Raging Rabbit? Maybe. [Kuai or Invite]

Raging was an understatement, one of a rather high nature. Given the state of the holding cell being passed as his 'room'; one could say the rabbit had gone completely off his rocker. Shards of ice as long as a man's forearm jutted from the walls; glass lay shattered and sparking on the floor; who knows who's blood was caking the walls a nasty shade of ruddy brown. One of his 'handlers' lay dead in the doorway; decapitated and slowly spreading a pool of blood below him. Gen was... angry; in many ways. This wasn't one of his bursts of insanity, however; he was completely lucid, or as much as he ever got. This was a show, the kind of show that got the attention he wanted. Oh, this wasn't some childish "PAY ATTENTION OR I BREAK SHIT" plea for people to look at him.

No, he was trying to force the attention of the people that kept him locked away. The more havoc he caused, the higher up the ladder they'd move him. A few minutes of screaming? Maybe a bang on the door by a handler. Ice shards in the walls? Maybe a visit from a Captain. Kill a few of the handlers he didn't like? Right up to the Leader.

That's what he wanted. He wanted to see the man that brought him to this place. He wanted to talk to him again; ask why he was being caged like an animal still; the last time he'd been visited, there was a promise to at least move him above ground. If he was reading the season correctly on his last few trips above... it had been over a year since that day; and nothing. The Elders... they had to be doing it... they thought of him as a weapon; sub human and nothing more than a tool; his ears didn't help either, a mark of his animal status. No, not animal; no animal was treated this way.

He just wanted to see the sun, feel the breeze on his skin, remember the snow. Maybe even have a chance to speak with those people he'd met again; that young woman, the older male... they seemed nice... and he could handle being around small groups. It wouldn't be too much to at least let him be around others with similar powers... the Jounin, if he remembered correctly. Or even with the ANBU that watched him; just... not in a cage... not underground.

He didn't want much... right?

"Down, Rabbit!"

He didn't even need to be leashed; he was calm by that point; merely standing in the center of the room with his hands at his side and his ears down. The commend triggered his seal; his mind went blank and his body turned numb, weak. Unknown ninja rushed in; jutsu ready to kill him if he so much as twitched. Special gear; gloves that bound his hands, shackles that kept him from moving with much freedom; a mask that blocked his mouth and stifled his breathing. Anything to stop him from even trying to use his skills. They'd keep them on until they reached wherever he was being taken.

With luck... it was to the Mizukage. The man that was always kind; had always understood his problems; or seemed to. If not... he was in for one hell of a nasty week of punishment ordered by the elders for 'rebelling'; as they called it.

It was worth it to try. That's what he hoped, anyway. It was a strong enough wish that it broke through the seal and gave him something to focus on; a sliver of hope, a sliver of something.

And then he was being dragged. To where, he didn't know; he merely went along for the ride.

There was no knock at the door, just a breathless body bursting in through it,

"Sir! I have news! Gen has gone -"

"Save it, Ushi. I already know." Indeed, it was easy to know when the walls around the Rabbit's cell was covered in invisible fuinjutsu seals that cooresponded directly with those of his own office -- a precaution he ordered placed in so that he'd know who was in contact with his weapon at any given time. It was a nifty thing to have -- he'd always know when there was flares of chakra down in the Rabbit's cell, like now.

The ANBU handlers knew what to do; deliver the Rabbit to him, and breathe not a word of this to anyone. He'd take care of the rabbit himself, just like every other time the male had done something to warrant a visit to his office.. It was long ago determined that Kuai was one of the few people that could control Gen without the use of his seal. Kuai knew better than to let that comment go to his head; he simply chaulked it ip to a battle of chakra strength. He and Gen both were capable of putting the entire village on ice, literally, but when it came down to it, fine control won out over brute power. Where Gen was a howling storm, Kuai was the perfect example of refined control. He was capable of channeling the same power that Gen contained and giving it a purpose, the very act making it infinitely stronger.

The male stood in front of his desk, arms crossed over his chest.  He was not angry with the child; he pitied him more than anything. To be locked away as a weapon of war, only brought out when it was deemed needed by the elders of the village? It was not a life worth living-- at least, not to him. If it were up to him, he'd allow the Rabbit more freedom. A person locked away like an animal was bound to turn on his masters just as soon as his enemy. And given that he rather enjoyed the rabbit's company when he was around, Kuai would rather it not come to that. And so, he waited for them to bring the male to him, foot tapping as the door to his office swung open once more.

As the ANBU handlers dragged the Rabbit in before him, Kuai nodded to them; immediately they began to remove his bindings. His hands were unshackled, the bit removed from his mouth so that he could speak. As the Anbu worked, Kaui motioned Ushi over. "Wait outside, Ushi. I shall call for you shortly." The messenger genin blinked, looking between Kuai and the placated Rabbit before nodding and quickly exiting. After Ushi left, the Mizukage turned his attention to the closest Anbu. "How many this time, Tencha?"

"Just one, sir. It was Michi."

Kuai sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. Michi was one of the newer recruits, a fresh face into the ranks. He'd have to speak to the captains about this. "Please, Tencha, make the arrangements. She will be done with full honors."

"Yessir."

"Thank you, Tencha." Kuai nodded, lifting a hand to signal to the Anbu that they were dismissed. As they departed, the male turned his eyes to the Rabbit-eared ninja before him. "Well, Gen. What do you have to say?"

"....." He wasn't sure if it was a game, or just... a quirk; of the elder male. To treat him almost like a child, but with far more respect. There was an understanding between them; a bond of ability, if nothing else. He wouldn't know; or couldn't rather. He'd lost so much of his humanity since the day his world ended, that he wasn't even sure he could recognize affection, or kinship, or anything positive in the world.

But then, why did he crave a chance to socialize. Maybe not significantly; but at least a chance to say hello to another human being once in a while. A last spark of humanity fighting for survival before he gave in to the endless nothingness of a puppet tool.

"She... got in the way... I hadn't meant to hit her... the other... the snake mask... he beats me, sometimes... even when I behave... I wanted it to stop... the other was kind... and I regret ending that kindness."

Not exactly the answer the male was looking for, but it was a start. Gen's brain was long scrambled, it took him a while to get anywhere most of the time; unless it was for the simplest of questions. This... was not; no matter what it seemed.

"You... you promised... I miss the air... and the sun... I haven't seen the snow since I came here... I miss it... I just... I just want to not be alone all the time... They take the kind ones away so fast... leave only the brutal and the mean. They come to watch, sometimes... the old men and woman... I hear them laugh... I hear everything... Sometimes they make it stop... but then they fix my body and I can hear it again... and the Voices feed off of it... What am I, now? I came here a boy... am I even still human? Trained to be a weapon, locked away as an animal, beaten like a beast... Why didn't you keep your promise...?"

Hell, he wasn't even crying; not really. Tears just froze in his eyes, making them twinkle oddly in the bright light of the office. Even with it being warm; or compared to the air in his cell, given how he lowered the temperature so far during his outburst; the tears still froze solid. He was miserable in his own way; less so for the mistreatment, and more so for the idea that the elder had forgotten about him. He was the only contact with humanity Gen had left; beyond the always shifting masks of the few kind ANBU that he'd see; coming and going in a few days tops. He was like a child clinging to a picture that invoked a beloved memory; that's all humanity was to him. Or his own, rather; as he'd grown up alone, merely his father, sister, and uncle. And Sui was gone, taken from him after his last trip; the cruel ANBU he'd tried to slay had taken her off his head as he was put back in his cage; locked in a little box that he could see, but not reach. He couldn't even hear her speak; it was too far away and she was so weak from being away from him; he was sure she would die if he didn't get her back soon; but he couldn't bring himself to say anything about that yet... it was too much. Maybe... maybe he'd be able to find her time; but only once he knew if he was going to even survive this time. Each outburst was a risk; a risk of his life if the Elders decided he was too much trouble. This could possibly be his last day on earth; he wouldn't know until it was too late.

The Mizukage signed, lowering his arms from his chest. He enver intended for the Rabbit to be treated this way. He'd even gone so far as to tell the officers that were on the rotation schedule to treat Gen as if he were one of them; he was human after, even with the ears atop his head. But still.. the man with the snake mask.. Kuai knew him. Reizama Umicha. He'd have to have a word with Reizama in reguards to this.

But that would not change anything; it would not change his promise to Gen, the one he tried to keep to the male since he was younger. The elders didnt want Gen out in public since he was easily offended and volitile. The elders feared him; they feared his power, and that if he got out of hand, he would kill them. Silly old people. So obsessed with thier position.

"You'e going to be fine, Gen. Nothing can be done about it now. She's gone, and there is nothing that can be done to bring her back." The male released another sigh, lifting a hand to rake back his frosted hair. "The very fact that you feel remorse about whatyou did means that you are not just a weapon, but a person." Kuai paused for a second, contemplating his next course of action. He could go against the elders and deal with the political backlash while making Gen happy, or he could risk Kiri's greatest weapon turning against them at the most inopportune moment...

"As for my promise, I'm going to keep it to you. In fact, we're going to take a little trip." He reached back onto his desk, producing a paper from the Raikage that had flown in that morning. "We're going to go to Kumogakure, Gen. And when we come back, I'll move you into my own home, so that you have more freedom. The council can kiss my frozen ass on this matter." He grinned at this, before snagging a scroll and sribbling a response to the Raikage and whistling for Ushi. As the genin scrambled into the open door, Kuai handed him the scroll. "Raikage."

As for my promise, I'm going to keep it to you. In fact, we're going to take a little trip." ... "We're going to go to Kumogakure, Gen. And when we come back, I'll move you into my own home, so that you have more freedom. The council can kiss my frozen ass on this matter."

W-wha... what...? That was.... what? The boy wasn't even sure of his own ears; which was something new to him given his normal ability to hear was highly enhanced by them. He was silent for a long time, quite obviously stunned by the words of the elder. To go from the cage to even just a tiny room above ground where he would be allowed to see other people more often than before. That alone would have been enough. This... this was...

He could live with this.

"You... I am enough of a burden on you... but if you believe this to be the best course of action, I will not protest. Thank you, Master."

That was all he could say on that matter, really. To add more would be insulting, and could be seen as disobedience. Given what had just happened, he could not put that on the head of the elder. He would behave, and do as told; that was his purpose, after all.

"You wish me to go with you out of the village... It is my honor to serve. Whatever you need of me."

A trip... a chance to really spend some time outside, see the world outside of his cell... he couldn't help but be a little excited, and it showed in the slight perking of his ears; the bit of color flooding his face. Life, returning to him. Excitement, all of those things he'd locked away. Even if he was just being shown off, or something like that... it was better than the cage.

Kuai grinned slightly; he figured that this would calm the rabbit and give him something to look forward to. As Ushi took the note, the Mizukage motioned the genin closer. "Also, please send a message to Hedeki, my butler. Have him prepare one of the guest rooms for Gen; he'll be moving into the house upon our return to Kiri." After patting the genin on the back, and motioning that he was free to go, Kuai turned his attention back to Gen.

"For the moment, Gen, we need to get you a wardrobe. We're going to be guests of the Raikage for a bit, so we'll both need to look our best. I'll have one of the ANBU -- your choice of whom -- to escort you to the tailors today. We'll be leaving in two days." He grinned at the rabbit, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "Don't worry, Rabbit. You're gonna be fine."

"Wardrobe...?" He didn't even need to bother looking down; his simple robe was tattered and covered in everything from dirt and soot to blood in various stages of drying. He was a mess, and not fit to be seen by anyone but a battlefield medic; least of all a Kage of a foreign country. "Yes... I understand..." He would have been fine with the bland cloak and armor of the ANBU; but that would be risking too much; to give the unstable weapon armor and tools? Suicide, or so many of the ones in charge of keeping him sedate and usable thought. It wasn't as if he couldn't make his own tools; but that was what the seal was for; to keep him from doing anything that could possibly cause anyone harm; at least in cases where he wasn't told implicitly to do so.

The boy hesitated a moment; he was had been about to say something to the effect of 'he would be a good weapon, one that no one had to worry about'; but some gut feeling told him that wasn't what the elder wanted to hear. "Thank you... Master."

Several of the ANBU that normally 'watched' him appeared; a group he was mostly comfortable with, thankfully. The lack of tension in his body when they appeared spoke to that; they mostly left him alone, and when they did approach him, it was to offer time warnings and direction; maybe even a word of advice on the odd chances he had spending money or wanted to try a new weapon design. He could work with them; at least. "I shall finish and report back as soon as possible, sir." And then he was gone; he was fast enough to keep up with them; mostly; and he knew they would lead him just fine.

This was going to be interesting.

-Exit-