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Xenon's temperate was greatly improved, even if at a glance it would seem that it had never really changed. That was roughly how Kimiko felt, really. Xenon himself was a Maboroshi, and as such his clan tended to be more rational, more logical, and less emotional or idealistic. However xenon himself had, though his nature was still strong in him, been turned into somewhat an exception by the efforts of the girl who stolen his heart. But even before he had, he still found following such ideals admirable. He found possessing such a strength of will a thing to be greatly appreciated...even if it was irrational. Even if it was an illusion.

He supposed that this would normally be the part where he dramatically revealed 'you pass', to them, but Xenon was also a bit curious in seeing just how they handled this little game, no point in robbing them of their slim chance at greatness. If they managed to come up with an unorthodox solution, something that even he wasn't expecting...something truly out of left field, then he supposed he would reward them allowing them a chance to lay a hand on him. After all, being a medic anything that they managed to do to him would gone in seconds anyway. He'd let them have their fun. There was no reason not to give them a chance to shine. Oh, right, the act.

"Hn, I see..." Xenon adjusted his glasses, tilting his head slightly at them. "Then you'd best hurry up and finish the game...lay a hand on me, and you all can walk away unharmed, remember? But the clock is ticking..." he held out a hand as though trying to make it easier for the pair, his smile till unwavering. "Come then...show me how fair this conviction of yours is willing to go. Show me this will that's so overwhelming strong you'd be willing to cast aside your very lives..."

Xenon effortlessly, almost happily, seemed step backwards, his motions light and weightless as he evaded the brother's reach by inches, as though he intentionally cutting it close to mock them. "Hm, a good attempt! At least your certainly thinking!" he personally probably won this challenge through some attempt at being clever, like pretending mistrust of him until they shook hands on it... and then declaring himself the winner as soon as his hand was shook. He adjusted his glasses with a singe finger. But then everyone had their own style. Everyone went about doing the seemingly impossible in different ways. For these twins it might be something simple misdirection or some other form of out of the box thinking... whatever it was they were going to try...he had to admit himself looking forward to it. As a former part time teacher at the academy during his down time, he was used to watching students impress him...

Xenon's facade twisted in pain as the boy's fist drove into his side, his body flying back and skidding along the ground in overly dramatic manner. He had an oddly large amount of dirt on him as well for having taken such a tumble. "Ah...curses...." Xenon said, his glasses somehow cracked. "You have defeated me...alas, I...Aha..ahahahaha!!" but the image of him on the ground seemed to freeze as a more heart felt laughter cut over the scene. "Ah, I apologize. I'm afraid I've too strong a sense of humor to keep up the act at this point. Still," the image of Xenon lying on the ground faded, and a hand seemed to slowly materialize before the twins grasping one of their own is quick handshake. Slowly from the hand up the rest of the real Xenon came into clear view, the slightly older boy's smile rather earnest at the twin's no doubt shocked reactions. "an earnest attempt. I'll even admit that that hit would have hit the real me...if you'd had the faintest notion where I really was." he gave an agreeable nod as he released them from the handshake. "You passed, by the way." he noted, setting both his hands in his pockets looking lax. "and I don't just mean my little challenge, though a superlative congratulations on that as well." he turned round walking back towards the cottage while those watching seemed to realize it was over, coming forward to join them. "You may stay with us as guests for as long as you please, and when you wish to leave you will be escorted blind folded into the forest, where you will be free to leave however you wish...and un-blindfolded, naturally."




The "baby" jumped from it's perch atop the girl the twins age's head and unto it's master's shoulder, looking rather casual, as though it sat there often. "Heh, what, you seriously think just because they wouldn't leave the girl behind we can trust em boss? I mean, I wouldn't trust ME, but there ain't not WAY I'd leave a fine chick like THAT behind."

Xenon gave a slightly humored sigh. "Duly noted, Mokutan."

"Just sayin Chief. One Genjutsu, pow, we can toss em out with the dirty laundry along with their girlfriend."

"Now now, there's no need to be overzealous...besides..." he adjusted his glasses looking bemused. "It's a rare Ninja that can hit me...even with a great deal of luck on their side...I think they deserve at least that much credit."

"But they DIDN'T hit ya, Chief."

"But I assure you that they would have." Xenon didn't at all seem bothered to admit. "Now then..." he turned back around to face them looking pleasant as always. "Who wants cookies?"




"I do, zam!"





Kai walked up to the twins giving them a thumbs up. "Hey, looks like you got the go ahead to stay conscious. Good on ya." he looked over at Xen who was heading back into the cottage, Yuki hopping around excitedly behind him. "Sorry about Xen, he's got a wierd sense of humor, but I think that he likes you... he's kinda hard to read. Ya'd have to ask the Boss if you wanted an accurate read off him. she's been with him forever." he hinted for them to follow. "Say, you need help carrying your friend there? We'll set her on the couch until you guys decide to leave. He sweat. "Xen's pretty...uh...effective when it comes to knocking people out...she probably won't be up for a while...

Kikyo was drooling out of the side of her mouth, her eyes wide open and out fo focus. She was alive, breathing and all, but catatonic for all intents and purposes.

"Yeah....that'll wear off." Kai assured. "I guess he didn't think she could be trusted from whatever he seems to know about her. Eh." he shrugged.

Kai helped the boy lift the girl up, managing rather easily on his own end. The girl wasn't at all heavy, and he probably could have just lifted her over his shoulder, but Yoko would probably murder the girl if she saw Kai carrying her in that manner...so this was probably the way to go. "Naw, you guys may have passed the test, but she didn't. She'll be unconscious when she's taken off premises...can't afford any chances with her." he helped the boy carry the girl into the awaiting cottage though, his air still rather casual and pleasant as ever. "But hey, you guys want to sit back and grab something to eat? The Boss should be back soon with the cap'n and Flonne, so it'll be like one big rebel reunion." he took a look into the kitchen where Yuki and Mokutan were crowding around Xenon, who appeared to...actually be starting the process of baking cookies. Imagine, a missing Nin with culinary ability... regardless. Yuki, as usual, in her hero worship of Xen and Kimiko, seemed to bouncing on her feet at the prospect of helping, even if she remained her usual cold expressioned self...

"So, what, about what you guys were saying earlier...you just sorta fell into Flonne's basement...? Like...Tunnel and all?" Kai assisted them in setting the girl down on the couch. "That musta been rough heading down the tunnel all that way. You two must be real shinobi in waiting if you can make a trek like that and still take on Xen. Well...lay a hand on Xen." he corrected. "Still, damned if I could manage it without the luck of the gods. You got my respect."

Kai sat down as well on a stool by the kitchen counter, when the others were still making the cookies. "Heh heh, you already met her actually. Kimiko's the leader. Xen here's more like the second in command." he himself had been a little skeptical of this at first, merely on the grounds that Xenon Maboroshi was probably the most suited for the position of leader. He was probably scored higher an intelligence test than about 99% of the people and planet, and was, his summons included, probably the most powerful shinobi in their group... but there was a big probably in there. Kimiko was dead even if not stronger, and though she wasn't perhaps as purely brilliant as her more finesse inclined close friend, but her skill in battle was a force to be reckoned with. And there was also the that fact Kimiko was merely the one more suited to be the leader because...the whole reason they were was because of her.

Xenon himself didn't really care that much if it was the Otobe in charge of Oto or not. He was only here because Kimiko was. He was the sort of individual who valued people close to him over other more lofty ambiguous goals. He wasn't the sort to ever, for example, try to call himself a "hero", even when he did things worthy of the title. Had Kimiko not been determined to follow the path she believed to be right, than Xen would not have bothered following her down it.

She was also passionate, a person that could lead others to her cause, that could persuade others. She was the core of their ideals, the source of their efforts...and thus in Kai's mind it became clear that no one else really COULD be the leader...

"I guess it's kind've weird to just look at her and think "oh yeah, Leader of a secret organization of Missing Nin," Kai laughed. "But believe me, she's the only kind of "secret organization leader" that I'd want to follow." he then gave a nod. "And academy students huh? Wow...even more impressive. Way to go." he pointed over his shoulder. "So hey, I hear Xen used to sub at the academy in Oto, is it true?" he looked like he was about to burst out laughing. "I can't even imagine that."



Xenon adjusted his glasses, mixing the batter in the bowl in front of him. "I'll have you know I was an excellent teacher. If a bit unorthodox." This was true more or less. He was a good teacher....it was just the matter that scaring small children was just too much fun to pass up, and thus he often made bluffing creepy leers in regards to finishing their homework and such. Over all harmless though...in fact he was convinced that it had motivated a great many of them.

Xenon gave a slight laugh. "Well, we are rebelling against them after all. So I suppose the proper answer would be yes." though the Maboroshi adjusted his glasses, looking a tad more thoughtful. "Though perhaps in asking, you hope for a more detailed response?" he was pouring the batter out unto a tray, apparently pondering the matter over even as he did so. "I suppose technically, while I disagree with many of their methods, do not actually as such oppose them on an idealistic level." he gave a light shrug. "They are an organization that will look after it's own, the people of Oto, to the exclusion of all else. Even if Orikami has to burn down every other nation in the five countries...he will do so to make sure that Oto prospers... that is the sort of regime that he is building...and I suppose on the basic level, I am the same way." he lifted the tray and placed it in the old stone oven, the fire below it heating the treats to be nicely. "I myself am more than content to believe that a man need only be concerned with his own morals and opinions, so long as he at least is accepting and open to others. Protecting one's own to the exclusion of all else is a by-product of that." he turned round to face the twins, leaning against the counter.

"So to put your answer in more simple terms," Xenon clarified. "In matter of principle, I am not all that opposed to the Otobe regime... I am not someone who has such a lofty idea of justice that I cannot understand sacrificing the innocent and opposed to suit one's goals and protect what they believe to be precious." he then seemed to fall just a tad more serious. "However, on a more personal level, the act of needlessly controlling and killing innocent people just to expand the power and influence of one's own village...while on a moral level I cannot fault them... well," he shrugged "I suppose it rubs me the wrong way."



Mokutan nodded. "Yeah, the boss and I understand doing what you need to do to defend your own...but the Otobe's way of going about it doesn't really sit too well with us...and anyway, Kimi won't stand for them, so we ain't either."

Xenon gave another nod. "Ah, yes. That is indeed the more prominent reason why I go so far as top actively oppose them. Kimiko is the girl that I hold in the highest regard and care, after all...any path that she walks, as her teammate and close friend, I have resigned myself to follow." Xenon raised a brow looking more cheerful again. "Why do you ask? What do you two think of the New Regime...?"

Kai gave a laugh. "Well to be honest with you, only Xen, Kimiko, Yuki and Phantom are actually Missing Nin. The rest of us used to be Pirates." he merely gave a smile at they're no doubt skeptical faces. "We became friends with Yuki after she escaped Oto during the Otobe invasion...er," he nodded towards Jiro. "Ah, sorry, I suppose they prefer it be called "reclamation" right? Anyway, we were all captured by some Mist Ninja, and just when things looked pretty dark for us, Xen and Kimiko swooped in to save the day. As thanks, and to help out Yuki, we decided to join up with them." he gave a shrug. "we weren't really good pirates anyway. Our Captain Yoko never really got the whole point of it being to plunder and pillage..." he seemed humorously accepting of the matter. "We were all trained in the Shinobi arts though. Flonne's a fair teacher, even if you wouldn't think so." he then seemed to look a little curious himself. "Though don't ask me where SHE picked it up... I guess she might be a missing Nin too, never asked."

Xenon raised a brow. "Hm...an interesting question. You mean to say then, that you don't know?" he seemed slightly amused at this. "Well, I suppose the long and short answer is that she's an agent for one of the Otobe houses..." he gave a slight sigh. "Well...more specifically, she is an operative working specifically for the seventh house among the Otobe Clan Houses. She's not, as such, a Ninja that is anymore loyal to the new Kage than we are." he gestured in her general direction. "We aren't entirely sure of their intention as of yet, but it seems merely from the initial intelligence work we've done so far that the Otobe clan tend to have quite a few power struggles amidst themselves...complicated politics, I believe you would call it." he leaned off the counter slightly, slipping his hands into his pockets and looking rather akin to a professor giving a lecture. "She used to be an academy student alongside myself for a very long time, of course. A clan student of mediocre ability but fair skill for mastering Ninjutsu. I don't really know what happened to her after graduation. She disappeared for some time. I only recently recalled her when I saw her name on the list of agents that Phantom had managed to identify."



Kai seemed impressed. "Huh, so this chick went to school with you then, Xen?" he gave a slight laugh. "Man, talk about not letting your past get in the way of what needs to be done."

Xenon gave a carefree laugh. "Heh, you say that..." but there was a brief flicker of ominous light over the surface of his glasses. "but you really aren't considering that if I'd wanted to I could have not held back at all...meaning that her mind would be in a state of deep layered recession. She'd be in a coma that would take months to recover from." Xenon adapted a brief intetionally scary leer. "Over all I went rather easy on her." before resuming his pleasant smile.

Kai sweat slightly, though laughed in good humor. "Heh, you're a scary guy, you know that Xen?" but both of them started laughing as though at some hidden joke.

Xenon rather enjoyed preforming frightening "mad scientist" like leers, merely as a habit from his childhood, when he would do so to goad a younger Kimiko's vision that he was a clearly nefarious arch nemesis of hers. He now just found it an amusing running joke.