@Velorien
Is it possible to have Kei fill a role?
The terms of her marriage, as I understand it are:
- Is a member of both clans.
- Uses the Nara name.
- This is inferred from her doing so. She might also be able to go double-barrelled if she likes.
- Cannot betray the secrets of either clan.
- If one clan is about to do something that would step on the others' toes she needs to warn them.
- Where Nara and Gouketsu interests conflict, Nara has priority.
- Must obey Shikamaru but not Hazou
- Ordered by Shikamaru, and not signed off on by Hazou, so probably not actually a part of the agreement. If this was pressed, I don't see Shikamaru winning the argument unless he was willing to divorce her over it — which he likely isn't.
- Also, frankly, this seems to go against the central premise of "member of both clans" that was a major conflict of that part of the story. If you aren't compelled to obey a clan head, then in what sense are you in the clan?
- Also also, Vel, you forgot this was even a thing once, confidently asserted that she had to obey Hazou, because otherwise the "dual clan" thing makes no sense, and I had to remind you that you'd written otherwise.
- IMO this part could just be easily retconned that she has to obey Hazou by removing that line from the chapter where she read the terms of her marriage.
*clears throat*
Okay, that got away from me a little, because I was distracted by a tangent, but my point is that it doesn't really seem that Kei
couldn't fill an organisational role based on those terms?
Obviously, she's
busy as all hell already, but I don't see any reason in the above as to why she (or her shadow clone sisters) couldn't be doing core Gouketsu work if required.
The first thing to note is that you do not know the actual terms of Kei's marriage. Those were decided between Jiraiya and Shikaku as part of their deal, and Hazō never looked into them. The items you list above come from the Nara Consort Welcome Pack, which may or may not reflect them.
You do know that Kei's situation is highly unusual. Normally, once you marry into a clan, you're expected to expend your time and effort on that clan's behalf; your connections to your old clan are primarily social. Lord Hagoromo would be bewildered and appalled if his political wife (should he have one) went on regular strolls to her parents' compound to do their accounts while there was work waiting for her at home.
In Kei's case, her degree of freedom is influenced by three noteworthy factors.
1) The Nara are one of the world's most progressive clans (as far as Hazō knows).
2) Shikamaru and Kei share a close friendship rare among politically-married couples.
3) Kei has an independent power base practically unheard of among clan consorts.
None of this matters to your actual question, however, for the following reasons:
1) Whether Hazō can give Kei orders only matters if he wants to make her take a role against her and Shikamaru's wishes (which would lead to backlash from the Nara, the KEI, and Kei herself).
2) Kei physically can't take on a new full-time job; Hazō would have to order her to drop existing activities (which would lead to backlash from the Nara, the KEI, and Kei herself).
3) Snowflake's legal status is not the same as Kei's legal status; rather, it is a black hole which you will go insane if you stare into for too long.
@eaglejarl @Velorien @OliWhail @Paperclipped The Goketsu has adopted a number of ninja beyond the core Uplift group. Haru, Atomu, Reo, and Mai are the most notable, but we have quite a few Genin as well. What is Mari's opinion of their skillsets in the context of filling a leadership role?
Related: Atomu and Reo are apparently charismatic or have a strong personality, but I am unsure how this translates to their ability to fulfill a leadership role based on the mechanics.
It would be unusual to appoint a new adoptee to a leadership role, but perhaps in time they could grow into a suitable candidate, and you could sheperd them in that direction by appointing them below someone who currently fills the role (as with Mari and Haru).
Atomu or Reo might make a good ambassador. In Mari's estimation, Mai is not charismatic in the right way.
Note that there are potential narrative consequences associated with allocating a crippled ninja to a role. Among other things, this is why Mari does not think Atomu/Reo/Mai would make a good diplomat, as other clans would not respect them at all.
