Regeneration (Yaju)

It felt odd to be back at work, odd to see the same people she had always seen circumventing the Raikage building and waving to her as if nothing had changed. The girls down at the chancery smiled at her like the always did, nodding approvingly at the basket of strawberry shortcakes the blonde carried. She supposed it wasn't their fault really, she herself had been going out of her way to pretend what had happened had just been a bad dream.

Reality didn't work that way though, it didn't let you forget. For even in the smiles and waves of the cheerful folks who worked in the administrative building, Akihana could see signs of loss. While most were dressed as they normally would be, many adorned a black armband in honor of the ones they had lost, not very unlike the one that rested on Akihana's own left bicep. Where others had gone all out to carve names, momentous and patterns on theirs though, the medic's armband remained plain and black, in memory of the man who had been a simple one at heart, a man who had died defending what he held dear.

A good man.

"Mommy, is Echo never coming back?" Arata's eyes gaze up at her questioningly and never had she wanted to answer in an uncertain way than she did now. How easy it would be to give her son hope and yet, it would be a lie. As much as the blonde had wanted to protect her son from the reality of shinobi life, here it was, right in his six year old existence, telling him of death and its inevitability.

"He's in a better place now, sweetie," Akihana reassured him, taking his hand in hers as they crossed the corridor to the elevator leading to her office on the top floor."He's with Goddess Etro and watching over all of us."

Signs of stress and overwork were aplenty around the office. Hurried memos littering her usually neat desk, stacks of applications yet to go through, order forms for rebuilding and more than a mountain of files to look through and see which ones needed to be forwarded to the Yondaime Raikage. It had been three days since the attack and the kunoichi had been back at work for two of them, the first being spent at the hospital both recuperating herself and healing those in need. She hadn't seen Yaju all day that day but the next morning as she had came into work, it looked clear that he was not only drowning in work but neglecting himself quite a bit in the process. The kunoichi had made sure to send regular meals and coffee to his offices as he worked late into the night, never quite knowing how to approach the subject she herself was so hesitant to talk about.

It was just easier to pretend that they were both too busy now, that the demands of the villages superseded any need for closure they might have personally had. Yes, it was just better to focus on Kumo right now, that was what Echo would have wanted.

"Are you going to miss him?" Arata's dark hair shifted slightly as he moved forwards, ignoring his mother's work station to head straight for his sensei's office door and all Akihana could think of wa that he needed a haircut. He needed a haircut and she needed to do the groceries and they needed to ensure the Raikage looked after himself.

And not think about the question her son had just asked.

Closing h eyes briefly to keep the sadness from becoming apparent, the kunoichi followed Arata's lead to the door, watching him knock softly and wait for a reply. She could sense his chakra signature on the other side but politeness was always something to be practiced.

Time happened to blur for the Raikage after the destruction of well over half his village, his friend being killed in his watch and other horrific events and yet here he was sitting in this chair. The following night he had sat in a ruined house filled with broken things, bottles and weapons stuck inside of the wall as he was taught that ninja never were to show themselves crying.... Yet why did he feel so? Since the battle he stayed lodged in his office bandaged up and in the form of a child due to the mixing of both his Sage Chakra and Bijuu Chakra, the slightly long red hair and yellow eyes glancing over the new plans for village reconstruction among other things. Being dressed in a blue and black Yukata he sat there as if he hadn't slept in days and continued to do work without anyone seeing him. 

The Bijuu never stirred in the days and in his mind he knew something was up but he would never come to terms to ask. He just focused on his work and continued to do what a Kage should and help in the revitalization of his village. In his mind he wanted to contact the leaf to notify them of the incident but would he be held responsible? So many thoughts raged through his mind before he sighed and looked up towards the door or his work and nodded, " come on in,"  weird that a child's voice would ring from the office of the Raikage and yet it was him. 

As Akihana walked into the room she wouldn't see him yet his presence was known as he peeked his small head over there piles of work and pointed to a seat " Go ahead and make yourself comfortable we have a lot to discuss,"  knowing him he took this seriously despite being in this.... Embarrassingly bad for me yet he was the Raikage and thus had a duty to uphold.

"Yaju-sensei," the new genin bounded into the room, not at all perturbed by the Raikage's child like form. It was the first time he had seen Yaju like this and though Akihana couldn't tell how her son had managed to pick up on his sensei's chakra, he clearly had, She supposed it was a boys thing, or perhaps Arata and Yaju shared a bond she wasn't aware of. After all, the little raven haired male did look up to the Raikage as both a teacher and a father figure. Perhaps now "big brother" would be added to that list too.

Akihana however had seen him like this, and the small red headed boy made her feel even more guilty inside. Because as much as her mind tried to convince her that this was the same powerful adult male she had known for what seemed a lifetime now, her heart only chose to see the frail body of the child who looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulder, and who really really needed a hug.

But instead of saying all this, the blonde merely took a seat as he suggested, finding a place on the crowded desk for her little basket of baked goods. "I made strawberry shortcake," she offered by way of reminding him that eating was still a thing that needed to be done.

"They're too sweet," Arata complained from his own position beside Yaju, attempting to look over the blueprints the Raikage had been studying. The little boy's face wrinkled in distaste further as he took in the schematics. "And isn't that pillar going to interfere with the underground plumbing system?" Her son's observation took the kunoichi by surprise. Since when had Arata become so good at catching details? For a six year old, he was developing skills and cognitive abilities easily afforded to someone twice his age.


As Yaju stated they had a lot to discuss, Akihana merely nodded, biting her tongue. One hand she wished they would talk about what had happened out there in the battlefield and on the other, a part of her was terrified they would have to at some point. So instead she took the easy way out, making the conversation about work, following his lead.

Keeping quiet about her emotions just as he was.

"I've looked through more applications for purchase of raw material for rebuilding, as well as profiles of ninja volunteering to help with the rebuild. Even the teachers at the academy are organizing students into groups to help clear up the debris," she reported, trying to smile but not quite succeeding. She doubted smiling would be easy for a long time yet.

A small smile which was surprising for him would appear on his face as her looked down and ruffled the child's head as her slipped back into the large chair, " Thanks for stopping by.  Before we begin I'd like you to accept something from me and the village. In spite of.... The events that happened... I want to reward you with something," jumping out of his seat he would hobble or slowly walk over to a cabinet and pull out a paper which he would hand to her, " I'd like to promote you to our highest honor. You stared into the eyes of danger and held your ground for your village... In that I want you to accept this honor.. Of becoming a master ranked ninja of Kumogakure," after that he would hobble back to his seat and go over the plans again. 

Once she had said something about strawberry shortcake he would push all of the papers out of the way and make grabby hands for it, eating it happily as he smiled and for once looked happy in a sense. After finishing it he would sigh in relief as he looked over to the child and shook his head, "it's like the same basic structure as my home which is strengthened with doton Chakra and metal so it shall be fine," his eyes looking over smaller details with those child like eyes until he had written something down on a bar and sighed, flipping it to a small Fox and the falling onto the desk.

The blonde remained quiet as Yaju presented her with the honor, wondering how he had seen her worthy of it. Master ranked ninja were like Kuro-san, like Misaki... Like Echo had been.

No, she would not think about that. Not now, hopefully not ever.

"Cool," Arata breathed out on her behalf even as she hastened to nod in acceptance. They both knew she wasnt a conventional shinobi, her strength did not lie in fighting but in communication, diplomacy and the utter belief she had in people. Perhaps that was what made her worthy in his eyes.

"Thank you," the medic managed and gathered the papers just. As the young Kage lunged for the cake, knocking everything else aside. Arata's complains didn't seem to have an affect on the little redhead as he devoured every last bite before slumping on his desk. And though Akihana may not be a conventional ninja, she was a conventional mom, and every mom knew what a sugar rush followed by a sugar coma looked liked. "And when was the last time you got any sleep?" She asked, one golden eyebrow raised sternly from habit.

"Mommy, maybe we should tell him a bedtime story," Arata suggested before looking at Yaju with dark, amusement splashed eyes. "Mommy tells really funny stories, she does all the voices too."

"No thank yous are necessary, you have done what many would not have done and you had stood by my side when many didn't. With Misaki missing and Kuro... I no one of his disappearing spells, you are the only one I can confide in... You are one of my only friends still around," he paused for a moment as his eyes trailed to the side and a sigh escapes his lips, " Any ways I know you will do your new position well and I hope you will continue to help me keep this village safe," after speaking he simply sat there licking the excess frosting from his mouth as he went on about reading the blueprints.

When the blond had asked him when was the last time he had slept, the child Raikage looked to the side in embarrassment before rubbing his head, " yesterday?," now if he knew one thing about that question it was the answer that would follow it, but in the form of this child maybe he did need sleep.... But he couldn't... Not yet.

His eyes slowly glanced over towards Arata as he huffed and crossed his small arms, " I am the Yondaime Raikage and I do not need mere bedtime stories....," this coming from him in his child form looked and sounded funny as he'll which considering his situation would make a lot of people either smile at him until he clocked them clear across the room and through the windows.

The mention of Misaki and Kuro-san tore a fresh wave of pain across her features, one she hoped she managed to hide well in time before her son caught on. Yaju would understand but how could she explain to Arata the burdens of a ninja life style, how friends just needed space, how friends just died, how friends just... ceased to be. "I'll always be around," she assured him softly with a slight nod of her blonde hair, letting her golden braid swing forwards. Arata watched the exchange carefully until the Raikage declared that he didn't need a bedtime story.

The way he pouted and crossed his arms, Yaju reminded her of her own son so much that the kunoichi almost moved to ruffle his hair fondly like she often did with Arata before catching herself in time. This was not her son, this was the man who could kill her with a snap of his fingers. And yet the way he sat petulantly behind his too large desk, the blonde couldn't help but smile. Her first smile in three days.

"Well, I think you're going to like this story," Akihana began with a sight chuckle, gently steering Arata away from Yaju and placing him on her lap instead. The boy objected for a few seconds before relaxing into her comforting hold. "Once upon a time, there was a boy, lets call him Pretty."

"How can a boy be called Pretty?" Arata interjected right off the bat, making Akihana look sternly at him.

"Because mommy's telling the story to Yaju sensei, and he's okay with the name," she responded, stroking her fingers through Arata's dark hair to relax him before she continued. "Pretty was a special little boy," she went on, looking meaningfully at Yaju. "But some people have the burden of too much responsibility when they aren't ready for it yet. His friends realized that Pretty would be happier if he didn't have that responsibility until he was ready, so they kept him in a safe place where no one could hurt him or take advantage of his great gift."

Akihana had done as she was instructed. She had escorted the boy, passed out from exertion as he was, to a hospital here she had performed the healing necessary to ensure his bijuu didn't kill the boy. But ever since the young genin hadn't woken up, his psyche likely locked in battle with the great beast of power his body was too weak to contain.

"And now his friends have a dcision to make. Whether they should let Pretty go on with his great responsibility to relieve him of it until he can truly be ready for it. It's not an easy decision but sometiems we have to make hard choices to protect the ones we love, don't we...?" Her golden eyes saught out the tiny Raikage's at the last sentence, knowing he would understand what she meant.

"So what did his friends do?" Arata asked, turning around to examine her face. Aihana wondered if he saw the lines of exhaustion on her features. Or did he just see his mom. She hoped it was the latter.

"That's for next time," the medic said, gently slipping the boy off her lap. "Why don't you go out and sit at mommy's desk for a while in case someone needs to see her. You can be Kumogakure's first secretary today," she smiled encouraging, watching him step out the door.

"I have him with me," she spoke as soon as Arata had closed the door behind him on the two. "He's still unconscious, i was able to put bring him along in one of the emergency medical bag seals at the hospital. He's in a medically induced coma because any moment will agitate the bijuu into fighting again, destroying the boy's body. "

There was a sigh slowly coming from his mouth as he looked up to Aki and shrugged slightly, " we will deal with that boys issue on the morrow since our village will soon be done and fixed by tomorrow so from there we will go further. I will need you to watch over the boy until then... There is another one that needs to be in this conversation as well and I don't know where he is. So for now take the day off and prepare for a celebration of our new village okay?," with that he would smile and go back to his work, picking up all of the blueprints and sealing them into a scroll. With that he would also decide to move their funds to a more secluded area of the village, knowing from the previous bouts that something could easily happen while he was not here... Perhaps it was time to see what his prized student was really made of

[Exit, moving Kumogakure funds elsewhere and also promoting Akihana to Master. As of now Kumogakure is now fixed kinda]

"Very well," the blonde nodded, quite aware of his state of exhoustion. She would keep the jinchuriki with her for as long as she needed to. For now they had bigger things to worry about.

His words of celebration were half hearted, though Kumo was on its way to being fixed, non of them would truly feel like celebrating for a long time.

'I'll drop by with more food later." The medic stated in terms of good bye. "You have to keep your strength up." And with that, she left the office, picking up her son on the way out.

(Exit Akihana with Arata and Pretty, claiming master rank. Wc is for cd only)

Approved.