Relaxing day.

-Atsushi sat in his large and luxurious golden throne room chair. His left leg swung over the side of it in a casual manner and his right planted neatly on the floor, his right arm propped up to keep his body off of the left arm rest and in his left hand was a pipe filled to the brim with a heavy stench of herbs and spices. With a short inhale and then a puff a smoke ring, the smelly herb spread through his throne room. It was a relaxing day in his village, the Kage trying to figure out how to make this day go faster.- ‘A training session?’ He questioned himself with a humorous thought or maybe he should be looking for some quality fun time with the ladies of the village. He was the star and leader here, but all of that was just to keep them off of his true agenda. He sat there for a while, smoking from his small pipe and soon began to laugh at nothing, his laughter rang out and echoed through his throne room.-

A yawn escaped her lips as she wondered through town. It was a particularly quiet day in Kirigakure, which was good seeing that she enjoyed watching the villagers go about their lives in a peaceful manner and seeing that she was one who helped to make their lives peaceful gave her even more satisfaction but today she was bored out of her mind. She had completed her tasks for the day so she was left with nothing else today and so after wandering through town she found herself in front of the kage’s mansion. “Wouldn’t hurt to pay him a visit” She thought as she climbed the stairs and entered the building.

After being let in by the man’s secretary she would be greeted by laughter and the smell of tobacoo. The Mizukage looked more like a king than a Kage but it didn’t really matter to her, he seemed like a good person. “Good Afternoon, Mizukage-sama” She spoke as she knelt before the man.

-The Kage’s laughter was cut short by the sweet words of an Anbu member. A member that hasn’t been around his throne room in ages, none the less, it was the tailed demon.- “Ah.. it’s you….Call me, Atsushi.” –The Kage shifted himself slightly, by sitting the proper way a Kage should at first, but then leaned back slightly. His left hand pulled the pipe from his mouth as he spoke.- “Tell me.. What brings you to my throne room?” –The young Kage questioned her choice of finally coming to visit after a while of silence.- “Did you come to seek a mission?”

“My apologies Mizkuage-sama, I’m here because quite frankly I had nowhere else to go. I was already finished with the missions assigned to me and my fellow anbu members and I was finished with my patrols so I was wandering around the village and ended up here. So now is a good a time as any to hand you the reports. ” Still kneeling before the man she would entire her pouch, after taking out the documents she would walk towards the man and placed the papers in front of him.

-His right eye twitched after she called him, “Mizukage-sama.” A sign of irritation was brought with his reaction towards her words. The Kage took the papers from her and with his free hand and looked them over only once before leaning over to stuff them under his throne.- “Ah, yes. Well, I would not expect anything less from my Anbu.” –He tapped his left chin gently for a brief moment and finally had an idea.- “Ah. How about a S rank mission for you, hmm?”

When the man took the paper from her hand, she would silently await further instructions. She expected him to dismiss her and she had readied herself to bow and exit the building. After all he seemed like a busy man. But what came from his mouth was something she wasn’t expecting. Her eyebrow rose when she heard the words S ranked mission. Did he truly trust her enough to hand down such an important task down to her? Was she dreaming? She felt butterflies in her stomach as she tried her best to keep her cool, she had a chance and didn’t want to blow it.

“An S ranked mission my liege? I’ll gladly accept anything you give me but I’d like to know the details of this mission first to see if I’m capable of meeting your expectations. Even though I’m confident in our ability I won’t be able to take down an army with a kunai, so I hope I’ll be provided with adequate back and/or tools needed to carry out this task efficiently.” Deep in her subconscious she could feel her partner, the three tailed turtle give a nod of approval. They shared the same mentally thus they were able to get along easily throughout all these years. Her red hues peered at the man as she awaited his response.

"Yes....." –He moved the pipe to his left and then turned it over to tap the remaining ash into a ruby encrusted ashtray. The Kage brought the pipe to his eyes to examine the sticky and black inside. For a moment he examined the object, before snapping out of his thought and turned his eyes back up to the girl.- "I need you to go to a small mountain far from here and gather up some more, "Herbs" for me to smoke from my pipe... Do not forget to gather up certain mushrooms on your way back. A Kage needs his tea after all..." -He handed the pipe out to her, slightly poking it between her chest.-

Illya felt a sense of excitement when the man was readying himself to speak; she was excited as this was her first ever S ranked mission so she struggled to keep herself from bouncing off the walls. But just like a few moments ago he surprised her once more. An herb picking mission. She was told to go pick herbs for his pipe and mushrooms for him to get high off of. She had to take a good look at herself. Was she dreaming? Was she really a genin instead of an Anbu? Did he not respect her as a person? How could he ask someone of her skill to go pick him herbs? She felt insulted and unappreciated. Holding her head down she would take a step back. “I’m afraid I can’t fulfill such a request. Now if you’ll excuse me Mizukage. I have patrol duty to do.” Her voice was filled with disappointment and anger, but she tried her best to mask it as he was her superior but she had lost all respect for the man.

“Ah.. Good.. You can get the mission I really wanted someone to do.” –He brought the empty pipe to his lap and pulled out a book stuffed in the left arm rest of the chair. Producing a small bag filled with green, he began to break it up.- “Have you ever heard of, Orochimaru, my sweet?” –The Kage questioned her about the existence of a man once feared throughout the villages. A being of great and terrible power.. But he was also a genius and created many jutsu deep within his lab. A lab that the Kage knew was still ripe for the picking.- "This would be a dangerous scouting mission, and I am sure it will be tough, but promising for both our village and your skills to improve. You see.. this is the A ranking I am looking at." -He placed a few crushed herbs into his pipe and hid the bag and book.-

Illya would scoff at the man’s sudden change in direction. She hated people playing with her and this time it was no different. She chose not to answer his first question and simply nodded at the fact that she had heard about this Orochimaru character before. He was some kind of freak. Anyways brushing that a side she was given a scouting mission that would “benefit herself and the village” right. “I’ll get right too it then. Excuse me, Mizkage.” She would turn on her heels and head straight through the door unless the man had something else to say to her.

"Sere!-Sere! You have a letter from the kage!" Sere, short for Serenata was 20 years of age but during summer solstice and the harvest festivals celebrated by her family, the Wildfire clan.

"Mnng...what happened to the knock before scaring your daughter to death in the morning system?" Sere rose from her bed and stretched to yawn only to have the letter almost stuffed into her mouth by her raving mother. She swatted it away from her and read the address half caringly and tosses it aside on the bed. "Ya I'll get to it right after breakfast-What?!" Snatching it back up she read the address again and again just to be sure. "Atsushi..." The last time she saw the kage she was a chunnin, and she was handing him her headband and resignation. Opening the letter and reading it's contents she couldn't believe it and wanted to jump for joy. An invitation to play for the Mizukage. But, why her? She wondered. Of all the great musicians in her clan why would he chose her? Could it be that he got wind of her popularity as an artist? Or did he actually miss her?...no why would he?

"Oh cat poop! What am I going to wear?!" the next hour she spent digging in her closest pulling out her best outfits, dresses, and even old folk tunics. Trying them on in the mirror and then tossing them aside like garbage. Pulling out a red backless dress spit down the side she doesn't even bother to put it on. "gah no way, it's a performance not a date." and threw it aside too. By the time she succeeded in destroying her room she finally chose one of the tunics. A blue tunic with short sleeves and black tight pants. Her boots were tall and dark brown like that of a woodsmen, and her hair she put up in a pony tail with a red ribbon. This fit her more, when it came to her personality. She was adventurous, tomboyish, but delicate in constitution and well kept in composure at the same time. She also didn't want to wear a dress for fear she'd clutz it up by tripping on it. Then she checked her old friend out, her violin rested in a stand in the corner of her room.

Once she was satisfied with how she looked, smelled, and how the violin sounded she made her way out of the wildfire clan reservation and into the heart of the village hidden in mist. Like the rest of her clan she felt strange and stuck out a little...a little like a sore thumb. Being foreigners they didn't exactly blend in, especially with what she was wearing. They used to be called "Foreign devils." but most had forgotten that and only a few give resentful stares, most just look because they are different and strange.

When setting foot on the stares to enter the throne room of the Kage she stopes for a moment to take a breath, stand up strait, pop her knuckles and then enter through the tall doors. Almost bumping into an Anbu on her way out Serenata quickly turns aside to let the woman pass. "Ah, forgive me ma'am didn't see you there." gives a slight bow and continues towards the throne.

On the threshold she rests to kneel on one knee and bows her head in reverence toward her kage before speaking. "Lord Mizukage, I have come as you requested in your letter. If my information is false, please, only ask and I will remove myself from here." Lifting her face she gave a warm smile towards her old friend. He had shown much of himself to her in the past, probably because she was no threat to him. She wished she could know more about him, she spent so much time away she hoped he didn't forget her. Though she didn't change much and was still a petite size of 5'4" same height as when she was a gennin.

-The Kage called the ANBU ninja back in when his old friend came stumbling into his throne room.- “Ah, yes.” –He slightly smiled towards her, but mainly at her kneeling. A sign of respect for him, kneeling that is. Atsushi inhaled from his pipe and let out a small cloud towards the musician’s face.- “I will need you to accompany my AUNBU ninja on her scouting mission to the land of Sand for Orichimaru’s hideout. It doesn’t pain me to say this, but you will take lead, as Illy can’t follow simple instructions.” –His eyes made their way over to the other female.- “This girl is a member of the Uchiha clan, so do your best to make sure she comes back without harm.” –With those words he waved them off to their mission.-

Hoping to get away as quickly as possible, Illyasviel would almost bump into a woman who was making her way towards the Kage’s throne room. “No problem, I’m the one at fault here” She said giving a warm smile. Judging from her looks she would instantly know she was from the wildfire clan as they all had an exotic look about them. Others disliked them but she had liked how unique they were and respected the way they handled resentment from others in the village. All caught up in her thing she forgot why she was in such a rush, to get away from that man as quickly as possible. Giving a small bow to the woman she would attempt to leave the place for good but she was called back by the reason she wanted to leave. How unfortunate.

As if he liked to trample on her pride as an Anbu and a citizen of Kirigakure, he would continue to mock her and in the presence of a fellow shinobi too. “Can’t follow instructions? As if anyone would comply with such a ridiculous request you son of a…” Taking a deep breath, she would stop herself there as it would be out of character for her to insult someone in authority, even if it was in her mind. Turning towards the woman she would extend her hand and give another warm smile. “It’ll be a pleasure working with you”

"...." Serenata had no reply for the kage. Her face was stricken with shock, she came here to play for the kage and now he was sending her out on a mission? Does this mean she was a ninja again? And to lead? Impossible. She was only a chunnin when she quit, and though her experience was enough to barely scratch jounin, it was never made official. Yet, maybe if she did this for him she could prove herself worthy again. And being in his presence did sometimes make her feel kinda small and didn't want to question. Only giving a nod and clearing her throat to say. "Yes, lord Mizukage. I will do my very best."

He waved them off in dismissal so it didn't seem like he wanted her to play for him. This was a disappointment and a relief. Disappointing because she'd play to make him or any of her friends happy if she could but a relief because it was nerve racking to perform for important figures.

Turning to face the Anbu she accepts her hand shake and smiles feeling sheepish that she'd be in charge of someone who would normally be so superior to her. "Ah the pleasure is all mine. Please uh, my name is Serenata Wildfire. Some call me Sere for short, I don't like to be called that but um...you can still call me that if it makes it easier. So um, what's your name?"

There were distant relatives of hers in sunagakure, vagabonds, and nomads who resigned themselves to wandering the harsh deserts. They were a little...strange, compared to the Wildfire in the wood lands of Kirigakure, but not at all hostile. They could be hospitable to her and her companion if need be, and was already planning to meet with them. She'd no idea why they would be going there, but figured the ANBU would know. She was only told to accompany her and would do just that, the rest of the knowing would come. As for being team leader...that was something she'd have to figure out latter. But at least her new friend didn't seem difficult, to the kage maybe, but seemed nice to her.

-The Mizukage just remembered how Illy was. The woman thought she was too good for even simple missions, and thus; she probably thought she was above this mission, too. Well, Atsushi would fix her real quick with an ultimatum. A quick and simple one, really and he would see how Illy faired with it. - “Illy and Sere, hold it right there.” –He spoke up loudly, his right hand lifting briefly to stop them from leaving.- “Illy, the three tails. I give this to you and you alone. You think you are above whatever mission floats by you, because you are ANBU. Well, I will give you this ultimatum. You can either accept being demoted down to Genin again, to see how it feels, or be kicked from the village.” –He stood up and stood to the side with his right hand extended out to her in a triumphant manner. He decided her fate without wanting to hear her answer. - “From this day fourth, you are relieved of your duty as a member of the Mist village and sentenced to exile!”

It seems her day would get even worse as the man not only humiliated her twice in one day, she was also banished. Her day went from greeting the Mizukage to her being banished, talk about your string of bad luck. Turning towards the jonin she would give a smile. “Seems like I won’t be joining you after all” She simply said as she took her headband off and placed it gently on the ground. It was proven that she didn’t deserve to walk the same footsteps as her father. With a curt bow she would excuse herself and headed for the exit.

-EXIT STAGE LEFT-

-The Kage let out a howl of triumphant laughter, the woman set to walk away in shame. His true nature as a megalomaniac became apparent. His true nature was of a power hungry Uchiha, just like the old days. A nature that would have to be hidden from all but his most loyal circle, as the foolish villagers couldn’t comprehend his will. As for the defiant now Ex-ANBU, the woman who refused to kneel and take his hand was exiled out of the village. Atsushi knew he would be seeing her very soon and by that, he would crush her very life force from her being. An Uchiha with an ego trip was not to be trifled with, and as the woman left, Atsushi said one final thing.- “You will eventually come to see true, justice, and Atsushi, as I will snuff out your pathetic life for not kneeling before me.” –Casually the man sat back down and began to smoke from his pipe as if nothing was wrong, and uncaring enough to pick up her headband. He would rather have people trample and step all over it.-

Serenata bent and picked up the headband that was left on the ground. She may have been banished but Sere couln't help but feel a little bad for her. She wrapped the cloth of the head band neatly and tucked it away into one of the pockets of her tunic. Unlike her superior she wouldn't stand for the mist symbol being trampled on. Turning she watched the ex-ANBU walk away, and then sighs. His laughter put an uneasy chill down her spin and filled her with fear. But, not fear for her own sake, she feared something evil was taking root in her kages mind, poisoning his soul. "Atsushi..." she whispered under her breath. There was no reason to stay, they had been dismissed, and there would be nothing she could say to change her old friends mind at this point anyway.

Giving another bow to the Kage, which he probably won't notice her quiet gesture in his moment of triumph, but it was good courtesy either way. Then walking away silently. Outside she stopped and looked towards the horizon, where would someone go in exile? A harsh punishment for giving attitude. It made her feel fortunate it wasn't her being banished, and felt glad to prefer getting on the Kages good side. But how long that will last before his rage might turn on even her who knew...

"Poor Atsushi...I just hope you know what your doing."