The Twin's Path of Power

Long silver locks was pushed softly by the summer breeze, a young woman making her way down the main pathway of Konohagakure, not to far off in the distance ahead of her being the Government building, AKA Hokage's Tower. The short half of the Shinku Twins had been requested to come meet with her brother at his office. She'd always used to dread these 'come to the Hokage's office' requests, it felt like being called to the principle's office in school...but these days it was different. Her brother was the Hokage. The seat had been a bit of a revolving door, but hopefully that all had come to an end. Konoha had a strong Hokage...and his kickass sister to help. But today she still wondered why she'd been called there, usually meant more official business, it wasn't just to 'hang out'.

Tsukiyo sighed silently as she passed through the gates of the walls surrounding the building. Pink eyes looked up as she stopped in the courtyard, peering at the windows of the office atop the building. "...Hope he is in his office" she'd mutter to herself, smiling faintly. Being...well, Tsukiyo, she wasn't gonna just take the stairs. With a leap, she would meet the wall of the round tower, and with a few bounds, she would make it up to the windows she'd just been looking at. The woman landed on the small overhang below the windows, and walked over to the corner window, opening it and peering in before hopping inside, expecting to find Tengoku there.

The Hokage office was an absolute mess. There were documents in random piles all over the desk and in chairs. Some even piled up on the floor. No real organization to it other than they were split into sections. Financials...infrastructure, Military spending and so on and so on. Tengoku was sitting in his chair at the desk having fallen asleep there midway through more work load. His face resting on a stack of unfinished paperwork with the pen still in his hand. Red marks built up around the knuckles on two of his fingers where he had used the pen for hours. Truthfully Tengoku was doing his best with all of it but he mostly just found himself confused and needing help with a lot of it. Funding going where it was most needed was important. With the war having drawn to a conclusion mostly, there was a great deal to see to just within their own borders. A part of him Resented Nyguyen for all of it. Feeling he had seen the end of the war and chosen Tengoku as more of a fall guy than anything else. Someone to clean up the mess while he enjoyed retirement. Though he would never take it out on the man.

However Tengoku would stir as he heard someone land on the window sill outside. Sitting up groggily he would blink a moment as he saw his sister climbing in through the window instead of using the front door. He would blink once or twice before stretching with a large yawn. Paperwork virtually all around him. He would blink away the tears in his eyes from freshly waking up before grumbling under his breath. "Can't just be normal..." He commented sourly as he had just woken up and still had an awful amount of workload all around him. He remembered he had sent summons but lost track of time. He would stand up once more before walking over to a corner of the room. Picking up a cloth and dipping it into a mostly melted bucket of ice before rubbing it across his face to wash away the sleepiness. A short of a nap as it had been he still felt better. The pen discarded on top of the desk. He would finish up before glancing from it to his sister. She was smart so it wouldn't be hard to guess his reasoning. So he just smiled bashfully at her.

Silver locks blew with a breeze coming through the now open window, pink hues falling on the mess the office had become, bringing out a quiet sigh from Tsukiyo as she entered the room, seeing her brother stir from having dozed off at the desk. Her sensitive ears could pick up his groggy grumble, drawing a light smirk on her features, if only for a brief moment. But she suppressed the smirk, instead taking a few steps closer to the desk--littered with paperork--and place her hands on her hips, narrowing her brow as she looked at her brother. "All this paperwork, and you're snoozing on the job." she'd scold him lightly, giving the impression she was angry--but it quickly turned to her flashing a smile.

The woman snagged some of the documents from the man's desk, likely some 'Hokage's eyes only' stuff, or just some general business--either way she didn't hesitate to dig in, snagging a pen off his desk and beginning to fill out the paperwork for him. "So what'd you call me in for, or did you forget since you was snoozin'?" she'd ask as she speed read through paperwork, filling stuff out with inhuman speed, and signing off with a perfect copy of Tengoku's signature. Maybe she shouldn't be doing that, but people did say she ran the village just as much as he did...and clearly, she was much quicker at processing paperwork then him. She'd deviate her eyes from the next folder, looking to meet Tengoku's golden hues as she expected his response.

Tengoku would frown in irritation as she teased him. His nerves already strained over all this post war paperwork piling up on his desk. He had accepted this honor but no one ever talked about all the business side of being a Kage. She was teasing him and he knew it but still he had to check his nerves. She was his dear sister and she didn't deserve him lashing out at her over his own stress. His hand would reach up and quietly brush hair back out of his face. His amber eyes would watch her snap up some paperwork and rapidly fill it out as if she barely had to look at it. Some of this stuff he actually had to look up and compare to spread sheets which he also barely understood. Yet she finished it quickly. So his purpose for having her come here seemed justified. He thought briefly about trying to trick her into doing all of it. However he quickly dashed such thoughts. She was smarter than him and he knew it. So he would attempt to simply be honest with her. After all they had spent their entire lives together and she likely could predict where this was going.

For a moment Tengoku would dig through the paperwork before pulling out what appeared to be an extremely high quality katana with seals along the hilt. The metal on the hilt was clearly midnight ore and the seals would slightly glow green with wind energy as he collected it. He would sit back in his chair as he looked over the previous Hokages weapon before Nyguyen. He had been surprised the Nyguyen hadn't claimed such a weapon and it just gathered dust in the office over a couple of years. Still he would feel the weight of it as he spoke quietly while looking it over.

"Sometimes I wonder why I was made Hokage instead of you. I am a good fighter and people seem to like me well enough. But this...all this here is beyond me. I don't have the intelligence or education to run a village by myself. I mean hell...you taught me to read and write just a couple of years ago. And I have grown...I know that...but this all seems impossible. So I called you hear today to offer you something. I will walk you to the vault and let you gain access to it...and the hidden techniques there...in return, I want you to accept the position of Jounin commander and help run the village."

The woman could read his face, she knew she'd irritated the man, but being his sister--she didn't pay it much attention, if anything it made her want to giggle at the irritation. But she was nice enough not too. She'd be working on the document when she noticed him uncover a sword from under the papers...the sword wasn't one of his, but looked extremely well made--she was quick to recognize the materials used, and quickly deduced it'd been the work of most likely Okane...someone she had in mind to get gear from for herself. But she quickly brushed over her brother's discovery, she was focused on his answer, and the paperwork. Splitting her attention was easy for the woman.

The young man he begun to answer, talking about wondering why Tsukiyo hadn't been made Hokage in place of him, while he spoke her eyes went back to speed reading the file in her hand, and soon enough, she'd brought the pen back to it, writing. But as Tengoku finished speaking, and put his offer on the table, the woman froze in her tracks--she even nearly dropped the pen, it notibly slipping from between her fingers before she tightened and caught it before it fell out of her grasp. She'd drop the file to her side and look to her brother's eyes, facing him.

"...Ten." she'd say as she thought for a moment, still looking into his eyes. She'd sigh as she took a step closer to the desk, setting the file ontop of another pile of files, supporting herself with her hand on the desk as she leaned over it just a bit. "Tengoku you was made Hokage because you have the skills and determination to protect this village and it's people...I lack the golden heart you have. Plus, I was in a coma. You was better fit for the job, even if you struggle with the paperwork." she'd explain, trying to comfort the man in his seat of power, detail why he deserves to sit there, why she wouldn't be as good of a fit. "...As for Jounin Commander." she'd say, a smile crossing her lips. "I accept. Thank you, bro." Tsukiyo spoke through her smile. She'd stand up straight from leaning over the desk, and walked around it, suddenly gripping Tengoku into a hug about his neck--likely nearly choking him slightly as she gave her brother a firm hug, smiling to him once she let go and stepped back.

"The vault, you said?" the woman would finish with, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Tengoku would listen quietly a moment before smiling as she accepted his offer. Now the rumors had something behind them. She had always had a mind for running something larger than just the two of them. Still while she had been gone he had improved a little. He had to after all. Most of his work as a tracker nin had simply been border patrol with anbu squads and such. Using his heightened senses to keep enemies at bay. Still he would glance to the window she had come from. Perhaps they were too relaxed if someone could simply climb through an open window. A security flaw certainly. Then again, wasn't he meant to be one of the strongest people in the village? Picking a fight with the Hokage in the center of the village was likely too ballsy a move for anyone. So he would push the thought back for now. The point was she had accepted which meant he could spend more time training again. He felt like his skills hadn't hit a wall just yet. He could still grow more. Still get faster and stronger. There was something there within him just out of reach. He just couldn't figure out what it was.

Tengoku would blink a little as she moved on to ask about the vault. As if he had almost lost himself in thought for a moment. On the brink of something but it fading from his grasp again. It was frustrating but the reality of the moment was more important. Tengoku would hear and see the excitement all about her. Like a kid certain they were going to get something they wanted. Like pudding. He always liked pudding. Still he would smile and slide the sword into his belt next to his Tetsudashi steel katana and his new wakizashi. As he stepped to the door...rings on his upper arms, forearms and ankles would jingle slightly. Gold rings with feather designs on them. Something new he didn't use to wear. He would open the door and grin. "Yeah. The vault. With all the secret techniques in forbidden scrolls. Of course using the word forbidden with us never did work well." He would wink and turn to guide her to the elevator at the back. One guarded by a masked shinobi. The masked one would activate their sensory as the two approached before accepting Tengoku....plus one guest.

The elevator only had one floor but under guard by one person by the look of it. The two would ride down alone as Tengoku pressed the button. It really appeared as if their security was lax. Still the elevator would finally stop clearly below ground before the doors opened. As soon as they did there was the sounds of multiple bow strings drawing. Several masked me armed with bows were aiming at the elevator entrance. Each one cloaked and masked. One would activate their sensory to confirm the Hokages chakra signature before the bows would be relaxed. The men sinking back into the shadows. Leaving the two in front of the locked vault. Tengoku speaking as he crossed his arms and admired the vault door. "It's under guard all day every day. The guards wear masks and are released from their service if they reveal what it is they do to anyone outside of those with access to the vault. Which now includes you. Inside are all the secret techniques and a few other things including the villages treasury. It is our duty to protect this. As such we should empower ourselves with its contents to do just that. I have already learned a couple of them."

Tsukiyo watched as her brother smiled to her answer, and soon enough after she'd brought up the vault, he responded again with a smile and by placing his newly found weapon on his belt and walking to the door--Tsukiyo's pink hues following her brother as he did, ears burning with the sound of the jingling rings he had. Wasn't the most stealthy thing, but who was she to talk with her medium to bright blue kimono. Tsukiyo would walk up behind him as he went to open the door and spoke--she knew what the vault was, but hearing him say it still brought a smile to her face. She'd go ahead through the door and would eventually come to an elevator, guarded of course.

The twins would take a ride down the elevator, which surely took them underground by how far it seemed to travel, before finally stopping. The doors opened and Tsukiyo's ears burned with the sound of bowstrings being drawn, her narrowing her brow a bit as she knew they was under the aim of many bowman. But soon enough they relaxed, and the two was able to proceed--Tsukiyo's pink hues watching as multiple masked figured slipped back into the shadows. She'd let out a slightly annoyed sigh, she fully understood the need for security, but they should've checked who was coming before the elevator doors even opened.

Tsukiyo ignored her annoyance with the guard's slowness to recognize an ally over a threat, as she let her eyes fall on the vault door itself. Her eyes shifted focus for a moment, glancing to her brother as she came to stand beside him, seeing the man cross his arms. She'd listen to what he had to say about it, even the fact he'd already learned some of the jutsu contents kept hidden inside. She'd turn towards Tengoku, giving him a smirk. "Well, what are we waiting for then?" she'd say with her signature confidence. Of course, being Hokage, Tengoku would be the one with access to opening the door.

"...Years ago we came back to this village, weak, hungry, and with no power...now we stand as the leadership of this village and nation. Come a long way, huh..." she'd go on to say, voice softer now, as she looked back to the vault door.

Tengoku would smile to himself as his eyes glanced around. The guards had decent enough concealment technique but he could still tell they were there. Some of them would make eye contact with him and their eyes would widen in surprise before acceptance. They were confident in their ability but Tengoku saw right through it. For them though this was to be expected of the Hokage of all people. Still their eyes would drift to his sister. They had heard less about her but if Tengoku was bringing her down here...and explaining that she would have access than she must be more important than simply being related to him. However it was not their place to question. Only to guard. Still his attention would return to his precious sister as she seemed eager to get this whole thing moving. He would smile softly at that. She was eager as always to improve herself and the legends of what was in the vault were immense. He needed her to be strong too so this worked out. What the others thought be damned. He didn't ask their opinion and if they saw so little in him that they thought this was favoritism than they could eat a....

He would step forward as she reminisced. Mentioning how they had been when they arrived. The village had been in a poor state back then. Before that was living in the cabin in the woods and before that the orphanage. Abandoned by their mother and bullied by the other kids for being different. It had left Tengoku as a rather pathetic child. But they each had their talents and had built on one another. Even when she was in a coma....He had strived to become more. A couple of people stepped forward when he did to team pull the vault. However Tengoku would idly wave them off. Their masks his most of their surprise except their eyes. Still they would bow and back off as Tengoku stepped up to the door. He would place his hand on it and his chakra would be recognized. She would need to have this prepared for her later. Still the tumblers would click with his authorization and a loud click would echo as it finished unlocking. With one hand Tengoku would reach out and pull the vault door open. Usually a task for two men Tengoku made it seem as simple as opening a normal door. His strength beyond what it had been before when they were still barely adults.

He would nod to her to invite her to step inside before following her in. On shelves to one side neatly organized was millions of ryo. All organized and placed to the side with contracts and such from built infrastructure in minor nations in case of any legalities. On one side were some lock boxes with certain artifacts locked within including the Hero water. On the opposite side were scrolls in dark metal rolls with the words forbidden in Kanji among many of them. These were the village exclusive techniques kept under guard. Including a section dedicated to sealing. Each one labeled as to what it was. Tengoku would cross his arms and smile a little at all of it. This was the height of what the two of them could reach.

"I have already trained multi shadow clone and Chidori. As Jounin commander feel free to learn anything in here you want. However we can not simply teach these to anyone. Be selective with any students you wish to learn any of these. If these spread widely they will no longer be exclusive to our village."

As the powerful duo approached the vault, some guards were ready to open it for them--but would be waved off by the man that towered over Tsukiyo. She glanced to them as they bowed and backed away, allowing Tengoku to step forward and place his hand upon the vault door. Tsukiyo's pink and red hinted hues watched, her having to hide the slight well in excitement building as the mechanical sounds of the locks echoed through the chamber. A smile tugging at the edges of her lips was all that gave it away. Still, with the might of multiple men, Tengoku casually opened the large and heavy door. Something she'd likely struggle to do without enhancing herself first, but surely doable for the woman. Still, the door was opened, and her eyes shifted from her brother to the contents of the vault room.

Pink orbs with hints of crimson quickly took in the vault room, organized--her eyes drawn first to hte money...just a few years ago they was broke--now they technically had access to so much--and themselves made enough money they didn't even need to. They sure had moved up. Her eyes went back to Tengoku, which by now she'd nearly come to stand beside just at the entrance, seeing him 'invite' her to go in. The woman smiled and reached up, her hand gently landing on his shoulder, and proceeding to slide off as she stepped into the vault--soon to be followed by her twin. She'd proceed towards more the middle of the vault, taking it all in with a slow pan--as her ears burned with Tengoku's voice. He explained what he had already learned from the secrets kept here, jutsu she'd heard of but never had the knowledge needed to perform. He'd let her know, given her position, she was free to learn whatever she could from these scrolls. She'd turn around to face him, seeing the proud stance he'd taken, which filled her with joy seeing him finally stand tall and strong--as she knew he always could. Tengoku explained to keep the knowledge more or less to herself, which she already knew. "I don't plan to teach anyone, any of these....and if I ever do consider it, you'll know as soon as I do." she'd say, even though she already knew--she was wanting to reassure him that she knew that this was not something to mishandle.

With a deep breath, she'd shift her focus to the scrolls. "I can't learn Chidori like you, I never had the knack for Raiton like you do...but multi-shadow clone, thats a must." she'd go on to say as she approached the forbidden scrolls, in dark metal rolls, and carefully pluck one from the racks on the wall. She'd take a step back, and making sure its contents couldn't even be seen from the vault doorway, she'd open it. Eyes sped side to side, even up and down at times, as she went over information...by pure luck if anything, she'd grabbed the exact scroll containing the jutsu they both mentioned. She took in the info quickly, processing it quicker then most could--and shut her eyes afterwards, rolling the scroll back up. She placed it back on the rack, and faced Tengoku, opening her eyes and lifting a single hand up into a half Tiger sign--and with that, the entire chamber erupted in smoke, and what once was a large vault with only two in it, now had a total of 101, an army of Tsukiyo surrounding them both, 99 clones--the original--and Tengoku.

"Now I can annoy you a hundred times more." said around 4 or 5 of them at once as they all poked Tengoku from different angles, before snickering. In a mass poof, they all disappeared, leaving only the original. "Had to make sure I understood it all right, ya'know...test it out." she said with a smirk, before she'd go ahead and look across the available scrolls. She'd go ahead and, as she needed, go through the scrolls--this would take time, but much less time then the average shinobi. Some she may need to practice in her own time, but she was able to gain the knowledge on another she could try now. She'd return the last scroll to the rack, all back like they had never been bothered--and she'd step towards the middle of the room. Holding out one hand, palm up, she'd reach other with her other hand. With gentle movements and accurate chakra control, it wouldn't but but a moment before a spiraling swirling ball of dense chakra would form between her palms--the Rasengan--her letting it grow to about the size of a kickball--before letting it fade, which came with it releasing a gust of wind throughout the room, not enough to disturb anything--but enough to blow her hair back a little, and even flutter any loose clothing of Tengoku's. She smiled up at her taller brother.

"You got Chidori...I got Rasengan. Seems like a fair trade off, yeah?" she'd say, a spark of excitement in the young woman's voice. Being fair, he could also learn it.

WC: 849
[250/250, Learned Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu]
[250/250, Learned Rasengan]

Tengoku would glance at his sister a moment as she unrolled a scroll. One he had already mastered. The mass shadow clone jutsu was something that could mean the difference in a sheer numbers battle. Even if the opponent was stronger and faster it would take a great deal of difference between them for the enemy to handle a hundred of him. He would just need to be cautious of when he used it. Or how. He figured his sister would be able to tactically recognize any situation far better. However the moment she finished studying the scroll she would prove him wrong as suddenly the entire vault would get packed to the brim. Suddenly it was him and a hundred of her packed together so tightly it was a mystery how she managed to poke him. He couldn't move without forcing his way through some clones. His arms virtually pinned to his sides as he frowned and waited patiently. This was a serious thing they were doing here. For once he wasn't all laughs and giggles. Tengoku was serious this time. What they were doing here was too important to not be mature over. These were village exclusive techniques...He didn't doubt she knew this but he would remain quiet just to ensure the gravity of the situation. The air filters would clear out the smoke as the technique ended though and he would let out a held breath. Not interested in choking on smoke in a small room.

She would continue on to the next scroll after coming up with an offhand excuse. Still he would cross his arms and raise an eyebrow as she put it back like she had never disturbed it. She would move onto the next as she studied this one as well. The rasengan was the equivalent of his chidori he had heard. He would watch the energy gather in her hand and his amber eyes would take it in. This power they held now was more than they had ever dared dream. Together they were mighty before but with all this. He would take a moment as she finished the technique and the wind faded. His long white hair had been shifted slightly from the wind off it but it settled now. He would listen as she spoke once more before his amber eyes would glance towards the seals. He had expected her to prioritize those but these were good jutsu to have as well. He would nod as she finished speaking before he glanced to the vault door and then back upwards as if he could see through all that concrete to the village above. Speaking in return to her.

"It is good that we have gained this knowledge. This power. We are going to need it in the days to come I'm afraid. The war is over but another one...one far worse looms in the horizon. Threatening to swallow everything we know whole. With the Uchiha divided over the death of Akihiro some of the greatest members of our forces are torn. With this great divide in the village I don't know if we can handle whats coming. But I will fight when the time comes. I know you will too. But we must prepare even more than our training before. I have to be stronger."


Exit thread - 5 posts = 50 exp

It'd seem Tsukiyo could still surprise her brother even after all this time...and even if in an annoying way. She could almost feel his annoyance when she had used the shadow clone jutsu within the vault, but other then Tengoku--nothing else was disturbed by her action. She'd effectively brush off his annoyance, knowing he'd forgive her soon enough anyways. What was siblings for if not to annoy each other from time to time? Besides. She owed him some payback in that department.

After her studying, and subsequent usage of Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu and Rasengan, and annoying Tengoku, she'd notice the man, who'd been waiting with his arms crossed most the time since her clone shenanigans, glance out the vault door--as if peering to the world beyond the vault. Her own smile would fade to a more neutral expression as Tengoku would speak to her, the woman approaching him and stopping a few feet away as he finished what he had to say.

"...The threat of war always looms, but if the world comes to that once again and Konoha is threatened...We'll be able to respond. Together. The divide in the village can be mended, but it'll take some work. But I got your back through it all Tengoku..." the woman would speak, her voice lower than before, but serious in tone as she looked to her brother, even if he kept his gaze off in thought. "..Come on, lets go get dinner. We can discuss more about this later." She'd suggest, a hand reaching up and gently resting on Tengoku's shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze before letting go and stepping past him, exiting the vault, allowing him or the guards proceed to close it. Tsu would head towards the elevator, awaiting Tengoku to join her before leaving.

[Exit post]