Starring:
Date: June 11, 2015
Summary:
The Okumo elders are approached suddenly by two of their Chuunin juniors in addition to outsiders to the clan about the future of the clan
"Strife Within the Clan"
Land of Water
Sei had been planning this for a long time.
The elders were currently leading the clan via the vote between the three of them, two hunters and one nester. The clan has tended towards physical experiments, such as Sei or Hitomi. Sei, believes a new path should be done for the clan. It needs to empower the individual, rather than focus on what can be learned from the experiment of the individual. Sei had managed to track two of the elders. Between them working with the other Okumo and being the elders, it wasn't too hard to track them.
With the timing down, Sei gathered those helping him and they met outside of a cavern in a secluded part of the oasis. Sei had a small harp, a hand harp that he started playing softly. This was to let him speak to those there in what would be hushed tones.. if he was talking physically. "We-Sei has tracked them here. The two elders, Okumo Takaaki and Okumo Eichiro meet to spar and discuss the clan. We are seeking no blood for this. They represent a lot of information for the clan. This is a show of controlled force." Sei would look between each of them, before giving a small nod and would head in, his brood helping lead the way for the others.
Another part of the plan to have Sei become the Clan Head of the Okumo has been set in motion… Joining in as promised, Kaguya-Hozuki Yoichi stands with the gathered group, his arms folded over his chest as he listens to Sei. Once the information is given, he simply nods to the Okumo and proceeds to follow along behind him into the cavern, ready to assist in whatever way becomes necessary. Maybe this can be done bloodlessly, maybe not, but the former would at least be preferable.
Speaking softly, Naoya says "Losing their knowledge would be annoying, but replacable if pressed, but I will follow in your step Sei-san." 'Bloodless.. Tsk, doubt they will listen..' murmurs with a gently shake of his head, clearing it. His lips would continue to move for several moments but hardly a sound would escape them. Silencing himself, Naoya would dip his head slowly towards the air showing his silent agreement. Shifting his hand behind himself, Naoya grasps his right wrist, relaxing his stance while expression within his face became muted as he falls in step behind Sei. While he didn't look around himself, his hair line would shift every so often, at times a thin chitin coated limb could be seen but it would quickly withdraw back into his hairline.
Yuriko crouched as she glances between the others, as if staying low to the ground would help her sneak easier, despite this being Okumo territory. And that it was Okumo Elders they would be sneaking up on. Odds are though that they already knew. The Kaguya girl quickly shakes her snowy head to herself and refocuses on Sei as he speaks, though Naoya's muttered words earn a flat look and a nudge of her elbow. As they start inside the cave, Yuriko waits until both Sei's and Naoya's brood go in first before following.
The elders knew. There were too many spiders in too small of an area for them to ignore it. Obviously other Okumo were approaching. Sei would be in that lead for the others, stopping a bit inside of the cavern entrance while the others would be given that option of moving further. The elders were there, back to back, their side facing towards the entrance. Those that were aware of chakra would know them to be fairly humming with power. Sei's brood spread out, that harp lifted as Sei's head tilted to the side while watching the elders, to seek permission to do the genjutsu it seems.
"You brought others with you to kill us? No matter boy. You'll die and so will they." Said the elder on the left. Naoya would have the ability to recognize him at Takaaki. The other elder was silent. The space itself was a 50' by 50' cavern, definitely secluded in the thick rock.
"Think twice about that," Yoichi's commanding yet calm voice booms out as they enter and see the elders ready to fight. "I think you know who I am. Do you really think the combined strength of those here is something you can handle? Simpleyconcede, and you'll live through this. Choose to fight and you'll not see another sunrise." With that he reaches back for his swords, face expressionless as he awaits an answer from the elders.
+pose Not changing his stance towards an attack, Naoya lowers his head but leaves it low for a moment, not looking towards the faces of either of the Elders. "Takaaki-sama.. We are here to speak, little else. If we were going to attack.. I would be down the chamber preparing to lance each of you down while you were practicing." Lifting his head up, the young man's eyes shift from an amber tone to a dark golden tone. Turning his head towards Sei, he would lightly nod towards him but then shifts his attention towards Yoichi, furling his brow slightly but said nothing.
Not changing his stance towards an attack, Naoya lowers his head but leaves it low for a moment, not looking towards the faces of either of the Elders. "Takaaki-sama.. We are here to speak, little else. If we were going to attack.. I would be down the chamber preparing to lance each of you down while you were practicing." Lifting his head up, the young man's eyes shift from an amber tone to a dark golden tone. Turning his head towards Sei, he would lightly nod towards him but then shifts his attention towards Yoichi, furling his brow slightly but said nothing.
Following the rear, Yuriko is careful to keep an eye out behind them. With only one way out, someone at the entrance could easily trap them inside. And then what could be avoided would just become inevitable. She exhales a small breath and she tries to push that thought away. It didn't have to come to bloodshed. Sei wanted to avoid it if possible. Fighting is only if they won't listen, Yuriko reminds herself. Still she keeps her eyes and ears open, listening as Yoichi and Naoya talk.
The elders didn't necessarily glance at each other, but they did lose a little bit of that haughtiness. Finally the one who hasn't spoken yet, would give a nod to Sei. Sei started strumming the strings, gathering that chakra for the voice to reach all of them there.
"We-Sei is not here to fight you. None of us are. We-Sei sees that the clan, Okumo Clan, has lost track of it's strength. That of it's individuals. Experiments for enhancement are useful and usable. However, when experiments fail, something should still be done. Just because it is not perfection reached, does not make them useless. Only those who lose all reason.. all humanity.. should they then be put down." Sei would glance to the others, the spiders of his brood taking up playing the harp.
Takaaki would speak up then. "So what? You think you have the power, the strength, to lead the Okumo? You think you have some plan that will make it so that your lead is anything better than what we have now?"
Sei would motion to the others. "We-Sei is capable of leading. Both non-Okumo and Okumo. We-Sei have this team, these people here, to show that. They are willing to listen to We-Sei. They are willing to fight with We-Sei. That is what we're here for. Ask them, they will tell you this themselves." Sei would drop his hands then, watching and waiting.
Takaaki glanced to the other elder, then Yuriko, Yoichi and Naoya. "Alright. Since it seems we're at an empasse for now. Talk. Why should we not have you hanged for treason?"
"Yours ways bring harm to your own people and thereby the village. If Sei can undo that damage and make the Okumo better, you should be willing to give control of the clan to him," Yoichi states simply. While he doesn't state it, the look in his eyes plainly states that making threats is doing no good on their part. As a Swordsman, Yoichi has stood against the Mizukage. What more do these old bakas think they're going to do?
"Treason matters if we oppose the village Takaaki-sama.. If we move against Kirigakure's interests. This.. is an Okumo matter. There wouldn't be hanging, as long as it was kept within." Parting his hands, Naoya would raise his left hand and lets it partially flare open as his palm faces the ceiling. "If all talks results in our termination.. we have little reason not to accelerate the process and begin the blood letting now."
A faint snarl begins to creep along his face but then it pauses before washes away completely. "You have trained us to not lay down as a whimpering beast, but to cut down what restricts progress. You have trained us well." Without looking towards anyone beyond the pair of elder Okumo before him, Naoya motions with his right hand towards Yuriko, then Sei before lastly towards Yoichi. "The time for threats is not now.. It's best to look forward, and to remember this stance now is caused by your current path.. do you think the next will wait to talk?"
Yuriko arches a pale brow as she glances over her shoulder, dividing her attention between the entrance and the Okumo Elders. A slight smirk tugs at the corner of her lips, "Treason? We haven't done anything against Kirigakure, haven't defected or traded it's secrets for riches." she murmurs. "This might be an Okumo clan dispute, but Sei is the one that came to us. That wanted our support. Just like each of the clans support each other in the village. So he has my loyalty. And that's not something that could be dismissed so easily, not with bribes or threats."
The smirk fades and her expression becomes dark and serious. "The Okumo have affected my life, and I believe they can make them into something better than what you deem them to be. Heart can't be recorded and studied, and you have missed so much from those that you label as defects. And because you fail to recognize their potential for something even greater, you fail as their leaders. You are not fit to be lead them. If what you've been doing to your own people even call it that."
Sei didn't have to look at the others, accepting their responses as honest from them. The elders studied Sei contemplatively, Takaaki frowning slightly, but the other elder, Eichiro, was carefully neutral. "We aren't going to allow our clan into the hands of a child." This was Eichiro, his wording precisely said, clipping the enunciation.
Sei shook his head with a click of his tongue, the genjutsu once more touching all there. "We-Sei is not a child. We-Sei was an experiment and lost his childhood for that experiment. We-Sei has gone through more than most people would ever live through. We live. We survive. We thrive. We-Sei has taken everything given to him, put before him and excelled. We-Sei won't stop now." Sei would glance at the others, before back to the elders. "We-Sei knows how to adapt. How to support others and how to rely on them. We-Sei is stronger because of those who work with We-Sei."
Takaaki rolls his eyes. "Must you talk in 3rd person? It's getting highly annoying."
Sei stared at Takaaki for a long moment. "This is a day in We-Sei's life. We are Sei, we are brood. We are together. We understand the good of the whole. We understand sacrifice. We stand here as we have had to do both."
Takaaki would frown. "You're standing here in an ambush of your elders. Even if it's not Kirigakure that'll hang you, this is a betrayal of the clan." Eichiro glanced at Takaaki with a tsk. "You are blowing this out of proportion aren't you?"
As the conversation goes on, Yoichi stands the stoic. Seems he doesn't have much to add at the moment, simply letting the Okumo work this out among themselves unless action becomes necessary.
"Again Takaaki-sama.. if this was an ambush, why isn't a blade drawn? Why have you been given time to relax your muscles and mind after competing with Eichiro-sama? While you do not wish to 'hand over' the clan to a younger generation.. the view and.." A low growl begins to bubble at the back of Naoya's throat, focusing his to quiet down for a moment while his eyes close.
Taking in a deep breath, he begins to softly murmur to himself almost incoherently but in the end lightly nods. Opening his eyes again, each of his hands slip behind himself before dipping his head slowly towards Eichiro before speaking again. "..You are still well, and unharmed because you have use, you have knowledge which is desired. Knowledge not to be wasted.. What is asked isn't your heads.. Though taking them would make a Coup smoother."
Turning his gaze from the elders and towards Sei he says, "We also did not ask for either to kneel.. but to step back to the shadows. We ask for a change, but not something completely new either." A light smirk begins to appear on Naoya's lips as a contented hum vibrates as he speaks more fluidly rather than formally, "Think of it as.. an experiment. What changes with the view of a new face, the idea of a smoother change. Testing will continue. The Okumo.. will continue. Each of us will continue, but under shifted conditions. If the experiment fails, it will likely take each of our heads. If it succeeds.. the Okumo will be made stronger for it."
Eichiro nods solemnly to Naoya then looks to Takaaki. "The children have to have their turn in the spotlight, pass or fail too. We should listen to wisdom. That is part of why we're elders, hmm?" Takaaki glanced to Eichiro, before finally relaxing slightly. "Very well. This was obviously played out well by a budding Okumo. We should see where he might actually take the experiment." Takaaki looked to the others with a nod. "Here is hoping you picked a good choice. If we do see failure come to the Okumo.. well, it's different when you're all seperate, instead of all together."
Sei shook his head, clicking his tongue with a wave of his hand to the side encompassing the others with him. "We-Sei is the one that is leading this. They are supporting a shinobi of Kirigakure, who is seeking to better his clan, to better the village. We-Sei will not see retrobution go to them, for We-Sei's actions. If there are issues, it comes to us." Sei would point at himself. Takaaki scrowled at him, but Eichiro simply responded. "Of course. Let's see how far this can go, shall we?"
