Official Return

The reports seemed to be inconsistant. One would say that she hadnt' been seen in years, others claimed she was dead. Some sparse sightings may have come, but even the evidence seemed to contradict itself. For four years she'd been missing, and four years was a long time to be out of a person's country. She'd vanished without a trace, and for a ninja that was saying something! So when the report came in that Jijitsu Mu had checked in with the gatekeepers, the first thing on his desk in the morning at the top of the pile of papers would have been the discreet check-in roster. Perhaps just an intel as well of where people were and what they were doing. Who knew? The eyes and ears of the Hokage were everywhere.

Then, when an aide would run in a quick breifing of someone there to return...well, the explaination was simply put: she'd been listed as dead. But a few minutes later and the light rapping on the office door was a mere prelude to the shock her voice may have been. Though muffled, she still spoke warmth behind the hardwood facade,
"Permission to enter, Hokage-sama?" she still felt awkward about this. She had no idea who was running Konoha now that Seu was gone. She'd missed a lot, and this would have been the first time meeting the one who held it all in thier hand.

Mitsu recognized the voice immediately, four years apart did not cause something like that to be forgotten, especially not from him and a grin spread across his face "you may enter jiji" he chuckled softly "so the reports and the odd familiarity from Seu and Hoda were not coincidence, although I did not know it was you" he got up from behind his desk and crossed the room to greet her as she entered catching her in a deep sweeping embrace

With an arm around her and the sultry voice that marveled anybody's ears, Jijitsu felt a leap in her heart and her hands crasped the wolfish man's shoulders. Even a girlish blush spread along her cheeks.
"Mi...Mitsuhide! You..." she was certainly shocked even if she shouldn't be. Her voice was strangled, "...You're hokage?!"

To be honest, it was the first good news she'd encountered. With Seu in her state and a friend gone missing nin, seeing one of her close friends at the top reminded her that life wasn't all rain. Especially after returning from the snow fields.

"yes.... something I never really expected to happen, I have been named hokage" he chuckled softly and smiled his wolf like grin "I am almost afraid... my mind has not been in the most stable state.... but with the return of Seu and Hoda... I have been much stronger in mind body and spirit... I had almost forgotten how good it felt to be whole again" he smiled and took a seat on the desk "make yourself comfortable... and please none of those god forsaken formalities... no one refers to me as mitsu anymore... its rather annoying really" he smiled again and reached his hand through a portal that appeared pulling through a few trays with drinks and cups "sake??.... or something a little less potent perhaps?"

"Ah...ah...Yes, of course. Sake is wonderful," she replied and waved her hand lightly, trying to clear her head. Her eyes soaked in Mitsu's changed appearence. She remembered vaguely of the hint of medical training he'd given her and the few pointers she remembered. It had been an eternal benefit to her to know. Her hips swayed as she tip-toed over to the hokage's desk and looked at it. Sheets of paper. Neatly, she swept them to the side so they could easily be re-organized and sat herself down on the hardwood desk. Her fingers curled around the lip of the oak surface.

"I never imagined you'd accept the position. I suppose some surprises are still to be had," she laughed a bit, pushing some of her blonde tresses out of her face.

Mitsu set his wind to work taking two cups and filling them slowly and his eyes travelled down her body hesitating as alawys on her generous bossom "well endowed as always, and not trying to hide them still" he chuckled "well Jiji it has been a long time, how have your travels been going, and where on earth did you go??" he had missed her throughout all of his own travels they had never met once "it has been what... four years since anyone last saw or heard of you"

Jijitsu paused and leaned back, rubbing the side of her face with her palm. The ceremonial dagger at her side clinked as she rose again from the desk.
"For that, I sincerely apologise," she gave a respectful bow to her friend, and began to pace. The nervousness still was fresh from the night before in the onsen.
"For the past four years I have been in a far-flung northern country, even further than the Land of Snow. For four years I have been fighting for survival and knowlege...I've been slaying demons and men alike. To be honest, the demons seem to be a lot me civilized than the men ever were. I've learned much in that passed time and I've become stronger as well."
Jijitsu took a deep breath and continued pacing, going over everything that had happened.

"I was taught by a man called Narghot, himself a blood-drinking demon of the night. Why he never turned me, I had Anki to thank. Our goals were the same, in either case...he was on a quest to seal the portal from the demon realm to restore his land he knew in life. It doesn't sound like it, but our quests entwined. I learned of a grand sealing spell on that journey, and of old binding sites. I also learned of a set of scrolls...and I seek the one called 'the key.'" And she paused to look up at him. "Do you know what this means, Mitsu? This means if it's not found before we do, someone else may find it and unseal the binding!"

ahhh.... well that explains why I id not meet you during any of my own travels, I stayed to the more neighboring countries, perhaps you can take me where you speak of some time" he listened intently to her words "the key you say?? and another area.. with seeminglya larger population with those who have induced porpheric hemophelia... or the vampiric "disease"... hmm it seems that we must find this key before anyone else does then??" Mitsu sighed softly as lews therin clawed at the back of his mind ever threatening to take his body "I cannot help immediatly... I have a few of my own matters to attend with to... cleanse my mind.. but depending on how that goes I can help you after if you like"

Jijitsu gave a soft nod and lingered by one of the windows in the deepening sunlight of the afternoon. Standing on the balls of her feet, she leaned out to take a wiff of the wind. It smelled like rain on the horizon. She retraced her steps and sat back on the Hokage's desk.

"As of now, I understand there are few looking for the key, but...well, the issue is important. Anki-sama was able to find a lead to one of the binding sites, but we still do not have much more information aside from that. Our path lead us back here," she finished her explaination and motioned to the great city around the two of them.

"But that's the goal," she said as she slid her hands down her thighs, hooked one knee over the other, and sat straight and prim. Her concern faded, and she smiled gently.
"Also, it is wonderful to know that some of my friends are well off."

"well.... I can provide a team to assist you if you like, this does seem an important matter, and one that could be of some use in the time to come.... if I can infer correctly about what you speak and what I have recently been though, there is a gate leading to the realm of demons... if we can close that off it would be very beneficial to everyone and stop others from using those demons" he smiled and laughed softly "well off as I may be, I am busy.... I finish the paperwork for the village early in the day to go and work on the paperwork from the hospital... I have not yet found one skilled enough to replace me, although I do have a promising young student, I have high hopes for her"

The airy blond gave a soft titter, curling her unbound toes with mirth. Jijitsu was glad to hear of his pupil, and knew enough of the enigmatic wolfskin that it was best his pride that he handed down his techniques.
"What little I was taught from you has served me immensely, to even know the basics of medical training gave me an edge. For that, I am greatful, and I hope that your student surpasses your expectations of her," she praised him with all but the sun glowing about her shoulders. "The day of your doppelgangers are gone then?" she asked, tipping her head to the side.

he laughed at her last remark "no not entirely gone, I keep a clone at the hospital on most occasions, although I do not like to keep one so close when I am here... then its just being cooped up in an office twice" he let out a vexing sound as he grimaced "otherwise I have clones in the rice and snow, as well as various other countries... just out and about learning still" he chuckled, he had been learning almost since the day he was born and was never quenched in his thirst for knowledge, he guessed that was why he became so strong over the years

"It truly is amazing that we never crossed paths, then. I wonder how long the corridors I walked were not in the forests and trees," her gaze seemed vexed and she shook her head, arms curling around her shoulders instead. She shuddered with cold, and slipped off of the desk to pace a bit again. Her fingers pressed up against her pallid lips and she tried to quell the nervousness that rose in thought of that place. It was gone now, she was gone from it...she didn't have to worry. Squeezing herself tighter, she drew in a deep breath so she herself would calm down.

he slid from his perch and wrapped his large arms gently about her to warm her up, guessing from her reaction and her words held a deeper meaning he just simply tried to comfort her and warm her up "it would have been nice to see a familiar face... the lord knows it would have been welcome at some of those times... I had drifted into madness for a time again, able to shield my mind off from the others." obviously referring to Seu and Hoda "heh... times were not alawys pleasant... but they lead to add to our experiences and make us learn to tricks"

Jijitsu nodded softly and swallowed nervously. The images from last night were still etched into her mind. She'd talked to Seu...her true mother as she saw her. It had not been pleasant, and the age of living in that twilight world of snow was still impressing itself upon her. She was a delicate soul, and those years that had passed were finally catching up. She wasn't proud of what she'd done, who she'd killed. Jijitsu turned against Mitsuhide's chest and her hands curled around his shirt and she pressed her forehead in against his neck.
"It did, but does it ever bother you, what you've done?" She still felt cold and clammy beneath him.

he nodded softly suppressing a shudder of horror at his past. the blood that stained his entirebody flashed to his mind for a moment and his eyes shifted black and he began to laugh momentarily in an evil mocking tone. his hands clenched around the girl before he shook his head returning to his old self. his eyes were glossed over and cold keeping his mind in check "I have been neglecting this much to long... I had to get the village in order first... but I must leave soon"

It did not bode well the sensation that rolled off the hokage's shoulders. His grip became iron beneath her and for a brief moment the sting of cold shot through her. It reminded her of Narghot's cold bloodthirst after a fashion, but she too sensed the conflict within him. Swallowing the cold, fighiting the bitter frost that it was, she peered into Mitsu's eyes.

Her arms unfolded and her hands danced across his shoulders. She squeezed them, remembering what she knew of him from four years ago. Appearences were deceptively calm. He too had his share of strife. It always seemed when she caught up to him, he had to leave once more. With the gravity between the two of them, she extended her understanding.

"May you find the peace you've been seeking, dear friend, teacher," she spoke in soft sonorous ways.

"we never have the luck of letting our meetings draw out" he let himself relax the warm light that filled his eyes slowly returning as he chuckled "but come now... for once we do not have to part ways so quickly." he smiled and crossed back to the desk and sat in one of the chairs there, they had all been used more than enough since he had been named Hokage, by either friends or those with speak of business. by far his most welcome visitors had been the one before him and his two closest friends Hida and Seu

A small pink tinge crossed her cheeks and she bobbed her head. Seeing him return to his usual way did comfort her, as he was always warm like the sun. Again seating herself on the edge of his desk, and that the two of them had finally seen to business, she cast her eyes to the cieling and then to the fading sun outside. A crow noisily cawed outside, and she seemed pensive.

"When was the last time we really saw each other? Was it right after you gave me that scroll?" she was trying to remember herself.

he chuckled "the one with the water summoning jutsu was it not?... where I tried that experiment boosting your chakra levels" he laughed with the remembrance of the incident, had it been a confined area she would have been easily able to fill a house or three. "I believe that was the last time" his eyes cast their way over to the setting blaze that wrote fire in the sky as the clouds slowly drifted bye. it was a truly beautiful view from here but he liked it better still on the mountain tops. like a giant pen with a flowing hand the sun left its presence in the sky as it fell "that was many years ago it seems, or maybe does not just seem... I have never really kept track of the time, I have been in to many variations of time to care anyways... I am probably about 46 now"

Jijitsu laughed in spite of herself, shaking her head softly. Fourty-six didn't sound that old when the others she had been around were roughly several centuries old. She never did get that vampire's age...
"It could be worse. You could be eighty and your teeth could be falling out," she couldn't help a bit of a playful smirk. The both of them needed a light in thier mood, "Anki's haven't yet, though."

"but look at me.... I have barely aged beyond two years since when I was 18..." he sighed and smiled slightly his body confused himself, how he never aged and if so slowly, and he guessed it would have been even slower had he not split his soul apart... if at all. he guessed at his rate of aging, if it stayed constant he would live for about 1000 years but there was no way to be sure "well.... first off, anki is a small kraken.. and doesnt really have teeth, and me and you... well back and forth there are a few other things stopping our aging if I am correct" he chuckled and put an arm around her shoulder

Jijitsu laughed and nodded, then brushed her hair out from her eyes.
"Anki-sama is not a small kraken, and he does too have teeth," she replied and poked the center of the hokage's chest. She pressed her hands together and then curled and spread her fingers apart, making them look like a venus flytrap.
"All of his teeth are pointed like a shark's," she gnashed her hands together like the mouth they mimicked.

"And I'm not sure, I'm fairly certain I'm aging the way I'm supposed to," she said and patted down her chest.

"yes you are aging beautifully" he smiled and chuckled letting a playful finger bounce off of her bosom "and as for anki... that is quite interesting, I had missed that before... but then again I had never cared that much to look for it" he smiled and poured himself and his guest some of the sake that was there and drank slowly "you know... long ago I didnt know you could drink this... I always had a ready supply but for medical purposes... alcohol is an amazing cleaner" he chuckled

Jijitsu couldn't help but stare a moment. It was then she realized what Anki was talking about whenever he mentioned that she had "much to learn." A warm smile spread again and she graciously took the offered cup.

"Sake is the sweetest of the drinks, as well as the warmest and friendliest. I was...introduced to wines and such on my travels," she shrugged and sipped the cold drink, then paused. "Though it is a tad bitter cold. Traditionally you'd warm it in a pot," she offered helpfully. Perhaps it would prevent any diplomatic blunders if he had to entertain any foreign guests in the future.