Sand District

[Baldhead]

Shishiō nodded as he leaned back in his chair, hands raised, fingers interlaced in thought. "No problem, Daidōuji. Your knowledge will be invaluable to both me and the village for years to come." His hands moved up in front of his face as he continued, "There are many elderly and children among us, which might delay our move to the new location. The Puppet Brigade organization possesses several sand sailors that could move them faster and safer. These sand sailors serve as the primary means of transportation for puppeteers, capable of transporting large cargoes or numerous people. They can traverse desert wasteland quickly, with minimal effort." While Shishiō spoke, a bird suddenly flew in through the window, carrying a note tied to its leg. It was an unusual sight, clearly indicating that the message originated from outside their district. "Daidōuji, is this for you?"


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[Mellow]

Daidōuji felt a surge of relief and pride in her heart. She admired the wisdom and leadership the man had already showed despite just now ascending into the ranks of Kage, and to hear that her knowledge would be valued by him and the village meant the world to her. Her eyes remained fixed on Shishiō as he spoke, every word carried a weight that resonated with her. Daidōuji knew that the future of their village was at stake, and she was determined to do everything in her power to help. The mention of elderly and children among them, along with the village's impending move to a new location, made her aware of the gravity of the situation. She understood that the safety and well-being of the villagers were paramount, and she was ready to contribute her knowledge to ensure their protection. As Shishiō continued to explain the role of the Puppet Brigade organization and their sand sailors, Daidōuji absorbed every detail, her mind racing with the possibilities. The sand sailors' potential to transport large cargoes or numerous people through the desert wasteland with speed and ease filled her with hope.

Daidōuji: I do have some information regarding the new location as well you should be aware of. Once you're within a mile of the Pyramids, you'll be tailed by a group of being known as The Gairyō Clan. They're protectors of that region and they captured both me and lady Yuichiro once before working together. Though once they realized were not a threat to their home, they allowed us to go and gave us a password for when we return. I've been going back and fourth for years and i've learned their language. They will welcome our people so as long as we give our subordinate their password.​

Just as she finished her words, a sudden movement caught her attention. A bird, an unusual sight in their meeting room, flew in through the window. The note tied to its leg indicated that it carried a message from outside their district. Daidōuji's heart quickened, wondering if it was related to the village's situation. Shishiō's question pulled her back to the present, and she reached out to receive the message with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. As such, she grabbed the letter as her eyes locked onto the damning words that had shattered her world. The message had come from an anonymous source, yet the information within was too horrifying to dismiss.
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The Letter: Dear Sunagakure, your precious Kazekage has been.... changed for the better. She was willing to sell you all out as experiments just to avoid helping out with work. She was in no danger until she gave you all up, as such, she has been taken care of. Sincerely, your savior.​

All Daidōuji got from the letter was the betrayal of Yuichiro, her best friend, a person she had trusted with her life, had allegedly sold out their village and their people to save herself. The weight of that revelation crushed her spirit, and her anger smoldered within like a fiery tempest.Tears welled in her eyes, but they were not tears of sadness; they were tears of rage. The image of her former best friend's face, once a symbol of trust and shared dreams, now haunted her. It was a face she had defended with all her might, only to discover that it could be responsible for the suffering and experiments endured by their fellow villagers should this mysterious 'savior' decide to act on the experiments. The Kazekage office, once a place of solace, felt like a cage closing in around her. The very air in the room seemed thick with anger, as though the walls themselves bore witness to her turmoil. The candle's flickering flames danced in rhythm with her emotions, casting eerie, shifting shadows on the walls. Daidōuji's mind raced, torn between grief and fury. The letter detailed the experiments, the pain inflicted on the innocent villagers, and the whispers of their previous Kazekage's betrayal. The legacy of leadership that Daidōuji had once looked up to was now a shadow of deceit and cowardice. With trembling hands, she refolded the letter and steeled herself. Daidōuji's anger had transformed into a blazing determination, as she handed the letter back to Shishiō. She hadn't realized the arrival of the young man until her nerves had fully calmed down, responding to him, and giving a look of oth concern and urgency towards Shishiō as she did not want to further speak on what she had read in front of Shabaka.
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Daidōuji: Ahh, hello there young man. Why aren't you getting yourself prepared for the move?​

 

[Baldhead]

The idea that they would need passwords and the news that both the former Kazekage and Daidōuji fell to these "protectors" annoyed Shishiō. Why would such security be necessary? Wasn't the chosen place meant for the villagers to recover from the attack? Hearing the new location was already inhabited, raised doubts in Shishiō's mind about the decision.

Could he have made thr wrong choice regarding the location of their new home? Before he could share his thoughts with Daidōuji, he watched her face go from happy into pure hatred. "What's wrong, Daidōuji?" Shishiō asked in a worried voice as he watched her reaction to the note in her hand. While she was about to pass him the note, Shishiō saw out of the corner of his eye that a 'mist' of sand formed on the other side of the table.

The sand quickly shaped itself into the form of a young man who made a sudden entrance into the office. Shishiō, who recognized the newly arrived man as Shabaka, gestured with his hand, signaling that bowing was unnecessary. While doing that he at the same time took the note with his other hand. "Hello Shabaka! Welcome to the Kazekage office, what brings you here?" Shishiō greeted the man while quickly slipping the note into one of his pockets.


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[Mellow]

The room fell silent as the two adult awaited a response from the young man that had entered the office, however this is also when she finally spoke up regarding the reasoning of why she was so upset. Before speaking, Daidouji took a deep breath as the information given more than likely meant they would never figure out what was inside of those scrolls unless there was a way to get information from them without actually opening the scrolls themselves. As such, she spoke with a slightly hushed tone.
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Daidōuji: What we seek about the scrolls may be impossible now unless there's a way we can decypher whatever is inside without the risk of opening them, as from what this letter says; Yuichiro is either dead or worse. There was a mention of changing her, but not before she sold us out as experiments to some foreign lady who's calling herself our savior. It's clear that whoever this person is can now be a potential enemy we must watch out for, as they can now infiltrate our options for safety as they please if Yuichiro actually told them about the locations. So wherever we move to now will need heavy security measures just in case.​

Daidōuji had no other words to say at the moment, she was surprised and angry still as she felt this to be the ultimate betrayal. Did she even think about her daughters well being? There were so many things and people that counted on her, just for them to be told something as big as that while people either grieved or were searching for a way to bring her home. Now, not even Daidōuji wanted to save her, the only thing she wanted was answers to why she would do something like that, or if what was being said to her was even true. In any case, she was going to take them as being the truth and prepare herself as such.
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Daidōuji: There is a man who may be able to help us should we need it, he is the husband of Lady Yuichiro, though I'm sure. once he finds out about this he will no longer associate himself with anything to do with her aside of their daughter Saja. He is a former Raikage of the Cloud, the name he goes by is Kyaro Arashi. Apparently he's some kind of Legend amongst the village, though no one here has actually seen hims aside from Saja and Yuichiro herself. Apparently, Yuichiro gave Saja a special gift from him that allows her summon/reverse summon him when she wants. Should the need for it arise, he may be our ticket to figure out what's really going on. And if Yuichiro had one as well, the person who gave us this note may summon him by accident if they come across it. Should that happen, and he escapes; We'll be able to know the truth and give us answers to what's going on.​

 

[Davon]

As a devoted member of the sand district, Shabaka's loyalty to the people was evident in his every action. Standing before Shisio Shirogane, the newly assumed Kazekage, and his assistant Daidōuji, Shabaka's discomfort was palpable despite the nod of acknowledgment.

"I do not need to prepare myself for the move," Shabaka began, his voice reflecting a mix of concern and conviction. "For I cherish my times within the sands of this very country; this is my home. The idea of relocating the nation this quickly is dangerous. You are forcing people to uproot their lives when, in actuality, many are content with what they have here. How could you think making urgent moves like this is safe? What if the enemy returns while we are on the move? This all seems hasty. What is the purpose of the urgency? I doubt the people will want to give up things they own—homes, schools, shops, memories. The ability to move, I do not oppose, however, I am against this course of action because it is simply dangerous, and it seems like your will may not reflect that of the people. How can we trust you to provide a safe haven when they have previously left us up to destruction?" Shabaka posed a barrage of questions, his concerns grounded in genuine apprehension and logical reasoning.

He continued, pressing further for considerations and precautions, "If we are to move, we should contact the Shinobi Alliance and inform them. This way, we can reach out for assistance in case we encounter trouble. Also, what about those along our route there? The people and the beast enroute, can we honestly say we can do this without a single loss of life?!" Shabaka's mind raced with a mix of emotion and logic, hoping that these myriad requests would be addressed and that the safety and well-being of the people would be prioritized in the face of impending changes.
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[Baldhead]

Shishiō listens to Shabaka noting his concerns for the people's safety and lives during the move. Every word he says shows signs of concern for the people, especially after the previous Kazekage's actions. Without directly responding to all of Shabaka's questions, Shishiō gets up from his chair, addressing Shabaka with a thoughtful gaze.


"I would never risk a single life among our people. We're facing critical issues, lack of water, food, and medical care. The situation is dire, and I'm mindful of all that has been lost," Shishiō states. The weight of the decisions ahead burdens his mind. He recognizes the necessity of moving everyone to a safer location but understands the challenge of cooperation with the mixture of emotions among the people.


Turning to Daidōuji, he issues a simple order, "Daidōuji, send a message to the other Kages. Sunagakure needs their help to rebuild our village." Having given his first order as Kazekage, Shishiō then turns to face the window Shabaka used for entry.


"Shabaka, thank you for your genuine concern. While my role is to lead and, if needed, relocate our people, I agree with you that their voices matter. Let's consider their sentiments and decide collectively," he adds as he walks to the window, closing it to signal a moment of respite from the constant arrivals and departures.



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[Mellow]

Daidōuji listened to the concerns that Shabaka had, and while he did indeed bring up points that were valid, there was much more to it than something as simple as that. However, before the woman could speak in response, their new Kazekage spoke out first. For a majority of what he said, she agreed with and had no issue with; However, there was indeed the mention of alerting the other villages for help which made her frown a bit considering everything that's happened up until this point, the attack on their village from somewhere unknown to them, along with the kidnapping of Yuichiro from another person whos location is unknown.
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Daidōuji: Excuse me Lord Shishio, while I agree with you for most of what you've said. Might i voice my concerns regarding alerting the neighboring villages. With everything that has happened, I don't think it would be wise to do that. This situation is tricky as moving in general is risky on its own, but he also have no idea where the previous attack was an order from. For al we know it could have been one of those very villages that sent that order, added with whoever this letter is from. We have no idea what the intentions are behind it. There has to be a way to to complete our move without potentially putting the lives of our people in jeopardy once more.​

Her voice was stern and concerning, she wasn't one to go up against the wishes as her leader. However, if she thought there was a risk of more lives being lost or potentially the threatening of all of their lives; Daidōuji wasn't going to hesitate to speak up.

Location: Kazekage Office
Post Order: Shishio -> Daidouji -> Shabaka
Time Limit: 3 Days
Skip Points: 2​

 

[Davon]

Shabaka listened to the words of the new Kazekage, and paid attention to the mans conviction that conveyed through them. They were honest and honorable. Afterwards, the words of his assistant rang to his ear. Biting down on his teeth in annoyance, he vehemently disagreed with the position of Daidōuji. He wasn't an infamous or well known shinobi, but he was a commendable shinobi who possessed the rank of chunin and capabilities and intelligence to do what needed to be done in and out of combat. However, unlike the others Shabaka was younger and more prone to emotion in this type of situation, or at least it seemed so. "What is the purpose of the allied shinobi forces if we cannot trust each other? And according to the reports, all of the nations have been impacted and the world is basically already at lost?! I'm not the leader of the people but I do voice concern and reason. What do you think Lord Kazekage? " Shabaka inquired.
Location: Kazekage Office
Post Order: Shishio -> Daidouji -> Shabaka
Time Limit: 3 Days
Skip Points: 2​

 

[Kami Shia]

Makoto Shika

A loud thunderous explosion could be heard and felt throughout the village followed by an enormous dust cloud that spread far and wide temporarily concealing the sun rays shining down from the heavens covering the village in gloomy shadows. As the area cleared there lay the crimson haired swordsman where he once stood tall awaiting to challenge for the seat of Kazekage before rushing off aimlessly chasing a voice that called out to him, only to wind up back at square one. The young lord's face was covered by a mysterious mask that shattered into nothingness within a matter of seconds; to those who may have been witnesses to the incident surely would have many questions, some even frightened by what was right before their eyes. Makoto lay flat on his back unconscious and quivering in pain in the middle of the village. One disaster after another the people of the hidden sand suffered countless tragedies. As the young lord's body recovered his mind entered a dark empty void where he could see himself floating unable to awaken as several ethereal palms grasped at his body like an endless nightmare.

Flashback:

Before his sudden return to the village the young lord found himself halfway across the shinobi continent chasing after what he thought was a kidnapped civilian crying out for help. He followed their cries without looking back or without taking any logical action to cover his tracks. It wasn’t soon he found himself in unfamiliar territory searching for this mystery suspect, as he got closer to solving the case an explosion caught his attention. However the young lord would find himself at the end of his journey as he investigated the scene of the crime. A dark hand reaching out of the smoke and debris covered his face before he could even react. It felt like it had an overwhelming grasp virtually unbreakable, the young lord could feel a strange power entering coursing throughout his entire being, something was changing within him. Forcing him to faint but not before his eyes could catch a glimpse of his surroundings as he could tell he was back in Sunagakure…

Present:

Makoto lied on the ground and that the endless nightmare began to feel more like a distant memory as the rays of the sun slowly became more visible and he began to snore as one could easily tell that he was now sound asleep, but how one may wonder; for now the possibilities or explanation would be endless. Most citizens/ innocent bystanders would want to avoid being the victim of a misfortunate and happily cower away in fear so long as they felt there was even the slightest chance of survival. History had a way of repeating itself in the ninja world and most people had hoped for peace and harmony but in the land of wind no one who called this graveyard of a desert home was no stranger to tragedy. With that being said a future with someone claiming the title of hero was dim and rarely used around the village, only granting that title to few who’ve earned it. Makoto was well on his way to earning that title, however with a new test along the way the possibilities of that future were looking slim with every passing moment. As the young lord slept peacefully and uninterrupted, he'd find himself dreaming of a distant memory of him and younger sister playing together as she complained about her little red ribbon getting dirty. In that moment his heart was at peace as he began to smile in his sleep.​

 

[Baldhead]

Shishiō listens to both Daidōuji and Shabaka, their different views on the incident and regarding whether asking for help was the opposite of each other. On one side is Daidōuji, whose trust has recently been damaged beyond measure due to the betrayal of the former Kazekage. In contrast, Shabaka, with unwavering faith in the Shinobi Union, believes in the strength of collective cooperation, which was created several years ago and to this day still holds together through difficult times. Shishiō places both hands behind his back and begins to pace back and forth in the room as his thoughts continue between what words he should use at this moment.

“ Daidōuji.. as far as we know so far our allies may also have been subjected to an attack and are thinking similar to you. Their thoughts may be that we, Sunagakure, are the source of their harm but I want to believe that we are still allies and help each other. The move will take place in due course, but for now it is safer to keep our place and prepare. Give ourselves time to recover and regain our strength but also Sunagakure to become a united people once more. With that being said..call the people to the Kazekage building so for those who don't already know, there is a new Kazekage, Shishiō Shirogane.”

With that said, he retrieves a scroll from the position where his hands were initially placed and holds it in front of himself. With a transfer of chakra, the rope securing the scroll snaps, and it unfolds itself downwards with the kajins 風影 (Kazekage, literally meaning: Wind Shadow) inscribed upon it. The text is barely visible for a second before a cloud of smoke fills the room, once inside the smoke Shishiō places one hand on the summoned puppet and uses the transformation jutsu. He changes its appearance to himself but fully dressed in Kazekage attire with what looks like a black colored sarcophagus on its back with silver colored edges. In this coffin Shishiō has placed himself and through smaller holes he now controls the puppet with chakra threads. Thanks to him being so skilled at his profession, it really looks like Shishiō is now standing in front of them as the smoke clears.


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Location: Kazekage Office
Post Order: Shishio -> Daidouji -> Shabaka
Time Limit: 3 Days
Skip Points: 2