Fill out to damn thing already!

[Shinrya Kahako]

Silence filled the room as Kahako beat a training dummy into submission. She purposefully avoided applying chakra into her moves, knowing that if she tried, she would have broken it long ago. There were no words that could really describe the revelations that occurred naught but a few days ago. Well, maybe ‘shit hitting the fan’ would have been an accurate term, but Kahako would have never said something like that out loud.

She continued to punch the dummy silently, applying a kick here or a swing there. She had many things to accomplish upon her return to Kumo, and now seemed like a good time to completely ignore her personal issues and dive right into them. Though the Sentou Henkan had been established since Kushin’s time as Medical Sennin, they had done little to the betterment of the ANBU branch they were to support. And with yet another new ANBU Sennin, Kahako barely knew what would happen to the subdivision. A meeting would be in order soon enough.

Then there was the matter of the medical branch itself. Quite frankly, it felt as if they were losing staff faster than the academy was gaining students. And with the current emotional turbulence that was happening between her Sennin and herself, it would be a good minute before they could naturally be unified in thought. Which was going to be needed to ensure the current structure of the Medical branch remain intact. “Shit,” Kahako cursed silently, punching a part of the wooden dummy particularly hard and breaking off a piece in the process. She walked around for a second, shaking the pain away from the off-centered punch. Clearly, Kahako was not throwing herself into her work hard enough. Her emotions were still affecting her.

Rarely did the mednin chief curse, but she remembered something that was severely important. Leaving the training room, Kahako walked straight to her office. Once there, she wrote two notes, sending one off with a form via messenger, and walking up a flight to Kitsune’s office to leave the second there. Kahako found herself less inclined in the most recent days to write a proper letter full of the usual formalities, so the contents would be short and to the point.
[spoilername="Front of letter says- To Ketsueki Satou"]You fool! if you haven’t already, fill this out and return it before you get us both in serious legal trouble. It’s difficult enough to keep you off of the executioner's checklist as is. Come to me if you have any problems.

Attached:

Shinrya Kahako
Medical Chief of Kumogakure and Head of the Sentou Henkan[/spoilername]

[spoilername="Front of letter says- Kitsune-sensei"]Okaa-sama,
I would like to formally inform you that there is a Kinjutsu user in cloud who I think may not formally registered with the branch. I have been residing over his physiological state for a few years to confirm that Ketsueki Satou is a Jinchuriki. From my studies, he seems to have been like this since birth, only recently tapping into the powers and the instability that comes with it. I have requested that he submit a form to me at the soonest and will send it your way for review once I receive it. He is the demon I spoke with you about before.

Also, I plan on arranging a meeting with the newest ANBU sennin in the next few days in regards to our relationship with the branch. I will inform you of the result of this thereafter.

Shinrya Kahako
Medical Chief of Kumogakure and Head of the Sentou Henkan[/spoilername]

TLUS and MFT

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

As Kahako put the letter on Kitsunes desk, Kitsune herself warped into the room, expecting it to be empty, yet finding her adopted daughter. Well this is awkward Kitsune thought and swiftly tied her jacket closed, as underneath was only the bare necessities, as Kitsune had intended to change into her work clothes in the office. ”Afternoon, Kahako-chan.” she said, in an attempt to be cheerful despite the previous days turbulent moods and happenings. ”You look like you’ve had a productive day of training.” she added and stepped over to her daughter, placing a hand on the wrist of the arm Kahako had used to break the wooden dummy, and then applied healing chakra to it.

”Is that better?” she asked as she finished healing the arm, so Kahako should be entirely pain-free. As for how Kitsune had noticed the miniscule injury? Well, she noticed slight twitches of the fingers, and figured a nerve had gotten stuck or a muscle had been pulled. Even if just slightly. ”So, what’d you come here for~?” Kitsune asked, knowing that Kahako usually had a purpose when she came to visit. Sometimes it was talking, sometimes it was work, and this time it seemed to be work.

Kitsune noticed the envelope on the desk and picked it up, opened it and read the letter within. ”Ketsueki-san, your demon, is a unregistered Jinchuuriki? Good grief. You know he needs to be registered.” Kitsune said, using the Medical Sennin boss-voice, rather than the usual bubbly Kitsune voice. ”About that meeting, I’ve been planning the same thing, actually. So we might as well have the meeting together. I’ve also been meaning to talk to you about the requirements for the division, as I feel they’re too lax, currently. If they’re supposed to be the elite that takes care of our elite, they need to know their stuff.”

She paused and looked Kahako in the eyes. ”And while I have you here. I’d like to make a formal announcement…” Kitsune said and pressed record on the nearby tape-recorder ”I, Shinrya Kitsune, Medical Sennin of Kumogakure, hereby declare you, Shinrya Kahako, second in command of the Medical Branch.” she said, then hitting stop on the tape recorder and ejected the tape, so she could have Hanako make two copies. ”If something happens to me, you’re in charge here.”

[Also using Snapshot to record this event]

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

A knock on his door, no, not his door, the door outside his door. The front door, a blink of his eyes before his feet were moving. He stood before the front door with a sighing breath. Opening it to look down upon a mortal who was startled by the sudden appearance on the third knock. What more the messenger began frantically handing the message over that it fumbled, the mortal apologized then took off running while screaming. The demon stood in the doorway, half awake, half realizing he was still wearing nothing but socks.Yet fully not caring as he picked up the letter, checked the rest of the mail. Of course waving to the neighbors, then heading back inside before one could blink away the image.

The demon sauntered back down to his room, throw on some clothing and read the letter which came attached with some form to fill out. An old fashioned quill and ink jar by his bedside table as he writes on an old piece of parchment that looks ancient for his return letter attached to the form.

Spoiler

Can I have that list? I've been looking for something fun to do.

Name: Ketsueki Satou
Date of Birth: ???/???/???
Sex: Male
Bloodline: ????

Common name of Kinjutsu: Jinchuuriki
Method by which the kinjutsu was obtained: Scrambling around in my brain with Kahako-chan. Was rather fun.

Body parts/Bodies used in conjunction with Kinjutsu's Origin: I find this rather funny to be on the form.
Name of contact who can verify: Shinrya Kahako

(Signing and writing his name at the bottom)

Once finished he got himself ready and was out the door in a few breaths. Running, fast. Faster then what the humans he passed could visibly see. All but a blur and a lingering dread in the air. Once at the Offices, He passed by so many mortals, the gentle throbbing hearts by his side with every few steps. His mind racing as every beat his mind flashed the image of him taring into those soft flushed necks. A sinister smile on his lips as he paused before Kahako's Office.

His mind went blank for a moment, a deep breath. No, she was not in there. His head slightly tilted down, eyes closed. Breathing in softly, trying to pick apart the many scents these mortals left from hers. Where are you?

The burning in his throat, how many hours was it now? Was it really bothering him at this point. His hand was shaking a bit, just the smells coming as far as here, what was a man needing such a drought now. I need to calm down, water, just some water. His lips chapped a bit as he looked for a nearby fountain to drink. After wetting lips, mouth and face. a Bit more calm, less shaken. If he continued like this, wondering if chaining himself home would be a smart idea. No, I can do this. I'm in control.

He smiled, his eyes lied of course, but the mortal look in them came through as he walked slowly about the halls. Trying to sniff out the smell of Kahako's blood. Giving in to the urges, just to get closer. He wasn't sure if leaving this form out in the open in her room would be a good idea. Seeing as people wanted him dead so badly. At that thought of pacing about, he wondered if the village felt fear yet of him.

Could he destroy this place? Most certainly. Maybe even at this moment. The very thought, it did'nt seem appalling to him. If Kahako ever had the whim, or even the words to whisper then she wanted any poor soul in this village to die, Satou would be more then happy to oblige. But could Kahako ever commit such an evil act?

He was able to find out where Kahako had run off too, in fact not rather far. But all that pacing? Did he just zone out again. It felt much longer then the distance when looking back. Satou felt sick at the sight, a mental laugh in his mind he did'nt wish to hear. Shaking his head as he walked up the stairs, closer he drew the stronger the scent. But stopping halfway up the stairs as a girl in long bloodied robes stands before him, her hair a long tattered mess and her face for what could be seen was caked in blood.

The sight did'nt appall but rather sent a shock through him, what happened next he would have never thought possible as the girl leaped onto him, sending him falling backwards down the stairs as the two of them struggled against one another. The girls cloths,body and even her hair touching his skin felt real. It was when he hit the bottom of the stairs, that the shock turned into fear as the girl latched onto his neck, feeling her teeth, no, she had fangs like his own. Piercing the skin as pain shot along his neck, trying his best to quickly pry her from his body, feeling her drink more and more and more of his tainted blood. The world became blurred and spinning till she let go and pulled away.

He could feel the heated warmth spilling from his neck, her straddled over him, her hair parted, she looked young, like a porcelain doll. A face so perfect yet marred and caked in the demons blood, her soft petite smile showing her fangs ever so slightly as she whispered. "Thats a good pet, feed me more Satou. Your master is very hungry." She bent down low once more, baring her perfect set of incisors." Again the rupture of burning in his neck as the girl fed, he felt too weak to push her off. How long did this go on for, he couldn't tell. He had blacked out after the second wave of pain.
At the bottom of the stairs Satou laid unconscious, his neck slightly torn open as if some creature had gnawed his flesh and was bleeding out on the floor. Along with other nail and bite marks along his body beginning to show and bleed. A personnel wasn't far away when he saw Satou hit the bottom of the stairs and had start yelling for help.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Slip in and slip out, that was the goal of her plans just now. To just walk in, hope that her teacher wasn’t there but keep the meeting short, and walk out. And her goal had almost been accomplished, had it not been for Kitsune’s ever so convenient ability to warp herself from her bedroom to work in the split of an eye. What salarymen would give for such a convenient ability.

Unfortunately for Kahako, she turned just as Kitsune was wrapping her jacket closed, seeing just a little too much of her teacher than she ever wanted to in a non-medical environment. Kahako averted her eyes, not out of embarrassment but to give her sensei privacy. “And to you as well… Okaa-sama,” Kahako said calmly. She moved slightly out of the way to allow room for Kitsune to walk around her desk. But instead of walking around her student, she reached for her injured hand to heal it. That small contact caused confusion to stir within her. Kahako still felt she was in the right when she spoke to her sensei last.

But why did she feel a little… guilty? She mentally shook the feeling, stuffing it away under the thoughts of work. “Yeah, it was an incorrectly place punch,” she replied as she pulled her hand away, wiggling her fingers and fist to inspect the newly knitted muscles underneath. “Thank you,” she said softly as she let her hand rest at her side. ”So, what’d you come here for~?” Kitsune asked, knowing that Kahako usually had a purpose when she came to visit. “I wanted to turn in a letter to you, letting you know of a Kinjutsu user who may not be on our list.” Kahako started. Allowing what was written on the paper to explain fully for her short visit.

”Ketsueki-san, your demon, is a unregistered Jinchuuriki? Good grief. You know he needs to be registered,” the Medical Sennin boss-voice, rather than the usual bubbly Kitsune voice. “That’s why I’m telling you now. It’s not that I’ve been hiding it. Before I classified him as only having a demonic bloodline. I could not completely, without a doubt, confirm that he was a Jinchuuriki until recently.” Kahako responded in truth. To falsely accuse someone of being a jinchuu was a dangerous game to play.

Kahako listened next to the matter of the Sentou Henkan. Also to the announcement that Kitsune felt was necessary to record. Kahako had to blink a few times at the announcement of the position of second-in-command. She bowed just before Kitsune turned off her recorder. “Thank you sensei,” Kahako said, clearly surprised by the turn of events. She knew there needed to be someone to take over the branch from Kitsune eventually, but she did not expect her teacher to name one so soon. Or to give it to her student for that matter. She mildly wondered how many people in their branch would whisper favoritism in Kitsune’s choice. No matter, Kahako would prove that she earned the title, favoritism or not. “I will promise to make those before me proud,” she said just before the recording stopped. Kitsune set it aside, the matter closed as quickly as it was opened.

Kahako nodded. “I agree with you about the Sentou,” she spoke of instead. “The division has been laid to the wayside for too long, and I think it’s time I begin to whip it into shape.” Tenacity grew in her voice at the excitement of the thought. “Though, do you think it wise to come along for the initial meeting?” Kahako asked. It took her a second to realize that was maybe an insult. “I am sorry, I did not express that correctly… I mean, with the current situation of the village, I wonder if the ANBU Sennin would keep things… professional and on the matter of the Sentou in your presence or if he would veer to the past.”

Kahako sighed, and rubbed her temples. That still sounded a little like an insult. “In truth, I do not know this ANBU Sennin, and for all I could know, he could really not care about what happened. But if we are going to discuss future cooperation with the ANBU, I feel it must come from a position of both power and trust. Trust with the ANBU branch is not easily earned nor kept, and it is nearly impossible to regain after it is lost. And we do not know if it is lost. Of course I will report to your immediately and for the future meetings I would have no worry about your attendance,” Kahako ended. She did not say this as an insult to Kitsune, but out of the sincerity of wanting her division to work with its best foot forward. She only hoped her boss saw it that way, because it only sounded worse in her mind.

But just as she listened to Kitsune’s response, a message came in both to Kahako’s headpiece and Kitsune’s desk. A code of urgency, someone fell down the stairs and was bleeding profusely at the neck. They carried paperwork with Kahako’s name on it. “I’m headed there now,” Kahako said with entire seriousness. She was already halfway out the door when she spoke into her earpiece. She didn’t have to go far to hear the urgency of the staff and feel the tell-tale presence of one Ketsuseki Satou. Her pace quicken at that moment, now praying that Satou did not just decide to have an afternoon snack in the middle of the shinobi hospital.

But when she saw the medical staff begin to put him on a stretcher, pumping healing chakra into flesh that was seemingly being torn away as quickly as it was being healed, Kahako could only take a loud and quick breath through her teeth. One that Kitsune would very much hear. Utter fear for his safety spiked through her body, causing Sukino’s spirit to feel the same. A blue glow of chakra ignited around her form. Dancing like fire, but with no presence or control. The feeling lasted less than a second before her ‘mednin’ kicked in. “I am here, did anyone see the attacker?” Kahako said as she approached his limp body on the gurney. Immediately she made signs for a more complex healing jutsu, placing it on his neck. She watched as his naturally fast healing closed the bite wounds on his arms only to to have more be placed over them. Each bleeding profusely.

“We don’t know, the person who found him said he was the only one on the stairs,” Came the response of a nurse. The small entourage began rushing to the nearest empty room. “What kind of jutsu can do this?” Another whisper from someone else. “Shinrya-san… why are you glowing?” yet another asked as she felt a presence slowly back away. Medical staff flocked to and fro around the man, some trying to stop the marks from continuing, others trying to obtain his vitals. “If he wakes up, everyone is to back away from him immediately,” Kahako said, taking in the relevant information and ignoring the questions. He could be volatile in this state, ready to rip whoever did this to him a new one and taking out someone by accident.

Her mind was turning at the possibilities. What was important was to get the bleeding to stop. To get him stabilized. She did not immediately know of a genjutsu that could create physical wounds, but that was what it seemed like with no apparent attacker nearby.

And then she remembered. She was nearly strangled to death when she resurfaced from Satou’s dream. Could his memories do the same to him? Was that even possible. “I need a sedative. A strong one, one that would stop dreaming completely and blank out his mind," Kahako said as they reached the room. She looked up, locking eyes with her adoptive mother. “I think I know what is going on.”

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

”Well, that changes matters. I’m glad you’ve handled your job well, then.” Kitsune said and nodded. Then Kahako thanked her for the sudden promotion ”I trust you’ll do well. And if anyone claims I selected based on family, rather than skill, you prove them wrong, got it? I know you’re the most skilled chief we’ve got on staff currently, no one’s denying that. Junko on the other hand… He’s only just gotten a promotion to chief, and even then, it was only because a regular mednin couldn’t be head of a division…” she said, trailing off after that, before clearing her throat.

”You think the leader of the branch shouldn’t be present when the meeting involves a crucial divison of said branch?” Kitsune said, raising her eyebrow. ”This is about the future of the division. Not my past. I have faith that he’d keep things professional.” she continued and folded her arms, ignoring the fact that Kahako had basically insulted her own mother. ”However, if you feel so strongly about it, I’ll let you handle it on your own. I trust your judgment, and you haven’t let me down in the past. Do the branch proud. One request however. Make sure all your division members know the Snapshot Jutsu. It’ll be useful to review mission logs when you can actually see what went on. Both for you, and for me. I mean, I have to do performance evaluations.”

Kitsune gave Kahako a smile and then asked ”During your latest research trip, did you by any chance go visit-…” but was cut off as the message about someone bleeding profusely at the neck. Kitsune exchanged looks with Kahako and rushed off with her to see what could be done. What in Raidens name could’ve caused something like that? And who the heck would attack Satou like that? Kitsune scratched her head, unsure what to think right now, but decided to assist Kahako however she could, given that she knew more about the patient than Kitsune ever would.

[MFT; WC: 336]

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

Feeling weak, light headed, everything fading into a black as he tried to keep eyes open. Keep awake. But eyes had begun to roll back, fighting to stay conscious and keep control. His body convulsed fighting back the spasms and not thrash about wildly. No get away from me. He knew she was right there by his side, why wouldn't she? He could feel himself slipping as he fought to get the creature off of him.

The girl was a young women, her face looked weathered yet porcelain like molded from soft clay, smeared with his blood as she looked into his eyes.
Everything was within, he knew this wasn't real. In his mind he took hold of her and tried to pry her but her hands death gripped around his throat. His body unable to move. "You are getting weak my pet, I've taken so much and still you struggle. Give in, become one with it for me my sweet. Eat these humans, you can smell them can't you? So many of them, their hearts beating so loudly in your ear." It was true, he could hear the quickening breaths of humans beside, no, around him trying to heal him. And more he felt her teeth into his skin. Bleeding ever slower now as he looked deathly pale from blood loss.

Slowly the wounds around his neck came to a stop, leaving a massive collar of around his neck scaring over as they healed. In his mind she simply laid with him, her small dainty hands playing through his hair as she whispered into his ear. "I've made you look fetching again my sweet pet. I've drank my fill. You may go have your meal now yes,yes. Eat them all." She giggle, vanishing from existence in another blink of the eyes. His eyes opened with a empty look in them.

His chakra suddenly erupted from his body throwing back anyone who did'nt have a sturdy physical fortitude as the Omega Cloak bursts from his flesh rapidly. A thinned black ink like chakra slowly began to crawl along his body starting from the midsection. It looked to engulf him. His face contorted in a mix of falling unconscious and back to pained, open maw snarling like an animal and letting out a yell so deafening it shattered any glass within several rooms of this one through an upward weaker demonic howl. He tossed and turned, holding his midsection, trying to keep it all in.

Keep calm, stay calm. Don't look at them, don't breath, don't move. Stop thinking. Stop. He tried steadying himself as the darkness shrouded up his neck and almost covering his face. His bloodshot ember eyes gazing at all the people in the room. Resting them on Kahako as he was fully sitting upright closest to her. But the many smells, sounds, so hungry.

His body moved slowly, but his powers were moving faster as invisible hands grabbed the other staff members. Kitsune felt that dark embrace, like someone hugging you but no body touching flesh. Kahako could feel the demons invisible hands, how quickly would these hands turn to fists or claws and tare through flesh. The chakra swelled and ebbed through the entire room as it reach the door and threatened to leak even further.

Yet, there was no more then this, the man stood beside Kahako. His body being consumed by the mass of chakra, looking upon her with sad eyes. Raspy and dried voice as he tried to talk, voice distorted as one could hear something in the back trying to pull through. "Sorry, about the damage. Don't heal me, Lock me up." He then moved with every last bit of will power he could control his limbs with, smashing himself into the nearest wall head first.

Cracking his cranium against hard plaster and whatever else supported the wall with such force he almost put himself through it. His head bouncing off with a violent jerk as the chakra dissipated immediately and the demon was unconscious on the ground. A wounded dead looking sort of man, a nice gash on his forehead opened up and bled slightly as the wound slowly tried to heal but not much strength was left in him.

In his mind he laid in a dark room, a cellar, chains, so cold on his skin. Yet he felt warmth, her soft flesh against his. Her mouth upon his neck. So familiar. Who? She was by his side, playing through his hair with her small hands. "Why don't you eat them my sweet pet? Are you not hungry? Do you crave Master's blood so much?" The slender creature smiled a pair of pearly white fangs. "Master will take care of you my sweet pet, drink." She bit her wrist, heated red spilling forth onto his lips, mouth opened to drink the sweet bitter taste of her blood as it filled him and took the cold away. A euphoric dream of swirling and spinning as Satou laid unconscious and did'nt appear to be waking any time soon less somehow brought out of the concussion.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

It had been less than week since Ayumu and Kahako had gone through a heated argument over her attempts to help the demon possessed Satou. Since then, things had been tense. They had seen each other a few times, but it had been awkward. Neither one of them wanted to fight, of course, but neither had changed their mind on the subject. In the hope of breaking that tension, Ayumu had planned to visit Kahako at her office today. He had even gone so far as to purchase flowers to show his sincerity. Entering through the sliding doors of the front hospital entrance, Ayumu strolled up to the front counter and waited in line to speak to the receptionist. He wasn't in any big hurry. Clearly there were people here on more important business. As he stood, third in line, he stared at the flowers, wondering if Kahako would accept his peace offering. Did she hate the tension as much as he did? It wasn't meant to be, though. Things were going to get even more complicated today. As Ayumu stepped up to the counter at last, commotion could be heard in the distance.

Ayumu looked in the direction the noise was coming from. Suddenly, he felt something. A familiar aura of the demonic variety. One which he had felt not too long ago. 'Satou,' Ayumu thought, suddenly wracked with concern. He looked at the receptionist briefly and then took off running in the direction from which he was now hearing screams. The demonic aura intensified as Ayumu could hear a howl and the sound of glass shattering up ahead. 'Shit...' Ayumu cursed, picking up the pace. If it was at the hospital and it was Satou, Kahako was definitely involved. Had he finally lost control? How many people would be injured before Ayumu could get there? Moments later, a loud thud ended most of the noise just before Ayumu arrived at the scene of the commotion. He quickly looked around, assessing the situation as the flowers dropped from his hand.

There was damage, though not as much as Ayumu was anticipating. The force of Satou's howl had knocked over some hospital gurneys and shelves. Papers were strew across the floor from patient files blown across the hallways. Some of the onlookers were on the ground having been toppled by the force of the howl. One wall had a large wound in it the size and shape of a head. Satou was on the ground, a bleeding gash on his head which fit nicely with the hole in the wall. Near Satou, two Shinryas were present- Kahako and Kitsune. No surprise there. He expected Kahako, and Kitsune would obviously be drawn to such chaos occurring in her hospital. This was the second time Ayumu had witnessed Satou partially lose control, and it was worse this time. Now he had caused a scene. People had seen him lose control. Questions would be asked that wouldn't be so easily dismissed. Kitsune probably wouldn't be too thrilled about the damage to the hospital. The only solace was that it didn't appear that anyone was hurt, but Kitsune was probably none too pleased with the damage to the hospital. Ayumu closed in on Kahako and drew close enough to speak in a hushed tone. "What the hell happened?" he whispered, although he suspected that even she wasn't quite sure.

[MFT 565]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

There was no time to react. One second, Kahako watched a nurse slip an IV into Satou’s arm, idly wondering how strong a dose of sedation would be needed for a Jinchuuriki. The next was a surreal moment of being airborne along with the closest of the staff members. She landed hard as her head and back ricocheted against the wall like a tennis ball upon impact. She had naught but a moment before the massive scream for Satou being wrecked almost the entirety of the floor. An instantaneous ringing reverberated through her mind as if she just came out of an explosion.

Then there was the pressure. His demonic aura grasped slowly at her body wanting nothing more that to consume her. Kahako met Satou’s sad eyes, ones that were apologizing to her… as if he failed. She just barely registered his words before he flung himself head first at the wall, nearly smashing into the next room.

Slowly, she stood. Somewhere in the distance, machines beeped frantically. A body stood next to her, mumbling words that she still had trouble comprehending as she slowly stood. Mednin and staff alike groaned as they themselves recovered from the blast. So this was the power of a Jinchuuriki. “Is everyone alright?” She asked first, looking around to see the extent of the damage. Upon cursory glance, it looked mostly like the wind had been knocked out of those that flew. One person supported a nasty gash to their arm, apparently from hitting the corner of a table during flight.

Kahako first looked for her sensei, unsure what happened to her mother in the chaos. When she was confirmed okay, Kahako looked to the person next to her. The one who spoke words earlier she didn’t quite catch. “Ayumu-kun,” she whispered softly. She was quite surprised at his sudden appearance in the hospital. In those few short moments of eye contact, her eyes spoke volumes to him. She was shell-shocked and slightly scared. Stunned both by what just occurred and what Satou did to stop it. Satou!

Shakingly taking a step forward, Kahako dug the man out of the rubble and laid him straight on the ground. The bleeding to his head was clearly a danger to his life, but in this moment he left her with no choice. “Get me a SSJ and a room prepared in the mental ward.” Kahako managed with defeat fully in her voice. The chakra she supplied this time was not to heal him, but to keep him submerged.

///one to two hours later///​

<i></i>

Kahako sat slumped in a bench just outside Satou’s room. Her head throbbed as she held it in her hands with her body slumped forward the blue glowing long since passed now that Satou's aura was its normal eerie feeling. Per her orders, the demon was completely outfitted with one of the hospital’s chakra sealing straight jacket, along with a good dose of sedative that would keep a normal shinobi out for hours. Now, she sat nursing a nasty headache and mildly wondered if she would have whiplash in the morning. She knew both Ayumu and Kitsune sat or stood near her, but had a strong suspicion that neither had very many words to say to each other.

She just finished filling in Ayumu about what happened just before he arrived. Now she thought on what her next steps would be. “There is something in his mind that is causing this,” Kahako continued, “I am unsure what it is, but I believe it may be a fragment of a memory he uncovered that acted as the catalyst. This is the first time he openly attacked innocent people, and it clearly wasn’t of his own free will.” She said as she rubbed her temples. Thank Raiden for the little control he held onto in those last few moments. How much longer did she have before his luck ran out?

Her head ached more. The back of her head was going to have a nasty bump on it the next morning. She allowed a minute for them to ask questions, where she actively answered to the best of her knowledge.

But the truth was, she couldn’t keep him in the hospital for the rest of his life nor in this state. It was a waste of resources to keep him subdued, and at some point a superior was going to decided that he was not worth the risk. That was… if the two before her hadn’t already come to this decision already. One solution presented itself to her, and she mildly wondered if either would be willing to listen.

“I want to take another walk through his memories,” Kahako announced as she looked up to both of them. She knew immediately that Ayumu would object to this idea, “It was how I learned that this was a Jinchuriki. The last time we did this, he had a better level of control afterward. When he tried to approach the memory alone, it came to him as confusing and in parts. This will literally continue to tear at him until the memory is settled, and who knows what will happen if he has another episode.”

But Kahako remembered the last time she traced through a dream. If it weren’t for her body’s natural ability to heal, she would have died. Whatever was doing this to him was far more dangerous than before. “I do not want to go alone,” she admitted. “What happens in the dream, becomes a reality. Not just to Satou, but also to the one walking. If you are injured there, your body faces the same injury” Once again she laced her fingers together as she pondered her next move. Would she be given permission to proceed? Would either of them agree to accompany her into the unknown?

She waited to see.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune shuddered at the feeling of Satous dark chakra and looked to Kahako to see what she’d do. Ordinarily, Kitsune would’ve gone into command mode by now, but this was Kahakos patient, and as such, she would be the one to handle it. She would assist where Kahako needed it, and otherwise let her be in charge of the situation. ”I see the might Kogami-kun has deigned to join us.” Kitsune said, shooting at disdainful glance at Ayumu. ”To what do we owe the unexpected ‘pleasure’, in the middle of this minor crisis?” she asked him and handed Kahako the straight jacket she had requested right after grabbing it from a nurse who held it out.

[Later]

While Kahako was explaining things to Ayumu, Kitsune would stand, leaned against the wall opposite her adopted daughter, and wait. Surely Kahako knew something, and it was just a matter of time until she’d spill the beans. Unfortunately, the arrival of Ayumu meant he had to be brought up to speed for some reason, despite having no affiliation with the branch what so ever. ”Well if it’s something in his memories, why don’t we either lock them away, or set things straight in his head?” Kitsune suggested and looked at the two.

”If we can’t straighten things out, we’ll have to do something else like solitary confinement until we can actually help him. Because he can’t stay in the hospital forever, what if his chakra runs rampant again? I know our chakra suppressing straight jackets are pretty powerful, but I’m fairly sure a jinchuuriki like Satou could overpower them in a manner of minutes if he set his mind, and demon, towards the task.” Kitsune said, trying to figure out what they could do.

”Perhaps a chakra suppressing seal would work for containment? It’s a temporary measure, but we have to figure out how to keep him here and not out there, hurting people.” But then Kahako spoke of walking through Satous memories and explained how she had done it before, and that she’d prefer to not go alone.

​

Kitsune took a deep breath, then nodded. ”I’ll go. You’re my daughter, and my subordinate. If you require assistance, I’ll lend you all the assistance I can give you.” she said in a firm tone, fire burning brightly in her eyes. This was a Kitsune that wouldn’t take no for an answer, and woe to the person that tried telling her no. She was going, Kahako was going to get the help she needed, and that was final.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu's question about what happened was met with stunned silence from Kahako, who for once seemed unsure of Satou. This was, however, exactly what Ayumu had been worried about happening. Demons were malevolent creatures, and if Satou had one inside of him it was going to cause trouble. It was a tale that repeated itself since demons had first gotten the idea of possessing humans. For now, Ayumu followed Kahako's lead and accepted her silence as an answer. The question of what had happened had been mostly rhetorical anyway. It was plain enough to see for the most part. He helped her pull Satou away from the damaged wall and lay him on the ground least covered in debris. Finally speaking, Kahako gave out orders requesting something with an acronym Ayumu didn't recognize and a room in the mental ward. It wasn't the Tarterian Specus, but it was better than nothing. It was deemed safe enough for people like Shima Ai, so hopefully it would be secure enough to keep Satou there for the time being. Ayumu was just glad that Kahako appeared to realize that he was too dangerous to keep in a normal patient room.

As they awaited the straight jacket, Ayumu glanced over the man laid out on the floor. He could see odd bite shaped scars around his neck. They had healed over, but the not entirely dry blood around them marked them as fresh. Ayumu looked up as he heard his name, turning to see Kitsune making a snide remark while handing Kahako the straight jacket. Ayumu rolled his eyes and went back to inspecting Satou. It wasn't surprising that Kitsune was salty. The last time they had spoken she had given her confession that would likely result in her losing her position as Sennin, at best. Ayumu had some choice words for her then, but that was over with now and this was more important than trading petty remarks with her. He simply ignored her and helped with getting Satou on a gurney while the Med-nins outfitted him in his straight jacket.

[Time Passes]

After a brief explanation, Ayumu was brought up to date with what had happened just before he had arrived. Satou was found by medical staff having been attacked. But it hadn't stopped there, something continued to attack him despite being unseen to everyone but him. Being pushed to his limit, Satou lost control of his chakra as it erupted from him causing most of the damage and commotion Ayumu had heard on his way. Ayumu had spoken to a few of the spectators who had described feeling as though invisible hands were grabbing them and an immense feeling of dread. Then, in a moment of clarity, Satou struck his head into a wall to knock himself unconscious and spare everyone from him losing further control. It was an admirable act. Satou clearly didn't want to hurt people, Ayumu could see that. Unfortunately, it wasn't entirely up to him as long as he shared his body with a demon and this one seemed to have a firm hold.

Kahako continued, explaining her theory that something in Satou's psyche was causing him to lose control. The demon came to mind, for one, but apparently it was more complicated than that. Whatever it was, Satou was being attacked by it and that was a catalyst for him going crazy for sure. In the meantime, this only made him more dangerous than ever. Kitsune was quick to suggest the idea of locking him up if they couldn't do something to stop what was happening. She realized that this was about more than their personal desires in this case. Satou was dangerous, and if he were to be able to roam the streets of Kumogakure again after this people could end up hurt- more so than what had happened today. Finally, Ayumu and Kitsune agreed on something. Naturally, Kahako was not ready to concede to such an idea, though. She wanted to enter his memories once more, insisting that the last time had helped Satou gain more control. This time, she didn't wish to go alone. Ayumu sighed as Kitsune quickly jumped on board, insisting that she would go with Kahako.

"I can't change your mind about this, can I? I know I can't... and they call me reckless," Ayumu said, shaking his head with a defeated laugh. Technically Kitsune was still Kahako's Sennin and Satou was their patient. If this was a "procedure" that they wanted to go forward with, it was their call. 'Kitsune was right, though, Kahako. I understand you want to help him, but he's dangerous. Not just to you, but to innocent people. Surely after today you can see that. By the end of this, if we can't guarantee he won't lose control again... I don't think we can continue to ignore the threat and let him walk freely around the village. If he can't be held securely here, the Tarterian Specus might be the only option. We would keep him separate from the other inmates, of course... and if you wanted to keep treating him that would be your prerogative. But for the safety of everyone else, this is something we really need to consider," Ayumu said, his voice very insistent. Even if Kahako protested, Ayumu had seen enough today to know he couldn't let it change his mind. He dropped his head and ruffled his hair slightly in frustration.

"That said... if you're going in there, I'm going with you," he said, looking up with determination at Kahako. This seemed like the best way he could protect Kahako while still allowing her to place herself in danger. If he couldn't stop her from risking it, he would be there with her to make sure things went as smoothly as possible. As much as he and Kitsune didn't get along, he was happy to have her along as well if it meant Kahako was that much safer.

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

Waking up to the warmth of the padded room, his head resting on the ground. Eyes trying to focus in the dimly lit room. Everything was fuzzy, as if film placed over his eyes, limbs were numb. He could feel his toes wiggle, they had kept him in his cloths, but took anything he could use to harm himself. His arm were bound, it was apparent when he tried to scratch his nose. He felt so under that it was almost a strain to sit upright. And the straight jacket, he could feel it holding back the immense chakra inside. Like a cork on the bottle almost.

"Not quite." Came a voice beside him, Satou tried to turn his head slowly, to fast movements made him sick. It was sitting there, the monster itself, a humanoid form in cloak of abysmal chakra, its head an amalgamation of things trying to form into something but never complete. "You have not been completing what is needed of you." It's voice was smooth, somber and had a deep tired feeling on each breath it gave with invisible mouth. "You do not spread the evil which has grown in you for over a thousand years. You have not fulfilled the contract." The creature of chakra sat upon his bed, of course no natural eyes could see it from the room window. Satou talking to himself.

"I won't let another bare your evil, this I will take to my final damned breath! Never another!" He yelled at the invisible entity. Yet the demons soft laugh only gave Satou chills. "You think you have not tried to corrupt before?" Once more, he felt warm arms around his neck, soft lips against his skin and a soothing female voice whispering in his ear. "You gave me your sweet blood, made me just like you my Pet." Satou shook the arms from of him. Yelling and cursing at nothingness, looking quite mad.

The young women, so pale and perfect slender creature sat in the lap of the monster that sat on Satou's bed. The man who sat on the floor, pushed himself weakly to the corner farthest from the bed. Trying his best to ignore their words. "So hungry aren't you my sweet pet? You know their outside the room now. You can smell their sweet blood pumping through them. You should latch onto the first one you see." Her arms were around him again, her soothing and soft voice in his ears. Her fangs nibbling at his neck as she giggled. Satou quaked and shivered laying unmoving even when goaded to act on his demon nature now. Everything throbbing.

Blocking two entities voice's echoing into his mind. He laid there, listening to the murmurs behind the closed door of his room. Just the cracks underneath spilling enough sound he could make out three different voices. "Do they plan to try something?" He whispered raspy as he forced his limbs to at least keep him sitting up.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Kahako rested her nose on laced fingers, listening to both Sennins’ opinion on the matter. “Locking his memories away is what began this mess.” Kahako said in response to Kitsune. “It made him even more unpredictable than he is now. Added to that, he couldn’t even remember why he locked his memories away. It would only be a matter of time before he sought them out again, and that could be hundreds of years down the line.” Kahako sighed, the events of the day making her weary. “A seal might work… but we are faced with the same problem as with a straight jacket” she trailed off, considering the possibility. “He may just end up breaking it.”

It was Ayumu’s defeated tone that brought her eyes up from the opposite wall. He once again iterated the dangers of the demon, suggesting the Tarterian as the best option to hold Satou. But in the end, he agreed to go with her and Kitsune. Her eyes grew solemn. This would be the second time Ayumu went against his moral compass for her compassion for a monster. It would probably be the last.

“Thank you… both of you,” she all but whispered. “You are right, I can no longer ignore the dangers of having him walk freely. If we can’t get him under control with this, I will not fight the decisions that are made.” She stood then, deciding it was time to seek permission from the patient to proceed with what she felt was the only option left. As she pulled the door open, she fully considered all options that were available to Satou should this fail. “Let me speak to him first.”

The thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind when she met eyes with the man who sat in the middle of the room. Despite the heavy sedation, he was awake and sitting. It didn’t bode well. “Hey Satou,” she called carefully. She kept her distance. “How are you feeling? And ‘like crap’ is not an adequate answer.”

As if on cue, Kahako began to emit a soft blue aura. It wavered carefully, almost as if it were trying to manifest itself into an image around her and failing. “You can tell me what happened earlier, but I have a feeling it was another soul reaching out in your memories. Correct me if I’m wrong?”

Kahako listened to Satou recap what he could from the previous few hours. She nodded, “I want to try to walk through your memories again to see if we can help you to reign in some of your control. And before you protest,” she interjected, “I have asked Kitsune-sama and Ayumu-sama to join me as a precautionary measure. I also had a message sent out for another individual while to assist us in dream walking.”

There was a soft tap at the door. A deep sadness filled Kahako’s eyes “I trust you understand the alternatives should you not agree or this not work.” Kahako said, knowing he would pick up the familiar scent of the only demon slayer Kahako knew to reach out to.

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

A phone range in the house, eye's of soft blue opened as Keiji lifted his head from a stack of documents, vials scattered about, inventions half finished. His yawn was louder then the ring as he reach over to the wall panel and jabbed three buttons, redirecting the call to the panel. "Hello?" On the other line was a rather lack of urgency in Kahako's voice but her tone surely spoke volumes as he was told of Satou's latest episode and was asked to perform the experiment once more.Keiji sighed heavily as he laid his head against the cold wooden desk. "I'll be there in twenty." He mumbled as he gathered some things into a backpack and grabbed a few bottles, vials, documents and supplies he needed and was out the door in the next five. Moving across the village was easy, do as ninja's do. But he was of different capabilities as the loud noise of his grappling hook shot out and attached to rooftops and precipices for him to swing and lunge to. It took him a little over ten minutes to get to the Hospital. Taking the elevator, being given access to this part of the hospital was rather interesting, finding the room wasn't hard either. What with Two people standing in the hallway, though the boy wondered why he did'nt feel the demons presence while this close. Usually he'd feel his gut tighten up and the urge to turn and walk away wasn't present.

He tentatively approached the two and spoke first. But knew he had to show a certain air now. He regretted not sucking down a coffee to wake up. "I guess you two are Ayumu-Sama and Kitsune-Sama? Cool, you two ready to jump into a demons brain?" Keiji was dressed in a thick blue hoodie and slacked pants that were rather baggy with a large back back slung over one shoulder. His long unkempt hair looked messy, as though did just wake up from a rough nap. The boy seemed rather calm and even optimistic or interested in it himself. Without a beat he jumped forward and knocked upon the door.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The door was open, the draft came wafting in, along with her smell. His throat tightened, keeping eyes low. She could easily tell why. He was at a weak point and it showed as she couldn't feel his demonic presence anymore. All she could see before her was a withered man, his eyes a bit sunken in under the haze of red glassed eyes. Some angles they glowed a little in the dim lit room but he looked too weak to stand on his own. "Hey.." He whispered, as anything loud gave way to fits of headaches and pulsating pain. His eyes closed, head laying back against the padded wall. "I'd like something cold to drink...Heads pounding, body feels numb from pain." He breathed slowly, each inhale. He could almost taste it on his tongue, it did'nt help when the blue chakra came fourth and once again in his mind he could feel Sukino's arms wrap around him. Almost making him weep.

The question was asked, was this another part of his memory blocks? Something he took and wished for nothing more then to forget? "A women, long black hair. She appears sometime after the first attempt looking into my past. I can't get a name. But her appearance is clear as you stand before me. But she is like myself." He showed his neck which was horridly scarred and still had some healing to do from the looks of new bites and claw marks.

Being told that the experiment would continue, to unlock more of his mind and gain more power. The thought was unnerving at best, he couldn't protest. He did'nt have the strength to. He merely sat there, quiet as he accepted the conditions, not knowing what would happen now that three people will be rooting around in his mind alongside him, "Its gonna get crowded in there." He joked as he coughed up a laugh and regretted it as his chest burned a little.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

As Kahako thanked the two Sennin, Ayumu sighed lightly. This was a stupid risk to take. The smart thing to do would definitely be to put Satou in the Tarterian Specus, as he had said, but Kahako was stubborn. Truth be told, the only reason he was allowing this at all was because it was her asking. Additionally, he would have to go to the Raikage himself if Kitsune wouldn't relinquish Satou from the hospital's care and that could be enough time for them to do what Kahako wanted anyway- only without Ayumu there to help. However, he had made his position clear. If this did not provide clear improvement, he was no longer willing to give any more leeway, as much as he might sympathize. Fortunately, Kahako accepted the reality of the danger he posed to the villagers if not to herself. She claimed that she would not resist the Sennin's decisions afterwards if it didn't work. Ayumu was willing to accept that much.

"I will hold you to that," Ayumu said, although she was likely already aware that this was the last time he was going to cut her any slack with Satou. Kahako entered the room and began speaking to the demon-possessed man, asking him how he was feeling. Ayumu could just hear them through the door. It almost seemed like she was just doing rounds at the hospital. Or at least it would have, if not for the blue aura emanating from her form. Satou described a woman with long black hair from his memories, but as for her true identity he seemed unsure. What was more concerning was that this memory was appearing to him as if she was actually real. If that wasn't enough, she was actively harming him which matched the descriptions of some of the witnesses from the earlier scene. It was a chilling thought right out of a horror movie. Kahako informed him of their plan and he seemed resigned to just accept it, quipping that it would be cramped with the two joining Kahako this time.

Ayumu's focus shifted as a stranger approached the two Sennin and addressed them, asking if they were who he thought and if they were prepared to enter Satou's mind. Ayumu, of course, had no idea who this person was, but since he was aware of their plan he could only imagine Kahako or Satou had called him in. "Ready or not here we go," Ayumu said as he turned to the door Keiji was knocking on and entered after him to see Satou and Kahako once more. The first thing he picked up on was the clear worry evident in Kahako's eyes. He felt his insides twist with guilt at the sight, knowing that she was probably worried what they would have to do should their plan fail. Ayumu stepped behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "If it worked once, it should work again, right?" he said, trying to give her some hope. In truth, he was also trying to reassure himself. He took no pleasure in the thought of being forced to lock Satou up. He truly hoped that this would work.

"So, what do we do? Just hop on in?"

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune sighed and rubbed her temples. This was proving to be a bigger pain in the rear than she had expected. ”I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I agree with Kogami-kun. However, as I said before if we can’t fix whatever is wrong with Satou, he has to be locked up. As it is right now, he’s a threat to every single person in this hospital, sick or not, and as the Sennin I can’t allow that. So yes, we’ll both be holding you to it, Kahako-chan” she said in a no-nonsense tone.

One arrival later.

”Indeed we are. And he’s in there.” Kitsune answered to Keijis question and pointed at the door right before Keiji went knocking on it. She followed both men inside and stood by the side of the bed, looking at Satou ”So how are we doing this? Jutsu? Seal? What?” she asked and looked to Kahako, who had actually done it before. ”Kahako-chan, could you tell us more about what to expect once inside the memories? Like, you said what happens there will happen to us in reality. Can we expect attacks, or mental influences? Perhaps things that’ll make us question why we even came in there in the first place?”

She paused for a bit and furrowed her brow before continuing ”You know, to make us lose motivation and decide to leave before us reaching the goal we set out to accomplish.” A sigh escaped Kitsunes lips ”Either way, I promised to help. So… Lets get this show on the road, huh?”

[MFT; WC: 259]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Well, at least everyone showed a little bit of humor at the dark situation. Even Satou was cracking jokes through his clear pain. “Once we’re done I will arrange to have water and a meal brought to you.” She purposefully failed to admit that they needed him to stay weak. She quietly reached up to place a hand over Ayumu’s before pulling away. “It’s induced by sleeping. Which is why I brought Gin Keiji-san here. Though he is not a mednin, I am quite impressed with his knowledge around botany, poisons, and potions. He watched over us during my first encounter, and is knowledgeable about demons and how to combat them. I’m sure you can better explain what will happen, Keiji-san. You were forced into his mind more often than I traveled in it.”

Kahako walked over to the additional cots in the room, clearly already prepared for what was about to happen. “The last time I was in Satou’s mind, I momentarily felt as if it were all real. I was placed in a meadow and I almost forgot who I was and what I was doing there, but I was able to snap out of it. I cannot say what will happen this time. It is all at the fancy of the demon.” Kahako was quiet for a moment. “Knowing this, if either of you do not want to do this, it is okay. I completely understand the hesitation. The demon might still be urked that I took Sukino’s soul from him, so I have no idea what it has in store for us.”

Kahako looked at Satou as he continued in his pitiful state. If their eyes met, Kahako’s would convey a calmness. She made a promise to him. Even if it got bad, she would remain strong. Right now looked pretty grim. "I think it's time we begin Satou," she called softly. Once everyone's questions were answered by Keiji, Kahako would take a vial from the boy and drink from it. Almost immediately feeling the drowsy effects that the concoction induced.

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

As the weakened man sat and listened to everyone speak of him. He seemed rather distant in his thoughts till attention was brought around back to him after Keiji had started talking after everyone.

The youth seemed rather calm about all this talk of walking into a demons mind and looking through its dreams. He paused a bit when Kahako startled rattling off what he was knowledgeable about. His soft coral eyes looked over at her for a moment, as if wondering something then went back to prepping his station. Pulling a small flat square like object. "I am also an engineer." He mutter as he flicked the square onto the floor against the nearby wall and it instantly sprung up with four legs as well as expanding by four feet in diameter.

"When dealing with demons, one can not expect anything that is within the realm of mans understanding. This has not been tempted in any studies I've read through...private books.The most information I can pull on this demon from visual description and verbal description is that the demon is rather ancient. More so then any human book recorded that I can get my hands on." He took a smaller square and flicked it slightly beneath the extendable table to pop forth a nice metal chair made and designed the same as the table with a mechanical release to spring loaded pieces of the chair and table to expand and lock into place like a jigsaw puzzle. Keiji placed his bag of stuff neatly on the table as sat in his chair and began emptying the sack of goodies. "I've brought some equipment to help me monitor the dream state." He setup what appeared to be a monitor attached to a portable computer, then attaching what appeared to be a makeshift battery to the computer.

The screen flickered on and began scrawling texts and bars and diagrams blew up on the screen. Attaching a keyboard he begins typing furiously with blinding speed. "Good." He mumbled as he checked a few things on screen, then began handing everyone what appeared to be wireless headsets and a small shot glass of some green liquid. "The headsets will help me monitor you're brain waves. It'll read very small electro pulses to the brains synapses to let me look at the neurotransmitters. Because, I believe that is how the creature is manipulating dreams!" Keiji seemed rather pleased with his answer at the time. "Of course, I need more research! And the yummy looking drink is a home brewed concoction to put someone under for an hour. I've fixed the recipe to give better yielding effects to also stimulate the thalamus in the human brain to increase physical sensory in the mind. Should stay for a solid hour but with the thalamus increase it'll help me bring you out of the dream with a simple pin prick on the hand this time if the readings spike." Looking back to Kahako. "I even modified the taste this time. Sour green apple." The boy chuckled as he seemed to find this funny only to himself. Clearing his throat as he continued.

"Well, I have spent many a nights in nightmares with the monster." He glanced over at Satou, looking at the tired, defeated look deep in that man's eyes. "I don't think I can hold a candle to what he knows." He waved a hand to Satou. "When you lot are ready, bottoms up, have a nice nap." He put on a different headset and turned his attention to the monitor.

Satou sat back, looking at them all, then the apparition formed beside him. "It wants to hurt you, it hates the human race. Wishes to devour all in its wake. It predates humans walking the earth, it remembers the abyss, the beginning. And sometimes, I see it. It will try its best to mock you or anger you. Don't let it get under your skin. It likes testing the human endurance. As well as your condition to hold onto your stomachs and minds. If it offers something, refuse outright, even if it favors you and downplays the demon, he is lying. He is always lying." Satou glanced back at the thing beside him. Glaring upon it as it shivered with what appeared to be a laugh only Satou could hear.

He took the shot glass and downed the green drink. "Don't be afraid." He mumbled, unsure if it was meant for the others, or himself before immediately blacking out and laying on the floor asleep, soundly.
On the monitor a blip popped up on screen, a bar with a wave length going in a smooth pattern and Satou's name underneath. "Awesome, everything looks good so far." Breathed Keiji sitting in his metal chair.

The apparition began to move away from Satou, it began walking about the room, well not so walking as the many tendrils of chakra flowed and ebbed like tendril legs pulling the being around the room. It's squid like head towering over all of them as it observed and watched them. Waiting for its prey to fall asleep.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

Ayumu nodded as Kahako answered his question, explaining how they were to enter Satou's mind. Apparently it required them to be asleep. That still didn't exactly explain how it worked, but at least it was clear what was necessary to proceed now. The man who Kahako had summoned to help them was apparently quite the studied botanist and alchemist as well as demon hunter. This made him the perfect person to watch over the foolish thing the three of them were about to do. Kahako explained her own experience with the demon and entering the nightmare. Basically it sounded as though there was really no preparing for what they would encounter. Furthermore, the demon might actually be angry after Kahako took away the soul that now resided in her. They weren't going in there to have a good time, that was for sure. She gave them one last opportunity to back out. "We've both already agreed to it voluntarily. Let's just do it," Ayumu said solemnly, obviously not particularly looking forward to the coming adventure.

Ayumu looked to Keiji, who was the resident expert. While setting up his equipment, he explained that the demon was very old and that he had brought equipment to help him monitor them while they were in the dream. The headsets, though not exactly fashionable, allowed him to watch for any trouble and wake them should things take a sour turn. Even the refreshments were part of the plan and designed to help with the procedure. As for details about the demon, man deferred to Satou who, of course, knew more about it than any of them. Like one would expect of a demon, he explained that it was evil and manipulative, sadistically playful, and anything but trustworthy. "So, typical demon, then?" Ayumu said quietly, shaking his head. He didn't need to be told to never trust a demon. That was ingrained in the heads of most children of the village, especially ever since the demon war had shook the village. Ayumu took one of the glasses of liquid that were provided. It didn't smell like something he wanted to drink.

Along with the drink, Ayumu took one of the headsets before walking over to the one of the provided cots and taking a seat. He placed the device upon his head, avoiding looking at the glass by distracting himself looking over the equipment Keiji had brought. Sadly, there was little time for distraction. Kahako announced to Satou that they would be beginning and the two of them drank the concoctions they had been given. Sighing, Ayumu allowed his eyes to rest on the glass in his hand. The little amount of time that had passed didn't nothing to make it seem any more appetizing. It had to be done.

"Bottom's up..." he muttered before tilting his head back and practically throwing the liquid down his throat like a shot. "Ugh. So how long does this... whoa," Ayumu began to ask before stopping short as his eyelids already began to grow heavy. The liquid worked fast. It was not unlike being put to sleep by Genjutsu. Ayumu looked from Kitsune to Kahako before allowing himself to lie down in the cot. "See you both on the inside, I suppose," Ayumu said before allowing his eyes to close for something he expected would hardly resemble a nice daytime nap.

 

[Ketsueki Satou]

As you drink the liquid, your eyes close. You feel the your body begin to numb, the gravity of the world begins to feel heavier as you're body lightens. You're falling. Your eyes open to you actually falling through an open blue sky. High from the clouds as you plummet like a meteor from space, hitting the ground at terminal velocity that the world gets sucked into a blur of motion.
Darkness.

A light in the distance illuminates you're sight in the dark.It begins to grow brighter and brighter till it is overwhelmingly bright. A soft sitting place, you feel things once more as you're vision fixes and you find yourself sitting with your comatose friends on a simple living room couch. All of you are dressed the same, look unharmed.

With you sitting on the floor in front of a bright broken screened tv sits a boy. His hair matted black mess, his cloths of black,brown cotton rags that have torn and dirtied for who knows how long. Skin pale and gaunt, The child sitting before the tv turns his head slightly. His face was babied, he looked so innocent, soft skin of silk that appeared perfect. Eyes of soft red. His expression, calm. complacent. "I wonder, I wonder." Whispered the child as he stood up and went to change the channel of the TV.

The knob turned.

You're all now in the desert, the blistering heat hits you're skin with a shocking blast as climate change ruptures through your body, you feel hot, sweating. Your feet hurt from blistering and scabbing over. You breath and gasp the heated air, dried mouth, so dry, so thirsty. But your eyes see nothing for miles around but wasteland. Except but a lone figure walking in front of you. He takes a step.

The knob turns on the tv once more.

You all find yourselves in the cold, wet, deep ocean. Water envelops around you suddenly, drowning, suffocating as you are leagues beneath the ocean. Again you feel this as though it were all real, the sudden bone chilling sensation as you flaunt about the water trying to escape for air. Rushing to the surface as light shines through, you are met with sheets upon sheets of solid stone like ice. You may punch and kick. but nothing avails. only to look up and see him. Satou, frozen deep into the ice. His were closed, but soon open as you stare upon him long enough.

The sound of the knob turning.

You feel a more warming sensation, a nice dense, populated forest of wildlife and greenery. Breathable, soft air that is scented so lovingly that you feel welcome here. The soft petals on your skin as you pass by exotic, harmless flowers. You hear all the gentle creatures of the woods scatter about you, as though disturbed. Before you standing a creature. Human in shape but covered in moss, sheets of leafs and dirt. It lumbers forward, shaking off the drabs of the forest to reveal flesh, dirtied earth caked flesh. A hand extending, removing the plied earth from its face, to reveal a man. Satou, though much more weathered, dirtied and unkempt. He stands before them, still as stone, silence at first.

But then something similar to the sound of clearing ones throat could be hear from him, as his lips part and a rough, graveled voice emits from him. "Walk with me..." He speaks to them all.

Over and over again they would witness Satou walking through the ages, with every somber step he took it became a different scenery and world. This occurred multitude of times, your bodies running through seasons upon seasons. Feeling years and time itself meld about till the scene had changed to a clearing of some forestry, the man who walked before them was now slightly cleaner, but still worse for ware.

His hair long and matted in dirty patches if dirt and soot. His face an unkempt beard, body like a skeleton, gaunt and sickly looking. He stopped walking and looked about, as if he heard something suddenly different in his surroundings. Till he whirled about to stare at the three behind him. His glowing hungering eyes staring deeply into theirs. "Who?..."He whispered. To his eyes he saw but three figures.
In their minds they could hear the child whisper. 'You lot are now walking through his memories tangible. Do as you please dear Master. Have fun, don't make too much of a mess with this story.'

Before anyone could get a word off, from the clearing a girl's scream echoed through the woods as a gentle looking creature came running forward chased by armored men, she was a pale thin creature, hair black as night and skin of snow. Then men clad in armor were seen dressed in typical samurai garb and plates of armor fastened over their kimono's with blades, spears and more then enough armaments to kill or maim anyone in their path.
They were chasing after the girl, weapons were drawn. She saw Satou and the three travelers and ran forward screaming for help. "Please! I beg you to save me! These men are trying to kidnap me!" She screamed as the armed men were yelling above her to halt and for the others to back away as they changed their attention to the four unknown figures.

Satou looked between the armed villains, and the other three behind him. In their minds they could hear the child once more. 'This is how it played out.' In their minds they could see the scene unfold in a second. They were not there, the men were soon slaughtered with a wave of Satou's demonic hand as the armed villains were torn limb from limb by unseen forces, bathing the innocent girl in gore as Satou merely stood by smiling, sickeningly.
Outside the vision Satou turned to them for help instead. "Please, help me..." He looked as though he could not move more then a few steps as the girl and armed men close in faster towards them. Would they help him fend off the attackers. Or let the past repeat itself.

 

[Kogami Ayumu]

The liquid was not wonderful tasting, despite best efforts, but it certainly did its job. As soon as his eyes closed, he could feel sleep taking hold already. Then, it didn't really feel like sleeping anymore. The wind whipping against his skin suddenly caused Ayumu to open his eyes in a jolt, finding himself falling through the sky. "What the hell?!" Ayumu shouted. For a moment he was insanely confused, but he didn't have long to think about it. One moment it seemed as though he was still high in the clouds. The next, he slammed into the ground. But there was no pain, just sudden darkness. 'Am I dead? No, wait, we were in the hospital... this is,' he began to think, but the dream was not giving him time to logically work out the current events. A sudden light in the darkness drew his attention, putting aside his thoughts for the moment. Ayumu started to walk towards it, but it inexplicably began to grow brighter. So bright, in fact, that it was blinding. Ayumu shielded his eyes for a moment with his arm.

Dropping his arm as the light subsided, he found himself on a couch with Kahako and Kitsune. His mind was still racing to try to make sense of what was occurring. Before he could be given a chance to speak to either of the Shinrya, he noticed a boy who was sitting on the floor. He had not been in the room with them at the hospital. This was the longest time Ayumu had been given a chance to think. 'The hospital. That's right. Who is he? Why are we here?' Ayumu wondered as he watched the child stand and walk to the TV behind him. Ayumu started to stand but as the knob turned he blinked and found himself not where he once was. He no longer felt like he once did, either. Suddenly it was blisteringly hot and he was thirstier than he had ever been in his life. Looking around, he found himself in a desert. A place the likes of which he had only seen in photos. Ayumu found himself staring at the figure before him, wondering if he might have water. He blinked once more and yet again his body experienced a shocking change.

Now he was under water. The water he had craved so much a moment ago was surrounding him, now depriving him of the air he desperately needed instead. 'What the fuck is going on?!' he thought, shaking his head. Looking what he thought was up, he could see some light. He began to swam furiously towards it only for his hands to find a solid surface keeping him in place. He went to reach for his sword, but it wasn't there. In desperation, he began striking at the ice with his fist until it bloodied. Stopping for a moment as his eyes caught sight of something, Ayumu squinted trying to see it. 'Satou! That's right... we're... in his mind,' he realized. As the realization came, he suddenly found that nothing was truly stopping him from breathing. Satou's eyes opened, the light squeak of a knob turning sounded, and Ayumu found himself in yet another landscape. This time, there was no immediate discomfort or emergency. The environment actually felt pleasant. Ayumu took a deep breath, a bit of relief finally washing over him as he collected his wits.

'Where are the others?' Ayumu questioned, beginning to walk and searching for... anything. Suddenly there was noise, the sound of birds and animals fleeing. Ayumu had stumbled upon something. At first it hardly seemed human, but as it moved it became clear that it was at the least humanoid. Dirt and debris fell from it, revealing flesh. Ayumu stood still, observing as it approached him. The face revealed, he recognized Satou once more, though barely. 'Satou..." Ayumu spoke as the man stopped. He was silent and then he asked Ayumu to walk with him. At this point Ayumu became aware that Kahako and Kitsune were also present. As they began walking, the scenery changed rapidly. It was so fast Ayumu could make little sense of it. He simply had to accept that nothing he was going to make much sense, but he was beginning to wonder if there was any point to this endeavor. If they couldn't ever make sense of anything, what were they going to accomplish. Finally, the changing scenery halted on one in particular. Satou was still present, though he looked different... barely alive. He also did not seem to know who they were.

The voice of the child from earlier echoed in Ayumu's mind. It explained that they were now in Satou's memories. 'Who.... could it be the demon? A child... What a sinister front to take,' Ayumu thought, now taking a moment to glance at his companions. He was about to ask if both of them were okay when a scream cut through the silence. Instinctively, Ayumu's hand reached for the hilt of his sword. This time, it was actually present as the girl ran up to the four of them. Looking past her, Ayumu could see armed and armored men in pursuit. The voice came once more, telling them about what they were about to see. Suddenly, Ayumu was viewing the scene as if from above. He watched as Satou dispatched the men with his demonic power, blood and gore raining down upon him and the girl. Closing his eyes for a moment, Ayumu shook his head. When he opened them again he was back in his own body and the men were still approaching. This Satou turned to them and asked for help.

Ayumu drew his sword just in case. If this was real, his first instinct would naturally be to protect the girl. But this was a memory that he was through some unknown means being allowed to participate it. What was the right thing to do here? There was little time to decide. Did it even matter what they did now? "Ahh, dammit. Should have asked more questions before we jumped in! Ayumu thought in frustration. He could really only follow his instinct now. Stepping forward with his sword, he placed himself between the approaching men and the girl with Satou. "You two stand back," he instructed them. 'This isn't real,' he reminded himself, preparing for a fight anyway. "We'll defend them. I'll take point," Ayumu suggested to his allies. He twirled his sword once and then grasped the hilt firmly with both hands. Waiting for the first opponent to enter his range, he would engage them as soon as they did, unleashing a flurry of slashes on any who would dare come close.


OoC: You and I can just RP Satou, since the other two seem so hesitant.