Chain of Command [Private]

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

"Please call in Ayumu Kogami for a meeting in my office for lunch." Haruka commanded leaning over the intercom to connect with the downstairs front desk. She found the machine to be awkward. Much less secretive than her crows and couriers, but probably more convenient. Her birds didn't have much knowledge of the ANBU head quarters, nor were her spies allowed near there on her order. She tried not to overstep her boundaries as a spymaster back then. It was much simpler being Raikage. Any request could be made and any task handled. All too simple. As she sat back in her chair, she wondered just what kind of life she preferred.

Not that it mattered. She was confined to this role now. No turning back. The people had picked her over the War Hero and the Miracle Doctor. She wasn't special. She still didn't understand. Why her? The gods played a cruel trick perhaps. Or maybe they were bored up there in their sanctum. The Shima daughter, destined to be nothing more than a quiet housewife, had become the fiercest embodiment of ice and the new Raikage. What a tale to be told long after she was gone. Perhaps it would inspire many who's stations were far below what they dreamed to be.

She pulled back, resting again the swaying office chair. One more meeting. Day after day. She wished she had gotten to know this life a little better as Sennin, but she'd make due with what was given. She needed to stop being so withdrawn. Haruka was finding it hard to trust again in these days. She felt so lonely like the cold face of a mountain. How many looked at her with jealousy or contempt? She didn't really want the answer.​

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu was currently within the Sileo Tempestas which ironically made it easier for Haruka's message to reach him. At the moment he was busily writing a report about a bust he had led on some bandits' base out in the countryside. It was good timing that Haruka had decided to plan the meeting when she had. He had only arrived back in the village the day before. Being the Sennin meant less time being sent out of the village on missions, so now that he was just an ANBU Captain he had to get used to traveling when there weren't always the greatest accommodations. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy that to some extent, though. As he lifted his hand from the page before him, having penned the last line of his report, a messenger approached him.

"Kogami-san?" the messenger spoke to get Ayumu's attention.

"Yeah?" Ayumu responded, looking up from his page.

"The Raikage has requested to meet with you in her office for lunch," the messenger informed Ayumu. Ayumu nodded in compliance and the messenger departed, leaving Ayumu to considered why Haruka was calling him. She had mentioned talking to him some time at their last meeting, but he hadn't thought much of it at the time. Now, however, she was the new Raikage. The title carried more weight than her last, to say the least. 'Hmm... well, only one way to find out what she wants,' Ayumu thought as he folded up his report and slid it into an envelope. He would need to drop it off on his way out of the Sileo. He stood and took his sword from its place leaning against the table, sheathing it at his side where it belonged. Ready to head out, he made for the administrative offices before leaving the ANBU's base of operations.

A short while later he arrived at the Torre Celeste where the Raikage's office was held. He had become intimately familiar with the building when he held his own office within. He also needed no directions to Haruka's office having been to the Raikage's office a multitude of times. He entered the lobby and waved at the receptionist who he recognized, walking up. She recognized him as well and knew of his meeting with Haruka, so she waved him on to proceed. He nodded and went on his merry way to the elevator. A few minutes later he was at Haruka's door. He knocked on the door and awaited her reply before opening it and walking in. There she sat, Shima Haruka the new Raikage. He hadn't expected her victory, but was not bitter about it. She would do a good job at it, or she would eventually be removed. He had faith the former would be true. For now, it was time to find out what she wanted.

"Raikage-sama, good afternoon. You called?" he said in greeting, pausing a few feet from her desk and standing with his hands folded behind his back. He hadn't spoken to her since her coronation, so he wasn't sure how much she might have changed already from the position. Hopefully she wasn't mad that he had specifically told her he was voting for Saito before the election. Truth be told, he had voted for them both in the end once it was revealed they could choose two candidates. He doubted she cared much about that, though.

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

"Ah, Kogami-Sama, good afternoon. Thank you for your punctual arrival. I have other meetings after this so its important I stay on schedule. I'n afraid I cannot be a gracious host and offer you anything to eat for lunch, but I'll be very brief." She stood as he entered, so as to stand on the same level as the man. Pacing out from behind her desk, she walked a few files across the room into a cabinet before turning to him.

"This may seem sudden, but I am in need of your help. You are the only one I see qualified for such a task at this point in time. I want you to be my sennin. My main branch sennin that is." She paused. Her cold hard stare studied his face. She interrupted any sudden doubts he might pose as her voice became softer. Soft like a quiet fire. The light shone in her eyes, glimmering with a sort of kindness she barely showed others.

"I know that ANBU is very important to you, but at this time the main branch is failing without leadership. As I was supposed to be its leader, I've left it floundering without a successor. The last time you became a sennin was during a time of decline in ANBU. I watched as you brought life back into its forces and I see it thriving now more so than my branch. I need you to breathe that life into main. We have the numbers but we do not have the initiative. We need structure. We need unity. I trust you. I know you can do it and I'm asking as both Raikage and Sennin to help me." She seemed very earnest in her request. Main branch was probably the most important thing to her. After all, it gave her a new life. It forged the shinobi she became. She couldn't let the memories of her loved ones die with her failure.

"Its very important to me." She admitted, her hand finding its way to her heart. A hand that guarded the precious thoughts of her division and of all the wishes her predecessors had for main.​

[MFT.336]

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Haruka, haven risen to her feet already, greeted Ayumu, lamenting that she couldn't provide lunch or much in the way of formalities. 'Oh, damn. I was looking forward to the Raikage treating me to lunch. Ah, but I miss the restaurants around this building,' he thought as she began walking files across the room. Naturally she was very busy, having just entered the position of Raikage. Who knew what kind of things Shin had left behind for her to deal with? She probably had her hands full at any given moment. Ayumu wouldn't doubt that she was working on very little sleep, at that. Without waiting any further, she immediately delved into the reason for calling him to her office. She needed his help, apparently. At first, it seemed to him like she was going to give him a team and send him on a mission. To be fair, he wasn't that far off. Only the team was much larger than he imagined and the mission much broader in its scope.

"Sennin - of the Main Branch?" he questioned. She gave him little time to say more. Of course she anticipated his trepidation for her proposal. He had been in ANBU for years now and was comfortable there. More than that, it was important to him. There he had been trained to be the caliber of shinobi he was. He had worked under both Masao and Rin there. For a couple of years, it had even been his branch to lead and take care of. He had many friends in the branch, although many of them were lost to him as was the life of an ANBU. Haruka continued, giving her reasons for selecting him. The Main Branch was without a successor to take the helm with Hikari retiring and Haruka taking the seat of Raikage. This was partially why Ayumu had initially intended to commit his sole vote to Saito. Apparently she felt that he was the only one she could turn to for this position. Sure, there were others in the branch that had potential. He had heard of some of them himself. Often, rank was the problem in those cases. So it fell to Ayumu, if only because he was a former Sennin.

Ayumu was silent for a moment as he digested what had just been asked of him. She had asked, and not ordered. That implied that he had a choice and he assumed that was not just an illusion of choice. It would be difficult and strange to leave ANBU. Some part of him had missed Sennin and wished to return to it, but this was by no means a way he had envisioned it happening. It was reminiscent of Masao leaving ANBU to become Sennin of Main. Ayumu understood at the time, though there was a small part of him that slightly resented it. He knew that it was for the good of the village, though, which was more important than what he liked. Just like the situation he was in now. The whole time he had been considering this he had remained all but motionless with an unblinking expression. At last, after but a few moments of silence he blinked, and smiled.

"Of course, Raikage-sama. I accept your appointment. This will make twice now that Senninship has been thrust upon me when I least expected it, but I'll rise to meet the challenge. I'll take care of your branch, rest assured," he responded, agreeing to take the reigns of a branch once more. This was certainly not something he expected when he walked into her office today. It was going to be interesting to tell Kahako that news. More importantly, he had to figure out the best way to delve into this new position. He had been in the Main Branch for many years of his life, but it had been a minute since that time. Things were certain to have changed drastically. He needed to speak to someone who knew the branch well.

"I'm going to need someone to bring me up to speed with the branch as quickly as possible so I know exactly what I'm dealing with. The Main Branch Sennin is supposed to have a Hand, if I remember correctly. Is that position filled currently?" Ayumu asked, wondering who would be in the position if it was in fact filled. If someone was to fill him in on what he needed to know about the branch, that seemed like the appropriate person to do so.

[MFT - 756]

 

[Sanageyama Masaoko]

"Excellent." She spoke. A visible shift of tension to relaxation bloomed on her face. Haruka sighed outwardly as her shoulder slackened. It was just one more stone lifted. A heavy burden to bare being a Raikage. Being anyone of this village, really. Days were tough enough, but now she had to deal with the serious lack of man power. Not to mention a divided government, but at this point the Shima had no grasp of the situation. Not enough to deal with it anyway. She leaned forward, rigidity returning as he addressed her once more.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Our former Hand, Narashi Jo, has returned to his post. He might not be as much help as you hope since he's missed much too. The two of you can work together though. If you have any questions, please come to me. I'm fairly busy but its never too much to help out a sennin. I deeply care about my comrades in Main, Kogami-Sama. Please treat them with the same passion I had hoped to if I had been their sennin." Her voice lowered in volume, almost as if she was embarrassed to be so soft in front of the new sennin.

"Oh, a few more things... Both Tanaka Hikari and myself had agreed that Shinomiya Masaru shall be our new ambassador. He is very young and not ready for such a huge task alone. However, we are in dire times so it must be pushed upon him. Please watch over him carefully. I specifically trained myself to be my successor of Main branch. One day, I hope to see that wish come true. With your help I am sure my cousin will become the shinobi I hope him to be." Her eyes shimmered with distant fondness for the child, like a mother getting misty eyed over the thoughts of her child's former days. He certainly had grown. It was almost to the time when he would no longer need her.

"Spymaster is a tricky situation unfortunately. I am unsure what to do with the division. I have no one to lead and most operatives within the branch work only for me in my private network. So, with the transfer of my title, the division finds itself lacking again. It is my thought that perhaps we shall collapse the division for a while and let ANBU handle such matters. I leave that decision to you." Change. The path corroded. New directions and sights. Where does the road lead?

"If you have no other questions, I shall call this meeting to a close. Thank you for your loyalty. Truly. The village still stands because of shinobi like you." She smiled. Thoughtful dark eyes focused on his face. Her words meant so much more than he could comprehend, but the feeling still there for him to grasp. If only by a thread...

"You know where to contact me."​

​

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[mft. 485]​

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

In response to Ayumu's question, Haruka provided a familiar name, Narashi Jo. Ayumu had heard a few things about him, and they had met briefly on the mission to Tenouza where they ended the Kingslayers. Unfortunately it seemed he might not be fully up to date on the branch either. However, Ayumu was sure that if he had obtained the position it was probably because he was very capable. He would need to meet with him soon to discuss things. For now, he needed to collect his thoughts and do his own research on the state of the branch.

"I'll meet with him soon," Ayumu said before Haruka continued. She assured him that he could come to her with any questions about the branch. It was clear from the way she spoke of it that she loved the Main Branch almost as if it was her child. Ayumu nodded in reassurance. He had no intention of taking on the new position half-heartedly. It didn't matter that he had been gone from the Main Branch for years. It was now his branch for however long he remained Sennin and perhaps longer. Before Ayumu departed, Haruka had a few additional things to speak to him about. She spoke of a boy named Shinomiya Masaru who was lined up to be ambassador. If both Hikari and Haruka agreed that he should be the one, Ayumu had hopes for him. Hikari in particular was a fine ambassador when she held the position. Furthermore, Haruka had hopes that Masaru would one day become a Sennin of Main. Ayumu couldn't help but wonder what the boy had done to earn such high hopes, but he would reserve his personal judgement until he knew more of him.

Haruka continued on to speak of the position of Spymaster, her previous position. This time she had no clear candidate in mind. In fact, her opinion of what to do was to at least temporarily disband the division and leave the spying to ANBU. As the former ANBU Sennin, Ayumu knew that ANBU held its own vast spy network which he had maintained while he was Sennin. They were certainly capable of handling that area, although perhaps it was because he was former ANBU that Ayumu was inclined to keep some contacts of his own all the same. Having a few spies keeping an eye on things didn't hurt a Sennin, no matter what branch they headed up.

"That may be wise, I'll think on it," Ayumu said vaguely in response. Perhaps she would understand his intention as the former Spymaster. She opened the floor for further questions, but he had none at the time. She offered him some kind words with a genuine expression as she called the meeting to a close. In her eyes he could see the burden that had been placed upon her. She was doing her best, and so too would he with his new position so that she would not have to worry.

"I have no further questions, Raikage-sama. Congratulations on your new position. I know you can rise to the occasion, and I'll take care of your branch so that you can without any lingering concerns," he said in response, returning his own smile to match hers. He spoke confidently, no trace of doubt or worry in his voice. Unlike the last time he had been named a Sennin, he felt much more prepared this time having come with experience.

"I'll see you around the tower, I'm sure. Enjoy your day," Ayumu said in parting as he turned and left her office. There were so many things to do now. This had changed the way he was planning his day drastically. He would need to inform ANBU immediately so that is duties could be relegated elsewhere. He couldn't help but wonder what they would think. Shashu in particular came to mind. How would she take his departing to another branch? He also had to wonder how Kahako, his lover, would take the news. Unfortunately this meant they wouldn't work as closely given that he was no longer part of the branch the Sentou Henkan, her division, worked with. She also would probably be none to thrilled with the prospect of danger that Senninship brought with it for Ayumu. He also needed to schedule a meeting with his Hand and make numerous decisions for the branch that had been delayed by the election.

'Why was I wishing for this back, again?' Ayumu wondered.

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