Starring:
Date: May 19 ,2012
Summary:
During a happenstance meeting during lunch, Maikeru approaches the Kazekage about perhaps helping him find someone to put him in a coma so he can take Jigoku on.
"Approaching A Solution"
Motai Theater
As the lunch crowd settles in at the Motai Theater, the side of the building designated to performances has gone mostly dark to give emphasis on the stage as a musical play begins. A woman's soprano voice rings out beautifully from the platform as she begins to sing, musical instruments beginning to chime in in order from highest pitch to lowest to create a building feeling of suspense just before more actors step out and begin to sing along.
At a booth at the back of the restaurant side closest to the performance side so that he can see the play, Maikeru sits with a glass of green tea in front of him, a steaming pitcher in the center of the table as he waits for his food. He occasionally lifts his glass to take a sip, enjoying the musical as he jots in a small notebook in front of him. If one looks at it, there are many notes on Genjutsu theories and Jigoku, as well as some kind of plan he is putting together. No expression shows on his face, the man seemingly enjoying himself but somehow a bit tense. With his hood pulled back, one can definitely see the redness in his eyes and circles under them from lack of rest.
There is the scraping of a chair at Maikeru's table. "You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" says a small, bearded old man as he proceeds to do so. "It can be rather crowded in here." The old man glances at Maikeru's visage. "You're looking rather worn," he remarks. "I don't imagine your, erm, feline compatriot is the sole cause? I've heard she can be quite a handful, but still…"
As the chair is pulled back, Maikeru looks up to spot the old man sitting down at the table. "Not at all," he replies, gesturing at the chair, despite the fact the man has already started to sit. While he doesn't quite recognize the man at first, his words draw a slight cant of the Rogue's head and a smirk. "Mika is far from my worries," he says as he waves to a waitress to bring another cup for the new guest at the table. "She and I had a parting of ways before I left on my investigation in the Land of Demons. I may be a bit too serious and dark at times I guess, and that severely clashes with her goofy and disrespectful attitude. I think it was for the best that we split." He takes another sip of his tea as the waitress sets a glass down in front of the old man and pours him a glass, then makes a few more notes in his notebook. "The actual reason for my weariness is within my own mind, a reincarnation of sorts of one I thought I was rid of."
"Indeed?" remarks Sousa, watching the performance on the stage. "Your influence on one another might have acted as a balancing mechanism which benefitted the rest of us. Not that I expect you to act against your own interests." Sousa pulls out a notepad and scribbles in it. "Hmm, they've altered the costumes since that experiment I ran with the sand fleas. Somebody on the production team must be a good observer and problem solver." Sousa looks back to Maikeru. "So, a psychological problem, you say?"
"Perhaps, but I think I'd have eventually blasted her off a cliff if I'd tried to put up with her any longer," Maikeru replies with a chuckle. The comment about sand fleas draws a faint lifting of an eyebrow and a snicker from the Rogue as he looks up at the performance. A bit of mischief on the Kazekage's part, it seems. At least he's not as cardboard as Hikan. Looking back to Sousa, he gives and nod and turns his notebook around to show his notes on Jigoku and how he has been reincarnated in his mind due to stress on his mind from repressing too much anger and rage. "Yes, it seems Jigoku, who I recently learned was my father, has been reborn in my mind, even threatening to overtake me. After some suggestions from an… acquaintance, I've begun attempting to pick his leftover memories apart so that I can assimilate him, but he is strong to the point I doubt normal treatment would work. I have a somewhat dangerous theory involving Genjutsu that would allow me to retain my strength when I meet him in my mind and fight back so I have time to go through his memories and assimilate him. I simply have to find a skilled enough and willing party to help."
Sousa lifts an eyebrow. "Your father? Leftover memories? Interesting that they could come to be in your head. Strange how I keep running across evidence that the mind could be more than a product of the brain." e.e Sousa shrugs and scribbles in his notepad. "So then, what is this plan of yours?"
"You remember that he was sealed in my arm? When his soul was taken, his power and memories remained. I am apparently able to tap into those by his reincarnation," Maikeru replies before taking another sip of his tea. "My plan is to be put in a Genjutsu-induced coma, perhaps with medical help so the effects aren't so detrimental. The idea is to put myself in a controlled dream state, giving me an almost infinite amount of time to fight and assimilate Jigoku. After all, what lasts for hours or even days in a dream is really only a matter of about ten minutes of REM sleep. Given a few days to a week trapped in my mind with him, I could theoretically have thousands of years to battle and assimilate him and even learn what drove him to be what he became and learn how he used his jutsu. That could give me ways to stop even the tailed beasts or whatever that thing was that wrecked the Land of Rivers and almost Kirigakure if necessary."
Sousa shrugs. "Actually no, the exact details of your condition haven't passed across my desk. I recall that you were a key figure in the operation against San Sara Durata, but I don't know what was sealed in your arm or how it was removed or what precisely may be remaining." And the fact that it was something in his arm makes Sousa more inclined to think Maikeru's psychological problem is just that, psychological. I mean, it's a friggin' arm! :P It's not like an arm could control a person's brain, right?
"Your liquid snake, sir," remarks the waitress, setting a drink in front of Sousa.
"As to your plan," says Sousa, "I'm not certain you would really find yourself with more time, or more accurately an accelerated thought process, were you to be in a state which leaves you aware enough to do what you wish. The sensation of a dream lasting for longer than it really does is an illusion made possible by the fact that your mind is out of contact with reality."
Sousa sips at his drink. "Nevertheless, achieving a dream-state in which you are still able to direct your thoughts may still be useful to your goal. How do you plan to recompense those who will assist you in this endeavor? It sounds quite costly, what with the genjutsu expertise and medical attention and basic body care that would be required."
"Ah," Maikeru says, pondering what details he should share, though many have already been shared. "Ah, I was wearing a suit last time met," he says before bringing his hands up and removing the glove from his right hand to reveal its blood red glow, the chakra of Jigoku. "You could say I'm an off-brand Jinchuuriki," he explains, a faint smirk crossing his face. Listening to Sousa's thesis on his plan, Maikeru puts his glove back on to mask the glow once again, as a few people are starting to stare. He ponders that statement a few moments, emitting a low 'hmm' in thought. "Perhaps, but that is the point of Genjutsu, as I will basically be using Genjutsu on myself along with the other person to attempt to create that acceleration. We'll see how it goes."
At the next question, the Rogue smirks slightly again and takes a sip of his tea. "I have a few ideas. I can always offer monetary compensation, as most of my missions villages ask for are A or S-Rank. Or I could offer to do a mission for free for the village. I'm sure there's a Black Operation or two Sunagakure's name doesn't need to be on."
Sousa shrugs. "I can think of no sufficiently momentous tasks offhand that I would not rather assign to a conscripted subordinate. After all, assigning the talented personnel that would be needed for the operation you describe would be very much like a high-ranking mission in itself. Complete with the presence of risk, from the sound of things. As for Black Operations, those actually aren't particularly our style. Sunagakure may be known for finding out things others don't want known, but that does not mean we are fond of subterfuge ourselves." Unless you talk to Kuoroke, of course — no wait, ESPECIALLY NOT if you talk to Kuoroke. <.< >.> "That said, monetary compensation is always welcome, should you be able to convince the missions board that you can pay the worth of the shinobi needed…and who knows, perhaps something will crop up that would require your unique talents."
"Keeping risk aside is part of the purpose of the medical assistance," Maikeru explains before finishing off his tea and pushing the glass forward on the table. "As for the convincing part, perhaps I should explain myself a bit more thoroughly." His expression turns a bit more serious for a moment as he locks eyes with the Kazekage. "If this doesn't happen soon, there is a chance Jigoku could be the one to win out and become the predominant spirit. You do not want him to be the one controlling this power again. Your village is a good deal larger than San Sara, but his presence could still be a nightmare, especially if he snuck in under the disguise of only being me. This is a risk to every village I am allied with, and you can imagine what would happen to a lesser village. I have spent my entire life fending this bastard off to protect you all, and I can't let him beat me now."
Sousa chuckles. "The appeal to the greater good, so to speak. A more certain solution for us would be to simply refuse to allow you entry in the future and treat you as a criminal should word reach us that you had 'turned'. However, 'most certain' is not always optimal." Sousa finishes his drink and gets up. "It's time I was getting back to the administration. I'll send the missions board a memo regarding the possible consequences of refusing you aid. It may make your negotiations more favorable." Sousa bows slightly and heads out of the establishment
Maikeru snickers slightly at the mention of treating him as a criminal, finding that thought quite amusing, as he will definitely need to be labeled that by all villages should Jigoku win. "Very well. Thanks for your consideration, and it was nice to see you again." With that, he looks back to the play and pours himself another glass of tea as he ponders alternatives. There's always going back to the Tao Shih for help with this. He definitely knows a skilled Medical Ninja and a Genjutsuist from that group, though he'd rather not get started that way with them and seen as a burden.
