder to get his attention. "Hey is everything all right?" Sanosuke asked sounding concerned about the safety of the ronin.

Ringo got up from his chair rather quickly, Sanosuke's hand was shoved off quickly as the ronin bowed curtly and turned to leave. He didn't know what kind of person Ringo was so it was quite possible that he had guessed wrong about the kind of person he was. Maybe it was something in his past that related to the story he told caused him to be offended. "Please, come sit back down. I didn't mean to offend you with my story. I apologize." Sanosuke apologized while sounding so sincere. He looked down at Ringo's hand to see that his fist was shaking in fury. Whatever it was that Sanosuke said to offend Ringo really wiled him up. "You're in my village, so while you're here and doing missions for me, let's try and talk through things out. Your fist is shaking, do you really want to punch me that badly?" Should the man try and attack him, Sanosuke will move quick enough to restrain his movements until he is calm. Of course his ANBU might try and kill Ringo for attacking their leader, but Sanosuke will order them to back off immediately. This was between him and Ringo. It didn't matter what it would take, Sanosuke will find out what is causing Ringo to act this way.

"No, it's not alright!" he yelled at the door, his voice reverberating back at the Raikage.  

Ringo opened the door to leave.  He couldn't stay in the room any longer.  Not with a man such as the Raikage.  Did he want to leave?  No, he'd rather go back and throttle the man but at the same time he knew he couldn't do a thing.  As he started stepping past the threshold an intense heat erupted from his stomach.

The curse seal!  And with the Raikage so close!  If this secret was let out so soon, and right in front of this man's eyes--not to mention the two ANBU--who knows what might happen.  He'd witnessed firsthand how other shinobi clans reacted to his kind.  the battle scars from fighting off the group of Takei spearmen hadn't fully faded yet from his skin.  Their marks a reminder of the hatred against he and his clan.

The white heat began spreading underneath his close, turning his clothes white.  Resisting it would do nothing but slow the process, which would only highlight the fact of what was happening.  Ringo squeezed past the door and shut it behind him.  Leaning back and holding the door closed, he let the white light swallow him up.  His entire body turned a blank white with a subtle glow from the heat that came with it.  Then, just as quickly as it came the heat and light was gone.  Only Rin remained in her own attire.

Standing up, she sighed as the process was finished.  "That was close."

She looked at herself for a moment.  The memories of her horrible nightmare came back with even more gusto now that it was her.  Yes, her.  Her hands shook like an elderly woman's, not having the strength to keep still, as if gravity itself had become too strong or her muscles too weak.  The shaking only seemed to intensify and soon the world changed around Rin.

Looking past her hands, she saw the dirt of the alley, the two sinister buildings that towered over her.  She was back there, in that dark place.  The place she told herself she'd never be again.  And then there was a sound.

A click, a shattering of glass.

The broken beer bottle threatened her throat once more.  The dark, scowling drunkard just smiled at her.  All she could see was that filthy yellow smile glaring back at her, the rest was just darkness.  The rest just didn't matter.

And then, the nightmare was gone.  Rin's hands were still again, clenched into tight balls of desperation.  Tears hung at her eyes but she wouldn't let them fall.  No more tears.  There's no more tears to cry for this anymore.

She closed her eyes and willed herself back to reality.  That time of her life was over.  She wasn't defenseless anymore and she wasn't going to be made a weakling ever again.  Storming off, she left the administration building.

It was time to leave this village.  It only stank of alcohol now.


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Total: 2218
Trained Waterfall Basin jutsu 2000/2000
218 words left