"Hazō, this better be important," Noburi mumbled, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he trailed into the secure briefing room, last of the Gōketsu inner family to do so.
Hazō stopped banging the pots together and gaped at his brother. "Did Mari not tell you that I was getting abducted by an S-rank psychopath?"
"I wasn't sure," Mari said. "All I knew was that something was wrong and you needed us out of the way. It could have been an ANBU mission, or a girl, or anything." She glanced at Noburi in amusement. "But, yes, I told them that something was wrong."
"Yeah, but does it need to be dealt with
tonight?" Noburi whined.
"Yes, it does. Something else does, too." He stepped forward and swept Akane into a hug. Surprised, she put her arms around him and hugged back.
"I was terrified that he was going to go after all of you," Hazō murmured. He held her for a moment longer, then let go and stepped back. "Hidan came calling last night," he announced.
Surprised noises from all.
"He wanted to verify that I 'still had Lord Jashin's favor' and then he wanted to know why Uplift was taking so long and who he could kill to speed it up. I told him to go take out the Kage of Rock and all of her potential successors."
Mari inhaled sharply, her eyes going wide. "Hazō, did you—"
"I already spoke to Asuma. He's okay with it, and admitted that I'm not disloyal. He even said he trusts me."
Everyone sagged in relief...except for Kagome.
"Drat. Guess I still can't get them to go missing."
"I'll do the full briefing in a moment," Hazō said, "but first I want to ask one thing because it will inform the rest: Mari, how connected are we to Jiraiya's old spy network?"
"Not at all," she said. "We handed over all the information because we are loyal Leaf nin and we didn't keep copies because we aren't stupid. Do I remember some of it? Yes. Will I ever go near those people or share the information with anyone, even you and even under orders? No. Asuma might be warming up to you but I'm not taking any chances."
"Fine. Okay, let me run through what happened and then I want to make a list of all our potential enemies and what countermeasures we can put in place.
"He was waiting for me in my office, sitting in my chair with that scythe against the wall..."
o-o-o-o
"Okay, Gaku, what have you got for me?"
"How are you feeling this morning, sir?"
"Better than expected, actually. Yes, I slept for crap, but I have decided to take this as a challenge to do better instead of an utter failure. As Rock Lee might say: I will train harder so that next time fewer mistakes are made. And, as the first step in my training: Paperwork! I'm ready for anything, so...do your worst!"
Was it Hazō's imagination, or did Gaku's smile have an implicit 'challenge accepted!' behind it? Was that a good thing? Hazō's determination and positive front was paper-thin; he was holding the requisite mindset but it took effort to do so, and he wasn't sure how well it would stand up under an actual assault from the world's greatest (now that Shikigami was dead) wielder of the Paper Element.
The older man reached into his bag and flomped a stack of paper on the desk. There was enough of it that the desk bounced. Hazō groaned.
"First, the report on various ongoing projects, sir:
"The koi are doing fine. The junior piscitist turned out to be capable of managing things. If the fish are used for chakra then it will be at least six months before they can breed. They typically breed some time between May and July, meaning that Lord Noburi may draw on them for the next six weeks or so but should refrain after that point. After they have spawned it is safe to tap the adults for another six months, or longer if we don't need them to breed. The spawn take approximately a year to reach sexual maturity, at which point we can either breed them or tap them for chakra. One of the fish sickened and died at the change in environment, so we only have eleven. No more are forthcoming, as we are expected to breed our stock up to forty on our own.
"Skysliders are progressing, although we are no longer allowed to use Hokage Monument as a launch point, as Lord Asuma was worried about information security. The team has found some modest hills that work well enough for basic testing. They have a design which will usually travel in a straight line so long as the wind conditions are calm. The sky spirits are usually willing to support enough that it can travel a hundred feet or so, although the builders were eager to emphasize that they had one test that went two hundred.
"The aqueduct is in progress. They have installed the initial uptake and the screw to lift the water. The architect is having trouble with that part of the process and doesn't want to build the rest of the structure until the screw is reliable and producing sufficient flow. He asked for another month.
"This is your weekly reminder that you are still not doing anything with the family iron mine.
"Harumitsu had his fitting with the Aburame for glasses. He found it very confusing but they seemed pleased with the results.
"The GED continues to work well. Many of the civilian members of the clan have expressed their enjoyment and sense of empowerment at the lessons. Most of them sounded surprised about that—they had expected it to be a waste of time, but I am aware of at least twelve people who were continuing to study beyond the requirements. There have been no further incidents with any of the teachers.
"The storage seal bank is continuing to generate a profit. I asked the Nara to put together a report on the effect it's been having, as I thought that would be something you would enjoy reading. It should be ready in two weeks, but the preliminary data is very positive.
"The sewage and plumbing teams have put together a preliminary test project that has seen basic success, although the ground is now too cold for further development. They are pleased with their 'septic field' idea and look forward to continuing the research once the thaw comes.
"The Seventh Path Trade Emporium is picking up steam. The Summoners rejected Enma's proposal of a fixed retainer and insisted on the percentage fee that you originally proposed. As a result, the Gōketsu have taken in approximately fifty thousand ryō worth of trade goods as our cut this week. One third of that was due to a trade between the Turtles and the Monkeys. Herbs and dyes, apparently.
"Lord Kagome's students are taking up the slack on explosive seal production for the clan, and Lord Kagome seems to have mostly stopped twitching at the change. I am cautiously optimistic about the probable existence of the estate two weeks from now. Regardless, you and Lord Kagome no longer need to spend time on it unless something changes.
"Lady Mari has been having success with the Merchant Council. She's been very successful at getting us permits, getting legal interpretations made, massaging the outcomes of tribunals, and so on. Additionally, she submitted a report about what she called the 'teeny-weeniest beginning of a spy network' that she has been developing. She said not to get impatient, because setting up a single valuable long-term asset is the work of months, sometimes years.
"As you know, Ebisu-sensei and the Hokage have had something of a wager for several months now...something about a 'mini Chūnin Exam'? It should have been done some time ago, but there were delays for various reasons. The 'Exams' will be happening shortly, although a precise date has not been chosen yet.
"As to clan finances..."
o-o-o-o
"NINJA!"
The villagers of Bakuchioka had been burying their dead in one of the fields. At the sentry's word they dropped their tools and ran in all directions as fast as they could, not even taking the time to look.
"No, please! Please, it's me, Hazō, the one who tried to save you!"
No one slowed down.
Hazō sighed and raced forward at top speed. He needed to get to the village proper and make his peaceful intentions known before everyone bailed.
His first contact had been at the outer edge of the farthest field. It took him three minutes, using as much chakra as he could sustain, to make it to the village. The place was already half evacuated, but he managed to catch up to Kanako, the girl he had saved from being the dealer in the game of Chō-Han, and a woman who was probably her mother. They were running away, but Hazō Substituted himself in front of them and dropped to seiza, holding his hands out in placation.
"Please, wait! Don't run. I mean you no harm. I'm here to make restitution."
The woman stopped, shrinking away in fear with Kanako pulled tight against her chest.
"Please, my name is Gōketsu Hazō. I'm the son of Jiraiya of the Three, if that helps. Hidan forced me to be here yesterday. He forced me to play those games. I did everything I could to save you, all of you. Please don't run. Please."
Kanako's presumable mother paused, some of the tension going from her body.
"Please, I did everything I could," Hazō continued, a slight optimism buoying him up at the woman's reaction. "I risked cheating against a man who could have killed me with a thought. It was the only way I could save you. Please don't run. You can if you want, I won't go after you, but please don't."
"What do you want?" the woman asked hesitantly.
"I want to apologize and to make restitution. I should have been able to do more, to save everyone."
"Your gracious apology is gratefully accepted, honorable ninja. No restitution is necessary. We thank you for your kindness." She bowed, repeatedly and deeply, nudging Kanako to follow along.
"Restitution
is necessary," Hazō said. "I should have been able to save everyone. I am a ninja of the Leaf; it is literally my job to save you."
"It is?" the girl asked. "I thought ninja were—"
"Hush!" her mother snapped, clamping her hand over the girl's mouth. "Do not bother the honorable ninja with your prattling!" The words were firm but her voice was filled with terror, all of the tiny traces of relaxation gone.
"It's alright," Hazō said, gesturing for her to be calm. He allowed his hands to drift slowly to his thighs, making his position as non-threatening as he could. "Please, I just want to help."
"Thank you very much, honorable ninja," she said, shifting Kanako slightly to the side so that she was able to bow past horizontal. "Thank you, you are very kind. It is truly not necessary."
Hazō sighed. "Please...let me help."
"Let him help, Rieko," a man said, stepping out of one of the huts and limping towards them. He had a club foot, a bad one, and a hunch. Hazō couldn't tell if the hunch was a natural birth defect or poorly-healed broken ribs.
"Thank you, great one," the man said, reaching the conversation and lowering himself stiffly into a full dogeza. "You saved us. The other ninja would have killed us all, and you did everything you could. You truly embody the Will of Fire."
"...Thank you," Hazō said. "I wish I could have done more. And please, sit comfortably. No one here should bow to me. Too many died."
The man forced himself to a seated position; it took multiple seconds and he winced multiple times. He wiped the worst of the dust off his shirt and gave the deepest bow one can manage while moving only the head and neck. His face twisted into a bitter smile. "Too many died? My Lord, we lost thirteen. That's a bad winter."
Hazō blinked. "A bad winter?" He looked around in shock at the collection of huts that surrounded them. "How can you survive that? There's...two hundred people here? How can you sustain that loss rate?"
The man shrugged a lifetime of fatalism. "We have children to replace them. And sometimes people move here. The land is good and we are close enough to Leaf that the monsters are largely suppressed, yet not...too close. If you'll forgive the words."
"No forgiveness needed," Hazō said. "There are things I would like to offer your village, but you are the ones who know best what you actually need. What can I do that will help the most?" Something occurred to him and he hurried to add, "I'm sorry, what is your name? I am Gōketsu Hazō."
"I am Kunio, My Lord. As to what we need...good weather. No drought. The fields to not give up their soul. No fires burning up the trees we gather firewood from, or spreading to the village. No monster attacks. Winters that do not linger until the stored food runs out. The occasional tinker to bring metal goods. We are simple people."
Hazō nodded thoughtfully. "I can't do anything about the weather, but I can help with most of the rest. In particular, the Motoyoshi recently made public a fertilization jutsu. I'll send people out to use it."
Kunio's eyes went wide and Rieko gaped. She was so shocked that her hand slipped away from her daughter's mouth.
"Are you aware of till'n'fill missions?" Hazō asked.
Kunio frowned. "My Lord?"
"It's a new category of ninja missions. It involves using jutsu for economic purposes."
"Ecowhat, My Lord?"
"For daily things like plowing, building houses, or irrigating fields. Directly helping civilians, making your lives easier."
Rieko and Kunio exchanged baffled looks. Slowly, Rieko dropped to seiza in the dust of the road, pulling Kanako down beside her. By no accident at all, the woman and daughter ended up mostly behind Kunio.
"My Lord, I don't understand," Kunio said carefully. "A ninja mission to help civilians?"
"Exactly."
"A mission that involves ninja using jutsu to do things around the village."
"Right."
"Things like killing wild animals?" Kunio asked.
"No. Well, yes, we do that too, but that's a different category of mission. Till'n'fills are things like plowing, irrigating, and building."
"Plowing, irrigating, and building...with ninja magic."
"You got it."
Kunio looked around vaguely, apparently expecting the world to explain itself at any moment.
"My Lord, I don't mean to be rude," he asked after a moment, "but...why would any ninja do that?"
Hazō struggled to suppress a laugh. "It pays."
"Someone will pay money for ninja to help civilians like us."
"Yup."
"I am confused, My Lord. You're saying that a ninja will use magic for usef—for civilians, because someone pays them?"
The laugh escaped despite Hazō's best efforts. "That's it exactly."
"How many sacrifices are required? Are they looking for lives, or wives, or...?"
"No, no. Just money. Ryō."
The world finally re-aligned itself. "Ah, I see. My Lord, our village thanks you for your kindness, and we apologize most profusely for wasting your time. We have no money with which to pay."
"I didn't think you did, so I'll be funding them. I thought I could build some walls for you today, and we can walk around for a bit so that you can show me what else would be useful."
Kunio's universe had once again broken.
"You've never seen this kind of thing?" Hazō asked. "Didn't the medics come out last night? Asuma—the Hokage—said that he was going to send some to look after you."
"Yes, My Lord. They came. They looked us over and found that we were hale enough."
Hazō frowned. "They didn't actually heal anyone?"
Kunio shifted nervously. "They did an excellent job, My Lord. They were most kind, and wise. It was very gracious of them to come."
"How many people did they actually apply healing chakra to?"
"I have no numbers, My Lord. I never learned."
"Nobody," Kanako whispered. Her mother blanched and covered her daughter's mouth again.
"They were very generous with their magics, My Lord," the mother babbled. "Very skilled and wise. We were most fortunate to have them visit us, My Lord."
Only the Iron Nerve allowed Hazō to keep the volcanic fury from showing on his face. It would only terrify those he spoke with.
"I'm sure they were," he said, smiling a perfect smile that he could create only because the Iron Nerve remembered everything, including smiles from times when he didn't want to rip the lungs out of lazy ninja who blew off a mission assigned by their Hokage because they were too arrogant to believe in the value of civilian life. "Nevertheless, I will ask my brother Noburi to come and check you all over. He's worked with civilians before, he's good at it, and he enjoys it."
"There's really no need, My Lord," Kunio said quickly. "It's very kind of you, My Lord, but really not necessary. The previous pair were far more generous than we deserve. We would not wish to waste the valuable time of our ninja protectors more than has already been done."
"Humor me," Hazō said through gritted teeth. The fury was rising, cracking the Iron Nerve apart in bursts of static. He could feel the vein in his temple throbbing.
All three civilians cringed, and Hazō forced himself to take a breath.
"He's been looking to work with a broader spectrum of people," he improvised. "The injuries that we see in Leaf tend to be similar. In order to expand his skills he needs to work with people who have different needs."
"Yes, My Lord." Kunio was visibly trying not to cringe.
"Look," Hazō said, "I'm happy to pay for till'n'fills for the next few years. I
want to do that, if you'll let me. It won't be enough, but it will be at least a token gesture at resolving my guilt. A ninja's job is to protect the people of his nation, and I failed at that yesterday. Alternatively, all of you are welcome to come live on my estate. There's food, as much as you want. There's water, and medicine, and other people. Ninja and civilian both. You would be safe, and as comfortable as we can make you."
Kunio looked sick. "My Lord...we will go wherever you tell us to."
"No!" Hazō snapped. The civilians cringed and he forced himself to calm down. "Look, it's an offer, not a requirement. This is your land, and I'm sure you've lived here for generations. If you want to stay, you can stay. If you want to come to the Gōketsu estate, you can do that too. You're welcome to visit and see what it's like before making your decision, and you can change your mind whenever you like."
Kunio bowed deeply, the other two following his gesture an instant later. "You are kind and generous, My Lord, and very wise," Kunio said into the dirt. "We thank you."
Hazō sighed and pushed himself to his feet. "Look, how about we walk around the village and you show me what would be useful, okay? If you have trees you want knocked down, I can do that. If you have stumps you want removed, I can do that. I can conjure up stone walls to reinforce your houses. Alternatively, I can encircle the entire village with a granite wall that should help keep out any dangerous animals...if that would be useful then I would be happy to do that for you. You'll need to show me where you want the gates." He stepped forward and offered a hand to Kunio. The man gaped but several seconds before carefully taking Hazō's hand and using it to lever himself upright.
"My Lord, there's truly no need..."
"I would
like to do it, Kunio. I won't if you say not, but please let me?"
Kunio looked around in bafflement, clearly expecting someone to jump out of thin air and say that it was all a joke. "Yes, My Lord. And thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, I can do about two hundred, maybe three hundred feet today. If that's not enough then I'll come back tomorrow and finish it. While we've got the light, let's look for anything quicker. Stumps, rocks too heavy for you to move, that kind of thing."
"Yes, My Lord."
XP AWARD: 4
Brevity XP: 1
Ami-style Training: 0 There wasn't enough time.
"GM had fun" XP: 1
- +1 for scene: Till'n'fill
Hazō finished helping the village. People trickled back in as the day went on and were slowly convinced by Kunio, Rieko, and Kanako that everything was okay. Things picked up steam once they accepted that no, Hazō was not going to kill them and yes, he was going to help. Things that were accomplished:
Most of the houses in town were encased in granite by way of the Multiple Earth Wall, including the roof which is now equipped with a proper chimney instead of a smokehole. It renders them much safer and less drafty. A wall will go up around the village over the next couple of days. @Velorien points out that I eyeballed it instead of doing the math and Hazō doesn't have the chakra. This was only done for a couple houses today but will be done for all of them tomorrow when Noburi and a bunch of other ninja show up.- A bunch of large trees were exploded down. Given the new insulation and superior chimneys of the buildings, they will provide enough firewood to take the entire village through the winter in comfort.
- A Force Wall was set up in a mobile frame and several of the young men used it to very carefully section up the fallen trees and then chop down several smaller ones.
- Various inconvenient stumps were blown to flinders.
- Tunnel Excavation dug a massive hole that can be used to keep food cold.
- Another application of Tunnel Excavation cut through an inconveniently-placed berm and destroyed a pair of large boulders that had been complicating plowing.
- Hazō made a list of all the things people said would be useful and gave the list to Gaku. Ninja will be hired and sent out over the next few days as people with the relevant skills become available. One of the missions is to use the fertility jutsu to enrich the fields; it's September and therefore too late to plant but the fields will be magically fertile in the spring.
Vote time! What to do now?
Voting ends on Wednesday, January 13, 2020, at 12pm London time.
