Naruto SoundITP IC 1: A Melancholy Song of Hope To Come

[Lord Raziere]

Hokage Monument:
Well if your going to do something with that information, Kitsuki is right there rambling to anyone who listens:
"-So I was wondering if there was such a thing as chocolate ramen and trying to decide if such a thing would taste really good or really bad when my aunt who is a chef says she already tried that experiment and it did not well, so wondering how unwell did it end? Maybe it could be salvaged and we're all missing the theoretical perfect food with the invention of chocolate ramen and she just wasn't trying hard enough, after all my aunt thinks that her weird new food invention composed of like, tomatoes cheese and dough made into a flat circle will somehow catch on, when I'm like thinking it never will because it can't even be put into a bento and isn't ideal for using chopsticks to eat with so what is even the point, like using your hands to eat, who even does that? Its almost as crazy my uncles idea of putting grounded cow beef between two slices of bread and some cheese, but then again those two uzumakis are practically blacksmiths compared to the members of my family who think that adding more explosives to an experiment is doing real science when really they're just screwing around then taking notes about it, like sometimes I think some people treat science as just an excuse to blow things up for fun and maybe we should stop pretending and just admit thats what we're doing already-"
She will continue just rambling on like this about random things that pop into her head in a stream of consciousness manner. Ami listens silently wondering how her thought process jumped from food to explosives to how people treat science sometimes.

Torami and Satomi Debate Philosophy:
Satomi walks up to Torami
"Oh Kimiko I've seen you met a member of the Minegawa clan. The name's Satomi Uchiha."
"and I'm Torami, I see you've made high status allies already, Kimiko Ishikawa, mind If I ask you to be mine?"
"In what?"
"Why building a better world under a single rulership-mine. A competent rulership, a competent Shogun. Under my enlightened rule I could bring about an unprecedented age of peace. Worry not, how I achieve this station may not involve wars. There are ways for nations to sign treaties to unite peacefully and you could be my allies in-"
"Nah. Ruling people is pointless."
Torami raises an eyebrow at Satomi's response.
"A thousand years of history of people successfully commanding others, entire societies set up for it disagree, but go on. I'm curious to hear your thoughts."
"To rule over others is foolishness. Human nature cannot fundamentally be changed, and they will always have the same desires, habits and behaviors that degenerate any organization from competence into mediocrity given enough time. Your seeking of political power is fundamentally foolish, as it only feeds into continuing a cycle of how people attain socio-political power, how its wielded and thus how it eventually is distributed or defied. Such soft power is either contractual or an illusion depending on your point of view and eventually fails, leaving only hard power to be used to enforce one's rule which when its starts being used decays even faster. It is not worth seeking such soft power when you can seek hard power without bothering with soft power's costs and obligations that come with it. You become a daimyo you have to act like one and fulfill its functions for the common people who if they perceive you as failing what they expect of you too much will rebel regardless of how fruitless it would be, and crushing that rebellion by force only dwindles the population of your own nation, hurting yourself. It is not worth being a ruler at all, when power can be gained without its downsides."
"Ah Satomi, you forget that power is not an end unto itself, but a means to an end: the good of all people it is used to serve. Costs to the ruler are worth it if the gains for everyone are great enough, for an enlightened ruler exists to serve and protect the people even as the people obey the ruler. People repeatedly throughout history demonstrate a desire not to deal with various problems themselves but rather make governments deal with these problems, wishing only to live in peace in their little existences while someone else deals with it for them, protects them. It is thus the job of a ruler to fulfill this desire and make sure they do what others cannot, take on the burdens of the peoples worries so that the people do not have to. If the ruler must suffer for the common people then it is their duty to do so, so that no one else has to. But alas that cannot be, and we must train up armies to share the pain."
"You speak of the ruler suffering and being shogun but you ignore the fact that your own nation is on the late stage of how all power decays: into oligarchies. My information indicates your daimyo is little more than figurehead for an oligarchy of various old samurai and shinobi clans who have all the power in your nation. To climb the ranks of your power structure to its height is to do nothing but fall into a trap. How could you possibly hope to rule all nations when you won't even be able to rule your own?"
"Excuse me, the Land of Grass unlike most cultures and nations have survived since ancient times even without being an empire. If anyone has the most experience with how power and governance works, its us. You say my quest is foolish, but how can traditions and culture that has survived longer than most have not be wrong? Other ways have come and gone, proclaiming superiority but governance is not measured in some momentary spike in quality, but the length of a successful rule. The game of empires and daimyos is a game of endurance and the ones who win are those who take any measure for their nation to last as long as possible. With tradition and acknowledgement of the cycle of rulership and how we can optimize that cycle to go as smoothly as possible to lessen the pain and conflict it causes. A system to acknowledge that governments do not last and need regular replacing or reforming every so often, before the people turn to violence and replace it for you. Something like estimating the realistic lifespan of an empire and putting in instructions to reform the government when that lifespan is met."
"Funny you should point that out, I'd argue that very cycle of rulership is proof that your nation isn't actually that long-lasting, but rather is proof that what we call "Land of Grass" is actually many Land of Grasses built on top of one another, each one replacing the last and doing things differently, changing tradition how the new one likes, with people unwilling to truly acknowledge the change as no longer being the Land of Grass that once was anymore. I doubt your culture or governance is truly similar or reflective of how people the Grass Empire of old ruled no matter how many traditions you keep to, as tradition is not unchanging but rather constantly changing, constantly being redefined and remade to fit the times and means people have available and what they currently believe and value. You cannot possibly optimize that cycle when its constant motion- why would the corrupt rulers of a late stage government be willing to reform the government just because the early stage rulers said so? the entire point of late stage anything is that those in power want to cling to power as much as possible without letting anyone have it, such optimized reform might only just allow them to get even more power..."

[Rater202]

Menko is starring in open-mouthed horror at Kintsuki and has been ever since she said 'chocolate ramen.'

"Oh god, I know," Senko says on approach. "I like watching a fire burn as much as the next girl but... Although there does seem to be a correlation between people interested in science and engineering and those who possess a degree of pyromania, and 'do something to see what happens and then take notes' is the basic definition of an experiment..."

"Anyway, I would not knock your aunt and uncle's food experiments just yet. My uncle swears on this paste that is made of mashed chickpeas mixed with lemon juice, garlic, and this sauce that's made out of sesame seeds. I was skeptical but it's pretty good on flatbread. If we could find a way to make it keep I might start carrying some with me, it is protein-rich and... better than most of my attempts at vegan rations."

Snko doesn't want to out Kintsuki as a Jinchuriki in front of a bunch of people she needs a way to get her alone but all she can think of is...

"By the way, I uh... should have brought this up earlier when your team was offering to show mine around town, but it slipped my mind: I need to engage in certain... Meditation exercises for... Reasons, and they work better in a natural environment. You would not happen to know of a reasonably natural place where I could go and do my meditative exercises without worrying about disturbing anyone or being disturbed, would you?"

[Lord Raziere]

Team Konoha-7 and Team Oto-3: Break Off
They turn to Satomi who is the one who truly knows the way.
"Yeah sure, why not? This place is kinda getting filled with jerks anyways."
Team 7 and Team 3 will quietly depart from the view looking at the Hokage Monument. People are beginning to talk, boast and do the usual international competitive smack talk as is typical of the Chuunin Exams. Torami will look annoyed that such a philosophical conversation is cut short, but will move on.

Meanwhile Hisaki Uchiha, the chuunin assigned to keep track of Senko spots her and will follow the teams from a distance. Finally he had found her. Why was a Konoha team walking with them and chatting as if they're friends though? What were these Oto Nin up to? He had best tail them to see what information he can find, the better his report, the more likely his promotion.

You will soon arrive at Hashirama Park, a much more quiet place, mostly natural aside from the solemn stone statue of Hashirama of a modest size erected near the entrance with a couple other statues of certain yokai guarding it and the statue. It is peaceful but some may not help but notice all the things that might occur in the shadows of these trees and bushes so far from most people....
"Here we are"
Satomi says
"Hashirama park. Most peaceful place in Konoha. The man made it himself with his Wood Release, or so the tales say."

[Rater202]

Well ****. Senko had hoped to get Kintsuki alone for this. This isn't... Unless...

"It is a very lovely place. I can feel the flows of natural energy here."

She side-eyes Kintsuki.

"By the way, Kintsuki-san... Do your teammates know? Because Menko was following you to apologize for upsetting you when you went off on your own a little bit ago and... Overheard some things."

[Lord Raziere]

Kitsuki:
She realizes exactly what Senko is talking about, and The Fox is quick to start manipulating her.
You can't trust her. You can't trust anyone.
Thing is, Kitsuki doesn't want to talk about this, she doesn't want to be the Jinchuuriki at all. And she will try to deny it as much as she can.
"Uh, know about what? I have no idea what your talking about!"
She chirps, lying through her teeth. Gisei turns confused knowing the secret but not knowing what she is talking about, while Satomi turns and....her gaze is scrutinizing Senko closely. You have the feeling that she is already connecting dots in her head and Satomi steps forward before anyone else can speak and says smoothly and her voice at a lower volume.
"I would.....suggest you be careful with your wording Senko. Kitsuki is our treasured and valued friend, no matter who is interested in her....for whatever reason. Furthermore...I'd wager you think we are on her team for a certain....reason, regarding security. But I'm here to tell you that, your wrong, at least for the moment. If things went wrong, we would not be the people called upon, I assure you. There is a far more safe and secure group.....around for....y'know. What you think I'm here for. Which I might someday be, if things turn out for the worst."
"Wait are you talking about-"
"Sh!" Satomi cuts Gisei off quickly.
"Careful with what you say. Right now, we could be talking about anything. As long as its kept vague, we are safe. From what you ask? Can't tell you. Naming names either way gets people....jumpy. No one likes confirmation. So I urge you Senko, to be careful, and read between the lines. You don't know who might be listening in."

Hisaki:
He will watch from afar, hidden himself. What were they talking about?

In the Shadows:
Anbu makes sign languages to each other:
A1: What talk about?
A2: Voice lower. Know watch?
A3: Maybe.
A4: Kid Stuff?
A1: Maybe.
A3: Why Chuunin here?
A4: Hokage Order Scout Mission Snake
A2: Snake Steal? Coincidence?
A3: Unlikely. But Twice Coincidence.
And three times was enemy action, and that had yet to occur. This Anbu Team was assigned to watch over the Jinchuuriki of the Hidden Leaf village while the Chuunin Exams was upcoming. Both to step in when things got too out of control, and to keep others from taking her. Normally, they were just on standby in the village but first to be called if an incident occurred. Naturally they did this from the shadows. She was after all, the weapon that ensured the balance of power of the Shinobi Nations. Why in the world would Konoha trust the security of the Jinchuuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox, to mere genin when they can have their best watching, waiting and ready to do anything to ensure the peace of their nation? Their names matter not. Who they were matters not. What matters is that they are competent, deadly and fully capable of taking on a few Genin if need be. The question is, what exactly would they do if they found out that there was a security breach?

After all, while it would be bad if a ninja from another nation found out that someone was the jinchuuriki, its top secret information after all, there is a matter of politics. These Anbu knew Otogakure enough to know their political leanings. Its not as simple as killing a few foreign genin. The Anbu have to think about their villages ideals, what upholds the peace. While letting this matter get out of control from Konoha's hands would be a betrayal to their village, so would dealing with the problem in a way that would sour relations so to speak. While there is no doubt in their mind that Konoha if it came to it would destroy Otogakure and be willing to do so, there is the matter of whether its worth it. Don't spend when you can save after all. So therefore, they must give the whole of Otogakure no reason to be angry however they deal with the problem. Dead children found outside the Exam grounds was an entirely different matter to ones found within, no matter how arbitrary some humanitarian people may think the distinction. This was just as delicate a situation to them as it is to the genin they spy upon.

Complicating this, is that there other figures in the shadows that the Anbu do not know about. Rogue Shinobi who do not know why these Anbu are following these particular genin, and are following them for their own reasons. They unlike the Anbu however, are not united or together. They know of each other, but are just as cautious towards another rogue as they are to the Anbu. Acting too early, too rashly could make the Anbu discover and fall upon them, but screwing over one of them to use as a distraction while the rest escape if things turned south could be a good plan. But! Its best if Konoha didn't know any Rogue Shinobi were here at all. The best jobs were accomplished smoothly and without anyone going loud. This situation was too strange for them not to be curious, to investigate. After all, Anbu do not things without good reason, so they figure its in their best interests to figure out what those reasons are. This situation was just as delicate to the Rogue Shinobi as it was to anyone else.

It is no one's interests right now to start a fight, by silent unknown agreement. However anything to do with a Jinchuuriki is by its very nature, the deep end of the shinobi world, and thus these genin are unknowingly entangled in a web far above their heads.

[Rater202]

"So Kintsuki-san does not suffer from repressed anger issues? My offering to teach her the meditation techniques I use to manage my own very similar anger issues so that she does not have to rely on repression to get by is not necessary?"

"I apologize. Menko must have misheard. Still, Kintsuki-san, if you are interested, all you have to do is ask."

...Senko suddenly looks around. There's no sign if Mebnko.

"Wait... Menko? Where are you? I swear to god if we get disqualified because you are trying to dine and dash again I will turn you into a wallet."

Menko

Used her genjutsu to fall back, figuring that she'd just make the conversation more complicated.

Meaning she noticed Hisaki. She drops her Genjutsu and comes up behind him.

"So are you spying on Kintsuki-chan nd her friends or Senko-sama and her friends?"

[Lord Raziere]

The Genin:
"Why yes of course"
Satomi quickly says
"Everyone knows how the Uzumakis are a very....passionate clan. temper problems, anger management issues. runs in the family, you could say, right Kitsuki?"
She says to her, winking.
"Sounds real helpful."
The Fox within says
Don't trust the Uchiha. Don't trust the Oto girl. Don't trust anyone
Out of spite of the fox she says
"....Yes sure! I've been having such problems with that, I would like some help...."
She says awkwardly. She desperately tries to think of a way to get the Anbu off her back. She never liked how they stalked her, even if she couldn't detect them exactly. She knew someone was watching and that was bad enough. Problem is, what can one do to get away from four highly trained Anbu Jounin you don't even know where they are?

The Chuunin:
He doesn't expect Menko to be there and jumps a little turning to face her
"Oi! Snake....I'm not answering that question to a traitor like you. In fact...."
He suddenly gets out of the bush and says
"Oi! You team 7 brats, does your Jounin know about you hanging out with a bunch of screamers? You know that Death March Nara wouldn't be happy with you being friendly with them!"
Team 7 freezes at this. They clearly weren't mentioning who their Jounin-sensei was for a reason. and you have ALL heard of Death March Nara. He is basically the Sound Village's own personal boogeyman, one of the Three Deadly Leaves and said to be the most dangerous, strategical and methodical of them all. You have heard tales of him literally marching enemy troops to their doom with his shadows and being relentless in his revenge during the war, described more as this machine that inevitably comes to you whether you like or not, like some slowly approaching horror monster that gets closer to kill you, step by logical step, a cold frigid vengeance that creeps up to you like hypothermia in winter.
"Team 7, Is this true?"
"....Yeah, we kinda didn't want to bring it up? Its real awkward."
"We didn't intend any malicious by it, its just....an uncomfortable conversation to have with people you just met. but even if this is true, Uncle Hisaki, what are you going to do about it? Nothing illegal is happening here. People are allowed to be talk to one another, regardless of nation especially during the Chuunin Exams."
"Yeah, but I can let your Jounin-sensei know what you've been up to and suggest he assign you more and harder training so you don't slack off with a bunch of screamers."
"Wow, that'd be awfully petty of you, Uncle. Guess I'd have to be awfully to you back in some manner. Remember that Team 7 is very good at pranks and I know where you live."
"Wait, this guys your uncle?" Kimiko points out
"Yeah? Not exactly the best Uchiha cop on the force. I wouldn't be surprised if he's been spying because no one wanted a trash job like genin-watching and so dumped it on him."
"Oi! My orders are very important, genin! and respect your elders while your at it! its not genin-watching at all! I was just in the area and noticed this weird grouping you have going here. Like whats a bunch of Genin doing in a park away from everyone else hm? Especially Konoha and Oto nin together, a bit suspicious that! whaddya doing?"

The Shadows:
The hand signs flash amongst the Anbu more.
A2: What is Chuunin doing?
the hand signs are done in a particularly violent manner that suggests a "the hell" should be added between what and is, but there is no hand sign for that in Konoha Anbu Sign Language.
A1: No clue
A3: spreading dissent?
A2: why? pointless
A4: chuunin complicates, genin clam up
A3: what do?
They were all tempted to kill Hisaki for his incompetence right now, but they are Anbu. Their discipline is second to none and thus the feeling registers much like any other cold fact of life, almost academic or theoretical in how they consider it, thus being dismissed just as easily, almost inhumanly so. They were silently thankful he didn't seem to know that the Jinchuuriki of the village was right in front of him- some people are less useful the more they know. The problem is with a job like this, immediate action was almost always.....bad, in a sense. Impulse didn't get you information. Unless someone started making sudden violent movements, their best bet was to sit tight, see how this plays out and wait for a better opportunity to see how much the Oto-Nin know. Acting while Hisaki was around would make this....messy. They don't need messy. Last thing they need is some half-rate chuunin knowing who the Jinchuuriki is and potentially leaking who she is with a wagging tongue because they jumped the gun, like sure they could hide his body but its still a konoha citizen and soldier, and they were loyal to the village even if they didn't like this buffoon.
A1: Wait. Next time.

[Rater202]

"Traitor? But Mister Peeper, Ryuchi Cave wasn't loyal to the Leaf Village in the first place. We had an arrangement with a specific Leaf Ninja but when they died it was free game. If you upset about Senko-sama getting the contract it's your own fault for not sending someone to take the tests before she got there."

"Peeper, Menko?"

"Yeah, I caught him spying! But he won't say if he's spying on your team on Kin-chan's team."

"Well, that is quite a conundrum. See, if he was spying on Leaf's Team Seven then that's the Leaf's business, though I am not sure why he would be spying on them... But if he is spying out our team, that is a little bit beyond typical exams security, is it not? Singling us out? That is a potential international incident. Especially since he is throwing out slurs."

"And he has already admitted that he has been given orders for why he is here and that the interaction between our teams is not it..."

Senko looks very closely at Hisaki...

"How did you know that Menko was a snake? She has not assumed her true form since we got here. We have admitted that she is a summon, but we only explicitly said she was a snake when I admitted to being the snake sage outside of the Hot Springs. And... You were outside the hot springs when I emerged, were you not? I think you look vaguely familiar..."

"Yeah. And he seems like, really upset that you got the contract."

"So... From basic deductive reasoning, either someone overheard my confession outside the hot springs, or someone in the hot springs saw my tattooed contracts and recognized them for what they were. Either way, they reported back to your village leadership, and you were assigned to spy on me... Not for assasination. Unless these contracts are a lot more important than I thought they were the Leaf village would not risk having every other village on the continent sanction them or declare war over the breach of trust assassinating a genin during the exams would represent... And you cannot steal a contract that is tattooed on the summoner's body..."

Senko is just sort of taking it on faith that Team 7 didn't say anything.

"The leaf village wants access to Snake Summoners again. You were ordered to spy on me to find data that could be used to extort or negotiate access to the contract."

"Hmm. Your Hokage must put a great deal of value on the snake contract if he was willing to risk an international incident over it. I mean, we may be ninjas but sending someone to spy on an underage girl in the bath while she's visiting for the chunin exams is rather low..."

"I was open to the idea of negotiating access, all your Hokage had to do was ask... But now I think I was undervaluing it... And then there's the matter of your violation of my privacy..."

[Lord Raziere]

Hashirama Park: Gisei, Attempt to Preserve the Peace
"I'm not spying an anyone brat! You think you can come in here and threaten us with an international incident like that!? And if you were here to negotiate for that why in the hell didn't you just SAY SO!?"
".....He's got a point there, you kinda didn't exactly clearly state what your actual intent was, which is important for diplomacy? If you simply told me "Hey I'm Senko I have the Snake Contract I'm willing to negotiate access to it with the Hokage" I could told my father and he could've set the meeting up quite easily. Senju Clan cares a lot about diplomacy and we have a lot of power given that we're y'know.....one of the oldest clans in the village? Instead you told me some vague stuff about our clan's history or something.

But c'mon Senko, we don't need to threaten international incidents over some miscommunication, lets just de-escalate here. You don't really want both of our villages to suffer over something small and stupid like this. He was clearly spying on us because Team 7 are known pranksters and no one wants us to y'know, cause an international incident by pranking some foreign shinobi and thus mistaking it for some trap or whatever, got to keep watch over us."
He says, remembering his orders to preserve The Peace at all costs.
"Right, Hisaki?"
"Yeah uh....sure! That is what I'm doing."
"Yeah see, after all this entire thing was happening because of a communication stumble, imagine the problems that would arise if we decided to prank the wrong person! That would be even worse, y'know?"
"Wait then how did he know about Menko being a snake?"
"He's an Uchiha, their eyes see through genjutsu like that all the time. Real awkward when they see through someone disguising to make themselves look a little younger at parties y'know? hahaha."
"And the slurs?"
"I'm sure that he will understand and apologize for using such harmful words or Satomi will put in a bad word for him at the Konoha Police riiiiight?"
He turns and looks Hasaki meaningfully
"....Yeah sure I apologize for it and everything. My bad."
"See? We don't have to make this a big deal with such confrontational language, Senko. We're all allies here. Now I'm sure we can forget about this, and just go to my father and arrange some negotiations with the Hokage and we can get this all sorted out."
The Fox whispers to Senko:
Your enemies. Your enemies and you know it. Don't let them fool you. Don't let them control you.

[Rater202]

"Fine, you want to know my intentions? I came here for the exams with the intent to be open about my status as the Snake Sage and with the willingness to negotiate access if I was asked. Which I thought I had been clear on, Gisei-san, when I admitted to having the contract outside the hotspring."

"Furthermore my Uncle, who is currently serving as my regent until I come of age, thinks that we are owed reparation by the main branch of the Senju Clan for the whole attempted genocide thing. I myself am not so sure, however, and had been waiting to see how... Things went before pursuing such a thing. This would, naturally, mean, that starting such negotiations through your clan would run into a conflict of interest. That would have to be resolved first"

"Beyond that, I simply want to learn about other people and make a good showing to attract potential clients for my village, the same as everyone else here for the exams."

Senko thinks back at the Fox

"So that's confirmation that the Biju are sapient..." She basically just ignores the warning.

[Lord Raziere]

Hashirama Park:
Hisaki shuts up and decides to let Gisei do the talking.
"Ah... yeah, conflict of interest, that makes sense. Well....most ninjas WOULDN'T negotiate for the access, Senko. The idea of having those contracts is generally, to keep them out of other peoples hands. Like, explicitly, so that you can have it for yourself. That and to prevent conflict of interests like the summoning wars a few centuries back, before contracts for entire animal clans were made so that people kept summoning some of the animals to kill other members of their own clan and thus the summons couldn't trust their own family and such, it was real bad. If you gave access to Snake summoning to another village you risk the Snake Summon Clan potentially being summoned for interests that could run against yours and inviting conflicts of interest and distrust by saying, a relative of Menko here being summoned to fight Menko. I want to have faith that Konoha and Oto can be allies and that it never comes to comes to that, but....the bad history is still recent and you just saw firsthand how badly this can get just from a misunderstanding. Just something to think about

As for the actual negotiations....If you have a letter from your Otokage with his seal confirming that its from him and that he approves of you negotiating on Oto's behalf with Konoha for the purposes you have stated, you could quite simply hand it over for us to check its validity and that would be enough to get you an audience with the Hokage. Genin though you may be, it is not our place to question another village leader's decisions as to who they appoint to do these things. Do you have one? If not you can mail Otogakure through the bird delivery system to get approval, though it may take a few days."

(OOC: I am going to explicitly point out you can say that you already have spoken to Jirou in retrospect about this without having been roleplayed before to get this privilege and I will go with it, I'm not going to screw you on this, either way you do it)

[Rater202]

"Okay, one, I don't have any relatives. Or if I do, they're not worth talking about. Two, we're not loyal to villages, but to individual summoners, and like... Senko isn't just a summoner, she's the sage. Passed the tests, has the power of the White Snake and everything. Any snake Loyal to Ryuchi cave, if forced to choose between her and another summoner is probably gonna default to her unless they have a personal loyalty that's stronger. Unless there's like, a rival sage. Then it'll get complicated."

Just such an occasion was one of the reasons Senko gave for going to Ryuchi cave in the first place when asking Jirou to arrange the mission, so Senko already having the letter makes sense. She produces it from within her robes.

The letter presumably refers to her as Senko Senju, the young head of the recently incorporated Oto-Senju Clan. It should make reference to authorization regarding negotiation of access to the snake contract but that negotiation of reparations from the senju clan to the Oto-Senju over the genocide from which Daisuke was the only survivor is up to Senko's own judgment.

...She also has a letter from her Uncle giving her his authorization, as her regent, to negotiate such reparations.

Senko would presumably have also asked Jirou what sort of demands would be appropriate regarding the snake contract negotiation, by default she was thinking of modifications to trade deals and probably some hidden jutsu.

She's operating on the assumption that Jirou will have to be contacted to give final approval on whatever arrangement Senko agrees to, however.

"A letter from Lord Otokage, authorizing me to open negotiations with the leaf village regarding the snake summoning contract. And a letter from my Uncle, in his capacity as regent of our clan, approving of me negotiating reparations with the Senju."

[Lord Raziere]

Gisei:
"Well thats great, but neither of have the authority to schedule appointments like that, so...."
Gisei and Satomi will lead you out of Hashirama Park to the Hokage Offices, and thus around more people and out of danger of the Anbu- after all, its much harder for them to do anything about you when there are other people around. Gisei will go up to the two shinobi guards outside the offices and say
"Hello, guards-san. I am Gisei Senju, and I'm simply escorting Senko here to talk to the Hokage's secretary about scheduling an important appointment with the Hokage and my father, the head of the Senju clan as she is authorized to be negotiate on Otogakure's behalf. My clan will vouch for their good intentions."
"What? Are you serious!?" says one of them.
"Yes I quite am. She showed me the papers and everything."
"And we're just going to let this happen? We're security for a reason." says the first
"Oh don't be like that, I'll just scan them with the Byakugan, see if anything is out of the ordinary before they even go into the building." says the second
"If they really got no bad intentions, should be quick, less invasive than anyone else doing a search, and they're just genin I doubt I'll find anything that weird"
"Yeah but its still a genin, what is wrong with Oto, sending a child to do its negotiations? How irresponsible of them."
"We're just the guards, its none of our business if they're not competent at choosing who to pick for serious matters like this, so do you submit to a byakugan scan?"
The Hyuuga guard asks the Oto genin.

[Rater202]

Senko think it over carefully... Worst case scenario, the Hyuga recognizes the nine-tails chakra within Senko's body for what it is and she has to come up with a cover story... Chances are good that regardless they will see the other chakras in er system through which... Would it be a good or bad thing for the Leaf to know that Sound has that technology at this juncture?

On the other hand, if she doesn't submit to this, her plans are dead in the water.

"Do you scan everyone who comes in to schedule a meeting, or is your concern solely because I am a sound ninja?"

[Lord Raziere]

Outside Hokage Offices:
"Yes, this is pretty standard, while I'm asking you explicitly because your a foreign ninja and wouldn't know our security measures, I have to do the scan for all the local ninja as well given that any of them can be enemy ninja in disguise mundane or jutsu, even the Hokage, though mostly they just walk on by with me quickly seeing if they are disguised or not without even talking. Got to do so even if they are looking busy and carrying a clipboard or something. You wouldn't believe how effective that trick can be sometimes. Honestly its the most my byakugan gets to do on these boring guard assignments. A vast majority of the time its just a formality, and catching any actual infiltrators is like.....I don't remember the last time."
He says informatively, complaining a bit at the end. He does his job, but he is human.
"Doesn't your clan like, get disproportionately assigned to posts like these?"
Satomi says
"Kinda unfair isn't it?"
"Yeah, now that I think about it. Scan this, scan that Hyuuga, guard that door for infiltrators Hyuuga, see where the enemy has gone Hyuuga, I swear, some people think we're nothing but the eyes. I'm a person too man! I can do more than stand around being a living threat detector, but noooo, people gotta rely on my eyes, sometimes people use bloodlines as a crutch to not come up with jutsu to do these jobs themselves, why can't I get a break now and then, y'know? Or at least a better assignment than this."
"I know right, same with Sharingan, you got it, they all assume your going into police work and are gonna like, solve cases by staring at everything alone."
"As if all the other parts of investigating don't even exist! What bull."
"yeah, people are full of little flaws like that. Satomi says with a smirk "Often not realizing how vulnerable it makes them."
She winks at Senko as she says this. Did she just intentionally expose this guys weaknesses to you so you can manipulate him in some way?

[Rater202]

"It does seem rather unfair to expect you to do this sort of work just because of your eyes... Especially since it being necessary is unlikely. Your Hokage is based here, yes? It is my understanding that the Gokage are the strongest and most experienced ninjas in their respective villages, and their personal staff, their advisors and personal security and so on are likewise their peers... It would be suicide to attack this office, no competent shinobi would think about it. You caught one infiltrator and I imagine that they cannot have been any good at their job, you are... really just here for appearances, are you not?"

"...Well, I suppose it might be possible that a third party might place a shinobi from one village under a genjutsu in hopes of making them attack the leader of another in hopes of starting an international incident but that would not be something you can see with a Dojutsu and... Excuse me for a moment."

Senko makes a show of breaking one of her fingers. But, she does actually break a finger.

"...And my perceptions do not appear to have changed, I am not being unnaturally influenced. Sorry, when the possibility occurred to me I felt the need to check. Genjutsu can be resisted but I find that nothing breaks them better than a shock to one's system."

"But, yes, it is honestly ridiculous what kind of things are expected of people just because of their bloodlines. If people were only good for their bloodlines, I wouldn't be here."

[Lord Raziere]

Outside Hokage Offices:
It works:
"Y'know what screw doing this guard job, I'll go complain to Mission Assignment right now, make a protest to be treated fairly! I can do more than this!"
He runs off to complain and the other guard says
"Wait you still need to- aaaaagh."
The other guard looks at the Oto Genin
"....Hm. Don't think I didn't see what you did there. I'm not going to be fooled like him. I'll just have to search you as best I can."
"Oh and then get a reputation for patting down little kids then?" Satomi says with a smirk
"Oh you can NOT be serious. You got to be kidding me, this has to be against something."
"Look you can do this, but you still have to search us in public"
"Y'know what? No. I'm not falling for this. Dammit I forgot what to do, he always does it with his eyes... I'm making sure we do this right. Hisaki-san! Watch over them while I go find a manual or find a superior to check whats proper protocol in this situation, I am NOT getting in trouble for improper security procedures."
The second guard then goes to check what the proper security measure to do in this situation would be, leaving you alone with Hisaki and Team 7. This is a limited window of time, of course. You may wait, or might do something. Who knows?

(OOC: in all honesty I don't know the proper protocol would be for this situation, if you have any ideas or suggestions about what it could be, please tell me)

[Rater202]

"Satomi-san it is quite alright. I only inquired about the scan to ensure that it was standard protocol. If a pat down is standard we can be professional about it."

"...Or we could just walk right in and inform the people inside about the lack of professional behavior, decorum, and preparedness of their security. By all means, if Byakugan scan was standard then we should have been scanned before we even got to the door. And the guards just abandoning their posts like that..."

Does it seem like anyone would stop her if she just walked in?

((Honestly, the proper procedure would probably just be a search for unauthorized weapons. And unless you count scalpels Senko has none that would show up on a search.))

[Lord Raziere]

Ok, if thats how Senko's going to be about this:
Hisaki, Gisei and the two hidden ninja in the shadows whose clones you just fooled say nothing in response to you calling them or their comrades incompetent to their face. The guard will return, we will breeze past the part where he performs a standard inspection for any hidden weapons, you will be led right to the receptionist who schedules the appointment with the Hokage three days from now on the fourth day because thats the only opening he has for you and you will be escorted out.

They then will compile a report after your gone about everything they observed of you, including the Hyuuga secretly scanning you and finding a bunch of weird stuff in the Oto-Nin's chakra, compile a psychological profile on you including "insults authority when they think they're out of earshot" or "assumes incompetence whenever they don't get their way" and basically describes you as being a Karen as close as they can without, and hands this all to the Hokage without you knowing. Because if Senko's going to point out how your enemies are being incompetent to their face? She's tempting fate to prove her wrong hard, and they don't have to let her know how wrong she is.

You are still on the first day, and you have this and two more days to prepare for the appointment with the Hokage, do you want to do anything else on the first day before we move on to the second?

(OOC: Satomi doing things was intended to be helpful, but I'm sorry, pointing out the failures of people working in your favor to those people, is basically suicide in this world. Exploiting people is fine thats what ninjas do a lot, but pointing it out that it has been and the people your doing it to are incompetent for letting it, when they're all ninjas, in a foreign land that hates your ninjas? Nope. Things like this are supposed to stay hush-hush, and your speaking them out loud. You were winning until you decided to say they were incompetent and that they should be reported for doing so, thats just begging for people to reveal that it was all apart of a deception, because that isn't playing along with the tricksy deceptive nature of ninja. The Konoha Ninja are supposed to be competent, and Hisaki an exception, so if you start assuming they aren't, I have to start upping the difficulty so you take them seriously. If you think people acting like people is grounds to assume incompetence I will have to make them act more like unrealistic competence machines to preserve the threat they pose to you and the Sound Village and/or make them hate you more. I'm trying to handle this with finesse and nuance and comments like that make it harder to do so. I could have even simply made the Anbu back there have an Inuzuka and Hyuuga on the team to listen in and see your weirdnesses even EARLIER. I didn't, because I'm trying to make sure this is something a Genin can handle without making Konoha look like fools or shut you down entirely, I want to avoid making you feel as if your efforts are useless, so please I'm trying to do this right, and comments like make me unsure if I am, so I feel I have to do something corrective.)

[Rater202]

Senko is of course not an idiot.

She is perfectly polite when scheduling the meeting and expresses a mild, but pleasant, surprise that they can get her in so soon.

She also knew full well that the real guards were away. Senko's training with Ichika-san did more than help her center herself. Ichika is a sensor type, a lot of her mental training was to hone that ability. Senko also has sensing abilities, as art of her bloodline.

Senko knew exactly where the real guards were.

She also knew full well that Hisaki was outside the bathhouse, exactly when he started following the genin...

"Satomi-san, Kintsuki-san, Gisei-san, I would like to thank you for showing us around today but I think my team should head back to the hotel/embassy and check in with our sensei."

If nothing impedes her from getting back, Senko with spend the afternoon searching her room, at the least, for monitoring and recording devices before setting down and working out a plan of attack with Menko and Tomoe(who has been trained in basic decorum for this kind of situation.)

[Lord Raziere]

Hotel: Night
"Goodbye then, Senko-san" says Gisei, formally
"Okay cya, Senko! Yuyuyu! Kimiko!" says Kitsuki in a friendly and cheerful manner
"Cya, and see you tomorrow, Kimiko." says Satomi casually.
Hisaki simply stalks off. He has things to think about.

When you get to the hotel, someone will give you notes left outside by various Genin teams, offers to hang out or join them for lunch, most notably all the minor village genin teams such as Tani, Ame, Kusa and Yu. They are all honest offers made out of the desire for friendship or at least acquaintanceship.

you find no such listening devices, and you recall that you didn't see any radio tower in Konoha at all, unlike Oto. The music players in your hotel only play the discs put into them, and long range radio seems to be a thing Konoha just doesn't have, as an Oto-Nin or at least someone has spent enough time there as one, you know that Otogakure seems to surpass them in that narrow field of technology. It would technically be possible, one could suppose, that they could develop a short-range listening device, plant it, and listen to your conversations up to a few hundred meters away, but that would narrow down the area to search for a spy to a very small radius indeed. If you found any, thus anyone trying that would be placing themselves at risk of discovery. They're not going to take that sort of risk, not on someone like you.

Instead you or your companions find mysterious notes in Senko's room. If you ask others, they do not know where they came from, but they are found in your room nonetheless

Spoiler: Mysterious Note 1:

Show

If you want me to distract the Anbu so you can speak
to the Jinchuuriki alone, whistle three times.

If you want to meet me, come to Tadirei's Vegetable Stand
on any of the six days leading up the Chuunin Exams at lunch.
Bring the snake if you want, but otherwise come alone.
People like us got to stand against these Konoha bastards together
-C.I.

Spoiler: Mysterious Note 2:

Show

Your potential is fascinating. I do believe we
share common interests, you and I, Senko.
We both desire more from this world. You
and that Kimiko girl would make great
apprentices in working towards....
self improvements beyond the constraints
cruel nature has put upon us. Your contract
is relevant to my interests after all
and I'd be willing to teach you much
in exchange for you getting access.

If you want to speak more with me,
come to the abandoned warehouse 17-C
on the edge of the Konoha within the
following six days. Alone or with Kimiko
I care not.

And worry not about a certain red
eyed policeman tailing you if you
come. I'll just consider him a....
delightful present that you'll
have brought me.

Be seeing you.
-S.Y.

Spoiler: Mysterious Note 3

Show

I know the struggles of trying
to change things for the better.
I am a believer of Shinobi Independence.
You might have heard my group, SIA.

I see hope in Otogakure, and in you.
We should all be able to fight the battles
we think are right, not what is ordered
for us to fight. If you agree with this
and want to discuss plans further,
meet me at abandoned warehouse 61-B
on any of the following six days leading up to
the Chuunin Exams.

If you want to bring your team, that is
fair. I have my own bodyguards after
all.
-T.U.

You know enough that SIA, the Shinobi Independence Association is widely considered a dangerous terrorist organization by the five great shinobi nations and its leader Tatsukan Uzunagi, one of the most dangerous rogue shinobi out there for the ideology of shinobi autonomy from the desires of nations and the rich. Furthermore you know enough that all of these are most certainly dangerous rogue shinobi that most people in the Shinobi nations will disapprove of you meeting, especially Konohagakure, but you know given that Otogakure's position and history that they'd be open to Rogue Shinobi allies or even them joining the village as long as its done quietly. If you let the authorities know about them and these locations, these rogue shinobi will probably have anticipated such a move and have an escape plan or some way of knowing that you've done this in advance and thus be long gone by the time the Leaf-Nin would arrive. C.I. is probably the least known of these so your not likely to know who this is, while you might know who S.Y. is depending on how much you care about Kirigakure's history and thus who have it as a heritage, but Kimiko probably does know who this is and its a reasonable thing to assume she's gotten one from S.Y. as well.

There is of course a chance to do something with this new information you've been given by the notes during the night. Or you can simply sleep to go to the next day, though Satomi has told you that tomorrow everyone will either be hanging out scattered across various places in Konoha and you won't be able to find the teams all in one place again like the Hokage Monument, and will be either hanging out elsewhere or trying to find where the first Exam is, which you still need to do, but Yuyuyu might be able to take care of that on her own since Satomi has said its to test how you gather information or infiltrate someplace and she is pretty good at those things, though its likely you'd be able to find the location of the First Exam in one day or less anyways, and its likely you can even work with teams from other nations to find it while your at it. Satomi has even claimed that she knows a friend who recently became a Chuunin that'll probably be amenable to helping with both Team 7 and Team 3 find it.

Otherwise, Odayama will fix you all a delicious dinner when it is time to eat, and your decorum lessons will go as normal.

[Rater202]

Senko decides to talk about it with her teammates in the morning. For now, though, there's something she's been putting off.

Once night falls, Senko, with Menko's aid, slips ou of the hotel/embassy and makes her way back to Hasirama Park.

Once there, she tries to find a secluded spot and sits down for her meditative exercises.

First wheel? She's never had trouble with that.

Second wheel? She's made great progress there. She's done what she's can to atone and let go of her guilt, to forgive herself, and is doing more to have fun.

Third wheel? She still feels great shame over what she's done in the past but... She's learning to let go. As for willpower, that's never been something she's lacked.

Fourth...

"There are people who love me, and I deserve to be loved. My parents loved me, they would forgive me. I deserve to love and be loved, and need not let pain, fear, or grief stop me."

This is the hardest hurdle for her right now. On a deep level, Senko does not believe she deserves to have that kind of connection with people. The next step for her is to break herself of that, to convince herself otherwise.

She spends the next few moments centering herself and trying to explore her own feelings on the matter, thinking about people who have shown her some kind of love or affection. Thinking about her parents hurts but... It has to be done.

Her uncle... She is not quite sure how she feels about him yet but... Is dropping everything to help her an expression of love, or simply duty? She might have to come back to him.

Her Uncle's wards were another... Were they family? They donated cells to her research, but... Not yet. Maybe with time, when the clan compound was built, when they'd be living together, when they'd be spending time together, something might come of it... It might be nice to have some cousins, but...

Her relationship with Tomoe was almost exclusively one of duty and personal duty.

Her teammates... Was familiarity a form of love? Senko is for sure concerned for their well-being and... honestly quite concerned about Kimiko's plan to become a missing ninja but... Yes, if you put a sword to her throat Senko would say she loves her teammates.

Menko... The silly little snake had all but said that he loved Senko unconditionally, how could Senko not love her back?

The young girl's eyes snap open as if she's just had an epiphany.

"Senko-sama? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I am fine... I think that" She doesn't have the words to articulate it but something has changed in her cognition.

She considers moving on, to the fifth wheel but... No, that would be pushing it. No one resolved all of their issues in a single day, and this was quite a milestone.

She gets up and makes to return to the hotel, but pauses.

"I know that you are there." she says with a look behind.

From behind a tree, Benjirou Senju steps out.

"Is there a reason why you were spying on me?"

"I wasn't spying on you. I come here to meditate when I have trouble sleeping so..."

"My apologies. I have reason to believe that an Uchiha clansman was spying on me in the bath and likewise, I am reasonably certain that a Hyuga used their creepy eyes on me without my permission both in one day. I am a bit jumpy."

"Do I even want to know?"

Probably not. Change for your thoughts?

"What?"

"You said you had trouble sleeping. Would you care to speak about it?"

"..."

"I noticed you sneak off with Gisei-san earlier and a change in your body language afterward. Upsetting news from your cousin?"

"...You confuse me. The things you say are... Honestly, I never thought I'd run into who got it the way you do but the way you carry yourself is... Like the world is made of glass. You were alone with Gisei so I asked him and..."

"He told you I was a descendant of Daisuke Senju?"

"...that you were from a dangerous mutant branch that was put down for the greater good and that Ryugawa-sama had given orders not to provoke you, let harm befall you outside the exams, or rise to your bait."

"Is that how the main clan remembers it? My uncle's records indicate that the main family thought us demons and monsters who'd stolen away and replaced their kin and slaughtered all but Daisuke, who had mastered the power and escaped, without mercy... If our ancestors had shown mine even a tiny scrap of the compassion your clan are now known for, maybe they all could have learned to control it and..."


"Do you hate us?"

"I hate a lot of things, Benjirou-san. Mostly relating to the state of this broken world and the circumstances people find themselves in... I have an anger in me at all times but... No. I do not hate the Senju... Kind of hate my current situation. In less than a day I go from stating that I was willing to negotiate regarding the Snake contract if I was asked to being dragged to the Hokage's office and made to schedule an appointment to negotiate not only that but also reparations regarding the genocide of Gisei-san's comments about his father's presence versus my comments on the conflict of interest are anything to go on."

"Hmmm. I'm... Sorry. I feel I let my suspicions get the best of me and..."

"It is fine."

The two talk a bit more but eventually Senko and Menko return to the hotel and turn in for the night, planning to discuss the notes wih Kimiko and Yuyuyu in the morning.

[Lord Raziere]

Night: Team 7
Gisei:
Meanwhile Gisei goes to bed reflecting on the day. He played the peacekeeper. The role everyone wanted him to be. The mediator, the negotiator. A model Senju as best anyone can do.

He hated it.

He didn't want to negotiate. He wanted to go on adventure, he wanted to be a HERO. He dreams of finding a monster somewhere and killing it, and basking in the praise of the people. He dreams of protecting people in a war of fighting off evil shinobi terrorists threatening his ideals and ways of life. He dreamed of protecting, heroism though force and fighting. This current age....allowed for none of that. To change the world in these times was to talk, to sit in plain rooms with politicians that everyone knows are lying but everyone has to listen and convince and work with because they have all the money and status, so nothing gets done without them. How could he be a hero among this? Unlike all the other Senju his hero was not Hashirama, but many of the greats of the clan before him: Torako who slayed the False Tailed Beast, Minami who bravely stood against the great Lava-Blood Empire with a band of clanless rebel shinobi, or Koriko who rode across the nations in pursuit of the Dokusumi clan to save the love of his life. Why was he born in this time and not earlier ones?

When would his time to be a hero, his time to shine, come?

Satomi:
Meanwhile Satomi comes home, to find her brother, Mojin Uchiha to greet her. He looks like an Uchiha version of Jirou, standing with his headband as always covering where his eyes used to be. He was once the hopeful for the next leader of the clan with his talent and genius, but one day he had gotten rid of his eyes and refused to explain why, and Father disapproved of him ever since. She knew however his senses have only sharpened in various ways since then. He was now one of the Leaf's best sensor ninjas with all the senses he has honed to replace sight. But she knew the main way he sensed anything was actually through his hands, using chakra to kind of....extend his sense of touch so that he feels the entire area around him, as if he is touching everything around with a thousand invisible hands and she knew that if he wanted, he could make those hands more solid and physical. But the real thing with was that he could detect any slight changes in how you respond or how your body reacts though any number of methods. There was no lying to him unless you did so as well as you breathed. Worse, he was family. And in her experience...
"Satomi. I heard from Hisaki that you've been hanging out with Oto-Nin today. Care to explain that?"
...that was never good. Trying to throw doubt on whatever Hisaki said wasn't even an option. Mojin despite his disability worked interrogations with unerring efficiency and knew all the tells of lying.
"Whats to explain? Its not your business who I hang with."
"It is when its from a village with a history of being enemies of us and according to our information, show a lot of signs of wanting reignite conflict with us. They cannot be trusted."
"Are you really saying that a bunch of Genin are spies in our village here to do who knows what? Thats ridiculous"
"The Sound Village was willing to use suicide bombers in the war. We cannot put anything past them. I worry your being exposed to bad influences."
"Worry all you like, it means nothing. I know our clan is all about the village's security, but these Oto-Nin aren't threats, they just want to negotiate. We're the ones who screwed up handling this, and the clan worries about a potential threat? Come on."
"We are the clan that runs the Konoha Police for a reason Satomi. We are the best of the best, and must guard this village from all threats, from without and within. You can't play the delinquent forever."
"Now your starting to sound like Father. I'm going to bed, Mojin." she says dismissive "Try to remember that your more than a husk obeying orders."
Mojin is silent as Satomi walks away. She remembered when they were on better terms. But those times were past. He thought she didn't know, but she did. She could guess why he got rid of his eyes.

Because unlike her, he couldn't make the sacrifice needed for true power.

Kitsuki:
Meanwhile Kitsuki comes home. She is greeted by Hayashida Uzumaki the clan head. He says the following question in that fake happy questioning tone that family members use that are trying to friendly with you but don't know you at all.
"Heeey Kitsuki-chan? Have a happy day today?"
She puts on a fake smile, smiling through the pain and says
"Of course Hayashida-sama! It was a good day, met a few new friends, it was all good."
"Good, glad to hear it."
It was all smiles, but Kitsuki knew it was just checking how their living bomb was doing. She knew it and she denied it-
<Checking whether you got angry and weakened my seal. As usual>
-Even as the Fox cynically pointed it out right inside her head. She shoved the Fox's voice aside, along with all the other negative thoughts. She made friends with a diplomat who was working to make things better. only good things can come from this. She had just had to keep thinking positively, put a smile on her face and this will be a normal Chuunin Exams where no one dies from her going out of control, which never happens because she makes the effort to be happy, because happiness is a choice and not a fleeting emotion that passes sooner or later, or at least thats what the self-help books her clan given her says.
She walks past various rooms of experiments things full of little toys to do this or that, the Uzumaki house hold was full of science-focused things like that, many of the Uzumaki were so focused on their projects they filled their room with their research to work from home. She walks past her father's room and sees her father, Totanda sleeping with a sake bottle in hand and other sake bottles littered about the room, probably sleeping off a day guarding some useless post in Konoha....as usual. A frown crosses her face and turns and goes off to bed, feeling....anger, bitterness about what she saw. As usual. Because in bed in the darkness before sleep, she couldn't lie to anyone, not to herself and not the Fox. No one was around to see her disapprove. Why was she stuck with a family like this? It was one of the most powerful clans in Konoha, with seemingly unlimited funding for their research, scientific and sealing knowledge beyond most, yet she felt alone, felt disgust for the drunkard of her father, felt twisted a little more with every fake smile she wore to everyone and to the clan head. She never asked for this. She didn't want to deal with politics or being some weapon vital to the balance of power or anything. She just wanted to go to space, to fly into that night sky and leave the whole world behind to observe the wonders of the universe- alone. The fact that it would keep everyone else safe, was nothing but a side benefit.

But that dream had yet to come true, as usual.

2nd Morning: Team 3 Note meeting
When you discuss the notes in the morning Kimiko says while she eats some breakfast
"Oh you got one from Suzume Yuki as well? Makes sense, she is basically renowned as a great scientist of the Kiri Resistance and a powerful shinobi. I've got other notes as well, a whole bunch of them."
Yuyuyu explains
"I actually got a couple as well. This isn't abnormal; I have sources that say that rogue shinobi have been using the Chuunin Exams to evaluate potential apprentices for almost as long as the chuunin exams have existed. Such shinobi pretty much never go for major village genin, too much risk. Instead they go for minor village genin like us and our own villages quietly ignore that Genin suddenly know skills reminiscent of this or that wanted criminal as long they get results. The rogue shinobi gets someone who will carry on their legacy and teachings, the minor villages get stronger shinobi to improve the village and what they can do, its a win-win situation for everyone involved....except the major villages. Keep in mind that just responding or meeting these shinobi doesn't mean your automatically their apprentice or anything. The rogue shinobi place themselves at great risk coming here and doing all this, and will likely have tasks or agendas they want help with to make sure your trustworthy or that your someone that can work with their values and methods. The apprenticeship really only starts AFTER the exams, and how we perform during them often factors into whether they take you on as an apprentice. If you have problems with this well....bad news, unless we negotiate something with a major village like a transfer apprenticeship to be taught under a jonin in a major village, such rogue shinobi consist of our only access to higher shinobi training. Without a mentor like them, it doesn't matter how much of a genius you are; you'll be doomed to a life of being a Chuunin, because there is only so far you can go with self-training. Though with your uncle Senko...I doubt you'll have that problem."
"So, what do we do about the notes?" Kimiko asks
"Whatever you want. Its not my business who you choose to meet if anyone unless we make it so. Its best we know as little as possible about each other's meetings with such rogue shinobi. If anyone asks, we never went to any of them. Since the notes were left to us, we're still in the clear legally. Its responding to them, actually meeting with them that'll get us in real trouble if we get caught." Yuyuyu says waving the concern off
"But what about the notes themselves? can't they be evidence?"
"Yes, but technically they're all in this hotel which is our embassy, and the authorities can't enter unless we give them permission to. Destroy and forget about them if you really don't want to meet them, it'd be even riskier for them to persist in trying to contact you if your not willing so I doubt they will press the issue. If they do, that is the rogue's problem and their neck to risk, so don't worry about not responding." Yuyuyu will shrug.
You can continue this note conversation as long as you want if you want to discuss this more but the following will occur after it:

After Note Meeting:
Soon Satomi will arrive after the conversation if that is finished to knock on the hotel/embassy door and ask when opened for her:
"Hey Team 3 hows it going? Good? can me and Kimiko hang out today? just the two of us, as agreed upon yesterday?"
The other two members of Team 7 are not with her.
"Yeah sure, hyuhyu."
"I'm okay with that, this is a prime opportunity to learn about Konoha and make connections with all sorts of shinobi we might not a get chance to ever again, no need to be joined at the hip."

[Rater202]

"...What if we turned over the notes? Or claimed we were merely investigating? Obviously, this rogue ninja will have taken precautions for that but informing the village leader of the presence of a hostile ninja who knows the identity of the jinchuriki might be the sort of show of good faith that might make them more... amicable to negotiation."

"Or would that in and of itself be admission of a crime?"

"...On that note, did anyone pack a recording device?"

[Lord Raziere]

Note Conversation:
Yuyuyu will explain:
"I'm sure Genin have turned over the notes in the past to get in good with major villages and have even used them to successfully catch rogue shinobi this way. They will probably reward you for helping get rid of such rogue shinobi honestly, villages are pragmatists like that they will not pass up an opportunity like this just to punish someone who is helping them. So the answer is "Yes you can do that, But...". The problem is....other dangers? If your teammate goes to that ninja they will be arrested along with them, and unless we all share what notes we got, which we haven't with you, that puts US at risk. Furthermore, rogue shinobi while not on the same side, can't make any safe assumptions about you if you do this- if you turn in one, whose to say you won't turn in another? They learn of what you did, your siding with the law as it currently exists, and if you figure out how they learn their information about you turning them in and get rid of it, thats a warning sign in of itself, unless you do something like go through an official yet not less likely to be observed channel like the Konoha Police Chief, aka the clan head of the Uchiha Clan to devise a plan to like catch them with precise timing before they know something is up. I doubt the rogue shinobi can monitor everything after all, they have limited resources compared to the village, and people are likely to report to the Hokage building for anything just because they're likely to know where it is and Rogue Shinobi are every ninja's problem not just the police.

That said, any rogue shinobi that gets out of the situation will probably remember it and suspect ANY genin they sent a note to, which might not just be us. You and Kimiko got similar notes from the same rogue after all. And what applies to us also applies to any genin that meets them, you might be causing the arrest any of the minor nation genin we met yesterday along with them, and their teammates will probably not like you as a result if that happens. Not going to lie: this might not be a thing you can play both sides on? You'll be potentially be screwing at least one other person over for your advancement. Whether that person deserves it, is a different matter I can't comment on, but the rogue shinobi will prioritize their own survival above all so just turning one in without communicating with any of the others will look very law-abiding to the rest, at the very least they really won't trust you and decreases your chances of receiving more notes, offers and opportunities from rogue shinobi. On the other hand, catching a rogue shinobi could help you with Konoha for certain, Konoha has offered transfer apprenticeships and other such benefits in the past to minor villages for working with them on not just this but other things.

You could of course, communicate with one rogue shinobi your sure about meeting and working with, get them to agree to the plan of you showing the note of another, but that will only keep the trust of that particular rogue shinobi if they agree with the target you pick, its unlikely the rogue shinobi are communicating with each other after all and will still look like turning one in to the rest of them. And trying to communicate with all of them is.....not a possibility to be honest? Them gathering all in one place is extremely risky for them and if they know the others are there, they are probably keeping their distance from each other for good reason, and you only have a limited amount of time to meet even a few of them.

This is an unusual, if not unique window of opportunity in our lives as Shinobi, Senko. It may be strange to you, but this just how it is for some of us, with no real other chance for that kind of training. Even Kimiko doesn't have very good opportunities for a teacher aside from this or the Thunders, and well....their training might not be "right" for her, y'know? Not all training regimens fit everyone."

[Rater202]

"I received three notes... If I time it right, I could meet with all three in one day and plan how I wish to proceed from there... Did either of you receive a note from a C.I.? The other two seem more or less neutral but C.I. seems actively opposite to the Leaf. If I am going to turn any of them in it would be that one. As much as I hate the current system a serious blow to the leaf would upset the whole balance, make War more likely. Of course, I would need to meet them first, just to know what they intend..."

"They're also the only one with a specific time listed..."

[Lord Raziere]

Note Conversation:
"I did receive one from C.I. and much more than three. A lot of them emphasized how much I could learn under them, including CI who said they could teach me all the basic nature releases. Guess they guess they gave you a different note because they thought you cared about different things."
"That would make sense, you do want to learn all jutsu, your a genius with a well-rounded your toolset, so your desire probably came up at some point yesterday and was overheard or something, so it'd make you'd get the most offers. All five basic nature releases is pretty rare and speaks of someone with great mastery over ninjutsu. Can only be telling the truth, as a lie its too ridiculous to claim."
"Could it be a kage?"
"Nope. they don't need to leave notes in the shadows. If a kage or any other village ninja wants to teach you, they'll just see your performance at the Exams and let you know of their offer up front. details like being from another village or whatever can be worked out after that. As for specific time, thats just a quirk of how some things work than others. These meetings are informal and under the table after all, I doubt they're going to be anything resembling official, as your working with the shinobi's idiosyncrasies and such. Also its likely that you'll get more notes or that some will approach you more directly as you show what you can do during the Exams or during the week leading up to it, none of this is final or whatever, a lot this is scouting things out, gathering information, seeing the lay of the land and where things are going to go."

[Rater202]

Senko doesn't like this, it's too complicated, too many moving parts.

"I hate politics. Well, I might as well see what they want before I make any commitments... Kimiko, you said you also got a letter from... Suzume Yuki? SY mentioned you in my note, suggesting we meet her together. Would you be willing to try that tomorrow? Of anyone here, she might be the most suitable as a mentor but she mentions something bout Hisaki-san snooping and how she'd consider it a 'gift' that rubs me the wrong way..."

Ater the convo.

As everyone leaves for the say, Senko mentions to Satomi "uh-Sotmoni san, if you see your teammates today please pass along to Kintsuki-san that I am available any day in the evening if she wants to take me up on my offer from the previous afternoon."

After leaving, Senko will spend the morning exploring the village, frequently checking her map... But also using her sensor abilities to check if she's being followed or unduly monitored.

[Lord Raziere]

Senko:
On the notes:
"Yeah that....sounds creepy to me as well....not going to judge if you learn from them, but I personally wouldn't. Sounds like they want to 'take care' of Hisaki, if you know what I mean."
She is communicating that her interpretation is that Suzume wants to kill Hisaki Uchiha, just to be clear, and that interpretation is probably like, 90% of the actual truth that Yuyuyu can't see. Yuyuyu's read on people are generally pretty accurate but even she can't insight everything about people especially just from a note.
"Hyuhyu, I don't see whats so bad about that, it'd one less problem for us without us even doing anything. Sure I'll go with you tomorrow to see Suzume."

With Satomi:
"Sure I will, but its Ki-tsu-ki, no N in there."
Satomi replies

You sense a chakra higher than normal, but all the people around you look like normal civilians. Feels similar enough to other Chuunin though. Which means they're in disguise, and given what happened yesterday, they're probably going to be a lot more cautious and thus try not to give themselves away. The specific chakra you sense feels like.....disappointment. Inadequacy. A sense of being trash, of being the copper metal to someone else's silver or gold. Just mediocre with a drop of dark black oil staining it. things like that.

Kimiko: Begin One of the most important conversations of your life.
Meanwhile Kimiko and Satomi will go in a different direction, first to let Kitsuki know about the time which she will nod and say she will go to. Then Satomi and Kimiko walk around, going to unused training ground, the wind blowing across green fields and through the branches of greener leaves, with a cliff on one side overlooking the village, same cliff the Hokage's faces are on but nowhere near them. Satomi turns to Kimiko and says
“What a nice, isolated place. Peaceful, green and quiet. This should be a good place to talk.”
Almost ironic, Satomi reflects, given what she wanted to say.
“Alright, what do you want to talk to me about?”
Satomi is silent, seemingly a little nervous for a moment before getting up the courage to speak, looking out upon the sight before her upon the village and comments to Kimiko
“So...just asking. This is going to be a weird question, but....are you really serious about your desire to learn all the jutsu in the world? Y'know, do you really have like a burning desire to learn all you can know that you can know to master it fully? To gain power like no one else?”
Kimiko blinks
“Yes actually. I want to learn them all! Every. Single. One! Hyuhyu. I want to understand it all. Did you think I was lying?”
“I had to be sure. You have those curious searching eyes to you, I guess. Or maybe its because....I desire the same thing: to know all the jutsu that there is to know, a want that won't be satisfied until its all at my fingertips, all that power, and I simply recognize someone who is like-minded.”
Kimiko interest is piqued now.
“Doesn't that make us rivals then? The first person to acquire more knowledge than the other would be at an advantage and thus hold more cards in sharing the knowledge around, and always have incentive to keep some knowledge to themselves to make sure the second placer doesn't usurp them.”
“Could be. But I'm not interested in that actually. Sure we could make this a big race to see which acquires more jutsu first, see who is stronger and better at acquiring the knowledge for the sake of bettering each other through competition. We could do that. But I feel a desire. A desire to acquire all the jutsu I can, to learn them all. Even though it is impossible- I still desire to achieve this, for I have this thirst for knowledge and the power it brings me. And I don't want to fight you over it. I ask you, Kimiko-san, do you share a similar desire? Do you, have the thirst to learn all the jutsu, in the world? To work together for it? I want to offer you a partnership- but I can't yet.”
“Yes, I do want to get them all! I even wrote a song about it. But geez, over dramatic Uchiha much? You really would share all that with me?”
A smile spread across her face in wonder however. There was another person who shared her desire, her interest in jutsu itself. Someone who finally understood- someone her age, who was her peer, her equal. She felt a warmth she didn't know she wanted. Satomi relaxes.
“Good. I observed the desire in your eyes when I asked the first question earlier, but I couldn't be sure. Sorry about the drama. For some reason speaking dramatically is just this....habit or tendency my clan seems to possess. And yeah. I would. Whats the point in finding someone of a like mind, if we're just going to fight each other about it?”
“We all have our oddities.”
“True. It is good that we finally found someone who shares the same desire. I wager that no one else in your village understands it?”
“...No I guess not. They're good people and good friends but I can't...talk to them about it. They're just not interested.”
“Of course they don't. It is the same with me. My village puts me on a pedestal as a genius, much like I imagine they do you. Yet they don't understand what truly drives me, what I want to accomplish. None of them do. To them its all about doing their duty, defending their friends and perpetuating that Will of Fire that drives so many to sacrifice and martyrdom. When I don't want that. I don't want to die for a village that barely understands me, for ideals that while valuable, alone mean nothing more than everyone sacrificing themselves for everyone else. What kind of life is that? I want more from life. I want to be more. Protecting and supporting that which is precious to you is good, no one can deny. But if thats all your striving for- your doing nothing but surviving.”
She narrows her eyes and declares
“But existence is more than the survival of the collective. I want to do more than survive, I want to thrive, I want to achieve something beyond some duty as a ninja. I want to...I don't know become something beyond their system, their clans, their ranks and numbers and nonsense. I want to be more than the product of their precious culture, their thoughtless, mindless toil. I want to become...I don't know. But I know that if we have more jutsu, more power that we can use, no one else will be able to define or control us. Sure, we'll have to define and work with each other. I am no fool- no great work is accomplished alone, nor are we islands who exist separate from all else. But at least this will be a team we will have chosen, a team we have made for ourselves rather than one forced on us by birth or circumstance. Did you ask to be born in Sound? To your family? Did I ask to be born into the Uchiha? To the Leaf? No. Yet that is the places we are expected to protect, the families we are expected to help and lead simply because of some genetics, some variables of geography, and a bunch of socio-political history we don't care about. I don't like that, do you?”
“No, I guess I don't. It is all nonsensical when you put it that way. A few changed variables, one bigger than all the other- it all seems the same when you look at it enough. Whats really the point of all that if its all just the manipulation of positioning and viewpoints?”
“Exactly. Furthermore look out there at the village, look at the normal kids. The ones who will never become ninja, the ones playing ball happily without any training or care in the world. We didn't get that. We got lessons on how to kill, arduous training to test us to our limit physically, mentally, morally. We didn't get a childhood, we got a boot camp. With expectations that we'll grow up to become jounin or kages just because they invested all this time into us. Why cater to them? We are our own shinobi. If we desire power, desire to gain all the jutsu in the world? That is what we will do for it will define us beyond mere tools of the state.”
“Agreed. I want to know how it all works you know? I want to understand how each jutsu is similar, how they are different. I want to advance the science of chakra itself. Who knows what secret's we're missing because ninja keep their techniques hidden from one another? Who knows what can be discovered if the knowledge was pooled, compared, analyzed and synthesized into a newer more unified understanding of ninjutsu! Such knowledge could revolutionize how chakra itself is manipulated, how it is taught. The entire ninja world is shooting itself in the foot by keeping all this from each other!”
“I know right? So....it sounds like we truly agree on these things. We both want to obtain all Jutsu. But, I can't make my offer yet. The next part of this, is a delicate matter. The true details of what I'm offering cannot be said where others even have a remote chance of hearing. I have to put you under a genjutsu and enter it myself so that we can converse safely, as I will be revealing something dangerous to you. Something that could get us killed if anyone else found out. I must unfortunately ask you to agree to being put under this genjutsu and to agree to knowing this secret no matter what harm it puts you under as a result, even if you reject my offer. As long you don't know your safe- but once you agree to this, there is no turning back."
Satomi then asks with an intense and meaningful stare the following question:
"So Kimiko: do you agree to be put under this genjutsu and continue this conversation, knowing that this offer and the secrets it involves may result in both our deaths?”

[Rater202]

Does the chakra that Senko feels feel... Familiar? Like perhaps Hisaki san, or maybe one of the guards from the tower the other day? Maybe one of the genin from yesterday, if they're strong enough to take the exams they'll feel like a chunin

Actually, if she gets a chance while looking around town she'll take a glance in the direction of the chakra that's following her. Chances are it's going to be someone in a transformation but they might just be relying on conventional disguise.