[Sunagakure] Tower of the Kazekage۞ [Obliterated]

[Hinote Tosatsu]

David Greyson
Sunagakure | Ichibi | Special Jounin
Teacher { Sand } Tactical

~

Finally, David's patience wore thin. Looking up at a clock that had miraculously survived, hanging on the little bit of wall over the door that was still intact, he decided he'd waited long enough. He was sure there were still some that hadn't arrived, but most of the people he knew were here, and many who he didn't know, the nameless cannon fodder of the village had also filed into the large room. Setting the file he'd been reading down on the desk with an unnecessarily loud thwack, the boy stood up, walking around to the front of the desk and leaning back against it.

For another minute or so, he simply stood there, scanning the crowd in the room to see how many had turned their attention to him from just that. A few had, some having been drawn by the sound of the folder, and turned back to their conversations already. Others kept looking, though he wasn't sure whether it was because they had realized he was seeking attention or just to see what he was up to. The longer he stood there though, the more seemed to turn their attention to him, though some also lost interest and looked away. All in all, an interesting experiment.

Finally bored of that, David cleared his throat loudly, calling attention to himself as he waited a moment longer. That should have drawn whatever eyes weren't on him already. Most people seemed to accept that when David wanted attention, he got it. Well, most people except... Yeah, best not to worry about that. She was dead anyways.

"It doesn't look like quite everyone is here yet, but we've waited long enough." he spoke out, standing upright. By that small statement, most of the people in the room should have realized that it was him who called the meeting. The question of the hour was now why, and furthermore, how. Why would be revealed soon enough, but how, well, he'd save how for a finisher.

"Sunagakure has had quite a history for Kazekages." he continued, picking up one of the files he'd been reading earlier and flipping it open. "Koizumi Natsumi, deemed by the council elders to be incompetent and unqualified to lead due to her weakness and stupidity. She was replaced by Letti Mokashiha, who relinquished the position and left the village after less than a month. Koizumi was temporarily reinstated until the council relocated Zane Hajime, who seemingly died a short time later. The village was left without a leader until Jade Uchiha arrived and took command. Now, her reign too has fallen short." he took a pause, snapping the file shut and dropping it back onto the desk behind him.

"After Zane's return, and subsequent attack, Jade has fallen sick to an unknown disease. She is not expected to recover any time soon, and if she does, she will likely be greatly weakened by the sickness. The sannin Aeden has taken her out of the village to seek a cure, taking both of our S ranked ninja from us. With our leaders gone, and rumor of Zane's attack spreading to the world, Sunagakure is in dire straits. If we are seen as weak by the outside world, we are in danger of another village attacking and trying to take us over. And furthermore, we likely would be unable to resist."

Pausing once more, David took a breath while allowing the information to sink in for the rest of the crowd. Some might have already known about Jade's sickness, for others this would be the first they heard of it. For all, it would be the first they knew about her being gone with Aeden. When all the information he'd given them had sunk in, they should be able to realize the danger Suna could be in right now. Zane was likely bragging to whoever he'd run to about how he'd destroyed the village, even though he'd done little real damage at all. But, that sort of misinformation still made a village look like easy prey, and if information about Jade got out, it was only a matter of time before they were attacked.

After a good minute, David figured he'd given them enough time, and decided to lay out the finisher. "In this time of need, the council has seen fit to name me as Kazekage. I am not as strong as Jade was, nor am I as kind as Koizumi supposedly was. However, there is one thing I am. I am loyal to this village. And as long as I live, Suna will never fall." Throughout his declaration, David's voice never rose, never changed pitch. It was said in the same tone as most everything else he'd said thus far. Straight statement of fact. And for those that knew David, that was about as good as if he'd screamed it from the rooftops, because he wasn't just making a claim, he was giving a guarantee. The day Suna fell would not come until he was dead. And yet again, anyone that knew David, knew he didn't plan on dying any time soon.

~

[Chakra: 90/90]
[Kunai: 4/4]
[Shuriken 15/15]
[Makibishi 25/25]
[Sand: 240lb]
[Chakra Pills: 5/5][Charged: 0/5]  

[Hinote Tosatsu]

David Greyson
Sunagakure | Ichibi | Special Jounin
Teacher { Sand } Tactical
Kazekage

~

David remained silent for several minutes, simply watching those before him as they processed the information, and made their reactions. Some were visibly upset, some disbelieving, shock was the most common reaction throughout the crowd. A surprising number, to him at least, joined Kay and Akura in their professions of loyalty. The ones he most expected a bad reaction from though, seemed to have remained completely silent, simply blending into the crowd as it rose up. As expected, he did not accept Kay's hand, but the fact that several others made similar gestures to his would probably quell any issues that might arise from that. With nearly the entire shinobi population of the village crammed into one room, and a good quarter of them reaching out that way, he had three options. Spend all day shaking hands and never get to the point, shake only a few, and create an image of favoritism, creating dissent among those who went ignored, or just ignore all of them equally and move on. Obviously he would choose the third.

Finally, when the racket began to die down, David rose his hands for silence again, quieting the crowd as they should realize that he wasn't done yet. Some people might have wasted time thanking the people for their vows of loyalty and showing of faith, and David actually considered it for a moment. But, that wasn't his sort of thing, and he really wouldn't have known how to proceed with such a speech anyways, so he decided to just finish what he had started.

"Thank you." he began, maybe that would be enough to substitute for some speech or other. "But loyalty will not be enough. Not anymore. In our current state, any of the great nations could overtake us easily. Excluding some of our ANBU forces, and some who have not yet returned to the village, I am the highest ranking member of the village. The strongest. And with my ranking only being that of a Special Jounin, this does not put us in a strong position." David stopped, pausing long enough for the information to sink in, but not long enough for anyone to cut in again.

After only a few moments, he continued speaking. "Our only hope of survival, is to lie, to cheat. To act like ninjas of old, and deceive our enemies and allies alike. We do not have a new kage. We never lost our old kage. Jade is alive and well, running and protecting the village. This is the image we will project, and continue to project. Nobody outside of this room is to even know that Jade no longer resides in this village. Friends, family, loved ones, nobody is to hear a whisper of it. The deception will not last forever of course, but we won't be relying on it either. While hidden behind her name, we must train ourselves. Become strong. Strong enough to protect the village ourselves, and survive at any cost."

David paused again, taking a much needed breath as he allowed this next bit of information to sink in completely. No doubt it would be a hard task in this new generation of ninjas. Deception wasn't taught anymore. Not the way it used to be, not the way it was in the books he had read of olden times, when ninjas were truly the terror of the night, and demons of the shadows. Peace and honor had weakened the ninja way in his eyes, and if they were to survive, they would need to return to their roots, if only a little. His people might not like the idea, but they would accept it as the necessity it would become. And now, there was only one thing left to say.

"To facilitate the training we need to do, I am lifting the restrictions on library access. Genin, jounin and academy students alike may have full access to the library in order to supplement their own training. Find a teacher, train yourself, whatever it takes, become stronger. Now go. I need to do my own training as well." he finished, waving towards the door, signifying that the meeting was over. He would return to his own training as soon as everyone had left. He needed it most of all.

~

[Chakra: 90/90]
[Kunai: 4/4]
[Shuriken 15/15]
[Makibishi 25/25]
[Sand: 240lb]
[Chakra Pills: 5/5][Charged: 0/5]

Alright, here's the rules. Anyone may go into the library and take out a book or scroll to train with. Unless another crew member says otherwise, genin can also begin self training again, like with the old chuunin exams. The rules of this self training though, are that you have to add and extra learning post PER RANK to every jutsu you learn that way. E = +1, D = +2, and so on. You can also, obviously, only learn up to C rank that way.

Those who have completed enough training to qualify for promotion may head to the mission center, and send me a PM to receive the missions required for promotion. And don't forget, you can also gain points towards promotion by way of training others, so help each other out.  

[iAkura-kun]

Akura Bashirou
Sunagakure | Puppet Master | Genin
Speed { Shunko } Tactical

~

Hearing David speak Akura nodded in agreement, he knew that if outside sources heard about Jade no longer being in the village, Sunagakure would be a prime target for rouges trying to become of money and rank; but with David as Kage, he knew that any rouge one-hundred miles near the village they would suffer a very sandy, swift; and painful, death.

" Well, I already have all the jutsu I'd like to learn down... So I guess I'll go check if there's a mission worth doing." Akura simply mumbled bowing quickly in front of David and then turning around; heading down the stairs of the tower; heading to the library for a brief moment before going to the mission hall.

~

[Chakra: 31/31]
[Kunai: 30/30]
[Shuriken 5/5]
[Makibishi 20/20]
[Paper Tags 25/25]
[Smoke Bombs 2/2]
[Flash Bang 5/5 ]



[Crow: unsummoned]
[Akibu: Unsummoned]
[Azura: Unsummoned ]

Left hand: Blade usable 12/12 kunai
Right hand: Blade usable 12/12 kunai