Village Resort and Spa

[kininata]

Marii approached the counter when a group of tourists had left their keys, Kininata right beside her. "May I help you?" inquired the clerk. "Yes, we would like to visit the hot springs" replied the young woman.
"Are you guests at the resort?" inquired the female. She glanced at the duo with slight curiosity.

"No. We brought our own toiletries and yukatas however. We just want access to the hot springs" informed the disguised Raikage.
The copper-haired woman gave her a nod. "Are you bathing separately or in the individual sections?" asked the woman.

Bathing together? They were together, more than ever before, and as much as he would want to be with her here, this wasn't the right time for that kind of thing. Not yet. He was a little nervous, and he could tell Marii's own calm taking the slightest of cracks. She turned her attention to Kininata.

"Are you fine with the individual section?" inquired the brunette. He nodded to her. 'Of course.' He said, his own voice mimicing hers. 'Would it be possible to also arrange for a table in the dining room in the afternoon? A good meal after the hot springs would be idyllic.' He added, giving Marii a look to ask for approval.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"Of course. Would it be possible to also arrange for a table in the dining room in the afternoon? A good meal after the hot springs would be idyllic." replied the male. "I agree. Is it possible for the caterers to arrange a table for two?" asked the female in a polite voice.

"I think that should be possible. Lunch starts in two hours. Which name should I reserve it for?" inquired the woman.
"Err - Kino" replied Marii. She managed to keep her voice steady.

Using their surnames would give away too much. "Kino it is then. I'll reserve a table close to the east corner.
The individual spring is second door to the left. It is separated by a three feet tall stone wall" informed the clerk.

The woman let out a breath of relief. "Thank you so much. Let's go to the hot spring" told the Raikage.
She gave the orange-haired female a nice tip before she went to the female dressing room. The only people in there were two women with their babies.

Seeing this made her smile a little. Especially since the female was at the right stage to try for a baby.
'I wonder if we should raise our future kids here. Not sure if that's a good thing given my position' pondered the brunette. She went to a row of lockers lined up near the shower room.

'My kids may think they can get away with anything. Or worse - they might feel like a disappointment if they fail. Especially if it's anything shinobi related' realized the young woman.
She picked up her towel and toiletries. It was time to get clean.

Marii only saw one other woman in there. 'So far so good' observed the female. She sat down and washed herself from top to toe.
The Raikage left once she was clean. It did not take long to find the second door on the left.

SPOILER: Click to show

Skills used:


Sense motive. Level: Master [104/125].

Observation. Level: Master [109/125].



Acting. Level: Expert [78/125].

Expert: Can independently 'invent' a role such as a lord, member of a cult, wealthy merchant, etc., and can dress and act the part with such skill that he can pass as that person.

[kininata]

"I agree. Is it possible for the caterers to arrange a table for two?" asked Marii in a polite voice.

"I think that should be possible. Lunch starts in two hours. Which name should I reserve it for?" inquired the woman. "Err - Kino" replied Marii. She managed to keep her voice steady.

Kino was a good name to use, and he nodded to confirm with her. "Kino it is then. I'll reserve a table close to the east corner. The individual spring is second door to the left. It is separated by a three feet tall stone wall" informed the clerk.

The woman let out a breath of relief. "Thank you so much. Let's go to the hot spring" told the Raikage. She gave the orange-haired female a nice tip before she went to the female dressing room. Kininata gave a polite bow to Marii as she headed to the female dressing room, then he turned to head towards the male.

Inside he met three men, all talking about their wives. He was relatively new to having these kind of conversations, so he initially and quietly moved to a locker where he could put away his change of clothes and begin dressing down.

His ears would catch the odd phrase around remembering their first words, first tooth, frist steps. He had a moment or two while preparing where he imagined the same thing with what would be their first child. It left him with a grin so wide that the other men in the room couldn't help but give him a glance.

'You new to the married life, stranger?' one of them said. Kininata nervously glanced over and nodded. "Not quite married, but been with my partner for a long time. We're looking to get married and start our family soon." He spoked with a slight shake to his voice, but his joy and enthusiasm was dominant over this. 'Well, just remember, you're going to need to get all the sleep you can get. You won't get any after the first one.' The three men laughed, and Kininata laughed with them a little.

Kininata grabbed his toiletries and started cleaning himself down. There was a moment where the laughter stopped - their eyes clearly showing the surprise. As much as Kininata had worked to rebuild his physique and had some effective treatments, his body was still marred in scars. He gave them a polite look. "Life as a Shinobi has its drawbacks, guys." They gave him a slow, agreable nod. Soon after they went back to their chats, and Kininata finished his cleaning up.

He followed the direction into the male spa area, finding himself to be in the space alone. He sighed in relief, and quickly moved to get in the warmth of the water. The heat eased his muscles, and as his body lowered deeper the old wounds ached with relief along with his breath.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

Ice blue eyes scanned the locker room. There were only four people in there. One was a woman who was roughly her age. Then was a pair of girls who were eerily similar. Lastly was a mature woman who was on her way out.

The female found a locker at the left side of the room. "Hey mommy! Why is the pool water so hot?" inquired the violet haired girl.
"Because the warmth inside the earth heats it up. Kumogakure drills holes to pump it up to the pool" explained her mother.

Marii could not help but to smile. The sincere curiosity was no short but typical for a young child. She took off her undergarments and picked up her towel.
'I wonder how it must be to grow up today. Especially since education and technology is higher in quality' wondered the young woman.

'I need to educate myself on both parts if we're having kids. If not, how can I teach them?' realized the Raikage. She remembered what Tatsuo and Kenichi told her at the kanreki.
The duo took their kids on holidays abroad, museums plus child sport lessons. The duo wanted to educate them in several different areas.

'I hope Kininata feels the same. We ARE an international couple so to speak. Our kids are going to be hybrids' mused the female.
The brunette entered the shower room. Only an elderly woman was in there.

'This is nice. I wonder how big the pool is' thought the young woman while washing herself. She went outside a few minutes later.
It turned out to be a pool just big enough for six people. Apart from two teenaged girls, there was nobody there.

'Perfect!' thought Marii with a huge smile. She sat down on the opposite side of the entrance. The Raikage let out a sigh as the hot water made her muscles relax.
'I wonder how Kininata is doing. I swear - the shinobis who make fun of him will be on sewer duty' decided the female.

[kininata]

After only a few minutes, others started to enter the pool area. A couple of older men, late thirties, and two men maybe a little younger than him. All four had the posture, movement and look of shinobi of Kumogakure. Kininata clearly stood out compared to the locals, so it wasn't long before they gave him several glances and quietly discussed among themselves several times.

Kininata was used to this, so it didn't bother him. He closed his eyes and slowly lowered himself into the water until he could feel the warm liquid against his lips. He let the heat penetrate and unweave the tense, tight knots in his muscles. He had been working hard the last few weeks to get into shape, pushing a little too far at times.

'Hey, red head, you aren't from around here are you?' Kininata opened one of his eyes and saw of the younger shinobi - a blonde haired kid, barely eighteen if he was right. The red haired man shook his head slowly, and closed his eye. 'Where are you from then?'

He raised his head enough to speak without getting the spa water in his mouth. 'South, mostly. But I've been living in the village for a while. Better spas.' He said, a slight grin on his face, and sunk back into the water.

'Who did you come with here?' Kininata rose up once more. 'Look, I just want to relax, get a little heat, and then get on with my day. Why don't we all just do that, and leave each other alone? I'm not really in a talking mood.'

Kininata let his eyes close enough so at a distance it looked like he couldn't see, but the former Amekage could still catch their movement. The blonde haired kid was coming over slowly, poised to cause a ruckus. Kininata raised his head one more time, this time gathering his chakra. All of it.

The kid instantly stopped, and the other three turned in reaction. 'Do I need to repeat myself?' The shinobi may have some grit, but it was clear he'd never come across someone as strong as Kininata was, and when the young man turned to the older shinobi, they were giving him a look that clearly stated he needed to back down. The kid nodded, almost bowing, then moved back to his friend. Kininata settled himself down, giving a bow of respect to the elders in the pool, and sighed.

I wonder if my kids are going to have these issues? Then he blinked a little, thinking about all the questions they were going to ask him about why their parents look so different from each other and the people around them. Going to have to find a more diplomatic attitude about this kind of thing in the future. And brush up on talking to kids too.

After half an hour or so, he started to move to head out of the pool, aware his scars were going to be visible to the four of them. One of the elder shinobi turned, quizzical at the amount of scarring. Nothing was said as he went to the locker to shower and dry himself off.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

'Haaaaah...this is LOVELY. Coming here was a great idea' thought the female as she leaned back. Her brown hair was slicked back while her eyes were closed.
The white towel laid right next to her. She hoped that her partner was able to enjoy himself.

"Hey, red head, you aren't from around here are you? Where are you from then?" inquired a voice. Marii opened her eyes and glanced over at the men side of the pool.
Kininata answered that the spas were better here than in the south. His reply made her smile a little.

Their first date had actually been at a spa in the south. "Who did you come with here?" asked the male. 'He sounds like he is in his late teens' observed the young woman.
What happened next made her anxious. It felt like the younger man was releasing a lot of chakra.

"Do I need to repeat myself!?" stated a familiar voice. The Raikage, the mother plus the twins were staring at the wall. Nothing happened.
'Phew. Thank Kami' thought the female as she leaned back.

"This is nice" stated the little girl. Her mother smiled as she helped the girls into the pool. Marii could not help but to smile.
Her parents used to take her and her brothers to the pool quite often. She was happy to see that this tradition was being passed on.

'However...my children will have parents from different nations. How much of each others culture should we incorporate?' pondered the young woman. Her partner fortunately shared many values with her.
However, their backgrounds were quite different. Especially when you took their political status into account.

She left the pool a little later. The Raikage made sure to keep a low profile in the shower room. A part of her was getting tired of this.
She walked to her locker room. The female felt a little torn of choosing between her yukata or her dress.

The brunette decided to go with the yukata. It wold look odd since her partner was wearing one. Her hair was in a braid. She was not wearing the hat or sunglasses. They were stowed away.

'Good thing that the hallway is empty. Fingers crossed that there are not many in the dining room. Don't think the resort has a lunch buffet or anything' recalled the young woman.
Her yukata was the same she wore back in Aoyama. It was hard to believe they became a couple for so many years ago.

SPOILER: Click to show

Skills used:

Sense motive. Level: Master [104/125].

Observation. Level: Master [109/125].


Jutsus used:


Ear of royalty.
Rank: “C” Rank.
Skill: Supplementary
Effect: User is a natural negotiator.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: User gains a + 10 bonus to all acting and sense motive checks. If the user has 50 or more points in one of these skills, the bonus increases to + 20 for that skill.
Limit: Must learn from universal miscellaneous.


Appraise suspect.
Rank: “C” Rank.
Skill: Supplementary.
Effect: User sizes up a target before interacting with them.
Special: ---
Drawback: ---
Description: Prior to any interaction, a user can evaluate the subject to work out the best way to behave with this person. They do this by looking at the following:

• How smart is this person? Smart people give different behavioral signs that one can pick up on.

• How emotionally stable is this person? Unstable, emotional people base decisions much more on emotions rather than logic and will respond accordingly.

• How mature are they? Do they understand right from wrong?

• Are there any cultural differences that are going to affect this conversation or could explain unorthodox views or behavior?

• Finally, does this person have a medical condition or are they on drugs? If they were drunk, for instance, they may be more talkative, with less fear of the consequences.

User gains a + 10 bonus to their relevant sense motive and acting skills.
Limit: Must learn from universal miscellaneous. Must know acting (50 Points). Must know sense motive (75 Points).

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

((OOC: Continuing from above kininata))

The female glanced at the garden outside. Most of the snow was melted. 'Spring is finally here. Can't wait to see the flowers' thought Marii. Seeing the garden made her think of a very special day in her life...


Flashback.


'Can't...breathe...' thought the young woman. She was putting on her wedding kimono. Thank Kami she only needed to wear it for a few hours. "There we are! Have a look my lady" told the pinkette.

She stepped aside so the bride could see herself in the mirror. The Raikage gaped. Her chalk white wedding kimono and purple uchikake looked stunning. "It's...beautiful" muttered the female. She took a deep breath to hold everything together.

"I agree with you. We only need the headpiece now" informed the woman. She put the headpiece with pink flowers on her head. After checking the makeup, it was time to go to the shrine. The two women walked downstairs where the ladies waited.

Her mother, her aunts plus her grandmothers all wore their kurotomesode. Her cousin wore a furisode due to her unmarried status. Her Kumogakure relatives sported cloud motives on their kimonos. Hikari, Rieko as well as Kumiko had flower motives.

"Hello Marii. Ready to go?" asked her mother. "I am. Thank you for letting me borrow your uchikake. Also, I am so happy I got to wear your wedding kimono Michiko" told her daughter.

"You're welcome. I think it fits well with the wedding kimono and season" told the old woman. The women followed her to the shrine entrance where her husband would be waiting. The thin layer of snow made the whole atmosphere even more magic.

Her mother and grandmothers were in front. Thanks to the extensive physiotherapy, Michiko was out of her wheelchair. Her aunts were on either side. Her cousin held the train behind her. 'That's dad and my brothers. Kininata should be here somewhere' thought the young woman.

'I hope my dad and grandfather did not torture Kininata too much. However, it's a part of the ceremony to ask those questions. Fingers crossed he got some good answers' prayed the brunette. She stopped as her mother went ahead to talk with her husband. A smile formed at her face.

[kininata]

When Kininata had changed into his kimono, a nice light stell blue with fine decorations of clouds and oceans sown in silver threading, he felt a sudden warm breeze come from the window. He turned to look outside, catching a galnce of green mixed with the white snows. 'Reminds me of that day...'

Flashback

'I wish I had cut my hair first...' he said as he was trying to tie his hair into three separate braids, carefully trying to create a long smooth tail from a single, tight knot on the back of his head. He hadn't done this in a few years, and was sorely out of practice.

Saturo had been watching him, eyes squinted and a slight glare of a man with many questions. Masao had given him the same looks while the young red head had been preparing his kimono. He had considered going for something traditional, something plain and respectful. His choice had not been one that seemed to draw unwanted attention, but his features would always draw them in.

'So, Hyouketsu-san,' Satoru started, with a tone he had heard many times before from the elder when he himself was younger. 'Is my little Marii your first wife?' Kininata stopped mid tying and made the physical effort to turn towards the elder, a look a utter shock and surprise scrawled over his face. 'Erm... Marii-chan is, er, my only wife to be, Saturo-san.'. He had expected this, but not quite so pointedly. Then again, this was Saturo.

'And the other girls?' Masao asked, and Kininata turbed back to face towards the mirror. 'Well, there was one, a long time ago, but she... joined the Kami before we ever had a date.' He finished tying the tricky knot and turned, Teruo had crossed his arms. 'How old are you, really?' Kininata reflexively answered '29.'. He was nervous dealing with Teruo.

He was aware he and Reiko - Hikari's sister - were living in Yuki no Kuni, and he was more aware of events from 20 years ago than he would like to admit. More secrets he didn't want to know about anymore. 'Your mother was from Yuki no Kuni, correct?' Teruo asked, picking up the kimono to pass over to Kininata. He noded in reply, and carefully took hold of the kimono - Teruo didn't let go at first, but after a short moment of awkwardness his had released.

'And how many dates have you been on with Marii?' He sighed in his head as the questions continued. He knew this was going to be the rest of the morning as he started to don his kimono.
with the care of handling a petal.

They started to leave the preparation area, and he could taste the snow in the air. familiar, but fresh and new. The three men led him towards where the ceremony would take place, and they all took their places waiting for the bride...

... Kininata started to slowly walk the path out of the changing rooms, walking down the corridor until he could find some of teh remaining snow to touch with his fingers gently, remembering that moment once more.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

'Hm?' thought the female when she saw the guy walk towards the exit. She followed him, but made sure to stay hidden. An easy task for a petite kuinochi like herself. Marii smiled when she saw him touching the snow. It sent another flashback to their wedding day.


Flashback.

The first woman to step forwards was Hikari. "Hello dad. Nice to see you" greeted the female. "Nice to see you too. I think Kininata-kun is ready. He passed" confirmed the old man.

"Brilliant! Let's get inside the shrine" told the woman. She returned to the group. Once the blonde reached the group, she changed place with Michiko. The old woman took two slow steps forwards.

"Kininata Hyouketsu. It's my honor to present your bride. The elegant and clever Marii Kino Kazeraikou!" stated the silver haired female. She stepped aside immediately. So did the other women in the group.

'Whoa...Kininata looks so handsome. That kimono suits him perfectly. I wish I had a camera to capture this moment' thought the female. Her father plus her brothers were smiling wide. So did her grandfather plus her uncles. Everyone was silent for a few moments.

Marii stepped towards her fiancé. They would start walking towards the shrine right behind the musicians. The grandparents plus her parents were behind them. "I guess it's time. You look really...dashing in that kimono" told the young woman.

The shrine they used for the ceremony was dedicated to Omoikane. A shinto priest plus his assistant waited for them inside. The Raikage had done a mission for them back in her Chuunin days.

The priest stepped forwards. "Welcome to the shrine. I was so pleased when I heard you two were getting married. Now, I would like the two of you to sit here. We will purify you first" started the man.

"I will read the formula afterwards. Our maiko will perform the dance when I'm done. The next step is the nuptial cups. We will use alcohol-free sake from Amegakure no Sato. My assistant has your vows Hyouketsu-san" informed the clergyman.

[kininata]

Kininata's fingers held the slowly melting snow carefully, letting a tiny amount of chakra seep through to maintain the flakes, delicately, enough to remember the feeling. He rose up and turned, catching a glimpse of her looking at him. His eyes fell just as deeply into hers now as they did then...

Flashback
..."Kininata Hyouketsu. It's my honor to present your bride. The elegant and clever Marii Kino Kazeraikou!" stated the silver haired female. She stepped aside immediately. So did the other women in the group.

Kininata looked towards the incredible sight before him, and had to remember a moment later that he needed to keep his composure - and stay standing. Marii stood there as an angelic image of beauty, love, and everything she had ever meant to him. Life. He had to muster every shred of control to keep his composure, to go through the ceremony.

Marii stepped towards her fiancé. They would start walking towards the shrine right behind the musicians. The grandparents plus her parents were behind them. "I guess it's time. You look really...dashing in that kimono" told the young woman. 'And you are my perfect angel wearing that.' he said to her quietly, remembering who were nearby.

His eyes were only ever away from her image when he had to do something specific for the ceremony - right up to the exchange of cups. And the vows.

He took the vows from the assistant, he gave his respectful bow, opened the parchment, but his eyes never moved from her. He read out the vows while staring deeply into her eyes, recalling every moment he had spent with her as each word rolled of his lips as naturaally and perfectly as breathing...

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

Jade green eyes stared into hers. She felt a chill run down her spine. It was not due to fear. The connection between them was electric. The female just remembered the last day this happened...


Flashback.


Marii tried to keep her tears in when the male read his vows. He read how she provided him with light when Amegakure was pitch dark. Or how she healed his spiritual wounds. However, the young woman knew there were some wounds he did not mention. She still remembered the letter he sent after the zombie crocodile invasion.

"Thank you Kininata-san. I believe it's time for the tamagushi hoten. Please take a stick each. These sticks will carry your thoughts and prayers to Omoikane-sama" told the priest. He gave each of them a stick from a pine tree.

The female made a silent prayer before she laid down her stick. Next, the priest gave his offer to Omoikane. He turned towards the altar. The Raikage squeezed her husbands hand while a breeze blew in through the windows. Strangely, it did not make her chilly.

'Is it the kami? Or could it be his parents?' pondered the female. She guessed it was the latter. "Now, I want you to exchange rings. Here is the groom's ring" told the man.

He handed her a square box. "Please go first my lady" told the clergyman. "All right" replied the brunette in a quiet voice. Her ice blue eyes looked at Kininata. She opened the box and took out the ring.

Her skinny fingers managed to put on the ring. It was his turn next. The young woman felt her eyes widen when she saw the ring. 'It's exquisite!' thought Marii. She smiled while she extended her hand.

SPOILER: Click to show

Marii's ring:

wedding ring.


You can decide the ring for Kininata!

[kininata]

Kininata smiled at her, his hands instantly moving together to touch the ring on his finger. He felt teh sudden surge of emotion running through him like the day he first received it...

Flashback

...He made a silent prayer, in thanks as much as in blessing for his wife, a moment reflecting on his family before placing down the stick. As the ceremony went on he could feel her delicate hands squeezing his as the familiar light winds eased over him. He felt moisture, like a fine rain or snow caressing them softly - like the touch of his parents approving.

"Now, I want you to exchange rings. Here is the groom's ring" told the man.

He handed her a square box. "Please go first my lady" told the clergyman. "All right" replied the brunette in a quiet voice. Her ice blue eyes looked at Kininata. She opened the box and took out the ring.

Her skinny fingers managed to put on the ring, and her eyes showed her approval of it. It was his turn next. He slowly opened the box, and his eyes widened as what he saw. A reflection of himself, of his journey, and how he felt. It was perfect. And he couldn't hide it from anyone. He slid the ring onto his finger. 'And now, for the drinking of the wine.' The clergyman said.

The wine was alcohol free, as Kininata had asked that they refrain from this until after the ceremony, but it still had a rich taste - only made better knowing his soul mate would be sharing the same with him...

He looked down at the ring, seeing the colours shift to match those of his eyes back and forth, and still felt that gentle caressing wind even now. He started walking slowly towards his partner, a smile of pure warmth on his face as he drew closer to her.

SPOILER: Click to show

Kininata's ring:

wedding ring.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

The female did not move as he walked towards her. 'He looks so happy. I bet he's thinking about the same' observed Marii. She was smiling in happiness as well. The memories of that day were still etched into her memory.


Flashback.

She drank her wine while trying to keep her composure. The young woman did not like the taste that much. Good thing it was alcohol free. "Excellent. It's time for the offering" informed the priest's assistance.

He handed the Raikage a comb wrapped in a cloth. She hold it in front of her chest and said the prayer. Next, the female handed it to Kininata. There was only one more thing to do after this. The reading of the vows for the Shinto gods.

"Here is the vows. Please read it together" told the priest. The brunette cleared her throat as she unrolled the scroll. She started reading in a slow, clear manner. These were not words that were easily spoken.

She felt a sting when she sat down. Nobody from her groom's family was here to drink the wine. 'At least my mothers part are representing Amegakure. That helps a little' thought the young woman. She sat down, and waited for grandpa Satoru to take the first sip.

[kininata]

Kininata continued taking slow, steady steps towards the beautiful young woman, his eyes never breaking from hers. He smiled at her and she smiled at him. It all felt so familiar, and yet so new, so fresh...

Flashback...

He could see that Marii was a little nervuous with effectively every person here being a part of her family, and himself having no family to represent him or to partake of the wine. It was a painful reminder that he had very little left in the world that he could call family, and it was also a heartwarming experience to recognise that he had a new family. One that had far less of a dark history than his own. At least, that he was openly aware of.

As each member of his new family came up to share the wine, they each gave him a sympathetic look at the circumstances - it seemed they were all aware to some degree as to why he had no one here. The only one to give him a different look was Teruo. He had a glance that implied he was suspicious of him, about his past, and his own. He understood that there would be some scrutiny from him, and possibly Reiko, but this was to be expected for more reasons that one.

And then, the last sip was taken. The ceremony was over. He was married. He turned to look diretly into Marii's eyes, and for the first time in his life, his own eyes didn't change. They stayed in a constant flowing beat of blue and jade, full of every joy he could imagine, of every thought of their future, all jumbled together in an instant lasting forever and a day in the blink of his eye.

'Aisare shi-sha' He said under his breath, enough for her to hear. 'I will never forget this day. I am yours, forever and a day.' Then he slowly leaned forwards and kissed his new wife...

He stood before Marii at the spa, only a foot away from her. His eyes just as full of thought and emotion from that day. 'Hello.' He said softly to her, a simple sure smile on his face. 'How was the water?'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

The male walked towards her with a heartwarming smile. "Hello. How was the water?" inquired Kininata. "It was amazing...Let's get our lunch" told the female. She decided to not mention the rude guy in the onsen.

The dinner hall was rather quiet. Only a couple of people were eating their lunch. Marii approached the maitre'd. "Hello. I booked a table for Kino" inquired the young woman.

The maitre'd checked the booking. "Yes, I see. Your table is number 11. Please follow me" told the man. He walked towards a table at the opposite side of the room.

The table was in the eastern corner of the room. It was partially hidden behind a column. "The table looks great. Thank you so much" said the Raikage. "You're welcome" replied the maitre'd before he left them.

She sat down behind the table. "I still remember how this room looked like when we were here in December. Brings back happy memories" recalled the female. Her eyes sparkled when she remembered that special day.


Flashback.

"Aisare shi-sha' He said under his breath, enough for her to hear. I will never forget this day. I am yours, forever and a day" told her husband. The redhead leaned forwards and kissed her. She kissed back without hesitation.

Suddenly, the lights inside the shrine shone a bit brighter. This made the older Kazeraikous smile. They all knew what this indicated. She pulled back after a few moments. "We're finally married...We can start living together" whispered the brunette.

"By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the Kaminari no Kuni, I declare you husband and wife. I wish you all the best for your new life together" finished the priest. The female stood up slowly while keeping her wedding outfit in check. She could not wait to change into her second dress*.

They walked out of the shrine with a steady pace. Teruo plus his three sons took up the front. Behind them was her Kaminari cousins plus her uncles. Her parents and grandparents walked behind. Her aunts were in the back.

Her relatives were using a plethora of genjutsus to make them invisible. Furthermore, there were several ANBU agents hiding in the streets. "When we reach the venue, my friends are going to help me getting dressed. My cousin will show you where you can change" informed the bride. They approached the resort ten minutes later.

They went to the venue first. It was decorated in a simple, yet elegant manner. All of the tables were decorated with roses. A large Christmas tree stood at the opposite side of the room. A rather familiar band was rigging their instruments at the east side of the hall.

Kenichi and Hinata stepped in front of the wedding party with huge smiles on their face. "First of all - congratulations to our wedding couple. I am extremely happy for both of you. We got the ballroom to 10 PM. This is due to the - ahem - PR risks" informed the man.

His mother stepped forwards. "Takeshi-kun will be taking the photos today. Secondly, I know how much you all want to change out of your kimonos. Especially my little grandchildren. We have booked the hot springs locker rooms for this" told the woman.

She stepped aside so her son could finish this. "I want the groom and the men to come with me. The bride and the women will follow my mother" finished the redhead. The large family separated as they headed for their respective locker room.

SPOILER: Click to show

The second dress:

Many Japanese brides wear a kimono for the wedding and a dress for the reception.


The venue:


Here, minus the lightbulbs.


The room itself.

[kininata]

The pair of them went to their table in the dining room of the spa resort, the memories of their day there fresh on the mind as a fresh morning dew or the first fall of snow. He had barely paid attention to the staff until after he sat down, hearing Marii.

"I still remember how this room looked like when we were here in December. Brings back happy memories" seh said softly, and he nodded to her. Though not every moment of that day was as memorable...

Flashback

"When we reach the venue, my friends are going to help me getting dressed. My cousin will show you where you can change" informed his wife. They approached the resort ten minutes later.

The venue was just as he hoped - simple, elegant, just perfect. All of the tables were decorated with roses. A large Christmas tree stood at the opposite side of the room. A rather familiar band was rigging their instruments at the east side of the hall.

Kenichi and Hinata stepped in front of the wedding party with huge smiles on their face. "First of all - congratulations to our wedding couple. I am extremely happy for both of you. We got the ballroom to 10 PM. This is due to the - ahem - PR risks" informed the man. That risk being Kininata, and a slight reminder that this wasn't completely approved by everyone in Kumogakure no Sato.

His mother stepped forwards. "Takeshi-kun will be taking the photos today. Secondly, I know how much you all want to change out of your kimonos. Especially my little grandchildren. We have booked the hot springs locker rooms for this" told the woman.

She stepped aside so her son could finish this. "I want the groom and the men to come with me. The bride and the women will follow my mother" finished the redhead. The large family separated as they headed for their respective locker room. That left just a handful of men to head with Kenichi.

While they headed to the lockers, Teruo came close enough to be almost breathing down his neck. 'We'll talk about Yuki no Kuni another day.' He whispered, low enough only the pair of them heard the exchage. Kininata gave a slight nod to him as he followed Kenichi to the lockers.

His change of clothes was going to be much simpler than he imagined Marii's would. He had kept his old formal garb from his Amekage days, so in the weeks leading to this day he had this taken to a tailor, removing any markings of his old village and position, and instead, adding a more subtle design of snowdrop petals in their place. It had been the last vestment of his old office and life, and having those details removed finalised his decision.

After a few moments, he turned the Kenichi, asking briefly if he and Teruo could have a moment alone. The men grouped up and stepped out for just a moment for them to talk. 'Teruo-san, my grandfather was a monster. He tortured and experimented on me, and he was responsible for alot of pain in the world. After he kidnapped me - around the time you're investigating about - that was the second to last time I was in Yuki no No. The last was executing my traitorous brother and buried his corpse in the ground near the village my mother came from. And that is all I will speak on this matter again.' Kininata was holding back his anger, his tears, his pain, but his eyes sent that indication of how personally he had been offended by the earlier questions Teruo asked, and the older man respected his answer.

After a few moments, the men regrouped, finished changing, and went back the main venue. There, he recovered his composure quickly and put those dradful moments back to the box they belong to in his head. He smiled as the ladies stared coming back into the room, where everyone was gathering. He was back to his moment of joy...

He leaned back into the chair at the table, glancing to where he had walked in and to where she had. 'We should arrange a party here sometime, a little get together of family.'

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"We should arrange a party here sometime, a little get together of family." suggested the male. "We definitely should! Especially since your birthday is coming up. I bet you didn't imagined your life to turn out this way" replied the female. She smiled when she noticed the white rose on their table.


Flashback.

Teruo nodded as the rest of the guys made the groom ready. This was his niece's wedding after all. If he turned out to be a threat...the dragons would take care of him. A worse option would be Satoru and Kumiko. Satoru gave Kininata a proud smile when he saw the garbs. His cobalt blue eyes sparked with a surprisingly youthful energy.

Marii on the other hand was putting on her second dress. "This looks gorgeous Ami-chan!" exclaimed the young woman. "It does! Fits with the season as well" told her best friend.

"Time for your hair and makeup" told Chie. Ryoko picked up her makeup kit with a grin. The Raikage sat down while her friend worked her magic. It did not take long until her hair and makeup were done. Then again - her friends were pros.

"TA-DA! We're DONE!" exclaimed the makeup artist. The female felt her eyes go wide. "That looks TERRIFIC! Kininata is going to faint" muttered the brunette in awe. The rest of the women were done, so it was time to leave.

The grandmothers came out first. "Sorry to let you guys wait. Making us look 60 years younger without chakra is apparently impossible" informed Michiko. Her joke eased the tension. Next out came Hikari, who gave her son in law a look of approval.

The bride plus her friends emerged. Her brothers looked at her with huge eyes. Masao however, had to blink back a few tears. The female broke into a smile when she saw her husband. 'I wonder what I did to get such an amazing husband' thought the Raikage. "All right - let's get the reception started" told the brunette.

They entered the hall. Hikari had the first speech. It was quite moving given her connection to Amegakure. Still, she included some humorous moments that her daughter was not too proud of. It was a bit amusing to hear that the young woman used to be terrified of clowns.

Rieko held the speech for Kininata. It was appropriate given her connections. Her husband was looking at her all the time. Up third was Ami, who was her oldest friend. It was an entertaining speech with some serious moments.

Kenichi stood up once the female was done. "Thank you so much Ami-san! It's time for us to eat. We have a buffet table in the room next door. The couple told me the grandparents and children could go first" informed the male.

"The food was tested yesterday. We had a criminal tasting the food right before we arrived. According to the ANBU, he's alive with a full stomach. We have alcohol behind the bar. The local breweries were more than happy to sponsor us" told the redhead.

SPOILER: Click to show

The dress [model]:


Like this, but more "childfriendly" neckline.


Hairstyle:


Here.


The colour and decoration of the dress:


Let it go...!

[kininata]

"We definitely should! Especially since your birthday is coming up. I bet you didn't imagined your life to turn out this way" replied the female. She smiled when she noticed the white rose on their table. 'No, I don't think I ever did. But I'm glad that I was wrong. And hope that it stays that way.' He said to her, Glancing at the menu for their meal. He missed the food from the wedding...

Flashback...

Kininata appreciated the speeches said at the gathering, which were amongst the nicest words he had heard outside of speaking with Marii. As the buffet was opened up to all, Kininata let himself relax. The hardest part of this was over, and now he could let himself be at ease. And enjoy the food. The buffet had been something he and Marii had spent a great deal of time selecting, making sure that there was something everyone attending could enjoy.

Amongst the selection was something of a personal favorite from his childhood, Nikujaga. It wasn't a common food for the time of year of the wedding, but he had asked for it to be added. It had been his favorite as a child, as one of the few happy memories he had of his mother. He rose up from where he and Marii had been sitting to head over to the buffet table, to get a selection of food him both of them.

He picked up a few items for Marii, and once he grabbed some of the Nikujaga, he turned to see a strange sight - the image of his mother, as she had been when he was a child, standing behind Marii with his father. It was only for a moment, and he wasn't even sure it was real - his eyes shifted a little as he blinked and the visage was gone as quickly as dust in the wind.

He stepped back over to his wife, a warm smile on his face as he placed her plate down in front of her, and moved to sit beside her. 'I have a feeling that we've been blessed. Some good furtune at last.' He said. And that was when he saw the white rose... a gift his father always gave his mother when he came home from missions. And now, there was one here on the table that wasn't there a moment ago...

He reached out and touched the rose on the table. 'We should definately grow a white rose bush at the new house once we settle in.' He said to her, thinking bakck to that moment.

[Marii K. Kazeraikou]

"No, I don't think I ever did. But I'm glad that I was wrong. And hope that it stays that way" told the male. "I second that" replied the female. The sight of the white rose made her remember something from the wedding.


Flashback.

Both of them were at the buffet table. Marii smiled when she saw the tray with nikujaga. It was one of her favourite foods. Furthermore, the children seemed to enjoy it as well. She was about to pick up some vegetables when she felt someone touch her shoulder.

The young woman turned aroud to see who it was. But the only person who stood there was Toru. He had a confused look at his face. "Marii-san? Who was that man behind you?" inquired the boy.

"There was a man behind me? Are you sure it was not Kininata?" replied the Raikage. "I don't know, maybe. He had shorter hair. Plus that there was a little girl next to him who looked like Michiko" informed the teal-haired male.

"Hm. Maybe it was one of my cousins pulling a prank" told the female. The small male shrugged as he put some vegetables on his plate. The brunette suspected that it was not genjutsu, but someone from the Hyouketsu family. This was a wedding after all.

She went over to the drink table. "Could I please have two shot glasses of that sake? It's for Kininata" told the female. "Sure Marii. I hope Yukiko-chan and Teruo-kun put some vegetables on their plate. Me and Tatsuo told they had to eat at least three different types" replied Kenichi as he poured two glasses.

"Pretty sure they did. Thanks a bunch" said the bride. She went back to the table and sat down. Suddenly, the young woman noticed something odd. A white rose laid on the table between their glasses.

Marii picked up the flower for inspection. It could not be from her bridal bouquet since they were tied up. Furthermore, this rose had a longer stem than the roses at their tables. "I have a feeling that we've been blessed. Some good fortune at last" told Kininata.

"I think so too. Just look at this" replied the female. She held up the rose for him to see. On a closer inspection, the white rose shone faintly in the light. Everyone was on their way to the buffet table.

After the meal, the band was going to play. "Greetings everyone! We would like to congratulate the couple first. You two look so sweet together" started the bass player. The Raikage blushed slightly.

"The first song we're going to play was apparently a request from S. Kino. Take it away maestro!" told the man. The keyboard player started to play a somber melody. 'Holy Kami...it's the same song my uncle played for my tenth birthday!!!' noticed the young woman.

The song finished. "Great job there! First time I've heard you play that song" praised the bass player. "I-I-thanks. I got really absorbed into that song" stuttered the musician.

"I think it's time for the bride and groom to dance. This song was selected by the groom. Please, come to the dance floor!" cheered the male. "Let's go Kininata. I can't wait" told the brunette.


"We should definitely grow a white rose bush at the new house once we settle in" told her husband. "I second that. Especially since we're going to live in a warmer nation" agreed the female.

SPOILER: Click to show

The song:


Casper's lullaby.

[kininata]

"I second that. Especially since we're going to live in a warmer nation" agreed the female. He closed his eyes, remembering some of the better summer and spring days at Hi no Kuni, and opened them again as he heard the server bringing their drinks.

He raised his glass and looked towards the vista which the spa's restaurant was so perfectly placed. 'I'm going to miss the atmosphere of Kunogakure. Theres a certain life to it I've been getting used to. More comfortable that Amegakure.' He said to her, before taking a sip of his drink. 'And the music. That band did a great job of the music that night. If we ever throw another party like that, we need to convince them to come and play for us again.'

He truly thought they did an incredible job bringing the right vibe and feel of that day to life...

Flashback

Kininata stepped up onto the dance floor with his Marii, guiding her to the center for all to see s they took their first true steps together as one. The piano started, softly at first, a gentle piece, carefully bringing in other string instruments to compliment and enhance the osul-touching melody it brought.

As they danced in the center, all he could do was look into her beautiful eyes and make sure every ounce of his heart pured into her, the reason for his being.

After a few minutes, the song reached its crescendo, he reached in to kiss her. There was the sound of clapping from around them. He looked at the band, noded, smiled, and turned to the guests.'

'Alright everyone, its time to have the party start. Would the band like to bring in the joy!'

With that the beat and music shifted to more active and lively music, bringing several of the guests up to join them on the floor...

SPOILER: Click to show

The Song:


You are the reason