alchemest1

"Hmm. That was an educated guess, then. The 'immortals' part is what got me. I tend to think of immortals as 'first', but that's not quite accurate in this case. It's like the chicken or the egg riddle."

Master Jiraiya's intelligence was also a worrisome subject for Ryouko.
"Children of prophecy; legendary three; a new group of sannin...it was much less complicated back when it was 'Lord Hokage is the most powerful,', end of discussion."

Pain...Akatsuki...There's so much to consider. Can we mount an adequate defense to them, when we know so little? Maybe someone needs to inherit the job Master Jiraiya had of gathering intelligence.

"Politics? Maybe. Being Hokage would be interesting. But M'lady's choice is obvious. And I wouldn't take Naruto's dream regardless."

Ryouko took another sip, deciding he had enough. Between the tobacco and the alcohol there were a lot of vices here. Ryouko wasn't in the habit of getting accustomed to such vices.

"I did learn a lot that way. Observing is something I can do."

Kiba sipped his sake and gestured absently with his glass free hand. "No. the Sage of Six Paths was not among our number. We came after. He was the creator of the Shiobi Way. He Wrote the Nindo. We were 'created' to help protect his creation. He was a great man. We still guard the Tablet he wrote. To this day the descendants of Senju and Uchiha still battle over it The Scroll that can be read only by the Rinnegan." Kiba downed his sake and reached for the pitcher and poured himself another glass refilling the wolfs as well. Who knows Purhaps he really has returned in the form of Nagato. At any rate. I knew him, but he was not one of us. We owe our existence to him be it a curse or a blessing it is he that made us." Kiba waved off the rambling and turned to stare Ryo in the eye studying him. "as always. a diplomatic answer. neither giving info or slighting an idea. You should have been a politician." Kiba gave a soft barking laugh. "At any rate I suppose yours is a wise decision. I meant not for you to sit idly by and train while their was the problem of the reanimation afoot. You would learn by watching and reason. Much the way you have learned majority of what you already know am I not correct?" Kiba cocked his head and watched Ryo.

Ryouko was impressed by Kiba's display, of course. It had been a while since he had seen him, and he had almost never seen him in action.

"That's a neat trick." Ryouko lowered his mask to just below his chin, allowing him room to drink and occasionally puff on his pipe. "It makes me think of the Sage of Six Paths. Wouldn't surprise me if he wound up being among you immortals."

It used to be 'protect Naruto from the Akatsuki; be at Ojousama's side'. Now it's 'fear the Akatsuki, but let Naruto deal with them'. Now I'm among the protected.

Ryouko took a slow swallow of the aged rice brew. He didn't make any comments on it's taste or texture.

"I've thought about it. I'll give you a better answer once I know what I'm in for here. Getting self-absorbed in some training might not be best at the moment."

Kiba opened one eye as the sound of chinking glass drifted over the sounds of the downpour. The image was a bit odd looking Totally blue and smoke like. Kiba had opened his blind eye. No longer did it function as a normal eye, instead He used his mind to read the chakra signatures of everything around him. A bright blueish tinge caught his attention as he spied the evidence of chakra surging through Ryo's Paper turned wood shelter. Kiba gave a half smile as he addressed Kiba opening his other eye. "Very resourceful my friend. I see you have been picking up tricks since we last met. Kiba cracked his neck and with a handspring pushed himself to his feet and strolled over to Ryo and picked up one of the antique sake glasses and studied it. "You know we don't have to sit here in the rain." Kiba closed his eyes and inhaled. raising a palm in front of him Kiba opened his eyes and let out a clipped kayap. The rain that had been falling in earnest upon them seemed to freeze in mid air. Lowering his palm Kiba reached out and grabbed a drop of the falling rain and tossed it over his shoulder where it splashed against the tree trunk. Grinning a bit Kiba made a gesture as though brushing something aside. All the droplets in a ten foot radius were brushed aside and fell to the ground as one with a giant splash. The rain continued on outside the radius but inside it remained dry/ "There," Kiba dropped down next to his friend and helped himself to the bottle of sake. "that should hold at least until we have had a good drink anyway." Kiba gave a sharp whistle and Hakatsoyo Skidded to a halt next to Roukyou. Kiba set a half full glass in front of the wolf and gave it a pat on the muzzle. Turning back to Ryo Kiba looked at him as he sipped his sake. "Have you though any more about what I said? You have potential. You could just as easily do what I just did without a second thought if you focus. Will you learn?"

"Right, good idea. Rest isn't a bad thing at this point anyway...We're lucky it's not snowing at this temperature."

But Ryouko made no move to find shelter. In fact, he raised his head up to look at the rain.

It rained that time, too. At the Third Hokage's funeral. The rained stopped shortly after, as if telling us that he had passed on peacefully, and that it would all be alright.

The rain poured down on Ryouko's face, but he made no move save for blinking. He stayed like that for a while before he finally decided to come in out of the rain.

Withdrawing two scrolls from his makimono pouches, Ryouko bit his thumb and wrote inside a circle etched on the scrolls. He wrote 'Moku' (Meaning 'wood'). Unwinding the scrolls, he formed a dome shape out of them. When he finished, he pressed a seal onto the ends of the scrolls.
The scrolls began to harden, and their features turned to wood.

I guess there's this. I can't use all the change in chakra natures, at least not yet. But I can use various kinds, if the proper catalyst is available or can be created.

Without saying anything to Kiba, Ryouko took out a handsomely crafted pipe. This hadn't been the Third Hokage's; it was one Ryouko ordered after his death. He broke it out on special occasions. He rarely smoked, either; at least real cigarettes. Lady Tsunade had helped him create a 'chakra cigarette' that served as a more mild version of the ration pill, and also recycled your chakra to keep it at it's best.

Once his pipe was set, Ryouko used a summoning scroll to dig out a chipped sake pitcher and three cups. He didn't invite Kiba and the wolf to join- there was no need. Kiba knew he was welcome, and the wolf would follow suit.

Roukyou said nothing as they rushed onward through the night. The storm that had been threatening to break over the Leaf had caught them despite their quick pace and now bucket loads of water drenched them as they sped on. Roukyou cracked his neck as he pondered the issues at hand. The Kagirinai, his people were on the verge of extinction because they were outdated. Ryo knew nothing of outdated. Once proud warrior guardians of great powers now the Kagirinai were a broken and beaten lot. He himself could not help but feel that this mission was to be the Kagirinai's last stand. That in the process of fulfilling their mandate to protect those things that ought not fall into mortal's hands he along with his beloved people would be destroyed.
Kiba stopped suddenly and sank into a half kneel on a tree branch several hundred feet off the ground. Turning to Ryo he simply stated. "We will stop here for the night. The storm is to severe. I can not keep my barrings via smell in this downpour." Turning he hunkered down against the tree's massive trunk and closed his eyes. Not to sleep, such things had become unnecessary as he had come to master his abilities. All he needed now was to focus his mind, to calm his thoughts and allow rest. Roukyou gave a half smile of bemusement as he wondered if his sullen attitude had befuddled Ryo. Alas it mattered not. He had been letting his emotions get the better of him. A mistake he had made before. With a pang of painful memory Kiba found his mind wandering back to a long stretch of charred and destroyed forest and the message carved there deep into the injured earth. He would not let his emotions get to him this time. He had destroyed something he loved then and he would not allow that to happen again. Especially now that that something he loved was his people. He would figure things out logically with a cool head absent of the emotions. Kiba meditated quietly aware of Ryo nearby.

"The greatest mistake..."

Ryouko flashed back to his spot outside the barrier jutsu Orochimaru had put up. He watched the Third Hokage writh in agony as the Kusanagi pierced him. Even knowing he would die regardless, the pain must have been terrible...nearly unbearable. There was nothing Ryouko could do to help. He tried genjutsu on the barrier casters; but no one short of Kurenai-sempai's level would do. Eventually, after all was said and done, Ryouko had only wound up flinging his mask onto the ground in frustration; cracking the special ANBU-issued face covering nearly in two.
The feeling of hopelessness...
It was the worst thing Ryouko had ever felt, and it remained that way until today.

I had nightmares about this...still do once in a while. I was so raw back then. Had I not lost my mentor so soon...would my growth have been as stunted? I can't ignore the strides made by the likely next Prodigical Three...even in theory, I pale in comparison. Maybe Kakashi is content...but I'm not. I've already made the biggest mistake I could make.

Ryouko nearly misjudged his footing on the next branch, catching himself with a single hand and plopping himself back up onto the branch, spinning around it once to gain back lost momentum.

I won't say any more about giving it up. Kiba's got his own issues, and right now they're my issues, too. I can do the self-pity bit later. I haven't allowed myself any in a long time; maybe I need to change my habits a bit to be more healthy.

Ryouko tugged his mask up higher on his face; it was really damned cold out here today! But more than that, he wanted to make himself as unreadable as possible. Kiba could explain all he wanted, but until Ryouko was there and took in the problem with his own eyes, it was best for him to stay a mystery.

In his head, Ryouko began putting together a code, in case he had to take notes. On such a hidden culture, it would have to be an incredibly complex code.

Kiba said nothing as Ryo gave his speech. Roukyou halted casting a furtive glance at his friend. "My friend. I don't wish to be rude, but you hanging up your hitai-ate would be the greatest mistake in your life." Kiba closed his eyes and lowered his head as he continued to address Ryo. "You are like me. You need a purpose. If you have none then you feel useless. I know you to well. Purrhaps even better than you know yourself." Roukyou opened his eyes again and stared hard at his friend. "If you give you your hitai-ate you will be giving up your purpose. Shinobi like you are few and far between. You say you are out classed and out dated. I say otherwise. You haven't even begun to tap the potential and talent you possess." Kiba turned and looked out into the trackless forest ahead absently petting Hakatsoyo who had trotted up to him. "Don't think me so daft as to simply choose you as the heir to my race simply because you are my friend. I will tell you had I though you incapable and outdated as you say I wouldn't have given the notion a second thought." Kiba turned back to his frined. "You possess a rare focus and drive that I have seen in few. True the Young Naruto has proven power and drive, but he lacks the focus. You on the other hand possess a reason, focus and persona that I have seen in only the remaining Immortals." Kiba gave a half smile. "This is why I chose you. You are disciplined far beyond your years. You have the potential to learn things that could change the world. All I need is for you to learn them." Kiba said no more. Without looking at his friend he lept off into the trees again continuing onward.