| [Jan. 5th, 2012|07:50 am] |
"It's using 'em up, instead." Ryouma kicked at a pebble, scowling at his feet. "Even Kakashi—" He stopped, took a breath, started again. "He lived by their rules. Gave 'em everything he had and never grudged the asking. And they drained him dry and dropped him. If he'd had a team captain, someone lookin' out for him, someone to haul him in on the short leash when he needed it—" He cut himself short, jaw clenching hard enough to turn the hinges white. Jerked his head, and said more slowly: "He's out, now, at any rate. Says they won't let him back. And he wants me out, too, though Arakaki won't take my resignation until I'm mission-fit again."
“I’ll bet,” Asuma said. “He’s losing more agents than he can afford, and I reckon Hatake shook him up. Golden boy, y’know? It’s like they figured he’d just go forever.”
Ryouma gave him a sharp look, and asked abruptly: “What happened?”
Asuma blinked. “He didn’t tell you?” He shook his head. “Dumb question. You wouldn’t ask, otherwise. You sure you want to hear it from me?”
Ryouma’s cheek hollowed, as if he was biting it on the inside. “That bad?”
“Wasn’t good,” Asuma said. He dropped the dying butt of his cigarette and stamped it into the ground, shoving both hands into his pockets to stay warm. “Hatake attacked a civilian. I don’t know the full story, but rumour has a pretty good picture. He was fresh off a mission, and one of the old bastards with a thing for his dad stopped him in the street. Said something nasty, I guess, ‘cos your boy just snapped. Would’ve been ugly, but Ginta was close enough to step in; almost got himself killed doin’ it, but he kept everyone alive. And a couple of ANBU got involved pretty sharpish.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I know Ginta from growing up together, kind of. Growing up near each other, anyway. Got some of the story from him. Sounded like Hatake blamed him for the bunker thing, and for not finding you. I’m guessing that’s why he went after him when Ginta got involved.” |
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