Limbo
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Author's Notes: Many apologies for the delay in this. I was out of town for two weeks and when I got back I just tossed what I had written and redid it. Sorry also for the shortish chapter, but it seemed as good a place to break as any.
9:06 am. Morino Ibiki's Office, Tuesday.
Morino Ibiki looked up over the rim of his coffee cup at the ANBU agent sitting forlornly on the threadbare couch in his office. He didn't think that any one could pull off looking forlorn while in full ANBU regalia, but leave it to Yamanaka Ino to be the one. She sat with elbows on her knees and an icepack held over her face where she'd impacted the floor. She was going to have at least one black eye and her lower lip was split to hell, but she'd live.
"Feel any better yet?" he asked her mildly. One pupiless blue eye met his as she raised her head slightly and peeked out from behind her hair and the icepack, the first time she'd made lasting eye contact with him since she'd entered his office almost an hour earlier.
"Do I look any better?" she countered, enunciating carefully because of her split and swollen lip. Ibiki just smiled slightly to himself.
"The meeting with Tsunade-sama is soon. Want to go over it again?" Ibiki asked, keeping his voice as low and gentle as he could. The frustration that was pouring off the blonde was almost tangible and she sighed heavily, her head hanging even lower.
"There isn't anything more I can add. Just that his name is Chigumo, he's a former chuunin from Sunakagure --no idea if he's missing nin status, we would have to ask Sand about that-- he left Sunakagure because of Gaara-sama's appointment to Kazekage. He came to Konoha to meet someone, or recruit someone...it wasn't clear." Ino moved the icepack back over her face.
Ibiki tapped the clipboard Ino had been using in the interrogation room lightly. "Almost exactly what it says here," he pointed out. "Are you sure there wasn't any more?"
Ino's fingers dug into the icebag over her face, popping through the plastic with her nails as she bared her teeth, her lip splitting open again to ooze blood as her temper snapped. "I'm sure there was, in fact I know there was. I can almost see it dancing right in front of me, taunting me, but for the last time, Sensei...I just can't remember! It's driving me crazy!" she snarled her voice rising at the end. She tossed the icepack aside with disgust and fisted her hands in her hair at the temples, her breathing harsh and as Ibiki watched several fat droplets of blood fell from her nose to spot the floor.
He was troubled about her inability to remember anything from the end of the interrogation. After all, she'd performed the jutsu with him many times before in training with none of the effects she or the prisoner had suffered, which implied that his techniques had possibly affected it. It was frustrating from an Intelligence gathering viewpoint, but also because it suggested that something unforeseen and potentially dangerous had happened during the jutsu. Her bloodshot eyes and lingering nosebleed were more cause for concern. He didn't need Yamanaka blowing her circuits on her first assignment.
Silently, Ibiki rose from his desk and crossed to her, kneeling in front of his protégé to look at her eye level. He was glad the door to his office was closed. He'd heard the rumors going around about her being his pet favorite, the unkinder of whispers suggesting she'd earned the assignment to his squad on her back, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Morino Ibiki's Interrogation squad was small and handpicked, that was true. And while he utilized whatever ANBU agents were on duty at the time, like Neji or Yuugao to augment their numbers, there were only four ANBU permanently assigned to Ibiki: Sarugaku Tsuzumi, Tatami Iwashi, Mimura Hamase, and now Yamanaka Ino. The fact was, despite his reputation as a sadist and unrepentant hard ass, Ibiki wouldn't work closely with anyone he didn't like and respect.
And he liked and respected Yamanaka.
He took a handkerchief out of his coat pocket and gently lifted Ino's head by the chin, pressing the soft cloth lightly to her bleeding nose and mouth. This close to her he could see the glaze of pain in her deep eyes. He put one hand on the back of her neck to support her head as he lifted her chin higher, tipping her head back to slow the bleeding. Ino clutched his hand that was holding the handkerchief.
"Sensei!" she gasped, her eyes shining wetly. "I'm sorry, I wish I could remember...I know...it's in there, somewhere, if I could just try it again. Maybe do the jutsu with him on my own. I know I can--" Ibiki cut her off with a curt shake of his head.
"Not happening," Ibiki told her firmly. "You were out for over four hours. The subject went unconscious the same time you did and he's still out cold. We don't know what lasting damage you might have done to yourself, Yamanaka...or to him."
Ino's fingers tightened over his hand. "Please," she murmured quietly. "Please let me do this. I...I just..."
"Just what?" Ibiki questioned. His large hands were cradling her head and he leaned back on his heels, putting some distance between them. Ino lowered her head when he let go of her to gaze at him levelly, her eyes intense.
"I can't fail. Not at this. Don't let me fail," Ino pleaded softly. "Not after I've worked so hard to get here."
Ibiki sighed, resting his elbows on his knees as he crouched in front of her. He could see the still raw and healing spiral tattoo on her shoulder that now marked her officially as one of them, as much as her black and white uniform or fierce determination did. He rose and went to his desk without answering and took something from the top drawer, tossing it over to her casually. She caught it deftly in one gloved hand and looked down at the red and white ceramic saru mask, and then back up at him hopefully.
"I'll consider it," Ibiki told her. "For now, go find Mimura and see if he can heal you up before the meeting. You look like hammered crap," he growled and picked his coffee cup back up. He hated looking like a softie.
"Thank you, sir," Ino told him gratefully as she rose carefully from the couch to go, collecting her icepack to take with her, and she gave him a small crooked smile. "Especially for not assigning me the inoshii mask."
Ibiki chuckled into his coffee as she left. Monkey or Boar, the red and white mask he'd given her had still been the exact same colors as her fresh blood on his handkerchief.
And that thought sobered him right up.
Later that morning...
Behind her saru mask Ino closed her eyes as she leaned against the wall outside of Tsunade's office. Trying to will the splitting and throbbing pain of her head to subside. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to find Hamase to heal her before she and Ibiki had been summoned to Tsunade's office, leaving Ino to have to suffer in silence behind her mask. After giving her embarrassingly limited report to the Hokage, Tsunade had dismissed her to debrief Ibiki alone. Feeling the mask pressing against her swollen eye and lip, Ino carefully tipped the mask up to rest above her forehead like a visor where it would be handy to lower quickly if someone came along.
She folded her arms over her white armored chest and let her mind drift, trying to think back and see if she could remember anything more about the interrogation. Perhaps if she emptied her mind the events would come to her on their own, but as she tried retracing the night before her thoughts inevitably turned to Genma and stayed there. Wondering what might have happened if Neji hadn't shown up to retrieve her for the interrogation. Would she have gone with Genma and Kakashi to Iruka's for beer? Had Genma gone without her? Ino touched her split lip tentatively with her tongue as she pondered another possibility, if Genma had declined Kakashi's invitation...would she have invited him up to her place? She lowered her head as heat rose on her face. Best not to wander that trail of thought too long.
"Well, well, Ino-pig...I would have thought they'd have given you the inoshii mask for sure," a bright and all too familiar voice chirped from in front of her. Ino's lips quirked as she repressed a crooked grin, wary of splitting her lip open again.
"Cram it, Forehead. Not everyone has your crappy sense of humor, thank goodness," she replied and raised her head to look Sakura in the eyes. The pink haired medic-nin's eyes widened and she whistled softly.
"Holy crow, Ino! What the heck happened?" Sakura asked as she catalogued Ino's injuries in a glance. Black and horribly bloodshot eye, blood rimmed nostrils, split and swollen lip. It wasn't the worst damage she'd ever had, but Ino was pretty protective of her face in a fight, most opponents never got close enough to her to land that much damage, not without coming out worse for it. Ino must have been in some brawl.
"Classified. You know, could tell ya, but then I'd hafta kill ya. Routine," Ino shrugged, holding her hands up in a 'can't be helped' sort of gesture.
"Yeah. Think you're such hot shit now," Sakura scoffed, giving her a knowing smile. "I ought to leave you like this just to teach you a lesson. Don't bite off more than you can chew," she scolded, her arms akimbo. Ino scowled, which hurt her face much less than smiling.
"Bite this," Ino snapped, flipping Sakura off. "It wasn't even like that, and I can totally handle myself and you know it!"
Sakura raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Not looking that way from where I'm standing. So if you weren't in a fight, what then? Gonna tell me you got drunk and fell down the stairs? Or ran into a door?"
Ino winced. "I hit the floor," she mumbled inaudibly. Sakura cupped her ear and leaned closer to her oldest friend.
"Come again? Didn't quite get that," she taunted, a smile gracing her lips as she pushed Ino's buttons. Sakura knew they should probably be more professional right outside of Tsunade's office considering her position as her apprentice and Ino's ANBU uniform, but the hallways were quiet and she'd never been able to resist working on Ino's nerves. It was part of the complex dynamic of their friendship Post Sasuke.
"'Said I hit the floor, okay?" Ino blurted defensively. "Now can you just fix it, please? My head is killing me."
At Ino's tone Sakura bit back whatever smart-assed reply she'd been about to deliver. Reaching up she pushed down on the taller blonde's shoulders, urging her to sit so she could reach her head better. Green chakra surrounded her hands as she started healing Ino's injuries. Ino closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. Grateful when the abominable pressure finally started to lift.
"Looks like the floor won, Ino-pig," Sakura murmured under her breath.
"I knew you couldn't resist. You always have to get the last jab in," Ino grouched without opening her eyes. She'd let this one slide since Sakura was doing her a favor. But next time, Sakura wouldn't get off so easily.
"It's common sense, Ino. If you're going to get loaded and pass out try to aim for something softer," Sakura teased as she finished up her healing and stood.
"I wasn't drunk! Just drop it already," Ino growled. Sakura frowned lightly and offered Ino a hand up.
"Sheesh! You're in a rotten mood. What's gotten in to you? I was just playing around," Sakura asked concerned. Ino pinched the bridge of her nose, unaware that the two of them were no longer alone in the hallway.
"I know. Sorry I snapped. I just had a really crappy night that's continuing into a horrible morning. I've...got a lot on my mind," Ino explained.
"Well, try to relax if you can and not let it get to you," Sakura told her gently, laying a hand on her friend's arm. "I have to get back to the hospital, come by and see me if your head starts to bother you again, okay?"
Ino nodded and managed a small apologetic smile. "Thanks, Forehead," she called after her departing friend.
"A crappy night, huh?" a deep voice asked from the side opposite of Sakura's departure and Ino's focus of attention. Ino stiffened automatically for a fraction of a second, her defenses on high alert as she felt a soft brush of fabric against her bare arm. Then relaxed even before turning her head as familiar chakra and warmth registered.
"Pretty much from the time Neji showed up, yeah. Everything before that was great," she told Genma and smiled. Flattening her hands on the wall behind her and leaning on them. Genma grinned around his senbon as he leaned casually next to her.
"Looks like you had a rough time of it. Still got some blood on your chin," he said lightly, rubbing the offending spot gently with his calloused thumb. Ino flushed slightly, knowing she should move away and lower her mask before Ibiki returned or anyone else came along, but unable to do it when Genma was at her side.
"'S no big deal," she demurred and reluctantly slid a half step away from him when he dropped his hand. Sometimes it was so hard to stay professional, she thought as she glanced longingly at his handsome face. So hard.
"So..." she started, trying to fill the sudden silence. "Did you, uh, go have drinks with Kakashi at Iruka's after I left?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah," Genma replied simply.
"Have a good time?" she prodded. Genma's short answers weren't even a challenge to her. She worked with Hyuuga Neji and was Nara Shikamaru's teammate for over four years. She was fluent in Conversational Monosyllables as a language.
Genma gave the senbon between his teeth a thoughtful circuit from one side of his mouth to the other and back before responding. "It was okay. I guess I was just hoping for different company last night though," he said.
Ino's mouth fell open and she shut it before he could notice, her mind reeling with the possibilities and implications and all the delicious little scenarios her twisted and depraved mind conjured up in the half second before he turned to her and winked.
"I've got a mission, so I better be off," he told her, lifting the mission scroll in his hand and wagging it.
"Right," Ino exhaled, not even aware she was holding her breath. Her muscles relaxed as he strolled off, had she been about to pounce? She reached up and lowered her mask, glad it would hide her telltale blush.
At the end of the hall Genma paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Saru-san, I get back tomorrow. Have dinner with me?" he called.
Under her mask Ino's grin felt hot and wild as it split her face and she nodded, trying not to seem too enthusiastic about it. "When?"
"Eight. My place. Yuugao-chan can tell you how to get there," Genma tossed back with a lazy wave and then was gone.
The fact that she didn't jump up and down with glee right there in the hall Ino felt was a small victory for professionalism.
Meanwhile in Tsunade's office...
Tsunade tapped one perfectly manicured nail against the surface of her desk in agitation as she read over Morino Ibiki's mission report thoroughly for the second time, letting the scarred Special Jounin sweat it out as he waited for her attention. It wasn't one of her usual tactics, but she needed the time to collect her thoughts. She wasn't happy with this, and she didn't like feeling like she'd made a mistake. That she'd let Ibiki persuade her into assigning Yamanaka Ino to his squad before the chuunin was ready or experienced enough to handle it. Perhaps she should have left Ino where she was, just going out on reconnaissance and intelligence gathering missions.
Against the wall near the door, a hooded figure stood behind Ibiki, his face hidden by a red and white tora mask. His presence silent and unobtrusive, yet he made the skin on the back of Ibiki's neck crawl with awareness.
"Shizune," Tsunade barked, setting the scroll down with snap. The dark haired medic appeared at her side immediately. "Send a missive to Sunakagure about this shinobi we have in custody. I want to know more before I make any final decisions."
"At once, Tsunade-sama," Shizune murmured and was gone.
The Hokage folded her hands under her chin and gave Ibiki a long level look. As expected, the torture specialist looked non-plussed. "Has the prisoner regained consciousness yet?"
"Not as of 0930 hours this morning, Godaime-sama," Ibiki reported solemnly. Tsunade sighed silently.
"I'm not pleased. Unknown shinobi infiltrates the village, is captured, interrogated twice by the ANBU Special Interrogation Squad, and the best you have to tell me is that he was a Sunagakure former chuunin and he might have been in Konoha to recruit for some unknown objective?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Where is the prisoner now?"
"Holding cell at ANBU headquarters under moderate guard. Two of mine, three of Tora-taicho's," Ibiki told her. His face tightening at the mention of the ANBU Captain behind him. Tsunade nodded thoughtfully.
"Do you think that is sufficient, Taicho?" she addressed the silent cloaked figure without looking at him.
"I concur with Morino-san that the prisoner poses no real threat...for now," the ANBU Captain answered mildly.
"No, it's only when he's conscious that he seems to be a problem for you." Tsunade's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "I think that both of you are failing to see the bigger picture here. This is obviously no normal shinobi. Beyond the fact that he successfully infiltrated Konoha, you've had two cracks at interrogating him with no results, yet he's managed to injure two ANBU members. Don't think I didn't notice Yamanaka's lack of chakra or the fact that she lost consciousness during a jutsu," she said pointedly, tapping the mission report in front of her as she pinned Ibiki to his seat with her gaze. "There is obviously more to this here and I want to know what you plan to do about it."
"He'll be thoroughly questioned again as soon as possible, Tsunade-sama," Ibiki replied stiffly. Tsunade could tell he was feeling his authority on the investigation was in jeopardy.
"Third time's a charm, huh?" Tsunade scoffed.
"Tsunade-sama?" the ANBU Captain interrupted smoothly. "Perhaps if we let Morino-san's subordinate interrogate him on her own as she's requested there might be a more positive response on the prisoner's part." Tsunade looked interested. That little bit of information wasn't in Ibiki's report. Tsunade knew better than to wonder where Tora-taicho came about his information. The man had ears everywhere.
"How so?" the Hokage inquired.
"Well, she's a rather attractive young kunoichi from what I've seen. And obviously brute force has gotten Morino-san's squad nowhere so far..." the ANBU Captain let the thought hang. "Of course, it's still Morino-san's call, as it is his squad and his investigation," he finished. Tsunade's eyes flicked over to Ibiki, still as passive and unreadable as a statue.
"Ibiki?" Tsunade prompted, refolding her hands and resting her chin on them again.
"I won't purposefully endanger one of my team needlessly. I still think it's too dangerous," Ibiki said.
"Of course. I would be glad to offer the interrogation skills of one of my squad if you'd prefer?" the ANBU Captain offered. Ibiki visibly bristled.
"That won't be necessary. My squad can handle this," he replied coolly.
"Well, whatever you decide I want some answers. It should take a day or two to get an answer back from Sunagakure about this man. Ibiki, I'm giving your squad two days so get me some reliable intelligence about what's going on with this shinobi. After that, I'm turning him over to the ANBU. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," Ibiki responded quickly.
"Dismissed."
Thanks as always to those who take the time to review and comment. I appreciate your reviews and I'm glad you're enjoying the fic.