Request from the Hokage

Through the hustle and bustle of the office a medium sized Shiba Inu passed. There were plenty of times he had to avoid being stepped on or kicked from people not paying attention. Normally he thought people would be alarmed by a dog being in the office, for all they knew he was a wild dog. There was one thing though that made him different; a red and tan scroll in his mouth and a red bandanna around his neck. He was also very clean unlike most street dogs too, so, maybe it was obvious after all.

Crossing through the crowds and under a lady with a dress, he hummed a tune as he made his way up the stairs. The soft carpet felt good beneath his feet unlike the concrete and stone. He loved the grass most of all but he was an indoor type of dog like most of his breed were. Finally, he reached his destination and scratched against the door. Releasing a whine, he hoped that someone was inside and that that someone would hear him and open the door. He didn't like to be rude and would wait there all day if he had too. He did not want to worry his master though so if he had to wait too long, he would go back to the marble bench beneath the cherry blossom tree. He peered around for a moment, his ears perked and alert for any sounds while he took a seat. It seemed safe but he was still cautious. The scroll still rested in his mouth, waiting to be read by the Hokage. Takao did not know what the scroll contained but that did not matter. Surely the Hokage would open the door, or at least the Hokage's assistant.

It was a good thing his master was patient.

'What he Hell?' Seiki jumped up, the scratching at the door having awaken from a light doze. Not that she should have been dozing on the job, but well suffice it to say, Insomnia is quite a bitch. She stretched lazily and let out a deep yawn before getting up out of the Hokage's chair, where she wasn't really supposed to sit, but he wasn't here so what could it hurt. She paused for a moment, after removing herself from the chair and activated her Byakugan. ”Better safe than sorry” she said quietly under her breath, repeating something her mother always said. She doubted that anyone who wasn't safe would be knocking.......or in this case scratching at the door, but she figured it would be wise to check.

The veins around her eye's bulged slightly as she looked through the door, at the..dog..'What the hell? What's a dog doing in here?' she thought, the sudden appearance of the unexpected animal breaking her focus. The dog looked like a normal dog, skeleton intact, but it held a.....'Scroll?' it it's mouth. Without deactivating her doujutsu, Seiki moved, gracefully across the room, passed the boarded up window and to the door.

Turning the the brass handle, she pulled the rather heavy wooden door inward, and crouched down to meat the dog. ”Hey little buddy.”, with her left hand she ruffled the dogs ears as her right hand going underneath the dog's mouth to take the scroll. ”What's this?”

As the door opened Takao's ears perked up as his head rose. He was not sitting, the scroll still in his teeth, as he looked up at the woman. He knew this wasn't the Hokage and quickly concluded that it must have been his assistant. She smelled like him and it actually made him wonder if there was a reason she may have besides being in the same vicinity as him. Not allowing his mind to wonder, he simply gazed at her as she spoke to him. He wasn't one to be called 'little buddy' only because it felt like she was belittling him but he was polite too. He wasn't about to blab about anything to insult her or create tension, in fact the thought barely even came to his mind.

He casually enjoyed being scratched behind the ear before she placed her hand beneath his mouth and the scroll to take it. His ears twitched before they were placed firmly against his head. He did not possess an aggressive look but merely one of questioning. He did not know whether he should truly trust her or not despite the fact she smelled like the Hokage. Truth was, he had never actually seen her before and Sanzen did not mention anything about a woman. She could have easily been his assistant but still; he did not know for sure. Since he also did not know what was in the scroll he did not know if Sanzen would like the fact someone else read it. What if it were something crucial?

Standing back up, the Shiba took a step back away before he peered around the woman and into the room. He did not smell the Hokage nor did he hear or see him; must have been out on important business. Typical thing for a Hokage. As his gaze returned to the woman, he placed the scroll on the ground before putting his paw on it. He then maneuvered his head to get the string that he held the scroll with from out between his teeth. As he flexed his jaw back and forth he took as seat before her once more and gave her his undivided attention; hoping he had hers.

"Pardon me ma'm but may I ask where the Lord Hokage is? And may I ask, who are you?"

Better to be safe than sorry right?

"Pardon me ma'm but may I ask where the Lord Hokage is? And may I ask, who are you?" the medium sized dog spoke.

"I believe the man you are looking for is right here.", Keiden's voice could be heard from the wall on the dogs right. The wood clone of Keiden's suddenly walked through the wooden walls, it's form stretched slightly before returning back to it's form which mimiced the original Hokage's to the closest detail. "You requested to see me?" The wood-based Keiden clone said, the original having been notified due to proximity seals placed in his office. He looked down at the smallish dog and noted the scroll in his mouth. "I assume that is for me?" the clone said, it's arm taking on a more wood like appearance and stretching across the small room so that his hand was underneath the dogs mouth.

A slight chuckle escaped Keiden's Seiki jumped up as the gw entered the room in a rather unexpected route, "Lord Hokage" she said as bowed low, her long hair brushing the ground. 'Again with the formalities..' he laughed within his mind, although it was expected he found it a waste of effort and rather tiresome. "Greetings Seiki" Keiden nodded politely, "I think I can handle this, you may go now if you like..." he said in a kind tone, nowing well of Sieki's sleeping habits.

"Yes, sir." She said, blushing slightly before she disappeared in a flash of smoke. Keiden coughed slighty as the smoke filled the room, although it was out of habit as the smoke did not effect him in his current form. He turned his attention back to the dog as he spoke, "I'd appreciate it if you gave that too me, because I am most certainly not going to take it from your mouth."

"I believe the man you are looking for is right here."

Takao's eyes twitched over to the wall as a small whimper left his throat from the surprise. He wondered why he had not noticed the Hokage before but there was the good chance that he just got there too. As his eyes returned to the woman again he began to wonder if maybe he had been there and she was sent instead; like a way to protect him. His ears twitched. Was a dog with a scroll that bad? He brushed that all aside.

As his arm stretched across the room and his scent smelled like a tree, he made the assumption this was not the real Hokage yet again and was growing rather annoyed. He didn't think his officials would play a trick and he didn't recall the woman doing any hand signs but at the same time how would the Hokage have even known they were there? Placing his ears back against his head, his unsure eyes watched the Hokage as he let out a low whimper. His brown hues stared at the Hokage clone, his paw still on the scroll that was on the ground, as he studied him. The woman left now and it become one on one.

"I hope you are not a clone of the woman... I wouldn't think she would do such a thing no matter the words," he said before breaking his stare and sighing. He bowed his head, ears placed back, "forgive my questioning Lord Hokage but I do not wish to fail my master. I do not know what is in this scroll nor know how important it is."

Despite all that he soon picked up the scroll by it's string again, he never actually had the scroll itself in his mouth, before placing it in the hand of the wooden clone. He could smell the wood mixed in with the Hokage's scent, it had to be his and not a decoy. Gazing at him for a bit while longer he finally closed his eyes before he released the string for the Hokage to grasp and sat back down at the door. Whatever it was, he figured they would both find out soon enough.

Spoiler:

"I hope you are not a clone of the woman... I wouldn't think she would do such a thing no matter the words," the dog said before breaking his stare and sighing. He bowed his head, ears placed back,""forgive my questioning Lord Hokage but I do not wish to fail my master. I do not know what is in this scroll nor know how important it is." After speaking the dog released the string holding the scroll so that it would fall into Keiden's hand.

Keiden's wood clone caught the scroll, his finger's clenching around the scroll as soon as it landed within his hand. He kept his eyes on the dog as his arm once again took on a woodlike appearance, as it receded back to it's natural length. He cast his eyes down at the scroll as he opened it, reading the contents written within.

After a short moment, Keiden let out a sigh, this was yet another request for his time. He had a meeting upcoming which would most likely require a large majority of his attention. He looked down at the dog once more and spoke, "Hmm I am afraid that I am rather a bit too busy to do as Sanzen has requested. I would appreciate if you would tell her that on another day I may perhaps be able to fulfill her request, but as it is now, there are too many pressing events for me to be able to help her at this time. " he gave the dog a slight nod as he finished speaking, before backing into the wall, beginning to re-merge with the wood. "Im afraid I have other matter's to attend to. Good day to you and give Miss Sanzen my regards." he said before disappearing entirely into the wall.

Takao twitched his ears as the Hokage spoke. So Sanzen did request something from him as he had anticipated. Of course now he had to return to her empty handed and lacking a follower. He hoped she would be fine without the Hokage accepting her request at the moment but only time would tell.

"Thank you for your time Lord Hokage," he said, lightly bowing his head. Now it was time to deliver his message to his master and to see what she asked from him. That is, if she would tell him. She talked to him about a lot of things, seeing as how he was one of the main dogs who carried out her requests, but of course she didn't tell them everything.

Turning around, he captured the full scent of the Hokage and that woman before crossing the threshold and exiting into the hall. He would remember their scents in case he, Sanzen, or any of the other dogs ever needed it. Taking the same path he took to arrive at the mansion, once he was out side he burst into a run. He did not want to make Sanzen wait forever.