Starring:
Date: Unknown (log received July 22, 2010)
Summary:
An invitation is extended by Kirin to Fuyu and Hinotori in secret to meet with Rain.
"The Invitation"
Unknown location
Kirin more or less lets himself into the house..a modest establishment for a young man to have. Kirin takes a moment to glance around, never having been inside where Hinotori stayed even after all this time in the village. "You are probably wondering why I was so short with you." - Kirin says calmly, his back facing Hinotori after being a few feet into his home. "And by now, the news of me and Satoru has reached your ears. But before you act, you must know what is happening. Then, only then, you should make your choice. " Kirin says just as calm, turning around to face Hinotori; his forehead protector with a slash through it more than confirms any rumors or news that Hinotori might have heard.
Closing the door, Hinotori keeps his eyes on the other Uchiha. He hadn't heard of anything, primarily due to him not having been around for a while due to an extended mission. Noting the slash on Kirins forehead protector, "You and Satoru are Missing-Nins!?" he says in a low and dangerous voice. "You come to my home to talk to me about whatever it is, despite me, who should take you down right now and give you over to the Hokage?" he asks. Hinotori hands flexes slightly, he doesn't back down from Kirin, but he stands ready just in case he needs to act.
Kirin closes his eyes slowly, "I thought you might react this way. But if you feel like taking me in after you've heard what I came here to tell you.. you're free to act on that impulse." Kirin replies, his high collar risen snugly above his chin. Opening his eyes, Kirin keeps his gaze on Hinotori. "You are not just a ninja. You are an Uchiha. Have you forgotten what that means? There is alot to say, too much for this time and this place. There are wheels moving on a grand scale, many fates will be tied to the outcome. It revolves around our clan at the center. Which brings me to why I'm here, Hinotori-kun. Someone would like to speak with you, about that very thing. Our clan, and it's future. As we speak, I am extending the same invitation to Fuyu. Come with me to the Village Hidden in Twilight. Learn what you do not know."
Hinotori was getting sick of the clan first everyone else last. Haven't there been enough of that during the clan wars? He loves his clan, but he also loves the village and the people they protect. He's met many good people here and hell, he has a best friend who is of the Senju clan. As Kirin speaks, Hinotori does listen. Kirin is higher skilled then he is, but still that didn't matter. Thinking things over for a few moments, "If I don't agree with anything you or this person has to say, I take it I will not be allowed to leave with what I know correct?" he asks simply. He knows how his clan handles things like this, he wasn't stupid. This would end badly for him if he choose to go against the clan and for Kirin to also extend this invitation to Fuyu. Still thinking, "What can you tell me now Kirin-san." Kirin is no longer his sensei, but he would hear him out.
"You'll be allowed to leave without harm, aslong as you are respectful. This man, you have heard of before. He is older then me, and a powerful Uchiha. However, I will tell you this. Whether or not you are interested in the direction your clan takes, the part you play in this could rule the fate of your family and friends." Kirin takes a step, and another..moving in a calm walk torwards the door, though he stops as he nears it. "My advice, hear what is to be said. And then, assess yourself. There is much you do not know, you must see this, and not allow it to cloud your judgement at such an important time."
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Hinotori continues to listen. He didn't believe he would be allowed to leave once he is told what is going on. But it is worth it. If something big was going to go down, Konoha would need to be ready for it. Especially if whatever made Kirin and Satoru defect from the village. Whatever this is, could lead for other Uchiha to follow their steps. "Has Fuyu-sama accepted this invitation of yours?" he asks. Hinotori watches Kirin, but when he starts to move towards the door, he steps aside to let him leave. "When and where will this take place? And who will I be speaking to?" he asks. He thinks he may know now, but would rather make sure his info correct.
"I'll know both your answers when I release this shadow clone technique." Kirin answers simply, not bothering to decieve Hinotori in the status of the invitations. "The village of Higure, there, you will meet Uchiha Rain." Kirin half-turns to face Hinotori, "If you wish to come, I'll be outside the village.." Kirin's eyes drift to the side thoughtfully for a moment. "And Hinotori.. be careful who you trust." Kirin says calmly, before audibly poofing into a cloud of smoke.
Once given the information and the person he thought was confirmed, Hinotori nods his head. A sigh escapes him, why was his clan, his people always looking for something other then what they had right here. He was going to talk with Fuyu, seeing as the invitation was sent to him and her, if she was going, he would accompany her. If not, he would go in at it alone and report back whatever he finds out. "Alright, I will be outside shortly." he says to Kirin before the clone poofs. Looking around his house, it was barebones, but it was his. He knew that his home was probably watched due to what he was as well, and even keeping this information away from the Uchiha was becoming harder. Yet, he went to his room to prepare.
##Meanwhile, outside of Konoha!##
Sitting under a large tree in it's darker shadow, cast even in the starless night..Kirin's eyes remain closed..his high collar risen above his nose; both hands together in the tiger seal. As soon as he releases his technique, the experiences of his shadow clone flood his mind. Kirin's brows crease lightly, thinking over his brief conversation with Hinotori. Opening his eyes slowly, Kirin seems to stare thoughtfully into the distance for a moment before his hands break the seal formation as he moves into a stand slowly.
Kirin moves out of the trees shadow and the foresty into a small break in the dense forest just outside the village itself..stopping in the center. Kirin turns torwards the village, and waits..
She had only heard about it recently. Why did it take so long for news like this to reach her? Who the hell was in charge of intelligence and security that a matter such as two Uchiha going missing, along with one or more scrolls, was delayed in reaching her ears? 'Useless Senju,' she thinks to herself. She wouldn't say such a thing outloud, because there is no telling who might be listening — even if it appears no one else is around. She sighs and strides down the main street of Konohagakure, towards the front gates.
She has already left instructions with those she trusts, and notifications with those she does not, so that there is no question of where she is going, or when she may have been somewhere at a given time. Upon exitting the Village, she picks up the pace and dashes along the broad dirt path, quickly reaching the springy, healthy green grass that sometimes mixed with the road itself. 'Kirin and Satoru… Missing. Satoru has a chip on his shoulder and feels he has something to prove. He could be convinced to act on the behalf of another if he felt it would show his capabilities and restore his rank… Kirin I do not know enough about. But the fact that he was the one who brought me the message about Rainos, and not another… He likely is cooperating with Rainos to some extent. Either or both could have done this… Or neither.'
Leaping up into the branches of the towering trees that made up the Land of Fire's forests, Fuyu's long, ebony hair flies out behind her. She does not necessarily have information that indicates that someone might be in the area, or that the missing Uchiha might be hanging around instead of fleeing, but intuition tells her that stealing scrolls and then fleeing would be very short-sighted. She does not believe that Uchiha Kirin is short-sighted. A clever individual who thinks ahead would probably want to take far more than a handfull of scrolls in exchange for being designated a missing-nin. And what more valuable resource could be taken than allies directly from the Uchiha Clan? Maybe she is completely off-base with this. Maybe Kirin is not around, or is not trying to recruit others to join his cause. After all, even if he is far-sighted, whether he is clever remains to be seen. However…
Fuyu closes her eyes briefly, and then opens them. The irises of her eyes have turned red, with a single black tomo in each. If there any significant Chakra sources out here, she will find them. And they had better have some answers for her when she does.
Kirin stares into the forest in the way of the village, waiting for any sign of movement; his timing of the patrols, knowing who is on or off duty and other top secret information that would be worlds away from the common shinobi..Kirin knows well. "Let us postpone any games of hide and seek." Kirin says firmly across the clearing and into the treetops, knowing full well the odds that the individual is not Uchiha Hinotori or Fuyu were safegaurdedly low - however..what they might do before he could speak isn't something one can wholly calculate.
His large loose cloak covers his entire body, though partially incognito if one would see him..his identity is unmistakeable.
Fuyu was actually still in the process of approaching when she heard the voice call out to her. Very shortly, she lands upon a thick branch in a crouch, already looking exactly at where she has determined the voice originated from. It's dark, especially with the thick foliage blocking out a lot of the moonlight, but enough beams down into the clearing that she can tell the details of the person she is looking at.
As if she didn't recognize the voice in the first place.
Fuyu simply crouches and stares down at Kirin — or someone very convincingly disguised as Kirin. Cultivating a healthy degree of paranoia does wonders for one's survival. Eventually, she answers calmly, "Alright." She does not move from her location, however. While she highly doubts this is a trap, she also does not feel obligated to join Kirin on the ground. What he has to say can be said just as easily from below as on even footing.
"So was it you?" she asks rather directly. She of course refers to the the breaking into of the scroll vault, and the theft of the contents therein. Otherwise her question would not really mean anything without context.
"Was it me?" Kirin replies, his voice carrying easily over the air in the notably silent night..his eyes lazily shift in the direction of the female voice. "…Yes. Any rumors you might have heard, are true." Kirin says calmly amid the dead silence..not even so much as a light breeze blowing. "But before you act, I ask you hear me out. It is the wish of Uchiha Rain to speak with you." Kirin closes his eyes slowly, "I don't know you as well as I should, Fuyu, but I strongly suggest you attend this summons." Kirin opens his eyes again, never losing his dispassionate complacency. "It is important, it concerns the future of the Uchiha clan.."
Fuyu listens. While she initially appeared calm, collected, and maybe even placid or relaxed… Once Kirin finishes what he has to say, if he looks back at Fuyu, particularly in the eyes, he may well get the impression that there is a sort of tension in the air — an aura of impending violence that radiates from the Clan leader in an almost physical manner.
"Is that all you have to say?" she asks caustically. "'I admit to betraying the Village and thus making you a suspect in some sort of Uchiha conspiracy. But a man who left us instead of trying to show everyone that we can be trusted with the future of the Land of Fire wants to meet you, and I am recommending you follow his will, because I am obviously trustworthy and my loyalty is unquestionable.'"
She rises from her crouch finally, the movement causing Fuyu's lithe, feminine form to yield subtle indications that she possesses a liquid grace to all of her movements that would serve her well in any number of professions, from dancer to assassin. And yet that nimbleness and muscle control is being used rather specifically in the role of a ninja. If she chooses to attack, landing a hit may be difficult. If she chooses to flee and sound the alarm, catching her would likewise not be easy.
But she leaps down from the branch and lands on the forest floor lightly, as though she had merely hopped down a couple steps in a short staircase. She does not attack or flee. Instead she strides forwards, straight towards Kirin. "The Senju are looking for any excuse to persecute and destroy the Uchiha Clan. While fighting them is an admittedly appealing concept, this is not the time to incite conflict with them. They have too many advantages, the least of which is the support of several Clans, and even our OWN Clan. A victorious warrior wins first, and then goes to war. A defeated warrior goes to war first, and then seeks to win."
She de-activates her Sharingan when she is about five feet away from Kirin. "This is not the time for these games. If Uchiha Rainos wants a meeting, I will meet him. But take this message back to him, if you would: 'Seek agents elsewhere. This is neither the time nor the place to usurp control from the Senju. Many lives hang in the balance of our decisions, and if those lives are lost because of a mis-step on your part, I will ensure that you will never comfortably sleep another night in your life for fear that when you close your eyes is the moment when I choose to strike.'"
Kirin stares at Fuyu with an unblinking gaze of his sharingan, her voice along with the easily perceptible emotive her killing intent carries allows him to easily pinpoint where Fuyu crouches in the shadows of the trees branches. Kirin narrows his eyes lightly, amusement concealed beneath training to show no emotion. Kirin's eyes follow Fuyu as she lands from her heighted perch..making no visible movement as she approaches. "I'm not here to lecture you on things you do not know, nor as a messenger. I am merely extending an invitation." Kirin keeps his red eyes on Fuyu, even as she willingly foregoes her own. "I've done my part, for now." Kirin says calmly, his own intoxicating killing intent easily felt in the air, the only clue as to what he may be thinking.
"While the offer to keep me up at night with the very thought of your form coming after me when i 'least' expect it is quite flattering, there is no need to speak of such so publically, Clan Head Uchiha Fuyu." A voice would come from the shadows of the ill lit forest as the slow closing pace helped to make one feel that there may be a lack of aggression in the tone. However, there was certainly always something just under the surface of calm unless you had no will or intent of your own. Henge was such a simple trick that had it's uses even amongst the higher level of shinobi. It was simple really… who questions a tree in a forest, grass on the plains, or rocks on a mountain? Only the insane… or forwarned could truly tell the difference between one leaf and another leaf on the same branch. Patience was a basic tenant of stealth after all.
Rainos would appear, half shadowed as he remained a bit away as not to provoke the Uchiha he had risked his life tonight to meet her. "Since you have accepted my invitation, i will be direct and i will be brief. Firstly, very few people abandoned the Uchiha when they turned their backs on who they are. Madara, myself, Tessen, and too few others to count. Only one of those has decided that one choice is not enough to divide the Uchiha entirely. There is no plan to usurp the Senju. There is no plan to rally the Uchiha against any particular foe. There is only one plan… and that is education. It is the knowledge of choice instead of the teachings of a way to live and be. From there… other will decide what they want. It is no ones right to choose for another, even though i will do so right now." Rainos would stare nearly into Fuyu with his sharingan almost glowing demonically from the shadows he was bathed in. Three tomoe were almost emblazened in the night as he watched her steadily. "You are not allowed to choose with anything but your own convictions, just as it is currently. You have been given a station to uphold and it is a station that regardless of your internal choices is something that is necessary to change things or to maintain them. Giving up that seat would be pointless. Thus i would… advise you to remain where you are… no matter what you choose is best. Beyond that… you will see exactly what will happen soon enough, and you will have plenty of reason not to act… just as you have not acted against the Senju as much as it burns in you to do so. I have come here simply to inform you… not to choose in the very same manner you have not all along."
It wasn't quite killing intent that Fuyu was radiating. That would imply she wished Kirin dead and intended to make it so very strongly. At best she just is very aggressively displaying her inner turbulence in a less-than-physical manner. Is there a difference? Yes. Is it obvious? Not really.
Hmphing, Fuyu just turns away from Kirin after his words and his killing intent being shown in a very distinct manner. She has suffered worse than the murderous desire of one man, even if she personally cannot match that worse projection. "Then he can meet me right here, in three days. I will be waiting. And if you and I meet again, I will be taking you back to Konohagakure to be dealt with. Whether you are in one piece or not when that happens will depend on you."
She then prepares to head away from the clearing. If she is allowed to do so or not will depend on Kirin's actions or lack thereof. Then Rainos appears, his voice carrying in the quiet of the forest. Well, it is not exactly 'quiet'. There are many insects and animals making noises. But it is relatively bereft of speech, other than that which Fuyu and Kirin had been producing.
She stays where she is, back to the new arrival. Rainos's mocking and suggestive opening words seem not to phase her. She seems to always be angry, regardless of the circumstances, so if she is more irritated than normal or not is unclear. "Actions speak louder than words, Rainos. Associating with thieves and traitors marks you. If you would have others embrace your teachings or at least pay them mind, then a token of trust in the form of delivering THIS one…" she turns her head to look back at Kirin. "…Into the hands of the Clan would go a long way towards that goal."
"Even if you do not care what others think as long as they have the information you wish them to have, it will be difficult to distribute that information if you are harried and decried at every turn. Though I am sure you already know this, since you are apparently so very clever." She glances briefly at Rainos. If she inwardly is impressed by his Sharingan, or his powerful Chakra, or his demeanor, outwardly she shows it not.
"My original message still stands. 'Many lives rely upon our decisions.' Choose wisely… For all of us."
"I will do you much better as a show token of trust. I myself… along with everyone else who believes as i do, will be in Konoha. We will be there with permission, no one will be killed, and we can speak about this further in Hashiramako's office. Just be patient… allow that blaze of yours to smolder slightly for a while longer. And i ask nothing of you in regards to any of this but your patience. Is this adequate for you, Fuyu?" Rainos would say with the utmost sincerity. Was he absolutely insane? There was no concievable way for one man to proclaim such a sacrifice of himself and his entire purpose and expect for it to actually come to fruition. However, Rainos defied that logic utterly. He had not a breath out of place, not a flicker i nhis glance, not a quiver of his voice. In his world, this was the future. Only time could truly tell if he and his could manage such.
Fuyu just looks back at Rainos for a few seconds. She does not respond verbally, or really in any other way. But she does not refute his words, or mock them, and instead just departs swiftly and silently. If what Rainos has said is the truth, or not, it is not in her best interest to remain out here right now. And if he spoke the truth… Then there are preparations to be made.
