[Graded][Plotboard] The Mountain and the Curse

[Kao]

Snow fell on Iwagakure, covering it in a thick white blanket. Despite the frigid cold the villagers were bustling about as normal with their day to day activities. But the interesting story lied not above ground, but below it. Shoshiki Amaya had spent the previous day in front of a few of the council members. Now, she was preparing to meet the Tsuchikage.

One didn’t simply meet with the Tsuchikage. Unlike the kage of some of the other villages, Chuutetsu Ishidai was a man didn’t make many public appearances. He was a stern, somewhat volatile man who almost never took pupils, though he did care for the village and those who lived within its wall. Though he would give his life for the village, the man didn’t care much for many of the administrative duties of the kage office. He had been looking forward to retiring, but just before Ken’ichi was due to undergo his kage trials, the man had backed out. Naturally, the bannin was no longer in the kage’s good graces.

The four shinobi waited in the holding room, silently waiting for the kage’s officials to retrieve them. Amaya had just been promoted to the position of jounin, but that didn't mean the Tsuchikage was done with her. After the rest of the council had left the room, he had requested for her to meet with him the next day. He had sent the disgraced bannin to retrieve her, not because that he was no longer angry with Ken, but because he wanted to ensure that the man knew that he was still subservient to the kage's will.

Ken tried to ignore this fact and simply did what he was told. Ready to meet your fate, Amaya? Tomotsu chuckled, purposefully speaking to her informally. I really hope for your sake that Tsuchikage-sama takes a liking to you and your report. He hasn’t been in a good mood lately. He glanced toward Ken, who directed a sleely glare that was enough to shut him up, if only for the time being.

"You'll be fine," the bannin promised, though he was well aware that nothing Tomotsu said was untrue. What happened next depended on not only what Amaya had to say, but also on the Tsuchikage's mood.

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya knew the procedural, for the last time she had arrived in Iwa she was forced to do the same, though this time she hoped that she would have the luxury of forgoing a prison sentence. She told them what they wanted to hear, how she didn't betray Iwagakure and used the time abroad to learn as much as she could about earth countries culture, how they operated and what separated them from Iwa's strikt upbringing, how they hunted missing nins and how their ruling worked. Though she was certain that there were still parts that she missed out on.

What annoyed her though was that they seemed to be paranoid that Amaya would betray Iwagakure, as if she had been sent away and forget her place, sure she had learned a thing or two about how to become humble but at the same time, her pride and strength was what drove her forwards. She knew that Iwagakure took pride in hidden strength and that was what Amaya embodied, she knew that there was only one way for her to show them what hid behind her mirror and that was by standing up for herself.

War bredd warriors, walls bredd cowards, that was her world view. For those who hadn't ventured outside of Earth Countries walls would know little of the outside world and what it took to become someone respected by not only their village but the world. Amaya had set her eyes further than Iwagakure but before she could reach her end game goal she would have to rise to the ranks, first and foremost she knew that she had to change the cowardice ways of her despicable clan.

"Luckily this isn't my first rally..." She wanted to chuckle at the thought of her being knee deep in shit again but knew that this wasn't the time or place for it. She figured that the only true reason why she was even allowed back was for her strength, the one hidden behind her frail body. Which meant that if she got her act together then her goals would be within reach.

[Kao]

Ken began to respond, but at that moment the double doors to the holding room opened and a hush fell over the room. A small, bespectacled man walked into the holding room and looked between each of the shinobi. "Welcome," he said with a bored drawl as he held up a clipboard to his face. "Shoshiki Amaya, the Tsuchikage will see you." The bannin and his cronies stood as well, but the man held his hand up to stop them. "There has been a change of plans," he said tersely. "You are no longer needed."

The bannin gave a curt nod and motioned for his men to follow him out. Amaya was left with the man, who lowered his arms to address her. He looked her up and down, his face mostly neutral, but from his tone it was clear he already disliked her. "I am Hirano Daichi, assistant to the Tsuchikage. This way." He led her down a short hallway illuminated only by a few dim orange lights. At the end stood four cloaked guards, their faces covered by large hood much like the men who had greeted them in just before she entered the village, and after Daichi saluted them two of the guards opened the door.

The Tsuchikage stood at the back of his office, gazing out of a window that overlooked the village. He was tall, very tan, and built like a body builder, and though his full beard was completely black he had several streaks of grey in his hair that betrayed his age. He turned his head slightly when Amaya entered the room and motioned for Daichi to close the door behind them. Upon his desk were several closed files, all of them related to Amaya and the Shoshiki clan. Her history was well documented, though obviously there were gaps in her file due to her time spent in Kirigakure. The village's most powerful man waited for her to address him and then he motioned for her to have a seat in the cushioned seat in front of his desk.

[Trusted Grader]

She wasn't expecting the bannin and his followers to not be allowed to follow them any further, but ultimately figured that it would be better if she didn't have anyone else interfere with her time with the Kage. She nodded at the bannin and followed Hirano towards the kages office. Wana chuckled at their loss but shut up once she noticed that her master wasn't as amused, she knew that if she didn't follow her orders then she would be put in the shame corner.

Amaya wanted to know what it took to become a guard of the Kage, to have that urge to stand still in a corner and do nothing for days, just waiting for the day you got to go out and do something. She shook her head and realized that this wouldn't be a job for her, she wanted to aim higher. So she continued to follow Hirano into the office, and spotted the burly man staring out the window that she had only ever seen from the outside. If she recalled correctly then she had only ever seen the man once in her life, that was something she found odd considering her past but she was certain that the man was busy.

She kneeled in front of the desk as she began to remember her place. "Shoshiki, Amaya reporting for duty, sir." She kept her eyes low and thought about how many times he could've executed her if he pleased, yet last time they spoke he seemed rather open to the idea of someone like Amaya, a renegade that used everything she got to get to the point she was after. Though verbally assaulting her clan leader was probably not the smartest idea. She cleared her throat then moved over to sit on the cushioned seat, the interrogation was about to begin.

[Kao]

Chuutetsu, Ishidai, the nineteenth Tsuchikage, stared at the woman as she knelt before him. He remembered her as a woman with a complicated history, a woman who had made choices that had distanced her from both the village and her clan. She had even once become a rogue to follow her own personal endeavors, and despite outcries from both within the Shoshiki clan and without, she had been allowed back into the village. And when she had disrespected her clan head, instead of having her further punished the Tsuchikage had sent her out of the village to Kirigakure. He had many reasons to send her away, most of which he had divulged to no one except his assistant.

While she was away, the man's opinion of Amaya had changed. He once admired her grit, but the Shoshiki leader had gotten in his ear and convinced him that she was little more than a liability. A blight on the face of a clan that was already considered inherently weak by many shinobi in Iwagakure. A rebellious, treacherous girl who had already betrayed the village once before and who threatened to bring disorder wherever she set her gaze.

"Reporting for duty," he repeated, his voice a deep and rumbling timbre. "Do you realize, Shoshiki Amaya, how many people would object to those simple words?" Ishidai sat in his seat and Daichi immediately took up post to his right. Both of them stared her down as the Tsuchikage pondered what he should say next.

"When we sent you to the border, it was to quell the outrage that came from your clan after you ah....snapped at Ikkyu. Several wanted you publicly disgraced, many wanted you imprisoned, and some wanted to add it to the list of your previous transgressions to justify a harsher, more permanent punishment. So I sent you on an important mission, out of sight and out of mind. I thought it would give them time to lick the wounds you inflicted to their pride. And it would allow them to see that you are a young woman who has made regrettable decisions but has learned from them and is willing to do whatever it takes to consolidate the village's strength and influence." He steepled his hands in front of his face and his dark green eyes peered at her. He watched her every move, her facial expressions, even the way she breathed as he spoke.

"However, during your absence, your fellow clan members brought up many valid concerns and my opinions have shifted." He placed a palm on the folders in front of him, tapping them to indicate that such concerns were documented in her files. "But before we get to that, there is your mission. Tell me, Shoshiki Amaya, what you have learned from our dear friends in the south."

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya placed her hands together and closed them as she listened in on the Kage. She knew of the consequences created by her outlandish rile up, of her abandonment and her return. What she didn't know was that some didn't want her to return, for all she knew, she had done somewhat of a decent job in regaining what little respect she could gather. She sighed in silence and continued to listen to her leader, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Had Wana not rested in the corner then she would've felt out of place, she hated the feeling of being "naked" in public, and worst of all in front of her kage. She thought that her year away would not only alleviate some of the tension surrounding her abandonment and restore some form of honor, for she had spent a year away working closely with their ally. Though what could she expect? None knew of her story, no one seemed to care for how much energy she had laid waste in order to rise and be able to stand amidst her comrades.

"I..." She cleared her throat and looked up at the burly Kage and once their eyes connected she would continue. "I spent the first couple of months hunting missing nins, and assisted in healing those that their top doctor couldn't be bothered with. That's where me and Wana trained our hunting skills, which we prevailed at. I guess hunting in the cold of snow has it's benefits." Amaya chuckled.

"It wasn't until I neared half year in that we started working on the tougher missions... I guess I had to prove myself there as well... Anyway, I helped them set new perimeters, shared some low level techniques and philosophies that they teach here in Iwa. They parted some information over at me as well, such as how to wield a sword, better my mounting and philosophies." Amaya bowed. "If I am being honest then I believe that this program could work wonders to better our youth." Amaya refrained from speaking as it was out of order, he had yet asked her for her opinion and she was sure that he wasn't into taking any ideas from a ninja he was evaluating.

[Kao]

"No need to hesitate," the Tsuchikage said when she cut herself off. The man was so far unimpressed with the information she was providing. He found her telling of her time at the border. He wanted to know everything she saw, even the most mundane details that she herself might not find important. The man wanted to be sure that the rest of the country was doing well, and most importantly that the authority of Iwagakure's forces was being upheld and respected. He wanted to eventually spread Iwagakure's influence through the rest of the country and even in neighboring countries, but he needed to know how people outside of the village would respond. Ishidai needed to know everything. "I want - need - to hear everything you saw and heard. It's important that we know just how receptive the rest of the country is to our influence."

Beside him, Daichi was writing intently in a thick journal, the scratches of his pen against the paper the only sound that filled the silence in between Amaya and the Kage's dialogue. Every word they said was being recorded by the jounin and would be archived for later use.

"What about the exchange did you find beneficial? I assume that's what you were trying to say before you stopped yourself."

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya looked at the Kage and nodded, she would then proceed to tell him about every mundane detail that she soaked in while in the foreign land. From the way people saw the ninjas to how they seemed to run their stores, the festivals to the sea based food they ate. She continued until she reached the point where she had no idea what else there was to mention except for the exchange program and how she believed that it truly could benefit the two villages.

"That's exactly why I believe that the exchange program would work wonders, we would allow our allies-trade-allies to come one step closer, as they allowed us. We can start working on both of our flaws and set up better defense and trade routes. Because from what I learned out there, is that the world seems to be mobilizing. So strengthening the only true ally we have would be a smart move. We could try exchange one for one, allow them to work for us and one of ours for them. To build true trust and eventually who knows. Our bond could become stronger."

That was her opinion and how she saw the program, it was a sign of progression for she believed that this was the next step. The one they should try to aim for in order to stay one step ahead of their enemies. "We could limit it to Jounins, as to not "corrupt" our youth. But I do believe that it would be a great way to stay one step ahead of the curve."

[Kao]

Ishidai hummed in contemplation every so often as the woman recalled her time outside As far as he could tell, she hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary while she was there. As far as the program was concerned, Ishidai initially had no intention to keep it going. It had merely been a temporary solution to a problem he faced. But if members of the Council felt it was a good idea, he saw little reason to not continue to send more and more of his shinobi outside of the village "An interesting idea," he replied vaguely. Behind him, Daichi gave a small scoff, but the man ignored it. "I'll discuss it with the council, and if they agree with the idea then we will offer the program to Kirigakure. It may work in our favor, or it may have a neutral effect. Only time will tell."

With that, Ishidai took one of the filed in front of him and flipped through it. He signed his name on several pages, closed it, and then handed it to his assistant. He picked up another folder and signed a few pages in that one as well; this folder he handed to Amaya. It was her identification papers, complete with his signature that authorized her to become an active shinobi of Iwagakure again. "You are now once again an active member of the shinobi forces," he stated, and he stood from his seat and walked around to stand before her. "A condition of you reinstatement is that you are to report to me immediately if I call on you, at any time. Understood?"

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya smiled for a brief second as the kage thought that her idea was at least interesting, what gave her a jolt down her spine was the fact that he said that he would at least take it up with his council, never in her life had she felt so heard. Her clan specialized in glass, so effectively they trained to be clear and almost invisible to anyone outside of their clan. To think that the stained glass would have a voice was unheard of and therefor a small tear ran down her cheek.

With a quick wipe, she would clear her throat and grab the folder handed to her. She rose to a standing position right as the kage walked up to her, she bowed and nodded once he spoke. "Roger that sir." She didn't have anything to add other than to agree with what he said and start planning her future missions. Amaya was the type that liked to stay one step ahead, always focused on what to do next and even though it didn't seem like it; she always tried her best to focus on what was best for the village.

[Kao]

The Tsuchikage towered above her as she bowed, his face remaining stern and difficult to read. He stared at her as if he was analyzing a particularly difficult problem, or as if he was dissecting a new type of insect. Finally, Ishidai gruffly told her, "I advise you to watch out for yourself, Shoushiki Amaya. There are individuals in your clan who are not pleased about your return to the village. And, I must remind you of the village's policy to allow clans to handle clan matters internally so long as it does not spill beyond the confines of their compound. Once it does, my men will be obligated to interfere and punish those who broke the rules of Iwagakure."

Ishidai turned away from her and grabbed a long cloak. As he did, Daichi swiftly gathered the papers scattered across the desk into his arms and stood at the kage's side. "Now, I have other matters to attend to. You are dismissed."

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya looked over at her Kage and wondered what it took to make that the man smile, he seemed to either not like his job or have too much on his thoughts. Surely she had done more good than harm in total, she shrugged once he spoke about her clan, for she feared them not, in fact she welcomed them to try anything silly on her. She had long wanted her clansmen to rise from their shadow and at least attempt to be an average ninja, to support those who lift the veil for them rather than be cowards who hide behind people's skirts.

As of yet, she hadn't met a Shoshiki that terrified her, that made her question if she should truly follow the rules of her clans compounds, for all she saw was people who were too weak to fight back against the establishment that kept their own people down. She grit her teeth as she rose off the chair and began to walk out towards the door. She whistled to Wana to follow her as she continued out until she would finally reach the exit. This was to be her first step on Iwagakure in a year, with a fresh breath intake she climbed on top of Wana and rode out.

She wondered if her apartment was still available or if they had rented it to someone else, she sighed and wondered what they had done to her clothes and if any of her things were still intact. She chuckled as the wind blew her hair, she rushed to her old home and noticed that the door was locked, which left her with little choice but to climb up the wall and break the window. She chuckled yet again as she knew that she would have to fix that later, which wasn't a huge deal. Once she stepped inside she spotted that dust mites had covered all surfaces, yet all her things were still there.

She wondered why they hadn't removed of her items, why they never rented out her space before realizing that people maybe didn't want to stay in a house that belonged to a cursed person, some were superstitious like that. She shrugged and thought that it was all the better. Amaya combed through her home before she realized that she had a spare key laying around, but before she could grab it, she heard her front door knock and thought that it had to be Wana wishing to enter the front door, so she moved over to open it.

[Kao]

Amaya's return had not gone unnoticed. There was clamor in the clan compound as word quickly spread that the girl had returned to the village and was meeting some rather important officials. Rumors flew that she was meeting with the council and even the Tsuchikage, and there were several clashing opinions about what her return would mean. Those who were fiercely loyal to Shoshiki Ikkyu, the current clan leader, and had heard first hand how she had disrespected him cursed her return. Others were curious to see her, wondering how the girl had changed in her absence. There were still others, few in number, who didn't particularly care one way or another and would decide their stance farther down the line.

When Amaya made her way to the compound, her fellow clan members watched from afar. No one made any effort to approach her; after all, the clan was well aware of her poor relationship with Ikkyu and no one seemed eager to show her kindness. At least, not until they saw how her presence would affect the Shoshiki's already fragile state.

Two pairs of eyes watched her former household, and when the blonde finally made her way inside, the two Shoshiki quickly approached and knocked on the door. One of them was a tall and lanky man a couple years older than Amaya, his long, light brown hair pulled into a high ponytail that swept past his shoulders. His piercing grey eyes cut into her own when she opened the door and he gave her no time to greet him. "So it's true," he said, his voice soft and gentle despite his otherwise fierce countenance, "you're back. Interesting, interesting."

"Forgive him, he has no manners." Behind him was a shorter man who looked almost exactly like the other, only shorter, younger, and he had a bit of a smile on his face. "I'm Gohei. He's Kihei."

"We're brothers, obviously. I'm the oldest."

"And I'm the smartest. Anyway, you probably don't remember us, which is fine, truly. We've never talked but of course we know you."

Kihei chuckled, "Who doesn't know you in this clan, am I right?"

"We're here to fetch you."

"But not to who you might think." The two talked rapidly, back and forth and with no pause long enough to give Amaya a chance to talk until they finished. But after Kihei's last comment the two men smirked, their expressions darkening for the span of a heartbeat before returning to their normal selves. "Can we come in? Or do you want us to drag you straight there without offering an explanation?"

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya was shocked to see two Shoshiki members knock at her door, her first reaction was to check if there were any other citizens standing by. She could never be too certain, for all she knew she was heading into a trap, but once they finished speaking she would calm down. Taking a deep breath before she would push her hair to the side and smile. She would offer them something to drink but truth was that she was out of supplies as she had recently returned home from a year of being hiatus.

"I would invite you in but as you can see, the place is nearly ransacked. The only thing I have is my clothes, the rest of my supplies ran out and the rest I had to give away. I couldn't really let it spoil for no reason, especially when it can be put to use elsewhere." Amaya showed them the inside of her apartment before she would walk back to the door. Wana would creep up next to her before she would gently pet her hyena. "So, tell me, what does the main family want with me? I thought that since I was am the black sheep no one would want to talk to me."

Amaya would follow the duo and continue the conversation with them, she knew that once she was inside the compound all eyes would be on her. It wasn't something she could ever get used to but she knew that this was the only consistent part of her life, though she always bore her scars with a smile. She couldn't help but to think that the duo was somewhat odd but amusing at the same time, at least they didn't scold her immediately and as of yet they hadn't attempted to take her life, so far so good.

[Kao]

The two men shared a look between them when she denied entrance into her apartment. What they had to say was sensitive, and they were instructed to ensure that prying ears didn't overhear. If she didn't want to talk privately, the men weren't able to talk at all. "Have it your way," Kihei shrugged as he stepped to the side so that she could follow them. "We're not allowed to discuss anything unless privacy can be guaranteed. Guess you'll have to ask them yourself a what they want with you."

"You're right though," Gohei added as he reached into a bag slung over his shoulder. He pulled out a long, dark hooded cloak and held it out to her. "No one wants to talk to you. Not publicly anyway. We were told to have you wear this so no one would recognize you on the way to the main house."

"Make sure everything's covered. Your hair, clothes, and keep your face hidden." It was clear something was up, and if she asked them any further questions about the intentions of the main family the two men would stay silent. She had already denied them the privacy of her home, so from that point on their only duty was to escort her to the main house and ensure no one would recognize her. Whatever these unnamed Shoshiki wanted with her, it seemed imperative that no one outside a select few people knew about it. The men led her to the to their destination, but they took great care to avoid the more open areas of the compound. They took to the alleys, the nooks and shadows between households until they finally reached their destination: a cluster of beautiful but modest homes near the edge of the compound.

Kihei and Gohei motioned for her to stay close. They both pointed to one particular house - one of the smallest, though it was certainly elegantly designed. Instead of taking her through the front of the home, they took her in through the back where a small boy ushered them through a door that was almost indistinguishable from the house's stone walls. A narrow spiral staircase awaited them, and they descended underground. Finally, they reached the landing and were immediately met by a heavy door. Right on cue the door opened to reveal a meeting room, and inside sat several members of the clan. Their eyes fell on Amaya, but she would notice none of their gazes were particularly hostile.

In the darkness of back of the room someone stood, and the figure slowly made its way toward Amaya. Once in the light, his features became clearer. He looked remarkably like the clan leader, though he was considerably younger. Like everyone else in the clan his skin was extremely pale, and his white hair was almost translucent. He stared at her with bright, icy blue eyes for a long moment and then finally smiled. "Amaya-chan, is it? Come in. We have much to discuss."

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya nodded as she understood what they said, she had gone through this before so none of this was new, except for the part where they were going to take her away. The clan had been harsh against her, though she had recently slammed the clan in front of their leader, which showed her true colors. Truthfully she wanted the clan to evolve and become the prominent clan that they deserved to be. She sighed for herself as she closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry but you have to understand that I don't want to mess up my room, the last time the clan came to visit me was years ago, they have sent two and that seems rather odd to me, but I am playing along because you two seem quirky enough to not be after my head... Or at least I hope so."

Amaya didn't want to kill a fellow clan member, she never wanted to do that, yet, she could never be too certain if her life was on the line. She knew that she wasn't popular around here so putting on the cloak was breakfast, this was who she was inside the compound, which was why she lived outside of it. She knew that they probably kept an eye on her but she always stayed one step ahead of them. She used Wana, a pet that can scent anyone with the scented flavor of glass would be found near a mile away. Her trust in people that she invited into her life was different than others, she only allowed those she had met longer than a couple of weeks.

Amaya stared into his eyes and wondered what the relative of the clan leader wanted from her, she knew that these types of meeting had a serious outcome, no matter if it was violent or through puppetry, she just knew that she wasn't the one to get involved in the politics of the clan. She could tell before he opened his mouth as she had finally risen to the point of not being ignored, why else would he contact her all of a sudden? Her detective years had been sharpened to the point of obsession.

"I bet, you have no idea how long this has been in the build up." She responded and walked up to the nearest chair and sat down as she frowned and stared into Ishuga's eyes. She shrugged leaned back. "I don't mean to be rude but none of you have contacted me earlier, so I want you to be honest with me and tell me what you want from me?" She needed to stand by her own experience, she knew that she was strong enough to be contacted then it meant that she had the upperhand, she had to keep it that way unless she was going to be used as a puppet.

[Kao]

Ishuga smiled, though there wasn't much kindness in the expression. He watched as she took her seat without needing prompting, and he leaned forward in his own chair. To get a better look at her, to appreciate what some considered a haughty attitude. The room became slightly tense when she entered and started speaking, but after a small chuckle from Ishuga many of the other Shoshiki began to relax. "No need to waste time then. We all know of ah...your conflict with our leader, my dear uncle. While this may or may not surprise you, all of us here agree that he has all but overstayed his welcome."

There were mumbles of agreement at that, and at first it seemed as though some of the other clan members would speak up. But Ishuga held up his hand and the grumbling commentary ceased. "The reason that summoned you here," he continued, "is not necessarily about what we want with you. You, the girl who was punished severely for speaking her mind. You were silenced for having an opinion that we happen to agree with on one level or another. Ikkyu is just like his predecessor: unwilling to act or take a solid stance on anything. The clan has stagnated while you were gone, and what happened to you has caused clamor. Quiet clamor, but clamor nonetheless."

He grinned at this and folded his hands in his lap. "We want to hear from you. Directly. Because what the events before your banishment were twisted by the words of a man who felt threatened. Let me ask you now, Amaya-san, though I suspect I know how your response will be. What do you see for the future of this clan if we continue on this path?"

[Trusted Grader]

Amaya bit her tongue and uncrossed her arms, she opened up and listened to what her the niece of the leader had to say. From what she gathered he liked to keep things his way, in control and the public looking at one way. Amaya wasn't for traditional tea times as she lacked those manners, she knew that somewhere deep within she could find that spirit, the only questioned remained was when.

Amaya took a deep breath and turned around for a second as she began to wonder what she had been through thanks to the words she had spouted. Words that came straight from the heart that was now to be summed up. Talk about putting me on the spot? She tensed up for a second before she let go of her breath. "Do you really want to hear what I have to say about the trajectory of our clan? There is none... Dead patience has more movement than ours. We are special people with power to form glass, yet we aren't pushing our young to become ninjas and do better, serve the country that protects us and use our powers to help structure the village..."

Amaya tapped her chin as she began to pace back and forth. "I told him that while he booted me from the camp, I grew to become someone noteworthy enough that he couldn't hide it anymore; the threat of a "low-life" Shoshiki rising up to challenge the leader spells trouble for the establishment. I know this and you all know this.

So, if you are truly ready for my opinion then we have to change the direction we are heading and become more active in order to show faith." She spared the part about the working class as she had already been yelled once for mentioning them. She stood straight and eyed the members before her eyes locked onto Ishuga's. "Or we will fall behind while the world moves ahead of us. Things... Are happening out there that we have to prepare for."

[Kao]

There was a moment of silence before Ishuga gave a deep laugh. "Splendid," he breathed as he looked around the room. Each and every face looked back at him, some mirroring his amusement and others managing to keep a solemn countenance. No matter their expression, it was clear that Amaya had said just what they wanted to hear. The seeds of change had been carefully cultivated while the jounin was gone, and now that she had returned to the village she would be what was needed to finally let the seedlings burst from beneath the surface.

"You are correct, young Amaya. No matter where you look, things are changing. No longer will the clan be regarded as weak and fragile. It's time the village and everyone within it know just how strong the Shoshiki really are." With that, Ishuga walked to Amaya and placed a hand on her shoulder. For the first time since she arrived, there was a hint of genuine happiness in his gaze. "But before we can do that, we have to make changes in the clan itself. It will be difficult and maybe even dangerous. Ikkyu," his face twisted in disgust at his uncle's name, "has a maintained his hold over us and won't easily let it go. That's where you come in. He won't be able to stand it now that you're back."

With that, Ishuga grinned, and a touch of darkness reached his eyes. "Let's make the old man squirm."