11:45pm, Tuesday, January 12, 1069 AS
"Are you sure you want to do this now, Keiko?" Hazō asked nervously. "It's late, and you've got to be tired."
His sister shrugged. "It is morning on the Seventh Path. I napped this afternoon so that I would be fresh for the meeting, and I just now dunked myself in the cold-water tub. I assure you that I am fully awake."
"Maybe have some more tea, just to be sure?" Noburi said, holding out the pot nervously.
"Put that away," Kagome-sensei said, shoving the offending vessel aside. "Keiko, go pee. Last thing you need at an important meeting is to have to pee."
Hazō cringed, but Keiko took it in stride. "Thank you, Kagome. I have relieved myself already."
"Do you want to go over the script one more time?" Mari asked. "You remember all the decision points?" It said something about the situation that the clan's social expert was questioning, even indirectly, the memory of the most brilliant person any of them knew.
Keiko shook her head. "I remember it clearly. I open with 'Thank you for seeing me, Polemarch. I apologize, but I come with bad news: My supplier for the Pantokrator's Judging Eyes is no longer able to provide them, at least for the foreseeable future. They wish to end the deal on the most positive note possible; to that end they are doubling the next order, offering it for free, and refunding last month's payment. They have not foreclosed the option of resuming trade in future but it is likely to be months or possibly even years before that is feasible, if it ever is.' I wait for his reaction and then shift into either the economics node, the politics node, or the marital-explanations node as appropriate. Taking the possibilities in order, if we move to the economics node, I open with—"
Mari laughed. "Sounds like you have it down cold. I should have known you would."
"You promise that you'll be back no later than tomorrow night, right?" Hazō asked. "And that you'll immediately notify us, in person, of what happened?"
"Why, Hazō. Did I not know better, I might suspect you doubted my word."
"No! No, it's not that. I'm just really scared for you, Keiko. You're my sister. Of course I'm going to worry about you."
That earned him a tiny, rather sad smile. "Thank you, Hazō. Your concern is appreciated, although an inefficient use of resources. You—all of you—have been tremendously helpful to me in building the concept map that will provide me my best chance for navigating this negotiation without excessive consequence. You should not waste further emotional energy on me, instead devoting it to more useful projects over which you might actually exert some influence."
Noburi took four long steps back so that he was well away when he extended his arms and mimed a quick, gentle hug. "Knock 'em dead, sis. You'll do great."
Keiko blinked at the pantomime of affection, apparently uncertain how to take it. "Thank you, Noburi. I shall endeavor to live up to your confidence in me." She looked around the group, nodding to each person in turn. "Noburi. Hazō. Kagome. Mari-sensei. Akane. I am very grateful to all of you, and I have enjoyed being your friend, teammate, and sister. I expect to see you again soon but, in case I do not, I wish you great success in all things. I have left my will with—"
"None of that!" Mari snapped. "You go have your meeting and then get your butt back here, missy! I want a detailed report. Chop-chop!"
Keiko snorted. "Very well. Goodbye, all. I shall see you soon." She turned to Pandā, who was curled up in an armchair, waiting patiently as he listened in fascination to the conversation. "I am ready."
The young pangolin waved a friendly wave of one massively-clawed hand. "Bye, everyone! We'll see you soon!"
He vanished, and Keiko vanished with him.
o-o-o-o
The day before: 7pm Tuesday, January 11, 1069 AS
"I am very glad you came," Regent Uchiha Sadao said, bowing low as soon as Hazō was properly settled in front of the tea table and the maids had scurried out. "The timing is most fortuitous, as I had intended to reach out tomorrow."
"Oh?" Hazō said, nailing a polite smile onto his face and freezing it there. The pit in his stomach had become bottomless; the regret and distress on Regent Sadao's face was a clear suggestion that the deal was about to go toes-up, just as Hazō had feared.
"I was thinking about what you said when you got back with the new Uchiha deal, and I'm worried," Hazō had said. "They disrespected you by keeping you waiting, they stripped out the most important part of the deal...it seems like something might be going south. I think you should go back and check in with them, and I should go with you this time."
And so here they were. And something was very clearly about to go south.
"Indeed," Uchiha said. "I wished to personally inform you of the good news: We release you of your obligations to us."
Hazō and Mari exchanged glances.
"Excuse me?" Hazō asked.
"The bargain that we had made, under which you would be burdened with the need to care for those who could contribute nothing of value in return? We are now in a position to release you from the deal, even as we step back ourselves.
"It is a victory for both sides, of course. The reports about you tell tales of how much you value your friends and family, how far you will go to protect them. Imagine the shame we suffered at needing to send those of our blood to another clan." He shook his head sadly. "Tremendous shame. Fortunately, the Uchiha have recently had a turn in our fortunes and are therefore able to care for our own once again. We thank you most profusely for your generosity and will remember it in all our future dealings. As token of our appreciation, we would like to offer you this." He pulled an elegant vellum scroll tied with a red satin ribbon from his sleeve and offered it to Hazō with both hands, bowing as he did.
Hazō took the scroll quickly so that Uchiha could straighten up again. He slid the ribbon off and unrolled it, frowning as he read.
"What is this, please?" he asked.
"The right for you and your immediate family to march with the Uchiha in the next Founder's Day Parade," Uchiha explained. "It is a tremendous honor. We march second, immediately behind the Senju...which recently is just an effigy that the foremost Uchiha carries on a pole held out in front, so really we march first."
"I...see," Hazō said. He rolled the scroll up, slipped the ribbon back on, and tucked it away in his sleeve. "That is very kind of you, Regent." He bowed, deeply but not too deeply. Straightening up, he realized that Sadao had carefully cut him off from the most important topic, and Hazō had no idea how to get back to it without seeming clumsy. He glanced helplessly at Mari.
"You are very generous, Regent," Mari said, picking up the cue with easy grace. "I'm so glad that your fortunes have reversed themselves. May I ask what happened?"
"We recently disposed of a property that had been weighing on us," Uchiha said. "The price was quite generous and the purchaser was able to commit to cash payment. We will be finalizing the deal over dinner on Thursday, after the Council meeting."
"That's wonderful!" She smiled. "I'm so happy for you." She took a final sip of her tea and set her cup down. "I thank you profusely for your generous gift. If you'll allow it, we will take it home and show it to the rest of the family?"
"Of course!" Uchiha said, bowing deeply and then standing to usher the two ninja out.
It took five minutes to get their shoes and winter clothes on, ten to graciously refuse the last-minute mandatory offers of tea and sweets, and another ten to finish saying their formal goodbyes. Finally, they were outside the Uchiha Clan compound leaning into the teeth of the storm that was currently howling through the streets of Leaf and driving everyone inside. Hazō ignored the weather and leaned close to Mari so she could hear him over the wind.
"They're voting for Hyūga, right?" he half-shouted.
"Sure as sunrise," she half-shouted back.
Hazō nodded, his lips thinning down into a harsh line. He waved for her to follow and then leaped for the rooftops.
o-o-o-o
Aito hurried into the receiving room, desperately hoping that his unexpected guests were not already in a rage. Why did two ninja—two
noble ninja at that!—have to come knocking the one night when his butler, Kyō, was ill and his tasks being overseen by his worthless son, Masoru? Kyō would have know to tell the guests that the master would be right down, but Masoru had been suicidally stupid enough to tell them that Aito had already gone to bed and could they please come back later? Sure, the boy was fresh in from the country and had never interacted with ninja before, but surely the only reason he wasn't dead right now was that the Sage looked after fools and drunks.
"Good evening!" Aito said, the moment his foot broke the plane of the entryway. "Good evening, thank you for honoring my miserable home with the light of your presence, Lord and Lady Gōketsu. I abase myself in apology for my butler's impertinence and offer whatever recompense you consider fitting." He dropped immediately to both knees, head bowed.
There was a long pause. After a moment Aito dared to tip his head just enough that he could peek up and see what his guests were doing.
Mostly, they were staring at one another in confusion. Lord Gōketsu was rubbing his neck in what would have been a gesture of embarrassment for a civilian, but doubtless meant something else for ninja.
A pale hand slipped under Aito's arm and gently guided him back to his feet. He couldn't help but notice that there were callouses and scars on the hand that more belonged on a dockyard bouncer than a noble lady.
"Please, stand," Lady Gōketsu said, her voice soft. "There's nothing to forgive; your boy was perfectly polite. He informed us that you had retired and asked if he should wake you. It is we who should be apologizing, for coming so late."
"She's right," Lord Gōketsu said. "I apologize for disturbing you at such a late hour." In an action that Aito knew no one would ever believe, Lord Gōketsu bowed! Bowed to him, Aito, a fallen hill daimyo who today made his money from nut flour!
"Uh...thank you? Thank you both. Um. Yes." He found himself flailing, unsure of what protocol required at this point. "May I...uh...did Masoru offer you tea?"
Lord Gōketsu smiled. "He did, thank you. I believe it's on the way. In the meantime, would you please sit with us?" He gestured towards one of the couches that flanked the fireplace, settling himself on the facing one as he did.
Aito glanced at the fireplace; it was crackling merrily, despite having been extinguished an hour ago when Aito went to bed. He paled slightly when he saw a trace of soot on Lady Gōketsu's sleeve. Had she lit the fireplace herself?! Would she feel the need to kill him in order to hide her shame at lowering herself thus?
Shakily, he dropped onto the sofa and sat bolt upright, his fingers tangled together nervously. "How may I help you, My Lord?"
Lord Gōketsu reached into his pouch and pulled out a piece of paper with one of those fancy designs on it, the ones that ninja used to kill people. Aito flinched, but it didn't explode. Instead, a writer's lap desk appeared out of nowhere. Lord Gōketsu tucked the paper absently back into his pouch and opened the desk.
"Forgive me if I am intrusive," he said, not looking up as he rifled through the papers inside, "but I understand that you are lord of a small fief near the southern end of the Fire/River border? I saw references to it when I was doing research on the tax codes."
"I am, My Lord, if it please you. It's quite small, and not very productive. We've actually had to abandon much of the land, which is difficult come tax time. We still owe the same regardless of if the land is in use, you see." He nearly bit his tongue at his own stupidity. "Which is very sensible, of course! Makes perfect sense that a man should pay taxes on all his property. Can't be going the other way or people would just get lazy."
"Part of your lands includes an iron mine, yes?"
"...Yes? It's quite old and badly infested with rockworms, I'm afraid. Not safe for miners anymore. Are you looking to purchase iron, My Lord?"
Lord Gōketsu flowed forward off the couch, making Aito flinch. He felt his breath catch when the boy—the man!—took a step forward and extended both hands to offer the lap desk to Aito. It left him in a position that looked very much like a servant bowing as he offered his lord a tray.
"This is a very approximate map that I found in with the tax code," Hazō said. "I'm not sure if it was misfiled or if it was part of an old audit or what. Could you show me if and where it's inaccurate?"
Aito took the desk with shaking fingers; his nervousness at the Lord's subservient posture (What game was he playing and how was Aito expected to respond?) was replaced with nervousness at the fact that the ninja was now looming over his shoulder. And the fact that Aito had no idea what was happening. Was this an official audit? A shakedown? What was going on?
"W-we, uh, we, I mean, my lands, they—"
"Hazō," Lady Gōketsu said quietly. "You're rushing. You haven't told Mr. Aito why we're here." Her fingers flicked in what was undoubtedly some sort of telepathic jutsu—no ninja would bother with something as primitive as hunter hand-talk—and she cocked her head inquisitively. It was...it was almost like...if his wife had looked at him like that, Aito would have understood it to mean 'what the hell are you doing, you old fool?' but that couldn't possibly be the case here. Could it?
Lord Gōketsu shook his head in (hopefully self-directed?) annoyance. "Argh. Damnit." He straightened and stepped back, offering Aito a polite bow. "Mr. Aito, I am interested in purchasing a portion of your ancestral lands, if you're willing. If you're not, that's fine. I will apologize for waking you up and we'll leave you alone. If you're at least willing to hear me out, I think I can offer a good price."
Aito blinked. "Uh...of course. Yes, please go on. As you wish, My Lord."
Lord Gōketsu eyed him for a moment with an expression that might have been suspicious, but then he shook it off. He swung around and sat down on the couch beside Aito, pointing at the crude tax map on the lap desk in front of him. Alongside it were half a dozen other fragments of maps that showed different portions of Aito's lands and the surrounding area. Some of them were casual scribbles, some of them were the elegant penmanship of the Daimyo's office that used the official icons for 'hill' and 'forest' and such.
"Can you show me which of these are accurate?" Lord Gōketsu asked again.
"Um...well...it goes like this...." Quickly, he sketched and pointed and explained. Lord Gōketsu took no notes, although his fingers twitched as though he were writing them. Doubtless a mnemonic device.
"So, to summarize," Lord Gōketsu said at last, "your property is a set of hills in between where the Shirokawa splits, here, and where the two branches cross into the Land of Rivers, here and here. Your southern border is defined by this river branch, which flows through this valley, drains into this lake, and then overflows down here and out of your property into River. The mine is on the ridgeline to the north of the lake. There's two more valleys here and here, and then the northern border of your property is defined as the southern edge of this canyon that the river drops into. Right?"
"Yes, My Lord."
"How big is the lake?"
"It's wide but shallow, My Lord. Maybe half a mile wide, not more than five or six feet deep in most places."
Lord Gōketsu clapped his hands, looking happy. Aito winced at the noise but felt his spirits lift at the expression.
"Brilliant. Okay, I want to buy everything from the southern edge up to and including the valley north of the mine."
"My Lord...I mean no disrespect, My Lord, and of course it's no issue for you yourself, but I would be remiss not to say that the area you mention is very dangerous for anyone you might want to have work the land. The lake water is toxic from all the sickweed growing on the bottom, and it's full of horrorfish and water bugs. The mine has become infested with rockworm, so it's not safe for any civilian, meaning that there's no way to earn on it. The valley is waist-deep with sickvine, tanglethorn, and bloodbriar. Not to mention the varmints that live in it. No one's farmed it since my grandfather's day, My Lord. It's not good for anything."
Lord Gōketsu actually
grinned. "Perfect. Couldn't be better. Would this be an acceptable offer?" He scribbled a number on some paper and turned it towards Aito.
The barely-a-hill-daimyo glanced at the paper and paled. "M-M-My Lord, yes, I mean, this is...yes, yes, this would be fine. More than fine. Uh...it's just..."
"Problem?"
Aito caught himself wringing his hands and forced himself to stop. "My Lord, I'm not sure I'm
allowed to sell land! No one has ever wanted to buy it from me or my father or my father's father. Your offer is very generous and I'd happily take it, but I can't go afoul of the law, My Lord!"
"Assuming that it could be done within the law, would you agree?"
"Absolutely! I'd sell it with a song in my heart, My Lord. All my money comes from the mills and the smithy in the northernmost valley, and I've just now come to Leaf to try to set up contracts for the nut flour. The lake and the mine and the other valley are nothing but an anchor around my neck, My Lord."
"Great. One sec." Lord Gōketsu took the writing desk back and dipped his brush, then swirled it across the page in hurried strokes that were still quite elegant. Ah, right. Lord Jiraiya had stated that the boy—the man!—was a sealmaster.
"I'm very sorry about your loss, My Lord," Aito said hesitantly. "Lord Jiraiya was a great man. I never had the honor of meeting him, but I grew up on the tales of his adventures. Saved Leaf several times."
Lord Gōketsu cleared his throat, not looking up from what he was writing until he finished and put his brush down. He cleared his throat again before saying, "Thank you." He extended the document he had just produced.
Aito skimmed through it. Description and boundaries of the land...acknowledgement of expected condition...the stated price...acknowledgement that this was a promissory note and not enforceable until brought into compliance with all laws and regulations of the Village Hidden in the Leaves...Lord Gōketsu's signature. Yes, all as expected. Aito took the brush and added his own signature.
Lord Gōketsu took the paper and smiled. "Brilliant. Thank you. Let me make a second copy for you." He took the brush back and began producing a second, eerily identical, document. He got three kanji in and then paused. The smile returned, and grew wider.
"You're in town to find contracts, you said?"
"Yes, My Lord?"
The young Lord reached into his sleeve and produced a vellum scroll. "Do you think that would be easier if all of Leaf saw you marching alongside the Uchiha during the Founder's Day parade? Because Lord Uchiha gave me this invitation, and it's full of very flowery language and beautiful calligraphy, but ultimately it's just a boilerplate parade-position form with his signature. It doesn't actually have
my name on it anywhere...."
o-o-o-o
"What was that all about?" Mari demanded as soon as they were outside, hunching down into her coat as they started the long walk home.
"I don't like the feel of this," Hazō said. "You made a good deal with the Uchiha that would have gotten them out of their current jam. Then they gut the deal and replace it with a lesser one. Then they decide to drop out of that one, but we almost didn't find out about it because they weren't going to tell us until the vote. Clearly, Hyūga got to them. What if he got to other people too?"
The redhead's face pinched as though she'd eaten something sour. "Okay. And the business with the land...?"
"If things go badly, it's a subterranean fortress surrounded by natural defenses, with a river nearby that we can run across in order to escape into another country without leaving any tracks on the way." He chuckled. "If things go well, it's land that we can clear and make money on, especially after we blow a hole in the retaining wall that keeps that lake in. We just need to be careful to put the hole on the southern side and we'll suddenly have an extra half-mile of land that we can figure out something for."
Mari laughed.
o-o-o-o
9am, Thursday, January 14, 1069 AS
Shikego rapped her fist on the table. "In service to the Leaf, and to our glorious nation, and to the Will of Fire, I, Regent Nara Shikego, call this meeting to order. Let us all speak truthfully and serve loyally."
"Let us all speak truthfully and serve loyally," chorused the Clan Heads, following Nara's usage of the full formal protocols that in theory were to be followed before every Clan Council meeting but in practice rarely were. Hazō carefully kept his mouth shut; he was the nominal Head of Clan Gōketsu, but at the ripe old age of fourteen he was still underage and therefore not allowed to speak in Council. He had a seat against the wall so that he could learn, not so that he could participate.
"The sole order of business today shall be to elect a new Hokage," Nara said. "Will the candidates please stand and—"
"Your pardon, Regent," Hyūga interjected. "I should like to address a procedural issue."
Nara looked around the table at the full array of seventeen occupied seats and then looked at Hyūga. In his chair against the wall behind her, Shikamaru suddenly blanched.
"The chair recognizes Lord Hyūga's issue," Nara said.
"Thank you, Regent." Hyūga turned to look at Naruto. "Before anything else, I wish to first offer respect to our heroic jinchūriki, Uzumaki Naruto. Young man, you have gone through tragedy upon tragedy these last months. The loss of the Third was a blow to all of us, yet especially so for you. He was a father-figure to us all, but he was a father to you. Likewise, Jiraiya's loss. I disagreed with Jiraiya on many things, but he was one of the most powerful ninja ever born and fanatically loyal to the Leaf. He also did all that he could to raise you and prepare you for the role of Hokage that I feel certain you will someday do brilliantly at. I applaud him for that.
"Beyond the losses of your only real family, you also endured months of starvation, unconsciousness, and torture. Your ability to come through that sane"—he chuckled—"well, as sane as any of us...your ability to still be functional is a testament to your determination."
"Thank you," Naruto said cautiously.
"With that said, I hope you will forgive me if I respectfully ask you one question," Hyūga continued. "I'm unclear on how you can legally be seated at this table?"
"Hiashi, what the fuck are you doing?" Tsunade demanded. "Stop wasting time. He's the head of Clan Uzumaki. He's been voting the clan since he graduated the Academy."
"He is the sole surviving member of Uzumaki, yes. When he attains his majority later this year then he will become the Clan Head. Until then, he is not eligible to vote for his clan and must have a regent, as do Lords and Lady Nara, Yamanaka, Uchiha, and Gōketsu."
"There's no one else in his clan to be regent," Minami said. "He's always served as his own Clan Head."
"Oh, you son of a bitch," Naruto murmured, soft enough that he probably hadn't meant to speak aloud yet loud enough to be clearly audible. "Hiashi, I've been voting at this table since I was twelve. Are you seriously going to...yes, of course you are. You know you can't win fairly, so you need to cheat."
Hyūga shook his head regretfully. "Naruto, I understand that you are upset right now. I remember when I lost my father—the grief and anger came and went without warning. It made it very difficult to fulfill my duties, but I struggled on. I'm sure that you will manage as well, given enough time to heal."
"Heal? I'm already healed, jerkwad."
"Hiashi," Tsunade said warningly. "Do you really think it's a good idea to push this? Now? In front of me?"
Hyūga raised an impeccable eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that we should choose to ignore legal procedure during a critical vote that will determine the future of Leaf? With respect, I prefer a more measured approach. That casual attitude is rarely a good way to achieve one's goals."
o-o-o-o
Four days ago, January 10, 4pm
Under Tsunade's hands, the girl's chakra flickered and guttered. Her lungs were gasping and chunky, filled with what felt like mud. Her body was fire, burning itself to ash in a desperate attempt to drive off the the laughing horror of evil that coursed through her veins and ignored Tsunade's best efforts.
The 'greatest medic-nin in the world' snarled at her own uselessness and reached deeper into her soul, pulling forth the depth of power that was half gift of her grandfather's blood and half her own by right of toil and sweat. She glided it into the girl's blood and breath and chakra, lacing it through all the channels of her body and infusing every ounce of her flesh. She glided it in, ensured that it was as deep as possible...and then she flared it like the sun, burning everything it touched in a desperate effort to kill the evil in one agonizing surge, instead of allowing it to flee to other parts of the body, only to lick its wounds and come back stronger than before.
The girl screamed, powerful drugs and numbing jutsu insufficient to keep her insensate and unaware before the agony that was Tsunade's last-ditch attempt to save her life.
Tsunade ground her teeth, forcing herself to ignore the heartrending sound and to keep scorching the girl's body from the inside. She could feel the wound spirits fleeing before the pain, but she could also feel tissues dying at her touch, the life-giving chakra of the girl's soul recoiling and boiling as the healer's (ha!) chakra rendered its flow turbulent and disconnected.
Tsunade felt the chakra patch that she was using to hold her own lung together shiver and start to unravel as she turned more of her attention away from maintaining her own body and onto maintaining the girl's. With a mental growl she pushed the chakra roughly back into place, nailed it to the lung with quick and dirty spikes, and went back to work. This was what most medics never knew; the feeling of linking your own life to a patient's and carrying them on your metaphysical back, refusing to allow their soul to stumble or fall no matter the cost.
Finally, it was over. There was no more that could be done without actually killing the girl. Tsunade withdrew her chakra delicately, smoothing the flow of the patient's chakra as well as she could on the way out. She left a thread of medical chakra laced through the body, its ends tied off into a loop so that it would not fade as quickly. The knot was small, smaller than could be managed by any other medic, but it would scrape against the girl's own chakra coils until the native chakra attacked and destroyed the invader. The battle would be painful and damaging, but hopefully the healing it would provide in the meantime would be worth the cost.
Tsunade opened her eyes and straightened with a sigh, the green glow fading from her hands as the girl collapsed back into blissful unconsciousness. She was still curled in pain around the shattered ribs and broken pelvis that had put her on the table. One of the civilian auxiliaries had aligned the bones and packed the wound with loam rich from the fertile fields of Leaf before binding it closed. One of the junior medics had stitched the major bones with threads of chakra that would hold them together until the body could heal them, located the fragments and slivers that could not be reattached and softened them so they would not cause too much damage, and put a chakra patch on the perforated intestine. Tsunade had undone the patch in order to pull the leaked blood out of the surrounding tissue and back into the intestine for elimination, then replaced the patch. And then she had battled the wound spirits that had set in; had she seen the girl a week ago, when she first arrived, perhaps the spirits would not have embedded themselves so deeply. Perhaps the girl could have been saved.
She snarled and turned for the door, shoving it out of the way and limping into the hall with a thunderous expression that sent doctors and auxiliaries skittering for safety. She turned for the next room, the next patient...and stopped.
"What are you
doing here?" she demanded curtly.
"Looking for you," Hiashi said calmly, giving her a respectful nod and not moving from where he sat. "Please, finish your rounds. I have cleared my day and will wait on your convenience."
"'My convenience', huh?" She glanced at the chart by the next room; the patient was in condition four, only slightly hurt and in no danger. It was the last room and the last patient for the day. After this, there was nothing to do but paperwork.
"Fine," she said. "Wait here."
She limped into the room and ran a quick scan across the young genin who had come back from his mission with a torn tendon earned while running from a balehound pack. It was the work of a moment to stitch the ends back together with chakra threads, growl at him about staying off it for a few days, and limp back out.
"Come along."
She led him to her office, deep in the core of the hospital, and hurled herself at her chair as though it had personally offended her. The insanely tough wood, a gift from her grandfather and formed to the precise dimensions of her body without hint of toolwork, stalwartly ignored the indignity.
"Sit."
Hiashi settled into her visitor chair calmly, his hands resting on his knees. "I'm sorry about the girl."
She frowned. "What?"
"She screamed despite the drugs. That happens only with clumsy medics or desperate measures, and you are not clumsy. I know how you hate losing patients, especially children."
"She didn't fucking die, asshole."
Hiashi nodded, granting the point. "Patients very rarely die under your hands, Tsunade. I have seen you hold together patients with chest wounds big enough to put my fist in. The prognosis for such people is still not good."
Tsunade snorted. "And they say I've
got a shit-lousy bedside manner. What the fuck do you want, Hiashi? Why are you here?" She unconsciously picked up the calligraphy brush that lurked on her desk, whispering of hours of paperwork to come (starting with charges against the girl's attacker, and wouldn't that be fun?), and twirled it between her fingers in one of the many, many dexterity drills that Sensei had taught her in the long-ago when the world was simple. Back before her office became a waypoint for all these so-important people and their maniacal plans for world conquest.
"I want your vote in the election, and I'm willing to give whatever it takes to get it."
The brush stopped, trapped between thumb and forefinger, as Tsunade goggled. "You're kidding, right?"
"No. Nor would I be a bad choice for Hokage, and you know it. As much as you care about saving your patients, I care about Leaf. We are at a crossroads, Tsunade. Every Kage is dead except for that pissant in Mist. Most of the jōnin of Leaf and Mist are dead. Sand, our staunchest ally, has lost their Kage, all
of their jōnin, most of their senior chūnin, and their jinchūriki. Meanwhile, our enemies in Lightning and Earth are virtually untouched. Yes, they lost their Kage, but they still have essentially all their jōnin and chūnin, plus two jinchūriki apiece. They have wanted our lands since the dawn of time. How long will it be before they settle their power struggles and go forth for conquest?"
"And you think you
can single-handedly scare them off?" She laughed, grim and hard, and the brush began its dance once more. Hiashi, normally so sensitive and prideful, didn't so much as frown. Instead, he shook his head and the corner of his mouth twitched in self-deprecating humor...and a trace of sadness.
"No," he said. "No, I am not nearly strong enough. Strongest jōnin in Leaf aside from you and Naruto, yes. Not nearly strong enough to frighten away attackers, the way Jiraiya could have. I had many, many, many
issues with Jiraiya—for starters, I thought the way he seized power was unconscionable, and I thought his policies were naïve and likely to cause disaster in the long term. Nonetheless, I wish he were here. You and I are hurt and Naruto's trauma may or may not affect his combat capacity. Asuma is powerful and his Summoning contract is an enormous advantage. Combine it with that Gōketsu barrel-bearer and it will go a long way if the time comes to defend the walls of Leaf. It's still not enough, and you know it."
"If we're so screwed, why the fuck should I support you? You're an asshole."
"Perhaps," he said with a nod. "You and I have never gotten along, that's true. Despite that, I'd like to think we both acknowledge truth about each other: You are a brilliant, caring woman"—he smiled for a moment—"somewhere, way down deep under that grouchy exterior. You care about everyone, ninja and civilian alike, and it hurts you to see people injured, sick, or dying. It hurts that you can't do more." He leaned back, one hand turned up in acknowledgement of truth. "At the same time, I am a powerful warrior, a skilled diplomat, a master businessman, and the greatest intelligence gatherer alive."
She snorted. "Fuck you. Jiraiya was better."
His white-eyed stare became disapproving and he tutted at her. "At managing a spy network? Perhaps, although mine is more than adequate. Still. You are a woman of painful honesty and bluntness, Tsunade. Set aside your prejudice and tell me that you truly believe Jiraiya was better at gathering the raw intelligence without which an analyst is crippled."
The brush exploded as her fist clenched in anger. A splinter shot towards Hiashi, only to be caught between thumb and forefinger and casually flicked aside.
"That is not an answer, Tsunade."
Her eyes narrowed. "Fine," she ground out. "Yes, no one is better with the Byakugan than you, and the Byakugan is fucking cheating bullshit when it comes to intelligence gathering. Happy?"
"Very. Thank you."
She leaned back in her chair, tossing the remains of the brush on the desk and putting her feet up beside them. "So. I'm a brilliant medic and you're a paragon of everything else. Aren't we the pair?"
"Indeed. The moral authority you command in Leaf is unrivaled. As is the economic and military power that I command."
"Oh, I dunno about that. The other Founding Clans, especially the Ino-Shika-Chō, might have a comment or two on the subject. Sage's boils, even the Gōketsu seem to be coming along nicely in terms of money and punching." Honestly, what was it with people wanting to cash in on her image lately?
He dismissed the words with the casual wave of someone batting away an irritating fly. "No other Founding Clan can match the Hyūga, and even most pairs would struggle. As to those upstart traitors...well."
Her eyes narrowed. "Be careful, Hiashi. Those 'upstart traitors' were Jiraiya's clan."
"'Upstart' or 'traitor': Which of those words is undeserved?"
She considered that for a moment, jaw working as she chewed the thought. "You know, for a 'master diplomat', you really fucking piss me off."
"Truth? Well, for a woman who has lived her life at the highest levels of society, you are crude and overbearing. Now that we have traded barbs, shall we return to the actual topic?"
"I thought 'how much Hiashi pisses me off' pretty much was
the topic."
"No. The topic is which is more important to you: preventing me from becoming Hokage, or literally anything the Hyūga can provide." He paused, his head cocked as he considered her. "Think about it, Tsunade. One of Jiraiya's many good qualities—yes, I said many, try not to faint—was that he appreciated the efforts of those who helped him and provided open-ended rewards to those who deserved it. I'm delighted to follow his example in this. Perhaps you would like me to provide vast funding for Kabuto's medical research. Or set up medical clinics in every major town. Or prioritize active recruitment into the medical corps, both for ninja and civilian auxiliaries."
"'Civilian', huh? It's just adorable how much you're trying to kiss my ass—when you're feeling polite you usually say 'softfoot', and most of the time you say 'mudbag'."
"It's true, I am catering to your delicate sensibilities. Civilians are less than us, as is the work they do. Still, they are important to you. I care about the youngest of my clan-children and therefore I show interest when they ramble about their dreams and I compliment them on their scribble drawings. Likewise, I care about who you are and what we could achieve together, and therefore I am attempting to see the world through your eyes and offer respect to the things you care about."
"Congratulations, Hiashi. Most people aren't willing to be that fucking condescending to me, because they know perfectly well that I'll punch them into the fucking sky if they cross a line, and the line moves around depending on just how shitty my day has been." She paused. "For the record, today has been really
shitty."
He growled in impatience and leaned forward. "Tsunade, stop.
You are wasting my time and yours with this ridiculous posturing. You aren't going to lay a hand on me, and we both know it; you're far too smart not to foresee the consequences. Also, as cranky as you are, you respect the law."
"Oh, back to the ass-kissing, huh?"
"Tsunade, I will not rise to your bait, so please stop dangling it. I'm here to do business, and we both know that there are things more important to you than keeping me from getting the hat. Name your price. I've already mentioned massive funding for your medical efforts. I could make a number of Hyūga permanently available as assistants to your junior doctors. You
can detect the precise location of a foreign object, or spot the tiniest perforations of the stomach, lungs, or intestines that cause a person to bleed out from the inside. You
can flawlessly set a broken bone using nothing but chakra, and ensure that it heals straight. You
can do all these things, but a newly-graduated medic-nin? No. Suppose he had a Hyūga standing beside him to indicate precisely what and where the problems are? How many lives would that save?
"For that matter, you've been talking about spreading medical knowledge since you were old enough to walk; I remember you shouting at the Third about it in the middle of a Council session. Do you still want that? Fine. I will pay the Nara to assemble and print thousands of copies of the largest possible compendium of medical knowledge. I will arrange for it to be disseminated to the farthest corners of the Elemental Nations. I will offer the other nations favored trade-partner status on condition that they set up a teaching hospital that meets your standards."
"The fuck are you talking about? You don't want trade. You think all the other nations are filled with slavering murderers and rapists desperate to...I dunno, steal our women or something?"
"I want trade on our terms
," he corrected. "Fire is the first and greatest of the nations, yet we treat with savages as though with equals. We could crush Rice whenever we wanted, without sending a single ninja into harm's way, merely by strangling their economy. Instead, we avoid or restrain ourselves in certain markets such that they are a major food supplier across the continent, on par with us or perhaps even beyond. We pay treasure to Sand and receive pittance in return. The list goes on."
She stared at him in disbelief. "Hiashi, I always knew you were arrogant, but I didn't realize you were stupid. That 'treasure' that we send to Sand? It's mostly food and textiles. Things we have in abundance. We get coal in return, and rockskipper eggs, and a thousand other things that don't exist here. That's not 'a pittance'."
"Food and cloth are nothing to us but treasure to them. The eggs and coal likewise in reverse. That is what trade is
, Tsunade: Giving someone else a thing that is worthless to you and receiving in exchange a thing that is worthless to them. My objection is not that we give them the food or cloth, it is with the quantities that we receive in return, and the fact that they trade on better terms with River than with us, and that they trade with Tea at all."
Again she frowned, but this time it was not directed at him. "They give River better terms than us?"
"Indeed. I can send you the full text of the treaty, if you so desire."
"Hm. You do that."
"Our arrangement with Sand has been mutually beneficial and I have no interest in terminating it. I simply want to modify some of the terms. I want to have right of first refusal on sales of food, I want to be able to sell as much as we are capable of instead of being restricted in quantities, I want to be guaranteed terms five points better than any other partner, and a non-voting advisory seat on their Clan Council. In return, I would grant them lower prices than they now pay, patrols on their northeastern borders to prevent aggressive action from Earth, several of those teaching hospitals that we were discussing earlier, and cadre for their Academy. Most of their senior teachers were killed on Nagi Island."
She grinned. "You want to conquer them without throwing a kunai."
"Of course. We can underbid every other supplier and handle the large majority, if not all, of their non-water survival requirements. We can provide sufficient military support to keep them safe despite their recent losses, and the knowledge and skills to rebuild. Leaf will keep them safe at night, put food on their tables, care for their sick and wounded, and teach their children. Our Will of Fire will infuse them and in thirty years, when the grandchildren of those currently in power are themselves in power, what is now the Land of Sand will have become another segment of the Land of Fire. We will likely have absorbed River in the process—cut off from the Sand market and with no way to import or export except through Leaf, we will have a chokehold on their economy."
She thought about that for a moment. "Gotta admit, you don't think small."
"Leaf is superior
, Tsunade. We were founded and built by two of the greatest ninja to ever live: Your grandfather and granduncle, the First and Second. Our schools and ninjutsu libraries were built by your teacher, the Third, one of the greatest ninjutsu masters ever seen. We are the beneficiaries of you, certainly the greatest medic alive and probably in all of history. We hold the unmatched power of the Hiraishin, the legacy of the Fourth. Our walls guard the most powerful bloodlines in the world. The Nara printing press gives us unrivaled opportunities for propaganda with which to destroy our enemies from within. We control the most food, the most water, the most wood. We are the greatest of the Elemental Nations and it is time that we stopped hiding that fact and cozying up to savages not fit to lick our sandals. We can't help them to live in the civilized society required by the Will of Fire until they stop thinking themselves our equals and recognize that they are better off accepting our teachings."
"Those sound like war words, Hiashi. I am not a fan of war." The words were mild, but they barely concealed a towering threat.
He waved the threat away with casual ease. "Nor I. The blood of Leaf is too precious to be shed by our inferiors. No, I intend for us to absorb Wind and River, thereby giving us control over half this continent, including nearly all of the food and the majority of the good iron and coal. Once we have that, no collection of the remaining villages will be a threat to us."
She digested that silently.
"What about Asuma?" she asked at last. "He's Sensei's kid with all the training that implies. He's calm and likable, a good diplomat. He's a powerful jōnin and a Summoner, which opens whole new trade opportunities. He's well-liked by...well, people. Not just the people of Leaf, all
the people. If you want to spread the Will of Fire, he's going to have an easier time of it."
"You are grasping at straws because you do not want to acknowledge the truth of my arguments. Yes, Asuma is well-liked. I am feared
, and that is a better thing for a ruler. Yes, he is a powerful fighter, but I am more so. Yes, he is a Summoner, but he will still summon if I am in charge, and he will still go forth and use that niceness to spread the Will of Fire—but in efficient, effective ways instead of at whatever feels best at the time. I fully intend to take him as a protégé, and I expect that with my teachings combined with his own native talents he will make an excellent Hokage when I die or step down. Unfortunately, we don't have twenty years to wait for him to acquire seasoning, we need a Hokage now
. We need me."
She sat in silence for three long seconds, wrestling with the unbreakable walls shaped by his words, the inexorable channels they built.
"All right," she said at last. "You have my vote."
o-o-o-o
Now: 9am Thursday, January 14. The Council Chamber
Hyūga raised an impeccable eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that we should choose to ignore legal procedure during a critical vote that will determine the future of Leaf? With respect, I prefer a more measured approach. That casual attitude is rarely a good way to achieve one's goals."
She eyed him carefully, her jaw working as she tried to contain her temper.
"Lady Senju, did you wish to register an objection?" Regent Nara asked carefully.
"...No," Tsunade said at last. "Not right now." She looked at Naruto. "Sorry, kid. He's right. Technically, you're underage and your vote has always been advisory. It wasn't a big deal since technically this whole Council is advisory and the Hokage is free to ignore us. Now, when we're actually choosing the Hokage...not so much."
"Actually," Mari said, "it's a very interesting question. Naruto, exactly how old are you? How many days have you lived through?"
Hazō felt hope surge in his breast. Yes! Jiraiya had explained it all to them before! The top-secret Shadow Clone technique created exact duplicates of the user, just as intelligent and skilled as their original. The above-top-secret part was that, when they popped, all of the sensory experiences and memories from those clones were melded back into the original person's consciousness, effectively meaning that the user had lived through more time than the clock would indicate. As casually and as often as Naruto created Shadow Clones, he must have decades more life experience than showed on his physical body. Of course, much of that experience would be very similar, so perhaps it shouldn't all count. Perhaps some sort of discounting mechanism would be appropriate? Or maybe—
Naruto's eyes locked on Mari's and his head shook very slightly side to side. She held his gaze for a moment, then gave him the faintest nod.
"I'm fourteen right now," he said, the words audibly needing to struggle past his teeth. "I'll step back. Even without me, Asshat will lose."
Slowly, he stood up, lifted his chair away from the table, and set it against the wall. He resumed his seat, now set back from the table and cut off from any chance of influencing the outcome.
Silence reigned as people digested the implications of the last few minutes. Both the fact that Naruto was no longer at the table—and, indeed, likely would not be at the table again for nearly a year—and the fact that Hyūga had engineered it with Tsunade's (albeit reluctant) help.
"Unless there are other issues," Regent Nara said at last. "I call the vote to order. Candidates for the Hokage's office, please stand and declare yourself, starting from my left and proceeding around the table."
Hyūga stood. "Hyūga Hiashi of the Founding Clan Hyūga, Clan Head through three decades. I stand for Hokage by my right as a ninja of the Leaf who has fought and bled in her service."
Asuma stood. "Sarutobi Asuma, head of the Clan Sarutobi, son and protégé of the Third Hokage. I stand for Hokage by my right as a ninja of the Leaf who has fought and bled in her service."
"Show your banners, please."
Both men walked to opposite sides of the room, Hiashi to the north and Asuma to the south. A rack on each wall held a wooden staff with a cloth-wrapped bundle on one end. Hazō watched with bated breath as the two men pulled off the wrappings and turned, setting their backs against the wall, feet spread shoulder-width apart, with the base of the staff against their foot and their arm held out at an angle so that the gold-thread banners could hang free and the clan symbol on each could be recognized. To the north: The stylized eye of the Hyūga, looking up with a pupil made of fire. To the south: The stylized Monkey God of the Sarutobi, symbolic arms spread wide in welcome or in threat depending on one's view.
"If anyone else desires to stand for office, speak now or forever be silent."
Nara tapped her knuckle four times on the table, four discrete sounds that marked the time for challenge and found it empty.
"Clan Heads and regents, it falls to you: You must choose the candidate you believe will lead the Land of Fire into its best possible future. The Hokage must prevent war when possible and win it when not. The Hokage must care for the people of Fire, maintain order, tradition, and well-being to the greatest extent possible. The Hokage must serve as impartial judge and justice. The Hokage must embody the Will of Fire in all its forms, and serve as a role model to all citizens.
"Please consider your choice carefully. When you have chosen your preferred candidate, stand at their side."
No one moved.
"Fine," Tsunade growled, pushing herself to her feet with an almost-hidden wince. "Let's get it over with." She limped over to where Hiashi stood and took up position beside him. Unlike his precision military stance, she leaned against the wall an arm's length to his left with one foot up and her arms folded angrily across her chest.
The Uchiha regent stood smoothly. "The Uchiha stand united with the others of the First Three, offering our support to Lord Hyūga." He moved to stand at Hyūga's right shoulder in a military brace.
o-o-o-o
Earlier: 11am Sunday, January 10, 1069 AS: Stately Uchiha Manor
"Thank you for allowing me into your home, Lord Uchiha, Regent Uchiha." The gray-maned head nodded in turn to Sasuke and to Sadao in turn. Surprisingly, the bow to Sasuke was slightly deeper than that to his regent. Although proper, it was rarely the way of it when an adult Clan Head addressed a child 'peer'.
Despite the respect shown in the bow, Sasuke struggled not to glare at the white-eyed bastard. The bastard in question was shining, swirling layers of overlapping images: The physical layer, down to the tiniest flecks of dirt lodged in his pores. The chakra layer: Purple-green flow through his coils, as calm and cool as a meditating monk's. The probability layer: A sway and froth of potential movements, the intensity of their hue fading as the movement became less likely based on current position, body language, and the thousand other factors that training and chakra could account. All of the many other layers, one headachingly atop the other.
The bastard in question was also running his eyes, the bulging-veined look of the Byakugan standing out to the Sharingan like a blinding star on multiple layers.
"You are most welcome, Lord Hyūga," Sadao said, bowing more deeply than had Hyūga himself. Sadao might be regent of the legendary Uchiha, but he was a civilian. No civilian would be anything less than exquisitely careful at this level. Of course, he couldn't bow too
deeply, since he and Hyūga were theoretically equals. "What may we do for you, Lord Hyūga?" Sasuke asked, not allowing any of his personal dislike to show in his tone.
Hyūga smiled, the expression a strange mix of things laid bare to the Sharingan: Amusement, but not mockery. Regret, but not internally directed. Friendliness, and honestly meant. (What?!) "It would please me very much if you would call me 'Hiashi', Lord Uchiha," he said quietly. "The Hyūga and the Uchiha have a complicated history; I would like this to be the time when we uncomplicate it and bring our clans closer together. Personal bonds are the first step."
The Sharingan required constant sacrifice; Sasuke could feel the chakra draining out of him like blood from a gut thrust, but he refused to deactivate his bloodline. Its enhanced peripheral vision allowed him to see Sadao's hands were folded around his tea in Position #1: 'Take the lead but don't move too quickly so that I have room to cut in if needed.'
"That is very appealing, Hiashi," Sasuke said. "Please, call me Sasuke. What exactly did you have in mind?"
Hiashi took a sip of his tea and then cupped it in his hands, physical eyes pointed at it pensively. "I owe you an apology," he said at last.
Sasuke blinked.
"I have been insufficient in my allegiance to the Will of Fire these last years," the older man went on, his voice thoughtful. "Life has been good for Leaf, and for the Hyūga. With few outside threats and no major famines or disasters, it was all too easy to lose focus on what matters. I allowed myself to descend into intramural scrabbling, seeking power within Leaf and attempting to advantage the Hyūga over the other clans."
Those patrician lips quirked in self-mockery. "They say that there is no fool like an old fool, and that no grandfather ceases to enjoy fishing just because the river dries. I should like to think that I am not yet old, nor yet a fool. Change is coming to the world, and Leaf faces its greatest threat since the Night of Terror. Possibly its greatest threat ever.
"All of the great Kage are dead. Four of the Villages have no leader, and the last is led by a chūnin-level woman who knows herself to be no fighter and therefore focuses on twisting others to her bidding with honeyed words spoken from a forked tongue. Sand has been destroyed as a nation, although they have not yet realized it. Their Kage: gone. Their jinchūriki: gone. Their jōnin: all gone. Their senior chūnin, including most of their Academy instructors: gone. Leaf is in much the same position. We lost the Third and much of our ANBU a few months ago, and then at Nagi Island we lost Jiraiya, all of our elite jōnin, most of our other jōnin, most of our special jōnin, some of our most senior chūnin, and the Clan Heads of some of the most important clans. Tsunade and I are both badly injured. We still have Naruto, but he spent months being tortured and starved. We can't risk losing him, and that means we won't be able to put him in the field anytime soon. Nor should we—he has lost both of his father-figures and all of his mentors in very short order. I remember how devastated I was when I lost my father; it was months of going through the motions, anger and grief striking me at random moments. Training became difficult...moving became difficult, at times. I cannot imagine what Naruto must be going through, but I do appreciate how dangerous it could be for him to be without support right now. Dangerous to him, and to the rest of us."
He shook his head. "On the other hand, Rock and Cloud are comparatively untouched. They lost their Kage and a handful of jōnin, but that's all. They still have plenty of jōnin and two jinchūriki each. They desperately need arable land and they have hated us for decades; how long will it be before they decide to peel off a part of Fire?
"Leaf must be unified, and it is not. I have been complicit in allowing that to happen, and I would like to mend my ways. Starting with the Uchiha, our sister Great Vision bloodline."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. His reserves were nearly empty, but he clung tight to the Sharingan for a few moments longer, casting off some of the less vital layers in order to stretch out its duration. "What did you have in mind?"
From the corner of his eyes, he saw Sadao shift his grip on the cup the tiniest bit, allowing his fingers to drift into Criticism #1: 'That was not in accord with the manners appropriate to a mature Clan Head.' Sasuke refused to acknowledge the silent rebuke, yet somehow he was confident that Hiashi had seen and understood it.
"Ultimately, I came to ask in what way the Hyūga could best be of use to you. As I said, I have been remiss in allegiance to the Will of Fire, and to the honor between our clans. The Uchiha are one of the Three Clans, founders among founders. Your blood, my blood, and the blood of the Senju are purer than any other clan's, and I want us to once more fight shoulder-to-shoulder as we did when Leaf was founded.
"The Hyūga and the Senju already stand united; Tsunade has convinced me of the vital importance of her medical work in preserving the health and safety of Leaf's future. I will be devoting a significant fraction of Hyūga funds to disseminating the medical works that she thinks are important to disseminate." He chuckled. "I recall one rather dramatic Council meeting, back when she was...oh, sixteen? Seventeen, perhaps? We had been haggling like fishwives for hours when she threw the door open and stomped in, pushing two ANBU off as she came. She threw a stack of papers at us and started shouting. The phrase that got used the most was 'Plagues have no respect for borders!'" His smile faded. "There is very likely to be a war soon, and the spirits of sickness will walk in its wake. She has materials on how to prevent plague; the Hyūga are already in negotiations with the Nara to print five thousand copies, and we will then fund a series of missions to disseminate those books throughout the Elemental Nations. Likewise, I will be making Hyūga assistants available to her medical practitioners, and funding clinics and research into better ways of saving the lives of Leaf ninja in the future.
"It is vital to the safety of Leaf that the Uchiha Clan recover its former glory as quickly as possible, and the Hyūga should have been there for you long ago. I humbly apologize for our failure, and I intend to make it right." He set his cup down and bowed deeply, barely inches from a full dogeza. He held it for two long seconds before straightening up again and sitting upright, palms on his thighs. "You know your needs better than I, but I would like to make some suggestions in order to show the depths of my commitment. May I?"
Sasuke nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Please do," he said, jolting back to awareness of the demands of manners. "I would be very grateful for your thoughts."
Hiashi nodded and smiled. "Thank you. If you will pardon my bluntness, the Uchiha's primary need right now is to bring ninja into your clan, either through marriage or adoption. Specifically, you need to bring ninja who do not
have a bloodline. Children between a civilian who carries the honored blood of the Uchiha and a ninja with a bloodline might
produce a child with the Sharingan, but it would be far more likely that the active bloodline of the ninja parent would hold sway. Yours is one of the three greatest bloodlines to ever walk the Sage's earth; you do not need a dozen inferior half-breeds under your roof. You could try to acquire ninja with some watered-down bloodline that budded off from your noble lineage centuries ago, in hopes that such people would be more likely to produce true Sharingan later on. It might work, but it's more likely that you would merely be burdened with their inadequacy instead. No, in my humble opinion, you would do better to acquire ninja with no bloodline. They will provide the ninja spark which the strong blood of your clan will fan into the power of the Sharingan."
Sasuke's coils guttered within him and he pulled the chakra back from his eyes, allowing the Sharingan to fade away before it drained him to death. Despite that, he still saw visions dancing before him: Dozens of Kurosawa and Wakahisa stumble-footing through the halls of the Uchiha instead of the proud, red-eyed ninja he had envisioned. Hiashi was absolutely right.
"I don't disagree," he said. "Still, we are limited to adopting only two clanless ninja per year. That is not much on which to rebuild our bloodline."
Hiashi nodded. "Indeed. On the other hand, you can adopt and marry between clans as much as you like. Marrying a full-blood Hyūga would not be useful"—he flashed a smile—"which is a pity, for I have a trio of young ladies whom I would dearly love to foist upon you. Their skill and beauty are all that one could hope for, but it is matched by their maddening babble about fashion and flowers and jewelry.
"More seriously: Were you to find more than two clanless ninja that you felt worthy of becoming Uchiha then the Hyūga could adopt two of them and you could adopt them from us. I would be happy to commit both of our adoption slots to this purpose for the next ten years. Also, I am owed favors from several of the smaller clans, and I feel certain I could convince them to use one or both of their slots on your behalf. I have not spoken to them yet, but if you are interested then I feel sure I could arrange up to eight adoptions for you per year for the next five years, in addition to the two Hyūga slots that will continue for ten years total. I am also happy to assist in finding potential candidates for your review. Would that appeal?"
The room seemed to have gotten brighter, and it was spinning slightly. It might have been borderline chakra exhaustion or it might have been impossible hope. Without the Sharingan, Sasuke had to actually flick his eyes to the left in order to note that Sabao's hands had shifted, the cup held solely in the right hand and the left resting on his thigh with fingers in the position of 'DANGER! Be very polite and commit to nothing!'
"It is certainly an interesting idea," Sasuke said. "I fear that, unlike yours, my mind is too slow to grasp all the implications at once. Would you be kind enough to let me consider the idea and reach out to you when I have caught up?"
"Of course, of course," Hiashi said. "Although, if you will permit me the discourtesy of disagreement, I would say that you are too critical of yourself, Sasuke. Everything I know about you says that you are a brilliant young man. What happened to your clan was beyond tragedy, yet I have no doubt that your reign as Clan Head will be an example of good rulership to future generations."
"You are too kind."
"If I may add something else to the basket for your consideration," Hiashi said, "there is also the question of finances. With the loss of the Uchiha ninja, the clan's income was hard hit. Leaf owes the Uchiha a tremendous debt and I would like to start to pay some of that debt. I considered how best to do this, and I thought perhaps you would be kind enough to sell me the resort at Mizuyako for a generous price."
Sasuke glanced inquiringly at Sadao.
"A modest onsen halfway between Tanzaku Gai and Keishi," the regent said in answer to the unspoken question. "Your father acquired it; in its time it was seen as an excellent opportunity, as there used to be a small trade road through the area. A rut of eartheaters passed through the area ten years ago, collapsing the road and allowing the emergence of some underground springs that have converted a lot of the surrounding area into marsh. The onsen has seen very little business since, and is largely abandoned."
"The Hyūga have interest in a set of farms and two mills in that area," Hiashi said. "Mizuyako would make an excellent rest stop for our ninja when they review those properties."
"I see." Was Hiashi trying to...be nice? He wasn't offering a loan or, Sage forfend, a gift. If he simply overpaid for a useless property it would bring no shame on either party. "I would certainly be open to discussing it," Sasuke said carefully. "May I ask if you had any details in mind?"
"Would one hundred and fifty million cash, paid in monthly installments over two years, be an acceptable price? Oh, and forgiveness of all monetary debts owed by the Uchiha to the Hyūga, of course."
Sasuke froze. From the corner of his eye he saw Sadao stiffen.
"That...is a great deal of money, Lord Hyūga," Sadao said carefully. "I apologize most humbly, but I fear that the advancing years have left me slightly deaf and I may have misheard you. How much of the payment were you intending to be in cash?"
"Why, all of it," Hiashi said, taking a sip of his tea and smiling. "The Hyūga have been blessed with a tremendous opportunity in the near future. In the face of such fortune, it is both duty and pleasure to ensure a smooth path for all those truly loyal to Leaf, most especially the Uchiha." He took another sip, then cocked his head slightly. "I thought perhaps we could finalize the details and actually sign the agreement over dinner this Thursday, after the Council meeting?"
Sasuke couldn't believe himself. He'd gotten absorbed in trying to figure out Hiashi's intent and then bemused by the visions of fabulous wealth, and had completely missed the fact that this was a very discreet attempt to buy the Uchiha vote in the Hokage election. Clearly, it was a good thing that Sadao was running things. Sasuke was far too stupid to ever be allowed into a position of responsibility.
"That is very kind of you," he said, bowing slightly. "With your kindness, we will discuss it amongst the clan and will reach out as soon as possible?"
"Of course." Hiashi bowed, deeper than Sasuke but not too deep. "If you will allow it, I shall depart and leave you to your discussions."
"It is very much appreciated. Allow us to walk you out."
o-o-o-o
Now: 9am Thursday, January 14. The Council Chamber
Those who had not yet voted watched Uchiha immediately, and willingly (!), fall in alongside Hyūga. Nearly every face curled into at least a small frown.
"After careful and extensive consideration and intra-clan debate, the Nara stand enthusiastically beside Lord Sarutobi." The regent stood and moved gracefully to take her place on Asuma's left.
"The Yamanaka second that," said the barrel-chested man who served as Ino's regent, taking position on Asuma's right. They were the first words Hazō had heard him speak since he entered the room.
"The Akimichi support the Nara evaluation and stand always beside our true friend, Asuma," said Lord Akimichi. The words were calm but his basso profundo voice gave them the weight of mountains. He moved to stand beside the Nara regent and waited calmly, studying everyone else in the room with careful eyes.
"The Minami value integrity and care for others. There is therefore only one possible choice among the candidates: Lord Sarutobi, and glad we are to have him."
"The Kurusu stand for Lord Hyūga. His clan is stronger and he has demonstrated far greater mercantile understanding. Leaf will prosper under his rule."
"The Motoyoshi stand with Lord Hyūga." The words, like the gait, were thin and efficient, no movement wasted as the speaker took a stance against the north wall.
"The Kyoshō also stand with Lord Hyūga."
Mari stood. "The Gōketsu are newer to Leaf than the rest of you and therefore we take our guidance from our seniors. I stand today in Jiraiya's place, after his untimely death on the field at Nagi Island. He told me many stories about the people of Leaf, and there were few whom he praised more than Sarutobi Asuma. Jiraiya praised Asuma for being calm and patient in daily life, thoughtful and wise in judgement, and swift and precise in battle. Combining Jiraiya's opinion with the evaluation of the Nara, the Gōketsu consider ourselves honored to stand beside Lord Sarutobi." She moved to the south wall and joined the ranks.
Everyone considered that for a moment.
"The Hagoromo accept the wise counsel of the Gōketsu. We stand with Lord Sarutobi."
The count was seven to six in Asuma's favor and Hazō was struggling not to chew his nails as he waited for the final three clans to make their choice. It
should be safe now. The Gōketsu had bought the Amori's vote, making the count at least eight to six for Asuma. Mari had been romancing the Inuzuka all week and making progress. Based on that fact and some backchanneling, Shikamaru had stated that he was "reasonably confident" the Inuzuka would side with Asuma. Assuming they did, Asuma had won. Even if he didn't, that still left Aburame's vote up in the air. Mari was confident that Lord Aburame Shibi would have voted with her thanks to her earlier political gambit of following his vote. Hopefully his successor, being new at the job, would observe his predecessor's opinions.
"Lord Sarutobi has never dealt falsely with the Amori nor sought to oppress us. We stand willingly at his side."
One more vote for Asuma and his victory was completely assured.
The tall, spare Lady Inuzuka stood, looking back and forth between the candidates with a troubled expression on her face.
"I find myself conflicted," she said. "Honor, skill, loyalty, intellect, wisdom, power...both of you have these things in full measure. Hiashi, you and I have clashed on more than one occasion, but I respect you as a man and as a leader. I think you're a little too close-minded, but I can't deny you'd do a good job. Asuma...." She chuckled and shook her head. "Honestly, you're a little less experienced than I would prefer in a Hokage, but aside from that you're annoyingly perfect. Being around you is this niggling little itch about how I need to work harder to measure up. You will make a great Hokage...someday.
"When I find all the factors so evenly balanced, I think I must follow Lady Senju. Her blood founded this village and formed this nation. She has spent her life in service to it, and I cannot ignore that fact. Clan Inuzuka stands with Lord Hyūga." She moved to stand against the north wall.
Ohshitohshitohshit.
The Council table was empty now, save for Clan Head Aburame Torune. Everyone else in the room stood against one wall or the other, the lines drawn and the symbolic knives in hand. All eyes were on the young man as he sat unmoving, considering the two separate factions.
"Lady Inuzuka speaks truth," he said at last. "Both candidates are filled with every virtue one needs to be Hokage. They have different strengths, different policies, and represent two very different futures." He looked away from the people, gazing pensively into imagination. "This is a fraught time. The geopolitical balance is shattered, and war is almost certain. One must ask oneself: What makes the better warleader? Nigh-omniscient perception of the battlefield, plus the experience brought by age? Or does age perhaps bring cynicism and thoughts worn smooth and brittle in old patterns?
"Alternatively, perhaps victory is battle is gained from the strength of a Summon Clan, coupled with the energy of youth? Or does youth perhaps bring recklessness and inexperience that leads to error?"
He fell silent and everyone waited.
Finally, Aburame nodded and stood. "When night falls and no path is clear, what finally counts is loyalty to the hive. My brother praises his teammate to the skies; on that basis, Clan Aburame stands with Lord Hyūga." He moved to the north wall and took up his position on the end.
Everyone looked at each other.
No one spoke.
"So...what happens now?" the Minami Clan Head eventually asked. "Eight to eight, no votes outstanding. No Hokage to break the tie."
"When no candidate has a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their voters choose a new candidiate," the Nara regent said. "With only two candidates, that pattern breaks down." She looked around. "Would anyone care to change their vote and break the tie?"
No one did.
"Asuma," Hyūma said, nodding respectfully as would one warleader to another across the field of battle. "The clans are divided now, and the people of Leaf will note that and be afraid. The division would continue and could weaken Leaf on the battlefield. You and I could find a way to break the tie—perhaps a spar, or a test or our metaphysical potence, or comparison of our lineage. We could undoubtedly find something and one of us would win...but we would also both lose. This rift among the clans would fester with resentment and grow worse.
"On the other hand, if you were to step down in my favor, the nation would be united once again, and it would give you unshakable moral authority for the next election. You will make a legendary Hokage when your time comes...but that time is not now. Leaf will prosper with me as Hokage and you as my Jōnin Commander and top advisor. Join me?"
Asuma cocked his head slightly, considering the words. "You could step down in
my favor, you know," he said with a smile.
Hyūga smiled back for a moment and then shrugged.
"Didn't think so," Asuma said wryly. He stood in echoing silence, pondering, and then shook his head.
"As much as it pains me...I accept your offer, Lord Hokage."
XP AWARD: 30 + 1 (brevity)
Author's Note: You kept an eye on Mari's mental state. No signficant changes before the election.
It is now 2pm on Thursday, January 14. You're back at the Gōketsu compound, you've told the family what happened, and everyone is a bit shell-shocked. Mari has retreated to her room with the door locked. You hovered outside a bit and did not hear any crying.
Vote time! What to do now?
Voting ends on Wednesday, August 7, 2019, at 12pm London time.
