The Everlasting Cycle (Hoshi Destruction Topic)

"You're still young and shortsighted," Tanji sighed feeling a familiar fire rising in his gut. "It may not be your sword that strikes the final blow, but people will certainly die as a result of your actions. Sure, the village may well continue to thrive for a while at least until the carrion birds of society descend upon it."

The fire rose from his gut and into his throat as he continued to speak.

"Being who you are maybe you can't understand, but I've seen what life was like for people before the arrival of shinobi. Raids in the night, children taken from their parents for godforsaken rituals, and volatile power struggles," the older man grimaced as he recalled his upbringing. "You condemn this village and those who remain to the same fate again like a coward reticent to do his own dirty work. And yet, you seem perfectly fine doing the dirty work of another, how strange."

Yesssss, kill him now, a soft velvety voice whispered in Tanji's head. He deservesss it. Do it, do it, DO IT.

"Tell us, oh Lord of Light and King of Cowards," venom seeped into Tanji's voice. "Who have you betrayed us for? Who is this new, better leader?"

You're really no fun at all, the voice said before fading into nothingness.

Civilian and shinobi alike now turned their attention to the white-haired boy, waiting for an answer. If they were not to follow him, then who would they be following?

---
TWC: 986

Miyamoto entered the scene as soon as he had heard.  His time away from the village center had taught him something...never trust anyone.  Valen left him, his old team left him, his mentor...dead...and his family was already packing up and getting ready to leave...everyone gathered where the once proud Kage now was.

"So this is what it has come to...to stay here with the people that hate us or risk my life elsewhere for my family..."  He started as there was already talking before he even broke through the crowd to look at the face of his former mentor.

"You left us...but the village here...holds no place for me or my family...we will pack up and go with you...but I wish to have words with you Valen...for old times sake."  The young chuunin said.  He had matured in his time at the wildlife preserve in solitude, but his inner voices and his estranged mind fed darkness inside of him that he wanted to feed.  He knew of the death of Kotetsu...he knew what happened that day, but he still was not strong enough to face the man that stood before him.

At least...not yet

EXIT, leaving with Valen's group

(Sorry not gonna take the WC...had to shit post from mobile please pm me if I need to do anything else.)

Valen listened, he didn’t give any rebuttal, he didn’t cut in rudely as the man spoke, referring to him as shortsighted, a coward. His past actions again seen in the light that he never wanted, or intended for them to be seen in. He would wait, until the man venomously spat his final question at Valen, again, referring him as the ‘King of Cowards’. The title would strike a cord with Valen, it was the same thing Komori Hozuki, the teen who had come to a meeting on behalf of his village, and had the gall to refer to himself as ‘Kage’ when he held no right to the title. ‘But then again, did I ever have the right to the title?’ He’d think to himself as he took a deep breath and looked back toward the man standing not but fifteen meters away. “I deserved some of what you say. However, I will not stand by and let you call me a coward, Tanji.” He would say, knowing the man’s name from his time as the commander of the shinobi forces. “Before I left this village, I would’ve given anything for it, or anyone of it’s people. My power, my life, even the life of the shinobi under my command if necessary. To defend them as I felt best to do. I made the wrong decisions. I’ll stand by that, I’ll even go so far as to say I shouldn’t have been kage.” He would say, a frank shrug going with his last sentence.

“I mean look at how swiftly it all occurred. I was announced as Deputy Kage, without any prior knowledge that I was even being considered for it. I wasn’t asked, I will simply given the job, and so I did it to the best of my ability. I like to think I did that job well too. However, shortly after I became the second in command, before I could truly get any real training in the position, I was thrust into the lead role. Kyousuke committed suicide, releasing a bijuu of all things within the confines of the village. I fought it, and lost, and had to try to pick up the pieces, which I failed to do adequately. I won’t lie to you, I wasn’t the right man for the job. I’m young, and short sighted, like you said. The leader of Sunagakure is young, but he isn’t short sighted, far from it. He educated me in my mistakes, told me exactly what I had done wrong. He came into the village that was under hostile control, and took it back. With only a token force available to him. The civilians there find him vastly preferable to their previous leaders from Kumogakure. His name by the way, is Kenshin Uzumaki, and I didn’t leave this village to join him. I didn’t even realize that he had taken Sunagakure until earlier today.” He would say, further admitting to his mistakes, and working to try to reason with the man. He wasn’t trying to make excuses for his actions, but merely open the eyes of those around to the opposite point of view, his, point of view. Which not many as asked for thus far, if any at all.

“The people here however, don’t want our protection Tanji. Are we supposed to stick around, raise our fist in defiance and stand stalwart against those that would harm them? Are we to coddle them, while they hate us? If they want protection from raiders, bandits, kidnappers, and ritualists, then most are perfectly capable of picking up a blade and getting their hands dirty. Every shinobi has to make a choice at some point in their life to become more. Every shinobi has to take that step, find the training necessary, and climb the mountain before them to become something more. What makes the civilians who don’t even want us to protect them unable to make that same decision if those who wish to leave do so? I’m not here to condemn those who wish to stay, by all means do so if you’re so inclined. Protect them, but don’t stop your fellows from doing so. You don’t need to be associated with a major village to protect them. You just need the strength and the will to do so. Or, you could come with me, with us, to Sunagakure. Join Kenshin Uzumaki’s forces, take the battle to your enemies before they come to you. I won’t stop your choice Tanji, I don’t wish to spill blood today, with the exception of those that have cruelly tortured and potentially murdered the woman I love. I simply wish to give a choice to those who might not have realized they had one.” He would say, finally ending his speech and raising an inquisitive eyebrow at Tanji.

WC: 807
TWC: 3412

Sorting through a stack up papers and grumbling, Kaibo didn't immediately pick up on the urgent, hushed talk between the man that had entered the admin building and the closest on duty agent to the door.  Chores like this were always booring, and best to just tuck into and churn away at.  But as they both moved to talk to others, and the chat became louder, it became impossible to ignore something was going on.  Kaibo moved to stand up just as a higher ranking ninja entered the room, clearing his throat in a way that immediately stopped all the staff and turned all eyes on the new figure.

"You seem to have heard the rumors.  The ex-Kage is indeed at the gates, attempting to recruit traitors and threatening the royal staff.  No fighting has broken out yet, but this is no drill.  Genin - report out front to receive an area to evacuate in case things go south.  Chuunin and higher, to the palace."

-----------------------------------------------------------

The tall, burly genin couldn't put a reason to why his body was mixing along with the chuunin, heading toward the palace, instead of with the genin they passed leading villagers away from the danger.  He had made it abundantly clear that ninja work was a chore, not a calling.  He had his fair share of hardships at the hand of the zealots.   But some honest string at the base of his heart tugged him forward.  He remembered the friendly faces of the older patrons that always stopped by his stand for an early dinner, the fairness and kindness the instructors had treated him with despite his reluctance.  He wasn't born here, but it was now his home.

When he and the few other shinobi reached the side of the royal guard area closest to the gate, the ninja in charge took a good hard look at the group, his eyes stopping and resting on Kaibo.  While some others would mistake his age and build for a chuunin or higher, this man definitely knew the genin for what he was.  But Kaibo returned the look and held the eye contact, his square jaw set in determination.   After a quick second the ninja moved his gaze along, apparently coming to the conclusion that if Kaibo was set on it and felt that strongly, he was old enough to take the responsibility.  The squad was ordered into defensive to their positions, set to wait and look out for any approaching danger.

And to let the apprehension and second guessing of his decision sink in.

[if the ex Kage makes it to the royal area, Kaibo will be among a small group of chuunin in the outer area, and will settle into a boxing stance as people approach.  Kaibo wont post again unless/until action reaches there]

Tanji's hard exterior broke as pity flushed the venom from his body.

Coward, traitor, and hypocrite; Valen Akari was all these things and more, but under it all he just seemed confused and perhaps a bit distraught. The jounin, for his part, could relate to such feelings of confusion, for he'd felt the same way when Nina left him all those years ago. Much like Valen now, he once labored under the delusion that the continual reassertion of his personal reality made it all the more valid in the world at large. Of course, he had long since disabused himself of such a fantasy, but he could not hold it against a boy who had surely seen more of hell than even the forty-year-old Tanji—the large man was equal measures harsh and fair in this regard.

Unlike Tanji, most of the civilians around him focused on the revelation of Kenshin Uzumaki as their 'new leader'. A few drifted away from the gates and to Valen's side as they surely recalled the man's strength, some retreated back into the village remembering the Uzumaki as a mind breaker, and a majority remained rooted to the ground as if uncertain how to react to such news. Indeed, it seemed that the reaction to the news was as mixed as Kenshin's legacy in Hoshigakure.

"Very well," the jounin's tone softened ever so slightly as he took long even strides in the white-haired boy's direction. "Valen Akari, you admit to making the wrong decisions before, so let me help you make the right one now."

At this point, having displayed no outward signs of aggression, the behemoth of a man would stand a meter away from the betrayer if he did not make any moves to stop his approach.

"You take your books, you take your followers, and you take your revenge," the man's once patronizing tone disappeared entirely. "However, you leave Hoshigakure's other institutions intact along with half the treasury. Like it or not, those who will choose to remain behind helped build this village into what it is today and will need some way to survive. So, what do you say..."

Tanji extended his hand.

"...shall we break the cycle?"

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TWC: 1354

The hard exterior in the man would break in the face of Valen’s words, whether in pity, or remorse, or sympathy, he wasn’t certain. He didn’t read people as well as Kenshin did, nor did he really see the need to. The man would begin to stride toward him, agreeing to the majority of his demands, with the exception of a couple of things that Valen could easily agree with. This was meant to be an option for others, not a downright destruction of property per say. Hoshigakure’s Major Village status wouldn’t survive such a thing, and Tanji knew it. He merely wanted an end to bloodshed, and a way to provide for those who needed it. Which was more than fair in the opinion of Valen. Some of the civilians would move back into the city at the revelation of Kenshin being the leader of Sunagakure, but some would move out to stand with the group as well. All in all, a sizeable crowd was gathered behind him. More than he expected perhaps. He wasn’t certain of the numbers. Tanji would hold a hand out to him, asking if they could the cycle. Something Valen was ready to agree to immediately, but there was one thing that he had to ask first.

“I would love to agree to those terms, but first, I doubt every shinobi in the village will share your views when it comes to the target of my revenge Tanji. What of them? What of those that would stand before me and keep me from that? I don’t want to kill them, I’ll even give them the option to stand down, tell them what they’ve done. There might be those however, who won’t stand down. I won’t let anyone stand before me and that church inquisitor, and I can find which one it is, and who may have helped him. However, if anyone stands before me and him, after I’ve told them what he’s done, after I give them every chance I can to stand aside, I won’t hesitate. Can you agree to those terms? I don’t want to shake your hand and find out later that you disagree with me on a point.” He would ask, his hand rising from it’s position at his side slightly before speaking. His other hand still idle on the hilt of his sword. It was simply a place for it to sit at this point, it was neither in a position to draw it, or even tensed to move to do so.

WC: 406
TWC: 3818

"I will deal with dissenters personally so long as the individuals in question are given a fair trial," if the boy did not withdraw his hand, Tanji would give him a firm handshake. "It will be better received by all involved if justice is carried out from within, not without."

Giving a half nod to the boy on the last word, the jounin broke the handshake. It seemed, in the absence of formal leadership, Tanji found himself speaking for an entire village. It felt wrong and made him more than a bit uneasy. And yet, who else was there? They certainly weren't here, standing beside him as he brokered the peace. Indeed, many of Hoshigakure's finest shinobi now stood behind the white-haired youth—traitors and weak-willed curs every one, they would not be forgotten.

"Now," the man turned back towards the gates. "Come along, boy, we have business to attend to."

This time the crowd parted.

---
TWC: 1508

Valen would nod at the man’s words and shake his hand firmly, his own armored hand meeting the hand of Tanji’s as they shook. Tanji would turn toward the village at that point and beckon him into the village, citing the business that needed tending to. Valen would nod and follow the man inside of the village. Moving in time with the man, after all, Valen knew the village quite well himself. “Any idea how long a trial might take? I wasn’t intending to stay very long, but I don’t want to overly rush it. I want the justice system satisfied, should they be found guilty. For that matter, should they be found guilty, I’ll want to take them with me if that’s possible.” He would say to the man as they walked, his eyes never dropping the golden hue. Due to the power of the Uzumaki Clan that flowed through his veins thanks to the efforts of Kenshin the eyes never even managed to drain his reserves at all. He could literally keep them on at all times and never feel a strain.

“I’ll collect the rest of that which we agreed upon after the trial, when I leave. I would also like to have the actual story of what’s happening spread around, so that the rumour mill doesn’t screw up the truth.” He would say, his mind racing as he tried to consider everything. He was probably missing something, which he never felt comfortable with. Only time would tell if things would turn southward now that he was actually within the village walls.


(Sorry for the shit post, sick as a damn dog but wanted to get it out, now I need Nyquil, and bed.)

"The truth is a delicate thing," Tanji agreed with a nod. "The trial will, on the other hand, take as long as it takes. If nothing else, the delay will give time to those departing with you to get their affairs in order properly."

A bit of the man's former venom slipped back into his voice when he spoke of the soon-to-be traitors and it took all his self-control to keep from spitting on the ground in disgust. He did, however, come to suppress it as the pair walked through the ever-parting curtains of humanity around them. A few people looked confused, some angry, and others decidedly apathetic to the whole ordeal. Tanji, for his part, had grown used to the gaze of those around him long ago but, casting a sidelong glance to the white-haired youth, he did wonder how his uneasy companion felt about the attention.

Unfortunately, further observation would have to wait, for the pair's first obstacle appeared in the form of a short blonde-haired boy who looked to be not even half Tanji's age. The katana on his back and the flak jacket on his chest spoke of a shinobi, but the rage on his face seemed out of place. The grizzled veteran of forty years had seen the same look on countless men and women before; the look of one whose convictions burned hot and then quickly faded into nothingness—nothing worth stopping for.

"Step aside, boy," Tanji boomed as he continued forward. "This isn't your fight."

While he kept a careful eye on the boy, the jounin did not slow his advance and, if not stopped, he and Valen would simply walk right by the fiery youth.

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TWC: 1790