Head Hunter Recruit: Naohiro

[Flankingfox]

There beneath the village, the two sat in a dimly lit office as operatives of the Head Hunter Division scurried through corridors like ants. Never a quiet day in these dank dark confines. Everything up to this point had gone off without a hitch. The rigorous examination procedure was completed by the young man sitting before the champion in record time. Nothing left but to throw a personal stamp of approval on the young lad and throw him against the wolves that preyed on the sheep.

With a single eye open, Shiv glanced down at the file of Aisu, Naohiro. Behind his polarized mask, the man that name belonged to shouldn't have the slightest idea that the champion was hungover. Well aside from the fact that Shiv seemed to be slumped into his grand chair almost in a sickly manner betraying what his mask had concealed. Not that it mattered much, for once his desk was actually clean of the majority of paperwork he was obligated to finish. If anything that was a positive over the negative and thus canceled each other out. Moving slightly in the chair, Shiv pushed off the desk narrowly pushing the file away. This smallest of maneuvers knocked down the perfectly stacked bottles of empty sake that had collected alongside the side of his desk.

*clink clink clink*

Came the incessant noise as those bottles seemed to randomly sprawl to the outer parts of the room. The other eye opened now as Shiv's eyes now looked toward Naohiro for any sort of reaction. Surely this wasn't the most luxurious of places more like that of a relative's basement, but nonetheless, it did the job adequately enough that there wasn't much need to change anything. Splattered in a pattern that didn't follow any logic was a bounty of weaponry collected over the years from targets. These trophies were now mere memories as their worth and stories faded from knowledge lost to the conundrum that surrounds everyone. Slinking his body into a position that actually faced Naohiro, Shiv broke the silence, "So... you've worked with my little cousin, ehh. Hell of a job you two managed to pull off with that botched infiltration thing. Looking over your file again, I think we have use of a weapon like yourself. You know as much as I that the village produces both exceptional and trash weaponry... we are always in need of the former to rid ourselves of the trash. Any questions?"

[Valkier]

The mists of Kirigakure carried a sombre mood through the village, heavy with humidity and the muffled sound of distant thunder, as Naohiro descended into the depths of the Head Hunter Division headquarters. The summons were unexpected. Although he'd spent most of his youth clawing his way up through the ranks, excelling and steadily building his reputation at every opportunity, he suspected his actions in Soul Country were the ones that had caught the attention of the division--either that, or they'd heard of his recent promotion to special jounin and seen the opportunity to pounce upon a potential recruit.

He'd been greeted by a stranger at the village's main administration building and briskly led down into a warren of deep and foreboding tunnels, twisting and turning beneath the heart of Kirigakure. Past a heavy door inlaid with impressive arrays of fuuinjutsu he'd faced numerous and trying tests, some of the mind and others of the arm, and apparently had performed well enough that he now found himself sat before the Commander of the entire organisation. Karagata Shiv was, in all ways, an imposing figure to sit infront of. Even had the man's face and expression been visible, the man's reputation was formiddable enough to make most grown men cower in his presence. Thus it took some small effort for Naohiro, even with his own prowess, to school his face to an impassive mask. He hid away the anxiety of the sudden summons, concealed the childish admiration for the figure before him, and masked the exertion of the recent challenges, even if a rogue bead of sweat still clung to his tousled hair.

Next to all that, it was easy to dismiss the stale scent of day-old sake and array of bottles around the man's office. Sure, it wasn't the way Nao would keep his workspace, but Shiv had long since earned the right to work the way he wanted--so long as he was still effective, despite the slightly laboured movements of a man in the grips of a morning after. Naohiro ignored the mess and the smells and focused instead on what the man had to say.

"Kinsue? Yes, sir. He'd a good man, and a good ninja. I couldn't have asked for a better rival." He nodded at the praise, acknowledging it without modesty. "I live to serve Kirigakure, and am at your disposal. What would you have me do?"

[Flankingfox]

Great, somebody who wasn't entirely stuck up, focusing on trivial things like a messy office or the like. Oddly enough, Shiv's eyes seemed to scan over the young man with newfound appreciation finding everything up to standard aside from a speck of sweat, but that was natural when starting a new journey in life. A small memory rapidly sprang to thought as Shiv quietly pondered over it for a moment. The memory being Shiv in his younger years staring up at the previous leader of the Head Hunter Division while also almost cracking knowing full well the power that flowed through the veins of the hulking beast of a man. Nostalgia passed over the champion suddenly who secretly wished to go back to those days as they were seemingly more fun and without the weight of responsibility that constantly gnawed one back into a zombified state of obligation to duty with the dreadfully apparent realization that this 'duty' came at the cost of love.

From beneath the mask, Shiv cracked a rather rare smile. That sake was definitely flowing through his veins as he glanced over the recruit before him. What was with that clan producing 'pretty' individuals? The man before the champion was attractive, to say the least, but that wasn't why he was being inducted into the division. Naohiro had an exceptional skill set complimenting these looks. Narrowing his eyes, Shiv noticed now a small scar that ran along Naohiro's neck. A single eyebrow raised slightly as Shiv's thoughts turned to how something like this happened? What was the story behind such a scar? Pushing aside the curiosity for the moment, Shiv looked down at his file and then instantly back toward his guest. There wasn't really any need to test the young one on anything in regard to skill, the merit of his ability was all too clearly revealed here on these pieces of paper. No, there wasn't a need to see ability firsthand, instead, they would focus on the person that was going to be behind the mask.

In a stern tone, Shiv calmly spoke while also adding in an odd request, "That is exactly what I'd like to hear from a fresh recruit. Dedication, perseverance, and sacrifice are all paramount to serving our village. In regard to your question, hmph, would you mind telling me a joke. Your file shows that your skills are exceptional and that your ability isn't in question. However, I had a long night and wouldn't mind a laugh. At the end of the day, when dealing with the reality of our work it helps to also have a sense of humor per se. Surely there will be greater things asked of you in time, but for now, let us partake in a moment of celebration. Not everybody is recruited into the division... actually the majority don't pass our strenuous recruitment process. Therefore you are either super lucky or a natural-born apex predator..."

[Valkier]

This time Naohiro smiled at the praise. Anyone could say the same words--no doubt what the man before him wanted to hear--but few felt the doctrines of the village as strongly as an Aisu raised under such a creed from birth. He meant every word. But the smile faltered for a moment at the request for a joke.
A joke? Humour, on the other hand, was hardly one of his strong suits. Why would it matter, particularly now? He hesitated, glancing the Commander up and down again to gauge his seriousness. The man seemed totally at ease, but the request sounded... genuine. He swallowed. Ordinarily he'd shrug away such a random question, but he found that he wanted this. Badly. A silence stretched for a moment as he paused to think, mind scrabbling for ideas.

"Okay..." he shrugged, trying to relax a little as something began to work in his head. He might have one, and if he'd gauged Shiv correctly, it might even work. "So. There's this Toukai couple, husband and wife. They've grown old together; married, kids, years of love, you know. One morning the wife is standing nude in front of a mirror, tutting and grumbling to herself. She turns and shouts to her husband," Nao turned his head to the side and continued, imitating a warbling old voice. "Look at me! I'm hideous! I'm old and fat! My breasts are sagging, my skin's scarred and wrinkled, my hair's falling out. Give me a compliment and cheer me up!" His faint smile returned and he returned to his normal voice. "The husband thinks about it for a moment and replies, 'Well, you've still got perfect vision!'" He finished, breaking out of the old man's voice and into a chuckle.

"What about you, sir? You must've heard a few good ones before. How about it?" He tried his luck by dropping some of the earlier formality, but the man had proposed a moment of celebration, and clearly valued humour. If not, they could simply continue with the interview.

[Flankingfox]

With eyes like that of a hawk, Shiv seemingly pierced at the visage of Naohiro who looked genuinely stunned by his question. As the smile faded from the young man's face it was replaced by an almost awkward silence, yet wasn't extremely apparent due to the sake keeping things somewhat mellow. A feeling of intrigue filled the champion who was now curious as to what would come forth from the inner workings of the up-and-coming ninja. Certainly, all those chosen for a position in the division were the epitome of their craft, but that only got somebody so far when dealing with death day after day. On the other hand, a good sense of humor was almost a blessing in disguise sometimes and helped drown out the constant debauchery. Naohiro shrugged now, here it came! The moment the audience had been waiting for.

Once the joke had finished, Shiv sat there silent for a moment. Soon after he too began to chuckle for at the end of the day it wasn't actually that bad for being on the spot. Even just mentioning the name Toukai brought about the imagery of some of the older couples he had met over the years. Putting faces to this story really drove it home as being more than just your standard drinking joke. Shiv closed his eyes for that of a standard blink before opening them once more acknowledging now that he was asked the same question back. Not one to avoid telling a good joke, Shiv didn't see why he couldn't also partake. A grin passed over the man as he quickly remembered a time that turned out to be hilarious.

Clearing his throat with a quick cough, Shiv sternly replied, "A while back, aboard a Karagata shipping vessel crossing the sea, I noticed a seasick colleague of mine losing it over the railing alongside several other junior ninjas. I never knew you had such a weak stomach, I said. It’s not weak, he replied. I’m throwing up just as far as the rest of these guys... That was actually right before we were ambushed by a mercenary group too. Quite funny with all things considered. You should have seen the men right after trying desperately to brandish their blades. Hands shaking involuntarily as I butchered our would-be assailants. Nothing like the smell of feces from lifeless corpses to wake them up to reality. In short, they now had an actual reason to vomit as they were ordered to clear the deck of the bloody mess that had piled up..."

"So, what made you want to join the infamous head hunter division anyway? Attempting to buff up the resume? Justice against those that have abandoned their village? A thrill for murdering your fellow man? Or maybe even just to get some actual hands-on experience where people are deemed acceptable to seek and destroy... few have gotten better by beating a punching bag down to splinters, eh?" Shiv asked now, continuing on with their meeting per se. The 'why' didn't actually matter too much in the grand scheme of things, but it was always better to know motivation so as to properly assess an operator before throwing them into the field. Generally, people performed better when they either loved or enjoyed the work they were given.

[Valkier]

Naohiro became increasingly aware of tension in his body during the brief moment of silence following his joke, his fingers twitching in his lap. His thoughts quickened as the quiet lapse in conversation stretched on and--finally, Shiv chuckled, and Nao breathed again. The conversation continued like a spell had been broken, and he listened attentively as the man sitting opposite began his own humorous tale.

Given Shiv's reputation around town, Naohiro expected to hear something particularly crude or risqué in the man's joke, but found himself chuckling involuntarily as the punchline arrived quicker than expected. It was simple but effective, and the young man could fully believe it was a real event. Moreover, Shiv told it so naturally... as well he did the follow-up. Naohiro found the masked Commander difficult to read, but did he sense more enjoyment coming from the man when talking about the slaughter than about the vomiting? His own mirth faded to a smile, hopefully one that appeared at ease, as they eventually resumed with a more typical interview question.

"Perhaps a little bit of all those," Naohiro nodded. "I will confess I don't take any express pleasure in killing; it's a duty to me just like any other. Being part of the division is something I've considered for a long time--from long before I was experienced enough to contribute--and it's true that it would lend weight to my future, and as well that I'd be proud to be the one to hunt down those few traitors and deserters that try to take our secrets abroad. But above all, what thrills me is the challenge. I want to test myself against the best, the worst the world has, and win. I want to succeed where others would fail, and grow stronger still as a result." He leaned in, a hint of hunger in his eyes. "Can you give me that?"

[Flankingfox]

Naohiro suddenly cracked a laugh at the joke. Good, the man before the Commander wasn't a stuck up hot shot with a chip on his shoulder. More often than not many came here fully intent on using the division solely to garner personal accolades to fluff their profile for the upper echelons of the village. However, with the work the division does on the daily, these individuals weren't the most beneficial putting their own ambition over the mission and or their fellow operators. This Aisu seemed to have a good head on his shoulders with adequate reasons as to wanting to join the 'long-hunt'. There will always be people who hunt in a village that glamorizes power above all else for when those that become infatuated with themselves more so than their purpose they become threats instead of assets. Shiv slowly nodded as the man answered the question.

Shifting position in his chair now, the Commander faced his company with his elbows planted firmly on the desk. There was a few moments of silence as the senior officer gathered his thoughts. Breaking this came a frigid tone that seemed to highlight how cool this office actually was. Shiv answered chillingly now with, "Aye, I believe we here in the division can give you that and more... just don't get yourself killed kid. I'd hate to lose a weapon before they've become fully honed. Then again, you seem capable enough to survive amongst the wolves this village produces. The 'challenge' is exactly the thing that sparked my interest in the head hunters when I was much younger. That feeling almost seems to take over as the thrill pushes you to heights you'd never knew existed until put to the test in combat... or at worst reveals plainly what you've been lacking... potentially leaving you questioning your worth as a weapon." The Commander's head tilted slightly now as if lost in thought while the lifeless gaze from the helmet never seemed to falter only relaying back to Naohiro himself in that polarized visor. There was something eerie about looking at yourself when amongst a person that could kill you in an instant if they had wanted. Without a face to read it was like looking at a weapon more so than a person. Shiv hadn't so much as flinched for a minute now looking forward like that of a corpse. The only thing breaking the silence was that of Naohiro's own person and or the occasion foot step on stone in the damp dark distance outside this office. Abruptly, Shiv's head tilted opposite to previous as his supposed 'gaze' remained seemingly locked onto Naohiro.

"Reminds me of a story that I'll share with you..." , came forward without warning from the Commander.

Those words were followed promptly with more, but this time wasn't with the same frigidness from before returning slightly to a more 'chilled' tone, "Years ago now. On a routine graveyard patrol when I was starting out, I was faced with an adversary far beyond my level. It was that night when this individual took much from our village that I knew I wasn't anything special. For all the achievements I had accomplished till that point were all for naught as I couldn't do anything as my comrades were slaughtered around me. It was there that I realized that I had only been a tool, not the weapon the village needed me to be. From this I vowed to become stronger so that next time when faced with a threat a weapon would be drawn in response. No longer would the wolves have free reign to prey on the sheep... yadda yadda, now look at me. This division helped me become the man I am today, forging me into something more. So again, to answer your question. I believe with your latent ability we can forge you into the weapon you're supposed to be..." Sarcastically, Shiv made sure to rush the end the story so as to not outright kill the mood established at the start of this meeting. There were few people that reached the upper echelons of the village without any sort of baggage. Even a person of Shiv's caliber wasn't immune to having been made glaringly aware of his limits and or potential short falls.

Then came a more playful tone, shifting back to that at ease atmosphere from a few moments ago. "I believe I've heard all I need from you today. I think you'll fit in around here perfectly, I'll have the necessary paper work done up and get you transferred here by the end of next week. So with that it only leaves us to discuss any potential questions from our latest addition? So, do you have any more questions for me?"

[Valkier]

Naohiro remained leant in as the Commander slowly nodded, showing what he assumed was a thoughtful acceptance to his words. He smiled as the man continued, his voice as cold as the ice that flowed, metaphorically, in the younger man's veins. Afterwards he was left staring at only his own reflection while the two men waited and gauged one another. Despite the jokes and stories, Shiv struck Naohiro as a laconic figure who valued few words well spoken rather than the latter. So he waited, steadfast under the man's hidden gaze, until Shiv finally broke the silence.

He listened intently, and nodded with familiarity as the Commander described that humbling, grounding experience from his own formative years. As Shiv finished, Naohiro slowly sat back in his chair.
"I believe I know what you mean, sir. I grew up knowing I was special, gifted, whatever. Not just because of the Clan, but, well, also because I was simply better than my peers. I thought I was ready to take on the world. And so I did, in a way." He paused, and one hand moved to grip the lower front of the grey Kirigakure flak jacket he wore. "I was in Soul Country. Lead my own unit there, even, with the Tsukino Jinchuuriki and a couple others. One of the Seven, and a kid from Iwagakure. We were... outmatched. Quickly."
He hesitated, the pulled up the front of the jacket to reveal a puckered, half-healed scar covering his stomach. A fractal patina of red webbed outwards across his entire gut, fading to white.
"Courtesy of the Ninth Raikage, Nakajima Hayate. Without some emergency support from our allies elsewhere in Soul, my team and I would be nothing more than cold mounds in some distant, nameless forest." He let the jacket fall back in to place then leaned back in towards the Commander, the same hunger from earlier returning to his eyes. "It was a learning experience. The man probably did me a favour, in the long run. One which I intend to repay one day."

He held the Commander's gaze--or what he assumed was his gaze, behind the visor--for a long moment longer before sitting back and letting calmness take him once again. It seemed they were more or less done here, and Naohiro felt satisfied that it'd gone well. It felt like the right place for him for now; recent events had opened his eyes to his own softness, and the Head Hunter Division was the perfect forge with which to temper himself into a real weapon.

"No particular concerns, sir. I look forward to working with you once all is arranged. If there are certain expectations or duties for me, please let me know." He stood and gave a stiff bow, then stepped back. He would wait for a minute longer, ensuring that the stoic Commander was truly done with him, before eventually taking his leave if no more was to be said.