A Somber Quest

[Das Kirb]

Katsu walked through the roads of Fire Country as if a zombie, never stopping to talk to anyone or making eye contact. Her emaciated decaying body pushed forward on willpower alone as she didn't even dare hunt these lands. Her dad, the Bear, had once brokured allegience with these people. She dreaded giving them a reason to think she intended malice or to take from their lands. It'd further invalidate the promise made. The people of fire would provide the budding Realm of Titans with medicine for it's people, as well as skilled labor in rebuilding. In return the RoT would provide training and fortification. That mission had likely failed. Katsu had died, and she had no clue where her family were currently. All she knew was that the home they had claimed had once again been claimed by another. A misserable failure, but all that is broken can be rebuilt.

The woman didn't bother to hide herself in any way. She walked as a monster. Predatory teeth bared against the sun behind stretched and retracted lips. Wicked tail hanging limply against the dirt road. Her wounds on full display. Any could see she was not well, but no one approached. When travelers spotted they either fled in fear or they called out for help. It was her plan to be seen though. With luck they would attract the shinobi who'd seek her out. And she didn't wish to make their search difficult. At night she walked with a torch to light her. At day she walked in open light, following the clearest road. But ever she put each step forward, on a direct path to Konoha itself. She only hoped they'd find her soon, and that Saigo had already spilled the news of her revival.

[Throniv]

Kaito Senju

Well, at least she matched the description given in the mission scroll.

Other than that--honestly rather strange--description, Kaito had never seen anything quite like the... well, person might be a strong word for what he was looking at, but she was at least bipedal and walking down the road in broad daylight, very obviously wounded. It looked like she was an amalgamation of all the worst horror stories about body modification and its consequences, from the spine-tail to the tattered wings, all the way down to the way that her skin seemed to stretch unnaturally tight against her muscles--everything about this woman screamed "I am dangerous, even like this, do not approach me."

Just his luck, approaching her was his duty as a shinobi of Konohagakure.

The young jounin stood up from his crouched position in the boughs of a tree just off the road and clasped his hands together in a Serpent hand seal, causing a growth of wood to grow from his body before resolving into a clone of himself with Mokuton • Wood Clone Jutsu. The copy looked at him, nodded at the information that was already in its head, and took off towards Konoha through the trees to let the gate guards know that he'd made contact with the unsub that had been reported approaching the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Kaito performed a quick flicker step, appearing in the road in front of the frankly mutilated woman, and held up a hand in something halfway between a greeting and a command for her to stop.

"Hello miss. I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to stop there. May I ask what you're doing in this area of the woods? Not many come this way," he informed her, deciding polite conversation might be the best way to avoid a more violent confrontation with this injured woman.

[Das Kirb]

"Fucking finally." the primordial creature thought to herself as she halted her step. Katsu allowed her emerald and crimson eyes to meet the boy's and hoped to communicate no threat, no hazard was immediate. To further make the point she crouched down without saying a word, sitting and allowing all limbs to go limp. Her hands were on her knees as she sat cross legged. Only then did her voice echo out with a rasp.

"Artemisu, Katsu. Former jinchuriki of Vorashu, the god of life. Formerly the Unbound Titan of the Realm of Titans. One of yours killed me, Yoru. Another. . . helped me in ways I can never fully repay, Saigo. I'm. . . I'm looking for my family and I need information. I also need Saigo's council if I can get it. Fanho, your alpha, should know of and about me. I promise to set the record straight where I'm concerned and can. And despite the hunger I promise not to hurt a single living creature here during my visit." Katsu thought for a moment and finally opened her mouth again, this time dropping the formality. "Though, frankly, if it's alright I'd like to get something to fucking eat. I'll hunt the damned thing myself but figured best to ask permission first."

[Izanagi]

The reports had been disturbing, and ill timed. A mere week after the Hokage's disappearance, someone matching the description of the notorious Artemisu Katsu had been spotted brazenly travelling through Fire country. Was there a connection? Publicly the story was that Fanho had been attacked and was in critical condition but the perpetrator had been killed. The reality known only to a select few was that the circumstances were a complete mystery.

If the woman was truly Katsu however, she was to be considered highly dangerous. It was unlikely she was involved in Fanho's disappearance, but certainly she had reason to take revenge against Konoha after being killed by one of their Bannin. The same man that had brokered the alliance between her people and Konoha. Takeshi had sent Kaito as a scout, indirectly assigning the simple mission to the talented young Senju. Intel suggested Katsu was less likely to attack a child, that could buy them time and help them discern her intentions.

Meanwhile, Takeshi, adorning his red bird shaped mask and white captains cloak waited alongside his black clad comrades, each dressed in their Anbu attire. And as soon as Kaito's clone arrived at the gates, confirming the woman's location, the 4 man squad would dash through the forests at 25 Speed. They would slow their approach and keep their distance as they neared within 1km of the location, intent on providing back up and assessing the situation before engaging.

[HotelBravo]

ANBU : Usagi [Nakano]

Usagi was dressed in her ANBU uniform, the pristine Rabbit mask covering her face. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, in a very un Nakano like manner. She knew that she had an outrageous figure and one that was known well in Konoha, if only by profile, and so she had taken her efforts to reduce her profile with a chest wrap and a uniform that was a bit oversized to hide her frame. She was with the other operatives a kilometer away from the operation, she caught up to her quicker team mates. She didn’t have her usual playful attitude. The rules were different when she was working as an ANBU. As an Anbu, she was Usagi. She was an emotionless weapon. A tool. She turned off all other thoughts and sensations except for the mission. This wasn’t a hard task for her even normally. She was a rather heartless and cruel woman with or without the mask. The mask was a play though. It was its own character, and while she wore it she would play that character and hide her true self even deeper.

There was not even the slightest question as to why they were performing this operation. She had been given very little time to react or prepare for it, but she was concerned about the reasoning. She glanced over to the commander and then back towards the direction that their target was. All that was left now was to wait for instructions. Usagi had nothing in her hands, as her greatest weapons were her jutsu. Her fingers wanted to twitch. Her hands ached to form some handseals so that her chakra could be unleashed, but there was patience that was required in the work of the Anbu. They were at present outside of the range she was capable of using sensory jutsu to monitor so she would have no choice but to rely on those milky white orbs that belonged to the Anbu Commander. He would have to keep an eye on how things were proceeding and signal for her when it was time to move in.

[zory_alechiv]

Kirin [Nara Eiko]

Eiko stood with her new team with a weighted silence. It was far too simple to give up control to another, even after losing her twin. Jashin was always the type to take charge and though falling under the charge of another pained her, she pushed those emotions down. The Nara woman was the smallest of the team, her tiny frame seeming swamped by her armor. Like Usagi, she strived to remain as ambiguous as possible, keeping her dark hair in a high bun. In addition to her horse-like mask, Eiko wore another, this one pulled up over her nose and just under her eyes, hiding the scars that marred her olive skin.

This was her first mission with this team though being in ANBU meant she had to adapt as easily as she breathed. There were concerns in the back of her mind, however. They had the general communication techniques but she didn't know this team's body language, nor had she seen them fight. It left gaps in her understanding that she disliked. Still, she remained cool and collected, even when the clone came to the gate and the four ANBU kicked off silently through the trees.

Kirin stayed with Usagi as the other two ANBU outpaced them and felt less guilty that she couldn't keep up. When they did catch up, she landed high on the tree where she could see both Tengu and their target. Kneeling, Tanuki pressed her right fist against her left palm before centering herself, her thumbs brushing her chest plate. She maintained this position as she centered herself, waiting for a sign to either attempt to assassinate or detain, depending on Tengu's command.

OOCShow

*[Skitter Step • Stop]
E-Ranked Taijutsu Maneuver
Prerequisite: Any form of Senses Open used.
The practitioner makes a fist with their right hand and places it against their left before placing both hands against their chest. This calms the practitioner's senses and returns them to a centered state.

[Throniv]

Kaito Senju

Artemisu Katsu. The name caused his eyes to widen as his mind flipped to her bingo book entry--S-class Missing Nin, reported as dead not too long ago. She was known for being exceptionally dangerous in a combat situation, a known Jinchuriki, and a Shinobi Commander of the Fourth Great Ninja War that had conquered the entirety of the Land of Rivers, Waterfall and Fur country. Nominally, the missing-nin was an ally of Konoha and an enemy of Kirigakure, but anyone who was willing to simply abandon their village for what seemed to be a quest for power should be regarded with suspicion. She looked like she was about to keel over from exhaustion, though, even after she had sat down and gone limp, so maybe the shinobi that had reported her death had just been lackluster in his verification of her demise.

Even so, she didn't have a capture-on-sight order with the Hidden Leaf, so no reason to escalate the situation unnecessarily by reacting violently--this was probably why they'd sent him rather than the full ANBU team that was serving as his backup. He didn't look threatening or remarkable in the slightest, a fact that he took pride in as a ninja, and therefore could probably get her to let her guard down more than was necessarily wise.

Her request for the missing Hokage caught his attention, as well as her calling him the Alpha. He hadn't learned much about the Realm of Titans prior to its dissolution at the end of the conflict, though what he had learned about it was spoken with irreverence, an upstart nation where might made right... Though, that being said, you couldn't believe everything you heard by word-of-mouth. At any rate, no way would he reveal that the village was currently leaderless--and therefore rudderless--to an S-Rank missing-nin.

"Ah, well, Artemisu-sama, if it's food you're looking for, I can definitely provide something to tide you over until we clear everything up," the young shinobi said before he tossed her 2 food pills. Normally, one would be enough for even the largest ninja, but Katsu looked like death warmed over and he figured that a double-dose of the nutrition packed pellets was probably warranted.

"We'll see about getting you something a bit heartier later," he said as he clasped his hands behind his back, where he knew that the team that was trailing him would be able to see them, before signing out with his fingers: Identity confirmed. Friendly intent stated. Hokage was requested. Will continue to engage. Approach when ready.

"So, Artemisu-Sama, you said you were looking for family. Any family in particular?" he asked, hoping to keep her talking as long as possible.

[Das Kirb]

No move was made to catch the pills, instead retreaving them slowly from the ground where they lay. She didn't question it in the moment, hunger greedily demanding a more substantial meal. The parasite would make it's pressense known though, a flash of radiant crimson from the eyes as she visibly faught it back before gulping down the meal. As soon as the nutrition was recieved her body went to work mending wounds and filling out where the flesh sagged. It wasn't enough, and she needed her meal bleeding, but it would suffice for now. With the meal, her voice regained some strength.

"Thanks, and you can drop the formal sama. I'm just some bitch." She allowed herself to flex some of the returning strength before returning to a neutral and unimposing posture. "Artemisu, Anori and Hidestuga a.k.a. the Bear. My mother and dad. I know River was claimed by someone and my family has gone somewhere. Probably heard I died and ran off to settle down somewhere again. I'm looking for anything that can fill in the gaps between dying and coming back. Here was my best guess since Yoru is the one who killed me, and Fanho is an alpha, they'd have the most information. I'll piss off afterward. You have my word."

[Izanagi]

Tengu’s byakguan activated as Katana squad approached their target. “Eyes on target. It’s her. Artemisu Katsu, S-ranked missing nin of Kirigakure. She appears weakened, her chakra reserves are a fraction of what they should be, and her wounds appear to not be healing. Still, an injured animal is often the most dangerous. Our priority is capture and transport back to Konoha for interrogation, but if she becomes hostile, we take her down by any means necessary” he relayed to his team before forming a set of handseals and creating an identical shadow clone of himself. Tengu would observe Kaito’s signals, the kid was good, certainly a prime candidate for Anbu. And after Senju Noeru had taken a leave from the team they could use another skilled Mokuton user, Kibou had potential but he was still too green to bring up from ROOT.

“There’s the signal. We’re a go for capture. I’ll take point and physically restrain her, my clone will provide overwatch. Kirin, take right, I want your shadows restraining her as soon as I have hands on. Usagi, take left, mind transfer and gain control once we hold her down. Kitsune, circle around and approach from the targets 6. If she resists, my clone will put a sankaton arrow through her heart, and you’ll take off her head” he instructed, glancing between them to ensure his orders were clear and understood. Usagi, Kirin. Keep a minimum of 25 meters between yourself and the target. "Move out” he ordered his squad. His clone would follow along, and then take a sniping position from a clear vantage point 100 meters from the target. Kitsune, the fastest among them would dash forward at 35 Speed before circling around and moving between cover until he came within 30 meters of the target.

Tengu would move swift and silent through the forest and as he ran ahead of Kirin and Usagi he would form a two sets of hand seals, coating himself in a skin-tight barrier of chakra before vanishing entirely. Like his father before him he had learned to hunt at a young age, a skill that had served him well in his career as a shinobi, ultimately leading to his position in Anbu, the second youngest commander in history. His footsteps, nor even his breathing made no sound, and he navigated the forest with immaculate precision. Not a single leaf disturbed, nor any print or scuff left behind. It was likely only as he moved within a few meters of her that Katsu might detect his presence, a faint whiff of his scent perhaps, masked by the layers of chakra and easily credited to his clone and the others in the vicinity.

The clone, bow drawn, byakugan active and arrow coated in sankaton, observed the originals approach, timing the sequence of their attacks. “Engage” the clone commanded over coms, to the pair of women, their techniques would take a second or two in order to reach their target. And in that time Tengu would swiftly grasp Katsu’s right wrist from behind, yanking it behind her back as his left hand struck her shoulder, attempting to lock the limb in place before attempting to strike her other shoulder in a similar manner while still maintaining control over her right wrist. “Do not resist. You’re being detained by Anbu black ops to be brought in for questioning. I repeat, do not resist” he instructed as he attempted to gain control over her other wrist and place her in a pair of handcuffs. Kitsune observed, hands coated in an aura of sankaton, waiting for any sign of hostile action before closing the meager distance between himself and the target.

Jutsu UsedShow

*[Ninjutsu • Advanced Shadow Clone Technique]
S-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: *[Ninjutsu • Shadow Clone Technique]
After performing the correct hand seals the user proceeds to create a number of clones of themselves (maximum is equal to 1/3rd the user's Chakra Pool). Unlike the Clone Technique, these clones are actual copies of the user in both appearance and substance. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power. The clones are capable of performing jutsu on their own, be given complex commands, caught in genjutsu, and can even bleed, but they will usually disperse after one or two solid blows. The clones will be created in roughly the same condition as the original and any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. Given that the clones are an exact replica of the user, they share the same stats except for Chakra Pool, which is determined by the number of clones presently in effect. The advantage of this form of the technique is that once dispersed, the chakra distributed to the clones returns to the user, allowing any un-used chakra to be regained, slowing the draining usage of this technique. The chakra returns to the user at a different rate depending on the user's control.
• 1-15 Control: 1/5
• 16-25: 2/5
• 26-35: 3/5
• 36+: 4/5

[Ninpou • Chakra Armor]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
The user channels chakra, flowing it in a thin layer across their body, including their hands and head. This amor has a strength of [Control] and forms at [Control] speed. This aura of chakra can also be formed on others, though only one person per cast, so long as they are within 25 meters of the user. This layer of chakra does not impede movement, normal bodily functions, or the ability to perform hand seals in any way.

[Ninjutsu • Active Camouflage]
A-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the necessary handseals or channelling chakra throughout their body, the user will coat themselves in a layer of chakra. This chakra will specifically distort light around the user, making the user undetectable from sight. The user can move at their full speed without disrupting this invisibility, even coating their weapons in the camouflage, however, should any of their possessions travel more than 5 meters from them the invisibility around the objects will fail. This active camouflage will persist for a duration of 7 posts.

Stalking Shadow
S-Rank Taijutsu Discipline
Taking the art of hunting to the realm of combat Takeshi is able to stalk his target with professional skill, moving up to his full speed while shadowing their movements and moving with the utmost silence. So long as his targets doesn’t have a perception technique of equal or greater rank he is able to approach them undetected by traditional means. Often this means his target isn’t even aware of his presence until his knife is already pressed against their throats.

~Jyuuken :: Pricking Lock
C-rank Nintaijutsu Maneuver
Used as a method of immobilizing an opponent, the user will charge chakra into their hands before wrapping their free hand around their opponent's arms locking it in place before striking with the charged hand injecting it with chakra straight into the tenketsu temporarily locking their opponent's arm into that position. This move can be resisted if the opponent has more [Control] than the user. This arm lock lasts for 3 posts.

Used by shadow clone

~Byakugan: Telescopic Vision
D Rank Ninjutsu
By channeling a small amount of chakra to the Hyuuga's Byakugan, the clan member uses their doujutsu to zoom in like a telescope, allowing them to see much farther away. In doing so, the Hyuuga member is able to see up to 250 meters away as though they were mere feet away. It should be noted that while using their telescopic vision the Hyuuga experiences tunnel vision, making it difficult to see their surroundings. This jutsu can be maintained as long as the Hyuuga channels chakra to their eyes.

*[Corroding Hearts]
D-Ranked Sankaton Ninjutsu
After doing the needed hand seals, the ninja covers a small projectile in Sankaton chakra. Whenever the projectile hits a target, the sankaton will strike first at [Control] Strength, eroding the material it strikes.

[zory_alechiv]

Kirin [Eiko Nara]

What a clever and useful little boy, Kirin thought as she watched the hand signals. Behind her mask, her eyes drifted back towards Tengu. The Nara wasn't stupid. It wasn't a secret that she had no love for the Kiri nins. If left up to her, she would have killed first and extracted the information later. And yet, she was loyal to her village and knew how to follow orders. That was the only reason she was likely not locked up for being insane. She liked blood, especially Kiri blood, but her loyalty outshone that and as an ANBU operative, she was merely a tool without emotions.

She inclined her head briefly at the command before flickering towards the right. The Nara wondered if Katsu knew they were there. It didn't matter as their commands were clear though Eiko quickly began making alternative tactics. What if she saw the shadow coming? The small woman knew she needed to give as little notice as possible.

"Going to ground," she informed softly through their comms, her voice slightly muffled through the additional mask she wore.

The woman landed in the darkest shadows before making her way forward as quietly as possible. She got as close as she dared to get in the range of her Jutsu which was just under 25 meters, and waited.

“Engage,” came the order and Kirin moved rapidly through several seals. Dog. Dragon. Rat. Ram. Bird. As her fingers flitted over the last seal and held, she tapped her foot on the ground, feeling the pull of chakra as it saturated her own shadow before sinking into the ground. Like a mole, it burrowed through the dirt, the dark tendril closing the distance rapidly. She pushed all of her control (20 control) into the maneuver, not wanting to underestimate this opponent and to give Usagi time to activate her Jutsu and for Tengu to bind her.

She watched as a small black tendril burrowed out of the ground like a tiny worm in the middle of Katsu's shadow and Kirin felt as her own chakra merged with that shadow. As a test, she dropped the seal to move her arm behind her back in an attempt to force the enemy into compliance by putting her hand behind her back.

"Target Captured," she murmured with a pant.

OOCShow

~Eiketsu • The Mole Hill
C-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: ~Eiketsu • Imitation
The user will perform a sequence of hand seals and will tap their foot on the ground, their shadow beneath their foot will turn into a sharp tendril, that can’t be see by a target and will burrow underground up to 25 meters away, it will then rip through the ground below an opponent in attempts to make contact with their shadow, then the user and the opponent will be linked together in movement, so that everything the user does is mimicked by the opponent. They are bound with a strength of the users [Control], last for 5 posts.

[HotelBravo]

ANBU : Usagi [Nakano]

---

Nakano had little to comment on the spectacle happening before her. She watched and waited. It didn’t matter what hand signs the Senju made, she only took her orders from the Tengu. As he gave instructions to create a minimum range, Nakano moved so that she was within the engagement distance that was authorized, that being at 25 meters. She had noticed that her pace had matched the Kirin’s pace. They both settled into position when at last the order to engage came from Tengu. Nakano formed hand seals in unison with Kirin, though her seals were of a different kind and nature. Where the Kirin formed the seals of the Nara clan, she formed the seals of the Yamanaka. There was going to be no room for shenanigans. She braced herself against a tree trunk, knowing that her own body would fall limp once the seals were complete. ”Keep an eye on my body.” She commented. The jutsu was activated. She formed the final seal and projected her mind at 40 speed at the target. If Katsu’s Will Power was under 40, then Nakano would have full control of the beast woman’s body and Katsu would be rendered nothing more than a captive audience in her own mind.

If she was successful, Nakano would comment aloud, ”I’ll be borrowing this for a bit. Target Captured.” In Katsu’s body Nakano would be limited by the shadow restraint of the Nara, but she would consider what she could find out about the woman from just being inside of the body. Nakano would then take inventory of the strange sensations that she felt while inside of the womans body… bugs? Something wasn’t right. Nakano was a medic nin above even an ANBU and was acutely familiar with the names of organs that she should be feeling. The sensations that belonged to a human weren’t here properly, and Nakano would know, having become accustomed to being in other people's bodies as well as in her own - she knew what it felt like. What it was supposed to feel like. this didn't feel like that at all. ”Somethings odd with this body I’m feeling a weird crawling sensation inside of her. Probably an Elemental body, please prepare appropriate restraints. Also… No clothes? My kind of woman.” Nakano could only wish that she could someday be so shameless.

[Das Kirb]

"There they are."

Katsu caught the scent coming as the Anbu team moved in. She didn't bother to gain their numbers or their specifics, merely noting that the next couple minutes were going to suck. With a deep breath she supressed every instinct to lash out and pushed down her rising rage. With a final breath she let every limb go completely limp and braced for the flaring of pain that was to come. And with that, she was pounced upon.

The first was her arms, dutifully and skillfully subdued and brought behind her back. The sitting possition made the movement awkward and painful, all she responded with was a supressed grunt and growl. At the movement her shoulder ripped and began to bleed, the strike opening up another wound. Rather than lash out, she deliberately moved her weapon of a tail to lay flat upon the ground away from her would be capture. The next was her body no longer being hers to control. It was expected, but unpleasant. The feeling of being dominated and chained sent primal instinct flaring and for the briefest instant she struggled. Just as quickly she fought back the urge, and let it happen. Once again, the growl was supressed though the parasite once again made itself known before being forced down.

The last was the one she had desperately hoped wouldn't come so soon. The invasion into her mind. Even with preperation the violation was intrusive and offensive. This time she baulked in reflex. Even if her body couldn't move her rage flared in it's blazing brilliance. The outrage within becoming as a volcano releasing it's pyroclastic crack. Her inner fangs gnashed at the intruder violently. However, Katsu claimed her rage and hatred once again, forcing it back and herself to lucid focus. After a second she "stepped aside" and let it happen. However, what she couldn't supress was the constant throbbing agony her body was in. The starvation the parasite put her through. How each little wound oozed and bled. How the sensation was amplified to her. How the sounds and scents were overwhelmingly strong to her senses. How the myriad milipedes that called her body their home fed upon her. Their mandibles constantly cutting pieces of meat from her internal body to feed themselves. How sick or dying members were subsumed back into her, their corpses grinded into mash to become biomass to fuel the constant microcosm of life she was. How their needles found their way all across her entire being. Or how the poison they secreted made her breathing painful as she had no immunity, merely resiliance, surviving despite her organs constantly shutting down and being restarted. The constantly feeling of suffocation, yet refusal to die.

When it was done, and she had relinquished control, Katsu merely spoke softly with the supressed growl. "Is this the part where you tie me up and shove it in every hole?"

[Throniv]

Kaito Senju

The fact that she sensed the ANBU team at all before they were already upon her was impressive--though slightly more so was the fluid grace of the subdual that the ANBU carried out like cogs in a well-oiled machine. The team leader had the Missing-Nin's arms behind her before Kaito could even blink, though he didn't have time to complete more than a look of slight shock before the shadow technique of a Nara ensnared the beastial woman and a Yamanaka seemed to take control of her mind, causing all pretense of fight to go out of her already-limp form. He had heard stories of the faceless protectors of Konoha, no ninja worth their salt hadn't at least caught their name in passing, but this was his first time seeing them in action and it was honestly extremely impressive--he was a rather gifted sensor and he hadn't noticed them until they had been almost upon them.

The description of the feeling of her body from the Yamanaka, at least he assumed it was a Yamanaka as no one else could perform their body-stealing techniques without being personally trained by them, caused him to look at the too-large kunoichi with a kind of detatched interest, wondering what that could possibly mean. He'd heard about ninja modifying their bodies until they were less human than something else, but this was the first time he had ever run into such a person. He wondered what could possibly make someone pursue something like this--was it a lust for power? Desperation? Perhaps some combination of both--

Kaito cringed at the crass language and brought up a finger, his face formed into a slightly exaggerated pout.

"Maa, Artemisu-Sama, there's no need for crass language like that. I'm sure that we'll have all this cleared up very soon, and I'll be able to treat you to some Takoyaki at my favorite shop. Until then, you're going to have to be a polite guest for these ANBU, or else I'm afraid that I won't be able to keep up my end of the bargain," he scolded her gently, before turning his attention to the ANBU captain.

"Tengu-san, the target seems to be safely neutralized. Should I accompany you and your team back with the prisoner, or report directly to the Hokage for debrief?" he asked, his face schooled back into polite professionalism.

[Izanagi]

Takeshi was relieved when the target didn’t resist and his allies jutsu connected without incident. The veil of invisibility shimmered and flickered before dispersing as he secured a pair of 15 Strength steel cuffs around the woman’s wrists. They would have been useless against her former strength, and so would the shadows. It seemed likely that her evident state of weakness was genuine, but he wouldn’t take any chances. “Usagi, test her strength against the restraints, make sure we can hold her. Kirin, can you maintain shadow imitation until we’re back to the village?” he confirmed. At Nakano’s comments about something within Katsu’s body, Takeshi examined her further with the Byakugan. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Insects inside of her, they’re feasting on her flesh, like the Aburame but far more barbaric. An elemental body? No, not quite. Her body still smells human, rotting in fact but not quite dead. But her chakra is centralized in her brain, indicating a core” he assessed, studying her chakra pathways closely with his Byakugan while his sensitive nostrils were assailed by her stench.

Once he was satisfied that both the shadow imitation and the cuffs would hold, he would nod. “Return to body. Well done team” he congratulated, before immediately regretting allowing Katsu free reign over speech once more as her crass language became apparent. Tengu assessed the young Senju, who remained composed despite the risks he had been ordered to take. The kid was a Special Jounin, same as each member of Katana squad. He even picked up on Tengu’s codename, despite his bird mask being rather generic compared to the mythical creature he was named after. Perhaps the kid had some connections, or was particularly observant. “That’s Commander Tengu” he corrected. “You handled yourself well. Stick with us, maybe I’ll even let you join the interrogation” he considered. He was always keeping an eye out for promising young talents. ‘But does he have the stomach for it? The grit?’ he wondered. He knew the boy’s file, that like himself he had fought back against Kiri shinobi during the occupation. But hatred alone could cloud one’s judgment and get their team killed. A member of Anbu needed more than that. They needed to be able to endure and trust in their team above all else.

Placing a black cloth sack over Katsu’s head he allowed Kirin to take over, walking her back toward the village while the squad moved into formation for escort. Kirin would cover the left, Usagi switching off to take right, Tengu following behind the prisoner and Kitsune moving to the front while Tengu’s shadow clone continued to provide overwatch, tightening up to a distance of 50 meters from the rest of the squad. “Senju, with me. Keep behind me” Tengu instructed. They would enter through the west gate and only then would the shadow clone disperse, filling Takeshi with a revitalised sensation as his chakra reserves were replenished. Kitsune would branch off to inform the Hokage of Katsu’s capture. And then the rest of the group would take her down into the tunnels, through an innocuous building not far from the gate guard station. “I shouldn’t need to say it, but anything you see or hear past this point and any mention of Katsu at all is classified information” he informed Kaito. With that she would be placed in an interrogation cell, over a kilometer underground.

Outside the room, Tengu prepared the others. “Let her sit for a while. Usagi will lead the interrogation, but I want you in the room Kaito. We can have some food brought down, advocate for her, stay on her side. She knows about Saigo, find out if she told anyone else about his presence here. Discover her true intentions and anything she might know about Kirigakure’s defenses or Missing ninja organizations and activities” he instructed, before passing a com device to Kaito. Tengu would be observing from outside of the two-way mirror. The room was also designed with Fuuinjutsu to prevent sound from the outside coming in.

Once Usagi and Kaito were ready to begin their interrogation, Tengu would observe Katsu’s chakra network from outside the room, standing with Kirin. “So, what do you think of the squad? And about the kid?” he considered. Kirin was new to Katana squad, transferring from Wakizashi after Captain Shujaku was killed in action during Iwa’s invasion of Wind country. Awai Masaru had been a close friend of Takeshi’s family, a childhood teammate of the 17th Hokage, Natsuki Takeo who had fallen in the same battle against the Tsuchikage; Akari Tatsuo. Another operative from that squad had also recently taken a step back into a training role; Senju Toshiaki, a grizzled operative in his 60’s who went by the codename Mujina. In comparison, Katana squad was young and more talented but lacked experience. At only 23 years old Eiko was the oldest member of the team, each of the others each being only teenagers. But being an operative was in Takeshi’s blood, his father before becoming Hokage had been Commander and he had grown up training alongside Masaru and Toshiaki and learning their tactics. That being said there was no preparing one for real world experience and the tough calls one would be required to make as a leader. Takeshi was determined to not take any chances and keep his team operating as tightly as possible.

[zory_alechiv]

Kirin [Nara Eiko]

Their orders were once again clear and while Usagi tested the restraints, Kirin dropped her current shadow possession to get closer to the naked woman, though still to the left. Rat. Ram. Dragon. A different set of seals had her shadow stretching out once again (20 control), this time above ground.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Bouya," the woman in the horse-like mask spoke. Her voice was soft, muffled by two masks, but it seemed like her words were more slurred than succinct. It was merely the scars beneath her mask making it difficult for her mouth to form correctly around the syllables. Her mask shifted slightly to look at the naked woman, taking her in more clearly now that she was standing in front of her.

Eiko was shorter than Kaito, making Katsu over 2 feet taller than her. The short ANBU woman stood far enough back that she didn't have to look up however and inclined her head at her new captain. This was her first mission with this team and until she knew how they worked, she'd fall in line. It hadn't gone by her that Katsu had resisted at first, even if it was brief and Eiko had no doubt the woman could break her hold. The fact that she was being feasted upon by insects made Eiko want to shudder and step back but the Nara refrained. A weapon does not have emotions. Katsu also didn't seem surprised that they showed up. She knew they were there, and still chose to not resist for the most part. Either she had a long con, or the woman was genuine. She hoped it was the latter because Eiko wasn't sure they could restrain her if she didn't want them to.

An order from Tengu had her turning her head once again. "Yes, Tengu-Taichou," she said, bringing her hand up in a brief sign towards the captain. Barely. "I can leave now." Another way to say, they needed to leave now if she was going to be able to do it. Her eyes flashed back to the taller woman and nodded. "Artemisu-San, thank you for cooperating. Further cooperation will be needed." Once the hood was in place, the Nara turned and began sprinting back towards the village. Now that she was looking for it, she could feel the stretch and pull on her chakra as the group ran and was grateful at the escort around them. It let her deal with her own focus of holding on to the woman and running back, allowing her Jutsu to remain strong until they made it to the interrogation cell.

Once the woman was inside with Kaito and Usagi, Kirin leaned against the wall, hand reaching up between the two masks and pulling the cloth one down so she could get air a lot easier. After a moment of gathering her strength, she followed her new captain into the sound-proof room to watch the proceedings.

“So, what do you think of the squad? And about the kid?”

The Nara stood with her hands clasped behind her back and two steps behind the commander, the pinnacle of a well-disciplined soldier. At first, she didn't speak, taking the time to assess the questions appropriately and give clear and concise answers. When she spoke, it was slow and careful.

"The kid is naive, but he has talent, Commander. With the right guidance, he could be formidable. I don't believe Shinobi have the luxury of seeing the world through the rose-tinted glasses that Senju-san does currently. It's almost sad to see that innocence disappear, but we have to be prepared to do things the citizens aren't. Not just ANBU, but Shinobi. If he can prove to overcome the trials that the world will throw at him, he will be an invaluable asset."

Kirin paused again, her shoulders relaxing slightly as she inclined her head. "The team is one that works well together. I can tell you are dedicated to them, and value a well-oiled machine. As with every new team, there are growing pains, but I am sure once we decide on a place for me, I can fit in well. Or rather, I will fit in." Her words were almost robotic. She would be what the ANBU Commander needed her to be because of her own beliefs. She was a weapon, and a tool. Once Tengu-Taichou figured out how to use her, she would have her direction.

OOCShow

~Eiketsu • Imitation
C-rank Ninjutsu
The user will perform a sequence of hand seals and will hold the final seal, the user will send their shadow out across any surface toward a target at a speed equal to the users [Control] up to 25 meters, aiming to connect with a targets shadow. If contact is made, the user and the opponent will be linked together in movement, so that everything the user does is mimicked by the opponent. they are bound with a strength of the users [Control], last for 5 posts.

[HotelBravo]

ANBU : Usagi [Nakano]

---

Being in Katsu’s body was an experience. One might even call it unpleasant, but on top of being a sadist herself, Nakano was also a masochist. The biting and squirming while uncomfortable but once one got into the right frame of mind it was deliciously cruel. Nakano let herself enjoy the sensation of being eaten alive by bugs and was somewhat slow to respond to Tengu’s command on account of the overwhelming sensory experience. ”Huh? Oh sure.” Nakano in Katsu’s body tested the beast woman’s strength against the restraints. She had often wondered what it would feel like to have the life slowly drained out of her, and she had to admit that it was much more entertaining than she had ever considered it would be. It easily surpassed her imagination and in fact she honestly considered that she had learned something from this experience. ”I only say elemental body because it feels like one. Oh well back to being me. If only reluctantly. You’ve been an excellent host. 5 stars. Though I think you’re accompanied by having guests.” Nakano told Katsu.

Kai.

The Yamanaka technique was released and she was returned to her body. Nakano activated the mystical palm technique immediately. One of the side effects of the Yamanaka jutsu was that the mind was a powerful tool and the body was its plaything as much as the mind was a plaything of the body. That meant experiencing suffering in one body transferred back to one’s own original body - and Nakano, by virtue of being in a living corpse being actively rebuilt and devoured in a strange blender situation. The only problem was, Nakano did not have the benefit of any such regeneration. It was honestly quite hilarious to Nakano to be so close on the verge of death after just simply using the Mind body switch. ”It would seem that I’m suffering from critical injuries as a side effect from my jutsu. Multiple organs have been damaged and internal bleeding.” She needed to repair as much as she could to keep herself alive. She pulled a blood pill out and put it into her mouth and swallowed it. Then, She clapped her hands together and activated the Mystical Palm jutsu and began to repair the life threatening injuries. While life threatening, the injuries were small. She was on the verge of her own body betraying her - passing out and just dying. There wasn’t anything she could do about actually passing out. It wasn’t something one had conscious control of after all, but she did her work while dancing in the twilight between awareness and the blissful deep of unconsciousness. To Nakano’s immense dissatisfaction she was also one of the best medical shinobi in the village. It was almost depressing, and what was even more depressing is that she was the one that decided to heal herself.

There were rules she had to keep after all. With less Chakra reserve than she had wanted Nakano was back on her feet, and the team was moving out back to a secure location. Once they were finally there, they had secured Katsu in the room. She was given orders to lead the interrogation. The wait would be a bit longer than Tengu-taichou had intended as Nakano had left and gone to a nearby 5 star restaurant and had ordered a sizable meal with a 20 oz steak as take out.

The interrogation room had a table and two chairs along with a dry erase board. Not that it mattered much but Katsu being a dangerous shinobi would obviously be cuffed to prefern her from moving around freely. Nakano entered entered the room with Katsu, carrying a hefty bag and she said nothing while she laid out a steak dinner on her side of the table, out of reach of Katsu. She knew that Katsu was hungry, she had been in that body after all, and no one had fed her since capturing her. ”I hope you don’t mind if I take my meal here - its the salary shinobi life you see? 20 hours of work and 4 hours of sleep.” Nakano took a steak knife with one hand and a fork with the other and carved a cube of steak and slipped it under her mask. It was so tender. It didn’t even need any sauce to improve the quality of the meat, it was that good. ”Oh… Thats some good stuff. Melts like butter right on the tongue.” She picked up the bag and looked at the name of the restaurant taking notes for herself so that she could visit them again. ”This stuff was expensive, but by the kami they know how to cook over there. I think I’m in the wrong career.”

[Throniv]

Kaito Senju

Commander Tengu was interesting, at the very least. The way he commanded his team was tight and efficient, and it seemed that he'd somehow attracted the ANBU commander's interest--not that he was complaining about it. The ANBU corps were meant to be the best of the best when it came to covert operations, a status that he both respected and craved to emulate.

"Yes sir, Commander Tengu," he responded professionally, though the words of the Yamanaka caused his eyes to dart over to her, almost ready to offer whatever assistance he could before she began healing herself. A supremely useful skill, one that he thought might be prudent to learn for himself at some point down the line. In fact, now that he thought about it, it should probably be mandatory for Konoha ninja to know at least basic medical ninjutsu in case they ever find themselves stranded without access to a med-nin.

He'd allowed his mind to wander on that subject for just long enough to almost miss one of the other ANBU reproaching him for making promises he couldn't keep, and a frown crossed his face when he realized he'd been misunderstood again--as per usual. He was trying to convince her to avoid resistance, not promise anything beyond being a guest of ANBU for the foreseeable future. Still, he inclined his head towards the shorter woman to acknowledge her point, before turning his attention back to the ANBU commander that was commanding him to follow them to the interrogation--

Sorry, what?

He blinked, his mouth dropping open in slight surprise before he managed to clamp it shut and give a stiff nod, wondering why in the world he was being invited to participate in an ANBU interrogation, unless... Was he being recruited? He didn't know how one joined the shadowy organization that protected Konoha in secret, but he imagined that it had to be something like this, with the commander of their forces inviting you to join with his squad.

"Y--Yes sir, Commander Tengu," he managed to get out before falling in line behind him, struggling to keep up with the much faster adult ninja that surrounded him and the Hidden Leaf's newest guest.

Once they were in the facility, Kaito resolved himself to be as unobtrusive as possible and passively observe whatever was about to happen in the T&I facility that they had entered. He nodded at the commander when he was informed that everything he saw and heard from that point on was highly classified, already having assumed that he wouldn't be allowed to repeat anything of what he saw or heard while in an ANBU facility. Again, he was surprised when the commander handed him a comms device and ordered him to join the Yamanaka ANBU operative in the room as an advocate for the beastial woman that spoken so crassly. She would need food, and he had at least a basic understanding of the trope here: Yamanaka-san would act as the "Bad Cop", providing a rough, tough façade to show that they meant business, while he would play the role of the "Good Cop," the face in a room of faceless individuals that were decidedly not friendly. The idea was good, and he found himself impressed once again at the wherewithal of the commander to both achieve his objective and test him like this... Tengu-Taicho was a wily one.

While the ANBU operative brought in her own steak, Kaito put the finishing touches on his own--prepared blue, with just the barest charring to the outside layer of meat to give it flavor with a pat of garlic butter on top slowly melting on the hot flesh, a bit larger than the Yamanaka's but of a slightly lower-quality meat. He carried it in after the ANBU had already started eating, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Sorry about the wait, Artemisu-Sama. I'm sure you must be hungry. Here you go," he said kindly as he set the meat down where she could reach it even with her restraints, assuming that she would simply grab it and tear into it with those razor-sharp incisors. The strategy, as he saw it, was to paint one of them as adversarial and one as sympathetic--nothing more effective at that than one of them withholding food while the other provided it. It showed that they would treat her well if she cooperated, which she had so far, and that they were capable and willing to be more cruel if it was necessary. As of yet, it wasn't necessary.

"Now, Artemisu-Sama, we just have a few questions that we were hoping you could answer. You mentioned Saigo-sama. How did you know he was here? Have you told anyone else of this?" he asked, as per the commander's instructions to him. If he could build a rapport with the missing-nin, they might avoid the unpleasantness of the Torture aspect of T&I, but he was just as prepared for it to go sideways and to be told to step aside. Many mistook his kindness and merciful nature as weakness, but as a number of Kirigakure shinobi could attest, he could be utterly ruthless when the situation called for it.

[Das Kirb]

The pace was grueling and nearly impossible to keep up. Her lungs were incapable of taking in enough air and every muscle burned with agony. More than once she instinctively panted and groaned. However, it wasn't her choice to keep going, just endure. And she had endured far more than some exersize. However, the compounding sensations had proven almost overwhelming and should she been able she'd have collapsed long ago. Even if the burn in her chest and legs were a refreshing return to form, it was too much. A couple times, she blacked out, only to come back to the waking nightmare this had been. But. . . it was necissary. She would endure. She always did.

During a blackout Katsu had found herself coming back to a baren room. The chill synthetic enclosure only amplified the intensity of the discomfort. Not since Kiri had the woman been in such a place. Always there had been a hint of the natural world nearby. Always she could smell more than the people and stone. The sounds were hollow and muted here, echoing with sterile absense. Combined with the restraints, the violation, the suffocation and starvation, and the pain itself. . . To keep her sanity was a struggle. Just beneath the surface the monster was gnashing. Outside all she did was grit her teeth till bleeding.

When the food began coming in, both human and prepared, Katsu began salivating. The creature within nearly burst forward, causing a radiant crimson aura to emit it's light. It was only with a monumental effort that the primal woman fought it back down, a growl escaping for the task. However, what she couldn't fight down immediately was the glare of hatred at Nakano. Thankfully, it wasn't long before Kaito came in, placing another bleeding piece before her. She tentatively sniffed the meal. Satisfied, no words were wasted as she leaned over. She scooped up the meal and tore a chunk away from it with the ferocity of a starving beast. All else was ignored as the meal was quickly devoured, the last drop of blood and juice being greedily devoured.

The fresh nutrition was once again put to work rapidly. With a much more substantial meal her body repaired itself rapidly. Wounds closed completely and the color returned to her skin. Her hair filled in as her sunken eyes became more vibrant and radiant. The sagging spots tightened up and became more full. She even began to breath easier. After but a moment Katsu rose her head from lapping at the last molecule of food, facing them as a beast, not the dead. It would be a short lived normalcy as her jaw unhinged to reveal the rows upon rows of predatory teeth. A swarm of crawling pink demons skittered forth into a pool in her hands. Every step left a red mark. However, it wasn't an attack and the movement was deliberate. They found themselves commanded towards an unused corner of the room. And with that her weapon of a tail came around to force her jaw back into place, resting once more behind in plain view.

"You're a fucking cunt, and you're an idiot." Katsu motioned to Nakano and Kaito in emphasis. "But thank you for the meal. I'd almost forgotten what not fucking wanting to die was like. Little bastards are useful and cute but that almond smell gets annoying, and suffocating hurts. Sure the cunt can relate." She stabbed once again at Nakano with her eyes. "That being said, drop the act. We all know why we're here. Y'all want to know basically everything. I'd guess mainly if I actually died, and what the shit happened in Kiri back then. Probably want information on Vorashu since he's Kiri's weapon." The last word was said with a level of venom usually reserved for the most foul of sins. "I'll say that yeah, I've died. Twice now. I've come back, twice now. So that should set something clear from the git go. I came to you and frankly knew this shit was going to happen. You can torture me and it'll be nothing I haven't been through. You can probably kill me again and I'll just come back somewhere. There's not much more you can do that hasn't already been done." Her tone was matter of fact, tinged with depression. "So before I say much else and we do this tit for tat answer me this. Does anyone here know what happened to the Realm of Titans? If the people of Kaijuku survived? Hidestuga, Anori, Arsa, Varu, Inoriki, and Korialstraz? The rest?"

[HotelBravo]

---

It was the good cop bad cop routine. She knew that Kaito would be playing a good cop, but hadn’t expected that Kaito would immediately go counter to her plan. She didn’t think Good cop bad cop was even necessary for this situation.

She narrowed her eyes at the ravenous beast in front of her - it wasn’t any sense of hate or really anything. It was more like, she was simply looking for insight. She might as well get what she could out of the whole spectacle. She suddenly wasn’t feeling so hungry. Nakano watched as the starving creature scarfed down an entire plate full of steak. Nakano didn’t say anything. She watched, and waited while the beast woman had her meal. She might as well have inhaled the plate of food as if it were oxygen. The woman seemed to become revitalized by the food she had eaten right before their eyes. It was a dangerous game letting an S rank shinobi recover her strength. She had no choice though but to go with things as they were. She wasn’t going to show her dissatisfaction in front of a potential enemy. ”Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Nakano responded to Katsu’s puking up a horde of Centipede looking creatures. That must have been the creature's Nakano had felt while she had been inhabiting Katsu’s body earlier.

She brushed one of the creatures away from her plate using her steak knife and towards the rest of the horde that was congregating in the corner. ”So you’ve told us what we have already knew, and are demanding answers - this doesn’t sound very good faith to me. Let's think of this as a transaction. You have something you want from us, and obviously you have intelligence that we don’t have. Your advantage is that your product has questionable value. I like to know what I’m buying before I commit to it. Thats how I keep myself from being swindled; I hope you understand. Tell us what information you have and we’ll see ”

[Das Kirb]

Katsu chewed on the response a bit. It wasn't unexpected but it was unwanted. Either this chick was still playing hard to get or she was truly dense. "Yer dense as a box o rocks yerself, lassy." the voice of her adoptive father reminded her. In fact, his voice coming up only managed to annoy the woman as he was far better at this shit that she ever could be. But, it wasn't an option for now. In fact there were nearly infinite options and that was one of the few that wasn't on the table. Oh well, time to narrow it down. . . . What would Hide or Varu do???

"Lass, there be many listening and watching not far off. Yer known to these people. And fact is they've likely done recon after Yoru came back claiming yer death. They also likely be knowin all they need bout Vorashu's new host. An they know what the great bastard already be about. What they might not know is the creature's personality. How ta taunt the damned thing and 'ave it override the host. Never 'appened with ye cause ye and the git were neck in neck. But Shinji. . . Shinji aint like that. That boy be a soldier, not a beast. Taunt the beast, the soldier be on the back foot in that fight. . . Iffen they don't want that, they likely be wantin info that 'elp em in espionage.""Yeah. . . yeah but if only I knew a fucking thing about that besides the fact they're weak from beneath. . . Could also offer them the parasite. Damned thing is a monster and whoever has it will likely fucking hate it too. . . . Not my problem. Might actually be a boon."

"You've offered allegience before. A union in harmony based on good faith from what once was might be beneficial in other ways too." "And that's an option I can only promise once I have my strength back. . . And know where you fuckers are. Chances are they'd like the help kicking the shit out of Kiri too. Doubt these fuckers are much for front line assault."

Katsu weighed the options in silence for a moment before seemingly snapping back to reality. When she spoke she adopted a direct and more formal tone from here, as if dealing with a superior that couldn't be cowled back in Kiri. "I ask if you have the information I want, not for the information itself. There are no free lunches. But, fair enough. I have four offers. The first is knowledge of Vorashu, the Katagenma. Not specifically his new host as you probably already know enough there. About the transformations and all that. What you probably don't know is how to handle the god himself to override the host. Or the true extend of his abilities. I was a host before Shinjiro. My end goal is to see Vorashu free of any host at all. So in this I have no reason to lie to you. Second and third I offer my immortality. As I said before, kill me and I'll come back. I've done it twice now. I can survive at the bottom of the ocean, in the vacuum of space, in any environment and suffering any damage. Those bugs produce a poison that shuts down the body's ability to use air. I had them inside me. I am not immune, I can just survive. I can give this ability to any number of your people. It's taxing and has it's drawbacks, but it's benefits on warriors is impossible to overstate. Oh, and it doesn't get disrupted like other chakra based bullshit. It's purely physical. So I'll do work for you as I regain my strength, though I pledge no allegience, or I'll grant one of yours this ability. The last I offer is dependant on your information. My family is missing. The Realm of Titans may be no more but that's ONLY because I died and had vanished. They were rebuilding and something happened. I don't know what. Maybe a local wanted their home back from an invading force or maybe Kiri stomped them out. But if they are alive, and if I find them, I'm certain Hidestuga would want to speak with your alpha as well. He's got this code about honor. My guess would be depression got to the lot of them and they either died or went into hiding rather than run here and ask for more help. So here's my offer, I'll tell you about Vorashu if you tell me everything you know about the Realm of Titans. I'll offer my services if you help my get my strength back up to the point I'm ready to go after them myself. I'll offer you your own immortal dogs if you help me get them back. And finally, I'll offer an alliance if you give them a home if they're found. This alliance is not me being one of your bitches. It's a promise to come if called upon to defend against an invasion or if you decide to attack Kiri, the later being a mutual benefit. I do not expect to be able to call on you the same way. And seeing as I've already promised Saigo my aid, I figure it's only right I offer what he call's home the same. Especially if my people are alive, and come to call Fire their home." With that, Katsu sat back and waited. The die had been cast, now it was just a matter of seeing where it landed.

[Throniv]

Senju Kaito

Kaito sat back, absorbing the whirlwind of information Katsu unleashed. Most of what she said was information he didn't have any context for, tangled with names he didn’t recognize--Hide, Varu, Yoru--each with some role in her murky past. Even Vorashu, the Katagenma, was unfamiliar territory, insofar as its actual abilities or name prior to this moment. Of course he knew about the Genma--he was a jounin of the hidden leaf, he'd been warned of their capabilities--but he'd never actually met a Jinchuriki. Or rather, a former Jinchuriki. He had thought the spirits were bound for the duration of the host's life, but if she was telling the truth--and as far as he could tell, she was--they could be moved without killing the host.

Despite his confusion, Kaito's focus remained sharp. He watched the woman who they'd paired him with for this interrogation, noting her reactions, at least as much as he could see behind her bone-white ANBU mask. She was an enigma to him--she seemed to delight in pain, from how he had heard her speak earlier, which was a concept that he didn't truly get any more than the whirlwind of contextless information that was coming from their guest. And if the way she was acting prior to him entering the room was any indication, she enjoyed being the source of discomfort just as much.

Kaito's focus shifted back to the beastial woman as she expounded on the nature of her "immortality," immediately grasping the potential consequences of what she was offering. The ability to survive after death was the ultimate bait for any shinobi researcher, and here it was on a silver platter. She was offering the possibility of forever--an ability few shinobi, no matter how powerful, could hope to grasp. She was doing so with minimal prompting on their part, all for the hope that they could provide her with an ally against her enemies and a place to call home for her family.

With each word Katsu spoke, Kaito sensed the desperation beneath her offers. She wanted information, power, her family back. Perhaps this was less about loyalty or survival and more about recovering what she’d lost. But in the quiet, as the air between Usagi and Katsu grew thick with unspoken threats and measured pauses, Kaito realized that Katsu's offers weren’t a show of strength. They were her last threads, pieces of a fraying tapestry she was trying to hold together. Presenting a tantalizing offer like that--there was no way the Hokage would be able to resist if even half the stories he'd heard about Artemisu Katsu were true, and that meant it was everything she had.

An advantageous position if there ever was one.

Kaito glanced over at Usagi, wondering what she would do now that she had the offer in front of her.

[HotelBravo]

---

Nakano pulled her hands under the table and formed and held a hand seal discreetly to activate her Mind Network Jutsu. Shards. In the formation of such a technique she had broken her mind into pieces, and now that she was channeling the jutsu she took those shards and projecting them into the minds of the ANBU operatives that were here, including those who were not visible or in the room as long as they were within 100 meters of her. This would allow them to speak via their thoughts and at the speed of thought. ”Your call.” She thought at Tengu. Though any of the nearby Konoha Nin who were caught up in her jutsu would be able to overhear the exchange. ”I’m not particularly familiar with any of the topics she’s referencing, but I can certainly bullshit my way through a conversation. Intel on Kirigakure’s Jinchuriki would be very useful though. It’d be easiest if we let the trade happen, but if all else fails, I can still pry it from her mind. She certainly seems like she might be useful, since we share a mutual enemy.”

Nakano tilted her head at Katsu. ”You drive a hard bargain. I am tempted about your immortality, it certainly seems enjoyable, but I really like to keep myself from becoming desensitized to things, and it seems to me like the novelty would wear off rather quickly. ” She spoke aloud to Katsu, she was having a conversation aloud and a different one mentally at the same time. It was rather taxing, but Yamanaka had the wherewithal to train for this kind of thing. ”I am rather disappointed that you are willing to cooperate, I was thinking that would be more fun, but I can’t argue that doing things this way does save everyone a great deal of time. Would you be a dear and give us a moment to deliberate?”

[Izanagi]

Commander Tengu observed Katsu's mannerisms. She was brash and straightforward. Not the type keen on subtly or deceit. In truth the interrogation tactics utilized were likely unnecessary but nonetheless it served as a test of Kaito's candidacy for Anbu. The boy seemed to adapt well and maintained a professional approach, though he could have played off of Usagi's approach better he showed potential nonetheless.

At the mention of Katsu's companions, the commander snapped his fingers. "Get me everything we have on the known whereabouts of her companions" he instructed of Kitsune who had only just returned to base. The young man swiftly combed through the box of files marked "Realm of Titans" and procured a handful of dossiers.

Flipping through the files he found that their assorted crimes were minimal, the most alarming was the Yamanaka nukenin; a security breach more than an dangerous criminal. A note in his file marked him as except from hunting, cleared by the former commander Aizawa Yoru. The same man that had ultimately betrayed Katsu and been partially responsible for her death.

Takeshi considered Katsu's offer, this would be his first notable decision as a newly appointed Anbu commander and should Katsu betray them it could prove a disastrous display of incompetence. It was a risk, but one that could be managed. As Usagi's familiar voice entered his mind he replied calmly. "I have the information here. I agree, she is useful. We'll accept her offer" he authorized.