Diplomacy

The Mizukage’s office was a large sapphire blue room, its walls lightly frosted with ice, its carpet long shaggy and blue, frozen at the tip in some places, the Mizukage’s desk was plain and silver, almost unremarkable besides the white icy glint of the ice coating it, the room’s desk chairs, almost identical.

The room was extremely bare aside from one window, a few desks, and filing cabinets dotting the outer walls of the room, Arphees desk lay littered with Piles of neatly folded documents, radio receivers, direct wire communication line And Barriers And Defense Detection Division monitor.

As a typical day in office, having finished the days paperwork already Arphee lay reclining in the desk chair, feet strewn out against the desk, staring out the window tracing movement in the village below, listening to the radio, and monitoring the B.A.D.D.D monitor.

Immediately the B.A.D.D.D monitor let out a loud Beep, Arphee's attention immediately snapped to the device, a long thin red blip streaming across the lower part of the screen, a small red blip pulsing at one of the few windows on the city's walls, a small D blinking in the right hand corner.

"Seems like someone's breached the walls, Dispatch taken care of, looks like ill have visitors soon"

He stiffened up, swiveled the chair towards the door and folded his hands over the icy desk eying the door waiting for his guests arrival.

Continuation post from here https://narutosd.rpg-board.net/kirigakure-f23/setting-up-t361.htm#2037

Osamu wasn't that thrilled to hear her small ironic joke of death. He had seen too much death to laugh at it anymore. Maybe if he went crazy enough he would, but that is a long and twisted path that only the desperate take. He was also surprised that she had taken to his sayings so well. Though they were little hints that he could see things that people didn't. In fact he could tell that she was restraining herself by how she held herself aloof and made sure to monitor her own actions instead of letting them flow or her personality slip through the folds of flesh. Though all of that didn't affect him immensly so he might as well leave it alone. Plus, it was fun talking to someone with a minor intellegence for the classical arts. He grinned at her reply. " Vell thank e' kindly Yami, much abliged gov'na!" He said in a completely different accent for a small joke.

After that he followed her quickly dissapearing figure. " She's too fast for me..." he thought casually. "Might as well use the currents." So with that he balanced on the line up to the Kage's office window and every so often he would jump and glide off of the wind that she was creating in her wake. With his hollow bones and good balance he was able to keep up with her without using a jutsu. The least he used those things the better he felt about himself.
They then finally reached the window. He didn't know if Yami had jumped in or had just disappeared, so he went in anyway. Though he almost jumped out of his skin once he saw the kage. Worst of all, he nearly fell into him. Though it was due to his air time delay that he manuevered himself inches from the kage and landed on the blue icy rug. He took a roll dive and stood up quickly, glad that he had washed the dirt out of his hair before coming. " Hope I didn't drop in too soon."

Arphee's arm twitched as the stack of papers on his desk got aerially disburse around the room as a shabby figure burst through the window nearly ramming into his person, he quickly eyed the shabby white haired man now standing before him, quickly discerning his identity, the disproportionate body, white hair, and stout build all but gave it away.

"Ah, one of a dying breed here, there aren't many of your kind left, people actively hunt you as "abominations"...fools don't appreciate the miracles of science and technology, a true testament to what can be accomplished when one lifts the limits created by narrow minded fools following old testaments of faith..."

Arphee sighed shaking his head as he stood from his chair, arms limp at his side.

"I ramble, Point in case, if i had to guess you'd be Osamu Kyou,a "Traitor" and "Danger to the Security of Kumogakure" B rank in the bingo book, All for shunning the dirty work commonplace in the world shinobi, hardly fair, though its not my place to decide, in any case, what brings you to My fine city?"

Osamu's eye narrowed slightly. " For a guy who has decorative abilities in his workplace he sure does like to pretty up words..." The whole time that the kage was praising him about his abilities he constantly tried to block the images in his head of what those 'scientists' did to him. Putting that aside he remain stony faced besides that slight narrowing of his eye. It seems that the man knew the genralities of his makeup but not the abilities that he had gained when he was infected. This could either be good or bad, but he would make sure not to forget it.
" Most people surround themselves on what they're most comfortable with..." He wracked his mind on what the entire room looked like when he burst in. Not many furnishings...millateristic. Blue white and grey are his favorite shadings. Blue because of his possible ice ability, white because it is clean-cut and steel because it is not easy to break during fights. The kage's desk was clean and filled with radios in which he loved to be included in everyting so everything would go smoothly. He is very controlling, though which type? Narrisistic or Fatherly? Osamu blinked during this time, chaging his face from introverted to curious. " I guess i'll find out."
The only thing that he had completely listened in on was his criminal sentence. Osa raised an eyebrow. " Wasn't it A rank? Oh well, no matter." He stepped forward and looked around the office. " I can see that you are mainly an ice-type shinobi that has a strong sense of reality, measurement of others and justice. I beleive that you train with your heard and not your brains when you are pushed to your breaking point and have a great understanding of your opinions. You have forcefull handwriting on the papers but they don't miss a mark. Your main style must be kenjutsu with this." Osamu picked up the papers from the floor and placed them on the desk. He glanced at them as he did. " Marketing transportation and importation of goods. Hm..." Another nugget to store for later. The second one showed " Powerline and electric water plantation systems."
He stepped back and said in his clear voice. " Just a request to have safe passage in these walls. Though I assume from the radios on your desk that you noticed. I should've known it wouldn't be that easy. Especially when it was an unguarded window." Osamu's steps crinkled on the frosted rug.

Arphee kept silent taking in Osamu's expressions, his tone, carefully analyzing his words, Osamu looked pained by the mention of his condition, and his emotions seemed to quickly, it was more then apparent that his guest was overly analytical and from what he could discern quite punctual.

"Just a request to have safe passage in these walls, Though i assume from the radios on your desk that you already noticed. I should've known it wouldn't be that easy. Especially when it was an unguarded window"

Arphee eyed the papers now re-folded n his desk and crossed his arms, "Safe passage...That can be done easily enough, if i deem it so"

he took several steps towards the open window leaving large chunks of ice clumped in the carpet for each step he takes, his finger tracing the windowsill as he approaches, eying the city below.

"I run a tight operation here, my city is my life, my citizens my children" he paused "people have always said keep your friends close but your enemies closer, something I've never found to be true, anyone who may harbor ill intent towards my family shouldn't, no, wont be allowed to walk this city, even those who could potentially cause harm, i must put under heavy scrutiny"

Arphee turned around giving Osamu a stern look, "Considering the conditions of your entry unto the bingo book i don't think your truly a threat to this city, i don't feel as though you harbor ill will, but before i even consider allowing you to walk this land as if it were your own, i need to know why your here, i mean no harm in this, nor to pry, but for the safety of my family, i need everything flat on the table, i need to know why your here, what you know about Kumogakure and their manhunt for you, and any other information, that may aid the safety of my citizens, you do that for me, and you'll have your safe passage, you can enjoy your stay, take care of whatever business you have, fuel up your GPS tracker without paying outrageous black market prices for the mist, maybe even consider staying here, after all were quite understaffed at the moment, as are all the villages most lay kageless now, complete disarray, any able body is welcome to help, though that is to your own digression"

he eyed Osamu waiting for his response, beginning to scratch his hip, his sword jingling with each hand motion, his back arching as he itches

Osamu nearly threw a table out the window. Even though these terms were reasonable and his review of the man was utterly correct and had even found out that he was the reasonable fatherly figure of the Mist village; he couldn't understand why he had to give up all of his information. His left hidden eye began to hurt with how irritated he was. His eye twitched at the thought of staying here, let alone alliancing with any shinobi village.

Osamu readjusted his glaring eyes to a half-open defeated stance. If it meant having a place of momentary refuge from other villages he was fine with that. He unclasped his pack from underneath his tied haori. He pulled out 12 scrolls and set them on a seperate table. He then took out sereral bound manuscripts. " The manuscripts are all of the information on Guujin testing. I was subject 38, I was recruited to show that there was nothing to fear but I led people into a deathtrap. We were treated less than dirt. Less because not many humans pay attention to dirt as they run it closer to this earths core..."

Osamu pulled out pictures of the testings. " About 15 out of 40 people barely survived though I may be the only one that had benifitted from the plauge. The plauge gave me hollow bones, this hair and nightvision. Ergo " Owl of the east." They tried to copy that halfway through and which is how I lost my eye." He turned to the Kage with fire in his eye. " I'm telling you this so you can use these to your advantage. I may hate shinobi but the one thing I hate more is Kumo. After the scientists were killed by a bonfire it wasn't until 3 weeks that they had found us in that rathole they called a 'lab'. Half of us had already died or killed ourselves. We couldn't eat, sleep, or even dream anymore. So we were attacked 3 days after they had found us and were either run out of kumo or used to fertilize the earth." He motioned over to the scrolls. " It then became my hobby to find every ledgitamate exit and outlet to every house, building and village in this world. The only places that I haven't been to are Iwa, Suna and of course the Mist. I use these in case any hunter tried to run me down." Osamu smiled, his eyes turning warm. " And then I trap them, find their information and blackmail them untill they don't hunt me anymore."

He spread out the scrolls. Everything was there. Plauge statistics, population number, information holdings, electrical weaknesses and major traders that could be taken down. There were even lists of people that had been trying to kill him. Those names came with stats, weaknesses, abilities, and blackmail percentage. " Since this is what I have to give up to get passage you can have it. Usually the only main thing I do is perform for money so I could buy tools. I've only taken down 2 water generators and a light pole so far. Since this place has no hitmen and plenty of order I wont be needing these until I leave." He blinked, his eye steady. " So do you approve of the passage or should I gather my things and leave right away?" Osamu did what he was told, he gave every bit of infomation about himself that would be a threat to the mist if he held it back. The only thing he could do now was wait until the Kage said something.

Arphee hesitated lifting his pointer finger in-between his teethe clamping on it lightly, “More then I could have hoped for, clearly this man just wants to take care of his personal business here, he means no harm, if so he’d be more hesitant to throw out a plethora of information I didn’t know he has access to” the thought quickly rattled through his head.

He removed his finger as strode across the room slipping into his chair, “Harmless enough, for the most part at least, allowing you to map and memorize the outlets, entrance, and exit points of every building could cause…significant problems to say the least, that being said, all things considered, you came forth with articles on information you needn’t share, you’ve co-operated brilliantly, and in all honesty, you feel innocent enough, so, I’ll allow you to continue roaming the mist, almost unconditionally”

He swiveled in hi chair tugging on his beard, “I only ask that you don’t physically map any of your findings, you seem to be a man of great intellect, so it’d be an insult if I assumed you wouldn’t be able to catalogue the information mentally, I also ask, though this may seem common sense, that you don’t catalogue any of the military restricted areas”

He pulled out a map pamphlet, obviously meant for tourists from one of his desk drawers along with a red marker, and began crossing out several locations. “You have full and unconditional access to all public areas, if you wish to catalogue peoples homes in the residential district, by all means you can, so long as the house owners agree to it, the port is all yours, but the military docks are off limits, the witch market on the other island is open, and am sure you know the forbidden island is forbidden for a reason, the hospitals third floor is off limits, as well as the restricted section of the library, if you need a place to stay id recommend the Bloody Blade Inn and Tavern, don’t let the name scare you, the foods great, and the ale even better-“

He tossed the map to Osamu before rummaging through his desk again. “Don’t look so down, if I don’t think too highly of myself id say I’m quite hospitable, a bit rough around the edges, maybe a bit too straight forward and down to the point, but reasonable none the less” his hand stopped as he began to pull a somewhat large Badge from the desk

“keep this on you at all times incase anyone doesn’t get the message relayed to them, so long as you have this, you shouldn’t have any problems” he tossed the badges in the air catching it quickly as it fell “Any objections? Its fair enough, right?"

Osamu tossed the manuscripts along with the papers as he listened. With every word he felt trapped with the restrictions, the rules and the exceptions. Though he needed to at least categorize the places were he could hide and escape, especially if he could make ones of his own. Though as he looked at the tourist map and the markings on it he saw that some of the shinobi areas such as the training grounds and places of that sort were available. He looked at the electric tower and the HQ of the kage was open too. " Good, that means I can categorize the main layout of the entire thing and even work on the blindspots. Nice."

Osamu nearly laughed when he heard about the Bloody Blade Inn. Instead he coughed slightly, even though Guujins have no lungs. " I'm sure it would be good if I had a stomach or a living brain to rest with." He took the tourist map and put it in his pack in which was on the rug. " I will use this as a trade off to get the papers back. In the meantime you can have your people copy it if you want. All I need now is a few answers."

Osa snapped back on his pack and took an 'attention' stance. " If all of this stuff really is restricted then I need to know how he detected me. It could be useful in my survival and maybe even my success in staying alive. Also I need to find good work in the mist, not just plain cash if i'm going to get my medicine." Osamu turned his head to the side. " What technology is up to date on survelliance and how does it work? Also where can I find the underwater volcanoes; there is not much medicine for this year so I need to extract some." Osamu gestured torwards the manuscripts. " The ingredients are in the papers. If you advertise that you are excepting us then you might get an army of troops." Osa put down his hands and waited for an answer. " Though not from me, not just yet anyway."

(so bloody short...)

(Smashed my hand in a door today dont think im'ma be making a reply tonight)

(Okay, just make sure you post tomorrow)

Arphee Listened patiently as Osamu Spoke his mind before cracking a small smile, "Im sure it would be good if i had a stomach, or a living brain to rest with" he hadn't thought before he had spoken

After listening to the rest of the questions he began his reply, "I meant no offense with the talk of food and drink, i was simply suggestion you go there to rest, even you Guujin need a place to relax and think, after all, you are still human, i truly have to thank you for these, I've been trying to get a hold of information like this for a long time, the things that could be done with this- The miracles performed, don't get me wrong, those sorrow weavers were bloody wrong, their own selfishness led many people to their death in an attempt to "redeem" themselves, you yourself are a product of which, the poor fools rushed thing, threw caution to the wind, and didn't have a care in the world for anyone other then themselves and their own reputation, many people lost their lives, and the rest, I'm sure you know what everyone of your kind has been through- perhaps it may be reversible one day, perhaps what they had originally planned may someday be accomplished- you may call me a bit of a science freak myself, I believe technology is the key to our future, but only if used properly, when in the wrong hands, only pain and destruction awaits"

Arphee stood from the chair holding the badge in his left hand ,holding his right out to be shaken by Osamu, cold white mist gently drifting from both as wind blew into the office.

"but my own hobbies asides, its about time i answer some of your questions, Unfortunately i do plan to copy the manuscripts, by hand actually, the information within in quite frankly priceless, after I'm done you can have them back, you'll not need bargaining chips,I'm a man of my word, but you should be more careful with that information, some people would use it for means i don't think either of us would approve of, as to our technology, i wouldn't call anything in the mist "Up to date" my friend, except of course civilian items, the mist is State of the Art utilizing several different types of energy, renewable resources and even some things powered by chakra for our ninja to use, some of the toys are quite fun- people are always disappointed when they steal them and cant use them, id show you some of the things we have in R&D but then id have to kill ya-" he let out a hearty laugh, "all jokes aside your medicine could be a serious issue, fortunately for you I'm well aware of the guujin's situation, i personally have put about two years supply on the black market this year, believe it or not its quite hard to make, costly too, but what can i say, i support them, the rest of the world is far too closed minded, in any case, i can supply you with medicine if your willing to do a little work for it."

Osamu closed his eyes as he listened. His eyebrow twitching. " This guy really loves to hear himself talk. Oh well, everyone has their quirks."He listened in on yet another praise, explenation for the Inn deal, and a list of technological advancements. Osamu could tell that the Kage was trying to dillute his question about the survelliance by giving him extra information. " No matter, i'll just absorb this and get the information from other people. Or...just trial and error." Osa could remember the exact route he took from the Mist's walls to the kage building so all he had to do was look around during the nighttime. His eye would make it easier to look for sensors. " Though I didn't trip any wires, didn't pass any generators...the only thing that could've happened was a chakra sensor or electrical conductive sensor into the building; though even the Mist doesn't have that much electrical power." He opened his eyes and shook the Kages hand when nessecary.

Osamu hadn't been up-to-date with technology either but if he could go to the library and check it out he could save quite a bit of time and sweat. After that speal he listened in on the medicine. Osamu's eyes turned angry again, fire lighting up his soul and sending hateful messages throught it's window*. " I don't want to agree to anything I haven't seen yet, Mizukagure..." With that single word the kage would know that the bridge that had built between then had crumbled into shards of glass that would be walked upon later. Osamu knew that he could find the black market himself and buy it using the money he had accumulated but this way was quicker and less chance of the stuff being dilluted or poisoned. " You might need to go into detail about this work before you give that badge to me. I might not like what you say." He said this in a low tone. He didn't want to take the badge in crossed circumstances and create havoc just because the kage had requested a job for the village just as his kage assighned missions for him.
window*= Several cultures beleive that the eyes are the window to the soul. Osamu incorperates these vauge metaphors into his thinking due to his constant over-anilitical personality.

Arphee's brows twitched as he heard the cynical poison in Osamu's words, and saw the hateful glare from his eyes,

"If you wish not to take the work, so be it, its an offer and just that, i meant no disrespect, or ill intent," he gave him a sharp stare "the door is open, you may leave at any time, i truly am hurt by this, i offer a solution to your problem and get re-payed like this? There's no work in town, no opportunities to be had, with the other countries defunct there is no room for growth, only self sustainability, many of the men and women in this city would be starving and homeless if it weren't for the laws and regulations i implemented, most of the other countries would surely fall, if not for the aid I'm giving, the entire world around me if collapsing in on itself, and Ive done everything i can with the resources available to me to help people"

Arphee's hand retracted, now gripping the badge, large amounts of cold mist pouring from the hand.

"I do believe I've done nothing, nor have said anything to earn your distrust, so i hope we can get past this"

he walked back to his desk and placed the badge opposite of himself as he sat down.

"I'll leave the mission to your digression, I'm sure you wont find it to be anything you cant handle"

He pulled out the desks bottom most drawer and skimmed through a section of folders before finally pulling one marked with a red tab pulling it out and tossing it on the table next to the badge.

"In that folder are Several dozen drop points throughout Kirigakure and the rest of the land of water, id like you to deliver this months Aid-Rations and Public-Assistance, to the less fortunate within the city, it would be a pretty tiresome run for people, taking more then several days trekking back and forth to deliver all the supplies, so no-one wants to do it, and to be frank I'm quite understaffed, i cant allow my citizens to suffer because its a time of crisis, its my job to ensure their safety, this is a part of that, and I'm sorry if I've offended by asking for help"

Arphee sat their staring at the folder " Our Housing district, the slums outside of the city, several cities in-between the port on the other side of the water... several small towns on the islands around the water, a whole lot of trekking for one person, would take a normal person more then a week to make the final delivery, and then at-least two days to make it back here for re assignment"

he closed the drawer with his foot giving Osamu a stern look, "You accept, ill give you enough of the medication To last you a month, this will also grand you access to the munitions storage plant, which is restricted to civilians with the exception of some private contractors, of cf course it will only be a few doors you yourself can actually access, The Main entrance, the stair case, the second floor staircase door, and the Aid Office door, but you'll still be able to look around and chart anything you notice, if the work isn't too Grueling for you, and you agree to do it, i may have a much larger, much more profitable task for you."

Osamu didn't waver with his glare. He listened to the Kages talk alright, but it didn't reach his heart. Last time he was given a mission it was hardly for good intentions. With the kage had already read is file, knowing all of that and even thought of giving him this mission. He answered witht he same voice, though with less malice. " You're exactly right. I don't know how to handle this mission. Last time I was on a mission it was nearly 10 years ago, and it was nothing of this sort"He let the Kage's head fill in what he implied. " I know that my condition can help, but I swore never to get involved with the shinobi way. Nor the people who ironclad it. If you give me leeway not to obey the shinobi way I will deliver these." What Osamu meant is that if there was any chance he had to fight others, if he had to kill other people he would ignore them at once and turn tail. " It takes a stronger person to not kill than to dirty your hands with rosed death. That is the only rule I go by. That is my Ironclad. I want to make this quite clear for you so there is no need to include me in any political quarrels. If you agree to this I will deliver the medicine, I will become your message bird, and everything that will help this place."

Osamu said this more quietly, closing his eye. " If you don't I will walk away and leave my artificial self in the metal scrap heap. Wasting the technology of what you say is 'a key to the future'. If I'm to be destroying people with this body I might as well join them." he was prepared to slip the papers back into his bag and give the tour guide back. " If you do agree to this I won't die, i'll have a place to stay for a bit and you will help your people in a larger way." He stood there quietly. He hadn't moved for quite sometime and the mist that had poured from the kage's hand had frozen his legs to the spot. Though he didn't make that fact apparent in his cautious eye.

Arphee tapped his finger against his desk listening to Osamu's concerns. "I'm not asking you to put on a headband, nor even to be a shinobi, let alone follow their "Code" Simply to deliver the Munitions,if you encounter any Thugs, Bandits or otherwise I'm perfectly fine with you running, i have no desire to force you into conflict, so long as the packages get delivered i care not of the means, i know you didn't exactly have a great track record with Kumo, that being said the mist does things Very Very differently then the others"

He stopped tapping " I don't ask that you lay your loyalties, and there's no need to call it a mission, its it is essentially just a job, instead of petty wages for making small delivery runs, your taking out a large contract, and instead of a lump sum of money, your getting the Medicinal equivalent, its that simple really"

((Sorry about the long delay, I should have told you that I wouldn't post close to Thanksgiving or my friend's birthday.))

Osamu listened to the Kage. He seemed to get it though his ramblings hadn't stopped even at this stage of conversation. Osamu assumed that it was a long "yes" in the case of his Ironclad. Osamu didn't relax though, he was too close from leaving the office to relax. As the Kage talked he imagined the route he would take. " Most of the Mist is bog and rippling hills so it would be smooth sailing if I could get a scrap of cloth and a hollow pole." He remembered an old electrical pole close to the trail from whence he came. " Good, that's solved." He then tried thinking of ways to escape thugs just in case. " Since most of them are low-leveled fighters I could just attach smoke bombs to their back. Nice."

Osamu didn't hear the rest of the conversation about "loyalties" or "jobs". He was too absorbed in his own thoughts to pay attention to those things that would just annoy him. After several seconds when the Kage was done talking his eyes turned dark again instead of glassy. " Another question. Where is the medicine now and where exactly am I supposed to take the medicine to?" With the information of this he could predetermine what tactics to use other than just simple legs and smoke bombs.

(so short... )

(....hello?)