The gates of Konohagakure. Eiji stood before them once more and watched its majesty. He hadn't been to all the great Hidden Villages of the known world, but for him Konoha had the best entrance. It wasn't very hidden though and unlike Amegakure's wards, people seemed to be able to get here quite easily. If you knew where it was.
He lit a cigarette and shoved the lighter back into his pockets before stepping forward to make himself known to the people at the gate. It was heavily guarded and everyone that demanded access was made note off. Eiji assumed that people by now at least somewhat knew who he was. At least the guards of the gate. As assistant of the Amekage your face became known. Eiji wasn't quite sure yet if he liked this new change in his life, this also with relation to Sachi. But this was the path he had chosen and he was going to stick with it. He was going to stay with his village. Until death probably, he mused as he finished his smoke and threw the thing on the ground before squashing it with his left foot.
Then he made himself known.
It didn't take him very long to get access to the City Hidden in Leafs. He would almost say that he had missed its sights. He had walked around quite a bit when he had been looking for Aiko Hon-Cho. A time that seemed so long ago. A time when Samaki still lived. His hand searched in his pocket for the lighter again, but he didn't lit another cigarette. He shot a look to the Jounin that was walking one step before him and who had taken it upon himself to personally deliver the assistant of the Amekage to the Hokage. It was a great responsibility, Eiji could see it on the face of the man. He wanted to say something to ease the formal air that hung around them, but couldn't quite find the words. Maybe it was better to keep this formal anyway. This was an official visit though it had a very distinct personal flavor.
All in all it only took about fifteen minutes for them to reach the building where the Hokage resided. The Jounin insisted he would bring the man inside and announce him so the two stepped inside.
"I wish you a good day, Lord Hokage." Kensuke said while bowing, before turning around and leaving Hisoka's office. It seemed that after this brief rest since the Chuunin exams his team would be put on active again, now Ezuri was completely healed. As he closed the door behind him he sighed. He was eager to get to work again, and felt a tad of compassion at having seen the endless mountains of paperwork the Hokage had to go through. So long he could work in the field - ...
He nearly missed a step as he walked past Eiji Emiya, the Amekage's assistant and the person whose wife Kensuke had personally killed in front of the poor man's eyes. Despite that he seemed to have ... not quite forgiven but rather accepted the fact that Kensuke had done that, Kensuke never felt comfortable when meeting him. And he met the man scarily often, especially considering they lived so far from eachother.
He nodded an awkward hello as sweat broke on his face and a cold shiver went down his spine when their eyes met.
Eiji was possibly just as startled as the Nimatsu that was walking past him. Sure, he knew that the man lived here, but what were really the odds of meeting him at this exact moment at this exact place. If he would have arrived two minutes later they would have missed each other. It would have been better. Even though he didn't want to punch the guy to death anymore, he still felt that tinge of anger when he saw the man. It was his fault that Sachi would never have a mother. Still, he was here for different reasons and he had accepted that what had happened had happened. So he straightened his face and answered the look. "Nimatsu," he said returning the nod, acknowledging the man as he halted and waited for the other Jounin to knock on the door of the office of the Hokage and announce him.
The panicked feeling disappeared as soon as it appeared as the red-haired man from Amegakure walked past him. An irrational fear that Eiji would be here for him faded away as reason took over again and Eiji disappeared into the Hokage's office. Ofcourse. It was only logical that the man, the Amekage's assistant after all, would visit the Hokage.
After the brief meeting with the Nimatsu Hisoka had gone back to his paperwork. Everytime he saw the young man he was reminded of the time he told him his friends were dead. He did that more, of course. People died especially shinobi and he had to be the bringer of bad news. But he had never lied about it like that before. Kensuke, however, seemed quite alright. Not good. But alright. He was about to delve into another set of papers when there was a knock on the door. Sighing Hisoka allowed the man in who announced that the Amekage's assistant was here to see him. Hisoka's eyebrows furrowed. He didn't remember the assistant making an announcement of his visit, which meant that this was either something urgent or something important. Why else would the man come out here all by himself? Then he realized that he had never met the man before. The Amekage and he were acquainted, but the assistant he never had had the pleasure of meeting. People said he was a good man.
But people said more things and Hisoka wasn't so inclined to believe them anymore.
With a nod and a few words Hisoka allowed the man entrance to his office. The Jounin stepped back and held the door open for his guest.
It was then that the world froze.
The man that entered seemed to slow down time itself as Hisoka looked at him and his eyes widened. Taller than Hisoka he was, but sturdier, his hands loose behind his body. Hands with long fingers. Fingers that could grab your hair. He could feel it again. How they yanked him upwards through a cloud of dazed pain. Those sharp features of his face that had spoken to him. And most of all: his hair. His blazing red hair that had looked as if it had been on fire when he whirled around. The hair that had belonged to the man... to the man... How could he be here? Why was he here? Was he here to finish what he couldn't do in the past? Get rid of his past mistakes? That these questions made no sense didn't occur to the Uchiha. Something clicked in his head, connections were made.
This was the man that had murdered his squad. His sister. This was the man that had made his life a living hell. This was the man who had to pay! He was half out of his chair before the man even finished his first word.
Eiji, who had no idea what was happening in the mind of the Hokage, walked forward and made a polite bow. He opened his mouth to speak. "Lord Ho-"
BAM.
With a violent sound Eiji crashed against the wall next to the door, a hand wrapped around his throat that slowly squeezed the little air out of him that was still in his lunges after the colision with the wall. The face of the Hokage floating before him filled with rage, anger, pain, hate. So surprised he was that for a couple of moments he was just in shock and stared, his hands reaching up to get rid of his bounds.
A loud smack tore him out of his daydreaming and before he had even localized the origin of the sound his katana was already halfway out of the sheath. Did that ... just come from the Hokage's office? Hisoka was a very calm man and would never smack something on purpose, so something had to be wrong. He kicked open the door of the office, ready to defend the Hokage from Eiji, which sounded equally strange in his ears, when he saw what was going on.
He stared at Hisoka strangling the Amegakure shinobi against the wall. For a moment he just kept staring at what was going on, paralyzed by the strange situation, before he got into action. He elbowed himself between Hisoka and Eiji and pushed both aside with large effort. He quickly positioned himself inbetween both, his sword still unsheathed, suspicious of the slightest movement. Giving both combatants a quick glare, he dared speak. "What the hell is going on?"
With the pressure released Eiji slid down the wall a bit and tried to regain some air, his mouth opening and closing like a fish on dry land, his hands rubbing his neck. Confused he looked up and pushed himself upwards. Even if this was the Hokage and even if he hadn't been expecting an attack from such a direction, he should know better. "Something I'd like to know..." He muttered in reply to the question of the Nimatsu before speaking up; "Sir, if I have done anything to offend-"
"Step aside Nimatsu," was Hisoka's ice cold intervention. He seemed to barely register that the boy was even there. His mind was flashing back and forth between past and present events, making it hard to distinguish between the two. But one thing was clear. He had to make sure to fix his mistake. To finish what he couldn't do the last time. His eyes flickered from black to red. "Remember those eyes?" He asked the man before him, he asked their killer. "Still out for them I see. But not this time." Anger laced his voice as he raised his hands to form several seals.
It seemed that Eiji was just as surprised by the entire situation as he was, but that Hisoka knew perfectly well what was going on. Something apparently only he could see. The thought passed Kensuke that perhaps Hisoka had gone mad, especially since he seemed to speak about his eyes? Suddenly the Hokage began rapidly making handseals, and Kensuke's heart missed a beat as he realized that this fight had only just begun.
"Stop!" He yelled, turning towards the Hokage, ready to defend or attack.
"I said, step aside." Hisoka didn't even raise his voice, but Killing Intent shimmered in it. To enforce his words and to show that he tolerated no disobedience Hisoka suddenly shot forward to push Kensuke aside and reach Eiji. The Nimatsu had nothing to do with this. He should just leave. Or stay put, as, if Hisoka managed to touch the boy a purple barrier would be errected around him, keeping him away from the fight. His fight.
The man is insane. was the thought that rushed through Eiji's mind as well. He had always heard that the Hokage was a good man. But if that was the case, why was he attacking a man he had never seen before. Why was he babbling about eyes? His eyes. How would Eiji possibly have seen them before? Why would he be out for them? Chakra gathered in his hands to fend of the most likely incoming attack as he spoke up again, desperately trying to regain control over the situation. "Sir, I assure you. I am not out for anything-" he started before the Hokage closed in.
That was it. He knew how lethal the Hisoka could be, he wasn't Hokage for nothing, and decided to act. He released a falcon wing at the Hokage at a decent level of chakra, certainly enough to at least send the man stumbling into his desk behind him instead of charging forwards. "Lord Hokage! Get a hold of yourself!" He yelled while mentioning at Eiji to leave the room. He already heard quick footsteps on the stairs as the Hokage's ANBU guards rushed to his aid, and by now Kensuke guessed that half of the village knew what was going on. Admittedly, sending all of the Hokage's paperwork flying out of the window in a cloud of broken glass wasn't exactly subtle.
But Hisoka didn't have time for Kensuke's attacks. He didn't have time for anything. He wasn't even sure what time it was at the moment. His mind kept repeating the assault by the man with the red hair and his team, replacing Kensuke with one of its members. Somewhere far back he tried to regain some control, but it seemed impossible. In a flash he was on the ceiling, latching himself on the wood using chakra, before preparing to push himself off towards the redhaired man.
Instead another person jumped in front of Eiji. Holding a kunai in her right hand, Meisa hoped she would be able to keep the man behind her safe from the next attack. ''Hisoka Uchiha. Lord Hokage-sama.'' Pronouncing the names rather quickly and with an ice cold tone, Meisa wasn't sure what had happened as she thought that Hisoka had just a conversation with Kensuke. If this was due either the Nimatsu or this other man, she would make one pay for the disturbance. There was still a half eaten sandwich waiting for her.
Kensuke had his sword raised, ready to strike down Hisoka, but hesitated. Could he really cut down his most absolute superior? Without consequences for himself? Then again, if he didn't, Eiji probably would not leave this room alive, nor might he. As the Hokage jumped towards the ceiling above Kensuke stepped back, ready to unleash a lot more potent attack, when he was once more surprised by a new appearance right behind him. Suspecting a clone of Hisoka he spun around, barely able to divert his instinctive attack as he recognised Meisa, the Hokage's assistant. "What the...?" He muttered on a seriously digruntled tone.
By the time Hisoka registered that someone other than Kensuke or the other man was calling his name, someone he cared for, someone he could not attack, he had already pushed himself off. But Meisa's appearance did make him blink. Once, twice as his mind tried to get itself back together. He lowered his hands that were ready to fire a technique and without the capabilty to stop his fall at the moment he crashed down, possibly on Meisa if she wasn't going to move away.
Quickly stepping aside, Meisa raised her kunai while she would position herself to quickly pin down Hisoka. ''And stay calm please.'' Muttering the words, her mood had dropped just like how Hisoka had dropped from the ceiling. Glaring up to Eiji, she frowned. From what she could tell or had seen, the man hadn't really fought back. Her eyes glared then at Kensuke, who had attacked Hisoka though. With the arrival of several ANBU, Meisa thought of something. ''ANBU. The situation is under control. Lord Hokage-sama had mistaken something for a spar. Bit silly, but if some of you would like to clear up the mess.'' The glare turned into a smile. The ANBU that were present seemed to waver as it was really unclear what had transpired. Something Meisa would find out, one way or another.
''You. And you.'' Glaring at Kensuke and Eiji, she would slowly get up. ''You're coming with me. Lord Hokage-sama will come once he has...'' Trying to find the correct word, Meisa holstered her kunai back. ''He has calmed down.'' Beckoning the two to follow her, she gritted her teeth. Not even one peaceful lunch was she granted.
Ready to dive on the Hokage the moment he slumped onto the ground, he hesitated as Meisa beat him to that. It seemed from the looks of it that Hisoka had ... calmed down at least a bit. In fact, he looked quite miserable . Then again, he wasn't jumping around anymore trying to turn Eiji into a corpse, and that was a big improvement over this, so he didn't really complain. Realizing he was still holding the katana, he sheathed that as he threw a slightly nervous look at the present ANBU. If not for Meisa, he would probably be in quite the situation now, hilariously enough. As Meisa waved off the ANBU she authoritatively suggested for Eiji and Kensuke to come along as she left Hisoka lying on the ground?
The whole deal was, apparantly, strange for the Konoha shinobi, but for Eiji it was at least ten times more confusing. While he had very much tried to not attack the man it was very confusing with people appearing and entering and attacking. He appreciated the gesture the Nimatsu gave him by attacking, but he wasn't sure if that was the right course of action. You couldn't attack your superior really. That didn't go well. And then somehow it all came to an end. All with the appearance of one woman. One woman and Hisoka dropped from the sky. Eiji politely didn't question that. Instead he bowed, realizing the woman might just have saved him from... whatever it was that was going on. His gaze went to the Hokage who lay flat on the ground, first pinned down by the woman then on his own. His hands were covering his face, gripping it tight and he didn't really seem to notice what was going on in the rest of the room, which was a feat in itself with all these people running about. Hoping to not make the situation worse Eiji turned around and followed the woman.
Walking into the hallway, Meisa walked in a steady pace instead of a calm one as she usually did. Then again, this wasn't an usual situation. Taking a turn to the right, she glanced over her shoulder once, looking with a rather cold expression. At some point, she would turn left and open a door. ''In, both of you.'' Clearly an order, she would stand by the door, waiting until both men had entered the room. A normal office, but much smaller than that of the Hokage. ''Sit down.'' Closing the door behind her, she would walk to her own chair and kept talking with the same authoritative and ice cold tone as before. ''Now, before I start to figure out myself what has happened, mind to clear it out for me? Why the Hokage went into a rage as a jounin of our own village attacking him?''
If Eiji understood things correctly this was most likely the Hokage's assistant. She looked... capable, he thought as he sat down on the appointed chair. So if she was, then that meant she was Meisa Ichi and she was the one for whom he had actually come to talk about the seal. But that topic would have to wait. "Ma'am," he started. "My name is Eiji Emiya, I'm the Amekage assistant. I came to the Hokage to discuss some matters with him, but when I entered his office..." Eiji trailed off, not quite sure what to say. He didn't want to insult her superior, but the man had just goddamn tried to kill him. "When I entered his office he went mad and tried to kill me. I have never met the Hokage before and I have no idea what could have caused this animosity towards me. I have not spoken to him so I have no way of telling what could have offended him. I would like to know the answers to those questions, however, and why I was so violently attacked without good reason."
Kensuke shrugged as Meisa asked some very interesting questions about the situation, but luckily Eiji seemed to start speaking earlier than he could find a way to answer Meisa's questions himself. Listening to what Eiji was saying, he didn't get any wiser out of the situation either. "I just left his office after reporting the status of my team and receiving new orders, and suddenly heard a loud crashing noise and went inside to check, and found Lord Hokage ... choking the Amekage's assistant..." Kensuke added. "I interfered and stopped the Hokage, upon which Hisoka said something about someone taking his eyes and attacked once more, upon which I was forced to defend myself, and Eiji."
Listening to the two, Meisa sighed. Surely, she wouldn't be able to finish her nicely made sandwich. The meat on it would already be cold once she would've dealt with the two. Then there was also a need of talk with Hisoka. Raising her eyebrows, she thought of what they had told her. Much wasn't really new or helpful. The only thing that she didn't know was about the line of the eyes. She had been able to see Kensuke attacking Hisoka and that the latter was quite in a rage fit, but eyes? ''I'm sorry for the rude welcome, Eiji Emiya-san. I assure you that this has been most unpleasant and think that this has been a mistake from the start.'' Flashing a smile towards his direction, her smile faded away when she switched her gaze back to Kensuke. ''As for you, I hope you're aware of that it won't be taken kindly of attacking a superior under any kind of excuse or circumstance. You're for now dismissed. I'll inform the Jounin Commander and he'll deal with you.'' Meisa ordered on a cold tone as it was clear he was dismissed. Sighing, Meisa already turned back to Eiji. ''Sorry, but have you been offered anything to drink or eat?''
Kensuke in return did not quite expect to be congratulated for what he did, but he certainly would not let himself be punished for doing the only sensible thing. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I acted for the best interests of the Fire Nation while fighting my superior. Should he have killed an official emmisary of the Rain, we would have a bigger problem than we have now." He said on an insulted tone, before bowing and leaving the room, not quite slamming the door thight behind him, but not quite being gentle with it either.
A mistake. Right. Eiji didn't quite see how this exactly was a mistake. Yet, he accepted the apology with a slightly deeper nod. It would do no good if he started accusing and attacking Meisa Ichi now for the things that had just expired. He shot a side glance to Kensuke and felt slightly bad for the young man. He had, after all, tried to protect him, and had succeeded quite well. To be punished for that... Eiji understood the reasoning, but still felt it in some way unfair. "No, I haven't," he replied. "However, I am not quite... I'm quite okay at the moment for food. A glass of water would be appreciated against a... dry throat. If you don't mind I would like to know what mistake was made. I am sure you can explain a bit more than that."
Sighing, Meisa looked with a rather bored look at Kensuke. The young man was really going to be dealt with, one way or another. Acting as he had was something she didn't disapprove. She had even acted and said something like that to make sure that Eiji wouldn't get the idea that somebody would just get away with attacking the Hokage. Closing her eyes and lightly shaking her head, she turned her attention to Eiji. ''Excuse me for that. Sometimes younger people are... troublesome to deal with or don't know the way how regulations work.'' Flashing a smile, she noted to herself she wouldn't let this go. But now more important matters were at stake. Waiting a second to be sure that they were alone, Meisa begin to think how to explain to Eiji what she suspected. ''If the Lord Hokage talked about his eyes and attacked you, I assume it was indeed not really an innocent kind of mistake. I wonder if it has to do anything with the past, but what part or why you? I wouldn't be able to answer that, Eiji Emiya-san.'' Realizing something, she decided to make a shadow clone. ''Now, with the Lord Hokage probably taking a rest, can I perhaps do anything for you in his stead?''
"I believe the Nimatsu has quite a valuable point," Eiji replied, flashing the same smile, leaving the subject at that. It was not like he could do anything more for the boy. "Forgive me if I find that a very insufficient answer. I have never met the man in my life. If mister Nimatsu hadn't stepped in I could have died and you are shrugging it off on an incident in the past? I deemed the Hokage a very good man. Was I mistaken?" He paused for a second as she made the clone. "I came to Konoha to speak with you, miss Ichi, but it seemed more appropriate to announce myself first to the Hokage. As you are probably unaware my student is Yoshikuni Sadako, our current Jinchuuriki." The last part somehow pained him to say. "I have some inquieries about the enforced seal you admitted. I'm not here to tell you to removed it or anything. I am wondering, as a sensei, about the capabilities of that seal because so far it seems like it making Kuni unable to do her job. At all."
Raising her eyebrows a bit, Meisa wondered what was so valid about the points. She had a very different view on it, but decided to not linger on it. It wasn't going to be her problem anymore. As Eiji asked if Hisoka was a good man, Meisa thought of an answer. Leaving the question unanswered wouldn't be something she would forgive herself. ''I hope that you can understand that every person who has been in the Great War has suffered terribly. It's the only answer I can give you, Eiji Emiya. I will see with the Third Hokage that this will be investigated and that you'll receive a personal sorry in the time to come.'' Though Meisa kept up a friendly and polite attitude, she grew slowly angry at the man. Knowing that she shouldn't, she couldn't help her. The man was half implying in her personal experience that Hisoka was a lunatic. But as he told the reasons of his visit, Meisa managed to keep up her mask.
''I think I understand. That is rather a pity.'' Meisa mumbled. Thinking about how the seal was constructed, Meisa wondered if somebody had tried to mess with it. Then again, they wouldn't come with questions, but likely had sent a message that the girl would've been dead. ''I'm sorry and wish to offer both my apologies and thanks. My apologies as I had thought that the risks of something like this wouldn't occur. As my thanks for updating me on this. I would love to hear the questions you have for me.''
Eiji did understand the horrors of war. While he had only actively experienced it for one year he had seen how his father had struggled sometimes and he couldn't quite grasp how it should have been would he have fought four years as well. It would be enough to drive a person mad. However, a Hokage? Eiji decided not the press the issue sensing that this wouldn't end well. Instead he just nodded with the same friendly smile as before even though he could still feel the marks the fingers of the Hokage had left on his skin. Luckily Meisa moved on and they could get to the real issue. The seal. Eiji inclined his head slightly at the apology.
"Thank you for allowing me to ask them. First and foremost I am wondering if this seal will keep hampering her abilities to function properly. She is a shinobi under my juristriction as well as a girl who practically lives with me most of the time. I am worried for both things. Secondly, I am not quite aware what the repurcussions of the seal are. I understand perfectly why it was installed, the beast should not run free again, but what exactly does it do to Kuni?'
The questions were what she had expected, but she was genuinely surprised to hear that the man had the girl practically living with him. That changed the situation a bit, as Meisa was aware that she should pay more caution. A worried parent or guardian could be easily angered and Meisa didn't want more than she had already to deal with it. ''The seal is made to let only a bit of the Bijuu chakra slip into the system. We've learned that the powerful chakra changes the body of the host. Unless you want to hear about it, I must conclude my answer that the repurcussions were quite simple. Due the seal limiting the stream of Bijuu chakra, I had calculated a small risk that it would disturb the chakra system.'' Meisa thought again about the moment she had made the seal. For some odd reason, she could remember perfectly when the girl had turned into a smartass. But recently, she seemed to have that effect on people. ''What that means is that the Bijuu chakra is still doing its work as it should, only at a slower rate. Due this, the chakra system is trying to adjust itself, only to find itself struggling as it might not adjust itself properly without more help of the Bijuu chakra's effect.''
So the Yonbi's chakra was altering Kuni. Somehow that made sense when he linked it with tales he had heard of other Jinchuuriki. He wasn't sure if he liked it though. Kuni was enough of a handful without any enhancements, and he liked her as she was. But there was nothing he could do about this. Extracting a Bijuu meant death. "I would like to hear about this chakra changing the body, you spoke of, but maybe afterwards and not now. Kind of want to learn as much as possible so I know what to expect and what I can do myself." He flashed Meisa another smile. "For now, can you perhaps give any estimated time when her body has at least adjusted itself to a point where she can normally fight again?"
That was one question that made Meisa think. ''I can't, sadly.'' Meisa said, looking a bit sorry. ''Based on what we know of the Jinchuriki of the Nibi, it is clear to say that it might take a decade. Normally, the body would be able to adapt itself within years, but with being so restricted, I can safely assume it might take much longer.'' Meisa said. But remembering he was her guardian, she added something to it. ''Though it can be assumed that removing the Tailed Beast can be an option. Due the Bijuu chakra only very slowly altering the body, it is safe to assume that removing it won't have any nasty effects on the host.''
Eiji shook his head slightly. He didn't like the answers he was asuming very much, but he was happy she gave them honestly. Lying wouldn't make anything easier. "Removing is not an option. Not only would I not tamper with an option that might cause her death, it is also not my choice to make. The Amekage decided she was going to be the Jinchuuriki and so I will obey that order. Duty before personal feelings after all. Thank you for the answer never the less. I apperiate the honesty. I take it we can say though that the effect will fade with time and that she will indeed be able to continue her job as it is. Are there any things of note that I should be aware of while training a Jinchuuriki?"
Things he should be aware off? Meisa wanted to name a few. Though it was clear from what she could remember from Kuni's profile, which was vague in her memory, with that of Kiyomi. Though the latter was a good asset and kunoichi, Meisa hadn't forgotten about the time that girl had went away from Konohagakure to try to do something on her own. Without any supervision to make sure that nobody would kidnap her or in case the beast would attempt to break out. ''I think that you should keep me updated on her status. Check her for any signals and write down how many times and how severe she has the symptoms. Based on that, I can try to see how the seal should be changed.'' Meisa instructed him with a friendly tone, deciding to add something else. ''I might later send somebody who is more experienced on this, but let's first see how it goes for the first few months.''
This time Eiji nodded slowly. It was good that Meisa had an option to change to seal, that meant that might things get bad it could be changed. Somehow that made it better, the idea that Kuni wasn't stuck with an unchangable seal in her body. "Alright," he said. He leaned back in his chair and pondered about the new information for a moment. "I can do that." There was another pause in which he tried to think of more inquieries he had. Then he leaned forward again. "Then if you don't mind, and if I am not taking up too much of your valuable time I would like to ask you to explain me how Bijuu chakra exactly changes the body..."[/B]
