Standing in the Sun [All ANBU Requested]

[Hanone]

The entrance to the great cave they called home was literally a hole in the side of a cliff which was filled by the huge skeleton of the sandworm, Barnyx. The beast had died so many years ago and but was quite in tact and his gaping mouth remained as the entrance to the great village of Sunagakure. One entered through the mouth and went down the throat, turning down toward the speeding platforms that would take you into the hidden village. The edges of the tunnel was lined by hundreds of smooth, white rib bones which both stood terrifying in sight and sturdy in form.

Just outside the mouth the sun blared and sands swirled and danced over the area, smoothing the huge bone chunks slowly over time. The heat up here was so unbearable. Only a few generations past the people of Sunagakure lived in these terrible conditions, but no longer. It was almost a foreign place and for some, like another country. Some people were born in the village and died there without ever seeing the real sun.

For Eiji, this here at the entrance of Sunagakure was the place to ground yourself. You stood at the precipice, right between two worlds: the known and the neighbor. Too long did they all dwell underground. And strange as it was, outside here in the sand it was more private than any other location in the village. No one came here, no one wandered or sold wares, baked goods or tended to children. It was peaceful, sobering.

The newly appointed ANBU captain stood several paces from the mouth of the skeletal beast with his arms out from his body and his elegantly sculpted face facing the cloudless, blue sky but hidden behind his Jackal-themed mask. He was clad in the regular ANBU gear and it was getting rather warm in his additional long coat (something only captains wore). The heat was a living thing, coiling around him with each push of wind and the sun glowed blinding bright orange behind his closed eyes. He was sure, if not completely covered from head to foot, that this sun would have certainly burned him within minutes of being out there.

But what was he doing out here?

He was waiting for the best of the ANBU to arrive. He had made a call for those he felt the highest about in the branch to come to the surface at high noon without reason or cause. Each person had been sent a message personally and only time would tell if they would come. The choice had actually been left up to each of them to come or not seeing. The note stated that he or she was requested at the set time, place and date at the request of the new ANBU Captain and it was suggested they make an appearance. Mandating it had been pointless; Eiji wasn't interested in those who didn't care to come when called. Though it would be noted in their files for the sennin to see if ever each person was up for promotion.


[ooc: this is a thread for all PC anbu and AiT. Ill try to give everyone enough time to arrive but I won't wait too long. I don't want it to take an eternity lol).

 

[Kumiko]

This was not the first Kumiko laid eyes upon the great sandworm skeleton which served as the entry to their village. However this time Kumiko adorned her ANBU uniform and mask, concealing her identity. Her long black hair would be tied back into a single high ponytail, instead of her regular pigtails. Covering her face was the standard white porceline mask. This was no ordinary ANBU mask. The outside edges were slightly jagged, giving the mask the impression of fur. At its top were two pointed ears, black triangles painted within and red curves coming in from the outside of the ears. Thick black outlined the oval eyes, with red curves underneath, and think black whiskers streaking across the cheeks. The mouth, also lined in black, held two curved red lines at each side. Making it appear like stitches through its mouth. She was no longer Kumiko. She was Thorn.

A few days prior Kumiko had received the summons. Apparently a new captain was appointed, not that she recongized the code name so it was very likely the two hadn't worked together before. She had granted access to the lifts without a single word and before she knew it she arrived at the designated meeting place, the first to arrive However Thorn wouldn't utter a word. She simply waited for the meeting to begin.

Mask -http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b136/namouri/Anbu_Mask_by_Blitsen_zpsb6b4591c.jpg

 

[Onamuji]

It had been some time since Satsumaru had been summoned - by anyone, for that matter. Normally, he went along with the standard cycle of mission after mission, interrupted by decent amounts of off-time in between. Not even the Steward had needed Satsumaru enough to summon or speak to him. It was interesting, then, to receive a summons from one claiming to be an ANBU Captain. Satsumaru, of course, was duty-bound to answer...although his curiosity bound him just as much.

The long-haired ANBU was garbed in the traditional armor of their caste, looking orderly and intimidating. The most noticeable feature, of course, was his mask*. Unlike the traditional ANBU masks that features animals, his was made to fit his callsign and nature a bit more accurately. He was known as Lie once the mask was donned, and the odd clockwork patterns upon it were meant to be an example of the enigmatic ANBU underneath, and a sign of the mental hells that the eyes behind it could unleash. It also spoke to his abilities and the nature of ANBU. In his mind, they were the hidden lies that sought the truth and justice that kept their village safe and strong. He, of course, being the ultimate Lie.

His crimson eyes the only thing visible from underneath his mask, Lie spoke not a word, but gave a firm nod toward the Captain who had assembled them before crossing his arms and waiting patiently for the others.

Spoiler

* Obviously, though the image of the mask has one eye hole, Satsumaru's will have two. I'm just too lazy and haven't had the time to draw a custom puzzle mask up, and this one was the basis of what I was going for

 

[Mikaboshi]

Mikaboshi hated the sun.

Not in the traditional way, mind. Though it's rays could scorch his skin if he was in too direct of sunlight for too long, just as it would to any mortal's skin, such things did not bother the ANBU Sennin as they might a human. Discomfort was a natural companion to him given the strange construction of his patchwork body. No, he hated the sun in a more direct fashion. He hated the sun because he hated Fuujin. Fuujin who had trapped him within the Black Blade and then given it to the humans as a gift of truce between them. There was great irony in the fact that Mikaboshi's sword (and by proxy his very soul) was used to end the slayings that he himself had encouraged.

As one might imagine, the irony was not appreciated by him.

Darkness crawling around his body like a writhing black mass of insects, Mikaboshi stepped from the shadows of Baranyx's jaws to join the other ANBU which had arrived at the meeting that his new Captain had called. Wrapped in a heavy black cloak with a voluminous hood, Mikaboshi wore his trademark facial mask as he always did; there was no need for him to acquire a separate mask. He preferred that his name and identity be inseparable from that of the ANBU Corps. When the people of Sunagakure thought of the masked enforcers that they named with the four-letter acronym he wanted them to think of him and his grimacing mask first and foremost. Though his hood shifted and blew with the winds of the desert, the only light that seemed to pierce the shadows of his large hood was the burning gold embers that passed as Mikaboshi's eyes. Throwing his gaze sideways to glance at Lie and Thorn as he passed them, Mikaboshi mentally called at the names that the masks evoked to him. Human faces seemed to elude him from time to time but the masks of ANBU were more easily recognized by him. Looking upon his ANBU's false faces that mimicked animals and spirits, Mikaboshi was distantly reminded of what it was like to be surrounded by the members of his Deep Court. Creatures of darkness and shadow which preferred the gloom over the light. Behind his mask the hint of a smile pulled at the lips of the Ancient Lord.

Approaching Eiji first, Mikaboshi slowly stalked up to him, stopped and gazed upon him expectantly. They had parted not too long ago and Mikaboshi had given the new captain explicit instructions regarding their interaction. Any time they met, he would do the very same thing to confirm his identity. It was unlikely that an impostor could have replaced Eiji so quickly and effectively but Mikaboshi had not lived thousands of years by being reckless.

[You can see my mask via my avatar or profile. It is identical to Amon's mask except for the red circle in the center of the forehead.]

 

[Hanone]

Though his original intentions had been to wait silently for the branch members to appear then address them as a unit verses individually, the appearance of his leader brought Eiji's attention away from the sky and back to the earth. His mask was new, a new reflection of his rank and place among the order and in honor of the shadowy man now standing before him. Eiji was not going to be the same man he was before. His vow to Mikaboshi was as being reborn into the body of a jackal. He would serve the man in darkness, and send his enemies to the afterlife in the name of his leader's wishes.

The being, so different than a human approached him, stalling before the smaller male. Golden orbs met crystalline blue. Unseen beneath the mask he now wore was a smile, one full of secret pleasure at the appearance of his superior. Almost flawlessly, he came to a knee before him, his head bowed and he spoke to him, his soft tenor clear despite the mask, "The shadows are here." The recent commandment of his sennin did not escape his mind. Lifting his masked face toward the ancient, he awaited his reply. A dark chakra began to flow from his body in preparation to attack the man as an impostor if he did not return in kind. It was probable the others nearby wouldn't notice anything more than an ANBU showing his sennin the respect he deserved.

 

[Raizo]

Yōko
A figure clad in a black hooded cloak, and the golden Sunan ANBU attire, would slowly make his way towards those that had gathered. There was not a reason at the moment to make a sound, or socialize, so he was content with awaiting what all was suppose to transpire at this meeting. The mask upon his face would signify that the ANBU under the codename Yōko was present and accounted for. Still there was much curiosity as to why the summoning was taking place, but his conviction would allow him to bide his time for the answers.

 

[Darasu]

The dry air was torture.

It had been some time since he had come to the surface of the villages gate, out to the mouth of the great sand worm. And with each step he took, and every pair of ribs he passed the air got hotter and drier. The young shinobi was used to the moist underneath of the village and the tunnels that branched it. Up here he was nearly naked, other than the several canteens of water he had spotted around his waist.

The anbu had been summoned by his new captain to meet at the edge of the desert. At least, Darasu was almost an anbu. Although he was highly ranked among his village, his training as a black ops member of the village had not yet been completed. He was still in training sadly. But hopefully the fact that he had been called upon by an elder was a good sign that he would soon see another rank on his belt. But for now, he was coming as one of the lesser ranks of the village.

Darasu had come dressed in the traditional armor that his kin wore, and a cloak past that. The armor of course was his second set, as he had recently battled and had several pieces scratched and dented in the combat. Things as simple as scratched armor could give away his identity more than necessary. Darasu had learned this much as a genin. His silver haired was tied behind him in a tail that reached the shoulders. Most people would say he was over dressed, but his sand colored cloak was actually insulated to keep him cool. A custom design of his own that was still in project, although coming along well. The one thing that set him aside from the rest was his mask. It was a simple painted white and blue pattern, that matched that of the wolf's face. Such was the symbolism of his position among the ranks of the ANBU. He was a lone tracker, who hunted almost always solo. But he was able and agile, and vicious as a cornered canine.

When he arrived at the mouth of the great worm, there was several others there before him. He said nothing as he arrived, but looked around through his emerald colored eyes. Watching. Observing.


Mask

 

[Kagai]

It seemed there was to be a gathering this day. A gathering of ANBU to apparently welcome the newly appointed captain Osiris. Kagai hadn't heard of him, or at least he couldn't remember if he had or not, but despite all of that, he felt it'd be in his best interest to at least show up and size up this new captain. He had only been an ANBU for about 4 years now, so for all he knew this Osiris was one of the many ANBU he never came in contact with. In any case, it made no difference. He felt he needed to be there, so he would go there.

Gathering up his gear, and his mask, Kagai would perform a minor Transformation jutsu to slightly change his outward appearance. He would change his normally crimson red hair to pitch black, and his eyes to a gold. They would resemble Lion's eyes, which went well with his mask. The rest of his gear was your standard Sunan ANBU gear, nothing all that special. He hadn't been above ground since the mission, and to be honest he was missing it. He loved to be out and about breathing the fresh air, despite the fact of the diamond dust maelstrom swirling about. He loved to feel the heat of the sun upon himself as well. It felt like it empowered him in some way. On top of his normal ANBU gear, Kagai would be wearing a plain black cloak which would help protect his bare skin from the sands, seeing as he did not keep the suit that the Steward-Kazekage had given him for the mission.

It seemed others had gathered round for this little meeting. He didn't recognize any of them, but that was probably a good thing for ANBU. He wouldn't verbally greet any of em, only give the slightest of nods as he took a place among the group to see what was to become of this.

Mask

 

[Mugen]

Mugen was called upon, and he had to comply. After all, as an ANBU he had responsibilities. He was no longer the freelance, carefree shinobi that he was in the past. He had become hardened, and precise in almost every movement he made. His eyes, their color perfectly mimicking the golden beauty of the sand outside, peered through the Anbu mask in order to analyse the situation carefully. As he made his way to the mouth of the cave, the young boy would come to notice the gathered shinobi around him. He would pay them no heed.

The sun blazed, and the heat was almost unbearable. Mugen was in no way used to this scorching heat -- he was certain, and quite glad, that if he wore his usual attire, he would not last even a few minutes out here. It was almost torture, but he had to bear with it. A simple sigh would escape his lips, before his tongue would make its way around his lips in order to keep them moisturised.

As silent as the rest of them, the young shinobi would simply stand there and wait for the rest of the Anbu to show up.

 

[Mikaboshi]

"The shadows are everywhere." Replied Mikaboshi, his tone even as he spoke as if the words that exchanged between them were just old habit. Feeling the power of Eiji's elevated dark chakra, Mikaboshi exulted in it for a moment. Dark chakra was a rare thing among human beings for they considered it's usage repugnant. Forbidden. Evil. Mikaboshi couldn't deny that dark chakra was certainly something of a more macabre nature. It was not a type of energy that existed for healing or mending. It existed to twist and destroy, pure and simple. But in that sense it had it's own sort of simple beauty; it was the first lethal weapon ever to be forged by a thinking mind. It was that elegance that Mikaboshi could appreciate. He himself was not a being of pure dark chakra but as his more powerful released states could attest, he certainly possessed a kinship with it. Breathing in the invisible energy, Mikaboshi exhaled a puff of visible shadow which streamed from the blackness of his hood like the darkest of smoke before disappearing into the air around him. He found that even for a human being, he liked Eiji more and more as time went on. He had made a good choice for his captain.

Turning away from Eiji, Mikaboshi looked upon the new arrivals. Only one was taller than he was and that was Okayama Roku aka "Yoko" after his mask. From the file that Mikaboshi had read, he was easy to identify due to his height. All of the other ANBU present hovered around a medium to high five feet tall but Yoko towered over the rest of them at over six. Mikaboshi made no move to acknowledge the youth though Yoko would likely feel the brunt of Mikaboshi's attention fall upon him as he appraised him. Though he was far removed from the extraordinarily powerful supernatural spirit that he had been before, the cold aura of Mikaboshi's shadows were easy to feel for even the least spiritual human beings. For generations humanity had grown with stories of supernatural predators that lurked in the darkness beyond their torches and campfires. Boogeymen and goblins which would stalk and consume them if they wandered too far from their villages for too long at night. Mikaboshi liked to believe that some level of that generational blood fear ran in the veins of every human and it triggered when they felt him walk among them. After all, he was among the original "boogeymen" as those such things went. While he held no candle to the Ancient of the Wild Hunt whom had struck fear into the hearts of both men and immortals alike, Mikaboshi's great crusades of butchery into the human lands of other Ancients were the things of the oldest terrible stories.

Three more ANBU arrived in turn, two of which with similarly colored eyes as his own. Filing away that tidbit of information, Mikaboshi said nothing as they approached as realistically he had no interest in anything they might say to him anyway. These were his pawns; soldiers in the war that he intended to wage against the criminal element of Sunagakure.

 

[Hanone]

Eiji's flow of dark chakra eased away as Mikaboshi answered him in kind. He had been sure this was a man; he wasn't like others. There was a distinctive feel about him that was unmistakable. The masked man stood before him silently otherwise, the shadows swirling around him like a living thing. A shadowy wisp even appeared from between the cracks of his mask, as if the man breathed shadows. He reminded him of something, part of a dream he'd had the other night. It was that dream that had brought Eiji to call up these particular ANBU up to the sun that day.

He dreamed of a chessboard, and all the pieces were masked animals, like the ANBU were masked and took on the likeness of an animal. The black king stood in shadows and all the pieces moved to protect him, even dying for the cause which was to win and defeat the white foe. Mikaboshi stood as the black king and each piece was an ANBU who for him, for Suna.

Those standing before him now were the people with the most credability, those showing the most promise. The question was...who would prove to be a bishop or rook; powerful when directed a single way or another. Who would be as knights; taking odd, unexpected turns and acting with conviction. All the others were pawns. They moved forward and died for a cause, sometimes sent to their deaths on purpose. Eiji looked over each person who had come, responding the to call of the new ANBU captain.

But what did that make him? He, with no pun intended, would work as Mikaboshi's queen piece. He would defend and attack, come at any angle needed and be the ace in the hole.

As the Sennin moved away from him, Eiji rose from the ground, standing his full height. The captain coat fluttered slightly with a hot gust of wind, the sound reminding him what he was now. "You've been brought here today because you are the greatest of our ANBU, those whose files reflect superior skill and dedication and... the most promising of our recruits." His blue eyes fixed on each face individually just for a second,stopping longer on the two AiTs then stopped on Mikaboshi's form. "I am your captain, Osiris. You selected few will report directly to me from now on. Your missions will come through me. If you require something from the ANBU, you will come ask me for it. If you need the Sennin, you will come to me first."

He knew it was hard to accept a new superior, especially if you didn't know anything about him or her. In fact both Eiji and Mkaboshi were new superiors for them as the sennin had only been in his station for a 2 or 3 months. Before him had been Hotaru, a merciful and understanding type of woman. Both Eiji and Mikaboshi were like night to her day.

Calmly, he looked away from the sennin and back to the group. He'd been privy to each of their files and knew each person by name as they correlated to their mask and codename. He would never share that information with any others, but because of the files, he knew about each of them personally. How they acted, the missions they'd done, their accomplishments and defeats. Also their names.

"You are all to commit to special projects and undertake the most secret of missions. You are sworn to secrecy to the point that speaking of your work to anyone will be considered treason and be imprisoned without trial. You have the option to walk away now and return to being just a pawn. If you choose to stay, then I would have you each swear your fealty to me and our sennin now. Swear to obey and serve, to kill when told, to reserve punishment when directed and to do things you may feel is morally questionable."

He stood silent and raised his arms in question. Would they answer?


[no posting order]
mft

 

[Onamuji]

Every man, from the mightiest king to the lowliest vagrant, had to be a pawn at some time. Satsumaru knew this, despite his innate sense of pride. Though causing a bit of displeasure at the idea of bowing, it was only a knee-jerk reaction that Satsumaru was quick enough and wise enough to over-rule. They were Captain and Sennin, and he was ANBU. Their will was his mission, for the good of the village.

In the midst of silence, Satsumaru unclasped his ninja-to and cast it into the ground.

"I am the Lie, and I swear these things. To Sennin and Captain, and to our homeland, I will obey and serve," he spoke, his enigmatic voice echoing from beneath the mask, "Should I fail or fall, may the sands take me."

 

[Raizo]

Yōko
Roku was not the paranoid type, hell he frequently did things that were sure to draw ire from those around him and would not even give it a second thought. But at this point in time there was a pressure weighing down on his shoulders, a feeling as if his very soul was being assessed. His eyes would scan the area and would ultimately land upon the two figures that were at the head of this gathering, one more so than the other. Their mask was not animal like and very humanoid. The face carved upon it wasn't scary, wasn't lifeless, it was this creepy mixture of satisfaction and superiority. It was the face of someone who did not fear but struck fear. Could this be the figure from the shadows he had heard about during his time in The Grid, the Sennin of the ANBU?

It was at this time his eyes would notice something else that had escaped him before; he one of, if not the, tallest masked figures in attendance. Maybe that is where all this feeling of being watched was coming from? Before dwelling on thoughts of the creepy figure before him and assessing his own physical growth, Roku's attention would be redirected to the one whom had sent him the message, the new Captain. His words weren't all that dolled up and to the point; he wanted a pledge and he didn't want those that would waiver in their tasks. This sort of thing was always a treat for Roku when witnessing it in a social interaction. Those that spend all their time training their bodies, even if they are the most loyal of 'dog', seem to carry this strong sense of personal pride. A belief that their will was not to be imposed upon.

"I swear my service."

The voice was plain, calm. His mind was devoid of any other thought. There was no need for pride. We all had a role to play and while he had his own ideas in mind, those were merely dreams of the future at this point. Work had to be done before rewards could be reaped. Besides, there was this piece about killing that made it seem like the work was going to be fun, and who doesn't love a little fun?

 

[Kagai]

It was rather odd. Before now, Kagai had never met the ANBU superiors, aside from the Steward-Kazekage, though this made it seem like not even the Steward was the true voice behind the ANBU. All of this secrecy gave Kagai the feel that the ANBU worked outside of the known realms and channels within the Village, that it was it's own separate entity. An ideal that was both liberating and fear inducing all at the same time.

Kagai had no problem with this, not one bit. Lord Kojin had pushed him into the leagues of the ANBU for a reason, and hopefully this reason would soon be found out. There wasn't much Kagai could assess from those that stood by him aside from the overly tall individual, the captain Osiris, and the even stranger man whom gave off an aura that made even Kagai's spine quiver with fear for a moment. This was the ANBU Sennin. Up until now, Kagai had never met him face to face, so to speak, but it was clear why he was Sennin now. Two people had already spoken up to swear their allegiance, the tall one and another whom apparently called himself The Lie.


"I am Paladin. I pledge my loyalty and swear to obey and serve until kingdom come." He would say, his voice a tad muffled. It was yet another way he used to try and keep his identity secret from those whom would possibly be enemies. If they found out who he was and who he associated with, they could use them to gain an advantage, or at least try to gain an advantage.

 

[Mugen]

One by one they swore their allegiance to Suna, one by one they bound their souls to these men. He was glad, for once, that the mask he wore covered his facial features. For as if it did not, these men would see doubt--a simple, yet human doubt on his own abilities as a ninja. He was cunning, so his feelings did not project through his eyes, the only visible part of his face. These very same eyes...these eyes, that spoke of amber, then focused on these men, before words would escape his mouth.

"I, the rabbit, swear my allegiance." his words were simple, and straight to the point. His voice was smooth, and he enunciated his words perfectly. After all, Mugen was known for his golden tongue -- he was a master of words. A master of deception. A master liar. (too bad the other guy got to that code name first.)

 

[Darasu]

It would seem that the purpose of this meeting was to introduce the anbu identities to each other, and to mark a new Captain of the ANBU division of Suna.
Darasu was mildly interested in this all, but what he really took a close observation of was the one who was called sennin. This man had an interesting mask on, and it would seem that his presence was almost taboo. There was some eerie feeling about the mans stature that caused Darasu to make a foolish mistake. With his own ability to tune into people chakra and identify them with a personal atonement, he honed in on this senins.

But that only lasted about two seconds. The young anbu in training quickly was shocked down his spine with the sense of darkness and morbid fairy tales. It was the same feeling that he got when he went to bed as a child, scared of the monsters that lurked in the earth about the great caverns that the village was born into. Stories that haunted him until he was confident that any monster could quickly be killed by his own skills. This feeling was what would have accumulated over years and years of not overcoming or facing these fears. Like that of a claustrophobic child being locked in a coffin.
Needless to say, he quickly closed off his ability to sense. The only hint that he may have done something to depict this sennin was the pause he had when his mask turned in the boogeymans direction. Darasu would have then turned his wolf painted mask back towards the man who called himself Osiris.

One by one these men swore their loyalties to their village, and spoke words of penny worth wisdom or poorly written poetry. When he found a moment to speak, he dropped his arms that were crossed and addressed himself.

" As the wolf of Sunagakure, I swear my loyalty and blade to my Anbu Captain," Turning from the captain now, his mask moved again to the sennin " the anbu sennin" and then Darasu turned his body ninety degrees back towards the village entrance "And to the village itself. " Ending his vow.

 

[Kumiko]

One after another ANBU after ANBU joined the gathering until finally it appeared all those summoned had arrived. It was Osiris who was appointed the new ANBU captain, a man she had yet to work with, but she was sure he was able for the job. On que Osiris began his speech, calling those gathered the best of the best. Something Thirn already knew. During her speech she foundit odd he would give them a way out. Thorn would assume everyone here knew what they were getting into. Why would they leave now?

" I, Thorn, swear my service.' She repeated after Yoko. There was little else for Thorn to say. Everything boiled down to those few words. However Thorn wasn't here to serve these men. She served the Steward, and if through them she must obey, then so be it.

 

[Mikaboshi]

One by one each of the ANBU before him swore their loyalty to the corps and by proxy to him and as they did Mikaboshi looked on without comment. He already knew better than anyone that words of loyalty from a human being meant nothing. Mikaboshi was bound by his word; that was his nature. He could no more betray a promise made in sound mind than he could go back in time and prevent his imprisonment within the sword that the Steward-Kazekage now wielded. But humans... they were beings of chaos by nature. Each of them possessed a greater power than he suspected most of them knew. The power of choice. Each and every human being in the entire world had the power within them to choose to be whatever they wanted to be if they were willing to do what was necessary to make it. Few humans were willful enough to exert their choices with impunity but those that did... their word meant nothing. They could-- and in many cases --would betray at the turn of a whim. Even Eiji, who by all appearances seemed loyal enough to the cause, could turn against him at any time. It was a good reminder for him.

Still, even as he doubted the longevity of Eiji's loyalty the Captain was already doing right by the trust that the Ancient had put in him. He had not yet shared the full breadth of his plan with Eiji; the scope that he intended to eventually expand his campaign but Eiji was already recruiting soldiers to participate. He wondered if Eiji understood that Mikaboshi would not be satisfied at simply cleansing Sunagakure of the more insurgent minds. Eventually once Sunagakure's criminal organizations were either eliminated or brought to heel by the ANBU, he intended to expand that enterprise into the Wind Country. Through the criminal organizations the ANBU could wield direct power over the populace in a way that the Sunan government could not-- or rather would not --condone. Eiji knew that Mikaboshi intended to purge or assimilate Sunagakure's criminal element but he wondered if the man understood that his Sennin's intention wasn't simply to tie a yoke around the neck of criminals but also the populace. In that way Mikaboshi would fulfill his promise to Sousuke. Because of their changeable nature, human beings were a constant threat to themselves. Perhaps the greatest threat. To be truly protected, humanity would need to once more be subject to the rule of an Ancient.

And what better Ancient to do it than the one that understood them best?

Looking on, Mikaboshi said nothing as the last ANBU swore he loyalty to the cause that she did not fully understand yet. After all he had decided to attend the meeting to observe how Eiji handled it rather than take the control of it away from his new captain. He wished to see how Eiji intended to bring these individuals into the fold and give them their mission. Though he had not specifically given him the task to do it, Mikaboshi's oversight in the meeting was a sort of silent test for Eiji to see how up to the task he was of managing what was ultimately a sensitive situation given the legality of what Mikaboshi intended to do.

 

[Hanone]

Each person stepped forward of his own accord to swear his life to their purpose and design. It only meant so much. Just as Mikaboshi was thinking, men were chaotic creatures. Eiji put little stock in someone's vow. It's another reason marriage seemed almost pointless... almost. At least the part for fealty was pointless.

Regardless, once each man had taken the ground to speak, Eiji nodded to each man then spoke himself, "Good. With your new vow, you will shuck away the titles given to you by your previous sennin and accept your new name." He turned and his blue eyes turned on the AiTs of the group first. Their job here would be done swiftly. Raising his right hand, the ANBU captain pointed at Darasu. "You are the best of the AiT right now. You show promise, but you haven't yet proved yourself ready for the corps. You will partner with the AiT to your side there. You both will be given missions suited to your status and skills and work together. Your new codename is Mite until you earn your new position."

He wouldn't take an argument on the subject and turned directly to Mugen. He too was very promising; it was the only reason of all the current AiT they were here. "You will work with Mite until you too can be promoted. You will now be known as Sliver until that time." He then turned his hand to the entrance of the village. The toothy mouth stood wide and inviting, "Now both of you are dismissed. Wait for my word. You will be summoned again soon."

With that completed, he returned his eyes to ANBU. A smile tugged at his lips, hidden beneath his mask. "Lie, are now known as Apex. Thorn, you are now Elfin. Paladin, you are now Plague. And Youko you are now Titan. All four of you are charged with a task; You are to go to the Grand Palais, deep into the ghetto and root out the people in power. Find those men and women who's word or actions moves the will of others. Do not make yourself known, do not apprehend anyone. Observe, learn and then report to me alone of your findings. I want to know everything going on there; every druglord, every gangleader, every larger-than-life thug."

The mission was simple. The ANBU captain wouldn't keep any of them much longer. His arms crossed before his chest, the coat constricting his movement slightly. He would need to break it in. "I can be reached in the Obsidian Tower. Request me if I'm not in, do not leave any paperwork or reports; I want to hear from you directly. Acknowledge your task then you may leave."

 

[Darasu]

With his arms crossed, Darasu took on what little responsibility he was given. But, mite? That was the brother species that was a brother to a tick. The young Haku looked over at the new partner he had been given, and raised a brow behind his wolf painted mask. Even the idea of being a sliver was more attractive than being a termite.

There was no need to speak to his new Captain about the assignment, he merely nodded at his new ally and started walking back through the entrance of the village.