[Open] Bed Side Woes, The Art of Being Blind

[Director]

Fanho laid in the hospital in complete darkness. Luckily as a shinobi his other senses were tuned fairly high, so he wasn't entirely 'disabled'. However he had relied on his vision for so long he practically felt useless. Lucky for him he had a set of eyes set aside, however they were nothing like his doujutsu he had lost. They were normal eyes, but according to the doctors they'd adapt to his old eye color. The new eyes were bright icy blue, but due to the effects of his Kekkei Genkai they'd change the rods to be steely grey like his original eyes were. Go figure about clan genes being super powers literally.

He turned his head to the window by his bed where he heard birds singing in the blue sky. "Oh yeah, I'm blind..." Well at least he'd have time to think to himself and what he could do to fine tune his skills. He had sent for Takeo to be summoned to his hospital room so he could discuss Zakuro's situation with him. He had to ask for him to order a 'no-kill' order on Zakuro. Albeit the boy was a full fledged Missing-Nin, he was just misguided and troubled. He wasn't a legitimate threat or danger, despite from what Gene would feed to others. He just needed to be saved from his own mistake.

[Willoria]

Obviously Takeo was on the way, but Aina had been the first to open their door to the messenger, and so the first to hear. Leaving the messenger to tell the father of her children the Hyuuga Bannin had taken off at a full sprint for the hospital. She wasn't sure exactly what sight she expected to see when she arrived, but when she skidded to a stop at the door she suddenly froze for a moment, unsure of herself. She didn't waste much time though, knocking on the door lightly before sliding it open. "Fanho?" In recent days the woman had been so self absorbed in her own pain, that Fanho was one she hadn't been around much. Minoru's return, her confrontation with Zakuro, it all had led her into a pit of emotion she couldn't seem to overcome immediately. And as she stepped into the room she realized her gravest mistake had lead to Fanho's pain. She realized now what had happened to Zakuro after she had hit him, and walking in to see Fanho in this state made her see what a mistake it really was.

"How are you feeling?" the woman asked carefully, walking over to his bedside before reaching out a hand to touch one of his. 'Hanako was in the hospital like this once... but she received a chance to regain not only her sight but also her doujutsu... he won't get both.' She sat at the edge of his bed and looked at him a moment in silence. "Takeo will be along soon, I'm sure I barely beat him." she told him with a slight smirk. "I might've rushed over when I heard and just let the messenger tell him."

[Director]

Fanho whisked his head around to face the door sliding open. He may had been blind, but his hearing was all there. In-fact it was all that was there, along side smelling, tasting, and touching. "Hello? I would say you look nice today, but I'm not quite sure what everything looks like. So I'll just rely on that you do." He'd give a chuckle and a relaxing smile. He may have lost his sight, but he still had jokes to lighten the mood. Obviously he wasn't in the best of shape, and nor were these the happiest of times. However someone had to brighten the day, and he certainly wasn't going to let the absenteeism of sight get in the way.

"Well I'm feeling fine, the seeing part? Ah, well I guess I can't stare at the sun anymore. They say its bad for your health." As she assured him Takeo was on the way he gave a nod before yawning. He gestured out towards the window as it was bright mid-day. "Man being blind is hard, I can't tell whether its night or day, so I just take naps all the time. But you know, I'm not complaining about that." The young Awai turned his head back towards Aina before lightly squeezing her hand as it touched his.

"So whats been up with you tat's? I hear I have your kiddo on my Genin team when she graduates soon." He flashed a smirk at the idea of teaching Takeo's and her kid on a team. It was amusing to think how things come full circle and end up the way they do. However aside from all that the way Fanho talked and body language portrayed, he may had been faltered in sight, but it didn't effect his humor in the slightest still allowing him to take joy in the funniest jokes and comments.

[Willoria]

Aina couldn't help a chuckle as he made a comment, or rather joke, about her looks and his blindness all in one. "I don't know, you might be wrong in that assumption." she told him with a slight laugh, trying not to let herself fall into a serious tone. She knew it wasn't really how Fanho operated, at least not on mission. When he mentioned his eyes the woman couldn't help reaching out and touching the side of his face to get a better look, as if there weren't bandages in the way of her seeing it. "I'm sure you'll heal up well, nothing has ever really kept you down long after all." she mentioned, removing her hand from his face. The touch of course had been gentle, like that of a caring mother more than anything else.

Of course, calling her tat's got another chuckle out of her and she couldn't help pinching him in the arm for it. If he were well she might've smacked him lightly upside the head. But given the circumstances that didn't seem the right way to go about it. "You heard right." she told him in response. "Hanako is going to be on your team. She's happy to step into shinobi life, you might have your hands full though. She isn't all that much like me, I mean she's good at her taijutsu and ninjutsu, but she's quite dedicated to whatever path the clan places in front of her." She couldn't help a slight sound of bitterness in her tone as she said it. She had rebelled against clan norms when she was young, and felt the clan had made her pay for it all too much. "She's already been asking me what is and isn't okay by clan standards, and made clear than when she's old enough she wants a match within the clan arranged for her." The woman shook her head. "Afraid its the exact kinds of things I just don't know how to deal with."

[Taiga]

Taiga was infuriated when he heard the news from Kazzy. He could not believe their commrade had done this... and worse, he could not believe they had let him... Zakuro escape. Though Fanho had not been his squad teammate, they were of a similar generation and had gone on missions together in the past. The whole thing made Taiga's blood boil. By the time he made it up the stairs and to the door, least the one he though it was, he couldn't hold back his anger. He burst into the room, paying no attention to the conversation that was already taking place between some old hag and Fanho... and he merely stared menacingly. To make matters worse Zakuro and Taiga had long been fighting each other. They'd known each other for quite some time too, and beat each other about in the past.

"You fucking asshole." Taiga said as he flipped Fanho off, not that he could see it, anger emanating off him like no other. "I should have been there Fanho. You all should have told me. Gene, you, Kazzy. This was our generation, our trouble.... I should have been there to fix it too." he beat his fist against the door frame... yet again he was on the sidelines doing nothing as something bad happened to someone he knew. And not just Fanho... but Zakuro too. Zakuro had inadvertently saved him more than once from straying... and if he could have just been there.

"If I was there this would have never happened- hell even on the retrieval that fucker...." he paused. His anger was fading and he realized he had just totally interrupted the pair. Who was the old hag anyhow?

[Director]

Fanho had given a smile to Aina's comments. "Well she'll find her own pat-" However before he had a chance to respond Taiga bursted into the room in a fit of anger. His displeasure at the thought of not being told of the situation. Fanho's mouth laid agape as if he was at a loss for words. It was sudden, surprising that Taiga had burst in without warning or fore notice. Although it was something Fanho would of had to confront regardless with Taiga's emotions at feeling left out and if he were to be a beacon of hope in the village he'd need to do his best to connect to him.

"Taiga..." Fanho called out softly as he held his hand out to the young jinchuriki. Fanho gestured to the chair next to Aina that he was only aware existed because of the amount of times he'd had visited the hospitals. Such a clean, sterilized place, but one that life as a shinobi they couldn't avoid. The young Awai gave a sigh as the words seemed to pop perfectly in place in his head. He stared at the wall in-front of him albeit he still couldn't see it before turning his head back to the Sarutobi he had hoped sat down.

"You're right, I should've brought you along. You're a full fledged shinobi now." Fanho cocked a sly smile before giving a chuckle. The Awai merely sighed as his chuckle faded into a more serious, but still uplifting tone. "However don't feel bad because you weren't there. Be happy that you care and have a friend worth fighting for." Before Taiga could even get another chance to speak Fanho shook his head in disagreement. He already knew that Taiga had thought the friend Fanho meant was himself. "No, I don't mean me." He cocked another humorous smile before continuing with his words of wisdom.

"I know right now you're upset, you're mad, you're frustrated, in disbelief of how someone could turn their back on the village." He let a beat shift by before continuing as he swallowed any sense of disbelief believing fully into his own words. "But we have a friend out there lost to his own regret, sorrow, and pain. I think you can empathize better than anyone with that." Fanho turned his head to the window staring at a minute as if he could see a better day where Zakuro reunited in the village with his friends.

"And that is the friend worth fighting for. We will bring him back, and I promise you, you'll be there with me when we get him. So don't lose hope, don't lose faith, its all apart of the plan. You know?" He reached out his fist for Taiga to complete the fist bump. He hoped his words stirred a courage and peacefulness in the boy's outraged feelings. He understood Taiga knew the pain of being an outcast, the pain of being unwanted, and he knew Taiga would be best suited to help bring him back. Although he wasn't there in the beginning, Taiga would be there in the end for the retrieval.

[Willoria]

Aina released Fanho's hand as he was interrupted and the woman turned her head to see who had come in. She had a temper herself but for what might've been the first time in months, she managed to stifle it. She simply stared down the new boy with her white eyes as he snapped off on Fanho, and even as Fanho reacted and spoke in return. She couldn't quite place the boy though something seemed familiar about him, it wasn't until Fanho said his name that she realized who he was. She had never met him in person before of course, but after both what had happened to Minoru and Masami, she tended to remember the names of Jinch's. If she recalled in fact... he had tried to hit on Masami at some point which of course she had heard about. Masami was still her childhood best friend after all.

But he had come to speak to Fanho, clearly, and Aina wasn't going to interrupt even if he was. She turned to look at Fanho, trying to relax a bit in her chair though she was still leaned forward with her elbows on her knees. Honestly she was surprised at how patient he was with the kid, but knew she shouldn't have been. Fanho had far more patience than she could even imagine. She remained where she was as Fanho motioned to the other chair beside him, and Aina silently wondered what was keeping Takeo.

Though as the pair spoke and Aina took in the simple fact of this other boy's temper... she knew she couldn't tell Fanho now what she had been about to say... that Zakuro leaving was her own fault. Caught up in her own rage and problems she had lashed out at the boy when she saw in him the same weakness she had seen in Minoru, or at least thought she had. She could see now what the difference was. Zakuro had clearly wanted help, he had wanted someone to change his mind, and all she did was convince him that leaving was his only option. The woman couldn't help a heavy sigh as she remembered that and shook her head. "I'll help as well, if you want it." she mentioned. "But I also know my being there might spook him too. I can't imagine he would think a Bannin being there was a good thing... but I might be able to help ya'll bring him in too." She honestly wasn't sure if they'd want her along though if Zakuro might think she was there to kill him... especially considering the last time she saw him.

[Taiga]

Taiga shook his head more, pounding his fist against the door frame. His face was locked in a scowl. He was upset Fanho was hurt, but his feelings of being left out, and his feelings of once more being unable to protect his friends and the village... It was an emotion too powerful to suppress. Still, Fanho called out to him. Fanho wanted him to come and sit. He would ignore the gestures of both parties and stay at the door way. He didn't want to be that close. He didn't want to be close enough to see the damage Fanho had endured. He let out a sigh.

"Don't feel bad? Friends worth fighting for? There was no fight cause I wasn't there. If you brought me along none of this would have happened. No one would be hurt and..." he paused. "Zakuro wouldn't be a dead man walking." Fanho was exactly right when he described the feelings Zakuro had, and that of anyone Taiga could have empathized with him best. Could have reached him. And that was why he was so damn infuriated.

"If you knew that- if you knew I could have empathized with him then why the hell wasn't I sent out." It was true. He'd thought about leaving the village many times before, not as an enemy, but for soul searching and freedom. He removed his hand from the doorway and crossed his arms.

"It's fine old-timer. This is my generations problem. I failed to be a good friend for that cunt Zakuro."

[Director]

Fanho listened to the two patiently as Taiga let out more anger. Obviously his talk didn't help so much, but it was a start to a bigger part of the conversation. Aina's offer to help Fanho gave a soft friendly nod at the idea. It'd be best if a group of Zakuro's friends went, even if Aina had caused the pain that Zakuro eluded to when they spoke, Zakuro wouldn't turn his back on a genuine apology. Although Taiga didn't know this, it'd be best to keep it under wraps, and only keep it between the three of them. Taiga was already in an aggressive state of mind, all Fanho could do now was just assure him that everything was gonna be okay.

Fanho chuckled at Taiga's anger before nodding his head. "How bad do you think I feel knowing I didn't bring you when you could've been a big help?" The young Awai shook his head as a smile still plagued his face. Albeit it was a dark time, he had to look on the bright side. "Also, Zakuro isn't a dead man walking. I'm gonna have old man Takeo give a no kill order for Zakuro. This will give us the time and space we need to bring him back." Where Fanho couldn't see he still looked at Taiga with the same stupid grin that always plagued his face with enthusiasm and hope.

"If you failed to be a good friend, then that means there is no way to bring him back." Fanho let a beat pass before raising his finger wagging it a bit before resting his hand back down on the bed. "Zakuro still very much cares about Konoha, you, me, us, and everyone here. Why do you think he didn't leave a trail of bodies behind?" The Jounin nodded his head a bit sarcastically before sneering at his own comment of the trail of bodies. "I mean besides losing my eyes." Fanho laughed at himself being blind making light of the mood.

"Look, the bottom line is Taiga. This isn't your fault, and there still is hope. Stop saying all of this, 'none of this would have happened' if I was there. At the end of the day you weren't, but that isn't the end point." His voice went blunt before garnering a serious tone. "We all want to be there, to be the gallant hero that saves the day, but sometimes we're too slow, someone forgets to give us a notice-" His eyebrows fluttered in particular at this comment. "But the important thing is the drive to be there, and sticking to it til the end. We may have lost the battle, but the war isn't over."

"So stop acting like this is the last time we get a shot at getting Zakuro back. We will get him back, and YOU will be there." Fanho gave a sigh to wrap the whole thing up before glancing at Taiga raising his eye brows. "Now will you take your seat and wait for Takeo to get here. Maybe all of us talking together will help ease your concerns knowing that its all in the works." The young Awai gave a slight chuckle before glancing back at the Sarutobi. "If you really wanna know why I didn't bring you Taiga. I was simply the first responder, I didn't have time to wait. I had to act quick if I wanted to get him in the forest. I didn't know where you were, and I had to be fast or he'd leave without any sort of opposition."

[Legacy]

Try explaining that to the group of Chunin he'd encountered before you managed to catch up with him," interjected a depthly tone smooth as an ocean wave. From the window entered a familiar figure clad in various hues of black, grey and white. Interestingly enough, there had been no sound prior to the voice leaving a question as to how long the young man had been listening in. However, there could be no doubt as to what side of the fence he stood on. After all... he'd been apart of the reinforcement group. "Trying to advocate for the person who's responsible for your current predicament - you're really starting to slip, Fanho." Despite his tone being fairly serious Gene still managed to smile for his comrade and even took the time to place the white flower lillies he'd picked up along the way in a vase nearby.

"The fact is from the moment you failed in your mission to retrieve him it became an issue beyond your scope. Friend or not, what Zakuro has done won't be easily overlooked. Although..." Glancing over his shoulder to both Aina and Taiga who he had not seen in quite some time, the silver haired Jounin narrowed his eyes as if to have had a world altering thought and then smiled to the both of them. "I'd say that I'm not alone in placing your recovery above old war stories. Am I right you two?" Sure, Gene didn't like the situation just as much as the next guy but he was also aware that there was a time and a place for everything. Taiga's outbursts were sure to rile some of the other staff and patients not to mention they were openly speaking on a subject that should have been classified without regard to the implications. If word got out that there'd been another missing nin on the loose thoughts of Enma would rise again creating needless unrest within the village as well as place Konoha's military structure under high scrutiny. For more than just courtesy reasons Gene would spur the idea of a new topic, one not so different but easier to discuss publically. "Will your family be coming to visit?"

For the Awai clan Fanho's condition would be no small concern. Gene imagined that they wouldn't just sit quietly when one of their own had been injured in the line of duty; assuming of course, that they'd been made aware of the situation. If they hadn't, it wouldn't be long untill they were and then what would Fanho do? No one, not even the Hokage could quell an aching heart. Mentally, Gene prepared for the worst. As a Shinobi Gene had already accepted what his responsibility had been but he wondered if whether Taiga and Fanho had done the same. It was easy to kill and capture when there were no strings attached but when the mark hit home, did either of them have what it took? Did they really have the heart for this job?

His face betrayed nothing of his thoughts but Gene's mind took him back to that fateful day on Konoha's streets. To the day Minoru left...

They think it's a game. He thought harshly.

[Willoria]

If Taiga's presence hadn't already left her irritated and pissed, Gene's appearance didn't help. He had been there the day Minoru's return had practically derailed her life, something that had still left her reeling. In a sense, that day had led her to where they were now, where she had hit Zakuro and now he had run, then blinded Fanho... Aina sighed heavily and stood, turning for the door. She didn't even respond to what Taiga called her, stifling her own rage for a moment. Though as Gene addressed her and Taiga about Fanho's healing the woman leveled an even stare at him. "I think his healing is important, but so is retrieving our friend." she said coldly. She turned her gaze to Fanho briefly. "I'll go see what is taking Takeo so long."

When she got to the door the woman paused. "Taiga. Fanho. When Takeo arrives I will expect you two to step out, those two need to have a conversation, alone. I expect both of you to respect that as shinobi. He needs to give his report to the Hokage uninhibited and uninterrupted. As well as without outside influence." She smirked as she turned her head to look at them. "And if that means I have to drag you both out physically, I will." she promised before stepping out of the hospital room and going to find Takeo.

Surely he wasn't far?

[Izanagi]

It was hard to believe it had come to this already. Within a day from the encounter between Aina and Zakuro the boy had left the village, knocking out a pair of chunin guards before word had got back to Fanho, head of the Katameru division of Mamorinuku, whom had then made the decision to pursue immediately. Takeo had been out of the office at the time, incidentally discussing with Aina what had transpired between the two of them, completely unaware that the young Chunin had already been in the process of deserting the village. The situation had quickly snowballed and now Fanho was laying injured in a hospital bed. The messenger arrived at the Hokage’s home, it was late afternoon and he had been planning to head back to the office shortly. Of course Aina had answered the door first and had promptly darted off ahead of him, leaving Takeo to jot down a note for the children, explaining the absence in case both of their parents were still out when Hanako returned home with the young twins.

Donning his Hokage robes the muscular leader set off towards the hospital, his pace was modest, as much as it worried him what had happened he realized it might be helpful for Aina to have a few minutes alone with the young Jounin. She had been beating herself up about what she had said to Zakuro the previous evening and while it would hit her hard to see what had happened perhaps Fanho would offer more insight. Surely this couldn’t have been entirely Aina’s fault, his feelings had already existed she had merely been the catalyst to push him over the edge. In truth everyone who considered Zakuro a friend shared some responsibility for his wellbeing and state of mind, Takeo included. ‘You don’t leave me much choice Zakuro’ he mused begrudgingly, he liked the kid and empathized with him but he couldn’t excuse such violent and drastic action, there had to be consequences.

Arriving at the hospital after a few long minutes Takeo approached the designated room, already he could hear several voices and pick up the scent of multiple individuals. Gene and Aina of course he had expected but the other scent he was less familiar with, it was only because of Aina’s words that he picked up on the name though he would have recognized him as soon as he saw him. Jinchurriki were important individuals after all and he had been monitoring the boys progress closely. Before he could open the door Aina stepped out of the room. He met her eyes, gauging her expression and finding solace in seeing her in a composed state of mind. “How’s he doing?” he asked softly. The question was more to gauge her perception of the scenario rather than Fanho’s for he would be seeing the boy shortly. Listening to her response he would make a sound of acknowledgment before moving into the room, “Don’t kick them out just yet” he asked, standing in the doorway. It would be good to see each of them, even briefly, he wanted to gauge their mindsets as well so that he could more completely understand the situation.

He would look to Taiga first and then to Gene, “Looks like we’ve got a full house in here” he would state dryly, as his eyes fell upon Fanho it was hard to keep up his usual playful demeanor. There was an anger surging within him, ‘how could Zakuro do this to a friend? Just what the hell is he thinking?’ he considered, wondering what he intended to do now? Whatever the goal he needed to be stopped, preferably brought face to face so he could be questioned but if he insisted on fighting then he had to allow the option of lethal force less more good shinobi become seriously wounded or killed. “You look like shit Fanho, losing your eyes to a Chunin with one arm, did I make a mistake approving your Jounin promotion?” he teased dryly, smirking subtly. He knew that his personal feelings must have got in the way, he hadn’t expected Zakuro to fight with the intent to kill or maim and he had paid the price. Fanho always had a good heart and strong convictions. He aspired to be the Hokage one day and he certainly had the charisma for it but he lacked the experience of Takeo. He had hoped that enlisting him into ANBU would help prepare him mentally for a leadership role, to learn of the darkness of a shinobi’s life and how to make hard decisions. While Fanho’s mission reports affirmed he had acquired killing intent and exceptional combat skills it seemed he still had a soft heart when it came to friends and loved ones. He couldn’t fault him for that completely of course, if it was Aina or Yoru who had deserted Takeo knew that he wouldn’t be able to kill them unless it was an absolute last resort.

[Taiga]

"You're a dumb ass. Fannyho. Also, running in without back-up is my thing. Stop copying me." Taiga grit his teeth, in some weird sort-of-smile. He was still pissed and upset, but he had already made it known and dwelling any longer on it wouldn't help. That said, Gene soon arrived and any chance of a calm Taiga rapidly faded. He sighed "Oh, look, Mr. Robot protocol ninja-handbook showed up." he said, blowing air out his mouth in a "pfft". While he fully agreed there was repercussions for Zakuro, and Taiga wanted to knock his block off he knew damn well what Gene was implying. Turning, he faced Gene, and stood up in a confrontational manner.

It had been a real long time since he'd last seen Gene, and it seemed the things that bothered him about Gene only got worse.

"Has anyone ever told you, you are insanely emotionally immature?" Taiga said, snarling. "It's sure easy to over-simplify everything. To shut everything out and just follow a protocol, isn't it?" he poked Gene's chest with his finger. "You think you're taking the hard path. But you've got it twis-"

The old lady was now leaving the room, and before anyone could finish anything, a new presence emerged into the room. The Hokage. Taiga crossed his arms. He hated that bastard. He had plenty of time to play with Gene, and Fanho, and the others. And never once had he met his Jinchuuriki in person. But he did send people to watch him! Hmph. Looked like they'd finally meet.

Taiga ignored him, but all the same threw himself back down into the seat, putting his legs up and leaning back.

[Director]

Fanho glanced over in the direction of Gene as he furrowed his eye brows in a less than happy expression. Yes Zakuro was a missing-nin now, and they had to take precautions. However Fanho knew Zakuro wasn't a threat, he was just lost and needed guidance to bring him back. He'd take his punishment in the form of prison time and rehabilitation, but with hope and elbow grease Zakuro could be brought back. The Chuunin was their friend, an ally, and someone Fanho trusted. He just needed to be rescued from his own poor decision. "I'm advocating for my 'friend' "Fanho emphasized heavily before continuing his explanation. "The two guards were only incapacitated, hardly anything damaging." He ended with a sigh before looking towards where the window was wondering when Takeo would make his appearance.

He worried for Zakuro's well being, that he could hold his own against the other missing-nin who'd make mince meat out of him for his friendly personality. The kid was ferocious, but hardly the heart of anyone to deal with such bloodthirsty criminals. Fanho cocked his head back towards Gene as he sat up to speak to everyone. For the past few conversations with Taiga and Aina he had been a bit relaxed. However the way Gene said 'overlook' struck some kind of chord with Fanho before he gazed in the direction of his friend. "He'll get prison time, but he isn't a hardened criminal with ill will towards the village. The important thing to reflect on is not the strength to kill, but the wisdom of knowing when not to..."

As the conversation sided off of Gene's stern and unpopular opinion with Fanho, it turned towards his family, and Fanho hadn't had given it much thought. His brothers and sisters were typically on missions, and everyone he knew on a daily basis in the village had replaced it. It seemed to be a bit surreal that he had come this far, yet only was seventeen. He held his hands out gesturing around the room. "I guess you could say they're already visiting!" A grin grew across his face as he chuckled down another bad play on words. "Not any time soon, they were out on assignments, but my brothers and sisters will come check up on me."

Just as the two finished their conversation Taiga had his piece of mind to give to Gene. The two had been at each others throats for a while. Fanho knew Gene didn't necessarily respect Taiga's immature behavior, and at first Fanho didn't approve of it at first before he himself caved with his own friendly joking behavior. The two had endured a mission together and helped fight off a strong missing-nin so one could say Taiga and Fanho bonded a bit over it. However Gene and Taiga had a deep seething dislike for each other. Albeit they disliked each other Fanho had strong faith they'd defend each other, but weren't above trading blows over ideas. The young Awai raised his hand up in the air as he furrowed his eye brows at the two cracking one in a 'seriously?' sense. It was weird that Fanho had to be the mature one in this situation.

Even though Fanho agreed with what Taiga had said, he wouldn't elaborate further, he had already disagreed with Gene enough earlier. Luckily for the trio Takeo had just arrived. With the crack of a joke of Fanho's disheveled eye sight the young Jounin gave a chuckle himself. "Well I'd look better if the nurse reapplied my foundation, lipstick, and blush but you know they don't want me getting my eyes infected." He gave a sarcastic snarl at his own comment before chuckling once more. "Well lets just say I had a plot twist happen in the course of the fight, it caught me off guard, and a few broken ribs make it hard to notice in-time." Fanho's smile faded into a more serious tone before staring at the Hokage, if his eyes weren't gone they'd make direct eye contact, and Fanho's head wouldn't break first.

"There is a request I have to make, and I won't take no for an answer."

[Willoria]

Aina started as Takeo seemed to almost appear in front of her, a relieved smile slipping across her lips. She was glad to see him, but while her initial thought was a kiss or a hug, she stifled the instinct and kept things professional. He might have been her lover, but the man was also the Hokage, and his questions weren't that of her significant other. She shrugged slightly as Takeo asked about Fanho while they were in the hallway. "He's chipper. Smiling... and protective. He wants to talk to you about Zakuro, and I think you're going to need to do it without interference from the others at some point." She kept her words quiet, keeping the words at a whisper. She nodded as he asked her not to kick anyone out yet, and turned to step back into the room before Takeo took to the doorway.

But Aina didn't say anything more for the moment. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes flitting between each person in the room at random intervals. There were moments she wanted to speak up, to interrupt, even an urge to tell the kids in the room to shut up at one point. But the Bannin remained silent, simply watching the interactions before her. At one point she shared a look with Takeo, a silent reminder she was fully willing to toss any of the others out on their backsides if he required it.

'Perhaps I can talk Takeo into letting me help handle the punishment once Zakuro returns... I had a hand in this, even if I didn't realize what was going to happen. He'll hate me I'm sure... but maybe I can at least try to help him through this on his return, even if he still hates me afterwards.'

[Legacy]

Aina's stare was surprising to say the least. He'd known better than to go fishing for answers that weren't there but couldn't help but feel a heat rising within himself that he couldn't explain. It wasn't an unusual feeling - in fact it had become a state that he'd grown quite accustomed to when out in the field. The question he had to ask himself was why now did he feel as if he were under fire? Had so much really changed in the past few months that he could no longer distinguish between friend and foe? Or perhaps, the line had been drawn and the people in this room, excluding Fanho were just on the other side of it. Comrades huh? Gene thought smugly, his mind drifting back to the last time he and Fanho had been sent out on a retrieval mission. Fanho had stopped him back then, too. Or rather, he'd stopped himself and his "friend" cast out his judgment - much like he'd been doing now.

When Fanho began talking about not killing Gene could only shudder in his head; while he hadn't mentioned anything about taking the now rogue ninja's life, his comrade seemed to think that death was the way he'd intended to delve out punishment. In truth, all Fanho's comment had managed to do was confirm to Gene how little consideration had actually been placed into a plausible solution and probably worse still, how Fanho truly believed Gene to think. Somewhere along the line despite the fact that no one in the room having actually spent much time with Gene personally - save for a few meet and greets here and there, the assumption was made that he was some kind of a merciless killer. Only unlike the years past, Gene had lost all the energy he had for trying to prove otherwise. If they wanted to hate him for his decisions then so be it; but when the time came to do what was necessary, whatever that may have been, he'd be the one to doll out the decree.

That was his Ninja way.


He'd outgrown petty squabbles and believed that there was no longer a place for grown children. If Taiga couldn't learn to see the forest for the trees then he'd simply be buried beneath it. Konoha's enemies were far and few between - this much was true, but the enemies that the village Did have were dangerous characters. None of which anyone present with all their talks of love, friendship and compassion could handle. After all, there was a reason why the village was down to just ONE Bannin when there should have been two. The more Gene learned about the history of his homeland the more he began to realize that Tousha may have been on to something. Sure, he didn't like the Nara's style but he was also just a kid back then. The village couldn't be defended with words of encouragement and optimism alone. In fact, he believed that Fanho and perhaps even Taiga, were too optimistic.

Perhaps it was for that reason why Gene hadn't found the words for a rebuttal when Taiga had gone on his tirade. Unlike before, where the bashful Sarutobi's words may have triggered some kind of a response Gene simply stared blankly as if looking straight through the male. His Auburn hues cold and distant yet had Taiga looked beyond the surface a tinge of something else may have been noted, sadness. We live in two different worlds after all...

Just then, Takeo entered and out of both respect and professional obligation Gene bowed lowered his head in acknowledgement. He hadn't spoken believing the gesture to be enough and found himself leaning up against the wall next to the window he'd entered through just a few moments earlier. What would take place from here forward was out of his hands - not that he intended to interfere in the first place. However, it wasn't difficult to guess that just about everyone present - maybe even Aina herself, had some kind of an agenda regarding the situation. After all, in some way or another they were connected to Zakuro where Gene had no personal ties to the Chunin aside from aiding in his obtaining two unique weapons. They'd sparred once on a whim but even then, the guy hadn't stood out enough to be considered noteworthy; a fact that further pointed toward Fanho's own inability to perform the "hard task" considering that the Awai should have been on the same level if not slightly better than Gene himself.

While the Hokage had been busy addressing Fanho Gene's attention drifted off outside to a birds nest that had fallen out of a tree; its inhabitants, three baby birds, lay writhing with broken wings. At first, he'd been saddened by the event. For some time he'd watched as people walked by the three fallen birds, not even daring to lift a finger in order to help them. Many passed glances as they traveled but in the end, none put in the extra effort to assist. Untill...

"Kage Bunshin," he spoke dryly. His hands fingers intersected to form a cross as chakra flowed freely throughout his body. Where there had only been one there was now two and this carbon copy bounded for the window and landed with a soft 'thud' upon the ground. While his Shadow clone tended to the baby birds with what little medical ninjutsu he'd been able to offer, the real Gene made no effort to explain his actions simply staring with the same absent minded expression. Meanwhile, the Shadow clone did what it could and returned the three nestling birds to their home after reconstructing it and placed it back in the tree where it belonged. A task completed, the clone dispelled and the real Gene shut the window for the sake of the occupants in the room.


Now back to reality, the silver-haired Jounin mulled to himself over what roles each person in the room played. There was Takeo, the Hokage who oversaw all Shinobi affairs; given the situation it seemed natural that he'd make an appearance, Fanho who had been a first respondent, Gene himself - a secondary respondent and then there was Taiga and Aina. Where did they come into the picture? Visiting was one thing but it seemed as though they were more of a security detail disguised as a friendly gathering. That was - when viewed objectively of course. No one would dare barge into a room occupied by one of the village's Bannin and Gene's memory of Taiga's incident back during the Hokage's inauguration hadn't been forgotten. No...something was definitely odd about this gathering now that he really started thinking about it. Of course he kept his thoughts to himself but couldn't help but find the coincidence that ALL of them were now in the same room a bit strange to say the least.

I'm just here to visit a friend, nothing more. Thought the silver-haired man to himself, more as reassurance to himself than anything. He'd grown accustomed to questioning most anything once something seemed out of place and granted he hadn't seen Aina since the incident with Minoru, for her to show up now was definitely odd. Taiga being around was definitely not expected but less surprising considering that the three were all around the same age and actually knew each other to an extent. If anything, when he'd first arrived he figured that Taiga felt the same considering both he and Gene were on a team with the now Missing Awai, Minoru. Of course...for them to agree on something was just too convenient to ask for.

Silently Gene listened. It was apparent that however the discussion between Fanho and Takeo went would most likely dictate what would happen with Zakuro and if Gene knew the guy as well as he believed he did - then, he would probably ask for Zakuro's life to be spared along with some kind of a minimalistic Jail sentence. All reasonable things - for a friend. Not for a person who'd intentionally harmed more than one military officer and left one blind. If not for Kazuo and Koji's help then Fanho might not have made it to the hospital and with the amount of blood he'd lost at the time, the man could have possibly bled to death. Gene realized that while Fanho's heart may have been in the right place, he hadn't truly evaluated the scenario that he'd put himself in. That he was asking everyone to overlook.

To request a pardon would have been a direct smack in the face to not just the Shinobi code of conduct but to the village established laws as a whole. Assault with attempted murder was no laughing matter or light crime by any standing and the fact that Fanho, a Jounin, had been beaten this badly by a Chunin meant that Zakuro was a threat to anyone of Jounin rank. So it wasn't that Gene didn't understand where the Awai had been coming from, in fact - he would have liked to find an alternative solution as well as figure out what pushed Zakuro to leave in the first place. But he simply could not ignore the reality of this situation in light of how severe it was and past happenings with Missing ninja of Konoha. Enma was once a honored member of the village and without hesitation returned to watch it burn. So who's to say that the gentle natured Zakuro wouldn't be capable of the same if given an opportunity?

Was the life of one individual worth more than that of the millions of other people living inside of Konoha's walls? Or was the Awai simply that selfish that none of the other lives mattered because of his bond with the criminal? No one had said that being a Shinobi would be easy and now the moment of truth was upon them all. What would happen? Gene could only wonder.

[Izanagi]

Takeo chuckled at Fanho’s response, his mood lightening somewhat in his presence. He hadn’t spent too much time around the kid and didn’t fully realize until now how much he reminded him of Yoru. The kind of banter he and his student had over their many years of friendship was a rare comfort to stumble upon. It reminded him that there would always be a light in the darkness that could not be extinguished, that a select few like Yoru and Fanho could come face to face with tragedy and still retain a kind heart and easygoing attitude around one’s comrades. He knew well that the Jounin was ruthless and efficient in battle, that was why he had been recruited into ANBU after all. To have that duality was a rare trait and something Takeo personally strove to maintain in himself and see develop in others. “When you get out of here you can dress up in drag all you want.” He teased with a playful smirk, “For the time being though let’s let the nurses focus on healing those replacement eyes of yours.” He added. Takeo had been briefed on the basics of his condition by one of the doctors, it seemed his trust in Saigo had payed off yet again, as the man was now the chief authority on any surgeries requiring transplants of any kind.

The Hokage’s expression hardened again as Fanho spoke of the altercation. Without even being there he had a good understanding of how the battle likely played out. “Yeah, I get that. It can be hard to have to fight a friend.” He wasn’t surprised when Fanho spoke of a request. Aina had indicated as much and from the bits of conversation he overheard he had a good idea what this request would be. Catching Aina’s gaze Takeo considered whether to take her up on the suggestion, with so many conflicting opinions in the room was it better to speak one on one or for all to hear? He knew that Taiga likely already held animosity towards him and there had seemed to exist a mutual respect between himself and Gene, showing too much lenience however could jeopardize that and yet whatever decision he made would be found out anyway. Best to address any concerns as they began rather than let them fester. If Fanho wanted to speak privately then he could let it be known that it was his wish.

“Speak freely Fanho, unless you’d like this to be a private conversation” he offered. He honestly hoped to be able to get a word in with Taiga before the end of the visit. He had never officially met the young man despite being well acquainted with his file and up-to-date on various reports on him. He wasn’t bothered by the obvious resentment towards him, he expected as much but he was very curious to see for himself what kind of person the Jinchurriki was. The man kept his attention on Fanho for the most part though his crisp blue eyes glanced upwards as Gene formed a shadow clone, watching curiously as he seemed to be assisting an injured bird judging by the sounds of the chirping and the hum of medical ninjutsu. ‘You never seize to surprise me Gene’ he reflected. Of all the shinobi he had known Gene was easily the most difficult one to get a read on, his actions seemed to jump all over the chart and yet his expressions always remained stoic and his words concise. All Takeo knew for certain was that the young Jounin was furiously loyal to Konoha, a stickler for rules and one to err on the side of caution and analytical thinking.

[Director]

Posting OrderShow

Director, Katya, Jesse, Strat, and Iza.

The Jounin chuckled at the mention of drag. Jokes were a way to wave relief over Fanho, he had anxiety as bad as any other person, but he had kept his in check with jokes. It lightened the mood, gave hope, and filled people with joy. It was rare that he could be caught in such a way without it, but during his fight with Zakuro reflecting on it he hadn't made a single joke the entire time. Yet his anxiety wasn't concerned with himself, but the well being of his friend. He glanced up at Takeo before speaking with a conviction, a sort of relief flushed over his face. No, this didn't have to be said in private, his feelings were clear, but acting upon what he preached of compassion for his friend would only further his point in not losing faith.

"Its clear that much you already know what it is, but humor me." The Awai was perceptive, enough to tell the way Takeo's gazed across the room he was there for the conversation, but at the same time trying to get a feel for the way everyone felt. Takeo already knew Fanho's heart, and his personality so figuring out what he wanted to say wouldn't be hard for the Hokage. "Obviously I want Zakuro spared, and a no kill order to be issued." He raised his hands to halt any sort of criticisms as if he hadn't thought his proposal through. He very well knew the risks and what sort of safe guards would be in place. So to ease his thoughts of whether or not Fanho would be okay with those he figure he'd lay them out before Takeo could have a chance to.

"Its clear though that he's not immune to a sentencing of death if he wills it upon himself, but that isn't what worries me. I wanna lead the search efforts and retrieval parties..." He gave a pause as he thought long and hard what he was about to propose. It'd stretch him far and thin as he already had a lot on his plate, but he had trust in his friends yet he feared that Zakuro would meet an unfortunate end to a jumped gun by someone. "Every single one." He figured the Kage could empathize with him, but also recognize the facial language he proposed towards the observant man. If translated it'd read that Fanho obviously was wary of Zakuro not receiving a fair trial and meeting an untimely end.

From there Fanho wasn't entirely sure where he stood. He was aware that if Zakuro threatened the village or killed someone his fate would be sealed, but the tinge of doubt grew a bit inside of him. He knew for now while there was hope he'd cling to it, he'd hold onto it a bit longer, and he'd protect it til' he couldn't any longer. To Takeo he'd be able to tell the internal debate and torment Fanho felt. Reality set in and Fanho's optimistic nature seemed to fade a bit. Maybe Gene was right that it was necessary, but Fanho didn't feel it was their job to be judge, jury, and executioner. Nor was it okay to throw such hope carelessly. Logic was a cold bitch, but humanity and compassion was a warmth of joy and love that nothing could compare to.

[Willoria]

Aina remained quiet, watching the conversation between Takeo and Fanho more than anything. She was wishing more and more that they were talking privately, if only because of what she felt she needed to say. She hadn't met Taiga before today, and she had a feeling his reaction to what she said next was going to be bad. Hell she wasn't sure how Gene was going to react either, but it wouldn't be good. Aina was a Bannin and had the respect of most of the people in the room, and she could already feel that slipping away before she even admitted what happened between her and Zakuro. She looked at Fanho first as he made his request, but spoke before Takeo could reply (she hoped).

"I think his request has merit." she interjected. "Zakuro has snapped, his mind is broken, but he didn't get there alone. He needed help and we didn't help him. Some of us made it worse. I made it worse." She sighed, uncrossing her arms before she thrust her hands in her pockets and looked up, her eyes meeting Takeo's. "He came to me for help and training... I thought. I should've sent him to you, after the mess with Minoru my own head wasn't on straight. When I saw the state he was in I stupidly thought I could snap him out of it. What I did only made the situation worse... obviously. Half the reason he left is probably because of me." She glanced at Fanho a moment, not sure if he already knew this information or not. She knew Takeo already knew it from their own fight, but she had still felt it necessary to speak as if he didn't.

"I'd volunteer to help as well. He won't be happy to see me, but at least I'm strong enough to get him in custody without killing him. If anyone but Fanho goes after him, I worry tempers may interfere. As well as bad judgment." And the woman fell silent, some part of her knowing that at least one person in the room was going to be pissed at her reveal.

[Taiga]

Taiga was silent. His arms were crossed and it looked as if he was biting the inside of his mouth apart in his struggle to keep it locked.

He didn't care for the small light-hearted banter between the Hokage. He wanted answers and he wanted to make it clear that he would never let anyone kill Zakuro. He knew Zakuro was going to be punished. He'd punish the little shit himself if he could get the chance, but death was ridiculous. Death was ridiculous as a punishment for the village failing. A village that constantly let some people slip through the cracks. A village that praised kids like Gene who had become sick little monsters who lacked emotional maturity, promoted them, moved them up, and left kids who didn't fit perfectly into the "child soldier" role of shinobi. Left the kids who questioned shit. Who worried, who suffered.

If this was what the Will of Fire meant... to ignore mental health, to ignore the well being of the villages children to dole out 'justice'. Taiga didn't want any part of it. He was already fighting as hard as he could to not punch Gene's lights out in a hospital room with the Hokage watching... but he had a damn problem with the village and it was time he made it known.

"You're in no condition to lead anything Fanny. And granny does have a point." his hand formed into a fist. "I know how he feels- Zakuro. He made a mistake but we're young. We all suffered a lot. We were practically fucking children when we started becoming soldiers training to kill. We were children when we saw our village destroyed- lost those we love. I'm not a smart guy but you can't be that stupid to think giving powers like what we have to immature people doesn't lead to mistakes, and so you can't possibly be stupid enough to truly believe in such harsh penalties." he swung his hand down hard into the arm of the chair, and if he hadn't unconsciously phased through the arm, it would of been destroyed. He rose to his feet an looked everyone, especially Takeo in the eyes.

"There were times where I felt no one in this village trusted me, believed in me. It's great to finally meet you Hokage, I know you've given lots of attention to that pyschopath, but he conformed perfectly to the village." his hand troubled. "Beneath the Will of Fire and optimism is ignorance for the world we live in. Ignorance for the suffering others have. I know how Zakuro feels, there's not a day I haven't though about leaving the village... You all fail to relate to me.... to Zakuro... because we're not the typical Konoha-pride shinobi. We fly under the radar and our pain isn't realized till it's too late. And even know you fail to understand." Taiga was pointing at Gene now.

"I know MN brings bad images into everyones mind, but he's not Enma, he's not the Autumn Soldier, he's not some mass murdering MN. Even if you toss out morals the crimes and severities are not the same. Death, life in prison? Are you even humans? Has being a shinobi completely destroyed the thing that made you human? I'm forever fucked with a demon inside me, somewhere inbetween man and spirit and yet I'm the most fucking human one out of you? Believe in the fucking soul of someone who was just a child recently. Believe that the right thing to do for someone suffering isn't to kill or imprison or punish them. But to save them."

Probably cussing infront of the leader of your village wasn't the best of ideas. He looked to the room, then to the door.

"I'm not going to retrieve him. And I know there needs to be punishment... but I'm going to save him. He needs protecting, not punishment. I don't care what you or anyone says, but I believe in Zakuro. If I have to punch him in the face 1000 times till he comes back I will. But I know he will. I know because I know what his heart must feel like. If you chose to harm him you're going to have to harm him through me."

With that, Taiga left.

On the squad or not he'd be going to get Zakuro.

He was gunna change the village with whatever force he had.

[Legacy]

Listening silently Gene couldn't help but wonder how all of this would ultimately end. Sure, it was very "touching" in the sense that Taiga had finally got something off of his chest but they'd still been no closer to finding Zakuro than they were at the start of this little pow-wow. There would be plenty of time to empathize and spill each others guts from the soul once the man of the hour had actually been brought in so that he could plead his case on his own, in front of the council and Hokage himself. Although, there was something else besides Taiga's tirade that got the wheels turning in Gene's head. Aina.

She'd mentioned how he had come to her and somewhere along the lines things went south. He'd never seen the woman take on expressions of guilt before and frankly, it concerned Gene quite a bit. Whatever she had said or done to Zakuro back then probably was impactful given her way with words but...that couldn't have been the only thing. He seemed full of life when we'd met at the mountain pass...what on earth could have triggered such a drastic change? Thought Gene to himself, realizing that in the end there probably wasn't anything either of them could have done to prevent what was going to happen anyway. They're all beating themselves up over this. What a mess this situation has become and I don't even know the guy... Zakuro was already becoming quite a troublesome fella.

Everyone in the room had signed up to be a Shinobi though now that they'd been presented with a harsh reality morals and personal feelings kept getting in the way. They seemed to have forgotten one crucial thing: They were STILL human in the end. No amount of missions, no amount of loss of life or adversity would ever change that but for some odd reason there was a need to point the finger. To judge and fear, mock and ridicule. Gene didn't understand any of it and was hard pressed to care considering the shit bag who'd killed his mother was never caught to this day and there hadn't been nearly this much of an uproar. Suppose that was just the way the cookie crumbled huh? Apparently it was alright to pick and choose when to give a damn about something which to Gene, hardly seemed heroic.

Rules and regulation didn't change. No matter how the situation unfolded. Emotions, beliefs and people especially - did. Sometimes not always for the better. If Zakuro was this good kid that everyone had made him out to be then he'd still be around, right? After all, there were millions of other Shinobi probably worse off and they were still in the village - fighting and protecting what they believed in. Pushing the thought aside, Gene simply looked around at the remaining faces in the room and then, after evaluating their expressions asked a single simple question. "So what's the plan?" He didn't give a damn about the nonsense; if this guy was THAT important to any of them, they hardly had the time to spend lamenting on what was done wrong and why. Time was ticking and sooner or later, the boy's trail would go cold.

[Izanagi]

Takeo nodded slowly, though promptly remembered that Fanho couldn’t see such a gesture and followed with the utterance of “Alright” as he requested the Hokage to listen to the request in full before answering. The muscular man made a sound of understanding as Fanho requested Zakuro be spared and before Takeo could explain the circumstances that would be required to lead to such an outcome Fanho had already began expressing his understanding of such dynamics. This brought a slight sense of comfort to the man, it was quite welcome to see a shinobi who could act both with their heart and their mind in unison.

The bearded warrior considered the prospect of Fanho leading every search team. It wasn’t a very conceivable prospect honestly, he had a great many duties within the village and trying to work search efforts around his schedule could give Zakuro the time to slip away or get involved with the wrong kind of people, if he was left too long and strayed too far there was little the village could do. He could see Fanho’s reason for such a request of course, he was worried for his friends safety and wanted to be present so nothing went wrong. Takeo was about to respond when Aina chimed in. He would hear out her opinion as well before giving a final verdict and potentially those of the others present as well. He was nervous for the woman as she revealed her part in Zakuro’s defection, it was something that could shatter the morale of Gene, Taiga and maybe even Fanho though he hoped they were each mature enough to understand that everybody had bad days, said things they didn’t truly mean but that wasn’t an excuse to abandon a village on a whim. He did however appreciate the fact that Aina spoke as if she had already told him this. She always was thinking of him, even when it meant dragging her own name through the mud. Takeo made a sound of contemplation, considering her word, factoring them in before looking to the two others in the room, assessing their reactions.

Sure enough Taiga spoke up, evidently having a lot to say on the matter. Takeo turned to look directly at Taiga, feeling the passion in his words. There were so many pent-up emotions in the young host it was a wonder how he was able to control the Genma inside him so well. The Hokage understood the effect the invasion had on this generation but the comment about being child soldiers he had mixed feelings on. Unlike other villages such as Kiri and Iwa children in Konoha had it quite well, missions in the early years had very little danger and it typically wasn’t until well into the teenage years that they ever had to kill. In many nations 16 was considered the age of adulthood and it was around this mark that the shinobi life typically became one of a true soldier. Even then one’s service was always voluntary and there were countless resources for one’s mental health and wellbeing. Ironically Taiga’s point about giving power to immature people had precisely been Takeo’s concern over sealing Genma into shinobi under the age of 16, a standard that he had since changed after becoming Hokage. He hoped however that it wouldn’t have to be utilized and that each of the current hosts would continue to prosper. Initially he had been furious when he had heard of the choice in each of the current hosts, both seeming far too young and immature to control such power and deal with their own emotions without the added influence of a god-like spirit.

Takeo stood as Taiga addressed him in particular. There wasn’t much room to get a word in with Taiga’s impassioned speech, but he did feel glad that the young man was present. He too had been wanting to meet him for some time. “It’s good to meet you too Taiga” he stated simply before falling silent and listening to him vent once more. His eyes narrowed as he wondered whom Taiga referred to when he said Takeo had been giving attention to a psychopath, did he mean Gene? What little the Jinchurriki knew if he thought that Gene didn’t have his struggles and his doubts, even Takeo could see that the young Jounin suffered in his own way. It wasn’t easy to put the rules and regulations first above everything and a person didn’t choose such an approach without a strong reason, it was how he coped with the invasion, how he aimed to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. If wishing to protect the village and all it stood for made someone a psychopath then perhaps Taiga was the one who was truly deluded.

The Hokage strained himself to read between the lines and see the source of Taiga’s pain as he spoke about the village’s ignorance and his own faltering loyalty. It was certainly something he wished to discuss with the young man in greater detail. The was compassion and even pain in Takeo’s eyes at seeing how much Taiga was burdened. It was difficult to help someone who didn’t want to be helped however and that seemed to be the impression he got from every instance he had heard about one of Taiga’s spats, often making a big scene and then storming off before anyone could discuss anything or show their understanding or support. It was rather hypocritical really, he complained about lack of mental health support and yet turned his back on anyone who attempted to offer him any sort of solace.

And now Taiga was accusing the group of wishing Zakuro death or life in prison despite nobody having proposed such notions. Truly Taiga lived in his own world. Takeo simply exhaled slowly, he was deeply concerned for Taiga’s emotional and mental state, everyone kept assuring him the boy was fiercely loyal to the village and would end up just fine but everything about Taiga felt raw and unstable. Finally Takeo had enough. “Taiga, we’re not going to kill someone for making an impulsive and emotional decision, my top priority is the safety of the people of this village, so long as Zakuro doesn’t kill a Konoha citizen or intentionally jeopardize the safety of our village he will be given leniency.” He stated boldly. Of course Takeo wanted to save Zakuro, they all did, likely even Gene so long as Zakuro was able to admit the mistakes he made and seek redemption.

Takeo nodded to Taiga, acknowledging his last words. He wasn’t angry with Taiga, in fact he agreed with much of what he said, he simply believed the young man was very misguided and seemed to live inside of his own head too often. His perception of the world and the reality seemed to have a distinct separation there, almost a mental block that Taiga simply couldn’t overcome. He wondered if perhaps that was an influence of the Genma after all. As Taiga turned to leave Takeo would raise his voice, in a clam but authoritative manner. “Taiga. Come see me any time. My door is always open to you” he promised, nobody would stop him if he wished to see Takeo so long as he was actually in his office. If Taiga wanted to overcome his reputation of walking out on everyone before any true healing could be made then he could prove it by taking the initiative for once and actually seeking out some of the resources that were offered to him, foremost the ability to discuss with the leader of the village what kind of changes can be made to help not only him but any others like him. If he ignored even this offer then it only solidified the fact that he lived in his own world and would believe what he wanted regardless of the actual truth.

Now that the hotheaded Jinchurriki had left Takeo could finally give his official verdict. Right on cue, the surprisingly composed Gene prompted him with a simple inquiry. Takeo would turn his attention to the young man in the hospital bed. “Fanho, at the very least I can assure that you will be aware of every team sent out and have input on who is a part of such a team, if you’re available you’re welcome to lead as many of these missions as possible. You can use you own discretion on the amount of force necessary to bring Zakuro in, upon being brought back to the village he will receive a fair trial for his crime of desertion and assault on the guards. He will of course also be interviewed to determine whether he had any contact with missing ninja or revealed any pertinent information about the village or its people. So long as no extra charges are applied however and he shows good behaviour and remorse then I highly doubt he’ll serve a sentence of more than a few years” Of course even after a trial Takeo had the power to overrule a verdict or add or reduce a sentence though it was fairly rare for a Kage to intervene in such matters, he trusted the council and their justice system to make an appropriate judgment.

[Director]

Fanho nodded in response to Aina's confession. Albeit she made a mistake it was nothing to beat herself up over. Redemption would be the way she could feel at ease, not only that, but the only way Zakuro could overcome his own self-loathing feeling. A smile grew across Fanho's face as he reached out to take Aina's hand squeezing it gently. "Don't beat yourself up over it. We all make mistakes out of fits of anger, frustration, anxiety, and it happens to the best of us. Just ask Taiga about me. We were never on good terms until recently. Its nothing that can't result in a happy ending for both." He cocked his head with a reassuring nod before Taiga began his own rant.

It was clear Taiga was upset by the whole situation, the way everyone was talking. However he had a point, they were all still kids. Majority in the room weren't even legal adults yet old enough to drink or smoke, but had already killed people for the most part. Fanho himself with all his responsibilities forgot what it was like to be a kid, a teenager with his only responsibility being college and figuring out which girl to date. Regardless before anyone was able to get a word out except from the Hokage as he left, Fanho gave a sigh before awkwardly laughing it off as Taiga left. His face contorted into a sort of frown as he felt the pain Taiga felt about the situation.

"You know even for a young kid, Taiga has a fair bit of wisdom and optimism. However hes not the type to seek you. He wants to be proven wrong, and is too stubborn of an ass to seek it out himself." Fanho did an exaggerated head roll with the lack of eyes to do an eye roll he chuckled once more before continuing. "You should visit him sometime Takeo, mentor him a bit possibly. Let him know his responsibility to the village and recruit him into ANBU possibly." The young Awai gave a shrug as he bobbed his head reasons why to recruit Taiga pinging back and forth. He had made strides in training the power of the Genma, and quickly one of the best hosts Konoha had ever seen. At least from what Fanho read from history books. "You know he has the Deigenma, the ability to assimilate and phase through that matter. Make a perfect spy. He just wants a purpose and to be known that he is wanted in the village for a purpose better than being a weapon. Making the village safer, protecting it from its enemies, and ensuring hes strong enough for when we need him."

The Awai turned his head to the window as he figured the young Jinchuriki would march into the streets to do whatever it was he was going to do. You know being blind kinda prevented him from directly seeing it. Hopefully not bury himself in more trouble and citations than one could handle, but hopefully something productive and uplifting for himself. Then the conversation turned back to Fanho's own proposition of leading the search efforts. It wasn't the answer he was looking for, but was close. With a little perseverance he could talk his way into the desired outcome. "You lead a village, ANBU, and help lead council meetings. I do regular Jounin efforts, lead the Katameru, and do ANBU work occasionally. For an aspiring Kage I'm surprised you'd turn down the offer for me to get a taste of your own workload." He grinned as he gave a shrug and sigh of 'oh woes always me'. "However I won't take this as an answer. Its either a resounding yes, or I'll be making time for it anyways and over taking it." He furrowed his brows, and albeit without eyes if he had them he'd be staring down the Hokage himself with unwavering confidence.

"I've fought with an S-Rank Nukenin, cleared encampments of bandits as a fresh Chuunin, taken down a loose Genma, tango'd with an A-rank Missing-Nin as a Chuunin, and am one of the best Fuuinjutsu users in the village as well as the third known Jikukan user. That's not even the end of the list. You bet your sweet ass I wanna stack work ontop of myself til I pass out. This?" He shook his head as a grin plastered his face before staring down the Hokage once more.

"This isn't even the tip of the iceberg for me yet."

[Willoria]

Aina gave Fanho a sad smile as he reached out and took her hand. She returned the squeeze with one of her own, with tears glistening in her eyes as she took a deep breath and sighed, shaking her head. "Some things have no excuse." she said quietly. "Including a Bannin using her full strength against a boy who needed her help." she added, releasing his hand and moving towards the doorway. She leaned against the wall there and crossed her arms, looking down as she listened to the others, including Taiga's rant. She tried not to be insulted by his referring to her as granny, though it certainly gave her a chuckle at least.

But still, she couldn't stop thinking about the part she had played in all this. She turned her eyes to Takeo and looked back to Fanho a moment. "I'll leave you two to it." she said, giving Gene a significant look that most definitely told him he should leave as well, in case the pair needed a moment in private before she looked at Fanho again. "I'll bring you something to eat later, Hanako always hated the food here, I'm sure you'll hate it too. I'll bring you something better." she said, chuckling before turning and leaving the room.

[Legacy]

As he drank in the events unfolding around him Gene was unsure. Unsure of how exactly he was supposed to feel in regards to Takeo's decision in letting Fanho lead future teams after Zakuro, unsure how he could continue vouching for Taiga's stability after what the guy had just pulled moments ago, unsure of why exactly Aina kept staring at him from across the room and for that matter, what he was supposed to take from these passing glances when her eyes were as white as winter snow; in truth, he felt as her eyes looked through his own, blank. Still, somewhere within the confusion he knew that there was something he had been missing - likely something important. But as things were he could only see the mission sure to come and the results that would follow: Zakuro needed to be brought in and quickly.

Only there was just one problem. If Gene had not been sure of anything else in light of everything he'd just heard it was that not only did he not give a damn about Zakuro, but trying to go after him now when Mamorinuku needed more in and out posts, the village itself lacked any real defensive measure aside from the natural forest and some few natural predators, ANBU itself needed reforming on top of a long list of other problems; they didn't have the time to be worried about a brat on a tantrum. Suddenly Gene was irritated. He'd heard just about enough nonsense for one day. "I'd hate to break up the party but..." Gene stood and started for the window, "I promised a student of mine that I'd oversee his training for the afternoon. " And just to think...Fi's more intense than I was at his age... "Fanho, get well soon alright? Lord Hokage-sama I'll be in touch."

After saying his goodbyes Gene was out the window and bounding down the street only to fade into the shadow of an alley not even a second later. There were too many things happening that he couldn't provide an explanation for and that bothered Gene; he'd vouched for Taiga in the past and the guy made him regret it today, once again reminding the Jounin of why he seldom vouched for anyone in the first place. And Aina did little to put his mind at ease either - a line had been drawn for sure. That much Gene was certain of..

[Exit]

[Izanagi]

The atmosphere of the room seemed to almost immediately lighten after Taiga stormed out, the kid really was just a walking ball of anger and tension. Luckily the others were more level headed. Takeo smiled contently as Fanho easily forgave Aina. ‘The kid really does have a good heart’ every time he saw Fanho he had grown stronger and far more mature and though he still felt a sense of naivety from the young man, a certain youthful innocence he could see that much of that was a front. There certainly was an intelligence and an understanding of how things worked within Fanho but Takeo still wasn’t entirely convinced that he could make the hard decisions, the ones that really mattered when the fate of Konoha was at stake. ‘One day' he mused, maybe it would be five years, perhaps even ten or fifteen but there was a belief and a hope that this kid had what it took to fulfill his dream of Hokage. There were few up and coming shinobi that had such aspirations or potential and of the older generation there was only perhaps Shikari who might be suitable for such a position should Takeo be killed in action, a definite possibility considering the way the man threw himself against every high-level threat to the village.

The Hokage furrowed his brow at Fanho’s insight. That was exactly the problem he had with Taiga and people like him. Takeo was the type of man to go to great lengths for others, but they had to put in the effort themselves as well. He wouldn’t allow others to wallow in their own grief or complain endlessly yet do nothing to change their situation themselves. People who made a habit of those traits were toxic and only dragged others down. For a moment he had thought perhaps Taiga had finally shown some growth, had finally taken steps to work on his own attitude and accept help and understanding from others but as usual he had simply stormed off and if Fanho were right he wouldn’t even take any steps towards making any kind of change about his circumstance, only continuing to complain and isolate himself from others. “Some wisdom perhaps…but everything he does he goes about in the wrong way. I can’t condone the behaviour of someone who constantly turns their back on those who wish to understand and then in the same breath complains that nobody understands and that the leaf village doesn’t have support systems in place” the kid was both insightful and incredibly ignorant, it was a dangerous combination. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to attempt to reach out to him…so many have tried and from what I’ve heard he just storms off every time and repeats the same cycle. He seems to feed off of the attention but do nothing to change as a person.” He mused aloud, sighing as he struggled to understand the boy, if he could really be called that anymore. He was practically a grown man now but still had the emotional maturity of a thirteen year old. The Hokage choked on nothing and had to cough to clear his throat when Fanho suggested ANBU, “You’re got to be kidding Fanho. First he goes on to complain about being forced to be a weapon after volunteering to be a shinobi and later a Jinchuriki, even after extensive warnings and you think he would welcome the idea of being a part of a secret soldier organization? He may be hypocritical by nature but that sounds like just one more thing to add to his list of complaints.” he balked, completely surprised by such a bold suggestion.

Fanho went on to state the logistics of Taiga’s suitability for ANBU. “Yeah, sure his abilities suit the job but I’ve yet to see him follow rules or protocol or even work well alongside others for that matter. There’s far more than just jutsu to consider for such an crucial position, surely you can see that?” he retorted, his voice was calm and even for the most part but the confusion in his tone was still apparent. To know he served a purpose beyond being a weapon by being made into the ultimate weapon for the village? Did Fanho even hear himself? “I couldn’t care less about how strong Taiga is. I despise the practice of Jinchuriki. Believe it or not I care far more for his mental health. If he wants to feel respected and valued he should start by looking at the bonds he had with his own comrades. As soon as he starts having real conversations with people instead of lashing out he will have respect and acceptance but only Taiga can change that about himself.” It was clear Takeo was very firm in regards to this belief. It was likely he would seek Taiga out at some point but if the kid simply brushed him off and continued to play the victim his patience and tolerance for him would grow quite thin.

As Aina and Gene departed Takeo would give each of them an understanding nod. He knew he would be seeing each of them again soon. It was finally down to just Takeo and Fanho. Exhaling slowly the muscular man would address Fanho’s request. The bearded man chuckled, “You’ve got a lot of growing to do before you’re ready to be Hokage. Still I’ll leave it up to you to manage your schedule. If you want to shirk your other duties to put yourself on every search team, regardless if any leads come of it then you can deal with the consequences and backlogged work.” The man said, making it very clear that he wouldn’t let anyone else take on his workload unless it was of critical importance. There seemed to be a bit of a problem with leadership in he Jounin ranks, specifically Mamorinuku, with Kazuo also putting many of his duties on hold the village would be under a great deal of stress for the coming months. But if Fanho had so little faith in his comrades to bring Zakuro back alive then that was a choice he had to make himself. The mood lightened somewhat as Fanho listed his achievements thus far, not a bad resume at all though hubris was often one’s downfall. “I expect great things from you Fanho, that’s also why I’ll be putting under more scrutiny than most. If you want to wear these robes one day you’re going to have to do more than just work hard, you have to truly understand the weight of every action and decision you make and how that impacts others and the village as a whole.” He informed, he truly did want to see the young Jounin prosper.

[Director]

Fanho furrowed his eye brows at Takeo's remark at Taiga's behavior. He wasn't wrong, Taiga did have the habit of asking questions but not sticking around for the answers. That or yelling statements without feedback then getting upset. However Fanho was surprised Takeo didn't recognize the fact Taiga was still a kid, albeit a shinobi, he wasn't as mentally mature as the Fanho was or Gene was. In-fact Zakuro was in the very same boat as Taiga, that's why the two could empathize the best. "You seem to forget the fact he lacks the mental maturity me and Gene were born with. He's still a kid at heart, and just like with every good kid he needs nurturing from a figure who can provide it. Kazuo resonates with him because Kazuo doesn't pity him, nor look down on him, but also Kazuo approaches him when he needs it and isn't afraid to literally beat sense in the kid." The Awai chuckled as he laid his head back it slowly turning into groaning from his eyes being sore.

Having your old broken eye balls removed from their sockets was quite pain inducing. However the fact Takeo managed to regurgitate and choke on air at Fanho's suggestion of making Taiga ANBU, the Jounin smiled as he shook his head. "There's more to Taiga than you think, and you took a gamble on me when you made me an ANBU agent. I know you think I'm soft you probably hoped the brutal life of an ANBU agent would help reign me in as I dunno a more efficient shinobi not clouded by emotion." The Jounin smirked as he sighed. He turned his eye sightless gaze towards the window once more as the smirk grew into a smile. "I know you care, otherwise you wouldn't be the Hokage. But even as the Hokage you may seem to forget the words from The Will of Fire. There is Heart which is ones drive to better or defend the village past physical boundaries, but also it means more than that. It means never giving up on bettering someone, which means reaching out even if you want them to change first." Fanho glanced back towards Takeo, albeit he couldn't see him, he knew where the Hokage was at. "Change can't happen unless you get the ball rolling. We can't expect a kid to change if we don't touch his heart, and use our own drive to better him and help him find himself. Nor if we don't reach out and teach him. Sure he's strong headed, but he came around to liking me just fine after I said some things that were very unkind."

Fanho's voice lightened up as he stopped going on about the Will of Fire. It was something that burned very passionately within him. He agree'd the Jinchuriki situation Konoha had used was unethical, and there should be steps to preserve and ensure the hosts would be happy, and also trained properly. ANBU would be a near perfect fit because he could train under watchful useful eyes. "He's not impervious to change, listening, but to him actions speak louder than words. Put aside your own code of conduct, and reach out to him. He needs it whether you like it or not." Fanho furrowed his eye brows at the Hokage. It probably wasn't the best idea, but he felt like Takeo was being a little bit dismissive of Taiga's behavior. One that could lead to another Zakuro situation if left unchecked or taken care of.

The young Jounin looked out the window once more away from Takeo as he spoke about him still needing a lot more growing. It was true, Fanho was only seventeen, and still had more to learn, more to listen to, and more to take in. Wisdom didn't come from age, but experience and understanding. "I know I have more growing left to do. I dislike killing very much so, it seems wasteful at what potential could come. But I know its a necessary evil in times to protect those I love. I'm not impervious to the evil or villainy in the world. But to wallow in grief and anguish over it is when they truly win. To be optimistic, not only hope for the best but fight for it is what makes a true hero." He shrugged as he continued to look out through the window, albeit not able to see anything. It just made for dramatic effect, although he probably just looked dumb. "That's what I hope for Zakuro, is the best. Don't let it fool you that I haven't thought of the worse outcome, I just don't dwell on it, or I may falter in my mission to bring him back."

The Jounin turned back around to face Takeo as a smile grew across his face. "Oh you thought I was personally gonna be on every search team? I can make shadow clones for that, and whenever I don't I have an inner-circle of people I can use. I didn't get to my position by my own, how do you think I survived my Chuunin exam after taking a broken rib?" The young Awai chuckled as he laid his head as his laughter died down a bit. He gave a smirk before nodding. "I know better than to think I can be everywhere at once. I just want to be there to meet Zakuro, and show him that there's always a road back home. That much I can do for a kid who made a poor decision to leave."

[Izanagi]

Begrudgingly Takeo contemplated Fanho’s insight. Unless he was mistaken, the trio were all around the age of 17 or 18. Not quite young enough to really be considered a kid but perhaps just on the verge of being a full-fledged adult. Still, Taiga was at least a Chunin. The same rank Takeo had been at his age and he was certain that he and all those he performed missions with at the time had far more emotional maturity than Taiga. Of course there were always exceptions. “I suppose kicking him around a little wouldn’t hurt” he said with a smirk before running a hand through his hair. “I do want to connect with him. I can sense he has a good heart, he just really doesn’t make it easy, especially with his abilities. Even I would have a hard time keeping him in one place if he really didn’t want to stick around. Still, I suppose I have to at least try.” He conceded. It was often difficult being the Hokage and part of that responsibility was treating every leaf shinobi like family. If it was one of his own kids he would make the time. He would have to do the same for Taiga.

As the topic shifted to ANBU, the Hokage remained firm on his stance. “Fanho, I brought you into ANBU to help you see the full extent of what being a shinobi means. There has to be a balance. I don’t want you to close off your emotions, but you do have to understand the necessity of what ANBU does, even if you don’t like it.” He explained simply, barely brushing the surface of his thoughts on the matter. As Fanho touched upon the words of the Will of Fire, Takeo smiled softly. He was partially insulted by the notion that he had to be reminded but more than that he was proud and hopeful. He chuckled lowly at the idea of being lectured by an injured teenager. “You can be quite wise sometimes Fanho. For the record I’ve never believed that Taiga is incapable of change, but it can be a tricky balance deciding when to intervene and when to trust in others or allow someone to find growth within themselves. It’s not quite as simple as you make it out to be. Even still, I see now that I should step in and put forward my best effort in connecting with him. Thank you.” He said, his expression lightening.

Takeo looked at the young Jounin with a thoughtful gaze. “I’ve met many shinobi who feel the same way as you. I used to dislike killing but I’m afraid I’ve become rather calloused to it over the years, still certain deaths have a way of haunting you. Primarily innocent lives caught in the crossfire or killed because of one’s hesitation or uncertainty. I don’t like to take chances anymore, most often I’ll opt to not leave behind any lose ends or give my opponent a chance to harm others again. Still, I highly value and respect people like you who can see the chance for every person to be redeemed. I do make exceptions of course. Some people do just make bad decisions after all or are forced into crime to survive. I have faith in you to bring back Zakuro and connect to the pain in his heart. As many times as I’ve seen shinobi falter and fall to darkness I still try to hold out hope that somebody can reach them.” He explained, going on a bit of a tangent in his ramblings. The leaf needed people like Fanho with their youthful energy just as much as they needed people like Gene to act as enforcers or those like Takeo who balanced between light and dark.

The Hokage smiled as Fanho spoke of his Chunin exams. “I remember that fight. It was the first time I took an interest in you, Gene and Ko. Your teamwork was a bit faulty but each of you displayed promising talents and a great deal of potential. Taking on two Hyuuga at the same time is no easy feat” he reminisced. “You’d best heal up then. I’ll make sure the doctors give you priority treatment and get you back up on your feet in no time.” He assured, standing as he prepared to head out. He would wait to hear any closing statements from the young man before letting him rest his eyes.

[Director]

Fanho gave a nod. It seemed he touched a nerve with the Kage, which was good. The young Jounin wasn't worried so much about Zakuro as it seemed a given the Hokage empathized with him as just a dumb kid who made a dumb decision. It was Taiga he worried about as it seemed Takeo thought of him as a bit emotionally immature, which while true it just meant Taiga needed more attention than just about anyone else in the room. When the conversation turned to ANBU Fanho waved his hand at the idea of the full extent of what being a shinobi meant. "I appreciate that you wanna teach me Takeo, I really do. Its an honor to be recognized by the wolf-man himself." The Awai chuckled as he continued. "However ANBU just isn't somewhere I feel like I can inspire people so much as in Mamorinuku. It sounds kinda vain, but I wanna give a role model to the village. One they can look up to, and aspire to be as. Its not for the fame, but its for our family, the village."

With a shrug Fanho thumbed over the bed sheets before teetering and tottering on the idea. It was a sort of optimistic idealism that people looked down upon, however it seemed to be the kind Fanho felt the world needed. The same sort of goal of bettering the world. "Don't get me wrong, I dislike killing, but I wish there was salvation for everyone to become better. Hell, even Saigo one of the most notorious missing-nin has turned a new leaf. That's a sign that not everyone is impervious, but there are those clouded by their own misdeeds and evil they may never reach that point." Fanho balled his hand into a fist gripping the sheets in anger at the thought of those who wouldn't ever change, and would rather see the village or even the world reach the brink of destruction than become better for the sake of it. "I'm not above doing what's necessary, but it doesn't mean I still don't harbor and cherish these thoughts that hopefully I can save everyone. The moment I lose that, I've lost entirely."

With a grin Fanho glanced towards the Hokage, still blind but knowing he was there. "Some can call it blind optimism." He said fluttering his eye brows at the fact he was blind. "I just consider it hope. Hope for a better future, hope for all, and hope to protect what we love." He chuckled at the mention of his Chuunin fight before Takeo making his way to exit. Fanho laid back down as he sighed. "Just make sure the hospital cafeteria is at the top of its game. That's about all I ask." He laughed as he waved Takeo good bye.