Konoha Chat with your host, Ibiki! [& special guest, Hizashiko!]

[sadismislove]

Ibiki's footsteps echoed quietly in the concrete corridor. The flickering fluorescent lights provided just enough gray-blue illumination to see just how stark and bare the walls and floor really were. Further down a pipe dripped artfully, the soft plunking of moisture almost musical in contrast to the quiet buzzing overhead. The doors lining the

Comments

[sadismislove]

The distinction was appreciated though a tad unnecessary. But still appreciated. Ibiki liked elaboration.

"Safe enough to sleep in what you still believe to be I would not say hostile territory, but quite clearly quite uncomfortable territory for you, still says quite a bit." Her smile grew barely, but she anticipated that being a Hyuuga, Hizashiko would still notice. And wonder. "Safe enough that your count of the days resting and recovering isn't nearly as defined as your days on the run."

True, neither was her count of the days under torture, but as that had stretched to over a decade Ibiki decided she could be lenient.

[hizashiko]

There was something that smile and something in those words that made Hizashiko pause and regard the other woman even more warily than before. There was a distinct, intense urge to pull back and away from the other, but the Hyuuga made herself stay exactly where she was. There was something hidden in those words, perhaps distrust or belief that she was lying, but Hizashiko couldn't put her finger on it exactly.

White eyes narrowed just a touch before she answered, forgoing her first response, "... you could say that. Perhaps."

[sadismislove]

"I'm not the one who said it, Hyuuga-san. You did.

"And it is good for a shinobi to find a corner of peace in her life, even for only four months. Not everyone gets even that much," Ibiki continued. "So was it your sister who talked you into faking your death, or was it your own idea?"

[hizashiko]

Hizashiko had expected further questions regarding her stay, a demand or request for something more in-depth. What Ibiki had asked though was not what she expected and it was her downfall

[sadismislove]

Well, now. Wasn't that just interesting.

Ibiki didn't move when Hizashiko swore, though she would've liked to have reclined back in her chair, perhaps even with a cup of tea in hand as she considered this brand new development. (She'd have a cup of matevana chai when she got back to her office while she began writing notes for her report.) "So your sister ordered it." Command saturated her voice, demanding the truth.

[hizashiko]

Hizashiko wrestled internally, eyes still focused on something other then Ibiki. Her throat felt dry and for the first time, in a long time, she felt truly conflicted. It had been rare when, back in the day, when her dedication to the Hyuuga and her dedication to Konoha had ever clashed. She knew what the right thing to do now was- tell the truth. Her sister had placed people in danger and they had been lucky (... right, lucky) that Cloud had only wanted to hurt her and not wring information out of her

[sadismislove]

"You agreed to an order?" Ibiki repeated with a touch of incredulity. How decidedly odd. Because a shinobi, or a member of the branch faced with her clan head, did not agree to orders. They followed them. (That little distinction had been the root of quite a few confrontations when someone chose to interpret orders in a way that followed the letter but not necessarily the spirit.)

Dark eyes regarded white ones coolly even while her posture remained lax. She was not about to give ground, not when she desired a clear confirmation.

[hizashiko]

"It was her idea and I did not fight her on it." Hizashiko finally answered, voice blank. That was what Ibiki had been looking for, confirmation that her sister had engineered the plan; she hoped Hiashiko would forgive her. "I drank what I was told to drank."

[sadismislove]

Now Ibiki leaned back, and most gratefully too. The card table was a bit low, and her spine hurt from being hunched over for so long. To judge from Hizashiko's tone, eyes, and overall body language, the woman was fast approaching her limit. Be it for physical endurance or temper (both of which were normally formidable, if her daughter was anything to go by), Ibiki harbored no desire to push her until she broke. She knew Hizashiko was still not fully healed, just as she knew that it was rare for subjects she personally handled to spill their guts during the first chat. But Ibiki couldn't let the subject of who engineered this ploy drop before getting an acceptable answer.

Their conversation raised more questions in Ibiki's mind than they answered, but she had enough for what she needed for her report to the Hokage. Haruhi's medical work-up, the full one, would aid towards typing off quite a few loose ends.

"I see." She rose from her chair slowly, then tipped her head politely. We will speak again came across clearly. "Thank

[hizashiko]

Ibiki was pleased, Hizashiko knew, and it absolutely sickened her. The Hyuuga would have snarled if she hadn't known the consequences would be bad and she was just too tired to start a fight. When Ibiki stood, she tensed though there was some slight relief as well; this meant twenty questions was over