A Step in the Future [Anbu Prep Thread]

[Texas]

It was late at night, most Anbu were either out on missions or with their families. For the time being, Tenzin wanted tonight to be an empty base for his meeting with Takeshi. It had been a while since they have truly caught up and at this point, only a few people were trusted with the information he was going to relay. The clearance requirements for this information was Captains or higher... which literally meant Takeshi, Taiga, and Fanho. The project Tenzin has been working on has been something that was a result of the previous war. Tenzin's conclusion was that he simply didn't understand his own power and figured it was time he made some drastic adjustments to the way he tackles combat. Unfortunately, his knowledge and capabilities was limited by time and experience. So in order to reset that, he had been conducting experiments and locking himself away to study different research projects. This research and experiments resulted in a large understanding of the world and his own limitations.

Tenzin had put a request for Takeshi to meet him in the medical wing of the Anbu Hideout. It wasn't large at all and since Tenzin was one of the few with medical experience, he would find himself there more often than any others. The medical center was very small, white everything, and extremely clean. There were two hospital beds and cabinetry filled with all sort of different types of medicines. The equipment were usually in containers below the cabinetry, with the heart monitors next to the beds. The area felt more like an operating room than a doctors office, due to the potential for emergency surgeries if needed. Tenzin himself had used the medical center to test out a few theories of the human body. The test subject was his old assistant that became paralyzed after the war. However, this was not about him.

The white haired shinobi stood in the medical center with his arms behind his back. His back was facing the entry way and the man had arrived, waiting for Takeshi to walk through the doors. Hopefully Takeshi got the message and would arrive any minute. If Takeshi was to knock, he would be greeted with a "Come in". Regardless of if he knocked beforehand, when Takeshi would walk in, Tenzin would turn around slightly and nod to the white eyed viper. With a slight head nod he would great the young man who had grown up in the shadows similar to himself. "Hey there Takeshi, it has been a little bit hasn't it?" Due to their schedules, and missions, the only time the two have interacted recently were through messages. With the war as well, they both were especially busy establishing barriers and reinforcing the Land of Fire from the shadows. They didn't have as much time for pleasantries in the past. So this was a great excuse to catch up on the past and prepare for the future. The shinobi would eagerly await his response.

[Izanagi]

Takeshi sighed one last time before entering the Anbu compound. He was sure he was going to be given a stern discipline. Or at least he felt like he might have deserved it. He had only been a captain for a week before the news broke that his father and brother had been killed and his partner captured. After that he had 3 weeks off, or at least on light duties. He couldn’t help but keep up his training routine and had insisted on coming in when Chikara had been interrogated about Noeru’s whereabouts. Given expected emotional distress and his official status as on leave, he hadn’t been allowed in the interrogation room itself, only guarding from outside. But he had seen Fanho and Hayate enter, two people that he knew had been close with his father.

It didn’t seem fair. That they would be allowed to confront one of Iwa’s co-conspirators, but he could not. Rescuing Noeru was an ANBU matter, and naturally Takeshi wanted vengeance against anyone that was complicit in his families deaths. He had been angry, even after the funeral of his father. It had been held in late November on the day of the ‘Embers of the Will’, and Takeshi couldn’t help but feel his hatred towards Iwagakure and Kirigakure grow as he spent the day in mourning alongside his mother and his sisters. And when he returned to duty the following week, that anger only felt more focused. He had grown stronger in that time, his connection to the legendary blade he bore felt almost perfect. But he had also slipped up almost immediately. Tasked with observing other clan half breeds like himself, Takeshi had been followed by a pair of Genin; Nara Shiroyasha and Inuzuka Kitsui. And ultimately they had been deemed talented candidates to bring into the ROOT program.

But Takeshi still felt embarrassed by the fact they had followed him to one of Konoha’s hidden tunnel entrances. It would have still been nearly impossible for them to find their way to the headquarters itself, even if they tracked his scent but a failure however slight still sowed the seeds of doubt in his young mind. He wished Aiya was here too. He had always thought the towering Ibakuro woman would make captain before him, but somehow Takeshi had managed to greatly outperform his other teammate. Perhaps that was simply the genetics and drive of someone born from two Bannin parents.

Within the Anbu compound it wasn’t required to wear one’s mask, and so Takeshi simply wore black clothing and his Anbu vest and guards along with his standard equipment as he approached the medical room. He knocked twice, and opened the door when he heard the commander beckon him in. The Hyuuga dipped his head, his dark brown hair tied into a tight ponytail. “Captain Tengu, reporting for duty. Sir” he stated rather formally as he stood stiffly at attention. He noted Tenzin's relaxed demeanor and unerstood that as a sign to be at ease. Relaxing only slightly, the young man nodded curtly. "Yes sir, it has" he reponded simply as he awaited further elaboration. At 18 years old, Takeshi had grown into a tall frame, his body lean and muscular. In a few short years he had become a proper soldier. And he was still eager to prove himself and reach greater heights yet. He was a Special Jounin now, but he knew everyone in the village expected him to become a Bannin one day. His mother had one so at only 18 and his father not until he was 30. But they were each legends in their own right and Takeshi intended to surpass them both. But he didn’t seek public recognition, he was content with his work being done in the shadows. Whatever it took to keep Konoha safe and secure and to wreak havok on those who would threaten them.

[Texas]

The silver haired man did a kind smirk, only lifting up ever so slightly the right side of his lips. He was proud of the progress Takeshi has gone through since their initial introduction where they were sitting at a ramen shop with him and his sister. Tenzin would gaze upon the white eyed captain with his own turquoise eyes. before addressing him as the man he has become. "I'm glad you came here promptly, we have a lot to discuss. In the coming times, I am going to heavily rely on you in order to not only defend Konoha but preserve our future." Tenzin would turn around again as we walked to the other side of the medical facility touching the wall ever so slightly. He would lean over towards a microscope that was resting on one of the tables. There he would put his eye down on the ocular part of the device. This microscope had 4 adjustable swivels that could change the clarity and zoom into separated cells. However, this device was not a true microscope. After moving the swivels to it's right spots, the wall near it would slightly move out a couple of feet. It was enough to squeeze through for both of the shinobi. "Come" he would say slightly as he squeezed himself through.

As he entered the black room, he would wait a couple moments for Takeshi to follow. The shinobi would continue. "What I am about to show you will be knowledge only three people have." With his final words, the automatic lights would activate showing the small encased room. The room itself was a 24x24 box, but was littered with massive wires, shelves, but at the other end was a large cylinder full of water and what appeared to be a naked body floating within it. "You see Captain Tengu, I will be out of commission for a little bit and don't plan on taking on the role I have for a while.... if at all." Tenzin had figured that the Anbu had prospered before him and would prosper after him. He would continue to operate within the Anbu, but his leadership role wouldn't be something he would pursue. "As you are aware, the last battle we engaged in did not end even remotely favorably for us. In fact, fatality wise, we took most, if not all, of the reproduction's of a battle we borderline should not have been involved with. Yet, we didn't know this kind of attack was possible and with lack of experience we lost a lot."

Tenzin would turn around to face Takeshi while lifting up his right arm to show the body floating in the cylinder. "I have been working tirelessly to make myself a different asset to Konoha, one that would not be defeated as simply as I have in the past." Tenzin would put his arm down and fold both of his arms right below his chest. The body floating resembled Tenzin when he was younger. If Takeshi was intuitive enough, it would look as if this body was either a child of Tenzin's or an exactly replica.. as if it was a Clone. "We have a strong Banin who will be hopefully joining our ranks and helping with certain aspects of the Anbu. While I prepare myself, I will simply be out of commission." Tenzin would then take a step or two closer to Takeshi before continuing. "This is where you come in. It is no secret that this War is far from over. Based on the strength of Iwa they will most likely make it to the village of Suna... if that is their plan. When that time comes, I would like you to be involved. Most likely the Hokage won't want to burden other shinobi within the village, but we can't have another Hokage fall victim to a war not about us. That is your first directive." Tenzin would then lift up his right arm, but rest it on his left arm that was still folded. He would then lift one finger up with his right hand and swiftly lift up his middle finger resembling the number two before continuing. "The second directive is to strengthen the Anbu from within. I have seen you have done well with recruiting a few shinobi within the ranks, I think based on your progression, you would make a great example and candidate to lead these Root Operatives into full fledged Anbu Agents."

The silver haired Banin would then put his right arm back down and continue to have them folded. "I of course will still be around and you can lean on me for any knowledge or advice you seek. However, as far as physical support you will be on your own." Tenzin would stare directly into Takeshi's eyes. The gravity of this information was heavy and Tenzin wanted to make it evidently clear of what was going on. "Before I continue, you can ask me any and all questions now."

[Izanagi]

The young captain's head dipped in acknowledgment. He felt it in his soul. It was his time to step up. Both his father and elder brother had been killed and his mother had isolated herself from the world. There was no telling if she would even survive her grief. It was up to him now to live up to his potential. “I understand. I’ll train harder” he gritted his teeth, his chest tight with the weight of responsibility and grief. At 18 he was a man now and he needed to act like it. He would allow his pain to fuel him and consume him, honing it until he became one of the strongest shinobi Konoha had ever known. His thumb toyed with the garnet inlaid against an ancient rune inscribed steel that wrapped around his index finger. The Legendary Evil resonated with the similarly adorned sword at his hip. The man who had once wielded this ring had murdered his ‘aunt’ but now it was his to command, and he would use it to seek vengeance against all those who had wronged Konoha. This was the only path that mattered.

As the hidden room opened, the white-eyed teenager’s brow furrowed. It was no easy task to hide anything from his Byakugan, but he supposed it shouldn’t be surprising that the Anbu commander kept a few secrets away from prying eyes. He squeezed through the narrow entrance and took in the sight of the large room as it was illuminated. “Impressive. I had no idea” he said in awe as he observed the laboratory. Of course, what stood out most was the test subject. A teenage male, that bore a striking resemblance to captain Sasaeru. ‘A younger brother or a son?’ he surmised at first. It was hard to believe that Tenzin Sensei, the kind academy teacher most knew him as, was cold enough to experiment on his own relatives in such a way. But then, Takeshi knew what it was to have to present a mask to the world. There were some things Anbu operatives did in the shadows that others could never justify. All of their hands were stained in blood, one way or another. All for the glory of Konoha, so that others might not have to suffer. He dare not ask the details, and so he remained silent and allowed his mentor to explain.

Takeshi let the weight of the commander’s words sink in. He was going to relinquish his leadership position? Surely, he didn’t mean to hand the title over to Takeshi. Firstly, it was a brief of protocol. Commanders were chosen among existing squad captains and voted on. At least this was the tradition for the last 25 years since Takeshi’s own father had led the organization before becoming Hokage. But secondly, Takeshi knew he was not ready for such responsibility. He simply didn’t have enough experience to lead on such a scale. But as far as he was aware the only other captains were Yoru and Noeru, the former who had already relinquished the title of commander once and the latter who had been captured. There had been others over the years, but like his father’s bodyguard Awai Masuru, several other captains had been slain throughout the war and then the Iwagakure invasion of Wind Country. Truthfully, Anbu was currently the weakest they had ever been. And it seemed likely they were hanging on by a thread before the 18th Hokage; Awai Fanho, cut off their funding.

The teenage captain dipped his head, angry hues of violet deepened throughout his milky white eyes. His fists clenched and his jaw tightened. He, least of all needed reminded of the toll they had taken recently. And he didn’t forget that Tenzin himself had left his father to die at the hands of the Tsuchikage. ‘Your lack of experience’ he glared toward his mentor. The 17th Hokage was perhaps Konoha’s most seasoned warrior, if lack of experience was a factor then it was only his allies who would have held him back. But so too did Takeshi know that it had been decades since Takeo had been considered Konoha’s strongest shinobi, the years had taken its toll on him and the old hound had refused to adapt to the way this newest generation fought and the sheer scale of power they now possessed. The days of traditional shinobi were over and in this modern era those with unique abilities and the most advanced equipment reigned supreme.

Takeshi scowled, his nostrils flaring, but he attempted to swallow his contempt and respond curtly. “Some of us lost more than others” he averted his gaze, focusing on the ‘new asset’ his commander spoke of. So, he had recognized his own weakness and aimed to make amends by creating something stronger. Whatever it was it seemed to share Tenzin’s DNA one way or another. The captain’s eyebrow raised at the mention of another powerful Bannin joining their ranks. Konoha had more than most villages, but it was still a shortlist. Only a handful of possibilities, and certainly an intriguing revelation. Perhaps this mystery Bannin would become the newest commander of Anbu. It would either be them or Yoru stepping back in to take the reigns, certainly. But perhaps Takeshi’s own vote would be a deciding factor on which it would be. While he respected his uncle Yoru, there was a great deal of bad blood after the man had went rogue and stolen a Byakguan. Initially Takeo had placed Takeshi within Anbu to keep an eye on Yoru in case the man intended to betray Takeo again or otherwise proving to become a threat to Konoha or the Hyuuga clan. But there was another man Takeshi respected, a certain Bannin he had trained with years ago. Perhaps fate would bring them together once again. “Is it your intention for this Bannin to lead Anbu?” he considered. If Tenzin wanted him to vote for him or intended to bypass the vote entirely, Takeshi wanted to know now.

The young operative fell silent and listened dutifully as his next mission was laid out. Anger churned within him once again. He felt a deep resentment toward Sunagakure, and wished to have nothing to do with the village after the losses Konoha had suffered defending their lands. During Soul country, Sunagakure had failed to even send forces to support Konoha against Kirigakure and Iwagakure, and even during the war it was once again Kumogakure, not Sunagakure that had come to the rescue and driven out Kirigakure forces from Fire country lands and even Konoha itself. No, those sand scum were no friends of Takeshi, not after Kiyori had died and her children had distanced themselves from her legacy. Once close family friends, the bonds between the children of the now-deceased pair of Kage had been long severed. And with it, Takeshi’s last ties and sense of loyalty to the village hidden in the sand. “I will protect the Hokage with my life. I would never abandon Fanho. That much I swear. But with all due respect, sir. If it were up to me, I would leave Sunagakure to its fate” he spoke brazenly. It seemed Tenzin’s days as his superior were numbered and his respect for the man had already been waning after recent events. “Understood sir. I will train my squad. Shiroyasha, Kitsui, and Nakano, into strong Jounin, should they have the potential I see in them” he vowed. Of course, that was dependant on him surviving the defense of Sunagakure should Fanho accept his assistance. If not he would turn his attention fully to training his team until they could stand as his equal and work together seamlessly. He nodded curtly once more, “Understood” he responded, aware now of exactly what was expected of him. These were objectives he felt confident he could handle. “Only one question sir. What is the status of Noeru and Aiya? They would be invaluable in training our ROOT recruits” he asked apprehensively. His squadmates were the only ones he had ever felt truly connected to and in synch with. They would be a perfect example of what teamwork could achieve. But Aiya had been away on solo missions over the last few months and Noeru had been captured by Setsuzoku. Before Takeshi’s leave there had been talk of a rescue party being sent to retrieve him.

[Texas]

The silver haired man was looking directly into the white eyes of the Hyuuga offspring. It is without question, this once child eating ramen with his sister, has turned himself into a rapidly growing village asset. Maybe Tenzin shouldn't have spent all of those years wasting away teaching in the Academy. It had turned his approach softer and it seemed he had become harsher over time to compensate for that. Regardless, the shinobi was calculated in his words for multiple reasons. He wanted to see what made Takeshi tic. He clearly had an anger and hatred within him that was a boiling pot.... when would it tip. Could he stay cool under circumstances not catered to his comfort level?

Truth be told, Tenzin was thrusted into this position, but by the looks of it Takeshi was indeed going through the right motions in establishing himself. Although he was potentially the next line up, he was just a little short of becoming the commander. The other man joining the ranks would not be ready to be a commander... he acted and operated more like a lone wolf. Tenzin wanted to address the immediate questions before clarifying on what he meant with his previous comments. His body language shifted slightly in a way that had him lean a little bit to the left. "Firstly, you will find out soon enough, but the Bannin potentially joining us will not lead, he more or less will be on his own. Nor would it adhere to the rules of being a Commander to have someone with no Anbu experience or votes to lead." The silver haired shinobi would shift his body before continuing, leaning slightly to the left. "As for Aiya and Noeru... Aiya is still around and if willing, could easily be added to training. As for Noeru, he will not be allowed to leave the village for a long time. We will have to do a lot of..." Tenzin tried to find the right words for torture and counter interrogations, "debriefings with him until we know what information he gave the enemy and what happened to him on the battlefield."

The shinobi would shift his body to the right and pivot his feet so that he could look at the Clone floating in the medicated water, while still having his body face Takeshi. Although, the man might not care, he did want to express his deep sorrows in the best way that he could. "Look Tengu, I am not proud of my performance on the battle field and I will be haunted by the results for the rest of my life. If I were you, I would despise me and I don't expect your opinion to change. Just know what I am going to do will help ensure that this will not happen again and allow me to truly right the wrongs in my ways as not just a shinobi, but a warrior." Tenzin would turn his gaze back to Takeshi. He didn't expect a reply, he didn't even expect anything positive to come from it. The ocean filled eyes that stared at Takeshi, just wanted him to know that he knows deeply his errors and only wishes to rectify it.

After a slight moment of silence or a response from Takeshi, Tenzin would address a few things that might have slipped him up. "I hear you about Sunagakure and quite frankly I agree. I care very little for Sunagakure as well, however.... This war that started as a tragedy can turn into opportunity." Tenzin would rest his arms down and cross them behind his back. His true intentions were coming out and at this point, Tenzin had nothing to lose since he already was planning to take a back seat to the Anbu. "I think what Sunagakure has to offer us is its assets. They have clans, hidden secrets, and even Jinchuriki's residing in the village that.. if Iwa is successful, could potentially have access to. My goal is to get more intel on Iwa, intel on Suna- Especially if they are going to be occupied. Most importantly if during the chaos, if we could obtain information to empower Konoha... we should." Tenzin already tried to set up a site for Jinch hosts and clan leaders to go within Fire Country. Which would give them easy access, however because of his vague request, Fanho shot it down. Tenzin would lift up his right hand as if to say stop. "Mull over it a little bit before completely denying the idea." The man had a feeling that Takeshi would see this as a waste of time.

Tenzin would finish off with some words, to see reassure Takeshi but also set up the future of Anbu. "Like I said before, I will still be around if you seek guidance. Regardless of if you respect me or not, I won't full abandon my underlying duties. What you do with his Root squad will directly reflect your capabilities as a leader. Do what you will with that information."

[Izanagi]

The mixed blooded Hyuuga couldn’t hide a slight smirk as Tenzin spoke more on this mystery Bannin. He was sure from that description he had figured out who it was. Nikuya and Hayashi had already had stints in Anbu and the latter of which certainly had leadership potential if he decided not to retire after all. Takeshi had taken the liberty of looking through the files of some of the strongest shinobi in Konoha after returning to duty. If not either of those two, and neither the former Hokage or the current one for obvious reasons, then that left only Taiga. For he knew his mother was not in any kind of mental state to join Anbu anytime soon. “Then it must be Sarutobi Taiga” he deduced, thinking himself quite clever, though in reality it was fairly obvious. He possessed the skillset and the reputation for being a loner who didn’t conform to traditional authority. If this newcomer was being given special authority to act on his own under the protection of Anbu, there was nobody better for the role.

The young captain nodded, grateful that Aiya would soon be available. He would reach out to her at the earliest convenience and reassess her skill level. Once she had been his team leader, but he suspected that his recent surge in motivation had allowed him to surpass her. And then there was Noeru. Another flash of anger better contained this time, as he realized his best friend and teammate had already been recovered successfully without him. And not only that but he was being held for interrogation before he could even welcome him home. Just what had happened to him during his weeks of captivity? “I want to see him” Takeshi demanded sternly. “I should have been there to bring him home” he said, speaking softer as he conveyed a more meaningful look rather than one of contempt. He knew he had been grieving and on leave. He knew the protocol and that he had been considered a potential liability. He had his mothers temper after all, but also his father’s loyalty to his comrades. He would have done anything to bring Noeru home safely. And he hated himself most of all for being deemed too weak, either physically or emotionally. It was his greatest failure yet, a stain on his impeccable record to be forced to sit out when it mattered most to him.

Even after recovering 2 of the 5 legendary weapons of the world by himself, ranking top 3 in the B-rank category during the Iron Banner festival and completing every mission he had been assigned he still wasn’t deemed ready to potentially confront S-ranked shinobi. They were in a completely different league and that was the only standard that mattered to him. The Hyuuga’s gaze shifted downcast as he thought about his father’s death. “It’s fine. I’ll become stronger than you ever were. And I don’t need your help to surpass you” he gritted his teeth, though his stomach churned at the realization of how he was speaking to his superior. His fingers had drifted toward the sheath of his sword, tracing along the black material. Perhaps Yoru would take over as commander in the interim, but Takeshi would not be long behind. He didn’t have it in his heart to forgive Tenzin, nor himself for that matter. If he had only been stronger he could have been there, perhaps he couldn’t have saved his father against the might of the Tsuchikage but he could have at least fought alongside Yozei and Noeru.

Exhaling slowly in a long hiss he steeled his emotions, balling his hand into a fist as he thought about how much harder he needed to train. Not just himself but all these new recruits too. His brow rose in surprise as he heard Tenzin speak about Sunagakure as an opportunity. Takeshi had largely been trained by Yoru within Anbu, seeing Tenzin as a secondary instructor and the softer of the two. He was honestly surprised that the man held such a practical and calloused attitude. Perhaps that was the burden of responsibility when one became a Commander and realized the weight of what Anbu truly was. The young man nodded to himself and then finally met his superiors eyes once more. “You’re right” he admitted. He had let his personal feelings blind him to Konoha’s best interests. They couldn’t afford to let their enemy’s gain Sunagakure’s Jinchuuriki, Kekkei Genkai, or other valuable resources. It was bigger than whether or not they deserved their help. Konoha couldn’t afford not to take an interest in the conflict. Still, he wasn’t sure they were strong enough to face Iwagakure, and to invest in a losing battle would only make them the next target in Iwagakure’s campaign. They needed to train and bolster their strength, double down on their alliance with Kumo and prepare their own defenses, not make the same mistakes as during the war and overextend their troops fighting in foreign lands. “We can’t let Iwa gain Suna’s resources. If the battles turn for the worse, securing key assets and ensuring the Hokage survives are all that matters” he determined, agreeing with Tenzin’s stance. Still, it was easier said than done. The logistics were complicated, but now he understood his mission entirely. “I’ll see it done. Am I dismissed? I have a lot to prepare for” he said curtly. Standing just 2 inches short of his superior, Takeshi met the man’s gaze with renewed and focused determination.