Greeting the Great Wall (Travel/ Open)

Akashi slowed his pace as he finally set his eyes on the destination he had set out what seemed like weeks ago. A great wall of earth stretched across the land, protecting one of the most powerful major nations in the shinobi world.

Iwagakure and Konohagakure had an extremely bloody past, never holding a lasting alliance that ended well for either side. The Uzumaki lit up a cigarette and pulled in a deep draw. The reason Akashi had decided to go to Iwagakure in particular was to put this bad history behind the two great nations. If I can come to terms with the Tsuchikage then we could form one of the most powerful alliances today.

Making his way up to the wall Akashi finished two more cigarettes, cutting himself off once he drained the last one. Jounin suddenly jumped down the wall, using their talented Doton jutsu to make their way safely to the newcomer.

"Hello! I've come on behalf of the Hokage and would like to speak with the Tsuchikage."

It didn't take long for the guards at the gate to make their way to The Obelisks. It was only a year after the war; the tension of having a Konoha shinobi dropping by was almost tangible. One of the guarding Jounin quickly made his way to the office of Tsuchikage Rivu Aiasan. He waited at his desk as he followed the man's chakra ascend the stair case. I wonder what he's doing here, shouldn't he be at the gate? Rivu thought. He made a game of it, trying to come up with exactly why this man has left his post. More importantly, as Rivu noted, he was climbing rapidly, something must have happened.

The man calmed his stride as he reached the top of the stairs where he stopped. He waited briefly to catch his breath before entering to meet with his superior. After a few moments, Rivu was almost giggling at this man's behavior as the knock on the door came.

"Haha, come on in Shino," he laughed as the man entered.

"Lord Tsuchikage," he started, still slightly out of breath. "A shinobi of Konohagakure has approached our gates, he's asking for you specifically."

Ren Hyuga, I presume? Nice, Zen'no was quick! Rivu's eye grew wide as he realized that Shino was a litte concerned. Is... is Zen'no not there? What's going on? "I'm expecting a shinobi from Konoha, is Zen'no with him?"

"No sir, he's alone."

Rivu scrunched his face in confusion. What the hell is going on. "I'm going to the gate immediately, I need to find out what's going on; meet me there." He said, standing from his seat and grabbing his cloak from the wall. Shino nodded and turned around as Rivu walked out towards the balcony. He stood there for a moment, looking earnestly across the village at the gate. The wind picked up, blowing the tail of his cloak. Along the bottom trim, dark brown lines bordered the edges, fading to the stone gray around his chest. Underneath, the breeze revealed his typical red shirt and gray pants. Trapped in thought about what he was about to walk into, he ran his fingers through his long blonde hair, revealing his scarred right eye and the red band around his forehead bearing the mark of Iwagakure. Confirming his resolve for the village, he gripped the railing and jumped down the side of the building. As soon as he made contact with the ground, his body slipped through without any disturbance.

By solidifying the ground at his palms and beneath his feet, he was able to propel himself at speeds much faster than he could achieve on land. With his new found speed, he rapidly approached the gates where he knew his guards would be making him stay. If this isn't Zen'no and Ren, who is it?

Current Stats:

As he approached the gate, he began to sense the stranger. What fascinating chakra... He thought, trying to remember Ren's chakra signature. Gah, it's been too long, I can hardly even remember his face. Before reaching the gate, he slowed his journey and surfaced. on the road just behind the gate. Walking out of the ground like a set of stairs, he eyed the newcomer. As he approached, he began to notice the man's features. Red hair and, most importantly, blue eyes. This is not Ren.

[OOC: Stats return to normal.]

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" He asked, keeping close watch over this stranger's chakra as well as scanning around the gate for other potential visitors. I send Zen'no off to Konoha and now one of their shinobi is here without him? Something's not right. Still... He thought as his eye bounced around Akashi's features. There's something familiar about him.

Used Techniques:

As soon as Akashi relayed his reason for arriving one of the guards zoomed off to presumedly inform his kage about the visitor. I'm not so sure how my arrival will be taken, even just during the last war I myself fought and killed plenty of shinobi from just about every village, Iwagakure for sure. Letting out a sigh Akashi raised his left hand to his nose, pinching the crest between his eyes. Releasing the pressure from his nose he went for another cigarette, one more before his true mission was to begin.

As his nerves calmed from the burning tobacco, he remembered the optional missions given to him by his kage. He was to copy a secret village jutsu from the forbidden scrolls and attempt to gather the DNA of a unique KKG. These missions are too risky for what I'm about to embark upon, I'm afraid I'm going to have to abandon them completely. Not even the temptation of learning a forbidden jutsu from out village is going to sway me. This is for the betterment of the village and in turn my clan. I must ensure the continuation of our traditions and shinobi way no matter what.

As Akashi silently waited, smoke constantly bellowing out of his mouth after each draw, he sensed an powerful chakra source heading towards him at an incredible speed. The figure came into view, a flurry of motion in the ground that sprouted out of the ground near the gate in a fluid motion. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"My name is Akashi Uzumaki, a Jounin from Konohagakure. I personally requested my kage to journey here to meet the shinobi of this land. During this uneasy time of peace it is hard to know who is your enemy and who is your ally. I hope that we can come to some mutual understanding over such a pivotal term." Akashi took a moment to breath, as well as take a draw from his dying cigarette.

"This is not the primary reason I came here however. My overarching motives are to get to know other shinobi in different villages to see how they differ. Us military personal only ever get to know one another during times of war, during peace we almost always hold out in our respective villages simply preparing for the next war." Holding his cigarette up to his mouth, Akashi drained the last bit of relaxing smoke entering his system. "I have a dream to write a book on all sorts of shinobi in the world, so that we may be one step closer to understanding one another. I'm not so naive as to think this will change the world, but I do think it is a necessary step in learning to walk with those we once called enemy. So Tsuchikage, will you walk with me?" And so as the last exhale of smoke exited his mouth, Akashi took his first step towards his dream.

Uzumaki, eh? Rivu thought, eyeing the stranger up and down. That explains this chakra. His mind raced to the stories of legendary shinobi, mementos of his former sensei. He specifically remembered learning of the the momentary peace and stability that was brought to this world by Naruto Uzumaki. A story like that, especially one as engrossing and epic as his was one not soon forgotten. So, a descendant of one of the most powerful shinobi this world has ever seen. As this realization came over him, so to did another memory: his talk with Zen'no.

Powerful allies... He thought as he recalled that day in his office. If Heiwa were to be successful in bringing stability to this world, they were going to need powerful allies. And here he is, a powerful shinobi that wishes to speak to me, get to know me. In that brief moment of silence after Akashi's speech, Rivu's incredulous stare faded to a soft gaze. A smile filled his face as he stepped forward, wrapping his arm around this kind stranger's neck in a friendly gesture of good will.

Still, he kept his wits about him. This was an unsteady time and the appearance of this Konoha shinobi coupled with the lack of his own ANBU member and friend were equally suspicious. For now, he would humor this man; but he was in the Village Hidden in the Stone. He'd be a fool to do something like that in this village. No, he seems smarter than that; we'll see. Keeping close watch over this visitor's chakra, he would make sure that there would be no funny business.

"So, Akashi Uzumaki, Jounin from Konohagakure," he chuckled. He closed his eye and smiled widely as he began to walk down the street with his new acquaintance. "What do you want to talk about."

The Tsuchikage warmed up to Akashi surprisingly fast. The powerful Iwagakure shinobi summed him up with a quick glance with incredible focus. As the man in front of him moved forward, he could finally see his face. Golden hair fell down from a serious face adorned by a red head band. Akashi knew this man, he did not remember who he was or where they had met. But they had definitely fought before, he could see it in his visible eye. When two high caliber shinobi fight, there is a certain bond that they share during that fight. Shaking his head, Akashi brought himself back to the present.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Right, right. Well first off I'd like to know your name? If you would give you another title to call you by other than the Tsuchikage. Secondly I was wondering if you'd care to grab a bite to eat and perhaps somewhere more private then not. I had a quick mission to take care of on my way here, some pesky bandits. Turns out some samurai had it in for them too and I had to eliminate them too, so I'm still recovering." Akashi wondered what the Tsuchikage would do with this information, it would be a good test of character.

"I'd also like to pick up some paper to make some more cigarettes. I'm an avid smoker and like to use my own tobacco I grow. Although I'm afraid my garden is in full disarray, unable to tend to it enough. What do you care for in your free time? It's remarkable some things that shinobi do when they're not on duty, that is if you feel comfortable sharing it." Akashi let out a small laugh, imagining the Tsuchikage doing all sorts of strange activities.

"Call me Rivu," he said, his arm still wrapped around the newcomer as they walked the streets of Iwagakure. He's recently seen battle then? I'm jealous, Akashi. He thought to hmself. "Well, as for food, there's a pretty decent ramen joint not far from here. You're from Konoha, perhaps you've heard of Ichiraku Ramen?" He said, raising his hand and pointing to a nearby street.

"As for your rolling papers, I'm afraid I'm not sure. I haven't had a smoke in a long time," he laughed. "I grew mine as well, before I became Tsuchikage. Granted," he said, lowering his voice while he jokingly looked around for anyone who might be listening. "They weren't exactly tobacco." He laughed heartily as they turned down the street towards the ramen shop.

Akashi's final question threw him for a loop. What do I care for? The question made his mind wander to the past, to how he spends his free time. Thinking back, whenever he would get stressed or had time to kill he would do just that, kill. Be it creatures or people, whatever was available, whatever was okay for him to kill would be. It was a thirst that was not easy to sate, nor was his habits something he was willing to discuss. "Haha," he laughed awkwardly. "As for my free time, I don't have much with all the work I have to do."

"Ah, here we are," he said, quickly changing the subject. "Here we are, the ramen is on me," he said, releasing Akashi's neck and sitting down. He often came here and the owner let Rivu eat here for free! It was a long time ago, back when the Tsuchikage was a street urchin. While Rivu tried to spread his visits out as much as he could, this shop was always a favorite, especially because it was free.

“Hohoho, sounds great to me! I could go for a bowl of ramen chock full of beef. Oh yes, I’ve definitely gone to Ichiraku Ramen. They still have Naruto advertisements for it, attracts a lot of customers.” The two leisurely walked to the ramen shop and were greeted with great enthusiasm when they arrived. Rivu obviously had very strong and positive ties with the restaurant and they were given a very nice seating arrangement.

As Akashi asked Rivu what he cared for in his free time, the Tsuchikage paused at the question. Bit if a strange question, especially for one as busy as any kage would be, but I may be able to learn something about this powerful and certainly wise man. “As for my free time, I don’t have much with all the work I have to do.” About the response I expected, however that pause there was definitely something. I wonder what made him hesitate in what seemed like a pretty routine answer.

The two ordered their food and were then left alone once more. "So Rivu, what does it mean for you to be a shinobi? As someone who's climbed the ranks all the way to the kage position I assume you have quite the drive and motivation.”

Rivu squinted his eye momentarily. What is this, an interview? He smiled and let out a sight. "Listen, Akashi," he started, turning his head slightly to the road behind him. "You seem like a well-meaning guy, and I can respect that," he continued as he stood up from his seat. "But you don't quite understand me." He put his hand at his hips and stood just behind the shop stool.

"Not that I'd expect you to," he laughed, turning his head to Akashi. He sighed softly as his faintly held smile shifted to a slight grin. "I've known the pain of going to bed without even having so much as supper and the gratitude of someone lending a helping hand." His face slowly grew more stern and serious. Brushing away the curtain, he stared out onto the bustling streets.

His thoughts drifted to various times in his life. The shinobi that took him in, the village that accepted him, the enemies of war that he had killed, the many people that have died needlessly and the people that have escaped justice; he remembered all of them. "It doesn't mean to be anything to be a shinobi," he said in a somber voice, dropping the curtain back down.

He turned around to sit back down. "All there is is power and what you can do with it. Who or what you fight for, in the end, doesn't matter. As long as you do have something to fight for." In this case, it was Rivu and his love for this village and everyone in it. For over, he was still curious about this strange Konoha ninja. While he would humor Akashi for now, the Tsucholage was still hoping to coax out more information. There were still missing pieces to this puzzle.

"So, Akashi, I'm curious about this book. Only a year after the Great War and he has someone like you." A shinobi with amazing chakra... he thought to himself. "In such uneasy times, I find it a bit strange that the Hokage allowed you to come to this village to interview me for a book. I'll ask again. What are you doing here?"

As Rivu responded to Akashi's question, one word stuck out amongst all the others. Power. This was a word that his mentor, the previous Uzumaki Clan Leader, had forced him to contemplate over and over again. "Ah, a response I would only expect from a kage such as yourself. I'm sure I haven't experienced quite as much as you and I'm sure my question must seem quite formal and unorthodox, I have a habit of doing this. Something I picked up from my mentor, the previous Uzumaki Clan Leader. He was a typical old philosophical geezer, always going on about the future of the clan and what the meaning behind leading a shinobi life. Having drilled me with such dense content for so many years, I suppose his ways have rubbed off on me quite a bit." As much of a hard time as he used to give the old man, he really was a great teacher. His rambles of history and the future had helped shaped Akashi into the man and shinobi he is today.

"There was one topic in particular that he loved to ramble about and that was power. He told me that power was a special thing held for those with something worth fighting for. For me that thing is my clan, but more specifically keeping up out traditions. By using my clans jutsu I feel closer to them and that I'm upholding the legacy that's gone on for centuries. I hope to travel and meet strong people such as yourself to see what drives them towards power. You say it means nothing to be a shinobi, however I would personally disagree. Being a shinobi is my largest identification, along with my clan. Power is just another word for killing, the only difference is in how well one can kill. This is how power is measured in this world, and is what fully makes someone a shinobi in my eyes."

"This book is simply a small personal project, my meaning for coming here was to meet different shinobi and try to learn from them. To be among them as not an enemy as it's been for centuries, but as a friend. I'm not sure exactly why the Hokage let me go during these items, but I know that he trusted me. Good relations between shinobi villages is usually a benefit, an extra comfort for uneasy times such as it is."

"Right, right," he said, nodding his head. This guy is something else. He thought, growing bored of this conversation. Books? This guy doesn't seem like much to me. He speaks of writing, what we need is strength. It's funny though... He thought, focusing on his sensory abilities. This chakra was extraordinary.

At that moment, a large pulse of chakra emanated near the front gates. The large natureless chakra signature was all too familiar to the Tsuchikage. It was his right hand man, Zen'no. His guests, however, were something of a mystery to Rivu. Two chakra signatures. One fairly insignificant, but the other... A shinobi that powerful is with Zen'no? What is going on? The chakra signatures were calm, it didn't seem as if there was a struggle; still, he had to be cautious.

"Listen, Akashi, it's been fun, but duty calls." He said, nodding to his new acquaintance as he stood from the seat. "Tell you what, stop by my office sometime, we'll chat." And with that, he pressed aside the noodle shop's curtains. With that, he sank into the ground, submerging his body completely.

Used Techniques:

[Exit to The arrival of the leaves