Hyakune, Kyoko and Tsūretsu, Shinmyōko
Mizukage's Office - Early Afternoon
A Collab between Tuujaimaa and yoshua171
Kyoko's time in Kirigakure had, regrettably, mostly been spent affirming her temporary position as acting Mizukage and dealing with the various problems plaguing the Land of Water as best as she could - which had become increasingly difficult with the other factions seeming to not only oppose her claim but oppose her efforts to restore order. Initially she had considered the other factions to simply be floundering, glorified looters taking what resources and purpose they could from the ailing Mist, but the longer she looked at the various actions and consequences that each of the factions created the more she was convinced that such simple motivations were not sufficient to explain the various goings-on.
Staunch allies were a rarity in the Land of Water, especially for the leader of the faction with the least legitimate claim to power, but Kyoko had invited a promising lead (in the form of Shinmyōko) to her office in the hopes of gaining both legitimacy and an increased scope and breadth of influence. Kyoko was well aware of the games and the sub-games of politics that were happening beneath the tumultuous surface, and she owed it to the duty that she had undertaken to play along until such a point as the nation's troubles were fixed or that she found a worthy successor to the previous Mizukage.
Still, even amidst the political turmoil and the nationwide strife, Kyoko's mind could not help but ask questions - Who had killed the Mizukage, and for what purpose? Who was "Tenjin, Shingen" and was he even a real person - or was he a front, an elaborate amalgamation of individuals or guises to manipulate an entire faction? Rumours had also begun circulating of an upcoming claimant with the power of Boil release, one of the rare Kekkei Genkai in the Land of Water - and more rumours, barely legible, waiting for their surfaces to be scratched. In the current climate, Kyoko's network of spies was effective on the surface levels, but the information of the underworld was not something she could easily obtain while her duty bound her to the position of leader. Questions beget questions, and very soon Kyoko was so focused on what she could and could not see that she almost forgot that she had arranged for a visitor.
Her eyes roving over the village in its rather worrisome condition, Shinmyōko had a frown on her face, brows knitted together with worry in her eyes quite present. She couldn't help, but chew on the corner of her lip slightly looking at how the death of the Mizukage and the resulting civil unrest, if not outright war, was effecting the civilian population.
It disturbed her deeply yet still she could not look away. So much suffering all because no one agreed on who should be in power. Perhaps that was why she had sided with Kyoko, despite the woman having no real ties to her home. There was a certain air about the woman, despite the things she often overheard others say, she knew that Kyoko was compassionate in her own way.
She wished others could see it as clearly as she could.
The thoughts fleeing her as she arrived before the the former Mizukage's office, now made Kyoko's till another was chosen, she raised her hand. Taking a moment to compose herself, she then let her fist hit the door twice, eliciting a knocking sound from the wood. She hoped Kyoko remembered that she had called for her.
When Kyoko heard the knock resounding through the wood of the door she was brought back to this reality, her consciousness slipping back from the realm of thought that it had resided in. Daydreams were often not considered complex enough for them to be considered what Kyoko had when she was lost in thought.
"Enter."She did not need to waste words on one who was already invited, and though she may have been more cordial to a visitor whose presence had not been planned, the bare bones were enough at this stage. She would have many words to speak very soon, and wasting precious time and precious breath on superfluous greetings for the sake of promoting ease and civility amongst an uncivilised crowd was something that she, in truth, would rather leave to those who would don the title of ambassador.
In response Shinmyō gently pushed the door open with the palm of her hand, turning so as to guide it closed quietly before she laid her gaze on the stand-in kage. She bowed her head respectfully, then let it rise once more, a small weak smile on her lips as she did. Kyoko would have learned by now that while the woman was certainly dependable, she had her own issues to work through, one of which was her shy, rather submissive nature.
"Greetings Hyakune-sama," she stated respectfully, her voice level, if not a bit quiet.
"What is it you require of me," she asked, a small smile lifting the edges of her lips further. The thought of being helpful to someone was one that brought her a sense of joy and fullfillment.
She awaited the woman's words, breath baited.
"I am sure I do not have to explain to you the myriad issues in which the Hidden Mist, and we as individuals, find ourselves in. We are beset from all sides, internally and externally, and should any of the other villages deem us weak enough to conquer I do not have faith that we will be able to repel them given the division of thought Kirigakure's would-be leaders seem to have. If you did not know, I have secured the aid of Kyokujitsu no Tochi for the time being, and they will help us keep the peace and feed the people until such a point as the Mist has a single leader and order can fully be restored." Kyoko started, bowing her head as a show of mutual respect as she began her speech. After she had finished, she stood and turned around in order to access the veritable mountain of neatly ordered and stacked paperwork behind her desk. It would be easy to assume that Kyoko had done it all, but it lacked a certain complexity that Kyoko seemed to emanate from every pore - it was the work of her temporary bodyguard, chief of police, and apparently desk monkey Akaritori.
Taking one of the sheets of paper from a tray labeled "War Efforts", Kyoko pulled a file identical to the one that she had shown Mitsunari and handed it to Shinmyōko. It would crumble to ash as soon as it left her chakra aura, but it would provide enough information for the purposes of the conversation, even if Kyoko had no intention of letting her invitee leave the room with any conscious knowledge of what she had read.
"I am... Concerned that many will see this as a conscription of Kyokujitsu no Tochi's forces and a play for power. For this reason, I have dispatched the agents to the most troublesome areas of the Land of Water in order to provide as much direct aid as humanly possible. As a native, I am able to ask you to perform duties that do not fall into their purview and that may be more... Delicate. You are aware of the nature and hierarchy of the faction calling themselves the "People's Brotherhood", yes?" Kyoko asked, not directly looking at Shinmyōko as her eyes were clearly fixed upon a stack of papers on her desk. She did have information to be absorbing from Akaritori's reports, and the lack of direct eye contact was something that she was conscious would aid in her diminutive assistant's apparent lack of self-confidence.
Simply nodding in response to Kyoko's words, Shinmyōko glanced at the papers and then delicately took them from the woman, glancing down at them, her brow furrowing slightly despite her smile not disappearing. She was not so sure she needed to look them over, but nonetheless she opened them and skimmed a little before turning her attention back to Kyoko as was required.
"Yes, I've...seen some of theirs here and there. I wasn't seeking them though, it's just hard to avoid on patrols is all," there was a nervous tone in her voice and body language, so much so that she had decided to take a step or two towards Kyoko and set the papers back on her desk, smiling demurely as she did so.
"I think whatever you tell me will be plenty for whatever is required of me lady Hyakune. That is...if I may be frank. I probably should have asked first," a nervous, quiet laugh followed her last statement.
"They are my, and I suppose by extension your, highest priority at the moment. As the most developed of the opposing factions, I would have them see sense and stand down or be forcefully cowed into submission... Unfortunately, that is a nigh impossible task given that none of their leadership seem to act openly. They are a glorified secret society, and secrets are weapons on the battlefield. They may never fight with blades or chakra, but they will claim many lives with their willful ignorance or their incessant need for power that they fail to realise we do not currently possess. My task to you is simple - discover the names of the lieutenants of the Hidden Brotherhood and deliver them to me. While I ask that you do not directly harm the leaders themselves, I do not expect you to show restraint against those who would harm you, or to keep mooks alive for the sake of a mercy they do not possess. War is hell, and while our efforts are for peace, we must undermine our principles to fight on identical levels. It is a sad truth, but such is the nature of war, and that is why we must end it as swiftly and decisively as possible." Kyoko replied, softening her own voice in order to meet Shinmyōko's ambient level of noise.
After finishing, Kyoko took a glass vial from a drawer in her desk, as well as a kunai, and placed them on the table. She would not illuminate their purpose immediately, but would wait for Shinmyōko to reply - after which she would likely question their purpose regardless.
Nodding in what would be seen as an enthusiastic fashion to anyone who knew Shinmyōko, the woman responded only once Kyoko had finished speaking, her eyes being drawn to the items on the desk as before they locked onto Kyoko again.
"Very well, I will do my utmost to obtain their names Hyakune-sama," her tone was more cheery now, but was also mixed with a certain determination, one begotten from intense loyalty and a will to do her utmost.
Glancing back to the kunai and vial, Shinmyōko tilted her head to the side slightly,
"What are those for, Hyakune-sama?" Her tone was inquisitive and not the least bit worried.
"I have in my possession a powerful technique that will allow me to summon you to my side if you are in danger or if I urgently require you. This technique requires a small offering of blood, akin to a summoning technique, and I would have you donate your blood for this cause. If you have no skill in Fuuinjutsu you will be required to cut yourself, but if you are skilled in the sealing arts I can give you a seal that will allow for the blood to be extracted painlessly and without breaking the skin." Kyoko replied, still soft but as matter-of-fact as was necessary when asking someone to offer their blood.
Listening intently, her curiousity quickly being sated, Shinmyōko gave Kyoko a bit of an exasperated smile,
"Infortunately I'll have to use the kunai ma'am, but I'd be glad to do so. It seems like a helpful tool for both of us," as she said it she relaxed somewhat, smiling brightly before she reached for the kunai and vial.
"This'll take just a sec," she said, looking Kyoko in the eye. She then turned her attention to the back of her hand and pricked herself twice in the same spot before turning her hand and letting the small amount of blood to tricke down and into the vial. After several drops had entered the vial she preformed several handseals and channeled chakra to the tiny wound to help direct heat to it as well as amplify her healing factor enough to close the wounds, though it worked only for a moment.
With the scab formed she handed the vial to Kyoko, giving her a close eyed smile as she did so. When she took it, she'd happily chime,
"There you go ma'am, anything else?""Ah, I will require the vial be filled, I am afraid - preparation is key, and it would not do to lose both a valuable ally and an individual with a heart like yours. I assure you that I am doing this for your protection and to preserve my efforts, not for malignant purposes that do lend themselves to the idea of giving blood to another." Came the reply, her voice slightly harsher but still soft enough to give the impression of genuine warmth. It was a slightly macabre fashion of protecting those under her employ, but it was the most effective way she could think of.
"One more thing - With your permission, I would perform a genjutsu on you that will make you forget the contents of the report you read until you are next in my presence. It contains valuable information that I do not wish to leave this office, and it may well be the thing that saves your life should someone attempt to interrogate you before I am able to call you to my side."Rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, Shinmyōko nodded and drew the kunai and vial back to herself. She opened the small wound again, this time slightly larger, wincing a bit as she did so. She began filling the vial while Kyoko spoke. By the time the woman had finished, the vial was full and Shinmyōko produced some bandages to wrap her hand in after giving Kyoko the vial.
"If it suits you, of course," she said, a slightly distracted tone in her voice as she wrapped her hand in the bandage. Nonetheless, she had fully understood Kyoko's words.
"Better safe than sorry, after all," she finished, her bandage secured around her hand. She smiled at Kyoko and waited.
Kyoko nodded, and performed her Shosai no Kogeru technique as directed. Of course, she would also have to suppress the memory of Shinmyōko agreeing to the technique, but it would not be particularly effective to leave that memory unsupressed.
"One last thing - Mitsunari is also on the same mission that you are. That said, I do not want you to interact with him at all. Be diligent, and avoid contact if possible. You are free to make any excuses you like and as long as I am informed I will verify them. If he does not know you are on the mission, it will help him not reveal any more information than is necessary should he slip up - and being the legendary narcissist that he is, I expect a certain degree of failure."As the genjutsu occurred she felt a wave of confusion hit her and suddenly she wondered what they had been talking about, and if they had been talking. Some of it she could remember, but everything else was a haze. Then the haze was gone and she wasn't even sure what she'd thinking about. As Kyoko began to talk, Shinmyōko used her voice to anchor herself, while simultaneously wondering why she felt so disoriented.
In response she nodded and responded with a swift and dutiful,
"Very well!""Not all people react well to giving blood - are you quite alright?" Kyoko asked, though immediately afterwards she stood and walked over to her guest.
"Perhaps a spell in the infirmary would do you some good? You can rest briefly and then embark on your mission."Feeling a bit dizzy she noticed the bandages on her hand and the faint throbbing sensation of having a wound. It was a small one though, she knew...despite not remembering how she'd gotten it.
"I...yes, thank you Hyakune-sama, I'll go get looked at before I head out for my mission. Thank you," she smiled a bit uncertainly before turning and exiting the room, heading for the infirmary.
Why couldn't she remember where she'd gotten the wound?
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