To a Toast!

It had been so long since Ban had been to the Kage office. The first time she stepped into the office was when Kizmaru was the Mizukage. Ban was asking for permission to leave with Murata on a mission. Back then, the Kage's presence was terrifying and terrific. It was truly something to respect. After Kiz was Murata as Mizukage, who was close to Ban. Really close. Murata had commanded respect and power with her office, something that inspired Ban. Unfortunately, those shinobi were all gone, either dead or had gone inactive. Now there was a new Mizukage, Shikami Shinkou, whom she hadn't met yet. However, according to rumors, he was quite the formidable kage. That was one of the reasons why Ban was going to see him today. The other reason was Murata. Ban didn't know where she went when taking an assignment on the mainland. Ban wanted to know where Murata was and if it was possible to join her.


As Ban approached the estate, something was off immediately. No guards, no secretary making notes. It was quiet. Since there was no security, Ban walked in without an issue and headed for the Kage office. Was everything okay? As she reached the office, Ban heard a young male voice. “To a toast, to their hopefully… new Mizukage…” Ban thought it was strange that Shikami would be toasting his own Kageship so late. He was new but not that new.

"Mizukage?" Ban open to the office door to find that the voice belonged to a white-haired boy with blue piercing eyes. He was tall but not taller than Ban. She didn't know who he was but she did know that HE was not Shikami. Ban was already in her Kirigakure Correction and Detention Armor with goggles. She drew the massive Maul off her back and pointed it at the boy. "Who the hell are you?!" She shouted, taking command of the room. The only thing keeping her from killing him right there was the fact that he had a Kirigakure headband. However, it could be a spy or a missing ninja that had taken the headband from a fallen shinobi. The boy would have to answer quickly or he would be dropped then and there.

WC: 376

Shiro had made mention about how the current Mizukage wasn’t doing enough for the village, and how we needed a leader who would be in the trenches with their village. It had gone on anytime they trained or interacted, minor mentions and pointed criticism of the current ruling body and now it seemed it had all come to fruition, Shiro told Rezyx about his plan to take over kageship and that he might need some back up. While Rezyx didn’t care who led the village all he cared about was training, though the more he thought about it with a connection as high as the Mizukage he could further his training with possible access to the more restricted scrolls in the vault or a position that simply allowed him more freedom.
 
Rezyx brushed those thoughts out of his head and continued on his way to the Mizukage’s office with his Tanto attached to his waist as usual and his white and black ruined robes, where the attempt would be taking place. The place was empty, not a single soul was where they needed to be, another sign of how lax the village had become lately. The way to the Mizukage’s office was one of ease and as Rezyx came up he could hear someone yelling, it sounded like surprise? Definitely alarm. This caused Rezyx to unsheathe his Tanto and slowly approach the wide open door way into the Kage’s where he could see the back of someone in Correction armor and pointing something at someone else deeper into the room. Once he was 2 meters from the doorway he would make sure he could be seen by those deeper into the office as he would speak up, “What’s going on in here?” He directed at the person holding now that he was closer seemed to be a massive warhammer with both hands. Rezyx would call out keeping his eye on the person in front of him wearing the armor of the correction and detention sector of Kirigakure. Anyone who grew up here would know that armor.

Rezyx's stats:

Lierin's Stats:

The sounds of footsteps echoed lightly as he ran in cadence. The first of his morning exercises were simple as one could make them. Running two kilometers around the village, three-hundred pushups, chucking various heavy things around the house. Anything to keep his body alert and in shape. Not much had been going on around the village in terms of activity or even seeing some of the other shinobi besides the gate guards and miscellaneous shinobi here and there which was a little weird to be honest. The village used to hustle and bustle quite a bit so seeing less of his coworkers was odd. As he continued on his thought line, he found himself stopping in front of the Mizukage's office. While his journey did not start here, it was ironic that it brought him here given his previous thoughts. Taking in a deep breath to center himself, he would wipe some of the sweat from his brow with his right hand. The slight clanking of the wolf guard that had been sitting on his left shoulder would be the only thing making noise besides his footsteps as he stepped foot into the estate looking around. Cerulean eyes looked around to see not only the absence of the secretary that he knew of being there faithfully, but much of anyone really. Tapping on the metal guard on his left arm he would sigh," What is going on here? There should be someone here... Now i need to look into this," with his mind made up, he walked onward. His travel would lead him through the twists and turns of the estate until he arrived to the hallway of the office.

What struck him odd at first was seeing someone, a shinobi presumably, outside of the office standing there. While he wasn't too far off to hear what they had said, he couldn't hear the conversation in the room. Walking closer until he had been 3 meters behind Rezyx unless the male had moved to go into the room. Even still, by just moving to the right slightly he would be able to stand by the side of the male as he spoke," So this is where people have been...So who's the chucklefuck with the maul and who are you?," the question pointed obviously at Shiro, but the elephant in the room regarding the maul would have been known to all.

It seemed he had already created quite a stir upon his sudden appointment to the mantle of Mizukage The hat laying close near the desk as Shiro stood tall, piercing blue eyes scanning the room, noticing the different memorabilia that had passed within these once great halls. The thought of this new kind of responsibility gave him a sudden spark, an urge to do what was right for what he believed the village would need. His hands laing lazily against his sides as he was in thought after cheering for his new appointment to Mizukage. However it seemed someone had found out that he was here, someone who he himself did not recognize as well.

“I could ask the same about you Miss, although if you wanna know who I am, Shiro Hyuga, the Mizukage of Kirigakure. Now then, would you put the hammer down- Oh Rezyx! Pleasure to see you here! And who is behind you?”

Shiro noted that there was a strong lad behind Rezyx that was also a Kirigakure Shinobi, who had asked who both he and the person holding a massive maul inside of her very hands. Shiro had placed his hand on his own handle of his Katana. However he knew that a fight wouldn’t be for the best, especially since having so many new people that he could meet was something amazing.

“However, I don’t think any of us should fight right now, there’s no point, we are all Kirigakure ninja? Why don’t we work something out at least? I already have a few plans if you’d all like to know?”

His stark white hair in a puffy sort of style, he was standing tall, blue eyes marking each of his fellow shinobi before turning to his side. Noting that at least there was something that he could know about this place, and what he should do in the meantime.

“I would like to know what you all would think? Fighting is only gonna get us nowhere, do you really want to waste your time fighting when we can actually get some work done?” He said, suddenly dashing over towards the Mizukage desk, taking a seat on the comfy chair before placing his hands on the table with a sudden amount of vigor for the once lackadaisical Kirigakure shinobi. The piercing blue eyes of the Hyuga clan member stared back at all of those that were inside of the room that was now his. His small smile never faltered or fading while looking on at his new court of individuals who he could trust.

“My only question for you is do you trust me?”

One final smirk towards the rest of them, hopeful of what they’d react with.

WC:454
TWC:973

The commotion Ban had caused seemed to bring the attention of two others. The Hozuki glanced back to see two tall Kiri shinobi men at the doorway. The tallest one, who Shiro calls Rezyx, seems to have a relationship with the boy, making him less likely to be an outsider in disguise. The other one seemed to be in the same confused position as Ban, however much snarker, calling Ban a "chucklefuck."

"Watch your tone with me, bastard," She growled back but maintain her position with the maul at Shiro still. Ban turned back to the "new kage" as he made his speech and introduced himself as Shiro Hyuga. The Hyuga clan was world-renowned as Ban had met many, but she had still never heard of Shiro. Ban ground her teeth together as he took his place in the chair that Murata and Kizmaru had sat in before. His demeanor could be seen as charming or charismatic but Ban just found him arrogant. e

"My name is Ban Hozki of the Hozuki Clan. I've served the past 4 Kages diligently. I have great pride in the work they have done for this nation." She placed her maul head down onto the floor with a sudden thud, causing the room to bounce. "All those Kage had something in common. They were protectors. They were strong. Their mere presence of them garnered respect. You do not have that. So to answer your question, no I do not trust you, Shiro." Ban took of her helmet and placed it on the end hilt of her maul, which was standing on its own. "However, I do recognize that we need leadership at this time. I live to serve the nation and will protect it at any cost, including from members of my own shinobi core who wish to do it harm. I will not allow you to make a fool of this nation by allowing an unqualified nobody to take over." Although it was harsh wording, it was the truth. A good leader needs to be recognizable and command respect.

Ban sighed, cooling her body. "I challenge you then. In one week, I challenge you to face me in the Kirigakure stadium. There, our fight will be public and allow the nation to see her new kage in action. Should you lose this challenge, you will revoke your Kageship to the next illegible contender." She then holds out her hand for him to shake as a sign of sportsmanship. "If you can prove your ability to be kage by beating me, you will have my complete and udder loyalty that I severed the previous Kage with." She needed to know if Shiro was worth following. She didn't know if she could follow an incompetent leader. A kage must know the best course of action.

WC: 475
TWC: 851

Bastard?

Well then. Many a things he has been called a bastard was definitely new. Lie Rin could have easily crushed the female's skull in with no issue and in fact he could have and it would be justifiable given his own moral code. However spilling the blood of a Kirigakure Shinobi and especially at this point in time would be pointless, but it would teach a valuable lesson. Stepping past the male that had been in the front (Rezyx) in a polite manner since they had did nothing wrong. Once he was fully in the room he would take note of its full dimensions. Seeing as the office was around 10 meters in radius, the female with the hammer would be in the middle of the room. Lie Rin would step into the room until he was a solid 3 meters in, placing him 2 meters behind Ban. All of this talk about being loyal to the previous four Kage but they failed to mention one of them had been a Warmonger, staining the name of the village. While Murata and Gonk slowly repaired that and Shikami doing fuck all to push that forward, he was curious to see what Shiro would do. A small chuckle would escape from the male as he kept his eyes on the female for any sort of movement," You are funny. You come in here waving that silly hammer around saying that this fellow here is unqualified, but many are unqualified to be Kage but prove it through their merits, not your self-fulfilled ideology. What does he have to prove to you by fighting you? What does he gain from fighting you when his work and merit for the village proves it alone? If you were so keen on protecting the village and making sure no one unqualified sat in that seat you would have stopped Shikami but what's that? You didn't."

He scoffed as he continued. "Sounds more like you are trying to pick a fight for your own reason, but if that is the case then i'll happily indulge you. You said yourself you want to protect the village even our shinobi who wish to do it harm? I see your actions as not only harmful but also arrogant. So why wait a week? Fight me. Here and now. I will protect my Kage's honor since you have none but your own vanity," there would be no jest or joke in his words. His posture changed to one that had shown how serious he was. The Cerulean eyes would lock onto the female, watching for the slightest twitch or movement that appeared hostile to him. Lie Rin was a man of few words and his actions spoke for him. He would issue his challenge and stick by it.

"So will you accept or cower in your boots since you have the audacity to challenge your Kage for your own ambition rather than the good of the village?"

AP spent: None
Nature Stacks: 2
TWC: 899

“Enough, both of you.”

He shot both of them a glare when his Byakugan surged to life for a moment, he knew that this was a gamble, a way of showing off that he had those eyes. The eyes of the Hyuga clan that everyone wanted to get their grubby little hands on. His eyes relaxed back into their piercing blue again as he stood up from his seat. Referring to the two shinobi with a slight shaking of his head.

“You think the people would care about their silly little kage going and proving himself through battle? I don’t care whether or not you served the previous kage, they are either dead or gone, no longer in the village. It’s time to move forwards.  There will be time, time for all of us to prove ourselves in battle. As much as I would like the people to watch as I show off… I’m afraid that the village has better things to worry about, mainly infrastructure and missions regarding that fact….”

His eyes turned from Ban over towards his other fellow shinobi, giving a small sigh before complimenting the man on him, at least trying to defend his name. Yet a cold stare followed the compliment soon afterwards.

“I will not have infighting amongst my own ranks! If you two wish to fight it out somewhere else then so be it. However, inside of here is no place for a fight, I commend your efforts my fellow shinobi. However for right now, please cool both of yourselves. However, Ban, if you do wish for a spar, I’d be happy to do so, for all of you, you are people who I can rely on now, especially after the events I’ve seen after my travels to the land of snow ....”

He still remembers Hoshigakure, those people were monsters on the field, people who could manipulate others and force others to move out of the way with those special eyes… It was ridiculous. That Terumi fellow, he was a force, something that had Shiro just shudder at the thought of them.

“Now, if you wish to continue talking about this so-called challenge, then perhaps I can take my friend's place here and fight you right here and now if you so wish… There’s no point in waiting, especially in a world like this.”  

WC:387
TWC:1360

Stat Page:

Trails of blood painted the floor red as Kyogetsu dragged the lifeless body of Gi Hoshigaki through the Mizukage's Estate. Soft tunes were whistled as the young Hozuki made his way to issue a report on what happened earlier at the village gates, determined to explain why he acted the way he did. There was a strange atmosphere taking hold of the building, barely any noise besides his own whistling and the sound of the gate guard's corpse being moved behind him. A bad omen, one would say. As he was about to arrive at the office, Kyogetsu saw a rather peculiar view, a man standing two meters outside of the chambers, staring inside the room with his Tanto blade unsheathed. "Well this seems completely normal" the shinobi of the Mist thought to himself.

He would continue his walk, slowly and nonchalantly towards the Kage's chambers, the soft tunes never ending. Strange voices could be heard coming from inside, the young Hozuki's curiosity taking over as he moved through the halls of the estate. Approaching the Tanto wielding man unless he was stopped, Kyogetsu would join him at his position before eventually leaning against the doorway, the lifeless body of Gi Hoshigaki still leaving a trail of blood behind. Doing so, he was now able to follow the conversation between three others, even if it looked more like a dick measuring contest.

One found himself at the desk, standing tall as he tried to take command of the room, as would be expected from someone holding the title of Mizukage. Another would be in the center of the office, the third standing two meters behind the woman. They argued and squabbled, the atmosphere growing heavier by each minute as challenges were being thrown around. Kyogetsu's whistles were muted by the commotion, the Mist shinobi waiting for the white haired Kage to finish his sentence before tightly grabbing the corpse's leg as he then tossed the lifeless body across the room. "So, what's gotten everyone's panties in a twist?". Although he was curious to find out whether or not the challenge would be accepted, he also figured it wouldn't hurt causing a slight distraction so that things could cool down.

(WC: 369)