Collecting on Debts?

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Sun Dec 12, 2021 7:24 am

Kamegan was intrepid as wave after wave crashed upon his massive body, the giant island turtle parting the sea and storms as he made his way through the treacherous coastal waters leading to the canal of New Tea country. Despite all his size the sea was still bigger and the turtle swayed from side to side and shook, much to the dismay of the Raikage who held onto dear life upon the back of the turtle. Drenched in rain and not looking too excited he had to wonder why he had decided to ride Kamegan rather than being air-dropped by some Skyguards... or simply coming on foot. He was reminded why when someone called out for him. There happened to also be a crew of Jounin and diplomats and engineers... and particularly the diplomats made some forms of travel more difficult.

Politics always slows everything down.

The Raikage pulled his hood tighter around himself as he waved the Jounin behind him off and moved towards the front of the Island turtle, leaping off it's shell and onto the back of it's neck. A rumbling, low voice bellowed out into the air.

"Hayate. Laddie, ah cannae see anythin' in this storm. We're blind tae th' short. A'm needin' some light if a'm tae pumpin' see a thing." The Raikage nodded, though Kamegan couldn't see it, and silently pulled his hood down. "Ah'yuh even listn'n lad?" the rumbling voice of Kamegan called out, annoyed that he had not affirmed anything.

Air enveloped the Raikage till it spun around his body as if he was a twister, sending him rocketing into the air and into the clouds. His arms waved as more and more air spun round, the force of it even picking up water and climaxing just as his two hands clapped together, releasing a torrent of wind that split the clouds and fog through. Just as quickly, the air around his body turned to lightning as the rain around him vaporized and the screeching sound of thousands of volts rang out overhead, simultaneously producing so much light that the area around them was illuminated.

Kamegan squinted and looked for the coast as the light faded and the Raikage dropped back down to the back of the turtles head, near his ear and darkness oncemore enveloped the island turtle.

"Did you see the path?" the Raikage said as he put his hood back up and sat cross-leged.

"Aye laddie. Th' castles a wee bit tae port, wi' some jagged rocks up a heid. We'll gang aroond "

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Mon Dec 13, 2021 9:37 am

Fuhen had never experienced a storm like this before. River country had also been coastal, but he lived very far inland near the border, where it they often received the resulting floods, but the storm itself rarely came so close. Luckily, old Tea had also been coastal, and the new natives of new Tea seemed to be handling themselves well and were working even in the harsh downpour to secure their young fields so they wouldn't be washed away. It brought a smile to his face to see them handling the fields as such, the act reminded him of his people using the floods to their advantage as it washed fish towards them.

Nonetheless, he was out there helping direct them with the assistance of someone who knew how to better work the fields. His voice boomed even over the sound of crashing thunder, repeating what an old woman holding an umbrella next to him would say. "Tilt the tarps downhill! Funnel the water into the trenches! Cover the tractors!" Suddenly, a beacon of bright lightning flashed off in the distance. Surely, a bad omen -- Fuhen had fulfilled enough prophecies for one lifetime, he really hoped he wasn't about to start another one.

"A ship approaches!" Came a cry from closer towards the docks. Fuhen breathed out a sigh of relief, he was worried that the fishing vessels might have a hard time returning in this storm and may have to stay out longer to avoid getting dashed against the rocks, or worse, just end up lost at sea forever. "It's not one of ours! Can't tell any markings in the storm, but it looks like a warship!" The sigh of relief caught in his throat. The omens were only getting worse.

He looked down to the old woman next to him, who simply nodded and took his place, yelling at the workers as best she could, he nodded back, and like a bolt of lightning, he was off to the docks. There in an instant, he stared off in the darkness of the storm, and lightning flashed again, briefly illuminating the water. "Tha's nae a ship..." The Frog said to nobody in particular, though the foreman of the docks looked puzzled by the statement. He couldn't quite tell what it was, as the sheer ridiculousness of the scene made it hard to fathom.

Could it be one of the sea monsters that the locals of old Shark had spoken so much about? Lightning flashed again, and finally the beast was close enough the Fuhen could make out figures sitting on the back of it. "Aye, thunder an' lightnin' are comin' ta visit." The foreman only looked more confused. "Be prepared to escort them inside as soon as they arrive, honored guests an' all that." Without another word, the Shogun was gone again in an instant, back to help tend to the fields for a few more minutes, before he'd be able to greet his guest, the people still needed him for a moment longer.
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.

Someday Your Bird Is Gonna Fly
S-Rank Renjutsu Maneuver
Taking most of a post to stir up a crowd, Fuhen's natural Shogun energy leaks off into them incidentally. With both his and the crowd's emotions high, the crowd becomes capable of superhuman feats, effectively becoming an S-rank swarm in size and power. This stirring of the crowd can last for up to six posts for combat or can be used for non-combat purposes such as construction and the like to rapidly put together or tear apart nearly anything.

The Victor of Fur Country: First Round of The Tournament
S-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
This second jutsu in the series makes him an excellent visual tracker, able to control his eyes independently to better follow multiple moving targets, or noticing even the slightest changes in the scenery, whether it be the way dust particles move around in the wind, or the slightest breeze barely nudging grass. This effect can go outwards up to two miles, with his regular vision still being effective past that.
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Mon Dec 20, 2021 5:30 am

The mighty turtle rolled on the waves as lightning began to illuminate the sky, the Raikage sitting upon his head, peering out at the castle and the coast before them. It wouldn't be long till the turtle hit shore, the giant turtle needing only to sink its two front feet into the sandy beach to anchor itself and align it's shell with the boardwalks of the dock. Following the foreman and the others, the delegates and a few of the Jounin would disembark the turtle and speak with the people of tea as Hayate watched from his perch atop Kamegan's head. Everyone was different- their clothes, their accents, even their tools. The people of tea were no longer just the people of tea.

In many ways, this was similar to what the Lightning Empire was going through along with Water Country and many others- the war had displaced, absorbed, and changed so much of the map and along with it swept cultures long thought incompatible into the same pot to stew. In some ways, beyond their main goal as a delegacy, this would be interesting research for the Lightning Empire... it would show them their own fate that awaited them.

Before long his men had safely disembarked and Hayate would gracefully leap down from the turtle to the dock as a sudden burst of wind and smoke filled the area, dissipating and finally revealing the island turtle Kamegan was gone. Though the common folk of tea might not of understood, Kamegan was a summon... and one that big certainly spoke of the man who had summoned it.

Hayate would follow everyone inside the castle. Still at the entry but free of the elements, the Kage would grin.

"Let's not dirty up the place of our hosts."

A gust of wind spun up around him and his finger twirled, fanning the wind out to all of his group and drying everyone off. The Kage was truly as if the god of storms itself- whether water, wind, or lightning, they all bowed before him.

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Mon Dec 20, 2021 8:04 am

Fuhen was finally heading back inside. Unlike most of the village carved into the cliff, the castle sat atop the cliff, overlooking it all, meaning there was no nearly-storm-free passageway for him to dry off in, walking in sopping wet from head to toe. As he stepped inside, a worker clicked their tongue at the trail of water he was leaving, but dutifully began to follow behind him and clean as he walked. He gave the cleaner an apologetic smile. Nonetheless, the Frog hurried from his side entryway leading from the fields and down to the main entrance.

At the same time, as Hayate cleaned his people off, another servant clicked their tongue and began working around them as them drying off in the entryway was still bound to leave at least a little mess. The Shogun led himself to the throne room, and his guests would be brought there as well. Portions of the gaudy room remained from his predecessor, including a very gaudy gilded seat for which the room was named after, sitting upon a raised dais above the rest of the room, ready to receive visitors. Below it, however, sat a simple low table with cushions for seats.

"Could ye ask the folks in the kitchen for some o' the good tea, maybe a few snacks, too?" He asked the worker who had been following him, shucking off his soaking hakama top, leaving him in his patterned shitagi, and hanging it up on a hook next to the throne. The servant looked surprised at first, not expecting any sort of guests, before hurriedly bowing and skipping off to the kitchen.
When Hayate and his entourage arrived in the room, Fuhen would be sitting at the opposite side of the table from the entrance, steaming teapot on the table, as well as a simple setting of foodstuffs ranging from preserved fish to leftover pastry and rice balls. Fuhen's aide would stand behind him, leaning down to whisper something in his ear, to which the Shogun nodded, standing up with a welcoming smile on his face. "Greetings, Raikage-sama. It's been awhile since we last met, aye?" The frog's words were slower and more careful, his accent mostly gone as he said the practiced greeting, with the assistance of his aide.

"Please, feel free to 'ave a seat, we cannae offer much on such short notice, but yer welcome guests!" The aide gave a sidewise glance to his shogun. It was close, and yet still so far from prim and proper.
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Mon Dec 20, 2021 9:00 am

As the group proceeded forth to the throne room, the Raikage would follow the servants quietly, with no comments or talk to be made. He had learned from the last time he went knocking on a countries doors that sometimes it was better to hold his tongue until someone worth speaking with was present. Finally, and after some time, the Raikage would be led into the room with his entourage before the leader of Tea country, who was standing before a gilded throne. Hayate's eyes tightened to slits as he bowed his head gently, his group following him but bowing at much a steeper angle.

Fuhen.

He remembered the day the boy sought refuge with his people in the Lightning Empire. Though during the war the empire had faired well, it was hard to justify spending resources for the war effort on refugees... there was much political fallout, but, as all good emperors do, Hayate quelled it with an iron fist. Those who opposed social progress had no place in the empire.

His minds drifting back to the current matter at hand, he looked to Fuhen.

"Aye. Long time no see, frog boy- or I guess frog man by the way you've grown..." the Raikage said as he waved off to his men. "Only I shall require audience at this time, my people have had their rations for the night and only require shelter. If you could provide that we would be grateful." the Raikage said as he approached closer to the throne before finally sitting down right before the steps, cross legged. He procured two flasks from his robes.

"Do you still drink, lad?" he said as he took a swig of one of the flasks.

"I come to collect debts- though I wonder if it can be called that, given Tea stands to benefit just as much as the Empire." the Raikage said as he set both flasks down on the ground and procured a scroll from his cloak. Picking up one of the flasks in his other hand, he gestured both to Fuhen, and should the boy acknowledge it, he would toss both to him.
Contents of the ScrollShow
The scroll describes intricately a series of routes for railways that lead to the new canals that were built in former Tree Country, now Lightning Empire. It also includes specs for the rail ways and a promise of shinobi craftsmen and workforce, skilled, from Kumogakure, to lead the efforts in Tea Country.

Along with it are projections of the economical and work force prosperity it would bring in uniting tea country to the Lightning Empire and much of Fire Country.

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Mon Dec 20, 2021 9:33 am

The Frog's warm grin remained as the man asked for shelter, he turned to his aide. "Would ye mind showin' the guests to some rooms? Get 'em whatever they need." The aide raised a brow. It wasn't really his duty to do such things, but the message was clear all the same, they were vacating the room for just the two of them. Any specifics or questions he had he could direct at the aide in the morning, but he was confident enough in his ability to at least hold a business conversation, though admittedly it was all the more dangerous with someone he knew.

As the room was vacated, he stepped away from the throne a bit more, sitting down on the raised dais, bringing him closer to eye level with the raikage. His grin became much wider as the man offered him alcohol, happy to accept both, taking a swig of the flask and raising it back appreciatively, before setting it down and opening the scroll. He hadn't yet swallowed the liquid yet, swishing it around in his mouth as he appreciated the taste. He had spent some time in Lightning country, but during times of war, he didn't have the time to properly appreciate their finer offerings.

As he looked over the scroll, he stayed silent for a moment, before finally swallowing the mouthful of alcohol and nodding. "Sorry, ah'm a bit of a slow reader." He said, his accent returning already without the watchful eyes of an entire court, now a meeting between men with goals to achieve. In truth, Fuhen had only recently begun to even learn to read. He was getting better by the day, but one doesn't become a speed-reader over night, especially starting so late in life. Luckily, diagrams and plans helped him interpret words he found difficult to read.

"Aye!" Fuhen finally declared, setting down the scroll, and making a broad sweeping gesture past the room. "Ah've been preparin' the country for it already, Hayate." His look of concentration turned to one of a dreamy smile, a man with a dream. "Oban has already started to lay the groundwork, she's seen yer trains elsewhere and though she'd never admit it, she's fascinated... Hells, I'm sure she could figure it out herself in time, but these tracks are more than just pride, it's about unity, eh?"

The Shogun's dreams of war did not extend to some of his more extreme counterparts. Ikuto, for one, would heavily disapprove of the idea of these tracks, especially ones that would deal with the big five. Fuhen's dreams of war only went so far as to make the world a better place, he held no grudge against ninja, at least not such a severe one he couldn't overlook it for the benefit of his people. Still, he had to do his due diligence in asking the hard questions. "These trade agreements are good for all of us, ah'm sure. Haveta 'ave me aide look over the specifics and send any counterproposals... Though I worry, Hayate, about the dangers of the railway as well."

He took another drink, swallowing right away this time, and held his palms to the sky. "'Afore the war, Kumogakure long kept a stance of neutrality, ain't that right?" The grin left his face, looking much more like a leader than he had even moments before. "Times 'ave changed. Hopefully for the better, but it's nae just ye and yer kin... Hokage Takeo paid me a visit not too far in the past, with a, err, what's the term... Clone? With a clone tailin' him in the shadows, all sneaky like, aggressive as could be with nae but a knock on me door to say he was comin' in." His palms moved to his knees instead, and he shrugged. "That's in the past, o'course. I think I understand him a bit better, and I dinnae think it needs t'be any kind o' incident, I'd much rather be friendly with the man, y'ken? But such things 'ave me thinkin', what's tae stop a man like that from just bringin' in his entire army at the speed o' trains unannounced?"
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Mon Dec 20, 2021 9:57 am

Hayate watched as the young man before him accepted both the drink and the scroll happily- though after a few moments there was a stark disparity in the emotions each had elicited. While the alcohol had brought an ear to ear grin, the scroll has seemed to cause an intense stress, or difficulty at least, that washed over Fuhen's face until he finally had become embarrassed enough to mention he was a slow reader. Hayate's first thought was of course- he's a hick, but his second was something more of guilt for having had the first. It wasn't always easy but he always had to remind himself that his experiences were not to be taken for granted, and outside of shinobi villages, few had ever even heard of things such as refrigerators or instant noodles.

In fact, over a decade ago for much of Lightning Country this was true... This was the hard truth that caused Hayate to rebel against the Daimyo. To lead his country through civil war and rebirth. To push their territories even further and become an Empire. It birthed his secret ideal; a society where the knowledge and technology of shinobi served all.

Hayate nodded his head and stared kindly at Fuhen.

"Take your time, it's a lot to take in... And slow is safe. I'd rather have a ruler who reads slow than a ruler who reads to quick to miss the fine print." he said as he took another swig of his flask. "Just like the label on that flask- it says poison mind you." Hayate said with a shit eating grin, quickly adding, "That's a joke, of course. It's gin..." before returning to his relative silence. Finally, it seemed Fuhen had grasped the general contents of the scroll.

"Well, that was because we were constantly in a cycle of civil wars and teetering on near collapse as a nation internally, though it didn't look that way to the rest of the world." Hayate said as he locked his eyes on Fuhen's own. He nearly let out a chuckle at the story of Takeo aggressively knocking on his door- abruptly. It seemed Takeo had been fond of a page from Hayate's own book. It also seemed that though Fuhen said one thing, it was clear he felt another. And that feeling was fear.

"What will stop him from doing that is your ability to shut down the lines at any moment in your country, along with all the tracks in your country being guarded and ran by your country" Hayate said as he lept up to a squat, waddling in close enough to motion for the scroll from Fuhen. If he obliged, he'd point to parts of the map to show what he meant.

"We supply the technology and knowledge, but rest assured, you control your route." Hayate said before then moving his finger on the map to the Lightning Empire.

"If anyone uses it to cause war, Takeo, or you included, the full might of the largest shinobi force history has ever seen in the form of my Empire will be at their door, and I assure you I and my sky guards are deadlier and far faster than any of those trains." he said before leaning back away from Fuhen and sitting down.

"I'll make no lies in telling you my true goals, because I believe you have beliefs similar to me Fuhen. The shinobi world is centuries ahead of most countries and was for the longest time. Our people get to survive disease, famine, and more. We've had the life of luxury while the non-shinobi world struggled to even live to 30. My one and only aspiration is to spread that standard of living to the rest of the world because only then will we have peace." he took a swig of his liquor.

"Wars like our world just saw are fought over resources. They're fought of desperation. I aim to make it so you don't need anything from your neighbor so you won't even think twice about invading them to take it."

Perhaps he'd also leave out the bits where he believed their world would be destroyed once more by spirits- and needed more shinobi in the world to fight them... that bit even for Hayate was admittedly a crazy conspiracy theory.

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Mon Dec 20, 2021 10:26 am

The Frog laughed at the thought of the flask being poison. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time someone had attempted to take his life, or at least imprison him by slipping something in his drink. In fact, the last time he had fulfilled a prophecy, he'd been drugged and kidnapped into some kind of slavery ring... So long in the past, so many years and so many friends ago. He didn't bother to double-check the label on the bottle. "Aye, y'devilish bastard, gin'll kill me quicker than any poison, y'ken?"

He turned a bit, hopping down from the steps so that the two could share the map and plans together like a pair of schoolchildren telling dirty jokes in an alleyway. "The people need this win, aye, perhaps the responsibility too..." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. Not everything was perfect in the land of Tea, as well as things had been. Conflict still arose from time to time from denizens of old shark country, old tea country, and the innumerable refugees that Fuhen had brought with him not accepting each other as countrymen just yet. It was a long road ahead of them before they could truly be considered 'unified', but the Frog had hopes that such a project would help pull these people together.

The Shogun's expression turned grim as the man spoke of his lofty aspirations, and he couldn't help but acknowledge that Hayate shared such impossible aspirations with him. Finally, he began to speak. "In ol' River, the hardships made families out o' villages. When the ground went without rain, it hardened. I dinnae want that t'be forced upon me children, much rather they be able t'play in the mud." Fuhen's people were hardy, but just as Hayate might suspect, they were in fact all hicks, uneducated and simple folk. Their advancements into the fields of steam technology were only possible thanks to Oban and her family, though the hard work of his own people couldn't be pushed to the side as nothing.

"It worries me that yer so reasonable, Hayate, I trust ye far more than I should, even willin' t'drink yer poison." He raised the bottle of alcohol with a small wink, and took another sip. "Nae offense intended, but yer own skyguard aren't liable tae stop themselves from comin' in at mach ten, are they?" The implication was clear, and Fuhen kept the question as a rhetorical one as he moved on. "The shinobi world is terrifyin', my friend... But, I wouldnae be where I am today without punchin' above me weight class and takin' risks for the betterment o' me people."

His worried expression turned to one of happiness once again, and he lifted the flask up to his companion. "To prosperity for all our kin." And he took another long drink, filling his mouth with the alcohol, and his mind with the poison.
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:44 am

Hayate took another sip of his flask- he was drinking a bit more paced than the Frog, so he wouldn't be surprised if the gin killed him first. "Well, you're the leader of a country now so jokes aside, you should probably be careful you know..." the Raikage said with a soft undertone in between his sips. Life was definitely a lot simpler when he was jounin- or the most wanted missing ninja in the region ironically. Being the emperor meant many had their own machinations and those machinations usually required him to cease existing.

As Hayate listened to Fuhen talk, despite having no blood or even country relation to the people of Tea, he couldn't help but feel a bond. Outside of the shinobi villages people faced hardships like drought. They faced hardships like fires, and all sorts of things that ninjutsu couldn't just whisk away. It had always bothered Hayate that the standard of living he had existed while children died of hunger a few tens of kilometers away.

"The people you describe are the same people who make up the majority of the Lightning Empire, Fuhen. There was many reasons why I assassinated the feudal lords of my country, mostly because I was forced to under Black Ops, but I'd be lying if I did not say it was personal. Between you and me I see a world of freedom for all- freedom through ninjutsu" He said as he rolled up the scroll and handed it over to the frog, ending their initial discussions. He figured the frog would have others look it over too.

As for the grim statement that was wise for the young ruler, Hayate decided the best answer was honesty. There was nothing stopping him in the hypothetical, and honestly, if they had just cause Hayate would send his empire to 1000 deaths if it meant progress for the human race. "Unless you start committing genocide or something I'd have very little reason to fly into your territory under the banners of war."

Ignoring the boding remarks of the Frog, the Raikage lifted his flask to the frog and took a big swig this time. With business over now was the time to celebrate.

"To prosperity for the world, friend."

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Tue Jan 25, 2022 12:15 pm

Fuhen had indulged in drink here and there since coming into his role as Shogun, but even with friends it had been pretty restrained compared to his wild youth. Today though, he had reason to celebrate, and apparently, so did Hayate. What started out with swigs and gulps of gin, turned into the Frog calling for more of the local fermented tea alcohol, then sake... Things got blurry fast.

The pair would be woken up rather unceremoniously by a loud screeching in their ears. Fuhen groaned loudly, slowly sitting up and taking stock. He felt around his body with one hand, his chest was there, his head was there, a single leg was there... He looked down, he was bleeding quite profusely from a stump where one of his legs used to be, and he groaned again as his Shogun ability restored it with a gross 'pop' noise.

Both legs, check. Butt, check. Raikage, check. He looked down, he was laying on top of the Raikage, and the both of them were lying on top of a precariously placed branch growing out the side of a cliff. The aforementioned screeching happened again, and Fuhen looked up. Perched atop his head was a single seagull, who pecked at his head several times.

He didn't touch the gull. He realized in his other hand was a bottle, marked with a massive skull and crossbones. What the hell happened last night? "Oy, Hayate." he called, slapping his peer gently to wake him. "What was in this bottle?"
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Sat Jan 29, 2022 11:12 am

It wasn't before long that the two men, despite their regenerative powers being in the 99.9nth percentile, had drank so much alcohol most mortals would of died. Everything was fuzzy, and at a certain point, black. A complete absence of memory.
Hayate's head was pounding. The screeching of the seagull had done nothing to stir the Raikage at first and he was still to a point that it was hard to even tell if he was breathing. Eventually the intense heat of the rising sun, the brightness, and the weight of Fuhen moving on top of him would bring him too. He fought his eyes which were as heavy as Akimichi's, enhanced size. With a few coughs and eye rubs he eventually managed to open them. The first thing he would notice was Fuhen was missing a leg. He'd look down to check his own legs. They were both there. His arms were too.

His sleeves were missing and covered in blood, along with his white cloak too. Strange, but not the worst of it. As he pushed himself up into a sitting position and took note of the precariously placed branch the two were on and the bird pecking at Fuhen, he felt a stabbing pain in his buttocks. His hand moved down instantly to find what was causing the discomfort and found something peculiar back there. A needle like object with a knocked end- a dart of some sort. He looked it up and down in his hand with confusion. The pain continued when he moved again. There were at least two more darts.

Finally, he felt his pockets were heavy. Reaching into the left one he found a bag full of Ryo, a really, really heavy bag. In the second pocket, he found a set of dentures and a lemon.

By the time Fuhen had begged the question, Hayate was without words for one of the first times ever.

"I... have no idea."

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Tue Jun 21, 2022 1:06 pm

The Shogun looked around at the horizon line of the ocean set out before them, then briefly glanced up at the sun with heavily squinted eyes, and realized it was quite late in the day. It had been night when the two had started their 'negotiations', and it must have sent them reeling through many hours of 'important documentation' and several rounds of 'difficult talks' that were so common amongst important leaders. A long, low groan passed through the Shogun's lips as he rubbed his skull with a grimace.

Why couldn't he remember? His memory was exceptionally good! He may not have always been the brightest blade in the bundle, but barely could he be bothered as a buffoon. Slowly, the Shogun shimmied sideways and back, freeing the Raikage beneath him, and allowing him to straddle the branch holding them up, facing both the sea and his companion. "I haven't been thi..." He started, before his face flooded green, and he turned to the side, vomiting down the side of the cliff, a menagerie of colors, mostly liquidated except for... A boot? Hopefully nobody's foot was inside of it when it was consumed. Hopefully that wasn't his own boot, either.

That felt better, at least. The hangover certainly still existed as he wiped his chin and lips with the back of his arm, smacking his lips disgustedly, but puking existed for a reason. "Ah'm startin' tae think allyin' meself with ye is a bad idea, ya ken?"
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Sat Jul 09, 2022 5:44 am

Unsure of what it all meant he put the ryo, the dentures, and the lemon back into his pocket as he freed himself from under Fuhen and turned away as the man spewed, missing even the boot that had somehow found itself way into his compatriot's stomach.

Dentures... lemon... coin...

Had they robbed an older man or something? "I wouldn't blame you." he said as he looked to the sea but suddenly winced. His head pounded further with each passing second until finally, he hit a point where he couldn't process the sounds around him. Shaking it off the best he could he placed his finger to his mouth as his body glowed blue, his chakra surging. Water would gently drip into his mouth as he chugged it to get the water his body was desperately missing. "We should get some liquids back in us..." he said as the water stop and he pointed his finger to Fuhen as if to offer a drink- despite the absurdity of the way it must have looked.

Fighting through his migraine and impending doom, the Raikage stood as wind formed around his body, levitating him up. He'd signal with his hand for Fuhen to follow as he floated his way up the side of the cliff and to safe ground. Could it be that their drinks had been spiked? Given the men's fortitude and ability to heal through nigh anything it was certainly odd for them to have gotten... that inebreated. Had the frog done something to him?

Once on solid ground, the Raikage would begin to rub his temples as he tried to rack his brain for a solution, however futile it was.

"Maybe someone in town knows what happened to us?"

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:34 am

Fuhen looked at the finger, then at the face of the man that offered it to him, pondered for a moment, and then shrugged. Without any shame at all, he grabbed Hayate by the wrist and pulled the two to a halfway point, putting his lips around the man's finger and sucking, rolling his tongue around the digit rather lasciviously as he guzzled the man's liquids to a point of choking a little, finally pulling away as one last spurt of water flecked onto his cheek.

He coughed a little, and then cleared his throat, and as the man levitated up, he'd crouch down low on the branch, stabilizing his feet... Only for the branch to snap when he tried to jump off, killing his momentum. He plummeted to the rocks below... For about half a second, before one of his blades materialized in the air, allowing him to catch it, and repeat his action to much less comic effect, actually landing gracefully on the cliff's edge.

He rubbed the side of his head and stretched his neck, the loud popping noises could be heard from half the country away as he groaned. "I hope not! I may've been a lush in me youth, but these people'll are lookin' up to me these days! Och..." He rapped his knuckles on the side of his head. "We'm signed a contract, brought out the good stuff to celebrate..."

"Ah, Iyashii-Sama, there you are." Came a voice from just down the hill a ways. As the Shogun turned to look, he noticed his ever present Aide, who was physically weak and struggling to make his way up the hill to see his lord, and looking none-too-pleased, likely not just about the workout. "A blessing to find you still alive after you and Raikage-Sama so bravely fended off an attack from that masked attacker of completely unknown origin, only managing to destroy a small section of the palace in the ensuing fight. Truly, the country has never felt safer."
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Wed Jul 13, 2022 11:05 am

Hayate watched incredulously as Fuhen looked at his finger. He wagged it a little to signal go on- it's alright much like one did when putting out a bowl of water for a new dog who hadn't yet learned to trust its master. Much to his surprise, however, before he knew the grown man pulled him closer as he put the finger into his mouth capturing the dripping water, and then began to suck on it like a baby did his thumb or perhaps his mother's teet... or perhaps something far more graphic than that scenario which Hayate did not have the mental bandwidth to explore any further. When Fuhen finally released his finger, he'd shake it off with a look of displeasure before wiping it on his shirt and clearing his throat, choosing to look away and pretend that didn't just happen.

"You know, you could have just waterfalled that." Hayate said as he took a deep breath and coyly looked away as he shot up into the air, avoiding the response.

From his position on the solid ground atop the cliff, he would soon be joined by Fuhen. He made his way up in a much less elegant way but in a way that showed the lateral thinking that Hayate had come to respect Fuhen for. Continuing to rub his temples Hayate let out another sigh as the man cracked his bones and stretched.

"Well, your best stuff sure hits." Hayate said as he continued to rub his temples. He was about to launch into a plethora of theories before an apparent aide, who he had no recollection of, came to tell them of their valiant work in protecting the palace and countrymen from a masked attacked of completely unknown origin, while only managing to destroy a small section of the palace... Leaving the country to truly never feel saf- was that sarcasm? Confused Hayate's hand moved from his temples to his chin as he scratched it.

"We... fought a masked man?"

That kind of stuff usually resulted in demon rampages and orphans with friendship complexes.

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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Nick » Wed Jul 13, 2022 11:23 am

Fuhen's lack of physical boundaries was apparent, but when you grew up in a small hut sharing the floor with over ten brothers and sisters, physical boundaries weren't something that you grew up respecting much. The frog continued to rub his skull as he stared at the aide incredulously. The man was definitely lying, nor was he doing an especially good job of trying to show he was telling the truth, and with Fuhen's experience with the man, if he wanted to stay secretive, he could.

"Masked attacker..." Fuhen repeated, blinking rapidly, catching up with the state of the world around him.

"Yes, Iyashii-sama, Raikage-sama, a masked attacker." The aide looked at Fuhen with a raised brow, and then to Hayate with the same look. "Why, it's the only conceivable reason why two of the world's strongest men would have blown a hole in the side of one of their own domicile, and why lord Iyashii's leg would be hanging from the front door of the castle." He looked down at Fuhen's leg and cleared his throat. "So glad to see it hasn't inconvenienced you terribly."

Fuhen had known the aide since almost the beginning of the great war, and this was definitely the first time that the man had sounded so... snarky? Certainly, he hadn't always approved of Fuhen's brash mannerisms, but this level of annoyance was quite high. "Fended off an attack..." He said slowly, nodding a bit, starting to piece things together a little better.

"Of course, not to worry, I've already explained things to the people of the palace and the word has already disseminated amongst the populace... It's a good thing this wasn't the result of some scandalous, rauccous activity that either of you chose to engage in." The aide quirked a brow again, and Fuhen nodded. Yikes. What exactly HAD they done?

"Och. Damn shame about that assassination attempt, eh Hayate?" He said, turning his head to look at his companion, while tilting his chin towards his aide, who was clearly doing everything in his power to spin this for them to not look like the fools they were. "Further... proof of our bond, to fight it off together...?" He said, asking it almost like a question towards his aide, who nodded approvingly.
"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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Collecting on Debts?

Post by Taiga » Mon Jul 18, 2022 2:30 am

Hayate's eyes narrowed to a point having reached the conclusion that any more attempts to rack his brain for memories of the night prior would be futile. Giving up his fruitless pursuit he took a deep breath as he listened to the aide speak. It became painfully obvious that both him and Fuhen had done something less than honorable given their posts. Bowing his head slightly to the sarcastic reprimands of the aide, the Raikage nodded. "Ah yes- the masked attacker. A true threat to us all..." he said playing it off as if he was along with the ruse from the get-go.

He was lucky none of the four limbs were with him- he could only imagine the reprimanding he'd of received from Tsukiko. At the same time though, a small smile crept up at the thought that he'd clearly blown off some of Fuhen's limbs... only for the smile to quickly dissipate as he realized his sleeves were missing and his sides lined with blood. Did that bugger take both his arms off? The Raikage would step forward to the aide, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder and bowing his head once more in thanks.

With his left hand he would retrieve the dentures and coin sack from his pocket as his right hand moved from the aids shoulder to his hand, grasping it such that he could put the items into his hand and cover it up. He'd nod along coyly, his intention implicitly understood... an onegai to please get these where they are supposed to be and tie up the loose ends.

Clearing his throat he said "Right then, I leave this to you." before turning to the Lord of the heart empire. "A magnificent bond indeed- one anyone would be a fool to attempt to cross." the Raikage said before his stomach grumbled comically loud.

"It would appear regrowing my arms and all that fitting has left me quite peckish. Feast, shall we Lord Iiyashi?" he said using it as the perfect excuse to brush it all under the rug.

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