Meeting With the Raikage

[The Care Bear!!]

A soaking wet Bukase stepped into the village that he called home. Most people weren't outside anymore due to the rain, and something inside him could sympathize with that. However, his business for the day wasn't quite up yet. The rain was dying down, the ripples in the puddles were finally visible, and the storm drains were full of the rush of water. A spider had managed to escape the rain and clung to that small perche he had on the eve of a roof. He ventured, wandered rather, to the raikage's office, making sure to not pass up any opportunity to disturb a mass of water.

By the time he had reached the first steps, the sun was back out and starting to fade. in every covered, open area that he passed, Bukase left a trail of watery footprints with lines of drops outlining them. Somehow, he had managed to leave these designs on about half the city, and even on some walls. Before stepping into the building, he remembered to have a little curtesy and stepped off to the side, haking off his clothes and ringing them out to reduce the water that was still coming from him. He also left his shoes at the door, covered in a small pattern of wet grass he found on himself. At the raikage's door he knocked and waited, and the thought never crossed his mind that a partially wrinkled, wet person with no shoes on would be a little unpleasant for a meeting with the highest-ranking person on the village.

[lash]

Lash sat in his office, enjoying the sound of the cold rain hitting the windows of his office. He was leaning back in his chair, feeling relaxed, and even though he was doing some of the never-ending paperwork (Seriously, how did people find enough time to MAKE all of this stuff?!) he was content with his life in general. He heard the sound of a gentle knock on the door, and even though the rain had basically died down into nothing, he wasn't sure he had altogether heard it correctly. Sighing, he pulled his feet off of his desk and pulled his robes around tightly, so that they looked stately and presentable.

Walking over to the door, Lash opens it to see Bukase, a young man from his own Clan, who was a chuunin and responsible for a lot of the early childhood problems he had had. Lash remembered hearing about the uproar that the young man had caused, summoning his mirror on the first attempt like Lash himself had- it was a sign that the bloodlimit was strongest with these two, and Lash couldn't help but wonder how someone so deranged could be gifted with a bloodlimit that was probably equaled of strength to his own. Oh well. Lash moved to the side, inviting Bukase into his office, which was very dull, yet relaxing.

On the wall hung a small painting of a sailboat; right below it, his wakizashi. On the other side was a brown bookshelf, full of books describing basic jutsus and fighting styles. The walls themselves were the color of warm chocolate, and the carpet was a mellow beige. When Bukase had entered the room, Lash shut the door behind him and walked back to his desk, having to prod Bukase on the way to take a seat on a chair set right before the desk.

Once both of them had managed to take their seats, Lash looked up at Bukase and asked, "Well, what're you here for, Bukase? How can I help you?"

[The Care Bear!!]

Bukase smiled brightly as the raikage opened the door, someone he regarded as a brother. He occasionally got an idea in his head that this mand didn't particularly like him, but being of the same bloodline and thus family, he naturally assumed that was impossible. He walked into the office, his eyes immediately beginning to wander. He had never stepped foot in the office before, due to reconditioning and training after he wandered off from the squirrel cult, and was prodded, almost guided, to the chair in front of the desk. His eyes passed to the piece of furniture he bumped into and, after examining it for a moment, sat down. while Lash was talking to him, his eyes were wandering, and he hardly made eye contact with his kin during his reply.

"Well, Lash, I know I've been a bit of a picture lately, and my sails have been full of books and hardwood, but I know it's my duty to mix the chocolate with the milk and ice cream to make a shake. All I need is the ingredients, which I've known you to provide, and those mounds of paper should really be looked at, they seem a little sickly." When Bukase was done with his rant, he finally met eyes with the man on the other side of the desk, his own turning stone cold. "I have been promoted to chuunin. It is my duty to follow your orders and complete missions as you see fit. Since there are so few higher-ranking ninjas in this village, I have come to you personally to see that all you need done is in order, and I am where it would be most beneficial."

After the second reply his eyes returned to normal, moving to behind Lash. "I'd also really like one of those chuunin vests, you know, the ones with the pockets and knives that gleam in the sunlight. The sun wasn't out for long today, but the crickets enjoyed it nonetheless. I didn't hear from them when the rain came, though, the grass was too merry to let them make sounds." His eyes finally affixed on Lash's wakizashi. "Your blade looks nice as ever, too."

[lash]

Lash looked at Bukase while he ranted about random squirrel cults and everything up until he finished at last, complimenting his wakizashi. Lash smiled. "Thank you. I do try to take care of it, even if I don't get to use it as much as I used to. So, you want one of the Chuunin Vests?" Lash paused, pulling out a slip of paper and writing a note, handing it to Bukase. "Don't lose it- that's a voucher for you to obtain your vest. In payment for that, though, I'm going to need you to do a mission for me. I'm going to assume that by now you are versed within the Astral Projection technique...," he waited for Bukase's nod, pausing a moment before continuing, "Good. You will use the Astral Projection technique to inform me of anything that happens within Sound. Any decisions that they make need to be reported. I'll expect you at minimum once a week, however, that being said, if anything important happens you must report immediately.

This will save both myself and Otokage Hibiki days worth of travel. I want you to memorize this place well- something I'm sure you're good at- and project back to here if you have any news or are just giving your standard report. While you are in Sound, you are to act on every order Otokage Hibiki gives you as if it came from me. Beyond that, you are allowed to do missions and train with their shinobi if you so see fit, but be aware that no one can force you to train with them under the terms of our treaty.

I'll expect you to leave within the week." Lash paused, pulling out an envelope. "Inside is 4000 Ryo to help cover your expenses. Do try to be frugal with it, though. The travel between Sound and Cloud is tough and I will most likely not be able to send you any more money should you run out. Hopefully Hibiki will be able to provide you with missions to keep an average income within you as well as keep your shinobi skills sharp.

Now, any questions?"

[The Care Bear!!]

After Lash had finished talking, Bukase looked around the office for a while, sitting idly in the chair. He had actually been looking around for the majority of the speech, but currently it was with purpose. When he originally learned the Astral Projection technique, shortly before his training journey, he had been taken to this exact room to memorize and practice, as most other Hitogoroshi that get to the point in their training do. He was forbidden to use the technique unless called upon, of course, but it was fortunate given his new task. The Raikage was a different person, but the office really wasn't all that different other than a few decorative alterations. Finally, when he was done resetting the image of the room in his mind, which included a full 360 degree turn in the chair, he bolted up standing straight and saluting.

"I have completed memorizing this room. I shall leave for sound village when I am done with preperations, which should only take a couple of days. When I arrive I will report to you after meeting with Otokage Hibiki, and follow his orders as if they came from you." Without another word, or any hesitation for that matter, Bukase took what the Raikage gave him and used his shunshin to exit, however those guys do it on the anime... Maybe the window or something. Bukase stopped at the entrance to the building to retrieve his shoes, then went off to get the equipment from the Kumo Shop.