Starring:
Date: August 24, 2014
Summary:
Renai brings Eremi to the Mizukage to inquire about security clearance for the Satonezu. Things don’t go as planned.
"The Vow of a Criminal"
Administration Building-Mizukage’s Office, Kirigakure
Administration Building - Mizukage's Office [Kirigakure]
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This room sports a large wooden desk which sits upon a blue-green carpet, the walls are decorated with scrolls of militiristic sayings and commendations from missions for jounin. A single large chair sits behind the desk and in front of the desk are two smaller chairs. On the wall opposite the door is a large single-pane window which looks off of a cliff and out into the sea.
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Contents:
Meruin
Eremi
Exits:
South - (S) [Administration Building - Hallway]
The door to the Mizukage's office opened.
It was fortunate that this happened when it did as immediately after, the body of a man goes sailing from that doorway, silently hitting the floor and sliding the distance into the lobby. Following the body a small way into the hallway is Okumo Meruin, the cyan symbol of Kirigakure emblazoned brightly in his robes of platinum silk.
"You are dismissed," he told the unconscious heap before turning the black orbs of his eyes beyond it, the mists within them bearing pale hues of various reds. "Touketsu Renai," he called out into the lobby space. "You and your guest had an appointment scheduled with me for ten minutes ago. The office is open for you now."
And then he turned around, disappearing back through the open doorway.
The young girl has been visibly nervous since the start of their appointment was /supposed/ to begin. She has been biting her fingers and pacing with baleful glares cast toward the Mizukage's door. She had told Eremi the appointment was fifteen minutes -before- the scheduled time to make sure he would be here. Renai is on-time to the point of obsession.
When she is called, she would turn to gesture to Eremi. Renai would look him over briefly to make sure he doesn't have anything in his hair. She did /attempt/ to persuade him to clean up. Then, she turns, goes straight-backed, and walks in.
Meruin would be met with a salute and a bow and then she would move aside to allow Eremi to enter behind. "Mizukage-sama, how are you today?"
A meeting with the Mizukage; it was one that could have horrible consequences or go quite smoothly without a hitch. The options however, depended entirely on the Mizukage and just how much he remembered of Eremi from the times they had met years ago or if he even cared at all that a missing-nin from a village Kirigakure has gone to war with more than a handful of times resided within his village.
Eremi sat on an unoccupied bench within the lobby, being here at relatively the same time as her. Considering they shared a place, it wouldn't be surprising for him to arrive just after she did and await the inevitable. Unlike Renai, that was unnecessarily worried, pacing about as she did, the pressure was all on Eremi and yet, he gave little in the way to show if he was nervous or not. The gourds at his sides had remained untouched, deciding it best to go at this with a bit of sobriety. It was a meeting with the Mizukage after all and upon Renai's suggestions had even cleaned up some. Gone to a local clothier to pick up a new garment since his last was tattered and in disarray.
The man would come sliding into the lobby followed by Meruin calling out for those that are next and in response, Eremi arose to his feet and followed after Renai. Once inside the office, he didn't say much or anything at all. Simply gauging the Mizukage's reaction once inside the office and how he would view the man that accompanied Renai. The first impression would dictate the rest of this meeting.
Meruin looks up from where he sits at his desk as Renai enters his office, inclining his head to her as she offers her salute and bow of greeting. "Good afternoon, Renai no Kirigakure." His gaze swiveled to the other who'd entered behind the girl in lingering silence, expression unchanging at the sight of him.
"Satonezu Eremi."
Meruin gestures to the chairs before his desk. "What may I do for you today?"
Renai pauses when the Mizukage says Eremi's name. She hadn't introduced him. And.. Satonezu? Is that his family name? She looks to Eremi and lifts an eyebrow. Obviously, the name rings no bells inside the young kunoichi's head. Who /is/ he?
At the gesture to sit, Renai moves, pulling the strap of her large scroll off over her head and resting the object against the back of the chair. She would sit stiffly, her hands curling into loose fists upon her thighs to keep herself from fidgeting.
The girl clears her throat and steadies her voice, "I would like to request clearance for my roommate here, Eremi, to accompany me on some of the lower rank missions. He.." With that, Renai pauses again and looks toward Eremi. "..is not a shinobi, but I find him capable in light combat." Her eyes would move away from the Satonezu then, oblivious. She looks to Meruin, waiting for questions and things.
Hearing his name, his full name, it wasn't something Eremi had expected. The surname wasn't even something he had shared with Renai, whom was obviously surprised to hear such. There would be questions to answer later. Questions he'd rather avoid. Thoughts for a later time as his focus remained on the Mizukage. With the seats offered, the man took in a deep and slow breath before shifting his feet and moving toward the chair.
Once seated, Eremi still didn't offer a word. Leaving what needed to be said to Renai. Even if what she was saying wasn't true, at least not to the girls knowledge.
"I see…"
Meruin studies Renai for a few moments, comfortable both in the blatant act and the silence that he did it in. When they passed, he spoke, voice effortlessly rolling throughout the room. "A request for the accompaniment of a civilian on military operations is a fairly uncommon one. One might wonder why a shinobi would wish to make one."
His attention then shifted towards the still silent man, direct. "One might also wonder why said civilian would wish to go. Among a great many other questions." The Mizukage's misted eyes held Eremi in somber regard, gaze slowly shifting…
"Why are you here?"
Meruin is so unnerving. Renai blinks once at his statement. She looks as though she is about to give him a reason and then he asks a question of Eremi. Well, that is something she doesn't know actually. She never asked. There are a lot of things she probably should have asked.
Renai inhales deeply as a weight of dread settles itself into her stomach. She really should have asked more questions. She doesn't look to the Satonezu for a response, but rather keeps her focus on the Mizukage, awaiting further questionings. Maybe, he at least.. won't outright kill her. But then again, the Touketsu /did/ just allow him to move in. Renai's eyes narrow slightly as she internally debates figuring out who set her up to get in trouble. Herself, of course, but.. conspiracies!
Eremi managed to do little more than listen intently as Meruin spoke, not wanting to miss anything that pertained to him. Well, the purpose of this meeting was about 'him', but Eremi was more concerned with whether or not Meruin was going to bring up the real him. The man behind the vagabond/drunkard.
Shifting some in his seat, he'd lean forward while trying to relax some, "Happenstance." That was the question directed at him, correct? The rest seemed more thoughts than questions and it wasnt' something he was going to answer without specifically being asked.
Meruin nods.
He looks back to Renai, saying, "Your request for your 'roommate's' accompaniment on your missions has been denied. You are welcome to repeat the request at a later date if such is your desire. I would not bother to waste either of our time, however, until there is enough information forthcoming to justify such an allowance. Barring further matters, you two are dismissed."
Renai's cheeks would flush and she would nod once, feeling rather embarrassed for own lack of preparation. "My apologies, Mizukage-sama." The green-haired girl rises and moves stiffly, grabbing her large scroll and pulling it quickly onto her back. The strap seems to get stuck on and wrapped over her face for a moment and Renai struggles awkwardly. She pushes it down with a huff, her face fully flustered now. She moves to the door and then stops abruptly reaching into her pocket.
Turning, she walks back to Meruin's desk and places a scroll on the edge of it, standing it on the flat end. "I was dismissed from the Touketsu clan. Here's the report." THEN, she would actually remember to say goodbye correctly, bowing and saluting in a respectful manner. Eremi would get a baleful glare from her. All his fault! HIS! Satonezu, indeed!
Well, that went better than Eremi imagined, at least up until now. Despite being dismissed and Renai already accepting the Mizukages word, (was that the Kiri mentality? Complete and utter obedience to the higher ups regardless of how one felt? It was because of that same mindset that he left Konoha in the first place) Eremi still remained seated.
Perhaps he would get thrown out much the same as the individual just moments ago. "The reason I came here to seek your audience was out of respect for your position and nothing more. However, my life is my own and no one can tell me how to live it. So while you may verbally deny me the right to do such, you can not physically stop me."
His gaze would shift toward Renai, catching sight of the glare she was giving him, but he cared not. He had made a vow and was going to keep it. Slowly the man stood up, assuming Meruin hadn't already tried to throw him through a wall, "Your shinobi saved my life and I will not be leaving her side until that debt is repaid. Approval is not required."
At Eremi's words, Renai stops again, her demeanor seeming to calm and relax somewhat. He did say he would sneak out after her regardless or something to that effect. She blinks and then looks to Meruin, awaiting death and carnage.. and creepy bugs. He will either refuse to let her go on missions, be sort of accepting of that, or.. The kunoichi blinks rapidly a few times and intakes a sudden sharp breath. He better not!
Whatever 'relaxation' had found itself throughout her shoulders suddenly disappears as she tenses up. Her head starts quickly glazing through escape strategies. The door is right behind her. Easy enough. Her eyes scan for windows. Why did this room suddenly seem to get so small? And why does Meruin not keep a box of dirt in here for her, specifically?
And then, Meruin responds. Renai's insides turn upside down and abruptly expire. "Lies?" She sort of squeaks that word in a weak manner. She very much so wants to back on up and out that door, but she stays still and sticks her hands in her pockets.
Watching Meruin rise, Eremi knew he had already crossed a line. Whether it was unintentional or not didn't matter, it was unavoidable. They both had already made up their minds and despite their obvious physical difference, they were both as stubborn as the other, but who would budge first? Meruin apparently had an image to uphold, something he had most likely been working on since first realizing his passion for bloodlust. Eremi on the other hand had suffered a lot through his years as a shinobi, always bending and breaking for others only to get nothing in return, it wasn't something he was going to be doing again anytime soon. Not without proper justification anyways.
"The only thing I will apologize for…" Eremi tilted his head slightly, keeping his focus purely on the Mizukage and just when the man might strike, if at all. "Is wasting your time. It is clearly quite valuable and I am not worth your presence. Especially if you believe me to be a liar." His head would slowly, yet slightly bow, "Excuse me."
Meruin watches Eremi in that long familiar silence, red hues beginning to seep into the mists of his gaze as though blood droplets were spattering into them. The intensity in him was potent and focused, a nearly tangible sensation on the skin. At Eremi's bow of the head and excusal, the Mizukage's eyes turn into seething masses of crimson.
He moved, his long platinum hair abruptly sliding over his shoulders to flare out behind him, cracking like a many tailed whip.
"I have changed my mind," he said abruptly, hands leaving the desk as he straightens his back. "I will grant Renai's request to allow your attendance on some of her missions." He arches a brow, "On the condition… that you pass my combat assessment to determine if you are even worth the resources to send along. Meet my steep standards and you will be allowed to travel with her. Fail and I inform those you hide from of your whereabouts.
"I am sure they would be pleased with the opportunity to get reacquainted with you."
Renai is completely and utterly confused about things. Why is everyone so angry? And.. well, she always knew Meruin was scary, but.. oh geez. Her face goes white as the blood drains out of her head when he moves and his hair.. whips.
And Eremi is challenged. "Um.." Renai moves a hand to her lips, seeming to get nervous. "Well, maybe it's not that big of an issue.. He's not a shinobi after all.. like he said." She looks between the pair. The air is palpable in here. "Who..?" Renai emits a faint sigh and just stops trying to understand. The girl backs up a step, rather not wanting to be in the way of things.
The movements of the Mizukage and the cracking of his hair, they were all indicators of actions taken before he strikes. Then again, as Eremi recalled from the lasting impressions Meruin had left on him the last time they had a confrontation, years ago…There was no warning or signs. One moment you were alone and the next you were avoiding being pierced through heart and tacked to a tree.
Eremi lifted his head to focus on the Mizukage once again, somewhat taken aback with his, change of heart. "Seems like a fair enough proposal…" His gaze turning toward Renai for a few moments, knowing that with each exchange between himself and Meruin, she would have more questions…"Though I would have assumed failure means death, not reporting me to those I've managed to elude thus far." Glancing back to the Mizukage with a halfhearted smile, "And what is my challenge and when do I start?"
"Indeed," spoke Meruin with a telling jerk of a brow.
The Mizukage found his way back down into his seat, pen once more finding his hand. "It will be a simple spar between you and I, noone else in attendance, nothing more. You will receive a missive with a time and location, your assessment will be held and my decision made at the end of it. A straightforward affair."
He looked towards Renai, telling her only, "You and I will be meeting shortly as well. I would speak with you. But for now, I will have my office back." He inclines his head to the pair, saying only, "Depart and be well until next we meet." And with that, he simply begins writing on the page before him, this as clear a dismissal as the words he'd just given.
