Moonfall: A Darhk Day

Ryuko sighed as she sat on her throne. The Queen was currently in her full battle attire sans helmet as she impatiently awaited an update on the situation in Moonspire. How long had it been already since she had received a report from Chel while doing paperwork in her office? The minutes felt like hours and the hours like days making it hard to tell.

She had dispatched forces but the bitter truth was she knew it was unlikely that they would arrive in time. Moonspire was halfway across the land of lightning meaning that without a shuttle at their disposal it would take them hours at best to respond. Seigi, a former Raikage had delivered a report as well but they hadn’t learned much from that before he had departed leaving the situation in something of a limbo for her.

Wanting to hold a strategy meeting with the upper echelons of the Village Ryuko had relocated to her audience chamber. While her office in the administration complex was spacious as those type of things went it was still hardly a place that could fit more than maybe one squad at a time.

Having to sit here like this holding herself back from the front lines was a new sensation for the young Queen. Not that long ago as a Jounin she would have been the one leading the counter assault but now her responsibilities were too big to leave the capital on a whim. The fate of the entire village, nay the entire kingdom of thunder rested squarely on her shoulders.

As one of the only two X rank Ninja in the village she was a formidable force to be reckoned with but she was far from invincible. Maybe if she could heavenly transfer herself and survive she’d be able to make a good argument for leaving but it was hard to make the argument she couldn’t use the regeneration ability Rafaela had granted her on demand yet. Risking her life on a roll of the dice when there was so little to be gained for it would have been the height of foolishness.

“Damian, Tamwyn I hope you’re safe.” she muttered to herself as she looked out the window. The former was her biggest business partner while the later was one of her cherished students, both indispensable to her in their own ways.

For now it was all she could do to remain calm and await word. Wasting energy now would only serve to dull her blade when the time came to deal with the fallout of the events that had transpired. Whomever had attacked Moonspire would pay for their transgression, she would be sure to select a response that was appropriate to the severity of the damage done.

Tamwyn moved into the Royal Palace like a storm, members of the public waiting in line to see the Queen. They were the men and women there to speak to her regarding their problems and woes and to ask for assistance from the crown. He moved passed them, bodily moving people aside with his arms as he made his way through the throng of souls. They cried out in indignation before looking at his expression and moving aside. His clothing was spotted with dirt stains, from the emergency hatch he'd forced open in Moonspire. His face was dark and neutral, his eyes alight with raiton chakra as they emanated a bright yellow glow. His uniform had no symbol of the village upon it, as he was still within his uniform as the bodyguard 'Shikyō'. That meant he was in his Darhk Industry uniform sans the mask. Despite not having any symbol of the village upon his form those within the palace let him through. They knew Tamwyn, remembered him from the national broadcast when he named himself the 'Seraph of Lightning', and knew him as one of Ryuko's students. The crowd stepped aside to let him passed and he strode in, his steps sure and deliberate as he moved his way to the doors of the audience chamber. He would lift both arms and setting one hand upon each of the large double doors before giving a solid push.

The doors would swing open, fully and he would enter without missing a step. The guards at the doors would move to close the large doors behind Tamwyn as he strode in, not allowing any others, save who was with him, within. The doors would close well before Tamwyn made his way to Ryuko by the window. The yellow eyed, pale haired man would immediately kneel, head bowed to his Queen before reporting in. The upper echelons of the village were within and they ensured he had the capability to pass unmolested. His position would put him six feet from Ryuko, upon the ground, with his head bowed and sitting upon one knee, pale hair framing his face and burning yellow eyes glaring hatefully at the ground. He hadn't ever imagined having to deliver news such as this at any point and he can't say he was looking forward to the experience. His voice when he finally spoke was devoid of emotion. It was as cold as it had ever been and for many it would be a first time hearing him like this. He wanted to tear those responsible for this crime limb from limb and images of blonde hair and blue eyes overlaid with memories of him slaughtering criminals that had been sentenced to death.

The imagery of tearing spines from bodies, hearts from chests and the feeling of Sayuri's form beneath him sent a welter of emotions through him as he felt his desire of what he wanted to do to the savages who had attacked Moonspire run through him. It was his suppression of those emotions, of those desires for cruel and heartless torture of his foes that caused his tone of voice to be so frigid as he reported in to his Sensei and Queen. "Ryuko-sensei, Moonspire has been destroyed. Damien is, as far as I know, dead. I managed to coordinate the evacuation of a small number of survivors including Yenn Inazuma and myself. They are still traveling here for shelter with Zhu Lu, Damien's Assistant, leading them." He would begin, his tone loud enough for all to hear. They would find out from her anyway soon enough and so they might as well hear it now. "Three attackers were all that were. Although one of whom utilized a clone technique on a scale I've never seen. They also summoned enormous creatures with strange eyes. A giant rock formation with Iwagakure's symbol upon it was used to bring down Darhk Tower and water jutsu on a scale I've never seen were used as well. I posses what there is in the way of video surveillance but the cameras were destroyed during the attack as Damien's airship arrived. I was in the security room with Yenn, where I was ordered by Damien to be as his employee and brought the tape once the enemy seemed to have left." He would say, taking the tape from his coat and holding it out upon both hands toward her.

Mutters went through the crowd at his words as Tamwyn would have guessed. Given that he had essentially admitted that while Damien, an untrained businessman, fought to defend his home in an airship, he himself had been inside of a Security Room. Under orders sure, but sometimes breaking orders was exactly the thing one needed to do. He doubted he could have made a difference in the fight. But perhaps he could have gotten Damien out of there safely. Although given the speed of the attack it was a toss up. Tamwyn kneeled, stoically accepting the judgement and mutters of the word 'incompetent' from the crowd around him. Before long he would speak up again, his words just as loud as they had been. "I accept whatever punishment you deem fit for my lack of action, my Queen." He would say, formally accepting responsibility for what he had failed to do. His mind went back to the very day he had been promoted to Chuunin, to his speech to the crowd, to the nation. As he had told them to watch him as he fought to combat their fears. To watch him as he stood vigilant over them all until he fell and another took his place. How he had failed those words, how he had failed that oath.

He felt a tear, loosed due to the combined mass of self loathing, a burning hatred, and worst of all, doubt, trickle down his cheek, cleaning a trail through dirt that had smudged his features. He doubted that he could have possibly stood against those foes himself. Perhaps one on one, but even that was a gamble he wasn't sure he would bet on. He was afraid of what enemies of such power would do to the people of his home. He was afraid that he wasn't strong enough to stop them, wasn't strong enough to protect anyone. He had already failed once, savagely so. What would stop him from failing again? Most of though, he found now, that his death had been so close, that he was afraid of dying. Afraid of the very concept of death. Afraid that he would never live to see the end of his potential, afraid that he would never see Yenn again. Afraid that he would leave her behind in a world that seemed so painful for her. All it would've taken was one change in the events that took place. Him being underground, if that single thing had not been the case. He didn't think he would be alive right at that moment, and the idea terrified him. Yet all he could seem to do was hate himself all the more for it.

Yenn was still in a state of shock as she followed Tamwyn into the Royal Palace. Had she not just witnessed a massacre the impressive architecture and beauty of the palace may have had a bigger effect on the raven haired woman. As it was though she kept pace behind Tamwyn, quietly mulling over the events of the last few hours. Her leather clothing was smudged with dirt from their expedient travel from the underground floors of Moonspire, and even the pain in her feet was forgotten from her high heeled boots. She looked unkempt, her dark locks tangled around her face, making her shock pale complexion look even more paper white. Her violet eyes would shift towards Tamwyn repeatedly as she tried to gauge his mood. She knew he was in turmoil, she could practically feel it radiating off of him as he pushed through the line of people waiting outside a large set of double doors.

No words were spoken as he forced the doors open and the continued silence did nothing to calm her nerves. There were too many people, too many eyes upon them as she hurried after him into the large audience chamber. She was a bundle of misery and rising panic, she had never been in this room and had never met the Raikage - the Queen. She had no idea what to expect or what was expected of her. She was competent enough to assume that something was expected of her, but it was the not knowing what that drove her anxiety. Seated on a throne was Ryuko Shizu Von Rose, dressed in full battle regalia and presenting as an intimidating figure to the now obviously underwhelming Yenn.

Yenn’s eyes would shift to Tamwyn again as he kneeled and bowed his head. Following only a foot behind him she would kneel immediately as he did, mimicking his actions and hoping that was the correct behaviour. As Tamwyn spoke she felt her blood run cold. She had never heard such anger or coldness from him. She had guessed he was distressed, but she had never imagined just how much. His words were harsh and frigid, dispensing factual information without any of the deep emotion that she felt attached to them. The quiet calmness that she had felt on their travel here dissipated instantly as she tried to focus on her breathing, the sound of her heart beat in her ears, anything other than the cold description of the horrifying events she had just witnessed.

What had been a clear and beautiful day quickly turned dark as her thoughts spiraled out of control and her heart broke again. Dark thunder clouds rolled in overhead in response to her fear, darkening the room with their sudden appearance. Yenn had no knowledge of the linked effect and only thought it was fitting that this day would turn dark. As Tamwyn finished speaking however she heard the mutters from the gathered peoples. Sly comments about his cowardice and incompetence and what had been only despair and horror was swiftly joined by anger. She seethed as she followed Tamwyn’s example, her rage simmering below the surface of her still form and crashing through the sky as streaks of lightning and peals of thunder roared through the storm clouds outside.

She wanted to scream. To stand and dare any of them to speak those words again. They hadn’t been there, they didn’t know what had been asked of him. Ordered to stay below ground, to guard her. The one task that had been assigned to him was to keep her safe. And as she was clearly still living and breathing he had completed it to utter perfection. She could hardly believe her ears as Tamwyn took the blame for what had happened. It didn’t make sense to her, he had done everything he had been instructed to, how could he think that his actions deserved punishment? Every crash of thunder from outside the audience chamber echoed the storm brewing in her heart until all she could do was curl her gloved hands into tight fists and clench her jaw tight in an effort to contain her emotions. Everything that had happened had been wrong. None of it should have come to pass, Moonspire should still stand, Damien should still live. But she knew it had happened. She had felt it in her very bones as his seal had lifted from her, she had seen the devastation with her own eyes. Bitter tears rolled down her cheeks as she knelt quietly in front of the Queen. She wouldn’t speak unless asked, but with the agony she felt, she feared what she might say.

As Tamwyn made a dramatic entrance Ryuko felt a short lived surge or relief. From a casual glance he’d gotten a bit dirty but he seemed ok which meant that everything should be alright since surely he wouldn’t let Damian come to harm without first taking some substantial damage himself. Or at least that’s what she’d naively believed at the time.

Her student seemed to carry himself with a deadly serious air as he approached and knelt before her which sent an ominous chill down her spine. Even after a year after becoming the reigning monarch she still wasn’t completely used to people showing her that level of difference. Coming from a stranger was one thing but having her own apprentice be this formal with her gave her a sense of loneliness as the distance between them felt palpable.

She spared a glance at the raven haired young woman that had followed Tamwyn in. Several questions spun though her head as she wondered who this person was and her student had brought her with him. As much as she'd have liked to know the name and face of each of her citizens the numbers ranked in the millions making that extremely impractical no matter how good her memory was.

This was supposed to be a war council and she’d given specific instructions to the Royal guards to not just let anyone in. Normally someone would have to hold the rank of Chunnin to even begin to qualify. Unlike with the general citizen the amount of ninja in her employment was more limited especially once one got past Gennin so she knew each of them at the very least.
For Tamwny to bring this girl in anyways meant she had to be someone important.

The words that started coming out of Tamwyn’s mouth made her feel like the world had frozen over. Destroyed… Dead. She almost didn’t want to believe her ears but she was well aware they were working perfectly fine. It was a good thing she was already sitting otherwise she might have fallen over.

The news was so bad that it felt to her as if all the color seemed to drain from the world. She could feel her consciousness threatening to sink into a dip pit of despair. From a financial standpoint how much of her money had she sunk into Darhk Industries? A sizable portion of her income every month came directly from the share sheh held in them. The idea that the literal millions she had invested might have gone up in smoke was enough to make just about anyone weak in the knees.

Money however was only a secondary motivator for her. Even if she wasn't a queen she still would have had enough saved to be more than comfortable for the rest of her life and then some. The main reason she bothered continuing to acquire more was because she had some fairly big dreams and would require an even more sizable fortune to make them become reality.

That said Damian was a key concern stone for her plans. Without his brilliant mind and engineering abilities she wouldn’t have her special legendary class equipment, let alone know where to begin on actually building a better world. It was one thing for her to envision something but having the skill to actually make it was super rare. The fact was that she could throw a crazy idea at Damian like an airship and the madman would actually go ahead and build them.

It was said that any sufficiently advanced technology was indistinguishable from magic. If that was true then Damian was a variable magician pulling off one miracle after another. He was a miracle worker, the kind of person that made the seemingly impossible become possible. She’d never forget the first time he’d shown her the plans for a prototype Chakra engine. It wasn’t even complete yet and already she was leaping ahead from airships to space ones. Damian had simply laughed it off saying that would come all in due time. The way he said it sounded so self assured, as if he had no doubt that he could indeed build her a train to the stars that she so desperately wanted to explore the cosmos with.

He was irreplaceable. One of a kind. Without him how would she get to space now? She had some vague ideas like getting someone who knew Earth Release: Ultra Lightweight technique to help but she couldn’t retrofit one of the few shuttles that had been completed to be void worthy on her own. If she tried to calibrate the engine for space travel it was just as likely to either not start up or explode in her face.

If she put together the rest of the scientists at Moonspire together she might still be able to get a rudimentary space program together. With the town destroyed how many of them where even left? Maybe in a few decades they could have been able to launch something to the Moon or even Mars but that was the most she’d ever be able to hope for in her lifetime even if the presence of Rafaela extended it beyond what you’d typically expect.

To be frank that method would simply be too slow to ever get too far. Even if they could reach light speed which was much easier said than done it would take years to get to the next nearest solar system. They would need something, someone truly special if they wanted to go beyond that. Damian Darhk had been that something and now he was in all likelihood gone.

If she’d been a few years younger Ryuko would have broken down in inconsolable tears at the setback. These days she had been hardened by the experiences she had gone through on the road to becoming the Queen and the formation of the Kingdom of thunder and everything that had happened since.

A crash of lightinng outside seemed to fit the darkened mood of the room and brought her back to her senses. Biting her lip hard enough to draw blood she forced herself to hold back. Despite her best efforts to maintain her poker face however she was still only human and so shed a single tear forcing her to lift an elegantly gloved hand and whip it away.

She cursed internally that her many responsibilities necessitated her to keep her composure. She was the leader of a country. This was the time for a display of strength, weakness would only invite uncertainty.

The time for morning, the time for grief would come later. She didn’t have the time to wallow in sorrow or hesitation. Her country had been grievously wronged this day. She had been grievously wronged this day. Those things would not, could not be allowed to stand. If Damian was dead he would be avenged.

“You say you as far as you know that you believe Damian dead. Can you elaborate as to why? Do you not have a body to confirm?” Ryuko asked in an attempt to hold on to the last thread of hope even if she knew it was futile. To most her voice would sound steady but someone who knew her well like Tamwyn they would be able to detect a slight wobble in it if they were paying attention.

“I need a survey and search and rescue teams to be dispatched to Moonspire at once. We need to know the full extent of the damage done as well as find any survivors.” She turned away from Tamwyn for a moment to issue orders to the rest of the room before turning back to him and allowing him to resume the rest of his report.

Some of it like the the parts about using clones on a grand scale and summon creatures with strange eyes would have to wait until she saw the security footage to make a proper evaluation.
The part about using a rock formation with the symbol of Iwagakure on it made her seethe with anger. Did they really think she was so foolish to fall for such a transparent ruse?

Iwagakure had suffered from years of disease, neglect and occupation. With Konohagakure trying to take it back, the last thing they would do was turn on Her. What sane country would turn on their ally? Kumogakure was the only Major village that had stood up to support Iwagakure’s independence.

More than being angry at the attempt at deception, she was angry at herself for not considering the possibility that someone would attempt such a bold move against her. With the Jounin at her disposal stretched thin she had attached Tamwyn to be Damian’s bodyguard because he was the strongest out of the Chunin she could spare.

From the sounds of things the attacker had been using some very high level techniques which meant in all likelihood Tamwyn wouldn’t have stood much of a chance against all three of them. Not that Tamwyn himself was by any means weak, it was more that expecting him to deal with multiple kage class or above opponents was simply above his current pay grade.

Even if she had been in his shoes she would have struggled which was saying something considering he was the student and she the master. She still outclassed him in several categories and if they fought she’d likely win the majority of the time as long as she didn’t get careless or overconfident.


“Bring in equipment so that I might view the security footage at once. Call for Rini and Shimiko so that we might watch it together.” She commanded one Royal guard in the room, dispatching him to serve as a messenger. She would need discerning eyes to make the most of what had been brought to her.

Rini was the smartest woman in the village, and Shimiko was the Anub Commander, together the three of them would be able to analyze what had been recorded better then anyone else she could hand the tape over to.

“My beloved student please be at ease.” Ryuko said gently as she rose herself from her chair and moved to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder “This is no time for punishment. By securing the evidence you have served this country well this day. Well done” She said complimenting him.

There were times like this when a mission was simply impossible to complete. When those happened all you could do was try to make the best of a bad situation and accomplish what you could. If his main job had been to protect Damian had become untenable he had accomplished more for the village by protecting Yenn and the video tape then he would have in a suicide run against people that where powerful enough to destroy an entire city.

“Over the past year since you became Chunnin you have consistently demonstrated a stout mind and a strong spirit. I think tis high time a promotion is in order, You have all the markings to make for an excellent Jounin and perhaps in time an excellent Raikage. If you lack for anything tis only in raw power.” she commented making a point for the entire room to hear so that no one would dare call her student a coward again.

Circulating chakra to the ring on her index finger glowing glyphs appeared on the ground beside Tamwyn opposite of Yenn from which a Old Turtle named Sandal rose up from. Standing upright at 6 feet tall like a human he didn’t seem all that big as summons went but in actuality he was one of the most powerful she could call upon.

“As such as a reward for your deeds I shall now bestow upon you the means by which to rain wrath down upon our enemies. Black Lightning, one of our village’s most secret techniques.” she said as she directed with her hands for him to remove his shirt so that Sandal could apply the appropriate tattoo that was necessary for Black Lightning to function.


“Tamwyn the Seraph of Lightning, with your new fangs I have a difficult task I would ask of you. Will you help us track down the perpetrators of this grievous crime and bring them to justice? Will you help us avenge Damian and all the innocents slain at Moonspire?” she asked.

If he agreed she would bid him to rise, declaring the birth of a new Jounin, a new champion of Kumogakure. With the ceremony complete she would turn to Yenn, not quite sure what to do with the girl or how to properly address her without scaring her. Her usually kind features were currently filled with righteous indignation, none of which was directed at the Moonspire refugee but might still give the wrong impression if she approached carelessly.

Finally as if to resign herself to being hated she tried her best to return her usual kind smile to her face and addressed the young woman kneeling before her. “Is there anything the Crown can do to support you Ms. Yenn? I imagine you’ve been through a very tough day.” she asked.

Ryuko was a woman who had shed enough blood to fill a river in her short lifetime but most of that belonged to people like Pirates and bandits. Drug dealers and Slave traders. As a ninja and a Doctor she was used to death but it wasn’t often that one saw it on a scale that Yenn must have just lived though.

The queen recalled that day in the Vally when she had met Nozomi for the first time. The day she had witnessed Honiko raze an entire village to the ground. Even now years later the screams of people being burnt alive and the smell of burnt flesh still sometimes haunted her dreams. Moonspire was much, much bigger than that small hamlet, she could scarcely begin to imagine what Yenn had been a witness to.

[2]

Rini's wheelchair spun across the floor, pushed by the person who had been sent to fetch her. The girl's hands and forehead were covered in grease, as she'd been working on a project when she'd been summoned. There was a smudge on her glasses. Chel floated around behind her, and Rini was a little ticked off at being interrupted. She knew what this was about though. Ever since she'd sent Chel to see Damien, and deliver the news that Damien's place was under attack, she'd been expecting the call for her, but it wasn't an opportune moment for her really.

The girl was wearing an oversized white tee shirt, and that was it. There were grease stains and old stains on it, showing that she had often been using the shirt during her project work. They entered the room, Rini's wheelchair squeaking slightly, the hinges needed some tlc. There was a small trail of grease that had been on the wheels, following them from her house.

Rini muttered slightly under her breath as she saw the people that were present.

"Great."

The Raikage, Tamwyn, Yenn, and here she was. She really didn't like crowds or drawing attention to herself. Tamwyn and Yenn weren't any cleaner than she was, both covered in dirt and dust, probably because of Moonspire, if she had to wager a guess.

"How can I help?" She knew it was a serious situation, having enough common sense to read the room. She wouldn't have been called here for any other reason than that she was needed.

Charging 10 Grace.
10/40

Tamwyn, kneeling and head bowed, would not see the lone tear trailing down the cheek of his Queen. Her clarifying question caused to wince internally but outwardly his voice, and bearing would remain the same. He wouldn't move a muscle that was not required at that moment. "No ma'am we do not have the body. I know I could not sense him with my sensory when we left. I know he left us, with orders to remain in the security room. I was ordered to remain with Yenn and protect her. If he escaped he should have brought us with him I would imagine. When the feed from the cameras died there were two massive explosions. The upper part of Moonspire is simply gone. I suspect the first explosion was one of Damien's airships crashing. It was sharp, loud, and sudden. Like a large impact had been made. The second one was much more spread out, across the entire town. I think it was perhaps the clones detonating some sort of charge, or themselves. I'm not sure what else it could be. Once we got out of the emergency hatch we started traveling back here immediately. I know he's dead ma'am. When I was brought into his employ he placed a seal upon me that kept me from speaking of his work and my job. It was a protective measure for his secrets. The seal was designed to lift when he died. I felt it release ma'am. There's no doubt about that. Damien Darhk is gone." He would say, the final four words coming out with an air of finality.

She would proceed to order equipment brought in to review the footage. As well as calling for one 'Rini' and 'Shimiko' to come. Tamwyn knew both of them. Everyone knew of Shimiko in Kumogakure, she was basically a fixture of the village itself although Tamwyn himself didn't trust her. Although he didn't trust any Jashinist so that wasn't saying much. Rini had been at the coronation and was a Chuunin, like himself. When Ryuko told him to be at ease he would try, but fail. He felt as if he deserved punishment. He felt as if he deserved the ridicule and mockery his failure had earned. To make matters worse, she was even trying to promote him now! Why?! He'd failed, he'd promised to the masses that he would protect them. That he would shoulder their fears. He'd taken the charge to protect Damien. So why was he being rewarded when he had let the man die?! To top it all off she had summoned a bipedal turtle as tall as he was and told him that he was going to be given Black Lightning too?! No, he couldn't accept that. He couldn't deny the promotion so openly, not here, not and keep his career anything worth mentioning. This however wasn't something he could accept. Damien himself had intended to give that very same seal to Yenn before the attack began and now he was about to get it instead for failing. "I cannot accept that Black Lightning seal, my Queen.." He would say, his tone clear and respectful, although it did have the undertone of that same self loathing.

"Damien himself had intended to give that very same seal to Yenn before he died. You can have my memories of the event searched if you wish confirmation. She has demonstrated loyalty to me personally when she found shelter and took care of me during a mission that had gone bad. Damien himself saw something in her to warrant the application of that seal and I cannot accept it before her. I will not." He would say as he removed his Darhk Industries coat to reveal the branded scare above his right pectoral. It was in the exact same shape as the pendant that Yenn wore around her neck. "I will not allow a shinobi with such quick thinking abilities, that impressed Damien enough with her ambition to grant her the power to claim it to go unrewarded while I, who failed in his charge obtain the very thing that she was promised." He would say, his yellow eyes shining brilliantly as they glowed with the fire of his Raiton chakra coursing through his chakra coils. A shocked silence was left behind in the Audience Chamber. He had denied the Black Lightning seal, publicly, on a principle?

At some point Rini would have entered. Although Tamwyn wouldn't look back at her, you didn't look away from the Queen when you were addressing her. He knew it was Rini thought based on the sound of the squeaky wheelchair. No one else went around on wheels as far as he knew. His assumption was proven accurate as the voice he'd heard at the coronation a year ago rang out asking how she could help. Tamwyn would simply wait for Ryuko to respond to his vehement denial of the seal she had offered. In reality, he wanted it, wanted it badly. However he knew he didn't deserve it after what had happened under his watch.

Yenn was trapped inside her own roiling emotions, and the longer she knelt and listened to Tamwyn’s explanation and the sound of thunder and lightning, the more difficult it was becoming to find her way to the surface of them to be able to breathe. As Ryuko spoke though, her regal voice filtered through the rage and despair and Yenn’s violet eyes would raise to regard the Queen. She noticed that Tamwyn didn’t raise his head when he spoke, still staring icily at the ground. The proper etiquette for addressing the Queen had never been taught to her and she had been attempting to follow his example, but her own curiosity and anxiety got the better of her as she tried to fit herself into the situation.

She was no one important all things considered, the realization wasn’t even self deprecating, it was a simple fact. Within the village she had no official station other than Genin and no responsibility greater than ‘leading’ her clan. Even that responsibility had been foisted on her by circumstance and in truth she loathed it as it meant needing to spend more time that she would like within the compound to oversee the district's affairs. More time than she would like was quantified at ‘any’. So it was no surprise that with her limited duties that she had never had a ‘how to address the Queen in her royal audience chamber after your new boss got murdered’ training session.

Yenn felt the question that Ryuko asked deep within her bones. The same as she had felt it when the knowledge had first become apparent. It hadn’t occurred to her to search for Damien’s body amidst the destroyed city, her main concern had been helping the survivors out of the underground levels and running back to Kumogakure to report the crime. She cringed when Tamwyn answered her, the finality of those last four words bringing more tears to her eyes. She was heartbroken that someone had died horribly of course, but she had known little about Damien Darhk. Who she did know was Tamwyn, and she could see how deeply this was affecting him. She could hear it in his voice and in the way he didn’t move a single muscle that wasn’t absolutely necessary to deliver his replies. It broke her heart and the only thing she wanted to do was rush into his arms, to hold him close and comfort him.

Even with her limited understanding of how this situation should work though, she was aware that it would look strange. And possibly even weaken his position. She didn’t understand court politics but if they were anything like Clan politics then any sign of weakness or needing support would be viewed as an opening for the vultures to come sweeping in. At least that was how things went in her clan. The only way she had managed to avoid that particular hazard had been through sheer luck due to her upbringing. Apparently being unapproachable was considered a sign of strength, even if it’s source was a deep seated fear of people ironically.

As Ryuko gave orders to send search and rescue teams Yenn very nearly outwardly sighed. There wasn’t much left above ground, and while she hoped that more people might be found, she didn’t think it was likely. And as orders were given for more people to be summoned to the room, Yenn’s head would rise higher, her eyes betraying the panic that she felt as she watched Ryuko stand and move over to Tamwyn.  Yenn appreciated the kindness that Ryuko showed to Tamwyn, and even though the day was sad, she completely agreed with Ryuko’s assessment of Tamwyn’s achievements. She couldn’t think of a single person that deserved everything Ryuko had offered more. She was incredibly biased, but she had also seen with her own eyes how true the Queen’s words were. Yenn watched with open fascination as Ryuko summoned a large turtle. . . person. She didn’t know what to call it, as until that moment her experience with summons had been the beasts she’d seen during the attack on Moonspire. This one seemed to be without hostility and she stared at the blatant display of power, only being distracted at Tamwyn’s next surprising words.  

What she wasn’t expecting was for Tamwyn to turn Ryuko down, and she couldn’t help but to turn her head to look at Tamwyn with her mouth slightly agape with shock. How could he even consider turning down such an offer? Her mouth was already moving before her brain had a chance to catch up and stop her. “No Tamwyn, please. . .” Her words were spoken softly as she started pleading with him to stop his refusal, but her request was interrupted by her own fear as he began speaking about her. The colour would drain from her face as more eyes shifted her way and she wished she could melt into the floor. Her mind was racing while she tried to think of anything she could say or do to avoid the increased attention. The attention being momentarily redirected to Tamwyn as he bared his chest to show the wound that she had cauterized and the unintentional brand she had left during their first mission together. And of course in true Yenn fashion she decided that the best way to solve the problem was to blurt out her words emotionally. Her voice would crack with distress as she begged the Queen on behalf of Tamwyn.

“Please don’t listen to him, he didn’t fail.” She would turn and direct her next comment at her yellow eyed partner. “You didn’t fail. You did your job perfectly, please don’t say that. Your job was to protect me, and here I am, safe and sound.” Her words were coming more quickly as she rushed and fumbled over them in her frenzy to set the facts straight. “My Queen. . . I, listen. He. . . I know he didn’t fail. He didn’t. There isn’t a person that I can think of that I would trust more. With anything.” She was pointedly avoiding talking about what she had been promised. She didn’t care. The only thing that mattered to her right then was ensuring that everyone understood how much Tamwyn had done. She hadn’t even understood the offer when Damien had made it, and the only thing that had changed since then was that she now knew that ‘Black Lightning’ was something that the Queen was offering as a reward. Unable to hold back any longer tears poured down her face as the skies opened up, heavy rain thundering onto the roof of the audience chamber as her heart mourned for all that had been lost that day. She lowered both knees to the ground and looked up at Ryuko imploringly. “I saw him there, I was with him. He did everything he was supposed to, more even. He helped everyone get out, he made sure I was safe. He even thought to bring that tape back. Please.” She didn’t even know what she was begging for, she wanted to set the world right, to go back in time and change things and have everything return to how it once was. She knew she couldn’t and her hands would shake as she moved them to the tops of her thighs, pressing down as she willed herself to stop speaking. She had probably already gone too far, but if she hadn’t she knew she had to quiet herself before she did. She would pause and glance around the room at the gathered faces, seeing the young woman sitting in a wheeled chair who had probably entered during her outburst, but she was too upset to have noticed initially. She wanted to scream and run into the rain, to howl her fury into the storm and feel it wash away her anguish, but all she could do was look back up at the Queen with misery etched into her glowing violet eyes.

No they didn’t have the body. By Hakkin that made Ryuko want to collapse all over again just thinking about the implications. As far as she was aware Damian didn’t have any bloodlines so she didn’t need to worry about them getting an implant from him but that was cold comfort when she considered just how much he had known. As a medic she was well aware that depending upon the corpse's condition you could learn all sorts of things from them.

The only good news if you could call it that was that Tawmyn could confirm with absolute certainty that Damian was indeed dead. If he was merely missing in action she would have had to waste a ton of time and energy searching for him. Knowing he wasn’t allowed her to skip that step and go straight to taking care of business.

As morbid as it was to think this It also meant that they knew he hadn't been captured alive which was an even worse scenario. His brilliant mind being in enemy hands was terrifying to contemplate. God only knew what terrible inventions he might have been forced to work on.

“I see, That certainly leaves no room for doubt.” said Ryuko, letting out a long sigh. They hadn’t even had the courtesy to leave her something to bury. How was she supposed to hold a proper funeral now? Once she knew who was responsible she would have to insure that they paid several times over. Her vengeance would be so terrible that nobody would dare lift a finger against her country again during her lifetime out of fear they would be next.

As Tamwyn was in the middle of rejecting the Black Lightning seal and stating a small laundry list of reasons why it should be given to Yenn instead Ryuko could hear the sound of Rini’s wheelchair approaching.

It was like Rini didn’t even believe in the concept of stealth though Ryuko was half convinced the engineer was doing it on purpose in order to get people to underestimate her more. On any other day that would have been enough to make the queen caring but right now she was beyond caring about such trivial matters.

Yenn had her own thought on the matter and wasn’t afraid to voice them as she pleaded with an impassioned voice. Her speech was brief but no less compelling as she spoke to Damian’s defence even as the storm outside seemed to grow fiercer and fiercer. It was enough to make her worry if Shimiko would even be able to make it to the place through the deligue.

With all the context clues the two of them were giving her she would have to be an idiot not to figure out what was going on. Unless she was really mistaken she was reasonably sure that the two of them were a couple. If the situation had been less dire she would have been tickled pink by the revelation.

Still a small part of her was pleased that her student had found someone special for himself and that the two of them appeared to care quite deeply for each other. It was a moving scene for the Queen who was a woman with the credo was love is all. It made her want to do everything in her power to support them.

“Both of you please be at ease.” Ryuko said, issuing her words as a request not an order. She was hoping that she could get the couple to relax a bit but she had the feeling that commanding them to would have the opposite effect.”

“Before we continue this discussion, Tamwyn could you hand the tape over to Rini?” she asked as she took her hand off his shoulder and turned to the new arrival. At some point while they had been talking some of the staff had brought a mobile television montier complete with vrc like the kind you might have seen in a high school once upon a time. It was just what they would need to watch the footage that had been brought to them.


“Thank you for coming so quickly Rini. I need you to please watch the security footage of Moonspire’s downfall. Out of everyone in the country you are by far the best suited to decipher it. I need a comprehensive report of what went down there so that we can act. Who did it and Why did they do it? Do they have any weaknesses we can take advantage of?” She asked with full faith that if anyone could get her the answers it would be Rini.

This was their Casus belli. If they were going to go to war then she wanted to make damn sure she went after the right targets. She had her suspicions but until they were proven she didn’t want to jump the gun. For all she knew this was bait to get her to do just that and embroal them in an unnecessary conflict.

Still Tamwyn and Yenn where still here so she decided to quickly wrap up her business with them if possible so they could be on their way before they played the footage. The last thing those two needed was to be subject to a repeat viewing of the tragedy they had already experienced.

“Why don’t I just give Black lightning to the both of you then?” she asked as if it was only obvious that she should do so. She had the feeling that was the most straightforward solution to the problem. Not every fix to a problem needed to be a complex game of five dimensional chess after all.

It wasn’t like she was limited in how many people she gave it out to, at least when it came to supplies. The only reason she held back was because the jutsu was too powerful to give to just anyone, especially since she didn’t want it leaking outside the village. That wouldn’t be a problem in this case since she had absolute faith in her student.

“When we last spoke I entrusted Damian with the capacity to make the Black lightning seal. As far as I’m aware he didn’t have the chance to actually distribute any, but I knew him well enough to know that he wouldn’t have picked Yenn for one without a very good reason. Let us respect one of his last wishes.” she said. As far as excuses went for giving out a restricted technique it would be pretty hard to come up with a better one.

“If I’m not mistaken you just turned in quite the number of missions didn’t you Tamwyn? More missions than any other person in the village has ever done in such a short time period. I haven’t gone over the paperwork myself yet but Sophie told me you completed them all with a partner. I was wondering whom that might be since they would have to be quite formable to keep up. I gather tis was you Yenn who accompanied him?” she asked already knowing the answer.

“At this time of unprecedented crisis I am in need of capable Chunin such as yourself. Do you feel you are up for the challenge” she stated to Yenn making it clear that she was offering to promote the girl on the spot just like she had done with Tamwny earlier. Some might say she was moving too quickly but the exams and fancy ceremonies that they usually held were best reserved for peace time.

To be frank that was the minimum rank Yenn would need to hold in order for Ryuko to justify giving her Black Lightning. If she gave it away to a genin how many members of the high command would pitch a fit? She had a feeling both of her surviving prediscors would have given her an earful at the very least. The last thing she needed right now was a lecture from Seigi and Nariko.

“Is that sufficient to dissuade your concerns Tamwyn? If not what else must I do to convince you to accept? ” she asked. She was hellbent on giving him the black lighting but she didn’t want to force him to take it either. That wasn’t the kind of ruler she wanted to be.


[3]

Shimiko's Loadout:

The crowd parted like the Red Sea before Shimiko. There wasn't a soul in Kumo who didn't know who she was and given the severity of the situation, none wanted to be in her way as she entered the audience chamber. The storm that raged outside was like an external manifestation of her own anger. Little did the Chinoike know that it was less a metaphor for her rage and more of someone else's. The attack on Moonspire had touched many souls in Kaminari. Like the Valley of Jehosaphat, the citizenry had relatives who had lived and worked in the industrial town. Their hearts cried out for justice and Shimiko was one of the few who could mete it out against just about anybody on Earth. It made her restless to know that the perpetrators were still at large. She had informed her subordinates that she wanted to do less and not more. For Shimiko had an infant daughter at home and this past year she had resolved to dedicating most of her time to raising her one and only. Unfortunately, the world was not so patient. Kumo's enemies were numerous and some were bold enough to strike at the heart of their technological primacy. Retirement would have to wait.

Shimiko walked into the interior of the chamber and spied her friend, Kage, and Queen. Shimiko knew that Ryuko despised formalities between them but the military elite needed to know that at a War Council no one addressed the Queen as a familiar. She was politically peerless and if her lifelong friend spoke to her with total deference, then all of them should. Shimiko knelt. The woman's latex clad knee touched the ground without making a sound. She kept her head bowed and spoke:

"Apologies Your Grace....I have been organizing the ANBU Black Ops in the aftermath of Seigi's warning. Your ANBU Corps stands ready for defense and retaliation"

The one thing Ryuko would notice about her friend was how different her hair looked. Normally Shimiko wore her hair styled in pigtails but now she was wearing her hair down. The long blond strands draped over her shoulders and reached down to the small of her back. No one could say for sure why Shimiko had let go of her iconic hairstyle. When asked about it Shimiko acted coy, but those close to her could probably make an accurate guess. Pigtails were the choice of wear for the Shimiko of yester-year. It was a childish and playful statement on her approach to military life. Pigtails were a universal symbol of youth, innocence, and good-naturedness. It was an ironic and maliciously provocative symbol of how the hairstyle was the mirror opposite to her philosophy on warfare. Shimiko was brutal, bloody, and unrelentingly aggressive. It wasn't the sort of approach you'd expect from a little girl that wore her hair in pigtails. Alas, time had taken its toll on her though. She had set aside childish things and cheeky styles. The pigtails never got in her way, she was much too good for that, but they were a reflection of the old Shimiko and so they had to go. Like Ryuko had said, she was more than just a Jashinist with something to prove, she was a mother with something to protect.

If and when Shimiko was acknowledged, she'd rise and take stock of those in the room. She recognized Tamwyn as being one of Ryuko's students. The Chuunin had been promoted at the coronation ceremony and he appeared to be in deep distress about the situation. Shimiko had read his file and knew that he had been hired by Darhk Industries. The young man was alive and unharmed which meant that he probably hid like a coward. A lesser Commander would have been angry at him but Shimiko was experienced enough to know that a mere Journeyman shinobi stood no chance against whatever squad had leveled Moonspire. She gave him and his girlfriend an errant look but said nothing. She focused her attention on the girl in the wheelchair. Shimiko had been rather curious about Rini Nakamura. The wheelchair bound chuunin had performed exceptionally well in the Chuunin Exams. She was bright and Shimiko wanted to tap her for a position as Head Analyst at ANBU. She had sent Rini a letter but perhaps it had gotten lost in the mail or Rini had received it and simply ignored it. Shimiko wasn't sure because before she could follow up, Désirée came into her life. Suddenly recruiting an egghead was the least of her concerns.

She was glad that Ryuko had brought her though. The child's intelligence would prove valuable in determining who the culprits were. The presence of the video player indicated that there was indeed footage of the attack. It would provide a suitable jumping off point for their investigation. Shimiko ignored the idle chatter concerning Black Lightning. It wasn't her to question Ryuko's decision on the matter. She hadn't heard of Tamwyn or Yenn doing anything of note, but then again, she had been out of the loop for some time on affairs not directly tied to ANBU. The Orthodoxy drama and its fallout, the War in the Mountains, and the steady uptick in global conflict had occupied her professional time.

As Ryuko commanded, Tamwyn would rise from his kneeling position and move to Rini's location, he would hold the tape out to her politely, giving her a ghastly facsimile of a smile. It was all he could manage, and his fellow Chuunin had done nothing to earn having to be on the receiving end of his grief and self loathing. At least he could take selfish solace out of the knowledge that it was part of Ryuko's job to deal with this sort of stuff but Rini did not. Provided she took the tape he would nod his head to her before asking. "Would you like me to take you to the view screen?" His tone would be polite, and if she answered in the affirmative he would move behind her wheelchair and roll her over to the screen, stopping as close or as far as she would like to be to it. Once that was done he would move back to his position in front of Ryuko and kneel once more. As soon as he had done that, the doors would open once more, but he wouldn't move his head to look. As far as he was concerned, when he was addressing the Queen no distraction unless it was dangerous would draw his attention from her. To do otherwise would be the height of rudeness.

When Shimiko Chinoike's voice rang out across the hall Tamwyn's blood would boil. The blonde haired woman was one of the people in the world he hated the most. The worst part of it was that it wasn't even she something she herself did. At least not as far as he knew. But she would have had to have been killing for the Jashinists at a very young age. He hated her because of that tie to the church that as far as he did know, had taken his only living family from him. He hated them to such a degree that he couldn't even put it into words. But even that hatred, that unreasonable hatred for this woman paled in comparison to his feelings about the three individuals who had done this to their home. When she spoke, he still wouldn't look away from Ryuko and allow her to make her announcement of ANBU readiness before continuing on. Yenn obviously felt strongly about this, although he still wasn't sure emotionally.

Intellectually, he knew he couldn't have done anything to protect Damien. Both figuratively and literally. For once Damien had ordered Tamwyn to stay in that room and protect Yenn, the seal placed upon his very body, the one that had burned like righteous fire as it engraved itself upon his very skeletal structure. Forced him to do as he had stated. For so long as the order had been to protect someone, it would be a legal order and the seal would paralyze him if he tried to disobey. Had he tried to leave that security room after Damien had ordered him to stay in it and protect Yenn. He would have been rendered helpless to defend her or even himself until after Damien himself had died or he allowed him to move. Knowing that intellectually however, did nothing to help how he felt about the matter. But it wasn't just that, a small part of him was relieved. Relieved at the order that had prevented him from being able to fight to protect Damien. He knew if that order hadn't have been in play, if the seal hadn't of been a factor. That he would have gone, and he probably would have died in the process. A small part of him was relieved that he was alive and he hated himself for it to such a degree that it didn't even bear thinking upon. He had been effectively confined into a room, and told to watch as thousands of men and women, and their children too, were slaughtered brutally.

Still, Ryuko's words regarding Yenn's promotion clung true to his regarding Jounin, and the logic around playing Black Lightning upon both of them settled both Tamwyn and Yenn's concerns about the matter neatly and cut them off at the knees. Tamwyn couldn't refuse it now. Not and look like he was slapping away the Queen's gift, there wasn't a polite way to do such a thing. So he would swallow heavily, quashing his self hatred with a sheer act of will before looking up to her eyes. Yellow eyes would flash with a vast hatred and a deep anger at what hat occurred. "Very well my Queen. If it is your wish that we carry the Black Lightning seal, than I will not spurn the gift of my Queen, and my Sensei." He would say, accepting the seal finally. Afterwards he would turn to Yenn and give her a single nod, his eyes still hard with anger, but softening marginally upon seeing her. The nod was hopefully all the woman would need to know that he wanted her to get the seal and the promotion.

Provided all went according to keikaku, Tamwyn would turn toward Ryuko and bow his head in deep respect, still kneeling, his chest bear and the brand of Yenn's pendant visible for all to see upon his chest and back. "If I may choose where it is placed, I would prefer the lower back." He would say, it was a tactically sound location for such a seal to exist. If someone could hit your lower back then there were better targets to hit. Not only that but the seal would be covered up by his clothing and so none who recognized it would realize he could utilize the capability until it was possibly too late.

Ryuko’s request for both her and Tamwyn to be at ease made it that much easier for her to bite her tongue. Yenn’s eyes would glance towards Tamwyn, her gaze full of guilt as she knelt feeling unable to do anything to help him. She had attempted to persuade him that he hadn’t failed, but she had no idea if she was successful. His gaze remained hard and full of anger as they had since he had to explain the attack, even though his actions spoke of respect and deference to the Queen. She needed to be able to talk to him, in a place not here, not surrounded by all these people. Some of them she knew of, but she didn’t know anyone but Tamwyn personally. And she was not about to try to have a heartfelt discussion with her lover in a room full of strangers. She had started to, but thankfully Ryuko had kindly put an end to that.

She would return her attention to Ryuko as she directed Tamwyn to give the security footage to Rini, watching the exchange with curiosity and her tears slowing as a result of the momentary distraction. There were parts of this meeting that seemed so ordinary; a comforting hand, handing a tape over to someone. Very mundane actions that made the context of the meeting all the more surreal feeling to Yenn. The next bit of strangeness though was directed straight at her and left her speechless for a few moments.

She was not surprised to hear that Tamwyn would be promoted and also given a seal, but to hear the same for her was a surprise. The only reason she was even remotely noteworthy at all in the village was because of the leadership position she had been forced into with her clan. She had spent quite a long time with Tamwyn doing missions for the village and helping to make the city safer, but the doubt she had in her own abilities reared its ugly head once again. It was only the nod from Tamwyn that eased her fears and while she still couldn’t understand why anyone would have confidence in her, she was at least willing to not argue the point. “Yes it was me your Majesty. That went with Tamwyn on those missions I mean.” She would look to Tamwyn once more before speaking again, she had always relied on his strength as long as she’d known him and she needed it desperately now. Taking a deep breath she turned her gaze back to Ryuko and nodded seriously. “I will try my best to live up to your expectations ma’am.” It was the best she could muster given the circumstances, the trauma of the events from earlier were still weighing heavily on her and it was taking most of her conscious energy to remain kneeling and not be sick.

Yenn snuck a glance over her shoulder at who she assumed was Shimiko, she knew the woman by reputation but had never actually seen her in person. Saying she ‘snuck’ a glance though was generous, Yenn was about as sneaky as one would expect for a person who made it appear as though it was their actual job to embody the concept of ‘goth girlfriend’. The red latex clad ANBU captain was stunning and more than a little intimidating looking. When Tamwyn mentioned a specific placement for the seal Yenn’s anxiety would go into overdrive again. She hadn’t considered that it might be visible, or that her skin would need to be visible to apply it. Her heart beating loudly, she would look between Tamwyn, Ryuko and the turtle person, trying to find a way to have a seal applied without revealing any of her scars.

Rini listened in on the conversations with a casual disinterest. She just wanted to know why she was here and then get back to what she had been doing. Once she was briefed, the task being to watch a security feed, she nodded.

Tamwyn presented her with a tape, asking if she wanted to be taken to the viewing screen. Nodding Rini simply let him push her to the VCR, which she inserted, and began to watch the events, tuning out the rest of the world and focusing on it. She needed to commit it to memory and analyze the entire thing as it unfolded.

For the most part, it was rather straight forward. A few attacks here, a few attacks there. Rini wiped off her hand on her shirt, removing the grease from it, and began to rewind the tape, focusing on several key moments. There was something familiar about the attackers. The way they attacked. The moves they made. The systematic destruction. This was no low level team, that was for sure.

So Rini kept on rewinding and fast forwarding, finding the moments she needed to focus on.

The first. One of the fighters, one who did a lot of the damage, had made several hundred clones. However, they weren't normal clones. "Wood. Senju." she muttered, before amending the statement a moment later. "Rinnegan. Otsutsuki." Ikomiki had summoned several beasts, all wielding the rinnegan. She couldn't make out the girl's eyes from the camera quality, but she knew they were using the Rinnegan due to the massive summons. "Vast chakra reserves. Mediocre personal skills. No advanced tactics. Not smart."

She could tell that the clones weren't super powerful or super fast, their advantage was in number. The sheer stamina alone to make that many and also use the summons? That was her real strength. "Chuunin, special Jounin maybe. "

Then fast forwarding again. The tower fell, smashed by a technique bearing the mark of Iwagakure. An exclusive of that village. Following Kumo's aid in the war, it wasn't likely they would attack so blatantly. There were only two other groups that had the technique, and that led her to believe that it was a mark to attempt to break up Kumo and Iwa's alliance, such as it was. "Obvious set up. Intelligent choice. Tactics. Sensory type? Observant."

The way he held back a clone and protected the summoner, as well as targeted a building that would destroy morale so effectively, the man wasn't a slouch. He was very intentional with all of his actions, and definitely the most dangerous of the group, even despite the stamina monster next to his clone. "Very dangerous. Biggest threat present. Kage level, works well in groups."

She rewound a bit, to the point where Hana was launching several Water Style jutsu to flood the area and deal massive damage. "High level techniques. Powerful. Suiton. Downplaying skill, holding back. Weapon user, but uses ninjutsu. Likely more comfortable in close quarters, no tactical concept. Not smart. Jounin to Kage level."

She wasn't analyzing just their tactics, but the way the moved, how fast they moved, the skill level at which they did things. There wasn't a lot to analyze from the short clips before the feed cut out, but Rini was committing it to memory. Rewinding, she went through it again, and again, and again, and again.

However, on her last watch through, Rini activated her Tenshijutsu, a faint glow resonating through Chel's eyes as they channeled Grace into Rini, while Rini focused on piecing everything together. She saw the strings that hadn't been connected in her mind, and where they fit in, how they connected, and was able to piece things together that she had been missing. Why they were familiar, what their goals were. She was almost entirely certain, but there was one way to guarantee it.

While she processed, the words came out of her mouth in her usual short fashion as she was thinking, piecing it together faster than she could speak.

"Konoha and Kiri alliance. Destabilize Kumo, payback and retaliation. Ruin relations with Iwa, attempt to weaken Kumo."

"Cat girl Ikomiki from Konoha went missing during the exams. Another Konoha dude Shinsui went missing during the exams. The Twins went missing during the exams. Twins are here safe, no boats were taken. Teleportation. Akihiro captured 3 nations in a single night. Hokage died during the exams after declaring Akihiro a missing-nin. Must have been present then. Removed them from the exams? Akihiro whisked Ikomiki, Shinsui, and the Twins from the exams. Why..."

"Ah. Shinsui killed. Ikomiki freaking out, indebted to Akihiro. Cat girl obviously inhuman. Otsutsuki. Shinsui must have had Senju DNA. Shinsui implanted by Akihiro. Delivered Twins here to gather favor with Kumo. Doable. Secured alliance with Hana Kaguya by exposing Tattsu, worked together to kill the Hokage. Konoha Kiri alliance strengthened. Kiri doesn't like Kumo. Avoided war a lot. Finally decided to strike to weaken us. Small elite task force of Akihiro, who sacked 3 nations in a night by himself, the Mizukage Hana Kaguya, who was part of the Iron sacking strike force, and Ikomiki who is uniquely indebted to Akihiro."

Rini turned to Shimiko. "Akihiro Uchiha, Hana Kaguya, and Ikomiki. Let me read your mind while you think about them. You've interacted a lot with at least Akihiro and Hana. If it's Akihiro and Hana, then Ikomiki is verified.

Rini held out a (still greasy) hand, placed slightly in the air. If Shimiko placed her head in Rini's hand, then Rini would begin extracting the information she needed. With her current level of intelligence, there was virtually no resistance to her gathering any information she wanted. A normal practitioner could only do a day at a time, but at a higher level was a week which was 7 times as much. The level higher than that was a month, 4 times greater than the previous. Then 6 months, which was six times greater. That was her usual level, but with Tenshijutsu boosting her mind to heights unprecedented, there was virtually no limit. She was able to sift through several years in an instant.

And the profiles fit. Their relative scale, the way they stand, the way the walk, the way the moved in general. There was no faking that, and no masking that. She was able to read them like a book.

"No doubt. They're the ones."

----
Analyzing: Hana, Akihiro, and Ikomiki
Using a Precog on each of them. 2/5 precogs left.
Probably not fully necessary, but I'll do it anyhow.

Name: Saiko Denshin (Psycho Mind Transmission)
Rank: A
Activation Cost: 20
Upkeep Cost: 5
Range: Touch
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: N/A
Classification: Open
Requirements: C-Tier Intelligence
Hand Seals: None
Description: The user enters the target's subconscious by placing a hand on the target's head and extracts any information needed, even if the target has forgotten it or has had it blocked. The base speed for this process is a day per post, but that increases with higher levels of Intelligence:
B-Tier: a week per post
A-Tier: a month per post
S-Tier: six months per post
Using this technique in conjunction with a Mind Reading Amplification Machine multiplies the amount of memories that can be extracted by three.
Weaknesses: Contact with the target's head must be maintained.

-10 Grace
0/40

X = Your character is nigh omniscient. You can glance at a person and surmise their entire personhood via induction as though you were glimpsing at their character sheet. You are able to deconstruct all the principles of existence from the natural to the supernatural giving you general information on every technique in existence. Tactically you gain 5 precognition saves in a topic which allow you to bend the rules of metagaming on the site and predict an enemy's action and attempt to defend against it preemptively.

Strength: E
Constitution: E
Stamina: C
Speed: E
Coordination: A -> S++ [Tenshijutsu]
Intelligence: S+ -> X++ [Tenshijutsu]
Perception: C -> A [Tenshijutsu]

Assuming Ryuko acknowledged Shimiko and permitted her to stand, the ANBU Commander would analyze the video alongside Rini. It was difficult to tell what was going on given the immense amount of debris that had been kicked up in their attacks, but she could make out a few masked figures. Unfortunately, with their faces obscured, it was impossible to identify them with any meaningful accuracy. The task was made even more impossible by Rini skipping back and forth like an impatient child. Shimiko looked down at Rini and was about to tell her to quit it when she saw something in the girl's eyes. It was the same look in Akihiro's eye when he surmised her identity as "Raijin." The chuunin's intellectual prowess was a known quantity, but in that moment, Shimiko realized just how much smarter she was in comparison to everyone else in the room.

Shimiko held her tongue as Rini started speaking. The girl was talking to herself but with every word it became clear that her mind was running through endless strands of information to parse the indecipherable. The decision to grant Tamwyn and Yenn Black Lightning was irrelevant at the moment. Shimiko only had eyes for this strange redhead and her keen mind. When it looked like she was just about finished, the curiosity flying above her head glowed.

A summon?

Shimiko had no idea what the creature was but it appeared to be suspiciously docile. It hadn't spoken a word since the two had entered and the only signs of life that it gave off was that it was flying and glowing. The connection between the two acted like a multiplier and once it had been established, the intelligence came pouring out like waves bursting through a shoddy dam. Shimiko listened in silence as Rini explained the situation. She began to speak on information she had no way of knowing such as the abduction of the Twins. She identified the actors and explained their geo-political motivations. As she spoke, Shimiko grew angrier. The blonde's eyes shifted from their regular bluish-green to an eerie red with a black center and white horizontal bar for a pupil.

Akihiro?! That lying snake! We had an understanding godammit!

She knew she shouldn't have felt too betrayed. He was an intelligence officer. It was his job to secure his country's interests and by taking down their lead technologist, he had done just that. Even so, it didn't take the sting out of this betrayal. She had shunned him on the supposition that he was nothing more than a skeevy Uchiha who wanted to curry favor for his own ends. When he had saved the twins from capture in Kiri, she was willing to rethink that supposition. He had given her the gift of their safety and she had given him a gift in return. A priceless serum that would aide him and his village in the wars to come. She had done so with the implicit understanding that they were now allies. Whatever beef Akihiro had with Kumo, Shimiko expected him to come to her first before resorting to such wanton destruction. There had to be more elements to this play. Elements that probably started in Kiri as such conspiracies often did. Shimiko had made a mistake in letting them off the hook so easily and she intended to correct it.

When Rini asked to read her mind, Shimiko gazed into her eyes and executed the Ketsurygan: Genjutsu technique. She knew that she had no hope of trapping Rini without her consent but hopefully the redhead would understand her intentions. Given her ability to read people, it wasn't even worth asking aloud.

Shimiko would utilize the higher ranked version of the technique to simulate all of her past interactions with Hana and Akihiro. The illusion was imperfect as it was mainly on the basis of Shimiko's recollection but it was still a solid eyewitness reconstruction. Once this was done, Shimiko would cancel the illusion and take Rini's greasy hand.

Leave no stone unturned....

Shimiko allowed her mind to be read but she was careful not to let Rini see any memories except those relating directly to her interactions with Akihiro and Hana. Once Rini was done and confirmed her findings, Shimiko turned to the Raikage.

"That bastard!" she shouted. There were a lot of blanks to fill in and a lot that need to be expounded upon but after nearly five years in ANBU, Shimiko still didn't have perfect control over her emotions. "Raikage-sama. Flip a coin. If its heads we go to Konoha, if its tails we go to Kiri. I'll leave nothing standing and no one uncut."

Hana was a given. The Kaguya's life had been hanging on a thread and for some absurd reason she had decided to cut it. This Ikomiki was an unknown. She'd need to speak to Seid about the alien masquerading as a cat-person. Tatsu-sama's suicidal behavior was apparently infectious. Regardless, of what he had to say the feline's skin would make a wonderful scarf for Yui. Then there was Akihiro. He had to know that crossing her was a fatal mistake. She'd take great pleasure in reminding him why he had so desperately sought her friendship rather than her enmity.

It wasn’t long before Shimiko joined them, seemingly unphased by the storm outside. Ryuko noticing the change in hairstyle would have liked to compliment her on how nice she looked with it down, to apologize for calling her in on an off duty day but now wasn’t the time for such trivial niceties.

In this time of unprecedented crisis having the Anbu commander by her side was an incredibly reassuring presence. Whatever was behind this the Queen was confident the two of them could overcome it as long as they worked together. As far as she was concerned the two of them were equals, that’s why when Shimiko bowed to her it made her heart sink.

The tiniest frown appeared on her face for a split second as she thought not for the first time if she’d done the right thing becoming Queen. It was bad enough that her own student was being so differential but getting that sort of treatment from her best friend just felt wrong.

For years she’d struggled with the fact that people had given her special treatment just because she had been born to a noble household. She’d never done anything to deserve it beyond simply just existing. She’d been able to make some level of peace with it over the years as she gained her own accomplishments but at the end of the day she still wanted her family to treat her as if she was just plain old Ryuko and not ‘your majesty’ or ‘your grace.’

“At Easy Shimko. Please stand” She requested deciding to let the feeling of discomfort go for now. She was just going to have to grin and bear it for now. The defence of the country, the defence of the people came above her own personal feelings about how she was being addressed.

After offering the Black lightning to Yenn along with a promotion and her accepting Tamwyn finally seemed to accept taking the gift he had been offered. No doubt he still felt guilty about taking it but there was only so much she could do to help with that. The best she could offer him was time for the feeling to fade and the chance at redemption.

“As human beings there are things we are all helpless to prevent. At best we can stall death for a time but he still comes for us all in the end. Some grow old in obscurity while others have short but brillant lives, like a flash of lightning descending from the heavens and gone the next moment.” She said trying her best to sound poetic.

“You could no more prevent the destruction of Moonspire than I could the village in the valley that Honiko razed to the ground. We of the Kingdom of Thunder are used to facing the storm of adversity. The only question is will you drown in the deluge or rise above it to join the clouds?” she asked. Her student had always been a very straight laced, hard kind of man. She had no doubts he would overcome the trial before him and emerge stronger then he ever had been previously.

It was only when Tamwyn took off his shirt that she realized how truely added by the attack he was. If he’d been in his right mind he’d have realized straight away she would never actually have Sandle perform the ritual right on the spot in public.

There were many sets of eyes in the room from members of the royal guard, to older Jounin who had retired from active service and were now serving as advisors not to mention the representatives for more then one promenade clan. Generally speaking the location the seal was placed would be considered a carefully guarded secret. The less people who knew the better.

She eyed the Pendant shaped mark on his chest. There must have been a story there behind that since she doubted Yenn was the type of kinky woman who would mark her man just for kicks. A story she was going to have to hear for herself once things had settled down.

“Yenn I’m sorry that our first meeting wasn’t under more auspicious circumstances. Why don’t you take Tamwyn and retire to one of the private rooms in the Royal suites for the night?” she asked. It would give them a chance to rest and get cleaned up as well as a space for her summon to do his magic with less witnesses around.

Tamwyn went ahead and handed Rini the tape as she had first requested and being a true gentleman as always even offered to wheel the woman over to the tv where she proceeded to pop cassette straight into the vcr and began playing it without any preamble while the two attack survivors were still in the room.

While she couldn’t fault Rini’s efficiency the Queen wished that the girl could show a bit more tact. It would have been nice to show them at least some consideration but what was done was done so there was no helping the fact they would be party to this viewing as well.

As cold and as calculated as Ryuko sometimes liked to play herself off anyone who knew her could tell she was far from ruthless. There were even those that criticize her as being too much of a light touch because of how often she attempted to take the high road. Clenching her fist in barely contained rage as she watched for the first time with her own eyes she wondered just how many people would still consider her to be soft once this was all over.

Listening to Rini analyze the footage with such precision sent a chill down her spine. Rini’s voice was so clinical and detached you almost had to wonder if she was a robot like the kind that she liked to tinker with sometimes. It was enough for her to thank Hakkin that Rini was on her side and not an enemy. When you were dealing with someone who was that much smarter than you the dumbest thing you could do was purposefully cross them.

When you had talented individuals like that around the best thing you could do was make conditions around them comfortable so that they would be happy to keep working for you.
There were some details that Ryuko would have been able to pick out herself but plenty of others that she would have missed so she was extremely grateful for the womans’ presence regardless of her quirks.

She was a bit worried Rini was going to wear out the tap at the rate she kept rewinding it. She still needed it as evidence once this strategy session was over. Depending on how she used it the tapes very existence would be a powerful card to play in coming events. War was not fought just on the battlefield after all.

“Those bastards!” Muttered the Queen in a rare moment of actual swearing once Rini deduced the identities of the attackers. For a priestess of Hakkin to swear was considered extremely improper so usually when she cursed it was with a made up word to lessen the impact. Luckily for her in this instance her voice had been drowned out by Shimiko shouting out a similar sentiment.

It didn’t make much sense why they would do such a thing. True Damian was a citizen of her country but he was a private one who sold to all countries equally not a member of her military. He’d opened up shops in Konoha and was in the process of expanding to Kiri as well. All they’d accomplished was cutting themselves off from his technology. It was almost like cutting your nose to spite your face.

Akihirio’s action in particular bothered her. Why would he seek to curry favor with them only to turn around and strike them like this? Even the queen who was an expert strategist couldn’t help but question what kind of game he was playing at and what his ultimate goal was. Did he simply want to get out of the way so they could take back Iwa or did he have some other plan in mind?

The problem with dealing with people like him is they often had multiple objectives at once. For all she knew he had some sort of Xanatos gambit at play where he had already taken several of her possible responses into account. Well if he thought she was just another pawn to be used then he was going to learn how mistaken he was the hard way.

No doubt if confronted he would claim it was an unsanctioned attack using his position as a member of mockingbird to separate himself from Konoha to deflect the blame away from his village. It wouldn’t matter much in the end. With The Mizukage in the picture war against Kiri was inevitably which meant that as allies Konoha would come into the picture regardless. It was near impossible to deal with one without having to deal with the other.

“Thank you for the Analysis Rini. Do you have time to stick around for the strategy meeting and advise?” she asked. Rini’s time was precious and it seemed she’d used up a lot of energy already going over the tape. Her presence when coming up with ways to deal with the problem would be welcome but the Queen wasn’t going to force her to stay if she needed rest.

“Call for Seid at once.” Commanded Ryuko dryly. As One of the village’s top members his presence would be well justified regardless but now she wanted him for another reason. If they were going to have to deal with an Otsutsuki then who better to ask how then their own resident expert on the subject.

The Otsutsuki clan were supposedly from outer space, a fact that Ryuko didn’t doubt given the otherworldly power they often displayed. Honestly as long as they were friendly she was more than willing to work with them and when they weren’t like Ikomiki then she would simply deal with them.

She remembered the report Seid had given Shimiko about his powers and how he might increase them. She was willing to bet good money that the cat girl had one of the illusive paths Sied was looking for. There was a saying that with adversity came opportunity. They may have suffered and they might have bled but now they had a lead that could potentially help power up one of their strongest champions even further.

Shimiko asked her to flip a coin to decide to deal with Konoha or Kiri. If only things could be that simple Ryuko would have been able to rest easily. As Kumo was located between the two powers from the day she had heard of their alliance she had dreaded the day they both turned against her, locking her into a two front war. This was one of her greatest fears come to pass.

The main reason she had even supported Iwa’s independence was because if they were taken again The Kingdom of Thunder would be for all practical purposes surrounded at all sides. Taking on Two major nations was enough of an uphill struggle as it was, three was out of the question. The war would be over pretty much as soon as it began.

“No Shimiko, we must not descend to their level. As satisfying as it would be to completely level their cities like they have Moonspire that would make us no better than them.” She replied. She hadn't called Shimiko here to be a blade but because of the Anbu commanders vast experience and connections made her the ideal when looking for advice at how to deal with the strongest problems the other village's could throw at them.

Again she was being too soft for her own good. In war there was often little distinction between Civilian or Soldier and yet she still wanted to avoid bringing suffering to those who had done nothing to deserve it.

“We shall start with the Mizukage. If we cut off the head of the snake with any luck the rest of Kirikagure will capulate.” said Ryuko with a calculating grin. There had been countless battles throughout history where one side had collapsed after the death of their general. As a Kaguya her bones would make for an excellent throne which would be revenge enough.


“That said we shant leave Konoha off the hook. The question is how do we deal with Akihiro’s teleportation. He’s a slippery one that Uchiha, Tis would be quite aggravating if we managed to corner him only to have him slip away.” she said. He’d been labeled as a missing ninja for a while by his own village but managed to evade capture the entire time. She had to assume he wouldn’t be anything but easy to take down.

Teleportation had to be one of the most annoying abilities to have to face off against, short of something truly absurd like time travel. That fact alone made him near the top of the list of active ninjas that Ryuko least wanted to face in combat.

[4]

Tamwyn would listen to Ryuko's words carefully, he didn't know of the attack she spoke of in regards to this individual named 'Honiko'. However it would appear to have some similarity to todays events in Ryuko's mind and for that he would accept her words. He still wouldn't feel better about it, he still felt like he failed. Even with that seal preventing him from going to Damien's aid he still felt responsible for the death of the man. However he was smart enough to realize that even if that were the case the only real answer to that feeling was to gain more strength. Gain more power, and grow into someone or something that can't be stopped. He would have to see about doing that, there were avenues of power that existed in the world. Subconsciously, he activated his sensory technique, the small pulse going outward to detect the presences of all. He hadn't thought about it, he had been doing it all day while they had traveled to watch out for attacks. They couldn't have been sure they had gotten away clean after all and it made Tamwyn sick to think that after having Zhu Li lead the survivors back herself, but that tape had to get back here immediately. Either way, Tamwyn had been using his sensory capabilities to ensure they didn't run into anyone. He'd simply activated it here on a subconscious reflex. However now his mind was free to focus on what he was feeling instead of feeling anything. To put it in other words, when he was running with Yenn through the Land of Lightning. The yellow eyed man would be sensing for presences at all, any ping on his sensory besides Yenn herself would cause alarm.

Now however, there were multiple people around and he focused on the information. Shimiko had high level of chakra, shocker there, Ryuko did too, again, such a surprise. Rini had reserves on the lower end but was still formidable even with that given the strength of her mind. It was Yenn that surprised him, or rather the two other chakra signatures he felt inside of Yenn. He blinked in confusion for a moment, his brows knitting as he considered what in the world he was sensing before the implications of it struck him like a freight train. Those chakra signatures were small, barely perceptible at the moment, because the two children the woman was carrying with her had only just developed chakra coils. He wasn't sure what part of the pregnancy that occurred during, and no one did because it's chakra and I don't have to explain shit. Either way though, it meant he was going to be a father. Yenn was going to be a mother. He felt his heartbeat quicken suddenly as an incredible fear overtook him. This attack had come at the worst possible time, and he had just proven he wasn't strong enough to protect one man, how was he supposed to protect the woman he loved so dearly, and their children?

The answer was power of course.

It always came back to that simple word, power. With power one could do what they wished, they could lay waste to the land about them and cause havoc and destruction. Or they could protect those who would be laid waste too. He need more power, needed it badly if he was going to protect Kumogakure. But more importantly to him, he needed it if he was going to protect Yenn and their children. He felt an unabating love for all three of them that dwarfed that of any other. He would do anything for the power to protect them. For the power to protect them all from what come hurtling toward them, whatever it might be. He forced himself to calm down, and he visibly relaxed as he felt tension ease away from him. His expression softened into one of quiet resolve, determination to do what he thought was necessary evident. He wouldn't stop until he had that power, and it was as simple as that. There was no point in worrying over where he would obtain it, no point in fretting over what the cost might be. Because he would pay it, eagerly, for the chance to protect everything he held dear.

-

With a sudden realization, he would find himself in a different place. It was a large plain, grassy, with no real discernable geographical features other than the vast emptiness throughout it. The sky was bright, and blue around him, but no sun could be seen. In the distance a massive storm cloud roiled into the distance, spinning and churning as it gained power from some unseen and unknown force. Before him, with the storm behind it in universal terms, was a white wolf the size of a small horse. It's fur was as white of the driven snow, and it's eyes were a fearsome yellow that bore a striking resemblance to Tamwyn's own shade. It sat there, looking at him patiently, as if it had all of the time in the world to do so and nothing to do other than wait for him, and it was waiting for him. Somehow, someway, Tamwyn knew that instinctively. He didn't know how, but he did. Tamwyn appeared in his usual outfit, not the one he was wearing in Ryuko's Audience chamber, but how he viewed himself everyday.

His black bolero upon his head, his cloak on his back, and the rest of his normal black attire adorned him. This confused Tamwyn for a moment because he knew he was wearing his Darhk Industries uniform just moments ago. He looked down at himself in confusion, looking at his clothing. As he did the wolfs eyes flashed yellow and suddenly the air felt as if an electric current had gone through. Energy crackled and hummed through it and Tamwyn felt the eyes on his arms stand on end. His eyes darted back to the great wolf and after a few moments the energy faded. The wolf continued to look at him passively and then Tamwyn realized that it wasn't 'as if' the beast was waiting for him. He was waiting for him. Tamwyn bowed to the wolf politely, and the beast returned the nod itself. Right as it did Lightning cracked down and struck the ten meter space between them violently.

-

And just like that he was back, as if nothing had happened in the strange plain with that wolf that absolutely hummed with the power of lightning. He was back in the Audience Chamber and Ryuko was just offering to Yenn that they should use the royal suites to rest and clean up. That the seal could be applied then but Tamwyn had other ideas. "If I may, Ryuko-sensei." He would say, using the more familiar address for the first time that meeting. "No one can say how long the strategy meeting might last and I don't want you to rush it to get to us. Perhaps instead we can simply take our leave and adjourn to the next chamber where Lord Sandle can apply the seal for us and then we can be on our way?" He would ask, his suggestion had merit as Ryuko would be stuck here in the strategy meeting with Lady Shimiko, Lady Rini, and Lord Seid for who knew how long? Besides, Tamwyn wanted confirmation of Yenn's pregnancy before anything else and that meant they needed to go to the hospital to have a doctor check her. He generally trusted his sensory, but he could imagine there being circumstances where it could be mistaken.

Provided Ryuko accepted Tamwyn's proposal, the pale haired man would stand and bow politely at the waist. "Thank you, sensei." He would say simply in farewell. The words conveyed a wealth of meaning in them. He was thanking her for much more than just the promotion and the seal. He was thanking her for willingly bringing up what must be painful memories of her past and sharing them with them. He was thanking her for taking him on as a student initially, and he was thanking her for the trust she placed in him. With that said, the Seraph of Lightning would turn and move into the adjacent chamber. Assuming Yenn, and Sandle came with him, he would ensure the door was closed for Yenn's privacy. This chamber had it's own door to the main hallway too so They wouldn't have to interrupt the meeting to leave. Turning to Sandle and point at the pendant on Yenn's necklace. "I want my black raiton seal to look like that, only bigger, right over my heart if possible.." He would say simply. Once all was done, assuming both were sealed, Tamwyn would make to leave, heading out of the chamber full clothed, intent upon their next task.

[Attempted Exit]

Yenn was doing her best to listen and take in everything that was going on. Though the longer she listened the more ill she became. She was suddenly aware that she was trapped inside a building and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. As if she were actually being held underwater and the sensation even made it difficult to hear and see. She kept hearing names of people she didn’t know, places she’d never been. And through it all she knelt in front of a myriad of judgemental eyes. She could feel the spine tingling sweat that signaled her illness. She had become accustomed to the sensation over the many missions that she and Tamwyn had done together. Usually though the feeling didn’t start to surface until after there was some sort of bloody violence. She assumed it must be the stress of the current situation paired with the memories of earlier in the day.

The meeting didn’t look to be finishing up any time soon and so in an effort to calm her churning stomach she would look around the room for something to distract herself with. Her eyes unfortunately settled on Rini and Shimiko as they watched and rewatched the security footage Tamwyn had brought from Moonspire. There was no sound from the tape thankfully, but it didn’t stop Yenn from reliving those moments all over again. Her violet eyes would widen with horror as the rest of the room and its occupants faded away and the previous haze that had been over her vision lifted. With sparkling clarity the scene replayed over and over again, her mind filling in the blanks for the things that her eyes could not fully make out at this distance. The way Rini spoke of the events chilled her, it was just so analytical. She kept her eyes trained on the screen, unable to look away as her own mind seemed intent on torturing her. As Rini rewound the tape again she finally couldn’t take looking at it anymore and she tore her eyes away in a panic looking around for the closest place to throw up without causing a scene. In the middle of the Royal Audience chamber.

Spying a decorative plant against the wall a few feet from her she would rush to it, deciding that it was better than vomiting on the floor at the Queen’s feet. She tried to be subtle, moving quickly and low to the ground, hoping that her unremarkable form would be largely ignored in all the commotion otherwise present in the room. As she knelt in front of the large potted plant she heard Tamwyn suggest that they move to an adjacent chamber where they could have the seals applied without disturbing the rest of the meeting. Taking a deep breath and wiping her mouth with the back of her glove she would turn and look to Tamwyn, rising and following after him if the Queen had agreed to his suggestion. She mumbled a shame filled apology as she tried to make herself as small as possible while she exited the room.

Once Tamwyn had closed the door she would sigh heavily and sit down in a chair, feeling only slightly better than she had moments before. “I’m so sorry Tamwyn.” She was apologizing again, but this time she felt it was fair. Adhering to proper etiquette was not something that mattered much to her, but she knew it mattered to him. And what had just transpired was not exactly the best way she could think of to have behaved in a meeting with the Queen and her advisors. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was severely reprimanded for it. She was mortified and the fear and horror of the day still lingered as she watched Tamwyn describe what he wanted his seal to look like. She was flattered and loved him all the more for his choice. “Twice marked wasn’t enough?” When her turn came she would remove her right glove and coat, rolling up her sleeve to expose her forearm and the raised lightning shaped scars that ran down towards her fingertips from further up her arm and covered it. “I would like my black raiton seal to follow these scars if that’s possible.” These scars had haunted her nearly her whole life, and now she would finally have the chance to turn them into something meaningful. Assuming they both received their seals, Yenn would leave with Tamwyn, desperate to be home and far away from everyone but him.

{Attempted Exit}

Seid arrived as requested. He had been his way to retrieve his next mission. After the disaster in Mejing City. He was sure his reputation took a hit. Though he didn't care for such things, just how he can better serve.

Which seemed to be the nature of this summon as he made his way with the messenger to the war council. Entering he bowed his head to Shimiko and Ryuko. This seemed to be serious, "Reporting." He said to the Raikage and Shimi.

“Yes, then very well” said Sandle after he lead the couple to a private room where he quickly applied the Black lightning seal on them on the spots they indicated they wanted the fuinjutsu to be placed as instructed.

“Before you leave there’s a package waiting for you.” He said, pointing off to the side where a box had been placed.  Inside would be the set of custom armor Ryuko had crafted for Tamwyn as well as a note wishing him success on his missions.

Meanwhile in the audience Chamber Ryuko suddenly looked up heavenwards as if a voice only she could hear had whispered into her ear.   It was Hakkin  telling her that she was needed elsewhere in another place, another dimension.  Whatever problems this war to come might bring it seemed that none of it would have anything to do with her going forward.    

If she had any regrets it was that she had never gotten that one dance with Nozomi. “Goodbye Shi-chan” she whispered just quietly enough for her best friend to hear and the next instant her body faded from existence followed by a series of clanging sounds as her now empty armor fell scattered on the floor.

Search high and low as they might to find her, no trace of Ryuko Shizu Von Rose remained in this world.  Only the things she had left behind and a will entrusting her possessions and fortune to  Kumogakure to use since she lacked a proper successor and heir.   The only exception was that her shares of Darhk Industries would go to her top apprentice Tamwyn in particular.

~finally~

Rini was still very unused to the level of intelligence and the amount of power that coursed through her when she activated Tenshijutsu, and so it left her drained and a little dazed when she finished the analysis. Once it wore off, the girl began to zone out a little as her brain rebooted. She'd be out of commission for a few moments, but would rejoin the conversation as a strategic mind once she was able to.

Chel floated around, feeling a weird Angelic essence coursing through the room. Chel began to buzz with anxiousness at the situation, pointing towards Ryuko, as she suddenly disappeared. This having just followed the Otsutsuki entering the room, Chel buzzed with confusion at the entire event. Something was happening, but for once, Chel wasn't sure what. It didn't help that their host was out of commission.

Because the Angels were tied to human hosts, and their powers vastly limited, Chel's usual levels of intelligence were a bit frazzled by Rini's mind rebooting itself.

Ryuko exchanged a few words with Tamwyn and Yenn. Shimiko didn't pay them any mind. All that mattered to her was revenge. Ryuko then turned to her and basically said "down girl" to which Shimiko took on the chin. If the Queen did not wish for blood for blood retaliation then she'd honor that. However, when Ryuko gave her the greenlight to take down Hana, Shimiko grinned. That was all she needed to hear. Akihiro would get his in due time but he was a teleporter and hard to deal with. She was so angry she could barely think but luckily she had Ryuko to calm her down.

She called for Seid and the Ōtsutsuki arrived with haste. They were just about to launch into a planning session when suddenly Ryuko looked up at the sky. The look in her eyes worried the Chinoike. She opened her mouth to ask what's wrong but instead Ryuko looked at her and said goodbye. Shimiko's heart began to beat faster and then...she was gone. Just like that. Ryuko had walked back into her life and now she was walking out of it again. Ryuko's armour fell to the ground as the body wearing it was assumed into another dimension.

"W-What? Ryuko....Ryuko?" she called out. Shimiko looked around frantically. She wasn't just searching for her friend, she was looking for a target. "RYUKO!!" Shimiko shouted with all her might. She activated her Hachidora Ketsryugan and called out to the hundreds of bats within the Lightning Country. They flocked to her location at top speed. Streams of red electricity crackled around her as she toyed with the idea of racing over to the nearest thing that offended her and killing it.

She saw Rini.

The odd girl with the bad attitude and the flying bird. She knew everything and had told them things that no human had business knowing. A few seconds later she appeared dazed and now her best friend, no her sister, was gone. The chirping outside grow louder as the bats approached. Shimiko was about to seize her blade and cut Rini down when a voice stopped her. She wasn't sure where it came from but it was telling her to stop. To think. To breathe. It reminded her of when she was about to attack Ryuko in her own home. A song came to mind and her hand was stayed for now.

That didn't mean she was going to walk out of here without answers. Shimiko slapped Rini across the side of the face. If the blonde was any stronger she might have knocked the girl unconscious, but fortunately, Shimiko's strength was pitiful relative to the average shinobi. The Chinoike had also been holding back because at a subconscious level she knew how frail the girl was and how valuable her intelligence might be. She just needed the redhead to wake up and that glowing entity to work its magic again.

"Wake up!" she hissed with pure malice. The bats burst into the room and began canvassing every square inch of the auditorium. They'd surveil for any traces while communicating the information directly to her via telepathy. They were silent aside from their wings and as they worked so would Shimiko.

She grabbed Rini by her collar and shook her awake.

"You're going to tell me where my friend is! You're supposed to know everything! SO YOU NEED TO TELL ME WHERE SHE IS RIGHT NOW!!! RIGHT NOW DO YOU HEAR ME?!" there was pain in her voice and tears in her eyes. It was all she could do to keep from going mad. If it weren't for Ryuko's memory, she'd likely have done something she'd regret. She turned to Seid and shouted:

"Alert the ANBU and have them search every corner of the village....EVERYBODY ELSE OUT!!!"

Part of Shimiko knew that this was a fool's errand. That she'd never find her friend on this plane of reality, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

*Slap!*

The sound echoed across the room. Rini's mind snapped back to reality, followed by a brief period of numbness in her face. There was a subtle warmth, but then the blistering pain seared across her face.

"OW! Fuck off! No wonder Tamwyn hates you, just attacking people!"

Chel buzzed angrily around Rini's head. They knew that Shimiko was a being of evil, something that shouldn't be catered to, but then again, it was also understandable that she was angry that her friend had disappeared. In contrast, Ryuko had been a being of angelic light and radiance, the polar opposite. The fact that they were so close was a curious one, almost a contradiction, but perhaps they balanced each other out?

ⵙoⵎⴻ ⵙoⵔⵜ oⴼ ⴰⵏⴳⴻⵍⵉⵛ ⵛⵀⴰⴽⵔⴰ pⵔⴻⵙⴻⵏⵛⴻ ⵜooⴽ ⵀⴻⵔ.
ⵡⵀⴰⵜ, ⵡⴰⵙ ⵉⵜ oⵏⴻ oⴼ ⵢoⵓ?
ⵙⵉⵎⵉⵍⴰⵔ ⴱⵓⵜ ⴷⵉⴼⴼⴻⵔⴻⵏⵜ. ⵜⵀⴻ ⵔⴰⵉⴽⴰⴳⴻ'ⵙ ⴷⴻⵉⵜⵢ.
ⵙo ⵏoⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ ⵉ ⵛⴰⵏ ⴷo ⴰⴱoⵓⵜ ⵉⵜ ⵜⵀⴻⵏ.
ⵜⵀⴻⵔⴻ'ⵙ ⵏoⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ ⴰⵏⵢ oⴼ ⵓⵙ ⵛⴰⵏ ⴷo. ⵙⵀⴻ'ⵍⵍ ⵔⴻⵜⵓⵔⵏ ⵡⵀⴻⵏ ⴰⵏⴷ ⵉⴼ ⵡⵀⴰⵜⴻⵠⴻⵔ ⵇⵓⴻⵙⵜ ⵙⵀⴻ'ⵙ ⵏⴻⴻⴷⴻⴷ ⴼoⵔ ⵉⵙ ⵛoⵎpⵍⴻⵜⴻⴷ.
Oⴽⴰⵢ. ⴷo ⵎⴻ ⴰ ⴼⴰⵠoⵔ ⴰⵏⴷ ⵍⴻⵜ ⵢoⵓⵔ ⵙⵉⵙⵜⴻⵔ ⴰⵏⴷ ⵀⴻⵔ ⵀoⵙⵜ ⴽⵏoⵡ ⴰⴱoⵓⵜ ⵀⴰⵏⴰ. ⴼoⵔⵎⴻⵔ ⵎⵉⵣⵓⴽⴰⴳⴻ ⴰⵜⵜⴰⵛⴽⵉⵏⴳ ⴰⵏⴷ ⴽⵉⵍⵍⵉⵏⴳ ⵛⵉⵠⵉⵍⵉⴰⵏⵙ. ⵉⴼ ⵜⵀⴻⵢ'ⵔⴻ ⵜⵔⵓⵍⵢ ⴳooⴷ, ⵜⵀⴻⵏ ⵎⴰⵢⴱⴻ ⵜⵀⴻⵢ ⵛⴰⵏ ⵀⴻⵍp ⵓⵙ oⵏ ⵜⵀⴰⵜ ⴼⵔoⵏⵜ. ⵉ'ⵍⵍ ⴷⴻⴰⵍ ⵡⵉⵜⵀ ⵜⵀⵉⵙ ⴱⵉⵜⵛⵀ ⵀⴻⵔⴻ.
ⴰⵍⵔⵉⴳⵀⵜ. ⴱⴰⵛⴽ ⵉⵏ ⴰ ⴱⵉⵜ. ⴱⴻ ⵛⴰⵔⴻⴼⵓⵍ.

Chel glared at Shimiko, and then faded out of existence as they shrank down to microscopic levels and took off to deliver the message Rini had tasked them with. The entire conversation between them had been almost instantaneous, as they didn't need to spend time forming words.

"She's not dead, but there sure as hell ain't anything that can be done. Her deity took her for a quest or something like that. Chel said she'll either return when it's completed, or she won't, but there's nothing any of us can do." Rubbing the side of her face, Rini fixed the position of her glasses on her face.

To most people, the slap was just a slap, but Rini was a good deal weaker than most people. The slap, even from Shimiko, even holding back, had felt like a freight train to her. A massive headache was developing. "Best thing we can do is carry on with the planning. I sent Chel to call in some aid from another of their kind. Given the type of person they bond to, we may have an ally on the inside."

Tears were starting to form in her eyes, and dropped, streaming down her face as the pain started to overwhelm her. Forming a few hand seals, she cupped her hand over her face, using some healing chakra to reduce the pain and fix any swelling and bruising that was sure to develop.

"Bitch." she muttered under her breath.

---

Name: Healing Hands
Rank: D
Power: D
Activation Cost: 3
Upkeep Cost: 2
Range: Self/touch
Speed: N/A
Element: N/A
Skill: Ijutsu
Classification: Ijutsu, Open
Requirements: Ijutsu
Parent Technique:
Hand Seals: Heaven-snake-dog
Description:
After making the necessary handseals, the user's hands will glow with bright green medically induced chakra, which upon touch with any sort of wound will slowly start reactivating cells, reduce swelling and stop wounds from bleeding. As this is but a mere patch up technique, it can only be used on small cuts, shallow bruises and first degree burns.

Weaknesses: Can only heal shallow cuts, minor bruises and first degree burns and other generally minor injuries.

When Rini cursed at Shimiko, the woman raised her hand to slap the analyst once more but the second sentence gave her pause.

Tamywn hates me?

She hadn't been expecting this revelation and it stayed her hand long enough for Rini to tell her just what the hell was going on. Shimiko caught the Angel angrily staring at her and she moved to swat them when he suddenly blinked out of existence.

Just what the hell is going on?!

Shimiko turned her ire back to Rini who explained that Ryuko's disappearance was the result of her being called away by her warrior-patron. She hadn't told another living soul about Raefala and she doubted that Ryuko would share such a sensitive secret with an oddball girl. She might have told Tamwyn and Tamwyn might have told Rini but that sequence of events seemed unlikely. However the lightning lad felt about her, he seemed to share a close bond with Ryuko and would thus wasn't likely to talk out of shop.  Shimiko shook Rini and peered into the girl's eyes. Somehow this little girl seemed to know everything or close to it. It was a bit intimidating and Shimiko was not in the mood to be intimidated.

"Don't you dare lie to me..." if Rini maintained her truthfulness then Shimiko would release her from her grip and back away from the girl. Accosting her was wrong but it felt good. It scratched a nice itch but she felt the urge to do even more damage. Luckily, Ryuko had showed her a better way. The Chinoike vampire backed away from Rini and the bats seemed to stop moving. There was no point searching any longer. She had decided to trust the analyst's words. They were about to go to war based on what she had said and Shimiko had seen her work upfront. If the Queen's last act was to trust this girl then she'd have no choice but to do the same. Shimiko wanted to be angry at Raefala for taking her friend away from her but she knew it was useless. Hakkinism was Ryuko's faith just as Jashinism was Shimiko's. If her Lord Jashin had called on her to take part in an inter-dimensional quest could she refuse? Would she? Shimiko saw how bad she had injured the frail teen and then looked away from her. The meeting hall had cleared out as none wanted to be the victim of Shimiko's wrath.

Rini had sent her entity to get help. Any move to weaken Kiri from the inside was ideal but she wouldn't put her faith in these strange creatures. These entities were becoming more commonplace. If a crippled genin had one then just about every ninja had one.

The end is nigh....

"Good....Ryuko will be back. I know she will. I don't believe in that heathen god but I believe in Ryuko. Whatever task he's sent her on, she'll beat it no problem and she'll return to a Kumo that has vanquished her enemies....oh and..."

Shimiko was about to mumble an apology when Rini called her a bitch. She might have meant to mutter it but Shimiko's enhanced hearing picked it up all the same. She drew a serrated kunai and made her way right back to Rini. It would be ideal for Seid to stop her before she did something she regretted out of anger.

"What did you call me you cripple?!"

Things escalated quickly. For some reason as Seid reported for duty, he witnessed the strangest event. In the middle of a strange speech by Ryuko she simply disappeared. Rini being the genius she is, alerted them that it may be due to her deity.

A shocking turn of events that seemed to affect Shimiko the most. Immediately taken aback by Ryuko's sudden disappearance. Rini uttered a word which wasn't a good move to say around Shimiko. Her ears were sharp, as were her movements. She responded with anger, drawing her blade. Seid stepped forward, moving quickly and getting in front of Shimiko. How could he stop the Juggernaut of Kumo? Overcome with anger an grief.

He was not used to dealing with such emotions, but this time was different. Seid reached out a hand the Captains shoulder. Looking into her eyes he simply said, "I'm sorry Shimiko. We will figure out the meaning behind all of this. If everyone is on the same page. " The last bit was for Rini. If she was going to prod the tiger. Hopefully it was going to be their current enemies.

"Wouldn't lie. Not really my thing." Rini uttered her response back before having returned to healing her cheek and uttering a word that set off Shimiko's rage once again. Not her brightest moment, of course, but Rini was often criticized for her lack of people skills and inability to stop herself from saying things impulsively. She was used to talking to herself or muttering her thoughts out loud.

Rini was an incredibly intelligent girl. She knew a pretty much anything there was to know about anything. The one thing she wasn't quite so good at was human communication, and knowing when to quit talking. With Seid blocking Shimiko, and knowing that her getting killed would be a massive net loss for Kumogakure, her logical mind reasoned that she was safe from death, and so she pressed her luck.

"Cripple? At least I have an excuse for losing in my final rounds match, what's yours, bitch?"

The knife was for show. Regardless of how volatile Shimiko was, she wouldn't kill Rini. At least, that's what Rini's instincts were telling her. Right now wouldn't be the best place to do so. Of course, she'd probably get in major trouble for this later, but she was using an emotional response rather than a completely logical one right now anyhow. It was more gratifying to her in the moment, and Shimiko was definitely not used to anyone having the gall to talk back to her like this.

Shimiko stopped when Seid blocked her path. He wasn't one to go against her so if he was stepping up to the plate then he really understood why someone like her needed to be kept in check. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and expressed sympathy. Shimiko looked at him as if he had admitted to having inoperable cancer. The Twins' crush was not an emotional man but for the first time she could see the vestiges of feeling in the man's eyes. It was enough to give her pause and peace. A feeling that was soon shattered by Rini's retort.

"Cripple? At least I have an excuse for losing in my final rounds match, what's yours, bitch?"

For a second, Shimiko thought she had imagined that sentence being uttered aloud. A figment of her visceral mind being brought to life by the dark lord that she served. A form of hallucinatory motivation designed to push her past the trauma of losing her best friend. When Shimiko looked at Rini's face, she knew that it had been no mistake. The curse had been repeated and accompanied with a jab at one of her deepest insecurities. It was a true blow to her pride in every sense of the word and one of the only things that Rini could say that would make Shimiko throw caution to the wind. The young woman was valuable and if Ryuko was present she'd have stopped Shimiko from doing anything rash.

Unfortunately, Ryuko wasn't here.

Shimiko brushed passed Seid. He was given an errant look that made it clear he was not to interfere. The girl's omniscience was her shield. It was the reason why she hadn't been killed instantly and it was why she still had a chance of surviving this encounter. Every single bat in the room lunged for the girl. There were too many to count and each of them surrounded Rini from all angles. Assuming she could not stop them, they picked at her. They scratched, bit, and even plucked out patches of her red hair. In a matter of moments the creatures would leave Rini a bald and bloody messy. The force of their attack was enough to tip over her chair and send her sprawling to the ground. Once the bats had eviscerated her skin and hair leaving nothing but blood and scars in their wake, Shimiko knelt down next to Rini and stabbed the girl's hand with a serrated kunai. The blow was calculated to achieve maximum pain without outright killing her. She was fragile but Shimiko was experienced enough to know which blood vessels could be broken without risking the loss of Kumo's biggest brain.

She removed the crimson soaked blade and placed the weapon near Rini's throat. The teenager thought she was invincible. That mind truly bent matter to its will. She was mistaken. If she had a secret power, one that would help her overcome the demon before her, then she'd be well advised to use it now. Shimiko would attempt to grab Rini's jaw and hold her head in place as she lovingly ran the razor sharp weapon across her delicate throat. The action was delicate, only causing a few scratches here and there. Shimiko was all that remained between Rini and the void.

"I was too nice"

From her perspective, it was the truth. She had offered Nozomi a chance to be with the one she loved. A chance that the woman had thrown back in her face. One could say it had little to do with the outcome but for Shimiko it had everything to do with the outcome.

"You think you're better than everyone because you know everything. You're wrong and I hope you see that. Now you're going to apologize. I want you to say: 'Sorry Miss Shimiko.'"

Shimiko wasn't going to stop there. She had lost someone very dear to her, had learned of a betrayal, had lost her top crafter, and was now being reminded of her weakest moment. She wasn't going to let Rini off with a slap and a few insults. This was going to get personal.

"Oh...and throw in a 'Thank you Miss Shimiko for teaching me a lesson and letting me crawl out of here like the Worm I am'"

The only way Rini was getting out of this room alive was if she repeated those words back to the ANBU Captain. If it was a syllable out of place then the result would be the inevitable consequence of crossing Shimiko Chinoike.