HELLO! HAHAHAHA I COULDN'T BELIEVE I MADE ANOTHER FIC WHILE I STILL HAVE ANOTHER FIC GOING. Don't worry, The Prettiest Girl new chapter is already done, it's just currently being beta'd by DoubleRainbowRaibow ;) I'm working on the next of the next chapter for that fic right now but suddenly I got a flash of idea for this fic! Hahaha!
Enjoy!
Screams echoed all across the T&I building. It wasn't uncommon for T&I to be decorated with numerous screams all the time, but this one particular scream hadn't ended ever since everybody came to work in the morning. The sun had almost set, and everybody started to wonder whether this one particular interrogation involved a very hard to crack detainee or the interrogator was just plainly sadistic and taking their time and pleasure on torturing people. Judging for the endless screams, it was most likely that the latter possibility was the one that was happening.
Therefore, when the door was finally turned open later that evening, people peered curiously at the person who had just won the award of 'The Most Sadistic Person of The Day'. They were expecting Anko, Tonbo, or Ibiki – the regulars, the well-known sadist-, so when platinum blonde hair swung as the person went out of the door instead, they couldn't help but to let out a surprised gasp. That hair could only belong to one person, and it was the girl who people had nicknamed 'Princess of T&I'.
Yamanaka Ino.
She looked exhausted and grim, as bloods splattered everywhere on her gray clothing and hairs. She shrugged her head and realized that everybody had been looking at her like she was a maniac or something so she gave people a brief, forced smile as she strode toward Ibiki's office.
Ibiki was working on his year end reports when there was a single knock before the sound of the door turned open before Ibiki could said an enter. He could already tell the person without even shrugging his head by that signature way of entering his door. It could only belong to one person: A bad mood Yamanaka Ino. He didn't look up at her before finally a stack of paper was put on the table. There was a pregnant silence between them as Ino sat in front of him and Ibiki continued writing his reports. It was almost like they were battling, challenging each other to be the first one to utter a word.
"That was the Grass Country intel's report on the 'Akatsuki Reborn' movement." She admitted defeat when she broke the silence between them.
"You sure take your time." Ibiki said without bothering to look up to face her properly.
"I don't want to use my mind technique or psychological manipulation today so I have to resort to physical torture." She said, her tone was detached. "... It seems like I forget that it's going to be hard to wash the blood on the uniform."
Ibiki kept his poker face but inside he was actually getting worried about the fading existence of emotions in his apprentice. She used to scream so loudly at the sights of blood spurting everywhere and yet now she slashed someone's body like crazy and all she's worried about was how the blood's going to be a pain in the ass during the washing.
"Are you turning into a sadist? Welcome to the club." Ibiki replied instead, smirk painted on his face. Ino gave a restrained chuckle.
"I'm not a sadist." She stated wearily. "Somebody talked trash about my father last night at the bar. He's dead for God sake!"
Ibiki gave her a weird look. "It's weird, I could say that Inoichi is pretty likable around the village."
"If he isn't then you think I'd be angry?" Ino gave him a skeptical look. "Point is, I'm not a sadist. Just a simple girl with a simple bad mood."
"It's pretty hard to deny when you just torture people so that you can release your pent up feelings."
"Well, I guess you can put it that way, then." Ino replied after a moment of contemplation.
"Quite a day for you to find this new fact, eh? You're dismissed." Ibiki smirked at her.
"Okay." Ino stood up and was about to leave when she stopped at the door and turned around.
"Oh, I received your memo earlier in the morning, anyway. There's something you want to talk about to me?"She asked.
Ibiki frowned, trying to remember about the memo. He inwardly growled when he remembered what it really was about. He gave Ino an uneasy smile.
"Ah, let's save that for tomorrow, when you're in a better state."
"I'm in a good state." Ino folded her hands stubbornly.
"You're 'll talk about this matter tomorrow. You're dismissed." He retorted sternly. Ino raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulder.
"Fine, then."
Ibiki was certain that if he had told Ino the way she was at that moment, she'd have gone back to that interrogation room and eventually killed her detainee.
"Sir, prisoner number 45 is dead." Iwashi walked inside the room hurriedly as he brought the data of the prisoner. Ibiki eyed the person and let out a heavy sigh.
Ah. Speak of the devil.
"Well. He's sentenced to death anyway, clean him up and I'll be reporting this matter to the Hokage."
"Yes, Sir."
As Iwashi left the room, Ibiki knew that he was making a good decision of not letting Ino knew the news. Yet.
XXX
When one had spent years and years under Ibiki's tutelage, even Tsunade looked so much softer and kinder. Tsunade fully realized this, and deciding that getting angry at Ino for doing her mistake would do no harm to her. Beside, Ibiki had promised her that he's going to personally take this matter into his hand. Also, Ibiki sent a letter saying that there's no use confronting her at the moment. Deliver some punishments, quick and clean, and then deliver the news.
Tsunade cursed inwardly. Damn that Ibiki, giving that job to me.
"I was told to be in your presence, Hokage-sama?" Ino asked politely as she entered the door. Tsunade knew enough to see through that facade of mannerism. The smile painted on her lips was forced.
"Yes. Please." Tsunade gestured her to come closer. Ino walked closer to her table, keeping the smile intact.
"The head of the Torture and Interrogation, Morino Ibiki, had reported to me that during one of your interrogation yesterday, your suspect was wounded so badly he died an hour after you're done with him." Tsunade delivered the verdict first.
Quick and clean.
Ino didn't flinch at that. Her smile was fading, but she didn't look scared at all. Or guilty, in that case. Was her decision to send the innocent florist to Ibiki was a wrong choice after all?
"He is sentenced to death in two days." Ino finally said. "And physical torture is not a violation of interrogation rules."
Tsunade nodded. "I am aware of that. However, there are also rules against killing a suspect, even when they're sentenced to death."
The look on Ino's face was once again unmoved. Ibiki had warned her about Ino in a bad mood or something, but Tsunade really started to wonder if this really was Ibiki's effect on her or something.
"I'm ready to accept any punishment, Hokage-sama." Ino said readily.
"The punishment for killing a prisoner is a year of no payment at minimum or the stripping of ninja status at maximum." Tsunade stated. "The prisoner is going to be dead in two days, so I'm going to give you a year of no payment. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Her reply was obedient but Tsunade could see a glint of disappointment in her eyes.
"Then, there are also another matter I'd like to discuss with you. But we have to wait for your boss to come here to sort it out. Don't worry, I've already sent an ANBU to fetch him."
There's no way she's letting Ibiki to let her doing this alone.
"Tsunade-sama." Ibiki appeared in a smoke puff just as she was done saying that.
"I hear you …" He noticed Ino's presence and paused for a second. "Requested my presence." He continued.
"Yes. Please do stand next to me." Tsunade said. Ibiki nodded and approached her chair and stood next to her. Tsunade linked her hand and put her chin on it.
"So, Ino." Tsunade started. "Due to your recent move to the T&I division, Morino Ibiki had told me that you haven't had a partner yet, is that correct?"
"Yes, Ma'am." She nodded.
"While during interrogation and torture a partner is not such a necessary need, during course of investigation, it is very, very important that you have a partner to help you with things."
Ibiki gave Tsunade a look as if to remind her of today's jargon: quick and clean.
"That is why, Ibiki and I decided to find a partner for you." Tsunade said, taking the hint.
"Thank you, Ma'am."
"Your new partner is currently being fetched here by my best ANBU. He is a person with … special circumstance." Tsunade said hesitantly.
"May I beg for an explanation, Hokage-sama?"
Ibiki cleared his throat at this. "Even if you're his partner, you are with obligations to keep watch on him all the time, keep him stable, and make sure that he didn't do anything that may harm the village."
Ino's brow furrowed but she nodded anyway.
"I understand, Sir." She said formally.
Little did she know how little she understood.
XXX
A special partner did make her sound someone important enough. Ino had already thousands of guesses in her mind when Tsunade said special circumstance. It could be anyone. It could be Juugo, it could be Karin, damn … It could be Orochimaru. Or, oh God, oh God, could it be Sasuke? Ino could feel herself getting excited for the prospect and she momentarily forgot her foul mood. She already projected how she bragged to Sakura about Sasuke being her partner and all. Ha. That's going to feel so good.
There was a soft knock on the door and after Tsunade's permission, Sai went in.
"Tsunade-sama, I've brought the man." He said.
Tsunade nodded to him and told him to bring it in.
There wasn't a sight of red of Karin, orange of Juugo, or dark of Orochimaru or Sasuke. No. What she saw was the one that even after years in investigation AND a lot of people's mind, an unbelievable sight.
Slick gray hair, purple eyes, and a grin she came to hate for all her heart.
"This is Hidan, Ino. Your new partner." She could hear Ibiki in the background. She didn't respond, still with eye wide open. Somewhere in the back of her mind had shouted "Kai!" about a thousand times, in case this was a genjutsu Ibiki pulled on her to test her or something.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, woman?" His raspy voice broke the deafening silence in the room.
Ibiki took a very, very deep breath as he saw Ino's frozen state. Soon, the part he was reluctant to face the most would come.
The outburst.
Short I know I know I know :) Ino and Hidan as partners sounds good enough, no? No?
Hahahha. Please review, give me comments :) I love you all!
