Plea Bargain

Shimiko and Mora marched down the hallway leading to the Raikage's office. Shimiko was not wearing her battle attire but instead a simple white shirt, a loosened black tie, and a black mini-skirt with combat boots. The shirt was completely unbuttoned leaving her top partially exposed. It was customary for most lay Jashinsts to eschew excess clothing as they grew deeper in their faith. Shimiko had always worn revealing clothing but she kept a thin pretense of modesty for the sake of her family's honor. Now that she considered the Church to be her primary family she had no real need to continue pretending as though she cared. Shimiko's hair was done up in her signature style: bundled into two thick pig tails with the remainder partitioned to one side. She also wore a key linked to a chain which hung on her neck and another which was secured to her hip. In one hand, she had a stack of folders and in the other hand she clutched a letter. The letter was from none other than the Walking Death himself.

Spoiler:

Shimiko was fuming angry at how things had turned out. The letter had been addressed to the Raikage but given its origin it was first passed through ANBU Black Ops for testing so as to ensure that the letter did not contain any threatening Fuuninjutsu or poison. Shimiko was a member of the council that was now running ANBU due to Akame's comatose status. This meant that whenever a letter went through that process she was alerted. When she learned of where the letter was from, she immediately had it brought to her. She and Lady Superior Mora read the letter and discussed its contents. The two had debated as to whether they should even let Nariko know about it or whether it was better to conceal it. They also considered the possibility of doctoring the message. They decided that it wasn't worth the risk of her finding out as chances were other shinobi within ANBU may have already read it or Seid could somehow be involved with its drafting. There were too many unknown variables to consider and thus dishonesty was out of the question. The thought had only been entertained because Shimiko wanted to protect Mora from the fallout of this failed mission. Things had gone horribly awry and she guessed that Nariko would not be happy now that this operation had Kumo's fingerprints all over it.

Mora and Shimiko thus made the decision to bring the matter to Nariko directly and fully disclose what they had been up to. Once Nariko had all the information before her then they could decide on what their next steps should be.

The two walked in tandem as they approached Nariko's office.

"If we're getting a letter from him then that means that our other asset has failed in his mission"

"He's likely compromised. Dammit! This puts us at a significant disadvantage."

Shimiko wondered if by us Lady Mora meant the Church or Kumogakure although she didn't  have to wonder for long because she already knew the answer.

"We'll get through this. Let me do most of the talking. I'll explain how this happened and then I'll propose what we discussed. I'm not sure how Nariko-sensei will react to this but we should be prepared for anything"

Lady Superior Mora nodded and they soon arrived at the Raikage's door. Shimiko did not even bother addressing the secretary. This was a matter of national security and she didn't have time to parlay with attendants. Shimiko knocked and unless she was given an explicit order not to enter, she opened the door and held it open for Lady Mora before entering herself. The pair walked straight to Nariko's desk. Lady Superior Mora clasped her hands behind her back and said nothing. The Orthodoxy's leader was wearing more or less the same thing that she had worn when Nariko had last seen her. A black tunic, brown shoes, and a religious hat on her head with the Kanji for Death on it. Her shaggy grey hair drooped down to her shoulders and it appeared as though she had aged in the last couple of hours.

Shimiko placed the letter on Nariko's desk.

"I apologize for the intrusion Raikage-sensei but a letter from the Walking Death has been sent to you. Its contents are rather unexpected and if you allow me a chance to explain, I believe I can provide some clarity as to what this means for our country. "

Nariko was usually in her office, filling out paperwork, and today was not particularly any exception. Running a village was mostly paperwork to be honest, and it was a little annoying, considering she'd gone from doing missions all the time as a Jounin to doing paperwork 90% of the time immediately upon becoming the Raikage. She hadn't planned on being the Raikage for this long, having only really taken over for Calypso after she took back over for Seigi. But nobody else wanted the position, and Nariko didn't know anyone interested that she would consider qualified for it, so here she was.

Nariko had rather impeccable hearing, and knew that two people were approaching her office, faster than usual. Having not had a scheduled appointment, and without receiving a guard notifying her of someone on their way, Nariko assumed that an ANBU was on their way. ANBU were allowed to come freely, as they were her personal bodyguards and often ran top secret missions, where time was of the essence, so she couldn't really have them following protocol all the time.

Putting her papers away, Nariko cleared off her desk as the duo walked down the hall. As Shimiko's knocked, Nariko responded with a small affirmative to enter. Seeing the two, Nariko's eyebrows drew inward in concern. This could either be good or bad, and the Raikage was unsure on whether or not it was good, given the urgency they seemed to be coming with. Given her perceptive abilities, she knew how to read a room, and it didn't appear things had gone according to plan.

Nariko, clad in her usual plain Jounin outfit, leaned forward and opened the letter wordlessly, eyes sweeping over the paper quickly, waiting for Shimiko to explain to her whatever it was she thought needed explaining. The wording was clear enough, the man known as the Walking Death was admitting to his crimes, although denying they were Kumo's to punish. The thing was, he seemed willing to leave Kiri and join Kumogakure's banner, along with surrendering the Land of Demons to Kumogakure as well. Nariko's mouth twitched into a little smirk as she saw immediately why Mora was so pissed, although she did her best to hide it. Shimiko might have noticed purely due to how well she knew Nariko and her facial expressions at this point.

"Very well, explain away." She spoke softly, her voice quiet and low. Her eyes locked onto Shimiko's and awaited her response.

Shimiko watched stone-faced as Nariko read the letter. She analyzed Nariko for any change of expression and noticed the small smirk that appeared. It seemed as though she was more amused than angry but that was perhaps because she hadn't heard the worst part. Nariko bid Shimiko to continue and so she did:

"The fact that the Walking Death can even write such a letter is a bad sign. I sent Seid to the Land of Demons to negotiate with him in good faith but the goal was never to actually get him to turn himself in. I sent Léï Zhènyün to deliver a secret message to Natsuru who according to the village's records is currently on leave in Kirigakure for business or pleasure.....I'm still not quite clear on the details behind that. The message came with a weapon that I had personally crafted for her. I asked her to travel to the Land of Demons, take a sniper's position overlooking the cafe where Seid would meet the warlord, and incapacitate him with a near lethal shot. Natsuru isn't just the best archer in this village, she's my friend and I truly believed that when the chips were down she'd do anything for the interests of Kumogakure. So you see Raikage-sensei, the plan was take out the Walking Death and then have Seid collect his unconscious body and bring it back to Kumo for trial. If the Walking Death is out and about dictating terms of joining Kumo then that means Natsuru either never received the message, received the message but failed to act, or that the attack failed. If the attack was attempted but failed then I doubt the Walking Death would be talking about joining Kumo and Seid would be dead and not a mere hostage".

Throughout the explanation, Lady Superior Mora was eerily silent. She remained still while keeping her eyes on the Raikage.

"Léï Zhènyün has also not returned from Kirigakure. Based on the analytics in his files, he is the fastest shinobi in this village. Even faster than me which means he should have been back by now. The fact that he has yet to return leads me to conclude that he's been compromised. Either he was intercepted before or after he reached Natsuru which could place both of them in grave danger or worse yet...."

Shimiko swallowed and clenched her fists. She was usually good about checking her emotions before delivering a report but the possibility that she was about to suggest shook her to her core.

"Natsuru turned him in and Kiri is now in possession of a letter implicating Kumo in the planned assault of one of its shinobi. This of course would mean that Natsuru has gone rogue and is now actively working against us. This is the worst case scenario, and while I don't think its true, we need to move forward with that being a distinct possibility. Raikage-sensei the plan I had crafted has been a complete failure. This letter means things might be salvageable Jashin-willing.....but if Léï has been killed or captured that's on m-"

"Incorrect. The operation was my idea. I pushed Shimiko to se-"

Shimiko turned and stared wide eyed at her religious leader. She interjected quickly:

"No!" She turned to Nariko and raised her voice. "Nariko-sensei, I planned this mission and I take full responsibility! I deputized Lady Mora to deliver the mission to both Seid and Léï in order to put more distance between Kumo and this operation. The fault begins and ends with me."

Ordinarily, Shimiko would never dare to speak over the Superior Sacristan of the Church but this was an exceptional situation. She was the Defender of the Faith and that meant she had a duty to protect Lady Mora. This mission had left her exposed to criminal liability and Shimiko needed to jump on the grenade before it went off. Nariko had taken a big risk legalizing the Church and an even bigger risk in working with them to resolve the Land of Demons Crisis. If the news of this operation became public then it would put pressure on the Raikage to sack the Orthodoxy or imprison its leader. Shimiko could not allow that to happen. This was the opposite of what they had discussed and Shimiko knew that Mora was trying to protect her but that didn't mean she'd allow it. It wasn't Mora's place to protect her, it was her place to protect Mora.

Shimiko gave Lady Mora a look that bordered on spiritual insubordination. The leader was not used to seeing such a fierce side of her disciple, it was a bit surprising. She was touched that Shimiko was willing to jeopardize her career in order to save her. It was a good thing to know and not something she would have been certain of had she not tried to take responsibility. Having led a persecuted religion for years, Mora was no stranger to the art of manipulation and subterfuge. The Superior Sacristan fell silent and allowed Shimiko to take the blame.

With that out of the way, Shimiko continued:

"Nariko-sensei, I realize what I did was wrong and I understand if you want me to resign but I ask that you at least hear me out regarding my proposed solution to this crisis"

The solution was multi-faceted with several prongs aimed at satisfying the interests of several parties. The Church, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and even the Walking Death could obtain something of value.

Listening to her former student as she explained some details that hadn't been disclosed to her, Nariko's annoyance surged. She barely kept herself from interrupting Shimiko as she explained that Lei had been sent to deliver a letter to Natsuru to go on a mission. Natsuru currently was on vacation, and wasn't supposed to be involved in any mission, let alone trusting a secret mission to one of Kumo's shinobi to another village without first consulting her. The ramifications of something going wrong were far above what a normal mission would have, and thus the Raikage needed to be informed of this sort of thing. She would have never allowed it to happen in the first place and would have suggested another shinobi be sent to the meeting.

To add further insult to the conversation, Shimiko was taking the blame for Mora, who they all knew had come up with this plan, to use underhanded tactics to arrest Ken. "Firstly, Shimiko, don't lie to me. I don't care if she planned it or if you planned it, the whole situation shouldn't have happened. You didn't think, to, to, to..." Nariko had slammed her hands on the table, a momentary loss of control, and had forgotten how to speak clearly for that moment.

"to ask me for my input, or inform me on what decision you had made? This is more important than just arresting some criminal, it puts Kumo in an incredibly difficult situation that could put us in line for war, which," Nariko pointed at Mora, "you know all too well, considering I was hesitant to involve Kumo in the first place for that very reason."

She rounded on Shimiko. "For your information, Natsuru has saved up her vacation time, and is a business owner. She is on leave, not to be disturbed for Shinobi related requests for the duration so she can focus on business relations and have some down time. You need to talk to me about this sort of stuff before just deciding you know what is best to do in such delicate matters."

"But since you got us into this mess, go ahead. Propose your solution and we can figure out the best way to move forward." She leaned back in her chair, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. It was times like this that she really disliked being the Kage, as she wanted more than anything to just drink and forget the situation. She settled for smoking more and more, at this point obviously addicted as she was nearly always smoking to destress.

Shimiko watched as the anger on her sensei's face became more and more palpable. The Raikage responded with a level of outrage and indignation that Shimiko had scant seen. Usually the object of her ire was some other fool. Rarely had she ever upset her Raikage and she couldn't remember a time when her displeasure rose to the current level she was witnessing. Shimiko wanted to regret not telling Nariko but she also knew that if she had told Nariko then she would not have allowed the mission to go forward. Shimiko needed Natsuru to be the one to pull the trigger. She needed proof that in these trying times, the Thundercats were still whole. That at a moment's notice they would set aside distractions and do what needed to be done to protect their home and uphold its good name. She didn't want anyone else to be responsible for taking down Ken. They had forged their team on the basis of taking down human traffickers and so Shimiko truly believed that this would be the best way to breathe new life into their squad.

But for all her good intentions, Shimiko lacked experience. She was way in over her head trying to coordinate a sophisticated and high stakes mission such as this. Akame had taught her some things sure but she was years behind that woman in terms of experience and skill. Even as a kid, Seigi had warned her about trying to take after him too soon before she was ready. He'd tell her to temper her strikes so she wouldn't tire herself, to not train so hard before she had learned her foundations, and to always stick with her squad no matter how skilled she thought she was in comparison to them. She was always chasing her betters and trying to copy them, even at times when she wasn't ready to even begin filling their shoes. Lady Superior Mora had used this to push her agenda forward. She cared for the Chinoike, much the same way that Nariko did, but she had more than Shimiko to think about. If the Church could be involved in such a successful operation then it would be the grounds for future joint ventures. Before the village knew it, the Church would be an integral part in Kumogakure's military affairs. That had been the plan up until this horrendous setback. Now Mora was unsure what Nariko would do.

Nariko pointed at the clerical leader and she lowered her head in shame. She did not want to provoke Nariko by pretending to be more contrite than she was so she said nothing. She would not speak back to the Raikage either as that would only add fuel to the fire.

Shimiko knew that Natsuru probably didn't want to be bothered with a mission but she also knew that if there was any chance of them being a family again then it would only happen through violence. That's what they did, it was who they were, and although Shimiko would have ran the mission differently knowing what she knew now, she'd be lying if she said she wouldn't even try if given the chance. Nariko gave her the chance to explain her proposed solution to which Shimiko replied:

"I'm truly sorry Raikage-sensei. I should have sought your blessing before even considering an operation like this....I-I-I won't let it happen again" Shimiko gathered herself. She stifled her emotions and proceeded to give her take on how the conflict could be de-escalated.

"First, Raikage-sensei I think it goes without saying that if Léï is compromised then we will have lost one of our top medical shinobi. The Walking Death's message makes it clear that his skills would fill that gap. That and the fact that he is bringing the Land of Demons under Kumo's control makes his offer simply too good to pass up. He also likely has critical information about Kirigakure that we can use should the crisis escalate. Lady Mora and I have our moral reservations about bringing a man like him into our military but given the toll that the plague has taken on our shinobi and the need for greater funds, we should accept his proposal with a few key conditions."

This is where things would get dicey. Mora grew visibly uncomfortable as she knew that at this moment, she would be forcing Shimiko to push the envelope on a matter that Nariko was not keen on entertaining.

"The Walking Death must publicly apologize for his actions, credit the Orthodox Church of Jashin for assisting him with rooting out corruption, and permit the Church to conduct charity and missionary work within its borders"

Shimiko expected that her Kage would be hostile to this sort of suggestion so Shimiko quickly raised her hands as if to calm any premature attempt to shoot it down.

"Raikage-sama, I know how this sounds but hear me out! The whole point of arresting this warlord and bringing him to trial was to show the world that Kumogakure and its institutions, including the Church, will not stand for wanton evil. That when the world needs someone willing to stand up for what's right, they only need to look to Kumogakure. Yet, we cannot just let him join our ranks without some public admission of guilt. If we recruit him as plainly as his letter suggests then we look like weak hypocrites. But if we create a narrative that the Church played a key role in reforming him and his rule over the Land of Demons, then it becomes much more acceptable to bring both him and the country under Kumo's rule. Let the Church play the role of mediator and let it use its funds to make sure the people get the attention they need."

Lady Superior Mora chimed in at this juncture as she had planned.

"Lady Raikage if I may so humbly interject....allowing the Church to establish a permanent presence will allow us to conduct surveillance and intelligence gathering without the need for Kumo to spend its money on scouts. All of the costs associated with protecting and watching over a newly acquired territory will be absorbed by the Orthodoxy. Any attempt to take over the land will be held back by my Sacristans until reinforcements arrive. Additionally, our buildings can be used as bases and rally points for Kumo shinobi passing through the area. Again, with no cost to Kumo's treasury. Lady Raikage allow me to personally apologize for not bringing the full scope of the operation to your attention. However, make no mistake when I say that the Church serves at your pleasure. Jashin commands us to honor the Land of Lightning. It is the land he chose to plant his Church in and therefore we are bound to fight for its interests."

Lady Superior Mora was sincere in her willingness to serve the village. It was the Church's home and to her knowledge it was the only village in the world that legalized the religion.

"Once the Walking Death agrees to these terms, I ask that you place him under ANBU's jurisdiction. We will monitor him and make sure that this isn't some sort of elaborate counter-intelligence trap by Kirigakure. As for the crisis concerning our message to Natsuru, Raikage-sama send me to Kirigakure to negotiate a peace. We don't know the full extent of what Kiri knows. There is a chance Léï destroyed the letter before capture but its also possible Kiri has access to sophisticated mind reading technology. If we disavow Léï too early then we might look like liars in addition to being saboteurs. With your permission, I can enter Kiri and find out what they know and what's the status of Léï and Natsuru. From there, I think I can negotiate a peace."

As mad as Nariko was, she had always allowed others to speak in their entirety, rarely ever interrupting someone who was speaking to her. She was intelligent on her own, but the most intelligent knew that they didn't have every answer, and so she let the two of them explain themselves. Beyond that, Nariko knew that she could gather information about Mora's true intentions by listening to her speak, and seeing as Lei was no longer in a position to deliver any information about the Church and Lady Mora to her, Nariko would have to do things largely on her own. Unfortunately, Shimiko was far too invested in the church for Nariko to believe she would even spy for her, nor would Nariko ever ask her to put herself in such a situation, unless Kumogakure's safety was on the line. Her duty as a shinobi, and especially as an ANBU was to the Raikage and Kumogakure first and foremost.

As she listened, realization dawned on her. Lady Mora was playing the situation purely to her own advantage. She wanted to use the Land of Demons as a building grounds to amass troops for her church. And with the Church being the primary people to claim the credit, she could easily spin it against Nariko. That Kumogakure had done nothing to reform the Walking Death, to help the Land of Demons. It would all look as if the Church had operated on their own. It would only be a matter of time before they started to look for additional lands, more and more power, and eventually take over Kumogakure completely.

Perhaps she appeared a little startled, but it quickly faded from her face as she began to plan ways to avoid it. She couldn't let them claim the credit for rehabilitation of the Walking Death, first and foremost. They had obviously done nothing to actually change him, and Nariko wasn't one to lie to the public to help the image of a religion that had actually done nothing good. They'd need to earn that sort of praise much the same as any other would. "Excuse me? No, Lady Mora, I don't think that it's such a good idea for the Church to claim credit where none is due. If it were to ever come out that it was all a lie, and that this Walking Death offered himself willingly, and I allowed the Orthodoxy to claim the credit, that wouldn't reflect well on my rule as the Raikage, favoring a single religion, and lying above all."

Nariko was a fast thinker, working out ways to undermine Lady Mora without being blatant about her own realizations. "There are several reasons he may have offered himself up, and it has crossed my mind that, perhaps, it's a ploy to plant an agent inside Kumogakure and ruin us from the inside. I'm willing to take this risk, as I'd rather have my own agents able to keep an eye on him, but this Land of Demon's deal is... abrupt. I will grant the ANBU custody of the Walking Death, and permission to execute him if he steps out of line at all."

Nariko paused, thinking for a second, before coming to a full decision. "I agree that he needs to publicly denounce his actions, but this needs to be done honestly. He will denounce his claim to the Land of Demons and denounce his status as a Kirigakure militant and citizen, placing himself under the custody and reformation of Kumogakure. After that, he'll be placed under the supervision and direction of the ANBU, but only given access to information and rank privileges as a Genin." The Raikage didn't feel comfortable giving him much higher allowances, until they could figure out what his angle was. "Once we can figure out if he is trustworthy or not, which I'll leave to ANBU reports to make the decision, he can have greater privileges and ranks after he works off his debt to society."

Turning to Mora, Nariko sighed, as if she was regretful on something. " Unfortunately, I don't think we can accept his handing over of the land of Demons. It's too... suspicious. If Lei is compromised, and this is a ploy, then Kiri has a huge reason to initiate war with us. Stealing one of their Jounin, with a letter that proves an attempt to capture him, with who knows what Lei pulled to try and enter Kiri in the first place. Taking their land, which could be seen as accepting a bribe from a defector, or outright an act of war. It's too much of a risk." "Like hell I'm going to give you primary access to an entire country." Nariko thought to herself.

"As for the rest, Shimiko, you may go to Kiri as requested, to fix this mess. I dropped the location of their village with the Defense Coordination Center, as you may or may not know. Be careful not to start any incidents with their village, I would really prefer to avoid a war with the other nations for the time being. We have at least established that Ken willingly came with us with his letter. We have proof to show he defected from his nation willingly, and have turned down a bribery, as Kumo and the Church never wanted anything other than justice. At least you can try and rehabilitate him once here."

Shimiko bowed as Nariko gave her the responsibility of overseeing the Walking Death and making a peace with Kirigakure. It was a sign of gratitude as Shimiko was afraid that Nariko had lost confidence in her abilities. The fact that she was willing to put these vital tasks in her hands meant that she still trusted her finest student.

"Thank you Nariko-sensei. I will not fail you again."

Mora, on the other hand, was less than pleased.

The stern bitch won't play ball! Nariko had cleverly cut her off from the Land of Demons while also denying her the opportunity to take credit for the Walking Death's rehabilitation. Mora remained passive and stone-faced, but internally she felt nothing but contempt for the Raikage. Mora knew that the Raikage didn't suddenly grow some moral compass out of the blue. Nariko would gladly lie in the interests of her village yet she denied the Church the opportunity to lie to advance its own cause.

You're an insignificant hypocrite. Now Shimiko will see you for what you are.

The Superior Sacristan did have to hand it to Nariko though, she certainly made a convincing show of what amounted to a solid thwarting of her plans. Mora nodded as though she agreed.

"Wisely decided Lady Raikage. It's better for this warlord's rehabilitation to occur under strictly honest terms and acquiring the Land of Demons may send the wrong signal...both to Kirigakure and the international community writ large. I suppose this is why you are Raikage and I am not. " she said with a deceitful smile that concealed disrespect and malice.

Shimiko chanced a glance at Lady Mora. She did not want to show her favor to the woman but she was concerned that Mora might not take the Raikage's plan in stride. Shimiko was upset that Nariko had cut off the Church from two valuable opportunities to grow its influence but she also understood her sensei's perspective. The Church had bungled this operation and jeopardized the village. Trust would need to be re-established before she gave them the chance to expand their holdings. She was disappointed but not undeterred. She had already cut in once before but this time she exercised cautious restraint and allowed Mora to speak.

"However, we can be certain that the Walking Death had soldiers that were operating under his orders no? While I expect we will allow his defection, those ninja that had committed atrocities under his banner should not be granted a pardon. Lady Raikage please allow the Church to try and execute these criminals as previously planned. They carry no weight or importance and a trial will still allow us to make an example out of those that attempt to repeat the Walking Death's crimes. We must not let his actions become a roadmap to success for other ill-minded shinobi."

It was a secondary pitch not unlike the one that had started this debacle. Lady Mora wanted to try those under the Walking Death and make a spectacle of their incarceration. The trial would give the Church immense credibility and would provide evidence of its power to the world.

Nariko smiled at Shimiko. She didn't like being mad at her student, and knew that she felt bad about the entire situations. The Raikage didn't like that Mora was taking advantage of her loyalty to try and get her own agenda passed through.

Nariko thought for a moment, before coming to a conclusion and nodding. "You're right. I only have use currently for the Walking Death himself. Very well, you may go and find the group of shinobi that he took over the Land of Demons with. Only them. Nothing else. No settling on the land, no killing or sacrificing the citizens, and the shinobi will stand trial, not be executed and sacrificed there." she had to make some concessions for now, and this seemed like something she could readily do.

Then she blew out a breath. "Okay, as for the guy himself. I'm going to use him to infiltrate and destroy the Society from the inside. I've been thinking his letter as a little odd and I'm not certain this isn't a ploy by Kiri to try and hurt us. We will present him the opportunity to clear his charges by declaring himself no longer allegianced to Kiri. He will then be held to stand trial, but that will be a fake out. The trial will never occur, and he shall 'escape'. If he can complete his task and eliminate the Society, then that's one less thing for us to deal with ourselves. If he can't, that's his execution. If he actually joins them, then it's just one more member, and I don't really see a difference of one person anyhow. He'll be the enemy of all the nations, Kiri will no longer be able to idly stand by."

It was the perfect plan, Nariko thought. Mora couldnt dispute the genius behind it. It was a benefit to them to do this. "I was going to have Akame do it, but she went into a coma, and is unavailable. And sorry," she looked to Shimiko, "you would have been my second choice, but I don't think you could convince them that you were actually a traitor to Kumo, considering your hatred for them for endangering the squad."

"Whereas, a turncoat from Kiri, who was set to be executed by Kumo? Nobody would expect him to be an agent of Kumogakure. And quite a tempting offer to a criminal organization who needs all the strong shinobi she can get. And if we have the other group of shinobi as well, then it grants further credence if they have spies here to report that we actually are going through with trials and punishments."

Mora bowed, pleased that Nariko would at least allow her this small victory. She did note however that the Raikage was quickly catching on to her intentions. She'd need to adjust course to account for this. Mora expected to be dismissed after that but to her surprise, Nariko continued on as if she wasn't there. She informed Shimiko that her plan was to actually allow the Walking Death to escape and act as a mole within the Society. The blonde's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to protest but then remembered who she was speaking to. The mere mention of The Society for Rebirth and Reordering made her blood boil. Nozomi was another Kiri traitor, except she had committed a far worse crime than the rape and pillage of a nation. She had attacked Shimiko's best friends and her boyfriend. Shimiko hid her anger as best as she could, knowing that she had disappointed the Raikage already and that she had no leeway to display annoyance or disrespect.

She kept silent and allowed the Raikage to finish before interjecting with her own thoughts.

"Nariko-sensei, I must counsel against this plan." she said with an air of respectful honesty. She controlled her tone and temperament but the two women in the room knew her well. To them, it would be clear that her voice ached with fury and a longing for violence. "The Walking Death is likely only surrendering because he believes that Kiri cannot protect him. He knows that we're coming for him and that the only way for him to escape punishment is to join us. If we let him join the Society, he'll have the backing and protection of one of the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet. We know Shiro is an S-Class threat and Nozomi probably isn't too far behind given what we know from the Valley. If we let him join their group, he'll probably stick with them. His actions in the Land of Demons makes it clear that all he cares about is vain glory and violence. There is no way he'll answer to us once he's with them."

Shimiko didn't like the idea of allowing him to join Kumo's military but she went along with it primarily because it gave them the chance to keep an eye on him while also commandeering his strength. But if he was permitted to join the ranks of Shiro there was no telling what harm he could do. With Akame out of commission, ANBU was particularly vulnerable and Shimiko was a confident warrior but she knew her limitations. She could not fight Shiro, Nozomi, and the Walking Death if push came to shove.

"I appreciate your urge of caution Shimiko, but it's what I'm going with. He himself doesn't present a big enough threat to really give them an advantage against our forces, and I'm willing to take the risk that he'll ally himself with the Society towards having a plant on the inside set to take them down. If he still wants to join Kumo after that, he'll have proven himself an ally and I'll accept him for having done a huge service, all charges dropped. If he doesn't, he'll still have atoned for his actions. And if he joins the Society, he'll be an enemy of all the major nations, not just our own."

She looked around the room for a second, before standing up. "I believe that's all that I have to discuss with you Lady Mora, please leave my office, I'll have you escorted to the lobby where you can wait for a little bit, or leave, either one is your choice. Shimiko, stick around for a little bit, I have some sensitive information to discuss with you. ANBU ears only." She said, speaking up louder as she mentioned an escort to the lobby, and immediately heard some shuffling near the door that indicated her guards were ready, and would wait for Lady Mora to leave.

Seeing as most of the guards in the building were ANBU or affiliated with them, she trusted them to overhear her conversations with Shimiko on this. "I don't know if you know this or not, but Akame is in a coma. I'd like to promote you to ANBU Captain in her stead, you're the only one I can think of that would be a suitable replacement." Her tone had changed drastically from the guarded and more harsh one that she used when Mora was around, as she let herself relax a little with her trusted student.

"In addition to that, I have a proposition for you. It's a closely guarded secret, but Kumogakure actually has a Jinchuuriki. Akame is the host of the One Tailed beast, but I'm not sure I can hold out hope that she'll awaken. I would like to transfer the beast to you, if you'd like it. I'm in work developing a seal that would allow me to transfer the seal from Akame to someone else without harming her, just in case she does wake up. Plus, maybe it would give you an edge over Shiro and her associates. What do you say?"

Of course, Nariko left out that she was also a Jinchuuriki, but she didn't really like to tell anyone about it. Akame only knew because she was there at the time that it had happened. Nariko didn't want anyone to know how powerless she'd felt in the situation, unable to move. She would never force a Bijuu on someone, hence her asking if Shimiko would like to be the next owner of the One Tail.

Nariko shot down her objection and Shimiko let the issue die. She had failed Nariko once and proven that her skills in strategy where not on par with the Raikage's. She wouldn't force the issue as it was possible that Nariko knew things that she didn't. Nariko then dismissed Lady Mora. Mora gave a curt bow and said: "Until we meet again Lady Raikage....may Jashin bless and preserve you.". The Superior Sacristan than exited the premises and left the building. Shimiko noticed that her sensei was more relaxed with Mora gone. In a way, it broke her heart. She hoped that the two women would get along with each other but she could sense that there was a tension between them. Lady Mora was ambitious and she had vowed not to retire until the religion was a permanent fixture in the Land of Lightning. Shimiko could hear the movement of bodies on the other side of the door. This, in conjunction with Nariko's earlier statement, made her realize that this was a conversation of the utmost sensitivity. Shimiko knew that Akame was in a coma, however she did not know that Akame was the host of the One Tails.

The blonde swallowed and stood at attention. Not only was she being given a formal promotion, but she was also offered Shukaku. She took a breath as she considered the situation laid out in front of her. She did not expect to be offered Akame's position as Captain of Kumogakure's ANBU Black Ops. She had taken over many important tasks after Akame fell ill, but she was still beholden to the other leaders within the organization. They were far more senior and decided things via the council. She was allowed to attend but she got a distinct impression that they didn't value her opinion as much. Shimiko craved the responsibility and power that the position afforded her, but she was conflicted. The operation she had just run had gone terribly awry. She wasn't sure if she was the right woman for the job. She considered protesting. She considered refusing. But instead, she decided to accept the position. If Nariko saw something in her worth cultivating then she would follow her sensei's intuition. Asking why Nariko chose her would be tantamount to insulting the Raikage's wisdom.

She kept her voice and expression devoid of emotion. If she was going to be an ANBU Captain then she'd need to mirror the professionalism and self-control that her predecessor showed.

"Raikage-sensei, I would be honored to serve as Captain of your ANBU forces. You won't regret this, I swear it!" Shimiko had taken on a heavy burden but she'd shoulder it. However, the question of Shukaku was far thornier. Shimiko remained totally silent for a moment as she digested the information. She didn't know Akame was a jinchurikki but then again she imagined that that kind of information was kept under wraps. Nariko would probably hold it close to her chest for fear of it leaking. If Nariko was telling her this then that meant she trusted Shimiko more than anyone else in the village. It was a humbling experience and not one that she felt like she deserved.

Even more unnerving was the possibility of being host to an ancient chakra Demon. Shimiko wanted to kill Nozomi. She wanted to completely dismantle the Society. She wanted to protect the village and her Church, to fight in her brother's name and keep his memory alive. Shukaku would help her achieve these goals, but he'd do so at a price. Nozomi appeared to be in control when it came to handling her Bijuu, but she could tell there was something off about the girl. Maybe Nozomi never really had emotions to begin with. Maybe she had held the beast for so long that she had learned to stifle them. Shimiko wasn't sure she could trust herself to do the same. She was a passionate kunoichi, and under the influence of such a violent being, there was no telling what she'd do. The power was tempting but it made her wary of the cost. She also didn't want to take after her arch-enemy. Shimiko wanted to surpass her on her own merit. If she accepted this Bijuu she'd be copying Nozomi and admitting that on her own she wasn't good enough.

No...I'll kill her my own way. I don't need a Bijuu to take her life...

Nevertheless, the situation put an unprecedented opportunity in her hands. Shimiko was a fully formed shinobi. She knew what she wanted out of life and how to get it. Adding a Bijuu into the mix would only get in her way or cloud her vision. But her twins were still young. They had a solid foundation in the form of Jashinism but they were moldable and impressionable. They could grow alongside such power and with her guidance, they would learn to tame it and use it for the benefit of God and Country. It wouldn't be easy, but Shimiko had promised that she would strengthen them and she could think of no better way than giving them the gift of a Tailed Beast. Shimiko had seen the numerous abilities afforded by a Bijuu up close. Regeneration, increased reserves, and a protective cloak of pure chakra to name a few. If Nariko could seal the beast into the twins then she wouldn't have to worry about them getting hurt. They'd be able to heal themselves rapidly and go on the offensive.

She knew that the ANBU had secretly published academic journals and studies on the subject for internal consumption. The younger someone came into contact with such a creature, the higher chance that a symbiotic relationship would form. Rather than two entities fighting for their own agenda, the host became the driver and the Bijuu bent to their will. It will take months....years of hard work but I'll get them there! Yui and Yua represent the next generation. I can't be there to protect them forever...I have to ensure that they have the tools they need for success.

"Raikage-sensei, please do not be offended but...I have to reject your offer to seal the Shukaku in me."

Shimiko fought with herself on how to word her refusal.

"Its...complicated and difficult to explain but basically I don't think it would be as big of a help as you're imagining. You know how I can get during fights and I think being a jinchurikki would only add to that problem. Even if I could control it, its...its not what I want. I want to become stronger using my own power and I'm certain that Jashin can guide me to victory without resorting to a Tailed Beast. I do have another candidate in mind though Raikage-sensei. Yui and Yua, my twins. I know their only genin but I can provide studies by ANBU stating that sealing Bijuu within young shinobi may be more effective than sealing them into veteran shinobi. I'm sure it's not necessary given Akame was a splendid Captain but I really do think Yui and Yua are good candidates. They care about this village more than anything and I can help guide them."

Shimiko was careful to frame her pitch in terms of what was best for Kumo. Unfortunately, anyone who knew her would know that she was primarily concerned with empowering the twins. She only had one life to live, and she wouldn't be around forever. If something happened to her, she would make sure that they had a weapon like none-other to defend themselves with. Shimiko hoped that Nariko would take her suggestion to heart. She didn't want to phrase it as a personal favor, especially not with something as crucial as a Bijuu, but there was a longing in her voice. An unsaid "please" that seemed to resonate at the end of her words.

(Forfeiting the opportunity to take Shukaku on Shimiko in exchange for the right to design a Custom Restricted on a different character.).

Nariko was glad that Shimiko accepted the position of ANBU Captain, there really was nobody who could more perfectly fill the position, but she pondered Shimiko's request for a moment more than that. She was fine with Shimiko turning down the One Tails, it was one of the reasons that she hadn't just completely given it to her after all. Nariko wasn't about to force a Bijuu onto someone who didn't want it, that would be inhumane.

After a moment of silence, Nariko nodded. "I more or less gave you the One Tail. I'll take your recommendation to offer it to Yui and Yua simply as you passing on your own possession to them. You can present them the offer, and I'll get to work on designing the seal for transference." she smiled at Shimiko and stood up. She needed to go to the library for research materials if she was going to do this properly.

"Was there anything else then, or will that be all for now?" If Shimiko declined any further conversation, Nariko would say her goodbyes, and let her know she'd be going to the library to work on her research in case she needed to find her for anything.

-Exit-

Nariko agreed to giving the One Tails to the twins and Shimiko bowed in gratitude. "Thank you so much Raikage-sensei!" Nariko said that she was authorized to deliver the good news. Nariko for her part had to do research on how to transfer the Bijuu into the twins. "I will head to Kiri and diffuse the tension between our villages, I did have one more request though. I was wondering if you could apply the Black Lightning seal on me?" Shimiko pointed to the area above her right breast.

Exit.

Nariko laughed when Shimiko asked for the Black Raiton seal, specifically the area she had asked for. Pulling her shirt's neck down a little bit, Nariko more or less flashed Shimiko with a quick glimpse of her cleavage. She had the seal placed on the left side of her chest, over her heart more or less. "I put it there because if anyone wants to kill me and manages to hit my heart, I'll be dead and the seal won't be useful anyhow. But sure, I can apply the seal for you, I don't see why not. ANBU Captain should have some extra.... oomph."

She went over to Shimiko, and went through the relatively quick process of applying the seal, no sense of awkwardness to be had working around her student's breasts. Nariko wasn't one to be flustered by this sort of thing, she actually found it kind of funny. The open shirt actually made it a lot easier, since neither of them had to keep it out of the way for the sealing process.

Nariko's chakra flitted over Shimiko's skin, etching the seal into her with about the same amount of pain as would a tattoo have. "There we go. Anything else you need?"

Shimiko laughed as well when Nariko noted the area of the tattoo. She wasn't trying to be scandalous but she did have a particular idea in mind when she chose that area. She sat down and allowed Nariko to put the seal on her body. After the tattoo was done, Shimiko would say: "Thank you sensei, and no nothing else". She would then take her leave.

Exit