AN: I apologize for the mistakes, but English is still not my native language and they keep slipping through.
Chapter 15
It's a late Monday evening over a month later that Hari walks home from the Uzumakis. Her mind is busy wandering between dinner plans and a medical scroll borrowed from Kyoko which Hari's yet to return. She's in the middle of contemplating whether or not her stomach would hold out long enough for her to head by the hospital for the drop off to prevent getting on the wrong side of the alpha nurse, when Hari is rudely intercepted by an ANBU on a dark street corner.
She's only a block away from her building, it wasn't expected and she reacts accordingly. It's left inconsequential as by the time Hari's retrieved a kunai to defend herself, the ANBU has already rattled off his message. It's a single sentence which includes both a time and a place, before they are gone again.
Safe to say it's unnerving, but Hari's been waiting for this.
...
When Hari arrives at her flat her pulse is still a little fast, but more out of nervousness for what's to come than what has been. Things are about to change, and Hari needs to prepare.
But first things first, and Hari heads for the cork board over the kitchen counter and pins up the latest drawing she'd been gifted from Naruto.
The board is already filled with his previous art work, all of them a colourful batch, but this latest lump of bright green and fetching orange reminded Hari strongly of Might Gai, and so she'd accepted it with a laugh and a grin.
Naruto had claimed it was a house, though it was impossible to tell. Kushina insisted he was creatively inclined, and Hari agreed to an extent, but she also quietly believed Naruto simply wasn't one for detail work either. Compared to Shino - Shibi-sensei's son - Naruto had very different priorities and interests.
Hari had never seen two kids as opposite as those, and the one time she had tried organizing a play-date it had ended in tears and screaming – mostly on Naruto's part – because when Shino got upset he simply walked away instead. They were just too different, both thought the other "weird", and as kids were instinctive and honest about their opinions that was enough for them to finally agree on something: neither wanted to play together again.
With the gift on display Hari went over to her dresser and got out her training bag and equipment. Last she stopped by the bed, crouched downon her knees and her hand reached out until her fingers found a mask secured to the underside for safe keeping.
Retrieving it with care she placed the white mask with turquoise markings quickly inside her training bag, since leaving it out in the open seemed like a careless security risk.
After so long of arguing with herself joining ANBU had been strangely relieving. Hari knew if she hadn't she would always wonder and second guess herself. For over a year now she had been on the verge of doing this, but now, after running into him. That ANBU...
There really were no options left.
...
A couple of days after returning from Land of Swamps, a week before the funeral, Hari had demanded an audience with Hiruzen-sama to discuss all the details she'd wilfully left out of the official report. There were some information Hari knew should not be read by just anyone, and a second Mokuton user was such a matter.
"You were right to come to me directly, Hari." Hiruzen-sama had said once she was finished reporting her encounter. "Though your report is not the first of its kind. I have received several rumours and reports of a Mokuton user within Konoha that never fit your description."
Several seconds had passed while Hari contemplated what it meant that the Sandaime Hokage used words like 'rumours and reports' about this person. Arriving at the conclusion this Mokuton user was only known to Hiruzen-sama second hand - a ninja in Konoha who was not under the Hokage's control.
Words that had seemed to mean something else when she'd first heard them spoken aloud rang inside Hari's head: "I found you over there," And perhaps that was true, but was Hari all Shimura Danzo had found? Or did: "I believe there are individuals within Root you have a lot in common with." Mean more than she had assumed back then?
Hari had already suspected it, but had it more or less confirmed now. "Root?" She'd asked quietly, which had turned Hiruzen-sama sharper than before.
"Divisions such as Root are strictly confidential, you don't have the clearance to even say that name aloud. So Hari, even if this is a subject you believe yourself justified to be curious about, that doesn't change the fact you are once again overstepping." His voice was reproachful, and she knew she had wheedled out as much information as she'd get.
But this wasn't the sole reason she was here. Hari had come here to give a report, hopefully get some answers, and lastly to get herself qualified for the career path she couldn't seem to stay away from.
As a chūnin medic Hari had no grounds to ask about Orochimaru.
No clearance to wonder about mysterious Root agents.
No right to ask at all.
"But, sir," said Harry, making valiant efforts not to sound argumentative, "it all comes to the same thing, doesn't it? I've got to try and kill him, or —"
"Got to?" said Dumbledore. "Of course you've got to! But not because of the prophecy! Because you, yourself, will never rest until you've tried! We both know it! Imagine, please, just for a moment, that you had never heard that prophecy! How would you feel about Voldemort now? Think!"
Harry watched Dumbledore striding up and down in front of him, and thought. He thought of his mother, his father, and Sirius. He thought of Cedric Diggory. He thought of all the terrible deeds he knew Lord Voldemort had done. A flame seemed to leap inside his chest, searing his throat.
"I'd want him finished," said Harry quietly. "And I'd want to do it."
...
But there was a difference between Hogwarts and Konoha. Between Hari and Harry.
She wasn't the 'Chosen One' anymore, and any future mission or assignment Hari received would only be given to her if she earned it. If she proved herself capable of handling it.
There was something about leaving a task for those who are trained for it, and Hari had decided it was about damn time she got herself qualified for the job she keeps circling back to.
She doesn't regret her time with team Shibi, but she can not justify staying with them anymore.
And well, even Harry Potter had seen the logic in becoming an Auror - the most dangerous profession within the wizarding community - because running after dark and dangerous individuals is what he kept doing on his spare time anyway.
Hari's next words had therefore been: "Hokage-sama, If you allow it, I would ask you to consider inducting me into ANBU."
...
Hari had received the mask, but kept it hidden in her flat while she prepared herself for the change in her career path. So besides throwing herself into physical conditioning once again, she also gave several excuses to team Shibi to explain her future absences and reduced hours with them.
And now, mid March, she had finally been summoned.
...
...
Hari tries to keep herself from speculating unnecessarily. Instead she simply takes things one step at a time, the first of which is to arrive wearing her mask at four thirty at the designated address - one of the uniform office buildings alongside the foot of the Hokage mountain.
Inside there's an ANBU waiting in a dimly lit hallway. He points towards the door and mumbles absently; "Through here, past the hallway to the stairwell, up to the third floor and then the second door on the left." Without ever glancing up from the documents he's reading.
Once Hari follows those directions she finds herself in a dojo, a large industrial one, with several other fresh recruits and a couple of ANBU who stands out at the front. They're the only ones in pale cloaks. The smallest is an unknown female with sandy blonde hair and white and blue mask. But Hari recognize the other as ANBU Cow. The one who had carried Santa and led them away from the factory in Land of Swamps.
...
At four thirty on the dot everything begins with the doors locking automatically, and the female takes a step forwards and address the crowd. "First rule of ANBU – if you don't meet up on time, you don't meet up at all. I am Horse, and this is my assistant Cow and welcome to ANBU boot camp. We're here to help you through a special training regime which makes sure you fresh recruits becomes competent enough to call yourself Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai - an ANBU."
The woman doesn't need to shout to be heard, and though her voice is matter of factly it isn't strict or forceful. "Most of you have heard a variation of this speech already, but to be sure there are no misunderstandings: ANBU is anonymous. The missions we complete, the information we gain, the work we do – it is secret, it's confidential, and as far as anyone else is concerned: it never happened. Who you are outside of ANBU doesn't matter here, and who you are in ANBU doesn't matter when you take off your mask. You follow these rules without fail, and there are no second chances."
Horse folds her arms over her chest, looking fierce despite being so much smaller than Cow. "There's little personal gain in ANBU. All you do will be for Konoha, and it's thankless, tiring and unappreciated work. You will never receive any glory for the effort and pain you put in. The missions you take on will be dangerous, you'll risk your life, and if you die those you leave behind will not be told what happened. This is the price you've been willing to pay to get into this division, and in repayment we'll prepare you to the best of our capabilities."
...
She moves towards a few cardboard boxes Hari had ignored until then. "This one hold trousers, this hold tops, and this hold shoes." Horse explain while pointing from box to box. "Once this introduction is over you'll come up and get one of each in the right size as your initial training gear to go with your mask. Boot camp is about to start, and you'll need the right gear for it."
Hari throws a quick glance a round the room, tries to figure out just how many new agents there are in total, and estimate its' about thirty. Seeing as Hari had to wait for so long before being summoned for her first meeting she guesses ANBU collected a solid number of recruits before they organized a boot camp.
...
At the front of the hall Horse is still speaking. "You may have received your mask, may be able to call yourself ANBU, but as long as you're in boot camp you're what we call a plebe agent." Her tone alone made it very clear that previous accomplishments and rank didn't matter anymore, and now they had been demoted to the ANBU version of fresh genin all over again.
"As long as you're a plebe you're not assigned missions, not placed on a squad and so to make yourself useful to the division during your initial training you will be doing plebe work on the side."
Horse flicks her hand casually towards the locked doors. "Which means you'll be serving lunch in the ANBU cafeteria, clean and mend uniforms, wash the lockers, the toilets, the hallways and the training halls. Basically uphold the running and maintenance of headquarters until your skills are good enough for anything else."
She turns her head from one corner of the room to the other. "How long you need to be in boot camp will vary from person to person. Some of you will be stuck with my dulcet voice yelling at you for a couple of months at most, while others may have to remain here for half a year. It all depends on you, and how fast you're able to pick up on the necessities."
Horse gestures towards the cardboard boxes again. "Now come up, get your gear and go get changed. We'll start in ten minutes."
...
...
Boot camp was a program designed to train agents up to meet the standard ANBU requirements. This meant that after the initial testing, people were told where they were lacking and then tasked to improve until that lack was gone.
Hari glides through the ninjutsu portion, demonstrating three elements and medical ninjutsu was well beyond any minimum standard, and the stealth and tracking portion was easy too.
Her sensei was Aburame Shibi after all – he had drilled all his students in tracking and infiltrating from their third month as a team. Though some of the masking techniques in ANBU was a little different Hari adjusted to them quickly and painlessly.
That could not be said for everything though.
...
Hari knew it was coming, but it was still frustrating that despite years of trying to catch up, her body was still behind the expected curve.
Especially the day her physical condition was being tested. Hari was in the ANBU dojo, well into the third hour of consistently hitting a punching bag when the ANBU comes over and say plainly: "You are physically weak,"
The statement isn't meant to be either mean or kind - it's a fact. "You're already behind, plebe Owl, and while you work to improve, your peers-" Horse gestures around the room. "will only get better too. Realistically speaking you will never catch up."
Hari grits her teeth and continue punching, her anger aiding her strength.
"Your taijutsu is your greatest weakness and you need to rectify that." Horse walks around her while inspecting every move and twitch of her body. "But even if you'll never be the strongest or fastest, that does not mean you have to be the worst. We will get you to an acceptable level, it's the best we can hope for. Though I'll warn you now: it'll be painful for you, plebe Owl."
It was.
...
She runs into similar problem a few days later, because in ANBU it was mandatory to be proficient in at least one none standard weapon. When Horse first explained it, the reason was sound enough.
"Missions can last for days or months, so you need to moderate yourself by saving your energy and chakra for when it's required." Horse calls out over the crowd while patrolling back and forth in front of a collection of sharp tools. "A standardized weapon used correctly is much harder to trace back to a person, a village, a country or even a nation. And stealth and anonymity will take you far in ANBU. In some cases it may even be the only thing between life and death. Between success and failure."
"To pass this section of boot camp you need to be capable to use at least one of these weapons competently. Either the katana," Horse held up her own blade as an example, before moving to the tools which had been placed on the table while pointing them out in turn. "or the tantō, senbon, wire or staff."
Safe to say none of them sat well in Hari's grip.
It's not that she did it wrong - it's just that everyone else were better. So in the end she picks a smaller weapon for the sake of weight and manoeuvrability.
The tantō was a little longer than her old wand, but close enough it was the most comfortable to hold, and Hari decides that at least she could become good enough it wouldn't handicap her - even if she suspects it would never be her favourite tool.
But in ANBU everyone had to learn a certain set of skills to be as interchangeable as possible when required. If Hari was sent on a mission and killed someone with the Mokuton - wearing an ANBU mask wouldn't really do much to hide her identity. However, if someone was killed with a katana or a tantō the possibilities became nearly endless, which was of course half the point besides 'saving chakra'.
...
...
When Hari's not training and training and training she's either sleeping or doing chores around headquarters.
The plebe has their own locker room, and Horse had hung up a sheet on the inside of the door during orientation with chores that had to be completed weekly. Telling them to figure out who would do what between themselves.
Hari ends up on waitress duty much of her second week, cleaning up after meals and washing dishes in the back, and then switch over to cleaning the dojo's in the evenings. It has the side effect of making all the plebe very familiar with headquarters, which is larger than it looked on the outside, not to mention how the division worked.
The headquarters were for all ANBU though, especially the training grounds, and so the plebe gets used to sharing the areas with the more seasoned operatives too. Hari spots ANBU Frog a couple of times, usually with a smaller team in tow, and she doesn't think she's ever seen Dog so frequently in years.
...
Another time consuming aspect of their training was learning the ANBU regulations, ANBU sign language and ANBU code.
None of them has experience with these from before, and so even the advanced plebe good in everything still weren't allowed out of boot camp before they mastered these theoretical subjects as well.
Hari sticks mostly with the other plebe, as despite age and gender differences there's some solidarity in starting at the same path at the same time. They simply spends too much time together to avoid forming some camaraderie, and though no one ever takes their mask off she recognize them well from body type by now. They practise a lot of theory together too, and sometime communicate with one another in sign language, just for the sake of someone to practise with.
Most of their training was independent study, though ANBU Horse and Cow remains available a few times a week and would switch between overseeing every other session. They expected them to be self sufficient enough to work without any hand holding. As the testing was over they knew where they needed to improve, and the lack had to be made up on their own. Though they invited questions and gave tips whenever asked.
...
Cow and Horse training methods were vastly different for one specific reason. Hari knew Cow could speak - had heard him do so in Land of Swamps – but during boot camp he only communicated in ANBU sign language, which is why nearly everyone was relieved whenever Horse was the one inspecting them.
Hari has a horrible memory of being given orders from ANBU Cow on the third day of training and only catching the meaning of one sign; "you" in the myriad of quickly flashing hand formations. Leaving her gaping like a goldfish trying to figure out what on earth the ANBU had told her.
It was effective though, because it forced them to learn it quickly to have any hope of catching his orders. Since if you failed to follow instructions, be they verbal or signed - the consequences and punishments were the same.
Which is how Hari ended up scrubbing all the headquarter toilets for the next four days for failing to follow basic instructions from a superior. A very mild punishment all things considered, and she was hardly the only one on their knees scrubbing away in those days.
...
...
Six weeks into the training program, Hari arrives at the dojo at five in the morning, yet most of the mats are already occupied. This isn't unusual, as half of ANBU seemed to be nocturnal, and she suspects many of the agents arrived around midnight for their workout.
Hari's not quite there yet though, so under the excuse of figuring out what kind of training she should do that day – tantō practise or strength training? - she procrastinates on the sideline while her empty gaze slowly moves over the hall.
It's still too darn early and the sleep has yet to leave her eyes when she realize someone is pointedly staring at her. Doing a second sweep over the room she sees a silver haired ANBU across the hall sitting on the mats looking right back at her.
ANBU Dog waves her over. When they first walked past each other in the hallway on her fifth day as a plebe it took him one look followed by a double take for him to recognize her.
"Good morning," Hari say and stops in front of the mats while stifling her yawn. Though it's not the first time she had met ANBU Dog in headquarters, it's still the first time he's gone out of his way to interact with her. Usually he's in a rush, and Hari has never seen him use the indoor dojo before. "You have a training day too?"
"Morning, and yes I am." Kakashi returns in his usual drawl and gestures towards the mat next to him. "It's free." He say in invitation, and it's just as good a place as any, so she puts down her water bottle and towel and begins her warm-up stretches while Kakashi continue his own routine.
...
Two hours later Hari stands opposite Kakashi on the mats. She has no one to blame but herself, as she'd been the one to ask him to pair up with her for this.
"You can do this faster, plebe Owl" Kakashi taunts in his ANBU voice and hold the target paddle a little bit higher, making it even harder for Hari to hit.
Though Dog had been gracious enough to strap her down with weights around her legs, arms and waist to make every movement several times heavier, and volunteered himself to act as her training dummy by carrying handheld target pads which she was supposed to hit.
He'd say a formation or an action, and Hari had to follow through correctly. Which meant if her balance was off centre, if her kick didn't have the right strength, if her punch wasn't speedy enough - she had to do it again until it was executed to the expected standards of one excessively critical Copy Ninja.
...
"That was perfect!" Hari complaines when Kakashi tells her to repeat the latest 'Hook Kick', because when her left leg came down she momentarily wobbled – for maybe a split second.
"I don't believe in perfection," Kakashi retorts in a bored voice. "You have reached a level, and you can either get better than you are or worse than you are. Which one do you pick?"
Hari growls and the next hook kick is delivered steadier and with more force as she tries to inflict some of her frustration on the taller ANBU.
"See? Better than the last one. I guess you're trying to get better plebe Owl. Now a front kick."
And Owl complies.
With one foot placed in front of the other, her hips straight and her weight accurate she kicked up with her right leg hard, making contact with the paddle Dog was holding up in the air as fast, smoothly and powerfully as possible before moving into the next stance.
"Side kick,"
She turn so Dog is on her left, and lean into the following clash as her foot once again connects forcefully with the target.
"Roundhouse kick,"
"Back kick,"
"Swing strike kick,"
As the repetitions continue Dog change the heights of the target paddles to make it either easier or harder for Hari to get to them. Once the repertoire is completed Dog nods and lower the pads. "I think you're ready to swap your weights for something heavier now."
Hari can't help the pained groan, and despite wearing the white mask she can picture Kakashi's expression easily enough. "That's supposed to be a good thing. It means you're improving."
...
Hari heads towards the equipment shed, knowing there was no use arguing the advise. "Sure, but have you noticed how improvement comes with a lot of additional pain?"
Kakashi shrugs, seeming to be uncaring of such minor inconveniences,when they stop in front of the correct shelf. Hari quickly collects a heavier weight set and notes Kakashi picks up a new one for himself as well.
"I don't know when you joined, but surely you remember the aches and stress of being a plebe too?" Hari asks half heartedly, not sure she wants to hear the answer but too curious to refrain.
Kakashi's masked face tilts sideways, as if he has to think about it. "Mah, I was a plebe for one and a half week."
It's a near thing, but Hari just manages to abstain from throwing the weights she was tying to her left forearm at his face. "What?! Please tell me you're joking."
Hari hears him stifling a chuckle.
"It took you a week and a half to learn ANBU code and sign language? How is that even possible?"
"I've always been a quick study." Kakashi admits as they fasten their additional gear to arms, legs and waist with straps. Hari's making sure the bulky weights wrapped around her shins are properly secured when Kakashi taps his mask, finger touching the underside of the eye where his transplanted Sharingan lay hidden. "And this made things even easier."
Of course it would have. The Sharingan recalls everything it sees and copy it. It's where Kakashi got one of his monikers from.
But Hari can't really use that as a proper excuse to make herself feel better. Kakashi made jōnin at twelve without the assistance of any bloodline - that came later - and Hari's long since noticed the Copy Ninja rarely needed to uncover his left eye to be the smartest person in a room.
...
While musing over her own comparable inadequacy Hari busies herself doing stretches to test out the additional load, when Kakashi taps her shoulder and points towards the exit. "I'm going to go running,"
"Can I join?" Hari asks, as she was more used to training outdoors anyway, and with the morning rush it's become pretty crowded in the hall.
"Sure."
...
...
It's been years since she worked with Kakashi, and even back when Minato-sama was alive they never trained anything but ninjutsu together, but there's still something familiar in their dynamic. She's well used to his long silences, and after so long as Shibi-sensei's student he actually seems more talkative than Hari remembered.
"We'll start with a vertical sprint, and then a few lapses around the village." Kakashi instructs while they stand on the roof of ANBU headquarters. "Do your best, and if I get out of sight that doesn't necessarily mean I've left you behind, but you're slower than me, and I'll make up for that by doing detours at certain stretches."
That's fair. Hari doesn't want to slow him down, so she nods and they set off from the roof.
...
They run most of the afternoon, making sure to mind their pacing since Hari was dragging around weights several times heavier than herself. It's every bit as exhausting and tiring as she dreaded, but she'll never be able to catch up if she gives up too soon. And after a few hours even Kakashi is showing the strain.
When the sun begins to set he comes up on her left after half an hour absence he'd spent completing an extra lap around the lake. "You know what's up ahead, right?" Kakashi ask and points into the woods. She thinks he means something more specific than "the east forest of Konoha", so Hari eyes sweep around the forest and the distant mountaintops. She was half aware already, but it still takes her a moment to realize what he's getting at.
"Oh," Hari's surprised she hadn't recognized it before.
"Make it the last stretch, and you can rest. Come on," and then Kakashi increase his speed. "Keep up!" It's not a request, and that last dash was one that has Hari tasting blood, sweat and tears.
...
...
It's no shock when Kakashi reach the clearing first, Hari hobbling after him half a minute later. Then she spends several moment hunched over, hands resting on her knees as she attempts to fill her lungs with much needed oxygen. Wanting nothing more than to wrench all these horrible weights of her limbs and feel lighter than a feather in comparison.
A water container breaks into her line of sight. Hari eagerly accepts it, uncorks it and drink greedily. Though not as destroyed as herself, Kakashi drinks generously from his own container.
The last time Hari visited the triangular clearing was right after the Kyūbi attack. Since then she had neither had reason or an urge to return. Even if all her memories from this place are mostly positive, that was precisely why it brought on a larger sense of loss.
With no one to use it frequently Hari's many, many initial Mokuton trials has grown out of control over the years left unchecked. Yet despite the fact nature had began to reclaim this place, it remains achingly familiar. She could easily picture the first time Minato-sama brought her here, four boys to one side and Hari on the other, as he said:
"I will teach you,"
Hari misses him.
...
She angles her head to see Kakashi from the corner of her eye, and wonders how much worse it had been for him. Hari doesn't think he's ever said Minato-sama's name since he died. Not even with Kushina or Naruto. It's one of those topics Hari hasn't breeched yet, and she doesn't think today will be that day either.
Kakashi sits down on a tall stub Hari recalls Minato-sama had cleaved in two, while she sits on the ground with her back against the same trunk to catch her breath. There's a sense of tranquillity here, and she thinks both of them gets lost in long gone memories.
Hari isn't interested in getting stuck on the regrets she can't change though, and she mentally waves away both Minato-sama and Itsuki's faces from her mind with all the others.
Her list of dead and lost friends are uncountable, and to be able to move forwards she focuses on what remains within her power to do anything about.
...
"When you asked me about Orochimaru and other survivors," Hari begins, thankful for the mask covering her face.
"Mah, I'm surprised you waited this long for the questionnaire." Kakashi admits.
"I've learned some patience, however; you asked if I was the only survivor," Hari points out, "Did you see something? Someone else? Like me?"
"Yes." Kakashi admits and puts down the water container, carefully placing the top back on as he answers, "Like you, I too ran into an ANBU who could use the Mokuton. A male about the same age as yourself."
Hari has so many questions, and doesn't know where or how to start. When was this? What happened? Where did it happen? How did he act? What did they do? But by now she knew what answer to expect, the many red tapes in ANBU and the meaning of "classified", and instead she asks:
"How much can you tell me?"
Kakashi chuckles without humour. "Ah… Unless you're put on the case a debriefing isn't allowed. However…" He peer at her while he makes up his mind. "This is unofficial. It's not in any documents, and it's strictly speaking not true… But for a little while I was left with the impression his name was Tenzō."
That was more than Hari had expected. Before this very moment she had assumed Kakashi's interaction with this person was similar to her own experiences.
But to know a name, even if it was only a fake one used for a mission, spoke of meaningful interactions either first or second hand.
In fact: was it only one encounter? Had Kakashi - just like Hari - been looking into this case actively too?
...
"He's like me." Hari states urgently, because she suspects that for all of Kakashi's warnings for Hari to stay away from the case, those didn't apply for him.
He's looking into it, and she doesn't know how much he's learned or suspects, but she'll give him this information in hopes he'll use it wisely. In case Kakashi finds him first.
"I felt it… When we met in Land of Swamps - when he used Mokuton I recognized him. His Mokuton was obtained the same way as mine, I have no doubts about that. He's just like me. I think I even remember him from before I woke up in the hospital." Hari admits, proud her voice remains steady. "But I was told I was the only survivor. All this time, and I didn't know I should have been looking for someone else." Old and new frustration blends together within her chest. "Though apparently he knew about me."
"Because I told him."
...
Hari had been staring at the Hashirama tree while she spoke, but at that admission her head whips back towards Kakashi. "I told him he wasn't the only one to survive Orochimaru's Mokuton experiments."
He stops himself from saying more, perhaps regretting even sharing that much. It was probably a mission detail he wasn't supposed to mention. Yet it's Kakashi who's the first to speak again. "You know that even as ANBU you won't be able to pick your own missions, right? Orders are still orders."
Hari snorts, easily imagining the trail of thoughts Kakashi had gone from the boy – Tenzō – to her induction into the shadow division of Konoha. "I know." She agrees. "But I have a goal and a direction. In ANBU I'll be much more likely to be used for those kind of missions than I'd ever be as a medic on team Shibi."
Kakashi hums agreeably. "Mah, very true." He allows, "You'll need to continue training… And about Tenzō-" and just like that his tone of voice changes, going from Kakashi to ANBU Dog as he straightens his mask, stands up and holds out a hand. "You're not the only one looking for him."
Hari takes the offered hand, letting him help her up. "If you want to be one of them, you've got to keep working hard so we can use you - so we'll want to use you. ANBU won't accept anything less but your very best."
...
...
"Neh, you've gotten faster, Hari." Kasuga notes three months into her ANBU career, which has mostly been spent using headquarter as her personal gym while working as part of their cleaning crew on the side.
She's at team practise, the first in nearly two weeks. "Nice to hear my hard work is paying off." Hari replies with a tired grin. Honestly, she had just come off an ANBU session not seven hours before, but she had a cover to maintain - ANBU was supposed to be kept secret, and she wasn't allowed to tell team Shibi where she was stationed.
They were under the impression she was taking on more hospital work.
"It shows." Santa say while he combs back a few short strands of strawberry blond hair. After half of it got burned off during his capture in Land of Swamps, Santa was forced to cut the rest to even it out. Which meant his hip length hair had been reduced to just above his jaw, and the change could still take Hari by surprise.
Hari isn't a "full time ANBU", like Kakashi or Hisao. She's got a cover to maintain, and so she still trains with team Shibi, has even taken on a couple patrol duties for the sake of visibility, but the rest of the time is spent in ANBU boot camp.
They've noticed she has less time, but it was going to happen eventually, and though she thinks Shibi-sensei might suspect the truth, her teammates hasn't doubted her when she claims she can't come for practise because she's scheduled at the hospital. Well… Kasuga hasn't.
As always; Santa is too sharp for his own good.
...
"Where do you find the time? It seems these days you barely have time to train at all." Santa muses, eyes narrowed.
"You know the medic program allows for training hours too, right?" Hari asks drily, because it's true and a good counter argument.
Santa nods slowly, but the sharp glint in his eyes is telling. He knows she is hiding something, but he also respects her privacy enough to let it be. Perhaps he suspects the truth too. Santa is excellent at deduction, and it's well within his capabilities to arrive at the correct answer.
...
"Hey, has Santa told you the news yet?" Kasuga breaks into the conversation, his tone of voice indicating he wasn't paying attention to the previous topic.
"Um, no?" Hari answers honestly.
Santa kicks the ground, looking suddenly a little uncomfortable and say: "I've been rethinking my career options." Hari straightens. Santa has always been very clear about his goals for his career, and so she had never thought he'd change his mind. "I'm considering goin into the Torture and Interrigation division." Santa admits.
There's a long silence before Hari asks; "Because of…" and trails off uncertainly, and the Yamanaka nods shortly in confirmation.
"I've been on the bad side of that now." He shakes his head. "I got a good idea of what doesn't work. Not to mention how situations like those can be turned around. After all, I as the captive escaped that facility with more information than anyone who tried to interrogate me."
That was mostly because he was a Yamanaka, but it didn't make it any less true.
...
"So… What? You want to torture people now?" Hari asks sharply, and Santa glares at her.
"No." He snaps, and she's glad he got so offended. That was an honest reaction. "But I am considering learning more about interrogation subjects. As a Yamanaka interrogation and information gathering is well within my speciality. I was considering it while in the Academy too, but…" He trails off, and she thinks he seems a little embarrassed.
"His uncle is the head of the division." Kasuga buts in. "Neh, he's worried people will believe he only got in because of his connections and not his own merits."
Hari chuckles before she can stop herself - it was an insecurity she never would have guessed Santa possessed. "What? Anyone who's talked to you for more than ten minutes know you're competent, Santa." She pats his shoulder. "Believe me. It's been one of my many grievances since we became a team that you're not all talk - and that your superior attitude is earned and not just pretence."
Santa shoves her away, but he's smiling just as widely as Hari when he does it. "Then it's just Kasuga left to share his news." Santa adds and turns to the Nara. "Did he tell you he's taking the chūnin exams again?"
"Really?" Hari whirls around, her good mood increasing.
Kasuga nods and seems both sheepish and pleased by their reactions. "Yeah. I'm signing up for the next one, and I'm teaming up with Yugao and Hyūga Tokuma."
...
...
Two days later Horse appears in the plebe locker room at the end of yet another exhausting day, and calls out "ANBU Crab," from the doorway.
This draws everyone's attention, because so far she's never called them anything else but "plebe". Perhaps, if she needs to be more specific, it's been 'plebe' followed by the code name, but none has ever been addressed as a proper ANBU.
Crab straightens and comes forwards.
Unceremoniously Horse drops a pale grey armour set into his floundering hands and states without fanfare: "This is to complete your uniform. Congrats, you're officially done with boot camp and have been assigned a squad."
Crab remains stunned, masked face tilting down to his new gear while Horse directs the rest of her words to the many - envious - onlookers. "You guys have yet to prove yourself though, so take this as an incentive to work harder. No one wants to be the last one, am I right?"
...
And with Crab as the first to succeed - the one to get the ball rolling - it's like a chain reaction was set off.
The next day Cow showed up to give a similar announcement to both ANBU Squirrel and ANBU Goat, though Cow kept true to his previous mannerisms and gave the message in sign language.
Within the next few weeks the number of plebe dwindles almost on a daily basis as more got approved, and it was definitely stressful to not be one of them.
No, Hari had to wait and work her arse off for another month and a half, and by then it was only five of the original thirty left when Horse came into the plebe locker.
"ANBU Owl." Horse calls, and Hari instantly jerk to attention and hurries forwards while the rest tries to hide their disappointment.
She holds out her arms the same way twenty five others has done before her, and the set - the smallest size she's seen so far - is dropped into her arms. "Let's get you sorted out."
...
Hari's last few actions as a plebe includes more than a change of clothes, though it's one of them. Once fully geared up for the first time Horse escorts her to the Hokage tower where Hari had to swear her loyalty once more to the Sandaime Hokage, and then was given the ANBU tattoo – a seal on her arm.
With the ceremonial affairs out of the way, and a new reminder of just how serious this could get, they return to ANBU headquarters so Hari can be introduced to her new squad.
Horse brings her to the second floor and stops next to a door with the number 15 on the front. "This is where you're located. Locker 15. Good luck, Owl."
It's a quick dismissal, but instead of disappearing in a puff of smoke or a shunshin, Horse simply walks to the door on the left and heads inside with a playful wave. Hari takes that to mean Horse's squad was located in the room next to hers.
...
And now Hari had to face her own squad, so she straightens her shoulders to hide the nervous energy, turns the handle and heads into the room.
It's similar to the plebe locker, but smaller, as it's not designed to hold nearly as many people.
There's only four people there, all of whom turn towards her upon entrance, and three of which are familiar to her in one way or another. Sarutobi Hisao - who isn't even wearing his ANBU mask - smiles when Hari closes the door behind her with a soft click.
It would be a stretch to say she's surprised, Hari knew perfectly well this may happen, so she bows to the group for the sake of politeness.
...
"Welcome," Hisao greets her a moment before the only unknown ANBU in the room speaks up.
"This is the plebe? She's a kid," A tall blonde male removes his mask to send a pointed look at his comrade - who she easily recognize as ANBU Cow – the only one except Hari to remain hidden behind his white and purple mask at this point.
Hisao waves that comment to the side and continues. "This is team Ebo, I'm ANBU Frog and the captain. There's a strict mask-on rule within headquarters, but as you see it is a little more relaxed inside the designated lockers." He gestures around the room. "We meet here, can clean up here, brief here - we even debrief here from time to time as well. But though we don't always wear our masks, and even if you know one or more of us by another name, in here we remain ANBU no matter the face we wear." Hisao – or should Hari call him Frog? - say pointedly. "Got it?"
"Yes, Frog-taichō." Hari parrots back dutifully.
"Good. Then let's start with some information and introductions." Hisao states, "Our missions change according to where we are required, but our focus and main speciality is live capture and transportation. This squad is regularly sent to deal with those Konoha wants to remain alive. Though if that is to capture them, subdue them, transport them or find them can change." Hisao explain. "Which is why you're here, as you have a bloodline that's well suited for restraining, subduing and capturing."
"My bloodline is noticeable." Hari states the obvious, and Hisao nods.
"True, but every skill has its time and place." He then continues on without expanding on that, turning to his right and the tallest person in the room. His built is that of a body builder, and though she's interacted with Cow countless times for several months now she never fails to notice just how tiny she is in comparison. "To give you a short recap of our roles and skills within team Ebo, this is my second in command; ANBU Cow, he's an offensive taijutsu expert and a trapper."
"Hello, Owl." Cow say calmly, and after months of only communicating in sign language, the abrupt swap to audible words feels wrong.
...
Next Hisao turns towards a very familiar face Hari hadn't known was in ANBU. Unlike a couple others he'd managed to hide this fact about himself – at least from Hari.
Because it was none other than Shiranui Genma.
"This is Lizard, who's specialities leans towards poisons, fuinjutsu and bukijutsu,"
His white and yellow patterned mask rests in his lap, leaving his face visible when he grins at her. The senbon changes from one corner of his mouth to the other as he waves, before Genma turn with the rest to the last member.
"And lastly this is Fox." Fox looks a couple years older than Genma with blonde shaggy hair, and gives a short nod when she meets his black eyes. "he works mainly with genjutsu and interrogation."
Thinking it better to just get it over with, Hari reach up and removes her mask.
Genma's smile widens. "I should have figured," he exclaim and claps his hands, "you seemed awfully familiar."
...
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Owl, ninjutsu user and medic." Hari introduces herself.
Fox looks between Hari and Hisao. "Like you?" He say directed at their captain.
"A little." Hisao states before adding drily: "She's also a Mokuton user." And that has both Fox and Cow straighten up with more interest.
...
Hisao waves her forwards and taps a locker door. "This one is yours." He steps back to allow her access and Hari opens the door absently, not sure if she should start taking off this uncomfortable armour right away or if that was against protocol. It seemed sensible to at least ask if she could drop the long gloves. They were gloves with closed fingers, and though it prevented her from leaving behind any fingerprints it also meant if she used the Mokuton she would tear straight through the fabric every time.
Secretly Hari hated the ANBU uniform.
Over the months she had learned to deal with the blacks, but she still preferred her normal mission robes. She guessed that as long as she didn't use the Mokuton it was fine, but the transformation often left behind leaves and such growing out of her skin, and the uniform was tight and covered nearly everything.
Hari could easily picture some future scenario where she was left trying to get a twig out of her trousers after using the Mokuton. She'd bet anything it would happen at some point, and it would probably be even more awkward than she was currently imagining.
ANBU was supposed to be stealthy, discrete and composed after all. So an agent suddenly reaching into her black top and chest armour trying to wiggle out the thorn sticking into her ribs didn't make for a graceful image.
...
Fortunately Hisao remains ignorant to Hari's trail of thoughts, and continued on with his little introductory speech with good cheer.
"Team Ebo is one of three that makes up a platoon, and we cooperate with and across one another. The other two teams has members with abilities that can supplement ours for specific missions or assignments, like team Kim, who specialise in tracking and is led by ANBU Lion. While the other is team Ro - an offensive assassination team - which is lead by ANBU Dog."
He then holds up three fingers and clarify the reasons behind this further. "These three teams; Ebo-Kim-Ro, is actually an anagram for: Komorebi, which is the platoon we're a part of. The Komorebi platoon answers directly to Hokage-sama, and is the teams who work with him the most of all ANBU. Next to our specializations we're also tasked with his protection details within and outside the village, and that means we share patrol duty with the rest of the Komorebi platoon to make sure no one is able to attack Sandaime-sama." Hisao continues explaining, and Hari wonders how strange it must be for him to refer to his father as 'Sandaime-sama' while on duty, when usually he has a habit of calling him 'the old man'.
"And though we're separate teams and you answer first and foremost to me as your captain - we do cooperate frequently. That can mean two teams will work on the same mission, perhaps we'll borrow an additional operative if required, or lend out members from team Ebo to others for the same reason."
He looks at her deliberately. "But first and foremost you're a member of team Ebo, and the missions we are sent on can be very difficult ones. Live captures can get challenging and more complicated than a clean assassination."
...
Everyone inside the locker gave agreeable nods, Genma with a sigh as if remembering a specific but unpleasant memory.
"To subdue someone is one thing, and transport them is another. Doing both without leaving traces, without notice and in secrecy makes it even more difficult. Preparation is often key, and we will train together as a team before we throw you off the deep end."
What Hisao said was very, very true. Mercy was much easier to give when you could afford to. When push came to show Hari had killed to save her friends – because ending the life of her opponents was easier and safer, because Hari wasn't strong enough to let them live on to come back for a second attack.
"Any questions?" Hisao asks as an afterthought.
"Is this everyone on the team?" Because Hari thought she had seen this team – or more precisely Hisao - with a couple other ANBU around the hallways.
"The team sizes changes. One of our members were recently moved to another squad three weeks ago. Before that we used to be eight members, but one died and the other two were eventually promoted to captains of their own teams. But as a rule there is no set number the way you might be used to from the regular forces."
Hari nods to show she understands, and Hisao claps his hands. "Good. Let's go to the training fields then. We need to figure out the best ways to incorporate your skills, Owl."
Hisao reach up and slides his frog mask back over his face, and a moment later everyone mimics his actions. And with that Hari was officially ANBU Owl of team Ebo.