Forging Connection

[C.J,]

Kamizuru stood in his own balcony and stared up at the full moon of the desert sky. He came into silent reflection of his time here in the village hidden in sand. A boy who arrived with the wealth and financial backing of the Kashimaste banking house. A boy who was so enthralled by the power of ninjutsu that he chose to become a ninja. A boy who believed that he was of divine heritage and thought himself the incarnation of the greatest of all gods. A boy who was now at a stage of decision making. Becoming a chunin meant he had more freedoms as well as powers. There was still the prying influence of his village but Kamizuru believed that if he was careful enough that he wouldn’t have to deal with too much interference in his private matters.

This selfish mindset of his would prove problematic. He understood the heavy surveillance. He understood the thought that he would be a labelled ‘threat’. He liked it. His tremendous ego enjoyed the thought that all eyes were on him, waiting for his development. However that meant that he had a few expectations placed upon him that he was entirely aware of. Would he choose to become an instrument of danger? Or perhaps use his specialties for the betterment of the village? Both seemed entirely irritating to Kamizuru yet neither was his final goal. He only wished to possess all things. All people, all treasures. He wanted the love of the masses and the admiration deserving of a god.

So far, he had managed to attract an insult to his divinity and his ego. A minor injury but one that would serve a basis for his ego to only grow larger. Simply, a change in plans. For now though, Kamizuru would devote his energy to a bit of a façade. If the village wanted to watch him, he would give them a front row seat. The king of all gods would allow himself and his dealings to be more of a public spectacle.

All that created the circumstance for tonight. Kamizuru had spent a week in planning. Enlisting a workforce of decorators, caterers and entertainment. By the time he was finished he had put his small army to work building this grand event. His home had become a venue for a meeting of suna’s most influential. He had invited everyone he could to a house party. The main hall was filled with food, and music. It was a real celebration. Of course only a small group was actually expected. Still this offered a means to forge connections and contacts to others who might one day be useful. A place to gather his treasures.

He turned finally and walked back into his home to join the events below. It was time.

[Varian]

Akashi had little patience for these affairs, so many little people. Many of them assuming money was the greatest power in the world, Akashi couldn't help but scoff at their attitude. Power was not something so easily earned, it was something one was born with. Only a chosen few had the ability to display true power, Akashi watched as the curt smiles were passed around amongst handshakes. Everything about this place spoke vipers under flowers, it was disgusting but Akashi could not judge them for that. He was as much like them in that factor, it was one of the few thing he could relate to with those at such gatherings. So Akashi put on his best fake smile and socialised, of course he was well aware that many conversations around him were of his father's crime. It seemed some people still liked to hold onto such trivial things, his father was weak if he had been strong nobody would of ever discovered his crime.

They would never have found the body if Akashi had been the one to commit the act, Suna was very good at unearthing secrets. Akashi had to make sure he was better at keeping them, for now he had no reason to act in secret. His plans were nowhere near ready to come to fruition, for now he would just build the foundations that would see him rise to his rightful position. He had love for the village, it was his home after all. The main issue was that it had become weak compared to it's former state, relying on other villages was a sorry state to be in.

All of these people, what a bore. Not a single interesting person in sight, it seems the Hizashi clan has sent a representative rather than the head and his family. Shame. Akashi had been hoping to see Tenka again, establishing ties with two of the clan's heirs in the village already had proved beneficial for his company. Although there were very few that knew that Akashi ran his father's company now, many believed it had been left to a member of his extended family while Akashi was performing his duties as a Shinobi. Fools all of them, running a business was far too easy for Akashi. He could keep on top of it while being a Shinobi, it was as simple as breathing to Akashi he believed there was nothing he could not achieve.

At last the host had decided to show himself, Akashi did not think much of him. No doubt somebody else who believed money was the answer to everything, he wondered how many of the people in this room would throw money at Akashi to spare their lives if he decided to kill every one of them. There was no need to kill them of course, his concerns were not in line with ants. He was intrigued to meet the host however, some claimed he came from one of the most influential families in Sunagakure. Akashi made his way through the crowd or rather the crowd seemed to part as he came through, whether it was fear from his father's accomplishments or just the presence Akashi seemed to be emanating at this point it did not matter.

Akashi found himself eventually standing face to face with his host, he gave a slight nod. "White washed graves don't you agree?" Akashi spoke looking out over the rest of the gathering, referring to the guests. "All pretty on the outside and yet, inside full of rotten bones right to the very core." Akashi spoke as if he found it amusing the way people put on a show, anything to gain that slight upper hand in political matters he supposed. Of course Akashi doubted very much that members of the council nor the kazekage were actually present, no doubt they would of sent representatives. Those representatives tended to be full of themselves because of the task they were given, most of the time they didn't even realise that they were mocked for being in such a position.

He turned once more to look at his host and gave him an amused smile, not one of those fake diplomatic smiles, no it was clear Akashi was making fun of the entire affair that played out in this grand hall. He did have to admit it was a very pretty looking building, at least money could make you look good. "Akashi Muteki." He introduced himself, whether it meant anything to the host or not didn't matter. Akashi's family had certainly begun to make a name for themselves, despite his father's mistake Akashi had not allowed Yami Muteki's Spice enterprise to fall into the ground. Akashi had begun to branch out into various trading items, the business had only improved since his father had been locked away. Yet another sign of weakness on his father's part, it was pathetic that they shared the same blood. His mother was no better disappearing as she had, yet another sign of weakness in his family. Akashi made a mental note to wipe them from the records of his family history, he didn't need such blemishes on his name.

[C.J,]

Kamizuru had wasted no time in mincing words with the attendants of this affair. The hall which had a capacity of one hundred was only half filled. While he had invited many high ranking members of the village – politicians, business owners and the like – he had also invited a great number of the more plain folk. Perhaps Kamizuru was employing a tactic of upholding an image. Perhaps he wished to distract vipers with more plain prey. Either way the room was alive with members of Sunagakure’s community and overall Kamizuru was enjoying the atmosphere he had created. Or more precisely enjoyed this scene which he had complete control over.

He was speaking to a marginal representative of a minor house when he was distracted by someone else approaching him. The self-proclaimed golden god king turned. His amber eyes looked up slightly to meet the eyes of this person who was speaking to him. The chunin took quick note of this man, his appearance, his aura, his mannerisms. Kamizuru had very precise analytical skills when it came to people. He wished to uncover every piece of the person in his line of sight to find even the slightest hint of value. As a king and a god Kamizuru was only ever searching for treasures and he never knew where he would find a diamond. The blonde haired chunin shifted the violet silk cloak off of one of his shoulders and exposed his chest in confident gesture.

Kamizuru’s immediate appraisal wasn’t much. He didn’t see anything particularly interesting about the man standing before him, nothing that made him any better than the minor character he was talking to before. That is, until he heard the other’s name.

“What a morose outlook you have, Akashi. I can see that you are more of the straight forward type; hardly one to hold back. Admirable qualities but I would suggest that you lower the killing intent. These livestock will realize that they are in line for the slaughter.” Kamizuru returned the smile. He turned and started to walk through the crowd, wordlessly giving the other the instruction to follow him. If he did they would stop at the banquet table where Kamizuru would poor him a chalice of water – he wouldn’t risk alcohol for this minor affair.

“Please refer to me as Kamizuru. While I am using my family’s wealth this event is not a representation of the business as a whole.” He put his arms behind his back and smiled. “I am glad you could find the time to be here. I never got the chance to compliment you for your performance in your chunin exam. I was a witness. I was still a genin at that time but you were quite the spectacle. Your skills at that time were quite commendable.”

[Varian]

Akashi smirked at his host's initial response. "It is a world that encourages a 'morose' attitude, killing these livestock would be a waste of my time and resources. Culling the weak won't make Suna stronger, even the weak have purpose." Akashi moved with his host as they made their way to to banquet table, not that Akashi paid it any attention but those gathering in the hall seemed to part even faster as the two of them moved to the table. To any who did observe such a thing, it would just serve to demonstrate the air about the two Shinobi even just the way they carried themselves.

Akashi took the chalice offered to him, drinking from it with grace. The two self proclaimed 'god-kings' stood drinking for a moment, then Kamizuru complimented him on his Chuunin exam. How long had it been since he had been promoted, two years? Three? "I thank you, it was nothing special truly I simply did as was instructed." Akashi recalled that he had awoken his Kekkei Genkai in that match, he had unintentionally injured his examiner it was one of the few times Akashi had genuinely apologised for something. Some people would call it luck that he was promoted to Chuunin after that incident, in Akashi's mind it was the most sensible decision. A promotion meant that they could utilize his ability far better than they would have been able to when he was a Genin, Akashi decided to ask a question of his own.

"Speaking of your families wealth, I don't hear much about the Kashimashte's dealings. What does your family do for business now?" Akashi was always interested in other people's dealings especially if he could exploit it to his own ends, knowledge of how they maintained their wealth would only help Akashi improve his business that was already rapidly rising. He was disappointed in his father on that matter, his father had always stressed the importance on making wise business decisions but the vast majority of his father's dealings were rather weak. When Akashi had taken over the family fortune, he was not surprised to find some debt here and there. Some of the debt owed to the Kashimashte family themselves, Akashi had very quickly vanquished such debt and since then his income was only going up.