Raven and Mei stepped into a private side room of the restaurant, the paper lantern above them casting a steady golden glow that softened the wooden walls. The air was warm with the lingering aroma of rice wine and grilled fish from the main hall. The sliding door closed behind them, and silence replaced the din of the crowd.
A waitress appeared with a notepad tucked under her arm. She bowed politely and asked, "What will you be having tonight?"
Raven glanced at the menu without much care, then looked up with calm certainty. "Bring me a pizza."
Mei blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "What is a pizza?"
Raven smirked, her voice even. "Just wait. You will see."
The waitress hesitated. "Are you sure you want a pizza?"
"Yes," Raven said firmly, her tone leaving no room for debate.
Mei studied her, then said coolly, "In that case, I will have one as well."
The waitress wrote quickly, bowing again before sliding the door closed behind her. The quiet pressed in around them.
Raven lifted her palm and placed it flat on the low table. Chakra flowed out in thin lines that traced across the wood, spreading into intricate designs until the entire room glowed with a faint, pale-blue sheen. The seal closed the space around them, muffling sound, bending the air into privacy.
Mei's turquoise eyes widened slightly. "You are skilled in sealing."
Raven nodded. "Everyone should know the basics of privacy seals. Loose lips sink entire nations."
Mei's voice sharpened. "Much of that knowledge was lost with the destruction of the Uzumaki clan."
Raven's tone was calm, controlled. "The rumors of the Uzumaki clan's demise have been greatly exaggerated. We are scattered, not gone. Many hide among the common people, away from shinobi villages. They wait for the day when the clan calls them back together."
Mei folded her arms, her gaze narrowing. "From what I have heard, the world has not been kind to your kin. Villages hunt them down, force marriages, or eliminate them for their bloodline."
"That is true," Raven admitted without hesitation. "But the clan is patient. Shadows endure. When the time comes, they will rise again."
Mei studied her carefully. "You sound hopeful."
Raven allowed a faint smile to touch her lips. "I have plans, Mei. But that is another matter entirely. And for the record, I am not an Uzumaki."
Mei's gaze swept over her white hair. "That much is obvious. Your hair alone marks you as different."
Raven tilted her head knowingly. "Because of my unique abilities. Let us leave it at that."
The door slid open again, and the waitress entered carrying two round flatbreads balanced on lacquered trays. Steam rose from melted cheese and sauce, filling the room with a smell entirely unlike the traditional broths and rice of the Land of Waves. She set them down, bowed, and departed once more.
Mei leaned forward, staring at the dish with open skepticism. "This is… pizza?"
Raven chuckled and picked up a slice, the cheese stretching as she lifted it. "Try it."
Mei hesitated, then copied her, biting into the hot crust. Her eyes widened despite herself. "This… is actually good. Strange, but good."
"I thought you might like it," Raven said lightly. "Consider it the food of alliances."
Mei muttered, her voice edged with amusement. "You have odd ways of beginning negotiations."
They ate in silence for a few moments, the warmth of the food grounding them. Then Raven set her slice down and folded her hands, her tone turning serious. "Mei, you endured a brutal childhood. You know better than most the direction this world is heading. The Elemental Nations will not find peace on their own. The Bloody Mist policies are only a symptom of what is to come. If Yagura is removed, your village might recover—but only if someone with vision takes his place."
Mei's eyes sharpened. "And you believe that someone is me?"
Raven inclined her head slightly. "Perhaps. I want to propose an alliance. Not today, not tomorrow, but soon. Through this alliance, we can begin funneling the children of your village—the ones doomed to die in those academy slaughter rituals—out of Kirigakure. I have methods to make it appear as though they perished. In reality, they would be hidden in a sanctuary I am building."
Mei's tone grew hard. "You are proposing to smuggle my people out of the village, conceal them, and raise them as your own private force?"
Raven shook her head. "Not mine. Yours. They would grow in safety, free of the Bloody Mist, waiting until the day they can return and help you end Yagura's reign. Imagine it: an entire generation spared from pointless bloodshed, ready to fight for you when the time comes."
Mei picked up her slice of pizza again, chewing slowly, eyes narrowing in thought. "You are asking me to gamble the future of my village on your words."
Raven answered steadily. "No. I am offering you the chance to save your village from consuming itself. Yagura is turning his own shinobi into sacrifices, murdering his soldiers before they even reach the battlefield. It is madness, not strategy. Together, we can undo it."
Mei leaned back, her tone wary but intrigued. "Very well. You have my ear, Raven. Tell me more"
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