The Sword Master and the Kage (Invite)

[Ryutatsu "Sakurai Sword"]

Ryutatsu was unusually not armed very heavily. In the spring morning of the Mountains of Kumogakure, Ryutatsu was leaning against a blossoming cherry tree. He simply wore his usual shirts and pants stuff but otherwise was devoid of armor, weapons, and pouches. He was far from defenseless of course but this was where was suppose to meet the Kage. Knowing the AnBu as he did now, he didn't want to have to worry about leaving his weapons unattended for to long. He may be a Chunnin now but that was still without an assigned team or mission. 

The white hair boy gazed out along the field before him towards more distant mountains. He was contemplating somewhat on the direction of his life. He was a Master Swordsman yes, but few visit his dojos. Even most of his clan went with Shiki Senri to the Land of Wind. He was raised there but Kumogakure was his home. To many relied on him now to abandon like that. So there the little wolf of the mountains absorbed radiance of the sun and meditated holding onto a single rose as he waited. 

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

[Enter Marii]

A small breeze fluttered through the grass. It partially masked the sound of her foot steps. 'He sure has grown up fast' realized the female.
She had chosen an unusual outfit. Her Raikage robes had been replaced with a navy blue floral dress.

On her feet were a pair of black leggings plus shinobi sandals. Her hair was braided in a French braid.
"Ryutatsu-kun? How have you been?" inquired Marii. He could probably hear the curious tone in her voice.

She stood roughly 40 feet behind him. This made it easy for him to see her. There were no ANBU's close to her. They were not far away from the ANBU Academy after all. The woman gave him a small smile.

"I'm glad you could meet me today. I thought you would like this field. After all, I know you have an affinity for flowers" started the Raikage.
It was unusual to see her like this. She did not appear as strict as usual.

[Ryutatsu "Sakurai Sword"]

Ryutatsu didn't do much but glace at his Kage and continued to enjoy the vista of the view as he responded. "I have been good, My Lady. I haven't been sharpening my skills as much though due to the added paperwork and responsibities of Chunnin. This is indeed a enjoyable place to be in. So My Lady, We have an agreement with Mo, and my dojo is growing in the Land of Fang.  But what is there to improve my skills and where can I become a better leader? I am your youngest Chunnin at the moment and without a team."

These questions and words weighed on his mind. Ryutatsu spoke in quiet respectful tones as he continued to weigh himself by some invisible measure. There it was obvious he still felt he came up short. He wasn't the leader that his cousin who is now a Kage or his cousin's wife was. But those two left impressions that he should be. Besides that Gunnr girl from the Land of Snow was right in his lack of real trials.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"I have been good, My Lady. I haven't been sharpening my skills as much though due to the added paperwork and responsibities of Chunnin. This is indeed a enjoyable place to be in" started the younger male.

"So My Lady, we have an agreement with Mo, and my dojo is growing in the Land of Fang. But what is there to improve my skills and where can I become a better leader? I am your youngest Chunnin at the moment and without a team." told Ryutatsu.
She glanced at the elegant rose in his hand. Her ice blue eyes moved towards his face moments later.

"I have a few ideas. First of all, you're a young shinobi. You don't have any family or obligations yet" started Marii.
"I would like to send you on missions outside of Kaminari no Kuni. This will give you invaluable experience" continued the young woman.

"Second, it seems to me that you know Zuruel-san quite well. Maybe you can work with him on that library project as well? I am intrigued by it. Then again, I'm quite a bookworm" stated the Raikage. There was a small grin on her face.

"You have more freedom to travel or take higher missions as a Chuunin. I would like to help you grow. Speaking of which...I have a favour to ask you" told the female.
She walked closer to the taller boy. There was an unusually shy smile on her face.

"I think this will tell you what you need" said the brunette. She raised her left hand to tuck some invisible hair behind her ear.
The Chuunin would notice the band on her left ring finger straight away. It was quite an eye-catcher.

The ring was made out of platinum. Tiny raindrop-like sapphires circled the banding.
Each sapphire was as thin as a hair. They seemed to either fall from or too a pair of white-crystal cloud looking stones. A thinly inlaid amber stone laid like a lightning bolt in between. A ring of storms.

She gave him a nod in reply. "I would like you to help me with the flower decorations. I will make sure to pay you somehow. Don't forget that I am on your side" told the young woman. She wondered how he would take the news.

[Ryutatsu "Sakurai Sword"]

Ryutatsu looked down and back towards his Kage as she spoke. He listened carefully as she spoke her ideas and they matched what he wanted for now. He had already traveled a bit but it was time for him to become more knowledgeable about the world outside the village. The ring on his Kage's hand however was slightly distracting as she spoke further on asking a favor of him showing him that. " Hmm Platinum, Kaminari no Kuni mine about thirty miles from here if I am not mistaken by the feel of it. Sapphire and amber from the gemstone mines from the north and that white crystal actually from lands much further away I believe. I have no problem doing your flower arrangements and congratulations. As far as sides, I didn't think there needed to be any. This village has supported me, so I support it. "

His voice had a distant quality to it as his mind continued along the lines of planning and introspection. He was a warrior, but he was one of honor in a world of shinobi. He acted more like the Lord's Samurai than a proper Shinobi. But he had been learning ways of taking the advantage in battle. Zuruel specifically had been helping him with that. Dang, hard it was to limit the hearing of a Bard.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"Hmm...platinum, Kaminari no Kuni mine about thirty miles from here if I am not mistaken by the feel of it. Sapphire and amber from the gemstone mines from the north and that white crystal actually from lands much further away I believe. I have no problem doing your flower arrangements and congratulations. As far as sides, I didn't think there needed to be any. This village has supported me, so I support it." replied the male.

A smile formed at her face. "I think I chose the wrong words. Let me try to rephrase it" told the female.
Her ice blue eyes looked into his emerald green eyes. The natural coldness in her eyes had faded a little.

"I know you don't have any family here in Kumogakure. However, I am happy to hear that the village has supported you. That is something I will try to maintain for the future" assured the Raikage.
She knew there were few shinobi families like hers in Kumogakure. Hence why the Kyoudo practise made her a little sick.

"Now...I was thinking about that seal Zuruel-san used. Is there a way you may learn that jutsu? Or is there something else that needs to be obtained?
I think the knowledge Zuruel-san possess will come in handy. Especially for a traveler like you" told the young woman.

A gust of wind blew some petals away. Spring in Kumogakure no Sato was stunning if the weather was right. 'I should do this a little more often' concluded the brunette.
She turned her head to look at Ryutatsu to gauge his reaction. The female knew he had an opinion about this.

[Ryutatsu "Sakurai Sword"]

Ryutatsu closed his eyes for a moment in thought. He reviewed over the interactions with Zuruel and his seal in his mind. It took but a moment and then he nodded mostly to himself. "I can find where he learned it from. From my understanding it takes a certain amount of raw power to be able to handle the stress of pure teleportation that seal can produce. " Then with a blink Ryutatsu was on the other side of Marii without the use of Shunshin or anything like that. "I have seen it's uses, and it can be used more often than my natural ability at something similar. I can and would look for it or other powers that can be used to enhance our standing in the world if you so wish?"

Ryutatsu's Emerald eyes looked at his Kage with a look that spoke to how he was both too old and too young for his body. The years since he joined Kumogakure show on him. When he joined he was tall but still lanky. Now he was still Lanky but much more defined and filled out. His arms and other parts of exposed skin show scars crisscrossing across him from to many Sword fights and close calls.

Ryutatsu looked out once more and spoke back on that family that she had mentioned. "Besides Shiki I don't think I have family anywhere. At least none that matter anymore. Tatsuo-kun, has been the closest thing to family I ever had. At least he gave me the skills to survive in and out of battle. "

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

He closed his eyes for a moment. The male was deep in thought.
"I can find where he learned it from. From my understanding it takes a certain amount of raw power to be able to handle the stress of pure teleportation that seal can produce." told Ryutatsu. Suddenly, he disappeared from her sight.

The female spun around, only to see him on the other side of her. "I have seen it's uses, and it can be used more often than my natural ability at something similar. I can and would look for it or other powers that can be used to enhance our standing in the world if you so wish?" inquired the boy. His emerald eyes met her ice blue ones yet again. What she saw in them did not match the rest of him.

Marii felt as if she looked into the eyes of an 18-19 year old person. However, the shinobi in front of her had yet to reach his teens. "Besides Shiki I don't think I have family anywhere. At least none that matter anymore. Tatsuo-kun, has been the closest thing to family I ever had. At least he gave me the skills to survive in and out of battle." told the Chuunin.

She glanced away with a smile on her face. Did the male knew that Tatsuo was her uncle by marriage? Probably not. His lack of a doujutsu combined with a non-Kazeraikou name made that less likely happen. No wonder he was the leader of the owl division.

"I'll make sure to tell Tatsuo-san that. He will appreciate it. I would like you to speak with Zuruel-san first. Find out where he thought how to move around like this. In return, I may sign him up for some personal training or lessons" informed the young woman.

"Do you mind me asking what kind of flower or herb you like? I’m sure you've already guessed mine" laughed the young woman. Her eyes were lingering on the snow white rose in his hand. It was not often she got to speak to her shinobis this way. Most of her conversations were about work or training.

[Ryutatsu "Sakurai Sword"]

Ryutatsu shrugged a little and smiled at the question about flowers. It wasn't often people acknowledged his interest and ability with them. With laughter in his eyes, Ryutatsu raised a hand and the wind gusted then swirling around it bringing with it a host of blossoms of the cherry tree they were under. "Didn't you wonder where this tree came from suddenly? It hadn't always been here. "

Ryutatsu favored flowering trees for two reasons. One was aesthetics and the other was combat. Cherry Blossom trees looked beautiful, it was like natures representation of spring in his mind. The other was the blossoms of these trees provide much more for his jutsus than a few flowers as there were hundreds of flowers per tree. More so they help set the mood for honorable sword battles or so it seemed. " I will speak with Zuruel, I was to give him a tour of my facilities in the Land of Fang anyways. Though next time I duel him, I might restrict how much fire he could use around there. I am still repairing the damage to my facility here."

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

Her question was rewarded with a rare smile. She noticed the spark in his eyes when he summoned a wind. Pink cherry blossom petals swirled around the duo.
"Didn't you wonder where this tree came from suddenly? It hadn't always been here." told the male.

"When you mention it...I kind of did" replied the female. Blooming trees were quite a beauty during spring or summer. The climate in Kumogakure however posed an issue sometimes.
'I better speak with the staff about this. We could use some more trees in the park or research center' noted Marii.

"I will speak with Zuruel, I was to give him a tour of my facilities in the Land of Fang anyways. Though next time I duel him, I might restrict how much fire he could use around there. I am still repairing the damage to my facility here." informed Ryutatsu.
A nervous smile formed at her face. The general had clearly gotten his title for a reason.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm happy you take the time to plant these trees. All though I despise pink, I do enjoy the flowers" admitted the young woman.
She did a swirling motion with her bony fingers. Her fuuton chakra made the petals swirl around the guy like a small vortex.

"Please tell me when Zuruel-san has told you about the transport technique. Having a shinobi that could do that is immensly useful. Especially since I plan to expand our alliances.
I'm excited to see what the future bring us. The sky is the limit after all" told the Raikage in a low voice.

[Ryutatsu "Sakurai Sword"]

Ryutatsu chuckled, " I don't particularly like pink either. I was letting the tree choose in this case but..." With that Ryutatsu placed a hand on the tree and suddenly the flowers turned white and so did the new blooms. "I prefer white myself. I will ensure to provide full reports of my investigation. " Marii could see that Ryutatsu was charged to have a real mission.

And that charge was almost physical in nature. Ryutatsu had allowed his natural electrical field manifest slightly. It wasn't full use of his abilities but he was able to generate and manipulate electrical fields like few others. He wasn't Shiki in sheer power but his connection to it was quite close.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"I don't particularly like pink either. I was letting the tree choose in this case but...I prefer white myself. I will ensure to provide full reports of my investigation" told the male.
The female saw the petals go from baby pink to ivory in seconds. It was a very interesting change.

Marii noticed the charged field around him. 'He is definitely stronger now. I hope he does not burn and crash' observed the young woman.
Suddenly, an ANBU agent appeared 30 feet behind her. He approached her after giving her a respectful bow.

"Lady Raikage. One of the visitors wants to see you" informed the young man.
She suddenly remembered the date. Today was the orientation meeting with Zuruel. The Raikage turned towards the younger guy.

"Duty calls I'm afraid. Why don't you come to the tower tomorrow at 11 AM? I should be ready to see you by then.
Have a nice day and enjoy your flowers" told the female. A smile formed at her face when she lifted her left arm.

Her hand did a series of swirling motions while looking at her shinobi. A large pile of petals and leaves would spin in a large circle around the Chuunin. She let out a small laughter as she left him.
The masked young man raised his eyebrows. It was the first time he saw his boss in a light mood.

[Exit Marii and ANBU!]