Midori SatoThere were two reasons Midori was now sitting on a seat close to the Raikage somewhere in the trainingfacilities of a city called Amegakure that was surely the most depressing city ever because it supposedly always rained. It hadn't rained when Midori had arrived, which was very confusing in itself and Midori would have cared normally. But not now. She was not in the mood. The first reason she had come here was to see the fights of her teammembers. Even though her life had become... really not very nice, they were still fighting and she had to be there. Deidara was always there for her so she should be there for him. Same went for Reyna. They would win their fights. And yet she could not see them and this was because of the second reason she was here.
The Raikage had started to personally look after her and had practically demanded her to stay next to him. And he was not watching their matches. And thus Midori was not watching the matches. She could only see faces she didn't know as she sat in her chair and fiddled with her thumbs. If Ryo... - it hurt to think of him - had still be alive... then he would be here. She knew it. He would be here and he would take care of her. She clenched her hands into fists. What exactly did her mother discuss with the Raikage that this had become the solution?
The Meeting of a Mother and a Kage
A collab between Fieryfly and Gerontis
Summary: Chie Ariyama, Midori's mother, visits the Raikage with a request.
Sitting in his office, Takeru was curious. It wasn't often that he was requested to receive audiance from a civilian. At least, during his reign he hadn't received ever such a request. Then as he thought about it, the person who had requested an audiance with him wasn't an ordinary civilian. Not in his opinion. It was one of the few that he had respect for, but that was another story. Reading a book about a particular clan, Takeru didn't have his Tasmanian devils near his desk. And to not give an intimidating impression, only one ANBU guard would be present at the double doors that would lead to his spacious office.
For the first time in a long while Chie Ariyama was interfering with the life that ran around the job her daughter had chosen for herself. When Midori had first decided that she was going to become a ninja Chie had said that that was fine. And she had pulled back because she herself had no skills of a shinobi whatsoever and neither wanted to gain them. With proudness she had watched how her daughter learned skills she could never dream of and became Genin. She hadn't stepped in when she went on dangerous missions, hadn't stopped Midori when she went to parties, she hadn't even objected when her daughter, her little baby, had been chosen to became a Jinchuuriki as they called it. Honestly, Chie knew what it meant. She had understood the consequences way better then Midori herself. That was until Shoji had dropped a bomb on everything. Midori hadn't been the same. She had been traumatized and yet she managed to get back up. She found a new way. Everything seemed right until it went wrong again.
But this was it. With recents events in the back of her mind Chie had decided that this was definitaly it. She was not letting this happen all over again. She was not having her girl disappear again. No, she couldn't handle that again.
That was why the mother of Midori Sato was currently approaching the office of the Raikage. A rather unorthodox visit really and she knew it, but was only glad that the Raikage had accepted her request. With small steps she arrived before the doors of the office and made a bow to the ANBU seemingly not intimidated at all by the tall and rising figure of the secret agent. "I have an audience with the Raikage." She told the man.
Silently the ANBU nodded as he opened the door for Chie. Stepping aside so that the woman could enter the office, he would slowly close the door behind her. The masked man behind the desk kept reading the book for a second before he slowly closed it. Looking up, he got up from his seat and made a short bow towards Chie. ''A good afternoon, Miss Ariyama. It is a honor to receive you.'' The man friendly greeted her. Straighten his back, he gestured to the chair that had been set for her. ''I hope that you're well.'' He continued, quite friendly and polite.
Calmly Chie made a bow back and then proceeded to carefully sit down on the chair. Her movements were light and slow, but done with a certain precision. "Thank you for receiving me, sir." She answered the man with another polite nod. "And I am doing quite alright considering the circumstances, thank you for asking." She placed her hands on her lap and folded them slowly over each other. "If I am allowed to speak?" she asked questioning, giving the masked man before her a look.
''Please, speak and ask. I will do my best to answer your questions, Miss Ariyama.'' Takeru replied to her. ''But would you like to drink something? Eat? I can easily let it be brought if you desire anything.'' After offering her a beverage and something to eat, Takeru leaned a bit back in his seat. He had a few guesses what she came to talk or ask about. It was quite obvious, but Takeru didn't want to jump to conclussions, yet.
"Thank you, but please don't go through the trouble of preparing something. I am quite fine. And thank you." The woman gave another short nod towards the man who had graciously allowed her to speak her mind. "I'm sure that you already know the topic that I am going to address as it is the only topic I can say anything about in this shinobi world. I want to have a word about my daughter. Midori." Chie paused for a second as if she was assessing her words. "I have..." she started slowly, "I have always understood that there were risks in the life of a shinobi. I have long since accepted that there was a possiblity that Midori wouldn't come back from one of the missions you send her on. But I also believed in the capabilities of her peers and the leadership of her teachers and supervisors. I understood that she could get hurt, I understood that it wouldn't be easy, but what I always understood is that she would have a home to come back to. A home that would do everything to keep its subjects safe."
The woman paused for a second. Her gaze was still resting on the mask and the look wasn't wavering. The words she spoke came from her heart.
"And this has been graciously given to us for a long time even though both Midori and me don't originate from this city. We were accepted as members and Midori made herself a future along with a home where she was happy. That was until one day when I was met with a daughter who wouldn't speak to me anymore. One that locked herself away in her room, in her mind, one that didn't move, didn't go out, didn't live." Chie's gaze became stern. "I thought that I had lost her and I had no idea what had happened. Midori wouldn't speak to me about the events and Miss Sanosuke, who had indeed told me of the dangers, only told me that the city was saved because of my girl. But for me it wasn't saved. My daughter was gone.
Luckily for me, Midori talks in her sleep and slowly I was able to get the pieces of the puzzle and I understood. I understood what happened, I understood her fear and I understood how to help her get over it. And as you know she did. And she came back and controlled the beast and started living again."
Chie coughed, her hand moving up to her face to cover it. "Excuse me." She said and continued. "What I also understood was that Miss Sanosuke had used my girl to save Kumogakure, Midori's home. And I forgave her, because protecting one's home is important and Midori saw that too. I though this was behind us. There is no imminent danger on the city. There is no attack close by, no threat and yet I find myself in the same position." Chie's voice hadn't changed in tone but it was clear that this was the actual subject she came to discuss.
"I find myself with a scared girl who doesn't want to talk to me, a girl who shuts me out. And this is not because of the fact that her boyfriend died during a mission. I know as much. That is causing sadness both for her and for me, but that is not causing fear. The fear has one origin and I know where it comes from. It comes from Miss Sanosuke." Chie's hands still lay folded on her lap and she hadn't moved, but now she raised them as to assist to her words.
"I am not here to demand anything. I hardly have the power to do so, or the right. I'm simply here to ask, to beg, that this stops. Stop making my girl afraid of the city she is living in. Cause this time I am afraid I will not get her back, and I cannot live with that."
Takeru had paid attention to what Chie told him, paying attention to her tone and expression of her face. He thought about what she told him and after several moments, he made a gesture with his right hand. A simple gesture that looked like he waved something away. ''Please, don't beg. I prefer people who ask instead of beg.'' Though it was clear that the talk wasn't one to be joking about, Takeru didn't want to look too serious. But he remembered that he had a little girl at home, an orphan that he saw as his own daughter. Trying to imagine what kind of burden Midori's mother had made Takeru clear his throat. ''What I mean is that you ask something I can understand. Not just as a leader of a village, but as somebody that cares for her child. However, I hope you understand that I can't order Miss Sanosuke to stop her work.'' Letting that sink in for a moment, Takeru would continue with his reply.
''Though I greatly feel sorry for the discomfort for both your daughter as for you, I must confess that the treatment so far has enabled us to understand how a jinchuriki works. Not just on the terms of personality and treatment, but I have to tell you that Miss Sanosuke has managed to figure out how a sealed Beast can affect a child's body. Without needing to cut them open, forgive me for saying that.'' Taking another pause, Takeru tried to think of what he more could say. Classified details were a no, even if it could help to change Chie's opinion and view on the situation. Even as a mother of the jinchuriki, Takeru saw too many problems with doing that.
''However, like I said, I clearly see your point. I can't say that I can relate to it, as I don't have a jinchuriki. But I can't let my personal opinion hamper my decision on this. Or confront my assistant to change her efficient work to a manner where we won't be able to learn and better protect the jinchuriki's. I hope you can understand that.'' Takeru said, the friendly tone fading away as he sounded more serious as worried. Almost like he wasn't a Kage, but as he was speaking as a father.
"I'm not asking for Miss Sanosuke to stop her work. I am not saying that this work isn't important. Its significance is not lost on me, sir. That is not what I am pleading here for." Chie replied calmly. "I am sure that Midori would be happy to assist the village. She would surely answer all of the questions about Gyuki and would surely let you figure out how Tailed Beasts really fit within our society. She understands the relevance as much as I do. The only thing I am asking is that I won't find my daughter dead to the world on her bed, locked in her own mind, after every session. Surely, whatever this research is doing it can be done in a humane and decent way. Midori is not an animal you can experiment on. But she is someone who wants to serve her village. I don't want to say anything about Miss Sanosuke or her methods, I know she works hard, but something is not working her and at this rate I will lose my daughter."
Raising his right hand to his chin, Takeru pondered on her words. There were a few decisions he could take. Dismissing Chie and sending her away was the easiest of them. It could be done at any moment, but the problem was that it could effect Midori in an even worse manner. Even to the point that Takeru wouldn't be sure if she would be loyal to the village if he would do that. Then he could try to convince the worried mother, but he already saw that it was a dead end. Then he thought of another option. A bit unorthodox in his opinion, but he saw little harm in it.
''I understand. Though I have to admit that I haven't thought of a better manner, a more human one, as the results have always enabled us to progress, I think I know a suitable option, Miss Ariyama.'' Takeru said. He placed his hands on the table as he spoke with a friendly and calm tone. ''As a leader I need to make sure that we will understand as able to make use of the gift your daughter has. As a Raikage I see a gifted young girl that has done what most consider impossible. Taming a Tailed Beast is a feat that hasn't been performed for ages. If not, ever.'' Though Takeru took a small pause, he moved his left hand to the book he had been reading. It was the one he had taken several days out of his personal library. A book that was written about the Sato clan. ''Though I became aware that what I am reading might not help me fully understand the ways of how the nomadic clan works, I have started to read about the Sato Clan.'' The fingers of his left hand patted the book as he chuckled. ''Though it may sound irrelevant to what we are discussing now, I think I know a solution to this situation.'' Turning his eyes back to Chie, Takeru cleared his throat again as he wanted to sound more serious.
''What I am going to suggest is that I will from now on will keep a personal eye on Midori. This way I can try to indulge myself in the research as well prevent your daughter from any treatment, she might consider harsh.'' Hoping that his suggestion would be favoured by the woman, Takeru decided to add something to it. ''I can't however promise any change as I can't take her in as my personal student, I can however try to make the research more.. humane.''
Chie was silent for a moment then she bowed her head to the man. "Thank you." She said slowly. "I can't ask for more than that." She raised her head and calmly assessed the man again. "As for understanding the way of a nomadic clan..." A slightly smile passed over her lips. "I would gladly answer any questions you might have now, sir. And I am sure Midori would love to do the same." She wasn't sure why the Raikage was delving into the matter of the clan. They weren't directly linked to the city after all. But Chie expected that the man was trying to learn more about his Jinchuuriki in his own way.
Glad that she accepted the suggestion, Takeru was however pondering on how he would approach the situation in the back of his mind. Not yet sure what the opinion was of Midori about him, best would be a more cautious and friendly approach. Takeru was personally worried that Midori had developed a cautious and wary attitude towards the higher up of Kumogakure after her experience with Asami. ''I am honored, Miss Ariyama.'' Takeru smiled, though the mask would obscure that from her. ''The man that wrote this book doesn't always stay on track on what is important. I don't want to sound like I am complaining, but when I have to read through notes and research that seems like some whinning that the subject clan doesn't appeal to a certain view, then it doesn't read that smoothly.'' Though the man had said he didn't want to sound like he was complaining, he added a half complaining kind of tone to his voice to lighten up the conversation.
"I wasn't even aware that a book had been written on the subject of our clan." Chie replied smiling slightly at the jest the Raikage was making. "As for not appealing to a certain view... Our clans must look strange in the eyes of those that are shinobi as we look strangely upon them. Our ways are different and thus our paths in life are. Let a Sato write a book about a shinobi clan and you might encounter the same problem. But as I said, you are free to ask me anything sir. Our clan doesn't hold many secrets that I can't tell."
Though he was supposed to act as a leader. A leader of one of the strongest five faction and nation, Takeru couldn't help it. Growing curious, he sounded more and more like he loosened up by the turn of the conversation that happened. ''I wouldn't call the clan strange. I hail from a clan that is smaller than most others and though the ways between the two are very different, there are some similarities. I do like the idea however about a Sato writing a book about a shinobi clan.'' Takeru could already imagine it. From what he understood, he was expecting a book full of questions why shinobi were so fixed on warfare and not trying to use their skills on improving the agriculture or such fields. ''So, about your clan.''
Midori didn't know, but whatever she did Asami was no there anymore. Instead most of her supervision came from the Raikage himself. She wasn't quite sure yet if this was an improvement. Currently not. She heard that Reyna won her match. But she hadn't been there to see it! How could she, as friend, not see the match?! Now it was just waiting for the results of Deidara. Surely, he won too. She had heard his matchup. Someone named Shika-something Nara. Surely Deidara could win against a Nara. Deidara was strong even though he hadn't been himself much lately. And Midori hadn't exactly been there for him. She felt bad for that. Really bad.
The appearance of the Chuunin woke her up from her thoughts. One of the matches hadn't been in the favor of Kumo. Midori was just wondered which weird guy from Kumo wouldn't win when the bomb dropped. It was Deidara. He had lost and he was gravely wounded. Midori's eyes widened and her mouth opened. She... She had to go! She had to go now! The girl got up from her chair and shot forwards.
"We have to go now." Midori said. Her voice had something desperate. Deidara couldn't die. He couldn't. Not now. Not ever. If he died then... No! Slowly Midori started to panic. She was not losing anyone else. She already lost Ryo. This was too much.
"Please, can we go now?" She asked the Raikage.
"I... He is my teammember. I.. He is not... Please, can I see him?"
