First Act of a Leader

I had made it home, after being gone for all these years I had finally made it home. I stood on the edge of the Colosseum, up on the highest wall looking down on the people. I was wearing my navy blue robe with black pants and boots along with black gloves, I was covered head to toe including my face which had the mask I hand crafted myself. I stood with my arms crossed looking down, the people seemed in panic and I could only assume that something had gone hay wire down in the village. I jumped down from the wall and focused chakra to my feet so I could land softly on a speech platform made of obsidian that was directly outside the Colosseum gates, obviously where the advertiser would usually stand. I listened to the sounds of the people running around picking up bits and pieces of what was occuring, I picked up attack, kage tower, and 8 people. There was obviously either a coup being enacted on the kage or just an attempt on his life, either way I had to have faith in the kage, as I was raised to do, that he will have the power to suppress the threat for now, It would be the least he could do for the village before I ask him to stand down.

My job was right here, right now, my first challenge as a kage was to calm my people and get them to have faith in their government to defend them, as I was always raised. I stood on the platform and took a deep breath from under my mask and yelled out as loud as I could "People of Huoshangakure! Give me your attention for just a few moments so I can help you in this dark time!" The plaza in which I was located became dead quiet and they all stopped and stared at me, giving me mixed signals from the crowd. Some looked at me with fear, like I was an enemy as well here only to harm them. Others looked at me with curiosity and disbelief like I was just a crazy man trying to get my moment in the spot light. Nonetheless I had their attention, and that's all I needed.

I began to speak to them all while walking back and forth on the platform "None of you know who I am, but I know all of you. I was born and raised in this village and cherish it above all other things in my life, I left for a while but I'm back here now and I'm here to help you all." The crowd stared silently at me until one guy yelled out angrily "How can we trust you if you won't even show us your face?!" This was followed by a bunching of agreeing squabble and noises from the crowd, I continued to speak to them "The only reason I hide my face is because I don't wish to take credit for bringing this village out of the hole its in, I want to remain faceless to you all and solely be the hand that raising you out of the clutch of misfortune, not the face. I know you all may blame your problems on the kage of the past but it is important that you realize that they tried their hardest to defend you, even if they failed, your problems can't be blamed on any one man but on the aggressors of the outside world." At this point a large crowd had surrounded around my platform, seemingly lost in the words I spoke. I was trying to reach them as a true leader should

Another citizen chimed in, a female this time, saying "Well if it's the aggressors of the outside world what can you even do about it!" Again some agreeing yells arose from the crowd and I signaled with my hands for them to lower their volume so I could continue..."My people, there is truly nothing I can do to control the thoughts of the leaders on the outside, or the actions that they may try to force upon us. But I can try to keep us out of the affairs of the outside world, focusing only on the bettering of our society in the city. Now I don't plan on completely isolating us, our ninja will still go to foreign Chuunin Exams and trade between the other countries will continue un-hindered, But I, as Kage, will not sign any binding alliances with any one country, nor get involved in any conflicts or wars they may start with each other, Huoshangakure will be a neutral nation focused only on the goal of FINALLY giving us a time of peace!" As I finished the last statement of my speech the entire crowd erupted in a mixture of applause and clapping. I had managed to take a panic situation and completely flipped the mood. The look in my peoples eyes were looks of hope instead of fear, happiness instead of pain, and excitement instead of anxiety I had accomplished my first of many challenges to come as the new Honokage of my home.

I stood silently amongst the panicking crowd, peering through the mass of people that barely noticed my presence. I looked for any sign of trouble, any sign of the enemy that had attacked the village. I looked for them attempting to disguise themselves through the mass hysteria, which is what I would have done if I were them. I looked for any sign of another attack, for I knew there was still conflict going on at the Kage tower. I cared little for the Honokage at the time, so I let that go. My main goal in mind currently was to calm the people running throughout the streets. Sure, I didn't particularly like the people, but what good was devising and remaining in hiding when the hysteria of the people would draw attention the village as a whole, and in turn myself? There was no good in the situation to benefit me, so I decided to attempt at calming things down.

I wore a black robe, as dark as the soot clouds formed over the sky from the cries of weary volcanoes. My black hair hung loosely over my head, fitting to no particular fashion. My red eyes pierced through the night, while I had activated my Mangekyou Sharingan. My expression was grim, and my thoughts were silent. Just as I had begun to devise a plan, a loud voice rang out through the streets nearby. A booming voice, full of authority. I walked closer to get a better look at what was transpiring.

On top of the obsidian stage, where the town crier for the Coliseum battles usually stood, stood an odd man in a navy robe wearing a mask over his face. A mask... hm.. I liked the idea. The idea of hiding my identity with a simply structure.. I would keep it in mind. As I listened, the man's voice rang out over the ears of the people, calming them from panic to hushed awe. He preached of isolating the village, to days of peace and neutrality that he could somehow guarantee.

"Foolish.." I thought to myself, "But he has heart. I need a man with such strength of words to use in my plans. Perhaps befriending and aiding him would prove beneficial to me in the future." I walked up to the man's platform and looked him dead in the eyes that shown through his mask. "I offer my services as ANBU captain of your new village, and will personally come with you to ask the former Honokage to step down." I awaited his reply.

I started to wave to the people of the village as I smiled from underneath my ivory mask. I was then approached by a young man from the crowd below and he looked me dead in the eyes, my facial expression under my mask morphed from smiling to serious as I noticed his eyes, he was an Uchiha. I wasn't sure whether to trust him or not as I had a prejudice from people in his clan for reasons of my own. I looked him back in the eyes unwavering and responded "You're obviously a high ranking Uchiha so I know you're powerful, but as for being my ANBU captain when I become Honokage, you'll have to proof to me you can be trusted with such a title. Also, this is not my village it's our village." I said the last part loud enough for most of the crowd to hear and they cheered again, I was curious to how this Uchiha man would respond.

I could see his body expression tighten, and the eyes under the white mask grimace as he looked down upon me from his perch. He didn't enjoy my presence.. I wondered why that was. "Have I met him before?" I asked myself in my head. It was curiously perpetual how reluctant his words were, and how grim his movements. Something about me made him tick. What was it?

The way he went about his answer to my offer gave it away. I had been studying people and their ways of behavior for many years now, and this one was obvious. Instead of addressing me by saying, "You'll have to prove yourself first," or something along those lines, or "You look strong, but you'll have to show me," like any other leader would say. But no, he addressed my being an Uchiha before all other things he could have said. He said that I'm obviously a high-ranking Uchiha.. so he knows I'm powerful? He said that last part as though he had experienced a high-ranking Uchiha before, and he said the word Uchiha with melancholy. He did not like my clan for some reason, and I intended to find out why. Also, I meant to see what was under that mask, for maybe it would reveal a clue.

The next thing he said was very painful to hear. "This isn't my village, it's OUR village!".... Really? Out of all the corny things to say in the large assortment of things he could have said, he chose that? Well, it got the crowd going, but when he focused on addressing the rest of the people for that last part, instead of focusing on me like he was before gave something away about his personality. He was trying too hard. Don't get me wrong, I will support his actions, because I think it will benefit me, but he was trying too hard. If he kept the same motif he had just created for himself, he would eventually come to ruin. This was HIS village, he was about to be the Honokage. No matter which way he sliced it, that's how it was. There was no elected council, no Parliament, it was just him. It was HIS village. If he focuses on making the people happy too much, like he did in this speech, he would eventually fall. I will have to make sure I only stick around before things start to go downhill in this village.

I replied to his statement, "Very well. Do you have a name I can address you as until you become Honokage?" It was a very simple question, and I was curious as to how he would respond. "And I will be escorting you to the kage's tower, if that's alright with you. I want a few words from the formor Honokage."

When the young uchiha asked for a name to call me before I became Honokage. I hadn't really had given it a moments thought until now, what would I be called? I answered the uchiha with "Just call me Fumei for now, it's nice to meet you." I offered him my hand to shake to be polite and then I heard him offer to take me to the current Honokage, the one whom I needed to speak with. I simply nodded and looked at the man and then jumped off the platform and into the crowd with the Uchiha, being grabbed by many people in the crowd as well.

As I lead this strange man through the crowds of people, many thoughts were being pondered inside my head. I was working my mind on full overload to attempt to figure this guy out, and mostly, I had already. I just needed to process this last bit of information. "Just call me Fumei," is what he told me to name him. The way he said it, the way he had to think about it, gave it all away. Fumei was obviously not his real name. He couldn't even say his name, let alone show his face? I personally didn't think that he was going to be able to adjust a rule with that aptitude, but somehow, the people enjoyed his speech. I was still curious, and more than a little cautious. This man comes out of nowhere, literally out of nowhere, and claims he is future Kage? That he's just going to step in and expect that he can just walk into the title because he calmed a mob down? No, it didn't sit right with me, but I could not let him see that. Manipulation is only possible, when every bit of you can pull through the lie. This man, nor any man, would see my true intentions. Even when my plan would begin to unfurl, even when the grasps of other men's minds would think they had me figured out, they would all be wrong.

I would continue walking through the crowd and begin to head in the direction of the kage tower, towards the people assaulting my village. I would look back to the man following me to make sure he knew where we were going and the danger it may entail. I spoke to him "You're positive you want to go? These people attacking are obviously not mediocre or they wouldn't have gotten as far as they had." I waited for the uchiha boy to respond, still walking in the direction of the tower but slower than normal, giving him the chance to leave if he wanted to.