Aiden had decided that, today, he would decide whether or not he truly wished to leave, to cast aside his presence in Sunagakure and disappear into the wilderness a free individual once more. This is not his home, and these are not his people to protect. He knew Zaiaku would be devastated, but honestly, perhaps he can sneak in to explain himself on day, he knew he would either wait for him or move on, and perhaps the latter was better, overall. He received his first sign as a target of his master, one of which helped him more hastily decide that being a mark in Sunagakure wasn't the wisest thing to be. That small attack that had happened that morning, one of which was too close to Zaiaku's family's home, that was a sign that he was someone that was only meant to be in the cage until he was punished for good, damn those that were nearby.

He had awoken that morning and had gotten ready for the day. With a blue shirt on and some black pants, he was in the midst of finding something he can do, something to help him prepare for his missions that he would have to do soon enough as part of his mandatory duty to his cage. He already decided to train some more, though this time, it would be within the training area of the village; the Tsumi Sand Grounds, where he would begin to attempt to practice his techniques and try to better compensate for his being a Suiton used in the desert. When he left and had reached partway down the street, however, those plans would change, and he finally received the first taste of revenge from his master.

When those three men had appeared with their varying weapons and a net, and when he had fought them right away, recognizing them as members of the Infinity Gang from Iwagakure, he already knew these men were sent by Daiki, whom of which most likely planned to send more. He wasn't bothered too much by the attack itself, however, as he had been expecting these to begin, but of the civilian that had accidentally got caught in the middle of this brawl in the slums, and how he had seen how they killed him right away before continuing to fight Otter once more. Even now as those three lay dead in the streets, and Otter himself with his hands lightly bloodied, he realized this was too close to Zaiaku's family for him to forgive himself. It was certainly better that he left, if not to atone for his own failure in revenge and finding a new purpose as a target, then as someone that still gives a damn about a few people in this village, even as the rest were fellow dwellers in this cage alongside him.

He had ran out of those gates that day and, now standing at the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers, where he can see in the horizon where the sand begins to end and the grass and trees begin, he would stand there, the light red stains still on his hands and arms, the blue shirt sleeves shirt of his fluttering in the strong, warm desert winds, and his forehead protector within his left hand, with a claw of his right pressed against it. All it would take is a simple carving of the protector, a simple symbol that he was free of this cage, that he broke the lock and others wouldn't be in danger of being near him. He could live out alone in the wilds, attempting to trying to find out how to atone for his mistakes, but for some reason, he was hesitating. His hands would be shaking, and his eyebrows went up slightly, with his eyes opening slightly as well, expressing a fearful look on his face.

"Get back into your cage, creature.." Would be all he would say to himself as he stared at the distant Land of Rivers, wondering if this truly was the right decision for him.

Wc 694

Midori sat at her desk, going through assorted paperwork and files, mission reports and missions incoming that required sorting and assigning. The inauguration was a few days ago now, as were the events that happened, and now Midori had truly become accustomed to Kage life: lots of paperwork. It wasn’t fun, but, she didn’t accept the position for the sake of it being fun when she was offered the position as someone chosen for it. She flipped through the next report. The squad system needed to be readdressed, and reassigned, having fallen out of practicality due to the lack of leadership.

Still, her thought process was interrupted as a flicker entered her vision, before a couple of ANBU mask wearing shinobi flickered into the room. She doubted she’d get used to the sudden and abrupt nature of their entry, the lack of knocking or formality, however, it likely came as a part of the career. She shook her head to herself, getting the thought out of her mind. They were the shadows of the village, the silent guards that died behind closed doors, and did deeds nobody else wished to even imagine. They wore a mask, not only to conceal their identity, but because as an ANBU, an identity didn’t exist. Just a shield, and a dagger.

Leaning on the desk, an eyebrow raised, Midori looked at the nearest ANBU with an expectancy for an explanation. ANBU didn’t just pop in for a friendly chat after all. She gestured to the seats that were propped in front of her desk with her puppet arm. She didn’t expect either of them to take the offer, but, an offer never hurt. So, offer denied, she simply shook her head once more, and spoke up, voice stern as she had grown accustomed to using. “I can’t imagine there is pleasant news if you’re arriving so suddenly. So, tell me, what is it?” she asked, trying to keep as blunt as possible. Whether she was chill or not meant little, and her tensions were higher than usual due to the work required. She was in work mode, and had things to do.

The first most ANBU simply handed her a piece of paper, perhaps a mute? The reason the ANBU spoke not mattered not. Instead, Midori simply took the piece of paper, reading through its contents thoroughly, eyes scanning the page for every detail as the two ANBU waited silent as death. The paper was definitely holding a message that was grim to the core. Four bodies had turned up in the streets. Three of them armed, with a sketched drawing of the crime scene for Midori to look through, likely by the ANBU that had handed the note: perhaps they were a sketch based shinobi? Regardless, she looked over the sketch of the crime scene. It wasn’t as good as an actual visit to the crime, but, due to the rest of the contents of the missive, Midori imagined time was on the short. Still, things were apparent just from the sketches. One of the bodies held a weapon that seemed to roughly match the wounds of the unarmed deceased. She didn’t recognise any of the bodies. She raised an eyebrow once more, looking to the ANBU. “So, I see there’s been an incident. Care to explain what you expect me to do?”

The ANBU that had until now done nothing spoke up, the mask helping to keep the voice monotone, and without emotion. Without anything that could be perhaps used to recognise the individual beneath the mask. Perhaps the person was not even human anymore, warped by the job, the lifestyle, which the mask thrust upon them. “Lady Kazekage, we believe we spotted the killer of the four victims escaping the village. According to our sensory shinobi, they were a lone individual, taking the least crowded routes. We can dispatch some squads to bring them in, or to execute them before they cause the village any problems. Simply give the command.”

As the stranger finished, Midori silently held up her woodwork hand, pausing to contemplate the course of action to take. Finally, she stood up, shaking her head. “That won’t be needed. You two, please make sure my office is tended to while I am gone, and once you have got someone on that, return to your duty and begin investigating the identities of the deceased – I want names, careers, what they were doing there. As much information as you can find, and put it on my desk. I want it there for when I return. I have a walk and a chat to get to.” She declared, walking out of her office now, her steps calm and steady.

Following the instructions and directions suggested by the ANBU, Midori took as many shortcuts as she could, being sure to walk with a brisk pace. She wished to make sure she pursued in time that she could track with the simple tracing of the footprints, before the inevitable sand blew it over, and concealed the tracks. Her walk turned to a run, desiring to keep up as best she could. Finally, she stopped caring about the tracks, keeping her eyes peeled ahead. If the basic route taken so far was any signifier, the person in question was on their way to the Land of Rivers – the border of the wind country.

After a lot of walking, she stared ahead, a figure in the distance, stationary. She nodded to herself, taking a swig of a flask of water at her side first, before moving to approach more. The person couldn’t have been very old, a short kid with black, messy hair. Too young to be deemed an international criminal without hesitation. Midori set her mind away from the work mode she was in, returning to being more… Emotional, and caring. She couldn’t sentence this kid to death, not without hearing the story.

As she got closer to the person that stood at the border, her clothes a similar colour to the desert sands around her, arm a deep brown of wood, she spoke up, voice calm, and level. “You know, if you’re going to flee a village, you might want to do it when the ANBU aren’t on high alert from murders that occurred recently.” She stated, mostly to set the tone of the conversation that would no doubt come, as well as to simply alert the person to her presence. After waiting to make sure she had the person’s attention, she spoke up once more. “Do you have a name? I could look it up in documents, but, there’s more… Human in hearing a name before reading it.”

1115

"Go back into your cage, creature, go back into your cage, creature.." Aiden would continue muttering to himself as his blood began to boil, and his head began to hurt once more, just like when he entered the bazaar at Iwagakure. That same painful feeling that came from when he had begun allowing his master to control how he feels without even being there, that same feeling in which he had thought was a one-time thing. Stress and anger must be causing it, the memories and feelings he feels on the situation at hand being the amplifier of it, creating this headache that he seemingly couldn't escape. Yes, the river country would be a good place for him to escape to, to wait for his master to finally come find him himself, or for him to rot there. There, in the trees and the rivers, he knew he can hide well enough and have an environment that works to his advantage should he be pursued. There, no one could end up hurt or killed because he was in their presence.

He would hear someone though that came from behind, a female voice, someone that had clearly either followed him or tracked him down. Could he have been zoning out for that long? This voice was a distraction, something that removed his focus from his own thoughts abruptly, the bloodstained hands that ran through his hair lowering, leaving very light red streaks in it, which would be difficult to see with the overall dark color of the hair itself. He turned around, looking at who was speaking, his eyes widened with panic and an eyebrow raised in questioning of who was there. It would be there however that he would see the same Kage that he had seen on the stage before, the person which had expressed actual care in the cage. Was it the three bodies that brought her to him, or did she learn that someone was trying to flee the village?

Her clothes matched the sands, though an arm of hers was an unnatural color, something of which he hadn't seen before. It wasn't something which was organic, at least in regards to skin and flesh. She would speak to him with a calm demeanor, explaining that if he were to flee the village then he should be doing it when the ANBU aren't in high alert from the recently occurring murders. Murders? What murders? Only one person was murdered, while three dogs were put down. The Kage must've be speaking of another series of murders, which wouldn't be surprising after all, as the cage is still only beginning the process of improving. It still had an extremely long way to go, and it's not a surprise that crime is still more the prevalent. "What murders?" He would ask in a tone that was both shaken and alarmed, his four foot long tail lightly whipping the sand before ceasing to move, the light and small puff of dust that came up quickly dispensing.

She would ask him for a name, and while she can look it up in the records, there's something more human in hearing a name before looking it up. "I'm registered as Aid-.. Just call me Otter, please." He would answer, almost stopping himself from finishing his answer altogether partway through. Right now he couldn't stomach that damn name, that label he hadn't asked for. He's at the cage door, only a stray would keep their name with them, a truly free pet would leave it behind. He would look towards his bloodstained hands and shirt, but he wouldn't say anything for a few moments, not until he would bring his gaze back towards the kage, slowly beginning to think that those "murders" were the three men that had attacked him in the slums for sure, and the way that he had left had most likely made it seem like he was the instigator. "They wanted me in the cage again, I wouldn't let them."  He would merely state as his eyes would leave her, looking back towards the border. 'Go back into your cage, creature, go back.'

Wc 708

Twc 1402

Midori watched with thought as the boy turned around. He seemed lithe, as well as holding himself with a timid composure. He seemed out of it, out of focus, and gazing out towards the foreign land of rivers. The stretches of endless sand fading into more natural grassland beyond, the horizon growing ever greener. As she looked down at the boy, she could see tension in his eyes, and on his shirt, hands, and a bit in his hair, specs of blood, drying from the intense heat of the desert, gave away that he was more involved in everything than she expected. Blue eyes scanned the form, the posture. And as a flicker was behind the person, a dusted cloud of sand getting smacked away, she took a mental note of the presence of a tail. She couldn’t ignore the information, for, if this person truly had a tail… Well, given the lawless state of the village, she can’t imagine it having any positive repercussions for the poor kid.

After a brief hesitation, with a voice that sounded less than confident, the child spoke up, seemingly commenting on her statement about the ANBU’s alert. His tone gave away more than he probably hoped to, but, he seemed distressed more than anything, and she couldn’t ignore the slight possibility, no matter how small, that he was unrelated to the events. Still, she wanted to get to the bottom of it. People were dead, and here was a boy at the border of the country, covered in blood, and clearly in a state of shock of some kind. If the boy was the one that killed the people, she needed to know why – for the safety of everyone in the village. And for understanding for the sake of understanding.

As he began answering her question, her concern only grew. Registered? Normally people didn’t introduce themselves like that, but shortly after, correcting himself almost, the boy introduced himself as Otter. An odd name, and perhaps ironic because of the appearance he held, but, she couldn’t comment on it. Her name was literally just green, and her parents were not the most creative of people… So, there would be no comment on her end. Not that she would poke fun at someone anyways.

Allowing Otter to take the time he needed before he muttered something ominous, Midori sighed, quietly, and to herself more than anything else. Still, it would do no good just being cautious about it. She was Kazekage now, and given that he had left the village, it was clear that this kid was a member of the village. She had to protect and help him, not only as a sense of duty, but as a just want to help. After a brief pause, allowing the boy to interject anything else he would like to say, Midori smiled reassuringly, keeping her posture relaxed and at ease. Making sure to keep her voice soft but stern, with the authority one would expect from a Kage, yet the casual mode of address and loose pronunciation expected from anyone, Midori spoke up. “Well, Otter. I’m Midori. So, I’ll believe you when you say you don’t know, so, I’ll give some explanations. Four people were found dead. Three wielding weapons, and one with a wound caused by one of those weapons. Whoever killed the three, likely did so after the fourth had died, perhaps in vengeance, or for safety…” her eyes fluttered half closed, looking down at the young boy for a moment, before shrugging. “Grim stuff, but, not anything you need to worry about. So... long way from Suna out here, you know?”

She simply let the rhetoric fall short, ending it there and looking for a non-verbal reaction before continuing on. “So, Otter, I won’t ask you why you left, why you’re at the border. We all have our reasons for what we do in life. Whether or not you were involved in the incident, it’s nothing I am currently concerned about. Retribution for something I know nothing about is not a personal approach to life I take. But, I am a medic. So, there is one question I will ask, or, I guess, a few. Are you hurt, and if so, where? If you are injured, would you be okay with me treating you? Whether you come back to the village or go, I will not spite you for, but, an injury is an injury. So…” she crouched down a bit, just enough to be at eye level with him. “Are you hurt?”

760 + 1115 = 1875

The Kage seemingly smiled towards Aiden, which threw him off guard slightly, and made his body relax slightly. She introduced herself as Midori, pretty much confirming that she was most certainly the one at the inauguration, whom of which had seemed overall decent enough, even if she was the one that oversaw the happenings within the cage. She had claimed to believe him when he admitted ignorance of which murders she would be speaking on, moving on to give him and explanation. Four dead, three with weapons, one that got harmed by those weapons, the motive was most likely for the fourth out of vengeance or safety. He was definitely the one that was involved with those deaths, though the motive was incorrect, for the civilian meant little to him. Instead, it was still all too close to the four bodies; the home of a family of Jiendo, they were why he had to kill those three. The civilian from what the Chuunin could gather would be little more than a witness, someone that was there are the wrong place at the wrong time, though still delivered a message of how his master cared little for others that end up involved in one way or another.

Midori seemingly shrugged however, mentioning how it's nothing that he needs to worry about before changing the subject to how it's a long way from Suna out here. He in response would merely tilt his head to the side, unsure of how to react, though he couldn't if he wanted to, as the Kage would speak up once more, assuring him that she won't ask why he left or why he's at the border, as they all have their reasons. She's not even concerned with whether or not he was involved in the incident, which was more than surprising in itself, as in a way he suspected that it was the entire reason why she would be out here. Instead, she would merely say that retribution for something she knows nothing about is not a personal approach, but she is a medic, and so she would instead ask if he is hurt and where, and if he would be okay with her treating him. She won't spite him for returning to the village or not, but an injury is an injury.

Is he hurt, though? The adrenaline, while slowly leaving him, still made it so he didn't exactly feel much when he charged in, so he couldn't exactly recall where he was harmed let alone if he was harmed at all. Looking at his hands and arms, he would see nothing, meaning he would have to rely on checking himself. Moving his tail around, he would start to feel through the fur, only to feel a soft stinging sensation near the tip, he recalled how he used it to strike one of them in the chest, chances are at that moment it must have came into contact with the weapon he wielded, cutting it lightly. It made him appreciate killing those three slightly more, as he absolutely hated it when others harm it. It was a double standard for him, as he uses it like a weapon, but doesn't wish for weapons to hit it.

His legs were fine, alone with his arms, face, and chest. When he felt his back, another similar stinging sensation would be there, most likely when he began using his claws to tear at the necks. They could only go around an inch in at the deepest, so actually using them quickly in combat requires a little bit extra attention for him to best reach that depth. It doesn't surprise him at all that he was struck in the back. Oh well, add that cut to the many others that transitioned into faint scars with time. Both didn't feel deep, though would both be around half an inch in, while the final spot would be the left side of his neck. Now this, he recalled, as he recklessly got in close and allowed one of them to attempt to thrust their weapon towards him, essentially grazing the skin on his neck when he charged forwards and took advantage of the opening. It was a graze, nothing more.

These wounds were ones that were easily survivable, and he has no clue as to how he felt about Midori yet, but so far, the smile was nice, she cared little about his involvement in the deaths herself, and she did admit to being a medic first and foremost. Medicine was always hard for Otter himself. He never truly was a fan of needles or healing arts or anything else, and the fact he was naturally resistant to it didn't help in that regard, but honestly, as his adrenaline was weakening, he knew he'll soon end up tired and exhausted, and he'd rather be such without injuries than with. He would sit down on the sand as he would nod to Midori. "I'm okay with you treating me." He would say as he would give a short pause, breathing in and out, trying to better calm himself down as he would keep his eyes onto the sand below. "They're near the tip of my tail and on my back. I.. I must've acted too sloppy." He would say in regards to a self analysis. He definitely got himself too wound up, he wasn't this sloppy with the Infinity Gang in Iwagakure, but the thought of Daiki knowing about Zaiaku's family, it must've made him lose more focus than he thought.

He would lightly dig his fingers into the sand, preparing for any sort of painful feeling that may come from the process. "I killed the three of them." He would say should she begin healing his light wounds, figuring that she deserved an explanation, even if she already admitted to it not being her main focus. "They were after me, I-I had to, to protect the family." He would continue. Just thinking about it made him get worked up, made him feel a weird, burning feeling inside him. It wasn't anger, but stress that would plant the seeds.

Wc 1049

Twc 2451

She watched for a moment as the boy took in what she said. As she mentioned injury, almost as if suddenly becoming aware of himself, he began to inspect himself. Something big must have happened if the boy was so in shock that he couldn’t tell if he was hurt or not. She waited patiently, watching with eyes that picked up every gesture and notion. At several points, he paused, flinching for a moment, something the medic of a Kazekage took note of as she waited for him to finish. Finally, after pressing against the parts of his body he couldn’t see, and gently tracing a hand to his neck, where Midori took note of a light scrape being present, he seemed done.

The first thing the boy called Otter gave was his permission for treatment. This was good, and meant Midori could make sure his injuries were treated. His gaze was averted from her own, directed to the ground, and his chest heaved obviously. The panic and anxiety of the situation was likely setting in at this moment. She looked down at the seated boy, listening as he instructed Midori to where his injuries were. Injuries to the tip of his tail, and at his back. What intrigued her most, however, was that he stated he was injured due to being sloppy. This meant it was as she suspected, and he was in fact involved in the events that had occurred. It mattered little. She was a medic, and her job was to heal. She could ask questions later, provided he was willing to answer. If not, then, she would just keep an eye, and if he attempted to cause any further loss of life, the green medic would step in, and stop him, taking responsibility for her failings.

Plucking a strand of hair from herself, Midori held it in her puppet appendage, funnelling medical chakra through the creation before flicking the hair to the ground, where it poofed in a cloud of smoke that made it apparent that it was a jutsu. A second Midori shortly after appeared through the creation of the jutsu, looking around before turning so that it’s back was facing towards the border of the land of river, away from Otter and facing the direction his back was facing – a created rear guard. The real Midori, making sure to be obvious and slow in her footwork, stepped around to behind Otter, making sure her intentions and lack of hostility were clear, as if approaching a young, wounded animal – not wishing to startle the boy who was already in a state of high strung anxiety, a feeling she could empathise with, although not at all in the same circumstances.

The medical ninja looked at the tears in the boy’s shirt, using her puppet appendage to increase the size of the tears gently and slowly, gaining better access to the wounds, cadmium eyes scanning and making mental notes of each detail and wound type. Finally, deciding the wounds on the back were the priority, she began focusing chakra through her puppet limb once more, while also being careful to focus a different chakra through her left arm, taking a pause to concentrate enough to do it. Anaesthetic in one hand, and the basic recovery method in the other. Prepared now, she placed her hands to the first and most severe of the back injuries, watching intensely to keep track of the pace in which it was healing. Slowly… Slowly…

A gentle sigh escaped her lips as she figured it would take a while, the boy seemingly resistant to her attempts at medical aid. Perhaps a genetic mix up or some such. Voice calm, she spoke up to inform the boy. “This appears to be going slowly. I am applying an anaesthetic at the same time, so as to not cause pain, so perhaps that may be slowing down the process. If you wish, I can cease the anaesthetic, however I don’t know how sensitive to injury you are, or your wounds, so, the choice is yours…” she said, allowing her voice to trail off.

To her surprise, the next thing to leave the boys lips, however, was not about her comment on the anaesthetic. He had likely been… Thinking. Stirred up perhaps, by being confronted, even if not directly. He admitted to it, that he dealt the deaths of the victims. Except, not all of them. Three of them. She found herself cocking an eyebrow, listening to the choked up child as she felt his skin grow tense with stress. It seemed the event was traumatic in some way, as well as having connections to familial problems. She thought on his words as he finished, continuing to focus on that particular wound, before speaking her piece of mind.

“You don’t have to tell me, I understand recalling could be a painful experience. But, who is in danger? If you tell me, I can ensure that ANBU squads and patrols are set up around their living area to ensure their safety, as well as report any suspicious activity. I’ve asked the ANBU to investigate the bodies, as well as their identities, so, you don’t need to tell me who they were unless you want to. I can imagine you are in a quite large state of distress, and I don’t want you to feel pressured for information, okay?” she tried to sound as calm as possible, keeping her gaze on the wounds while her clone scanned the surrounding area. “I’d like you to take deep breaths okay? In, and out. Nice and slow. If possible, after this, I would like to take you back to the village for a pre-emergency treatment check up. Medical ninjutsu isn’t a cure all after all, and I’d like to make sure you’re safe. Of course, that is assuming you want to go back. I imagine you weren’t intending on sticking around if you fled to the border after leaving three bodies in the streets. If you want to leave, I’ll turn a blind eye. We all have secrets, and you seem distressed. All I ask is before you go, you help me protect those you did this to protect, okay?”

1039 + 1875 = 2914

Chakra: 240/270 (-10 for D rank jutsu, -20 for 2 C rank jutsu used through puppet appendage (clan benefit, medical jutsu cost 5 less chakra when activated through a puppet))

Jutsu used:

Otter would immediately be taken off guard by the cloud of smoke that appeared, with a second Midori appearing out of it. His pointed ears twitched for a moment as he would glare at the second clone, wondering if the offer to heal was actually a ruse, a means of getting in close so he'll be an easier target. From where he was though, he knew that if it tried anything, he could cover them both in steam, take her out with him. Clone or not, he refuses to be taken down like this, to just be ambushed by this betrayal of his trust should it be so. He hoped though that it wasn't, he was tired and definitely not ready for another fight, not in the state he was in. Mentally, it would only make him feel all the more terrible than he had already felt at the moment for putting Zaiaku's family in possible danger.

Thankfully, combat wasn't the intention of the clone, as it would turn it's back towards the border, which helped insure him that it wouldn't be attempting an attack, at least not one he would be surprised by at the moment. The real one slowly moved around him and closer to him at the same time, and he would eye her, just in case. When she approached, she would increase the size of the tears, and he could hear the sounds of his shirt further being ruined for the sake of accessing the wounds, the other faint scars upon his back being more apparently with the larger tears. He would feel nothing at the time, at least, not enough to warrant a reaction from him, though he knew she was working on the injuries. The faint green glow was more than evident that she was keeping to her word, and she would even address him as well, telling him that it's going slowly and that she's applying an anesthetic at the same time to make it numb, explaining that it may be slowing the process down.

He was given the choice on whether or not to keep the anesthetic, as she doesn't know how sensitive to injury he is let alone his wounds. He didn't give the answer though, despite it being obvious to him, as that was when he had admitted to what he had done, to the putting down of those three animals that came to him, that came to be a threat to Zaiaku's family. She had already responded to that as well, telling him how she understands recollection being a painful experience, though asking who is in danger, assuring him that ANBU squads and patrols being set up in their living area to ensure their safety and even including reports of any suspicious activity. She already has the ANBU investigate the bodies and identities, so he won't have to tell her who they were unless he wants, as he's in a state of distress. She would also make it clear that she didn't want him to feel pressured for information as well.

"I don't want anesthetic." He would simply say as she explained how she wanted him to take deep breaths. He could feel his head begin to pulse during this, and would continue to do so as she would explain how she would like to take him back to the village for something called a "pre-emergency treatment check up" since medical ninjutsu isn't a cure all. The now burning feeling of his wounds being healed were pretty evident of that, but even then, surely they were only light wounds, nothing that would involve another medical check-up? She would also explain how she wants to make sure that he's safe, assuming he even wishes to go back, since she's imagining he wasn't intending on sticking around if he fled to the border after leaving three bodies on the streets.

She offered turning a blind eye to this if he wants to leave, since they all have secrets and he seems distressed, but before he goes she asks that he helps her protect those he did this for. He would begin to make an attempt to stand up at this, instead looking back towards her and the clone before looking back towards the border. He could choose to leave the cage, to finally be free, but at what cost? Now that he was breathing deeply, now that he was beginning to feel tired, he was able to think somewhat more clearly. He would be betraying Zaiaku, and Zaiaku's family, even, if he just leaves them with a bunch of strange masked guys around them. They're people that chose to live in the slums and prided themselves on their strength, it would be humiliating for them if they were being protected by others outside of their family, by others like him.

It was either freedom and abandoning those that took him in when all he had was an empty apartment he had broken into or remaining in the cage, waiting for Daiki to send yet another small group after him, or worse. The three were dead, so they should be safe until he was hunted down again, but would staying the the cage truly be an okay thing, especially when he could possibly get in trouble for these killings? "Can you promise I won't be tossed into prison if I come back?" He would ask as his chest began feeling more heavy than before. He couldn't believe he was considering this choice, especially with how he felt at the moment. He couldn't just abandon Zaiaku, though. "They're only in danger because of me. I can live alone away from them, the three that possibly saw me leave their home are dead, so I think his family is safe. If you still want to send whatever to protect them, you can but I don't know if they'll want that." He'd explain as he would look back towards the border again. Damn it all for him ever falling in love in the first place.

"They're not from here. The three are Infinity Gang, a gang that's in Iwagakure.." his voice would trail off, deciding that he should stop the explanation there. He didn't want to just give out every little detail of his business, not right now when he felt like hell. Just talking about it made him feel like he should take up the kage's offer to turn a blind eye to his leaving. "No, ANBU would only make things worse." As he thought about it, it was true. At least this way, the only one that ends up harmed or in danger would be Otter himself, and he can still keep his connection with Zaiaku, as well. Looking back towards Midori, he would take a deep breath before continuing. "If I come back, what will happen? Why should I stay?"

Wc 1182

Twc 3633

She continued to heal the wounds as best she could, the process slowly going by, and seeming to have little effect. Still, she couldn’t just leave him with these injuries unchecked. Not to mention, as she parted the clothes and tears to get better access, her eye caught note of the various scars that already existed along the boys back. The sight saddened her, for every scar held a story, and given the emotional state of Otter, she had no doubt that it was a sad story. She stayed quiet, simply continuing to heal the boy as best she could.

After a brief pause, he declared he didn’t want anaesthetic, so, with a brief pause to get a grip of her chakra control, Midori allowed her chakra anaesthetic to drop, focusing her healing in both hands now. Still, the healing was going slowly, and she realised it was perhaps more than just the dual use of techniques that made it a slow process, and ineffective. Yet, without warning, her healing was interrupted, the patient she was looking after standing up. Shuffling back, she ceased the flow of chakra to her hands, standing up as well and stepping back to watch the curious movements of the tailed person.

Perhaps her offer was too hard for him?

He stared behind them, at the expanse of the land of rivers, and at the expanse of the land of wind’s deserts. Was he thinking about the choice? It would make sense, and she could understand that there was a large weight upon his shoulders at this time. From the sounds of it, what he did was for a family he cared deeply about, perhaps even his own. Which meant he had a choice of freedom from potential arrest and suffering, or returning home, to his loved ones. The medicinal chakra fading from her arms, she took a step back to give him breathing and thinking room, waiting in silence for him to reach whatever conclusion he did.

He wanted her to promise he wouldn’t get in trouble? She stared in silence for a moment, although not for long as he then stated that the family was only in trouble because of his presence, and that they were not the kind to like being protected. The prideful kind then? She knew their type. Still, she couldn’t just leave the kid without an answer. She held up her puppet arm to the side, bent upwards at the elbow in a combination of a vow and a salute. “You have my word as Kazekage. In fact, as a sign of promise, I’ll tell you how to beat this particular arm design. It extends, and has weak joints here, here, here, and here.” She pointed to the varying joints of the arm where it was weaker in structure. “If I do wrong by you, and betray your trust with this matter, then you can at least take me down on the way.” She said with a smile, and a light intonation to her voice, clearly meaning it as a joke comment to try lighten the mood.

As he mentioned the three dead bodies however, Midori’s expression souring as the news hit her ears. Members of a gang from Iwagakure. The possibilities of this ran through her mind, and she found herself pacing back and forth at the news, her clone dissipating with a wave of her hand. Still, her own questions could come after. Once he’d made his decision, she could question him, whether he’d return to the village, or opt to leave. He didn’t seem malicious in intent, for despite having killed, from what she could gather, it was for the safety of family.

She nodded in reply to his request for no ANBU, before sighing and thinking a moment on his questions. He had a good point. What would happen to him? She rubbed at the back of her neck with her prosthetic arm, before shrugging somewhat. “Honestly, it’s a fair enough concern. I won’t try and soften it, you’ve got a large choice ahead of you. We’ll start with what will happen to you upon returning to the village. Firstly, we will take you to a hospital. You are currently fuelled by adrenaline from the stress you’re experiencing, and your wounds need treating to avoid infection. I can take care of your tail before we arrive if you’d rather people not treat it, however, the choice is yours. Once you’ve recovered in the hospital, if you are willing, I would like to know more about you. Talk out your feelings, and help you rehabilitate into the life of the desert village. Just because you were preparing to flee a village does not stop it from being home, and while I do not know you personally, as Kage, you are a part of my family, and I will treat you and your choices accordingly.”

She paused, making sure he was still listening. Her pacing stopped, and her voice was level and calm, gentle yet with authority enough to make them hard to ignore. “The choice before you will be a difficult one, and have problems face you whichever you choose. If you flee, you will leave behind everything in your past. The bad things will eventually fade from memory. Yet, the good will also fade. I am sure you could make new memories, but, that is an unknown, as the future always is. If you stay, however, I promise to not help you forget the bad things in your past. But instead, to help you walk past them. Scars don’t all heal, I know this from experience.” She stated, gesturing to her prosthetic arm for a moment, before continuing. “Yet scars are also a sign of who we are. Who has defined us, what has defined us. Our lives, emblazoned on our skin, negatively or positively. And with time, they can hurt less. Soon, they may look different, but they become just like the rest of you. As I have said, if you want to leave, you are welcome to leave. I will personally try to erase records of your existence from our village. Call me a corrupt Kage for doing that if you will, however, I have grown in the lawless state of this village. I would not want to keep someone here who would not wish to, nor will I put someone to death for wanting no more of it.”

A gentle smile crossed her lips then, and she held out her hand – her flesh hand – to the boy named Otter. “But, I am asking you to come back. I believe you should stay because you’re a good kid. You’ve got people you care about back home, that much is clear from you being here. You did nothing wrong in my eyes, for we live in tough times. I want to make things better for as many people as I can, and to that end, I want to help you grow into a fine shinobi, and one who has a content life. So, I ask you to stay to grow alongside your family. I ask you to come home.”

1195 + 2914 = 4109

The stinging sensations began to arise from the healing process, making it all clear that the anesthetic was leaving the healing process. Good, the pain will be reminders for him to be faster, to be less sloppy with his movements. His brain felt as if it had a heartbeat of its own as Midori was continuing in her efforts to help him. Thankfully, the damage was rather light. He had known about his body's natural resistance to healing, a result of wear and tear, the product being a body that, at one point, wished to die. He could feel that same sunken feeling he had once felt in captivity once more; the feeling of helplessness.

But that feeling had already sunk in, as the stinging that remained was no longer from the process but instead from the absence of, and he himself had already made up his mind when the female answered. If anything, in comparison to the pain, the decision hurt more, as he knew well enough already to no matter which path he chose he would be stuck wondering if he had made the right choice until this is all over. He watched as the Kage made some odd movements with her weird arm, telling him that he has her word as Kazekage, and as a sign of proving it she'll tell him how to beat the design of her arm. He would pay attention to where she pointed, and keeping in mind of the locations of the weak joints. Anyone else would suspect her of possibly lying as a means to have him apprehended as they returned, but it was in his gullible nature to immediately assume that she was speaking truth, as she had been nice to him, and surely someone that is kind first and foremost wouldn't have such negative ulterior motives?

If she did wrong by him or betrayed his trust with this matter, then he can at least take her down along the way. He highly doubt that he could even if she lost an arm, but at least he could leave behind nasty burns to remember him by. It was only the arm that is not flesh, from what he can tell. Then came a smile, the friendly tone of voice accompanying it, making him almost smile in return. The smile may have been short-lived, but he appreciated it nonetheless, as he doesn't receive a lot of genuine smiles, and savoring each one he does receive does help place him at ease somewhat.

The clone disappeared with a wave from someone that he was unsure of whether or not he could possibly call a friend, and she herself would seemingly pace back and forth during this as well. He cocked his head to the side as she did so, wondering what was going through her mind. Clearly it was about the fact that the bodies were Infinity Gang, but what else? Was she concerned about the idea of a possible push for new territory by them? That would be a legitimate concern, as the gang does pride itself on the sheer number of members it has, so if it becomes rooted in yet another village then all it spells is bad news. An army united under a single group, its scary to think about the possibility of that.

She would then speak up, telling him how it's a fair enough concern and how she won't soften the fact that he has a large choice ahead. She went on with explaining what will happen when they return, telling him how they'll take him to the hospital first, about how he was still fueled by adrenaline, which is true, and how his wounds need treating to avoid infection. This would be Otter's first time being at a real hospital. Generally since he was at Suna, he is just treated at home or he suffered through the pain until a wound healed. He had never broken a bone since he escaped from captivity, or received an especially bad burn. The worst injuries he had truly received were in Iwagakure, and luckily for him he apparently had a Medical-nin Saanin to help him with those. It made him almost curious about what the hospital is like, but also slightly intimidated.

She offered to take care of his tail before they arrive if he prefers people not treat it, though the choice is his. She also immediately went on to explain to him about once he recovers and, if he is willing, she wished to know more about him, from talking about his feelings to helping him rehabilitate into the life of the desert village. That would most certainly be useful, to at least get an idea on how to truly act within one. He had to admit, with a rather visible flinch at the mention of rehabilitation, that the urges he has have been getting a little worse lately so while he isn't one to just open up completely to a stranger, even a nice one like this one, he had a feeling it would be useful to at least learn about a custom or two and how to really act.

Yeah, he already internally decided to give her a chance anyways before. If he didn't he wouldn't have even allowed her to treat him, to come near him without a fight. That latter continuation of what she was saying helped as well, since she mentioned that, as Kage, he is apart of her family, and she will treat him and his choice accordingly. Family: the thing he doesn't truly have, the thing that had stressed him out very much so before he went on his short-lived hunt for Daiki. Family is certainly something he wanted, but didn't know how to react to, how one acts within a family. Part of him almost said no at the mention of it, of how unfortunate it would be to have one such as him be considered "family", his being unsure as to how to react to it almost turning him off to the idea of it. But he stopped himself before he shook his head, and instead just fixed the position of his head, his right eye almost twitching from confusion as to whether or not he wished to smile at this or just outright deny it.

"I... I feel sorry for you, to have a family member like me." He responded with a shaky tone as the edges of his mouth curved slightly upwards, making him give only a slight smile after she had paused for a short amount of time, only to continue speaking on afterwards, the tone of her own voice being level, though giving enough authority to still display how serious she was at this moment. She spoke on how the choice before him is a difficult one, which is indeed true, and will have problems that will face him no matter which he chooses. Should he choose to flee he will leave behind everything in his past; both good and the bad.  That sounded almost like a dream come true to him, to just be someone else altogether and try to escape it all, but he knew that all leaving would do is delay the inevitable and make him lose in possible relations he had left. The adrenaline was lowering and slowly but surely this realization was seating itself within his mind.

This was his cage, the bars being his connections and the lock being his hesitation, though the outside he can now see is just as dangerous as well, as outside of that cage are hunters, just waiting for the next vermin to escape so they can eliminate it and skin it. The cage was safer, at least for now. Even the Kage explained how despite her being sure that he could make new memories it is still an unknown, but should he stay she promises to not help him forget the bad, but instead learn how to walk past them, to cope and move on. Her arm is a symbol of scars not healing, and in this, he can fully understand as well. They both have scars the will never fully heal, and whatever suffering she went through with that arm has essentially earned her a partially opened door to the concept of a kindred spirit to him.

These scars that define them are essentially their lives marked on skin, whether positive or negative, and time could help them heal less. Even if they appear differently, they're still them nonetheless. He is welcome to leave, and she will erase records of his existence from the village. She may be a corrupt Kage for doing that, but she's grown in the lawless state of the village, and as a result doesn't wish to keep someone who doesn't wish to remain there, nor put someone to death for not wanting anymore of it either.

The gentle smile that crossed her lips just then was accompanied by a hand offered towards him, and the faint smile that creeped onto him was replaced with a blank look, his mouth slightly open, wondering what was happening. She then asked him to come back, believing he should stay because she knows he's good, that he has people he cares about back home. He did nothing wrong his her eyes, and all she wishes is to help make things better for people in need tough times. She wished to help him become a fine Shinobi, one with a content life. With that, she requested for him to once more to stay and grow alongside his family, to come home.

He would look back towards the wilderness again, that border that signified the bars which held him there, his pulsing brain pulsing harder, his blood rising. 'Go back into your cage, creature.' He can hear once more with such intensity that his vision blurred for a moment. He figured he had already decided, but he wondered if he ever truly knew what he would do in the first place, or if he was just a dog, blindly chasing after whatever seemed the most appealing in the moment. It was time for him to stop being such a mongrel though, and to instead try to just be someone that meant something. The blurriness remained as he looked back towards Midori, tears swelling up along his eyes and, almost like an invisible force of sorts guided him, he chose to remain in his cage, immediately grabbing her hand with his right hand while his left forearm wiped away the tears. "Alright." He would say as he offered a nod towards her. "I'll stay and give this a chance."

Wc 1809

Twc 5442

Ooc You want to make a second thread to continue this in? That way there can be two socials coming out of this, plus you can use the wc from this right away too. If so then this post will be an attempt to leave the thread.

Attempting to leave thread

5442

Training Taijutsu C -> B for 2000 words
Training Perception: C-1 -> C-3 1300 words, 275 ryo
Training Reaction Time: C-1 -> C-3 1300 words, 275 ryo

4600 words total, 550 ryo total, 842 words left over

The words that she had said seemed to ingrain themselves deep within the boy in front of her, who seemed to be weighing his choices as best he could. His timid figure seemed to come and go, with a slight smile at the edge of his lips at one point, yet also a self deprecating tone at others. Often the direction of his head would point towards the wilderness, the vast expanse at the edge of the border that told her that the escape was something he longed for. While not particularly skilled at psychoanalysis, it was apparent that whatever had happened was a chain around his neck, pulling tighter on him the more he thought upon it.

As the boy took her hands, Midori gave a smile, offering him a reassuring hold before releasing – not wishing to make him uncomfortable through extended contact. It saddened her to hear that he deemed himself a horrible family member, but she had hopes that she could discover why he felt that, and perhaps give him further self confidence, and methods to cope. She knew that life wasn’t always easy, so, perhaps she could aid him, even if in a little way. As he accepted Midori’s offer, a small smile spread across her lips as she nodded, before gesturing back in the direction of the village.

“Let’s go get you checked up then. During the check up I’ll make sure you have food and drink, drink especially to avoid dehydration. I am proud of you, the choice you made wasn’t hard, and I’m sure the people you want to protect are very lucky to have someone as brave as you looking after them. If you have any questions for me, you can ask them when we’re out of the sun. That way it gives you time to think, as well as we’ll both be in better conditions for questions. No point asking and answering when it’s too hot to think, at least in my opinion.”

With that said, Midori began to make her way back to the village of Sunagakure no Sato with her new temporary travel companion tagging alongside. The wind was stale and humid, the sun scorching with minimal relief from the lack of clouds. Occasionally larger winds would cause a sweeping tide of sand to roll across the surface, and in general the walk back home seemed to be an ever increasingly difficult task. Still, they returned to the village after a long trek, and as night fell upon the village they reached the gates. From the main entrance, there was little more walking that had to be done, as Midori made sure to take him to the hospital of Sunagakure no Sato. There, he could first rest. And there, the story could continue… In the next episode.

468 + 4109 = 4577

[EXIT]

Training: