Parlay (Nariko)

Honiko steered  Balerion above the Kumogakure city skyline. The area was advanced and filled with a variety of stores, factories, and residential communities. Some would consider it progress but the Dragon Sage saw it as a futile attempt to escape the hollowness that came with being spiritually dead. The ninja world had strayed away from the teachings of their forefathers and so nothing good would come of the present world order no matter how much they thought themselves into technology and change. The pale woman illicited a vocal scoff as Balerion flew towards the Raikage building. Balerion circled around the building thrice to get the attention of its occupants and then flew close to the ground allowing Honiko to safely jump off his wing and land on the hard surface of the building's roof. She instructed her disciples to remain on the dragon and not to engage anyone unless they were attacked first and in imminent danger. Their arrival was totally unannounced and given the fanfare made at the gates, the people were likely to be in a state of total panic. For Honiko's purposes this was actually a good thing. It would let her see how quickly the village mobilized in response to a threat and what were their protocols in a situation such as this. How quickly would the Raikage arrive on the scene? Would they attack first and ask questions later? All of this was worthwhile intelligence that cost nothing to collect. She was confident that they could fend of any serious attacks and escape wholly intact. As an insurance policy, she formed the necessary seals and produced a shadow clone which hopped off the side of the building and ran elsewhere to attend to some key business.

If the Kumo-Nin were smart they'd realize the Society had not attacked the village at all. Aside from spitting fire and flying at a low altitude, Balerion had done nothing to cause harm to the city's denizens. Their intrusion however could not be ignored and Honiko expected to meet face to face with the Lightning Shadow in a matter of moments. There'd likely be hard feelings seeing as how she single-handedly: wiped out an entire town within the Lightning Country, stolen a priceless artifact from one of its monasteries, attacked their shinobi, and turned one of them into a Missing Ninja. If Nariko was anything like Seigi Chinoike there'd almost certainly be a fight first but something told her that this Raikage was more reasonable than her predecessor.

Honiko was wearing a signature armour: burgundy leather with red steel plating in strategic areas. The woman's ultra long white hair wrapped and tied into a psuedo-bun with excess drapping over her shoulders. Her scarred eyes pierced the horizon as she waited for the woman to arrive. She activated her Mind's Eye so that she could sense all activity within the village and in doing so she noted a few surprises.

Balerion and the rest of the disciples for their part moved higher into the sky and then settled on a building nearby. They were within viewing distance and if they had any boldness or pride about them they wouldn't hide themselves. For Raijin it would be a return to his homeland after two years of being a fugitive. Honiko wanted the world to see her disciples out and about, what good was power if one had no inclination to demonstrate it?


Used:

Mind's Eye
Shadow Clone

Honiko Clone exit

Akame's eyes danced upwards through the mask she wore on her face. She was dressed in her full ANBU garb, black clothing that covered every part of her body with a black flak jacket to match. A hood on the long sleeved shirt she wore covered her head, a white ANBU mask with a single black line running down the center of the face. The ANBU hid in the shadows of a building, her sensing skills active. All of this because of an unwelcome guest wanting to make a showy entrance.

The Blade Queen was on patrol in preparation for the exams and the jonin tournament, running final checks on everything when she was alerted to the presence of something approaching the village from the sky. When she saw for herself, she took a few moments to track where it appeared to be headed within the village. Thankfully, she had a decent head start on the beast due to her, you know, being in the village and all that. To the ANBU who had alerted her, she would issue her orders in a cold monotone. "It's headed towards the administrative section if I had to take a guess. Alert all on duty ANBU of this incursion. I will tell the Raikage personally, and if necessary, will hold them until you reinforce me. Don't be slow, either. If I'm right about who this is, I'll need it. Go."

With that order, the ANBU would disappear in a puff of smoke as he sped away to alert the village defenses. There would be no openly large hostile attacks for now as that would worry the citizenry. This was actually something they had been planning for for some time in the wake of the destruction this dragon woman had wrought a couple years back.

Akame created a handful of shadow clones, three in total, each of them fanning out with one of them utilizing sensory to keep track of the people trying to fly in. Using their very sharp intellect in tandem with their home field advantage, the group of four would stay in the shadows of buildings, sticking to dark back alleys that only one who patrolled the village regularly would be able to utilize to such an extent. Whatever the suspected target, one Honiko, had in mind mattered little in Akame's approach to the Raikage's complex. She needed to tell the Raikage either way. The one thing that stunned the clone was how vast the chakra of one of the people on top of that dragon was. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, and Nariko wasn't exactly a slouch in that department. This is worse than I thought, the clone thought to itself with more than an annoyed feeling. The clone let this fact be known through visual signals, indicating to the other three that one of the intruders had a lot of power inside of them.

Thankfully, the woman atop the dragon didn't use her own sensing abilities until she was off of the dragon and on top of the building once she finished with her display of fire and aerial maneuvering. This gave Akame ample time to get into position, with the woman getting to the building a few seconds before the ANBU by virtue of travelling in the air. Even despite her head start, being on the ground made it much harder to beat something that has a straight path. When she got there, Akame would hide her chakra signature while the clones would keep theirs exposed. They wanted to create the illusion that there was only a small team approaching, when in fact there would be four. A few seconds after this is when the woman would begin her descent to the top of the building which is when she would undoubtedly notice the signatures currently racing up the side of the building.

Akame and one clone went around to one side of the building while the other two clones went to the opposite side. The clone utilizing sensory was paired with the other clone, Akame herself electing to run into the Raikage's building herself. The clone she had gone with jumped onto the building, sticking to it and running up the side all the way to the top. The clones on the other side would do the same, the trio getting to the top at roughly the same time. On the way up, the clone using sensing would weave a string of seals and would hold the last one. When it got to the top of the building, it would come up with its back to Honiko to prevent her from seeing what exactly that seal was while the second clone would be facing her to make sure she couldn't get to the other one.

Once the three clones were on the rooftop, the two not holding seals would have their hand ready to draw their blade. The dragon had flown off to a nearby building, the other group of shinobi doing something else. Honiko had sent a clone of herself off in a different direction from the one they had approached in, a lucky break for them. One would speak up, a cold monotone coming from inside the mask.

"Yeah, there's no doubt about it. Not many people fit your description," Akame's clone began. "Do not move if you do not wish to die. Our orders are to bring you in alive if possible." The ANBU clones said nothing for a moment before the one paired with the clone that was turned around would speak up.

"I've already begun to alert the village defenses as well as the Raikage. Do not think that you'll be getting away easily this time, Honiko." The clone paused here before continuing. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you that I've been dying to know, if you don't mind, as the captain of our ANBU." Akame would await her reply, if one was given before continuing. Depending on that reply, Akame might continue. As an ANBU, she shouldn't say anything. As a person, she felt she had to though.





Used:


Shadow Clone (3 Clones created)


Clone 1: Sensing- .5 upkeep

Prepared a jutsu for use

Wall Walking- 1 upkeep

38.5/40 stamina left


Clone 2: Wall walking- 1 upkeep

39/40 stamina left


Clone 3: Wall Walking- 1 upkeep

39/40 stamina left


Akame: Chakra Suppression

Sensing (briefly)

39.5/40 stamina left




Everyone has 10/40 nature chakra gathered

It appeared one of those surprises would be her first point of contact. She stood still as the ANBU attempted to surround her clearly shaken by her sudden presence in their village. They had not attacked but she assumed they could and would do so at a moment's notice. The Dragon Sage mentally praised them for their restraint as to initiate hostilities in one's own village would be rather foolish. The consequence would be terminal for the attacker and the village itself would need to be partially razed in order to answer the insult and demonstrate the Society's resolve. The chatter that came from the ANBU's mouth was infuriating. Did they think they had the capability to bring her in or even more fantastical kill her?

The Dragon Sage shifted her position clearly violating the order as she placed one foot in front of the other and raised her head a quarter of an inch. She could sense their chakra on a level that most could only dream of. She could feel a peculiarity about it, certain emotions vibrating from the clones as they approached. Despite the woman's movement she had not acted offensively towards the group although she was more than prepared to do so if they chose to respond violently. It was purely to show them that they were not in control of the situation and that should they choose to exert control over the situation in a manner not to her liking then they'd be the ones responsible for the chaos that was sure to follow. Movement across the village shifted as countless bodies re-oriented themselves in relation to the drama unfolding on the Raikage's chief administrative building. Some went to hide, some went to reinforce, and some went to put other preparations in place. The response time was impressive. Whoever had laid contingency plans for her arrival should be rewarded.

She'd say nothing instead allowing the silence to fill the space between them. If Akame wished to ask her question she may as well do so.

Used:
Mind's Eye of the Kagura

Iro responded to the disturbance from the mission office opting to leave the moment she finished her report. Opening the door she found on the far end of the hallway entering the stairwell was a masked ANBU giving Iro a sense of gravity of the situation. This was something that had to be on par with terrorist threats or an invasion to require the presence of ANBU. Iro followed suit chasing the other female up the stairs to the rooftops. Passing the doorway and to the outdoors she was greeted by a steady wind due to their altitude. A pulsating gust swept across the rooftop as the dragon flapped its wing only to settle on a building overlooking the scene. Iro acknowledged the presence of the beast, but most notably that of Honiko. The white skinned and white hair coupled with the burn scar and signature red outfit made the woman's identity known to those with half a brain.

Iro opted the stay just outside the doorway just six meters from the real ANBU that had taken a similar path. Honiko stood, surrounded, with a nonchalant attitude. Iro shifted her eyes between the dragon and Honiko once as she analyzed their behavior. They gave off a non-aggressive vibe. Clearly if Honiko had wanted to challenge Kumogakure she would have done to Kumogakure what she did to the small, rural mountain town she was responsible for destroying. Fire was destructive and certainly did the job when one wanted to destroy something.

Like many Shinobi she wears the common black sandals which secure her feet and ankles. Iro wears a pair of loose fitting black pants which extend shortly above her ankles, which she has wrapped in a set of white bandage wrap. Her pants are paired with a black sleeveless, backless top with a white undershirt in the same design. Her utility belt was worn around her waist which held a first aid on the back side next to her hip pouch and a single holster on her right. A single, tan obi is worn around her waist. Black leather arm guards covered both arms from the back of the hand up to the elbows. On her left forearm she wore a set of platinum bracelets which glowed a dim azure blue. Slapped over her body was a dark gray flak jacket with three scroll holsters, the basic secondary flak jacket provided by Kumogakure. A leather baldric is worn across her body where she carries a quarter staff made entirely of oak.

Around her forehead Iro sports her forehead protector. In a black cloth she has the forehead protector's steel plate facing the front with Sunagakure's emblem engraved on the plate. Iro has long, plum hair which is fastened in a long ponytail using a tan hair tie. She keeps the rest of her hair parted in the front with two long bangs reaching down to her chin. Iro herself stands 5'8 and weighs approximately 135 lbs. With deep tan skin she bares golden amber eyes. Iro has an impressive athletic figure including a toned abdomen with muscle work shown around her body.

Iro kept a steady eye on all potential targets in the vicinity ensuring they were not preparing for any offensive move or showing any signs of malice. Doing so would prompt Iro into an offensive mode. For now she waited to see how the conflict rolled out. Akame was inclined to subdue Honiko, and although Iro felt that would be the proper course of action to take it would not come at a heavy toll. "Easy, Ma'am. Don't make any hasty decisions. If Honiko wanted to cause trouble she would have started the moment she entered city limits. And it is not too late for her to start, either. Destruction is not her objective. At least for now." Iro said not willing to assume Honiko's goal, which was still mostly unclear at the moment.

Iro Things:

Nariko sat in her office, filling out paperwork, when she heard the noise of flapping wings and the crashing sound of some large creature landing. Almost as soon as it landed, her door slammed open and two squads of Anbu entered the room. Nariko stood up quickly, throwing on her Raikage hat.

One of the ANBU spoke up. "Report ma'am. It appears that a Dragon has flown over Kumo and entered. It's carrying a few people." They awaited instruction, and Nariko turned away, moving towards the balcony attached to her office.

"Form a perimeter around the area. I dont want any civilians in the way. After evacuating anyone who doesn't belong, feel free to back me up if there's a fight. I'd prefer to avoid hostility until I know what they want." Nariko said. The Dragon hadn't attacked yet, which meant something. And she remembered the reports from the Valley. Currently she was operating under the suspicion that this was Honiko and her gang, which meant there may be a Jinchuuriki with her.

As they left to do as bid, Nariko strolled out into her balcony, and stared out to the Dragon and the crew. She watched the arrival of Akame and Iro, and smiled to herself. They would suffice as backup for now. She knew they were both decent fighters, Akame possibly her better.

Body flickering over to the group, Nariko stood next to Akame, the two Jinchuuriki if Kumogakure side by side. "I assume you're aware there is a gate and a perfectly good door to walk through Honiko?" She said, making a little light banter. She wanted to take the measure of this woman and buy her anbu time to finish evacuating the area.

Nariko aside from the hat signifying her role as the Raikage, looked as any other Kumo Jounin would. She donned her flak jacket and signature jumpsuit, but there was notably not a single bit of weaponry on her person. She was primarily a ninjutsu specialist, and had immense chakra reserves, so there wasn't a need for any such ninja tools, although in reality she was just too lazy to buy any.

Another Kumogakure shinobi arrived to calm her comrade's spirit. She warned her that while Honiko was not hostile for the moment that could quickly change. It was best to approach with caution and quarantine than to outright attack her when she had made no moves of aggression. The dark skinned kunoichi was smart in this regard but Honiko barely paid her any mind. She was here for the Raikage and while the ANBU Captain had provided a temporary and amusing distraction she was growing weary of waiting. Just as she was about to voice her displeasure, Nariko made herself known. She seriously expected Honiko to use the front door like some kind of merchant charlatan. Honiko was a Dragon Sage and she didn't feel herself bound to the conventions and protocols designed for the spiritually dead.

"I am not one of your subjects and I will not be beholden to your petty obstructions. The Society goes where it pleases." Honiko's tone was not angry but it was clear that she did not find the Raikage's joke to be funny. "We are not here to do violence or harm to your village though. No, instead I am here to offer you two propositions. Listen well Raikage for I will only say them once. My disciples grow weary of the weak and troublesome challenges that this world has to offer. I am molding them to be leaders and warriors for the great and final war. I must test their power and rather than challenge them by having them lay waste to your village I have decided that it would be best to allow them to participate in the Jounin Tournament you are hosting. I ask that you allow both of my disciples to enter in the tournament and guarantee them the same general protection offered to every participant. The alternative would be assess my disciples' skills by having them conduct open warfare on your people. This is a less efficient use of the Society's time and a danger to your village and so my proposition should satisfy us both"

Honiko remained stationary but tense and ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

"My second proposition is not as serious as the first but nonetheless just as beneficial. I require use of your medical facilities for an indefinite period of time. I will transform it into a temporary base for the Society and conduct a few experiments there. In exchange for your cooperation I am willing to provide Kumogakure with a sample of a foreign kekkei genkai"

Honiko wasn't one for small talk or idle chatter. She explained her position, would make her propositions, and then expect an equally straight-forward answer.

Nariko was amused at the very least. She stepped forward towards Honiko, making a gesture for Iro and Akame to stand down for the time being. "Regardless of your views on the importance of your Society, in my village, we have rules. Not just for our own protection, but for the protection of those who enter into my home. In the future, we have a gate. I don't want undocumented shinobi in my walls." she said, emphasizing that she was the one in control here. She wouldn't have someone come here and tell her how to do things, not in her own village, and certainly not her home.

"As for your... proposition. You have come into Kumogakure at a fortunate time. The Chuunin Exams were created to bring the nations together in prosperity, regardless of any animosity there may be between them. They are a time for healing, for mending torn relationships and beginning anew. I believe we can all benefit from each other in this time. I shall permit you entrance to the village, and any assault towards you in the village will be taken as an attack on Kumogakure. However, the same goes for your group. Should you cause problems, you'll be treated as a criminal and the full might of my forces will be there. I expect civility during your stay." she said carefully.

The exams were a fantastic time to gain more information about the Society, especially with all the nations present. To examine their capabilities and learn their strengths and weaknesses. Honiko might be surprised to find out the power of some of their shinobi as well, but it would do to show her that she wasn't the top dog she may think she is. Nariko, all the time, was appraising Honiko, and she didn't seem to be all that, but she had heard of her fighting prowess, so she knew that there had to be something to her. Besides that, it was a good idea to have the Society here. Better to know where they were than where they weren't.

Nariko smiled politely. "I do have a couple stipulations though, on your entrance here. I will grant you your requests, but you will follow my rules. That means you use the gate when you come and go." She looked pointedly at Honiko, seeing how much she could push her buttons on the gate thing. "Secondly, I shall grant your request to set up shop in our hospital, but you'll have your own wing that will be separate from the rest of the hospital. There is a quarantine area for the Plague victims that is currently available, unused right now, and presumably for at least another couple months. If those terms are alright, then I believe we have a deal." she said, finding some middle ground for the moment. She really didn't want this to come to a fight in the middle of her village, after all.

She folded a hand behind her back and gestured towards Akame with the other. "I have a small request, but it isn't a pressing matter if you decline. I would like to see you in combat against the captain of my ANBU. If you are okay with that, you can set the arrangements with her, although I'd like to at least watch them."

Folding the gestured hand behind her back with the other, Nariko once again smiled and gave a dutiful bow of her head, before lifting it to await a response.

With the appearance of Nariko, Iro knew the situation was under control. Their exchange of words would end up in a bargaining process with Honiko requesting to set up base in Kumogakure in exchange for a foreign bloodline sample. Making Kumogakure a hideout for 'the Society?' What kind of fool does she take us as? Affiliating with an international terrorist in exchange for a foreign bloodline, which was without a doubt obtained maliciously, would definitely put a target on our heads... The deal did not sit well with Iro's stomach. It spelled bad news in the future for Kumogakure and accepting such an offer would be a greedy mistake. Iro would step away from the door she stood in and approached the side of Nariko at a casual pace stopping just a couple feet behind her.

Nariko's rebuttal was something Iro could respect leadership-wise. Her authoritarian demands regarding village protocol set the line of dominance letting Honiko know that she was a guest and not someone who could walk into any foreign village and bully its Shinobi because of some crimes she committed in the past. It undoubtedly raised a partial smirk on Iro's face to see the Society leader being stood up to. The power playing aside, Nariko did make a counter offer after considering what Honiko said.

Iro found this offer to be somewhat better, albeit still disastrous in the long run. Nariko practically agreed to all of Honiko's terms with some preliminary terms and tasks which needed to be accomplished before execution. What surprised Iro the most was the request of a spar between the ANBU Captain and Honiko. I don't know how much faith you have in our ANBU Captain...but Honiko was able to fight off several Chuunin and Jounin at once. Iro understood this was because Nariko wanted more information about Honiko's abilities, but she questioned if the risks she were pulling were even worth it. So what if the village learned more about her skills, elements, and technique? At what cost was she going to sacrifice her Shinobi and security for, as well as future foreign relations? Regardless she stayed focused on the terrorists calculating their body language. She was merely there for support. She was not making the terms.

Iro Stuff:

The Raikage did not back down on the importance of using her village gates. The woman was not quick to violence but she was no slouch either. She did have a point though and Honiko admired the fact that she was willing to fight her on that small point. It was small but meaningful. A village had the right to secure its borders and while she did not care for the concept of villages to begin with it would be a declaration of war to willingly violate a base's sovereignty. If Kumo allowed the Society to do this and word got out then other villages might try the same. Honiko nodded her head in understanding. She was willing to assent to the woman's point. Nariko went on to agree to the terms and as she spoke the Dragon Sage could see her earlier made clone enter the skyline through her peripheral vision. The clone was rapidly advancing to her location by jumping from rooftop to rooftop in response to the tension and sheer presence of the shinobi she was in the midst of. Honiko's body language relaxed and became less rigid as Nariko agreed to her terms but posed certain stipulations. Honiko expressed her agreement by saying:

"The terms are acceptable."

Nariko would then make another request. She wanted Honiko to fight her ANBU Captain so she could gauge her abilities. Nariko was so starved for information on Honiko's strength that she was willing to ask her in such a direct and public manner.  It was an unusual request and not one that Honiko had expected Nariko to make.

Honiko noted the presence of the real Akame, the apparent ANBU Captain that she was to fight. Honiko wondered if the woman feared sending her real form on the rooftop based on the Sage's reputation. There was much to be gained from fighting this ANBU Captain especially since Honiko was aware of her status as Jinchurikki. There was valuable information on how strong she was and what kind of threat she posed to the Society. Her Master had seen fit to endow her with the holiest of artifacts. This woman would not be an easy target and if Honiko was able to best her then killing would be out of the question on principle if her Sensei had deigned to give her a Bijuu.

Nariko's request was punctuated with a polite bow, showing deference and respect to the leader of the Society. Honiko turned to Akame the one she would be fighting.

"Am I correct in assuming you share your Kage's desire? You wish to fight me in single combat?"

She wanted to ask the woman directly. She was curious if this was something Nariko was ordering or if this was a challenge that she'd genuinely relish. If Akame answered in the affirmative then Honiko would nod and reply:

"Very well. I will find you and inform you of the time and place. The Raikage may watch but no one else."

Honiko wasn't a prize fighter and she normally would not accept spur of the moment challenges but she was interested in seeing why this one had been selected this one to bear the Shukaku. If there was no other business to be concluded then Honiko would run to the edge of the rooftop and leap off of it. Crossing the distance between the building and the one where Balerion rested. She'd land on the tip of his head before the dragon took off, heading towards their new base in the village's hospital. The clone would follow behind on foot.


Honiko
Used:
Mind's Eye of the Kagura
Analysis For Opponents 1/2

Chakra Remaining: 150/150

Sage Clone
Mind's Eye of the Kagura
Sage Art: Draco Technique


Chakra Remaining: 5/75
Nature Chakra: 40 Gathered

Exit