Kitsune no Akuryō - Under Maintenance

A Reconnaissance Mission...

Koni'chiwa minna! Welcome to the next part of the Reconnaissance mission. I did say that this chapter might have been split multiple times. Kitsune, now dressed in the demon-possessed Neppū's skin, has escaped Baki, or Cloth-Face as Kitsune first recognized him, and is ready to continue this mission with Kinoe in his Suna-guard henge to figure out what is stirring up Sunagakure. Is it detrimental to the Leaf? Will further action need to be taken, or will all of Kitsune's actions be like chaff before the wind? Okay that was a little bit more dramatic than I was planning on, but I hope you enjoy!

Kitsune's P.O.V.

     I followed Kinoe as we walked through Sunagakure making for the office of the Kazekage and worked our way into becoming the door-guards to his office. I placed a listening seal on the door. We waited and listened for a week, and then a month. Every week or so, we check up on my double who had received a new guard in Neppū's absence, eventually there was no guard at all to watch the sleeping prisoner. Nothing came up, at first when Baki came by, he asked if I was doing alright. I nodded and bowed to him, and Kinoe spoke for me, saying that we were told to guard the Kazekage's door. As the month progress, I could tell that he was becoming more anxious. He would look between the two of us before heading on his way. In that month, the Kazekage talked very little about anything that seemed dangerous, to the Hidden Leaf, or to anyone for that matter. The only times that we were left nervous for someone's life was when he talked about his son. He seemed to planning his son's death or something very near it. Aside from that, he didn't leave his office much, except for important meetings on which we spied as best we could. These meetings were fairly boring: full of village politics and trade. Cloth-Face on one occasion reported that they needed to set aside "our plans" for now and interrogate the intruder. Kinoe and I looked at each other with unease then.

     "The mission is compromised," Kinoe spoke to me, "We need to leave soon."

     I nodded and decided that the best way to end this was to become a dungeon guard again. As we stood guarding the Kazekage's door, I began mouthing to Kinoe when no one was around, "I'll return to the dungeon...You need to tell Baki that I am ready...but I want to become comfortable with the place again...as myself. I'll make the switch that night."

     Kinoe looked at me as if I was crazy, but I looked at him really hard trying to tell him that I couldn't explain now. When Baki did come by and scrutinized us both, Kinoe spoke up, "Neppū is ready to continue," Kinoe was trying very hard not to look at me, but in my peripherals I could feel his eyes. However, before Kinoe could continue about becoming comfortable, Cloth-Face spoke.

     "And why can't he tell me this himself?" Cloth-Face looked harshly at me. I tried to keep a blank face. It was easy to forget that muteness had certain consequences, especially in someone else's body.

     Thankfully, Kinoe broke into the staring contest, "He's still recovering from his muteness. He believes that becoming familiar with the area--of the dungeons, as himself will help him become fully ready to continue."

     "How do you know this?"

     Kinoe looked at me for a moment before saying, "He told me so."

     Baki was back to glaring at me. Kinoe was about to make a response, but I thought of something and held up my hand. Turning to Kinoe, I spoke, It's alright.

     Cloth-Face studied me for a moment before I spoke making sure to enunciate my words so that he could understand me, I was afraid you would punish me.