The Medical Sennin and the Raikage

[Junan]

He’d listened to the recordings and given himself time to take everything which was said into account. It was clear that Kitsune didn’t even feel bad, justifying her actions to herself as the right actions. Watching your leader die, your leader and your leader’s leader die while doing nothing about it was in Akira’s mind inexcusable.

There were three voices in his head that he listened to. The words of his master Shinbatsu called for blood, she had betrayed the village, betrayed Akira’s friends, she had let them die before her eyes and she justified her doing so. Then there was Shin’s voice, this one told him to forgive her, that although her reasoning was flawed so is all our reasoning for we are not a god, it is not for us to judge. Yet the most important voice was his own. This voice was his voice, and his voice took those other voices into account, it used reason, it looked at the implications to his actions.

Forgiveness was one thing, but to simply forgive without action meant that he would be encouraging this action in the future. Death was certainly an option if he wanted to make a clear indicator that this wouldn’t be tolerated, yet at the same time this would send a message to one and all that their Raikage had no issue with sending them to their deaths. A message he did not want to send for it was not his way. He was too new in the position and thus his actions had long term judgements.

Instead he decided that Kitsune’s judgements on others themselves would be the judgement that he would place on her.

This was the best method for now. It would remove the message that he was simply a killer, a man who used brute force to smash people into line, but instead one who would judge those the way that they themselves had judged others. Or so he hoped.

Could someone please fetch Shinrya Kitsune please? I need to have a word with her. She will know what it’s about.

For now he would wait and think about the best way to discuss this sensitive matter.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune had a bad feeling in her stomach when she woke up that morning. Somehow, her intuition was warning her that this day would be… Less than optimal. And when she was interrupted during her lunch to be told that his not-so-royal highness, the right honorable Lord Raikage, Saito Akira himself, wanted to see her, it didn’t take all that much brain power to figure out what it was about. She sighed and changed clothes into something a bit more appropriate for such an occasion, before heading from her office to the Torre Celeste. Upon arriving there, she skipped greeting the receptionist and headed straight for the stairs up to the floor where the Raikage Office was located.

She knocked on the door, and then entered. She walked over to stand in front of the desk, not taking a seat even if offered. ”You requested my presence?” she inquired, and looked at the man, her arms folded under her breasts. She had subconsciously taken a defensive stance with her arms, and didn’t really notice it until after a few minutes. She had been dreading this particular meeting, as she knew who the man was a student of. If Saito decided to follow those footsteps, Kitsunes head would likely be separated from her shoulders imminently. But hopefully, Saito wasn’t quite as dramatic, nor rash with his actions.

 

[Junan]

First came the knock, Akira’s hand still holding a piece of paper he’d been reviewing… and yet not reviewing, his eyes following the lines but not reading their contents as his mind was more focused on what was about to happen. He looked towards the door as it opened and Kitsune entered.

Standing, Akira bowed his head in acknowledgement before gesturing, offering her a seat, and when she didn’t take it he offered a small, if sad, smile and sat himself.

She started the verbal communication, confirming that he had called for her, and he simply nodded at first, looking up towards her face with his one good eye. He could see her defensiveness, and he could understand her reason as to why. He had listened to that interview, and she knew as well as he did that the interview itself was a review of her by the other leaders of the village.

With a small sigh he began. He didn’t want this to be this way.

Kitsune, you’re aware of your actions and what it is that you’re being held against. You’re also aware that I have only recently taken the seat and am yet to have my own name cleared in regards to my own actions to be in this position myself. His voice was soft, perhaps an attempt to lighten what was coming, but perhaps simply an offering of sympathy for someone who both had aided his own investigation, but who could be seen to be part of the reason for it to need to have occurred in the first place.

Your equals, the other Sennin, were unimpressed it seems with your answers, your beliefs and the conviction you have behind those beliefs. I think that there are enough stories about me and the kind of person I am that you know that I wish I had been there instead of you. That there hasn’t been a day since their deaths that I haven’t regretted my retirement.

Unlike you I haven’t died to save a Raikage, and as such perhaps there is a lack of understanding on my part with regards to why you stood aside that day. Yet at the same time you stand here still, and to me that tells me that you never gave your life, for surely to be truly dead would mean that we wouldn’t both be here today to speak. The softness to the voice steadied, it wasn’t entirely gone, but it certainly wasn’t there as much as it had been. His eye certainly showed no softness, his mind was made up and Kitsune would see this.

Yet he wanted to understand her reasoning, just that he understood there would be too much difference between the way they thought for that to ever happen. He was a man loyal to the village, a man who would have died for his master, a man who would have died for his friend, yet also a man who would have died to save a student or anyone else in the village if it would mean their survival. And this wouldn’t be a death that he could simply walk away from should that be necessary.

Do you have anything to say which hasn’t already been said?

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

”Until they’ve tried the same experience. Dying, I mean. They aren’t fit to judge my actions.” Kitsune said, standing her ground. ”I only stand here today, because of the actions of Takaki Masao, the father of my daughter, the man whose grave is right next to my own in the graveyard section for those that died for their Raikage, as he used a holy Tenouzan relic to resurrect me.” she continued, steeling her voice to prevent emotion from shining through. ”As I told you when you interviewed me, Kaguya Daisuke said he wouldn’t hold it against me if I chose to stand down. Would you have fought, knowing you would’ve made absolutely no difference, what so ever?” she asked him.

”I could barely mold chakra at the time due to an injury I sustained during my absence. The worst thing I could’ve done against the aggressors would be throwing office supplies and harsh language at them. Not exactly the most lethal of actions. Well, not for them, anyways. Daisuke-san most likely sensed, or saw that my chakra coils were in disarray, and yet he still wanted me back in the medical branch.” she said, her right hand twitching slightly.

Kitsune took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down ”Not a day goes by, that I wish I could’ve done something to help them. Not a night goes by, without me being haunted by what I sensed in the darkness during my period as dead. Trust me when I say that it’s not a pleasant place. There’s no afterlife. Only darkness. And it’s hungry.” she said, shaking slightly, her eyes showing that she was clearly distraught about it. ”I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to care one bit about what I just said.” she finalized, then shutting up and looking at the mountain of a man.

 

[Junan]

It was the difference between them in the answer to the question she asked. To him there would have been no hesitation. He had proven this many times. People would have told him that he stood no chance taking on two Chuunin, both vastly superior to him in experience, both who had shown a tendency for combat. Yet it was Shin who was under attack by the pair. If he had even once considered the idea that he couldn’t make a difference perhaps he might have hesitated, but he defeated them both, single handedly. They were his superiors, yet he laid them low, proving that despite his limits, that despite their apparent strength, that he could make a difference. Kitsune had a seed of doubt in her mind. Akira could never know that he couldn’t make a difference, for how could he know that unless he tried.

He let the question remain unanswered though. She didn’t need to hear his answer, he figured that she would know the truth to it not too long after asking it. She wasn’t dealing with an everyday shinobi, she was dealing with perhaps the most warrior-like Raikage since Shinbatsu. A man who wouldn’t hesitate to fight if it came to it, no matter the odds. For odds only existed to be beaten.

As she continued he could only think back to the time he had been tortured, when he’d lost his eye to the poachers who took shinobi and sold them for parts to the highest bidder. When he’d been chained for months, his muscle wasted away, his strength taken from him, yet his faith strong. He’d been unable to use chakra for so long, and yet in that moment, when he needed to use it he could. As mangled as his body had been he escaped, slaughtering many in his wake.

His eyes met hers, and he could see her anger. She truly felt that she had done all she could, that to do otherwise would have been a waste of life, her life. She treasured her life, and that was the truth of it, where Akira’s was only his until his master decided that he’d done enough.

Her imagery of the afterlife was an interesting one, and one which he was yet to face. Yet due to his faith he couldn’t help but judge that. As surely in his mind as his master was a god, was as certain in his mind that he would be by his masters’ side once more, only when he died. A day he looked forward to, but a day he would not rush toward.

He nodded as she said her last line, yet she was wrong.

You misinterpret not caring with it not changing anything. I am sorry Kitsune, as I said I cannot judge you, you have seen what I have not, been where I have not been, and I cannot relate for reason which I’m sure under more calm circumstances you will understand. She would know as well as any of his beliefs, and she would know that his actions couldn’t be similar to the ones she took for that reason.

Unfortunately perception is reality, and it is with the perception of those who have been chosen to lead the village with me that you are unfit for your title, and I believe one stated unfit to be a shinobi of the village. His gaze was steady, he did wish she would sit rather than stand, he didn’t like sitting before someone who was standing.

There was a silence as he looked into her eyes, hoping that she would see the truth in his words, the truth in him, that he wanted to believe her but that his position, that the way her actions were seen by himself and by others meant that he couldn’t.

My master would have you killed. I think during that time, with the shinobi who ran the village at the time the action you took would have been deemed horrific, and I know that if it were Shinbatsu’s will I would strike you down where you stand. In his will I would take pleasure in doing so, it would be the first of many deaths for I would then go to the hospital and kill Ai, then I would organise the locating of Keiji and Haruka before setting out personally and killing them. Keiji I suspect to be with Kushin, so perhaps too I would need to fight that man and if it be Shinbatsu’s will I would strike him down as well for daring to raise a hand against his village. Blood would be my story, violence the page that it was written on, and death the ending.

Perhaps dramatic, but at the same time an honest truth. She would have been killed, and he would have been her executioner. But no, Shinbatsu would never have needed saving in the first place. Had they attacked Akira’s master that day with Karubin by his side then the gods of Lightning Country would have laughed at the folly of mortal men.

Shin would have forgiven entirely. Yet it was he who died that day, he and Daisuke. So perhaps it was his softness which lead to his own demise.

Standing from his seat he maintained an eye on Kitsune.

Turning his back to her suddenly he seemed to regard his sword, a hand reached out, the fingertips running down the massive blade which hung behind the seat of his chair in his office. The office of the Raikage. The hilts eye opened, the mangekyou sharingan eye, Shinbatsu’s mangekyou. It looked at him, at her, the tremor Akira felt as it ached for use.

His fingers sprung away from the blade suddenly as if struck.

What to do Kitsune... What do you think is the fair thing to do? What would you do if you were me? He asked this quietly as if to himself, but loud enough for Kitsune to hear, his head turning a moment after asking as though looking for her answer.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

”Perception is subjective. Always tinted by opinions and prejudice.” Kitsune said, standing her ground and still refusing to sit down. ”Blood would indeed be your story if you took a page out of Kushin’s book and went for a walk. You’d be remembered, for sure, but possibly not with fondness. You’d probably end up like Ringo, or Takao.” she said and narrowed her eyes a bit ”You claim it was Shins softness that lead to his demise. I say you’re wrong. Hayata-sama saw the good in every person. Even one as twisted at Isaki Hoshikata. He’s the Raikage the village has had the longest, if you don’t count Kagetsu Kiyo. And despite the slight depression we’ve had during the ending of his reign, the village itself has prospered. The man had, and has, inspired thousands of people, and he still does to this day.”

She took a deep breath again, calming her nerves and her temper. ”So, if I may be so bold. I don’t give a rats furry behind what they say.” she said, her tone calm and collected, but her eyes… Her eyes told a different story. They showed fury, rage, anger, regret, and most importantly, sorrow. ”It’s a matter of fact that I could’ve run away from the village, like Keiji and Haruka did. But I stayed. And despite everything that’s happened, I’m still the most skilled doctor in the village, seeing as no one has heard from or seen Karubin for years.”

”Second most skilled doctor in the village? That’d be my adoptive daughter, Shinrya Kahako. A young woman whom I’ve put in charge of the Mednin/ANBU division, to further her leadership abilities and her skills. However, she doesn’t yet possess the same skills as I do. Would you throw the medical branch into disarray due to what two men claims? Isn’t now exactly the time for standing tall, and showing that this village is as strong as ever?” she sighed before getting to the question Saito asked last. ”I can’t tell you what to do, nor what is fair. All I can do is request that you let me stay where I am, however unlikely that may be.” she finished and looked at Saito, trying to gauge his reaction to what she had said, ready to jump back if he were to grab the sword on the wall.

 

[Junan]

He smiled, she’d jumped to the wrong conclusions. He hadn’t claimed it to be Shin’s downfall, he had the idea as a possibility, his exact working being “perhaps” rather than any claim that it indeed was. Though the smile was truly for the idea that the village remembered his closest friend in fondness. He truly hoped that this was the truth, for he himself would always remember the man in that way.

Yet unfortunately for Kitsune, perception was all anyone ever had.

And then her pride let slip to a few other things. She felt she was the most skilled doctor in the village, that her adoptive daughter the second most. It was this pride that was her downfall in many respects, because to Akira he felt that perhaps it was this pride which made her feel she was inexpendable, justifying to herself why she had to live.

You misjudge me, I don’t believe that to truly be the downfall of Shin, for it was one of his greatest qualities and is what stays my hand. I would hate to take his place only to sully his memory with my first action.

He walked back to his desk.

No-one in this village is irreplaceable Kitsune. There are dozens of medical chiefs who may not make the best doctors but who have leadership capabilities, and that is what is more important for the title of Sennin. Your abilities in the room are most relied on as a mednin, maybe a chief, when you have fewer other responsibilities.

You might not care about what they say about you, or how they feel about you, but in the end I cannot look to have a strong village if the leaders cannot trust each other for protection. I do not want the ANBU or anyone else to hesitate in anyone’s defense because of such a conflict. I want this village to be strong, and as such I need to make decisions, like this one. His gaze met hers. There was no malice, no intention of violence, he was not a dog which barked, if he was going to attack she would be dead by now.

A while ago we sat in a room together and you gave judgement on a young shinobi of the medical branch. I let you decide the punishment, I was the ANBU Sennin certainly and well within my rights to overrule such a thing, but you were the leader of the Medical Branch and I wanted that person to understand that truth.

Today we are in the same room but no longer am I the ANBU Sennin, but the Raikage, and it is you who is being judged. You lowered his rank due to insubordination and not following the medical laws put into practice by Shin. It was a lowering of a single rank I believe from Mednin to Trainee, his insubordination being using damaging jutsu inside the village, though without actually causing much in the way of physical harm, and mainly being a case of causing panic.

I am judging you for doing nothing when you should have acted as is expected of any shinobi in Cloud. Ayumu said it best, the vow is assumed, that you take it upon graduation from the academy is simply a case of ceremony, it is not something you are ever free of, whether you have given your life or not. As such you have acted in insubordination of your duties and against the laws which govern the shinobi of this village.

You have handed down the punishment that you have seen fit for this act in my presence. As such you will receive the same.

You are demoted from Medical Sennin to Medical Chief. This isn’t such a harsh penalty, but it will mean that we will need to look at finding a replacement. I am sure you have someone to suggest for that position, and I believe it to be your adoptive daughter, she will be taken into consideration but her affiliation to you and the potential of bias in this decision will be called into question. As such although she will be considered she is far from guaranteed the position.

As a Medical Chief you would continue the duties as such, and would be expected to act as a shinobi is meant to act under situations such as the one you’re being punished for. If this is too much to ask then I expect your resignation and retirement.

He looked to her to see her reaction.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

”I didn’t say I was irreplaceable. However, surely you’re aware that currently there are only two candidates for my replacement. One is Shinrya Kahako, one is Tsuyoshi Junko. I don’t believe you’ve met Kahako, but I know you’ve met Junko already. Keep in mind, that Junko is only a medical chief because of a technicality. Specifically the one that says a mednin can’t be a division leader. Where Kahako, on the other hand, have been a medical chief for a whole lot longer, and have displayed great leadership skills in the division she leads, the Sentou Henkan.” Kitsune said and met Saitos gaze.

”If it’s alright with you, Saito-san, I’d like to keep handling the day to day business of the branch until you’ve found a replacement.” Kitsune said and looked at the man. ”If anything, it would hinder instability and keep it running as it should. And. A more personal request. Could we announce this as a stepping down to let younger blood step in, once the replacement is found, rather than a demotion?” she asked, letting her arms drop to her sides and kept her gaze on him. ”It’s about time I stepped down anyways. I’ve got a daughter I barely get to see due to the workload…”

Then she looked away for a brief moment before looking back at Saito ”Do you have any children, Saito-san?” she asked him out of curiosity. It seemed like he was the kind of man that would’ve been too busy to start a family. ”Oh right… While I remember. I’d like to add a black spot to one, Sasaki Kotsuko’s permanent file. He broke into a storage room in the hospital, and disrupted security systems, and bypassed locks to get there.” she said and extended her hand. ”I’ve got the evidence stored as a snapshot in my mind. If you take my hand, I’ll show it to you.” she explained.

[If Akira takes hand, Snapshot memory of Kotsuko being caught redhanded by Kitsune and Sainou will be shown to him.]

 

[Junan]

He noted her words, it was fair enough, but at the same time for the same reason why he couldn't simply place Kahako into the title of Sennin he couldn't simply take Kitsune at her word about the situation at the hospital. If he was right with regards to her bias then this was simply a case where Kahako had been raised to the position because of preferential treatment, while Junko not being of her clan did not receive it. Also with his attitude it was entirely possible that he'd offended her at some time which might cause his lack of promotion. He didn't say anything though, simply making a mental note.

She went on after this to ask if she could retain the position in the short term, till a replacement was found, as well as if it could be announced as her stepping down. It was an idea, but, Akira had to think about the long term ramifications.

It really depended on how much was going to be released. He wanted for there to be full clarity to the shinobi, and people, of Kumogakure on the topic. He wanted them to know the full truth behind the death of Shin, behind his actions taken against council, and for everyone involved to have what they did clarified. If a part of this was held back then there would be potential questions raised.

She mentioned that she should be stepping down anyway, he was glad that she was finding a logical non-punishment reason for it in her mind. Asking if he had children, he shook his head. Despite no-longer taking part in the politics, and stepping aside from the clan as a whole, he had always adhered to their customs. He hadn't left Lightning Country for a long time though, and with his separation from the clan he'd not been introduced to a woman who would be a good match. Though there had been that girl in Leaf when he'd lived there, yet he'd not heard from her since his leaving so long ago. With Leaf's destruction and this question he did wonder how she was, if she'd gotten married and had a family of her own.

After this she started talking about someone she wanted a black spot on. Reaching out he accepted the transfer, it wasn't really his position to do anything though, this type of thing was really meant to be dealt with between the Sennin, keeping records so that future Sennin would be aware of what was going on, decisions made and why they'd been made. Still he'd take the record so that he could pass it on to whoever needed it.

He decided to draw the conversation back to the more pressing issue however.

With regards to how we step you down, I have to base that decision on how it is that I am going to be releasing the information on the recent incidents. I am wanting to be as clear with Kumogakure as I can be, let them see the truth and see that the right decisions have been made.

Part of this would be you and the decisions based around your position. Your lack of performing your duty as a shinobi being met with punishment by demotion. The issue I would have with letting you remain as Sennin and then have it seem as though you stepped down would be that I would either need to come up with some other punishment, or be seen as effectively allowing it.

I do understand that by continuing to perform duties as a medical chief with the whole of the medical branch knowing what happened might be difficult, that you would be doubted, that your replacement may or may not act further on this knowledge, but I feel that this is all part of the punishment, and the reason why no further punishment is required.

He looked her in the eye, he wondered if she had mistaken his decision for leniency... he was far from lenient, the difference was that he knew what the punishment would mean for her and her clan. Her proposal would mean that the true punishment, the punishment which came as part of his decision, wouldn't happen, which would mean he would need to do something else. At this time he was not willing to change that, for to do otherwise would mean lying to his people.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

”That’s a good point” Kitsune said and sighed a bit ”Very well. Do as you see fit. I’ll accept it regardless. Though I’d still like to keep doing my current job until the replacement is found, if that could be arranged.” she finished and looked at Saito, kinda expecting him to say something at this point, but also accepting if he didn’t. ”I may be demoted, but I still care about my branch. I’d rather not see it go into turbulent times due to my own failure. Someone needs to handle the paperwork and day to day direction, why not me until a replacement is decided upon?”

Hopefully Akira would see it from Kitsune’s point of view: Why not use the one already doing it until the new person was picked? She already knew how things worked, and why not make use of that? Either way it’d all be up to Akira in the end. He was the Raikage, and he laid down the law. Well, assuming the ongoing investigation didn’t find his in error. In that event, Kitsune might get a different punishment or even none at all. Who knew?

”I plan to have a meeting with the ANBU sennin to show him the same piece of evidence I showed you. With the recruitment changes to the branch, it seems relevant to show him not to trust the kid around sensitive materials. And of course, to let him know that he’s been reported for his breaking and entering.” she said and folded her arms again. ”But that’s about it, for that case.”

[MFT; WC: 263]

 

[Junan]

He nodded as she spoke, I know you care for your branch Kitsune, and as far as I can tell you've done a good job running it since the death of Daisuke. Although your time there has been short do not think that it is unnoticed. I will however have you reduced in rank with immediate effect, the administrative duties of the position will be covered by one of the member of the Raikage Tower in the mean time while any missions and the like which would normally be covered by the position will be distributed by myself. Although this might mean the occasional mismatch my covering this aspect shouldn't be for long, and I'll listen to the Chiefs who I'd be contacting to take on the missions and will redistribute as needed.

The decision had been made, Kitsune notified. For now there would be no Medical Sennin, he would review the potential candidates and perhaps hold interviews with them to see who he felt would be the best fit for the position.

He would need to see this individual at some stage, better understand the reason for the actions, he'd also need to actually review the boys actions. But then again, it still wasn't his place. That thinking was only an echo from his time as ANBU Sennin.

I will allow you to make the announcement. I suggest you do so honestly so as not to make matters worse for yourself, however this way at least you can save face to a certain degree. You will be able to give your support for the decision and ask the other Chiefs for their forgiveness and hope to work with them in future as well as the next Sennin type thing. This I think would be better for you than my announcing with simply the facts, what has happened and what will be happening. He looked at Kitsune and hoped she would see the wisdom in her cooperation with him on this, both for her and her branch.

If that is all then I will look forward to hearing your announcement in the branch and I do hope that you will look at this as an opportunity to redeem yourself in any who doubt your conviction's eyes.

[topic left if Kitsune leaves]

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

”Well. Guess I’d better get to it then.” she said in a matter-of-factly tone of voice. ”Lots of things to be done.” Kitsune let her arms fall to her side again and turned to leave, only to stop halfway through the turn, and then turn back to face Akira ”Back when you returned to the village, you were the ANBU blacksmith, and I asked if you would forge a weapon for me. Would you be interested in doing that still, or do I have to find someone else?” she asked. If he said yes, she’d bring out a scroll from her inner pocket, it was the blueprint for a katana, and she’d leave it in his care, before leaving the room.

If Akira told her to find someone else, she’d just nod and leave the room without any further words. She did have a lot of things to do now, including announcing her stepping down and why. But now, without the restraints of Sennin-ship, she could focus more on her research. It was about time she published some of her findings to the rest of the branch, anyways.

[Topic Left]

 

[Junan]

Taking the blueprints he offered a small smile.

I would be honoured. he said and nodded his head. Smithy was a hobby that he had turned into a profession, his Hyuuga abilities as well as his knowledge of chakra had aided him in surpassing most other smiths, though he was sure there were better shinobi smiths around. Still it would give him time to steady his thoughts and work through a lot of the stress that the past month had built on his broad shoulders.

He would get to work on her replacement as soon as she had made the announcement. It would be over to him to make sure that the branch continued to run smoothly, especially after he turned down her offer to cover the position until a replacement was found.

[topic left]