A Long Fall

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Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:01 pm

Natsumi didn't want to leave Tatsuo behind but it was clear to her just how in over her head she would've been if she had stayed. She was running on less than even fumes at this point for chakra and would have been more of a hindrance than a help. Natsumi knew she'd be too slow in such a fight to keep herself safe and therefore Tatsuo would be forced to defend not only himself but her too. It was best for them both for her to retreat and call for back up than die on the battlefield. She channeled and used the very last of her chakra reserves to open a return portal through Space/Time ninjutsu and send herself towards the safe marker she had set up before the mission had begun.

Natsumi crashed to her knees in the open center of the firebase almost immediately once the teleportation was finished and her chakra was spent. It caused the people in the firebase to stop what they were doing and stare. It wasn't every day the Tsuchikage's wife came back from a mission worse for wear and even rarer for him to not be right beside her, tending to her wounds best he could and generally being annoying about her being hurt. Word spread quick through the outpost and medics came rushing down courtyard-like area she had collapsed in.

"The Tsuchikage is in trouble 3 miles north of the base. You need to send backup and medical units immediately, he's engaging with multiple S-rank combatants by himself." Natsumi ordered as she was helped to the first aid medical facilities. The medics forced her into a bed and began to treat her multiple cuts, scrapes, and even broken bones. It didn't take too long for her adrenaline to wear off and she was complying with the medics. She could hear the entire base in a panic due to her surprise entrance and the message it relayed. It didn't take long for fatigue to finally overtake her and for the woman to pass out on the first aid cot.

Meanwhile, spread was relayed from the medic to the outpost commander as soon as possible. The orders were given without hesitation and the medics who weren't busy with Lady Natsumi were to head north with whatever backup could be provided. As soon as the squad was assembled and ready they set out to the north where the battlefield would become evident upon arrival.

The entire landscape seemed to be shifted, as if an unholy natural disaster had swept through the area. The wildgrass filed plains once marked on the maps were now replaced with newly formed craters, small canyons, and rivers. Great slabs of stone were broken and strewn across the area and small fires raged on the outskirts but now had little or nothing to fuel themselves with. In the very center of the plains, in the deepest crater, two corpses and one man desperately hanging to life could be found.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:26 pm

The war was an absolute mess.

Alone in the commander's station, Koturu stood mentally pouring over an enormous map of Rock Country and the surrounding countries.The map was covered with marks and notes that denoted lost territories and failed military campaigns. The young bannin racked his brain for some kind of plan, some kind of move that could make up for such catastrophic losses. The country's borders had shifted on almost all sides and almost none of the changes were to Iwagakure's advantage. They had suffered many more casualties than they had anticipated and were at risk of many more. At this point, the Akari's mind was on cutting their losses and regrouping in time to find a way to end a war without having to endure total defeat. He was lost in his thoughts, but a sudden outbreak of commotion outside of his tent snapped him out of his stupor.

"Lord Akari! Trouble on the front! It's Lord Tsuchikage!" Those few words roused the bannin to action, and within minutes he had gathered half a dozen shinobi to head to the front lines. He pulled ahead, heart pounding in his chest as he tried not to imagine the worst. But the closer he got to the battleground, the more he understood the urgency behind the call for backup. The land was battered and broken, scarred and disfigured. The entire group slowed and stared with their mouths agape, horrified and in awe at what lay before them. It was eerily quiet, evidence enough that the battle had long passed.

"Spread out and find him!" Kotaru barked, and in seconds they were searching the area for any sign of the Tsuchikage. It only took a few minutes for Kotaru to stumble upon Tatsuo's ghastly form, deep in the middle of a jutsu-created crator. "TATSUO!!!" The bannin jumped to the bottom of the crater in a single leap, manifesting his eroshiin to soften the fall. He landed with a heavy thud a couple hundred feet down and rushed to the seemingly fallen Kage's side. He was barely recognizable with his arms and legs torn off and the rest of his body beaten and bruised. The younger bannin screamed for help, frantically checking for for any sign of life.
Last edited by Kao on Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:55 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:10 pm

In the space of time between the end of the battle and Kotaru's arrival, Tatsuo had come to a clear yet disturbing solution to preventing the reaper's claim from being collected today. The Akari had given into his base instincts and tore through whatever parts of the enemy combatants he could with his mouth. Acting on autopilot, the Tsuchikage had ripped and teared through nearly two torsos and their bloody remains formed a gross pool of blood underneath him at the bottom of the crater. They had employed methods to prevent him from regenerating in combat but with no way to continue ministrating those methods, his bleeding had stopped and his regeneration returned albeit in an extremely weakened form.

Tatsuo lay on his back in the blood soaked crater, his melashiin having retreated upon the deaths of the two men. His near-dead violet eyes tried their best to follow a bird flying high in the sky above the battlefield, probably trying to find some sort of morsel to gnaw on itself. Tatsuo knew if he fell unconscious he may not wake back up and so he followed that bird until finally he felt the pounding of multiple feet through the earth atop the crater. He wasn't sure which side they belonged to but he welcomed them either way.

Fortunately for him, his nigh unshakeable faith in Natsumi was rewarded as he heard a young man scream his name from the lip. Tatsuo's violet eyes shifted from the bird in the sky to the teal colored missile heading towards him. Although he was grateful to be saved, he hated Kotaru to see him like this. If there was anybody he didn't want to have to suffer, it would be him. The boy had clawed his way through so much to have an inkling of happiness in his life and the Tsuchikage hated adding even more sorrow to those seafoam eyes; he had been the cause of so much already.

"...H-hey...Kota..." Tatsuo coughed, flecks of dried blood crusting away as he spoke for the first time since sending Natsumi off. "I..got 'em all...right?" He tried to joke in an attempt to alleviate the situation in any way although he knew deep down it was futile. Behind Kotaru, multiple medics begin to slide down the edges of the crater and towards them. Orders were being shouted in a hurry as a gurney was summoned from a scroll along with medical supplies. Medics crowded the two Akari with orders to begin blood transfusions and get the Tsuchikage back to the village alive.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:08 pm

Kotaru was sure, absolutely sure that Tatsuo was minutes away from death. But the young bannin would fight anyone and anything if it meant protecting his adoptive brother, even if that meant going toe-to-toe with Death itself. At that moment there was very little for him to do in the way of helping the kage. The young shinobi grabbed the elder's chin and pushed his filthy hair away from his dull eyes. "Don't you die, Tats. Don't you fucking die, okay?! Don-" The medics had to practically peel Kotaru away from Tatsuo to do their work, and it took a few others to keep him back and out of the way. Eventually the frantic shinobi quieted down, but his mind still continued to churn as they made their way back to the village.

Things were touch and go as they traveled. At one point they thought they lost him, but the medics kept him alive with their skills and sheer willpower. Kotaru lagged behind when the adrenaline wore off, and he was barely mentally present enough to respond to his underlings' questions and give further orders. Anger and terror had turned his mind to slush. Tatsuo was the pillar of the village and of his found family. If he crumbled and collapsed, who would take up the mantle? On whose shoulders would the weight and responsibility fall? Kotaru couldn't imagine it, and it took every ounce of his strength to keep his thoughts away from those unimaginable what-ifs.

Messengers told the other bannin and village leaders about Tatsuo's status as quickly as they could. Kotaru demanded - and others agreed - that the information should be kept quiet for now. Iwagakure's forces were already battle-weary and ready for an end to the war; news about their nearly dead leader would bring nothing but chaos and send morale to an all-time low. There was, of course, no way to keep the Tsuchikage's conditions under wraps for very long, but that it quickly became clear that it was someone else's concern. Kotaru wouldn't take his eyes off of Tatsuo for more than a few minutes at a time, refusing to eat or sleep. Instead he stared at the tubes, wires, and machines used to keep Tatsuo alive and support his enhanced regeneration. He stayed close even after the medics declared the kage stable and others begged him to return to his post near the front lines. Kotaru was having none of it, which left the leadership firmly in the hands of the village's other bannin. The only orders he gave were those that forbade anyone other than essential medical personnel from entering the room. All that mattered was that he was at Tatsuo's side when he finally woke up.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Sat Sep 18, 2021 6:50 pm

The trip back from the battlefield to the firebase was the worst of the journey as the medics fought to keep him alive. Space/Time jutsu had already been prepared at the firebase upon the news and once the team had returned, they had immediately been sent back to the village. The receiving markers had been set up in the back lobby of Iwagakure General, and although they didn't know the situation, the staff immediately jumped into action upon realizing just who was on the gurney. Orders were shouted and a code was sounded over the PA system for a room for surgery to be prepped with the highest priority.

Tatsuo was immediately wheeled into the prepared room and surrounded by the best medical minds Iwagakure had. It didn't take long for them to realize just why he was in such a why and how. Multiple poisons had been mixed into the attacks that had severed his limbs which served to negate almost any and all of his ability to heal, even at a basic level. It was amazing he had been able to hold on as long as he had without medical intervention but for those who knew Tatsuo and how stubborn he could be, it may not seem impossible. Toxin samples were extracted from his body and rushed off to the lab for antidotes to be synthesized while the rest focused on keeping the man alive. It wouldn't take too long, but for those in the middle of the surgery or waiting on results it felt like hours until an order came back into the operating room with several vials full of pinkish liquid to be injected into the man.

Once the poison had been flushed from his system, the work begin in earnest to make sure he would survive.

Beep.

Beep.


The gentle beeps of several machines echoed throughout a private hospital room. The windows had been drawn closed just enough not to bathe the entire room in light yet keep it illuminated. Wires traveled from the machines to the floor and then connected to the man lying in the hospital bed. Dark maroon hair was splayed out across the pillows and the man's chest rose and fell softly by itself. The medics had been able to save him but they'd had to place him into a medically induced coma to better facilitate his healing. They'd induced him several months ago at this point; his hair had grown a decent amount and his muscles had slightly atrophied from bedbound for so long. It had finally been reversed by the doctor in charge and now they just needed to wait for him to wake up.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Slowly the beep of the machines began to pick up as Tatsuo's eyes fluttered open with a struggle. His eyes were thick with sleep as he tried to get an idea of where he was. The last thing the man remembered was saving Natsumi and sending her away. Slowly yet surely, images of the battle began to come back to him as he blinked away the crust coating his eyes. Tatsuo remembered how it had taken multiple members of the team to break through his armor in exchange for his life and how they'd done it again whenever he brought out a new layer; his lacriishiin or a Kouton jutsu. They didn't care for their lives, they just cared to end his. Their self sacrificing actions had worked, even if he had been able to kill them all in the end. Tatsuo would like to say he bested them but he knew, deep down, he hadn't.

Tatsuo's royal purple eyes scanned the room until they fell on Kotaru and he gave the young man a smile.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Sat Sep 18, 2021 9:04 pm

The young bannin had been dozing off in a chair when the machines began to pick up in activity. He shot upright and leaned forward as his heartbeat mirrored the monitors and picked up speed. When he saw Tatsuo's eyes open, he let out a long sigh of relief that he had been holding in since the day at the crater. He eyed the monitors with trepidation as he made his way to the elder's bedside. He felt as if at any moment the machines would start shrieking with warning beeps or lights would start flashing and Tatsuo would fall under again. With everything that had happened in the past few months, Kotaru was always prepared for something to go wrong. Just above Tatsuo's head was a dark blue button. The shinobi pressed it, and a second later a voice came from overhead.

"Sir?"

"He's awake."

Kotaru shoved his hands into his pockets and stared down at his elder brother. Tatsuo looked worse for wear, but the important thing was the man was alive. After months of waiting and uncertainty, the Tsuchikage - his brother - had opened his eyes. The realization swelled in his chest like a wave, crashing into and encasing his lungs. His breaths came in quick, shallow huffs and he turned his head away to cross both forearms across his face to cover it. At that moment several doctors and nurses came parading into the room. They didn't bother to attempt to force Kotaru out of the way; they had learned long ago that working around the bannin and allowing him to hover was a lot easier than risking a blow to the face, and he would move to the side without needing to be asked. The medics checked his vitals, surprised and pleased that the village leader was finally awake. The lead doctor said something or other about running a few tests and giving them both some privacy, and within a few minutes they began to file out.

Kotaru had barely moved an inch. His breath had steadied some but now his nose burned and his throat was dry, and he struggled to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. When he finally looked up, eyes red and puffy, the Akari gave a long and wet sniff and then returned that smile. "Thought you'd never come back, asshole."
Last edited by Kao on Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:20 pm

Tatsuo didn't fuss as the line of nurses and doctors filled into the room and began to poke and prod him. He tried his best to answer any of their yes or no questions with a nod or a shake of his head. It wasn't long but for Tatsuo it felt like ages until they were done and left the room to begin ordering a battery of tests on him. He immediately knew he had been out for a decent amount of time as just interacting with the doctors left him feeling winded. The Akari wanted to ask how long he'd been lying in this bed for but was scared of the answer. For now, while he could, he'd avoid it and try to get some sort of rest.

Tatsuo's tired and still slightly crusted eyes linked with Kotaru's as the younger Akari answered him. It wasn't hard for him to see how Kota was on the verge of crying which was another clue to just how long he'd been out and how damaged he had been. The younger shinobi was one who barely showed any emotion and when he did, something big had occurred. The last time he could remember Kota being so worried was down in the Catacombs after Team 18's battle with the Leviathan. Gods above, how long ago was that now? Nearly a decade?

"Mind grabbing me something to drink?" Tatsuo asked before he coughed roughly and brought a fist over his mouth to cover it, shooting Kota a pleading look as he did so. He waited for the young man to come back before he scooted over in the bed just a bit and patted the mattress next to him, inviting Kota to either sit or lie down with him. It wasn't every day the two brothers got a chance to be just that; brothers. Their lives were so busy now and so chaotic as they reached new heights.

"I don't even want to know how long I've been out." Tatsuo spoke in a low, hoarse whisper after drinking deeply. He placed the drink on the bedside table and brought his hands back into his lap where they sat folded. "Is everyone okay, at least?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:50 pm

The question was barely out of Tatsuo’s mouth before Kotaru rushed over to the other side of the room to prepare a glass of water. The distraction gave him a few seconds to turn his head and hide the tears as they finally spilled over. For months it felt as though his chest was twisted in knots and lumps; now that Tatsuo was awake and talking, Kotaru felt himself untwisting and inching back to normalcy. He wiped his face hastily and when he went back to give Tatsuo the water he still had wet smears across his cheeks.

The invitation to sit next to him caught him off guard, but it was the movement of Tatsuo’s arms that made him freeze. Kotaru had practically watch them grow from bloody nubs. Eyeing the man’s hands as if they would suddenly explode, the bannin hesitantly sat on the hospital bed and sighed. “Everyone’s fine, all things considered. Mom and dad were a wreck at first. The girls, too. But once you…once we were sure that you weren’t gonna croak, they got better. They haven’t seen you though. No one has besides me, the doctors, and Natsumi. They’re pretty pissed at me about it, too, since I made the orders.”

Kotaru trailed off, remembering exactly how angry the family had been at his refusal to allow them to visit. He had stood his ground, managing to be callous and coldly professional toward them in one of their worst moments. Tatsuo’s condition was grisly, and he had been determined to keep them from seeing the man like that. Even after it became clear that Tatsuo would live, no one was to see him until he was at least whole again.

There was, of course, another reason he was in such a wretched state. “As far as everyone else….the village, I mean.” Kotaru began fidgeting with his fingers, and he fell back onto the bed with his eyes glued to the ceiling. “Tats, we lost the war.”
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:07 pm

Tatsuo's tired eyes followed Kotaru's form as the young man moved to procure him a glass of water to wet his dry lips. It had been months, Tatsuo assumed based on his body and Kotaru's worriedness, since he'd said anything to anyone or consumed fluids through something besides an IV line. Their dull purple gaze didn't miss the quick wiping of his face and settling of shoulders before Kotaru came back to his bed side with cup in hand. The older Akari took it with both hands and raised it to his lips where he drank it until there was barely a drop left. The cool liquid rushed down his throat and he kept from coughing with a wince as it revived his throat.

He caught the stare at his hands and Tatsuo was shocked himself as he looked at the limbs. He expressed it as a quizzical look on his face as his held his arms out and turned them over while examining them. Two jagged scars encircled the spots at which they had been torn from his body and below those scars the skin was noticeably paler. Tatsuo looked at it with distaste as he realized how hard it'd be to keep from people, whether family or villagers. He took in Kotaru's comments about how no one had seen him except for a handful of people and he was grateful his brother had made sure no one had seen him like that.

"Thank you. I understand why they're pissed but I'm glad you did it. After Kaida and having to watch him die, I'd much rather them not see me in that shape." Tatsuo thanked the man, nudging him softly with his entire body as a physical show of it. It wasn't every day, or every decade, the man spoke about his eldest, deceased brother. The man was pensive as he thought back on that day, his eyes closing softly as he remembered it. How horrible it was having to see family die no matter how many other deaths he had seen. "I'll tell them it was my final order. It'll save you some grief from them in the long run."

"Please." He finished, after a moment of silence. The message was unsaid but clear to read: Please, let me do this so you don't have to worry about them hating you even when they don't. Please, it's nothing after everything you've done for me.

Tatsuo laid back in the bed with Kotaru after he fell against it. The older of the pair remained quiet for a moment as he processed the information. It didn't take long for him to release a long, deep sigh before just...laughing. It was all he could do. He had known in the final weeks before his last fight that they weren't going to win based on the projections. The military had already been given orders to minimize losses before he had fell, he could only hope that Ishidai and the others had implemented them quickly. Speaking of the old man, he suspected he had reclaimed the Hat if only for a moment and would be quite pissed upon having to do so.

Now THAT was a reunion he was not looking forward to.

"Yeah, I saw the writing on the wall. It's a bit difficult to fight against an allied front of three Great Villages with your only backup being behind them. Once I can take a peak at a map and see what all has changed, I can muster an idea of what to do next." Tatsuo explained as he sat up and his head turned in search of said item. They fell upon the broken scraps of his Sheath in the corner of the hospital room bundled in a large sack. "Mits is going to kill me."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:04 pm

Kotaru said nothing when Tatsuo thanked him. He was nearly limp from exhaustion and almost tumbled out of the bed, but he righted himself at the mention of Kaida. That name was one he had heard only a handful of times, and he couldn’t remember if he and Tatsuo had ever talked at length about what happened or not.The topic was sensitive and heavy and typically avoided, so it gave Kotaru a good idea of where Tatsuo's headspace was at. Both bannin had completely experiences with the death of an older brother. The younger Akari could speak on it with cold detachment, but he knew Tatauo was different in that regard. He decided not to mention it any further.

He sat pensively until Tatsuo offered to take the blame for his decision. The younger bannin fixed his lips to argue, but the words fell away when Tatsuo belatedly added a plea. Kotaru could feel the weight of that word, and the unspoken words behind it penetrated him. After giving a resigned sigh, the younger bannin nodded. He would give Tatsu that courtesy, only because he had so narrowly escaped death and Kotaru was happy to see him awake and intact.

When Tatsuo sat up and mentioned maps and work, Kotaru nearly shoved him back down. He expected no less from the young kage, but he really wanted the man to rest. ”Would you fucking relax? You haven’t been awake for an hour yet and you wanna work?” Despite his objections Kotaru stood and made his way over to a cabinet in the far corner of the room. After a bit of shuffling and more cursing he pulled out a large scroll. Eventually he and the other village leaders would have to face the consequences of the war - whether Tastuo woke up or not. So he had kept them on hand and nearby, just in case.

Kotaru unfurled the scroll to reveal a map that was much different than the last one Tastuo would have seen. ”First of all, you’ve been out for months. You didn’t wanna know but there it is. Everything’s a mess, Tats. Our borders are fucked. Pebble got split into three countries. And look - there’s a bunch of new countries and Konoha has more influence than ever. You’re right, we can’t do shit when our main ally is on the other side of the continent. We need new outposts. Informants. Maybe even build a few villages that teach chakra. I hate to admit it but Kumo had the right idea with that.” After months of building up, his thoughts and concerns spilled out in a long, almost breathless stream. The bannin looked over at Tatsuo, waiting to hear his thoughts on the matter.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Mon Oct 04, 2021 9:44 pm

"I've been resting for months, of course it's time to get an idea of what has happened and what to do next. The other countries won't wait for me so patiently next time I feel. It's time we became a little bit more proactive, otherwise they're just going to steamroll us." Tatsuo answered from his sitting up position on the bed as Kotaru went to go fetch his requested items from a cupboard. Once retrieved, Tatsuo took a couple moments to look over the altered map and take it in. He hummed to himself for a moment as plans formed in his head about what they needed to do next to contend with the alliance.

"I had a feeling it was a couple months just based on how my body feels. I can infer what's probably happened since then, however. I doubt Ishidai or the others wanted to make too drastic a move if there was a chance I'd be back in action at some point." Tatsuo explained as he traced an index finger across the news border lines adorning the map. He was surprised Iron had been one to act like they did but he assumed the reports the village had gotten about their new leader were correct. A powerful, former Kiri shinobi was encroaching on their land. He would have to speak to the Mizukage and the two forces would crush the start up together if need be. "We lost a decent chunk of our southeastern border to Pebble but gained quite the mineral deposits to the northwest. Owl Country, Spirit's Nest, and the Holy Land of Forests should be our next targets to replace the agricultural sections we've lost to the south. Then, we move on the far eastern portion of new Pebble and take portion of it back. From there, we can move forward with how to deal with the rest of it. Once Pebble is solved, we can focus on the villages."

"I don't think outposts are going to do shit for us at this point; they're too easy to destroy after they're established and the information they gather is minimal at best. The villages idea, however, does seem like our best bet. Rile up the countrymen of Earth Country against Wind, Fire, and Lightning and teach them chakra and military tactics. On the topic of informants, there's a few missing ninja I had enlisted for operations some time ago. I'll get in contact with them and see what I can find out but I assume you've got your own?" Tatsuo posed the question, his brow raised in intrigue.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:59 pm

Kotaru nodded as the elder Akari spoke. So far the only thing he disagreed with was the necessity of outposts. They had their uses, and with the right location and fortification, a few dotted along the western part of the continent wasn't the worst idea. But if Tatsuo was certain, they could table that idea for now. "Building new villages is easier said than done. Jousai Reserve Three - we should really rename it. West Iwagakure? - it's stable so far. We'd probably need to establish some in places where we have a positive image." He almost laughed at that. After the war they had, that might be difficult to find. "We could build a village in Owl, or one of the others. Pebble would be ideal, but that'll be a pain in the ass if we just go in like conquerers."

Kotaru was far from a people person, but he had spent enough time wandering in the minor countries to know that many people in the surrounding countries had negative views toward shinobi, especially those from Iwagakure. They certainly had an uphill battle to climb if they wanted to spread their ideologies and maintain their position on the world stage. "As far as rogue contacts uh...." For a moment, Kotaru almost looked sheepish. "There's Maido, but I don't think she counts anymore. Other than that, the only shinobi I've managed to meet are village nin from Konoha. Yozei, Tousha...that does us no good. But I'll figure something out if you need me to."

With his arms crossed, the bannin looked over at Tatsuo expectantly. "As far as your plan goes. Where should we start?"
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:28 pm

Tatsuo waited for Kotaru to finished before speaking up again. "I have no problem renaming it but West Iwagakure probably isn't the best decision. It's stable but it's newly established and our current history is one of losing land. Imagine if something happened and we had to concede it? Our already low morale would be entirely broken if something named directly after the village was taken." Tatsuo sighed deep at the thought and closed his eyes while shaking his head. He could imagine it and that's what scared him the most.

"I have a few from when I was beginning to stir issues with Suna. I still have several Suna headbands stored in the headquarters; we could use them to force some sort of international issue and break up some trust between the three. Maybe attack a Kumo railway and plant a headband or two? Then, we can move into Owl and begin the creation of a village there. We can begin building up forces in the West and creating more villages there. Once we have a foothold in Owl, we can move into Spirit's Nest or Forest. That'll be a discussion for later." Tatsuo went on, his voice getting noticeably weaker as he went on. Although his body and mind were healthy, it had been months since the man had been any sort of active. The strain was beginning to get to him and although he hated to admit it, it would be best if he rested. A cough racked his lungs and a hand came up to cover his mouth which only served to prove the point further. Once over the coughing fit, Tatsuo would motion for another glass of water and lay back down against the bed with a deep sigh.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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Kao
Posts: 8242
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A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:09 pm

Kotaru's expression fell into a disappointed frown. He'd become quite attached to the name 'West Iwagakure,' so to have it shot down immediately was a cloud over his already typically dreary parade. "It's a good name," he mumbled, nearly pouting, but said nothing else about it. He would, of course, bring it up again later. As Tatsuo carried on with his possible plans, the younger bannin fidgeted with his fingers and popped his knuckles, one by one. Already he could think of ten ways that plan could go wrong. Kotaru was always one who carefully weighed out the pros and cons of fighting, and his pessimistic demeanor usually meant that he thought the cons far outweighed the possible advantages.

"Great plan. Truly," he deadpanned, not bothering to hide the fact that he was less than enthusiastic. "But no offense, we should probably wait until you can have a full conversation without gasping for air before we do something like fuck with other villages. We're still knocked on our ass, you know." At Tatsuo's behest, the young bannin refilled the man's glass. "Owl's the country with the big ass spirit owl right?" he said, almost like an afterthought. "I know a guy. Name's Komiya Shizuo. They say if it wasn't for him helping Kanna, the entire council would've been wiped out by the faulty genma sealing rather than just half. He'll probably be useful enough."

As Tatsuo settled back in bed, Kotaru's brow furrowed with concern. He wanted Iwagakure back on its feet as much as anyone, but he wasn't as eager as the kage was to enter conflict one again. His confidence in both the village and his own skills had taken a major blow. He kept those thoughts to himself for now; his concerns wouldn't help Tatsuo recover any faster. "If that's all, I'll start letting people know you're awake. People could use the good news." With that Kotaru gave a small wave and left the room, his shoulders dropping as he dreaded the tedious meetings about Tatsuo's condition he would soon endure.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Sat Nov 13, 2021 5:55 pm

Two Weeks Later...

It took another week until Tatsuo was allowed to leave the hospital and return to his home. The doctors and nurses had fussed over him plenty about wanting to move, they had mentioned his condition was quite the best it could be yet but he had laughed them off. Tatsuo had his arms and legs back and although it'd take him a few weeks to return to his full strength, he could at least relax and rehabilitate himself at home. He had also sent out an order to bring him any and all relevant war information after he had fallen comatose so he could catch up and see who had taken control of what.

Tatsuo's home was separate from both the Jousai headquarters and the Tsuchikage office. He had purchased it during his tenure as a bannin; it had once belonged to another bannin who served long before he had even been born. The home was located opposite of the ridge the Jousai headquarters had been installed and was much smaller than the certified castle that had been constructed for the group. Instead, it was a more modest mansion with expansive training grounds carved even further into the mountain. The Tsuchikage had begun sending out messenger hawks to former missing ninja he had employed before and during the war in an attempt to see where their allegiances currently lie and if they could once more be bought and brought back into the fold. While he awaited a response from them, he also waited to hear back from Kotaru. In his free time over the course of his second week, he used it to get caught up with all of the new borders and alliances while beginning to devise a plan to bring the nation, not just the village, together while focusing on strengthening their existing lands.

Tatsuo was currently making use of those training grounds within the mountain caverns while Natsumi was away at the hospital currently on call and wasn't around to prevent him from pushing himself. His arms moved in a flurry of blows that struck a training dummy repeatedly with a barrage of kicks mixed in to alternate as he heard the entrance to the grounds swing open.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Sat Nov 27, 2021 9:05 pm

The past two weeks were eventful, to say the least. Kotaru hadn't planned on returned to the village so soon, but he'd come across some information that was simply too important to keep to himself for long. The bannin dragged his feet heading back to Iwagakure, and rather than tell anyone of any importance that he had returned, he sought out Tatsuo immediately. Unsurprisingly, the Tsuchikage had already been discharge, so Kotaru made his way from the hospital to the man's so-called humble mansion. Even as he approached he could hear noises from the nearby training grounds. The blows were like distant thunder and the bannin followed the sounds until he came face to face with the older Akari.

"Yo," was his greeting as he pulled out a rather ordinary, if not old, kunai. He spun the weapon between his fingers as he walked, stopping just a few feet next to his elder brother. "I gathered a little information like you wanted. Really interesting people just right past our borders." Kotaru paused for a moment to give Tatsuo time to acknowledge him, but no matter how the kage responded he would ignore it and instead get straight to the point. "Did you know Hiraku Kenji has a kid with an Enkouten?"
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Sat Nov 27, 2021 9:52 pm

Tatsuo continued to rain down blows on the dummy as Kotaru approached and began to speak. He nodded as the younger Akari came to a stop but continued his strikes until Kotaru dropped a small, yet nuclear, piece of information on him. His fist clenched a bit tighter and he threw it a bit too hard. The dummies head exploded in a shower of wooden splinters as Tatsuo turned to him with a mixed look of confusion and disgust.

"Has or had? Last I knew the guy was dead and there were no Enkouten chasing him. Some kind of jutsu gone wrong according to various scouts and informants. I'm not too keen on Enkouten internal affairs but last I knew they had no connection to him so what the fuck?" Tatsuo went on, his face shifting through a myriad of expressions as he talked and thought of the possibilities. His arms folded together with one hand placed under his chin for support and the other supporting his elbow. "What do you mean interesting characters right outside our borders and did you do something about them?"
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Sat Nov 27, 2021 10:24 pm

"Has." Kotaru continued to twist and turn the kunai in his hands, not even flinching as the training dummy shattered into thousands of wooden shards. For a moment he seemed more interested in the weapon than in Tatsuo's reaction. "Her name's Suzume. Pretty hot, once you get past the fact that her body is artificial and made up of black, slithering tendrils. I met her in Iron Country. She's been running an org pretending to be him right under our noses." Kotaru quickly recounted how they met, and how he quickly placed her under a genjutsu and began questioning her. He didn't gloss over the fact that she was more than willing to tell him everything about herself and her background, and that the genjutsu probably wasn't even needed.

"Do something like what? It's too early to do something about them before we milk them for information. It shouldn't take long. She agreed to be my informant. Let me play with her for a while, then we can decide how to take care of them. Anyway, her mother's name was Akane. Doesn't ring a bell, but Mits might know more." After pulling out the woman's Brand Band and showing it to Tatsuo he added, "She wanted me to give this to the Enkouten clan. Something about how her mom would have wanted it that way." The younger Akari's shrug suggested he couldn't begin to understand the sentiment. "That's not even the best thing I found out from this girl."

With a devious smirk, Kotaru held his hand out, balancing the kunai by the tip on his palm. "The old bastard Kenji mastered Space-Time, and this kunai was an anchor."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Sun Nov 28, 2021 5:22 pm

"Great. She's not TECHNICALLY an Iwagakure missing ninja but she's the daughter of what seems to be two Iwagakure missing ninja. And...I don't even want to know what you did with her. I already know about you and Maido so it doesn't surprise me you'd go for another one with an artificial body. Don't, just don't. Keep it to yourself. Please." Tatsuo nearly gagged at the thought of his younger brother with giant mounds of blood and flesh in a sexual manner. Multiple, willing times. He'd gone wrong somewhere in raising the boy. "Drop the Band off with Mits at some point and give him the details. He's busy taking care of the kids but he can do something to help, the lazy ass. The more we know about whoever carried it, the quicker we can figure out when she went rogue. Ticks me off to think one of our own fell for such a monster, even if he wasn't really all that scary once he was out in the wild."

Tatsuo's eyes narrowed on the kunai and then his face broke out in a victorious smile. Well, he could excuse where Kotaru stuck himself if he brought him back things like this. There was a mountain of knowledge they could extract from the realm attached to the anchor, even if it'd take a bit of time researching the item. Tatsuo let out a short but loud laugh as he looked the item over.

"An anchor to his damn realm? What luck. Let's get that over to Natsumi ASAP so she can start to run some tests on it. If we're lucky, we might just be able to bust into the old fogey's realm itself. Good job, brother." Tatsuo congratulated the younger Akari on his prize. "I think she's at the hospital right now on duty. On my own end, however, it looked to be a flop. Either my main missing ninja for hire is dead or got spooked enough to fake his death. I've heard nothing from the others either but reports have come in about them being back with their home village which is as good as dead."
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

User avatar
Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Kao » Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:47 pm

At the insinuation that he had bedded Suzume, Kotaru lifted his brow and frowned in an almost offended expression. “Oh, come on. I have standards. I haven’t even touched her.” Not that he hadn’t thought about it. Maido, on the other hand, was someone he hadn’t contacted or considered in years now, and he had nearly forgotten about their trysts because of the war and the ordeal with Ume. Even now he didn’t dwell on the Kirigakire kunoichi and he simply shrugged it off.

The Brand Band was certainly not a priority at the moment, so Kotaru simply tucked it away and made a mental note to investigate who this Akane woman was. He personally didn’t care and didn’t consider it relevant, but orders were orders. As Tatsuo cheered for Kota’s triumph and suggested getting the kunai to Natsumi, Kotaru tossed the weapon to the Tsuchikage. “You do it. I’m only in the village to check in with you. I’m supposed to meet with Suzume in a couple days, and I don’t really wanna be in the country right now.”

Truthfully, Kotaru was still avoiding his personal problems, none of which he had told to Tatsuo yet. The older Akari had more pressing concerns that were much more important than Kotaru’s feelings for his brother’s ex. “If that’s all, I’ll check in again in a couple days. Seems like you need me to, since you suck at intelligence gathering,” he added with a smirk.
Last edited by Kao on Mon Dec 13, 2021 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Niro
Tsuchikage
Tsuchikage
Posts: 9844
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:00 pm

A Long Fall

Post by Niro » Wed Dec 08, 2021 7:20 pm

Tatsuo snatched the kunai out of the air after it was tossed in to him. He caught it by the handle and twirled it around his left index finger by its ringed pommel before tucking it away in his waistband for Natsumi. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at Kotaru being out of the village again but dropped the subject.

"I don't suck at it. It's just all of my sources have died. There's a little bit of a difference. Now, go on and get out of here." Tatsuo playfully shooed the younger Akari away with a hand motion before retreating into the mansion behind them and begin setting up an area for his newly acquired prize.
#MakeIwaGreatAgain
NameVillageRankTeam
Tatsuo [color=#940839][b]IwaTsuchikageTeam 18 Jousai
Kinomichi [color=limegreen][b]IwaBanninJousai
Kotetsu [color=slategray][b]IwaGeninTeam 7
Ashura [color=coral][b]SunaGenin
Sai [color=#FF14A1][b]Kiri - MND-Rank
Yamato [color=#C71585][b]KiriA-Rank

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