Looking For One Kage, Finding Another (Ris, FB)

The day was just like any other for the snowy haired kunoichi, full of bustling people milling about their lives like normal, as if the shinobi of Kirigakure roaming about had become natural to them by now. She left her residence in the Hyuuga District clad in her usual ninja attire, the ombré purple of her dress contrasting with the baby blue sky above. Her high heeled ninja boots thundered as she made her way to the Hokage Chambers. Since her winning of the Fire vs. Water tournament she had yet to claim her reapings from the Mizukage and had decided today was the day she would visit him. She wasn’t sure how he would react to her request of becoming his student, but she had to give it a shot. He was the strongest man she knew, and the strength he wielded was invaluable, she would do anything to possess it, but she wouldn’t give away her humanity, it was the one trait she could not throw away. Lives meant everything to her, every person was worth saving. Tending Aburame and the Kiri shinobi were the only exceptions to her self given law, their lives were worth less than dirt, a waste to society. Their ends would be met by her own hands, Salzem deserved at least that.

A few minutes into her walking she arrived at the large building in the center of the village, the symbol of the Hokage carved into the top of the red wood. Her lilac tinted eyes hardened like stone as she pulled the doorknob open, she had to close off all weakness in her confrontation of Xyxer least he laugh at her resolve for power at sensing the emotions coursing through her veins. Hikari was greeted by a charming young woman, the secretary in charge of the Hokage’s appointments and agenda it seemed.

“Hello miss, how may I help you?” Her soft, sweet as honey voice called out to the young Hyuuga, a smile dancing across her visage. Hikari remained expressionless to the woman’s warm greeting, her voice monotone and pupilless eyes staring blankly ahead as she replied, “I am Hikari Hyuuga and I’m here to see the one in charge please.”

The secretary nodded her head, slightly taken aback at how Hikari was like a walking shell of a human, no trace of a soul within her, “Yes...I’ll go tell the Kage right away…” With that, she scurried off upstairs to inform the Mizukage of her presence, the mention of her name should make it pretty obvious as to why the kunoichi was there since he had obviously witnessed her defeating Angel Uchiha during their fight. Hikari waited patiently in the lobby for the Mizukage to approve her visit, her mind drifting towards her request: to become his student. How would she word it in a confident way that would convince him to take her under his wing? Would he mock her for trying to change herself, or would he bring up Salzem? He had commented about the lycan and her inability to save him seconds after it had happened, there was no reason for him to not bring it up again. Could she calmly handle the insults he would throw at Salzem, biting her tongue at his crude manner of speaking about the fallen?

(WC: 557)

Salzem was a troubling topic of thought for Risako. The two had their similarities, and the woman admired any comparisons that could be made between the two. Outcasts as they were, she couldn't help but think about the slight differences. Salzem's lonesome life was by his own design, pushed through a specific path for revenge against some male her memory failed to recall the name of. Her loneliness came from the orphanage, where no true parental figures guided her, leaving her to fend for herself among the others in the rebuilt Konoha. Eventually she found her family among the ranks of the genin, chuunin, eventually jounin. Mako was almost like a son, Maloren was her mate, Jason was a brother to her, Kasai an elder, and aside from their familial tie to her, they all had one thing in common. She had failed to keep them alive. Chief among her failures, in her eyes, was the fact that in Salzem's end, she had failed to make him feel at home in the village.

Interrupting her thoughts, her assistant came through the door to let her know of Hikari Hyuuga.

Standing from her chair, Risako followed her assistant to the lobby. From their, the Hokage motioned the Hyuuga to follow her back to the office, where she returned to her seat. If all was silent, then she would note a heavy tension on the air.

Breaking the ice, she simply spoke "Hello."

While the assistant was informing the Mizukage of her presence, Hikari allowed her gaze to wander across the small room, noting it was a rather dull, plain room with little decor or vibrant colors. Despite it being an office for the most important person in the village, she felt it could still be allowed some color to contrast the blank, empty walls.

Light footsteps and the clacking of heels brought the petite woman back to reality, her eyes darting swiftly to the door as it swung open to reveal the Mizukage, or so she thought it would be the blunette giant standing beside the assistant. However, the person on the other side of the door lacked in height and hair color of the person she had been expecting, inwardly surprising Hikari while her outwardly expression remained neutral. It seemed she had missed the Mizukage and instead chanced upon their Lady Hokage. At first she was tempted to leave, having no need to speak with their Hokage and desperately needing to catch Xyxer to inform him of her request, but then she thought of the benefits conversing with Risako might offer and chose to remain in the building.

“Hello, Lady Hokage.” Her monotone voice droned throughout the otherwise quiet room as she bowed to show her respect for their village leader. Then Hikari followed her motions, traveling behind the Hokage as they ascended the spiraling staircase to her office. Silence hung over their short journey, threatening to suffocate them as the tension grew heavier, although she wasn’t sure why either of them were tense. It was their first time meeting one another since after the war, but Hikari had not been close to the Hokage before the war so their meeting today should have held no significance. Similarly, Hikari did not believe that the Hokage knew of her close relationship to Salzem, thus his death could not have been why either.

When both of them were inside the office, Risako returned to her seat at the desk and Hikari walked over to the desk, unsure as to if she was to stand until told to do otherwise or if she was automatically supposed to sit in one of the chairs provided. If  Risako allowed her to sit, either by motioning or verbally giving permission, she would take a seat in one of the chairs across from the Hokage. If Risako did not allow her to sit, she would remain standing opposite the Hokage. Regardless of whether she was sitting or standing, she would begin, unless Risako beat her to the punch and spoke after, potentially, greeting her, “My deepest apologies for visiting unannounced and without being summoned, Lady Hokage.”

(WC: 1,007)

"Relax, take a seat." Risako's eyes shifted to her paper work after commanding her villager to sit and relax, a grueling task to be certain. If Hikari went on to apologize for interrupting, Risako would assure her that it was no problem, before asking what she required from the Hokage. Well, that was a short post.

The ebony haired leader took a seat once again at her desk, her dark orbs drifting to the copious amount of papers laid across the wooden table. The life of a kage was never slow, always full of tasks and duties to fulfill. Even now, she had many important matters at hand yet she was unknowingly taking on another arduous job. Requesting to live a village would not be a simple task, not for someone of her rank. She knew too much, and something would have to be done to keep their secrets safe.

Hikari nodded her head respectfully towards Risako’s permission, gracefully lowering herself onto the seat the Lady Hokage had offered, keeping her back straight and her fingertips slightly intertwined in her lap while her feet were planted to the ground. She went on to apologize for interrupting Risako during her busy morning. The woman before her quickly soothed her qualms, telling her that her intrusion was not a problem for her. Hikari wasn’t sure if that was just her being kind, or if she sincerely meant that she had not bothered her by her appearance, but she kept her thoughts contained as the Hokage moved on to ask why she was there and what she required of her. Getting right to the point was something she appreciated, it meant that Risako had less of a chance to ask how she was doing since the war. If she had asked, Hikari wasn’t sure what she would’ve said. It was easy to tell the truth to Kotsuzui, he knew of her close ties to Salzem and had witnessed first hand what his death had done to her. But Risako? She knew nothing of her besides the information the village records held, which was most likely only about her missions, clan, and rank-up’s for she had done nothing noteworthy as of late.

She chose her words carefully as she spoke, her voice full of resolve and her eyes shined with determination, “My reason for being here, Lady Hokage, is to request your permission to travel with the Kirigakure army to their village.” Hikari kept it short and sweet, allowing for Risako to bombarded her with questions she was sure would be awaiting her. No one would understand why she wanted to go to Kirigakure, especially after they had just conquered the village she laid her allegiance to, and getting her Hokage to understand was daunting, one wrong word or phrase and she would be denied the only way for her to gain immense power. The power she needed if she was to put Yensung Aburame in his place; six feet under the tainted soil where her brother took his last breath.

(WC: 1,458)