The Return (Arashi)

The day of Akihana's departure dawned surprisingly bright for the time and place. The ever present clouds of Kumogakure had parted slightly earlier, just enough to let in weak but definitely warm sunlight, making the First Lady's golden tresses glimmer in the morning light. She had already packed long ago, the last thing to enter her scrolls were the ryo her husband had been gracious enough to arrange. Once those too were safely stored away, there was nothing left to do but help the guards with their efforts to get a caravan together for travel.

She had assured Youka she didn't need the ceremony he was sending her off with, a compliment of guards, a top of the line carriage and more importantly, his faith in her and her mission. She only needed the last thing. As she approached the caravan parked near the village square, genin and chunin running around it to make sure everything was in top shape, the medic felt a pang of sadness inside her.

She was going to miss Kumogakure more than she could imagine.

And she was going to miss it because she was leaving everything valuable behind. This village, it's children, it's mountains, it's kage... Those were the real valuables of the village and she would be away from them for an unforeseen measure of time.

"Lady Akihana," a small child ran up to her, tears brimming in her chocolate brown eyes. "Mother says you're going away, that's not true is it! Please say it's not true!"

"I'm afraid it is Kumi-chan," Akihana replied, bending down to the little girl's height and pulling her into a quick hug. "But hey, I'll be back before you know it. You'll wait for me, won't you sweetheart?"

The girl nodded, wiping fiercely at her eyes. "I will, I promise! Forever and ever and ever!"

The kunoichi laughed, standing back up and taking the child's hand in hers. "I hope not quite that long, now let's go see how they've made Azura's crib in the caravan, she's too small to travel without it you know?" Together, the woman and child made their way to the tall wooden structure for a last look.

He hated the feeling, it was like something that touching him as he travels through the sky.  And more than once he could swear that there was another mass moving with him, but when he turned it vanished.  Finally, it was just too much, and as Arashi sailed into the right district, he finally dropped to the ground in an alleyway, solidifying himself and wrapping his cloak tighter around him.  

Kumo would have been changed since he was 8, but now... it just felt colder, more dangerous.  This wasn't his Kumo.  Not anymore.  His village was just.. gone.  Arashi had to calm his nerves and then center himself.  Unless they had a way to block it, if he focused, he might be able to find her chakra signature.  It wouldn't be exact; he really didn't have the practice, but it would be close enough.

To his luck, she seemed... completely unblocked?  Arashi brought his hood up to cover his head, only the glint of the kumo headband left, and moved through the streets, until he came to a sight he did not expect.

It was clearly a caravan, that much was certain, but it didn't look like some sort of invasion force.  In fact, it seemed downright... regal?  The boy melted into the group, looking around for Akihana.  He felt her, he knew she had to be there, and for a moment, he was considering that she was locked up in one of these wooden structures.  He sighted the biggest one there, and walked up to it.  Of course the monster would want a show of capturing one of the most powerful shinobi of old Kumo.  

He opened the door and to his surprise didn't see chains or prisoners, but instead... a crib?  A baby?!  Startled and confused, the young man closed the door, taking a step back.  He almost missed the familiar voice of his target, and a little girl with her.  Aki seemed completely healthy, and in good spirits.  There weren't any marks on her, nothing to indicate foul play.  Arashi was stunned... what was going on?  Why didn't she say anything for so long?  

He took a step back, shifting his eyes and glancing at the clouds, molding the chakra in them to send Snow a simple message to form in the clouds.  
Found her.


With the message send, Arashi molded his own chakra again, suppressing it from not only the ones around him, but from Aki as well.  He followed her towards the crib structure, and was only stopped once, a glint of his forehead and he was let go.  

Whispers of what was going on at the gate finally reached the area, and Arashi moved in next to Akihana, as if ordered to do so.  He thought about speaking, but instead of making himself known, he would like a proper bodyguard... just watching her.

The moment she took Kumi's hand, Akihana grew still, picking up a chakra that seemed entirely too familiar. But... it couldn't be, this was just because she was heading him, it was an impulse of anticipation, nothing more. Sure enough a moment later, the chakra signature was lost as Arashi landed and began to suppress his chakra. The kunoichi relaxed once more, leading the child away from the newly inspected caravan.

Guards and ninja and civilian were all milling about, all here to say goodbye or watch her leave, some here to convince her to stay. The kunochi smiled and talked to them all as the guards continued their work, inspecting the vehicle and the wares to be taken for the journey. "Kumi-chan, you'll play with Max-kun when I'm gone right?" the blonde asked the little girl who bobbed her head. Another guard came to stand quietly behind her, probably as a silent indication that it was time to leave.

Or it would have been if he wasn't completely suppressing his chakra.

Just then, a cry came from afar, apparently there were intruders at the gate. News of the attack was slowly making its way through the frightened crowd as the ninja began to herd civilians back to their homes. More guards moved to help with the effort but the one beside her stayed where he was.

Turning tot he hooded figure, the blonde spoke with quiet authority. "The inside of the village will be secured, I don't need protection right now, please go help the Raikage at the gates and see who the intruders are." He was the only guard left at this point and when he didn't leave, Akihana had to remind him his duty was to Kumo first and foremost, not the personal protection of its First Lady.

The words surprised him.  She was giving orders like... like she had power here. And it noticeably caught him off guard, at least for a moment.  Something was just not right about this.... not in the least.  He stood there motionless, as his own mother addressed him about duty.  At least all the other shinobi of the village had gone to the gates.  Arashi didn't know how long he could keep this up.

"Lord Raikage is already at the gates.  My place is here." he said, with authority, reaching up to his hood.  He hesitated for a moment, and then pulled the hood back, showing the older face behind the kumo headband.

"I know about the intruders, mom." he said, giving a small smile.

As soon as he spoke, Akihana knew it. The disbelief that flashed in her eyes however demanded further proof even if inside, a warm glow of chakra was spreading through the kunoichi. It was him. It was really her son.

As Arashi shook off his hood to reveal his face, the kunoichi let out a joyful sob and pulled the youngman  into the tightest hug she could imagine. Squeezing him good to make sure he was really here. "How... why..?" she attempted, her words coming out thick and disjointed from the emotion in her voice. "I missed you so much."

Finally letting him go the kunoichi wiped at her eyes, trying to compose herself. "How's your brother, how did you get in... " And then it hit her. "If you're here, who's at the gate?" An image of Den swam into view, Den bloodied in battle, Den locked in a fight with Youka, Den still and cold.

"Who's at the gates Arashi?" she repeated, now panic in her voice.

It was every bit like the movies, as soon as she recognized him, they were together again.  Mother and son.  He honestly didn't know how to respond to her questions, and more just felt the relief of finally knowing she was alright.  Better than alright.  

"Me too... I tried to stay... but I can't refuse a mission." he said, unsure of how to talk about Arata.

He didn't get a chance though, as it was clear she was putting two and two together.

"It's not Arata!  Don't worry.  This is an official mission.  Its Kyousuke Snow.  He's supposed to provide an extraction while we rescue you..." he said... finally glancing again at the caravan.

"You never responded in months... we thought... mom, what's going on?"

A mission... Half a dozen questions rose to the blonde's lips, only to be silenced by sheer instinct. Right now it was more important to listen and piece together the puzzle as quickly as possible. Before someone needlessly lost a life. A mission which meant this was official, it was sanctioned by Den. But why wold Den send shinobi to rescue her? Did he truly believe she was in danger?

"Oh no sweetheart, I didn't write because... that can wait. Kyousuke Snow, the jounin priest?" she asked, recalling the name perfectly. He had been among the first to swear fealty to Akihana and Den's cause in Hoshigakure, earning the wrath of multiple religious groups who saw shinob as evil. The medic remembered he had been training to be a Queensguard with Den who was helping him understand his unique bloodline.

"I'm not in any danger," Akihana spoke, her tone softening slightly with the admission. "Quite the opposite sweetheart, this is all..." gesturing towards the caravan. "The Raikage was sending me home. There was no need for this." Turning her golden gaze towards the gates she continued.

"We have to go right now, there's no telling what will happen if we're too late." With that, Akihana brought a finger to her mouth and bit down, drawing the blood necessary to call upon her slugs.

"Fondant, in," she requested and the slug disappeared up her sleeve, already knowing what it had to do. Makona too had awaken during all of this and was doing her part, a little bit of excitement in her jinchuriki's mundane existence.

"Let's go," she encouraged, taking Arashi's hand and racing towards the gates.

(Exit Akihana)

As his mother started explaining, and then stopped, the young man nodded.

"Yes, him, he was going to provide a distraction, we were under the assumption.. well..." he let that drift off while she continued.

"The Raikage?  THE monster that destroyed and defaced the village... the one who killed my family?" Arashi was finding that hard to believe.  How could such a face of evil as Youka, the self proclaimed Lord of Decay, be not only kind to Aki, but offer... wow that was a lot of gold.

"Mom, I don't under-"

Arashi nodded when she seemed alarmed, but for a different reason.  "I was hoping you'd say that... I was planning on rev-" he started, but was silence when she grabbed his hand and pulled him.  At least with her by him, he wouldn't necessarily get attacked.  But now that Mom was taken care of... Arashi had a score to settle.

Time to face the storm, 'Raikage'....


(EXIT)

Approved.