Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by Nick » Sat Dec 18, 2021 12:16 pm

Time was passing quickly, and progress was happening even more quickly. Tea had been taken over from its former despot, and Fuhen had barely had a day of rest since then, meeting with old allies of Tea, old friends of his, and new people who had only just begun to take an interest in Tea and the Shogun. Tea was changing visibly by the day, due in large part to the clan of Kisama who had toiled away to bring their tools to the populace since before the takeover had even begun, and it wouldn't be long before the world changed in kind.

One of the biggest changes was the brainchild of Fuhen and the clan head Oban, who were currently standing in front of a massive series of buildings in progress, looking over a set of blueprints and schematics, the dark-skinned female clearly leading the discussion while the Frog did his best to follow along.

"The first buildin' here should be the library, it's got the most wall space so we're not havin' to make a maze for the kids to run through to get what they want."
"'Aint that a bit... Intimidatin'? If'n it's the first building most o' the kids'll see, it oughta be somethin' nice and cozy, like the meal hall!"
"Not everyone is an illiterate idiot who's scared of books like you, Fuhen."
"Isnae just about scarin' em off! We want 'em to enjoy bein' here, schoolin's gonna be important and ehh... Mandatory? -- We dinnae wanna make it like some kinda prison."

The two were arguing like siblings over what was ultimately probably minor things, with Oban taking every opportunity to insult Fuhen, though he seemed to take the harsh words in stride. The massive campus before them was already quite busy, mostly with workers from a variety of walks of life, but also with those that would become teachers, and a small herd of nobility being led around the construction site, one of the school's leaders looking for investors to assist in the building. This was to be the finest academy in the known world, and it was going to cost quite a lot of money to keep going, but it was something the people believed in.
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by ShinobiTruth » Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:40 pm

Depending how things progressed, Hiji was about to bring part of Fuhen's inaugural class to those schools. Whether Hiji would live long enough to see Fuhen's great aspirations come to fruition remained to be seen.

It had been a fairly tense several days since he crossed the border of Fire Country, all too aware of the pernicious and tenacious tendency shinobi had to follow those that would flee from their grasp. His wounds were treated but evident, the bandages visible even under his indigo kimono and his arm still resting in the sling. Despite his wounds, Hiji did his best to maintain some level of dignity and poise. He could not afford to appear weak, especially not with the children in tow. They had already suffered through forced separation from their families and homes; they would not have been able to endure their only protector faltering under the pressure of the situation he faced. Hiji had first thought to try and discreetly address the problem with Fuhen. His clearly evident state of injury very quickly scuttled that notion, and Hiji did not want to give the impression that he had anything to hide. Only by being forthright would Fuhen understand the necessity of what had occurred and what was soon to pass.

He sat in front of the carriage in which the children sheltered, though their curious eyes could not help but peek from under the canvas into this new and strange land. Nearly thirty in all, they were remarkably quiet. Hiji had given them instructions to keep silent which they had followed admirably. Thus, all might not seem strange even as Hiji rode up the main road of the town. His sharp indigo eyes quickly caught sight of Fuhen even as two guards stood before the carriage and bade him stop. Pulling the carriage to a gentle halt, Hiji produced the diplomatic missive from his robes. Noticing Fuhen's official seal, they allowed him passage and announced Hiji's arrival. "Fuhen-san! Your visitor came back!" he called, clearly having fought with Fuhen before taking on the role of a personal guard.

If Fuhen was as observant as he let on, he'd know exactly how serious of news Hiji brought even without the bandages to inform that assumption. Hiji wasn't about to make excuses. He had been given no choice in the matter, but nothing changed the fact that Hiji's association with Fuhen could bring great danger to these people and this land. Approaching Fuhen, Hiji took to his knees and bowed deeply, his face toward the ground as he supported himself with one arm. "Fuhen-dono, your servant must ask for your forgiveness," he declared, clearly causing confusion for the guards who had just let him through.

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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by Nick » Sat Jan 29, 2022 9:51 am

Fuhen had been busy arguing with his partner, but his sharp senses picked up on the irregular turning of wagon wheels, before he had to turn around to hear one of his guards, and to finally see what was coming. A smile cracked on his face at first, it was Hijikata of all people, a good friend... But the look turned to one of confusion. Why had he brought so many children with him? Why was he injured so?

Oban quirked a brow, having not yet met Hiji, and was about to loudly ask who the fuck the man was, and make a joke about how many children the two must have had together... But not before Hijikata could prostrate himself before them. He looked at Oban almost apologetically, before taking a step forward. He wanted to help the man up, but he knew doing so would wound his pride as a samurai.

"Rise, Hijikata." The Shogun said, no hint of accent in his tone, understanding that the man meant business. His eyes flicked up to the caravan, the children peeking their heads out to see what was going on, and shrinking back inside when they were noticed, one cute concerned gasp. He looked back to the samurai before him, battered and bruised. "What happened...? Ah, apologies. This is my... Partner, Kisama, Oban. She is my most trusted council. Trust her with anything you'd trust me with."
"He's willing to say all that but won't agree with me on where to put a library." She jabbed. He shot her an amused look, but turned back to face the samurai before him.
What happened while you were gone, Hiji? Who did this to you? Do the children need care? "
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Jan 29, 2022 3:20 pm

Hiji noticed the effort that Fuhen was putting into keeping his speech appropriate for the situation, and he could not refrain from mentally commending his lord for his hard work. It was disappointing that he likely wouldn't have the opportunity to further offer his knowledge to Fuhen. This sadness was clearly evident in Hiji's eyes as he made no attempt to hide it. Bowing to Kisama in due respect, Hiji addressed them both as he turned toward the children. "These children... are from my home village, Fuhen-dono, Kisama-dono," he explained before turning back to face the ruling pair. "They were nearly victims of a ploy by corrupt shinobi and samurai, but regardless of my reasons, I have made a powerful enemy. In order to protect you and the people of this land, I must surrender myself to the Fire Country and their Hokage and accept my fate."

Hiji looked down at his arm, signaling to his injuries. "My village has become a military outpost. Both samurai and shinobi were stationed there, but they were not upright in their duties," the samurai continued, keenly remembering his battles just days prior. "At first, it was merely the samurai and their contempt for our people that we had to tolerate. Once the shinobi arrived, however, matters became much worse. My father was seriously injured during their 'questioning', as were several other villagers. They falsely accused my people of maintaining insurrectionist cells. And worst yet..." he looked back toward the cart, his eyes sympathetic as at least a few of the children began to sniffle, tears clearly visible as they recalled what Hiji had saved them from. Hiji managed to keep his tone relatively calm, though anger and a tinge of fear could still be subtly detected in his voice. "...They twisted their nation's conscription laws to try and kidnap these children for their own nefarious benefits. None of these children are even of age, and most are less than half that requirement. With mine own ears, I heard two of the shinobi coordinate their plans with the samurai: half of them were to be ferried away to be indoctrinated in an illicit shinobi cell, to be used as expendable pawns for the dirty work of the Leaf. The others would likely be used in the samurai's army, though for what purpose remains uncertain."

Hiji bowed again to them both, his eyes closed as he completely regained his calm. "My people did not think their children safe in their own homes any longer and bade me bring them here. I acted so as to protect others and to uphold my honor, and my people have gathered sufficient evidence to expose the plot of the shinobi and the samurai. But even if they are safe, it is still likely that Fire Country will seek retribution. I cannot allow myself to bring this danger to your home, Fuhen-dono, Kisama-dono. Your people finally have peace after years of war. I will not be the one to destroy that peace. If my blood might sate the ire of the Fire Country and its rulership, then that is a price I must accept."

Hiji lifted his head and met Fuhen's eyes with his own, a powerful determination to face his fate reflecting in his gaze. "...For the good of this land, I beg you to shelter these innocent children... and I beg you to formally disavow me, Fuhen-dono. In this way, these little ones will be safe, your honor remains intact, and your people will continue to thrive in peace."

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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by Nick » Sat Jan 29, 2022 4:26 pm

Fuhen listened intently the whole time, his face going from a look of concern for his friend, to noble neutrality befitting of his station, and the seriousness of the situation. His heart could have broken in half at the prospect. Hijikata did exactly what any good spirited samurai would, he took his honor and put it on the line for the sake of the people he had sworn to protect.

It was a stupid thing to do in the circumstances. Their friendly neutrality with leaf was tenuous at the moment, and something like this could end their relationship even if Hiji was disavowed. It was foolish. It was unfair. It was selfish. It was... Something Fuhen would have done no differently in the exact same situation, and as if to confirm this, Oban glared at him, the prospect of her idiot partner wearing off on an entire generation terrifying, to say the least.

Regardless, doing anything other than Hiji's request was stupid in this situation, which made his response clear. He looked at Oban, and the pair nodded at eachother, before she walked around to the back of the wagon. "Alright brats, off the wagon!" She exclaimed in her usual crass tone. "We're gonna go have a tour of your new home!" The children filed off quickly, nervous in their unfamiliar surroundings, however despite Oban's loud nature, she had a certain 'big sister' energy that, if not comforting, was at least commanding enough.

Fuhen, meanwhile, took a long, hard look at Hijikata. The Shogun had a duty to perform. "I grant you the boon you ask for, the children will be cared for, it takes a village to raise a child..." He looked over at the children wistfully. The academy would have a dorm room setup for foreign children to take part, but some of them, especially the younger ones, would likely be better off with foster families. He saw the faces of his own brothers and sisters on their necks. He saw tragedy and hurt. How many of them would even see their families again?

"Toshizou, Hijikata." He announced dramatically, summoning one of his blades in a puff of his flower petals, held in one hand. "Your blood will save this nation strife. It would be a warriors death." He turned the blade horizontally, and... Grabbed it in both hands, holding it out to him, the presentation of a gift. "And you take me as a cruel man to ask me to do such a thing. With this blade, I make you an official samurai of New Tea. Your samurai spirit burns brighter than most could achieve in a life time, but your time to burn out is not now."

His tone left no room for arguments, he was not asking a friend, he was telling a vassal. "Perhaps by fate, Hokage Takeo is present in the castle, my guest. We shall plead your case together, and I shall offer my own body in responsibility for my subordinate. I am no coward, Hijikata. I did not get here by playing politics."
"What makes a samurai?!" Came an unexpected cry from Oban, now walking away from Fuhen and Hiji, children in tow, fist raised in the air.

The response came as if on cue, workers, soldiers, even nearby children cried as one.
"Letting your heart lead the way!"
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by ShinobiTruth » Sat Jan 29, 2022 6:47 pm

Hijikata knew that Fuhen didn't conform to the standard that one would normally expect for a Daimyo. He suspected that there would be some resistance to Hiji's attempt to protect Tea and its citizens from the ire of Fire Country. And he was relieved that he would tend to the needs of the children. Hiji knew Fuhen to be a kind and compassionate man, but he was keenly aware of the burdens of leadership as well. If it was for the greater good, Hiji was almost certain he would do all he could to preserve his people alive.

In a way, Hiji's assumption was correct. However, the way in which that manifested itself was something Hiji never would have foreseen. Instead of accepting his request to be disavowed, Fuhen did what was unthinkable in Hiji's eyes: right then and there, he appointed Hiji as a samurai. Not just some soldier or a guard, no, but a samurai. Hiji's solemn dignity dissolved into utter shock as the beautiful sword was presented to him. The words that followed struck him even more deeply, leaving Hiji at a loss. The idea of Fuhen paying the price for Hiji's indiscretion filled him with a shame that Hiji couldn't describe, yet he knew full well how determined Fuhen was, even in the few brief days they had associated before the war and even more so shortly after peace had been restored. If Hiji refused out of a desire to protect him, he might well offer himself to this Takeo anyways for the sake of his nation and never even mention Hiji's name. Fuhen's sense of honor and capacity for cunning were on full display in a single act.

All things considered, it was impossible for Hiji to stain Fuhen's honor so as to decline the offer. Hiji slowly reached out and took the sword, the weight of a life heavy on his hands. Hiji knew that the nature of his relationship with Fuhen had fundamentally changed. Still, he would not simply stand on the sideline and let this man sacrifice himself for actions he hadn't even been aware of. "I will not leave my lord to die a dog's death alone," Hiji insisted. "I will not sully the honor shown to a lowly rurouni and abandon my duty to you."

Hiji's eyes were firm. He knew that Fuhen would likely object, but Hiji had his own stubbornness. He would not bear the shame of another dying for his own choices, regardless of what any man told him. To do so would make Hiji unworthy of the blade he'd just accepted.

The tense moment was broken up by a middle-aged woman of incredibly short stature, large spectacles, and short hair bobbed inward smacking Hiji across the back of his thigh before speaking quite verbosely and violently gesturing. Hiji imagined that she was saying something important, but her dialect was spoken so quickly and with so thick an accent that Hiji didn't have any comprehension. What followed was a series of yanks, kicks, and some particularly vicious pulling on his rather long hair to bring him down to her level. Hiji would have been impressed by her jump height if he hadn't been so preoccupied with the intermittent pain that erupted from various parts of his body, and it was this chaos that made him miss the various tape measures and rulers she had on her person.

Fuhen, of course, understood her perfectly:

"Hey, you! Get down here. I am very busy, so I need your measurements now for your uniform. Mmm... yes, very nice, good muscle structure, decent height. Yes, you will be a fine model for my masterpiece. You samurai and your clothing are so dull and boring. Bah! I get sick of looking at the same thing every day. Still, you are lucky, yes? Fuhen and you boys will start a fashion revolution! No more will you be men of old with your poofy haori and those ridiculous pants. Every day you will awaken and wear art itself! But it won't just be stylish, no, but practical. Yes, yes, there it is! I can envision it now. Okay, measurements done. Shoo, shoo! Run along, I'm far too busy to idly chat. Okay, darling? Okay, goodbye!"

Hiji went from dignified to disheveled in the underside of three minutes. He blinked visibly, not certain of exactly what happened.

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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by Izanagi » Sun Feb 13, 2022 5:08 pm

When he first arrived the Hokage had been prepared to personally assassinate Fuhen or otherwise use genjutsu to bend his will. But now, after several days in Tea country, he had come to appreciate what Fuhen was accomplishing. The man reminded him very much of the Raikage; Hayate. Ambitious, good-natured in their love of the common people, but also exceptionally powerful. The types one had to remain wary of, less their ambition lead to madness. He had seen such a thing in the former Kazekage, Hito. The greater one’s ambitions, the greater the cost, it seemed. It was his position to bring balance to such people. For he too shared a desire to use their power for good, but it came from a more pragmatic and cautious position. And always he would put his own people first and foremost, helping those he could form an alliance with and gain greater influence and security.

Despite the Grand Shogun declaring Tea’s independence, he saw potential for a mutually beneficial agreement. So long as Tea didn’t take hostile action against Konoha’s allies then they could assist this nation. For the moment it seemed each of his allies were on good terms with Tea, which made such a notion all the easier. In order to show his goodwill, and perhaps diminish his initial rudeness and hostility, Takeo had volunteered to personally assist in the construction efforts. He had done the same when Fire country restored independence to Whirlpool country, spending weeks building the nation quite literally from the ground up.

Here, he could only afford another day or two of his time. But they had a much stronger start and more support than the desolate Whirlpool country had. After clearing out a suitable area and following direction from whatever blueprints he was given, Takeo would form two sets of handseals, the first improving his focus and the second to surge his chakra into the earth, bending it to his will and creating the intricate structures. Additional furnishings could be added later, and appropriate space was left for the strange steam contraptions and other piping and such that would need to be installed. How they sealed the holes was up to them but the barebones structures themselves would be made of nearly idestructible stone. Even if they only utilized him to establish defense towers and ramparts surely his Doton ninjutsu could make a significant impact in their efforts.

Dressed in a brown cloak atop a blue haori, and black pants he wore his kunai holster and forehead protector proudly. A wakizashi was strapped across his back but the truth was he wasn’t much of a swordsman, certainly not compared to the samurai of Tea or the legendary Grand Shogun. Takeo had seen Fuhen perform during the Fur country festivals, but he was surely much stronger now from the information he had received. Middle-aged now with wisps of grey coming into his ruddy brown beard and chestnut brown hair, Takeo had lost a step or two over the years. Certainly, it had been a while since he had learned any new jutsu, aside from a recent brushing up of Genjutsu. He had considered challenging the frog-man to a friendly competition but it would be a bad look to have the Hokage bested by a Shogun that had conquered a nation and immediately broke away from their status as a vassal state of Fire country. He couldn’t afford to give them too much power if Fuhen did in fact become more of a problem than he was worth.

As another set of structures was erected, Takeo suddenly heart chants from all around. "Letting your heart lead the way!" It was a sentiment he could appreciate. He loved his own people and considered them family, leading by one’s heart held a similar feel to Konoha’s Will of Fire. But one’s heart could be corrupted whereas the comradery and brotherhood of the leaf could overcome any hardship together. He separated his hands, curious to see what all the commotion was about. Sniffing at the air he picked out Fuhen’s distinct scent emanating from the area the chants began from. Naturally. His crisp blue eyes turned to the direction. In a flicker of motion that seemed only natural to him he disappeared in a burst of speed, dashing closer to a distance of about 30 meters and from there began to walk casually toward them. After all Fuhen surely had exceptional senses and reflexes and he didn’t want to give the wrong impression and startle him with perceived aggression. Was there something in particular that had spurned all the ruckus, or were such boosts in morale simply commonplace around here?
Jutsu UsedShow
Enhanced Focus
C-rank Ninjutsu
After forming a brief set of seals Takeo will flood his mind with chakra, allowing him a keener grasp over his chakra manipulation. Doing so however puts a great deal of emphasis on maximizing his chakra efficiency and thus inadvertently slows his physical reaction speed. This results in a +5 boost to control at the cost of -5 Speed for the course of 4 posts or unless cancelled early.

Doton • Architect of the Gods
S-Rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 40 Control
Arguably the jutsu that demonstrates the most complete skill in Doton jutsu Takeo has developed a technique which offers true battlefield control. Typically, this technique can only be used in seclusion due to the immense focus it takes. After forming a very lengthy series of hand seals Takeo is able to manipulate the earth around him up to a range of 120 meters and to a maximum height and or depth of 30 meters. This allows purely for the creation of structures, ravines and buildings made of stone. The rending and shifting of earth occurs at a speed of [30] and with a force and durability of [50]. So long as Takeo remains completely still and either holds the last hand seal or keeps his hands on the earth he is able to continue to create structures and cause them to shift and move about at his will though for an additional chakra cost.

Natsuki Takeo - 17th Hokage, former Anbu Commander [DEAD]
Karagata Shinjiro - Kiri Bannin; Jinchuuriki, Overseer of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Kintsugi
Haziwara Youji- Iwagakure Chunin
Takeda Ichiro - A-Rank Waterfall Country; Black Wake, Chishiki, Setsuzoku
Hyuuga Takeshi - Konoha Special Jounin; Anbu
Jouchaku Shigeko - Kiri Genin; HHD

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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by Nick » Mon Feb 14, 2022 10:31 am

Fuhen's senses indeed had led him in the direction of the Hokage, who clearly realized he was being approached, a skill that he should have expected from a kage of the big five. Likewise, his own senses were highly tuned, due in large part to the efforts he had to put forth in Fur Country all those years ago, and the approach of the Hokage did not go unnoticed, his previously hostile actions leading Fuhen to understand that the man was being thoughtful. He stared the man down. How could he approach the situation? Fuhen had a lot to live for, and Hijikata was a member of the generation he was here to live for. Could he let either of them die, if the demand was great? Would he wage war with Fire Country over this one incident?

He walked forward towards the man, a grim look on his face. He bowed respectfully towards the Hokage, acting quite out of the norm for the much more personal, informal person that Takeo had met just recently. Was it because he was in front of his vassals? Was he upset about something? In truth, there was a time and a place for everything, and if anything deserved formality, it was something as serious as this. Perhaps if Fuhen was more used to the decorum of situations like this, he would ask Takeo to sit down in the castle, but this public display was perhaps more fitting of the Grand Shogun all the same.

"Hokage-sama." He started, his accent all but gone in the formality. "My vassal..." He gestured to Hijikata next to him, dwarfed in the shadow of his Shogun. "Toshizou, Hijikata. You have no reason to know this man, and yet his recent actions need to be brought to your attention." He looked down to Hiji, and breathed a deep sigh, before turning back to Takeo. "Perhaps it's best he explains things to you himself, but, as his Shogun, I take responsibility for his actions. Please, hear him out, and know that his heart has always laid in the best place." Briefly, the Frog considered getting to his knees and submitting, but the action wouldn't be appropriate, at least not immediately, and he couldn't afford to look so weak in front of Takeo, not when their relationship was in such a fragile state.
"It's so sad!" the reader said to the writer with a frown. "The character in my book just died!" The author turned to her and burst out into tears, "I know!" he said, "So did mine!"
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Sick of This Naming Scheme Tea-bh

Post by ShinobiTruth » Mon Feb 14, 2022 11:44 am

Even from this distance, it was impossible for Hiji to not notice the telltale weaving of hand seals and feel the shifting of the earth beneath their feet as stone and rock rose from the ground as easily as water from a bursting spring. Given that there were currently no shinobi whom he knew to serve Fuhen, this was most likely the person Fuhen was referring to. His aura was evident even so many paces off. So, this was the power of a shinobi leader. This was the power of a Hokage. If Hiji was fortunate enough to survive, he hoped to someday reach that pinnacle with his swordsmanship.

That, of course, all depended on what happened within these next few minutes.

For one so lauded as a ruler, Takeo was a rather plain-looking man, at least overtly. The slightly unkempt facial hair and flowing locks certainly didn't look out of place with even most of the people in Tea. That distinction was made by his clothing, the haori and clothing he wore underneath much more unique in both color and design. Still, as they approached, Hiji's warrior spirit could sense the keenly honed ferocity within through those telling eyes, knowing full well he held not a breath in comparison to the contained storm that was Hokage Takeo. It was why Hiji had always learned to never trust appearances. Men like these knew that power was not meant to be flaunted but used for a greater purpose... and only when necessary. Hiji well knew that he would likely meet his end at this man's hand, or perhaps by the hands of his countrymen. He also sensed the precarious nature of his relationship with Fuhen. Given that Fuhen hadn't mentioned anything in connection with diplomatic relationships with the Fire Country in their first meeting, he had to assume that, given the short timeframe between the end of the war and the events of two days past, their relationship was new, fickle in its resilience and subject to collapse from the most minute of factors. Even more so, Hiji was concerned about the consequences of his appointment as a samurai mere moments before this meeting. This Takeo might see such a gesture as a slap in the face.

'Fuhen-sama... I cannot let your people... our people suffer for my sake. They cannot afford to lose you. What is the cost of one man to protect a nation?' he resolved within himself. If there was anyone whose blood was split today, it would be his and his alone.

Fuhen may have had pretenses to uphold, but an excess in humility was appropriate for a man of Hiji's lesser station. Thus, even in spite of his clearly evident injuries, Hiji instead prostrated himself before the Kage, kneeling deeply with his head to the ground and his one uninjured arm extended forward in the most formal of bows. Takeo would have noticed no fear in Hiji's eyes, a man determined to meet his fate with a quiet resolve, before Hiji had even uttered a single word. "Takeo-sama, I am Toshizou Hijikata. If it pleases the Hokage, let it be known that my actions were mine and mine alone. Fuhen-sama bears no blame for what has happened," he started. "I pleaded with Fuhen-sama to disavow me so that the innocent might not suffer for what has come to pass."

Hiji had already begun to speak, and though a kernel of doubt still rest within his stomach, he pushed forward with the explanation. "I am not born of this nation. Rather, my home resides in what was once Grass Country, those who are now citizens of the Fire Country due to the war. The turmoil of that conflict prevented me from seeing my home, my family, for those fives years. In that time, my village had been selected to become a small military outpost. Upon returning to my village, the townspeople informed me that the samurai there were mistreating them. This was further escalated by the arrival of a group of your shinobi, Takeo-sama, who accused my people of being insurrectionists and collaborated with the samurai in the abuse. Their methods... were cruel. Many were detained and brutally assaulted, my father the first amongst them. I bade that the elders find a peaceful solution... I value peace. Despite my weakness, I too have seen and endured many terrible things because of the great conflict. It is precious and should be protected at all costs."

His wounds pulsed with pain, the position highly uncomfortable. He could feel one of the lacerations across his lower abdomen strain against the sutures that held it together. He ignored this pain and continued on. "For nearly thirty days, every able-minded man, woman, and child in our village documented each instance of impropriety caused by the samurai and shinobi. Though we knew it was a matter of one's words against another, we hoped that our peaceful methods and the voices of the many would let justice be carried out. I had intended to travel to Konoha and to present those findings to your office, Takeo-sama... but the samurai and shinobi accelerated their plan. Under the guise of conscripting young men into the army, they ripped the children from the arms of their parents, not a one who was over the age of ten, and they mercilessly beat any who attempted to resist. I had followed two of the shinobi into a nearby forest and overheard their plan. They said that the children would be divided between the samurai and shinobi, some to be trained as secret shinobi and others to be inducted into the Fire Country's army."

Though Hiji's voice didn't waver in the slightest, Takeo would see Hiji's hand slowly clench into a fist, the memory of the anger he'd felt still fresh in his mind. "My people are a peaceful one. They are simple farmers, and though we once guarded our own home, we are not warriors by nature. I alone pursued the sword to the extent that I have learned, and I once taught the sword there. I did not wish to take the actions that I did, but to wait would have risked the children being lost forever. So... I acted against the shinobi and samurai. I struck four of the shinobi down, including a man by the name of Hojo... a man of exceptional cruelty who wielded light as easily as I swing a sword. The samurai fled upon seeing his defeat. Though I did not intend to slay any of them, I do not know of their fates. My people tended my wounds and sent me here with the children, no longer thinking them safe in the village."

Hiji sighed, a moment of relief in the revelation of his tale. Reaching toward his hip, he pulled his wakizashi from where it sat and lay it in front of him between himself and Takeo. "I have no wish to die or abandon my hopes for the future... but I do not pretend that my life's worth is greater than that of a nation, Hokage-sama. I offer my life through seppuku here and now, before you and all those present, so that the honor of these people will not be stained by what I have done. If this final act can maintain the peace between Fire Country and Tea, then it is a worthy end," he concluded, not once raising his head.

Hiji closed his eyes and awaited what came. If this was his end, he hoped it would be quick.

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