[Graded][Promotion] Two Birds One Stone

[Niro]

The last few days had been...interesting. Mitsuo had come to him, after hours, in his office and asked to talk. The subject matter was something he had been anticipating for a while now. Ever since his niece was born, actually. It wasn't hard to see the toll the war and being a senior shinobi had on Mitsuo's ability to see his family. Something less dangerous or Mitsuo may have to retire. Tatsuo had understood from the moment the Enkouten had entered his office. Luckily for them both, Tatsuo was stressing over something which could be solved by Mitsuo...moving.

The Daimyo had assigned him several of the newer villages in the country to find Governors for. It was a no brainer for the young Tsuchikage; Shirosato would be the perfect place for Mitsuo. He could settle in nicely and truly establish his family. It was meant he had someone he trusted over the newly developing railroads being developed throughout the country. Tatsuo had posited the idea to Mitsuo and after some thinking it over, the Bannin had agreed. It didn't take long for them to organize their move from Iwa to Shirosato, leaving their old home empty and Tatsuo, too.

His best friend was...well, he wasn't gone. Just, away.

Mitsuo leaving opened some holes, however, elsewhere. For one, the position of Honmaru Division Leader; the division tasked with maintaining the defenses and general peace of the village. It was easy, actually, to pick Mitsuo's successor. He had had a hand in developing the boy, now a young man, himself. Tatsuo had summoned one Tate, Iwamaru to his office at the Jousai Headquarters, rather than the Kage administration building, to discuss quite a few important things. Now, he just had to wait.

Turning to look out the window, Tatsuo leaned back in his chair as he waited.

[ShinobiTruth]

A summons. And from no one other than Tatsuo himself. He had no clue what it was for, but given the decorum and procedure that came with these summons, Maru knew it wasn’t trivial.

Given his psychological fragility following the events of these last five years, Maru’s work had been primarily focused homeward, working on maintaining the village’s ramparts and defenses or cleaning and patrolling the inlet roads that merchants and traders used. He couldn’t remember when he was last deployed out for a mission. Frankly, he’d figured the top brass had given up on him: a lost cause, his spirit addled and body masticated by the great beast of war. He held the tiny scroll in his palm, looking down at it occasionally, the slight twist of confusion just barely visible on his face.

Maru’s resilience and physical might had earned him several nicknames over the course of the war, though they were only ever known to Iwagakure’s shinobi. Frostblood. The Golem. The Stone Titan. Maru hadn’t ever ascribed to any of them. He didn’t like how impersonal they made him feel… or perhaps he didn’t like exactly how accurate they were to his personality at the time. They certainly were less true now; his time with Sayuri had healed his wounded heart considerably. There were still scars, and he found himself increasingly vexed by the story of his parents meeting, but for the first time in a while, he had some level of hope for the future. Here was to hoping that Tatsuo wasn’t about to throw a wrench in those plans.

Maru approached the gates and gave a nod to the guards. To his surprise, they stood at attention and saluted, absolutely out of character considering their usual greeting. ’Something’s going on here…’ he thought, his eyes now more keenly observing his surroundings. Every hall he walked down, people who would have otherwise ignored him now made it a point to stop and acknowledge his presence. Higher ranked officers would offer a nod while lower-ranked patrolmen would salute. Whatever this was about, word has somehow gotten to everyone but him.

The whole affair had some enough to build up a strong sense of trepidation in Maru by the time he arrived at Tatsuo’s old office. He remembered this door quite well. This was where he’d received his flack jacket for his promotion from the very same person. Back then, he’d been starry-eyed, aspirations for the future nearly boundless. It would have been funny to see the transformation from them to now he had undergone if it hadn’t all be so soul-crushingly miserable to experience.

Maru raised his hand and knocked on the door three times. Well, whatever this was, it was time to get it over with.

[Niro]

Tatsuo's chair swiveled around as the knocks came. Finally. The chair creaked in displeasure as he leaned forward, the leather crinkling underneath him. Tatsuo a breath, he answered. "Come in." The Tsuchikage would wait until Iwamaru would enter and then raise a hand in motion for him to sit at one of the two chairs across from his desk. Tatsuo leaned across the piece of furniture, his elbows rested atop his and his hands brought together, his fingers entwined.

"Do you have any idea why you've been here today, Maru?" Tatsuo asked, his violet eyes searching the man's emerald green orbs for any hint of why he'd be brought here today. Waiting for the young man's answer, Tatsuo would once more lean back in the chair and drop his hands into his lap.

"Remember our first venture into the Catacombs?" The Akari asked, a sad smile coming over his face at the memory. They had been unable to save the genin who had been reported missing but were able to at the very least bring something back for a funeral service. It was one of many times he had been tasked with searching the depths in retrieval of another. Those dark, deep pits were home to many bodies of dead Iwagakure shinobi. "Mitsuo's made decent head way in the last few years in pushing back the hostiles along the first few levels of the Catacombs. The Honmaru division has been able to set up and secure an actual headquarters now with smaller outposts dotted here and there in key locations. Hiken has indicated the majority of the more rowdy spirits have also withdrawn to the deeper levels, keen to not be turned into a weapon or bound. Keep in the mind, the mutated creatures do still exist. They've been pushed back, not eradicated.

However, they've run into a snag. Mitsuo's unable to resume command of the Honmaru due to the wound he suffered due to the war and has already been relocated to Shirosato to govern there. This means there's a division commander opening and you're the man who's drawn the lucky straw.

[ShinobiTruth]

Maru exhaled deeply before he entered, unsure how he would feel upon seeing the man. Deep respect clashed with the knowledge of what he participated in, what he condoned, and Maru hadn't expected that he would be brought face to face with that dichotomy. Upon seeing those trademark violet eyes, he was thankful that his reaction didn't reach his face. It seemed that Tatsuo either didn't notice the differences in Maru's countenance or simply didn't care. He was not the curious, starry-eyed boy he had been when they first met. Five years of war had hardened him. It had hardened everyone, but there was a glint to his eyes that some would find chilling. Had Tatsuo taken the time to inquire about Maru before establishing this meeting, many of the members of Jousai would have the same reports: he was efficient at his work, he followed his orders without question... but he was detached. He rarely, if ever, talked. The frigid air around him caused newer recruits to freeze, and it caused the older ones to glance uneasily in his presence. Some who had become amputees had a warmer nature than what Maru reportedly had.

This person before him was certainly more muted than the optimistic young man that had become his protegé, but neither did they exactly match the nickname "Frostblood" that he had earned in his time here since the end of the war. With a quick salute, Maru would take a seat across from Tatsuo, shaking his head at the first question and nodding at the second. "No, sir, I don't... And yes, I remember. Keenly," he replied emphatically, the intensity of his voice compensating for his otherwise soft, subdued tone. The loss of a child is the worst pain a parent can suffer. To inform a parent of that loss was the duty Tatsuo had given Maru. He heard that father's heart shatter. He would never forget the sound of such despair hitting his ears ever again, not for as long as he would live.

It seemed that the purpose for Tatsuo mentioning that mission was more than a mere reminder of bygone days. The name of Mitsuo hit Maru's ears and recognition crossed his features. Mitsuo was just as much of a legend as Tatsuo was. He had been a member of Jousai's leadership for as long as Maru could remember, and while his movements into reclaiming the Catacombs hadn't been as aggressive as Maru would have preferred, his accomplishments were certainly impressive. "Indeed. One step closer to stemming the flow of the corruption," he observed.

It was at that point that Tatsuo finally circled around to the true purpose of the meeting. Maru's eyes widened in shock. It was a great honor. He would be responsible for the defense of the village at large, and it would give him the leverage necessary to move to reclaim the Catacombs level by level. He saw all of the possibilities that this would grant him... and in spite of all of that, after a significant silence, he could only think of one question. "With the deepest respect and gratitude, sir... why me?" he asked, unable to hide the uncertainty in his eyes. "I can't imagine that I'm the only one who was nominated for this station. While I am perhaps more capable than most jounin, I'm still a ways away from the level of power that you and others like Kotaru possess. This position isn't just dealing with the Catacombs. This is the responsibility of maintaining the defenses of the entire village... and the person who stands in that office should be one who commands obedience and respect from those who serve under him."

His mind was racing as he exhaled. The lessons the war had taught him were now shining through. Caution. Foresight. Modesty. These and more had helped him survive that hell, and they would find continued use here. "I... I'm nobody. The people of the village don't know me. The members of Jousai are wary of me. And I am the one you want to entrust with this most sacred duty. From where I stand, there are others more qualified than me for this office... And to be clear, this isn't me saying no, far from it... I just need to know why you think I'm the best person for this position."

[Niro]

"Number one, all of the others who could step into this role strength-wise are already pre-occupied. Ishidai is retired, he wants no part of the shinobi lifestyle unless it's sitting in on some paperwork every so often for me. Hibiki is too busy in his role as Jounin Commander of the entire shinobi forces to take on the additional responsibilities of the Division Commander. Tadashi is preoccupied with spirit activity in the entirety of Earth Country to solely focus on the Catacombs. Ken, no matter his accomplishments in the war, is still seen as a disgrace by a large portion of the village. Kotaru has his own duties as the village's main spy master and information broker and Mitsuo is now the governor of Shirosato." Tatsuo explained with a sad sigh. As much as he'd like there to be more bannin in the village, there weren't. The war had robbed them of some of their very best jounin on the cusp of promotions and the generation coming up had very few if any prodigies among them who could contend for the position. There were a few bright spots here and there but nothing he was willing to gamble on just yet.

"Two, you'd be surprised. You were the unanimous nomination from the men and women of the Honmaru. No matter how cold you've been the last few years, they respect strength and results over anything else. Your contributions over the last few years has earned you both their respect and the attention of the village higher ups in general. You're not 'nobody' anymore, as much as you think otherwise. In fact, your contributions over the last few years are plenty enough to clear the final hurdle of becoming a Division Commander. You see, the role of a Commander requires the rank of Bannin.

In short, congratulations on your promotion to bannin as well." Tatsuo pulled open a drawer on his side of the desk and removed Iwamaru's file. He leaned forward and opened it before dropping it open on the table top. In large black ink stamped across the most recent paper, 'Promotion Approved' was easy to see.

[ShinobiTruth]

The initial part of Tatsuo's explanation was about what Maru had expected. The war had been tougher on Earth Country than it had been for most others. Their losses had been substantial, and Iwagakure had been no exception. The part about Ken seemed silly in Maru's mind. You would think that laying your life on the line in a war for your village and country might make some work towards absolving someone of their past failings. He wouldn't speak it, but the fickle pride that people had meant less than the jounin had originally thought. Pride had likely motivated a number of actions on the part of the Daimyo and his strategists during the war, and countless lives had been lost. Pride was something to be held in spite of one's failings, not in ignorance of them.

Unlike the first portion, the latter half of Tatsuo's explanation frankly came as a shock to him. Maru had largely kept a low profile. He'd been passed over time and again for officer-level positions, his temperament a primary factor in those decisions. That had suited him just fine, given the circumstances. It meant fewer questions, fewer prying eyes. It meant a lack of complications which Maru desperately needed in his stupor. And it was hardly like Maru had fully recovered from the mental scars of the war. He still wasn't anywhere close to the person he used to be. The village hadn't even had any hand in the recovery he had made, frankly. That had been Sayuri's doing, and he still had room to grow. All in all, he'd no reason to believe that anyone was watching. He'd no reason to think that anyone cared what he did, so long as he didn't bring the whole village collapsing in on itself. To find this wasn't the case... Maru honestly had a hard time believing it. It conflicted so blatantly with what he perceived around him that it simply boggled his mind.

If he had been staring hard before, he would stare even harder at the familiar folder that Tatsuo pulled from the desk and set before him. Even though his expressions were much more muted than they were in the past, it wasn't difficult to find the disbelief crossing his face. After a long silence, he couldn't think of anything other to say than the obvious: "...I don't know what to say..."

[Niro]

"Well, you're okay to say nothing if you'd prefer. Mitsuo's office has been cleaned of his personal effects and it's yours now. Feel free to decorate it as you please and get up to task with whatever files and orders he may have left behind. You'll find the office comes attached with a private bed and bathroom as well instead of being stuck in the barracks with the other members. If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask but other than that, you're free to go." Tatsuo admitted to the newly anointed bannin, once more leaning back in his chair and observing the man before him. The hard stare and disbelief were expected but he hadn't expected near total silence.

[ShinobiTruth]

Maru wasn’t normally one for decorum, but he was being appointed to a position of great authority. This was no small matter. Maru wasn’t impressed or appalled by how nonchalantly this entire process has been. Perhaps all of that procedure had been reserved for the selection process? ”What of the people working directly under me? Are they expecting a statement of me or anything? I can’t imagine they’d be content with simply working under someone they haven’t even met, not with the authority this position grants,” he questioned, still wholly unfamiliar with the nature of administrative duties.

This could also complicate his search into his father’s journal. Maru had seen what appeared to be maps in the box of his personal effects that had been left to him. How far would the travels be if he needed to leave the village? Who would need to be notified? Would it even be allowed? He was being thrust into a global limelight, and he still wasn’t certain if he was ready in spite of the mystery of his past.

[Niro]

"They're busy with the tasks they've been working on for the last few months; terraforming the land around the lakes down below into arable land for crops, clearing out nests of mutated creatures or spirits, expanding the maps, et cetera. They were briefed before he had left about the incoming change in commander. Feel free to introduce yourself to them and make nice, you'll need their support to get anything done. You may not have met them but they know all about you. Like I mentioned, Mitsuo debriefed them on the situation and the new commander before he had left which included having them make themselves familiar with your career accomplishments and accolades. The majority of your paperwork will fortunately be handled by the lovely ladies who act as the two secretaries of the Honmaru division, you'll just need to review and sign off on matters. You'll find being the division commander has more paperwork than being a bannin.

As a bannin, your travel restrictions are dropped and you're allowed to come and go from the villlage and country freely with minor requirements such as a travel plan and requirement to return when needed. Of course, the general mission difficulty will increase as well. S-rank threats and the like will become the norm so if you don't feel up to snuff to fight some of the monsters in the Bingo Book...better get to training, Maru." Tatsuo explained to the younger shinobi in front of him. He, too, at first had been overwhelmed by the notion of paperwork and other administrative duties. The more he did them however, the more he fell into a rhythm and devised ways to get through it quicker. Shadow clones were an essential tool in his paperwork slaying kit but he'd keep that to himself for now. Maru had to suffer through some of it, at least.

[ShinobiTruth]

Maru supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised by the cold efficiency of the transition. If he’d learned one thing through his years with Jousai, it was their penchant for streamlined procedures, a necessity to insulate the chain of command from disruptions. Despite that, he wasn’t particular about the notion that he would be some name merely whispered by the lips of his colleagues. He was already concocting some ideas for how to familiarize himself with the rest of the division. He’d start with a work assignment with the lower ranked members first after finishing his initial paperwork. He wanted even the least of the soldiers there to know that he had their back, that he cared about them and what they dealt with. He couldn’t say he would relish the social awkwardness of it all, but he was hopeful that his staff could help him smooth over any misunderstandings.

Whatever questions he had at this point would hardly be worth posing to Tatsuo at this point. The man was busy, and Maru himself was about to be as well. Nodding his head, he gave a single salute. ”Sir,” he confirmed before turning to leave. Assuming Tatsuo had nothing more to say, he would depart to tend to the mountain of documents that would surely be awaiting him.