The Titan Corporation [Appt. Only]

[Morishige]

In the middle of all the buildings near the Torre Celeste sit a mediocre looking office with the Titan insignia on the front door. All the windows had been tinted pitch black so no one would be see what was going on inside. And, without a company key card to swipe yourself in, it was nearly impossible to get inside without detection: for example, breaking through the double pane windows. Aside from these notable features, it was a generic cement style build, complete who air vents on the roof. Not much to it other than that. But what lay inside was the true treasure, and only a handful of people had been there. Additionally, on one side of the building, a sand which shop stood open during regular hours, and a bar on the other side remained opened late.

Should one enter the Titan office, they would find themselves in a rather generic reception area. A small desk on the left where a regularly stationed secretary sat, a couch and some chairs on the right for was seemed like waiting in. From the lobby, one could see a short hall and a couple doors, two on the left, one on the right, and a final door at the end of the hall that read 'supplies'. From what one could see, it seemed like a rather boring office where people number crunched all day. Oh how wrong they were. While the upper floors were likely to be more offices; in the supplies closet sat a small switch, with a green toggle, as well as a red colored one. Should the green button be pressed, then quite shifting of gears would slowly part two metal doors on the ground and let the individual go into the underground complex.

From above, the building seemed small, but with the discovery of the basement, one would be able to realize that Titan basically had it's own underground bunker; the size of which was triple the office building itself. There were many rooms down here, and possibly other floors beneath this one, but who would know them all unless they started exploring... Unfortunately the only way down to explore was through the access point in the supply room. And the only way to access the switch was with one of those key cards. And like I said before, there weren't many who had access to get in the building from the outside. Not that that matters, no one would want to get into a corporate office such as this anyway.​

 

[Morishige]

A clawed hand pulled the card from his pocket, eyes reading the address that was scribbled upon it. He looked back up to the tinted window, and the number upon it. It was accurate, so Gekido looked down to his Ninken with a shrug. "Guess I was expecting something else." he admitted before approaching the door and tapping on the glass with one of his nails. "Hellooo, anyone there?" he called out in a rather lax manner. For a few moments of silence, the beast waited. He checked the card once again to compare the logos for the company. It did match up, so he tapped on the glass once again. But before he could say anything, a loud voice came out of a speaker above his head. "Name." spoke a rather apathetic voice. Kido glared up to the speaker and realized a camera was next to it. "Gekido of the Inuzuka. I was--" he said, trying to explain how he came to be there. But a loud buzz interrupted him and the door popped open slightly. With a final look to Judo, the hairy man entered the lobby. The door locked behind him and for a moment, he couldn't help but question what kind of people these were.

To his left sat a seemingly perturbed secretary. "You are ten minutes early. Hato is on his way up." she grumbled. "Take a seat and keep that thing off the furniture." she added referring to Judo. Gekido glared at her in a predatory manner for a good minute before taking his seat, and she starred right back at him for the duration. Never had he met someone who had been able to stare back like that. Just who were these people. Besides that, Judo huffed and rubbed his nose with a paw before laying on the floor. Kido took his place next to him in a chair and waited for what seemed like forever. The ticking of the clock even got annoying, and the scratch of the secretaries pen started to sound like a fly buzzing in his ear. As soon as the man was about to pop a gasket, the sound of machinery at the end of the hall got his attention. Standing along with Judo, Gekido moved to look down the hall. Someone familiar appeared.

"Welcome Inuzuka-san, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your friendship. However, before we continue you need to understand something. What you are about to see is highly...secretive. We hope with what we are about to show you, even if you decline our offer, that you would refrain from informing the wrong people about it." said the man whose look was that of concern. Gekido peered at him for a few seconds before chuckling. "If you are questioning me honor, you have already misjudged me. I care not for your companies secrets." he smirked, but quickly switch into a devious smile. "Now convince me to be your friend."

The only thing Hato could do was smile, and bow passively. It seemed the Gekido was a man who considered actions to be far more trusting than words. Hato turned and beckoned him to follow, walking down the hall toward the door situated against the farthest wall. Within the room was what seemed to be supplies for janitors, however the giant hole in the ground was something that didn't belong. Metal stairs led down to a glowing light, but what was down there? Let's find out.

As the pair of gentlemen made there way down the stairs, the clang of their steps alerted anyone who was at the bottom that they were on their way. The lightning was surprisingly bright for a complex such as this, though naturally the walls lacked the familiarity of windows. As both Gekido and Judo set foot on the ground to take a look around, they soon realized that this was no mere basement. Gekido actually chuckled audibly as he looked around. It was almost like the academy of Kumo, except that it was more more shiny and expensive looking; and of course, grown up. But Hato had something to show Gekido, and called his name to get his attention so that he would follow.

Hall after hall they made their way through the underground concourse until things started to look different than everywhere else. Signs reading 'recovery rooms' were passed, as well as some operating rooms. But that was the thing, they were passing all the rooms. Just where were they headed....

The Morgue.

A grim place, and Gekido could already smell the embalming fluid. Nothing was worse than embalming fluid. He would rather be around the stank of decomposition over that smell. An audible sigh could be heard from his as they entered the moderate sized room. There were three tables with drains; well, it would be easier to just tell you that they were embalming tables. All of them were empty. With tense muscles, Gekido looked to Hato in alarm. Just what was this man planning...

"I can't help but wonder what you are thinking, but I have an offer for you. Correct me if I am wrong, but you seem like the type who just wants to run free. We have a way for you to be able to do that once again, however it will cost something. You know of the Rikudo Sennin yes?" he asked somewhat quietly.

Gekido's brow rose. "I know of it; guys who can control multiple bodies. Some crazy stuff."

Hato looked to the ground before back up at him. "Indeed, well only the strongest are capable of becoming a sage of the sixth paths. And you are one of the strongest ninja in the village..." he said, trialing off hoping that the Inuzuka would get the hint. He did.

"You are saying you can grant me that power?" Gekido speculated.

"Yes. With a power like this, you can be in six places at once. You can be at home with your pack and family. And out roaming the world like you used to."

While normally this would have been a time to rejoice for the Alpha of the Inuzuka clan, there was one outstanding issue. "You guys seem to be no better than the village that caged me. You've obviously been watching me and researching me. Whats to stop you from using me like the administration has; what makes you different than them!?" he said ina growling tone. The thought of having others aside from ANBU on his case was quite bothersome to him.

Hato's passive face turned into a defensive one. "You cannot compare us to those bureaucratic oafs; we are trying to give you wings when they want to cut them off. And you can't blame us for wanting to know more about you. Before you dedicate assets towards a project, you must make it worth while; your time in ANBU must have served to fulfill that logic. Besides, you aren't the most secretive person. It didn't take us more than a week to compile information and decide you were well worth the risk." Hato concluded, adding a bit of ego stroking phrases there at the end. He hoped it would be enough for the Inuzuka to consent.

Gekido looked at him, while letting his brain work around the words that were spoken. The logic was sound, no matter how much the beast wanted to deny it. And, let's face it, a chance to walk around Kumogakure without the sneers and talk behind his back would be nice. Let alone the ability to leave the confines of the village. A sigh of relief could be seen by Hato, and the silver haired man knew what his decision would be.

"All right, do what you have to do. But don't expect me to be your lap dog. I'm gonna enjoy this new found freedom without a cage." he assured. Hato smiled and flipped a small light on near the door. There was a shuffling of feet outside before a duo of individuals in scrubs came in.

"In each of the chambers lies a body, preserved for use in kinjutsu operations. Each of them have a unique story and genetic make up. You need only decide which two you would like right now, and we can get underway." Hato said and could see the questionable look on Gekido visage. "Why only two? The body can only handle so much stress from the process. But don't worry, in due time you will have your arsenal of individuals."

Gekido moved around the room. He checked the details on the cards on each locker, trying to pick and choose whom might be useful to him. He took his time, analyzed their uses, and eventually got onto the center table of the three. "Numbers eight and thirty-one." he grunted, closing his eyes. There was not a doubt in his mind that this would hurt.


-----
Meanwhile, Kioku ate a donut.

--Topic to be continued--
--Topic Left with Gekido--

 

[Morishige]

"Interesting choices Inuzuka-sama. While I predicted the one, I would have never gue"ssed the second. I'll be seeing you after the procedure. I have some... other matters to attend to." Hato said with a bow toward the man. Gekido looked at Judo and gave a short grunt, something that only the ninken would understand. Taking a deep breath simultaneously, the doctors came forward, scrolls at the ready to walk them through the process. This didn't do much to put the Alpha at ease, but what had to be done, needed to be done and he wasn't going to stop them now. He just hoped he would be the same person after the procedure...

Outside of the morgue, Hato walked through the halls. There were several important meetings today, not all of them formal. Probably the most important of the day was the arrival of the Blossom. That little girl would be the salvation of Titan, or at least, that's what people around the headquarters were saying. Hato, however, didn't see how much of an impact the little girl might make. He had been out in the field most of the time and had no knowledge of the science divisions status. But apparently, her arrival was supposed to be an asset to all the projects the man had sanctioned the group to conquer. So, as the recruiting officer of the Blossom, he had to be sure to be at the bottom of the stairs to greet her when she arrived.

Tori looked at him as he approached and sighed loudly. "Why must we do this again?" she grumbled. Obviously the woman believed there were more important things to attend to. Hato looked at her with a frown and folded his arms.

"The boss ordered us to do it, so we are going to do it. Why you always questioning things; that's dangerous in our line of work." he replied, raising a hand to move his bangs so they would look better. "Besides, you know how young she is. Kids need constants in their life. They can't just see one person and then never see them again." But something was obviously on Hato's mind, almost a look of worry and sadness. Was it something he knew and wasn't telling her? Tori watched him for a few moments until a speaking up again.

"My time would be better spent researching the Artificer. Apparently Agent #4 was successful in opening up a spot for Sumiko. You think that she will be able to handle herself alone?"
"Not sure; she was one of the first products of the process. Didn't she always seem a bit...out there to you? Maybe that's why we have been ordered here. To make sure the same thing doesn't happen to Hana." he suggested logically.
"I suppose your right. I just hope the boss picked the right one. Or else this is gonna be a very annoying waste of time."
"Oh come on, you love kids!" Hato said jokingly and chuckled.
"Kids are trouble! Always break stuff and- You know what I mean."

Hato just smiled and nudged her with an elbow. They had a good relationship these two. Their natures complimented each other and they kept each other focused on what needed to be done. Professional and clean as well, Tori almost found herself wondering why he hadn't come onto her like most other guys. But that would be a mystery for some other time. A high pitched voiced coming from the stairs alerted them to their arrival. She was much more on time than Gekido was.

"Don't worry, Haruka! Kuma-chan will be us safe!" the small one known as Hana giggled. It seems that Haruka had been giving her some words of warning. No doubt the entrance to the facility was a bit suspicious to her. The duo of titan employees would give her the benefit of the doubt, after all, Haruka was their next target.

The loud clanking of shoes on the metallic stairs signaled their time to approach. As both Hato and Tori made their way forward, their eyes first caught Hana's shoes in sight, followed by the stuffed bear that was dangling from her hand. Even with all their intelligence on the young girl, no one knew why she cared the animal along wherever she went. But there was mention of her saying it would protect her multiple times. Hato found it cute, and sadly innocent, at how she treasured her toy. But she was going to have to frow up fast in this place, and there might not be time for toys. And because he was entranced by her innocence, he would force Tori to deliver that news.

As Haruka and Hana stepped onto the cement floor, Tori and Hato both bowed respectfully. "I hope you didn't have trouble finding the place; most people get confused because of the entrance." Hato said, looking between the two arrivals. Hana giggled and shook her head. "Nope! Haruka said we were at the wrong place, but I matched up the numbers and got it right!" she exclaimed, bring a wide, kind smile to Hato's face-- and what's this? Even Tori had a smile on her face. There was nothing more pleasing than a happy child. Haruka looked wt her with a smirk and rolled her eyes, bowing toward the two.

"Of course you did!" Hato replied and then motioned for the group to proceed. "We have alot to see today, so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to stop and ask."

"I do have a question." Haruka said as they walked to the center of the concourse. Tori quickly turned to walk beside Haruka to answer whatever questions the woman might have. "Why are the windows tinted to make the place seem...well, shady."
Tori smiled and nodded her head. "I thought the same exact thing when I first came to this place. But I was told that it was simply leftover design from the last owners of the building. When I asked about removing the panes for more inviting ones, it was simply money that needn't be spent. I suppose that's how we remain profitable: cutting unnecessary costs." the dark haired woman responded. While this wasn't a lie, it most definitely was not the reason the windows were tinted. So, the story was true, but that wasn't the reason at all. Thankfully Haruka accepted it as an answer and continued in on listening with the tour.

Hato took Hana around the basic areas, making sure to avoid certain rooms or halls that would be either unsuitable or unnecessary for her to explore. As they passed the hallway that lead to the morgue, Hana stopped with a deep frown. "Kuma-chan says there is a monster down there... Are there monsters here?" asked the now rather scared child. Tori took point in comforting the small girl, as a woman would be more receiving than a man. Hato just smiled to Haruka; but the young woman seemed just as concerned. "Of course not Hana! That's where our clinic is; where people go to the doctor. Nothing bad down there." she assured and then grabbed onto the small girls free hand. "Come on let's keep going!" she said in a high pitched manner trying to kick start the Blossom's happy attitude.

The tour ended at the barracks which were a combination of dorm-like rooms, and individual rooms. "And this is where you would be staying if you decided to come and live here." he concluded with a smile. "So, that's the end of the tour. What do you say, would you like to stay here?"

Hana seemed a little unsure as her gaze shifted between all three of them, lingering on Haruka the longest. Thankfully, Tori could see what needed to be done. "We'll give you some privacy, come on Hato." she suggested, and began to walk away with the silver haired man.

While the two agents seemed to talk amongst themselves, Haruka took a knee. "So what are you thinking little one, do you think you would like it here?" she asked. Hana seemed to look around, her eyes looking toward the jutsu testing room where they were firing of bursts of fire for demonstration. "It's cool I guess. But I don't know. Are you gonna stay too?" she asked, a grim look on her face. As if she was being abandoned. Haruka returned a frown and shrugged. "I don't think this invitation included a ticket for me too. I guess I could ask?" she said, to which Hana rapidly nodded her head.

Standing slowly, Haruka stepped toward the two people who were talking about some deadline they had to meet. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have a question." said the seemingly passive woman. "Of course, what do you need to know?" replied Hato, turning to face Haruka along with Tori. "Hana says she would like to stay here, if I would be able too as well. I'm sure her parents would be all right with it, they aren't home much anyway."

Tori looked to Hato with a smile. "Yes, yes. We'd love to have you! And I'm sure it would help Hana's work tremendously to have you here to help." Tori said with a nod of the head; looking to Hana who seemed to jump in glee and run over to hug Haruka's leg. "Then it's settled! We'll get you two a room together if you would like, and help you move some of your things here."

"I've never moved before! This is gonna be fun!" exclaimed the small child. Hato looked at her with a smile, but a glimmer of remorse shined in his eye. He knew her future, but it was necessary for the future of mankind.

---Topic To be Continued---

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Spoiler

Tanaka-san,

Welcome to Titan Corporation. You a hereby summoned to the Titan Offices of Kumogakure to commence placement testing. Be prepared to be challenge, and bring whatever gear you might feel in necessary. There will be physical tests administered as well as written exams.

Thank you,

Titan

Ai re-read the letter for about the thirtieth time, dwelling as usual on the end. "Be prepared, eh?" The teenager had been prepared to be challenged, both physically and mentally, for a while now. For too long he had suffered through the academy, constantly frustrated by the slow development of his peers. He had survived the cut, personally witnessing the demise of at least twenty slower minded students. The academy of Kumogakure was by no means for the weak, but overtime Ai had begun to feel like he was a cut above many of the rest.
So, when the boy had stumbled upon a Titan recruitment stand, the attraction was instant. They wanted exceptional people, of all ages, for a vast and diverse field of careers. Upon inquiry, Ai had been assured that he would be placed where he was best suited; dispelling any fear he had that he would be stuck behind a desk or on the spearhead of some assault or what have you. Surely the company would recognize talent when they saw it, and Ai was prepared to make his seen today. The only problem was, he couldn’t find the building.
Glancing at the address once more, he set off on a slow jog down the correct street once again. He had already scoured this street twice, as well as both of the streets adjacent, for large, busy buildings. Ai assumed that the vast corporation would have a massive, flashy headquarters, but for the most part the larger buildings in the area were all government based. Growing frustrated, Ai was about to turn around and begin again when something caught his eye. A simple cement structure sat quietly between two active businesses, the tinted windows and lack of apparent life stood out against the rest of the occupied street. Checking the address, Ai had to double take to make sure he was reading everything correctly.
“No wonder I missed it,” the bald teenager muttered to himself, wrapping the long brown cloak tighter around him as he made his way towards the building “I thought there would be… more.” Shrugging off the doubts, the boy approached the door. There was a slot for a keycard, but no apparent handle to pull on, so the boy assumed he would have to be let in. Noting the security measure, Ai tapped on the glass with knuckles before stepping back slightly, looking at the door with expectation in his eyes.
‘Made it, right on time.’​

[Entered]

 

[Morishige]

There was a small buzzer above his head out of a speaker, and a voice followed. . Next to it was a small camera which had vision of the front of the building. "Tanaka Ai? Right on time." said the voice, and the door suddenly popped open. It turns out that the corporation knew who he was even before he arrived. Is it possible that they had already been keeping an eye on him? As he would enter the room, he would find a secretary on his left, a waiting area on his right, and a woman in front of him.

"Raiden forbid they send me anyone above the age of twenty." she said with a deep sigh. "Follow me." she grunted and made her way to the back room to slide her key card in the receiver. A few moments of silence followed before a loud clang triggered more mechanical noise to reveal that a portion of the metal floor parted to reveal a set of stairs. "If you have any hesitation, turn around and walk out now. But once you take a step down these stairs, there is no turning back." she warned, and started her way down the metal stairs.

If he were to follow, the nameless woman would lead him into the main concourse where he could plainly see some of the facilities in the underground complex. Also, the entrance of the complex would close behind him, but that didn't matter anymore. Before him lay the mess hall and sparring ring, and beyond that was the jutsu test chamber. (All had the appropriate signs noting them). He could find the barracks to his right, and several labs and research areas to his left. Naturally, there was more to the complex that he couldn't see, but it was all there if he wanted to explore after his first day of evaluation. She turned around to see if he was there.

"If there were three words to describe you, what would they be and explain." she asked. It was a very broad question, but it would help narrow down what kind of tests to administer. It would also reveal what he valued most in himself and help explain what kind of tasks he would be suited for later.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Within the first few moments, the company had managed to startle the boy repeatedly. First, hiding in plain sight above his head, a buzzer had sounded unexpectedly. Then a female voice had addressed him through the speaker, knowing who he was without him having to say a word. Finally, the door had just popped open with a life of its own, the boy scrambling to snag it before it closed again. Stepping inside, a simple reception area greeted him, complete with waiting area and secretary. Most notable however was the woman directly in front of him, her sharp eyes practically radiating attitude.
"Raiden forbid they send me anyone above the age of twenty." She had said, sighing for some reason or another "Follow me."
Ai’s heart sank as they entered the supply closest. Just what did this woman want with him? Is that why she had complained he was young? ‘Am I going to be raped?... Do I want to be raped?’ A few seconds later the loud noises of moving machinery startled the boy once again, his eyes swiveling around to watch the floor slide open, revealing a hidden staircase. Doing his very best to act comfortable and in control, Ai didn’t hesitate as he followed the woman down the stairs. He had come this far, he wasn’t about to stop now.
The boy couldn’t help but marvel at the facility as it opened up in front of him. Hall after hall, door after door, each labeled with curiosity catching titles like “Sparring center” and “Jutsu test chamber”, which caught Ai’s attention instantly. Before he had a chance to take a further study the plethora of foreign sights and sounds however, the woman addressed him once again.
"If there were three words to describe you, what would they be and explain."
It only took the bright boy a few moments to choose, his brain rattling through two dictionaries to find the right words, which he had to remember to say in the proper language. “Studious, dedicated and… Unique. Studious is simple, I’m practically obsessed with the acquisition of knowledge. I read daily, sit in on lectures or sparring sessions and uh… If somebody in my vicinity says something that piques my curiosity, I’m prone to lingering to… overhear.” Pausing for a moment to collect himself, the boy fought the keep his face composed, the confession of his eavesdropping habit embarrassing him a little. Successfully keeping the blood from flushing to his cheeks, he continued. “When I’m assigned a task, or something catches my interest, I dedicate all my efforts to seeing it through. One of the things my father constantly repeated to me when I was young is ‘Do a job big or small, do it right or not at all.’ I grew up with that attitude, and I apply it now to my everyday life. Lastly, as for being unique…” The teenager couldn’t help but smile a little, his mind jumping to the last year and the events leading up to today. “Well, I can guarantee there are very few people in our village that can do some of things I can. I’d prefer to let my abilities speak for themselves in that regard, if you don't mind.”
So it was decided then. Ai wasn’t sure if it was the thrill of showing off or the mutual nondisclosure rules that now applied to him, but he felt as if this would be as good a time as any to disclose his secret to someone. After all, if this was going to be his future, he and his new employers might as well start it on the same level.​

 

[Morishige]

She just looked at him for a few moments, one of her elbows propped up in a hand and her slender fingers touching her jawline in thought. "Studious, Dedicated, and Unique. How boring... But, I've been surprised before." she thought to herself before sighing audibly as he began to explain why these traits were actually good things. Sure, they weren't negative, but they weren't amazingly ambitious; and that was something she was looking for in most new recruits. The meek and meager didn't go far in a corporation like this. But the way he was describing things was different than Ms. Hayashi's preconception; and his final words did peak her curiosity. The very fact that he was keeping something from her in an 'interview' was interesting. After all, most people revealed all in hopes of getting the job.

"I see." she commented bluntly, seemingly emotionless. That was also part of the interview process, her apathy. She needed to remain passive to make a correct decision at the end of the process. "Well that gives the a general idea of what direction to head in. Now if you'll follow me, we'll--" she said, but was cut short by someone behind her.

"Hayashi-san. A moment please?" said the woman who then turned to the tiny companion next to her. "Why don't you go stand over with him."

"You know I am busy Tori, what could you possibly need from someone so far beneath you..." she said, but quickly shut up after receiving a nasty glare from the woman who had just arrived. As the 'interviewer' stepped away to take to her, Hana trotted over to Ai's side with a giddy smile and Kuma-chan in hand. (Kuma is a stuffed teddy bear) She was wearing a cute little uniform picked out by here tutor Haruka because of the meeting they had been scheduled today. In fact, that's where the young girl came from. If Ai had been observant, he might have seen them all talking on one side of the concourse. While that sounded boring, Hana was in none other than the best mood she had been in in a very long time.

"Hi there! I'm Hana and this is Kuma! Good to meet you bald guy, what are you doing here? Are you new too? What are you good at? Did they come to your house too?" she asked in rapid succession. Tori threw a look over her shoulder at Hana with a roll of her eyes. "Settle down Hana, one question at a time." she advised before returning to the quiet conversation with the Hayashi. But the small girl with brightly colored hair pouted and crossed her arms with Kuma between them. "Humph! Fine, what' your name bald guy?" she asked and looked at him expectantly before Hayashi returned to the scene.

"All right, it seems I will be testing the both of you. If you would both follow me, we are gonna start with the written portion of the test." she directed and began walking toward the western wall. Hana seemed to bounce in excitement, and truthfully, it was probably from all the human interaction she was getting. She had a pretty sheltered life before now. Tori gave a small wave to her tiny friend before turning around and going back to other duties.

Hayashi would lead them to a small office with four chairs inside of it. In reality, it was an interrogation room, but there were no labels to suggest that was the case unless either of the candidates had been in one before. So, the instructor took a seat and pulled out a folder with some papers inside; she took a copy of each and handed one to each of them once they sat down. "This is a test we give all new individuals here at Titan. It helps us evaluate where they might fit in. There are no wrong answers, and no failing. Just answer honestly, since that will help us the most. If you have questions don't be afraid to ask." she recommended and then handed them both pencils to begin.

Spoiler

1: Imagine you are a shinobi; if you are confronted by a known criminal ninja, how do you respond?

A: Try to talk them into surrendering.
B: Use their time of hesitation to make the first strike.
C: Find out their weakness by observation and destroy them with it.
D: They never confronted me. I killed them from the shadows while they were distracted.

2: You are confronted with orders that you believe violate the corporations general principles- either the source or the orders themselves- what do you do?

A: If they further my cause, then the corporate principles can be over looked this time.
B: I seek confirmation from another superior before continuing with the mission.
C: I never doubt my superiors and continue with the operation.
D: I have memorized the principles of Titan, and know specifically whether to continue or not.

3: A task has been failed. Not by you, but by someone else. The deaths of certain important or influential figures may make the problem go away. You have the opportunity to 'rectify' the situation, but no way to contact your superiors for confirmation. What do you do?

A: Kill them, but make it seem like an accident.
B: Kill them, but make sure it's a spectacle.
C: I can talk my way out of anything, their deaths aren't necessary.
D: Lay down specific traps in known frequented locations triggered by their chakra signtaure to take them out.

4: There is opportunity for advancement, but there is someone who is more qualified than you in the way of that opportunity. What do you do?

A: I slip some knock-out drugs into his coffee the morning of the interviews, and guarantee that I'm the only one who showed up for the job.
B: I beat him senseless under the guise of a mask so he's unable to show up to work. Naturally I'm the only one available for the position.
C: I humiliate him publicly; he has no choice but to run out of town.
D: Nobody is as qualified as me. It's not a problem, I know I'll get the promotion.

5: You find out that someone is selling company secrets (beyond the shadow of a doubt). What do you do?

A: Use this information to further your personal gain. Don't think of it as blackmail, but rather networking.
B: Kill him. Traitors have no place in Titan.
C: Switch out the information the traitor is selling with a bombed briefcase and watch the buyer blow up. Then tell your superiors.
D: Develop a tracking bug and place several on the individuals and information in question to see how this is all connected.

6: You are given orders that you find difficult to rationalize morally. What do you do?

A: I could care less, just as long as I get paid.
B: I report my inability to complete the missions to my superior.
C: I find a way to complete the orders without compromising my morals.
D: I am beyond morality, this does not affect me.

7: While on mission, you are approached by an ANBU who says "I am going to extricate the sphincter from the Kunoichi!" Do you...

A: Show him how.
B: Do it for him; you wouldn't want him to screw something up.
C: Do it TO him.
D: Begin filming the process.

8: After receiving an assignment to kill the Raikage, you've been told that the he is holed up in his office eating lobster. Do you...

A: Drill a hole in the wall and pipe in a toxic gas.
B: Break the door down and assault him.
C: Mix up some chemicals to blow up his office from the floor under it.
D: Talk him into faking his death for the betterment of the village.

9: You learn the location of a cache of weapons by pure chance. Do you...

A: Sell it for personal profit.
B: Tell your boss so Titan may grow stronger.
C: Keep it for yourself.
D: Use the weapon designs to make better weapons.

10: There is a civilian with information you want. How do you get the information?

A: Beat it out of him.
B: Threaten him for it.
C: Administer a truth serum.
D: Get him drunk and make him talk about it.

11: You are approached by an attractive member of the opposite sex and are asked to follow them for a good time, what do you do?

A: Accept and use this time to recruit them as a contact.
B: They're a spy! KILL THEM!
C: Accept and enjoy it, nothing like sating our primal lusts.
D: Distract them and slip away unnoticed.

12: You find a young teen who has somehow managed to infiltrate your local HQ and has happened upon some very sensitive information, what do you do?

A: Use a mind erase drug, and help transport him to a nearby populated area.
B: Nothing is more important than secrecy, he must be terminated.
C: Recruit him into the Corporation, Titan could always use more grunts.
D: Hire him as your personal assistant.

13: It's your partners birthday and you'd like to throw him a party, what kind of party is it?

A: A surprise party!
B: A costume party!
C: An office party!
D: Parties? We have better things to do.

14: You lose contact with your team during your mission in enemy territory, what do you do?

A: The mission must go on; proceed to primary objective.
B: I usually remain radio silent in missions as it is.
C: Wait for them to come find me.
D: Assume the identity of one of the enemies and patrol until my allies arrive.

15: If life gives you lemons, you make:

A: Lemonade
B: A Lemon Tree
C: A Talking Lemon
D: Apple Juice

Spoiler

You can PM the answers to me, or post them in your post itself. This might be a good time to explore your characters psyche.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

‘What a rude bitch, yawning like I bore her.’
The thought surprised Ai, who was usually so calm and impartial to other people’s reactions to him. It seemed puberty was beginning to really set in, pumping testosterone and teenage angst into the boy at an alarming rate. This was making the normally collected young man prone to fits of frustration and even anger, emotions that were practically foreign to Ai. He had caught himself of guard, forces blood to rush to his cheek as he bowed his head slightly in embarrassment. As he fought to avoid vocally apologizing to the woman, which would no doubt lead to an awkward moment and probably gaining Ai the label of a nut, a sharp voice cut off his thoughts, sparing him the social blunder.
"Hayashi-san. A moment please?" said a rather aggressive looking woman nearby before gesturing to her small companion. "Why don't you go stand over with him."
Ai couldn’t help but smile at the little girl, who was practically puking rainbows and happiness as she gambled towards the boy. He had to admit, she was adorable with teddy bear and inexplicably pink hair, but the observations were quickly put off by a battery of questions that came spewing out of the girl’s tiny mouth. Luckily the girl, Hana, was cut off by her ‘keeper’ and forced to settle for a single question, thankfully one of the simpler ones.
“I’m Ai; it’s nice to meet you happy girl.”
Thankfully, the socially inept boy was spared any further conversation as the bored looking woman returned. "All right, it seems I will be testing the both of you. If you would both follow me, we are gonna start with the written portion of the test.” Yet again, Ai was caught off guard. ‘They really do recruit all types of people’ he observed, watching the Rainbow-puking girl bounce along beside him. ‘I just hope they don’t make me hit her…’ Shuddering, the boy took a moment to look back on his last academy class, in which he was forced into heated melee combat with the entire class at once. Before long they arrived at their destination, a simple room with a table and chairs in the center. Taking a seat, the boy was handed a paper with questions printed on it, all multiple choice.
"This is a test we give all new individuals here at Titan. It helps us evaluate where they might fit in. There are no wrong answers, and no failing. Just answer honestly, since that will help us the most. If you have questions don't be afraid to ask."
‘Personality testing.’ the boy noted, taking his pencil and subconsciously wiping his paper off, a force of habit caused by years of writing and erasing. Without hesitation, Ai began, reading and re-reading each question and choice before selecting his answers. ​

[spoilername="Answers"]1: C
2: D
3: A
4: A
5: D
6: D
7: D
8: C
9: B
10: B
11: B
12: B
13: D
14: A
15: B[/spoilername]

The test was an eye opener for the boy, offering examples of a variety of situations the boy might himself in. The one he struggled with in particular involved assassinating the Raikage, but his logical side assured him it was strictly a hypothetical situation so he answered it and continued. He was surprising himself a lot lately, his answers fueling his inner turmoil, the boy barely hesitating to admit he would kill this person or that person, or the betterment of the company.. ‘Am I really so unfeeling that I would torture a civilian? What did the academy do to me?’ Within a few minutes he had finished, sliding the paper forward and setting his pencil on top of it.​

[Sorry, I'm not 100% this week -.-]

 

[Morishige]

It was Ai who would finish first with a precision as he pushed his paper forward and placed the writing utensil on top of it. For Hayashi, it seemed a form of confidence in the way he placed his pencil down. Those with apprehension might toy or fiddle with their pencil afterwards, but not Ai. He definitely placed it on his paper. While most wouldn't think anything of it, an instructor like the one whom sat across from him was evaluating his every move. She was a master observer, and he was the ant under the magnifying glass.

But beside him was Hana, who seemed to be squinting roughly at most of the questions. Being taught in private did have it's advantages, but also disadvantages. Her tutor had never given scenarios like this before, especially when it came to the hypothetical killing of Hayata Shin. But with few questions she too finished, taking her pencil in her hand and trying to balance it on her finger. She often failed to have it annoying smack against the desk, but it didn't seem to bother Hayashi as she collected the exams and took out a pen.

In a quiet minute, Hana's was finished quickly while Ai's took a bit longer. But it all concluded with a simply check mark next the the letter 'I' at the top of the form. Hana's was checked as S. Who knows what the difference was?

"Interesting. Well, that's all for that. Follow me." she ordered, taking the papers in hand and walking out the door. Leading them across the concourse, she stopped next to a room with a sign that read Skill Testing Chamber. Stepping inside, it was basically a large white room with chakra seals all over the floor. No doubt her companions were wondering what this might be. "Welcome to stage two of your interview. This portion of the interview will be for Ai only." she announced and then pointed to one of the seals toward the middle of the floor. She then looked to Ai. "Please go stand on that seal and wait for further instruction." she ordered, then took a seat in a chair with a seal under it, leading Hana to a seat next to her with a similar seal beneath it. Hayashi instructed the young girl to place her feet in very specific position while she did the same. Looking up to Ai who was hopefully on the mark indicated earlier, Hayashi smiled. "Don't panic." she warned before making a hand seal. As her seal lit up along with Ai's, the boy would find himself unable to move while seals on the side of the wall began to activate and the reality he knew vanished...

He would reappear in what seemed to be a town of sorts. He 'spawned' looking outside of a window down at a courtyard. It was sunset, and there was a crowd forming around a platform. On the platform stood three people: a Priest, Executioner, and Convicted Felon. In Ai's mind, Hayashi's voice sounded. "You are to save the felon before he is executed and escape with him. Use any means necessary to complete your objective. Begin." There were what seemed to be town guards all around the crowd keeping things orderly. However, none of them seemed to be shinobi which would make it easier for Ai. Behind him, he would find several chemical ingredients should he know how to use them. And that, was the stage set before him. It was now up to him to complete the objective.

[If you need more info regarding the setting, ask me, otherwise creative freedom is yours.]

 

[Tanaka Ai]

‘What in the…’
Ai couldn’t even complete his thought, his mind racing as he stepped into the circle of striking black seals. This was unlike anything the scholarly boy had ever seen or studied, the array of information he had found on seals had never even hinted at something of this magnitude. The instructor and her little companion were seated across the room in similar circles, presumably to observe his performance. This didn’t bother Ai, but what happened next more than made up for it.
Smiling at him, the sardonic woman told him to remain calm before rendering him motionless. The teenager’s heart jumped to his throat, his eyes stuck open and forcing him to watch as the world around him went black. His shock and confusion doubled as his vision returned, bringing with it a completely different reality.
‘This isn’t just some Genjutsu.’
The realization hit him instantly as he took in his new environment. This was too real, no technique he had studied allowed for such a seamless transition. It was as if he had been teleported to a foreign village, the warmth and smell of the air shocking the boy’s senses. Before he could get a grasp on his situation however, the instructor spoke to him, sending another wave of shock through the boy’s frail body.
"You are to save the felon before he is executed and escape with him. Use any means necessary to complete your objective. Begin."
As she spoke, the scene outside unfolded before him. A crowd was forming outside, buzzing with excitement as people jostled with each other to get a decent view of the spectacle under the watchful eye of dozens of guards. On the platform, the priest was babbling on at the eager crowd. It seemed as though he was thriving on the attention as he gestured fanatically with his hands, drawing more and more people in like a merchant making a sales pitch. The felon stood in the center, his arms shackled in front of him. Nearby was your run of the mill executioner, hulking and garbed in anonymity.
‘And probably slow as hell.’
Spinning on his heel, Ai took in the room he had appeared in. In front of him was a sturdy table covered in what appeared to be every damn chemical imaginable, bringing a grin to the boy’s face as he approached. It seemed as though the test was catering to his specific skill sets, though whether it was by design or just happy coincidence eluded the teenager. Regardless, he quickly set about gathering the necessary supplies, listening closely to the priest rambling on outside and silently thanking his father. If it wasn’t for him, Ai would never have studied the art of chemical and poisons. Apparently however it was a family trait, a skill used by his Aburame ancestors in absence of destructive combat techniques, which suited Ai’s capabilities almost perfectly.
It took him only minutes to prepare his concoction of potassium nitrate and sugar, a common smoke bomb he had used in a variety of situations. It was by no means a high powered explosive, but some people had no plans to get flagged for researching such a topic. Besides, if everything went well a smoke bomb would be all he needed. Gently placing the bottle in his pocket, the boy stole one more glance out the window before striding out of the room and into the remainder of what appeared to be a dilapidated apartment building, or perhaps a hotel. He didn’t know how much more time he had, but he didn’t want to blow his cover either. As he made his way out of the room, the boy shrugged off his cloak and pulled his hood up to cover his bald head.
Stepping out of the building, Ai took a moment to check the situation before continuing. It seemed like the guards were dispersed largely on the out skirts of the crowd, keeping a diligent eye on the spectators as they continued to gather. This made is a simple enough task for the boy to make his way through the crowd, sliding between gaps with an excited grin on his face. To the casual observer, he might appear to be just a young boy rushing to meet his friends and observe the spectacle. In reality, Ai was legitimately excited. He finally had a chance to show what he was made of and he felt as if his plan would do the job just fine.
As he approached the front of the crowd, he was relieved to see it would be a simple matter to get under the gallows undetected. It was of standard make, which meant there would be a trapdoor for the victim to fall through and a heavy counterweight of some sort to snap him to an abrupt stop. This was all hidden behind the veil of a ‘skirt’, concealing the underside of the pedestal from the eye of impressionable youth. Before sliding under the skirt, he made the necessary hand seals for Filter (Level 3 Genjutsu), first on himself and then on the felon. Without hesitation the boy ducked under the skirts, silently praying that nobody noticed his entrance before continuing his plan.
“Do not panic.” Ai whispered, hopefully reaching the heightened ears of the felon above. “I am a shinobi, and I have been assigned to rescue you. Don’t respond, just be prepared to run.” As he spoke, the boy opened the skin flaps in his wrists and forearms, silently calling upon his Kikai. They responded instantly, dozens of them pouring out and flying away, one at a time piling onto the rope above. If all went well, they would be small enough and spaced out enough to avoid the detection of the crowd outside. Upon landing, they began to bite, snipping individual fibers that made up the rope. In no time at all, the rope would be completely useless, though Ai made sure his Kikai wouldn’t break the rope themselves.
No, the felon would be doing that. At this point, all the young shinobi could do was wait, and go over his plan one more time. When the floor dropped out from under the felon, the rope would break under his weight, dropping the victim under the pedestal where Ai stood by. At that point Ai would jump out of the hole just long enough to cast Blinding Flash (Level 3 Genjutsu) on the crowd outside. From there, he would drop back into the hole and lead the escapee out from under the back of the pedestal, away from the crowd and hopefully into anonymity, though the student was prepared to send Kikai clones charging after anyone who got in their way. If worst came to worst, Ai was ready to blast any resistance away with a Storm bolt or a Wind slash. With luck they would find a horse, and they could ride until the instructor deemed them ‘safe’.
This was Ai’s first true test, and he had never felt more alive.
‘Time to shine.’​

[MFT Sorry for the walltext.]

 

[Morishige]

The instructor held pulled a clip board, and flipped to a page designated for this scenario. On the page was what seemed like a few check lists, and then several areas for free writing. Naturally, an arena of the mind was prone to all sorts of obstacles and variables that the creators wouldn't be able to predict, so half of the tests were subjective as well as objective. But this was all boring information that mattered not to the scene on hand. Let's focus in on Ai and just what his plan was.

First thing he did was turn to face the chemicals and get to work there, and that elicited a response on the clipboard for Hayashi. She was careful to watch what he made, as some recruits had gone far beyond the call of duty and damn near made explosives that cleared the block before. Thankfully, and wisely, it was but a smoke bomb. Generally there were only a couple options for this type of scenario. Stealth of some kind, which was the smoke bomb. Panic, which was maybe a flash bang. Or a distraction of some type, which could be a whole manner of things. of course there was the poison alternative, but what's done was done. Hayashi had already marked down this development and proceed to observe the potential recruit.

With his hood up, the young man moved through the crowd, drawing a few look from the guards, but with no visible weapons they gave up once he drew near to the interior. His plan was simple, get close to the target undetected. And with the assistance of genjutsu, he was able to set up a form of communication between himself and the target without much problem. For a moment though, the felon seemed to be freaking out as his awareness seemed to be enhanced. Thankfully, and priest was busy with the executioner at the time. Hayashi wrote a few more notes down. --Genjutsu on the target, but not the priest nor executioner-- it read. Hana seemed to be watching intently as if it were a movie of some kind.

He made it under the skirt without trouble, save a few kids seeing him and being jealous. With a few words, he let the felon know of his intentions, just as the priest began his incantations and blessings upon this poor mans soul. In all the noise and emotion of the situation, no one would be able to realize the Kikai doing their work. That is, aside from a trained eye like Hayashi's. Looking at her clipboard, she simply wrote --Aburame--

It happened in a flash 3) the floor opened, and the convict fell the ropes strands unable to hold on. The target crashed through the hole as Ai jumped up through at and cast a very mana heavy genjutsu on the crowd and guards. In the moment of confusion, he took control of the man with a forceful grip and quickly exited the through other side of the platforms skirt. With the crowd in shamble, and chaos erupting. The guards were far to preoccupied to see the two shadowed individuals making off through the ally ways. --Mission Successful-- wrote Hayashi. But there was more.

As they turned a corner a young man, probably about the age of ten, stumbled upon them in fright. Large eyes looking up to Ai's hidden face, and the man whose neck still had the noose around it. Yes, he had been in the crowd. And yes, it was inevitable that he would alert the guards. (Or at least Ai would assume that might be the case).

Now this was a predicament. Tanaka Ai stood before an obstacle to the freedom and clean getaway he sought after. How would he approach this child? How would he handle this unforeseen problem?

[Doesn't require a long post]

 

[Tanaka Ai]

As Ai took in the boy’s frightened face, a lifetime of training and experience flashed through his mind. Years of avoiding confrontation with his brothers had caused Ai to bottle up his frustrations, the tedious academy lessons serving only to fill the boy to the brim with confusion and anger. But here, in the heat of the moment all the frustrating emotions had vanished, replaced with cold, calculating logic. There was no procedure he knew about on how to handle this sort of situation, but the facts all remained. He was on a mission; the boy was a detriment to said mission and would have to be dealt with.
Inwardly, Ai was momentarily shocked at himself. In his entire life he had never felt so alive. Of course, he knew that this was only a simulation, but he was still surprised by how cavalier he felt about the whole ugly business. At first he had considered just slaughtering everyone that got in his way as he wouldn’t actually be taking any real lives, but that idea had been quickly snuffed out. After all, this was a representation of how he would handle a real scenario, back in the real world. With that in mind, the sharp boy formulated a plan on the spot. It was simple enough, and would be applicable in both the real world and this remarkable simulated one.
Smiling at the child, the hooded teenager lurched forward and grabbed the boy by his shirt.
“You forget a thousand things every day, pal. Make sure this is one of ‘em.”
Without hesitation the exhilarated student pulled back and unleashed a brutal knee to stomach of the other boy. There was no need to end the fake boy’s existence, it was much cleaner just to knock the wind out of him and continue on their way. After all, the teenager was only a student. He had no markings or other indications to his relations with his village or Titan. He would be a ghost to these people. So with a nod to the felon, Ai continued away from the chaos unfolding in the courtyard.​

[Had to steal a quote for this one.]

 

[Morishige]

His words came as a surprise to the instructor, and even Hana was looking optimistic. However a swift knee to his diaphragm rendered the adversaries speech inoperable, and the young girl couldn't stop her self from looking away. She may have had a bright mind for ninjutsu, but she lacked the real training of the academy. That was something Ai had over her for sure, and that was why she wasn't being tested...not yet at least. With the pairs departure into a dark corridor. The simulation ended, and Hayashi finished writing down some additional notes, turning to another page: another simulation. For Ai, his vision would go black for a moment until faint candlelight illuminated it once again.

He was now on his knees, with a sack over his head, and his hands tied behind his pack. His hot breath made it moist and uncomfortable, but as far as he could tell, the rest of his body was fine. He was just bound and hooded. On his left, he heard the whimpering of a woman, and on his right the low curses of a male. He could only assume they were in the same situation. Across the room he was in, he heard voices...

"One of them has a bounty on their head. Find out whom, and kill them." spoke a sultry voice in the corner. From in front of him, Ai could here the shaky response of someone. "R-right, should be easy." it said. Moving forward, the sound of fabric shifted and Ai felt a large fist come across his cheek. It wasn't as painful as one would think, but it got the point across that this wasn't going to be pleasant for any of them. "Who are you and why would someone want you dead!?"

 

[Tanaka Ai]

Before Ai could celebrate his first successful mission, the world around him changed once again. This time he knew what to expect in the transition, and thus he was rather relaxed as the world around him shifted from darkness into… More darkness? Stiffing against his bonds, the student’s mind raced as he took in the sounds around him. From the voices on the other side of the room, Ai assumed that this was not going to be a pleasant situation.
"Who are you and why would someone want you dead!?"
The blow didn’t phase him so much as the stranger’s words. The student wasn’t even sure if he was the one with the bounty in this situation; let alone how to convince somebody otherwise. Of course, there was always the potential for escape, but for all Ai knew there was another shinobi around. In his incapacitated state, an altercation with another ninja would not end well. So, it looked as though he would have to wing it for now. Keeping his composure, the teenager took a deep breath before responding.
“I am a humble monk friend, please. If you would only remove this hood you could see for yourself.”
Steadying himself, the boy prepared himself to look the part. He would do his best to keep his eyes kind and forgiving, despite the rage slowly building up inside him. His priority here was to stall his captors either long enough to escape, or at least to implement somebody else.
‘After all, who is going to question a skinny, bald nobody?’​

 

[Morishige]

The man who was questioning him contemplated it for a moment, but looked back to the woman who had instructed him for direction. Naturally, she shook her head, signaling he was not permitted to take off the hoods. But Ai couldn't be any of this. "You're a liar!" shouted the man, punching Ai across the other cheek, pushing him down onto the ground like a limp fish. Stomping over to the whimpering woman, Ai would only be able to here sounds as if she were choking. He must have had his hand around her throat. "Same question! Why would someone want you dead!" demanded the faceless man. Meanwhile Ai was now on the ground on his side, hands a feet bound. In this scenario Hayashi had not given instruction on purpose. It was up to the recruit to decide what to do here. With limited knowledge, and limited time, came limited options. It was up to his young mind to find out the solution to this puzzle. There was no wrong answer...only different conclusion.

To his left the woman sputtered: "Can't--breath--!" The man being tested by the woman let go and grasped onto the back of the sack, pulling at the hair underneath. "Speak!" he demanded once more. "Ima no body sir! Just a farm hand; worst I ever done was steal some eggs from the market I swere!" she sobbed. The frustration in the voice of the man could be felt as he growled, moving over to the final victim to interrogate. But even before he arrived, the stranger who was grumbling earlier simply said. "FUCK YOU!"

Naturally, this elicited a negative response for the one being tested. From what Ai heard, it sounded like a piece of machinery was picked up from a table and brough near them. With the pull of a trigger, the bolt pierced Ai's fellow captive in the throat. Cries of pain gurgling in blood resonated in the young boys ear. "Wrong~" cooed the woman in the back. With renewed vigor, the faceless man returned. "Convince me not to shoot you!" he ordered. Nothing was quite as dangerous as a hysterical man with a crossbow.

 

[Tanaka Ai]

The pressure was on, that was for certain. Ai grunted as he slammed into the ground, silently cursing the silent instructor. This was a fucked up situation, and the boy was by no means prepared. All he could is wing it, and pray everything worked out. Rolling to his back, the bound boy opened the flaps in his wrists and ankles, summoning his Kikai once again to help him escape the situation. They all quickly set to work, chewing away at the bindings from the inside as Ai frantically formulated a plan. These people meant business, they made that much clear with the casual slaughter of the man to his right, and Ai had no intention of meeting the same fate.
"Convince me not to shoot you!"
The man didn’t seem to pose a real threat, aside from the fact he had a firearm of some sort. It was the enigmatic puppet master that gave the boy pause. He would need to get his binds off and remove his hood to actually fight his way free, after all he couldn’t hit what he couldn’t see. If it was another shinobi, he would have to deal with them, which could get messy. But messy was starting to look more and more appealing from inside the students burlap sack.
“You know why you shouldn’t shoot me?” Ai asked, his voice calm despite the frenzy of thought rushing through his bald head. “If you shoot me, I’m going to kill you. Trust me, kill the bitch first. It will save your life.” Of course, it wouldn't save his life. As he spoke, Ai went through his plan once more. Should the man fire, either on him or his fellow captive, Ai would body switch with the corpse on his right, hopefully ripping out of his binds in the process. He would then remove the hood; his Kikai would be ready if needed to avoid injury (Kikai Control). He would then proceed to ruthlessly Storm Bolt anybody in the room that posed a threat to him, prepared to fight and survive at all cost. These people had thoroughly frightened the normally collected teenager, and the rage boiling inside him had finally reached its limit. At this point they were all going to die, and Ai was going to decorate himself in their blood.​

 

[Morishige]

Now that was something that Hayashi didn't expect to hear. Of course, she didn't know what was going on in the young man's mind, but he must have made a plan if he had the guts to say those words. Naturally, with such an offensive stance, it gave the stranger the easy choice in his mind. Only a true criminal would threaten like Ai just had. In the time it was taking to reload the crossbow, the man kicked the woman. "And you!?" he shouted. Though, it was just to buy time to reload. With his target bound, there was nothing to be worried about. He would shoot Ai just like the man before and not have to worry about a counter attack... right?

In the split second that the Kikai had finished with the ropes, the bow was at the ready and it was aimed towards the students neck. With the click of the trigger, Ai's quick reflexes switch out with the already dead man while ripping the hood off of his head. Covered in the blood of his fellow victim, Ai was quick to his feet, his vision boring into the eyes of his captor. The look of fear across the man's face was positively encouraging for the young man bent on destruction. The strange man threw the crossbow at Ai in fear as he backed away quickly, but the young student's symbiotic friends were there to protect him.

In a flash of light and clap of the electrified air, the man's head popped with a brilliant splatter of gore. Ai's determined look was now accented by a fresh sheen of blood. His eyes darted to the woman in the back, but she seemed to be making no moves to stop him. Instead she clapped her hands. "Well done..." she said in a seductive tone, slipping from her elevated position to make her way toward Ai. "You are the one I've been waiting for." she continued, coming closer to him. Her intentions didn't seem offensive, but it was obvious she was going to get close. What would he do?

 

[Tanaka Ai]

It was amazing truly. It was a feeling of pure euphoria, feeling the splatter of red against his face. He could taste the iron on his lips as he stared the woman down, and he savored it for a moment. Ai had always hated the taste of blood, but until now he had never tasted any but his own. The kikai inside him seemed to buzz with energy, as if they shared the bloodlust and wished to be unleashed to overpower and devour somebody. A swarm of them was building around the bald student, feeding on the energy in the air. This simulation was truly a masterpiece, leaving Ai and his Kikai completely immersed in its virtual reality. All thoughts of the test were gone, replaced only with the rage of a caged animals.
“Bitch, you better back the fuck up right now.” Ai growled, glaring at the woman suspiciously. He wouldn’t allow her to get close, and Ai was more than prepared to lay waste to her as well. As a precaution, the teenager rushed through two more jutsu, keeping a watchful eye on his captor. First, he elevated his hearing once again with Filter, keeping a wary ear out for sounds of an ambush. He was on foreign turf and didn’t want to be caught off guard. Shortly after, he attempted to distort the strange woman’s sight with Distortion. At the very least it would make him harder to hit, should she come at him with any funny business.​

 

[Morishige]

Hana poked at Hayashi's arm and giggled. "Teehee, he said bad words." she smiled. Hayashi rolled her eyes and patted the young girl on the head.

Meanwhile, the woman who was approaching Ai stopped in her tracks at such aggressive words. She could understand his frustration, and her expression changed to appease his wishes. "Whoa there cowboy..." she said, her soft tone still present.

However, Ai wasn't buying it. His hands moved in blurs and a pair of jutsu were cast. As distortion took effect, the world once again began to turn black; the scenario was over. Just what was that last part testing? Who knows.

...Tanaka Ai now found himself behind a desk and several folders before him. In each of the folders were mission reports. They included summaries and all the pertinent information to help him decide for to proceed with each. In this scenario, Ai was a high ranking official and left complete control over the outcome of each operation.

In folder one... A titan agent has been compromised behind enemy lines and is requesting ex-fill else he will surely be discovered and executed. This agent has brought the company many sources of information in the past, but has also blown his cover multiple times in doing so. He is beginning to outlive his usefulness. It's up to Ai on what to do with this agent.

In folder two... A new recruit has gone AWOL. The stress got to him and he now a potential security risk. How much of a risk is unknown, but intelligence has aquired his location. They look to Ai for direction on how to proceed.

In folder three... In Titan, those in high ranking positions are often given subordinates to carry out personal tasks. It can include grabbing the dry cleaning, or assassinating their dry cleaner. Ai's subordinate has uncovered evidence of a traitor in the company; They are selling secrets to a rival para-military group operating out of Port Cirrus. However, there is limited information that narrows to possible perpetrators down to three people. How will Ai handle this situation? Every moment without action could mean the loss of millions in secrets.

In folder four... It's a simple matter of resources. Ai has fifty-thousand yen to donate. On one hand, he can bribe the current politician of a city they need control of. But on the other hand, he could use that money to rig the next election guaranteeing Titan a future in the city. While one option is an immediate benefit, the other is more long term. Then again, he could split the money between the two.

In folder five... Titan holds a prisoner of the village hidden in the cloud. However, like with most shinobi, they have been trained to resist torture and interrogation. While torture isn't frowned upon in Titan, the more extreme methods need to be approved by those in a higher position. It's up to Ai whether or not to pursue these methods. They aren't proven to be effective, but have had some results in the past. It's still not obvious whether the target has the information they seek or not as well.

This was more than just a test of leadership. With rank came knowledge of how things truly worked. It was a mattered of him being able to handle the responsibility of his decisions. But he might perceive this as a test and make the choice with no thought of the consequence. So, the simulation was special. For each decision, the scene would shift to show me images and recordings of the effects it would have.

(He would have to watch extreme torture if he chose to approve it. He would see the corruption cause by the bribery in the form of poverty and personal riches. But you get the idea.)

 

[Tanaka Ai]

And like that the tense situation dissolved in front of him, replaced with a desk and official paperwork. It took Ai a number of deep breathes before he could process the information in front of him. “That… Was some heavy shit.” He muttered with a sigh, for the first time in his life wishing for a cigarette. The stress was building up, the lines between reality and simulation had begun to blur and it was taking a toll on the young man. With one more deep breath, he composed himself and set forward to tackle the heap of paperwork in front of him.
First on the list, a Titan agent who consistently blew his cover, but also had a tendency to return with vital information. Stuck behind enemy lines, another blown operation. Ai couldn’t but sigh, there was only one viable way to deal with the situation. To the boy’s surprise, the world around him dissolved yet again, reforming around him to reveal a man waiting on the outer edge of a large field. Ai instantly recognized him as the man from the file, and he couldn’t help but cringe. ‘They’re going to make me watch.’ He thought in disgust, mentally cursing himself as the scene unfolded in front of him.
A kunai flew from the darkness of the wood bordering the field, finding its mark in the throat of the agent. Instinctively, Ai raised his hand to shield himself from splatter, but it all seemed to just fly through him. The boy could only watch in shock as the execution squad he had ordered emerged from the foliage, closing the gap in seconds and looting the corpse for viable information. Without hesitation, a masked member of the squad stepped forward and stretched his arm out. In mute terror, Ai watched as corpse dissolved in front of him.
In a blink, Ai had returned to the desk. The first folder had disappeared, revealing the second one underneath it. With another deep sigh the boy flipped the folder open, determined to get this over with as quickly as he could. A recruit with sensitive information, AWOL with a confirmed location. Another detriment to the operation, another job for the kill squad. And another horror for Ai to witness.
This time he found himself in a small apartment, the noise of a crowded neighborhood greeting him as he looked around, though what he found struck him dumb with horror. The recruit, a young girl this time, was curled up in a ball on the bed. She couldn’t have been older then thirteen, though in her file she had looked a good deal older. With a curse, Ai shook his head and tried to change his mind, imagining a different outcome, but it was to no avail. Within seconds, the door creaked open and another masked man stepped inside. Silently he crossed the room, stopping when he was standing over the girl’s frail form. “ABORT! For fuck’s sake!” Ai cried out, charging at and flying through the masked assassin as he unsheathed a kunai. Picking himself off the ground, the frantic boy spun around just in time to witness a scene that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
The young girl was spasming on the bed, her eyes wide in terror as she clutched at her lacerated neck, trying in vain to keep the blood from pouring out as she choked on her own fluids. “FUCK!” Ai screamed, slamming his hand into the desk and blinking in shock at the sudden change of scenery. Growling, the boy punched the desk a few more times before resting his head on the third folder. After a minute or so, he had regained his composure enough to open the third file, this time being extremely careful in studying the files of all those involved. This time it seemed as those his personal assistant has stumbled upon some intrigue, and it was vital that Ai acted quickly to avoid the loss of information. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, the stressed boy cursed as his options flew through his mind. This was going to be another ugly one. Taking a long, deep breath, the teenager nodded once before making his decision.
This time he would be ready.
Three Titan operatives were bound and gagged in what appeared to be an interrogation room. A number of cloaked figures moved around in the shadows nearby. For the next couple of minutes, the teenager was subject to watch as the three were gruesomely interrogated, powerless to intervene at any point. All Ai could do was watch and fingernails were ripped off, teeth were yanked and grown men were brought to tears under the smothering embrace of a wet rag. Eventually, when it became clear that nobody would be stepping forward as the mole, they were all slaughtered anyway. Ai was thankful when the world dissolved around him, but it wasn’t before he looked into the eyes of all three victims.
‘So much death.’
The boy wasted no time in flipping open the fourth folder, his brain screaming at him to hurry up and get it over with. He knew that if he wanted he could find a peaceful approach to some problems, but this was a massive operation. There was no time, no justification for any risks. Detriments had to be dealt with, no matter how brutal it might be.
This time the scene that unfolded was vastly different. Ai had elected to rig voting in the key city, seeing a corrupt fat cat into office. Of course, Titan now owned city and would be free to operate there, but it came at a price. The street the teenaged ‘spawned’ in was filthy, trash and filth building up piles. Houses were abandoned and dilapidated, a few providing shelter for dirty, skinny people. Children weren’t playing, but rather sitting on the ground and simply staring. There was no live here, where only years before a thriving community had been existing happily there. With a grunt, Ai spat on the filthy ground before closing his eyes.
“For the good of the company.” He muttered, opening his eyes and finding himself back in the office. Only one more folder, one more decision. Despite his relief, the boy couldn’t bring himself to smile as he eyed the final folder down. This simulated ordeal had taken a toll on the young boy, and he was ready for it to be over. With a flick of his wrist the folder was open and Ai took in the details. His authorization was needed for extreme torture, and it seemed that the torture was again the only viable solution. With a shudder, the boy took a deep breath and nodded a final time, accepting his decision and preparing to witness the result.
He spawned right in the middle of the session, showing up just in time to watch the second finger come off. For a shinobi to lose their hands or fingers was an ultimate nightmare, to be rendering incapable of forming handseals was a career ending misfortune. If this man had any information, he would be spilling it soon. One handed handseals were possible, but tricky and not many shinobi could boast mastering the skill. As Ai watched, it became apparent that the man was either ignorant or had accepted death. He wasn’t talking and they were running out of fingers. And so, the final scene wrapped up with another quick murder, and another hasty clean up.​

[Damn man. If Ai was fucked up before, he's gonna have some PTSD shit from all this,]