The cells were also specially designed that the one within them couldn't sense approaches from without until they were opening the door.
The lock bolt sliding out of place was a startling noise in the silence of the room, jarring Kureno alert from the half-resting state he'd been in. A meditation of sorts to give his mind and body rest without conjuring up bad images. He looked up to see who was entering and immediately found that to be a mistake. His eyes, having spent an entire day in the dark, slammed shut at the sudden invasion of light that burned the back of his sockets. Lifting a hand to shield his sensitized vision, he made out two shadows that he was sure could safely be identified as Morino Ibiki and Hyuuga Hiashiko.
Gravity suddenly took a vicious seize on his organs as they all seemed to cluster and fall to the bottom of his gut. To him a visit from Hiashiko could only mean two things: Hokage-sama was back and he was being escorted to his sentencing, or someone was dead.
Kureno shifted, slowly and deliberately to not cause any alarm at his movement, until he sat on his knees, hands on his thighs and in plain sight. It was the most formal posture he could manage, as he didn't feel much like standing. They'd probably feel more comfortable without him in a position so ready to move anyhow.
His eyes were closed again, head slightly bowed and bangs helping to keep them shaded. He didn't say anything, merely bracing himself for whatever news was to come from them and praying to whatever deity would hear him that the Hokage had returned.
This wasn't meant to be an interrogation proper--Hiashiko would be able to tell if he were lying thanks to the subtle cues of body language, one of the many gifts from the Byakugan, but she was not trained in questioning prisoners, not like Morino and the shinobi under her command.
But the need was quickly mounting for information, and without Sarutobi able to do so much as voluntarily move any muscles, Yuuhi was really their only other option. She stayed in the doorway, though Morino moved out of the light, and watched Yuuhi move into a formal and submissive posture. It seemed his time in isolation had at least curbed his impulsiveness.
"Morino-san has brought you a change of clothing," Hiashiko said, knowing that those were words Yuuhi would far from expect. Lacking interrogation training didn't mean she wasn't aware of some of the cruder techniques.
Kureno was surprised to hear that, and in this scenario that immediately made him suspicious. But there was little he could do however, even if this was one of those acts of kindness that came right before a crushing blow. And that kind of thought made his stomach sink.
He looked up, eyes still squinting, just enough to catch the parcel Ibiki roughly tossed at him, catching it against his chest. There was some hesitation, as though awaiting permission or disapproval upon his opening it. When at last Kureno pulled enough of the fabric(s) out to see, he was tempted for a moment to chuckle wanly. While possible the outfit may have had more to it, at first glance it was obvious to tell the design was completely offensive to his style. Almost enough to make him seriously consider keeping his bloodstained clothes.
After a moment of staring, Kureno tucked the outfit to his side in modest acceptance since he wasn't feeling inclined to change here in front of the Hyuuga's clansman.
"Thank you." There was a minute where nothing happened. "...That wasn't the only purpose of your visit, I assume."
"You assume correctly," Ibiki murmured from her place in the dark. "You are aware of the charges levied against you. It would behoove you to answer questions truthfully and with as much detail as possible." The unspoken threat of Refuse to do so at your own peril hung heavily in the air. Even without the fact that cooperation would speak well of Yuuhi when all information was set before the Hokage to evaluate, Ibiki was a firm believer in the ends always justifying the means.
She allowed a few moments of silence for her words to set in before continuing. "What was the situation at the time of finding Sarutobi?" Questioning out of order sometimes elicited more information than if the subject could expect what came next.
So this was an investigation meeting. Well that was certainly a lot more preferable than the other reason he'd been dreading.
Ibiki didn't have to vocalize her warning to make it clear, but at this point Kureno didn't need much of one. Hiashiko was right in a way to think his time here had quieted him.
"Rin and I had been gone from the village for approximately six hours when we found Sarutobi Asuka in an area not far from Tenchi Bridge that seemed to be the remains of her battle with the Akatsuki's Sasoriza. Sasoriza was dead when we arrived. Asuka was-" Dying. "-severely injured, perhaps mortally so if Rin hadn't been there to save her life." The blood on his clothes suddenly took a more pungent scent, but he pushed away the memories it brought. Now was not the time.
"After assisting Rin with surgery, I scouted the area for signs of Asuka's team and an Akatsuki pair. I didn't find either. After that I stored Sasoriza's body to bring back to Konoha before Rin and I carried Asuka back as well."
The lock bolt sliding out of place was a startling noise in the silence of the room, jarring Kureno alert from the half-resting state he'd been in. A meditation of sorts to give his mind and body rest without conjuring up bad images. He looked up to see who was entering and immediately found that to be a mistake. His eyes, having spent an entire day in the dark, slammed shut at the sudden invasion of light that burned the back of his sockets. Lifting a hand to shield his sensitized vision, he made out two shadows that he was sure could safely be identified as Morino Ibiki and Hyuuga Hiashiko.
Gravity suddenly took a vicious seize on his organs as they all seemed to cluster and fall to the bottom of his gut. To him a visit from Hiashiko could only mean two things: Hokage-sama was back and he was being escorted to his sentencing, or someone was dead.
Kureno shifted, slowly and deliberately to not cause any alarm at his movement, until he sat on his knees, hands on his thighs and in plain sight. It was the most formal posture he could manage, as he didn't feel much like standing. They'd probably feel more comfortable without him in a position so ready to move anyhow.
His eyes were closed again, head slightly bowed and bangs helping to keep them shaded. He didn't say anything, merely bracing himself for whatever news was to come from them and praying to whatever deity would hear him that the Hokage had returned.
Reply
But the need was quickly mounting for information, and without Sarutobi able to do so much as voluntarily move any muscles, Yuuhi was really their only other option. She stayed in the doorway, though Morino moved out of the light, and watched Yuuhi move into a formal and submissive posture. It seemed his time in isolation had at least curbed his impulsiveness.
"Morino-san has brought you a change of clothing," Hiashiko said, knowing that those were words Yuuhi would far from expect. Lacking interrogation training didn't mean she wasn't aware of some of the cruder techniques.
Reply
He looked up, eyes still squinting, just enough to catch the parcel Ibiki roughly tossed at him, catching it against his chest. There was some hesitation, as though awaiting permission or disapproval upon his opening it. When at last Kureno pulled enough of the fabric(s) out to see, he was tempted for a moment to chuckle wanly. While possible the outfit may have had more to it, at first glance it was obvious to tell the design was completely offensive to his style. Almost enough to make him seriously consider keeping his bloodstained clothes.
After a moment of staring, Kureno tucked the outfit to his side in modest acceptance since he wasn't feeling inclined to change here in front of the Hyuuga's clansman.
"Thank you." There was a minute where nothing happened. "...That wasn't the only purpose of your visit, I assume."
Reply
She allowed a few moments of silence for her words to set in before continuing. "What was the situation at the time of finding Sarutobi?" Questioning out of order sometimes elicited more information than if the subject could expect what came next.
Reply
Ibiki didn't have to vocalize her warning to make it clear, but at this point Kureno didn't need much of one. Hiashiko was right in a way to think his time here had quieted him.
"Rin and I had been gone from the village for approximately six hours when we found Sarutobi Asuka in an area not far from Tenchi Bridge that seemed to be the remains of her battle with the Akatsuki's Sasoriza. Sasoriza was dead when we arrived. Asuka was-" Dying. "-severely injured, perhaps mortally so if Rin hadn't been there to save her life." The blood on his clothes suddenly took a more pungent scent, but he pushed away the memories it brought. Now was not the time.
"After assisting Rin with surgery, I scouted the area for signs of Asuka's team and an Akatsuki pair. I didn't find either. After that I stored Sasoriza's body to bring back to Konoha before Rin and I carried Asuka back as well."
Reply
Leave a comment