Tsunade's Office

[Nicholas]

Arms crossed, Nicholas leaned against his usual spot outside of Tsunade's office as he waited to be called in. While he had no idea why she had called him there almost as soon as they had gotten back, it was fine by him since he had some things he wanted to discuss with her as well.

[Tsunade]

"Enter!" Tsunade called from behind her desk. She put her hands on the table and attempted to look relaxed. In all actuality she was stressed, but then again, when wasn't she stressed? She let out a brief sigh before Nicholas stepped in. She gazed down a moment at the two open folders on her desk, one with Rena's picture in it, the other with Misuke's.

Along with those two folders, but closed for the moment were other folders of course, one of which held the name of yet another Akita, as if one wasn't enough in her village. She fought back a groan.

She looked up at Nicholas, "I understand you have somethings you wish to discuss with me?" She asked, telling him to take the floor first.

[Nicholas]

Slightly unnerved by her perceptiveness despite the lack of any signs he had given, Nicholas kept it from his appearance.
"It's of a personal nature, and it can wait until after whatever it is you need me here for."

[Tsunade]

"There seems to be alot of personal business going around lately," Tsunade said, then she straightened her back even more and turned the two opened folders so that they would face Nicholas.

"Very well, it seems we have taken on two new temperary villagers while you were gone. The reason I'm bringing them to your attention is well, if you read the file of the girl, then I'm sure that you'll understand it for yourself." Lady Tsunade said. She waited for Nicholas take the files and read them, clasping her hands over the desk.

[Nicholas]

Slightly puzzled, Nicholas closed the distance from where he was standing to the Hokage's desk before picking up the folder and reading it. The kid had a nasty past, but nothing that was at all uncommon for that region, and apart from the uncanny resemblance to himself at that age, Nicholas saw nothing that really caught his attention. Picking up the second file, Nicholas only got about halfway down the first page before his eyes flashed in surprise, grip slightly tightening on the papers.
"You're absolutely certain? Have you actually seen her use it without a doubt?"

[Tsunade]

Tsunade frowned slightly, the lines creased her eyebrows.

"No, I haven't actually seen her use it. Everything that I have heard has come from shinobi in Suna. Apparently the Akatsuki has also heard everything that I have heard and they made a move to add her to their ranks whether willingly or by force. Thankfully she was able to put them off mostly by herself and they have accepted refuge here in Konoha. While they are here, I was thinking you would like to take a special interest in them." Lady Tsunade responded.

[Nicholas]

Nicholas looked back at the papers, silent for a moment.
"You're right for thinking that I'd be interested in this. I was starting to think that my abilities were little more than a fluke, but apparently not. Is there anything else? If not, I'd like to discuss what I wanted to speak with you about."

[Tsunade]

Tsunade leaned back in her chair and nodded for Nicholas to go on with what he wanted to speak to her about. She let her eyes move to another folder on the desk, one with intel regarding Akemi's notes of the latest mission and her request for an absence from the village to travel to Getsugakure in hopes of re-establishing a connection with her home village and perhaps strengthening the bonds between the two villages.

[Nicholas]

"I would like to apply for leave - a month if possible, but two weeks would be sufficient as well. Also, I'd like you to keep Akemi Yamagata from leaving the village if at all possible. Knowing her, I'm already fairly certain that she's applied to leave for her home, but I'm also fairly certain that she left out the attempt on her life while we were en route to the Land of Rice. Normally that wouldn't be a problem, but the assassins clearly named a Yamagata as their contractor."

[Tsunade]

Tsunade's frown deepened as she listened to Nicholas' request. She did know that there was a contract against Akemi's life. She had managed to get that information from Jysika when Jysika first came back to the village after having to leave the group. She was also very familiar with the Yamagata Clan, and was sure that it wasn't really like the leader of that Clan to choose assassins from outside to do the job, especially one this close to home.

"I appreciate your worries concerning Akemi Yamagata's request to journey back to Getsu, and I assure you that I'm very informed on the whole situation whether by Akemi or by other sources, but I'm inclined to approve her request. I am also approving your request as well for leave. I would like you to finish what you must there in as short a time as possible, especially given the new recruits that could use your assistance here, but you may take up to a month if need be." Tsunade stated.

[Nicholas]

Nicholas nodded once.
"Understood, and thank you. I'll try and keep it to less than a month if possible, and it'd probably be best if you either kept it quiet that I'm gone or if that isn't possible, make it clear that I'm acting on my own."
Turning around and briskly walking out of the office, Nicholas did not bother heading home before making his way to the village gates. While it'd be a nightmare cleaning his home out after no one had been there in two months, the fact that Tsunade had made it clear that she was going to approve Akemi's proposal put pressure on him to move quickly. The corner of his mouth twitched once in annoyance - that pressure also meant that he wouldn't be able to simply deal with Ryo face to face and be done with it. Getting close and doing it quietly would take time if he wanted to do it without alerting the rest of the clan, and time was the one thing he didn't have anymore. Checking in with the guard post at the village gate, Nicholas left through the massive doors. As much as he didn't like it, he'd need to use brute force if he wanted to finish up and be gone by the time Akemi arrived - it also meant that he'd likely need to call in a few favors if he wanted to arrive in time.

[Kekeya Sasaki]

-----NEW RP--------

Kekeya walked up to the door, his presence having been requested. Before he entered, he knocked, but didn't wait for an answer, just walked in after knocking. "Yes, Hokage?"

[Tsunade]

"I have a new mission for you Kekeya. We've recently received quite a few new youths into the village, I'm sure you'll be running into a few of them eventually. However, there is one in particular right now that I want you to get acquainted with. She should be here shortly." Tsunade said, and crossed her arms over her desk, letting her hands be covered the the sleeves of the other arm.

Just then another knock came on the door and it opened. Kimiko entered without waiting for Tsunade to call for her.

"I'm here," Kimiko stated, and stopped when she saw Kekeya. She looked curiously at Tsunade. Tsunade gave Kimiko an annoyed look, then focused her attention back on Kekeya.

"This is Kimiko Sumera, she is new to the village. Your new duty will be to tutor her. It seems you have some of the same abilities." Tsunade explained.

[Kekeya Sasaki]

Kekeya looked over at Kimiko with an incredulous look, then back at Tsunade. "Wait-wai-wah-wuh-wuh-hold on. I just got back half dead, and now I gotta play baby-sitter?" Kekeya was as about as close he could get to letting his bad temper loose in front of the Hokage, and not sound like a... a... stubborn mule (yeah, lets go with that).

[Tsunade]

Tsunade clenched her fist, her vein popping in her forehead as she looked at Kekeya. She fought the urge to stand up, walk around the desk and flick him out the window. Instead she rubbed her forehead with the unclenched hand and then focused back on him.

"If you would have given me a few more minutes before complaining, then I would have told you that you have a couple of days to rest before you start this." Then she gave him a warning look after letting her eyes move toward the stack of Sasaki folders that were now piled up on her desk. She REALLY HATED paperwork and because the Sasaki clan had decided to take temporary refuge in Konoha, she had quite a bit of it to do.

"Any more questions?" She asked, her voice as calm as possible.