When Ages had arrived back from his stay in the mysterious world of the cat summons realm, and after glancing blows with death, he did not expect to return home to more dangers and more mysteries. The sounds coming from his bed room perturbed him, so much so that he was quick to find and light a lamp. Hoping to drown out the darkness with the oil lamp he held in his hand, he approached his bed room door.
It had been a long morning for him and so he thought he could rest a further two more hours before the light of mid-day arrived. When he popped back into existence in front of his door, through aid of Kinjo's reverse summons, he thought he would jump into bed while it was still dim outside. Now he desperately wished it was brighter inside his home.
Ages opened his bed room door, the sound behind it persisted, unarmed and still in his pyjamas he pressed on determined to confront the noise intruding his home. The clang remained unchanged, *bang rattle bang rattle*, even as his door creaked wide open. The figure in his room did not turn to face the light, *bang rattle, bang rattle*, it continued to make the nerve-racking racket. *Bang rattle*, Breathing laboured breaths, *bang rattle*, crimson marked its steps, *Bang rattle, bang rattle* from the hollow bamboo walls it echo through the depths, *Bang rattle, Bang Rattle* and as Argies raised the orb of light within his hand, *Bang rattle* the blank face, of the intruder, did twice his heart pace.
*BANG RATTLE!*
"WHO THE SHIPPUDEN ARE YOU!" Argies shouted jumping and crouching away from the threat fully expecting a reply in the form of attack.
The beast entranced, neither looking left nor right, did not respond or stop its infernal knocking. It was the intelligence ninja who probed Argie's mind while he slept, only now he was lost of all senses; walking into a wall only to bounce off and walk again.
Argies placed a hand over his beating heart in thought to try and prevent it pounding out of his chest. In all of this he realised that the man in his room was going nowhere, while he rested his nerves he analysed the man by his outfit.
A ninja in a grey uniform, a belt but no ninja pouch or shuriken holster; this is a non-combative ninja, meaning his abilities are something other than confrontation.
Argies wondered where he had seen grey in the uniforms and code of arms he memorised after the Bukijutsu interrogation, and there was only one possibility which fit in connection to the Leaf head band his intruder wore.
"You are from the intelligence division?" On speaking his thoughts out loud to the ninja stuck on repeat, the man replied.
"Could you tell me where Ibiki is?" His eyes wide open yet staring at nothing, a broken nose and rigid features, the intelligence ninja did not shift or move from out of the actions he repeated, bloodying the wall further as he walked into it again. Still he spoke, meaning his actions weren't without the ability to be reprogramed.
"I-I could show you where he is?" Argies cringed.
…
The Reluctant Approach:
I cannot believe what I was offering. This guy just broke into my house, although I haven't found any sign of forced entry… yet. "*Sigh* Curse these cracks that must be ever filled with more gaps, so that the ground I stand on be constantly filled with hovels I must leap." This sucks.
'Time to figure this thing out instead of mumbling to myself like an idiot in the dark' "Well the only thing to do now is get changed and … no you know what. Ha, I don't have time for this." I smiled with seething hatred. "If I wasn't so loyal to the Leaf I would be sleeping right now, who knows maybe your drumming will even help." Pointing at the soulless corpse of a ninja I saw in front of me, I grimaced and berated the foul winds of time Tengu blew my way. "You better be on some important mission buddy, or else I might just take up psychiatry and smack some sense into you!"
Taking the ninja by the hand we began our journey PJ style.
"Could you tell me where Ibiki is?" The man droned soullessly.
"Yep that's where we are going."
…
A favour Gone Unrewarded:
By the blunt stares he received from the crowds of Konohagakure, and the hushed chatter in his wake as he passed the sign marking the entrance to the intelligence division compound. Argies began to walk on less hastily to his destination. An air of trepidation began to set in as his bare footsteps echoed down the corridors in search of someone in charge, because he knew very well who was in charge of the torture division.
Ibiki's deep voice vibrated in the boy's chest. Through the door his words could be heard as barely anything more than a murmured, yet they trembled with thunder and like rain drops they quickened the heart into a shower of drum beats. With his subservient follow on companion leashed behind him, Argies stopped outside Ibiki's office. Holding the broken Shinobi's hand, Argies took a deep breath in to face the most feared Ninja in all of the Land of Fire.
*Knock Knock Knock*
"Open the door." Those words were clear enough and so Argies complied.
To the cold touch of the door Argie's hands burnt with the innate knowledge that what he was doing shouldn't be done. That the very act was in that instance the same as stepping into a trap you set yourself.
Argies opened the door and there in front of him was Ibiki staring down at him with furious angry eyes. Taking in the ninja behind Argies he reached out and snatched the boy's arm, pulling Argies in and shutting the door.
"What did you do to him!" Ibiki forcible seated Argies before the young boy Ages knew what was going on. The torture expert strapped Age's legs and arms to the chair all while the mindless intelligence ninja stared on aimlessly.
"He was asking where you where, so I brought him here." Argies offered, still not taking into account the shocking treatment he was receiving. He did however wonder who was Ibiki talking to in his office, all alone, he could see no one there now. He came to confide in a man both mad and terrifying. "*Gulp*".
"Could you tell me where Ibiki is?" The intelligence ninja, who followed Argies all the way there, repeated the question he had at the forefront of his mind despite the fact that Ibiki was now in front of him. Ibiki stared at him momentarily, shifting the ninja's head in his hands, inspecting.
"I suspect he got lost and ended up at my place" Argies offered "Whatever mission he was on must have been important because he keeps asking for you directly, and I'm guessing it's not normal for information gathering ninja to report directly to you just on any mission." Ibiki came around his desk to sit in his chair leisurely, studying Argies from across the paper stacked desktop, Ibiki hummed in thought while Argies continued. "I don't know what happened to him. They could have tortured him or used some kind of mind jutsu. Spy missions seem to pay too high a price in my opinion and corrupting a ninja's memories could make reports very difficult for both sides. I don't know, it's obvious he's not in the right mind unless he left on his mission like this." Thinking of the now would only make him take in his environment and the realisation that he was being interrogated, so instead Argies focused on his theories and understandings of the spy network. "I guess I can say with confidence, I don't know what really happened to him."
"What do you mean you don't know what happened to him! You brought him in, these were your actions." Ibiki opened the lower draw to his desk, taking out an assortments of tools from his specialist torture kit.
Now that he could no longer deny his realities Argies confronted the situation with purpose, to reason with Ibiki. "Look all I'm saying is I found him in my home and brought him in… I have no clue what happened to him before I found him, and by the way there were some damages to my home… Nothing I couldn't fix but…"
"Do you think this is some sort of game?" The beat of threat in Ibiki's voice, killing intent. "It is a crime in the Leaf to attack another ninja unprovoked." Ibiki taking into account the shape of the intelligence ninja he sent out, only to come back with a broken nose and mind.
"Ok, let's get this straight, I didn't attack him. Firstly Look at me. If I was going to fight anyone, do you think I would prepare myself by changing into my pyjamas? Secondly look at my ninja profile, I know nothing about torture, genjutsu, nothing, zilch, zippo, nil, nada." Squirming in his seat, strapped in and now only noticing the blood on Ibiki's desk and office walls. It would be naive to say Argies wasn't worried.
"Start by telling me the truth and I may be able to offer lighter strokes to your scaring." Ibiki smiled and his own scaring flashed across his face in the light gleaming off the curved Knife he held in scrutinize of its cutting edge. Pressing an intercom on the wall next to his desk the torture expert spoke words that chilled Argies to the bone "Mawashi don't let anyone into my office for the next five minutes." and in that instance Argies both realised who Ibiki talked to all alone in his office and just how vicious a trap he had walked into.
"Understood" Mawashi conferred.
"No, you're not doing this to me! I did you a favour by bringing this ninja in. I could have left him to roam aimlessly until you found him months later, but instead I brought him in!" Ibiki angled in with his instruments even as Argies bargained. "You fart horse, just listen to me! I wasn't even home, I can prove it!"
"Really now, I find that hard to believe." Even though Ibiki held little faith in Argies words, he paused. "Well let's see this proof, after which I will allow no more words." but rather screams of agony was left unsaid, his meaning was clearly understood in the spin of the blade within in hands.
"You see my leg over there. Its cut isn't it, both my pants and the flesh itself." Ibiki nodded his head, though he could see the wound was healed he attested it to the rapid healing of some ninja, giving the boy time to speak before his final judgment. "That is because early about four in the morning I was off the shores of the Konohagakure prison island, two prisoners had broken free. Now I'm sure information like that doesn't release to the public very soon, but an intelligence division would know of it very fast." Ibiki held his hand to his intercom and so Argies added, before the buzz could come back from the other side, "I can even tell you the names of the two who escaped the Prison, Kuma and Kemono."
"Mawashi, has any information come in from the prison islands?"
"A report just came in, two prisoners Kuma and Kemono escaped, how did you know?"
A deep gargled hum was produced by Ibiki's throat as he stared menacingly at Argies smile. "Are there reports of a young boy helping them escape?"
"Ergh, yes there are reports" Argies heart dropped along with his triumphant smile. "There was an injured boy calling for help, but though they searched they didn't find him. Anything else sir?"
"No that will be all." Turning to Argies Again, Ibiki leaned in once again with a knife in his hand. "Argies Ages, as I see no further reason to keep you here, I release you." He cut the strap keeping Argies to his seat. Ibiki knew full well that it took more hours to destroy a man's mind than it took to destroy a body.
…
An unexpected un-assurance:
"Wow, this was fun." I nodded my head beaming a totally fake smile. I am a little shocked by how fast Ibiki jumped to torture. Actually come to think of it, it was an instant reply for him. Suspicious; like he knew, in his mind, that I was responsible for the man's condition. There was no question to him where the man had come from, his first enquiry of me was what I did to his ninja like he expected it as the only collusion to seeing me bring him in. Was this ninja sent on a mission with me as its target? "Ok, I think I'm going to go home and sleep." I bulged my eyes at that thought, was the ninja sent to spy on me?
On reaching the door Ibiki opened it for me, for a moment I thought he placed his hand on the door knob to block my path and reject my escape. It was a relief when that wasn't the case. That relief was quickly taken away from me by the officer outside my door.
A special law enforcer ninja was there to confront me, a guard sent by the Hokage herself to detain corrupt ninja. It was an ANBU. I inhaled quickly to the punch against my self-worth as a member of the Leaf "Argies Ages I am placing you under arrest for the suspected intentional injury of a member of the Leaf."
Ibiki spoke up for me, confronting the masked Ninja who placed a very threatening hand on my shoulder "I have already cleared this Genin of any fault"
I shirked away from the hand to reprimand Ibiki "Genin! I'm a Chunin, don't tell me without my vest you can't tell?!"
"I'm sorry Ibiki sir, Argies Ages is to be taken into my custody under order of the Hokage herself." The bird mask the man wore made me feel very much like I was the bird of prey's dinner; he stared down on me with hollow eyes, soulless uncaring eyes of a mask that had seen many missions that put duty ahead of virtue. He was going to bring me in no matter the cost to his mind or body, heart or soul, I was his and his was the will of the Hokage.
Ibiki faced the man once more before kneeling down and in the light I looked into his eyes. Ibiki's eyes now were kind and caring, he placed a hand on my shoulder and there in his grasp was a warmth and safety I did not expect to find. "Ages, I will be able to clear you of any falsely accused crimes if you agree to have your mind analysed by my team." I looked past him, at the ninja still in his office, was that the man's mission… to read my mind?
I bit my lip and confronted the evidence that was now clear to me. "In all Honesty I cannot say I could trust such a procedure, after all the ninja who I found in my room was in the infiltration division to begin with." Ibiki is also against me.
The torture expert whispered so that only I could hear, and I did not know if they were words of warning or assurance. "We will be watching you Ages." The kindness in his eyes vanished; he stood up stiff like wood once again. Ibiki tilted his head and so the ANBU placed a hand on my shoulder and in a chakra burst we were gone.
…
The lightest footsteps can cause the greatest tremors:
The corridors echoed with the steppes of a lady, and graced with its presents the torture facility offered greetings of familiarity.
"Ibiki I have something important to tell you." She stopped in front of him, concern in her eyes.
Ibiki gestured greetings with the wave of an arm and opened up his stance in invite to the presents of a friend. "Agh Hatari, it has been a long time since I have seen you here in the corridors of my intelligence department."
"It is a matter concerning Argies, the boy you brought in"
Ibiki straightens himself, his welcome cut short and now his black coat and grey uniform were set ridged to duty once again. "Please follow me, this is a matter to be discussed from behind closed doors"
Following in step Hatari came to a stop at Ibiki's office, she remembers it well, it was a place she recalled being always filled with the scent of damp paper work and fresh blood. Working in the intelligence department starting from the bottom up, meant she had to always run documents to and from Ibiki… sometimes interrupting intimate scenes of his work at its finest. It was a rare invite to be offered entrance to his office without being there only for a quick drop off or a quick interrogation.
Taking a seat on his leather chair behind his desk, Ibiki bid Hatari to be seated as well. Though she was ridged to the implication, she was here not for a quick visit, she would be here to be questioned likes an interrogation.
On being seated Ibiki probed Hatari "What is it about Argies Ages you wanted to inform me on?"
"I have reason to believe Argies is a threat to himself and the Leaf." For a moment Ibiki said nothing, which only stretched time further. While looking across the wooded desk, waiting for any recognition that she spoke, Hatari couldn't help but make note of ever scratch mark and stain of dry blood. Sure the desk held paper work now, but with an eerie discomfort she wondered how easily he cast aside his paperwork for torture.
"What has inspired this belief?"
"I saw him self-inflict… wounds… suicidal tendencies." Hatari heard her words, how broken they were, and so steadied herself and relaxed the sound of her unnerved voice. "I suspect that Argies Ages might be on some narcotics of some sort, something that could cause hallucinations. That along with his suicidal tendencies, I would say on a mission he wouldn't care about the survivability of his comrades or himself neither would he care for the mission's success." She felt a little bit of strength return to herself, on looking at the subject as a statement of grounded evidence and scientific fact, she found herself standing firm in her understanding of the psyche.
"Do you have any evidence, any account of his actions that would make you arrive at this conclusion?"
"I saw him leave into the woods this morning. He was wearing only his night cloths, and as I recall the air was chilled with ice. I followed him, purely out of curiosity I swear." Ibiki tilted his head and cleared of suspicion she continued. "He didn't seem conscious of his action… no it wasn't that." Hatari placed a fist over her mouth to hide a smile and fake her worried appeal. "I feel guilt in saying it but I have to be honest. He looked and acted like he was out of his mind, completely deranged and senseless, I saw him run into the forest on unsteady feet. I followed him in, I didn't want him to hurt himself, but when I got there he already had his kunai against his leg. He was cutting, slowly and pensively into his leg. It was awful but it was like he enjoyed it. He let loose a cry of ecstasy before running away.. and then… that was when I lost him."
The torture interrogator voiced dark and gravelly. "You lost him? You're a highly trained Chunin, how did you lost a deranged ninja stumbling in the forest with a damaged leg?" Ibiki's expression remained mute and grim, his question however held scepticism and stared daggers of slander into her ego.
"I did not lose him!" Hatari sputtered, before regaining composure realising Ibiki's ploy too late.
"Agh I see, so you were so concerned for his wellbeing that you let him wonder off alone with a wounded leg?" The torture expert rested his hands on his desk plainly, in utter comfort, in his element.
"Fine… I wasn't really concerned." Hakari let loose a sigh and slouched her shoulders; deflated. "I was following him, but when I did not find what I was after I lost interest."
"Good, now what where you after?" Ibiki spoke to her as a person would speak to an adolescent child in the habit of misbehaving.
"No fun Ibiki." Hatari mock pouted and followed on with a smile tempered with a naughty embracement. "I thought I could catch him doing something perverted." She twirled a loose strand of her hair with a finger. "I've been staking out his place ever since three days ago when I caught him changing in a hurry when I knocked on his door to introduce him to a mission. I suspected he was somewhere he shouldn't be, or better still doing something he wasn't supposed to do." She bit her lip and Ibiki both grimaced and shifted uncomfortable to the sound of her groan. "Out of duty to the Leaf I stepped into his home unnoticed to inspect his place while he was getting ninja ready for our mission." Touching herself Hatari continued to Ibiki's dismay. "You would be surprised what can be told about a man from his dirty laundry, in the boy Argies case I found a second set of ninja cloths cast on the floor, wet with morning's dew." Thrashing her hair back and forward, she tilted her head suggestively before righting herself completely with seriousness switched on in an instant. "I suspected that he was in the habit of going places he wasn't supposed to go."
Ibiki shook himself, questioning if what she displayed moments before was only his own personal fantasy, because the ninja who stood before him now looked perfectly professional and incapable of the acts she inspired him to see and the feelings he still felt. Standing up as well, and clearing his throat of the gravel that he was sure set in, he stated how deeply he regretted ever asking "Nicely done Hatari Mittsu. Our time training you in the interrogation department wasn't wasted I see." A grim smirk split from between the lips of the scar faced interrogation and torture expert. "You demonstrated a flawless execution of the Combative psyche; the use of tactical diversion or distraction in order to change the willingness of a party to attack, again, nicely done."
"Who said anything about demonstrating" Hatari walked away, but not before turning her head back to say with a smirk. "I just do." She opened his door and left him questioning.
"The more she showers her loyalties to the Leaf, the more I wonder… Is she a spy?"
…
Torn:
Finally the owl faced ANBU let go of my shoulder, placing us in front of a white building. I was a little disorientated to where we stood, expecting an entirely different place.
"This isn't the entrance to the Hokage's office… isn't this the Academy entrance?" I gulped looking up at my ANBU officer. He didn't say a word, not for a while, but eventually after staring off for quite a spell he glared down on me...those hollow eyes.
"The Hokage will not be attending your trial, she has important matters…"
"More important than… me?" I interjected. Well obviously she has other things to do but I would have still thought she would attend the trial of the Shinobi she accused of treason.
"This is where you will meet the council leaders of the Leaf, they will determine your sentence on the Hokage's behalf." He stared off again.
"Are you alright owl sir?" I tugged on his hand like a four year old. "I don't know this area very well, I'll need you to take me in… or else I could just run away" I joked, but seriously there is something up with my ANBU and with my day I was getting tired of the weird.
"Running away will not change your states as a traitor, we will hunt you down and kill you." He tightened his grip around my hand and I felt the strangest feeling, like he didn't like the prospect of killing me.
Chills run down my spine at that. Even though I felt a sense of safety in his hands, like he would protect me, I could tell he was committed to his orders. He might be against the idea of killing me, but if ordered to he would. The idea both sickened me yet at the same time I felt sorrow for the man, he had a good heart but a demanding loyalty.
We walked on in silence until we reached a door to a debriefing room. There my ANBU was able to release me to the guard of a Chunin officer. The door was clearly marked with the words 'Debriefing room/penitentiary' making my predicament much clearer to me. I walked into the room the Chunin opened the door to.
…
A moment of ponder:
The debriefing and part penitentiary was a simple room housing a long desk away from a barred and windowed wall. White washed and not large but not small either, it was the general sized room used for debriefing a squad of ninja.
"Argies Ages I presume." Homura Mitokado of the elder council greeted Argies from behind the single desk. With him was Koharu Utatane who tilted her head at the boy.
The two wise elders of the Konoha Council, missing only the Hokage and the head of the disbanded organization of the root, cast their stern faces to Ages. They were his judge and jury, and by all means they decided Argies future.
In learning from his cat summons councils Argies knew the formalities of any council were the same, bowing at the waist he showed a deeper sign of respect as opposed to a polite tilt; for these were his elders and even greater than that the elders of the Leaf as a whole, he knew to try his best in showing his appreciation and respect. "I am honoured to meet you both." Taking in his surroundings and to his left the three Academy teachers, Argies added. "To the best of my ability I intend to show reverence and respect for all of you, despite my current attire." He was offered no time to change into his ninja gear and while still being in his bloodied PJs he hoped not to bring any offence.
Homura spoke to begin the trial "Argies Ages the council has gathered here today to discuss the accusations casted against you by the Honourable Hokage." The old man's words held distaste for his honour of the Hokage but he continued to the current matter at hand. "The accusation placed against you is that of treason, before you speak, know that you were observed leaving your home with the ninja you allegedly assaulted."
Argies felt the air rush into his lungs, panic filling and leaving him in an instant, as the trial commenced he felt drained of all he was worth. These accusations hit him hard; a fault in loyalty was a trait his Guardians always encouraged him against. When he was young and exhausted from training they would always question his commitment to them, not his commitment to himself. To his Aunt and Uncle any failure in Argie's training was a fault in their loyalties to their nephew, they felt directly responsible when he failed, but any lacking in their charge's efforts was accountable to his respect for them. That it was their responsibility to teach out of respect for him, and his responsibility to learn and train out of respect for them. That was why the mark of traitor fell so heavy on his shoulders, all his training all his duties to the Leaf spat at by the Hokage who accused him of disloyalty. Saying that no, he did not respect her or the Leaf and that the Leaf did not respect him in return.
Where would he go without duty, without loyalty, without respect? He felt faint and fell to his side as the room filled with hollow voices of old age that paled his blood white. It was Daikoku, the ninja Academy explosive and weapons specialist, who caught and steadied Argies back to his feet.
The council showed no immediate reaction to his display, only shuffling papers to continue on with the hearing.
Koharu the elderly lady of the council made note of his frailty merely with a raised eyebrow but continued onward formally "Argies Ages before your trial can begin you are to select of your candidates who will defend you and who will question that defence." Her voice strict and precise yet Argies knew very little of the matters of court.
"Who are my candidates?" Argies asked weakly
"They are." The old lady pointed a wrinkled finger to the three to Argies left; Daikoku, Suzume and Iruka, the Academy teachers of the Leaf who subsequently were part of the ninja mission assignment desk shinobi.
"My Academy teachers, how do I know they will defend me, how can I trust their loyalty to me?"
Homura ignored Argies worried questions, instead turning to the member of council seated with him. "Koharu must we really be pestered by the ignorance of youth, this trial has already waxed away so many minutes of my life and it has yet begun."
Koharu let lenience enter her formalities while Homura grumbled under his breath. "Let the young man be, Homura, it is not often we have open ears so eager to learn within the Leaf, moreover it needs to be understood for him to make the best decision for his group."
Homura ceased his grumbling taking into account Koharu's reasoning. "I have lived too long to be plagued with such simple questions, *Sigh* but I believe in the importance of this trail. That it will decide a great many things with in the Leaf, and for that I can afford a few tedious moments blighted from my life."
The small break for formality was to them a council decision, in that the two elders of the council had to deliberate and come to an agreement on the matter before acting on that settlement. Made used to a life of deliberating every approach the councillors even fenced sides of an arguments in what should be deliberated and how it should be approached. With that argument done they proceeded to tell Argies how the Leaf decided on guilt and innocence.
Koharu Utatane, the old lady, turned to an in between of kind and strict, reminded Argies a little of his Aunt, as she explained the values in picking a candidate from the ninja desk. "As it is part of the obligations of the ninja assignment desk to coordinate and magistrate the ninja they assign duties too, they must equally defend and penalise offences. They must show their commitment as equally as you must, by being unbiased no matter which party you chose to defend and or attack your arguments."
Not with the intention to cast suspicions Argies asked out of interest "Doesn't that leave room for corruption? If I somehow convince both parties to defend me, both my speaker and the examiner of my speakers defence, wouldn't that mean I could manipulate the outcome of my sentence?"
Homura Mitokado did not let kindness enter his smile but let the stiffness leave his tongue. "That is exactly the attitude we hope guilty parties adopt. As the head of the council we ultimately made the decision. If we see your speaker fail to defend you, then we will grow suspicious of his loyalties to the Leaf. Likewise if your examiner fails to point out the flaws in your defence, we will make note of it and punish any deviation."
Koharu concluded their break in decorum "As you can see Ages, you are not the only one on trial here today. By your actions you have given us the opportunity to test the trustworthiness of the systems already in place. By the end of this trial we will be better suited to pass judgment on your academy teachers, you yourself and the Hokage who placed these charges against you."
Argies brightened on this insight and with intrigued asked a further question. "Does that mean the Hokage isn't in absolute rule over what happens here with in the Leaf?" Both elder councillors tilted their heads in affirmation. "Hmm that makes sense come to thing off it, it prevents anyone in control from taking absolute power with a tyrannical rule." The young ninja pressed a fist to his chin in thought. "Can I talk this matter over in private with my candidates?" Again the elders tilted their heads in agreement.
Argies candidates Daikoku, Suzume, and Iruka eyed him with intrigue. The boy seemed to lose sight of the seriousness of his trial whenever his curiosity where roused.
They walk out of the reach of hearing and discuss the matter among themselves; the three teachers of the Leaf shielding the small boy Ages to deliberate the matter. Iruka and Daikoku argued over who should be the examiner to question Ages and who would be the speaker on Argies' behalf.
While Suzume, bending down, places her hands gently on Argies shoulders and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry my boy you are going to be alright, we will be here with you." The scent of freshly picked flowers cooed off her soft skin, and for a moment Argies felt weakness return. The depth of how grave the accusation of treason is momentarily disheartened him and he lost faith in his conviction for a single beat of the heart. Drawing in breath, coming away from that place of fidget doubt, he shook himself of the present and reiterated a sterner being, drawing from the past his strength, 'Regardless of the external do not let your internal harmony be corrupted' and again he tolled his soul with weighted thoughts 'Care a little less Argies'
It was out of Suzume's kindness that Argie's strength was penetrated with weakness, and so he separated himself from her. "Thank you Suzume but I will be alright, I have done nothing wrong." Suzume felt her hands come away from the young ninja's shoulders, for there was no longer a boy there to comfort. Though small and under the age of fourteen, Ages was a boy no longer, he is a Chunin and first most a ninja.
All the things that surly would have crippled a young boy have already passed over him. He failed a year in the ninja academy, promising him a life of shortcomings, yet he prevailed even with the title of inter-village ninja yoked around his neck. He faced death during the Chunin exams, with no ninjutsu arts to help protect him against the wilds or his competition, yet there too he grew overcoming grand odds with ingenuity and well-practised common tactics. He was captured and taken into enemy lands, surrounded as a single Leaf in an ocean of Sand, nevertheless he conquered conflict and ended war with nothing more than a slip of the tongue. Yes it is true, that Argies is afraid of what is to come, of what the council might accuse him off and of what they might find, on the other hand… when has that ever stopped him.
Hardened like a rock, Argies stood ready.
Daikoku turns to face him. "I will offer myself in your defence Argies. As a weapons specialist I will be better equipped to defend against the sharp edge of their attack." He stood proud of his words, brimming with confidence in hope that he could marshal courage in the young boy Ages.
Argies however refused his offer puncturing the man's poise with an undeniable rely of rejection. "No, you would be more likely to aggravate the ruling and increase their weight over me. I fear I might break under such pressure." Argies heaved a heavy sigh taking into account Daikoku's intentions to comfort his last year student, in supplication he offers the man and the other two mission desk ninja his thanks. "It warms my heart that you could be so kind to me and it seems I may have misjudged you all." Touched by the fact that the ninja assignment shinobi's and in part his teachers, who had scolded him for taking on an 'A' rank mission, weren't in truth the monsters they portrayed themselves to be. That no instead their reprimand was swung with soft hands and now as Argies reputation crumbled from underneath him, they were willing to come to his defence.
Ages bowed to Daikoku's offer but turns instead to Iruka, saying "You will speak on my behalf."
Iruka sputtered, fearing the direction Argie's command had fallen. "Me? Are you sure Ages?" Clearing his voice of anxiety he confessed. "Daikoku might be bold in his defences but he has more experience, I would fold like wet paper to any aggressive questioning."
"That is exactly why I need you to defend me Iruka" Argies adjusted his stance and flashed his wicked half smile with a cunning spark of purpose. "I do not want to be on the defence, I have done nothing wrong! No, I fully intend to attack their accusation! Daikoku's attack will only give us more shuriken to throw back at their allegation."
…
Agreement:
Back and forward, the court verdict cast, from Argies dismissal from a shinobi life to his freedom from the curse mark of 'traitor'. The trial thrashed him left and right until he did not know where his fate would stand. Daikoku assaulted Argies morality and Iruka did his best to defend while Argies supplied him with words that could only attack. In the end no one knew what would become of the young boy Ages, it was left to the decision of the elder council and with the arrival of Ibiki tension grew thick.
Finally Homura the prompter of the ruling speaks out, his words resounding off the four walls of the small detention chamber. "This court cannot charge Ages for what has transpired, but in future if it is deemed that Argies Ages is in the habit of inviting in Ninja to his home…"
"I didn't invite him!"
"Even so Ages, if a similar incident were to happen in future. Then this court would have no choice but to charge you with treason."
Given right to speak freely Argies spoke on his own behalf. "This is absurd, a ninja breaks into my house and I am the one on trial! Now you are telling me if the same incident were to occur again, that I would be jailed for it! I cannot help but suspect this is an attack on my character."
"If you have any cause to suspect foul play, please speak now."
Argies thought for a moment, gritting his teeth of the audience in the room. Ibiki stared forward at him calm and cold. "If I were to speak I fear it would irreverently change the Leaf's view of its shinobi and leadership. Furthermore I fear it would change the relationship its people hold within these lands in view of the accusation of my character, as a result of the attack against me. No, as a loyal member of the leaf I must remain silent, but let my pursed lips be shown not as weakness but as an offer of mercy I allow to those who attack me; one that will not remain permissible if similar incidents are to happen in future." Argies Chunin of the Leaf, equally glared back at Ibiki's cold stare, making sure his warning was heard, for he knew Ibiki would be unwilling to risk the scandal that would follow Argies accusation of Tsunada and his attack on a member of the Leaf Shinobi, and Argies feared that future as much as he, a world where no one would trust one another and the Shinobi of the Leaf and its people would find loyalty only as a burden.
…
Deceit for the greater good:
With Argies departed and followed on by Ibiki, the penitentiary room held silent alone to the three members of council; Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado and Danzo Shimura the darkness of the Shinobi.
Danzo stepped out of the shadows with his walking cane in hand. "It seems that Tsunada is not as blind to the Leaf's treachery as that old fool third."
Homura showed no reaction to the sudden presence of Danzo, keeping on point he revealed his thoughts on their planning. "This Argies Ages will prove useful in exposing any weaknesses in the Leafs integrity; we will be able to reinforce the Shinobi will and keep to plan our goals."
"We should focus instead on the Uchiha" Koharu voiced her view, her words arching up with inspiration "His taste for vengeance will drive him to push for feats far more attainable then this Age's hidden talents."
Danzo cuffed his damaged arm with sly cunning "Naruto Uzumaki and his demon chakra, Sasuke Uchiha and his Sharingan eyes and this Ages, they will be the focus of my plans. They all show promise, an opportunity for great power."
"Do not forget Danzo why we have counselled here" The two seemed to voice into one, in warning Danzo away from his own treachery.
Koharu used more precision in her threat saying, "We will not speak in favour of your goal of becoming Hokage unless your goals are the same as ours, for the greater good of the Leaf. Though I agree this Ages clan shows great promise in their hidden arts, that is all they are, hidden arts. We cannot divulge the value in jutsu's we haven't seen, and although the power of a demon container is great the danger is equally great that their demon escapes." Settling her hands before herself she reiterated once again. "Which is why I will turn my focus to the maturity of the Uchiha, if we nurture his growth it promises greater ties within the Leaf and a stronger clanship."
Homura urged against his member of council, reflecting back to the day of Attack on the Village, a day most present in his mind far surpassing the threat of their most recent invasion. "Do not forget Koharu that it was the Uchiha's Sharingan eye which was the only power strong enough to set the Demon of the nine tales upon our Village. Sasuke holds a powerful Kekkai Genkai but a powerful hatred also burns in those same eyes."
Koharu shot back sternly protecting her prodigy. "Don't be a fool Homura, if a Sharingan eye triggered the demon to attack our village then it would be able to dispel the beast too. The Uchiha massacre was necessary I agree, but I do not believe we should have killed them all, loyalists should always be rewarded. Sasuke Uchiha is an opportunity to build that foundation on which the Leaf can stand tall."
Homura raised a crooked finger to make a cutting accusation. "Do not think me a fool Koharu, I know of the Konoichi suitors you have set in place to bare a son from the Uchiha." Homura possessed the Shinobi's will, though his words were of spite his face did not reflect their meaning, for true ninja do not show emotion. "Did you think I wouldn't notice the female ninja in the Uchiha's class doubling abruptly mid-term and several of your spy ninja failing to assemble for duty. Your cunning maybe advancing with age but my wit hasn't lost its edge."
Koharu smiled with wicked in her eyes as she confirmed his accusation in spite returned "Old man you are twice the fool if you think I would want my Konoichi to bare a son from him, the most cunning Shinobi are female and I would not want to poison my flock with the weakness of men."
"So you admit it! Those girls that desire over the Uchiha are nothing more than fabricated indulgences of your own passion." Homura mumbled out loud in thought to himself while he toiled with a bitter sweet relief. "That explains why no other male genin has received so much attention from these 'fan girls' because in actual fact you are the co-conspirator! Yes, finally now I understand it. You are guilty of these proposals."
"Do not play coy Homura, your hands are not as un-plucked as you pretend them be, where as I feather my hands with Shinobi you have feathered your own with your trade in clandestine weapons. How else do you expect me to belief the sword of the Thunder gods was lost?"
Danzo cleared his throat drawing the attention of the two elder councillors to himself. "You have made your point Koharu but we do not have the liberty to allow ourselves to limit our options. It is in these dire times that we must look at all possibilities, even so, do not think me unkind to your personal projects. I have already set in place plans to safe guard the Last Uchiha along with his brother, and Homura I too have become aware of your efforts in trading old relics for greater knowledge in artefacts which we can use to better defend out village. However our focus cannot be that of one of the three but all three including the Jinchuriki, nonetheless we start with the Ages. It is in our interest to force his hand to reveal his secrets and true capabilities as kin of the thousand techniques jutsu." Danzo turned to face each councillor in turn, and to baste them in a flattery that inspired ignorance. "It is not our place to scold your cunning Koharu in invigorating the power of our Shinobi, and to admonish your wit Homura would do our village little good as is too keeping hold of old history that is better sold to fortify the integrity of the Leaf. It is my hope that you both continue to lurking in the shadow for the greater good of the Land of Fire."
"As we hope you will do your part Danzo." Homura's tone echoed an old man's words to the fading cloud that remained of Danzo's quick departure, and in it the door facing them flung wide open with a crack of thunder to the intrusive entrance.
"What is wrong with you old fools! How dare you clear that traitor of guilt!"
"Tsunada, how nice to see you" Homura said without a smile.
…
My Sign Post knocks On Wood:
'I can't believe these people!' Argies thought to himself while knocking in a sign post. 'I should just leave this crazy village and go search for my Aunt and Uncle.' The sign bearing a warning he painted in himself, bold and with his poor hand writing, very threatening. 'Of course if I leave the Village I can just hear Tsunada cackling and sending the hounds after me' He vented his anger into his work, his furry into the tools he used to knock and pin up wooden bells, and with his wrath he marked his work with warning. 'I should put in paper bombs with these bell traps, just to show them I mean it, but then I'll probably be charged for defending myself' "*HUH*" He voiced with resentment.
The words of warning written on his sign posts read out themselves in a gentle voice that burnt Argies ears. "I am in no way liable for any who trespass here, you do so fully at risk to your own persons mental and physical wellbeing. KEEP OUT! You have been warned" She smiled but tilted her head when Argies caught sight of her, yet it was not her expression that caught the ninja off guard but his.
Angry and fuming from his turbulent day, Argies did not expect to be visited by the welcoming company of Hakari. The words he wrote were not meant for her, the hatred he felt was not intended to be directed at a team mate. Frazzled he dropped the hammer he held in his hand and his red face held in anger broke to a face plunged in misery.
Argies hands trembled and the white of his eyes, tinted pink, waded with water. Instead of voicing his turmoil in rage he broke down in tears. "I almost died today Hakari" He stood back away from her, hoping that the distance would hide his honest emotions, his open and wilful tears that flowed with ease. He says it, the name of the Yokai hidden in the depths of his nightmare in the forest and by the light house. "and that wasn't the worst of it..." to the sadness of Hakari's shock, his voice quakes with a shudder to the unanticipated disclosure, he continues. "When I returned to the Leaf I found my home and my reputation violated… and I don't think I can take it anymore."
Hakari's mood turned dark and her voice emptied of all joy with the entrance of her killing intent. "Tell me their names and I'll take good care of them..." Now by this time it was still mid-day but the air around Hakari and the sunlight that glowed off her fizzled and grew to dusk, coloured by her fury and chakra flared.
"I don't think I can Hakari, things aren't black and white anymore. The people who are attacking me think I'm the bad guy and their defending the Leaf. No matter what I do they think I'm in the wrong." Tears streamed down his face but he stiffened, looking back at the work he was doing around his house of the laws he read up, he knew it wouldn't stop a determined intelligence shinobi and neither would it stop a stubborn Leading Hokage.
"*sighs* Can I at least smack them silly?" Hakari lightened her mood and settled her chakra, trying to uplift Argies mood now feeling that she couldn't really help if he wasn't willing to elaborate on the shadows draped over him.
He wiped the tears from his eyes and restored himself. "We should have another team eat out. After our sensei's test I feel we were all a little tired from waking up at four in the morning. It wasn't memorable enough for me -Anyway, why have you come to visit me?"
Hakari closed the gap between them, acknowledging Argies strength as leader returned she switched to a formal tone. "Tensue has given us an interesting mission, he says it isn't part of our team mission because he hasn't certified our test yet. It's something to do, but I understand if you are not up to it."
"No, I think a mission is the perfect task for me right now. To get away from all of this might make my mind think of happier thoughts. Where will this mission take us exactly, do you have all the details?"
"Yeah I have it under control" Hakari coughed lightly, trying not to insinuate that Argies didn't, she smiled meekly "Tensue gave me a map, like the one you received pointing out our Sensei test and future training grounds. It's quite far outside the Leaf" Hakari beamed, it would be her first mission outside the ninja village walls. "We'll get to use our camping gear!"
"Ha ha" Argies laughed to the bounce in Hakari's cheer. "Maybe we will be able to have that second team lunch after all. It will be our first mission outside of the Leaf together."
…