Reawakening

[Flankingfox]

Present day...

Suddenly hissing sounds of tubules broke the otherwise hushed silence. This noise came from the husk in the center of the room as tubules detached outwardly. From within a seemingly deserted, darkened, and dank chamber lay the form of a man who for the moment was inanimate on a slab of concrete with a whole assortment of machinery quietly spurring away with an occasional beep. The soft glow of green emitting from the display monitor flickered on and off during each interval that a tubule burst from the patient's lifeless body. Dripping could now be heard as each detached tubule seemed to leak with an unknown fluid. Nobody was there to witness such as the process continued almost mechanically without any sort of apparent complication. One would think that a whole staff would flood the chamber in response to a successful procedure, but this wasn't exactly your typical medical facility. This instead was the heart of the infamous head hunter division deep within in an otherwise clandestine portion of the underground bunker.

A shaking arm moved upward and over to grip the slab before abruptly pulling the corpse of a man to the side. Within minutes came dry heaving followed by forced ejection of vomit. After the man fell-back into the slab of rock reeling as the body became slowly aware of its surroundings. Eyes still closed, it hurt to even think as the man attempted to register everything happening. Surely pain like this had been suffered before, but this time it wasn't alike that from his days of youth. Crippling almost all encompassing weakness seemed to flow through the veins of the once formidable weapon who now lay neutered upon this would-be operating table. Even attempting to lift his body brought Karagata, Shiv into a spasm of agony as muscles fought against the action. Defeated he allowed himself another moment to recover falling back down pitifully. Then without notice came a harsh fit of coughing brought on my this forceful awakening. Each cough seemed to tear apart his frame as he contorted erratically. It came to a point that the man shifted too close to the edge before plummeting downward to the ground. On impact the sound of soggy flesh hitting the floor all but sapped the strength of the man who was now not only at the mercy of his body but at his mental state as his head throbbed blinding him of any sort of reasoning. Searing pain seemed to run across his view as eyes snapped open to be greeted with blurry nonsensical shapes. With eyes open again Shiv allowed, more like forced, his body a moment to again attempt to gather itself into something more tangible to use.

The time that had passed wasn't comprehensible to the man, but a good portion must have passed as the pain had dulled some allowing Shiv some room to think. There he lay relatively silently remembering why he was here. It seemed just like yesterday that he was on the top of the world a weapon of prestige, power, and worth that nobody dare question. However, not even the finest weaponry was without a prisoner to time. Over the years, wear and tear slowly eroded what had been thought to be boundless strength. Reality set in all too aggressively as a sickness infested the body and turned it into a husk of its former glory. Trickling memories flooded back to Shiv, talks of war, treachery, and never ending schemes. Kirigakure no Sato was about to go to war before the sickness overwhelmed the body forcing him here in the underbelly of the village, swept aside to make way for more potent weaponry to take over. Pushing all these thoughts aside, Shiv now reflected on the woman he had loved; Masami, Naoko. Everything after that had been indifference. What he wouldn't give to return to that happy time and live out the rest of his life in bliss. A small house perhaps, they had no need for anything too luxurious, obviously close to the docks so that their children could be taught the traditional ways of the Karagata and their honest work as people of the sea. Yeah, the children would grow up with love for the ocean with wind at their backs steering the great vessels of old. With Naoko at Shiv's side, they would explore many distant lands and take in the world...

"COMMANDER, SIR, READINGS INDICATE YOU'RE AWAKE. CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THIS VERBALLY?!", came blurting out of a speaker that had been hidden in the corner of the dark room. The sound was both annoying and extremely deafening giving the state the old man was in laying there like a mongrel. There should have been only a few people that knew of his medical leave, meaning this was either of his closest comrades, but without the ability to register things properly Shiv could all but assume this to be anyone. With war having been on the table before he was forced into this coma, could it even be enemies of the state? Shiv instinctively used his jagged like teeth to bite his lip in an attempt to supplant him back into the present.

Well, that blissful dream was cut short all too quickly with the bureaucracy again already asking for compliance. Shiv wasn't ever one to willingly neglect orders though, with a rather forceful grunt, Shiv replied with blood trickling down his mouth, "Commander Karagata here... returning to duty..." Thoughts now came back to reality as Shiv now remembered his own perverse spawn, that had come out of lust not love. There wouldn't be a happy ending for Shiv, would there? The dream that had been interrupted was all but a nightmare now, proof that nothing was to come out of love for people aside from more pain and suffering. Who was he to assume that he could raise a child, especially without a woman to keep him grounded. No these were fantasies that corrupted the weapon from its purpose. Clenching his teeth, Shiv pushed with all his might upward into a sitting position. With eyes now fixated on the computer display and what it was conveying, the sickness was in remission, Shiv realized that his body wasn't done fighting and so too would he have to sharpen his mind back into unison. There were always people to butcher, fear to induce, and worlds to shatter. What was the point in given up now when there was so much left to give in service of the village.

"HJKHK GKHOLJH JLKKJ GIGIUIUY? HLHKK? HLHLKHJLK DDTYT PUIPOJJ!", blurted out of the speaker once more with questions, but Shiv had already tuned them out pushing himself to weakly shuffle out of this chamber and into the tunnels outside. Much was likely to have changed since he had been gone, surely there was also piles if not mountains of paperwork littered upon his desk. Not that the old mongrel liked doing paperwork, but what was life without work. With each step, Shiv seemed to unnaturally regain a bit of his former strength as his body acclimatized to his surroundings.

[Flankingfox]

It had already been a day now since Shiv had awoken from his induced coma. Things had definitely changed since the procedure, but business was as usual per se in regard to the 'Head Hunter Division'. In Shiv's absence the prodigy Aisu, Naohiro had picked up the slack. Along with that, there had been a great war that carved out new political powers. These things were grasped quite rapidly as Karagata, Midori enthusiastically updated the mongrel at what seemed to be an unrealistic 'words per minute' kind of brief. At least Midori hadn't changed much aside from looking a bit more stressed. That kept the old man from feeling too old, however, if Shiv wasn't an experienced veteran that verbal diarrhea would have flown right over his still reeling head as it struggled to fully acclimate to being actually awake for the first time in months. Fortunately, this old blade was keen on getting up to date, meaning that the chaotic flow of information was for the most part understood.

What was left now was to get back into the groove of things. For the majority of yesterday he had been prodded and tested beyond what somebody should willingly endure. All this completed in the cold underground facilities of the division upon icy cold steel tables that weren't much of a trade up from the concrete slab he had been resting on just a few hours before being snatched up by medial staff. With all the testing completed, Shiv was cleared to proceed to his own devices as long as he remained vigilant of his physical state. Shadowed by Midori, Shiv was slowly ushered back to his office. To his surprise he didn't find mountains of paperwork... actually the whole office looked like a crypt. Not a thing had changed since he last lay eyes upon it. Actually, even the half bottle of sake he had been ready to consume before collapsing and beginning this whole medical journey was still there patiently waiting for him as if teasing him. Shuffling toward it, Shiv stopped and looked down at the bottle. Instinctively, Shiv moved his tongue around the outline of his jagged teeth drawn to it alike that of a moth to flame. A worried look raced along Midori's face, but she knew better than to attempt to stop the mongrel from his vice, especially after the last few times.

Rather swiftly, Shiv's arm flew toward the bottle and his fingers grasped it firmly while lifting it up in the process. Near his face he glanced upon the familiar object with welcoming eyes. The other hand moved now to open the corked bottle while Midori winced in both disgust and disappointment. In that moment, the two stood frighteningly still while ideas raced dangerously around them as to what would transpire. The aroma inside the bottle flooded the room now with an enticing scent for the old mongrel. What had been a medicine to cure the blunt instrument, who had lost much over the years, was now within reach. Why hadn't they removed this item from his office if they knew the effect it had on him? Were they such sheep to his desire that they had lost care for his well-being? No... that care had all been beaten out of them through his repulsive actions and attitude. Before collapsing pathetically in a pile of his own puke, he had slowly become a monster that which was perceived disgracefully by the village as a whole but never, never spoken about out-loud as to not goad the wrath of the former champion. Aware of these things all too well, Shiv knew his actions were causing harm but selfishly partook in his own vices without much a care in the world as long as orders were being completed efficiently for the village.

"Hehehehe", coughing suddenly as he finished chuckling. The body pain had dulled slightly but with each cough he felt it flare up again marginally. This bottle was definitely not a medicine but a poison that rotted one from the inside out; something the man hadn't wanted to see till now. Willingly accepting the outcome from each sip had been the norm. This wasn't going to be the case anymore as he gently placed the bottle into the empty trashcan aside his barren desk. With that done, Midori looked now in confusion. An outcome that she had pondered over but never truly accepted as actually happening. With a timid tone she finally mumbled, "Uh, Commander?"

Interjecting before Midori came the familar icy tone, "Actually I'm feeling quite parched, would you fetch me an ice cold tea, please..."

"Uh, yeah, uhm, not a problem. It'll take me a moment though. Would you, uh, like me to take out the trash too while I'm at it?", stuttered Midori now as she moved a few steps closer to the man.

Shiv turned his attention to his subordinate now, she had always been there for him, fawning over something otherwise unattainable. Perhaps, not the strongest weapon in the village but a tool that was always useful, this shouldn't be overlooked for people like that are hard to come by. Having been blinded by his own desecration he hadn't ever truly thanked those around him for their continued support. From the words that came from her mouth, Shiv knew she was undoubtedly attempting to remove the object of fixation. That wouldn't be a problem anymore.

"Oh, yes. That would be wonderful of you", answered Shiv in what seemed like a warmer tone than before. Midori moved now walking around the man and picking up the bag before putting her hand out waiting for something. Shiv's eyes flashed to his other hand still clutching the cork firmly in a death grip. Would seem old habits die hard as a part of him truly wanted to guzzle down that bottle. Moving to look the woman in the eyes, she seemed terrified behind the cold exterior she was putting up. Even in this decrepit state, Shiv was capable of slaughtering almost anything that annoyed him. Perceiving this bravery of sorts eased the man to follow her suggestion as he dropped the cork into her hand before she swiftly moved passed him toward the door.

"I'll be back with your iced tea in a jiffy!", chirped the woman as she was about to exit the room.

"Midori...", emphasized Shiv as he turned to look at the woman again. Hesitantly Midori replied, "Ah, yes, Commander?"

"I never got to thank you...", Shiv almost whispered, but before he could continue Midori quickly tittered, "Baka! You thanking me?! For what? Doing my job. You know I'm paid to look after you yanno! It's not like I do this out of the kindness of my heart or anything. So you leave that thankfulness to yourself and get better, we have a ton of work to do..."

"Sure, makes sense, but in any-case, thanks for doing your job. I appreciate the work you do, heh, quickly now I was being serious, I am quite parched and there isn't anything here to drink...", stubbornly croaked Shiv as he started coughing again.

"On the double, you baka! I'll be right back. Don't die while I'm off again you old lug...", prattled Midori who fought back tearing up, especially seeing her idol in such a vulnerable state. Not wanting her superior to see her own weakness, she made sure to slink off immediately after responding. Shiv was now left alone with the silence. Moving toward his chair, he sat down and flipped through his drawers to find the hidden compartment. With a press of a button flipped upon the panel revealing a smaller more concealable bottle of sake. Once more, the old mongrel contemplated the obvious route before suddenly throwing it upward and shattering it with an impact of fuuton from his left hand followed by a stream of fire from his right. There we go, no more temptation in this bloody room he called an office. Huh, Shiv was wrong on initial inspection... there were a few new things in the office. In the drawer was an updated bingo book with current threats as well as files with current assignments being undertaking in the field. His guess was that somebody knew he would want to be updated and left these here right beside his supposed 'hidden' compartment. A smile flashed along his face as he opened the files and started refreshing his knowledge of the happenings presently.