The Raikage's building is what it is. Its an extremely tall building with three levels. 1st being the admin level, 2nd being the training area, and the third being the War Room Area, the office is at the very top.
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 9:52 pm
Turpis Velit
Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist
"Two wrongs never make a right."
Turpis had arrived at the Raikage's office building long before his envoy had. Amusingly enough he had managed to leave the village before they had as well. Of course it was just like the young Kage to cover the most ground when he was alone. Still, the trip had not been an easy one. For a village that sat a mile high, it had a plethora of stairs. The mass of tendrils beneath his flesh were still writhing from all the movement.
Of course to the kind receptionist that bid him wait, Turpis had been nothing but polite. He sat where any regular visitor of the Raikage would when seeking an audience.
[align=center][color=olive]Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist[/align][/color]
[size=10][align=left][color=olive] "Two wrongs never make a right." [/size][/align][/color]
[align=center][size=10][color=Green] Ambitious. Turpis enjoyed ambition in his villagers. It implied that they wanted better for themselves, and hopefully for those around them. Beneath the fabrics that shrouded his visage, Turpis smiled. Of course for those that he was smiling before, it was merely a rising of the cheeks and a brightening within his eldritch eyes.
"Those blades are legendary, but as our comrade so intelligently stated their wielders were oft to defect from the village." He raised a hand, bringing attention to the bandages that covered the entirety of his flesh, and began to stroke at his chin in thought. "On the other hand, finding all seven of the swords would bring our village much attention. The other villages would be intimidated if we reinstated the Mist 7." His mind immediately turned to the blades, remembering stories in his history books of past usage the blades experienced.
"I will think on that matter. For now though, let us keep our eyes on the present. " His eyes shifted as he looked upon the genin in the background, giving silent praise to the children for training. "We have matters that require our immediate attention. Meet me in the Mizukage's office when you finish here. We will discuss those matters then."
With a tip of his hat Turpis departed from the training grounds. [exit]
[/color][/align][/size]
[align=right][color=olive][size=10]"But three rights definitely makes a left."[/size][/color]
"Are green and spring up agaiiin~" There was a gentle breeze that swam through, as Christian and his instructor sat on the balcony together, reciting poems and singing them as if they were songs. It was something of an artistic moment, watching the sun set and the streets come to life in what must've been one of the greatest cities on earth.
"I have only recently become Raikage you see," he started, "So my spark has not run out and died completely just yet. I want to live. To feel things that others don't. To understand the world for what it is, and then make my peace with it." He smiled at the man instructing him, who then proceeded to smile a bit back. He was foreign, all the way from the lands far to the southeast of here, a village named Tsuki. He had come with tales of people from worlds away, and adventures that they had; he came with tales of the spread of Jashin in his land, and the corruption that followed at the hand of the one man who spoke softly his name. He chilled Christian to the bone, and yet that all washed away when he opened his lips to sing: it was perfection, it was sweet and poetic and from a dream that Christian could not imagine in his sleep.
He loved people and their hopes, their dreams, their personalities all converging into one place that became known as Kumogakure. He loved the life in a big city as much as a quiet, sincere, small-town in the southern lands of Konoha. "That will come with time, Christian, as all things must. But I do encourage you to actively seek the secrets of the world as you live on. It will not always come naturally. Some things want to be found." He smiled sweetly once more, though one of the serving girls from the lower levels came up to see the Raikage. She bowed respectfully, and then informed him of what she needed to. "Raikage-sama, a man who claims to be the Mizukage has arrived here. He has the proper documentation so we believe his claim is true. The sensors have also informed me that his chakra levels are rather high. I have been advised to dispatch a personal guard for your interactions with him. Will that suffice?"
At this revelation, Christian laughed a little. He enjoyed that he was receiving such a prestigious visitor so early. He shook his head, a no, and replied: "That won't be necessary. Just send him up here. I have a lot of seals installed over here for any potential... skyward invaders."
At that, she nodded and made her way down to the lower levels.
"Mizukage, the Raikage will be awaiting you on the top floor. 13F, there's a large stairway leading up to it. Now then, should you have no more need of me, I will be taking my leave." Once again, she bowed as was routine, and took off to fulfill the rest of her duties, with Christian waiting above, itchy to see his surprise guest.
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 11:10 pm
Turpis Velit
Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist
"Two wrongs never make a right."
Turpis sat patiently in the reception area. The building, from the outside, appeared to be quite tall. It was no wonder then that he would sit for as long as he was in wait for the return of the receptionist. Not one to be meddlesome whilst waiting, Turpis began to do what anybody in his position would do. He twiddled his thumbs. Over and under and over once more, his thumbs did twiddle as he stared at the floor.
The movement in his palms ceased the moment he heard footsteps. He immediately lifted his gaze from the floor in the hopes that the Raikage had arrived. Instead his gaze was matched by a rather bronze skinned youth with striking blonde hair. Assumedly this was one of the genin of the village, and not the kage himself. Still, Turpis mustered a wave in greeting and the boy mirrored the act before darting out the door. Alone in the room once more, he found himself looking at the floor mere seconds after the boy had departed.
A second set of steps resounded in the hall that led to the staircase. These were more prominent, which indicated a heavier gait. This was promising, as once more the Mizukage raised his gaze to see who had arrived. Once more his hopes were dashed by the arrival of yet another person who was not the Raikage. He took in a sharp breath of air, preparing to express his discomfort for having to wait so long. His complaint was silenced before it could begin by the receptionist's voice.
Thirteenth floor, got it. Thank you very much. Turpis rose from the chair with one smooth motion, immediately transitioning into a steady gait. In three steps he had passed the receptionist and by the seventh he was already upon the stairs. Out of sight of any villagers, Turpis dropped all pretenses of regality. He flicked the top of hat, sending it upwards and causing it to rest upon his back, held by a string around his neck. His mummified appearance may have implied discomfort, but he was anything but as he began to dash up the stairs.
His heavy footsteps resounded in the hallway as the Mizukage approached the door to the Raikage's office. He slid to a stop upon pristine floors, an act that caused his robes to billow with the influx of air. Turpis allowed the flowing robes to grow still, before his hand rose from his side. He balled his wrapped hand into a fist, and gave the office door a firm rap. He was excited.
[align=center][color=olive]Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist[/align][/color]
[size=10][align=left][color=olive] "Two wrongs never make a right." [/size][/align][/color]
[align=center][size=10][color=Green] Ambitious. Turpis enjoyed ambition in his villagers. It implied that they wanted better for themselves, and hopefully for those around them. Beneath the fabrics that shrouded his visage, Turpis smiled. Of course for those that he was smiling before, it was merely a rising of the cheeks and a brightening within his eldritch eyes.
"Those blades are legendary, but as our comrade so intelligently stated their wielders were oft to defect from the village." He raised a hand, bringing attention to the bandages that covered the entirety of his flesh, and began to stroke at his chin in thought. "On the other hand, finding all seven of the swords would bring our village much attention. The other villages would be intimidated if we reinstated the Mist 7." His mind immediately turned to the blades, remembering stories in his history books of past usage the blades experienced.
"I will think on that matter. For now though, let us keep our eyes on the present. " His eyes shifted as he looked upon the genin in the background, giving silent praise to the children for training. "We have matters that require our immediate attention. Meet me in the Mizukage's office when you finish here. We will discuss those matters then."
With a tip of his hat Turpis departed from the training grounds. [exit]
[/color][/align][/size]
[align=right][color=olive][size=10]"But three rights definitely makes a left."[/size][/color]
The Raikage stood up from where he sat, the bench with cushions and even blankets that moved ever so slightly along with the wind. His sandals tapped the floor as he made his way across the wooden boards that lined the roof, passing by the shrubbery and the what have you on his way to the door. He could see it, feel it -- that massive amount of energy, close to him. With a step, he could use the tremors on the surface to understand the Mizukage's location and even the weight that pressed against the floor with the finest details. He could almost describe all the way up to the shape of his nose, though perhaps that would be a little pointless to know. He grabbed the knob, knowing very well that a hand was on it from the opposite side, and spun it willfully to open the door and let their eyes meet. "Konban-wa, dude. Hehe." He smiled brightly, and invited the Mizukage in with a gesture; a beckon, come forward, it told him. He stepped back to give him space, his eyes slightly closed and his lips wide open as a show of excitement.
"No but really. Hey, I'm Christian Uzumaki. I'm the Raikage. You're the Mizukage, right? I hope you are! You're pretty damn strong from what I can see, and I can see pretty well! If you were just his envoy I'd be crying! Haha!" On that point, he could perceive well, indeed. Every single slither of energy. Every cord, every line that connected together. He felt it deep inside his bones. It made meeting other powerful shinobi quite the intimidating experience. But Christian was sort of arrogant when it came to power, and that was really the only field where his humility was broken. He knew he was one of the greatest shinobi to have been, in a very long time. With that in mind, he feared no evil. He did not mind the approaching of even a beast such as this man, with his strange and unpredictable energy that left Christian curious as to just what he was. For only a moment of course, however, before he recalled a rather rare technique that changed men into sewn objects. Creepy. Almost as creepy as human puppets.
"Why'd you come here today, my friend? I assume it's to meet the new Raikage. Wish his teenage, hormonal a** some good luck? Duly appreciated." His lips curved, a slight smirk. He wasn't a mindreader, but he figured he didn't come all the way to Kumogakure for something so minor as a greeting. He probably wanted something different; a deal, an alliance. Something only a Kage could offer to another Kage. Now the question was, what could that be?
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 1:20 am
Turpis Velit
Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist
"Two wrongs never make a right."
Turpis had managed to allow his robes to settle before Christian opened the door, but that did not account for his messy canopy of black hair that covered his cheeks and the nape of his neck. His hat hung haphazardly upon his shoulders, a victim of the excitement the young Mizukage had displayed when ascending the stairs leading to the Raikage's office. Upon catching sight of the male he was taken aback. Not only was he jovial; he looked to be as young if not younger than Turpis himself. The Mizukage had alway considered himself an anomaly amongst other ninja, so it was refreshing to meet another like himself that bore a similar mantle. His expression was warm, and he smiled with his eyes which was Turpis took as a sign of sincerity. "Konbanwa!" Bandaged hands clapped together and the Mizukage bowed at the sternum, paying respect to his counterpart before taking the first step inside the office.
The first thing he noticed upon entering the airy office was the dry breeze. The air here held none of the damp humidity that hung heavy in Kirigakure. It was fresh. It was also enjoyed by the male for all of a moment before his host introduced himself in an efficient manner. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Lord...Christian." Turpis faltered for a moment, taken aback by how casual the Raikage was. From his speech to his demeanor, the young leader seemed at ease. Remembering himself, Turpis continued on. "Turpis Velit happens to be my name, and as you already stated I am the Mizukage. You have quite the sense of perception to judge strength by sight alone. Of course it does help that we get these nifty little hats." He tapped his forehead, absently thinking that his hat was still upon his head. He took a moment to retrieve the regal apparel and placed it atop his head once more.
Then it came, clothed by the jovial nature that the Raikage had displayed throughout the entire meeting. Why had the Mizukage chosen to visit upon this day? "Believe it or not I had actually sent an envoy to meet you, so expect a letter from yours truly within the week. But in this time of peace, I feel that we can bring both of our villages much benefit through collaboration." It was now that his guardian's books of diplomacy would come in handy. " As a fellow leader of a hidden village, I know that much responsibility falls upon our shoulders. So I ask you Christian, do you think we could be of service to each other?"
[align=center][color=olive]Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist[/align][/color]
[size=10][align=left][color=olive] "Two wrongs never make a right." [/size][/align][/color]
[align=center][size=10][color=Green] Ambitious. Turpis enjoyed ambition in his villagers. It implied that they wanted better for themselves, and hopefully for those around them. Beneath the fabrics that shrouded his visage, Turpis smiled. Of course for those that he was smiling before, it was merely a rising of the cheeks and a brightening within his eldritch eyes.
"Those blades are legendary, but as our comrade so intelligently stated their wielders were oft to defect from the village." He raised a hand, bringing attention to the bandages that covered the entirety of his flesh, and began to stroke at his chin in thought. "On the other hand, finding all seven of the swords would bring our village much attention. The other villages would be intimidated if we reinstated the Mist 7." His mind immediately turned to the blades, remembering stories in his history books of past usage the blades experienced.
"I will think on that matter. For now though, let us keep our eyes on the present. " His eyes shifted as he looked upon the genin in the background, giving silent praise to the children for training. "We have matters that require our immediate attention. Meet me in the Mizukage's office when you finish here. We will discuss those matters then."
With a tip of his hat Turpis departed from the training grounds. [exit]
[/color][/align][/size]
[align=right][color=olive][size=10]"But three rights definitely makes a left."[/size][/color]
(Super sorry for taking so long. I've been busy with getting the guild up and running and getting people's characters through. And I've also been kinda lazy. I'll definitely try to be more punctual from now on.)
The Mizukage bowed, rather low. That surprised Christian some, perhaps pleasantly. As a show of respect, he reciprocated, his hands coming together as well to be as respectful as possible. He smiled slightly as he rose, looking Turpis in the eye. "Don't call me lord please, aha. I'm just Christian. Nothing fancy." He was pleased to make Turpis' acquaintance as well, but such titles were unwanted. Raikage was the only one he'd accept. It was what he was; he wasn't a noble, or a saint, only the leader of this fine village. "It's not always by sight that I judge," he replied. "I'd probably be able to live the same even if I were blind. Actually I was blind for a while when I was a kid. I had keratitis. That's probably why I became as good at using my other senses as I am." Christian scratched the top of his head and grinned awkwardly.
That was probably a lot more random information than he intended to let out. It wasn't that it was a secret, he just wasn't sure exactly how to act around another person of such prestige. Human-like? Friend-like? Or cold, business oriented and incapable of relaxation? He didn't enjoy the thought of becoming a stone when another like the Mizukage was around him. He would eventually grow to match the persona, and he'd always prided himself in being down-to-earth despite the situations he'd been put into. He was a hero of the village and loved by the people for being kind and compassionate. And yet such things were also signs of weakness. So where did he go from there? Did he keep going forward, did he take another route, or something in-between? It was strange. Perhaps he'd simply decide with time, based on how the other great leaders treated his words.
As he sort of jumbled himself up in these thoughts, the Jiongu began to ask him a question. First he started by expressing a desire to collaborate, then he flat-out asked if they could be of service. What that meant could be broad; a military alliance, trading, diplomatic relations, an embassy, or a personal friendship. He wasn't sure what exactly he wanted, but he assumed that he'd want nigh all of it if Christian was to comply. It was considered a great success for a newly chosen leader to improve relations with another village. However, Christian had to be aware of Turpis' agenda before making any such moves towards an agreement. So he decided to be frank. "Depends," he initially replied. "Give me some information. How strong is your military? How much money does your village have? And its economical growth? Its deficit? Do you owe any loans to other nations? Do you expect Kumo to help you repay said loans, if you do? Do you have an agenda that involves harassing or assaulting another nation, such as embargoing them or claiming their territory? What would you consider your relationship with the other villages? Their leaders? Their royalty?"
A whole slew of questions, things he wanted to know. He would not make a pact blindly and cause misfortune for his people. He didn't exactly find it strange that the Mizukage was so eager to seek Christian's alliance, but he did believe it was for self-interest. Everything was, and for every person.
In light of all these questions, he decided to answer them for himself to keep things fair. "Kumo's military is average. Perhaps even low-tier compared to the other five major villages. Our village is, however, exceptionally rich considering our vast quantities of oil, grain and gold. Our economic growth is stable, and high. There is no deficit. We do not owe any loans. We do not expect our allies to help us financially. We do not have an agenda that involves disrupting the peace in any way, shape or form. I consider myself friendly towards the other nations and their leaders, though frankly as a new thinker I consider royalty to be a limiting factor, inhibiting free opportunity and suppressing the desires of the people. I do not support the royalty of any nation, not mine, not yours." That was certainly a bomb to drop, but one that had already been revealed by his villagers. When Christian rose, one of the things he made clear was that he desired for Kumo to become a parliamentary republic, like in the small city-states far to the east.
That was his dream, or one of them at least.
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 11:48 am
Turpis Velit
Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist
"Two wrongs never make a right."
As he thought, he had overdone it with the Lord preceding the name of the Raikage. Whelp, better too much respect than not enough., he thought to himself as his mind returned to the lessons that his caretaker had drilled into his head some years ago. Still, the Raikage had reciprocated the show of respect. The implications of the act were numerous, yet best left out of the scrutiny of his analytical mind. He settled upon the notion that the act had been performed under the social contract that the majority of civilized shinobi observed. He nodded his head in agreement before responding to his conversational partner. "I'm sure your villagers would beg to differ, however I think I shall stick with the name you suggested. Christian.." He spoke the Raikage's name aloud, allowing the feel of the invocation to settle upon his forked tongue. After hearing the account of the leader's past, the wrappings upon the Mizukage's cheeks rose as he smiled knowingly. "To be blind is no cakewalk, of that much I know. " His tone wasn't pitied or superior, it was merely the voice of one who knew what it felt like to be blind, albeit by choice.
This man had thrown off Turpis' entire mental image of a Kage. He could remember with ease the days of his past when the Mizukage asserted his superiority over his people. By no means was it a despotism, merely the man had a way of making the shinobi in the village feel lesser. Turpis could not tell whether it was because he had finally reached the title of Kage, or Christian displayed a level of humanity that most ninja of his caliber lacked. Either way, his counterparts demeanor was nigh upon perplexing. Turpis did not allow for his mind to linger on the details of the Raikage's personality for any longer. He had made his way to Kumogakure for a reason and psychoanalyzing the Raikage was not one of them. Forging a bond between their two nations, on the other hand, was and the Mizukage knee how to drive a hard bargain.
Turpis waited patiently for Christian to respond to his purposely vague offer. The broader a range of service that one could provide, the more likely they were to secure a partnership. When he did finally respond it was underwhelming. Turpis almost sighed with resignation when Christian responded with, "It depends." His disappointment was short lived as he followed up with a torrent of questions about his village, starting with his military. His mentor had always cautioned him to put his best foot forward, and it seemed with this situation he was going to do just that. Once Christian had finished his line of questioning, Turpis remained silent in wait for any follow up questions. He was granted with corresponding information about Kumogakure. If he had not been motivated to reply before, he was now. As he took into consideration what Christian had disclosed in regards to Kumogakure, he compared the information to his own knowledge of Kirigakure.
He took all of a moment to take it all into consideration, and thus he began to reply. "Kirigakure has been known for its powerful military force and now is no different from the days of old. " Turpis immediately thought of the ninja he had observed in the training ground only hours ago. If they could contain that bloodlust of theirs they had potential to be a brutally efficient military force. On the other hand, Kirigakure was not a rich land. Turpis knew that full well, and decided to disclose that in manner that would not cast a bad light upon his village. "In terms of economy, Kirigakure is stable yet poor. While we lack the money making resources of Kumogakure, we make up for it with a self sustaining agricultural system." His final set of questions seemed to be moreso directed towards Turpis rather than the village. "While Kirigakure is not a rich nation, we settle our own debts. Currently we owe payment to no nation, but I can assure you that Kumogakure would not be expected to foot a bill that has Kirigakure's name upon it. Furthermore, I have no intention of initiating conflict with another nation. " Turpis fell silent for a moment as he chose his next words carefully. "However should we forge an alliance and one of our nations be attacked, aid would be expected. " At the mention of royalty, Turpis fell quiet. Instantly he was reminded of his ignorance as a fledgling Mizukage. Still, he mustered a response that he felt adequately demonstrated an understanding of what Christian had said. "We are at peace with all foreign leaders at the moment, a feat I can assure you for the Mist. I intend to keep it that way. As for royalty, I do not know enough about them to say. That being said, as the potential for agreement is between our two villages, should they threaten yourself or those under your sovereign, we of the mist shall be obligated to intervene."
The Mizukage fell silent. He had answered Christian's questions to the best of his ability, but more than that he wanted his agenda to be clear though his words. He was trying to forge a bond that was mutually beneficial for the two villages.
"But three rights definitely makes a left."
Chakra:359
((Out Of Cookies: It's all good in the hood my friend. We all have those days. Of course, the destruction of my beautiful beach is on your hands.))
[align=center][color=olive]Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist[/align][/color]
[size=10][align=left][color=olive] "Two wrongs never make a right." [/size][/align][/color]
[align=center][size=10][color=Green] Ambitious. Turpis enjoyed ambition in his villagers. It implied that they wanted better for themselves, and hopefully for those around them. Beneath the fabrics that shrouded his visage, Turpis smiled. Of course for those that he was smiling before, it was merely a rising of the cheeks and a brightening within his eldritch eyes.
"Those blades are legendary, but as our comrade so intelligently stated their wielders were oft to defect from the village." He raised a hand, bringing attention to the bandages that covered the entirety of his flesh, and began to stroke at his chin in thought. "On the other hand, finding all seven of the swords would bring our village much attention. The other villages would be intimidated if we reinstated the Mist 7." His mind immediately turned to the blades, remembering stories in his history books of past usage the blades experienced.
"I will think on that matter. For now though, let us keep our eyes on the present. " His eyes shifted as he looked upon the genin in the background, giving silent praise to the children for training. "We have matters that require our immediate attention. Meet me in the Mizukage's office when you finish here. We will discuss those matters then."
With a tip of his hat Turpis departed from the training grounds. [exit]
[/color][/align][/size]
[align=right][color=olive][size=10]"But three rights definitely makes a left."[/size][/color]
From what he heard, he had no complaints. The Mizukage accepted his request to simply be called "Christian", and further on went to affirm him in virtually every section that he'd been asked about. Military strength, strong. Economy, weak but sustainable; it did not need influence, inflation, assistance. It was independent. They did not owe any loans, and he did not desire to cause conflict. Of course a mutual defense pact was in order, as they tended to be in the case of alliances. He was at peace with the other nations, which was the biggest deal for Christian really. The rest checked out, though he decided to go back and make a few minor edits. "Should you decide to declare an offensive war on another nation, or should you seek our backing in a dangerous scenario initiated by your own machinations, then you can expect our alliance to break instantaneously. Should I discover that any of the information you supplied to me at this moment is a lie, then our alliance will break instantaneously. You are also allied to me, and to Kumogakure, not to the daimyo and Kumo no Kuni. Finally, and importantly..." He trailed off for a moment, partly unsure whether he wanted to enforce this particular 'rule' to their partnership.
There were mitigations and also strong factors that pressed him towards the decision. He decided to go forward. "You will have no great powers as allies other than Kumogakure. I hope you can understand why. If we have disputes with another great power, which is practically imminent due to our trade and diplomatic-based approach, then we would be put into a very precarious position if you happened to claim yourself an ally of them. I'd also not like to be claimed an ally by association, under that same pretense. Aaand I'd also like for the balance of powers to remain intact. We can be friends, Kumo and Kiri. Intimately. But I take my friendship very seriously. Consider me a possessive girlfriend. I fear that multiple binding alliances will degrade our own, naturally or through unfortunate decisions you might make geared towards either side." That was essentially all that needed to be said in that regard. Christian almost exhausted himself with how much nagging he had to put Turpis through for their alliance to stand strong.
He liked the concept of a strong nation as his friend. Kumo greatly needed a military force to help it survive against its southern neighbors, and Kiri would greatly benefit globally from a strong and wealthy trade partner. He saw the benefit. But he had to be aware of the detriment.
"If all that's fine, then," Christian started, "Welcome aboard, friend. I hope we can both find great success." He held his hand out for a shake. A symbol. To take it would be to seal the pact. To refuse would be to step away, and abandon thoughts of a mutual friendship. So, he wondered, what would it be?
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:50 pm
Turpis Velit
Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist
"Two wrongs never make a right."
Turpis eyed the extended hand of Christian, a physical representation of his half of the pact that they were about to make. If he took his hand, it meant that he agreed to the terms that Christian had placed before him. In truth, Turpis did not have any objection to the first set of stipulation that Christian had set before him. It was only logical really. Kirigakure should not have to participate in a conflict that was initiated by Kumogakure, nor should the reverse occur in the case of Kirigakure being the aggressor. Turpis pondered the details of their agreement, but for the sake of showing his commitment he opted to take Christians's hand. The crisp bandages chafed against Christian's palm as Turpis greeted it with his right hand. He had met him halfway in their sealing of the deal, and upon contact his eldricht eyes rose to make contact with the Raikage's.
It was then that he spoke. "I agree to the terms and conditions that you have set before myself and Kirigakure..." He paused in contemplation, although this was short lived. His mind was made on a mutually beneficial relationship between the two villages. "However, in light of your addendum it should be made clear that Kumogakure shall be held to the same expectations as Kirigakure. " He was taking a risk in placing his lot in with Kumogakure. By agreeing to an exclusive alliance, he was negating the possibility of future collaborations. On the other hand, Kumogakure evened out the weaknesses held by Kirigakure. The Hidden Cloud village had the economy and the Hidden Mist had the military force to defend it. In light of that, the benefit to his country would be well worth the risk he was taking in accepting Christian's offer.
Turpis lifted his hand, and along with it Christian's. He inhaled sharply, as the two hands were poised in the beginning half of a shake. He was waiting for Christian to lower them and finish the shake, thus solidifying the alliance between the two villages, and the two men.
[align=center][color=olive]Kirigakure|-| Mizukage|-| The Pianist[/align][/color]
[size=10][align=left][color=olive] "Two wrongs never make a right." [/size][/align][/color]
[align=center][size=10][color=Green] Ambitious. Turpis enjoyed ambition in his villagers. It implied that they wanted better for themselves, and hopefully for those around them. Beneath the fabrics that shrouded his visage, Turpis smiled. Of course for those that he was smiling before, it was merely a rising of the cheeks and a brightening within his eldritch eyes.
"Those blades are legendary, but as our comrade so intelligently stated their wielders were oft to defect from the village." He raised a hand, bringing attention to the bandages that covered the entirety of his flesh, and began to stroke at his chin in thought. "On the other hand, finding all seven of the swords would bring our village much attention. The other villages would be intimidated if we reinstated the Mist 7." His mind immediately turned to the blades, remembering stories in his history books of past usage the blades experienced.
"I will think on that matter. For now though, let us keep our eyes on the present. " His eyes shifted as he looked upon the genin in the background, giving silent praise to the children for training. "We have matters that require our immediate attention. Meet me in the Mizukage's office when you finish here. We will discuss those matters then."
With a tip of his hat Turpis departed from the training grounds. [exit]
[/color][/align][/size]
[align=right][color=olive][size=10]"But three rights definitely makes a left."[/size][/color]
The Raikage nodded. In light of a strange situation, and a sudden greeting, he managed to make a very favorable deal. He promised detachment from Kiri should they break any term of said deal, essentially freeing himself from unwanted obligations other than the mutually beneficial defensive pact that they formed. As a result, Kumo became doubly safe from invaders, with a powerful ally to protect them. And in the case of Kiri, if they were ever to require it, Kumo could fund their military and essentially allow them to garner the military strength to eclipse both nations. It was a fine deal indeed. But only if both of them cooperated fully, and never broke a term. Christian could trust himself to not do that. He felt somehow that he could trust the Jiongu as well, whether because of intuition or naivety, he did not know. He released the shake, signing the deal through the meeting of their two hands.
"You're a good guy," he told him, expressing his thoughts verbally. "I know that I can trust you. And I'll put faith on that belief." The Raikage moved his hand upwards, his fist pressing up against his chest; a modest sign of loyalty. "You can trust me too." The Raikage's eyes then lightened up; now that his duties were done with, he could go back to all of the wild enjoyment that made up his life after the sun went down. It wasn't quite wild compared to some people's hobbies, but for Christian, bonfires, singing and parties -- even particularly modest ones -- were a lot to handle. He loved them though, it became a thing of requirement that he see and speak to all of the wonderful people of Cloud before the next sun came to rise. But he wanted to get to know the Mizukage too. He was the special guest tonight, and after claiming to become his friend, he wanted to know more about him.
"Hey Turpis," He called his name. "Do ya wanna stay over for a bit? I'd like to learn some about you. We could share some sweet gossip and laugh at our sycophants. Or we could not and just talk about meaningful stuff. Like hobbies and favorite colors. You know, all of that life-or-death knowledge that a friend has to know. Haha." He smiled faintly, and looked over to the old man from the moon village that instructed him on singing, and the ways of life. "That'll be all for the day, gramps. You can go home now." He waved, and the old man stood up and smiled. He walked to the door, then, passing by the two prestigious men as he made his way home. "I've really loved being Raikage. I get to know a ton of people from different lifestyles. They're all so sweet, too. So affirming. I can tell it's honest. There's a spark in their eyes when they stand on the tile." He turned around, and grabbed a jug to pour himself a drink -- though it was only a tropical punch of some sorts.
"Thing is, they're not ninja. They don't know what it's like to constantly have your life on the line. To fear for every single corridor around you. To feel like at any moment you're going to be taken down by an assassin's blade. And they also don't know the excitement of exploring the world with a squad of your best friends. They haven't known fear or adventure like the shinobi have. And ironically I find myself severely lacking in such company these days." He grabbed another glass, and turned to the Mizukage. "Do you want a drink? We have a lot of options, kinda. Mostly fruity stuff. No alcohol. I hate drunks."
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 2:28 pm
A surge of relief filled the Mizukage the moment that shake had concluded. His efforts to secure an alliance that would prove beneficial to Kirigakure had for the time being proven to be successful. If the information the Raikage had provided in terms of economy were accurate, Kirigakure had just found itself a new trade partner. Such an acquisition had potential to expand the Hidden Mist's exports whilst bringing aboard many imports from their more diverse counterpart. That alone was a positive addition, but the symbiotic relationship also opened the possibility for security detail for any high profile trades that Kumogakure might make. The idea had not been wishful thinking for certain, but Turpis had every intention of proposing the idea to Christian at a later date. For the time being, he was content with the fact that they had just forged an alliance.
Turpis was caught off guard by Christian's remark. He had been called many things in his short lifetime, however a 'Good Guy' was not one of the titles that had been applied to him. It was odd to him, that someone of a different village would be first to call him so. He did not know how to respond to the statement, but it felt wrong to simply remain silent. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that your faith is proven to be well placed." Turpis knew for a fact that Christian was taking as much of a risk as he was; placing his faith in a man who, as of only a few hours ago, was nothing but a stranger. "I'm at a loss for words Christian. I will say this though. Your trust is duly appreciated." The Mizukage watched as his counterpart performed some sort of symbol by placing his fist against his chest. Figuring that it would be an easy way to display their newfound solidarity, he too performed the act.
The next thing he knew, Turpis found himself being invited to stay in Christian's company in a less professional manner. It was an enticing offer, however Turpis was well aware that leaving his village unattended for too long would certainly be noticed by his bloodthirsty ninja. Still, he found himself debating on the matter as a part of him wanted to spend more time with the Raikage. Something about him just seemed...magnetic. " As much as I would enjoy spending more time with you Christian, I am afraid I must return to my village. That being said, I would be much obliged if you would escort me to your village gates. It would buy us some time to gossip whilst allowing me to see more of Kumogakure." He proposed the idea in the hopes that Christian would accept it. He seemed like the kind of person that would make for excellent conversation.
As Christian spoke upon his experience as Raikage, a sense of envy crept over Turpis. He rarely felt the affirmation from his villagers that Christian spoke of. Turpis couldn't blame them either, for he was well aware that he looked outlandish in his bandaged state. The only part of him that anybody ever saw was his eyes, which looked to be inhuman as it was. Thus it was no surprise that his villagers would be wary of him, no matter how many good works he did for their benefit. "No wonder you enjoy being Raikage. You get to experience all of these vibrant stories. Me? I get no such affirmation. The ninja respect me, and some even like me, but the villagers are fearful. They see my eyes and avert their gaze. So I know the disappointment that lack of company brings. That solitude. Perhaps we can share each other's company more often?" At the mention of a drink, Turpis nodded. "If you have anything with cherries in it that would be divine."
The Raikage smiled brightly; today he was content. He had picked up an invaluable ally that would serve to do his village and himself great favors for some time, and he hoped the favors could be mutual. He nodded at his kind words, and then began to speak. "Sure, I'll take you to the g-" Before he finished he was cut off, a secretary opening the door, almost as if plot convenience was in effect. "Raikage-sama, Elder Takifumi is dying! She has suddenly began to convulse horribly! We need your medical expertise!" His eyes widened for a moment, then he instantly calmed himself and looked Turpis in the eye. "Nevermind, I guess," he said quietly. "I have to attend to her quickly. I'll save you the trip back to Kiri. Here, give me your hand." He grabbed the Jiongu by the fingers, then flipped his palm to face skyward and opened it up completely. He tapped it once, and then the last thing the Mizukage would see before his eyes would set upon the Gates of Kiri would be Christian, running off to do what he did best; protect.
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