Diplomatic Mission to Kusagakure

Tomoe returns to Kusagakure for the second time in short order. This time she arrives with genin as well, but instead of many, she brings three with her to aide in the negotiations of an alliance with Ayaka and the new Kusagakure.

Upon their arrival to Kusagakure she inquires as to Ayaka's availability to meet with Tomoe and the rest of her delegation. The group are escorted to the building that functions as Kusagakure's own administration building, where they wait in a small lobby for Ayaka.

@Logic @Shimura92 @poleon

Sakyo whispers "Hokage-sama...its strange having to wait on the Kusagakure."

Tomoe shrugs lightly at this statement and says quietly, "I'm sure there's plenty going on, all things considered, and accommodating unannounced visitors can be difficult."

Shiko scoffs and starts speaking in a hush tone.

"This is a negotiation trick. We come to her on her ground, we wait for her, she is showing control, before we even talk. We should switch who has control. The hokages time should not be taken so lightly."

Shiko sits down and leans back

Daisuke
Daisuke sits patiently with his new-formed team and the Hokage. "Sakyo, Shiko, patience. If we come off as hostile from the get go things aren't going to look good. Daisuke pulled out his bingo book and shifted through the pages of it.

Ayaka
Ayaka entered the hall with confidence and strength. She walks past her visitors and sits upon a chair across from the four of them. She is followed by a group of advisors and body guards that are all scarred and rugged looking. They peer at the Konoha team with nasty grimaces but when Ayaka starts talking they stop.

"Ignore my guards. They weren't apart of the invasion, but they don't see the political reasons for having you here as I do. I'm Ayaka Midori, new leader of Kusagakure. Now if you would, please introduce yourselves."

Tomoe returns the guards' grimaces with a neutral expression of her own as she watches them enter. Although her main focus is on Ayaka, she takes in who is accompanying this new leader of Kusagakure to get a sense of what sort of village this Ayaka is cultivating now.

"Tomoe Uchiha, the Hokage of Konoha," she introduces, then provides introductions for each of the ninjas accompanying her. "With me are Daisuke Yamanaka, Sakyo Uzumaki, and Shiko Nara." She'll leave it to them to provide any additional information they feel relevant to this meeting.

Sakyo calmly analyzes the current situation. His face relaxed, and body still. He sees scarred advisors and guards, and assumes it was the previous kusakages work. He feels sorry for these shinobi, but deciding to stay relatively queit says, "I'm Sakyo, pleasure to meet you."

Shiko stands. "I am Shiko" he states as he bows. He remains standing in a very respectful way. He waits for the Kages to talk first, that would be the correct to handle this meeting. The genin were there just to provide information and insight to support the Hokage.

Shiko smiled and awaited for the conversation to start.

Daisuke
Daisuke Yamanaka

AyakaAyaka nods at Shiko, Sakyo, and Daisuke. When Daisuke introduces himself she smiles slightly. She remembers his curiosity at the tournament. She then turns to Tomoe and gives a deep nod while the men to her left and right bow deeply. "Pleasure to meet you Hokage. I would of introduced myself at the tournament, however there were more pressing matters at hand. First and foremost, I would like to address to the invasion... we can not begin to repay what happened, but you must believe, that was a different Kusa.

Tomoe nods slightly in agreement. "It is nice to meet you, too. My congratulations on taking back your village from Zaru and shifting the course of Kusa's future." She sees little reason to doubt Ayaka's words since Konoha's own intelligence suggests that Ayaka and her supporters oppose Zaru's bloodthirsty and cruel ideals.

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't think Kusa had changed for the better and an alliance between our villages was possible. That is why we're here, not to discuss reparations for Zaru's actions," Tomoe adds gently. She leaves it to the genin to add their own contributions to the discussion and what will come next. Perhaps one of them already has good ideas for a means to start the alliance talks.

OOC - feel free to post before me anyone, I'm going to sleep

Daisuke
Daisuke picks up on Tomoe's voice and realizes he has permission to speak up and put in his two-cents. He quietly clears his throat and steps forward. "We understand the difference between the shinobi that invaded Konoha and the real Kusa shinobi before us." Daisuke stared into Ayaka's eyes unwavering. He wanted to make sure his presence was respected, even if he was only a Genin.

Ayaka
Ayaka nods her head at what Tomoe says. She then smiles at Daisuke's words. Her expressions seems condescending but her intentions are softer than that. "Tomoe, an alliance with a nation rebuilding is a curious investment. It leads some of my council to be suspicious. You are in alliance with Kumo... no doubt you've heard what happened when Oto invited them after an invasion? At the moment, we can not offer anything in an alliance."

Shiko found his voice and spoke up

“While it may be unusual for a bigger nation to want to ally with a rebuilding one, it should be trusted. First, we just want peace and through an alliance we will have that. Second, it provides security. We will help protect all that you have done with bodies and letting it known we are an alliance so any act of hostility toward you is one towards us. So that prevents larger nations trying to conquer you in this time, and therefore preventing you from having to fight off oppression. Like I said we just want peace, we help you now and you are strong ally in the future, for the times do not seem as peaceful now and in the future as we have grown accustomed to. We only wish to help. So that when you can offer something we are on the side you help.”

Shiko lets a big genuine smile grow on his face. A moment passes and Shiko begins to feel a little awkward and lets his eyes roam, hoping for someone to speak up soon.

Tomoe smiles as Shiko speaks up and adds her own thoughts on the heels of the genin's words, "It is an investment, yes, one which we hope will pay off in the future. It's better to have strong and happy neighbors in the future, than oppressed or bitter ones whose motives we guess at and remain ever wary of, wouldn't you agree?"

Before Ayaka can answer, Sakyo chimes in, "Everyone here in the room has witnessed the unspeakable horrors of the resulting conflict between Konohagakure and Kusagakure."

He bows his head low, "We simply cannot allow ourselves to harbor hateful feelings and vengeful thoughts toward one another for the people we have lost, if you enter into an alliance with our village we will forever be united and stand together for peace and harmony."

He now sits back up tall and looks at not only Ayaka, but addresses the advisers and guards, "I'm truly sorry for everything you have had to go through, we ask for forgiveness. We have already taken that first step by inviting you to formally enter into an alliance with us, both of our villages now look to you...Ayaka-sama...for your answer."

Ayaka
Ayaka studies Shiko and Sakyo for a long moment. Her guards and council begin to murmur among themselves. Ayaka silences them and speaks to the Konoha shinobi. "Shiko and Sakyo, right? Well said." She considers what Tomoe has said. Her eyes close for a moment. Sometimes she still feels it within her, sometimes it takes control. If Zaru would of known. "I understand that you know how Zaru died. Even though I wasn't there, I know who killed him. I also know what they were looking for. If I told you what it was... if I told you why... I'm curious if you would still want an alliance... Because we would need help protecting it..."

Tomoe raises an eyebrow at the mention of this and considers the information that Kei brought to share and the likely goals of this Urimono fellow and his compatriots, Shunsuke and Senna. "I think the existence of a group such as that is all the more reason for villages to band together to prevent them from realizing their goals, of which I think I have some inkling."

Ayaka
Ayaka turns to the guard on her right. He shakes his head side to side, a pleading look on his face. She disregards his plead and turns to Tomoe. "I am the Hachibi. Senna was trying to locate me. When Zaru assassinated our former head he tried to bring the eight tails to Senna. No one except the people in this room know this."

"So, our theories about this group's goals are correct," Tomoe murmurs, although not so quietly that the occupants of this room can't hear her. "I take it you have plans to keep yourself and the Hachibi safe?" The Hokage waits to hear if those plans of Ayaka's involve working with Konoha, or in isolation, and hopes that the genin with her have made a strong impression on the jinchuriki leader of Kusa.

Ayaka
"Do you actually think I wouldn't? Hmph. I am the strongest in Kusa. Zaru merely had more numbers." Ayaka sat back with an indignant look on her face.

ooc- We only get four posts, so this is my last one. May be out of order but I was waiting for a good time. Sorry if it messes anything up.

Ic- "Strength is impressive, but numbers are strong as well. That is what we are offering, numbers. your strength and our numbers combined would make an unstoppable force and no one would even consider trying to mess with you. I assure you that, but that cannot happen unless we have an alliance. I hope we can reach an agreement. I have said my peace and want to thank you for being a gracious host. If you need anything just let me know."

Shiko smiles at Ayaka.

ooc - i dont know if yall are waiting on me to post, but it doesnt feel like the right timing for sakyo to speak up.

I'm going to go ahead and end this here, at least from Ayaka's end.

Ayaka
Ayaka leaned back in her chair. She had lunged forward indignant earlier. She was calming down however, and the brave words of Shiko were comforting. "I trust that an alliance between us will be announced by my me. You are not protecting us because we can't protect ourselves, you are helping us because we are.. allies. As for the Hachibi, I plan on letting the world know as well." Her entourage turned and looked around stunned, but none dared to say a word. "Very well done, Tomoe. The Genin you brought were all brave and intuitive. They will make great diplomats some day." Ayaka stood up, gave them all a bow, and walked out of the conference hall with her guards.

Tomoe deems this sufficient and nods, turning to her genin when Ayaka leaves with her guards. "That went well. Now let's get back to Konoha. There's much we have to prepare for, I'm sure you'll all find it very fun," she says with a smile before leading them back to home and to prepare for the Masters in Kirigakure.

A look of a relief rushes over Sakyos' face as he turns and looks at his friends and Hokage, "We did it..." The thoughts that had plagued his mind this past week were uplifted. He still felt remorse for the actions he took in the battle, but he was thankful to be alive and to have helped unite the villages.