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arrow Forest Hall

Kotai smiled softly, nodding. "I'll make a memo of it." Office humor, as close to a joke as he's likely going to get. He glanced over his shoulder to her and climbed up the vine ladder to a small room that seemed nothing more than a day study.

Making his way to the left side of the room, he built up chakra into his right hand and pressed it against the tree-root wall, pouring the energy into the living tendrils of the tree itself. Within a moment, they parted for him as he quickly entered with purpose. Upon natural shelves rested the personal armory of the leader of the Aburame Clan, and it was something to be amazed at.

Kotai disrobed easily, glad to be free from the restraints of normal clothing. Ignoring the scars across his torso he slipped into his skintight bodysuit before donning the mesh-armored shozoku he was accustomed to wearing. Shortly afterwards, he replaced his old goggles and arrayed both scarves and cloak as he saw fit.

He looked down, viewing his recently re-wrapped forearms and fists with a sense of renewed vigor... the indoor life was draining him a bit too much, after all. The Aburame/Akimichi half-breed happily set to work arming himself with his standard overkill load of shuriken, kunai, senbon, explosive notes, blank notes, wire, soldier pills, food pills, blood pills, and the four-compartment box of the Akimichi last resort. He'd mixed and added the black pill himself in any case...

Kotai ceremoniously lifted his father's Taijutsu gauntlets from their trappings and placed them upon his arms and hands with reverence, strapping them tightly in place. Retrieving his small medical kit and slinging it around to the small of his back, he closed the secret area and stepped back out into the study, heading towards the ladder to meet back up with Hinata below.

arrow Forest Hall

Kotai dropped down the last rung and landed silently on his feet as he turned towards her. The smile on her face hit him, as he realized they would once again be going into battle against unknown odds.

I'm going to protect her. I may not be the best, the strongest, the fastest... but no one is going to harm her while I still live. Kotai mentally resolved himself to this fact.

=But why?= Because she's all I have. The Clan, the Village... I've only ever existed within them, never beside someone before. Hinata, the Village, the Clan, the mission, myself. My priorities are set, and no amount of danger is going to upset that balance. I swear to it.

With that inner dialogue finished, Kotai tweaked the collar of his shozoku and grinned quietly. "I'm ready whenever you are, Hinata-chan." He held out his hand to her, ready to leave at her word.

Kotai nodded. "The other Villages aren't going to be happy that they were attacked, we'll get some help for sure. If not, we've faced worse odds before..."
He smiled softly as she hugged him, watching her through his goggles. "I won't take any extra risks if you don't. Remember, I'll always be right with you Hinata-chan, and I'll always watch your back."

He drew her in for a last, firm embrace and looked out towards the guardian trees. "This time, nothing's going to get in our way."

((Hmm, I'd like to wiggle myself in this RP, if it's not too much of a bother...))

((Thanks))

Akemi read through the report slowly, wondering at the words. Her remotively small spy network had managed to come upon something interesting for once, something that everyone didn't know.

'So the Leaf was attacked again...I wonder why with such a small force?' she mused. Well, maybe she'd start investigating this on her own. The war hadn't been anything unexpected, but this? It was bound to mean something interesting.

Akemi handed out a few orders to her leading ANBU before preparing her packs for the trip. Few out of the Stone knew her face; it would be good, she didn't want to appear as Tsuchikage if she'd do some ferreting.

She left her office quickly after, heading for the Fire Country.

En route:

The group in its entirety was on its way toward Mist Village. They said little, but they all seemed uneasy about the presence of a small boy. No one dare say anything against Shabang, but he knew. The young boy was his son, Nobuhiro. The group was clad in black garments with straw hats, similar to the Akatsuki. Within the hour they would reach the gates.

((IM BACK!!! ^_^_^_^_^, Ill go with that we have left already))

Tomasu walked back towards him home, storing the weapons he had recieved from shunketsu's house in pockets in his specially suited garments.
He didnt say anything, which wasnt like him at all, but he didnt know Shunketsu well, and wasnt sure if hed annoy him by blabbing on, which woulnt be a good idea if they had to work together so he just stayed quiet until something was said to him first.