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"Who are you!?" He yelled jumping back, swinging his hand back as a wooden sword emerged from it.

The trip to Kaibungakure had taken much less time with Kira's tiger summons, cutting the trip in fourth at least. Even so, they arrive as the sun was setting, casting a off brown-red color ont eh walls of the crater at the top of a small dead volcano that hidden ash was settled in.

Once in town Kira dismissed the summons and they took to the streets, Rio now in the lead, appearantly knowing a more direct rout then Kira. After only about 10 minutes they stopped in front of a well sized house with an abundance of foliage around the house and a large tree growing in the inner courtyard.

Rio went up to the door and opened it. He slid off his shoes and gacve a short bow to a small, well pruned and attended to Bonsai tree with the picture of a young black haired man with piercing red eyes before passing into the house.

Kira herself stopped for a moment at the picture before moveing into the hosue.

"Mother?" Rio called out as he walked through the house, looking for anyone to be home. When he recieved no response he moved into the open courtyard in the center of the building. Once in the open it you could see the full size of the tree that was visable from the front. It was obviously anchient and in full bloom.

Beneath tree, covered in its shade, a woman that looked in her early to mid thirties, about as old as Kira, sat cross legged, in a deep meditative stance, her back against the trunk of the tree. She was still dressed in her Jounin fatigues, her headplade tied around her head with three small teardrob beads haning from the top of the plate. She had short, dark green hair and soft face. A long object wrapped in cloth lay next to her, much like the one on Rio's back, though the blade on the end of her weapon obviously had a horizontal blade that was curved like a cresent moon on either side of the pole arm.

Rio let out a small sigh as he walked over to his mother and kneeled down, placing his hand on her shoulder, causing the woman to instantly open her eyes, which where a vivid tourquise in color.

She took in the sceen for a moment before saying, "Rio.. and Kira? Whyare are you home so soon? We were not expecting to see you until the examination or after."

Ayame seemed to pick up on the two strangers faster than Rio could remember that they were there. "Son, who are theses two ladies?"

"Oh, I'm sorry" Rio said as he shook his head, "This is Mai-san and Rin-Tao-san." Rio indicated to the respective ninja before pointing to his mother, "and this is Ohmu Ayame, my mother".

Rin-Tao-san and Mai-san have come to help me. We need to find father, I must ask him about the Tenken."

Ayame's reaction to the sword's name was the same as Kira's had been, she seemed to stiffen for a moment before she said, "Why do you need such a weapon?" She studied her son for moment before she spoke again. "Onyrou is in the training field behind our house. You may need to wait, he is in the middle of his nightly workout."

Ayame seemed to contemplate something for a moment before speaking. "This has to do with Ifuuki doesn't it? I've had to nearly memorize our country's bingo books and the Kandichime is in it, I realized who Rin-Tao-san was as soon as you confirmed her name for me. If the Kandichime is involved...at all, it is because it could lead to the death of Ifuuki. What do you intend to do with the Tenken?"

"Sakurai! What the hell is going on here?" Ion said in surprise as Ganeni jumped in between them already growing bones from the palms of his hands.

"Ifuuki is searching for an item...One which Rio believes can be destroyed by the Tenken." Rin-Tao explained. "Tell me Ayame-san, do you know the legend of the Three Treasures?"

Ayame paused for moment, as if recalling something. She spoke with some uncertainty in her voice, "I know of them, and vaguely of the legend you mention. I assume that Rio thought of the Tenken to combat the Kasunagi, it is a fair enough conclusion that it would be able to. However, I would like to hear you elaborate on this legend."

Rin-Tao nodded. "As legend has it, the Three Treasures, the Kusanagi, the Yasakani no Magatama, and the Yata no Kagami, were forced by the ancient ones in order to contain all of the violent forces of our world. If ever brought together....the forces will be released again and the world will return to the Dark Times." She pused for a second to let it sink it. "We have reason to believe that Ifuuki already obtained two."