Here's part 2...


Hotaru was shaking from head to foot as she knelt in front of the Otokage's reed curtain. What did the leader of their Village want with her? She was only a genin!

"You are Soichi Tomoe's daughter, are you not?" The Otokage asked, already knowing the answer. The trembling genin nodded nervously. "We are Sound shinobi, Little Tomoe. Speak to me."

"Y-Yes, Lord Otokage, sir." Hotaru mumbled scared. Not many genin survived a private meeting with the leader and his agents and lived to tell the tale. "W-w-what can a l-l-lowly genin like myself do to assist the Sound Village?"

"I have heard of your Cell's success because of your ability to assess and detect the up-coming threats and I want to see if it is only on the battlefield, this gift you have." The Otokage replied as a shogi board was set in between the leader and the trembling girl. "Move closer and let us play. If you can beat me, I will teach you the same jutsu I taught your father. But, If I beat you-you become one of my agents from this point on."

Hotaru knew that the Otokage had been her father's teacher and that the jutsu he taught her father was the Ryoshigan-the Hunter's Eye. It resembled a golden snake eye and if used constantly and evolved to a high level, it remained permanent like her father and the Otokage's cases. It was once a Kekkei Genkai-or maybe it still was-Hotaru didn't really know or understand exactly-but to learn such a jutsu would be a true leap, an honest leap towards becoming a powerful shinobi like her father. And to learn this jutsu, she had to beat the Otokage at a game of shogi.

Getting to her feet, Hotaru timidly came to the other side of the board as the curtain was lifted up enough for the Otokage to move his pieces. It was time to play for keeps.