[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Shouki Kumori Kuronmeru Yuuto

The young Mizukage was not one who often wore his formal robes, but this was one of those occasions that required it. A meeting with his shinobi council was a formal enough occasion that despite his dislike of pomp and circumstance called to appear as a leader and not as a scrappy teenager who had physical prowess but none of the wisdom that the two men he would be meeting today with possessed.

Shouki Kumori was the eldest and then there was Kuronmeru Yuuto, both respectable in their own ways in the village and most certainly in their clans. Their third would not be joining them today, on account of some food poisoning but Toru had assured them that he would have a scribe relay all of the necessary information on what had been agreed upon today.

The teenager arrived with white and blue robes on with waves along the cloak, the pristine hat sitting atop of his head covering the majority of his head as he sat at the head of the table. Soon after a young assistant placed a thin writing utensil, some parchment and several scrolls in front of him for his reference.

It was time to await for the two men that he hoped would be at least moderately agreeable today. In truth, he was more worried about the Kuronmeru than the Shouki.

OWL

[Kuronmeru Yuuto]

Another day of expectations. But he held himself high, his shoulders back, his robes flowing as he walked his way to the Mizukage tower, followed by his handful of staff that were there to accompany. Some had tasks to complete in the tower while he was busy, others were meant to run errands across town until he was ready - if he was to be dressed as he was, he was not going to be traveling through the dirty streets alone.

Once at the tower, he expected one of his staff to open the door for him, and he strolled inside, not looking at a single being, just moving towards the lift. He had a staff member for the entire purpose of waiting at the lift for him.

Up the lift without a sound, then off of the lift all the same. He still wore his hat through the space as well, only moving one arm at some point to open the door to the meeting room where they regularly held their council meetings.

The young lord was already inside, so of course Yuuto did his appropriate bow once he was inside and the door was closed behind him. He was someone that cared greatly for tradition and courtly expectations, so he would meet them exactly as he needed to.

"As to be expected, I've beaten the Shouki to his seat." He commented idly with his cold voice as he slowly pulled his chair from the table with a veiled hand in his robe, making sure to not make any noise with the process before finding the length from the table adequate for him to sit down. Only once he was seated did he reach to untie his traveling hat from his head and sat the straw piece down to his side, leaning it on the chair.

[Shouki Kumori]

Soaked, bloodied hands… sweat on his brow… Kumori made sure to clean up his table thoroughly, the stench of deadly gases filling the air. Before he was to go to the council meeting today, he had ample work to perform in the dawn, stashed in an operation cell inside of his clan’s compounds. He had worked on altering the procedure for the clan’s sacred ritual for years now, and he’d stumbled upon a few breakthroughs in that time…

But the more years that went, the more kids would die… and the more karma would stack on top of his shoulders. He’d never felt it as tangible as it felt now. Certain combinations prove more volatile to the body than others… yes, it’s just like a puzzle. Just as everything else…

No use spending any more time on it right now. He had a council meeting to prepare for – bathe, wash, clean himself. Ditch the owl-feathered vest, and don long, white robes to hide his bulking muscles – unorthodox, given his form screamed of a man built for battle and absolutely nothing else. But before he left the compound for the meeting, he summoned Shusui – a rather large and older snowy owl. Wise and uncertain, grumpy and reliable.

"Shusui. Bring this to Shizuka,” Kumori ordered the bird, handing him a scroll of records over his achievements in the laboratory earlier, as well as a request for certain flowers he was in need of. Still sleepy due to the blanket of dawn looming over all of them, Shusui took a moment to shake his head awake before grabbing the scroll with his talon and fly off. "A-Alright, alright… *yaaaaaaawn* count on me…”

Now, to the meeting…

Despite his old age, Kumori could take care of plenty menial tasks on his own. He still had the strength and the wit – not to mention the lack of pitiful bondage to public status – to care for himself, but alas, he was still accompanied by two assistants. Annoying as it was.

Alas, they simply accompanied him to the door to the meeting room, from which he entered – Lord Toru and Lord Yuuto were already present, and although he reckoned they hadn’t waited for that long, manners still prompted him to speak: "My apologies for making you wait.”

His large, imposing frame, and Yuuto’s slender, pale complexion… there was more than one type of duality between the two Councilors. Even so, they’d known each other for over 30 years… so Kumori took his seat and sat down, nodding in acknowledgement to Lord Yuuto and to Lord Toru. Man was getting old… but he still had the light in his eyes. The light of purpose… a mission to complete before he’d let death’s claws grasp him.

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Shouki Kumori Kuronmeru Yuuto

Toru gave a curt nod to Yuuto as the Kuronmeru sauntered in as he often did, bowing to Toru before taking his seat, carefully taking off the straw hat that he frequently wore.

Sometime later, Kumori appeared though he appeared a lot less relaxed than Yuuto had been. A touch late to the meeting, but Toru remained seated, giving a similar nod to the Shouki. The young leader did not acknowledge Yuuto's comment or the apology that was given to them both when Kumori had arrived, he just sat there with a consistently bored expression.

Now there were finally three of them and they could begin their meeting.

"A few housekeeping things before I settle into the main body of why I have called this meeting... Yuuto-san," Toru started, his fingertips glossing peripherally over some parchment.

"How has Kamenoko Mamori been dealing with the test explosion after effects in our northern waters? Do I need to dispatch more shinobi to assist with the clean-up or are things proceeding as we had discussed?"

He would allow the Kuronmeru to respond before his attention to Kumori, his lips pressed tightly together for a moment.

"Any reports from the prison, Kumori-san? I had sent in a new recommendation for someone to join the ranks but have not heard back from you about their evaluation to join."

OWL

[Kuronmeru Yuuto]

Yuuto watched as he always did, moving as little as possible but his eyes tracking as Kumori entered and sat. He took up so much space comparatively to him, which was never lost in these types of spaces and moments on the clan lord.

Once nods of acknowledgement were traded and everything was settled, Toru began the meeting, as typical.

He wasn't a fidgeter, definitely someone who moved only when absolutely necessary, especially in these settings. He didn't get agitated or impatient with his body, only his words if pushed. He'd long since learned that overuse of any energy was a waste of something possibly needed if things were to turn sour - PTSD, perhaps, but he'd never agree to that.

"We are proceeding well. The timeline is still correct. We will complete the cleaning process in 10 days time, baring any unexpected activity." He stated calmly. He did appreciate that the young boy paid attention enough, but allowed them to complete what they needed without managing every step of the way. It helped Yuuto feel better about having to report to someone younger than his own children.

[Shouki Kumori]

Kumori rarely noticed the space he took with his body, but to the lesser of heart, it could prove to be very imposing and intimidating. In this room, however? The likes of Yuuto would mock his size and its detriments in combat, even after Kumori were to land a punch in his face-

Typical Kuronmeru custom, after all-

-and Toru would… likely care more about the dandruff in his pockets than any of that. So, in conclusion, the meeting would commence regardless – Kumori could worry about shrinking in the future… whether it be far or short.

The test explosion was proceeding according to schedule. Expecting any less than perfection from Yuuto would be an indicator to tragedy, anyway – it did made Kumori think about how the kids would think of him should anything happen. The little raven must’ve had his hands full.

As for the prison… and the recommended member. A young Sourei – a suitable asset to the very nature of the place nicknamed the Trench. "The shinobi you recommended – I’m currently teaching them the Kirigakure Kokyū no Jutsu. It’ll compliment their current abilities well, due to the nature of the prison’s location – a full report will be sent to you shortly,” he explained. A Sourei who could breathe underwater would basically provide a shinobi who could, potentially, not only survive the lack of air in case of a flooding, but also the bone-crushing pressure of the deep sea in a worst-case scenario. However, because they were currently a recommendation, the report had not been finalized just yet.

But given what he said about the recommended shinobi’s potential… he insinuated that they were accepted as a candidate. He just wanted to teach them a useful skill that would compliment them very well – something that Yuuto would likely find a bit nostalgic.

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Shouki Kumori Kuronmeru Yuuto

Toru quietly wrote the reports from the two council members. Yuuto's first and then Kumori's. Toru's hand-writing had considerably improved in the last several years and it was even legible nowadays. When he had to send particularly important letters out to other leaders or even diplomats, he took a great deal of time to make sure his kanji was perfect and each stroke was like that of an artist. It reminded him much of kenjutsu in this way, so the peaceful and mindful practice had become part of his daily ritual. It soothed Toru's turbulent and always busy mind.

"I will follow up then in eleven days, Yuuto-san."

Once Kumori shared his piece Toru nodded.

"I await the report."

Another pause as he lowered his writing utensil, his fingers gently tented against the wooden table, his rusted gaze against his own calligraphy for a while longer before he looked towards his - in truth - advisors.

"Thank you for the updates. Now, I did have something I wished to speak about that requires more input from the both of you - a new initiative I have been working on."

Toru reached for a scroll, unclasped it and unfurled it to show multiple segments of both writing and illustration along the length of it.

"Please review as you see fit - I will articulate the focus of the scroll. As you are both aware, Kirigakure and Mizu no Kuni have both been well in recent years. Rebuilding efforts have been largely successful, money is flowing into the pockets of our shinobi and citizens. I wish to bring a new form of tourism to the country by focusing on an outdoors market. We are a traditional island with much nature and less industrialization. The plan here is to focus on people coming to take nature walks, and taking long visits, spending their money with our merchants and in our towns and cities."

OWL

[Kuronmeru Yuuto]

Yuuto would not have expected what it seemed he was suggesting. Yes, the land was thriving. But of all things, this had not been anywhere near the realm of his thoughts of the reasoning for the meeting. He sincerely expected more of a conversation around the clean-up.

He tilted his head, trying to decipher what was laid out on the scroll before them, his hands moving to find space inside his long sleeves for the moment. His face was of stone, not portraying any particular emotion one way or another.

"Of all things to be concerned for currently, mizukage-dono, is this the right focus for our land and resources?" It wasn't a pointed question, just one of curiosity. Clearly Toru thought this was worthy of their serious consideration...

"And is there any proof of this continuing to bring prosperity? Is there interest in something like this? Would a new festival of our nature not be better suited to fit these needs." Yuuto didn't fully like the idea of more regular tourism in their cities. He understood the logical interest in their funding, but to gum up the streets with foreign peoples also sounded like inviting issues with other kinds.

[Shouki Kumori]

Kumori eyed the contents of the scroll, noticing the segments that Lord Toru spoke of. An initiation to increase tourism to the Land of Water, now that rebuilding efforts have rejuvenated the state and conditions of the infrastructure overall. Lord Toru’s argument was nothing alien – all residents of the Land of Water took pride in the natural beauty of the isles. Certainly, this beauty – plus the availability of various kinds of merchandise in the form of stores, foods, and entertainment – would easily cause a boom in the number of visitors-

But when taking the opinion of the residents themselves into consideration… the Land of Water had always been synonymous with secluded. It was part of why the land endured so many wars… so how was their opinion on expanding the window for foreigners? Yuuto briefly brought it up himself, and Kumori decided to add onto that: "The interest in attracting foreign visitors… is polarizing, based on my knowledge.” Implying that while many were morbidly interested in the outside world, others were not so welcome of it.

Kumori had to grind his brain’s gears hard on this one – increased regular tourism would bring a prolonged increase in profit, but also a prolonged increase in risks. Yuuto’s suggestion would be shorter and more controlled – less risk, and shorter period of profit… but Lord Toru must’ve thought about this carefully. After all, he did describe it as a ‘new form of tourism’-

"Long nature walks… a type of tourism that doesn’t cram many people in one spot. If there’s a growing interest in such, then precautions must be taken for potential opportunists who’d love to exploit strangers visiting a country like ours for the first time… with lesser senses of direction, they could easily be robbed blind. That is one of my worries.”

Perhaps, many people outside of the Land of Water were eager to visit this beautiful archipelago – thus, they arrive by boat, enter the fresh lands, and then… yes, by reading the contents of the scroll further, certain nature areas were highlighted – it guaranteed that certain guides would have the role of preventing his worries from coming to life. However, further articulation was welcomed. "Perhaps interest has grown since back when the Chūnin Exams were held here."

That must've been roughly 1.5 years ago. This summer, it was held in the Land of Fields - last winter, Land of Lightning. The summer before that, Land of Earth, and the winter before that, Land of Water.

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Kuronmeru Yuuto Shouki Kumori

Toru's expression did not shift much, but it did not go unnoticed that Yuuto had put himself and Toru at the same level with the honorific. Toru did not already care much for honorifics so he remained silent on the matter.

"A festival is all well and good, Yuuto," He dropped the honorifics entirely then. "We have these on a monthly basis, but they do not have the staying power of one or two powerhouse tourism towns that specialize in holiday stays promoting nature walks."

If the two looked closely they would note that the two towns that were being focused on were already towns known for people visiting them. One was a bit seedier - Kagura no Mura - but it had a good relationship with the Kirigakure no Sato. Which meant their efforts had a higher chance of success.

The other was home to where many of the rich took holiday - Mizu no Tera.

"For this, I would dispatch shinobi to clear our specific areas, and have extra patrol where it was necessary. However, I imagine nobles from other countries and civilians would enjoy this kind of opportunity to relax somewhere as we have called it secluded. We would manage traffic at our coastal borders to avoid an excessive of people coming in... We have a visa system let us have it work for us more prominently."

OWL

[Kuronmeru Yuuto]

Clearly he and Kumori were on similar pages of concern of opening their lands to those who meant to do nefarious things. 

His issue was not in the idea of building natural trails to promote nature and the people's connection to it, but the influx of different people that could cause long term problems.

"Have you looked into the initial cost of this endeavor? Will all of this expansion fall upon this council to approve? Kagura no Mira will require more time and effort to bring to the point you're suggesting." Beyond the idea of the influx of others, his concern included the timeline of completion, and the resources put in - all for possibly middling income.

"Are you considering this because there is a drum of interest, or is this a wild idea you thought of, mizukage-dono. You did not answer my previous question." He did not like having to repeat himself. It caused his darkened blood pressure to rise slightly, and it reminded him too much of his own children at home he had to parent. He didn't want to be doing that in his work life.

[Shouki Kumori]

The theme of seclusion certainly did well to attract rich snobs who desired to change the atmosphere in a drastic manner. However, when opening your borders even further to the outside world, Yuuto’s worries would begin to weigh more. Perhaps it was born out of paranoia, or his OCD… but-

Lord Toru certainly expected this response from the both of them – otherwise, why hold this counsel to begin with? Henceforth, Kumori stayed quiet for now, crossing his arms in patience and waiting for Yuuto’s questions to be answered in full, in the meantime scanning the contents of Toru’s plan a little deeper.

The two cities of interest – Kagura no Mura, and Mizu no Tera – left some food for thought; Mizu no Tera had hosted the Chūnin Exams 2 years ago, so many outsiders were already exposed to its serene landscape, accommodations, and atmosphere. Kagura no Mura, however… while a hotspot unlike any other, perhaps also a bit too night-wild to be considered a spot for enjoying the Land of Water’s nature. Perhaps it was a way to balance out the far more idyllic nature of Mizu no Tera, but it sure made Kumori’s brow raise upon further looks.

For now, however, he kept quiet. One old head such as him knew when to talk, and when to listen.

[Kaguya Toru]

I would know him in death At the end of the world Kuronmeru Yuuto Shouki Kumori

Yuuto fell into questioning the Mizukage, but Toru as always in his eternal emotionless facade to the world did not flinch. He just stared plainly at Yuuto, glancing only once towards Shouki expecting that he would add something on. But the dissent continued only from the Kuronmeru. This was fine, Toru had thought of this long and hard.

"These two places I am suggesting, they are already popular visitation spots. I only wish to see them improved. Kagura no Mura is already bursting with nightlife, why not create a day life for it? Create paths and roads nearby it that would allow for a more simple experience of nature. A marsh and forest worth visiting if we created safe paths. Mizu no Tera as you both already know hosted the exams a few years ago, it is a place to get away as is. We can use its coastal position and nearby mountains to our advantage. I have no desire to allow people into our village - if this is a concern - I have proven time and time again that I believe that Kirigakure no Sato should strive to be secluded. That is why unlike my predecessors I will not allow anyone who is not one of our own here." To this very day it disgusted Toru that a leader had once allowed an exams to take place in Kirigakure no Sato. He found it unacceptable and he kept the borders for the village strict. Explicit permission was required, allies needed a good reason, wandering shinobi were not allowed in, and otherwise only those with proper residencies and citizenships were allowed into the village.

In truth, it was almost offensive to Toru that Yuuto believed him to be so easy going and lax.

"And what is wrong with wild ideas, Yuuto-san?" He finally answered.

OWL

[Kuronmeru Yuuto]

Yuuto didn't take well to being directly pointed at (physically or verbally) - especially by those younger than him, or anyone he deemed below his status. Toru was anything but below him on paper, but his age and his lack of a name always bristled the proverbial back of the elder's neck. He couldn't speak to those feelings, not in these walls. He would keep those thoughts to himself and his own office in the compound back home.

He knew the boy was exacting, methodical when it came to things he decided on. The Kuronmeru clan head's concerns needed to be validated more than anything. He remembered when Kirigakure opened it's doors and how his skin crawled to think of where he called home crawling with possible threats.

"Some wild ideas can cause catastrophe, mizukage-dono." Yuuto said back after some time of thought and him choosing to fold his arms gently, his hands concealed into his robes.

"What would this council be expected to take on from this decision, if there would be need at all." He seemed to be reserved into giving his approval, barring any outside strange happenings. He felt a little scorned, but that wasn't worth his words at this table.

[Shouki Kumori]

Yuuto was adamant on his opinion of this initiative – while not directly stating it yet, his thoughts were clear. Kuronmerus rarely hid their opinions on topics from their faces, and Kumori could read his well. Foreigners brought naught but trouble to the precious Land of Water. Not only was it starkly stirring – any potential incident as a following could be lynched onto the shoulders of the Mizukage and functioning Daimyo of this land.

There were… individuals out there who’d love to use it as further ammo to invalidate Lord Toru’s authority, on top of pointing out his obviously ludicrous age in this seat and position of power. But… Lord Toru was no fool, and Kumori genuinely wanted to see this initiative go through smoothly. Lord Toru’s plan was to include a day life to Kagura no Mura, complementing its current nightlife that was already well-known.

But despite that, he too had… feelings about those from outside of the Land of Water – not nearly as strong as Lord Yuuto’s, but still there deep within, cultivated by his clansmen. But Lord Toru’s words rang true – he had no intentions of letting any foreigners into Kirigakure no Sato. So perhaps… yeah, this could work. "I never had concerns about the seclusion of Kirigakure no Sato – that shall be maintained, for the better,” Kumori expressed with crossed arms, "…”

He was ready to give his approval after finishing reading the scroll… but Lord Yuuto had an aura about him. "We did hold a Chūnin Exams at Mizu no Tera recently… and despite your opinions, Lord Toru and Lord Yuuto, what severe issues arose from the presence of foreigners in that region, specifically?”

To his knowledge, none. If there were issues lingering from such an event taking place there, then on top of the Exams that once took place in Kirigakure no Sato of all places – this meeting wouldn’t have been taking place to begin with.