Zoinks [Solo]

Kirigakure's library contains precious little that is actually relevant.

That is the way it is when history has been moving at such a fast clip, Murata has to conclude. The autobiography by Takeo Tadashi, which she has read cover to cover, has been the most useful in that regard. However, it is only a single source, and she cannot rely on it. The library has a serviceable collection of newspaper archives, but it all skews heavily local - ninja are so secretive and dangerous, what civilian writers or reporters would go digging around in their affairs? Particularly in foreign lands? Still, local clipping have been useful in some regards.

Tadasada dozes under the table, unbothered by the librarians - he is clearly a summons, and not liable to be kicked out. When he wakes, Murata knows that she will finally be finalizing her contract with him. The paucity of information on the state of the shinobi world at once infuriates her and galvanizes her resolve. If she is to be tossed into this world, it will not be without the guidance of knowledge.

June 100
The departure of Kirigakure's forces to Sunagakure.

The disappearance of Xyxer Gyojin had been, in a way, covered up. Shinobi are fickle, wandering creatures, and it took a little while for the absence of their leader to truly begin to turn heads. Rumors of his disappearance sprouted as Kirigakure's leadership ground to a halt, and truly blossomed as Aloide Terumi took the mantle of Mizukage, with no public explanation as to what had happened to the village's leader. It had been reason for quite a bit of uncertainty in the village, especially one so defined by power, to have an unknown take the lead with the location of the founder and charismatic idol of the village a mystery.

In time, it turned out that Terumi's greatest gift was economic management. It was only once he came to power that the true spoils of the war with Konohagakure became apparent, and the wealth and prosperity caused a shift in the village and acceptance of his leadership. That is the Kirigakure that Murata knows, having stepped into this place as it was just settling down. Still, she looks to the past. What had happened to the Leviathan?

The easy answer is that he had been lost in the attack... but there is no report from any of Kirigakure's forces that he had perished there. There is little to report from any of Kirigakure's forces that had been present there at all.

In the days prior, Murata has invited Wakame Hoshigaki for tea. She understood that the topic of their former leader may be sore for him, given his clan's history, but she knew that he would have little inclination to keep secrets to protect the man's reputation.

"Just over a year ago," he had said, with his gravelly voice, "Every shinobi in the village ranked Chuunin an' up received this letter. Best news I've ever gotten."

October 100
Our Mizukage has been gone for a month, with no word or clue about his whereabouts. Please meet at the conference room in his chambers to discuss how we should govern ourselves until his return. - Mitako.

The meeting had, apparently, taken place. Wakame had not attended. What had been discussed there is a mystery, but it had clearly not resulted in an immediate successor.

More interestingly, this is an internal note, disseminated among the shinobi of Kirigakure at that time - and it gave a time. The last time that he had been seen by the upper echelon of Kirigakure, a group with much more privileged information than that of the newspaper reports, which are barely able to report the comings and goings of the village's monstrous fleet.

August-September 100
The Kirigakure invasion forces returns home.

Xyxer Gyojin had retreated from Sunagakure with the rest of the invasion force... but he had never made it back. Something had happened on the way.

"Where did you go...?" Murata hums to herself aloud, looking over the note Wakame had given to her again and again. Was it assassination? Or did he abandon his people, as so many fear?

If there is something that Murata has discovered about herself, she loves a mystery. Hondou Yono. Wan Senju. Xyxer Gyojin. People never truly disappear into thin air, but shinobi seem to try very hard. She had caught the scent, however, and these secrets will not escape her. She realizes that a contract with the wolves of her homeland suits her quite nicely.

Assassination is a tempting idea. Why would this man so readily abandon all that he had built? Still, as Murata had noted, shinobi are fickle creatures. Nobody had taken the credit for ending the man... which does not mean much. If it had been an assassination, there had been no witnesses, and no fight.

January 101
Aloide Terumi appoints himself Mizukage, in the absence of any coherent power structure in the village.

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792

792 words going towards Vanish (792/3750 at max stat discount)

Approved