j8cob

Kayou and the Cursed Swords

THE BACKSTORY

One hundred years prior to the start of the story, there was a legendary swordsmith named Kayou Kuso. Throughout his lifetime, he was credited with making high quality katanas, to the point where the emperor of Japan acknowledged his skill. It was in his old age, however, that the emperor's son requested him to make seven blades of the "highest quality that has ever been seen." Once presented, the emperor's son was displeased with them, and ridiculed the old man. He demanded them to be remade, but Kayou refused. He said they were the finest swords to ever be made and that it would be impossible to improve them. Enfuriated, the emperor's son had him thrown out of the castle and his name dishonored. Shamed, Kayou Kuso retreated with his blades and gave up the art of swordsmithing. It was unknown when he died, due to his reclusive nature, but ten years after that event, bad things began to happen.

The man that had shamed the legendary swordsmith became emperor ten years later, and immediately there were problems. In the far north of Japan, strange monsters as black as the night, called Oni, began to appear and wreak havoc upon the land. At first, despite the ferocity of these demons, there was little concern over the matter. The armies of the land were more than capable enough to keep the demons under control. However, as time dragged on and the weeks became months, the months became years, and the years became decades, the invasion never faltered. In fact, it only grew in intensity. More demons continued to appear, and they grew stronger too. This proved to be too much as the years dragged on and the nation of Japan began to lose ground to these creatures. Now, ninety years after the start of the invasion, the demons have destroyed nearly half of Japan, leaving the emperor and the shogunate in a panic.

The current emperor, the third generation to be in command during this invasion, is growing desperate. His army is wearing thin. By this point the daimyo have all put aside their differences in order to join forces against the Oni. As grim as the situation has become, a recent discovery may have turned the tides. The shogun's most prized samurai, Yasushi Miyoshi, combatted Oni for the first time and it was discovered that his katana was able to destroy the demons in droves. When questioned, he explained that his blade had been passed down his family line for a few generations, originating about one hundred years back. This led to the discovery that Kayou Kuso had distributed his final blades after his humiliation, and also the discovery that the blades had legendary power and abilities. When the emperor tried to relinquish Yasushi of his sword, Kouhei, he found that nobody else could even draw the blade. The swords chose their owners. With this in sight, it was determined that the power of these blades would be necessary to combat the demon invasion, and Yasushi was charged with the task of gathering the other six swords.

THE STORY

After gathering all the swords and their owners, Yasushi Miyoshi brings them all back to the emperor for their instructions. They are told the history behind the swords and their mission, which is to travel deep into the Oni territory and find a way to end the invasion and destroy the demons. This is emphasized not to be optional, and the seven owners are to be accompanied full force by a small battallion of soldiers. While they travel Japan, they will learn of the mysteries that surround their swords and the demons that stand in their way. Perhaps they will learn a bit about the emperor and shogunate too, and hopefully a bit about each other. But one thing for certain is that the road ahead is difficult and unknown. After all... nobody that has strayed north has ever returned.

Notes about the Setting

Due to the invasion from the north, many people have migrated further south to the "safe" territories. As such, there is a serious case of overpopulation in the major cities and even some problems with it in the southern villages. In fact, the further south you go the worse it gets, with the new capitol being in the south part of Japan. It has become a common understanding that the further south you are, the safer you are. However, there have been rare cases where Oni have appeared far beyond their territory, even with a case of a scouting party appearing hundreds of kilometers south of it. Due to the rarity, it has little effect on the opinion of what "safe" really is.

As a part of the overpopulation, food shortages are becoming increasingly more common. To make matters worse, there has been a recent drought. Because of this, most nobles have had their castles blocked off to keep the peasants away from their storages. The caste system has become even more divided now, since there is now a higher concentration of people in the total area and there are more peasants and merchants than there used to be in the regions. Crime, however, has mostly vanished aside from theft. Stealing food and valuables is now the most common crime, and practically the only crime. Murder cases have become rare, though death itself is constant due to the overpopulation.

Though most people are terrified of the Oni, despite the vast majority of the surviving population having never even seen one in person before, there are some that have a different view on them. These people have formed a cult, aptly named Onihai. They worship the demons as entities sent by God to punish sinners. In general they are mostly regarded by the population as lunatics, but there have been several events where the Onihai have obstructed human armies and therefore caused demon victory in battles. As such, the practice has been outlawed, though it still lives in the shadows. They have their own organization and heirarchy, though it is unknown to outsiders. As well, they are rather unpredictable in their actions. The majority of the rare murder cases have been linked to Onihai members.

Notes about Oni

These demonic creatures are absolutely terrifying. They are typically larger than humans and significantly stronger. Though regular weaponry do damage, they do little. It takes extreme effort to kill an Oni with a regular katana, though it is possible and has been done for many years. The demons vary in appearance and ability like humans do, with some variance in size and strength as well. But there have been reports of extreme mutations, referred to as Mega-Oni. These vary a lot, but some examples of reported Mega-Oni include: gigantic demons, winged demons, spider-like demons, demons with extra arms, demons with armor, etc. Due to the variance in Mega-Oni, they are unpredictable and highly dangerous. There are no confirmed reports of the death of a Mega-Oni. They are always tougher and stronger than even the strongest of regular demons, and it is typically when one or two of these show up that humans are forced to run.

There have been unconfirmed reports of Oni being capable of human speech, but there is no credible sources to the claims. However, it is known that the demons are capable of making shrieking, howling, snarling, roaring, and gibbering noises of varying intensities. This has been regarded as their form of communication with each other, which also proves they have intelligence. They have acute vision and hearing, though that varies as much as the demons do. They seem to be resistent to temperatures, as they operate just fine in snow-covered environments and even in burning towns, though flames do harm them. It is unknown what their source of energy is, however, as there have been no reports on what they eat or if they even do. As it would seem, they simply kill humans and animals but do not eat the corpses.

Despite their advancement, their attacks on cities are infrequent and unpredictable. Sometimes they even skip past villages and get back to them later. Their strategies are yet to be determined. As well it can be noted that there has never been any sightings of demons marching or advancing across the country, only sightings near villages immediately before an attack. Though there have been many scouting missions into the demon territory, none have returned. This is the most probable cause as to why there have been no sightings of advancing demons. In general, much about their behavior is unknown off the battlefield. However, their combat nature is very well known by this point. In battle, the demons are fierce, animalistic warriors that fight with their claws but do hold combat tactics. They have been known to retreat, regroup, flank, scout, call for reinforcements, and even siege. They have never displayed a merciful nature nor have they ever taken prisoners, and the only examples of them ignoring humans is when they would eventually come back to finish the job.

It is unknown precisely where in the north that the invasion began, or even why it would be that location should it be discovered. This leads top strategists to believe that there is some sort of portal that brings demons into this world and that this portal is at the location where it all started. Due to the ever-increasing numbers of Oni and Mega-Oni, they also believe that this portal basically spawns them at an increasing rate. There is no proof to these theories, but these are the most widely accepted beliefs thus far.

THE SWORDS

Kouhei

The wielder of Kouhei gains the ability to judge others. When the sword is drawn, even if just slightly, they can see into the hearts of everyone nearby. This allows them to determine the "type" of person that is before them, such as whether they are honest or malicious or anything of the sort relating to their history and personality. Though this does not grant the ability to read memories or minds, it gives a good perception on who the target is as a person. This blade chooses its owner based on morality.

- Taken

Shinja

The wielder of Shinja gains the ability to entirely vanish from sight, along with anything they are holding or on their person. The invisibility is granted at the user's whim once the blade is drawn, even if just slightly. While they vanish from sight perfectly, they can still make noises or perhaps do other things to give away their position. The invisibility also works on demons, making them unable to detect the user as well. This blade chooses its owner based on inconspicuousness.

- Taken

Soyokaze

The wielder of Soyokaze gains the ability to drastically reduce their weight, which in turn increases their speed. If the blade is drawn, even if just slightly, the user can boost their speed to levels that are difficult to detect with the naked eye. As well, this makes them incredibly light to lift up or hoist around, to the degree that the user can even run on water. Though the speed is remarkable, it still requires stamina, just like a regular person running. This blade chooses its owner based on quickness.

- Taken

Kashoku

The wielder of Kashoku gains the ability to make their slices emit waves of energy. This requires the blade to be fully drawn, but the energy used is as strong as the blade itself and equal in size. Wider swings create longer cutting arcs. The energy comes from the natural spirit energy within the user, and as such can be drained over time with overuse. With proper aim, these waves can be used with even deadlier efficiency than the bow. This blade chooses its owner based on spirituality.

- Taken

Inzen

The wielder of Inzen gains the ability to muster incredible strength. This requires the blade to merely be on their person. The boost in raw strength brings the user to superhuman feats, such as lifting entire boulders or even being able to fight demons with their bare fists. When combined with swordplay, it allows the wielder to destroy other non-legendary blades when the swings connect with another sword. Use of this ability requires stamina like any other physical activity. This blade chooses its owner based on willpower.

- Taken

Yoken

The wielder of Yoken gains the ability of remarkable vision. This includes seeing in pitch-black darkness, seeing through objects, and noticing such minute details as muscle movements. The blade has to be at least slightly drawn for the ability to work. This incredible vision also allows predictive capabilities, since the user can see muscle movements and predict how it will move as such. It can be noted that the wielder of Yoken cannot see invisible entities. This blade chooses its owner based on perception.

- Taken

Hasaki

The wielder of Hasaki gains no ability, but the blade itself is capable of slicing through virtually anything. The only thing it cannot cut through is another legendary sword. The incredible sharpness allows even the lightest of swings to slash through solid stone. The cutting power is so intense that it creates no air resistence, making the blade swing faster and more silently. The blade does not have to be fully drawn, as any exposed portion of the blade will work. This blade chooses its owner based on sharpness.

- Taken

Notes about Legendary Blades

I'm sure it was noticed that the selection methods for the owners is rather vague. That is on purpose. Maybe "quickness" refers to "quickness of tongue" or "quickness of mind" rather than quickness of feet. Willpower can be interpretated as stubborness. Sharpness can even be interpretted as vision. The vagueness allows for a wider range of possible characters, so you're welcome. It wasn't meant to be confusing, so that is why this note is here.

Prior to the start of the story, it is most likely that the owners of the swords do not know of the blade's ability. Of course it is possible to know and be able to utilize it from the start, but that would have to be explained well in the history otherwise it ain't happening. Besides, I think it would be kinda cool to learn how to use it as the story progresses rather than starting off with knowledge of their own power. A sort of self-discovery thing.

As for how the characters came to wield their blades, it is pretty open-ended. It could have been passed down their family over the past few generations after their great-grandfather bought it at a market or whatever. Hell, they could've found the sword themselves wedged between two rocks in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps it was given to them as a gift or a reward. Get creative with it.

Not only can the owner be the only one capable of drawing the sword, they are also the only one capable of wielding it. If anyone but the owner wields it, even if the owner had drawn it and handed it to them, they will feel intense pain across their entire body, incapacitating them and leaving them unconscious. Needless to say, with an effect like that, these blades are only good for one person each.

The blades can choose their owners, so that means it is possible that they can switch owners even without their current owner dying. The reasoning behind this will be explained one day, but for now keep in mind that your character is likely not the first to own the blade and possibly not the last. However, the blades never choose someone who already owns a blade or has ever owned one. This means that no person will have multiple legendary blades.

Some blades require the use of spiritual energy or physical energy. Much like the principle of Yin and Yang, these draw from the potential of the body. Things that require physical energy basically require stamina while spiritual energy requires ki. Every living thing has ki and varying amounts of it. Though there is no way to measure it or gauge it, one can feel when they are low on either physical or spiritual energy.

Blades will be given on a "first come, first serve" sort of basis. However, if while I am offline or something, two people post characters for the same blade, it will go to the one that is of the highest quality. That is: the character I perceive to be a better character for the sword. Not trying to promote competition here, just trying to promote quality work.

CHARACTER SHEET

*Place a character appearance here*
Name: *pretty self explanatory, but remember the setting*
Age: *still easy, anything goes*
Sex: *haven't lost you yet, have I?*
Occupation: *what do they even do for a living?*
Sword: *their legendary sword if applicable, otherwise delete this section*
Personality: *who are they, as a character?*
Background: *their personal history, including how they obtained their legendary sword if applicable*
Skills: *what can they do? can they do anything?*
Equipment: *what is their standard gear for the journey?*
Notes: *anything the above sections did not cover goes here*

Notes about Characters

Since there are few swords, there will be few owners. Not to worry though, as it is not a requirement to be an owner of a legendary blade to participate. If the character does not have a legendary sword, they have to have some form of justification for tagging along on the journey north. This can run from someone following in the shadows to a close friend of a sword owner that was specifically requested by the sword owner to tag along. In the latter case, which is the one I think is best since it establishes character relationships better, one must collaborate a bit with history and such with the corresponding sword owner. But don't worry, it's worth the effort to build character dynamics in such a way. Maybe we'll even see a married couple in the journey, who knows?

You can make multiple characters, but only one character gets to have a legendary blade. Any other characters you have cannot have one. Sorry, but limited blades mean I won't let people hog them. However, this is good because it allows for character diversity in the party. We don't need everyone running around with a sword.

Related to the previous note: even if your character owns a blade, they do not have to have any skill with it. They can be green-as-grass when it comes to swordplay and still be chosen. In fact, I think this route would be more amusing as they would be forced to practice with their blade and increase their skill throughout the duration of the journey in order to keep up with the threats. This obviously isn't a requirement, but just a note.

Non-blade characters need to serve a purpose in the journey. Though the emperor will allow the sword owners to bring others along at their request, so as to satisfy them and convince them to do the mission, the people they choose to tag along must still contribute to the group. Be it cooking food, tending wounds, or just carrying gear, they have to have a use. I know we all want some butt monkey character to come along for a good laugh, but they have to do something otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to join. Thinking about it, nobody wants to drag along dead weight, after all.

EXAMPLES

Yasushi Miyoshi

Name:
Yasushi Miyoshi
Age:
28
Sex:
Male
Occupation:
Samurai, regarded as one of the best.
Sword:
Kouhei
Personality:
The prized samurai of the shogun behaves like he is expected to. Yasushi is noble, honorable, and even humble to a degree. While he will speak with respect, even to peasants, he is still aware of his position in the feudal hierarchy and as such obeys the laws of society. Though he can be quite tolerant and wise, everyone has their limit. And once Yasushi is pushed too far, he will push back. Hard. His temper is well under his control, but he can be a force to be reckoned with if he loses it. While Yasushi behaves much more like the "classical" samurai, in the sense that he is loyal to his master while most of the current samurai are simply fighting for their lives, he is aware of how other people work. He can read other people quite accurately, even without Kouhei. He is well educated and as such harbors respectable intelligence, but his true genius is on the battlefield. Yasushi basically tries to be the model human being, though his humility makes him aware that he is not. Yet. While he is fiercely loyal to the shogun, Yasushi also cares greatly about his relationships with his family and comrades.
Background:
Born into nobility, Yasushi was destined to be a samurai like his father, Yuji Miyoshi. Though his father was renowned to be quite skilled, it was evident even in Yasushi's early teens that he was a prodigy warrior. While his combat prowess was clear in his youth, his greatest obstacle was behaving like a true samurai. This is where most of Yasushi's education as a samurai was focused, as combat came natural to him. After years of discipline and training, the personality of Yasushi today began to form. It was in his early twenties that his father was assigned to hold off the Oni menace at the territory line. He never came back. Yuji's death only fortified Yasushi's beliefs as to what a samurai truly is, and he vowed to make his father proud and become the ultimate samurai, both in body and in spirit. It was around this time that he also met the love of his life, Maiko Okuda. She was of a merchant family, but that made no difference to Yasushi. After two years of courting her, the two were married and eventually had a son named Miho. His son is now four years old, and Yasushi's reputation has only been increasing. The shogun had taken interest in his skill and decided to use him as a sort of confidant and prize possession at the same time. He was eventually assigned to fend off the demon invasion, much like his father was years before. However, upon entering battle, it was discovered that the sword he had been wielding since childhood was actually Kouhei and he was able to destroy the Oni with ease, turning the battle to a human victory. After that event, the emperor hired Yasushi to gather the other swords and their owners so as to find a possible way to save humanity. While this will displace him from his wife and child, he bears the burden of a true samurai and obeys his master's wishes.
Skills:
Yasushi is incredibly skilled in the way of the sword, and has displayed skill with other weapons and even without weapons. He is in top physical shape, being both strong and fast. There is a reason he is regarded as one of the best warriors of mankind.
Equipment:
Like most samurai, Yasushi will be bringing a tanto to go along with Kouhei. He also has armed himself with his favorite bow and a quiver of arrows. Perhaps it can be best noted here that he also keeps a locket with a portrait of his wife.
Notes:
Like most samurai of this time, Yasushi has never killed another man. In fact, he makes an effort to never do such a thing, considering the greater problems at hand.

Kazu

Name:
Kazu Nakanoi
Age:
Unknown
Sex:
Male
Occupation:
Murderous thief, wanted dead or alive.
Sword:
Shinja
Personality:
Cynical and spiteful are two words to describe Kazu. Though he is intelligent, most of that brainpower is used on sarcasm and insults, as well as general acts to aggravate those around him. For the most part, he will stay quiet and to himself, but once he starts talking it will only get worse and worse. He has no qualms in voicing his opinions on things, or perhaps voicing false opinions just to see what happens. He is a good liar and will constantly use that to his advantage, making it impossible to trust this man. Try as one might, he will not open up with his emotions, unless it is anger. Kazu seems to hold a particular fondness for causing problems with figures of authority, mainly Yasushi since they met. While he will throw a fuss and try to annoy everyone around him, he is still capable of listening to authority, but only if he sees a benefit in doing so. It can be noted that when he is truly angered, rather than his constant irritation and outbursts, he gets eerily quiet and seems to almost become terrifying in his features. He shows no signs of fear in any situation and actually will often joke about his own death, despite his will to live. His overall irritating and morbid nature make him hard to deal with and his anti-social tendencies make it impossible to like him.
Background:
Mostly unknown. Nobody knows where he came from, or even his surname. All that is known is that one day, about five years ago, Kazu began his life as a thief. For the most part, he was only a thief. But he would kill without remorse if someone got in his way, otherwise he avoided murder. His reputation as a thief grew more and more, and so did the value of his robberies. He began stealing more and more valuable things. This led to his attempted theft of Shinja while imperial soldiers were transporting it back to the capitol. He was apprehended in the process, but it was discovered that Shinja chose him as its owner. Something that likely saved his life, considering his rap sheet. Now in custody and under constant watch, Kazu is being forced to assist on the mission. However, he absolutely refuses to release any information about himself.
Skills:
Unknown
Equipment:
On this journey, Kazu won't be having any real equipment on his person. Unless you count the shackles that are constatnly bound around his wrists. Those will be on him.
Notes:
His total kill count is 18 murders, giving Kazu the record amount over the past ninety years. Murder itself is rare enough as it is, and Kazu seems to have more than his fair share of it.

CHARACTERS

Blade Owners

Yasushi Miyoshi - a truly devout samurai tasked with leading the journey
Kazu - a despised and infamous criminal known for his attitude and impressive record
Akio Kenjou - a young merchant that stumbled upon his blade
Saito Takasu - an assassin that comes from a seriously flawed family
Takeshi Shun - a skilled and artistic craftsman
Johan Crossbow - a young boy from a foreign land on a religious mission
Akane Miyoshi - an overly curious young lady and younger sister to Yasushi

Non Blade Owners

Kaido Yuushiko - an eclectic bladesmith and a decent cook

Kayou and the Cursed Swords

Good, good. :D

I will get to work on an OOC then.

Kayou and the Cursed Swords

They are all unique and.. well... you shall see what they can do when I make an OOC. ;)

Kayou and the Cursed Swords

That would be entirely up to the players. The characters don't even have to have any skill with a blade (or weapon at all) to be eligible. Not exactly "swordsmen" but close enough I suppose. XD

Kayou and the Cursed Swords

SETTING

Feudal Japan, approximately during the Edo period.


THE BACKSTORY

One hundred years prior to the start of the story, there was a legendary swordsmith named Kayou Kuso. Throughout his lifetime, he was credited with making high quality katanas, to the point where the emperor of Japan acknowledged his skill. It was in his old age, however, that the emperor's son requested him to make seven blades of the "highest quality that has ever been seen." Once presented, the emperor's son was displeased with them, and ridiculed the old man. He demanded them to be remade, but Kayou refused. He said they were the finest swords to ever be made and that it would be impossible to improve them. Infuriated, the emperor's son had him thrown out of the castle and his name dishonored. Shamed, Kayou Kuso retreated with his blades and gave up the art of swordsmithing. It was unknown when he died, due to his reclusive nature, but ten years after that event, bad things began to happen.

The man that had shamed the legendary swordsmith became emperor ten years later, and immediately there were problems. In the far north of Japan, strange monsters as black as the night, called Oni, began to appear and wreak havoc upon the land. At first, despite the ferocity of these demons, there was little concern over the matter. The armies of the land were more than capable enough to keep the demons under control. However, as time dragged on and the weeks became months, the months became years, and the years became decades, the invasion never faltered. In fact, it only grew in intensity. More demons continued to appear, and they grew stronger too. This proved to be too much as the years dragged on and the nation of Japan began to lose ground to these creatures. Now, ninety years after the start of the invasion, the demons have destroyed nearly half of Japan, leaving the emperor and the shogunate in a panic.

The current emperor, the third generation to be in command during this invasion, is growing desperate. His army is wearing thin. By this point the daimyo have all put aside their differences in order to join forces against the Oni. As grim as the situation has become, a recent discovery may have turned the tides. The shogun's most prized samurai, Yasushi Miyoshi, combatted Oni for the first time and it was discovered that his katana was able to destroy the demons in droves. When questioned, he explained that his blade had been passed down his family line for a few generations, originating about one hundred years back. This led to the discovery that Kayou Kuso had distributed his final blades after his humiliation, and also the discovery that the blades had legendary power and abilities. When the emperor tried to relinquish Yasushi of his sword, Kouhei, he found that nobody else could even draw the blade. The swords chose their owners. With this in sight, it was determined that the power of these blades would be necessary to combat the demon invasion, and Yasushi was charged with the task of gathering the other six swords.


THE STORY

After gathering all the swords and their owners, Yasushi Miyoshi brings them all back to the emperor for their instructions. They are told the history behind the swords and their mission, which is to travel deep into the Oni territory and find a way to end the invasion and destroy the demons. This is emphasized not to be optional, and the seven owners are to be accompanied full force by a small battalion of soldiers. While they travel Japan, they will learn of the mysteries that surround their swords and the demons that stand in their way. Perhaps they will learn a bit about the emperor and shogunate too, and hopefully a bit about each other. But one thing for certain is that the road ahead is difficult and unknown. After all... nobody that has strayed north has ever returned.



I'm hoping to see if anyone has any interest in this. I've withheld some of the details intentionally, but I will answer (most) questions. Any love here?

Naruto : The Rise of The New Generations

I helped him with that sheet as well. So I think it's good. But once again, to be fair, I will let others grade it.

Naruto : The Rise of The New Generations

That's about %90 of what I post. Beautiful yet sad. XD

Naruto : The Rise of The New Generations

The Fate of Team 14

Mika Hayashi and the Fifth Mizukage

The Mizukage sat behind her desk patiently. Several files were scattered over her desk, much unlike her usual neatness. She had called for Mika Hayashi to meet with her, as she had important plans to discuss. Or rather: important plans to inform her of. There were only a few details that needed to be smoothed out, and Mika would be helpful for that. The rest was already planned. Rika let out a sigh, before rotating her chair to look out the window behind her. It was one of the foggier days, so she couldn't see the whole village. But that didn't bother her, for she appreciated the view of what she could see.

Being called to come to the Mizukage Office was something Mika did without wavering or postponning. As fast as she could, Mika went towards the building and halted her speed when she came close to it. Trying to keep calm and not overthinking what the calling could mean, Mika went inside. After reporting to the guards that she had been called, she was allowed in. But her mind decided to make her worry more. Cause did the guards let her in cause they knew that Rika had summoned her? Or did they cause it was clear that nobody in Kiri would be able to kill Rika alone? Heading towards the door of the Mizukage, Mika knocked on the door and waited for a response.

After hearing the knock, Rika turned back toward her desk. "Come in," she greeted, also grabbing one of the files on her desk. Once Mika was inside and the door closed behind her, Rika would give her a smile. "I have a few things I want to talk with you about," Rika said, plain and simple. She wasn't going to pretend this was totally casual. "Well... to start us off, how has your team been doing?" The Mizukage chuckled a bit and relaxed into her chair, still holding the file. "I heard you have already completed a mission with them. Are they doing well? Are you doing well as a sensei?"

Coming in, Mika bowed deeply as she then walked further. Sinking on a knee, she kept her head lowered. Listening, she noticed the door was closed behind her. As Rika began, Mika simply listened. Keeping her head lowered, she hoped to keep her emotions and thoughts hidden away. For once she regretted that she had been allowed to leave the ANBU. The first question was one she could answer honestly. The second however was something that she hadn't expected. At all. ''the Team is a bit disorganized. They don't share a connection and none of them is so far able to become a particpant in a Chuunin Exam. Though they show each some potential if they would be able to change a bit.'' She replied at first, before moving to the next question. ''I fear, Lady Mizukage-sama that I can't answer that. Its your opinion that matter as mine doesn't.''

"I suppose I'll be finding out myself soon enough," Rika lamented on the last question. But her smile didn't falter. "If you had to choose among your students, do any stand out?" After thinking about it for a moment, Rika realized that the questioned sounded very favoritist. "You know what? I'll cut to the chase. We have received reports this morning that two Biju have clashed at the Nagi Islands. My aim is to take control of both of them." The Mizukage paused here, so Mika would understand what she was implying about her students. "Your team will escort me and my team of sealers on a mission to obtain them tomorrow morning. I want to know as much as I can, from your perspective, on your students, for two of them will become Jinchuriki tomorrow." The smile faded now, but Rika's demeanor was still rather friendly.

So that was it? Mika's eyes widened slightly as she almost had looked up. Not her! No. Slightly, for a brief second, the right hand of Mika trembled. Knowing what fate she was going to face, Mika couldn't stop herself. ''I think... Rai and..H..Haruhi would suffice, Lady Mizukage-sama.'' Mika answered. It was clear she couldn't do anything for Haruhi. The two had managed to bond a bit and now this was going to happen? Thinking of how she could try to change this, she was sure that telling a lie wouldn't help. What if a sensor was monotering her? Telling a lie would be picked up and then Rika would see through it and Haruhi would have to face becoming a Jinchuriki alone. Running away wasn't an option either. Where would they hide? How long would they be able to stay safe? Besides, Mika couldn't run to another village. She had caused too much to leave the safety of Kirigakure. Then it became clear. She was chosen because she couldn't do anything against it. ''May I ask you a humble question, Lady Mizukage-sama?''

"Why did I choose you?" the Mizukage guessed, setting the file down and opening it. There were a few papers in it, and if one looked closely they would see the signature of the previous Mizukage on a few of them. "You are disciplined and skilled. Observant. The perfect guardian, for this purpose." Rika held up one of the papers. "Fumiyo Nagano had several reports on you. It would seem that you were in his good graces. To be there, you must obviously have the skill and mentality of a warrior. Not exactly a killer, as I noticed you took the task of being a sensei willingly. This makes you perfect for protecting our Jinchuriki. And, before you get too worried about your students..." Rika placed the paper back on the desk, before a grin formed on her face. "This mission will be performed in total secrecy. Nobody will know the identities of our Jinchuriki. They are just as likely to be you and me as... Rai and Haruhi." The grin turned into a smile now. "Did that answer your question?"

Mika looked up, pale and scared. She had been careless! For a moment, Mika didn't see the Mizukage. She saw a woman who had held her in her claws. More when she said that Haruhi would become like her. That was what she had tried to prevent. The training, no matter how bluntly, she kept trying to move Haruhi to a more brighter path. Now it was clear that she was the reason Haruhi would walk the cold path of being alone. ''What if I reject?'' Mika suddenly asked as her eyes narrowed a bit, till they were half open. Still kneeling, she no longer held her head lowered.

The Mizukage let out a sigh, before standing from her seat and turning her back to Mika. "To be blunt, I won't let you," Rika said, her voice sounding somewhat regretful. "I know this is going to be a large burden to bear, and I will do what I can to lighten it, but this is the best possible option. I have spent the past few hours analyzing potential hosts and caretakers. You would be the best to take care of them, which by extension makes your students the best hosts." The Mizukage turned around walked around her desk, now standing right in front of Mika. Despite the fact that the Mizukage wasn't all that much taller than a kneeling Mika, she still crouched slightly to make them level at the eyes. "Nobody will know Rai and Haruhi will be Jinchuriki but those who will be present at the sealing. I am taking measures to keep their identities hidden from the public for a few reasons, but to make their lives easier is one of them. The other part of making their lives easier will be your guidance. So you are required to come with me on the mission tomorrow."

Rika stood upright and leaned against the desk behind her now. "The most important part of this mission will be keeping it secret. I will have men disguised as your team at the ready to replace you when we leave. The world will know that Kirigakure has sealed two Biju, but we can make sure nobody knows who we have sealed them into. That secrecy will be your greatest weapon. Use it." Rika chuckled now, and smiled for the first time in a moment. "I can see that you are clearly nervous about this all, and that is fine. I can't expect you to be perfectly fine with my decisions. But I will tell you this once, and only once..." Her smile faded, and the compassion suddenly vanished from her green eyes. "This is happening and it is for the best of the village. Your job is to protect and train your team and the Jinchuriki, not to decide village matters. Trust me." With that surprisingly serious tone gone, Rika's smile came back. "Do not inform your students of what tomorrow's mission will be. Nor will you tell them which will become Jinchuriki once we are there. Understood?"

She wanted to say no. It would just be a matter of speed. Pulling a kunai and plunging it into the soft sin of the woman in front of her. She was shorter and maybe this was her chance. If she could use 'that' technique on the right time, then she could try to overpower Mika. The lips curled down as Rika told her what she would do. Or rather what she wouldn't do. The image of her heading home to pick up Haruhi and trying to escape Kirigakure was already in her mind.

''I will not warn them.''

A cold voice came out of Mika as she lowered her head. The reflection of what she thought before and what she wanted to do was nowhere to be seen. Even in her own mind, the image and thoughts faded away. Just like her victims had faded away when she had pulled the knife and used it. The same way she had erased her family when it was ordered.

"Good." Rika moved around her desk and sat back down. "You just need a little faith in me. We will be leaving tomorrow at dawn. I will have your doppelgangers ready so nobody will detect your departures. If I haven't made it clear enough, it is imperitive that this goes undetected. Once we are out of the village, the hard part will be over." Rika chuckled a bit with that. "You leave the sealing and the defending to me and my entourage. Your job during the mission will be to inform your team what their future will hold and explain they need to keep it all a secret. But don't tell them which ones will be sealed, for that might stir panic in them. And the last thing we need in the presence of two Biju is panic. But don't worry about your safety. That is my job. Are you mentally prepared for the mission tomorrow?" The Mizukage started organizing the scatter reports over her desk now, dragging her attention from the jonin before her.

''I will need to take preparation, but I will make sure that the team will be ready. They will be...honored to follow you on this mission.'' Mika said. The thoughts of how this would end for Haruhi caused her to grow worried. But she kept it to herself. It seemed that she could only do to help Haruhi later. For now, she was forced to follow what was commanded. But something was given birth inside Mika. It was anger towards Rika. The woman had condommened the faith of the one she vowed to protect. ''Is there anything else that you need me for, Lady Mizukage-sama?'' Mika asked.

The young woman thought about it for a moment. "After the mission, I will periodically visit the Jinchuriki to check their status myself. I expect you train them, but I will also lend a hand to it. Surely it will be appreciated in the future." Rika had her desk cleaned up and organized now, and this brought a smile to her face briefly. "I know you have many things on your mind right now. I can do nothing to relieve that," Rika said, now looking back toward Mika. "I can only tell you that everything will work out just fine. You don't need to worry about safety or scrutiny. I don't want to be so cruel as to subject children to the full extent of the hardships of a Jinchuriki. So relax for tonight. Tomorrow is where the work will be. Your biggest fear should be how your bonds will be tested. How that turns out, however, is entirely up to you." Rika let out a sigh, before opening a drawer and removing a small notebook. "You are dismissed. But remember: keep it secret."

Rising up, Mika made another bow before she walked towards the door. Opening it slowly, she stopped half way. ''I do have one thing to say, Lady Mizukage-sama.'' Mika said. She kept her back towards Rika as she continued to talk. ''The Fourth reigned over Kirigakure as a tyrant. He controlled the lives of people and even managed to cut the bonds that families had. He created a hell on this earth. What is your goal now?'' Mika turned around. ''Cause I see no difference. Fourth Mizukage.'' She said, feeling a cold shiver running down her spine as she knew what she had called Rika.

Before Mika could leave, she would feel a breeze rush past her. And if she looked down, there was now a knife to her throat held by a hand that stretched over her shoulder. There was no sound, and it was in the blink of an eye. "There are many things you can call me," the Mizukage spoke. Only her voice didn't sound normal. It was clearly Rika's, but it lacked its sweetness. It lacked the sing-songy nature. "But there are a few you can't. That is one of them. If you do that again, I will sever more than just your bonds. I am doing everything I can to right the wrongs and this is the respect I am given? I can show you hell, and I will if you ever compare me to that man again." The knife moved away as the Mizukage backed off. Rather than take a deep breath, like she usually would to calm down, she tossed the knife at the floor, embedding the blade several inches deep. "My orders are clear, even if you cannot see my purpose. One day you'll understand, and until that day you keep those comments to yourself." She left the knife in the floor as she walked back to her desk. She wasn't going to give her another dismissal now. She simply expected Mika to leave of her own volition.

Turning around, Mika stepped back into the office. Her heart was skipping beats as it was trying to get her to walk away. Her mind told her that she was digging her own grave with her action. But her emotions were telling that she was doing the right thing. Giving up on Haruhi's future, her bright future was something she couldn't do. Haruhi had came to her. She had been all alone and came to the person that had been assigned as her sensei. A sensei that showed no caring emotions or willing to become attached. It was clear to Mika that Haruhi was her second chance. Her younger sibling was dead, but Haruhi was alive. She couldn't leave Haruhi just like that. To not fight back, even if her opponent was able to kill her. Placing her left hand on her chest, Mika took a deep breath before she spoke the words.

''I think that you will be not that able, Rika Suzu. For one, I am already in hell.'' She then pounded again on her chest with her left hand. ''I have already seen the face of tyranny. Lived right underneath its stinking breath, every day of my life. If you wished for my respect, than you won't gain it with commanding me to take away 'her' future away. Else... I..'' Mika became silent.

''Else I will take the light away from the person you love the most.''

It was a blur. Rika felt everything fade away. All that there was now was her and Mika. Anger boiled her blood, and madness began to show in her eyes. The small woman shot forward, vanishing from sight from her speed. Before Mika could even act, a cut appeared across her cheek and a few strands of her hair fell to the floor. Behind her was Rika, with her left hand held like a blade with a bit of blood on the end. That was only the start. She vanished again, and this time Mika felt a jab to her ribs. Then her left leg, bringing her down. It was now apparent that this was a high speed beating. By the time it was over, Rika stood over Mika, both of her hands now bloody. "You think you know hell," she said, leaning down and grabbing the jonin by the hair. Using only one arm, surprising strength for a woman of her size, she lifted Mika up to her knees. Her face was bloody, as her nose and lips were both bleeding, as well as the cut on her cheek.

"You know pain and suffering. All of us do. But you haven't seen hell. You have to die first." The young woman brought her knee up into Mika's face, sending her back to the floor and getting blood on Rika's clothes. "I have tried to give you and Kirigakure everything. I removed Fumiyo from existence, I have given you all hope and dreams again, and I have even made some people happy. But it will never be enough, will it? There will always be something to hold against me. Something I will fail to do, in your eyes." Rika crouched down, grabbing Mika by the hair again and lifting her head just enough to expose her neck. "I cannot grant a perfect life. There is no such thing. But perfection can exist. If you ever feel the need to threaten my child again, I will not be so kind as to let you off with only a warning. You cannot expect to anger the perfect killer and walk away."

Rika let go of Mika's hair, letting her face fall to the floor. Rather quickly, she slashed her hand across the back of the jonin's left leg. "Do not test me. I only wanted to help this village. To make all your lives better. But you... people like you are trying to turn me into a monster. I can see it. The Fourth Mizukage is so ingrained into your mind that he is being projected on to me. You fail to see what I am doing for you. Right now, you can only see me as some villain, here to dictate your life. In your case: to ruin your student's life. Your blindness is not my fault, but it leaves me with a problem. Let me let you in on a little secret..." The Mizukage stood up now, before giving another sharp kick to Mika's ribs. "When I first became Mizukage, I strongly considered executing the whole lot of you. Those of you that were faithful to Fumiyo. But something inside me wouldn't let me. You were all just as much of a victim as the others. It would be cruel to kill you simply for doing what you had to so Fumiyo wouldn't kill you. So tell me, Mika Hayashi..."

The Mizukage removed the knife from the wooden floor and held it next to Mika's eye. "Was I right in doing so? Or was I mistaken?"

The woman breathed heavily. She had tried to defend herself. Not fighting for her own life, but to try to escape. To escape to tell Haruhi to run. But she wasn't able. Opening her right eye, she stared at the knife. Pain was everywhere on her body, but she wasn't heavily wounded. Cuts were everywhere, but she wasn't bleeding to death. It surprised Mika as she had wanted to die. Her resolve was to lure Rika in killing her. She could have died, like she deserved while trying to come up for Haruhi's rights. Her future. Wanting to tell Rika to end it, to give her that hell then or spitting the blood in her face, Mika kept on breathing heavily. Even breathing was painful. The little creature of hatred that had been given birth earlier, growled and wanted her to do what she had in mind. What she was thinking of.

''I... don't know...'' Mika answered. Her voice sounded soft, while the woman wanted to scream back. Coughing, Mika's right arm trembled. She wanted to fight. Wanting to die, knowing that she had fought for Haruhi. But she couldn't. Her arm was able to move, but she was held back by something. Realization dawned upon Mika. She was afraid. A coward that clinged to life a the last moment. ''Haru...Haruh...'' Mika tried to say something, but she felt that each letter was like a punch.

The knife slowly moved away from Mika's face. The Mizukage continued to stare her down, the mad look still in her eyes. "You don't know, huh?" she said, her voice containing a hint of sarcasm behind the anger. "You want to die. You can feel the weight of your crimes. What you've had to do. I know, Mika Hayashi, how you killed your family on his orders. I know all the other things, too. You feel that you deserve to die. Or at any rate, you want redemption, and death is the easiest way to get it, isn't it?" Rika placed the blade against the small of Mika's neck, but did not press down or harm her with it. "That does make sense. To pay the ultimate price for what you believe in. You weren't born to be a murderous bitch. You were trained to be one, molded by my predecessor to be his tool."

The knife began to slowly crawl down Mika's neck now. "Your training had never prepared you for accepting the consequences of your actions because it was simply do or die. Now that the man that had you imprisoned is gone, you don't know what to do. You're scared. And you have now found solace in your new team. Specifically Haruhi by the sound of it." The knife twisted now, and was being dragged across her neck, still not breaking skin. "So let me tell you something. After everything I have been through, I too have found something to find solace in. You and I were raised in the same world, Hayashi. Only there were a few differences. And in the end, I had it worse."

The blade was right over her jugular now. "When it comes to death, neither of us are green. We have killed to survive, simply as that. In my young life, I had gotten good. I killed for the first time when I was five years old. It only got easier after that. Five years old. That sounds crazy, doesn't it? You have to wonder what something like that would do to a little girl over time." The Mizukage removed the knife from Mika now and stood up. "Haruhi doesn't have to suffer our fate. In comparison, she will have a much easier life. She has a sensei that cares for her and a village that will protect her. Two things I wasn't granted growing up, and you the same. So you count your blessings, Mika. If you ever dare to challenge me like that again, if you ever dare to threaten my son again, I will not only kill you slowly and painfully, but I will remove those two things from Haruhi's life. Am I clear?" Her eyes were burning with hatred now, and she looked out the window of the office for a moment. "You are allowed to hate me, but you are no longer allowed to defy me."

With Rika moving away from her, Mika managed to get slowly up. As she managed to muster some strength and courage with the woman away from her. Coughing, Mika felt the metalic taste of blood in her mouth. Slowly Mika struggled to get up. And she managed to get up. Blood dripped on the floor as Mika performed a bow. A deep one, seeing her own blood on the ground. ''Ye-Yes...Mizukage..sama.'' Mika whispered. She couldn't say it louder. Her voice was shaken and hushed, as the pain was still there, present in every cell of her body that had been hit by the woman. Slowly, Mika walked away, not looking at anybody. She was sure that most ANBU knew that something had been going on in Rika's office. Only nobody had came to her aid. And Mika would be surprised if somebody had.

After Mika was gone, the Mizukage looked at the floor where she was. There was blood all over it. Not a substantial amount, but enough to leave an impression. She stared at the floor silently for a few moments, before suddenly something changed in her. Her eyes seemed to change to something more sad and regretful. The hatred was gone, just like that. She let out a sigh, before tossing the knife onto her desk and sitting on the floor herself. It was quiet. Suddenly, Rika let out a loud shout of frustration and jumped to her feet, kicking her desk. This made a loud crashing noise as it fell over from the blow and the drawers fell out. Almost immediately, the door opened and an ANBU entered. "Lady Mizukage," he said, sounding somewhat worried. Without looking, she pointed at the blood on the ground. If anything, it seemed like she was trying her hardest not to look at the blood. "Get that cleaned up, immediately. And get me a new set of clean robes. Now!"

The man quickly bowed and left the room, leaving the door open as he left. Still averting her eyes from the mess, Rika looked at the blood on her hands. So it finally happened, she thought, staring at Mika's blood. I have hurt someone that didn't deserve it. It finally happened. She heard a noise behind her, and upon turning around found that two ANBU were scrubbing the floor. It seemed they wasted no time, and didn't even get a janitor to do it. "I want..." Rika tried to command, but her voice cracked and she paused to clear her throat. "I want the floor spotless. From now on, I will always have an ANBU stationed inside the office when I have a meeting, unless instructed otherwise." She looked away again, out the window. It seemed that the fog had grown thicker since the last time, and she couldn't hardly see a thing. It was almost as if Kirigakure wasn't there.

Naruto : The Rise of The New Generations

Kira Sami

After Rini responded to the question, Kira let out a sigh and began to rub her temple. I don't know who is worse, she thought, looking over at the girl from the corner of her eyes. The klutz or the punk. She also glanced over at Sho a moment, before looking back at Ryoku to hear his reaction to their responses. Which wasn't surprising to her in the least. As the party moved to the new training field, Kira kept silent but matched her pace with her sensei. Once there, Kira removed her outer clothes and her hat, which revealed the multitudes of weapons she had underneath. A warm-up? Simple, she thought, before Sho opened his mouth. Though he wasn't talking to Kira, his words made the teenage girl scowl. He needs to be slapped. After sparing Rini another glance, Kira let out a sigh and looked around. There were others here. Not that she was nervous of being watched, but she was curious as to why they had an audience. Not particularly waiting for any signal to start running, Kira began a light jog. She elected not to remove any of her weapons, since she figured it would be more reasonable to keep them. Though she was not running anywhere close to full speed, she actually had a hidden goal in the back of her mind. In her subconscious, she wanted to beat Sho.

Naruto : The Rise of The New Generations

I'm not going to grade his CS because I actually helped him make it. And he isn't lying, I forced him to read the history of Kirigakure and was the one to suggest he make the transition 30 years prior. Just throwing that out there.