[Hibana]

The Pink Blur

Hibana had left Raika and Tokaku on their own to prepare for the exams. She did not want to distract them this week anymore than possible. Besides she had an important meeting to attend to today anyway. She made her way through the crowded streets of Akazaya trying not to get distracted by the countless stalls of food. The young Namikaze had her long blonde hair put up into a ponytail the last three inches of dyed pink hair hung near her upper back. Covering her right eye was a grey silk scarf a gift from her family to keep her Tennogan covered. The eye was the cause for the meeting today, the Raikage Kizumi had requested a meeting with Hibana to speak on the orb. They had met once before a few years ago when she had first acquired the eye from a missing omori clan ninja. This time Hibana had made her way to the land of lightning and was honestly excited for this meeting. After the first Hibana had begun to idolize the Raikage, a strong powerful woman was who Hibana aspired to be. She giggled as she began to skip through the streets her "famous" energetic attitude keeping her from being to nervous. After all on the surface her eye was a symbol of the peace between Konoha and Kumogakure. The young woman stopped eyeing the door before her, the number next to it was the same as on the letter but she figured their meeting would be at an inn or maybe a mansion. The building that stood in front of her looked like a warehouse or something. The wood looked rotted and needing to be changed before the whole place came down. She looked around making sure she was at the right spot before opening the door stepping inside. "Raikage Sama? Namikaze Hibana here as summoned."

hirana kizumi --

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

Because there weren’t enough moving parts to keep track of, young Namikaze Hibana was visiting Akazaya for the exams. As was her right! And Kizumi was glad she was here! But gods almighty, the Omori were insufferable when all that shit with their nuke-nin went down. She was the first to admit that she didn’t know a thing about clan politics, but this issue in particular bewildered her—it was one of their people who went rogue, it was Konoha who ended up dealing with the defector, and then they wanted to kick up a fuss about one of the shinobi who’d brought the man down keeping an eyeball as a souvenir? It wasn’t like it had ended up in the hands of an enemy, and as Kizumi ardently maintained until she ran out of breath: stronger allies made a stronger Kumogakure. It was better for the eye to be with Konoha than out in the wild causing problems. But she’d had to wine and dine and wheel and deal and negotiate and barter and make promises until she was blue in the face just to keep the more passionate of the Omori from hunting young Hibana down as soon as Kizumi broke the news, and even then there was still the lingering threat that someone foolish might break off from her carefully-worded orders to try to take the eye back by force regardless. And Omori sensor-nin comprised no small part of Akazaya’s security during the festival, and the exams themselves. Kizumi was stressed. None of this stress showed on her face as she waited for Hibana to arrive at their clandestine meeting place. Chitose was with her, an ever-present and ever-loyal bodyguard, but otherwise the three would be alone. She smiled broadly as Hibana entered, waving her over to a cozy little set-up she’d arranged, just three chairs around a small table with tea and snacks and a bottle of whisky. "Hi, darling,” Kizumi said, nudging the lone empty chair out with one foot so Hibana could get comfortable. "Just Kizumi is fine, it’s just us here. How was the trip? Are you excited for the festival?” They had urgent matters to discuss, sure, but if it wasn’t an emergency then to Kizumi’s mind there was nothing urgent enough to make it worth glossing over a genuine inquiry to someone’s well-being. There was plenty of time in the day to talk about the serious stuff—they had to make room for the fun stuff, too.

Hibana -- 424

LAIKA OF THQ

[Hibana]

The Pink Blur

There she was already seated at the small table. The act of even making this meeting while she had so much on her plate made Hibana's smile widen. Since their first meeting Hibana had been excited to see the Raikage again. She walked over and bowed before taking the offered seat. She was visibly shaking in her seat, not from fear but from excitement. She knew once she got the chance to speak she doubted she would be able to stop talking. "OMG The town here is so beautiful I could die! Thank you so much for being such a gracious host for the exams. I'm so excited to watch Raika and Tokaku participate I know they will do amazing. I've been looking at the stalls around town for a cute Kumo outfit to bring home maybe a dress. I need to take run up one of the mountains it would be so amazing to watch the sunrise from up there. OhB.T.Dubs,I'vemadesuretokeepalowprofilewhilehereandnotdrawtomuchattentiontomyself." The young woman stopped talking, not from lack of words but from air. She had been so excited to meet with Kizumi and see her idol again she had started rambling. Her face turned red from embarrassment as she looked up to the bodyguard of the Raikage. They had seen her become a fan girl in an instant, she felt as if she could just die. "I'm sorry for my rambling, I am very happy to be here. I am the first from my family to visit Kumogakure, well the land of. I doubt the first in my clan but I am honored none the less."

hirana kizumi --

LAIKA OF THQ

[hirana kizumi]

Hibana was vibrating in her seat, visibly fidgeting with excitement, and almost before the final syllable left Kizumi’s mouth, Hibana erupted with a verbal deluge. She was so young, so full of energy, and Kizumi was whalloped with the grim realization that she was nearly twice this girl’s age and had a smidgen of her energy. She was surprised, though, to hear Tokaku’s name in the middle of the ramble. It was encouraging to know that they were starting to build up more relationships, break out from the confines of her bonds with her father and sisters and clan. If Chitose had any opinions on the proceedings, she kept them to herself, and instead quietly sipped her tea. "No sorries,” Kizumi said, pushing the plate of little cookies across the table, closer to Hibana. "I’m glad you’re excited! I hope you have fun, there’s lots to do—if you want a dress I can give the address of a great seamstress in town. I don’t think she put a stall up since it’s just her these days, but she does fantastic work.” A beat. Kizumi ate a cookie. "And thanks for being understanding,” she said, gesturing vaguely towards her own protected eye. "I didn’t want you to miss out, but—the situation being what it is, I want you to be safe, too. I’ve given my orders, but clan politics are what they are, and there’s still a good number of Omori who are very upset with the decisions I’ve made. Have you had any problems so far? Everything going okay?”

Hibana -- 263

LAIKA OF THQ