...if I get an idea - an idea that makes me howl in horrified delight, makes me give a Grinchly grin and rub my hands together - an idea that comprises the biggest direct change worked by the use of Villain Points of anything I'd yet planned, in that it flips a major character's important descision on camera... is that a good thing or a bad thing?
See, here's the thought... Orochimaru is getting kacked in the invasion - this much is decided - but what about the Sound as such? Neshan and a ba ckup guy or two go after Kabuto, but he's one slippery customer, and if anyone could pull off a fake death and escape it would be him - and from all evidence, he's snakepants' right hand man. Is it not plausible that he would also know the Impure World Resurrection? That he, injured beyond the limit of his own considerable healing abilities to do mor ethan slow the inevitable end, might seek out his former masters' old team mate to try to get her to help him? That in addition to her loved ones return, he might offer her the position of Otokage?
For all his personal power, no one in Sound would know him for anything but a new ex-Leaf recruit while everyone on the continent knows about the Legendary San-Nin, and while he might have his own ideas about being the true power whatever Tsunade thought, the ideal of looking out for your own strength first because the world is unkind is certainly one she could agree with in her jaded mindset. Essentially the same offer from both sides in terms of personal authority, plus the return of Nawaki and Dan, and the salve to her conscience that she's still protecting Konoha by turning Sound and Rice Field Country from enemies into a neutral if not allied power.
Without her, Jiraya would probably be forced to take up the Hokage name. I dunno about things too far beyond - like I said back at the beginning, I want to see how the Akatsuki overplot shakes out in canon before making any definite plans about it - but with a quick resolution to the conflict and active assistance to get the Leaf quickly back into shape, it could be that Mizukage would want to follow through a little more with his "gesture of freindship" to a slightly stronger treaty stance - but that darn nukenin Zabusa's presence is making the Mist Council nervous, you see?
There's also the matter of Tayuya, the lone survivor of the Sound's Five Gatekeepers, whose return is requested as aknowledgment of the formal end of hostilities between Leaf and Sound, and a few discreet words in a former Mist-nin's ear sees him also joining that expedition - technically violating his Leaf parole asagreed when he came in from the Wave mission, but it's not like they'll care about that in Sound, and it's not like the Leaf Council likes him much either.
There's one other matter, the most important in terms of following TXY - Lee's injuries from his fight with Gaara. Fortunately for him, Naruto still impressed Tsunade enoguh that she offers him treatment, the attempt to heal one of the Leaf's up and coming powerhouses being Sound's half of the deal to get their prisoners released.
No, I'm not going with any cop-out three year training journey, in which nothing is learned except a smidgen of fashion sense and a larger but overall weaker form of an already known attack.
- CDSERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
A kung-fu nun in a leather thong was no less extreme than anything else he had seen that day. - Rev. Dark's IST: Holy Sea World
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows
See, here's the thought... Orochimaru is getting kacked in the invasion - this much is decided - but what about the Sound as such? Neshan and a ba ckup guy or two go after Kabuto, but he's one slippery customer, and if anyone could pull off a fake death and escape it would be him - and from all evidence, he's snakepants' right hand man. Is it not plausible that he would also know the Impure World Resurrection? That he, injured beyond the limit of his own considerable healing abilities to do mor ethan slow the inevitable end, might seek out his former masters' old team mate to try to get her to help him? That in addition to her loved ones return, he might offer her the position of Otokage?
For all his personal power, no one in Sound would know him for anything but a new ex-Leaf recruit while everyone on the continent knows about the Legendary San-Nin, and while he might have his own ideas about being the true power whatever Tsunade thought, the ideal of looking out for your own strength first because the world is unkind is certainly one she could agree with in her jaded mindset. Essentially the same offer from both sides in terms of personal authority, plus the return of Nawaki and Dan, and the salve to her conscience that she's still protecting Konoha by turning Sound and Rice Field Country from enemies into a neutral if not allied power.
Without her, Jiraya would probably be forced to take up the Hokage name. I dunno about things too far beyond - like I said back at the beginning, I want to see how the Akatsuki overplot shakes out in canon before making any definite plans about it - but with a quick resolution to the conflict and active assistance to get the Leaf quickly back into shape, it could be that Mizukage would want to follow through a little more with his "gesture of freindship" to a slightly stronger treaty stance - but that darn nukenin Zabusa's presence is making the Mist Council nervous, you see?
There's also the matter of Tayuya, the lone survivor of the Sound's Five Gatekeepers, whose return is requested as aknowledgment of the formal end of hostilities between Leaf and Sound, and a few discreet words in a former Mist-nin's ear sees him also joining that expedition - technically violating his Leaf parole asagreed when he came in from the Wave mission, but it's not like they'll care about that in Sound, and it's not like the Leaf Council likes him much either.
There's one other matter, the most important in terms of following TXY - Lee's injuries from his fight with Gaara. Fortunately for him, Naruto still impressed Tsunade enoguh that she offers him treatment, the attempt to heal one of the Leaf's up and coming powerhouses being Sound's half of the deal to get their prisoners released.
No, I'm not going with any cop-out three year training journey, in which nothing is learned except a smidgen of fashion sense and a larger but overall weaker form of an already known attack.
- CDSERVO: Loook *deeeeply* into my eyes... Tell me, what do you see?
CROW: (hypnotized) A twisted man who wants to inflict his pain upon others.
A kung-fu nun in a leather thong was no less extreme than anything else he had seen that day. - Rev. Dark's IST: Holy Sea World
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows