Author: Pilot
Date: September 12, 2012
"Redemption And The Raikage"
Jinrai Shrine at Kumogakure, several weeks before the end of the Kumo-Kiri
War ends.
Having arrived at the meeting place in the dim hours of the morning,
Takahashi Raiko knelt down in prayer at the shrine's courtyard. As she
offers her gratitude to the Gods, a gentle presence approaches and joins
her. Not a word is spoken between them under the tree divided by Heaven,
until both were finished. Turning to her fellow petitioner, Raiko found
herself surprised by his appearance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JjlkfX5Gk
The man was easily eight feet tall, if not taller, and as muscle-bound as
a shinobi who wrestled giants for a living. His skin was wrinkled with age
and the whiteness of his bushy beard gave her the impression that he was
certainly old, despite his incredible vitality. She guessed that he was in
and around eighty years of age, perhaps. Either this man had been a
shinobi earlier in his youth or the potential in his lineage had been
combined with a lifetime of especially robust exercise. Yet, he smiled and
moved gently for a man strong enough to crumple tempered steel as if it
were paper. Wearing the robes of the Jinrai monks, Raiko guessed that he
was their representative for this meeting.
"Good morning, Takahasi-Dono. My name is Hanma Yuujiro, and I would like
to thank you for coming today".
"No, I should be thanking you for allowing me to be here. After what
happened to one of your disciples, I am not fit to stand here without
redeeming myself - Please forgive me".
Yuujiro shook his head with a heartwarming smile. "Any soul seeking
redemption is welcomed here, Takahashi-Dono. Please, do not punish
yourself unduly for Hoiishime's injuries. Such risk is inherent in the
times we live in, and while I worry about him like a father does for a
son, but I would not have allowed him to become a shinobi if I did not
think he could do great good for the people of this country. It was a
gesture of our trust in the Lord of Lightning and his ninja that we
allowed him to come to this village. The truth is that Hoiishime being
injured has only aggravated other concerns that have troubled us as of
late. You see, we of the Jinrai faith feel that the use of chakra to power
jutsu is inherently sinful. Afterall, to use one's own lifeforce to bring
harm and destruction to another… How could it not be evil? That is why
until recently, the other monks and I only supported the practice of
healing jutsu. We felt that Hoiishime-Kun could handle the spiritual
slings and arrows of the shinobi life because he was not only raised with
our teachings, but also received instruction in the life-saving arts. His
wounds bring this war with Kirigakure too close to home, and reminds us of
our other countrymen who have been harmed by the Mist ninja. You see,
Takahashi-Dono, we are worried that the Lord of Lightning's ambitions may
well be putting the spiritual and physical well-being of our people at
risk. Not only that, but we have heard of the mistreatment of one of our
land's Jinchuuriki by several of Kumogakure's most respected and highest
ranking shinobi. We fear that the sinful use of jutsu by these people has
tainted their hearts, and is guiding them to bring more suffering into the
world".
"I couldn't agree more, Yuujiro-Sama! Moreover, I am also uneasy over the
state of things. In order to restore the trust placed in us by the Jinrai
monks, the spiritual leaders of our people, and to ensure that our
intentions remain pure I will order the weapons of all shinobi to be
peace-bonded. In the case of those who use ninjutsu or genjutsu, their
ring and little fingers on both hands will be peace-bonded to prevent them
from making hand seals. Undoing these bonds without just cause will be
considered a serious offense, and will be punished as such. In addition,
it will be mandatory for all shinobi to take part in one of the daily
ceremonies of the Jinrai faith at least three days a week. Failure to do
so will result in penalties toward the offending shinobi's prospects for
promotion. As for the tormentors of our country's Jinchuuriki, I've
already seen to it that they have been severely punished. Especially the
ring leader - I'll not allow my commanding officers behaving
disgracefully!".
Hearing this, the old monk bowed his head graciously to the Raikage. "I'm
very grateful for your decision, Takahashi-Sama, and the other monks will
be when I tell them. I am sure that this will put everyone's fears to
rest", he says to her. Gesturing toward the room in which all of the monks
ate their meals, Yuujiro asked pleasantly, "With our business out of the
way, why not join us for breakfast?".
