The Shogun

[hobnob]

The streets of the town were already heaving with tourists from across the world. Heiji Day was a new holiday, and everyone was super excited for it. Making the most of all the benefits the holiday created for the country. Food stands, celebrities, they were all here, and Kurai was wandering through the streets taking it all in. The official reason for the holiday was to celebrate peace, and to allow The Great Five nation to support the newly formed countries via economic boosts. Shinobi from every single of the countries could be seen here, and the thing that made this place so different from the rest was that all shinobi activity was banned on this land. This was most likely the only reason why none of the nations has engaged in any combat. Guards from Pebble country and Steam could be seen wandering the streets, they kept close watch on anyone with a headband and moved in groups of two as a minimum.

Because of this, Kurai decided not to wear his headband. With shinobi training came the conditioning of always checking his six, and he did not want to do that today, he was here to relax and to explore all the goodness the rest of the world had to offer. This is how he found himself wandering these very streets. In a distance he saw a crowd of people surrounding a stage, they appeared to be waiting for something. There were no signs, no information whatsoever. The youth found this strange that some festive attraction would not be advertised, and so he decided to get off the main streets and move into one of the alleyways where he leaped onto one of the rooftops which overlooked the stage and moved to the edge where he sat down and waited.

[Nick]

Fuhen sighed. The duties of leadership never seemed to give him much time to rest. There was a lot to do at home of course, but perhaps the worst part about it... A festival was going on around him, and he had been asked to give a speech! No rest for the weary, no funnelcake for a Shogun. The Frog's aide bowed to him, a gaunt man with a sharpness only in his eyes. "It is time, Iyashii-sama." He grunted and nodded, giving the man a small smile of thanks.

Traditionally, his aide might walk out first and introduce him to the crowd, but like in most minor countries, he needed no introduction. Fuhen stepped out past a curtain and onto the stage, feeling a bit awkward with so many eyes on him, but he cleared his throat and projected his voice.

"Welcome to a glorious Heiji day!" He declared clearly, to an uproarious cheer from the crowd. Not everyone would know him, but all would share the sentiment. Fuhen let them have their reverie for a moment, before holding his hands up to hush the crowd. "Today is a day of mourning! " He called out, which was met with a somber silence. "The war we fought was not our own, but we found a way to end it on our terms."

The somber tone continued. Fuhen hadn't planned his speech, he hadn't been told what to do with it, merely that he should inspire the people. "One moment of silence for those lost." The silence was deafening, only amplified by people only a few streets over still playing music and enjoying themselves. "And now celebrate two things, their victory, and their memory!" The cheer was even wilder than before, no other noises could be heard. He let it go on for longer than one might expect, before raising a hand again, quieting them quickly.

"Take your time, enjoy your peace, enjoy your celebration." He raised both his hands up dramatically. "But remember why Heiji day exists. Greed. Fear. Anger. Do not let these things take yer heart. Be ready to fight against them in the future. We celebrate this Heiji day, but let us leave no room for a second one to be made!" The crowd cheered again, and Fuhen didn't even try to stop them this time, letting their cheer run for miles.

He turned and left the stage, letting the people return to their celebrations. The backstage area would be visible from the rooftops, though.

jutsuShow

Hard Work Style Promising Soldier
S-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Despite being full of limitless potential and filled with vigor, Fuhen appears as nothing more than your average man in all aspects. This 'technique' implies that nothing about Fuhen's body language portrays that he is a trained/experienced killer, and everything from the way he walks to how his chakra appears to casual observers reinforces the idea that he is, if anything, clumsy and likely incapable of fighting. This is most useful in passing himself off as nothing special, putting most into a false sense of security, though with minimal effort Fuhen can break out of this technique to reveal his true self.

Convincing Demeanor
B-Rank Renjutsu Discipline
A foundational technique for the rest of Fuhen's Reichou Renjutsu, this discipline means that while addressing a crowd, even if they are against him or his goal, in the beginning, he can read the room and approach them in a way to draw them to his side. This can be done in many ways, such as by picking out individual members to bring over, creating a domino effect, or making appeals to logic or emotion.

Placate
B-Rank Renjutsu Maneuver
Much the opposite of Unrest, this technique allows Fuhen to satisfy a crowd with his words. This causes the people affected to be generally happier in demeanor towards him, or whatever he has drawn their attention to. Sometimes this is done with promises, empty or not, but is often done through simple appeals to logic or emotion.

I Set My Sail
B-Rank Renjutsu Maneuver
For when playing a long game, after appealing directly to the crowd, Fuhen can make a call to action. This call to action can be anything from "farm the fields" to "get rid of the emperor." While not everyone in the crowd can be swayed to such calls to action, the purpose of this is to put the idea in people's minds that this is what needs to be done. Over time, this will lead to small groups forming splinter cells with the call to action in mind, and if left untended will lead to long-term effects such as rebellion.

[hobnob]

Kurai eyes landed upon the shogun as he entered the stage, he was nothing more than your average person. It surprised the youth that the great shogun was so average looking, but he was sure able to speak publicly. At first Kurai didn’t seem overly interested, the speech felt a bit pointless. But as he went on Kurai became more and more interested in what he had to say, to the point where at the end of the speech the youth decided to go ahead and speak to the man around the back. Swiftly he grabbed onto the guttering and hanged above the street before dropping casually and moving round to the back of the stage. Because of the barriers separating the backstage from the front, Kurai had to dash around the bloc to the spot which wasn’t as well guarded as the front, a mistake on their part.

Just as swiftly he hopped over the barrier. Landing with a gentle thump, he began walking towards the back stage are where he was expecting to find the great Shogun. As he walked he was wondering what he would say to him; he was really interested in how the man managed to achieve everything he has achieved by such a young age. This Heiji day stuff was just another political events that has an aim, he was not all that interested in it. He has heard a thing or two about the shogun and he wanted to find out more, and all he could do was hope that he would actually be allowed to speak to the man.

As he approached, he saw the very man not too far away, it was time to make him aware of the approaching youth; ’Shogun-Sama!’ he shouted in an attempt to get the mans attention.

[Nick]

When Kurai approached, Fuhen was talking with his aide, working out where he needed to be next for the rest of the day. His sharpened senses told him Kurai was there, but he didn't realize he wanted to speak to him until after he called out. The Shogun turned around with a blank look on his face. Fuhen had guards around, but they also knew how to assess threats. Their gaze turned to the intruder, but they did not draw their weapons, and neither did the Frog. Wordlessly, he walked to meet the boy halfway, curious about the intrusion.

He looked over the boy and assessed him. A village headband told the Shogun he was one of Iwagakure's shinobi, which only added to the interest. Fuhen had not met many from Iwa, however, he knew of their practices, and the rock village was one he certainly did not approve of. All the same, he knew that individuals made up the group, and the group did not make up the individuals. He gave the young boy a warm smile, a big brother at heart he squatted down to meet the boy that was nearly half his size.

"Aye, little Iwa, what can I do for ya?"

[hobnob]

The little Iwa nin looked at the squatting Shogun. The strange feeling of excitement pumped through his veins as he got closer. It was time to interiew the very man. He stopped a few feet away and took a slow deep breath, he anted to come across as slightly more mature than he was, but knowing that the Shogun has probably come across people who are much more childish than him gave him some comfort.

’I was just listening to your speech… And wanted to ask you some questions… would that be okay?’ The youth said, already asking one. He just hoped that the Shogun would allow this, and wouldn’t ask for his security to kick the little Iwa out of bounds.

[Nick]

Fuhen raised a brow, the boy was awfully polite for having met a stranger. The Frog recalled when he was the young boy's age, he probably would have greeted people with a rude gesture, or a kick to the shins. Perhaps his reputation as the Shogun preceded him more than he thought. He'd only been the leader of the country of New Tea for less than a year, but word traveled faster to ninja than it did to anyone else. He briefly wondered if the major countries had begun to write plays about him now, some glorifying him as the great samurai king, others shunning him as some sort of evil demon.

"Ahh, did ya enjoy it? I dinnae give that many speeches." He winked at the boy and stood up straight. "I have to get ready for my next meeting, but I have time to talk and walk." The Shogun gestured for the boy to come with, and he started to walk away from the backstage area. "Ask whatever questions ye like, I'm little if nae open."

[hobnob]

Kurai smiled as the Shogun allowed for the conversation to go ahead. With his head bobbing backwards and forwards he answere the mans question. He did enjoy it, and he would enjoy finding out more about the man even more. ’Okay, I won’t waste your time! I promise!’ Speaking slightly louder than he should be due to the excitement. But the need to find out more about a man who has achieved so much by such a young age really inspired him, and now he had a few minutes to find out how he could improve just like this man must have done. With an array of question building up in his mind, it was time to bombard the man with his very first question, or second depending on what counts.

’Where did you grow up? And how did you become so strong?’ The youth said as he followed the towering man to wherever he was going.

[Nick]

He laughed. The boy's questions were so innocent, and yet, if he was a spy, such questions could lead to much worse. All the same, the Frog didn't keep his guard up as much as he probably should have, taking the boy at some kind of face value, even if that was of a young Iwa shinobi. The two were walking down a not-very-busy section of the street now, plenty of passerby's but a residential district separate from the festivities. "Ahh, I hail from a place you'll only find if'n ye look at maps from before the war. The land o' rivers and streams, in the southernmost parts o' the country."

He took a deep breath, remembering with fondness his small home village, with only maybe 200 residents to its name, so small that it was simply 'a village' rather than anything with a name. But, of course, the fondness couldn't last forever. River was gone now. Maybe not forever, but at least for now. The people there were still his, and when he had the opportunity, he would try to earn them back once more. "Perhaps one day, it'll be on the map again, but ah'm sure ye know, many countries were lost in the war." The Shogun said distantly, not even thinking that the boy might have been far too young to realize anything about the war, including the state of the world changing because of it.

He had to think on the second question a bit, making an audibly humming noise as he thought of how to reply. The truth of the matter was a lot of things, more than could be explained to a child. He was blessed by a goddess, for one, but that wasn't something that was very inspiring, he thought, and that's why he'd been invited to be here at this Heiji day celebration. To inspire. "My secret to strength is always lookin' out for me friends, and never backing down from me beliefs. If'n ye stand up every time ye get knocked down, you might ken be as strong as me. Find someone else to fight fer." He thought over his words for a moment, and then nodded. He fought for his family and his people more than himself, it gave him a reason to never stop. Maybe it didn't work for everyone, but clearly it worked for him.

[hobnob]

Kurai listened to the Shogun attentively, as if he was carrying out an interview for his villages news paper for the section of the new and rising stars of the Shinobi world. However some words the Shogun said were a bit of a mystery to the youth. He was going to ask about them, or more specifically about the mans accent, but the man had answered his unspoken question y explaining to him where he was from. ’The land of rivers and streams…?’ the youth thought as in hismind he imagined the map of the world before the great war. He was young when the war broke out. Be he did remember seeing the map during his time at the academy, but recalling it now proved to be more of an issue than he thought it would be.

Nodded in agreement as he mentioned many countries being essentially devoured by the great five. Which was a shame, under new government the countries were more likely to change in ways one would not want to, especially from the view of tourists. But having more land was much more valuable to a country, regardless of how the country had acquired it. He was glad Iwa had become a stronger country from the war. Suddenly the silence was filled with the mans gentle humming. Kurai looked the man over who was obviously in deep thought. Kurai knew something good was coming, and it was.

The youth thought about the mans words for a little while and arrived at yet another qustion. ’What exactly is it that you believe in, Master Shogun?’ He said hoping that he was not being too inquisitive. Someone as busy as the Shogun could easily find him a nuisance, and it was not something Kurai wanted.

[Nick]

The Frog took a moment to answer, taking a deep breath and clenching one of his hands into a fist. He did not hate shinobi as some of his peers did, but there was some rage inside at the impertinence of an Iwa Shinobi asking Iyashii Fuhen of all people what he believed in. His fist opened. This was a boy, a product of his environment, as many of the actors in the rock country slavery were. It wasn't his fault. He sighed.

"I believe..." He started, trailing off, and stopping in his tracks, no longer walking as he spoke. "I believe that when the rain falls, ye should be able to have a roof over yer head." Oh no. He was waxing poetic. There would be no escape. "I believe that every man, woman, an' littlun shouldnae 'ave tae toil away their entire lives, that they should be able tae live their lives as they please if'n they work enough." He started walking again, his stride confident.

"I believe that nae but a bug should live under the heel of a master as a slave. That if'n ye have enough, ye should share what's left with those less fortunate. I believe we're all equals, that the strong shouldnae lord over the weak, but raise them on their shoulders." He laughed, finally looking down at his young companion. "I dinnae think these are things ye'll be taught in yer schools in Iwa, of all places."