The Tsuchikage's Office

"Come along now, Kameko, don't fall behind."

"Dad, please, just... don't. Don't talk to me like that."

"Awwww, am I gonna embawass you in fwont of all your fwiends?"

"Fuck you."

Kameko's father, Mizuki, reeled back from his daughter's incredible disrespect. Kameko tried to stifle her smile, but a small grin couldn't help but tug at the corners of her mouth in reaction to her father. It had become a sort of game to them, brought on from trash talking each other while playing Go when she was twelve or so. It had somehow gotten carried over into real life, every day interactions with each other with any kind of honorific or seemingly respectful words thrown out the window the last few months. They only did it a couple times a day, but when they did they both found it funny.

"Alright, fair enough," Mizuki said. He paused for a couple seconds. "When we get in here though, you're going to let me do most of the talking. I'm bringing you along on this meeting because you're going to need to know how to do this yourself when I'm no longer here to run the clan. So pay attention, okay?" He was serious now, though Kameko was still feeling like playing around a bit more like girls are known to do.

"If I can't say anything, then why even bother?" Her question raised a sigh out of the middle aged man as he debated on whether or not to slap his daughter on the back of the head or not. Kameko noted that another comment like that would likely wind up with that exact outcome.

He looked down at her, a smile still on his lips. "Just don't be a smartass, okay?"

Kameko sighed loudly. "Whaaaaaatever, Dad."

"Thanks sweetheart." His hand patted her on the back, his strength knocking Kameko forwards a bit. Probably did that on purpose she thought to herself, probably for the "whatever" comment. Whatever. Kameko's father was wearing a royal blue kimono with pink lilies woven into the fabric. A sash kept everything in place, with not a single weapon to be seen on his person. His hair was cut close to his skull since "it just got in the way". Brown eyes greeted the world, sunken from exhaustion and stress along with the rest of his face. Wrinkles and grey hair had set up a good base on his face and in what little hair remained on his head. He was a man of experience, and most of it was not exactly pleasant. Kameko respected that in her father, one of the last to grow up in a world where there were no shinobi villages and people were truly inhospitible to their clan.

Kameko was dressed nicely, though not fancy. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail so that her headband fit on her forehead without yanking any more hair than necessary out of her head. She had no makeup on, not that she needed any, and her eyes were wide open and devoid of any hint of stress and exhaustion. Many got lost in their deep blue color, almost matching her father's kimono. She had on skintight shorts and a mesh t-shirt for comfort, and over this she wore a kimono matching her father's in design. Her pleasant figure gave her the appearance of a mature woman despite her age of fifteen years, making her a truly beautiful girl to behold. It was a shame she was still so ignorant of this asset. She had on her shinobi sandals, wanting to keep it somewhat casual. They weren't going to a party or anything after all.

The two got to the Tsuhikage's Complex amid the stares of a few guards that found their clan unlikeable even now. They didn't attack them physically, only with their stares. Kameko ignored them in favor of thinking ahead to her meeting with the Tsuchikage alongside her father. It was her first time meeting the Second Tsuchikage, and an event she had been looking forward to for a couple days now. They entered, with the secretary waving them to the Tsuchikage's office and following their path. The pair traversed the required area and stopped directly outside his door. The secretary opened the Tsuchikage's door to announce their arrival.

"Lord Second, Mizuki Amandi and his daughter are here."

Assuming he told them to come in, the pair would step into his office.

Mizuki stood up straighter, gaining perfect posture as he had been trained to do. Kameko followed suit, keeping her back perfectly straight and her hand clasped in front of her. She tried to avoid staring by looking around, but always found herself looking back at the man who was doing so much paperwork. I mean, lord that man's desk was just... it was stacked with paper man! The thought of administration sent a chill down Kameko's spine if it involved doing THAT much paperwork. She'd rather get her hands dirty in the forge or figure out a new chemical in her spare time. She didn't even really want to be a shinobi at first, but her father made her learn. If he hadn't done that, she wouldn't have become the superb enchantress that she was today though so she couldn't complain too much about it.

"You summoned me, Lord Tsuchikage?"

"Lord Second, Mizuki Amandi and his daughter are here."

Nee-san Tetsudashi looked up from his stack of papers and waved the two in. He had asked for the Amandi Clan Leader but was also presented with his feminine spawn as well. Nee-san cared nothing for children and cared even less for females but he made no motion to have her removed from the meeting. Surely this girl would be the man's heir, an unwise choice but a choice that he did not feel the need to correct. The man gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk and steepled his hands as the two would take a seat.

"I did summon you here. I want to talk about the future of the Amandi Clan and its place within Iwagakure"

Nee-san would take a natural pause here and examine the man from behind his sunglasses. There would be an uncomfortable silence that lasted a while as he sized up the clan leader. Kameko would be entirely ignored by the Tsuchikage, it as as if she wasn't there at all. Once his inspection of the clan leader was complete he'd speak up.

"There are many within the village that consider your presence to be an affront to the memory of the nation's forefathers. The Amandi Clan was a serious enemy of the independence movement and a lot of shinobi have never forgotten that. Some on the council would prefer you expelled and I know of one member—who will go unnamed—that wouldn't mind if you weren't extended the same hospitality that we gave to the Nature Clan"

For the second time of the day, Nee-san's would indicate amusement in the most inconspicuous way possible. A small upturn of the corner of his mouth as if he wanted to smirk but could not be bothered to expend the energy to do it.

"Fortunately such people are in the minority. I am of the opinion that the Amandi is a welcome addition to Iwagakure. Your kekkei genkai is intriguing and your skill in Chemistry is unparalleled. All the same, the Daimyou and I have expended a fair amount of political capital protecting your clan and we seek a modest return on our investment"

It was here that Nee-san would pause again. Any interjections on the part of Mizuki or his insolent daughter would be met with a casual handwave telling them to wait for him to finish speaking. Nee-san took his time retrieving a cigar from a wooden case near his desk, lighting it up, and smoking it with a bit of fare. The smoke danced in front of his face and wafted upwards past his shades. He mulled the smoke in his mouth as if contemplating his next words. Words that he had already formed quite some time in advance.

"I'm levying a sales tax on all products produced by the Amandi. Ten percent. The proceeds will go towards strengthening the village's defenses. I'll also need to request your services....You will render them pro-bono of course. I have need of three poisons. I leave it to you to exercise judgment on their properties but they must be of impeccable quality preferably S-Rank but a lower rank will do if you aren't capable of making something stronger. Finally, I need a sample of your bloodline limit. It is quite rare and unlike anything the world has ever seen before. I'm sure you must find this difficult to accept but the reality is we cannot allow the risk of a former Kazehana Empire affiliated clan to stray from the nest. Think of it as insurance. The sample will remain in my care indefinitely until your loyalty has been proven. You have my word it will not be accessed or improperly used by anyone."

At no point did Nee-san pose an interrogative to the Amandi Clan leader. He was being told how things were going to be and he did not want to invite debate, discussion, or negotiation into the terms. A lesser mind would see it as punishment for their allegiance to a foreign enemy but one who was much smarter would see it as the price for admission. In a single generation the Amandi could easily match the nobility of the Tetsudashi, Muramatsu, or Kotoushura if they cultivated goodwill with the Tsuchikage. People often forget that the Kotoushura started out as notorious terrorists who cared little for the lives in the Earth Country but now they were as respected as some of the oldest shinobi clans. This boon could belong to the Amandi as well if they were smart enough to play their cards right. Nee-san would continue smoking in silence before giving an imperceptible nod so as to indicate he was ready to hear the man's assent.

Mizuki and Kameko would take their seats as bidden, allowing the Tsuchikage to speak. Kameko listened intently, though she still tried to avoid direct eye contact if she could. The Tsuchikage... he just unnerved her for some reason. Why, she could not say quite yet, but perhaps it was just the distinction in skill and power she knew was there between them. When he had gotten through a few sentences, however, she knew that this room was about to get very tense, very quickly. Her respect for her father's wishes is the only thing that allowed her to bite the her tongue by biting down on the inside of her cheek.

Her father sat there, his face one of neutrality. Kameko knew that look though. It was the look of her father restraining himself. Despite his age, Mizuki still held a relatively good outlook on life and wore a somewhat positive look about him most days. Mizuki knew the Tsuchikage better than Kameko did, even if that wasn't on a personal level. He waited patiently for the Tsuchikage to finish his plainly bigoted slanders on their clan before speaking.

Kameko herself was absolutely livid. Not only did he lie, but he also had the audacity to demand such a personal thing as a sample of their bloodline. She tasted blood, continuing to bite down despite this. Her fists had clenched, bunching her kimono in her lap up and wrinkling it in her white knuckled grasp.

"Forgive me Lord Second, but I do not recall the definition of neutrality being 'supporting the enemy'," he stated simply. The Amandi had ceased all relations with the Kazehana when the Land of Earth broke out in revolt so long ago to those living now. There were almost none living today in the Land of Earth who remembered the Kazehana Empire as their overlord. "I fear that if we had truly supported the Empire, we would have already taken the same path as the Cursed Ones long before this meeting. We have proven our loyalty, and still have not done business with the Land of Wind over the last seventy years."

Kameko shifted, the tension in the air causing her heart to pound. She really, really wished her father hadn't dragged her here. "And while I'm sure there are some who still truly believe us to be truly reprehensible, I would tell them that if they wished to begin a civil war that they had better get it done in one day. I would not see the Land of Earth in another feud over such foolish persecution, after all." The Land of Earth had always been a land that prided itself on independence, fighting for it many times throughout their existence. Sometimes they failed, sometimes they succeeded. Every time it did, the map of the world was forever changed. Persecution for non-existent events would not go without a major backlash by many of the clans in the village. None particularly liked the Amandi, but very few actually disliked them and those that did were usually victims of the slowly recovering business of the Amandi.

Her father's face had not changed at all, remaining relatively passive in his overall expression. He spoke to Kameko like this whenever he caught her lying, though that seemed to apply to everyone and not just his children. "On the subject of business, I'm afraid I'm also going to have to decline. I don't give what little profits we have without goods or coin in return. It's a clan policy, you see, so even if I were to accept I would likely be voted out of the position of head and replaced with one who would say no. I'd rather cut out the middle man. As another clan policy, we refrain from contracts with the state. The Kazehana taught us a valuable lesson, and we would not care to repeat it again." With that, Kameko's father would stand and then bow his head at the Tsuchikage. "And because of that, I must inform you that talks are now over. Clan policy, you see." Mizuki turned to leave, his daughter standing up quickly and following suit. His larger gait left her somewhat behind, but she would still get out as quickly as politeness would allow. He did not even find the blood sample worth answering, it seemed.

[exit?]

Their anger was plain to Nee-san. The girl was barely restraining herself but the Mizuki's expression would betray little to one who was not as sharp as the Tsuchikage. The demands were met with hostility as he expected. What he did not expect or rather what he had given a relatively low percentage of was there outright refusal. Mizuki would set about correcting his Kage and offering all manner of excuses that were largely unresponsive to Nee-san's concerns. Nee-san didn't care if the clan was innocent or guilty, the truth of the matter was of little consequence to him and his council. There were those who wished to line their pockets with Amandi funded tax revenues and the Tetsudashi himself coveted their poisons and had no use for paying money for them. Worse yet, the Amandi had grown bold and increasingly assertive in the way they conducted business or at least so local shops had supposedly complained. The truth once more being a malleable tool to advance the interests of those on Nee-san's council. Nee-san listened as Mizuki prattled on about clan policy with respect to pro-bono work and state contracts. The Amandi were problematic in that their kekkei genkai was incredibly unique and the risk of their betrayal was unacceptable. The kekkei genkai was to be Nee-san's assurance of their continued cooperation but judging by the man's words he had no intention of relinquishing his bloodline.

Nee-san took a drag from the cigar and lightly scratched his bald head. Mizuki rudely excused himself without his lead and took his daughter with him. Nee-san said nothing having already put in place a contingency plan for this unlikely event. He would allow the Amandi to leave although it would be a simple matter to remove their heads and collect their kekkei genkai for himself. He did not wish to risk instability within Iwagakure and Mizuki had been wise enough to see that the Tsuchikage would not allow outright violence against them. He needed to maintain the appearance of strength and unity, and sparking a war with a clan specializing in poison was not going to bring about that goal. He figured he could bully Mizuki into submission but it appeared the man was too proud and too intelligent to be so blatantly manipulated. Unfortunately for him, Nee-san would not soon forget the insult and would promise silently to himself to repay the insolence tenfold.

The Tsuchikage sent for his brother whom he had recently prompted to Jounin Commander. Reisan Tetsudashi initially refused but then accepted when his brother confided that he needed his guidance and leadership. None of the Jounin were ready to take the position as of yet and even more importantly he had yet to find one that he could trust. Although there was one shinobi he had recently sent to Sunagakure that might prove competent and trustworthy enough to take the role. However, until that time Nee-san had need of his older brother Reisan whose rough and harsh way of getting things done led to concrete results. After a few minutes of waiting the bald Tetsudashi appeared before his brother and bowed politely.

"Lord Tsuchikage"
"Big brother Reisan"

Nee-san would step out from behind his desk and open up the sliding door to the terrace where he beckoned his older brother to follow. The Tsuchikage stood looking out over the village with his hands behind his back and his Kage robes fluttering in the breeze. The black turtleneck and pants that he wore contrasted with the pure white color of the robes giving him a distinct look. He clenched the cigar in between his lips and inhaled. Reisan followed him out and gripped the railing of the terrace. The man was angry and tense almost all the time but Nee-san could tell he was especially vexed today. There was only one reason Nee-san was calling him today and he knew in advance on what it could be.

"The cocksucking candy lovers won't play ball huh?" he cursed menacingly
"They're extremely proud....that and they clearly understand that open violence against them is not even a consideration"
"Maybe its time we changed the calculus. People have starting growing bold since the First's resignation. Maybe its time we made an example of the Amandi"
"No"
"No?"
"No. I have plans for Iwagakure and they can't succeed if we have to violently subdue a clan whose specialty is slipping poison into people's food and drink"
"Let me gather a squad of Tetsudashi, they won't have time to e-"
"Genocide is not an option. End of discussion, Reisan"

The man was ten years his senior and he looked infuriated by Nee-san's command but he held his tongue. He had pushed his younger brother into the role and would not undermine him when he governed as he saw fit. Nee-san knew that Reisan was a warrior at heart and not a strategist. The man's weapon of choice was a warhammer and it fit him well considering that every problem was a nail for him. He was well suited to be the clan's leader but he was a less than ideal choice for Jounin Commander especially given Nee-san's view of the world. But alas, he meant well and for this Nee-san felt the closest thing to gratitude a man of his mind was capable of feeling.

"The Amandi are going to be upset. They may try something rash. I want you to alert the guards that as of now no Amandi is to leave the village. The borders of the country itself are also sealed off to them for travel. Right now containment is the best strategy. I will bring them to heel one way or another"

Reisan nodded.

"I'm going to write to the Daimyou and tell him that I am restricting their ability to do business with anyone outside of Iwa. The tax will go forward as planned except now it will be 50% as a penalty for their insubordination."

"What about their kekkei genkai? What about the insurance?"

"The kekkei genkai is ours to take at our leisure. Once their trapped within the confines of Iwagakure we can take it as we please but I will make no open move against them for now. As for insurance, I already have that covered..."

"I'll give out the order. Anything else Lord Tsuchikage?"

Nee-san shook his head and Reisan leapt from the terrace in a flicker like movement dashing across the rooftops to spread the news of the Tsuchikage's containment strategy. Nee-san finished his cigar, tossed it over the railing, and went back inside. As he shut the door behind him, his aide came in. The man poked his head in the door and he gave a nod. The aide shut the door and scurried out of the office to find Masuyo Kaede. Nee-san took his seat at the desk and continued doing paperwork until his next appointment.

(Word sent to Gate Guards not to let Amandi Clan leave the village)

He had swiftly returned from his long trek to Sungakure. The meeting with the Kazekage had been... eventful... Feeling glad to be back among the sturdy stones, he walked through the bustling crowds of the Hidden Stone. Having long since zoned out, Rivu was immediately upon the tall spire of the Tscuchikage complex. The social interactions with the necessary guards and receptionists mattered so little that he wouldn't even be able to recall any spoken words on recollection.

Rapping at Nee-san's door before swinging it open, the stone-faced shinobi of the Stone stepped in.

"Lord Tsuchikage," he would say, nodding his head slightly in greetings. Getting right into it, he would continue with the fact that his mission had been a resounding success. "Three days, where the Land of Birds defends their border from the Land of Wind; the Kazekage will be there."