[center][h1][color=Gold]Akio Tendou[/color][/h1][/center]

Akio didn't respond to any of the others at first, lost in her own world until Aoi sat down on her lap, asking fir her assistance on the matter. The file caused her to jolt, but she quickly shoved down every scrap of emotion she could, wiping her eyes dry as she tried to reclaim some semblance of dignity again.

"I'm sorry about that, truly  it's just that . . . not only did this mission just became a good deal more complicated and dangerous, but it's also infinitely more personal to me as well." Akio took a calming breathe as she gestured to Aoi that she was fine and that she could get off now(a lie, but she should be standing up for something like this), before standing upand putting the file on the table. "Carved into one of the victim's bodies was a code that only 3 people know about: Me, Tsukiko-nee . . . and my half-brother, the misding nin known as Kokatsu Tendou. It was a code he'd created when he was young, so he could share info with Tsukiko in secret without drawing the ire of our father. He taught me a year before his . . . departure from the village."

It was clear to all those present that Akio was struggling to keep herself calm about this, her face teeming with so many conflicting emotions that it was near impossible to know what she was feeling, only that she was suffering from a great amount of internal turmoil.

"Knowing this, I can also figure the idenity of his accomplice to most likely be . . . my younger sister, Makoto, whom he kidnapped the day he wiped out our clan, as well as countless others." Akio's voice had dropped to a monotone pitch, as her mind had simply shut down all of her feelings for now, so as she could still continue to function. If not, she was sure she'd break down under the onrush of unresolved issues and emotions this mission was bringing back from the depths of her subconscious mind. "Considering the skill of our enemy, it would be a horrible idea to meet him on his own terms and on his own terf. However, we have the perfect bait to draw him out: me. Kokatsu and I held a close bond, . . . as close as two siblings could ever have. He was, and most likely still is, obsessively possessive over those he cares about, thinking of them as his and his alone. He'll come for me if we make rhe trap obvious enough,,though if he doesn't or if he escapes, than our secondary objective is to find and apprehend Makoto and use her to draw him out."

"Since the kidnappings have upped in frequency, it shouldn't be too long before we get a chance to strike. I'll write down a packet contain everything I know about him, but first I . . . I just need some time alone. Be back in 10, and if the rep gets here before I'm ready, just tell him I need to take care of some business. I'll get the details later."

Akio gave them all a curt nod, before walking out of the room at a fast pace, heading towards a connected room, and shutting the door behind her with a bang. She'd sit on the bed, hair covering her face begore lying down and letting everything flow out through her tears. She didn't make a single sound though, as she curled on the bed, struggling on how to dealwith all of these feelings she thought she'd moved on from upon meeting Aoi. But here they were, bigger than ever as she was now closer to seeing her brother again than ever before, the memories of the past conflicting with the gruesomeness of his murders in her head. And so she would stay, silently riding through wave after wave of unfiltered emotions, raw feelings, and the stirrings of deep anger and rage.

[@Savato]

[@Altered Tundra]

[@Assassin]