A New Heir

Roxas had been fidgeting with the plans he had to put into action due to the decision of the war council. Today he had been going over different strategies from the Book of War when he had been interrupted by a clan messenger reporting that Roxas report to the Elder's chambers so they could speak with him on an important matter. The young man had no clue as to what was to come, as he had been called on for different matters entirely ever since Jasmine had appointed him as her successor to the Kukinorite Clan.

Roxas would walk across their temporary home to the temporary chambers of the current Kukinorite Elders. He had more important things to do, like seeing to the construction of their new home and the war efforts, but no. He had to come when summoned all the time since he was still only the Heir and not Head of the clan. With a sigh, Roxas knocked on the door with his metallic hand and awaited permission to enter.

A muffled come in would be heard outside the door and upon Roxas opening the door it would reveal the council of elders the Eight Kings of the base roads and the former clan head of the Kukinorite Clan Lynx Kukinorite the Refraction Queen of the Silica Road. In comparison to the others she still looked young however that was simply due to her Nova genetics whereas the others where human, it was odd really ever since Cassandra Duo had come into the clan though the humans still dominated the Kukinorite Clan Nova's were treated equally and in some cases perhaps even better. That case was proven true for those of the "royal" bloodline Lynx had ruled the Kukinorite with an iron fist during her time as Clan Head and had only retired due to being near death preferring to focus her attention on clan matters and preparing the next generation.

Roxas, we have called you here to inform you that a true heir has been chosen for the clan. My daughter, made such an erroneous judgement call when she chose to leave the clan and abandon her duties however we have seen fit to remind her of her place, and though she herself is no longer capable of preforming her true service to the clan. We have taken steps to ensure that we obtain a clan heir hailing from the royal bloodline rather than....common birth. Lynx said with the last words being accompanied by a sniff from the elder to her immediate right. As such..you will be sent to recover the heir from Jasmine on the west continent and bring her back to the clan so she may be groomed into her role. Likewise, you are a Jonin now are you not? In that case...in 6 months prepare to take a squad, one of the members consisting of this heir, it would be better for her to experience leadership from one already experienced at it likewise it would do her well to be taught by one of the clan. she said while sitting back in her chair she was of course not sitting in it properly as Lynx was never one to be dignified unlike her mother she had ruled the clan through strength and thus her whims and motives were not questioned they were simply obeyed.

Do you have any questions? Lynx asked not that she really cared but to at least give Roxas the idea that he had some sort of control over the situation when in reality the reason she had summoned him here was two part. The first being to remind him of his place, the thought that a...half breed would attempt to rise above that especially since a pure-blooded kukinorite who's blood stretched back through generations of serving leadership positions within the clan tracing all the way back to Cassandra Duo the most powerful Shijimakage their village had ever known was unimaginable. The second being that currently he was close to Jasmine, and she wanted to use that relationship to ensure that Jasmine didn't attempt to disappear once again as she was fond of doing when she didn't get her way. As much as she would of liked to kill her daughter out of frustration, she was still her flesh and blood and thus she had a soft spot..albeit miniscule for Jasmine.

Roxas entered when he heard the words and made his way to the center stage, looking up toward Lynx. As she began to go through her little.... information, many things went through the young Zireh's mind. They were replacing him, disgracing his family, and basically making him train his replacement. His mother was from the pure line, though she had married his Zireh of a father. He wondered when this would come up, but still. To think the clan who had looked past segregation with that of the Nova were now jointly segregating the Zireh. If Cassandra, the one who was responsible for the uniting of the two races under one clan, were alive today.... Well, he wondered what she herself would do... Alas, Roxas knew very little of that portion of his family.

When Lynx asked Roxas if he had any questions, a few did come to mind. But he had to speak carefully. Eight people, Kings and Queens of the base roads, were present. If he made any comment out of turn then it would be him versus eight highly skilled warriors. Even if they were old, some were still capable of fighting. "Jasmine is sterile, like me. How is it that she has produced an heir of pure Kukinorite blood? And what of my mother? Is she no longer considered of the Pure bloodline now?" He added in that last portion under his breath, though one who possessed a means of reading lips, feeling vibrations or wind patterns could easily figure out what he said. It was a bit more than he had meant to, but it hurt deep with what they were saying to him. He was still a Kukinorite, but it was obvious his mother and him were being disowned from the main branch of the clan.

Lynx would watch the boy gauging his reaction to the news letting him get whatever he wanted out of his system before she would turn her body drapped around her seat as she lifted one of her legs revealing the Silica Regalia before she would turn once more to regard him as she was quite pleased that of all the questions he had asked it had been that one. Surely you didn't think the issue of sterility would get in the way of the advancement of the clan. Medical Ninjutsu has come far, and beyond that Fuinjutsu had gone farther the heir you'll be sent to retrieve is a clone based on Jasmine's genetic template, if we can not have the original then we will settle for an identical copy, however unlike the original's flawed thought process we shall take...more care in ensuring that she realizes her place in the world is to bring the clan into prominence. Lynx said sneering slightly as she had of course caught his little remark not that he had bothered to hide it.

Come now, Roxas did you truly think we would scorn you so, we are not stripping you of your title are we not? In fact you should be honored, with the acquisition of a new heir you are being elevated to acting clan head. We have projected that the clone will be strong enough to claim leadership of the clan within 5 years, so you have three years to prove yourself capable enough to continue to retain leadership of the clan. Otherwise she will claim her birthright earlier than you might like. she said  with the remaining elders nodding in agreement, she would add an additional comment however. Do not blame us, for this of course if anyone you should place the blame on my daughter, she knew fully well that by giving you the clan heir position it would force us to act. Then going and laying claim to the Ring Road in an attempt to become the first Pledge Queen who wasn't a shinobi. Lynx said her voice having an underlying tone of anger at her daughters actions.

But of course if you feel like we are being to harsh, speak up. Or better yet drag my daughter here so that she can take the dressing down in your place.However you know as well as I do that it would just prove even more so that you are not fit to bear the right to be clan heir. Lynx said the last part of course being unsaid but nonetheless her and the remaining elders would all echo the same thoughts. Being named clan heir wasn't without its own burdens, it was never in their plans for him to become it, and thus while they were figuring out what to do he was allowed to keep up the facade. Now however they had a solution so this farce needed to be addressed and he needed to be brought into reality, ultimately it had nothing to do with his race but rather the circumstances of his birth. He was a half blood, not even second generation, ultimately he would be seen as unfit to lead, now assuming he had a child given that it would have descended from skilled stock they had a chance of qualifying for being bred into the Royal Bloodline and thus his family line will be able to rise up within the Kukinorite heirarchy.

As she spoke his body grew tense and his eyes grew narrow. Shock and realization scorned his face. They were using me, just as my race had been used generations ago when first brought about. I was nothing but a tool, an object to pass the time... A toy to play with till they got what they wanted. And what they wanted was Jasmine. But they are basically calling the only person I considered family... a... wait... No... His moment of shock changed to one of despair. Jasmine.... She used me as well... She didn't want this life.... The life of responsibility... She only wished to be free and do whatever she liked... I was just... Her scapegoat...

The young boy's eyes seemed to fade and his body drooped. I was just a temporary escape goat. Now that I am no longer a broken toy, Jasmine looked for another toy to replace me. A clone. They are all looking for it... A symbol to turn into their Perfection. These were not the noble Kukinorite I once knew.... But instead I am facing a bunch of monsters. They want to use the clone just to be known as strong. The perfect weapon, the perfect bred, the perfect Kukinorite... they are nothing but... monsters... Roxas's hands gripped tightly into that of a fist, but relaxed just as quickly. His drooping posture changed and he looked up at Lynx with emotionless eyes.

"You wish for me to pick up the next heir to the Kukinorite in a few months," he would say. Monsters.... He met Lynx's eyes. "Six months after training her in the way you wish her to be she will then be handed over to me." His skin bubbled ever so slightly as Tekio sensed the anger coming from him. Monsters... He took a careful breath. "And then you wish for me to hone her skills for the next five years in preparation for her becoming the clan head." Tekio came to a halt, but the room clearly rose a good five degrees in the span of a few seconds. Monsters. However, the temperature would go back to normal, as if a hot wave of wind had just gone through, which wouldn't be too unusual in this strange new place they were in. "Very well. I shall bring you the perfect Kukinorite." Tekio would move deeper into Roxas, trying to peel herself from his mind. MONSTERS! He would then bow and smile. "I will not fail you." Tekio suddenly froze as a last line of thought reached her from Roxas. I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU ALL!!! I WON'T LET YOU GET YOUR WAY! TREATING US LIKE YOUR FUCKING TOYS! He would then rise and stand straight, smiling at Lynx. "Is that all Lynx-sama?" He looked her dead in her eyes, and to just her, there was a momentary glimpse of a change to the room. The walls were destroyed, the floor was nothing but molten lava, and where Roxas now stood was a large being clad in black armor flowing with magma. But this momentary vision left as soon as it appeared, everything was normal. I'll kill you all... Starting with you... Roxas would think during that time.

Lynx would tilt her head resting it in her right hand as she was propped up on her throne her amusement only increasing as she could literally taste his despair at the situation it was...invigorating, and she would notice the rage especially when he actually thought to trigger his shadow. However she wouldn't say a thing, perhaps it was the Sadomasochist blood flowing through her veins but she looked forward to whatever justified retribution the boy thought he would bring to her. Indeed it is, while she is recieving instruction from you occasionally we will take over her training, after all their are somethings which are only passed down directly from mother to...child. Lynx said before using her free hand to wave him away seeing as she was done speaking to him all the while an amused smirk appeared on her face.

She would wait until he decided to leave before stirring once more seeing as she couldn't let it simply end just like that. Oh and Roxas, use a little less righteous fury next time you attempt to throw your shadow around. It is more effective when you..revel in it, now then please close the door on your way out. she would said right before he opened the door and if he turned back to gaze at her she would give him a taste of his own shadow reflected at him with the sheer bloodlust being amplified drastically. The unspoken message was of course clear, whenever he wished to challenge her right to make the decisions regarding the clan, she would eagerly await such a conflict.

"Righteous isn't the word I'd use for it," he would say before he would walk out the doors and close them behind him carefully. As he did he would take one last glimpse at her and feel his pulse rumble. He was both afraid and excited, but most of all he was angry. This woman feels no fear. She thinks she is the top of the food chain. He will knock her and her status down by six notches, then turn it to ash. As the doors finally closed he walked away, back toward his room to prepare for a special journey.

[exit]