Six Degrees of Seperation

[Okada Kaji]

Low-hanging clouds were cleaved in two by the magnificence of the Hidden Stone’s capital building, better known as The Spire. This iconic structure clad in slate was the central office of the village’s nervous system; and it’s design was chosen to reflect the village’s upstanding Will of Stone. In the morning hours, shinobi and politicians dressed in traditional wardrobe could be seen coming and going. Some villagers exited casually, while others needed stretchers and wheelchairs after failing to handle how extreme a day at the office could be here. This was where the people who shaped the world came to handle the clay; something that didn’t seem so intimidating to Jomei until the day he had to visit The Spire alone.

As a child Jomei followed Benjiro’s footsteps through the Spire time and time again, but was too young to appreciate those experiences, and too short to see over the counters if he tried. Today would be different. Arriving on the bleached pavement surrounding the superstructure, Jomei stood back behind a barrier of hesitation. His father’s will called for Jomei to seek out a legendary ninja somewhere within the maze; someone who have the solution to his predicament, or knew what measures to take. Once Jomei entered the building and followed the signs like messages hidden in a secret tomb, he found the office space assigned to the chief authority on the health and fighting strength of the entire village. A well-crafted wooden plaque was mounted on the door, and read the name-

Ii Hissori
Medical Sennin.​

Jomei hesitated at the door for a final moment, respecting his option to turn around and walk away, and considering defying his father’s orders. The old man sent Jomei seeking Master Hissori for a very specific task, something that would impact Jomei on every level. Usually Jomei would have struggled harder with following this kind of order, but part of him actually wanted this. A sudden rhythm of beats knocked on Hissori’s door, possibly the ending bit from shave and a haircut. Jomei only waited mere seconds before welcoming himself in Master Hissori’s office, and revealed himself, front and center, as a young stranger with an abnormal physique in the eyes of a medical expert. Even hidden beneath his every-day cloak of sorts, Jomei’s body seemed stocky and broad shouldered for a teenage male his size.

“Good morning, Master Hissori” Jomei greeted his elder with a nervous attitude. He paused in his introduction, and his youthful yet beady eyes began to scan the room, absorbing details only to distract and confuse himself during the nervous moment. The room had a strong scent of dog hair, and a sudden sneeze caused Jomei’s brain to jump start again. He burst out a hearty “Haaachoooo”, and remembered his own name.
“My name is Jomei, the son of Ambassador Matsui, if you know him.” Nervously reacting to the start of their conversation, Jomei planted himself in a piece of furniture, and continued stating why he had barged into the Medical Sennin's office on such a busy day. "You may have seen my file recently... I'm the genin with all the arms." He then held up all six appendages, allowing the cloak to fall back over his shoulders. While Jomei wasn't always so direct, he wouldn't play with Hissori's time and beat around the bush. "I'm all messed up, doc."

[Topic Entered]

 

[Ii Hissori]

Office Hours were the only free time for the dog tamer now. However, that free time was often filled with some sort of paper work. Today as well was no different. Hissori’s Oak finished desk had multiple stacks of different types of papers. Currently, in front of him was status reports for his medical branch. Something about a mission going badly and a medic not doing his job properly caused a shinobi to lose his arm. It had made Hissori displeased, and he trying to get to the bottom of what happened. The twenty-something year old sennin was annotating the fourth report of this mission when he heard whacking on his door.

“Come in.” The Sennin said in that not native, but Island accent that people who knew him had grown accustom too. From the sound of it, it was probably some delivery man or maybe even a secretary that was looking to get time off or deliver a message. At first the strawberry blonde would not look up from his work because he had wanted to finish this page of the injury report. However, what surprised him was the voice of a male that he did not know before. For the first time, Hissori laid his emerald eyes on the boy who seemed to be very shy.

“It’s just Hissori.” He said in a kind way as the large semi-feral male said as he stood up walking around his desk. Immediately, Jomei would notice the soft and almost silk looking black button down shirt the adult was wearing, which contrasted his light blue tie. Then he’d probably notice that nowhere on his body was an Iwagakure shinobi emblem. Instead, he had a belt buckle with his old Kirigakure shinobi badge. He would continue to hold his hand out to until the boy would take it. Chuckling though, Hissori looked over at his dog who was sleeping in the corner in a rather large white ball of fur.

“Sorry, I haven’t had the room cleaned this week.” Hissori said as he would just chuckled a bit as the boy never seemed to be use to dog fur. The room itself seemed a bit cluttered, Even the couch that he had off in the side of the corner was not made as it seemed to had been the place where Hissori had slept the previous night.

“Here sit. You’re the son of Ambassador Matsui… I think I remember him.” The doctor said as he adjusted his brown khaki’s as he pulled out a comfortable plush leather chair that was in front of his desk. As he made his way back to the front of the desk. Where Jomei was sitting, the boy had a rather intense view overlooking Inner Marushi and the village as a whole, with Hissori in the center of it.

“Ahh. Yes a quite unique heritage you have indeed.” Hissori said as he looked at Buru barking something at him with surprisingly loud and high pitch noise which caused the dog to begrudgingly uncurl and huff as the wolf got up and walked out of the room.

Hissori would then return his attention to the genin as he heard that he was all messed up. Normally that meant depression or something else that well Hissori wasn’t exactly the most trained on. But if Jomei was coming to Hissori, it usually meant whatever it was serious. Opening up a desk drawer, the man pulled out a pen and legal pad of paper. He would jot something down which looked similar to a date and time, and then looked at Jomei with a friendly smile.

“I am sure you are not as messed up as you think Jomei. After all, you have the wear with all to come find someone to help you deal with it. You’d be surprised how many people don’t realize that is one of the biggest steps.” Hissori said as past the boy moved the large white wolfdog walked past him and around back to Hissori side of the desk. In his muzzle, he was carrying a rather small vanhillia folder that seemed to be Jomei’s personnel file.

“Thanks Buru.” Hissori commented taking the file and opening it a moment before looking at Jomei more seeming having read some things he needed. Buru though wasn’t done, instead of going back to his bed, Buru sat down next to Jomei staring up at him with his icy blue eyes expecting some sort of attention.

“It seems your last medical exam came back within reason, and by all reports you have been doing good on your missions. So what seems to be the problem Jomei? You can take your time explaining it.” He said.

 

[Okada Kaji]

Jomei became silent and attentive in the face of the village’s most celebrated authority on medicine. The office was dank and poorly-kept, yet the village sky-line was still a sight to be held, and illuminated the entire room with the reflecting sun-light. With his back to the intense daylight, Hissori was presented as a powerful figure, yet his persona was much more humble than Jomei expected. As the conversation unfolded, Hissori offered encouraging words once Jomei hinted at the ordeal that called for their meeting.

“Well, I’m not ill so much as a subject of controversy” Jomei explained. Certainly, the cause for this meeting wasn’t something as simple as a headache or even a broken heart. “While I’ve gotten used to having extra arms, it’s become clear to me that my appearance poses a threat to own safety” he spoke as if his words were scripted: the orders of Ambassador Matsui. “Now… while I may belong to the hidden stone and have lived here most of my life; recently I have become aware that I may have been born a fugitive of the Hidden Mist.” Jomei observed Hissori as he spoke, awaiting signs of melancholy or a pensive reaction; yet they didn’t come. “Aside from being called an insult every now and then, or getting pushed around, I have figured out how to live a normal life here… But my fath- Ambassador Matsui, believes I am at risk of attracting unwanted attention to the Matsui House.” That last bit was spoken with a stern, deep voice like his father, and mocked the honorable man perfectly.

Jomei attempted to state his case like a defendant pleading from the stand, but he also resembled the typical teenager refusing the firm hand of authority. “When I started asking questions, the Ambassador gave me this Travel Log from his last trip to the Water Country, and that’s when he became insistent that I ask you if there is a way to…” knowing there would be no turning back after introducing the following idea to the conversation, Jomei dissolved the last bit of normalcy in the moment, “reverse my hachiashi mutation.”

 

[Ii Hissori]

As Jomei had seen, if Hissori was one for being bashful, Hissori would have been incredibly embarrassed at the fact about how he kept his corner office. However, in the role he had now, Hissori didn’t really have time for being embarrassed, though, he probably should have hired a full time maid for his office. Though with a mid-twenties man, a full grown one hundred pound shinobi capable wolfdog and who knows what else living in this room at least four days a week, who would really want to clean up after that?

He would let the boy speak as he quietly took notes. It was obvious from what he was saying that the young shinobi was been coached in exactly how to say what he wanted. Obviously this boy came from some upperclass status to be worried about some things like this. Looking down at his note pad, a faint smirk crossed his lips as he heard this boy was related to his now frozen village. Hissori always liked people that were related to him in some way shape or form, though even if they did not have blood they shared a bond of having the same troubles of being from a forgotten village. Still the boy seemed to treat it as if that was more of a curse than a gift.

“Yes, we are all in a way fugitives of the world now.”[/b} Hissori mused as he just sat back in his chair leaning slightly. Did the boy not know that Hissori was originally a Mist Doctor? Or did he think that Hissori and Buru were both native to Inner Marushi like many of the aristocratic thought when they met the man at functions. He would let the boy finish with what his father wanted before pensively tapping on his note pad reviewing everything that had been said.

“I know it is hard to say that we are the most welcome class of people here Jomei, but all I see from all your recovers is an outstanding young shinobi. You’re mission success rate is phenomenal, even better than mine when I was your age. You are physically fit for your age, and most importantly for most new shinobi, your physiological charts are within the normal range of what we’d expect from someone your age.” Hissori stated as he continued to read over his chart. He would take a breath as he looked at him.

“Tell me, is there anything actually wrong with your extra arms?”[/b[] Hissori asked before scowling a bit. While he would never lash out at this child, but the idea of changing who a person was a bit barbaric for the man who came from the tropical islands of Kirigakure. The adult would take a bit to answer the next question wanting to choose a way to properly dissuade the boy or at least try. Writing down one final note, Hissori would finally reply to his request.

“Are you sure you want that? I can assure you that most if not all the treatments that I can think of would be more perilous to your health than not, and even though I am not a shinobi here, all your records indicated that in would damage the villages strength not only in the short term, but in the long term if we were to do something to those arms.” Hissori said finally starting a rather serious conversation with the boy.

He hoped at least the praise he gave the boy about his records would give some confidence to the black hair boy.

 

[Okada Kaji]

Of course a free-spirited individual like the Medical Chief would be against Jomei’s request. His body language alone revealed the signs. While Jomei was aware of his father’s ambitions and that he had the right to refuse, the young ninja remained conflicted, and crossed each pair of arms in contemplation. “I, um” he stuttered. Suddenly, a ruckus could be heard approaching Hissori’s office from the hallway. The spire’s head secretary barged into the room shoulder-first, quickly stepping out of the way of none other than Jomei’s father, Benjiro. “I’m sorry Chief Hissori, but he said this was a priority, and I couldn’t get him to wait” the secretary began to panic and and blurt out an ongoing apology that fell on deaf ears once Benjiro's presence began to mangify. His debonair grace delivered him into the center of the office with an unstoppable glide. He easily imposed his will directly onto this little meeting.

“Good morning Chief Hissori, I see you have met my son, Jomei. He is quite the independent sort, as you may have noticed.” As he made his entrance, the traditional man in Benjiro made him offer a customary slight bow to Hissori, before he welcomed himself to a seat in the office, and place in the conversation. “This morning I gave you instructions to await me outside of the spire, not barge in here at the start of business hours, wasting a Sennin’s time at the crack of dawn.” Ambassador Matsui did not hesitate to lecture his son, especially when he felt as if matters affected his family’s status. Nothing was more important, or so it often seemed. “I apologize for barging in, but the matter of my son’s health and safety come first for me, and I won’t let him bear the burden of making this decision by himself.” The presence of Benjiro seemed to have dominated the room, and it felt cooler as he imposed his will.

“Jomei, tell me what kind of story you have told the Chief?” The father demanded to know.

“I told him what you wanted me to say, but I don’t know… I’m not so sure about what you’re asking me to do” Jomei admitted nervously, shifting his eyes from his father to the Medical Chief.

 

[Ii Hissori]

The way Hissori sat showed there was really no discussing it. He didn’t want to remove the young boy’s arms as it was too dangerous for even someone like him skilled. When the boy started to speak again, Hissori swayed forward placing both his elbows on the table, with laced fingers to rest his head on. However, His emerald eyes quickly darted up to the door as he heard what seemed to be a great fight happened between two people.

“It is no problem, just sometimes people of power feel that they don’t need to wait for things.” Hissori replied in a straight even tone that seemed to convey he was not assumed with someone storming into his office, even if it was this boys father. However, the dog lover did return the politeness with a short bow before he spoke again.

“Again, it is no problem. I am in this office early every morning open to the public to make sure that they are happy.” He told him as he looked at Jomei smiling kindly at him. Hissori had been around for nearly thirty years, and had worked with children for a good part of it. He could tell that Jomei was nervous. He would do the best he could to stop this quickly.

“We did have a talk sir, and he told me about his problem. However, as I was just telling Jomei when you entered my room. The thing you want to have done to your sun is not only unnecessary, but incredibly dangerous to the boys own health. Besides, from a village standpoint, not only is this boy’s performance in line with the rest of the boys his age, but exemplary.” Hissori smiling a bit as he then sighed. He knew a diplomat would have a problem hear “No.”

“However, if you want me to hear out your case, I will. Just realize I feel it is the best for everyone not to do this at this time.” He repeated again.

 

[Okada Kaji]

“I can see where this is going” Jomei whispered. He could feel the pressure build around them, and sank into his seat as if the conversation was no longer his to have. He twiddled his many thumbs. The mere presence of his father had sewn Jomei’s mouth shut, and he was reduced to being a timid boy in Benjiro’s shadow. He sank into his seat, hoping to disappear from the moment. This place became as restricting as the action of hands wringing his neck, and the frustration of helplessness followed, while his father showed commitment to making the decisions for the future heir to the Matsui name. Brief memories of his father promising the best outcome to this meeting came to mind, but Jomei angrily rejected the idea once he realized what Benjiro had prepared for this morning.

Benjiro offered a disparaging titter following Hissori’s last words, and kept a confident appearance. His arrogance was a subtle, posh kind; and the way he would look at you when speaking to you said it all. You disgust him. He adjusted his glasses when Hissori spoke up against performing a medical procedure. The daylight created a gleaming reflection in his lenses covering his eyes.

“Words cannot express how much my son and I appreciate your concern, Hissori. But, I believe Jomei’s confusion about the nature of the procedure has introduced the act to you as something barbaric. I expected you to react this way... naturally advising against it; which is why I instructed my son to await my arrival before coming here, rather than come alone and incite a panic.” He turned to Jomei specifically, “Had I known that my year abroad would’ve made you so unruly, I might have taken the risk of bringing you along, if it could have prevented you from become insubordinate.” But then the astute man turned his attention back to Hissori, and he observed the man’s every move once more. “Or maybe my hopes were a bit too high when I thought the Ninja Academy would take charge of whipping you into shape. The old headmaster… What was his name, Hissori? He was a sennin much like you, wasn’t he? I commend you for keeping an impressive hold onto your post here at the clinic, and your leadership is a shining example of how the stone should be led. It is too bad that a couple of bad decisions prevented Kamaru from living up to a tenure such as yours, Hissori.”

Jomei, wrought with concern, watched Hissori and his father carefully as he examined how they would react to one-another. It seemed as if Benjiro were playing at something, but only time could tell. When he revealed a small scroll from his haori, Jomei’s anxiety was piqued even more. “I had a wonderful view the day you and those other great ninja prevented the Basilisk from having it’s way with our home… The people of stone are truly fortunate to have immigrant heroes like yourself and Kamaru, who came here from lands far and wide to protect the chosen land.” He presented a soft smile. “But it is a shame that such an attack has created a stir of suspicion around the village, as of late. With few leads to go off of for the cause of the Basilisk event, members of the council circle have grown suspicious of Outlanders like yourself... and my son.”

As a diplomat of sorts, Benjiro was privy to all sorts of rumors, and Jomei knew that his concerns weren’t just made of hot air. “As a well-known Hidden Mist Native, and one of the few villagers peppered out amongst what remains of the shinobi nations, that makes you a target for questions in loyalty when it comes to your brethren, and your stake in the future of the Earth Nation. I would hate for your loyalty to come into question for making a questionable decision when it comes to keeping our villagers healthy and safe.”

As he delivered these carefully chosen words, Benjiro placed his small scroll onto Hissori’s desk. The Medical Chief was presented a finely crafted scroll with a leather cover, and thick parchment paper that described secrets of dark arts known only by a handful of masters, hidden in the crevices of their realm. “The techniques provided by that scroll with ensure you’ll have everything you need to bind a Gaia Seal upon Jomei, which will suppress his hachiashi mutation, and allow Jomei to conceal his extra appendages so that he will never have to face such dishonorable allegations. Do this favor for me, and I’ll make sure you never face those kind of allegations, as well.”

 

[Ii Hissori]

It wasn’t just Jomei that could see where this was going. Hissori could tell that this was going to devolve into a fight. Not a physical one, no Hissori had been in one of those in years. Instead, this was going to a verbal confrontation. Still that was probably something not good for the head of the medical branch to have with a diplomat, but it was one that would happen still.

The chiding titter of Benjiro was the beginning of it. It was surprising or well really wasn’t that most of the immigrants of this village were treated as the children of it. They were viewed as incapable of doing anything even though one of the highest ranking member of the village was an immigrant. The strawberry blond wouldn’t flinch as he would stare at the man. He had been around people like this, who thought they’d be able to intimidate the doctor into getting what they wanted.

“Trust me there is only one barbarian here.” Hissori said as he shrugged a bit looking at him as he shrugged a bit listening to the man as he then nodded a bit. “I believe his name was Kamaru.” Hissori responded to him as he continued to listen to older man. HFe would just lean forward. He wasn’t an idiot, and the threat that Benjiro was giving the man was certainly not as vailed as it seemed to be. In fact, Hissori had half a mine to teach him what Kirigakure was all about.

“If they want to kick me out. That’s fine. I am sure plenty of nations would like me to revolutize their countries medical branches. I am sure I will do a better job where my hands didn’t spend the first couple of years with my hands tied.” Hissori said as he looked like he wasn’t ready to back down from the man. Hissori was not one to bend and when Hissori unrolled the scroll and looked at it, the man would just nod and let him finish before standing up, and walking around the desk. It was like Hissori was just going to his bookshelves. Without the knowledge that the man had placed himself in between Kenjiro and the door.

“You know Kenjiro-san… these type of Jutsu’s are not only incredibly dangerous, but also incredibly forbidden. According to the laws of this nation as well as peace treaties… No one are supposed to be practicing them.” Hissori told him turning to face him a canine tooth sticking through his lips. He would move closer to him thinking a bit as he started to figure out how to handle the situation way. Handing the man back the scroll, the sennin signed.

“So now, I am supposed to arrest you for possession of that, and as well as that I am insulted you don’t think I am not already versed in those… arts.” He said simply standing about a foot away from him now his body standing up right and tall.

Spoiler

507 MFT

 

[Okada Kaji]

“Oh you’re going to arrest me, now.” Benjiro was quick to turn things around.. “Let’s be serious for a minute about those out-dated forbidden jutsu laws, Chief Ii. Those kind of rules aren’t put in place for the sake of preventing professionals like yourself from handling this scroll’s gift with care.” The tension within the room expanded as Benjiro had appeared on his feet, and was putting the scroll back into a flap in his haori. “If you have the resources to perform the sealing maneuver I would like you to perform the procedure on Jomei within the week. He has an important assignment coming and he’ll need to have this spider mutation under control by then if he hopes to have a chance of being let out of my sight.”

Of all the places in the known shinobi realms, Jomei was tasked with a mission that called for a journey to the Water Country, of all places. There was a need to tread lightly, and Benjiro would stop at nothing. He insisted on this procedure despite the risks involved for the sake of his son’s supposed safety, but what would Jomei have to say for himself, if given the chance?

“Wait, this is getting out of hand.” The sound of Jomei’s objection snapped the two gentleman out of what was about to become quite an event. As he spoke out, Jomei looked away from his father and the Medical Sennin, unable to look at them squarely. “I… I want to do it. Me. Myself. I…” his words fell to silence and hesitation as Benjiro stiffed his back and looked to Hissori with a victorious confidence. His son didn’t make him look like a fool after he stuck his neck out… but then Jomei continued talking.

“I know the curse sealing sounds like a desperate idea, but if it can give me more control over my hachihashi transformations, I think it’s a risk worth taking. If there is a limiter restricting me from mutating further, I can really push myself without a threat of going too far. I have a real fear that one day, my mutations will turn me into something that isn’t even human.”

“A monster.” Benjiro tagged a bit of his own flair to the end of Jomei’s confession, and stepped behind his son’s seat. He placed a firm hand on Jomei’s shoulder, and pat him twice, only to receive a condemning reaction from his son. “I know my father can be a bit of a jerk, but he’s only trying to help me achieve something I set out to do for myself. I am not a monster, but I cannot continue developing as a hachiashi with the fear that I could permanently transform into a giant spider. At least with the Gaia seal I will be able to control the process... with enough training. Please, forgive my father and reconsider the procedure.”

 

[Ii Hissori]

“Maybe.” Was Hissori’s dry response to the fact that Benjiro seemed to be trying to argue the legitimacy of the rules? Of course he had a point that those laws were rather outdated and that for someone like Hissori, knowing jutsu’s that were considered “dark” was probably one of the advance things that he needed.

“If you want me to be honest, the things that scroll like that teach are not gifts. In many cases they are curses, or even worse death sentences. I know you as a diplomat have never actually been in the field, but a lesson your son will learn is that anything involving gaining power so quickly, often comes at a terrible price. Secondly, I really don’t care about your rhetoric. Hissori deadpanned as he looked over at Jomei. He felt bad that this young man was caught in this fight. It was surprising that the boy was about to speak up.

The words of Jomei though seemed to begin to convince the sennin. Hissori felt awful for the boy who was obviously more speaking to stand up for his father than to say the truth. The large left hand of the man would come to rest on Jomei’s shoulders as Hissori let him speak. When Jomei finished, Hissori would get down on one knee to get to speak with him.

“If this is really what you want, I will do it. But realize. I had friedns who were not only incredibly successful in life, but incredibly successful as shinobi with the Hachiashi trait. The real gift, are your extra arms. They are someone you should use not try to destroy and hide.” Hissori said as then the father said something that made Hissori snap.

Growling, the wolfman would lunge and wrap his large hand around the throat of the diplomat. His emerald eyes had become feral, and to probably Benjiro’s surprise the doctors nails were becoming sharp enough that just a prick would draw blood. What people often forgot about the foreigner was that before he found success in the medical field. He was not only a trained killer, but just a step above a wild human. He started to squeeze more as the low deep almost feral voice seemed to come out.

“How dare you even bring that word up about your son.” Hissori started to as he began to use his rather surprising strength to try to push away Benjiro from his son and pin him into the wall as he continued to constrict around his throat.

“No matter what happens to someone’s child, they are NEVER a monster.” Hissori said in that same growling tone as he slammed the man a bit into the wall before opening the door to his office. “Under No circumstances, am I going to be a tool in turning your son into a real monster.” Hissori said as with one rough slam he used his one hand to throw Benjiro out of the office.

“Don’t come back.” He said lowly as he went to close the door as he then took a deep breath and tried to collect himself. Straighten out his shirt, those sharp nails began to go away as he then turned back to the probably terrified Jomei.

“I will promise you. If you want, I will train you properly on how to manage that special gift you have. I know this is a lot for you, but it takes someone special to deal with a father like that.”

 

[Okada Kaji]

In the mere blink of an eye, whatever principles serving as a barrier between Jomei’s father and the Medical Chief crumbled, and Hissori crossed the line in their little conversation. Jomei could barely follow his movements when Hissori clamped down upon Benjiro, and flung the elder diplomat in an irreversible show of brute force. While Hissori was vocal in his disdain, it was the toss that left a lasting impression for both Jomei and Benjiro. Books and trinkets lined the shelves behind Benjiro, and they all gave way to the force of an adult male slamming against them. “Aha! There’s the Hissori I heard about” Benjiro let out his snideness with a relieved tone, while clearing the dust he had collected from Hissori’s tantrum. “I’m sure the prestige of having this little office to yourself has given you some sense of entitlement. It’s just a title-- Medical Chief. But underneath the titles and whatever illusion of prowess you used to reach this stage of your career, you’re just another grunt who can’t express himself without using his fists.” More stinging rhetoric. Once Hissori showed Benjiro the door, it seemed as if Jomei’s hope to attain the Gaia seal was left in pieces, much like the bookshelf they smashed to bits. “I think I will be on my way” Benjiro added seethingly as he made a slow and dramatic exit. He looked squarely at Hissori one last time before turning his attention to Jomei. “My son, I believe we both have spent enough time trying to sway the chief, let’s be off before his stupidity begins to rub off on you- that or the stench of this place. We will resort to trusting the shamans before we ever let this louse put his greasy paws- “
“Enough, Dad... We get it.” Jomei sharply interrupted his father. Enough was enough, and the damage was already done. “I still have to ask Master Hissori about my clearance and itinerary for the assignment. You should get going, and I’ll be right behind you in a few.” Though Benjiro wouldn’t play the fool so easily, he allowed his son another moment with the chief and made a prompt exit from the room.

“I’m going to face an hour-long lecture tonight at dinner, thanks to you” Jomei admitted as he stepped next to Hissori by the doorway where he stood. He pondered if the chief’s hand would leave bruises on Benjiro’s collar, but in truth, the only pain he felt would come from a bruised ego. “It’s been at least a decade since anyone has said no time him, and he came here thinking that it’d be easy to talk you into doing the procedure. I’m sorry for putting you into that kind of spot Master Hissori- my father is a real jerk sometimes… Hopefully you didn’t piss him off too much, he has a habit of taking things too far when he gets offended. And to think it was over me. You may see my transformation as a gift, but he- my father, is positive that it’s a curse.” As he spoke his cloak parted in the front, and all six hands were revealed with open palms facing upward. “How cliche. Since you insist, I’m going to give myself a bit more time to grow with the hachiashi within me, but that won’t stop my father from working on other ways to get rid of my mutation. It may be for the best that I keep this power now Master, I just hope it ends up being a good decision in the long run.”

 

[Ii Hissori]

Hissori was seething as the diplomat was leaving his room. How dare a man like that come in and question him about what he spent his whole life practicing and studying. Then to be insulted like that in front of a subordinate. It didn’t really matter though because he assumed that these things were probably being said by a bunch of families behind his back.

With a flip of his wrist Hissori waved the diplomat away and huffed. “Sorry you had to see that.” He said as he moved to sit down again by his desk. Buru as well was moving back to his dog bed to relax some as he seemed less annoyed than Hissori was. Hissori however was already listening to Jomei speak. Of course the man was processing exactly what he had as he looked at just stared off towards the end of the door nodding as he smirked.

“People like that should be told no more often a lot more often.” He said as he watched him closely before sighing some listening to him “With all due to respect to your family. Your father is a buffoon. Don’t listen to him. The closet he’s ever been to a real shinobi life is being escorted somewhere by one.” Hissori told him a bit of a snort as he nodded a bit. He then took a deeper breath as he looked at him. “You said something about an assignment what is it that you want clearance for?” Hissori said as he told him.

Spoiler

MFT 250

 

[Okada Kaji]

Jomei became eager to answer when Hissori asked about his assignment. After all, the issue of his appendages tied directly this important task. It was the event that almost reduced their village to cinders and ash. “Ah, the expedition” Jomei snapped back to his alert and ready posture once his work gained the spotlight of Hissori’s attention. He stepped lightly around those scattered books covering the floor, and chose a large Atlas bound in leather as a visual aid. While he flipped through hundreds of sea charts and mountain ranges, and page after page, Jomei revisited what led to this expedition that was so pressing.

“For the last few weeks, the SRD has been working around the clock with the Medic Corps and Temple Scholars, trying to analyze that Basilisk spawn we caged after the attack. I mean, I haven’t set foot into that lab, but I did bring them my fair share of coffee. I started doing a little research for myself after my father told me about the first few Basilisk Theories<i></i> didn’t make it past the council of elders’ scrutiny.” Two hands gripped the covers of the atlas, while a third flipped from page to page, and a fourth skimmed over paragraphs of information. There it was: Jomei showed the medical chief something all too familiar; even nostalgic. It was a map of the water country, from the times before the endless storm that covers it now. “I made a connection between the regional climate changes stemming from that storm circling the water country, and the trade winds that push to the north. While Mariushi Mountain is pretty far away from the water country... I believe that our mountain became the prime breeding ground for those monsters after the coastal climate was altered.” Jomei then flipped to another page he kept a few fingers between, and showed Hissori the their own coastal map. “The question still remains, where did they come from? I believe that this storm could have triggered their big move. When they came here, the mother brought two smaller offspring. See, she came here to roost! Our mountain is the most stable point on our coast, which is on a faultine, and it became the perfect nesting ground since that storm began altering things.”

With the scientific explanation out of the way, Jomei tossed the atlas aside and continued his monologue. “The RSD has approved for me to go on an expedition to the Water Country to survey the environment and determine if my theory holds true… But that’s not my only motivation for venturing to the hidden mist. You may think he is a buffoon, but my father went as far as he could to gain knowledge on the Hachihashi for my benefit. The truth about who I am is somewhere out there in the Hidden Mist, and I deserve a chance to seek it out before I commit to a life that wasn’t meant for me. Thanks to his efforts over the past year, I believe I have the knowledge needed to venture into the territory. As the acting Tsuchikage, I know you are the chief authority on allowing me to take on this mission.”

< MFT >

< RSD: Research & Science Division >

 

[Ii Hissori]

Hissori could see how eager the child was to answer the question about what his mission idea was. This exuberance was the same type of approach that Hissori took when he was younger researching the ability of blood. It was something that made good men, into great men, and that passion Jomei certainly had in spades. Hopefully, the medical sennin would see this excitement grow into success. Nodding some, Hissori would begin to listen to what the Chuunin had to say.

He was talking about research about the creature that Hissori and a group of shinobi were able to capture after they had defended the village from their attack. Of course what Jomei sounded like was a normal position a young man was just starting to figure out his way for life. Hissori was lucky that so quickly after getting into the medical corp that he had found a teacher like Koroki who put him to work in the laboratories of Kirigakure’s hospitals so quickly.

The apparent cause of the attack was climate change stemming from the longer lasting effects of the destruction of Kirigakure. It seemed whatever they were, they were not trying to make their nests in the mountains of Iwagakure. Questions were running in his head about how they got there and how much of a threat they were going to be for the village. He would bring up why they were here and it seemed to make sense.

“I’ll sign off on the mission as long as you are safe, the frozen water country is a very dangerous place now and if you are not careful you will lose your life.” Hissori said as he took out a piece of paper and started to scribble on it.

“Take this, to the passport office, it will give you a passport to travel aboard. Oh and train well.” Hissori told the boy with a warm smile.

Spoiler

MTF 300+
Topic Left Unless Stopped

 

[Okada Kaji]

And so, with Lord Hissori’s blessing Jomei was set to begin his journey across the high seas to the village hidden in the mist. It was time to set sail, and Jomei wouldn’t wait another moment loitering in the Spire. Taking the Medical Chief’s advice to heart, Jomei went to go triple-check his inventory and itenerary, as the time to depart would come as soon as the week’s end.

< Topic Left >