[center][color=Black][b][u][h1]Seijuro Kizaru Nandate[/h1][/u][/b][/color][/center]
[Center][color=red][b][u][h1]Kyotoumaru Uchiha[/h1][/u][/b][/color][/center]

The young Uchiha boy lay in the forest, broken and beaten to the point of unconsciousness. The love of his life lay dead next to him. So poetic, wasn't it? Almost as poetic as ripping out their organs and turning them into puppets...

The lightning could have been seen from miles away, so the snake had to act fast. Seijuro slithered out from his hiding spot and collected the two bodies, placing them inside of his Third Tsuchikage puppet. The puppet disappeared in a cloud of smoke as Seijuro proceeded through the forest. He could feel the wind from Havoc's attacks in addition to the view of Sano's wall of water. The real target, however, was engaged with Seijuro's doppelgänger, Jaakuna. 

After walking for a short while Seijuro placed himself just out of view of the fight between the angelic Hokage and his foxy comrade. It was a beautiful sight, Ginsho's angel of death. Even with one hand he masterfully led a one-man onslaught on Jaakuna, though the resurrected fox prevailed. It was fitting, the Bible verse which Ginsho chose for his death. The cross that Jaakuna formed was also just as befitting of the situation. Just as quickly as Ginsho died, Jaakuna vanished into the earth with his body. 

Seijuro walked over to the Hokage's hat that was left behind. ~[i][color=black]In a simpler time, the title of Hokage would be all I would have asked for..[/color][/i]~ The ground opened up and a swarm of cockroaches swallowed the snake into the earth. 

[b][u]The next day.[/u][/b]

Kyo awoke in a daze. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness. Once he was fully conscious, he saw a masked figure standing over him. His eyes widened, Sharingan appearing as he lashed outward with his right hand, trying to perform a Hell Stab on the masked man and yet no lightning would appear. In fact, his arm would barely lift itself off the bed he was lying on. Instead he would grab his arm with the other as he yelled out in agony. 

"[color=black]Easy does it, young one.. your body is still not yet recovered from the trauma you put it through. You almost died.. I brought you here to recover. When you are healed, you may leave if that is your choice. But there is not much of a village left to go back to. Not after the way we left it.[/color]" Kyo recognized the man from when his eye of insight looked into the eyes of the puppet Mizuki, and saw the puppeteer. 

Kyo sat in silence for a moment. Seijuro sat next to him, not focused on the Uchiha but instead focused on two strings coming from either of his index fingers, leading to another room. The young Uchiha mulled over his situation in his head. He had no choice but to remain here for the time being, and it seemed he was in no immediate danger. If this man had wanted him dead, he could have easily killed him while he was unconscious. So what did he want?

"[color=red]Who are you... why did you save me.. WHY DID YOU KILL HER?![/color]" the Uchiha coughed up a small amount of blood as he screamed. His entire body tensed up in agony. His eyes welled with tears, begging for answers. 

The snake left the many questions hanging in the air for several long moments. He looked down at Kyo as if he was both prey and a son. "[color=black]She was a means to an end.. there is no comforting lie to tell you, only a painful truth. As for who I am and why I am here and why you are here, let us begin at the beginning of... the tale of Seijuro Kizaru Nandate.[/color]" 

Kyo's eyes widened at the name. He was regarded as the single most infamous Shinobi in the last several decades, given credit for single-handedly forming the original Akatsuki and starting the Second War. And so the two spoke for many hours over the next several days, Seijuro slowly and slowly winning over the Uchiha's confidence. 

[b][u]Several weeks later, the day before the Kage Summit[/u][/b]

While the funeral took place, Seijuro was busy tinkering with his new toys... the bodies of Senna and Ginsho. A puppet worked in the back room, making the necessary modifications as their bodies had been hollowed out in days prior. Seijuro himself was sitting at a large triangular table, awaiting the rest of the missing-nin which comprised the first true meeting of the Yomigaeri. 

[center][color=lightblue][b][u][h1]Sano of the Blood Mist[/h1][/u][/b][/color][/center]

As Yui appeared and blocked the attacks for him, he burrowed into the ground through Cockroach's tunnels, back to the Akatsuki hideout. 

[i][b]Several weeks later[/b][/i] 

Sano sat at the table where the Akatsuki were to meet, several seats away from Seijuro as they prepared to meet for the first time. 

[center][color=pink][b][u][h1]Namine Akizakura[/h1][/u][/b][/color][/center]

Namine was present at the funeral, adorning a black dress and a translucent black cowl over her face, and matching black lipstick. It was a solemn event. Her best friend had passed- no, rather he was [i]murdered[/i] at the hands of another so-called friend. There was a difference between simply passing on and being cut down by your brother in arms. If Ginsho had simply passed away from natural circumstances, Namine would not have shed a tear. In fact, that would have made her happy that her childhood friend had made it to old age and passed on his own. 

No, this was different. He was cut down before his time. But this was natural to Shinobi. Death in the form of murder was not something that their generation was shy to. It was the way of the world, but it didn't have to be. That however was the reality of the situation in front of her. Ginsho's body was not even recovered. The casket was merely a decoration to fool the masses. She knew what was done with it, and would not forgive the man who had taken the body and given it to that monster. 

Almost none of the people here came to her daughter's funeral only hours before Ginsho's. The attendance was not even one tenth of his. She did not resent Ginsho for this, but the lack of recognition for her daughter bothered her to say the least. She had lost the only other member of her clan. She was the last, and assuming she did not have any more children, her lineage would die with her. Finally. After years of being hunted for their abilities, the suffering of her clan would end with her. But she simply wouldn't fade away into obscurity. She would make something of this life. There was a reason she was the last Akizakura. 

A single tear fell down her cheek and hit the dirt. She turned her back to the superficial coffin and began to leave the funeral before it was officially over, just as Shinko made his big reveal. She knew their secret, her sensory capabilities were beyond the point where Ginsho could have hid this secret from her. She was quite possibly the only one who she trusted with this information. She was leaving the funeral service and heading toward the gates of the village. This was her resolve. She had but one choice. It was not what she wanted, but there was no other path anymore. Would she succeed? Only time would tell.