The wind blew with a feirce force and Jaymaru stood at the edge of the Rogue Forest. Her eyes burned with a feirce light. The light of change for not only herself but an entire village. Today she was returning to the village that she had brought back from ashes and would once again have it live. Giving a slow staedy sigh she started forward. She had waited half a year for this moment and after Itachi and her had once again seperated she knew what was to be done. As she entered the middle of the Open she never once faultered. This was what she wanted. No matter what they claimed about her she would do this job and she would do it well. No one would fall under her orders. She had once been Kage and she could do it again. But this time she would be better, much better than she had done for the Stealth. When she reached the Storm she stopped. She didn't know what kind of condition it was in but either way she would cope with the problems and fix it. Open up the village doors she entered what seemed like Hell at first, but would later rise to become a paradise.

((Anyone who wants to join the Storm may post if here, or anyone who is already in the Storm.))

Kinaga sat on a chair that he had leaning against the inside of the gate that entered the Valley of Storms. It was raining out, as usual. After the loss of the Storm Valley's Kage, Kinaga had joined the valley in the hopes to help maintain order. He also had high hopes that she would return. He didn't know what to call her anymore. Jaymaru or Ginger. Friend or traitor. No....he could never call her traitor...What she did didn't matter to him, as long as she was safe while she did it.

Kinaga was helping guard the gate today. Other days, he might've helped Creed out with paperwork, or gone around checking on the villagers. Kinaga didn't bother going on top of the guard towers. Being up there bored him and took out the element of surprise when someone decided to come in. So Kinaga had his own chair sitting at the bottom of the gate for whenever he helped guard the gate. Right now he was leaning back in it silently. He heard one of the guards from on top of the tower yell down to him that someone was coming in the gate. He looked up. "Oh? Hmm...Let them in then. Don't bother 'em. " Kinaga was more lax than normal today. Watching the gate as the person came in, Kinaga walked up to them, his vision blurred slightly by the rain. "Welcome to the valley of....." He started with a small smile, but then stopped mid sentence as the familiar face registered in his mind. His smile faded as he realized who it was. "J...Jaymaru?" He asked, shocked. He hadn't expected this at all.

Jaymaru turned a blue gaze to her greeter. Never could she forget his face for it was Kinaga. One of her closest friends and allies. She wondered if that would change. It seemed that the Storm had been doing well from her point of view, but only time could tell. Of course with Kinaga around what could possibly go wong. His element was storms anyhow. Taking a double take at him she gave a small nod of greeting. "Hello Kinaga, it has been quite some time since I've see you," she said in a calm voice to show she meant no hostility towards him or anyone else. She hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to him the day she left. She'd been in a hurry at the time, but now she could talk, if he wanted to. She wondered if the Storm was under his command now. He would make a suitable Kage in her opinion for this village. Or maybe Creed was leading now if he was still here. Either way she was just here to help, not take away someone position.

Kinaga looked her over once. She looked.....relatively well, but, solemn. Smiling, Kinaga walked over to Jay and put one arm around her. "You've been gone a while Jay. I missed you. Alot of things have changed since you left." His arm still around her, he gave her a warm smile. "Come on, let's go get something to eat, my treat. We have alot to catch up on." Kinaga wasn't one for lingering on the facts. But the fact that she was back excited him greatly. There was no need to be so solemn about it.

Jaymaru gave a small nod as Kinaga mentioned that he'd missed her and things had changed while she was gone. She had known things would change when she left and knew that she'd be missed, but she wondered if there was anything specific that she had changed. Before she could ask about what she was being told they were going to eat. Blinking she said, "That would be nice." She sort of felt like a child again and it was strange. What exactly had happened while she was gone.

Smiling, Kinaga led Jaymaru to a restaurant that was quite nice inside. Dry and warm. (^.^) It was one of those "you can seat yourself" kind of restaurants, but regardless, it was nice. Pulling out a chair for Jaymaru, one of the waitresses came up to them as Kinaga sat after Jaymaru did. Giving a smile and a nod at Kinaga, she said "What can I get you and your lady friend?" Kinaga looked at Jay with a smile and said "Remember anything you want, I'm treating."

Roxl walked through the storm valley. He was not accostumed to this life. He knew that he had a hero that shared his name. In no way, shape, or form was he in any relation to Roxl Oni of the 5 great villages. He had only recently become a jonin, as he was only 20 years of age. However, his skills were exceptionally good for someone of his age. Sure, he couldn't fly, clone, or really do much, but the three jutsu he knew were much more powerfull than a normal one. He kept walking, and walked up to two people. One he recognized immideately as his kage, but the other one remained mysterious. He bowed, "Hello Lord Kinaga, and friend." He bowed to Jm as well.

Jaymaru sat quietly at the table. This seemed wrong in a way. This was all too genuine for her after her complete betrayal and such. She looked at the waiter as she came up and gave a small nod then looked at Kinaga who began to speak. "Okay," she said quietly. "I'll take some dumplings and tea, that will be all." She hadn't really had much of an appetite. She sort of missed the free life of being just a roaming ninja. Shaking her thoughst away she looked at a guy who had come up to them and called Kinaga 'Lord'. That only meant one thing, he was Kage. Higher titles such as Lady and Lord were given to Kages to certify their positions and now she was looking at Kinaga with blank expression. No wonder the village had done so well. He was leading. "Congrats," she said to him.

Roxl faced the table and casually asked, "Lord, may I please sit with you two? I have had a rather boring day so far, and what way to lighten it up than to enjoy it sitting with that Kage of my village?" He looked to the stranger, then to Kinaga. "By the way, my name is Roxl. Roxl Oni." He stood up at the sound of his name. In a way, it made him feel better to say it.

Kinaga smiled when Jay ordered and ordered the same. Giving a nod to Roxl as he came up to them, he said "Hello Roxl." He looked at Jaymaru with a small laugh. "Guess that ruined the surprise, huh?" He shrugged. "Oh well." Looking down at the table, he added "After you left, the Storm was in ruins...I had to do something about it." Kinaga glanced at Roxl. He was a new Jonin in the village. Kinaga really wanted to just be able to catch up with Jaymaru without any interruptions, but that didn't seem plausible since he was now Kage. Kinaga held back a sigh and gave a small smile at Roxl. "Sure Roxl." It sounded wierd to say his best friends name, to hear his best friends name from someone who had no relation whatsoever. Sometimes it bothered him. Other times he completely forgot. Oh well.

Roxl saw the obvious discouragment in Kinny's expression. "I am sorry to have inturrupted you. If you want I will take my leave. I just wanted to know.......well..... uhh nevermind. And as for the fact that I share my name with your deceased best friend, I am very sorry. You seem rather destressed. Perhaps a funeral would put your mind at ease?" He stayed standing, waiting for Kinny to answer his questions.

Kinaga shook his head a little. "Don't worry about it." He said to the first question. "And you needn't be sorry about your name," he said with a small laugh. "You did not choose it afterall." To the last question and statement he said "To be honest, I've been planning his funeral for a while now. And thank you for your concern, but it's uselessly spent. I'm fine," he said in the most friendly way he could. Jaymaru would see this as typical Kinaga, always denying that something's wrong. Coming back to the first question, Kinaga said "Now, Roxl, tell me, what did you want to know?"

Jaymaru looked at Roxl, this guy was so freakin proper that it brought back the Ginger side in her. The side that was rude and heartless, the side that would kill instantly without hesitation. When he claimed his name was Roxl that only pissed her off even more. Who was he to claim his name was that. She could understand a simple Roxl, but Roxl Oni. She restrained herself from saying something she might regret if since she didn't know the entire situation and instead she sat quietly and listened to their conversation after saying, "I'm Jaymaru Iruki," and left it at that. Jaymaru looked at Kinaga as he spoke to her. She allowed a small smile and then it faded as he gave small detail on the Storm. "That was my fault," she said. "I'm glad you took the responsibility." Instead of some other person, she thought silently looking off towards a window where she could see that it was possibly going to storm. The at the sound of Roxl voice stating that he would leave if Kinaga didn't want him around and that he a question but stopped. The he turned to tell about sharing Roxl's name and a funeral. Jaymaru kept looking out the window. The name of her former friend brought back everything that had happened in the past year. Her betrayal, running away with Itachi, being free from troubles, Fighting with the Magma, facing against Ester, all of it. Snapping out of her daydreaming she turned to Kinaga and Roxl when Kinaga said the funeral would be uselessy spent. Blinking she put her hand on her cheek for support and leaned her head as she waited for Roxl to answer Kinaga's question.

Roxl could see the obvious anger reflecting in the tone of this new persons voice. "I'm sorry, but what exactly is your problem?" he said without a spark of tone in it. "I was simply trying to strike a conversation. And if you must know," he looked at Kinny, "I simply wanted to know if I could have a mission. You haven't given anyone a mission since you took Ginger's spot as kage." He looked back at Jm, and cocked his head sideways a bit. "If I may ask, why are you so ticked at me?"

(Haha, I thought i was the only one who would notice the way i talked ^.^)

Kinaga glanced at Jaymaru. He knew why she was angry, who wouldn't be after knowing Roxl for so long? When Kinaga'd first heard of this Jonin claiming to have the same name as his best friend, he was pissed himself. Kinaga sighed. "Listen Roxl, I'll find you a mission tomorrow, but right now, I have business, okay? And leave this lady alone, she's had quite the rough time lately." Kinaga remembered how Jaymaru was as Ginger, and also knew that it wasn't easy to change personalities overnight. If Jaymaru was still as easily angered as before, Roxl'd be dead before the nights end. And he couldn't afford to lose a Jonin.

Roxl stepped away from the table and bowed. He briskly said "Goodbye." and walked out of the resturaunt. He knew that he would have to watch his back, Jaymaru wanted to kill him for sure....

Jaymaru looked at Roxl as asked her what her problem was. Her blue eyes held a hint of anger. She had been civil up until this point, but now this guy had stepped way into her boundries. She hadn't said anything besides her name to him and he was trying to start something. When Kinaga began to speak she was very greatful. She didn't want to fight today, nor tomorrow, or ever with someone like this guy. In the end it would be pointless. As Roxl exited the building Jaymaru looked at Kinaga. Her eyes were cooler now, but she was still upset. "Thank you," was all she could get out.

Kinaga shook his head. "Don't worry about it Jay." He really hated seeing her like this. She was so upset...All he really wanted to do right now was make her feel better, he'd ask her about what happened then. "Are you planning on staying in the Storm Valley then?" he asked, being able to think of nothing else.

Jaymaru looked at Kinaga and thought about the question for a moment. She'd come back to finish the job she'd started but now that he was kage there was no need for her to stay any longer. But if he wanted her to she would since she had nowhere else to go and this is where she'd told Itachi she'd be and it'd be a long time until they met again so she really had no choice now did she. She looked at Kinaga and shook her head. "I'll be staying for the time being."

"That's good. I'll get a residence set up for you," he said giving her a light smile. Kinaga sat back in his chair and gave a shrug and a wider smile. "But look at me being all solemn like this. I should be acting much more excited, one of my closest friends has returned after a year! It really is good to see you again Jay," he said the last part with a bit more seriousness than his previous statements (but not too much seriousness).

Jaymaru looked at Kinaga and thanked him. Altogether she still believed this too much of a welcome. How could she possibly fit in after all that has happened. She'd have to atone with her brother, children, and granddaughter. Not to mention she would have to find Kazuya who she felt like she'd abandoned, but would he recognize her without her looks of Ginger. She gave a small sisgh. She had the sword still, maybe that would help. Kinaga's voice brought her from her thoughts. "Like wise," she said to him and then went quite again. She wasn't trying to be rude or mean or anything of that matter but she was trying to figure alot out and figured she had nothng to say unless it was explaining her actions that led up to the year of her disappearance.