They had made it to Kirigakure. Kaekio stood at the familiar gates to the village, as Anbu dragged her along. Sero had already gone ahead to warn the mizukage of her arrival. Kaekio had already told nozomi to go ahead and wait for her, however there was a pit in Kaekio's stomach that she couldn't shake. Something wasn't going to go the way she expected, but that was almost to be expected in itself. She wanted to live a life with nozomi, as well as get stronger for her country. But she couldn't honestly expect that to work out in that way. In which case she was needed to prepare herself for whatever come. She had already committed the crime, and couldn't retreat now. There was no turning back at this point, this was the fate kaekio and chosen and she was going to accept it. She knew she wouldn't change it if given the chance, and so whatever lie in wait for her was destined for her. This is what she thought.

Kaekio got a few glances as Anbu escorted similarly to a war prison down the streets of kirigakure towards the Administration building. She had already been stripped of her weapons. they made haste however as it didn't look very good on either side, and plus her Kumogakure headband was still showing. It didn't take more than a few minutes or so after Sero arrived for Kaekio to be placed in the Mizukage's office, with Anbu on either side of her. Kaekio couldn't face the Mizukage, and she was for some unknown reason shrouded in guilt, and she didn't know why. She would simply wait like this until the mizukage  would address her. Or simply kill her. She was the intruder and didn't have the right to demand the attention of the Mizukage if it would not be given.

---

WC: 323
Total WC: 323

Sero wasted no time as the ship docked at the Kirigakure docks. He flared his chakra out as the mist parted and the cement docks were revealed. It was a small signal but to the sensory ANBU that would be on duty to the port entrance it would act as a beacon. A shinobi was coming of some caliber. However no ANBU in Kiri was unfamiliar with that dark chakra that dripped like oil across the mist...tainting your consciousness with an almost sick sense of fear. Anyone less than a spec jounin likely would of thrown up over sensing it so directly. Either way it would throw up an alarm in the ANBU's mind. Sero had returned and he was sending out a signal...had someone actually survived him? He wasn't known for bringing in survivors. If someone was alive with him in that ship than he would need some back up. Sero let his chakra flare for just a moment more before he let it falter and die back to just that sickening presence of being near him. His grey eyes looked over the waters as they rippled over the ships movement. The captain watched Sero nervously. But the two with him were all that had Sero's attention.

His gaze shifted slowly like dead eyes rolling to the side to take in Nozomi. Some growth had come from the girl but more and more Sero was feeling a gap of power between them. He had expected someone who had managed to survive being in a squad with him to keep up. She was powerful but it was almost disappointing for Sero to see that difference. Perhaps he really wasn't human after all. Than again she did better than that one boy he forgot the name of. That kid had only survived due to Gin's interference. He had thought he could take Sero one on one...he was wrong. Likely he was dead by now. One who didn't know his limitations didn't typically last long. Still his gaze twitched to the other figure who seemed nervous. Kaekio was her name...She was considerably closer to his abilities but if they fought he was confident he would win. He had seen her abilities to some extent but she seemed to lack the enjoyment he took from killing. It had to be coaxed out of her and even then she wasn't one for sharing in the fun. If the two of them decided to take off on their own else where though...Sero wasn't sure he could take them both...he could however at least maim one of them too much for travel...that much he was prepared to do.

Still as they pulled into the harbor Sero saw no hint of resistance even as the team of ANBU bordered. He spoke briefly with the captain, explaining Kaekio was to be brought straight to the Mizukage under guard and disarmed. The Anbu were professional enough not to ask questions but they did take her weapons post haste. Still he watched as she said something he didn't catch to Nozomi before she was being escorted off the ship. They wouldn't take the main roads through the village...secrecy was an obvious need here and they could sense that much. Sero on the other hand moved full speed across the roof tops as he entered the village. He was considerably faster than the escort at those speeds and yet lights flicked on as people woke from nightmares as they felt him pass. Luckily he had predicted this ahead of time and took a different and more direct route than the group. Still the village was becoming more and more aware Sero had returned. Fear and anxiety spreading with his passing. It wasn't until he reached the door to the Kage's office that he paused before knocking. If he was allowed in he would speak calmly and with a voice void of emotion. The door closing behind him.

"Osada Sero, jounin rank reporting in. Kumo was uneventful and as far as I observed none of our own were in danger. Completed two A rank missions to help solidify relations while there myself. A new policy has been put in encouraging wandering shinobi to pledge allegiance to Kumo increasing their numbers. Lastly, A woman named Kaekio returned with Nozomi and myself. A Kumo special Jounin focusing in raiton. I strongly suspect she has a relationship with Nozomi and is eager to leave Kumo. I am having her brought here now via back roads."

771

Ayakashi awaited the new entrant, her and her gigantic tiger of a creature would make their way down to meet them at the front of the administration building. Bai, jumping from each of the awnings in the way down, while Aya, obscured from the mish which hung heavily in the air would ascend from the heavens in but a single calculated jump. Feeling the cold wind on her skin she would reach the apex of her jump, before looking down, she could feel the almost evil chakra from Sero Jr... she knew it was him, it was so strikingly apparent. Twisting herself in the air she would free-fall head-first for the ground, picking up speed for a few moments before finally she would perform a single, perfect flip, tucking and rolling as her feet would meet the ground, cracking the pavement as her chakra flexed, the force parting the mist for fifteen meters in every direction as the Mizukage appeared as she would in times of war.

Intimidating, and a pillar of strength which could not be ignored.

She wore her mask upon her face, as well as her hitiate upon her left arm inches up from her elbow over the sleeve of the shroud of the Mizukage. A black hooded cloak bearing blue symbols spelling 'mizukage' down her back with rolling waves at the base of the long coat which fell to the back of her calves. Over the armour and hood which hid her sapphire blue hair, she wore the black steel and blue fur stained image of Hoshirama's armour, her gold platinum gloves shining like embers against her attire. At her back, was her weapon, 'changeling,' the legendary sword of kusanagi sheathed at her left hip while the hilt of the Raijin no Ken sat on the opposite... From her kneeling position, Aya rose slowly before the two, like the demon of the mist, all the power and authority of her station radiating from her as she looked at either of the two in turn, having received the advanced message, she was looking forward to the story which followed this... but for now... Aya would only speak six words.

"Take the Prisoner to Fusa Prison..."

With that, Ayakashi would vanish, the vortex from her movement pulling in the mist once again around them in a squall. As if the mist parted for her and was bent to her whim and command. Aya would move to the Fusa Prison monument, a solitary obelisk which had the words "No prisoners" inscribed upon it, a warning for all of those who would strike at the land of kirigakure. This was the place several ninja had been tested, while several others, unlucky enough to have betrayed the country and been captured, had been executed almost ritualistically by the ANBU. The broken and shattered walls of the prison surrounding the monument created a sort of amphitheater for events. This was the location several ninja had been granted the rightful place as seven swordsmen under her command.

And too would be the place that this new entrant would earn or receive their fate.

Once they arrived, Ayakashi would be standing beside the permafrost monument, her arms folded and awaiting as the area was deserted apart from the few Hunter ninja which would over-watch the events to come. Cocking her head to the left, Aya would look over the trained ninja, who claimed to have had a relationship with one of Aya's own. It was not unlikely, her cousin Strafe had once had the same problem, leaving the village to be with his lover, happening to be the Hokage of Konohagakure. But she had been forced to place a bounty on his head, something which she had regretted doing. Desertion was a crime in the eyes of the ninja world, and Kiri had tight alliances with almost every village in the ninja world, meaning it was very hard to get away with crimes committed by the country... as much as exceptions had been made in the past.

"So... I hear you come seeking to leave your country... Desertion, as I'm sure you're aware, is an act of treason... So... why, prey tell, should I accept a ninja who has willfully committed treason against her country, into my ranks, knowing, that she is capable of treasonous acts. "

Aya spoke with all the accusatory tone of a judge. But what she wanted was for the prisoner to prove her worth.

As Kaekio was being escorted up to the administration building she made no resistance. In fact she moved at a faster pace so they could get to the mizukage faster. With that being said she wasn't expected what was waiting for her once she reached the courtyard to the Administration building. It was a fairly misty day, but Kaekio could assume that that was just your average day in the mist. But due to such mist, Kaekio sensed her before she could see her. Kaekio looked up just in time to see the  Mizukage herself in full battle gear plummet from the sky and land before her. The ground crumbling beneath her feet as she stood low and menacing. Kaekio stood still in pure fear. this woman. Was not like her kage. The whom she'd loved like a father and had always seemed a bit soft to kaekio. This woman was terror. She had stood in the presence of Sero's aura and it paled in comparison to the terror which she felt no. This woman scared the hell out of kaekio.

Beeds of sweat began to fall down kaekio's face as she felt the woman's gaze fall upon her. Kaekio was sure she was going to be meeting death soon. No scratch that. This woman was death. "Take the Prisoner to Fusa Prison..."

The words were cold. Emotionless. It made Kaekio realize how little of a chance she actually had. thoughts ran through her mind. Why did she do this? Sure she couldn't grow in Kiri. And Yes she wanted to be with Nozomi, but she didn't expect this. This monster that had appeared before her. If anyone looked over Kaekio's face it would appear white, as though she had just seen a ghost, but in reality what she had just witnessed was so much worse. Kaekio walked with the anbu, her conscious lost in utter terror. And, by the time she finally recovered, the first thing she was greeted with was an old empty looking prison in which an obelisk stood before it bearing the words "No prisoners" at this point kaekio knew she was headed for the executioner. Her will crumbled as she saw the images of her village, of her friends, of her comrades, and then the images played through, with her village burning, her friends dead, and her comrades fighting to their last breath. The her mind's eye showed her Nozomi. The girl she loved, and Then it showed her Nozomi fallen. aying on the ground before her cold, and it filled kaekio with the feeling that it was her fault. If only she had been better. If only she had been stronger she could have helped Her. She could have hepled Nozomi. But not only that. She could have helped her village. Her people. She could save them. A tear rolled down Kaekio's Cheek as looked up to the woman now standing before her, the look in kaekio's eyes determined and hungry.

"So... I hear you come seeking to leave your country... Desertion, as I'm sure you're aware, is an act of treason... So... why, prey tell, should I accept a ninja who has willfully committed treason against her country, into my ranks, knowing, that she is capable of treasonous acts. " The words made Kaekio look at the ground. She paused for a moment like that before kneeling before the kage. She then peer up towards the kage, and spoke. "With all do respect your lady, what i seek is not Desertion. I'm aware what i did was treason, but not for the act of deserting my comrades and village. In fact i come here for a very different. One might say i came here for the exact opposite. I came here seeking to join your ranks out of love and the will to protect my country, and her people. Although it may seem odd or suspicious i assure you it is the truth. And i can as well assure you i seek no such discourse in your ranks either. I've come here fully prepared to sacrifice my free will, and serve Kirigakure no Sato and her people to the fullest of my abilities." Kaekio would then pause for a moment to make sure the Mizukage was listening. "Lady Mizukage will you listen to my story?"

If the Mizukage would agree Kaekio would continue. "I suppose the best way to begin this would be to begin with beginning. I'm not sure if you aware or not, but the current Raikage and my former Sensei, was never meant to be in charge of our village. At least, not this time around. The Candidate that would have been chosen, heralds from my clan. His name is Bokuden, Ryuzoji. It is also said that Sanosuke and Bokuden were bitter rivals. That was up until Bokuden declined the seat and left the village. It was around this time that i graduated the Academy, and was surprisingly assigned under the Raikage, although now that i know. It wasn't so surprising after all. In fact, i was only the first. All Ryuzoji students have been Assigned directly under Sano... Now i haven't been one to be too attached to my clan, however recently i decided to go back and maybe re establish some connections, but what i found surprised me, and ls where i acquired all this information. Sanosuke, at about the time i was participating in the Chunin exams, Had attempted a raid on the Ryuzoji compound. What he was looking for i do not know. With that said, i have been struggling I can't seem to grow in strength, or at least am finding it very difficult.And now knowing that, i feel as though i'm not being allowed to grow as prosperously as i could, i feel as though i'm being intentionally stunted so i don't grow as powerful as the Kage or stronger. I also no longer feel i can trust my life to the current Raikage. With that said, i love my home, and my country, and i want to do all that i can to protect them. But i can't protect them if i'm not strong enough, and i can't get stronger in that country. This is what i feel, and this is why i am before you today Mizukage-sama." Kaekio said as she bowed before the kage "I'm here to ask you to let me grow in power and strength in your country and by your side, and in turn i'm willing to dedicate my own abilities and myself to your country, and her people and protect her as i would my own."

Once Kaekio had finally gotten all of the words out that she had wanted to say, she simply sat there in a bowing position, waiting for the Mizukage's judgement. If she told her to raise. She would. If she was ordered dead. Kaekio would hold no resistance, for she had brought trouble to the Mizukage, and would accept whatever punishment could be dealt to her. This was her fate she had lead herself too, and she would accept it. She could only hope that her speech was enough to sway the Mizukage into letting her join their ranks.

---

WC: 1236
Total WC: 1559

Sero felt the flare of chakra in a way as it shocked away the mist. For a moment he felt exposed. His own preference to remain hidden within the mist denied him so potently that his natural attachment to it couldn't pull it back to him within that pulse. It was aggravating but he supposed not many wanted to remain hidden from sight during a conversation. Still her standing there in full gear like she was ready for battle amused him. From the exhausted woman he had met as a genin to suddenly showing such a potent vision of self was a large transformation. Still Sero himself hadn't appeared armed before the Mizukage but she would know better than most how quickly he could change that. However he did not feel threatened. It was obvious the distance between them and yet that energy wasn't directed at him. So for the moment he had nothing to worry about and yet his lips split apart into a smile showing white fang like teeth. He was excited now because he could sense the difference between them now. It wasn't immeasurable. He was getting closer. He would be out of his fathers shadow soon and they would help him gain that power.

Still the order to take the prisoner to Fusa prison made Sero raise an eyebrow. He was familiar with how that particular prison had been destroyed on a near personal level. One of his only living direct relatives had been in that prison when they wiped it out. Well that being said he likely wasn't living now. Even if Sero could of survived the ordeal he had found others in his clan lacking in power and in motivation to grow. At best they had been filled with enough greed to try and claim his fathers island before they were aware of his presence there...they had fled then and had not returned since. Still if he was to take the girl to the monument that proclaimed Kiri's stance on prisoners he would be sure to let her see that statement. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her. His hand cold like ice and his touch almost like he is sucking the life out of her. He was enjoying this and the way it was going but he knew that it wasn't over. She still had a chance to make it out of there alive. Either way he was ready to end her. The tear rolling down her cheek was just seasoning to him. A little salt to the meal.

Still as they arrived he positioned Kaekio so she was facing those words and released her. He was watching her and enjoying the moment immensely. He could taste the fear in the air...He could breath the helplessness. He always enjoyed watching peoples hopes break down in front of him. He made a point of making it happen when he was out hunting pirates more than one would know aside from himself. Terror was his favorite game. Even though Aya was playing it he could still enjoy it. He stood behind the girl during her lengthy explanation...he really cared little for it. He was very set in his ways. Orders were to be followed and higher ups never questioned. The village came first...all the things he personally took into his own thoughts. His own personal criteria for what makes a good shinobi. His fingers rolled and flexed till they popped as he contemplated if Ayakashi would give the order...he could end her in one swift movement...incinerate the neck and the life would fade. He could almost taste the blood in the air already.

1392

Aya, arms folded across her chest and allowing her weight to shift to one of her legs listened openly to the reasons Kaekio seemed to be leaving her country, attempting to fathom her rationale and motivation further than what she was saying. But, unfortunately for her, there was a game to be played here, one motivated by bureaucracy and played by those in power. Aya had steps that she needed to follow in order to allow this arrangement to work, she would be cheating at the game whose sole purpose was to allow those in political power who had no true strength at their fingertips to sleep well and feel safe. It was like dancing on a bed of nails hoping not to trip, but Aya had danced this dance before, several times, she knew the steps which needed to be taken and she understood the pressures and the fact that she always had eyes bearing down on her. Spies watched not only from other potential villages, but also from within. Aya knew that the Daimyo was watching her closely, his influence was like a shadow on the wall, but if Aya played her cards right, none would be the wiser.

It was the game which had to be played, but Aya never lost.

Aya's attention was drawn to Sero moments after Kaekio finished speaking, it had been a while since she had seen him, and he had grown since into a fine ninja of sorts. His aura, and the murderous intent which radiated from him were almost the genetic manifestations of the ways of the Bloody Mist which Aya had fought so hard in an attempt to eliminate from their culture. The blood lust and the glee from death, torture and pain were symptoms of a grand history in the country that she was sad Sero's son had succumbed to. However, within this pandoras box of chaos and disparity, there was a glimmer of hope, Sero had not simply killed the girl, who was effectively a missing ninja, Aya knew it would have well been within Sero's jurisdiction to do so and collect the bounty from Kiri's office, yet, he hadn't. This act alone spoke to aya that her small sum of tutelage as well as the name she had granted him must have done something to cull his wicked mind. If only a fraction. Looking back to the girl after a short, dramatic pause, allowing the silence to sink in for a moment, the featureless mask Aya wore boring its eye-less watch into her soul before the Mizukage of the hidden mist opened her mouth once again to speak.

"you're courageouS, and i rEspect that... the choice to leave youR Own counTry in order to gain strEngth where you know it lieS musT Have bEen a difficult decision. it's not easy to admit one's own faults, ninja are often proud of theiR abilitieS yeT you sought to betteR yoursElf here so that you could better protect those you cared for back home... it was a Noble Goal... your inTelligence However, is very much in DOubt. as, without thought, you fled to the very couNTry who employs an entire Kreed of nInja, specificaLLy for Hunting down and Eliminating the missing ninja of otheR nations for profit and renown... and i can assure you, you are a missing ninja. you've stumbled into the dragon's den girL asking for a favor, and assuming that wE even consider your proposal, we would gain liTtle, and potentially loSe much for harboring you. The proSpEct... makEs little sense. sero...

end her."

Aya would speak with her normal tones, but adding a rather subtle twist to how she sounded to alert sero in a way only Kiri ANBU would be trained her true intentions, but, it didn't mean that Sero would not be able to have a little bit of fun. Aya wanted Sero to test her resolve, not only with her skill in combat, but also the ability to overcome despair and rise up above it. Aya watched as the shadows in the distance faded from view, it seemed that there was now fewer eyes looking over her shoulder once more, making Ayakashi feel a little at ease, but where there was one set, there was ALWAYS another. Looking to the ANBU and whom he had bought in, Aya jumped up and backwards with no effort, spiraling up like a tornado until she stood perfectly upon the fusa prison monument, from there she would be able to watch the unfolding of everything that came to pass from now until the conflict ended.

'How will you fare little one?'

She thought to herself, speaking of no-one in particular, this was a test of both of them, Sero would have to test his restraint if he wanted to appease her and allow this plan to work, but also keep up appearances. While the girl was going to have to fight to protect herself in the most dire of ways, thinking that her very life was under threat. Simply giving in, would not be the answer, because if she didn't show that she was an asset to Kiri, she would be killed or captured and be made into an asset that way by returning her to her country, dead or alive.

Such was the way of the dragon.

[pet training. D->C 1200/1200 462 remaining.]

Sitting with her head bow, Kaekio waited and listed to the Mizukage's speech. She of course not being trained couldn't pick up the subtle differences in the Mizukage's speech. In fact not being trained in ANBU at all to even suspect something of that nature. She simply took the speech at face value. She was filled with Shame at Aya's words. She was right. she had been stupid and ignorant, whether willingly or not she did not know. She had merely been a hopeful child. Infact most of this entire incident was childish of her, and she realized this now, but what had been done, had been done and she couldn't take it back. It was then she heard the few words that made up the Mizukage's last sentence. "Sero... End her." the words rung through-out Kaekio's mind as her heart raced and her eyes widened. She wasn't going to make it out of this situation alive. She wouldn't be able to protect Kumogakure, or Nozomi or anyone. She would die here in the most shameful of ways. While her mind stalled, her body refused. As if on instinct her Current perception range increased in size to the combat radius, making herself fully aware of the two that surrounded her. The Mizukage jumped backwards as if to avoid the conflict. Kaekio inhaled as if she were begin to panic, however she then filled her lungs with chakra and as she remained bowed and looking downwards gas poured out of her mouth. surrounding the area around her for 5 meters in every direction. with that done she simply sat there monitoring Sero's movements. She would wait until he was about to strike, then she would propel herself forwards in a sort of roll type fashion so as she was in the air she would be upside-down  she would then hold her hands over her mouth and breath in deep once more, then exhale. A mass of fire would then shoot out of her mouth, and towards sero whom she could only hope was still standing in the gas. Not needing her eyes to locate sero as she was doing a sort of front-flip, as her perception would easily take care of it. She would then continue to spin landing on her feet, and twisting herself to face sero, her slide ending with her black merely inches away from the monolith.

She was going to fight for her life. even though her plan failed, that didn't mean she had to die. if she could get past Sero than maybe Ayakashi wouldn't give chase and Kaekio could escape. Kaekio did have body flicker after all, and so this could work. Although she could just be being a hopeful child again. This could very well be the end of her. Kaekio very well hold back here. She knew that Sero was higher than her in terms of strength, but the two had never directly compared. He had seen two of her Techniques, and she had seen that fact that he could use acid and that was something she needed to be weary of. With that being said, Kaekio's Sensory wouldn't account for the acid, and so she would need another means. Rings appeared around Kaekio's eyes as her teeth sharpened. A tail and wolf ears sprouted from her body as she took a more feral stance. She was ready for a fight. She was going to save herself, and she was going to get stronger for the people who needed her. She wouldn't be stopped here.

---

WC: 611
Total WC: 2170
Chakra: 215/270

Techniques used:

Sero listened for a time to the conversation dragging on. His ears almost twitching at the subtle change in pitch as the Mizukage spoke. Letters almost forming in his line of sight as he spelled it out in his mind. He wondered if any lesser minds would of even noticed the difference in tone at some very key points. A cold glance to the right as objects faded further into the mist with little to no sound confirmed for him they did not. He didn't like putting on a show for people who wanted to see but not be seen. His eyes narrowed as he licked his upper row of teeth. Politics bored him....he just needed to know which direction his blade needed to be pointed and really only cared to listen to those ranked higher than himself in the military. Not many of those now but Ayakashi was the peak of that. He would obey her without incident. Still a little bit of fun could be had. He was eager to compare himself to an ANBU of another village. The fact that Ayakashi was letting him play...it felt like a leash getting some room on it. Chains falling away from him. He was unrestrained for once and he loved it.

He turned his head back as he rolled his neck. A crack resounding through the mist like an echo. He heard the words end her and his dead gaze snapped to her to watch her reaction. Would she lay there and take his blade? Unlikely...she was a fighter like him. He would not be able to accept it if she rolled over and played dead. He wanted a challenge from her. He knew she could provide one if she was simply willing to try....he paused as he smelled her exhale. A small grin playing to his face as he recognized it. Not a strong starter move but still one he was accustomed to. She was willing to do more than fight. She was going to burn him in an inferno if he let her. Still he inhaled and focused chakra in his mouth. She would need to ignite it and escape the blast herself. He was right as suddenly she launched up and spun...cupping her mouth in a traditional fire jutsu. A breath attack against a breath attack...he loved it. He spat his out just as she spat hers as water rose like a blanket above him right as her flame crashed into it. Steam poured down over Sero as it blew away the smell of the gas around him. The impact of it ruffling his cloak as he watched Kaekio land.

Slowly a chuckle formed out of the steam as Sero watched the girl shift into full fight mode. He waited for her to focus her chakra and gave her the time she needed to enter fully into sage mode. His chuckle echoed around the area like a hollow noise falling back on itself. The mist slowly formed in his right hand as it took form as a long shaft before peeling away to reveal a silver blade and a black shaft.  He stepped out of the mist as he spoke to Kaekio. His voice cold as his presence seemed to flood the area with massive killing intent as even the stone seemed to drip with an almost lust filled aggression. "Don't you dare run from me dog...If I have to hunt you...it will end with no skin left on your body." He grinned showing his own white fangs as pale fingers gripped the Yari in his hand. Oh how wonderful it was to feel a weapon in his hand again...he felt like he had been holding his breath for so long now and finally he was allowed to exhale. His left hand rose and the mist and steam around them began to swirl like a whirlpool around their feet. He formed two signs...whip and tail with his one hand before he focused chakra into his spine. He was starting this fight on a real level.

Heat began to rise off the stone around them. If it was a fight Sero was always ready to go but if it was one that he had been looking forward too his excitement could be felt. Claws inching down the spine kind of pressure as those dead eyes seemed to stare almost blankly at the girl across from him. He was coming at her seriously now and if she wasn't ready he was going to wipe her out. He expected her to be as strong as him. He expected her to mark him as he marked her and it was what he wanted. He lowered into a stance as his left hand now gripped the spear and his feet spread out. Over each shoulder a massively long tail rose up and slowly swayed back and forth like a pair of snakes with the tips pointed at her. One of liquid and one of mist but they both sizzled in the air. As he planted his front foot the air suddenly burst around them hard enough to shake the tree's around the plaza. He was forcing the wind away from them in pulses with his chakra pressure as it appeared around him...some great black thing opening its great maw with hollow eyes as it seemed to want to consume Kaekio. "Lets do this." Sero said before suddenly he launched forward at full speed. His right mist tail snapped forward like a scorpion sting at 25 meters per second to try and nail down Kaekio's right shoulder as soon as he was within five meters. The left liquid tail snapped down like a whip to try and snap at Kaekio's left leg at 25 meters per second from five meters away at the same time. They were to simply force her to move as Sero gave chase at A rank speed to try and use the spear to cutt off her escape. Aiming for a gut wound as he thrust the spear tip at her gut at A rank reaction time.

2427
Chakra 260/300

Jutsu used:

Her feet flung her forwards at perfect timing, she had everything went fine on her end. It was Sero himself that caught her off guard. By the time she had flipped around and was ready to exhale Sero was doing the same. They both launched projectiles towards each other.The two then collided and and explosion of steam and mist shot out in all directions as the attack nullified each other. Kaekio bit her lip as she slide backwards. The mist was dense enough that a genin or a low ranking chunin wouldn't be able to see through it very well if at all, however Kaekio and sero were well above that level and could see through it fine. With that said the onlookers that Kaekio was made aware of as she extended her sensory radius wouldn't be so fortunate, as the mist would compile making it harder to see from further away. With that being said, Kaekio hadn't detected them until this moment, and so she doubted that they would be so easily turned away. However, Kaekio had bigger more pressing concerns than people watching from the shadows. As Kaekio activated her Sage mode, she felt Sero's killing intent flood over her like a tsunami. As if a hellhound had just been let out of it's cage and she was the target. As this happened Sero spoke. "Don't you dare run from me dog...If I have to hunt you...it will end with no skin left on your body." A grin extended a crossed Kaekio's face. A dark grin, as she released her own killing intent. Something which she rarely did. Something ignited in her. Something that sometimes trigger on missions too. Although Sero had a knack for bringing it out in her. She felt the fire inside of her growing. She wanted to feel Sero's bones crumbling under her feet. She wanted to kill him.  "Silly child.... Don't you know wolves love it when their prey put up a fight."

Lightning would begin to crackle around Kaekio and the ground. She too was getting serious She had her life and the life of those she loved on the line. And if it meant exposing the darker side of her, than she didn't care. She would bath the world before her in blood if it meant she accomplish her task. And right now that task was to live. Sero moved. The air around him shockwaves, but it's not as if Kaekio cared. She wasn't interested in petty show and tell. Those scare tactics wouldn't work on her. She was going to live and that's Simply all there was too it. her focus narrows as Sero began to charge. A spear in his hand that Kaekio hadn't notice before. She took a step forward as she noticed the tails too. Then the tails Lashed out. Moving forwards barely giving Kaekio enough time to react. Lightning appeared in her hand as Pushed off of the ground and upwards, slamming it into the tail that tried to come down on top of her. With it out of the way she landed on the face of the monolith about half of the way up. Once she landed on the monolith she almost immediately kicked of it, launching herself further up into the air. She kicked off the monolith in such a way she was once again upside down but this time she was looking right down at Sero who had been charging her. Out of his Spear's reach she made the tiger seal and exhaled, having inhaled on her jump, and release yet another fireball down at him.

At this point in the fight it would also seem as though Kaekio favored Katon techniques. This was simply not the case. In fact anyone who knew the Ryuzoji name knew they specialized in Raiton more often than not. It was simply that most of Kaekio's Lightning technique employed the use of weapons. And she simply didn't have on he at the moment. Her Kunai, shuriken, and swords had all been stripped of her when she entered in the village, and the only remaining techniques she had at her disposal simply weren't the situation for use, or were too weak to consider. Although she had just used one, and any trained eye would recognize it as the legendary technique Chidori, which Kaekio mastered shortly after reaching the rank of Special jounin. Sero had seen Kaekio's other version of chidori which while certainly powerful, Kaekio needs the right time to use it. And now wasn't it. However Kaekio certainly wasn't out of the wind yet. In fact she was still very much in the storm. Even if her Fireball attack did manage to land on Sero she doubted it would do much in the way stopping him. She knew how much of a monster he was, even at the time of the exams. She would need to save her fatal move for a more opportune time. Kaekio would keep her eyes out and other 6 senses out as she went to land, and would develop a plan if one were needed.

---

WC: 878
Total WC: 3048
Chakra: 165/270

Techniques:

Sero's eyes widened as he watched her counter his tail. That was a first for him. No one had ever flat out conquered his tails Before, He was resisting going full boar because Aya wanted him to push the girl and not kill her but she was frustrating him. His other tail twitched and fell away from him as if it died with its twin. That jutsu she had used...he had seen it before but it had been stronger than. He had watched her rip the heart out of the chest cavity of an enemy. His eyes narrowed as she launched into the air above him. Had she called him prey? Had she the nerve to go out of her way to aggravate him?! Even Ayakashi would begin to feel the sanity seeping from the area as he began to forget he wasn't to kill her. As he began to want to burn the girl...to watch her flesh smolder as he laughed while she screamed. He would tear her apart and Ayakashi could have what was left. How dare she call him her prey. She was the one who would suffer him not the other way around. He would teach the girl her place.

He saw her launch of the monolith above him just out of the range of his spear and felt her confidence as she began to exhale. Even as she did so he was molding the chakra he had prepared into his current breath. It was too late for it to counter her blast but that wasn't the point of it. instead the tip of his spear hissed as a liquid formed on the blade and he flicked the spear upwards. He cut through the fireball as it came down upon him while turning his head to where she was destined to land and breathing out his own attack as fire smashed to the ground on either side of him. He aimed where she was going to land and spit out a black liquid that as it passed through the fire lit like hells gate. The liquid would fly ahead of Kaekio into her path and back towards Sero igniting just in front of him. Her entire landing zone was a blazing puddle of oil now. He was going to burn her if she couldn't counter it. He was going to make her land in that and she would suffer. Yet he wasn't done.

He would watch her reaction to the fire and see if it held her attention. Sero hefted his spear in his hand adjusting the way he held it to an over the shoulder level. He had a wicked intention with his spear as he aimed it at Kaekio. He wasn't just going to let her land in it and burn for a moment...he was going to nail her to the ground in the center of it. How ridiculous was it that she called him prey?  He would fry her like a shiskabob and eat her crispy flesh. He aimed the spear center mass on her and let it fly the moment it would be most difficult for her to deal with her landing and his attack. He threw it with all his might as it flung true through the air straight at her center mass. The length of the spear spiraling as his aim was spot on straight at her full speed. If she could handle her landing zone becoming a flaming pool and a spear flying at her simultaneously he would actually be impressed with her ability to rapidly problem solve against him.

225/300

Jutsu active this post:

Ayakashi had been watching the events of the fight unfold, Sero definately had the edge in every physical statistic but it seemed that the girl Kaekio was not entirely without finesse, she was jumping and nimbly avoiding his techniques while she attempted to use several of her own Katon based ones. Sero had countered each of them in turn with the techniques of his own bathing the prison area in a thick natural mist which expanded over the area. Aya, with a pulse of chakra into her visor would allow her to see the movement of the ninja as coloured light overlapping the world as she would see it naturally... it seemed to her that Sero was getting frustrated, the opponent that he was fighting was not allowing herself to be caught by his snares and she could feel the hunger radiating from the man as it seemed that he might just loose himself in this fight, which would cause Aya to need to interject if this got too out of control. Looking down at her side, her trusted pet had fully recovered from his wounds and had been gaining his strength back over some time, watching over the combat the brilliant white tiger emerging to coil itself in part around the monument and watch the battle as it unfolded.

The Tiger's golden eyes darting with the ninjas' movements

As Kaekio bounded off of the prison monument and had evaded Sero's Tails, Aya was beginning to feel impressed by the ninja's potential, she was fighting unarmed against an armed opponent whom blatantly out-classed her and she was not loosing horribly, it was something that was most definitely to be commended, considering although Aya had asked Sero not to attempt to kill her, it seemed that the longer the battle progressed the more and more he was beginning to tear through that particular guideline to the point of the battle being potentially hazardous to the one she was attempting to test, as well as Sero beginning to fail the test of his own. Sero was quickly becoming a berserker when it came to combat, something that his father never was and absolutely something which she could not fathom to be within the ranks of the kirigakure ANBU... at least, as they were in their current incarnations...

Something else maybe, but no ANBU.

This test was a good idea, and it was beginning to draw lines between these two ninja and how best she was going to be able to deal with them when the time came for her to step in. Though, as far as chakra reserves went, Sero had the clear advantage in this battle, unless Kaekio could pull off something both cunning and decisive, Aya felt like this battle was quickly drawing to a close. As Sero spewed his oil along the ground for Kaekio to land in, igniting it with perilous fire as he rose his spear to end the ninja, Aya felt like she would not need to dive in right at this moment. This very moment was the crucible she had been waiting for, death was staring the girl in the face, Sero was not attempting to hold back in the slightest and with overwhelming odds stacked against her, most ninja her age would snap like a pile of twigs under the pressure... most ninja from other nations that was.

Nations succumbed to weakness, and decay.

But, the iron will of kiri was what Aya prized, the willpower to stare death in the face and out-wit his power and malice with your own righteous fury. It was a talent possessed by few but found within droves on the island archipelago conglomerate nation. Though, Aya was not about to let the girl die, feeling the power of her own body flicker humming through her body, aya was about ready to collect the blow and extinguish any source of flame within the area in order to protect the innocent ninja whom would be at the mercy of Sero. Bai-hu himself rose his head and watched intently, looking for a place to be able to jump in should he need to, he could sense the intentions of the woman fighting for her life while he was able to, with ease, sense the radiant malice from sero, pulsating like radiation of the soul.

'how much longer are you going to allow this to continue Ayakashi?'

Aya could hear the judgement of Bai simply within the look in his eyes as he exchanged the Mizukage a glance, meeting it, Aya would reply with one of her own, inferring that soon, everything would come to light. Bringing her attention back to what was happening in the now. Were aya in this situation, she would simply jump on the air again with one of her better techniques that she had learned as a youngster, though, not being able to project what she would do onto the Genin, Aya hoped that there was something within the combat repitoire of the child to be able to escape the furnace which had appeared before her. Even another Katon jutsu might have the force and burn power to eat up the Oil as a fuel source and extinguish the flames. A technique which had been used a multitude of times on natural fires in order to prevent them from spreading any further.

One thing was true above all else however.

The fight was entertaining.

One thing about this fight was clear. Kaekio was outmatched. There was no doubt in her mind that her not having her weapons and being a weapons specialist played into it, but she doubted it played into it too much. But it did seem that every attack she threw at Sero he simply batted away as if it were child's play. As such was even the case with her last attack in which he diffused her Katon in a similar effort to her Blue blade technique. but that wasn't all. As Kaekio twisted in the air so she was heading to the ground feet first and facing towards the monolith and sero She watched him spew fire on the ground at her landing section, and then as she was looking down she felt Sero raise his spear. This bad. Kaekio was running low on steam. She had always been this way when she fought. But, now she saw it would be her downfall. But.. she wasn't going to die yet. Kaekio aimed her hands at the ground and lightning shot out towards the ground slamming into with destructive force. Kicking up yet more debris. Flaming rocks and dust were sent in every direction of all shapes and sizes. A fairly big size rock that was spinning shut up towards Kaekio. Luckily for Kaekio this rock was fire side down As she landed on the rock. Kaekio only a few meters above the ground leaned forwards, channeling chakra into the rock As she then kick off of it, propelling herself further away from Sero and out of his fiery landing zone, but also propelling the rock towards sero. It was then she released his spear. Kaekio's rock movement had thrown her slightly off course for the spear but not enough. Kaekio extend her hands to the ground, so she was doing something similar to sliding handstand. Then she twisted her body and her hands, so she would readjust. Still wasn't enough. Kaekio felt the spear graze into her right side, and the acid spreading around it. She bit her lip as the pain was immense, however she wouldn't give sero the satisfaction of knowing she was in pain. Instead she pushed off of her hands, and landed on her feet, once more facing sero as she slide back. It was now she would see that her rock wouldn't hit him. She had been close, but ultimately she would miss. Kaekio's drew large breaths as she could sense body wanting to just lay down and take a nap. But she knew she couldn't do that. And so with the last ounce of her strength, she began to sprint towards sero.

She had to give this her all. She had to live. She had a plan and it had to work. It was her last option, and she had no other choice. She was going to beat sero here and now. Kaekio's mind completely forgotten the Kage sitting atop the monolith as the fight for her life wasn't an easy one. She knew she was growing tired and wouldn't be able to hold on long. But Kaekio knew she didn't have a choice. If she ever wanted to see Nozomi again. or ever have the chance to protect her village. She had to make this work, and so with all of her might, she would.

---

WC: 575
Total WC: 3623
Chakra: 125/270

Techniques Used:

Sero watched his attempts fail one after another. Part of him was frustrated about his lack of success but another part of him was rising to the surface. Oh how sweet it was that an opponent was more than just a target to be dealt with. She was an opponent to take seriously. Sure he had an advantage and this wasn't as exciting as perhaps fighting someone like Ayakashi. The kind of excitement and frustration he got from being completely outclassed but he still was enjoying himself. She blew away the oil fire with another raiton technique and he watched as she used a rock as a launching point to land outside the fires. She was agile and flexible he would give her that. He wondered how well she was concentrating on that sensory of hers while keeping all that up. She would see anything he did coming he was sure of that. He could still see the markings of her sage mode from where he stood as the earth burned around them. Still she wasn't fast enough it seemed. His advantage was manifesting finally as he watched his spear sizzle alone her side just a little. A smile played on his pale lips. It might of barely touched her but that would be enough. He only needed to land one blow for it too start playing his way. She still hid the damage well enough but he was aware of what his jutsu was capable of even weakened by the interaction with her fire jutsu. She would have to be feeling it unless she was like him. Unless she couldn't feel anything at all. How exciting this was. He would soon see for himself.

Still he controlled his breathing.as he watched her sprint towards him. It would only give him a second to maintain himself and his abilities but he would take it. She was going to keep going full boar at him but he hadn't really moved much during the fight beyond a single charge. His body still moved optimally and he wasn't sweating yet from what he could tell. She was far more active than himself and he wondered how long she could keep it up. For now it was time to step it up a notch. He could feel Ayakashi above him still as she pulsed like a heartbeat. She was well out of range of his next technique by a good five meters and this was a perfect one for a one on one death match. Sero inhaled and filled his lungs with a sickening and wicked chakra almost dripping through him before breathing it out. His hands held out at his sides like claws as a thick mist would tear out of his mouth at thirty meters per second and wash over everything. The fire vanished and the earth sizzled for 15 meters in every direction as a thin mist coated everything. Grass wilted and rock began to melt like ice in a hot room. She was well within range of his clans skilled mist technique and at the speed she was demonstrating she would not be able to escape the mist by the ten meters she needed to cover faster than the mist moved. If she was not struggling to catch her breath before this mist would change that. Sero on the other hand stood comfortably in it.

3608
195/300

Jutsu used:

As Kaekio began to change him. Seor merely stood there. From the combat experience that kaekio did have, she could tell that this wasn't a good thing. He was waiting, like a cat with it's mouth open ready for the mouse to climb in. With this is mind she needed to active her plan soon. She was more paying attention to the rock, which as she started running had hit the monolith and began to fall to the ground. She would run until it hit the ground. That's when she would active her substitution. However she had exhaling right before she switched, but that didn't matter much. She didn't have time to care about what sero was going. This was her one chance, if not her last chance to do something. If this failed she was sure she wouldn't be able to continue. So kaekio watched closely and the second the rock hit the ground, kaekio turned into a cloud of smoke, and at the same time Sero was exhaling his mist. When kaekio switched she was facing the monolith so as fast as she could she turn to sero. Lightning appearing in her hand, however she had to twist her body to the right. And the twisting on her wound was near unbearable pain. The pain from the wound and the stress she had put her body on in general began to black out her senses. She was failing to exhaustion even though she still had about half of her chakra reserve left. still she continued with her movement, although instead of a direct and precise throw of her Senbon, it was more scattered in the general direction of sero. Then Kaekio feel to her knees. She couldn't continue. Her sensory and sage mode both dropped as she lacked the focus to maintain either. she wasn't sure if she hit Sero or not, she was sure one of the must have at least gotten close. What she didn't know is that a mist that was about to overtake her was dismissed due to her senbon, and that neither sero nor Kaekio were affected by each others jutsu. Kaekio's breaths were long and heavy as her as shut tightly in an attempt to block out the pain.

As she opened her eyes a few moments later she realized she had failed, and all hope drained from her eyes. The blurry image of what was an unscathed sero stood before her. She was at the hands of Kirigakure now. Nothing more she could do. She supposed this was her own fault. a few tears streamed down her cheek as images of nozomi flashed through her mind. She was never going to see her now. She would never see her village, or her clan again. All of it would be lost and she would be lost to them. The thought was interrupted as kaekio coughed up blood. She had a fairly nasty wound to her right side. she simply muttered the words "I'm sorry nozomi.." as she hung her head, resting on her knees. Death was before her and nothing could be done. Kaekio was defeated.

---

WC: 535
Total WC: 4158
Chakra: 95/270

Techniques used:

Sero watched as she got closer through his counter. A smile across his lips as he knew what was coming for the most part. One should never charge an Osada in his opinion. It was like charging a natural disaster. Still he doubted she came unprepared. Even as she drew ever closer and he released his ability she suddenly poofed into a cloud of smoke and his eyes narrowed. Where she had been a rock now slammed into the ground. The rock she had chucked that missed him earlier. Her goal was to get passed him and try and attack from behind him. A typical flanking move but not one he couldn't prepare for if not for the fact that she would still be within his own clan technique. Still he turned with his right arm raised to rapidly rip out a jutsu should he need to counter her attack and yet...even as he saw that move he had witnessed before he watched her collapse. The Senbon flew through the mist even as the mist seemed to converge on it before the senbon and the mist burst into droplets of blue and grey energy. Slowly falling to the ground like rain.

Slowly Sero lowered his arm as he turned the rest of the way. His cold eyes watched her as she struggled to raise up to her knees. He could see the sweat and smell the blood on her. At first her wondered if she was simply luring him in but in truth...she was actually suffering. He made eye contact with her as she looked up and saw the familiar drain of hope from her eyes. He smiled then as he felt like her words were now biting her just as much as he had intended them too. He leaned his head to the side as he took notice of her wound. His acid had done the trick it seemed. She could try and continue on but that kind of wound likely meant she was done. He held out his right hand as the spear faded like smoke where it had stuck into the ground some distance away and slowly reformed in his right hand. Sero walked towards the fallen warrior as he spun the spear almost playfully in his palm. The last of the sparks bouncing off his shoulders from the residual energy in her attack. She had truly meant to try and end him with that attack. He could almost sense the pure power residing in the air from the collision of the two A rank jutsu. In all fairness he had been attempting to maim if not end her too.

Still he paused right in front of her as he gripped the spear. Just as he was about to make sure she was finished fighting back he heard it. A comment about his old squad mate. One of the few people he had ever cared about the well being of. One of the only people he even mildly cared how she saw him. He clicked his teeth as he raised the spear up and slammed it down. Driving it into the ground right next to her neck and held it there as he struggled a moment before releasing the hilt of it and letting the spear fade to mist. His dull grey gaze shifted up the monolith as he looked to where his commander sat. With and small bit of flexed muscle he blew away what mist was between them making it a clear view as he spoke. His voice cold and dead in nature as always but his words seemed almost foreign to him.

"Mizukage-Sama. I am requesting permission to disobey your previous command to end her. I feel my Ex squad mate would no longer remain loyal to Kiri should this person die by our hand. On top of that...if I can speak plainly....you faced her off against one of your strongest...sending a weapons specialist unarmed at me and she held her own...had she been armed she may have even been able to mark me. She will be more useful alive under supervision than dead and burned to ashes. If she ever does betray you...you can send me after her to finish this."

4325

Aya looked to Sero, as the battle waged the Mizukage was happy that the girl seemed to be an upcoming sage, the trial was not one that was meant to be easy, a warrior could find themselves without their weapons easily in a fight against a skilled opponent, it was a fault of her own that she did not have the ability or techniques to overcome the flaw. But as she used an artful offensive use of the substitution technique, Aya remembered when she had done similar, though hers tended to be a little more dramatic in the grand scheme of things. Kaekio had put up a fight that any ninja would have been proud of against one of the strongest members of Kirigakure no Sato, but, it simply was not enough to win the conflict. Aya had honestly hoped that she would have been able to at least mark her ANBU in the duel, but, such was the nature of things... The battle came to its head and the Mizukage watched the events unfold, waiting to see what the raging monster Sero was willing to do, Aya more than ready to burst after the effort and intervene.

What came next, caught Aya more than off guard.

Sero refused to finish the work, the monster which was bred and born from the blood soaked nation of Kirigakure showed mercy and vouched for the life of the ninja. Aya, for but a moment was dumbstruck, hesitating openly as her guard shattered like glass at this simple revelation. Were it not fer her mask her facade of strength and murderous intent would have been completely broken at the small speech that Sero gave the Mizukage of the Village hidden in the Mist. Reconstituting herself, taking a single step forward Aya allowed herself to drop to the ground, walking towards the two of them as she drew the Sword of Kusanagi, extending the chakra blade and allowing the weapon to levitate spinning around herself in a flourish of telekinetic control as it landed in her outstretched palm, fingers lovingly and delicately coiling around it as her iron grip closed in on the hilt. Adressing Sero with her speech first before moving her intentions to Kaekio, speaking with the same affliction based code that she had been before the fight began.

"that may be sero, but the rIsk she poses to the nation diploMatically is not something that can be proPeRly overloOked. we cannot risk an international incident just becaUse you vouch for the weak nature of one of your former squaD-mates. this matter is bigger than yOu, or i or her, in Future, eventuallY, yOU will underStand that i carry thE well being of thousands on my shouldeRs and it is with their intentiOns at heart that i act as i must....

noW you, young kunoichi, know that you fought wElL, you shouLd feel no shame in loosing to someone who was more skilleD than yourself. in anOther life, you could very well have woN this combat. falling in battlE is an honourable death. your life, as it was before ends here. WELCOME TO KIRIgakure"

Aya removed her mask, taking her eye-patch with it, allowing Kaekio for the first time to gaze upon the face of the mizukage. Long deep sapphire hair flowing down her back shimmering in even the dim light like crystal. Pale alabaster skin gracing her mature face and features and dim blue lips, though what stood out more than anything were her eyes. Each of them looked like cold gemstones of radiant blue, one of which held an aura of cold blue flame constantly radiating and emanating from the eye of the demon ice witch. Aya walked to her side, sword in hand as she rose the tip of the weapon to her neck as the girl had dropped in despair.

"Bow... You have no reason to fear what comes next... TRUST ME."

Should she comply willingly, and bow her head so that Ayakashi would be able to get a better view, the Mizukage would raise her blade, a fierce look of concentration on her face as she would glide the blade down for her neck with incredible prowess, the nip of the blade cutting deep into her neck on the opposite side of the jugular on a slight diagonal nipping the back of her spine right where the spinal chord would meet the brain, causing every physical part of her body to fail instantly, putting her in a deathlike state, dropping her to the ground instantly. Aya looked to Sero, him being so close would be the only person there and with his... unethical knowledge of human anatomy, would be the only one able to see the implications of the cut, knowing that Aya had purposefully allowed the woman to live. With Strafe having returned to the village, they had a medical ninja available who would be able to treat such wounds... Reaching down, Aya would claim her Hitiate and a piece of her blood-stained clothing. Bai-hu would jump down to Aya's side as Aya would pick up the limp body and drape her over the back of the tiger, with some amount of respect.

"Take her to my cousin for processing... he will know what to do with the body."

Aya looked to sero, flicking him and only him the lightest of smirks before placing a hand on his shoulder, wordlessly insinuating for him to follow them and see that the right thing was done. It was at this point that Aya vanished, her speed allowing her to simply be, then cease to be in the location that she was, bolting at speed for the location of the ANBU headquarters, gathering the necessary attire for an ANBU of kirigakure no Sato, as well as a headband for the village hidden in the mist. and a mask depicting a faithful dog.

---

Hours would have passed after the battle with Aya bringing her blade down on the exposed neck of the Ninja. Having moved to an isolated house in the Aisu compound. The room had no windows and a single door with a bed set up in it, clean sheets having replaced those which were used for the light operation. Repairing the damage that Aya had done with the ever-so-fine cut, as well as a warning given to the Mizukage who sat at her bedside, that a millimeter deeper could have caused some serious damage, perhaps giving the girl seconds to live rather than the minute that had resulted. Aya smiled, giving him a comment on how that they had all been tested this afternoon. Eventually, as Kaekio would eventually begin to come to, she would be met with the smiling face of the Mizukage and anyone else who was in the room, Aya having briefed Sero that she was to become a member of the villages ANBU and as such would require induction during the time she was unconscious, her change of clothes folded and pressed at the foot of her bed for the occasion.

"Welcome to the world of the living Kaekio."

Aya spoke with a smile.

"I Apologize in full for testing you the way that I had, it was my full intention of allowing you to be with us, but I needed to test your resolve first. You're quite the ninja, you stared death in the face and didn't give in till the end. Even Sero wouldn't kill you, and I'd never thought I'd see that day come. Colour me impressed. I could never strike down a ninja who is loyal enough to risk everything, just to protect the ones she loves, even if they may hunt them down for it. So, welcome to Kirigakure Kaekio, or, should i say, Chuken ... Chuken, Hachiko. "

Aya would insinuate to the ANBU attire at the foot of the bed, and with that insinuation, hopefully...

everything would be made clear. Though the Hitiate held within her pocket had a blade drawn along the symbol which had once been on it.

"Any questions?"

[1365]

Kaekio hung her head in defeat as sero approached. She offered no resistance as he came closer. Any resistance she would pose now would be futile. She merely closed her eyes as she felt sero raise his spear, although her surprise the spear was then slammed down next to her neck. She looked up at him with confusion and some of the fear in her eyes ebbing.

"Mizukage-Sama. I am requesting permission to disobey your previous command to end her. I feel my Ex squad mate would no longer remain loyal to Kiri should this person die by our hand. On top of that...if I can speak plainly....you faced her off against one of your strongest...sending a weapons specialist unarmed at me and she held her own...had she been armed she may have even been able to mark me. She will be more useful alive under supervision than dead and burned to ashes. If she ever does betray you...you can send me after her to finish this." This act honestly shocked kaekio. She had known the bloodlust of the monster before her. Infact she had witnessed it first hand, on two accounts now. So for him to NOT finish her off was honestly the last thing she expected, much less compend her on her efforts in battle. It was then that Mizukage who had remained unmoved for the entirety of the battle, even when rubble and the likes were sent her way or even when the battle came close to her, moved. She simply took a step forwards and dropped off of the monolith. Slowly approaching Kaekio as she drew her blade with what appeared to be telekinetics. It was then she spoke, Kaekio once again oblivious to the code the Mizukage was speaking in.

"that may be sero, but the rIsk she poses to the nation diploMatically is not something that can be proPeRly overloOked. we cannot risk an international incident just becaUse you vouch for the weak nature of one of your former squaD-mates. this matter is bigger than yOu, or i or her, in Future, eventuallY, yOU will underStand that i carry thE well being of thousands on my shouldeRs and it is with their intentiOns at heart that i act as i must....

noW you, young kunoichi, know that you fought wElL, you shouLd feel no shame in loosing to someone who was more skilleD than yourself. in anOther life, you could very well have woN this combat. falling in battlE is an honourable death. your life, as it was before ends here. WELCOME TO KIRIgakure" Kaekio herself felt honored that the Mizukage would commend her efforts as well, but as she said she had been out matched, Gripping her side and biting her lip in pain Kaekio managed to stand to meet her maker as she spoke approaching Kaekio. However it was then Kaekio caught the last sentence which surprised her with a few choice words. The words being "As it was before" and "welcome to Kirigakure" They seemed odd to say to someone who was about to be executed, and it didn't take but a moment for Kaekio to connect the dots. She wasn't going to die here. In fact to her it seemed at though she was being brought into Kirigakure. She had been accepted. It was then the Mizukage removed her mask and Eye patch underneath it. The Mizukage appeared to look almost similar to Kaekio infact with her Blue hair and blue eyes. However that Kage was clearly more mature than Kaekio but there was one thing Kaekio couldn't get past. Her eye. It was on fire. Kaekio wasn't sure if it was pretty or terrifying. before she could come to a conclusion the Mizukage raised her blade to Kaekio's neck. However Kaekio didn't phase before her new Kage.

"Bow... You have no reason to fear what comes next... TRUST ME."

Kaekio bowed before the Kaekio, although slowly due to her wound as it was, she then let out a breath of air, slow, she steadied her beating her heart and let the world around her fall away as she blocked out her senses. She wouldn't even flinch or twitch when the galatine came down, and before Kaekio could think of what was going to happen, she was a lifeless lump on the floor.

---

There was a pounding, although it was it wasn't on any structure, it was Kaekio's own head. As she slowly regained conscious her head grew into more and more pain, however he face felt... numb. As Kaekio touched her hand to her forehead she opened her eyes, but the image before her wasn't what she was expecting. The first thing she noticed was her hair... it was no longer the deep blue she had known but it was instead red. Not even just red. It was Scarlet. The next thing she noticed was that her nose.. it wasn't normal... well it looked like a normal nose... just not her nose. As Kaekio's confusion grew she then noticed the presence next to her, and she nearly jumped out of the bed.

"Welcome to the world of the living Kaekio."

Ayakashi spoke with a smile.

"I Apologize in full for testing you the way that I had, it was my full intention of allowing you to be with us, but I needed to test your resolve first. You're quite the ninja, you stared death in the face and didn't give in till the end. Even Sero wouldn't kill you, and I'd never thought I'd see that day come. Colour me impressed. I could never strike down a ninja who is loyal enough to risk everything, just to protect the ones she loves, even if they may hunt them down for it. So, welcome to Kirigakure Kaekio, or, should i say, Chuken ... Chuken, Hachiko. "

After her speech Aya gestured to the ANBU attire at the end of the bed. It took a minute for Hachiko to digest all of the information but she got it. Kaekio was dead, and she was no longer Kaekio, instead she was now a member of Kirigakure ANBU under the name of Chuken, Hachiko. Hachiko looked down and gripped the bedsheets a little bit understanding her situation in full now. Her crimson eyes then focused on the kage as she spoke again.

"Any questions?"

Hachiko nodded. "A few." she spoke, and then looked surprised. Even her voice was changed. Not having medical knowledge she didn't know that was possible but that voice that just came out wasn't hers. It was definitely still feminine. it was just... different. After the brief moment of surprise Hachiko coughed a twice and then continued.

"The first of which being... my girlfriend... Himitsu, Nozomi. What will be made of her? Will she be privy to the information that i'm alive, or shall she be informed that Kaekio is dead?" she would pause for a moment before continuing unto her next question. "The second being my civilian sir name. You just referred to me as Chuken, which is how i assume you'll be referring to me as a member of Kirigakure's ANBU. But i will need a name to present to Kirigakue's public if asked, and i certainly can't go around using my old name, being Ryuzoji as they are an infamous clan. Shall you provide me with one, or shall i devise one myself?" Hachiko understood that that last sentence could sound a bit harsh, and so she did her best to not have any hint of malice in it, with extra emphasis on it being a question of curiosity. She again paused for a brief moment before asking her final question. "Finally, would you by any chance have a reflective object on you? i understand some medical work has been done on me. And i have no use for prying into that information as to who provided it, i would very much like to see how i look before the general public does."

After all of that as said Hachiko would lay her head back and stare at the ceiling waiting for the Mizukage to answer. Her thought were particularly on the first question. She honestly couldn't decide which route was the better option.  Hachiko obviously didn't want Nozomi to suffer through the grief of her being dead. But on the other hand, she is almost obviously going to be a target for that type of information. Sanosuke knew that Nozomi and Kaekio were a thing, and so she would be the first person she would track down. It might be better not to drag Nozomi into the mess that Hachiko was in. Still it saddened her to know that she wouldn't be able to be her girlfriend's girlfriend. Still. This was the outcome of her decision. She was here so that way no matter what, she could protect nozomi. Even if it meant that Nozomi would think she were dead. As long as she could ensure her protection. That was all that mattered. Nozomi and the village of Kumogakure that was. As well as the Village of Kirigakure now. She was going to protect them all. That's what she came here to do, and so she was going to do it. With this resolve Hachiko would push through and gain power. That was all she needed to do now.

---

WC: 1597
Total WC: 5755

Sero watched without flinching as Ayakashi stepped off the edge of the monument and seemed to almost float down. He wasn't one to stress over any situation until it called for it but he still felt the urge to prepare a defense. He couldn't sense any malice from the woman but she still put him on edge when she drew close. His eyes shifted to the few shadows that remained. So they had been there to bear witness to his disobedience? A part of him hated them for it already. How dare they sit there in the shadows and judge him from afar. They were just the lap dogs of someone too cowardly to act of their own accord. Each of them only as useful as any spy could be. Still his mind was keen enough to understand hesitation to draw much closer. Those grey orbs shifted back to Ayakashi as she drew closer. The winter queen. Capable of bringing an ice age against her enemies even if they came in the form of an army. He doubted her power was exaggerated. The people watching may be willing to report in and let someone else question her motives but they would never actually involve themselves directly for their own safety. He felt the urge to charge them and see if their throats missing would allow them to report to anyone. Or rather...perhaps he could capture a few of them if only to find out who they were reporting to.

His breath misting in front of him dragged his attention back to the scene at hand. She was close enough now that her chakra was cooling the air and his natural heat, which ran hotter than the usual persons, was causing his breath to fog. She was certainly a potent individual. He was still no match for her if she didn't hold back but as before he could sense a....no....not anymore...he had used too much chakra and now he couldn't feel the distance between them as before. He was barely above a genin in that moment chakra wise and once more her power felt infinite in comparison. So....it only seemed close when he was fully rested eh? He would need to recall that in case it ever became important information. Still for a battle that lasted less than a minute..this girl had pushed him considerably. Even if he had been ordered to hold back he had to use a large portion of his energy just to get her to the point she was at now. Still, he hadn't been forced to use any of the three jutsu he had created yet. If she wanted vengeance in the future she would still be unprepared for his best abilities. That was assuming that Ayakashi was willing to take his opinion of the situation into consideration. He would obey regardless of what she decided but he wondered just how much sway he had with the woman if any.

She began to speak once more as she stood before Kaekio and himself. Sero listened once more as the Mizukage spoke in those odd tones once again. His mind taking in the parts he was sure were intended for him to hear. Spelling them out in his head like letters as slowly it formed into a message. The code was fairly simple for anyone that had his memory. Still his eye twitched at both the message of pride hidden within and the mild scolding he received. He was sure it wasn't merely for the benefit of those watching if they could hear or read lips, but it held enough truth to it to be a lesson to him as well. She was not doing anything beyond the normal situation math he usually calculated. One or two lives could not be measured against a nation. This much was true. Perhaps he had simply become to attached to the idea of caring about another. He would need to be sure he was willing to end her if he had to. He would need to meditate on that later. For the moment though Sero watched as Kaekio managed to force herself to stand. That was certainly impressive with that wound she had sustained. A weakened version of a simple C rank jutsu but a fairly vital spot to take a hit. Her fortitude was impressive. Still she bowed her head and Ayakashi's blade stabbed in a very fluid motion...yet Sero watched with a hint of curiosity. He was familiar with the human body and had severed the spine a couple of times to force someone to only be capable of watching as he did terrible things...made them helpless so he could acquire information. The wound wasn't fatal and he knew it. Now he understood what was happening. Enough so that he had work to do. So he turned and went a separate way from Ayakashi, her pet and the supposedly dead girl.

Later that day




Sero had spent the time of surgery and recovery doing his own work. First he forged a file using his access as an ANBU. He had no image to work with but more than a few files had the words "No image available" on them including his own. He used some ashes and dirt to smudge the file and even put a coffee ring on the corner to make it seemed aged. He was careful to use old paper in the printer and had to work around a couple of jams before it was finished. A file which appeared to be aged added to the Osada section. And a fairly newer copy of it collected for himself. He exited the office before moving down to the evidence and weapons lock up. He marked down that all her gear (Which had been scheduled for destruction) had been done so successfully. This was all information anyone from Kumo wouldn't be privy too without the Mizukage herself allowing it but he left no chances. He included the body had been disposed of and placed the ashes of a recently deceased female in a jar. Careful to make sure the evidence indicated the missing nin and her things had been destroyed in order to prevent the study of any Kumo nin. He exited out the back with her equipment in a duffle bag and made his way back to his place. He quietly worked on the weapons first...dying them time and time again and peeling any black paint off of it. He was careful to redye it all with strictly grey and white colors. The weapons first and the ANBU gear he stored under his floorboards in the wine cellar. Along side it he placed her two dolls and her headband. He replaced the floor boards before setting to work redying the two robes. The one with her clan symbol he adjusted to show the Osada clan symbol in a deep red. Her sage cloak he adjusted to a grey color instead of a black cloak and instead of clouds he made them into rain drops. A Kiri sage cloak indeed. It was time.

Sero packed it all into a large duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder and began his track to the hospital. The time it took to remake it all had been considerable. He knew that whatever Aya had been planning she was likely about done. It took him some time to track them down knowing what he was looking for but he managed eventually. Still he was cautious about entering a clan compound. After all he seemed like a hostile presence. An attack on a clan compound was while ill thought out still a possibility. Yet they seemed to ignore him other than to mark his passing. They held within their clan the title of the strongest shinobi. What did they care about a single Jounin? He almost felt insulted from the lack of interest in him. Still he moved through the cold compound letting his senses guide him until he felt that overwhelming power again. He was familiar after the time training with her to look out for it and on top of that had become familiar with the girl. Still he paused outside the door before he sighed and knocked. He wouldn't wait to let himself in though...the knock was simply to prevent a kunai heading for his face. Besides they would of felt him through the house all the same. When he did enter the room though he rose an eyebrow. She felt like the girl he just had a deathmatch with but if not for him being able to hear her speech on his way to the room he wouldn't of known for sure it was her. Different hair and face...just the eyes looked the same. Still he dropped the duffle bag at the foot of the bed and reached into his own vest. Tossing a folder at her labeled as her new identity. His voice was cold as were his eyes as he watched her.

"Osada, Mitsu is your new identity. One of my cousins. Your history is you lacked the ability to unlock our bloodline of boil release. However you managed to pass the exams anyway and unlock your own chakra natures. Your skills are listed similarly to your old ones but you must not use any signature abilities unless the person witnessing them will not survive to tell anyone. That means your Chidori abilities primarily. As for Nozomi. I am against more people knowing about this than necessary. But seeing as you will be staying with me on an island manor I will invite her there and you can explain it to her. I have taken the liberty of altering your gear to resemble and Osada set as well. Lastly...I will need to impart a piece of my chakra onto you. It will feel odd and possibly have side effects...but it is a necessary part of hiding your chakra signature."

1688/6013

Ayakashi listened to the girl ask her number of questions, each of them seemed honest and good to the ear. The girl seemed to be level headed in spite of the series of events which had led them to this particular point in time, in short, her life was about to change completely as the Country hidden in the mist would become her new home, the ninja and people within it would become her friends and family over-night, the nation would become her place to train and develop while her loyalty would have to lay with for such a time as it would be appropriate. Ayakashi was happy that she seemed to be taking things so well, tilting her head to a side the Mizukage was no longer wearing her full armour, the shroud of the Mizukage handing wide and open revealing her white alabaster skin and long hair past her hood. What looked to be bandages binding her upper body tightly and a chain clasping the coat together so that it would not become a hindrance in combat.

"The first of which being... my girlfriend... Himitsu, Nozomi. What will be made of her? Will she be privy to the information that i'm alive, or shall she be informed that Kaekio is dead? ... The second being my civilian sir name. You just referred to me as Chuken, which is how i assume you'll be referring to me as a member of Kirigakure's ANBU. But i will need a name to present to Kirigakue's public if asked, and i certainly can't go around using my old name, being Ryuzoji as they are an infamous clan. Shall you provide me with one, or shall i devise one myself? ... Finally, would you by any chance have a reflective object on you? i understand some medical work has been done on me. And i have no use for prying into that information as to who provided it, i would very much like to see how i look before the general public does."

There had been a procedure undergone, one to address some of the markings that had been done to her, the changes were subtle, but enough to throw off those who would know her, she looked like a similar but different person in the scope of things, still fair, but her features and bone structure looked as though it had been altered slightly, ridges and key features that people would draw mental parallels between would be absent and altered like cheek-bones, brow, eyes and jawline being by far the four most major areas which would be recognized. Aya would move to a mirror that was sat beside her, taking it and moving over to the patient, she would slide the mirror across the bed, touching the handle to her hand so that she would be able to see. Aya was about to open her mouth to talk, but it seemed that Sero had been busy with things in the mean time, he had worked on her equipment, allowing it to blend in with the kirigakure and especially the Osada aesthetic. Which was a surprise to say the least.

"Osada, Mitsu is your new identity. One of my cousins. Your history is you lacked the ability to unlock our bloodline of boil release. However you managed to pass the exams anyway and unlock your own chakra natures. Your skills are listed similarly to your old ones but you must not use any signature abilities unless the person witnessing them will not survive to tell anyone. That means your Chidori abilities primarily. As for Nozomi. I am against more people knowing about this than necessary. But seeing as you will be staying with me on an island manor I will invite her there and you can explain it to her. I have taken the liberty of altering your gear to resemble and Osada set as well. Lastly...I will need to impart a piece of my chakra onto you. It will feel odd and possibly have side effects...but it is a necessary part of hiding your chakra signature."

Aya nodded at what Sero was saying, flushing the girls' chakra system with Kai was a good idea, Aya stood up and moved over to her bed-side. Being the higher ranking ninja, she would be able to use a more powerful variant of Kai to better sweep everything clean, Sero's chakra was... special, it tainted the things that it touched, but while that would allow her to feel like a tainted version of herself, Aya wanted to completely flush her system with her own chakra to create a better basis for Sero. Looking to Kaekio Ayakashi nodded, trying to look at the girl's face to see how she was thinking and feeling, in reality, she had run from her country, there was little doubt in her mind that the country she had fled from would have placed a warrant on her arrest for being a missing ninja. She had left the country with the intent of joining another, Aya had seen ninja executed for less in other countries, and it was a crying shame when it came to pass.

"I apologize for this, and everything you have had to go through to get this far, simply put, especially when it comes to the land of Kumogakure, the relationships between kiri and that far away place are... thin. Their foreign ninja policies made it hard for my hunter ninja to work there, though they still do, it has become difficult and frustrating. They lost us a lot of money and relationships have been... thin... so I cannot risk you being the center-point for an international incident. When this all comes to a head, you can claim that Sero or I took you in as a personal prisoner or something of the like to put the weight of everything on our shoulders, or you could tell the truth, it is up to you, but, for now... This was necessary. But, as for flushing your chakra system...

I would like to be the one to do so first, if you don't mind Kaekio... Sero, simply put, I'm a stronger than you, and my chakra is just as unique with its senjutsu nature, me being able to flood her system with Kai, I would be able to wipe the slate clean for you to begin with, and, with my chakra running through her, it might give her a distinct 'kiri' feel before hand, as well as my senjutsu chakra being able to mingle with hers, which you, not being a sage, would not be able to do. So, with your permission Kaekio, might I begin? "

Aya would focus, activating her own sage mode, power radiating from her as the sage markings, elegant leylines of nature chakra washed over her body, pulsing brightly as Aya would place a cool hand onto the chest of Kaekio. Assuming permission was given, Aya would activate an art similar to Kai in its greatest possible form, converting it with her senjutsu conversion technique to flush her system with both nature chakra, and the combination of body and soul chakra. No trace of any chakra within her body would remain. The feeling would be interesting, the flushing sensation of her tanketsu and body would be like being submerged into icy water. Aya's chakra was something else, there was something... alive about it, like it had a mind and personality of its own, that it was searching for things. It was within her system that Aya found some chakra that had not belonged to her, something that had been placed, Noticed immediately by Aya's skilled perception and knowledge of the human chakra system.

Aya had felt that chakra before, it was sanosukes... she had felt it on the field of battle in the Seven bells war...

But with Aya's skill, it too was washed away to leave no trace what-so-ever. The Chakra there could have simply been from close exposure, or placed there willingly by the kage in order to get a bead on her should he want to keep tabs. Whatever it was, it was gone without a trace, leaving nothing but a resonant feeling within the ninja of cleanliness, her chi had been reset oiled like a well kept machine and stripped down to its most fundamental natures. She felt like a new person, but still much the same as she was before, Aya's chakra was not the same as Sero's, corrupting and different, but there was a slightly more primal sense coming from Kaekio to those who would be sensitive to it. With her Senjutsu sensory ability, Aya determined there was nothing within her that would allow her to be tracked by her unique signature. She could just as well be any other ninja with her elemental natures.

She was reset...

And now, to be changed

[5426 words total]

Trained:
Training pet (not anymore.)
Art of Reckless Release: 2000/2000
Battle Meditation Art: 2000/2000
Senjutsu conversion: 500/500

926 words remaining.

After her questions were asked, hachiko was passed a mirror by the mizukage. Hachiko took it gently and then began to observe her face. It was.. odd seeing someone else stare at you in the mirror. The major identifying features of her face had been altered so she seems unrecognizable, of course some of ehr features remain similar but it's definitely not a give away as to who she was. Hachiko would touch her face as she looked getting adjusted to. After a few moments she put the mirror down, and just as it looked like Aya was about to speak, sero pipped up.

"Osada, Mitsu is your new identity. One of my cousins. Your history is you lacked the ability to unlock our bloodline of boil release. However you managed to pass the exams anyway and unlock your own chakra natures. Your skills are listed similarly to your old ones but you must not use any signature abilities unless the person witnessing them will not survive to tell anyone. That means your Chidori abilities primarily. As for Nozomi. I am against more people knowing about this than necessary. But seeing as you will be staying with me on an island manor I will invite her there and you can explain it to her. I have taken the liberty of altering your gear to resemble and Osada set as well. Lastly...I will need to impart a piece of my chakra onto you. It will feel odd and possibly have side effects...but it is a necessary part of hiding your chakra signature."

Hachiko nodded at what Sero was saying, she wasn't going to object to anything they were going to do or had done. She owed them far beyond her life, and she would accept the terms of her acceptance, whatever they may be. However this isn't to say she was worried about having Sero's chakra in her. She was almost certain it would have negative effects. Plus she couldn't be sure how nozomi would appeal to this. Or if she would even appeal to her new appearance at all.  Well this was assuming that Hachiko would get to see the blonde again. Hachiko would then turn to the Mizukage as she spoke.

"I apologize for this, and everything you have had to go through to get this far, simply put, especially when it comes to the land of Kumogakure, the relationships between kiri and that far away place are... thin. Their foreign ninja policies made it hard for my hunter ninja to work there, though they still do, it has become difficult and frustrating. They lost us a lot of money and relationships have been... thin... so I cannot risk you being the center-point for an international incident. When this all comes to a head, you can claim that Sero or I took you in as a personal prisoner or something of the like to put the weight of everything on our shoulders, or you could tell the truth, it is up to you, but, for now... This was necessary. But, as for flushing your chakra system...

I would like to be the one to do so first, if you don't mind Kaekio... Sero, simply put, I'm a stronger than you, and my chakra is just as unique with its senjutsu nature, me being able to flood her system with Kai, I would be able to wipe the slate clean for you to begin with, and, with my chakra running through her, it might give her a distinct 'kiri' feel before hand, as well as my senjutsu chakra being able to mingle with hers, which you, not being a sage, would not be able to do. So, with your permission Kaekio, might I begin? "

Hachiko would simply nod her head, signaling that the Mizukage could go ahead. Again she would go along with whatever they wanted to do to her. Aside from the fact that she was indebted to them, she was now a member of Kirigakure's ANBU, and would follow the Mizukage's orders, or even advice to the best of her abilities. She was as her ANBU described a dog for Kirigakure to command, and she would follow her orders. Hachiko, even in her life in Kumo had never faulted on Orders, when she was told to do something she did it. However she would always keep the interest of her village, well villages now, at heart.

She would close her eyes as Ayakashi placed her hand on Hachiko's chest. She then felt an icy chill rush of her, and Hachiko gasped as if she had suddenly been exposed to cold, like someone had put ice in her shirt or something. She then felt bare, as her system was flooded. It felt like fresh, clean, a similar experience to walking into a freshly cleaned pure white room as Hachiko would imagine. It wasn't really something she had felt before, not having wiped her Chakra clean. But this wasn't to say she didn't dislike it. In fact being the minor clean freak that she was, she actually kind of enjoyed the feeling. It was certainly one she could get used to. However she knew it wouldn't be here long and so she figured she would enjoy it while she could. Hachiko would give a brief smile towards the Mizukage and mutter a thanks, before looking over to sero. "So, i've been cleaned. Now for you to pollute me, I suppose." Hachiko would say before taking another deep breath and closing her eyes once more, getting ready to take in Sero's chakra and make it her own. It was an exercise she was actually used to, and in fact had accomplished before. Although before had been Nature chakra, something she had never experienced before. She would imagine that this would be a bit easier to get control over, and make her own.

---

WC: 1000
Total WC: 6755

Sero stood back as Kaekio and Ayakashi spoke. Or rather Ayakashi spoke to the new girl. His arms crossed as his dull grey gaze took them both in. He didn't really care for apologies or asking how others felt. Aside from a physical condition report he didn't really need to know more than if her capabilities were on par with or greater then before. He doubted the surgery really altered her that much but his gaze did settle on the spot he had wounded her. It appeared to be fully healed which suggested a skilled medic. Was there a med nin Sero had not met yet in Kiri that not only could recover a wound of that caliber that had burned itself closed and could alter the appearance of another so entirely? It was impressive that Ayakashi could hide something like that from him through out his career. Or perhaps it was to be expected. Thinking back on it Sero hadn't actually suffered any wounds that required treatment as of yet. Each battle he picked was calculated in his favor and those that trained him did not actually mark him with blood. So there was a high likelihood that his lack of need for medical attention had left him to overlook a med nin. Most genin and chunnin medical techniques he had witnessed however were focused to either heal burns or cuts and the best of them could heal broken bones. For a technique that could regenerate the skin and muscle tissue that had been melted away entirely around the bones regardless of the burned skin there...he assumed they were impressive.

Still he frowned as Ayakashi spoke up about being more powerful than himself. It wasn't that he denied it as fact. Not in the least did he have an illusions that he was superior to her. He was still in the process of developing his techniques and even creating an S rank jutsu. However being verbally told of it in front of company was something that irked him. He was growing in leaps and bounds faster than any of her other shinobi and she still wished to point out her power over him. Even though it was logical it frustrated him and only grew his need to grow stronger. He would grow still to a point that even she would doubt if she was more powerful than himself. Still he didn't care to deny her logic on the matter. It was sound enough, especially with the Senjutsu nature. Sage mode was something he could never accomplish strictly because the only part of nature he could ever hope to attune himself too was already dead and couldn't provide him with any power. Nature faded from him when he approached so he wouldn't bother with it. Not to mention the distinct Kiri feel as she put it....he wasn't sure on that one since Kiri had always been a war zone to him but he did accept that only he seemed to view it that way. None of the other shinobi dedicated themselves to the quiet war as he did. Still as Ayakashi touched her the room chilled enough that he could see his breath. He was aware of this being the nature of the Aisu as he had experienced it before. However this time he was far more prepared for the cold and he doubted the temperature would drop as much. He could feel the surge of power from her as the room seemed to flex and strain outwards and the wood creaked. All the glass in the room frosted over and with that she was done. Sero could no longer tell Kaekio apart from any other common shinobi. It was his turn. Still when Hachiko spoke to him a pale smile lit across his lips.

"Pollute....what a good word to use. This may feel....aggressive."

Sero almost glided across the room as his steps carried him gracefully to the bedside. Quietly he drew his chakra to the fingertips of his right hand as nearly black veins popped up on the back of his pale, outstretched grasp. A visible darkness coated his fingertips as he finally reached out and touched her forehead, almost grasping it in his palm. As he did the room would almost seem to reverse in a lesser fashion of what it had done with Ayakashi. The wood and walls would seem to strain inwards as if something was attempting to consume them. The frost on all the glass surfaces would ever so slowly fade away. He held her longer than Ayakashi had as the process took longer with him. As he did the whites of her eyes would blacken as she would be sucked into his chakra. At first it was like a burning pain. Almost like fire had invaded her chakra system and burned it. That pure white room slowly having the roof drip black and spread as soon it was coated in an oil like substance. Hachiko would see herself in a flat lands almost covered in this black substance with her in the center of it. It would look so real and the smell of death would permeate all around her. The surface of the oil would move and suddenly black hands would shoot out and stab into her. Holding her there as almost in a video she would see visions of the moment of every kill Sero had ever made. All the terror and the screams echoing one after another until she would lose count. Until finally she would feel what Sero felt each time he took those lives. A sick feeling of satisfaction like fulfilling a hungry desire tied in with a sense of endless rage. Sero was anything but human and now...now she had a part of that in her as well. Still as he released her from his grasp the room would almost be burning hot as steam was rising off of both of them aside from where Ayakashi was which remained ever cool. It was done and now she was tainted like him. The bloody part of the mist.

7045

She seemed to be on top of things as far as this process was concerned, ninja in this world relied so much on their senses rather than their own minds, the super-human abilities of shinobi in this day and age led men and women of all ages to aspire to power rather than intelligence, which would be the way that this disguise would be seen through, while one could change a person's face or change their chakra, their techniques, colour of their skin, hair and every other facet of their being, there was one thing that no amount of surgery would ever be able to change. Aya nor Strafe nor Sero could change who she was, her mannerisms, the way she spoke and addressed people with her own unique syntax which would take years of practice to remove . Those who were intimately familiar with her would no doubt see everything done as little more than a make-over if they knew her heart. But no doubt those who searched for her intended to use techniques, jutsu, scouts and their naked eyes in an attempt to discover her presence, that was if they even came looking, which bought Aya to her next point.

As the procedure continued, her eyes moved to Sero, he had indeed become strong, a lot stronger than any other member of the village, save maybe Dameon Shikyo or the Late Kaguza. Aya would no doubt have to bestow upon him one of the seven swords at some point, and it would be a toss up as to which one would be the best to go about it. Sero was a particularly intelligently cruel ninja who would no doubt relish the ability to bring a person down piece by piece, though he did not lack anything in the way of strength. Should he become strong enough, Sesho Sekki would have been an ideal blade for him to hold, naming him single-handedly the captain of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, though, the test to gain the title would be difficult, no-one beyond Kaguza had ever come close to passing 'that' trial. The only warrior in the village whom had ever so much as wounded her in a test or duel with his powerful Raiton abilities.

Aya could remember the roar of that dragon shattering through her own to this day.

...No, that blade was not made for Sero, which immediately made her think of another, the whip sword serpants' tongue. It required an interesting combination of abilities which needed to work in tandem for it to be able to be used. The sword function itself requiring swordsmanship while the whip function required Onojutsu. That weapon had long been one of Aya's favorites. She had intended to claim it for herself if no-one had expressed any interest in it, sadly, not a single person had for some time. But she was certain that it's cunning and deceptive nature, not to mention the toll for its use would be something that Sero would gladly pay should he ever wish to use the sinister weapon. So, unless when the day came he wished to take another, Aya had made her decision on which of the weapons she would take to him on the day he asked her to apply. Smiling as the procedure came to an end, Aya looked to the patient and grinned light heartedly. Sero's chakra was not something that Aya would have felt comfortable with coursing through her system, yet alone a ninja as young as Hachiko.

Waiting a couple of moments for the Kunoichi to recover, Aya then spoke:

"The process is complete, so, you are now fully indoctrinated into the City, the last things I would like you to do, is give me everything you know about Sanosuke Flynt, he wouldn't notice a ninja of your caliber missing from his ranks, and seeing as you were accompanied by my ninja, I might expect a visit from you... knowing his temperment, there could be... altercations. I fought with him against Mizuru in the Seven Bells war... I know he is a Sage with the wind nature, but little else... I wasn't in a mind-set to be paying attention. I'd like all you know in a report on him by tomorrow.

Other than that single task, you have a week to get to know the city and to recover from everything you've been through, talk to your lover and take what time you need off, but after that, I'm going to need you on duty in this country. Serve me well, and you will be rewarded, Hachiko."

Aya could remember the Wasp sage in that battle, constantly charging ahead on his own recklessly without any thought of the other 3 who were battling against the mistress of blades. Several times in the battle they had cornered her, only to have Sanosuke's lack of combat expertise and his own tunnel vision on the target conversely free her from any finishing blow which could have been made. It was his fault alone that Mizuru was not able to be apprehended by the end of the war. The bounty on her head stuck out above all else, leading Aya to send party after party in pursuit, but each of them came back with bad news, never once locating the powerful ninja whom had done so much damage to kiri... yet in turn, had made the country stronger than ever before. Ayakashi if she ever saw that man again, would not know whether to cut him down heartlessly, or to thank him for his presence... that same part of her wondered if that was really his goal to begin with...

Snapping back to reality, Aya looked to Sero, placing a hand on his shoulder in thanks for his part in everything that happened. Pride crossing the Mizukage's face hidden behind her subtle yet coy smile.

"Sero, I have a special mission for you, In your spare time when you're not training your squad I would like to put you especially with ANBU hand-picked by you on honor guard duty. I want you close to me until this whole thing calms down, you're the only person with the ability, and who I trust enough to have my back right now. With... everything going on.

Once Again Hachiko... welcome, it's good to have you."

With that, and her directives said, Aya walked to the door of the building, walking out of what happened to be the Aisu family compound waving to her mother and giving her a hug before Aya activated her Sage mode, butterfly-like wings expanding gloriously from her back as Aya bent her knees, her power preparing a single jump as her chakra pressure almost caused the ground to shake beneath her. With a single bound, as if she had taken off, Ayakashi was gone, she had duties to attend to, and there was a storm brewing in the north, from the direction of the Daimyo's palace. Aya had been holding off with her mission for too long, bursting through the forest like a rocket, it was time to get something done that she should have done a long time ago...

But such, was a tale for another time

[exit thread.]
5426 + 1237 = 6663

Learned:

Art of Reckless Release: 2000/2000
Battle Meditation Art: 2000/2000
Senjutsu conversion: 500/500
Sage mode (Nature.) 2000/2000

Sero released his hand from the girl and felt something there. A remnant of the contact with two Sages. What was odd was that he actually felt it like a thread tugging at him. A thin thing that would of been overlooked easily had it not been for the fact that he had no sense of touch. To actually feel something was incredibly noticeable to him. He lifted his pale, almost clawed fingers to his face to study his finger tips. Had he touched something beyond his understanding? Already the sensation was fading but he knew somewhere within him it was possible to re-obtain. He could almost feel that thread still like it was connected to everything around him. A single fraction of their ability and how they had drawn from the energy around them...His dull grey gaze shifted to the window that was partially frosted over still to the plant outside. He knew the thread was connected to it somehow and knew that it was a part of the plant. A simple tree but he had felt it there. If one strand of nature chakra could bring him to this new sensation...drawing in from everything around him would be far more interesting.

Still his attention was drawn away from the silent girl before them and back to Ayakashi. His grey gaze shifted almost lifelessly to the arm touching his shoulder. He was sure it was cold and if she wished it he would lose that arm. After all he hadn't managed to defrost the room entirely proving her might over him. An irritating thing to be sure but fitting for someone who commanded him. Her expression was an odd one though. It lacked the doubt or caution he had known from others nor was it like the understanding only a couple of people had obtained with him. He wasn't sure what the expression meant but for now he would let it fade. Her words were more important anyway. She needed an honor guard capable of making a fellow Kage hesitate to engage her or send anyone to do his dirty work. Sero figured he would of been enough to handle that role on his own if not for the other duties she had mentioned in giving the order. There was a team however that had proven capable in his eyes that would function well enough while he was away as fodder. They were capable and a deterrent against harm coming her way without her knowing but if a Kage came at them they would be crushed.

Three special Jounin and one Jounin was the group he had in mind. A specialty team of ANBU designed for reclaiming and escorting VIP's. The first of the special Jounin was a Barrier specialist with white robes and silver hair tied in a pony tail. He was not particularly good at combat but his barriers cost those who hit them with a punishment. An electric current coming out of it in waves to whoever would dare strike it. Excellent for positioning next to the Mizukage. Next was the sniper twins. Hawk and Raven were identical twins that used large crossbows and kept to the high ground. Often they would switch roles and masquerade as the other but their talent was over all perception of an area and a dead on aim. Someone would have to eliminate both of them to get anywhere near Ayakashi. Lastly was a warrior with a buzz cut. The Jounin and leader of the group carried a great sword that she kept a pressured water edge on that could cut through weapon, armor and person alike. She gave the orders and they were followed and she was excellent and close combat. Sero was eager to take on that team in his personal madness but that meant to him most would avoid it. They would be present when he was not. They were also fully aware that if they failed to protect her and survived...it would be very temporary.

Still his attention was drawn back to the silent girl that would soon be living with him. He wondered how often she might try and kill him within his home. Another reminder to always remain alert. Of course he wouldn't have the patience to put up with too many attempts. It was easy enough to dig a six foot hole in the backyard. However that was not his goal for the time being so he was satisfied as was. Still she would easily enough discover the location of the supposedly haunted island when she was rested enough. Likely after visiting Nozomi. For now he was off on his own to prepare. Ayakashi was well gone by the time he got outside but that was fine. If he couldn't keep up with the speed she set only a couple of people in the whole nation could. For now he walked home attempting over and over again to feel out for those threads. Only getting one or two here and there.

Exit thread

7892
Learning Senjutsu 5000/5000
Senjutsu D-C 2892/6000

"Pollute....what a good word to use. This may feel....aggressive." Sero said  in response to Hachiko's Inquiry. Still she figured that this might be something Akin to that. Anyone in the word could feel the darkness of Sero's chakra, and for such a thing to invade her very system it would.. at the very least not be healthy, but it's not as though she had a choice. In fact, it was quite the opposite. This was mandatory, but she did sign up for it, so as Sero glided over to her, she offered no resistance. Then she felt it. The invasion of her system. The black oil, filling that once white room. it was suffocating. Not only did it cover the wall, the roof, the floor, but it also infected the air, and Hachiko felt as though she were drowning, to the point that when Sero released she physically let out a gasp for air. But there was something else. Something she had only experienced a little, but now it was intense. A burning passion. The desire to kill. She wanted to feel someone's blood run through her hands as she grabbed their throat. She wanted someone to flee, only to chase them down and remove their hope. See the last bit of life, their hopes, their dreams, fading from their eyes as her sword was sticking out of their chest. Shocked by the feeling Hachiko couldn't help herself, but feel ill. It wasn't her. It was demonic and a primal feeling. Hachiko covered her mouth and her boy physically shook. she then rushed off the bed and found the nearest trashcan to vomit in. After she began growing accustomed to the feeling, which took a few moments, she returned to the bed, sitting on the side of it this time, running her hand over the ANBU Attire at the edge of the bed as Ayakashi began to speak.

"The process is complete, so, you are now fully indoctrinated into the City, the last things I would like you to do, is give me everything you know about Sanosuke Flynt, he wouldn't notice a ninja of your caliber missing from his ranks, and seeing as you were accompanied by my ninja, I might expect a visit from you... knowing his temperment, there could be... altercations. I fought with him against Mizuru in the Seven Bells war... I know he is a Sage with the wind nature, but little else... I wasn't in a mind-set to be paying attention. I'd like all you know in a report on him by tomorrow.

Other than that single task, you have a week to get to know the city and to recover from everything you've been through, talk to your lover and take what time you need off, but after that, I'm going to need you on duty in this country. Serve me well, and you will be rewarded, Hachiko."

Hachiko nodded and said still shakily "I'll have a written report to you about everything i know of Kumogakure, and specifically Sanosuke, by the end of the tommorow at the latest." Then Ayakashi turned to Sero, detailing of a special mission, but Hachiko wasn't concerned. She simply turned her attention to the ANBU attire, and began to put it on, and she finished only moments before Ayakashi left. Hachiko then put her now red hair in a ponytail, and turned to sero.  Who was also beginning to head out. Hachiko simply assumed he was heading home, and silently followed him to his place of residence.

---

[close thread]
WC: 606
Total WC: 7355
Perception B-2 -> B-2: 900/900
Speed B -> B-3: 2400/2400
Strength B -> B-3: 2400/2400
Endurance: B -> B-2: 1500/1500
WC remaining: 155