[h1][u][center][color=red]Kyotoumaru Uchiha[/color][/center][/u][/h1]

The doors to the Hokage manor opened, and Kyo entered without a word. Shinko spoke as if he had known exactly what had occurred. Kyo cocked his head to the side to look at the Hokage, and then turned his head and took in every detail of the inside of the manor. He had been there several times before to receive praise from Ginsho about his performance on certain missions. He couldn't help but recall all the times Shinko had stood in the corner and silently watched the young Uchiha grow. 

"[color=red]I used to want nothing more than to call this place my home... not just this manor, but this village... I wanted to sit where you sit, sleep in the bed you sleep in, to bask in the opportunity to speak before the people of Konoha and have them look up to me for protecting them and doing the right thing.[/color]" He paused, removing his mask and looking at Shinko. His three-tomoe Sharingan was active. "[color=red]They don't look up to you, do they Shinko? They don't praise you either. In fact, I bet most of them resent you. And for what? Doing the right thing, whatever that means...[/color]" His eyes fell to the floor, lost in thought in his own definition of right and wrong. It was a blurred description at best, a gray area in his mind. For a split second he considered reaching out to Shinko and asking for help. He visibly shook his head. This was probably the most emotion Kyo had ever displayed in front of the Hokage since his Genin years. 

"[color=red]But you don't care about that, do you? You don't care about their recognition of you or their perception of you. An admirable trait, I admit, but admiration won't keep you alive... You do realize that, don't you? That they're going to crucify you for being a liar who protects them? But that's your goal, isn't it? To die a self-righteous fucking martyr on the cross like your brother?! IS THAT WHAT BEING A HERO MEANS TO YOU?![/color]" 

The boy was obviously having trouble choosing a side. Why else would he have come back? But his words certainly held weight, his eyes may have had the power to analyze his surroundings, but his mind allowed him the ability to see into the mind of others. And with it he formed his own perception of the illusion Shinko and Ginsho had elaborately taken so many years to build up only to have it all torn down. And for what?

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

Lost in thought, Namine almost didn't see Shinko's clone coming. But she did, and she readied a rebuttal before he even arrived in her way. "[color=pink]Don't try to question it.[/color]" She interrupted him before he could even finish his sentence. This was uncharacteristically rude of her, contrary to her normal calm and patient demeanor. Her eyes were narrowed and filled with pain. There was a fierce determination embedded in them that challenged Shinko. She dared him to try and stop her from doing whatever it was she was doing, during the time of her grieving. 

"[color=pink]After covering for you and your brother's lies all these years? YOU are going to question ME? Save your breath, Shinko, we both know I'm a better liar than even you are, and if I wanted to, I could tell you anything right now. So let's just pretend like I'm going to visit the Akizakura shrine just outside the village, and I'll be back tomorrow. Okay? Does that lie suit the liar himself?[/color]" Her tone was harsh, she was obviously in immense pain for her to be unable to control her emotions. She clenched one of her fists, the crumpling sound of paper could be heard. She was holding a note in her left hand, obviously not speaking about it for a reason. 

She gave Shinko another fierce glare, before turning her gaze past him to the path leading out of the village. She stomped her heels against the ground like hooves of an elephant, walking directly into Shinko and throwing her shoulder into his ribs as she attempted to brush him out of the way. She was quite forceful for a slender woman. 

The loss of her best friend and her daughter in the same day had taken quite a toll on her psyche. And while some would say she was acting out of turn and not thinking straight, she was in fact controlling her temper fairly well for the situation she was in, and she knew exactly what she was doing. This was not simply an impulsive decision, this was the only path left for her to walk. She did not have a choice, whether Shinko and the rest of the village realized it or not. 

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