Wandering Heathens

Interrogation

"This is unacceptable!" Tsunade roared while throwing the battle reports onto his desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, desperately trying to ward off a headache. "How the fuck did we lose Kiri's Kage and second in command on the same fucking day?!" Shikaki rolled her eyes, used to her Kage's outbursts, and gathered up the pile of papers and straightened them before handing them back to Tsunade. "Gaara is tied up in putting down an uprising in Suna. We just need to accept it: Kiri no longer has a leader and we can't count on Suna for continued support." "What are you saying?" Tsunade demanded. Shikaki shrugged and sighed, "what I'm saying is that this war we all had to help Mei gain a foothold on the continent is over. Kiri needs to find a new Mizukage and we need to move on to our own business." "And what of Suna?" "Gaara will end the rebellion and restore peace to her Village but I wouldn't count on them for military or diplomatic support for the foreseeable future."

Tsunade banged his fists on the desk top and was about to speak until there was a knock at his door. He quickly looked to Shikaki: not one word about this to anyone else, he silently ordered his advisor. She nodded, indicating she understood the message and they both watched as Kakashi entered with a shackled Ryuu following.

"YOU!" Tsunade bellowed while pointing at Ryuu. "You remembered! I'm flattered" he replied with a cheeky grin on his face. The Hokage sat down in his chair and rested his chin on his hands. "Report." "While out training with Naruta we found him wounded and hiding. He gave up without a fight and requested medical care. He's received it, the medic-nins have cleared him and he has remained in cuffs the entire time he's been in Konoha." As if to emphasize Kakashi's point, Ryuu rattled the chakra shackles on his wrists.

Tsunade scowled at him and his smile slipped a bit. "Should Ibiki see him?" "Ibiki, Inochi and Shikaki should run his interrogation. He has 80 some years of information within him. It would be worth it to learn what it is" Kakashi shrugged, not caring what Ryuu's fate would be.

"Or!" The redhead spoke up, "you could just feed me and ask me nicely. I might help you out that way." Tsunade looked at him, taking him in from head to toe. "No. Take him to Ibiki. Shikaki, go with him. I expect a full report soon. Dismissed" he said, waving them away.

Shikaki sighed and began walking out of the room, leading Ryuu and Kakashi behind her. They stepped into the sunshine and Ryuu marvelled at the old trees that grew within the Village, the brightly coloured shops and dress of the inhabitants and sniffed the enticing smells from the restaurants and food stalls. "No" Shikaki said, as if she was able to read his mind. "You suck" Ryuu muttered, pouting.

Villagers and shinobi alike stopped to watch the procession. "Is that him?" "I heard he's Akatsuki" "Ugly fellow" and other insults and questions were whispered about him. He held his head high; he'd be damned if some lowly Villagers would make him feel poorly about himself.

Shikaki couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the man who was the subject of the Village's scorn but she smiled a little when he straightened his posture and hardened his demeanour. It was a little sexy to see him develop a hard edge against what he was experiencing.

They reached a building that had no identifying marks or insignia on it; it could have been mistaken for a storage facility or a bunker. Shikaki knocked a rhythm on the door and a panel slid open. "State your name and business" a brusque voice demanded. "Shikaki Nara, Kakashi Hatake and Ryuu...no clan name, here to see Ibiki and Inochi on the Hokage's orders" Shikaki drawled, already bored with this assignment. The voice grunted, the panel closed and after numerous locks being disengaged, the heavy door opened.

The trio entered the darkened room and followed the faintly lit corridors to the main interrogation room. Ibiki, with her scars covered and a permanently angry look etched onto her face, stood near Inochi who was waiting for the prisoner. "Him" Shikaki sighed while waving her hand at Ryuu. "What the-" Ryuu tried to protest but strong arms from the Interrogators who were on standby in the room grabbed his arms and forced him into a greenish-blue chakra bubble.

Ryuu had expected the bubble to be filled with some type of liquid from the way it moved and bobbed in its place. He let go of the breath he had been holding and breathed normally. Inochi approached him and laid her hand on his forehead. Instantly, Ryuu's body jerked back and his eyes rolled back in his head, only the whites exposed.

Ibiki sat down at a table with a book and a pen, ready to record any information Inochi and Shikaki pulled from the man. "What is your name?" Shikaki asked. "Ryuu" Inochi answered, her eyes closed and already inside his mind. "Who do you work for?" "No one" "Did you work for the Akatsuki?" "Yes" "Did you fight in their side?" "Yes" and so forth until Inochi cut short a scream and pulled out of Ryuu's mind.

"What is it?" Shikaki asked, kneeling down to check on her friend. "A seal that he placed. Tried to burn me when I went deeper. Let me remove it before we continue" she asked and the team agreed. Inochi went back into Ryuu's mind and removed the seal. She felt herself fall through his memories: a battle, a small boy crying as he fled a burning village, a kindly older man hugging him, training, Shinjo, missions that were called hunts...

Shikaki was getting worried. Inochi was growing paler the longer she spent inside and she knew she'd catch hell from Inochi's husband if she brought her home in this state. With a gasp and a lot of effort, Inochi pulled herself out of Ryuu's mind and collapsed on the chair that Ibiki had helpfully put there for her.

After catching her breath and calming down, Inochi looked at Ibiki, "write exactly what I say." Ibiki nodded and began transcribing what Inochi saw. Shikaki read over Ibiki's shoulder and her eyes grew wide as Ryuu's history became clear to them. She turned to Kakashi, "take him to wherever he's staying. Let him rest. We'll have more questions for him tomorrow."

The masked Jounin nodded and took Ryuu's limp arm and threw it around her shoulder and helped keep him upright. "We're done?" He asked sleepily. "For now" Kakashi responded. "I'd like to go home" he whispered and the realization hit Kakashi and she felt sorry for him. He had no home and nowhere to go.