Rain's History (OOC)

[kininata]

(This is a summary of events since two years ago, as almost no one in Rain currently has a clue to the current situation.)

The History of Amekagure no Sato: A Village Wreathed in Chaos

The true history of the great Amekagure no Sato is known only to those of the Council of Elders, and to those Kage who have survived their duties as leaders of this troubled village. The history that most recall now is the time of Corrin Maeda, the Pacifist Amekage, and the beginning of its spiraling descent into chaos as the world continued to turn.

Almost two years ago, as a new generation of Ninja completed their training at the Academy of Ame, the current Amekage, Corrin Maeda, could feel a change in the world. His fellow advisor's thought he was simply imagining things, but Corrin had always had a developed sense of things to come. Our tale also introduces us to, how we shall say, one of several figures that the Village will remember as those responsible for the events to come… and to follow. Specifically, a young red-haired boy, son of a former member of ANBU, and one of the few who was born wielding the power of Hyouton no Jutsu - Kininata Hyouketsu.

With his team - Miyani and Kouushimei, he went out venturing into the wilds on his first mission as the first dark cloud of Amekagure no Sato began its descent upon the Village, a cloud that Corrin Maeda foresaw before anyone even felt a hint of it. During the next few weeks, other Genin finished their trials, and it was not long before Kininata Hyouketsu went to attend his first Chuunin Exam in the Land of Tea. It was during this time, as he faced a Uchiha from Leaf, that the Village found itself flung into the first turmoils of the Office of the Amekage: Corrin Maeda vanished, without a trace, as did a Genin Medical Nin called Miyani - a close dear friend of Kininata‘s. However, a strange and confusing letter had been left behind in his office, one that made all of the Council question the sanity and perseverance of the now missing Amekage.

Upon the return of Kininata Hyouketsu, beaten and bruised - almost killed - he found himself pitted into a unusual situation for one so young - to be the Amekage. The letter Corrin had left behind stated that he was to be his successor for the office, and at first none (not even the Genin) could believe such a thing. However, six months out of the academy, Kininata Hyouketsu became one of the youngest leaders of Amekagure no Sato that the Village had ever known… though his place in the Tower was one that was not to be long lived, nor was it to be lacking of pain and torture for the young, inexperienced Ninja.

It was here that the true chaos of the world seemed to turn its eye towards the small, rain-ridden Village. Within a few weeks he had managed to re-organise the Ninja’s and stabilise the force there, for the time being. Then, without warning, Corrin Maeda appeared before Kininata in his training room, offering his services as Captain of ANBU. On that same day, Miyani - a changed ninja, now, from her experiences - also returned like a lost sheep rejoining the flock. It was also soon afterwards that the great Tragedy of the Tower was to occur.

Naïve, inexperienced, Amekage Hyouketsu allowed a Misisng Nin to enter his office, and offered her asylum for a minor price. As a result, she attempted to assassinate the Amekage himself. However, through nothing short of fate and luck, Kininata managed to avoid death that day, though the old Tower fell before a column of molten lava, and over a hundred villagers were killed in the terrible crisis, including that of Corrin Maeda… or at least, his body was never found. This, however, was only the beginning of that day, for blood would now be spilled between brothers - Kininata’s brother, Tazuma, revealed himself to not only be the architect of the attack, but a would be assassin as well. Fortunately, both Miyani and Kouushimei managed to delay him enough for serious reinforcements to arrive… at the costs of their own lives.

The destruction left Kininata unwell, distracted, and unable to apply himself to his work as he should have, for he had lost not only a close friend from Kouushimei, but someone dear to him from Miyani.. And reading reports of Genin attending the Chuunin Exams being assassinated left him further troubled. It was also at this time that Nagaku and Asko made their “appearance” as Soenai. Captured, betrayed, and watching the death of another Captain of ANBU, but his experience in captivity - one that led him to understand Nagaku’s actions - showed him that he was simply not ready for such an undertaking. And so, after “being rescued” by Nagaku, he resigned from the office of the Amekage - surviving his short nine months as the leader of Rain - and the former Missing Nin took his place as leader of Amekagure no Sato.

Fate, however, seemed poised to destroy those who were not destined for the office. For shortly into his reign over the Village - during which time two more Genin who passed their Chuunin exams were killed - Nagaku found himself dead at the end of a assassin himself (An assassin who is now known as Riou Ensuro, a loyal Rain Ninja), an irony that did not evade the former Kage’s humour… though his questions concerning the death of this new leader led to no answers, leaving him to suspect that not everything had been down to poor luck… but perhaps a plan of action. When they asked him to continue his former role as leader, he declined, telling them to find some one else more suited.

And so Muteki, a Misisng Nin from Mist, soon appeared in the chair. The two men both met, and Kininata was amazed that he had even been heard of or spoken about as a Kage, never mind thanked for the effort he had put into the job. However, before even he could enjoy his time in the office, Muteki “vanished” from his tower, and once more, Amekagure no Sato is leaderless... though his actions did lead a the timely demise of the Hokage at one known only as Kaorin.

At least, until today. Today, Uchiha Koga has been chosen to take over as Amekage, though with the New Tower being a victim of robbery, he will find himself with very few resources at all. Kinianta Hyouketsu, now stronger than ever, is seeing plans within plans concerning the fate of Amekagure no Sato, and is more concerned about what the purpose of these plans are more than his own safety now. He was too naïve to see what was happening in the past… he would not allow another Kage to die while he has the power to act now; he was tired of the death caused by this “conspiracy against Rain”. The questions: who has been responsible for killing the Genin’s after the Chuunin exams, weakening the strength of the Village? Who has been killing (or trying to) the Amekages, to leave the Village in chaos? Why do the council seem so incapable of performing their duties, yet so secretive about their own actions? Is the Village corrupt? Is the future of the Village hanging by a loose thread? Only the future will tell, and the world continues to turn as the next cloud of chaos descends upon the Village of Everlasting Rain.

[kininata]

The Cloud Passes, The Darkness Wavers

And so, the events of recent weeks in the lives of the people of Amekagure no Sato have changed once again. The tale of one man has ended, though the beginning of a new chapter has begun;

Uchiha Koga, the new Amekage, had been in charge of the village for only a short while but already his presence brought a semblence of stability and joy to the people. Even Kininata Hyouketsu found a degree of peace in this time, though like all good moments of this village, such peace and joy was not to last. The plotters have made their next move - though now they have names at last. The Namine Siblings, the "leaders" of the Council of Amekagure no Sato, have made the first open steps in their hidden battle to control the village, its people, and those who would protect it. The new Amekage, claimed to have been stealing funds from the vaults, has now been "executed" before his people by direct order of the council, leaving a dark hollow in the hearts and soul of many people - especially that of its only living Former Amekage, Kininata Hyouketsu.

However, in the wake of this tragedy, a blossom of hope has arrived at the gates, one who was here before the time of chaos, one who has been distant from the shadows hanging over the cursed village... one who may have the potential to change the fate of the people once and for all.

The Council of Rain, The Namine Siblings, and Ame's Fall: How things came to be

Fifty years ago, Amekagure no Sato was not as weak and small as it is now, but was a place of importance in this part of the land. It was strong, full of people hoping for a better future in the days where war between Villages was common, and where both Council and Kage ruled in a near partnership... and the deceits of power and corruption were rife through all seats of command. It is here, where the story of the Fall of Amekagure no Sato, begins...

The Namine Siblings were relatively new to the Council in those days, placed there for being among the wisest of Ninja, the smartest. There, they worked with the Kage of the times, Uematsu Renji, to try and avert a war in their land that would split the country apart. However, the siblings, Fai and Namine, were already corrupted by greed - greed from the power they had already attained, greed from the coffers of their victories, and now the greed of having influence over the village. Their advice, along with the persuasive strength of the other corruptable elders, led to a decision that would cripple the village.

The details of what happened are known only to the Kage's that search their records, but all know this; the village was attacked from all sides, most of the council - save the Namine Siblings - and the Kage were killed, and the country was torn asunder by civil unrest, much like their allied village, Kusagure no sato. The two siblings, now in a position where they could rebuild the village how they saw fight, became the ruling heads of the Council of Ame, choosing whomever they wanted as new members, and electing the Kage they wanted. Those who were "resilient" to their ideals conviniently vanished from public eye, or were killed by assassins... only one known person has ever survived the office of Amekage since the siblings became the leaders of the Council fifty years ago - Kininata Hyouketsu.

[kininata]

A Year of Shadows; The Dark Clouds Descended Once More

Over the next year that passed, many things changed beneath the darkened clouds that loomed above Amekagure no Sato; Kininata Hyouketsu, leader of the Tenreikouu group - a group aimed towards removing the corruption from the Village - leaves to attend to the first and most grievous villain involved in the corruption within. Souzen and Muteki were left with tending to the Village and the resistance group supposed to free the village of its darkness... but without the determination of its leader, plans fell apart. Souzen left to tend to personal matters, leaving Kazuya Itagi to become the Seventh Amekage. Under his control things only turned for the worse... and would not become brighter after Souzen returned to the Village some time later.

On his arrival, an unidentified ninja committed a suicidal strike out at Koga, the "deceased" Kage, a man who was believed to be a traitor for deceiving its people, for abandoning them - hundreds of people were killed in the resulting devastation... one to rival the attack on the Amekage's Tower two years ago. Seeing this, Souzen decided that he could not stay here, in such a place, and went to retrieve his family so that he might find a quieter place away from Ninja's, bloodshed and pointless battles... but such a retreat was denied. Instead, he arrived at his family estate to find them all murdered at the hands of Hitsugaya Syaora - though the guilt-ridden man only saw her there to comfort his loss, creating a deception that she was too late to save them from their killer. His rage, his sorrow, his anger filled all the corners of his conscious mind, removing all sanity from his grasp as he entered a bloodlust for vengeance against the world that took so much from him - a vengeance to be aided by Hitsugaya herself.

While this mad death spree ran on, greater events occured: Kazuya murdered a visiting Missing Nin from Konoha who merely wanted to join them - there was no provocation for the act, it was cold hearted murder; Kaori Kaguya, selfless and simultaneously foolish and brave, risked his life to kill the Chuunin of Kusa, Shikyo Masakuni; Kaori was beaten with relative ease by the superior Ninja - the resulting attack creating a dangerous rift and destroyed the alliance one held dear between the villages of Ame and Kusa. Finally, Hotaru Hanako, the Eigth Kage of Kusakagure no Sato, seeing that Kazuya was willing to break their long alliance with such attacks, challenged him head on in a brutal battle, defeating the corrupt leader and leaving a vacuum of power again in the village. ANBU, knowing the location of Souzen, managed to recover the crazed figure, aiding him in drawing back some of his sensibilities enough to retake his seat in the Tower, hoping that he could restore some of the pride and honor once held by the Village and prevent its destruction.

Hitsugaya Syaori, on the other hand, had managed to perform one beneficial task in the brief time at the Village - though its benefits are overshadowed by all the dark events that occurred; the defeat of the Council of Elders, including that of the Namine Siblings. With them gone, the next leaders of the Village would have a greater chance of restoring balance and bringing Amekagure no Sato back to some state of strength... however, the Namine siblings survived, hidden away but hitsugaya to be used as tools of deception of strength.

During these terrible events, Kininata Hyouketsu wandered the lands, searching far and wide for the murderer Tazuma Hyouketsu; his brother, betrayer, and a man who was no more to him now than a walking dead man. Seven months passed, and eventually the pair came face to face in Yuni no Kuni - the pair battled fiercely, each maximizing their fighting potential, until Kininata stood victorious over his dead brother, his sword piercing the cold heart of his opponent. The next five months brought him a sense of peace, of wisdom, and of enlightenment and he found himself able to shed away his guilt of his past failures. His journey back was calm, peaceful, and in his mind, one that he hoped would lead him back to a home he could help restore.

So, the year ends. Souzen stands as Amekage once again; Kininata returns to the Village; old alliances have broken; old enemies and new lie in wait; a new era begins. Now all that remains is to see how the fates shall decide the future of Amekagure no Sato, as the clouds of the raining land once more hover over the cursed village...