| Back in Black-Ops [closed to Haruichi] |
[Jan. 28th, 2008|12:09 am] |
Night had fallen quick, bitter and icy throughout Konoha, once again reinforcing Haruichi's belief that venturing outside was the business of fools and heroes - and he was emphatically neither of those. Nevertheless, outside he was - skirting rooftops and chimney vents fast as he could move, and if he was less than thrilled about it he was smart enough to hide the fact.
After all, if your Kage called you to an out of hours meeting late at night you were definitely about to be pitted against more than gales, snow and patches of black ice… and in Konoha since you weren't the slave of some insane despot or patently homicidal lunatic warmonger you were expected to look cheerful about it.
Haruichi was settling for looking a little less like he'd just dragged himself out of the wrong side of the bed, and to hell with anybody who didn't think that was a colossal enough effort - even if it was the Hokage himself.
He made it to the Palace with about a minute to spare, shook snow off his uniform and made sure his forehead protector was still tied loose around his neck. Not a good idea to appear before your Kage without your insignia. If you were a Hyuuga it was also considered not a good idea to walk into a room of importance without checking it first with the Byakugan, but manners dictated that the Hokage be afforded all privacy - and Haruichi's parents had been big on etiquitte and respect (not that you'd think it, after dealing with their son for five minutes). Haruichi's eyes remained bright, curious and subtly defensive - but not active, as he approached and was beckoned in to the office of the Hokage by the Sandaime's calm voice.
Once he walked in and saw who else was waiting for him, Haruichi silently cursed his parents for teaching him manners. As expected the Hokage was sitting at his wide wooden desk, fingers steepled not-quite-idly, his dark eyes quite alert despite the late hour. To his left hand side, Arakaki Hisoka was standing perfectly still - clothed in plain black - and eyeing Haruichi with such blatant assessment in his gaze that the Hyuuga fully expected him to produce a scorecard at any moment.
Haruichi thought several uncharitable things in a row, but kept himself from indicating anything more than the fact he could guess at the point of this meeting, now. There were only so many reasons why the Director of ANBU operations might be at an out-of-hours meeting with the Hokage - and Haruichi hadn't been indulging in any treasonous activity worthy of mention lately.
"Good evening, Haruichi-sensei."
Haruichi bowed respectfully. "Hello, Hokage-sama. Arakaki-san." He stepped up to the desk, stopping a respectful distance away from the two far senior shinobi and keeping his eyes on the Hokage, rather than his lieutenant.
"You’re looking well," Sarutobi observed. It was quite true: Haruichi looked healthier, fitter and more centered than he ever had done. It was unfortunate that the effect was to make him look exactly as young as he was.
"People keep saying that, sir. It’s getting disconcerting," replied Haruichi.
"Indeed," the Hokage commented, raising an eyebrow and pulling a closed file to hand from across the desk. "Then to business. Honda Tsukiko has given repeatedly excellent reports regarding your service since you were place back on active duty eight months ago. Aside from expressing a marked desire to throttle you on…" Sarutobi checked the file and his eyebrow lifted slightly higher, "…seven separate occasions, she remarks that your performance has been exemplary and you’ve proven to have the makings of a skilled field medic. She’s requested you be returned to her squad for the next long-range mission in the new year. I’ve told her your duties have taken you elsewhere."
Haruichi was quite still, but now his eyes did move to the unadorned ANBU director. Hisoka wasn't one to give away much without meaning it, so Haruichi felt right in assuming he ought to feel like he was either going to have to prove his worth as a man, a ninja, and an (ex-)ANBU at this ungodly hour of the night or be hurled bodily out the window. Haruichi could not believe he'd gotten out of bed for this.
"I had heard Kanae-sensei took over the role of medic at HQ. I doubt even the nonsensical escapades of the agents housed there could have done anything to keep her from performing her duties," he offered after half a beat, looking back to the Hokage. Sarutobi's expression hadn't changed, and it was Hisoka who spoke next.
"Kanae-sensei's profficiency not withstanding, another medic would be of use on assignment in HQ for off-duty medical concerns of agents," the older man stated factually. Haruichi waited for the other shoe to drop: he may have been utterly devoted to his job as the in-house medical care for agents for four years, but he'd also been a teenager with little practical experience. The job was demanding of time, effort and energy - but not necessarily high degrees of medical skill, or else he never would have been given it in the first place... Haruichi had grown beyond it.
Hisoka continued, "A new field medic is also required. Pending this interview and several physical trials you are the candidate for the post."
Apparently the other shoe had dropped at high speeds and kicked him in the ass. Haruichi did himself the favour of not asking what had happened to the old field medic - just silently cursed them for having done their job so well that a replacement was found warranted.
And so the 'interview' began.
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Fifteen minutes of careful, thoughtful, and utterly invasive questioning later and Sarutobi had come to conclude that Hyuuga Haruichi was probably the best candidate for the position. He was fit enough, he was smart enough, he had the medical training tried and tested, and most importantly of all - he knew and was dedicated to the ANBU. He knew what to expect of the agents and their missions. The only remaining question was what he would expect of himself - and that could only be answered in the service.
Yes, best candidate. Just as well, seeing as he was currently the only candidate. Sarutobi thoroughly suspected that it was only that fact which had kept Hisoka from killing him once the medic's replies moved from the realms of strictly informative to deliberately infuriating.
"You've achieved a reasonable level of skill with a katana according to your instructors, why did you take up kenjutsu?"
"All the cool kids were doing it, sir."
"Don't get smart, Hyuuga."
"Apologies, because you want the dimmest of the dim for ANBU, sir."
Sarutobi held up a hand and whatever plans Hisoka had been entertaining about braining the Hyuuga on his desk were curtailed at the planning stage. He looked at Haruichi, really looked and decided they may as well come to the difficult part. "Anything you feel pressed to say, Haruichi-sensei?"
There was probably always something Hyuuga Haruichi felt pressed to say, sarcastic bastard that he clearly and unrepentantly was, but Sarutobi wasn't surprised by what it was this time.
"Why am I being considered by you for this post, Hokage-sama?"
"Because I choose the medic of my ANBU with the same care and attention I afford my own doctor." Sarutobi's reply was honest and official, and though it apparently hadn't occurred to him, Haruichi did not look surprised by it. "You will not be sent on many missions, Haruichi. The missions in which only a medical ninja could save ANBU lives will often be the missions too dangerous for a medical ninja to be sent on in the first place. You understand this, you know how the mindset must be for ANBU to function. But there will be recovery missions, there will be long-range missions, there will be unmitigated disasters of missions, where your skills will bring my ANBU home."
Or he'd die in the attempt, like any ANBU. Having clearly understood this unspoken addendum as well, Haruichi's white eyes didn't leave his Kage's as he spoke again. "If I have a choice about taking this assignment I have someone to consult first."
Hisoka's voice entered the air again, a hint of disapproval clear in it. "Toshimora Hoshiko."
Sarutobi was pleased he'd lifted his hands to steeple before his mouth again; they hid the almost fond smirk that crossed his face as Haruichi glanced to Hisoka with enough quiet anger to make him spontaneously combust. Hisoka was married to his position, his people, the ANBU; he would naturally be wary of family ties... or the prospect of them. Particularly if the girl in question was a refugee from Amegakure. Sarutobi though, had a family, and he understood - even if he did not necessarily approve.
There was a silence, then Haruichi blinked the venom out his eyes and looked away from Hisoka.
"Unless this an order, Sandaime-sama? In which case, of course I serve at the pleasure of the Hokage and Konoha."
Sarutobi watched him silently, shrewd dark eyes directly examining the near-unreadable white ones waiting for his word. It was unusual to hear a Hyuuga say that, even one as distanced from the clan as the prickly young healer standing there dripping snow onto the carpet. Hyuuga had their obscure and binding pride, and they prized their autonomy to degrees that both of Sarutobi's mentors had found cause for concern more than once... so the Sandaime Hokage understood what was going on rather quickly.
Order him to do it and he wouldn’t have to go explain to his fiancee that he’d volunteered.
The Hokage unfolded his hands and rose to his feet, a more equal status of address for those whose lives were only in his hands. "You'll report to ANBU Headquarters tomorrow morning at eight."
"Yes, sir."
"My regards to Hoshiko-san."
For the first moment in the time he'd been there, quite possibly for the first time in years, Haruichi's eyes flitted down at that.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
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Haruichi decided to for-go the rooftops and walk home on ground level, feet crunching in the snow - though the sound was torn away by the wind. He wasn't in the hurry to return he'd assumed he would feel as he'd set out an hour ago - but Hoshi would be asleep in their newly-bought apartment by now anyway, and Haruichi had no doubt he'd have to fight the dog for his spot in the bed when he got home.
Home. Hn. He hadn't realized how quickly the apartment had become just that. It had taken him over a year to think of his last stable residence as home... the Infirmary at ANBU HQ. A week in a dilapidated flat with Hoshi, a bed, a table, and a dog to guard the door and suddenly he had a home.
Hoshi had asked the night before last why they didn't just rent a place, and Haruichi had told her anything except that he wanted her to have secure property in her name if he got killed on a mission. He wasn't much of a liar, it seemed, because she'd realized what he wasn't saying after thinking about it for ten minutes - and then she'd grabbed his hand and refused to let go for almost two hours. It had meant they couldn't talk, and he'd been relieved. There probably wasn't anything to say.
Walking back through the snow, Haruichi reflected that now there was going to have to be something to say. For once he'd have to know exactly what to say to her, because she would know exactly what to say to him.
The wind kicked up again, and a wet flurry of snow swept all around the lone Hyuuga on his way home.
Fools and heroes indeed.
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cynical