Hidden Villages

I: Politics

"I want you to attend the Kumo Council meetings from now on."

He'd found himself arriving at the designated place for meeting the Raikage ahead of time. The sound of children laughing nearby drew his attention, but not far away from the Raikage he saw some of the village children gathered around Killer B as he danced and rapped making up songs as he went. "Excuse me sir?"

"You heard me C. More specifically I've decided Darui and you will be my personal bodyguards."

C's mouth opened slightly knowing full well one didn't find oneself added to the Kumogakure Council let alone made one of the personal bodyguards of the Raikage unless one was a highly skilled shinobi. He watched one of the newly appointed Raikage's eyebrows shoot up as the corner of his mouth also turned up.

"You don't think yourself a skilled shinobi?"

"No. Aren't I a bit young?" C turned so he might look at the man better.

A laugh escaped from deep in the man's gut. "Are you a bit young? I am thinking the council needs some fresh young blood with fresh ideas. Plus, I think Killer B would enjoy having the company."

"I see." Doubt regarding the decision still plagued C's mind. In particular he found himself doubting the idea of pairing himself up with Darui. The other teen was from his year, but wasn't known for taking things seriously. Why the Raikage would pick two shinobi with two very different personalities C honestly didn't know.

Killer B began rapping about the shinobi in question as he approached, but the children swarmed the other teen. C said nothing and instead let the Raikage speak. "As I was saying to C, you two are now my personal bodyguards."

"I'm honored." Darui said. His tone of voice seemed to carry a level of familiarity with the Raikage, yet C mentally calculated this as something expected due to Darui being one of the Raikage's prized students.

C made a quick bow realizing he'd not followed proper etiquette himself. "It is an honor Lord Raikage."

"You need not be so formal C."

The teen didn't react but instead kept all emotions in check. One of Darui's eyebrows rose up, but he said nothing as the Raikage motioned for them to follow him and Killer B to the council. He walked slightly behind the Raikage - a definite place of trust for any shinobi, but kept his eyes focused on anything out of the norm.

He didn't expect Darui to tap C in the chest making the other shinobi look down. "I never thought I'd be partnered with you of all people."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean by that?" Darui smirked.

The lack of clarification didn't bother C and instead he focused on following after the Raikage. They arrived at the designated place for the council meeting. When the rest of the council arrived the Raikage introduced his two new bodyguards.

A few of the elders gave the two teens dirty looks, yet C wasn't surprised given the fact there were quite a few shinobi who were older looking for a position on the council. None of the council members questioned the Raikage's decision regarding his personal bodyguards, and yet something told him he would speak with the senior members of his clan later on regarding this decision he possibly didn't know about.

The Raikage quickly moved into the meetings current agenda. A council member in his mid-twenties spoke eventually.

"We teach the students going through the academy that one of the goals of Kumogakure is to consolidate as much of the shinobi strength into this village as possible, but that this is utmost important to our survival as a village."

"And your point Wakino Masazumi?"

"The previous Raikage decided to forbid the consolidation of power by the means of kidnapping young shinobi to marry into our family lines to make them stronger. Not only did this not make any sense, but I think...."

Hearing of the past custom caught C's attention, yet he didn't let any emotion show as per the senior C's training.

"What did you not understand about the previous Raikage's reasons for not continuing that practice?" The fourth Raikage's voice boomed over the room, but a silence fell over the room. A few glances from certain council members said they didn't like this decision.

The current Raikage continued. "Let me remind you that our practice of kidnapping young shinobi to marry into our clan lines to strengthen them led to the purging of bloodlines in the Land of Water as they would rather destroy a power they feared than let it fall into the hands of another land or village."

The man named Wakino Masazumi frowned. "How is the decision of another village our fault?"

"Fool ya fool,

How can you not see

That through treaty

Casualties are less
And before I digress

The archaeologically digs
Give to us more bigs
Also fool ya fools
Shinobi not just tools
Each an individual
Of which is integral
For the village survival
And we'll have no rival
Fool ya fool."

C found himself turning his head towards Killer B who'd rapped his entire speech to the entire council.

The Raikage nodded his head in agreement. "We can't forget that these shinobi we brought in and their children are individuals, but I'll also remind you that our practice of kidnapping young shinobi to marry into our clan lines also almost caused a treaty between our village and Konohagakure to fall apart because the man overseeing the treaty attempted kidnapping the heiress of one of their clans."

Soon the council was dismissed and yet C saw that some of the council members were displeased. He and Darui followed the Raikage to his office and found themselves standing guard outside while looking in. Darui leaned up against the wall with his eyes closed lazying about making things rather quiet.

"They never taught us about that in the academy."

Darui's words were unexpected, yet C found himself replying. "That's one of the darker sides of our village the older shinobi aren't fond of talking about, but there are still shinobi which try and seek brides for themselves or their sons. Some attempt finding other ways to secure power for their clan because of what happened with Konohagakure."

"I don't get what's so horrible about that secret when shinobi have always taken prisoners when they defeated the enemy."

"Not only were we not at war but negotiating a treaty with that village there is the issue of the man negotiating the treaty, the child he attempted kidnapping was only three years of age, yet rumor has it he didn't intend on marrying her off to a son like most do. Also, more often than not those taken from other villages are seen as tools and not as individual people."

Killer B suddenly leaned out from inside of the doorway almost as if he was thinking of sneaking off. Darui smirked at C in amusement. "Wow. I didn't ask for an explanation in the first place, but that guy was a pedophile?"

C's eyes blinked as he took in what his new partner said. "No. He was impotent and his wife wanted a daughter in what had been a fruitless marriage."

One of Darui's eyebrows shot up. "I guess this is the kind of explanation one would expect from a straight-laced virgin like yourself."

"I'm actually not a virgin..." C watched the look of surprise on Darui's face. "... but I'm also not sure why our conversation turned to that particular topic."

"That... what."

Killer B leaned further out and began to rap.

"Fool ya fool,
Don't forget your individuality
That you're an important shinobi
Not just someone defined as a tool
Fool ya fool, fool ya fool."

C simply watched on silently. Darui simply said, "That's something you'll get used to I guess."