Old Friends or Old Enemies

Cloud had no thought that he would make it to the Kokage's Office without someone stopping him. In fact Amegakure was a very strict village whose rules about outsiders were harder than in some of the other bigger villages. Amegakure shinobi were strong and their former ANBU Captain had just been assigned the new Kage position, Agito Shikigami, the new leader of the village that always rains and it lived up to it's name as Cloud walked slowly to the entrance of what seemed like a city built of sky scrapers.

Rain beat heavily against his back as he walked towards the guards. "I a Strife Cloud, I request an audience with your Leader, Agito-sama, he will know who I am." Konoha's ANBU Captain would love to say that this was a congratulations meeting for an old friend but there was another intention hidden in the transfigure that would reveal itself shortly.

Agito was at the Lake in Amegakure, it was one of his favorite places to be at, he was staring out over the beautiful water, thinking of all the time he has spent out at this lake, when suddenly behind him one of his ANBU appeared to collect the request to allow the one known as Cloud to be lead to Agito, as for the Rain, little did people know, it was really of Agito's own conjuring, his Rain Tiger at Will technique, allowed him to keep an eye on the village for intruders, Agito had a clone in the office , but he was meditating, absorbing Sage chakra, Agito always kept one of these on stand by doing such a thing, never knew when he would need a refill.

Agito had flashbacks to the war, his kage had hired a mercenary for a job awhile back, Strife Cloud was the name of the man, Agito remembered first meeting the blonde man, Agito chuckled as he remembered bumping heads with the man, they felt like they themselves should have lead that particular mission, only for Agito to be proven wrong and finally concieding to Cloud to lead that day, he was hired for the job for a reason anyways, his hair was not quite as long at that time, nor did he dress so noble and regal, he wore his ANBU gear back then.

Now Agito stood in his white and red Kimono with the spiked metal bits that went around his arm and the other one going across his chest, the spikes point outwards, and the fluffy scarf draping over a shoulder, almost like a tail, over his right shoulder specifically, he liked to keep his left arm as free as possible.

Agito and Cloud had a little history together as the former to him had hired Cloud during the Warring Era they had all lived in. It was only a few moments before the ANBU Captain was allowed to make his way, accompanied by two shinobi from Amegakure in his short walk to where the current Kokage had decided to spend this afternoon. The mission they had partaken in had led with Cloud being the commandant of the unit, which was what he was hired for.

"It seems that the myth is a lie, some dark ANBU member can make his face as the head of a village. Even one as luxurious as Amegakure." There was a smile on his face as the ANBU Captain by habit took in all of his surroundings, down to what Agito wore nowadays compared to his old ANBU Amegakure gear.

Agito Smirked as he heard the voice, he spun around to face Cloud with the smirk on his face, taking in the cloths the man wore, wondering if anything was different, so much clouded his mind at this time with his recent asencion and all happening, Agito spoke back to the blonde one, while waving his two ANBU off "And a Mercenary could easily make allegiences without getting paid, How is that for a Myth brought to life? Agito Kept his smirk on his face, He knew of only one with the power to teleport, and the nickname of Bloody Flash of Konoha , was not one to be hidden easily

"What brings you here friend? Are you in need of some Ryo and wonder if I could use your abilities for something? Agito pondered to the man, his head tilting slighty as he waited to hear the reason for this meeting which was unschedualde, but not unwelcomed, It was nice to see a face of someone who survived, most of his ANBU of today were much lower down the chain then he used to communicate with when he was the Commander

"Ah yes, well as you know, the world around us is changing everyday. It's hard to make a living as a merc when every major and minor land has an army of shinobi to dispose of at a much less cost than what I would charge. Besides, Konohagakure called to me from the first time I laid eyes on the land. I needed something stable." Cloud admitted to the Kokage as he began to move next to him and closer to the large body of water that he was accompanying his time by. "I could never live in this damn rain.."

The blonde's eyes moved upward as he turned his head back towards Agito. "Here to congratulate you on the new position. Of course there is something else but we need not discuss it just yet...Maybe you can treat me to some sake and we'll discuss more?" Cloud said with a serious look in his eyes but smile playing on his face.

Agito nodded as he listened to his old commrades words, and he would sigh softly, it was true, Konoha had sunk its teeth in, and then the comment about the rain, it made Agito chuckle softly, he kept quiet, then the mention of Sake and Agito would nod, leading the man away from the lake and waving him to follow him to the sake bar nearby, small little place, but to him, best view and best sake, Once they were sat down at a table and the Sake served Agito would actually speak to Cloud.

"The Rain is my doing, Allows me to keep an eye on my village for intruders, I knew the moment you were here, as who it was , was another question, Now I know..... So what is this other business that brings you here old friend?" Agito would sip the sake in front of him as he kept his eyes on Cloud

The Kokage was silent as he just gave the ANBU Captain a small nod that sent them on their way to the restaurant. Amegakure seemed like such a big place with all of the buildings that stretched higher than anyone could see, even if they tilted their head completely back. It was a calmness about those tall black buildings with faces and demons that struck themselves from random skyscrapers faces along the way up. For the villages being constructed short ago, their artheciural value was incredible.

Agito revealed that he was part of the rain, it was a jutsu that allowed him to track invaders. "Ah, senjutsu?" Cloud asked out of curiosity more than anything. The subject of talk had turned to what he was doing there and the blue eyes suddenly shifted. "I received some intel, a Kiri Jounin killed one of Konoha's in cold blood. Admittingly to not spare any details, the Leaf Nin may have been carrying one of the First Mizukage's scrolls that had been found around where all of the original Gokage's bodies were found." Cloud's hands met and crossed in front of his face.

Agito shook his head no to the word Senjutsu , It was not a Senjutsu, Agito knew from experience if it was a Senjutsu that he would have known just who it was, and where they were located, but Agito listened to Cloud as he spoke and then he nodded, when Cloud fell silent Agito looked up at him and spoke in a calm collected voice, one that indeed was appropiete for this serious moment "So Konoha is looking to retaliate in some way over a Jounin who had possession of a scroll and got killed when a member of the village it belongs to decided its rightful place was where it belonged in the first place ?" Agito asked, as that was the way this was seemingly to go, however he could be wrong, but rather it could be Konoha is scared of a war starting, due to their scrounging and taking of things from dead bodies just because it was left unclaimed at such a time when they got there

There was a confirmation that the rain wasn't senjutsu as Agito seemed to listen intently and questioned the ethics it seemed that they wanted to retaliate. The ANBU Captain crossed his hands in front of his mouths as the eye lids shut over the blue eyes. "It sounds bad when you say it like that but our deal is, we need to avenge the Jounin, he was a valued member of our village but the major villages are very much so in a turmoil situation. All five of the original Gokage were killed not even a year ago at almost the same time.."

Cloud opened his eyes and took a small sip from his sake. "If we attack, it'll toss us into a major war. One that would involve many nations. We haven't come to a decision on what we will do yet but I wanted to clarify and ask as a friend first. Side with the Leaf and our allies Agito.."

Agito would mimic the hand crossing that cloud did, while leaning forward on his knees and he asked the friend of his " So you are asking a friend, to risk himself and his country, over a Jounin, who had no right taking the scroll he had, and was killed by the rightful owners of the scroll, yes I know it sounds bad, because it is bad, think about it for a moment Cloud. That Jounin should not have had the scroll in the first place, I cannot risk my village over something so trivial as a life of someones who was ultimatly in the wrong."

Agito grew silent for a moment after he said what he did, to allow it to sink in. Then he spoke again "However, my own life is for me to do with as I wish ultimatly, and I do not wish to lose a friend, so I personally shall answer the call, this is not an allegience with the Leaf, but a favor and duty to a friend." Agito would then lean back and sipped the sake as he allowed Cloud a moment to listen to his words and let them simmer in his head before saying anything else.

It was the truth and there was no doubt to that. The Mizukage's scroll was not the Jounin, nor the Leaf's yet the man had stolen it with the pretext to give it to Konoha. Whether someone ordered it or the man moved on his motive.. well, no one would ever know then. "I suppose it is too much of a favor to ask. Besides, the last thing we need to toss this world into is another great war to consume the rest of the young." Many young shinobi had died during the Warring Era.

In fact, the going rate of death was 13-16. Those who were 22 to 25 now were the ones who survived that age. But Agito surprised him with the statement that he would help personally. "Well you've made me think of it more. Maybe we should decide to allow this to pass by while we still have plausible deniability and say that Uzumaki Hoshu moved of how own will and not the Fire's.." It had caused a spark inside of his head but there was something else that Agito could help him with.

"Is it true that you once fought against the First Hokage before the Leaf was established Agito?"

Agito would chuckle , he knew he could talk sense into his friend, and when he went to take a sip of Sake, the question about the first hokage was asked, Agito spun his head to the side and spewed out the Sake and he looked up at Cloud " Totally, I totally fought the first hokage before the leaf was founded and lived to tell the tale" Agito would give it a moment for the sarcasm to sink in.

Then Agito rose his eyebrow and asked "Where did you hear this rumor? Who spoke it?" Agito would sip his sake again, applogizing to the waitress who came to clean up the spewed Sake, he gave her a tip of a few extra ryo for her hard work and he leaned back as he listened for Cloud to speak.

The question seemed to trigger a response to Agito as he spewed out his latest shot of sake and said in a joking manner that he had fought the First Hokage and lived to tell the story about it. There was a slight twitch that came over Cloud's face.. He needed someone who knew senjutsu and had faced the 1st Hokage in battle before. Someone who knew of the feeling that the First put off when his chakra was emitted from his body. "Where did I hear that rumor.. I suppose it went more of someone of great battle from Amegakure had done battle with the 1st Hokage."

"Perhaps I am thinking of your predecessor. Was he more than likely someone of that stature to have stood up to the strongest Senju?" The blonde asked as he poured the last bit of sake down his throat. "I wouldn't mind finding someone who had went head to head with him and survived.."

Agito tapped his chin for a moment and sighed, and he would shake his head "Do you not remember our mission together? You know I have Senjutsu by now I hope" Agito would then ask the blonde " Why Specifically do they have need of fighting the first with Senjutsu? " Agito would finish the rest of his own sake and placed the cup upside down, and then leaned back on one arm and had one leg across the floor as the other leg was foot on the ground.

Agito tilted his head at his friend as he waited, this man was all over the place and seeking answers of all kind, what was his true purpose here, that seemed to be the biggest mystery at the present to Agito, his long hair flowing down his back and across the floor a little, his yellow eyes peering into Cloud's Eyes.