A Plea For Peace: The Five Kage Summit

(OOC: Per Staff Ruling, Travel times are suspended for the purpose of getting to the Kage Summit. Additionally, the Kage Summit thread is hereby declared as being Real Time albeit at Level 6 with its priority akin to that of the Heavenly Emporium/ToW. Please see the Thread Timeline Rules for more information. While violence is technically permitted at the Summit OOC-wise, IC the Shogun's letter indicates that it is ill-advised).

The Letter:

As the sun rose above the mountains in the Land of Iron, casting great shadows over the village of Tetsumura, a sense of excitement and also nervousness washed over the city. The rebuild of their home had taken the majority of their recent time, a labour of love that had brought prosperity back to the city, but while the Samurai of Iron rebuild, the Shinobi attempted to tear one another apart and bring an end to their world. The great Nation of Iron had been assaulted for months by viscous storms as the lands seemingly reacted to the turmoil that the world was feeling, and the Shogun of The Land of Iron had decided that it was time to end this foolishness once and for all. The Samurai were a peaceful people, and their leader was well respected among the Shinobi he had met during his time among them. He would call the leaders of the great ninja villages together, and they would make peace under his watchful eye.

Kensai Tanahashi, The Iron Shogun, stood overlooking the city from the top of one of the watch towers. His banded samurai armour was pristine, each piece in top condition, not a knot or fray or single piece out of position. Draped over his left shoulder and covering the entirety of his back was a massive coat made of the fur of a grizzly bear, affixed in the centre with a silver trimmed symbol of the Land of Iron, signifying Kensai as the Shogun. His trusty bow, which never left his side, was affixed over his shoulder, a quiver of the arrows that had been made for him by Okane on his right hip, and Kurusawa, the legendary blade of his lands, on his left. The Shogun truly cut an impressive figure, and he was prepared for anything that may happen.

Far below the village Lord Oda Hinode, leader of the Hinode clan, and a small elite force of Iron Samurai, guarded the vault where the dignitaries from the foreign lands possessions would be kept during the proceedings, ensuring that they would remain safe and undisturbed, and that they would be returned at the end of the proceedings when it was time for the shinobi to once again leave the lands of the Samurai. The villagers were on edge, the knowledge that it was the shinobi whom had once ransacked their homes and killed many of the people who had inhabited them so long ago fresh in their minds, and while the two shinobi responsible for that attack had perished there was always a pang of doubt in their hearts when it came to the shinobi; one that certainly wasn’t unwarranted.

Kensai could see his armies being assembled and positioned in full force in different areas around the village, the defence and the majority of the army being left to Commander Kiyoko Fisei. Of all of the samurai in their lands, it wasn’t a stretch to say that Kiyoko had the greatest reason to hate the shinobi, but she also had the second most exposure to them after Kensai himself. She had played the role of diplomat in his stead and had done a surprisingly good job of it from what he had heard. With the village’s safety in the hands of Kiyoko, and the valuable items in the care of Oda, Kensai had no doubt that everything would go smoothly.

He would step down from the tower, gathering his own personal guard, composing of twelve samurai, six armed with Katana who were hand selected from members of the Fisei clan, and six with bows who were hand selected from the Hinode. These twelve samurai, along with Mitsuo himself, would be in charge of ensuring the meeting went without a hitch, and would protect the dignitaries against one another. Kensai would make his way towards the gates of the village of Tetsumura, each dignitary having been supplied with a map to bring them to the village, and it was here that he would encounter the final member of his guard.

Standing at an outstanding seven feet long with a three foot long tail as well, and weighing in at eight hundred pounds was a creature as majestic as he was deadly. Tora, the Siberian Tiger companion of the Shogun, wore a special set of armour that had been created for him specifically. In reality, this was ceremonial and was used to make the already impressive creature that much more impressive. It was stamped with the seal of the Shogun to show Tora’s undeniable status, and had Kensai had an impressive family name to stamp onto it, that would likely be there as well. As it stood, Kensai had come from nothing to gain his station, and he had taken the symbol of the land as his own. With Tora moving to rub against Kensai, the shogun letting out a soft chuckle and scratching the massive feline’s chin before resting a hand between his ears. The welcoming party would await the arrival of the dignitaries, and the historic event could begin...

Tengoku would walk alone up the road. Having slowed his speed down to not appear as a threat upon reaching the border. It was cold here. Colder than he was accustomed to but he was durable enough to bare it. Despite not being dressed for it his training for his body was paying off. Still he would attempt to refrain from causing any trouble and provide his travel papers to the numerous samurai who stopped him and questioned him. Always meeting them with a warm smile despite the fear or hate he smelled on them. It took him a while to progress even under the escort of one particular samurai patrol that didn't trust him as far as they could collectively throw him. Of course he had surrendered his sword to them when they demanded it. The captain of this group of samurai held the black katana with red veins peace tied in his hand. A masterful craft of Tetsudashi steel with a Senju wood handle. It was the only weapon Tengoku carried and they had been very thorough in checking him for other weapons. The letter also said use of chakra was not permitted so he had dropped his sensory before entering the country. Honestly he felt almost blind without it.

Tengoku had bathed in a rather cold lake just outside the land of Iron to wash away any dirt or sweat from running straight there. Though he had not brought a body guard of his own. He had dressed in fresh robes with scented perfumes already lightly bathed into them. Tengoku was wearing white under robes with dark pants on under them leading into a pair of cleanly polished boots now coated in snow. Around his neck was a leather neck guard that also went down his right arm all the way into a glove that covered all but his middle and pointer finger on his right hand. His left hand remained bare. Over all of it he was wearing loose golden colored robes held together across his chest with leather straps. His white hair would spill down around his shoulders and halfway down his back and chest but clean and brushed. White wolf like ears twitching as he sniffed the air. The guard was bringing him straight to the gates and he could already smell the scents of the city from where they were. A lot of metal scents mixed with the crisp air of the mountains.

As they entered the gates Tengoku's amber eyes would immediately settle on the man who had to be the shogun. With his honor guard of twelve samurai in his shadow with either swords or bows and an armored tiger he stood next to with his hand between its ears. Tengoku would be told to speak with caution and respect before being allowed to approach with the patrol. The captain stepping forward and kneeling to present the katana to Kensai while Tengoku would bow his head in respect before announcing himself. His voice warm as it met the smile in both his eyes and his lips.

"I am Shinku Tengoku. Representing Konoha as the newly appointed Hokage. It is an honor to be here under your invitation lord Shogun. I have heard legends of your mastery with both bow and sword. Though I must admit I am not eager to test either. I come in hopes of ending this conflict. Please allow me to sample your hospitality and culture."

When Kirigakure was sent word that there was to be a Peace Summit, Sayuri was not surprised. She had been expecting as much since her meeting with the Devil of the Cloud at the Heavenly Emporium. He had mentioned rumblings of a Kage Summit, and while she was not the least bit interested in actually attending peace talks, there were other things surrounding the event that she definitely was more interested in. First among those; the Devil himself. She had also heard intriguing things about the Land of Iron and its people, things she wanted to see for herself. Other than a few excursions to the Heavenly Emporium, Sayuri had never been outside of Kiri’s borders and she wanted to see the rest of the world with her own eyes.  Before anything happened to it.

With Arisu still out on a mission and Kitsuki in charge of Kiri’s military, Sayuri was the only choice. Definitely not the best choice, but she had shown some minor competence with her version of diplomacy in talks with Kumogakure. Which she had regretfully been unable to attend to fully due to other responsibilities. With that in mind she gathered the three million ryo promised to Kumo for Kiri’s part in the fall of Moonspire and the body of Kyoji who was still resting peacefully, if in pieces, in his elaborately created ice coffin that was decorated with vines and trees and flowers all ‘carved’ from the ice itself.

As soon as her clan found out that she was being sent to represent Kiri at the Summit, there was a flurry of activity to prepare her. She did not require their assistance, but was content to humour their inane ideas for dress and etiquette. She silently nodded along with every piece of advice given about how best to treat with the Samurai and the other Nations leaders. Some of it she had already gleaned from the letter that had been sent from the Shogun; they were suspicious of outsiders, generally peaceful unless provoked, ridiculously bloodthirsty when provoked, and on and on. Several of the Yuki Clan’s craftsmen had created her an elegant gown that, according to them, was reminiscent of the traditional style seen in the Land of Iron. Sayuri had no idea if that was true, or if it even mattered, but she accepted the gift regardless as if she absolutely hated it she could just change it with a flick of her wrist.


A long blue silk gown that hugged her figure made up the core of the outfit. The shoulderless style was made less provocative by the addition of paler blue overcoat made of the finest woven silk that was so delicate it appeared semi transparent. Both the gown and the overcoat were stitched with silver thread to create snowflake patterns along the sleeves of the coat and the bodice of the gown. The diaphanous coat was held together with simple ties at her neck that had a long decorative tassel that hung slightly off center. The same snowflake designs that hung from the tassel in sculpted precious metals also decorated her long braided blonde hair. When presented with shoes the entire gathering was met with what could only be described as a death glare from the Ice Queen. The prattling about social niceties and the gown she could tolerate, but not the shoes. It took only moments for the assembled busybodies to cower as they recognized their mistake and took the offending footwear away. Sayuri was always barefoot, this would not be the day she changed that.

‘Beautiful as always, my Queen.’

The journey to the Land of Iron was long and were it not for her excellent constitution it likely would have been quite difficult. For company during her trek she had Jareth in her mind and Frederick, her Ice Forged Sentinel. This was a different Frederick, as the first one was keeping Cayde company at her ice castle. But between the two she kept herself plenty amused throughout the trip. And upon arriving at the gates of Tetsumura she found herself in a rather good mood. She could see an impressive assembled guard in the distance and before passing through the gate she would wave a hand and dismiss her Sentinel. They had been instructed to not bring any weapons, and while technically she had none, she assumed that a giant ice golem would count as a weapon. Frederick had been responsible for carrying Kyoji’s body and as the Sentinel disappeared in a flurry of ice and snow, the ice coffin would come to rest gently on the remains of her golem.

As she would scan the area, noting the many archers and swordsmen surrounding who she could only assume was the Shogun. In addition was a rather handsome and finely dressed white haired man. She would shake her head and smile sweetly when questioned about armor and weapons. “I have none.” Was all she would offer unless questioned further. Assuming she was allowed to pass, she would make her way towards the assembled group and offer a respectful nod to what she presumed was the Hokage. Other than Seigi, she had not interacted with any leaders from the other nations and as such only knew them by reputation. She was pleased to see that both village leaders, the Hokage and the Shogun, were pleasing to look upon. It would have been a dull time without that small perk.

She would direct her attention to the Shogun and offer a smile and a bow as her clan had shown her. The bow felt awkward and she hated it, but she also wanted to not get thrown out immediately. In a soft voice she would introduce herself, gesturing towards the ice coffin she had left just outside the gates. “Greetings from Kirigakure, your hospitality is most appreciated. I am Princess Sayuri Yuki, a third of the Triumvirate and here as the representative of the Land of Water. I have brought a gift, a peace offering if you will. The body of Kyoji Hoshigaki, former invader of your lands. He was recently brought to justice and so I made him into a decoration for you. My only regret is that your people were unable to deliver justice personally, though I hope this serves as a bridge from the sordid past to a more respectful future.” It was a sincere statement, the young woman had intended to deliver the ice coffin to the Land of Iron previously, but had been elated that she would have the opportunity to deliver it personally. Her frosted white eyes brightened as she spoke, the effects of her Hyoton release fading and revealing bright blue orbs that looked to the Shogun and awaited his reply.

Notes:

Was he fully and completely prepared for this occasion and the responsibility set upon his shoulders? No. Would he do the best he could for the sake of Iwagakure no Sato? Yes. He would release a sigh as he finally caught sight of the gates of Tetsumura in the far distance. No longer a genin, but now a Chuunin, Shin already felt he would be out of place at a Kage Summit. If things went bad, he did not know if he had the skills to make it out in one piece or at all. But, at the very least, he was able to utilize his clan’s Kekkei Genkai if the opportunity ever presented itself. The letter that the Shogun had sent indicated there would be no acts of violence, but Shin always prepared himself for the worst-case scenario. The only benefit that Shin had from going to the Kage Summit was finally putting a face to a name; Nyguyen Uchiha. Shin’s conversation with Mitsukira would remain a secret, but Shin would finally find out who the man in question was; repercussions for that would come at a later time.

For the summit, Shin opted for clothing different from what he would normally wear. The fur draped over his shoulder was something he normally would not wear, but considering the summit would be a formal meeting, Shin had a different outfit picked out for the Summit itself. Shin had his hair tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck as per usual, while his eyes roamed the vast landscape of the area surrounding Tetsumura. Shin had no other possessions on his person except for the gift for the Shogun, he was not one to use weapons as a means of combat, so when he approached the village gates and was asked about equipment, Shin’s response was simple, “I only bring with me a gift for the Shogun.” The gift was something given to him by Mitsukira to present to the Shogun.

Two dignitaries seemed to already be present as Shin would eventually pass. He figured the Shogun to be the one with equipment on his person at the forefront of a guard of twelve people. He would present the gift Mitsukira had given him to give to the Shogun, along with a bow as the gift was extended forward. “A gift for the Shogun from Iwagakure no Sato. I am Shin Muramatsu. I’ll be representing Iwagakure no Sato due to unfortunate circumstances befalling Yui Kotoshura.” Shin’s words were completely formal, the way he was used to dealing with most situations. He wished, at this moment, that Iwagakure no Sato had a Kage to represent the nation, but alas it fell to a newly promoted Chuunin… there was no point for Shin to dwell on things further, as he was already in the nation and would be on his own to represent the best interests of Iwagakure no Sato.

Shimiko trudged through the snowy hills of Iron on her way to the Kage Summit. She was wearing a massive parka to protect herself from the elements. The pure white coat had a hood that left enough room for her snow laden pigtails to poke out from each side. Shimiko wasn't fond of the cold and her facial expression for most of the journey showed her distaste. A serious scowl was etched there despite the blush forming on her cheeks. It was so cold that her face had become as red as a tomato and it didn't help that as a Chinoike her vascular system was especially reactive. Seigi had been unable to attend the Kage Summit, the reasons were classified but she wasn't concerned for his safety as he had never been stronger. Unfortunately, Kumo couldn't afford not to have a seat at a table so she had gone in his stead.

The ANBU Captain had never been a woman of peace, but even she knew that this bacchanal of death had to end soon. None of the major nations could continue to sustain the conflict and so only one question remained. Who would break first? Shimiko had been so busy trying to keep the nation's enemies out of its borders that she didn't have time to go on a true offensive campaign. By the time such a move was in the cards, Kiri had a rather drastic change of heart. When it came to light that Kumo's accusations were true and that Hana had been behind the brutal attack on Moonspire, the whole world turned against her and her ilk. Hana was overthrown in a coup and her body presented to the Raikage as proof of Kiri's commitment to "peace." Shimiko wasn't sure she bought this sudden change of heart and when Konoha successfully decimated the Land of Hot Springs, she was one of the war hawks that insisted the fight continue until the Fire Country's forests were soaked in blood. The only thing that gave her pause was the news that Konoha had executed Akihiro and had placed Ikomiki in custody. It wasn't much but it was enough to convince the military establishment to hold off on new attacks. A Kage Summit would give them the opportunity to find out whether this talk of peace was for real and if it was, at what price it could be obtained.

The boiling hatred and anger she felt towards Kiri and Konoha were tempered by the fact that it was they who were now suing for peace. They had roped almost every nation in the world against Kumo and still they couldn't win. If the Gurētodaiingu were to end, Shimiko couldn't think of a more favorable scenario. The exception being outright occupation of all enemy capitals. And so when it was decided she would replace Seigi for the purpose of these peace talks, she resolved to leave her claws at the door and enter the meeting with an open mind. It wouldn't be easy, but if her dear departed friend and taught her one thing, it was that she had the ability to be more than just an assassin. For years she had screwed up diplomatic mission after diplomatic mission and this was her one chance to make up for all of it. If peace was truly achieved at this Summit, then she could step away from her role knowing that she had left Kumo better than she had found it. She prayed a silent prayer to herself as she saw the rebuilt Samurai City in the distance.

Lord Jashin.....give me the wisdom to know if your appointed hour of slaughter has ended....if I must restrain itself let it be in accordance with your will.

When Shimiko arrived at the gates, she did as the letter instructed. She surrendered her weapons and armour. The process took a few minutes as she had a large number of lethal items on her person. The Chinowakagumi Armour with all the blood contained therein, her trusty pair of Sai: the Badger's Claws, both of her custom melody arms with Senshichi and Shinreki Needles, her Twin Tessen of Terror, and her assorted ninja gear including but not limited to: serrated kunai, pills, shuriken, ninja wire, and the like. The scene of Shimiko unloading her weapons to be stored in the vault would be something akin to this. When she was done, she'd enter into the place where all the other representatives were waiting.

She wasn't wearing anything spectacular or out of the ordinary. In fact, her clothes were pretty "civilian" as far as these things go. The most notable characteristics about her at this point was her cherry red cheeks from the cold, a pair of auburn earmuffs, and blood-red scarf with the Orthodoxy's insignia on it. She sized up each of the world leaders and noted a few things about them.

Tengoku was apparently the new Hokage of the Hidden Leaf which wasn't too surprising considering the old one was stained by his close association with Akihiro. She didn't know much about him but if he was selected by the previous Hokage, then she doubted they'd see eye to eye.

There was Shin who was the chosen representative of Iwagakure. He was standing-in for Yui who was sick with the plague. Shimiko contemplated walking over to him and telling him to give Yui her best. She was rather fond of the Blast Release kunoichi. The pressure of the Mountain Wars had led to them being on opposite sides but Shimiko had never taken Iwa's involvement personally. Kumo's assistance hadn't been overly generous and though she was angry that they weren't strong enough to hold their own, she couldn't imagine that they were any more happy with the Farfour Accords than she was.

The Kiri Princess was a curious subject personage. Shimiko knew that Hana had been toppled but she didn't recall hearing this one's involvement in it. She was hauling around Kyoji's body in a decorative ice box so maybe she had been a part of the violence and simply kept her name out of the reports. Shimiko didn't know for sure but she got the vibe that this individual was from the "darker" side of Kirigakure. The macabre nature of her gift was certainly eyebrow-raising. She had spared Kyoji during the Carmine Quarantine Crisis only for him to escape their custody. She had sworn to hunt him down for his crimes against the people of Iron but apparently Kiri decided to clean house first. Convenient.

Out of all the world leaders present, Shimiko only directly acknowledged her presence. She turned to her and looked her in the eye for an uncomfortably long period of time. It was arguably rude considering she hadn't even greeted her host yet. Shimiko didn't stop searching Sayuri's eyes until she found what she was looking for. If the girl looked away, Shimiko would simply re-position herself to retain eye contact. This would include literally walking up to her if need be. She didn't activate her Doujutsu or take any patently offensive actions. She just wanted to see who this person was. If given the chance, she'd get an interesting vibe from her. They were very much alike and this could either be good or bad. Kiri had a tendency towards savagery and violence. If this one was part of the Triumverate, it was hard to see how peace could last. Then again, if they were indeed kindred souls then perhaps Shimiko could anticipate her moves in advance and help Kumo with containing her or even re-directing her to a more suitable target.

Why is everyone in that village either happiness and rainbows or bloodshed and carnage.... Shimiko chuckled to herself at the irony given she was probably a combination of those two traits. She then shook her head slightly and snow flew from her pigtails like a water from a dog's fur. After she had finished scrutinizing Sayuri and her over the top gift to the Samurai, she turned to Kensai and spoke:

"Shimiko Chinoike on behalf of Kumogakure no Sato. My apologies Lord Kensai but my brother Seigi is unable to attend." Kumogakure believed that it had the higher position in these negotiations, so she'd act like it. She didn't owe the Shogunate an explanation nor a gift and none would be given. She wasn't above giving him his due of course. "I'm pleased to see that your people have rebuilt the city. Your chief diplomat Kiyoko had told me that progress was being made but its development in such a short span of time is truly astonishing"

She wasn't buttering his bottom. The fact that the Land of Iron was functional after being plundered by Kiri was remarkable. Most Minor Nations continued to wallow in squalor until a more stable actor took control of their affairs. Not so with respect to the Samurai. If there was one Minor Nation that might one day rise to the status of Great Nation then it would likely be Tetsumura.

He wouldn’t have to wait long for the first of the delegates to arrive, the first strong Ki signature approaching, and it was an interesting individual right off the bat as Kensai was somewhat caught off guard by the man’s appearance. He would bow formally and introduce himself, handing Kensai his sword which he would raise an eyebrow at and examine, nodding his approval at the blade before handing it to one of his nearby men to run to Oda and the vault. “Well, Shinku Tengoku, I suppose congratulations are in order. I hope you are going to be amicable to the ideas presented here today, though you seem the type who would put the good of his people first, and I certainly can appreciate that.” He would bow and then catch a sight out of the corner of his eye that would cause a smile to cross his face.

The arrival of the second delegate brought Kensai’s curiosity to the fore. He always loved encountering new types of ki, new bloodline abilities, and the woman approaching was assisted by massive mobile ice golems. He had never seen anything like that before, and he couldn’t help but wonder how exactly it worked. The last of these types of techniques he had encountered was his friend Ei and her tremendous heat, completely unbearable to be around. You couldn’t touch her skin without burning yourself, and he found her absolutely entrancing because of it. Now here was a woman who could control ice? Two women, two opposites, both making such an impression on the shogun that he was actually disappointed when the delegate from Kiri released the ice golems, having wished he had had a chance to examine them closer. He moved to meet her, looking at the item that she had brought with her, the massive block of ice containing something that made the shogun quite happy indeed. He was so happy in fact, that he didn’t even notice how bad the woman was at bowing, as though it was something she had never had to do.

“Lady Sayuri, I’ve heard stories of you. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance and your gift is most appreciated. It will make an excellent display piece in the village square. I hope that Lady Kitsuki is well. I was looking forward to seeing her here, but I understand if she couldn’t make it.” He would bow before saying; “If you don’t mind me asking, how do you make those ice golems? Is your body and blood cold as well? Later on would it be alright if I examine your abilities closer? I always appreciate fascinating individuals such as yourself.” He would examine the coffin as he asked his questions, noting that this indeed seemed to be Kyoji, the man whom had brought the Iron Nation low. How appropriate then that it would be his final resting place.

The third source of ki was easily the weakest of the ones he could feel approaching. He could feel that the man was interesting as well, but this one might have been interesting for several reasons to the Shogun. He could tell that  the man had a powerful latent ability, able to sense the signature of it, but it was yet another that he had never experienced before. As he approached, Kensai noted the gift that he had brought and smiled. It was surprisingly thoughtful coming from the office of the Tsuchikage, who was a man whom Kensai hadn’t been too fond of when he had heard of him. A pretender samurai who had abandoned his heritage for the life of the shinobi, Kensai found him distasteful. The flower, however, was very impressive. Peony’s were cold weather plants, and he imagined they would be quite difficult to cultivate.

“Do you know what this plant is, Shin Muramatsu? It’s a Peony, and they’re fascinating. They not only can live in a climate like the one we are used to here, but they thrive in it and they require cold to grow. I guess Masaru did remember at least some things about where he came from. I must say, it seems quite odd that he is not here himself...Who’s Yui Kotoshura?” He would look the young man up and down before continuing. “You have a fascinating Ki, one I’ve never experienced before, much like the Lady Sayuri over there. I’d be quite pleased if later on you’d let me sample it?” He didn’t want to sound creepy or off-putting, but he was aware his statement could come off as such. He would bow his head in respect of the man’s village, and then he would move his attention to the last of the four assembled...a woman who presented herself very well, but Kensai could feel her chakra and it disturbed him a little bit.

Shimiko Chinoike didn’t bow, she didn’t give, she was to the point but she was disrespectful in her actions more than her words. Though they sounded nice enough, there was just enough there to be taken as her being condescending, and Kensai would make note of this. He wouldn’t bow either, he would simply meet her eyes and speak. “I am sorry to hear that Seigi is occupied, I was looking forward to meeting him. Our progress is indeed impressive, but it is down to the strength and resolve of my people. When I came here and united the lands I promised a better tomorrow, and together we have achieved that and here we stand, stronger than ever before.” He would smile to the woman before moving back and addressing the four assembled after waiting a few more minutes.

“It doesn’t seem that representatives from Sunagakure recieved my letter, but no matter. We shall proceed, and should they show up they will be brought to the assembly. Please follow me.” He would lead them through the streets of Tetsumura, making his way towards the palace, but stopping in the middle of town at a statue that was cracked and weathered, but still stood the test of time. “I assume none of you have been here before. This statue is one of the last things remaining of the original village, and it truly is a miracle that it survived. It is a depiction of the four great clan leaders of the samurai in the first summit, when they united the Land of Iron under one banner, putting their petty squabbles behind them, forming the great Iron Nation, and creating the Bushido Code...” He would bow his head in reverence for a second. “I simply wished to share some of our culture with you. It is rare for shinobi to be allowed in the village, and so this truly is a special occasion where hopefully you can leave here with a positive opinion of the village and our people and history.”


The palace wasn’t far, nor was it overly grand as Kensai wouldn’t dream of having it be. He would hand the plant from Iwagakure off to an assistant to put on his desk in his office before taking the four assembled shinobi to his garden. From here you could see the archery range of the palace, and a wooden foot bridge led to the place of their assembly overtop of a small coi pond, heated by Ki to keep the fish alive. He would take a seat at the table, his guards with swords standing around the procession spaced so that the archers would have a vantage point to shoot if needed. There were six seats in total. “Sit where you please, and thank you for coming to my home today. It saddens me deeply to say this, but your war has had much further reaching hardships than each of you may realize. The Iron Nation has been rocked by storms since the beginning of the war, reacting to the bloodshed, pain and death. I have long believed that the inscription of your children into the military was a disturbing custom, but at this point I have to believe you’ve each seen why that is. How many of your children have died in this war? How much of the future history of our continent was snuffed out before it ever had a chance to blossom? This saddens me greatly, and it needs to stop.”

A servant would appear with a cup of tea and a small pot for each of the delegates. “Oolong tea, from my garden. I do hope it is to your liking.” He would take a sip of the pleasant tea in his cup and smile, the light fresh taste uplifting to the spirit. “Now, I am here as a mediator, so I will try to keep to myself mostly. Please, you must come to a resolution...”

Tengoku would smile as the shogun congratulated him before nodding his appreciation. Though the shogun would quickly be distracted from him as ice golems began their approach. People watched and whispered but the shogun appeared intrigued. Well some introductions should be short and sweet he supposed. The shogun would quickly make his way to the newest arrival and Tengoku would fold his hands in front of himself patiently. It didn't matter too much. A lot of attention would be drawn towards Konoha for its part in the war. The less he made a spectacle of himself or tried to impress anyone the better off he might be. However he did not appear afraid. A man standing there confidently and quietly. Observing and learning. That was to be his role for now. This new arrival introduced herself as Sayuri. One of the three princesses of Kiri. The second one he had met. Just like the first with their immense chakra this one made a display of her massive and dangerous looking companions before dropping an ice coffin. The two spoke to each other and Tengoku could tell whoever was in that coffin made the Shogun very pleased. Very pleased indeed.

The next to arrive was a tid bit...underwhelming. If Tengoku had been running his sensory he may have noted the impressive combination of elements and their strange and unstable combination. Instead for now he saw a nervous young man that didn't seem to want to be there. The shogun saw more though and inquired about a demonstration of some strange chakra later. Tengoku's ears would twitch but he would do little else but to smile at anyone that looked at him. Of course the latest to arrive barring suna if they did show. Kumo was being represented by a woman the world knew and the war knew. Shimiko. One of the pillars of Power for Kumo and perhaps one of the leading reasons Konoha was losing that warfront. Still she had the high ground here. Partially thanks to Kiri going and declaring peace with them. Konohas greatest ally....turning their backs so quickly....Still he could smell one thing on her even before she spoke. Arrogance. Perhaps rightful arrogance but arrogance none the less. Beyond that though he could smell it. The blood of many battles on her. No matter how much she bathed she was a slayer and animals knew when a new predator arrived.

Still the Shogun would begin to start the summit by leading them to where it would be held. Tengoku glanced over his shoulder at the pile of weapons the last woman had brought.....she had come ready to kill anyone. Hopefully that would not be how this ended. Still they were led to a statue and given a brief history of the village and its summit. Soon after they would be brought out to a garden and found seats around a table. Tengoku would remain quiet and listen as he found his seat with the symbol for konoha on the table. His eyes shifted as he picked out each guard and archer. Peace talks in a killbox. He wasn't sure if they were there to protect the summit....or to end any Kage that didn't step in line. Still the Shogun would speak as tea was provided and introduce himself as a mediator. Attempting to inspire them to a resolution. Tengoku would wait for a moment of silence before he would speak. His voice humble as he forced his amber eyes to match any gaze dropping upon him.

"I will start with the obvious than. I am not lord Uchiha Nyguyen. I am Shinku Tengoku. The eighth Hokage. Lord Uchiha Nyguyen has come to regret the war and losses on both sides and as such....as a first step towards making amends...has resigned his seat to me. However I will also first respond to children soldiers as brought up by our host. I knew a boy....a boy that by the time I met him was already scarred by war. When I say boy I do not mean someone simply younger than me. I mean someone just barely becoming more than a toddler. Barely a teenager. I watched despair and loss in his eyes as he grew confused and filled with hatred. His name was Senju Ashitaka. He watched friends and innocent people burn and it left him hollow. After a recent unfortunate incident he found the burden to heavy for such a young heart to bare. He took his own life and left only ashes to scatter. War is no place for children. It is no place for anyone really but no child should have to witness it yet alone be dragged into it. As such Konoha will be the first to admit it is wrong to use children. No boy or girl or other shall be allowed in Konoha to take any missions regarding any suspected danger under the age of sixteen for as long as I am Hokage. I urge this to be the first thing we can all agree upon. Let there not be a monsterous future for our young simply due to ambition or old grudges."

She had been fighting her hatred as she heard him mention Kitsuki, the one person who truly stood in her way. For now. But with a soothing word from Jareth and a sudden interest in her ice golems, she was able to set aside her dark fantasies of making an ice coffin for the Angel Princess. Sayuri had not been expecting the Shogun to take any interest in Frederick, beyond hating the “chakra” it used to create him. She was also not expecting such a pleased response to the gift she had prepared, and a wide smile would form on her face as she learned what the Shogun intended to do with it. Her first impression of the Shogun was that she liked him. A lot. He appreciated her Ice Forged, and the ice coffin that she’d spent so long making, and thought displaying the remains of your enemies was the appropriate and natural thing to do. For the moment, she saw in him a kindred spirit and she would lovingly pass a hand over the ice coffin as she answered Kensai’s questions.

“I will them into being, they are the manifestations of the fury of winter. My lineage is such that I control the ice and snow.” There was a smile on her face as she spoke, her words were melodramatic as always, but she genuinely loved her kekkei genkai and until then had no one question her about it with such interest. As Kensai asked about her body and blood being cold, her pupils would dilate in response and she would glance quickly down at the sword that Kensai carried. She had not considered whether her blood was actually cold, and now desperately wished to find out. To say she was masochistic to an obsessive level would be equally as inadequate as saying the Land of Iron was ‘just a bit on the cooler side’. Her normally bright blue eyes now looked nearly black as she pointedly looked away from the sword and back to the man who owned it. “My heart is as cold as ice, or so I’ve been told. My skin is cold to the touch, and the cold has never bothered me, though I have never checked to see the temperature of my blood. You are welcome to experiment in that regard, however there is little that can pierce my flesh. And I would be happy to show you anything you would like after the summit.” There was a ghost of a smile that could have led to her words being interpreted as a joke. It was only Jareth’s soothing voice in her mind, a repetition of the word ‘Calm’, that allowed her to maintain her composure.

She took a similar interest in the next representative as she had to the first; basically none. Shin was attractive, but he reeked of discipline and manners, something she didn’t prefer. There was a coldness to him that she could appreciate however and it held her interest long enough for her to steal a glance at the small flower he presented to the Shogun. The last arrival before they were led further into the village was someone Sayuri had long dreamt of meeting; the Honey Badger herself, Shimiko Chinoike. The woman was legendary and it would be impossible for anyone to claim ignorance of her. ‘Impossible to claim ignorance, and live.’ Jareth’s quip made her laugh in her mind. ‘You have been working on your humour.’ What was curious about the blonde woman was the attention she paid to Sayuri in particular. Eyes still dilated and black as coal Sayuri would meet Shimiko’s eyes. Sayuri knew what this woman was capable of, if even half the stories were true. And she loved it. She met Shimiko’s gaze and held it. For an uncomfortably long time. There was bloodlust and malice in the Ice Queen’s eyes, not clearly directed at Shimiko or anyone present, but there all the same. In the same way that one could pick out a fellow puppy lover by the love reflected there, Jareth allowed Sayuri’s true nature to be projected. ‘She may be an ally, my Queen. Though she may also stab you in the back.’ Jareth’s warning was noted and Sayuri replied silently and then broke eye contact. ‘Either would be welcome.’

As they moved and Kensai spoke of his ancestors and the wars involved with the creation of the Land of Iron, Sayuri kept a watchful eye on each of the other delegates. She wondered offhandedly which of them would break first, which would submit to impossible demands. Would it be her? She hoped it wouldn’t, she was only here to properly represent her own interests when it came to running Kiri. . . and also in the hopes of seeing Seigi again. Though it seemed that dream had fallen through. As everyone began taking seats, Sayuri made an effort to place herself next to Shimiko. That way she thought she might get some interesting side conversation in while she tried not to die from boredom.

And boredom there was. Tengoku was an eloquent speaker, easy on the eyes, and fascinating with his wolf ears. But discussing how ‘horrible it was that people died’ was not Sayuri’s version of fun. She did perk up when Tengoku mentioned the child’s name; Ashitaka. She knew that boy, she had met him. He’d healed her hand the day she had decided to stab herself rather than the lying man. To hear that he had killed himself was saddening. He had promised to visit her in her ice castle and they were supposed to have tea. He had never arrived, and she knew why now. It seemed like such a waste. If he had wanted to die so badly he should have just asked her to do it, she would gladly end someo-

No she wouldn’t.

Sayuri had to bite her lip hard to keep from laughing at her mostly unrelated train of thought. If he had come to her begging for a merciful reprieve from the suffering of his life. . . she would have tortured him. For as long as she could keep putting him back together. And then something occurred to her; Tengoku was trying to not be viewed as the ‘bad guy’. She knew her recent history as well as the next person, and it had been Konoha that had started the damn war, on multiple fronts. Some were hailed as ‘unsanctioned terrorism’, but she knew better than that. She did not personally care, but she did find it interesting that he had led with the one thing that most mortals fell victim to - empathy. Empathy she had in spades, but she did not allow it to make her weaker, she used it to make herself stronger. With an innocent and thoughtful smile she would direct her attention to the Hokage. “An interesting proposal, Tengoku-san. Interestingly timed as well. By my count there should be no children left in your armies anyway, seeing as all of them have perished in the war that your predecessor started.” She had absolutely no idea how many children had actually perished, nor did she care. She knew now that Ashitaka had died, and she had heard the story of those injured in the Battle of Meijing, but that was all. She wanted to sow chaos, to not allow Konoha to gain the upper hand by sweeping their indiscretions under the metaphorical rug.

If Shin could roll his eyes without being scrutinized, he easily would, but he did not and just kept his expression neutral and formal. It was likely his own fault for assuming people were wary enough in regards to the matters of the world that recognizing a name like Yui Kotoshura was common sense. Perhaps the Shogun was not the brightest pencil in the box, especially as he was the one that would have sent out the invitations to the leaders of the villages of the shinobi nations. Yui had taken the mantle of Tsuchikage after Masaru fell ill - Yui fell ill shortly after - so he could chalk it up to the shortness of her reign that the Shogun was unaware of political matters. Though, the events had occurred over a year ago, so it seemed like information did not enter the land or this Kensai individual was simply unaware. Shin would stand aloof after his initial greeting; he had displayed propriety for the introduction and that’s all he would give.

“Yui Kotoshura is the woman who took up the position of Tsuchikage after Masaru fell ill.” The answer was simple and a matter that most people would be aware of. Whether the other three attendants knew of the matter of the previous and current Tsuchikages was not something Shin worried too much about. As for the query about letting the man sample his ki, Shin already knew the answer before he would even begin to process the thought, assuming ki meant chakra. He was not here for show and tell, nor to entertain the Shogun’s whims, so the answer was simple for him, yet laced with decorum. “Unfortunately, I will have to decline displaying my skills. My sole purpose here is to attend the summit and discuss matters of peace. That aside… my ninjutsu is not suitable for the environment of peace discussions.” Shin’s ability to use his clan’s Kekkei Tota would remain close to his heart and was not information he would give up willingly. There was no reason for him to give some of the most important people in the world a glimpse of his abilities; Particle Style was only something he’d reveal if the occasion came to utilizing it.

His eyes would rove over to the next entrant, the representative of Kumogakure no Sato, Shimiko Chinoike who was representing Kumogakure on her brother’s behalf. There was an intense staredown between the two that Shin only briefly glanced between before directing his attention to the surrounding environment. He would take in the structures around him, along with the people around them. While he was not worried about his life, it was always best to be prepared no matter the situation. Confirmation of the lack of a representative from Sunagakure no Sato seemed to be confirmed after a few moments. As the Shogun commented about the history of his land, Shin would not pay much attention to what was said. It was redundant information that did not have any use for Shin. He was here for one purpose, ensuring Iwagakure no Sato kept its independence, and thereby ensuring the village was not a target of anyone in the future.

Once seated at the table, Shin would finally acknowledge who the representative of Konohagakure no Sato was and Shin was instantly disappointed when he realized it was not Nyguyen Uchiha. The previous Hokage had put his country in their current predicament and just dumped the consequences on his predecessor it seemed, running away with his tail tucked between his legs. Shin would definitely be irritable towards Nyguyen if was in Tengoku’s spot, but alas he was not. The matter of child soldiers was laughable. As far as Shin was concerned, only Konoha had used youth in battle, which was highlighted by Tengoku referencing a boy. Iwagakure no Sato had Chen, but Chen had never been put in any battle while he was not considered an adult; he had only helped Mitsukira with an evacuation mission during the war, and that was all Shin was aware of Chen’s involvement in a war while considered a youth. “As the only country to use child soldiers in a war, I believe the onus is on Konohagakure no Sato to prohibit such actions in the future. I won’t be a hypocrite and say a child had not been involved in Iwagakure no Sato during the war, but the child in question had only participated in evacuation efforts for the non-shinobi. So, are you suggesting we let our civilians die in the case of an emergency if we forgo using all available shinobi and kunoichi to help evacuate danger zones?” His words were cool, not monotone, yet not laced with emotion. Shin viewed everything objectively and everything had a use at the end of the day.

Shimiko smirked when Sayuri met her gaze. The Winter Princess was utterly unafraid of her. She knew what she was and wasn't going to hide it from even the strongest ninja present. Alright then.... The dilated pupils suggested that she found the tension pleasurable and when Shimiko saw the bloodlust in them, she found herself rather impressed. Kyoji seemed to be a professional killer. Sharky Shark Man's attack on the Land of Iron wasn't personal. He hadn't done it for kicks but purely out of geopolitical greed. He had killed scores solely to line his own pockets with tokens of power and wealth. He was the worst sort of murderer and it was part of the reason that Shimiko had so much contempt for him. Sayuri, in contrast, looked like the sort to enjoy killing for the sake of killing. Under the right circumstances, Shimiko found this to be the most noble and honorable sort of warrior. She doubted that they had similar national interests, but they thought along the same lines and that was enough to establish a connection.

Shimiko's amused smirk didn't last long. She didn't want her fellow blonde to get the wrong impression. They were not friends. They were not likely to ever be friends. But for that one moment, Sayuri would get a chance to see who she could become if she had the discipline and work ethic to reach it. Shimiko's expression returned to its neutral state and likewise her attention shifted from Sayuri to Kensai. The Shogun gave the standard "Its not me, its the people" political response to her praise and she accepted it without comment or complaint. It was the kind of answer Ryuko would give and the sort that Shimiko herself might issue via written statement. Shimiko wasn't a politician though, she was an assassin and so she'd leave the eloquent speeches to those with the training and desire to make them. She just gave a smile and a nod once he was done addressing her.

The only world power that was not present was Sunagakure. The desert village was currently run by a kunoichi by the name of Ei Kanagawa. Ever since hearing about Ei's rise to power from Kara, Shimiko had a bone to pick with the Kazekage. Apparently Ei had been playing footsie with Nozomi and was now potentially using the village as a front for the Enlightened Society of Rebirth and Reordering. She had harmed an innocent woman during the course of her tomfoolery and while Shimiko never got the chance to make her pay during the war, she might very well bury her diplomatically. It wouldn't be easy and it'd probably require getting at least some of the Kage on her side. To that end, she kept her opinions to herself and her mouth shut. It wouldn't do well to screw up her position this early.

Killing people is easy.....dealing with heathen countries is hard....

Shimiko followed the group to the center of Tetsumura where Kensai provided a brief history lesson. The statute was impressive and while Shimiko respected the Samurai people and their history, she wasn't entirely fond of the Bushido Code. It was anti-Jashinist in nature and though the Orthodoxy was now more tolerant of other beliefs than it had ever been, their heretical beliefs still left a sour taste in her mouth. The samurai were indeed a strong and hardy people. If they dedicated themselves to the teachings of the Seikyōkai, they'd very well be unstoppable. Alas, such a missed opportunity Lord Shogun she thought as they made their way to Kensai's palace. The place was gorgeous and she found herself giving a lingering look at the heated Koi pond. She was in the process of designing her own mountain homestead and some of the features of Kensai's domicile would look great on her future compound. Shimiko would take a seat and would allow Sayuri to sit next to her. She was normally at odds with Kirigakure and perhaps might still be by the time the Summit ended, but if she could use this Princess to further her agenda then that was something she was willing to do.

Kiri and Konoha have been brought to heel....let's make sure we can keep them that way and turn their sights towards a better enemy.

Shimiko wasn't going to be the first to speak. It was better to see what the others had on their mind before talking. Kensai was the host and mediator of the Summit so he naturally took the floor. The first item he wanted to discuss was the topic of child warfare. Sayuri, who was sitting right next to Shimiko, might very well be able to hear the sound of teeth grinding. This subject irritated her to no end. Is this where Ryuko got that inane idea from? Shimiko remembered her Queen saying she was considering a ban on the introduction of children into active combat zones. As a devout Jashinist who worshipped violence from since she was a young teen, she found the idea vile. She had tempered her language when speaking to her leader and friend, but she vehemently disagreed with such a change. When Shimiko's parents barred her from entering military service she had held a life-long grudge against them. She couldn't imagine her nation implementing the same policy at the national level and with Ryuko gone she had made sure to quell such considerations almost immediately. Seigi had expressed no opinion on the matter and she was happy with the status quo.

Shimiko wanted to glare at the Samurai but she knew doing so would put herself at a strategic disadvantage. Everyone was kissing his ass and rightfully so. If negotiations turned tough having him on your side was fairly valuable given that he was the closest thing to a "neutral party." Shimiko was confident that given Kumo's standing she didn't need his help, but she couldn't push him too much. So instead of giving him a dirty look, she remained silent except for the sound of her molars rubbing against each other.

Tengoku took the subject and ran with it. The Hokage launched into an anecdote about a genin by the name of Ashitaka Senju. The name did not ring a bell in any personal sense but she might have heard of it during the war. There was talk of a distinguished Senju who was making waves during the conflict and this might be the one to whom the Wolf was referring. Despite Konoha's past policy of allowing someone so young to serve in their military, they were now reversing course and urging others to do the same. Tengoku's argument was so tight and seamless that Shimiko was beginning to wonder whether this idea had been in the works for years. A backchanneled scheme to ban child soldiers? Why haven't I heard about this?

Shimiko watched Sayuri from the corner of her eye. She could tell right away that the Winter Princess was provoked by his parable. Maybe Sayuri knew of this Ashitaka and was sympathetic to his story? Or more likely, she was agitated by Tengoku's moralizing. The sacred art of murder was a shinobi's birthright and locking it behind an arbitrary age was distasteful to anyone who regarded killing as a virtue. Shimiko guessed that Sayuri was unhappy but she didn't expect the woman to outright call him out. Kiri and Konoha were supposed to be allies but apparently the Triumverate's respect for the Leaf had lessened after they discovered the truth about Moonspire. Breaking their alliance is good for the Cloud...I should back her up. . Shimiko's decision was solidified when Shin piled on against the Hokage. No surprise there, Iwa's independence was now set in stone and it was doubtful that the Earth Country would agree with the Fire on anything. Shimiko seized the moment to join the majority while still offering the minority a chance to save face.

"I'm sorry but I thought we were supposed to be discussing terms of peace....not trying to legislate the conscription policy of foreign nations. The shinobi profession is the highest calling someone can receive." She was going to say "highest calling one could receive from Jashin" but she had learned the hard way that diplomats frowned upon that sort of talk. She swallowed her religious pride and gave a secular version instead. "In Kumo, we consider it part of our national birthright and we would never prevent an exceptionally talented child from fighting, and if necessary, dying for their homeland. That's our way of life. Konoha is welcome to do things differently as is the Land of Iron but I don't think its a good use of our time to try coral others into adopting such a change."

Shimiko folded her hands on the table and tried to make her voice sound as sweet and respectful as possible.

"I suggest we set that topic aside and return to it later if there is sufficient interest. For now, I'd like to discuss the terms of peace. I say peace and not surrender because I agree with the Shogun in that this war has cost us all a great deal. Many lives have been taken and if we think in terms of losers and winners, it will just perpetuate the cycle of violence that we are aiming to resolve"

The statement made her want to throw up in her mouth a bit but she remembered Ryuko and kept going. This wasn't about Shimiko or her religious vision of the world. It was about paying a debt to a friend. The Queen had wanted peace and she had been assumed into the Heavens without ever achieving it. The least Shimiko could do was set aside her malevolent tendencies and complete Ryuko's mission.

"Kumo is willing to permanently cease offensive operations, withdraw troops from any and all occupied territory, and agree to reduce its military by 20% as Kiri has done. Consider it a gesture of good will. However, good will is a two way street. As Princess Sayuri has pointed out, we did not start this war and I cannot return to Kumo empty handed. Concessions will need to be made....."

Shimiko was of course alluding to payment of some kind. She wasn't going to throw out an offer just yet though. She wanted to see what Konoha, Kiri, and even Iwa had in mind. Kumo's military was in good shape and slashing 20% of their standing army wasn't a huge blow to them. Kiri had already taken steps towards dis-armament and Konoha was reducing the size of its effective fighting force with a child soldier ban. Shimiko had thrown out the 20% figure knowing well Kumo could defend itself while shrinking its budget. The offer was about allaying concerns that the Cloud would use their superior position to annihilate everyone else.

Tengoku would shift his eyes to Sayuri as she was the first to respond to him. A supposed ally making a childish jab at Tengoku for a topic that should have been off limits by most social standards. He could feel that rage welling up inside of him. He wanted to cross the table and smack that smile off her face. Something deep within him stirred as he felt his hair shifting and for a brief moment two lines of blue electricity arced across his chest and his eyes would glow blue with power. For a moment it was clear to everyone there that Tengoku had not been chosen as Hokage lightly. While he appeared gentle and passive there was power there. Still he would close his eyes a moment and take a breath. The blue fading from his eyes as he opened them. Luckily Iwa's representative....this cold man named Shin...He would join the jabbing as well. Claiming to know all the other nations troop movements to be without the sacrifice of children. Inquiring about what to be done in the event they were needed. The first subject on the table was already falling apart. Even Shimiko who represented Kumo would deny the very idea of it. Claiming it was a birthright. That anyone with talent should be placed where they were most useful. However she did not wish to discuss it further. Instead she would speak of peace as if wishing to get this over with. Making concessions of her own.

Tengoku would smile a little. Shimiko seemed impatient but her goals were on the road to peace. He would however make a point of ignoring Sayuri entirely and addressing Shin first. He would not allow himself to be goaded by the woman clearly no longer interested in their alliance. Instead he would reply to Shin. His voice soft and practiced. "I never liked the war personally...but I did lack the strength to stop it. Masaru was a friend of mine and I owe my dear sisters life to him. We fought side by side when I was still just beginning to come into my own power. I regret so much and miss him terribly. I would hope that there would be no need to use children in any dangerous situation. That said I will not force anyone's hand as Konoha has attempted before. If a situation arises where children must be used to help citizens it will be up to you as a nation to decide on risking that tragedy. I personally feel that it is an adults responsibility to handle the dangers and the children should be evacuated with the civilians regardless of their power." He would shift his eyes to Shimiko a moment as he finished the thought. "Though if you feel the need to use children to fight your battles as part of your traditions that also is not something Konoha will interfere with. Either way Konoha will not use children soldiers intentionally again. The loss is simply too tragic and war effects them more harshly than it does a fully developed adult."

Tengoku would take a moment to pour himself some tea and sip it. Settling back into his seat before addressing the progression into the meeting that Shimiko had insisted upon. He would let out a sigh before speaking in return. "The Kumogakure representative is correct however. While the other matter is something pressing on my heart...we are here for peace. So besides the seventh Hokage resigning there are other steps Konoha will take. We will obviously be reducing our active military as well by refusing to use anyone under the age of sixteen. Besides that our troops will pull out of each border or country immediately after this meeting. To sooth Iwa we will be fully granting them independence from us. No official Konoha presence will be left there military wise though we would like to send trade and crafters. Commerce is our goal now and we are stepping away from war. New allies are needed in a new age...as old allies dwindle away it seems. As for Kumo....Moonspire was a tragedy we do not wish to see repeated. As such Konoha has already seen to it that those we knew to be responsible were executed. All save for one which resides within our hospital in a coma. I will personally see to it her unconscious body is delivered to Kumo to seek their own justice."

Sayuri had to keep herself from laughing as she saw literal sparks fly from Tengoku. She had been hoping to get a reaction from the man, and she was swiftly rewarded. Seeing his anger flare was like a sweet drug and a light blush would spread across the bridge of her nose as memories of more pleasurable uses of lightning ran through her mind. She had been unable to find another lightning user since Tamwyn, and although she found Tengoku’s morals distasteful he had suddenly become much more interesting to her.

That adoring interest was short lived however, as the man made a point of ignoring her. What had been a moment of enjoyment quickly spiralled into the angst fueled by her psychosis. It had been this way her whole life; her fear and anger, her hatred. . . It was all rooted in being overlooked, in being ignored. There was never a time in her adult life, since meeting Sero, that Sayuri could remember when that had occurred and she hadn’t reacted violently. Unbeknownst to her, it was that very concept that gave Jareth power. And right on cue, just as her emotions began to overwhelm her, Jareth would step in.

‘My Queen, please remain calm. I cannot protect you from everyone here.’

‘I don’t need protection. . . but he will.’

‘He would most certainly fall to your power, my Queen. However I could not live if anything were to happen to you.’

That sentiment gave her pause. Her small hands gripped at her thighs through her gown as everyone continued speaking around her. Whatever they said was probably important to them - but she wasn’t listening. In her mind she was summoning her Ice Talons as she leapt across the table towards Tengoku. Kneeling on the table in front of him as she carved the words Do not ignore me into his skin. Laughing as he tried to be brave, as everyone always was, and ultimately succumbing to the pain. She imagined that his whimpers would sound canine like, and that somehow made the vision more enjoyable. All the while Jareth was attempting to reason with her, to soothe her in the hopes of avoiding catastrophe. But the longer she sat with Tengoku’s continued passive aggression, the more infuriated she became. This was worse than Kitsuki, at least Kitsuki had the common decency to honestly display her annoyance. As the wolf man spoke again, something about Kumo or a hospital or some other such irrelevant drivel, she could bear it no longer.

‘He must be made to answer for his crimes.’

”He will, my Queen. But not here, and not now.”

”No, now.”  

And unless stopped, Sayuri would lunge across the table towards Tengoku, her fingers curled like claws as she sought to tear his face off. Her voice was still her own, and she did not yell, however one of her sentences sounded. . . different.

As the discussion shifted away from the use of conscription and back to the topic of peace, Shin would listen as Shimiko went on to discuss the topic of standing militaries. Iwagakure no Sato’s military, in comparison to the other nations, was minuscule and Shin had no intention of cutting down their already insignificant standing forces. Shin’s eyes would rove over the table, briefly pausing on each individual, but listening as Shimiko described gestures of goodwill and concessions. Iwagakure no Sato had paid for their independence, with Shin being primarily responsible for a lot of the income coming from missions, and he had no desire for Iwa to lose that. Tengoku’s official announcement of Iwagakure no Sato’s independence was likely due to formality itself. Iwa had paid off the Farfour Accords and their independence was granted; this was likely to make the other nations aware of the change.

Shin’s hands would adjust the cup of tea before him, yet did nothing else before returning to his sides, off the table. “We would be more than happy to discuss matters of trade and commerce with Konoha and the other nations, but that discussion best suited for a later time.” Both items were part of peace, but first peace needed to be established before foreign entities interacted with each other. “However, on the matter of reducing forces, Iwagakure no Sato will not be reducing their military. As Konoha is quite aware of the climate of Iwa, our military has only recently been reestablished, and dwindling our forces is not in our best interests. However, we will be keeping our forces to within our own borders for the sole purpose of defense.” If there was any objection to Shin’s statement, he would respond with logic. The suggestion that Iwa even reduces their military was a laughable suggestion.

As a moment of silence rang out in the chamber, Shin would turn his eyes towards the representative of Kirigakure no Sato. Her words made no sense to Shin, yet it was the actions that followed that had Shin instantly responding; he was in no position to physically intervene, as that was not his forte, and utilizing a jutsu would likely put him in a scenario where the Shogun’s forces would intervene. So, his response was a few simple words. “Don’t be an idiot, woman. We’re here to discuss matters of peace, not cause more war.” It wasn’t often that Shin raised his voice, but today was definitely one of a few. He would not involve himself physically, but he would lean forward in his seat, hands placed upon the table to make his point.

The moment sparks began to fly from Tengoku, Shimiko activated her Ketsurygan. The activation of chakra was technically a violation of the Summit peace and she would be well within her rights to split his wig the moment he started sparking like a Chinese toaster. Fortunately, she was willing to give peace a chance and that meant giving him five seconds to collect himself before he became the shortest reigning Hokage in history. Bully for him,  Tengoku was able to get his temperament under control and continue civilized discussion. Shimiko did not de-activate her Ketsurygan though. She was shocked that she wasn't the first to lose her temper and if Sayuri's behavior was any indication, she was not likely to be the second either. She couldn't afford to be caught flat-footed should something break out. If the Shogun or anyone else said something about her now active Doujutsu, she'd speak forcefully on the subject.

Shimiko watched the man sitting opposite her take the out she had provided. Konoha would maintain its ban but would not press the other nations to do so. The Hidden Leaf was also willing to forge a permanent peace by removing all forces from enemy territory and cease all hostilities. Konoha also formally announced Iwagakure's independence which was good. About time.... the idea of one major nation holding another major nation in its grip never sat right with her, although she lacked the military capital to ever really do anything about it. What piqued her curiosity was what Konoha was prepared to offer Kumo as a concession for starting the war in the first place. By process of elimination, Shimiko knew exactly who Tengoku was referring to. Hana was dead and her corpse had already been examined by Seigi. Akihiro's execution was announced and the details confirming his death had been verified. That left only one person left from the Moonspire Three.

"I assume you are referring to Ikomiki?" Shimiko looked Tengoku right in the eye, a devious smile curled on her lips. If Tengoku looked back he'd see a pair of blood red eyes staring at him. The pupils had morphed from a circular shape to a thin white horizontal bar. If Tengoku answered in the affirmative, Shimiko would graciously nod while her smile grew wider.

Oh yes....Kara will love that.....

Shimiko had lost her chance to exact vengeance against Hana and Akihiro. She had wanted to kill both of them herself and the fact that others had gotten to them first was part of why she was so bitter at this Summit. Tengoku offering up the Ōtsutsuki was a delicious prize. She doubted Konoha would be so generous as to let her keep her Rinnegan before she was handed over but that wasn't what the Chinoike was interested in. She wanted to extract her pound of flesh and once she had done so, she'd turn it over to Kara and her Twins to finish her off. They'd handle it the way they wanted to and knowing that trio, they'd probably go nice and slow.

"Excellent." Shimiko was pleased with this development but she wasn't going to stop there. Konoha was offering them one of their targets but it wasn't quite enough. They needed a bit more and she had the perfect idea. Nothing too severe so as to jeopardize peace but something that would undoubtedly level the playing field. Before she could continue, she heard Shin cut in. The Iwa representative refused to cut their forces. The boy's reasoning was sound and Shimiko had no qualms with his explanation. He'd have to be mad to agree to any reduction in forces considering how weak Iwa was and how they had just gained their independence. If any of the Great Nations had a right to increase their military size, it was Iwa. Suna was a different story but because they weren't present, she wouldn't mention them for now. Shimiko looked at Shin and gave him a look that said: 'No worries here.' She was about to tell Konoha what was on her mind when she became acutely aware of someone talking to themselves.

Sayuri was mumbling words to herself and she appeared to be on the verge of a homicidal breakdown. Shimiko would have missed the signs had she not been prone to the same kind of outbursts. She turned her head and tried to communicate a warning through her eyes when she heard the fatal words.

”He will, my Queen. But not here, and not now.”

”No, now.”  

A less spiritually inclined person would have chalked it up to schizophrenia, but Shimiko knew better. A stirring in her soul told her that someone or something was driving Sayuri's actions, or worse yet, was trying to restrain her and failing. Sayuri lunged forwards to get at the Hokage. This was a true breach of peace the likes of which not only allowed for lethal action but demanded it. Shimiko's body reacted before her mind did. With her superior speed, she reached out and grabbed the long blonde braid that dangled behind the Yuki. It was highly unlikely that Sayuri would be able to fully leave her seat before Shimiko got a hold of the Winter Princess. The second her fingers curled around her hair, she'd yank the woman back down into her seat with all her might. Shimiko's strength was the least impressive thing about her and she wasn't sure what this ice woman was capable of. She didn't appear to have super-human strength but in this profession you could never tell by looks alone. If her force was insufficient to stop her momentum, Shimiko would be forced to deploy more hurtful and invasive tactics. Fortunately, given the similarity in strength, the act would likely succeed albeit Sayuri's constitution ensured it would be little more than an annoyance. In fact, it might not even hurt her or cause her any pain at all.

Shimiko turned to Sayuri and looked the mad woman right in the eye. She spoke the only language that someone of their calling could understand and she spoke it low. She leaned in close while still clutching Sayuri's hair. Her voice was barely above a whisper.  

"Don't do that again....at least not here, whatever your squabbles with the Hokage. Settle it privately and discreetly...preferably without starting an international incident."

She wasn't going to tell Sayuri that she should be a peacenik and never kill after today's Summit. That approach was as patronizing as it was stupid. They were shinobi. Fighting was in their blood. However, they owed it to their people to keep things civil at this Summit and peaceful as far as formal relations go. If the two wanted to fight, then let it be a private duel and not a global conflagration. When Sayuri looked in Shimiko's eyes, she wouldn't see a beautiful greenish-blue, she'd see a monstrous combination of red, white, and black. Whatever tales she'd been told about Shimiko were bedtime stories compared to what the woman was truly capable of. Sayuri may not value her own life, but she did value playing with others. If she wanted to keep that pleasure, she'd need to keep her hands to herself.

Shin shouted at Sayuri to control herself. Shimiko immediately leaned back and released the woman's braid and patted her shoulder. She then folded her hands and placed them on the table. At a different time, Shimiko would have jumped at the chance to slay Kiri's upjumped Ice Princess. She wanted to do it right now even though the two were quite alike. She detested these island people and all they stood for. Kindred soul or not, Sayuri was a heathen and breaching the peace of the Summit was a serious offense. The only reason Shimiko was being so gracious was because she owed a tremendous debt to someone special. A debt that could only be repaid with peace not bloodshed.

Lord Jashin forgive me for not offering this meat in your name....

Shimiko cursed the representatives at the table. Maybe if they had opened the ceremony up with a prayer this wouldn't have happened. Shimiko swallowed her venom and brought forth all the charm that she had learned as an innocent genin. She smiled at everyone present and said:

"You're absolutely right Shin. I'm sure Sayuri-hime was just overcome with emotion. I realize tensions between even allies are high but I sincerely urge us all to move past old grudges, present grievances, and future squabbles. The cycle of violence must end and that means turning the other cheek and showing forgiveness."

Everyone at the table probably knew that Shimiko was not fond of the Mist. Most of her family had fought against them in previous wars and she herself had named them an enemy of God. Yet she was willing to leave all of that behind for a fresh start. It was her final gift to the ninja continent, but it was up to the people at this table to accept it.

The Hokage would begin the discussion and Kensai had realized immediately he had made an error with his words. He had discussed the death of the children as a way to speak about how the villages needed to press for peace, but it was instead the thing that Tengoku had held onto for another issue he was trying to push. While the Shogun absolutely agreed that the children of the shinobi should not be sent to fight their wars, they needed to hash out peace before anything else should be focused on, and he would scowl through the story of the Hokage. The child taking his own life was not something that the Shogun was happy to hear about, while he disliked the Shinobi it was awful to hear of a young person who had decided death was a better option than the future they faced, but sadly this was the reality of the life of the shinobi.

He would keep quiet as the young lady from Kirigakure would strike back first. Her explanation of her abilities has been brash and arrogant, but there was something about her that he liked, though he was sure she was unstable from her odd rant about her blood. The barb she had sent at the Hokage was extremely disrespectful but the way she delivered it would have made the Shogun laugh had he not understood the delicate balance of this situation. He was known for having a terrible sense of humour, and maybe that was why he found it so funny. He was beginning to find it interesting as time went on that he liked the people who happened to be shinobi while he hated the idea of shinobi. This barb would cause an activation of chakra from the Hokage which would cause the Shogun to scowl as his hand would move to rest on Kurusawa in preparation.

He wasn’t a fan of the way that Shin had dropped his facade of decorum with the Shogun after his introduction, something that he found to be disrespectful, but the boy was well spoken and he believed that he had been a good choice to send as the diplomat from Iwagakure. He had heard of Masaru’s illness, but he had always considered the village in Stone a nonfactor due to their immense weakness and the fact that he and his two generals could single handedly crush them into the rock that they called home, which caused him to not pay attention when their next short lived kage had taken her position. He had, of course, heard her name but never considered her to be anyone important or any kind of threat. Shin was a diplomat much in the way that Kiyoko was; he attempted to speak without emotion (whether this was an attempt or just the way he was Kensai didn’t know) and it made him seem cold and distant, but it was also one of the reasons he appreciated Kiyoko.

Shin would basically back up Sayuri’s barb in a more professional matter, and Kensai could feel the tension beginning to build around the table. Shimiko, who up to this point Kensai had been surprised with, attemped to bring the topic of conversation back to where it should be. While she had been brash and of course, disrespectful, when she had met him which was something that he greatly disapproved of, she had been the only one to actively take an interest in the history of the village when he had brought it up, the others too focused on other things to take a second to appreciate other peoples lives and culture. She was clearly trying to sound sweet, but he wasn’t entirely sure it was her strong suit, he could tell she was more of the deal with her issues by attacking them head on person, much like the Shogun himself. He could appreciate that, and the fact that she seemed to be trying fairly well to keep her decorum while speaking, reminding him of her predecessor a little bit, someone whom Kensai had written too about trading goods before she had stopped replying.

Shimiko bringing it directly to reparations was getting to the end point as quickly as possible, and that wasn’t a bad thing. Tengoku, all things considered from the way his body had reacted, managed to calm himself down not to rise to Sayuri’s barb when it was once again his time to speak. He would address Shin first and butter him up about Masaru, something that would cause the shogun to internally groan. He didn’t understand why the shinobi loved that man so much, he certainly wasn’t somebody who Kensai could stand in the least. He would get what on the surface seemed like another barb shot at Shimiko, and as he continued speaking he could feel the temperature in the area around him seemed to drop as the so called “Ice Princess” would become enraged from his words. Kensai’s ears would particularly perk up when he heard ‘Moonspire’ which had been the home of his close friend Kara, and he would look towards Sayuri just in time to see her change, incoherent nonsense coming out of her mouth before she began to move.

Kensai’s hand was on his sword immidiately and he was out of his seat at the first twitch, his archers seeing this and firing off their arrows. He wouldn’t pay attention to that as he would transition into his stance into one fluid motion, taking up the ancient form of Iaido as he prepared to strike. His men knew exactly where he would move and no arrow would pass his path as he would take one fluid step and draw of the blade, arrows simultaneously flying him and bouncing off of the mizukage as though she were made of rubber. The draw was tremendously quick and would be untraceable by most, such was the form of Iaido mixed with the legendary blade Kurusawa. He hadn’t intended on hitting her, having planned his movement precisely, but that was when Shimiko had thrown a wrench into his plan.

He had wondered if the woman would use her eye power that she had activated earlier to attack someone, but it didn’t seem to be the case, choosing instead to pull on her hair to prevent her from moving across the table, moving her body into a position Kensai hadn’t been anticipating. The blade, instead of stopping harmlessly, would cut into Sayuri’s skin like butter, the legendary weapon made specifically for removing parts of humans from the rest of them and wanting to do so here. Kensai had no interest in doing so, however, and he would stop his strike with his blade deep inside of the young woman’s arm before pulling it back to himself, licking the blood off, which he noticed to his own satisfaction was quite cold, and then holding it in front of him defensively. He would listen to Shimiko berating the kage before speaking.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you are in my house. You are my guests and you will behave as such. Sayuri, I apologize for harming you. I did not mean to hit you, but Shimiko’s actions caught me off guard. But let this stand as a warning that I am absolutely capable of disarming you.” He would have to stop a chuckle at his hilarious and inappropriate pun before continuing. “I can understand your frustrations, as this war has effected us all and it is not unfair to be angry or frustrated. You must conduct yourselves better, lest you...as Shimiko said...cause an international incident.” He would turn his attention to Shimiko.

“Miss Chinoke, while I appreciate your help I am here to ensure that you all leave here alive and without issue. You have already violated the terms of this assembly, and while I do not know the power of your eye, I am well aware that such powers are never rainbows and unicorns. I would appreciate it if you would let me do my job, and you focus on finding a resolution to this war so that you can all leave my house and we can get on with our lives. Thank you for trying to deescalate the situation, however.” His eyes would turn to the Hokage. “You should learn to control yourself better. While Lady Sayuri may have been the one to attack you, your little display of your lightning power was a clear taunt and threat. This is why I asked that all of you not use chakra in this place. It can only lead to anger and hurt feelings, and situations like this.” He would simply nod at Shin as a thank you for his professional demeanour and for not getting involved, before he would move back to his position, kicking his chair away in favour of standing at the head of the table with his hand on his sword ready to draw it. He was especially disappointed because he had broken his favourite tea glass.

Tengoku would notice Sayuri out of the corner of his eye. Like an animal sensing another animals rabid nature. Still surely she wouldn't lash out here over him not dipping to her provocation more than a moment. Instead his attention would shift to the representative from Iwa. He had an interest in trade but did not feel now was the time for such discussion. That they should keep on the peace talks. He seemed a very direct man that had a one track mind for one purpose at a time. The extended olive branch for trade barely a consideration. He seemed callous but that was to be expected. Given their history of being conquered ever so recently. Still Tengoku would nod when they refused to reduce their forces. Konoha knew all too well how diminished they were. Especially with both Yui and Masaru taken to the plague. Shin was perhaps their strongest representative. If that were the case...well one mustn't determine anothers ability based on appearances. That was how a soldier died. Underestimating an opponent. No...he would correct himself for the moment. No one here was the enemy. He had to try and keep that the foremost thought. They all wanted peace.

The kumo rep...Shimiko the great slayer of men...would inquire simply to confirm who he meant. He would nod to show that she was indeed correct. He held no personal connection to the prisoner but he could not pretend they were not a terrorist. That justice was not due to them. Though he wondered what they intended to do to someone who would not awaken no matter what was medically done. He could almost sense the malicious intent in the word excellent. However he noticed his breath mist in front of him as the temperature lowered dramatically. Amber eyes narrowed and shifted to the girl with black eyes and the frost extending across her side of the table. His eyes only shifting a moment as Shimiko activated her own dojutsu. A lot of power was being used despite the ban. Suddenly everything seemed to happen at once. He felt himself tense as Sayuri seemed to speak two words before launching at him viciously. Over what? Over a reflexive use of chakra? She had bated him and now she was responding with the visual rage he had contained. As she moved the archers would let loose and Kensai was already moving as was Shimiko.

It took a lot of effort to not react. To sit there with his fists clenched as he tried to ignore his training and instincts and remain seated. He knew with a touch he could send someone flying out of the castle grounds...possibly out of the village entirely. But to do so would end peace talks. Arrows bounced off her and his eyebrow would raise in surprise. One of the arrows deflected towards him and his right hand would idly rise to brush it to the side. Shimiko grabbed the girl by the hair and yanked her back but in the process Kensai sliced into her arm. His sword drawn quickly to show no tolerance for this violence. It was over in a moment as the smell of blood filled his nostrils. Shin exclaimed a chastisement for her. Shimiko would try and whisper a warning to Sayuri but in a room with a wolf? He heard it as if it were whispered into his own ear. Savage women...the both of them. Still She would release the girl and openly chastise her as well. Though the comment of turning the other cheek seemed directed at him. However Kensai would speak after her. Informing them that such actions would not be tolerated further. It was clear he meant to kill them if they could not behave though he was very polite about it. However his attention would turn to Tengoku...chastising him for his impulse.

Tengoku would hold his temper. He wanted to explain the reaction. To say it was her fault for taunting him on something so sensitive. That she had gone much further than he had. He wanted to see her escorted out. Instead he would glance to her wound and take a breath. Meeting her eyes if she let him and against his wishes...he would smile warmly. Speaking in turn. "My apologies my dear host. My reaction to the taunt about our children was in itself childish. I will attempt to reign in my chakra for the remainder of this meeting. I promise you. As for turning the other cheek as lady Shimiko has suggested...I will pretend that never happened in the interest of peace. I hope others can do the same in regards to the war as well." Yes he knew Shimiko held higher ground and wanted more than what was offered...however she had suggested that they all focus on forgiveness....now if she made further demands...she herself would be revealed for her hypocrisy.

Everything happened quickly. Far too quickly for Sayuri to make much sense of what was happening. For a brief moment she was aware that the first two sentences she had spoken aloud were not her own.

”He will, my Queen. But not here, and not now.”

This was Jareth’s voice; still her own and yet. . . not. The accent was a bit off, the tone a bit deeper. And most importantly; it was not her choice to speak those words. The conversations that Jareth and Sayuri had were normally silent and inside her mind. But today in a highly stressful situation surrounded by the unknown and the antagonistic, after being triggered by the one thing that drove her to madness beyond anything else, there had finally been a crack in her armor. More than anything in the world Sayuri strove to be noticed; to matter. When that thing was taken away it had given Jareth the opening he needed to push through, even if for just two sentences.

The moment of clarity that she had was swiftly drowned in the confusion of the next few seconds. To most, these events would have been embarrassing at the very least, but more likely mortifying. To Sayuri however, this was exactly the type of behaviour that calmed her. As she attempted to lunge across the table four fairly significant things happened to her specifically. She heard an admonishing yell directed at her, arrows flew towards her and bounced harmlessly off, she felt a hand around her braid yank her back and a sword cleanly sliced into her left arm.

And Sayuri smiled.

A wicked and totally satisfied smile. A light blush spread across her cheeks that along with the smile and black eyes gave her an almost doll like appearance. It would be clearly written on her face that she greatly enjoyed what had just occurred. Sayuri didn’t flinch or pull away from any discomfort, it may have even looked like she simply didn’t see what was about to happen. But in truth, even if she had seen anything, she would not have attempted to defend herself.

As she was yanked back into her seat she would look up demurely at Shimiko, her earlier rage quelled and now the perfect picture of docility and submissiveness. She heard Shimiko’s warning and she would shiver as she felt a pat on her shoulder. “As you wish, Shimiko-sama.” Her reply was whispered under her breath, and even in her current state Sayuri could see the wisdom of it. She had often been given a similar sentiment by Sero and Jareth, and while she did not feel worse for wear, it would be difficult to conquer the world if she started from a disadvantage. Sayuri preferred to be dominated, and while she was comfortable being in charge, she recognized primal power when she saw it and would allow herself to be instructed by Shimiko. She would even stare into her eyes for a time, reveling in the beauty of their monstrosity. She would even shyly offer a smile to Shin, in silent thanks of his admonishing.  

The deep cut on her arm was another issue however, it did not hurt, but then again nothing hurt her in the conventional sense. Pain was the word humans used to describe sensations they did not find pleasurable. There were few things that Sayuri did not find pleasurable, one of which had been responsible for this whole mess to begin with. So as she watched the Shogun retract his blade and bring it to his lips to sample it, she let out a tiny gasp. There was still blood dripping across the table and down her torn dress, a small rivulet falling from her elbow and onto her lap. And she just sat there and marvelled at it. She could see inside her arm. It was the first time she’d ever had so grievous an injury and with the innocent curiosity one might see in a child, she would lift the fingers of her right hand to the wound and gently pry it open. With another whisper she would exclaim softly to no one in particular. “I can see my bones. . . they’re beautiful.”

She heard the Shogun apologize for harming her and she would gaze up at him adoringly while shaking her head. “You did not harm me. I did promise to allow you to experiment. As it turns out, my blood is cold. Fascinating.” Her words were slowly spoken and her gaze was unfocused. She would grin briefly as the Shogun’s joke tickled her, Sayuri had a fairly dark sense of humour. She did turn her attention to each of them as they spoke, although it was as though a haze had settled over her. It could have been shock, or something else, but she made no attempt to tend to her wound and instead would continue with the summit; though this time she was less standoffish and more serene.

“In the interest of continuing talks of peace, I can do as Shimiko suggested and move past this.” She could not and it was a lie but her face would not reveal such. She was used to lying about what she wanted as she did it all the time with Kitsuki. She would also not apologize. She hadn’t apologized to anyone before, so it didn’t even occur to her that it might be prudent in this situation. She would return Tengoku’s smile with her own eerily complacent smile. She wanted to test the full limits of his unusual appearance. Were the ears merely decorative? Did they offer any increased sensitivity to sounds? And if they did, how might she best use that information to make him suffer? “On to talks of peace then.” Sayuri did not want peace. Not even a little bit. So she had no ideas on how to approach such a subject as she gave it very little thought. She imagined that it would be as simple as everyone agreeing not to attack each other, just as she had done with Seigi, and then going their separate ways. Now there was talking about dead children and armies and other trivial nonsense that she couldn’t have cared less about.

‘That was dangerous, my Queen.’

‘At least it’s less boring now.’

‘You are certainly never boring, my Queen.’

Arrows rained down on the woman who attempted to launch an attack on the Hokage. The blonde next to Sayuri reacted by yanking her back to her seat by the braid of her hair. The Shogun himself made an attempt to stop her, though far more harmful than the other two attempts; a sword slicing into her left arm. Shin, as he would lean back into his seat, would watch the events unfold. He would note that Sayuri had an odd reaction to the events. A smile of all things graced her features. He found it odd, yet he would simply forgo giving her a verbal acknowledgment. His response was a simple huff of breath as the Kiri representative offered him a smile specifically. As everything around the table would settle and the Shogun would speak, Shin’s eyes would land on the Shogun. When Shin was given a nod, he would give a subtle on in return to acknowledge the acknowledgment.

Releasing a sigh, knowing things had already gone off track and Sayuri indicating a request to return to ‘talks of peace’, Shin clasped his hand before him on the table. “I’ll begin by stating the Iwagakure no Sato will primarily be focused on internal affairs for the next year or so. As has been stated, our independence is new and I have the desire to see my nation develop to make up for the years we did not have the opportunity to do so. As such, our forces will remain within our borders to defend our land. Our terms are pretty straightforward… and the main conflict is one that exists outside of our borders that we have not participated in.” Shin’s request for his country was simple; the main war occurring was something that went on between the nations of the other three representatives. If there was a need for him to comment, he would. But, ultimately, Iwa solely sought to retain its independence and improve itself.

Shimiko could see everything happening before her in slow motion. The tightening of the bow strings, the Shogun's blitz towards Sayuri, even the micro-reactions of the more passive representatives. Every warrior present was beneath her, but none of them lacked killer instinct. Just when she thought she had them figured out, a few surprises cropped up. The biggest was that the arrows fired at Sayuri bounced off of her as though she were some kind of statue. Shimiko was arguably the best Bukijutsu practitioner in the world and her experience in the field told her that the projectiles that were fired were lethal enough to grievously injure an average shinobi. If Shimiko were hit by the arrows without her armour, she'd be in critical condition. And yet, this Ice Princess tanked each and every one of them as though her skin were made of industrial steel. Fortunately, not a single arrow so much as grazed Shimiko. The archers were much too careful for that. They knew that if their aim was askew, they could very well pay for it with their lives.

Shimiko whispered her words and retracted her hand but the Summit wasn't yet done with Sayuri. The Chinoike watched as their host moved forward to assault the Kiri shinobi. Where the arrows failed, the mighty Kurosawa succeeded. The blow resulted in a serious wound to Sayuri's arm. Blood was spilled and when Kensai licked the crimson of his blade, the blonde's own bloodlust was dialed up a notch. Is this divine providence? A sign of things to come? Shimiko wasn't sure what to make of all this activity. She desperately wanted more of it but her sense of discipline and fidelity to Ryuko's cause stayed her spirit. She looked over to Sayuri to see how she was holding up after receiving such damage and much to her surprise, the Kiri-Nin was unphased.

She doesn't feel pain....and the wound isn't nearly as serious as it ought to be. A weapon of that size and quality against someone so small...her whole arm should have been taken off. Hell she should be dead! Jashinsim? Or something more?

If Sayuri was blessed with the Orthodoxy's secret techniques then Shimiko would have received a direct revelation from the Necrossiah, or at least so she assumed. Whatever power the Ice Princess held, it was likely separate from Shimiko's religion. A secret technique? Natural training? Shimiko couldn't say for sure, but what intrigued her more than Sayuri's endurance was the girl's reaction. The remark about her bones being beautiful was strangely poetic. It was something that could have been lifted straight from the sacred texts of the Seikyōkai. This woman did not fear death nor suffering. She was a natural worshipper even if she didn't know it yet. It occurred to Shimiko that Sayuri was how she might have turned out if not for Nariko, Natsuru, Seigi, and Ryuko. A tightly wound bundle of violence and raw emotion that responded only to countering displays of force. Shimiko noted how submissive Sayuri acted once Shimiko and Kensai made their displeasure clear. She responds to power....much like I did....

Shimiko's attention shifted from her masochistic neighbor to the Shogun. He admonished the shinobi present for acting out of turn at the Summit. While Shimiko wasn't threatened by him, that blade could and would be troublesome for the other attendees. Those that did not respect Kensai's rules might find themselves lacking a head and for those strong enough to resist him, they'd have the honor of being killed by her. When Kensai demanded she de-activate her Ketsurygan. She gave him a defiant look. He was thanking her for helping while simultaneously insisting that responding to threats was his domain and his domain alone. She wasn't convinced. While he technically responded to the situation before it escalated, there was no telling what secret abilities the other representatives harbored. Could she really entrust the Summit's safety to a mere Samurai?

Then again....I did just ask everyone to set aside their differences and trust one another.....

Tengoku, Sayuri, and Shin's words suggested hey were all willing to let bygones be bygones. The incident wouldn't be held against Sayuri and they would all proceed in the spirit of cooperation. If Shimiko refused to de-activate her Ketsurygan then she'd be the odd woman out. She sighed and reluctantly blinked away her doujutsu.

"I will abide by your rules Lord Kensai...but the next time I have to activate my Ketsurygan at this Summit, we will be one less a Great Nation"

She would not tolerate an assault on her person or another. Enough was enough. With Sayuri cowed and the meeting brought back to order, Shimiko continued with what she planned on saying. She acknowledged Shin's statement while bring the subject of discussion to Konoha's reparations.

"Kumogakure bears no ill will against Iwagakure. You technically weren't a sovereign nation for the Gurētodaiingu so nothing will be asked of you. If you need anything from us to assist with your development, don't hesitate to ask. The late Queen Ryuko was a good friend to the people of Earth Country and we intend on honoring that friendship. Konoha on the other hand.....we've had less than positive relations with." Shimiko smirked. "Turning over Ikomiki to us goes a long way but there is another thing we have to settle on. During the war, Konoha discovered the Hidden Village associated with the Land of Hot Springs and laid waste to it. That land is dear to me and my ancestors as the Chinoike originate from that part of the world....I don't want monetary compensation for what you've done there. War is war and what was done to us has been repaid on your own soil. However, now that Konoha knows its location we are at a major disadvantage and considering its close proximity to your borders we are concerned that it might prove too tempting a target for future Hokage. Therefore, Kumo asks that Konoha give us the coordinates to one of its own Minor Nation's Hidden Villages. The Land of Waterfalls will do. That way, the playing field is leveled and if you attack Yugakure, we will attack Takigakure"

Shimiko thought her offer was fair. Knowledge in exchange for knowledge. There were those in her clan that demanded blood for the destruction of Hot Springs and as much as Shimiko wanted to extract it, there was precious little to take without risking peace. Many had already died during the war and if it were to end, Kumo couldn't reasonably ask for much more. At least this way, Konoha would have to think twice before attacking the Hot Springs buffer state. Any assault on Yugakure would invite retaliation onto their precious Waterfall colony.

Tengoku would listen to each of them in turn. Iwa would be focusing its troops inwardly to establish a stronger control of their own soil. Fitting that such a nation would choose to dig in and barricade themselves. Still it was a solid move. Iwa had been difficult enough to conquer and Tengoku liked to think the only reason they won was because the enemies heaviest hitter fell ill. Sometimes such things were crucial and all of it went wrong. Still Tengoku would simply nod in understanding. He wanted to visit Iwa some day. Maybe visit Masaru's daughter and see how she was faring. In order to do that he needed to show a hand of friendship. Shin had suggested they talk about trade later after the summit. Shimiko would even acknowledge it and Tengoku would speak his piece in between her two speeches. A warm smile meeting his eyes.

"Iwagakure focusing on its own growth is admirable. As we were a cause for its need to rebuild we will gladly send civilian construction crews to your more non vital construction. We wish our citizens to develop trust an try and undo the hate we helped breed. We won't be sending guards with them though as to keep all konoha troops outside of your borders unless otherwise invited. We trust our builders and architects to you should you call for them."

Tengoku would look over his shoulder the way they had come. He had been hoping the representative of Suna could join them by now. A little bit of disappointment flooded into his eyes. A slight frown as he had heard their Kage was a master puppeteer. He knew Suna was famous for their puppets already but Ei was supposed to be something else. Still Shimiko would continue and his amber eyes would shift over to her. His frown remaining as he watched her. He knew she was probably the strongest one here. By all rights he should fear her. Maybe even grovel for forgiveness. However if she met his he would hold her gaze. There was something animal in his eyes. A strong sense of an instinct to fight back. He wasn't afraid of her. He was just ready. A state of prepared for what may come. She would speak of an incident he was familiar with and come up with a reasonable answer out of it. A smirk on her face. She held the high ground and likely felt she was letting them off easy.

Still it may shock some at the table when Tengoku would speak plainly and shortly. "No." as a simple statement. She had ignored her own honeyed words and showed that she would not simply turn her cheek. Tengoku would lean forward and attempt to hold her gaze. Showing he would not back down but remaining seated out of respect.

"I will not reveal any hidden villages without their request to do so. The hot springs were an accident though from what I understand Kumo didn't seem to have much invested there to begin with. And all the people were evacuated before anything was destroyed. If you want us to rebuild it for you we will. New homes for those we displaced. Our Senju can do it overnight for you. The one responsible for that mistake is dead as I mentioned before. By his own hand out of guilt. Along with that he had not been ordered to attack that location. That aside Konoha will be taking another step however. Everything we may or may not have as copies of your hidden locations or village exclusives will be destroyed. Konoha will keep only konohas exclusive as an act of faith. I will not hold people hostage as a cause for no more future war. I expect others to do the same. I ask that you all destroy any copies of other nations exclusives as well. It is their history. Their traditions. Their right. Not ours to take for our own power."

Once again Sayuri had done something terrible and not only gotten away with it, but in her own twisted mind had been rewarded for it. While attempting to attack a Kage during a peace summit was not the worst thing she had ever done, it was certainly the most public. She knew that at the very least she was going to get an annoyed huff from her favourite Angel Princess when she made it back to Kiri. And that also felt like a reward. The only thing she loved more than hurting people's outsides was hurting their insides. No matter how seriously she could main someone, it could be healed in a matter of moments; mental and emotional turmoil lasted a lifetime. And besides, Sayuri knew that it was common practice to bring back a souvenir to friends and family when you returned from a trip. What better souvenir than more political turbulence to keep Kitsuki up at night?

With that tantalizing future in mind, Sayuri would idly play with the wound on her arm as she listened to each of the delegates present. This part of the discussion she had little to contribute to; Kiri had been notably absent from the wars they spoke of, and their only contributing war criminal was now in a block of ice somewhere in Kumogakure. In fact for the most part Kiri had little to fear at all from the other Nations. Being on an island did have its advantages; while the other nations all shared one border or another, Kiri was safely beyond the seas and oceans. It made travelling beyond their own lands somewhat more taxing, but ultimately granted superior safety for their borders. Sayuri would nod in acceptance of Shin’s statement about the future of Iwagakure, she did not care much for the Rock Village, mostly because she knew almost nothing of it. Her knowledge extended to what she had gleaned from the war, namely that a solid portion of the war had been a fight for Iwagakure’s independence. It gave her more respect for Iwa, as a people they were willing to fight and bleed for their nation, and looking at their representative now she could see a stoicism that she could appreciate. Stoic people were the most fun to break. When people started with whimpering and mewling it just felt so. . . anticlimactic.  

Focus, my Queen. Power is not only won through bloodshed.

Sayuri sighed inwardly at Jareth’s words. He was right, but she hated it. She had been imagining just what it would take to break Shin’s calm demeanour, and now she was drawn from her fantasies and back to the task at hand. Abruptly she would raise her eyes to look at Shimiko and Tengoku as a thrust was cleverly parried and a riposte was made. Her eyes were still black but her gaze was more intense, where it had been languid in the face of delicious punishment. She remembered her promise to Seigi, and even if she had not made it she found herself swayed by Shimiko’s argument.

Leaning forward, she would place both her arms in full view as she laced her fingers together in front of her. Her tone was still submissive, though a small bit of her former edge had returned as she began by addressing Shin’s demands and then narrowed in on the one inconsistency she found. “Kirigakure played only a small role in the Mountain War, some may even say that the Land of Water failed to uphold it’s part in its various alliances. In my mind those people would be correct. Under previous leadership Kirigakure was stagnant, pieces of that stagnancy now rest as a decoration in the Land of Lightning, other pieces here in Tetsumura. As far as Kirigakure is concerned, Iwagakure has suffered enough at the hands of those who sought to keep them under thumb. Frankly, I’m surprised that Iwagakure had not made more. . . aggressive. . . attempts to retain their sovereignty. I can’t be certain if that makes me impressed or disappointed, though either way it is noted. Kirigakure will not interfere in the rebuilding of Iwagakure unless specifically requested to do so. Though I expect speaking on matters of trade is something that would benefit both our nations. Afterwards of course, Shin-san.” She would smile at Shin and then turn her attention to Shimiko, her smile becoming more demure as she swiveled slightly to more directly face the blonde to her left.

Sayuri was saddened to see Shimiko’s monstrous eyes returned to normal. It almost made her want to act out once more, just to see how far she could push and still be rewarded by the Honey Badger. She knew if she was Shimiko that she would be plotting her own death by now, but that was fairly normal of everyone Sayuri interacted with. Mutual plotting of horrible murders. But even that was thrilling in itself and a small bit of that hunger for more may have been noticeable in the subtle narrowing of her eyes and the squeezing of her fingers. “Kirigakure did play a major role in the Gurētodaiingu, at least certainly the cause of it. I was sent here with reparations that were to be delivered to your Raikage. Something that will also need to be taken care of afterwards, unless you would prefer it be dealt with here, Shimiko-sama. While those within Kirigakure who committed crimes against your people have been executed, we find their actions to be. . . regrettable.” It was the closest that Sayuri had ever come to actually apologizing for anything, and there was a heavy pause before the word ‘regrettable’, as though it was difficult for her to even speak it. Taking a cleansing breath to wash the weak word from her palate she would then turn her attention back to Tengoku. “Tengoku-sama. . . It seems that Konoha does not know when to stop meddling. While I personally see no issue with meddling, it does seem to cause more wars than it stops. It was Konoha meddling in the affairs of Iwa that led to the subjugation of the Land of Earth, which inevitably led to the Mountain Wars. Konoha’s meddling in the affairs of Kumo’s civilians led to the fall of Moonspire. And further still it has led to the fall of Yugakure, and consequently more destruction in the Land of Lightning. Make no mistake, Kirigakure is fully aware of their part in the fall of Moonspire and has taken many steps to ensure that not only are hostilities ceased but that the Land of Water makes amends. Offering to continue to meddle by stationing yet more of your shinobi within someone else’s lands does not seem very contrite. Nor does it lead me to believe that you are in any way different from your predecessor. Handing over the final terrorist Ikomiki seems like the least of what is owed. Your refusal is puzzling and makes me question your intentions.” She did not smile as she was deadly serious. She had been instructed in no uncertain terms to get Konoha on side. Her methods were harsh, but not without purpose. She knew that soothing an ego was the balm that came after tearing one down, at least with most reasonably well adjusted warriors. With a sincere smile she would continue, her words softer. “I’m sure you understand that as the Nation at the forefront of every war in my lifetime. . . your word is less resounding than your actions. That is not an insult, Konoha has a long and storied history that it should be proud of. A history that I seek to know more of, afterwards of course. So while it may seem like a noble gesture, to verbally guarantee the sanctity of each Nation’s power, it amounts to nothing. You may very well be a benevolent and virtuous Hokage, but what guarantee does anyone have that that is so?” She was subtly questioning the man’s honour, but this time it was not mere cruelty. Her question was simple; what proof did Konoha have to offer that this was not just another elaborate subterfuge that would end in yet another destroyed city? She would let the question hang in the air as she returned to playing with her wound and the blood that came from it, a small smile on her lips as every so often she saw a flash of white.

The tension between the nations was palpable, especially when it came to the representatives and their gripes with Konohagakure no Sato, specifically. While Shin had not been in Iwagakure no Sato for a decade; having spent that time in Kumogakure, there was still that taste of resentment for the country that displaced him and his family. Were it not for Konoha, Shin would have spent all those years in his home country and his parents would not have gone missing. These talks of peace between himself and Konoha were going amicably, for there were two main reasons he was holding his tongue; his current position in Iwagakure no Sato (a fresh chuunin) and Mitsukira. Shin had no intention of placing his country in a worse predicament than it was in a year ago, so his approach was meticulous.

As Shimiko offered Kumo’s services, Shin politely nodded; of the three other nations, he was only familiar with Kumogakure no Sato from the years he spent there in asylum. He still was not too familiar with the details of why his stay occurred, but it happened nonetheless. Kumogakure no Sato allowed him to stay and then return to Iwagakure no Sato all those years later. “I appreciate the offer Shimiko-san. From myself, personally, I am indebted to Kumogakure no Sato for offering me asylum for nearly a decade, due to the circumstances regarding Iwa’s past.” The past he was referring to was simple; the war that put Iwa under Konoha’s thumb. “Lady Ryuko allowed me to return to Iwagakure no Sato, and for that I thank Kumo. At the current moment, I’m unable to provide details as to if we’ll require assistance and to what degree.” It was true, as Shin was not too familiar with Iwagakure no Sato’s bookkeeping. That duty fell to Mitsukira and Shin only knew of how much was required to fulfill the requirements of the Farfour Accords; something he aided in relieving the village of.

Tengoku had a similar offer, though in the way of sending builders. There was a minuscule twitch of Shin’s mouth as he bit the inside of his mouth. Konohagakure no Sato had its influence over Iwagakure no Sato for far too long… and now they wanted to help build it up? Shin had his own doubts, even if the newly inaugurated Hokage clearly displayed a different motive than his predecessor. As far as Shin was concerned, he would outright refuse Tengoku, though he knew Mitsukira would likely think differently than him on the proposition. They made them pay via the Farfour Accords and now they wanted to help them build? Ignoring the urge to scoff, Shin would glance over at Tengoku and offer a few words. “Much like I mentioned to Shimiko-san, I appreciate the offer. We will notify you if any assistance is required.” His words remained cool, and he would not show an ounce of his feelings of ill contempt towards the notion. It would not help him if he piled on with the other villages to trounce Konoha.

Refusing to bite on Sayuri’s words of Iwagakure’s… lack of action… to attain their sovereignty from Konohagakure no Sato, Shin would instead focus on the last bit of Sayuri’s statement. “Of course, Sayuri-san. Matters of trade can always be discussed at a future date.” There was not much he would offer in the way of words, so he would simply let the matter rest after he spoke. If Shin, as he were currently, had been present so many years ago, perhaps Iwagakure no Sato would not be in its current condition. Though, that was not something that he could control or ever change. Iwagakure no Sato would survive and thrive for as long as Shin breathed. If anyone sought to change that… well, he had something in store for that situation.

When matters of the conversation turned to the matter of exclusive techniques and the matter of minor nations, Shin opted to remain silent for a while, as he would let the other three discuss matters. It was likely Konoha possessed Iwagakure’s techniques, they had a decade to do so and it was likely individuals in that village had become aware of such things. This was simply not something he could agree with from Tengoku’s words alone. “While I can accept that notion, Tengoku-san, there is no way you can prove that exclusive techniques will remain just that. While you say that Konoha will destroy copies of our techniques… Konoha has had influence over Iwagakure for a decade and it’s very likely that our techniques are floating about in your village. How can you guarantee that Iwa’s techniques won’t continually be passed around within your village?” The urge to comment on Tengoku’s later words was there, but he held his tongue once more.

Shimiko found herself growing increasingly aggravated with Tengoku's smirk. Either he was suicidal, too stupid to fear her, or he harbored insane delusions that he was her equal. She took his sustained eye contact and mirthful expression to be a challenge and it took every ounce of willpower in her body not to revert to the Shimiko of yesteryear. When he outright refused her rather generous offer, she whispered under her breath. "What?" Shimiko was used to getting what she wanted from those weaker than her and when she didn't she made them suffer. Unfortunately, she couldn't leap across the table and cut some sense into Tengoku. She was forced to sit there and listen as he delivered non-solutions to the issue she had raised.

He spoke as though revealing the location of Takigakure was some kind of betrayal of the Waterfall government, but as far as Shimiko was concerned, Konoha was the Land of Waterfall's government.  She was willing to bet that they took all of their income which meant Taki was in no position to tell Konoha what it could or could not do. This myth of the Minor Nation's sovereignty only served to insult Shimiko's intelligence. He then offered to rebuild their homes to which Shimiko audibly scoffed. Senju or not, there was no way he could expect Kumo to allow an enemy village to supply the infrastructure to one of their most important vassal states. If tensions went sour, Jashin knows what sort of damage they could inflict if the city were rebuilt by those who could easily manipulate its foundations. The bit about Ashitaka not being ordered to attack that location struck Shimiko as so stupid that she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Less because she wanted to be openly disrespectful and more to keep her from doing something violent.

I don't think I can do this.... Shimiko started to think how bad things would be if she simply got up and walked away. Continue the war? Fight until either they die or we do? It was a simple solution to the stubbornness she faced, but ultimately a false one. She was here for a reason and that meant she had to continue negotiating in good-faith.

Shimiko planned on rejecting his counter-offer along with his preposterous reasoning. However, what he said next gave her a brilliant idea. Tengoku made an issue about the proliferation of Hidden Village Exclusives throughout the ninja world. This was indeed a serious problem, but not one that affected Kumo personally. As far as Shimiko knew, its exclusives had never been stolen nor knowledge transmitted. She didn't take Tengoku's statement at face value as there was no one incident during the war of a foreigner using a Kumo Exclusive.  She had considered giving Lightning Release Armour to Akihiro for helping rescue the Twins, but had wisely decided against it. The other villages might not be so lucky and so it made sense that Tengoku was pitching that as part of the peace deal. They'd destroy whatever loose copies of each other's national secrets were floating about and strengthen the bonds of peace. It made sense but that didn't win her over instantly. At first, Shimiko thought this was a shoddy attempt at changing the subject, but as she listened an ground-breaking concept came into focus.

As the Chinoke ruminated on how to use this new proposal to her advantage, the nations of the world continued making a habit of piling on against the Hokage. Sayuri, who was had been cowed into a more reasonable state, had decided to speak up. When she referred to Hana and Kyoji as "pieces of stagnancy" Shimiko couldn't help but chuckle. She had a good sense of humor, she had to give her fellow psycho that much. When Sayuri offered to give Shimiko the previously agreed upon reparations, the Queen of Close Quarters Combat responded:

"Here will do. I think its best we have witnesses to the fact"

If Sayuri handed Shimiko the money, she'd accept it and tuck it away on her person. She was expecting to receive payment at some point during the Summit, although she figured she'd have to be the one to bring it up. Seigi and Sayuri had discussed how the proceeds were to be used at a prior meeting and Kumo had already set up a system to disburse payment. Kara and the surviving families of Moonspire would finally get the compensation that was owed to them. "Thank you" Shimiko would say with a smile once the three million was secured on her person.

Sayuri then proceeded to rip Tengoku a new one. Kirigakure's bizarre strategy of antagonizing its one-time ally was rather disturbing. At least, for Kiri and Konoha. Their alliance had caused the Cloud much grief but it appeared as though it was now being tested. Shimiko guessed that either Sayuri was going rogue or the Princess Triumvirate did not care for the past Hokage's affiliation with the Moonspire Three. Another scenario was that this was all a carefully staged ploy to lure Kumo into a false sense of security or maybe part of a relations reset with Kiri looking to pivot towards Kumo. The cash payment as compensation for Moonspire seemed to suggest they wanted to curry favor with Shimiko's village. As ANBU Captain, Shimiko had received extensive training in geopolitics. She was a smart girl and although bloodthirsty, she knew enough to use the present situation to her advantage. By the time Shin started talking, she knew precisely how she was going to deal with Konoha. If her plan was going to work then having the Iwa representative on her side would be a nice bonus. Sayuri already appeared to be in her corner which only left him. Fortunately, it appeared they shared a connection. Shin Muramatsu had at one point been a shinobi of Kumogakure. This wasn't super surprising given the fact that there were tons of Earth Country refugees floating about the world ever since the country's collapse in 934.

The former Kumo shinobi graciously accepted her offer of assistance and she gave him the most genuine smile she had expressed since arriving. All of her previous expressions of happiness were a thin veil to hide her disgust, bloodlust, and aggravation. Now that she was face-to-face with someone who had been a part of her military and was now a high ranking official in a foreign country, she was actually pretty pleased. Ryuko's seemingly inconsequential decision was paying dividends at present. She's always a skilled States-woman...even now her decisions are helping Kumo....I can't afford to let her down.

"You have no debt with us Shin-hiko. We took you in because it was the right thing to do and now that Earth Country is back on its feet, we are glad that you can return to your homeland, although there will always be a shared connection between us"

The closer Iwa was to Kumo during these negotiations, the better. Now that Shimiko knew where this kid came from, she realized why Iwa might have sent him. When Shin addressed the problem with Tengoku's idea head-on, she couldn't help but nod in agreement. It was the perfect set-up. He had identified the heart of the matter and she was about to propose a solution that would kill three birds with one stone. The anger that she felt towards Tengoku had evaporated. She laid her hands flat on the table and looked the Wolf in the eye.

"Your offer to rebuild Yugakure's infrastructure while well-intention is not well-received. I'm sure I don't need to explain why we don't want the Senju leading reconstruction but your idea does pose an interesting solution. If you were to destroy all records of Yugakure's location well then I'd say that satisfies Kumo's concerns. If you and every other village here agreed to destroy all rogue copies of each other's exclusives then I say all the better. However, both Shin and Sayuri raise excellent points.....how can such a thing be verified? I agree with Sayuri that your village has a bad habit in meddling in the affairs of others so we certainly can't trust you to be the arbiter of this enormous project. That's why I think we should create an international body responsible for overseeing it. This international body will be run by technicians and shinobi from all of the major nations, with a rotating Minor Nation representative. We send them into each of our states to conduct an independent assessment. No secrets will be maintained or stolen....they work for all of us so they are expected to destroy any material information they come across. Their job is to make sure that all rogue copies of exclusive techniques are not kept and that future scrolls are secured from proliferation"

Shimiko smirked and leaned back in her seat.

"I call such a hypothetical global institution....the Shinobi Humanitarian International Regulatory Authority or SHIRA and if we can all agree to let SHIRA handle the Hokage's proposal then I think we may just be able to achieve the impossible. I'd be willing to let them oversee the destruction of Yugakure's coordinates as well. So we'd be square on that note Hokage Tengoku. There would be no need for you to divulge Takigakure's location"

What the Chinoike was pitching was a game-changer for international relations. A new step in the evolution of shinobi geopolitics. From warring clans to villages to international bodies. She was curious to see how the other world leaders would react.

Tengoku would hold his patience and his tongue. Perhaps even his temper as each of them in turn questioned his word. This was an uncomfortable position for him. Being hated by everyone in the room. To him he was back at the orphanage. A vivid memory of being surrounded by three older kids. They had tormented him and beat him every chance they had. Hating him just for being who he was. He remembered being broken emotionally and socially. How he had issues growing up even looking others in the eye. How he had been weak and cried every day. His only comfort was a sister who defended him. But she was not always around...she wasn't here now and he had grown into a man. He had enough weeping and wishing. Despite the hate in the room for him he would take a breath and steady himself. Refusing to avert his gaze downward. To show his shame. The previous Hokage had chosen him for his reputation and his devotion. He would not falter here when it mattered most. He was stronger now than he was back then. He was the Hokage now and not just because there were not other options. Because he was strong both in body and character now.

He would listen quietly as each of them spoke. First was Sayuri. Her deal with paying of Kumo for their part was something he wouldn't comment on. If Kiri was eager to bow to Kumo so be it. They clearly didn't care for relations with Konoha anymore. The attack on his person or rather the attempted attack would be overlooked but he would be keeping a close eye on their relationship. Already the exchange program was falling apart. One man dead...seemingly having gone mad and attacked one of their own...And his dojutsu yet to be returned. That would be something he would inquire of another time. He must not press these buttons while at a disadvantage. Instead she would comment on him sending shinobi? Ahh she meant the senju. He for a momented wanted to retort. The clan was known for its construction abilities just as much as their combat. Most of Konohas early infrastructure was due to that clan. Not everyone who could wield their bloodline was a shinobi. Still if she was under such an illusion he would leave her to it. Another breath...another count of patience.

Both her and Shin would question what proof he would have to ensure his word was actually true. Shins mention of his time in Kumo drew another conclusion for him. No one no matter what he said would be on his side here. Kiri was a supposed ally but they had turned on him within the first couple of minutes of the meeting. Shin had been displaced by Konoha and essentially raised in Kumo. With Konoha fighting both countries...amber eyes searched the boys and found hate there. Venomous palpable hate. He was careful with his words and political as possible but those eyes hated Tengoku. It was painful to see so much hate for his home and thus himself. Still his attention would turn to Shimiko. It seemed she was satisfied with Kiri's payment and his offer to destroy the records. However she brought up Shins and Sayuris doubts on his word as well. However surprisingly she made an offer for a solution. He would hear her out in silence as well a moment before it seemed the floor fell to him once more. He would pause as he contemplated those words before speaking.

"I do not know how to assure you that Konoha will change. I have no proof other than my word. We will not interfere without a request being sent to us to do so as long as I am at the helm...any konoha nin acting without permission will be investigated and if proof is found they will be turned over to the country offended for judgement. However if any of you...even Kumo shall need us...we will come. I can not erase these wars we started. I can not turn back the clock or give back the loved ones. I find the world to be a darker place because of my homes actions and I truly hate it."

Tengoku would pause a moment before his tone changed as he looked up to each of them in turn. Passion in his eyes as he spoke with more authority in his voice. "I will support lady Shimiko's proposal if all nations agree. However there are two conditions I will suggest for it. First...if this is an international effort than any person being assigned to this joint squad should be vetted by all countries involved. Once this SHIRA is established Konoha will be the first to open our doors to investigation. However there must be one group that will be Shiras greatest opposition. Mockingbird has been eliminated but there is another terrorist group hoarding the very things we seek to keep exclusive to the villages they originate from. Publicly releasing village locations via the media. Stealing exclusives and treasures by force and seeking to bring down all of us here. if Shira is to succeed they must be prepared to deal with the Enlightened Society for Rebirth and Reordering. Which means joint funding for the best possible equipment to fight back and support from all nations involved for their investigation. SHIRA can not succeed against the society without all of us supporting it."

When Shimiko mentioned that witnesses were best, Sayuri would smile, her mirth at the concept evident in her eyes. She adored how positively paranoid everyone was, and it took some effort to stop herself from actually licking her lips at the deliciousness of it. Still, she would pull out the pouch containing the three million ryo and hand it over to Shimiko. She would shake her head slightly at Shimiko’s ‘thank you’. It wasn’t something she thought deserved thanks, or even friendliness for that matter. It was blood money. Which soothed Sayuri’s soul, but she knew that it was a less important gesture than the icy coffin had been.

She would nod at each person in turn as they spoke, the sort of automatic movement to indicate that she was listening, while she was not really listening. She did perk up as the conversation shifted to the idea of a selected group that would oversee the distribution of power across the world. And the truth was, she hated the idea. She did not share power, it was as ridiculous a concept as two people sharing the same circulatory system. It didn’t make them two separate people when all was said and done, they were at best two half people. A dim shadow of what could have been power. Once she saw that both Kumo and Konoha actually agreed on something however, she paused. It had been her goal after all, and now that they had finally managed to speak without hostilities it would have been a waste of her time previously to ruin it. Instead of throwing another barb she would pick up her cup of tea, finding the warmth of it in her hands pleasantly distracting.

And then she found something she hated even more than this summit, or the idea of SHIRA. The Society. They were in direct opposition to her goals. Mostly. She ignored them as they had little influence over the Land of Water. Except that their ‘leader’ was none other than the former Kiri-nin, Nozomi Himitsu. Inwardly Sayuri sighed as she found that the conversation had inadvertently circled around to Kiri’s past sins. It was ironic and almost funny, seeing as she had just spent the last few minutes admonishing Konoha for the same. She knew that anyone would be an idiot to mention Nozomi by name in front of Shimiko, so it was unlikely to draw too much attention. She could feel her anger rising again and she would attempt to sip her tea to further distract from her rage and was met with a literal cup of ice. At some point during her ruminating over Nozomi and the Society she had frozen the cup solid.

This time with an outward sigh, quiet and weary, she would place her frozen teacup down and speak up as Tengoku finished. “I do not like the idea, for much the same reasons I’m sure none of you do either. We all like our privacy, our control. . . our secrets. However, Kirigakure would have to be a fool not to support something that Konoha and Kumo agree on. I do not much care for the details of it. Pick who you like, Kiri will send one hand picked for their usefulness, I assume you’ll all do the same. I don’t even believe for a second that this group is about trust or friendship. This group is specifically being created because of a lack of trust.” She would laugh then. It was a happy laugh, the kind one had unexpectedly when they heard a good joke. “All humour aside however, Kirigakure will support this initiative assuming that SHIRA is only used as discussed here. As demonstrated earlier, the Land of Water now has zero tolerance for . . . thievery.” She was, of course, referring to the bodies of Hana and Kyoji, and their many crimes against the laws of Kirigakure.

[Handed over 3m ryo to Shimiko]