Form and Void [private]

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke was in a frustrating predicament. While Mikaboshi was considered by most of his peers to be the enemy, Sousuke was on the other end of knowing why Mikaboshi was the way he was. The Ancient of the Shadow Court had been for a lack of better term screwed by humanity. He remembered the images and the scenario he was given by the First Shadow. Sousuke was indeed sorry for what had occured. He did not agree with what the Sunahoshi at that time had done. He would still have to fight him eventually when it came down to the Daimyo being destroyed. Granted at the rate things were going it would take some time. Sousuke had been working with trading groups in Wind. He had to put Sand back on the board.

Roku had asked him to brand Michi, or the former Fuu as a criminal. Sousuke had yet to act on that. He never did answer Roku. That was an active choice he was making at this time, and still was. Again Mikaboshi could have seen this as another breach of contract. Unfortunately given the precedent of the explosion in the new residential zone, Sousuke was taking the approach of not anger the man who could very well burn the whole thing down. At the same time he had to balance that with keeping his sennin's opinions and actions towards each other in a very cordial manner. Roku didn't trust Kazuki. Kazuki didn't trust and despised Mikaboshi, who was also despised by Roku. Kuro on the other hand was making friends with people Roku didn't trust, and Kuro also had a great and profound faith in Mikaboshi to become something quite remarkable.

Sousuke sat alone in the darkness of his office. He was doing the one thing he rarely did. Drink alcohol. It was something that occurred maybe three or four times a year? He was drinking cold cider. He enjoyed the cold sugary drink. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He rubbed his eyes. He had lots of questions on his mind. Unfortunately the one who he had to answer them was, well on his own schedule.

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]It was late in the Kazekage Tower and most of the staff had gone home by then so there had been no one to stop him from entering the building except for the night security which, while trained shinobi, were certainly not the caliber of personnel which could keep out an agent like Katsuo armed as he was with the various elusive techniques that Mikaboshi knew. With their memories fused in the way that they were, Katsuo could access a great deal of Mikaboshi's skills but he still hadn't quite figured out the trick that the Deep Lord used to phase from shadow to shadow. Perhaps he'd never truly figure it out.

Originally Katsuo had thought to go by the house where he'd been staying with Sousuke and Naganisa but in the memory of the time he was possessed by Mikaboshi he knew that particular home had been burned to the ground by the unleashed anger of the ancient spirit. It was unfortunate too, Katsuo had really liked that place. He also knew that Mikaboshi had been responsible for the destruction of Sousuke home away from home-- an apartment he had in the residential district which left the Kazekage really only one or two places he could be staying. He assumed that Sousuke had warned his family about the threat presented by Mikaboshi wearing Katsuo's flesh and he hadn't wanted to upset them by randomly swinging by their home looking for Sousuke so instead he'd decided to start with the Kazekage Tower and see if he could pick up the Kazekage's trail there and fortunately enough found the person he'd been looking for in the first place but sadly not in a state that he'd have preferred. Sitting alone at his desk in the dark, Sousuke's office smelled of uncorked alcohol which meant he'd been at it for a bit already. Rapping his knuckle on the door jam as he leaned in the door-way, Katsuo looked in at him.

"I hope you saved some of that stuff for me."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke's mind ran through various calculations, endgame potentials, cataclysmic events. For the time being he was in his mind palace, which was a very ... quiet place. It was a place where there was nothing but steel structures, tall ones, that some of them had impossible shapes. It was a cold place, being that there was nothing but steel structures. No living people were there, just Sousuke lying on the ground staring into the great darkness above, there were stars up above but they were not the stars of the normal sky. Constellations present were of things in the past, events, people, so on and so forth.

"I hope you saved some of that stuff for me."<i></i>​

Sousuke see something odd to his left, Katuso was in the mind palace? No. No. That was... Sousuke would open his eyes and find himself back in his office. His mental focus was broken. His eyes blinked several times as he had somewhat snapped back into focus. It seemed that he was in a daze, in this daze he said nothing at first. He simply reached forward and obtained another glass and poured Katuso an equally, if not taller glass of cold cider. He would push the glass forward and remain speechless. He was not expecting Katuso. No he was ... not expecting Katuso at all. This... Katuso was dead the last time he checked. Mikaboshi was adamant about having rammed his fist through Katuso's great and mighty heart, taking him away from ... from this earth. For a moment, Sousuke's eyes seem to glaze over as if he was about to have a major break down of an emotional sort. Yet he seemed to hold together, but in fact further constrained his emotions.

Despite having drank earlier, Katuso could see the odd expressions form and form time again on Sousuke's face. Several forms of confusion really as his mind rapidly proceeded through various theories. The ones he did arrive to were of a pessimistic sort. He raised his hands and seemed to want to talk it out, but he didn't. He was still going through various concepts. "If this is Katuso ... proper ... we really do have an odd habit of... finding each other at the wrong times. I should be better than this. Unfortunately I cannot quite seem to ... reach the gold standard that you are in of all things."<i></i> He finally stated, he made a ringing motion with his hand. "There is a high chance that this is a genjutsu ... or I've become subjected to a neuro-toxin that Naganisa is capable of. Both probable, but I like to think I'm stronger than that."<i></i> He would take a moment to process and dispel that concept, which he had indeed accomplished. "Okay so not a genjutsu, course you would be able to snap out of one faster than I ever would."<i></i> His eyes would look up now. He was considering now the neurotoxins. "Naganisa employing neurotoxins do take quite a bit of time for set up. To achieve their proper state of functionality one would need to be in her presence, for some time which I have not been. She could have been running into me all day in the form of a henge - but she does not strike me as the type of that kind of approach."<i></i> Sousuke then merely tapped his fingers together now. His expression further seemed to descend into a confused state. He just couldn't seem to accept the mere fact that who was before him, it was indeed Katuso. Perhaps it was because Sousuke had become such a pessimist, or perhaps he was very much a broken individual in more ways than one. "There is an answer to this, but a very complicated one that has yet to dawn upon me. I mean ... even I cannot really quantify the how considering your skin tone is not pale, or the fact that you are whole for the most part or lacking wings."<i></i>

From that Sousuke's expression did not really frown he seemed to ... be at odd with himself. He seemed like a child who was told something by a parent that should not be shared to the other parent in question. No. It was more like, I'm going to tell you a secret, but don't tell this other person. Sousuke seemed to be at odds with himself though as he proceeded to tap his fingers on the desk. "Naganisa said something to me from a while ago. It was ... uh ... very odd. While the two of you were in my house, she mentioned something about doing something with the spatulas in my kitchen. I really don't know what you did, and I don't want to know - but at least tell me you replaced them ... or threw them out? Please tell me you did not just like clean them, even if you were using the most powerful cleaning solution known to mankind and womankind?"<i></i> Sousuke would then give Katuso a very ... serious look. He really hoped Katuso had sense enough to do that. "You also realize that ... she is quite a bit older than you? I thought that Shuu was a little old for you, but still workable. Naganisa is like ... maybe the minimum of like ten years older than you? That woman, Naganisa, is extremely difficult to date. I don't know if it is because of how she acts, or merely her features. She acts likes like a woman more than half her age. I don't get it. I really don't ... can you explain that one for me?"<i></i> It was then his eyes veered left, then right. "She isn't with you at this exact moment? She ... despite her size almost choked me once and caused my ears to ring because she was screaming in my face."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]"Yeah, it's actually me." Katsuo said as Sousuke finished seemingly talking to himself. It made sense that Sousuke would have some trouble processing the whole thing-- Mikaboshi's bid to destabilize Sousuke's frame of mind seemed to have worked to some level.

Pushing off from the door jam, Katsuo entered the room and raised his fingers towards the bottle that sat upon the desk in front of Sousuke which shook for a moment as the air around it wobbled slightly with the manipulation of magnetic force that was tugging upon it. Slowly the bottle lifted off as Katsuo reached the half-way point in the room and then flew over to his waiting fingers with impressive speed at which point he caught it and spun the bottle to look at the label. Making a scowling face, Katsuo stuck his tongue out slightly as he reached Sousuke's desk and sat the bottle back down, sending it solidly sliding back over to the Kazekage's side of the desk with another pulse of magnetic chakra.

"Nevermind, I don't know why you like that stuff." He commented before reaching into his coat and fishing out a silver hip flash and unscrewing the cap to take a swig. "I like candy as much as the next guy but sugar and booze don't mix, you know?"

The feeling of the alcohol hitting his tongue from the flask was immediately hot as it burned his mouth and throat as it passed by to his stomach. The taste, if one could call it that, which lingered afterwards was powerfully aromatic and that was how Katsuo preferred it. He wasn't a heavy drinker but the sensation that strong spirits left behind after downing a sample was always welcome. Placing his flask down on the desk, Katsuo reached behind him and grabbed one of the chairs which were present on the other side of Sousuke's desk and swiveled it around to sit on it backwards, leaning forward on it. Sousuke asked about Naganisa and Katsuo's expression darkened slightly. He had a lot of affection for Naganisa, perhaps not in the same way that she had for him, but certainly she was close to his heart in one way or another.

"Naganisa is... well. You know her story already. She's someone who was robbed of her childhood and most of who she was by the worst sort of men. They destroyed her and rebuilt her to be what they wanted from her and that was a woman who cared only about two things; sex and violence and not always in that order." He explained. They were working on both of those things. For the first time in her life in a very long time Naganisa was in a relationship-- sexual or otherwise --of her own choosing. Katsuo never forced himself upon her and never required anything from her. She gave herself because she wanted to and Katsuo was never the type of man to turn down someone was attractive as she was, even for her age. And as for the violence, she was putting her skills and powers to use for a good cause now. She was not a shinobi of Sunagakure but she did her best to safeguard the city as she could without those trappings of professional training. Katsuo was teaching her to control herself and her power in much the same way that his master had once taught him and so far it was taking root. At least, he hoped so. Cracking a smile, Katsuo shook his head and took another pass at his flask. "As for the spatula thing, you know she was just teasing you right? She only picks on you because you make it so easy."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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[Takahashi Aki]

"Sugar? Yes. Alcoholic? Yes."<i></i> Sousuke agreed to the both of those. Cider was very much a sugary drink. The concept of it being candy? Maybe not so much. Sousuke's brows seemed to lower a bit. "I do not think the description of it being Candy is ... a working concept. It's not like those beans that are of the hardened jelly sort. Even then that candy is more of the ... ... ..."<i></i> It seemed very much like a childish thing to argue about. In that Sousuke decided not to peruse the matter further. He just did not seem to agree with Katuo's comment, it wasn't like he was drinking jellied beans. "I never really liked candy when I was young. I tended to ... stick to my greens really. ... Lord Akamichi Nobu, you remember him, he seems to think it a good idea to introduce me to a number of drinks of varying sorts. He's ... I'm not sure how he stands considering the amount of alcohol he drinks usually. Suffice to say ... most of the things he has had me try I don't like. This is one of the few exceptions."<i></i> Sousuke explained, "I leave most of the socializing things to him, but sometimes I do need to show up. I don't know how you do it - or make it look so easy."<i></i>

He watched as Katsuo did remove a flask and drink from it. Sousuke looked on slightly surprised. Did he? He did. That was something different. "For a very long time I did not think you had anything in common with grandmother, but now I see that is no longer the case."<i></i> Sousuke knew Katuso had met his father, and his mother. He wasn't sure if he had met his grandmother yet ... who did looked very much like an older version of his mother. It was slightly uncanny really. "Do you need me to fill that? ... Lord Nobu has a habit of consistently sending me more and more alcohol ... and most of it just gathers dust. I suppose it's a collection of sorts really. I considered doing an auction but it might be disrespectful. Would it?"<i></i> Sousuke asked Katuso. Sousuke was smart yes, but not wise. Wisdom came with age, and Sousuke would openly admit he lacked wisdom.

Now then. To Naganisa. Sousuke would frown, yes he knew her story. Would he try and fix it if he could? Yes. The frightening concept though is the number of things Sousuke would fix if he could create a machine to allow for one to travel into the past. That of course led to bigger issues. Several writers had spoken and advised not to do so, if ever given the chance. Sousuke's face would sink further as Katuso explained she was teasing him about the whole spatula thing. "Teasing? No. Not in the slightest. It's kind of hard not to take it seriously when the two of you start ... kissing passionately in front of me as I'm trying to bandage my fingers tips..."<i></i> Speaking of that he looked to his finger tips which of course were perfectly fine. "Why would she tease me? I've been honest and ... forthright with everything she's ever asked me. I would not lie to her. I have no need or desire to. Why would it be easy? How is it easy?"<i></i> Sousuke would pause about this for a moment.

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]He considered his flask for a moment, swirling around the contents within slightly. He couldn't remember what kind of alcohol it actually was-- some type of whiskey, I supposed from the taste of it but he was no expert --he'd pilfered it from one of the various bottles in Sousuke's collection to begin with without any particular notice paid to what it was. He wasn't a connoisseur where alcohol was concerned he just knew that he liked particularly strong drinks and this one had smelled strongly enough for his tastes.

"I have no idea what this even is. I remember filling it out of your collection originally." It had been a long time. "Uh, green bottle, I think?"

He drained the small remainder of the amber liquid inside and felt it burn it's way down his throat in a painful but also sort of comforting way. He was no where near getting drunk as Katsuo had long since passed a point where his body metabolized things like alcohol fast enough where it was near impossible for him to get functionally drunk but he enjoyed the sensation for what it was for as long as it lasted. It would be out of his system in an hour, tops. One of the downsides to being trained in the arts that he was that he could not enjoy some things in the same way that normal people might for the way his body was different from theirs.

"Fingers?" He blinked, seemingly not remembering the event that Sousuke was referring to. It took him a few moments and the memories of the night he'd brought Naganisa home from the hospital came back to him. It surprised him to realize how much time had passed between then and the present. "We weren't doing anything in the kitchen but looking to make some food and to be fair you walked in on us."

He laughed genuinely and it felt good to be full of that feeling again. It felt like stretching his legs after being cramped up in a wagon or coach for too long. He could feel Mikaboshi's presence shift around slightly as Katsuo thought to the fact that he'd been possessed by the ancient creature for a long period of time and understood why such feelings might make the ancient feel a little uncomfortable. Katsuo knew that Mikaboshi was still trying to understand why the recently freed Sunahoshi hadn't simply destroyed him with the fragment of Shoki that he wielded and Katsuo was willing to let him stew on it for a while. It might do him some good, Katsuo thought. Sousuke's naive question about being teased brought Katsuo back causing him to realize that he'd spaced out a little there for a moment thinking inwardly about Mikaboshi's presence in the back of his mind.

"Well, you know. People tease the people they care about. It's, uh. It's a method of endearment, I guess." Katsuo struggled to explain as he lightly scratched at his cheek with an index finger. He'd forgotten how socially inept Sousuke was. He took Naganisa seriously because he didn't know it could be any other way. "You take everything too seriously is what I'm saying. Sometimes people say things to get a reaction so you can laugh about it together."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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[Takahashi Aki]

Katuso had seem to forgot about the whole incident, or rather he remembered parts of it. Sousuke opened his mouth and was about to remind him why he was bandaging his finger tips. Sousuke's memory was nearly photographic, and Katuso's? Maybe not? Katuso had more important things to remember. It took that Sunahoshi a moment and Sousuke watched as Katuso did manage to put everything together. "I walked in on you?"<i></i> He questioned Katuso. "Yes... I did but how was I suppose to know that you were going to show up with Naganisa no less. You came and went as you pleased, yes, but that was the first time you ever brought company into the house. Let alone a woman wearing ... more or less ... no... no... she was wearing a bed sheet. The day after you loaned her some clothes."<i></i> Sousuke was ... not quite sure really what to do with her at times. She was a former terrorist who ... well, given her mental imbalances, Sousuke did not really put it past her to snap, and he in turn would have to respond in kind. Thankfully that did not occur. She did show and perhaps would continue to show a very strange and dangerous outward sense of self.

Sousuke would take Katuso's flask for a moment and disappear into a part of his office that just opened up as he approached it. Sousuke's office had all sorts of hidden panels. He listened to Katsuo explain the nature of teasing. The smaller man didn't seem to accept what Katuso was proposing. "I don't know really. I can tell you I certainly don't like the concept of being teased."<i></i> Sousuke never quite got the concept of it, and Katuso would indeed try his best to describe it. Sousuke would return a moment later and would return Katuso's flask to him, this time it was quite full. Sousuke blinked as he suggested that there was some form of endearment between Naganisa and himself. He blinked again, and looked like a lost child. "Highly improbable."<i></i> He stated at first. Did Sousuke have any good relations with the former members of the Cabal? Well. Katio and Sousuke still argued semantics and argued over several other things. Katio often poked at him with various remarks, and Sousuke poked at him equally as hard. He did not consider himself to even really be friends with Naganisa. Really, she scared him most of the time. Mainly because of how she acted and ... how she just knew things that bothered him. He would admit this to Katuso. "She is perhaps one of the more terrifying women I've met. Can't say I have a ... proper course of action when ... interacting with her."<i></i>

Sousuke thought about it when Katuso told him that he took things too seriously. "Someone has to take things seriously. Life is a very limited amount of time that ... ... that just is. I've tried to spend in part of my time ... outside of my job as Kazekage, trying to be a superior version of myself. I guess I still have a long way to go in trying to be bettered humor."<i></i> Sousuke returned to his desk and picked up his glass and drank from it. He tapped his fingers on the glass of cold cider. He seemed to be trying to find the words to ask a question, "I bet she's quite happy you're back, and she of all people deserves that. ... When I ask this question, don't think ill of it. Your intentions are to marry he? Marriage for people like us is ... something we do to make ourselves happy, or do we do it to secure a better state of affairs of the place we live in? I've been told that if we do it to make happiness for ourselves, that ... that it in itself is selfish because we need to put what we want aside from the betterment of the people. Political marriages lead to trade, which opens up many things."<i></i> Sousuke would then look to Katuso. Perhaps it never dawned upon him such a concept. He was indeed the last Sunahoshi. That name still held quite a bit of power. As did the name Takahashi. "I'm not saying don't marry her or anything of the like. I just ... I'm not a wise person Katuso but you are. It's something I need to consider in the future."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]Sousuke asked him about Naganisa and their future together and Katsuo's expression darkened a little. The future had been foremost on Katsuo's mind since returning from captivity within his own heart but not in the way of considering marriage or romantic prospects. When the Cabal had occupation had ended Katsuo's first thoughts had turned to how poorly managed the engagement had been. If they'd intended to destroy Sunagakure, they could have done so at any time without needing to drag things out into an occupation scenario so that was unlikely and after having met Kaito in person Katsuo had been even more confident of that assessment as it put aside the possibility that their leadership was simply foolish. Kaito had come to Sunagakure to accomplish one particular goal and he'd done it. His orders hadn't been to crush Sunagakure, it had been to evaluate them. Following their recruitment, Kaito confirmed for Katsuo that they indeed had been working for the Daimyo of Wind Country Ishii Shiro and following commands that came directly from his desk but at that time Katsuo could not have predicted how deep the rabbit hole went.

Mikaboshi's memories provided Katsuo with a bleak picture of the situation that faced them. Intelligence reports provided by Michi indicated that the Daimyo had been preparing for this shadow war for years before the first thrust had been made and that he was thoroughly ready for them. In secret he'd created an army of super soldiers with similar abilities to the shinobi and in some cases exceeding them.

"That's... actually part of why I'm here." Katsuo said, after a brief moment of silence between them as he carefully considered his words. Mikaboshi had stolen over two year's worth of time from him and during that time Sunagakure had brought up a city on the surface but there was no news about any changes in governance of Wind Country. Ishii Shiro was still in power and according to Michi, the village of Sand squandered the time and information they possessed by doing nothing. "Sousuke, what is your plan for the situation with the Daimyo of Wind?"

The question was stated clearly enough. He needed to know that Michi was wrong. That Sousuke was planning and executing operations which she simply wasn't aware of. It wasn't like Mikaboshi and his Deep Court hybrids had done much to ingratiate themselves to Sunagakure and it would not have come as a surprise to find out that Sand's brass were keeping them at arm's length to avoid making themselves vulnerable to a possible double-cross from the Deep Court. Katsuo knew that Sousuke's question about Naganisa had not been in the context of looking to marry him off for political gain but Katsuo could not help but feel like it would be selfish of him to be dwelling on something like that when their country-- their people --were still in the grip of a mad man.

"What are we doing to fight back?"|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke heard the two questions. There were a variety of answers. "Before I state my plans, I want you to know that I have been trying to change my way in how I handle things. You know that my policy is if something is a threat to eliminate it in its entirety, which of course was going to happen to the Cabal. You made a decree of no more death, which I abided by. It was a very difficult for people to accept that we were not going to avenge their slain relatives because of the actions of the Cabal. I have been trying to solve my problems like you would, which sometimes is very difficult. It is ... difficult but admirable of you to do as you have."<i></i> He paused, "There is also the problem of trying to fix Sungakure's political situation. We're not seen at all to be favourable, but I have been trying to make amendments to that by having Suna nin take jobs and missions in remote areas to establish a favourable relations. That part factors into what we're doing to fight back... but also to make amends for our absence in the many years during the storm."<i></i>

Now for the hard part, because Katuso was one of the few people he would answer to. "I have considered a full out a long range frontal assault on Soragakure. The problem is people would get hurt. I am certain there are several Soragakurians who do not agree with their leader's position and place. That would damage us in the view of the public if I were to say throw at them a Magnetica bomb. I don't know if you realized this but Uri, yes also know as Akiko the Dark Ranger, was pushing for our complete destruction with a plague bomb. Fighting fire with fire only leads to in time mutually assured destructions and the birth of another Kaito. So... that plan is not going to work."<i></i> The next plan. Sousuke would begin to elaborate on. "Send a highly specialized and elite group in there to assassinate the Daimyo. The problem? The Sovereign. Shouki was difficult enough to best, and one has to assume his father who is aged and experience is expecting this and knows quite well to safe guard himself. One has to assume Shouki will be with his father, and or several other Sovereign. If my people are caught or killed, we look like the villain and the entire country will rally against us."<i></i> Most things Sousuke was playing with were direct confrontations with the Daimyo. It was not looking good because Sousuke was playing with concepts of failure and aftermath.

"We also add in the fact we're dealing with Jashinist. Shouki. He was being digested in the stomach of Gambunta ... who ate him."<i></i> Sousuke didn't know whether or not the memories of Mikaboshi were the one and the same as Katuso. "It took time but Shouki got himself out. This meanings we have to consider a very different method in dealing with him, which is dismemberment and putting those pieces in very remote places. This of course leads to our next problem being the curious cause of Otogakure and their relationship to Soragakure which is marriage. We will be fighting a war on two fronts, technically three if one factors in that Homura, Fuujin and Suna are haunting the landscape. There are Ancients locked up in Soragakure which power his men and women. If we free them and allow them to roam free ... and word gets out about that we have officially forgone our original historical birthright and spat in the face of men and women everywhere. I understand that not all Ancients love to devour the souls of people, but we're not in a position to explain that to the rest of Wind while Ancients are out there feasting on them because ... quite frankly they're greatly diminished and need sustenance. An understandable position to be in. I stress the word understandable."<i></i> The concept was a very difficult one to play out. Katuso could see Sousuke's expressions in playing this out to be a very confused and very worried state of things. Release an Ancient, chances are it will probably look at you and eat you out of primal and dire need. Sousuke was rubbing his temples as he was not quite pleased at all in revealing all of this.

"The plan is to remove the Daimyo from power. It is a very difficult plan because you cannot just remove him from power, you need to play things four or five steps in advance, and even there is not a single guarantee of anything working out accordingly. Defeat the Daimyo, his children who are very different from him, will have sympathizers and then we're still fighting things out. for over a decade which then results in their demise, and we're fighting on that because even more sympathizers occur."<i></i> Sousuke would state, "Best course of action. Rally Wind Country against him."<i></i> Katuso could see a twitch of sorts. There was a tremor present in Sousuke's hands. Had he been worked up in all of this, or perhaps was it fear of failure? Sousuke would grip his wrist and hold his hand and demanded it to remain still. He just couldn't seem to do it.

"One of the things the Daimyo has done very well is to hide a slave trade in Wind. I have been trying to dismantle it piece by piece. I've taken out two caravans. The first one was in the middle of nowhere. I freed the slaves, and explained to them going home is perhaps not an option so I brought them here. Civilian life style ... none of our work. Fair wages and good accommodations."<i></i> He spoke informing Katuso of how he was indirectly fighting back. "The second caravan went through Inferno. I suspect the organizers were growing wary. They had a Jashinist travel with them. Things did not end pretty, but that caravan was liberated. The next caravan I suspect will not be a slave one, but of resources. I've been able to ... keep it secret that Sungakure ... or rather myself was acting on this. I suppose there will be some infamy arising from this, but I've been clearing my tracks so to speak. The problem is eventually we get to food caravans and we end up starving Soragakure ... which I have not gotten into a proper state of mind in dealing with it."<i></i>

"I have been working with the Farmer's Union. They're a ... group of individuals who as their name suggests are agriculturalists by trade. Very successful. Very powerful. Left alone in the dark. I have been aiding them and next I will be upgrading their tech. I am trying to ... flip the table so to speak on Soragakure's allies. Winning them over to our side with fair trade and going to aid them at a moment's notice. I have yet to approach Tea Country but they are under my radar. The concept is to ... fight back ... without resorting to high physical violence."<i></i> Sousuke would take a moment. More for himself as he was getting a little winded in these explanations. "People when given an alternative and side with it, will begin to stand on their feet once empowered. This is not a long term strategy. This is something that has to be built and worked upon in order to make sure that the entire Country does not fall off when the Daimyo is removed from power. Eventually we will have to take a fight to Soragakure, but we need to chip away at them and work those chips into deeper wounds. There are ten Sovereign court members, we need to deal with them as well. Separate them and take them out individually."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]"Half-measures, one and all. This is why you are losing the war." Katsuo's lips moved of their own accord and it was Mikaboshi's voice that came through past them, giving voice to the condemnation. Even though he was not aware of it, for just a moment the outward expression on his face changed to reflect the fact that for a momentary heartbeat Mikaboshi had resurfaced and given his opinion. He for the most part respected Katsuo's sovereignty over their shared body but as Mikaboshi went back to rest Katsuo could feel the mounting frustration from the ancient. Mikaboshi felt very much like Michi did-- that Sunagakure was doing nothing while their enemy maneuvered around them.

Katsuo sighed and stood up, facing away from the desk. Sousuke was trying to find ways around direct confrontation with the daimyo. He claimed it was because Katsuo had told him no more death but he had a hard time believing that Sousuke was so small minded as to not see the difference in situations. When he'd told Sousuke that there wasn't to be any more killing, they'd already won the fight. Their opponents were restrained, helpless and most importantly more useful to them alive than dead. First in Saiga and then later in Kaito, Katsuo had sensed a spark of goodness that had been twisted to a wicked edge and instead of simply killing them he'd elected instead to attempt to turn them to the side of Sunagakure. And it sounded like Sousuke was still grinding that ax from the way he spoke. He did this each time they spoke on the matter-- he remarked on how difficult it was to look past the wrongs done by the Cabal.

"Can you really not see the difference in our situations?" Katsuo asked quietly. "I told you no more death because there was no need for it anymore. The battle was done. We won. The only thing that any further killing would have accomplished is to momentarily make you feel better about the losses you suffered."

He remembered how hard it had been to convince Sousuke to put up his weapons. He remembered shouting at Kuro for the demon sennin's threats. He remembered wondering if he were fighting on the wrong side. With their enemies defeated and cast upon the ground before them the only thing that the Sand ninja could muster in that moment was thoughtless bloodlust to revenge themselves upon the Cabal. Katsuo saw in some of the members of the Cabal an opportunity to come back from the depths they'd fallen to but that was not always the case. He recalled the terrorist named Oroku that he'd battled with a handful of others in defense of a shelter for civilians during the Cabal occupation. He'd given Oroku a chance to surrender and put his talents to use but instead Oroku spat in Katsuo's face with the claim that he would just go back to killing as soon as he was free.

Katsuo had immediately taken Oroku's head rather than let the man continue to harm civilians.

"And we are stronger because of the choice we made." Katsuo did not doubt that statement for a second. They had the surface back. The Diamond Maelstrom-- a scourge for not just Sunagakure but the other people who could not flee beneath the sands --was dispersed, never to return. And they had new and powerful allies. "But this is different. We aren't deciding the fate of foes we've already beaten. Special interest groups aren't going to be the undoing of a man who is willing to burn their homes and families just for talking to us. We need to start hitting them back."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

[/legend][/col]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke wondered where Mikaboshi was in all of this, and he had his answer. Right then. So sometime between the meeting Mikaboshi had with Sousuke and his sennins, somewhere in all of this Katuso had somehow came back. Katuso was not nearly as dead as Mikaboshi had made him out to be. Mikaboshi was somewhere in there. "There you are..."<i></i> Sousuke answered back. He stood up and began to pace about the room. "There you are..."<i></i>

When he was asked about how he could not see the difference in the situations between the Cabal and the Daimyo, Sousuke answered. "No I do not see the difference."<i></i> He would stop his pacing and he would look out the window. His reflection ever present. "You are family, but you don't know me as well as you think you do, and perhaps vice versa. Tell me how many people have you killed? I imagine the answer to be between zero, and five. Leaning more to zero. Given your position now of things ... I am starting to think that the answer is certainly higher."<i></i> His head turned to the side. "It is because in my mind you are perfection in all things. I have taken everything you have said in not a metaphorical context, but rather true gospel. Unfortunately I fall short of that gospel."<i></i> Did Katuso truly understand how much Sousuke looked up to him as a shining example in all things (except mechanics)? "A genius is not really a word of phrase. A genius only excels in certain fields, and fails in others. I would do anything you asked of me. If you told me to plague bomb and destroy Soragakure I would. If you told me to promote Kaito to Anbu Captain. I would. If you told me to go out and sleep on the lawn. I would."<i></i> Sousuke would answer to anything Katuso told him to do, it was in his programming to do so. Even though the Sunahoshi were really cursed and not gifted by Mother Suna, and she once said she should have empowered the Takahashi instead - Sousuke's programming was so deeply rooted. "Dad still thinks it should be you with the title."<i></i> Trust the Sunahoshi, the main family can do no wrong.

"And we are stronger because of the choice we made."<i></i>

Were they stronger because of the choices they made? Depends on who you asked the question. "Lord Nobu is ... not entirely pleased with my choice to keep them alive. He understands the fruit? The non-edible able it bore - it's a metaphor. His sons are not going to come out of the grave."<i></i> The large Akamichi was a steadfast supporter of Sousuke. He still was, "My nobles still grumble and curse the names of those individuals. Roku wanted me to have ... Fuu? No. Michi arrested. He's furious because Mikaboshi interfered with his works, even if Michi is now capable in giving us more information than ever. He wants her arrested or he wants to kill her himself - which would then further obliterate the treaty I have."<i></i> Sousuke revealed. Sousuke would turn around. He would make the sound of one hand clapping. His finger tips began to hit the area between his palm and his veins. He did this when he was confused. He did this because he had no proper way to deal with this. "Change is something not everyone copes with that quickly... and even then with the time that has passed, it's still coped with."<i></i>

"Special interest groups aren't going to be the undoing of a man who is willing to burn their homes and families just for talking to us. We need to start hitting them back."<i></i>

"You are right. I suppose I will change my methods, how do we descend upon this matter like ... do we embrace the terrorist methods that the Cabal took when they attacked us? Shall I go into my lab and begin inventing weaponry and just begin a long range attack at the palace?"<i></i> It was an honest question. Do the ends justify the means? Starve the capital? Burn their resources? "All the same I do need resources. I would rather not steal them. I need to feed my men and women."<i></i> He would again mention the Ancients locked up in Soragakure. "We hit them back, we release the Ancients in Soragakure. It's a suicide mission. We ... allow the Ancients present there to devour the souls of the residents there? We help them, and ... combine our efforts to go reduce the number of the Sovereign?"<i></i> Katuso wanted to hit back, and this was one of the ways. "Sungakure has not had a good history with Ancients. We built ourselves upon the death of Homura and Fuujin. Shall we just ... become something else entirely now?"<i></i> Sousuke himself did not have a good history with Ancients. His relationship to Mikaboshi was ... different. He did not kill Mikaboshi. He made a deal with him. The two of them had a symbiotic relationship for a long time. "I don't know. We've sent so far on a path for so long, and now we're going to change the direction we're going?"<i></i> He questioned again.

Sousuke held out his hand and a weapon materialized. It was the Black Blade. "I do not need to know the details of how things are between you and him. It is your choice to keep it a private matter."<i></i> Sousuke would begin, "I want him to have this back. As much as I have treasured this item ... out of respect and admiration for him which he does not see, or ever truly understand - or anyone for that matter. In the event things ever come to an end - I do not want him to be-- "<i></i> There was alot of regret in things. Yes. He could have handled the situation in which he found him in a compromising situation with Shiori better. Yet what Sousuke wanted was only for Mikaboshi to stop. He did not intend to lose his power or his armour. He only wanted him to stop. In all the years he had worked with Mikaboshi, he gave the Ancient his space and time. He summoned him but not forcefully. There were times when Sousuke went for a week or month from not hearing from Mikaboshi. He did not question what he was doing, mostly and even then he kept it to himself. There was a level of trust between the two that was unspoken and perhaps in the lack of words the meaning was not conveyed. Perhaps Sousuke should have kept a tighter lease on Mikaboshi - because then this debacle would have never occurred as it was now. He did not. He merely persisted that Mikaboshi needed his space, and his own time. "Kazuki did harm to our agreement with him, and so will Roku if he got what he wanted. I do not want anything of the sort. Those two don't get along with Mikaboshi, and will perhaps do something to further blow up the treaty further. I'm trying that thing ... you know when deeds speak louder than words?"<i></i>

Sousuke exhaled. He was trying to keep himself in check. He needed to be that cold calculating machine Sungakure needed. His body even consisted of metal parts to begin with. "What do you consider yourself? Biologically speaking? Human? Ancient? Hybrid? I can say with utter clarity you are NOT what the Sovereign are."<i></i> Sousuke knew what he was, man with machine parts.

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]Katsuo turned in time to raise his hand and catch the Black Blade by the dark leather-wrapped hilt as Sousuke tossed it through the air at him. An odd design, it certainly lived up to it's name. The sword was straight-bladed with a twinned fuller that ran down each flat of the blade to about half the steel's overall length with a color that was as black as night. The cruciform hilt was relatively mundane in it's design with no real embellishments to it outside of a functional form and was forged from a lighter graphite-colored steel that distinguished it from the raven black steel of the blade. The grip itself was wrapped in a similarly colored dark leather and the pommel just as mundane as the cross-guard had been designed. Over all, the sword was not much to look at visually but immediately upon taking the blade in his hand Katsuo could feel the power that it possessed and as his fingers wrapped around the grip Katsuo could feel Mikaboshi's presence stir greatly once more. This was his sword. The sword that Katsuo's great-ancestor Sunahoshi Nori had used as a prison to lock Mikaboshi away from the new world that they'd created.

There was a moment of mutual apprehension between Katsuo and Mikaboshi as he held the blade in his hand. Sousuke had willingly relinquished the blade to Katsuo and thus formally severed any ties to the sword. This was the closest Mikaboshi had been to holding his own sword-- and true freedom --in generations and in that moment Katsuo could not help but wonder if Mikaboshi were going to try and fight him for control over their shared body once more in order to claim the blade but the grab for power never came even though Katsuo could feel Mikaboshi's growing desire for the sword. Having caught it in a reverse grip, Katsuo spun the sword around in a flourish to hold it correctly and could not help but admire it's weight and balance. The Black Blade was a very different sort of sword than his Tatsumasa was despite some notable similarities between them. Tatsumasa was light and graceful where the Black Blade was heavy in Katsuo's hand but also felt powerful as well. It's hilt was just long enough where he could easily wield the blade with two hands if he wished but short enough where wielding it in one was not uncomfortable. He wished he could keep the sword but he knew that he could not in conscience claim the blade that was the physical manifestation of a misdeed done by his family many, many years ago.

"... you know when deeds speak louder than words?"

[BGM]

"Yeah..." Replied Katsuo as his hands sparked to life with crackling golden chakra. Holding the Black Blade horizontally out in front of him in his right hand, he reached up with his left hand and gingerly placed his fingers around the blade of the Black Blade as they took began to course with his power.

"They do."

Katsuo's body erupted forth in a surge of power as he channeled it through his fingers and into the sword held before him. Despite the protection granted by the chakra around his left hand, blood began to pour freely from cuts caused by the Black Blade's wicked edge as it bent in his hands. This went on for only a heartbeat before the Black Blade's sturdy construction crumbled before the force that Katsuo was exerting on it and the blade snapped in two with the sound and the force of a lightning strike, sending a shudder through the very foundations of the building they stood in. With the prison that Katsuo's ancestor had inflicted on Mikaboshi rent asunder in his hands, he turned his back to Sousuke once more and tossed the broken blade into the depth of the room where they clattered to the floor unceremoniously. From the destroyed remains of the sword rose a grey and silver mist which filled the space above the sword and stole the heat from the room.

Feeling a sensation of sudden sickness come over his form, Katsuo fell to a knee in a coughing fit as a similar dark fog poured forth from his mouth and nostrils, joining with the silver-grey of the essence that had issued forth from the sundered Black Blade that lay upon the floor a few paces away. The two mingled rapidly and moments after Katsuo had made the decision to break the sword, a physical form stood above the ruined remains of the blade-- spirit form made flesh and blood once more.

Mikaboshi

Bare chested and without clothing on his upper torso or shoulders, the manifested physical form was clad from the waist down in a kilt of black fur that reached down to his shins shrouding his lower body in shadows and pelt save for his feet which were visible. Long grey-silver tresses fell forward about a face that was narrow and handsome with an almost otherworldly beauty to it. This, perhaps seen for the first time by human eyes save for one woman who had once called herself Mariko, was the true physical form of Mikaboshi. Blue facial markings underscored the features of his bright golden eyes despite the look of surprise and confusion upon his face as he looked down at his flesh and blood hands for the first time in many, many years. His appearance might have been strange for a being that had once been named the Great Black Wolf given that he was pale-skinned and possessed a lighter color of hair but the tenebrous nature of the fur about his lower body was a clear reminder of the beast that he was beneath the almost-human looking body and could easily become at a moment's notice.

"I am... free."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

[/legend][/col]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Over the next few seconds, Sousuke went through a variety of states. First, concern. Katsuo broke the Black Blade. "Y-you killed him? Why?!"<i></i> Sousuke would respond. It was the natural question to ask. Sousuke had equated the Black Blade being Mikaboshi. It was an item of his, and he was fully attuned to it. It was not the source of his power, but a conduit of sorts. Sousuke would reach out and attempt to salvage this situation. He wasn't exactly the best person to fix Ancients, but he had fixed Mikaboshi before ... yes it was a different body but ... he certainly learned a few things when he was dealing in Ancients when he had captured Shiori/Suna for a time.

Next? Katuso fell over. Sousuke was stuck between deciding to try and help, what he presumed to be a dead Mikaboshi, or Katuso. He looked to the ruins of the blade, but ultimately made his way over to Katuso who was coughing up and releasing shadow matter. This was that mysticism thing again. Sousuke hated it. Was Mikaboshi like ... a sickness and was being removed because the conduit just got destroyed. Sousuke was getting a call via headset. He tapped the side of his head and a metallic plate slide over his face for a moment. It was Nobu. The tower just shook at some ungodly hour. People noticed. "Tower got hit with a power surge. Call you back."<i></i> He hung up immediately and went to help Katuso up.

For the next few moments, Sousuke was confused. A body came from the broken blade, and the shadow matter that came out of Katuso. That ... that was Mikaboshi right? It was his voice. The body was wrong. Far too human. Sousuke had become accustomed to Mikaboshi having a bad-like body with great wings. The skin was leathery and with high ears. It was alien, but Ancients were alien creatures really. They took various bodies and forms. Other times Mikaboshi had taken a human body that had slicked back hair, and wore fashionable suits. Sousuke was speechless for a longer amount of time.

Sousuke had a couple hundred questions to ask. His mouth opened, then closed. Then opened again, and then closed. He was trying to fight that urge. Why not the purple skin? Where were the wings? What was with the fur? Why fur? What was with the facial markings? How old was he truly? Why silver hair? Didn't he usually have black hair. The last time he asked Mikaboshi a long and painful round of questions, it didn't go so well for him. Sousuke finally closed his mouth and then he looked to Katuso and then back to Mikaboshi. It seemed like he wanted permission to begin the rapid fire exchange of questions, but ... maybe now was not the best time.

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]Katsuo too was quiet as the released Mikaboshi looked down at his clawed hand, stretching it as he did as though the feeling of actual sinew and muscle was foreign to him despite having only recently been in control of Katsuo's body. After a few tense moments of silence between them, Mikaboshi turned his gaze to the two quiet men that stood in the room with him but still did not speak immediately. In the ancient lord's eyes Katsuo could see the gears turning. It was the look that a predatory animal adopted when it was considering whether or not to bite.

"Why?"

The question that passed through Mikaboshi's lips was simple enough. Why. Though they had come to truce for the time being, a large portion of it had hinged on the fact that Mikaboshi was without better options. The essence that contained his consciousness could not simply exist outside of a physical form which left him wanting for an alternative to staying within Katsuo's body. By freeing his physical form from the curse set upon the Black Blade through it's destruction, Katsuo had willingly discarded the leverage that he'd possessed over the Deep Lord to enforce the terms of their contract and Katsuo knew better than anyone, having had Mikaboshi riding around inside his head for a few years,
that the Deep Lord could be dishonest to a fault.

"To prove to you that we don't have to be enemies." Katsuo said, his arms folded across his chest. "There is only what we choose to do and nothing more. You said those words to me."

The Deep Lord fell quiet once more in contemplation. Mikaboshi was a creature that understood better than almost any that actions, not words, held true meaning and that was why the gesture of destroying the Black Blade and breaking the binding curse was important. Katsuo didn't just talk about setting Mikaboshi free. He didn't ask or even mention it. He'd just done it because he knew that the responsibility for Mikaboshi's incarceration fell squarely on his shoulders by virtue of being the last surviving son of the man that had ordered it in the first place.

"So I did." Mikaboshi marveled once more at his returned flesh. It was strange seeing him this way. Katsuo was so used to seeing him wearing his own stolen face that seeing Mikaboshi's almost canine-like human features was a little disquieting. "A king can not express regret for his actions but he can show his gratitude. I can never forget what your kind did to mine but in exchange for this kindness you have paid me I will do my best to forgive it, for now."

""I will grant you the peace that you wanted, Son of Primus."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

[/legend][/col][/quote]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Mikaboshi and Katuso continued an exchange. This was probably one of the few times, Sousuke saw Mikaboshi out of his element, or taken by surprise. Sousuke would still remain silent as the two spoke. What Mikaboshi said about regret was something he didn't quite understand. For Sousuke there was several regrets. He wasn't really capable of creating a perfect scenario. There were always things he could have handled better. No. That's not it. Mikaboshi said a king could not express regret. Was the concept that he could not express sympathy? No... that wasn't the right idea either.

Sousuke's hands fell to his sides as he was trying to figure out what Mikaboshi truly meant. In the absence of regret, he could show gratitude. He was going to look past the wrongs that the Sunahoshi had done upon him? Perhaps it was the concept of humanity, and not just the Sunahoshi really. Mikaboshi's court was quite different. It didn't take slaves, but it did thrive on the rule of survival of the fittest. It was a concept that Sousuke easily understood but did not agree with. Survival of the fittest could be undermined by various means - the fittest in terms of physical strength might be bested by one of a strong intellect through other means.

The peace that Mikaboshi was willing to give, well Sousuke would hope that it meant directly having to do with the Sunahoshi. Suffice to say, Kazuki and Roku were certainly not above attacking Mikaboshi outright. Kazuki had dishonoured the treaty, in which ... admittedly Sousuke perhaps should have acted far harsher upon. Yes, he was friends with Kazuki, but it made him wonder at times. Roku on the other hand felt slighted by Mikaboshi's actions. Put two and two together and you certainly have a concerning problem. Truthfully, he considered ending the treaty himself. It wasn't because Sousuke did not want it, it was because he knew he would have difficulty to keeping it by proxy. It was funny in a way. It made Sousuke doubtful, which was something he should not be. Sousuke shook his head. Yes ... this was probably the best outcome. Still though, Mikaboshi had spoken the words 'for now'. Much like the treaty that the two had, there was no real definition of time to be given. Time was something that could pass by quickly, and sometimes it was slowed. There was no real reason for this. Sousuke always had figured that time if you focused upon it merely crept slowly. Lose focus upon it, and then it accelerates. It was a trick of the mind, as time was always constant.

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]"Glad to hear it. That means we can stop fighting each other and focus on the enemy that matters." Katsuo concluded, a satisfied look on his face. He wasn't sure how releasing Mikaboshi from the Black Blade was going to go when he'd made the decision to do it. It was entirely possible that he'd be signing both himself and Sousuke up for a beast of a fight if Mikaboshi decided to have a continuation of the conflict between them.

Mikaboshi for his part seemed... distracted, for lack of a better word. He looked past Katsuo and towards Sousuke who had remained silent throughout the events transpiring before him. Stepping forward, Mikaboshi moved past Katsuo-- who stood to the side and allowed the Deep Lord to pass --and came to stand in front of Sousuke's desk with his piercing golden eyes fixed squarely on the Kazekage.

"This is the first time that you and I have stood on equal footing with neither possessing a form of leverage over the other." Observed Mikaboshi, his void devoid of any emotion as he spoke. "Have you nothing to say, Takahashi Sousuke?"

Standing off to the side a few feet, Katsuo remained concerned that this confrontation might erupt into a fight. Up until just recently he'd had Mikaboshi penned up inside him and because of that he intimately understood how Mikaboshi felt towards Sousuke. What had started out as a pact of convenience had expanded into something resembling true loyalty until it had come crashing down because of a few poor choices on Sousuke's part. Katsuo had done his best to explain that Sousuke struggled to relate to people and didn't really understand the meaning behind his actions but Mikaboshi had been unyielding in his opinion that Sousuke's intentions were irrelevant. The only thing that mattered, in the end, were the actions that he chose to take. This wasn't a situation that Katsuo could help Sousuke navigate. Mikaboshi had haughty expectations of those that would claim themselves as leaders of their kin. Kings, emperors, sovereignty... to Mikaboshi they all came back to a singular word: Lord. He would expect that Sousuke be able to stand and speak for himself if he were ever to regain his respect for the man.|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke's mute nature would continue to continue for a few more moments. The one thing that was visible was Sousuke was evaluating what he was going to say, then re-evaluated it. Yes Katuso broke the prison that held Mikaboshi, but it was Sousuke who also was in a way responsible for this to occur. Sousuke's dark eyes stared back into Mikaboshi, but he was focusing on something else. The words to say. Upon carefully selecting and mind what he said, he was now truly staring at Mikaboshi back. "Several people have called me genius. I might be exceedingly intelligent on some matter or another, but there is a trade off creating an imbalance."<i></i> Mikaboshi knew that. "I'm not a wise individual, but someday I hope I will be. Wisdom comes with age, and that is something ... ..."<i></i> He hesitated, Sousuke was the youngest person in the room. Katuso was older than him by a few years, and Mikaboshi was multiples of their ages combined. It was quite probable that Mikaboshi had been here since the concept or thought of existence came to be. One does not become the self until they consider it truly. "Time is not on my side."<i></i> Getting to the point was hard. There were abstract concepts here that perhaps just were beyond the understanding of another, maybe it was because Mikaboshi was not human. Time was something he did not have control of, but time maybe passed quicker or slower. It was hard to say when one was that old. "Someday I hope to be a fraction as wise as you are with the time I have left."<i></i> This was Mikaboshi who outwitted his enemies. He had bested a Flame court member using his wisdom and his words. It was that wit that Sousuke wanted to have. Could he someday outwit Shouki, Susumu, in the same manner? Maybe. He wanted to do so.

Sousuke stood his ground. He did not tremble or anything of the sort before Mikaboshi. The wiry smaller man continued to stare at him. He had to look up at Mikaboshi, but that was because he was shorter. "Can't say that I have the skillset to mend your flesh now, but your armours or future metallic weapons are something different. Come to me when you are in need of repairs. This is between the Deep court and myself. An old arrangement, but one that I feel ... necessary to continue going forward."<i></i> Was this extended to Earth Court? No. Sousuke knew that Fuujin and Homura were out there. Mikaboshi did not take him seriously about the matter, but he knew Mother Suna's endgame. Sousuke had told Mikaboshi about the creation of newly made Kirishii, and he had the proof to show him as well. There was a very big difference between the words made and born. "I would advise 29, 47. A location for Deep Court. Nothing developed there, and an area that has been ... has gone overlooked by the Daimyo and several others."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]

Mikaboshi only sighed. Sousuke was still making excuses for himself. For his failures and for his mistakes.

"Before I take my leave, I offer you a piece of advice. That one is too much your friend to tell you the words that you need to hear and so I will give them to you and you may do what you will with them."

Mikaboshi gestured towards Katsuo and in response Katsuo crossed his arms across his chest with a scowl though he said nothing to interrupt what Mikaboshi was looking to say. He wasn't certain what the ancient lord might have on his mind but they had a tenuous sense of peace between them at the moment and he didn't wish to upset that by provoking Mikaboshi to anger with him unless the ancient lord decided he wanted to fight.

"You are paralyzed by indecision and that will be the death of you. If you are to lead your people then you must find the strength to look beyond your own weakness. If you are to win this war then you will need determination and conviction, not excuses. Your enemy will not show you mercy because time is not on your side."

Katsuo didn't quite agree with the bluntness with the way Mikaboshi addressed it but he was right. They knew that there was an enemy force seeking their destruction and still Sunagakure did very little to actively move against them or check their movements. He'd expressed that he agreed with that sentiment clearly enough when he'd told Sousuke that it was time to hit back and it seemed positive that Mikaboshi agreed with that premise. It was still up in the air if Mikaboshi were going to continue engaging in the conflict now that he was free but from what Katsuo retained of Mikaboshi from the imprint that the ancient had left upon him he knew that Mikaboshi was at least interested in the process by which the Sovereign were created if only to find out how he could dismantle it. Turning, Mikaboshi cast a glance to Katsuo before striding to the opposite end of the room near the door.

"For now we are still allies in this war. Do not disappoint me by continuing to waste your time on fruitless introspection." Cautioned the Black Wolf before his form was engulfed in shadows and he was simply gone leaving Katsuo and Sousuke alone in the room once more.

[Mikaboshi is attempting to leave topic]

|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke would look over to Katuso after Mikaboshi left the room. He held out his hands and began to construct a plasma image. "My interpretation of your design is difficult to work with. One moment you're declaring peace. Another you're quite alright with violence. I don't get it, and that is my fault. You wanted to fix Wind Country, but ... this country isn't a caterpillar. It doesn't spin a cocoon and wake up a butterfly. A country crumbles and fades. It needs to die before it can be reborn? I may lead Sungakure, but I have always answered and tried to complied with what you wish, I want to say, yes my King, but you won't take a crown."<i></i> When Sousuke was done the image was the image of the palace of the Daimyo not in ruins but obliterated. The plasma image had bodies lying about. The image would zoom out slightly showing and more bodies. There were large monstrous figures about holding people in their hands and devouring them bit by bit. "Brutality in honesty. The palace of the Daimyo. Free the Ancients. This is what happens. There is going to be destruction and fallout from this. A lot of people are going to get hurt. Families in Soragakure are going to have destroyed from the roots so that we do not have a group trying to right the wrongs against us. Prevent the endless cycle through absolute destruction. Not everyone in Soragakure is on the side of the Daimyo, like how not everyone in Sungakure is on my side."<i></i> Sousuke knew that Katuso was a person who sought for justice and peace. The road to getting there would be difficult. Is this what Katuso wanted? Was he okay with this? He reprimanded Sousuke when they had defeated Kaito. Yes. Katio was defeated. Kaito had remained in the service to Sungakure, and he did nothing to undermine or get in the way of their plans. Not everyone was Kaito though. Perhaps they were just lucky in that one case.

Sousuke would come to a conclusion of sorts. Mikaboshi claimed it was indecision. There was a path to take. Kaito, to Sousuke, was no different than a member of the Sovereign. He was a predecessor to them in a way. "All Sovereign agents die?"<i></i> He would wave his hand and transform the image of a destroyed Soragakure. "If we're going to hit the palace and ultimately free the Ancients I do want a number of the Sovereign down. Not necessarily Number One, Five aka Noa, or Number Two. Those would take a large strike force to take down. A team of four or more... possibly six. Avaron is in custody so that makes nine out of ten."<i></i> Sousuke did not know of the death of their medic. "I do not know how to actually find them out, but most of them are human. They are subject to their own egos and habits. Number Nine in particular. Number Six I would like to personally dismantle for my own studies. I am curious how close he is to ... ... nevermind."<i></i> Number Six was a machine, and not really human anymore. Sousuke was curious as to what parts of human were left. Sousuke had a metal arm, and parts of his legs too were now machine in nature. That was not the whole story, but another time. "Curious as to how well they can fight as a team if at all. Would prefer to take out another two or free before we hit the palace, or at least have knowledge that they are not in the area. Chances are slim. Ten to Seventeen percent really, considering their numbers and Nao is probably back and forth between the palace due to his family ties."<i></i> Sousuke would shake his head, "Could run interference by striking down a supply in broad daylight. Eliminate a few Sovereign agents that way."<i></i>

 

[Mikaboshi]

[col]They watched the Deep King exit the room-- and presumably the building, hopefully --without any further incident and after he did Sousuke commented that he still did not understand Katsuo's philosophy and in response Katsuo blew a sigh. Not out of frustration with Sousuke but for the fact that he was having difficulty really explaining it. Then Sousuke remarked about Katsuo choosing to decline the throne of Sunagakure and Katsuo shook his head.

"Sousuke, we've been over this. You and I both know that if I were to take the throne from you it would destabilize the city. People like Roku and Kazuki look to you because you're their friend and their leader. They don't know me. You can tell them that I'm the son of the last Kazekage and that I'm descended from Primus but that doesn't mean anything to them." He asked, moving over to the desk and taking his seat again after setting down the remains of the Black Blade from his grasp.

Before him on the desk Sousuke had constructed a macabre image of a slaughter. Corpses strewn about and monsters devouring what few living souls still remained and Katsuo scowled before standing again and sending his hand through the image destabilizing and extinguishing it with a crackle of his own gilded chakra as his hand passed through the construct.

"You think I don't know the stakes, Sousuke?" He remarked indignantly. The way Sousuke spoke it made it sound like he thought he was addressing someone that didn't understand that his actions have consequences but between the two of them Sousuke was out of his depth on the matter. "This world isn't a good one. For every man fighting for good, there's three more who are using every inch of their power and influence to do evil for selfish reasons. There's always gonna be another innocent person who needs saving or another monster that needs killing or another villain that needs fighting and there's nothing you or I can do that can change that. That's truth."

Katsuo shook his head again before leaning forward and resting his hands on the table.

"But what that means is that things like justice or freedom don't exist unless those of us who are capable of doing so create it and protect it."|[legend="[[b][u]OOC Notes[/u][/b]] - [BGM]"]

Sunahoshi Katsuo - The Last Sunahoshi

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