Return of the Beast

[Morishige]

It was probably time to report to the man who was now his superior, at least, officially. It had been so long since the day he returned that the details of the agreement was somewhat fuzzy. Gekido could remember that he was predictably removed from any kind of ANBU detail and Kiyo had him put into the Main Branch under the direction of Souseiki, the Sennin. Of course, Gekido wanted nothing to do with the village at all, so he isolated himself within the Inuzuka camp in the woods and rarely ever left aside from hunting and other menial duties. But times changes things, and as his children grew, Kido realized that his first born would be entering the academy soon. Which meant he would need to get involved once again in the tasks of the shinobi to primarily keep an eye on his boy. Of course, other ideals may have come to form in his seclusion, but guarding his child against the indoctrination of the soldiers in Kumo was his foremost goal was. He wasn't going to let the village cage his children like they had caged him once before.

Consequently, Gekido was taking preemptive action and going to see the Sennin of the main branch to insert himself back into the system. He predicted the meeting before him to be one that would be difficult and trying as he wasn't particularly fond of the way things worked. But this aversion was not going to stop the Inuzuka and his ninken from completing their set goal. "Judo, if you can tell that I am going to say something stupid, just bite my leg." he directed with a frown as he approached the building. The comment seemed to put a happy smile on the face of his companion which made Gekido feel all the more worse about the meeting. However the past seven years had matured him a small bit. Not necessarily in his actions, but more so in conversation and wisdom of decisions he made. Though he remembered the days of he as a teen, rash and headstrong uncaring for any choice he made. Back then, his skill usually got him out of trouble; but this wasn't a fight. It was a time where a few matters would be settled. First impressions were a big deal.

Standing before the door, Gekido waited for admission from the secretary. What would he even say now? "Hey there, get me into a squad? Hey there, I'm ready to work now after all these years? Hey there, who do I need to kill?" he considered. All of them sounded awful. Of course, Souseiki knew why he was there. So should he even speak. After so long in a place where his word was law, it was strange to be in a place where he was actually a subordinate. "Might as well not bullshit anything, what's the point? I'll probably be doing latrine duty." he thought, actually laughing out loud at the thought of Judo holding the toilet scrubber in his mouth. The dog next to him glanced up at him with confusion and Gekido only shook his head as he was given the ok to enter. Taking a breath, he turned the knob to enter the room.

He noticed a chair, obviously meant for sitting during long meetings, but Gekido wouldn't take it, even if directed to. That position left him too vulnerable, especially without an entire clan around willing to die for him. No, he would stand for the determined time of this meeting, however long it would take. He began to pick at some of the dirt under his long, sharp nails while he contemplated what to say. Was there even anything to say? Turns out this first exchange would be a bit awkward. "Uh, reporting for duty? I am here to offer my services... again?" he said in a uneven tone that signified how fake the words were. Gekido quickly corrected his statements. "Just give me whatever you have planned for me to do and I'll be out of your way." he commented. It was a tone in which Souseiki could possibly interpret as Gekido believing he was going be a thorn in the side of the Sennin that was unwanted; which, coincidentally , could have possibly been true.

 

[Kamitake]

And he would wait in the musty little office for the fraction of an eternity as the derisively devious scoundrel of Kumogakure made no notion to acknowledge the Inuzaka’s entrance to his seldom used abode. The well groomed man dressed in a firmly pressed grey suit fretted with his superficial glasses as he played the bureaucrat with the many files placed in front of his desk. Hayata Shin had told him all the glamorous responsibilities that came along with being the Main Branch Sennin, he even hinted that the sinister urges that few whispered about could be abated as well but so far the blonde man found that it had all been kindly worded bullshit. He continued to eye the expenses report over reports that his secretary would ultimately complete as he tapped a pen on a thick notepad.

”Sit,” he commanded the petitioner while he made a vague gesture directed at the chair. The Inuzaka might be proud and he might prefer to stand but as one man succinctly put, Souseiki’s word is law, especially for the dogs of the village. He would force the man to wait even longer as he feigned interest on the latest updates over ongoing operations written for his eyes only in order to discover how long it would take the once traitorous ex-ANBU to understand something as simple as the chain of command. When he finally did sit, however long it took and however uncomfortable it might have been for the supposed free spirit to take an order for the sake of his children, Souseiki finally put away the various miscellaneous files into a chakra reinforced drawer next to him.

The rogue stood suddenly while motioning the ex-ANBU to keep his recently taken seat and in contrast to all the subtle but nevertheless infuriating insults that would have earned him at least an assault if Gekido were at his liberty to do so, he made his way to an ornate cabinet made from dark timber taken forcibly from the haunted woods that so loathed to be cut. He grabbed two cups along with a spry vintage of Kumogakurian firewater before he walked back to his desk to take his seat once again. Souseiki passed Gekido a filled cup while he poured his own.

”Drink,” he ordered once again but this time taking no time to continue before the man made his choice to obey or not. The taste was fierce and bitter for the uninitiated but smooth to those with more refined tongues. Souseiki poured himself a second cup before he elected to speak once again.

”Seven years ago you committed the most grievous sin a member of Kumogakure can perpetrate. You stole away a man from this village’s military might, stealing an entire lifetime of training and knowledge invested in you for the sake of this village’s proliferation. Normally the penalty for this crime is immediate execution followed by sending your widow the customary “Sorry your husband was a traitorous bastard who didn‘t deserve to live and we‘re not really sorry he‘s gone” corsage and ham,” he spoke while actually doing the hand gesture for the quotations when appropriate. ”Luckily for you, luckily for your wife, and luckily for the children that still don’t know that their father betrayed the trust once given to him, Kiyo felt exceptionally merciful and allowed you to continue living in this country. Of course that was good enough until recently where I received a message that you were going to re-enlist.”

Souseiki fiddled about in his drawers before withdrawing a file only briskly Inuzaka. He flipped through a couple of pages before he let out a simple smile.

”So I asked myself why? Why would a man who had betrayed the village before for his own agenda, a man that had by all rights and purposes escaped a justified death, why would this man be so eager to return to the very armed force that would not trust him with the whereabouts of a toilet brush without two ANBU and a personal agent of mine personally escorting him and the brush possibly want now from us? Then it struck me while I read the original case.” The rogue pulled a photograph of a young child before pushing in front of Gekido. He sipped at his cup politely before giving out a devious grin. ”Tell me prospect, how old is the little darling? Seven? Eight? Not long before the little scamp does what everyone at that age does and ask their mummy and daddy if they can attend the Academy, correct?”

 

[Morishige]

Kido's eyed the pen for a few moments until the directive was fired at him in such a way that made his blood boil. One word and he was ready to go off. Judo rested his head on his companions leg looking up at him with a sympathetic expression, obviously accustomed to how Gekido took things like this. Consequently, it wasn't really the act of sitting that was difficult and took long, but rather the amount of time that Gekido needed to calm himself down. To have a rational conversation required this time and that left them with an awkward moment of silence while he worked over his pride that had been so solidified during the time away from the village. Thankfully, it was eventually surpassed as the Leader of the Inuzuka Clan sat rigidly into the chair, gritting his teeth one last time before taking a deep breath and waited for this man to say whatever he had to say. It was going to be a difficult meeting...and only one word had been uttered.

It would seem instead of words, he proceeded to continue with an action. Standing, Gekido and Judo watched as the man made his way over to a cabinet to retrieve a drink of sorts and two cups. This wasn't quite what the man sitting had in mind for the meeting. It was strangely civil, but, if what the drink was what he expected it to be that meant two things. Either Gekido himself was a headache to the sennin, or they were going to exchange more friendly words. As soon as the top was removed, it wafted into the Inuzuka's nose and he knew he wouldn't be taking a drink of whatever it was. When directed to do so and passed a cup, Gekido merely took it from his hand and placed in on the desk in front of him. "I do not drink." he said in a very stern voice. There would be no forcing this matter. Gekido had only let alcohol touch his lips once, and he told himself 'never again'. Then the lecture began.

"Corsage and ham?" Gekido questioned with a confused look down toward Judo, who merely focused on the ham part. Perhaps that was meant for him. But Souseiki's words only reminded Gekido that he was an enemy to this man and probably the entire village. Back when he was gone, he was on the top of the list to be killed. No doubt that the older individuals of Kumo's military would remember his name and face. However, the young might not remember since it had been some time since his return. But his final words before pulling the folder out perhaps alluded to the reason of grabbing the strong drink in the first place. "My re-enlistment obviously caused some kind of concern. I wonder if..." And at the conclusion of the thought, the Sennin smiled which rose a single eyebrow of the alpha-males. And more lecture. "Must like the sound of his own voice. Sounds familiar."

In front of Gekido was a photo of his firstborn, Katsuo. The Inuzuka's eyes darkened, glaring up to the man before him in a serious manner. So they had been keeping tabs on him. Expected, but Gekido hardly cared after a while. He hadn't planned on doing anything, so there was no reason to care. But that grin made the former Captain want to just step out and leave again. People like this were the reason he left... Judo crawled over and laid his head down on his companions feet. Gekido looked down rather stone faced and then back to Souseiki as he continued. "Seven. And yes, we predict he will wanna be like his dear old dad and join up just like I did. What's your point?" Gekido said sternly, as he felt he was being threatened. "Why the story? What are you trying to say?" he asked in his head.

 

[Kamitake]

Souseiki stifled a laugh in his throat before he took another swallow from his cup. Everyone always thought of dogs as loyal to a fault and courageous in the face of danger. They only remembered the stories of Hachiko who waited for his master at his grave for years until the gentle embrace of death re-united them both. They never remembered the more unpleasant tales, the constant realities where dogs turn feral from their isolation or grow rabid with disease only to be put down by thoughtful men. The Inuzaka was still sensible after his treasonous turn, albeit traumatized by heretic ideologies that he had somehow acquired without the maturity necessary to practice them, but he walked on unsteady ice too eager have breakthrough into the icy lake beneath. The blonde rogue would let this sleeping dog lie, for now.

”You’re not very careful with your words, are you Gekido?” he questioned as he put his cup down on his wooden desk. He felt the Inuzaka‘s impotent rage and bathed in it. The Sennin drew the figurative blade of his and decided he would enjoy seeing the beast bleed just a bit more. ”Just like his dear old dad you say? Does that include the part where one day of his own volition he decides to run as fast as he can through those gates of ours? Do you think he’ll be lucky enough to make it more than two steps past the Dragon’s Teeth before trained men that have been shadowing him before he could shit in a toilet put a kunai through his heart? How long do you think you’d live if that were to happen? Hmm? Do you honesty believe that we wouldn't come after a known traitor if your son commits that ultimate heresy? I would advise that you don’t take me so lightly Inuzaka or else you may find yourself with more reason to despise this village, except this time no one will come to keep you away from the gas chamber where rabid street dogs usually turn up in.”

All the humor drained from his face. The smile that usually graced upon Souseiki’s face became a mocking visage reflecting every nasty word and rumor that had ever been spat at Gekido since that day he prostrated himself before the gates of Cloud for sweet mercy. He stood once again to close the blinds and close his office’s door before he returned to his cabinet to withdraw a tie twin to the one he currently wore. He sat on his desk leaning closer to the probably raging warrior before he further abused the man’s comfort and familiarly began tying a tie to his open dress shirt.

”I know you don’t want this, I know you don’t want that, I don’t know who would in all honesty. That’s why you’re going to tell me why you left seven years ago and why you’re coming back just now. I won’t pretend that you want to tell me but you will. Do you want to know why?” he ended with a question as he tightened it profusely around Gekido‘s neck. Souseiki returned the warmth to his face as he finally let go of the Inuzaka‘s newly gifted tie. ”Because you need a friend during these times. More specifically, you need a friend that can prevent all those little doom and gloom prophecies I just made from not coming true. And well, I just gave you one of my favorite ties as a gift, it would be absolutely rude if you didn't reciprocate while I’m trying to reach out to you.”

The scoundrel chuckled as he returned to his in order to pour himself a third glass of the alcohol. While he half-expected the fuming Inuzaka to lunge out at him, he secretly hoped the man would simply have more sense than to attack a Sennin, especially once so thoroughly armed with a sword so adamant for perpetual blood lust.

 

[Morishige]

The Alpha watched as he took another gulp of the awful liquid. He wasn't to sure where it was going, this conversation, but in due time all was revealed. So far there were many more words exchanged than he thought there would be and it made him uneasy. He wasn't used to conversing for any length of time with those in his camp before their feral nature would come out and a brawl would start. This attitude was daily around the Inuzuka territory so things were settled the old way: Blood and Sweat. So when Souseiki stated that he wasn't careful with his words, well, it could have been called an understatement. Gekido hadn't need worry about his words in a very long time. And when he did speak for something of concern, no one questioned it. It would take getting used to speaking like her, like Senka. "Talk is for women." he growled lightly. "The Inuzuka solve things with fang and claw." he commented in a rather curt and peeved sense.

But this comment would be brushed aside by a long speech that seemed almost rehearsed. The young father could get a sense of just how this conversation was going to turn out. It was almost like this man who was placed into power was now flaunting it flagrantly. He spoke as if Gekido's child were going to literally copy his every step, even up to act of forsaking the shackles of the military and running free. Of course it was followed with the regular threats of guards killing him-- no, guards that were specifically assigned to him. This part actually made Gekido smile softly looking toward the ground in astonishment. The fact that his adolescent son was already being watched gave him a sense of pride in what he had accomplished. "They are actually considering it a feasible threat." But yes, the moment was short lived with threats to his own self if his boy were to do such a thing. Gekido shook his head slightly at the thought and gave a huff. "I'd be right next to him if he were even thinking of running..." thought the father. But the Sennin's words confused him in the end. What was the whole preliminary speech if to end on the note of 'take me seriously'? As his expression changed, Kido was left to ponder these last words and what they meant. "I am already going to comply with orders, what else does he even want? So confused..." he said, reaching up with his hands to rub his temples as the now serious man moved to retrieve something.

A tie. Such a simple object, but Gekido had never actually ever wore one. It was thrown around his neck, where Gekido sat rigidly, and began to form the shape that mirrored the one in front of the Inuzuka's eyes.. His eyes glared at the Sennin's for a moment with a lingering thought as he posed the rhetorical question. "Do I even care?" replied in his mind a couple times. No, but he would be told none the less. "A friend." he simply replied as the man stood to adjust the newly tied noose around his neck. It was confining...perhaps symbolizing the hold that would be placed upon him in the near future. "I already told whats-her-name my whole story as to why I did what I did." he began, referring to Kiyo as whats her name because he simply forgot the unimportant woman; even though she did spare his life. "But I suppose I can tell you why I'm back.," his attitude shifted to one of downright hatred for what had happened to him. "I am here to make sure you don't fuck with my son's future. I will support him in any decision he makes, even if it means going to my grave to see him safely through those gates out into a world without you, however unlikely. You are the reason I left Kumogakure. And I would have never returned if it weren't for one person." he continued, somewhat spitting out the mouth at the speed the words were flowing. "Let's get one thing straight, friend. If I find any kind of harm come to my family in any way, there won't be any amount of meat shields that will stop me from reaching you and exacting my wrath upon your pointless life. I care nothing for you or this village. But I will goddamn work to keep it safe for my family and clan. If that means putting up with you, then so be it!"

It was then Gekido noticed that Judo's fangs were around his leg, puncturing his skin. The adrenaline had kept him from feeling the small wound until now that he was settling down. "So...that's why I'm back." he said in a surprisingly high spirited manner. Images of Senka smacking him in the back of the head for saying such things made him smile and remember why she had been the one. But why was he happier all of a sudden? It made no sense. Just a simple confrontation changed his demeanor entirely. Perhaps it was the fact that he made his point very blunt and clear and felt somewhat accomplished. He finally achieved what he needed from the meeting. Consequently, at this point, it really didn't matter how the Sennin took what he had said. The worst that could happen was his death which would only make Kido's point; a more likely scenario was that he wouldn't be allowed back into the corp at all. But all his cards were on the table now to was just a matter of time to find out what would happen.

 

[Kamitake]

Souseiki sighed in disappointment as the Inuzaka began violently retorting to the displeasure of the dire beast currently gnawing at his leg. Had it been a sin to hope for a modicum of intellect from someone content to roll around in fleas and filth? Perhaps, but it was the burden the blonde Nanjirou would have to shoulder as he worked to save the Inuzakas from their own bestial ids. He drew a slim hand-rolled cigarette from a silver case lighting it with the snap of his chakra-fueled fingers before partaking in the vice. It was becoming more apparent to the shadowy Sennin that he would have to demonstrate the amount of state-sanctioned violence at his command in order to fully elucidate his particular offer of friendship‘s benefits. Souseiki pressed a button on his desk emitting a loud static noise before he spoke into it. ”Bring in the paperwork I asked for.” The timid secretary at the reception desk entered the room holding a manila envelope stamped CONFIDENTIAL. She avoided looking at the Inuzaka as she walked past him and seemingly also ignored the thanks Souseiki as if she were ashamed she was tasked with bringing. The blonde continued smiling gratuitously at the probably confused Gekido before he pulled away a specific report written in calligraphic style of Cloud’s ancient tongue.

”I don’t know if you can read this here,” he spoke to the Inuzaka as he approached him once again to show him this prized possession. ”I had these papers drafted in case something would go poorly during this meeting. Allow me to read it to you.” Souseiki cleared his throat while placed a pair of decorative thick framed glasses on his countenance. ”It says I, Souseiki, the Main Branch Sennin as assigned by the Eight Raikage Hayata Shin, solemnly swear that the aforementioned events written below are true under the threat of excommunication from the cult of Raiden. The former ANBU Captain Inuzaka Gekido entered my office at roughly 11:30 in the morning to supposedly discuss the matter of being reinstated to active duty. As I drew the paperwork and spoke to him regarding potential assignments, his wild beast suddenly came upon me at the commands of his master. I quickly reacted and drew my blade but not until I had sustained injuries to my left arm in my hesitation to respond with lethal force. When I slew the dog, Inuzaka Gekido became livid with rage and attacked me himself with no signs of being able to comprehend my repeated orders to halt despite the wounds he accumulated in my vain attempts at subduing him. I was forced to cut him down before he could pose further risk to both I and my secretary. While what specific reasoning behind this seemingly random assault there may be eludes me, as a precautionary effort I authorize the immediate arrest and imprisonment of one Inuzaka Senka for interrogation at the Tarterian Specus and the immediate apprehension of their children whose fates shall be decided by I, the head of internal security, at a later date.”

Souseiki cleared his throat once again as he removed his spectacles. His dark jade eyes stared deeply into Gekido almost as if beckoning him to make this specific prophecy come true, to commit a sin that could not be forgiven quickly enough to keep him alive. Yet, before that crucial moment in which he would have to decide whether to strike down a Sennin or not, Souseiki found himself shattering the tension by laughing heartily before he clapped the Inuzaka man on the back. His secretary returned once again, significantly more nervous this time, to collect the order within the manila envelope before leaving the trio in the smoky room. Souseiki sat himself down on his leather chair stretching out as he waited for the beads of enraged sweat to drip down the Inuzaka’s forehead. He sucked on his cigarette in the meanwhile.

”In one signature I can have your entire family destroyed. My accusations don’t have to be strictly true as long as I have a bite on my left arm, a dead dog, and a dead man in my office. After all, who would question me, a Sennin of Kumogakure with an inexplicably clean record of service? A dead traitor? A wife whose career ended the day she brought you back alive?” he questioned as he put his cigarette out. Souseiki wanted him to squirm before him and he would. “Here’s the scary part, I’m not the only one who could so easily achieve this, I can do this without questions being lobbed at me. You‘re in a spectacularly poor place to be coming for reinstatement and your child has a hell of lot of your reputation to disavow. I tried offering you my friendship but now I have to be blunt.” The scoundrel continued exhaling plumes of richly flavored smoke from his nostrils as the rest of his body became rigid. ”I keep my record clean by having others do my dirty work. I ask and I receive. I am formidably competent at my two careers because I manage to be an exceptional manager of people such as yourself. Now I've got you and your dog's balls in a vice and I’m letting you know that I can easily smash them as I can let you go. But I’m not so absent of conscience that I’m about to make your life a fucking hell without some sort of benefit to you and your family.”

The blonde Sennin grabbed the picture of Katsuo before placing it before Gekido on his desk. The Nanjirou wrath seal bled within him; the spirits of thousand generations of the fiercest warriors stared down from those apathetic green orbs. Yet just as quickly as it flared it had resided. Souseiki poured himself yet a fourth glass of firewater as he inhaled the last of his cigarette and once again rested lazily on his leather armchair.

"I'll make you an offer you can't refuse, if, and only if you get some sense into your thick head and learn how to follow some damn orders from your superior officer. Now I'll ask nicely again because I am not the merciful and understanding Kagetsu Kiyo, why did you run?"

 

[Morishige]

Gekido watched intently as the man pulled out a cigarette. It would seem like the need to continue his addiction had kicked and Gekdio growled slightly in thought. "How can someone so openly destroy their body in so many ways." If one couldn't tell, Gekido took issue with those who put things into their body that destroyed and did not benefit. He began to wonder how long the man could run in high altitudes with such a habit. Any non-smoker had an advantage if his lungs weren't treated with medical jutsu. However, these thoughts were cut short by Souseiki's voice requesting some paperwork. "What else could he have on me? I'm not exactly careful with my actions..." he questioned while watching the secretary move passed him without making eye contact. Gekido had assumed he would be getting this kind of treatment when he came back, but from a secretary? Either she was well informed or had perhaps read what was inside said folder...

The Sennin presented the big red CONFIDENTIAL letters before opening it to read what was inside. Gekido's glare returned as the man assumed he could not read. A most useless assumption as it was obvious as a former member of this military he was required to learn how. With further explanation, the first thing that came to Gekido's mind after hearing about the paper was 'insurance'. While this notion boosted the already big headed man's pride, it was short lived as the reading began. As it was slowly presented to him, the Inuzuka nails began to tear into the fabric and framework of the arm rests of the chair he was sitting in. The words fulfilled every thought in his mind about the corruption of those unsuitable for power. It would seem these official papers was the Sennin's line of defense to cage him once again. Like always, the village was seeking to tame him. Only last time, it didn't end to well for them.

Gekido's eyes starred back into that agent of subterfuge's face with all the anger he once had toward the village seven years ago. The intense stare however was not broken by the Inuzuka lunging with claws towards the man's throat for a quick bleeding kill. Instead, laughter? Gekido would not respond in kind as the man's hand connected with the fabric protecting his back. Judo was now at a ready stance, truly prepared to fulfill that prophecy, but perhaps giving it a different ending. However, no such order would come from Gekido. His mind was on one thing. His family. If this man had the nerve to threaten him in this way, then what was his capable of doing elsewhere once Gekido was out of the way...

But now the envelope and false papers were out of the office, Gekido felt a bit more at ease as Souseiki continued his little display of power. As he put out his smoke, Gekido just had to reply with something. The more the man talked the worse position he was in. "No would believe you sustained as little a mark as a single bite. Not even you are skilled enough to only take so little; even if I am seven years rusty." Squirming was not something Gekido did. He only remained still for the one reason, and that reason could never be surpassed. He wasn't enduring this because he wanted to, but because he needed to. A man like this could get to his son, and corrupt him; he could change him forever. Gekido wasn't going to let that happen. The Sennin went on to explain just how he achieved such a position. Delegation would be the term Gekido would use in his mind. Instead of doing things himself, he trusted others to do them for him. And if the Inuzuka could guess, they were skilled individuals. From the way he spoke, it seemed like there were others whom he had wrapped around his finger by all sorts of blackmail that were as skilled, if not better than Gekido. The climax of his speech rang in the ears of the former captain.

"What could you possibly offer." he stated plainly as the Sennin took another drink. But before he could find out, it would seem that Souseiki truly wanted to hear why he had left in the first place. Gekido sighed and began to stand, only to be stopped by three nails in his left hand lodged in the wood of the frame of the chair. It had seemed the he had dug in so far they got stuck. Grunting, he yanked them free and moved to the nearest window looking out into the grand city. Such a place of prosperity, and Gekido had only wanted to escape it all. He was tired of being angry, and he wasn't going to place his family in jeopardy. "I ran to get away from all this shit. All the paperwork, all the confinement of regulation. I wanted freedom for me, myself, and I. People like you. You shadow dwellers who use others. I was used. Hell I was only promoted because I wanted to go kill a guy, not because of my accomplishments. It's all crap. You higher ups just push us little guys around. But that was before Senka, before Katsuo." he stated and looked to Judo before turning to Souseiki. "I ran to be free." he said in a basic summary. 'Course, he could have made excuses and lied to the Sennin, but what did it matter? Gekido knew something like this probably would have happened, he just didn't plan on it so soon. "Now you know, so what's this offer I can't refuse?"

 

[Kamitake]

And so the truth finally came out in bitter guttural barks from the dog-man’s lips. Freedom, or whatever cheap substitute Gekido thought he was achieving by running off with a lifetime of accumulated knowledge, training, and secrets, that‘s what he had thirsted for those many years ago risking limb and life by running. It caused the blonde Sennin to chuckle softly as he lovingly sipped his dwindling cup of firewater over the young man‘s naiveté and yet still as the Inuzaka spoke, Souseiki was once again saddened by the man’s relative lack of profound thought. He felt the loss of a potentially intellectual erudite individual that perhaps could have understood the existential woes of the nihilistic Nanjirou and have been a brother to him in their bondage. He wasn’t sure what he actually wanted the answer to be or whether the pretentious bureaucrat ever actually wanted an answer, but he was sure Gekido‘s had been too simple. Sighs all around, the arrogant beast would have to suffice no matter how insufferable the dog-fuckers of Kumogakure always seemed to come off as.

”You fight with a dog, I fight with a thousand generations of sword masters, I think one day we’ll let them both do the talking, but I‘d make sure you breed him for a replacement just in case,” he calmly responded before breaking into yet another of his characteristic chuckles. ”As for my deal, I told you before that your child will be surrounded with a wave of suspicion. You might have had him isolated in the woods all of this time since you have returned but you won’t be able to isolate him in the bureaucratic inner workings of this military. Well, since you’ll be scratching my back, I’ll scratch yours.” Souseiki opened a drawer near and began mindlessly thumbing down the list of Academy instructors. ”I’ll make sure that he finds himself in all the right classes with all the right people so he doesn't hear a word of anything you’ve ever done. When he graduates, I’ll make sure he’s on the right team with the right instructor. When he’s old enough to lead, I’ll make sure he’s on the right missions and saving all the right princesses and defeating all the right enemies. By the time he even catches a whiff of your disgrace, he’ll have a reputation so formidable it wouldn’t surprise me if he made it to Raikage.”

The blonde Nanjirou’s giddiness bled through only in a smile. To take the son of a disgraced runaway and deliver him to the most powerful position in Kumogakure would be no small feat, an assignment without parallel. Yet make no mistake, he planned to make the Inuzaka work for it every single day he had left on this planet. Still, victory was still in the distance and he forced his wandering mind to return to the task at hand.

”I’m not going to obfuscate the difficulties that lie ahead. If you want your son in that stone chair, you’re going to be a good dog and follow orders as literally as possible no matter what the objection. If you start straying I’ll make sure your son starts hearing certain whispers, if you defy me, his career will be delayed, if you betray me…” he left the last few words for the Inuzaka’s imagination to form although they would never be pleasant no matter how hard he twisted them about. ”As for you, you'll be reinstated as a Jounin and given gate guard duty, I'm sure you'll enjoy the irony as thoroughly as I do. In time you'll receive a few ciphers from a mysterious stranger that I'd advise you solve as quickly as possible. We won't be talking face to face again unless I have to inspect the troops, and even then I usually skip to scolding our more incompetent of shinobi. Do you understand?” he questioned while he wondered whether all of this would have been faster if he had just spoken to the dog instead.

 

[Morishige]

Gekido had to look down to Judo who had been quite calm during the confrontation after Souseiki mentioned needing a replacement. The look on his Ninken's muzzle was priceless and Gekido's lips parted to reveal a toothy grin toward his friend and companion. A light growl was let forth from his throat toward the man as a warning, though they all knew nothing was really going to happen. Plus Gekido still needed to hear of this deal; and he would be surprised at the content of it.

His words actually put the Inuzuka at peace for a moment, but then he had to remember who he was dealing with. A master with words, for all he knew, the Sennin could have been lying right to his face. Or perhaps he was telling the truth, but instead of placing him with the proper individuals, placed them with people who would turn Katsuo against his father. "Not that it matters... I may not trust him, but regardless this man will put him wherever he wants him. No matter, I'll believe him for now. He has all the leverage, so why lie..." Kido reasoned as the man finished speaking with words so ambitious that the Inuzuka's mouth hung slightly agape. His eyes slightly larger than normal, Gekido envisioned this future. The change that his boy could bring about could be endless. If Souseiki really had that intention of creating such a reputation for him, Gekido might actually WANT to go along with this. The Inuzuka's demeanor changed drastically. His domineering statue eased off and just the overall offensive posture ceased.

Of course, the man continued on with his words with a slightly insulting tone, noting that Gekido would merely be a dog. But if Katsuo would one day have a name greater, no, more infamous than his own then he would obey. With a warning, Gekido rolled his eyes as the Sennin left his punishment to be imagined. He once used that tactic on trainee ANBU. They quit the next day. Gekido's slightly interested expression turned to that of apathy as it was announced he would be on gate duty. "Figures, no real work for me until he needs someone snuffed, off the record." he thought with a smirk and then looked into the mans eyes one last time. "Yes...sir." he replied with a nod, and looked down to Judo. "Come on, let's go dust off the old gear. Remember where I put that forehead protector?" he asked and began to walk out the door.

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