Party time at the Yakusai inn.

Hibiki continued to be better with her words than she let herself believe. His eyes still turned downward, he relaxed his shoulders and sighed heavily. She spoke of hope, of understanding, of balance, and he understood. Ghost, as well, remained calm despite Natsuki's outburst. Neither of them shared his view, but Natsuki could respect both of theirs all the same.

And then came Yamato.

As his rant began, Natsuki's fists began to clench once more as he slowly looked the Tsuchikage in the eyes. He would stay silent throughout, save for one scoff at the mention of talking to the Lady Hokage that way, and the boy was becoming more incensed with each word. It was sealed with the line "...if you was stronger you would not have to lose as many life's..." It might not have been what Yamato meant but, in the heat of this whole thing, Natsuki took this to mean that he was not strong enough- words echoed so many times by his cruel mother.

"Well, my lord," Natsuki started, dripping with sarcasm, "while I am truly sorry for your losses, I should think that you would understand mine." The young Uchiha turned to face Yamato as he chose his next words, perhaps not carefully, but quite deliberately. "My Lady Hokage is not here to speak for herself; but she does not suffer fools and I will no longer suffer you."

This might have been teenage angst, but this was built atop the indiscriminate destruction of the place he held most dear and the laughter this group shared at the instrument of that destruction.

"I owe you as much civility as you show me, Yamato; your rank means nothing more to me than pity for the Stone's future." Natsuki turned his nose up as he continued to glare. "Perhaps one day you will be strong enough to save everyone, but I doubt it." The young Uchiha put one hand on the back of his chair and pulled it to a clamoring fall that would drown out the first few words that Yamato might say in retort. He would hear no more, so he left.

Details:

Chi post
O’uzu Island, pristine in its beauty, wet in its humidity. Chinatsu was not particularly accustom to such humidity and heat, having spent much of her life not only in the much drier Iwa, but largely in a castle. Still, the location contained a natural beauty that surpassed almost anything the young woman had seen yet in her life, a picture perfect vacation location and she almost grew jealous of those under Kiri’s banner at their fortune for having access to such a lovely place. And yet it seemed… underdeveloped in a way, perhaps uncivilized. Maybe the people of Kiri did not fully appreciate the gem that they had here, or maybe it had just recently gotten fired up again as the busy season of summer got started up.

 

She’d spend a part of the day lounging in the sun, enjoying the lethargy of beach time, sitting out in her black bikini-style swim suit, splashing some in the waves, and taking in the rays. She had to make sure to continue to apply some shielding from the sun to protect her fair complexion, but she had greatly enjoyed her day of smoothies on the beach. As the day had drawn down and the night had crept in, she had found herself wandering, eventually stumbling upon one of the local inns that people seemed to move in an out of. Apparently they had some cool sake and some nice finger food, and so she showed herself in.

 

As the daughter of the Daimyo, it still sent a rush through her to navigate the world with no security detail, guards, overbearing father, or lightly terrifying mother. She was free to just… walk into a building and order a drink. She tossed the door open lightly, having now covered her body in a simple, white beach shawl, open mostly in the front to reveal the swimwear beneath, displaying a notable dip down to her cleavage; obvious, but restrained enough to pass as tasteful. Beyond that, she wore a few pieces of understated by clearly high-quality jewelry: a slim necklace, two bracelets on her left wrist, all in a soft yellow gold. She stood in the doorway for too many seconds, as if waiting for something - waiting to be announced – before she blushed slightly and walked up to the bar.

 

She’d come in to hear a bit of a row between four people, one of whom she instantly recognized as Yamato, only because he was her current reigning lord. A darker-haired, bedraggled ruffian passionately spoke about… something. The tension of the room felt palpable, the other patrons had begun casting furtive looks to the sudden outburst. Perhaps the conversation had suddenly spilled over into painful territory. A red head woman – a clanswoman perhaps? – came to comfort the upset man. She had no idea what the nature of their dispute centered upon, but after standing awkwardly for a few too many moments, the man burst out again, angrier this time, claiming that neither he nor the Hokage suffered any fools. Strange, to say the least, but she began to comprehend the issue here: as with any colonizer, The Leaf felt no need to account for the various atrocities they had committed upon The Stone, and someone had finally called them on that. As he wailed, she approached the bar to order a nice, clear sake, assuming no one interjected.

Namazake, please. One glass is fine. Her voice carried, a low, almost sultry alto, but somewhat clipped and brash. She had a the tells, to the observant, of a high upbringing, but tempered by a kind of willful crudeness. The Leaf certainly remains as self-pitying and indulgent as ever, it seems. She only half said it to the rest of the room, half to the bartender or simply herself, but it would certainly carry to the ears of Yam, Ghost, Naka, and Hibiki, should they care to listen.

Spoiler:

Ghost have had it this moment and all he ever wanted to do was just relax. But as always there is always someone in his way of that and here he thought he could have one day of fun. Ghost would not be all mad though to get him angry is hard. As he looked on he would simply sip his tea. As this shinobi talking to his Tsuchikage in such a way is truly ridiculous. As the man walked Ghost would slowly put the tea cup down. 


As he looked at his Tsuchikage he would then say to him,"and this is why I said we need a tail beast and this is why I said we need more power. Because if he saw us as a threat he wouldn't have dared to talk to you in a way Lord Tsuchikage, I do apologize for that." Ghost would sip more tea to calm himself down a bit.

Yamato continued to listen to Natuski run his mouth and disrespect him but Yamato had to step back for a minute and recollect his thoughts before he said something that could cause a international incident. He had to remember that this boy had clearly not seen or been though as much as him and it was clear with how he spoke to a leader of a nation with no regard to his own safety that he still had lots of maturity to grow yet. Hibiki was right strength with out compassion just made the person a monster, as a leader of a nation he needed to be able to see the view point from both persons side and try to make a compromise.

He looked at hibiki and noticed that she was really struggling with what was going on and now he felt bad for making her feel like this. Yamato would pour her a cup of tea as he placed it in front of her.

" Here drink this Hibiki it's a herbal tea that should help with that throbbing head. I apologize as the leader of a nation, I should have been more level headed. It's clear you have both been though a lot and seen a lot and I'm sorry. For you I shall drop it and be the bigger person. "

Ghost was pretty calm about the whole thing even if he did comment about how this was why they needed a tailed beast and honestly Yamato could not agree more but he was not trying to have there allies see them as a threat.

" No I agree Ghost if we had a Jinchuuriki in our ranks it would help to bolster our Defenses and our strength as a whole but I am not wanting our allies to see us as a threat cause that would just foster bad karma."

As Yamato was taking a sip from his sake glass he could hear a woman from across the room speak about the hidden leaf village, looking over he saw that it was one of the new people who entered the iwa ninja academy chinatsu.

" Chinatsu was it, please how about you join us for a moment."

Maybe there was a chance that she could share more light on what she was talking about but at the same time maybe she could get to understand the leaf better as he had by socialize with a ninja from the village.

" Natsuki, tho you have made light of my title and was very rude I still over a seat at the table if you wish to continue here and enjoy it along with your village mate."

Yamato would say trying to be the better man in this situation instead of trying to continue a pointless argument.

Upon the invitation, Chinatsu would node and walk over to the table, grabbing an additional glass for the sake she had procured. To Yamato, she gave an extremely formal bow, practiced and refined. "My Lord, it's good to meet you in person." She would have been lying had she said he was an improvement on Diana, to say the least, but he seemed to have potential. Maybe not yet the greatest wisdom to be fair, but she liked where his head was generally at; Konoha would continue to walk upon Iwa if Iwa could not stand up on its own two feet. She sat, placing the carafe and cups on the table, looking to Natsuki. A pang went through her, though she waited for Yamato to chastise the other man about his tone. She subtly rolled her eyes, most clearly visible to Natsuki as he was directly across from her, near the door.

She would fix the leaf ninja with a pained look; a look from someone who understood the level of loss he had experienced. Her own life had probably seen less direct death, but she could understand the pained look in his eyes and the hint of panic in his voice she thought she could detect. "The bijuu are disasters that walk. No one deserves that kind of devastation." She paused, sipped, and pour a second cup, nudging it across the table to an empty chair. "Not even the Leaf. Please, sit with us." She assumed she could speak for the rest of the table in the extension of the invitation, and felt a degree of curiosity towards the man, as well as the others at the table. Beyond Lord Yamato, she knew none of the people here.

The entire room had fallen silent at his outburst, but the young Uchiha's eyes were stuck fast towards the door he stomped towards. As Hibiki spoke impassioned, Natsuki paused a moment, his back still towards the gang. She was right again, even if it pained her to be so. Strength was there to protect. He was less convinced of its ability to connect, but he did only know his friends through his recent earnest attempts at being a proper shinobi. It wasn't to last, however.

"...For you I shall drop it and be the bigger person." Natsuki rolled his eyes, fairly certain that dropping something to call yourself the bigger person was oxymoronic- nevermind the boy's thoughts that they had started and exacerbated this! And then Ghost exacerbated again.

"and this is why I said we need a tail beast and this is why I said we need more power. Because if he saw us as a threat he wouldn't have dared to talk to you in a way Lord Tsuchikage..."

A red rage fell over him. Ghost had, as casually as ever, waxed poetic about an existential threat as a weapon- for daring to speak rudely to those that continued to make light of his trauma. Strength to connect, to protect; or to intimidate? Not even the attempt at kind words, albeit from the stranger that previously called him self-pitying and indulgent, would penetrate his anger now.

"If you ever become a threat to Konoha," Natsuki started through gritted teeth, his words hissing with disdain. He turned his head slightly and bore daggers through Ghost. His only visible eye was an unmistakable, though entirely reflexive, red- the Sharingan. "I'll kill you." He spoke firmly, genuinely, before walking for the door. This time, nothing would stop him, short of a physical confrontation.

Details:

Ghost was keeping his calm as he knew it could be trouble if he did not. But for such a person to come over and call himself threatening the Tsuchikage was one thing but to activate his eyes. Then Ghost would start to laugh as he remembered an old saying his grandfather used to say. Calm down or you will end up as angry as an Uchiha. He nearly choked on his tea as he was thinking that. As he started to yawn he would see a new comer join them. She paid her dues to him as she should. But being the head of a clan one would expect a little more respect but it's better this way in the end at least. 


Soon Ghost would say," well we can get back to having a good time. I just hope this guy longs to have peace and understand that we need times like these. For times that are not so great. But hey all I know is bless." At this point he just wanted the drama to stop and the good times to keep going.

Yamato was trying his best to not have the boy Natsuki arrested or worse killed for how he was acting towards the leader of a nation but he was a leaf ninja and he had just recently gotten on the leafs good side so he really did not need to cause a war over a immature man's tantrum. He watched as Natsuki came back to the table so the tsuchikage had hoped that he had changed his mind and decided to join the table for the awesome party they was having. At the same time he watched as chinatsu walked over to there table and poured her self a class of sake and joined there table. Before she did she bowed to the tsuchikage out of respect being that he was her lord. She mentioned that she did not think any nation should have a tailed beast that included konoha.

Hibiki was trying her best to get Natsuki to stay but cause of something that ghost said it made Natsuki turn his attention to ghost as his eyes turned red with black tomo. So that meant Natsuki full name was Natsuki uchiha, it was no wonder the boy was full of hate there whole clan seemed to be. But he looked at ghost and told him that if he ever became a threat to konoha he would kill him. Normally the tsuchikage would not tolerate such a threat to one of his ninja but ghost did not seem to be bothered by it so Yamato would just ignore his threat and would try to continue on with the party.

" Yes its good to finally meet you in person as well chinatsu. Unfortunately when it comes to that topic I might not follow your thoughts on it. It's true that tailed beasts are a walking disaster but that should be all the more reason to seal them into Jinchuuriki so they are less likely to cause as much harm. But let's change the topic as it seems like one that not everyone can fully agree on. Also Hibiki your welcome I do hope that tea helps with your throbbing head. And yes ghost let us get back to enjoying this party as we was before "

Yamato would clap his hands and as he did the waiters came by carrying trays full of different foods and lots of drink. The tsuchikage would grab food and began to eat as well as drink.

Natsuki would stop once more, this time at Hibiki's grasp, but it wasn't to last. She was worried about what Ghost meant. She was worried about them becoming enemies. She was worried about honoring the dead.

They were not.

They were eager to go back to their inane drinks and their frivolous partying, never to mind the fact that they had made an enemy of the young Uchiha.

"Let me go, Hibiki." His voice was cold; he was over this interaction. Natsuki was always the cautious one, the kind one, the live-and-let-live one. For his entire life, he was content to just lounge in the grass and toil away the days in peaceful bliss. It was those beasts that killed that dream, and it was these beasts that were twisting the blade.

Natsuki had never threatened anyone before, had never been made so angry before, and it was not empty. These shinobi of the Stone would do well to remember it.

He rolled his shoulder, pushing Hibiki's hand away as he gave her a warning only she would hear. "When their foolishness comes crashing down around them, don't be standing at their side."

Details:

Despite her own and the red-head's efforts to stop him, the man dramatically left the inn, making what amounted to a strange threat to them all. She rolled her eyes once more; the Leaf simply could not help threatening the Stone. Scanning them once more, she did not know of them outside of Yamato, and he only due to his incredibly prominent role and succession of Diana. She moved to sip her sake roughly as Hibiki burst out passionately again, but quickly put down her cup to grab the girl's arm gently. "Miss, I think you should sit down for a second," she said as she tried to help steady the other girl, giving her a handhold that wasn't simply the table. If Hibiki seemed compliant, she would help gently lower her into her seat, nudging the tea closer to the woman for her to take a moment to relax and get her bearings back about her. 
As the drama wound down for a time, she noted Yamato seemed to have mistaken her meaning. She may have misspoke, but a throb of a vein near her head indicated her displeasure in having to repeat herself. No harm really, though. "Sorry, Yamato, I may have misspoke. I mean that no village - including the Leaf - deserves the kind of wonton destruction which a Bijuu brings unrestrained. If not sealed or sequestered, as you say, they bring only death." She understood how valuable control of one could be, of course, but  it yet pained her to think about so many lives shattered in the few seconds of a Bijuu bomb. 

Spoiler:

As the black haired boy left in an apparent tizzy, a man of firey red hair was making his entrance. With a soft, "Op!" Tamashi got out of his way, but the mere sight of him sent a ringing through his ears and a headache splitting through his skull. He blinked rapidly as he shook it off, ducking slightly to fit his large form through the doorway. The room seemed to be disquieted as he stepped inside, and he was left to look around.

He looked annoyed, almost enraged as he looked around the room to see just what the hell was going on. All eyes were on him, it seemed, though he guessed they might have been for the kid that just walked out. His features melted in a joyous smile as he laughed heartily.

"Hah, what? Did I miss something?"

Ghost would simply let it slide as per usual no love lost no love found. But he did need to remember he only just now got his body moving again and he didn't need to go trying to fight. Despite people trying to fight him. But he could tell that guy voice he seen something that maybe Ghost did not amd that put a smile on his face. "Welp there's that yet another thinking they can just walks in and say as they please. But I guess that's just the way it is FOR NOW. The leaf wanted our mountains or something like that." 


Ghost would say out loud as he was clearly starting to get a little tired. But he saw that guy eyes and wonder could he become that giant sunonoo or whatever they called it. As he pushed the cup to the side he would grab the Sake and started to drink it whole. "I ain't gonna let him ruin my night the poor baby." He would then take another sip.

Yamato watched as Hibiki tried so desperately to try and stop Natsuki uchiha from leaving, Yamato did not like the idea that two people from the same village was having a rough time over a misunderstanding. So he would leave Natsuki to Hibiki. As hibiki placed a hand on Natsuki shoulder he looked at her and told her to let him go but he had a very cold tone behind his voice. Yamato was a little worried that the young man would try something foolish, so he had hopes that his leaf buddy Hibiki could calm him down.

It would seemed that Hibiki was unable to talk some sense into the boy as he stormed out of the building almost knocking a large tall man with orange hair into the door. He had asked if he had missed anything and something told him to offer the big man a seat.

" Nothing to serious stranger, but if you wish to join us in our party then come have a seat."

Yamato said to the stranger who walked into the door, at the same time chinatsu would help Hibiki back into her seat as she seemed like he was a little light headed from the whole argument that spilled over into there party but things seemed to be settling down which was better. Chinatsu would say that she may have misspoke and that the tsuchikage misunderstood what she meant, but Yamato understood and his idea on the matter was still the same tho he would nod his head to show he understood that she spoke. Hibiki would speak up as she said not every one from the leaf was like that at least she was not.

" Do not worry Hibiki tho we have not been together long I see you as a friend. I am not gonna judge a whole nation solely on one person."

Ghost would speak up about leaf wanting there mountains or something but Yamato would just chalk that up to being tired or drunk. But they was free now to get back to the party as Yamato picked up his sake cup and made a toast.

" here is to good company and better friends."

He would say as he drank the sake down and started eating on a bowl of delicious Raman that was sat before him.

The Uchiha stormed out, and while the vibe felt quite tense, she could not say it particularly hurt her feelings. Listening to the woes of a ninja whose village had perpetuated that exact scale of woe on a foreign nation repeatedly, year after year, administration after administration. War after war. His fury seemed genuine, but it was nonetheless difficult to feel sympathy for him. That flash of his eyes felt powerful, threatening; it's entirely possible he had been one small instrument in the most recent subjugation. Perhaps not terribly likely, but always a lingering possibility. "I'll have to take your word for it, um...?" She had not actually heard this woman's name yet.  "I'm Chinatsu." And she held held out her hand to the Leaf shinobi, allowing her to place a small kiss there if she understood. She'd pour a bit more of her sake, filling up the other glass and sliding it across the table.  "You're right though, we can't let the boys have all of the fun."

To the new man, she waved to him, beckoning that he sit at the seat to where she had slid the now-full glass. She was no certain with Yam's speech about judgement, but she would hold up her cup for the toast as well.  "Hail, newcomer, and welcome. To new friends." She downed her sake, and gazed upon the bowls brought out to everyone. Come to think of it, should could use to dig into some ramen after all. However, she would extend her hand to the new man as well, giving him the opportunity to pay his respects as well.  "Chinatsu, a pleasure."

Spoiler:

This was more like it! It wasn't always easy for the man to scrounge up the requisite coin for a night of frivolity, so how could he pass up this opportunity? As he approached, sitting in the spot where a freshly poured glass had slid, he nodded in thanks to Chinatsu. As for what he missed, the party was certainly coy, dancing around whatever shenanigans the teenager that stormed out had caused, but few things were certain: There was some sort of inter-village dispute, that he was from the leaf, that it was nothing serious, and that the dejected girl was Hibiki.

Picking up the glass, he raised it to the toast, taking a sizable swig and followed up their words with his own:"To new friends! You're as welcoming as a perfect stranger could ever ask!" His face tried and failed to hide his reaction to the taste. Sake was never his drink of choice, but free drinks always were!

"Believe me, the pleasure's all mine," Tamashi started as he grasped the lady's hand and shook it. He was a simple man of simple stock, so the formalities of the nobility escaped him. "My name is Tamashi, Tamashi Nonokoribi! A humble smith, at your servi-" he stopped himself. "Well, a humble smith, haha!" Since having left his previous hamlet in- let's call it: "less than ideal circumstances," he had been without the funds to procure raw materials for his craft, let alone a workshop in which to work.

He would then turn to the others, one after another. "I've gathered that you're Hibiki; you must be Yamato, the new Tsuchikage that the town's abuzzing about; and, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

[OOC: Contesting Ghost's knowledge of Susano'o. Unless he has seen or heard about that technique IC, D rank Intelligence is not high enough to know what it is.]

Ghost would be all smiles as he looked on amd saw peave restored. He would yawn a nit as he would say to the group," ya know we all just trying to make it out today and into tomorrow and repeat. But I been meaning to ask everyone and that's what do yall all plan on getting out of this experience if anything?" 


Ghost would say as he took a sip of his infamous drink he made again. "For me I wish to personally witness everyone in action such as thier kekkei genkai. I myself will show off mines as well. But I truly want to see how far I can get in these exams." Ghost had glee in his voice as he was always a happy camper. The thing about that is he always say that thing could get worse or be worse but it is not and that's a blessing if anything. Looking around he would realize that there are more then when the two of then started that being him and the Tsuchikage. 


As Ghost would stand up and take a bow before sitting down. "Forgiveness for the rudeness I am Ghost Kotoshura of the Kotoshura Clan. Nice to meet you all."

So far everything seemed like it was back to normal as the peace had returned and everyone was having fun once more. The two ladies hit it off very fast as they started talking, he did not blame them cause until a little bit ago there was nothing but guys and just hibiki. The new guy introduced him self as Tamashi and he was a Smith. Yamato thought that was interesting since smith's was good at making armor and weapons. He seemed to know Yamato name which was good at least he seemed to be getting noticed tho be it good or bad he was not sure yet.

" Indeed Tamashi I am Yamato the tsuchikage. If I may ask what village do you hail from."

Yamato asked cause he was curious, the man seemed to have a foreign look to him that he had not seen before from the major nations. He would then listen to his fellow stone ninja ghost as he spoke about getting though one day to reach the next. He would then ask the group who was sitting around the table what experience did they plan on getting out of all this. Ghost wanted to see peoples Kekkei Genkai and to see how far he could reach in these chunin exams. Ghost indeed did have some good goals in this.

" For me it's to watch my ninja pass these exams, at the same time it's a great place to meet other kage like myself and attempt to try forming alliances and friendships."

Yamato would say as he poured his self a cup of sake and drank it down. what he said was true but at the same time it was also a good way to see how each village faired in there military might. Cause Yamato has learned that in this world you never know when the world will turn upside down and you find your self facing said allies. But if he had any say in it that would not ever be happening.