The hardest part of the journey is starting it.

As Stark spoke of the last Kazekage Kenshin Uzumaki, Taichi was sure he was hearing things. Suna prior to the attack was a work in progress, sure. But it was a home and it was a place that Taichi was proud of. But when Stark told Taichi that Kenshin was still the one in charge and he and everyone else involved in the village had given up since then. Taichi's heart began to break. To hear that such a powerful ninja could just give up on something as important as their own home village was a lot to take in at once. "The Ragdoll, someone who I thought as the most powerful ninja, the last Kazekage. He gave up on his village." Taichi could still not believe what he was hearing. He had figured that the Ragdoll would have died before allowing his village to succumb to this lawless society within the sandy walls of the greatest ninja village that had ever been constructed. 

Stark continued to say that the boss, who turned out to be Kenshin, would lay out ground rules to be more resembling a Black Market, rather than a lawful village. Taichi thought quickly about the possibilities of bringing the village back. While he hated the village system and the corruption and destruction that it wrought, he thought that if anyone could change the world, it would have been Kenshin, who in Taichi's mind, could still be the Kazekage again. Was there a chance of him coming back and bringing Suna back to it's former glory? This was something he didn't know. But it was something that he was willing to ask.

"Maybe we can change his mind. Maybe he can still be the Kazekage that he was before. The lawless ones here stand no chance against him. He could bring this place back! I know that he is powerful enough. Giving up is not a permanent state. If anyone could save this village and turn it into the most powerful village in the world, it's him!"

Taichi was excited at the idea of speaking to the Kazekage and trying to change his mind. Wanting all of the missing ninja who lived in the village to band together and turning Suna from a lawless wasteland, full of crime and bastards. To not only a respectable village, but one that the entire ninja world would fear with Kenshin at the helm and the rest of the missing ninja at his side. He knew that they could do it, they could do it with little trouble. But without Kenshin, it would be useless. Taichi looked to Stark and waited for his response. Hoping he would lead Taichi to the Kazekage so maybe they could talk to him.

WC:458

Taichi had obviously struck a chord with Stark with his hopeful attitude towards bringing the village back to its former glory. He never thought that the Kazekage was to blame for the attacks, he knew that the village system was corrupt and ruined almost everything that it built with the powers of greed and the lust for power and expansion of the leader’s own ideologies. While he understood the anger that the Kazekage felt, he could understand this due to the thorough story that Stark had told him. The emotion that he felt was radiating off of his body, even when he seemed to attempt the drowning out of the feelings with whatever he had in his flask.

Taichi was sad for both of them, he felt horrible that the emotions that Stark was going through, even this long after the events, was enough for him to drown out his feelings with that flask. But when Taichi heard Stark say that Kenshin never truly cared about the village, he had a hard time hearing that. He, at first, couldn’t bring himself to believe it. He wanted to believe that the Kazekage actually cared, and a huge portion of him believed that he did. If he didn’t care about the village, why would he spend his own money? Taichi believed that Stark and Kenshin both cared about the village. For if they didn’t. Why would Stark be this upset and speak on Kenshin’s behalf on being the same?

Taichi listened to every word that Stark had spoke. He was trying to understand just what the man in front of him was feeling. He could hear the hurt in his voice, whether he tried to hide it with drink or not, he was sure that there was a lot of care for this village. No matter how he came to attain the seat of Kazekage, Taichi believed that Kenshin truly cared for this village, at least to some point. It may not have been a home to him, but he still cared for it and quite deeply if his tone and constant drinking had any voice at all. But Taichi quickly realized that there was little hope in talking either one of them into taking a leading role in the village as the Kage. From what it seemed, they had already written off the village as it was, and were only interested in allowing it to continue to be run by the people themselves, except for whatever ground rules they would lay down for the lawless ones that lived within Sunagakure.

As Stark spoke to Taichi, he could hear the condescending tone oozing out of his mouth. Taichi was sure that he sounded like a mere child to Stark. But in Taichi’s opinion, Stark sounded like a beaten, battered, and disgruntled old veteran who could not find himself being happy about anything, save for whatever he may have had in that flask of his. Taichi didn’t get offended by the words that Stark was shooting at Taichi, with his tone being filled with condescension. Quite the opposite. He felt terrible for both him and Kenshin. Kenshin tried to fix this village, that much is true. Whether or not the whole reasoning was sinister, like wanting to use Suna as a base to rule the world or whatever criminal aspirations he may have had in mind. He still fixed the village up and attempted to create it into something respectable. This stuck in Taichi’s head, maybe it was his naive and optimistic mindset, but he felt that that had a lot of weight in Kenshin’s and maybe even Stark’s mind.

When Stark had finished his long explanation of what went on and why Suna was the way it was, and even their plans for the future and the feelings both he and Kenshin had felt toward the whole situation. Then Stark capped it all off with a question. Taichi repeated the question in his mind. “Why should we control them? Why not just let them do what they want and be happy?” Taichi was silent for a few moments, thinking about the question posed to him. He thought about just what a village meant and what, in his mind, they were supposed to represent. He also thought about what the village was and what it may become under the rule under Kenshin and Stark. Taichi felt no fear, nor frustration or anger. He was happy to have been told about all of the things that had happened to Suna before he left and didn’t even know about, and to have been told about all of the things that had happened shortly after Taichi had left the village when the invasion had taken place. Taichi thought for another moment and then spoke.

“Because this village was a village that could break the system. Kenshin could turn into a model village as you said yourself. But he won’t because you said he doesn’t care well I have a hard time believing that. He spent his own money, right? Why would he do that if he didn’t care about it? Even if he had sinister plans for the village going forward after he fixed it up and was stopped by the invasion, having the fallout of the invasion made him give up and throw in the towel. He still had the care to fix the village, he didn’t need to, but he did. I believe that you and Kenshin both did care and still care about this village. If you didn’t, then why would the situation make you feel so intensely? If you both truly didn’t give a damn about this village, you wouldn’t have given a shit about the fallout. I think that, even if it was deep down inside, you still give a shit about this place.”

Taichi had been fighting the urge for the anger towards the other villages. But the anger was pecking at his integrity, which had been wavering on the last handful of missions that he had been going on. He could feel the anger slide into his mind and he was beginning to lose the ability to push it away and get it out of his mind. He truly did believe the things that he had said said to Stark, but he felt the intentions of his word begin to shift. The optimistic view still being there, seeing the village join the system and becoming a model village by the system’s standards. But the rage he had inside, but had been suppressing since the night of the invasion was beginning to invade his own mind.

His vision of the village began to change, the view of the village becoming a part of the system snapped. Then a new view of the village filled his mind. He knew he was angry at the villages, which he usually had control over his anger. But as he continued to speak, he was beginning to lose the control over his own emotions the village system had instilled in him when Konoha and Kiri ruined his life and his chance of having a happy future. His tone went from hopeful and happy, but after a few moments pause during his response to Stark. His tone became more sinister and angry. Filled with more malice, rather than hope. He still did want a prosperous future for Sunagakure, but he was unsure just how that was going to come. He had thought for the longest time that it would be the usual for any village, having trade routes and treaties or allies. But Taichi was quickly realizing that that was no longer a possible scenario. The village system always produced the same greedy and malicious actions between the villages, and Taichi wanted that to be gone.

"As for why should we leave the people to their own devices, I believe that would only get in the way. I hate the village system, maybe not as much as you. But due to the damn system and the bastards that invaded this village killed the family that I almost had, the night of my wedding, her home was destroyed. Her house caught fire and the ceiling came down, crushing every one that I had left to love. I heard the screaming of my soon to be wife, just before her death. I couldn’t do anything about it then. I was even younger and much weaker than I am now. I get hating the village system. The damn greed and lust for power that it is known for. But this village was the place that could have broken their system. You and Kenshin were the ones that could have and really still could, break their system and begin a new one. One where the people had a voice, one where all people had the power that citizens of such a powerful force should.

With Sunagakure the way that it is today, what is it? A play pen with walls, filled with degenerates and criminals that the rest of the people in the ninja world laugh at? That is true bullshit! You’re right no one is forced to stay. But some of us don’t want to leave, they want to see this place succeed again. I want to see Kenshin lead this village again and destroy the rest of the villages. That’s why I stay, because I am just waiting for him to come up with a plan to do it. I wait and I train so I can be a part of it. I don’t care about him being a criminal, honestly it would help in the mission to break this fucked up system. But the way that Sunagakure is today. With all of the criminals and bandits that fill this place. I don’t think any plan will go very far.

So to answer your question as to why should we try and control them. My short answer is, they’ll get in the way. We need to fill this village with power ninjas, train even more of them. Then when we have enough powerful ninja, whatever pathetic invasion any of the villages can throw our way, we can handle it. Then when we take out their invading forces, we can go and slit the throat of their home village. Make them feel the anger and frustration that we all had to deal with when they came and destroyed our village. Take their money and bring it back here. Grow our village, train more ninjas, and repeat. I don’t want this place to be a model village according to the system. I want this village to be a hub for the most powerful ninja/criminals and be stronger than any other village. I want this village to be a symbol to all those who believe in the village system.

We can bring the ashes from the village, and the blood from their kages and spread it on our walls. That way, anyone who feels that they could invade our village again, will know that it means certain death. That’s what I truly want for this village, to destroy the village system and those who dwell within these walls, to kill all those who defend it.”

Taichi, feeling slightly tired from speaking so much. Looked to Stark for his response. Taichi had never really allowed himself to feel the hatred he had been fostering since the invasion of Suna by Konoha and Kiri. The night he had lost his love and his would be family. He felt the rage pulsing through his entire body. The sweat beginning to build from his body heat due to the anger he was feeling. While Taichi had been fighting the label criminal, due to him still having his morals. The anger he had toward the other villages had been eating away at his integrity for months and he was beginning to slip in his principals. While he didn’t feel like a true criminal yet, the label did not seem so bad anymore.

WC:2007

Taichi had finished speaking and Stark let out the response that Taichi was expecting. A light chuckle and a smirk to shine on him, but the voice that he had used to speak again was quite different. The voice he had before was quite guttural and rough, making listening to him more of a chore than a second nature. But the voice he was using now was far smoother and much easier to understand. Taichi did let his anger consume him, Stark was correct to tell him that that was a bad idea. To be honest even he had no clue why he let it control him. "Is this the power of this man? Was he this talented at evoking ones anger and resentment that he could channel it with his mere presence and words?" he thought to himself quickly, while still listening to Stark continue to speak with his different voice.

As he explained the inability to create a village from the same mold the village system provided without creating a village exactly as they wanted, Taichi agreed. He knew that we would need to use a different mold to create the village he had envisioned, but he also knew that that was an easy feat when they had Kenshin Uzumaki, the final Kazekage leading the cause. Taichi continued to listen, as he knew there was an incomprehensible experience gap between the two.

Stark explained that he was in fact Kenshin Uzumaki himself, just transfigured to alter his appearance and to not allow those who may conceive him as an enemy to see his true form. While he was sure that Kenshin Uzuamki would never do this out of fear, Taichi assumed it was purely for convenience on his part to not have to go around constantly killing those who didn't like him, or hate him outright. While being slightly starstruck that he was meeting his former Kazekage in the flesh, he suppressed this emotion and continued to listen to Kenshin with his ultimate attention, completely undivided at this point.

Taichi was most pleased when he had found out that he was correct in that both Kenshin and his alter ego of sorts Stark, did in fact care for the village. He didn't care about the intent of the care, just the fact that he cared at all. For if he did, as Taichi stated earlier and as Kenshin confirmed, he would have packed up long ago and went for the next area that suited his liking. He explained that his plan somewhat coincided with what Taichi had just finished explaining and envisioning. But not entirely so. Taichi was still unsure as to what his plan was, but he was hopeful that soon he would find out. Being that this was his former Kazekage, he would be sure to listen for any possible opening that he would be able to fit into to boost his plans forward. He knew that to Kenshin, he was nothing but a toy or, if he became strong enough, a tool. But Taichi was okay with that. If it meant joining Kenshin in destroying or even hurting the village system, Taichi would jump in head first into any plan that was set in motion.

The plan that Kenshin had for Sunagakure seemed to be a softer plan. He honestly didn't see what was to be gained by just running a black market, as opposed to having all of the other villages under their boot. This thought continued to fill Taichi's mind,  creating the desire to question the plan so he could understand.

When Kenshin continued to speak on why he had let Suna go down its spiral, which was to show the people that they needed Kenshin far more than he needed them. This part didn't make much sense to him. If he was allowing them to have all the freedom that they wanted. What did they truly need him for if he wasn't actually leading anything? What are the people losing with Kenshin not actually leading anything? Taichi thought for a moment, curiosity overcoming his fury at the other villages. He then spoke.

"Why do the people need you? If you let them have all the freedom that they could ever ask for, what do they need you for? The plan you have to run a black market, I don't see what that does to the other villages. I may be ignorant. But if you are just running a black market, that doesn't seem to hurt the other villages at all. It just seems to keep the missing nin in the land of wind and out of their way. Sure the missing nin would be able to get stronger and have greater weapons. But I dont understand why that is better than having all the other villages underneath our boots and actually destroying the village system as a whole. It almost seems like you would be doing the villages a favor, keeping the most powerful missing nin in the black market as trainers and teachers. Training newer missing ninjas, also keeping them off if the streets and away from the other villages. All around making the villages safer and able to do the same. Train their own people to become stronger too. If there is something I've missed I want to know because I want to help whatever plan you have to hurt the villages, if that is your end goal in the first place, if not, then it seems like running a black market would be just for the gains of money and allowing the villages to grow their own forces."

Taichi was sure he sounded ignorant. But the pan truly seemed like a soft option that did the other villages a favor by keeping the most powerful of missing nin in Suna, training other missing nin that also would stay in the village and off of the roads going from village to village. Taichi was sure he would get a sharp answer, and he looked forward to it from the great Kazekage Kenshin.

WC:1012

Taichi had felt strongly about his opinions on the village system as a whole. As Kenshin explained his reasoning for why the people of Suna would ever need him, being that now they had absolute independence and freedom. Taichi listened intently and dissected each and every word that came out of his mouth, this was the Kazekage afterall. He knew that his plan would be well thought out and while not foolproof, it would most likely be pretty close. His answer was simple, yet profound. The people would need him to protect themselves, from themselves. Taichi had forgotten during his months on the road, that humanity had one overall goal that trumped all others, self preservation. Humans wanted nothing more than to keep living, and at the rate the people of new Suna were now, they were not long for this world by any means. They were killing themselves day in and day out, they were stealing from each other the most basic of necessities. The people were acting like total savages, being overrun with bandits and criminals, they needed someone to bring them to heel. Taichi knew that if anyone was strong enough to be able to do that, it would be Kenshin, the Kazekage. The promises that Kenshin brought with his new rule were truly something to behold. He had the promises of protection, money to earn, and even the promise of having the opportunity to become a stronger ninja if one so desired under his rule. Taichi certainly liked the sound of all of that, especially the money. The people had certainly been through some form of hell for the last months since the invasion, Taichi could agree that people would jump at the chance for some form of protection and even a way to better their own lives through hard work and prosperity. This was especially so if all it required was the following of some rules that would help protect the people anyway. As Kenshin spoke more about the plan that he had for the village, the more Taichi agreed. Taichi was sure that Kenshin could bring the people back into a civilized manner, especially if it meant that they all could benefit from their cooperation. While this was only the first thing Kenshin explained to him, Taichi was sure that he was going to learn a lot from this veteran shinobi, this he was certain of. 


Kenshin continued to speak on how he believed his plan would affect the villages as a whole. While Taichi would admit that he wasn't sure how his plan would hurt the villages, even as much to outright say so earlier in their conversation, he would certainly give the Kazekage the time of day when it came to him explaining his view. Kenshin had been around longer than Taichi had and he knew plenty about what he was saying, so who was Taichi to argue with him? When Taichi heard Kenshin speak about the affects his plan would have on the villages, Taichi could not believe just how short sighted he had ben. While sure it would be one thing to march onto the villages, it may work, but there was little to no guarantee that it would. It was a much smarter plan to instead provide the villages something to fear long term, and draw then out of their homes and into ours. The villages would quickly begin to worry about Suna when word got out that it was a haven for criminals and missin ninja, a place where they could all gather and constantly get stronger and continue to grow richer. They would worry about Suna once again, but this time, it would show to be a much stronger community than any village could ever be. The people of new Suna would be willing and, more importantly, able, to take on their forces and then some. So when their forces failed, then they could march onto the village when their best ninja had been dealt with. Taichi's mind raced with all of the possibilities that Suna could have when they applied Kenshin's plan. He was grateful to the Kazekage to actually explain his plan to someone as young and naive as himself. He knew that Kenshin had more important things to do, but he still took the time out to deal with someone as new as Taichi to this world of politics and warfare. The remaining of the neutral standing within Suna would indeed prove to be quite the benefit when it came to their foreign relations. They would just be ah hub for the powerful to gather, which the villages would most likely not concern themselves with too much, at first, but when they found out just how powerful the ones that gathered were in Sunagakure. That is when they would fear them the most, and rightfully so. That was in fact still Taichi's goal. He wanted to become strong enough that even the Kage would know him, respect him, and most importantly, fear him. He was sure that with Kenshin's help, he could get to that point. The plan that he had to draw the rats out of their nest was a brilliant one, there was little to no doubt about that. While he didn't see that at first, after learning the lessons from Kenshin, he knew it now. While he wasn't sure where he would be most helpful in this plan, he wanted to be helpful in any way that he could.


Taichi had obsessed over the destruction of the village system ever since they came in and invaded Suna and destroyed his home and family. Was it to a fault? Probably. He always had a slight temper, always ready to fight first and talk later. While he felt that this was the way of powerful people, he was realizing that those with true power, such as the Kazekage, Kenshin. Just walking up and fighting was not the answer, he explained as such when he began explaining his plan when it came to running his black market of a village. Taichi did learn that there were too many variables, they did not know how many ninjas were going to be in any village at the time of their attack. They would be walking directly into a battle, blindfolded. When he mentioned a village called Kirigakure, he was not entirely sure what he was talking about, he had only heard of them but knew nothing of their politics or their ideals, so he took Kenshin at his word with his comparison. When Kenshin mentioned the fact that the village system could not just be broken, like a physical object, but rather that it was an ideal that had been around for centuries, while it may have been flawed, it was not something one could easily break with brute force. It was something that was far more complex than that, it was something that needed to be changed by changing the culture. When the people of the villages see that the ninja in Suna were as powerful as they would become, they would begin to also be drawn in to the siren’s call. When the villages lost enough members of their ranks, they would be sure to try and destroy the soldier breeding ground that was Suna. 


After Kenshin had finished explaining his plans for the future of Suna, everything began to make much more sense. The reason as to why he allowed the people of Suna turn into ravaging monsters, why he wanted to run a black market instead of turning it into a full fledged village, all of it. Taichi was more than intrigued in the plans that had been put into place in Kenshin’s mind and he wanted to become a part of those plans. The training and getting stronger while making money, was particularly interesting to Taichi, for that had been his main goal since he got back to Suna. He wanted to make money and get much stronger than he already was. So when Kenshin stated, as he walked away, that he had some ways in which he could help Taichi become stronger. In regards to ethics, Taichi threw those away long ago. All he cared about was the goal, all he cared about was becoming more powerful, in every way, be superior to most, if not all. When Kenshin told Taichi that he could meet Kenshin at the hospital, he was sure that he was talking about transplants, otherwise why the hospital. He had heard a lot about ninjas using transplants from members of differing clans to gain the Kekkei Genkai from that clan, like that of the Senju clan! Taichi had spoken to many different missing nin and criminals in the organ trading ring, they had told stories of the ninja that transplants had created, and Taichi knew that that was what he wanted without a shadow of a doubt. Taichi spoke as Kenshin walked away, “Thank you, Kazekage sir. I appreciate your time. I will most certainly meet you at the hospital. If getting stronger means that I can be of more use to your plan, you can sign me up!” Taichi watched as the Kazekage walked away. 


EXIT
WC: 1540
TWC: 6707

+33 stats
+4000 to water element
+1250 to Mystical Palm Aura (completed)
+1457 towards Mystical Palm Aura + (1457/2000)

Cut the WC req of the above items due to Kenshin already knowing all of the above

Someone is getting ready to use their fire masked beast.


Approved