[Graded]The Forgotten Taste of Freedom

[Checkmate]

The inside of a chakra-draining solitary cell was not what Ayuma would have ever thought to call home, but it was starting to become so. He'd lost track of how many meals had been delivered; how many times the guard changed; how many hours he'd slept, or how long it had been since he'd seen sunlight. For a long time he had kept track - counted, made notes. But as time ticked by, reconnaissance lost its importance. He wasn't fighting anymore, wasn't running anymore. In many ways one could say he'd lost all freedom. But from another vantage point he had finally been liberated. His life had not been freedom for some time. Always on the run. Always looking over his shoulder. Always fighting to stay alive, but never knowing why.

In the years since he'd fled the village, everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. Friends betrayed him or drifted away. Goals became arbitrary, whether met or unmet. Combat had ceased to be exciting or rewarding. In many ways, Ayuma's life had shifted from survival, to a game, to meaningless. Even when he thought he finally found love, he was left wanting when she was taken from him. But who was he to think he could ever be with her? Who was he to think their love was real? She was a captive and he was the captor. Her entire existence had been for the purpose of survival and return to her village. She had succeeded, and left him just as broken and empty as before.

Sometimes Ayuma wondered if he'd imagined it all. His memory would play tricks on him, one day telling him he had a son, the next that he had never been with a woman. All the battles, all the wars... Every event in his life had lead him to who he was today, but none of them meant enough to stand out as meaningful. His life didn't matter.

There was plenty of cause for Ayuma to despise his existence. But for some odd reason, prison was the best thing that had happened to him. Separation from all he had known gave him time to simply release all the arbitrary importance he had placed on the various facets of life. Power, status, pride - all pointless. Never enough. But rather than a step into depression and insanity, this revelation became freeing. He didn't have to prove anything. He didn't have to impress anyone. He had forced the child within himself to sit in the corner for ten years so he could mature fast enough to make it in the wild, but in the year he had been in prison, he had finally been able to accept himself for who he was. And his identity was not found in his title or even his past. His identity was who he chose to be. Maybe he had a purpose, but until he found it, he had finally found a way to smile, to laugh. In the midst of captivity he had finally found his freedom.

Footsteps in the hall woke the young man from his musings. He was always in a state of partial sleep, unless disturbed by something interesting like food or in this case, odd footsteps. All the guards sounded the same. There were only ten or so that patrolled throughout the week, and very quickly their rounds became a steady rhythm of white noise. But these footsteps were new, and they were coming closer.

One was a guard, for sure. But his partner was not with him. Instead, he was accompanied by a woman - her footwear gave her away almost as fast as her perfume. But the third party walked with strength and confidence. His stride said he owned the place. Interesting.

Ayuma was tired. He had figured out a while back that his cell drained chakra from him on a constant basis, and there seemed to be no way to avoid it. It was almost ironic. He had been healed from a sickness that prevented him from regenerating chakra only to donate all the natural chakra he produced to the village. But even so, he was the only prisoner this far down the hall, and the trio was headed straight for his cell. The jingle of the guard's keys were not so much of a welcome sound, though. He had not received a visit since his return to the village. Who could it be?

He peered through the small window in the door as the group was moving into sight, and yawned. Plenty of wisecracks came to mind, but Ayuma held his tongue for now. The seasoned criminal was still somewhere in there, advising him not to make enemies when he could just as easily make friends.

"Good morning! You two look pretty important, is it my birthday?" It wasn't the worst thing he could say, but after a year of talking to himself, he would need a bit of practice.

[Nafan~]

The guard closed the door behind the three of the entering persons, locking it securely with a grating twist of the rusted key. The loud screech of metal on metal followed by the deep boom of the large lock moving into place gave a sense of finality to the situation. Regardless of Ayuma's witty, somewhat light hearted greeting, all three entrants wore stern faces. The centre figure was Ote, Syaoran, acting Raikage for the village. His canine ears lay back against his head and his unnatural coloured eyes gazed at Ayuma in evaluation. His short stature didn't diminish from the authority his figure projected, mostly because of the cloak he wore in the design of the raikage's robes. He twisted the corner of his mouth as if he was uncertain of what he was looking at.

To his right stood the bustiest woman to ever walk the halls of the prison. In tight fitting, scandalous clothing stood Oichi, the most well known shinobi in the village. For obvious reasons. Her full, luscious lips curved upward as she looked down at Ayuma from her towering height, "Well, at least he still has some life in him." she quipped in her hypnotising voice.

"That's true." Syaoran replied conservatively, still warily appraising Ayuma. He looked terribly unconvinced about the whole reason they were here.

That was when the guard took off his hood and revealed the long black hair underneath. "He'll be useful. There's a reason why we couldn't catch him for so long, Syaoran." Came the deep and always condescending tones of Banri, co-ordinator of Kumogakure's black operations. "He might not look like much now, but he's had a year in this place and it doesn't really do anything for your appearance. Give him a few days outside and the gauntness will disappear and he'll be back to his usual strength. Setting him free could end the war."

"But in whose favour? He did spend a long time on the outside, Banri." the woman rebutted, "Not that I'm particularly against setting him free, but I think we need to figure out whether he'd actually be willing to help us first." she finished, before flicking her ruby hair dismissively at the older man. "So, little boy. How much do you know about what's going on out there? About the war? I can't imagine you've heard much when you're this far deep into the mountain." She enquired, an energetic spark in her eyes.

[Checkmate]

The advocate, the critic, and the critic. Three people that Ayuma only now recognized to be some of the most powerful people in the entire nation. He should have felt honor. Instead he felt a little embarrassed. Shoot, that was a horrible first impression. He thought, biting his lip and fidgeting ever so slightly, suddenly nervous. He straightened a little, still looking through the small barred window at the trio. His voice changed, now sounding a little more formal and professional. "I am so sorry, I didn't realize who you were. I feel terrible. Please accept my apologies and forgive any offense." He almost stuttered. It was odd that he was nervous being around important people in an authentic social setting. Well, as social as solitary could be.

Ayuma had trained a lot of things over the years. He was better than most in hand to hand and deadly in the arts of the ninja. He could infiltrate, spy, sabotage... But he had neglected social development. Technically he never even went to middle school. He had lived his whole life one skirmish to another, his only exposure to social skills being from Yaksha... like, the actual guy, not the character...

To put it bluntly, he was awkward, especially when he was nervous. Which he was now. Oddly if he was to face all three in combat his nerves wouldn't be this bad. "Oh... I uh, I don't really know anything about what's going on, I haven't been paying attention." He paused. "Well actually I kind of have been, but I'm sure I'm mostly out of the loop. I just know that someone important killed someone else important and some other people want to kill all the other important people so they themselves can be important. Does that about sum it up?" He asked, his eyes struggling to maintain eye contact while he spoke. It was so tempting to look at more than just the woman's eyes, but knowing his luck he would get a little too excited and then they would open the cell door to find a tent pitched in the front yard.

That, and all three of them probably specialized in knowing if someone was looking at her boobs. Like, professionally. Ayuma wondered if they took bets beforehand on how long anyone would last before their first peek. Well now, Ayuma was determined to win that bet. He wouldn't look. At all. He could do this. It was the first woman he'd seen in a year but he could over co-aww, he looked. And looked again. Dang, how do they even fi- OK, BACK TO EYE CONTACT." It was of course, too late. Maybe he could make the excuse that he was checking for any threats like hidden weapons or fun stashed somewhere between her- and he was looking again.

Snapping his eyes back away from the woman and in the end simply resorting to closing his eyes. "Right! I'm sorry, what were you saying?" He made all the facial expressions as normal, but with eyes shut. "I um, yes. Something about ending the war, right? That sound awesome, when do we start?"

[Nafan~]

Oichi stepped slowly, deliberately forward toward Ayuma. Her black heels clicked loudly on the hard stone floor with each step, the way she moved her body so perfectly constructed to cause enticement and allure. Her hips moved ever so slightly too far to be natural for each step, just enough for that tantalising movement of her assets. "Don't get too hasty." She teased as she approached, before stopping her stalk toward Ayuma, standing far too close for social convention. She leant over then, and brought her mouth right up to his ear. Her silken hair brushed him as she leaned past, and her lips were like the softest rose petals as they brushed his ear with her speech "Do you want a reward?" she breathed, her voice edgeless and fluid, the sound seemingly everywhere in Ayuma's ear at once.

She was teasing him, and the two men knew it. Banri smirked as he looked on at the voluptuous woman's chest pressing up against Ayuma's. He knew the game the other Banin was playing, he had seen it many times before. It was very rare that it failed. With a body, face and voice like hers there were very few that enjoyed the company of women that could resist her. It had taken him some time before he could ignore her charms. He knew that she was trying to capture Ayuma's attention, and hopefully even his devotion. She would promise him something he wanted, which was usually her, but only after he gave her something she wanted.

Syaoran on the other hand grimaced. He didn't like the fact that Oichi used the methods she did, and liked it even less that she was going to use them right here and right now. Syaoran had always been one for the moral high ground, and loved to take it almost all the time. This was one of those times. He looked on with barely hidden disapproval, but did nothing to stop it because he knew it was necessary. The three of them had to know not only what he knew so far about the war, but everything about his life outside the village's walls. They had to know the full story, and they had to know it for true. Which is why Oichi had to employ this method. Few could lie to her like this, and even fewer if she cast her genjutsu upon him.

Which was exactly what she had been doing. Her temptress act had been entirely to grasp his attention while she performed hand seals behind her back while she leant over him. "I think we could really... help each other out." she suggested to buy some more time for her to finish her technique. Then, once she finished her hand seals, she reached around and embraced him lightly. This touch was the trigger to the genjutsu that would help him remember his time in the wild all the more clearly. "Why don't you tell me what you did while you were out in the world, being a bad boy?"

usedShow

*[Genjutsu • Reverse Hypnosis]
C-Ranked Status Genjutsu
This is a three post genjutsu. To start the genjutsu, the ninja does the hand seals that are needed and then places a hand on the target. Until the genjutsu ends the target is able to remember a lot more about their past and has a lighter barrier over their consciousness making it easier for them to spill information. This doesn’t weaken their will, however, meaning if they are aware it’s a genjutsu, they are more than capable of using Kai.

[Checkmate]

Ayuma began to sense the scent of iron mixing subtly with the smell of the woman's perfume - not in the air around him, but within his own nostrils. It was small, almost insignificant. But it served as a warning to the young man of what was going on within his body and how he was inching closer and closer to losing control. "Come on man, keep it together! You know what she's doing!" He scolded himself, trying as in the past to remind himself of all the reasons he kept fighting and all the reasons why this advance wasn't real and wasn't worth the price tag. But unlike the past, he couldn't think of reasons to hold back. Maybe there weren't any reasons, or maybe it was his other half - specifically the bottom half - telling him "Nah, let's have fun! She said something about... a reward?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. A reward would be uh... cool...?" It was almost a question posed from the median of two conflicting entities within his mind and spirit. Ayuma had not recently been seduced. It had happened one time in the past, but he had plenty more reason to keep his secrets then. The woman who tried didn't make it to her next appointment. But this was different. He had no reason to hold anything back, right? No reason to keep things from this woman and her comrades.

"H-help? How do you think you can - *gulp* - help me?" He said, no longer even trying to keep his eyes from the tools of the woman's trade. After all, this was an interrogation and it was wise to learn all there is to know and to make observations about the... methods being used against you. And at the same time he was making no excuse for the fact that he hadn't seen anything this good in a long time. Why couldn't he enjoy it for a little while? After all, by the sound of things he was about to be conscripted to fight for them and technically that meant he might be putting his life on the line. That deserved something, right?

Sure. We'll go with that.

"So uh, what do I have to do to earn your... help?" He asked, his voice shaking with his body in nervousness. Something in him knew he was doing something wrong, even knew that it was unlikely that she would actually fulfill any of his expectations, but so much of him wanted it so bad that he was willing to take that chance. "Ask away. I'm an open book. Or should I call myself a man defined by danger and shrouded mystery? Or maybe it's both, I don't know. Does that make me a psychopath?" He began to wander from the question as his attention was fixed elsewhere, and his mouth began to flow without much thought given to the words or even the content.

"You just want to know about what happened? Yeah, I guess so, what do you want to know?" And in that moment, his life was displayed before his eyes, and clarity spoke violently through his mind. Each memory and moment was organized and displayed. It felt like walking through a science fair or display - no, more like a live interpretation of his memories that he could step into at any moment. One moment he was nine years old and sick in a hospital bed. The next he was years older talking to Yaksha, and the next he was with Akkei. His whole life was available to relive and recount. "You probably know most of what went on, I know you kept tabs on me. I appreciate that you never sent anyone to really interrupt my life, though. That's what I like about you guys, always looking out for me but letting me do my thing."

"You guys-and gals... are pretty cool. Except for Mikato-sensei, the leader of my genin unit. He was a dick. Whatever happened to him? He's the reason I left, he made me feel like a criminal and a monster just for trying to stay alive." When the villain of Ayuma's childhood came to mind, he suddenly stepped away from the woman, separating from her touch. His body longed to be back with her and the blood, hanging just at the edge of his nose, begged to gush freely. But he turned, wiping the blood on his jumpsuit and sitting down on the bed. "You don't have to do that to get answers, I'll tell you what you want to hear. It's a story best told without distraction."

"See, and I'm sure you all know this or have it in your file, but I was born with a defect. I couldn't replenish the chakra I used up. My body would recover, but my energy was horrible. We found out it was because my body didn't replenish it on its own. We tried everything to help or fix it, but nothing worked. I wasn't even going to graduate from the academy because they didn't think I'd live unless I stayed in a hospital bed and never did anything active."

"Thankfully, and almost by accident, I figured out a way to absorb energy from around me using the secrets of my clan. That way I could fill up my chakra. That's how I passed the genin exam and became a ninja. But then there was an accident. I hurt someone pretty bad - a newborn child whose chakra network hadn't fully completed forming. No one knew it was me, but I felt really bad. I told my leader confidentially, pleading for guidance and help. He just made me feel like dirt. Called me a murderer, said it was my fault. Because I couldn't accept 'my fate' someone else had died."

Ten years was a long time to be on the run. So many stories, so many people. So many lives saved and lost. And nothing he could do could get them back. There was more to tell than could be shared in a few short moments, but Ayuma wasn't going anywhere. "Are you sure you want the whole story?"

[Nafan~]

Oichi smiled as Ayuma distanced himself from her. Not a mischievous, playful smile like before, but a genuine smile of compassion. The soft tone shift showed on her angelic face as she replied "I know, Ayuma." was all she said while she affixed upon him a totally forgiving and understanding gaze. She had already achieved her goal, setting the Genjutsu upon him. That had been all she really needed. Anything else was a bonus, in more ways than one. She moved toward him again and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "That must have been hard. I'm sorry." She replied softly, tears touching her eyes.

That was when Banri stepped forward, getting a little bit impatient. "There are certain things that reports don't communicate well. These are the kinds of things we would like to know about. First, and perhaps most pressingly, were you at any time in contact with Nakajima, Hayate, the Lord Murakami or the Lord Fujiwara during your travels?" Banri inquired as Oichi stepped back and to the side in order to allow the tall man to look at Ayuma. "Also, on a slightly less important note, we'd like to know if you know anything about the organization Henkou."

[Checkmate]

"Sorry, I guess I misunderstood the question..." Ayuma said, his humor still fully eclipsed by the melancholic memories. His eyes were glazed, no longer perceiving anything in the natural around him. He was fully entrenched in his experiences, mainly only hearing the voices of the bannin before him. "I've never met Hayate and the others, though I've briefly heard the names. Are they your aggressors? Must be since you're concerned about my involvement with them and don't have the access to ask them yourselves. I haven't been in contact with them, no. Not to my knowledge at least." He said, leaving open the possibility of some trickery on their part. "If I was unintentionally, I never shared village secrets or discussed anything that I can think of that might be of help to them."

"Henkou, though? Let me think..." He reclined against the uncomfortable wall, neglecting the more powerful drain of chakra buzzing against his skin. If he had wanted to break out of here he was sure he could have with how much time he'd had to plan. But in the end he was content to know how the whole thing worked and let it all happen. He had long resigned himself to the prospect that his usefulness in life had ended when he walked through the gates of the village.

But maybe he was wrong. His thoughts turned to the group who had at one point been known as the greatest alliance of rogue shinobi. That time had long passed, though, unless they had gone underground. "Like I said I knew Yaksha for a while when I was younger, and before I knew who he was. But I'm pretty sure he was involved with them. Laxus, too. I might have in passing run into a few other minor members, but no one of note, not that I can think of. So many lives. So many dead..." He said, almost giving into sentiment again.

"So are you satisfied? Don't tell me you waited a year just to get intel from me, and I heard what you said. You need help- help you know I can offer. The quicker you get me out of this cell the quicker I can get my chakra to recover, and the quicker I can get out there and help you. I know you've got a book full of fuuinjutsu to help keep me in line and you would have killed me already if you wanted to, so let's skip the small talk, all right? I need to be briefed on the situation and what you're doing to maintain control. Anyone want to share?" Things were getting serious in Ayuma's mind. If they wanted to interrogate him more he would be happy to submit, but if they were just going to dick around there was work to be done.

"I appreciate the second chance. I won't let you down. Read my mind, tat me up with fuuin, whatever you have to do. I'll let it all happen, I've got nothing to hide. I'm convinced I'm of more use to you being more than a little battery for your village, and it sounds like you don't have much to lose."

[Nafan~]

Banri chuckled as Ayuma finished his little speech. With a cheeky glance at Syaoran he simply said, "He's not wrong." Banri walked over beside the interim raikage then, and whispered in his ear, "he may have been known as a dangerous criminal once, but we gain much more from his help than we lose from his escape if he betrays us." As he finished whispering he pulled away and looked the younger man in the eye. "Think about it." Was all he said before moving past him and walking off into the prison.

Syaoran glanced over at Oichi, "What's your assessment?" He asked tersely. He already knew the gist of what she'd say, but it still stuck in his throat to release a man that had betrayed his village once. He couldn't be certain he was making the right choice.

"I don't think he's a danger Syaoran. Release him and lets end this war so that we can move on." She stated. "Of course that's only my opinion. It's up to you really." She amended with a flick of her crimson hair.

Syaoran stood for a long time, simply staring at Ayuma. It was a while before he sighed in exasperation. The Ote clapped the gate lightly before calling out "Release this man. He has done his time and will once again be of use to the village." Then he stepped closer to Ayuma, and held out his hand for the boy to take. "You will go to the front lines and suppress this threat to our safety. Depending on what happens, I wont put you back in here. Please don't make me regret trusting you, Ayuma. Enough of our people will die in this war, I don't plan to allow anyone to stain the land with our blood more than necessary." He said in finality. Should Ayuma take his hand he would guide Ayuma Jinrai from the prison, and out into the village once more.

[Checkmate]

Ayuma did in fact take the man's hand after but a moment's pause. He had already thought through the entire scenario from the moment he learned their identities. And just as he had learned theirs, now he had his own given to him. For the sake of his future and atonement for his crimes, he would become a tool for the betterment and preservation of the village. It would take time to regain trust, if such a thing could ever again be granted him, but he had been searching for a home and a cause his entire life, and now maybe, just maybe, he'd found both.

The group walked through the prison slowly, Ayuma's eyes taking everything in rather hungrily. He had been unconscious when taken into custody and had known nothing but that cell the whole time. It was good to be reminded that there was more to the world than a cell, even if he was only privy to a slightly larger prison at present.

"So I'm assuming I'll be briefed at least in part about all this. I might know some, but not enough to strike swiftly and concisely. Which I gather is what you need me to do." He said, making some assumptions based on what little he knew. He had no intention of turning his back on the village again. The first time had been out of survival, but this time around his survival was not his concern. He wanted to live - something entirely separate from survival.

OOC: Lame post but done is better than perfect.