XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Onoki's POV (Kage's Training Ground - Iwagakure)
"Innovation is the only strategy when faced with a stronger opponent. I cannot afford to have my shield lost so easily."
Akatsuchi laughed, seemingly unbothered by his loss or Onoki's harsh judgment. What the man lacked in skill or intelligence, he made up for it with his calm and rational mind. "I am sorry to disappoint you, sir! As your shield, it brings me great shame. Though you are considered the strongest Tsuchikage we've had."
"I understand, but I need a standout recruit. You are the most trusted man besides my own daughter. If only you could surpass your current limits in battle and mind, you'd make a fine replacement." Onoki snarked at the man.
"Not fit to be a leader, sir! Besides, no one else could run the village like you do!" Akatsuchi said happily.
'Don't I know it…' Onoki inwardly complained. "How about news regarding the Kamizuru Clan or Ren Kamizuru?"
"Sir. The Kamizuru have yet to return due to a perceived failure on our part, according to the Kamizuru Clan. This was negatively received by the other clans, which escalated the tension. Now, they are rioting and threatening separation from the village. Daya and Kurotsuchi are leading an Anbu squad as you asked to forcibly stop such; with the weak status of the clan, such will be easy."
"The Kamizuru may have fallen from the status they once had. However, they are still one of the founding clans of Iwa, and their lack of support will surely lower morale. A true nightmare." Onoki concluded grimly. "Please tell me you received word from Ren Kamizuru or the Anbu escorts."
"No, sir. Unfortunately, there has been radio silence. Information has concluded this to be bad news. Even if they took their time leisurely, two days should be enough to reach the Sand and send word back," Akatsuchi grimly said.
"So we have civil unrest in the streets, and one of my most experienced men is missing. There's no doubt about it, that little upstart Rasa not only rejected our proposal but killed our men…" Onoki said with a sigh.
"They must be closer to the Leaf than we thought. It is good we postponed our initial plans."
"Good indeed; however, this cements my final choice. The most recent Chunin Exams have clearly shown the Leaf and Sand's next generation will be just as troublesome as always. So much so we must weaken them ourselves… we're changing our plans…" Onoki mused.
"Sir?"
"We will give it one week for word of a sighting of the Leaf's jinchuriki. At this point, we will use our spies to confirm his status, and assuming he's out of the way, we'll reach out to the Cloud."
"I thought you considered them much too risky to work with?" Akatsuchi asked curiously.
"That Unruly A truly is. However, a power imbalance seems to be forming." The Leaf has always produced notable shinobi, yet Gaara of the Sand proved just as noteworthy. My gut tells me this is only the start, however. I believe soon, the Leaf and Sand will balloon in power, and with the Mist and us Weaker than ever, we need the Cloud on board with us for the future. The only thing to decide now is when…"
"So I guess this Naruto Uzumaki Chunin will be the lynchpin. If he shows up missing, it could be the spark to set off the inferno…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Tamaki's POV (Western River Plains of Irminsul - Terra)
Mid Day
A giant tree trunk lay on its side, its bark was covered on every square inch with scratches and doodles. The leaves of the tree had been sown together to form into a soft roof for the tree. The inside had been completely hollowed out and the inside looked like a bar. The bar had been beautifully carved from the wood in the tree along with the stools, the entire place had beautiful and extravagant art of peacocks and cats. Working the bar were two cats in tuxedos and a woman dressed in an orange sundress worked behind them as well. Her brown hair and eyes gave her a homely look only further enforced as she scrubbed a cup spotless.
"Something was off today, we normally have to deal with at least one mosquito attack." A gruff voice of a black cut covered in scars spoke, It wore a trench coat which covered it's body as well as a black and white bandana wrapped around its face.
"Complaining about peace is an awful thing." Tamaki chided her companion. "Master wouldn't be happy to hear such."
"Still what a boring day for ninja kitty." A female cat wearing a purple bodysuit with an eyepatch added on. "I was hoping the master would give us someone to use as a scratch toy."
"Personally I'm happy for the odd peaceful day of Irminsul." A bartender answered. "I do detest violence so much…"
Tamaki smiled with ease. "Even if there were troubles you all could not handle I wouldn't let any harm come to you. And I know the master cares for you all!"
Tamaki was a woman who had spent most of her life with the Neeko Clan. The clan of shinobi kittens had found her outside their home as an infant. The elder of the cats had said it was due to her being uniquely in tune with nature. But personally she found it to be fate.
A small part of her had always wondered what life had been away from the clan. During her teenage years she had been incredibly lonely, being the only human among shinobi cats had left her the odd one out. The cats had never been cruel to her and treated her as their own. But she had always yearned for companionship…
Then the master had arrived. A human male that had arrived to the shinobi cats during a war between them and the blood seeking mosquito tribe. Using his wisdom and considerable power he had fought them off with the Neeko Clan was so enthused with their new ally he soon became their leader.
The master had led their clan to their current home and apparently seeing a kindred soul in her had taken Tamaki under his wing.
With the wisdom and nurturing nature of the Master Tamaki had grown much as a person and shinobi. So much so Tamaki was dedicated to her master protecting his home in his absence. Which explained the sinking feeling in her stomach when the loud sound of beating wings filled the air.
In an instant the tranquil bar setting was destroyed. A loud bell sounded to alert the Neeko shinobi of an intruder. The patrons and even the bartenders immediately launched into action dashing out to engage this unknown threat. As they did, Tamaki pulled out her whip with a grimace and leapt over the bar to join them. Bursting out from their tree home she saw utter chaos.
Roughly a dozen wasps flew through the air dive bombing cats, Tamaki watched in horror as several were dragged away fighting. Several of the cats armed with shuriken let loose bursts of them. But so high up the wasps few met their mark, and even fewer were lethal. On the roof of their home the patrons of the bar and staff fought in a group against several wasps. Trusting them to be able to handle themselves Tamaki instead dived into the actions below. She rolled under a diving wasp as she flicked her whip catching a wasp around the neck, with a grunt she slammed the wasp into another, the two falling in a bundle. Tamaki twirled as she bisected the two at once, trusting her to be noticed now she dived randomly to her left avoiding an overzealous dive bomb which had the wasp smash into the ground with a crunch. Tamaki scanned and saw a cat already dead being feasted on by two wasps, with a flick of shuriken she killed the wasps and ran forward knowing the cat was beyond saving. She flinched however as she was knocked down to the ground on her face. She managed to turn just as a wasp was about to skewer her with its large stinger. However the wasp was cut in two as the katana wielding cats saved her. Tamaki offered a nod as both ran off to help the others.
She scanned the roof and was happy to see the roof battle had gone their way with no casualties. The last of the wasps on the ground were being finished off, and while they had lost several kitties and more were kidnapped they were okay…
Tamaki flinched however as her senses screamed in alert. Her head whipped up and she flinched as she saw another dozen wasp incoming. They had barely fought off the first wave, a second would be their doom…
"Oh how detestable, the wasp clan decided to visit…" A silky smooth and refined voice called out. A man with long hair braided with feathers in and painted blue purple eyes marched past the violence of it all, everything alive there watching him. He wore an open full body coat covered in blue and green beautiful feathers. Around his neck was a necklace of shuriken. He wore no shirt, something Tamaki guiltily enjoyed for he had sculpted abs. The man wielded a giant feather of all things. "I normally wouldn't bring murder or kidnapping as housewarming gifts but I'm not caught up on wasp customs…"
The wasps got over their shock, the entire new wave focusing on the man that now stood between them and the Neeko Clan.
"Attacking before even giving your names?" The man asked with a raised brow. "How degenerate of you… I'll teach you some manners!" The man slashed once with his feather through the air with a whoosh. Holding his arms open he watched with an amused smile as the wasps drew close.
"Tamaki-kun! We need to help the master!" The female patron from earlier spoke.