What's The Haps?

Appearance:

Hana sat behind her desk, contemplating the war and Kirigakure's inevitable battle it will face. It was difficult to focus on the usual paperwork with the thought of eminent combat on her mind. She kept her radio on at all times and increased the frequency of the radio check-ins to ensure no attacks occurred on her communications. They were essential for times like these. News of Kitsuki returning on her mission was a great relief. Hana sought an audience with her immediately.

Kitsuki was happy that Hana was back in power. Haruko was her friend and was a worthy fighter, but her administrative skills were lacking to say the least. Fortunately, Kiri's status as a regional power afforded it enough wealth and institutional strength to withstand the occasional lackadaisical Kage. Still, Kit had worried that if things didn't change soon the nation would be  ripe for destruction both without and within. Hana's return was indeed fortuitous as Kit had heard rumors of war on the horizon. She was vaguely aware that an attack had taken place somewhere in Lightning Country but other than that she wasn't sure what to make of it all. Kit's desire to do good was tempered by her lack of knowledge regarding the intricacies of foreign affairs. Its why she implicitly trusted authority figures like the Mizukage. Kyoji had betrayed that trust in destroying a sovereign nation out of greed, but Hana had promised her that she'd turn Kiri away from acts of violence like that. Not only was Hana departing from the belligerence of her predecessors, she was also encouraging better civilian-military relations. The Royal House, the planned banquets, all of it was designed to foster cohesion between the aristocracy and the common folk. Headmaster Sukimori had always told her that a good deal of the problems in the world were generated by class antagonisms. It bred peasants who aspired to be warlords and aristocrats that aspired to be Gods. If the two could meet and harmonize then perhaps a better vision of the world could be realized.

So Kit was more than thrilled to report to the returning Mizukage. The Kurahasa was wearing her typical uniform consisting of a navy sports jacket with butler tails, a white blouse, bole tie with bright blue pendant, dress slacks, and combat heels. Kit's hair was bunched in its usual fashion with golden bands tying the ends. She held her trusty cane in her right hand and a quiver filled with bows strapped to her back. The newly minted Jounin knocked and if granted permission to enter, she'd walk inside and bow.

"Mizukage-sama, Kitsuki Kurahasa reporting"

Kit straightened back up and the bottom of her cane touched the ground. She rested one hand on the object's pommel and continued:

"Congratulations on your return to the position ma'am. Everyone is pleased to have you back at the helm of things. I also want to reiterate my thanks for the promotion...I will not fail you. My sole desire is to serve Kiri and help you put the village on the right track. I know things are volatile in the world right now but I think if we try, we might be able to broker peace...and if not then I stand ready to defend our island home. I can bring you up to speed on all the latest developments if you like"

The sound of footsteps approaching the door to her office caught her attention. Generally the Mizukage wasn't disturbed unless something immediately required her attention, which meant it was safe to assume that whoever was approaching was her appointment. The door swung open with ease making way for Kitsuki, one of the proud handful of Kirigakure Genin who made it to the Finals and were promoted to Chuunin. It was no surprise Kitsuki continued to impress Kirigakure with her dedication to help improve the Water Empire making her the city's most recent Jounin. The woman approached and bowed following her usual extreme mannerisms. Hana didn't know if she should spring up and do the same or just sit there and take it like she was some sort of Empress. What ended up happening was Hana just barely separating her butt from her chair before plopping it back down. It was as if she attempted to reflect the same formality before laziness and overall shyness overwhelmed her.

Something Hana did notice about Kitsuki was her walking stick, or in this case it would be a cane given its design. She did recall Kitsuki being rewarded an artifact owned by Kirigakure, which is now owned by Kitsuki. It was recrafted into the tool she had now over that blunder of a "sword" it used to be. Hana couldn't complain about her design to redesign it, but a cane was a symbol of weakness. At least to the Kaguya. Canes were used by elderly and the injured to help support their own body weight. Most Kaguya were unaware or failed to acknowledge its implication for the aristocrats, and Hana was one of them.

Kitsuki congratulated Hana on securing he position which caused a bit of an internal disturbance. What she wanted and what Kirigakure needed were two totally separate things. But congratulating her was perhaps the only proper reaction someone could have. Same as getting pregnant. Kitsuki seemed a bit eager about seeking peace among nations, or if all hell broke loose, be willing to defend before offering to catch Hana up on the important details. Hana felt it was necessary to try and persuade Kitsuki that the preconceived notion of peace was bad for business.

"Your enthusiasm for peace is appreciated, however, that is impossible." Hana stated directly, folding both arms on her desk and leaning forward to support herself. Naturally her bosom would pancake on the desk but in her suit of armor that was simply impossible. The same suit of armor that she was almost seen constantly in given Kumogakure's first visit to Kirigakure since she was Mizukage. It didn't take a genius to figure out her change in dress code was due to insecurity. "Kirigakure has been striving for peace for over a year now. Even today. As you may or may not know, I recently returned to Kirigakure myself after delivering Kurosawa back to the Samurai. Yet our efforts do not satisfy the enemy. Your strength is important to Kirigakure right now." Hana said, reassuring the responsibility the Jounin title held.

"But there isn't much we can do now, and dwelling on future conflict will get us nowhere. I am in need of getting caught up to date...the amount of paperwork to read in order to catch up on city matters would drive anyone insane. If you could, just fill me in on the matters needing my attention and what to keep my eye out for." It was hard enough to live normally in these times, but brushing off the war subject despite knowing well enough a retaliation was due didn't sit right. Hana had to get it off her chest. Sometime either today or tomorrow. Somehow.

Kit wasn't sure what to make of Hana partially getting out of her chair. She had noticed that the Kaguya seemed awfully awkward sometimes. She reminded Kit of the tomboys that had come to the WASP and resisted every type of training that the institution had to offer. She didn't have long to dwell on the subject as in her first sentence, Hana killed any hope of peace. Kit stared at the Mizukage and did her best to hide her disappointment. Peace was apparently not even on the table. It made sense given what she had seen in the world lately. It was hard to accept but accept it she must. She would not stand idly by while others tried to destroy the innocents of Mizu no Kuni. They did have bad Kage in the past and those Kage would need to be held to account for their sins, but every day Kirigakure was making strides to a better tomorrow. That work had to count for something. Unlike other villages that were waging wars of conquest and legalizing death cults, Kiri was fighting for justice.

Kit smiled when Hana mentioned that she had returned Kurosawa. The musician had made a trip out to the Land of Iron herself not too long ago. She had promised them that their precious artifact would be returned and Kit was thrilled to hear that the administration had followed through. It was further evidence that Kiri was indeed turning a corner. When Hana said that Kiri would be relying her strength, the girl gave a determined nod.

"Yes Mizukage-sama" she said before launching into her prepared report.

"There have been several developments of note while you were gone. Haruko Kaguya as you know briefly took the position and was acknowledged as the Hachidaime Mizukage. During that period, Kirigakure was involved in several minor conflicts mainly with the intention of aiding regional allies. The Land of Bears and Land of Waterfalls fought over a small tract of land that was the site of a meteorite impact. Each side wanted access to the minerals and they couldn't resolve their differences peacefully..." Kit dropping a not-so subtle hint that she preferred peace to war. "Konoha backed the Land of Waterfalls and Kumo backed the Land of Bears...naturally to support the alliance, Kiri favored Waterfalls. Additionally, to the south there was a major crisis in the Land of Sea. A new version of the plague broke out and the surrounding islands attempted an inhumane blockade. They refused to let even food and water in. Kiri sought to help break it but....it didn't work out. The Land of Seas fell." Kit couldn't leave out an important note. "There were unconfirmed reports that the Land of Seas had been working on a biological weapons program but none of that can be verified at least not to my understanding. I recommend conferring with ANBU."

Kit went on:

"I think Haruko could have been a better Kage but she did keep the city together during this time. However, there is one decision she made in particular that troubles me. There is....some kind of cult operating off the isle of whispers. Its led by a man named Sero Jaakuna. She gave him the authority to live there and conduct his affairs outside the scope of the military but Mizukage-sama....I sensed a very dark aura from this man. It shook me in ways that I didn't think were possible. Whoever he is, he shouldn't be able to live so close to the Isle of Whispers and yet he has. There are many in the Empire who are concerned about him and neighboring communities fear him. Based on what he told me, I pulled his file and found out that he was abused by the medical establishment in this village when he was younger. He is both a Hozuki and Kaguya and I think that led to some....antagonisms. Much of it is redacted and only the Kage can learn more but there is a lot to unpack there. I do not believe he is a threat to Kiri at this time. He has a malevolent presence but I think he desires good and ultimately what we want: justice. He did indicate to me though that his methods may not be in line with Kiri's re-branding. I think he and his followers need to be watched and if necessary contained. If his influence spreads there could be no telling what consequences it'd have on the military writ-large"

Kitsuki paused there. She wanted to let the weight of the situation sink in. She had also asked more senior Jounin what to expect when reporting to Mizukage Hana and they all said the same thing. Keep it simple. If you overwhelmed the woman with FACTS and LOGIC then she might not be able to fully appreciate the details. Kit had more to say but for now she'd let Hana digest this first round of information.

Hana nodded periodically as Kitsuki explained the minor conflict skirmishes. They were ultimately irrelevant to her. Unless there were any major powers at play, or if a minor nation developed the strength into becoming a major power, the skirmishes eventually died off without a victor. It was the natural way these sort of conflicts went. The minor nations were called that for a reason. They all lacked the superior military strength and economy the major nations had. But the next point certainly caught her attention forcing her posture to straighten for her previously conceived lean. "A cult?" She added curiously as Kitsuki further explained. Hana was fairly green to the world of religions, but there was one she certainly had no tolerance for. A cult in the Water Empire...is this the work of Shimiko? The only cult she was familiar with were the Jashinist, which had a very heavy presence in Kumogakure. Sacrificial murders were just the tip of the iceberg the depravity that clan was known for.

Hana had a theory the cultist were tactically placed by their leader to stir up trouble and breed more followers. Winning wars with religion was nothing new. The thought of having Jashinist in the Land of Water caused her body to tense up, withholding her anger and from making any unnecessary decisions. "We cannot allow any cults that deal in violence or depravity exist in the Water Empire. What was Haruko thinking? This is a civilized nation now. A civilized empire. We don't tolerate this kind of behavior. I need everything you know about this cult. Who are these people? What are their intentions? We need to take immediate action on them." Hana reclined back in her chair calming down just a bit allowing Kitsuki to speak. They needed to deal with these cultist carefully.

Kitsuki was glad that Hana shared her concern. When Kit had heard what Haruko had done, she truly questioned whether it was wise for Sero to be given such leeway when it came operating outside the normal ninja protocols. Hana wanted to know more about the cult but Kit had very little to give her. She had not met any of his followers nor did she know what his core beliefs were beyond the vague creed he espoused during their meeting. She did give the information she did know to Hana.

"I have the coordinates for where Sero was residing when I first met him. As for this cult's beliefs and membership roster....I cannot speak to that but from what he told me....he stated that his desire was to rid the world of evil. Then he said something to the effect that his methods would be rather violent or unorthodox. I can't quite remember the exact wording but it appears that the heart of his creed is to use his malevolence to serve the greater good."

Kitsuki had asked Zizz what her read of Sero was and the Angel could not give a precise answer. He was darkness incarnate but she believed that his desire to do good was genuine. Beyond that, Kit was as in the dark as Hana was.

"If I may be so bold Mizukage-sama...direct confrontation may not be the best course of action at this time. Allow me to gather more information on them and to look into what they've been up to. Depending on how severe their actions we can either contain them, disband them, and if necessary, imprison them."

Kit presented an array of options designed to push Hana towards a more peaceful solution. The goal was to resolve this crisis without violence. Kit agreed with Hana's detestation of cults such as Jashinism but they had to be careful lest the become the very thing they sought to destroy.

Hana was unsure if Kitsuki understood the full scope of what was happening. The terms good and evil were both very subjective. What Sero and his cult saw as the necessary evil that needed to be wiped could very well be Kirigakure's administration. Fanatics were dangerous because they could not be reasoned with. The mentioning of violent and unorthodox methods caused even greater concerns. From the perspective of the Mizukage, or anyone who dealt directly with Kirigakure's crime from a law enforcement standpoint would know Kirigakure is perhaps one of the safest cities across Kishin. Crime was inevitable, but it was kept in check. No major gangs loitered in the streets or had any sort of power. The civilians in Kirigakure trusted its ninja with any of their problems, and Kirigakure would find a solution.

And today, Hana would find a solution. "This matter cannot wait. If Sero and his cult are acting in violence this becomes an urgent issue. I will grant you the wheel on this, however. You know Sero's coordinates and you are perhaps the best suited for this mission. I need you to track down this man and confront him with details regarding his cult, their motives, and what acts they have done to push their objective. If anything sounds suspicious or if Sero is not being cooperative, you have permission to detain him. If that's the case I would want to get more information out of him directly. Because we are dealing with a potentially dangerous cult, this will be considered a B-rank mission."

Hana would turn and nod to Rion, who would nod to confirm what he knew needed to be done. Rion would leave the office and head to the mission desk to get the request filled out. "I need this done within the week, which will give you time to plan your approach. But in the meantime, do you have anything else of value to report?"

Hana's insistence that this "Nightmare Gang" be dealt with was a sharp departure from the laissez-faire attitude of the 8th. She wanted Kit to prioritize this investigation and so she would. Kit had meant to look into Arisu's abilities but that would simply have to wait. A direct order from the Mizukage was the highest order.

"Understood, Mizukage-sama. It will be my top priority and I will have deliverables for you ASAP."

Rion left the room to prepare the mission request. When asked if she had more to report, Kit nodded her head and continued:

"During the War in Iwa, the Mountain Alliance consisting of Fangs, Birds, and the Land of Mountains attempted to bring down the giant floating island of Kariforunia. The act would have been an ecological and humanitarian disaster. However, Konoha, Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri agreed to a temporary ceasefire so that shinobi from all nations could assist with the evacuation efforts. Things were going well until one evacuation center was attacked by a mysterious shinobi. I was working with Arisu at the time and with the help of an unknown and rather young Konoha Senju we managed to corner and arrest him. It was at that point that I learned the identity of the terrorist. He is a shinobi from Kumogakure whom I met during the Chuunin Exams. I did not get his name but I know he was in the same classroom as me for the first portion of the exams. Class 113. I didn't have the clearance to pull his name but I'm sure you can. Also Mizukage-sama.....he appeared deranged and disfigured. I'm not sure what happened to him but whatever it was had changed him. I spoke briefly with him after the first portion of the exams and he appeared amoral but lucid. This was something different. I don't know if he was insane or acting under the influence of illusion but I found the situation troubling. Kumogakure is home to a variety of demonic cults and based on my experiences with them in the Chuunin Exams I wouldn't put it past them to launch some kind of attack like this."

As Kit spoke her hands trembled with rage. She remembered seeing the civilians crying out in fear as Irui mercilessly blasted them into the afterlife. Men, women, and children with no abilities except their own two legs. They were running from the fight not joining it and for some strange reason Irui had decided to attack them. Either he had gone rogue from Kumo's military or he was a message of some sort.

"Regrettably he managed to elude capture. People needed to be helped and he was able to slip away as the situation at Kariforunia turned critical. I can provide a description to our analysts if we want to reach out to the Senju. He fought the Kumo-Nin longer than me and Arisu so he might have additional insight."

Hana nodded at Kitsuki's obedience, stating she would deal with the Nightmare issue. The last thing Kirigakure needed was inner turmoil during these trying times. Kirigakure needed to be a safe place. She wanted to scold Haruko right now, but the young Kaguya was at home resting due to her illness. It was likely the same one she suffered from herself, something she could never get over. The plague consumed a year of her life like nothing.

Kitsuki continued to explain more war issues. The world certainly fell apart during her absence which almost made Hana feel like this was all inevitable. Tensions were very high when she was last Mizukage to the point of no going back. The events of the world already chose its path at the crossroads, and it was one of the most hellish timeline. She drabbled on about a Genin who took place in the exams making an appearance in the war. Although this was not uncommon, it just so happened to be that this man was responsible for an attack on civilians. A cold sweat ran down her body before she immediately began to burn up like a furnace. Rarely to lose her cool Hana dragged her nails across the mahogany hardwood desk and clenched her hand into a balled fist. Her nails easily trenched into the surface of the wood.

"That does it, then." Her heart raced as she sat in silence for more than a few good moments. Hana focused on breathing and settling her nerves. :"You know... She spoke again breaking the silence, "Kirigakure's past was one of greedy leaders and poor decision making. The attack on the Land of iron, the devastation in the Land of Demons, and the assassination of Satomi Uchiha. Kirigakure is lucky to have survived the consequences of each of those incidents. When I first encountered the Kumogakure ambassador I believed the policies they were enforcing were out of good faith. That Kumogakure actually believed in law and order. But now my eyes are wide open. I was naive to let a foreign nation guilt me. It's clear as ever that Kumogakure was only seeking personal gain. They are slaughtering civilians, working outside of their sphere of influence, and have gone back on just about everything they enforced." Taking a deep breath through her nostrils she sighed, letting the air escaping her lips carry some of her frustrations away from her.

"I am not saying we should not have made amends to our past, but I guess I regret ever giving Kumogakure a chance. I would have had Shimiko Chinoike's head on a pike the moment she approached the gates of our city if I knew their true motives." Reaching towards a drawer in her desk she pulled out a pen and a scroll, setting the tools on her desk before closing the drawer shut. "But I guess it's not too late. We need to prepare for war."

Hana was taking the news hard. Good. It showed that she had a heart. Kitsuki imagined that any other Mizukage would have shrugged or played it off as an excuse to go to war. Hana seemed as upset as she was and in Kit's book that was an indicator of a strong moral conscience. When Hana insisted that this act was grounds for war, the Angelic Princess found herself nodding vigorously in agreement. Who was the likes of Shimiko Chinoike, renowned Jashinist, to lecture Kiri on peace? It was clear that Kumo's hands were just as dirty as Kiri's except that, unlike the Mist, they weren't trying to mend their ways. Kitsuki would ensure that if they didn't mend then they'd break. Hana didn't say whether she wanted Kitsuki to follow up on the Senju kid but she'd make time to speak with defense officials and give them a description anyways. If Hana wanted to reach out to him for more information then they'd at least have an image and likeness to go off of.

"Understood Mizukage-sama. I will be ready. This evil cannot go unpunished. This imbalance uncorrected."

It was a common saying that the Headmaster used and she found it appropriate to use here. Kitsuki loathed war. She had always been a quiet girl, one who avoided conflict and relied on her big sister to settle squabbles for her. But as she grew older, more independent, and more skilled, she realized that sometimes justice could only be secured with one's fists. She wanted to stew in her rage, she wanted to hit something even, but that would be unproductive. She'd train in preparation for battle but for now there was more to report. She took a breath and continued:

"There is more Mizukage-sama....its about Arisu Ōtsutsuki. There was an incident at the Kiri Training Grounds that you should know about. I happened to be training there one day when I saw Arisu take one of her alien brethren to a secluded part of the training fields. The young man's name was Naitome and he was a registered genin in our village. I decided to follow them and I saw Arisu plunge some kind of black stick into Naitome's chest. At first I feared that she had killed him. But the two explained that it was part of some kind of extra-terrestrial bonding process. Naitome tied his soul to Arisu's in exchange for greater power and unity. Their power has been multiplied significantly but I found the cost to be concerning. Naitome is now permanently bound to Arisu...he cannot act on his own accord. He has essentially sold himself into a life of slavery. I found this to be reprehensible but after careful consideration I decided to let the matter be although I vowed to look into it further once I got the chance. That chance never came. I took Arisu with me on the evacuation mission in the Land of the Earth. She did well, her skills and sense of morality is beyond approach but while we were there something bad happened...."

Kit looked away from Hana. She was ashamed. She had left Arisu alone for just a few hours and in that timeframe, her comrade had been snatched.

"Arisu was kidnapped. She was taken out of the Land of Earth by Menza of the Enlightened Society. He tortured her to the point where she lost one of her most powerful abilities and then left her for dead on the outskirts of the Commonwealth. She could have died Hana-sama....and I wasn't there to protect her. We had split up to help protect the civilians from the falling debris due to the air raid and in the chaos Menza made his move."

The last few words were on her lips but she couldn't bear to say them. She remembered her school's lessons on accountability and somehow forced them out.

"I take full responsibility. I was the ranking shinobi on that mission and one of my comrades was grievously hurt due to my negligence. I apologize for my ineptitude Mizukage-sama."

Hana leaned back in her chair, wishing she had brought something to nibble on during the amount of news Kitsuki had in store for her. Hana expected only a few major events but it seemed Kitsuki was quite invested in not only international politics, but intervillage relations. The name Arisu was brought up reminding her of Ikomiki Otsutsuki, her ally during the Moonspire raid. Hana was able to get quite a bit of information out of Ikomiki regarding how her clan functions.

---

“Well, if a fight breaks out between the two of us, I can’t be blamed. All Otsutsuki always end up trying to kill each other. The Rinnegan we have is incomplete. The old Rinnegan of legends that people talk about is probably still possible to achieve, but it was split into seven parts at some point… You see how I only have one ring in my eye? If I were to absorb another then I’d gain a second ring, and be closer to being complete again...”

---

Those were Ikomiki's words...did Arisu really end up killing this Naitome person?
The thought of unsanctioned killings were something that still made Hana's skin crawl. It was one thing to have a legitimate motivation, but murdering someone just for power didn't sit right.

After Kitsuki finished what she had to say Hana sat straight once again. "You tried your best, Kitsuki. That's all that matters. The world is a big place. There will always be someone bigger, meaner, smarter, and more experienced. That's why it is important we have each other to rely on. Your friends, family, and allies. Although you may find yourself overwhelmed in your time, know that you will always have people to watch your back." Hana's hands fidgeted with a strap which tied her cloak around her neck. Undoing the fasten she pulled the cloak off her body and let it hang on the backrest of her chair. "Unfortunately I'm not sure if Naitome is still alive. The Otsutsuki clan members are driven to each other for more power. The process you described...this permanent enthralling? Naitome willingly gave him life away to Arisu. I am unsure if this was by intimidation or if Naitome saw Arisu as some sort of alpha. It is disturbing to hear Arisu behave like this, but there is nothing we can do. The major clans in Kirigakure have the right to govern themselves with their own laws and customs. Although these laws must still abide by Kirigakure's to an extent, the willing self-sacrifice to another clan member is permissible."

Negativity sat at the bottom of Hana's stomach. The news regarding Arisu was unsettling and changed her perspective of the Otsutsuki greatly. If what Kitsuki said was true, then everything Ikomiki said was correct. Members of the Otsutsuki were like drug-bound addicts, constantly drawn to their next fix and would do anything to achieve it. Ikomiki expressed her interest in pursuing Arisu, and Arisu has already targeted one of the Otsutsuki in Kirigakure. "Something that is unsettling is why someone so young would make such a permanent decision. I will check the archives to see if we have any more Otsutsuki enlisted. If we do, I will make it the responsibility for our Jounin and Administration to be in close contact with the Otsutsuki. I don't want to believe Arisu intimidated Naitome into surrendering his morality, but it's a possibility we may never know. I want to ensure Otsutsuki matters are handled cleanly with little room for abuse."

Grabbing the pen off her desk she scribbled down a note which read: "Fund Otsutsuki Clan district." Clicking the pen the point retracted. Hana inhaled deeply and let a steady sigh leave her nose. Setting the pen down on the desk she fixed her gaze into Kitsuki's. "The information you've provided me should do for now. Thank you for catching me up to date. But now I feel I must do the same to you, as one of Kirigakure's Jounin. During my expedition to the Land of Iron I stopped by the Heavenly Emporium to rest, where I came across a business partner. They gave me the basics regarding the war, which I was mostly oblivious about upon my return. The information they gave me was similar to what you spoke about regarding Kumogakure's slaughtering of citizens in Iwagakure during the evacuation. I will admit, the information got the best of me. The last conscious memory I had was my meeting with the Kumogakure ambassador. To wake up to war, and the Lightning ninja doing the same acts of brutality Kumogakure reprimanded Kirigakure for...well, I was anxious and furious."

Hana's heart rate increased steadily, for once in a long time shameful of her actions. It was similar to those nights when she stayed up to 4am and she would get scolded by her parents for sleeping past noon. The feeling of letting down her Kitsuki was inevitable. Kitsuki, an eager, young do-gooder that Hana once was. Hana was set of getting Kirigakure back on track when given the hat and sought clean justice. That was nearly two years ago. She was not the same, and seeing Kitsuki's zeal was a reflection of her former self. Something Hana could never try and claim she was ever again. "We, as in me and him, as well as his associates, sought a counterattack against Kumogakure directly. Our objective was to capture Damien Darhk, a renown craftsman providing advanced technology for Kumogakure's military. The plan was to cease the production of advanced technology to stunt their war efforts. We approached Moonspire and sought to draw him out. Needless to say, the operation failed. My business partner's associate targeted innocent lives, and my actions to draw out Damien resulted in flooding which undoubtedly caused causalities. We met heavy resistance from a flying ship which packed incredible firepower. Upon neutralizing it, out came Damien and his henchman heading straight towards us. I struck them both down then and there."

Hana gave a two second pause between what she said to allow her words to sink in. "Kumogakure knows, and they will retaliate. I wanted you to know, since as a Jounin I will rely heavily on your aid to ensure the safety of our civilians."

Kit sighed in relief when the Mizukage expressed understanding rather than anger. She still felt guilty for failing Arisu but at least Hana understood she was trying to make a difference. She nodded in response and said "Thank you Mizukage-sama." When Hana expressed the same concern that she did regarding Arisu's ritual bonding to Naitome's soul, she felt as thought she could trust this Mizukage above all others. Hana explained that Naitome was actually dead and was little more than a vessel for Arisu's will. Arisu had made it sound like Naitome was still alive as opposed to some kind of mindless vassal. She wasn't sure what to make of it all. It could be pure semantics but Kit could not rule out the possibility that Arisu had deliberately deceived her.

The thought caused Zizz to buzz angrily. The Angel was a mere speck in her hair but she could feel the creature's agitation rising.

ⵙⴻⴻ! ⵉ ⵜoⵍⴷ ⵢoⵓ! ⵢoⵓ ⵛⴰⵏ ⵏⴻⵠⴻⵔ ⵜⵔⵓⵙⵜ ⴰ ⵛoⵍoⵏⵉⵣⴻⵔ!

Kit expected Hana to call for Arisu's arrest but she did not. She chose a middle of the road approach. While she declined to prosecute the Jounin's suspect behavior, she at least seemed willing to investigate further. The Ōtsutsuki would be permitted to govern themselves but they could not stray too far from the nation's norms. Kit gripped her cane tightly. These aliens were strange and she wasn't sure how much of what Arisu had done was cultural and how much of it was pure greed. Zizz seemed to believe the latter but Kit had seen how Arisu had helped those in need. She wanted it to be the former, but she couldn't be sure.

I'll get to the bottom of this one day....I'm not sure how Hana-sama knows so much about these alien beings but I will not rest until I uncover the truth behind their actions.

Hana said the information that she had provided was good enough for now. Kit had more to tell but she knew that overwhelming the new Mizukage would likely be a mistake. She was about to give a final bow and leave after being dismissed but Hana made it clear there was one final thing they needed to discuss. She explained that after the peace mission in the Land of Iron, she had spoken to a "business associate" that informed her of Kumo's atrocities. At first, Kit wasn't sure why Hana was bringing it up, but as Hana continued on, the WASP graduate grew still with shock. Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes widened as her soul was fraught with despair.

No...Mizukage-sama...please no....

"We, as in me and him, as well as his associates, sought a counterattack against Kumogakure directly. Our objective was to capture Damien Darhk, a renown craftsman providing advanced technology for Kumogakure's military. The plan was to cease the production of advanced technology to stunt their war efforts. We approached Moonspire and sought to draw him out. Needless to say, the operation failed. My business partner's associate targeted innocent lives, and my actions to draw out Damien resulted in flooding which undoubtedly caused causalities."

Kitsuki stared at the burger-monger. Hana had just admitted to being a key player in the assault on Moonspire. Kitsuki had not known much about the event except that scores of civilians had died. It was a tragedy of monumental magnitude. She had read about it in the newspapers and it had made her sick to her stomach. She hoped Kiri wasn't involved and she had dismissed it as a possibility given that both Hana and Haruko had gone out of their way to mend the village's past mistakes. Damien Darhk was a weapons manufacturer and he was based in Kumo, so Kit understood why he was targeted. What she couldn't rationalize was the indiscriminate slaughter of the men, women, and children that just so happened to work in the industrial town. These people were innocent civilians that were just looking for work, and in some cases, they had absolutely nothing to do with the design of Damien's technological terrors. Kumo was in uproar about it, rightfully so, but she wasn't in a position to help them investigate it and bring the terrorists to justice. Nevertheless, she knew that if she had come across the perpetrators she'd give them the same treatment that she had given Irui. He had slipped through her fingers but she vowed to not make the same mistake with these villains.

Kit swallowed and digested the news as Hana spoke. Kumo knew about what she had done, and of course, they'd retaliate. Hana expected Kit to have Kiri's back though. She expected Kit to do what Nikuyo had done for the Pitmasters of Vandal, what Takeo had done for Ken, and what she had done for Kyoji. It was an endless cycle of senseless bloodshed and criminality. It was motivated by greed, hatred, and love of war. Kit's despair was soon replaced by rage. Like a thick bile rising from her stomach to her throat, it threatened to spill forth. Zizz could sense it but before it became malice, it was translated into a righteous fury.

You murderer.....you promised me....

Kit thought back to that fateful first meeting she had with Hana. Kitsuki had worked up the courage to explicitly communicate her concerns to Hana about joining the Imperial House. She did not want to be complicit with Kyoji's crimes. The former Mizukage had given her hope during the passing of Hagoromo's Comet, he said she was the future for a brighter tomorrow and then he turned around and decimated a peaceful people for their resources. Hana had knowingly aided in his plunder and she had spun a crafty tale to Kit about how Kyoji was an aberration and that she'd right the wrongs of her predecessors. Kit had bought into it hook, line, and sinker. She had agreed to be a part of royalty because she thought she could change things from the inside. She was wrong. It was now coming into focus. Every right-hand to the Mizukage was sucked into the overwhelming tide of corruption and evil that hung over the government. Hana was now using the spectre of war to force her into complicity. Kumo was evil, maybe worse than Kiri maybe not, but she could not let that stop her from fighting the wickedness in front of her.

She didn't cry. She didn't shout. She didn't even curse. The girl straightened up and looked her Mizukage in the eye.

"You're a murderer. You promised me that you weren't going to follow in Kyoji's footsteps. You swore to protect the people of these Isles and to forge a better future and you threw it all away because of something some mystery business person said to you? You lied to me Mizukage-sama. You lied to me like you lied to me back then...but you know what? No more. I don't to be a part of this evil anymore. Of YOUR evil. From this moment on, I'm not a member of the Imperial House nor a Jounin of Kirigakure no Sato. I'm nothing to this administration. I'll protect Kiri if its attacked but I won't take orders from you any longer. I'm willing to bet that Chigetsu and the rest of the shinobi in Kiri don't know about your war crimes and I'll keep it that way for now.....so long as you leave me and him out of your blood coups."

Kit wanted to hit Hana, to lash out at her, to make her feel all of the pain she had inflicted on the people of Iron and Moonspire, but she wouldn't. The country was at war and it needed a leader. She wasn't going to turn her righteous fury on the Kaguya when so much was at stake. Justice would simply have to wait.

Kit would then dramatically stick her cane in Hana's face. As she pointed she said: "Oh and I'm keeping this. You're not going to use this artifact to hurt others. You have six more to use and that's six too many." She then turned on her heel and left. She felt betrayed and angry. Hana had taken advantage of her charity just like so many others. Headmaster Sukimori was wrong. The shinobi world was much worse than she had been led to believe.

Is this why Nozomi left? Is this why she's been destabilizing the world order?

Kit never imagined that she'd be thinking along those lines. But learning that yet another role model had turned into a war criminal was eroding her trust in the system.

[Attempted Exit]

What took days to muster the courage to share the events of the Moonspire attack to one of her most trusted Jounin proved to be a disaster. Hana noted the expression of the girl change which immediately called for Hana's sensory to trigger naturally, ready to respond to any violent retaliation. That would have been her reaction when receiving devastating news. Violence. But Kitsuki was different, and perhaps so was the rest of humanity. They could stay within their code. They could accept submission or wrongdoings, and offer forgiveness in return. Was Hana merely weak willed? Or was this who she truly was? The words 'murderer' and 'evil' pierced her eardrums as they left the lecturing mouth of the Kurahasa. The Mizukage remained seated, unsure how she could respond. Everything Kitsuki spoke was the hard to swallow truth, and on a moral standpoint Hana couldn't be angry.

"..."

The cane Kitsuki wielded was lunged in the space before Hana causing her head to bob to the side instinctively leaving a few inches of between the side of her head and the bottom of the cane. Kitsuki spoke of keeping the artifact before giving one last insult to injury and leaving the office in a quickened pace. The door would shut behind her and Hana would be left alone in the office where she slouched back in the chair she sat on. The events of their meeting reran through her mind. The eager to help Kurahasa, Jounin and Council member, quickly turned into a wanderer holding no position in Kirigakure's military or the Water Empire. Hana sat in silence staring blankly at the top of her desk. It didn't matter where she was staring as she was trapped in her own thoughts.

A ninja should be loyal to one's nation. I don't understand. What am I doing wrong that my predecessors succeeded? War and senseless killing always existed. Since the beginning of time. And even now...why are my actions looked down upon? The confusion tore at Hana mentally the most. The answer was right before her, yet it eluded her like a Taijutsu master in practice. And frankly, Hana has been wore too thin. Maybe I am evil. Hana always saw herself as loyal to the state. She executed any mission that her nation expected of her, just like any loyal ninja. They were mercenaries. That was their job. She used that exact line of reasoning when excusing her attack on the Land of Iron with Kyoji. She was simply a Jounin following orders among several dozen in the attack group. What's my excuse now? I was in charge of my own fate, and I chose murder in the name of nothing. A shadow cast over Hana mindset, unwilling to accept the title of 'evil.'

Hana stewed in her own thoughts, a mere twenty minutes passed which felt like hours as anxiety raced through her body with each beat of her heart. The silence in the room was broken, the Kaguya finally coming to a conclusion of herself. "Selfish and spiteful. That's what I am. And now Kirigakure's people will die in my name." Reaching on top of her desk she crumbled the plans she had and tossed those in the trash bin just under her desk. Reaching inside of her drawer she grabbed a blank piece of paper and the ink pen wielded in her left hand. Carefully she drafted a letter being especially careful to not mess this up. The language was passive. After completing the letter she rose it to just near her lips, blowing to allow a quick dry, then set it on top of the desk using a pencil cup to weigh it down. Grabbing her belongings from around the desk she ensured she had everything she needed before leaving the office, flipping off the light switch one last time while doing so. It was the end of an era.

[Exit]

---

Note:

The next morning, Chigetsu would be the first one into the Mizukage’s office.

He visited Hana during her work, for one reason or another, often enough that the many guards and shinobi working in the Mizukage Complex came to expect and know him by now. The basic and sterilized office and faceless bureaucrats no longer made him feel out of place. Once you became expected, and your presence known and recognized it was easy to meld into the scenery yourself. Even with his pink hair and outrageous way of dressing this place had eventually turned into somewhere he felt he belonged. The ever changing labyrinth had become a sort of second home now, in some ways more lively than the place he would return to. It was a temporary feeling of freedom. As a fresh Jōnin his privileges had suddenly increased dramatically. No more were the frisks and weapon checks that he was used to, and all it took was a match of chakra signature and then he was allowed to do as he pleased.

Barging into her office had only come after a long pause just outside her door. There were no more checks or delays that would restrict his access, and now it was only him. He didn’t know how to feel right now. There were things that needed to be said between them, important things that they should have discussed a long time ago but for some reason never had. The sense of awkwardness that had risen between them ever since that first date had never dispelled, even now over a year later. Some sort of mutual understanding had risen between the two of them, but with how recent events were rising he was beginning to question whether that was anything more than an illusion. The journey to the Land of Iron and the strangeness that had occurred there, and then the situation with Akihiro… Chigetsu wanted an explanation. Even if it was to confirm his fears.

There was nobody inside. All the preparation and conversations he had played out inside his head while standing outside the door to her office made him feel like a clown now. A waste of time, and the person he had wanted to talk to ended up alluding him somehow. Really, it was his own fault for not talking to her about this when he had the chance, back when Akihiro first brought her home. The only thing inside the poorly lit Mizukage’s office that caught any sort of attention was the letter on her desk, weighed down by a pencil cup. It wasn’t his business to be sorting through her office and reading letters likely addressed to her, Chigetsu ended up being drawn forward through some magnetic curiosity. The seal would be peeled open, and his eyes would press down over the contents.

Once he finished reading the paper would be crumpled in his hands. Water mixed with the paper and ink, compressing it down into a destroyed mess. It would be kept with him, clenched tight in his fist.

[Exit]