The chilling wintery season wrapped around the tall, slender woman as she softly pried open the entrance to the meager, dilapidated house. She was in the midst of a frigid snow shower, white tufts of snow gathering along the wooden post columns of the ailing porch. Despite that, she stood amongst the frosty weather in a thin, dark navy kimono that barely reached her knees.
Lighting the cigarette between her middle and forefinger, Kōsetsu Shinori heaved a contented sigh as she took a long, grateful drag of the smoke. Her azure eyes scanned carefully along the white blanketed trees, the wilderness encircling the demoded house on all sides. Shinori leaned her back against the ice-caked wood of the wall, apprehending another inhale of her cigarette.
Shinori, in her perspective, found snow comforting. It was one reason why she chose to not live in the Capitol, because it never snowed in that area without it being a light, nonexistent flurry. That and she loathed that bastard Madara. The even mention of the name had her back going rigid in vexation. She almost could not believe what had occurred nine years ago, she had been at the mere age of ten, and at that tender year, the Fourth Shinobi World War had commenced rather abruptly.
It had been the beginning, and ending, of the Shinobi and Kunoichi populace.
Shinori had singly lost her whole family to Pein's Invasion, which had been one of the worse moments of her entire life. She, after the War had developed, had accepted her fate as a helpless orphan, and merely moved on from that event. But . . . it seemed as if fate was not quite finished. Surprisingly, the Fourth Shinobi World War had not been as interminable as the Third, in fact, it was entirely too short – it was as if their numbers had dropped off the grid in a matter of battling hours.
And that was when Edo Tensei was created – or should she say, to her internal rage, Rinne Tensei. Uchiha Madara was a mad man, his mine warped by insane ideals and obsessions, but even Shinori could admit, the 'man' – whatever the hell he was now – was a damned smart son of a bitch. He resurrected himself, but not before formulating a Jutsu to release his resurgence so that he could live with a healthy, human, stabilized body of his former self. It was brilliant, but it was what evoked the Fall.
The Allied Shinobi Forces lost. Vanished. Shinori knew that the main leaders, what was remaining of the commanders and leaders were still among the living – or, that was what she had gathered from gossip. It was not taxing to gather Intel, Madara was ecstatic to give out information that he had slaughters just another Garrison of their family and protectors, the Ninja – Shinobi and Kunoichi. There had been public executions (ones she was forced to attend) and there had been burning, ghastly fire. Madara had burned most of Konoha before rebuilding it to his satisfaction, fortunately for citizens; Konoha had been practically destroyed from the Invasion, so they had been safe on the subsidiary of the smoldering village.
Humorous thing was, Shinori had never been a Kunoichi before the Invasion, or even the start of the War. Her mother and father were prestigious Civilian Council members, and since she had been at an initial age, they had raised her in the art of politics and precocious history. And, Shinori had been very, very excellent at it as well. She favored those subjects, even though her forbearers had constantly persisted her with success, Shinori loved her parents, and she did enjoy studying on antiquity and diplomatic affairs.
But after the Invasion, after the Fall, after Madara began his rule, aspects of her life began shifting considerably. Especially thereafter Madara's . . . speech:
"Citizens of Konoha, I am not your enemy. Did you hear me, I am not your enemy! I lingered here past my mortal time to help you. To bring a new era to these wretched and corrupted lands. Thereupon, I have taken it up in my responsibility to begin a pristine Kingdom under my legitimate rule . . . And, having such a permissible personality, I will allow you to now, relinquish anyone you know that is a Shinobi or Kunoichi in this gathered area, right now."
And thus, began Madara's supreme rule with the one emotion: fear. At ten years old, Shinori had watched in fascinated, horrified terror as Madara had ruthlessly cut through any civilian who had the chakra reserves to be a potential ninja. Shinori can remember the screams of panic and despair of ones who had lost a son or daughter, a nephew or niece, a brother or sister – but the one thing she truly memorized, was the red, crimson blood staining the ground. She recollected that development like the present.
Konohagakure no Sato was no longer the esteemed Village Hidden in the Leaves – it was now called the Capitol, and to call it any other name would mean treason under regulations. Madara had complete dictatorship over the Elemental Nations – now labeled Elemental Lands due to its one ruler influence.
You were granted permission to roam the Lands, albeit Madara made it quite clear that with the exception of the Capitol, you would not get a sufficient salary in Ryo to provide for a family of three or more. Hence why the Capitol was exceeding with wealth and commonality expansion. Even if Madara was a ruler built on foreboding emotions, many villagers would protest on his person but never out loud for public appeal. He was disliked among all except for his soldiers.
Five years later, then came the Rebellions. Lead by none other than Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto. Shinori remembers at her age of fifteen, that single spark of hope that warmed her heart when she heard of their ambush on Madara's Fort in the former Kumo lands. Many people had termed it a hoax, most Shinobi and Kunoichi had been decimated from life through the five years, as a result of Madara's constant searching. It made Shinori realize that he had probably been attempting to locate the Rebellions.
That single spark of hope established Kōsetsu Shinori's newly-proclaimed purpose.
An objective of gradually taking down the Capitol and Uchiha Madara by using her knowledge and strengths. Perhaps she was not a professional Kunoichi. But she did have a powerful capability to use Suiton Jutsu to an extent. Her plan was to slither way through diplomatic ranks, and then gain Madara's trust . . . And then destroy his Kingdom from the inside out.
Shinori lightly propelled herself from the frosted wall, taking a bare step forward so that she could extend her arm forward and press the end of the cigarette against the snow-caked porch railing. She smiled wryly at her own thoughts and nostalgia of the past.
Damn, did she have some work to do.