The Akira Files

Storm Brewing

Akira's POV

So far my experience in jail wasn't so bad, I had been brought in just as dinner was starting. I had looked a little lost I suppose and some old lady who looked like she shouldn't be anywhere near a jail helped me out. She handed me a tray and helped pile it with food. We walked over to a group of younger looking female criminals. I hadn't noticed before but the genders must have been segregated, I couldn't see a guy anywhere.

"Hey, Granny Katsuie, who's the little girl?" A rough looking woman asked.

"I'm not sure yet, she seemed rather lost. Maybe she's one of the young guards kid."

"Well, can she speak?"

"I can speak." I said finally looking up. The table held 15 people, the leader was sitting on the table top with her feet resting on the bench.

"Well then. Mind explaining how you got here?" She said gesturing to the segment of bench beside her boot.

I sat down hesitantly. "I don't really mind. I'm a C-rank criminal, charged with minor criminal acts."

"We know the definition, now what did you do?"

"I broke into some important files and allowed a ninja to leave the village without the proper papers."

"Well that's not so bad. Granny here is a B-rank criminal. Used arsenic to kill her husband and collect the life insurance, didn't work out so well once she was found out though."

"So we're mixed ranks?" I asked looking around. "Which are the S-ranks?"

She laughed, "There are no S-ranks with us. They're in the isolated cells down the way. Only time we get to see them is during our short breaks outside."

"I see. Um, I didn't get your name."

"I didn't get yours either." She said.

"Akira."

"Hiroka. Now I'm interested in this little break in operation of yours. How'd a kid pull it off? Are you some prodigy? Anbu in disguise?"

"No, I'm a genin." With looks of disbelief urging the story on, I told them how I had ended up here. A few looked rather unimpressed while Hiroka and Granny Katsuie seemed rather pleased with my story.

"Well done then kid. Can't say I'm a little hesitant to believe that squirrels helped you out but I can't verify it or anything so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." She looked up at the guards path that was just a metal grate path running around the lip if the cafeteria. "Looks like they want us to head in again. You know your cell number? You'll be sharing with one criminal of each rank, helps keep the hierarchy in order."

"I'm in cell 769." I said looking at the slip of paper.

"Good. You'll be safer with me then you'd ever be with Aktsune or any of her people. Though I could get some of my A friends to help you if you bunked with them. Well, this just means I have less work to do. Come on then Akira, time to meet your new comrades."

We walked down the hall lined with guards, as the cells filled we continued walking. At the very end of the hall was our cell. Two people were already there, Granny Katsuie and a strange dark blue haired girl.

"You've met Granny before, aside from killing her husband she's pretty nice. The other girl is Taku, don't ask her what she did, she won't answer, we're beginning to think she's selectively mute about it. Taku this is Akira."

The girl barely even looked up, just nodding and throwing a slight hint of a smile my way. "How old is she?"

"17 I think? Never thought to ask. The bunk below mine is yours. And-" The sound of the cell door opening cut Hiroka's small speech. "Can I help you?"