[Akira]

[previous thread]

With their previous conversation in mind, Hotarubi had been selected for none other than supreme tutoring - the kind that would see him rub up with the lords and ladies of the jungle. Stuff that he hated: but would likely need to do. Was he a Leader? No. A Commander? Absolutely. If there was one thing that was clear, he needed to learn how to direct the masses en masse - being strong wouldn't account for everything.

So there he was inside the illuminated yellow bulb, electricity blaring with resonating noise. This was Takigakure's HQ, some southeast of the Lord's Mansion and he felt like it was a betrayal to the man to be here, and yet - still well within his capacities to do it as a Shinobi of the nation. Not quite a secret, not quite open knowledge Hotarubi was here to see Kenji again today - right through to the man's office, though it would likely be picked up by someone if they were looking.

"Hope I'm ready to just... fuckin... read all day." Hotarubi checked his equipment. Had he brought pens and quills? Fuck. No quills or ink. Damn it. The man went through his pockets a second time as though they would somehow conjure into existence. He sighed - the man was dressed in something a little more formal today, in what could be a single hakama set of black and white, the only accentuating point was that bubblegum pink hair of his.

As far as he was aware though, if Kenji wanted to teach: and Hotarubi believed himself at least of a power to teach, then why not learn?

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Thread 3/? thread facilitating formal transition of power

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[Ono Kenji]

FOR DAWN TO COME

Much had been on Kenji's mind as of late. Things had gone uncomfortably quiet in Takigakure in the past few days, with even Lord Ryu himself avoiding or outright refusing meetings with his personal. Even on a one on one level Ryu had been quiet with Kenji, something that had admittedly only served to further push the thought that Ryu was no longer the man he once was. Kenji thought that Ryu had seen it himself, and rather than pushing back or making an effort to silence these rumors, Ryu simply paid them out of mind...

But, Kenji was making his own moves within the village. He had no desire to replace Ryu himself, much preferring his current position over a seat on the man's throne. His position as council and jonin hancho provided for far more... Quiet movements. Instead, he was beginning to put his efforts into other places. Other people, to be specific.

Yamakira Hotarubi had been one who had taken a considerable amount of Kenji's attention over the recent months. His movements, his actions, he was all but demanding a chance to prove himself. While he was still quite young and had much, much to learn about leadership or village politics, Kenji felt that he could yet bare fruit if he was taken under the right wing. His wing.

"Ah, you're early." Kenji said with a small grin, walking into the room he had requested to meet with Hotarubi. "I'm admittedly a bit surprised." He said with a grunted chuckle.

"I hope your wounds are healing well." The red haired shinobi said, a bit of empathy mixed in with a slight tone of mockery. "Come, then. Today's lesson will be much less focused on what you can already do or proving yourself." Kenji said, nodding his head for Hotarubi to follow him out of the room.

^{THERE MUST BE THOSE WILLING TO PIERCE THE DARKNESS}

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^Akira

Temp By: Akira

[Akira]

Still waiting outside Hotarubi would be surprised at Kenji not being in the room where it happened.

"I can be diplomatic. And on time." Hotarubi said, even if it did not feel like it. "I once stopped a protest going violent in Nishima-Jo. By stopping a murderer." Sure, that was... by fighting the.... murderer... but he'd spent several hours talking protestors down, by listening to their concerns.

Any inferior Yamakira might have just popped everyone into line. But not him. Nonetheless: Hotarubi had not yet come to trust Kenji. It was bad enough with Nageku and that was worae how he got treated. Tadashi was left of centre for him, but they had helped at a time he needed it most.

"They're fine." His tone was dull, resolute - one sided. He had been tried and tested by many people and it had started at birth with he and Nageku's fight against the world.

But still? If he had been judged "worthy" then the fruits of tjat labour would begin if Kenji, as they said, 'taught him the ways' so the yellow orbed man would follow him, never stepping into the office that Hotarubi thought he would be sat in for the entire day.

He worked best when engaged: so doing, rather than observing would be an infinitely more enriching experience. Would this be about not what the village could do for him, but what he could do for the village? The thought seemed exciting - something under his thumb. The Yamakira in him certainly approved of that idea.

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[Ono Kenji]

FOR DAWN TO COME

Kenji's face stayed dull, almost uninterested as Hotarubi spoke. He smiply nodded, his attention focused downward as the two navigated through the halls of Lord's tower. Eventually, they would find themselves outside, with Kenji turning his head slightly from one side to the next, survaying their surroundings.

"Tell me, Hotarubi," Kenji started, turning to his new "apprentice," with his hands tucked into his pockets and gave the Yamakira his full attention.

"What is it you see from here?"

Though the question was simply, it certainly wouldn't be something straight forward for Hotarubi to answer. There could have been a thousand things he wanted to hear, or there could have been a thousand things for Hotarubi to say. What Kenji was looking for, though, was a hint of compassion. It was clear in each and every one of Hotarubi's mission debriefings or reports that he was far from a subtle man. He was tried and ture in the ways of facing challenges head on. Not over-complicating things, but also not entirely thinking everything through. Part of what Kenji learned on his own road to leadership was to focus his attention on the broader scope of ones actions. And that was something he had hoped to try and instil into Hotarubi. All actions had consiquences, but those consiquences often times never played out the way a person thinks they would or should. Consiquences can be good, bad, or anything in between, muddied in gray, but what he needed Hotarubi to understand was, that if he was truly going to be tested and evaluated as a potential replacement for Ryu, then he would need to think about far more than just himself, or his team, or his village. Everything would fall on his shoulders.

^{THERE MUST BE THOSE WILLING TO PIERCE THE DARKNESS}

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^Akira

Temp By: Akira

[Akira]

Hotarubi had come to understand a bit more of what the man's plan was, and while he was absolutely not certain or trustworthy - strangely around the time that this had all been planning out, there had certainly been a feeling of missing in his village. Less order: not that he had any reason to expect Ryu's leadership was waning but when it came to thinks like being delivered missions: protocols weren't being followed to the letter like they usually were.

Not that he was too bothered: it was easier for him, but it did catch the man off guard. But either sense: they were going to just stand there like in their previous meeting? Hotarubi hoped that it hadn't been that and his face would show some slight disdain as they took their place. When they were stood on the precipice of the village, and Kenji had turned to Hotarubi - Hotarubi wouldn't turn to the man initially as he wanted to be seen thinking about the answer.

But it didn't take long for Hotarubi to equally turn to Kenji.

Frankly, Hotarubi's response would probably not satisfy Kenji's desires from him, because it was fundamentally what he was brought up to believe. "A village. Workforce. Military. I see order." But then again Hotarubi wasn't really observing what was in front of him, he was saying what was in his heart.

Obviously, the man could see what was in front of him as he did perceive. But he did not see.

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