Alright, here's the next chapter as promised. Hope you enjoy!
Broken Angel
Chapter 77
"I've checked, and checked, and checked again. Everything points to each and every one of them being fully healed." Lady Chiyo explained to a gathering of high level officials from Sand, Wind, and even the Legion. They were all currently gathered in one of the high Lord's home. It was one of the few places in the city, clear of bodies that such a meeting could realistically take place in.
While Itachi was out commanding the Legion in continuing work, Voldemort stood with Shikaku and Sirius as part of this meeting.
The Wind Daimyo himself sat nearby with his highest ranked general and Wind Ronin. All three men having been killed in the previous battle and brought back with Riley's magic. They listened, enraptured as Lady Chiyo explained to the gathered group which also consisted of Gaia, what she had found by scanning those brought back.
"I still can't believe it." Kankuro stated with a shake of his head. Many in the room mirrored his disbelief. Kankuro was currently serving as Gaia's guard, and adviser while Temari led the Suna nin and kept them organized.
This meeting was called less then a twelve hours after the mass resurrection. The Daimyo himself had demanded it. He needed answers desperately, and so few knew just what the hell had happened.
"It's an unbelievable thing she was able to do. The question is, how?" Gaia inquired as she turned a glance towards Thomas Gaunt and his compatriots.
The three men shared looks with each other, before Tom stepped forward. All voices in the room silenced and everyone stared at the Legion commander, their attention fully on him.
"My fellow lords and ladies, lord Daimyo. The ability that was utilized is called Gedo Art: Rinne Rebirth. It was utilized by none other then Lady Riley Uchiwa, Lord of the houses Uchiwa, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Uzumaki. Heir to the houses Black, and Senju." Thomas explained to them earning several gasps of surprise and nods of understanding from others.
The Daimyo himself, a large round man of great wealth and power, could only nod and motion for him to continue.
"I do not know everything about the ability, only that it is a power bestowed by the Rinnegan. It was an ability held by the Sage of Six Paths, though if he ever utilized it, history made no note of it. The ability allows her to recall spirits from the afterlife and rejuvenate their bodies, returning them to life." Thomas continued. He saw no harm in explaining the basics of the ability, after all, they all already knew this stuff, having experienced it themselves. Though he did intentionally leave out the abilities shortcomings. Though none of the shinobi in the room actually expected him to reveal such an abilities weaknesses.
"So that's how the Legion has been avoiding any casualties since starting this war? Whenever one of your men goes down, she just revives them." Gaia stated earning a smirk and a nod from Thomas.
"That would also explain how the Legion is able to stand up to a force as large as the one Iwa and Earth have amassed. So long as you do not allow yourselves to be overwhelmed, the Angel Slayer can simply resurrect the fallen." The Grand General of Wind's armies stated from his position by the Daimyo's side.
"That would also explain why they fight so viciously. They quite literally have no fear of death." Kankuro whispered to Gaia, earning a nod.
Gaia herself was wondering about something, but she refrained from asking it. It surprised her that Riley was capable of such a thing, but it wasn't a surprise to her that Riley had actually done it. Gaia knew Riley was good person. Though with that thought in mind, she wondered why Riley hadn't utilized such an ability in Suna in order to resurrect those that died during the Akatsuki's attack.
There were only two answers that came to mind. One was that Riley was simply in a rush and was quick to immediately depart once she knew of Gaia's situation, and thus she simply forgot. Or, more likely, such an ability had limitations, and thus Riley was actually unable to bring back those that had died at Suna.
The second answer seemed more realistic to Gaia. Riley was incredibly intelligent and a great problem solver. If she was willing to do this for the people of the Wind capitol, she would have easily done it for those in Suna. The only reason she wouldn't was if she couldn't. So that meant that somehow, this amazing ability did have certain limitations. Perhaps, the person needed to be nearby when they died in order for Riley to revive them? Or maybe there was a time limit on it, perhaps if they'd been dead for more then a few hours such a revival was impossible?
These thoughts echoed through the Kazekage's mind as her fellows whispered amongst themselves and the Daimyo looked thoughtful.
"I thank you for the clarification Commander Gaunt. If I may inquire, where is Lady Uchiwa?" The Daimyo inquired after a moment, silencing the room with a gesture.
"My lord I do believe she has retired to the careful tending of her wife and mates. Performing such a miracle deserves a bit of reprieve from all of the death and hardships that have taken place as of late." Voldemort replied with a polite smile.
Several within the room nodded in agreement. Hell, Tom could have told them Riley was emptying out the local Gringotts, and stealing all of their riches, and most of them would probably be only mildly annoyed. Bringing them and everyone they loved back from the dead, had earned her more then a little leeway is missing such important meetings.
"Indeed, Commander. She has definitely earned a bit of quiet time. I'm sure all of us could do with a few moments of rest and relaxation. For the remainder of the day, have the Legion and Suna forces continue their work, but by tomorrow, I expect them to take some time to rest. You are heroes, and will be treated as such." The Daimyo commanded earning a nod from Gaia and Thomas. He then turned to his top general and ordered that he prepare their own forces to begin work from the following day. Being brought back from the dead was a jarring experience but they had a city to repair and bodies to dispose of. After what happened, the least that could be done was for the Wind forces to handle the cleanup.
"I would like all of you to return to your homes and various duties. We have been given a great gift, and I would not see it put to waste. Commander Gaunt, Lady Kazekage, if you two could remain." The Daimyo ordered. The room was quickly cleared of people, leaving only Gaia, Kankuro, Chiyo, Thomas, Shikaku, and Sirius, standing before the daimyo. Being that four of them were there simply as advisers, they stepped back and stood quietly.
"Is there something that you require my lord?" Gaia asked as she stepped forward and offered a polite bow to her boss.
"Yes Lady Kazekage. There is something of great importance I wish to discuss with you, and I believe Commander Gaunt's advise could benefit." The Daimyo began.
"Very well, My lord." Gaia stated as she stood before him, eyes focused and face impassive.
"With this attack, Iwa and Earth have made their intentions clear. They have dragged the land of Wind into this war, in it's entirety. This isn't like the last three Great Ninja Wars. So… first and foremost, I must offer my apologies. I should have sided with Suna as soon as Earth made it's intentions known. I refused to see this conflict as more then another Shinobi war, when it was truly something more. And for that… I am truly sorry." The Daimyo stated earning a nod of understanding from Gaia.
"There is nothing to apologize for my lord. Besides the shinobi wars, the nations have been at peace for hundreds of years. What Earth did to us, was a surprise to us all. Believe me, my lord, they will be made to pay for this attack." Gaia responded with cold determination.
"Yes. They will. The Land of Wind, and it's army will be mobilized for war. I intend for you to serve as grand commander in this conflict. You have proven yourself a keen strategist, and a noble woman. What occurred in Suna at the hands of those marauding Akatsuki is not unknown to me. You are brave and selfless, and I can think of no one better then to lead our forces into battle." The Daimyo stated earning a bit of a surprised look from Gaia, and a smirk from her two guards.
"It's an honor my lord. I will not let you down." Gaia stated with a deep bow, showing her respect and gratitude for such a lofty position. Not only would she be in command of her own Shinobi, but the Wind army in it's entirety.
Seeing this as a moment to speak up, Voldemort took the opportunity to offer his own pledge. "The Legion remains committed to the destruction of our enemies in the Land of Earth and abroad. We fully intend to hunt them and the serpent Orochimaru down, wherever they try to hide. All efforts and support will be offered by the Legion in any operation that the Kazekage requires of us."
Gaia gave the man a look but offered him a grateful nod. Having the Legion to serve as a vanguard, would be a great benefit to the future of this war. The Legion was fast, mobile, and incredibly powerful. Their technology, raw power, tactics, and utter ruthlessness, was quickly becoming the stuff of legends.
"We appreciate your assistance commander. With your power combined with ours. We will see the Land of Earth fall, and with it, Iwa as well. And once that is done, you will have my full support in hunting down that vile monster Orochimaru." The Wind Daimyo replied with a grateful nod. Voldemort smiled in reply and offered a polite bow of respect to the Wind Daimyo.
"Well… now that that's squared away. Was there something else, you required my lord?" Gaia asked, as a pause occurred in the conversation.
"Yes, there was actually. Lady Kazekage… what are your views on Lady Uchiwa?" The Daimyo inquired.
Gaia looked slightly confused by that question but didn't let it show for long. She adopted a thoughtful look for a moment before replying. "How do you mean my lord?"
"Well, what do you think of her? You two knew each other during your trip to England, if I have my facts straight. Not to mention you've been in contact with her during this war, and she did rescue you from the Akatsuki. So… what do you think of her?" The Daimyo clarified, looking curious. While Gaia took the question in and thought it over, the others in the room shared glances, not entirely sure where he was going with this. Though some, like Chiyo, and Shikaku picked up on it immediately, and Voldemort was only a few seconds behind.
"Lady Uchiwa… Riley… she's unique. It's hard to explain. She's at once, the kindest person I know, and one I would call my best friend, and at the same time… there's no one that scares me more then her." Gaia replied as she focused her gaze on the Daimyo.
"What do you mean?" The Wind Daimyo inquired.
"She's helped me through a lot in the time we've known each other. Like you said, she even saved my life from the Akatsuki. But I've always known that there was something dark about her. Something that… I don't know, 'moved' beneath the surface. When her mates were threatened in this last battle, the sky turned black and a void appeared over the sun itself, bathing the land in darkness. Her power seems to know no limit. I've seen the decimation of the Hidden Leaf with my own eyes. I've seen the end result of her opening battle in this war. I saw the hatred and rage in her eyes as she put down the Tsuchikage with complete ease. Some call her the second Sage of Six Paths. I would say she's more like the next Madara Uchiha. A being of incredible might, but unlike the sage… we know for a fact, Madara was real, and the things he did were and are real. She's just like her grandfather. Just like her father. A monster on the battlefield, and one strong enough to crush us all like ants. I was put into the position of Kazekage because I was the only one strong enough to defend Suna, and drag our people up out of the pit my father pulled us into. I am meant to be the strongest ninja in Suna, and even I feel as if there is zero chance of ever standing against her. Her power is simply far too great, and I will admit, such a thing terrifies me." Gaia explained to the Daimyo earning a nod of agreement from him. Both were powerful in their own ways, yet Riley surpassed them both. She was rich, politically powerful, and physically unstoppable.
"You and I are of like mind it seems. I would see such fears put aside, and in their place, a sense of security and safety." The Daimyo replied, sagely.
"How so?" Gaia asked.
"Well… the best way I can see to achieve such security is to ensure that Lady Uchiwa never has a reason to turn her wrath onto us. The best way to ensure such a thing has proven to be through a union of sorts." The Daimyo began. Understanding dawned on everyone's faces, and Kankuro felt himself begin to smirk.
"My Lord?" Gaia stated, though one look at her face revealed that she had fully understood his meaning.
"Had I any unwed daughters of my own, I would make the offer for one of them. Sadly, I do not, and I cannot think of anyone better for the position or more likely to be accepted then you. This would be the most important political marriage since the joining of Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, to ally Konoha and Uzushio." The Daimyo stated. Gaia stood stock still as he unveiled his request.
The Kazekage's first instinct was to refuse, as Riley would never go for such a thing, but the words didn't form, instead she just flapped her gums a few times as the Daimyo turned to Tom.
"Is such a thing possible? Do you believe Lady Uchiwa would be open to such a request?" The Daimyo asked.
Tom shared a glance with Sirius and motioned for him to answer, since he was closer to Riley.
Sirius stepped forward and offered a bow to the Daimyo.
"Lord Daimyo, Sirius Black here. Godfather of Riley. To answer your question… yeah I think she'd be receptive to the idea, so long as Lady Kazekage is. I can't claim to know the inner workings of Riley's mind, but I do know she has a simple philosophy when it comes to the women she courts. She just lets her heart decide. If she wants to be with them, then she'll pursue such things. So long as she thinks she has a chance, she's more then willing to date whomever she fancies. I'm not entirely certain but I'm sure I've noted the Kazekage's name being brought up in conversation by Riley and her mates." Sirius explained earning a minor blush from Gaia and nod from the Daimyo who returned his look to Gaia.
"I know what I am asking Lady Kazekage and we owe the Legion a great debt for what it has, is, and will do for us. I can think of no better way to settle such a debt then to ensure that from this day forward, Suna and the Legion will work together as one. Their leaders, unified by marriage." The Daimyo explained.
Gaia was silent for a few moments. Kankuro was grinning, knowing that Gaia was in love with the Uchiwa clan leader. Lady Chiyo was in an interesting state. The more she learned about magic, the more amazed she was at the potential it had when joined with Ninjutsu. For the longest time, her biggest problem with homosexual relationships was that there was no continuation of it. Not truly. A surrogate could be used, but that wasn't the joining of the two involved. So in her mind, such a relationship, in a political sense, was worthless, as it wouldn't truly last beyond those who partook in it. However, in recent years, she had learned of some of the things magic was capable of. Two women could impregnate each other. A man could carry a child, just as efficiently as a woman. These things opened her mind to the possibilities offered by such a relationship, so with those thoughts put aside, she had to agree with the Daimyo. Having the Kazekage married to one of the commanders of the Legion, would act as a military alliance, as well as serve as powerful ties to the Wizengamot in Britain.
"If this is your will my lord, then I will approach Lady Uchiwa with the offer. I cannot guarantee she will agree to such a request, but if she does, then I will as well. If we are to be married, then let our union serve as a statement to our relationship with our friends on the other side of the world. Let this act, be the one that helps carry us as a society, into the future. One where we can help each other, and grow from one another. It's time the Land of Wind caught up with the rest of the world." Gaia replied.
"I agree. Too long have we been stagnant. With this tie to the outside world, we will use it to move forward. The land of Wind will no longer sit idly by and simply allow ourselves to exist. We will prosper and use all the world has to offer, to better ourselves." The Daimyo agreed, wholeheartedly.
"Magical Britain itself has some growing to do, but we would consider it an honor to have the Land of Wind and Suna grow with us." Tom stated with a bow earning a nod of recognition from the Daimyo.
From there, the meeting ended, and a few hours later Gaia was on her way to speak with someone.
She had asked Sirius Black to deliver a message for her, and now she was on her way to a private building, to have a quick meeting.
Gaia walked into the medium sized, semi-formally furnished room, to find Daphne Greengrass-Slytherin-Hellsing, waiting for her.
"Lady Kazekage." Daphne greeted as she rose up from the chair she had been sitting in.
"Lady Slytherin. Thank you for meeting with me." Gaia greeted the woman as she entered.
"It's no problem. I was a bit surprised when Sirius told me you needed to speak with me." Daphne responded as the two women took their seats, facing one another. Gaia was quick to note that Daphne was shifting with unease, almost like she wasn't comfortable.
"Are these chairs to hard? I can have something softer found and brought here if you require?" Gaia asked as she noted Daphne's inability to cease from shifting about.
"Oh, no it's nothing like that. The chairs are fine, it's just… I um… nevermind." Daphne responded with a minor blush. She wasn't about to say, that Riley was the reason she was unable to stop squirming. Riley had just had another episode of lustful passion. It seems the explosion of her power, followed by her suddenly bottling it back up after the battle had triggered another bout of frenzy. It had been Kaede's first, and Daphne would be sure to taunt the Diclonius later, for quite literally walking into the trap. As usual Fleur tried to take the brunt of it, but Riley's interests were more split then normal. Just as many of them had suspected, the stronger Riley's mate was, magically, the more interested she was in them during one of her episodes. So as well as Fleur tried to keep Riley's attention so the others could recover, Kaede held a special place of interest for the lustful demoness.
Needless to say, Kaede would be feeling it all, when she woke up.
Gaia stared for a few moments before nodding.
"So what was it you needed to speak with me about?" Daphne inquired after a moment of silence.
"Lady Slytherin… I'll be frank with you, after all that's happened here, the Daimyo has requested that I approach Riley with the offer of a marriage between her and I. The Daimyo believes that it's imperative to the country's future to form firm and lasting ties with the Legion and Britain through Riley." Gaia explained, deciding not to beat around the proverbial bush.
Daphne looked a bit surprised to hear that, but she was able to quickly school herself.
After several seconds Daphne decided to finally break the silence. "I see. Well… what do you think about all this?"
"Personally I have no desire to force, or guilt, or attempt to persuade Riley into such a thing. I understand the benefits that would come from it, but it isn't something I would want forced on anyone. I intend to approach Riley with the offer as the Daimyo ordered, but I don't see it going anywhere. Riley is a free spirit. She isn't one to be strapped down by a marriage contract or anything like that." Gaia replied with a shake of her head.
"Actually, that's untrue. The reason Riley and I were married so young, and so soon after starting our relationship, was due to a marriage contract that Riley agreed to with my father. It may surprise you to know this, but I'm pretty sure if you asked her, she'd agree to it." Daphne explained earning a surprised look from the Kazekage.
"Really?" Gaia couldn't stop herself from asking.
"Yes. I think whether or not she accepts will depend solely on whether or not this is something you want." Daphne stated.
"Why would it matter if I wanted it or not? It's her decision to accept the offer." Gaia replied, earning a nod from Daphne.
"I'm aware of the politics behind it. I can see quite clearly why the Daimyo would want to try and form such ties to the Legion and Britain. If it were anyone else, Riley might refuse outright, but because it's you, someone she likes, I think her answer will solely depend on whether or not this is something 'you' actually desire." Daphne explained.
The two sat in silence for a few moments as Gaia averted her eyes and stared off into space. Seeing that she was deep in thought, Daphne decided to push for a bit more.
"May I ask you a personal question, Lady Kazekage?" Daphne asked.
Gaia returned her gaze to Daphne and after a moment she nodded.
"Do you have feelings for Riley?" Daphne put the question out there. The sudden averting of the Kazekage's eyes and the slight reddening of her cheeks was an instant answer to the Slytherin Ice Queen. A small smile touched upon Daphne's lips as she spotted it.
"I will admit, Riley is someone I have very close ties to. Though what they truly mean is beyond me. My siblings mention it from time to time that they think I'm in love. I can't refute such things, as I have no knowledge of what being in love feels like. All I know is that Riley has this way of distracting me. If I think about her, I find myself unable to think about other things. She has this way of filling my mind and making me feel… weird." Gaia responded as best she could. She had asked for this meeting in the hopes of getting a bit of direction from Riley's wife. While Gaia knew that the rest of Riley's harem would be an issue she'd have to deal with, it was Riley's wife that she felt would be the one she needed to speak with first and foremost to ensure that this didn't become a huge issue. So with that in mind, she had gone into this meeting expecting that she'd have to possibly reveal some personal feelings to the Lady of Slytherin house.
"Love is a weird thing to try and explain to others. Trust me when I say that, I wasn't in love with Riley when I first approached her and asked her on a date. I was doing it to please my father. I didn't think it would lead anywhere, yet slowly but surely, as I spent more time with her, I felt myself falling for her. Eventually I felt like you do. I would think about her and be unable to think about anything else. She became a distraction in my life. A good distraction, one that I didn't mind having to draw my thoughts from other things, but a distraction none the less." Daphne explained as she eyed the Kazekage with a small smile on her face. Even though the two were separated in age by only a few years, Daphne felt as if she was much older.
"Being with Riley is at once the most complicated thing in the world, and yet at the same time, she's the easiest person in the world to be with. She's intimidating, with how strongly the passion burns in her heart. She puts her all into loving her mates, and at times it can be quite nerve-wracking." Daphne added after a moment.
"She is quite terrifying when she wants to be." Gaia agreed.
"Oh… you have no idea." Daphne noted with a nervous chuckle. That action actually caused a cold shiver of fear to pass up Gaia's spine. If the state she had seen Riley in while she fought the Tsuchikage, wasn't the worst of Riley's anger, then what was? I mean she had cast some sort of technique that unleashed dark serpents on all of Iwa's army and covered the sun with a void that darkened the Earth. Gaia had to wonder just how much of the Elemental Nations or even the world, was affected by that void.
"So… you think she'll agree to it?" Gaia asked after a moment.
"Yes. I think she will, so long as you're honest about your feelings for her. I'll be straight with you, Riley has openly stated that the only reason she hasn't tried to pursue anything with you yet is because she just started a relationship with Kaede. If not for that, I'm almost positive she would have tried to start something after rescuing you from the Akatsuki." Daphne admitted earning a surprised look from Gaia.
"Really?" Gaia asked with a minor blush.
Daphne nodded with a smile.
The two sat in silence for a few moments before Daphne decided to offer Gaia some advice.
"Would you like some advice when it comes to Riley?" Daphne inquired.
"I would very much appreciate it." Gaia replied.
"When it come to being with Riley, just try your hardest to not trick yourself into thinking it's a competition." Daphne offered.
"What do you mean?" Gaia inquired, listening with wrapped attention.
"I mean… Riley loves us all as much as she is able. That is to say, she loves each of us, as much as her heart allows. We're all different and we all have different bonds with her. The way Riley feels for me, is different then the way she feels for her other lovers. My biggest piece of advice is to try and understand how she feels about each of us. You don't seem like the jealous type to me, so it shouldn't be that hard. If you come to understand just why she is the way she is when she focuses on one of us, then it should be easy to keep yourself from thinking about such things." Daphne offered, Gaia looked a bit confused with earned her a sympathetic look from Daphne.
"I guess the simplest way to explain it is don't get into a competition with the Veela. You'll feel like an idiot when all is said and done." Daphne clarified, Gaia's confused look persisted though, so Daphne let out a sigh.
"Okay, allow me to clarify. Riley is bonded to all of us. We've taken to calling it the Mate bond. At all hours of the day she can feel what we feel and when our emotions are strong enough, we can speak to her through this magical bond. Riley's magic laid claim to us all as her mates, which is where these powerful ties come from. My bond with Riley is unique, because it's a mate bond, tied in with a marriage contract bond. This means that my connection with Riley is much stronger then some of my fellow mates. The only one with a similar level of connection to Riley, is Fleur, and that's due to the fact that Riley is Fleur's Soul Mate. What this means is that Riley, is the absolute perfect match for Fleur. Everything about Riley is what Fleur wants in a mate. It's why the two rarely argue. It's why they're joined at the hip almost constantly. Riley is quite literally, perfect for Fleur. She is Fleur's literal soul mate. The only person in the world for her. Meaning, no one, will ever match up in Fleur's eyes. Now on the flip side of this powerful Veela bond, is the Mate bond, and the fact that Fleur was Riley's first love. Riley fell in love with Fleur, long before she fell for any of us, and they've been together for longer. Are you following all of this?" Daphne explained, earning a nod of understanding from Gaia.
"What I'm trying to get at here is that, because of their unique circumstances, Riley and Fleur will seem at times to be the perfect couple. They seem almost to perfect for one another, it's almost storybook at times. And sometimes it can get a little… I don't know… It's just one of those things where you start to compare, and it feels at times that your relationship doesn't measure up. Then Riley feels what you're feeling through the bond and immediately turns her full attention to you and reminds you just why you fell in love with her in the first place." Daphne finished with a gentle smile. She'd of course had some of these moments since she started dating Riley. She'd see the way Riley is with Fleur and she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. The two were often times the couple most people aspired to be like. And at times it could feel quite intimidating when you compared your relationship with Fleur's and Riley's.
"The best suggestion I have for you going forward, if you start a relationship with Riley, is to never compare your relationship with the others. Riley loves us all as much as we need her too. Or better yet, she loves us with all her heart, and shows us as much as we need her too. With me, she isn't as lovey-dovey as she is with Fleur. At times I can feel a bit put-off when she doesn't try and snuggle up next to me as much as she does with Fleur or Luna. But then I take a step back and remember all of the things she does do for me, that I appreciate a whole lot more. She challenges me to grow, she pushes me to push myself, she never coddles me, and she keeps our moments of affection, for the most part, private." Daphne stated, her eyes slightly averted. While at times Daphne could feel a bit put out when Riley wouldn't choose to cuddle with her in front of others, at the end of the day, she appreciated that Riley never made her look soft, or weak in front of people. Sometimes she'd be cuddly with Daphne out in the open, but most times, she kept it to simple glances or smiles. Soft things, that weren't so deliberate and allowed Daphne to maintain a cool and composed demeanor.
This wasn't something she was used to talking about, especially with someone outside of their sisterhood, but with Gaia, Daphne felt it was her responsibility to offer the younger woman some advice. Advice she wished she had been given before getting involved with Riley.
As much as she loved Riley, it was quite the whirlwind when it came to dating her. And it was hard some times, worrying about whether or not, there could be something more you could be doing to make the relationship work. At the end of the day, those fears were almost always assuaged. Riley was an amazing lover, and did her absolute best to make sure her mates felt loved in the way they were most comfortable with.
And on top of that, she intended to use this advice to help guide the young Kazekage forward. Regardless of her personal feelings on the matter, the political side of Daphne couldn't help but note that Gaia was Kazekage, the leader of her hidden village. If Riley and her were to marry, they'd form a power couple, unlike the world had ever known, and that opened certain doors for Riley and company. Although, Gaia being Kazekage was also a point of concern for Daphne. Or more specifically, the fact that she was a Suna ninja.
"I appreciate your honesty. It cant be easy opening up to someone you barely know. Trust that I will take your words to heart, and do my best to understand the way this relationship is meant to work." Gaia responded with a grateful nod.
"It's just a bit of knowledge to help you along. This is the kind of thing we usually inform the new girl about after she joins, but I know in my heart, Riley will accept your offer. She's never failed to follow her own heart. She talks about you all the time, and when your name is mentioned she gets that look in her eyes. This is just my way of extending a peace offering in the hopes that things can continue along the correct path and we can continue to enjoy relative peace." Daphne responded with a calm and compassionate demeanor, but in her eyes was something, something Gaia took notice of. She couldn't place exactly what it was, but if she had to describe it, it looked almost like a subtle warning.
This put Gaia a bit on edge, she hadn't gotten that vibe at all from Daphne, but now that she'd noticed that twinkle deep within the Slytherin Lady's eyes, she couldn't help but feel a bit on edge.
"Do you believe I may do something to disturb the 'peace'?" Gaia inquired after a moment.
"I would hope not. I just understand where your loyalties lie. You're a Suna Nin, and our homes are separated by thousands of miles. Riley may have been born here, but she was raised in Europe. So I can understand if there's a bit of confusion as to the hows and whys. I want Riley to be happy, and I want an easy and happy life for the both of you. The dynamics of our sisterhood may grow more complex with each new addition but it's always been rather easy to continue on. I just hope that by expressing my views to you and helping you to better understand how things work, that it'll allow you to 'navigate the waters' as it were, with much greater ease." Daphne responded in a believable fashion. Still, Gaia found herself wondering just why she felt so on edge. There was something about Daphne's tone now, that unsettled Gaia. Almost as if there was a very subtle warning in there.
Not being one to back down from a confrontation, Gaia inquired, "Is there something wrong? Have I done something to offend you?"
"No. Not at all. I apologize if I sound a bit uneasy with the prospect of having you join, or if it comes off like I might be threatening you, but I promise that's not the case. I merely recognize your status as a foreign shinobi, and wish to be clear with my position on this. I love Riley. I care for her, and if she desires to pursue a relationship with you, then I will support her, as I always have, but unlike Luna or even Kaede, you are a foreign national, with powerful ties to an organization that has a… let's just say a tumultuous past." Daphne offered as an explanation her face devoid of emotion, her Ice Queen persona and years of training in such matters, lending to her ability to keep calm, cool, and collected even while facing another politically savvy opponent such as the Kazekage.
Gaia looked thoughtful even as she stared back at Daphne. She wondered if this might have had something to do with how her father had threatened Riley and her mates, back during her time at Hogwarts. Such a thing, did make sense, and she could understand Daphne's hesitance. She wasn't outright threatening Gaia, just putting in that she was aware that Gaia had her own allegiances, and due to where she hails from, she'd be watched rather closely. Daphne obviously wanted to maintain the peaceful life that Riley's harem had developed for themselves, so she wanted to make sure Gaia knew and understood that the sisterhood had set ways and reacted in a certain manner. She did all of this, not to 'put Gaia in her place' as it were, but rather to inform her of how things had always been done, and that the sisterhood itself expected things to be done a certain way. The message was simple. Don't allow your relationship with Riley to hamper anyone else's, and don't involve them beyond what they are meant too. The ladies were united, yet separate.
"I think I understand." Gaia noted after a moment.
"Please, don't let it bother you. This will be a new and unique experience for all of us. As Kazekage, it's your job to protect Suna first and foremost. I understand that. I'm sure Riley understands that. The others may take some time to get that through their heads. Just understand one thing before you go ahead with this. And please, this isn't a threat, this is a warning so that you fully comprehend just what you're getting involved with." Daphne stated earning a focused look from Gaia.
"No matter what you say. No matter what you do. No matter how hard you try to convince her. Riley will 'never' place your home above her mates. By becoming one of her mates, she will move heaven and earth to aid you and your interests. But… if for whatever reason your people turn on you, or try to stab you in the back… she'll burn your city to the ground. And she'll do it without a seconds hesitation. There is no keeping secrets from Riley. She holds the keys to our minds and our hearts, and if she senses a problem, she'll get involved. Understand that… your problems, even as Kazekage… become her problems if you go through with this. Just… take that into account going forward. Riley doesn't mess around with threats to her mates. As I'm sure you've come to realize and will no doubt experience as time goes on." Daphne explained earning a tentative nod from Gaia.
"I see. Thank you for explaining. Please know, that I don't intend to cause any issues. I would never dream of trying to hurt Riley or her mates. I've seen what befalls those that do." Gaia replied.
"You don't know that half of it." Daphne thought to herself as she rose to her feet.
"I never said you would. Just know that you're the first of Riley's mates to have any major outside affiliations, and that'll be a change for us. Let's try to work together to make it as smooth and painless as possible, shall we?" Daphne stated earning a nod of agreement from Gaia.
"I understand. I'll try not to mix business with pleasure. Shinobi matters, are best kept, in house as it were." Gaia stated.
"Yes. Much cleaner that way. Less people get hurt." Daphne agreed.
"Thank you for this chat, Lady Slytherin. It's been eye opening." Gaia stated, offering a polite nod and earning one in return as she turned to depart.
"Be seeing you soon, Lady Kazekage." Daphne replied, watching her as she departed.
A moment of silence passed before Alucard stepped out of the nearest wall, passing silently through it, with his own intangibility.
"Her affection for your mate seems genuine." Alucard noted once Gaia had disappeared from sight.
"I think it is. She'll be a powerful ally to have, but this brings Suna's issues into our lives. Every time we deal with Ninja from the Elemental Nations, they try to hurt Riley. Konoha. The Akatsuki. Mito. Orochimaru. Iwa. Hell not so long ago, Suna was considering siding with Orochimaru as well. The only reason we aren't fighting them in this war as well is because Riley killed Gaia's father and they became to terrified to join in the attack on Hogwarts. The same council that aided the previous Kazekage in his plans, now advises Gaia, and while I'm sure she has the best intentions for her people at heart..." Daphne responded, but then Alucard finished her statement for her.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Alucard noted with a smirk.
"Exactly." Daphne stated as she headed out towards the exit to the building, her faithful companion following close behind.
"Hmm… Humans used as vessels for demons, for the intention of using said vessels as weapons. Humans are such interesting creatures." Alucard noted after a moment.
"A great tragedy is what it is. As much as I feel for Gaia, and the past she's lived… I worry about her allegiances. Until she is mated to Riley and bound to her like the rest of us, I will have to keep an eye on her. I don't know how she's going to take the news that Riley is actually the Angel of Carnage, not human, and killed her father." Daphne said as they made their way through camp.
"A wise course of action master, though I doubt she'll care about that last one. Her relationship with her father was much like my own. Tumultuous, I do believe is the word you used earlier." Alucard noted with a dark chuckle.
"Seems every great person in my life has daddy issues. You, Riley, now Gaia..." Daphne stated earning another chuckle from Alucard.
"Perhaps I'll share the story with you some time, master. I'm sure you'll find it quite morbid and depressing." Alucard replied.
"I'm sure I will." Daphne noted as they arrived back at Daphne's shared tent with her mates.
Alucard vanished from sight as Daphne passed through the tent flaps. She found most of her fellow mates there, sans Katie and Riley.
Fleur could be heard humming a tune to herself in the bathroom, Luna was writing something in a journal off to the side, and Kaede was passed out on the bed. The sight of the exhausted Diclonius earned a chuckle from Daphne. Her chuckle earned the attention of Luna who looked up at her and smiled.
"Welcome back." Luna greeted.
"Hey. Let's settle in, I've got some things to discuss with you guys." Daphne informed them as she called out for Katie over the bond.
-Meanwhile-
Gaia was slowly making her way back to where Suna had set up headquarters. While the Legion had just set up their base of operations out of an old warehouse, Suna had moved in with their compatriots from Wind. Their base of operations was situated in one of the few castles that dotted the large city. This one was used as the primary base of operations for the Land of Wind's army.
As she was walking, Gaia was having an internal conversation with Shukaku.
"That was a lot less painful then I thought it would be." Gaia thought to herself.
"Yeah. Things didn't escalate into a fight. She only offered the barest of warnings and intimidation. And at the end of it, no one walked away with hurt feelings. I'd say that was a productive meeting." Shukaku agreed.
"It's odd." Gaia noted as she walked.
"What is?" Shukaku inquired.
"Not once did she mention me being a Jinchuriki. I half expected something like that to pop up. In fact, when I started to detect her underlying hesitation, I thought that was the reason for it. But… I actually believe her when she says that it's mostly to do with me being a foreign ninja. I mean… that makes sense right? As far as I know, all of Riley's mates, sans the newest one, were people she met at school. While some were trained specifically as nobles, such as Lady Slytherin, for the most part, Riley's mates are just schoolgirls. It makes sense that she'd want to address my status as a foreign ninja, all things considered… right?" Gaia thought to herself. She had been prepared for a few issues to be brought up by Daphne. Her being a Jinchuriki. Possibly Riley being upset over a marriage contract. Maybe the idea that the Wind Daimyo was trying to manipulate Riley.
But no… Daphne hadn't really brought any of those things up. Her biggest concern was that Gaia's lifestyle was radically different from their own, and that might lead to a conflict of interests. That was honestly, much more simple to deal with, and Gaia was quite happy that, that seemed to be the major issue at play here, at least for Daphne.
As she had said, she would simply not mix business with pleasure, or at least, try her best to keep Suna's business out of Riley's and her mate's personal lives.
Though with that thought in mind, Gaia recalled Daphne's warning about the lengths Riley would go to protect her mates. Gaia had never considered the possibility that by becoming Riley's mate, she could inadvertently put Suna in the crosshairs of Riley's wrath should someone try something stupid.
While she had disposed of the most militant of her adversaries on the council, there were many who remained that were quite manipulative and weren't above screwing each other, and their comrades over to elevate themselves. Gaia already knew what some of the council members would say. They'd all agree such an alliance would be an amazing benefit to Suna. Some would simply support her and offer their advice. Others would hint or insist on using this opportunity to gain access to the Legion's weapons or tactics, or even their magic.
Gaia could feel it in her bones and it was already starting to give her a migraine.
She needed to nip this situation in the bud before the Suna council did anything stupid. Riley was a very dangerous foe, and her over-protectiveness when it came to her mates, may not have been fully known by Gaia, but she could guess based on Daphne's warning, that Riley would be aggressively observant to threats concerning Gaia and her person.
-Elsewhere-
"Damn..." Deidara muttered from atop his flying clay bird as he stared down at the destruction below him.
Several hours earlier Pain had deployed all of the nearby Akatsuki, including himself, to a nearby town in the Land of Rain. Apparently he had sensed carnage and destruction tearing it's way across the country. Deidara, Pain, and the newest Akatsuki member, Tobi. Had arrived to find Sasori, alive, and killing his way across the country. He had destroyed several towns already and killed upwards to five thousand people. The three members of the Akatsuki made swift work of his puppet army, though Pain lost one of his servants, the one with the long orange hair, when it got close to Sasori and activated a seal on the puppet master's body. The seal detonated Sasori's chakra core and released an explosion that caused Deidara's whole body to tremble with glee.
Even as excited as he was at the marvelous explosion, Sasori's sudden betrayal and the state they found him in, completely unnerved Deidara. Sasori spent the whole fight screaming for his mother, and blaming Pain for taking her away.
Deidara was unsure if Tobi and Pain were as unsettled as he was, but it was obvious that whatever had happened to Sasori, had definitely set the two on edge.
He could only wonder what had caused this dramatic shift in her persona. A thought occurred to him, that greatly unsettled him. Sasori had been captured by the Uchiwa clan head. If she could do that to someone as calm, cool, and collected as Sasori, then she could do a helluva lot worse to someone who wasn't as 'collected' as Sasori was.
-Elsewhere-
"Tenchi Bridge." Riley noted as she stared down at the scroll in her hand. She had just received another message from her informant in Orochimaru's organization. The message had simply said, 'Congratulations on your victory. Tenchi Bridge, three days.'
"What do you suppose that means?" Riley wondered.
"Tenchi Bridge. I've got references of it in the Tsuchikage's memory. It's where he personally met Orochimaru on a few occasions. Perhaps your informant is giving us Orochimaru's whereabouts." Kurama offered to her.
Riley looked thoughtful, then nodded and turned to head off to the command tent to inform her fellow commanders. If this was a lead to Orochimaru, then she'd follow it, and hopefully catch the snake bastard, and end him quickly. Then it would be time for the counter-attack on the Land of Earth.
Riley was deep in thought as she headed toward the command tent. She wondered to herself where this new tip would lead her. She hoped to Orochimaru himself. If she could get her hands on the snake, then this conflict would be over all the sooner.
Little did she know at that moment, that her mates were busy discussing the future and how their upcoming newest member would feed into it. And on the other side of the camp, Gaia was in discussion with her siblings and advisers on how best to handle the Daimyo's orders.
Things were starting to heat up. Iwa and Earth had gone all in on this latest attack. Now they were on the run, which left the opportunity to chase them, and also, to begin hunting for the snake faced bastard, himself.
Whether he knew it or not, Orochimaru's days were numbered. With Iwa's offensive broken, and their most powerful players destroyed, it opened the door for them to begin launching attacks on the land of Earth. And with the offensive underway, that left more room for Riley to begin hunting for her true target, the snake loving cunt that had tried to murder her wife.
-Elsewhere, at the same time-
"Anything yet?" Itachi inquired as he stepped into a makeshift laboratory, where Legion scientists, were dissecting the mutated Inferi that Orochimaru had unleashed.
Hashirama was one such person, and was standing over one of the corpses with a look of concern.
Itachi quickly approached the first Hokage, and gazed over the body of the mutated undead.
"Blunt. That's the word I'd use to describe this. Blunt. There is no refinement to what was done to this thing. It's body is twisted and grotesque, and this dark magic, unnerves me." Hashirama stated as he brought a hand to his chin and began looking thoughtful.
"What can you tell me about the person who did this to them?" Itachi inquired.
"Well… their energy reeks of Orochimaru's curse mark. The darkened mixture of nature energy and regular chakra is quite familiar. Though… there is something unsettling about the energy itself. Orochimaru's curse mark energy seems to have been mixed with something else, some sort of foul dark energy. I… think it might be traces of demonic youki." Hashirama stated, earning a sour look from Itachi.
"Demons. One of the tailed beasts?" Itachi asked.
"No. I don't recognize the energy. It's not one of the tailed beasts." Hashirama replied.
Itachi adopted a hard look and turned to head out the door.
A few minutes later he found Thomas and Riley in the command tent, discussing some information Riley had just received.
"I think we might have a serious problem." Itachi informed them. His face and eyes reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
Both of his fellow commanders shared a look before their faces hardened and Itachi began to explain what the first Hokage had discovered from his autopsies on the Inferi corpses.
-Elsewhere, the following day-
"Our spies are reporting that the Iwa force was completely destroyed. The Tsuchikage is dead, and presumably the Five Tails Jinchuriki as well." Kabuto Yakushi explained to his master, Orochimaru.
"I see. What were the casualties?" Orochimaru inquired.
"The entirety of the invading force was destroyed, my lord. According to our spy, someone performed a mass resurrection technique that brought back all of the people that had died, fighting Iwa and the Land of Earth." Kabuto offered, earning surprised gasps from the Sound Four, and a look of shock from Orochimaru.
"Yes, earliest reports indicate that the culprit behind the mass resurrection was Lady Riley Uchiwa. Our spies are still gathering intel, but according to eye witnesses, she performed some technique moments before the resurrection." Kabuto explained.
Orochimaru was silent for several long moments as he stared out over the distance. After several long moments he turned towards a man standing in shadows.
"She is quite interesting. You were right in regards to her power. In all my many years, I have never encountered a being such as this." Came the silky snake-like voice of an old man. This man was dressed in the traditional robes of an ancient Greek Dark-Wizard. His eyes were yellow and slitted, much like Voldemort's in his horrific twisted form, except the old man's Sclera were black. His skin was taught, and if one looked closely, that could almost make out the appearance of scale-like markings on his skin, along with jagged cracks. The guy was bald, with a long white beard. The old man, had long legs, and long arms, both much too long to be natural. Everything about this man, was serpentine in nature. Even his fingers were nearly twice as long as they should have been.
When he spoke, his voice carried a distinct hiss, and his mouth would flash with twin protruding fangs.
"We will need to accelerate your training my apprentice. Only with full knowledge and understanding of Parselmagic, will you be able to stand against such a foe." The old man hissed at Orochimaru. Everyone in the room, only heard loud hissing coming from the old man, but Orochimaru understood every single word.
"Yes. Her power is growing. We will need to accelerate our plans." Orochimaru hissed back in reply, revealing himself to also be capable of Parseltongue.
While the two hissed at each other, Kabuto allowed his eyes to drift past them, towards the shadows that lay beyond Orochimaru's throne. In those shadows something massive rolled in on itself. Whatever this thing was, it was hidden beyond sight, but Kabuto could make out large scales, along a narrow, tube-like body.
This thing released a dark energy from it. Something that permeated the air, and gave rise to the evilest of feelings within men. This demon, this chaotic thing, shouldn't exist. It was evil. Not evil like Orochimaru or his new teacher. No… this was pure evil. Evil wrought forth from eons of hatred and malice.
Kabuto allowed his eyes to fall to the ground as a shiver passed over him. He didn't need to look up to know, that whatever this thing was, was staring back at him, with horrific blazing orange eyes.
"I do believe, it is time to commence phase one of our plan." The old man stated.
"I agree. Send word to Guren. Phase one, is ready to commence." Orochimaru ordered Kabuto earning a swift nod from the man before he turned and headed out.
As he exited, he felt those terrible eyes burning into his back. He knew that to turn around would invite a terror so great he might just drop dead from fright. So he kept his eyes forward. Kept his posture relaxed and marched out of the room to do his duty. There was little else one could do, when faced with such power.
-To Be Continued-
Alright, here's the next chapter. Sorry it was mostly setup for next chapter, but I hope it was decent character building for Gaia and Daphne at least. If anyone can guess who Orochimaru's new teacher is, I'll give you a cyber cookie. And for a hint, he's a Potterverse, wizard, though I did make a few alterations to his appearance. Anyway, hope you enjoyed.
\