"He's leaving today, you know…Since I'm gonna see off Ino… are you gonna come with me to see him off?" Daisuke asks of Senka as he readies himself to leave.
Looking off for a moment, she then sighs and nods, moving to stand slowly and scratch her head. "…yeah."
Nodding a bit, Daisuke then points out. "He's a pretty smart guy. At least he realized he was wrong. That's not something a lot of guys can admit easily."
"…Yeah…" She repeats, running her fingers through her hair and tugging at a few naps before pulling it up into a ponytail, oddly looking similar to the Nara with longer hair.
Raising his brows, Daisuke then chortles a bit before turning to open the door for her.
In little time, the two come up on a waiting group consisting of Team InoShikaCho, as well as others gathered to say their goodbye's; including much of the rest of the Konoha twelve.
As Daisuke slips off silently toward Ino, Shikamaru steps up near Senka with a bit of a humbled grin. "Hey…"
"…hey.." She answers, looking down a moment before moving against him with a sigh, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "…don't you die on me… no matter what; this baby needs it's dad…"
Raising his brows, Shikamaru nods before wrapping his arms around her as well and murmuring back. "…yeah, I'll be careful… I'm… sorry I hurt you the other day… really…"
"…we'll talk more when you're home to stay for a bit… Let's just hope this baby isn't born by then.." She chuckles dryly before closing her eyes. "…I still love you…"
Nodding, Shikamaru murmurs back. "I love you, too, Senka…"
"..I really appreciate you committing yourself to this, Asuma." Rinsu states, bowing slightly to the older male, though her eyes seem red and tired she smiles politely. "When you all come back, Naruto and Tsunade-hime, as well as myself should have more things in order. It was a bit spur of the moment… We're hoping on Jiraiya-sanin, as well."
"I understand. Hey, I've always been a bit of a rebel myself, and my father was a good man, who died for this village. I don't appreciate anyone trying to tell people he was incompetent." Asuma grins and then looks up, seeing Kurenai nearby. He smiles lovingly to her and waves gently.
Watching this, the green-clad kunoichi blinks her eyes wide before brightening, clasping her hands together. "KAWAII!"
Blinking at her, Asuma raises his brows quickly and blushes, putting a hand to his face over his mouth. "Wh-what? Oh… it's… uh…"
"…they're still in denial…" Choji whispers to Rinsu as he walks by and smirks toward his teacher before waving an arm. "Hey! Shikamaru!"
"mm-mm, I know that look! They just hope they can keep everyone else in denial." She urges with a sly grin as Senka places her lips gently upon Shikamaru's.
"man, you guys suck! wish someone'd give me a kiss before i go risking my life!" Choji can be heard to chide toward his two teammates before he blinks his eyes wide as Rinsu leans over, kissing his cheek sweetly.
"How's that? A kiss from the future Hokage good enough?" She asks with a smile, a soft smudge of her pink lipstick remaining pristinely upon his cheek.
Blinking in surprise, Choji then grins. "Wow! Now I feel like I could take 'em all with one hand behind my back!"
"…you better get going." She offers as the young man's mother waves off Choji then taps her son's shoulder.
"A quick word, Shikamaru." She states sternly, crossing her arms.
Turning and blinking, Shikamaru raises his brows. "…Uh… yeah, Mom…?"
Escorting him from Senka, the older woman lets out a sigh before dusting off his chunin vest as her eyes soften. "…My big boy…hm? You think you're all grown up…"
Blinking a bit, and gaining a bit of an apprehensive air, Shikamaru then shrugs. "…Yeah…?"
"…Going on huge missions… Having a baby… Making a family… Getting married…" She continues, straightening his shirt with a few sharp tugs.
Oh great… what is she getting at…? He thinks to himself before swallowing softly. "Yeah… I… guess I am…"
Her bottom lip quivering slightly, the older woman frowns gently, biting her bottom lip before she nods a bit, sniffling once and brushing his hair back slightly with her finger tips. "…I love you… Be safe while you're out there, alright?" She finishes, a tear rolling down her cheek as she offers him a nod.
Blinking a few times in surprise, the young man's near frigidness breaks away and he offers a faintly confident and probably familiar smirk. "Yeah, I'll be fine… Don't worry…"
Choking back a soft sob, the Nara woman nods again before smiling slightly and clearing her throat as she wipes her face with her right wrist. "You're a lot like your father…"
"Oh really?" The chunin rubs the back of his head and raises his brow. "I dunno about that… I'd need to lose a few more fights." He offers with a slight chortle.
"Don't be so arrogant!" She snaps suddenly, frowning deeper and putting her hands on her hips. "Arrogance gets you those kinds of scars; and worse!"
"Uh.. Alright…" That sounds more like her. Shikamaru comments to himself while Choji calls.
"Hey Shikamaru? Are you gonna catch up later?"
When his mother just waves him on he nods before turning to walk back toward Senka and offer once more. "…I love you. You guys take care while I'm gone."
"..Here. I've had this since I was little." She offers, unclasping a pearl wrapped in gold. "Take good care of it. I want my first daughter to have it one day…"
Looking the piece over, Shikamaru nods before hooking it around his own neck. "I'll be sure to bring it back." Then blinking he looks up. "Wait.. Who's that guy? Looks like he just got out of the hospital."
"Danzo? What a surprise." Tsunade offers coyly with a grin.
Frowning softly, the older man scoffs. "I guess it is; since I wasn't informed of this at all."
"Really? You weren't?" Tsunade puts a hand to her chest, sounding shocked.
"No. And as a second candidate for the Sixth Hokage I have every right to be present to something like this, to see off our brave ninja." The graying haired brunette states bluntly.
"Oh, my apologies. I'll take your word for it since I know you've been here before; as a secondary candidate." The fifth states back with a sly grin.
Frowning still, Danzo then just looks away. "Not by the Daimyo's standards." Spotting Rinsu not far away, he ponders darkly. So she's the one? Hmph. Young, inexperienced, I don't see how she's fit to be a ninja let alone a kage.
I won't let you have Konoha, Danzo… Tsunade swears with a frown as the bandaged man steps up to the brunette kunoichi.
"You must be Rinsu Morimoto…"
Turning to him and looking him over, an odd frown comes upon her face before Rinsu answers politely. "Yes? And you are?"
"I am the founder of the ANBU organization Root. As well as a candidate for Sixth Hokage. It looks as though we'll be seeing a lot of each other. My name is Danzo." Glancing to the black haired young man at her side, Danzo furrows his brows thoughtfully. Who is this person? And why do I feel nothing but apprehension from them?
"Oh. The old man who has ties to Orochimaru and is a similar minded, underhanded snake?" Senka can be heard at the man's back before she smirks, crossing her arms. "We've heard about you."
"Senka, you should be polite." Rinsu offers to her sister, trying not to grit her teeth as she smiles calmly at the elder male. "If I don't play my cards right, there's a slim chance he'll be Hokage. You don't want to rub him the wrong way."
Putting up a hand, Danzo then offers. "Now there's no reason we need to 'combat' over this. I've actually come up with an offer. I feel we could benefit greatly from each other. Me, your youth and exuberance, and you, my knowledge and wisdom. The claims you might have heard about me, I assure you, are quite over exaggerated and sectional. In truth; we both want what's best for Konoha, don't we?"
"But in very different ways. You see this village as soft. Misguided. And in your mind, you insult them for how they are. I believe that the citizens here are…yes, soft. And in some ways, even myself. I also realize that there are civilians here that would like to preserve their…'soft' lifestyle. Whereas you seek to use tough love in order to toughen the village up, I want to use my own abilities to preserve what's here, and find ways to aide them to reach their full potential. Even the softest ninja may benefit from a little toughness, but push too hard and they'll break. And the toughest of ninja can become better with a little kindness. I've seen this in your own ANBU." Finishing her statement, the brown eyed girl's eyes seem to glimmer green with brown rimming the outside. "But I would love to converse with you, if I am in some way wrong."
As Senka whistles gently, Danzo raises his brows but then shakes his head slowly. "Hmm… but this just proves my point in other ways. It's not fair to you, this village may grow to lay all of it's problems on top of you; which is just the way it's been for years. It has ended in several of our leader's deaths. Evening out the power, making the entire village stronger is my goal. Think about it, Rinsu; just in the past few months we have suffered attacks from our enemies… The Sound, The Akatsuki, what do we have to show for those attacks? Nothing. We might have captured the enemy in one occasion, but do we really know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is completely outside of Orochimaru's control? Even good people with good intentions, can fall victim to Orochimaru's manipulative ways."
"Well, as someone who's been under Orochimaru's control, I'd like to put my say in here." Sasuke suddenly offers as he, Naruto, Sakura and Mitsuki step up with Senka; the kunoichi having slipped away to draw them in to the conversation when Rinsu's resolve seemed to be slipping.
Glancing to Sasuke, Danzo frowns gently. "Sasuke Uchiha. By all means, why don't you; one who turned his back on us, tell us about your stay in his coils."
Frowning gently, Sasuke then points out. "It's true. Orochimaru's cursed mark can drive a person mad. The pain can be so intense, when you disobey his orders, you'll be willing to do whatever you can to make it stop. It relays subliminal messages in your dreams, the nightmares can make sleep impossible some nights." Hiking down his shirt, he reveals the base of his neck. "But I no longer bear his curse. And neither does Rin."
"My question is only; How can you prove that he does not still have some control? What if one day you woke up with blood on your hands because of some deep seeded curse that couldn't be reached?" Danzo presses.
"Because we trust in our Hokage's famous healing jutsus." Senka points out quickly before adding. "And Orochimaru's power is not absolute. Our mother and father are proof that once you escape Orochimaru's power, his hold is gone from you. My mother has lived her whole life without ever looking back, save for repeated complaints and chastising." She adds with a smirk. "It's how my sister and I were born free of his power to begin with. Otherwise, we'd be seen as weapons to him, and Konoha would have probably already fallen to Rinsu's heightened Mokuton skills."
Frowning gently, Danzo then scoffs and shakes his head. "That Rinsu can use that sort of technique alone is proof that once Orochimaru scars his prey, he will never truly remove his fangs."
"You have nerve to say that." A voice utters from nearby the group emanating from a tan cloaked female, shrouding herself from view, though shadows over her face offer her obvious femininity.
Turning to the newcomer, Danzo then looks off indifferently. "If you don't have the courage to reveal yourself, then I see no need to take any gravity to your words."
"My apologies. It's hotter here than I'm used to, and the cloak shields me from the sun." With this, Haruka pulls back her cloak, revealing her face and letting it sit on her head.
"And you are?" Danzo asks, still with obvious indifference.
"Haruka Kanata of the Seiryoku clan." She states with pride and an odd inference, as if a shared secret between the two.
"I see…" Danzo purses his lips thoughtfully before turning back to Rinsu and offering. "Rinsu, at least consider the offer. Konoha could be great if the two of us worked together on it." Before he turns and begins to start away.
"Don't you listen to him, Rinsu." Senka frowns deeply, snubbing the man at his back, though the green clad girl grips her chest delicately, looking down in a defeated thoughtfulness.
"Rinsu… you have us… you'll do fine…" Gaara whispers, holding her shoulder comfortingly.
Narrowing his eyes at the back of Danzo's head, Naruto grits his teeth.
"What did you see in him?" Kiyoko asks from nearby Haruka, revealing herself from her spot where she's sitting on a bench as Daisuke seems to now notice the difficulties Rinsu is having and jogs up to the rest of the group.
"I'm not sure. But I believe he can use Mokuton as well." She states simply, narrowing her eyes gently.
Feeling a somewhat ill twist in her stomach, Kiyoko then frowns as she stands. "That would definitely substantiate the claims that he was affiliated with Orochimaru, but he could always play a victim card." Chewing her lip she then asks. "Are you gonna tell the others?"
"His victim card would fail because of his statements that Rinsu shouldn't be trusted because of her use of Mokuton. He would then seem obviously trying to hide something." Seeming thoughtful, the young woman then narrows her eyes. "I will go speak to him myself. If I am not back within an hour…tell Tsunade-hime he has had me disposed of."
"Wait..! I don't think we should-Haruka!" Kiyoko moves quickly up to the side of the raven haired female. "I don't know if you should dig so deep so soon."
"It may detour him from pursuing becoming Hokage. It may also instead make him desperate. You know my information. Keep it to yourself unless I am late. If I am, make sure you're at the palace within fifteen minutes afterwards. Make sure you tell Neji as soon as possible as well. If it is only you he has to worry about, I worry for your safety; but if he knows as well, Danzo will not harm either of you, in fear of enraging the entire Hyuuga clan. And harming you will get him nothing if he does not also silence Neji. Now hurry." She states before continuing on quickly.
Glancing back at her team a moment, Kiyoko then sighs before slinking off quickly toward the Hyuuga compound.