[Graded]Welcome back! Now lets talk...

[Izanagi]

Takeo was quite excited when he had heard that Kiyori was going to visit the village once more. It had been a few days since word had been sent and in that time he had become distracted in his usual workload though every once in a while he stopped to consider how the journey from Suna to Konoha was going, wishing her and the companions accompanying her a safe trip. Of course he also knew that this was not entirely a social visit, far from it in fact from what he could gather. The exact details weren’t explained over messenger bird, nothing of critical importance ever was though there had been enough indication to hint that this was a sensitive matter and one that Suna wished to address promptly. Alas the day had finally come, the scouts at the edge of the forest sending word that the Sunagakure squad had been spotted and successfully handed off to Fanho, an elite Jounin of the village and prospective Hokage.

The council had been hoping to screen Kiyori’s message, deliberating amongst themselves and offering advice before Takeo made a final verdict but alas the Sunagakure shinobi had arrived a few hours earlier than anticipated and the schedule of the council kept them otherwise occupied. The options were then to either leave Kiyori to wait for several long hours or to have the Hokage himself step in to receive them. Considering that Kiyori was a personal friend of his and that the Sunagakure alliance was of the utmost importance to him it was an easy decision for Takeo to make. Donning his official Kage robes and hat the man would await his guests in one of several meeting rooms. It would be the same one Kiyori had been in when the Kazekage had come to Konoha, notable for its large stain glass windows, tinted red and flooding sunlight into the room which was lavishly decorated with red silks, linens, and furs against dark woods and touches of polished leather such as for seat covers.

It was the type of room that could easily be used for a banquet or reception, there was a separate room for council meetings and of course the Hokage’s own office though he favored the brightness and welcoming feeling of this room when meeting with representatives of Suna. Unlike last time there was not a full spread of Konoha delicacies though there was a pot of tea on the table with several cups as well as a few snacks, fresh fruit and some baked goods, various cookies and light pastries. The Hokage would be waiting at the head of a small table, enough to seat six when Kiyori was escorted in. Whether or not her companions followed with her was entirely up to them.

[TyDie]

As Kiyori was lead through the administration building of Konoha, to say that she was nervous was an understatement. Her hands were behind her, and she was lightly squeezing her wrist in a sort of rhythmic fashion like one would tap their foot or shake their leg. She was getting antsy, and again that fear of 'what might happen' crept up on her. Arata would no doubt notice all of these signs as well, but Kiyori had sworn him to remain passive during this meeting. Kyoko too, she had seen her host's nerves acting up and could only look to the side in helplessness, as she had been instructed not to act in any way during this meeting.

Once the ANBU agent leading them to the Hokage finally stopped outside a set of double doors, he would stand aside and allow Kiyori to move towards the door. "It is up to you whether or not your companions join you. Hokage Takeo has no preference either way." Kiyori froze a moment... it was honestly a difficult choice to make. No doubt having her allies with her in the room would help put her own feelings and nerves at ease, comfort in familiarity and all that. But at the same time, it would put their nerves at risk, especially Arata's... Light forbid Takeo said something he didn't like hearing, this entire meeting could be a disaster.

"I want to do this alone. You two stay out here." Kyoko was immediately stricken. "B-but Kiyori-Sama, Shouldn't we be by your side if they're let-" "I said stay." In a rare moment, Kiyori shot a glare at her comrade Kyoko, which gave her pause and even caused a tear to well in her eyes. However, she finally bowed respectfully and dropped the matter. Arata was not nearly as keen on it, but had been forced to subservience in this particular instance. To act against her wishes here would be the ultimate betrayal.

With that said and done, Kiyori took a deep breath and opened the doors before her, entering the same room that had hosted the previous talk between Hito and Takeo. Upon seeing her friend in his robes, she wanted to be the same cheery, silly girl that Takeo had met the first time she arrived in Konoha to provide aid. But under the circumstances, a bow of deep respect would have to suffice. "Good Afternoon, Lord Hokage Takeo-Sama" The use of the full title was one she normally reserved only for Hito, but she had almost as deep a respect for Takeo as she did for Hito at this point.

She would take a seat at the opposite end of the large table, cross her hands in front of her, and await Takeo's greetings and comments.

[Director]

Fanho walked through the halls of the administration building. He was late, but oddly not by much. Mere seconds at that. He had just heard Kiyori approach through behind the double doors that Takeo sat in-front of. The young Awai would stand in for Junko as she had other affairs to tend to, Fanho was trusted with his judgement on the situation after all he was recognized as one of the strongest Awai in the village. He didn't like to toot his own horn, but it seemed like others praised him where he went and he had to just take it in stride. In-fact he considered a lot of people stronger than him, but he guess a few others didn't see it the same way.

With a sigh and a cough into the nook of his arm, Fanho opened the double doors to enter in the way just as Kiyori finished greeting the Wolfman Hokage. "Albeit this is a serious matter, I'm glad you've already met the Wolfman himself. Don't worry he's not actually part wolf, albeit rumors seem to lean on verifiable proof." He gave a chuckle as he preferred to stand for the meeting with his hands nonchalantly tucked in his pockets. With a grin he shrugged his shoulders as he introduced himself. "You obviously know me, I'll be standing in for Junko. Shes the Awai clan leader, but she's left this matter in my hands." He flashed a wink at Kiyori as he glanced at Takeo ready for them to begin this pow-wow.

[Izanagi]

Takeo smiled as Kiyori entered the room. He wasn’t surprised in the least by her formal introduction. He knew that official business and the presence of him in his robes changed some things and yet he could still sense their strong friendship beneath that formal front. He too had a part to play, his words and actions carried a great deal of authority and he had to be prepared to truly assess the information that was to be shared with him without giving in to bias. He noted that she chose to enter alone. He had honestly expected her to bring her companions along, hence why he sat at a moderately sized table rather than something more akin to a coffee table with a few chairs around it. Regardless his choice had been a more formal one and he was content with that decision. The fact Kiyori entered alone indicated that her confidence had been growing, a good sign and one that pointed towards her growth as a leader of the village she represented. “Good Afternoon Kiyori, a pleasure to see you again” he responded, the slightest hint of a smirk emerging as he observed her posture. He knew this must be hard for her but also respected this side of her that he was seeing. Even so it was difficult for him to distance himself and he still had a slight air of playfulness and lightheartedness about him.

Waiting a few moments in silence he would let her sit and grow uncomfortable perhaps. In a way this was a game for him but he was also subtly testing her and observing her skills in diplomacy. For a moment it appeared he might say something but then his eyes flickered to the distant door as he focused on a few voices and movements he could faintly hear on the other side. He would observe the young man’s introductions, appreciating the similarities he shared with Yoru while still maintaining a distinct personality. He was one of the few who liked to reference the nickname of Konoha’s ‘Raging Wolf’ that some had given him, an evolution of his former moniker of the ‘Fangless Hound’ that had been prominent in his days of tracking and capturing. Now he had built a reputation of far more ruthless and destructive feats, slaying camps of bandits and slavers by the dozens, torturing their leaders, burning their camps to the ground and even impaling their bodies on spikes on several occasions to act as a warning for others whom might take up operations within Fire Country. There was also the matter of the rare instances where Takeo allowed a more primal nature to overcome him in battle, fueled by a lust for battle and a particular savagery that often left opponents dismembered and mauled severely. Kiyori had in fact glimpsed just a hint of this nature when she had managed to cause him some minor harm in their spar years ago.

His ties to the Inuzuka were well known throughout the village, no doubt an influencing factor in his love of combat and rougher nature. His mother had been adopted into the clan and likely shared some of their blood herself though was never taught their family jutsu. Whatever Inuzuka blood Takeo might have was watered down significantly though he had always felt a kinship with them and often visited the compound and played with Inuzuka children growing up, also living much like them, surrounded by packs of dogs that his mother bred and trained. His father was also a man of the woods and a Jounin, imparting a love of the outdoors to his children. As a father now himself Takeo also made a habit of raising his children with an appreciation for the outdoors, even if his family line had now blended with the Hyuuga, a clan that couldn’t get more contrary to the traditions and lifestyle of the Inuzuka. “Perhaps not but I do often fight alongside one” he noted, considering now that perhaps he should take advantage of combination transformations with his wolf summon more often. In the right circumstances he would quite enjoy the fear he might instill tearing apart his enemies as a true wolfman hybrid. A predatory look made its way to his eyes as he considered the bloodshed and giving in to such a baser nature. It was a side of him that he usually kept hidden but it was always there just beneath the surface.

As Fanho finished explaining his role in this meeting, Takeo looked between the two of them, his focus now fully on the situation at hand. “I suppose I should let you explain everything that happened to you Kiyori. What these abilities of yours truly are and how they came to be” he started. He knew that she possessed some means of utilizing Hiton release and it likely had something to do with the tattoos across her body. The finer details however he would rather hear from her directly and make his own opinion on what her intentions are and what kind of liability she was.

[TyDie]

Kiyori gave a nod and smile to Fanho as he entered with his little quip, finding it hard to suppress the small bit of laughter that escaped her throat as the back and forth between Hokage and Awai took place. She had of course heard the rumors of Takeo's more bestial side, and she had heard of the man's lineage being traced back to the Inuzuka, but the part wolf bit... that had to be just a fairy tail, right? "The pleasure is all mine, both of you. I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to explain myself properly. It is a show of trust in and of itself that you do not persecute me here and now. Truly, I am not certain that many back home in Suna would be this understanding, given the situation. Thankfully our Kazekage has final say in all matters... But I digress."

Kiyori gave a small bow in apology for her little tangent, a slight blush of embarrassment crossing her face. But it was soon gone from her visage as the true reason for her arrival came to the forefront of the conversation. "Well first, if I may, I would like to apologize for not bringing this up when I came to Konoha alongside Lord Kazekage Hito-sama. No doubt you noticed the tattoos then, but I felt it wasn't proper to address this situation then, during the first real meeting of two kage. I did not wish to detract from the occasion with this issue. I hope you do not hold that against me..." It felt really awkward to be honest, throwing out an apology before she even began with her explanations. However, she had sworn to herself and to her country to be as transparent as possible about this; she wanted to leave no stone unturned, not a single unspoken word between her and Takeo. If he was to judge her on this matter, she wanted to be sure he had all of the information, both the good and the bad.

"With that said, allow me to explain; It started when I was on my way back from here, after coming to aid your people just after the Invasion. I sent my team back ahead of me if you recall, stayed here for a couple of weeks to provide a little more aid and create bonds between me, a diplomat of Suna, and your people. All of this was in an effort to strengthen our bonds as allies, as you well know. However, on my way back, as I traveled through the Zentoyuubou desert, I happened upon some strange spire rising from the sands. I went closer to inspect it, and the sand beneath my feet gave way... I was sucked beneath the sands into an ancient cavern, devoid of light. While I don't believe you to be one Guided by Her Light, I know we've had conversations about Yuumagure in relation to the forest of Konoha's dark canopy. Our people fear the dark, we consider it unholy... To be consumed by such palpable darkness was the greatest ordeal I have ever endured. I thought for sure I would never escape..."

The pain and fear on her face made clear that the horror she endured while she stumbled about in that darkness was truly as bad as she made it out to be. The creatures of the dark weren't even the worst part of it all to be honest; it was the fear of the unknown. The things that she fought were one thing, but the fear of what she didn't see was what ate at her night after night. "It was Arata, actually, who found me. Suna sent out search parties to find me after a month of my absence, as the note that I sent back with my team instructed the village to do. Arata was part of those search parties, and fell into the ruins same as me. With his help, we were both able to make our escape from the place, but not before this..." She gestured to her body, clearly referencing the tattoos that covered her head to do. "Happened to me. I'll... pause for a moment, and allow you to digest what I've said so far, or ask questions if you like. Or I can continue and you can dissect everything all at once, whichever you prefer lord Hokage."

[Director]

Fanho gave a chuckle at Takeo's side comment of being a quizzical answer, leaving it up the presumption the man actually might be a wolf. None-the-less, the proceedings went underway as Takeo gave the key for Kiyori to begin speaking. Without a second to spare she began to give a spiel, albeit Fanho had already learned a bit of the extent of what she had gained he still thought to himself about how long winded she could get with her answer. For the first half of what she said it was mainly her being here. This didn't upset Fanho, it just was a lot of words that wasn't the real story. Fanho was a fairly blunt and straight forward person, it was just his genuine bubbly nature. Kiyori seemed very honorific, and would be a much better librarian with all the wordage used.

The young Awai gave a shrug at the Hokage as Kiyori posed the question to take a minute and digest, or allow her to continue. "Only thing I gotta let digest is lunch to be quite frank, I'm okay with letting her spill it all if you are."

[Izanagi]

Takeo smiled warmly as he poured three cups of tea, one for each of them should they desire. He always drank his tea straight, enjoying the herbal flavors of various green teas or the stronger bitterness of a good black tea. This particular green tea was richly flavored with a great deal of natural sweetness and a long finish. Though he was only in his mid 30’s Takeo had begun to be quite the connoisseur of tea, red wine and whiskey finding that with his enhanced senses he was able to appreciate the subtle aromas and tastes of such drinks and certainly they helped make the long evenings of paperwork more enjoyable. Taking a slow deep sip Takeo would place the ornate cup down on the table before responding. “The sand village is our closest ally and you a dear friend Kiyori. Besides that I am not typically one to make rash decisions, always I will explore all sides of an issue before I determine the best course of action.” The Hokage was not the most dangerous Kage, nor was Konoha a military powerhouse but what they lacked in brute strength Takeo aimed to make up for with diplomacy, carefully crafting alliances and building trade pacts to boost the economy of his nation and those of his allies. It was critical thinking that would keep Konoha prosperous and safe and he couldn’t afford to create any tension with allies that he depended on.

The Hokage’s piercing cobalt eyes looked over the woman’s tattoos more thoroughly as she spoke of them. He found himself curious how extensive they were and what sort of patterns he could discern from them. It wasn’t any kind of Fuuinjutsu he was familiar with but it seemed he was right to suspect they had not been purely cosmetic. “Yes..I speculated that your tattoos were the result of some form of Fuuinjutsu, sealing or ritual. It’s not often that a shinobi decides to cover themselves head to toe in tattoos without some combat application after all.” He responded. The only tattoos he had personally were the ANBU insignia on his left shoulder and the small speak and listen fuuinjutsu under his tongue and behind his ear. “I understand completely” he stated simply before allowing the young woman to further explain.

Takeo’s face grew solemn as he thought of Kiyori being trapped in a dark underground cavern. It was a difficult thing, hearing of turmoil a friend had been through when he had been unaware and unable to help. Of course hardship was natural for a shinobi, pain and loss were expected though he was quite familiar with the religion of Sunagakure. He had spoken in length about it to both Kiyori and Hito in order to better understand his allies. Whereas Takeo found comfort in the dark, acting as an assassin on numerous occasions during his time as ANBU commander and an operative of ROOT before that he knew that Kiyori was different. Naturally he reached out to hold her hand, a simple gesture of comfort that was entirely genuine. “I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been for you Kiyori. I’m sorry you had to go through that but you do seem stronger for it. Many would suffer a great deal of trauma from an experience so trying. From what I can tell your strength of will is remarkable.” He didn’t say it but the compassionate look in his eyes and a gentle squeeze of his hand should have been enough to indicate that he would be there for her should she ever wish to talk more of her hardships in private. No matter how strong her will he was sure that she still had nightmares from time to time and lingering effects. After all the things he had done and seen over the years it was certainly the same for him. He had witnessed many massacred villages and displayed his own brutality when fighting bandits and slavers. On several occasions even innocent civilians had been caught in the crossfire of battles skirmishes he had been a part of, considered collateral damage that never made its way into the reports it had an effect on his psyche knowing that he was responsible. In the past he had even been captured and tortured on a few occasions, sometimes as a ploy and others in genuine defeat but either way there was a point when doubt and hopelessness began to creep in, a feeling that there might not be any escape after all and that one’s companions would never reach them.

The bearded warrior frowned slightly as she mentioned accidentallyped for a month, his hand tightened once more before retracting so that he didn’t accidently squeeze too hard. He was grateful that she had been discovered of course but the thought of a month passing by angered him. What had he been doing on those days of her deepest terror and sorrow, of utter hopelessness he wondered. If he had known he could have rescued her in a matter of days he was sure of it however he understood that it was a Sunagakure issue at that point. He couldn’t be everywhere and drop everything to help everyone in need, it was the same for his own Konoha shinobi, some even now were held captive somewhere or watching their comrades killed in front of them as their mission crumbles apart. Death and suffering were everywhere, constant throughout the world and he was only one man. It was realizations such as this that were the most difficult for him to accept.

“Your bodyguard, Arata. He’ll always be welcome in Konoha. Maybe I’ll take him for a drink sometime and get to know him better” The Hokage considered, he was curious to know more about the man that had found her and made a strong enough bond to become part of her permanent guard. “Please, continue. I have my suspicions but I’d like to hear your full account of how the tattoos came to be and the powers that I presume came with them as well as their full abilities and limitations.” He explained. From his own experience it seemed likely that the forces of Spirits were at play and perhaps one had even been sealed inside of her or at the very least imbued some of its power within her. The true question was at what cost? What did the spirit have to gain from this arrangement and how much would this change affect who Kiyori was at her core? If it was anything like the Spider Queen in its contract with Yosuke then it would no longer be a matter of trust or alliances.

[TyDie]

Kiyori gave the Hokage a warm smile in response to his concern for him, allowing her hand to be held and squeezed by the strong man who was so clearly interested in her well being, and concerned with the horrors she endured. She felt the need to put his fears at ease, despite having been the one to endure the torment herself. That was her way, always concerned with the well being of others, with little consideration for herself. "Thank you Hokage-sama... And I imagine my bodyguard would love a drink. Lord knows he does enough of it back home... But that aside, My strength of will is drawn from my allies. Your resolve is one of the many that I called upon during that time, so while you may not have been there physically, you helped me greatly during that time. I pray that you don't punish yourself for inaction, as there's no way you could've known what had happened. Even Suna was unaware of what happened, they only responded because I specified in my note to send out search parties if I was more than 3 weeks late."

She knew Takeo well enough to know that he was the type to dwell on perceived failures, on mistakes he felt that he had made, so she wanted to do what she could to let him know that none of what happened to her was his fault. In fact, in her eyes, it was fate that brought her there. "I don't know how either of you feel about the topic of fate, but I believe I was put through that hell for a reason. I believe that what I was put through was a trial handed down from Her Light... Which leads me to the real meat of all this explaining. The tattoos. If neither of you mind, I'll take a moment to show their power." Assuming she was allowed to do so, she'd take a moment and stand from the table they were seated at, stepping away from the table before facing the Hokage and Awai. She'd then place her hands together as if praying, close her eyes, and take a deep breath. As she released the breath, the tattoos lining her body would begin emitting golden light, soft and gentle in their warmth and luminescence. At the same time, the power radiating throughout the room was great enough that even a non sensor could feel it, she practically bled chakra from herself.

"There's no way this could be anything but a blessing from Her Light. In the antechamber of the underground temple, we encountered the spirit of a Coyote who stood guard over an ancient altar to Yuumagure. The room, the altar, all posed a different take on Yuumagure, one that's clearly been forgotten with the passage of time. Darkness is not unholy... It is necessary. Light cannot exist without darkness, and darkness is meant to protect and serve the light. This is what the spirit told me, and as I touched the altar it guarded for over 1,000 years, I was instilled with this power. I... I believe your clan boasts this same power, Fanho. I can control and create light from nothing. And on top of that, I can cause things to simply... cease to exist? I'm not sure what that's supposed to be, but I believe you mentioned it was yet another talent unique to your village, right Fanho?"

She spoke of Hiton and Sankaton; a bloodline and and a unique style from Konoha. The poor woman had access to not one but two different unique ninjutsu styles from Konoha... Hence why she was so terrified. Taking a seat at the table with the two Konoha shinobi once more, she would take the cup of tea that Takeo had poured for her with a soft smile and drink from the cup. From this proximity, Takeo would likely be able to feel the warmth emanating from her as a result of the tattoos. It wasn't enough to cause discomfort, it was more the kind of warmth one would desire to shake away a cold chill. "After our escape from the temple, Arata was possessed by the spirit of the Coyote... it didn't want to leave the Light within me unprotected. Thus, Arata was properly sealed as a Jinchuuriki in Suna, and is now my guardian. The blessing I have received is not the result of a spirit however. I hear no voices, and according to our Tenkujutsu practitioners I have no signs of any spiritual influence whatsoever. With no spiritual explanation present, and the village unable to explain exactly what has happened to me, i've come to the conclusion that I was fated to go through these trials. And for passing them and surviving, I have been blessed by Her Light... But that means nothing in terms of the political situation presented as a result of my being able to use styles that are kept secret within Konoha's walls."

Kiyori let out a small sigh, getting back to the potential of being punished for actions that weren't even truly hers... The fact remained that she was technically in possession of Konoha's secrets, and she had thrown herself at their mercy as to what would happen as a result of that. Her tattoos faded in color, returning to their typical black color. "So we come full circle to that issue... I contain Konoha secrets. By my own choice or not is irrelevant. So I've come of my own volition to explain, and with the explanation complete, I have little more to do than answer questions and await your ultimate decision on the matter, Hokage-sama." Kiyori had put everything on the table now, and yet for some reason she was oddly calm about it all. Despite knowing that this man could decide to kill her for bearing secrets unique to his village, she held herself in check quite well. Reaching out, she took her cup again and drank down the green tea, taking another long sip with a happy grin. "The tea is marvelous, by the way. You brew a fine pot, Hokage-sama."

[Director]

Fanho gave a sigh as he face palmed tapping his foot with fake irritation. To the Hokage who knew Fanho extremely well could probably tell his humorous nature, he knew it'd freak Kiyori out. Which was the whole point of this shtick. He drug his hand down to his chin as he rested it in, before looking around the room with irritation plaguing his face. He shook his head letting a few long seconds pass as the two considered his opinion. Fanho would open his mouth several times to talk before stopping at the moment before words came out thinking hard about what he should respond with. For what was a few seconds of fun for Fanho, it would probably seem like an agonizing few minutes for Kiyori never knowing if Fanho was okay, but from the signs could assume he was gravely irritated and angry.

"You..." He sighed once more before turning around where his face was out of sight from Kiyori, but perfectly in-sight of Takeo. A large grin grew across his face as his eye brows contorted in a sort of teasing mean fashion. He punched the wall lightly to demonstrate some fake 'anger' as he collected himself to turn around, completely composed, and calm. He walked up to Kiyori only leaving about a few inches away from them before he put his arm around her shoulders bringing her in close. Completely calm, cool, and collected as he was untense and focused on Kiyori in-front of him. He began to whisper quietly to Kiyori but enough Takeo could hear him, just so the whispers could be intimidating. "You should see your face because you were totally scared I was mad." After ushering this whisper he delivered a huge toothy grin at Kiyori before laughing really hard, his laughs echoing throughout the chambers so much so he had to wipe a tear away from his face.

"Yeah, I don't think anyone here is gonna fault you for getting necked with something you couldn't help. However..." Fanho returned his stance by the Hokage's desk where he originally stood for the meeting. He began to go into detail about the workings of Sankaton, at least what the actual release was. Not that it was just an ability to make things not exist. "What you have secondary is Sankaton. It doesn't just remove things from existence. It actually oxidizes and breaks it down into its original elements on a level unseen to the eye. So it actively looks like you're just making it not exist."

[Izanagi]

As Takeo held Kiyrori’s hand he found himself disdaining the formalities they were forced to endure in this meeting. He wanted nothing more than to hug his friend tightly and go for a walk around the village, maybe get some ice cream or a bite to eat and catch up on all that had happened over the last year or so. Alas he was the Hokage and he had to maintain some sense of professionalism and he knew for certain that Kiyori would remain formal for the duration of the meeting. She had always been dutiful and a figurehead of her village and he respected that but that didn’t mean he didn’t prefer spending time with her in a more casual setting. Even still the man still found himself attracted to her despite being happily married and knowing that she had a preference for women. His own lust and overwhelming affection towards women was arguably even more of a weakness than his thirst for adrenaline rushes, putting himself in harms way simply for the challenge of trying to survive against the odds. Certainly the man had his flaws but despite it all he was viewed by most as a strong leader whom always had the best interest of Konoha in mind.

The man nodded, taking note that Arata was a more rebellious sort, finding a way to drink regularly despite the prohibition on alcohol that Suna maintained. Perhaps the two of them would get along, though it was likely they would also butt heads, each being protective over Kiyori for their own reasons. Still, he had gained Takeo’s interest. “That does comfort me though of course I wish I could have helped more directly. Nonetheless you are here now so I will try to focus on that positive outcome” he said softly. Her loss would have been tragic, she was instrumental to the growing strength of the alliance between their two villages as well as being a person very dear to his heart and to that of his wife. Though Takeo wasn’t sold on the idea of a God of light he was very familiar with Spirits and their influence on the natural world and wouldn’t be surprised if there was some Grand Spirit watching over Wind Country, much like the Guardian Spirits of Fire Country he had personally interacted with and been chosen by to defend the land. It was the first sign he had been given that had steered him towards the role of Hokage, furthered by the urging of his closest friend Aizawa Yoru whom had also been present when the Spirits had proclaimed him as the Champion of Fire Country.

Takeo nodded, “I understand. I too have experienced my own trials with guardian spirits of this Country. Please, show us the powers bestowed upon you” he instructed, eager to see what she was capable with his own eyes. The lecherous nature within him even considered for a moment if she would be required to disrobe in order to full activate the powers of the tattoos across her body, alas however that was not the case. He marveled at the warmth and sheer presence of the luminous chakra. It reminded him of the orb of light he had interacted with that had first tested him. ‘I wonder, could it be that these guardian spirits are actually one and the same?’ Some balancing force of the world that selected good natured people with strong wills to maintain peace and balance in the world? Such a thing seemed hard to believe but it did seem entirely possible. The man had never been a particularly spiritual person but he found that he was developing some kind of faith in the flow of the world.

The Hokage rested his chin on his intertwined hands, “Very fascinating” he spoke softly, voice infected with awe. He hung on her words about darkness being a necessary function of the light. He found that this philosophy very much lined up with his own, hence his revival of the ANBU and before that his participation as a founding member of ROOT. He could never escape his own sins and even now he often sacrificed his own morals for the sake of the village. If the citizens of Konoha knew half of the things he did to keep them safe they would tear him down without hesitation, he was sure of it and yet he felt every decision he made was justified and was for the greater good. The man furrowed his brow as Kiyori claimed her powers had no spiritual residue, he couldn’t quite understand how that was possible but he trusted her word on that. She had no reason to lie about such a thing, it seemed simply a mystery of the workings of the universe that shinobi had yet to fully comprehend.

Takeo would let Fanho speak his piece first before giving his final verdict. The young man’s antics seemed cruel and oddly reminiscent of Yoru, ever the joker, making others squirm for the sake of a good laugh in the end. Formality seemed a completely foreign concept to the two of them and yet Fanho’s morals and judgment remained clear. He would wait until the young Jounin finally broke character before giving Kiyori a sympathetic glance. He knew how much she tended to over worry about things beyond her control and hoped that she would soon be able to rest easy and put all of this stress behind her. “That’s quite the story indeed. As Fanho said though, I can’t fault you for being chosen by some greater power to possess these secret jutsu. Perhaps if I didn’t trust you and know you as a friend I might keep you contained within Konoha but lucky for you I have every faith that you will use these powers to the benefit of both of our villages. Of course I do not wish to see these powers replicated by anyone else or experimented on however you can use them freely to the defence of your village and throughout your missions and you are welcome to train within Konoha and learn from experts in Hiton and Sankaton respectively” he declared. “I’ll have to keep a closer eye on you and I expect to be informed if any Missing nin attempt to target you or make contact with you. You are no longer just Sunagakure’s to defend but ours as well” he stated. If ever she went missing again he wanted to be contacted immediately.

[TyDie]

Fanho's reaction to her situation had Kiyori a little uneased... being that he was the representative of the Awai, he no doubt held some sway in the coming decision, and if he was as unhappy as he seemed it was no doubt going to be bad for her. But he was so nice on the way through the forest... Was this some sort of joke? Did he relish in her stress? As he began to close the gap between them, instinctively Kiyori lowered her cup to the table and prepared to defend herself if need be. She was willing to submit herself to the Hokage's command if that was what he desired, but from what she understood about Konoha it was Takeo's say in the end. If Fanho wanted to exact justice personally, she would make him fight for it. But alas, the tension left her body and her face, displaying concern and a bit of worry, faded with a large sigh of relief as he revealed that it was, in fact, a ruse.

And with that bit of comedy, Kiyori too dropped her formal disposition long enough to reach out, attempting to slap or at least push the bastard for worrying her like that. "Oh my goodness Fanho, don't do that to me! So mean!!" She took a few more deep breaths to bring herself back to a calmer disposition, a small smile still present on her face as she realized that Fanho held nothing against her. Truly though, it was Takeo's words that brought honest to goodness joy to her face. Her smile grew three sizes, tears welling in her eyes as he explained all that her newfound abilities would entail; checking in with Konoha from time to time, working with them to learn how to use her powers, informing him personally if any ill befalls her... But most importantly that he trusted her. He saw her as a friend, one that he had complete faith in to do the right thing and devote herself not only to her homeland, but to Konoha as well.

A single tear fell down her cheek, and a moment later she could no longer contain herself. She practically lunged at Takeo, giving him a big heartfelt hug, squeezing him tightly around the neck and shoulders while resting her head on one of his shoulders. "Thank you. Thank you so much Takeo. I swear to do right by both of our villages..." She would then release the man from her secret taijutsu technique, the death lock hug, before returning to her seat and rubbing the tears from her eyes. "After all, Konoha is as much my home at this point as it is yours. I love this land just as I love Wind country, and would do anything to protect it. With these newfound abilities of mine, I promise to do all that I can to bring prosperity to my... your... our people."

She would give a deep bow of respect from her seat, hands clasped in front of her as if praying while she showed her gratitude to both Fanho and Takeo. As she rose, she'd once more grab the cup of tea from the table, taking another deep gulp to wash away the last of her stresses and worries. It was official; Konoha was Kiyori's second home now. And she couldn't be happier to be there.

[Izanagi]

As Kiyori breathed a sigh of relief so too did Takeo. It brought him notable discomfort to see a friend in any kind of duress. Naturally he smirked when the feisty young woman struck at Fanho. He honestly deserved it, though Takeo felt oddly envious, considering that perhaps he should make a point to rile Kiyori up in a less stressful setting. He was certainly one to tease and be playful himself and if a slap was his reward then all the better. Something about being struck by an attractive woman was very alluring to him, in fact combat and being hit in general excited him thoroughly. Suddenly his thoughts wandered to the time he had sparred with the young woman of Sunagakure. It had been about 3 years ago now, give or take a few months. He was sure each of them had grown significantly stronger since then, perhaps if he limited himself to Taijutsu he could feel the familiar rush of adrenaline that he so often chased after. Very few sparring partners could keep up with him a hand to hand exchange, his own wife being one of only of a handful of individuals to ever best him in close quarters. The thought of adding Kiyori into the mix, fighting both at the same time and truly pushing him to his limits was a fantasy he could hardly contain.

He hadn’t realized it but in his thoughts his smirk and accompanying gaze had truly become wolf-like, ever the hunter and the fighter there were few things he enjoyed more in life. It was a frequent debate among those who knew him best whether it was his lust or his craving for adrenaline that was his greatest weakness. The truth was of course that the two were not mutually exclusive by any means. As Takeo gave his verdict and Kiyori responded with tears the Hokage felt the effects of his greatest strength: Love. For his people, friends and family. How proud and honored he was that he could include Kiyori in that list. The muscular man smiled warmly as she embraced him, returning her tight squeeze with slightly more force than what she exerted. He playfully faked a cough for air as if she was actually choking him, before chuckling lightly, “That’s more like the Kiyori I know and love” he spoke softly. She released him and the two sat once more, retaining some degree of professionalism. Even Takeo couldn’t help but feel his eyes water notably as the woman spoke of a new unified people. He only wished that others of their homelands would grow to view their alliance in the same way. As long as Kiyori remained alive however he knew that there would be a bridge of peace connecting the two villages, such a thing was enough to fill even the former ANBU commander with hope and optimism for the future. The man would cough into his hand, clearing his throat to avoid any embarrassing emotional cracks to his voice. “I suppose that concludes our meeting then, unless you have anything else to add” he looked to Fanho, “I look forward to seeing much more of you around here Kiyori and I’m happy to help find you residency and accommodations” he offered. She would have the option to purchase a home if she so chose for any extended stays or could live in with another shinobi or even stay in a hotel for the meantime.

[Director]

Fanho was quite caught off guard from the slap. Albeit he shrugged it off. It was kinda weak if he was to be honest, but in light hearted fun. As everything began wrapping up, he could see the relief and joy on her face. As well as the calm demeanor of Takeo. As Kiyori swore herself to not only Suna but Konoha, Fanho liked the reassurance she gave. As Takeo reassured, she was theirs to protect now. His secret was now also hers. "I have nothing else to add other than like wolf man said. You're not just apart of Suna, but you're apart of Konoha and my family." As Fanho closed his eyes with a cockiness and fluttered his eye brows. "Though if I find out you use my hiton for anything nefarious, I'll be sure to straighten you out." With a much more obvious smirk and playfulness to his words as he spoke as to not worry Kiyori. "I only ask you use it for good, and to protect those closest to you with a ferocity and speed that represents the nature of light. Sporadic, fast, and to illuminate the world."

As Fanho chuckled getting sentimental over his elemental release he scratched the back of his head blushing at the cheesy line he just spoke. "Man that was kinda cheesy huh?" A loud laugh could be heard bellowing from the young kid that resonated to the ANBU agents outside. To be quite fair, Fanho was not a quiet person. "Also I'll be the one guiding you on how to use hiton, so be prepared soon for intense training past what you're used to." As Fanho finished his comments he looked at Takeo as he gave a reassuring smile of approval. This would hopefully conclude and bind the relations between Suna and Konoha further strengthening the bond the villages shared. After all it'd be a world Fanho would inherit at some point to assist in guiding as one of the great five Kages. He'd need all the help he could get bettering the world.