A Meeting of Reprisal.

Torasame sat in the Mizukage throne, far at one end of Kirigakure's main hall. It was a vast difference from the other village's, where the Kage's ruled from an office... or even ruled at all. In Kirigakure, the Mizukage had absolute power, thus he had a throne room.

Sighing to himself, Torasame rested his head on a clenched fist, his elbow propped against the armrest. Rip-tide and Shiro, his faithful swords rested beside the throne, to the left and right respectively. It was a dreary day, this being only his second as the Mizukage. It was certainly not a glamorous lifestyle. Typically his responsibilities were to simply sit and wait for something to go wrong. He had however sent a messenger to the gates, letting them know that if Akumu Kaguya were to show his face, that they were not to attack, and instead, invite him to the main hall for a meeting with the Mizukage. While Torasame didn't really expect this to happen anytime soon, it was a possibility he was looking forward to. As far as he was concerned, the Mist needed as many able-bodied men and women as they could take on. and at the en of the day, it was probably Shirosame's fault they had lost Akumu to the call of being a missing nin. Even the surrounding oceans knew Shirosame was not quite right in the head, and he had certainly been difficult to serve under.

As it turned out, Torasame was indeed in for a surprise as the doors at the far end creaked open, Torasame's female messenger returning. Briskly walking down the hall, she was a victim of Torasame's ever vigilante gaze until she came to stop beside him, whispering lightly into his ear.

"Akumu Kaguya to see you Mizukage-sama."

Torasame nodded, and adjusted his posture to something that looked less like he was about to take a nap. Straightening himself up, he responded. "Good, send him in."

Standing in the brisk room awaiting for the Mizukage's secretary to return in the room, Akumu looked upon this village from a window. Most who saw him looked at him with disgust, but Akumu grinned at there stupidity, knowing that one day they would regret there actions. He grew impatient in the waiting room, so to speak. Akumu began to think about the recent order of events. The fact of the old Mizukage brought a large smile to his face. He stopped smiling when he heard the foot steps of this so called secretary. Staring in her eyes as she joined the rest of Kirigakure with the continuous look of disgust. "The Mizukage is ready to see you" She said with a sassy tone. Akumu took a few steps forward passing by the woman keeping a constant gaze within her eyes, as she rolled them back sarcastically. Akumu stopped grabbing the girl by her hair and throwing her into the wall with incredible speed, but just before the girl could slide her worthless body down the wall and on the floor Akumu thrusted his hand forward grabbing her throat raising her up. "You dare to cut your eyes at me. Foolish girl." Akumu stated dropping her from his grasps, tensions of killing her were racing through his mind, but there was no need for that yet. He simply left her on the ground gasping for her precious air. Leaving his back for her to look at he began to ponder on towards the Mizukages room calm, cool, and collective.

As he entered the area of the new Mizukage, it began to become a bit more grim. A little more welcoming for Akumu, but would be a little rejecting to most. Noticing the throne of the Hoshigaki, he gave a slight grin. "Greetings, Mizukage" Akumu said in a low raspy voice. And as he made his greeting he gave a slight bow, still keeping his grin. "You have requested my appearance, and I have arrived. May I ask the reason for this meeting though?" He questioned, in all honesty he had absolutely no idea why he was there, but he respected that no one attacked him under the kages order, very honorable in Akumu's eyes. He awaited the reaction and response of Torasame.

The smell of Kaguya, of calcium, filled Torasame's nostrils. As Akumu approached, Torasame rose from his chair, bowing lightly in turn, although not as low as his guest. "And Greetings to you, Akumu Kaguya." Returning to his seat, Torasame wave a hand another servant bringing a comfortable looking chair into the room and seating it quite near to Torasame's own seat. "Please, have a seat, only gods know from where you've traveled to return here."

"You have requested my appearance, and I have arrived. May I ask the reason for this meeting though?"

Torasame paused. Down to business then, it always seemed to be the way for Kaguyas.

"Well first, I should thank you for actually respecting my request. After all, it is not often missing nins listen to the requests of Kages. For that I thank you. The reason you are here however, is that I wish to pardon you for deserting the village."

Torasame let it sink in for a moment before continuing on. Given recent events, it certainly was a surprising twist.

"I think, that you may have left under Shirosame's rule because, well, it was Shirosame who ruled. You must understand, as the new Mizukage I have much on my plate, but unlike the old leader, I choose to put my village first. That statement in itself includes the likes of you, especially for having given up hope with this village. For whatever your reasons were, I'm sure that we can come to some form of understanding. Which leads me on to the main point of this meeting... Why did you leave Akumu?"

Noticing the chair being put down next to the throne, and for what it was worth Torasame was correct. For Akumu's Travel has been long and tedious. So with that he took the seat looking at the Mizukage . Everything was going just fine until Torasame asked him for the reason of his departure of the village previously. His nails scraping the chair arms, as his grin faded. He looked down at his knees, as he looked back up.

"I have not told this to many, really none at all. But I shall tell you since you asked so kindly. Well you see the truth is my mind is unstable, psychotic if you will. Hard to control but i have overpowered it countless times, for example I had to overpower it by refraining from murdering your secretary in cold blood just minutes ago. The best way to explain this is by simply showing you how i feel. Blood." Akumu said knowing that all sharks alike would have a craving for it after not having it in a good while. He looked at Torasame as he continued. "That craving you get. The craving of wanting to immediatly consume whatever triggered the blood. That feeling of being overcome by your mind, telling you to kill. That is constant for me."Akumu stated Hopefully not changing Torasames mind in anyway, hopefully.

Torasame closed his eyes, his mind sighing. He indeed knew the feeling. It was that very same feeling that drove Shirosame mad. The inability to control it was the true demon however, not the fact that it existed.

"Perhaps, you and I are more alike then I previously thought Akumu. It's true, I do feel those cravings those urges. I lusted over the very blood spilled from my brother, you and I both understand what that craving is like. I can see why that would lead one to want to leave the village, to murder numerous amounts of people, I've even thought about it myself. However, it is that same urge that I see strength in. I know, that you will not only fight to win, but fight to eat. There is a higher directive which fuels both of us, and it is in guiding that hunger that we find true strength. Come, I have something to show you."

Standing, Torasame beckoned Akumu to follow him before he walked off to a spot not too far from the throne. Pressing a stone in on the wall, a door opened revealing an ornately designed room. Clad in gold and plastered with images of various sharks and Hoshigaki's the crowning jewel of the domain was at it's center, where a large tank stood. Nearly one hundred feet tall and easily fifty in diameter, the giant cylindrical tank contained nothing but sharks. The only one missing seemed to be a Great White. Closing the door behind them, Torasame continued.

"Shirosame built this room when he came to power. You see, he and I are revolutionary members of the Hoshigakis, constantly changing the ways the clan functions. We're getting rid of the old, and letting the new blossom. This tank allows new members to simply choose their inner self, rather then have to find him. Alot of deaths in our clan could have been prevented had this happened earlier. I've continued my older brother's work, and I've decided that the clan is not yet done evolving. I believe that you, Akumu Kaguya, may be the future of the Hoshigaki clan and I am willing to bestow this power upon you, for a price. My first demand is loyalty, and will be made easy to carry out as you will need constant blood transfusions, to keep the Kaguya genes from eating away at your shark self. The second, is a more complex task, but I'll leave the details for now. For now, I simply need a yes, or a no."

Akumu followed the man towards a stone like wall, as he noticed him set a stone tablet within it. He simply kept a straight face in amazement of this hidden room. As the area opened he noticed a large tank filled with many variety of sharks. An amazing site to see a large group of sharks, some of the smartest creatures is what he thought of them. Apex predators as well, top of the food chain and will stay there for years to come.

" I believe that you, Akumu Kaguya, may be the future of the Hoshigaki clan and I am willing to bestow this power upon you. "

Hearing this made him just think of the future he could have with the powers of a hoshigaki, and the pure strength and speed that he would obtain. He began to grin ear to ear. He did not care about any price, nothing was to hard for Akumu especially for the prize of taking upon the ritual of the shark. He looked back in forth between Torasame, and one certain shark that caught his attention. When a question sprung up.

"The second, is a more complex task, but I'll leave the details for now. For now, I simply need a yes, or a no."

"I will take this ritual as an honor, showing you loyalty, and completing any task that is wished for by you."

Akumu stated looking deep within the eyes of Torasame, showing that he was being serious. And driven to take on this ritual.

Torasame smiled, watching lay eyes on a particular shark. He was hooked, so to speak. Smiling in turn Torasame listened intently.

"I will take this ritual as an honor, showing you loyalty, and completing any task that is wished for by you."

Pausing to think, Torasame continued.

"Your task will certainly not be an easy one. While I've saved you the trouble of having to collect your own shark and set of teeth to perform the ritual with, this is not to say you won't be collecting a shark. The Hoshigaki's have a legend. Whenever a member dies, their body is supposed to be turned to the sea, where Genbu, god of the sea awaits them. Thinking this legend was a bit of a shark tale myself, I decided to investigate. Deep in the waters off some of the northern islands, lies a shark said to be extinct. It moves very little, but I believe it is still alive, simply waiting for the next Hoshigaki to hit the water. This shark is known as a Megalodon, and was said to have been extinct. I'm under the impression it is the last of it's kind. As I've recently killed my brother, Shirosame, we have the bait. You however, are going to save me the trouble of bringing down this behemoth of a predator myself. That, will be our deal. If you bring me this Megalodon, we will both under go the ritual. This is my requirement."

Silence filled the chamber once again, Torasame's eyes were locked with Akumu's, waiting for a reaction, anything. The fact that this shark even still existed seemed impossible, the attempt to bring it in, would too be nearly impossible. To become a shark however, one needed to truly be a shark, and this meant being King of the seas. If Akumu could perform this task, he was more then ready to take on the ritual.

Akumu stood staring deeply into the Hoshigaki's gaze. Listening to every last detail that rolled off of his lips.

"Your task will certainly not be an easy one. While I've saved you the trouble of having to collect your own shark and set of teeth to perform the ritual with, this is not to say you won't be collecting a shark. The Hoshigaki's have a legend. Whenever a member dies, their body is supposed to be turned to the sea, where Genbu, god of the sea awaits them. Thinking this legend was a bit of a shark tale myself, I decided to investigate. Deep in the waters off some of the northern islands, lies a shark said to be extinct. It moves very little, but I believe it is still alive, simply waiting for the next Hoshigaki to hit the water. This shark is known as a Megalodon, and was said to have been extinct. I'm under the impression it is the last of it's kind. As I've recently killed my brother, Shirosame, we have the bait. You however, are going to save me the trouble of bringing down this behemoth of a predator myself. That, will be our deal. If you bring me this Megalodon, we will both under go the ritual. This is my requirement."


Akumu had only heard legend of the monstrosity, and that it was so big that it out sized all sharks, and was able to consume anything smaller then them. One extremely powerful being, Akumu could only think of the ways that it would benefit Torasame.

"Your wish is my command, Mizukage."

Akumu stated, now thinking of exactly what shark he would get for his ritual. So many to choose from, yet each one with a different personality, ability, and a different way of living everday life. All of these atributes would be of course important for his choice of shark. He was excited for this ritual, but knew it would take alot out of him for a week or so. It was all worth it.

Torasame clapped his hands before him. "Good! Then I assume you'll want to start immediately! There's a boat waiting for you at the southeast docks, naturally I assumed you'd need some method of bringing him in. Genbu was last sighted, by myself, around the north eastern islands. Upon capture, I trust you to bring him to the Hoshigaki temple on the northern cape." Fishing into his robes, Torasame brought out a small enveloppe with slightly more detailed instructions and handed it over to Akumu. He then turned to leave, his robes flowing behind him as he exited the chamber. Stopping suddenly, he turned back to Akumu with a final question.

"I will meet you at the temple with the shark of your choice. Which will that shark be however?"

"I have chosen a shark, yes. But the shark i have chose is not within this rather large tank." Akumu stated as he wiped his hot breath off of the tank with his sleeve. His devious smile returning he began to speak once again. "The great white shark is the magnificent shark i desire, and i do hope to see it when i get to the temple. And you shall have no worries for the Megalodon, it shall be an easy task. But will scare most of the villagers when i am dragging it through Kirigakure." Akumu chuckled as he thought of the faces he would soon see. "Not to sound too demanding, but when i recover from the ritual and all of these transfusions. I will be starved, my calcium will be depleted and the whole ritual will have taken its toll on me. I request a live human to test my abilities on, and to consume once i have finished. Would this be alright, for of course i hope you can understand my situation?"

Torasame nodded and continued walking towards the exit to the Mizukage hall.

"All arrangements will be made Akumu. Try not to worry about what I must do, and more about what you must do."

With that Torasame left, they each had their duties to attend to, after all.

[EXIT]