The Daisharo Club

The Daisharo Club is situated in the upper west side of Konohagakure's Business District. The institution predates the village itself by a few years and some even argue that Konoha was founded around it. The Club functioned as a kind of regional pre-cursor to the Heavenly Emporium. Shinobi from all clans within the Land of Fire were eligible for membership. The only limiting criteria was age. No ninja under 30 were permitted to join the Club and its purpose was to give a forum for elders and established clan-folk to privately air grievances, broker peace deals, and on occasion break bread together. The Daisharo Club's luxurious interior was broken into several wings. Each clan had its own private wing which they controlled and administered but the Grand Hall served as a common area whereby all members could socialize. The idea behind the Daisharo Club was to foster a spirit of exclusiveness and comradery among the more experienced members of each individual clan. When Konoha was founded, the Daisharo Club's prominence grew and inter-clan events became more common. Unfortunately, recent instances of strife have put a strain on the Club and even its most reverent adherents. These days the Grand Hall remains empty. Few visit the Club and those that do stick to their Clan's wings. It is here that Nyguyen contemplates how his nation had arrived at this point...

Nyguyen sat alone in the middle of the Grand Hall. The place was empty and it was likely to stay that way given his inhabitance. The former Hokage was focused on a chessboard in front of him. He had lost. Nyguyen's white king was tipped over in submission. The arrangement of the pieces made it clear to even a novice that he had put up a valiant fight, but ultimately was outclassed. He had challenged the Attendant to play against him as no one else would. The attendant couldn't have been more than 25 but he was well-versed in the game. It was his job to entertain and serve the members of the clan and so he had obliged Nyguyen although a certain amount of reluctance could be detected. Once the game was over, Nyg thanked and tipped the lad. He was now alone with his thoughts. He had studied the game for about twenty minutes now and he came to the conclusion that it was not this particular contest that bothered him. It was the larger one out there in the world that was eating at him.

Nyguyen considered his role in the conflict and what it had cost him and those close to him. He sighed. Chikamatsu Hyuuga had been his student and an up and coming leader of the Hyuuga Clan. When Akihiro accused him of treason and corroborated it with evidence, they had no choice but to execute him. Nyguyen's student was unapologetic and it felt he like had cursed him with his dying breath. The Hyuuga hadn't openly taken up arms against him given the circumstances, but he was certain there was bad blood in the air. The acrimony between their families ran deep and if not for the war raging outside the city's walls and the Uchiha's overwhelming might, they might have tried to finish what their ancestors had started. The suicide of Ashitaka Senju had weighed even heavier on his soul. The boy wasn't close to his clan as far as Nyguyen could tell, but his growing skill and prominence had come to the attention of many. It was only a matter of time before the Senju approached him for formal recognition and promotion, if they hadn't already. All of that was snatched away because of his insistence on placing the boy in lethal situation after lethal situation. Ashitaka had wanted to serve Konoha and he had used that desire for his own ends. He told himself that he was hardening the boy, making him the sort of warrior that would one day rival Satomi or Kazuya. He had never personally trained his mentee but nevertheless the child's skill continued to grow exponentially. Unfortunately, his mind did not follow. He was still a kid at heart and mind. When he had returned to the site of his previous trauma at the Land of Bears-Land of Waterfalls border, he had taken his own life. At first, Nyguyen didn't want to believe the reports. There was no body and the circumstances were strange to say the least. But the source of information was solid and part of him knew that he had pushed Ashitaka too far. The Senju probably knew this and likewise turned their back on his Administration.

Then there was Akihiro. His own blood. A shinobi who by all rights had nothing to fear from Nyguyen. Aki was his own man and though he was young, he was more than capable of protecting himself. The two had grown close during the early period of the conflict. Aki had come to him with sincerity seeking his advice on marriage and he had given it. Aki was a bit irresponsible for his tastes, but they were family. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd one day have to kill his clan's strongest soldier. Akihiro had been a busy bird. He had taken actions that had plunged the world into war and had committed crimes that had undermined the sacred peace between clans. If he was permitted to walk away or escape then the Land of Fire would go back to being an endless site of war between the Hyuuga, Uchiha, and Senju. This time, however, they'd have the world waiting to finish off what remained. Nyguyen could not risk it. He had intended to give Akihiro a trial but when his fiancée came to rescue him, he made a split-second decision. He terminated the Sparrow and with it one of the last few "sons" he could ever hope to have.

Chika, Ashi, and Aki. Shinobi that were not his children, even though he told himself one day they would be to him. Instead, he treated them like tools and when each of them had outlived their purpose or threatened to turn against him, he discarded them like trash. He was as guilty as Honiko Yoshidara. A menance to his own people. A Kage whose legacy would be blood, bones, and ash. The truth hurt him to his core. He felt the hot tears streaming down his cheeks. He had lost. Not just the chess game, but so much more. It was a good thing that there was no one in the Grand Hall for it was unbecoming of a former Kage to cry in public.

Kagura’s eyes were unfocused, as though a fog clouded her vision.  After losing Akari after her fighting that debilitating illness for so long… she didn’t know what to do with herself.  She refused to take on students; it wasn’t a good idea for them more than herself.  Too much negativity… she couldn’t focus, but a part of her knew that she couldn’t carry on like this either.  She wanted to do something for her village… no, she needed to continue working for her village.  Konoha was the only home she ever loved because it was the place that Akari had fought and eventually died trying to protect and serve.  This was the place she would continue to serve until the end of her days, but it was not her home anymore… it belonged to the memory of Akari and Kagura together, and now it held only pain.  Everywhere she looked, there was another place where she would see the woman’s shade.

A hand reached up and rubbed gently on the pair of hairbands she had kept, the only souvenir she had kept from her first love.  They were wrapped gently around her neck, held in place perfectly with small ties, and in pristine condition.  The brunette moved quietly through the village, her white and red outfit flowing behind her as she slipped from block to block, trying to make the ache in her heart even a little bit less.  Looking up at the scent of something savory, she realized she was in front of a new little ramen shop she hadn’t tried before… she had never seen before, honestly.  That was a good thing.  No visages from her memories to torment her here… and a place to get some well-needed food.  Kagura knew that she needed to eat and keep up her strength, but it was difficult to feel actually hungry.

Stepping up, she quickly realized it was full, taken up by some young ninja who were deep into an energetic conversation, one of which had the Uchiha symbol on his back, and she quickly and silently backed away.  That wasn’t a good idea under any circumstances.  Once again, her feet carried her one in front of the other until she wound up in a new location, outside some sort of club she hadn’t been keeping track of.  Blinking for a moment, she mutely registered that it was the Daisharo Club.  Perhaps, since this place was most often vacant, or sparsely populated at best, it would provide a great avenue that would allow her to clear her mind and try to focus on what her next goal should be.

It was worth a shot, at least. She was unaware as she walked in that she was not the only one grieving in that place today, but if she had, she would be jealous that the only other human in the room still had tears to cry. Her own had dried up some time ago.

Nyguyen heard the door open towards the front of the building and he quickly dried his tears. He could not be seen crying. It was bad enough that many thought of him as a craven Kage. Delivering further proof for their hatred would only put his family in danger. He abruptly stood up from the game and headed towards the front. He was curious as to who this newcomer was. The building seemed fairly empty these days. The chance to greet someone would provide a nice change of pace. Nyguyen saw a redheaded woman who looked just as miserable as he. He vaguely remembered this kunoichi. If he was not mistaken this was Akari's friend, or partner was it? He couldn't exactly remember but he knew that she was a skilled and prominent Jounin. Nyguyen waved to the stranger and spoke before the greeter had a chance to:

"Hello and welcome to the Daishairo Club" he said with a smile. He figured this woman wouldn't be hostile to him. She had a close relationship with Akari and as far as he knew he had been on good terms with the Uchiha.

When the stranger didn't reply, Nyguyen didn't force the issue. He wasn't the most popular of Kage nowadays so when people declined to speak to him, he did not take it personally. The Nanadaime Hokage gracefully bowed to the obviously grieving Kagura and left the Daisharo Club. Perhaps he'd find peace at the fishing lake or in the loving arms of his dear wife Porsche.

[Exit]

It took far longer for Kagura to realize someone was talking directly to her than she realized, so much to the point that the individual was beginning to leave before her eyes snapped into focus. Forcibly so, because the last thing that Kagura wanted was to seem rude, ungrateful, or simply ignoring the man. Her mind raced, noting that this was the previous Kage who had granted her the techniques that the village had held so closely guarded, Nyguyen… simply pronounced Nwin, if she recalled correctly, an interesting way to pronounce it that had stuck in her mind as well. Turning around in a flash, she noted the man leaving and the door slowly closing, and stepped into the gap, slipping back outside, but not moving to stop him moving in any way.

“Thank you, Nyguyen Uchiha. Perhaps another time when my mind is right we can speak again.” What would it take to make that happen though, she wondered? Space? Time? Both? She would need to speak to the current Kage in order to make that happen, but that would be a tall order in itself. But meeting with this man, this previous Kage, had snapped her out of the funk and given Kagura a possible direction, something that she would be eternally grateful for in the near future. How long had she simply wandered without purpose and direction, only to return home every night and sleep next to the urn full of Akari’s ashes and be tormented in her dreams?

She wanted the same exact thing that Nyguyen wanted; internal peace. The difference was that the previous Hokage wasn’t standing around moping about his losses, and she would take that example and make something of it and pursue a direction with her life once more, whatever that might be.

[EXIT]