Homecoming (Seeking Akira Saito)

[Yamanaka Utano]

Ouja KaiKai returned to cloud in early morning. It was still dark and he walked the streets accompanied only by the evening guard that occasionally eyed him, but let him pass. KaiKai didn’t make any stops but made his way straight to the ANBU headquarters.

He already noted changes that had been made to the village in the past six years he had been absent, not too much had been done, but the change was there. KaiKai was changed.

Now a human puppet KaiKai might well be unrecognizable at first glance to those who knew him. Having formerly been a Hachiashi before his transformation, KaiKai was known for having six arms, he now only had two despite being able to attach extra limbs to himself.

KaiKai himself didn’t even walk up to the entrance to the headquarters, but his own puppet which had taken on his image thanks to a puppet jutsu. KaiKai lay inside of the puppet, controlling it from the inside. To anyone who could see within the puppet, it looked incredibly cramped and uncomfortable, but he didn’t have many problems with physical discomfort anymore now that he was a puppet. He didn’t feel pain ever for all he knew.
KaiKai was stopped by an ANBU who approached him, his mask portrayed that of a bear.

“Name, identification and business here.” The ANBU said coldly, dangerously alert even for so early.

KaiKai handed the ANBU his badge “Ouja KaiKai ANBU operative, I’m here to meet with Santaru Rin, The ANBU Sennin.”

The ANBU looked at the badge then back up to KaiKai. “I’m guessing you haven’t been around in a while. For one, this badge is out of date, we have new ones now so if you are who you say you are, and you will have to go register for a new one. Two: Santaru Rin is no longer the ANBU Sennin. Akira Saito is.”

KaiKai stood stoic, but within his puppet he sat discomforted with the fact that Santaru was no longer in charge. This would make things harder to explain.

“Understood.” KaiKai replied.

“Ok. I’ll get you cleared and then escort you to the Sennin’s office.”

KaiKai followed him inside. He went through a lengthy process of getting cleared after having the records checked about his previous assignments. It took him a while to show them that he WAS Ouja KaiKai, only that he had recently become a Human Puppet, which was luckily legal in Kumo and by the time he was finally shown to the office of the Sennin, it was late morning.

Ouja KaiKai waited outside the office for Akira Saito.

 

[Junan]

A rap at the doors announced someone was on the other side and wanting to enter. Akira was busy, but only the usual type of busy, nothing which was urgent was on his desk, just things that needed to be done as a staple of his job.

"There's an ANBU named Ouja KaiKai here to see you. He's been out on mission for a long time, since Rin. The voice called through the door. Akira nodded and called back Bring him in. before pulling open a file drawer and finding the name.

KaiKai hadn't been one of the one's he'd called back. He'd been sent out by Rin on a mission, he wasn't going to second guess Rin's decision on that, the ones he had called back had been council missions. So Akira could only assume that the mission was completed, either successfully or otherwise. As KaiKai would enter the room Akira would have been opening his file on the desk.

Please come in. Akira said, taking second and third glances between the file photo and the man standing before him.

I can only assume that the ANBU have been thorough in their check to prove you are who you say you are? Akira said, he trusted his men to do their job, but with the image being so different he couldn't help but question it even a small amount.

Much has changed since you left. Rin is dead, one of our losses during the Kingslayer problem. More recently at the end of my predecessor's reign council took over things in his absence. ANBU were sent out and about which is why you might not see as many as there were... he looked at the paper ... six years ago. However trust me when I say there are more now than there were a month ago. Hayata Shin has been murdered, this happened before I was pulled out of retirement when ANBU were at their weakest, however his murderer was killed.

He knew it was a very brief overview but these were the key things he felt that the other might want to know about.

Good to have another strong ANBU return to us. How can I help you today?

 

[Yamanaka Utano]

Being given permission to enter KaiKai passed through the door silently, closing it behind him carefully. He turned to face the Sennin, a man he had heard of but hadn’t met. He was Large and Muscular, much taller, even seated, than KaiKai expected. Scars covered his face, he seemed old, but KaiKai new that age was relative when it came to men as strong as this. No one became Sennin, much less the ANBU Sennin, for being weak.

“Ouja KaiKai, ANBU.” KaiKai said bowing “Your ANBU were very thorough, I commend their efforts seeing as I look a bit… Different than I used to.”

The Sennin eyeing him and his photo did not go unnoticed by KaiKai, he would need to explain that at some point during this meeting. KaiKai did not look forward to his report. But what came next was even more of a shock.

The Sennin went on, Rin was dead and so was the Raikage. Two more deaths KaiKai could not prevent in his absence. You cannot save everybody, KaiKai knew that, but protecting the Raikage was key. It made KaiKai feel better knowing that the ANBU were growing in strength, KaiKai was eager to reinsert himself into their operations.

“That is… disconcerting news sir.” KaiKai said evenly.

The Sennin prompted him to speak.

“I am here to report in from my mission. I’m afraid that I failed in apprehending my Uncle the terrorist and criminal known as Ouja Ku-Koh. I located him within the Spine, deep in the mountains where he had been illegally experimenting on citizens of many different countries. I confronted him, but I was defeated. I am also to submit the report of the deaths of two other ANBU. Ouja Ke-Ki and Ouja Kan-Kou, my sisters were slain amongst others during separate missions by my uncle.”

KaiKai delivered his report with no emotional connection to it. He was less affected by his emotions now that he was changed, they were much easier to suppress.

“I apologize for my failure. As to my change in appearance…” KaiKai activated his puppet, it leaned forward and the back sprung open. KaiKai’s actual person emerged from the cavity, in disjointed form as he pulled himself out of the cramped space smoothly.

“As you can see, my failure has come at a price.” He said as he set his limbs in the correct position.

“But, my failure is the ANBU’s gain. I have learned… Much. I was hoping to resume my duties as an ANBU of Kumogakure as soon as possible.”

KaiKai paused for a moment.

"If I may sir, how did the Raikage die? Who was his assassin?" KaiKai asked with caution, he wasn't sure if the information had been open to lower ranked ANBU or even the public as of yet.

[MFT] [WC:466]

 

[Junan]

Akira nodded, more deaths for the ANBU list, though in this case that came second to the family as it was not only losing face having a known terrorist associated with it but in its failed attempts at stopping him. The ANBU could weather the storm, but Akira knew that the chances were that the family had specifically requested that it be dealt by the family. This had failed and it was to Akira to decide whether they would be further shamed by the ANBU taking over the issue or risk their suffering further losses and the same fate should he step aside and let them continue to keep it internal.

Nodding, Akira noted the lost limbs and thus the things which the other had been forced to endure.

A question was asked of the Raikage's death. Akira wasn't familiar with this boy and wished that Rin was still around to give him guidance on the level of trust he might be able to afford him. Instead he would need to play it safe.

Isaki Hoshikata was the murderer of the Raikage. Isaki Kushin, the ex-medical Sennin was married into the same family through his cousin by all reports. Hoshikata murdered the Raikage before being killed by several Cloud shinobi. Daisuke the medical Sennin at the time was also murdered in the same conflict.

It was the story by which the Council were giving, a story which had too many issues when paired up with the information Akira had been given by other outlets. In addition the ANBU who were on guard, first to the scene and took part in the investigation were all out on missions. Missions decided by council before Akira had been requested to take his position as Sennin. He was waiting on their return to ask them further questions. Among them were a couple of people he trusted to speak the truth, they'd been men who had served under him in his previous times as Sennin.