The Raikage scowled as he looked around the table. "How does Konohagakure plan to deal with this pest?"
"First," said Hiruzen Sarutobi. "We shall share all information and leads with all villages. Second - we shall assist whenever possible in the hunt for Orochimaru, his bases, agents, and allies."
"So you plan on ducking the blame on this?" asked Ay, sneering at the old man.
"Not at all," said Hiruzen Sarutobi, apparently dismissing any threat from the Raikage as inconsequential. "We suggested this Kage Summit and arranged for it to be held in the neutral Land Of Iron."
"Only three Kage showed up," noted Onoki. "Me, Ay, and you - Sarutobi. Baki there is a representitive of Suna. No offense, but a 'Three Kage and a Stand-In Conference' really doesn't say a whole lot about the seriousness of the situation."
"Was the Kazekage caught in one of the attacks?" asked Ay.
"I can neither confirm or deny that," said Baki. "Know, however, that I act with the full authority of the Kazekage in this regard."
"Ah," said Hiruzen Sarutobi, thinking that sounded more or less like a 'yes' to him.
"Well, we've all gotten hit by your rogue-nin's attacks," said Onoki. "I was inclined to dismiss them as merely annoying until recently. Why catgirls anyway?"
"My people believe he's working his way up to snake-girls," said Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Yes, that would make a lot more sense considering what we know of him," admitted Onoki.
"These 'catgirls' have slightly greater strength, exceptional hearing and their ability to determine where a sound is coming from is also exceptional," said Hiruzen Sarutobi. "It is their speed, flexibility, and agility that are the most boosted as far as their pre-transformation values are concerned. My medical staff has prepared a report if you care to peruse it."
"No need," rumbled Ay. "My own medical corps has already studied this change."
"I'll take it anyway, just to compare notes," said Onoki.
"As will I, just in case we caught something you missed - we can then inform you," said Baki.
"Oh, I like that," said Onoki. "Good reply."
"Thank you," said Baki with a nod.
"What of you, Sarutobi?" asked Onoki. "How badly was your own village hit by this?"
"A fair number of Academy students were hit by the first few efforts, as well as genin - those are now mostly chunin, a few chunin who are still chunin but a couple have been busted back to genin." Hiruzen Sarutobi shrugged slightly. "It is complicated."
Onoki twiddled his moustache in thought. So roughly half of his shinobi force? A village hidden among the kunoichi?
"This 'catgirl' transformation seems capable of overwriting the earlier version," said the Raikage. "Troublesome."
"Quite," agreed the Hokage. "Fortunately, the de-aging part mostly does not kick in the second time."
"'Mostly'," noted Onoki. "So it does sometimes?"
"Yes, well, there seem to be a number of random factors involved," admitted Sarutobi. "It's being researched."
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(Posted Sat, 11 May 2013 17:00)
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