[Action Thread] Needed Answers [Team 8 and Tsurude]

[chicks_dig_dogs]

Once Kiba had gotten word of the Hokage's return, she had wasted no time in asking if there was anything more he could tell her. She had expected another no, not yet, keeping waiting, I will when I can... but instead she had gotten a yes and an instruction to find her team as soon as she could. Hoshino had already been close by when Kiba had gotten

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[konoha_fifth]

"If there had been another way," Tsurude began before trailing off. There had been other ways, lots of them. But half of them had worse outcomes, the other half would have been akin to inviting any enemy country to come knocking on their door. The power of Hokage had to appear absolute, any sign of weakness or dissension in the ranks would endanger them all.

"Yuuhi was interrogating Zabuya when he came across the location of a Otogakure complex. He pushed for a mission to it and I agreed, only after he convinced me that he was capable of leading it. And I really believed he was. With his level of skill in genjutsu, we both knew he would be key to helping them escape the complex if something went wrong. It seemed a viable but still very risky mission.

"Shortly before the team was going to leave," Tsurude continued, voice sounded heavy, "Yuuhi abandoned this mission without permission to pursue Sarotobi Asuka. We couldn't cancel the mission or reschedule it, our window of opportunity was small. So a fourth person was recruited at the last second to replace him. All the mission dynamics were off and we're extremely lucky everyone came back home.

"The investigation was thorough, we looked for any possible reason that Yuuhi would do this... such as, an order for a superior who didn't understand the importance of the Oto mission or some external force that gave him no choice. But in the end, it was a simple case. Yuuhi made the decision on his own, he chose on his own to abandon his team and endanger their lives. No matter what his reasons were, he still betrayed his comrades.

"We're shinobi, our lives are always filled with danger. The only way that we survive is being able to rely on the people around us. Yes, this is unfair to you, yes you are a being punished. Senseis aren't perfect, they're human and they make mistakes. But a mistake of this magnititude, I'm sorry, but in the eyes of the Village it is unforgivable."

[hyuuga_hinaji]

Hinaji was having trouble following exactly what Tsurude was saying. It wasn't that he didn't hear the words, they just...weren't processing right.

Sensei wasn't sensei anymore. They were being punished for their sensei's misjudgement, and Kureno had committed a crime that Hinaji would have never, ever expected.

...He didn't even know what to say. He just felt numb, although there was a spark of some feeling down deep, although he couldn't say if it was anger or worry or disbelief all warring together.

"...But that..." He looked down, not sure what else to say.

[aburame_h]

Aburame were not known to talk at length, particularly about deep emotional connections. Economy of words was important. Propriety was important.

It was just that, right then, responding as logically and thoroughly as possible to the situation was more important than anything else.

"...that doesn't matter," Hoshino replied softly, reaching over slightly to put a hand on the small of Hinaji's back. Kiba would be able to let this loose in one way or another. Hinaji... was more like an Aburame. That was all. "Not to speak disrespectfully," she continued, voice quiet to preserve the monotone carefully, "but he still is our sensei. His actions are obviously not to be lauded or imitated, and it's perfectly acceptable for you to request him not to train students. That doesn't change anything, Hokage-sama. Our connection to him is in no way your jurisdiction."

[chicks_dig_dogs]

.... yes, Hoshino really had just effectively told the Hokage 'no'. If it wasn't so seriously, Kiba probably would have laughed. As it was, she just reached out and carefully tangled her fingers in Hoshino's coat, hoping to soothe- and quiet- her before the Hokage threw all of them off of the roof.

"We know he did wrong," Kiba continued, voice soft. "None of us are disputing that, or arguing that he shouldn't be punished at all. But we can't... just stop being his students, even if ordered. He's like family to us, he's been teaching us for six years, we..."

Her face fell a little. "... we know life is unfair, and that due to his actions he should be punished, we're not disputing that just... we just would like to keep him as our sensei. I don't... understand why we have to be punished too..."

[konoha_fifth]

"I understand your points," Tsurude replied, "better then you know. I've been in your position in some ways." After all, Sarutobi-sensei had let Orochimayu leave. The decision had cost her support among the village elders and created one of the greatest threats to Konoha. But neither Tsurude nor Jimaiya could hate her for that or even fault her for her decision.

"A sensei is special, he will always be important you, I understand that. I did not bar him from all contact with you but in the terms of his professional relationship with you, that is done. He will not be allowed to teach you and he will not go on missions with you. And contrary to your belief, that is under my jurisdication," he said firmly.

"You can find this unfair, you can hate me for the decision," Tsurude continued, "but if you for five minutes look at from the perspective of someone else, maybe you can understand. If it had been your mother," he said to Hoshino, "or your brother," he looked at Kiba, "or your cousin," he glanced at Hinaji, "on that mission, if their lives had been put in danger because of someone's actions, not just Yuuhi, but anyone, would you be so forgiving? If something really bad had happened, if one of those people hadn't come home and I just let the person responsible go with a slap on the wrist, would you find that fair?

"I don't rule this Village on fear, this isn't Mist. Konoha is strong because we are all brothers here. But that only works so long as you follow the rules. And Yuuhi didn't just break the rules, he damaged the bond between his shinobi comrades. How am I supposed to ever trust him with a mission again? But more importantly, how am I supposed to entrust the education of three promising shinobi in his care?"

[chicks_dig_dogs]

"We don't hate you," Kiba answered, frustration finally slipping into her voice along with the upset-ness. "We don't hate anyone. And I can't know how I would have reacted if it was my brother and someone else because it wasn't, it was my sensei and unnamed persons."

Hypotheticals that hadn't happened made Kiba's head hurt, and she didn't add in that if someone had died, they'd be discussing why he was executed, not just why he was being banned from being their sensei.

Though Kiba heard the part about Kureno not being barred contact, she shook her head lightly and continued. "... but we'll lose him anyway. He's our friend because he's our sensei but if he's not our sensei it.... it throws everything off. Like I said, we're not arguing that he shouldn't be punished, we KNOW what he did was beyond wrong and screwed everything up and has to be dealt with. We just don't understand why he has to be taken away from us too, after we've been waiting months."

Quickly wiping her face on her shoulder to stall any tears that might be there (her hands were occupied, one hand fisted in Hoshino's coat, the other against Akako) she continued. "... how can you entrust someone to teach us who doesn't know us? We'll have to erase six years of work and start all over again. It'll take us months, years even and...."

The Inuzuka trailed off, searching Tsurude's face before she looked down at the ground and shuffled closer to her teammates. "... if we lose him as our sensei, I think we're going to lose him forever."

[hyuuga_hinaji]

He felt Kiba move closer and did the same, inching so close to Hoshino they were nearly packed together. They must have been a site, three adolescents and a ninken, but Hinaji didn't care. This was how they were strongest.

"...He's important to us, Hokage-sama," he said quietly. "H-how do we drop six years...?"

[aburame_h]

Kiba's fingers were unbelievably tight in her coat. Akako overwhelmed a large section of her peripheral vision. Hinaji was pressing in closer, completing the perfect unit they formed when they were together. It was a good thing. Otherwise, Hoshino would have been in danger of saying further incredibly stupid things.

"..."

That didn't mean the Aburame wasn't visibly distressed. Her shoulders were a hair straighter than usual, her brow not furrowed but lifted slightly, fingers flat against Hinaji's back and head not inclined in the least toward Kiba. The little signs fit together harshly, forming a fully discomposed picture to anyone who'd ever worked with an Aburame before in a time of high stress.

There was no way to articulate it. It came out blunt and botched and not at all what she meant. Kureno couldn't simply stop being their sensei. The person who trained your genin cell was your sensei forever, even if and when someone else took over your education. It was intensely, intensely important that that be true. It wasn't fair to take someone from a lack of emotions, throw them into a state of intense emotion and then expect them to stamp it out again. If the village wanted heartless efficient machines, they wouldn't emphasize the importance of connecting emotionally with your team.

Or maybe that's just why all the jounin were insane. That was a good logic to consider while she studied the Hokage's face silently from the safety of her sunglasses.

[konoha_fifth]

He didn't think this would go well but he hadn't expected it to be this hard. "I know what it is to be attached to your sensei," he started. "But there is a time where you come to realize that your sensei is only human and that they will make mistakes, some of which can have dire consequences."

He straightened a bit. "You're not children anymore," he continued. "I wouldn't have this discussion with you if I didn't think you were mature enough to handle being told the truth. In all honesty, it's a bit worrying that a team of your skill is still chuunin. I know you have it in you to be great shinobi which is another reason it is imperative to remove Yuuhi as your sensei. It might not be something you understand now, but people will question your abilities on the basis of what he did. Neither I nor any team leader will ever be able to put him on a team without wondering if he will desert again. I do not want them to think the same for you. And while you think this action weakens you, that it takes something away, I know it will make your stronger."

He sighed. "And I'm not taking your sensei away. The man who was your sensei is not the same man who sits in that cell. Whatever happened, he changed." The person who had begged him to be sent to Otogakure was not the same person who had deserted that very team. It was not the same defeated and broken man that existed now. And while yes, Tsurude had his hand in that current condition, the fire that had possessed Yuuhi when he asked for the Oto mission was completely extinguished during the punishment session. All that remained was a resigned outlook, an emptiness that was there long before Tsurude started talking.

"And I can't allow him to take you down with him. I'm sorry."

[chicks_dig_dogs]

Kiba, for the weeks that she had been dealing with this mess, really had been patient, exceptionally patient considering who she was and what family she was related to. She had pulled up every ounce of politeness that she had in her being and then some. And while Tsurude may have not meant it, his indirect insults to all of Team 8, and to Kureno, had simply been more then she could bear.

Her jaw tightened so much it was painful and angry, upset tears finally started to seep though. When she spoke, her voice was low and barely even. "... we didn't go to the jounin exams because we felt another year could benefit us better. I didn't go because after my stupidity with Yakushi, I felt another year could teach me to better hold in my temper."

Yeah. Hold in her temper.

Biting back scathing words rising up in her throat, about how he had destroyed team 8 or how whenever he decided to throw some random jounin at them or how he just didn't understand, and keeping her face as blank as she could, Kiba bowed jerkily, hands still fisted in her teammates' clothing. "Thank you, for telling us Hokage-sama," at least he had, and not someone from the rumor mill, "but I think we need to go now."

Or at least, she needed to go before everything that was bottling up in her exploded and she somehow proved Tsurdue, right, or ruined... something, she didn't know. All she knew was that she had to leave, and as she stepped back, tugging her teammates lightly to follow, she hoped they understood.

And she hoped Tsurdue let them go.

[konoha_fifth]

Tsurude couldn't mask the disappointment. He eyed the trio for a moment before realizing any chance at working this out was gone. Nothing he said would matter. They were taking everything personally when he was trying to paint a bigger picture. His attempt to rally them had simply resulted in anger. And if he was truthful with himself, Tsurude would realize that there had been no hope of ever succeeding in this endeavour.

So instead, he took that moment to look at them, to remember the wise teaching of his sensei who had said that it was impossible to please everyone. Some people would call him lenient for Yuuhi's punishment, most likely those from his era who lived in a harsher time. Others would say he was being unfair, that if everyone had come back alive and if Asuka had been saved as well, then it should be a lucky break and be rewarded.

Oh to be that naive again, to think that luck had anything to do with matters like this. For all the times people came back, there were those like Dani and Natsuko who didn't. Order mattered more then anyone knew and while some might call him a tyrant, Tsurude was beginning to understand why the position of Hokage weighed so heavily on his sensei. To be a tyrant was easy, to be a leader who needed to maintain absolute control while at the same time actually caring about the citizens...

"Go," he said evenly, turning away from them and looking up at the monument instead at the face of his sensei and family. And for the first time in a long time, it didn't look like they were staring down at him in disappointment. The gentle gaze of the long dead matriarchs of the villages seemed to soften in understanding.

[aburame_h]

It was hard not to grab Hinaji and Kiba by the backs of their necks and breakneck out of there, sure though she was that Akako would follow them. Not bolting became easier if she focused on the line of the Hokage's back. It all made perfect sense, if she turned off her emotions. Even better, thinking hurt less when she stopped feeling things.

The Hokage was doing his job. That was all. And they weren't children anymore. This was part of buckling down and doing the job they were being trained to do.

This must be why all jounin were insane.

It was amazing how straight the Godaime could keep his shoulders, when he wanted to. Silently Hoshino adjusted her grip on her teammates, hands moving to their elbows as her body mechanically inclined its head, an impulsive 'thank you, Hokage-sama' escaping her before the gentle pressure on her teammates' arms began.

They did need to get out of there. Kiba and Hinaji needed to be stored safely at home (or perhaps both in the Inuzuka's home). And then Hoshino needed to go to her room and sit for a while. It would otherwise be impossible to bring herself down.