[Graded]Decisions

[Legacy]

In the Previous episode Gene learned of his Teacher's whereabouts and upon realizing that the reality he'd been fed was a lie, the teenager has been thrust into a state of upheaval. Caught between his own personal morals and the demands of his profession, Gene has a choice to make that will ultimately shape the rest of his life. Remain a Shinobi till the end or abandon the will of Fire completely?

"That bastard!" The day with Aina and Minoru had come and gone but Gene's emotions on the matter remained the same, he couldn't forgive Minoru for abandoning his team, his village, his own family and for what? There was already too much that Gene didn't understand and now the fact that his own Sensei had probably been forced into exile - no, was exiled on his own, had only added fuel to the fire. None of it made any sense but yet he and several others who'd looked up to the Awai had been given assignments one after another and told simply to focus on the mission rather than the whereabouts of a comrade. Was Minoru even a comrade at this point? Gene grunted, seeing the man for the first time in years had not been the friendly welcoming part he'd always imagined would come to pass when they were reunited. Instead, he'd been more disgusted, angry at the shell of a human being that stood in front of him. "That wasn't Minoru-sensei, I can't accept that."

Though he had tried his hardest to forget about the ordeal, Gene could not help but recall how dull and lifeless Minoru appeared; it was almost as if he'd been inhumanely tortured, literally broken from the inside out. But what on earth could have caused such a strong willed Shinobi to be reduced to...that? It hadn't made any kind of sense and the more Gene searched his brain to make logic out of it all, the more he found himself sweltering with anger and disappointment. Moreover, it was the expression Aina had given him when she'd stopped his fist from crashing smack dab into Minoru's face. It wasn't compassion, empathy or even pity. It was the look of someone who no longer held regard for a person - Gene realized that while she might have been good at keeping her emotions in check, Aina's expression wasn't a farce. Just what had Minoru done between the two of them? Someone had to have answers for what was going on and if there was one person who had been more connected in the village than anyone, it was the Hokage himself.

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this." Unwilling to waste another second sitting idle Gene stormed off toward the Hokage's mansion. He was determined to figure out just what sort of deep dark secret that had been so worth protecting that Minoru was reduced to a god damn mummy of his former self; however, as he drew closer and closer he began considering the future once he did learn whatever truth was behind all of this. There had been too many odd things happening around him from Minoru to Taiga to even Masami; Gene may have been a lot of things but he wasn't an idiot, even a blind man could have noticed the drastic changes in her physical appearance if he stood in front of her long enough. Had the village been manifesting super weapons in Humans? The more questions that formed in his head, the faster he walked until he'd practically stood in front of the mansion gates. "Let me through, I need to speak with the Hokage." The two guards stationed in front of the gates were puzzled by Gene's stern command and one of them was tempted to laugh but the glare that Gene shot the man could have frozen hell over a hundred times.

"I'm afraid the Hokage is -- hey!" Before the guard could finish giving him the spill Gene had lept beyond the gate and dashed his way into the mansion. He'd worked guard duty before, he knew the run around because he'd turned away several people during his time in the same way that those men had tried to. He wouldn't be stopped by any means; in no time at all, Gene had turned several corners, twisted through staircases and arrived at the very door to the Hokage's office.

*Knock, knock knock, KNOCK*

"Lord Hokage, it's Gene."

[Izanagi]

Now more than ever Takeo found himself pulled in a dozen directions at once. His life had always been busy, between missions, managing various teams and keeping up with friends, family and his own personal life in regards to romances. Since becoming Hokage however he had all of his same prior obligations in addition to the responsibility for every occurrence within the village and even matters pertaining to Fire Country as a whole. Not only that he had to balance strained political endeavors between the great nations and be tasked with managing and organizing inter-village operations. It was more responsibility than he would have ever dreamed as and yet it felt both exciting and daunting to now hold so much power over the state of the world. With the operation in Whirlpool country making great strides and drawing attention Takeo saw an opportunity, though one that could easily backfire. Still, with the state of Iwa, war seemed inevitable and as much as he would do everything in his power to maintain neutrality between the two villages he couldn’t sit idly by. He had to prepare.

It was with this in mind that he had drafted an array of missions taking place in Waterfall Country. Each would be covert, entrusted only to the most skilled and trustworthy Konoha shinobi, primarily those handpicked individuals he had recruited into ANBU. Even the council wouldn’t be made aware of the initial scouting missions. The country was an important buffer between the land of Fire and the Land of Rock. If a monitoring outpost could be established Konoha would gain a useful tactical option that could serve a variety of purposes. The Hokage was in the process of drafting one such initial scouting unit when he heard at knock at the door. Smirking at the coincidence of the fortunate timing Takeo set down his pen and folded his hands, “Come in” he stated. When Gen entered he would find the Hokage dressed in a simple dark blue shirt with black pants. His ceremonial robes could be seen hung up behind him to the right with the traditional hat resting on a wall ledge above it whereas behind Takeo and to the left was a storage locker where he kept his mission attire and gear close at hand.

The desk he sat at was large and made of a rich, dark wood, resting on a lush red carpet, similar to the fabric that lined the chair he sat on as well as the two chairs that he kept in front of his desk for company. Various decorations adorned the room, primarily cultural artifacts and weaponry though several bookshelves lined the walls to Takeo’s left and to his right was a large window overlooking the village. As the young shinobi entered the room Takeo could almost immediately tell that something was troubling him. It hadn’t taken him long to discern the most probable cause. A few days ago Aina had reluctantly told him of her run in with Mino. Takeo glanced to his left towards the framed picture that he kept there. The picture was of himself, Aina and their children; Hanako and their twins Takeshi and Kaori when they had first been born nearly half a year ago. Two other pictures were displayed in the room, one of himself and Yoru when he had been a Chunin, taken on his birthday, that was placed on a ledge by the window and another that was of himself, his other son Yozei and the boys mother, Megami which had been taken only a few months ago and was kept on the right of his desk. One final picture was stored in one of the many drawers of the large desk and it was this one that he thought of now. Remembering the second team of Genin that he had trained.

Looking back up to Gene whom by now had likely approached the desk, Takeo would gesture for him to take a seat. “What brings you here Gene? Something on your mind?” he wondered, deciding not to make assumptions and rather let Gene explain for himself. He had failed Mino when the boy had needed him most, even Makoto had slipped off into obscurity. As busy as he was Takeo was determined not to fail another one of his disciples. He held a responsibility for everyone in the village though especially those that he directly trained and had roped into joining ANBU. Though he was no longer commander of the organization they were each still his operatives and their mental health was as much his responsibility as Yosuke’s.

[Legacy]

I knew it, Gene thought. As if he would be turned away by some run of the mill security guards, they ought to have known that among the ranks there was one particular child who was more perceptive than most. It was after all, one of the many reasons he'd even been allowed to promote so early on ahead of his own class. Pushing the earlier run in out of his mind, Gene focused now on what he had come all this way for in the first place as he opened the door slowly - never up until now had he ever actually been nervous about speaking with the Hokage. Granted Takeo was still the same adrenaline junky he'd met at the training grounds so long ago, now was a different time and what he had to say more than likely would have triggered some sort of response....or so he imagined. Once the door had been completely open Gene stepped inside and closed the door behind him; his Auburn hues glued to the man in front of him contained respect, but underneath the surface something more. How much do you know? Gene thought, stepping forward to about the center of the room he'd bow slightly as was custom and then take a deep breath. Here goes...

"Minoru appeared in the village out of the blue and looked nothing like the Awai I've come to know. I've always had my suspicions but seeing him like that now, I can't help but get the feeling that there's something I'm not being let in on. " There was a certain edge to Gene's tone that wouldn't have been missed by Takeo and Gene was aware that what he'd been getting at may have been pressing a line but the pain he'd felt for his Sensei wouldn't allow him to tailor his words any other way. "During the invasion I know that I was nothing more than a Genin fresh out of the academy and there wasn't much that I could have done....but I remember everything! I'd tried to track him down when the first signs of an attack had been noted and couldn't - since then I haven't seen him and now he returns looking like some walking zombie?! Just what the hell happened Takeo?" It would be a first, but Gene's eyes flared with a deeper passion and hurt that he'd been able to keep under wraps in normal circumstances. When he had realized that he'd been losing his grip however, Gene took a moment to breath and collect himself allowing his eyes to fall closed and the darkness to consume him.

When he opened his eyes again Takeo would have still been sitting in front of him but now the heat had died in Gene's chest. "My apologies Hokage-sama."

[Izanagi]

Takeo met Gene’s eyes as he was informed the reason for his presence. A certain knowing sadness washed over the Hokage’s steely expression. Part of him had hoped Gene would come to him for answers and another part of him dreaded the thought. Delving into his memories of the young Awai was a sure way to bring about feelings of sadness, pain and failure. He nodded slowly as he took in the young shinobi’s words. The description of Mino caused a deep aching sadness within in, he had heard the same from Aina though being reminded of how far he had fallen was something he doubted he would ever fully come to terms with. Looking at Gene, with of all his questions, speculations, hurt and confusion and Takeo knew that nothing good would come of keeping secrets from the young man. As expected of him, gene’s perceptive mind was already well onto the right track. “I suppose it’s time you know the truth” he stated grimly as he poured himself a glass of whiskey, a bad habit of drinking now and then when the burdens of his life piled up. He had always kept his wits about him though, never indulging in more than a glass or two unless he was committed to a night out in celebration of something.

The Hokage reached into his drawer, withdrawing the picture of himself as a 25 year old fresh Jounin, his hands resting on the shoulders of two bright young students. A short Hyuuga boy dressed in crisp purple and white robes, a determined and serene look about him and another, the bright golden eyes of the Awai clan, brimming with confidence and energy. He stared at it for several long moments. “I’m not sure if it ever came up but Mino was my student. He and Makoto were my second and last genin team that I took on, the first ultimately consisting only of Yoru.” Upon stating this Takeo would turn the picture so that gene could see. An image of his Sensei as a 13 year old genin, in contrast to his bright hair and eyes his clothes were oddly gray, brown and tattered though it hardly seemed to matter to the bright eyed young boy, always full of hope and great aspirations. “Just like Yoru had been, both Mino and Makoto were prodigious talents, meshing well together as a team and brimming with potential. I have a lot of good memories from that year though unfortunately that didn’t last long. In the midst of training the two of them for their Chunin exams I was sent off on a long term mission that would span several months, nearly half a year in fact.” Takeo paused taking his first sip of whiskey, though his mission had certainly been memorable and allowed him to form a pact with a powerful ally he would have refused it without question if he could turn back time.

Sighing, Takeo recalled the situation found himself in upon his return. “When I came back to the village so much had changed. They had both passed their exams but they had become different people. Makoto was calloused and cold, isolated from everyone but Mino whom had changed the most of all. His mind was clouded, torn constantly in different directions. You see, he grew up poor within his clan, disgraced because of his father’s actions years before Mino’s birth. He wanted desperately to bring wealth and honor back to his family, mostly for his mother’s sake. While I had been away he had been presented with something he saw as an opportunity to do just that, he had been selected by the council to become the host of a Genma of great power, a spirit known as Aturasu with the ability to control fusion elements.” Takeo would pause for several moments, allowing this information to sink in while also ensuring that Gene understood this was a revelation not to be taken lightly. Typically only Jounin of the village and the chosen hosts themselves as well as their immediate family and handlers were ever aware of the Jinchurriki. “When I learned this I was of course worried for Mino, the power of a Genma is not something to take lightly and only those of strong resolve and will can contain them for they are able to feed off of negative emotions and manipulate their hosts in order to gain control. Knowing there was nothing I could do however I chose to support Mino as much as I could, I chose to have faith in him and his vast potential. I hoped that his drive to restore honor to his household would steer him true, even his father had seemed to finally acknowledge him.” Takeo’s tone became bitter at that remark as he took another deep sip from his glass. How had he been so naïve? To trust Kau’s word that he would finally make amends and redeem himself by showing Mino the love and support he deserved.

“Of course that glimmer of hope faded soon enough. After taking on your team for a while and finally feeling like a respected shinobi of the village we were attacked. It was actually a few days after the invasion when the tragedy occurred. The Genma Aturasu broke lose, wreaking havoc in the Awai compound. I was one of the first responders and along with the rest of my ANBU squad we managed to contain the spirit though the sealing team led by the late Bannin, Tei Kawa, had no choice but to extract the beast, leaving Mino in a coma. Further investigation turned up that his mother had been killed, the speculation was that Mino had killed both of his parents though I knew this not to be true and after further assessment I discovered that his father lived and had managed to flee the village. It was a year later when Mino finally awoke from his coma and that was my first glimpse of him as a broken man.” He trailed off, leaving the story there for the time being. There was somewhat more to it than that, certainly some aspects that could be elaborated and the dynamic involving Aina had been left out though still Takeo had shared many classified secrets with his young ANBU operative, entrusting this information to him based on his involvement within the organization as well as his close personal ties to those involved.

[Legacy]

As Gene stood and waited almost desperately for some kind of an explanation he realized what might have been passable as sorrow sweep across Takeo's face. Since the man was a Shinobi of the highest caliber attuned to preserving his own emotions, the sign lasted for only a moment and then faded with Takeo's initial statement. From that one notion of distress however, Gene knew that Takeo had carried a great weight on his shoulder and likely did so for quite some time. Still he said nothing as he watched the man pour up his own troubles though the Hokage hadn't taken a drink from it and instead began peeling back the veil that would reveal everything. Mino-sensei studied under Takeo...All this time, we were never on his level.. Gene thought, thinking back to each training exercise that he'd underwent. Suddenly, at least a fraction of Minoru's power and influence came to make sense.

Gene thought between Takeo's pause, Given the circumstance at the time revealing who his instructor had been would have created much more tension and problems down the line. What better way to get to the Hokage than by attacking those in close proximity to the man himself? Mino-sensei had to have known this and that's why he hadn't bothered to tell us. Even still....That doesn't explain everything. It was around then that Takeo began speaking on how he'd left to which Gene was able to fill in most of the blanks himself. Makoto, he did not know. But Minoru went on to take charge of a Genin team which consisted of Gene himself, Sarutobi, Taiga and one other Genin who had mysteriously disappeared. Prior to the disappearance however, the three worked in tandem with Mino and grew, grew as much as they could - then Mino went missing. Behind closed lips Gene ground his teeth together and a heat rose inside of him; if only, if only he'd been more perceptive!

All the while Mino smiled his heart was snapping in two, torn between the loyalties of a family line who showed far little care and a nation who's needs were insurmountable on a good day. The fact that he'd even been able to perform as best he could back then was nothing short of commendable. But news of the Genma had caused Gene's eyes to widen, he'd heard legends, hearsay of the drunken man but never considered any of it to be real. But now the man he respected most had been spurting it right out of his own mouth - there was no way to deny it now. For Gene, all of this news was like having an anchor dropped smack-dab on the top of his head and by some miracle he was able to keep from reeling over. Then it clicked.

"While Mino had been in a Coma, my team had been given an interim Sensei to oversee our development for some time. Based on your story would I be right to assume that they were fully aware of the situation?" Then he remembered Aina's expression when she'd laid eyes on Mino, the disconnect between them and he understood. Had she believed that he was the murderer? "Aina-san knew as well, didn't she? From what had been explained, Gene's mind led him down several paths though only a few of them made sense and NONE of them were pleasant. The higher ups had known of Minoru's situation and chose to deliberately do nothing, using the Awai as a guinea pig to some kind of super power. For crying out loud, Minoru wasn't that much older than he was! Had he been in the right state of mind the conclusion to Taiga's change in demeanor would have been made right then and there but he was far too distraught about the wellbeing of a man who he'd come to respect to put any form of consideration into the matter. Konoha....the nation he'd fought tooth and nail for, had been sanctioning Shinobi to be used as human weapons?!

"All do respect....Why the hell didn't anyone stand up against the idea in the first place?! I'm no expert on Genma but you're seeing the end result first hand if the host loses control. It doesn't end well for the host....but you all already knew that." Professional obligation forced Gene to bite his tongue before he'd said anything foolish but for a moment he couldn't even look Takeo in the face. Was this all that they were reduced to? All that they fought and died to become? Zombies?! When he'd finally worked up enough gall to look at his superior a deep, burning fire practically erupted in his eyes. It was Hate. Hate of the way Minoru's family had treated him, the sacrifices he'd been forced to make, hate of the feudal lords and hate of the very system he'd worked so hard to preserve in the first place. It was a heavy dose of reality to the world that he lived in and Gene truly wasn't ready for it. Of course, he'd utter not a word to anyone but right now he wasn't sure if he could bare the Konoha name in good conscious.

"You need to see him."

[Izanagi]

As expected, the revelation of the Genma was shocking and also a key component to understanding the situation. As ever however there was always much more beneath the surface, an intricate web of building tensions, moments of clarity and guidance and greater moments of sorrow and loss. In truth there was little Takeo could have done to stop the inevitable though that didn’t stop him from wishing that somehow things had been different even if such events had led to surprising blessings in his own life, namely Aina and their fraternal twin children. Takeo paused, contemplating Mino’s question. He wanted to be as honest as possible though also had to be sure not to unintentionally provide misinformation, “Kazuo right?” he pondered, the name was familiar to him though he didn’t actually know the young Special Jounin on a personal level. “Honestly I’m not sure if he was informed about Mino, it’s certainly possible” he fell silent. He knew Kazuo would have been informed about Taiga being a Jinchuriki though whether or not the council had decided to reveal anything about Mino was unknown to him.

Another glimpse of emotion crossed his face at the mention of Aina. It was hard to tell exactly what he was feeling though it would be obvious there was more to the story. But was this aspect for him to tell? He wasn’t sure. After a few long moments of consideration he decided that it was better to remain upfront with Gene, if he had more detailed questions he could ask Aina directly though he deserved to at least understand some of what had happened. “She knew before I did, before I even knew who Aina was actually. You see they had been together, shortly after the sealing. What happened to Mino hit her the hardest. When Mino awoke she wasn’t even allowed to see him, a restriction by her own clan. He had been detained until he could be properly questioned as to what exactly happened on the day he lost control. Ultimately it was discovered that his mother had been murdered, he had found her body and lost control of the Genma in his rage and despair.” Takeo stared into his glass pensively before taking another deep sip. “It seems likely that Mino’s father, Kau killed his mother before fleeing the village while the focus was on containing the Genma. I’ve suspected this since the day I found out though I’ve been unable to track him down. I fear the only thing that can give Mino purpose is hunting down his father or perhaps having some closure in being able to face him again and get to the bottom of what happened and why.” Letting Kau slip through his fingers, being unable to capture him and provide Mino with the stability and direction he needed was one of Takeo’s greatest failures and regrets.

At gene’s outburst Takeo locked his piercing cobalt eyes to gene’s fiery auburn stare. He understood exactly how the young man felt. “Make no mistake, the sealing wasn’t my decision” he retorted, a fierce tone entering his voice. “This occurred before I was Hokage when I was away on a mission. Until I returned and saw the change for myself I had thought the Genma were only a rumor. I was terrified at the thought of such an entity being sealed within my student though all I could do was prepare him as best I could and ensure he knew he had my support and guidance.” There was sadness creeping into his voice and anger too.

“After he lost control I lashed out at Kawa for removing the spirit from him though there was no way it could have been supressed in him at that point. I didn’t care, I thought I had lost Mino forever. A few days later I even attacked the new host. I was furious that the council would re-seal the spirit so quickly, especially after what happened and in another young shinobi no less. I had half a mind to break down the door to the Kage building and hold whoever gave the order accountable for their decision. My faith in our leadership and even the Will of Fire had been shattered. For the next week I was detained under strict supervision until I was finally allowed to visit Mino in his restricted area of the hospital. I carried that anger and hate towards Genma for some time and even now I disdain the use of them. When I was interviewed for the position of Hokage I was almost refused the position based on my stance against Jinchuriki. Ultimately I conceded to the continued use of them so long as serious reform could be made to the selection process and the support a Jinchuuriki receives. Luckily there hasn’t been a need for a new host to be selected since then and I dread the day when that comes.” He explained. This was not a callous decision made by Takeo or even endorsed by him, quite the opposite the current Hokage considered it a barbaric practice that opposed everything the village of Konoha stood for. Even now he knew that if the council pushed back against his decisions on reform that he would likely replace those members who did so.

[Legacy]

Of course it was deeper than just the handful of Shinobi and now Gene understood this; the Genma, something that he'd believed whole heartedly to just be a legend had been a real practice dating back to Kami knows how long! Never before had the young boy felt so tiny, so oblivious to what was really going on right in front of him. Takeo had known but Aina had known more and Minoru of course, knew the most. Problem was, who in their right mind would listen to a man driven half mad seemingly without reason? If he had to bet his bottom dollar Gene was certain that the council had anticipated this kind of outcome - it seemed like just the sort of twisted secret keeping measure that they would take and even more so under Tousha's reign. Since the cat was already out of the bag there was no need to pull any punches; sure, the village citizens both loved and respected Tousha but all the same every Shinobi was aware of the fact that there were no measures he wouldn't stoop to in lieu of power. But this?! This was still next level messed up and frankly, Gene struggled even now as he stood still as the Hokage monument in front of Takeo.

Bit by bit Gene broke down what he had been told, it was the only way that he could process the information without flying into a rage that without question would have gotten him killed or jailed indefinitely. When Takeo broke down his suspicions Gene realized that the act seemed more deliberate than anything. Had Minoru's father wanted the power of the Genma for himself? Worse still, why go to such extremes and put the entire village at risk? The more he listened, the further Gene was pushed to think that the Genma were far more trouble than they were worth keeping around. "What?" Gene asked, his surprised at being told that another host had already been selected evident on his face. "A new host has already been selected?! Who?" This was starting to get eerily close to something he had read about. Power - this much power, was dangerous.

Though he was still in shock Gene was no longer reeling from what he had just been told. While he was certain that there was more beyond the surface of what Takeo had told him; at this point at least, there was nothing he believed, that could surprise him. Konoha was built in blood and he'd already taken the oath. The hate in his eyes hadn't vanished by any account and the hurt kept him from registering the icy glare from his superior - right now Gene only focused on the things he didn't know. And apparently there was a great deal of that! "It all makes sense now. The reason behind all of these new out posts isn't just to keep track of our potential enemies..." Gene cupped his chin. "You're taking precautions for the Genma in the village but even still, there's something that doesn't make sense. Why so many posts? Unless... his eyes grew wide, "There's more than just one host in the village."

It was a bold speculation and one that he couldn't prove beyond reasonable doubt, but his instincts wouldn't allow him to dismiss the possibility of more than just one Jinchuuriki. Of course, Takeo wasn't off the hook for allowing Minoru to become the Genma host in the first place but they were beyond that for now. The problem was much larger than what Gene initially believed and that amount of concern made him feel uneasy now. It was as if the more he knew the more in danger he became and subsequently, the more valuable he became. Sure, this discussion was a testament to just how highly Takeo regarded him but in the same breath, if the Hokage were willing to sanction continued use of the Genma even if he didn't agree with it just what else was he capable of? Power of even the smallest amount had the capacity to make even the most noble of men shift their views a little bit and Shinobi rarely, if ever, acted under the guise of honor. Still, Gene wondered, was all of this justified in the minds of the council? Was there a means to an end, a method to the madness?

As he learned more Gene couldn't ignore the gut wrenching feeling he had, his instincts were telling him to turn tail now but curiosity, pride and both personal and professional obligation held him firm in place.

[Izanagi]

Truth be told Takeo was worried how Gene might react to all of this information. Few shinobi were as rigid and by the book as the young operative, his insistence on proper protocol and security measures were so extreme at times it was his greatest fault and made connecting with others on a personal and emotional level quite difficult. He had thought that making him an ANBU squad leader, the youngest in history would help to focus him and give him purpose so that he could utilize such talents and aptitude for the sake of the village. Now he wondered if perhaps the true harshness of the world was too much for him. Perhaps there was a side of him that was still too young and naïve after all. Some aspect that couldn’t quite handle the responsibility he had been given. Was it really so hard to believe that a military power would attempt to harness godly spirits to do their bidding? Perhaps, though surely it was the fact that such power had been placed in children that was upsetting him. As Hokage Takeo was equally appalled by this practice, this decision to place a being that aimed to manipulate minds and emotions in those that have yet to develop control and understanding of such feelings. More than that there seemed to be little regard to choosing a suitable host, rather possessing the first young shinobi who had a compatible body let alone considering their mind.

It was for these reasons that in the future Takeo would encourage the selection of Chunin and Special Jounin over Genin and ensure a full mental screening and weekly mental health check-ins by a trained psychiatrist. Moreover one’s own squad and closest friends should be allowed to know of their team-mates state so that they could more adequately support them through the process of gaining control over their newfound power. When gene asked about the new host Takeo fell silent, furrowing his brow and clenching his jaw in contemplation. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to keep that Classified for the time being. You’ve already learned quite a lot, I wouldn’t want you making any rash decisions” the last thing he wanted was to subject Masami to another verbal or physical lashing. Even having Gene wish to speak to Aturasu as he did or otherwise treat the young woman differently due to this revelation was not a risk he was willing to take. She had become like family to him now and had been showing very promising signs in regards to her control of the spirit as well as overall competency as a shinobi.

Takeo quirked an eyebrow at the young man’s sudden leap in logic, connecting two things that in truth were very loosely related to one another if at all. Still it was fascinating to witness the way his mind worked, always searching for some conspiracy or hidden pattern even when there was none. Regardless he had managed to somehow stumble upon another truth. The Hokage chucked heartily, breaking an otherwise tense and clandestine atmosphere, “Always working the angles eh Gene?” he contemplated for a moment the role outposts might have in regards to Jinchuriki and ultimately only came up with a few flimsy half-measures at best. “That’s quite the ambitious correlation you’ve put together. No that’s not the reason for expanding outposts and cracking down on countrywide security. I will tell you this though, there is a second Jinchuriki, one you know. In fact I’m surprised you haven’t already figured it out.” He stated, waiting for Gene’s mind to fill in the blanks. If he could make such an obscure jump in logic this should stick out to him clear as day.

[Legacy]

Gene was calmer now, calm enough to notice that Takeo had paused a second too long after being asked about the new Genma host. It hadn't taken him long to understand that at that moment, he'd poked the bear with a cattle prod; at this rate, the door leading to complete understanding would be shut for who knew how long. It pained him to do so but in order to maintain hold (at least as close to one as he could have ) on the situation the young Shinobi abstained from revealing anymore about how he'd actually felt through body language. "When you recruited me it wasn't because of a knack for rash decisions," Gene responded without missing a beat. Both of them had known this to be true and Gene hoped that stating facts would work in his favor - of course, the Hokage was no slouch when it came to the art of battles of the mind. Although he laughed, Gene knew that Takeo hadn't done so because he was happy or maybe the man genuinely felt intrigued in which case the young Shinobi didn't know whether or not to feel belittled or congratulated - so he remained stoic.

When revealed that his assumption had been off basis Gene mentally sighed. Even to himself the idea seemed far fetched but dismissing it would have been the mark of a fool; instead, the young boy reveled in the hidden truth that Takeo had left with him. There was more than just one Jinchuriki and not only that, one that Gene knew personally? 'He's not pulling my leg with this one...At least, I don't think so anyway. The wheels were turning and Gene partially hated Takeo for giving him a run around instead of just coming out with the truth. Denied knowledge of one Genma host only to be informed that another had been roaming around freely and that Gene should have already figured it out? Just what was Takeo trying to get at here? "I see. You won't tell me who these Jinchuriki are in fear that I'll do something drastic but you and I know that's not my area of expertise. To the contrary, being allowed at least an identity on who they are would allow for more efficient monitoring and control over their well being. If this second Jinchuriki is someone I know then I'm certain they wouldn't no of my affiliation with a unit that reports directly to you - I guess what I'm getting at is that personal feelings aside, I would be able to interact more closely with the host with a better opportunity to ensure that the same fate that Minoru-Sensei was faced with doesn't happen again." Gene paused, would Takeo buy into his words? There was truth to it by far, he would supervise the Genma host without prejudice and relay discoveries back to the Hokage as per his professional obligation to the safety of their people, but underneath that surface...there was a desire to help.

Having seen the drawbacks of a Genma host Gene was all the more determined not to abandon whoever had become the newest subject to these demon spirits. Moreover, he recognized the problem that Takeo seemed to fail to grasp - they were dangerous. Someone would need to monitor the hosts at all times and take great care NOT to provoke a take over. Beyond that, however, there needed to be someone around who would be able to make each Host feel like they belonged and not simply weapons of mass destruction. It was a tall order but someone had to do it. Besides that, if the Hokage had told him anything other than something confirming then he'd already prepared to go on a hunt for both of the Genma host on his own which likely would have some hefty drawbacks considering Gene's extreme persistence when it came down to something he wanted. Naturally, it was a risk he was willing to take. Seems like there was something he and the council and perhaps even the Hokage had in common.

[Izanagi]

Takeo’s lip curled into a wry smirk as Gene immediately countered. He had regained his composure and seemed quite persistent in getting to the bottom of everything, including the names of both current Jinchuriki. Even his body language and facial expressions had tightened up, preventing even a skilled reader such as Takeo from discerning his true emotional state. The Hokage felt proud in that moment, Gene was certainly young and inexperienced in many ways though it was so easy to forget these things given how quickly he adapted and the degree to which his sharp mind gave the impression of a shinobi exceptional talent. “Even the most disciplined shinobi can succumb to moments of weakness.” He reminded him, reassessing his state of mind. Perhaps he was more composed than even Takeo himself had been when he had been faced with such harsh truths. Regardless it would be reckless to make assumptions and worse still to change his mind on a whim or be so easily swayed. Takeo was the Hokage after all and his word should be respected as final with very few exceptions. This wasn’t the first time an ANBU operative had second guessed him or attempted to sway his mind. In a way he supposed it was a good thing for his right hand men to have strong opinions though there was a fine line between offering council and insubordination. One that Yosuke seemed to balance on at a regular basis, he hoped the same would not come to be said about the squad leaders under his command.

He studied the young Chunin, wondering how he would respond to the crumbs he had been given. Would he be able to put the pieces together or would he make demands? This would be a subtle test as to the true state of mind behind his stoic exterior. Calm and calculating as per normal or rash and impatient? It seemed instead he took a middle ground, attempting the route of diplomacy by rationalizing his point of view in hopes of swaying the Hokage’s mind. Takeo sat back in his chair, running a hand absently across his chin and beard. It was an obvious tell of him mulling over the idea, clearly he was at ease and making no attempt to contain his emotions. In fact the juxtaposition of the situation was rather amusing as indicated by the continued slight smirk and playful twinkle in his eyes. Gene’s words made sense of course but there was no need to convince Takeo, he had of course already realized such things though it was interesting hearing such a pitch delivered from him. “Indeed. I had no intention of keeping the identity of the second host from you, honestly you should have been informed some time ago. I decided that I would tell you if you asked or had suspicions though until then I wanted you to develop a bond with him of your own accord, some investment that wasn’t founded with a sense of duty.” The playfulness suddenly vanished from Takeo’s features as he sat upright. “Unfortunately that didn’t go as planned. Rather than building a sense of friendship and comradery it seems that the two of you butted heads from the get go, pushing him further into isolation and jealousy. Not that I blame you. I’ve heard he’s quite difficult to get along with.” His tone had deepened, taking on indications of solemnness and empathy, pain even.

By now he would be absolutely stunned if Gene hadn’t figured out who he was talking about. “I fear Taiga is walking dangerously close to feelings of desertion or being overcome by the Genma if his feelings of isolation, inadequacy and resentment continue to fester. We all need to step up in ensuring he has our support, myself included though from what I’ve heard nobody has made any progress in getting through to him.” He sighed, taking another small sip of his drink as he was reminded of the last time he spoke to Mino. “When Mino came out of his coma he was placed in jail for several weeks. I advocated for his release and convinced the Bannin in charge of his interrogation that he was not culpable for his actions and the death and destruction caused by his loss of control. I spoke to Mino, he was exactly as you described. Broken, empty and lost. As if all the life had been drained out of him. There was a moment when I thought I had reached him. I told him that he could either choose to wallow in self-pity and shame, abandoning his friends or he could persevere and take his life back, stand by his friends and be a part of changing the way of the village for the better. He chose the former and I haven’t seen him since” he stated bitterly, there was an aching sadness in his eyes. Their team had never been the same, Mino’s choice had haunted them all for over a year. Makoto had retired as a shinobi, in part due to his health concerns though emotionally he would never be the same. And Takeo had been left with a hole in his heart and a deep aching hatred of the Genma. This is why he couldn’t bring himself to see Taiga. To have history repeat itself and watch another turn their back to the Will of Fire and be destroyed by the Genma. The residual pain and guilt was simply overwhelming. A deep swig of the entirety of his whiskey and a hard, pained look would likely indicate these thoughts as well as any words.

OOCShow

For reference: The Trial

[Legacy]

"Even the most disciplined Shinobi can succumb to moments of weakness." Takeo's words were true indeed and duly noted. However, Gene also knew that a weakness known was not a weakness at all when in the hands of someone aware of self & mind, it was strength. A calculated facial expression here and perhaps a laugh there regardless of the void left unfilled, would speak wonders about character to one seeking only surface level wisdom. The unintentional lesson of trade was not one learned in the class room and therefore stood among few precious jewels that Gene held in high regard. Takeo may not have known, couldn't have know - but he'd just helped Gene grow in a large fundamental way.

However, there was something that Gene noticed. Where the Hokage should have been in an uproar with very feasible justification, the bearded man simply smirked as if admiring a reflection in the mirror. In the welcomed silence that followed Takeo's words of wisdom came a quizzical once over that Gene was all the more perceptive to. Always a test to you, huh Hokage? “Indeed. I had no intention of keeping the identity of the second host from you, honestly you should have been informed some time ago. I decided that I would tell you if you asked or had suspicions though until then I wanted you to develop a bond with him of your own accord, some investment that wasn’t founded with a sense of duty.” Gene didn't like where this was going...Takeo had built up to this moment intentionally and now everything made sense. If what he had said was any indication of what Gene believed it to be then things were worse than he first thought; the host could've only been one person, but why?

Gene swallowed down the saliva building within the cave of a mouth he had, another one of those hidden weaknesses. By now he was quite literally ready to jump out of his body but self discipline prevented him from doing so; instead, he stood stone faced like the very Statues that littered Buddhists shrines on the outskirts of the village. It was as he figured and feared...Taiga, of all the people to be put forth as candidates drew the dung covered end of the stick. Before the beast infestation he'd already been an edgy sort to work with but factor in the suppressive and powerful will of a Host that took even the brightest and best reducing them to nothing, Gene could only close his eyes in a deep but short lived depression. "I see..."

There were many questions but Gene waited until the end. He waited until Takeo had taken the longest and final swig of a temporary escape, waited until he himself had been confident enough to speak without undermining anything he'd worked toward thus far. There was no more reason to grill the Hokage at this point - the pained look was proof enough that the decision still ate away at him and though it may have been evil of Gene to feel this way, he was accepting of that punishment over all. Personal experience before and after wouldn't allow Gene to empathize with Taiga and despite what he now knew he wasn't capable of simply casting his own judgments to the side. The Sarutobi clan member for all that he was worth, was to Gene still a slacker, whiner, problematic & most of all down right irritating. But Gene would be damned if Taiga in all of the time since they'd known each other, had ever been a quitter. Had Takeo not mentioned the part about deserting the village Gene may have considered more carefully the situation but from his stand point, he saw only a double negative.

For one, instilling him with the power of a Genma when Taiga was still a Genin was wrong. It went against what Takeo had said about choosing Chunin candidates outright but now wasn't the time or place to address such. And for two, saying that Taiga would have come to abandon Konoha while hosting the Genma was also wrong. No matter how much the people of this village ridiculed, shamed, bashed & even down right disrespected him; Sarutobi, Taiga wouldn't turn tail and run like some frightened child. He'd get even, get better. A wry smile surfaced in the heated darkened moment between Hokage and Captain then Gene said, "That idiot? All due respect sir, Taiga isn't capable of something so cowardly. He's probably somewhere right now scheming on how he'll one up me for his exams or trying to hit on Masami-senpai."

It wasn't very often that Gene spoke up on someone - in fact, he never did. However if Takeo was able to look beyond Gene's sarcasm and odd timing for humor then he would see something that the young boy kept under lock and key of the tightest variety. A glimmer of trust, unbending belief of a comrade. Of course, he wasn't so childlike as to be naïve to the concerns of his Commander in chief either & in the same breath, the smile was gone and he'd returned to his previous proposal. "If you'd be willing to grant me my request I'm pretty sure I could prove it, too."

[Izanagi]

Takeo made a humming noise of contemplation as he considered Gene’s statement. The fact that he was so aloof about the situation meant that the young shinobi was either naïve or maintained a stronger bond and understanding of Taiga than he had imagined. It was a gamble though seeing as Takeo had never met the Jinchuriki personally it was the most reliable source to go off of. Certainly he would have others keep an eye on the boy as well, perhaps Yoru and if he ever managed to find the time he intended to evaluate the boy himself sometime soon. The Hokage nodded, evidently choosing to trust Gene’s instincts. “I hope you’re right about that. You’d be surprised at how much darkness a Genma can draw out of someone, even Mino had entertained thoughts of going rogue by the end of it and he had once shown as much ambition and promise as Yoru. Still, I’ll trust your judgment for now. Try to keep an eye on him as much as you can but know that this weight is not yours to bare alone, it is a responsibility that is shared by all those who know of his status.” He elaborated, if Taiga failed as a Jinchuriki there would be no singular person to blame, the Will of Fire existed to nurture and protect all comrades of the leaf, every shinobi was responsible for guiding and supporting their friends in times of need.

With that matter put to rest the man considered the plans he had in place for Gene before he had entered the room. Was it really the right call to make though? He had been assigned to a lengthy mission while Mino had needed his guiding influence and though he had thought he returned in time evidently that was not the case. Would history repeat itself here? All the reason more to ensure Taiga had more support than Mino had. Others had to steer him on the right path and continue to make efforts to understand him. After several long moments of contemplation Takeo looked to the young prodigy once again, fingers resting on the file he had moved to the side. “I have a mission for you and I leave the choice whether or not to accept it up to you." He slid the folder to the young man, therein would detail a rough map of Waterfall Country and the limited known routes into the country. A mission summary would be detailed to which Takeo would verbally touch up on. “You’re to infiltrate Waterfall Country, keeping your identity as a konoha shinobi hidden is imperative as you scout the countryside, using whatever cover you see fit to return with a detailed mapping of key points, focusing primarily on locating at least 10 square miles of uninhabited and infrequently trekked land that could prove suitable for the development of a clandestine outpost.” As usual per Takeo’s leadership style he provided trusted comrades with as much detail as would be relevant to the completion of their mission. If there were questions he would answer them and though a piece of the grander goal might be apparent he wouldn’t disclose the full end game plot.

[Legacy]

Hook, line and sinker! The thought bounced around in Gene's mind like a basketball, Takeo was no easy egg to crack but at long last it seemed that our Silver haired friend pulled away the win. Even with the feeling of elation surging through him Gene knew better than to let out a sigh in front of the Hokage; to do such a thing even if in good conscious (which it wasn't), would have undermined everything that he'd worked so hard for. Gene you've definitely earned yourself a trip to the bath house with this one,. Never mind Takeo's stipulation involving other ANBU eyes, Gene knew that it was just Takeo's way of trying to make Gene feel at ease if anything were to go wrong during his observation. As expected, the Hokage always kept a safeguard on things.

Gene's ever watchful eyes glazed over a manila folder that up until now, had been little more than a prop in their diplomatic games of Chess. Its significance only truly being highlighted only after Takeo had uttered the words, "I have a mission for you and I leave the choice whether or not to accept it up to you." Gene considered for a moment the weight of what might have been asked of him & reasoned finally that after what he'd been allowed to do, taking just one assignment wouldn't have hurt him in the least. In fact, while it was his duty through and through Gene almost felt compelled to accept just off the strength of being granted a highly delicate favor only moments before. With a silent nod affirming that Takeo held his attention Gene listened to the mission requirements. Covert infiltration? In a land where they'd already previously been deployed? Gene didn't like the sound of it but realized that there were likely ulterior motives for the task & subsequently, a reason why he'd been given it.

"Hm," carefully he'd look over the map. "Should I expect any problems along the way? Terrorist groups with a bad taste for passer-by's, wild animals with a knack for disrupting human travelers? The usual stuff." It was clear that Gene hadn't at all been concerned with keeping his identity a secret or hiding his allegiance, but he at least wanted to know what sort of problems he'd be running into before he set out so the proper gear would be brought along. "If I'm going to pull this off I'll need to prepare..Could you talk to the Blacksmiths and have them ready a compact weapon for me? Carrying anything remotely resembling a Kunai or Shuriken is out of the question -
but a blow gun...Well, that just might work." A blow gun could easily be disguised as a flute which made carrying it around with him less conspicuous - he'd just have to learn how to master it before setting out. Speaking of which, "How soon would I need to leave?"

[Izanagi]

The Hokage assessed the young shinobi prodigy, his ability to mask his thoughts and emotions was impressive though he could tell by his line of questioning or lack thereof that he was satisfied with the clearance he was given to monitor Taiga and keep him in check in an official capacity. Enough so to shift his focus away from talk of Genma and Jinchuriki and onto the track of duty. Gene had won a small victory and now it was Takeo’s time to benefit from this interaction. This mission carried more importance than Gene could realize, it was the first move in a grand scheme that could open and adapt into many possibilities. A wrong move now or later down the line could lead to war though conversely the benefit could reshape the landscape of the shinobi world.

He seemed to accept the parameters of the mission, much to Takeo’s expectations. “Yes, there are many dangers present throughout Waterfall Country, in fact it is one of the most inhabitable lands we know of. Similar to the state of Whirlpool country there are many bandit factions that operate throughout the land, the difference is this land is much more populated by civilians, hardy folk with great understanding of the land around them and for good reason. The local environment varies between forested, tropical and even small areas of swampland. Do not consume any local plants or berries unless you are absolutely certain of what they are and be on guard for various venomous species of snakes, spiders ad insects. It is said that a majority of the world’s poisons are harvested from Waterfall Country. There are also larger predators to be wary of, spiders as large as people, tigers, man eating plants, crocodiles, you name it. There are very few individuals whose instincts and cunning I would trust to navigate such harsh terrain.” He contemplated the young man’s request, a simple enough tool that wouldn’t take long to make especially if he put the request in himself. “I can have one made for you, as for time, I’d like you to set out within the week, that should give you ample time to prepare and do some research on what we know of their indigenous species.” He decided. Survival of course was key and locating nests and hotspots of such creatures would be crucial in locating a defendable and habitable location for construction.

[Legacy]

Listening carefully & considerately, Gene especially noted the fact that many food items in Waterfall country could have been dangerous which meant that he would certainly be packing some items from Mother Konoha herself before setting out. As far as the civilians were concerned, it was to be expected. With so many adaptations in land it didn't come as a surprise to Gene that there were places left to be unexplored by natives, likely in fear of the many hazards that roamed freely around the country side. The young Shinobi foresaw sleeping with erected barriers around his encampment in the near future - he absolutely hated spiders, more so now thanks to a long mission with Yosuke. That guy was some kind of Arachnid fanatic & more times than Gene cared to remember, he'd almost thrown up watching him transform. At least now however, he had something to look forward to. At some point he would be stopping by Yosuke's to get an in depth scare on the various kinds of Spiders and their venom - it was best to prepare for the worst before it came to pass.

Forested areas were his specialty growing up in a land inhabited by trees far and wide so Gene had already decided that he'd start there if possible. Although the natives were likely to use forest paths to get around quickly, it was highly unlikely that your average joe would be found skulking about the forest which meant that it'd be a key point indefinitely when compared to the tropical regions - a zone that Gene assumed may have been filled with more tourists than anything. Moreover, Tropical islands (if there were any) would hold some of the more exotic predators of the animal-insect food chain & if applicable Gene wanted to stay away from high risk areas until gaining the necessary knowledge to venture safely - the locals would help with that. He'd already decided that his cover would be a traveling jester, performing songs with his flute and inducing Genjutsu in those who listened to make his job obtaining Intelligence that much easier.

"Sir." Was all that escaped Gene's lips, everything that he believed would be needed was going to be provided for him. Good, now he could focus on planning his infiltration & execution more now than he would have before if supplies were still a deterant from the process. Apart of him had considered dragging Taiga along with him however, the thought was quickly overshadowed by a grim logic; Taiga, in his current state wasn't ready for this heavy of an espionage assignment. If not for the fact that he'd been a holder of a powerful beast then the issue of adaptability would have stopped that idea in its tracks anyway. Besides, whatever the male had been doing right about now rightfully stole his attention anyway.