Time: 2:55 PM
> For the third time, it was nothing but a lamp, man! < The dry voice that was Sho Inugami's Subconscious mind made self-aware pointed out. > And it's not like the Lord Daimyo doesn't have money to burn. It's not like he doesn't owes us a ton for saving his dynasty. Also, you - WE - had every right to get mad at scar-boy's and his companion's blatant intrusion into our affairs with Motoko-chan! <
"That's not the point!" Sho/Keitaro muttered under his breath as he wandered through the garden that was part of the common area of the Palace. After teleporting back up to the security closet following his loss of control over his anger, he'd quickly taken the back stairs to hide himself away from anyone until he could come to grips with what he'd nearly done.
"If had grabbed his neck instead of that lamp, I could have killed Takahashi! Even if my initial grip didn't crush his windpipe or shatter the vertebrae of his neck, I would have decapitated him when I unconsciously formed those miniature wind blades around my hands... My word - even given to Hata-san herself - is NOT worth another person's life: no one's privacy is worth that much! Not hers. Not mine. Not even my family's secrets."
The voice, so maddeningly similar to Sho's own, snorted derisively. > Oh, that's RICH coming from you of ALL people! You come off all high and mighty that you're an honest person, yet you lie brazenly to everyone you claim to care about: our parents, our sisters, Aniki, Motoko-chan... < He chuckled ruefully. > Hell, you lie to yourself on a daily basis! <
"I never lie, save for protecting my family and our secrets." Inugami protested to the one who knew him the best. "Every other time, I tell the truth..."
> Oh, BULLSHIT! < The dry voice interrupted. > That whole "truth from a certain point of view" is a complete and total crock of shit. Omission and misdirection of the truth is STILL a lie and you know it! <
The medic-nin's cheeks blushed in embarrassment over the fact that the voice had a genuine, logical point. The bastard was using the same barbed oratory blade that Sho himself was so accustomed to wielding with an undeniable finesse.
> Be still our beating heart; was that an actual compliment of me? < The voice gloated.
"Okay, I'll admit that every now and then you actually DO manage to say something... useful." Sho Inugami answered grudgingly. "Like our first night here in the Sento..."
The voice gave an impression of a toothy grin. > That WAS a great night, wasn't it? <
Keitaro/Sho rolled his eyes. "And then you have to go and ruin it by saying something like that... I wouldn't get so belligerent with you if you could learn when to STOP WHEN YOU'RE AHEAD!"
The white-haired young man paused as he came to a gorgeous coral-colored rose bush. Before the mission, Sho had never had much use for flowers, save for using them to identify which plants could be used for pharmacological purposes, but with all the studying he'd done to get into Princess Reiyuriko's mind, he'd developed an appreciation for their aesthetical uses as well.
He took a deep breath of the orange flower's powerful, yet delicate fragrance. As he did so, his mind was filled with images of Motoko Hata ranging from the moment he'd first met her in Academy pre-school all the way up to this morning's tenuous pleasantries. Neither he nor she had spoken of what each had encountered the night he'd woken to find her sleeping on him, adding to the tension between them.
They HAD, however, started on teaching the kunoichi the Flying Thunder God. Hanging one of the two tags he'd made for her in the bath area and the other by Sho's own tag in the main part of the security closet, he'd guided her through the process. As Inugami had suspected, the time-space technique was indeed easier for Hata to learn since she had Lightning nature chakra. She was still working on accuracy, though…
On more than one occasion, she'd teleported herself too far away from the bath tag and fell into the small Sento tub to emerge dripping wet… After the third time she'd fallen in, by which point her dress had been reduced to a sodden mess, she'd gotten mad, stripped down to her underwear and kept going.
'She was beet red at first when she realized what she'd done while upset, but when she saw that I was remaining professional, out of respect of the fact she wanted to train, she calmed down. The second her chakra reserves began to run low, I'd wrapped her in her robe to preserve her modesty.'
> Still annoyed at you for that; taking away my eye candy. <
Ignoring the voice's complaint, the medic took another deep breath of the rose with a smile. "How fitting..." Inugami muttered wistfully as the memory chain faded. "My brain's associated Hata-san with every aspect of a rose: as a symbol of love, the gentle scent that is almost identical to her personality, and even the color - almost the same hue as her lips when she's wearing that gloss..."
> Then stop mooning over the girl and tell her how you - WE - feel about her for God's sake. < The voice protested. > This is what I meant when I said you're constantly lying to yourself. <
The medic/aristocrat frowned to himself, deciding to shift this to a silent conversation. 'What do you mean?'
> Well, for starters, who am I? What do I represent? <
'You're a childish, immoral pervert and I have no clue, respectively.'
The voice laughed. > All right, you've got a point on the first part. But on the second, that's what I'm talking about! <
'Huh?'
> How many times have I told you that I'm you? I'm your Subconscious, the embodiment of all the stuff you find too INCONVENIENT to deal with so you push it aside. Well guess what, buddy-boy, those feelings have to go SOMEWHERE and I'm it. <
Sho blinked as he genuinely considered the voice's words for the first time. 'So you're saying deep down I'm a childish, amoral pervert?'
> Yes! Well, no, not exactly... < The voice stumbled. > Take Haruno for example: he's your textbook teenager; aside from the whole dying as a symbol thing. But because you are so scared of feeling anything that could lead someone to feeling something for US, you push that natural horniness aside so you can remain clear-minded. <
'And your point is..?'
> Those hormones are still pumping through our bloodstream; it's not like your natural biological processes are going to stop just because it's INCONVENIENT to you. That means instead of just having to deal with my fair share of it, I have to carry that for you as well. So, metaphysically speaking, I embody the sex drive of two people: me and you. So where you're undersexed - you can keep your rational mind in a room filled with half-naked women - I'm hypersexed and would tap every last one of them without feeling so much as a qualm about it. Do you follow that? <
'So the point you're trying to make is that you're sick of me hating you for what I made you; is that it?' Sho asked simply.
> More or less, yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong, this gig's a hell of a lot better than the mental oblivion you would have long since banished me to if you could. But would it kill you possibly show a bit of appreciation every now and then? < It paused for a moment. > And for that matter stop with the whole "you're the demon trying to trick me" line - that shit is so old it isn't even funny. <
Sho Inugami began mulling it over, but said nothing.
> Look, I'm not asking you to take everything I say at face value; I wouldn't expect that of myself if our roles were reversed. Hell, you have no idea how many times I'VE wanted to kick myself for one of my comments. It just so happens that I'm handling most of your impatience and stream of consciousness thought processes - you know, "saying the first thing that comes to mind" sort of stuff - and it taints my ENTIRE mindset. <
Inugami/Urashima was completely silent - inside and out - for a few moments as he considered the ramifications of the voice's claims. Although the field of metaphysics was not Sho's personal cup of tea - the subject matter relied too heavily on speculative theory for his objective, scientific process-oriented mindset - the voice's logic was undisputable.
'Given how angry I get at the people of Konoha who judge me for taking actions that kept me alive, I would be five kinds of hypocrite to mistreat your feelings any longer.' He finally decided.
The voice seemed to blink in surprise. > Wha..? I mean, you're serious? <
Sho made a mental nod, literally, to himself. 'As a heart attack. Tell you what; I'll make a deal with you. As long as you don't talk when Hata-san's around – I really don't want her hearing you...' The medic-nin paused, expecting another immature comment, but was pleasantly rewarded with silence. 'If you do that and at least try to keep the lid on the color commentary, in exchange I will attempt to take some of the burden off of you.'
> Why? < The voice asked, absolutely confused by Sho's reversal. > You're the dominant personality here, man. Hell, until your birthday nineteen days ago, you weren't even aware of my existence; why would you negotiate with me, a self-admitted fragment of your own mind?'
Inugami shrugged mentally. 'Mainly because since we began talking you've never made a rational argument for your case as you are now. Before it's been color commentary without FACTS. Now, you've presented a thorough and logical argument that has cast new light on some of the "truths" I've always "known." Assuming you're telling me all the facts as you perceive them to be, then I owe you a chance to try and be more than I have forced you to become.'
> That's… Generous of you. < His Subconscious said stunned.
'And if what you say about no longer being in danger of becoming that...' He faltered as a burst of nausea at the memory of finding the carcass of the slaughtered boar flooded his mind. 'That MONSTER and you were created by my mind as a defense mechanism to cope with the trauma and other assorted crap the others foisted on us, then perhaps it's time I learn to cope with it on my own, rather than dumping the job on you. Not to mention that maybe, just MAYBE, if I can do THAT, we can be reunited and all these fears that compel me to keep Hata-san away will prove to be nothing more than the residue of a child's irrational reaction to the unexplained events that turned our world upside down. So, what do you say, do we have a deal?'
The voice was silent for what seemed like an eternal instant. > MAN... This choice is a lot tougher than I would have expected it to be... <
'What do you mean? I'm practically offering you everything you've ever wanted: a truce between us and the chance to see where things could go between me and Hata-san.'
> That's just it! < The voice said pointedly. > YOU and Motoko-chan. Taking this deal would eliminate the purpose of my existence and lead to re-integration… It would be no different to me than death would be to you. And if we can't reunify, I have nothing worth "being" for, which would probably be a fate worse than death. On those points ALONE, I should reject this deal outright… <
'I sense a "But" coming...'
> But you played the Motoko card, which makes this deal so very, very, VERY tempting. < The voice explained. > If you think the love you claim to have for our sunrise-haired Goddess in the flesh is strong, you should try my side of it. <
'Claim to feel?!' Sho demanded incredulously. 'There is no "claiming" in my feelings for Hata-san, you ass.'
The voice laughed manically. > I say "claim" because, thanks to this fear of yourself that you harbor, you reject the DEPTH to which you love Motoko-chan. That means I get to carry that burden, too. I literally ACHE to the very core of my incorporeal existence for Motoko Hata. These two weeks we've had such close proximity to her have been the definitions of Heaven and Hell for me. I mean, she's right THERE - close enough to touch, to feel, to EXPERIENCE - but I'm chained down with a gag in my mouth. For you it would be the equivalent of smashing your testicles with a ball peen hammer every few seconds of every day with her trying to treat our injuries between swings.'
Sho grimaced as he felt a phantom pain in his groin. "Oww..." He muttered.
> No shit, man! Do you remember when Kimiko was crushing Raiden after he humiliated her in front of the others in the Hokage's office? <
'Of course.'
> That's my point. < The voice said. > You were ready and willing to kill her to save Motoko-chan's life. I didn't want to give Itou any warning: my feelings for Motoko-chan are so deep that I would be prepared to wipe out Konoha, the Five Nations, hell, all of reality - if I could swing it - just to keep from seeing a tear of anything other than joy in those eye emerald green eyes of hers. So if potentially ending MYSELF could close the rift between the two of us so we can get to her… <
The voice mulled it over in silence before finally nodding. > Fine; we have a deal. But I want a small concession from you.<
'You dare to dictate terms?' Sho asked with a dangerous edge to his voice.
> Hey, I AM potentially killing myself here. I think I deserve a little bit in return; at least until I'm gone. <
The medic-nin cocked his head. 'I'll listen, but no promises.'
> I'll uphold my end to the best of my ability, but ask that you trust her judgment. < Inugami's face screwed up in confusion. > By that I mean… Well, if SHE attempts to get intimate with us, you will trust that she knows her own mind enough to stop us when, where and IF she desires. If she wants to be held, we hold her. If she wants a kiss, we give it to her. If she wants... <
Sho Inugami/Keitaro Urashima actually blushed. 'All right, I get the point. But I don't... I mean we've never...'
> Dude, trust me on this one. Deep down, you have imagined every physically possible means of intimate behavior and from every angle possible in reality. Just go with the flow, that's all I ask. <
Sho shook his head. 'But how will I know what to say?'
> Okay, then how about this: a part of our agreement, if you are unable to cope with something happening in a reasonable amount of time, rather than letting us just stand there like an idiot, you let me take the driver's seat for a few minutes. <
'WHAT?!' He demanded, taking the maximum justifiable about of umbrage.
The voice raised its mental hands. > Okay, I've probably earned that reaction, but I SWEAR, on Motoko-chan's life and her feelings for us, that if you give me these two small concessions, I will never try and jump the gun. I'll keep us going slow enough that the picosecond she feels too uncomfortable to go any further, we won't have passed the point where we cannot salvage the relationship. Deal? < Sho began to shake his head. > Oh, come ON, man! You'd still be the top dog, which means if I violate these terms or do something that you won't tolerate, you can banish me to a place where you won't have to deal with me unless you choose to. It would be like being buried alive and unable to die. Fair enough? <
The medic-nin was silent. 'This is beginning to feel like all the stories of people that made deals with the less appetizing gods like Izanami, Mizuchi or Amanozako that turned out to be double-edged swords.'
The voice wisely chose to remain silent.
Finally Inugami sighed. 'All right. Your terms are fair; you have a deal.' He thought, extending a mental hand to the voice.
'Deal.' The voice agreed, clasping the proffered mental hand.
As the two sides of Sho Inugami's consciousness "touched" there was an overwhelming SURGE that washed over the two mental avatars. It was like a massive tidal wave, but the exact sensations defied all attempts of description. The medic-nin felt himself begin to drown thanks to the force of the mental energy that had been somehow released. He could feel his mind expand in directions he never imagined possible as the surge tapered off.
> 'What the hell was THAT?!' < He demanded in unison with the dry voice, which now sounded closer to his own. > 'I don't know!' <
The voice gave the impression of looking around. > Holy SHIT! Man, you just completely revamped the landscape in here! < There was a sensation of movement as it looked around to gather information. > Oh, I see... Hey, Sho, apparently by admitting that I am more than a figment of your "insanity" and making our deal, you altered the nature of our relationship to each other. As we begin to reintegrate with each other, there will no longer be "us" but we'll be back to being "I" - as we used to be before we… broke. <
Sho/Keitaro blinked in surprise. 'You know, I think that's the first time you've ever called me by name before.'
The voice shrugged. > What was the point? I was part of you, so referring to us in the third person felt way too weird. <
'What do you mean "was?" You're still in my head.'
> Well, true, but I feel different than I did before. It's like we're separate, but we're still connected to each other. I can't really explain it. < The voice seemed to blink. > Now that's strange... I seem to have a name now. It's so odd, because it feels like I always had it, but I never knew it before. <
Sho cocked his head mentally. 'Well, it won't do to keep calling you "him" or "Hey, you." What is it?'
The voice grinned proudly. > I am Imaguni Ohs! <
'Cute.' The medic-nin thought with a snort. 'My name spelled and pronounced backwards.'
> Hey; it's not like I picked it; your unconscious mind did. < The voice answered, sounding hurt.
'I suppose so. And it IS rather befitting given that you are the mirror side of my personality.'
"Urashima-dono?!" A worried sounding dulcet voice - Motoko Hata's, to be precise - interrupted Sho and Imaguni's internal pow-wow as her soft yet firm hand shook his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
'That's odd; I didn't sense her approach...' Sho Inugami blinked his gritty-feeling eyes and shook his head. "Why, yes, I am, Narusegawa-san." He answered as he began turning to the disguised swordswoman, rubbing his face. "In fact, I've never felt..."
To his surprise, not only was Motoko Hata there, but so was Kimiko Itou/Princess Reiyuriko and Miho Hyuuga. The other two were also clearly worried, but Hata-san had them beat by a sizable margin. Missing one person's approach was one thing; missing three was something completely different. "Bet...ter..? Reiyuriko-hime? Hyuuga-san? What's the matter?"
"YOU are, Urashima-san!" Kimiko Itou replied, her eyes moist with concern that the medic-nin found surprisingly touching, as she eyed him uncertainly. "You've been frozen in place here, like a living statue, since Miho-chan here found you. That was over an hour ago."
"A... An HOUR?!" A flabbergasted Sho Inugami gasped as his eyes shot skyward. The warm glow of the sun, which had been a good two hand-spans above the Blue Wall that surrounded Mizumiyo Palace the last time he'd glanced at it, now had dipped below the line of the wall so that only the top third was still visible. A lot more than an hour had passed…
> What the HELL... < Imaguni Ohs breathed in disbelief.
"No... No WAY..." Sho shook his head in denial as a flood of fear sweat began to pour down his spine like a half-frozen waterfall. He reflexively looked at his left wrist before remembering that "Keitaro Urashima" had no need for a watch, but there WAS a thin line of red of his own blood. In his dismay, his Henge no Jutsu concealing the true color of his left eye and his black lock of hair fell away as he looked at the three kunoichi a look of wild terror in his dual-colored eyes. "The time! Do any of you know what TIME it is?"
Both of the Genin shook their heads apologetically - their cover identities had no more use for timepieces than his, after all. Fortunately, Miho Hyuuga had no such restriction. "It's 6:35 PM, Urashima-dono. The Fealty Ceremony which will mark the start of the Daimyo Convocation is just under half an hour away. You were a total zombie when I found you; you didn't even start when I used a kunai to scratch your hand."
Four hours. The medic-nin had lost nearly four hours in his "brief" handshake with Imaguni. His brain could barely wrap itself around this.
"> Forgive me, Miho-sensei. <" Ohs said, stepping in to speak through Sho's mouth when he failed to react in time, making an apologetic bow to the Jonin. "> I had a lot on my mind and didn't realize I'd retreated that far into myself. I didn't mean to worry you so badly you called Motoko-chan or Kimiko-san. <"
The Jonin looked him up and down as her Byakugan activated while relief filled Kimiko Itou's eyes.
Motoko Hata, however, was still giving him a quizzical look: Ohs had forgotten that Sho only referred to Motoko as Hata-san. There was also a dry tone to his voice that was setting off alarms in the back of her mind because it reminded her of the internal voice she'd psychically 'heard' before, but it was clearly Sho-kun talking.
"Well, I'm not seeing any illness or disruption in your chakra network, so I guess you really were focused – I guess you get that from your mother." Ohs gave Miho a wan smile with the medic-nin's lips. "But that aside, I'm rather disappointed in the way you dealt with Takahashi earlier… I don't know what he did to upset you, but you drastically overreacted."
Sho Inugami coughed as he took back control from his other half, having had enough time to gather his wits. "I'm rather sorry about that, Miho-sensei… That overreaction is why I was kind of lost in my own mind; I was trying to understand why I handled it like that. He accidentally poked at something that I am very sensitive about. I'll make sure to apologize to Hata-san's teammate later."
The quizzical look now vanished from Motoko's face as Sho's voice returned to its normal tone and pitch.
"Make sure you do. Now, get back into character; our Princess is about to make her debut." The Jonin ordered.
Sho Inugami turned back into Keitaro Urashima without a hand sign. The Transformation jutsu had always come instinctively to him. "Ready, Hyuuga-san."
Miho Hyuuga turned to Kimiko Itou and bowed respectfully. "Please lead the way, Reiyuriko-hime."
Kimiko Itou curtseyed back in character. "I'd love nothing more, Miho-chan."
* * *
Time: 7:59 PM
Nakahito Haruno, Raiden Hata, and Okito Tanaka were still in the Palace's main dining room, watching as the Palace staff finished rearranging the layout. The Fealty Ceremony was nearly done and the Lord Daimyo and his Kuge would shortly be entering the chamber.
At the far end of the room, a stage had been erected, on which now sat a long, rectangular table that was decked out with the finest of everything - clearly intended for the royal family and a few select guests - there were only 5 place settings on the table. The other tables had been changed out to allow the other 43 expected diners an unobstructed view of the main table.
"Man, 'Hito..." Raiden sighed jealously. "Would you look at all this stuff? I mean the plates and silver for each person look like they cost as much as we get in a single D rank mission."
Before Nakahito could respond to his sparring partner's words, the double doors slid open. Five people then stepped inside. One was a dandy fop of a River Country princeling who looked to be in his early 20's. He wore clothes that probably cost more than his Aunt & Uncle's house and had a cold, aristocratic look - as if everything he laid his eyes on was his due and would all be his in time.
Deep in his gut Haruno took an instant disliking to the man.
The other four were ninja from Amegakure. Three of them wore off-cream colored wetsuits that looked almost like pajamas at first glance and had four black "X" drawstrings that held them closed. They also wore tip-less black gloves and had oversized black plastic masks with a single angled connector. If Haruno remembered his equipment familiarity courses right, the objects were rebreather units typically used by ninja that preferred to use earth or water jutsu to allow them to move without being observed. All 3 had an eye mask covering the upper half of their faces: one had holes for both his eyes, another for just one, while the third was apparently blind as he had an uncut mask.
'He's probably learned a jutsu that makes up for it; like maybe bat hearing or enhanced smell.' Nakahito thought to himself. 'Have to resist the urge to disregard him just because he's "blind."'
The fourth ninja was clearly their Jonin instructor/leader. He wore a higher grade rebreather - one with two over-sized compressed air reservoirs that framed his face like massive black tusks - and a pair of monk-like robes over his own wetsuit. A mere glance from the Jonin caused Nakahito to flinch reflexively. Like the Sand Village Jonin, this ninja was a dyed in the wool killer; one with no qualms whether his target was a stranger or his best "friend."
"You! Get me some sake." The princeling commanded, looking disdainfully at Nakahito.
"Do I look like the Palace staff to you?" Haruno gritted back, gesturing to his Leaf headband. "Get it your own damn self."
The older man looked at the red and black-clad ninja incredulously. "You DARE speak to me like that, you insignificant pest? Do you have any clue as to who I am?"
"A tremendous windbag that is full of himself with a bloated by ego thanks to your father's social status..." 'Hito countered, his right hand beginning to pump unconsciously. "Other than that, no idea. Furthermore, I couldn't care less."
The Prince swelled up irately. "I am Prince Renkotsu of the Tenth Prefecture and, most likely, the next Lord Daimyo of this nation!"
The Genin cocked his head. "Well, isn't that odd... I was hired to supplement Princess Reiyuriko's guard detail. I haven't heard her mention your name once in the past month. Maybe you should try verifying your claims before you make them."
Before the Prince could counter Nakahito's bursting of his bubble, the Rain Village Jonin placed a warning hand on the nobleman's shoulder. "Prince Renkotsu."
Renkotsu startled for a heartbeat before spinning on the older ninja. "Damn it, Akira! How many times have I told you not to DO that?" The Rain ninja eyed him coldly and the princeling wilted. "Fine, have it your way, Muto-san." He said as the five of them walked away from Nakahito.
"What an asshole." Raiden Hata muttered.
Nakahito nodded. "No kidding. But I can't help but get this funky vibe from that guy that makes me think he isn't just a blowhard..."
* * *
Time: 8:30 PM
> You're welcome, by the way. < Imaguni said petulantly as Sho Inugami took his seat at the far left end of the main table. To his immediate right was the place for Princess Reiyuriko and the middle was for the Lord Daimyo - as was appropriate, although neither was there at the moment. The last two were taken by Shao Fukamichu and his protégé, Hoshi Fugato. > Why the hell are you being so pissy? I only did what I promised, didn't I? <
'Look, I'm still trying to cope with the fact that I managed to completely redo all the connections in our head and lost most of the afternoon without realizing it. And, yes, you DID do a decent job dodging Miho-sensei's questions about why we spooked Takahashi and Kyouran into silence. But you should have been more careful with Hata-san's name.'
> Well excuse ME! < Imaguni Ohs griped.
Sho/Keitaro sighed. 'Plus it felt funky being a passenger in my own body...'
> You're telling ME?! I've been a part of you for 7 years now; I've been nothing BUT a passenger. <
At that moment, Shao Fukamichu rose to his feet and began tapping his wine glass to get everyone's attention. The crystalline ringing ended the internal conversation between the two halves of the medic-nin's mind.
"My Lords and Ladies, guests and gentry, I bid you all welcome to Mizumiyo Palace for this, the first night of the 463rd annual River Country Daimyo Convocation of the Mizuzaki Dynasty."
A deep, resounding chime rang out from a hidden gong and echoed for a few moments before the brassy fanfare of the royal family began to play. "All rise and show respect for your host and my master, to whom you have all just renewed your Oaths to: Lord Daimyo Mizuzaki the 27th, ruler of the Aquamarine Throne and all that resides within the Land of Rivers. And accompanying him is his daughter, Crown Princess and future Queen Mother, Reiyuriko wa Mizuzaki!"
With another resounding GONG, one pair of the room's sliding doors was opened to admit the Konoha Teams 11 & 13's ultimate client and the drastically changed Kimiko Itou. Sho Inugami actually felt his own jaw go slack: he'd known Kimiko-san most of his life, but it was almost impossible to believe that the woman approaching him could POSSIBLY be the same girl.
Itou the tomboy, the graceless orphan, the short-tempered annoyance had been completely masked by the persona of Princess Reiyuriko. It warmed the depths of Sho's half-frozen soul to see that all the sacrifices of time, energy and privacy he and Hata-san had made these last few weeks to make this performance possible had been well worth it.
> Hey, as easy as Kimiko-chan is on the eyes on the moment, might I remind you we have a golden opportunity to look for a slip by some of the onlookers? < Imaguni Ohs nudged mentally.
'Right...' Sho agreed as he began to look around the dining room as stealthily as he could without his tinted glasses hiding his eyes.
From his seat on the raised dais, the medic-nin could see a number of mouths moving as the assorted Regional Daimyo, Princes, and Princesses in attendance whispered between themselves as they turned to look at the Imperial Family. Sho Inugami's limited lip reading skills were unable to understand what they were saying, but not one of them showed any signs of surprise or dismay, although one or two were clearly focused on the Lord Daimyo specifically.
'These people are too good as politicians to accidentally give anything incriminating away.' Sho thought, feeling a touch of frustration.
> What about the bodyguards? < Ohs thought spontaneously. > Maybe we can get something from them. <
Sho Inugami lifted his view to scan the back of the room where all the ninja that had been hired as bodyguards were allowed to sit and keep an eye on the men and women under their protection. Sho/Keitaro's eyes instantly locked onto the three Genin that were serving under Miho Hyuuga and their collective surprise - although they were not as skilled at masking their reactions as Inugami was.
By and large, the reaction of Nakahito Haruno - a look of overwhelming awe - was extremely amusing to the medic-nin. Miho Hyuuga also had that secretive smile on her that she had mastered and reserved for those moments when one of the Genin that she'd become like a second mother, an aunt, or an older sister for began to realize the depth of their feelings.
'I wonder if she's ever had that look on her face about Hata-san and us...' Sho suddenly wondered. It was odd; he'd never considered the possibility that Miho-sensei might have been aware of Motoko's feelings for him or his feelings for Motoko.
Imaguni Ohs chuckled. > Funny how things become so much clearer when you stop trying to disregard the small things that have always been there. What I want to know is this: do we look anywhere nearly as sad when we see Motoko-chan as a woman the way Haruno is seeing Itou right now? <
Sho smiled to himself. 'Well, I'm pretty sure we don't, but don't forget what Dad told us when we entered puberty, "Unless you're willing to make a fool of yourself for your special lady..."'
> "Then you don't love her nearly as much as you think you do." < Imaguni finished Kurando Inugami's advice when it came to dealing with one's passions.
Because Sho had understood the mechanics and biology of sex by the time he was 4 years old, Kurando had changed the usual script of "The Talk" to a discussion of the moral and ethical applications of love and procreation.
It had been an interesting conversation to say the least.
> But at least in OUR case, we at least KNOW we have feelings for Motoko-chan. Neither Kimiko or Nakahito have a CLUE about their feelings for each other. That alone elevates their situation from sad to PATHETIC. <
Inugami frowned to himself, choosing not to continue the familiar debate regarding his fellow team members as he resumed his scan of the dining room. As he came to the Sunagakure team that had accompanied Daimyo Kosha, he paused for a moment as he noticed something out of place. Kari, the Jonin assassin, was inscrutable as always behind that mask and expressionless eyes.
But it was the three Genin that told a story of confusing contradictions.
The blonde and blue-green haired Satou women seemed slightly curious by the appearance of Princess Reiyuriko, but they seemed to be mostly bored and their interest seemed limited to the ornate silk dress Kimiko Itou had been crammed into. No, it was the momentary glimmer of disbelief in Amaya Satou's blue eyes directed at Itou's uncanny resemblance to the crown princess.
> Now that's very interesting... < Imaguni contemplated. > The new ones aren't impressed, but Amaya is downright shocked at how much Kimiko looks like Reiyuriko. <
'That could just mean that Satou's been here before.' Sho countered. 'It could be nothing.'
"Urashima-san." Kimiko Itou said as she and her uncle-in-law reached the main table. "How are you feeling?"
The right side of the medic-nin/aristocrat's lip twitched slightly. "Still a little dazed, but I'm fine, thank you." He looked around; noticing Motoko was nowhere to be seen. "Is Narusegawa-san all right? I can only imagine how disturbing my state must have been for her."
"I'm here, Sho-kun." Motoko's concerned voice spoke in his right ear, where his concealed receiver was still turned on. "Since Kimiko might need me for dining etiquette, I came to the command center be able to guide her." Hata paused. "Are you absolutely sure you're okay, Sho-kun? You felt a little off earlier."
> She knows. < Imaguni Ohs stated, unsurprised.
'Ya think?' Sho Inugami agreed.
He reached into his pocket and pushed the transmitter button for his hidden microphone as the Lord Daimyo cleared his throat. "Yes, I am; don't worry about me at the moment. We'll have to talk about it later - it looks like we're about to start here."
"Be seated." The Lord Daimyo said. Everyone in the room, save for Mizuzaki himself, did so. "It seems so hard to believe that it's been almost a year since we were last gathered together. To my Daimyo, I thank you all - under our collective stewardship, our strong, wealthy, and healthy nation has only grown more so; even as our precious children..."
He turned to smile at his daughter's stand-in. "Our precious children..." The Lord Daimyo faltered for a moment, feeling yet another fresh surge of panicked worry for where the real Reiyuriko could be. He took a quick sip of water as if to clear his throat. "Our precious children have grown a year older and wiser, something that warms my heart when I realize that it's a sign that the future of our fair realm is a very bright one, indeed." There was a short burst of spontaneous applause from the crowd - mostly from the Lord Daimyo's political supporters - even as Kimiko Itou blushed fetchingly.
'Hata-san must have taught her that one.' Sho thought to himself. 'A month ago, Itou never would have been able to pull that off on cue.'
A mental nod. > Yeah. In fact, she probably would have decked the Lord Daimyo for embarrassing her like that. Hmm... Take a look at that. < Inugami focused on what his eyes were seeing. At the table closest to the Imperial Family's table, Daimyo Kosha grimaced and downed the contents of his sake cup before gesturing irately for a refill. > That's his 3rd cup just since the fanfare began. It looks like the act is about to start... <
Lord Mizuzaki continued, looking at his friend. "Many of us have faced trials of faith in the last twelve months. Long-held bonds of friendship," He glanced apologetically at Kimiko, "And - in some cases, those of family - have been strained nearly to the breaking point." Kosha's refill disappeared nearly as fast as its predecessor, but the manservant apparently needed to get a fresh bottle of the rice alcohol as Kosha slammed his sake cup on the table in frustration; causing several of the other Daimyo look at him.
"But despite these challenges, we must remember that our nation is blessed by the great Undine Kawa. The Goddess of the River and Fate allows these things to happen to help us learn a lesson that will help in our overall development; if we can get past feeling sorry for ourselves."
There was an abrupt scraping groan as a clearly "intoxicated" Kosha struggled to his feet. He scowled at the Lord Daimyo before turning to the returning manservant and snatching the traditional ceramic sake bottle from the tray. Prince Kodansyo's father drained the container in a single gulp as Princesses Chizuru and Chisame - who were clearly being kept out of the loop - looked extremely embarrassed by their father's behavior.
As soon as the bottle was empty, Kosha threw the bottle the floor, which ended its life in a shattering clatter, as he glared balefully at the Lord Daimyo. "Screw you, Ayanami!" The man slurred, cursing the ruler of the nation. "You stole my only SON..!" He shouted before the older man's eyes rolled up and he collapsed. There was no gasp of pain, which suggested he was unconscious before he hit the floor.
There was silence for several minutes as all eyes jumped between Kosha and Ayanami Mizuzaki; uncertain as to how to react. The secretly traitorous Daimyo had to work extremely hard to conceal his glee. If his plan had worked the way it was supposed to, such a grievous insult by Kosha should be sufficient to push the Lord Daimyo over the edge of sanity, the start of a rockslide that would topple the Mizuzaki Dynasty. His eyes were focused solely on the Lord Daimyo, waiting for this impressive façade of rational demeanor to collapse into madness.
To the traitor's dismay, Lord Daimyo Ayanami wa Mizuzaki merely shook his head with a sigh. "It would appear that Kosha-kun's drink has gotten the better of him. Guess I should have told them to serve the highest quality sake; he might have taken time to savor it."
There were a few scattered chuckles as Okito Tanaka/Seta Noriyasu and another guard approached the collapsed Regional Daimyo. The Lord Daimyo smiled sadly at them. "Take him to his room and let him sleep it off." The two men bowed and helped the "disconsolate drunkard" to his feet as if he were one of their own.
The traitor glanced at his facilitator, his eyes conveying his questioning of the ninja's professionalism and demanding an explanation. A slight rise of the Jonin's shoulders indicated that he was clearly just as confused as the client was.
The Lord Daimyo coughed once again and all eyes were drawn to him. "Well, I daresay this will undoubtedly be an INTERESTING week for us all!" He gestured and the servants began to carry out tray after tray of food; the fruits of the kitchen staff's eight hour labors. "I look forward to catching up with each of you over the course of your stay. And now, as decreed in the protocols, I hereby declare that the 463rd Daimyo Convocation has now begun!"