We'll Be Counting Stars [Subori]

[Wani Ryuze]

Ryuze really was pretty amazed at everything that she had seen in the twenty minutes she had spent so far in Kusa. It was a different type of village altogether. So bright...happy....and grassy. Boy, was there a lot of grass. Ame would likely drown any grass before it had a chance to survive...perhaps rice paddies. Rice were a type of grass, weren't they? They could get a bunch of rice, make Ame all nice and green. Ryuze looked over at Sio and smiled, the girl's hazel eyes wide with wonder.
Wait...hazel? In the paperwork Ryuze had gotten from Masahige regarding Sio when they initially made the deal for her to inhabit Ame, it definitely said her eyes were brown. And Ryuze remembered her eyes being darker. But now, they were closer to Ryuze's own shade, definitely not golden, but a nice little inbetween, fairly muddy with a tinge of red.

"Hey...your eyes..." Ryuze started when the gondola they were riding suddenly jerked to a stop. Sio turned to her, smiling a bit.
"It's fine...don't worry, Ryuze-san."
But she couldn't help but worry. Still, she would put it on the backburner for now. After all, they were standing in front of the single-room office that would be explained to them as Subori's office. They were told to enter and seat themselves on the couch, and that Subori would be with them momentatily. And so they would, admiring the smooth, quiet, zenlike atmosphere of the office.
Needless to say, Ryuze was jealous. This was perfect. It was moderate, comfortable, private, comfortable. Sio glanced over at her friend and smiled...it was one of the first times in a long time that she saw anything except apprehension, worry or sadness on the scarred face of the Ame lady...no, rather she looked like a child in Disneyland for the first time. Sio would take a mental note of this room and store it away for later as the pair of them waited for the Grass lady to enter the room.

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[Subori]

A soft, yet oddly ominous sound. "Braaaaak... zzz... braaa... zzz..." The origin of the sound came from the corner of the office, where was hung a bird cage covered by a cloth. The great and terrible bird contained within was thankfully asleep... yet undoubtedly no less terrifying for poor Ryuze to behold. The paper-thin walls gave way to a voice. "... I suppose the timing is fortunate, at least. I have the head of Rain in my office at the moment. I will let her know, as well. Return to your post, and keep me informed." A hand pressed against the door to the office. Hesitation prevented it from being immediately opened, but the door soon gave way and slid to the side to reveal the head of Grass. Her visage was impressive, to say the least. Long, dark blue hair in a broken princess cut. She had but one eye exposed, a patch over the other. She wore naught but a kimono jacket, splayed upon in such a manner that it draped carelessly just past her shoulders. It was also cut in such a way that her left leg was fully exposed. Both legs terminated in a pair of high heels. Up the long, slender left leg... was a tattoo. This tattoo ran from the heel of her foot, up her gorgeous leg, and disappeared beyond the kimono. It reappeared seemingly betwixt her bust, culminating in a band around her thin neck that seemed to end at the base of the back of her skull and otherwise disappear into her hair. What stood out most on her face, though... was her mouth, her lips... her smile. Her mouth was just a bit too large for her face. It did not detract from her beauty, but it was noticeable. Hopefully, this did not allude to an annoying conversationalist. "Goodness me... you are Ryuze-san... and her guard... I assume..? How wonderful it is to meet you both. Please, my dear... stand up and let me greet you properly, as my guests." Her voice was soft, and warm. Behind the older woman, a shadow. It rose, and retreated from her to the open door. A soft clunk, as if from a metal tip striking wood. The shadow moved off to the side, and with it, the door was drawn shut to a very satisfying, if not unnerving thud. Like a snake, this shadow rose. It rose, and it drew forward into the light. It culminated in a hook of sorts, this thing. A number of bulbous segments made up its form. Should the pair of women follow it down, they would find that it ultimately resulted from betwixt Subori's slender legs, a tail drawn up behind her... like that of a scorpion. A very frightening feature, indeed.

[Wani Ryuze]

The noise was faint at first, escaping Ryuze's ear. But as they waited, it gained in intensity, catching her attention and finally drawing her eye to the cage. It was there that she saw that familiar lump of green feathers, and cringed. With a wince and a sigh, she stood, walked around the table to the other side of Sio, and sat down. She had put the jinchuriki between herself and the bird. Though she had never asked anything of the girl before, she had hoped that their bond was close enough that if push did come to shove, she'd at least punch it or incinerate it or something.

Fortunately, there were voices approaching. Hopefully, one of them the voice of the Grass leader, to come in here, distract Ryuze from the existence of the bird and hopefully intercept if it was to get loose again and maybe slap it or make it explode.
The door opened slowly, eventually fully ajar to reveal a woman of utmost elegance. She was positively jealousy-inducing.
Sofa king tall... Ryuze thought to herself bitterly. That was one point of resentment, if she was to take time out to be a proper woman for a moment and obsess over her own looks. Her proportions were good for her height. Which was comically minimal. She could tell that her height did not fit her record, and could see the looks of disappointment on the faces of those who had heard the stories, and then were essentially faced with a Mighty Mite.

Ryuze and Sio stood as beckoned to, and Ryuze took note of the strange shadow, the fact that the door shut on its own. And when the tail rose, Ryuze immediately took charge, placing herself in front of Sio with a sidestep, eyes never leaving that tail for a moment. She was no stranger to what a scorpion was and what it meant, and interpreted the body language as a potential threat. She wasn't sure if Sio had the means to protect herself, but Ryuze's keratin scales would provide more than ample protection against the scorpion's sting.
"Lady Subori, I presume." Ryuze said, extending a hand. "I am Wani Ryuze, lady of Amegakure no Sato. This is my assistant, Karaka. Merely assistant, as I have no need for guards."
She smiled as she said such, bowing her head.

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[Subori]

A kind smile crossed Subori's beautiful face. "Oh my... goodness, you are absolutely gorgeous, Ryuze-san. I must say, I truly had no idea how attractive you would be. I am delighted." Subori stepped forth, beyond Ryuze's comfort zone and far into her personal space, to wrap her arms around the woman. She held her gently, for what may have seemed like an eternity... but in reality was several seconds. The embrace, as well as the compliment, felt (and truly were) genuine. Finally, she released Ryuze. Subori next moved to Sarutobi Sio, who was claimed to be Wani Karaka. A gentle, if eerily clawed hand rose up to Sio's face to brush aside hair draped over her face. Subori would lean in and gently kiss Sio on her forehead, before taking a step back. "You, my dear... I can tell that you have much potential for beauty, as well. I am certain, if just by looking at you, that you will grow into a beautiful woman in the years to come." She took a step back to look the women over again. "You both are-" The sound of small hands clawing at the door to her office halted her next comment, and caused her to raise an eyebrow in notice. Her face seemed to light up in joy and excitement, as she turned to the door to greet the intruders with happiness. Two small boys and a girl clawed the door open and rushed through. They jumped at the leader of Grass. "Subori-gozen! Come play with us!" "Subori-sama! We're all waitin' for you!" "Subori-gozen! We want to play!" Subori caught the girl, who leaped at her. She hoisted the small girl up, and held her gently. The boys clambered around her legs and clung to her kimono jacket. For the moment, the two kunoichi from Rain seemed forgotten. It was forgivable, though, considering the glimpse it showed them of how others (at least the children) felt about Subori in her village. She now-occupied village leader shifted the girl to one arm and rose a finger to her lips to silence the children. "Okay, okay... I know you want to play with me. I will come out later to play with you and the rest of the children, alright? I am in a very important meeting right now, with my new friends." "Yay! Let's go tell the others!" One of the boys immediately threw his hands up in the air and shouted, running back through the open door without waiting to hear more. The second boy ran after him, fell to the ground, scrambled to his feet and followed him out. Subori set the girl down, and she too ran after them, but stopped at the door to smile to Subori and wave goodbye... before following them out and struggling to close the door after her. "Oh my... I am so sorry for that..." Turning back to the two women, Subori attempted to apologize... despite the clear look of delight on her face. She drew her left hand to her face in an attempt to cover the smile she could not force back into hiding. Her tail wavered back and forth in glee... somehow seeming much less intimidating than before.

[Wani Ryuze]

Ryuze jerked at Subori's words, almost as if they had laid hands on her. She blinked not an eye at ripping a tyrant's head off with her own crocodilian jaws, but kind words stung almost like a full-powered slap.
She had to doubt at first that she had even heard them. She hadn't been called beautiful since she was a child. Though the Wani were a clan who would sooner hoist a crying child up off the ground by their arm, dust them off and give them a swat on the bottom to send them on their way, Ryuze's own mother had been considered "mushy" by clan standards, opting to often hug and kiss her children, and tell them how cute or strong they were. Ryuze had fond memories of childhood, though it was often bloodspattered and slathered with caution. She and her brothers and sisters were raised with love and confidence rather than carefully balanced neglect and the harsh truths of life. Some say that contributed to her...crippling fault, as it was. Others say it was the reason she was so strong. But her mother always told her not to let anyone believe that it was a weakness to love, to care, to feel.

Tears brimmed on Ryuze's eyelid beneath her eyepatch as Subori swooped in and embraced her, a single oneslipping beneath the black fabric and falling hot on the scar running down the right side of her cheek. She blinked hard, willing the rest back behind her eyes, still dumbfounded into silence.
"T-thank you..." she stammered stupidly as the children thankfully came clawing at the door, distracting Subori from them momentarily.

Sio stole a glance over to her mentor in time to notice her swiping away that rogue, overflow tear, smiling a bit. She was learning more about Ryuze by the day, and as that time went on, the impression of a ruthless, bloodthirsty badass that the Wani had tried to imbue in her was dissolving. Ryuze was no terrible dragon. She was a sweet little leopard gecko.
Ryuze watched Subori as she interacted with the children. And as she did so, the anxiety level associated with the woman slowly began to decline, trickling out.

Children were the litmus paper of character, Ryuze had always thought. If you wanted to know a person's true nature, regardless of their words, appearance or even seeming-actions, all one had to do was watch the way children reacted around them, the way they reacted around children.

They were a filter for bullshit.

And the way these children were going about their afternoon, Subori was a good egg. Sio silently agreed the same. She could sense no malice from the woman...a useful skill that Kurama was beginning to cultivate in her, teaching her to recognize the scent and the feeling of ill-intent. Unfortunately, they had not gotten much practice. Everyone was so fucking friendly everywhere they went.

Finally, Subori's fan club departed, leaving them alone once more, and the apprehension that had once knotted up Ryuze's face was replaced with a warm, even-tempered smile.
"It's no trouble at all. I always like to see things like that..."Ryuze reassured, noting the happy "wagging" of what she had once interpreted to be an imminent threat. It was almost like a dog's tail. Raised in dominance, perhaps. Now wagging in happiness. She stored this observation for the time being.
"We must always make time for the children...and with that, my associate and I won't take up too much of your time here today, since I see you have an equally important engagement to get to."
She said the last part with a grin.
"Shall we get down to business?"

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[Subori]

Subori lowered her hand, only to raise it again and brush some hair from over her patch. A slight red hue had formed on her cheeks, clearly giddy from the children having visited. She slowly crossed in front of them, to seat herself on the couch opposite of Ryuze and Sio. She sat in front of them, close to the pair, rather than crossing the short expanse of the office and seating herself in a more authoritative position at her desk. "To put it in the most simplest of terms... I would like to be your friend, Ryuze-san. I would also like for Rain and Grass to establish a friendship. Politically, yes... I am suggesting an alliance. Personally, I hope much more than just that." Again, she brushed hair from in front of her face. "I have a... grand scheme, if you will. I have great aspirations, not solely for Grass... but for the three of us; Grass, Rain, Waterfall as well. Together we are every bit as powerful as one of the five so-called great nations, if not more. With what I have just learned, the timing could not be better.. to start this right now. Hidden Rock has descended upon our neighbor to the north-east, Hidden Waterfall."

[Wani Ryuze]

Ryuze sat, hands folded across her lap and legs crossed. Inside, she was boiling with nervousness. She had prepared for this meeting the best she could, she had played out possible scenarios in her head and all the same, it had done practically nothing to quell the feeling within her.

Once Subori started talking, it became rapidly apparent that Ryuze was in far, over her head. This first scenario was one that she had not...could not have possibly anticipated.
"Okay..." Ryuze said, trying to smile. Sio had to swallow a machine gun-like burst of laughter threatening to explode in her chest. Ryuze didn't know what she was agreeing to. She was never going to be able to shake Subori. Instead grinning broadly, she managed to smash the laughter before returning to a neutral state.
Ryuze listened carefully to Subori's next words, hearing, feeling the edge of seriousness attached to them. The things that she was saying were not unexpected. They were not outlandish. Ryuze would not even really think them uncommon. That's what these meetings were about, after all, right?

But she would not be expecting what was to happen next.
"Are you sure?" Ryuze asked before catching herself and biting her lip. She did not want it to seem as if she was doubting Subori or her sources. But to her understanding, the world had been at peace for so long. Why would this happen now? Why, on the heels of Naruto's death? It was almost as if the loss of the late Hokage was a catalyst for bad things to come. Still, Ryuze was largely unconcerned with most of that. All that mattered to her was her homeland.

"The Rain has only recently begun to recover from a near-century long internal civil war." Ryuze began, taking off her glasses and using her shirt to wipe the smudges free of them. "While our military is as strong, if not stronger than it's ever been, we are working to our previous levels in most every other area."
Placing her glasses back on, she then looked up at Subori through perfectly clean, gleaming lenses and smiled, this time more genuinely.

"So while I will be glad to be a friend, I'm afraid the Rain cannot officially sign into an alliance with you. I am a woman of integrity...I can promise you that the Rain will never bring harm to the Grass unless attacked first. But I simply do not have anything to expend to others while we struggle to mend ourselves."
It was a terrible thing to have to say. Turning down an alliance was not too distant from pissing on a potential ally's doorstep. She hoped that Subori would understand. That this did not mean that the Rain and Grass would NEVER be allied. Just not at this moment in time.

But there was a bigger issue now. Iwa had apparently made a move against Taki. Ryuze would have to send out scouts once she returned home to verify this for herself and the extent of what was happening. Was it just a skirmish, or had the Stone tried to annihilate one of their lesser hidden village brothers? And what would their next intentions be?

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[Subori]

Subori's head tilted just slightly, as she listened to the other woman reply to her. True... conflict between Rock and Waterfall was worrisome. It was something she would deal with... personally. Immediately following this meeting, in fact. She fully intended on visiting the Land of Waterfalls before venturing to any of the other hidden villages. She would ascertain just what transpired. "As of yet, all I am certain of... is that Rock has clashed in some form with Waterfall near Waterfall's border with Grass. A skirmish, if you will. I can only speculate at what else may have occurred within Watferfall's borders..." The idea that Rock had so brazenly assaulted one of the so-called lesser villages infuriated her. There was not yet an alliance between the trio of nations, the Wet Marsh Belt as her assistant once referred to it. To the scorpion, however, it was a great offense... as it interfered with her plans. If the hidden village was no more... if Waterfall was gone... Subori took care not to let herself get lost in her own thoughts. She paid enough attention to Ryuze to be respectful and hear all that she said. At her rejection of Subori's proposal, however... a sigh. She shook her head, as if to apologize. "Rain need not have something to offer, to be of some use to Grass. It is the connection I seek, not the benefits it might bring. I do not expect monetary or military assistance from Rain, but perhaps open trade between our two lands. Rain, on the other hand... can expect assistance from our military if requested, as well as access to Laboratory Town, on our border. You know this place, yes? Would it surprise you to learn that Toshihide Maka is head of the facilities, there? I can put you in contact with her. Rain could benefit from her genius, as Grass has." Subori pushed the matter further, sweetening the deal so-to-speak in an attempt to convince Ryuze to accept the alliance. In truth, Grass did not need anything from Rain... so far. Subori intended on revealing all of her plans to Ryuze in the beginning, but the woman was perhaps too skittish to accept the sort of deal Subori had in mind. So... she would wait, for now. She would fill Ryuze in on her plans as events unfolded, at such a time when Ryuze would be unable to do anything about them. Grass had been fine on its own since it had formed nearly a century and a half ago. Like a weed, it persisted... while villages such as Whirling Tides and Sound were lost in the sands of time. Ryuze wanted to play it safe... at least, Subori saw it that way. She did not want to commit to an alliance, if she had nothing to offer. That was fine. Subori would make it clear that there was nothing Grass needed from Rain. The alliance did not have to go both ways.