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Keichii nearly bolted, just from Rakutsu entering the room. He was NOT in the mood to have a bitchfest with his sister, so he reluctantly returned to his seated position, albeit shakily. He looked over Rakutsu suspiciously. His indigo eyes narrowed.

"How'd I know if ya did somethin' to it..? Or worse, Akai..." He trailed off at the end. He was attempting to make pleasant small talk in an effort to calm down, but the thought of Akai in the kitchen actually just made his nerves worse.

Keichii was too shocked by the display of kindness to react and his half of the rice ball bounced off his head harmlessly. He caught it before it could land in his lap and looked down at it as though it held the secrets of the universe.

Then he ate it. Screw uncharacteristic acts of kindness; this was free food.

Keichii brushed the stray grains of rice out of his hair, not that it really mattered much with his white, shaggy cut. He munched on his gift while peering up at Rakutsu.

"Are ya ready ta go home?"

Disobey me....

After putting Mizuchi in his bed, Suijin returned to her office to find the maps and files she was about to look for already on her desk along with a note. It simply stated that Nyirei would return in a few hours after she got some rest. 'Some much needed rest.' Suijin laughed to herself. She opened the scrolls and began strategizing. Figuring out who would be sent off and which shinobi had no chance of survival out in Snow. Like hell would Mizukage Suijin send ninja into battle who would certainly be killed. And there was no way she was going to leave Kirigakure and it's civilians completely unguarded. During her work, a message came in from Falls. 'Well, well, well... Looks like Kiri won't be the only one attacking Snow.' She set the message on the side of her desk for later use. When the Mizukage had worked out all she could on her own, she leaned back in her chair and slept.

"Lady Mizukage" a voice murmured, interupting Suijin's dreams. Her eyes snapped open as she woke, though no other part of her body moved. It was Nyirei

"What time is it?" she said drowsily, looking out the window. It was still pretty dark out.

"Five-fifteen." As Suijin sat up, a wave of pain swept through her head like a tsunami.

"Uhrrg!" she grunted, clutching her head and falling back in her chair.

"I'll get Shouta-kun." she said softly, truning for the door.

"No- not just yet. He'll be here soon enough." said the Mizukage, easing herself into a sitting position. Her eyes glanced over to her desk and saw a full breakfast, enough for two, already set out for her. She smiled. "Who are you, my mother?" Nyirei let out a quiet chuckle, knowing that that was just Suijin's way of saying- 'thank you.' "Do me another favor, will you? Bring Mizuchi here. I won't be able to leave my office this morning by the looks of this." she said, gesturning to the paperwork that was still out. She still had quite a bit to do in the next forty-five minutes.

Nyirei just smiled and said, "Of course." she nodded and left to fetch the little blue boy from the Kitagawa compound. It had remained abandoned for quite a few decades untill Suijin and her mother had moved back into it when her father died. Suijin ate her meal and opened up a few more files, working on the last details of her plans. A few minutes later, the door to her office opened and the sound of little feet came bounding towards her. They came around her desk and two blue arms wrapped themselves around her waist.

"Hey Mizuchi. How did you sleep?" she said as she petted his head. Suijin looked down at her son with a soft, loving gaze. One moreso than she had ever given.

"Good." he smiled up at his mother as she lifted him into her lap and hugged him tight. She pulled her chair in closer to the desk and said,

"Good, now eat up kiddo." She pulled a bowl of soup in front of him. He ate the meal ravenously. Suijin continued eating her meal as well as she continued working. She finished both her meal and her work at five forty-five. Nyirei moved their plates to a less conspicuous area of the room. There was a knock on the door, Shouta entered. The Mizukage smiled up at him. "Bit early, aren't you?"

"I figured you had a hangover you need me to take care of." he said with a lazy smirk. He walked over to her, made a few handsigns and placed his hand on her forehead. Her facial expression relaxed as her hangover was relieved.

"Thanks. So... you ready for this?" she said with a nervous grin.

"Heh, as I'll ever be... Devonte should be here-"

"Yo!" said Devonte, entering through the window Suijin smashed open last night.

"Sooner than you thought." Suijin laughed. The five of them talked liesurely while they could, then as the other jounin came in, the air of the room grew stern and solemn. Seven of them had some type of sword on their back. Mizuchi stood at attention next to his mother's desk, his sword on his back as well. Amongst the jounin and elite shinobi of Kirigakure was Keizo, a steel guitaur slung over his back. The Mizukage nodded to him. Devonte and Nyirei smiled at the old man as well. Suijin began discussing her plans for attack, there was little contradiction between her and the others. A few questions were raised, but the Mizukage seemed to have answers for all of them. She mentioned all that had occured within the last 24 hours. Her meeting with the Hokage was brought up, as well as the one with the Kusakage and Ruka (though little was said on that), the unnamed intruder who had left the scroll was discussed and so was the contents of the message which Suijin had memorized. That and the Hokage meeting had stirred up much contempt amongst the Kiri officials. Things like- 'How dare she' and 'Who the hell does she think she is?!' were spat out and as much as the Mizukage agreed with their sentiments, she had to quiet their rage to focus on the matter at hand. "Nyirei, send for Kenshin and the Snow-nin. Shouta, you mentioned him wanting to speak with me?" She spoke with a stern, commanding voice. Never wavering and ever-confident. Her posture emminated the same aura. That of a powerful war general, commanding the respect of all.

"Yes, ma'am." Shouta answered. The Mizukage nodded for Nyirei to go. Now, Nyirei had her weapons on her. She wielded two scythes, who's blades were like the crescent moon. Shouta bore his own weapon as well. His was a staff with blades on both ends.

Nyirei opened the door and saw Rakutsu and Keichii already outside the office. "Oh!" she spun around and looked back to the Mizukage. "Lady Mizukage, Rakutsu and Keichii are already here." Suijin motioned for her to send them in. "You may go in." she said to the two of them with a kind smile. Though she seemed just fine, uncertainty still hid itself in her eyes as she turned down the hall.

.....at your peril.

Keichii's brow was furrowed in deep thought throughout the exchange. Something was still bothering him.

"Nah, the ol' guy was jus' some trait'r sleazy 'nuf ta rat out fellow ninja. With the prison an obviously failed 'speriment an' no pris'ners left ta guard, guy's prob'ly already bin disposed of..." he thought out loud while disregarding Rakutsu.

"The Tengu're the real problem, anyway... See, the thing is, they're real fast--Ah mean real fast," a thought flashed through Keichii's mind, but he wasn't sure enough to state it outright, "Y'know how when a ninja uses the Body Flicker Technique, 's like a burst a chakra. It's there, then it isn't. Well, the Tengu ain't like that. They're ethereal, that's what. Y'don't even feel their prescence 'til they're there, 'til ya can see 'em. Almos' like they don't... have... chakra..."

Keichii was half-caught in a flashback. He stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember something. There was something, wasn't there...

"Rakutsu..." he began again, eyes still glued to the rafters, "When you an' Akai faced the Tengu... what can you remember 'bout them? Not like fightin' 'er nothin'. What'd they look like? Somethin' specific, like clothin' patterns."