A summit took place in Niwa. The heads of each village were in attendance. Alec, shortly after decapitating the individual named Saito Gekai, who proclaimed himself Kage of Makkura, appointed his son Jr as the new leader, even though Alec is still looked upon as the actual head of the village. Alec sent Jr to this summit, with the intentions of letting the rest of this world know that the criminal organization known as The Dark no longer existed, and that The Land of Shadows was prepared to coexist with all other countries, but at the same time inform them that Makkura was perfectly capable of waging war, should it come to that.

Some took this news as a joke. Alec was informed that an individual named Kenta stated that the Kane family was lucky to even still be in existence. He said many things, such as the fact that Makkura only existed because Hanagakure, formerly it's parent country and the very village that Alec defected from, fell apart, and because of Alec's past actions (Kidnapping people close to those in Niwa and Kumo) he should consider himself lucky that he didn't loose the “leash” that he had upon a certain master of lightning, Raijin. He said the Kane family was nothing special, their strength didn't matter, and that they had 2 strikes against them. A 3rd meant Kenta personally destroying Makkura.

These words were taken very seriously. Not only did Alec re-activate The Dark, and daily make sure that the security of the village was strong and in tip-top shape, he and Jr showed the world just how strong they actually were by destroying the village of Korigakure (with help from an insane individual calling himself Ranmaru.)

Some time has passed since this event, and things, for the most part, have been quiet. Alec remained ever vigilant, constantly keeping watch on all borders, and also the other countries by use of his global radar. He'd began to notice some things. The summit ended, and all of the super powers that had gathered for it returned to their homes. Alec also noticed activity up where Korigakure used to be. At this point, all of them had to know that it was Makkura that destroyed Kori. They would probably be wondering what was next, but then again, so was Alec.

So a meeting was called in the front room of the Tower. Those considered top operatives were requested to attend...

Other than when she had been up in the mountains with Hanako who had been training Scorch Release that day and whom Dez had healed when needed, Dez had spent the past several weeks locked in her lab examining the creature she had caught during Hanako's training. It had been some sort of creature that looked like a cross between a wolf and a bear, but it hadn't lived long. No fault of her own of course: the thing had been old when she got it, which she figured was why she had caught it so easily.

However, she had been called out of her lab for what she assumed was going to be an important meeting. They hadn't had one of those in a little bit and she was wondering if perhaps someone she hadn't noticed had caused some sort of problem. She had been keeping an eye, even from her lab, on the village as a whole to ensure she didn't miss anything nor that anyone snuck up on them: two sets of eyes were always better than one. Since she hadn't noticed anything she was curious as to what this was about.

She left her lab, not bothering to lock the door behind her, with her zombie on tow. It was chained and muzzled as always, with gloves instead of mittens on its hands. Dez had also been busy training the thing, trying to teach it basic commands and words so it at least knew somewhat of what was going on: it had worked too, slowly, but it was progress. "Come on, Z. Let's go find out what's going on... depending on what it is you might be in for a nice snack." She had been feeding Z nothing but raw meat, and while that worked to keep him alive she knew that what he truly craved was human flesh: though he had long ago stopped trying to bite her personally.

She walked into the front room of the tower and walked over to her father. Z sniffed the air twice and then followed after her. When Dez came to a stop so did the zombie, and unlike the last time she had had him around other people he didn't make an attempt to go towards anyone. He just stood there, watching, with far more intelligence then he had shown previously. Dez focused on her zombie for a moment before turning her attention to her father. "What's going on?"

Avery had been in the tower library, seated upon the floor with multiple books surrounding her. The books were on all different subject matter, jutsu, and various books that would just provide ideas for more jutsu when she had been called to the front room of the tower.

Not bothering to put her books away she stood up, figuring she would just get back to them whenever this was over, and headed downstairs. All the while she wondered what this was about: and hoping that it wasn't some sort of bad news. She still wasn't too keen on going after Niwa or waring with them because that was where Aella lived, so she prayed it wasn't about that subject matter.

She arrived in the front room just as Dez was asking what was going on and went to Alec's side, looking at him curiously as she too wondered the same question.

Alec's voice came though on the wireless comm. He wanted the top people in The Dark to meet him in the front room of the tower. Kinzoku became sort of excited. It had been a while since they'd seen any sort of activity; not to say the time around the village was totally boring. It was far better than any period of time he'd spent in the desert with all of the eyes, all of the comments.

Kinzoku jumped down from his station on the wall near the entrance to Makkura, making his way through the village down the main street to Dark Tower. Some of the villagers waved at the strange kid with the glowing black gourd upon his back, and Kinzoku waved back in return. Across the drawbridge  above the moat rumored to be bottomless, he opened the front doors and stepped inside.

Alec, Destiny and Avery were already in attendance. Kinzoku walked nearby and stopped, his arms folded; yellow eyes looking toward Alec. ”Sir?”

Jr had been out back like he was every morning, punching boulders. His hands were coated in Explosion Release Chakra, so his hands meeting the rock produced large explosions that shook the ground. Many of the kids around the village had gathered to watch him like usual, at a safe distance so that none of them got hurt. Jr didn't see what was so fascinating about watching him punching rocks, but he didn't mind the audience at all.

It was when he heard his father's voice on the wireless comm that he had to call it quits, to the disappointment of the kids. They knew Jr was the new Kage, so they understood. After dusting off his hands and Boom Boom gloves, Jr made his way inside to the front room.

”What do you suppose this could be about? Perhaps we're ready to go to war,” said Hi No Seishin.

”I donno. Something's up though. We'll see what dad has to say,” answered Jr. ”If war's the case, after what that dog man said to me, then that's fine, i'm ready.”

Jr came in through a back door of the front room, still dusting his hands off, to see others gathered. He didn't see Hanako though, and wondered where she was. If she didn't show up, he was sure someone would tell her what was up later on. Jr stopped nearby his sister and her zombie thing and waited to see what his father had to say.

He heard Hanako was off in some mountains somewhere training. Someone could fill her in on what was up later on. With mostly everyone here, he thought about how to word everything. He leaned on his Blind Fury stick in front of him as if sort of a cane, like usual.

”Alright... so i've been watching and noticing some things. That summit in Niwa must be over, because everyone besides the people who live there left and went back to their own countries. I'm pretty sure everyone knows it was us that nuked Kori by now, so they all have to be wondering what's next... but so am I.

“But... like I said, i've been noticing some things... like the fact that it appears someone is living up there where Kori used to be. I'd have thought the place would still be on fire, but... the crater left behind from Jr's attack filled in with water, making it a lake, and now there's an island in the middle. There's a ring of volcanoes surrounding the lake, and the heat given off from them makes the interior of the lake warm and habitable, almost like summer. There's chakra signatures up there... and at least 3 of them are huge. I mean, HUGE. Junior Huge... I don't wanna jump to conclusions but perhaps the snowman Hiromasa waited until we were done to move back in, rebuild, and recruit some powerhouses in case we decided to make a return visit.

“And that's not really the strangest thing... One of the big chakras has been moving around. Whoever this person is went to Niwa, and came back stronger. Way stronger, making me thing they're allied. They also went to the mountains around the village that has a bunch of mountains and clouds, Kumogakure, and something happened out there... something serious. When it was over, this person had powers that could only be compared to Jr here, making me think they are also allied.

“So, call me paranoid, but we need to investigate. The Niwa people probably allied with everyone else for a 'common cause' or some hero good guy jazz like that, and they could all be mounting up for an invasion or something. I don't doubt it at all, seeing as whoever it is up there where Kori used to be are as strong as they are now. The Hiroyuki guy and the dog man Kenta will most def be on board since I snatched Aella back in the day, that dragon girl Amara that I nabbed from that water city and her father that so-called lightning god Raijin, they won't have any love for us either, and Strafe, after what I did to him in that bar that day, he has good reason to band up with them too. So, we need to have someone in every village, gathering intel...”

An eyebrow rose behind the black cloth used to cover her eyes. Someone had moved back in where Korigakure used to be? This quickly? That... well, that was nothing short of amazing if she were being honest. For someone to recreate a village just like that? That took some serious talent. Talent she wanted to witness first hand. 

A grin spread across Dez's face. "I'd loooove to be the one to go to whatever new village has sprung up where Korigakure used to be. I was doing some reading a few days ago and Korigakure according to some of these books here used to be one of the leading medical villages before it disappeared due to all of those earthquakes: so I'm curious to see what's left up there.... Plus, I'm the youngest, so I'd be viewed with the least amount of threat." It was true, unfortunately. People liked to look at age and judge someone's power by how old or young they were, and given how young she was people would overlook her rather quickly.

She would have to leave her zombie home of course. Walking around with a corpse wasn't exactly going to say harmless if that was the angle she was going for, and she figured it was the best one to be able to gather any sort of intel on anything going on up there.

Avery watched the others arrive and then focused back on Alec as he began to speak and explain everything that he knew to be going on. The summit had ended, and apparently there was movement up north where Korigakure used to be. Whoever was up there was extremely powerful, and likely allied with Kumo, Niwa, and Yokuchi, or so he assumed. He wanted someone to go to every village to act as information gatherers to see what they could figure out.

Dez volunteered first to go to whatever village had sprung up where Korigakure used to be. She brought up how the village, before it had been destroyed or at least before it had been blocked off via earthquakes, had been the leading medical village, and how she was curious to see what remained. She doubted much did after what Alec and Jr and that Ranmaru guy had done, but she wasn't going to say that.

She looked back to Alec and shrugged. "I'll go where ever... " She wasn't going to be picky, she'd go where ever it was best for her to go.

It sounded interesting. Someone had moved back in up where Korigakure used to be. Not only that, there were some really strong individuals up there, and 3 of them could possibly have something sealed inside of them just like Jr. Kinzoku sort of wanted to see this kind of power with his own eyes.

One of them had been moving around, and getting stronger in the process. They way that they went to Niwa and then to Kumo lead Alec to believe that an alliance was formed, and that people were possibly getting ready to invade The Land of Shadows.

Kinzoku was ready to fight, and goosebumps of excitement appeared on his arms to signify this. ”Let me know where you need me to go sir,” he said, adjusting the strap that held his gourd to his back.

”How the hell could someone move back in? We baked that place, it should be like Ground Zero back home, right?”

Somebody actually moved back in up there? Jr was confused. His Rage Sphere should have changed that area forever, but this was unexpected. If the snowman really did move back in, he was a dead man. Jr didn't really care that there were others up there as strong as he was, he was prepared to go toe to toe with them.

Jr started to get angry, but he calmed down. There was no reason for that at the moment. His father had the right idea to send someone to investigate, because there was the chance that it wasn't the snowman at all, maybe someone else. As the Kage of Makkura he was curious to know what was going on as well.

”Well, if you need me to go somewhere just let me know, but i'd rather just stay here if you didn't mind.”

”That's what I intend to find out, Jr...”

Dez was on board, as was Avery even. Kinzoku was ready to travel somewhere and begin investigating as well. Jr didn't want to go anywhere, and that was fine, because Alec didn't plan on sending him out. He was the main power here in Makkura; with everyone going off in random directions, someone had to be here just in case another village got any funny ideas.

”Alright, Dez... you go up there where Kori used to be. Check out this new place, see what kind of info you can gather. If the snowman came back and rebuilt? We're going to tear him a new ass. If not? Just have yourself a look around, and try to find out if they're allied with everyone else... Avery, you go to the desert... Talk to Holeman. See what he and Mitsukai can tell you about what's going on, if anything... Kinzoku, something happened in those mountains around Kumo... I want to know what. Head out there, sniff around. Take a tour of the village too, see if you can hear anything interesting... Jr you can stay here. Wtith all of us gone, the village is wide open. Somebody with some muscle has to stay behind... Me, i'll go to Niwa...

“DO NOT let anyone on to the fact that you're from Makkura, or part of The Dark. Play it cool, this is a Covert Ops mission, people. We are simply gathering intelligence to ascertain whether or not these other villages plan to invade, or retaliate for Kori... If you get into trouble, just try to get out of there, but if you're left with no choice but to defend yourselves, then by all means do what you have to do.

“..And by the way... there's some psychopath cannibal out there; he calls himself “Ranmaru.” He has something sealed inside of him too, maybe more than one. He's a fucking nutcase, and if you run into him the best thing to do would be to avoid him. But like I already said, if you're left with no choice, then you rip him open and give him a necklace made of his own intestines... Shit, knowing him, he might like that... but you get the picture...We'll meet back here in about 3 days. Head out whenever you're ready, and be careful. All of you.”

Dez nodded with another grin. "Alright, I'll behave myself and lay low... if anything people will just think I'm a random genin wandering around lost or one some randoms survivor." She was going to make sure to keep her nose clean while she was up there and not cause any trouble unless someone caused trouble with her and she couldn't get away. She looked over to Z and prodded him on his arm. "Back towards the lab we go... I cannot take you with me. But, you'll have plenty to eat and I'll be back in three days."

The zombie turned, following the basic command and headed straight towards the lab. Down the steps the pair went...

[Exit]

"Alright, I'll head to Yokuchi." She glanced over to Dez as she watched her lead her pet zombie out of the room and down to her lab. She figured Dez was likely going to leave right away and Avery felt that it was a good idea for her to do the same. The longer she had in Yokuchi the longer she had a chance to gather up information. 

She headed back up towards the library to gather up her books and then pack up a small bag to head to Yokuchi with.. 

[Exit]

His destination would be Kumo. His task was to find out what happened in the mountains, then take a visit to the village itself. The home of Raiton users... in the wrong kind hands, that could possibly pose a problem to Kinzoku. But he wasn't worried about that. Like Alec said, he was going to play this covertly, and be long gone before any of them were to notice what was up.

”I'll head out now, sir. I'll try not to disappoint,” was Kinzoku's response, then he turned and headed out of the door.

[Exit]

”Hold down the fort. Alright, no prob. But it's YOU who shouldn't go off somewhere and do something dumb, dad. You ARE heading into a hot zone after all,” said Jr, rubbing a hand through his shaggy white hair.

It probably wouldn't be a good idea for him to leave the village right now anyway. After what he and Hi No pulled off up north, he was probably the nightmare and the focus of hatred for many. Attacking him would just make him have to defend himself, and likely someone would just get burned to death. Then he'd probably spark off a war. He was all for it, but it probably wasn't a good idea right now.

”Is it a good idea to let your father go back to that village with that man? What if he gets discovered?” asked Hi No Seishin.

”Dad knows what he's doing. He likes to brag that i'm the strongest, but it's really him, because of all those years he was in that war. Don't worry, if he gets into anything serious he can use that funky eyeball thing of his and warp to where Dez is in like 1 second.”

Jr began to head back toward the door in the rear. With nothing to do for now, he was going to go upstairs to his father's room and have a look at that radar of his. “Come let us know when you get back for a debriefing, yeah?”

[Exit]

Dez was soon headed to where Korigakure used to be. He was very interested in what she'd would have to say about her findings. Avery was headed to the desert. Perhaps Holeman and Mitsukai would give her the inside word on Strafe and his plans. Alec didn't plan on doing anything further to him or Yokuchi, but maybe the same couldn't be said of him. After all, Alec did cut off one of his legs and nearly kill him. Kinzoku was headed to Kumo. Alec was also very interested to know about his findings up in those mountains, and also if this so-called “Lightning God” planned on taking any action.

...And he himself... He was headed toward what seemed to be the center of it all, Niwaurushigakure. The home of the one who'd called the Kane family a joke. Alec wanted to know what this Kenta person looked like, and why he was so confident that he had what it took to take them on. Alec had a mission, but he couldn't seem to shake what Jr told him what happened at that summit. There was still that small twinge of anger within; a twinge that made him want to introduce the man to the business end of his Blind Fury Stick; a twinge he'd have to keep suppressed. Alec had family on the other side.

Alec checked his bag before heading out after everyone else...

\Exit\