The House of the Setting Sun (Flashback/Kit/Kiyoko)

The sun was beginning to set over the village of Tetsumura, but Kensai wasn’t bothered. This was his favourite time of day; a time where he could simply relax and enjoy the silence in the village while he focused on his own training for a change. His village, if you could still call it that, was beginning to thrive. The Iron Shogun contemplated the growth of his new home from the gardens of his palace, the archery targets set up across the way as the colours of the sky changed from beyond the mountains, the sun dipping as the brilliant reds and oranges filled his vision. A smile would crest the lips of the shogun as he would lift his bow, created from beautiful senju wood from the heart of the Land of Fire, and knock an arrow. He wouldn’t use one of the master crafted arrows that the brilliant Okane had created for him, but instead an arrow that had likely been inside of a hundred bandits from Sunagakure. This was something that would both keep him humble, as a reminder of where he had come from, but also something that would protect his targets from being constantly destroyed.

The simplicity of this activity and the repetitiveness of doing it his entire life, was something that could truly centre him at any time, even when the world around him was in utter chaos. The Shinobi world seemed determined to tear itself apart and it saddened Kensai to think of it. He didn’t trust the shinobi, and couldn’t say he particularly liked them for the most part, but in Sunagakure he had made friends with a handful of them and they had earned a bit of trust from the surly samurai. He worried about Azuma and Ai, about Nozomi even, and about the innocent people of the world who would suffer due to such a conflict. He worried mostly about the poor whom he had lived among for the past couple of years, a people who had suffered so much already and needn’t suffer more. He worried for the child soldiers that the shinobi loved to employ being pushed to war and slain on the battlefields, a true travesty. They deserved a chance at having a real life, but the shinobi had stolen that chance from him.

He had heard of a shinobi visitor in his lands, and that one of his trusted right hand Kiyoko Ono had gone to meet. Some believed her to be a diplomat but in reality she was an enforcer. He didn’t know how the meeting had been going so far, but she had been sent order to bring the shinobi back to the garden should things go well. The Land of Iron was very specific that any shinobi in their lands were to be disarmed, but he would be willing to put a bow in the visitors hands if they so wished so they could be laid bare before him in his most comfortable place. He only hoped that the shinobi, were they to make it this far, would accept his offer and be reasonable. In his simple robes and his fur cloak that marked him as Shogun, he wouldn't look as menacing as though he had his full armour, but he was an unmatched archer in this world, and no shinobi had ever come close to his level of skill in that field. This was his safe place, and how fitting that it was also his home...

Kiyoko had been summoned by the Shogun. It was one of the few summons that didn’t annoy her. She lived to serve the will of the Shogun and it was simply one of her duties and privileges to respond to his orders. The orders also included that she bring Kitsuki, the diplomat from Kirigakure, with her. It was a fair enough request, a shinobi visitor from another land warranted a meeting with the Shogun. So Kiyoko sent the same messenger with instructions for Kitsuki to meet both her and the Shogun in the gardens. She also sent along a fur cloak, Kitsuki had been dressed well enough, but knowing Kensai they would be spending the entire meeting outdoors and the young woman was not likely to retain enough body heat to keep her comfortable the entire time. The cold crept up fast when you were standing still, at least in Kiyoko’s experience, and she’d developed a certain fondness for the girl and didn’t want her to get frostbite.

Kiyoko bundled herself up, she wore her usual black kimono and over top a thick wool and fur cloak. At her side she had her sword, Redemption, and not much else. She never felt the need for any other weaponry besides her sword, she saw the value in them of course, but it wasn’t how she fought. She enjoyed being up close and personal, though she was not so arrogant to believe that her style of combat wouldn’t one day be the death of her. Walking out of her apartment and into the cold was always bracing, and this evening was no different. The snow that had freshly fallen sparkled in the setting sun and it lifted her spirits as she walked.

Her own home was not very far away from the gardens and it took only a few minutes to make the snowy trek across Tetsumura to where the Shogun was. As she approached she heard the tell tale ‘thwap’ sound of arrows sinking into a target. So as not to interrupt the Shogun’s archery she moved towards where he was firing from and called out, bowing as soon as he acknowledged her. “My lord Shogun, I am here as requested.” Making her presence known was more for her benefit than for his, while he was an excellent shot, it would be stupid of her to assume that she could walk in front of an arrow and not get shot by it.

Kitsuki's stay in the Land of Iron had been very productive. At first, hardly anyone gave her work and no one save for Kiyoko would even speak to her. Kit guessed that if it was not for the Diplomat, she would have been attacked. The Kiri-Nin took the hint and played it as carefully as careful could be. She didn't start conversation or try to buddy up with the natives of the land. She put in requests for work and waited. She assumed that Kiyoko must have given the greenlight because a steady stream of jobs began to trickle in. She did them to the best of her ability and never complained no matter how difficult the task was. Eventually, her reputation as a doer and a fixer spoke for itself. When heavy lifting needed to be done, clothes needed mending, or armour restoring, she was the one to call. The people were not warm but they were at least respectful.

And so over time, Kitsuki's efforts began to have an effect on the town. Buildings were fixed and the people were beginning to feel hope again. It was a beautiful thing to watch an urban environment come to life and the Princess was grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it. When Kit received a message to prepare for a meeting with the Shogun, she smiled. She had been waiting for this moment. As a woman of class she knew better than to go around demanding an audience with the nation's leader. She would have to bide her time and prove that she was worthy of reception. A summons from the Shogun was proof that she had done her job and done it well. She was also thankful for Kiyoko's gift. She had neglected to pack warm furs and the ones she had been given weren't the best quality. They were sufficient to keep her from dying but not much else and she dared not raise a fuss. They had been through enough and if this was their way of taking petty revenge, she'd tolerate it. Kitsuki dressed to the tens in her typical uniform, stylish heels, and brooch. She then put on the fur cloak and set out.

Kit wasn't just happy to receive it for practical reasons. It was indeed nippy in these lands but to her, the cloak represented something more. It represented Kiyoko's changing attitude towards her presence. When she had first arrived, Kit could feel the killing intent rolling off her. However, after a chat on the way to Tetsumura, she felt as though the two had come to an accord. She was sure that her good work had been noticed by the Shogun's right hand and this cloak was all the evidence she needed. Kitsuki arrived at the garden and hung back while Kiyoko spoke to her leader. She watched as the Shogun practiced his archery. He was good, not as good as she was, but still impressive nonetheless. He was also terrifyingly handsome but Kit was too schooled in the ways of court to let that get to her. She kept her hands behind her back and patiently waited for Kensai to acknowledge her or Kiyoko to introduce her.

Kensai would sense the presence of the two approaching him, feeling the power of the young girl who walked with Kiyoko. She was impressive, though that didn’t make him happy. The girl was a child, one of the soldiers that the shinobi conditioned from such a young age to be heartless killers, and it broke his heart to think of it. Kiyoko didn’t introduce the girl, but Kensai noticed that the sound of her voice caused a sleeping Tora to perk up his ears and stand before lazily sauntering over to the “Diplomat”, growling and chuffing at her as he nudged her hand. The thousand pound tiger had grown to like the woman, and this made the Iron Shogun happy to see. He wouldn’t stop what he was doing, putting another arrow perfectly into the centre of his target.

“So you are the shinobi who walks in my lands. I am Kensai Tanahashi, Shogun of the Land of Iron. You’ll forgive us for the caution we have taken.” He would refer to the cane that Kiyoko was keeping safe, as well as the armed guard through the city. “My people have come under attack from the shinobi in the past and we simply do not wish for that to happen again. It is best to exercise caution as opposed to having a situation occur.” He would send one more arrow into the target, splitting the previous one down the centre before scowling. He hated wasting arrows like that. He would turn and walk towards the two, placing a hand on Tora’s back and nodding politely.

“I once lived among the shinobi, a native to the land of wind. I grew up in the desert, and the shinobi took my family from me. I hated your kind for some time, but many interactions with several different shinobi and kunochi have made me a bit more optimistic towards the possibility of positive relations between Samurai and Shinobi. I worry constantly for my people, but when stress overwhelms me, I come here to my sanctuary. This garden is the one place I truly feel at peace, and using my bow is my solace. I am curious as to weather or not you partake in the noble art of archery, and if you would be willing to shoot some targets with me. I think this is a peaceful activity that all can enjoy...even Kiyoko here.” He chuckled. He wasn’t sure he had ever seen Kiyoko hold a bow, but there was never a bad time to start.

Tora would groan and chuff at the young girl, raising his massive head towards her and nudging her hand expecting a pat and Kensai would smile once more, the massive predator generally being a good judge of character. It seemed like a good sign to him of a possible friendship to come, and while she might stand against much of what he stood for, he would look past the fact that she was a child soldier today and simply see her as a girl, like Shiro, who should be protected. "I hope both of you will join me, I have bows for each of you to use and a handful of arrows to share...provided you retrieve them."

As Tora approached her, Kiyoko would smile and pet the giant tiger, taking time to scratch behind his ears. “And how are we today Tora? Noticed anything strange? Anyone that needs eating?” It appeared as though Kiyoko was doing typical ‘speak to your pets like they’re people’ things, but in actual fact Kiyoko was still very much under the impression that the cat could understand her just fine. She also wasn’t even remotely joking about the people eating. She was completely certain that Tora would eat troublemakers given the chance, she’d never seen it, but it seemed likely.

Kiyoko listened semi-attentively as the Shogun addressed the newly arrived Kitsuki, Tora was an ever present distraction for the guard. Taking the opportunity as Kensai paused to introduce the girl. “My lord Shogun, may I present Kitsuki Kurahasa. A diplomat from the Land of Water, and so far an honourable guest.” Kiyoko had a rueful smile on her face as she said ‘so far’. In truth Kitsuki had gone above and beyond any expectations placed on her by Kiyoko. Not that Kiyoko expected much from shinobi in the first place, but Kiyoko had been very impressed with the Princess from Kirigakure.

As Kensai mentioned her joining in on the archery Kiyoko tried not to show her concern. She wasn’t worried about embarrassing herself, she did that quite regularly and frankly was the least of her worries. It was more concerning that the Shogun wanted to display her archery skills in front of a guest. Her archery skills were completely non existent. With a shrug Kiyoko would move over to the waiting already strung, thankfully, bows. Picking one up she would look questioningly to the archers as she held it in her left hand and attempted to look like she knew what she was doing. She didn’t.

Kitsuki smiled and bowed as Kiyoko introduced her. She hadn't gotten the full scope of her title but that was okay. She did not want to come across as a pompous or self-centered shinobi who was more concerned about her title than she was about establishing positive relations. "Thank you Kiyoko.....and its a pleasure to meet you Kensai-sama. Your caution is well justified. I've apologized to Kiyoko but let me be the first from Kirigakure's government to officially apologize directly to you. Not just for the atrocities that we have inflicted on your people but for the priceless artifacts we have stolen. They will be returned as soon as possible."

She walked towards him and bowed once more. This one was deeper and expressed a true contrition for what Kiri had done.

"You have my word that it will not happen again and the Mizukage would like to meet with you personally to give that guarantee"

Kensai's story was rather sad. He had grown up in a major shinobi nation but his parents were killed by members of her own esteemed profession. The tragedy of the moment had turned to bitterness and she could not find it in her to blame him. The ninja of the world had been despicable but that is why she had chosen to leave behind a civilian life. She had to rehabilitate the image of the ninja warrior and bring peace where her predecessors had only brought war. This meeting was the first step to achieving that goal. She struggled to pay attention to his words as she watched him work the bow. He was far better than anyone else she had ever seen. Even her instructor had never managed to cleave an arrow with a second shot with such finesse. When he asked her if she partook, she nodded and replied:

"Yes.....archery is a skill I've picked up somewhat recently actually. I'd be honored to shoot alongside you."

She wanted to say more about the circumstances of her interest. She had lost to Rini Nakamura in the Chuunin Exams in part due to her inability to fight at range. She had been a close quarters specialist and a damn fine one. Unfortunately, one's opponents often didn't play fair and they were willing to use all manner of trickery and techniques to keep you at bay. Kit had recognized that if she was to be as formidable as Rini, Chigetsu, and Geno, she'd need a long range skill. She chose archery because it was elegant, required a high level of strength, and because it complimented her flight suit designs. Kit held her tongue about all of this. Given Kiyoko's reactions, she knew that bringing up the Chuunin Exams might only make the Shogun angry. She walked over to where he had the bows and picked one up. When she made her way back over, the Shogun's pet tiger approached. At first, she was apprehensive. She felt a twinge in her hair as Zizz grew to the size of a tick. The angel was immediately aware of the critter and the threat it posed.

Kit froze and did her best not to show fear. The WASP had offered a course on exotic pets. It was common for the wealthy and powerful to own dangerous and untamed creatures. They flaunted such beasts in extravagant manners and the onus was on the guests to treat the animal with respect. If they showed fear or uncertainty, then it'd leave a poor impression on their character. Kit had never taken that particular class but she had a friend who had taken it and the number one rule was to not flinch. Kit resisted the urge and instead allowed the big cat to brush against her. Its intentions were obvious and it was clearly well-mannered so she worked up the courage to begin petting it. The Princess got the impression that unlike the subjects of the course's study, Kensai did not keep Tora for opulent purposes. He had a real bond with this pet and had trained it himself. Kit took up a spot next to Kensai and notched and arrow. As she did, she remarked:

"I like your tiger. He is very gentle but I could feel the tension and power in his movements. You trained him well without spoiling him" she said with a coy smile.

Kit wanted to flatter him without flattering him. It was hard to tame a wild animal. It was even harder to tame the animal yet keep its battle strength in reserve. That sort of patience and dedication deserved to be acknowledged. And if that acknowledgment just so happened to endear the man to her then all the better. Kit drew the bow back and aimed at the target. Before she let go, she chanced a look at Kyoko. She expected to see the samurai locked in position and ready to fire alongside Kensai but she was holding the object incorrectly and appeared flustered. Kit was unsure of whether to correct Kiyoko or let her keep failing. She knew what she'd do in a normal context but the samurai were a prideful people and Kiyoko a cut above the rest. She opted for saying nothing for the time being. If Kensai wanted to correct her then he would. Until then, she'd remain at the ready wanting to synchronize her shot with his so he'd see just how solid her skills were.

Kensai would watch how Kitsuki would handle Tora, noting Kiyoko’s comment about ‘anyone that needs eating’ which would make him smirk. She hated the shinobi more than anyone he had ever met, and he took pride in the fact that he had her step into a position where she would have to deal with them, in order to learn that they weren’t all so bad. He wasn’t sure if it was going to work, but it would be an entertaining test to say the least. Kitsuki was gentle and respectful of Tora, which would cause Kensai to nod his head in appreciation. She was kind and well spoken, someone clearly trying not to screw up her first meeting with a foreign world leader, and it made sense when he was told she was from Kiri, the village that had raised The Land of Iron to the ground. She mentioned that the Mizukage wanted to miss with him and he nodded once more.

Her comments on ‘his’ tiger and the training would cause a laugh to escape the Shogun’s lips. “My dear Kitsuki, nobody owns a tiger, nobody trains a tiger. I freed Tora from an exotic pet dealer and he has chosen to stay by my side ever since. I felt it was cruel for a siberian tiger to be taken to the desert, and brought him home to the mountains. He simply chose to remain. I am honoured that he has chosen to be my companion, as he could have just as easily decided I would be a good meal, or that he would simply follow the normal tiger nature of being solitary and left me. I love Tora’s spirit, and his freedom, and he returns the favour by keeping me warm and safe from unseen dangers.”

As the three of them lined up on the archery field, He noticed that Kitsuki was trying to shoot in sync with him. He would notice a couple of things about the young woman’s training very quickly. She wasn’t quite as refined as he, but he had been shooting a bow since before she was born. Her strength, however, was truly impressive. He imagined she would be able to snap the bow with ease were she not holding back, and he expected she was likely stronger than he. These things he could see simply from her stance, it was little things to pick up on, but things that he had looked for over the years in many people. The third member of their party seemed to be having some issues. He smirked once more and stifled a laugh, as he knew that he wouldn't necessarily embarrass her but he didn’t want to push too hard.

“Ah yes, Miss Kitsuki. I do believe this is Kiyoko’s first time ever firing a bow. If you would be so kind as to give her some tips on how to hold it? If she would be okay with that of course.” The shogun was judging his guest, and he imagined she knew it, but so far things weren’t going poorly. He liked how she was polite and proper, he liked that she was willing to play on his field, and that she had archery in common with him. It was going well in the early moments of their meeting at least...

Kiyoko was hopelessly out of her element. Archery was something she could appreciate, but had never attempted. If it was some contraption that was capable of launching swords at people she would probably have taken a greater interest in the martial art, but as it was, her only knowledge of it came from observation. She wasn’t the least bit embarrassed, not knowing how to do something simply made a person unskilled, not less in any way. So as she stood there fiddling with the bow and trying to get an arrow to stay in what she thought was the proper spot, she was grateful for Kensai’s suggestion that Kitsuki assist her.

The stoic samurai would look to the clearly knowledgeable shinobi and nod in agreement with Kensai’s words. “I could use the help, as I am certain it is obvious that I do not know what I am doing.” Kiyoko would step closer to Kitsuki, trying to match the girl’s stance and failing miserably. She couldn’t quite keep the arrow flat against the bow, her elbow stuck out strangely and it really did look as though she was attempting to fire a sword at the target, if you took just her stance into consideration which was most definitely a relaxed swordsmans footing. Given Kitsuki’s comments about Tora, Kiyoko knew she would have to remember to take Kitsuki aside later and tell her how not to get eaten by the tiger.

Kit was taken aback when Kensai refused the title of "owner." He explained that his relationship with Tora was more complicated than it seemed at first glance. He had freed the tiger from captivity and as a show of trust and respect, the creature had decided to stay by his side. Kit looked at the animal and wondered just how intelligent it was. For it to stay by Ken's side instead of trying to eat him demonstrated a degree of loyalty and cognitive reasoning that was rare in his species. The two were partners and Kit could understand that kind of relationship. She shared a similar bond with Zizz and it would unfair to say that one owned the other.

"Forgive my presumptions, Kensai-sama. Its rare for a person to take on a relationship with another animal on co-equal terms as opposed to master-subordinate...although I can probably relate to it more than the average shinobi"

Kitsuki didn't play the rest of her hand. Kensai could interpret the statement in any way he chose. Was she referring to being particularly skilled with summons, conventional pets, some other entity? Keeping a bit of mystery to her character would serve her well during this visit. After all, if she came across as too boring then he'd probably not care to see her again. The samurai weren't overly fond of shinobi and it was in her best interest to leave a lasting impression. As the three lined up to fire and Kyoko's fiddling became more obvious, Kensai encouraged Kit to help. She wasn't sure how to proceed without damaging Kiyoko's pride but fortunately the swordswoman made it clear that assistance would be welcome. Kit decided that physical instruction would probably work just as well as verbal. She lowered the bow, made a handseal, and then raised it once more.

A clone poofed into existence right next to Kiyoko. The clone would gently put its hands on Kiyoko and help her notch the arrow into position. It would then give Kiyoko some tips on how to aim and fire the weapon. It wasn't that surprising that Kiyoko was ignorant on the subject. Swords were very different from bows and Kit's own foray into the discipline was recent. She was good at it but it had taken consistent study and practice to truly master. Kiyoko would not be an archery champion after today's lesson but she'd have a few basic building blocks should she chose to continue learning on her own.

"Okay so, you want to stand like this...then anchor the shot like that....raise the elbow a hair but keep your fingers steady...." the clone would whisper tips into Kiyoko's ear and manipulate her arms and legs (gently) so that eventually, Kiyoko would be well positioned to shoot alongside them.