True Intentions: Cult or Konoha (P)

~True Intentions: Cult or Konoha~



Two days after Ayumu Peinto’s funeral, it had been a rather emotional week for Konohagakure no Sato. Today’s event’s lead Orito to the Public Park, The hokage strolled across the walkway by himself, which sat above the trees, which lied below the park.

Stopping half way on the bridge, Orito leaned his arms against the hand rail, looking up into the sky, then around the park itself. Considering that it was almost a perfect day, there wasn’t very many people on in the park itself. They must have been enjoying some of the villages other festivities, or partaking in missions for the village. None the less, it seemed the park was less populated than usual.

Orito had sent out a messenger bird to the house of a young skilled shinobi named Jiro. He was a teammate of Ayumu Peinto, Jiro was the youngest member of the ANBU Black Ops at the age of sixteen. One year younger than Ayumu. The shinobi of this generation progressed through the ranking even than Orito did, at that was an achievement itself.

Jiro was a rather polite boy, but too find out the boy’s true nature, was one of the worst things a person could stumble upon. This boy worshiped an Evil God, the religion of Jashin, an absolute wicked cult of religious nuts that strived on spilling blood, murdering anybody who got in their way, in the most crude and horrific way.

But somehow, Jiro tamed his hatred for the world and turned out to be a nice kid, defending Konoha against all that endangered it. He seemed like a pure and innocent boy, but after seeing him in numerous fights and learning about the cult religion of the Jashin, Orito knew that there was always a big risk of Jiro snapping and murdering dozens of leaf citizens and shinobi.

As Hokage and shinobi of the leaf, Orito had to make sure this wouldn’t happen. But Orito wasn’t going to assassinate the young shinobi, after all, he did mean well. So many questions surged around Orito’s mind though, the main one that bothered him, what if this jashin cult came to Konoha and requested the Jiro helped them in the Konoha’s demise? Would Jiro just leave the people who brought him in and helped him grow? Would he betray his comrades for these sadistic psycho’s? Would Jiro betray the Hokage for the Jashin Lord? What were this boy’s true intentions?

Orito would discuss these issues with Jiro and he would answer them truthfully or untruthfully, no matter what, Orito would see through the boy’s words and find the truth. That was one of Orito’s special abilities, being a former leader of the ANBU Interrogation’s Unit, he could smell out a liar a mile away.

Footsteps approached Orito, but the man did not bother to turn his head to see who approached, if it was his young associate, then that boy would let his presence be known to the Hokage.

Jiro was reading an advanced treaty on psychology and how to best employ it both in battle and social contexts, when a courier hawk flew through the window with a message attached to it’s fore leg. Moving with the speed and grace only a Ninja possessed, he carefully set down the work before turning to the bird and removing its burden. Moments later and the bird of prey was already airborne returning to the aviary from where it had come leaving the Anbu and the message. It was short, simple and too the point a summons from the Hokage though the nature of his request was not mentioned, only the location and that he should attend immediately.

He quickly picked himself and organised his kit in preparation to go. Like many wary Nin Jiro always packed in case of trouble, and he knew better then most that trouble tended to turn up when you least expected it. All the while his mind wandered to the nature of the note. It was short, succinct and otherwise as one might expect but it gave no reason for his summons. Usually a small mention to pack light was attached in prelude to a mission but then again perhaps there would be plenty of time to prepare for any mission after the meeting. It could of course relate to Ayame’s passing and the rumours that surrounded Robin, if the latter was true then he would seen be without a team and doubtless his role would need to be redefined. There was one other possibility that he tried not to think about, that his true nature had come to light. This of course seemed unlikely, if the Hokage had learned of Jashin and his relationship to him Anbu would already be here hauling him off to the secure cells below the Anbu Headquarters to be put to the question of even killed. No it was most likely to see how he was coping with Ayame’s loss; the Hokage was the caring sort after all and took a great interest in his Nin. He was not altogether certain his trusting nature was beneficial given the world of assassinations and back stabbing they lived in but it was a quality he had come to appreciate in the Aburame leader.

It took him only moments to get ready as he pulled on his Flak Vest and wide brown brown overcoat. He preferred his Anbu kit to the regular issue which despite the armour was more flexible and allowed for greater range of movement but nothing in this letter indicated official Anbu business and it was not appropriate for him to don the mask when not on duty or operation. When he was ready, he turned to his window and leapt out into the sky focusing chakra bubbles beneath his feet to saw ever higher. Some might consider this form of false flight showy, but to Jiro it was a simply quick way to get about and a good chakra control exercise. That the move was in anyway showy was irrelevant and neither here nor there in his book

It did not take long to get to Konoha’s fable park, with its wide rambling walkways, lush plant life, trees heavy with blossom and beautiful vistas. He quickly picked out the Hokage dressed as ever in his robes of office staring into the distance taking a moment as he had just done to enjoy the scenery. A strange place to meet for sure but then it was not his place to question the Hokage, if the Hokage wished to meet in the park then meet in the park then the would. He stopped jumping through the air and started to fall in a graceful dive which was finished off by a series of flips and rolls designed to slow his rapid descent and ensure a clean landing some 20ft behind the young Kage. Not wanting to keep his boss waiting Jiro strode up making sure his footsteps were clearly audible to show he had no hidden intent towards the master of Konoha. The Hokage was a source of respect, admiration and uncertainty for the young Anbu operative. He was one of the few Nin of importance that he knew little about and that made him all the more dangerous, as if being the most feared Nin in Konoha did not make him dangerous enough. Knowledge was power and he knew far less then he liked about the most powerful bug user in a century. He was somewhat of an enigma, his eyes always hidden behind those dark tinted glasses of his, hard to read and harder still to comprehend. It was one of the factors he prized most about his leader partly because it was a virtue he shared, a quiet reserve that hinted at so much more. Coughing once he spoke up:

“Greetings Hokage Dono, I have come as requested. On what matter do you need me? What is you will Hokage Sama?”

As ever he bowed respectively before resuming a polite reserved posture he had developed over the years. He had worked years to cultivate a certain image, one of politeness, fairness and above all efficiency. Too many people Jiro was a perfect Nin, unassuming, reserved, respectful, talented and obedient and was held by many to be an example to the younger generations. His neighbours were always happy to see him, and despite his best efforts to avoid unwanted attention he had become a target for a larger part of konoha’s female population. Others, including many Anbu found his countenance unsettling, there was something unnatural about the way he smiled and as for his efficiency no one could be that perfect. Every Anbu had their own coping strategies, you needed to in their line of work, from perverted studies to chain smoking it was important release tension and help forget about the strains involved. Behind the uniformities these were the subtle differences that made them what they are. Jiro on the other hand never seemed phased or troubled by his duties and was much the seem now as he had ever been which was the problem, what sort individual could return from a mission killing over two dozen people and not seem phased in the slightest?

Orito heard the young and firm cough from the leaf shinobi, I was Jiro standing in all his glory, the perfectly well postured boy bowed as he greeted Orito.

“Greetings Hokage Dono, I have come as requested. On what matter do you need me? What is you will Hokage Sama? said Jiro.

Orito turned as Jiro resumed a perfect stance. Orito dropped his head slightly as a responsive bow. The boy had impeccable manners and language skills, he spoke like a wise man and acted extremely mature for his age. The two emotionless faces connected with one another, though Orito’s eyes always remained hidden behind his trademark sunglasses. Orito had recently figured out Jiro’s religion, which was not a nice religion at all. This was one of the issues Orito would talk to the young shinobi about, plus some recent issues with the ANBU Black Ops.

“Greeting Jiro, thank you for responding to my request so swiftly.” Orito responded. He folded his arms and leaned his bottom against the side railing as he began to resume speaking.

“I felt obliged to talk to you one on one, to discuss some events and issues that have occurred over the last month. As you know the ANBU Black Ops recently has hit a major bump, with the untimely death of Ayumu Peinto. His funeral and death affected some more than others and because of this, Robin Kaguya, your leader of the Black Ops, needs some time to reflect and recover. He also is running some errands for me in the Sand Village, so he will not be present in the Leaf Village for awhile now. If such events can affect the emotions of the emotionless and strong willed Kaguya, what chance do the rest of us have? Finally the last member of your elite four man squad, Seth Kamen, is still injured after the last mission that all four of you partook in, when you assassinated the evil criminal organization known as the Kuronami.” Orito cleared his throat with a firm cough before once again continuing.

“You are the only one in physical and mental condition to do anything at the moment my friend and I question this sometimes. You are a remarkable young and skilled shinobi Jiro, but you have had your fair share of serious injuries like all of us have. But this is where the questions start to surge around in my mind. How are you still in top physical condition? How can you kill and torture people the way you do and remain emotionally and mentally unscarred. As you would know, I used to be in the ANBU Interrogations Unit, becoming the leader of that unit before reaching the original Black Op’s unit. It took me over a decade to develop the mental ability to show no emotion or suffering to the people I killed and tortured. How can you remain so emotionless?” Orito awaited the young shinobi’s response, for how Jiro could put up with what he could do, to what he could inflict on another human…..intrigued Orito.

Jiro paused a moment to take a proper look at the young Kage as if a moments extra study might reveal the real intent behind his words. It was hardly a secret, at least among the Anbu that his own psyche evaluations were off the charts and perhaps the Kage was simply exploring the issue. Some thing in him doubted it would be that simple. It never was where the Kage was concerned. He still remembered the day the Kage asked him to help tidy his office only to find himself still there 8 hours later doing the Kage’s mountain of paperwork, something he mentally noted he had yet to get revenge for. Perhaps helping ensure that the Nin who had recently aided in giving the Kage a new name following a visit to the Hot Springs evade justice. But what if the Aburame knew something deeper, something more damning, had his carefully constructed cover finally fallen apart. He was aware he had been watched by others for some time now and he had been careful to kill only when on mission as a result. Another telling sign that his relationship with Jashin Sama remained a private one still was that he was not in prison or dead already, Jashin was not widely accepted and many villages would kill one of his disciples on sight. He wasn’t certain what Konoha’s policy was but he imagined it involved Anbu, a cell and a great deal of torture. That said the cult of Jashin and its disciples where incredibly rare, practically extinct so it seemed unlikely there were aware of Jashin let alone himself but then he had been hiding the facts for years and it only takes one small slip up to bring down the house of lies he had so carefully built. Maintaining his calm smile he look towards the Kage and responded, careful to keep his tone relaxed and unwavering:

“Thanks for your kind words. With regard to my physical state I endeavour to keep myself in peak condition so that I might more efficiently perform the duties given to me. I also possess accelerated healing thanks to a kekkai Genkai one of the few thinks I inherited from my mother. I heal quicker then most and without scarring. Not powerful but helpful never the less. As for my emotional state I can only assume that the rumours concerning me have spread. I am simply more emotionally grounded then most, a result of life as an orphan. Had you lost your parents when you could barely walk too and were raised in a not altogether hospitable climate you would have found ample time to acclimatise yourself to the realities of life. Furthermore I fully subscribe to the Anbu philosophy that one must trust ones instincts not ones feelings and it therefore seemed wise not to call upon them on missions, lest they cloud my judgement.”

He paused momentarily as if he realised what I said before continuing:

“My apologies Hokage Sama, it’s not my place to question your upbringing or bore you with my views on emotional control. Let us just say that I act as I have been instructed, it’s my duty to serve after all and in my work emotions are of little use”

Jiro was a highly skilled liar and manipulator whose softly spoken words and handsome face could win over the stoniest of people. It was said he had no enemies and was well liked despite few people actually knowing anything about him. He knew a good lie should always be encased in firm irrefutable fact. When someone knows something to be true they are all the more likely to assume the words around it to be so to. He could care less about his mother and possessed no KKG in truth but he did heal faster then normal. His rare trips to the hospital could attest to this much at least. The question now was would the Kage buy his explanation and move on to less problematic aspects of his life, perhaps even assign a mission. All the time Jiro maintained the pleasant demeanour that made him so popular, that odd half-smile of his as though he found everything fascinating and endeared so many young and old. Most people with never look beyond the smiling Nin or suspect any ill of the handsome young man, but to someone with the skill to see underneath his words and demeanour saw something akin to a carefully woven veil of deception that gave hint to the meticulous and calculating genius behind it. There was no surprise that many other Jounin seemed uneasy in the polite youth’s presence, such an individual was dangerous indeed

Orito was intrigued as the young shinobi began explaining these situations to the Hokage.

“Thanks for your kind words. With regard to my physical state I endeavor to keep myself in peak condition so that I might more efficiently perform the duties given to me. I also possess accelerated healing thanks to a Kekkai Genkai one of the few thinks I inherited from my mother. I heal quicker then most and without scarring. Not powerful but helpful never the less. As for my emotional state I can only assume that the rumors concerning me have spread. I am simply more emotionally grounded then most, a result of life as an orphan. Had you lost your parents when you could barely walk too and were raised in a not altogether hospitable climate you would have found ample time to acclimatize yourself to the realities of life. Furthermore I fully subscribe to the Anbu philosophy that one must trust ones instincts not ones feelings and it therefore seemed wise not to call upon them on missions, lest they cloud my judgement.” Jiro explained. His voice was steady and calm, still showing no emotion as he spoke, even about his parents.

Orito scratched own neck as a sign of thinking, he began processing the data he had just received to indicate whether Jiro was telling the truth or in fact, still hiding all his knowledge, but before Orito could completely be sure, Jiro began speaking yet again.

“My apologies Hokage Sama, it’s not my place to question your upbringing or bore you with my views on emotional control. Let us just say that I act as I have been instructed, it’s my duty to serve after all and in my work emotions are of little use”

The Hokage finished processing it all, Jiro was a good liar, maybe it was the emotionless trait he held just like Orito, none the less, the boys experience was nothing compared to Orito’s. Jiro seemed to be developing quickly, his natural ability to show no emotion made it difficult to tell when he was telling the truth or not, since nothing changed in his body language or tone’s in his voice. But Orito knew the information he had discovered was correct, for it explained why Jiro acted why he did.

The shy boy didn’t seem to mean any harm, but if his evil side overwhelmed him, his full powers would be unleashed and it was possible for Jiro to kill many shinobi, which would cause havoc among the village. Even still, Orito didn’t feel like this was Jiro’s true intentions, his religion and his country seemed to be too completely different parts of his life, but none the less, it was a worry knowing what a Jashin-follower was capable of, especially with the immortality trait being dragged into things.

Orito decided to test the boy’s truthful side once more.

“Your mother? I was unaware she had such an ability, it was not mentioned to me when you came to the Leaf Village when you had the meeting with the third hokage. I understand that there were some things you wouldn’t share with the village upon your entry, after all, trust is a two way thing and must be gained on both parties, but something like that I’m sure you would of mentioned. Did you not trust the third? What about me, how much would you tell me before you think I’ve heard enough? I’m the Hokage, it’s my responsibility to ensure safety to all shinobi and citizens that live in the Leaf Village. No matter what the situation is, I’m trained to understand and respond accordingly.” Orito said in a firm yet calm voice. He wanted Jiro to understand where the trust lied between them. Nothing would lie hidden from Jiro that was needed too, so why would Jiro hide things from Orito.

“Also, your axe, it’s a rather obscure and large weapon for somebody of your age, it’s quite remarkable that you have been trained to use such a deadly item. It intrigues me that you could even lift it, let along swing it around like you do.” Orito said, waiting patiently, eager to hear the boys response.

The Hokage’s line of questioning was causing Jiro to become increasingly unsettled. It was becoming abundantly clear that the Hokage was not simply inquiring about his well being as a courtesy before going on to assign him a new mission. His questions concerning Jiro’s past was both an inconvenience and an unwanted reminder of his life before Jashin, before he cast aside doubt and fear, when others took advantage of him and abused his trust. However it wasn’t the mention the past that unsettled him so but the present. The Hokage’s talk of trust was a little more then a veiled accusation that he was hiding something, that Kage had noticed something amiss. Jiro now regretted not going to see the Hokage in the past perhaps if he had confided minor secrets to him instead of declining to meet with him socially to train harder, he might have developed enough trust to allay suspicions. Instead he had assumed his dedication to his work, his careful avoidance of problematic social interaction would be enough to put him above suspicion. Clearly he had been mistaken and now he feared that there was chance the Kage knew more then Jiro liked. Only now did he realise in avoiding any prolonged discussion with the Kage he had stood apart from his peers and attracted the Kage’s careful gaze. His constant declining to take credit after missions, to attend receptions in honour of the team or put him self in the limelight for fear of attracting unwanted glances must have played their role in causing the Kage to question his reclusive nature. Even now he was uncertain how much of what he already said the Kage believed given this. He knew he would need to be careful not to appear any more deceptive lest he only dig a deeper hole. Lying was always risky, but he began to feel that lying here might be far more dangerous then he had originally anticipated.

Despite the inner turmoil Jiao’s face was the same smiling emotionless mask of a Nin enjoying the company of his respected leader. He took a breath to calm his growing anxiety and replied:

“It is not surprising there are no records, my mother died before I arrived and being that she is not from Konoha no records of her exist within the fire Country, at least not any more. My late father’s clan did not approve of his relationship with her and petitioned that her name be scrubbed from the records as is their right”

Despite efforts to seem carefree an engaging the way he emphasised his father’s clan made absolutely clear of his views on them. Many Nin questioned why Jiro had no family name and some had even asked him but Jiro always managed to find a way to the change the subject. He continued, a barely noticeable trace of disgust coming into his voice,

“As for the third, my fathers clan thought it best not to trouble the ruler of Konoha on such a minor matter, and decided to sort matters out internally. They did not want me bothering the kage with my trivial issues and made it abundantly clear how dangerous the streets can be for a young boy all on his own around the Tower. At the time I considered it only prudent to accede to the wishes of the venerable clan elders. Though I occassionally saw the Third from by time to time on his business I admit to not being certain how to approach him. I was misinformed that he had a dim view on children and no good would transpire if I spoek to him. When I met the Third in person while studying at the academy my past misgivings, though largely basese, meant I found it difficult to speak to him”.

Jiro had not noticed that a new tone had crept into his voice. He never discussed has past before and as such had never learned to school his reactions probably in doing so. It was aggressive, angry and above all embittered. But his voice was as nothing to the cast of his eyes, eyes which seemed akin to bottomless pits. The gaze you sometimes find on torture victims that stare into nothingness that stems from deep emotional and physical trauma.

Jiro had intended to stop their but something new drove him on. Something he could not control, the urge to come to terms with what was done to him. His voice took a sarcastic tone that gave no illusions to his views on the subject:

“I can not say it was easy being disowned by my clan at the age of four but I did build backbone as people like to say and I am sure the clan did it out of the best intentions after all. And they were right of course; it was dangerous on the streets. It is strange to think that of all the time’s I have been but a hair’s width from dying the vast majority of incidents occurred before I was 7 years of age. Funny that”.

Jiro, normally so clever and thoughtful seemed almost not to notice how close the subject had strayed to that most sensitive one of all, his God. The emotions of his past he had avoided so long were now finally starting to catch up with him and he continued on without much thought as if he had forgotten the kage was there:

“Things were different back then of course, before He found me”

Much like a person suddenly remembering they left their wallet at home, Jiao’s mind came to a screeching halt. He quickly realised he had said too much, far too much and like any skilled orator in such a position quickly changed the subject.

“You wanted to know about the Axe, Hokage Sama? An interesting piece is it not. I acquired it while travelling, never seen the like before and I felt an urge to acquire it. It is well made and holds it’s edge well. As for the weight its lighter then it looks and I am used to wielding heavy weapons so it does not cause a problem”

And with that the reserved yet polite Anbu was back all evidence of the haunted youth covered once more in an aura of quiet reserve.

As Orito spoke Jiro kept his cool, calm face the whole time, but the young boy knew that Orito knew more than Jiro had thought. After the Hokage had finished explaining Jiro took in a deep breath, but his pattern was different, there was a tremble in his breath, like he was anxious.

The boy spoke about his family, talking about how it wasn’t surprising that there were no records of his past, as his mother died before he came to the leaf village and his father abandoned him. Jiro spoke with a slight tinge of disgust in his voice. It seemed even this polite boy had a hatful side. Orito understood, the boy hated his father for abandoning him, who wouldn’t. Fathers were meant to be the ones who taught there children about life and how to survive it, all Jiro’s father taught him was trust and rely on nobody.

But shortly after the change in his voice stopped, as he began to speak about the Third Hokage, Yuto Hozumi. It seemed Orito was misguided, for Jiro had not had an interview with the Third, his father’s clan didn’t feel it was necessary, how foolish of them. Jiro would only been about four when he was abandoned, so talking to the Hokage would have made Jiro’s early years in the village more comforting. But Orito wondered which part of Jiro’s life was when he converted to the demonic cult, The Jashin.

Orito had a feeling Jiro didn’t speak of his past and his family very often, if ever before. It was a touchy subject, but Orito had to know where the boy’s true intentions lied and to do this he would have to know as much as possible about Jiro’s past, family and personality. After all, looking at the records and history of the Jashin religion, Jiro didn’t seem to fit the profile. But his sources were strong and that’s why Orito would persist until he found out the truth.

Jiro brought up his past near death experiences, he spoke of many, which was bizarre that Jiro would experience so many injuries, for his hospital records didn’t show him arriving there much over his lifetime in the leaf village, but like Jiro had stated, his mother’s clan had a quick healing ability. What a lie though. Orito couldn’t bring this back up just yet, for Jiro had already explained it. But even still, quick healing doesn’t mean immortality. Even such a clan wouldn’t be able to ‘heal’ fatal abilities, so Jiro just made another mistake in his explanations, which would become noted in Orito’s mind.

One line that Jiro said, dug deeply into Orito’s mind.

“Things were different back then of course, before He found me”

There is no way that Jiro could mean, the Jashin god? The boy wasn’t foolish enough to slip up that badly. Was Jiro talking about the Third Hokage? No, he said that he hadn’t had a actual personal discussion with Yuto. So he must of meant….The Jashin God.

Before Orito could act upon the boy’s words, Jiro had quickly changed the subject to a question that Orito has asked earlier about the axe Jiro carried on his back.

Jiro spoke about his weapon, about how he could control large weapons with ease and enjoyed using them for some strange reason. He said he found it travelling with the ANBU, a lie. But Orito had no time to hold Jiro up on what he said. The Hokage began to speak again.

“I’ll have to stop you there, you mention somebody finding you. Who?” his question was brief, but he spoke firmly and seriously. This situation was starting to become rigorous. Jiro had been covering up such a large secret for many years, but just like that, he slipped up continually in one conversation. This is why he must have avoided so much social situations, but this, careless for a shinobi to do, let alone an ANBU.

But if there was anybody who to slip up to it was Orito, there was no embarrisment to loose mind games to Orito, he used to specialize in the very fields of torture, which of course included such fields as mental. Truth was something Orito had experience with, along with lies. Nothing could get past him. Orito waited for the young grey and white haired boy to answer.

When he heard Orito pursue this line of enquiry he knew his change of subject had failed in its purpose to distract and mislead the Kage which left two options neither good since both most likely who lead to conflict, one he had little chance of winning. If that occurred only one of them would leave here alive and though he fancied his chances against most people he knew was not in the same league as a Kage. The battle would be as brutal as it would be pathetically short. The options were simple, refuse to tell the Kage and most likely be taken for questioning which he would resist and in doing so killed or talk about Jashin. In this scenario there was a strong chance the Kage might try to kill him personally and conflict would begin in earnest. With either option heralding his own destruction it dawned on him it did not matter at this stage which route he went down. His shinobi instincts told him to keep quiet, admit nothing and continue to stall or ignore the question entirely but he ignored them this time. Why cover up who he really was? After all he was not ashamed of his divine master. It was not his fault the world was too weak and morally conflicted to understand him. If he was to go to battle he should dictate the terms, should take the initiative. So the Kage wanted the truth then he would have it. He would let him know of the secret life of the favoured son of Konoha. He would let him know they have been sheltering a servant of the Blood God himself. His voice no longer seemed uncertain, afraid or indeed phased as he answered Orito’s question as though it were nothing more then a remark on the weather:

“Do you believe in God Hokage Sama?”

He let it hang in the air before turning to look at Konoha’s resplendent park, looking into the distance with a strange fascination, as if looking at something beyond the sight of mortals. He did not wait for an answer because it did not matter, after all the there was no need for people to belief, the Kage included to make their existence true.

“There are many Gods out there far more indeed then any mortal could properly comprehend, gods of the sun, Gods of fertility, Gods of the road and even tiny forests Gods who dwell within trees. Each has a role to play, each a sacred duty given to them on the day of their inception. For Kami it is to breathe life in to the world and foster peace, for Loki to bring mischief and it is through us, you and me that the Gods carry out the great works. In most cases there influence is so subtle that no one even notices their guiding hands. Do the joyful soon to be mothers realise to praise Kami when he breaths life into the unborn children or thank the Shingami when he guides the souls of their departed relatives to eternal paradise? It’s up to the priests of our world who to remind the people of the favour they receive and to remind them of the fragility of mortal designs. In very rare cases there are Gods who touch our world directly, influencing it for the betterment of mankind. They seek out prophets to remind the world of their existence and help to balance out the actions of man. I was most fortunate to be so favoured”

“You ask who found me, who saved me from the darkness of my own mind and put me to a greater path, why the Lord of Redemption himself, the one known in this land as Jashin Sama”

He turned his gaze full of religious fervour and looked directly at the Kage and saw the look of recognition on his face.

“So you know of Jashin Sama do you, very few do, a result of fear borne from misunderstanding both on the part of the world and my equally deluded predecessors. I wander how much you know about My God? Perhaps you have heard of the crimes committed in his name, the dread rituals performed in his honour and of his other names, the Blood God, the Lord of Murder and the Prince of Destruction. There all too many who focus on what he does rather then what he achieves, on the actions of misguided servants who took his teachings too literally rather than his role in the greater scheme of things. My Lord is many things, the shadow in the night, the blood on the blade but more then anything he is the Lord of Damnation tasked to make people remember what they have forgotten, to remember the Gods, to understand their teachings and to punish those who lose there way. He is tasked to bring to an end those who forsake a life of balance and contemplation, those who fail to preserve their purity of soul and in so doing threaten those about them with eternal damnation in the next life”

His stare did not waiver as he continued:

“If you our in desire of battle then battle we shall do. Reach out and destroy me, there are many ignorant fools who would thank you and praise your name if you did. Judge me as you see fit but before you judge my master, tell me my Lord, do you not kill those who threaten the peace you have fought to bring? Do you not willing send those under your protection to battle and die for a greater purpose? All creatures of wisdom know that to keep the good crops strong the weeds must be culled. Do not look upon my Lord through the actions of those before me, those fools who took the laws set down by the Gods too literally, who believe the Great master demanded death for every breach. There are over 7,000 divine laws and even I can not keep all of them and so for centuries they have considered humanity all equally guilty and killed without thought. Let me assure I am not of the same mind. One thing I learnt well at the academy was not to jump to conclusions”

The only noises that passed through the park for those few moments were the chirping of birds and the rustling that the tree’s made when pushed against the wind. Orito waited patiently for Jiro’s answer. The Hokage had answered him a difficult question, what answer would become the decider to the entire conversation that had taken place up to this point. But the boys answer was and icebreaker, a question that Orito never expected to hear come from the polite boy’s mouth.

“Do you believe in God Hokage Sama?”

Orito was too traumatized to answer the question, but it seemed to be more of a rhetorical question. Silence consumed them both yet again. This conversation was finally heading where Orito had planned to go, but he was too stunned to even open his mouth. Jiro had begun speaking about all the gods and the purposes, a religious rant was coming, Orito knew it. He gripped onto the side railing as Jiro continued expressing his feeling about the topic of religion and gods. When he said exactly what Orito had been waiting to here.

The man that had found him, it was the one and only Lord Jashin, the God of Blood. The rant continued, now on topic of the Jashin religion and the god itself. Questions were thrown at Orito. How much did he know of the Lord Jashin? Jiro wondered how deeply Orito had fallen into study of the religion.

The powerful gaze of the white and grey haired boy pulled Orito in, this boy, it almost seemed like he had been brainwashed.

He began speaking of the rituals performed under the Lord Jashin’s name. Those horrid rituals, that would allow the Jashin follower to torture the victim until they begged for death, pleading for their sadistic opponent to finish them off.

The stare remained strong between the two as Jiro continued his long speech about the Jashin religion, defending his god and telling Orito not to judge his master. But then, Jiro proposed another option, which was that Orito would strike him down, for all of his sins and crimes. For all the people Jiro had murdered and because Jiro knew that it was the Hokage’s job to protect Konoha from all threats. External as well as internal. Although Orito had it in his power to easily strike down the youthful shinobi, it was impossible for him to die, for his immortality trait would be securely intact.

It was time for Orito to express how he felt.

“You are misguided, from information I have gathered you have not killed anybody in this village that wasn’t needed to be assassinated for any particular reason. Your methods are inhumane and rather gruesome, but you are no real threat to Konoha. You have put your life on the line to save Konoha many times and been injured plenty more. Your efforts to ensure safety here have been great, but I find your religion rather unstable. I do not see where your intentions lie, when one day you have to choose between your religion and your village, where do your loyalties lie?

Jiro was surprised they were still talking to be fair, while this avenue had always been an option it had been a slim one at best. The Kage’s words were as unexpected as they were interesting. That the Kage even considered overlooking his actions spoke more about him then a thousands words idly traded. It was clear he didn’t understand his methods, few people could come to the terms with the work of Jashin but he did not condemn the results. It was a positive sign, a portent even that perhaps Jiro could serve a greater purpose in the future.

Of course there was no confusing the Hokage’s last question, a clarification of loyalty. The Kage was clearly not above letting him live and even serve as long as he produced positive results but he was not willing to risk Konoha’s future for it. Doubtless the Kage feared he might turn on Konoha one day and slaughter any who got in his way. An understandable fear of a shepard who worried he might be leaving a wolf among the sheep. He would answer him in his own fashion, not as Orito might expect. After all a question of loyalty was never a simple one and one could hardly expect a simple answer. It should be enough to soothe his concerns even so:

“You ask of loyalties as though the question is black and white, as though there where a simple answer but we both now when it comes to a man’s heart there is never anything so easy. Is it simple that in one hand I follow you will absolutely and in the other my God’s? Do you fear they might conflict, that my God, ancient and unchanging will suddenly demand I change my nature on a whim? Come now Hokage Sama we both know this is not a question of loyalty but of damage, of whether I might seek to do harm to you and yours. You rightly fear I could bring suffering to many should I turn on Konoha. I will say nothing on the matter of loyalty, I find the idea of sullying my bonds in such a manner distasteful but I will give you the certainty you crave. I promise not to attack Konoha or willing do harm to those in your service who do not mean me harm. I will never slaughter innocents on some foolish whim nor will I seek to glorify in such acts by joining with those creatures that call themselves the Akatsuki. While I live, Konoha will need only ask for my aid and I will come blade in hand. I promise in Jashin’s name not to betray the trust you have placed in me. Tell me Hokage Sama, can Konoha promise the same? Should you perish and my true nature be learned will they stay their hand as you do now? If there is betrayal it will not be my doing, I can assure you. It is not Konoha who has reason to fear my presence here, quite the contrary in fact. That I have stayed and stand here still, potentially risking my own existence upon revelation of my nature when I could have easily fled long ago and banded with other missing Nin is testament enough to my loyalty”

As if he just concluded a minor debate he asked “Is their anything else you wish to know my lord? I promise not to lie but I may be economical with the truth. After all a good ninja never lets on more then is needed”

Orito knew his question would be followed up by a difficult answer, but it was expected. Both shinobi mainly didn’t show emotion, but each of them were feeling a bit awkward currently, for this was a touchy subject to talk about, religion and loyalties. Jiro had shown a total different side to himself when he spoke about his religion, his always been known as the quiet and polite boy, but when he spoke of the Jashin, he would rant on for a long time, it seemed to be a rather large passion of his.

But not it was time to discuss loyalties, which Jiro also had a lot to speak about. Of course as he stated, there was no simple answer to Orito’s question, but Orito reacted to this is a upset manner, he wasn’t angrily upset, just upset that Jiro didn’t have enough will power to choose one over the other. He did not understand that it was a possibility that fellow Jashin followers saw Konoha as a sinful village and decided to invade and slaughter the residents of the Leaf Village, where would Jiro’s intentions lie when it came to his religion and village.

But Jiro asked a question of his own, he asked what would happen when Orito was long gone and a new Hokage was elected, then they found out of Jiro’s abilities and religion. Would he still be welcomed in Konoha and what would ensure his safety?

“To hold the title of Hokage, you must understand and revise all situations before taking action, this is why my young friend, the third Hokage, Yuto Hozumi, who was only a new Hokage, after his girlfriend was kidnapped by the Akatsuki as bait. Despite being told not to do so by both myself and the village council, he followed and was shortly outmatched and killed, along with Rose and a young Konoha genin that tried defending the third Hokage. Recklessness and lack of thought caused his death, along with emotions for others.” Orito paused for a moment, clearing his throat. Speaking about Yuto was a touchy subject to him, it was the boy he grew up with, his little brother. But Orito still couldn’t protect him from death, even though he wasn’t far from the action, even the Black Ops Leader, Robin Kaguya and a mere genin beat Orito to the scene. He was very disappointed with himself to this very day.

“I’m telling you this because since that incident, Konoha’s older generation of shinobi have become more wise and strategic, constantly thinking about there actions before acting them out. This means that when I move onto the next lifetime, the next elected Hokage will understand your situation and react to it similar to what I have, if not better being that I can be uptight and confronting with such situations. Unless my life is cut sort by an untimely death, I will be able to speak with the next elected Kage about this issue. I do trust you Jiro, its your religion I don’t trust, which I’m sorry to offend you of such things. I’m not prejudice like that though, I can tolerate religions with no problems, this includes even the Jashin, but it’s the way your cult react to situations and slaughter people who you see as a sinful person, but who really is innocent. I could be seen as a sinful people simply by being the Kage of this village. What happens when a fellow Jashin follower comes to Konoha and slaughters many shinobi and residents, then where will you intentions lie. When you must choose a side, which side will be chosen?

The Hokage’s tale was an interesting one, made all the more so by his personal involvement. Jiro was always interested in learning of missions and conflicts if only to learn from them and appreciate what they teach. The emotional elements that so often strewed such tales passed him over without thought. His own emotional limitations and his tendency to focus on the practical rather then the emotional led to a lack of an appreciation of their importance. That the Third had died so surprised Jiro who understood how important careful planning was and knew how foolish acting without thought was. Surely such a leader should have been twice of aware of this fact as he and yet his own actions bare a different tale. Yet who was he to think less of him where not his own admissions just now equally reckless? After some though he put it down to emotional imbalance, after all he was hardly ever reckless and kept his emotions suppressed. Only when they broke to the surface did he act as he wished rather then how he should. Perhaps this was the same with the Third. Perhaps he too allowed his emotions rather then his mind to dictate his path.

Jiro was not considered a prodigy without reason and was perceptive enough to note the Hokage’s slight pause. Not quite a hesitation but enough to reveal how deeply the matter meant to the Hokage. Clearly Yuto meant a lot more then he dared reveal if he was struggling to find words to fill the silence. He knew they were like brothers but knew nothing about the extent of their relationship. It was a reminder that beneath the mask of authority even a Kage, an Aburame one at that, had feelings. The Hokage had lost much and yet gained a new purpose and a greater responsibility with his friend's death, a parallel in some ways to his own life. Oddly Jiro found this fact comforting they he could say not why so unused to valuing the feelings of others on any more then a superficial level. The Kage went on to pose the question again, clearly not convinced by his previous answer. Fortunately this next question was far less problematic and Jiro was more then happy to answer it without hesitation on his part:

“So you wish to have an answer to a hypothetical question? The followers of Jashin Sama are not so commonplace that you ever likely to meet one let alone come across a second in a lifetime. My divine master is highly selective in his choice of servants and blesses very few with his grace. However should such a situation come about know that we would almost certainly do battle. Given our shared abilities I would be best suited to combat him and there is almost no chance we will see eye to eye. As I have explained my interpretation of Jashin Sama’s will is different from my peers, different enough at least for me to be condemned in their eye as a blasphemer, a heretic, the worst kind of sinner. On the other hand I consider the excesses of my less subtle forebears repugnant and deserving only of the same destruction they reap. Be assured should I meet a fellow worshipper who slaughters all before him in Jashin’s name there will be no chance of an alliance and only one of us would walk away from any encounter that might crop up. It is the way of the cult of Jashin to cut away the weak among us like a cancer before it can spread and be assured I shall cut should the need arise”

He wondered if that would serve to satisfy the Kage. Jiro quickly fell back into his quiet reserve, emitting an aura of calm serenity that belied his true nature. It was in this state he thought he noticed a flicker in the corner of his eye and curiosity getting the better of him he turned to seek its origins only to find the area shrouded by trees. He took a moment to look harder still hoping to penetrate their leafy veil but only saw the merest flicker of what he momentarily thought was flame. His interest peaking he asked:

“Hokage Sama, do my eyes deceive me or are we no longer alone? To your right in the copse of trees I am certain I saw something. I only saw it from the corner of my eye but I am sure I saw a flicker of flame. Is there anything to be concerned about?”

The boy's answer was satisfying enough, not only could Orito tell that it was real, he believed him. Orito didn't have much more to say about the issue with the Jashin religion as of yet. Before he could reply, Jiro looked a bit anxious about something, looking around into the canopy of the trees. The boy had spot's somewhat of a flame light and asked Orito if he had seen the same and asked if there was anything he should be worried about. It sounded like the boy thought that Orito was considering to ambush and attack the young ANBU shinobi.

If Orito wanted to attack Jiro, it would of happened already. Orito knew what was jumping around in those trees, Senkou. Orito summoned her earlier to let her have a run around the bottom of the forest, as long as she would stay hidden for now. It seemed she had a bit of an issue with commands. Silly girl. Not too many people knew of Senkou, she was only a new friend to Orito and only few actually knew about her. Jiro would soon find out.

"You wish to find out, well follow me." Orito said smiling, he took a few steps back until his bottom was leaning on the hand railing. He smirked eager at Jiro, before leaning back to the point that it looked like he fell over the bar. Free-falling too the bottom until he gently back flipped and landed cleanly and quietly on the floor of the park. He waited for Jiro to follow.

OOC:Sorry lack of inspiration to roleplay at the moment, sorry for the long wait.

The Anbu glided down, wind chakra buffering him so he almost seemed to float as if weightless, to land near their Kage. There was nothing fancy about his landing, no twirl no flip, just a careful bent knee, a steady stance and furtive eyes checking for danger for ever. His landing was as methodical as it was practical with no wasted effort and reflected just how seriously the youth took his job. Twirls were for show offs, flips for people who thought looking cool was more important then being aware of ones surroundings and they were both actions that boy held with a certain distain. As an Anbu operative he was perfectly aware that not even Konoha was all that secure, there were many Nin out there capable of breaching even its defences and none were to be trifled with. Those who got too comfortable with the surrounding had a tendency not to leave them in his line of work. That said he knew the possibility of danger was remote given the Hokage’s relaxed attitude. If anything were amiss the master of Konoha would surely have said something already, few things escaped the Aburame after all

Standing next to the Hokage he peered into a nearby copse of trees wondering what might be inside. He thought he heard the faint sound of metal ring on wood and wondered if some ones was training but there were no signs of this. No damaged trees, equipment or strangest of all signs of any human activity at all. It was not easy to tell at this range but he swore he could see no new footmarks among the few that littered the ground of konoha’s park. He thought he could make out one strange indentation half burned away, an animals track by the look of it but certainly not clear. He was fairly sure whatever he had seen earlier was not human but beyond that he could not tell. The Hokage seemed at ease, happy in fact and that made him all the more curious. Fortunately his innate curiousity was held back by a towering amount of patience not normally found on someone his age, a result in part of his immortality given him a longer view on events. He was content enough to remain passive and wait for what was to come. In carefully measured tones of genuine interest he asked:

“Tell me Hokage Sama. What is it you wish to show me?”

(OOC: Not the only one taking a while to post. Didnt put much as once much to do while waiting for senkou to make a appearnace)

Orito smirked as Jiro gently floated down next to him, the boy was acting very elegant, which was a lot different from seeing Jiro fight. Orito kept a large smile on his face as Jiro asked the Hokage what he wished to show me. Orito brought his right hand to his mouth and formed a little circle with his thumb and index finger and blew on it, which formed a strong whistling tone threw the trees.

It went silent for a moment when all of a sudden a giant figure of flames leaped out of the tree branches above the too and landed roughly, kicking up some dust on the landing. Orito covered his mouth as the field became thick of dust, making it hard to see. But it quickly cleared as standing in all her glory, was Enkou. Orito smiled as he walked over to her, patting her flaming mane as she nuzzled Orito's hand. Enkou was a beautiful horse, which was the regular sized, but possessed a great ability which was to have her body almost covered in flames. These flames worked as a great attacking but they were very controlled by Enkou, she could choose who to burn and who not too. Like Orito, who could pat here flaming mane with feeling nothing but a slight warmth.

"Jiro, let me introduce to you, Enkou. She's my first beautiful summon, but she cannot take.. yet. Orito said, gently smiling, showing a caring emotion. He had grown very fond of her very quickly she was a magnificent creature.

So the mysterious shape had been a summon. How a flaming horse managed to climb trees with only hooves he wasn’t sure but now that he was close it was clear that before him stood the flames originator. It was a curious creature, a flaming unicorn by the looks of it, a puzzling creature indeed since his own research into the subject seemed to clearly suggest they were mythical beings and in all likelihood more inspired by the drug induced ravings of mad man then based on any real fact. It could of course be a very well crafted illusion to make him think it was a flaming unicorn when it was simply a mundane horse but discounted that thought almost as soon as it cropped up. The Kage would not pull such a prank, at least he didn’t think he would, and illusion or not the flaming marks it left in it’s wake looked real enough. Given this he decided to update his information on unicorns which jumped from being mythical in his mind to very real in a blink of an eye.

The Horse looked kind, welcoming and even a touch playful, not something he would usually associate with the usually serious Hokage. It was said a Nin summons spoke volumes about a Nin and he wandered what this pretty little thing said about the Kage. He could only imagine the beautiful beast was far more powerful then it looked given Orito’s interest in it, that or maybe he was more ignorant about the Kage’s true nature then he thought.

He momentarily considered reaching out to stroke it as a sign of goodwill but was well aware that most summons didn’t like him. He had learned the hard way that summons were often better judges of character then men and could sense an individual’s true nature. Somehow they knew he was not quite right and tended to act in a hostile manner towards him. The last supposedly benevolent summon he met, a celestial golden badger, might have seemed wised and calm to the locals of the area but Jiro could recall how big the damn things claws were when it tried to rip out his throat. Only the Vampire Bats had shown him anything boarding on respect so far and by summon standards they were viewed as vile conceited creatures who respected power over wisdom. He could feel the summoning tattoo on his right fore arm throb a bit as Enkou neared and he hoped nothing would go wrong.

Unfortunately he was also aware that revealing his doubts might be taken as a insult or weakness, not something Jiro like to do. This left only one option. Deciding hesitation would do him no favours, he resolved to greet the summon as anyone else might after such a warm welcome from the kage, with kindness and respect and prey to Jashin it didn’t possess giant golden badger claws too. There was of course no guarantee the summon would show the same respect and dread began to fill him as he found himself reaching out with his right hand to stroke Enkou’s muzzle. Given his experience sticking his hand near a summons mouth that could well be filled with serrated jaws for all he knew seemed rather foolish indeed but some how he held his resolve. All the while he tried to maintain an aura of composure as if there was nothing to be concerned about. Then as suddenly as it had approached them from the wood its mouth opened. Jiro’s hand was by this point less then an inch away and he was certain he was about to be in a whole world of pain. Despite himself the genocidal anbu operative momentarily close eyes preparing for the worse when he felt a big wet fleshy thing slide across his palm. The worried youth looked up to see Enkou happily giving his hand a big slippery lick before rubbing his nose on the palm of his hand. Worry and surprise gave way to embarrassment and despite himself, his well trained features dropped momentarily to reveal a blush of embarrassment. Quickly restoring inner and outside calm he replied:

“Your summon is truly majestic my Lord Hokage. Tell me how did you come by such a fine specimen?”

It was interesting to see even the top shinobi be scared of such a summon, when Senkou was in battle, it was a danger to the opponent, because her skill was extreme, but in more relaxed times, she was a gentle creature. After moments of hesitation, Jiro finally extended his hand to pat the beautiful unicorn like horse. The young man closed his eyes and looked away as Orito lightly chuckled, he knew Jiro had nothing to be worried about, a friend of Orito's was usually a friend of Senkou's.

Senkou slowly trotted up to Jiro and did exactly what Orito predicted, left a big slobbery puddle of saliva up the young boy's arm. Orito chuckled again as Jiro began to blush lightly in embarrassment. It seemed even the Jashin feared something, which was weird for Orito to see. He personally did not find anything he feared, besides losing his family and failing his village, not even the akatsuki scared him. He hated them with a passion after what they did to Yuto Hozumi, Orito's close friend and the third Hokage of the Leaf Village.

Orito gathered his thoughts for a moment before approaching Senkou and Jiro as the young ANBU boy complimented the magnificent animal and asked how Orito became lucky enough to find this creature. Orito smiled lightly and he stroked the wild firing mane of Senkou. "Well, I was traveling through the forest of death, actually looking for a giant snake, which I did happen to find, the snake had cornered some animals in a cave and was trying to catch his prey, most likely for lunch I'd suspect. Unfortunately for that snake, Senkou was one of the animals trapped in the cave. A large fire ball was forced out the cave into the snake, causing it to retreat. All the animals ran out the cave and into the woods as finally Senkou trotted out in all her glory." Orito said smiling at his summon, as he knew she understood what he was talking about, she just couldn't speak back.

"Once she politely approached me and decided to come home with me, I read a book in the Konoha library about the majestic creature, there was a recent legend of the mysterious flaming horse of Konohagakure no Sato, which was believed to live in the Forest of Death, the civilians called it Senkou and well after the information was gathered, I decided the name would remain the same and adopt her as my pet-like summon. Although I do have to summon her, I often let her free as long as he stays descrete....but it seems shes having problem doing that at the moment." Orito said looking at the summon raising an eyebrow. He knew that Senkou just wanted attention. He couldn't stay mad for long, he shortly smiled again and pulled an apple out of his hokage robe, handing it to Senkou as she chomped into it loudly.

Jiro cursed his own embarrassment and tried to sort out the emotional mess he was quickly becoming. Even so he couldn’t help but find himself trailing off, lost in his own thoughts while the Hokage explained how he first met Senkou.

Jiro remembered a time when he didn’t fear anything or at least would never admit as much, assuming fear only led to weakness. It had only been in the last few years that he has come to realise that to be truly fearless is also to be reckless and headless of danger and he quickly learnt in the early days of his Anbu training that there was no room for mistakes stemming from such foolish thoughts. He trained himself to appreciate the dangers that existed, that his immortality was by no means a guarantee of victory and survival and thus learn to respect the role he played. Fear was only a weakness when you let it guide your actions, hold your to a set course. He who feels fear but overcomes it is always stronger then those who know not fear at all, the decision backed by a conviction the latter lacks. There is no honour or bravery to be had in being ignorant or shy to the dangers you face.

In regard to Senkou, his fear was a small thing, not so much a fear of the summon itself but an expectation of the worse based on previous experience and it was not difficult to stay his course. Compared to his greatest fear it was as nothing. Jiro knew he had a far more deep rooted fear then he cared to admit, one he had always had as a result of his difficult upbringing. He had been blind to it till recently and for despite his best efforts to stem it, it kept cropping up. Simply put Jiro had a fear of intimacy, a fear of getting close to anyone or thing, a fear of trusting people. He feared such trust could be turned against him as he done to missing Nin’s to extract confessions and be used to harm not just him but risk his divine work. Jiro couldn’t even comprehend a life without Jashin, a life without the purpose he had been given. To this end he had kept everyone at arms reach however recent developments deeply worried Konoha’s grey haired prodigy. Jiro’s placid face hid the deep confusion running through him stemming from Ayumu’s death and now his careless omission. For someone who tried to isolate himself from the wider community, to keep his own counsel and become detached he realised was doing a piss poor job of it. Something would need to be done about it.

Noticing the Kage coming to the end of the tale, he turned his mind once more to the outside world and the wondrous unicorn and its proud honour. It was oddly warming to see how the two interacted, a connection beyond simply that of summon and summoner, a deep and with any luck lasting bond. So different from the relationship he had with his own summons. There was no deep connection there, no meeting of souls, nothing beyond an ancient blood pact and a shared God. There was respect of sorts of course but it stemmed from fear not mutual appreciation. He very much doubted Senkou served her master simply because she had no other choice. For a moment he wandered if he could have such a relationship. This moment ended as abruptly as new thought came in one back by the conviction of his faith, No. He had made too mistakes of late, too many emotional errors. No more. His twin purpose was to carry out Jashin’s divine will and destroy any who threaten Konoha, and he reminded himself that nothing else mattered. Emotional connections were for other people. His summons would serve and be content with that. It was too late to isolate the Kage of course, he knew too much, nor would he, his respect was too great but the others, with Ayumu gone and rumours already stirring of Robins disappearance, must be excluded. He was a weapon, he needed no friends merely targets
Realising it was his turn to speak he replied:

“Doubtless she will become so in time Lord Hokage. In spite of this your summon seems powerful indeed, I have a feeling her size gives little indication of her true talents. A most impressive find if I may say so. As ever my lord you need not fear I will tell any others of her so that she might surprise your enemies when the time is right”

His tone and demeanour as he spoke the words had changed, the embarrassed emotional youth had gone replaced with an altogether different specimen. Their were no flowery words or carefully veiled lies as had been the case prior, only the truth but whatever humanity the boy had before had gone, banished it seem leaving only the Nin in its place, loyal, deadly, efficient and ready to kill at a moments instruction. Oddly enough as he spoke the mild wind that had been blowing all this time had seem to fade away and Konoha seemed oddly silent but for the hooves of Senkou only serving to make the difference in Jiro that more apparent

Senkou had a new friend in the young ANBU warrior. Orito continued to pat the horses mane and upper back as he turned to Jiro again. "It's good to know there's others that Senkou actually likes. But I'm not surprised she is certainly a friendly creature." Orito said smiling. The Hokage then scolded myself in his mind a little for showing such sensitivity, he cleared his throat in embarrassment and tried to make himself look more of a leader than a sensitive shinobi by clearing his throat deeply and loudly.

Orito decided he would discuss the final matter and then call it a day, he had paperwork to get back to unfortunately. "So, I feel like I trust and know you a lot more than before, you aren't as mysterious as you once were, I do appreciate you opening up and being honest with me, it's a great trait in a shinobi, but I suggest we keep your Jashin religion between us, until further notice. Being that your squad has fallen apart with Robin's break from the squad, Ayumu Peinto's death and Seth Kamen's prolonged injury. I'll be setting up a new, four man's unit, since I think it's best for Robin to retire for now, until further notice, I'd really prefer you to overtake the Black Ops. Considering my utmost amount of trust in you Jiro." Orito stated. He had nothing more to talk about, he awaited Jiro's reply before he would turn to his paperwork at the office.

OOC: Sorry once again for the inactivity of this topic as I explained to you in the chatbox. Sorry if this is a bit short than my usual posts, at least it makes the post count

Orito’s tolerance, if not acceptance of who he was had been enough for Jiro. It was a great relief to know that his great secret had not led to unnecessary and regrettable conflict with a man he greatly respected and admire. For Orito to beyond his God and promote him in any case was something else entirely. The Kage’s words still rang in his head, “Considering my utmost amount of trust in you Jiro”, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. For Orito to trust him so despite what he knew shocked Jiro who’s own issues in this department made him the last person to trust anyone. Follow, aid and lead, yes but trust beyond a professional stand point, no. He realised now perhaps there were exceptions to the golden rule of trust no one, and that in front of him stood one of the biggest going around. He would not make the Hokage regret the trust placed on him nor would he back down from the opportunity to better serve the man. Keeping his voice measured and steady but adding a touch of humility too it he replied:

“Thank you Lord Hokage. Your trust in me in spite of my less then normal upbringing gives me true hope for Konoha’s future. I believe that under your leadership Konoha will only grow strong, the will of fire burn ever brighter. I thank you that you will keep what was discussed today between thus, they will not understand me as I believe you no do and I fear no good can come from it. I accept your request that I take over black ops and I will do all in my power to do my duties in manner Konoha deserves. Konoha’s enemies are my enemies and he who picks up a blade against her will find them selves struck down before they can land a blow. My blade is yours to command”

He ended the last statement with deep bow before rising up in his usual manner

“I see that I am keeping you Lord Orito and I will take up your time no longer. I must ensure the Anbu headquarters is fully stocked and operational in time for this new team you have in mind. By you leave my Lord”

With the last statement he brought his arm to his chest in a formal salute with his head bowed before giving Senkou a brief smile and a friendly wave before disappearing in swirl of leaves leaving the young Kage with a short walk back to his office and the growing mountain of paperwork on his desk