Starring:
Date: June 13, 2012
Summary:
None given.
"Stepping up"
Unknown location
Location: Dammed Arena
Seated within the stands were thousands of civilians, shinobi, villagers,
visitors and the likes, each one waiting as patiently as they could while
waiting to hear the news of whom the Third Mizukage would be. Their
whispers spreading amongst the stands, filling the silence of the arena
below, where several individuals sat on a stage before a podium.
"Which one do you think it is?"
"I hope it's not that old guy."
"What's that guy with no eyebrows smiling about?"
"He looks like he's sleeping."
"What's Hikan doing down there!"
After a while, the eldest of the group gathered below rose from his seat
and then approached the podium. He raised a shriviled hand to his mouth
and cleared his throat. It seemed as if the man didn't have enough
strength to even move, let alone give a speech of any kind to a crowd of
such proportions and yet after licking and moistening his lips, it was
exactly what he was going to do.
"I give you, your Third Mizukage, Hozuki Yuge!"
The voice of the elder was booming and powerful. Loud enough to be heard
across the entire stands. However just as quickly as he spoke, the elder
spun around and went back to his seat. Not another word was said. The man
simply leaned back and waited. Which was completely opposite from what the
crowd was doing. Now on the edge of their seats, the whispers of before
raising up again and only slightly louder this time around.
"A Hozuki for Mizukage?"
"They still exist?"
"I've never even heard of the guy."
"I have, I know Yuge!"
"Is it that guy with no eyebrows?"
The crowd suddenly fell silent as the motion of a second individual from
below began to rise. It was the man with no eyebrows. The one that had
been smiling the whole time. No longer was the man's eyes closed, but
instead they were wide open as he looked up and around to the crowd before
him while moving toward the podium. Once there, the man took a deep
breath, placed his hands on the podium in front of him, the smiling
disappearing and then…
"Kirigakure. It is a village filled with individuals that have been
through more hardships and suffered through more challenges than I believe
any other village has to date. Forced into countless situations with no
victory in sight, wars with no justification. Being beaten and pushed back
each time. Humiliated, disgraced, ridiculed and mocked as the consolation
prize for managing to make it back alive. Then repeating the same cycle.
Those that died for their nation, not even recognized as heroes…and a
few that were considered weak links, mysteriously vanishing."
There was a brief pause from Yuge, as he lowered his head as if to mourn
in silence for but a few moments, yet at the same time his hands clenched
tightly into the edge of the podium. The knuckles beginning to turn white
as if he might just rip it in half.
"As a nation, as a human being, there's only so much of the same abuse you
can be expected to take. The wanting to rise up and overthrow the current
leadership,it's only expected. That's why after deliberation, Hikan had
stepped down to allow another to take his place, in hopes of quelling any
need for a rebellion. However, simply putting a new face behind the title
of Mizukage would not be enough to alleviate any current issues. To think
so, would be silly."
The man paused once again, taking in the faces of those gathered in the
crowds. Studying the expressions on each individuals face. It was clear
what most if not all were thinking and he understood it more then anyone.
Slowly, Yuge would turn his head to those behind him, give each a
reassuring nod and a smile then face the crowd once again. The smile still
lining his face.
"Trust. It is not something easily gained from a speech. It is done so
through actions. It is something that will take time. It is something that
I am going to need each and everyone of you to give me until I am able to
build your trusts. I know that I have it in me to do so because I care
about this village and with it, I care about all of you. You are my
comrades and I would fight for you. I would die for you. In return, all
that I ask for is your patience with me. I believe together we can build
Kirigakure up, before it sinks too low. No longer would we be the butt of
every joke in the other villages, but the rumors and stories spread about
our prowess and our ferocity in combat. No longer would we be remembered
for the wars we couldn't win, but instead the ones we did. There is no
reason, with the clans that are assembled in Kirigakure and the talent
each of them bring to the table, we can't be one of the strongest villages
around. All that I need is the time to make it happen. If you are like me,
and I know you are, then these are the things that you wish for as well
and with time, it will happen. I guarantee it, but if you doubt my
ability…If you doubt my love for this Village!!.. Then you know where
you can find me. I'll be in my office."
And with that, Yuge nodded to the crowd before turning and walking away.
He didn't bother looking at those that were seated on the stage or even
waiting to see how the crowd would react. The man had a village to rebuild
and it wasn't going to happen with him just waiting around.
